facebook gaming update: December 2011

Saturday, December 31, 2011

The Sims Social: Claim your free 2012 Balloons before it's too late

![][1] If you've already claimed (and perhaps spent) your free [2,012 Simoleons][2] being given away this week in the [Sims Social][3], but still want more New Year's Eve fun in your game, make sure to head over the game's Facebook page, as you can now claim a free set of balloons, decorated with numbers that create 2012 in their design.

Technically, this set of balloons is called the "2012 Balloons Silver" (let's face it, item naming has never been the game's strong suit), and when you claim some for your own game, you'll find that they're worth 500 Simoleons (only 50 if you actually try to sell them), and add $350 of value to your home.

As with most items, this one comes with a universal link, so if you can't find the post on the game's official fan page, you can claim your free balloons by [**clicking right here**][4]. Make sure to keep checking back with us as the new year begins, as we'll make sure to let you know when other interesting items are up for grabs for free in the Sims Social (and beyond!).
**
Will you claim your free set of 2012 Balloons in the Sims Social? Sound off in the comments.**

[Permalink][5] | [Email this][6] | [Linking Blogs][7] | [Comments][8]

[![][9]][10] [![][11]][12]

![][13]

[1]: http://o.aolcdn.com/dims/GAME/5/168/168/100/http://www.blogcdn.com/blog.games.com/media/2011/12/3918552534113280646271449596155764666138781357306808n.jpeg
[2]: http://blog.games.com/2011/12/29/sims-social-free-2012-simoleons/
[3]: http://blog.games.com/category/the-sims-social/
[4]: http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fbit.ly%2FvxTYlB&h=5AQFITGjNAQGEl5PuTbiF14uEL2oOIcLsGaE8HGR4fszP1w
[5]: http://blog.games.com/2011/12/31/sims-social-free-2012-balloons/ (Permanent link to this entry)
[6]: http://blog.games.com/forward/20138294/ (Send this entry to a friend via email)
[7]: http://www.technorati.com/cosmos/search.html?rank=&fc=1&url=http://blog.games.com/2011/12/31/sims-social-free-2012-balloons/ (Linking Blogs)
[8]: http://blog.games.com/2011/12/31/sims-social-free-2012-balloons/#comments (View reader comments on this entry)
[9]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/LarrysCorner?d=qj6IDK7rITs
[10]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/LarrysCorner?a=SeZKFfI-3dk:5qHZlXP0vqk:qj6IDK7rITs
[11]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/LarrysCorner?d=yIl2AUoC8zA
[12]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/LarrysCorner?a=SeZKFfI-3dk:5qHZlXP0vqk:yIl2AUoC8zA
[13]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/LarrysCorner/~4/SeZKFfI-3dk

URL: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LarrysCorner/~3/SeZKFfI-3dk/

CityVille Happy New Year Goals: Everything you need to know

![][1] It's the last day of 2011, and that means big things in [CityVille][2] on Facebook. A new set of three goals has launched in the game today, offering you a way to end 2011 with a bang, and bring in 2012 with an even bigger one! The town is ready for a party, and you'll need to set it up. Your ultimate reward for doing so if the New Year's Eve Party Spot, a home with a whopping 1,500 population!

**Happy New Year!**

* Complete the New Year's Museum Party
* Ask friends for 12 Sparklers
* Gather 40 New Year's Hats

Hats are earned by collecting rent from residences, while Sparklers are earned by posting a general news item on your wall. Finally, the New Year's Museum Party is a large new item that takes 10 energy to build. Once the base has been constructed, you'll need to collect 25 building ingredients:

* 5 Bowtie
* 5 Opera Gloves
* 5 NYE Ticket
* 5 Driver's Hat
* 5 Red Carpet

The Bowties, NYE Tickets and Driver's Hats are earned through general news posts on your wall, while the Opera Gloves and Red Carpets come from individual requests sent out to friends. You'll need to finish this building before being able to finish the first goal, but when you do you'll receive 20 energy as a reward.
**
Be My Guest!**

* Ask for 15 VIP Bracelets
* Collect from 20 Cars
* Visit 40 Neighbors

Unfortunately, this goal requires you to have completed either the [Garage][3] or the [Custom Car Shop][4] to enable cars to actually drive on your roads. This wouldn't be such a big deal if you could work on these goals infinitely, but I wouldn't expect these goals to last that long. Either way, the VIP Bracelets come from a general wall post. When you finish this post, you'll receive 300 XP.

**Ring in the New Year!**

* Collect 40 2012 Glasses
* Harvest 3 Times from your Museum Party

The 2012 Glasses come from collecting from Community Buildings. You won't receive one for each building you collect from, so you might need to spend a couple of days on this task (or pay City Cash to speed your way through). When you finish this third goal, you'll receive the NYE Party Spot we spoke of earlier: a large home that offers 1,500-3,000 citizens to your town. As of this writing, the building is only available through completing these goals, so if you want that massive population boost, make sure to complete them all in your town!

**What do you think of these New Year's Eve goals in CityVille? What do you think of the large home as the final reward for this series? Is it worth it? Sound off in the comments.**

[Permalink][5] | [Email this][6] | [Linking Blogs][7] | [Comments][8]

[![][9]][10] [![][11]][12]

![][13]

[1]: http://o.aolcdn.com/dims/GAME/5/168/168/100/http://www.blogcdn.com/blog.games.com/media/2011/12/i-242bd3s.jpeg
[2]: http://blog.games.com/category/cityville/
[3]: http://blog.games.com/2011/11/29/cityville-garage-cars-guide/
[4]: http://blog.games.com/2011/12/27/cityville-custom-car-shop/
[5]: http://blog.games.com/2011/12/31/cityville-happy-new-year-goals/ (Permanent link to this entry)
[6]: http://blog.games.com/forward/20138287/ (Send this entry to a friend via email)
[7]: http://www.technorati.com/cosmos/search.html?rank=&fc=1&url=http://blog.games.com/2011/12/31/cityville-happy-new-year-goals/ (Linking Blogs)
[8]: http://blog.games.com/2011/12/31/cityville-happy-new-year-goals/#comments (View reader comments on this entry)
[9]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/LarrysCorner?d=qj6IDK7rITs
[10]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/LarrysCorner?a=asXi1uyU-_M:ARQsnPMLL5A:qj6IDK7rITs
[11]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/LarrysCorner?d=yIl2AUoC8zA
[12]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/LarrysCorner?a=asXi1uyU-_M:ARQsnPMLL5A:yIl2AUoC8zA
[13]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/LarrysCorner/~4/asXi1uyU-_M

URL: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LarrysCorner/~3/asXi1uyU-_M/

The Sims Social partners with Wendy's for free W Burgers

![][1] First, we saw [Dunkin' Donuts][2] items being released in the [Sims Social ][3]on Facebook and now we see a new promotion taking place between EA / [Playfish][4] and Wendy's to advertise the restaurant's new W Burger. Everyone is eligible for a free W Burger in the Sims Social, but you'll need to watch a video first. The video is found underneath the Sims Social gameplay area, and launches in a pop-up window.

When you've watched the video, you'll receive a free W Burger back in the game which can be "eaten" by your Sim to receive a +3 energy boost. This is important, as the video is only 15 seconds long, but can be watched **multiple times** to receive **multiple W Burgers** for your Sim! The catch to all of this? The promotion seems to be a bit... glitched (to put it lightly) as of this writing. That is, some users are receiving the W Burgers and others aren't, even if they've watched the entire video and refreshed their game for good measure.

We've reached out to Playfish to see what the problem is, and will make sure to update this space when we know more. In the meantime, keep checking back with this promotion in your own game to see if the kinks are ever worked out.

**Have you been able to claim any free W Burgers in the Sims Social, or are you stuck waiting for the glitches to be worked out? Sound off in the comments.**

[Permalink][5] | [Email this][6] | [Linking Blogs][7] | [Comments][8]

[![][9]][10] [![][11]][12]

![][13]

[1]: http://o.aolcdn.com/dims/GAME/5/168/168/100/http://www.blogcdn.com/blog.games.com/media/2011/12/388829253056944766732144959615576466613250164463757n.jpeg
[2]: http://blog.games.com/2011/08/23/the-sims-social-dunkin-donuts/
[3]: http://blog.games.com/category/the-sims-social/
[4]: http://blog.games.com/tag/playfish/
[5]: http://blog.games.com/2011/12/31/sims-social-wendys-w-burger/ (Permanent link to this entry)
[6]: http://blog.games.com/forward/20138297/ (Send this entry to a friend via email)
[7]: http://www.technorati.com/cosmos/search.html?rank=&fc=1&url=http://blog.games.com/2011/12/31/sims-social-wendys-w-burger/ (Linking Blogs)
[8]: http://blog.games.com/2011/12/31/sims-social-wendys-w-burger/#comments (View reader comments on this entry)
[9]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/LarrysCorner?d=qj6IDK7rITs
[10]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/LarrysCorner?a=Dy55IrL0oGA:ZNIOnW1eGjI:qj6IDK7rITs
[11]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/LarrysCorner?d=yIl2AUoC8zA
[12]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/LarrysCorner?a=Dy55IrL0oGA:ZNIOnW1eGjI:yIl2AUoC8zA
[13]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/LarrysCorner/~4/Dy55IrL0oGA

URL: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LarrysCorner/~3/Dy55IrL0oGA/

Friday, December 30, 2011

Stardom: The A-List offers you a chance at (virtual) fame on iOS

![][1] I think it's a pretty safe bet that everyone has had dreams of fame and fortune at one point or another. Helping players fulfill those dreams (at least virtually) is Glu's Stardom: The A-List, a new iOS app for iPhone and iPad. This freemium title combines the energy system and premium currency of major social games (both on mobile platforms and on Facebook) and combines those with mostly linear, story-driven gameplay.

You'll start the game by customizing your star. You've just left your small hometown for a chance at fame in the big city. Of course, like most struggling actors (or actresses), you'll need to perform the occasional odd job to get by. You'll start working at a coffee shop before receiving your first break in a local TV commercial. Add an agent and some helpful friends and you'll climb your way through the "Lists" of stardom - starting at the E-List, and working your way up to the D-List, C-List, etc.

Instead of setting jobs to work and then forgetting them, Stardom asks you to complete these jobs manually using limited amounts of rechargeable energy to complete tasks within each job. For instance, if you decide to work a shift at the coffee shop for some extra cash and experience points early on, you'll need to finish that job by making espressos, grinding coffee beans and so on. Each task requires energy to complete, but works to fill up your star meter in the lower corner of the screen. The job ends when you've either completely filled that star meter, or when time runs out. Some jobs last longer than others, giving you the potential to earn more energy before they're finished, offering even more rewards in the process.

%Gallery-142681%

You'll unlock various clothing items and achievements as you level up or simply play the game, and can track how many fans you've earned against other players on the in-game leaderboard. Of course, your virtual life will become more glamorous as you go along, which gives you real goals to strive for, rather than simply completing the same four or five actions over and over again (although, that sort of repetitive waiting game is to be expected as you just start out).

All told, Stardom: The A-List offers a fresh take on the free-to-play genre, with a story to follow and characters to meet and interact with. However, energy runs out a bit too quickly (especially as a new player), forcing you to wait quite a while to actually make any substantial progress. Still, the production values are high and there's the potential for further social features thanks to Facebook Connect, so it might be worth getting in on the ground floor. If you're interested in trying out Stardom: The A-List for yourself, you can download it for free from iTunes.

**[Try out Stardom: The A-List on iTunes --->][2]

Have you tried Stardom: The A-List? What do you think of Glu's take on fame and fortune in the movie industry? Sound off in the comments.**

[Permalink][3] | [Email this][4] | [Linking Blogs][5] | [Comments][6]

[![][7]][8] [![][9]][10]

![][11]

[1]: http://o.aolcdn.com/dims/GAME/5/168/168/100/http://www.blogcdn.com/blog.games.com/media/2011/12/stardom.jpg
[2]: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/stardom-the-a-list/id473366182?mt=8
[3]: http://blog.games.com/2011/12/30/stardom-a-list-ios-preview/ (Permanent link to this entry)
[4]: http://blog.games.com/forward/20138100/ (Send this entry to a friend via email)
[5]: http://www.technorati.com/cosmos/search.html?rank=&fc=1&url=http://blog.games.com/2011/12/30/stardom-a-list-ios-preview/ (Linking Blogs)
[6]: http://blog.games.com/2011/12/30/stardom-a-list-ios-preview/#comments (View reader comments on this entry)
[7]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/LarrysCorner?d=qj6IDK7rITs
[8]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/LarrysCorner?a=ZLXM785tR8g:4D8ZWOEfn9c:qj6IDK7rITs
[9]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/LarrysCorner?d=yIl2AUoC8zA
[10]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/LarrysCorner?a=ZLXM785tR8g:4D8ZWOEfn9c:yIl2AUoC8zA
[11]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/LarrysCorner/~4/ZLXM785tR8g

URL: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LarrysCorner/~3/ZLXM785tR8g/

Cafe World New Year's Breakfast in the Park Catering Order: Everything you need to know

![][1] Wow, say that one five times fast. As part of the [New Year's Bash][2] celebration in [Cafe World][3], we now have a new catering order to complete, this one called the "New Year's Breakfast in the Park." You'll need to complete five full steps to finish this particular catering order, with there being a recipe available at the end if you can finish everything within three days.

First things first, this Catering Order has an arbitrary cooking task that has you serving Funky Monkey Pudding. However, that one has been automatically completed for you, leaving you with just two cooking tasks instead. You'll need to serve Spaghetti and Meatballs (an eight-hour dish) 450 times and Fish N Chips (a two-hour dish) 750 times. I think it's a good thing the first dish was removed entirely, as those two are plenty of work as it is! You'll be able to bring up to 12 friends in on this order with you, so that you can share the cooking tasks amongst you.

While you're waiting for dishes to cook (or your friends to cook them in their own games), you can work on collecting eight Picnic Tables, 12 Picnic Basket and 16 Picnic Blankets by asking your friends to send them to you.

If you can finish this entire order in less than three days, you'll receive the three-star rating, 15 Catering Points, 7,500 Cafe Points, 200,000 coins and the Texas French Toast recipe for your cafe. Remember, you must finish with three stars to receive the recipe, so if you can't quite make it in time but still want the recipe, you'll need to cancel your progress and start over. If you choose to keep going and finish within three-five days, you'll receive two-stars, 10 Catering Points, 5,000 Cafe Points and 125,000 coins.

Finally, if you finish at any point after the first five days have passed, you'll receive just one star, 5 Catering Points, 3,000 Cafe Points and 75,000 coins. As this order is part of the New Year's Bash event, it's possible that it will become unavailable after the start of the year, but as it doesn't come with a time limit as of this writing, I wouldn't personally worry about it too much. Good luck finishing it within three days!
**
What do you think of this New Year's themed catering order? Are you excited about finishing everything in the Cafe World New Year's Bash event, or is it too much to handle at the end of the year? Sound off in the comments.**

[Permalink][4] | [Email this][5] | [Linking Blogs][6] | [Comments][7]

[![][8]][9] [![][10]][11]

![][12]

[1]: http://o.aolcdn.com/dims/GAME/5/168/168/100/http://www.blogcdn.com/blog.games.com/media/2011/12/nybpbig.png
[2]: http://blog.games.com/tag/cafe+world+new+years+bash/
[3]: http://blog.games.com/category/cafe-world/
[4]: http://blog.games.com/2011/12/30/cafe-world-new-years-breakfast-in-the-park/ (Permanent link to this entry)
[5]: http://blog.games.com/forward/20138097/ (Send this entry to a friend via email)
[6]: http://www.technorati.com/cosmos/search.html?rank=&fc=1&url=http://blog.games.com/2011/12/30/cafe-world-new-years-breakfast-in-the-park/ (Linking Blogs)
[7]: http://blog.games.com/2011/12/30/cafe-world-new-years-breakfast-in-the-park/#comments (View reader comments on this entry)
[8]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/LarrysCorner?d=qj6IDK7rITs
[9]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/LarrysCorner?a=jaXsG4nFUeo:vn1peFLUw74:qj6IDK7rITs
[10]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/LarrysCorner?d=yIl2AUoC8zA
[11]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/LarrysCorner?a=jaXsG4nFUeo:vn1peFLUw74:yIl2AUoC8zA
[12]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/LarrysCorner/~4/jaXsG4nFUeo

URL: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LarrysCorner/~3/jaXsG4nFUeo/

Empires & Allies Crisis on Mercadia: Everything you need to know

![][1] A new mini-series is available in [Empires & Allies][2], with this one dealing with a civil war in the far-off land of Mercadia. If you want to participate in this event, you'll have no choice but to help restore order in Mercadia, but which side you'll ultimately give power to is up to you. You can choose to help either the rebels or the government, but regardless of your choice, your work in this event starts out the same, with a single mission:

**Mercadia is Burning**

* Place 5 Watch Towers
* Gather 5 Newspapers
* Tend 50 Neighbor Houses

Watch Towers are found in the decorations tab of the store, with each one costing 5,000 coins. The Newspapers come from friends (posting a general news item on your wall), and you'll simply need to visit at least 10 friends (tending five homes at each) to finish off this mission.

At this point, you'll be able to branch off into one path or the other, helping either the government earn power back in Mercadia, or the rebels. On one side, you have the ultimate goal of a Serval Buggy with 540 hit points, while on the other side you have a Mystery Crate that will contain anywhere from 3 - 50 Empire Points. The great thing about this feature is that the missions are repeatable (up to 10 times). That means that if you want, you can complete both sides of the event if you have enough time to receive more rewards.

Unfortunately, this event is being timed, and you only have around 10 days (as of this writing) to complete as much as you can, as many times as you can. Good luck!
**
What do you think of this Crisis on Mercadia event? Which side will you choose to help first? Sound off in the comments.**

[Permalink][3] | [Email this][4] | [Linking Blogs][5] | [Comments][6]

[![][7]][8] [![][9]][10]

![][11]

[1]: http://o.aolcdn.com/dims/GAME/5/168/168/100/http://www.blogcdn.com/blog.games.com/media/2011/12/empires--allies-on-facebook.jpg
[2]: http://blog.games.com/category/empires-allies/
[3]: http://blog.games.com/2011/12/30/empires-allies-crisis-on-mercadia/ (Permanent link to this entry)
[4]: http://blog.games.com/forward/20138089/ (Send this entry to a friend via email)
[5]: http://www.technorati.com/cosmos/search.html?rank=&fc=1&url=http://blog.games.com/2011/12/30/empires-allies-crisis-on-mercadia/ (Linking Blogs)
[6]: http://blog.games.com/2011/12/30/empires-allies-crisis-on-mercadia/#comments (View reader comments on this entry)
[7]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/LarrysCorner?d=qj6IDK7rITs
[8]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/LarrysCorner?a=HiY5_NdexKE:Y3W1whwqa-8:qj6IDK7rITs
[9]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/LarrysCorner?d=yIl2AUoC8zA
[10]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/LarrysCorner?a=HiY5_NdexKE:Y3W1whwqa-8:yIl2AUoC8zA
[11]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/LarrysCorner/~4/HiY5_NdexKE

URL: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LarrysCorner/~3/HiY5_NdexKE/

7 Political Trends To Watch For On Facebook In 2012

[![][1]][1]Look for Facebook to play a major role in what promises to an exciting year in [politics][2]. With the presidential race and congressional elections -- not to mention state and local races -- heating up in 2012, candidates and campaigns will be using Facebook in new and innovative ways.

Here are seven Facebook features that campaigns and voters can expect to see in the New Year.

# Congress on Facebook

Members of Congress have taken to Facebook to engage with and enhance their interactions with constituents, by livestreaming and[ posting][3] videos, sharing photos, and [conducting][4] tele-town halls to communicate with voters. Both Republicans and Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives have even held [contests][5] to encourage [members][6] to employ Facebook and other social networking sites to grow their followers and fan base.

Today, House members must have two Facebook pages -- one Facebook page as an elected official, and one political page that represents their campaign efforts. The bifurcation can cause branding and communication challenges for constituents, so look for efforts to change the chamber's policy.

# Congressional Ads

Once the House approved the use of Facebook ads by its members, interaction between lawmakers and constituents has grown by more than 300 percent, according to a study by [iConstituent][7], a firm that works with more than 90 congressional offices on ad campaigns.

Look for more congressional offices to follow the lead of Rep. Gregg Harper (R-Miss.), who uses Facebook [ads][8] to grow his fan base and incite action as specific pieces of legislation move through Congress.

# Sponsored Stories

In 2011, GOP presidential contenders, including former candidate and former Minnesota Gov. [Tim Pawlenty][9], were already testing [variations][10] of sponsored stories. Now that sponsored stories will start appearing in [news feeds][11] early next year, the strong click-through rates by virtue of more targeted placement among fans receptive to the content will be that much more appealing to a broader spectrum of politicians.

# Tabs and Tools

[![][12]][12]Campaigns have already started to customize Facebook tabs and tools and adapt them to their specific needs. For example, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's digital media director told us about a photo-uploading tool his team developed, and its decision to stream major events via its LiveStream and the YouTube tab on Facebook.

Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich's (R-Ga.) team created Wayin Newt and Wayin debates tabs on his page, and his page also features a Ustream tab for event coverage. Look for campaigns to push the envelope in terms of using new and existing applications to get the most from Facebook.

# Streaming Video

Republican presidential candidates, such as Pawlenty, turned to Facebook to not only announce their campaigns, but also to hold town halls. Facebook has live-streamed events with New Jersey Gov. [Chris Christie][13], former President [George W. Bush][14], executives from Davos, and other guests. Facebook even hosted a [town hall][15] with President Barack Obama at its California headquarters.

Voters can expect candidates to leverage Facebook to stream official events as the political season heats up in 2012. Streaming events is also a way to bypass the media filter and launch a dialogue between candidates and voter on Facebook.

# Timeline

Facebook's timeline feature is a powerful visual expression of an individual's history. Our blog has addressed how [businesses ][16]and brands could employ timeline on its pages once the feature becomes available to this audience.

That prompted us to consider whether timeline would benefit an elected official or a candidate. Would support for a past bill or piece of legislation come back to haunt a lawmaker in a campaign? In the end, campaigns should use whatever tool or resource makes sense, and that means using the timeline feature if and when it's ever available to politicians' pages. Controlling the message is core to any campaign, and that mantra would just be extended to a candidate's Facebook presence.

# Applications

As e-readers and new technologies become ubiquitous, politicians are adapting their message to these platforms.

The U.S. Senate only named Facebook as an approved technology just over one year ago. As Senate offices become used to Facebook, expect senators to leverage the platform in different ways. Some offices have already started; our sister blog, SocialTimes, covered the [iPhone app][17] launched by Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga).

The general public is starting to turn to Facebook to express their views during major events on the political calendar, making the platform one indicator of the health of a candidacy or campaign. Our coverage of the GOP presidential primary [debates][18] has cited news feed comments that give a sense of who won the debate, for example.

Finally, look for new Facebook mobile applications as the race heats up in 2012.

What do you think of these trends? Do you see other Facebook political trends in 2012?

[![][19]][20]
[![][21]][22]

[![][23]][24] [![][25]][26] [![][27]][28]

![][29]

URL: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/allfacebook/~3/zOiF7IZYmSc/7-political-trends-to-watch-for-on-facebook-in-2012-2011-12

Zynga looks forward to 2012 with better feedback from users

![][1] [Zynga][2] has had a rocky road when it comes to player feedback across its mighty catalog of Facebook games. Sure, the vast majority of players enjoy games like [FarmVille][3] and [Pioneer Trail][4], but what about those vocal users that have legitimate concerns about games and are more than willing to offer their feedback? Does Zynga actually listen to them? Perhaps. According to the [Economic Times][5], Zynga's Bill Jackson (creative director behind [CastleVille][6]) says that this particular game has undergone changes due to feedback from players.

"These are not games that we just play. These are games that we make with our players," Jackson says, and he explained that the reduced rate of Beastie appearance has been made due to players stating that they appeared too often. Jackson goes on to say that "Once we [Zynga] launch the game, we are asking players the same thing: 'how can we make it more fun for you?"

While changes in CastleVille are one thing, it does leave a few remaining questions in other games in the Zynga network, as users routinely complain of too many goals or catering orders in [Cafe World][7] or of loading and rollback issues in Pioneer Trail. Is this an issue of the company not listening to users, or are there simply not enough staff members on-hand to deal with these technical problems? Whatever the case, Jackson says that managing all of the feedback and information from players is a "challenge," but that the company is preparing for a better 2012 by "creating a platform" (says the Economic Times) where players can play whenever they want. Could this be the [Zynga Direct][8] program revealed in October? If not, does this signal more games coming to more platforms (mobile, for instance)? And what does all of this have to do with actually changing games based on user responses?

It's an interesting time to be a social gamer in the Zynga network, as games like Pioneer Trail are bleeding players (that one has lost half a million players in a month, according to [AppData][9]) and even the former staples like [Mafia Wars seem to be struggling][10]. Whether feedback is really focused on or not, 2012 will be an interesting year for Zynga, and for players as well.

[Permalink][11] | [Email this][12] | [Linking Blogs][13] | [Comments][14]

[![][15]][16] [![][17]][18]

![][19]

URL: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LarrysCorner/~3/GuITtino02U/

Cafe World Ice Sculpture: Everything you need to know

![][1] If you're still playing [Cafe World][2], you might have been fairly overwhelmed this holiday season with all of the Winterfest events that were launched. Unfortunately, the holidays aren't over quite yet, as a 2012 New Year's Bash has started in the game, giving you a chance to build a new Ice Sculpture in your cafe (among many other tasks).

The Ice Sculpture's frame is given to you for free when logging into your cafe. You'll need to collect a few building materials to put it together:

* 14 Cider Flutes
* 10 Invitations
* 12 Sparkling Cider
* 14 Tables

The Cider Flutes and Sparkling Cider are earned through general news posts on your wall, while the Invitations and Tables are earned by sending out individual requests to friends. When the Ice Sculpture has been completed, you'll receive 2,000 Party Points for your overall score. In this New Year's Bash event, you'll complete Daily Challenges and ask your friends to join your own game for the party, with all of these activities giving you more Party Points. As you earn Party Points, you'll get that much closer to unlocking a 4X Lightning Stove for your cafe. Otherwise, the Ice Sculpture is just a neat limited edition item that doesn't seem to have a real purpose after the New Year's Bash event itself ends.

Good luck earning as many of the prizes in this event as possible!
**
What do you think of the New Year's Bash event in Cafe World? Let us know in the comments.**

[Permalink][3] | [Email this][4] | [Linking Blogs][5] | [Comments][6]

[![][7]][8] [![][9]][10]

![][11]

[1]: http://o.aolcdn.com/dims/GAME/5/168/168/100/http://www.blogcdn.com/blog.games.com/media/2011/12/cafe-world-new-years.jpg
[2]: http://blog.games.com/category/cafe-world/
[3]: http://blog.games.com/2011/12/30/cafe-world-ice-sculpture/ (Permanent link to this entry)
[4]: http://blog.games.com/forward/20138092/ (Send this entry to a friend via email)
[5]: http://www.technorati.com/cosmos/search.html?rank=&fc=1&url=http://blog.games.com/2011/12/30/cafe-world-ice-sculpture/ (Linking Blogs)
[6]: http://blog.games.com/2011/12/30/cafe-world-ice-sculpture/#comments (View reader comments on this entry)
[7]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/LarrysCorner?d=qj6IDK7rITs
[8]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/LarrysCorner?a=sQ6oa3xnuP4:_lfj4hVwCCc:qj6IDK7rITs
[9]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/LarrysCorner?d=yIl2AUoC8zA
[10]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/LarrysCorner?a=sQ6oa3xnuP4:_lfj4hVwCCc:yIl2AUoC8zA
[11]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/LarrysCorner/~4/sQ6oa3xnuP4

URL: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LarrysCorner/~3/sQ6oa3xnuP4/

Crosswords' creator made a social game with just an idea and passion

![][1] Alright, maybe he had a little bit of cash, but [PuzzleSocial ][2]founder and [Crosswords ][3]creator Jeb Balise tells us that he has no previous experience making social games. So, how did Balise go from not knowing the first thing about social games to becoming the CEO of his own social game company with its first game out of the gate? (Hey, [Mark Pincus ][4]did it.)

A deep love for crossword puzzles, and an idea--a pretty good one, at that. (A recent MBA graduate from Fordham University, Balise has a thing for business, too.) The PuzzleSocial CEO tells us that he's a tournament-level crossword puzzle solver, having [competed in the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament ][5]for several years. "For the record, compared to most of the people that go to that tournament, I'm average," Balise humbly admits.

It was thanks to his time competing that Balise came up with PuzzleSocial. "[I found that] once you add the social nature of certain games such as multiplayer, they can spread so quickly and people can have a lot of fun playing together," Balise says. "That was a remarkable sort of thing that happened that I was only able to catch on because I was playing the [crosswords]."

%Gallery-142312%

The Fordham graduate soon realized that the world's crossword puzzles were made by a surprisingly small amount of people. That was about 14 months ago, and soon after Balise reached out to professional crossword puzzle constructors behind the puzzles readers of _Newsweek_, _The Onion's A.V. Club _and over 200 other newspapers and online news outlets worldwide enjoy. "Once I put two and two together that, 'Hey, we could all get together and put these great crosswords on the most powerful distribution platform ever to exist,' you know, we could make some cool things happen," Balise tell us.

Of course, not knowing much about game development, the PuzzleSocial founder had to seek out those that did. Balise calls it a lucky break that he found the game developers that he did. The first designer he hired to work on Crosswords has moved into his New York City office. Today, Balise and his team of about 10 developers are working with 50 of the most syndicated crossword puzzle creators in the world. "I haven't taken a day off in 14 months, and I've enjoyed every single second of it."

Now that Crosswords is available to the public, it's initially drawn a crowd reminiscent of the average social gamer: middle-aged to older folks (that likely have experience with crosswords). However, we're told that this is just the beginning. When asked about plans for future growth, Balise says he plans to make its puzzles appeal to younger crowds both through social features like real-time Doubles Play and Celebrity Crosswords chock-full of current events and topics you'd find on _TMZ_.

"The typical way, just as you said, is that you're solving a crossword puzzle in the paper. How many times have we experience someone looking over someone's shoulder and chiming in with an answer? In this case, you don't have to do that," Balise says. "We want to prove to the world that crosswords are for all ages."

As for the future beyond Crosswords, the PuzzleSocial founder unsurprisingly has little he can talk about. What we do know is that PuzzleSocial has plans to launch two more social games and two mobile games in 2012. However, Balise promises that his company's mission to promote education through social will permeate throughout. "The philosophy behind what we're building lends itself to other games that can be built both in the puzzle world and beyond."

**Have you tried Crosswords for Facebook yet? Do you think PuzzleSocial's approach will help it carve out a niche on Facebook? Sound off in the comments. [Add Comment.][6]**

[Permalink][7] | [Email this][8] | [Linking Blogs][9] | [Comments][10]

[![][11]][12] [![][13]][14]

![][15]

[1]: http://o.aolcdn.com/dims/GAME/5/168/168/100/http://www.blogcdn.com/blog.games.com/media/2011/12/2-crosswords-by-puzzlesocial-on-facebook-1325283164.jpg
[2]: http://blog.games.com/tag/puzzlesocial
[3]: http://blog.games.com/2011/12/21/crosswords-facebook-game-preview/
[4]: http://blog.games.com/tag/mark+pincus
[5]: http://www.crosswordtournament.com/2011/standings/dive.htm
[6]: http://blog.games.com/2011/12/30/crosswords-puzzlesocial-interview/#disqus_thread
[7]: http://blog.games.com/2011/12/30/crosswords-puzzlesocial-interview/ (Permanent link to this entry)
[8]: http://blog.games.com/forward/20138030/ (Send this entry to a friend via email)
[9]: http://www.technorati.com/cosmos/search.html?rank=&fc=1&url=http://blog.games.com/2011/12/30/crosswords-puzzlesocial-interview/ (Linking Blogs)
[10]: http://blog.games.com/2011/12/30/crosswords-puzzlesocial-interview/#comments (View reader comments on this entry)
[11]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/LarrysCorner?d=qj6IDK7rITs
[12]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/LarrysCorner?a=V2qd-9r9bKk:BFXkRwt0mGU:qj6IDK7rITs
[13]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/LarrysCorner?d=yIl2AUoC8zA
[14]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/LarrysCorner?a=V2qd-9r9bKk:BFXkRwt0mGU:yIl2AUoC8zA
[15]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/LarrysCorner/~4/V2qd-9r9bKk

URL: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LarrysCorner/~3/V2qd-9r9bKk/

U.S. casino Caesars owned half of Playtika, now it owns the other half

![][1] You can almost say U.S. casino giant Caesars and Slotomania maker [Playtika ][2]were engaged before, and now they've just had their wedding day. (_Dawww_!) The Israeli social games company is now 100 percent owned by Caesars, which had previously acquired 51 percent of the developer earlier this year in May for between $80 and $90 million, [according to Globes][3].

The majority of social gaming acquisitions this writer has had exposure to usually happen wholesale, and for much cheaper. (Aside from [Disney ][4]and [EA][5]'s tendency to make it rain.) According to Globes, the company acquired Playtika with the option to gobble up the rest of it shares within two years, and purchased the rest of its shares for slightly more than their worth back in May.

In other words, _Caesars likey_. Maybe this had to do with Facebook recently naming Slotomania one of the [most popular social games ][6]of 2011 on its platform. Well, that and how casino games are looking to be the next big thing on Facebook, with even [PopCap ][7]([supposedly][8]) and [Zynga ][9]looking to get [in on the action][10]. That said, Caesars has even farther-reaching plans for its new company of 50 staffers and 10 million monthly players.

"2012 is going to be a very big year for Playtika, which will be reflected by, among other things, the hiring of additional employees in Israel. A large portion of the investment that we are making in the company will be for hiring new people," Caesars Interactive CEO Mitch Gerber told Globes. "Next year, we will concentrate on Playtika's competitive advantage and on widening its activity on social networks other than Facebook," Gerber said. "Caesars Interactive and Playtika will be focusing on Asia in the upcoming year."

[Via [Inside Social Games][11]]

**Do you think this is a smart move for Caesars and Playtika? Do Zynga, EA and other social game makers have anything to worry about entering the casino games world with Caesars around? Sound off in the comments. [Add Comment.][12]**

[Permalink][13] | [Email this][14] | [Linking Blogs][15] | [Comments][16]

[![][17]][18] [![][19]][20]

![][21]

URL: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LarrysCorner/~3/bITtBAdT0qU/

Facebook Timeline Doesn’t Support Internet Explorer 7

Everyone with Facebook's new timeline profile, take one step forward. [Internet Explorer][1] 7 users: Not so fast.

[The Sociable][2] reported that the [new Facebook profile][3] does not support IE7 at all, and that users of the five-year-old Microsoft browser see the old Facebook profile.

Even worse, the old profile comes complete with display issues for IE7 users, as some of the style-sheet language does not mesh well with the browser, according to The Sociable, which added that IE7's global market share for browsers is just slightly more than 4 percent.

One "benefit" to this news, as pointed out by The Sociable: Facebook users who hate timeline can "revert" to the old profile by using IE7 or setting their user agents in Chrome, Firefox, or Safari to IE7.

Readers: What is your current browser of choice?

[![][4]][5]

[![][6]][7]
[![][8]][9]

[![][10]][11] [![][12]][13] [![][14]][15]

![][16]

[1]: http://www.allfacebook.com/how-to-keep-your-employees-off-facebook-use-ie6-2010-05 (How To Keep Your Employees Off Facebook: Use IE6)
[2]: http://sociable.co/web/facebook-phasing-out-support-for-ie7/ (Facebook phasing out support for IE7)
[3]: http://www.allfacebook.com/watch-facebook-launches-timeline-profiles-today-2011-12 (Facebook Launches Timeline Profiles Today [UPDATED])
[4]: http://www.allfacebook.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/IE7.jpg (IE7)
[5]: http://www.allfacebook.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/IE7.jpg
[6]: http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/SP_THDxtrzIfICH-P_3xqL20d4E/0/di
[7]: http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/SP_THDxtrzIfICH-P_3xqL20d4E/0/da
[8]: http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/SP_THDxtrzIfICH-P_3xqL20d4E/1/di
[9]: http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/SP_THDxtrzIfICH-P_3xqL20d4E/1/da
[10]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/allfacebook?d=pnQdOprp5To
[11]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/allfacebook?a=PZBK6SF4sOE:w7brO-LWlWM:pnQdOprp5To
[12]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/allfacebook?d=qj6IDK7rITs
[13]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/allfacebook?a=PZBK6SF4sOE:w7brO-LWlWM:qj6IDK7rITs
[14]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/allfacebook?i=PZBK6SF4sOE:w7brO-LWlWM:gIN9vFwOqvQ
[15]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/allfacebook?a=PZBK6SF4sOE:w7brO-LWlWM:gIN9vFwOqvQ
[16]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/allfacebook/~4/PZBK6SF4sOE

URL: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/allfacebook/~3/PZBK6SF4sOE/facebook-timeline-doesn%e2%80%99t-support-internet-explorer-7-2011-12

The Top 10 Free iOS and Android Games - December 2011

![][1] We all already know that this year will soon come to a close, and if you didn't ... you probably don't live within civilization. (You're also likely not even reading this, so why are we talking to you again?) At any rate, 2011 has been one helluva year for more reasons than you care to read on a gaming blog, so let's get right to what matters, shall we?

While the entire year has seen more gems than we could fit on both of our top 10 lists for [free iPhone ][2]and [Android games][3], let's see what freebies came out on top this month, arguably the biggest month of the year for mobile games. If you didn't get an App Store gift card for Christmas/Hanukkah, you're in luck. There are plenty of top notch games out there for ya for free (_as of this writing_):

## Top Free iOS Games

1. [Temple Run][4]
Imangi Studios has dropped one mega hit of an endless runner, so much so that it made [our top 10 for all of 2011][2]. Endless runners (see: Jetpack Joyride, Canabalt) are dime-a-dozen on the iPhone, but Temple Run does much to innovate the genre. Now from the perspective of behind the runner, tap and swipe to turn, jump and slide to avoid obstacles.

2. [Sonic & SEGA Superstars Racing Free][5]
You know, this is exactly why Mario Kart would sell like gangbusters on the iPhone. Likely thanks much to its recent spot on an iPod Touch commercial, [SEGA][6]'s kart racer follows the beloved kart racer formula: throw iconic video game characters into goofy go-karts, give them some explosive items and crazy tracks to race around in. Instant win.

3. [Pet Shop Story][7]
[TeamLava's pet shop simulator ][8]allows players to, well, run their own pet shop. It's about as self-explanatory as any Facebook game. However, what's interesting about this simulator is that players can breed their type of dog, and get as goofy with the combinations as they wish. Ever wanted a Bichon Retriever? _Boom_.

4. [Social Girl][9]
We're not quite sure why [CrowdStar][10]'s new game is on the list. Granted, this game isn't targeted toward this particular writer, but even so: There's nothing visibly social about this game whatsoever. For what it's worth, some ladies and gents out there must find it appealing.

5. [Zombie Takeover][11]
Pocket Gems has created a reversal on the typical zombie survival sub genre with Zombie Takeover. Rather than thwart a zombie apocalypse, _you are _the zombie apocalypse, sending wave upon of unique zombies and monsters to overrun various locales. Hey, at least it sounds different than most.

6. [Pocket Prize][12]
This is a digital grab machine by Outblaze Ventures. That's about it, really. Seriously, you manipulate a digital grab machine claw with touch controls, grab stuffed animals and view them in a display case. The App Store confuses us sometimes.

7. [Bejeweled Blitz][13]
Is there really much else to be said of Bejeweled? This version is the result of a re-release by [EA ][14]and [PopCap][15], separating what [was once Blitz and Bejeweled 2 ][16]into this and a much-improved version of the single-player game. Look, just download it already, will ya?

8. [Pocket Potions][17]
A strange take on the tired simulator genre, Breaktime Studios made Pocket Potions likely in an attempt to mix things up. While you don't exactly create the potions yourself, you can transform your patrons with the brews you create. An interesting enough twist, we guess.

9. [Angry Birds Free][18]
Hey, look at this nifty [Angry Birds Christmas lights ][19]display!

10. [Where's My Water? Free][20]
[Disney][21]'s proverbial answer to the Angry Birds craze has shown that it has legs. Rather than puzzles of destruction by bird, Where's My Water plays with fun water physics to create that easy-to-learn-but-hard-to-master play hook. This free version offers levels not found in the paid version.

## Top Free Android Games

1. [Angry Birds Free][22]
Whoa, is that [_another _Angry Birds Christmas light ][23]display? Awesome!

2. [Words With Friends Free][24]
Look, if [Alec Baldwin ][25]plays it, this game must be cool, right? Jokes aside, this is probably the best way you could ever spend the last few megabytes you have on your phone's data plan.

3. [Fruit Ninja Free][26]
Think you can do better than [this kitty][27]? Well, go on and download [Halfbrick][28]'s must-have and prove it ... but you gotta' play like the cat does. Otherwise, it just wouldn't be fair.

4. [Angry Birds Seasons Free][29]
Crap, we've run out of cool Christmas light displays to show you. Um, did you know [Angry Birds playgrounds ][30]are in the works in the game's homeland, Finland? Neat-o, huh?

5. [UNO Free][31]
There's a reason why this game made our [top free Android game ][3]list for 2011, you know. Check out the full list right here to find out why. (It's not that hard to figure out.)

6. [Angry Birds Rio Free][32]
Seriously? Hmm ... yeah, we're spent. There's no way you haven't already played the hell out of this game.

7. [Word Search][33]
Now, this is something different (finally). By Melimots, this is just as you would imagine a touch-controlled word search game to be, which could be a very good thing. Come to think of it, this would be awesome on Facebo--dammit.

8. [Plumber][34]
An interesting puzzle game reminiscent of Candy Train, developer Monsters Game is on to something here. Tap to rotate the various pipes to make a continuous water line leading to the next level.

9. [Drunken Pee][35]
The fact that this is a top free app is just ... _why_? We're not even going to bother describing this one, because we don't want to know, frankly.

10. [Drag Racing][36]
A staple on the Android Market for some time, and rightfully so. It's one of the most popular free games on the platform, swerving its way into [our overall top 10 for 2011][3]. Thankfully there's more to come from Creative Mobile, like a Facebook version.

[Image Credits: [Apple][37], [Google][38]]

**Which of these free games have you tried already? Are there new free games out this month that you think should have climbed up the charts? Tell us about them in the comments. [Add Comment.][39]**

[Permalink][40] | [Email this][41] | [Linking Blogs][42] | [Comments][43]

[![][44]][45] [![][46]][47]

![][48]

URL: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LarrysCorner/~3/Fl0wlkau3lw/

New Year’s Resolutions For Local TV Facebook Pages

[![][1]][2]Vince Duffy, executive chair of the Radio-Television Digital News Association, suggested five New Year's resolutions for [local television stations][3] to adopt when it comes to their Facebook pages.

From the RTNDA's [Communicator][4] blog:

1. **Dust off that dictionary: **Sure, spelling doesn't matter on the air, but just like on your Web page, you look foolish when you spell things incorrectly on your Facebook page. Facebook doesn't have spell-check, so you may actually have to look things up. Do it…look it up. Your station loses credibility every time you spell something wrong.
2. **Provide an appropriate amount of material: **I found a major all-news radio station in a top 25 market whose most recent Facebook post was on Dec. 20. The post before that was written on Nov. 28. Is it any wonder they have only 131 people who like their page? The flip side of this is a news station that posts a link on Facebook to every story on their website. That's fine (I guess), but they all show up within five minutes of each other. If I'm a fan of your page, this is just as annoying as Farmville and Mafia Wars posts, because they show up like spam on my page. Try to post at least three or four quality items per day, and unless there is breaking news that must be announced, try not to post more than once per hour.
3. **Talk to me! **People use Facebook as a community. You should do more than just push your stories or tease a chance at winning a prize if people like your page. Use your stories to generate [discussions][5]. Ask for people's opinions. Be a friend in the community, not a billboard. You know those real estate professionals and website operator friends who only use their Facebook pages to promote their businesses and nothing else? That's what your station page looks like if you only post links to your stories.
4. **Pictures, pictures, pictures: **[Visuals][6] on Facebook pop out and get noticed. If you post a link to a story on your Web page, put the photo in the Facebook link, as well. Post pictures from station events, behind the scenes, of your talent, or your community.
5. **Participate in the conversation: **Your Facebook fans will ask questions on your page. Some of them will be intelligent, and some will be annoying. Make an effort to answer any questions and respond to comments within 24 hours. If you ignore the people who like your page, they will soon ignore you.

Readers: Is there anything you would like to add to this list for your local TV stations' Facebook pages?

[![][7]][8]
[![][9]][10]

[![][11]][12] [![][13]][14] [![][15]][16]

![][17]

[1]: http://www.allfacebook.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/RTDNALogo.jpg (RTDNALogo)
[2]: http://www.allfacebook.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/RTDNALogo.jpg
[3]: http://www.allfacebook.com/a-knxtkcbs-old-time-l-a-tv-news-reunion-on-facebook-2011-05 (An Old-Time L.A. TV News Reunion Hits Facebook)
[4]: http://www.rtdna.org/pages/posts/5-new-yearE28099s-resolutions-for-your-stationE28099s-facebook-page1517.php (5 New Year's Resolutions for Your Station's Facebook Page )
[5]: http://www.allfacebook.com/facebook-discussions-2011-11 (Lithium Won't Let Facebook Discussions Be Silenced)
[6]: http://www.allfacebook.com/infographic-a-history-of-facebook-photos-2011-08 (INFOGRAPHIC: A History Of Facebook Photos)
[7]: http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/sIhYdfGYGjv1yTt4ulAD_sBpy9M/0/di
[8]: http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/sIhYdfGYGjv1yTt4ulAD_sBpy9M/0/da
[9]: http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/sIhYdfGYGjv1yTt4ulAD_sBpy9M/1/di
[10]: http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/sIhYdfGYGjv1yTt4ulAD_sBpy9M/1/da
[11]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/allfacebook?d=pnQdOprp5To
[12]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/allfacebook?a=4urW2SCVU-U:A36J4BvrbK8:pnQdOprp5To
[13]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/allfacebook?d=qj6IDK7rITs
[14]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/allfacebook?a=4urW2SCVU-U:A36J4BvrbK8:qj6IDK7rITs
[15]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/allfacebook?i=4urW2SCVU-U:A36J4BvrbK8:gIN9vFwOqvQ
[16]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/allfacebook?a=4urW2SCVU-U:A36J4BvrbK8:gIN9vFwOqvQ
[17]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/allfacebook/~4/4urW2SCVU-U

URL: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/allfacebook/~3/4urW2SCVU-U/new-year%e2%80%99s-resolutions-for-local-tv-facebook-pages-2011-12

What Is Eye-Catching On Facebook Timeline?

Eye-tracking startup [EyeTrackShop][1] turned its eyes toward Facebook's new timeline profile and came up with three observations on how users view it.

As reported by [Mashable][2], [EyeTrackShop][3] found that:

* Viewers' eyes are immediately drawn to the [cover image][4], but they still spend more time looking at the smaller profile picture.
* 63 percent of participants in EyeTrackShop's trial noticed [sponsored stories][5] in the timeline profile, compared with just 43 percent in the old profile.
* Participants spent an average of 2.2 seconds viewing personal information, such as employer and location, in timeline, versus 1.6 percent in the old profile.

Readers: Do you find that your viewing of Facebook timeline profiles mirrors the findings by EyeTrackShop?

[![][6]][7]

_Screen shot courtesy of EyeTrackShop and Mashable._

[![][8]][9]
[![][10]][11]

[![][12]][13] [![][14]][15] [![][16]][17]

![][18]

[1]: http://www.allfacebook.com/facebook-photos-2-2011-12 (Profile Photos And Job Titles Draw Facebook Users' Eyes)
[2]: http://mashable.com/2011/12/29/eyetracking-study-new-vs-old-profiles/ (Facebook Timeline vs. Old Profiles: How People View Them Differently [STUDY])
[3]: http://eyetrackshop.com/ (EyeTrackShop)
[4]: http://www.allfacebook.com/facebook-timeline-cover-images-from-mountain-dew-2011-12 (Facebook Timeline Cover Images From Mountain Dew)
[5]: http://www.allfacebook.com/facebook-sponsored-stories-ads-2011-12 (Facebook Explains Sponsored Stories And Other Ads)
[6]: http://www.allfacebook.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/EyeTrackShopTimeline.jpg (EyeTrackShopTimeline)
[7]: http://www.allfacebook.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/EyeTrackShopTimeline.jpg
[8]: http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/FsnxHlAVtPoQp2_jPLhSU4D8xZI/0/di
[9]: http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/FsnxHlAVtPoQp2_jPLhSU4D8xZI/0/da
[10]: http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/FsnxHlAVtPoQp2_jPLhSU4D8xZI/1/di
[11]: http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/FsnxHlAVtPoQp2_jPLhSU4D8xZI/1/da
[12]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/allfacebook?d=pnQdOprp5To
[13]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/allfacebook?a=z5vFbrKVkQs:espcODKPjfQ:pnQdOprp5To
[14]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/allfacebook?d=qj6IDK7rITs
[15]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/allfacebook?a=z5vFbrKVkQs:espcODKPjfQ:qj6IDK7rITs
[16]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/allfacebook?i=z5vFbrKVkQs:espcODKPjfQ:gIN9vFwOqvQ
[17]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/allfacebook?a=z5vFbrKVkQs:espcODKPjfQ:gIN9vFwOqvQ
[18]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/allfacebook/~4/z5vFbrKVkQs

URL: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/allfacebook/~3/z5vFbrKVkQs/what-is-eye-catching-on-facebook-timeline-2011-12

U.S. Politics on Facebook Looks Back At 2011

[![][1]][2]The [political arena][3] began heating up on Facebook in 2011, and it should get even hotter next year, with a presidential election on tap.

The [U.S. Politics on Facebook][4] page offered up its own [year in review][5], providing a month-by-month look at political highlights on the social network.

Politicians and candidates appearing on the list were:

* President [Barack Obama][6]
* Speaker of the House [John Boehner][7] (R-Ohio)
* Wisconsin Gov. [Scott Walker][8]
* Former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld
* Texas Gov. [Rick Perry][9]
* Former Minnesota Gov. [Tim Pawlenty][10]
* Rep. [Michele Bachmann][11] (R-Minn.)
* Former Sen. George LeMieux (R-Fla.)
* Former President [George W. Bush][12]
* Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.)
* Former Speaker of the House [Newt Gingrich][13] (R-Ga.)
* [Herman Cain][14]
* Rep. [Ron Paul][15] (R-Texas)
* Former Arkansas Gov. [Mike Huckabee][16]
* Former Massachusetts Gov. [Mitt Romney][17]
* Former Sen. [Rick Santorum][3] (R-Pa.)
* Former Utah Gov. [Jon Huntsman][18]
* Former New Mexico Gov. [Gary Johnson][19]
* Rep. Tim Scott (R-S.C.)
* Former Obama adviser [Elizabeth Warren][20]
* New Jersey Gov. [Chris Christie][21]
* Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin
* Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel

From the U.S. Politics on Facebook year-in-review introduction:

This was a busy year for U.S. politicians on Facebook. Every major Republican presidential candidate announced his or her candidacy on Facebook, either through live streams of their speeches or through special Facebook-only video messages.

Even governors engaged with their constituents to highlight their agendas and legislative victories. Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker weathered one recall election through posts on Facebook, and prepared to face another in 2012. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie was particularly active, joining Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg for a Facebook Live interview. Christie also hosted his own event with Education Secretary Arne Duncan.

Whether fighting for political victory or connecting one-on-one with voters, politicians made 2011 the most social year ever. As we head into 2012, Facebook users can look forward to a Facebook/NBC presidential debate and the vigor of a general election campaign sure to play out across pages, live streams, and sponsored stories.

[![][22]][23]
[![][24]][25]

[![][26]][27] [![][28]][29] [![][30]][31]

![][32]

URL: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/allfacebook/~3/ET0AVPll1Us/u-s-politics-on-facebook-looks-back-at-2011-2011-12