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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/XpkYl003jWA/story01.htm
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Wouldn’t it be awesome to have your own army of word-of-mouth marketers, standing by for deployment at your beck and call?
A handful of brands have been able to count on their most loyal fans to act as brand advocates for years. Remember the die-hard Coke vs. Pepsi fan wars in the 80s and 90s? There was no convincing a fan of one he should try the other; he would shout his preference from the rooftop to whomever would listen.
Social media has taken these brand advocates of days gone by, given them each a megaphone and shot them full of espresso and steroids. Your most loyal fans are now exponentially louder, more influential, and able to spread the word about your brand just as quickly as they can thumb-type a status update or tweet.
Starbucks is one of the more recognizable brands known for delighting social customers and building brand advocates, since long before it was the latest cool thing to do. Two years ago, I taught a Facebook marketing course and remember using them as a model for successful loyalty building in social even then. Just last month, chief digital officer Adam Brotman announced that Starbucks cards are now used in approximately 25% of the company’s U.S. transactions and that the amount of dollars loaded on Starbucks cards increased by more than 20 percent last year. These are very real, tangible business benefits.
Yet your company doesn’t have to rake in billions per year to win over brand advocates. Across the board, for organizations big and small, people are becoming more willing to stick their neck out and speak well of the brands they love.
Though many companies still struggle to measure the effect of social media on their bottom line, repeat business and average revenue per order are simple metrics to track. A recent study on orthopedic surgeons’ brand loyalty, for example, found that 60% are loyal to one brand of knee implants, whereas 40% are loyal to two or more brands. Just 1% of brand-loyal orthopedic surgeons switch brands within a year. These B2B consumers are fiercely loyal and advocate for the brand they prefer by driving hospital purchasing decisions.
Of course, you can reasonably expect orthopedic surgeons are most apt to be loyal to the company that provides the best quality product and therefore experience for the doctor’s customers (patients). Starbucks, too, built their business on the back of their product quality. This is just as attainable for small businesses.
Take Lauren Lilling, New York entrepreneur and founder of Keep It Sweet Desserts, for example. Lilling has well over 1,000 fans on each of her social accounts on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. She’s also a pro in engaging fans and converting them to advocates, but how does a one-woman show attract such attention in a sea of competing bakeries, many of which operate right in her own city? Quite simply, she turns out a stellar product. Lilling attracts not only customers, but fans of her product, by consistently delivering awesome.
This is where it gets really exciting, where savvy brands can begin to build lasting relationships with the people who will become their most vocal champions. You have a great product or service, fans are reaching out to you, people are curious about your brand and connecting to your social profiles… are you listening?
In 2011, Google held their inaugural Global Top Contributors Summit at their headquarters in Mountain View, California. Top Contributors (TCs) are unpaid, non-employee Google forum participants across Google’s various product forums. These are the people who tirelessly answer questions, solve problems, moderate and generally point other users in the right direction on Google’s forums. Of course, Google staffs these forums as well (each has a Community Manager), yet bringing TCs into the fold by giving them a name and rewarding their loyalty allowed the tech giant to build its thriving forums community.
Google’s Alan Eustace speaks to participants at the first Global Top Contributors Summit (image: Google AdWords Blog)
This particular event was designed to reward TCs for their investment in Google products, seek their feedback and offer educational resources to help them become more effective brand advocates. My friend Jennifer (Lysis) was invited to attend, as a TC in Google’s Webmaster Help forum.
Alongside dozens of Google’s other advocates, she was flown to a two-day, all expenses paid event in Mountain View. Jennifer met the other TCs she had been interacting with online for years, alongside the Google Community Managers they worked closely with, yet had never actually met. She was able to participate in product demos, social events, panel discussions and more.
Talk about engaging your fans! “It definitely made me more loyal,” she shared. “I’ve been able to understand their side of things and I know that they really do try to make a good product. I’ve seen the “softer” side of this big business; the company became more human to me.”
Google offers these most loyal advocates additional benefits, as well; she has received a Chromebook, Google swag, and is regularly given early access to new products for beta testing. As a brand advocate, Jennifer has an open line of communication to Community Managers and feels her input is valued.
You don’t need to fly your fans to the coast to engage them and show that you’re actively listening. Once upon a time, Google’s incredibly active forums were just a twinkle in their eye. That their community is as active as it is now is one of the older and better examples of a truly great outcome from listening to and engaging your fans.
This conversion of fans to advocates is really the reward for consistently delivering awesome, listening attentively, and engaging fans in a meaningful way. Conversion in relationship building is not formulaic, as in paid search marketing, nor is it easily optimized. How do you split test authentic conversations? How do you optimize a human being to take the actions you desire?
No, converting fans to advocates isn’t a tactic or a strategy; it’s not even the end game in your brand advocacy program. These relationships require nurturing over their lifetime. When you take that time, though, the benefits to your business can be both tangible and impressive.
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© Online Marketing Blog, 2012. | O Come All Ye Faithful: Attract, Engage & Convert Fans to Brand Advocates | http://www.toprankblog.com
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OnlineMarketingSEOBlog/~3/rGeP6-Hg6qA/
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Apple orders iCab iOS browser to cripple JavaScript modules originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 08 Apr 2011 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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If you didn't get enough mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This week, we stumbled upon a sneak peek of Sony's promised Jelly Bean update and XDA University opened its doors to educate others about the curious world of Android customization. Not to stop there, Nokia unleashed a new entry-level handset for those in mainland China. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the "best of the rest" for this week of December 24th, 2012.
Continue reading Mobile Miscellany: week of December 24th, 2012
Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Software, Mobile
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/29/mobile-miscellany-week-of-december-24th-2012/
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The Chinese government issued a set of new Internet rules on Friday. Internet users must now provide their real names to service providers, and ISPs are required to delete forbidden posts and report such activities to authorities. In other words, the so-called "Great Firewall of China" has been further fortified. "This is just another indication that they really want to control what information gets to their citizens," said Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group. "It means that all communication going in and out of China are going to be more closely monitored." 
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posted by Scott Wingo @ 11:20 AM
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Falcon Pro (for Twitter) pitches itself as "the ultimate Twitter experience on Android," and while one can usually take these app-store hyperbole laden statements with an idiom-laden statement -- in this case a grain of salt -- there is one thing that I'm looking for in a Twitter client that Falcon Pro promises. What I'm looking for -- the newshound that I am -- is functionality whereby Twitter's tweet timeline automatically refreshes on the screen with a real-time, actual tweet, rather than a hyperlinked notification that a certain number of new tweets are available. 
posted by Scott Wingo @ 8:20 AM
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CES is right around the corner, and one of the devices Huawei will be showing off will be the Ascend D2, which was announced a few weeks ago. A batch of pictures have bubbled up giving us a closer look at the otherwise camera-shy D2. We all remember its predecessor, the dickwad D Quad, and it's battery-boosted bro, the D Quad XL, but the D2 stands to be a significant step up from both of them. The source of the latest batch of pictures of the device confirms it will have an HD-grade (1080p?) 5-inch display, a quad-core 1.5 GHz processor, 13 megapixel camera, run Android 4.1, and have a big honkin' 3,000 mAh battery.
It's great to see Huawei continuing to push the higher-end market and get those devices into Europe and the U.S. - after all, competition is good, especially on price point. We may also see a new 6.1-inch tablet from Huawei at CES, which will be interesting to try out, to say the least.
Any of y'all happy Huawei device owners? Those that aren't, would you consider switching away from one of the bigger manufacturers if you could save a buck on your next device?
Source: IT Home
Via: PhoneArena
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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/Qmm_OLdgCEg/story01.htm
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With CES 2013 just days away, TechCrunch has posted a juicy rumor that chipmaker Intel will announce a major plunge into TV, choosing to go it alone after several failed partnerships in an effort to "do it right" this time. Claiming an unnamed source in the video distribution industry, the rumor suggests a plan to deliver a set-top box with DVR, rolled out on a city-by-city basis as it negotiates channel agreements. Despite a number of demos through the years, the Intel-powered TV boxes that have landed in our living rooms so far have been the first gen Google TV and Boxee Box units. Both struggled to make a significant impact and switched to ARM CPUs for the second generation of their products.
Based on some of the tech demos we've seen and earlier rumors, Intel's plans could include using facial recognition to personalize the experience for (and target advertising towards) different viewers, and offering smaller, cheaper bundles of channels than traditional providers. Another element from the TechCrunch post indicates a plan to provide a Catch Up TV-style service that lets users view anything that has aired in the last month on the channels they're subscribed to, although there's no word on what will power this technology.
Intel's participation in Comcast's Reference Design Kit program is also referenced, although given Big Cable's traditional reluctance regarding alternative delivery models, any sort of tie-in here seems like a long shot to us. A combo package of pay-TV channels and internet VOD has been tried before, although Sezmi's antenna-connected solution failed to catch on and fizzled late last year. Like recently rekindled Apple HDTV rumors, the potential of Intel's service may rely just as much on its success negotiating with content providers as any technology it's cooked up. Check out the rest of the rumor at the source link and a video from Intel's 2009 IDF demo after the break, we'll have any official announcements as they happen from the press conference January 7th.
Continue reading Intel rumored to launch set-top box, 'virtual cable TV service' at CES
Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD, Intel
Source: TechCrunch
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/31/intel-set-top-box-virtual-cable-tv-rumor/
posted by Scott Wingo @ 2:21 AM
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Omniture adds a new application to its Omniture SiteCatalyst tool that allows users to monitor the spread of viral video on YouTube and other sites. Salesforce, Google, Amazon and other companies have all been expanding the range of applications available on their cloud-based computing platforms, even allowing clients to monitor Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and other sites to see how a particular service or product is being greeted by the general public....
Source: http://feeds.ziffdavisenterprise.com/~r/RSS/publishvideo/~3/XLDxQ7x_llA/
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Source: http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2012/12/most-expensive-gear-of-the-year/
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With the growing popularity of wireless speakers – both Bluetooth and AirPlay – many speaker companies have begun to release products that are redefining how we listen to music. Suddenly, there are very small speakers that can produce quality audio with decent bass. Until recently, this was almost unheard of. Jambox, Soundmatters, Braven, Scosche, Jabra, and a host of others have created a new market that is exploding in popularity. NuForce, a company that makes high-end home audio, has jumped into this market with their Cube portable speaker. However, NuForce has never been a company that follows trends. They pretty much do what they want.
The Cube competes with many portable wireless speakers by managing to NOT include wireless functionality in the Cube. Huh? Before you dismiss the Cube entirely, there are a couple of unique features in the Cube that help it measure up – and surpass – many wireless speakers.
As cool and useful as wireless can be, sometimes it’s more trouble than it’s worth. To use Bluetooth on an iPhone as an example, you have to navigate on the screen to activate it. And truthfully, sometimes you just don’t need to be wireless. With the Cube, all you do is connect the included mini plug cable. That’s it. There is no ON button. Disconnecting turns it off. This is simplicity, Apple style. It’s even packaged like an Apple device.
The Cube has a built-in battery for 8 hours of continuous use between charges, which is done with a mini USB-to-USB cord, also included. When the Cube is fully charged, a small, red LED burns bright. When it begins to blink, it’s time to recharge. Charging can either be done through the USB port on a computer or using a USB/electrical plug (not included). There is a soft, draw-string bag for carrying that helps to keep out the dust. However, it won’t protect the Cube should it be dropped.
Now, here’s the cool part. The Cube comes with a headphone port. While that may be interesting, a headphone port is not entirely unique. What is unique is the Cube comes with a built-in USB digital audio convertor (DAC) along with a headphone amp. What does that mean? It means that – especially with headphones/earphones – your music can sound much better. The Cube’s DAC is capable of giving you CD-quality sound (16bit/48kHz, for you audio geeks), which is a big improvement over audio straight from the headphone jack on a laptop or desktop computer. The included charging cable does double-duty by allowing this connection. Note that using the miniplug in a laptop’s headphone port bypasses the DAC, but the amp will still work.
There is an optional previous generation iPod Nano connector that will allow the Nano to act as a mini alarm clock with the appropriate app. Note that with the release of the new iPod Nano, this accessory will soon become irrelevant.
The top and sides of the Cube are made of tough aluminum. The back is black plastic, and it’s where the three ports are located: A Mini USB charging/digital input, headphone jack, and mini plug input. The front has a color-matched, removable cloth grill. The color choices are Black, Silver, a bright Blue and Red, the color I am reviewing. Underneath the cloth grill is a one inch speaker along with a small bass port.
The Cube measures 2.25 X 2.25 X 2.675 inches, an almost perfect … cube. Don’t let the diminutive size fool you. While the Cube can’t compete with larger speakers, it can easily hold its own in the mini-portable speaker arena. It’s a law of physics that you are not going to get earth-shaking bass from a small speaker. While that law has been stretched, it still holds true for the Cube. Yeah, there’s bass; you can tell because if you cover the hidden bass port with a finger, the bass disappears completely. However, its the highs and (mostly) mids that you will hear. Thankfully, there is none of the higher frequency harshness that smaller speakers can exhibit.
“You and I Have Seizures,” from His Name Is Alive has a high, almost twinkling, string sound that could border on brittle, but doesn’t. The song lacks some presence, but that’s an issue with a lack of meaningful bass. Listening through the NuForce NE-600M earphones (to be reviewed later), it became clear that the song exhibited so much more than the Cubes speaker can project alone. The Cubes DAC with earphones let the song display all it had to offer.
Blue Oyster Cult’s very humorous “Godzilla” sounds great using the NuForce earphones. Hearing the song through the Cube’s speaker, the bass practically disappears. But so what? We aren’t talking audiophile quality here, but a fun little speaker that’s not made for serious listening.
To emphasize this point, I played “The Rip” from Portishead. This is serious music, and too much is lost playing through the Cube. Using earphones connected to the Cube changes everything. That tells me the Cube can be used with headphones/earphones for even critical listening, plus the amp can provide enough oomph for more power-hungry headphones. Note: NuForce makes the uDAC-2 USB DAC, for those wanting an even better and more detailed DAC than what is on the Cube. I previously reviewed it here.
NuForce has a winner with the Cube. Maybe it would be more useful with Bluetooth, but for what it is and the fact that it only costs a hundred bucks (with an amp and DAC included!), how can you go wrong? It’s perfectly priced for holiday giving.
One more thing: I review many items that are cool, fun and amazing, but when the review is over, many of these items end up on a shelf to be used occasionally. The Cube is not on a shelf. It’s in my backpack.
| Price: | $99 US |
| Manufacturer: | NuForce |
| Retailer: | NuForce |
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Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, Reviews
Tagged: DAC, digital audio converter, Headphone amp, Speaker
NuForce Cube Speaker review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 28, 2012 at 11:00 am.
Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2012/12/28/nuforce-cube-speaker-review/
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