Any news or media publisher feeling as if they've finally figured out the digital landscape is in for a big surprise, insists Bret Taylor, chief technology officer at Facebook. "We haven't seen tons of other industries as impacted as games by Facebook, and we think that the next big change is seeing the next few industries being disrupted by social platforms in the same way gaming has been," Taylor tells BBC News. "If we had to guess, it's probably going to be orientated around media or news, because they are so social." But, with Facebook "Like" buttons now as …

Trying to break open the possibilities for online monetization, PayPal has opened up its micropayment solution to "game developers, media publishers, or anyone interested in selling digital content on a global scale." First announced late last year, the Ebay-owned online payment company said it plans to offer "a competitive fee structure for micropayments, with pricing at 5 percent plus 5 cents for purchases under $12." According to ReadWriteWeb, PayPal's two-click micropayment solution "has the potential to change how publishers and other online merchants interact with their customers." When consumers pay for online content, PayPal for digital goods allows them …

Following eyewitness sightings of a "strong" Steve Jobs seen walking around Apple HQ, the company's savior remains actively involved in key decision making. Despite a medical leave of absence, "Jobs ... has been taking business meetings at home and on the phone," reports The Wall Street Journal, citing unnamed sources. Confirming an earlier report, sources say Jobs has visited Apple's Cupertino, Calif., campus since taking his leave. "Among products he is continuing to work on are the next version of the iPad tablet computer, expected out in the next couple of months, and a new iPhone, expected to be …

Looks like Microsoft will have an opening to enter the mobile payment fray through the partnership with Nokia announced Friday. Sony, Philips spin-off NXP Semiconductors and Nokia in 2004 created the NFC Forum, a consortium that works to define standards for the technology to ensure compatibility. The relationship will enable Microsoft to go head on with Google, which announced last year it would build in NFC capabilities into Android.

Mobile ad network Greystripe has expanded operations to Europe through partnerships with three other ad networks there--Hi-media Advertising, madvertise and Mobile Ventures. Already, Greystripe has run more than 50 campaigns across countries including the U.K., Germany, France, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands. The company will be offer its full product line to European advertisers, including its in-app Immersion and Flash ad units.

Nokia threw its Hail Mary pass today, teaming up with Microsoft to rejuvenate its  business and adopt Windows Phone as its smartphone operating system. Under the alliance, the two companies will jointly create mobile products and services and collaborate on marketing initiatives. Bing will power search services across Nokia devices and Microsoft's' adCenter will likewise provide search ad capabilities. The deal also calls for Nokia's Ovi content and application store to be merged Microsoft Marketplace and Microsoft development tools will be used to create apps that run on Nokia phones. At the same time, Nokia Maps will become a …

The Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM) just announced two "proof-of-concept" pilot tests -- one with Arbitron and the other with comScore -- to measure "three-screen" users and their behavior with content and advertising across television, Internet and mobile devices. CIMM claimed the tests would be the first to measure mobile Internet usage – including mobile video and apps – in "single source" cross-platform studies. Arbitron will recruit a single sample of three-screen users from its panel of roughly 70,000 people who already carry one of Arbitron's portable people meter devices, which passively measure what media people are exposed to …

Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.) on Thursday reintroduced an online privacy bill that would require Web companies to obtain users' permission before sharing their personal information with third parties. The measure calls for ad networks and others to obtain explicit consent unless they participate in an opt-out program operated by self-regulatory groups and overseen by the Federal Trade Commission. Rep. Jackie Speiers (D-Calif.) will introduce a do-not-track bill on Friday.

Lowe's, in an effort to get its share of looming consumer tax refunds, is offering a Tax Refund Card as part of a "Load Up For Spring" promotion. It enables consumers to spend their tax refund on a prepaid Lowe's debit card, and earn an extra 10% for home-improvement purchases. TV spots are advertising the program, which runs until March 14, with a minimum purchase requirement of $500, and a maximum of $4,000. While marketers wooing refund money isn't new, Lowe's plastic version--sweetened by the 10% discount--is innovative. And the government isn't far behind: This tax season, the feds …

Steve Jobs, whose health has been in doubt since taking a medical leave of absence last month, is looking well, according to eyewitness reports. "An eyewitness spotted Jobs on campus a few weeks ago and said he was looking good," according to Business Insider. Detailing the citing on his own blog, Matthew Cross, an author and consultant, says he saw Jobs walking out of Apple's Cupertino headquarters on January 31. According to Cross, Jobs had "a healthy spring in his step," his "voice was strong, it sounded like him on stage," and "he had a nice smile on …