Facebook testing window stickers

Facebook has recently started planning and testing sending window stickers to local businesses, encouraging their customers to 'Like' them on Facebook.  Along with the sticker, the business also gets an incentive of $25 worth of Facebook Social ads, and that's what this is really about.  To use Justin's term, this is essentially an on-boarding program for businesses to get into social ads.  Makes sense to me.

The original article, via Mashable, also points out that with Google Local, Foursquare, and Yelp!, local businesses' windows are going to be covered in stickers and decals, however with the instant LIKE and user base of over 400 Million connected people, my guess is that Facebook will do well with the offering.

Will someone harmonize the concept with a sticker and a mobile program that works for everything, or will Facebook just edge everyone else out?

Google adds Earth to Maps. Yes!

I kind of always thought it would turn out like this.  I mean-- they have all the data anyway, right?  Except you used to have to download Google Earth as a separate desktop.  Not any more. Just like Traffic, Terrain, or Satellite, Google has now added 'Earth' as a data layer to maps.  It's actually more than that, taking the swoopy functionality of Earth and using it in maps.  My favourite feature is using a scroll-mouse to do a tilt on the view.

Facebook Personalization rolls out

Interesting to see it in action.  Facebook's Personalization API, seen in action on Yelp.com, pulls in Open API Facebook data to third party sites to customize the user experience.

Have you seen integration on any other sites?

If you're looking for a way to turn it off, Mashable has just posted a great HOW TO on the subject here.

Facebook 'likes' everything

This week at Facebook's annual developer conference, f8, a bunch of very cool new features and some eerily ominous changes to privacy settings and application permissions. You can find out all the official details on the Facebook Developer site, but the big plug-ins that I think you'll start to see on most sites very soon are the LIKE button, and the 'facepile'.

Google's Funny Joke

Google's search results today (April Fools Day) produce some rather humourous, though somewhat nerdy, timing results.  They may all be references to movies, tech, and history, but I could only recognize a few.  1.21 Gigawatts (from Back to the Future) 2.00 Shakes of a Lambs tail (Pulp Fiction) and 11.90 Parsecs (Starwars, Star Trek, etc-- its a space measurement).  At least it's a little more subtle than years past.