The Washington Post Social Reader was one of the new applications announced at the annual facebook conference in September. This application gives FaceBook users access to view and share articles and see what their friends have read without leaving the social media website. In addition, news will be tailored to each individual user based on their profile and the past stories that they have read or stories that their friends have read; this tailoring is done using Trove, and other media companies are beginning to use technology that tailors news stories to viewers (1). In addition, users will also have the ability to tailor news stories based on the categories that they are interested in.
The Guardian have launched a similar application, and others will probably do the same, depending upon the success.
Unfortunately, just over a month after the launch of the Washington Post Social Reader, the application seems to be down, so I have not been able to access it. This may be due to high volumes; apparently a million users have added the application within the three weeks after its launch (2). However, many of these users are probably simply trying out the service and will not become regular users, and the application being down does not help.
1) Isaac, Mike. A First Look at Social Reader, WaPo's New FaceBook App. http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2011/09/facebook-social-reader-wapo/ [22 September, 2011].
2) Harbison, Niall. Facebook app helps newspaper get 1 million new readers within 3 weeks. http://www.simplyzesty.com/technology/uncategorized/facebook-app-helps-newspaper-get-1-million-new-readers-within-3-weeks/ [15 October, 2011].
The Guardian have launched a similar application, and others will probably do the same, depending upon the success.
Unfortunately, just over a month after the launch of the Washington Post Social Reader, the application seems to be down, so I have not been able to access it. This may be due to high volumes; apparently a million users have added the application within the three weeks after its launch (2). However, many of these users are probably simply trying out the service and will not become regular users, and the application being down does not help.
1) Isaac, Mike. A First Look at Social Reader, WaPo's New FaceBook App. http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2011/09/facebook-social-reader-wapo/ [22 September, 2011].
2) Harbison, Niall. Facebook app helps newspaper get 1 million new readers within 3 weeks. http://www.simplyzesty.com/technology/uncategorized/facebook-app-helps-newspaper-get-1-million-new-readers-within-3-weeks/ [15 October, 2011].
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