Social Media Newsfeed: HBO on the Web

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HBO to Offer Stand-Alone Streaming Service (LostRemote)
HBO announced today plans to offer a stand-alone streaming service in 2015. Viewers love HBO Go, and its ubiquity across all OTT platforms has led to much speculation about when HBO would make its content available outside of authenticating through a cable provider. Re/code HBO is sold to consumers by TV providers, and is usually only available to customers who are already buying another bundle of TV networks. Under pressure from investors to show that Time Warner can extract more value from HBO, the company seems willing to risk upsetting that structure. SocialTimes Having a web-only option will help the channel with online-TV watchers, who cite flexibility as the main reason for watching an original series online. Internet users are becoming more accustomed to watching what they want, when they want it; HBO is adapting to this reality.

Apple Set to Unveil New iPads, as Rivals Are Gaining Ground (The New York Times)
After four years of dominating sales, the iPad is slipping against its peers. During an event at its Cupertino, Calif., headquarters on Thursday, Apple is set to unveil new iPads that are expected to include fingerprint sensors for each model. A major revision of the full-size tablet, the iPad Air, is also expected. ReadWrite iOS 8.1, the next software update for iPhones, iPads and iPod touches, is expected within days of Apple’s October 16 press event. The update won’t be just another collection of bug fixes — it will almost certainly debut Apple Pay, Apple’s mobile payments system.

Google Unveils Nexus 9 Tablet, Nexus 6 Phone and an Android TV Player (CNET)
The Internet giant on Wednesday introduced the Nexus 9, a tablet with an 8.9-inch display manufactured by Taiwanese hardware maker HTC, the Nexus 6, a smartphone with a 6-inch display made by Motorola Mobility, and the Nexus Player, a streaming media player by Asus and the first device running Android TV. The devices serve as a showcase for the latest version of Google’s Android mobile operating system, dubbed Lollipop, but previously referred to as “L.”

Reddit Debuts Its First Official Mobile App (New York Times / Bits)
Reddit announced Wednesday that it had bought Alien Blue, the most popular third-party app for iPhones and iPads used to browse Reddit, and will offer it for download as the official Reddit app in Apple’s App Store. Jason Morrissey, Alien Blue’s sole developer and owner, will work for Reddit, though the company has unofficially collaborated with Morrissey for more than a year.

ISIS Tactics Illustrate Social Media’s New Place In Modern War (TechCrunch)
In the past year, ISIS has used social media and the web to control the narrative of the conflict in Iraq and Syria. And though it borrows some tactics from propagandists like Vladimir Putin, ISIS has also proven a macabre trailblazer.

Brands’ Organic Reach Down, Paid Reach Up on Facebook (AllFacebook)
A new report from Adobe found that impressions for organic posts on the social network by brands are down 50 percent in 2014 compared with 2013, while paid impressions are up 5 percent during the same time period. Media companies had the highest year-over-year growth in number of Facebook posts, while retailers saw the largest rise in interactions with posts.

44% of Millennials Use Facebook, Twitter for Travel Plans (AllTwitter)
Almost half of millennials in the U.K. have used social media to research and plan travel, compared to 18 percent of all Internet users, reveals a new study. Millennials are more likely to use Facebook and Twitter for travel tips than they are an actual travel agent or guidebook.

Apple Paid Local College More Than $1 Million for iPhone Event (Wall Street Journal / Digits)
Apple paid more than $1 million to stage the Sept. 9 event at which it introduced new iPhones and the Apple Watch, according to records obtained from the Foothill-De Anza Community College district. Apple held the Sept. 9 event at the college’s Flint Center for the Performing Arts, where Apple co-founder Steve Jobs introduced the Macintosh computer in 1984.

Job Seekers: 3 Ways to Make Recruiters Love Your Facebook Profile (Inside Facebook)
Though LinkedIn remains the dominant social network for recruiting, the latest Jobvite survey shows that a growing number of recruiters are at least checking a candidate’s Facebook profile before making a hiring decision. Here’s how to make sure you’ve got all the information a recruiter wants to see.

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