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Earlier this month, music, film and interactive folks flocked to Austin, Texas for the annual SXSW conference. One of the big mobile app announcements to come out of the event is a new social radio service called WahWah.

What is WahWah?
WahWah is a personalized radio service that makes listening to music more social and customized. You can listen with friends, fellow WahWah listeners around the globe or by yourself. The songs you hear can also relate to your location or activity you've selected.

How does WahWah work?
Get started by downloading the app and signing up using your Facebook account. Browse stations from trending and featured lists, your Facebook friends, stations created around you and activity. The app pulls from its library of 15 million songs to serve up the best music based on the context. Everyone who clicks on a radio station listens to the music at the same time.

How does WahWah differ from "Pandora" and similar music apps?
WahWah adds a layer of customization that isn't available on Pandora or Spotify by letting users select their location and activity. Also, because of its social nature, it's great for group activities like exercise or studying — even if you are physically separated from your group.

How much does WahWah cost?
WahWah is free at the Apple App Store.

Over the years, Facebook has made a number of changes to its interface. The latest update was announced last Thursday, March 7 and pertains to the News Feed, a stream of information that acts as a personalized newspaper. The new version aims to minimize clutter and focus on presenting the most relevant content possible to each user.

The updated News Feed structure is broken into specific topics, making it easier to dig deeper into certain kinds of content. Types of streams include music, games and “following,” where users can find updates from celebrities and brands in addition to their friends. The News Feed update will also standardize content across mobile devices, tablets and desktop screens, allowing for easy browsing at any moment.

The syncing of layouts across devices means that imagery will be equally prominent on desktop screens as well as mobile. According to Facebook, 50% of updates shared on the site contain imagery, showing the importance of this move. Facebook has also admitted that teens are becoming less interested with the platform and are turning to more mobile and visual focused digital environments like Instagram. This update will help to address that trend and retain time spent on the site.

In terms of advertising, Facebook’s updated News Feeds will not affect paid placements, although the change does open opportunities for more dynamic, targeted and relevant units for the categorical feeds. Looking forward, Facebook’s “Paid Profile Personalization” patent shows that users may one day be able to pay a fee to remove promoted content, further proving that the quality of posts will always remain crucial for long-term success....

While they may seem like nothing but a nuisance, unexpected events that interrput live TV coverage can actually be an opportunity for advertisers. This year's Super Bowl football game is the perfect example. 

When the power went out in the New Orleans arena, audience members and advertisers alike flocked to the Web to take advantage. Brands like Walgreens, Oreo, Tide and Audi all sent tweets related to the technical difficulty and gained some good PR — and possibly, sales — in doing so. 

Turning to an always-on, mobile-optimized platform like Twitter to make updates while a scheduled event is interrupted is the best way for brands to connect with a captive audience, whether at home, at a sports bar or in the stadium. Viewers were left with little to do besides check their social networks via mobile and chat about the mishap, which opens the door for these types of memorable exchanges. 

Looking forward, marketers should prepare for any amount of down time during live events that align well with a brand's audience. This includes set changes during concerts or commercial breaks during sports events.

Being prepared means first letting fans know the brand is ready to chat by promoting tweets or Facebook posts on mobile platforms. This lets brands attract audience eyeballs through online clutter. Keep...

In an effort to increase in-store traffic, drive sales and connect parents with their inner child, Toys'R'Us has launched a Facebook game application that generates coupons based on user engagement. To earn rewards in the form of in-store savings, the 'ToysRUs Towers' game asks that participants create their own department store, staff it and make sure that profits continue to rise by changing out displays among other tasks. Much like the ever-popular Farmville, the experience when playing is effortless, allowing parents easy access to savings and kids' involvement as well. 

This game is interesting for a number of reasons. It's refreshing to see a kids' brand engage with parents in such a direct and amusing way, while also offering them savings and driving visits to retail locations. In a way, it's payoff for procrastination on Facebook! The game also helps users to connect more closely with the brand by immersing them in a personalized environment similar to that of Toys'R'Us locations and calling the user to take on business responsibilities. Additionally, the timing couldn't have been more perfect with the holiday season in full swing.

via PSFK

Temporary tattoos are no longer just for kids. Researchers at the University of Toronto Scarborough have developed an electrode sensor disguised as a smiley face stick-on tattoo that can monitor athletes' performances and more. 

The temporary tatt detects changes in pH levels of skin due to stress from physical exertion and communicates those changes to the user. That information can then be used by athletic coaches to fine-tune their approach to training and even identify metabolic diseases such as Addison's disease. There has also been talk of leveraging the wearable technology in the cosmetics industry. 

These tattoos can be made using basic screen printing techniques and are applied the same way you would treat typical temporary ink. Depending on the materials used, the tattoos also have the ability to monitor a variety of sweat components like sodium or potassium, potentially opening doors for further learnings in the future. 

via Daily Mail