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Google blogging in 2010

On the last day of 2010, it’s time for us to reflect on the past year of Google blogging. This year, we published 454 posts (including this one) on the Official Google Blog—7 percent more than 2009. Those posts had an astonishing number of readers: 24,768,052 unique visitors stopped by this year, more than 70 percent more than last year. (The huge increase is mostly due to this year’s April Fools' post, which benefited from a link in a prominent location; more on that below.) People come to the blog from all around the world; the top countries sending visitors in 2010 were the U.S., U.K., Canada, India and Germany, but readers came from dozens of other places as well.

The top posts this year run the gamut from policy changes to product arrivals:

  1. A different kind of company name - 10,604,183 unique pageviews, more than 30 percent of the year’s total. Our April Fools' Day post about changing our company name to “Topeka” had a crazy-high number of pageviews, in large part because there was a link to our humble blog on Google’s homepage that day. That’s a lot of eyes!
  2. A new approach to China - 924,335. We post about our new approach to business in China; we will no longer censor search results on Google.cn.
  3. Introducing Google Chrome OS - 653,803. This post introducing our open source operating system was published in July 2009 (and was the top post of 2009), but continued to draw readers this year. (This month, we launched a pilot program for Chrome OS notebooks.)
  4. Think big with a gig: our experimental fiber network - 483,399. We announce our plan to build and test ultra high-speed broadband networks in a small number of trial locations across the United States.
  5. Update on Google Wave - 469,164. We share the news that we don’t plan to continue developing Wave as a standalone product.
  6. Introducing Google Places - 341,136. The Local Business Center (the tool that enables business owners to manage their presence on Google) becomes Google Places.
  7. Announcing Google TV: TV meets web. Web meets TV - 314,991. At Google I/O, we unveil a new experience for television that combines your familiar TV with the freedom and power of the Internet.
  8. Our new search index: Caffeine - 271,393. Our new indexing system provides 50 percent fresher results for web searches than our last index, and is the largest collection of web content we‘ve offered.
  9. A new approach to China: an update - 228,591. In March, we stop censoring our search services on Google.cn, redirecting users from there to Google.com.hk for uncensored search in simplified Chinese. (Later, we introduce a landing page for Chinese users that links to Google.com.hk.)
  10. Introducing Nexus S, with Gingerbread - 220,482. We introduce Gingerbread, the latest version of the Android platform, and Nexus S, the next Android device from the Nexus line of mobile products.
Other popular posts included Google’s new look, the ability to change the background image on your Google homepage, Google Instant, a playable PAC-MAN doodle, the ability to call phones from Gmail and—oh, that—cars that drive themselves.

In 2010, we kept up with our search and apps series, and introduced a few new ones: about small businesses using Google’s products, updates from YouTube, great Google stories from users and a bunch of new “Search On” videos. We also shared our thoughts on the future of display advertising. We had fun with giant photo collages and other wall art, got into the spirit of the World Cup and shared a new kind of musical experience built for the modern browser. We shared imagery of Haiti after the January earthquake and the Gulf of Mexico after the oil spill. We also talked about how Google Earth played a role in the discovery of a rare hominid ancestor in South Africa, celebrated quite a few milestones, and gave you a glimpse of the bzzz-iest Googlers on campus at the Hiveplex.

In December, we revamped our blog directory so you can more easily find the exact place to get the news you’re looking for; you can sort by category, language or region. We revamped our Twitter directory too, and added new directories for our Facebook pages and YouTube channels.

Speaking of Twitter, this was our second year of tweeting officially on @google. We crossed the 2,000-tweet mark earlier this month and now have more than 2.6 million followers. Our Twitter family grew by leaps and bounds as well—you can now follow Google on more than 100 Twitter accounts posting news of all kinds, from API updates for developers to product news in countries around the world. Twitter was also our biggest referrer to this blog in 2010 (excluding Google search, Google properties such as google.com/places and Feedburner)—followed closely by Facebook.

As always, we’re grateful to all of our readers for keeping up with us over the year, and we’re looking forward to bringing you more news in 2011!

Posted by Emily Wood, Google Blog Editor


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Julian Assange to Receive $1.3 Million for Autobiography


WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has agreed to write an autobiography, which should net him around $1.3 million.

In an interview with the Sunday Times (subscription required), Assange revealed that the book will be published in the UK as well as the U.S. He would receive $800,000 from U.S. publisher Alfred A. Knopf, a unit of Random House, and £325,000 ($502,000) from UK publisher Canongate Books Ltd.

A spokesman for Random House confirmed the deal, but not the amount. “We are very excited to be publishing this book. The work that Assange has been doing at WikiLeaks has tremendous importance around the world,” he said.

Assange’s motives for writing an autobiography are quite clear: he needs the money. “I don’t want to write this book, but I have to. I have already spent £200,000 for legal costs and I need to defend myself and to keep WikiLeaks afloat,” Assange told the Sunday Times.

After WikiLeaks came into possession of and started publishing more than 250,000 secret U.S. government cables, the site and its founder have had a great deal of costly problems. The site has been battered by DDoS attacks and was refused service by several companies, such as PayPal and Amazon. Assange is wanted in Sweden on charges of sex crimes and has been denied service by the Swiss bank PostFinance.

[via WSJ]

More About: autobiography, julian assange, leak, trending, wikileaks

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Kindle 3 Is the Best-Selling Product in Amazon History


The third-generation Kindle is the best-selling product in Amazon’s history, the company has announced. To grab the top spot, Kindle 3 has surpassed Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos made a couple of statements about the new Kindle, emphasizing the product’s low price point as the key to its success and downplaying tablets as competition.

“We’re seeing that many of the people who are buying Kindles also own an LCD tablet. Customers report using their LCD tablets for games, movies, and web browsing and their Kindles for reading sessions,” Bezos said.

In August, Amazon also said the Kindle 3 is the fastest-selling Kindle ever, and this latest milestone shows that the iPad and other tablets haven’t hurt Kindle’s sales. Next year, however, we can expect to see more tablets at different price points; it’ll be interesting to see whether Kindle sales will remain as strong as they are now.

More About: amazon, e-reader, Kindle

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36 New Social Media Resources You May Have Missed


We can now officially wish you a merry Christmas. It’s probably been a busy week with all your holiday-related obligations, or maybe you’ve been busy digging yourself out of a snow drift. Either way, we understand if a few of our in-depth stories slipped past you.

But now, as your work week draws to a close and you’re looking for a way to spend those last few hours in the office, or you’re already home and need to take a break from wrapping presents and baking cookies, pull up a seat and see what we’ve been busy with at Mashable this week.

With the holidays nearing and the end of the year not far behind, you can be sure we’ve been creating megalists of resources from the past year, as well as providing quick start guides for some of the gifts you may be receiving and predictions for what we think will make the news in 2011. You’ll find all of those posts here in our weekly features re-cap.


Social Media



Video and Entertainment


For more social media news and resources, you can follow Mashable’s social media channel on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.


Tech & Mobile


For more tech news and resources, you can follow Mashable’s tech channel on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.


Business


For more business news and resources, you can follow Mashable’s business channel on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

More About: business, Features Week In Review, gadgets, small business, social media, tech

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Todo Web

Este fue el año en que se popularizó el concepto de computación en la nube o “cloud computing” y el eje de la discusión se desplazó desde "ésta es la manera de reducir costos” hacia el nuevo "ésta es una mejor manera de llevar adelante mi negocio".
Si bien muchos proveedores de TI ya han adoptado el término “cloud computing” para describir una gran variedad de tecnologías, muchos todavía no ofrecen productos y soluciones fieles a las promesas de la nube. Para ser claros: hospedar productos de servidor single-tenant en un datacenter no es computación en la nube. Tampoco lo es hacer que los clientes deban instalar pesados softwares. De hecho, estas soluciones, de alguna manera, atrapan a los clientes porque los obligan a estar al día con las diferentes actualizaciones y a afrontar costos significativos para administrar software; mientras que a la vez se deja expuesta información sensible en dispositivos que no son seguros. Para 2011, nuestro compromiso es dar un paso más allá de la noción generalizada de computación en la nube para llevar a nuestros clientes a un mundo al que denominamos 100% web.

100% web
En un mundo 100% web, las aplicaciones de negocios se entregan a través de Internet y son accesibles mediante un navegador web. Las aplicaciones y los datos se guardan de manera centralizada y están diseñados para que se sirvan desde una infraestructura multi-tenant, altamente escalable, segura y confiable. Dispositivos como notebooks, tablets y teléfonos inteligentes (smartphones) son portales para los datos que ayudan a mejorar la productividad de la gente en cualquier momento, desde cualquier lugar. No son necesarias las actualizaciones de software para acceder a la última innovación, sólo hace falta refrescar el navegador. Las organizaciones ya no poseen ni administran servidores y software de cliente: directamente compran aplicaciones integradas y plataformas de desarrollo a otros, lo que les permite dedicar su tiempo a definir la lógica y la estrategia del negocio para crear verdaderas ventajas competitivas.

Estamos invirtiendo en una gran variedad de tecnologías para que las organizaciones puedan ser más productivas utilizando solo la web:

  • Google Apps es la suite más popular de aplicaciones de comunicación y colaboración basadas en la web. Incluye correo electrónico, mensajería instantánea, calendarios, documentos, sitios, compartir videos, servicios de Postini  y muchos más. Continuaremos mejorando y expandiendo nuestra oferta para ofrecer tecnologías más poderosas para los más de 3 millones de clientes de Google Apps en el mundo.
  • El motor Google App Engine permite a las organizaciones desarrollar sus propias aplicaciones para uso interno y externo, y alojarlas en la infraestructura de Google. Esto facilita un desarrollo más rápido y sencillo, sin mantenimiento continuo y la posibilidad de escalar fácilmente para satisfacer las necesidades de capacidad con poco tiempo de aviso previo. App Engine ya tiene mil millones de pageviews por día desde más de 150 mil aplicaciones activas. En 2011, se lanzará de manera más amplia App Engine for Business.
  • La tienda online Google Apps Marketplace proporciona otras aplicaciones que los clientes necesitan para construir su negocio sobre la web, que a su vez se integran con la suite Google Apps y son fáciles de instalar con solo unos pocos clics. Marketplace continuará creciendo más allá de sus actuales 250 aplicaciones y facilitará aún más que las organizaciones encuentren, evalúen y compren las mejores aplicaciones que no son de Google y que están disponibles en la web.
  • Android es una de las plataformas móviles de crecimiento más acelerado a nivel mundial, diseñada para impulsar la innovación y la posibilidad de elección. Las organizaciones ahora pueden manejarse con Android, iPhone, Windows Mobile y otros dispositivos ActiveSync directamente desde el navegador. El equipo de Android está trabajando en una nueva versión de la plataforma que apunta a los aspectos específicos de las tablets y casos de uso.
  • Google Chrome es un navegador web de código abierto desarrollado para brindar a los usuarios una experiencia de navegación veloz, simple y segura con modernas aplicaciones web. En solo dos años, Chrome ha logrado ser 300% más veloz, mientras que durante el último año, su nivel de adopción se ha triplicado. Hace unas semanas, anunciamos nuevas funcionalidades para Chrome para facilitar aún más la gestión de implementaciones empresariales. Además, las compañías que están usando versiones más viejas de Internet Explorer para sus aplicaciones legadas, pueden usar Google Chrome Frame para acceder a modernas aplicaciones web que se apoyan en tecnologías como HTML5.
  • Google Chrome OS es un nuevo sistema operativo diseñado para brindar una experiencia 100% web. Mediante la creación de un sistema operativo que es esencialmente un navegador, podemos hacer que las computadoras sean más rápidas, más simples y, fundamentalmente, más seguras.

Somos conscientes de que, si bien muchas compañías pueden subirse rápidamente a la experiencia 100% web, también entendemos que hay otras tal vez más grandes que han hecho grandes inversiones en la tecnología legada. Por consiguiente, estamos invirtiendo en soluciones que sirvan de puente desde las tecnologías existentes hacia el mundo 100% web:

  • Google Cloud Connect for Microsoft Office permite a las personas continuar usando la interfaz de Office a la que están acostumbrados (incluyendo Office 2003, 2007 y 2010), al mismo tiempo que disfrutan de muchos de los beneficios que la colaboración basada en la web proporciona a los usuarios de Google Docs. Esta solución estará disponible próximamente.
  • Google Message Continuity es una forma sumamente económica de recuperación de información en caso de desastre, que permite a los usuarios de Microsoft Exchange utilizar la confiabilidad de Gmail para tener un back-up de sus servidores.

El concepto “100% web” es un cambio radical en la manera en que las empresas tradicionalmente han comprado, implementado y administrado su tecnología de la información (TI). Pero cuanto más hablamos con nuestros clientes, más nos damos cuenta de que éste es el cambio que estaban esperando. Esta es la extensión más clara y esencial del modelo de computación en la nube que trae consigo beneficios sustanciales para las empresas en términos de simplicidad, costo, seguridad, flexibilidad y ritmo de innovación que ningún otro modelo tecnológico puede proveer. Si 2010 fue “El año de la nube”, 2011 promete ser el año “Todo Web”.

Por Dave Girouard, Presidente, Google Enterprise


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Learn HTML5, JavaScript and CSS With Mozilla’s Free “School of Webcraft”


Mozilla is getting ready for the January semester of School of Webcraft, a 100% free developer training resource run in partnership with Peer 2 Peer University.

Last semester, the School of Webcraft offered 15 classes; now, Mozilla is trying to get around 30 classes going for the January semester.

Classes will be between six and 10 weeks long; they’ll revolve around topics relevant to web designers and developers, including HTML5, JavaScript and CSS. Previous classes have also included non-developer topics such as organic SEO. Requisite skill levels will run the gamut from novice to expert. The volunteer-run courses will begin on January 26, and proposals for new course ideas are still being accepted.

Students learn through a combination of free and open learning materials, online study groups and hands-on assignments that test their hacking skills.

If you’re a leader in the developer community, you can also step up and lead a course yourself. If you want to organize a class, you’ll get support from P2PU and Mozilla in the form of course design, materials, learning facilitation and other resources.

Registration opens on January 8; until then, you can sign up for the School of Webcraft e-mail list.

Mozilla believes that developer training is “both at the high school and university level… out of date, lousy and losing students.” Another problem is that younger learners simply don’t have access to good web dev learning resources. And certification training is expensive and often out of step with current practices.

By creating a completely free, open training ground for developers and would-be developers of all stripes, Mozilla hopes to remedy some of the problems surrounding technology education.

We fully support this mission; anything that will allow more people to become better informed about and more proficient in web development and related technologies is a win in our book.

Of course, we’d love to see more than just front-end and markup languages explored; but for that to happen, some knowledgeable devs are going to have to volunteer to teach their peers the basics (or not-so-basics) of other programming languages.

More About: developers, education, mozilla, school, training, trending

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Latest from the Lab

Over the last couple of weeks, lots of apps have debuted on Google Labs, a laboratory where our more adventurous users can try our experimental products and offer feedback directly to the engineers who developed them. Teams at Google are gearing up to deliver more and more cool innovations to users, and this month alone, we’ve launched six new products on Google Labs. Here are the highlights of our recent releases.

App Inventor for Android
App Inventor for Android makes it easier for people to access the capabilities of their Android phones and create apps for their personal use. Until now, it was only available to a group of people who requested and received invitations. Last week, we announced that App Inventor (beta) is now available to anyone with a Google account. Visit the App Inventor homepage to get set up and start building your own Android app—and be sure to share your App Inventor story on the App Inventor user forum!

Body Browser
Body Browser is a demo app that allows you to visualize complex 3D graphics of the human body. It works in the latest beta version of Google Chrome and uses WebGL, a new standard that enables 3D experiences in the web browser without any plug-ins. Using Body Browser, you can explore different layers of human anatomy by moving the slider to rotate and zoom in on parts you are interested in. Not sure where something is? Try the search box. You can also share the exact scene you’re viewing by copying and pasting the corresponding URL.


DataWiki
DataWiki is a wiki for structured data, extending the idea of a normal wiki to make it easy to create, edit, share and visualize structured data, and to interlink data formats to make them more understandable and useful. The project is inspired by the need to create customized data formats for crisis response, for example to quickly create a person-finder application after an earthquake, or share Internet and cellular phone connectivity maps from an affected area. DataWiki operates as a RESTful web-service, is built on AppEngine and is completely open source.


Google Books Ngram Viewer
Google Books Ngram Viewer graphs and compares the historical usage of phrases based on the datasets comprised of more than 500 billion words and their associated volumes over time in about 5.2 million books. Last week, we released this visualization tool along with freely-downloadable phrase frequency datasets to help humanities research. You can find interesting example queries (e.g., “tofu” vs. “hot dog”) and more information about the effort in our blog post.


Google Earth Engine
Google Earth Engine, which we announced at the U.N. Climate Change Conference Cancun earlier this month, is a technology platform that enables scientists to do global-scale observation and measurement of changes in the earth's environment. It provides an unprecedented amount of satellite imagery and data online for the first time, as well as our extensive computing infrastructure—the Google “cloud”—to analyze the imagery. We’re excited about the initial use of Google Earth Engine to support efforts to stop global deforestation, but the platform can be used for a wide range of applications, from mapping water resources to ecosystem services. It’s part of our broader effort at Google to build a more sustainable future.

Google Shared Spaces
Google Shared Spaces is an easy way for you to share mini-collaborative applications, like scheduling tools or games, with your friends or colleagues. By creating a Shared Space, you can share a gadget with whomever you want by simply sending the URL. Once your friends join the Shared Space, you can collaborate with them in real-time on the gadget, and you can chat with them, too. This product is built on some of the technology used in Google Wave.


Those experimental products have been developed by many teams across Google. Some products were born in 20% time, and some were built by start-up-like teams inside the company. But all of these products were created by passionate, small teams just because they cared about them so much.

You can find more Labs products on googlelabs.com. Please play with them and give us feedback. And stay tuned for experiments coming in the future.

Posted by Riku Inoue, Product Manager, Google Labs


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100+ Upcoming Social Media & Tech Events

social_media_events_guide1


Every week, Mashable puts together a calendar of upcoming social media and web events, parties and conferences. Would you like to have your conference or event listed here? If so, please contact us at least one month before your event to establish a media partnership. For more upcoming listings, check out Mashable’s Events section.

In the meantime, here are some tips on how to network, share your information and/or promote your event(s) using social media:

Mashable’s Weekly Social Media and Marketing Event Guide is proudly supported by Eventbrite, the Web’s Event Marketplace.


Upcoming Mashable Events:

The Mashable Awards, January 6, 2011, Las Vegas, NV: In partnership with Cirque du Soleil, The Mashable Awards Gala event will bring together the winners and nominees, the Mashable community, partners, media, the marketing community, consumer electronics and technology brands and attendees from the 2011 International CES Convention to Las Vegas on Thursday, January 6, 2011. Together, we will celebrate the winners and the community of the Mashable Awards at the Cirque du Soleil Zumanity stage in the beautiful New York New York Hotel. The event will be hosted by comedian Baratunde Thurston, The Onion’s Director of Digital, and the remix masters, Eclectic Method, will get the crowd in a party mood. The Awards Gala will also include acts and performances from our partner Cirque du Soleil Zumanity.


January 6-9, 2011, Las Vegas, NV: Join us at the 2011 International CES, the global platform for inspired ideas and innovation. With 2,500 exhibitors, CES continues to be the world’s largest consumer technology tradeshow and always reflects the dynamic consumer electronics industry. The International CES is not open to the general public and all attendees must be in the CE industry to be eligible to attend the show. Register FREE for the 2011 CES with the priority code MSHB, an exclusive promotion for Mashable readers.


January 6-9, 2011, Lake Tahoe, NV: The worlds of digital storytelling, snowsports and technology will converge on Heavenly Mountain Resort January 6 – 9, 2011 for the Tahoe Snowcial, a winter festival celebrating the global community of enthusiasts who live their passion in the snow and tell their stories online. Snowcial ties these worlds together in a participative, collaborative intermingling of industry leaders that sparks new ideas for the future, linking networks, passions and turns. Speakers include CEOs of Gowalla, Path and Vail Resorts with performances by OK Go and MC Hammer. Register with the promo code founderfriend and get 10% off!


January 12-14, 2011, Washington, DC: Social Media Legal Risk & Strategy – Social media has proven to be a critical medium for companies who are looking to have their services and brands penetrate the public sphere. The use of social media, however, has not come with an absence of legal risk. Join 16 lead counsels from Coca-Cola North America, IBM Corporation, Wal-Mart, Chevron, T-Mobile, Capital One, Dell, Aon Corporation, CSC, Nationwide and other fortune 500 companies as they discuss strategies to address and overcome the legal risks posed by engaging in social media. Mashable subscribers will enjoy a 10% discount when they mention MASHABLE in their follow-up email to ddrey@marcusevansch.com.


January 12, 2011, Las Vegas, NV: Influence People is hosting a one-day social media marketing conference in Las Vegas and it will bring together leading brands and marketing experts to explore the viral power of social networks. During this one-day event, a team of renowned marketing experts will provide guidance on how to effectively engage with customers via social media, give tips on how to maximize the impact of your campaigns and offer insights into new services to try and trends to watch out for. This is the ultimate event for anyone involved in social media or digital marketing. Register with the promo code mashable and receive a 10% discount.


January 12, 2011, Stanford, CA: The NextGen Conference brings together young, aspiring entrepreneurs and young, rock star entrepreneurs with more experienced entrepreneurs and venture capitalists. Join us for a full day at Stanford University and learn from the very best! Speakers include: Peter Thiel (Founder of PayPal, Clarium Capital, and the Founders Fund), Keith Rabois (COO of Square), Mark Suster (2x entrepreneur turned VC), Travis Kalanick (serial entrepreneur and angel investor), and more! Register and use the promo code NGCMASH!


January 13-14, 2011, Washington, DC: marcus evans invites you to attend the Social Media for Pharma Conference. Hear from your peers firsthand on how the new FDA guidance will mandate your social media strategies. By attending this conference you will learn how to boost product exposure, generate market research, build relationships and increase sales and overall business in the long term. For an exclusive discount as a Mashable member, please mention “Mashable” to Michele Westergaard at michelew@marcusevansch.com.


January 13-14, 2011, Wilmington, NC: This two-day event will feature the region’s most successful people in business, technology, internet marketing and social media. Keynote speakers, seminars and the expo will be designed to help companies and their employees develop professionally, make new connections and reach new customers. This BizTech event will focus on social media strategies, search engine optimization, PPC advertising, strategies to finance your business, cloud computing and more. Register with the promo code BIZTMASH and receive FREE admission to the expo and 10% discount off all BizTech events, if you register by December 22, 2010.


January 17-18 and 20-21, 2011, Singapore & Hong Kong: Join us at this interactive conference on Social Media Marketing to acquire effective techniques for boosting your brand performance and ROI. Find out how Intel, Nokia, Watsons, McDonald’s, Volkswagen, HP, Canon, Johnson & Johnson, Wall Street Journal, SMRT and more incorporated social media activities to get ahead of conversations. Through in-depth case studies and workable solutions, learn how to develop coherent platform integration strategies, handle a social media backlash and identify KPIs for the effectiveness of social media campaigns. Register today and save 10% when you enter Mashable under Additional Info.


January 19, 2011, New York, NY: Mobile Healthcare Communications: Case Studies and Roundtables – Representatives from GlaxoSmithKline, Within3, Pfizer Inc., Johnson & Johnson, Roche Diabetes Care, and others will demonstrate the best case studies of how major healthcare brands are connecting with consumers and professionals through mobile communications. Register


and use the promo code MASH for a discounted rate of $155.

January 19, 2011, Wichita KS: Explore & Engage with Brian Solis and Jason Falls – Explore & Engage is a unique opportunity to learn from two of the social web’s leading experts in a rare and intimate workshop setting. Registration is limited to just 150 people. The program will open with a powerful message from Brian Solis, “Engage or Die”. Jason Falls will respond with two hands-on workshops covering social media tools, tactics, content, planning, strategy and measurement. Between workshops participants will have the opportunity to visit with Jason and Brian and to have Brian sign copies of his book, “Engage”. The workshops are intended for those already active in the social web who want to take their business or organization to the next level of engagement. Register and use the discount code MASHABLE to save $25 on each standard registration.


January 20-22, 2011, Mumbai, India: Click Asia Summit 2011 is designed to be Asia’s largest digital & mobile marketing conference and expo where industry thought leaders congregate to discuss online marketing, challenges faced by agencies, and the changing face of social media. Click Asia Summit 2011 is going to change the way you look at Digital and Mobile marketing. Please register by clicking here.


January 20-21, 2011, San Francisco, CA: The First Annual Gamification Summit brings together top thought leaders in game mechanics and engagement science for the first time. Hear what works and what doesn’t in this dynamic and fast-moving field through case studies, workshops, keynotes and panels delivered by experts such as Gabe Zichermann (author, Game-Based Marketing), Amy Jo Kim (gamification guru) and Jane McGonigal (TED fellow, debuting her new book) and network with other leaders in the space. Attend the Gamification Summit 2011 and learn how game mechanics and the new science of engagement are rewriting the rules of brand marketing, product design and customer acquisition. Know the score: Register now with the Mashable promo code GSMASH11 and save 10%.


January 20, 2011, London, UK: SMART Social Media for Business – What are the threats surrounding social media and are they offset by the realistic potential for business growth? With speakers from Twitter, Adidas, Nokia, The Times, Yahoo! & Lauren Rubin from Mashable, this is your chance to hear from the global leaders in social media strategy to find out how to mitigate risks whilst capitalizing on the vast opportunities. To learn more about SMART and to download the event’s agenda, please visit SMART2011.com.


January 20, 2011, Washington, DC: L2 is a think tank for digital innovation. L2 will host the Social Graph Clinic, an all-day intensive clinic addressing the opportunities, challenges, and underpinnings of social media. Held at the George Washington School of Business, the event will feature speakers from academia, public sector, and private industry to lead discussions on social media strategies, rules of engagement, and metrics for marketing and digital professionals. Register here for the Social Graph Clinic. The first 10 Mashable readers to register will receive a 25% discount on tickets (Please use the following discount code when registering: “MASHABLE“)


January 24-27, 2011, San Francisco, CA: The Emerging Media Conference is one of the largest and unique of its kind, welcoming the New Year with an opportunity to view and experience the latest in technology advances and upcoming product roll outs. For three full days there will be demonstrations, presentations, and discussions led by some of the most connected and recognized experts in the industry including Keynote Jesse Schell from Carnegie Mellon University. Whether you are immersed in the world of emerging media or just have a casual interest, this conference allows you to preview the future of the tech world like a seasoned insider. Register and use the promo code EmMeConMash to save 10%.


January 24-26, 2011, London, UK: The Digital Content Monetisation (DCM) Europe 2011 is a forum for media and entertainment specialists to find out how to deliver sustainable strategies to monetise their digital content. You will meet over 200 of your peers across TV, Film, gaming, music, publishing and sports. Mashable readers receive a 10% discount when they register and use the promo code MASH.


January 24, 2011, Washington, DC: There are no sales commercials masquerading as presentations here, or sleepy Q & A sessions where only 1 of 8 questions apply to your business. What’s Next DC is about brainstorming, case studies, energy, networking, strategy and – best of all – personalized solutions to your company’s most important challenges. We’ll have floating experts in a variety of fields available, so if you hear something you like and want to bounce ideas around right there on the spot, you can! We’ve scheduled group brainstorming/strategy sessions and niche learning sessions where you can discuss your areas of interest and expertise. There will also be an area dedicated solely to networking all day long. This is not just a conference, it is an experience. Come prepared and energized to learn and share with other Marketing, Public Relations, Advertising, and Communication Professionals! Register with promo code Mashable and save 25%!


January 25-26, 2011, New York, NY: Information Industry Summit – Save $100 with the promo code PRMMASH to attend this 10th annual Summit, the digital information industry’s flagship conference. (Note: discount valid off the individual non-member rate only and does apply to current attendees.) With a theme on “Moving from Wired to Wireless,” the Summit will address the sea-change shaping the industry: mobile business models and content delivery, as well as the top mobile technology trends. For complete details, including registration information, visit InformationIndustrySummit.net.


January 25, 2011, London, UK: If you don’t have a plan to offer your mobile services, you could be left behind as consumers increasingly consume entertainment, social media, games and gambling via mobile access devices.
Mobile Gaming will present a detailed and exciting roadmap for how gaming companies can take advantage of this new channel that has finally ‘come of age’ and multiply their revenues in the near future. Register and use the promo code MASHMOBILE.


January 26, 2011, London, UK: Monetising Social Games will show you how to integrate the phenomenal success of monetised social games into your product mix so you can catch the next wave of explosive customer acquisition and revenue growth via a channel that is legal in the USA, China and other markets inaccessible to traditional online gambling companies. Register and use the promo code MASHMSG.


January 27, 2011, San Francisco, CA: Macworld 2011 is your once-a-year opportunity to see and buy all of the newest, coolest stuff-hardware, software and accessories-for your Apple products. You will also find expert advice, demonstrations and instruction by the very people that develop these products. Macworld conference programs feature industry leading minds, presenting cutting edge product training on the topics – see our featured artists and presenters. Mashable readers who register today get 15% off conference packages and $10 expo only passes by clicking here.


January 31 – February 3, 2011, Toronto, Canada: Attend the Advanced Learning Institute’s 23rd updated forum on Social Media for Government: How To Engage Your Employees & Citizens By Using The Latest Web 2.0 Technologies To Drive Communication Results, to learn how to incorporate social media into your communications & marketing plans & leverage the latest interactive Web 2.0 tools & techniques to advance your organizational goals. Hear practical advice from: ON Ministry of Labour; Toronto Police Service; Northern Lights Canada; Royal Bank of Canada; Genome Alberta; ON Ministry of Health & Long-Term Care; Public Service Commission of Canada; City of Ottawa; Halton Region, ON & more. Register and mention Mashable to save $200!


February 1-3, 2011, San Diego, CA: The Green Data Center Conference will analyze new technology that will not only benefit our environment, but also save organizations money and increase efficiency. Industry experts and executives will gather to discuss the growing importance of green technology and the associated benefits. Corporate case studies will be presented to demonstrate how existing data centers have been retrofitted and new facilities built from the ground up. This conference will share valuable information that can be taken back and used immediately to gain measurable ROI. Register and use the promo code GDCSD10 to save 10%!


February 1-3, 2011, Santa Clara, CA: O’Reilly Strata Conference: Making Data Work – Turn data into decisions at Strata, the new conference from O’Reilly Media, focusing on the business and practice of data.Unprecedented computing power and connectivity are bringing new layers of experience to our lives in how we manage and present data sets of all sizes. Throughout three days of training, breakout sessions, and plenary discussions, O’Reilly Strata connects the decision-makers, practitioners, and leading vendors from enterprise and the web who are at the leading edge of this space. Topics include data science, acquisition, organization, machine learning, visualization, and more. Mashable readers can save 15% on registration with the promo code str11msh.


February 2-3, 2011, San Francisco, CA: Marketing and customer service are on a collision course. Social media now shine a bright light on customer service interactions, which increasingly have brand implications. Customer care can also offer valuable insights for marketing and product development. How many companies are adapting and turning this to their advantage? Still too few as old modes of thinking remain entrenched in organizations. Opus Research’s Conversational Commerce Conference (C3) brings together a diverse array of interested groups and stakeholders to discuss the new social media landscape and its joint impact on marketing and customer care.


February 2, 2011, Austin, TX: Toyota, REI, Texas Instruments, Kellogg Company, and more will share case studies in corporate social media at BlogWell Austin: How Big Brands Use Social Media. You’ll learn how to get started, get past roadblocks, and make your social media program phenomenal — in one afternoon, for just $250. Get practical, how-to advice on creating great content, getting management buy-in, educating employees, keeping lawyers and regulators happy, simple and ethical disclosure, and engaging fans. Presented by GasPedal and SocialMedia.org. Register with the promo code THANKSMASHABLE and save 10%!


February 4-5, 2010 Atlanta, GA: SoCon11, the South’s premier social media networking event celebrates five years on February 4 – 5th at Kennesaw State University, just outside Atlanta. The two day SoCon11 event kicks off Friday night at the historic Carter Center complete with music, gourmet dinner buffet, and cash bar. Following is a day of networking and break-out sessions with some of the biggest names in digital media. This year it’s all about mobile and as always, social media. Register and use the promo code MASH for 20% off.


February 7-10, 2011, Orlando, FL: ARC’s 2011 World Industry Forum: Driving Innovation, Sustainability and Performance will take place at the Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld! This forum will focus on challenges that will help you develop winning strategies. It provides an ideal environment for industry executives to collaborate, share ideas, and find new ways to attack their most pressing problems. The event includes sessions on the major issues facing our industry, with multiple tracks that enable executives to explore these topics from different perspectives. Owner/operators, solution providers, & technical experts will all benefit while contributing to the community’s body of knowledge.


February 7-9, 2011, New York, NY: Now in its 10th year, the ePharma Summit is going to be bigger than ever. We are looking ahead to new trends and opportunities in digital marketing with unparalleled insight from leading industry innovators. Join us for more novel mobile strategies, more regulatory insights, more customer perspectives, and more examples of what is really working now from the organizations you admire most. Join us February 7-9 in New York City at the most respected digital marketing event for the life sciences industry as we explore innovative e-strategies and proven techniques to drive business. Register with promo code XP1606MASH and save 10%.


February 8-10, 2011, San Francisco, CA: Social Media Strategies Summit – We have researched the social media buzz to develop and present to you a top of the line marketing conference that you can’t afford to miss. With in-depth case studies from the nuts and bolts to micro-blogging and sustaining online communities, you leave with a refreshed vision to take your marketing plan to the next level for 2010 and beyond. Register and use the promo code MASH to receive a discount.


February 8, 2011, Springfield, MO: Social Marketing Boot Camp with Sarah Evans – Limited tickets are available for this unique boot camp style event with nationally renowned expert Sarah Evans. You’ll spend a full six hours of session time with Sarah, taking an in-depth look at the role of social media in marketing your business or organization. You wont just learn effective social media marketing techniques, but will look at how social media works in conjunction with traditional marketing and public relations and why that’s important, practical ways of engaging customers and prospects, case studies, help with creating a social media based marketing plan, hints and tips, ways to make your brand stand out online, effective engagement, latest trends, tools and resources, and plenty of opportunities for discussion and Q & A. Register and use the discount code MASHABLE to save $25 on each standard registration.


February 14-17, 2011, Washington, DC: Attend the Advanced Learning Institute’s 23rd updated forum on Social Media for Government: How To Engage Your Employees & Citizens By Using The Latest Web 2.0 Technologies To Drive Communication Results, to learn how to incorporate social media into your communications & marketing plans & leverage the latest interactive Web 2.0 tools & techniques to advance your organizational goals. Hear practical advice from: ON Ministry of Labour; Toronto Police Service; Northern Lights Canada; Royal Bank of Canada; Genome Alberta; ON Ministry of Health & Long-Term Care; Public Service Commission of Canada; City of Ottawa; Halton Region, ON & more. Register and mention Mashable to save $200!


February 14-16, 2011, New York, NY: O’Reilly Tools of Change for Publishing Conference (TOC) – Explore the new world of “Publishing Without Boundaries” at the 5th annual O’Reilly Tools of Change for Publishing Conference (TOC). This premiere event provides an unparalleled opportunity for stakeholders from across the book publishing and tech industries to network, share ideas, engage in lively debate, and come away with the knowledge and inspiration to lead change within their own organizations. Not only does TOC cover what’s working now, but we also look ahead to what will work as publishing transitions to the next phase. The people who attend TOC are the people who are shaping publishing’s future. Mashable readers can save 15% on registration with the promo code toc11mash. http://www.toccon.com/toc2011?cmp=mp-conf-tc11-mashable-banner-ad


February 14, 2011, Barcelona, Spain: The Mobile Premier Awards are among the most influential events in the mobile industry and the point of reference in early-stage innovation during the Mobile World Congress. An international jury of the most recognized mobile industry experts will select the 20 finalists from all the local AppCircuses held during 2010 to showcase their app in a 3-minute pitch at the event in Barcelona in front of investors, operators, media companies, peer entrepreneurs, and press and influential bloggers. Register and use the promo code #BCNMASHABLE to receive a 10% discount.


February 23, 2011, Portland, OR: Join hundreds of your online marketing peers for the Fifth Annual SearchFest Internet Marketing Conference in Portland on February 23, 2011. Thought leaders and industry experts from around the country–including major brands like Intel, REI, and the New York Times–will deliver in-depth presentations on topics including Advanced Search Engine Optimization, Social Media Marketing, Universal Search, Analytics, Paid Search Marketing and many more. Register with the promo code MASHABLEPDX to save 10% on your General Admission ticket!


February 24, 2011, New York, NY: The 11th Annual Digital Music Forum – We are the only event in the United States that brings together the top music, technology and policy leaders for high-level discussions and debate, intimate meetings and unrivaled networking about the future of digital music. Digital Music Forum is known worldwide for the news that is made in our auditorium, the deals that get done in our hallways, and the friendships and partnerships that are forged year after year. Why wait by the sidelines, when you can join the event that is helping to drive the industry’s future! For a limited time we are offering a special Holiday Rate of $199 – a $500 saving! Don’t miss the opportunity – Book NOW to reserve your seat!


February 25-27, 2011, Los Angeles, CA: The 9th Annual Southern California Linux Expo, the premier community run Linux / Open Source conference, will feature tutorial sessions designed to show users of all skill levels what Open Source can do and how to do it. Whatever your interest is in Open Source, SCALE 9X will have something for you. Register and use the discount code MASH9 for 35% off.


February 27 – March 1, 2011, Palm Desert, CA: Be part of the exclusive unveiling of the most promising new products and prototypes of 2011. DEMO Spring 2011 provides a window into technology’s future and introduces you to the people and companies who are paving the way. Attend DEMO Spring 2011 and you’ll have access to this exceptional group of global innovators, be the first to see 70 new product demonstrations and 30 AlphaPitch presenters, test drive products, and network with leading venture capitalists and angel investors, CEOs, dealmakers, entrepreneurs and demonstrators. Register with promo code MSH1 and save 25%!


February 28-March 1, 2011, Sydney, Australia: Social media marketing has rapidly evolved to the extent that it is no longer enough to just get on board the “social media marketing train.” Marketers are bombarded with tools and technologies without a real understanding of integrating social media effectively. Social Media Marketing – The Way Forward enables marketers develop and manage a sound strategy for your ongoing and future social media marketing projects, with practical and valuable insights shared by some of the most successful brands and campaign creators in both B2C & B2B social media marketing. Register with the promo code MPMASH and save 10%!


March 1-5, 2011, Hannover, Germany: CeBIT is the world’s largest trade fair showcasing digital IT and telecommunications solutions for home and work environments. The key target groups are users from industry, the wholesale/retail sector, skilled trades, banks, the services sector, government agencies, science and all users passionate about technology. CeBIT offers an international platform for comparing notes on current industry trends, networking, and product presentations. For more information, please visit: http://www.cebit.de and to receive your complimentary visitor registration to this elite event, please email lguiang@hfusa.com.


March 1-2, 2011, London, UK: TFM&A is the UK’s largest and longest running multi-channel marketing, media and advertising event. TFM&A will be delivering the latest industry insights, trends and developments as well as leading suppliers of digital, direct, data and CRM solutions. With free seminars and keynotes from big names like Microsoft Advertising and Experian, over 200 exciting exhibitors, a dedicated networking bar and cafe and many more show features, take advantage of your FREE entry to create a campaign that becomes a classic. Register at t-f-m.co.uk/mashable.


March 2-3, 2010, San Francisco, CA: EyeforTravel’s Social Media Strategies for Travel Conference is North America’s number one social media event for travel professionals. Now in its fourth successful year, the event brings together top travel brands to share key insights on how to maximize the impact of your social media initiatives. The two days are packed with case studies, presentations and networking opportunities. Please use the promo code MASHABLE for a $100 discount on the admission price.


March 2-3, 2011, Barcelona, Spain: Innovative e-Marketin is our exciting cross-industry event in which we offer you the opportunity to uncover the secrets to success from the most experienced e-Marketers in the world and learn how to put ideas into practice in the form of social networking activities, brainstorming sessions, talking circles, keynote case studies and insightful presentations. Why not treat yourself to one of our exclusive VIP passes? Let us pick you up from the airport and drive you directly to the venue. Register with the promo code EMK11/004 to save 10%.


March 2, 2011, Berlin, Germany: FEI is Europe’s first and only event to solve your industry challenge in real-time. Explore best in class presentations by top multi-nationals, collaborate with world renowned experts, Listen to real-world visionaries choreographing “next” best practices, and participate in a real-time case study where you will tackle industry challenges and work to propel the industry forward. FEI is no ordinary conference — this is truly a catalyst for change. Register and use the promo code FEI2011MASH to save 20% off the standard rate.


March 4-5, 2011, Louisville, KY: Code PaLOUsa is a two-day, eight-track software development conference in Louisville, KY that’s designed to cover all aspects of software development regardless of technology stack. We will have sessions revolving around Microsoft, Java, Ruby, PHP, and Clojure; along with sessions on higher, platform-agnostic levels. There will be 60 technical presentations and panel discussions from well-known professionals in the software development community and a keynote talk from Douglas Crockford of Yahoo! and JavaScript/JSON fame. For more information and to register, please visit codepalousa.com.


March 8-10, 2011, San Jose, CA: At Search Marketing Expo – SMX West, you’ll learn to maximize ROI from paid search advertising, optimize your website content for superior organic search results, expand your skills with local and mobile advertising expertise, master social media marketing on Twitter, Facebook and other SMM networks, boost conversions, and increase sales. Use the promo code smx100mashable and save $100 off your registration. For more information, please visit http://smxwest.com.


March 8-9, 2011, Brussels, Belgium: Are you looking to unleash the power of social media for CRM? As new channels and strategies emerge it is increasingly important to meet face-to-face to share knowledge, challenges and experiences. Enterprise Social 2.0: CRM will bring social media marketers and CRM experts together to share knowledge

5 Predictions for Small Business in 2011


Over the course of 2010, Mashable has offered quite a few small business resources, ranging from tips on social media and marketing to resources for web design and development.

As this year wraps up, we’d like to look back at the technological advancements that small businesses have benefited from and predict how those technologies will affect entrepreneurs in 2011.

Here are my five predictions about how small businesses will continue to adapt to changing technologies as we move into the new year.

Read on and let us know what you’d add to the list in the comments below.


1. Increased Spending on Websites


Small businesses are predicted to increase online marketing spending, with websites taking the front seat, according to a recent survey. The survey found that 54% of respondents indicated that their businesses currently have websites. Unfortunately, most of those websites contain nothing more than general information, and less than half of them incorporate customer service features.

The importance of being easily findable on the Internet has still not been fully recognized by small businesses, but increasingly, smart entrepreneurs are taking notice. Next year will be marked with increased spending on website development, lifting small business sites from their current iterations as online brochures to more prominent positions as useful resources for customers.

Those making valuable upgrades to their online presences will increase functionalities revolving around e-commerce, reservation systems, corporate blogs and social media integration. Furthermore, we may see increased attention on better web design.


2. Smartphone Revolution


A whopping 49% of small business owners use smartphones, outpacing the rest of America in smartphone adoption, according to a recent Forrester study.

As more small business owners are exposed to smartphones on a daily basis, it’s inevitable that they will begin to innovate with mobile technologies. In 2010, business owners were tweeting on the go, using location-based services and investing in mobile advertising.

In 2011, the smartphone revolution will continue to ensue, with ever increasing smartphone adoption. Mobile devices will continue to change the way that companies of all sizes do business. With most business needs at the tips of their fingers, small business owners will experience more flexibility than ever before.


3. Social Shopping and E-Commerce Advancements


While a number of small businesses benefited from social shopping in 2010, others were left wondering if group buying was really worth the risk.

Regardless, it’s evident that e-commerce is a huge advantage for small businesses taking part in it. Offering their products online, businesses have widened their customer bases beyond their local markets.

While only 30% of small business websites currently incorporate e-commerce abilities, the increased buzz around online and social shopping will probably push more small business owners to experiment with the medium in 2011.


4. More Focused Social Media Efforts


This year was a time of social media experimentation for many small business owners. Testing many social media services in the past year, small businesses are becoming more knowledgeable about which platforms their customers use most and how their companies can benefit from staying connected on each platform.

It isn’t uncommon to visit a small business’s website to find a mass of social icons pointing to less-than-utilized profiles all across the web. It seems that anxious entrepreneurs have spread themselves thin in the social media realm this year, trying out every platform that got buzzed up.

The simple truth is that not every platform is right for every business — it’s all about where your customers are.

Having answered quite a few social media questions from small business owners this year, I have a feeling that next year is really going to be about paring down to the essentials based on proven successes and strong metrics.


5. Increased Adoption of Cloud Computing


Earlier this year, a group of Internet and tech experts and social analysts predicted that Internet users will “live mostly in the cloud” by 2020. While I don’t have the expertise to analyze that prediction, I can point to the fact that I and many of my friends and co-workers already do live and work mostly from web-based and mobile apps, relying less on software installed on our desktops.

Cloud services have already simplified many processes for businesses. Google Apps and Google Docs, for example, make hosting and collaborating on spreadsheets, presentations, forms and word processors much simpler. Box.net and Dropbox have also made online file sharing and collaboration much easier. Meanwhile, 37signals supports a full line of business tools for project management, CRM, internal communications and group chat.

In 2011, businesses will be increasingly exposed to cloud services as tech companies introduce more and more products geared toward moving our digital lives into the cloud.


More Small Business Resources from Mashable:


- 5 Essential Web Apps for the Lean Small Business
- 5 New Online Services Perfect for Small Businesses
- What Does Web Design Say About Your Small Business?
- 10 Customizable Holiday Gifts for Your Tech-Savvy Office
- 10 Ways Business Leaders Can Turn Ideas Into Execution

Images courtesy of Flickr: Horia Varlan, quinnanya, rishibando, turtlemom4bacon, laurajo


Reviews: Box.net, Dropbox, Flickr, Google Docs, Internet

More About: business, cloud computing, e-commerce, List, Lists, Mobile 2.0, predictions-2011, small business, smartphones, social media, social shopping, websites

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How WikiLeaks Became the Story of the Year in 2010 [VIDEO]

Arguably the most controversial website of 2010, WikiLeaks has changed the way the world thinks about information and the Internet.

For some, like Vice President Joe Biden, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is a “high-tech terrorist.” Others feel Assange and his site exemplify what the web is all about: The free flow of information.

Whether you love it or hate it, the concept of WikiLeaks is a digitally driven revolution that’s here to stay, and its effects on governments, journalists and the public are widely felt. We put together a video overview of the saga, including analysis from the Mashable editorial staff. Watch to see how some of us weighed in on WikiLeaks — and be sure to share how you feel about the site and its enigmatic founder in the comments below.


Reviews: Internet, Mashable, Wikileaks

More About: citizen journalism, governments, information, Joe Biden, journalists, julian assange, media, politics, video, web video, wikileaks

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