MySpace user base shifting to the road: 450% mobile growth in ’08

While Twitter has been consuming every type of media outlet the last short while, MySpace has been relatively unnoticed.  Sure it was the social networking giant that started it all.  However, with Facebook and Twitter quickly adding users and growing, MySpace seemed if it had lost its momentum and innovation.  Really, the users that may not be using the desktop version all too often anymore are simply changing the way they access MySpace.  MySpace vice president, John Faith announced at a Nokia developer conference that MySpace’s mobile traffic in the last year had increased from a low 10% of total mobile traffic, to a whopping 35%…in just a year!  He even estimates that within a couple years that mobile traffic could account for up to 50% of total MySpace traffic.  The numbers according to John are as follows:

• 32% view profiles
• 19% is from viewing pictures
• 19% reading messages
• 1% consist of friend requests
• and you guess what fills the rest of mobile traffic

This is a big eye opener in the way that people are starting to use the web as well as how people internet socially and with social networking sites.  With more and more MySpace mobile applications (such as Blackberry and iPhone just to name two) for phones becoming available, mobile traffic is sure to move upwards as it becomes easier and quicker to check your MySpace accounts.  Will the growth continue?  Have you jumped into the whole mobile social networking scene?  If you are a big social butterfly, mobile networking is where it’s at right now.  Don’t miss out…

Source: Into Mobile, Fierce Mobile

Stand out from the static crowd with the LED light badge

Name badges are what some would think, a “maxed out technology”.  Meaning, its a freaking piece of paper/plastic and you can’t really go much further with it.  However, that isn’t the case.  When you tire of such antiquated technology, the LED badge should be your next logical choice.  This badge has *surprise* an LED that allows for scrolling messages that are user customizable.  What other features does this name badge from 2020 offer?

• LED badge will store (6) 256 character messages
• All changes can be made on the go without a computer thanks to the three programming buttons on the back of the device
• User configurable speed and brightness settings (9 each)
• magnetic holder keeps the badge in place without puncturing clothing
• Batter Requirements: Blue name badge takes 2 batteries (CR2016)/Red 1 battery (CR2032)
• In the box: Badge, battery, and magnetic holder
• Badge dimensions: 3-1/4” by 1-3/4”
• lightweight: < 1 ounce

At your next company picnic/meeting/distant family get together, show the people your true geeky side with the LED badge.  Don’t worry about constantl changing batteries or looking for an outlet as you can go up to 18 hours on a set of batteries ensuring you can be the life of the party for quite a while.  I’m definitely getting one.  Who wouldn’t want one?  It’s cool!  If the LED has your attention too, head on over to Think Geek and donate $29.99 to the cause.

Source: Gadget Venue

Windows 7 to be a little more choosey with auto-run/flash drives

**The box bordered in red will no longer be an option on most flash drives after Window 7′s latest security update**

Microsoft announced today a move to make it harder for viruses such as Conficker to piggy back on Windows’ auto-run feature when a flash drive is inserted.  Instead of the flash drive having access to auto-run features as soon as the drive is inserted, users will have to manually launch programs contained on the storage device.  However, Microsoft cautioned that DVD’s and CD’s will still have access to auto-run option upon insertion.  So, users of certain “specialty” drives such as those powered by the U3 GUI, which is treated and loaded as a CD/DVD, should take extra precaution when using their flash drives in conjunction with auto-run.  According to Microsoft, the update that will disable auto-run for most flash drives is set to appear in the next release candidate of Windows 7 slated for a public May 5th release.  Legacy XP and Vista users need not worry as you will also be getting the security update via some form or another.  Once the update hits, I suggest everyone download it as soon as possible so malware such as Conficker has yet another hurdle to clear all while making Windows users everywhere a tad bit safer.

Source: Cnet

New Firefox 3.5 beta 4 so close: 93/100 on Acid 3 test

The browser wars are heating up with the release of Firefox 3.5 beta 4.  Speed wise, 3.5 feels at least a tad faster.  Whether it really is or not should probably be left to some spiffy benchmarking software.  But to my untrained eye, the speed improvements are pleasantly noticeable.  Sadly, the ultimate goal ahead of speed, Acid 3 compliance, doesn’t quite earn a perfect score in 3.5 as  it comes ever so close, though ultimately falls short: 93/100.  While it is light years ahead of Microsoft’s Internet Explorer 8, hopefully by the time the final release is…released, a perfect 100/100 will be recorded.  As the popular saying goes, “close only counts in horse shoes and hand grenades”.  So for the time being, Safari 4 beta is the only browser to currently hold the crown of Acid 3 test “winner”.  Though, the incompatibilities of Safari 4 beta and WordPress mean Firefox 3.5 beta 4 just became my new favorite browser.  Anyone else out there care to share their experience with Mozilla’s latest?

Twitter to fade into oblivion because Oprah hasn’t updated her profile in 4 days?

Twitter has no doubt gained some pretty hefty media attention since the Ashton Kutcher vs. CNN race.  (No need to link…the stories are everywhere, spend five seconds on Google…you’ll find it).  Twitter has gone so mainstream that there was even a segment on Oprah where she tweeted her first tweets to the world.  Since that momentous day 11 long days ago, Oprah has tweeted a mere twenty times.  Is Oprahs possible boredom a potential issue Twitter should worry about?  In a nutshell: hardly.  While all of the media attention is no doubt nice, celebrities aren’t exactly the most knowledgeable when it comes to electronics, technology, and everything that makes us gadget loving geeks tick.  Besides, Twitter started as a very small niche community of individuals.  Heck, a mere year ago the most popular people were tech bloggers and their follower counts were at that time considered pretty big with many of them nearing 7,000.  We laugh now because of the 1,000,000+ that some celebrity accounts are getting.  But, what if celebrities did get bored and stopped using Twitter?  Would Twitter die?  I doubt it.  I think it might even get better.  How so?  With all of the hype gone, Twitter and the core group of users, that is, users who actually contribute daily and contribute worthwhile information at that will again shine.  The uber famous members will leave their accounts void of any new updates and their followers will slowly defect.  So Oprah hasn’t payed much attention to Twitter lately…who cares.  That isn’t what Twitter is about.  It isn’t a fan club like MySpace or Facebook (both good web services as well).  As the next few months pass, Twitter will no doubt be in and out of the news for various reasons, and while their traffic count may dip slightly, they are hardly in trouble of dying.  Twitter and its true core base of users will carry on just fine.

Source: Alley Insider

OWC Announces USB external display adapter

If you’re in the market for another graphics card to power a second, third, fourth, or more monitros, OWC would like you to reconsider. Today they announced the immediate availability of their USB powered display adapter that is essetially an “external graphics card” that will allow you to easily and quickly attach up to 6 additional monitors at resolutions up to (1600 x 1200) to your computer via USB. While adding a ingle additional monitor is easily achieved without a USB adapter, many individuals lack the cash or equipment needed to run more than two monitors at a time. With OWC’s adapter, mulitple monitor layouts and multi-tasking are now more easily accessible. Included in the box you’ll find:

• USB to DVI adapter
• DVI to VGA adapter
• DVI to HDMI adapter
• 4′ USB Cable
• CD-ROM with user guide and software
• One Year Warranty

You’ll notice the adapter doesn’t yet support full HD (1920 x 1080) and is more a limitation of the current USB 2.0 bandwidth and technology as opposed to the adapter. If Blue-ray movies, gaming and other applications that demand hi-def are a must, you might be better off saving for a more ellaborate multi-monitor set up. However, if 1600 x 1200 is enough to make your eyes drool and get you through the day (which for most users it is more than plenty, then give OWC a bit of your time and money.  Speaking of money, the privilege of outputting video through USB will cost you a cool $99.    

[Press release]

Microsoft finally jumping head first into smartphone market with phone of their own?

The iPhone has enjoyed complete dominance in the younger crowd because of its tight integration with a music download service (iTunes), a very successful App Store, and a UI and device functionality that many manufacturers still have some time before they catch up on. Since the dawn of the iPhone, Microsoft has been included in many rumors telling of an impending Microsoft/Zune phone. Time and time again, Microsoft has countered that they are a software business and leave the hardware desging and development to the companies which do it best. Microsoft instead sells licenses to its wholey mediocore Windows Mobile operating system. Even giving Microsoft the benefit of the doubt and rounding up, they only make around $300 million per year, mere pocket fuzz when you take into account that they are projected to earn over $70 billion this year! Now you see how little they make on Windows Mobile. Could Microsoft finally be looking to jump into the hardware side of things and bring in some much needed mobile revenue?