Google exec reveals Incentive Targeting acquisition

E. Betters

Google just acquired coupon firm and platform Incentive Targeting.

The deal closed for an unknown amount at this time, but 9to5Google contacted Google for a comment, as the last unconfirmed —and false—acquisition created quite a stir in the tech blogosphere, and will update accordingly.

TechCrunch first noted that Mike Dudas, Google’s emerging business lead for mobile commerce, confirmed the news today via a Tweet on Twitter, and he further revealed the buyout will “power highly targeted manufacturer and private label coupon programs.”

Update: A Google spokesperson just confirmed the acquisition to 9to5Google:

“We look forward to working with Incentive Targeting in our ongoing efforts to help consumers save time and money and enable retailers deliver relevant discounts to the right customers.”

The full press release posted to Incentive Targeting’s website is below.

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Leaked: Google+ to integrate with Google Analytics for measuring page activity

E. Betters

Leaked slides from a confidential deck show Google+ may soon feature Google Analytics integration.

Dutch website Dutchcowboys found the entire deck with screens showcasing the combined services. According to the slides, users will soon have access to total number of visits with percentage of new visits, page views, average time spent on the site, and the bounce rate for their Google+ pages.

Google+ is a social network operated by Google Inc., and Google Analytics is a free service that generates detailed statistics about the visitors to a website. There is currently no way to measure or view Google+ activity other than self-analyzing +1 social engagement.

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Samsung pushing Galaxy Note with first-ever Super Bowl advert

9to5 Staff

Samsung confirmed plans to launch its Galaxy Note phone in the United States come Feb. 5 with an aggressive marketing push. The South Korean conglomerate will spare no expense promoting the 5.3-inch device that features a stylus, as it will take advantage of the nation’s most valuable ad space during the Super Bowl XLVI finals. To our overseas readers, Super Bowl is the largest sporting event in the United States.

The 90-second Galaxy Note Super Bowl commercial will air during the fourth quarter of the big game on Sunday, Feb. 5. Pre-orders for the Note begin the same day, Samsung confirmed. As we learned yesterday, the Note will also be available at AT&T and Best Buy Stores beginning Feb. 19, with pre-orders at those outlets also starting Feb. 5.

The commercial, which will also feature HD shots made on the Note, marks Samsung’s Super Bowl debut, as the company never bought a Super Bowl ad slot in its 71-year history. The advert is directed by Bobby Farrelly of the “There’s Something About Mary,” “Dumb and Dumber” and “Kingpin” fame. The announcement also marks a continuation of Samsung’s aggressive marketing push…

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Amazon: “From Kindle, the Fire is born”

9to5 Staff


Kinda neat. The voiceover quotes French writer François-Marie Arouet Voltaire.

The instruction we find in books is like fire. We fetch it from our neighbors, kindle it at home, communicate it to others, and it becomes property of all.

And then, Amazon adds its own cheesy part: From Kindle, the Fire is born. Talk about pun intended.

The new Kindle Fire tablet costs $199 and ships November 15.

Also, amazon.com/kindlefire.

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Television commercial: The new $79 Amazon Kindle

9to5 Staff

While the new Kindle Fire tablet failed to impress folks who were hoping for an iPad killer, the $79 regular Kindle has gotten us excited because this thing is now within grasp of an average consumer and if history is an indication, sales should grow at an exponential rate. Conveniently, Amazon has a new television commercial to push the $79 Kindle into mainstream. Clearly they want you to view the device as the perfect holiday gift.  The new inexpensive Kindle is available today. Its touch-based counterpart named the Kindle Touch is arriving in time for Thanksgiving, priced at $99/$149 for WiFi/3G variant.

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Samsung airs new adverts pitching “thinner, lighter, faster” Galaxy Tab

9to5 Staff

Samsung is showing no signs of downplaying their tablet marketing amid the ugly patent spat with Apple. On Thursday the company aired a trio of new adverts that pitch its Galaxy Tab tablet as being “thinner”, “lighter” and “faster”, presumably compared to the market-leading iPad. The “Lighter” commercial brags about the Galaxy Tab weighing in “at a dainty 565 grams – as light and portable as they come“. iPad 2 weighs in at 601 grams.

The “Thinner” advert says their tablet “does what other tablets can only dream of”, underscoring “the sleek design you’ve come to expect of all Samsung Galaxy Tabs”. iPad 2′s profile measures 8.8mm versus 8.6mm for Samsung’s device. Interestingly, design is one of the treats Apple said Samsung “slavishly copied” from them.

The “Faster” commercial touts Galaxy Tab’s processors capable of “handling even the largest of video files with ease” and making “buffering a relic of the past”. Go past the fold to check out the remaining two Galaxy Tab commercials.

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