Facebook Places To Change Status Updates Forever

The idea behind Facebook places is relatively simple; when you are at a location and surfing Facebook with your mobile device, the feature allows you to tag the location that you are in based on GPS tracking through your mobile device. The feature is one of a number of different similar products that have surfaced in recent years that are likely based on the model that FourSquare created.

The service allows you to announce where you are and give more relevance to your status updates. Instead of just announcing who you are watching perform and how great the concert is, Facebook places allows you to tell your friends exactly where you are, and what venue they are playing at.

Another use for the feature would be to announce where you are when you find a great deal. Obviously, retailers are drooling at the idea of Facebook users announcing huge sales at different department stores. Users will also be able to give their friends an idea of when they are in the same area, and make it easier for them to meet up.

The possibilities are endless with Facebook places. Although a number of similar products were already on the market when places launched, it appears that Facebook has cornered the market as far as Facebook users go. At this time the usage of the feature is relatively low, but Facebook undoubtedly plans to expand it over time as more users learn how to use the feature, and figure out its different uses.

Facebook Places To Change Status Updates Forever

The idea behind Facebook places is relatively simple; when you are at a location and surfing Facebook with your mobile device, the feature allows you to tag the location that you are in based on GPS tracking through your mobile device. The feature is one of a number of different similar products that have surfaced in recent years that are likely based on the model that FourSquare created.

The service allows you to announce where you are and give more relevance to your status updates. Instead of just announcing who you are watching perform and how great the concert is, Facebook places allows you to tell your friends exactly where you are, and what venue they are playing at.

Another use for the feature would be to announce where you are when you find a great deal. Obviously, retailers are drooling at the idea of Facebook users announcing huge sales at different department stores. Users will also be able to give their friends an idea of when they are in the same area, and make it easier for them to meet up.

The possibilities are endless with Facebook places. Although a number of similar products were already on the market when places launched, it appears that Facebook has cornered the market as far as Facebook users go. At this time the usage of the feature is relatively low, but Facebook undoubtedly plans to expand it over time as more users learn how to use the feature, and figure out its different uses.

Facebook updates mobile platform, says 'no' to rumored phone

Computerworld - If you were one of the many people hoping for a Facebook phone, sorry. That's not happening.

That was the first announcement from Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg at the social network's much anticipated mobile news conference today at the company's headquarters in Palo Alto, Calif.
"There's been this rumor going around that Facebook is going to build a phone. Ah, no," said Zuckerberg, stressing that the company wants to make mobile phones far more social.
With that rumor out of the way, Zuckerberg went on to say that the company is unveiling features for mobile software for Android devices, giving them single sign-on and making it easier for users to share their locations. And iPhone users are going to be getting some new "Deals" from businesses.
Facebook already has an iPhone app, although caused a bit of a stir when he was asked why it didn't offer any mobile apps for Apple's iPad. Simply put, Zuckerberg doesn't think the iPad is a mobile device.
"The iPad's not mobile. It's a computer," he explained, drawing gasps and laughter from the audience on hand for the event. When someone told him that Apple would disagree, he added, "Well, sorry."
Several minutes later, Zuckerberg jumped back into the conversation to add that he didn't mean to offend Apple and that a lot of people working at Facebook use Apple devices.
After that he tried to keep the focus on the day's announcements.
The new single sign-on feature is designed to enable a user's Facebook account to give them access to any third-party application that works with it. Zuckerberg said the feature is designed to make it easier and faster to use any smartphone social app by reducing the number of times users have to type in their username and password on tiny keyboards.
Facebook today also unveiled Places and Groups for the Android platform.
The Places feature allows Android users to let their friends know what restaurants, clubs, museums or theaters they're visiting. And Android users now can access their favorite groups from their phone.
The social network also is helping businesses build new or better customer relationships.
Facebook announced a new feature for the iPhone called Deals, which allows businesses to offer mobile users deals -- but only when they check into their place on Facebook. For now, the feature is only available in the U.S., although the company hopes to expand that to other countries soon.
The restaurant Chipotle will be offering Facebook users two entrees for the price of one. JCPenney is giving them $10 off every $50 purchase. And Gap is giving free jeans to the first 10,000 customers.

Facebook updates mobile platform, says 'no' to rumored phone

Computerworld - If you were one of the many people hoping for a Facebook phone, sorry. That's not happening.

That was the first announcement from Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg at the social network's much anticipated mobile news conference today at the company's headquarters in Palo Alto, Calif.
"There's been this rumor going around that Facebook is going to build a phone. Ah, no," said Zuckerberg, stressing that the company wants to make mobile phones far more social.
With that rumor out of the way, Zuckerberg went on to say that the company is unveiling features for mobile software for Android devices, giving them single sign-on and making it easier for users to share their locations. And iPhone users are going to be getting some new "Deals" from businesses.
Facebook already has an iPhone app, although caused a bit of a stir when he was asked why it didn't offer any mobile apps for Apple's iPad. Simply put, Zuckerberg doesn't think the iPad is a mobile device.
"The iPad's not mobile. It's a computer," he explained, drawing gasps and laughter from the audience on hand for the event. When someone told him that Apple would disagree, he added, "Well, sorry."
Several minutes later, Zuckerberg jumped back into the conversation to add that he didn't mean to offend Apple and that a lot of people working at Facebook use Apple devices.
After that he tried to keep the focus on the day's announcements.
The new single sign-on feature is designed to enable a user's Facebook account to give them access to any third-party application that works with it. Zuckerberg said the feature is designed to make it easier and faster to use any smartphone social app by reducing the number of times users have to type in their username and password on tiny keyboards.
Facebook today also unveiled Places and Groups for the Android platform.
The Places feature allows Android users to let their friends know what restaurants, clubs, museums or theaters they're visiting. And Android users now can access their favorite groups from their phone.
The social network also is helping businesses build new or better customer relationships.
Facebook announced a new feature for the iPhone called Deals, which allows businesses to offer mobile users deals -- but only when they check into their place on Facebook. For now, the feature is only available in the U.S., although the company hopes to expand that to other countries soon.
The restaurant Chipotle will be offering Facebook users two entrees for the price of one. JCPenney is giving them $10 off every $50 purchase. And Gap is giving free jeans to the first 10,000 customers.

The Socialite Network: UK's Queen joins Facebook

LONDON
Britain's royal household says Queen Elizabeth II is launching her own fan page on Facebook.
The 84-year-old British monarch will be featured in videos, photos and news updates on the site, her office said on Sunday.
Users will be able send messages to Buckingham Palace, and leave comments on the Queen's pages.
Britain's court circular, the official daily record of the royal family's engagements, will also be featured on the site. The daily circular -- which lists the previous day's diary appointments -- was created by George III in 1803 after he became frustrated at inaccurate newspaper reports.
Britain's royal family already has an account on the Flickr photography website, joined Twitter in 2009 and set up a video channel on YouTube in 2007.

The Socialite Network: UK's Queen joins Facebook

LONDON
Britain's royal household says Queen Elizabeth II is launching her own fan page on Facebook.
The 84-year-old British monarch will be featured in videos, photos and news updates on the site, her office said on Sunday.
Users will be able send messages to Buckingham Palace, and leave comments on the Queen's pages.
Britain's court circular, the official daily record of the royal family's engagements, will also be featured on the site. The daily circular -- which lists the previous day's diary appointments -- was created by George III in 1803 after he became frustrated at inaccurate newspaper reports.
Britain's royal family already has an account on the Flickr photography website, joined Twitter in 2009 and set up a video channel on YouTube in 2007.

U.S. cannot impose itself on Indo-Pak dialogue: Obama

The Hindu U.S. President Barack Obama during an interaction with the students of St. Xavier's College in Mumbai on Sunday. He expressed hope that over time, trust develops between India and Pakistan and dialogue begins perhaps on “less controversial issues building upto more controversial issues“. 

President Barack Obama on Sunday made it clear that the United States “cannot impose” itself on Indo-Pak relations and called for a “military response” in a "significant ongoing way” against those who perpetrated terror attacks in Mumbai and New York.

Mr. Obama avoided any reference to Kashmir but, endorsing India’s stand, said that less contentious issues should be taken up first in an Indo-Pak dialogue process.

India has been persistently suggesting to Pakistan that less contentious issues could be taken up for bilateral talks before the two countries move on to discussing thorny issues like Kashmir.

Interacting with students of St Xaviers College here in a typical U.S. town-hall style meeting for nearly an hour, Mr. Obama expressed hope that over time, trust develops between India and Pakistan and dialogue begins perhaps on “less controversial issues building upto more controversial issues“.

He said the progress made by Pakistan in fighting terrorism was not quick as “we would like” and asserted that they were working with Islamabad to eradicate extremism which is a “cancer” that has the potential to engulf the entire country.

“There are going to be some elements in that are affiliated to the Taliban, that are also affiliated to the al-Qaeda or LeT. These are the organisations, these extremists, they are irreconcilable. They will be there and there will need to be a military response to those who would perpetrate the kind of violence that we saw here in Mumbai in a significant, ongoing way or the kind of one we saw in 9/11 in New york city,” he said.

Mr. Obama also observed that it would surprise Indians when he says this that it is in India’s interest that Pakistan remains “peaceful, stable and prosperous” and that the US will work with Islamabad to reject extremism which is a “cancer” which threatens to engulf it.

The U.S. President made these comments when a girl student asked why Pakistan was not being declared a terrorist state by the U.S. Mr. Obama reacted that it was a good question and said, “I must admit that I was expecting it“.

“India and Pakistan can prosper and live side by side, this will not happen tomorrow but needs to be the ultimate goal. The US can be a partner but cannot impose this process. India and Pakistan have their own understanding,” he said.