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HP Announces Glass-Backed Envy 14 Spectre

2012-01-13T10:01:00.000-08:00

HP has upped the ultrabook ante with a glass-backed HP laptop that looks a bit like a MacBook and a lot like the future of HP trade dress. The HD screen displays 1600×900 pixels and includes HDMI out, Ethernet, USB 3.0, and mini Displayport ports.
The glass on the back of the laptop is Gorilla Glass, which means it probably won’t break if you drop it. It includes a fat 128GB SSD drive for $1,400 and an optional 256GB upgrade. It runs a Core i5 or i7 processor and ships in February.
HP has been using this design quite a bit lately, which suggests they’ve gone all in when it comes to high-design ultrabooks. This one is a very special case – the glass back is more gimmick than anything else – but it will be interesting to see how HP is able to sell this to fleet buyers.

Sony Keeps Concepts Alive At CES 2012

2012-01-13T09:58:00.000-08:00

Today at Sony’s CES 2012 press conference, the company unveiled several PC concepts that are, well, just concepts. Kazuo Hirai took to the massive Sony stage deep within the Las Vegas Convention center and talked about the convergence of TV and computers. But no one cares about that marketing nonsense. It was the concepts they flashed on the screen that got everyone excited.
But don’t expect these products to hit the market. Companies are not supposed to sell concepts. They’re concepts, not products.

Up until the last decade, Sony was the design leader in consumer electronics. Sure, others had hits, but no one had decades of iconic products like Sony. Then, for whatever reason, Sony seemed to lose it soul. It lost the magic that made generations of consumers fall in love with the brand. It’s sad, really.
Companies seem afraid to show concepts now-in-days. Perhaps they’re frightened of the potential criticism. MG would no doubt crucify some of them. But these companies also lose out on the conversations and hype that they can generate. Concepts are supposed to invoke an emotional response — good or bad. You’re supposed to love it or hate it. Concepts are supposed to show where the brand is headed.
Think about concept cars: They’re a physical roadmap produced when designers are allowed to go wild. Teenage boys dream about these cars. Posters are made. They are the heart of the automotive world and can often reignite a dead brand.

Several concept gadgets made it to the market. The original Dell XPS is a fine example. The limited-run notebook was loved by many and it was Dell’s halo product for several quarters. But because it wasn’t a blockbuster, runaway success, it was quietly killed. Instead, Dell should have had a clear message that this was going to be a limited product, designed simply for Dell’s fans and those looking for a unique product.
The gadget world is stuck in a cycle of regurgitation and repetition. A random company produces a concept, Apple prefects it, which is then copied by nearly every other company. Concepts are a lost art. Sony is in a desperate need of finding its soul again. Sony needs concepts.

Crunchbase

SONY

Company: Sony

Website: sony.com

Launch Date: January 13, 2012

IPO: NYSE:SNE

Sony is one of the leading manufacturers of electronics, video, communications, video game consoles, and information technology products for the consumer and professional markets.

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Sony Shares Holiday Sales Numbers For The PlayStation

2012-01-13T09:50:00.000-08:00

Sony Computer Entertainment reported some solid sales numbers for its various PlayStation systems for the past holiday season today. Sony says that they moved a total of 6.5 million PlayStation 2/3/PSP/Vita units worldwide (Sony defines “holiday season” as between November 21 and January 5 in Asia, November 21 through December 31 in America, and November 18 through December 31 in Europe).
To be more specific, the company sold:

500,000 units of the PlayStation Vita (which launched in Japan on December 7 and in Hong Kong and Taiwan on December 23)
3.9+ million PS3s (Sony says the system is on track to sell 15 million units in the fiscal year through March 31)
1.6 million PSPs (all models combined)
500,000 PS2 systems
1.7 PlayStation Moves (not part of the 6.5 million total)

Sony also said that Vita owners can choose between 24 different games at the moment and that 70 additional titles are currently in development. The company’s newest video game system will hit Europe, Australia, and America on February 22, 2012.

Sony’s Music Unlimited Service To Land On iOS This Quarter

2012-01-13T09:48:00.000-08:00

Apple users probably have more than enough media on their iDevices to keep them entertained on the go, but Sony Network Entertainment President Tim Schaaff thinks there’s room for another media service on iOS. According to VentureBeat, the company’s Music Unlimited streaming service will be hitting Apple’s mobile platform some time in Q1 2012.
In addition to simply streaming music from the Music Unlimited catalog, users will be able save cache their playlists for offline streaming at a later time. The service is already available on Android devices (not to mention several of Sony’s own products) so it’s more than a little surprising that it will soon make the iOS leap.
It’s especially puzzling because there is already no shortage of competitors in the streaming music space. As VentureBeat notes, rivals Spotify and Rdio have been on iOS for quite some time now, and already offer a similar feature set.
Really, it’s problem that all new entrants to this space have to deal with. As Eric Schmidt would probably say, it all comes down to differentiation. Rara, a relatively new streaming music service that launched this past December, is a great example. While they peg their service as being tuned for the non-tech savvy, their other main differentiator was that they launched simultaneously in multiple markets worldwide where some of the bigger services have yet to make a splash. While it’s still early to say if the approach is actually sustainable, I’ve got to give them credit for taking a different approach.
In this case, Sony’s appearance on iOS probably holds considerable appeal for people who have already invested heavily into the Sony media/hardware ecosystem, but it’s going to be a tough sell for anyone who doesn’t have some sort of pre-existing allegiance to the Japanese giant. I wish them the best — more competition is always good — but I look forward to seeing how many iOS users adopt it.

Facebook Comments Box Now On Mobile, And Over 400,000 Web Sites

2012-01-13T09:46:00.001-08:00

Over 400,000 sites currently use Facebook’s Comments Box social plugin the company tells me, and as of today they all support an optimized mobile commenting experience. Now you can criticize your least favorite bloggers — I mean participate in intelligent discussion while on the go. Just 10 months after the launch of the revamped plugin, Facebook is starting to creep up on commenting solutions like Disqus which appears on 1.1 million sites.
Comments Box has been a big win for Facebook, giving it exposure, driving use of its Subscribe feature, and demonstrating how Facebook authenticated identity can make the internet a more civil place.
Now when Comments Box detects a mobile device user agent, it will automatically show the mobile version. The new soft update to the Comments Box doesn’t require any developer interaction to enable, it just works.
Some sites using the old version of the plugin already supported mobile commenting. However, the buttons and entry fields looked too small and sometimes were unresponsive. The new version is the right size and makes it easy to comment, Like, and toggle posting to Facebook. You can try it out at m.techcrunch.com/2012/01/11/facebook-mobile-comments/
Facebook’s comment widget first launched in 2009 but became a serious contender with its March 2011 relaunch. Since then Facebook has been playing catchup to commenting systems like Disqus and Livefyre, as well the distant frontrunner WordPress. It’s been iterating rapidly, and giving publishers more incentives to integrate the plugin.

The inclusion of links to subscribe to a commenter’s public Facebook updates draws in blogs. That’s because these links help grow the following a blog’s writers who frequently comment, who in turn publish the blog’s articles to their Facebook subscribes. The one-click ability to publish a comment to Facebook alongside a link to the article can boost referral traffic better than other solutions.
Along with the Like button, Comments Box is leading Facebook’s march across the web. If sites find the plugin reduces trolling and improves conversation by making commenters log in with their real identity, they may become more open to using other Facebook widgets. One day that could include an ad network plugin which could turn into an enormous revenue stream for Facebook.

Crunchbase

FACEBOOK

Company: Facebook

Website: facebook.com

Launch Date: January 2, 2004

Funding: $2.34B

Facebook is the world’s largest social network, with over 500 million users. Facebook was founded by Mark Zuckerberg in February 2004, initially as an exclusive network for Harvard students. It was a huge hit: in 2 weeks, half of the schools in the Boston area began demanding a Facebook network. Zuckerberg immediately recruited his friends Dustin Moskovitz and Chris Hughes to help build Facebook, and within four months, Facebook added 30 more college networks. The original idea for the term...

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When Ranking Facebook Adoption As Percentage Of Population, Cyprus Is #1

2012-01-13T09:44:00.000-08:00

Which countries really, really love Facebook? If you guessed the U.S., you would be somewhat right – this country ranks #7 on Pingdom’s new list of countries comparing the number of Facebook users as percentages of the population.
To be clear, we’re not talking about raw number of Facebook users. The U.S. is still #1 there. This is ranking countries by what percentage of the population (online and total) is on Facebook. Or, more simply put, it’s looking at how popular Facebook is in that country.
(The red bars show the number of Facebook users in each country as a percentage of Internet users, yellow bars as a percentage of the population.)
On the island of Cyprus, Pingdom found that 95% of the online population was on Facebook – that’s nearly everyone! And in Chile (#3), there were more Facebook user accounts than Internet users. That could be an anomaly in how the data Pingdom used was compiled, but it could also mean that people had multiple accounts (one for business, one for personal, e.g.).
In its findings, Pingdom also refuted a previous claim which stated that the Philippines was the top country on Facebook, when using similar rankings. Only 28.76% of the population there is on Facebook, says Pingdom, not 93.9%, as had been previously reported. (Note: The Philippine reference is referring to this data: “The Ten Nations Where Facebook Rules the Internet” via 24/7 Wall St.)
India and China, the latter which blocks Facebook, are the largest untapped markets for outside growth, with only 3.42% of India’s population on Facebook and a surprising 530,000 Chinese who have managed to establish accounts despite the country’s attempts to block it.
Facebook had once said that 70% of its growth comes from users outside the U.S. Pingdom says that’s more like 80%. There are now over 800 million Facebook users, out of the 7 billion+ people on Earth.
Since methodology is an important consideration, to generate these rankings (see chart below), Pingdom says it took SocialBaker’s data on how many Facebook users there are in countries around the world, data on Internet users from the World Bank, and population data from Wikipedia. It only looked at countries where the population was greater than 500,000.

Comment 21 inShare156 A Christmas Miracle! Facebook Chat (Kind Of) Supports Extended Rage Faces

2012-01-13T09:42:00.000-08:00

First, if you want to get right down to it, here are the codes you type into Facebook chat to get various faces:

Poker face [[129627277060203]]
Forever Alone [[227644903931785]]
OK guy [[100002752520227]]
Me Gusta [[164413893600463]]
Lol guy [[189637151067601]]
Fuck Yeah [[105387672833401]]
Problem? [[171108522930776]]
[[218595638164996]]
[[100002727365206]]

Huzzah! We are truly living in an age of wonder!
Second, why does this work?
There are various ways to bring Facebook content into chats. For example, you use Facebook Pages like a little TC by typing [[techcrunch]]. The numbers above are actually the IDs for pages that someone, for some terrible reason, made featuring all of those rage faces (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Poker-Face/129627277060203, for example). There are more to be found here thanks to Reddit so I’ll leave further discovery as an exercise for the reader.
All I can say is I’m glad there’s an Internet because the long minutes between sips of whiskey on Christmas Eve, spent staring malevolently at the fire, fingering my ratty smoking jacket, drawing from an unlit cheroot that had gone out hours before, and plotting the destruction of my many enemies would be a lot darker without the MeGusta face keeping me going. Happy holidays!
via Reddit [upvote Sky_Prodigy]

Crunchbase

FACEBOOK

Company: Facebook

Website: facebook.com

Launch Date: January 2, 2004

Funding: $2.34B

Learn more

Facebook Opens Mobile News Feed As Viral Channel For Games

2012-01-13T09:40:00.000-08:00

Once upon a time, Facebook game companies like Zynga fattened up their user counts thanks to viral distribution to non-gamers through the news feed. Facebook later curtailed this channel, forcing developers to concentrate on paid marketing and true word of mouth to grow. A new boom period could be coming, this time for mobile developers, as Facebook announced today that it is testing game stories in the mobile news feed. This could attract devs to its recently launched HTML5 mobile gaming platform with bait of reaching hundreds of millions of daily active Facebook mobile users.
Facebook learned a lot about balancing developer success with user experience during that first boom period, often called the wild west days. Game spam such as users asking all their friends to install and give them virtual good overran the news feed, making it a bore to non-gamers. Facebook will surely be monitoring the volume of mobile news feed game stories to make sure this doesn’t happen again.
Rather than pepper the feed with individual stories, Facebook is using aggregated stories that read like “Rose Yao and 9 other people recently played games”. Below users see a few friends names and links to the games they played, and can tap to expand to see the whole list. Tapping a game will launch its HTML5 version, or that native app if already installed. The aggregated stories give users control, so those that want to discover something to play can, while those uninterested can breeze by.
Earned viral channels also democratize the Facebook platform, as they provide exposure to small developers without big marketing budgets. Facebook launched the HTML5 platform to make sure Apple and Google weren’t the only ones making money off mobile games. Developer adoption of the channel has been a bit sluggish so far, though. The opening of this viral channel could convince developers to experiment with Facebook mobile.

Facebook also made a few other announcements to the benefit of web Facebook game developers. Users will now see 6 bookmarks instead of 4 while playing games, which should boost retention and re-engagement. Home page bookmark notifications will now clear when clicked, making the arrival of new alerts more noticeable. The separate Games & Apps dashboards have been combined so users don’t have to check two places, and game categories have been refined so Facebook can more accurately feature high quality developers. Finally, the company launched a Games Tutorial to ease the path to developing games for its platform.

Crunchbase

FACEBOOK

Company: Facebook

Website: facebook.com

Launch Date: January 2, 2004

Funding: $2.34B

Learn more

Facebook Launches Suggested Events Feature Based On Checkins

2012-01-13T09:38:00.001-08:00

We’re creatures of habit. We go where we’ve already gone. That’s why Facebook’s new Suggested Events feature I just discovered is so powerful — it knows where we’ve been thanks to our checkins. Replacing the old Friends’ Events sub-tab of the home page’s Events bookmark, Suggested Events helps you discover things to do that take place at venues you’ve checked in to, that friends are RSVP’d to, that are hosted by Pages you Like, or a combination. The feature could reduce the need third-party event discovery apps, and get more people out of their houses to attend concerts, club nights, and conferences.
[Update: Facebook tells me it is testing the feature, though it has now been rolled out to the entire user base. A spokesperson also says suggestions can be based on the music you listen to through Open Graph apps, which can help improve recommendations for those who checkin via Foursquare or don't share their location at all.]
By promoting offline interaction, Suggested Events should quiet critics who say Facebook weakens real human relationships and leads people to sit at home. It has huge potential to generate good will for Facebook and make the service seem even more indispensable. If you go to a great show, have a fun night out with friends, or meet someone new at a suggested venue, your perception of Facebook’s value to your life will undoubtedly improve.
Sure, you should branch out and find new places to go, but new events at your favorite places are still unique experiences. The feature exposes you to events that are relevant and that you might drag friends to, even if you weren’t invited to them and don’t have friends already RSVP’d.

“What should I do tonight?” is a very prevalent question lots of startups are trying to answer. Just this month we covered the launch of UpOut for real-time discovery, and SeatGeek’s Columbus that’s a “Pandora for live events”. Established players include Plancast and EventBrite, the latter of which closed a huge $50 million funding round and also suggests events your Facebook friends are going to.
But the problem with these services is that they can’t produce as relevant suggestions because they don’t automatically know where you spend your time, which is a proxy for what type of events you go to. Facebook’s Suggested Events adapts to your preferences.
I go to lots of concerts, and Facebook effectively knows this because I check in to the venues or the events themselves thanks to a mobile feature added last year (possibly to collect data for this). Now, Suggested Events recommends me concerts taking place at my favorite venues. The music industry stands to gain a lot from the feature, since concerts are thrown frequently, and occur at Places people commonly check in to.
If you’re in college, Suggested Events might recommend parties at campus dorms, whereas professionals might get clued in to meetups or conferences at local convention halls they visit. The feature also alerts you to Events hosted by Pages you Like, which could encourage more venues, performers, or production companies to officially host the events they throw. One day the feature might be able to show events where a band I Like was mentioned in the description.
With third-party apps you enter your preferences or upload them via Facebook Connect, but then also have to remember to visit. Facebook’s new native event discovery feature makes finding fun things to do a seamless part of every day browsing. That means more outings, more moments, more memories. And you know where you can display the photos, checkins, and status updates about those memories? Timeline.

Crunchbase

FACEBOOK

Company: Facebook

Website: facebook.com

Launch Date: January 2, 2004

Funding: $2.34B

Learn more

Facebook Snubs Zynga’s CityVille As Most Popular Game Despite 5X Users Of #1 Gardens Of Time

2012-01-13T09:36:00.000-08:00

Playdom’s Gardens of Time took the #1 spot of Facebook’s Most Popular Games of 2011 list. But wait, Zynga’s CityVille was ranked #3 despite peaking at over 100 million monthly active users and 21 million daily active users — far more than Gardens of Time’s peaks of 17 million MAU and 4 million DAU, or its current stats according to AppData. That’s because Facebook’s list was mostly based on vaguely described “recommendations”, and hardly on active users.
It’s almost as if Facebook used its cloudy methodology to keep Zynga from completely dominating the list, as the Mark Pincus machine currently owns all 5 Facebook games with the most DAU and still ended up with 4 of the top 10 spots on Facebook’s list.
[Update 9:25pm PST 12/21/11: Facebook has integrated the feedback from this article and updated its Top Games post to more clearly explain what it means by 'Most Popular'. The methodology note now reads: "This list was compiled by looking at the top games on Facebook with more than 100,000 monthly active users and giving priority to those games with the highest user satisfaction scores. The result is a list of the games that received the most user recommendations in 2011." As long as it's transparent, we're happy to see Facebook finding more ways to feature high quality games, and not just those with the most users.]
Here’s an image of the list Facebook published and the note on its methodology:

A Facebook PR representative denied my theory. She told me that in the methodology, “the top recommended apps (from surveys presented to users in the canvas ticker where they can answer yes/no to, ‘would you recommend this to a friend’?”)…were ranked higher over highest monthly active user numbers. Another way to say it is that these apps were the highest rated among users.”
But why not just say in the post that this was based on ratings, not on active users? The list should have been labeled “Most satisfying games” or “Most recommended games”, not “Most popular games”. Missing the top spot probably won’t help Zynga’s stock, which IPO’d last week. Zynga and Facebook have partnered for years to help Zynga attain traffic goals. However, that relationship may be strained as the gaming company plans to serve games directly to users outside of the Facebook platform.
Facebook could have predicted that people would ask why the #3 game peaked at 80 million more monthly users than the #1 game. If CityVille had a 20% ‘Yes’ rating average and Gardens of Time had an 80% ‘Yes’ average, then fine, the rankings make sense. But if the ratings were even somewhat close, it seems a little fishy that CityVille didn’t take the #1 spot, and Facebook didn’t disclose the actual rating scores or even that they were the core of the methodology.

To really win big on the Facebook platform, you need a substantial marketing budget, existing games to cross-promote from, and sophisticated A/B testing technology. Zynga has all of these and most developers don’t. #1 Playdom and #2 EA (The Sims Social, with peak MAU of 66M MAU and 11M DAU) both do too. Still, Zynga taking the top spot would have really driven home the point that the Facebook gaming business is run by the big boys.
That’s a problem, because attracting the long tail of small and medium developers is essential to retaining gamers who are always looking for something new to play. Facebook went out of its way to feature smaller and non-Silicon Valley developers. It included categories such as Top up-and-comers (Battle Pirates by Kixeye) and most popular games with 50,000-100,000 users (Super Slot Machines). It also cited top sports app TopEleven as having a team of just 30 out of Serbia in an email to us, and noted other develpers from Germany, Japan, and Prague.
There’s nothing wrong with Facebook promoting developer diversity, but it needs to be up front about how this list was calculated. It’s in Facebook’s interest to avoid making it seem like the platform is winner-take-all or like it depends on Zynga. Through obscured methodology, Facebook didn’t have to highlight this by giving CityVille the top spot.
Update 9:23pm PST 12/21/11: Facebook has edited its Top Games post to integrate the feedback from this article. The more transparent explanation of the Most Popular list’s methodology now reads: “This list was compiled by looking at the top games on Facebook with more than 100,000 monthly active users and giving priority to those games with the highest user satisfaction scores. The result is a list of the games that received the most user recommendations in 2011.”

Crunchbase

Company: Zynga

Website: zynga.com

Funding: $860M

Zynga was founded in July 2007 by Mark Pincus and is named for his late American Bulldog, Zinga. Loyal and spirited, Zingaâ€™s name is a nod to a legendary African warrior queen. The early supporting founding team included Eric Schiermeyer, Michael Luxton, Justin Waldron, Kyle Stewart, Scott Dale, John Doerr, Steve Schoettler, Kevin Hagan, and Andrew Trader. Zynga’s mission is connecting the world through games. Everyday millions of people interact with their friends and express their unique personalities through our...

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45 Privacy Changes Facebook Will Make To Comply With Data Protection Law

2012-01-13T09:34:00.000-08:00

In 2012, Facebook will be making 45 privacy-related changes to comply with the recommendations of an audit by Ireland’s Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (DPC) released today. Below I’ve compiled a roadmap of all the changes Facebook will implement based on the the 149 pages of DPC recommendations and how the social network says it will address them.
First, read my analysis of the audit’s findings from this morning. It explains why these changes won’t seriously interfere with Facebook’s business model or product development. That’s very good news for Facebook. Still, complying with the audit’s recommendations could prevent the company from building a huge stockpile of historical data for some unknown later use.
The changes mostly deal with how long Facebook retains data, and how people are educated about Facebook’s usage of that data. Some will require engineering work, such as irrevocably deleting user data within 40 days of an account deletion request. Others will simply see Facebook adding additional links or messaging within the product to improve transparency and user understanding.
Facebook avoided having to make some big changes that could have hurt its business, such as needing users to explicitly opt in to ad targeting based on their personal data. It also won’t have to discontinue its facial recognition feature, or requires users to opt into having their content used in Sponsored Stories ads.
Here are the 45 changes Facebook will implement and their due dates:
Privacy and Data Use Policy

Simplify the explanations of its Data Use Policy- End of Q1 2012
Add a mechanism for controlling personal data to the registration process – End of Q1 2012
Increase the size of links to the privacy policy and statement of rights in the registration process - End of February 2012
Add privacy policy, statement of rights, and Help Center links to the left side of the Facebook home page – End of February 2012

Advertising Use of User Data

Clarify how it employs user data in ad targeting to ensure full transparency – End of Q1 2012
Limit data collection from social plugins, restrict access to this data, and delete it on schedule, though social plugin data is not currently used in ad targeting – Immediately
Move option to opt out of having one’s content shown in social ads from the Account Settings to the Privacy Settings – End of Q1 2012
Prior to implementation, discuss any plans to provide individuals’ profile pictures and names to third parties for advertising purposes – Ongoing
Switch from retaining ad-click data indefinitely to a 2 year retention period – Review in July 2012

Access Requests

If identifiable personal data of users or non-users is held, it must be provided in response to an access request within 40 days - Beginning in January 2012
Provide easier access to this data via the profile, Activity Log, and Download Your Information tool – Beginning in January 2012

Retention of Data

Clarify to users how deleted data such as received friend requests and removed tags is retained – End of Q1 2012
Provide users with the ability to delete friend requests, pokes, tages, posts, and messages on a per item basis – Begin in Q1 2012, show progress by July 2012.
Change Groups invitations so user won’t appear as members until they’ve visited the Group and been given an easy way to leave – End of Q1 2012
Delete personal data once the purpose for which it was collected has ceased – Immediate, ongoing, review in July 2012
Delete all social plugin impression data with 90 days of a website visit
For non-users and logged out users, delete social plugin impression data within 10 days
Anonymize data about a user’s searches on Facebook with 6 months
Anonymize all ad click data after 2 years
Significantly shorten the retention period of log-in information
Educate users through the Data Use Policy about recording of login activity across browsers and devices – End of Q1 2012
Work with the DPC to identify an acceptable retention period of data from inactive or deactivated accounts – July 2012

Third-Party Apps

Roll out updated granular data permissions dialog box to all applications – End of February 2012, review in July 2012
Clarify that use of an app is visible to friends by default (Facebook has fixed this with the audience selector of its granular data permissions dialog box) – Review in July 2012
Educate users on the importance of reading app privacy policies, possibly increase size of links to report an app or view app its privacy policy in the data permissions dialog box – End of February 2012
Implement a tool that determines if links to app privacy policies are live. First, Facebook will asses the technical feasibility of such as tool – Review progress towards implementation in July 2012
Examine alternative privacy controls for allowing friends to provide one’s data to applications, as currently users must turn off apps entirely to prevent friends from giving apps their data – Report back to DPC in July 2012
Investigate technical solutions to reduce risk of abuse of authorization tokens via one app transferring a token to another – Immediate assessment, solution by end of Q1 2012
Expand mesaging to developers regarding policy prohibiting sharing of authorization tokens – End of January 2012
Refine automated tools that detect and prevent abuse of user data by developers – Progress review in July 2012

Disclosures to Third Parties

Improve system for disclosing data to law enforcement by requiring validation from a senior officer and a full explanation for why the data is needed – Commence in January 2012, review in July 2012

Facial Recognition / Tag Suggest

Notify users that Tag Suggest exists with a series of home page prompts and link to an explanation of how it works – First week of January 2012
Prior to implementation, discuss with DPC any plans to extend tag suggest to allow suggestions beyond confirmed friends – Ongoing

Security

Formally document security policies and procedures – Review in July 2012
Monitor employees to ensure user password resets aren’t used to gain unauthorized access to user data – End of January 2012
Implement a new access provisioning tool to allow for fine-grained, role-specific control of employee access to user data to ensure all access is authorized – Review in July 2012

Deletion of Accounts

Continue devoting engineering resources towards improving the system that irrevocably deletes user accounts and data within 40 days of receipt of a deletion request – Review in July 2012

Friend Finder

Provide education about and review alternatives for reducing risks inherent in transmitting contact information via plain text for use in the contact sync feature – End of Q1 2012
Add text explaining that deactivating the contact sync feature does not remove previously synced data – End of Q1 2012
Prevent Pages that have uploaded email addresses to send messages to European users or non-users via geoblocking of major EU domains and warn businesses using the feature about ePrivacy law – Geoblocking immediately, warnings by end of Q1 2012

Tagging

Review implications of DPC’s recommendation to allow users to prevent themselves from being tagged in photos or other content – In advance of July 2012

Posting On Other Profiles

Review implications of DPC’s recommendation that prior to posting, users be shown how broad the audience will be for a potential post on the wall of another user, and notify users if that wall’s owner changes that audience size – In advance of July 2012

Facebook Credits

Add information to the Data Use Policy regarding Facebook’s role as a data controller and that information about a user’s use of Credits is linked to their account, and launch a privacy policy dedicated to its payments systems in approximately 6 months – End of Q1 2012

Compliance Management / Governance

Develop documented procedures for direct marketing by Facebook employees and train employees to ensure data protection – Completed
Review European data protection laws and consult with the DPC when developing new products or uses to ensure compliance with data protection law

Additionally, the DPC’s audit made statements, indicating its satisfaction with how Facebook handles these potentially controversial issues:

Cookies are not used for profiling or ad targeting
Apps were found to not be able to access user data without consent
Disabling Tag Suggest deletes a user’s facial recognition profile
User data is available to employees on a need-to-know basis
There is no threat to user photos during upload to Akamai or during deletion
The site protects against large-scale data harvesting through screen-scraping
User contact info, including phone numbers and email addresses, is only stored and not used unless users choose to supply email addresses for use in the Friend Finder
When users give Friend Finder access to their third-party email accounts and other services, their passwords are held securely and destroyed
Facebook has provided sufficient justification of its policy of refusing pseudonymous accounts
Facebook provides sufficient ways to report abuse on the site

Crunchbase

FACEBOOK

Company: Facebook

Website: facebook.com

Launch Date: January 2, 2004

Funding: $2.34B

Learn more

What is Facebook?

2011-12-26T12:40:00.000-08:00

Facebook is a social networking website intended to connect friends, family, and business associates. It is the largest of the networking sites, with the runner up being MySpace. It began as a college networking website and has expanded to include anyone and everyone.
Facebook was founded by 2004 by Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg and originally called thefacebook. It was quickly successful on campus and expanded beyond Harvard into other Ivy League schools. With the phenomenon growing in popularity, Zuckerberg enlisted two other students, Duston Moskovitz and Chris Hughes, to assist. Within months, thefacebook became a nationwide college networking website.
Zuckerberg and Moskovitz left Harvard to run thefacebook full time shortly after taking the site national. In August of 2005, thefacebook was renamed Facebook, and the domain was purchased for a reported $200,000 US Dollars (USD). At that time, it was only available to schools, universities, organizations, and companies within English speaking countries, but has since expanded to include anyone.
Facebook users create a profile page that shows their friends and networks information about themselves. The choice to include a profile in a network means that everyone withing that network can view the profile. The profile typically includes the following: Information, Status, Friends, Friends in Other Networks, Photos, Notes, Groups, and The Wall.
Users are able to search for friends and acquaintances by e-mail address, school, university, or just by typing in a name or location for search. When people become friends, they are able to see all of each others' profiles including contact information. E-mail notifications let users know when new friends have chosen to add them to their list or when someone has sent a message to them within the system.
A popular feature on Facebook is the ability to share photographs uploaded from a phone, camera, or hard drive. As with other private information, users have the option to allow only friends to see their pictures or anyone. There is an unlimited amount of storage available, which is a major advantage of Facebook's photograph sharing capabilities.
Groups can be created by users. These can include anything from grade school connections to hobbies and interests. Groups can be public and available to everyone or private, meaning only those invited can join and view discussions. Similarly, the Events feature allows friends to organize parties, concerts, and other get togethers in the real world. Users can also become fans of everything such as people, organizations, television shows, movies, and musicians.
There are countless applications available to add to a profile. They range from a list of Top Friends to movie compatibility with others, and maps of where users have traveled. These applications are created by individuals outside of Facebook's employment who are known as Developers.
Users of Facebook can share news stories, video, and other files with friends. Most news and video websites have buttons that can be clicked to automatically share the story or video on a feed. The person sharing can make comments about the shared item that their friends will see.
Personal notes can also be written and shared with friends. When sharing an item, users can attach the item to their Wall for all to see, or can tag individual people that they think would be most interested in seeing the item. When a user is tagged, they receive an e-mail notification.
Facebook had a redesign in late 2008, intended to streamline the website and make it easier to see what friends were doing. It has seen outstanding growth since its inception and is poised to maintain its dominance in social networking. In early 2009, Facebook users worldwide were nearly double that of its older competitor MySpace.

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2011-12-26T12:21:00.000-08:00

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Hyundai Eon Price India – New Small Car Launch

2011-12-26T02:42:00.000-08:00

There have been a variety of small affordable cars in the market. The new Hyundai Eon will whip up the interest in this small hatch, stylish car with compact size. It wont be a low cost car like Tata Nano but will stand against the Chevy Spark, the Maruti Alto, etc. It will surely stir the competition in the price range of under Rs. 3 lakh.

Hyundai Eon Review

The engine of Hyundai Eon is a 814 cc with a peak torque of 50Nm and 48bhp peak power. It will come with a five speed manual gearbox. The Hyundai company might launch the vehicle with an automatic transmission as well after it is established in the market.
The interiors of this car will offer space, convenience and comfort giving enough shoulder room and head room. Three passengers can be easily accommodated in the rear seat. It comes in a fluid design theme like the new Hyundai Verna with front fog lens and tall tail lamps. It is somewhat like Hyundai i10
This small hatchback car gives excellent fuel economy especially when the petrol prices will hit Rs. 80 per liter anytime soon. The Hyundai Eon will be delivering a fuel economy of 17-21 km per liter as it is powered by a light weight engine.

Hyundai Eon Features and Specifications:

Engine: 3 cylinder, 800cc
50 bhp
7.65 KgM of peak torque
Length: 3.5 meters
Gears: 5 manual
Brakes: Front disk, rear drum
2380mm wheelbase
Seating capacity: 5
Body colored bumpers and door handles
Fog lamps
Roof-rails
2 trip meters
Rear spoiler
Manual central locking
Air Conditioner
All Power windows
Remote boot release
Remote fuel filler
Engine immobilizer
Power steering
Stylish covers
Fuel consumption: 21 kmpl (highway), 15 kmpl (city)

Hyundai Eon Models:

The Hyundai Eon will be rolled out in three trims:
Hyundai Eon Base
All the standard features like Body colored bumpers, multiple trip meters, seat belts for all seats, steering column, remote boot release, body colored door handles, etc.
Price: Around Rs. 2.5 lakh
Hyundai Eon GL
The medium version of Hyundai Eon will include additional features like air conditioner, front power windows, engine immobilizer, etc.
Price: Around Rs. 2.8 lakh
Hyundai Eon GLS
The high end version will feature power steering, central locking, rear spoiler, music system, fog lamps, all power windows, one airbag on the driver’s side, ABS(Anti-lock Braking System).
Price: Around Rs. 3.10 lakh
Hyundai Eon Availability:
There has been no word about the launch of this vehicle. However, according to the industry sources the car might be released in the month of october.

Hyundai Eon Price:

Hyundai Eon will be priced in the range of Rs. 2.5 lakh to 3 lakh. It will be released in six colors: Silver, White, Black, Grey, Blue and Red.
Verdict:
Hyundai Eon will surely be a better car in terms of looks, performance, design and interiors. it is one of the most affordable car in the entry level segment and worth every penny. It might leave the other cars like Spark, Alto far behind.

Mahindra XUV500 Price, Review and Photos

2011-12-26T02:37:00.000-08:00

Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd. has been known for its SUVs. The Mahindra XUV500, a feature packed vehicle is built on monocoque frame according to the international standards. It is probably one of the biggest launches in this year in the automobile industry.
It is surely an overall delight. The design is contemporary and not that stylish but will hit the Indian market with a boom. The design is appealing and will be preferred by any buyer looking for a SUV car.
It comes with plush interiors with comfortable seating. It sports tilt adjustable seating, 8 way adjustable driver’s seat, lumbar support adjust for driver’s seat, adjustable steering, leather upholstery in W8 variant, power foldable and electric adjustable ORVMs, fully automatic temperature control and dual zone HVAC offering comfort, luxury and convenience.
The center console is equipped with 6 inch touchscreen with all the entertainment options and providing information. There is in built MayMyIndia GPS Navigation System and with this the touchscreen interface will assist you in calling people from your contact list. There are several menus and sub menus providing various options.
The safety features are rear defogger, fog lamps, dual front airbags, side impact beams, disc brakes on all wheels, crumple zones, side and curtain airbags, hill hold and hill descent control in W8 version, park assist system comprising of parking sensors, ABS with EBD and six airbags.
Mahindra XUV500 Specifications and Features:

Engine:
mHawk 140 engine
2.2 litre engine
Power: 120 Bhp
Torque: 290 Nm
5th Gen Variable Geometry Turbocharger (VGT)
6-speed transmission
Suspension: Front – McPherson Type with anti-roll bar, Rear – Multilink Type with anti-roll bar
Ground Clearance: 200 mm
Cubic Capacity: 2179 cc
Fuel Tank Capacity: 70 Litres
Wheelbase: 2700 mm
Fuel Efficiency: 15.1 kmpl
Static bending headlamps, projector headlamps, LED parking lights
6 inch Monochrome Infotainment Display (W6)
6 inch touchscreen Infotainment Display (W8)
DVD Player (W8)
iPod, Aux-in, USB connectivity
Rear demister
Digital Immobilizer
Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (W8 only)
Intellipark Park Assist System
Cruise Control
Puddle lamps, door ajar lamps, camping lamps, lead-me-to vehicle lamps, follow me home headlamps
Voice-command for audio and phone
Glove box with laptop holder
Solar reflecting glass that is tilted
Reverse Parking Sensors
What we like?
Great and robust looks
Incredible Price
What we don’t like?
The interiors could have been better
Pricing Details:
The price of this SUV is jaw dropping compared to the estimated price. The base version is priced at Rs. 10.8 lakh.
Mahindra XUV500 Price: Rs. 10,80,000 – Rs. 12,80,000

Mahindra XUV500 Variants:
XUV500 W6 – Rs. 10,80,000
2179cc engine
Average: 12 (city), 16(Highway)
Diesel
XUV500 W8 – Rs. 11,95,000
2179cc engine
Average: 12 (city), 16(Highway)
Diesel
XUV500 W8 AWD – Rs. 12,88,000
2179cc engine
Average: 12 (city), 16(Highway)
Diesel
Mahindra XUV500 Colors:
Mahindra XUV500 is available in following colors.
Volcano Black
Monodust Silver
Amazon Green
Dolphin Grey
Tuscan Red
Satin White
Opulent Purple
Verdict:
Mahindra XUV500 is worth every penny and is loaded with all the latest technology and equipment. The incredible price of this feature-packed vehicle will surely lure all the customers.

Premier Rio Small SUV Car Price, Specifications and Review

2011-12-26T02:33:00.000-08:00

Premier Ltd. which was earlier known as Premier Automobiles Ltd. (PAL) is an automative manufacturing company. This car maker has more than 50 dealerships in India and are expanding their business. Their unit is in Pune right now.
The company has launched the new Premier Rio which is the petrol version. The diesel version is already there in the market. This car comes with a great price tag. It is certified by ARAI, Automotive Research Association of India.
The new Premier Rio is equipped with 1.2 Liter engine delivering torque of 103.9 Nm and power of 76.6 PS along with 5 speed manual transmission. The car make is providing 3 year warranty.
Premier Rio comes with decent interiors offering sufficient boot space and leg space. There are reclining rear seats which are foldable. It can easily accommodate 5 passengers. The petrol variant car is Rs. 60000 cheaper than the diesel variant and delivers a fuel efficiency of 15 kmpl. Diesel variant gives a fuel efficiency of 16 kmpl.
The compact SUV car features alloy wheels, power steering, foldable back seats, power windows, electric door mirrors, central locking system, brake assist, keyless entry, electric ORVMs and ABS with EBD. It also sports digital clock, CD player, four speakers, Tachometer and three spoke steering wheel. It can be considered somewhere between larger utility vehicles and mid sized vehicles.
Premier Rio Variants:

Premier Rio GLX Petrol
Engine: 1173 cc
Average (kmpl): 13, 15
Manual transmission, 5 seater
Price: Rs. 510,000
Premier Rio GX Petrol
Engine: 1173 cc
Average (kmpl): 13, 15
Manual transmission, 5 seater
Price: Rs. 470,000
Premier Rio DLX
Engine: 1489 cc
Average (kmpl): 12, 16
Manual transmission, 5 seater, Diesel
Price: Rs. 470,000
Premier Rio LX
Engine: 1489 cc
Average (kmpl): 12, 16
Manual transmission, 5 seater, diesel
Price: Rs. 633,979
Premier Rio DX
Engine: 1489 cc
Average (kmpl): 12, 16
Manual transmission, 5 seater
Price: Rs. 587,215
Premier Rio EX
Engine: 1489 cc
Average (kmpl): 12, 16
Manual transmission, 5 seater, diesel
Price: Rs. 561,234

Premier Rio Features and Specifications:
Engine: 1.2 Liter
Fuel economy: 15 kmpl
Ground Clearance: 200 mm
ABS with EBD Brakes
Alloy wheels
Power Steering,
Power Windows
Foldable back seats
Electric door mirrors
Central locking system
Brake assist
Keyless entry
Electric ORVMs
Digital clock,
CD player
Four speakers
Tachometer
Three spoke steering wheel.
What we like?
The looks are amazing and it delivers a great driving experience.
Verdict:
This compact car is packed with numerous nifty features. It is surely worth the money. The cute vehicle can be touted as the best compact SUV. It ensures the comforts and performance. The engine performance is decent and the fuel mileage is quite satisfactory.
Premier Rio Price and Availability:
The price of Premier Rio starts at Rs. 4,70 lakhs. There are wide range of colors to choose from. It is available in Topaz Blue, Cherry Red, Topaz Blue, Steering Silver, Paradise White and Mystic Black.

Nissan Sunny Review

2011-12-26T02:30:00.001-08:00

Nissan Sunny Review

The brand new Sedan from the Nissan table is now available in market. Named Versa earlier, Nissan’s Sunny had to go through a change in name owing to the existence of an automobile model bearing the name manufactured by the Maruti Company. Based on Micra, the name sunny as Nissan explains stands for the god of suns, indicating a pious dawn. It is the 10^th generation Sunny to hit the markets and the Sedan was first unveiled way back in December 2010 at the 8^th China International automobile exhibition.
In India Nissan sunny had a grand launch marked by the presence of industry bigwigs. Speaking to the media Mr. Kiminobu Tokuyama, MD of NMIPL revealed that the car has been designed keeping young professionals in mind. Prices vary between Rs 5.78 lakhs and 7.68 lakhs and currently there are six shades available- Bronze Grey, Storm White, Blade Silver, Sapphire Blue, Onyx Black and Brick Red.
Nissan has not been particularly lucky with automobile users in India. They almost managed to touch the right chord with the sedan Nissan Micra. However, the price tag attached to the vehicle was enough to drive half the customers away. Till recently, Nissan sunny was being sold in two countries only, U.S and China. Markets there demand a car that is cost effective, offers ample space and stores gizmos enough for everyone. Allow other factors like ownership costs and riding quality to join that list when it is the markets in India that are being targeted.
Features of Nissan’s Sunny

Let us discuss the key features that characterize Nissan’s Sunny. In majority of the cases it becomes really difficult identifying a Sedan against a hatchback. Both the varieties seem to vary little in so far as the frontal appearance is concerned. A similar feature marked Micra, the predecessor of Sunny. The newest automobile from the Nissan stable is neither perfectly round nor completely boxy representing a cross between the two. It inherits the door handles, marked chrome, from Micra. Wheels measuring 15 inch each and designed using steel alloy are sure to grab some eyeballs. Moving interiors, you find a handful of Micra sprinkled here and there, especially the round design AC vents, the button knobs and the oh-so -familiar Chrome door handles. The resemblances do not end here. The gearbox may trigger memories of Micra.
Bookings for Nissan Sunny

Bookings for Nissan Sunny 2011 began in the middle of September. The variations available currently include XE, XL and XV. The petrol model has been launched first while the Nissan Sunny Diesel is expected to appear during the auto Expo 2011. Maximum power may go up to 97 bhp at 6000 rpm. The base model offers minimum facilities in the form of SRS airbag, ABS with EBD. Given the condition of Indian roads, ride quality is a major factor that influences buying decisions among customers. Driven keeping speed levels low, the Sedan may register a little uneasiness adjusting to the roads in India. However, as the car gathers speed, such irregularities may vanish into oblivion.

Newest Technology 2012

2011-12-26T02:28:00.000-08:00

The latest advancements in technology has lead to lot of new innovative inventions and newer digital media technology has forayed into the market.
Here is the rundown on the newest technology 2012.
Flexible Samsung Phone

The new Samsung Galaxy Skin will feature AMOLED display that is bendable and can be rolled up and used like a wrist watch. It can be bent like a cylinder with 1 inch diameter. It is not using glass but a plastic polyamide substrate for display that is both bendable and rollable. It is equipped with 8 megapixel camera, 1GB RAM, 1.2 GHz processor and display of high resolution 800*480. The exact date of release had not yet been confirmed by Samsung.
Lenovo IdeaCentre Q180

Lenovo has announced a new book sized computer that comes under the category of nettop PC or HTPC and can also serve as an entertainment hub. It supports 1080p videos and Blue-ray videos in 3D.
HMZ-T1 Head-mounted 3D Visor

Sony has launched HMZ-T1 Head-mounted 3D Visor with 0.7 inch OLED panel and boasts a resolution of 1280*720p. It offers a 3D experience and is also compatible with PS3s, Blue ray players and other input devices. However the pricing and release dates are yet to be confirmed.
iPad2 or Apple 5
Apple has been dominating the market and has played its roles well in development of technologies. Speculation is rife that new iPad will be hitting the market with high resolution retina display. It is certainly going to blow your socks off. Iphone 5 news is in air all around the globe. The new version of iPhone will be better in every aspect and quicker.
Newest Technology in cars that enhance the performance, entertainment, safety and mileage.
Eight Speed Transmissions
If the automatic transmissions will be improved then mileage will also get a boost. If the eight speed transmissions are integrated into V6 engine then there will be improved acceleration along with better gas mileage.
More of media and data technology
Many automakers will be updating the onboard technology to provide more services like weather forecast or stock quotes. The new Ford’s SYNC system is a new technology.
New 2012 BMW 650i Convertible

The new BMW 650i convertible boosts twin turbocharged 4.4 liter V8 engine delivering a horsepower of 400Hp and torque of 450 pound through a six speed exercise. It sports a new heads up display that is optionals along with 3D graphics.
Toyota’s new GT 86
The world’s largest automaker will be officially releasing the compact sports car in Tokyo.
2012 Audi A7

The new 2012 model sports Google Earth based Navigation System along with other features like gas prices, Wikipedia landmark entries and Google Local Search. It offers luxurious driving and impressive features and the best navigation system. It is like four door sedan like car along with hatchback cargo area. There are removable rear deck panels giving more cargo space. The Audi A7 will be priced around $59,250

Top 7 Upcoming Cars in India 2012

2011-12-26T02:26:00.000-08:00

The automotive industry will always be booming with high end features and newer technology.
Here are some of the best upcoming and top notch cars in the year 2012:

Upcoming Cars in India 2012

2012 Volkswagen Beetle

The Volkswagen Beetle will be launched with black turbo edition. It is powered by 2 liter four cylinder delivering a power of 200 hp and torque of 107 lb-ft. The new Beetle also features 18 inch wheels, rear spoiler, larger brakes and with an extra glovebox. It will be available in three variants and top end model includes sun roof and other high end features like optional audio systems, touchscreen, etc. The new 2012 Beetle also boasts of Crash Response System.
2012 BMW 6 series

2012 BMW 6 series is loaded with all top notch features like rear and top view cameras, high beam control, HUD, night vision and cruise control that comes with start-stop. It is more fuel efficient and lighter. It is powered by 2.2 liter V8 twin turbo engine delivering a horse power of 400.
Toyota Innova Facelift

Toyota Innova Facelift is expected to hit the Indian Market and boost the sales. This car comes with 2.5 liter diesel engine as well as 2.0 liter petrol engine. The car is expected to be launched in mid 2012.
Price: The car is expected to be price around Rs. 7-11 lakh.
Renault Small car

Nissan and Renault share the same plant in Chennai. The new Renault small car will be similar to Nissan Micra. It will be powered by 1.2 liter three cylinder petrol engine with horsepower of 750bhp and gives better fuel efficiency. It will be priced higher than Nissan Micra. This car is expected to hit the market in the beginning of 2012. It will be priced around Rs. 6 lakh.
Fiat Bravo

Fiat Bravo, a luxury car will be equipped with 1910cc, 16 valve engine. It will deliver a horsepower of 150 bhp at 4000 rpm. It will be a luxurious hatchback car and is expected to be launched in late 2012. The expected price of the car is in the range of Rs. 18-25 lakh.
Jaguar XF 2012

Jaguar Land Rover, a british car maker that is owned by Tata will be launched in India soon. The new car is equipped with LED lights. The engines are same for both diesel and petrol versions. The petrol variant is powered by 5 liter V8 engine with a power of 380 bhp and the diesel variant is powered by 5 liter V6 engine with a power of 274 bhp. The new model will be equipped with new 2.2 liter 4 cylinder engine that can produce a power of 190 bhp along with ZF Automatic Gearbox. There will be a stop-start system that will increase the fuel efficiency to 21 kmpl. This new variant is mostly likely to be launched in India as well. The car is exorbitantly priced. The diesel variant will be priced around Rs. 64.22 lakh.
Audi Q3

The Audi Q3 will be the smallest model in Audi series. It is a premium SUV in compact version. It will be available in diesel and petrol variant along with dual clutch S Tronic Transmission. The expected price is Rs. 20-25 lakh and it will be launched in 2012

20 Most Expensive Keyword Categories In Google AdWords

2011-12-22T07:59:00.000-08:00

20 Most Expensive Keyword Categories In Google AdWords
1. Insurance (example keyword: “auto insurance price quotes”)
2. Loans (example keyword: “consolidate graduate student loans”)
3. Mortgage (example keyword: “refinanced second mortgages”)
4. Attorney (example keyword: “personal injury attorney”)
5. Credit (example keyword: “home equity line of credit”)
6. Lawyer
7. Donate
8. Degree
9. Hosting
10. Claim
11. Conference Call
12. Trading
13. Software
14. Recovery
15. Transfer
16. Gas/Electricity
17. Classes
18. Rehab
19. Treatment
20. Cord Blood

Cord Blood? WTF is THAT about?
>
click for ginormous graphic

Source: 20 Most Expensive Google Keywords
Tech Crunch

How To Add Search Box to Search in Your Blogsite(Website)

2011-12-21T07:26:00.001-08:00

1.Login to your blogger account.Go Layout --> Add a Gadget --> Select “HTML/JavaScript”.
2.Copy below code and paste it.Click save and refresh your site.
<p align="left">
<form id="searchthis" action="YOUR BLOG URL/search" style="display:inline;" method="get">
<strong>NAME OF YOUR BLOG<br/></strong>
<input id="b-query" maxlength="255" name="q" size="20" type="text"/>
<input id="b-searchbtn" value="Search" type="submit"/>
</form></p>
Note:Remember to replace "YOUR BLOG URL" and "NAME OF YOUR BLOG" with your
details.
If you want to change the size of your search box than just change the value 20 to 35(any
value you like to get a bigger search box.
You can also change the “Search” button to say, “Hit” or “Go” or "Enter" or "Read more",
by changing the Value in the above html code.
3.You can see search box like below one.
Blogger Tips And Tricks

You can also remove the button "search" from the above search box and place an image for better look. The html code will be:
<p align="left">
<form id="searchthis" action="YOUR BLOG URL/search" style="display:inline;" method="get">
<strong>NAME OF YOUR BLOG<br/></strong>
<input id="b-query" maxlength="255" name="q" size="20" type="text"/>
<input id="b-searchbtn" type="image" src="IMAGE URL" align="top"/>
</form></p>
You can see search box like below one.

How To Add Background images to Blogger Templates

2011-12-21T07:23:00.000-08:00

How To Add image to the Header
log in to your dashboard--> layout- -> Edit HTML, scroll to where you see this:-
#header-wrapper {

Add immediately after that the following line:-
background-image: url(URL address of your image);
See the example below.
#header-wrapper {
background-image: url(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-j7_-ccACuU/SdR7q0uh0_I/AAAAAAAAADs/IxkuhTpf6CE/s400/digg1.jpeg);

Save the template and refresh your site.

How To Add image to the Main Background
log in to your dashboard--> layout- -> Edit HTML, scroll to where you see this:-
body {
Add immediately after that the following line:-
background-image: url(URL address of your image);
See the example below.
body {
background-image: url(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-j7_-ccACuU/SdR7q0uh0_I/AAAAAAAAADs/IxkuhTpf6CE/s400/digg1.jpeg);
Save the template and refresh your site.

How To Add image to the Posts Background
log in to your dashboard--> layout- -> Edit HTML, scroll to where you see this:-
#main-wrapper {
Add immediately after that the following line:-
background-image: url(URL address of your image);
See the example below.
#main-wrapper {
background-image: url(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-j7_-ccACuU/SdR7q0uh0_I/AAAAAAAAADs/IxkuhTpf6CE/s400/digg1.jpeg);
Save the template and refresh your site.

How To Add image to the Sidebar Background
log in to your dashboard--> layout- -> Edit HTML, scroll to where you see this:-
#sidebar-wrapper {
Add immediately after that the following line:-
background-image: url(URL address of your image);
See the example below.
#sidebar-wrapper {
background-image: url(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-j7_-ccACuU/SdR7q0uh0_I/AAAAAAAAADs/IxkuhTpf6CE/s400/digg1.jpeg);
Save the template and refresh your site.

How To Change Colours of Blogger Templates

2011-12-21T07:22:00.000-08:00

How To Change Blogger Header background color
log in to your dashboard--> layout- -> Edit HTML, scroll to where you see this:-

#header-wrapper {

Add immediately after that the following line:-
background:your clour;
If You want background colour set to #D3FFCC , above code must change like this.
background:#D3FFCC;
See the example below.
#header-wrapper {
background:#D3FFCC;
Save the template and refresh your site.

How To Change Blogger Main background color
log in to your dashboard--> layout- -> Edit HTML, scroll to where you see this:-
body {
background:$bgcolor;
If you want to set bgcolor to #d3ffcc , replace above code with this.
body {
background-color:#d3ffcc;
Save the template and refresh your site.

How To Change Blogger Post background color
log in to your dashboard--> layout- -> Edit HTML, scroll to where you see this:-
#main-wrapper {
If you want to set post color to #d3ffcc , replace above code with this.
#main-wrapper {
background-color:#d3ffcc;
Save the template and refresh your site.

How To Change Blogger Sidebar background color
log in to your dashboard--> layout- -> Edit HTML, scroll to where you see this:-

#sidebar-wrapper {
If you want to set sidebar color to #d3ffcc , replace above code with this.
#sidebar-wrapper {
background-color:#d3ffcc;

Save the template and refresh your site.

2011-12-21T07:21:00.001-08:00

To configure the reactions widget follow these steps.
1.Sign in to blogger account.
2.Go to layout Page.
3.Click on the "edit" link under the blog posts
4.On the pop up window check the "Reactions" widget.Click save.

If you are using the default blogspot template, the widget would appear in your blog.If not you have to add some code to your blog's template To do that follow these steps.
1. Go to edit Html page of your blog.
2.Check the "Expand widget templates"
3.Find the following code in your template:
<data:post.body/>
4.Then immediately after this line add the following code.
<span class='reaction-buttons'>
<b:if cond='data:top.showReactions'>
<table border='0' cellpadding='0' width='100%'><tr>
<td valign='center'><span class='reactions-label'>
<data:top.reactionsLabel/></span>
</td>
<td><iframe allowtransparency='true' class='reactions-iframe' expr:src='data:post.reactionsUrl' frameborder='0' name='reactions' scrolling='no'/></td>
</tr></table>
</b:if>
</span>
Save and Preview your blog.

How To Add Perfect Share Box to Blogger

2011-12-18T07:53:00.001-08:00

In this tutorial, I am going to show how to add a useful share box for your blogger blog. This share box contains official Tweet button with counter, official Facebook share button with counter, official Google Buzz button with counter, official Stumbleupon button with counter, BlogThis! link, Email This! link, Print This! link, Comments count link and Facebook like button. I have configure all this button for Blogger blogs, so you can add this share box quickly to your blog.

Now follow the steps given below to add this share box for your blog.
1.Login to your blogger Dashboard and go to --> Design- -> Edit HTML
2.Click on "Expand Widget Templates"
3.Scroll down to where you see below code:
<div class='post-header-line-1'/> 4.Now Copy Share Box code given below and paste it just below the above code.
NOTE: If you can't find <div class='post-header-line-1'/> in your template, paste your "Twitter tweet button" code just before <data:post.body/> .

<b:if cond='data:blog.pageType == "item"'>

<style type='text/css'>
.multisharebox {
 background: none repeat scroll 0 0 #EFEFEF;
 float: right;
 margin: 5px 0px 3px 10px;
 padding: 0 5px 0;
 text-shadow: 0 1px 0 #FFFFFF;
 width: 260px;
 border:4px solid #d8dfea;
}
.fb-like-boxtop {
 background: none repeat scroll 0 0 #EDEFF4;
 border: 1px solid #D8DFEA;
 color: #000000;
 float: right;
 font-size: 11px;
 margin: 0 0;
 padding: 5px 10px;
 text-align: left;
 width: 230px;
}
.fb-like-boxtop a {
 color: #000000;
 text-decoration:none;
}
.fb-like-boxtop a:hover {
 color: #000000;
 text-decoration:underline;
}
.fb-like-box {
 background: none repeat scroll 0 0 #EDEFF4;
 border: 1px solid #D8DFEA;
 color: #000000;
 float: right;
 font-size: 11px;
 height: 60px;
 margin: 5px 0;
 overflow: hidden;
 padding: 5px 10px;
 text-align: left;
 width: 230px;
}
</style>

<!-- Perfect Share Box : Created by www.bloggertipandtrick.net  -->
<div class='multisharebox'>
<table><tr>
<td><table><tr>
<td><a class='twitter-share-button' data-count='vertical' data-lang='en' data-related='' data-via='' expr:data-text='data:post.title' expr:data-url='data:post.url' href='http://twitter.com/share' rel='nofollow'/>
<b:if cond='data:post.isFirstPost'>
<script src='http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js' type='text/javascript'>
</script>
</b:if></td>
<td><script expr:src='&quot;http://www.stumbleupon.com/hostedbadge.php?s=5&amp;r=&quot; + data:post.url'/></td>
<td><a class='google-buzz-button' data-button-style='normal-count' data-locale='en_IN' expr:data-url='data:post.url' href='http://www.google.com/buzz/post' rel='nofollow' title='Post on Google Buzz'/>
<script src='http://www.google.com/buzz/api/button.js' type='text/javascript'/></td>
<td><a expr:share_url='data:post.url' name='fb_share' rel='nofollow' type='box_count'/>
<script src='http://static.ak.fbcdn.net/connect.php/js/FB.Share' type='text/javascript'/></td>
</tr></table></td>
</tr><tr>
<td><div class='fb-like-boxtop'><a expr:href='data:post.sharePostUrl + &quot;&amp;target=blog&quot;' expr:onclick='&quot;window.open(this.href, \&quot;_blank\&quot;, \&quot;height=270,width=475\&quot;); return false;&quot;' expr:title='data:top.blogThisMsg' target='_blank'>BlogThis!</a> | <a expr:href='data:post.sharePostUrl + &quot;&amp;target=email&quot;' expr:title='data:top.emailThisMsg' target='_blank'>Email This!</a> | <a href='javascript:window.print();'>Print This!</a> | <b:if cond='data:post.allowComments'><a expr:href='data:post.addCommentUrl' expr:onclick='data:post.addCommentOnclick'><b:if cond='data:post.numComments == 0'>No comments</b:if><b:if cond='data:post.numComments == 1'>1 comment</b:if><b:if cond='data:post.numComments &gt;= 2'><data:post.numComments/> comments</b:if></a></b:if></div></td>
</tr><tr>
<td><div class='fb-like-box'>
Do you like this post?
<iframe allowTransparency='true' expr:src='&quot;http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=&quot; + data:post.url + &quot;&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=false&amp;width=230&amp;action=like&amp;font=arial&amp;colorscheme=light&quot;' frameborder='0' scrolling='no' style='border:none; overflow:hidden; width:230px; height:40px;'/>
</div></td>
</tr></table>
</div>
<!-- Perfect Share Box : Created by www.bloggertipandtrick.net  -->

</b:if>

Note : This share box now will add to your Blogger post pages only. If you want to show it in every pages, then simply remove green lines from the code.
5. Save your template and you are done.