In case you’re not convinced that social networking is something to bring to your business, consider these stats. Since launching about three weeks ago, 18 million people are already using Google+ and it’s mobile version is now the top free app downloaded from the Apple App Store. An average of 10,000 new Web sites integrate with Facebook every day. More than 2,200 new Tweets are generated on Twitter every second. And LinkedIn boasts about 100 million users. READ MORE
If the rumors are true, Apple may be positioning itself to be the largest distributor of e-books in the world. BGR received a tip from an unproven source who claims that Apple is having internal discussions around purchasing Barnes & Noble, the largest book retailer in the U.S. READ MORE
Hulu, the online video service that streams popular TV shows from ABC, NBC, and Fox, is reportedly shopping around for potential bidders, according to Dan Rayburn, an analyst with Frost and Sullivan. Rayburn says Hulu and its owners have been meeting with suitors from Yahoo, Google, and Apple, and are seeking as much as $2 billion. While none of these meetings have been independently confirmed, most of the rumors say Apple will be the company to purchase Hulu. The belief is that acquiring Hulu would bolster Apple’s iTunes Store and help it compete with Netflix’s subscription streaming service with one of its own. “Content is king,” says James McQuivey, an analyst with Forrester Research. “People spend four to five hours a day watching TV. If you get them to your platform, it immediately becomes relevant.” Hulu currently streams TV episodes and movies on many devices, including the Roku, Xbox 360, iPad, and iPhone through its monthly subscription service Hulu Plus. An alliance with Apple might mean pulling Hulu off other devices, but Rayburn asks, “then why spend $2 billion to get it?” Hulu says it will have one million Hulu Plus subscribers by year’s end. Read more from USA Today.
Apple will begin enforcing its new iTunes App Store rules come June 30, and Amazon’s frequent Top 100 Kindle e-reader app is likely in Cupertino’s crosshairs. At issue is the prominent “shop in the Kindle store” button that takes users out of the App Store and into a web browser from which they can search for and purchase e-books. READ MORE
First, Square revolutionized how we send and receive credit card payments; now, the mobile payments start-up based in San Francisco is looking to replace the cash register altogether. GigaOM reports that Jack Dorsey, creator of Twitter and co-founder of Square, has released his two latest creations—the Square Register for merchants, and the Square Card Holder for consumers. READ MORE
