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Mashable!

2009-08-25T05:29:00.001-07:00

Mashable!

Maybe Chrome OS Did Kill Android Netbooks After All
Yahoo Acquires Arab Portal Maktoob
The Final Curtain Falls for The Pirate Bay
Whatever You Do, Please, PLEASE Don’t Search for Jessica Biel
From Facebook to Apple: How to Fix the iPhone App Store
Brazen Careerist: The Job Site for Gen Y?
Steve Jobs Is Laser Focused on the Apple Tablet
Galileo’s Telescope Debuted 400 Years Ago Today
Space Shuttle Discovery Launch: Where to Follow it Online
Twitter Effect Redux: 78% of Tweets About Inglourious Basterds Were Positive
No Hulu For UK Users Until 2010
Wikipedia to Add New Level of Editorial Oversight
Free Music Monday: 10 Songs From Around the Web
As Whole Foods Boycott Grows on Facebook, Brand Perception Drops
Mashable’s Weekly Internet and Social Media Events Guide
Did Michael Beasley Twitter His Way into Rehab?
Facebook Movie to Start Production in October
Twitter and Facebook Mousepads Are No Social Media Pillows
YouTube Wants You to Predict TV’s Next Hit Shows
Facebook Adds Ability to Invite Friends from Recent Events
Rhapsody Tries to Bring Unlimited Streaming Music to iPhone
Publish Your Facebook Status to Twitter With SocialToo
5 Ways to Support the Summer of Social Good
Yes, Twitter is Down [Update: It's Back!]
BlackBerry Browsing to Get a Makeover as RIM Acquires Torch Mobile
Twitter Helps Inglourious Basterds to $37.6 Million Weekend Box Office
Outed “Skanks of NYC” Blogger Plans to Sue Google for $15 Million
Snow Leopard Has Arrived, Shipping August 28th
Nokia (Officially) Enters the Netbook Game With Booklet 3G

Maybe Chrome OS Did Kill Android Netbooks After All

Posted: 25 Aug 2009 05:18 AM PDT

Remember when Chrome OS was announced? The first thing everyone asked was, wait, if this is Google’s operating system aimed primarily at netbooks, what happens with all those fabled Android-based netbooks we were supposed to see this year?

Well, it seems we just got an answer, at least a part of it, as Asus has all but given up on developing an Android-based netbook. After showing off such a device at the Computex Taipei electronics show in June, Asus went oddly silent about it. Now, it got just a wee bit more official: “Currently, I still don’t see a clear market for smartbooks,” said Jerry Shen, CEO of Asustek Computer, at an investors’ conference in Taipei.

It’s not a bad thing, really. Fighting the same war on two fronts is rarely a good thing. Recently, we wrote about Microsoft’s dual Windows Mobile strategy, noting that it’s probably be confusing for both developers and users. The same principle applies here: if Google wants to create a great OS for netbooks, it’s going to be Chrome OS, so why bother turning Android – a solid mobile operating system – into something it’s not?

We’ll see if other companies, such as Acer, follow suit; as Chrome OS nears finalization, our guess is that they might.

Reviews: Android, Google

Tags: android, Chrome OS

Yahoo Acquires Arab Portal Maktoob

Posted: 25 Aug 2009 02:05 AM PDT

Now that the dust around Yahoo’s search business has subsided, Yahoo can once again focus on the thing it does well: its portal business. They’ve officially announced they will be acquiring Arabic internet portal Maktoob, extending their influence over some 16.5 million people; Yahoo calls this its “biggest geographic expansion in years.”

This is not just an acquisition of another web portal; it’s Yahoo moving into a completely different and new market, which means translating Yahoo’s services into Arabic. From the official Yahoo corporate blog:

“Initially, we'll plan to introduce Arabic versions of Yahoo! Mail, Messenger, Search, and our homepage and then eventually local versions of properties like News, Sports, and Finance. We'll also focus on creating content and services tailored to the region. No other global company has made this kind of investment in local relevance for the Arab world.“

The financial terms of the transaction, which is to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2009, were not disclosed. Read the official press release here.

Reviews: news

Tags: acquisition, Maktoob, Yahoo

The Final Curtain Falls for The Pirate Bay

Posted: 25 Aug 2009 01:46 AM PDT

We knew it, you knew it, everyone knew it: as soon as news of the sale broke, it was quite obvious that the Pirate Bay as we know it will be no more.

And after a convoluted game of cat and mice, in which big studios continued to sue the now nearly defunct site, while the new owner-to-be tried to secure the funding to actually purchase it, the story is now at its end: The Pirate Bay has been shut down by its ISP.

And as much as this piece of information would cause a huge upset a couple of months ago, now it is likely to go fairly quietly, as most users have already moved on to other BitTorrent trackers.

Internet dinosaurs, such as myself, have seen this before: Napster, OiNK, Suprnova. Essentially, nothing really changed as far as piracy goes; when it comes to the sense of actual defiance to certain established ideas of how copyright laws and regulations should be upheld, unfortunately, The Pirate Bay will be sorely missed.

Tags: lawsuit, piracy, the pirate bay

Whatever You Do, Please, PLEASE Don’t Search for Jessica Biel

Posted: 25 Aug 2009 01:26 AM PDT

You think you know danger? You don’t know danger. The internet’s biggest perils are hidden beneath a pretty face; a simple Google search for Jessica Biel might result in a site filled with viruses, trojans, and spyware.

Erm, yep: that’s pretty much how the internet works. A popular term will always be exploited by malicious hackers (or hacker wannabes) who’ll set up pages which aren’t what they appear, with the purpose of infecting your computer, extracting your personal data, or worse. The most popular targets for these cybervillains, however, change over time; last year it was Brad Pitt, and this year, according to McAfee, it’s Jessica Biel.

More precisely, if you Google Jessica Biel, you have a one-in-five chance of landing at a website that contains some sort of online threat: spyware, phishing, viruses, trojans, spam, and the like.

The rest of the list looks like this: Beyonce is in the second place, with “Beyonce ringtones” being a particularly dangerous term to search, Jennifer Aniston came in third place (don’t search for “Jennifer Aniston screensavers”), followed by Tom Brady, Jessica Simpson, Gisele Bundchen, Miley Cyrus, Megan Fox, Angelina Jolie, and Ashley Tisdale. Brad Pitt came in 10th place this year; sorry Brad, it looks like you’re getting old.

[img courtesy of Wikipedia]

Reviews: Google, Wikipedia

Tags: Jessica Biel, malware, McAfee

From Facebook to Apple: How to Fix the iPhone App Store

Posted: 25 Aug 2009 12:30 AM PDT

The Apple iPhone App Store has been a lightning rod for criticism and controversy: a race to the bottom for app prices, FCC investigations, and strange app bannings just to start. It’s gotten so bad that Apple VP Phil Schiller has been doing damage control.

Now an important figure has entered the debate: the developer of Facebook’s iPhone application. Joe Hewitt in a blog post makes the assertion that iPhone app store review process “needs to be eliminated completely. ”

All of this comes as we enter the second week of waiting for the Facebook 3.0 iPhone App to even be approved by Apple.

Guilty Before You’re Innocent?

If you’re unfamiliar with the Apple iPhone App approval process, it goes like this: developers create an app and then submit it to Apple. Before any app hits the app store, it must go through a review process where it is either accepted or denied. Typically, this takes about two weeks.

The process has caused serious controversy as multiple unfair app bannings have made headlines. And with a major update to the most popular app on Facebook still in limbo, Joe Hewitt had to say something:

“I have only one major complaint with the App Store, and I can state it quite simply: the review process needs to be eliminated completely.”

Hewitt then goes into detail about why he believes that the iPhone app platform should be open, just like the web or even the Google Android platform. First, he addresses the argument that letting anyone create or download an iPhone app could create chaos or security issues:

“Oh, but you say that iPhone apps are different [than the web], because they run native code and can do scary things that web pages can’t? Again, you’re wrong, because iPhone apps are sandboxed and have scarcely any more privileges than a web app. About the only scary thing they can do outside the sandbox is access your address book, but Apple can easily fix that by requiring they ask permission first, just like they must do to track your location.”

He then rails into Apple for employing a “guilty until proven innocent” system. Specifically, he claims that the app store process is about Apple’s Terms of Service, not about quality assurance:

“The fact is this: Apple does not have the means to perform thorough quality assurance on any app. This is up to the developer. We have our own product managers and quality assurance testers, and we are liable to our users and the courts if we do anything evil or stupid. Apple may catch a few shallow bugs in the review process, but let’s face it, the real things they are looking for are not bugs, but violations of the terms of service. This is all about lawyers, not quality, and it shows that the model of Apple’s justice system is guilty until proven innocent. They don’t trust us, and I resent that, because the vast majority of us are trustworthy.”

How to Fix the App Store

The clear comparison for the iPhone app platform is the Google Android platform. Joe Hewitt refers to successful platforms that allow developers to publish anything and only receive punishment after they have done something wrong.

This is exactly what is done with the Android platform, and so far, the sky has not fallen. In fact, there are amazing apps like augmented reality app Layar already on Android, while Apple has yet to approve any of these innovative apps.

Let’s be fair, though. We cannot blame Apple for wanting to keep control over the look, feel, and functionality of its iPhone platform. They don’t want to deal with a PR disaster if an app gets popular and then suddenly starts stealing data. Apple, unlike Android, wants to give every user a specific experience when they use an iPhone. There are some benefits to an app store approval process.

Still, a two week wait for Facebook 3.0 is ridiculous, and the many unjust app bannings prove that the current system is fundamentally flawed. We doubt Apple will remove the review system, so here’s what we suggest as a compromise:

1. Beef up the review staff. Apple must double or triple what it has currently. There are simply too many apps and not enough reviewers for the system in place currently.

2. Create a “trusted developer” status. Whenever these developers release or update apps, they bypass review and immediately appear in the app store. It is embarrassing that Apple doesn’t trust Facebook enough to publish the 3.0 update immediately.

3. Give developers the benefit of the doubt. This is really what Joe Hewitt is complaining about. These developers are what make the iPhone so great. Treating them with greater respect and better explaining any app denials will not only go a long way, but hopefully will make reviewers realize when an app is banned for a good reason and when one is denied for an arbitrary issue.

Hopefully Apple will begin to make changes as more and more critics pile on. If the recent FCC investigation and actions by Apple VP Phil Schiller are any indication, those changes are coming sooner rather than later.

Reviews: Android, Facebook

Tags: apple, facebook, iphone

Brazen Careerist: The Job Site for Gen Y?

Posted: 24 Aug 2009 10:26 PM PDT

Brazen Careerist has quietly been a great place to connect with young Generation Y adults who care about changing the world, turning their passions into careers, and advancing themselves. It was co-founded by Penelope Trunk, a well-known author and columnist in the area of careers, along with Ryan Healy and Ryan Paugh.

Primarily the Brazen Careerist website was focused on articles and blog posts from the community (a blog network), but that all changed an hour ago when the website transformed from a community website into an all-out social network, focused on flipping the conventional wisdom surrounding the resume by focusing on “idea feeds.”

Brazen Careerist now focuses on the social aspects, and the profiles are the center of this new universe. While you’ll find general information – followers, following, groups, interests, social media accounts, etc. – what makes Brazen Career different is the Ideas Stream and the Resume section.

Idea Stream essentially is a news feed, but focuses on career-related ideas, updates from your groups (i.e. New York professionals, Bloggers, etc.). Resume is exactly as it sounds: a version of your resume with your work history, education, and summary.

For the professional, it makes sense: it’s a great way to connect with other professionals, learn about your industry, and ask others for advice. For the company or the headhunter looking to find raw talent, it may be a bit difficult to sift through all the potential hires, as detailed filtering is not yet implemented.

Brazen Careerist has been one of our favorite Generation Y websites. But while the old site was really just a blog network, the new one really is “a career management tool for next-generation professionals,” even if it does not introduce anything groundbreaking.

It’s an intellect’s version of LinkedIn, though it will need to implement a lot more social and organizational features before it can realize its potential. It also faces the uphill battle of convincing busy Gen Yers that spending time building a profile is worth their time.

Reviews: LinkedIn

Tags: Brazen Careerist

Steve Jobs Is Laser Focused on the Apple Tablet

Posted: 24 Aug 2009 07:56 PM PDT

We know Steve Jobs is back working as Apple’s CEO. We also are fairly confident that the company plans to launch an Apple Tablet device soon, although likely not at an upcoming event in early September. And now, we have one of the more concrete reports to-date about the importance of the device to Apple.

According to The Wall Street Journal, "since his return in late June, [Jobs] has been pouring almost all of his attention into a new touch-screen gadget that Apple is developing." That in and of itself isn't surprising – a Tablet would represent a huge new product launch for Apple, which means Jobs would be intimately involved, per usual.

But it does indeed sound like confirmation that a Tablet is on the way, and that an iconic Steve Jobs keynote to introduce the device it is likely waiting in the wings.

A couple other tidbits from the WSJ's report, first on Jobs' health:

"Apple hasn’t made any public statements about Mr. Jobs’s health since he returned to work in late June, but the CEO has come into headquarters two or three days a week as the company had previously disclosed."

And on the Tablet's evolution within Apple:

"But development has come in fits and starts. Mr. Jobs killed the project twice in recent years, the first time because the battery life was too short, and the second time because there was insufficient memory."

There's still no word on device specs, what operating system it will use, and when exactly it might launch. But another big moment in the history of Apple and Jobs seems imminent, and that's something to be excited about.

Also See: APPLE TABLET: Ultimate Gallery of Concept Designs and Prototypes

Tags: apple, Apple Tablet, stece jobs

Galileo’s Telescope Debuted 400 Years Ago Today

Posted: 24 Aug 2009 06:41 PM PDT

On August 25th, 1609, an Italian astronomer showed off his unique creation to a group of Venitian merchants. The object was able to magnify the night sky, revealing celestial objects nobody could ever find or study before.

By now you probably know that I’m referring to the telescope and that Italian astronomer was none other than Galileo Galilei.

That invention forever changed the faces and foundations of science, philosophy, religion, society, and history. Now, exactly 400 years later, the web has begun its celebration of this monumental achievement, most notably with a stylized Google logo.

Google’s new logo is already live in the UK and will go live across the US as it becomes August 25th, linking to information on the history of Galileo’s Telescope. We also suggest reading the History of the Telescope Wikipedia article if you want to educate yourself further. You can also join the Twitter discussion on the telescope, of course.

Be sure to tell us what you think of Google’s new logo and share your telescope and astronomy stories. Below is a 19th century depiction of Galileo showing his telescope to Donato.

[Image credit to Wikipedia]

Reviews: Google, Wikipedia

Tags: astronomy, Galileo, Google, space, Telescope

Space Shuttle Discovery Launch: Where to Follow it Online

Posted: 24 Aug 2009 06:04 PM PDT

Early Tuesday morning at 1:36 a.m. EST marks the next liftoff of the shuttle Discovery. Mission STS-128 has the crew heading to the International Space Station to install new hardware and experimental equipment including the supply module Leonardo, plus bringing new astronaut Nicole Stott to the station.

Also notably riding along with Discovery will be the COLBERT treadmill, named after famed fake newsman Stephen Colbert of Comedy Central’s The Colbert Report. Below, Colbert gets the important news [video] and we give you the important news about where you can follow the shuttle launch using social media services online.

The COLBERT Treadmill News Breaks

The Colbert Report

Mon – Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Space Module: Colbert – Sunita Williams

www.colbertnation.com

Colbert Report Full Episodes

Political Humor

Health Care Protests

Shuttle Launch Video Feeds

NASA TV — Get a live video feed of the launchpad at NASA TV.

Ustream — For the full-on social experience, watch the live feed and socialize with other shuttle enthusiasts on NASA’s Ustream channel.

Spacecast HD — For the high-definition feed, check out Spacecast HD.

Space Flight Now — A project from famed U.S. space program journalist Miles O’Brien, Space Flight Now will be doing a live webcast of the launch starting at 9pm EST.

More Official NASA Shuttle Launch Resources

NASA’s Liveblog — NASA will be liveblogging the launch of mission STS-128, taking you inside the countdown beginning tonight at 8:30 p.m. EST.

NASA’s Twitter — Get up to the minute updates on the launch status from NASA’s Twitter.

Photo galleries — For still shots of the preflight crew and more, check out NASA’s STS-128 Discovery Photo Gallery. Other pre-flight videos are available in the sidebar here as well.

NASA’s YouTube channel — More pre-launch coverage is available at NASA’s YouTube channel, including Stephen Colbert’s “Greetings NASA.”

More Twitter Resources

In addition to NASA’s own Twitter feed, check out these accounts for more news and views surrounding the launch:

Mission STS-128 Twitter — The Twitter stream for this specific mission is not an official NASA account, but will be tweeting information regarding the launch as well. Follow it at @sts128.

Mission Specialist Jose Hernandez — In the growing tradition of Twittering astronauts, crew member @Astro_Jose has been tweeting about the launch preparations.

Col. Tim Kopra — @Astro_Tim is tweeting from the International Space Station already.

Bad Astronomy — Astronomer Phil Plait runs the popular science blog Bad Astronomy and will be Twittering at @BANews.

SpaceTeam — Covering the space industry live is @spaceteam, a project of Florida Today’s space blog.

SpaceFlightNow — Space Flight Now’s Twitter stream, @spaceflightnow is tweeting right from Cape Canaveral.

Nicole Stott — She hasn’t tweeted yet, but who knows? Station-bound astronaut Nicole Stott may start tweeting at Astro_Nicole once she gets there.

Know of another great place to check out the shuttle launch? Let us know in the comments!

Reviews: Twitter, ustream

Tags: COLBERT treadmill, discovery, NASA, space shuttle, STS-128, ustream

Twitter Effect Redux: 78% of Tweets About Inglourious Basterds Were Positive

Posted: 24 Aug 2009 05:26 PM PDT

Earlier this morning we reported that Twitter may have played a role in generating box office revenue for Inglourious Basterds. The so-called “Twitter Effect” has also been credited with sinking Bruno on day two and giving District 9 an added box office boost.

While many of you may have your doubts about the trend, we now have additional evidence that a majority of the tweets about Inglourious Basterds were approving in nature.

Specifically, analytics provider Crimson Hexagon analyzed Twitter conversation over the weekend and found that a vast majority of tweets – 78% to be exact – were favorable.

Crimson Hexagon is a platform for tracking online consumer buzz and opinion. Their VoxTrot Opinion Monitor is derived from an algorithm created by Harvard Professor, Gary King. They applied the algorithm to categorize and analyze over 4,500 tweets between August 21st and the 23rd.

Tweets were parsed into 8 different categories based on content: Loved It, Pitt was Great, Vintage Tarantino, Not Tarantino’s Best, Unimpressed, Have to See it, Should I see it?, and What did you think? The results:

As you can tell from the chart above, if you combine the positive and anticipatory tweets (Loved It, Pitt was Great, Have to see it, and Vintage Tarantino), the results are pretty mind-blowing — 78% of tweets approve of the movie. On the flip side, combining negative tweets (Not Tarantino’s Best, Unimpressed), you get a measly 8%.

With that kind of data, it’s hard not to believe that the overwhelmingly positive response from the Twittersphere convinced at least some movie goers to check out Basterds.

Reviews: Twitter

Tags: box office, crimson hexagon, inglourious basterds, twitter, twitter effect

No Hulu For UK Users Until 2010

Posted: 24 Aug 2009 04:25 PM PDT

Those of you stateside have really come to appreciate Hulu for watching shows from NBC, FOX, and ABC online. Many of you outside of the US, however, have been anxiously awaiting the date when you too could reap the benefits of the free online video site.

Unfortunately, we have bad news for you. According to The Daily Telegraph, the Hulu UK roll-out was originally slated for September of this year, but has now been pushed backed to early 2010. This is likely a direct result of the fact that Hulu has yet to ink any deals with UK content providers.

The article suggests that Hulu is most likely to sign a non-exclusive deal with ITV in exchange for equity in the company in the near future, but, “it has yet to get any other content partners on board, despite nearly six months of discussions with BBC Worldwide, ITV and Channel 4.”

A source at Hulu is optimistic about a January launch, but is quoted as saying that the UK site would need at least two solid deals to seed it with enough content. The source iterated that, “It will probably go after a deal with BBC Worldwide … this will give it enough material to launch and probably take three to four months after its first deal with ITV … So you're hopefully looking at a January 2010 launch.”

Bottom line is that if you’re outside the US, you’re out of luck for the immediate future.

Reviews: Hulu

Tags: bbc, hulu, hulu uk

Wikipedia to Add New Level of Editorial Oversight

Posted: 24 Aug 2009 04:05 PM PDT

Wikipedia is one of the most prominent cases for world collaboration and social media in action. Unlike the standard encyclopedia, often written by experts and sourced from the same, Wikipedia articles are entirely community-built, often without restrictions. If you can create an account, you can write and edit Wikipedia articles. It is that feature that as made it into one of the world’s most popular websites.

Now a core feature, perhaps a core principal, of “the free encyclopedia anyone can edit” is about to become restricted. According to The New York Times, editing articles about living people on Wikipedia will require approval from an experienced editor first.

Is this a fundamental shift to the Wikipedia philosophy, or a necessary step to assure that quality reigns over misinformation?

Flagged Revisions

The lengthy New York Times piece goes into detail about this plan. Or, as Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales called it, a test:

"It is a test. We will be interested to see all the questions raised. How long will it take for something to be approved? Will it take a couple of minutes, days, weeks?"

The new restrictions are called flagged revisions. Before any newbie or novice updates the Wikipedia page of a living person, a senior editor has to sign off on the change before it goes live. This will occur to the English edition of Wikipedia in the next few weeks. It’s been in testing already, as the German-language version already has this restriction on all articles.

Why the change now though? Wikimedia chairman Michael Snow had this to say to the NYT:

“We are no longer at the point that it is acceptable to throw things at the wall and see what sticks. There was a time probably when the community was more forgiving of things that were inaccurate or fudged in some fashion — whether simply misunderstood or an author had some ax to grind. There is less tolerance for that sort of problem now."

Wikipedia Turns the Page

As Wikipedia’s influence has grown, so has the amount of reliance people have placed in the social media non-profit. People go to Wikipedia first for information on almost every topic. It has replaced the paper and binder encyclopedias of old, especially for the new generation.

However, adding misinformation and inaccurate edits is relatively easy, and those changes could stay up for hours, days, or even weeks in some cases. It’s been one of Wikipedia’s major drawbacks. The new flagged revisions feature is really the only effective way to address the issue of inaccuracy. We won’t be surprised if the change is imposed on all articles eventually.

Still, we can’t help but feel a bit sad that this change had to happen. Wikipedia was egalitarian in the spread and use of information, and it treated everyone as equal contributors of knowledge. While that may not necessarily be true in the real world, it still was the driving force behind the creation of 3 million articles, more than any other encyclopedia could ever hope to boast.

The move was necessary, but it does mark a new chapter in the Wikipedia information age and the end of an old one.

Reviews: Wikipedia

Tags: wikipedia

Free Music Monday: 10 Songs From Around the Web

Posted: 24 Aug 2009 03:35 PM PDT

Hello music lovers! In celebration of the weekly #musicmonday tradition on Twitter we bring you Free Music Monday, a compilation of some of this week’s best and brightest music available for free from around the web.

Because taste is subjective, we encourage your feedback and welcome your requests — do you want to see more of a particular genre or artist? Let us know in the comments.

Selections will be either free MP3 downloads or streaming tracks. Because we don’t want to take away from any of the fine music blogs and sites that do the hard work of aggregating all this material, we typically won’t be offering a direct download link from this feature unless encouraged directly by the artist or site. But you’ll still be one click away from getting the track and supporting the original sites. Many of the songs are Creative Commons-licensed, but be sure to check the licensing requirements before re-distributing or sharing these tunes.

Without further ado, here are this week’s Free Music Monday selections!

1. [ELECTRONIC] Daft Punk: Tron Legacy Theme (John Roman Remix) — Check out an interview and two exclusive tracks from Canadian producer John Roman, including a remix of Daft Punk’s Tron Legacy Theme from the upcoming remake of the classic film.

2. [PSYCH-ROCK] Hayvanlar Alemi: Guarana Superpower — Semi-improv guitar rock recorded live in the studio with influences from surf rock, psych folk, and Mali blues. Listen or download it here, and check out the rest of WFMU’s currently featured Guitarrrs mix as well.

3. [POP] Karen O and the Kids: All Is Love — Featuring the frontwoman from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and a number of indie luminaries, the newly-formed Karen O and the Kids came together to create the soundtrack for the upcoming Spike Jonze / Warner Brothers adaptation of Where the Wild Things Are. The first single, All is Love, is now available as a free stream from Myspace. [via MOG]

4. [SINGER-SONGWRITER] Jonathan Coulton: Ikea — Internet icon Jonathan Coulton, well known even before penning the “Still Alive” end credits track for the Valve hit video game Portal, has a number of tracks on the top-rated Creative Commons list at The Sixty One. The song Ikea humorously celebrates the iconic furniture store.

5. [ALTERNATIVE] Radiohead: These Are My Twisted Words — After leaking onto the internet, typically pro-filesharing superstars Radiohead released the track on their own blog for download or torrenting. We’ve also embedded it for streaming here.

6. [COUNTRY] The Meat Purveyors: Look On Your Face — Tongue-in-cheek Americana from Bloodshot Records, publishing the “good stuff nestled in the dark, nebulous cracks where punk, country, soul, pop, bluegrass, blues and rock mix and mingle and mutate.” Stream or download it from the Free Music Archive.

7. [ELECTRO-POP] Imogen Heap: Ellipse (full album) — Check out the entire Ellipse CD on Spinner’s listening party for Imogen Heap’s third album. The English artist offers up a unique vocal and songwriting style with flavors of electronica and alternative pop-rock.

8. [ELECTRONIC] Tiësto: Feel It In My Bones — A collaboration with indie twins Tegan & Sara, the track is from the Dutch DJ’s fourth studio album featuring collaborations with a number of guest artists. Stream is from Stereogum.

9. [RAP] Busdriver: Least Favorite Rapper — Smart and self-aware lyricism with comic jabs at emcee assertiveness from Busdriver’s new album Jhelli Beam. Stream it at Anti.com.

10. [60s / ELECTRONIC] The Beach Boys: Wouldn’t It Be Nice (The Girls Can Hear Us Remix) — Infusing Brian Wilson’s homage to adolescence from the classic 1966 Pet Sounds album with a fresh modern electro-pop vibe. Stream it on DeathElectro and get more from The Girls Can Hear Us from their Myspace page.

Reviews: MySpace, Twitter

Tags: free, mp3, music, musicmonday, streaming

As Whole Foods Boycott Grows on Facebook, Brand Perception Drops

Posted: 24 Aug 2009 02:41 PM PDT

As the Whole Foods Boycott on Facebook continues to swell — the group now has over 27,000 members — we’re finding out that CEO John Mackey’s statements in The Wall Street Journal are affecting more than just angry Facebookers, but consumers in general.

According to YouGov’s BrandIndex, which tracks the daily consumer perception of brands, consumer opinion towards Whole Foods has been falling fast on the Web since the editorial appeared.

YouGov scores brands from 100 to -100, with zero being neutral, based on daily interviews from respondents, and they track the change in the score to show a rise or decline in overall brand perception.

Their buzz chart is a reflection of how buzz perception changes over time. They ask consumers, “If you’ve heard anything about the brand in the last two weeks, was it positive or negative?” Their results indicate that Whole Foods had a buzz score of 22.8 on August 12th, and that score fell to 13.6 by August 20th. That’s almost a 10 point drop in just over a week.

The reputation chart is scored in the same manner, but asks respondents, “Would you be proud or embarrassed to work for this brand?” According to their research, the reputation score is suffering even more. On August 12th Whole Foods had a 33.3 score, but by the 20th they were down to 20.3.

Can the results be trusted? Well, according to the firm, “YouGov’s BrandIndex interviews 5,000 people each weekday from a representative US population sample, more than 1.2 million interviews per year. Respondents are drawn from an online panel of more than 1MM individuals. Margin of error is a very accurate +/- 2%.”

While we take no sides on the issue, it’s hard not to attribute at least some of the drop in consumer perception to the vocal Facebook group that has emerged in the aftermath of the CEO’s Wall Street Journal op-ed. Should YouGov’s research be as accurate as it claims to be, then Whole Foods definitely needs to be concerned about this social media backlash that’s negatively impacting consumer opinion.

Reviews: Facebook

Tags: boycott whole foods, reputation tracking, whole foods, yougov

Mashable’s Weekly Internet and Social Media Events Guide

Posted: 24 Aug 2009 02:40 PM PDT

It’s a brand new week, which means it’s time for Mashable's guide to upcoming social media and web events, parties, and conferences. For more upcoming event listings, check out Mashable’s Events section.

Is your event not on this list? Contact us and let's establish a media partnership.

Mashable’s Weekly Social Media and Marketing Event Guide is proudly supported by Eventbrite, the Web’s Event Marketplace.

August 24, 2009, Charlotte, NC: Social Fresh is a 1 day Social Media Conference in the Southeast. Speakers range the spectrum of Fortune 500, e-commerce, advertising/marketing, major media and more. Social Fresh content is focused on two things, the future of social media technology and tangible social media examples of how businesses are using the social web successfully. Get 15% off by using code Mashable.

August 28, 2009, New York City: Mashable’s Summer of Social Good will conclude with our first ever Social Good Conference, a one day educational event at New York’s historic 92nd Street Y. The conference features keynotes from Facebook's Randi Zuckerberg and All For Good's Jonathan Greenblatt, and presentations from well known and respected organizations and professionals within the space focused on the theme of "Social Media for Social Good".

We’re offering $50 General Admission for the first 50 people (max 2 tickets per purchase) to use the discount code: Mash50Good. You can get your tickets here. If you can’t make the event in person, you can watch it for free (with chat) at Livestream.com/mashable

August 29, 2009, Washington DC: TechAdventure DC is loading up a charter bus and taking the DC Social Media/Tech community out of the bubble and into the lush Shenandoah Valley, home of family-run Rappahannock Cellars. Best of all, you will be taking the best DC has to offer — which is you, your friends and colleagues — and leaving the Beltway for an adventure. The Rappahanock Cellers will offer 10% off all wine purchases, and 15% off for a dozen (case) for anyone that mentions the “Mashable deal”.

August 29, 2009, Seattle, WA: Create Live will be in Seattle, Washington and will be featuring pop artist Natasha Wescoat and illustrator artist David Hoang who will be creating original work live in person and live streaming video. Through the use of live streaming on the web, Create Live brings together designers and artists as well as those in the web industry to co-work or be a part of the audience. Founded by Brent Spore of iBoughtamac.com & StarvingDesigner.com and Natasha Wescoat (NatashaWescoat.com & NatashasArtCandy.com) to bring together the creative & tech communities, and to promote and explore the amazing talent in our world.

August 31, 2009, Cambridge, MA: Gravity Summit at the Harvard Faculty Center covers Twitter and Social Media and the Impact on Culture and Business. This full day event is designed to help bridge the gap between the new social media marketing tools and the business community. Keynote is MC Hammer and Gary Vaynerchuk. Learn how brands like Southwest Air, American Red Cross, EMC, Dunkin’ Donuts, Domino’s, SHIFT Communications, Arnold Worldwide and Visible Technologies use twitter and other social web tools to increase brand awareness and improve the bottom line. Networking, lunch, learning. Limited seating. Click here for a Mashable-exclusive discount! Also, there’s a free after party after Gravity Summit for everyone. Just sign up!

September 8, 2009, Washington DC: Gov 2.0 Expo Showcase is the one-day event previewing the larger Gov 2.0 Expo scheduled for May 2010. The practical, cutting-edge efforts it highlights, married with a profound shift in thinking across the government, underscore the growing power of "government as a platform." Be there as 24 innovators show how this is really happening, concretely, right now, inside (and outside) government in an exciting format of 5-minute, rapid-fire presentations. Register today and save 15% using code gxp09bd8.

September 9, 2009, Houston, TX: Houston Interactive Marketing Association presents the 3rd Annual Interactive Strategies Conference. This full-day conference at the historic Anjelika Film Center features 32 speakers ranging in topics like Social Media, Search Engine Optimization and Marketing Strategy. Mashable readers can use promo code: mashable for a 15% discount.

September 10, 2009, Boston, MA: Cool Twitter Conferences provides an environment for developers, people in business, and enthusiasts from multiple disciplines, who seek to understand and maximize the power of Twitter, the chance to contribute to the discussion and tap into this real-time use of the web. This forum is ideal for advertising, marketing professionals and business owners looking to increase visibility and improve customer experience. Use the code: mashable to save 25% on registration.

September 12, 2009, Los Angeles, CA: WordCamp is a conference type of event that focuses squarely on everything WordPress. Everyone from casual end users all the way up to core developers show up. This event is highlighted by speeches and keynotes by various people in the WordPress community. For more info visit http://wordcamp.la.

September 13-14, 2009, Toronto, Canada: FITC Mobile brings together the leaders in mobile design and development for two full days of presentations and an optional workshop day. Sessions cover a variety of topics related to mobile platforms (Android, Flash Lite, OpenGL, Windows CE), applications (SMS, QR codes, video) and devices (BlackBerry, Palm, iPhone). Prices are very low at $209 (CDN) and $89 (CDN) for students. Mashable readers get an extra 10% discount. Use code: MASHABLE when purchasing at http://fitcmobile.eventbrite.com/.

September 14-17, 2009, Chicago, IL: Attend the Advanced Learning Institute's 11th Forum on Social Media for Government: How To Engage Your Employees And Citizens By Using The Latest Web 2.0 Technologies To Drive Communication Results to learn how to capture the power of social media in your organization, along with helpful tools, tips and techniques to get started. Hear from leading experts at Transportation Security Administration; Salt Lake Valley Health Department; U.S. Department of State; Los Angeles County Department of Public Health; Court Services & Offender Supervision Agency; University of Wisconsin – Madison; Houston Public Library; San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, and more, on how to engage your employees and citizens by using social media. Mention Mashable when registering to save $200.

September 15, 2009, Austin, TX: PlaySpan hosts Monetization 2.0 Forum. Senior-level executives will present on a wide range of topics including success stories about monetization within casual games, virtual worlds, and social networks, and what pitfalls to avoid. The forum will also address several key issues such as the move from subscriptions to a free-to-play business model and how to protect customers from fraud. Attendees will take away critical insights needed to make games into money makers. Registration is free for GDC registered attendees.

September 15–16, Atlanta, GA: At LIFT: The B2B Social Commerce Summit business-to-business (B2B) marketing and advertising professionals will share real-world examples of social commerce strategies and tactics that have driven sales lift, increased customer loyalty, and produced actionable metrics and measurable ROI. The LIFT Summit will address the very specific online marketing and communications needs of B2B companies and deliver the tools necessary to launch, manage and evaluate a B2B social marketing campaign. Mashable readers save $200 with discount code MASH ($499 with discount before August 15, and $599 thereafter).

September 16-17, 2009, Chicago, IL: Cusp isn’t a conference about graphic design, architecture, interior design or industrial design. It’s a conference about 'the design of everything,' bringing together thinkers, innovators, skeptics, believers, visionaries and explorers from the arts, sciences, technology, business, design and media. It’s two days of creativity, imagination, passion and energy from 20+ presenters who’ll share their thoughts, passions and stories and help you create new ones – a concentrated blast of ideas, creativity and optimism that connects unexpected dots and lights unknown fires. We may be living in a challenging present and face an uncertain future, but Cusp Conference is rocket fuel for anyone who believes that the best way to predict the future is to design it. Are you up for it? Use discount code mash09 when you register to receive a 10% reduction on your conference fee.

September 17, 2009, New York City: Swagapalooza is an experiment in viral media. On September 17th, the world's most-followed bloggers, twitters, and digital influencers will gather to judge five-minute auditions from the creators of the latest, greatest, and most unexpected new products. Are you one of the world's top bloggers or twitters? If so you deserve to be begged for your attention and your following. Your taste and discernment make you the perfect judge of these marketers who will come to cajole, beg, and bribe you with more free stuff than you can imagine… Tickets are free for those who qualify.

September 17, 2009, Appleton, WI: Bring your laptops to SOHO naked biz growth Social Media Workshop-Appleton, Wisconsin, and leave with an understanding of how implementing a social media strategy can enhance your brand, sales and service. Develop a 16 page, 90-day “The Draft,” A Social Media Strategy for your business, or to share with your marketing, PR, or social media consultant. Use discount code Mashable to receive 20% off the ticket price as well as 1/2 off a Sohobiztube.com professional account at the door.

September 18, 2009, Virginia Beach, VA: New Media Conventions is an exciting day that brings together professionals from many industries to discuss and learn about social media networking and new media tactics. Come learn the right way to achieve success with your business from many of the experts that live in social media today at this how-to event. Agenda: Social Media Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow by Keith Parnell, CEO, JASE Group Marketing & Advertising; Role of Public Relations in Social Media by Michelle Rogerson, Owner, Reina Communications; Successfully Monetizing Your Blog by Julie Maloney, Owner, Momspective; How to Benefit from the Power of Google by Kurt Noer, Owner, Customer Magnetism; Successful Social Media Marketing Campaign, 140 Characters at a Time by Renee Alexander Hamilton, Social Media Strategist, Operation Smile.

September 19, 2009, Atlanta, GA: Atlanta Linux Fest is a grassroots conference for the open source community to gather and share information about fun and exciting open source software. The most popular Linux distributions will be showing off upcoming releases. Businesses based on open source software will discuss their experiences. Cutting edge applications will be demoed. Speakers with in-depth knowledge about issues like licensing and promoting will be presenting. Ubuntu community members will also be running a mini Ubuntu conference within Atlanta Linux Fest, to come together and share knowledge and excitement for forwarding the Ubuntu project. Registration is free.

September 21, 2009, New York City: This comprehensive, dynamic event will explore the inherent challenges of social media and will arm you with the specific tools necessary to protect your company, your intellectual property and your reputation in today's virtual world. Challenges from Social Media are only one inappropriate "tweet" away. Register for this timely program today and ensure you understand the inherent perils of the market and construct the proper policies to protect your company and ensure future growth. Mention code MASH and save $100!

September 21-23, 2009, Portland, OR: LinuxCon is a technical conference providing an unmatched collaboration and education space covering all matters Linux. The best and brightest in the community will come together for top notch speaking talent, innovative content, and an array of networking opportunities. Speakers include: Linux creator, Linus Torvalds, Ubuntu founder Mark Shuttleworth, Bob Sutor of IBM, Joe Brockmeier of OpenSuse and many more industry experts and top technical talent. Get 20% off if you register with code LCOR20.

September 21-23, 2009, San Diego: Come to DEMOfall 09 and view the most comprehensive portfolio of credible emerging technologies, vetted by VentureBeat Founder Matt Marshall, a longtime member of the VC community, and by Chris Shipley, a leading technology analyst who has brought more than 1,250 new products to market since 1996. DEMO is the launchpad for emerging technology and a true market performer for visionary investors, entrepreneurs and industry influencers. Mashable visitors, register now at www.demo.com/df9partner for $1996 and save $500 off the standard registration fee (rate increases after 8/15).

September 22-23, 2009, Singapore: The Social Networking World Forum Asia is a two day conference dedicated to social networking and social media, featuring key speakers from social networking publishers, advertising agencies, industry analysts, software developers and equipment manufacturers, pay-TV and network service providers, mobile operators, plus many more. There will be a joint exhibition combining social networking and mobile social networking formats and an evening networking reception. Mention you are a Mashable reader to receive 15% discount.

September 23, Santa Monica, CA: Join the Digital Family for an evening of exploration on the topic of “Managing Online Communities. Jason Calacanis, CEO of Mahalo, will broadcast “This Week In Start-Ups” live from the event and his guests will be community experts Peter Hirshberg, chairman of The Conversation Group and Michael Jones, COO of MySpace. Results of the first-ever Managing Online Communities survey will be presented by Karen North, Director, USC Annenberg Program on Online Communities and Gerry Philpott, CEO of E-Poll. Mashable followers SAVE $20 when you register with code DFR39.

September 23-24, 2009, San Jose, CA: Engage! Expo is the leading event for companies seeking to understand and leverage the power of user engagement. Engage! Expo features three distinct conference areas: Digital Law Conference, Virtual Goods Conference and 3D-Training, Learning and Collaboration. The conference features industry leaders discussing proven methods to extend marketing reach, strengthen customer relationships, improve monetization strategies, protect your company online and enjoy significant cost savings. Use the discount code mashvip to save 15% when you register.

September 23-25, 2009, Amsterdam, Netherlands: PICNIC (www.picnicnetwork.org) is a cross-discipline platform for creative conversation and collaboration. It’s a unique festival featuring a strategic conference, complimented by hands-on workshops and matchmaking sessions.

Join us at PICNIC '09 to discuss how to embrace the enormous changes impacting our economy, businesses and daily lives. Learn how to create new value in media, entertainment and design to reach a sustainable society. Breathe, Listen and See the possibilities at PICNIC '09. Use promo-code NMashable001 for 15% discount (applies also on top of Early Bird offer valid until September 1st).

September 24, 2009, online: With customers and professionals around the world rushing into online communities and social networks, companies are trying to follow their customers and join the conversation. This summit will feature social media marketing experts who will present live and interactive webcasts throughout the day to debate the value of social media in the marketing mix. They will discuss the best methods for companies to create a social media presence and uncover the paths to leverage social media for a strong ROI. Mashable readers can view the full program and sign up for free at: brighttalk.com/summit/socialmediamarketing2

September 24, 2009, San Francisco, CA: Cool Twitter Conferences provides an environment for developers, people in business, and enthusiasts from multiple disciplines, who seek to understand and maximize the power of Twitter, the chance to contribute to the discussion and tap into this real-time use of the web. This forum is ideal for advertising, marketing professionals and business owners looking to increase visibility and improve customer experience. Use the code: mashable to save 25% on registration.

September 26, 2009, Seattle, WA: StartupDay 2009 is the conference for pre-entrepreneurs, those who have yet to join or found a tech startup. If you have an idea but are unsure of the steps it takes to succeed, this is the conference for you. StartupDay will include a full-day of talks from successful and respected entrepreneurs from Seattle talking about how to validate your idea, find a co-founder, build and market your product, and how to make money. Beyond the speakers, the conference will offer the Advisory Room, a place where attendees can book one-on-one 15-minutes meetings with professionals, entrepreneurs and investors. Early-bird price ends on August 21st. Use the code Mashable to get 5% discount.

September 28-29, 2009, London: At the Social TV Forum, learn from broadcasters, content providers, social networks, brands, advertisers and analysts. Understand the key trends driving social TV, the challenges being faced and what the future outlook is for social television. Take advantage of the Evening Networking Reception and Network immediately with our first-class pre-show online meeting planner. Mention you are a Mashable reader to receive 15% discount.

September 29-October 2, 2009: Attend the Advanced Learning Institute's 12th Forum on Social Media for Government: How To Engage Your Employees And Citizens By Using The Latest Web 2.0 Technologies To Drive Communication Results. Hear from leading government agencies and organizations on how you can capture the power of social media in your organization, along with helpful tools, tips and techniques to get started.

September 29-October 2, 2009, Miami, FL: Join us at #SMLatam for 3 days of networking and learning in sunny Miami. Bring your laptops and smart phones and get ready to learn from and interact with a hugely diverse group of speakers who do business through social media. 20 speakers, from both Latin America and the US, will share their experiences, visions, and case studies of how they have expanded and generated business through social media. Mashable readers save $300 on general admission with promo code smlc300 and $500 on VIP packages with promo code smlc500.

October 1-2, 2009, New York City: The Bootstrapper Summit is the only Venture Capital conference in NYC sponsored by the City of New York and connects the most promising companies with the top investors. We connect the top companies with the top investors and have some great speakers lined up including Robin Kent, former CEO of Universal McCann, a $16BN Media Agency, and Nate Brochin, who has built $4BN worth of companies in the last decade. Past speakers include Jim Robinson III, former CEO of American Express and Kevin Ryan, CEO of AlleyCorp. We are still accepting submissions of companies looking to present to our investors and still have a few investor tickets available as well. Mashable readers get a discount.

October 5, 2009, Minneapolis, MN: The MIMA Summit is the top interactive marketing event in the Midwest, attracting professionals from design, media, content development, product development, publishing, marketing, usability, and experience design. If interactive marketing is part of your job, this is the place to be. Featuring keynote presenters Seth Godin and Jackie Huba. Mashable readers may use the code MIMASummit09 to register at the member rate of $395 through Labor Day. After Labor Day, member registration price is $440.

October 5-8, 2009, Ottawa, Canada: For 16 years, GTEC is recognized as Canada’s most significant forum on the use of technology to improve government services and operations. The event features an annual Distinction Awards program and gala, a comprehensive Professional Development Forum, and the GTEC Exhibition. The conference program and trade show are attended annually by an estimated 7,000 professionals. $100 off for Mashable readers can be had using discount code MASHUP09.

October 7-8, 2009, Boston, MA: The Inbound Marketing Summit is where the online marketing community gathers to solve today’s marketing and business communications challenges. This fast-paced and information-packed event is your check-up on your existing business communications strategies, and your prescription for the coming months. The Inbound Marketing Summit is organized by thought-leaders Chris Brogan and Justin Levy of New Marketing Labs. This event brings together experts in the field of new media marketing to share the latest strategies, tools, and best practices to utilize new marketing methods to grow your business. Speakers include: Gary Vaynerchuk, Chris Brogan, Jason Falls, Brian Solis, Tim Street and many more. Use the code MASH200 to get $200 off!

October 9-11, 2009, Atlanta, GA: In its inaugural year, BLOGALICIOUS 2009 will provide women bloggers of color an amazing opportunity to come together to celebrate their diversity and their love for blogging. If you're interested in meeting, learning about, and interacting with women bloggers of color, this conference is for you. In addition to igniting a sense of unity within our community, BLOGALICIOUS 2009 will educate marketers on the importance of our demographic in today's marketplace, all while allowing bloggers to network and achieve the ultimate success for their blogs. It's an event not to be missed!

October 13-14, 2009, London, UK: a4uexpo London is Europe’s largest Affiliate Marketing Conference and Exhibition. The two-day event will feature top industry experts from across the UK & international Online Marketing sector, as well as a range of specific Workshop sessions, which together provide delegates with a professional environment in which to hear about & debate the key issues currently facing the £3bn channel. The accompanying Exhibition will feature a specially-selected group of UK & European exhibitors, whilst there will also be Networking Parties after each day’s formal program. Mashable users can save 10% by using code Mash09.

October 13-14, 2009, Johannesburg, South Africa: Mobile Web Africa is an event designed to significantly contribute to the next stage of development of the Africa mobile ecosystem. Topics include operator strategies, monetizing mobile web and apps, creating the next generation of entrepreneurs as well as the mobile web and applications for development. Contact All Amber (comms@allamber.co.uk) for information on the SUBSIDISED TICKETS available for Developers and Start-Ups or to receive your ZAR1000 DISCOUNT (please mention MASHABLE in the title of your email!).

October 15-16, 2009, New York City: The Social Media Seminars will explore innovative strategies of Fortune 500 companies and other early adopters and provide practical guidance on tools and technologies to help you develop, implement, refine and measure outcomes of social media strategies. Day one will be in a roundtable format where you'll hear from market leaders including: American Express OPEN Forum, IBM Corporation and Symantec. Clara Shih, author of The Facebook Era (Prentice Hall 2009) will share insights from her book which is used as a text at The Harvard Business School. Day two will provide a hands on working session, where experiential learning will help you figure out the best social media strategies and tactics for your own business. Use Code CL1 for $300 off.

October 15-17, 2009, Las Vegas, NV: Blog World Expo is the first and only industry-wide tradeshow, conference, and media event dedicated to promoting the dynamic industry of new media including: Blogging, Podcasting, Social Media, Online Video, Music, TV, Radio, Gaming, Entertainment and Communities. In addition to the only industry-wide new media industry exhibition, BlogWorld & New Media Expo features the largest new media conference in the world including more than 50 seminars, panel discussions and keynotes from iconic personalities on the leading-edge of online technology and internet-savvy business. Get 20% off by using code MASH20.

October 20-21, 2009, New York City: Following the success of mediabistro’s UGCX in San Jose last February, the fall 2009 conference will uncover the best places to target and maximize content, optimize customer data, and generate revenue as the big shift in media continues to take shape. Learn the best ways to incorporate the customer into your business plan to positively affect bottom line revenue. Discover how to aggregate, analyze, and organize data to provide a better brand experience to customers and partners. And learn how businesses and individuals can harness and take advantage of the powerful voice of the customer. Register with promo code UGCMASH and save 20%!

October 20-22, 2009, London, England: For the fourth year running, Mobile Web and Apps, incorporating an exclusive focus day on Mobile Social Networking, will provide you with all that you need to understand, improve and profit from this seismic shift in our industry. Featuring senior representatives with a combined user base of over half a billion and a combined turnover running into $billions, our speakers really are those that profit from and drive forward the mobile web industry. For your exclusive 10% discount off the registration fee, please quote VIP code I087N/MASH.

October 21, 2009, Madrid: Social Media in Healthcare & Wellness will address how online conversations are changing the way those in the healthcare markets communicate. Brands positioned in this sector need to be open and willing to listen to stakeholders (healthcare professionals, patients, caregivers), and join in the discussion. Those stakeholders are no longer passive; they want to share and express their opinions about brands and have been empowered by social media tools, such as blogs, social networks, video & audio sharing, and microblogging. Attendees will also discuss how to tap into the "wisdom of crowds" to solve problems. The conference is exclusively targeted to senior marketing professionals in the healthcare sector: pharmaceutical , nutraceutical, health appliances, etc., and registration is free.

October 21, 2009, Trenton, NJ: Have you been playing around with social media tools to promote your business without much success? Are you responsible for building a comprehensive, customized social media action plan for your business, but can’t hire your own PR firm to tackle the task? You need a PLAN! Attend this fast-paced, hands-on training seminar targeted to the specific needs of small businesses to kick start your social media strategy. Our seminars are designed and taught by talented professionals with over 12 years experience in all aspects of new media and strategy management. Use event code mashable to save on early and standard registration pricing.

October 21-22, 2009, Chicago, IL: Fire up your digital marketing strategy at MarketingProfs' Digital Marketing Mixer! This unique event brings it all together—a year’s worth of training, updates, networking and jamming—to supercharge your digital marketing strategy in just two short days. Get 1-on-1 access to the best and brightest digital stars! Plus, our loyal attendees say our events are insanely fun and we have the best Freebies in the biz! Register with code MASH to save $200!

October 22, 2009, Washington DC: Attend the only event entirely focused on Twitter for business. Meet leading social media experts, marketers, customer service and technology executives using micro-blogging to build communities, provide customer service, change brand perceptions and increase revenue. Discover best practices and lessons learned during case studies, panel discussions and keynotes from the companies, government agencies and non-profits using Twitter as a business tool. For speaker and registration details, go to twtrcon.com. Follow @TWTRCON for the latest updates. Register by August 31 to save $200.

October 22, London, UK: The Cloud Computing World Forum is the perfect event for professionals to learn and discuss the future development and integration of cloud services. This one day conference will provide a focused platform for the global cloud computing industry. Hear from leading case studies on how they have integrated cloud computing into their working practices, learn from the key players offering services in the cloud and network with likeminded individuals with an interest in cloud computing. 25% discount available to all Mashable subscribers – please call +44 (0) 845 519 1230 for more information or email mark@pointzeromedia.com for more information.

October 23, 2009, Durham, NC: The Social Media Business Forum will feature national and local speakers from marketing companies, technology companies, and social networks discussing ways in which business communications have changed due to social media. Early bird registration is available for $125 until September 18, 2009. After that date registration costs $250. Use code Mashable to get 15% off.

October 26-27, Philadelphia, PA: Join hundreds of fellow healthcare marketing and communication professionals at e-Patient Connections 2009. It's the one conference you need to attend to make sense of the radical changes taking place in health marketing, including social media marketing, web conversations, and mobile health. For the first time in history, more people are searching the Internet for health information than asking doctors. Discover new ways to connect, educate, and engage these digital health consumers. Use the code MASH10 to receive 10% off conference registration.

October 27, 2009, San Francisco: SNAP Summit introduces their 4th installment, the first event to focus on failure: FailCon! Why would you want to hear this? They’re bringing together the biggest players in the Web 2.0 industry to talk about the failures they’ve had, what went wrong, how they got over it, and what they learned. These are mistakes we all will make as entrepreneurs, missteps we’ll all see. And this is the best way to be prepared. This conference is also the cheapest of the October season, and looks to be informative and fun. Pick up 15% off tickets at http://snapsummit4.eventbrite.com/?discount=Mashable15

October 28-30, 2009, Amsterdam: The Emerging Communications (eComm) Conference & Awards was created to promote and accelerate communications innovation across Telecom, Mobile & Internet Communications. Telecom is in the process of being re-written. You either stand on the side to be written into the past or instead join with the growing community to write the future. Opportunities to profit from the radical restructuring and in accelerating the development of how humanity connects, communicates and collaborates have never been so great. Use the code Mashable when registering to save 20% (can only be applied for new registrations).

November 4-5, 2009, Raleigh, NC: Internet Summit 09 will feature over 75 speakers including major internet brands such as Twitter, Pandora, Google, Salesforce.com, Digg, Technorati, CBS Interactive, Huffington Post, Blogger, Meebo and more. Join over 1200 entrepreneurs, senior marketers and executives in the conversation about the future of the industry and how to capitalize on the shifting dynamics of the internet and tap into its unlimited business potential. Use registration code MASH for 20% off.

November 5-6, 2009, Berlin, Germany: The European Venture Market is a platform for investors, service providers and entrepreneurs to meet, network and further develop business ideas and projects, in a relaxed yet professional atmosphere. During the event the participating entrepreneurs will be able to pitch their business projects for around 5 minutes to a crowd of interested investors and service providers. The two conference days will also feature keynote speeches, specific industry presentations, coffee and lunch breaks, a large dinner reception on the Thursday night and, finally, a themed club party on the Friday night. Get 10% off by using code evm_mashable

November 7, 2009, Douala, Cameroon: BarCamp Cameroon brings together technologists and experts for the Cameroon first Barcamp. The theme for this edition is digital dreams, with some big names on the guest list and an open agenda that any attendee can contribute to, the organizers aim for tough talking and innovative thinking . Attendance is free; all you need to bring is a willingness to share your ideas and opinions.

November 10-13, 2009, Las Vegas, NV: PubCon is a multi-track educational conference hosted by SearchEngineWorld & WebmasterWorld. PubCon events are for thought leaders and professionals in search engine and Internet marketing and advertising to gather and to share best practices in the design, development, promotion and marketing of their Internet businesses and brands. Mashable readers can take off a 15% discount with code ma-77815.

November 14-15, Tempe, AZ: Explore the world of new and relevant media at PodCamp AZ, the southwest’s premier destination for bloggers, podcasters, social media butterflies, photographers, video pros and more! It’s a chance to enhance your skills while learning from those in the trenches every day. This is the third year of the event and promises to bring in over 1,000 people hungry to learn — and to share! It’s an unconference, so everyone is encouraged to lead a session. The event is always free, and you can’t beat the weather in Phoenix in November. So get registered, and we’ll see you then!

November 12, 2009, Phoenix, AZ: If you think there isn’t a vibrant entrepreneurial community in Phoenix, guess again. We bring Silicon Valley to Phoenix to share best practices. The theme for this year’s conference is “Bright Spots in the Recession: four entrepreneurial growth segments you need to know about” and showcases Digital Media Entrepreneurship, Health 2.0, Cloud Computing, and Sustainability.

November 23-25, 2009, Berlin, Germany: IIR’s Mobile 2.0 – Content & Services Conference provides a dynamic networking and information-sharing business environment, bringing together key stakeholders within the mobile web 2.0 value chain to discuss current trends and revenue generation possibilities, successful business strategies and the future opportunities that exist within this space. Receive a 10% discount by quoting I08LFMASH when registering. Significant price cuts also available to Operators, online communities, and content providers

December 6-9, 2009, Dubai, UAE: Are you harnessing the power of social media marketing? Do you know what it is and how to use it effectively to market your product and increase ROI? Join international social gurus and hear from regional corporations, who are already using social media marketing successfully in December at this two day event. Through practical examples and case studies detailing successful campaigns and their results you'll leave with the tools you need to use social media marketing to grow your business. Mashable users can save 10% by using code Mash09.

The Mashable Weekly Social Media and Marketing Event Guide is proudly supported by Eventbrite, the Web’s Event Marketplace.

Eventbrite is an online events marketplace where tens of thousands of individuals, businesses and organizations of all sizes manage, promote and sell tickets to their events. Make your event a success on Eventbrite.

Tags: conferences, Events, mashable

Did Michael Beasley Twitter His Way into Rehab?

Posted: 24 Aug 2009 01:29 PM PDT

Did Twitter just play a major role in the mental breakdown of a superstar athlete?

Michael Beasley, star forward for the Miami Heat NBA team, checked into a Houston rehabilitation hospital this weekend, for what is being reported as substance abuse and depression issues. He will apparently stay for at least 30 days and spend time with John Lucas, a well-known former NBA player and coach who works with troubled players.

What makes Beasley’s breakdown unique though, is that his admission to rehab was preceded by a series of very disturbing Twitter posts, two deletions of his Twitter account, and a TwitPic that reveals suspicious bags on a table in the background.

The Backstory:

From what we can gather, Michael Beasley began to tweet out some disturbing things late last week. The Twitter updates came from his account @GorillaBeas, which is now deleted.

Here are the tweets that he sent out, caught in the Google cache of his deleted Twitter page:

And here is some of the reaction from his followers:

What really has sparked controversy though is a TwitPic that Michael Beasley posted showing off the SupercoolBeas tattoo on his back. On the bottom right hand corner of the image are bags filled with what some believe to be marijuana or another illegal drug. There’s no way to tell though, because the picture is not clear enough to tell.

Here is the picture in question:

Social Media Is an Open Platform. To Good and to Bad.

Twitter has given us a very open looking glass into the lives of our friends and the celebrities we like to talk about. For the most part, it’s been a great benefit to celebrities who have been able to connect with fans in a way not before possible.

However, there have been times where it’s given us a look into disturbing thoughts and events. For example, a tweet from Demi Moore is credited with preventing the suicide of a middle-aged woman who tweeted that she was going to cut herself.

Beasley is another case of this phenomenon. He’s had a history of immature behavior and has been fined by the NBA before for being in the vicinity of marijuana. Sending those tweets and that picture only drew scrutiny to him. It may have been the thing that even got him into rehab.

Just remember that with an open social web, you’re not only going to get the good, but sometimes the bad. Addressing psychological issues before tweeting or blogging is a sensible idea, because this type of thing could happen to anyone.

Reviews: Google, Twitpic, Twitter

Tags: Michael Beasley, NBA, twitter

Facebook Movie to Start Production in October

Posted: 24 Aug 2009 01:28 PM PDT

Columbia Pictures has officially greenlit “The Social Network” (unofficially known as the Facebook movie), with production set to begin in October.

Aaron Sorkin (writer and creator of “The West Wing” and “Sports Night”) has written the script, which is based on Ben Mezrich’s book, “The Accidental Billionaires.”

David Fincher (”Fight Club”) is directing the film. There isn’t any word about casting right now, but with production starting in six to eight weeks, expect those details to be finalized soon.

For those of you who are convinced that there’s no way Facebook could ever be a good movie, I recommend reading Script Shadow’s script review, as well as Mezrich’s book. There are a lot of layers to the Facebook story, and with talents like Fincher and Sorkin on board, this could end up being a very compelling film.

What are your thoughts on the Facebook movie? Who would you like to see play Mark Zuckerberg?

Reviews: Facebook

Tags: Aaron Sorkin, david fincher, facebook, facebook movie

Twitter and Facebook Mousepads Are No Social Media Pillows

Posted: 24 Aug 2009 01:09 PM PDT

We instantly fell in love with Craftsquatch’s awesome social media pillows, and the iPhone soap wasn’t too shabby either. So when we heard about Twitter and Facebook mousepads, we had to check these social media tchotchkes out.

Although cute in their own right, the unofficial Twitter and Facebook mousepads are as basic and underwhelming as newbie Twitter and Facebook profiles. Priced at $17.99 for the pair (or $11.99 each), you’ll get to scroll your mouse around a pad that begs the question, “Where are you pointing?” or “What’s on your mouse pad?”

The social media mousepads are, however, perfect for the internet addict that can’t get enough Twitter and Facebook in the physical world. Though relatively bare, you might get a kick out of how accurately they model each network’s respective status update option.

Of course, the over-sized Facebook Publisher and Twitter status update mousepads won’t actually let you update your status, but they might be the next best thing for beating work day blues. Plus, should they complement your collection of soaps and pillows, you could become quite the social entertainer amongst your geekier friends.

Mousepad Gallery

[via CNET]

Reviews: Facebook, Twitter

Tags: facebook, Gifts, mousepad, twitter

YouTube Wants You to Predict TV’s Next Hit Shows

Posted: 24 Aug 2009 12:20 PM PDT

As an avid-TV junkie, the Fall TV season is an exciting time. It’s a great opportunity to find new shows and catch up on old favorites. This year, YouTube is getting in on the action and they want your vote.

U.S. viewers (sorry international folks!), head over to YouTube’s Fall TV Preview page and check out the previews for more than 80 new and returning shows.

After viewing the previews, you can vote for what shows you think will be the biggest hit this fall. The shows that get the most votes will be featured on the YouTube homepage.

Voting starts now and runs until September 14th, so you have three weeks to let the world, or the YouTube audience anyway, know what you like.

YouTube isn’t the only video site getting in on the Fall TV action. TV.com and Hulu both have previews for new and returning shows.

Check out what uber-YouTuber Michael Buckley has to say about the Fall TV Preview:

What shows are you most excited about tweeting about (and watching!) this fall? Let us know in the comments.

Reviews: Hulu, YouTube

Tags: fall tv, television, tv, youtube

Facebook Adds Ability to Invite Friends from Recent Events

Posted: 24 Aug 2009 12:19 PM PDT

Facebook events are one of the best ways to reach out to friends, colleagues, and the general public with your cause, party, or project – simply because there are just so many people on Facebook. Still, Facebook events are very basic and don’t boast the array of features that event services like Eventbrite or Meetup have.

Facebook’s making strides to bridge that gap though. The social network has just launched a very useful (and long sought after) feature: the ability to invite your friends from recent events. In the past, if you hosted a bi-weekly BBQ, you’d have to rebuild your entire guest list for each event. Now you can just select your last event and invite everybody who was on the guest list.

The new feature, while not officially announced, has surfaced in the form of a screenshot that Facebook posted not very long ago. Here’s what the new invite friends from recent events interface looks like:

We have checked and confirmed that the feature is now active. It not only works for events you create, but also for events you’ve recently attended, although we’re not sure how far back its memory goes. So if you’ve got a repeat event or one related to a new party you’re about to host, be sure to use this feature, because it’s going to make your life a lot easier.

Reviews: Facebook

Tags: event planning, facebook

Rhapsody Tries to Bring Unlimited Streaming Music to iPhone

Posted: 24 Aug 2009 11:25 AM PDT

RealNetworks has just submitted an app for its Rhapsody music service to Apple for inclusion in the App Store. Assuming all goes well, Rhapsody To Go subscribers will soon be able to stream an unlimited number of songs from their iPhones or iPod touch devices.

Rhapsody is a music streaming service, similar to Napster and Microsoft’s Zune Pass. It has a huge catalog of more than 8 million songs and some really terrific Internet radio options. For $15 a month, users can stream as much music as they want. If you have a compatible Rhapsody portable device, you can even take your tunes with you.

Gdgt got an inside look at the Rhapsody app and they were impressed. There’s just one problem: the first version of the application will only stream songs, there is no “offline” mode. This is in stark contrast to Spotify’s yet-to-be-released iPhone app, which offers similar on-demand tune access, but also has an offline playback mode. According to Real, an offline mode will be added to the 2.0 version of the program.

For that to happen, Rhapsody needs to get approved by Apple first. Although there are plenty of streaming music apps out there (Last.fm, Pandora, Slacker Radio, an the Sirius XM app), those services aren’t marketed as a potential direct competitor to iTunes. They don’t allow on-demand song access. Using the swelling controversy regarding the App Store approval process to its advantage, Real is making a big splash. The goal, I’m sure, is to have so much publicity surrounding the app for Apple to be unable to reject it.

You can take a look at this video that the Rhapsody team created showing off the application:

What do you think about subscription music services? Does a mobile app like Rhapsody make you more likely to subscribe or are free streaming services and iTunes enough to satisfy your digital music needs?

Reviews: Pandora

Tags: iphone, music, online music, real, rhapsody

Publish Your Facebook Status to Twitter With SocialToo

Posted: 24 Aug 2009 11:24 AM PDT

Just last week Facebook introduced their own Twitter app giving Page admins the ability to simultaneously update both their Page and Twitter from Facebook. For Page admins this is great news, for the rest of us, it means absolutely nothing.

Of course, we expect Facebook to roll out this functionality to everyone eventually, but with SocialToo Status, a new addition to SocialToo’s Facebook app, there’s no reason to wait. SocialToo Status allows anyone to update their personal wall, Facebook Pages, and Twitter with one single status update from the Facebook Publisher.

To use the time saving utility, you’ll need a SocialToo account, though you can sign in with your Twitter account or via Facebook Connect. Once you sign in, click the Facebook App option in the upper right-hand corner, approve the various application requests, and then you’ll notice that you have a new drop-down option labeled SocialToo Status in your Facebook Publisher (the status update box).

Now when you’re updating your status, you can click the SocialToo Status option and simultaneously post to Twitter and any Facebook Page you manage. It’s a post-by-post status updating tool that should provide you with a convenient way to do more with a single status update.

Also according to the SocialToo blog, “When you publish via SocialToo Status, your updates appear in your personal stream, along with a link to each destination we also sent the status update to. This helps promote your other Facebook Pages and Twitter account, and gives others a sense of whom else you are speaking to. The little green SocialToo quote icon with each post also helps your status updates stand out – we do no promotion of SocialToo in your updates so it looks just like a normal status update.”

Reviews: Facebook, Twitter

Tags: facebook, facebook status updates, SocialToo, twitter app

5 Ways to Support the Summer of Social Good

Posted: 24 Aug 2009 10:44 AM PDT

In early June we introduced you to our very first charitable initiative, The Summer of Social Good. The campaign, which equally benefits LiveSTRONG, The Humane Society, WWF, and Oxfam America, is coming to a close this Friday and we’re providing you with five ways to show your support.

1. Donate

So far the Summer of Social Good has raised $29,277 for our four fantastic charities. We’re so appreciative of those who have donated and helped us raise awareness about the campaign and the organizations involved. Please help us get to $35,000. To donate, go to Globalgiving.com/socialgood or simply select the donate button on the widget below:

2. Retweet

Want to donate, but don’t have the money to do so? We have a simple solution: Retweet!.

All 100 Ford Fiesta Agents are donating money to the Summer of Social Good for retweets of three Mashable posts. The first post in the series raised $1,000 for the campaign and the second post, “Top 10 YouTube Videos for Social Good” has a little over 1,000 retweets to go until it raises another $3,000. The third post in the series will be released once the second hits 2,000 retweets.

You can view and retweet the post here: RT @mashable Top 10 YouTube Videos for Social Good http://bit.ly/V8IoQ Please RT for @SocialGood charity.

3. Watch videos for charity

As a part of Social Activism Month this August, Ford Fiesta Agents are on a mission to give back to their local communities. Each are documenting their individual missions via video — all of which you can view on our Ford Fiesta Movement page. Ford is generously donating $1 for every video view on Mashable’s Ford Fiesta Movement page up to $10,000 to the Summer of Social Good.

Watch the videos here.

4. Attend the conference (in-person or online!)

On Friday, August 28th The Summer of Social Good will conclude with Mashable’s first ever Social Good Conference, a one day educational event at New York’s historic 92nd Street Y. The conference features keynotes from Facebook's Randi Zuckerberg and All For Good's Jonathan Greenblatt, and presentations from well known and respected organizations and professionals within the space focused on the theme of "Social Media for Social Good".

We’re offering $50 General Admission for the first 50 people (max 2 tickets per purchase) to use the discount code: Mash50Good. You can get your tickets here.

If you can’t make the event in person, you can watch it for free (with chat) at Livestream.com/mashable.

5. Take a survey, build a case study

We've learned a lot from the Summer of Social Good so far and have received a great deal of helpful feedback, and now we'd like to turn our experience into a case study that will benefit non-profit organizations interested in using social media. "Has social media changed your involvement with charitable giving?" Please tell us more about your experience and take the survey here.

In addition, 25 readers who complete the survey before August 29th, 2009 will be chosen at random to win a poster of "The Conversation Prism" courtesy of Jess3.

Reviews: Mashable

Tags: social good, social good conference, summer of social good

Yes, Twitter is Down [Update: It's Back!]

Posted: 24 Aug 2009 10:42 AM PDT

How do we know? Because every time it goes down, our most recent Twitter-related post gets comments of the “speaking of Twitter, is it down right now?” variety.

Twitter has also updated their status blog to indicate that they are “responding to an unexpected service interruption.”

You can respond to this unexpected service interruption by telling us what you’re doing in the comments!

Update: After only about 15 minutes of downtime, Twitter seems to be coming back to life. That was rather painless … we’ll update here if any more issues pop up this afternoon.

Reviews: Twitter

Tags: twitter

BlackBerry Browsing to Get a Makeover as RIM Acquires Torch Mobile

Posted: 24 Aug 2009 10:16 AM PDT

RIM (the makers of the BlackBerry) has just acquired Torch Mobile. Torch Mobile is best known for its WebKit-based solutions, and according to the company’s blog, they are going to bring that expertise to RIM and the BlackBerry platform.

WebKit is an open source web rendering engine that is integrated into lots of desktop and mobile browsers. Apple’s Safari and Mobile Safari, Google’s Android browser and Chrome browser (plus the upcoming Chrome OS) and Palm’s WebOS all use the WebKit rendering engine.

The BlackBerry has always excelled at e-mail but its web browsing experience leaves much to be desired. Although the browser on the newest phones – like the Storm and the Tour – are much improved, they still aren’t as fast and don’t render web pages as accurately as the iPhone, Android-based phones, or the Palm Pre.

By acquiring a well-known and experienced WebKit team, RIM can up the ante in its mobile offerings. A better browser, coupled with the expanding BlackBerry App World and BlackBerry’s famous e-mail functionality can do much to help RIM against increasing competition.

Reviews: Android, BlackBerry Rocks!, Google

Tags: blackberry, iphone safari, mobile browser, research in motion, torch mobile, webkit

Twitter Helps Inglourious Basterds to $37.6 Million Weekend Box Office

Posted: 24 Aug 2009 09:59 AM PDT

There seems to be a growing belief in Hollywood that Twitter is becoming an increasingly important component of box office success. The so-called "Twitter effect" either sees a movie's opening weekend numbers increase or decrease on Saturday and Sunday based on the 140 character reviews coming out from early viewers on Fridays.

The Twitter effect supposedly sank Bruno's box office numbers and last weekend, was credited with improving sales for District 9.

Now, another apparent winner: Inlgorious Bastards, which won this past weekend's box office with $37.6 million in ticket sales. Hollywood Reporter's Risky Biz Blog declares the movie the "Twitter Age’s first true success story."

The reasoning?

"The initial fear for “Basterds” was that filmgoers expecting a pure action movie — the movie that the Weinsteins marketed — would be disappointed and give it a thumbs-down once the pic unspooled.

That would ding the film as it played throughout the weekend — especially as the more generous Tarantino fans who rushed out to see the movie Friday gave way to more general audiences over the weekend.

But the movie actually held its ground and even picked up steam as the weekend went on, as even Saturday twitterers enthusiastically tweeted and re-tweeted their approval …

Of course, “District 9″ benefited from strong word of mouth last week as well. But the word on that pic was solid coming in; tweets simply reinforced it. ‘Basterds,’ on the other hand, was a film with questions surrounding it before the weekend, but Friday and Saturday tweeting swung it in a decidedly favorable direction."

With Basterds still hovering in Twitter's trending topics this morning, it's clear the movie had an impact on the Twitterverse. Whether or not that impact was so large as to significantly impact box office sales, it seems a bit too early to tell.

It is conceivable that people actually, you know, call, text, and talk to each other about movies, which would create a similar effect. However, Twitter and Twitter search is undoubtedly making thousands of opinions instantly accessible, and it's hard to discount that it may be playing a role in ticket sales.

Reviews: Twitter

Tags: inglorious bastards, Movies, twitter effect

Outed “Skanks of NYC” Blogger Plans to Sue Google for $15 Million

Posted: 24 Aug 2009 07:51 AM PDT

Last week, a controversial court ruling forced Google to reveal the identity of a previously anonymous blogger, who had used the Internet as an outlet to trash a Canadian-born model named Liskula Cohen.

The user behind the "Skanks of New York" website, which was hosted on Blogger, has since been revealed as Rosemary Port, a student at the Fashion Institute of Technology.

Now, Port plans to sue Google to the tune of $15 million according to a report in The Daily News. At the heart of Port's argument: "When I was being defended by attorneys for Google, I thought my right to privacy was being protected … Inherent in the First Amendment is the right to speak anonymously. Shouldn’t that right extend to the new public square of the Internet?"

It would seem that Port doesn't have much of a foot to stand on – Google was ordered to release the identity of Port by the court. Further, as a number of commenters argued in our initial post on the Cohen-Port case, the First Amendment argument could be shaky, considering the defamatory and libelous nature of Port's postings. Nonetheless, we do wonder what this might mean for the future of anonymous commentary on the Web.

For more background on the case and an interview with Cohen and her lawyer, check out this clip from Good Morning America.

Reviews: Google, blogger

Tags: Google, liskula cohen, rosemary port

Snow Leopard Has Arrived, Shipping August 28th

Posted: 24 Aug 2009 05:58 AM PDT

The Apple store disappeared briefly this morning, only to come back and bring us…Mac OS X 10.6, or Snow Leopard. The price is $29.00 if you’re upgrading from 10.5, and $9.95 through the Up-to-Date program.

It’s a bit of an early launch, as Snow Leopard will be available on August 28th; originally, it was due to be out in September. The good news: you can pre-order it right now.

Here’s the official description of the latest Mac OS operating system:

“Upgrade from Mac OS X Leopard with Snow Leopard, a simpler, more powerful, and more refined version of Mac OS X. It delivers a wide range of enhancements, next-generation technologies, out-of-the-box support for Microsoft Exchange Server, and new accessibility features. It’s the world’s most advanced operating system, finely tuned from installation to shutdown.”

The list of improvements is a long one. True 64-bit support, faster operation (especially when it comes to shutting down, waking up, and Time Machine backup), a completely rewritten, faster Finder, new look and several new features for Exposé and Stacks, QuickTime X, support for Microsoft Exchange, Safari 4, and an improved iChat are just some of the highlights. For a full list, check Apple’s official site.

Reviews: Safari

Tags: apple, mac os x, Snow Leopard

Nokia (Officially) Enters the Netbook Game With Booklet 3G

Posted: 24 Aug 2009 05:43 AM PDT

We’ve heard many rumors and announcements of a Nokia laptop – the Finnish mobile giant has, so far, stayed out of this market – but now it’s truly official, pictures, specifications and all. Its name? Booklet 3G.

Why is it interesting? Well, when the largest manufacturer of mobile phones enters a completely different market for the first time, it’s definitely more than just another netbook. With ongoing rumors about an Apple tablet/netbook, Nokia may be trying to set itself as a player in this space before the competition does.

What are its specifications telling us? Well, it’s definitely big on connectivity: it’s got Bluetooth, WiFi, 3G and a SIM card slot, which makes it a netbook with all the connectivity options of a mobile phone. It has an integrated GPS plus a copy of Ovi Maps, which is also different from most laptops. The rest of its features are, well…netbooky, albeit nearer to the high-end of the specter: an Intel Atom processor, Windows 7, 10.1 inch screen, and all that encased in a 0.78 inch aluminum body.

So, no huge surprises here: it’s a netbook you’d expect Nokia to make, but not a game changer. It’ll be interesting to see how Nokia follows up, especially when (if) Apple launches its fabled netbook/tablet.

Check out an introductory video below:

Reviews: Bluetooth

Tags: netbook, Nokia

Technorati Releases State of the Blogosphere

2008-09-24T10:36:00.000-07:00

SOURCE: WebProNews

It’s kind of astonishing how swiftly society can shift these days. In 2005, when I started covering this industry, the guys at the local pub would look over the tops of their sports sections with blank or puzzled faces if you uttered the word “blog.”

Now it’s in stupid Twix commercials that don’t make any sense, and the Republican presidential candidate seems somewhat vaguely aware of it—granted, at the prompting of his aides who remind him of his daughter’s blog. Meghan McCain’s presence in the blogosphere, though, bucks the general trend: The blogosphere is still very much an old boys’ club.

Technorati’s annual State of the Blogosphere report peg the majority of bloggers as well-educated, English-speaking, small-town males over 35 with kids and making $75K per year. Makes you think you’d likely see them at the RNC, pulling ~~iPhones~~ Blackberries from their sharp suspendered suits.

They’re certainly not noobs, though, suggesting this portrait of the “average blogger” has staying power. Nearly 60 percent of the 1,079 bloggers surveyed have been blogging for two years or more, their posts contributing to the 7.5 million active blogs still being updated every quarter. That means only about 5.6 percent of the 133 million blogs Technorati has indexed since 2002 are still in commission.

Those that remain in 2008 write mostly about personal interests—79 percent reported this—but over half also write about business. Forty-six percent consider themselves professional bloggers, meaning their personal and business interests mix as they write about their industries. Only 12 percent are official company spokesbloggers.

Contrary to a lot of reports, they are making money via advertising. With an average annual investment of $1,800, bloggers are pulling in a mean revenue of $6,000. Make it to 100,000 page views, says Technorati, and a blogger pulls in $75,000 annually.

But perhaps this is the biggest change over the past few years: An industry that once scoffed at and discounted blogs has noticeably changed its tune at the direction of lost subscribers. Ninety-five percent of US newspapers have reporter blogs.

The revolution’s fun, huh?

Some other results from Technorati’s blogger poll:

Globally, two-thirds of bloggers are male, half are 18-34, and 70 percent have college degrees. Forty percent have an annual household income of $75K or more and 25 percent make over $100K. Forty-four percent are parents.

In the US, one-third are ages 25-34, compared to 19 percent of Internet users, and one in five are self-employed, compared to just eight percent of Internet users. Seventy-five percent of US bloggers have college degrees and 42 percent have attended graduate school. Over half make $75K.

Though in higher concentrations around places like San Francisco and New York, most respondent bloggers lived outside major metropolitan areas. Good luck finding one in Montana or Wyoming, though.

Forty-eight percent were American bloggers, and 27 percent European. Asian bloggers made up 13 percent of the whole, with South America and Australia accounting for seven and three percent respectively. Seventy-two percent of them posted in English.

Automattic Aquires Intense Debate

2008-09-24T02:13:00.000-07:00

It's a very exciting day here at IntenseDebate! We're extremely stoked to announce that as of today IntenseDebate has been acquired by Automattic. That's right, IntenseDebate is now an Automattic Joint!

Don't worry, IntenseDebate isn't going anywhere. IntenseDebate is still the perfect comment system for your blog or website regardless of the platform it uses. We will still enhance and encourage conversation on your blog while we increase your reader engagement and community. We're just going to be a whole lot bigger!

You can expect our service to be quicker and offer a more robust feature set. We will continue to improve our service for all blog platforms including Blogger, Typepad, Movable Type, Tumblr, and others with more on the way. You can also look forward to advanced integrations with other Automattic products like Gravatar, Akismet, and of course WordPress.

This is good news all around, especially with our new distribution possibilities. Now we have the opportunity to put IntenseDebate in front of more eyes than ever before. You can expect more blog readers to already have IntenseDebate accounts and you will be able to comment on more blogs than you can imagine!

We love your support and couldn't have gotten here with out you! Thanks again for being so awesome and helping us spread the word! You can look forward to even more comments and page views in the future! Feel free to check out our acquisition post and leave a us comment.

Congratulations to everyone!
The Fellas at IntenseDebate

WordPress Increases Storage Space to 3 GB for Free Users

2008-09-17T09:32:00.000-07:00

Good news for bloggers who have their blogs hosted on WordPress.com.

You can now upload high-resolution photos, Office documents, PDFs, songs and video clips to your WordPress blog without having to worry about the storage limit as your quota has just been increased from 50 MB to 3 GB.

And even with the increased space, there’re no bandwidth limitations so the files are always available for download irrespective of the traffic.

With the latest move, WordPress is sure to win lot of new hearts especially podcasters and pro-photographers. And if you ever exhaust the 3 GB limit, you can purchase additions space via PayPal.

Google owned Blogger, a WordPress rival, offers only 1 GB of free storage space via Picasa Web Albums and you are limited to uploading images only. They too offer extra space for a fee that is shared with your Gmail account.