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Nielsen: Users embracing smartphone apps while ditching traditional web services
'Tis the season for year-end lists and summaries galore, and Nielsen is no exception to this rule. The company has just released its list of the top 10 web brands, online video brands and smartphone apps, and its findings reveal a growing trend that may not come as a surprise to anyone: More people are using smartphones, and they're using them to access the most popular services out there, instead of their web-based counterparts. In these aforementioned lists, Nielsen also discusses how each brand has changed year-over-year; web brands have all decreased, online video brands are relatively flat and smartphone apps are skyrocketing in overall usage. Let's take a look at a few services in particular. Google was the top web brand for 2013, yet it saw a decrease in unique visitors by 6 percent from last year (and YouTube dropped by 14 percent). That said, these two brands represented five of the top 10 smartphone apps, with growth ranging from 14 percent to as high as 29 percent. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Facebook experienced a very similar trend, with a 16 percent decrease in web traffic versus a 27 percent increase in its smartphone app numbers, making it the most-used service of the year. In addition, social networks like Instagram and Twitter grew by leaps and bounds, earning each of them a spot among the top 10 apps; Instagram, in particular, was the fastest growing app on the list. (Also, here's a shameless plug for our parent company as the seventh most-popular web brand.) Finally, Nielsen also reported that nearly two-thirds of US phone subscribers -- 65 percent, to be specific -- are now using smartphones instead of featurephones, which is a solid jump up from 56 percent at the end of 2012. Of those subscribers, 52 percent are now using Android devices, while 41 percent use iOS and 7 percent use other platforms (BlackBerry is at 3 percent, while Windows Phone is at 2 percent). Head below the break to see all of the fine details for yourself.
10 apps you should install FIRST on your iPhone
You've taken the plunge and bought your first iPhone. You've activated your service with your local wireless carrier, connected and synced it with your main computer for the first time, and brought over as much music, photos, and videos as you can squeeze onto it. Maybe you've even played around with Apple's default apps a bit. "Now what?" you may be asking yourself. "I've heard about all the great apps that are available for the iPhone, but where do I start?" That's a very good question, and it's one that gets harder and harder to answer the more apps make their way into Apple's App Store. With hundreds of thousands of apps now available for the iPhone, it may seem overwhelming trying to sift through them all if this is your first few hours with an iPhone. Not to worry, because we've got you covered. We put our heads together and came up with a list of the apps you should install first on your brand-new, factory-fresh iPhone. Keeping in mind that people from all over the world use iPhones and read TUAW, we excluded from consideration any apps that don't have full international functionality. This meant leaving a number of very cool and useful apps out of consideration, but we wanted to make sure this is a list that applies to everyone, not just US or UK readers. We also kept this list pretty simple; if you're familiar with the way iTunes separates music collections into The Basics, Next Steps, and Deep Cuts, you'll see that we very much went for The Basics for this go-around. Click "Read More" to see the full list of recommended apps for first-time iPhone users and our rationale for choosing each one.
Adobe dominates Kaspersky Lab's top ten PC vulnerabilities list
Being number one is usually an honor, but not when it comes to Kaspersky Lab's top ten PC vulnerabilities list. Unfortunately for the software giant, Adobe took top dishonors for Q1 this year, pulling in five total spots on the list, including the top three. According to the security firm, all of the vulnerabilities appearing on the list allowed cyber-criminals to control computers at the system level. The number one spot was occupied by a vulnerability in Adobe Reader that was reportedly detected on 40 percent of machines running the application, while Flash Player flaws took second and third. Other dishonorees included the Java Virtual Machine, coming in at fourth and fifth place, Apple QuickTime, Winamp, and Microsoft Office. That ain't bad, considering Microsoft ruled the vulnerabilities roost in 2010.
Nielsen stats: a lot of iPhones out there, but also a lot of everything else
Fact: most phones last. Thing is, for us (and likely many of you), they last far longer than our clinically-diagnosed Gadget Attention Deficit Disorder would ever tolerate -- but for your dad, your sister, your college buddy with the hand-me-down ZEOS Pantera running Windows 95, or anyone weary of re-upping a two-year commitment, a handset can easily become a serious long-term investment. That helps explain why Motorola's venerable RAZR series remains staggeringly high on Nielsen's latest US phone usage report -- third place, to be exact, at 2.3 percent of all subscribers behind the iPhone 3G at 4 percent and RIM's BlackBerry Curve line at 3.7 percent. Needless to say, that doesn't mean the ancient V3 line is still in third place for sales -- it's more a testament to the staggeringly huge RAZR user base Moto managed to develop over the years, many of whom scored their phones at sub-$100 price points as an attractive, midrange value in the phone's twilight and have no intention of upgrading any time soon if they don't have to. Maybe the most interesting part of this is that two V3 variants are also topping 2009's most-recycled list, so they're definitely getting taken out of circulation -- it just might take a few years yet before you don't know anyone that uses one, that's all.
Top 10 HD sports broadcasts of 2008 -- do you agree?
We know, they're essentially meaningless in the grand scheme of things, but there's something about these "top lists" that just warms our hearts. Arlen Schweiger over at Electronic House took a long, hard look back at all the sports he consumed over the course of this year in order to compile a best-of-the-best list for HD content. We don't want to give away any spoilers before you give the read link a visit, but let's just say "Texas tips Oklahoma," "Giants Freeze Packers" and "Celtics Return to Glory" are scattered about in there somewhere. And while we're on the subject, what's your top 10 high-def sports list of 2008?
Why Gnomes (supposedly) rock
I can't say I agree with the premise of this post that reader Syp wrote and sent to us (I'm Horde to the core, so for me, Gnomes only rock when eaten with a side of fries and Horde soda), but I can't really argue with most of his points. He sets out 10 reasons why Gnomes rock, and I have no doubt that they're sure to inspire lots of cross-faction discussion.I do have to admit-- the Gnome mount is one of my favorites, and engineering has gotten to be lots of fun. Escape Artist is an excellent ability (especially since it went instant a little while ago), and I have missed out on the fun that I hear is Toshley's Station-- I'm trying to work my little Gnome Warrior up to the mid-60s so I can get in on the Star Wars references, too.But I do take issue with Syp's "underdog" and "conformity" points. If you really want to play a race/gender that doesn't get a lot of love, try a Dwarf Female.
Top 10 HD Misunderstandings
Normally we feel that late night TV can keep their so-called "Top 10" lists, however "Top 10 HD Misunderstandings" is something we can get into. We won't rain on this guys picnic by listing the entire list but we do have to touch on our two favorite: #4 - LCDs/Plasmas/LCoS/DLP suck for Gaming/Movies/TV/HTPC & #2 - 1080i is inferior to 720p which is finger paint to 1080p Van Gogh. While there still is a debate over the superior display type, we all can agree that LCDs, plasmas, LCoS, and DLP's are mature enough to handle video games and fast moving sports. Sure, some might be slightly better but quality sets will do a fine job. 1080i and 720p produce the same image, just in slightly different ways; the end result in both resolutions however is still high-def. 1080p sound great on paper but we still feel that until you get into a large size, or use the display chiefly as a computer monitor, most consumers will not tell the difference - Pioneer's KURO plasma helps this argument. The amount of dumbfounded folks walking around any random Circuit City/Best Buy proves this whole HDTV thing is overwhelming and while we don't feel that this Top 10 list will cure the common cold, it should help calm the stomach of some. [Via Digg]
10 things to hate about the PSP and DS
Why spread the love when you can spread unbiased hate? Portable gaming site Modojo has released a list of 10 things to hate about the PSP and DS, sharing the slander equally between the two. The DS loses points for quirky games, boxy system design, friend codes, a flimsy d-pad, and half-assed touchscreen implementation. The PSP gets trashed for the analog nub, load times, price, firmware updates, and dead pixels.Sounds like a good start to us. How about adding "poor battery life" for the PSP and "mysterious cracked hinge" for the DS? Any other flaws worth mentioning about the systems?
Live top ten: Sin City descends
Last week, Crackdown came on strong with bronze position on the Live top ten. Now it's swapped spots with Rainbow Six: Vegas as Call of Duty 3 continues to be just shy of the podium. GRAW 2's mulitplayer demo makes a return to take the Crackdown demo's position, which moved to 7th. Madden refuses to budge at sixth while Lost Planet and Oblivion get nudged to eighth and ninth, respectively. GRAW rounds out the bottom of the list while last, and obviously not least, Gears of War retains its top spot over all of Xbox Live-dom. Do you feel slightly confused? If so, our simple, yet eloquent list awaits your review after the break, complete with last weeks standings in parentheses.
Japanese software charts, Oct. 30 - Nov. 5: It ain't Gundam this time
Hey, whaddya know, a PSP game in the top 10 Japanese software charts not named Gundam, and even though it came in at the last spot, we'll still take it.1. Kirby Squeak Squad - (DS) - 166,131 /NEW 2. General Knowledge Training DS - (DS) - 159,166 /348,8663. Pokemon Diamond - (DS) - 105,943 /1,604,1524. Winning Eleven: Pro Evolution Soccer 2007 - (DS) - 89,275 /NEW 5. Pokemon Pearl - (DS) - 81,604 /1,358,4166. New Super Mario Bros. - (DS) - 31,307 /3,366,5607. Brain Training 2 - (DS) - 27,448 /3,387,8428. Zaidan Houjin Nippon Kanji Nouryoku Kentei Kyoukai Kounin: KanKen DS - (DS) - 22,824/ 210,5569. Animal Crossing: Wild World - (DS) - 20,691/ 3,389,97410. Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception - (PSP) - 17,961/ 78,545Although PSM doesn't seem to like Ace Combat X, the Japanese sure do. I guess that mature audience Sony is going after can payoff in Japan.
Australian PSP software chart, Oct. 2-8: They like violence
Unfortunately, my beloved Aussies let me down this week by not buying enough PSP games like they did last week; none made it into the top 10. However, they still bought enough to have a top-10 PSP list. 1. Tekken: Dark Resurrection 2. GTA: Liberty Cities 3. Gangs of London 4. Star Wars: Battlefront II 5. Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror 6. Daxter 7. WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW 8. NBA Live 2006 9. NFS: Most Wanted 10. Burnout LegendsWell, it seems like the Aussies love their violence as the top-five games are all about hunting down and killing your opponent in violent fashion. You gotta love it!
PSP still one of the "top 10 must-haves"
Need ammunition for the strange YouTube video flame war building between PSP Fanboy and DS Fanboy? Well, here's one for you guys: CNET's constantly updated "top 10 must-haves" still has your beloved handheld on the list. The PSP joins other gadgets, such as the incredible Motorola Q, Toshiba Gigabeat S, the Slingbox, the Xbox 360 and Canon PowerShot S80. Here's what the CNET folks had to say:"The Sony PlayStation Portable was the portable gadget of 2005. If you haven't gotten yet, you must not have seen one in action. The screen alone will make you salivate. So much more than a portable gaming console, it also plays music and movies. Not only does it look hot, it also has outstanding sound and graphics, a built-in Memory Stick Duo slot, and Wi-Fi."You get a lot of bang for your buck with the PSP. Considering how the PSP costs only $200, that's a lot cheaper than most of the items on this acclaimed list.[Via 1UP Boards]
Madden 07 tops 360 XBL list
EA's monopolistic NFL juggernaut grabs the number one spot on Major Nelson's weekly list of Top10 Xbox 360 Live titles:1. Madden NFL 072. Call of Duty 23. Texas Hold 'em4. Ghost Recon 35. Saints Row6. DEAD RISING7. Oblivion8. Chromehounds9. Test Drive Unlimited Demo10. BFMCMadden haters will be happy to know that Halo 2 still rules overall. Texas Hold'em is the top XBLA game.
PSP Top 10 for June 2006
What is wrong with you people? I hope that you all acknowledge the error of your ways and buy some good games... fast. Last Month Current Rank Title Publisher Release Date Average Price ** 1 Cars THQ Jun-06 $39 3 2 Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories Take-Two Oct-05 $40 6 3 Monster Hunter: Freedom Capcom May-06 $40 1 4 MLB '06: the Show Sony Mar-06 $40 4 5 Field Commander Sony Online Ent. May-06 $40 2 6 Daxter Sony Mar-06 $40 ** 7 FIFA World Cup 2006 Electronic Arts May-06 $40 ** 8 Need for Speed: Most Wanted Electronic Arts Nov-05 $40 ** 9 NBA Live 06 Electronic Arts Oct-05 $30 9 10 SOCOM: Fireteam Bravo Sony Nov-05 $40 With Tekken and Valkyrie Profile out this month, I expect some big changes to this list. If Cars is number one again, then you go to bed without cookies![Via Gamespot]
XBL Top 10: Halo 2 rules, Table Tennis rocks
Major Nelson returns from the mountain top with this week's list. Halo 2 dominates the combined countdown, while Rockstar Presents Table Tennis paddles to # 8 overall and Uno is gone-o. Here's the breakdown:(Halo 2 # 1 overall followed by the 360 games) Xbox 360 Top Live Games1 Call of Duty 2 2 Ghost Recon 3 3 Oblivion 4 BFMC 5 PGR3 6 Final Fantasy XI 7 Rockstar Table Tennis 8 EA SPORTS™ Fight Night Round 3 9 Perfect Dark Zero 10 Hitman: Blood Money DemoOriginal Xbox Top Live Games1 Halo 2 2 Battlefield 2: MC 3 Counter-Strike4 Splinter Cell Chaos 5 Pro Evolution Soccer 5 6 Rainbow Six 3 BA 7 Madden NFL 2006 8 Star Wars: Battlfrnt 2 9 Forza Motorsport 10 Ghost Recon 2: SS
Top 10 strangest Mac mods
Behold, ladies and gentlemen: the Top 10 strangest Mac mods at TechBlog. Johnathan Ive's blood would surely boil if he were to feast his eyes on such mutant Mac modifications as the NecroMac of the PowerMac G4 Aquarium!I know we've linked to a few of these in the past as we heard about them, but it's nice to see them all in one big list - and ranked.
Wild industry statements to prepare you for tomorrow
In just a few short hours, Ken Kutaragi will take center stage at a Sony press event (previously open only to third-party licensees) and drop some details about the PS3.As the only thing we're fairly sure of at this point is that the system will be delayed for a few months, we want everyone to be prepared for the massive spin and boisterous boasting that will surely ensue.That's why it's important that you gird yourself for the worst by reading IGN's Top 10 list of the wildest statements made by industry veterans, 'cuz once you read everything that Ken and company have had to say in the past, nothing will seem all that outrageous in the future. We think... "Starting from next year, you can jack into The Matrix!" Before the PS2. Not as metaphysical as living Peter Moore's lucid dream, but still... wow.See also: PlayStation 3 in Tokyo tomorrow, Sony confirms Breaking News: PS3 delayed until November!
