Tools: Google Trends Goes Mobile

I'm not exactly sure when this was launched, but Google Trends now has a handy mobile version, which you can access here. The site, like it's desktop sibling, features links to the top searches of the hour. However, it also includes historical data from the past day, week and month. 

Google Trends is one of the most useful sites on the Internet. I think a lot of people forget it exists. While Twitter might get all the press, there's no single more valuable tool than Trends to gauge what's got the public's attention. Now that it has a mobile version, I am sure I will be using it more.

White Paper: Engaging the New Influencers

2009 NMAS White Paper - Engaging the New Influencers FINAL.pdf (2442 KB)
View this on posterous

One of the most remarkable things my employer does is host a world-class summit for academics every year on new media. We do so even in downturns, like the one we're in now. 

This year's event, which featured both industry and academic insights, was held in Washington in June. Edelman just released a white paper summarizing the day, which you can download or peruse below. Videos from the event have been posted as well. I highly recommend the read. The event included representatives from GE, McDonald's, UPS, eBay, Humana, Starbucks, AstraZeneca, The Lance Armstrong Foundation, Whirlpool, the Mayo Clinic and many more companies and NGOs. I am featured in the wrap-up section on what's next.

Video: The Wall of Headlines

via youtube.com

This week we moved into our new offices in New York City. Among the highlights, is a giant wall of headlines. Richard Edelman gives us a tour.

There's something about headlines that still gives me goosebumps. I hope that even in the age of streams, headlines don't lose their punch.

Another noteworthy item in our new offices is a giant HP Touchsmart PC. I had a chance to play with it the other day and will shoot some video to share next week. (HP is an Edelman client.)

Lifestreaming: Its Impact on Blogs, Brands and Beyond, a SXSW Panel

What is Lifestreaming?

Will Lifestreaming kill long form blogs?

What does Lifestreaming mean to brands?

Lifestreaming aftermath: how to cope with information overload?

How to aggregate relevant content from disparate sources?

How can you harness the power of the real-time web in a meaningful way?

How important is search in the real-time web?

How does technology enable Lifestreaming and the real-time web?

Is Lifestreaming overkill? Where's the line?

What's next after Lifestreaming?

via panelpicker.sxsw.com

Shameless plug for a panel we have submitted for SXSW in March. It features Robert Scoble, myself and Lionel Menchaca from Dell. The subject is lifestreaming. I would love to see this make the slate since it's a big topic with lots to explore. If you agree, then every vote counts. Make yourself heard.

Conversation of the Day: Facebook is the New Address Book

When it comes to personal information like email, calendars, to- do's and notes, I have super systems that keep all the data up-to-date by leveraging the cloud and keeping local copies on my computers and my iPhone. Evernote, for example, is one great tool that I use to stay in sync. 

Contact information, on the other hand, has always been a pain. 

The basic tools like the address book that comes with your computer are outdated. People move around too much these days. Enter social networking. The problem is keeping your information in sync everywhere.

The new version of Facebook for the iPhone, however, at least for me is finally a workable solution because it has an integrated dialer. Part of the reason it works is because I limit my Facebook friends only to those whom I have met or corresponded.

Like Robert Scoble, I wish that people would add their phone numbers to their Facebook accounts so that this becomes the ultimate solution. It sounds like soon Facebook will keep your contact information in sync, which will make this all easier. However, all of this depends on if people keep their contact info current - which isn't a  given because of privacy concerns.

For more, see Robert Scoble's thread on Friendfeed, which I have added below. What's your view?