Facebook to join Twitter in providing TV networks with user data

Facebook to join Twitter in providing TV networks with user data

Now that Facebook has granted broadcasters access to your public wall posts, it wants to give them even more of your data — but anonymously this time. Zuckerberg and Co. told the Wall Street Journal it’ll supply the likes of ABC, NBC, FOX and others with detailed analytics on how much buzz a show is generating in terms of likes, comments and shares. It’ll mine that info from private postings as well public ones, though it said that the data will be aggregated without revealing anyone’s identity. Of course, Twitter and Nielsen have been supplying networks with such info for a while now, but Facebook claims its results are more meaningful, since viewers must ostensibly use their real identities. One CBS exec added that Facebook’s wider demographic also seemed to jibe better with actual audience numbers, meaning that programming could become less affected by tech-savvy types and more by your mom.

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Source: WSJ

Google debuts new Zagat app for Android and iOS, redesigned website

Google debuts new Zagat app for Android and iOS, redesigned website

Sure, Mountain View slowly infused Maps with Zagat content after acquiring the brand, but now it’s revamped the outfit’s mobile apps on Android and iOS, along with its website, to boot. As you’d expect, users can wield the apps and website to find venues with searches and map-based browsing, and catch up on news and videos from the service’s editors. In this fresh incarnation, Google’s lifted a registration requirement that was previously necessary to peruse reviews online. Schmidt and Co.’s redesigned experience only covers restaurants and nightlife in nine cities, but will include hotels, shopping and other points of interest in a total of 50 US cities over the coming months. In the meantime, Zagat promises its existing ratings and reviews for spots in those markets will soon be available on the web. Hit the bordering source links below to grab the reimagined applications.

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Source: Google, Google Play, iTunes

Nielsen preparing ‘Digital Program Ratings’ pilot program to track streaming viewers

Nielsen preparing 'Digital Program Ratings' pilot program to track streaming viewers

According to the Wall Street Journal, Nielsen’s TV ratings are about to get some company, with a system that covers internet watchers. A “Nielsen Digital Program Ratings” pilot program will debut with participation from NBC, Fox, ABC, Univision, Discovery and A&E, tracking the viewership of streaming video they post on their websites. AOL (parent company of Engadget) is also reported to be participating, as the networks compare the data to their internal statistics before the ratings system gets a wider rollout. Of course, even the system they’re testing will only jump so far into the future — while it will track viewing on computers, it’s still leaving out phones and tablets. Networks want to track anywhere content is viewed — one of the issues we’ve been told they have with tech like Aereo or TWC TV — to sell ads against it, we’ll wait for more details to see if they’ll have any success extending the current model to other types of screens.

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Source: Wall Street Journal

Nielsen ratings expand definition of TV households to include internet-only viewers

The Nielsen Company has monitored TV audiences since 1950, but soon it will expand that definition from solely households with antenna, cable or satellite access, but also those that have dropped those options but still get video over the internet. Reflecting the changing times, the move was first noted by The Hollywood Reporter and confirmed later by company executives to the New York Times and LA Times. Nielsen hinted at changes two years ago when TV ownership dropped for the first time in decades, which may turn around since the new definition includes viewers with internet-connected TVs, and could go further to include viewers with just a tablet or laptop. According to senior VP Pat McDonough, that means views over services like Aereo can be counted, since they still contain advertisements, which is what broadcasters rely on the ratings for, unlike ad-free Netflix or Hulu streams with different ads. Because of that, it seems unlikely the change will boost the numbers of internet darlings like Community or Arrested Development, but we can dream, right?

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Source: The Hollywood Reporter, LA Times, NYT

Vimeo introduces content ratings for videos, keeps its platform in check

Vimeo introduces content ratings for videos, keeps its platform in check

Vimeo’s certainly made its presence felt inside multiple media-delivery mezzanines, but the video service isn’t forgetting all about the basics: its own platform. As such, Vimeo today announced some more changes to its website, which will see the introduction of a content rating system for published videos. The most recent alterations, as seen in the picture above, add an assessed rating badge to a user’s video, making it a requirement to brand any uploads as “All Audiences,” “Mature,” or “Not Yet Rated.” According to Vimeo, these content ratings are “the first step along a path that will make Vimeo more accessible to more audiences,” adding that sometimes it’s a a good idea to let folks know “if a face is going to explode or if someone is going to take their jean shorts off.”

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Source: Vimeo

Yelp adding hygiene ratings to New York and San Francisco restaurant listings

Yelp adding hygiene ratings to New York and San Francisco restaurant listings

Yelp is great for sizing up unvisited eateries, and soon some users will be able to complement review results with a side of hygiene inspection ratings. “Health Scores” will be added to listings in New York and San Francisco over the next few weeks, with Philadelphia, Boston and Chicago next in line. The most recent rating will show up on the restaurant hub, but go deeper and you’ll find a history of recent inspections, including notes on any violations. A “new open data standard” called LIVES (Local Inspector Value-entry Specification) is behind the feature, allowing local authorities to add inspection outcomes straight into Yelp. We’re sure users will appreciate the extra info when scoping out new places, or even checking up on old favorites — but they might not like what they find. One example restaurant linked in Yelp’s blog post has a Health Score of 92 out of 100, which sounds all good until you see one of the most recent violations was due to “Rodents / Roaches / Flies / Other Animals.” Tasty!

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Via: The Next Web

Source: Yelp (1), (2)

Foursquare Explore for iOS rates places by check-in popularity, doesn’t see stars

Foursquare Explore for iOS rates places by checkin popularity, doesn't see stars

Gauging the quality of a restaurant or store through star ratings is often just slightly more reliable than picking blindfolded; one undercooked stir fry may tank the ratings for what’s otherwise a stellar eatery. In that sense, Foursquare’s revamped Explore for iOS users is a long-overdue replacement for an old concept. Rather than let the overly emotional guide our decisions, the update assigns ratings from a 10-point system based on how many people check in, how many are regulars and the number of tips or likes — in short, the degree to which people actually like to visit. Imagine that. Foursquare hasn’t said when Android and other platforms will see the Explore switchover, but it shouldn’t be too long before everyone knows where the local hotspot is without a few exceptions spoiling the rule.

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Foursquare Explore for iOS rates places by check-in popularity, doesn’t see stars originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Nov 2012 21:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google announces simplified Zagat ratings, launches new application for Android

Google announces simplified Zagat ratings, launches new application for Android

Avid Zagat users may or may not tell you that the Google-owned restaurant finder service hasn’t exactly been offering the best rating system possible. With the most recent update, however, the hard-working devs from Mountain View are aiming to fix those woes, announcing that it’s now “easier than ever” to publish reviews on the platform. The new rating system, as you can see above, will let users in on a more simplified scoring method, with the ability to simply rate as “poor-fair,” “good,” “very good” or “excellent.” Meanwhile, Google also launched a revamped, free-of-charge Zagat app for Android, which brings all the features you love to both handsets and slates. You’ll find the fresh application at the Google Play link below.

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Google announces simplified Zagat ratings, launches new application for Android originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Oct 2012 17:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Zagat Ratings Are Too Confusing for Google Users [Zagat]

Google is ditching the 30-point rating system it inherited from its acquisition Zagat last year because it’s just too complicated. Instead, it will replace the confounding restaurant rating math with something a bit more straightforward. More »

Amazon patents online haggling system that keeps buyers, sellers on the up and up

Amazon patents online haggling system that keeps buyers, sellers on the up and up

Haggling is so popular that it’s virtually mandatory in some parts of the world, and yet it’s rarely an option in the online space outside of informal auctions. If Amazon ever puts its newly granted patent into practice, however, we could soon be trying for a better price without the mock drama of a face-to-face encounter. The retailer’s proposed haggling system lets buyers and sellers make offers and counteroffers until they reach a happy medium, but with the kind of honesty check we only wish we could have in person. Both buyers and sellers get ratings that would account for their flexibility, typical closing prices and how likely they are to drop a deal before it’s done — a combination that hopefully excludes the cheapskates and those who’d simply keep our wheels spinning. Even if Amazon pulls the trigger on negotiated sales, though, it’s a fairly safe bet that there won’t be any leeway on that Kindle Fire HD.

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Amazon patents online haggling system that keeps buyers, sellers on the up and up originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Oct 2012 11:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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