Source: besttechInfo.com

A rumour that spread like wildfire across the web a month ago has now metamorphosed into a big, exciting News butterfly. Facebook is on a journey to take on the might of Apple and Google in the mobile market, much like Leonidas and his 299 fellow under-dressed men.

Project Spartan, as it is known, is Facebook’s plan to develop their own new App Store; think iTunes but through Facebook. While not too much has been said yet (Spartans are men of action, not words) it is not too difficult to imagine what the project could lead to.

This will allow for e.g. making better use of some features like Facebook Credits for sales, in-app purchases and thus making more profit.  It is a clever battle-plan which the Financial Times and Playboy have already kicked off.

Apparently about 80 outside developers and companies (including Farmville and The Huffington Post) are contributing to the project, and we also know now that Apple is giving a certain level of support.

This effort from Facebook to bring a whole new experience to the iOS devices is something to celebrate. It would be nice to see this new platform being spread through other mobile devices, let’s say… Android OS for instance!
It may very well push developers and the rest of the industry to have more interest in HTML5 and CSS3 features, pushing forward new web standards.

source: Slashgear.com

The exciting news for our clients however is that it is a new contender in the app market with Facebook’s 750-million users behind the top brand.

Thought Den’s experience with the technology, HTML5 and Javascript will allow our clients pretty much instant entry to the service.

Now less talk about the naked men fighting please!

Just prepping’ ours SEO for Google Instant, proper post on Monday promise!

For a while now the store has caused a majority of app developers some real financial tension and many others, a few thousand pieces of gold.

It’s been long said that squeezing your app onto the magical front page will mean nothing but riches and virgins could be thrown at you. And for those stuck on page 2, much like a ‘nearly there SEO strategy’, it’s not quite good enough to line your pocket with digital squilla.

So with the iTunes9, will the mythical stories of app developers buying small islands and amassing coding armies be a thing of folk tales album 2009 ($7.99)? Will a proper and better displaying of app products lead to more spread in consumer purchasing.

Well I suppose I should stop writing and install it then!

The story focuses on the recent abuse the NHS has recevied from right-wing American policy wonks attempting to derail Obama’s health reforms. Mr Course chipped into the Twitter hashtag debate (#welovethenhs) with his own heart-warming story from the NHS operating theatre. With fond memories of  being lovingly nurtured back to good health in the bosom of our revered state-funded health system, he recounts in 140 characters the unfortunate lead-up to his injury. Needless to say he won’t be toe-punting any table legs in the near future. Or missing any more snowboarding trips, we hope…

- Work on our iPhones
- Allow us to shuffle from every playlist I’ve made
- Look at a track we like already and recommend  more
- Personally, I’ve been going like a fat kid in a blind man’s sweet shop. Every album I see on a search is added to the playlists. But now there’s a huge really rubbish text-list of music. Give me Horizontal space and graphics!
- Bring back the whistling Direct gov and the Energy Saving Trust ads

So basically make it more like a free iTunes… please

Online gaming – loads o’ press

Mobile Pie let us in on a cool site they’ve been ‘researching’ recently, it’s called ImInLikeWithYou which is a painfully addictive social on-line gaming site. It’s got a really simple suite of games, keeps you updated with who’s playing now, and the barrier to entry for playing is so low, you’re going to follow the link and not come back for hours. Interestingly and obviously they’ve just close 1.5million of investment to advance the online gaming cause!

PeaceMaker – play the news

All the boys have played games where we fight in WWII battles against the baddies and we’re all used to playing history, but what about a game that let’s you control a conflict which is much closer to our time. PeaceMaker allows us to play the Israeli & Palestinian government

“PeaceMaker challenges you to succeed as a leader where others have failed. Experience the joy of bringing peace to the Middle East or the agony of plunging the region into disaster. PeaceMaker will test your skills, assumptions and prior knowledge. Play it and you will never read the news the same way again.”

Sounds good dunnit!

Real physical stuff off Facebook – not just a gif!

Hippopost have started allowing users to send free personalised postcards to anyone they want! They offer to pay the postage and send it for you, but how’s it free? It’s clearly being paid for with a big shiny advert getting included on every card sent, also I wonder if they have a cheeky tick-box for adding you to a 3rd party mailling list?