Bit.ly Clickabit, Now. Bit.ly Now, Later?

Today on their blog, URL shortening service Bit.ly unveiled a cute new feature: Clickabit. It’s a Twitter account that surfaces some of the “surprising and bizarre” links being shortened and shared across their network. But the feature also hints at something we’ve been talking about for a while: Bit.ly Now.

“We’re currently hard at work on several systems that will expose some of the interesting data we’re playing with. In the meantime, we’d like to introduce @clickabit,” Bit.ly writes in the post. They key part is obviously the first half. We’ve known for a while that Bit.ly has been planning some sort of service to expose the best links being shared across the web — kind of like Tweetmeme or Digg. But Bit.ly links are shared on email and Facebook too; it would be about more than Twitter.

Actually, Bit.ly Now has existed for sometime — on Twitter. But today, Bit.ly switched that account over to be the Clickabit one (the old tweets from 2009 when Bit.ly was using the account to surface popular Bit.ly links have been transfered over as well — and they have yet to change the bio from the Bit.ly Now one). They still control the @bitlynow account, and have switched the icon. The only tweet from the account now reads “Follow the puffer fish to @clickabit!“

It would seem that they’re finally preparing to do something more with this account. Something like a system to “expose some fo the interesting data we’ve playing with“, perhaps.

It’s an interesting time in the popular link surfacing space. Tweetmeme is in the process of morphing into something else following Twitter’s launch of their own tweet button. Meanwhile, Digg has just launched the latest version of their site (version 4), in an attempt to try and recapture the link sharing crown. Then of course there’s Facebook. That Like button is everywhere.

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August 27th, 2010 | Posted in Bit.ly, Digg, TC, Twitter, featured, tweetmeme | No Comments

A Method For Encumbering Progress By Patenting Other People’s Ideas


Inventor: Paul Allen
Filed: August 27, 2010
Abstract: A method for preventing innovation, specifically in the tech sector, by way of a dangerous misconception of what is patentable and a sadly overtaxed intellectual property regulatory system.
Summary of the Invention: During a period of change and invention, ideas may occur to a person, and a few possible ways of manifesting those ideas. By instantly submitting a patent request, the person can secure as their own property not only the methods they have actually invented, but all possible derivatives and independent creations resembling said methods. After waiting a suitable period of time, during which the entire landscape of the industry may change, the patent holder then can exchange these patents for riches, while simultaneously nullifying the gains of a decentralized, idea-powered economy.

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August 27th, 2010 | Posted in TC | No Comments

The Engadget Show Live! with Omar Khan, Rock Band 3, and more!

Keep your eyes tuned to this post — because at 8:00 PM ET, we’ll be starting The Engadget Show live, with Samsung CSO Omar Khan, Rick Karr, Rock Band 3! Nilay’s on vacation, but Josh and Paul are on hand with Joanna Stern and Ross Miller, plus we’ll have music from Zen Albatross and visuals from invaderbacca and much, much, more! You seriously don’t want to miss it! Check out the live stream after the break!

Continue reading The Engadget Show Live! with Omar Khan, Rock Band 3, and more!

The Engadget Show Live! with Omar Khan, Rock Band 3, and more! originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Aug 2010 19:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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August 27th, 2010 | Posted in DanceCentral, EngadgetShow, Omar Khan, OmarKhan, RickKarr, RockBand3, Samsung, SamsungGalaxy, SamsungGalaxyS, TheEngadgetShow, TheEngadgetShowLive, ZenAlbatross, amd, dance central, engadget show, harmonix, invaderbacca, rick karr, rock band 3, samsung galaxy, samsung galaxy s, the engadget show, video, zen albatross | No Comments

Kenya: A Land of Endless Mobile Possibility (TCTV)

Some may get crushes on Hollywood stars. Some get crushes on blue, fictional Aliens. Sarah gets crushes on countries. And right now she is obsessed with Kenya. The closest she’s been is Rwanda, but at Cape Town’s Net Prophet conference last spring, several speakers made a compelling case for why Kenya– not South Africa–was the up-and-coming African tech hot spot to watch.

One of those making the argument was Stefan Magdalinski, well known in the UK as founder of Upmystreet.com and former CEO of Moo, but who last year who relocated to Africa to run Nairobi-based Mocality.

We decided—in part to shut Sarah up about Kenya—to invite Magdalinski to come on “Why Is This News?” and talk about why he left the cozy confines of London and whether the Kenya-hype is justified. [SPOILER ALERT: Sarah is planning a trip to Kenya.]




August 27th, 2010 | Posted in TC | No Comments

Old School Steve Jobs On Changing The World

It looks like that Xerox IP isn’t the only thing Steve Jobs appropriated for Apple. Here he is in all his chubby 1997 glory, introducing the TBWA/Chiat Day produced “Think Different” campaign with an unattributed quote from poet Jack Kerouac, “People who think they are crazy enough to change the world, are the ones who actually do.”

What’s most jarring about this video is the chasm between what Jobs holds as Apple’s core values in 1997 and those of the patent hungry-monopoly that is the Apple of today. As one commenter pointed out:

“Think different… As long as we approve your application for download on the app store.”

Or, “Unless you’re Adobe.“

Via: Hacker News

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August 27th, 2010 | Posted in TC | No Comments

HP bringing dual-core Atom N550 to Mini 5103, other netbooks expected to follow

HP only just rolled out its Mini 5103 business netbook earlier this month, but it looks like it might already be set to get an upgrade — a newly-discovered support document on HP’s own site clearly lists the new dual-core Atom N550 processor alongside the current Atom N455 and N475 options. No indication of any other changes beyond that, but this should only just be the beginning of broader rollout for the dual-core CPU — CNET says it expects a full refresh to hit HP’s consumer netbooks next month.

HP bringing dual-core Atom N550 to Mini 5103, other netbooks expected to follow originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Aug 2010 19:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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August 27th, 2010 | Posted in AtomN550, DualCore, Mini5103, atom, atom n550, dual-core, hp, mini 5103, n550, netbook | No Comments

Billionaire sues hi-tech giants

Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen is suing several high-tech giants for infringing patents held by a Silicon Valley lab he founded in the 1990s.

August 27th, 2010 | Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments

Panasonic’s drip-dry drop-proof Toughbook F9

How well do you look after your laptop? Never dropped it or spilt coffee on it? Keep it safe in a neoprene sleeve?
The Panasonic Toughbook F9 might not be for you then,  but this ruggedised laptop reviewed in the Personal Technology column of the FT’s Business Life section is also exceptionally light considering its wide [...]

August 27th, 2010 | Posted in Panasonic, Personal technology | No Comments

140 Proof Provides A Piece Of The Twitter Advertising Puzzle

Twitter has been open about its desire for advertising to be a pillar of its revenue strategy. The company has launched a number of experiments with advertising on the site, rolling out Promoted Tweets, which serves up ads based on keywords in Twitter search queries; and Promoted Trending Topics. But Twitter cracked down on in-stream advertising on third-party clients; which was thought to be a direct attack on some of the Twitter ad networks in the space, such as 140 Proof, Ad.ly and others (it turned out that the new TOS didn’t kill these companies). However, now it looks like Twitter is actually partnering with Twitter ad networks to sell its inventory on Promoted Tweets.

We’ve learned that Twitter has ‘informally’ partnered with 140 Proof, a Twitter-based ad network that launched earlier this year, to allow the ad network to sell ad inventory for Promoted Tweets along side 140Proof’s own inventory. 140 Proof allows 3rd-party Twitter clients, like Echofon, Hootsuite and UberTwitter, to sell space on the network to advertisers.

140 Proof’s ad network differs slightly from its competitors because it promises highly targeted advertising. Twitter clients pass 140 Proof a user ID list (with no names) and the public information contained in a Twitter user’s profile. On the advertiser side, advertisers bid on ads to be directed toward users based on keywords in tweets, followers, as well as device, location and platform. 140 Proof’s algorithms calculate a Twitterer’s “persona” based on public tweets and who they follow and serves ads to users based on this data. So if many of my Tweets have the term “red wine” in them, 140 Proof would characterize me as an ideal target for a wine seller.

In terms of the Twitter-partnership, 140 Proof is now able to sell advertisers in placements on Twitter.com as well as third-party clients. For the Emmy awards taking place this coming weekend, 140 Proof has sold the event’s sponsor, car company Infiniti (Twitter handle: InfinityNews), ad space on its publishers as well as on Promoted Tweets. Manoogian says that his network has made similar buys for Microsoft’s Bing as well as for an undisclosed financial institution.

Manoogian pitches that this is the best of both worlds for advertisers, who can target specific audiences via 140 Proof’s network as well as reach general Twitter.com users via Promoted Tweets and Sponsored Trending Topics.

As we know Twitter has been making key hires for its sales and revenue teams, including News Corp’s Adam Bain and Google’s Brent Hill most recently. If Twitter is building out a sales team for ad purposes, this arrangement could be a temporary way to drive ad sales for its offerings.

On the other hand, this could be another channel through which Twitter will drive advertisers to its platform. The microblogging network could form similar partnerships with other ad networks (Manoogian tells me that he’s not aware of any other deals with competitors at this time) and open up a significant revenue sharing stream.

Although we have seen some of what Twitter has in store for advertising, we are still relatively in the dark when it comes to the network’s long term ad strategy. The deal could provide a glimpse into what the network could have in store for the future.

Here’s Twitter’s official statement:

Twitter continues to experiment with different forms of advertising, promotions and other commercial initiatives, optimizing for user value. The work we’re planning with 140 Proof is one of those experiments.

Photo Credit/Flickr/HoriaVarlin

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August 27th, 2010 | Posted in TC, Twitter | No Comments

0 Views: The Best Of The Worst Of YouTube

When it comes to online video, there is YouTube and then there is everyone else. Increasingly, videos on the service are getting a million or more views and some stars (like that Bieber kid) are getting made. So just upload a video to YouTube and became the next big thing, right? Well, not exactly.

While there are an increasing number of massively huge videos on YouTube, there’s also just more videos in general. And despite what you may think, not all of them can be watched every second of the day by everyone on the planet. In fact, there are plenty of — and very likely more — videos on the service with very, very few views. And believe it or not, there are some with zero views. Thankfully, there is a Tumblr blog to highlights those.

0 views is an excellent collection of the best of the worst of YouTube — or, “the best of the bottom of the barrel”, as they put it. Here you’ll find 12 year olds walking around “vlogging” and putting pads inside of shoes. Or you’ll find “Get it granddaughter!” Or the dog drinking cola.

To be honest, the best part of this site is that if it weren’t for the name “0 Views,” I could easily be led to believe that each of these videos was a viral success rather than a video with zero views.

Also, thanks to this site, several of these videos are now getting thousands of views. Awesome.

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August 27th, 2010 | Posted in TC, YouTube | No Comments

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