Online consensus from blogs and news stories all point to Google Me as a combination of many already prominent Google apps and services – Orkut, Buzz, Profiles, Picasa and Latitude are just a few of the many apps Google could pull from to create its ultimate social network. Fortune Tech’s Seth Weintraub estimates Google has at least 30 social properties it could combine for Me. Instead of overhauling Orkut, Google is creating an entirely new network – a smart move, seeing as Orkut hasn’t found popularity in the United States.

Orkut is a very basic social network, and has a user-base of more than 100 million. What makes it so popular overseas is its focus is on communities and discussion, aspects that popular networks like have,  but aren’t utilized as much by users. Instead, photos, status updates, and games like Farmville reign supreme. On social networks, sharing content in quick, short spurts is preferred over long discussions. Networks like Twitter and Tumblr are examples of how simple, short and quick content has taken the lead. Google Me will most likely focus on this short and simple trend, which should appeal to a wider and more global audience.

To differentiate Me from Orkut – while still retaining Orkut’s users – Google should focus on making its network more social media friendly, essentially creating a one-stop-shop for all things social and sharing on Google and the Web. Google can also utilize its popular Android mobile OS platform and take its network mobile. This would give users access to Me on multiple platforms, encouraging greater use and providing even more sharing capabilities, and the ability to participate in geo-tagging and location-based networking as well.

By focusing more on social media and emerging trends like location-based networking, Google can quickly establish its network as a major player in social networking. It has all of the tools, and now it needs to make them all work together on a single platform. Orkut was a start, but Google needs a network that is fresh and truly Web 2.0 to make it succeed. If the rumors are true, Google Me will be exactly that. Google’s strengths lie with simplicity, personalization and accessibility. A social network with all of these elements would make Google Me attractive to users, while remaining uniquely Google.

Feature image by Search Engine Land on Flikr.

Steve Yankovich, eBay’s VP of mobile, says he wants to see more eBay apps produced at a rate of one every five weeks – to keep the company on the forefront of mobile commerce. Though mobile e-commerce is only a small percent of the market now, it’s projected to take in more than 10 billion dollars by 2015. The shift to mobile e-commerce could easily mimic the shift from brick-and-mortar stores to online retail. Brands that failed to innovate, or innovated too late – Blockbuster and New York City’s Virgin Megastore are examples – ended up taking a major hit. By jumping in early, eBay can reap the rewards now, establish itself as a leader in the market, and capitalize on future mobile commerce innovations.

“Mobile enables consumers to make impulse buys and convenient purchases wherever they are, and eBay is constantly innovating to make mobile shopping easy and reduce the friction in commerce,” said Mark Carges, chief technology officer of global products for eBay Marketplaces, in a statement issued after eBay’s announcement late Wednesday evening. Though eBay has it’s own iPhone app, it lacks the technology to help buyers find products without doing a specific search for the item. Now, eBay’s ownership of RedLaser allows the company to utilize its technology creatively in a way that should mutually benefit sellers and buyers. Sellers’ items will become more visible, and buyers will have an easy way to find the products they’re looking for – fulfilling eBay’s goal to innovate, make mobile shopping easy, and reduce friction.

Beyond just buying and selling, eBay now has the potential to use its acquisition of RedLaser to make the shopping experience social. In the future, it would be fun to see eBay merge its existing app with RedLaser, creating a hybrid of Yelp, Foursquare, eBay and RedLaser. Users could scan an item, check into a store, and leave tips and reviews of the product, the store, or suggestions of places to find better deals – including deals found on the eBay marketplace. As eBay is focused on innovation, a move like this would certainly make an impact and catch the attention of its users.

eBay’s jump on mobile shopping apps shows it’s ahead of the curve when it comes to this expanding market, and its access to RedLaser’s technology should help keep it there for a while. The brand is innovating in e-commerce with mobile apps, making it easier for customers to access their services whenever and wherever they are. With few competitors – Amazon is eBay’s biggest threat right now – eBay stands a solid chance of becoming a leader in this mobile e-commerce.

Android

Android’s growth has yet to slow down, with a reported 100,000 new activations each day. A report by AdMob found Android in first place for total mobile Web and app usage. Google’s plans for its music service on the Android could give sales and usage even more of a boost. Early reports on Google Music say the search giant plans to add an official app to the Android Market allowing users access to their music on their phones, without connecting it to a computer first. Users would also be able to stream music, similar to Pandora. Android is well-positioned to help Google Music grow – with Android models available on nearly every wireless network, there’s a huge opportunity to take advantage of the existing user-base, and further target users who are joining every day.

Online Search

It’s hard to say how many search queries Google handles each day – estimates range from 235 million to as many as 3 billion. Out of all of those, searches related to music and entertainment must be a few million at the least. Imagine searching for a certain song on Google, where results would include the song’s lyrics, links to related songs and artists based on past searches, information on the artist, and a link to download or stream the song directly – all in one place. Google’s search capabilities can make this a reality.  Users would know where to turn for every bit of information they need, all in one place. Google certainly has an edge to take the music listening and search experience to a new level.

Cloud Computing

Apple has direct downloads covered, while Pandora has found success with streaming audio. Google’s commitment to cloud computing could help bring these two worlds together, and give users an incentive to take advantage of the service. Google Music would provide users access to their music on any computer, anywhere in the world. For users prone to computer problems, or who just want to protect their music, a cloud-based service would allow the perfect solution. Cloud computing is where Google would have its biggest competitive advantage, and should use it as the service’s biggest selling point.

While Google Music would definitely be in competition with iTunes, its ties to search and cloud computing would make Google Music truly unique, allowing the search giant to really create and grow its own distinct service. If Google can make its music catalog as large as those of its competitors and offer the product at a fair price, there’s no reason it shouldn’t be successful. Google’s competitive advantages will help the service take off from the start, and keep it growing from there.

Gaming

3D will be a major advancement for gaming, spurring new games, devices, and products to keep this area of entertainment thriving. The Nintendo 3DS will join Sony’s PlayStation 3 and Microsoft’s Xbox 360 in the 3D gaming trend. What has fans most excited about the 3DS is the technology itself, which doesn’t require separate 3D glasses in order to experience the special effects. Stereoscopic 3D plays “tricks” on the brain, creating separate images for each eye – what we see as a 3D effect.  PlayStation’s technology also uses stereoscopic 3D, but it will only function on a 3D television, and players will still need to wear 3D glasses while playing. Even so, 3D will take the gaming experience a step further to create a completely immersive experience. The Wii was the first step to this, and now 3D has taken it the rest of the way. As technology advances, 3D gaming could make it’s way onto other devices, like the iPhone, iPad, and home computers for even more personal entertainment consumption.

Movies

Though the use of 3D in movies isn’t new, 2009’s Avatar was the first film in a long time to really use 3D as a part of its storytelling – and it showed at the box office, with a record breaking $2 billion in ticket sales. The next big 3D movie is Toy Story 3, in theaters today. Given Disney and Pixar’s past success in animation and the appeal of the Toy Story franchise, the 3D aspect will only make it more successful. The subject matter of Toy Story 3 is a perfect platform for 3D – lots of action, with realistic subjects that will only shine more with the use of 3D and give movie-goers a more exciting and in-depth viewing experience

TVs

In March, Samsung and Sony debuted 3D televisions, geared toward heavy media consumers and gamers. Though growth has been slow – statistics show that only 6 million units will ship worldwide this year – tech enthusiasts are quick to point out that HDTV adoption took nearly 20 years, and is going strong today. HDTV’s tipping point came gradually, but exploded with growing consumer demand for the highest quality product possible; combined with a decreasing cost of the product and service, it was the perfect storm for HDTV. As costs decrease for 3D sets and consumers see a place in their lives for the product, the same is sure to happen for 3D TV as well. With entertainment options for 3D growing steadily, especially among gaming and movie selections – 3D sets are right on-trend.

PCWorld’s Melissa J. Perenson made a good point about 3D technology, writing,

“Many observers have wondered about whether we ‘need’ 3D for the ordinary stuff — newscasts, sitcoms, and the like. I’d posit that while we don’t ‘need’ it, at some point in the future, 3D will become as natural as 2D video (and still) images are for us today.”

As these options become less expensive and more widely available, curious consumers will be more likely to try these technologies in their homes. Entertainment is a huge part of our culture and economy, and in time 3D will become the norm and secure its place in our everyday lives.

Feature image by jaylopez on Stock.Xchng.

MTV isn’t a network known for laying low, so it makes sense to make the TJ campaign a very public search. Instead of opening a Twitter account and formally hiring someone to do the job behind the scenes, MTV is acting in typical fashion and going all out – capturing attention and engaging its audience in a big way. The network has already selected 18 finalists of its own — names and stats will be released in a few weeks — and is asking its audience to nominate two more. With nominations open to anyone, the list of nominees to fill the remaining two positions is growing each second (interested viewers can watch nominations happen in real-time here). Viewers will be involved in the process from the start – by nominating themselves and friends for the job, participating in online challenges, and voting for their favorite finalist. Once the winner is chosen, viewers, fans and followers can continue to interact with the TJ online – and they’ll know exactly where to find them.

The position of Twitter Jockey isn’t just for show – the winner will be put to work immediately, both on-air and off. MTV is relying on its social media guru to become the voice of the viewers. He or she will constantly interact MTV’s online audience, processing feedback from all digital channels and social networks. Using this feedback, he or she will report to MTV execs, and they’ll adjust their programming to give viewers what they want. “Twitter and Facebook enable us to make smarter decisions,” Stephen Friedman, MTV’s General Manger, told the Associated Press. “This will benefit us hopefully as much as it benefits the audience.” The Twitter Jockey’s role will also serve as a digital influencer for MTV; he or she will define the brand online, mobilize and engage the community, and continually build the brand’s digital network.

Twitter is the perfect place to find this audience, as MTV found out during its 2009 Video Music Awards with the Twitter Tracker. Along with Radian6, MTV developed its own Twitter monitoring service to track what people were tweeting about during the MTV Video Music Awards. The network could see what celebrities people were talking about in real-time, visualizing trending topics at key points during the show (not surprisingly, the Kanye West incident generated the most buzz). As more and more Gen Yers adopt Twitter and other social networks, it seems like a natural way for MTV to keep itself relevant with its audience, while also establishing its digital brand.

In the past few years, it’s become clear that reality programs have taken the place of the “Music” in “Music Television” on the network. However, MTV’s shift toward reality TV seems to be a response to the overall popularity of reality shows across all networks, and viewer’s changing interests. MTV’s adoption of Twitter and other social media networks is another response to popular culture and a new kind of reality — real-time Web. With a Twitter Jockey, the network will be able to hone in even more on what its audience wants. MTV should continue the TJ campaign year after year, as a way to continually engage its audience, keep its brand relevant and fresh, and bridge the gap between television and digital media. The network should also think about expanding into other networks like Foursquare, like Bravo has done. MTV certainly has the potential to popularize its brand in the digital era much like it did in the cable era, and the TJ campaign is a great way to start.

Prior to Caffeine, Google’s search index was only updated every 30 days, with newer results stored in a cache for later use, instead of being fully indexed. News stories and blog updates, although updated and indexed much faster than normal searches, were still a bit delayed. For regular users relying on Google for the occasional personal search, this process didn’t have much of an impact on their results. But for heavy users demanding up-to-date results, the delay could be frustrating. Caffeine is bringing Google as close to real-time search as it can, with indexing done in seconds, rather than days or months. Users will literally see results that say “Updated seconds ago,” rather than hours ago. Because of this, results will not only be as recent as possible, but more relevant to the initial search as well.

Google has taken into account the rate at which Web content is produced, and responded efficiently with Caffeine. In a post announcing the new system on the Official Google Blog, Software Engineer Carrie Grimes wrote,

“Content on the web is blossoming. It’s growing not just in size and numbers but with the advent of video, images, news and real-time updates, the average webpage is richer and more complex. In addition, people’s expectations for search are higher than they used to be. Searchers want to find the latest relevant content and publishers expect to be found the instant they publish.”

What does this mean for Google users? Overall, content won’t get buried. Because Caffeine extends to every kind of Google search, breaking news stories, new blog posts, videos, and photos will stand an equal chance of being found by users, and Caffeine will make it easier for Google to find the content. Even better, users may have entirely new results with each search – a big plus if you’re following a hot news story, or an event happening across the country.

Users won’t see any physical changes on Google, but with Caffeine in full force, we should be seeing fresher and more relevant results right now, especially in services like News and Finance. A commenter on PCWorld wrote, “As a stock trader I have to have the news quick. I have found Google to be hours behind on a lot of news.” Now with Caffeine powering results, this delay is gone. With such a drastic change in results and delivery, Google may find an upswing in users of its most active news services thanks to Caffeine’s behind-the-scenes work.

Although Google has strengths in many areas of computing, there’s no doubt its true strength is in search. Combined with other search improvements like Stars, Personalized Search, and a commitment to continually improving a user’s search experience, Google ensures its place at the top.

Surprisingly, reactions to the iPhone 4 have been somewhat negative, with many journalists and commentators pointing out major areas where the iPhone 4 is behind the curve. But are they really behind? Apple doesn’t add a new feature or enter a new market without perfecting the technology first, and all of its products are great examples of that. Apple understands it’s also about implementation and user experience, both of which the iPhone 4 delivers upon.

How well does will the iPhone 4 stack up to its competitors? These were the most discussed topics we saw among blogs, articles, and comments across the Web.

Multitasking

Despite being known for innovation, Apple is quite behind on multitasking for the iPhone. All Android-based phones have multitasking capabilities, as well as the Palm Pre and some Windows Mobile devices. When he revealed the iOS 4.0 in April, Jobs acknowledged this by saying, “We weren’t the first to this party, but we’re going to be the best.” However, Apple’s lateness may actually be a positive. When iPhone 4 is released, many other Apple devices – iPhone 3G and 3GS, iPad, and 3rd generation iPod Touch – will receive a free upgrade to iOS 4.0, allowing these devices the same benefits of multitasking support. Multitasking on the iPhone is one of the biggest changes, and one that will certainly enhance user experience.

Front-facing Camera

Unfortunately, Apple was late to the party on this feature as well. The HTC EVO, released on Monday and reportedly already sold out in many outlets, also features a front-facing camera, and a video conferencing app called Qik that runs over the Sprint network. Apple’s bundled video conferencing app, FaceTime, will only work over Wi-Fi networks. Still, it is a major feature request by customers that Apple has responded to, and will most likely see improvement as Apple continues to improve the iPhone. With this new feature a reality, we hope a front-facing camera is on its way for the next generation of the iPad.

Network

A phone can only be as strong as its network, and it’s no secret that iPhone users are becoming increasingly frustrated with AT&T. Availability on only one carrier could prove to be a roadblock in the future, as many customers would rather keep their current service and buy an iPhone competitor like the EVO or Incredible rather than switch to AT&T. Another setback is the lack of a 4G upgrade. That leaves the HTC EVO as the only 4G phone available, a feature that has the device flying off the shelves, with rumored sales of 300,000 to 600,000 units the first day on the market. How can Apple remedy the network situation? Make the iPhone available on multiple wireless networks. This could allow for better network service, a larger customer base, and 4G network availability.

Despite being a little late to the game, iPhone 4 will no doubt be another bestseller for Apple. Apple fans are likely to forgive the less-than-stellar service and lack of “firsts” for the functionality, design, and convenience of the device. The iPhone 4 won’t be the last generation of the device. As its competition continues to innovate, so too will Apple. Now, Apple just needs to keep a watchful eye on its competitors and make sure it’s now the first to arrive.

The move to sell Kindle in stores is a response to the popularity of Apple’siPad and Barnes & Noble’sNook e-reader, which has been sold in Apple stores and B&N, respectively.  stores since its debut in November 2009. Though Amazon’s Kindle is still the leader in e-readers with a rumored 1.5 million devices sold (Amazon has declined to supply exact sales figures for its e-reader). Kindle’s lack of availability in stores has put it at a disadvantage with the competition and the casual shopper. As PC World’s Jeff Bertolucci points out, “You can view the iPad’s colorful display from multiple angles, browse a Sony Reader e-book, or navigate the Nook’s clumsy interface. The Kindle? Well, a nifty online video isn’t quite the same as holding the device in your hands.” With the Kindle in stores, Amazon can entice users with an accessible user interface and concrete brand experience, just as its competitors do. For authors, a great resource for publishing on Kindle.

Previously, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos stated that the company wanted to market Kindle to its “serious reading households,” accounting for only 10 percent of Amazon’s entire market, as a whole. With Kindle now in stores, this strategy seems to be changing. While serious readers may seek out the Kindle at Target, it will also be easily accessible to more “casual” readers, most likely late adopters just now jumping in. Although Kindle has always been available online, customers who may not have known how to get it, or who are just looking for convenience, will most likely be Amazon’s biggest market at Target stores.

Until now, Amazon seemed to avoid brick-and-mortar stores for Kindle. Amazon’s original long-term strategy for the Kindle was to make it – or its technology – available on any device, negating the need for another outlet. With rising competition, Amazon sees the need to compete in the same way, and they’ve chosen the perfect partner in Target, the second largest discount retailer in the United States. With e-readers becoming more familiar to late adopters, Kindle could win these consumers over through brand recognition in stores, and digital accessibility. As long as Amazon continues its digital strategies for Kindle, it is well aligned to dominate the e-reader market for the coming years.

Set to debut in early 2011 in both 10 and 12-inch versions, the Eee Pad sports many impressive features that rival iPad is still not equipped with, including a video camera, a USB port, a separate keyboard docking station, and Flash support. The Eee Pad runs on Windows 7 OS, with a powerful Intel Core 2 Duo processor inside to give users a seamless multimedia experience. Like the iPad, the Eee Pad will also double as an e-reader. Asus chairman Jonney Shih told PCMag’s Dan Costa the Eee Pad will appeal to both media and entertainment consumers as well as those in the business world. Running a complete OS  will definitely give the Eee Pad an edge in the enterprise market, an area where the iPad is lacking.

Even with all of these features, will it be enough to take down the iPad? Asus only ranks fifth in terms of PC market share and shipment, with 5.5 percent market share – 13 percent behind leader HP. Although Asus can boast about creating the netbook, even that product isn’t doing well compared to models by HP, Dell, and Acer – currently the top three netbook manufacturers. Still, Asus could charge ahead by appealing to consumers with a preference for a PC operating system. Now that the HP Slate is scheduled to run on Palm’s WebOS instead of Windows 7, Asus may become the only provider to run a desktop OS on a tablet device.

How is the Eee Pad news fairing with the public so far? While many commenters are questioning the use of a Windows OS, the feedback is mostly favorable. One PC World commenter wrote, “Personally, I like the idea of a tablet running the software I use on my PC,” and many comments on other articles expressed a similar sentiment. However, even supporters of the Eee Pad are doubting that it will beat out the iPad. A CNET commenter wrote, “…this thing won’t stand up to the iPad . . . it will probably do more, and be cheaper, but it is not Apple endorsed, and as we all know, Apple hype is a force of its own.”

Ultimately, the success of the Eee Pad will rest on how well the device performs and lives up to its features, and how fast the company can get them into the market. If the Eee Pad debuts before the next generation of the iPad, Asus may have a chance to gain a significant market share. Asus needs an aggressive marketing campaign prior to the Eee Pad’s release, centering on the device’s desktop OS functionality. Doing so would not only give the Eee Pad a true chance to compete, but imprint Asus name in the minds of consumers, too.

Still, there are more changes many users would like to see. Comments on blogs, news articles, and other stories around the Web are full of user input and ideas of how to make Facebook privacy even better. Here’s a recap of the most discussed ideas of ways Facebook can further improve its privacy settings in the future.

Opt-in, Not Opt-out

The changes are a direct response to user feedback following the implementation of Connected Profiles and Instant Personalization, platforms that shared a user’s information to third-parties by default – with many users unaware of what was happening. Facebook’s reasoning was that users could opt-out of this, but the process of doing so was complicated. PCWorld’s Ian Paul wrote, “An opt-out model forces Facebook users to turn these new features off instead of letting them decide whether or not they want to use the new feature in the first place.” In the future, Facebook could make all new changes opt-in instead of opt-out, satisfying users and avoiding any further backlash.

Third Party Overview

Part of the appeal of Facebook is the opportunity to play games with friends, and join groups with others who share similar interests. In order to do any of these activities, users must allow third-party access to their profile, without knowing how or what that access will be used for. A commenter on Mashable brought up a good point, saying, “It’s the movement of data that we don’t see that scares us.” Facebook should lay out the terms of third-party access up front for all users, detailing what information will be used, and why. Even if users don’t read it, or don’t even care, at least those that do care will have the option of knowing.

Make Privacy a Priority

Despite the privacy debacle, Facebook shows no signs of slowing down. In November 2009, Facebook estimated its growth at a rate of nearly 500,000 each day. Of these users, how many think to set up their privacy controls before filling out their profile? Another Mashable commenter wrote, “My biggest gripe about Facebook is when you join, you really don’t get very much direction on how to control your privacy, but plenty on other stuff.” Instead of directing users on how to fill out their profile and search for friends (which are pretty self explanatory, anyway), Facebook should first direct users to privacy controls. That way, new users will know upfront what will be shared, and will also know how to get back to it in the future.

Facebook has taken a big step in responding quickly to users, and hopefully it’s a sign that they’ll continue to do so in the future. Though they still aren’t perfect, these new privacy controls should satisfy the majority of Facebook’s user base for the time being, giving Facebook even more time to tweak them and build upon even more user feedback.