Twitter has changed the economic landscape of how companies connect and communicate with consumers. Two of the shifts are in voice that consumers now have and the way that they are driven to media through social channels like Twitter.

A look at the worldwide growth of social media, and Facebook’s overwhelming dominance. YouTube also holds a large share of membership percentage at 20%.

From bartering cattle to scanning your iPhone app at Starbucks – see the different stages in the history of transactions and commerce. Also, see a few ideas on what’s next.

Advertising: informs, persuades, and influences. Sometimes it’s a good idea to review the simple basics.

An overview of what crowdsourcing is, who’s doing it, what the potential is and challenges to overcome.

ScanLife’s Mobile Barcode Q2 2011 Trend Report is now available. Here are some of the key takeaways:

• A year ago, the ScanLife system was processing 10 scans per minute, and it now does 1 scan per second.
• Scans come from over 125 different countries every day.
• 2D barcode scanning is currently outpacing the growth of 1D barcodes, a major shift from 2010.
• Over 45,000 2D barcodes were generated from the ScanLife platform in the 2nd quarter, a 300% increase from a year ago.
• Over 400,000 unique UPC codes, or products, were scanned by the ScanLife app in a single month.
• The number of females scanning increased 13%, and the 35-44 age-group increased 8% from the last quarter showing a continued trend toward the mainstream.

Download the full report here.

71% of online adults now use video-sharing sites

curiositycounts: The Internet of Things, in an infographic – a timely look at how connected sensors

This is some good “man on the street” style research that represents that reinforces many of the mobile shopping stats we are seeing. (See chart below)

At the beginning of the year I stated that I noted how mobile shopping would be one of the most impactful trends in 2011. If mobile payment platforms make it to devices this year, we are going mobile shopping taken to a whole new level.

Mobile plays a much bigger part in the in-store shopping experience than many give it credit for.

Some key takeaways:

• Twitter has the largest division of wealth with 27% earning 75k or more.
• Twitter also has the largest division of users with secondary education, 37% have at least a bachelors degree.
• Myspace has the largest division of lower income users with 63% earning 50k or less.
• Myspace also has the greatest gender divide, with a 64% female and 36% male membership.
• Facebook has the largest division of older users with 37% being 45 years or older.

What Publishers Can Learn From Facebook Like Trends

An overview of the findings from the “Like Log Study,” which analyzed the Facebook Like trends of 45 major news publications, shows that a very small share of the major account for more than half of likes for each publication.

PewPewPewPewPewPewPewPewPew Voice-Controlled Video Game

Forget navigating the gaming world with your own movements. This game hack is controlled using a separate microphone for each action.

I find it interesting how this modification takes a traditionally single-player interface and creates the need for multiple players. Talk about having true team harmony.

The Post2Post bus has just pulled in!

The Fresh Peel is pleased to welcome Daniel Burrus, technology forecaster, business strategist, and author.

In his latest book, Flash Foresight, Dan outlines the blueprint he has been using for years to help his clients predict trends and build solid strategies to take advantage of the changes on the horizon. Given the changes in how the work I do has evolved, this book has become a timely resource that has helped shape the way I approach planning and strategy.

In this interview with Dan, we touch on some of the core themes and principles from the book and what they mean for brands that are struggling to reinvent themselves in this ever-changing, fast-paced world we live in.

In contrast to the typical written interviews that I’ve produced for Post2Post tours in the past, I tried something a little different this time around and recorded an audio interview with Dan. Be sure and let me know in the comments which you prefer.

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[powerpress]
Download the interview with Dan Burrus

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Find out more about the book and Dan at the Flash Foresight website. Also, when you buy your book, Daniel is offering $20,000 in Bonus Resources. Go to the site and click on the Bonus Resource Login button to get access to these resources.

Be sure to check out the rest of the Post2Post schedule:

If I described to you a country, that in recent years, has taken huge leaps forward in their adoption of mobile technology, and are doing things with mobile that most countries haven’t begun to, what country comes to mind?

You might think of China. And considering the large number of conversations and stories out there on the country’s growing economy, like Washington Posts’ analysis I shared on the Freshly Peeled, that would be a logical connection. But that’s not the country I’m talking about.

My guess is that an African country wouldn’t be the first country that pops into your head. But it’s true. African countries are adopting the mobile web at a blistering pace and are using it in ways that other countries haven’t.

Much of their emerging habits comes out of utility. Quite frankly, they don’t have any other option. In general, most Africans don’t have access to the internet through a desktop computer or laptop. In fact, there isn’t any infrastructure to support the type of internet many of us utilize at home and work. This has pushed Africa to evolve and adapt finding different ways to get the information they need.

In their monthly Monthly State of the Web report, Opera shows the growth of mobile browsing in some African nations up 365 percent compared to just one year ago. Other studies show similar growth trends. According to a study by On Device Research, many African countries are leading the way when it comes to accessing the internet via a mobile device.

Africa’s lack of standard infrastructure has pushed them to the head of the pack, where as other nations like the United States that and the UK that have been much slower to tap into the mobile web because of the large investments that have been made on legacy systems.

Dan Burrus, author of Flash Foresight, says that emerging nations “have the advantage of necessity.” He also describes the problem facing many established entities this way, “…it works to well to throw it away, but not well enough to move forward, and it’d growing more dilapidated and more handicap with every passing day. It is an anchor, holding us back as we strive to drag our way into the twenty-first century.

Dan calls this “the curse of what works,” and it’s not just something global nations are struggling with, but something that brands are facing as well as they battle between the legacy got them where they are today, and the pressure to be constantly reinventing the brand in order to stay relevant to consumers.

It’s can be a real challenge for established brands to see opportunities on the horizon. They can get so caught up in dealing with the issues of today (part of a legacy system), that they fail to see what’s next in their industry. A few easy examples come to mind: Kodak, EMI, Borders. You get the idea.

This is a topic that I plan to discuss in more depth with Dan in the coming weeks as a part of the Post2Post Tour, so I will leave it at that for now.

Photo credit: IICD

Economists have been focusing on China’s economic rise for some time now, and agree that China’s will at some point surpass the United States. But the question is when?

The Washington Post has created an interactive chart to help visualize the possible outcomes.

Helpful visual representation of online marketing opportunities and tactics.

We’ve reached a point where at least half of all generations, Millenials to GI, are utilizing the internet as way to research and find information. 50-59% of the GI generation look for health, product, and news information online.

How is your brand visible online?

Interesting look at groups online. It’s important to remember the offline meetings and events when thinking of how to reach specific groups. It’s more than just offering a promotion to a specific group. How can you engage them?

Facebook Introduces Sponsored Stories

Adding a slightly different angle to the idea of social advertising, Facebook is now offering brands a chance to promote brand content that users post to their own feeds – basically amplifying the brand content that is already being posted.