Netflix subscribers, here's a mashup just for you: the new Netflix InstantWatcher, an application built using the Netflix API, helps you find the titles marked "Watch Instantly" without having to browse or search through Netflix's vast online catalog. Instead, all the titles that are available for instant streaming are categorized for easy browsing right on the InstantWatcher web site.
Fennec, the mobile browser developed by Mozilla, makers of Firefox, will soon be making its way to Windows Mobile handsets. According to notes from this week's meeting posted on the Mozilla wiki, the new version is expected the first week of February and will target the HTC Touch Pro.
The iPhone. Almost perfect but not quite. Great interface, interesting apps, and that certain Apple je ne sais quoi. Yet a basic feature like copy and paste remains one of the single most requested features. Not that there haven't been attempts. But we just tested a very promising bookmarklet that allows iPhone users to copy and paste Web content to an email with two clicks. Meet iClipper.
Radar is a small but rapidly growing photo sharing site with a strong focus on mobile sharing. Radar has already developed applications for the Blackberry and T-Mobile Sidekick, as well as numerous other phones. Today, Radar also released its iPhone application (iTunes link), which is one of the better photo sharing and social networking apps we have seen for Apple's phone so far.
One of the longest-running requests for Google's web mail service Gmail has been for offline functionality. Now, finally, Gmail users will be able to type up those emails inside an airplane. Google has just announced offline Gmail support via Gmail Labs - to start with for consumers and businesses using Google Apps, but regular Gmail consumers will get it over the next couple of days. The offline feature was built using Gears, Google's offline web application API.
Qitera, one of the most interesting social bookmarking services we have seen in a long time, has just released a new version of its Firefox plugin that automatically displays search results from your Qitera bookmarks whenever you do a Google or Yahoo search. Qitera sets itself apart from other social bookmarking services by automatically saving a searchable copy of every page you bookmark. Now, thanks to this integration with Google and Yahoo, you don't even have to go to Qitera's site anymore to search your bookmarks.
How will the semantic web be monetized? How about in the form of monthly reports tracking restaurant reviews on Yelp, CitySearch and hundreds of other websites, for sale to restaurateurs for just $25 per month? That's what semweb startup BooRah is betting on with its new product, the BooRah Restaurant Reputation Report.
When we say that semantic technology has a whole lot of awesome potential, this is a fun example of what we're talking about. If it can be done for restaurants, we expect similar analysis of online sentiment can be sold for all kinds of different real-world sectors.
The Android platform might still be in its infancy, but AdMob, one of the world's largest mobile advertising marketplaces, launched its first dedicated advertising unit for Android applications today. Even though the Android platform was developed by Google, Google itself has yet to release a dedicated advertising service for Android applications. While the iPhone and iPod touch now dominate AdMob's business, the company is clearly hoping for the Android platform to gain some market share in the near future.
"Social media" was the term du jour in 2008. Consumers, companies, and marketers were all talking about it. We have social media gurus, social media startups, social media books, and social media firms. It is now common practice among corporations to hire social media strategists, assign community managers, and launch social media campaigns, all designed to tap into the power of social media.
But social media today is a pure mess: it has become a collection of countless features, tools, and applications fighting for a piece of the pie.
We have often bemoaned the demise of Muxtape, one of our favorite online mixtape services. Sadly, Muxtape had to close shop because of the inevitable RIAA takedown notices. Now, however, Muxtape is getting ready for a comeback, but alas, it won't be the same service we had come to love last year. Instead, Muxtape will only focus on hosting tapes for bands.
Justin Ouellette, Muxtape's CEO and Founder just announced a preview version of the new Muxtape, which he has seeded with songs from twelve bands, including indie favorites like of Montral.
