The Biz

Today, I'm going to reveal four Facebook applications we've got in development, give a brief description of each one, suggest some uses, and state why we think each is a Facebook killer app.

Before we started building, we defined two criteria that separate the good Facebook apps from the rest. First, the app doesn't take up a lot of space and second, it’s easy to use and share.

So with those in mind, we came up with four Facebook applications that would tie-in with our primary business model, creating professional digital audio.

Voices.com's Facebook Player

Let's jump to it.

Facebook Audio Wall

Description: Audio messages posted on your friend’s wall
Uses: Any Friend-to-Friend type messages
Ideas: Birthday greetings, Thank you messages, Congratulations messages, Come to my party, Come to my event
Recording Method: Call in to a phone number with your cell phone
Audio Limit: 60 seconds
Why it’s a killer app? Works with Facebook mobile m.facebook.com

Facebook Micro Podcasting

Description: Personal messages left for your friends on your Facebook profile
Uses: Any one-to-many type messages
Ideas: I’m having a party, want to come?, I’m going on vacation, It’s a boy!, I’m moving,
Recording Method: Call in to a phone number with your cell phone
Audio Limit: 60 seconds
Why it’s a killer app? “Words represent your intellect. The sound, gesture and movement represent your feelings.” Patricia Fripp

Facebook Podcasting

Description: Group messages left for a group and posted to a Facebook group
Uses: Any one-to-many type messages, targeted for a specific group
Ideas: Posting a recording from a lecture, seminar or other live event
Recording Method: Upload an MP3 file
Audio Limit: 1 hour
Why it’s a killer app? We need an alternative to the iTunes Podcast Directory.

Facebook Audio Ads

Description: Commercials uploaded to the Facebook marketplace when you post a new item.
Uses: Engaging Facebook marketplace visitors with audio to teach, inform and sell using the human voice.
Ideas: Concert promotions, messages from the vendor, sales messages to help sell a product.
Recording Method: Upload an MP3 file
Audio Limit: 5 MB
Why it’s a killer app? The audio ad can be sent to friends, with a link back to the original item, as displayed in the marketplace. Additionally, the audio could be downloaded to a cellphone, iPod or iPhone.

Would you use any of these Facebook applications? Add you comments below and say which ideas you like and which ones still need more work.

Best,

David

Google continues to innovate by simplifying the design of their many web properties. A few weeks back they updated Google Analytics and today, I'm seeing changes to Google News. Google now allows you to view news results by selecting 'Standard Version', 'Text Version' and 'Image Version'.

As with most Internet entrepreneurs, I have a morning routine where I scan several websites to see if and who is writing about us, either through online news outlets or on their blogs. This routine helps me to understand how people are perceiving our brand and also makes me aware of any feedback that needs addressing.

Today, I noticed something different. Google provided three new option for users to read the news. There's 'Standard Version', 'Text Version' and 'Image Version'. Let's take a look at each one.

Google News Standard Version

You'll likely be familiar with the Standard Version as it's the classic Google look, with blended results including text and images.

Google News Text Version

Ideal for handheld devices and now, the iPhone, Text Version displays the news results as only text with hyperlinks. Visually, I could scan the page more quickly and not be distracted with images. For research, Text Version is superior.

Google News Image Version

For a different user experience, try Google News Image Version. Images embedded in the press release are cropped to the standard 100 x 100 pixels with the source of the press release listed below the image, much like a caption.

Even more impressive is the use of AJAX technology to "scroll and read" the headline and summary from the press release associated with the image. There is a purposeful delay after hovering over an image before revealing the headline in the sidebar, which felt good.

Where's the Google News Video Version?

With these new developments, it's not hard to imagine a Video Version of Google news, with 2-5 minute clips of leading news outlets such as CNN, MSNBC, ABC, CBS, FOX News and others. Perhaps they could use the editing skills of the masses at YouTube or allow major news outlets direct access to Google News Video Version.

If you have seen the new Google News versions, add you comments below and say what you liked or disliked about the developments.

Best,

David

After the recently acquisition of FeedBurner by Google, we're seeing some early changes to the service. As of today, two previously premium services, TotalStats and MyBrand are now free.

The Official FeedBurner blog explains that:

One of the many benefits that FeedBurner publishers will enjoy now that FeedBurner is part of the Google family is a little something we like to call, "more for free!" Beginning today, two of FeedBurner's previously for-pay services, TotalStats and MyBrand, will be free.

This is great news for web publishers of blogs, audio and video content as it provides even greater insight (TotalStats) and control (MyBrand) over the look, feel and brand integrity of RSS feeds.

There is a simple explanation on how to activate TotalStats and MyBrand. It took me less than 5 minutes to get TotalStats running for all our blogs, podcasts and videos.

Voices.com is currently managing 17 feeds with FeedBurner. We've even submitted "publisher buzz" sharing our success story of how we create, manage and track RSS subscriptions, exclusively with FeedBurner.

If you are new to RSS or are baffled by the orange icon you see on blogs, I'd highly recommend FeedBurner's Feed 101 tutorial.

Similarly, if you are new to podcasting, you should check out our Small Business Podcasting Kit, which is also available as a PDF Download.

Enjoy the new stats courtesy of FeedBurner.

David