Orange is launching three new low-priced Android smartphones for people who live for Facebook in an attempt to lure more of its global customer base into the smartphone fold. Roughly 50 percent of Orange’s European and African customers have smartphones today, but the operator thinks it can boost that number by another 10 or 15 percent if it provides not only inexpensive devices and data plans but also cuts through the application clutter of the typical Android smartphone, focusing on social media applications that its less technically savvy customers are already well familiar with.

“There are over 400,000 apps in Android market, which is mind boggling,” Orange Group Devices vice president Patrick Remy said in an interview today. “We believe that there is a certain point where that level of choice will become a bit too much for our customers, that they’ll become a bit lost with that level of complexity.”

Orange polled its customers over what mobile data features would coax them into buying a smartphone. “One name kept coming back on a consistent basis,” Remy said. Several iterations of the Facebook phone have emerged from companies like HTC and INQ, but Orange opted to work with directly with Facebook and TCL, which makes handsets via license under the Alcatel Brand, to create its own line of devices. Remy said Orange wanted to make the phone Facebook-centric, but not Facebook exclusive. By allowing customers to utilize the fill capabilities of the Android platform, they would then gravitate to other applications and platforms.

But Orange is doing plenty to keep Facebookers happy. The phones are designed to make the device almost an extension of a customers Facebook account. Facebook birthdays are automatically loaded into the Calendar client, contacts are synched with Facebook friends and photos automatically populate the phones’ photo albums. A physical Facebook key allows performs a variety of functions depending on what the customer is doing on screen. If the customer is surfing the Web, a press of the Facebook button automatically loads a link. If pressed in the camera mode, the photo is posted as an update, and so forth. Many of the features are similar to those designed into the HTC Status used on AT&T’s network.

It’s first device is the Orange Vancouver (Orange has a thing for phones with city monikers like Boston and Monte Carlo), which will launch in Romania with a price tag of 100 Euros (USD 5) with 9 Euro monthly plan, including 50 minutes of voice, 200 SMS and 60 MB of 3G data. Facebook usage is excepted from the data limited, leaving social networks to update their statuses, send messages and upload and download photos to their hearts’ content. Orange plans to launch two other Android Facebook phones at even lower price points (though without 3G) will begin offering them in all of its markets from continental Europe to sub-Saharan Africa through 2012.

Unlimited Facebook access won’t be available in every market. So far, Orange is only planning to make that a basic feature in Tunisia and Romania, though in other countries customers can subscribe to special unlimited social networking plans. The idea is to make customers feel comfortable with data by not metering their data usage on their favorite application, Remy said.

It sounds simple enough, but customers might find themselves confused as to what exactly counts as Facebook and what doesn’t it. A link update, for instance, is no longer under the Facebook umbrella once a customer clicks on it and exits to the browser. A YouTube video embedded in friend stream could be particular problematic. Opening the video means opening YouTube’s Android app or website, and nothing can drain a 60 MB plan faster than streaming video.

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In an informal chat at Twitter headquarters on Thursday, chief executive Dick Costolo talked about some of the numbers behind the service (as Erica reported earlier), including the fact that the network has over 100 million active users now. That may be a long distance away from Facebook’s more than half a billion, but the fact is that Twitter isn’t really competing with Facebook — it’s not really a social network, but a real-time information network. In other words, it’s a media entity, and the sooner it starts living up to that reality the better.

People like to lump Twitter in with Facebook as a social network, and there are definitely similarities between them — users can obviously distribute information on Facebook in much the same way they do on Twitter, whether it’s just text or links or photos or videos. But Facebook puts much more focus on the social aspects of its network, such as games and birthdays and so on, while Twitter is just short bursts of information. As Costolo likes to stress, one of the service’s main strengths is its simplicity.

That’s something Twitter gets criticized for — the fact that it isn’t easy to carry on a conversation, or put together a coherent narrative from such a rushing stream of information (which is why tools like Storify are so useful), but it is also the network’s greatest strength. It allows users to send information quickly to a large group of followers quickly and easily, whether those followers are looking for personal updates or details about a news event like the earthquake in Japan. That’s why expanding the 140-character limit would be such a mistake, as I’ve argued in the past.

It’s an information distribution system, like a newswire

So what Twitter has is this ever-growing stream of text and links and photos. In a sense, it’s an information distributor — like a newswire — except everyone who uses it is constructing their own stream of news. So how do you monetize that? You can charge for access to the “firehose” of that data, which Twitter is doing, but has mostly outsourced to companies like Gnip. Costolo said during his chat on Thursday that the company isn’t really interested in building that business much bigger than it already is, which makes sense because there’s probably not a lot of money in doing that.

You could also build analytics around all that data, the way that companies like Radian6 and others have, to try and tell brands and businesses who is saying what about them and when. That’s not a bad business, and Costolo suggested that Twitter is interested in doing more of that, or possibly partnering with others. But that’s probably not a huge business — and it’s certainly not a business that justifies an -billion or -billion market value, which is what Twitter reportedly has as a result of its latest round of financing.

So what else is there? There’s the media business — and that’s where Costolo (who used to run another information-distribution business at Feedburner) has said Twitter is placing most of its bets. In other words, on advertising. But isn’t the advertising business going down the drain and taking newspapers and old web publishers like Yahoo and AOL with it? Yes. But look at where the ad revenue is going: to social networks like Facebook and to Google, since both can target ads in a way that traditional publishers can’t.

Targeting the “interest graph” and monetizing that

That’s something Twitter can do as well, but in the process it will have to become even more of a media company than it already is. It has this huge ocean of data coming in that it can analyze and make sense of — and it can carve it up however it wants. Why leave it to others to curate the news or other content coming from Twitter using tools like Percolate (which is now powering a news offering from Reuters) or Storify or even Flipboard? Why not make it easier for users to customize the stream of information they see, the way some are trying to do with Zite or Paper.li or Summize?

If it wanted to, Twitter could easily publish customized news and information products using the billions of tweets it sees, and an analysis of the trending topics and other data that comes with that. It could even create targeted mini-networks, like the kind that StockTwits (see disclosure below) has created around a specific niche or market. That’s the kind of thing that would likely interest a lot of advertisers and brands — and likely more than just slapping a “promoted tweet” at the top of a user’s stream.

The bottom line is that Twitter shouldn’t really be looking at Facebook or even Google+ as competitors, because at heart it is an information company, not a social network. A better comparison would be something like Thomson Reuters –a company that runs a newswire, but also has targeted services around specific markets and kinds of information that advertisers and knowledge workers are willing to pay substantial sums for.

Twitter could be the crowdsourced Reuters of the digital age. And having closed a financing round of close to a billion dollars, or what Costolo described as “a truckload of money,” the company now has the financial resources to pursue that future — if it wants to.

Disclosure: StockTwits is backed by True Ventures, a venture capital firm that is an investor in the parent company of this blog, Giga Omni Media. Om Malik, founder of Giga Omni Media, is also a venture partner at True.

Post and thumbnail photos courtesy of Flickr users See-ming Lee and Si Brindley

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by JonathanCohen

Gadget and Gizmos as Extraordinary Gift

We are now in the most developed gadgets as well as in the latest electronic product production. Have you been looking for your ultimate cool electronic gadgets and gizmos as extraordinary gift idea? The best suggestion for you to find it easily and effortless is to find it over the internet. You can have online shopping for you to choose of the best electronic gadget that fits your taste. Your online shopping will surely make you realize that are so many things being sold online and not even in the supermarkets around you.

Gadget and Gizmos is the most fantastic as well as extraordinary gift in any occasion in your life. All you have to do is to search what is the best. Christmas is approaching and your love ones will really appreciate the electronics gift for any one of them. Extraordinary for them because it is not just a usual gift but a gift that they know even costly you still make your effort as well as give your best to give them the gift.

The latest Gadget and Gizmos may include extraordinary gadget like: iPhone, DVD iPod, Online TV Pro and Game Electronic gadgets. They are extraordinary gifts not only for the reason that they are given costly but for the most purpose to help your love ones to forget stress and enjoy life after the boring day of work or studies.

Too much work or even school haggard’s can also make bad effects on our health. A person with out enjoy is like a dull boy, so pick now what is the best and capable for your love ones. The gadget that is handy in all occasions. Cool gizmos that work anywhere be it work or play.

What are you waiting for? Be the first to give extraordinary gifts to your love ones as well as to the one that is special in your heart. Make new things possible for them. Its one of a kind gift in a one year occasion in their lives!

As what I have said earlier Gadgets and Gizmos are available for all occasions – Christmas, Birthdays, Valentines Day, and Anniversary and many others. You can get the latest electronic gadgets for free…including iPhones, iPods, Laptops, Xbox and PlayStation 3! Consumer Electronic Suppliers Contact Information Lists. Excellent Program for Affiliates as Well Including a Login Area with Keyword Generators and Discussion Forums!

With all of the new designs to cell phones and laptops, it’s hard to stay up to date with all of the latest technology. Just when you think you’re FINALLY caught up, there seems to be at least a hundred new products that hit the market.

Well you’ve come to the right place?  From high definition TVs to high-tech appliances, we can not only keep you up to date on what’s new, but also where to find the items, why they are better than previous models, and how YOU can benefit from them.  Here are some products that will help you on your way.

Some birthdays are considered milestone and need a big impact gift. If you know someone who has a milestone birthday right around the corner, begin thinking about how you want to celebrate. Many big gifts will require some planning, so give yourself time. You may need other people to help you carry the gift off, so you will want to have time to explain their role and get their help in order. If you are thinking about putting together a wonderful birthday surprise for someone you love, there are a number of options for creating a great birthday gift. Those who have a teen in their family, consider giving them a new car. Shop at Toyota Long Island for a great deal on a vehicle your teen will love. Toyota dealers Long Island will help you arrange the sale of the car and getting the car of your teen’s dream in time for the big event.

Your teenager will wake up on the morning of their big birthday to find a brand new vehicle just for them sitting in the driveway. There are few things that would make them happier.

Even if someone is not a first time driver, they may still love a new car. However, there may be other options for a big impact gift. If the two of you have always dreamed of a great vacation, now is the time to act.

Couples or friends who dream of touring Europe or visiting Hawaii will find that these trips make for the best birthday gifts. They are big surprises, but you already know the gift will be loved. Sometimes, these trips seem like pipe dreams. If you actually put one together, it will be an exciting accomplishment for the both of you. Best of all, even after the excitement of the gift giving, you will have a spectacular trip to look forward to, and an experience you can share together that you will remember for a long time to come.

Another option is to give a gift that means a big life change. If you have just learned you are expecting and the father’s birthday is just around the corner, wait to tell him on the big day. The same is true for announcing it to other family members. There is no better gift for a parent than to find out they are about to become a grandparent. What a great way to celebrate a milestone birthday. Big birthdays are also a great time to propose. You can pop the question on the big day, making for a memorable celebration.

See my video on Lincoln & Darwin on Time.com: “Lincoln and Darwin – Birthdays and Evolution” link.brightcove.com Science comedy from Earth’s Premier Science Comedian Brian Malow. Available for off-world appearances, if transportation is provided. A short edited reel of the science humor of Brian Malow from performances at the Marian Koshland Science Museum of the National Academy of Sciences, in Washington, DC And the Punchline Comedy Club in San Francisco. And Rooster T. Feather’s in Sunnyvale, too. For more science comedy, visit www.sciencecomedian.com .

It is that time of year again. Everybody is getting ready for the holidays and deciding what presents and gifts they want to get their family and friends. I know some of you out there might find it hard to know what to get everybody on your list.

I have a few tips for you which will make shopping a little easier this year. If you are going to be being any electronics or other gadget type gift then you definitely do not what to miss this article. I have important tips you need to know about when buying the latest gadgets.

First off start your holiday shopping early. It does not matter how early in the year it is. You can start buying presents and gifts for loved one right after the holidays and Christmas when everything goes on sell. This is a great time to find awesome deals.

One word of caution here though. This is not a good time to buy the latest electronic gadgets like digital camera or computers. Electronics like these are changing so fast with new models coming out and prices on old models dropping what seems like everyday. What seems like a great price on a digital camera now might not be such a great price 8 months later when you are ready to give the camera to that special person. Now for non-electronic gifts anytime is a great time to get them. Gifts like decorations, clothes, classic CDs and DVDs are great to buy way a head of time.

Step two is to write down any items you hear a family member or friend mention they would like to have. If it is early enough in the year then you can even ask them questions about that item without them thinking you might purchase it for them. Try that a month before Christmas and see if they are a little suspicious. Keep this list someplace secret and convenient and simply add to it over the year. This list will come in handy for birthdays as well.

Step three is designating an area someplace to keep all the gifts and presents you buy early. It can be a closet or box tucked away someplace where the people who the gifts are for never look or use. Also make sure and keep all receipts organized in case you need to return something.

Step four is finding gifts for those hard to buy for people. In this case get them something fun and unique. Buying gadgets and other off the wall items is great for these types of people. When I say gadgets I do not mean items like digital cameras and computers. I’m talking about RC floating snack trays, kitchen gadgets like a pop-up hotdog cooker or a self stirring mug. They are sure to love those unique gifts.