New Media Technology Article 1 – Internet http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7294174.stm ‘AOL acquires Bebo social network’ Time Warner’s AOL are to buy networking site Bebo for £417 m. Bebo is the 3rd biggest networking site in the US and 9th in the world. Bought as it is a huge investment into advertising and marketing to a young audience. With information about each individual, they can be targeted specifically with advertising.
- AOL Buys Bebo for £417 million.
- Bebo is 3rd biggest social networking site.
- 40 million viewers search an average of 78 pages per day.
- Much cheaper buy than others such as facebook ($240 for 1%) and myspace ($580).
- Valuable location for online advertising – member information shows what they are interested in. Can be targeted with specific advertising.
- Teenage/young adult market.
- Another traditional publisher buying into the power of social networking
- Microsoft did it with facebook
- News Corp with Myspace
- Time’s Warner (AOL) now with Bebo
‘News Corp bought MySpace for $580m in 2005 but now estimates that it is worth more than $15bn’‘The price-tag is tiny when compared with the valuations of similar websites. Microsoft bought 1.6% of Facebook last year for $240m.’‘$850m (£417m)’ Article 2 – Internet
‘MySpace to ‘hyper target’ UK ads’
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/mar/12/1?gusrc=rss&feed=technology
Myspace has found that their ad campaigns in the US has been successful and now are to launch it for their UK site as well. It will target users on the basis of their profile information. Hyper targeting only analyses info on user’s profiles. Analyses profiles and puts users into ‘enthusiastic groups’.
· Myspace set to launch an advertising system on their UK site after being deemed successful on their US Site.
· System targets users by their profile information and puts them into groups.
· Social networking sites have been experimenting with advertising models such as banners and buttons
· Behavioral targeting – Patterns the users patterns online.
· Facebook was forced into a climb down after an intrusive marketing product.
· Will not exploit users personal data
· ‘Users like it as long as it is relevant and presented in an engaging way’
· Mainstream phenomenon
· Myspace is evolving from a networking site into a mainstream medium
· Enables advertisers to run much more relevant and targeted campaigns
Advertisers “Get more bang for their buck”
Article 3 – Internet
http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,91248-1303624,00.html
‘Microsoft Makes Move For Internet Firm’
Microsoft make a £22.4 billion bid for struggling internet firm Yahoo. An offer of £15.50 per share. 62% more than the value of Yahoo Shares recently. Announcement came a day after Yahoo’s chief executive quit. Profits dipped to £103million at the end of 2007. Advertising market online was worth $40billion and is set to continue to $80billion in 2010. Microsoft feel that yahoo will be able to offer advertising and marketing, which looks likely to be successful.
· Microsoft has made a £22.4bn cash and stock bid for struggling internet firm Yahoo
· Offering to buy the company for £15.50 per share.
· 62% more than value of each share
· Came after Chief Executive of Yahoo Quit
· Yahoo set to lay off 1000 employees to improve profitability
· Yahoo has been hit by sluggish revenue growth despite launching a new online advertising platform
· Its profits dipped to £103m in the final three months of 2007
· Yahoo’s revenues last year rose 8% to £900m but its net profit was £330m compared to £375m in 2006
· Microsoft said it saw four areas that would generate at least £500m a year for the new combined business
· The advertising market online was worth $40bn last year and it’s predicted to be about $80bn in 2010
“There was an increasing inevitability about it. Yahoo has been playing for time and trying to catch up with Google for a while but it’s so far ahead.Article 4 – Video Gaminghttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7294812.stmRockstar is EA ‘primary interest’Rockstar is EA’s primary interest after its take over of Take Two Games. Take Two turned down EA’s first approach so is now targeting share holders. Take Two said that EA undervalued the firm. Take Two are said to have four of the best studios in the industry; Rockstar, Irrational, Firaxis and Visual Concepts. The bid is not an attempt to remove a competitor from the market for sports games. Riccitello (EA) said he had no fear that the value EA placed on Take Two could be damaged if the trio of Rockstar creators decided not to pursue further Grand Theft Auto titles after the latest release. · EA interested in takeover of company Take Two· First bid turned down by Take Two, so are targeting shareholders directly· Take Two said to have four of the best studios within the industry· Rockstar is where they wish to put their main interest but said they will not focus just all on one area.· Bid not an attempt to remove a competitor from the market· Ea have improved franchises since taking over such as MAXIS – The Sims· Article 5 – Video Gaming‘Video Games Ratings Face Overhaul’http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7314751.stmVideo game ratings need to be overhauled to make them easier for parents and children to understand, a UK government-backed review has said. It calls for the creation of a UK body to draw up and oversee a national strategy to keep children safe online. One key recommendation is lowering the statutory age at which games have to go before the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) to 12. Video Games have been seen to be potentially harmful to children and therefore games ratings (age of which you have to be to buy) could be re-established and possibly go up.· Video game ratings need to be overhauled to make them easier for parents and children to understand.· It also recommends that new PCs be sold with software that will help prevent children seeing harmful online content. · “I challenge government and industry to step up to make the digital world safer for children and young people,” said Dr Byron· At the moment video games only get a mandatory review by classifiers if they have “human sexual activity” or “gross violence” · The introduction of a statutory requirement to classify games for children aged 12 plus will see the workload of the BBFC increase dramatically. · The wide-ranging review also calls for more support for retailers so staff feel confident refusing to sell a game to anyone who is too young to play it. · Search engines should also take steps to help parents limit what their children can look at and display links on their home pages to sites that can provide advice. · The government would legislate where necessary to bring some of the recommendations into force. · It also called for the creation of kite marked filtering software that is installed on all new PCs sold.‘”Kids are the digital natives, she said, “parents are the digital immigrants.” While BBFC logos will adorn the front of game boxes, the “equivalent” ratings from Pegi will appear on the back of boxes. Pegi is a voluntary ratings system set up by the games industry.’‘I want parents to be empowered,” said Dr Byron, “I want clear logos on all games so parents can make an informed choice.”’Article 6 – Video Games‘Video games ’stimulate learning’’http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/1879019.stmComputer games could become part of the school curriculum after researchers found they had significant educational value. Strategic thinking can be improved by simulation and adventure games. This could potentially improve other areas of peoples learning.
- A UK Study confirms that strategic simulation and adventure games can improve children’s strategic values.
- Parents and Teachers also thought that it improved their children’s reading, mathematics and spelling.
- Investigation into habits of 700 children between aged 7-16 children preferred to play games in a small group or pairs.
- Children can improve important skills using these games.
- Games could be used in classrooms in the future
- Working in a team Is the most important aspect of playing video games
- The Teem study comes as other researchers argue the multimedia age has put children off reading and has produced a generation which spends too much time playing indoors
- Teachers and parents broke down the play into; negotiation, planning, thinking and decision making skills
- Teachers find it hard to justify the use of computer games within school as the content does not map the national curriculum
- Such examples of games include; Sim-City, Rollercoaster Tycoon, Championship Manager.
“Adventure, quest and simulation type games have a lot of benefit – they’re quite complex and create a context in which children can develop important skills,” said Professor McFarlane. We’re not advocating arcade, shot-the-baddie type games,” she stressed.At the moment though, there’s no way of knowing whether the software used in some of the games that involve building and running cities are based on valid economic models,” Article 7 – Mobile Technology‘Apple Orders 10 Million 3G iPhones.’Apple has reportedly ordered 10 million iPhones based on the network 3G. Based on rumors from Asia. The 3G iphone would be thinner, lighter and more efficient. Aiming to sell 10 million.
- Apple has ordered 10 million iPhones.
- To be based on the network 3G
- Based on rumors from Asia
- 3G iPhone will use an Organic Light Emmiting Diode (OLED) display.
- The OLED will mean the iPhone is lighter, thinner and generally more efficient.
- Apple is claiming to have aimed to sell 10 million iPhones worldwide by the end of 2008
- Company Declined to comment on the new 3G iPhone
- Rumor was let out by iPod analyst Ken Dulaney.
‘The Company Declined to comment on ‘rumor or speculation’ about the new 3G iPhone when contacted.’Article 8 – Mobile Technology
