Google's Android Conveyor Belt

Watch the below conveyor belt of Android devices and you understand why the platform is growing... and winning. Even though I am an iPhone user (and I love it) - I'd rather bet on the cross-device platform vs. the hardware (with specific operating system). It's the debate of open vs. closed and this video captures that visually and very well. Props to Google for visualizing it in such a way and differentiating themselves at the Mobile World Congress expo in Barcelona.

Video is from Engadget (with more photos)

Redbox's Smart Movie Promotion Aims to Validate Emails.

Redbox is a service I love, a product that is terrificly done and a business whose future is murky (negative: moving digital and Netflix as a competitor; positive: Netflix as an example of transitioning perfectly). One of underrated components of Redbox is their email interaction with customers... and in some ways, they are similar to Groupon, LivingSocial, Gilt Group and Rue La La: email marketing drives the business. So it wasn't surprising to me that, after my first Redbox rental, they followed up via email with the following promotion: confirm your email address and receive a free rental (DVD or Blu Ray). They understand the value of a verified, engaged email user... and they are willing to give free product away (they also make some direct revenue on the promotion because of rental 'late' fees). Smart.

Unrelated: they also do a great job with their website:

- crisp and good looking - four major actions: reserve, learn, find and research - big promotion for Facebook fanpage (1.9m fans!), their newsletter (per above) and the bog - easy-to-navigate list of available movies - with trailers and cast - the ability to send Redbox gifts (ie a Valentines rental via their Facebook app)

And Redbox.com:

Facebook Announces New Facebook Photos With Hover Promotion.

Perhaps because they are continually rolling out new products and split tests.Perhaps because they are terrific product marketers and designers. And/or perhaps because they need to figure out how to message 600m+ users in efficient, effective ways. ... Facebook is the best at "in the river marketing". Yet another example:

This week Facebook rolled out a new Facebook Photos features to all users. Rather than an email announcement, page takeover, or letting users mysteriously figure it out... they promoted the change simply, cleanly and directly at the point of importance. If you had not yet clicked on a photo, Facebook revealed a message upon hover that clearly stated the new change. Once the photo was clicked, the new experience was obvious and the hover over disappeared. Well done.

Lady Gaga Uses Facebook Event to Launch New Single

230,000 have RSVP'd to the debut of Lady Gaga's new single: Born This Way. Why? In part because it is Lady Gaga (who only trails Justin Bieber in internet popularity) and in part because the viral loop of the Facebook Event promoted directly on LadyGaga.com and across Facebook. I have previously written about Facebook's Facepile... but this is interesting because it is an 'eventpile' of sorts. LadyGaga.com showcases the event and the corresponding facepile of those attending and viewers can register for the event (attend, maybe, no) directly from the homepage.

Once you attend, you it publishes to your Facebook feed and showcases you (and your friends) who are attending. That of course gets significant visibility - ~250,000 people have RSVPed and many of their 500 friends are probably aware.

It's a very aggressive implementation of Facebook Event system. And it's very clever / effective. Now imagine the event being tied to Facebook Places, Groups or special access to the song. Lots of possibilities...

LadyGaga.com homepage - primary action / display is the Facebook Event:

~250,000 people are attending. Another 200,000 are undecided (which is effectively no different since it's a promotional event).:

Dogpatch Labs Austin for SXSW 2011. Apply Now.

Polaris Ventures is excited to announce that it will bring its spirit of “open source entrepreneurship” to SXSW 2011, by opening a special edition of Dogpatch Labs. On Sunday March 13 and Monday March 14 Dogpatch Labs Austin will open its doors to entrepreneurs needing a place to work and hang out. DPL Austin will be located at Treehouse Pub, 501 East 6th Street – right in the heart of SXSW action. Similar to Dogpatch in New York, Cambridge and San Francisco there will be free desks, WIFI, food, space for informal meetings and a special SXSW foosball room! So if you are in between sessions and need a place to get some work done and prefer not to be in your room, hotel lobby or coffee shop, sign up at for a spot at Dogpatch Labs.

We would like to invite any and all entrepreneurs who are working on interesting projects to signup and tell us about yourself and your company. While we do not have unlimited space we will try to accommodate as many entrepreneurs as possible.

Additionally, Peter Flint (@pflint), Mike Hirshland (@vcmike), Dave Barrett (@dbodbo) and myself (@ryanspoon) will be holding office hours at Dogpatch Labs and would be very interested in meeting with companies.

You can sign up here for meeting time slots: http://ohours.org/PolarisVentures

Here’s the full Dogpatch Austin Schedule:

9am-11pm DPL open for entrepreneurs. 3pm-6pm Polaris Office Hours: http://ohours.org/PolarisVentures 5pm-6pm Informal Open office hours with Partners 8pm-11pm DPL SXSW Party (private invitation)

Monday:

9a-11pm DPL re-opens for entrepreneurs. 3p-6p Polaris Office Hours http://ohours.org/PolarisVentures 8pm-10pm Partners vs entrepreneurs foosball tournament (private invitation)

Tech takes to Super Bowl XLV Ads... & Takes them to Web before the Game

Tonight you'll likely see a handful of tech companies advertising during the Super Bowl (a 30-second spot runs $3,000,000). Techmeme - which is usually filled with tech and gadget news - is headlined by forthcoming ads by Groupon, Living Social, and The Daily. And there will be others... But what is equally interesting is how many of these ads are now being showcased on the web before they hit the television. Crafted for the Super Bowl ad blitz, Volkswagon's Darth Vader commercial is already a viral hit with nearly 13m views... which means they may well have already won the ad wars:

And then there is Facebook who, according to InsideFacebook, aims to make the commercials social. users will be able to watch, comment, share and rate commercials within Facebook... and advertisers will hope that their spots become viral the way that VW's already has. The page will become available at 2pm pst and be available on Facebook's sports page.