Today on WSAV Tech Tuesday, we talk about Facebook Camera, a standalone mobile app launched by Facebook last week for iOS and Android. Some people have called this nothing more than an Instagram clone, and there certainly are some Instagram-like features, for example: 15 different photo filters than you can apply to your pictures. But a number of sources have suggested that this app was in the works long before Facebook bought Instagram.

In short, Facebook Camera is like your Facebook Newsfeed minus everything except the pictures your friends have recently posted to Facebook. Beyond that, the app works much like any other photo app: snap a picture, apply a filter, and upload it to Facebook.

I thinks so. The Facebook experience has become much like the experience you have with a giant shopping mall, except that instead of having hundreds of stores to choose from, you have hundreds of activities to choose from. Trying to take it all in at once can be a little overwhelming, especially if you are in a hurry. And most of the time when you go to the mall, you don't go for the all day shopping trip; you typically go to one or two or three stores with a specific purpose in mind.

By creating standalone apps like the Facebook Camera app and the Facebook Messaging app, Facebook is giving users apps that are better suited to the activities they are most likely to perform on their mobile phones. It's...

With the recent explosion of visual search and Pinterest-like user interfaces, there has been a shift in the way fashion is curated online. A new form of e-commerce has evolved that some refer to as "social shopping". A great example of a "social shopping" site that I have spent the past few weeks researching is SparkRebel. Similar to "pinning" on Pinterest, users are asked to "spark" the fashions that most inspire them. 

My personal favorite part of this site is the "Brands and Stores" page which allows users to shop and spark fashion pieces directly from their favorite companies, such as Calvin Klein, Gap, Urban Outfitters, and even Zac Posen. The price and a "Buy It" button are clearly displayed under each item, a more direct link to e-commerce than Pinterest currently has. 

Aside from just being able to shop and "spark" clothing directly from collecitons, users can also post their own products, photos, blogs, and anything else from the web to topic-specific channels. Exisiting channels cover a wide range of topics, from weddings to beauty to (my personal favorite) fashion disasters. There is even a "Sales & Promos" section for the deal seeking divas out there. Users are asked to contribute anything that inspires them and their style.

Sites like SparkRebel that have succesfully managed to tie "social shopping"  directly to the back end of many partnering stores will...

BattleBots was a television program that made geeks rejoice all around their television sets. The premise of the show was for individuals to build their dream robots and enter them in an arena of buzz saws, pistons, and spikes. The show was sadly cancelled in 2002. 

Recently Pergo, a flooring company, used their floors as an arena for an electrifying battle of the bots. The two-minute video tells the story of a woman who recently had her floors using the PergoMax collection. With the generous prize, she accepts a 'durability test' that is actually an impromptu BattleBots game in her living room. Though the whole stint couldn't feel anymore fake, you can't help but beam with excitement to see a flooring company have a little fun with robot death matches.

The video is housed on their Facebook page with the option to scope out the competing robots or, you can do some real shopping, and peruse their different floor styles. You are encouraged to 'like' the video for your chance to win your own PergoMax floors sans the robot duel (unfortunately). Proof that PergoMax floors are durable and made of the highest quality that not even the Trick Shot or High Heel Bot could ruin, their floors were subjected to heat, sharp objects, and oddly enough a robot that squirted out ketchup, which is probably a better durability test than other floor companies.

The juxtaposition of fun and practicality in this video tugs at the heartstrings of all geeky homeowners. It's definitely an interesting approach by a flooring company to reach out to a niche audience. By leveraging pop culture and creating a fictional character and contest, the video gives way...

The food industry might be one of the most obvious places in the world today where nature can be unnatural. We buy packaged fruit juices made from concentrate, vegetables that are genetically modified, and packaged goods that, more often than not, contain a plethora of additives that we have no notion of how to pronounce.

Indeed, if there’s anywhere that nature is unnatural, it’s in what we eat, which is why this little experiment from Brazilian creative agency AGE Isobar is so fascinating. When tasked with the concern that not enough consumers knew that their product was the all-natural juice they crave, Camp and AGE Isobar set out together to make an impression.

Their process was simple, but the results were attention grabbing.

Earlier this month, Facebook launched its App Center BETA, an effort designed to make it easier for users to find and install social apps. On the heels of that announcement, Napkin Labs has released four apps for Facebook Pages. The apps, designed to facilitate co-creation between brands and their fans, are described by Napkin Labs as follows:

Superfans (see video above) helps you "[f]ind your best fans… See who participates the most with your page, from Up-and-Comers and Fans of the Month to your All-time Best fans. Find and reward the fans who spread the word about your brand and love you most."

Photoboard let's you "[c]onnect with your fans—and attract new ones with great pictures. Ask fans to create something fun and visual about your brand. Get a glimpse into how fans interact with your products. Or collect design inspiration for your next ad campaign. It's fun, simple, and built for sharing on Facebook."

Brainstorm is "[t]he easiest way to collect ideas collaboratively with your community. Ask a question and let your fans share, like, and build on each other's ideas. Brainstorm lets your community get creative, attracts new fans, and lets you reward your best fans—a win-win for everyone."

And finally, Pipeline "is an open forum with your fans. Let fans share their...