NEWS

R.I.P. to the Top 10 Failed Social Media Sites

Published

5 years ago

April 25, 2019

There’s no doubt social media has changed so many lives – not just in America, but throughout the entire world.

Communication, no matter how far away someone else may be (as long as they have a decent internet connection 😊), has become easier than ever.

Marketing has evolved in ways few people expected it to, too.

And yet, social media platforms continue to come and go.

Here is a list of the 10 most legendary social media sites to go by the wayside since the web began.

10. DailyBooth

DailyBooth was a photoblogging site that encouraged users to take a daily picture with a caption.

Similar to modern-day Instagram, the now-defunct photo-oriented social platform launched about a year and half prior to Instagram’s launch, then officially shut down at the end of 2012.

Following its launch in February of 2009, DailyBooth gained popularity when celebrities and influencers began joining the social network, which hit its 1 millionth photo in September 2009.

Less than six months later, it reached 3 million photos uploads and 10 million comments.

In April 2012, Airbnb took over the DailyBooth team to aid in the travel website’s overall mission and at the end of that year, DailyBooth was nothing more than a memory.

9. FriendFeed

FriendFeed

FriendFeed was a social-aggregating website that launched in 2007.

Founded by a group of former Google employees, FriendFeed essentially used other social networks to build its own network, focusing on relevancy and usefulness on those sites then consolidating updates on its platform.

Facebook bought FriendFeed in 2009 for $15 million cash and $32.5 million in stock. The social networking giant closed FriendFeed down for good in April 2015.

8. iTunes Ping

This Apple-owned social networking site had an obvious emphasis on music and was lucky enough to launch with more than 1 million users in 2010.

But even that couldn’t save it.

Launched as a built-in component to iTunes in its 10th edition, the service allowed users to follow artists and get updates from friends and artists about music.

Ping was eventually closed down in 2012 and replaced with social media integration for Facebook and Twitter.

7. Google Wave & Google Buzz

Google Buzz icon

Google Buzz launched in 2010, replacing Google Wave, which launched one year prior in 2009. Each was an attempt by Google to develop a global social media site that could rival Facebook.

Both platforms were designed to allow users to share posts with friends privately or publicly with an extensive list of integration partners that included Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, Blogger, the aforementioned FriendFeed, and more.

Ultimately, Buzz was a giant privacy nightmare and Wave was a complicated mess, so both platforms were doomed to be added to Google’s project graveyard.

6. Meerkat

An innovative video platform that eventually helped propel livestreaming to the top of all of our social feeds, Meerkat ended up being doomed by the big-name social media giants (Facebook and Twitter, namely) after they recreated the idea on their already-established – and multi-faceted – social media channels.

It was only a few weeks after Meerkat’s release that Twitter halted its access to Twitter’s social graph, then acquired rivaling live-video app Periscope and launched it in late March 2015.

Both Facebook and Instagram offer similar features in their apps, with Facebook launching Facebook Live in April 2016

5. Friendster

Friendster

One of the original social networks to make noise before Facebook, Friendster dominated the Asian market since it launched (in 2002).

It was available and used globally, but 90% of its traffic came from Asia. The platform had more unique visitors than any other social network in Asia in 2008.

Friendster ended up evolving into a social gaming site in 2011, touting more than 115 million users mostly from the Philippines, Malaysia, and Singapore.

It officially closed down in 2018 after a three-year hiatus.

4. Yik Yak

Yik Yak

At its peak, Yik Yak was valued at $400 million.

After launching in 2014, the anonymous messaging mobile app gained momentum quickly among young adults, raising more than $70 million in venture capital funding but also a hefty load of problems. Its biggest, one of its main features: its anonymity.

Users – typically high school and college students – could publicly post anything they wanted for other anonymous users in their geographic vicinity to see and interact with. This caused problems for obvious reasons, including bomb threats and hate-fueled acts of violence.

The world of social media was/is already littered with internet bullies and is what oftentimes seems like a cesspool of human interaction – and Yik Yak was only contributing to the strife.

It didn’t take long for the tables to turn. By the end of 2014, Yik Yak was already declining in popularity and usage.

It eventually closed down for good in early 2017.

3. Vine

Vine

A social media legend (and my personal favorite) that helped propel video into the limelight, Vine was another ahead-of-its-time mobile app that helped set the bar for how social media and video could use one another to thrive.

The short-form video app was acquired by Twitter prior to its official launch and ended up becoming the most downloaded free app in the U.S. iOS App Store at its peak in 2013. Up to that point, it was the most popular video app ever to come out.

But it didn’t last long.

Vine was unable to adapt as other rivals (e.g., Snapchat) emerged and adapted. Plus, Twitter’s own business fluttered, which forced Twitter to close Vine in late 2016.

2. Google Plus

The Real History of Google Plus

Another “test” of Google’s, the fate of Google Plus turned out just like so many of Google’s other attempts at building a social network – failure.

A revolutionary platform in the way it helped evolve search while further educating the world of web marketing about authority and entities across the globe, Google Plus turned out to be another failed attempt at dethroning Facebook by a rival social network.

But it wasn’t even a social network at all.

And maybe that’s where a lot of its problems arose.

Google was actually focused on its “identity network” because of plans to be identity service providers for a program run by the federal government.

It offered nothing worthy to its users, and, for that, it is now where it belongs: extinct.

1. MySpace

MySpace

Yes, MySpace still exists.

It has a working URL, an office with employees, and, most importantly, you can sign up for a new account right now.

But this isn’t the same pioneering MySpace that helped spawn social media from what seemed like a few dark basements (it wasn’t) to what ended up being billions of households (and smartphones) across the world.

This is the MySpace that helped shape the digital marketing age of today, catalyzing the success of Facebook even more when it relinquished its title as the most popular social media network to it.

MySpace went from the most visited website in the world in 2006 to losing 10 million unique users in just one month in 2011.

It pivoted itself as the leading social network before reinventing itself as a music-focused network for new artists and less “personal business.”

It hasn’t seemed to work since then.

What’s worse? MySpace keeps shooting itself in the foot. And the latest blunder isn’t one to scoff at. Especially since it tells the same story I tell here: MySpace is dead.

NEWS

OpenAI Introduces Fine-Tuning for GPT-4 and Enabling Customized AI Models

Published

1 month ago

August 21, 2024

Max

OpenAI Introduces Fine-Tuning for GPT-4 and Enabling Customized AI Models

OpenAI has today announced the release of fine-tuning capabilities for its flagship GPT-4 large language model, marking a significant milestone in the AI landscape. This new functionality empowers developers to create tailored versions of GPT-4 to suit specialized use cases, enhancing the model’s utility across various industries.

Fine-tuning has long been a desired feature for developers who require more control over AI behavior, and with this update, OpenAI delivers on that demand. The ability to fine-tune GPT-4 allows businesses and developers to refine the model’s responses to better align with specific requirements, whether for customer service, content generation, technical support, or other unique applications.

Why Fine-Tuning Matters

GPT-4 is a very flexible model that can handle many different tasks. However, some businesses and developers need more specialized AI that matches their specific language, style, and needs. Fine-tuning helps with this by letting them adjust GPT-4 using custom data. For example, companies can train a fine-tuned model to keep a consistent brand tone or focus on industry-specific language.

Fine-tuning also offers improvements in areas like response accuracy and context comprehension. For use cases where nuanced understanding or specialized knowledge is crucial, this can be a game-changer. Models can be taught to better grasp intricate details, improving their effectiveness in sectors such as legal analysis, medical advice, or technical writing.

Key Features of GPT-4 Fine-Tuning

The fine-tuning process leverages OpenAI’s established tools, but now it is optimized for GPT-4’s advanced architecture. Notable features include:

Enhanced Customization: Developers can precisely influence the model’s behavior and knowledge base.
Consistency in Output: Fine-tuned models can be made to maintain consistent formatting, tone, or responses, essential for professional applications.
Higher Efficiency: Compared to training models from scratch, fine-tuning GPT-4 allows organizations to deploy sophisticated AI with reduced time and computational cost.

Additionally, OpenAI has emphasized ease of use with this feature. The fine-tuning workflow is designed to be accessible even to teams with limited AI experience, reducing barriers to customization. For more advanced users, OpenAI provides granular control options to achieve highly specialized outputs.

Implications for the Future

The launch of fine-tuning capabilities for GPT-4 signals a broader shift toward more user-centric AI development. As businesses increasingly adopt AI, the demand for models that can cater to specific business needs, without compromising on performance, will continue to grow. OpenAI’s move positions GPT-4 as a flexible and adaptable tool that can be refined to deliver optimal value in any given scenario.

By offering fine-tuning, OpenAI not only enhances GPT-4’s appeal but also reinforces the model’s role as a leading AI solution across diverse sectors. From startups seeking to automate niche tasks to large enterprises looking to scale intelligent systems, GPT-4’s fine-tuning capability provides a powerful resource for driving innovation.

OpenAI announced that fine-tuning GPT-4o will cost $25 for every million tokens used during training. After the model is set up, it will cost $3.75 per million input tokens and $15 per million output tokens. To help developers get started, OpenAI is offering 1 million free training tokens per day for GPT-4o and 2 million free tokens per day for GPT-4o mini until September 23. This makes it easier for developers to try out the fine-tuning service.

As AI continues to evolve, OpenAI’s focus on customization and adaptability with GPT-4 represents a critical step in making advanced AI accessible, scalable, and more aligned with real-world applications. This new capability is expected to accelerate the adoption of AI across industries, creating a new wave of AI-driven solutions tailored to specific challenges and opportunities.

GOOGLE

This Week in Search News: Simple and Easy-to-Read Update

Published

3 months ago

June 30, 2024

Entireweb News Bot

This Week in Search News: Simple and Easy-to-Read Update

Here’s what happened in the world of Google and search engines this week:

1. Google’s June 2024 Spam Update

Google finished rolling out its June 2024 spam update over a period of seven days. This update aims to reduce spammy content in search results.

2. Changes to Google Search Interface

Google has removed the continuous scroll feature for search results. Instead, it’s back to the old system of pages.

3. New Features and Tests

Link Cards: Google is testing link cards at the top of AI-generated overviews.
Health Overviews: There are more AI-generated health overviews showing up in search results.
Local Panels: Google is testing AI overviews in local information panels.

4. Search Rankings and Quality

Improving Rankings: Google said it can improve its search ranking system but will only do so on a large scale.
Measuring Quality: Google’s Elizabeth Tucker shared how they measure search quality.

5. Advice for Content Creators

Brand Names in Reviews: Google advises not to avoid mentioning brand names in review content.
Fixing 404 Pages: Google explained when it’s important to fix 404 error pages.

6. New Search Features in Google Chrome

Google Chrome for mobile devices has added several new search features to enhance user experience.

7. New Tests and Features in Google Search

Credit Card Widget: Google is testing a new widget for credit card information in search results.
Sliding Search Results: When making a new search query, the results might slide to the right.

8. Bing’s New Feature

Bing is now using AI to write “People Also Ask” questions in search results.

9. Local Search Ranking Factors

Menu items and popular times might be factors that influence local search rankings on Google.

10. Google Ads Updates

Query Matching and Brand Controls: Google Ads updated its query matching and brand controls, and advertisers are happy with these changes.
Lead Credits: Google will automate lead credits for Local Service Ads. Google says this is a good change, but some advertisers are worried.
tROAS Insights Box: Google Ads is testing a new insights box for tROAS (Target Return on Ad Spend) in Performance Max and Standard Shopping campaigns.
WordPress Tag Code: There is a new conversion code for Google Ads on WordPress sites.

These updates highlight how Google and other search engines are continuously evolving to improve user experience and provide better advertising tools.

FACEBOOK

Facebook Faces Yet Another Outage: Platform Encounters Technical Issues Again

Published

7 months ago

March 20, 2024

Max

Uppdated: It seems that today’s issues with Facebook haven’t affected as many users as the last time. A smaller group of people appears to be impacted this time around, which is a relief compared to the larger incident before. Nevertheless, it’s still frustrating for those affected, and hopefully, the issues will be resolved soon by the Facebook team.

Facebook had another problem today (March 20, 2024). According to Downdetector, a website that shows when other websites are not working, many people had trouble using Facebook.

This isn’t the first time Facebook has had issues. Just a little while ago, there was another problem that stopped people from using the site. Today, when people tried to use Facebook, it didn’t work like it should. People couldn’t see their friends’ posts, and sometimes the website wouldn’t even load.

Downdetector, which watches out for problems on websites, showed that lots of people were having trouble with Facebook. People from all over the world said they couldn’t use the site, and they were not happy about it.

When websites like Facebook have problems, it affects a lot of people. It’s not just about not being able to see posts or chat with friends. It can also impact businesses that use Facebook to reach customers.

Since Facebook owns Messenger and Instagram, the problems with Facebook also meant that people had trouble using these apps. It made the situation even more frustrating for many users, who rely on these apps to stay connected with others.

During this recent problem, one thing is obvious: the internet is always changing, and even big websites like Facebook can have problems. While people wait for Facebook to fix the issue, it shows us how easily things online can go wrong. It’s a good reminder that we should have backup plans for staying connected online, just in case something like this happens again.