Here’s this week’s digital first news summary for the week ending 02/03/12. This update on digital, social and mobile includes  a report on how mobile advertising is on a high-growth trajectory. See the numbers and more in this week’s update:

Tablets: Apple’s Lead Narrows Among Widening Field Of Android Makers                       With the tablet market now overtaking PC sales, all eyes are on which platform will dominate this next generation of computing devices.

Free Apps Win Out Over Paid Downloads                                                                            Today’s smartphone users are increasingly unenthusiastic about paying for mobile applications. Consumers are closing their wallets at app stores, preferring free app downloads instead.

QR code adoption increases rapidly                                                                                          Rapid adoption of QR codes and other action codes is only part of the story in a new study. More important is the way that marketers are learning to use them more effectively.

Mobile media forecast: $55B                                                                                                           Fueled by new technologies and rapid device adoption, total U.S. spending on mobile media is expected to grow 30% this year to $55 billion, according to a new forecast

How are newspapers innovating to maximize digital platforms?                                          Learn this and more April 2-5, Washington DC. As consumer and advertiser media behaviors continue to shift, newspapers need to be prepared to serve their needs in new ways on new platforms.

Miami Herald Media Co. moving headquarters, building a new printing plant                    The Miami Herald Media Company announced plans Thursday to move its headquarters to a Doral building that once housed the U.S. Southern Command. The company will build a new printing plant on property it is buying next door.

Media General to face debt crunch within weeks                                                                       Media General — publisher of the Richmond Times-Dispatch and the Tampa Tribune — reported a net loss for the fourth quarter of 2011 and for the full year.

How mobile technology will shape media industry this year                                                        Read how mobile will shape how we deal with our audiences and communicate with them in 2012

2 years later, the iPad continues to evolve                                                                                  The iPad turns 2 years old today. We all know when it comes to children, the second birthday is usually described as “the terrible twos.”

Transformation brings in revenue, refreshed product                                                         Cumberland Courier Newspapers was struggling to overcome years of embedded corporate culture, maintain reader relevance, and effectively compete in an increasingly digital world.

33pc of retailers now operate a mobile channel: study                                                            Retailers are increasingly focusing on new point-of-sale technology to meet the demand for immediate gratification and mobile is playing a key role, according to a new survey

Study: Only 1% of Facebook ‘Fans’ Engage With Brands                                                              For a few years now, brands have been touting frothy Facebook “like” numbers as evidence of their social-media acumen. But how many of those fans are actually bothering to take part in conversation with brands?

Mobile advertising by the numbers                                                                                          Mobile advertising is on a high-growth trajectory. The numbers don’t lie.

50% Used Cellphones For Holiday Shopping                                                                                 A new report from Pew Research Center says that more than 50 percent of U.S. adult cellphone owners surveyed used their devices for shopping purposes while they were in a store this past holiday season.

Gannett Digital Rev Up 6.5% In Q4                                                                                            The fourth quarter of last year didn’t bring much good news for newspaper publishers, judging by some of the first results announced this week by Gannett Co.

Growing demands on reporters’ time is worrisome                                                                  For young journalists, especially, I think the growing demand on reporters is worrisome. Reporters need to tweet, write, Facebook, shoot video and photos and blog.

Maryland newspaper resumes daily printing after 3 years without Mondays                           Like some other newspapers around the country, The Frederick News-Post stopped printing editions every day in order to save money. Unlike other papers, on Feb. 6 it will restart its Monday edition.

NY Times Traffic Is Flat Since Paywall                                                                                          The new figures show something else: The Times hasn’t lost reach since instituting its paywall on March 28, 2011.

Thanks for reading. If you have any questions or suggestions, please let me know.