Embedding music into the online experience

Today’s deal between Spotify and The Guardian further embeds music into the online experience.

The companies’ new app allows users to listen to an album through the music streaming company’s service while reading the newspaper’s review of it.

In truth it would seem like you could always use Spotify in this way, the app just draws a clearer line between the two.

Internet use in Britain in 2011

This week the Oxford Internet Institute (OII) released its 2011 survey of users and non-users of the internet in Britain (HT: AnneMarie Cunningham).

Focusing on the emergence of “next generation users” in Britain, it estimated 44 per cent of those online in Britain use multiple devices, including smart phones, tablets or readers to access the internet.

Noting that next generation users can be found in all age groups, OII cites dramatic shifts over the last year in the portability and range of devices available as the key drivers behind this emerging change.

Forget social media and Plus, Google truly impresses as a tools company

This week Google opened up its new-ish social network to companies and brands, prompting a minor stampede as businesses rushed to set up Google+ pages.

Just as quickly there seemed to follow numerous variations on the question ‘what do you want to see from us here?’.

It’s too early of course to say if allowing the likes of Angry Birds, The Muppets and WWE on to Google+ will mark the next step in the network’s bid to be the new Facebook.