Monday Morning Reads: Mobile Apps; LoTR Revisited; Funky SEO
Lots of really interesting reads in the Monday morning reading hopper this week: a look at why dictatorships would be unwise to cut Internet access; several pieces on the latest in mobile applications; a new take on the Lord of the Rings and a couple of neat videos. Enjoy.
WSJ: Smart Dictators Don’t Quash the Internet
Amidst ongoing unrest in the Middle East, the Wall Street Journal takes a look at why some regimes are shying away from shutting down the Internet in their countries.
Fast Company: Google Gives More Prominence to Social Search
Google has bumped-up the prominence of social results in its search results, making the convergence of social and search strategy all the more important.
ReadWriteWeb: This is the Creepy, Super Cool Future of Smartphones & Social Networks
I’ve been fascinated by the potential of augmented reality apps integrating with social networks, in the same way that Yelp works with real-world locations. Here, ReadWriteWeb looks at the latest innovation and briefly considers some of the implications.
Augmented reality and social collide
Mashable: HOW TO: Grow Your Sales and Revenue Using 2D Codes
2D codes (of which QR codes are a common type) are in the early stages of their evolution and use by marketers, but here are a few thought-starters to get the creative thought juices flowing.
Mashable: Text a Nearby Group of Friends With GroupMe’s New Foursquare Feature
Another Mashable story – this one on an interesting use case for Foursquare – GroupMe, which lets you text groups of nearby friends. Rudimentary but another example of how location-based services can prove valuable.
Location-based texting with GroupMe
TechCrunch: Twitter Reinstates UberSocial And Twidroyd, UberMedia iPhone Apps Still Under Review
In the latest turn in the UberTwitter tale, Twitter has reinstated several UberMedia apps, saying that steps have been taken to address the ToU violations. Among them, UberTwitter is now named UberSocial. UberTwitter users worldwide, rejoice!
Salon: Middle-earth according to Mordor
Ever wonder what Lord of the Rings was like from the perspective of the other side? Now you can find out, with this free book, available as a PDF.
The other side of Lord of the Rings
Mashable: 10 Fascinating YouTube Facts That May Surprise You
It is what it says on the tin: 10 interesting nuggets about everyone’s favourite video site. Hard to believe it was only created six years ago.
The 20: SEO Rapper Will Revolutionize Your Off-Site Meetings
SEO explained succinctly by a rapper in a garage. Enough said.
IGN: Dead Island – Announcement Trailer
Warning: Not for children or the faint-hearted. However, this is an incredible video for a video game trailer.
