4 Over 4th: 4 Big Stories From the 4th of July Weekend

With so many of us spending time on the lake, grilling hot dogs and watching fireworks over this past 4th of July weekend, it's safe to assume that we weren't able to stay up-to-date on all of the social media news that happened.

And since there's too much for me to pick just one story to write about, here's 4 of the biggest social media-related stories (in no particular order) from this past weekend.

Hackers apparently don't take time off for 4th of July.

The majority of us may have spent the weekend relaxing, but the slew of major Internet hacks shows that not everyone was taking time off. Yesterday, numerous iTunes accounts were stolen and charged hundreds of dollars for Vietnamese book apps.

However, Justin Bieber took the biggest hacker hit thanks to 4chan. Not only were many of his YouTube music videos hacked, but a Time.com poll about where the teen idol should go next was taken over, saying he should go to North Korea.

The Internet continues to go Gaga.

Another interesting tidbit from this weekend was Lady Gaga acquiring 10 million Facebook likes/fans, making her the first living musician to do so. Personally, I think this Gaga fever is getting a little out of hand, but obviously millions will think otherwise.

Groupon takes local approach to coupons.

Groupon, the fast-growing consumer deal website, also made headlines over the weekend with their partnership with newspapers in Miami and Sacramento. The partnership will feature very localized deals on the newspapers' websites. This is definitely a win-win situation, extending Groupon's reach while offering new revenue sources for struggling newspapers. We'll have to wait to see how effective this new tactic is, and whether or not it grows to more markets.

"The Internet is over."

This was said by Prince in an interview yesterday, and it's been buzzing around the Internet ever since. His prediction, a result of his much-publicized frustration with online music sharing sites, claims that the Internet is simply fad. He went on to say that the Internet is no different than MTV and will suffer the same decline in popularity. Needless to say, few of us are convinced this is going to happen.

So there you have it, 4 of the biggest social media stories from this past 4th of July weekend. Hopefully this will give you all some reading material while recovering from a weekend of grilling and fireworks.

3 Takeaways From Today's Java Meet Up 612

This morning Sara and I went to the Java Meet Up 612 (@jmu612) in Minneapolis for a discussion about social gaming's impact on marketing, with guest speakers Christopher Lower and Mark Hurlburt.

It was a great discussion, with a few eye opening statistics and points made. And since I enjoyed it so much, I thought I'd share some of them here.

53% of adults, 81% of people ages 18-29, and 97% of teens are self-described gamers.

The numbers here don't lie. If you've wondered whether or not gaming is a viable marketing tool, the sheer number of people who utilize it shows its potential.

The average gamer is a 29 year old woman.

That's who you would get if you were to combine the average demographics for gamers. This stat surprised me the most, because I assumed the average gamer would be younger and likely a male.

This just goes to show that gamers who grew up with gaming have continued playing into adulthood. Also, the fact that the demographic has shifted to women illustrates the impact of social gaming.

90% of Foursquare tips, comments and reviews are positive.

This one was obviously more specific than the other stats, but Foursquare is the hottest trend in social gaming right now and needed to be addressed. There's all sorts of reasons why that number may be as high as it is, but it definitely sheds light on the possible applications of Foursquare in marketing.

There was a lot of other great insight and stats offered at the Java Meet Up 612 today, way more than I can cover in one post. I'd highly suggest going to the next one, as well as checking out their @jmu612 Twitter Feed.

Clinging To Those Mayorships

We all know about Foursquare's meteoric rise to fame, but here's something that was a bit a shock. According to Compete.com, the number of unique visitors in May dropped by 400,000.

Now I'm sure those numbers will vary between different web analytics services, not to mention the fact that it doesn't take into account actual users or registrations.

But Foursquare might be feeling the pressure, especially looking at their latest move.

The location-based social network sent out window clings to businesses to display in their storefronts, reminding people to check in. The most prominent franchise set to display these window clings is the Whole Foods grocery chain.

I can't say whether or not this latest promotion is a reaction to their drop in numbers, but the timing makes sense. Now we'll just have to wait and see how well this offline move helps the online startup.

Microsoft: Notify Your Next Of Kin

While Verizon's recent price drop on the Microsoft Kin isn't necessarily the nail in the coffin for the social media-focused phone, it does signal that the handset may be in critical condition.

The Kin's struggle doesn't really surprise me, and there are 3 reasons why it's time for Microsoft to start the grieving process.

1. Not very app-ealing.

Even though the phone itself is aimed at the social media savvy, it has no apps. The problem is that apps have become the new mobile phone staple. App development is becoming a legitimate industry in its own right, and the Kin wasn't able to capitalize.

2. Cheap phone, steep plan.

You would think that a phone without smartphone capabilities would at least be able to cut down on service costs, right? Unfortunately not, with the $30 phone requiring a $7o monthly data plan. And although I really like the design of the Kin (especially the turtle-like Kin 1), the price was just too much for a phone without apps.

3. No Android? No iOS? No thanks.

Apps are important in a mobile phone, but the operating system is even more important. Right now, anything that doesn't run on the Android or iPhone operating systems is going to have a very difficult time gaining ground in this market.

Maybe that will change when Microsoft launches their Windows Phone 7 OS in a few months, but for now they might as well say their goodbyes to devices like the Kin.

Axiom's Going To The Dogs

Despite what this blog may suggest, our biggest passion here at Axiom isn't social media or technology trends. When we go home at the end of the day, many of us are greeted by our pets...especially dogs.

And with today being National Take Your Dog To Work Day, we decided to take some time to show some office-wide appreciation for our favorite furry friends.

But since building regulations wouldn't allow the dogs to run around here at the office, we are meeting later on today at 3pm at Centennial Lakes Park in Bloomington to let the dogs meet and play.

So if you're in the area and want to stop by, feel free to come meet the dogs behind Team Axiom or bring a four-legged friend of your own.

I'm sure it's going to be a fun afternoon, and I'm still thinking of a way to sneak my dog Buck underneath my desk one of these days.