Monday, April 26, 2010

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Nook Passes Kindle Sales in March Top
Well look at this: new kid on the book, Barnes & Noble's Nook ereader, just surpassed Amazon Kindle sales in March. Obviously the Nook is a bit newer than the Kindle and those who were going to buy a Kindle probably have already, but it also looks like B&N's retail network is also driving sales. Digitimes reports that 53% of e-book readers shipped were Nooks while 1.43 million ereaders were sold in Q1 2010. They're estimating that total ereader sales will reach 11 million by year's end.
 
Test Drive: 2011 Ford Fiesta Top
The 2011 Ford Fiesta isn't the status quo. No longer do consumers need to compromise on creature comforts for the practicality of a compact car. The top Fiesta trim level is loaded with enough gizmos to keep a baby boomer confused for months. However, while items like the comfy leather seats, voice-controlled Sync system, and long list of standard features might draw customers, it's the impressive powertrain that will ultimately sell the compact car. Europeans already know this. The Fiesta is very popular across the pond, earning the title of Europe's top selling car in 2009. It has won award after award and now it's finally available here in the states, the final piece in Ford's most impressive car lineup ever.
 
Sony To Stop Manufacturing Floppy Discs After 30 Years Top
Remember Floppy discs? In case you haven't noticed (like I didn't), Sony is actually still making and selling those discs. But soon it's time to say goodbye, as the company now said [JP] it will stop production in March next year. Sony rolled out the world's first 3.5-inch floppy disc back in 1981. And believe it or not, even in 2008, the company could still sell 8.5 million units in Japan alone.
 
Google Launches New AdWords Tools And Certification Program For Ad Agencies Top
Google this morning announced a number of changes in the way it deals with advertising agencies around the world, from small search marketing shops to large traditional marketing household names. Penry Price, Vice President, Global Agency Development at Google has blogged about the changes here and here . In short, the search and Internet advertising giants aims to raise the bar for Google AdWords Certification, assist advertisers in finding and contacting certified partners more easily, and to lower costs for those who effectively help advertisers get the most out of Google AdWords , the Mountain View company’s popular Internet advertising service. New AdWords Certification program Google is retiring its Google Advertising Professionals (GAP) program, originally launched in November 2004, and replacing it with a new Google AdWords Certification program for agencies managing AdWords accounts on behalf of advertisers. The distinction between individual and company certification remains. (Funny sidenote: the ‘News’ landing page currently reads: “A lot has changed since 1994 when Google Advertising Professionals launched so we’re retiring the program and replacing with a rigorous, strategy focused version.” – who knew Google secretly started operating in the first half of the nineties?) The new program provides agencies and their employees with new training materials that reflect recent changes in search marketing and AdWords functionality (think webinars, on-site training, etc.), tougher certification exams to test practical application of knowledge and best practices and advanced-level exams to “highlight competency in search, display, reporting and analysis”. Also: brand new badges! (embedded above) Current Google Advertising Professionals will have a 6-month grace period to meet the new criteria and terms and conditions in order to retain their certified status. Google Partner Search Google Certified Partners can now opt in to Google Partner Search , a directory that helps advertisers find companies that best match their criteria. To show up in searches through Google Partner Search, agencies must opt in and fill in details about their core attributes and capabilities. Searches can be filtered by location, agency experience within a particular budget range, the types of services provided and the specific industry verticals served. Google AdWords API pricing Google has also announced preferred AdWords API pricing. This gives qualified Google Certified Partners who manage AdWords accounts on behalf of clients free use of the AdWords API, which allows developers to build applications that interact directly with the AdWords platform, based on managed client spend. To apply, agencies must have an active agency profile page and be compliant with the AdWords API terms and conditions. Google says it will start accepting applications for preferred AdWords API pricing on May 26, 2010. During the beta test period, the AdWords API was free for all but only within certain quota limits. To calculate fees based on said quota, Google has a unit-based system in place. Each operation performed on an AdWords account, such as adding a keyword, consumes a certain number of API units, and developers basically get charged $0.25 – or local currency equivalent – per thousand units consumed (see detailed rate sheet for more information). Here’s how free AdWords API units for preferred partners are calculated: We calculate free AdWords API units for the developer token that’s approved for preferred AdWords API pricing using the amount of spend managed by the My Client Center associated with the API developer token. If you receive preferred pricing, we’ll provide you with 250 units for every $1 of AdWords spend managed. For example, if you manage $10,000 in March, you’d receive 2,500,000 free API units in April. We’re continuing to update the way we calculate the amount of spend you manage and will update this help article when we have more information. Find out more about the updated AdWords API pricing model here . Advertisers and agencies alike, we want to hear from you: How do you think these changes will affect you, if at all? CrunchBase Information Google Information provided by CrunchBase
 
Foursquare Gets Some Major VH1 Love Top
Last week, we noted how The History Channel was using the Tips feature of Foursquare to make the real world a bit like Pop-Up Video , the popular VH1 show that ran from 1996 until 2002. Now, VH1 itself is in on the fun with their own account to also make the real world — and their own shows — a bit like Pop-Up Video with Foursquare. As Foursquare’s business development lead, Tristan Walker tweeted out tonight, VH1 has started promoting Foursquare on screen during some of its shows. For example, in the screen capture grabbed by Walker, you can see a Foursquare bubble that popped up during a show ( What Chilli Wants ) on the cable channel tonight. “ We love the way they’re integrating tips ,” Walker notes. The official VH1 Foursquare account is supposed to be used to “find culture in your city.” What’s interesting is that both VH1 on-air personalities and celebrities with their own shows are supplying these tips to Foursquare. And you really can’t buy better publicity than VH1 putting these Foursquare pop-ups in their shows. In fact, Foursquare undoubtedly isn’t buying this publicity, and in fact, VH1 may even be paying them for the partnership (the service won’t say which of its deals are free and which are paid). Foursquare just crossed a million users last week, but the deals the young startup is securing are arguably more impressive than their growth. Not only are the History Channel, Bravo , and VH1 promoting them, but even hotels in Vegas are as well. All of this can’t hurt the valuation Foursquare ends up with when it inevitably does take its next, large round of funding — or sells for upwards of $100 million. CrunchBase Information Foursquare Information provided by CrunchBase
 

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