At 11:12 yesterday morning, Mark Zuckerberg announced that Facebook places is soon to include ‘Deals’ whereby a user checks in to a location, enabling them to view local deals on offer. The user then checks in to their desired place to ‘claim’ their deal and it is posted on their wall for their use and to share with their friends.

At present ‘Deals’ is being rolled out across the US and will be expanding over time, at least we hope so as we can’t wait to get our hands on this and find some good local deals through Facebook rather than having to hop onto another app or use another voucher site!

Deals will also provide customers with brand loyalty as the return to check in again and receive further discount codes to use in their chosen location. Merchants who participate will also benefit from increased traffic and brand recognition such as Gap who are offering the first 10,000 customers to check in a free pair of jeans and subsequent check ins a 40% discount.

Is this the end of Foursquare?

Through the use of a challenge to accumulate badges, become the mayor of their location by checking in the most times and receiving offers from selected partners, Foursquare provides users with an incentive to use their check-in service. When Facebook Places emerged into the market, great speculation occurred on whether this would be the end for Foursquare. However, Facebook Places as it was lacked incentive and caused many users worries over security and privacy.

So, although Foursquare did survive the last hit from Facebook, will it survive Facebook Deals? I am not convinced. Now that people can not only use all the existing features but also check-in and get local deals through Facebook, it is now the social network that does everything plus a little bit more.

Considering that Foursquare has just 3 million users compared to the 200 million people that actively use Facebook mobile, it is going to be more of a vested interest for a business to establish a presence on Facebook rather than Foursquare. Perhaps Foursquare will continue to exist, but I am not entirely sure how it could expand to gain higher appeal than the biggest social network to date.

Facebook launches ‘Deals’ is a post from WMpS, your one stop digital agency.

The one iPhone app that has caught my attention this week has been developed by No Need For Mirrors for the retail giant Debenhams. With Christmas fast approaching, Debenhams have chosen the right time to release an iPhone app, saving customers the hassle of rushing to their nearest store to fight to get the last Monopoly on the shelf.

According to The Future Laboratory “mobile commerce is definitely the future of retail” and I totally agree.

The barcode scanner

Launched on Monday 11th October, the Debenhams app is the first of its kind to incorporate a barcode scanner. The barcode scanner can not only be used to scan products to find pricing, stock and reviews but it can also be used to scan QR codes in store windows which give savvy shoppers access to exclusive offers.

Acting as a virtual shopping assistant, through the use of barcode scanning this app can help shoppers plan exactly what they want to buy and avoid the long Christmas queues or post payday sprees.

A colleague also scanned the barcode on the Debenhams webapp website with his HTC Desire which was surprisingly a success and provided him with a free delivery code for his first purchase made through the app. What better incentive could Debenhams give to try out their new app?!

How many of us have been store and found the perfect Christmas dress but it is not in your size? Well now you can scan the barcode and buy it direct from your iPod instead.

What else can it do?

Other features of the app include a wish list and a gift list. Adding items to your wishlist could not be easier and Debenhams even have the courtesy to alert you when stock is running low on an item that you have added to your list. Once you have added items to your wish list, you can email your lists to your iPhone contacts – what better way to drop hints to your friends and family about what you want for Christmas!

You also have the ability to enter preferences such as type, brand, colour, price and size which are saved under the ‘My Debenhams’ tab. This is one of my favourite features of the app as I for one despise having to scroll through endless lists of products online to find the right item. Instead you can save your preferences and be displayed only the products that fit into your chosen categories.

The app also gives you the option to use GPS and a link to Google Maps to help you navigate to your nearest store. This is also a big time saver as I am sure that many will agree it can be a tiresome job walking around the store for hours deciding what to buy your loved ones for Christmas and then seeing the growing queue and deciding to go home and buy online. Now we have the option collect from a store or have products delivered to our homes, we can decide what we want to buy on our mobiles and simply pop into the shop to purchase the already chosen items or buy direct from the app.

Simon Forster, Online Trading Director for Debenhams says, “Acting as a pocket personal shopper, downloading the Debenhams app means that getting lost, not being able to find your size and having to carry heavy bags home are pitfalls of shopping trips past.”

Forster also added: “Come Christmas, the Debenhams app will transform the on-the-go shopping experience, enabling customers to manage their purchases wherever and whenever they want at the busiest time of the year.”

The appearance of the app

The app design is very swish and easy to use, appealing to a wide audience. With the opening page simply holding links to shop all, shop sale, my Debenhams, barcode scan, Christmas, Debenhams tv, stay in touch and store finder; pretty much everything you need is there to do your Christmas shopping. Finding products is easy as the categories are split down well and products and prices are presented in a crisp and appealing manner.

The app is also very fun to use. I loved walking around the shop and scanning products to add to my Christmas wish list. I have visions of me doing my Christmas shopping whilst on the train, how much more convenient can this get?

I think the best thing about the Debenhams app is that it is free, so get downloading and let us know what you think! In the mean time, I am going to start making a Christmas wish list to send to my friends!

The Rise of the Fashion App is a post from WMpS, your one stop digital agency.

Street View is Google’s virtual presentation of the world. Using cars and bicycles (and possibly different types of vehicles in the future) with clever cameras it captures what it sees in virtual reality. It turns a 2D map into 3D. Looking for directions or the way to a building? Walk there virtually to get a better grasp of the surroundings and your destination.

Google Street View Availability

Street View availability has certainly expanded over the past couple of years. Just recently they have announced that they have some imagery from all 7 continents. It’s certainly not cheap to collect all of this data. Is it worth the expense of driving down every road in the world?

Licensing the technology

Licensing the technology to game and application developers is an interesting proposition. It certainly goes some way to explain why Google would invest so much in the technology and not forgetting the labour involved in travelling across the world. Such data would be a great asset for casual and serious applications alike. An open world game? Virtual shopping? A government training application? These are just a few uses for the technology.

A virtual shopping type environment opens up quite a few revenue opportunities for Google from its product feeds and even ads. Imagine a display ad in a virtual shop… the cross over between real and our virtual lives would blur even more!

The upcoming launch of Google TV opens up a whole new platform for Street View to take advantage of. It may suit the living room environment to a greater extent making it more social with friends and family. Google TV incorporates apps making it a great medium for Street View to expand into.

Current stumbling blocks

Removing people and vehicles will be needed to a greater extent to give developers ‘clean’ content so they can populate it with people & items of their choice. Speed is an issue too – have you tried moving quickly through streets on the current web version of Street View? It stutters and loses focus. Gaming demands quick response times so this is an important technology issue to address.

Street View has been subjected to a number of legal challenges recently and it needs to absolutely make sure that the data and technology is correct before it is licensed to third parties.

If it does get it right then Street View will become a much more common interface and would allow Google to get a return on the time / money investment they have placed in the technology.

Google Street View – The Game? is a post from WMpS, your one stop digital agency.

Sky have embarked on a national advertising campaign promoting the new channel, including TV ads, press, online and digital outdoor media. But the main question I’m interested in is:

How will 3D TV affect advertisers?

3D advertising is nothing new. Brands have had the ability to showcase their products in 3D pre-screening of blockbusters such as Avatar, Alice in Wonderland and Toy Story 3 (all shown in 3D at the cinema). There are obviously a number of differences in advertising for cinema and advertising for TV; budget, target audience and interaction to name a few. But 3D TV also offers brands the potential of product placement, sponsorship and multi-advert slots that will enhance 3D campaigns even more. Couple this with the fact that Sky has said they will only show 3D ads on their 3D channel and it is starting to look like a promising new medium for brands wanting to differentiate themselves from the competition.

It is yet unknown how popular 3D TV will be, and with current costs averaging at around £2,000 for a 3D ready TV, plus the £60 monthly subscription fee it is likely that uptake will be slow as consumers wait until prices come down. However, filming in 3D is also a costly process to set up, and brands that take a gamble now may be able to take advantage in the future by being ahead of the crowd. Diageo brand Guinness and electronics supplier Panasonic have both signed up to launch 3D ads on the Sky channel, but it remains to be seen how many others will follow them.

But even if brands don’t take an active interest in launching 3D advertising campaigns they still need to be aware of how their promotions will translate on 3D programming. Sponsors of high profile sporting events for example will have their garments and advertising boards broadcast as 2D, HD (high definition) and 3D images simultaneously. It’s therefore important that advertisers consider how their message will appear to members of their target audience viewing the coverage in a number of different media.

3D TV is here is a post from WMpS, your one stop digital agency.

Predictions for the Future

According to uSuppli the sector analyst, the sales of internet enabled devices for the sitting room including TV sets, video game consoles and set-top boxes are predicted to reach more than 430m globally by 2014. However to get to this point, the sector is tipped to grow at 34% a year, compared with 12% for personal computers and 23% for Smartphone’s. Thus suggesting we are rapidly approaching the turning point for the Internet TV.

The Smart TV

At the IFA Europe largest technology fair event which took place earlier this month in Berlin, the main focus was on the importance of connecting all other devices to the web and each other. This Autumn ultimately looks set to be the time when we start to see a number of new developments unveiled.   For instance the 3view box boasts the first subscription free TV service with a built in high-definition recorder and hard drive recorders such as Sky+ and Virgin Media’s V+ are common. High definition TV has quickly gained in footage and 3D is on the verge of arriving in the sitting room from the cinema. It is anticipated however that the best is yet to come with the eventual plug in of the TV set into the internet.

In terms of Smart TVs, the most recent developments include Sony’s partnership with Google, which offers a HD set powered by the search giant’s Android operating platform. Samsung is also exploring a similar deal.  Google want viewers to search for programmes in the same way they search the web and propel YouTube onto their sets. Google TV is also set to go live in the US this Autumn and will integrate content from the internet with traditional broadcast televisions, working with TV Studios and production companies for content as opposed to getting into actual content production. Apple has been trying to generate demand into its TV receiver by lowering its price and signing up new content deals with the second generation version of the Apple TV. Panasonic have also announced that they will soon be offering 3D movies on demand with new TVs which supported by their Vieracast web system.

Challenges yet to be Overcome

Although bringing together the worlds of the internet and television has long been an ambition of the communications industry, there have been a number of failures. Stand out examples include Joost, an internet TV service from the founders of Skype, which struggled because of is lack of must see content. The Apple TV has also struggled somewhat as TV companies have been reluctant to licence shows to it after watching the firm make millions at the expense of the music industry. So far only ABC and Fox have agreed to let Apple rent their TV shows. This means that makers of internet enabled set-top boxes and TVs are focusing on signing exclusive content deals with studios and broadcasters, in the hope of becoming the device of choice for the majority of consumers. However this is an inconvenience as consumers want a single device that can replace all of the other devices from under their television, not add to it by forcing them to sign up to multiple services so they get a full range of programmes.

A more seamless experience is also required across devices. It is though that the supply of high speed internet and compression technologies will be the key, enabling more videos to be carried over the internet. Once this number of minutes is large enough it then opens up a whole new set of revenue opportunities such as the future of the way people buy TV ads, the ads purchasing process and the way you track and report it.  Sky for instance intend to launch Sky Anytime soon to help address one of the few gaps in its service.  It will deliver video-on-demand content to 3m of 10m viewers, who have a high definition box with an internet connection. Virgin Media, with almost 4m cable TV subscribers, have also put video-on-demand at the heart of its marketing and is already the main provider for the BBC’s iPlayer. They are also set to introduce an internet enabled TV recorder shortly, intended to offer consumers different ways to access what they want, when they want it.

Experts are united in saying that now is the time for someone to make a breakthrough. Will internet connected TV change your viewing habits? Let us know your thoughts.

Is the Internet the future of the TV? is a post from WMpS, your one stop digital agency.

The benefits to both consumers and advertisers that Solve Media are basing their sales pitch on have been the subject of much debate recently, and the real test will be seeing regular consumers reactions to the change and analysing its effect, if any, on brand awareness and sales. With CAPTCHA codes being notoriously confusing recently I’m inclined to welcome this new idea, but I’m unsure of the real advantages (or problems) it will bring for brands.

What is a CAPTCHA?

To quote Wikipedia ‘The term “CAPTCHA” (based upon the word capture) was coined in 2000 …. It is a contrived acronym for “Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart.”’ It is essentially the distorted letter / number combination that you encounter when you submit information or try to view any area of a website that the owners don’t want automated machines to access.

What are the benefits of an advert replacing a standard CAPTCHA?

The main benefit to brands is that consumers are forced to look at, and examine the advert in order to glean the information they need to solve the CAPTCHA and proceed to their destination. The web environment is becoming one where consumer attention spans are approaching milliseconds and display advertising is easy to ignore. This technology presents brands with an opportunity to present consumers with their message in an area that people regularly devote a lot of time and concentration to. Furthermore, users are not only reading and engaging with the information but also writing it down, which increases the depth of processing and makes consumers more likely to remember the message.

In terms of benefits to consumers the top selling point here is that the text is legible and the ‘answer’ is easy to decipher. I’m sure many people will agree that one of the most frustrating things about interaction on the web is not being able to access the information you want because you can’t tell the difference between an ‘l o’ and a ‘b’ when they’re compressed together, italicised and blurred a little. But similarly, will consumers find it just as frustrating to have advertising and slogans forced upon them instead? At least CAPTCHA codes don’t have a sneaky ulterior motive.

What problems could brands face?

New technologies are always a risk for brands that want to get ahead; sometimes it pays to be the first one using it, sometimes it’s better to learn from others mistakes. But by analysing the risks involved it’s easier to make an educated decision. Consumer attitudes towards CAPTCHA codes and their sensitivity to advertising will play a big part in whether branded content will have a positive or negative effect on users. If consumers are frustrated by the illegibility of CAPTCHA codes then they may welcome a change, but if consumers are just annoyed are being unable to access content quickly then it’s more likely they will simply transfer this annoyance with a CAPTCHA to an annoyance with the brand. Conversely, if brands solely want consumer attention and engagement (whether positive or negative) then this may be a successful platform to achieve it.

at WMpS we’re undecided on whether adverts as CAPTCHAs will be Fantastic or Frustrating, but we’d be interested to hear your thoughts too so feel free to leave a comment below…

Matt – “I’m not sure I’ve made my mind up yet – I can see advantages and disadvantages of both sides. I think it’s an ad which is engaging as you need to view it to get the captcha code, but it can be annoying… increasing bounce rates too I presume. But if the product is developed and the advertising can be more tailored to a website it could be successful.”

Meghan – “I think using adverts as captchas is a clever idea, presuming that they’ll only be used when validation is actually necessary.  Companies would then be able to reinforce their marketing message while simultaneously improving customer experience levels, as captchas are sometimes notoriously difficult.”

Kayleigh – “For me they’ll be frustrating as I’m conscious of their ulterior motive, but for the average unbiased user I would say that they may be fascinating”

Adverts as CAPTCHAs – Fantastic or Frustrating? is a post from WMpS, your one stop digital agency.

Android Contenders

Armed with a 1 GHz Cortex A8 ARM-based processor paired with a PowerVR SGX540 graphics processor, the Samsung Galaxy Tab is the fastest and most responsive of the Android devices in the market so far. Internal memory of 16GB (or 32GB) is supplemented by a microSD port that could accommodate flash cards with up to 32GB more storage.

It only has a 7-inch, 1024×600 resolution touch screen, which is not as spacious as the iPad’s. It weighs 380 grams which is half that of a 3G-enabled iPad. Another significant difference from iPad is that it supports communication functions, which means you could use it to make a call with a Bluetooth earpiece. Also it comes with a 3.2-megapixel back camera and a 1.3-megapixel front camera for taking photos and for video chat, which could be ported to a TV with its HDMI port.

Compared to the Samsung Galaxy Tab, the Folio 100 by Toshiba seems like more an Android version of iPad. It has a 10.1 inch screen with 1024×600 resolution, an Nvidia Tegra processor and 16G of memory. It weighs the same as an iPad but its battery lasts only 7 hours.

Future Tablets

No one can ignore any news from the tradition technology giant Microsoft. Based on their huge investment in HCI research, we have to say that Microsoft has the most advanced technology for multi touch interfaces. Surface is a good example. A tablet called Courier is being researched by Microsoft. The device would have been hinged like a book, with two seven-inch screens facing each other when the “Book” was closed. Microsoft is not the only company who are working on a dual screen tablet. According to TechCrunch, a company called Kno is aiming to build a textbook shaped tablet which will be compelling to the college user. The users will be able to take notes and draw on the pages just like the print versions. And they’ll be able to access those books on a variety of devices.

Will tablet computing change e-marketing?

Yes, the tablet computing era is coming and I believe the change will be huge. Visitor behaviour will be very different due to the smaller and more sensitive touch screen.  Therefore, all advertisers will have to make adjustment to their smart-devices, whether rich media, video or email. And because of the high mobility of these tablets, location issues will be more important for both advertising and web analytics. With these new kinds of tablets coming to the market, there should be more opportunities for multichannel marketing in the future.

Tablet War Heats Up: Apple Gets Stiff Competition is a post from WMpS, your one stop digital agency.

How does it work?

Similar to the web based app, the mobile app is able to adapt content to each child based upon age and skills to aid their development. So don’t worry if your child hasn’t quite reached the stage of learning to read, Zoodles will only present content where no reading is required. The app is also able to detect the device they are using, so Android users with Flash installed will have access to games build in Flash and videos etc. Although there are lots of educational and fun games available in the Android Marketplace, nearly all of them are ad supported and your child can click on the ad, which will load a web browser and lead your child out of the game. Zoodles automatically locks your child into the app, so you have the peace of mind that they cannot accidently make any calls, delete important emails or access any of your other apps.

How to get started

Zoodles for Android allows users to create an account, or log in through an existing Zoodles account. Once the app is launched, a child can log in by simply tapping their picture and can make a selection from a scrolling menu of activities. Zoodles is able to automatically recognise the Android device being used and presents the appropriate content for that specific phone.

Zoodles is steadily gaining in popularity as parents are looking for child friendly ways to introduce computing to their children at an early age. So far the startup has just recorded over one million of hours of playtime on its products. Zoodles also plans to launch an iPad app soon, so keep an eye out for the latest developments and with any luck you will be able to get your phone back avoiding any tantrums!   Download Zoodles by searching for Zoodles in the Android Marketplace and let us know what you think.

Zoodles launch Child Safe browser App for Android phones is a post from WMpS, your one stop digital agency.

Where’s the mystery come from?

The rumours started earlier in the week when the day’s Google Doodle was somewhat unfamiliar. Unlike the usual sketches, to commemorate weird and wonderful occasions, the Google logo was transformed into a legion of interactive balls that bobbled about the screen when users swept their cursor over them. Unable to fathom the event or occasion that the doodle was representing journalists asked a Google representative to explain. The simple answer of “Today’s doodle is fast, fun and interactive, just the way we think search should be” followed by no further comments fuelled speculation among users.

What’s it all about?

There has been a lot of speculation over what will be announced in the press event this evening. Google have done a great job in both keeping it a secret and building the suspense around the ‘big reveal’. There is a lot of conjecture flying around the web today; here is summary of the most popular ideas:

• As Kayleigh mentioned yesterday the interactive balls doodle was linked to a number of updates. Some assumed it signalled Google’s HTML5 capabilities, others thought it was associated with the Chrome browser and, due to the interactivity not working on some older versions of IE, encouraging people to update their browsers.

• Today’s logo, which changes colour as you type, has lead many people to believe that Google will soon be introducing a new type of search. We know that developments have been ongoing on for a new form of search, where results refresh automatically as you enter your query. This would reduce the effort of users when searching, and would extend the sites current ‘search suggestions’ into entire results pages.

• A further theory is that Google’s visual search is on the horizon. After the acquisition of visual search engine Like.com earlier in the year it has been noted that Google will likely incorporate the technology into its own search. This will allow users to search by image as well as text, similar to the technology that rival Bing launched last September as a beta version.

For now, all we can do is speculate, maybe Google is hinting at one big announcement, or maybe they will launch a number of new developments simultaneously. We’re going to keep a close eye on this one and will report with all the gossip tomorrow!

The mystery of the Google Doodles is a post from WMpS, your one stop digital agency.

Let the Battle Commence

In the book trade all the main players including, agents, editors and booksellers are now converting towards e-reading and now some authors are exploring the potential of this new technology. In contrast however many traditional publishers tend to think that printed books will continue to be manufactured, bought and cherished. Publishers face several considerations including understanding the preferences of desired target markets. Some markets desire a physical book and some don’t use the internet that much, so it is necessary to reach them offline. Although this could perhaps form more of a generational argument, many of us in the digital are continuing to buy books.

Ebooks do have a clear value for educational purposes as textbooks are often out of date as soon as they are printed. Digital media makes it possible for content providers to make updates as new information becomes apparent, although a constant review of content is required.  However for those avid readers amongst you, would you even consider that an ebook device would ever replace your book collection? The Observer interviewed Tim Waterstone to find out his take on the ebook revolution.  He remains somewhat sceptical over what the British book buyer wants and indicates that although the reference book market is almost certain to go online, he is unsure about fiction books. I tend to agree with this and think there is room in the current market for both.

E-Readers – Pros and Cons

There are four main devices which can be considered the main challengers for the best choice of a device to read ebooks on, these include the Kindle, the Sony ebook reader, the Que and the iPad. Each of these devices have key characteristics which will be scrutinised for user’s personal preferences including the level of comfort and ease for reading, battery life span, durability, is there a glare and can the text size be adjusted for reading ease etc. The Kindle for instance has all the reading comforts making it a pleasure to use, however it doesn’t have a touch screen and a keyboard is required to add notes or use the search feature. Alternatively the pricy Que, targeted to business users, can handle any e-book in the e-PUB format as well as documents created in Microsoft Office.

Key selling points for e-readers include that they can contain many books but only weigh a few ounces; they have zoom and letter resizing functionality and can also be read in a variety of lighting situations. Despite its convenience most commercial ebooks are sold with strict digital rights management restrictions upon them, preventing owners from lending or selling books and sometimes even transferring a book from one device to another. This has led to complaints that you don’t really own your book, but only lease it from the bookseller for a period of time, even though some titles cost almost as much as a paper version. In addition they are not particularly robust and might not be appropriate in some circumstances, for instance for those of you who like to read in the bath, or on the beach on holiday. Ebooks also tend to be incredibly difficult for publishers to digitise and it is a fairly complex process to create the first pirated copy.

Traditional Books – Pros and Cons

In contrast to ebooks, printed books essentially provide you with a physical, even aesthetic experience. This is something which I’m not sure can be easily be replaced with technology, which is not so good at capturing a sense of time, movement and story. Paper books can be read anywhere, its pages can be marked and folded down and you can flip between them. They don’t cause you significant eye-strain, they look great on your shelves at home and you also have the guarantee that your reading material will not disappear due to technical difficulties. Although they are clearly not the most environmentally friendly alternative for reading, they are yours to keep and you are free to lend them to your friends as you wish.

Predictions for the Future

The top e-readers do tend to appear to be as comfortable as reading an average book, so similar to how news on the internet is replacing print media; does this perhaps indicate the future for reading material? The Oxford English dictionary is conceding that its third edition, 21 years in the making, will be published not on paper but online and Stephen Fry is also thought to be developing an app for his forthcoming autobiography.  Personally I think that regardless of future developments in e-reading technology, the book market will have plenty of room for paper books for some time yet.

Let us know your thoughts!

E-readers Versus Traditional Paper Books – Which do you prefer? is a post from WMpS, your one stop digital agency.