Wave Goodbye..to Google Wave:

On Wednesday, Google announced that they planned to shut down the product next year. One of the most hyped products of 2009 received little attention after its launch. On the Official Google blog, it was explained that despite having “numerous loyal fans, Wave has not seen the user adoption we would have liked.”

The New and Improved Flickr:

Flickr redesigned its photo pages by updating navigation, context and photo size. Flickr now offers:

• Photos that are are 28% larger

• Additional navigation buttons above photos and on the sidebar that make for an easier photo viewing experience.

• “story-sharing,” making it easier to find the who, what, where, when, and why details about a photo.

Social Networking Dominates Our Time Spent Online:

Nielsen stats reveal that social networking now tops any other online activity. In June 2010, 22.7% of our time spent on the web goes to social networking, with the closest rival activity being online games, which is 10.2%. That means that we spend twice as much time on social networks than any other activity.

Customize Your Gowalla:

Gowalla now allows users to customize their passports. They will provide a few themes to choose from, or users can create their own. As Tech Crunch reported, co-founder Josh Williams said “This is part of a series of features we’ll be rolling out in the next couple of months to allow people and brands a greater level of personalization for their passport and spot places.”

Google & Verizon in Talks:

Google and Verizon are in talks about an agreement that would allow content creators to pay Verizon to get their online content to internet users more quickly, and give them higher priority in Google search. This is a big deal, because, as the New York Times reported, “Such an agreement could overthrow a once-sacred tenet of Internet policy known as net neutrality, in which no form of content is favored over another.”

-Anna (@alucas9)

Here are my picks of the week:

Viacom/YouTube Case Resolved:
The court has dismissed Viacom’s $1 billion copyright infringement lawsuit against YouTube. As the YouTube blog explained, “This means that the court has decided that YouTube is protected by the safe harbor of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) against claims of copyright infringement…This is an important victory not just for us, but also for the billions of people around the world who use the web to communicate and share experiences with each other.”

iPhone 4 Released:
The iPhone iOS4 was released in the U.S. this past Thursday. The day was full of long lines at Apple stores nationwide, excitement, and some disappointment. Complaints are already mounting, mainly to do with a yellow discoloration on some iPhone screens, and poor reception. Still, 1.5 million iPhones were sold on the first day.

Privacy Issues Addressed:
This week, privacy issues within social media have been addressed. On Tuesday, the annual Computers, Freedom, and Privacy conference drew up a 14-point “Bill of Rights” for social network users. These include “1. Honesty: Honor your privacy policy and terms of service,” and “14. Right to withdraw: Allow me to delete my account, and remove my data.”

Twitter privacy issues were also addressed this week. After two high profile hacking incidents in 2009, the FTC investigated concerned about the ability of hackers to gain access to user accounts. This week, the FTC settled with Twitter. According to the FTC:

“Under the terms of the settlement, Twitter will be barred for 20 years from misleading consumers about the extent to which it maintains and protects the security, privacy, and confidentiality of nonpublic consumer information.”

Facebook- I Paid Too Much Attention to Twitter:
In an interview this week, Mark Zuckerberg admitted he paid too much attention to Twitter. The growth rate of Twitter had Facebook concerned at one time, but now, Zuckerberg says “As good as I think they are, I think I personally just paid too much attention to it,” and goes on to say “It’s a very nice, simple service. They do one thing really well – that’s powerful.”

Twitter- Facebook Won’t Be Friends:
On the flip side, Twitter is blaming Facebook for a failed new feature. This week, Twitter added a new feature to their mobile app that was supposed to allow users to find and follow their Facebook friends on Twitter. However, this feature is currently not working, and Twitter says Facebook is to blame. A spokesperson for Twitter said that Facebook blocked the update to the application, but are were working on a resolution, so hopefully we will see this new feature soon.

-Anna (@alucas9)

Watch Bonnaroo Live on YouTube
Catch plenty of the acts you would be missing in all of their HD glory over at Bonnaroo’s YouTube channel! The channel also has a schedule of bands they will be broadcasting.

Listen to Bonnaroo Live on NPR
NPR will be carrying Bonnaroo live all weekend on their website and will be archiving the broadcasts for on-demand listening even after the weekend festival ends.

FourSquare and Bonnaroo Partner Up for a Rock Star Badge
If you’re at the event and an avid FourSquare user, you’ve probably been dreaming about getting a Bonnaroo-specific badge. Your dreams have come true! Check in to the Bonnaroo’s subvenues throughout the event for your Bonnaroo Rock Star badge!

First things first, if you haven’t already done it, download the official Bonnaroo app! Manage your way around the festival and mark points of interest using the “Festival Map” feature. You can also plan your route and stops along the way from your current location with “Road Trip.” An excellent addition to the app is “Radio Bonnaroo.” Stream it to get you in the mood and and be sure to play around with “Roo Camera.” Take photos on your way and e-mail them to your friends to make them jealous.

Another friendly suggestion from your pals at Feedback – Use the schedule feature on the app to plan out your day so you don’t miss out on your favorite bands!

Now, on to the meat of this post.

Navigation Apps

>> Navigators

Making sure you don’t get lost is pretty important.  We’d hate for you to be headed to Bonnaroo, take the wrong exit and end up in West Virginia and not Tennessee.  Here are a few apps we recommend to help you get there.

Name of App: Mapquest 4 Mobile
Developed By: Mapquest
Link: http://bit.ly/cOlaNq

Mapquest 4 Mobile has some unique features that make it very useful for travelers.  With this app, you can choose to see icons for places like hotels, food, shopping centers, and gas.  Check out the name of places near you by tapping an icon on the map and, if you like, add it to your route.  Mapquest also provides the voice option typical of most GPS systems as a guide, which will help you avoid a near-death experience caused by checking your phone while driving.

Name of App: Maps
Developed By: Apple (using Google Maps)
Link: http://bit.ly/GF0Im

The iPhone’s preinstalled Maps app has different map views that might make finding where you’re going easier. Based on Google Maps, the app’s satellite feature enables you to see real-life views of where you’re going.  If you’re a visual person who associates landmarks with directions, give it a quick once over before hitting the road.  For safety’s sake, I wouldn’t use this en-route unless you have a passenger/navigator telling you the directions.

>> Traffic

Knowing traffic patterns, police alerts, and construction areas is valuable when traveling and can save you a lot of time and, if you’re lucky, money. The apps below have similar features in this regard but different aims.

Name of App: INRIX Traffic!
Developed by: INRIX, Inc.
Link: http://bit.ly/8vqiQS

INRIX Traffic! lets you know about, well, traffic.  This app made our list because it covered a lot of bases drivers would want to know about: accidents, construction, live police, and fixed camera traps.  You can even report incidents you see along the way and earn karma points.  As a warning, some of the apps options are a little misleading because you have to upgrade to INRIX Traffic! Pro ($9.99/year or $24.99/lifetime) to access them, but they don’t impact the overall effectiveness of the app.

Name of App: Trapster
Developed By: Research Unlimited Corporation
Link: http://bit.ly/FuWl

As you might have guessed, Trapster’s main focus is speed traps. From live police to cameras, it provides information on known enforcement points, toll booths, road closings, dangerous intersections, and school zones. “Known points” are permanent structures or favored police hideouts that will be of interest to drivers.  Another cool thing about Trapster is its ability to use social networking tools like Facebook and Twitter, so you can alert your friends as well.

Travel Apps

>> Gas Finders

Scrambling to find a gas station when you’re running on empty can be stressful; however, there are apps for that.

Name of App: Cheap Gas!
Developed by: GasBuddy.com
Link: http://bit.ly/35MMgv

This simple ad-supported app is all about finding the information on the variable that most affects your wallet when you travel (especially by RV like the Feedback Mobile Lab) gas prices! Harnessing the power of GasBuddy.com, the app allows you to search for gas by cost or by proximity to your location. Because Cheap Gas! uses a system that awards user input, prices are typically updated shortly after they change at the station, leading to greater accuracy and reliability.

Name of App: GasBag
Developed By: JamCode
Link: http://bit.ly/aErG46

What the GasBuddy application lacks, GasBag makes up for. Instead of a fast list style, the app utilizes Microsoft’s Virtual Earth to display pins with a station logo for bigger gas resellers (i.e., Texaco, Exxon, et al). Nearby stations are identified by GPS and populated onto the map in a clear manner. Gasbag also allows you to record gas purchases and calculates your vehicle’s fuel efficiency based on how often you’re filling up. Despite this unique feature, for us, it doesn’t offset the delay in updates compared to Cheap Gas!

>> More Finders

Name of App: AAA TripTik
Developed By: AAA
Link: http://bit.ly/czNH06

Unlike many of its other services, AAA’s TripTik is available to anyone.  Map out your destination using its search tool and find food, gas, and hotels along the way.  While such finds are common in map-based navigation apps, TripTik offers more unique options – campgrounds, service stations, and key places to visit like museums, wineries, and historical houses. The app offers details about each place and the option to call or get directions.

Name of App: Yelp!
Developed By: Yelp
Link: http://bit.ly/4zLIfd

We assume everyone already knows about Yelp, but, just in case, we decided to add it to the list anyway.  Yelp breaks down businesses near you into categories so you can find exactly what you’re looking for.  You can read/write reviews, get directions, add photos, and check-in to a business. This can be very helpful to you and the masses, especially if you’re traveling great distances to get to Bonnaroo.

This is just a short list of the apps we’ll be using as we make our way to Manchester.  As you can see, from navigators to gas finders and everything in between, there are all sorts of services out there to make your trip as pleasureable and hassle-free as possible. Use them well and have a safe and merry time on the “Road to ‘Roo!”

Be sure to follow our field team (@dbrowell, @ideaman, @alucas9) on Twitter for their latest updates and findings from Bonnaroo, as well as @feedbackagency for our observations from afar.  Feel free to use the #RoadToRoo tag to share your travel adventures and check the Feedback blog daily for recaps and other fun things from Bonnaroo 2010!

— The Feedback Interns: Brad Carr (@bcarr) and Brittney Trimmer (@BNTrim)