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| Build a Private Social Network for Your College With Student Life Network | | Thursday, December 01, 2011 11:06 PM | Veena Bissram |
|  The Spark of Genius Series highlights a unique feature of startups and is made possible by Microsoft BizSpark. If you would like to have your startup considered for inclusion, please see the details here. Name: Student Life Network Quick Pitch: Student Life Network is a private student social network. Genius Idea: Builds a private student social network for colleges and universities to build and grow an active online community. Remember when Facebook was only for college students? Ever since the social network opened its doors to the public, college students have no longer had a private network to call their own. That's why TJ Donnelly started Student Life Network, a free private student social network for colleges and universities across North America. The site is endorsed and managed by student governments and associations to engage their students and improve communication in an active online community. Student Life Network offers a private place for students to interact and communicate with other students from their college or university. Students can engage in a variety of services, including selling and buying in their own marketplace, uploading videos and photos, and posting campus events, discounts and special offers. Sell anything from books to cars on the campus marketplace. TJ Donnelly, president and CEO of Student Life Network, owned two of the largest student travel companies in North America -- Breakaway Tours and Impact Educational Tours. For more than 20 years, he worked directly with schools and studied how student governments and associations were connecting with their students. He decided to sell his companies and in January, built Student Life Network to create a private place for college and university students. "I realized a lot of students were using Facebook as their social network, but I wanted to create a platform for students to have their own brand, their own content and control over their own site," says Donnelly. To build a private network, student governments have to provide the Student Life Network team with their school's branding material -- colors, logos, mascot, etc. Once the school's private site is developed within a week, the students governments control and operate the site. Students are required to log in with their school email address and create individual profiles that can include any information from hometown, graduation year, major and interests. Signing in with a school email address ensures safety and privacy, prevents spam and blocks strangers on the school networks. The student governments can easily link any inappropriate content back to a student's email and either warn or remove the user from the site. The Student Life Network team provides hands-on support to the student governments and associations to ensure success on their private networks. They help drive students to the sites, engage the school communities and keep the site focused on everything campus life has to offer. Notification emails highlighting the college's new activities (new events, pictures, etc.) are sent to students each week. Weekly notification email example. Student Life Network is also operated on a point system -- the more active students are on the site, the more points they will earn. The top users will receive discounts and gift certificates that can be used at places on campus, such as restaurants and clothing stores. "Unfortunately a lot of students don't realize how much goes on on their campus and what clubs are offered," says Donnelly. "Student Life Network provides students with a private place that is all about their own students and campus life." Student Life Network began in Canada and is now available to colleges and universities in the United States. Today, 30,000 students on 60 college campuses across North America use the network. The campus with the highest number of students using the site is Mohawk College in Canada with 4,955 users. The site's business model is based on advertisements from brands that are meaningful to students, such as job networks, institutions, food, electronics and telecommunication. These brands can participate in the colleges and universities by sponsoring on-campus activities and attending orientations and events. Although Student Life Network is a free platform, student governments can choose to upgrade to supported or premium versions for a monthly fee. Image courtesy of Student Life Network, Student Life Network Series Supported by Microsoft BizSpark
The Spark of Genius Series highlights a unique feature of startups and is made possible by Microsoft BizSpark, a startup program that gives you three-year access to the latest Microsoft development tools, as well as connecting you to a nationwide network of investors and incubators. There are no upfront costs, so if your business is privately owned, less than three years old, and generates less than U.S.$1 million in annual revenue, you can sign up today. |
| Google in Talks with Retailers to Take on Amazon [REPORT] | | Thursday, December 01, 2011 5:14 PM | Todd Wasserman |
|  Google is talking to major retailers about a new plan to undermine Amazon by giving consumers who shop on the web an option to receive their orders within 24 hours for a low fee, according to a report. Google has pitched the idea to Macy's, Gap and OfficeMax, among others, according to The Wall Street Journal, which cited "people familiar with the matter." A Macy's rep told WSJ that Google "approached us with the idea, but we haven't made any decisions." The plan would add a quick shipping service to Google's current product search feature. Google would oversee the shipping feature, which would show whether stores have a product in stock and can deliver it within a day. The program might involve the United Parcel Service and local courier services, according to the WSJ. Google plans to test the service in the San Francisco area sometime next year, according to the report. Image courtesy of Flickr, esakakohei |
| Groupon Stock Bounces Back as Company Emerges From IPO Quiet Period | | Thursday, December 01, 2011 4:49 PM | Sam Laird |
|  Emerging from its post-IPO quiet period on Wednesday, Groupon trumpeted holiday sales success and expressed defiance at a flurry of recent negative press coverage as its stock continued a partial comeback Thursday from last week's steep decline. The daily deals site reported in a blog post that it sold more than 650,000 holiday deals between Black Friday and Cyber Monday for a 500% increase over last year, "saving consumers millions of dollars, and delivering tons of business to our merchant partners." Groupon stock rose accordingly with shares closing at $17.50 on Wednesday for a 9.3 percent increase. Its stock continued to climb on Thursday with shares trading at almost $19 that afternoon -- still below the company's $20 IPO price. Groupon enjoyed the largest tech IPO of its kind since Google on Nov. 4, only to come crashing down to Earth last week when shares fell below $17. Analysts struggled to pinpoint exactly why. Meanwhile, stories of small merchants overwhelmed by Groupon deals -- most notably an English baker who lost some $20,000 after being forced to sell more than 100,000 cupcakes at a huge discout -- spread through the media. But during an appearance Wednesday at the Credit Suisse Technology Conference, Groupon CEO Andrew Mason blamed the negative coverage on a disaster-happy news industry. "The anecdotes that get picked up in the press are examples of 'plane crashes' just being more interesting and more media-worthy stories than the safe landing," Mason said. Mason did admit, however, that the company is still in some ways learning what types of deals are most appropriate for different merchants. Mason also argued that Groupon has a significant lead in accomplishment and stability over an army of competitors led by Google and LivingSocial. "We feel like we've reached this point now where really our greatest competition is ourselves," Mason said. "Groupon is focused on a long-term goal to be the most effective, trusted marketing partner for local businesses," company spokesperson Julie Mossler told Mashable Thursday in an email statement. "We're overly conscious that every minute of the day is another opportunity to improve our merchant services or develop cool products for consumers, and we can't let them go to waste." What do you think? Will Groupon's stock continue its comeback? Was last week's negative media coverage overblown or appropriate? |
| Ebook Sales Expected to Reach $9.7 Billion by 2016 [STUDY] | | Thursday, December 01, 2011 4:38 PM | Lauren Indvik |
|  Ebook sales are expected to generate $9.7 billion worldwide in 2016, more than three times the $3.2 billion the category is expected to generate this year, according to one forecaster. Strong demand for tablets will drive the growth, UK-based Juniper Research said in a report published Thursday. Nearly 30% of all ebooks in 2016 will be downloaded to tablets. Other devices will also play a part. Dedicated ereaders and ebookstores from existing brick-and-mortar chains such as Barnes & Noble will help fuel the transition from print to digital. The availability of ebookstore apps across an increasing number of devices, including Amazon's Kindle app, will also play a role. Currently, most ebooks are downloaded onto mobile handsets and most are Japanese manga books. Juniper does not, however, predict that smartphones will become primary reading devices, based on trends from other regions. Lately, Amazon -- which dominates the ebook market in the U.S. -- has been setting its sites on the growing global market, rolling out dedicated ereaders and stores for French, Spanish and Italian readers. |
| What Every Entrepreneur Should Know About Asking For Help [VIDEO] | | Thursday, December 01, 2011 3:11 PM | Mashable Video |
|  Marissa Evans created her company, Go Try It On, as a means of answering that age-old question, "What should I wear?" Along the way, she recruited a technical team, launched her product at South By Southwest and was able to land $3 million in funding. Check out Marissa's interview to hear what she has to say about some of the challenges she's experienced, how she relies on friends in tough times and what every entrepreneur should know about the power of asking for help. Follow Venture Studio, in association with Mashable, which is brought to you by Square1 Bank. The show is hosted by Dave Lerner, a 3x entrepreneur and angel investor. You can follow him on Twitter here. More Recent Episodes of Venture Studio: Inside the Y Combinator Experience With the Founders of Codecademy How a Harvard Dropout Raised $24 Million in a Recession/a> The Remarkable Story of How Klout Got Started/a> |
| Top 20 Online Home Delivery Subscriptions | | Thursday, December 01, 2011 2:46 PM | Ari Meisel |
|  Ari Meisel is co-founder at Less Doing, where he works on making every task in life and business more efficient. He used self-tracking to overcome Crohn's Disease and compete in Ironman France. You can follow him on Twitter @liontex and read his blog at arimeisel.com. You know that counter top rotisserie infomercial, with the catchphrase "Set it, and forget it?" Well, it's time to apply that kind of mentality to other areas of your life. For instance, stop running errands. They are, by nature, incredibly inefficient. Not only do you run out of things at different times, but you also forget items you need when shopping. To make matters worse, we all struggle when it comes to choosing (or remembering to buy) gifts for people. Most of these first world problems can be solved with the help of a well-chosen subscription service. Subscription memberships are a booming business right now, and a new service crops up every week. These services let you subscribe to curated lists of clothing, food, artisanal crafts or even men's handkerchiefs. Here is a collection of 20 convenient and fun subscription services. There are a ton more, but this should give you a nice place to start. |
| Steve Case Launches $450 Million East Coast Venture Fund | | Thursday, December 01, 2011 2:28 PM | Sarah Kessler |
|  AOL co-founder and former CEO Steve Case announced on Thursday that he and two former AOL colleagues, Ted Leonsis and Donn Davis, have raised a $450 million venture capital fund that will focus on startups outside of Silicon Valley. "While our visibility and reach is national, we will generally focus on investments in the Eastern United States," they wrote in a blog post. "We believe there are great entrepreneurs building great companies all over the country, so we will focus our attention outside of Silicon Valley. " The Revolution Growth fund will operate under Case's private holding company, Revolution, which is an investor in LivingSocial and Zipcar, among others. The fund will make just 10 or 12 investments over the next five years, and it expects each investment to be in the $25 million to $50 million range. Case described what he looks for when making investments in an interview with Mashable last year: "Our focus is, how do you build on what's already out there on the Internet and not just focus on so-called 'Internet businesses?'using the Internet as a way to have a broader impact on the things that affect people's everyday life," he said. At that point, Revolution made investments mostly with Case's money. Adding 24 institutional limited partners is a big change. "We concluded earlier this year that we wanted to take the next step and really institutionalize the firm, and make it like a Kleiner Perkins," Case told The New York Times. "We want to be a leading investment firm, on the East Coast." Photo courtesy of Revolution |
| 15 Photoshopped Transformations of Celebs and Models | | Thursday, December 01, 2011 1:50 PM | Veena Bissram |
|  If you've ever wondered what people really look like before being Photoshopped, a new software tool developed by researchers at Dartmouth College reveals the answer. The tool rates photographs based on how much they have been digitally altered -- in an effort to shed light on the truth to advertising. This slideshow of before-and-after photos will show you 15 digital transformations. |
| 5 Companies Giving Back Online for the Holidays | | Thursday, December 01, 2011 12:31 PM | Zoe Fox |
|  Commerce With a Conscience Series is supported by See how. The Holiday Season is underway, and with that comes time with friends and family, reflection over the past year and a spirit of giving. Companies big and small are joining the donating wave this year, using social media and technology to create innovative campaigns. Despite being the third Holiday Season in a row affected by the economic turn down, Americans are more committed to giving than ever, a new American Red Cross poll reveals. More than 70% of Americans plan to give about the same amount or more than they did last year. Thanks to tech and social media, several companies have created fun ways for those eager to do good to rally behind a cause in the spirit of the season. 1. eBay's Give-a-Toy Store In partnership with Toys for Tots, eBay is putting a charitable spin on window shopping with its Give-a-Toy Store campaign. The company set up two whimsical window displays in New York City's Herald Square and San Francisco's Post Street, featuring nostalgic, storybook style toys such as teddy bears, trains, and a cowboy on a horse. Each toy, as part of the campaign, has a QR code tag. Using the eBay mobile app, the toys come to life in digital animation when their tags are scanned. You can then choose to purchase a virtual toy, which is in essence a donation of between $2 and $10 going towards Toys for Tots. After giving, you can share your gift with your Facebook friends. "The storefronts bring to life our on-the-go shopping experience," Amanda Miller, manager of the eBay campaign, told Mashable. If you're not in New York or San Francisco, you can visit the campaign's website to donate. The company has plans to launch a corresponding Facebook app and sweepstakes to add momentum to the campaign. 2. Kraft Food's Huddle to Fight Hunger In the second year of its Huddle to Fight Hunger campaign, Kraft Foods is educating Facebook users about the hunger epidemic while donating to its partner non-profit, Feeding America. When fans Like the Fight Hunger Facebook Page and play a two minute trivia game, Kraft donates money toward meals at local food banks. Each Like donates the equivalent of one meal and answering trivia questions about football and food increases the donation amount. When fans enter their zip codes, the donations on their behalves go to Feeding America banks in their areas. The company will donate up to four million meals through the Facebook Page, as part of its goal of providing 25 million meals. 3. Vayable's Experiential Travel Gift Cards San Francisco-based travel startup Vayable has made it easy to award travel experiences that support local business, meaning you can give a gift that continues to give. The company launched holiday gift cards, which give credits towards travel experiences that keep money in the local community. Eighty-two percent of money spent on Vayable fuels local business, so you can give a loved ones a meaningful experience while helping small, local retailers. 4. Coca-Cola White Cans For the first time ever this holiday season, Coca-Cola's iconic red cans have changed colors, to white, for its Arctic Home campaign for polar bear preservation. Through partnering with CheckPoints mobile rewards app, the campaign has gone both mobile. App users, who earn points for scanning participating products in stores, can donate directly to Arctic Home when they scan Coca-Cola. "You reach a really engaged consumer in store," Dave Heinzinger, CheckPoints' communications director, told Mashable on why the campaign would get people to donate. "The person is actually holding the product in their hand, interacting with it." Coca-Cola is matching donations up to $1 million up to Mar. 15, 2012. 5. Hanes Virtual Sock Drive Hanes has teamed up with the Salvation Army for their third annual Virtual Sock Drive. For every person who clicks the "Donate Now" button on Hanes' Facebook Page between Nov. 14 and Dec. 12, the company will donate a pair of socks to individuals in need up to 250,000 pairs (500,000 individual socks). It costs nothing for you to donate. While socks may seem trivial compared to, say, winter coats, they are the most requested item from homeless shelters. Have you heard of other charitable initiatives? Tell us about them in the comments. Series supported by Fedex Commerce With a Conscience Series is supported by See how. |
| McDonald's Serves Up Big Mac Deal With LivingSocial | | Thursday, December 01, 2011 11:59 AM | Todd Wasserman |
|  McDonald's 43-year-old Big Mac is getting more social this month with a LivingSocial deal and a planned Facebook app, among other initiatives. The LivingSocial offer, which went live on Thursday, offers a booklet of five Big Mac vouchers and five vouchers for large fries for $13 -- half of what it would have cost otherwise. McDonald's is calling the offer the "largest daily deal run with a fast-food chain." Rick Wion, director of social media for McDonald's, says the LivingSocial deal makes sense because December is a month when people are looking for deals and LivingSocial will expose the brand to newer, younger customers. Wion says that the Big Mac doesn't skew older than McDonald's would like per se, but it hits "a wide range of ages because it's such an iconic product." That icon status will fuel the creative execution for a TV campaign this month that will present the burger as a "rock star," Wion says. The online leg of that campaign will include a Facebook app that invites users to a "party" hosted by the Big Mac that features their Facebook photos. In another, smaller program this month, Big Macs will be served at Art/Basel show's afterparty in Miami Beach. Wion says McDonald's plans to offer Big Macs at other afterparties to underscore the sandwich's appeal to late-night diners. |
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