MegaStarMedia.com » Social Networks

E-books have hit the mainstream

megastarmedia — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 02:29:45 +0000

E-books have hit the mainstream, and for the first time are consistently outselling their pulp-and-ink brethren, according to Amazon.com.

Amazon hit a symbolic milestone last holiday season, when for one day its sales of e-books exceeded the number of dead-tree books it had sold.

Now the company has hit a more significant milestone, selling 143 e-books for every 100 hardcover books sold over the course of the second quarter. The rate is accelerating: For the past month, Amazon sold 180 e-books for every 100 hardcovers, and it sold three times as many e-books in the first six months of this year as it did in the first half of 2009.

Amazon’s Kindle bookstore now offers more than 630,000 books, Amazon says, plus 1.8 million free, out-of-copyright titles.

http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2010/07/amazon-more-e-books-than-hardcovers/

Read More http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2010/07/amazon-more-e-books-than-hardcovers/#ixzz0uHQJ9ScG

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megastarmedia — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 03:21:41 +0000

Tools ‹ MegaStarMedia.com — WordPress.

I need more money or more love?

megastarmedia — Tue, 11 May 2010 17:15:08 +0000

VOTEDTHEBESTEMAILOFTHISYEAR

Voted best email of the year power pointSocial responsibilities

What is the meaning of life? Be happy? Do what you love? Make our world a better place?

How do we do this while keeping our economy strong?
How do we teach our children the belief of self worth?

Having the latest and the greatest is not the secret to life or the answer to any of the above questions.
a dear friend shared this power point presentation this morning… i want to pass it on to you.
Be greatful and thankful for the love you have in your life and find a way even if small to you…to share that same love with others and remind them what is important.
Real relationships that are loving and fun. not stuff.
love and light
Feel free to share on Facebook, Twitter and any other site…the more the better
spread some good karma love

VOTEDTHEBESTEMAILOFTHISYEAR<

One way i am helping is by donating a percentage to Kiva.org teaching them to start their own businesses and take care of their families.

Kiva Small Business Loans

sandy

Startup lands $107M

megastarmedia — Thu, 06 May 2010 19:45:51 +0000

The Founders Fund lands $107M
Peter Thiel and crew closed their third fund, according to an SEC filing Wednesday.Financial trends and news by Matt Bowman
May 6, 2010

The Founders Fund is one of the more interesting tech investment funds, and not just because it’s tied up with Peter Thiel and the PayPal mafia, nor just because Thiel is an investor in Vator.tv. Nor because angel partner Dave McClure will be one of our judges at Vator Splash next week.

The fund’s portfolio is full of household names, though it remains pretty small. The $107 million it raised according to SEC filings today is less than some tech companies are raising in a single round.

The company’s portolfio includes Facebook (from way back in 2006, in the company’s B round; Thiel was the company’s first outside investor before that), Slide, Quantcast, Gowalla, Clickable, IronPort, Yammer, Mint, YouNoodle, Worldly Developments (makers of Plancast) and many more.

This is the firm’s third fund. It raised its first $50 million fund in 2005 from select individuals, and then raised another $220 million in December 2007 that included undisclosed institutional investors (the WSJ reported that Stanford’s Endownment was one such–a likely scenario given that it’s Theil’s alma mater). The half-sizing of this fund is par for the course in the VC industry, which is shrinking to about half the size it was in 2007, due to widespread cutbacks in the amount of money big endowments and pension funds are allocating to risky investments.

(image: left to right: Peter Thiel, Ken Lowry, Luke Nosek, Sean Parker)

source:

http://vator.tv/news/show/2010-05-05-founders-fund-lands-107m?utm_content=sandy@megastarmedia.com&utm_source=VerticalResponse&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=The%20Founders%20Fund%20lands%20%24107M&utm_campaign=The%20Founders%20Fund%20lands%20%24107M%20-%20VatorNews%20Newsletter

Startups GOOGLE wants to invest in, Ideas

megastarmedia — Thu, 06 May 2010 19:42:44 +0000

What Google Ventures wants to fund
Its 11 portfolio companies suggest Google is targetting data analysis and Adsense clones.Financial trends and news by Matt Bowman
May 3, 2010

Google Ventures emerged from stealth mode Monday, officially announcing its team of partners and unveiling a website with detailed info about the fund. While the fund managers insist no specific sector, stage or theme will characterize its investment strategy, a look at the portfolio suggests a few themes.

First, the official line: CEO Eric Schmidt indicated that the company’s brain trust provides a unique value-add to startups. “Google Ventures can tap thousands of [employees] and understand the subtleties” he said at a press conference Monday. “The average venture firm doesn’t have access to that knowledge. That’s probably the nicest way to say that.” The fund wants to find companies they are in a unique position to help. And Google specializes in two things: data analysis and contextual advertising.

Google’s signature specialty from Day 1 has been analyzing huge amounts of data to create smart algorithms, and the portfolio reflects that. English Central, for example, analyzes users’ recorded voices to show them where they’re making pronunciation mistakes. Recorded Future extracts time and event information from the Web and analyzes it to predict future events. Smartgrid startup Silver Spring Networks and human antibody discovery platform Adimab fit this mold as well.

The portfolio also includes several AdSense analogues. Pixazza lets publishers tag products in images on their sites and link those products to retailers via their ad network. The company takes a cut of advertising and affiliate revenues. OpenCandy offers an ad network for consumer applications, where developers can integrate advertising (recommendations) into the install process of their software. VigLink is an ad network for hyperlinks. These models make sense for the fund, given Google’s expertise as a contextual advertising pioneer.

Below is a list of all known investments with the companies’ own boilerplates:

Adimab The first fully integrated, yeast-based antibody discovery platform

Corduro offers a range of payment services for Internet, mobile, and traditional retail transactions.

English Central is a language learning platform, which uses high quality Web content, like speeches from President Obama or clips from popular movies, to teach English. Its unique language learning software allows users to hear themselves speaking, and shows them exactly where they’re making pronunciation mistakes.

OpenCandy exists to solve distribution, monetization and discovery problems in the consumer application space. OpenCandy’s first product is an ad network for consumer applications.

Pixazza converts static images into interactive content by revealing the “products in the picture” across popular Web sites.

Recorded Future extracts time and event information from the Web. Recorded Future offers customers new ways to analyze the past, present and the predicted future.

SCVNGR is a geo-gaming platform that lets anyone (individual or institutional) build location-based mobile games, tours, and interactive experience that can be played by anyone on any mobile device.

Silver Spring Networks is a leading smart grid solutions provider. Its hardware, software, and services help utilities reduce carbon emissions, operate more efficiently, and empower their customers with new ways to monitor and manage their energy consumption.

VigLink is a tool for publishers of all sizes to make monetization of their outbound links effortless, transparent and honest.

V-Vehicle is a new American car company that is introducing a safe, high-quality, fuel-efficient, and well-equipped car for the U.S. market. Designed and built in America, V Car makes green affordable for the masses.

source: http://vator.tv/news/show/2010-05-03-what-google-ventures-wants-to-fund?utm_content=sandy@megastarmedia.com&utm_source=VerticalResponse&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=What%20Google%20Ventures%20wants%20to%20fund&utm_campaign=The%20Founders%20Fund%20lands%20%24107M%20-%20VatorNews%20Newsletter

Small Business Success Secrets: Do what you love!

megastarmedia — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 19:56:37 +0000

Quid pro quo (santa math)
Walk up to the falafel stand and hand the guy $3. He hands you a falafel, no onions.
This for that.
Something for something.
The time between surrendering the money and getting the sandwich is tiny. You gave him something, you got something. It’s simple.
Now, stretch it out a bit. You order dinner in a restaurant. They treat you nicely, the room is beautiful, you enjoy the evening, then you pay the bill. This, pause, pause, pause, that.
Go to law school. Pay a lot of money. Spend a lot of time. Be taught a bunch of things you don’t particularly want to know, things you probably don’t need. Get a degree with a modicum of scarcity. Pay for a bar review course. Pass the bar. Then you get a job that pays a lot of money.
This, then a multi-year pause, then, in return, that for the next forty years. We call it return on investment.
Online, though, I’m not sure the math is so obvious. You don’t write a blog to get gigs. You don’t help people out in a forum to build a freelance business. Sure, that might happen, but that’s not why you do it. If you are busy calculating quid pro quo, that means your heart isn’t in it, and the math won’t work out anyway.
Online, the something, the quid, the this, doesn’t cost cash. It takes heart and energy and caring, which are scarce but renewable resources. As a result, many people are able to spend them without seeking anything external in return. Even better, the act of generosity, of giving without expectation, makes it easier to do art, to create work that matters on its own.
I think it’s more like Santa math. Santa flies around the world, giving stuff away, and for what? He earns gratitude, trust and friendship, that’s what. Sure, one day he might decide to license his image or try to sell you something. But right here, right now, gratitude, trust and friendship are plenty. Especially if you enjoy doing what you’re doing. Quid, no quo

http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2010/04/quid-pro-quo.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+typepad%2Fsethsmainblog+%28Seth%27s+Blog%29

NING Closes

megastarmedia — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 03:38:33 +0000

Millions of NING communities are going to need a new home. Megastarmedia.com offers a SAFE solution, own your own NING social network.

http://www.megastarmedia.com/ning.html

SPOS #198 – Figuring Out The “How?” With Nilofer Merchant

megastarmedia — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 05:04:56 +0000

Welcome to episode #198 of Six Pixels Of Separation – The Twist Image Podcast. When you ask people working in Digital Marketing how they develop their strategy, most of them look at you the same way a dog does when you talk to it (sideways). Nilofer Merchant lives in the world of helping companies (Adobe, Apple, Nokia, etc…) figure out not just their business strategy, but how to create and engage in a culture of strategy that is ongoing and iterative. I had the please of meeting Merchant in person at TED this past year and we became fast friends. She is the author of one of the best business books on strategy in the past long while titled, The New How, and she is also an excellent public speaker. As founder and CEO of Rubicon, she helps brands like Hewlett-Packard, Pinnacle, Logitech, Openwave, Symantec and others to create winning business strategies. Also, if you have never heard of an "air sandwich" or "murderboard", then you really should take a listen. Enjoy the conversation…

Here it is: Six Pixels Of Separation – The Twist Image Podcast – Episode #198 – Host: Mitch Joel.

Running time: 33:17.
Audio comment line – please send in a comment and add your voice to the audio community: +1 206-666-6056.
Please send in questions, comments, suggestions – mitch@twistimage.com.
Hello from Beautiful Montreal.
Subscribe over at iTunes.
Please visit and leave comments on the Blog – Six Pixels of Separation.
Feel free to connect to me directly on Facebook here: Mitch Joel on Facebook.
or you can connect on LinkedIn.
…or on twitter.
Facebook Group – Six Pixels of Separation Podcast Society.
In a perfect world, connect with me, directly, through Facebook.
Six Pixels of Separation the book is now available.
Episode #28 of Media Hacks is coming soon and it features:
Chris Brogan – New Marketing Labs – Co-author of Trust Agents.
C.C. Chapman – Managing The Gray – Campfire.
Hugh McGuire – LibriVox – Bite-Sized Edits – The Book Oven.
Christopher S. Penn – Blue Sky Factory – Marketing Over Coffee.
Julien Smith – In Over Your Head – Co-author of Trust Agents.
In conversation with Nilofer Merchant.
Author of The New How.
Nilofer on Twitter: @nilofer.
Rubicon.
New Leaf – ‘Magic Carpet’.

Please join the conversation by sending in questions, feedback and ways to improve Six Pixels Of Separation. Please let me know what you think or leave an audio comment at: +1 206-666-6056.

Download the Podcast here: Six Pixels Of Separation – The Twist Image Podcast – Episode #198 – Host: Mitch Joel.

Tags:adobe advertising air sandwich apple bite size edits blog blogging blue sky factory book oven business strategy campfire cast of dads cc chapman chris brogan christopher s penn crayon digital marketing facebook facebook group hewlett-packard hp hugh mcguire in over your head itunes julien smith librivox logitech managing the gray marketing marketing over coffee media hacks murderboard new leaf new marketing labs nilofer merchant nokia online social network openwave pinnacle podcast podcasting rubicon consulting six pixels of separation social media marketing strategy symantec ted the new how trust agents twist image

More at: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SixPixelsOfSeparation/~3/HtIkmdRcNe0/

SPOS #197 – How To Fascinate Your Audience With Sally Hogshead

megastarmedia — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 05:04:32 +0000

Welcome to episode #197 of Six Pixels Of Separation – The Twist Image Podcast.

Without question, Sally Hogshead is one of the most fascinating women in Marketing today. Scratch that, Hogshead is one of the most fascinating person in Marketing today. It then makes perfect sense that her latest book is titled, Fascinate, and it explores the seven universal triggers for persuasion and captivation (it also happens to be one of the best business books to have come out this year). But Hogshead is much more than a best-selling business book author and speaker. In her second year of advertising, Sally won more awards than any other copywriter in the U.S., and was described as “the most successful junior copywriter of all time.” After working at Wieden + Kennedy and Fallon McElligott, by age 27 she’d opened her first ad agency, with clients such as Target and Remy Martin. Three years later, she opened the West Coast office of Crispin Porter + Bogusky as Creative Director/Managing Director. In this episode we discuss her new book and what Marketers need to know to fascinate their audience. Enjoy the conversation…

Here it is: Six Pixels Of Separation – The Twist Image Podcast – Episode #197 – Host: Mitch Joel.

Running time: 39:29.
Audio comment line – please send in a comment and add your voice to the audio community: +1 206-666-6056.
Please send in questions, comments, suggestions – mitch@twistimage.com.
Hello from Beautiful Montreal.
Subscribe over at iTunes.
Please visit and leave comments on the Blog – Six Pixels of Separation.
Feel free to connect to me directly on Facebook here: Mitch Joel on Facebook.
or you can connect on LinkedIn.
…or on twitter.
Facebook Group – Six Pixels of Separation Podcast Society.
In a perfect world, connect with me, directly, through Facebook.
Six Pixels of Separation the book is now available.
Episode #28 of Media Hacks is coming soon and it features:
Chris Brogan – New Marketing Labs – Co-author of Trust Agents.
C.C. Chapman – Managing The Gray – Campfire.
Hugh McGuire – LibriVox – Bite-Sized Edits – The Book Oven.
Christopher S. Penn – Blue Sky Factory – Marketing Over Coffee.
Julien Smith – In Over Your Head – Co-author of Trust Agents.
In conversation with Sally Hogshead.
Author of Radical Careering. Which you can grab for free here: Radical Careering Free!
Author of the recently released, Fascinate.
The Shakes – ‘Liberty Jones’.

Please join the conversation by sending in questions, feedback and ways to improve Six Pixels Of Separation. Please let me know what you think or leave an audio comment at: +1 206-666-6056.

Download the Podcast here: Six Pixels Of Separation – The Twist Image Podcast – Episode #197 – Host: Mitch Joel.

Tags:advertising bite size edits blog blogging blue sky factory book oven business book campfire cast of dads cc chapman chris brogan christopher s penn crayon crispin porter bogusky digital marketing facebook facebook group fallon mcelligott fascinate hugh mcguire in over your head itunes julien smith librivox managing the gray marketing marketing over coffee media hacks new marketing labs online social network podcast podcasting radical careering remy martin sally hogshead six pixels of separation social media marketing target the shakes trust agents twist image wieden kennedy

More at: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SixPixelsOfSeparation/~3/6q5thOASGJU/

SPOS #196 – Jaffe And Joel #3

megastarmedia — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 04:03:13 +0000

Welcome to episode #196 of Six Pixels Of Separation – The Twist Image Podcast. Joseph Jaffe is widely regarded as one of the top Marketing Bloggers (Jaffe Juice) and Podcasters (both Jaffe Juice in audio and Jaffe Juice TV in video). He is the author of three excellent books (Life After The 30-Second Spot, Join The Conversation and the newly minted, Flip The Funnel). Along with that, he is currently one of the chiefs over at the Social Media Marketing agency, Powered. A long time friend (and one of the main inspirations behind the Six Pixels of Separation Blog and Podcast), we’ve decided to hold monthly conversations, debates and back-and-forths that will dive a little deeper into the Digital Marketing and Social Media landscape. This is our third conversation, and it focuses on location-aware Social Media and the new mobile stuff with a heavy emphasis on the current bright, shiny object, Foursquare. Enjoy the conversation…

Here it is: Six Pixels Of Separation – The Twist Image Podcast – Episode #196 – Host: Mitch Joel.

Running time: 1:06:01.
Audio comment line – please send in a comment and add your voice to the audio community: +1 206-666-6056.
Please send in questions, comments, suggestions – mitch@twistimage.com.
Hello from Beautiful Montreal.
Subscribe over at iTunes.
Please visit and leave comments on the Blog – Six Pixels of Separation.
Feel free to connect to me directly on Facebook here: Mitch Joel on Facebook.
or you can connect on LinkedIn.
…or on twitter.
Facebook Group – Six Pixels of Separation Podcast Society.
In a perfect world, connect with me, directly, through Facebook.
Six Pixels of Separation the book is now available.
Episode #28 of Media Hacks is coming soon and it features:
Chris Brogan – New Marketing Labs – Co-author of Trust Agents.
C.C. Chapman – Managing The Gray – Campfire.
Hugh McGuire – LibriVox – Bite-Sized Edits – The Book Oven.
Christopher S. Penn – Blue Sky Factory – Marketing Over Coffee.
Julien Smith – In Over Your Head – Co-author of Trust Agents.
Just another Foursquare and location-aware debate with Joseph Jaffe.
Jaffe Juice.
Jaffe Juice TV.
Life After The 30-Second Spot.
Join The Conversation.
Flip The Funnel.
Crayon.
Powered.
Gowalla.
David Usher – ‘Kill The Lights’.

Please join the conversation by sending in questions, feedback and ways to improve Six Pixels Of Separation. Please let me know what you think or leave an audio comment at: +1 206-666-6056.

Download the Podcast here: Six Pixels Of Separation – The Twist Image Podcast – Episode #196 – Host: Mitch Joel.

Tags: join the conversation advertising bite size edits blog blogging blue sky factory book oven campfire cast of dads cc chapman chris brogan christopher s penn crayon digital marketing facebook facebook group flip the funnel gowalla hugh mcguire in over your head itunes jaffe juice joseph jaffe julien smith librivox life after the 30 second spot managing the gray marketing marketing over coffee media hacks new marketing labs online social network podcast podcasting powered six pixels of separation social media marketing trust agents twist image twitter web 20

More at: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SixPixelsOfSeparation/~3/bpEtN-ua-Z0/