These are my links for January 26th through January 29th:

• LikeBelt concept encourages a very physical kind of Facebook liking (video) — Engadget – This is the LikeBelt: a concept device that inserts an NFC chip into a belt-buckle. Instead of tapping your mobile device on a "check-in" tag, you get the belt buckle close enough to do the same. There are only two downsides: how close you have to get and where most people's belts are situated.
• FBI to use Twitter to predict crimes – Telegraph – The FBI is trying to develop software that will scan Twitter and Facebook to look for ‘emerging threats’.
• The phone number is dead: Long live the social media profile! – older generations grew up with landline telephones, paper phone books and the need to remember a host of 10 and 11 digit telephone numbers. Mobile phones changed everything, storing the details of everybody you know for calls at the touch of a button, but the next step could be to ditch phone numbers altogether.
• Use #mom when you check-in and let her know you got there safe. Bloody genius! – Let mom know you got there safe
• New Subscription Model Is Disrupting The Digital Music Industry @PSFK – The L.A.-based indie record label Stones Throw has launched its own “Digital Discography,” which offers subscribers every new release from the label via email for $10 a month. This new artist-supporting business model for the digital music industry is based on consumer trust in a label.
• Facebook Loyalty Program Is Changing The Face Of Customer Rewards @PSFK – Plink has launched a Facebook Credits-based loyalty program that rewards Facebook users for dining at chain restaurants. Once logged into the Plink program via their Facebook account and securely registering a credit or debit card, users earn Facebook Credits whenever a registered payment card is used at a participating restaurant. This seamless loyalty program rewards users automatically and doesn’t require any loyalty cards, additional steps or training in restaurants.
• Twitter Upgrades Will Include Analytical Tools – Twitter will unveil a series of new tools in the next few months, including sophisticated analytical tools, according to Erica Anderson, Twitter's manager for news and journalism.
• A police constable uses foursquare to check in with his community! #4sqFun | Foursquare Blog – Toronto Police Constable Scott Mills, who’s also the Social Media Adviser for Crime Stoppers International, is encouraging officers everywhere to use foursquare to connect with their neighborhoods! Scott checks in when he’s giving community talks, to let people know when and where he’s on patrol, or to keep them posted on breaking crime scenes.
• HR Role in Social Media Strategy – It’s easy to look at social media as the responsibility of your marketing or public relations department. But there is another department that has an equally valid reason for tapping into the social channels. It’s your Human Resources department.
• Bayern’s ‘new striker’ Facebook stunt backfires (thanks @souljaof4tune for the heads up) – Bayern Munich have angered their fans after a media stunt in which they claimed to be unveiling a new striker backfired.
• African Twitter map reveals how continent stays connected | World news | The Guardian – Analysis of 11.5m tweets in last three months of 2011 shows South Africa generated the most, with more than 5m recorded
• Tom Watson’s Twitter account ‘hijacked’ by intern – Telegraph – Tom Watson, the Labour MP, had his private Twitter account 'hijacked' by a female intern, who then posted unauthorised tweets while he was in a meeting.