Top Stories
Facebook Testing Deal Service
Hoping to incent users to start checking in with its places services, Facebook has started testing a new deals service that to provide deals upon checking into to specific locations. Although deals and conditions will probably vary depending on the retailer, one store is supposedly testing an offer that gives the user a free product upon checking in and tagging three friends. But will Facebook be able build a compelling reason for users to ditch other location based services? After all, Foursquare did experience record signups after the launch of Facebook places.
Facebook Acquires File Sharing Service
Last week Facebook purchased simple file sharing service Drop.Io. While Facebook and file sharing may seem like an odd match, it makes sense in a way. Facebook’s revamped groups feature allows for file sharing between members of a group, and drop.io’s functionality and talent buy could help add more robust enterprise features for the social network.
Apple Releases New Products
At a special media event, Apple released a new and improved version of the MacBook Air, this model sans hard drive. The premiere of the device shows that Apple is making heavy on the lightweight “pseudo-tablet” category in the feature. But perhaps the trojan horse of the show was the introduction the the Mac app store, and IOS like store that will enable Mac users to download and install any program from completely within the app.
Killer Stats
1. Twitter added 30 million users in the last two months.
2. eCommerce up 9% from last year.
3. Apple is now the fourth largest mobile vendor in the world.
4. Twitter has more than doubled the amount of employees since February.
5. The tablet market is 95% iPad, 5% everything else.
6. 20% of viewers might have problems watching 3D TV.