Home Weekly Wrap-Up: U.S. Wineries Love Facebook, Microsoft Kills Windows Live Branding, Google Adds Shopping Results to Search and More

Weekly Wrap-Up: U.S. Wineries Love Facebook, Microsoft Kills Windows Live Branding, Google Adds Shopping Results to Search and More

Most U.S. wineries have a presence on social media. Microsoft kills the confusing Windows “Live” brand. Google does more monkeying around with the search results page. Learn more about these stories and many more in the ReadWriteWeb Weekly Wrap-Up.

After the jump you’ll find more of this week’s top news stories on some of the key topics that are shaping the Web – Location, App Stores and Real-Time Web – plus highlights from some of our six channels. Read on for more.

94% of U.S. Wineries Are On Facebook, 73% on Twitter

A survey from ABLE Social Media Marketing found that most U.S. wineries are on Facebook and Twitter. The study covered both French and U.S. wineries, and French social media usage was not as widespread. To see the full study, and Richard’s observations, check out 94% of U.S. Wineries Are On Facebook, 73% on Twitter.

Giving iPad PowerPoint Presentations Just Got a Lot Better

Microsoft finally killed the confusing “Windows Live” branding it has used since 2005 as its primary online brand. It will now consolidate messaging around promotion of its biggest software brand, Windows OS, and an identity system, creatively called a “Microsoft Account.” To learn more about why its making the switch, read Why Microsoft Killed Windows Live.

Google Launches Full-Scale Shopping in Search

This week Google began offering additional options for advertisers who want to sell their products via Search. The changes come close to Paid Inclusion, but are clearly marked and Jon Mitchell feels that Google hasn’t comprimised organic search. Read more about Jon’s thoughts on this big change, and how the SERPs will change in Google Launches Full-Scale Shopping in Search.

More Top Stories

BlackBerry CEO Hints Research In Motion May Be Up For Sale

Research In Motion is a company in transition. It is going from a global-powerhouse smartphone maker to a struggling equipment manufacturer with too much company bloat, an aging operating system and a declining user base. In a letter to investors, CEO Thorsten Heins acknowledged that RIM had contacted bankers from J.P. Morgan and RBC Capital Markets to assist RIM in reviewing its financial stability and goals. In essence, Heins said that RIM, or at least parts of it, may be up for sale. More

Tim Cook at the D Conference: Between the Lines

Apple boss Tim Cook spoke Tuesday night at the D10 conference, his first major public interview since becoming CEO of Apple last year. His chat touched on everything from what he learned from Steve Jobs to his big-picture goal for Apple: to build great products, of course. But as always, when a big-company CEO like Cook speaks, the most interesting stuff is what he didn’t say. More

Facebook Can’t Have a Phone Until It Becomes an Operating System

One thing to realize about Facebook is that it is a platform. A platform allows developers and companies to build on top of it, build apps for it and interact with it through a variety of mediums. In that way, Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android are both platforms, but Android and iOS are also operating systems – complex sets of software that connect hardware to the platform. Facebook is a fine platform, but it is not an operating system. And that is going to make the company’s attempt at building a “Facebook Phone” extremely difficult. More

More Bad News For HP: The New Google Chromebook Compared to a Typical HP Laptop

On May 29th, Google announced two new computers, the latest Chromebook laptop and a new desktop machine called the Chromebox. After reading Jon Mitchell’s thorough review, it became apparent that there’s now very little difference in user experience between the Chromebook and a traditional laptop (for example, one from HP that runs on a Windows OS). Should traditional PC manufacturers such as HP – not to mention the world’s biggest software provider for laptops, Microsoft – be worried about this? You bet they should. More

Be sure to check out our Hangout video where we discuss the Chromebook and how it compares to a low-cost laptop.

The Flame Virus: Spyware on an Unprecedented Scale

Security researchers recently discovered one of the most complex instances of computer malware on record. Flame, which also goes by the names SkyWiper and Viper, has infected hundreds of computers across the Middle East and Europe. What does it do? Where did it come from? Who unleashed it? More

Brands Step Up Open Graph Efforts on Facebook

Brands are increasingly abandoning efforts to get users to “like” their Facebook pages and instead focusing their marketing efforts on Open Graph, the protocol Facebook uses to reflect third-party app use in a user’s social activity. More

Why Evernote’s Hello App Is Different on iPhone and Android

Evernote’s Hello app for iPhone and Android devices helps you remember people you meet. But here’s the rub: Each platform offers different features. In fact, the Android version, released on Wednesday, leapfrogs the older iPhone app with a bunch of cool goodies. Why not give the iPhone the same love? Evernote CEO Phil Libin explains his multiplatform strategy. More

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About ReadWrite’s Editorial Process

The ReadWrite Editorial policy involves closely monitoring the tech industry for major developments, new product launches, AI breakthroughs, video game releases and other newsworthy events. Editors assign relevant stories to staff writers or freelance contributors with expertise in each particular topic area. Before publication, articles go through a rigorous round of editing for accuracy, clarity, and to ensure adherence to ReadWrite's style guidelines.

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