Monday, June 6, 2011
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Facebook for Blackberry v2.0 Beta 3 Adds Wi-Fi and Deletion Options for Professionals
Blackberry just released the third beta update of version 2.0 of its Facebook for Blackberry Smartphones mobile app. It allows users to connect to Facebook over Wi-Fi, which will be especially handy for those without a data plan. Users can now also delete wall posts and comments, and have more options for deleting Messages.
The improvements cater to Blackberry’s business-minded customer base by allowing travelers to connect to Facebook while abroad without buying an expensive data plan, and preserve their reputation by deleting objectionable comments and posts.
Blackberry appears to have accelerated the update cycle for its Facebook app, though it still lags behind the more advanced Facebook for iPhone and Facebook for Android apps. The initial release of v2.0 in mid-March added a sleeker design, and the last beta update on May 5th strengthened the app’s integration with native Blackberry device apps including contacts, phone, and SMS. The app continues to grow, adding just under 1 million daily active users in May to reach 23.5 million DAU and 35.3 MAU according to AppData.
Beta 3 of Facebook for Blackberry v2.0 doesn’t add Groups, the last major feature it lacks that iPhone and Android users have — one also missing from the recently released Facebook for Blackberry Playbook tablet app which favored a flashy Chat interface over functionality. Instead, this update provides services that professionals need.
Users now have the option to delete wall posts and comments, and are shown a deletion confirmation prompt. This can assist users if they post something with typos, have second thoughts about a post, or want to scrub their profile of objectionable content posted by friends.
When users go to delete a Facebook Message from their inbox, they’ll be given the options to delete it from just the mobile app, their Facebook account, or both. Previously, any Message that was deleted was removed from both the mobile app and their account.
With devices that are in some ways less technically advanced and that have smaller screens, it might not be important to match the feature sets of the Facebook for iPhone and Android apps. Instead, Blackberry is making the wise choice to give its unique customer base the abilities that meet their use cases.
The improvements cater to Blackberry’s business-minded customer base by allowing travelers to connect to Facebook while abroad without buying an expensive data plan, and preserve their reputation by deleting objectionable comments and posts.
Blackberry appears to have accelerated the update cycle for its Facebook app, though it still lags behind the more advanced Facebook for iPhone and Facebook for Android apps. The initial release of v2.0 in mid-March added a sleeker design, and the last beta update on May 5th strengthened the app’s integration with native Blackberry device apps including contacts, phone, and SMS. The app continues to grow, adding just under 1 million daily active users in May to reach 23.5 million DAU and 35.3 MAU according to AppData.
Beta 3 of Facebook for Blackberry v2.0 doesn’t add Groups, the last major feature it lacks that iPhone and Android users have — one also missing from the recently released Facebook for Blackberry Playbook tablet app which favored a flashy Chat interface over functionality. Instead, this update provides services that professionals need.
New Options
Registered BlackBerry Beta Zone users who download Beta 3 can access all the features of the app through Wi-Fi. Helpful to domestic users who haven’t subscribed to a data plan, those who frequently travel abroad should be excited about the ability to access Facebook from hotels, airports, cafes or foreign offices. However, push notifications can only be received if users have a local web browsing data plan.Users now have the option to delete wall posts and comments, and are shown a deletion confirmation prompt. This can assist users if they post something with typos, have second thoughts about a post, or want to scrub their profile of objectionable content posted by friends.
When users go to delete a Facebook Message from their inbox, they’ll be given the options to delete it from just the mobile app, their Facebook account, or both. Previously, any Message that was deleted was removed from both the mobile app and their account.
With devices that are in some ways less technically advanced and that have smaller screens, it might not be important to match the feature sets of the Facebook for iPhone and Android apps. Instead, Blackberry is making the wise choice to give its unique customer base the abilities that meet their use cases.
Our Best Damn iOS 5 Wish List Ever
Apple’s WWDC 2011 kicks off next Monday and Steve Jobs and his colleagues are apparently all set to talk software, software, software at the Monday morning keynote address. Judging by the banners Apple Insider has spotted at the venue, the three major software topics will be Mac OS X Lion, iOS 5, and the much-heralded new iCloud service.
We started off here as an iPhone blog and we’re all still avid iPhoners and iOS device fanatics, so although all three topics are of huge interest for us, iOS 5 probably remains the very closest to our gadget fanboy hearts.
So … we have spent a little time compiling what we consider to be Our Best Damn iOS 5 Wish List Ever. It is also our only iOS 5 wish list, but that’s beside the point. With no new iPhone model to speculate endlessly about and save our pennies for, we’ve had plenty of time to see what our team of writers would really like to see in the next generation of iOS.
And here’s our iOS 5 Wish List, with items listed in order of how much support they received from all our team members. The more support an item had, the higher it is listed:
– Better Notifications (our runaway winner for most demanded)
– Better services toggling (easier ways to turn WiFi, Bluetooth etc on and off more easily)
– Gamecenter game save and data backup and portability between devices
– Screen mirroring via AirPlay
– LockInfo-like live lock and home screen features
– Better syncing / OTA sync
– Better rapid app switching
– More multitasking gestures
– Refresh of home screen UI
– Better memory management
– Alternate tones choices for emails and texts
– Voice integration throughout the OS
– Seamless keyboard integration throughout the OS
– Unified document storage area that all appropriate apps can access
– Integrated cloud app data backups
– A camera that doesn’t take 5 damned minutes to turn on
– Improvement to the native Apps
– When entering an email address in mail, choose the account most associated with
that recipient automatically.
– When using spotlight search, it tells you which folder the app your searching for is located in
– Data syncing across devices
– iPhone to be able to rotate Springboard like the iPad does
– More personalization options
– Improved Map integration
– Better input methods for the iPad that don’t have anything to do with a keyboard
– Tighter and better Spotlight integration so that Spotlight can be used to search specific apps
– Better hardware keyboard support
And there you have it. I have a feeling that despite our Best Damned efforts, we probably left some things out. We’d love to hear your best damned iOS wish list items. Please share them in the comments here or in
Facebook Recommends HTTPS Secure Browsing Via Home Page Prompts
Some users are seeing a prompt at the top of their Facebook home page that reads “Help Protect Your Account with Secure Browsing (https)”. Users can click a button in the prompt to switch to HTTPS and foil attempts by hackers to steal their data.
Following the recent exposure of several security threats, Facebook appears to be ramping up its preventative security measures. Developers should list an HTTPS address to make sure they don’t miss out on traffic from those who follow the prompt.
Facebook introduced HTTPS in January to allow users to browse the site over a secured connection. Though it causes pages to load a little slower, it can keep user data safe when they’re connecting over public networks, such as in coffee shops. Facebook says that as of May 10th, 9.6 million users had enabled secure browsing in their Account settings, showing demand for the option despite little promotion for it.
Alongside HTTPS, Facebook launched the ability for third-party application developers to list secure canvas and tab URLs. If they don’t provide them, users with HTTPS enabled are shown a roadblock that forces them to either switch to HTTP browsing or retreat to official Facebook content when approaching a canvas app, and users won’t see bookmarks of tab apps. Then in response to some data leaks by third-party apps, Facebook announced last month that by October 1st all apps must provide an SSL certificate to allow HTTP browsing.
Still, Facebook is combatting an image of flawed security, in part due to exaggerated risk assessments of leaks by the press. This new home page prompt should increase awareness of enhanced security options amongst those that might have heard of threats but not the protections against them that Facebook has released.
Displayed front and center above the news feed, the prompt explains that “To always view Facebook over a secure connection and help prevent hackers from accessing your info over public networks, turn on Secure Browsing now.” Users can click “Enable Secure Browsing” to reload the home page and continue browsing through HTTPS. They can also click to “Learn more” in the Help Center, and can always enable the option via Account Settings -> Settings -> Account Security. Oddly, the prompt is also being seen by users who have already enabled HTTPS.
The prompt will likely increase the percentage of users that do enable secure browsing, making it more important for apps to add secure canvas and tab URLs before the deadline. An increase in secure browsing should also discourage hackers, reduce the impact of security breaches, and improve Facebook’s public standing.
REPORT: Facebook Ads Surge Despite Lag In ROI
Despite lagging return on investment, advertisers continue to pour an increasing amount of their advertising expenditures into Facebook.
According to the new report out from OTR Global which surveyed 15 U.S. sources (six online agency media buyers, fivesearch agency directors, and four social media analytics directors), advertising on Facebook has grown at a pace of 64 to 69 percent over the past 12 months with a similar increase expected over the next year.
While growth remains, it seems as though advertisers are cautiously optimistic. The report also explored the area of shopping on Facebook, which is just beginning to grow. There were a number of findings in the report, which we’ve summarized below.
ROI Still Lags Search
When it comes to the bottom line, the ROI for Facebook advertising appears mixed. While there are some individuals who are claiming that the company’s self serve platform continues to drive an extremely high ROI, others are suggesting that they have yet to see it.Despite that, brands are turning to the site to help build more awareness. Like an unnamed interactive director says in the report:
Brands are making a big push [on Facebook]. At an effective [cost per impression] that’s well under half as expensive of most TV or glossy magazine buys, brands are seeing that they can easily equal the reach at much more attractive frequency, so it’s becomign the awareness and interest builder of choice.Such positive remarks are not uncommon, but one of the most significant drivers of positive sentiment appears to be cost.
Advertising On Facebook Is Still Cheap
In contrast to more expensive advertising destinations like AOL and Yahoo! where CPMs can be $15 – $25 or even higher, Facebook is reportedly hovering at somewhere between $4 and $8.Self-serve is also still cheap, although increasing. The caveat to the cheap advertising was that performance was going to be relatively difficult to maintain for smaller advertisers, something that we’ve covered extensively as automated split testing platforms and other systems have grown. As the report states:
Sources also cautioned that in the absence of often expensive third-party expertise in planning and running campaigns, many advertisers — especially smaller companies — were in danger of quickly hitting a plateau in their performance curve without access to better tools and guidance from Facebook.
Facebook Users Not Shopping Yet
One of the more interesting segments of the report was the area on shopping. It was mentioned during a section of the report on ROI. As we’ve covered over the past few months, an increasing number of shopping services are emerging on Facebook.As one person quoted in the report states, “Facebook has not crossed the threshold to being a true shopping destination.”
Since online shopping comprises a large percentage of search advertising, it helps illustrate an area in which Facebook has a large opportunity for growth.
While it’s not clear whether or not Facebook will ever turn into a shopping destination, it appears as though those who do shop on the social network stick around for a longer period of time.
As one individual states, “We are finding that the typical Facebook shopper will visit 12 pages during their session, while with Google search results, the shopper will visit four pages.”
For the time being, Facebook is not a shopping destination, however that could very well change in the coming years. If successful, shopping would clearly have a dramatic impact on the company’s ad revenue.
Facebook Is Killing Newspapers
The last finding from this report that stood out was that newspaper advertising dollars appears to be the greatest source of Facebook’s growth.When the survey recipients were asked about increases in their Facebook advertising budgets, the two greatest sources were newspaper ad spend and incremental growth.
So while Facebook didn’t kill the newspaper on their own, it appears that their definitely contributing to its death.
iFaith: World's First Public SHSH Dumper
iFaith, originally codenamed Project iF, was released today by iH8sn0w (@iH8sn0w) after his first live demo of the application. An announcement this last Sunday gave information on where to watch for the release of iFaith but it was unknown about what the project consisted of and what its true name was. Today's live stream by iH8sn0w showcased the world's first public SHSH dumper.
A project that includes previous projects by iH8sn0w, iFaith is the first application to have the ability to dump SHSH blobs onto your physical device. iH8sn0w elaborated in his live stream on how iFaith works and reasons why it will be a useful tool:
- Because it dumps SHSH physically onto your device, it alleviates issues with having to upgrade to a firmware that is not currently jailbreakable.
- For example, if you buy another iDevice, it comes with a preloaded iOS version. Even if that version is currently jailbreakable, when Apple updates the firmware to a new version, they not longer need to sign signatures on SHSH blobs for lower versions.
- This means that you no longer have SHSH retrieval for that particular firmware. If you run into an issue of restore or device corruption, you have to update to the latest firmware and have no way of downgrading. With iFaith, you're now able to place SHSH blobs directly onto your device thus removing an issue of unnecessary iOS upgrading.
- Programs like TinyUmbrella and Cydia are able to store SHSH blobs but are limited in capabilities. These programs do not allow physical retrieval of SHSH blobs and they only can retrieve SHSH blobs that are currently signed by Apple. For this reason, the SHSH blobs are on a time constraint.
iFaith is available for the PC (Mac coming soon) and is currently online for user use. The following link is a download link of iFaith for PC.
iFaith - PC
Project iF (iFaith) can be followed on Twitter for new developments and updates on the software. The creator, iH8sn0w, can also be followed on Twitter.
Facebook Recommends HTTPS Secure Browsing Via Home Page Prompts
Some users are seeing a prompt at the top of their Facebook home page that reads “Help Protect Your Account with Secure Browsing (https)”. Users can click a button in the prompt to switch to HTTPS and foil attempts by hackers to steal their data.
Following the recent exposure of several security threats, Facebook appears to be ramping up its preventative security measures. Developers should list an HTTPS address to make sure they don’t miss out on traffic from those who follow the prompt.
Facebook introduced HTTPS in January to allow users to browse the site over a secured connection. Though it causes pages to load a little slower, it can keep user data safe when they’re connecting over public networks, such as in coffee shops. Facebook says that as of May 10th, 9.6 million users had enabled secure browsing in their Account settings, showing demand for the option despite little promotion for it.
Alongside HTTPS, Facebook launched the ability for third-party application developers to list secure canvas and tab URLs. If they don’t provide them, users with HTTPS enabled are shown a roadblock that forces them to either switch to HTTP browsing or retreat to official Facebook content when approaching a canvas app, and users won’t see bookmarks of tab apps. Then in response to some data leaks by third-party apps, Facebook announced last month that by October 1st all apps must provide an SSL certificate to allow HTTP browsing.
Still, Facebook is combatting an image of flawed security, in part due to exaggerated risk assessments of leaks by the press. This new home page prompt should increase awareness of enhanced security options amongst those that might have heard of threats but not the protections against them that Facebook has released.
Displayed front and center above the news feed, the prompt explains that “To always view Facebook over a secure connection and help prevent hackers from accessing your info over public networks, turn on Secure Browsing now.” Users can click “Enable Secure Browsing” to reload the home page and continue browsing through HTTPS. They can also click to “Learn more” in the Help Center, and can always enable the option via Account Settings -> Settings -> Account Security. Oddly, the prompt is also being seen by users who have already enabled HTTPS.
The prompt will likely increase the percentage of users that do enable secure browsing, making it more important for apps to add secure canvas and tab URLs before the deadline. An increase in secure browsing should also discourage hackers, reduce the impact of security breaches, and improve Facebook’s public standing.
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