Monday, December 31, 2007

More US surfers watching TV online


More and more U.S. surfers are using their broadband Internet connections to watch TV online, new data has revealed.

According to figures from an online study of 2,801 people conducted by Deloitte and Touche in October, 28 percent of people now use the Internet to watch TV. This compares to just 23 percent when the same survey was conducted in February and March.

A more marked rise was noted in the number of respondents using mobile broadband-enabled cellphones for entertainment, which was up 12 percent. Meanwhile, the growing potency of Internet advertising was also confirmed by the study, with 65 percent saying that online ads had the most impact on their purchasing decisions.

This placed it second behind TV advertising, which was cited as most effective by 85 percent of those surveyed, but ahead of print campaigns which were named as most influential by 63 percent.

Friday, December 28, 2007

Driven by Music, MTV.com, VH1.com and CMT.com Deliver 1.2 Billion Video Streams in 2007


Women Ruled, Country Crossed Over and VMA Artists Rocked in MTV Networks Music Group's Top 30 Most-Streamed Music Videos of 2007

Driven by music, MTV.com, VH1.com and CMT.com video streams topped more than 1.2 billion in 2007, 30 percent more than 2006 -- an all-time record for the collective brands within MTV Networks' Music Group, which now attracts nearly 30 million unique visitors every month. Music videos accounted for nearly half of the streams, as viewers sought out their favorite artists and discovered new ones from a cross-section of genres, including pop and hip hop, country and rock. Music videos also drove MTV Mobile, VH1 Mobile and CMT Mobile into triple-digit growth in 2007. In fact, music videos accounted for every single one of the top 10 most-streamed videos on the three services.

"Music was at the core of everything we did in 2007," said Van Toffler, President of MTV Networks' Music Group. "And, once again, MTV, VH1 and CMT produced the year's most memorable events in music."

Thursday, December 20, 2007

LinkShare Teams with ShopNBC and Tumri to Introduce Flex Links, Tracking for Video and Rich Media


LinkShare, a leading pay-per-action marketing network, announced the debut of Flex Links and its first customer testing the technology, ShopNBC, a multimedia retailer and one of the nation's leading home shopping channels.

Flex Links is a new kind of embedded link technology that allows advertisers and publishers to add a new level of tracking to the Web's most popular advertising content.

"ShopNBC, with its national reach and interactive multimedia platform, was instrumental in validating Flex Links," said Steve Denton, President of LinkShare. "By distributing their brand message and product merchandising with video, widgets and other content embedded with Flex Links, ShopNBC will be able to reach consumers in entirely new ways."

"ShopNBC is excited to partner with LinkShare in pioneering the use ofFlex Links to enable us to syndicate our product merchandising through new and unique interactive means with our Affiliate partners," said Geoff Smith, Vice President of ShopNBC.com. "Flex Links will enable us to syndicate our breadth of live and archived video sales presentations in a simple and easy to implement means, providing our Affiliates with an outstanding new sales tool."

With Flex Links, LinkShare's pay-per-action tracking can be embedded in an advertiser's content and automatically converted to a tracking link by publishers who post that content. Flex Links allows advertisers and publishers to work together to boost commissions, repurpose content, and enrich the Web's newest platforms, from video to widgets.

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

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Mobile Phone Remains a Casual Gaming Platform


Consumers Choose Casual Games for Mobile Phones, More Advanced Games for
Portable Gaming Devices


Consumers still perceive mobile phones as casual gaming devices, despite recent company efforts to introduce more advanced games and features to the platform, according to Parks Associates' The New Frontier: Portable and Mobile Gaming. This report analyzes trends in the mobile and portable gaming industries; profiles major publishers, developers, technology providers, and carriers; provides consumer data regarding portable and mobile gaming; and forecasts market growth.

"In the mobile gaming industry, consumer awareness lags behind technological advancements," said Yuanzhe (Michael) Cai, Director, Broadband and Gaming, Parks Associates. "New 3D and multiplayer mobile games look great in demos, but casual games are where the money is and will be for the next few years."

According to the report, fewer than 10% of on-the-go Internet gamers want to play core or console-centric games on a mobile phone, compared with 55% who want to play puzzle and card games on mobile phones and more than 30% who want word and arcade games.

For more information on gaming and other digital products and services visit Broadband National.

Viacom and Microsoft Announce Long-Term Digital Content and Advertising Partnership


Companies sign landmark multi-year deal to collaborate on content distribution, advertising, event promotions and gaming Microsoft's Atlas to become exclusive ad serving platform for Viacom U.S. web sites

Viacom Inc.and Microsoft Corporation today announced a broad-based, strategic alliance under which major divisions of both companies will collaborate on advertising, content distribution, event promotions and games over the next several years.

The comprehensive agreement spans across the two companies and includes a number of significant components. Among them:



-- Microsoft will license, on a non-exclusive basis, long and short-form
television and theatrical content from across Viacom's cable network
and motion picture businesses, including MTV, Comedy Central, BET and
Paramount Pictures for use on Microsoft properties such as MSN and Xbox
360.

-- Microsoft's Atlas division will become the ad server for Viacom's U.S.
websites and Microsoft will have the exclusive right to sell remnant
display advertising inventory on Viacom's U.S. websites.

-- Microsoft will buy advertising on Viacom broadcast and online networks
over a five-year period and the companies will work together on
promotions and sponsorships for MTV Networks and BET Networks award
shows;

-- Viacom will work with Microsoft on opportunities to become a preferred
publishing partner across Microsoft's casual gaming platforms.

Detailed financial terms were not disclosed, but the deal has a projected base value of approximately $500 million in financial considerations and business services between the two companies over the initial five-year length of the agreement. The deal includes a combination of revenue sharing provisions, guarantees and content licensing agreements. The agreements contemplate the potential for expansion of the transactions.

For information on digital products and services visit Broadband National.

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Ticketmaster and NFL Partner for New Fan Ticket Exchange Service


Ticketmaster Named Official Ticket Exchange Provider of the NFL

Ticketmaster and the National Football League (NFL) today announced the creation of an NFL Ticket Exchange service that will provide fans looking to buy or sell NFL tickets a safe, convenient and league-endorsed resale platform. Through the groundbreaking multi-year agreement, Ticketmaster will operate the official league-wide exchange that will be accessible from both the Ticketmaster website, Ticketmaster.com, and the NFL website, NFL.com.

As the official NFL online ticket exchange provider, Ticketmaster will offer fans a secure and reliable way to buy and resell tickets. The service, which is targeted to launch for the 2008 season, will serve fans unable to attend a game and wanting to sell their tickets as well as fans looking to buy or upgrade their seats.

Friday, December 14, 2007

MommyEmpire.com a One-Stop Resource for Entrepreneurial Moms - or Anyone Who Wants to Run an Online Business From Home


Thanks to the advent of the Internet the phrase "mommy track" is taking on a whole new meaning. Mothers who left traditional 9-to-5 jobs in the corporate world are now launching their own businesses -- many of them online businesses -- in record numbers. The recently launched www.MommyEmpire.com website is designed as a comprehensive resource for these women, often referred to as mompreneurs or WAHMs (work-at-home-moms).

Lisa Paredes is the perfect role model for these enterprising women. She is the brains behind MommyEmpire.com. And she is a single, full-time, work- at-home mother with two children, ages 11 and 3. "There are numerous stay-at-home moms out there who are eager to start their own online business," said Paredes. "They just don't know where to begin."

That's where MommyEmpire.com comes in. Its new members' area (with free registration) offers video tutorials, downloadable lists and guides, business website templates and web tools. Video tutorial topics range from setting up an online pay-per-click ad campaign to building a website. Business web templates range from virtual assistant to wedding planner.

Thursday, December 13, 2007

Retail Holiday E-Commerce Spending Hits $4.6 Billion During Week Ending December 9, Nears $19 Billion for the Season.


Heaviest Online Spending Occurs Between 10-11 AM and 1-2 PM

FirstCall/ -- comScore, Inc. a leader in measuring the digital world, today released an update of holiday season e-commerce spending for the first 39 days (November 1 - December 9) of the November - December 2007 holiday season. Nearly $19 billion has been spent online during the season-to-date, marking an 18-percent gain versus the corresponding days last year. Thursday, December 6 recorded $803 million in online sales, up 28 percent versus year ago, making it the heaviest online spending day in history.

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Cats And Dogs Living Together?


Next Day Pets, L.L.C., home to of one of the nation's leading pet websites, www.nextdaypets.com, has recently launched PuppyMatch. This online service connects dog lovers who are searching for that perfect four-legged addition to their family with top breeders from across the country based on their specific lifestyle.
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PuppyMatch is a free service being offered at puppymatch.nextdaypets.com. The process begins by collecting relevant information from the buyer such as breed and gender preference, location, lifestyle information, as well as opinions to pet insurance and
microchipping. Lifestyle data is carefully considered in order to place puppies in homes where they can live happily and permanently, therefore reducing overall dogs in shelters and rescues.

Within four short days, the buyer is contacted by five breeders, allowing the consumer to choose their puppy from numerous options. Consumers can rest assured that all breeders are required to verify their identity, therefore reducing fraud and online puppy scams.

Friday, December 07, 2007

National laboratory hacked


The personal information of thousands of visitors to the Oak Ridge National Laboratory may have been stolen during a hacking attack earlier this week, it has been announced.

In what was described by the laboratory as a "sophisticated cyber attack" the details of at least 12,000 visitors to the lab were compromised. A database which contains the names and social security numbers of every visitor to the lab between 1990 and 2004 was breached in the attack.

Currently housed at Oak Ridge is the second-fastest supercomputer in the world, known as Jaguar. Lab spokesman Bill Stair said: "There was no classified data of any kind compromised. "There are people who think that because they accessed this database that they had access to the lab's supercomputer. That is not the case. There was no access at all."

The national laboratory is visited by about 3,000 researchers every year. For information on digital products and services visit Broadband National.

Thursday, December 06, 2007

AT&T Survey Finds One-Fourth of Small Business Owners Unconcerned About Data Security


Ten Percent Leave Computer Data Unsecured; One in Six Takes No Precautions Against Wireless Security Threats

Small Businesses in San Diego and Chicago Most Protective of Data; Those in Oklahoma and the Bay Area Are Least Protective


AT&T has announced that although the majority of small businesses secure its
computer systems, one-fourth (24 percent) are unconcerned about computer and online data security, and one in 10 (10 percent) has taken no action to secure their data, according to a survey conducted by AT&T Inc.

Similarly, one-third (32 percent) of small businesses are unconcerned about wireless data security, and one in six (17 percent) small businesses that use wireless technology has taken no precautions against wireless threats.

Nearly two-thirds (60 percent) of small businesses consider online security a concern, and four-fifths (82 percent) have installed software, such as spam filters or anti-virus protection, to help keep their business safe from online security threats. Of those companies that have not taken any specific precautions against computer or wireless threats, two-thirds (65 percent) don't think it's an issue with their business.

Wednesday, December 05, 2007

Malware 'grew by 100 percent' in 2007


The amount of malware detected on the internet doubled in 2007, according to the software security company F-Secure.

New malware variants are being created by cyber criminals "in bulk", according to F-Secure, which is based in Finland. Social engineering continued to be a favored way for cyber criminals to deliver malware, often conning email recipients into opening links that lead to web site hosting the malware.

Patrik Runald, security response manager at F-Secure, said: "We've never seen as many samples arrive at our lab."We would be unable to handle such huge loads if we would not have built a high degree of automation into our malware analysis systems over the past years." Online financial transactions are a favored target of cyber criminals, F-Secure warned, with the amount of phishing sites increasing exponentially.

So-called Man in the Browser attacks, where banking Trojans are fed directly into applications are also becoming more popular. For information on other digital products and services visit Broadband National.

Tuesday, December 04, 2007

Phishing threats 'spike'


The holiday season has seen the prevalence of phishing threats on the internet rise substantially, according to the internet security company Cyveillance.

Small to medium-sized businesses and credit unions have particularly been targeted by cyber criminals, Cyveillance stated. Such outfits may not always have the adequate security in place to detect and repel phishing scams in time.

Panos Anastassiadis, the chief executive of Cyveillance, said: "Cyber criminals continuously look for opportunities to distribute phishing attacks, focusing on situations when consumers are most susceptible. "As seen by the large spike in online attacks over Thanksgiving, online criminals are counting on the hectic holiday season to increase their odds of successfully defrauding consumers and organizations."

A full ninety percent of phishing attacks are targeted at banks and other financial institutions, a recent report from Cyveillance stated. Cyber criminals are starting to use phishing attacks combined with malware, the report also warned.

Monday, December 03, 2007

Facebook alters advertising platform


The popular social networking site Facebook has changed its new advertising platform only three weeks after its debut.

This was done in the wake of widespread protests from Facebook members that the site had invaded their privacy. Dubbed Beacon, the ad platform initially was targeted at all users of the site, unless they actively chose the "opt out" option. Now, after the protests, users will have to actively choose an "opt in" option if they wish to be targeted by the advertisements.

Moveon.org Civic Action spokesman Adam Green was quoted by the AFP as saying: "Sites like Facebook are revolutionizing how we communicate with each other and organize around issues together in a 21st century democracy. "Will corporate advertisers get to write the rules of the Internet or will these new social networks protect our basic rights, like privacy? We hope Facebook's decision sets an important precedent for internet users' rights."

For more information on digital products and services visit Broadband National.

YouTube Continues to Lead U.S. Online Video Market With 28 Percent Market Share, According to comScore Video Metrix


Nearly 2 in 5 U.S. Internet Users Watched a YouTube Video in September

comScore a leader in measuring the digital world, today released its comScore Video
Metrix report for September 2007, revealing that nearly 75 percent of U.S.
Internet users watched a video online (including both streaming video and
progressive downloads), averaging three hours of video per person during
the month. Google Sites, which includes YouTube.com, topped the September
rankings with both the most unique video viewers and most videos viewed.

Google Continues to Lead Online Video Market

September saw Americans view more than 9 billion videos online, with
Google Sites once again ranking as the top U.S. video property with 2.6
billion videos viewed (28.3 percent share of videos), 2.5 billion of which
occurred at YouTube.com (27.6 percent). Fox Interactive Media ranked second
with 387 million (4.2 percent), followed by Yahoo! Sites with 381 million
(4.1 percent) and Viacom Digital with 304 million (3.3 percent).

For information on other digital products and services visit Broadband National.