Vanity Fair is reporting that a new sitcom entitled “Friend Me” has just been ordered to series by CBS and will feature characters who work at Groupon. In January, when news first broke of the pilot episode, Groupon denied that it had any involvement in the show, but that’s because it was a one off pilot. Now that the show will be airing weekly, will Groupon need to intervene in some way?
Launch a social media campaign that will build your brand and deliver results in our online Social Media Marketing Boot Camp starting June 7. Speakers include Abigail Cusick (Bravo Digital), Gregory Galant (Sawhorse Media), Alex Leo (Thomson Reuters Digital), Jim Tobin (Ignite Social Media), and many more. Read the reviews. Click here to receive the Morning Social Media Newsfeed via email.
Bing Reinvents Social Search and Discovery (Mashable)
Bing has been reinvented, offering enhanced search results that tap into the power of social media. Microsoft has done this by pulling people out of search results and putting them in their place: A right-hand social column that will eventually include Facebook, Twitter, Google+ Quora and LinkedIn integration, as well as people who may know something about your most recent Bing query. AllFacebook The new Bing will gradually be rolled out to users, and those interested in getting it earlier can sign up. The search engine makes its suggestions based on information in friends’ Facebook profiles, their likes and photos they have shared. The New York Times Strengthening the ties between Bing and Facebook is a sign of how Microsoft and Facebook are working together to provide a counterbalance to their common adversary, Google. While Google is by far the dominant player in the Internet search business, it also competes with Microsoft in productivity applications and with Facebook through its Google+ social network. The Wall Street Journal Microsoft’s share of U.S. Web search was 15.3 percent in March, according to comScore, while Google had a 66.4 percent share. Combined with Yahoo!, for which Bing also powers search, Microsoft had a combined 29 percent market share. Forbes In 2007, Microsoft spent $240 million for a 1.6 percent stake in Facebook, which goes public next week. And the two nabbed headlines in October 2010 by announcing their plan to team up on social search. Read more
Click here to receive the Morning Social Media Newsfeed via email.
Introducing Google Drive… Yes, Really (Google Blog)
Just like the Loch Ness Monster, you may have heard the rumors about Google Drive. It turns out that one of the two actually does exist. BGR Google on Tuesday unveiled a new cloud storage service being billed as the next step in the evolution of Google Docs. Dubbed Google Drive and built to compete directly with Microsoft’s SkyDrive and other similar services, Google’s new cloud storage solution features 5GB of free space and deep Google Docs integration that allows users to collaborate and share all of their documents. GigaOM The new service will be accessible from a Web browser along with different client devices including Mac OS X, Windows and Android devices (tablets and phones). The iOS version of Drive will arrive soon, the company says. Lifehacker Each user gets 5GB for free, and can upgrade to 25GB for $2.49 a month, 100GB for $4.99 a month or even 1TB for $49.99 a month. If you upgrade, it’ll also raise your Gmail storage to that level. Read more
Click here to receive the Morning Social Media Newsfeed via email.
Spotify Launches Android Redesign (CBS News / Techtalk)
The new Spotify for Android will be completely redesigned from “top-to-bottom.” Some of the new features include: new “slide-out” navigation, the ability to view profiles and playlists, related artist view, high-resolution imagery and 320kbps listening. Support for Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) is also included in the update. PCMag “That’s not the end of it,” Spotify said. “We’re working hard on adding further features, including folders and Last.fm scrobbling, before the app goes live in Google Play.” Computerworld If you can’t wait for it to hit Google Play, Spotify is offering a preview version you can install right now. Cnet Before any Spotify users head to the company’s blog to download the application, though, be aware that it’s only available to Premium subscribers who pay $9.99 per month for that offering. Spotify’s free and Unlimited plans do not include mobile support. Read more
Groupon, the purveyor of group-based local deals, has acquired Ditto, a company that helps users connect with other local and interested users about entertainment and food options. Ditto is currently an iPhone application, and it sounds like Groupon is acquiring the Ditto team but have plans to shut down Ditto itself.
Click here to receive the Morning Social Media Newsfeed via email.
Welcome to the Morning Social Media Newsfeed! Here, we’ll compile the latest news from the social media world along with news from our blog network. If you were previously signed up for our daily blog newsletter, you will automatically receive the Morning Social Media Newsfeed instead. If you haven’t signed up and would like to, just click the registration link above.
Pinterest Co-Founder, Paul Sciarra, Leaves for Andreessen Horowitz (Paul Sciarra /Pinterest Blog)
I’ve accepted a role as an entrepreneur-in-residence at Andreessen Horowitz. I hope that eventually leads me back to doing what I’ve done for the past three and a half years — namely, building cool things with awesome people with unexpected results. Startup Grind Paul takes a significant amount of time in his post to clarify his role in building the company, perhaps to make sure it’s clear in the history books what he actually did to make Pinterest the huge success it is today. TechCrunch Andreessen Horowitz is one of the leaders among VCs building out the services that they offer to young companies beyond funding. The EIC role will see Sciarra potentially help Andreessen evaluate future investments, offer advice and assistance to its portfolio companies and perhaps even aid Andreessen Horowitz to be more disruptive in its own ventures. SocialTimes Co-founder Ben Silbermann recently gave an interview for a lengthy feature in Fortune magazine. He also sat down for a Q&A with investor and entrepreneur Chris Dixon at the SXSW Interactive conference in Austin, TX. Silbermann has been the sole window to the inner workings of a company that hasn’t done much self-promotion outside the Facebook Timeline. Read more
While other IPOs such as LinkedIn and YELP have had tremendous recent success, social buying startup Groupon has been on a bit of a roller coaster ride and it looks like they just went over a steep drop. The stock is down over 10% today on news that four-quarter revenue and income is down due to a higher than expected number of customers asking for refunds.
G
roup buying innovators Groupon have acquired Uptake, a service dedicated to pairing together the “advice and recommendations from the people you trust most.” It’s a social travel website that lets you log in to Facebook and figure out who has been to the places you’re interested in and ask those people for tips.
Groupon is testing out a VIP membership on a select group of Groupon enthusiasts for $30 a year. Would you pay for first dibs on deals and reservations, access to sold-out and expired deals, and store credit for unused Groupons any time? It’s not as crazy as it sounds.
Groupon, the easiest way to get a massage at 50% off, has purchased Campfire Labs, according to a TechCrunch report from yesterday. The surprise is that Campfire labs still hadn’t launched. Groupon picked them up based on their early demos, apparently, and their service seemed to be some sort of social shopping enhancement service, which could help Groupon enhance communication between merchants, customers and customers’ friends.
