# Facebook hashtags #

Facebook announced plans to introduce hashtags for users.

Facebook users have long adopted the hashtag, often using it as an addition to comments and status updates.

But they will now be able to click on the hashtagged words as a search term and view a feed of discussions relating to that topic.

Interesting to mention the Facebook adoption of the interactive images from thinglink, it’s already getting popular as a new way of exchanging information in a fun way. http://www.thinglink.com/

 

iOS 7 Unleashed

Apple CEO unveiled the new operating systems in the opening address of Apple's annual WorldWide Developer Conference in San Francisco on Monday.

Last September, Apple stock fall from a high of more than $US700 ($A735.53) to under $US450 currently, badly needs a new hit to reassure investors and customers that it is still capable of maintaining its lead.

But with any major new hardware release of new iPhones and iPads still months away, the focus was on new Macbook Air laptops and new operating systems for both personal computers and mobile devices.

The gap would grow with the introduction of iOS 7, said Cook, who called it "the biggest change to iOS since the introduction of the iPhone."

As expected, the new software features strikingly different visual cues with a flat, translucent and colourful design replacing a 3D opaque pallet that featured lots of greys and blues.

Like Samsung's new Galaxy S4, which is widely regarded as the iPhone's top competitor, the new software responds to hand motions.

Apple also announced new features for iCloud, the company's remote backup service, which will now feature a new version of iWork to better compete with Google's online productivity suite Google Docs.

 

Android to pass iOS before BlackBerry

About 60 million people in the United States owned smartphones, up 15 percent from the preceding period. The number of smartphone owners who use Google's Android OS is about to pass the number of users on Apple's iOS, but the number of Americans on RIM's BlackBerry OS is still ahead of both. Based on the data provided by tracking firm comScore, Android saw a huge sales jump while iOS gained a little and BlackBerry dropped quite a bit.
RIM dropped from 39.3 percent to 35.8 percent.While Apple's share rose less than a single percentage point, going from 23.8 percent to 24.6 percent. Meanwhile, Google users rose sharply from 17.0 percent to 23.5 percent and Microsoft's share dropped from 11.8 percent to 9.7 percent of smartphone subscribers. Palm's numbers fell from 4.9 percent to 3.9 percent.

If iOS and Android were neck and neck few month ago, it looks like the latter will pass the former in the current quarter. BlackBerry should remain in first this year, but that lead won't last for long.
Despite losing share to Android, most smartphone platforms are still gaining users because the smartphone market overall continues to grow.

December 6th, 2010