Facebook mobile payments power deal: Should Apple and Google be worried?

The Facebook App Centre (or ‘Center’, if you’re on the other side of the Atlantic/reason), which went live earlier this year, is largely home to free apps that don’t require any cash to let you get going. But with Facebook rolling out in-billing payments, is that all about the change?

Facebook has partnered with mobile payment experts Bango to deliver Orange France with a way to let app fans buy App Centre goodies and have the money come out of their monthly bill.

“We are delighted to be powering operator billing in France for Facebook, says Bango CEO Ray Anderson. “The enhanced user experience for smartphones and other connected mobile devices means that Facebook users who connect either through the Orange network or through WiFi can consistently pay on their Orange France phone bill.”

Are brands stealing Facebook likes?

Facebook already has deals with networks in the US and Germany, and will be looking to roll out a similar scheme in more European markets soon.

With that being the case, we’re likely to see a shift in the ratio of free:paid apps in the Facebook App Centre, and Facebook’s evolution to app platform step up a gear as a result.

If the complexity of apps can begin to rival and best those found on native mobile platforms, Facebook could soon be on the app warpath with renewed gusto. Looks like Apple and Google both have themselves a new rival.

Via The Next Web

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Ugly, uglier, ugliest: abominable phones that should have never existed, but yet did

We love original product design. In a world of greyish slabs, new ideas stand out and are always welcome. Some of the products we remember, though, just took it too far.

We don’t have a triangular tablet yet for a reason. What’s strange, though, is that those devices listed below are quite real, and were sold for a lot of money back in the day. Some of them even aspired to lead the way for others.

It never worked that way, and if you’ve ever looked about examples of what one should NOT do in product design, take a look at the gadgets below.

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014 The Podcast Report – Why Bloggers Should Launch A Podcast

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Hey everyone, Cliff Ravenscraft here. I’m back with another episode of The Podcast Report with my co-host, Megan Enloe.

In this episode Meagan and I talk with Dustin Hartzler from YourWebsiteEngineer.com. Dustin will be a panelist in a session titled “The Top Ten Reasons Why Bloggers Should Launch A Podcast!”

Dustin attended his first NMX event earlier this year, in New York City. He shares a few of the things that stood out to him from that event and what he’s most excited about when thinking about the upcoming event in January.

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Want to learn more about creating better content for your Blog, Podcast or Video Series? What about growing your audience or monetizing the right way? Come meet industry experts, network with peers and most importantly, find the solutions you need at the world's largest conference and trade show for the new media industry, New Media Expo! >> Reserve your seat at NMX today.

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