On Twitter, Facebook, and dozens of other social sites, normal consumers often choose to keep tabs on the brands they love. In fact, many brands have highly optimized their marketing and PR strategies to accommodate that behavior, even going to far as to do one-to-one CRM (that’s customer or consumer relationship management ) through avenues such as Facebook and Twitter. As social CRM specialists Get Satisfaction found, many consumers who follow brands online are only in it for the perks. Around 40% of Facebook, MySpace and Twitter users in a recent study said they followed brands to get access to discounts and special deals. SEE ALSO: The Biggest Brands on Facebook [INFOGRAPHIC] Another common response in the same survey indicated that many consumers will follow a brand if they are current customers. And creating interesting, entertaining content online is another great way for brands to earn followers and fans on social services. Check out this infographic from Get Satisfaction and design shop Column Five for more details on why and how ordinary folks follow brands online. Click image to see full-size version. [ source: Get Satisfaction blog ] Top image courtesy of iStockphoto user Ridofranz . More About: brands , get satisfaction , infographic , MARKETING For more Business & Marketing coverage: Follow Mashable Business & Marketing on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Business & Marketing channel Download our free apps for Android , Mac , iPhone and iPad
The rumor mill has been churning Monday afternoon with reports that Twitter is working on its own photo-sharing service that would compete with the likes of Twitpic and Yfrog . TechCrunch first reported the tip, citing multiple unnamed sources, Monday afternoon.
A collection of console emulators, including N64oid, Nesoid and Snesoid, have been removed from the Android Market . HotHardware and Engadget both report that the -oid series developer, Yong Zhang, has also lost his Android Market developer account. Although emulators have cleared various legal challenges in the past, most commercial application stores — including Apple’s App Store — ban emulators unless the packaged ROMs are specifically licensed. Until recently, Google has seemingly turned a blind eye toward emulators, allowing users to sell emulators for virtually every classic console or old-school PC platform. That started to change in April, when Google removed the PSX4Droid emulator from the Android Market . The removal of PSX4Droid from the Android Market was suspect, especially given Sony’s announcement of the Xperia Play Android phone, which can download and play many classic PlayStation One games. In the case of -oid series, the decision to remove the apps purportedly came after game maker (and console maker of old) Sega filed a complaint with Google. Presumably, Sega is upset that the emulators allow users who have illegally obtained ROM files for its games to play those games on their Android smartphones or tablets. In response, the -oid developer has made its emulators available on the third-party Android market, SlideME and is making the apps free to download for now — so that users won’t have to worry about paying for an app twice
The number of adults in the U.S. who make phone calls over the Internet has risen exponentially in recent years.
Each Monday, Mashable highlights an exclusive new video or song. Check out all our Music Monday picks . If American Psycho ‘s Patrick Bateman were to direct a music video, well, then you would have the new vid for UNKLE and Nick Cave’s collaboration, “Money and Run.” Never you fear, the above video — directed by Tom Haines — isn’t wholly X-rated (it’s more like the edited-for-TV version of American Psycho than the director’s cut), it’s just straight-up ominous and disturbing
THQ has found a way to glom on to Zynga ’s popular “-Ville” franchises without impinging on any copyrights with a new social game, Margaritaville Online . The game, “inspired by the lifestyle of author and singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett,” according to a THQ release , and based on the 1977 hit song, will hit Facebook and iOS devices this fall. The release describes the game as “an immersive 3D paradise, filled with frozen concoctions, music and adventure.” The game’s introduction comes after Zynga has had a slew of successes with FarmVille, CityVille, FrontierVille and, most recently, RewardVille .
NASA’s space shuttle Endeavour undocked from the International Space Station at 11:55 p.m. ET Sunday, embarking on its last voyage toward home. After undocking, Endeavour flew around the station at distances of about 450 to 650 feet, with crew members taking videos and photos of the station. During the flyaround, the Endeavour crew conducted a series of tests called STORRM (Sensor Test for Orion Relative Navigation Risk Mitigation) which will make docking to the ISS easier for future spaceships. The Endeavour will spend another two days in orbit until it lands at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday, June 1. See our choice of some of the most interesting photos from Endeavour’s last voyage below, and check out a more extensive gallery over at NASA’s official site . Endeavour's final voyage Endeavour's final voyage Endeavour's final voyage Endeavour's final voyage Endeavour's final voyage Endeavour's final voyage Endeavour's final voyage Endeavour's final voyage Endeavour's final voyage Endeavour's final voyage Endeavour's final voyage Endeavour's final voyage [via NASA , Space.com ] More About: endeavour , shuttle , space For more Tech & Gadgets coverage: Follow Mashable Tech & Gadgets on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Tech & Gadgets channel Download our free apps for Android , Mac , iPhone and iPad
Are you one of those folks who like the idea of a smartphone camera, but think they still have ways to go before they can replace even a simple point-and-click standalone camera? An upcoming, unnamed smartphone from HTC might change your mind. Unearthed via Twitter by Mobile-Review ‘s Eldar Murtazin, the device is a Windows Phone 7-based smartphone with a 12-megapixel camera that also supports shooting in RAW mode, a feature many photo enthusiasts will find useful. A 12-megapixel camera in a smartphone is not unheard of – Nokia N8 has one – but it’s definitely a first in the world of Windows Phone 7 devices
The Apple-Samsung patent infringement lawsuit is heating up: Samsung’s lawyers have filed a motion for Apple to provide them with a sample of the next generation iPhone and iPad. Since Apple keeps very tight wraps around all its upcoming products, it’s highly unlikely that the company will comply with this request, at least without a fight. However, recently Samsung was ordered by a judge to give Apple samples of its yet unreleased tablets and smartphones, including the Galaxy S2 and the Galaxy Tab 10.1. Add to that the fact that Samsung has also filed a countersuit against Apple citing several patent infringements, and suddenly Samsung’s claims don’t seem that far-fetched.
Sunday was Indy 500 day, and our thoughts turned to fast cars, the latest automotive tech, the 100th anniversary of the Indianapolis 500, and … world-record truck jumping? That’s what happened at turn 4 of the Indianapolis 500 race track, when stunt driver and Top Gear star Tanner Faust warmed up the crowd by setting a new jumping distance world record for a 4-wheeled vehicle. Driving down a huge ramp designed look like a Hot Wheels “V-Drop” track as part of a “Fearless at the 500″ promotion, Faust picked up enough speed to launch his specially modified “Pro 2″ truck a world-record 332 feet. That was more than enough to beat the previous record of 301 feet. Until the day of the jump, Faust’s identity was kept secret. He’d been practicing for months — he tells his story in this video, revealed for the first time on Sunday: And the video teaser that led up to the jump: More About: cars , Indianapolis 500 , indy 500 2011 , indy 500 truck jump 2011 , jump , Memorial Day weekend , Tanner Faust , trending , truck jump 2011 , video For more Tech & Gadgets coverage: Follow Mashable Tech & Gadgets on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Tech & Gadgets channel Download our free apps for Android , Mac , iPhone and iPad