I'm packing up my Wacom Cintiq, some Pigma Micron markers, a whack of paper and my camera... and I'm off to the ReadWrite Real-Time Web Summiton Thursday in Mountain View. (Full disclosure: Oh, god, where to begin?)I'll be cartoon-blogging about it in not-quite-real-time (unless I wind up doing something clever with, say, UStream), and uploading doodles as fast as the wireless connection will let me.Note:this week's cartoon is in full glorious color. We spare no expense to bring you the very latest in technology here at ReadWriteWeb's cartoon corner. Think this RGB thing could catch on?SponsorThis is actually my first time in Mountain View (as opposed to throughMountain View), which has defied the odds in that it has yet to be renamed Googleville. I'm looking forward to it, having been intrigued for years by Hangar Oneat Moffett Federal Airfield, and being enough of a Google fan that the thought of being a few short blocks from their HQ quickens my pulse. (Not to mention the nanoseconds the proximity should shave off my search queries.)More Noise to Signal.The ReadWrite Real-Time Web Summitis on October 15th in Mountain View, California. It's a 1-day event bringing together some of the smartest minds doing real-time work for an industry-changing, face-to-face conversation. Registration is still open, we hope to see you there!Discuss

  We've added a bunch of great events to our guide this week. The one we're most excited about (of course) is our own ReadWrite Read-Time Web Summit, which takes place this coming Thursday in Mountain View. You can download the entire event calendarin iCal format or import it into your Google Calendar. You can also import individual events using the link beside each entry. This events guide is a weekly feature here on ReadWriteWeb. We publish it every weekend, as good a time as any to review your conference plans.Know of an event taking place that should appear here? Let us know in the comments below or contact us.Sponsor15 October 2009: Mountain View, CaliforniaThe ReadWrite Real-Time Web SummitOur month of special coverageon the real-time Web culminates with ReadWriteWeb's very first event: the ReadWrite Real-Time Web Summit, a day-long event of conversations about the real-time Web, including its current state and its pressing challenges and greatest opportunities.Topics will include:The potential and pitfalls of real-time for social networking, media, financial services, humanitarian work and political advocacy.How will ubiquitous real-time information delivery change the web in the future? What will it make possible? How will it change user expectations?How can real-time information overload be dealt with, technically and culturally?How can small organizations use the real-time web to challenge market incumbents? How can market incumbents continue to thrive in a real-time environment?Register here.22 October 2009: London, EnglandCloud Computing World ForumThe Cloud Computing World Forum is the perfect event for professionals to learn and discuss the future development and integration of cloud services. This one-day conference will provide a focused platform for the global cloud computing industry.The Cloud Computing World Forum is the place to meet all the key decision makers from all of the cloud service providers in one place. Show highlights include:Hear from leading case studies on how to integrate cloud computing into working practices,Learn from the key players offering services in the cloud,Benefit from pre-show online meeting planner,Evening networking reception.23 October 2009: Durham, North CarolinaThe Social Media Business ForumThe Social Media Business Forumwill feature national and local speakers from marketing companies, technology companies, and social networks discussing ways in which business communications have changed because of social media. Sessions will look at internal and external communications methods for both B2B and B2C companies and provide actionable takeaway items for attendees to immediately implement in their businesses. The forum targets business owners, executives, business communicators, key organizational stake holders, and anyone interested in gaining practical knowledge about social media.Early bird registration is $125 until September 18, and $250 thereafter.26 October 2009: LondonMedia140 LondonThe need for brand transparency is here. Engage your consumers and share best practices and case studies of social media engagement at Media140. With award-winning speakers from AKQA, Unilever, easyJet, BBH Labs and Innocent Drinks, we explore together what works and how to do it in this burgeoning sector of marketing strategy.The real-time Web is revolutionizing communication with consumers. By pushing products and services as soon as they become available to market and monitoring direct instant feedback on your promotions you can become head of the game.Social media tools like Twitter, Flickr and Facebook are disrupting and changing traditional media and advertising. Media140 strives to understand and progress the potential of disruptive real-time social media. Share with us at info@media140.comor @media140.Go to www.media140.com/brandsand use discount code "readwrite" for a £95 ticket.27 October 2009: San FranciscoFailConFailCon is the first of its kind and will be one of the most relevent events ever designed for entrepreneurs and startups! We're bringing major founders and investors in the online world to talk about mistakes they've made, failures they've experienced, what they learned and how they recovered. Topics will include founding team communication, design mishaps, investment mistakes, how not to build a viral app and much more! These talks will leave you inspired and excited to be an entrepreneur today and get you prepared for what lies ahead. More information is at snapsummit.com, and get 15% off your ticket by clicking here.28 – 30 October 2009: AmsterdameComm FallThe Emerging Communications Conference &Awards is the world's leading-edge event, spanning telecom, mobile and Internet-based communications. It's designed to showcase and accelerate both technology and business model innovation.There is not a migratory way for telecom operators and media outlets to the future; emergent social practice is increasingly clashing with their very structure and desires. This means unprecedented opportunity for those ahead of the curve. The emerging transformations require big thoughts and big bets. eComm the venue for those thoughts and bets to be shared and heard.ReadWriteWeb readers save 10% off general admission by using the discount code "READWRITEWEB."29 – 30 October 2009: San Francisco, CaliforniaVirtual Goods SummitThe virtual goods market has exploded as developers and publishers dive into this new opportunity. The third annual Virtual Goods Summit in October 2009 will bring together thought leaders in this space from Asia, Europe, and the US to talk about what's changed and what's working and the key challenges facing the industry. If you're active in virtual goods -- or thinking of jumping in -- the Virtual Goods Summit is a must-attend event.New for 2009 is VGS University, a half-day seminar designed to provide a comprehensive overview of how to succeed with virtual goods. Hear from experts on topics such as why virtual goods are effective and the ins and outs of managing a virtual economy. Whether you're new to virtual goods or seeking insights and lessons from the leaders, we encourage you to join us for the day and learn from some of our industry's leading-edge thinkers.ReadWriteWeb readers save 15% off general admission by registering hereusing the discount code "READWRITEWEB."2 – 5 November 2009: San FranciscoEnterprise 2.0 ConferenceThe Enterprise 2.0 Conference is the largest gathering for people ready to connect teams and harness collective intelligence with social tools and 2.0 technologies. Enterprise 2.0 includes visionary keynotes, informative sessions, case studies and an Expo Pavilion featuring the latest technologies. Register today and save 20% (code: CNGXES07) or get a free Pavilion Pass (code: CNGXES01).4 – 5 November 2009: Raleigh, North CarolinaInternet Summit 2009Internet Summit '09 will feature over 75 speakers, including representatives of major Internet brands such as Twitter, Pandora, Google, Salesforce.com, Digg, Technorati, CBS Interactive, Huffington Post, Blogger, Tree.com, and many more.Topics will include social media, blogging, real time, mobile, video, search, online advertising, e-commerce, analytics, the cloud, and more.Join over 1200 entrepreneurs, senior marketers, and executives in the conversation about the future of the industry and how to capitalize on the shifting dynamics of the Internet and tap into its unlimited business potential.5 – 6 November 2009: SydneyMedia140 Sydney: Future of Journalism in the Social Media ageNews broadcasting is evolving. Citizen journalists are coming to the fore, saving lives by tracking brush fires and changing the course of history at elections.Media140 Sydney addresses the changing face of journalism. Partnered by ABC, we bring together Australia's leading lights in journalism, broadcasting, blogging and citizen journalism. Are Twitter and the real-time Web truly shaking up traditional media?Tickets from $165. Register at www.media140.com/sydneyusing promo code "readwrite" for a 20% discount.6 – 8 November 2009: Savannah, GeorgiaGeekend 2009Geekend 2009 is an interactive conference that brings together geeks from all walks of life for three days of cutting edge speakers, expert panels, afterparties, networking and mash-up opportunities. Speaker highlights include Major Nelson of Xbox Live, renowned designer David Carson, Eric Snowden of Atlantic Records, Joey Hasty of Disney, and Matias Corea of Behance, among many others. Get your geek on and enter "RWW" for $30 off the full price weekend badge.9 – 10 November 2009: Santa Clara, CaliforniaSocial Networking World Forum — CaliforniaThis event taking place at the Santa Clara Convention Center actually consists of three conferences: two days dedicated to social networking, one day dedicated to enterprise social media, and one day dedicated to social TV. Key speakers include social networking publishers, advertising agencies, industry analysts, software developers and equipment manufacturers, pay-TV and network service providers, mobile operators, and more.Joint exhibition combining social networking and enterprise social media formatsPre-show online meeting planner for delegatesDiscount for early booking (expires September 25th)Free pass for exhibition only10 – 13 November 2009: Las VegasPubCon VegasPubCon Las Vegas is a multi-track educational conference hosted by SearchEngineWorld &WebmasterWorld. PubCon events are for thought leaders and professionals in search engine and Internet marketing to gather and to share best practices in the design, development, promotion and marketing of their Internet businesses and brands. PubCon London 2009 is a social networking event.11 – 12 November 2009: Denver, ColoradoDefrag 2009 ConferenceAs online data is growing and fragmenting at an exponential pace, individuals, groups and organizations are struggling to discover, assemble, organize, act on and gather feedback from that data. In the largest sense, we're all looking to augment the pace at which we achieve insights on raw data -- to accelerate the "A-ha" moment.Defrag explores the intersection of topics like:Business intelligenceBusiness process managementSocial computing and analyticsNext-level discoveryEnterprise 2.0Next-gen emailThe semantic Web18 – 19 November 2009: San FranciscoVentureBeat presents GreenBeatVentureBeat, the leading innovation-focused business blog, will host the seminal conference on the smart grid. GreenBeat 2009brings together the nation's 500 leading entrepreneurs, investors, utility and technology executives, policymakers and press to accelerate development of a leaner, more efficient electrical grid. With participation by Al Gore, former Vice President and Nobel Prize Winner; John Doerr of Kleiner Perkins; and industry leaders, including from Cisco, Tendril, PG&E, expect lively discussion and power networking. The program will highlight new technologies and explore the opportunities afforded by the stimulus package.Also, we'll be looking for the biggest, boldest ideas entrepreneurs have to change the way we think about, build and use the existing grid. To spotlight these ideas, we're holding an Innovation Competitionto find the best disruptors in the business. Early bird registration ends this Saturday, 10 October 2009, so get your tickets now at www.greenbeat2009.com.19 November 2009: Mountain View, CaliforniaUnder the RadarFeaturing the most cutting-edge mobile startups from around the globe, Under the Radar will get you dialed in to what the 2010 mobile innovation marketplace will look like. It's a must-attend event for dealmakers from global carriers, brands, media companies, and handset manufacturers responsible for helping their companies leverage new mobile technology and innovation in the fast-evolving digital landscape.Save $200: book by 2 October 2009, and get the early-bird rate.1 – 3 December 2009: London, EnglandOnline Information &IMS 2009Online Information and IMS together create the largest event dedicated to the information industry. Consisting of an exhibition delivering over 9,000 visitors from 70 countries, a conference and a show-floor seminar program, the event provides an annual meeting place for the global information industry.Online Information is once again set to play host to thousands of information professionals, information end-users and publishers from around the globe, meeting suppliers of online content, e-publishing, and library management solutions. IMS provides a forum for IT, business, and information management professionals to find unlimited, relevant advice, educational content and compare solutions under one roof. Attend IMS and meet suppliers of content management, search solutions, and Web 2.0 technologies.1 – 3 December 2009: Boston, MassachusettsGilbane Conference BostonJoin us at the sixth annual "Gilbane Conference Boston: Content, Collaboration and Customers."Your content is your business, and you need to make your Web content part of an integrated platform for customers. You need to know solutions and technologies that are ready to be implemented today. Gilbane Conference Boston is built around the four major areas of how enterprises use Web and content technologies:Web business and engagement;Managing collaboration and social media: internal and external;Enterprise content: searching, integrating and publishing;Content infrastructure.Visit www.gilbaneboston.comfor conference details. ReadWriteWeb readers, use the discount code "GILBANE" to save an additional $200. Register today!1 – 3 December 2009: San FranciscoSupernovaThe Supernova Conference is the thought-leadership forum for the network age. It brings together over 500 business, government and technology influencers to understand how decentralization and pervasive connectivity are changing our world. It's the only conference to focus on how networks have become the main instruments of change from both business and social perspectives.An ever-evolving network itself, the conference has become the place for highly interactive and spirited debates, making significant business connections and revelations on new innovation.ReadWriteWeb readers get a discount of $700 off the regular price when registering by 16 October 2009. Use code "RRW09". After October 16th, the discount changes to $200 off the regular price. Register here.15 – 16 March 2010: London, England2nd Annual Social Networking World Forum — LondonThe 2nd Annual Social Networking World Forum takes place at the Olympia Conference Centre in London. The two-day event features four dedicated conference streams:Social Networking World ForumEnterprise social mediaSocial TV World ForumMobile Social Networking ForumThe event features key speakers from global brands, organizations, social networking publishers and developers, pioneering social media leaders, top agencies, content producers, and more.Full workshop program within exhibition areaEvening networking receptionPre-show online meeting planner for delegatesFree pass for exhibition onlyDownloadthis entire events calendar in iCal format.Discuss

  In this edition of the Weekly Wrapup - our newsletter summarizing the top stories of the week - we continue the build-up to our first event: The ReadWrite Real-Time Web Summiton October 15th in Mountain View, California. You can register here for the low price of $270. Also this week we analyzed applications from The Internet of Things, looked into a new class of tools that surface influencers from Twitter data, questioned whether 'app addiction' is real, reviewed the latest eBook trends, and more. We also check in on our two main channels: ReadWriteEnterprise(devoted to 'enterprise 2.0' trends and products) and ReadWriteStart(dedicated to profiling startups and entrepreneurs). SponsorNext Week: The ReadWrite Real-Time Web SummitReadWriteWeb's very first event is happening this coming Thursday! The ReadWrite Real-Time Web Summitis on October 15th in Mountain View, California. It's a 1-day event that will bring together some of the smartest minds doing real-time work for an industry-changing, face-to-face conversation. In conjunction with the Summit, we'll be releasing our second original premium research report in October. Registration is still openfor the The ReadWrite Real-Time Web Summit, we hope to see you there!Web TrendsApplications From The Internet of Things - An Analysis of PachubeLast week we reported that Pachube, an open source platform enabling developers to connect sensor data to the Web, had released a real-time notifications feature. We at ReadWriteWeb think that Pachube is an excellent example of one of our Top 5 Trends of 2009: Internet of Things. So this week we explored Pachube in-depth in a 3-part series. In Part 2, we looked at what applications we can expect to see in the coming years.See also Part 3: Business Models of The Internet of Things - An Analysis of Pachube's Open Source PlatformUncovering Connections on Twitter Could Become Big BusinessIf there's a hard-to-reach person you want to meet, one of the best ways to do so is through their friends. A new class of tools intended to surface influencers and the people they are influenced by, is focusing on Twitter. Could analysis of individual behavior on Twitter become a valuable tool for business development and marketing? A growing number of startup companies are making a case that it could.Is App Addiction a Real Thing?Do you jokingly refer to yourself as an "app addict?" That is, are you someone so obsessed with your mobile phone applications that you've filled numerous screens full of apps? USA Today recently asked: "What is app addiction doing to people's health?What indeed, we wonder. How about nothing at all? Holiday Outlook for eReaders and eBooks: Even Better Than Previously ThoughtThere can be little doubt that eBook and eReaders are having a breakout year. This week, Forrester Research moved its original projection of 2 million US eReader sales in 2009 up 50%. They arguethat sales are growing much fasterthan expected because of falling prices, better retail distribution, and the media buzz that currently surrounds eBooks and eReaders.SEE MORE WEB TRENDS COVERAGE IN OUR TRENDS CATEGORYReadWriteEnterpriseOur channel ReadWriteEnterprise, devoted to 'enterprise 2.0' and using social software inside organizations. Real-Time Collaboration Has Stalled...For NowA Forrester study reports that real-time collaboration has stalled in the enterprise, due in most part to the lack of adoption in technologies such as web conferencing and instant messaging. That may be true with existing technologies but it is important to note the new generation of applications that extend real-time collaboration tools. The report covers devices, productivity, mobility, collaboration, intranet portals, and Web 2.0. ReadWriteStartOur channel ReadWriteStart, sponsored by Microsoft BizSpark, is dedicated to profiling startups and entrepreneurs.Morpheus: Y Combinator-Like Incubator in India (RWS Interview)Morpheusdescribes itself as "a gang of serial entrepreneurs and around 40 startup founders" who are "trying to make a small contribution towards India's startup revolution." The venture aims to fill the gap in early-stage financing with a decidedly hands-on approach. We spoke recently with Indus Kaitan, a Valley entrepreneur who returned to India as a Morpheus partner. Read on and listen to find out more about the early-stage scene in India.SEE MORE STARTUPS COVERAGE IN OUR READWRITESTART CHANNELWeb ProductsGmail Users Get Real-Time Updates in their Email MessagesRecently, some Gmail usersspotteda new feature in which small favicons were appearing next to certain email messages in the inbox view. The icons only appear next to commercially sent emails such as those delivered by Netflix. They indicate which messages include what Google is calling "enhanced content" - that is, real-time updates from companies contained within the body of the email messages themselves. Facebook Now Tracking Gross National Happiness; Continues Hoarding DataFacebook announced this weekthat it is tracking what it calls Gross National Happiness, based on an analysis of the positive and negative words people use when updating their Facebook status. The new index is interesting, but it's also a frustrating example of just how much value Facebook is withholding by not allowing everyone access to the anonymous, aggregated activity and conversation of more than 300 million people. Shiny, Happy Brightkite: Check Out the Site's New Look, Enhanced FeaturesLast week, we noticed some downtime for location-based web service and TechStarsgrad Brightkite. We emailed founder Brady Becker and learned that soon, his team would be rolling out a second version of the site. Read on for a glimpse of what the site now looks and feels like, as well as an exhaustive list of new features and improvements.iPhone's Flash Apps: Let the Games BeginThis week at the MAX 2009 Conference, Adobe previewed Flash Professional CS5and announced that the new release will let Flash developers export their files as iPhone apps. In the past, developers have had to create separate iPhone apps and web-based tools. The significance of this announcement is that development time for thousands of Flash-based gaming and music companies will be cut significantly. SEE MORE WEB PRODUCTS COVERAGE IN OUR PRODUCTS CATEGORYThat's a wrap for another week! Enjoy your weekend everyone.Discuss

  We promise to refrain from any cynicism about the survey results we receive. That said the surveys are sometimes misleading, looking for a public relations hit. Hope that isn't too cynical but the results of a Citibankcommissioned survey about small business use of social media makes us wonder.Citibank and GfK Roper conducted the survey. GfK Roper interviewed 500 small business people over the phone. The businesses had fewer than 100 employees. They were drawn from a database and segmented by SIC code. Segments included manufacturing/construction, transportation and communication, wholesale/retail, financial services and professional services. SponsorHere's what's frustrating. No doubt the results are accurate. It would be far more astonishing if the totals were much higher than what the survey reported. The problem is the survey results come from a much larger study commissioned by Citibank about small business and the recession. What Citibank repors about social media is just a small set of data that was part of a much larger questionnaire concerning small business and the recession. As a result, the survey has little depth about how small businesses are actually using social media. Here's an example of what the survey reported. For instance, they say that social networks are not lead generators for small businesses. Again, it is no big surprise that social media represents a smaller part of the pie. Here's what we do find interesting. The fact that small businesses are beginning to see the value of using social media for generating leads. A full 12% of the people said they use these social networks for that purpose. Using these social networks for generating leads is pretty experimental at this point. The fact that 12% are doing it at all is impressive. What this survey lacks is substance. We know that few small businesses are participating in social media. We are still in the growing phase. How does this data compare year- to-year? This survey does not have that information.What would be more interesting is a detailed look at how small business people conduct themselves online with questions that go in-depth into work habits and knowledge about social media. The reality is we see a lot of innovation in how small businesses use social media. We see it growing by leaps and bounds. Compare it year-to-year and we would expect the picture would be a bit different. The examples of how small businesses use social media are all around us. The food carts are awesome in my hometown of Portland, Or. @koifusionpdxis a Korean taco truck that tweets where it is going. They always have lines when they tweet where they are or where they plan to be. Another Korean taco truck in LA has had similar success. I could come up with dozens of other examples.We show that just so it is on the record that there is a lot of life out there in how small businesses use social media.There are so many questions that can be asked in a survey to get a far more detailed view about the market.I asked for an interview with Citibank about the survey results. No one was available today but I did get this email reply from a PR person:As the survey stats show 3/4 of small business owners are not using social media to grow their business, but the survey also shows that 24% are using it, so you are right - it is a fact that companies are starting to use it, which is great as it's a great way to grow a business. He goes on to say that the results were picked out of a far larger survey about small business and the recession. So, the survey about social media was really not even intended to be in-depth at all. Instead, they segmented the data about social media out of the larger survey and crafted a press release with a tabloid headline: "Citibank Survey Reveals Small Businesses Not Joining Social Media Conversation"It does not get much better. The press release quotes a senior executive who states:Our survey suggests that small business owners are still feeling their way into social media, particularly when it comes to using these tools to grow their businesses," said Maria Veltre, Executive Vice President of Citi's Small Business Segment. "While social media can provide additional channels to network and help grow a business, many small businesses may not have the manpower or the time required take advantage of them."Her statement reflects little understanding of social media. Yes, small businesses are still feeling their way with social media. This can also be said for some of the largest businesses in the world. Further, Veltre states that businesses may not have the manpower or the time. That does not appear to be a quantified statement, again reflecting the survey's lack of depth. In addition, the quote from Veltre makes her look like she knows little about how social media is even applied. We checked into the Citibank web site to see how they are using social media. The site does not even have an RSS feed as far as we can tell.They have no links to Twitter or Facebook. They do have a sparsely detailed Facebook fan page with 525 members. Doesn't that seem like a tiny number of people considering they are the third largest retail bank in the United States?They have almost no presence on Twitter. I thought I had found the Twitter account for the bank but I am updating with what looks like it could be the real thing. But I don't know. They have such little presence on the social web that it is hard to tell. Even so, this Twitter feed is just aggregated Google News alerts. Is that it? What a disappointment. We are told that Citibank will do a more detailed look at how small business uses social media. We sure hope so. For these results say very little about social media and its adoption in the small business market.Discuss

  When you're bootstrapping your startup from your basement suite, media relations is often the default responsibility of the non-tech cofounder. For those who haven't already navigated the emotional peaks and valleys of a PR job, the effort can be daunting. Nevertheless, when you finally get through to someone, you forge a lasting and mutually beneficial relationship. In the past few weeks a number of startup companies have asked for feedback on their pitches. Rather than getting into the gritty details, we thought we'd offer a couple of helpful tips:Sponsor1. Know Your Audience: We're not asking you to know our kid's names or stalk us on Facebook, we're asking you to know the ReadWriteWeb audience. Our readers come to us for web-related product reviews, features and trends. We generally don't write on gadgets or events, and we certainly don't cover feline toilet solutions. Figure out what the writer wants and deliver on it. If you don't hit the nail on the head the first time, then try a different angle in a couple of months. 2. Message Delivery: Try to research the best methods to send your pitches. As per our past article, ReadWriteWeb prefers to receive pitches via tips[at]readwriteweb.com. You can also send us your RSS feed and we'll keep tabs on your regular updates. 3. Embargoes: An embargo gives reporters a head start on writing an article before news is publicly released. ReadWriteWeb does everything in its power to honor embargoes; however, many bloggers openly oppose them. As a rule of thumb, get a verbal agreement to the embargo before forwarding any sensitive documents. 4. The Difference a Day Makes: Slow days are great days to offer demos and pitch company features. The ReadWriteWeb team still works on Friday mornings and Sunday nights despite the fact that few PR pros pitch us on those days. Rather than pitching at the same time as a mid-week Apple release or major acquisition, consider pitching us when you know we're looking for stories. 5. Don't Use a Template: We don't care how your pitch is formatted as long as it's interesting. You could string together a thousand buzzwords and get lumped in with your competitors or you could stand apart with a simple paragraph explanation and a link. If you pitch in a voice and style that's true to you, your passion will come through. Photo Credit: Lead - Plastic Revolver, Inset of Chris Messina- Roland TanglaoDiscuss

  Ever since AT&T filed a letter with the FCC about Google Voice's refusal to connect to certain areas, the two companies have been in a heated public battle. On the one side, AT&T takes the stance that as a carrier, Google is required to offer open access to all numbers. Nevertheless, in today's blog rebuttal, Google asserts, "Google Voice is a free web application, one intended to supplement and enhance existing phone lines, not replace them."SponsorIn addition to outlining that it is not a primary telecommunications carrier, Google points out that AT&T has hypocritically lobbied the FCC for permission to block local phone carriers. The reason both organizations want to restrict these groups is because they charge high termination rates and partner with adult hotlines and free conference calling centers to further drive traffic. Google argues that it cannot continue to operate as a free service while paying these rates. Meanwhile, AT&T asserts that while it prefers existing internet principles and does not want radical expansions under the FCC, if the Commission does choose to further regulate, "It absolutely must ensure that any such rules apply evenly - not just to network operators but also to providers of Internet applications, content and services. Anything less would be ineffective, legally suspect and, in all events, a direct repudiation of President Obama's call for a 'level playing field'."In your opinion should Google Voice be subject to the same rules that apply to AT&T or do you believe that web-based telephony groups like Skype, Google and Jajahshould fall under a separate set of regulations? Photo Credit: Aislinn RitchieDiscuss

  Best known as a site that indexes and verifies leaked documents, Wikileaks exists as a space where whistleblowers, journalists and bloggers can speak out against corruption without fear of employer or government retaliation. According to a recent article in IT World, the organization will soon offer publishers a chance to get in on the action. The group will give publishers the opportunity to embed a Wikileakssubmission form on their websites. SponsorThe idea is that users will be able to anonymously upload material, and Wikileaks will verify it. In return for embedding the form, the publisher will receive the verified documents under embargo and will be the first to publish the story. From here, Wikileaks republishes the story on its website and distributes it freely. In the past, whistleblowers like Mark Kleinhave had to act on their own to call out an injustice. By offering users an easy method for submission, Wikileaks improves the system of disclosure. Wikileaks currently offers users a chance to submit documents via secure upload, emailor mail. The organization has already published more than 1.2 million documents. Publisher-based partnerships, such as the ones that the embeddable submission form is for, are likely to improve the quality of investigative journalism, decrease instances of government corruption and re-establish a culture of ethical business. For more information on Wikileaks, visit the website at wikileaks.org, or if you've got questions, check out the Wikileaks Live Chat Room. Photo Credit: hughelectronicDiscuss

  Google Squaredlaunched to a lot of hype earlier this year, but the initial reaction from most pundits was rather negative. Squared, which gathers and displays structured data, often returned rather nonsensical results, and we would venture to guess that only a few people are actually using it now. Today, Google announcedsome updates to Squared that should make it more useful. Now, if you do a search on Squared, for example, the results will contain up to 120 facts - up from 30 in the initial release. SponsorAs Google points out, a search for US presidents, for example, initially returned a table with only five presidents and three categories. Now, however, this table includes data on 20 presidents and lists up to six attributes. Squared also now gives users the option to sort columns - a feature that was sorely lacking in the first iteration of this product.Squared is now more selective about the data it includes. And it also learns from edits and corrections that users make.New: Export Data to Google Spreadsheets and CSV FilesIn addition, Google gives users the option to export data to a Google Spreadsheet or a CSV file. This should make it a lot easier to actually do something interesting with this data. As an example, Google explains how to build a list of African countriesand then create a scatter plot that examines the relationship between GDP and literacy rate in these countries.Will You Give it a Second Try?Overall, the data that Google Squared now returns does indeed look more accurate than in earlier versions, though some results are still rather strange (to be fair, this is still a Google Labs product). We do wonder how useful a service like this really is. Are you likely to head over to Google Squared for research? Would you trust its results? Discuss

  Vimeo, one of our favoriteonline video services, just announceda number of interesting updates. In the near future, Vimeo plans to give its users the ability to use an Adobe AIR desktop toolto upload videos to the service. These videos will also play in a larger video player. In addition, Vimeo plans to introduce a more advanced stats package for users with paid accounts. SponsorAll of these updates are forthcoming, but you can already request access to the desktop uploader here.Desktop UploaderThe desktop uploader will allow Vimeo users to upload multiple videos at the same time. Users also won't have to worry about browser time-outs anymore, and the uploader will make it easy to pause and resume uploads if necessary.StatsThe new stats package will aggregate data about likes and plays, referrer data, HD vs. SD plays, loads and finishes, as well as information about how often a video was shared and downloaded. Most of these features will be available only to users with paid accounts, though some of the more basic functions will also come to Vimeo's free accounts as well. While the desktop uploader should be available fairly soon, Vimeo stated only that the advanced stats would be launched "before the end of the year."Overall, it looks like Vimeo is on the right track with these updates. The uploader is useful, but the stats are a must for a paid online video service these days. Some of Vimeo's competitors like Blipand Viddleralso offer stats, though Vimeo's new stats look to be far more in-depth than what its competitors currently offer.Discuss

  We have been hearing rumors about the Google Drive online storage service for years now. This mythical GDrive would give users the ability to easily store and access all of their files in the cloud. Lots of other services already offer this, of course, but few of them are at the center of our online lives as much as Google is. Yesterday, Google Sites, a service that lets users build their own websites without ever having to touch the HTML or CSS code, just launched an update to its unified 'insert' dialog. This dialog brings together all of your files from almost all of Google's services and looks a lot like we would imagine the GDrive to look like.SponsorEven more interesting, as Alex Chitu at the Google Operating System blogpoint out, is that you can use this linkto access the 'document picker' used in Google Sites directly - though most of the items in it are meant to be inserted somewhere else and don't open in the standalone dialog (yet?). Internally, according to Chitu, Google calls this service OnePick, though we weren't able to find any other references to this so far.What makes this dialog interesting is that this is likely the first time Google has brought all of these services together and also made it easy to search for documents across all of these services. Of course, in the context of Google Sites, it makes perfect sense to see all of these assets in one dialog, but until now you couldn't directly access Picasa's albums from Google Sites, for example.We can't be sure if this is really a harbinger of the Google Drive, but hopefully Google will bring this interface to other services like Gmail or even Google Wave.Discuss

  In a surprisingly candid poston Spotify's blog, company co-founder Daniel Ek recently shared his thoughts about where the popular streaming music company stands today and where he hopes it can go in the future. The main point of his post was to clarify that Spotify, despite being a media darling these days, is nowhere near becoming a sustainable company with a stable revenue model. However, that's their end goal, Ek says, and they're in it "for the long haul" with no intention of simply "flipping" the company after the hype reaches its crescendo. But in the meantime, the company struggles with the exorbitant per-play fees enforced by the music industry while not finding success with an ad-supported model. SponsorDon't Count on Overnight SuccessAccording to Ek, the notion of overnight success is "very misleading and actually rather harmful to any hope for long term and sustainable growth in this industry." Despite this fact, he calls out the music industry for doing just that and expecting to see business models proven "within months of inception."  That's just not how it works, he says, reminding us how iTunes was not initially the powerhouse it is today. In its first year, the company missed its revenue targets by 30% and most label executives doubted its staying power at the time. While Ek realizes that comparing iTunes to Spotify is wrong given the very different business models for each company, it does prove the overall point: success in this industry takes time.Spotify, which is currently hugely popular in Europe, has yet to launch in the U.S. due to contract negotiations over licensing agreements. However, as popular as the service is, it still has a long way to go in terms of both product and monetization. Ek acknowledges that one thing which needs to be addressed is how difficult it is for Spotify users to actually buythe music they're listening to. Yet despite the fact that nearly 80% of the company's users are unaware that they can purchase the tunes they're hearing, Spotify is still one of the biggest affiliates to music downloads. Another challenge facing the company is how to earn a profit considering the large costs of licensing the music it plays... especially when reliant on an ad-supported model.(Spotify offers multiple service levels, one being ad-supported. It also offers subscriptions.)Earlier this year, another streaming service, Last.fm, had to do away withits ad-supported model for the same reason. The Music Industry Needs to ChangeIf it was up to Spotify, the music industry would be embracing the future instead of constantly fighting against it. Ek says that in order for the industry to find success, it needs to realize that the new business model is "a mix between ad-supported music, downloads, subscriptions, merchandising and ticketing where the user comes first and where the key to monetization comes from portability and packaging access rights." If willing to adapt, the music industry could then have the potential to become a $40-50 billion industry and one that could grow stronger than it ever was. Until that time, it looks like Spotify has a long road ahead of it, but it's good to know that it is up for the challenge. "We aren't interested in just trying to hype the company and then flipping it," Ek says. "We are in this for the long haul."Discuss

  Researchers at Kaspersky Labhave recorded a mass mailing of spam emails containing a link to a video advertisement on YouTube. Although in the past, spammers have attempted to lure people into clicking links by claiming the link would display a YouTube video, this is the first case in which the link actually does point to YouTube. In this particular incident, the video in question is a Russian ad promoting industrial real estate. SponsorTwo years ago, Kaspersky Lab predicted that YouTube would eventually become a vector for disseminating spam due to its worldwide popularity. However, this is the first time the video-sharing site has been used in this way as far as the researchers can tell.Says Darya Gudkova, Head of Content Analysis & Research at Kaspersky Lab, "naturally, this type of advertising is more interesting and gets more hits." That's bad news for YouTube because when something works, spammers keep at it... with a vengeance. Once word gets around that video spam is more successful than traditional methods, there's no doubt that it will only increase. How Would YouTube Handle Video Spam?So what will YouTube do if video spam becomes a real problem on its network? We would like to think that it would take the offending content down, but that could be easier said than done. After all, this isn't like the copyrighted content that their Content Identificationtool can easily identify and remove. That tool works by comparing unique signatures somewhat like a digital "fingerprint" from a content owner's copyrighted file to user uploads across the site. Then, if a match occurs, the copyright holder has the option to have the video taken down.Identifying a spammer's video would be much harder. Just because someone is using YouTube to sell something, that doesn't necessarily mean it's video "spam." That moniker should only be reserved for videos which are truly undesirable messages where fraudulent activities are underway. The question is, how would YouTube know? Assuming that video spam takes off, the best thing the site could do to police online content is to include a "report spam" button for videos themselves, as it now has for video comments only.  Of course, for potential victims of video spam, the best thing is not to get duped into visiting YouTube in the first place. Spam filters will simply have to adapt to this new technique. Unfortunately, that will be yet another challenge for Google, which, in addition to owning YouTube, also offersa feature in its webmail product Gmailthat automatically embeds any YouTube videos referenced in the email directly in the message itself. That makes it even more convenient for video spammers, who wouldn't have to convince their victims to leave their inbox and launch a new browser window: just click a button on the video embedded below. Discuss

  Now that Ray Ozzie has stepped into the ring with the news that Microsoft is launching a full-on social lab, it's clear that the Enterprise 2.0 movement is moving into a new phase. Now comes the question of what effect Microsoft will have on the way Enterprise 2.0 evolves and what roles the players that are early to the game will play in its future.SponsorOzzie is Microsoft's chief architect and one of the most respected people in tech circles. Lillian Chengwill lead the Future Social Experiences (FUSE) Labs and report to Ozzie. Cheng is a luminary in her own right, leading a number of research efforts for Microsoft, including the Vista UI.FUSE will combine three labs: The Creative Systems Group, which has been led by Cheng, and the Rich Media Labs and Startup Labs, now commandeered by Ray Ozzie. In an email to Microsoft employees this week, the message was pretty clear about the direction the company will take with its technology development. In essence, the tea leaves say that pretty much every product at Microsoft will include social or sharing features. FUSE will serve as a resource for the product groups. In Ozzie's words:Myriad scenarios involving the notion of 'social' have now gone far beyond communications and collaboration and are transforming experiences that are key to our customers and key to our business, in leisure &entertainment; productivity &teamwork; experiences extending how we use the OS itself. The three groups being combined have concrete skills and code in areas where 'social' meets sharing; where 'social' meets real-time; where 'social' meets media; where 'social' meets search; where 'social' meets the cloud plus three screens and a world of devices.FUSE Labs will bring more coherence and capability to those advanced development projects where they're already actively collaborating with product groups to help them succeed with 'leapfrog' efforts. Working closely with (Microsoft Research) and across our divisions, the lab will prioritize efforts where its capabilities can be applied to areas where the company's extant missions, structures, tempo or risk might otherwise cause us to miss a material threat or opportunity.Microsoft's apparent deep commitment will create a rising tide for the Enterprise 2.0 movement, which is already in full swing. A number of best-in-breed applications are being used by business people. Microsoft's high-profile commitment will further fuel interest in these applications.Part of this is just the natural order that is taking place. Corporations have historically relied on document-based systems such as Sharepoint. Web pages reflect the next extension, but they, too, are essentially a form of a document. Enterprise 2.0 is forcing a change by fitting social layers that surface information from traditional data silos. That shows no sign of slowing down. FUSE will push the effort forward in its work with the product groups. It will be a wholly different kind of approach that has its roots in IT more than in the business departments. A Different Development BurdenMicrosoft faces a different developmental burden than what faces the young best-of-breed companies that are building social applications for their business customers.These companies are building products from scratch that they can quickly change without worrying about software upgrades. Their products will continue to fill a gap for the business manager. This means that the Enterprise 2.0 movement will see a dual form of growth, both from business and IT departments.How Will The Customer Fare?Perhaps more interesting will be the changing dynamics for Microsoft customers. I spoke with Tim Young, CEO of Socialcastabout this topic. The advantage of social technologies is their ease of use and how they fit into a line of business. Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) tools can be treated as an expense. They perform a service. Business users like that model. The applications are easy to use and affordable. They do not require an IT team to put in place.Business users have been free to use these technologies at will. They have been pretty much ignored by the IT Department. But recently, Microsoft has been pressuring their IT contacts to upgrade to Sharepoint 2010. People we speak to say that IT is now starting to ask business users about the social technologies they are using. IT is skeptical to some extent. They have relationships with Microsoft that are important to maintain.But unlike in the past, business users are the early technology adopters and hold a bit of power. They have started using social technologies and are not looking back. They have crossed the chasm and are looking to employ these applications even more. The news from Microsoft just proves that the social enterprise is here to stay. Microsoft is not in such a bad space. Companies are still heavily reliant on spreadsheets and email. Documents remain the crown jewels of the organization. Their social offering only stands to improve with FUSE now in place. Several companies, like Jive Software, are integrating their products with Sharepoint, providing an edge they previously did not have.We expect Microsoft will play a heavy hand in how Enterprise 2.0 evolves. But the foundation has already been established to some extent without them. They have their own allies in the enterprise. Now it's just a question of how fast the culture shifts.Discuss

  YouTube is throwing a bone to content creators who have questions about how to do online video right.The mega-video site is partnering with Videomaker magazineto offer free webinars on topics of interest to the would-be iJustinesand Ask A Ninjasof the world. Topics will cover how to shop for a video camera, microphone techniques, lighting and all the basics of shooting palatable online video content.SponsorWe've found out the hard waythat shooting video for the Internet can yield mixed results, and the smallest mistakes while the camera is rolling can lead to huge failures once the video is live online.Because different content creators struggle with different elements of online video, YouTube is asking users to voteon which topics the first webinar should cover. Options include shopping for a camcorder, button basics, lighting and filtering, microphone techniques, the art of composition and handheld camera techniques. Users can also submittheir own ideas and discuss common issues.The first webinar is scheduled to take place October 27, 2009, at 2 pm Pacific Time/5 pm Eastern Time. The webinar will last for one hour, and interested parties can register here.As we already know, one of the best ways to avoid the brutality that is YouTube comments (which were recently voted the worst thing on the Internet, we will have you know) is to shoot high-quality video content. Even with inexpensive equipment and no formal filmic education, many YouTube heroes have learned to generate stellar videos. All it takes is practice and a few hints from folks who know. Props to YouTube for giving its users a little nudge in the right direction.And if you can't make time for the webinar, just watch this very serious and detailed tutorial on video blogging from Justine Ezarik:Discuss