Can Smart TV change a culture of coach potatoes?

In its continuing bid for world domination, Google has set its sights on Internet TV. The company is expected to debut what it's calling Smart TV -- software for Internet-connected TVs -- at a conference on Thursday for software programmers in San Francisco.

Google is partnering with Sony, Intel and Logitech in an effort to create an interactive television experience for viewers.

"The revolution we're about to go through is the biggest single change in television since it went color," Intel Chief Executive Paul Otellini said.

There's no doubt that Internet TV seems like the next evolutionary step for mass consumption.

The question is, will it succeed?

New technology coming to social media near you

Two recent stories in Advertising Age underscore the power of Facebook, and how companies need to stay vigilant about adapting and exploiting emerging technologies via social media platforms.

The first story focused on how Facebook was nearing a launch date for its location-based functionality. The second reported how magazines would be able to sell subscriptions within Facebook’s news feed.


Location-based services (LBS) are a hot topic this year in social media, much as 3D is for the television industry. So when a behemoth like Facebook -- with its more than 450 million users -- announces adoption of LBS, companies need to take note. The same is true for the system Facebook will try to introduce offering users the ability to purchase subscriptions without leaving their site. The key phrase there being “without leaving their site.”

How companies can best leverage either technology is obviously dependent on what business they’re in, but it is important to be aware of emerging technologies and start thinking about what they could mean for your organization. Not long ago, LBS was one in a sea of new ideas, but it has grown quickly into something Facebook wants to leverage. There are others on the horizon, like QR codes and augmented reality, which could work their way toward mainstream use as well.

Magazines to sell subscriptions within Facebook’s news feed {Advertising Age}
Mags look to Facebook to hawk print subscriptions {Paid Content}
What will Facebook’s upcoming location-based service look like? {Mobile Beat}
Facebook poised to take geo-networking mainstream {Advertising Age}
How Facebook's geo-netoworking plans will change everything {Advertising Age}

MLS relaunch provides a cautionary tale

“Best-in-breed technology” and “industry best practices” seem like buzzwords until the launch of your website fails.

That’s when you realize that having the right people and the right companies behind your launch is so crucial. Any major undertaking -- be it a new site or a relaunch -- relies on people who understand the issues at hand and companies that provide proven solutions for features like content management systems, integration with third parties, and the all-important quality assurance and testing.

For a cautionary tale, look no further than Major League Soccer and its new site, MLSSoccer.com, which was supposed to launch triumphantly in late March.

The site suffered systemic failure on Day 1. More than three weeks later, problems still abound. The league has been addressing the fallout ever since.

Gannett takes calculated risk on content strategy

A story in the New York Times this morning noted how Gannett’s newspapers in New Jersey have been carrying stories about the New Jersey Devils, written by an employee of the Devils.

It’s a new twist on a not-so-old development of sports organizations taking non-traditional avenues to enhance coverage of their properties. In an era where traditional media struggle to cover everything it once did, teams and leagues are smart to seek out new strategies to replace the publicity. For most, it means making the wise choice to rejuvenate their own Web content.

The Bengals are believed to have been the trendsetter when they hired Geoff Hobson -- then the Bengals’ beat writer for the Cincinnati Enquirer -- to work for the team’s Web site in April 2000.

Today, a plethora of leagues and teams have followed a similar path, including the Devils, who have employed Eric Marin as the team’s staff writer since 2007.