As AT&T Improves, Google Nexus One Arrives on Verizon

I have been eagerly awaiting Google's Nexus One arrival on Verizon - which were initially announced as "Spring 2010". And according to BoyGeniusReport - it has passed through the FCC.

That raises a couple questions - even for someone who glowed so positively about Android and the Nexus One:

1. AT&T is improving. While I complained about AT&T alongside other vocal folks, I do give them credit for addressing the problem and making improvements. PC world tests showed significant improvlement and rated AT&T as the fastest network (read here - seriously). Anecdotally, I have experienced significant improvements in San Francisco, the valley and Los Angeles. The real test will be when I am in New York this week... which was the worst.

2. The HTC Incredible is launching and is apparently also weeks away.... and it is supposedly a formidable competitor to the Nexus One: '3.5″ to 3.7″ WVGA capacitive display (believed to be AMOLED), 5 megapixel camera with dual-LED flash, optical trackpad (death to trackballs!), Snapdragon processor and 256MB RAM topped off with Android 2.1 with Sense UI'

I still contend that I will move to Android - not just for Verizon's network, but because I think it is important to be on Droid's platform (learning, experimentation, etc) - just as it has been so valuable and educational to be on the iPhone.

Facebook Widgets Play Video

As seen in the below screenshots, Facebook Widgets now feature and play video in-line (although I am not entirely sure that this is a new release - it is my first exposure to it). These are examples from Zynga's Farmville.com - which features a Farmville Fan Widget. The widget has:

- logo - become a fan button - Farmville's feed - Farmville's fans (22.5m!) Notice that the latest newsfeed post has a video play button. Here are two examples, both of which play the video in-line: Facebook Video and YouTube. You will notice that it is still a little funky as the videos are not sized corrrectly for the widget's widget / height. Nevertheless, it makes the widget far more interactive:

Facebook Video: Example

YouTube Video: Example

January 2010: Facebook Passes Google in Visits; Yahoo in Uniques

According to Compete, January marked the month where Facebook passed Google in visits and Yahoo in Uniques... both are major accomplishments. Even if Compete's data is not directly tracked - this is important directionally. In December, Facebook inched above Google in visits (2.71b vs. 2.69b) - but January marks an actual gap: 2.87b to 2.78b. The other impressive feat is that Facebook's growth rate maintains its (almost-linear) strength. Google's visits continues to grow, but it is clearly slower; their uniques have seen growth over the last couple months, but May - November was relatively flat. Meanwhile, Yahoo visits are flat and uniques are declining. It is also worth noting that Facebook is the top referral site of Google... meaning that many of Google's visits lead directly to Facebook visits (as is the in-and-out model of search). Google is the second largest referral site from Facebook - Yahoo is the largest.

Facebook vs. Google: Visits

Facebook vs. Google vs. Yahoo: Visits

Closeup of Visits: Facebook Passes Google

Facebook vs. Google vs. Yahoo: Uniques

Solving MS Outlook Pain with Google Calendar, Chrome Extensions

I am very frustrated with Microsoft Outlook - particularly the calendar... which, for every scheduling / meeting exchange, requires one to switch between inbox and calendar. As a calendar fills up, this becomes more and more cumbersome - and ineffective. It is a root of daily pain - and for those around me, complaining. So I posed the question to Facebook and Twitter: what are great examples of plugins that make Microsoft Outlook more efficient / effective:

Here is the solution I have gone with (at least thus far). It shows just how frustrated I am - since it is a lot of work - and, to Jon Steinberg's point above, it shows the role Google plays in all of this:

1. I set up a sync for my Outlook Calendar with Gmail. It works both ways and is quite easy to set up (see here).... I wish they did this for contacts too!

2. Using Google Chrome, I installed the Google Calendar Checker w/ Popup. It displays your calendar as a Chrome extension and shows appointments, dates, etc all within a drop down.

This works great if you use dual monitors and have email and browser on separate screens. It's better than Outlook on a single screen (even this small laptop) - but is still not ideal. At least it allows you to navigate the calendar (particularly by date) without having to lose your inbox position.

Happy Island Promotes Facebook Credits in Marketing

It was a big week for Facebook Credits:- Facebook Apps that Exclusively Use Credits Now Featured on Games Dashboard (Friday) - Facebook’s Increasing Focus on Credits Prompts Developer Speculation (Thursday) - PayPal Integration Shows Facebook Wants to Play in Currency, Partner for Payments (Thursday)

Today I noticed a premium Facebook ad from the popular game Happy Island (I believe) that specifically focuses on Facebook Credits. Interesting because the marketing is entirely around Facebook Credits - which suggests that Credits themselves are effective at clickthroughs and conversions. Of course it might also be that Credits give the appearance of more direct Facebook integration or support and therefore garner more user interest:

When you click through, you land directly on the Happy Island page and realize how hard developers must fight for user actions. Much of the viewable screen is taken over by a request for your email address and then for a positive review (particularly common in iPhone Apps). Considering Happy Island has 12,000,000+ actives, you have to believe they are savvy enough to have determined that these placements are more effective upfront than after a player has become engaged in the game:

Key to Trust is Real Identity

The article "Can You Trust a Facebook Profile?" describes the "surprising truth" that "Overall people were remarkably honest in representing themselves":

People were honest—we don't read those words often enough.

In line with other findings, this study found that, when looking at a stranger's profile for the first time, some aspects of personality are more difficult to discern. Neuroticism in others is particularly difficult to gauge, whereas people find extraversion and openness to experience relatively easily to assess, even in strangers.

This study is another blow for that old stereotype that the web is some kind of scary hinterland, an untrustworthy place where anything goes and nothing is what it appears, peopled by adolescent boys pretending to be anything but adolescent boys.

More than the actual findings, I am intrigued by the surprise that the author had (PsyBlog) and that we clearly have in reading it (it is atop Techmeme and a Tweetmeme).

I have long thought that key to online honesty and general good behavior is tying activity to real identities. There is a major difference between what you are willing to do behind a handle (like a message board or chat name) and what you are willing to do on a site that is connected to your identity (ie Facebook, PayPal, etc). It is even more pronounced when the identity is fully public. For instance, I believe you are now less likely to misbehave of Facebook now that content is increasingly public, URLs are indexable and you have a personalized domain (ie http://facebook.com/ryanspoon).

For years I have gotten the question about beRecruited (a college recruiting network that I founded in 2000 - now with 750,000+ athletes): "how do you police athlete's 'resumes' and results?"

My answer is simple: because athletes register with their actual name and personal information (school, coach, guidance counselor, etc), it self-regulates. Sure an athlete can falsify results - just as anyone can on their resume - but such actions have life-long implications and are easily disproved. For example, this is what keeps LinkedIn clean and makes it so effective.

Booyah's MyTown: Reach Level 40 & Win

My recent 'strategy guide' on Booyah's wildly popular mobile game MyTown is strangely one of my most popular blog posts. Like the 1,000,000 other users who are actively using MyTown, I am addicted and believe that they are among the best example of game mechanics in mobile and local. CrunchBase covered them recently and announced the following stats which demonstrate a mix of engagement and virality: -1 Million+ Registered Users -Averaged 100K new registered users a week since launching in December -40 Million+ Virtual items consumed each week -25 Million weekly check-ins -Daily engagement over 65 minutes

The last line is the most staggering... an hour of engagement per day. Wow.

Well, once you hit level 40, the game pretty much ends. You reach "max" points and there is little gameplay incentive to 'check-in' and accumulate points. It is strange to think that the game has an end - Farmville, for instance, doesn't end because the leaderboards and social mechanics don't allow it to. MyTown isn't quite there yet. Perhaps I would be motivated if I realized where my town's value lay in comparison to my friends'... or perhaps I was motivated to reach level 40 (and accumulate points along the way).

Either way, it gives me closure and hopefully more time... though I was NOT spending 65 minutes a day!

Netflix Goes Down, Delivers Unique Error Message

As TechCrunch reported last night, Netflix was down for at least an hour. I noticed it while using my Netflix account and, while it was a slight annoyance, I was more struck by their unique downtime message. It was one part informational, one part support and, most surprisingly, one part marketing:

I understand the importance of having the three following messages: 1. the site is 'unavailable' 2. shipping centers are 'available' and functioning 3. Here is the support number, should you need it

But in front of these ordinary messages, was a marketing blurb reminiscent of a Netflix AdWords ad:

DVD rentals delivered to your home - plans from only $4.99 a month! No late fees - ever! Fast and free shipping both ways. FREE Trial.

It is a strange message to deliver. Particularly language like: "FREE Trial." ... which are not particularly relevant considering the circumstance.

The Facebook Connect Makeover: Great Facebook Presentations

I have been asked several times recently for great Facebook Connect presentations and takeaways from our Dogpatch Labs / Facebook event (which you see here). Below are a handful of great presentations and demos. Any others that I have missed?

The Facebook Connect Makeover from Facebook

The Facebook Connect Makeover from Facebook Connect on Vimeo.

Hiten Shah & KISSmetrics "Facebook Connect Best Practices"

Facebook Connect Design Patterns and Metrics
View more presentations from Hiten Shah.

Facebook Connect for Your Website by Justin Osofsky of Facebook

Facebook Connect For Your 
Website

JibJab at TechCrunch50 (Sept 2009)