If what Bing says is true, real-time search just became faster, at least in respect to Twitter. The Microsoft-owned search engine that is gaining market share is in the process of rolling out new Twitter-integrated features.
Bing, which Microsoft leveraged Facebook to build fans for, is now integrating the Twitter stream into its real-time search offering. According to the claim on Bing’s Community blog, their search algorithm will now “surface the most relevant updates within seconds of a breaking news event” on Twitter. To do so, they analyze which topics on Twitter are generating the most interest at the moment. This is their acknowledgement that news is often breaking faster on Twitter than anywhere else. (Web and traditional media services such as Huffington Post and Financial Times are also incorporating tweets into their online content.)
In addition, Bing search results for a topic will show related, popularly-shared links from Twitter. In the example used (see image below), if you search for celebrity site TMZ, you’ll also get a list of related celeb and entertainment links that represent those currently being shared the most in tweets.
Bing has of late been either integrating or leveraging social media. For example, they used a FarmVille ad coupon campaign earlier this year and gained an extra 400K fans for their Facebook Fan Page. They’ve also integrated Bing Maps into mobile location-sharing service Foursquare in the form of the Foursquare Everywhere map application.
Adobe didn’t say much yesterday about a new Apple policy that could further block Adobe’s efforts to bring its Flash format to the iPhone. But the company was a more vocal today, both in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission and in a post written by a company evangelist.
The filing, which was first spotted by Bloomberg, is the more measured and low-key statement, and I don’t think it’s a direct response to the most recent news. But it’s still significant because it represents a serious acknowledgement that Apple’s lack of support for Flash (which powers most of the video and games on the web) on the iPhone and now the iPad could hurt Adobe’s business. In the “Risk Factors” section, Adobe writes:
To the extent new releases of operating systems or other third-party products, platforms or devices, such as the Apple iPhone or iPad, make it more difficult for our products to perform, and our customers are persuaded to use alternative technologies, our business could be harmed.
Perhaps that’s part of why Adobe evangelist Lee Brimelow was so feisty in a post today on The Flash Blog. As Apple continues shutting the door on Flash, Adobe’s tone has gotten more and more combative. Last fall, when chief executive Shantanu Narayen was asked about bringing Flash to the iPhone, he said, “I’d love to work with Apple to make it happen.” In January, after it became clear the iPad wouldn’t support Flash either, Adobe’s blog post was a bit grumpier. And today’s post is just plain pissed off. (Though to be clear, the post is not an official Adobe statement, but a personal post by an Adobe employee.)
Until now, Adobe had at least hoped to bring Flash applications to the iPhone through a workaround, where apps could be built using Adobe’s tools then converted to the iPhone format. But Apple just revealed a change to the iPhone developer agreement apparently prohibiting that practice. Brimelow writes:
This is a frightening move that has no rational defense other than wanting tyrannical control over developers and more importantly, wanting to use developers as pawns in their crusade against Adobe. … The fact that Apple would make such a hostile and despicable move like this clearly shows the difference between our two companies.
Brimelow adds that he won’t personally be “giving Apple another cent of [his] money” until “there is a leadership change over there.” And even after the post itself, he takes one more dig at Apple’s fans: “Comments disabled as I’m not interested in hearing from the Cupertino Comment SPAM bots.”
Meanwhile, if you want a slightly less indignant take on Apple’s motivations, you should check out Daring Fireball, where John Gruber argues says Apple is trying to maintain control over its platform, rather than giving that power to a “meta-platform” like Adobe.
Adobe/schmobe - the real sad part about Apple's new rules is it makes it difficult for write-once, deploy anywhere app platforms like Appcelerator and Rhohub to succeed. This is a very anti-open move by Apple.
- Jesse StayI am torn... While I kinda don't support the banning of non-C programs... The idea of every app featuring ads to be controlled and of the type of high quality seen the other day. HTML5 Punch The Monkey doesn't fill me with joy
- Johnny WorthingtonJohnny, this makes the cost of business for any large organization that needs to build apps across multiple mobile platforms much higher, and much more difficult. It's a bad thing - everyone keeps focusing on the Adobe side though. I don't think that's as damaging as it is the multi-platform app platforms like I mentioned.
- Jesse Stay
My Zappos UPS package of mine was stolen from my front door, and like every prolific social media loud-mouth, I Tweeted it out late last night:
Now what I didn’t megaphone was how I filled out a customer claim form like a consumer who functions in society should. The next morning, I woke up to responses from Zappos via Twitter and email. No big shocker there, since I’ve been a fan of Zappos loooooooooooong before Twitter and their customer service has always been exceptional.
But I wasn’t expecting a response from UPS and I’m not going to lie. I was surprised to see them monitoring conversation.
Take a look:
VS
(I had to add “refund” since the Tweet got cut off. You can view the series of @ replies here and here)
I then replied to UPS and told them my shipment was stolen who then told me:
To which I responded:
Then responded to Zappos:
The reason I trust Zappos more for customer care more than UPS is simple:
Where UPS asked me to email the order number to some generic email address, Zappos asked me to DM the order number. That tells me the person behind the Twitter account really wants to resolve my issue as soon as possible.
It’s good to see brands like UPS monitoring conversation, but follow through is what is most important. Who knows, maybe UPS would have resolved my issue, but by the time the UPS guy responded to my Tweet, Zappos already offered to look into the stolen package and shipped replacements via email. I am 100% sure the @Zappos_Service on Twitter, would have offered the same exact thing if I had DMd my order number. Zappos is good like that. Now if I was dealing with UPS, I probably would still be waiting for acknowledgement of my claim.
Resolution is just as (or perhaps more) important than listening. What brands must ask themselves before delving into the phenomenon that is Social Media is this: Do we have a workflow set in place to resolve issues?
I know I do for my brand, but I constantly strive to exceed Zappos’ extraordinary ethos. After all, happy loyal customers are the reason why we have our jobs. That, is the true power of social media. :)
Why I Trust @Zappos More than @UPS and How Tweeting is Not Enough. http://wp.me/phVDt-W4
- Mona NomuraWow, UPS cares... about you shutting up. Bad PR for them.
- Eric @ CSTechcast.comHmmm I don't see it that way -- I think the fundamental thinking is different. Zappos takes extra care in teaching and training associates how to handle customer care issues.
- Mona NomuraThat's nice of them to reach out like that
- RodfatherI think UPS wants to appear to be helping, but really was just pushing you through the old system. That, to me, is please don't talk bad about us on social media, we really care... really. Fill out this form.
- Eric @ CSTechcast.comWell, a step into actually monitoring conversation is a HUGE milestone for them. UPS has always been known for their awful customer service...
- Mona NomuraWell Zappos' internal mantra is that their people should be happy and their customers should be happy too. Technically, since you paid Zappos - NOT UPS - for shipping, it really is primarily Zappos' issue.
- LANjackalBut can you imagine from a brand perspective, if UPS swooped in before Zappos to help me out? That would 1UP the way I feel towards UPS. It's all about the extra step, imho.
- Mona NomuraAnd yeah UPS are a real bitch to deal with. They have the worst package pickup hours and some of the most curt employees you'll ever meet. But I don't have any loyalty when it comes to couriers: the lowest price gets my $. Which means I use USPS most of the time. When I need to schedule a remote pickup, FedEx is the one I call. The only time I see UPS is when I order something and it happens to come via them.
- LANjackalI think part of the problem is the business approach of UPS vs. its competition. UPS is focused managing logistics for companies, which means the consumers the final products get delivered to don't matter so much. FedEx and the USPS are still focused on dealing directly with people as opposed to monoliths
- LANjackalGood post by @Mona on a cust svc experience dealing with @ups & @zappos http://bit.ly/bWQmWp & convo on FF http://bit.ly/cV6Yr4
- Mark KrynskyI've actually had better luck with UPS than FedEx, frankly lol.
- Mona NomuraWhy I Trust @Zappos More than @UPS and How Tweeting is Not Enough.
- Rob Diana