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Vol 2, #23, June 8, 2010 |
Open Text expands social media offerings Open Text Corporation has announced an expanded family of social media offerings that enable businesses to securely apply the value of social media to solve core business challenges, such as improving customer engagement or promoting team productivity. "With its more than 500 million members, Facebook, along with social sites like Wikipedia and Twitter, have brought social media into the mainstream," said James Latham, Chief Marketing Officer at Open Text. "Now, Open Text leads the way for social media to be successfully deployed across the enterprise in a more secure environment. We are focused on helping customers realize practical and measurable business benefits such as faster time to market, higher customer retention or greater team productivity, while helping to reduce compliance, security and privacy risks." To support its customers as they seek to take advantage of the early-days social media explosion, Open Text stepped up quickly by adding blogs, wikis and other native Web 2.0 capabilities to the Open Text ECM Suite in 2008. Open Text, leveraging its strength in information governance, also took the lead in allowing customers to apply regulatory and legal rules to user-generated content. Then, last year, Open Text announced a completely new solution that lets companies create social workplaces for internal use cases, followed by the social media capabilities for marketing and external audiences from the acquisition of Vignette. Now, Open Text is evolving this foundation with a range of enhancements and new social media capabilities as part of the Open Text ECM Suite, building on a core strategy to apply social media technologies to pressing business challenges:
With the new and enhanced capabilities announced today, careful attention was paid to ease of use for business users and application to real business challenges, along with continued full support for Open Text's core competence in information governance and control. Expanded and enhanced offerings include: Open Text Social Communities - Formerly Vignette Community Applications and Services, Open Text Social Communities is an enterprise social media solution that empowers organizations to engage with their customers, employees, and partners. As part of a broader marketing and CRM strategy, social media can give companies greater market insight, improved market engagement and, more importantly, significant improvements in customer satisfaction and retention. Enhancements in the latest release support rapid creation of engaging, socially enabled websites along with powerful social microsites that combine Web 2.0 functionality, with in-depth analytics and advanced social search. Now part of Open Text ECM Suite, Open Text Social Communities consolidates social applications, such as video galleries, photo galleries, slideshows, comments, ratings, forums, blogs, wikis, download management, event management, and idea management with user profiles, microblogging, social bookmarking, and group and moderation support. Open Text Social Workplace - First released in the summer of 2009, the new release of this solution offers employees an elegant way to network and interact with each other and excels in how it supports a team's ability to form, organize and collaborate on projects as an easy-to-deploy shrink-wrapped solution. While available for standalone deployments, the new release offers deeper integration with the Open Text ECM Suite and Open Text eDOCs, as well as new microblogging and instant messaging features. According to Info-Tech's "Collaboration Vendor Landscape" report, Open Text Social Workplace "provides a collaboration product in the workplace that is as intuitive as the collaboration tools employees use at home." The report further notes, "This solution minimizes information overload, a problem that plagues knowledge workers in modern organizations of all sizes." Open Text Content Server Pulse - This enhancement to Open Text Content Server, the heart of the Open Text ECM Suite, provides a people-centric view into the activity occurring within the system. By socially enabling existing Content Server deployments, Pulse allows users to easily discover and collaborate on new content and share status updates, while continuing to use access controls, auditing, and other capabilities in their document management and compliance solutions.By using Pulse, organizations can take advantage of a Facebook-like social media environment within their existing Open Text ECM Suite deployments and move informal communications out of email, thus dramatically reducing dependence on inefficient and slow email chains. Additionally, it offers a way for people to collaborate rapidly in real time, while creating a secure knowledge base for new employees and team members. Pulse is a major step toward enabling customers to capture their organizational memory through the archival of formal and informal user conversations. Pulse is being made available as a free download for existing customers and partners on the Open Text Knowledge Center. Open Text is making the social media functionality described here available for mobile users via the recently announced Open Text Everywhere that provides an application for accessing enterprise content, workflows, and social media while on the go. Top of Page Sweetspot.ca is giving readers a chance to test their style IQ – and win stylish prizes – in Sin vs. Sweet: The Game. This six-week campaign includes a weekly quiz featuring five pairs of fashionable items. Players will guess which items are priced sinfully high or sweet ’n’ low, and each correct answer will earn them a contest entry. After all six quizzes, straight-A style students will earn up to 30 chances to win. “We wanted to play up our popular editorial column, Sin vs. Sweet, which compares similar products at different price points,” said Sari Little, Marketing Manager at sweetspot.ca . “Readers can now guess how well they know their Joe Fresh from their Jean Paul Gaultier – when the pressure’s on.” Prizes include a gorgeous Rudsak leather bag from Beyond the Rack, an Aluratek Libre eBook Reader Pro, Upper Canada Body products, Kimiko Cosmetics, a Stonefox necklace and Tkees Sandals. Sin vs. Sweet: The Game will be promoted through digital communication channels, including Lainey Gossip, divine.ca, Flare, Chatelaine, Today’s Parent and LOU LOU Magazine. To find out your style GPA, play weekly at sweetspot.ca/SinvsSweet Top of Page Velti, a leading global provider of mobile marketing and advertising technology, has announced the acquisition of Media Cannon, Inc. (“Media Cannon”), a developer of mobile advertising tools and technology, for an undisclosed sum. This acquisition provides Velti with a complementary technology platform and proprietary solutions that enable an even richer mobile advertising and mobile Internet user experience, as well as a series of mobile marketing “post click” interactions. The Media Cannon platform also delivers carrier-class infrastructure, API access, transcoding, support and reporting tools for mobile campaign development, delivery and evaluation. “We’re pleased to acquire an innovative company such as Media Cannon, which has forged relationships with well-known brands, advertising agencies and Tier-1 wireless carriers in the U.S. ,” said Alex Moukas, CEO of Velti. “Together with our acquisition of Ad Infuse last year, this deal illustrates the strength of our commitment to the U.S. market. Media Cannon’s technology provides a rich mobile media experience and we’re very pleased to be integrating it into the Velti mGage platform, as well as welcoming onboard the company’s team and its customers.” In addition to the acquired technology, all of Media Cannon’s management team and staff will be integrated into Velti’s San Francisco office, bringing to the company highly skilled mobile professionals. “Joining Velti is a natural fit with our core business strengths,” said Jacob Litke, CEO of Media Cannon. “This is a compelling combination of our best in class technology and customer base, with one of the leading global mobile marketing innovators. We are excited about what we can do together.” Top of Page Amazon.ca launches watch store Amazon.ca Inc.recently announced the launch of its new Watches Store - a single online shopping destination for thousands of watches. In addition to browsing a vast selection of books, music, DVDs, consumer electronics, software, video games and home and garden items, Amazon.ca customers can now shop for a wide selection of watches in different price ranges. "We're excited to offer our Canadian customers a huge selection, great prices and the convenience of Amazon.ca's unique shopping experience," said John Nemeth, director of Amazon.ca. "With the launch of the Watches Store, customers across Canada now have even more options when shopping from their homes for gifts or for themselves. We think that between the diverse brands and great prices, Canadian customers will be able to find the perfect watch to suit their needs." The Amazon.ca Watches Store carries a variety of leading brands, including Movado, ESQ by Movado, Technomarine, Timex, Nautica, Stuhrling Limited and Citizen. The Watches Store also features editorial reviews and will soon include customer reviews and ratings. Customers will have access to bestseller lists and new and future product releases. Additionally, customers will continue to enjoy the benefits of shopping at Amazon.ca including FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $39 CAD, industry-leading prices and the convenience of shopping from home. Top of Page Smartphones give auto dealers new lease on life The number of smart phone applications on the market is an incomprehensible number to download and see which ones work best for car leasing. The experts at LeaseTrader.com, the company that helps people trade their car lease to someone else when they want out of the contract, spent several months testing various apps on each platform to see which ones make LeaseTrader.com’s top five car leasing apps. If you have an iPhone, Blackberry or Android phone, here’s a quick rundown of the best 5 car-leasing apps: PocketWear – PocketWear car lease kit is a comprehensive collection of essential tools for car leasing consumers who want to be in full control of their lease deals. With the smart phone application you’ll be able to understand leasing concepts, spot dealer abuses, save money, and avoid costly mistakes. Lease Meter - Lease Meter allows you to track your lease miles and end-of-lease possible penalty costs. The application adjusts to your driving habits and calculates the average miles you should drive (daily or monthly) to avoid excess miles at the end of your lease. Carticipate – Trying to cut down on your lease miles, Carticipate helps you find other’s in the area (who are Carticipate users) so you can find a buddy to carpool with. Simply drop in where you are going and when you want to go and you will find others in your area that are on that same route so you can work out some traveling options. Viper SmartStart – Have you ever wanted to warm up or cool down your car before getting in? Now you can remote start or lock and unlock your car just by pushing a button on your mobile phone. The company points out that, as the app runs over the internet rather than traditional key-less entry signals, it has a virtually unlimited range. VehiCal – VehiCal makes it easy to record and manage vehicle mileage and expenses for personal and business use. You can keep tabs on fuel efficiency, maximize potential tax reductions by keeping convenient records of business and personal trip miles, and allows you to email yourself or your accountant, selected entries by specific dates and categories. Top of Page Online tool released for allergy sufferersA new online tool is now available for people suffering from seasonal allergies. LifeWithAllergies.ca offers helpful information on the prevention and treatment of allergies, as well as many interesting articles written by four renowned allergists and a severe allergy sufferer. It is a virtual online community of allergy sufferers with whom the public can share ideas on allergy-related topics and have access to the most up-to-date information written by allergists. Such articles include how to avoid allergies, treatment and prevention, tips on how to relieve allergy symptoms, etc. This new Web site is intended for the approximately 20 % of the population 1 that suffers from seasonal allergies where typical symptoms include sneezing, nasal congestion, nasal itching and a runny nose. The Web site was designed by Vibrant Idéation & Marketing , a national firm of ideation, sales performance and experiential marketing, who also developed the online strategy including social media such as Facebook and Twitter, and manages its content. Four doctors, and a young adult that suffers from severe allergies, write regularly allergy related articles for the online site:
CIBC launches World Cup contest site To further promote CIBC's broadcast sponsorship of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, CIBC is introducing exciting new soccer-themed contests and promotions to get Canadian fans fired up around the world's game. "We're proud to help bring the excitement of the 2010 FIFA World Cup(TM) through our broadcast sponsorship and to share the spirit of the tournament with Canadians of all backgrounds," said Stephen Forbes, Executive Vice-President of CIBC Marketing, Communications and Public Affairs. "These exciting new contests with great prizes will engage our clients as we celebrate the world's game." About the contests and promotions:
The 2010 FIFA World Cup(TM), hosted in South Africa from June 11th to July 11th, 2010, will be one of the largest global sporting events ever, involving 32 national teams and is expected to draw a total television audience of more than 30 billion worldwide viewers to the more than 60 games over four weeks. To learn more about these special promotions and other offers, please visit www.cibc.com. Top of Page Rogers officially launches the next big thing Based on growing demand and desire for Internet video entertainment content across the country, Rogers announced the official launch of Rogers On Demand Online, featuring new content and enhanced services including new social tools, new primetime and multicultural programming, improved functionality, higher resolution and live streaming capabilities. After a successful Beta phase, Rogers On Demand Online is officially Canada's one-stop Web destination for on-demand access to a vast video library that features prime time, daytime and specialty TV, movies, sports and music videos. Available to any Rogers Digital Cable, Rogers Wireless, Rogers Home Phone and Rogers Hi Speed Internet customers, Rogers On Demand Online now offers more programming content including live sporting events, concerts and new web-exclusive programming. Rogers Digital Cable customers can also join to watch many of the same subscription-based specialty channels online as they have through their television account. "Canadians are looking for their video entertainment needs to be met wherever and whenever they want and they want to share it," says David Purdy, Vice President, Television and Video Product Management, Rogers Communications. "Rogers On Demand Online enhances the customer experience by leveraging Rogers expertise in home entertainment and extending the best video experience online. Viewers benefit from a high quality, extremely convenient, robust, anytime, anywhere entertainment experience." Online television and video viewing is significantly gaining in popularity in Canada. Findings from ComScore study state that 90 per cent of online Canadians are watching online video (1). Another recent survey showed that Canadians are now spending more than 18 hours each week online (2). Rogers has made enhancements to Rogers On Demand Online based on the popularity of its home entertainment services, rise in online viewing and the growth in social networking. The service now includes new community and social features including commenting capabilities, sharing options, the ability to create playlists, and rate videos. In addition, Rogers On Demand Online now offers a registration-free sampling of content available to all Canadians including non-Rogers customers. "Video viewing on the Internet is changing the way we and our customers think about entertainment," added Purdy. "As the innovator in the category, we're proud to lead its evolution." New features and enhancements include:
Rogers On Demand Online launched in Beta in late November 2009, with more than 20 content partners, featuring a video library with more than 1,000 hours of content. Now officially out of Beta, Rogers has added over 500 hours of content and 19 channels and continues to build out the functionality and enhanced user experience. Over the coming weeks, Canadians can expect further content and programming announcements with major partners from Rogers. By visiting www.rogersondemand.com, both Rogers customers and non-Rogers customers can familiarize themselves with the service before registering. Rogers customers who wish to access exclusive content or specialty channels can quickly join online using their Rogers account information. It is easy and accessible from anywhere in Canada with an Internet connection. Rogers On Demand Online fans can also visit the Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/RogersOnDemandOnline) or follow on Twitter @RogersRODO (http://twitter.com/rogersrodo) to get the latest updates and provide feedback on the service. Top of Page Yahoo! accelerates social momentum Continuing its commitment to be the centre of people’s online lives, Yahoo! Inc. yesterday announced new product integrations that continue bringing the best social experiences from across the Web to Yahoo! consumers around the world. “More and more, people rely on social sites to share and discover information that matters to them, making Yahoo! uniquely positioned to provide people with all of the mainstream methods of content discovery – social, search, communications, and editorial ,” said Cody Simms, senior director of Social Platforms and Yahoo! Developer Network (YDN) at Yahoo!. “Starting with Facebook, we are bringing all of these elements together to give people one simple, trusted place to share information and connect . We think this offers great benefit to people across the web, and it’s key to helping Yahoo! extend our reach and increase engagement. ” Yesterday’s announcement covers:
“From news to sports to entertainment, Yahoo! sites provide ideal experiences to share with friends,” said Ethan Beard, director of Facebook Developer Network. “By integrating with Facebook on a global scale, Yahoo! is building upon an already valuable brand to give people easy ways to share the content they enjoy on Yahoo! with their friends on Facebook.” Social and Yahoo! – Recent Milestones Over the last few months, Yahoo! has been weaving the best social experiences from across the Web into the Yahoo! network to create more personally relevant online experiences for consumers worldwide, using its global cloud computing infrastructure. Upcoming and recent milestones include:
Yahoo! is deeply committed to privacy – not just as a written policy, but as a fundamental consideration applied to each and every Yahoo! site and service. Yahoo! offers simple controls so that everyone can change who sees their updates, or turn off their updates stream at any time. To find out more, go to Yahoo.com and search for “Yahoo! privacy settings” o r visit http://pulse.yahoo.com/y/settings. Top of Page |
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