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Facebook opens mobile ads for apps to all developers, keeps them on the money train
It's no secret that Facebook saw FarmVille for iOS as writing on the wall: it had to either tap into mobile app revenue or risk losing income (and marketing-savvy developers) whenever someone left the web. Following a beta this summer, the company's solution to its dilemma is now open to everyone. All developers on the social network can build ads that link from Facebook's Android and iOS apps to either Google Play or the App Store -- offering both an easy plug for their native apps and that all-important ad revenue for Facebook. The system currently takes a shotgun approach and may pitch social networkers for apps they already have or don't want, but it should be refined in the next few months to where some curious purchasers won't even have to leave Facebook to load that hot new title. Hopefully the increased recognition for mobile developers is worth sullying our once pristine news feeds.
Chitika: iPhone 5 beating out Samsung Galaxy S III in web usage already
The latest report from mobile marketing firm Chitika notes that the iPhone 5 has already supplanted the Samsung Galaxy S III in general web data usage after only a few weeks on the market. The Galaxy S III shipped in May 2012 and the iPhone 5 hit shelves in late September, yet Apple's handset is consuming more web data, according to Chitika's research. There are a few reasons for this. First, the iPhone 5 is enormously popular, and has been selling very quickly already. Second, I've personally found that the iPhone 5's 4G and LTE connections make for faster web browsing in general, which could prompt users to spend more time on a data connection as opposed to WiFi. Finally, many of the iPhone 5's apps are easy to use, which means almost all iPhones see more bandwidth usage than their non-Apple counterparts. Given those points, these numbers aren't all that surprising. But it is interesting to note just how quickly the iPhone 5 is rising through the ranks in overall usage. [Via All Things D]
Facebook outlines its ad targeting strategy on one handy page, presents a complex privacy picture
To say that Facebook has to tread lightly around privacy issues is an understatement, especially with a targeted ad push underway. Rather than navigate that minefield once more, the social network hopes to skip it entirely by posting an overview of how the ad system tracks habits while retaining our anonymity. For the most part, Facebook walks the fine line carefully. Its Facebook Exchange auction system relies on a unique, untraceable browser ID to target ads to specific people without ever getting their identity; both a mechanism targeting ads beyond Facebook and a Datalogix deal to track the ad conversion rate use anonymous e-mail address hashes that keep advertisers happy without making the addresses readable to prying eyes. The initiative sounds like it's on the right course, although there's caveats at work. Opting out of any Facebook Exchange ads requires tracking down individual ad providers, which isn't likely to result in many of us leaving the ad revenue stream. Likewise, those who'd object even to the completely anonymous ad profiling don't have a say in the matter. With those concerns in mind, it's doubtful there will be many significant objections in the future -- Facebook knows its advertising money train can only keep churning if its members are comfortable enough to come along for the ride.
Dishonored's attempt to Cure Violence with revenge, by Vice
Vice, founded as a punk zine in 1994, is now a major global brand with a network of television, documentary and digital production studios, an online hub, magazine, record label, publishing house and advertising agency. It's notorious for brash exposition and unapologetic presentation, finding the dark yet honest angle in its productions.Vice has taken on Bethesda's Dishonored as its first attempt to market a single product, and while it doesn't have to dig far to find the dirt in an assassination video game, it managed to take the "revenge" angle in an unexpected direction, as noted by Gapers Block. Vice filmed Chicago Interrupted, a documentary chronicling the violence-prevention group Cure Violence as its members attempt to diffuse dangerous street situations, ending with a plea for America to not become desensitized.Chicago Interrupted begins with an advertisement for Dishonored, whose tagline is "Revenge solves everything," and the documentary was featured on Eye for an Eye, Vice's multimedia project to market the game, before being pulled yesterday. Part one is embedded above and still features the Bethesda and Dishonored intro.One of Dishonored's draws is the ability to play the entire game in stealth mode, without killing anyone, but it is an action assassination game at heart. Perhaps the juxtaposition of real-world violence is supposed to make us think twice about killing people in-game, but that street travels both ways. Showing how fun it is to slit people's throats in the digital realm right before chronicling the grim reality of violence marks the very desensitization Cure Violence stands against.As gaming becomes an increasingly mainstream endeavor, new companies will handle its subject matter in various ways to find a sweet spot of marketing and social sensitivity. Vice may have just stumbled on one of those thresholds.
Sony's Koller: 'Almost all' PS Vita owners have a PS3 as well
Our pals over at Engadget recently interviewed John Koller, Sony Computer Entertainment America VP of marketing, handhelds and home consoles. Koller revealed that "almost all" PS Vita owners also own a PS3."You look at the Vita consumer and a very high percentage – almost all of them – own a PS3," Koller told Engadget. The interview focused on Nintendo's Wii U, which offers functionality similar to the compatibility between PS3 and PS Vita – like using the PS Vita as a tablet controller. Koller said that Sony's not really into offering the functionality stock across all games. It has to be the right content."We tell our PlayStation fans all the time that what the Wii U is offering is something that Vita and PS3 can do quite easily," he said. "It's dependent on the content. So we need to make sure the content isn't force fed. And, to us, making sure that the gamer receives the right type of experience is what's most important. So we're gonna pick our spots, but that technology does certainly exist here."
Switched On: The iPod's modern family
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology. If you bet that Apple was going to turn the square, occasionally wrist-strapped iPod nano into a MOTOACTV-like watch that would provide a glanceable window into iPhone apps, you lost. Clearly, Apple could have gone that route. It teased in the last generation with an expanding selection of watch faces and used this generation to add Bluetooth and enable a thinner design via the new Lightning connector. Nevertheless, Apple decided to forgo the embryonic smartwatch market. Indeed, it returned to the larger, longer iPod nano school of yore, but with the single-button design of its iOS mobile devices complementing a multitouch interface. The watch faces may be gone, but the new iPod nano regains the ability to play video while retaining photo display and Nike+ integration. It has become the equivalent of the lineup's feature phone, albeit with a better user interface. Examined in context, the new clip-free iPod nano looks more at home as a midrange option between the tiny iPod shuffle and the now larger iPod touch.
ZTE marketing guy goes crazy with unknown WP8 handset and Gaussian blur
Who needs a marketing department when you have a personal Sina Weibo account? So reasoned ZTE's marketing strategy manager, Dennis Lui, as he posted the above photo of three ZTE Windows Phones to the internet. The right-hand device is just a regular ZTE Tania and, although it looks like it's running Windows Phone 8, the screen is actually a dead ringer for a certain "WP8 simulator" app available for WP7 phones. The remaining two devices are obscured by a generous helping of blur, but the handset on the left could well be running legit WP8, as evidenced by the shrunken live tiles, hinting that ZTE may be among the first wave of manufacturers diving into the new OS. To further whet our budget hardware appetites, Lui also posted a photo of a Windows 8 or Windows RT tablet (shown after the break), which suggests that ZTE is getting into that game too.
Microsoft reveals new logo after 25 years, proves that it's (still) okay to be square
Remember that time Microsoft teased what most sane humans thought were new logos? That was right around two years ago, but the branding you see above is no mistake -- that's the new Microsoft logo, landing just months after Windows 8's new flag and merely weeks before the aforesaid operating system takes the planet by storm. Astoundingly, it has been a full quarter-century since Microsoft gave itself a new logo, and while we're sure pundits will jump all over it just because "dealing with change is hard," there's no doubt that the outfit's new face is bold in its simplicity. Care to learn more? There's a happy-go-lucky video waiting just after the break.
Facebook SDK 3.0 for iOS arrives in finished form, mobile ads tag along in beta
Rapid turnaround just may be the name of Facebook's game. Just a few weeks after its SDK 3.0 for iOS reached beta, the new developer tool has surfaced in a polished version. As it's shipping, the SDK continues to emphasize a more iOS-native experience, better API support and slicker session management. Any iOS 6 integration will still have to wait until Apple finishes its software update; Facebook is keeping a separate beta track active to serve forward-thinking developers. The social network's regular members aren't quite getting the same reward, however. The expanded app support is being followed just as quickly by a mobile ad beta. While Facebook is still sparing us from a full-bore marketing assault, it's letting developers pitch their Android and iOS apps from Facebook's mobile portals, with a quick hop to the relevant app store if the title isn't already loaded. While there's no estimated completion date, we have a feeling that this is one Facebook beta where most customers won't mind a delay or two... or ten.
Microsoft patents contextual ads in e-books, whether we like it or not
We have ad-supported e-reading today, but the ads always sit on the periphery at most. That makes us more than slightly nervous about a newly-granted Microsoft patent for contextual e-book ads. The development would make the pitch based on not just targeted pages but the nature of the book in question: a sci-fi novel might try to sell lightsabers, and characters themselves might slip into the ads themselves if there's a fit. Promos could be either generated on the spot or remain static. Before anyone mourns the end of unspoiled literature, just remember that having a patent isn't the same as using it -- Microsoft doesn't have its own dedicated reading app anymore, let alone any warning signs that it's about to pepper our digital libraries with marketing. If the Newco partnership results in copies of War and Peace bombarded with Black Ops II ads, though, we'll know where to place the blame.
Aussie regulator raps TV makers for touting 'WiFi ready' products
Sony, LG, Panasonic, Samsung and Sharp will no longer be marketing their TVs and Blu-Ray players as "WiFi ready" in Australia unless they're actually ready to connect to a WiFi network. Many products labeled as such often require the additional purchase of a $100-$120 AUD ($80-$100) dongle, and the ACCC, the country's US FTC doppelgänger, has ordered the makers to stop the practice. It all started when a customer complained to the watchdog after feeling burned when his "WiFi ready" TV... wasn't. The fact that similar terms were being used on products that actually have built-in adapters was another strike against the practice, according to the regulator from down under. However, if you happen to reside somewhere else in the world, it's caveat emptor, as usual.
Gameloft announces its first Unreal Engine game, you figure out what it is
Parisian gaming company Gameloft has pulled the wraps off its first Unreal Engine Android game, but is being rather coy about what it actually is. The teaser image -- which was released on the company's Facebook page -- reveals little more than a bloody sword and skull along with a cryptic message, saying that a clue was hidden in the artwork. Viewers were also invited to vote for the next hint, which will either be another image or a YouTube teaser trailer. Whether the macabre-looking game itself will create as much suspense as its marketing tease remains to be seen. Update: Some sources have reported the platform as Android, but that has not been officially announced.
Grand Theft Auto 5 marketing kicks off with viral 'Epsilon Program' site
A Twitter account for something called the "Epsilon Program" has materialized in the past few days, linking off to a freaky (and annoying) website for a pseudo-religion called "KIFFLOM", registered by Take Two Software.The site features a thinly-veiled parody of the real-life Scientology organization and includes such hilarious "facts" as: "If you have a birth mark, you may be descended from Kraff, the famous Emperor of the 4th Paradigm." Considering that the next iteration of GTA is set in a faux Los Angeles and that the Epsilon Program was featured in a gags found within GTA: San Andreas, odds are good that we're looking at an early viral campaign for Grand Theft Auto 5. Good timing, since only yesterday investors were asking why the hype train for GTA 5 had not yet left the station.What does it tell us about the game? Nothing at all. But investors were wondering where the marketing was, and Take Two appears to have answered right away.
Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 appears in 30-second commercial (video)
If -- for some outlandish reason -- you were still doubting the imminent release of the Galaxy Note 10.1, let us invite you to have a peek at the video just after the break. Sure enough, it's an official Samsung teaser showcasing some of the more seductive features of its forthcoming Android slate -- the slate that appeared for but a moment on Amazon. If you're looking for a brief update on how we got here, you may recall us first touching the 10.1-inch Note back at Mobile World Congress in February, with the device caught on camera elsewhere as recently as last month. There's still no definitive ship date to grab hold of, but all comes in due time, readers. All in due time. Update: This post originally and erroneously made a connection between the Note 10.1 and the Judge Koh ruling on the Galaxy Tab 10.1. It has been updated. Update 2: We've removed the commercial after the break at the request of its copyright holder.
PlayFirst to release Hotel Transylvania Dash for iPhone and iPad
PlayFirst has announced a collaboration with Sony that will result in a new version of its popular Hotel Dash iOS title called "Hotel Transylvania Dash," for a tie-in with the upcoming movie of the same name. The game will feature Hotel Dash's gameplay, along with new images and new assets directly from the Hotel Transylvania movie. This is the latest in a series of partnerships between major movie studios and iOS developers. Doodle Jump was the first big title to reveal a movie tie-in, and since then, other brands have teamed up with (mostly animated) movies, including Angry Birds Rio, and the recent Temple Run Brave. It's usually a smart move for both companies, bringing attention to the movie through the games, and bringing more players to the games through the movie's marketing department. With the success of this plan so far, we can probably expect to see more of this type of collaboration in the future. Hotel Transylvania Dash should be out soon.
Wings Over Atreia: BlackCloud Marketing 101 -- freebies!
Footsteps echo off the cobblestones paving the marketplace streets. The sunlight streams through the merchant stalls, and the wind tugs at the awnings as trinkets and baubles spill out of baskets on every counter. One merchant eyes a possible patron drawing near. "Oh, have I got a deal for you. Special for you, only for you! Come see, come see! Ack-ack-ack-ack-ack." But the Daeva continues to pass by. Thinking quickly, the furry shopkeeper calls out, "FREE!" You stopped, didn't you? OK, so maybe this is not what shopping is like really in Aion's BlackCloud Marketplace (though it is fun to envision), but the principle is the same. Marketing 101 teaches that above all else in the world, be it Earth or Atreia, one simple word hooks people and reels them in like a first-rate fishing lure: free. Don't believe me? Well, you clicked on this story, didn't you? And if you want to see what free cash shop items you can get your hands on in Aion, you'll also click past the break!
You can almost see Master Chief in this Halo 4 live action teaser
The Chief is in there, no doubt, but Halo 4's "Forward Unto Dawn" live action marketing campaign has yet to really kick off. As such, the teaser above offers little more than a brief glimpse at Master Chief's super tall, super armored silhouette.
IBM Labs pitches the future of augmented reality shopping with mobile app prototype
From the same company that brought you the ThinkPad and the tank of a keyboard known as the Model M, today IBM is demonstrating its latest consumer development: a mobile shopping app. As odd as that sounds, it's no secret that Big Blue employs some rather brilliant folk, and now the company is looking to combine augmented reality with your everyday shopping habits. While still merely a prototype, the app will allow consumers to pan product aisles with their smartphone camera and view additional details on the screen. As IBM puts it, shoppers may input their own needs and preferences into the app, which can accommodate a wealth of information such as allergens, sugar content and bio-degradable packaging. Through partnerships with retailers, IBM also hopes to integrate promotions and loyalty schemes into the app, which it states will help stores better understand the buying habits of individual consumers. So there you have it, the future of shopping, as brought to you by IBM. As for the full PR, you'll find it after the break.
Ask Massively: You guys have strong opinions on gaming laptops edition
I really didn't expect the sheer volume of comments last week about getting or not getting a gaming laptop. That's my own fault for using a picture of a laptop as the header, I suppose. For the record, I bought a laptop, an Asus X54C as pictured above, to replace my netbook. Any games that I can run on that machine are essentially a bonus. I'm looking to replace my desktop, which is my preferred platform for gaming for several reasons. But I do appreciate all of the feedback! That was then, this is now, and now is all about a new set of answers in Ask Massively. This week, we're talking about the old standby of internet games, the games that were viral before "viral" was a thing: ARGs. If you've got a question for a future installment of the column, mail it to ask@massively.com or leave it in the comments below. Questions may be edited slightly for clarity and/or brevity.
EVE Evolved: EVE Online's top selling points
At E3 this year, EVE Online developer CCP Games said it wants the game to still be running decades from now, continuing its usual trend of steady growth. EVE has barely grown in subscriptions over the past year, and average concurrent logins have flatlined since 2010, but the Crucible and Inferno expansions helped start turning things around. Developers hope to get growth back on track and attract new people to the world of New Eden, but I have to wonder whether they're selling EVE to new people in the right way. EVE has always spread through word of mouth, with people being brought in by friends or starting fresh after hearing an epic story of in-game events or seeing an awesome video. More recently, existing online communities have been drawn to set up shop in the game and bring hundreds or thousands of members with them. People brought in by friends and people who join organisations in-game are more likely to stay in the game long-term, and it's this angle that I think CCP really needs to push. With its single-shard universe, awesome community, and massive scale PvP, EVE has some pretty huge selling points that no other MMO can match. In this week's EVE Evolved, I look at a few of EVE's biggest selling points and how CCP could use them to attract new players.
