The hidden algorithms that control your view of the web

Posted on by John Helmer
A great TED talk by Eli Pariser about the dangers of living in a ‘filter bubble’. We found this via Scholarly Kitchen. Pariser has written a book about how filters applied to internet searches by Facebook, Google et al are moving us towards a situation where our view of the web tends to reflect what we already know and like, rather than what is really out there. Since search is a fundamental technology in digital publishing this is something all publishers need to be aware of. Continue reading →

Time to get paranoid about Android?

Posted on by John Helmer
Android logo Followers of this blog will have read quite a bit about Apple products for which we make no apologies. After all, Apple has been making most of the running in developing both the smartphone and the tablet computer as serious platforms for publisher content. Up to now, that is. Recent reports show Apple is facing some stiff competition from Google’s operating system, Android. In the smartphone category, Android has been ‘surging’ since last year according to Wired. Last October, Neilsen reported that Android was the most popular operating system among people who had bought a smartphone in the previous six months, with Blackberry RIM and Apple iOS tied for second place. When it comes to tablets, Wired has quoted a Wall Street analyst as saying: “Long term, we believe Android could surpass the iPad in tablet market share”. Now Android looks to be winning the content battle as well. Distimo’s report said that Google’s Android Market eclipsed Apple’s App Store for iPhone in terms of free applications. At current rates of growth, Google Android Market looks likely to beat Apple into second place for overall number of apps available later this year. Those who dislike Apple’s ‘closed’ model and the tight control the company exerts may well be cheering at this news. Android is open source after all: isn’t it? Well, up to a point. Some think that Android is becoming less and less open source, and for publishers this might not be bad news. Continue reading →

With one bound, the publisher was free: social media to the rescue?

Posted on by John Helmer
Satirical cartoon about Google, Apple, Twitter, Facebook leaders A major irritant for publishers in recent times has been the emergence of new gatekeepers in their supply chain, principally Google, Amazon and Apple. Now help in derailing these tech behemoths seems at hand, albeit help from an unlikely quarter. Many forward thinkers in publishing see social media (e.g. Facebook, Twitter) as a way of bypassing the Glamazons of this world – offering an opportunity for publishers to forge a more direct relationship with the customer. However, are publishers really ready to embrace this challenge? Do they possess the requisite skills, knowledge and abilities to grasp the opportunity offered by social networks such as Facebook? Continue reading →

Content too dynamic to go native? Hybrid Apps might be the answer …

Posted on by Eoin Dunne
Things move quickly in the world of mobile content delivery. Less than a year ago it seemed that publishers faced two routes when it came to developing resources for users to access digitally through their PC, Mac, iPad or Android device: either they chose to go down the mobile-optimised website route (web apps) or they could develop an app (native apps). We outlined the pros and cons of these two approaches in one of our most popular blog pieces of 2010, Publisher choices for mobile delivery – apps vs websites. However, since then a third choice has emerged – and one that looks set to be the future for apps. Continue reading →

Enabling participation in a Shibboleth federation

Posted on by Simon Rees
Shibboleth authentication is increasingly a core library requirement for accessing online products, and enabling Shibboleth access from different countries is a powerful way for publishers to open up new markets for online products. Shibboleth isn’t controlled by one organisation, instead protocols are established in each country by a federation that represents its members. This democratic approach can make things quite complicated.  Especially when it comes to actually enabling users to log in using Shibboleth. Our resident Shibboleth Wizard (actual job title) Simon shares a few thoughts about preparing for a Shibboleth implementation below. Continue reading →