The Future of Super Bowl Ads?

Every time my friends and family gather around the TV to watch the Super Bowl, there are two main camps: those who watch the game for the football and those who watch it for the commercials.

The high-priced, highly-anticipated Super Bowl commercials are a huge part of the big game experience, and practically every year there are several ads that are teased in the days leading up to the commercial's big Super Bowl reveal.

But Volkswagen is taking a different approach by releasing the full version of their soon-to-be-aired Super Bowl ad on YouTube. 

After garnering 5.6 million views and counting, it's safe to say VW's contrarian approach paid off.

The commercial features a kid dressed in a Darth Vader costume trying to use The Force around the house to avail, until he "starts" the family's 2012 Passat (with a little help from his dad using the keyless remote). It's actually a very well-done commercial that takes great advantage of the Star Wars geek in me. Apparently I'm not alone, given how much attention the ad has gotten.

What's really interesting is that VW's success with revealing their commercial early could lead to more and more companies doing the same thing in hopes of building that pre-game buzz.

Video Post: Phacebook Fones

We're kicking off our 2011 series of Daily Axioms Video Blogs with a new look and a new production team. Our former video intern Pete did a great job in 2010, but has moved on to greener pastures and we wish him the best. Now we're set with our new video intern Nick, and we're excited about the direction we're heading with these video blogs.

To start the year off (albeit a bit late), I look into last week's drama about HTC possibly debuting Facebook-branded phones in the near future. More importantly, I discuss whether or not it's even a good idea to begin with.

Digg Overhauls Itself (Again) To Win Back Users (Again)

One of the most public breakups last year was the online hurricane that hit after thousands of Digg users walked out on the then-popular social news curating site.

It must have been a heartbreaking time for the site, watching all of those who had been so loyal storm out and leave Digg for the younger and more exciting Reddit. Sure, Digg tried to win the users back, but for the past few months we've watched Digg slowly decline into the Internet abyss.

Now 5 months after the breakup, Digg is cleaning itself up and getting back on the market. Digg has overhauled its look based on user feedback, updated profile statistics, and opt-in notifications. But just like anyone who changes themselves based on what an ex said just to win them back, it's probably too little too late.

The new features are a nice touch, but the reviews I've seen don't favor Digg all that much. So while the social curating site is struggling to regain the attention of the Internet, it looks like the Internet may just want to stay friends.

Honeycomb Conference on Heels of Android's Strong Q4 Performance Report

Yes, as of right now Android tablets are basically enlarged smartphones. That is the biggest differentiator between the Apple and everything else on the market. However, that dynamic should be put to the test when Google releases its tablet-optimized Honeycomb OS.

And although Honeycomb has been announced and is expected to be integrated into tablets this year, we haven't seen too many of the specifics. That's why I'll definitely be keeping an eye on Google's Honeycomb press event this Wednesday.

Even though many Android fans are holding off jumping into the tablet waters until Honeycomb's release, Android tablets continue to close the market share gap on the iPad, according to a recent Q4 sales report.

Android tablet share increased from 2.3% in Q3 to 22% in Q4, largely due to the success of the Samsung Galaxy Tab.

Granted, the iPad still accounts for 75% of tablet sales, but that it is a significant drop from their 96% market share in Q3.

Either way, the tablet fever that we saw hit last year should continue to grow and evolve in 2011.

Facebook Friday: Facebook Finds Tablets App-etizing

For those who don't follow the ever-changing stream of tablet news, I'm here to help. When it comes to existing social networks/websites releasing tablet-optimized apps, there's a definite pattern.

1. First, the social network/service creates an Apple app meant only for the iPhone and iPad.
2. Third-party developers create unofficial apps for the Android platform because there is nothing being offered by the social network itself.
3. Depending on the success of the iOS app, the social network will release an official Android app a few months later.

Yes there are exceptions, but by and large that's the dance that we inevitably see from most social media channels. 

However, Facebook is taking the road less travelled and developing an official app optimized for tablets across operating systems.

This upcoming app could further cement Facebook's online dominance, and more importantly could be a big feather in the cap of the often-debated HTML5 (which should allow easier coding for developers across platforms).