Facebook Applications Blog

This Week In Technology February 12Th: Apple

admin — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 19:30:11 +0000

Last week we covered Google exclusively, but this week we will spread the love around a bit more and share what is going on at some of the other big names. In an effort to be fair, we’ll go alphabetically.

Apple

This week Apple had an interesting announcement. No, not another “iDevice,” but it is related. In fact, recent research shows that Apple’s® iPhone™ is now more popular than Nintendo’s® DS™ and Sony’s® PSP as a gaming device. This is huge news for app developers and for those still weighing the value of an app for their business.

As if we didn’t already recognize the iPhone as an immensely popular platform (not to mention the iPad and iPod Touch, which also use the same OS 3.2 platform and are compatible with all iPhone apps), we now have more evidence that developing apps can be very profitable, and profits for individual developers may eventually rival that of game developers for the DS and PSP.

Here at Amadeus Consulting, we already have a great amount of experience on the iPhone and are already developing apps for the iPad as well. It is always exciting to see what ideas our clients have for new apps, and new ways to connect with their audience. If you think your business could benefit, or if you have a really great idea, swing by our Contact Us page and let us know.

Facebook

Besides a new layout, there is some really cool stuff happening in the world of Facebook. First, a report by Business Week forecasts that by 2012 sales of virtual goods will reach $3.6 billion, up from $1.6 billion this year.

What does that mean? It means that all the Facebook games, widgets and apps are set to make huge amounts of money just by selling digital flowers, digital credits, Farmville dollars, and other virtual goods. Even though the virtual goods market extends far beyond just Facebook, the company is also rumored to be planning a universal Facebook currency that is usable for all applications, much like Microsoft’s Xbox LIVE® marketplace.

Although it’s probably important to point out that huge market success does not guarantee individual success, this forecast provides a boost to investors with a good business plan and a willingness to try something new. In fact, we are really interested in social networking application development, and we would love to help you develop your idea.

In other Facebook news, there are some rumors and upcoming changes. First, it is rumored that Facebook will be getting its own email client, meaning that users could get a @facebook.com email address.

Also this week, Facebook partnered with AOL to integrate Facebook Chat into AIM, and vice-versa. This allows users to chat with their AIM and Facebook contacts without having to switch between windows. It also integrates Lifestream, which aggregates updates and feeds from multiple social media sites into the AIM environment and allows users to follow updates and chat with both users simultaneously.

Google

It has been a busy week for Google and unfortunately we cannot fit everything into a single post. However, there are some things that we are pretty excited about.

First, let’s start with the under-reported. Google has been testing televised QR codes to advertize apps. QR codes are basically complicated bar codes that most smart phones can read (by using the camera), and that provide information to the phone. In this case, Google was displaying the QR code during a broadcast on The Weather Channel, along with the message “Android Users Scan Here.”

If users scanned the QR code, it would take them to the Android™ app market where people could download an official The Weather Channel app.

Although this definitely is not a huge technological leap, it provides a much needed connection between existing dots. It is really just a neat way to integrate apps and user feedback into traditional advertising. This could become much more common in the future, and could easily be integrated into all the “check out our new app” commercials that you see on TV now (and works for iPhone apps as well).

Check out our Client Success Story for Alion Science and Technology to see how we leveraged bar code technology for their handheld scanners.

Second in Google-related news, and probably the biggest news item of the week is Buzz. As any regular Gmail™ user has noticed, Google has incorporated a social media application directly into Gmail. It is a mix between Twitter™ and Flicker™, allowing users to post status updates, follow other users, and upload pictures.

Despite some recent privacy updates Buzz continues to receive criticism because of the difficulty in controlling who can and cannot follow you, and because it publically displays who you follow, and who follows you as a default. We are pretty excited to see how Buzz evolves, and so far it has been a positive experience for us here. We mentioned last week that Google was opening an app store for Google Docs™ and other Google services, and so it will be interesting to see if they allow third-party applications for Buzz as well.

We are also excited to see how Google develops its new acquisition: the Aardvark social search engine. Next week, Google is also set to release Android 2.1™, the latest upgrade to the Android platform which will provide much anticipated features. Oh, and Google added a “Ski-view” for many of the 2010 Olympic™ ski events that enables users to get a first person perspective on many events by using Google Maps™.

Also, we are looking forward to next week’s Mobile World Congress, the largest tradeshow for mobile phone makers and related technologies. Stay tuned.

Facebook Fan Pages Are Great For Small Business - Top Three Reasons Why

admin — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 16:00:47 +0000

Two big questions small business owners have for me when it comes to Facebook are: 1) is there a way I can separate my personal information from my professional information and 2) what is the best way to engage others and bring attention to my business?

Facebook “Fan Pages” are the answer to both.

A Fan Page is simply a public profile that allows you to share information about your business, services or products with other Facebook users. To create a Fan Page, click on “Advertising” in the lower right hand part of the screen. After doing this you will be taken to a page with several choices listed at the top. Click on “Pages” which has an orange flag next to it. Then, just click the green “Create a Page” button.

Once you have created your Page, you can now reap its benefits. What are those benefits? There are several, but here I will highlight the top three:

Driving Traffic. Facebook Pages are public. Most of Facebook requires a login for you to access it. However, Pages are not behind a login and thus are visible to the search engines. This means people can not only find your business listed, but it is likely to be ranked highly due to the fact that Facebook itself is. Therefore, you might want to consider using relevant keywords in your Page title as well. For example, Facebook expert Mari Smith’s Page title is Mari Smith - Relationship and Buzz Marketing Specialist.

Of course, once people visit your Page, they will also have a way to continue on to your main website or blog which you will have listed.

Promoting Discussion. Pages are a great way to communicate with potential clients and customers. You now have an opportunity to listen, watch and provide answers when needed. People will notice when you take the time to help and add to the discussions. Send updates periodically through the update feature and concentrate on building relationships and being a part of the conversation.

Spreading Awareness. By utilizing the wall for discussions, providing links, adding pictures, importing your blog posts and more, you are making it easy to connect with you. This will help turn people into fans as well as encourage others to visit your Page. When others become fans it will show on their profile as well as in their mini-feed. When your fans interact with your Page, these interactions are visible to their friends via the News Feed. This is fantastic for word-of-mouth and for exposing your business to an ever-increasing circle of Facebook users.

Some Tips:

*To get to your Page from your main personal profile, click on “Applications” at the bottom to the left and then click “Ads and Pages.”

*You need to click on the link that says “publish this page” for your page to become public. This is nice as you can have your Page all set up and complete before you begin promoting it.

*If you click on “Edit Page” you can add applications to your page such as discussion boards, reviews, events and more.

*People can become “fans” of your page. To encourage this, you can click the link for “suggest to friends” under your picture. If you click on “Share” on the left side under “create a page” then you can also post a message about your page to your personal profile or send a message to others.

Create your Page today and start building your community of raving fans!

Originally posted 2010-03-27 06:18:15. Republished by Old Post Promoter

Adding FBML box Facebook Fan Pages

admin — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 16:00:46 +0000

How to add FBML boxes and applications on Facebook Fan Pages more tips here simplyzesty.com

Originally posted 2010-04-30 14:45:18. Republished by Old Post Promoter

(*) FBML Tutorial: Fastest and easiest way to add a custom tab to Facebook Fan Pages Static…

Earn Money With IPhone Apps.

admin — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 16:00:45 +0000

Earn A Massive 75% Commission Promoting The Most Comprehensive Guide To Creating Lucrative IPhone Applications (apps For Short). Our Guide Explains How To Create New IPhone Apps And Get Them Listed On The Apple IPhone App Store. Profit From IPhones Now!
Earn Money With IPhone Apps.

Originally posted 2010-04-29 13:05:38. Republished by Old Post Promoter

Round-up: Top 10 Most Useful Apps in Apple App Store

admin — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 16:00:44 +0000

The iPod touch phone is the newest technology to sweep both the nation and world. It has become a valuable tool for people at home or on the go, for both business and pleasure. The phone uses iPod touch apps as programs that put the world at your fingertips. While there are thousands of apps available, choosing which ones are right for you can be difficult because there are so many to choose from. Here is a list of the Top 10 Most Useful iPod touch apps available. They are in no particular order; the usefulness of each app is different for each person.1. The Twitterific app is a great iPod touch application. It is a community based website that allows the user to keep up with “twitter” friends. The user can read and post “tweets” such as comments, messages, and blogs. It has a built-in locator and allows the user to upload photos. It is a great communication application2. The Google Mobile App is an excellent application for research and information on the iPod touch phone from Google, while on the go. It gives you a single text box to search through the web, while typing it looks for answers. As soon as you’re done typing the results pop up instantly.3. The Myspace app and Facebook app are fun iPod touch apps. They allows the user to access their Myspace or Facebook profile from their phone. While it depends on which website the user uses, they are both similar in their use.4. The Google Earth app is a very helpful iPod touch app. It is anavigational app that allows the user to get directions, view maps, or plan a trip. 5. The WeatherBug app manages and operates its own weather network that pin points weather conditions in your specific area. This iPod touch app provides live weather information.6. The NetNewsWire app is a fast and efficient iPod touch app. that allows you to read the news and access feeds wherever you are.7. The Paypal app is a fast way to send and receive money. This iPod touch app allows the user to buy items right from their phone.8. The NES app is a fun way to play Nintendo games on your phone. This iPod touch app. has a variety of Nintendo games that the user can download and play.9. The Tunewiki app allows the user to build a virtual media library: files can reside locally on the android file system or as a URL to a multimedia asset at YouTube, Yahoo Music, Imeem, friends’ URL based remote storage or any other URL - accessed library. This iPod touch app also allows you to listen to your music on the go.10. The Joost app is an entertaining iPod touch app that brings television and movies to the phone. Users can download music videos, TV shows, and even movies.These are all great iPod touch apps, which are very useful in everyday life. Users are able to do a variety of things using the various apps. It is a great technological tool that can be used to its fullest capacity. All apps can be downloaded from the Apple App Store.

Originally posted 2010-04-14 19:55:22. Republished by Old Post Promoter

How do I get my facebook app to work again on my itouch?

admin — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 16:00:43 +0000

I had downloaded the Facebook app onto my itouch awhile ago and it was working fine ! Now whenever I tap on “Notifications” the app crashes. I deleted it and tried re-downloading it but theres a screen
that says “the application is not compatible with this ipod”. and
that was when i tried doing it over my itouch .
when i tried doing it over the computer, it wouldnt sync into my itouch.
i need any help possible . thanks so much .

Originally posted 2010-04-12 20:42:14. Republished by Old Post Promoter

Mario Kart Wii with Wii Wheel

admin — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 16:00:42 +0000

Wii Wheel must be used with a Wii Remote (Remote not included)

Product Description
Start your engines and race with Mario and his friends with their finely tuned racing machines in Mario Kart Wii. Use 3 different control styles with the Wii Wheel included in the box. The worldwide race is on with a whole new set of tricks, tracks, and ways to play. Mario Kart Wii draws on courses and battle arenas from every game in the series - not to mention tons of new ones. The true king of the Mushroom Kingdom racing circuits will finally be crowned. Experien… More >>

Mario Kart Wii with Wii Wheel

Originally posted 2010-03-21 03:52:02. Republished by Old Post Promoter

how do you get millions of fans on facebook fan pages?

admin — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 16:00:41 +0000

i dont understand how people can get sooo many fans on their facebook pages without cost.
how do they do it?
i want to try to as well…

Originally posted 2010-04-02 03:46:28. Republished by Old Post Promoter

How do some facebook fan pages…

Facebook Applications - Recommendations For Owners And Designers

admin — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 16:00:40 +0000

Facebook applications are an innovation aimed to help their owners to make the most of one of the largest social networks. But like any other popular novelty, this Facebook option raises a lot of questions too.In this article you’ll find tips and recommendations which can be helpful when planning, designing, and developing Facebook applications.1. Facebook Development Platform - Innovations and… VolatilityFacebook is growing fast now. The number of Facebook users escalates in thousands and millions. It means that Facebook apps owners get increasingly more potential users every single day.But this coin has a reverse side too: due to Facebook rapid evolution tools for the application development - Facebook API (Application Programming Interface), etc - are changed quite often as well. Owners, designers, and developers should keep track of such new features because they can affect appearance, functionality, and operability of existing applications.a) So, before starting planning a Facebook application make sure you have read Facebook Privacy Policy and Facebook Developer Principles and Policies. These documents contain lists of limitations that should be taken into account while designing and developing your Facebook application. If your application doesn’t correspond to them, the Facebook team may not approve it for using on Facebook.b) Read Facebook Developers Roadmap (wiki.developers.facebook.com/index.php/Developer_Roadmap) to be aware of the upcoming changes and to forecast respective modifications of your application in advance.Frankly, documents mentioned above are not bedside literature. If you outsource their reading and learning to programmers, just remember that there are some constraints and internal rules on Facebook which can change with time, and your FB application should follow them.2. Successful Facebook Applications Start from Successful DesignDesign is extremely important for Facebook application success. In order to provide good look and feel of your FB app take into account the following points.a) Design should be an integral part of a general application concept and convey ideas and feelings behind it.b). Design should be user-friendly, intuitive, and of playing style to some extent, because Facebook apps are entertaining by their nature. That extent depends on your application niche.c) Design should be social-networking and viral - and give a user a supporting environment to socialize with other users. Does your design encourage people to communicate and make invitations? Does your design help people to express themselves and show them in a favorable light among their friends? Will users say each other “Wow, just take a look at that app!” ?d) Design may impose certain restrictions on a Facebook application and, therefore, cause problems when programming the app and afterwards when adding new functional features. As a result, a FB application design should be flexible and simple enough to be able to reflect that constant Facebook growth we’ve discussed above.e). Also remember that potential users are spoilt by numerous already existing applications competing for their attention. So, analyze your competition to understand what and why is popular and how it can be overcome.3. Facebook Apps vs. Facebook Connect - What Is the Difference From a Development Viewpoint?Basic-level components of Facebook Connect are scripts which help to realize such options as sharing a piece of content or a link from your website onto Facebook, driving fans to your Facebook Page, etc. Such scripts are ready-to-use and easy-to-install onto a website.Unlike it Facebook apps are software applications which are developed from scratch using Facebook Development Platform (Facebook API), as well as PHP, AJAX, MySQL, and other programming languages, libraries, and so forth. No wonder Facebook applications development and integration require designers, programmers, testers to be involved, and it is very similar to the creation of any other piece of conventional software. This is also true for Advanced Facebook Connect options and their tuning.Facebook applications shouldn’t be confused with ordinary websites too. Usually FB apps are complex web-based systems with a lot of back-end (server-side) modules which, actually, provide app functionality and make the application attractive for users.Facebook applications and Facebook Connect are all the rage now. What your FB app will be - just an attempt to follow the fashion or an effective tool to make the most of Facebook - depends on many factors. The deeper you learn and understand them, the better your result will be.

Originally posted 2010-04-20 16:54:07. Republished by Old Post Promoter

How To Create IPhone Apps With No Programming Experience.

admin — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 16:00:39 +0000

Discover How To Create IPhone Apps Easily With No Programming Experienced Required. Learn From Some Of The Top IPhone App Developers To Get Your App Created Now.
How To Create IPhone Apps With No Programming Experience.

Originally posted 2010-04-11 21:13:02. Republished by Old Post Promoter