Tumblr introduces sponsored trending blogs for mobile

Tumblr has brought sponsored trending blogs to its Android and iOS apps to help with monetization efforts of the company. The blogs can be seen when you are in the “Explore” tab of the app, which now has sponsored blogs from Delta, Calvin Klein, Fox, and Son Pictures. Companies will later be allowed to pay to have their blogs appear among trending results.

You’ll identify sponsored blogs when you see a dollar-sign symbol right next to the “Follow” button.  The full rollout of this ad unit will start in January 2014.

Source: The Verge

Project Spark enters global beta

For Windows 8.1 gamers, Microsoft and Team Dakota have a treat for you today. The highly customizable Project Spark is now ready to accept beta players. It will be available first with Windows 8.1 users (Xbox One players will gain access early 2014) and will be in beta until the game officially launches next year.

What can you expect from Project Spark? You can customize the game and play what other players have created. Mold and shape the world with paints and biomes and use the brain system to add behaviors to anything in the game and bring them to life.

Amazon CEO demos delivery drones, promises delivery within half an hour

In a recent interview for a 60 Minutes segment, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos showed off the Amazon Prime Air drone, which is said to deliver packages weighing up to five pounds to locations in a 10-mile radius of Amazon fulfillment centers within 30 minutes. Now, we just have to wait for the company to figure out regulations and how to prevent the packages from falling onto your head before this hopefully lands on our shores and change package delivery industry as we speak.

The service is expected to be in testing for a number of years before it will be deployed and only in arease that are close to an Amazon depot. The stroke of marketing genius here has to be credited to Bezos, who timed this 'announcement' right smack in the middle of the Black Friday sales spike, traditionally Amazon's busiest and most profitablet time.

Source: The Verge

Google hosts first telethon online via Hangouts

Google is using its video broadcasting service, Google+ Hangouts, on Giving Tuesday to host a “Hangout-a-thon” that aims to help connect people interested in making donations for a number of charitable causes. The event will have some notable personalities such as Chris Daughtry, Sophia Bush and Jennifer Garner and have 24 charitable organizations like Charity Water, Save the Children, UNICEF and Malala Fund involved. They are raising money for everything from providing disaster relief for the Philippines, improving clean water access, to getting rid of bullying.

The 12-hour event lets users donate directly to the organizations or provide support through “Shoppable Hangouts” where you can buy products during the event. There will also be a quick coding lesson sponsored by Girls Who Code, Code.org, and Code2040 to teach people about digital literacy.

Source: Tech Crunch