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Your Daily digest for Tech Geek`s Tools, Tips, Tricks and Tutorials

2013-05-23T19:18:00.001-06:00

Tech Geek`s Tools, Tips, Tricks and Tutorials

Got A Question About Technology? Find your answers here at http://blog.simplysly.com

Tubular jQuery plugin adds video background option

May 23rd 2013, 17:10

Some specialty websites or others that have videos to promote can make use of the Tubular plugin, which allows designers to use a YouTube video as background.

Five Apps for customizing a mouse

May 23rd 2013, 15:16

A number of utilities allow you to reassign mouse buttons or change a scroll wheel's behavior. Brien Posey lists a few he has found.

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Your Daily digest for Tech Geek`s Tools, Tips, Tricks and Tutorials About Online Privacy

2013-05-23T17:52:00.001-06:00

Tech Geek`s Tools, Tips, Tricks and Tutorials About Online Privacy

Identity Theft Is On The Rise! Guard your identity on and offline with our accumulated articles about online privacy.

Ashton Kutcher Talks Online Privacy, New A-Grade Investment Firm at ... - Blogger News Network (blog)

May 23rd 2013, 19:27

Ashton Kutcher Talks Online Privacy, New A-Grade Investment Firm at ...
Blogger News Network (blog)
Specifically, he mentioned that he would like to see online privacy catch up with our times. He remarked that "privacy is becoming a bigger and bigger issue (on the internet)" and that the so-called "Big Brother" has opened up a new opportunity in ...

Tech Weekly Podcast: Phil Zimmerman on the importance of online privacy - The Guardian

May 23rd 2013, 17:14

Tech Weekly Podcast: Phil Zimmerman on the importance of online privacy
The Guardian
This week, Guardian technology editor Charles Arthur meets CEO and founder of Silent Circle Phil Zimmerman. Phil discusses how he created one of the earliest online email encryption software, PGP, and why his new venture in the app market is proving a ...

AVG Technologies Acquires Leading Online Privacy Firm PrivacyChoice - Business Wire (press release)

May 23rd 2013, 10:33

AVG Technologies Acquires Leading Online Privacy Firm PrivacyChoice
Business Wire (press release)
AMSTERDAM & SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AVG Technologies N.V. (NYSE: AVG), the provider of Internet and mobile security, privacy and optimization to 150 million active users, has today announced that it has acquired online privacy ...

and more »

How to Protect Your Privacy Online - The Atlantic

May 23rd 2013, 01:59

The Atlantic

How to Protect Your Privacy Online
The Atlantic
The average American Internet user visits 1,462 different Web sites a year. The median length of privacy policies for popular Web sites is 2,514 words. Reading every privacy policy of every Web site you call up in a year would take you 10 full days ...

Your Daily digest for Tech Geek`s Tools, Tips, Tricks and Tutorials

2013-05-23T15:06:00.001-06:00

Tech Geek`s Tools, Tips, Tricks and Tutorials

Got A Question About Technology? Find your answers here at http://blog.simplysly.com

Tubular jQuery plugin adds video background option

May 23rd 2013, 17:10

Some specialty websites or others that have videos to promote can make use of the Tubular plugin, which allows designers to use a YouTube video as background.

Your Daily digest for Template Designer`s Tools, Tips, Tricks and Tutorials

2013-05-23T14:59:00.001-06:00

Template Designer`s Tools, Tips, Tricks and Tutorials

Find The Web Design or Corporate Idetity Template That You Are Looking For At http://templates.simplysly.com!

Morgan Freeman Falls Asleep During Live TV Interview

May 23rd 2013, 20:50

Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine star in a new film called Now You See Me. So they are, as one does, making the press junket interview rounds to hype the release

The dynamic duo recently appeared on Tacoma's Fox affiliate Q13 for an interview session, but Freeman had seemingly reached the end of his rope. Watch the beginning of the video below to see him peacefully nod off, then perk up and try to appear interested in whatever dear old Michael Caine is prattling on about

Hopefully Freeman's grogginess here doesn't foreshadow audiences' reactions to the film. Either way, though, Now You See Me will be the source of least one awesome moment. Read more...

More about Viral Videos, Films, Movies, Film, and Watercooler

Watch Jennifer Aniston Strip in Hilarious 'We're the Millers' Trailer

May 23rd 2013, 20:22

Sometimes, people are strippers. And sometimes, strippers have a hard time convincing people that stripping is their chosen profession, apparently — as we learn from Jennifer Aniston's skin-baring character in the funny new We're the Millers trailer

Aniston plays Rose, whose neighbor David (Jason Sudeikis) needs help completing a mandatory drug deal. While on the mission with two kids the couple pretends are theirs — Kenny (Will Poulter) and Casey (Emma Roberts) David — Rose is asked to prove she's "just a cheap stripper."

SEE ALSO: Feel Like Superman With This 'Man of Steel' Glyph Creator

Oh, and Kenny closes the trailer with a spot-on version of TLC's "Waterfalls." Read more...

More about Films, Movies, Trailers, Jennifer Aniston, and Movie Trailers

Google Plans First Expansion of Same-Day Delivery Service

May 23rd 2013, 20:04

Two months ago, Google entered the same-day delivery business with a pilot program for a service called Google Shopping Express, which many billed as an attempt to compete with the likes of eBay Now and Amazon Prime. Now, Google plans to expand availability of its service for the first time since launch.

A source familiar with Google's plans told Mashable that Google Shopping Express is about to roll out to the entire Bay Area, filling in many of the suburban areas outside San Francisco that Google initially left out at launch. Google will start accepting sign-ups for beta testers in the additional neighborhoods later this week or early next week. Read more...

More about Google, Amazon, Business, Small Business, and Google Shopping

Stadium Vendor Fired for Bringing Snow Cones in the Bathroom

May 23rd 2013, 19:48

Well, this is disgusting, and it may make you think twice before ordering a snack from one of those stadium vendors next time you're out at the ol' ballgame

A roving snow cone salesman at Major League Baseball's Minute Made Park in Houston was fired after a fan used his cellphone to film the vendor setting down a tray of the icy snacks on the floor of a bathroom stall while he sat down to use the toilet during an Astros game

The grossed-out fan then shared the video with Houston's local NBC affiliate. We've embedded the clip below:

video platform video management video solutions video player

In addition to serving as the Astros' home ballpark, Minute Made Park hosts other entertainment and sporting events. Its food concessions are handled by the company Aramark, which told the Associated Press the incident is "a clear violation of our food safety practices and are not reflective of our standards." Read more...

More about Mlb, Entertainment, and Sports

Join Us in Malaysia for Tech Empowerment Event WomenDeliver+SocialGood

May 23rd 2013, 19:18

Building on our long-standing commitment to social good, Mashable is thrilled to announce our next event, WomenDeliver+SocialGood.

This summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on May 27 at 7 p.m. MYT, will address how digital tools can address the challenges women and girls face across the world

WomenDeliver+SocialGood corresponds with U.N. Women's Women Deliver conference, the largest women's health and empowerment conference to date. Women Deliver will gather more than 5,000 global leaders, advocates, civil society members, media and more. Make sure to RSVP here if you can attend.

To address the world's biggest problems, we need to think beyond today and focus on the future. Therefore, speakers will be reflecting on the following question: Read more...

More about Events, Announcement, World, Social Good, and Us World

Chris Hadfield and Fellow Astronauts Talk About Life in Space

May 23rd 2013, 18:54

The Internet's favorite astronaut Commander Chris Hadfield may no longer tweet from the International Space Station, but that doesn't mean he's giving up on social media outreach

NASA hosted a Google Hangout Thursday with Hadfield and fellow astronauts Kevin Ford and Tom Marshburn

The team took questions from around the web about everything from alien life on other planets, to eating asparagus on the ISS (which, according to Hadfield, is one of the most high-demand foods on the station). One of the first questions Hadfield answered was about that delicious-looking sandwich he devoured when he landed. Read more...

More about Space, Nasa, Astronauts, Us World, and Us

Anthony Weiner Is Playing It Safe on Twitter

May 23rd 2013, 18:52

Anthony Weiner's Twitter account feels human again — but a very safe human.

Weiner first returned to Twitter last November, but his tweets lacked the, ahem, personality of his former social presence. Following his Tuesday announcement that he's running for mayor of New York City, his tweets have been slightly less robotic, slightly more personal and definitely hashtag-heavy:

anthonyweiner.comIt's a website for my campaign for mayor.Take a look#GoingWithUnderstatementToStart

— Anthony Weiner (@anthonyweiner) May 22, 2013

On with @brianlehrer 10am#SorryIMissedPledgeWeek

— Anthony Weiner (@anthonyweiner) May 23, 2013 Read more...

More about New York City, Anthony Weiner, Us World, Politics, and Us

30 Overused Buzzwords in Digital Marketing

May 23rd 2013, 18:48

We've all sat through meetings that are teeming with buzzwords. Optimization! Synergy! Collaboration! Engagement! While some buzzwords actually have substance (i.e. big data), many people use (and overuse) buzzwords just to try to sound smart, when in fact, they have no idea what's going on.

Over the past 30 days, we've led you through the buzzword lexicon — highlighting the most confusing jargon in the digital marketing dictionary. Hopefully you're caught up and won't be blinded by glittering generalities the next time someone spouts off about custom activations or refers to himself as a thought leader. Read more...

More about Marketing, Business, Buzzwords, Mashable Infogragphics, and 30 Days Of Buzzwords

Jon Stewart Rips Senators for Letting Apple Off Easy on Corporate Taxes

May 23rd 2013, 18:27

Jon Stewart derided a Senate panel's kid-gloves treatment of Apple Inc.’s testimony on its complex corporate tax structure.

Tuesday's hearing in front of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations was meant to discuss the corporate tax laws that allow Apple to shelter more than $102 billion through a web of foreign subsidiaries. However, it quickly became a forum in which senators expressed their love of the company’s products to Apple’s CEO Tim Cook.

“I love Apple!,” Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., said. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., asked Cook why he had to keep constantly updating all the apps on his iPhone. Read more...

More about Apple, Jon Stewart, Tim Cook, Tv, and Apps Software

7 Transformative Photos of Change

May 23rd 2013, 18:21

Around the world, the seasons are changing. In some parts of the world it's getting colder, while for many of us, summer has officially arrived. With the change of the seasons comes a host of other changes: a move to a new place, a vacation away from home or perhaps a landmark life event like a graduation

To celebrate the changes that accompany this time of the year, this week the theme of the Mashable Photo Challenge is change. The pictures selected by our guest curator, McKenna Ewen, each capture a different aspect of change

Whether it's the change of the sky in an approaching storm or the transformation of a street from sidewalk to art exhibit, these stunning images show changes both subtle and dramatic Read more...

More about Photography, Social Media, and Mashable Photo Challenge Guest Series

College Baseball Team Takes Videobombing to Glorious New Heights

May 23rd 2013, 18:13

The University of Cincinnati baseball team may be mediocre on the field, but they are true artists of the modern videobomb

The Bearcats finished their season last weekend with a 24-32 record. The video above, however, comes from the team's official YouTube channel and shows that the real highlights came after each game. The pranks included a pig on a spit, jousting knights and even multiple swimming strokes — these next-level jokes must have taken some serious practice

SEE ALSO: Crowd Goes Wild Over Cutest Goal in Soccer History

Hopefully some MLB teams look at these guys, because they seem to understand what sports are all about: goofing around and having fun. Check out their antics for yourself, then let us know what you think in the comments Read more...

More about College Sports, Videobomb, Watercooler, Videos, and Sports

Google Posts Before-And-After Images of Oklahoma Tornado Devastation

May 23rd 2013, 18:06

Just how bad was the tornado that struck Moore, Oklahoma on Monday? A series of before-and-after satellite images posted on Google's Crisis Center shows the Oklahoma tornado's deadly and destructive path through the residential neighborhood:

You can track the exact path of the EF-5 tornado below, thanks to Google's Crisis Map:

SEE ALSO: How to Help Victims of the Oklahoma Tornados

The tornado struck the Oklahoma City suburb Monday, leaving 24 dead — 9 of them children. Early reports indicated a much higher number of fatalities; those figures have since been revised

Images courtesy Google Read more...

More about Tornado, Us World, Us, Oklahoma, and Oklahoma Tornado

Hisense Unveils Sero 7 Pro Tablet Line Starting at $99

May 23rd 2013, 18:02

Chinese manufacturer Hisense, known for its aggressive pricing on electronics such as tablets and televisions, unveiled two new budget tablets: the Sero 7 Lt and Sero 7 Pro tablet, both aimed to take on Google's Nexus 7 device.

The Sero 7 Pro tablet will be priced at $149, while the Sero 7 Lt will be $99. It will be available in Walmart stores starting tomorrow, Hisense announced on Thursday at a press conference in New York City.

SEE ALSO: Why Brands Need Two-Factor Authentication on Twitter

The 7-inch Sero 7 Pro tablet touts a 1.3 GHz NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core processor, a 1280 x 800 high-definition touchscreen display and runs on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. It comes with 1GB of RAM, 8GB of internal memory storage and dual cameras (a 5.0 mp rear-facing and 2.0 mp front-facing one). It is Bluetooth-enabled and includes near-field communications technology (NFC). Read more...

More about Nvidia, Tech, Apps Software, and Hisense

Feel Like Superman With This 'Man of Steel' Glyph Creator

May 23rd 2013, 17:37

A new web app from Warner Bros. for the upcoming Man of Steel movie lets users become part of Superman's world — turning fans of the superhero into children of planet Krypton

The Glyph Creator app, which Warner Bros. exclusively shared with Mashable before Thursday's launch, builds a shield based on the user's answers to a series of questions

The 20 possible shield designs, with several color options, each represent an ancestral house. The app also spits out a user's first name in Kryptonian. Together, the shield and name represent a user's overall Krptonian identity. Here are my results:

The app then encourages people to plop the shield and name on a photo of themselves, as I did to the motorcycle I'm sitting on in the main photo above. The creations can shared via the app on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and Pinterest. Users also can download their creations, email them and submit them to the app's gallery. Read more...

More about Films, Entertainment, Apps, Movies, and Web Apps

You'll Probably Still Say 'GIF' After Hearing This Song

May 23rd 2013, 17:23

Stop the madness, everyone. The verdict is out — it's pronounced "JIF," not "GIF". Steve Wilhite, father of the Graphics Interchange format, settled the debate earlier this week and now all those reckless hard-G-supporters are being put into place

In case you find yourself momentarily confused between pronunciations — or simply refuse to change your preference out of principle — this musical number by YouTube songwriter Jonathan Mann will really drill it into your head

SEE ALSO: Jif Peanut Butter Weighs In on GIF Pronunciation Debate

Learn the song, practice and repeat. Understand? Now don't get it twisted. (Or you probably will, who are we kidding?) Read more...

More about Viral Videos, Animated Gif, Gifs, Watercooler, and Videos

Steve Jobs Emails Show How to Win a Hard-Nosed Negotiation

May 23rd 2013, 17:09

The U.S. government’s price-fixing lawsuit against Apple goes to trial next month in New York. Ahead of its court date, the U.S. released emails that purport to show Apple was the “ringleader” in a scheme to set artificially high ebook prices with some of the largest American publishers, which have already settled the case.

The emails have mostly been viewed in the context of the lawsuit, but they also provide an extraordinary view of high-stakes negotiation between the leaders of two powerful firms, Apple and News Corp. They start far apart, but over the course of five days, Apple’s then-CEO Steve Jobs successfully pulls the son of News Corp. CEO Rupert Murdoch over to his side. Read more...

More about Email, Apple, Steve Jobs, News Corp, and Business

New Bill Dramatically Increases Number of High-Tech Immigration Visas

May 23rd 2013, 17:01

If you're a foreign student who studied for an advanced math or science degree in the United States, you might know how tough it can be to stay in the country when you're done with your studies. Reps. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) and Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) introduced a bill in the House Thursday morning seeking to ease that process.

The Supporting Knowledge and Investing in Lifelong Skills (SKILLS) Act would open 55,000 green cards to foreign students who have received advanced degrees in science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) fields. It would also drastically increase the number of H-1B high-skilled worker visas available to non-students, to 155,000 from 65,000 and includes a so-called "entrepreneur's visa." Read more...

More about Congress, Immigration, Us World, Politics, and Us

Why Brands Need Two-Factor Authentication on Twitter

May 23rd 2013, 16:37

Major brands with a presence on Twitter are being encouraged to implement Twitter's new two-factor authentication feature to help ward off hackers, and for good reason. If you look at recent hacks against companies such as Burger King, The Onion and the Associated Press — which even negatively impacted financial markets — it's clear that Twitter has become a hotbed for account hijacking. Finally, companies can increase their chances of warding off such attacks

Before Wednesday, all users were logging in to Twitter the same way — those with two followers and those with 2 million. Now, Twitter added a security method called login verification, which is essentially like double-locking your door at night to decrease the chances of an intruder breaking in Read more...

More about Mobile, Twitter, Hacking, Security, and Media

Xbox One: What We Know

May 23rd 2013, 16:27

Microsoft unveiled its newest gaming console, the Xbox One, earlier this week, and along with it, revealed many new features attached to the console. From Xbox One's new Kinect and controller to its all-in-one entertainment hub, this gaming console extends well beyond movies and gaming.

To sift through all the news that came out of Microsoft HQ this week, we will be hosting a Google+ Hangout today at 1 p.m. ET on our Google+ page. Join Mashable Editor in Chief Lance Ulanoff, Games Reporter Chelsea Stark, Tech Editor Pete Pachal and Senior Tech Analyst Christina Warren as they recap and analyze the features of the Xbox One. Read more...

More about Microsoft, Gaming, Xbox, Kinect, and Entertainment

Kmart's Latest Ad Will Make You Laugh Your Gas Off

May 23rd 2013, 16:16

Kmart is on a roll with its ads

The discount chain is promoting a deal on gas with a funny new video called Big Gas Savings. If you don't realize the joke already, just say "big gas" out lout a couple times — and you'll get it. In the video, several customers ogle over the "really big gas discounts." One man tells his wife it solves her "big gas problem." She agrees, but gives him some cause for concern when she stares longingly at the "big gas man" standing in front of the "big gas truck."

Kmart struck viral gold last month with a similar ad that played on the phrase "ship your pants." The spot has been shared more than 2.5 million times since it was released, according to Unruly Read more...

More about Ads, Kmart, Business, Advertising, and Viral

LEGO Unveils Giant X-Wing Fighter in Times Square

May 23rd 2013, 15:54

It's a dream come true for fans across the entire nerd spectrum: a life-sized X-Wing fighter built entirely of LEGOs

(Just take a second to let the awesomeness of that sentence sink in. Ready? OK.)

In celebration of the upcoming Cartoon Network series The Yoda Chronicles, the LEGO Group unveiled the iconic Star Wars ship — the largest LEGO structure built to date — in New York City's Times Square on Thursday. The ship will remain on display in New York for three days, then be transported to the LEGOLAND California Resort in Carlsbad, Calif., for the rest of the year

The huge structure is comprised of 5,335,200 individual LEGO bricks. At 11 feet tall, 43 feet long and 44 feet wide, it weighs almost 46,000 pounds (that's including the steel infrastructure designed to hold the pieces in place.) It's a one-to-one replica of the traditional X-Wing retail model, only 42 times larger Read more...

More about Lego, Toys, Star Wars, Legos, and Entertainment

Grown Men Reenact Conversations With a Toddler

May 23rd 2013, 15:29

What is it about kids that makes their nonsensical comments and absurd thoughts sound brilliant? Oh yes, they are so darn cute

Kids often get away with murder — on the English language, that is. When it comes to having conversations, no one minds, because we adore them. But when a grown man tries to say that stuff? It's creepy, just plain creepy

SEE ALSO: Baby 'Bachelor' Breaks Hearts in New Reality Show

Filmmaker Matthew Clarke decided to prove how odd this was by staging a series of episodes entitled "Convos With My 2 Year Old," replacing an adult man in place of his daughter Coco. Watch the hysterical results in the first episode, and prepare to have similar noggin-scratching exchanges with your children one day (or perhaps, with other awkward adults) Read more...

More about Viral Videos, Cute Kids, Watercooler, and Videos

Twitter Amplify Will Bring Sponsored Video Clips to Your Feed

May 23rd 2013, 15:29

Twitter took the stage at Internet Week New York Thursday to introduce a new advertising product for media and consumer brands.

Dubbed "Twitter Amplify," the product allows media brands and their advertising partners to promote television clips on Twitter — think a 5 or 10-second replay from a basketball game accompanied by a short commercial from Ford, or a weather forecast from The Weather Channel followed by an ad for a restaurant chain.

Twitter began testing these ad units earlier this spring with various media partners, including Turner Broadcasting and Disney's ESPN. Here's an example from ESPN and the NBA, which last week streamed clips from an NBA game accompanied by commercials for the upcoming blockbuster After Earth, among other advertisers: Read more...

More about Advertising, Twitter, Business, and Marketing

Capture an Unexpected Pair for Our Vine Challenge

May 23rd 2013, 15:29

Chicken and waffles for breakfast, Seth Rogan and Katherine Heigl as a couple in Knocked Up, Snoop Lion and Miley Cyrus teaming up for a reggae song: some things shouldn't work — yet, they totally do. For our vine challenge, we want you to create a vine that captures an unexpected pair.

Vine users are really pushing the creative envelope with their creations. Now, it's your turn!

Think of two things that you wouldn't normally associate, yet somehow work together — such as unusual animal friendships or Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett singing a duet. Your pair could be anything from household items to an unexpected love story. Read more...

More about Vine, Social Media, Apps Software, and Vine Challenge

Can This 'Bike Sherpa' Get More PTAT on Facebook?

May 23rd 2013, 15:18

Robert Reimann watched the second plane hit the South Tower of the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001 and then observed as his office nearby destroyed as the towers fell. Then he did something few Americans considered at the time: He took a bike tour across Iran.

"I wanted to see a Muslim country and see what people in that part of the world were actually thinking vs. what the press was reporting," he says. "So I got my way into Iran and rode through there with a New York Cycle Club jersey on."

The trip had an unexpected effect on Reimann's vocation. A former banker and CEO of a mobile publishing company, Reimann moved to Germany and, in 2009, founded BikeSherpa, a company that arranges bike tours in Europe "with a special expertise in beer-based travel in Germany, the Czech Republic and Belgium." BikeSherpa has respectable 1,000 or so fans on Facebook, but Reimann says he's more interested in forging a deeper connection with his existing fans than cultivating new ones. Read more...

More about Facebook, Features, Business, Advertising, and Marketing

10 Best iPhone Chargers

May 23rd 2013, 15:04

Do you want more from your iPhone charger than Apple's simple, in-box option offers? We have taken a look at some rather nifty third-party charging solutions

Whether you're looking for a compact option for on-the-go charging, a stylish device for your home or even a way to keep your phone's power levels up in the car, we have found a solution to suit your needs

SEE ALSO: 30+ Home Button Stickers to Adorn Your iOS Device

Have a browse through our selection of superb charging solutions in the product gallery above. In the comments below, let us know your preferred method of juicing up your Apple mobile Read more...

More about Mobile, Gadgets, Iphone, Apple, and Features

Yahoo Buys Gaming Platform PlayerScale

May 23rd 2013, 14:51

Marissa Mayer's acquisition spree continues.

Yahoo has acquired the gaming platform startup PlayerScale, the two companies announced Thursday. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

PlayerScale, which was founded in 2011, has provided backend services to thousands of game developers whose products are played by more than 150 million people worldwide. Unlike many of the other companies that Yahoo has acquired in recent months, PlayerScale will not be shutting down its services

"With Yahoo!’s backing, we can crank out awesome products and improvements to our platform faster than ever before," Jesper Jensen, PlayerScale's CEP, wrote in a post on the company's website. "We will continue to support our existing product and deliver new services to help you grow and manage your success in cross-platform gaming — whether it’s casual, social or mobile." Read more...

More about Yahoo, Marissa Mayer, Business, Startups, and Gaming

Cicada Live Cam Will Make You Cringe

May 23rd 2013, 14:51

Billions of cicadas are getting ready to awaken from a 17-year dormancy — and the Science Channel wants you to watch it happen live.

The network has installed a Cicada Cam in a terrarium to give an upclose look at the bizarre moment in nature. The noisy creatures are waking up after a nearly two decade hibernation all across the Eastern seaboard. They have already started popping up in Staten Island and Washington, D.C.

The live cam will also show how the incestuous bugs are born, eat and live out their life cycle.

SEE ALSO: Animal Planet Sets Up Cockroach Cam

"Like a scene from a horror flick, these creepy crawlers emerge from ground every 17 years to invade the mid-Atlantic," the Science Channel says on its site. "We found these Brood II Cicadas taking over the nation's capital. During the next few weeks, they will be emerging from their lengthy slumber to molt and mate. From North Carolina to Pennsylvania, little children and grown-ups alike will recoil in horror from the Cicada Invasion." Read more...

More about Tv, Us World, and Us

Space Pics of Alaskan Volcano Eruption Are Amazing

May 23rd 2013, 14:24

An erupting Alaskan volcano shot ash plumes so high into the air that astronauts on board the International Space Station were able to capture the activity in crisp, detailed photographs

Pavlof Volcano — located in the Aleutian Arc about 625 miles southwest of Anchorage — erupted on May 13, spewing lava and generating an ash cloud that reached 22,000 feet high. Pavlof is one of the most active volcanos in the United States, with nearly 40 known eruptions

While the majority of the plumes were released over the weekend, U.S. Geological Survey scientists told the Associated Press Thursday that the volcano is still rumbling, and seismic instruments continue to register tremors. Flights in the area have also been cancelled Read more...

More about Space, Photos, Nasa, International Space Station, and Volcano

Microsoft Turns Siri Against Apple in New Ad

May 23rd 2013, 14:24

The Microsoft-Apple rivalry is heating up again

In a new 30-second ad for Windows 8, Microsoft manages to skewer the iPad, Siri and Apple's promotional strategy

The ad shows the iPad and a Windows 8 tablet side-by-side with Siri repeatedly apologizing for not being able to do what Microsoft's tablet can. "I'm sorry, I can only do one thing at a time," Siri says, before adding, "I guess PowerPoint isn't one of those things. Should we just play 'Chopsticks?'" Sure enough, the person in the video starts playing a flawed version of the song "Chopsticks," poking fun at Apple's iPad Mini commercials which focused on users playing piano. Read more...

More about Microsoft, Apple, Siri, Business, and Advertising

Tooltip Menu

May 23rd 2013, 13:36

View demo Download source

This is a simple tooltip menu that will show a tooltip submenu when hovering over an item. The submenu will either appear above or below the main menu, depending on where more space is available. Using Modernizr’s touch detection, the menu will either react on hover or on click. Example media queries show how to adjust the style for smaller screens.

The HTML

  <ul id="cbp-tm-menu" class="cbp-tm-menu">  	<li>  		<a href="#">Home</a>  	</li>  	<li>  		<a href="#">Veggie made</a>  		<ul class="cbp-tm-submenu">  			<li><a href="#" class="cbp-tm-icon-archive">Sorrel desert</a></li>  			<li><a href="#" class="cbp-tm-icon-cog">Raisin kakadu</a></li>  			<li><a href="#" class="cbp-tm-icon-location">Plum salsify</a></li>  			<li><a href="#" class="cbp-tm-icon-users">Bok choy celtuce</a></li>  			<li><a href="#" class="cbp-tm-icon-earth">Onion endive</a></li>  			<li><a href="#" class="cbp-tm-icon-location">Bitterleaf</a></li>  			<li><a href="#" class="cbp-tm-icon-mobile">Sea lettuce</a></li>  		</ul>  	</li>  	<li>  		<a href="#">Pepper tatsoi</a>  		<ul class="cbp-tm-submenu">  			<li><a href="#" class="cbp-tm-icon-archive">Brussels sprout</a></li>  			<li><a href="#" class="cbp-tm-icon-cog">Kakadu lemon</a></li>  			<li><a href="#" class="cbp-tm-icon-link">Juice green</a></li>  			<li><a href="#" class="cbp-tm-icon-users">Wine fruit</a></li>  			<li><a href="#" class="cbp-tm-icon-earth">Garlic mint</a></li>  			<li><a href="#" class="cbp-tm-icon-location">Zucchini garnish</a></li>  			<li><a href="#" class="cbp-tm-icon-mobile">Sea lettuce</a></li>  		</ul>  	</li>  	<li>  		<a href="#">Sweet melon</a>  		<ul class="cbp-tm-submenu">  			<li><a href="#" class="cbp-tm-icon-screen">Sorrel desert</a></li>  			<li><a href="#" class="cbp-tm-icon-mail">Raisin kakadu</a></li>  			<li><a href="#" class="cbp-tm-icon-contract">Plum salsify</a></li>  			<li><a href="#" class="cbp-tm-icon-pencil">Bok choy celtuce</a></li>  			<li><a href="#" class="cbp-tm-icon-article">Onion endive</a></li>  			<li><a href="#" class="cbp-tm-icon-clock">Bitterleaf</a></li>  		</ul>  	</li>  </ul>

The CSS

  /* Iconfont made with icomoon.com */  @font-face {  	font-family: 'cbp-tmicons';  	src:url('../fonts/tmicons/cbp-tmicons.eot');  	src:url('../fonts/tmicons/cbp-tmicons.eot?#iefix') format('embedded-opentype'),  		url('../fonts/tmicons/cbp-tmicons.woff') format('woff'),  		url('../fonts/tmicons/cbp-tmicons.ttf') format('truetype'),  		url('../fonts/tmicons/cbp-tmicons.svg#cbp-tmicons') format('svg');  	font-weight: normal;  	font-style: normal;  }    /* reset  list style */  .cbp-tm-menu,  .cbp-tm-menu ul {  	list-style: none;  }    /* set menu position; change here to set to relative or float, etc. */  .cbp-tm-menu {  	display: block;  	position: absolute;  	z-index: 1000;  	bottom: 0;  	width: 100%;  	background: #47a3da;  	text-align: right;  	padding: 0 2em;  	margin: 0;  	text-transform: capitalize;  }    /* first level menu items */  .cbp-tm-menu > li {  	display: inline-block;  	margin: 0 2.6em;  	position: relative;  }    .cbp-tm-menu > li > a {  	line-height: 4em;  	padding: 0 0.3em;  	font-size: 1.2em;  	display: block;  	color: #fff;  }    .no-touch .cbp-tm-menu > li > a:hover,  .no-touch .cbp-tm-menu > li > a:active {  	color: #02639d;  }    /* sumbenu with transitions */  .cbp-tm-submenu {  	position: absolute;  	display: block;  	visibility: hidden;  	opacity: 0;  	padding: 0;  	text-align: left;  	pointer-events: none;  	-webkit-transition: visibility 0s, opacity 0s;  	-moz-transition: visibility 0s, opacity 0s;  	transition: visibility 0s, opacity 0s;  }    .cbp-tm-show .cbp-tm-submenu {  	width: 16em;  	left: 50%;  	margin: 0 0 0 -8em;  	opacity: 1;  	visibility: visible;  	pointer-events: auto;  	-webkit-transition: visibility 0s, opacity 0.3s;  	-moz-transition: visibility 0s, opacity 0.3s;  	transition: visibility 0s, opacity 0.3s;  }    .cbp-tm-show-above .cbp-tm-submenu {  	bottom: 100%;  	padding-bottom: 10px;  }    .cbp-tm-show-below .cbp-tm-submenu {  	top: 100%;  	padding-top: 10px;  }    /* extreme cases: not enough space on the sides */  .cbp-tm-nospace-right .cbp-tm-submenu {  	right: 0;  	left: auto;  }    .cbp-tm-nospace-left .cbp-tm-submenu {  	left: 0;  }    /* last menu item has to fit on the screen */  .cbp-tm-menu > li:last-child .cbp-tm-submenu {  	right: 0;  }    /* 	  arrow: depending on where the menu will be shown, we set   the right position for the arrow  */    .cbp-tm-submenu:after {  	border: solid transparent;  	content: " ";  	height: 0;  	width: 0;  	position: absolute;  	pointer-events: none;  }    .cbp-tm-show-above .cbp-tm-submenu:after {  	top: 100%;  	margin-top: -10px;  }    .cbp-tm-show-below .cbp-tm-submenu:after {  	bottom: 100%;  	margin-bottom: -10px;  }    .cbp-tm-submenu:after {  	border-color: transparent;  	border-width: 16px;  	margin-left: -16px;  	left: 50%;  }    .cbp-tm-show-above .cbp-tm-submenu:after {  	border-top-color: #fff;  }    .cbp-tm-show-below .cbp-tm-submenu:after {  	border-bottom-color: #fff;  }    .cbp-tm-submenu > li {  	display: block;  	background: #fff;  }    .cbp-tm-submenu > li > a {  	padding: 5px 2.3em 5px 0.6em; /* top/bottom paddings in 'em' cause a tiny "jump" in Chrome on Win */  	display: block;  	font-size: 1.2em;  	position: relative;  	color: #47a3da;  	border: 4px solid #fff;  	-webkit-transition: all 0.2s;  	-moz-transition: all 0.2s;  	transition: all 0.2s;  }    .no-touch .cbp-tm-submenu > li > a:hover,  .no-touch .cbp-tm-submenu > li > a:active {  	color: #fff;  	background: #47a3da;  }    /* the icons (main level menu icon and sublevel icons) */  .cbp-tm-submenu li a:before,  .cbp-tm-menu > li > a:before {  	font-family: 'cbp-tmicons';  	speak: none;  	font-style: normal;  	font-weight: normal;  	font-variant: normal;  	text-transform: none;  	line-height: 1;  	vertical-align: middle;  	margin-right: 0.6em;  	-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;  }    .cbp-tm-submenu li a:before {  	position: absolute;  	top: 50%;  	margin-top: -0.5em;  	right: 0.5em;  }    .cbp-tm-menu > li > a:not(:only-child):before {  	content: "\f0c9";  	font-size: 60%;  	opacity: 0.3;  }    .cbp-tm-icon-archive:before {  	content: "\e002";  }    .cbp-tm-icon-cog:before {  	content: "\e003";  }    .cbp-tm-icon-users:before {  	content: "\e004";  }    .cbp-tm-icon-earth:before {  	content: "\e005";  }    .cbp-tm-icon-location:before {  	content: "\e006";  }    .cbp-tm-icon-mobile:before {  	content: "\e007";  }    .cbp-tm-icon-screen:before {  	content: "\e008";  }    .cbp-tm-icon-mail:before {  	content: "\e009";  }    .cbp-tm-icon-contract:before {  	content: "\e00a";  }    .cbp-tm-icon-pencil:before {  	content: "\e00b";  }    .cbp-tm-icon-article:before {  	content: "\e00c";  }    .cbp-tm-icon-clock:before {  	content: "\e00d";  }    .cbp-tm-icon-videos:before {  	content: "\e00e";  }    .cbp-tm-icon-pictures:before {  	content: "\e00f";  }    .cbp-tm-icon-link:before {  	content: "\e010";  }    .cbp-tm-icon-refresh:before {  	content: "\e011";  }    .cbp-tm-icon-help:before {  	content: "\e012";  }    /* Media Queries */  @media screen and (max-width: 55.6875em) {  	.cbp-tm-menu {  		font-size: 80%;  	}  }    @media screen and (max-height: 25.25em), screen and (max-width: 44.3125em) {    	.cbp-tm-menu {  		font-size: 100%;  		position: relative;  		text-align: center;  		padding: 0;  		top: auto;  	}    	.cbp-tm-menu > li {  		display: block;  		margin: 0;  		border-bottom: 4px solid #3793ca;  	}    	.cbp-tm-menu > li:first-child {  		border-top: 4px solid #3793ca;  	}    	li.cbp-tm-show > a,  	.no-touch .cbp-tm-menu > li > a:hover,  	.no-touch .cbp-tm-menu > li > a:active {  		color: #fff;  		background: #02639d;  	}    	.cbp-tm-submenu {  		position: relative;  		display: none;  		width: 100%;  	}    	.cbp-tm-submenu > li {  		padding: 0;  	}    	.cbp-tm-submenu > li > a {  		padding: 0.6em 2.3em 0.6em 0.6em;  		border: none;  		border-bottom: 2px solid #6fbbe9;  	}    	.cbp-tm-submenu:after {  		display: none;  	}    	.cbp-tm-menu .cbp-tm-show .cbp-tm-submenu {  		display: block;  		width: 100%;  		left: 0;  		margin: 0;  		padding: 0;  		bottom: auto;  		top: auto;  	}  	  }

The JavaScript

  /**   * cbpTooltipMenu.js v1.0.0   * http://www.codrops.com   *   * Licensed under the MIT license.   * http://www.opensource.org/licenses/mit-license.php   *    * Copyright 2013, Codrops   * http://www.codrops.com   */  ;( function( window ) {  	  	'use strict';    	var document = window.document,  		docElem = document.documentElement;    	function extend( a, b ) {  		for( var key in b ) {   			if( b.hasOwnProperty( key ) ) {  				a[key] = b[key];  			}  		}  		return a;  	}    	// from https://github.com/ryanve/response.js/blob/master/response.js  	function getViewportH() {  		var client = docElem['clientHeight'],  			inner = window['innerHeight'];  		if( client < inner )  			return inner;  		else  			return client;  	}    	// http://stackoverflow.com/a/11396681/989439  	function getOffset( el ) {  		return el.getBoundingClientRect();  	}    	// http://snipplr.com/view.php?codeview&id=5259  	function isMouseLeaveOrEnter(e, handler) {   		if (e.type != 'mouseout' && e.type != 'mouseover') return false;   		var reltg = e.relatedTarget ? e.relatedTarget :   		e.type == 'mouseout' ? e.toElement : e.fromElement;   		while (reltg && reltg != handler) reltg = reltg.parentNode;   		return (reltg != handler);   	}    	function cbpTooltipMenu( el, options ) {	  		this.el = el;  		this.options = extend( this.defaults, options );  		this._init();  	}    	cbpTooltipMenu.prototype = {  		defaults : {  			// add a timeout to avoid the menu to open instantly  			delayMenu : 100  		},  		_init : function() {  			this.touch = Modernizr.touch;  			this.menuItems = document.querySelectorAll( '#' + this.el.id + ' > li' );  			this._initEvents();  		},  		_initEvents : function() {  			  			var self = this;    			Array.prototype.slice.call( this.menuItems ).forEach( function( el, i ) {  				var trigger = el.querySelector( 'a' );  				if( self.touch ) {  					trigger.addEventListener( 'click', function( ev ) { self._handleClick( this, ev ); } );  				}  				else {  					trigger.addEventListener( 'click', function( ev ) {  						if( this.parentNode.querySelector( 'ul.cbp-tm-submenu' ) ) {  							ev.preventDefault();  						}  					} );  					el.addEventListener( 'mouseover', function(ev) { if( isMouseLeaveOrEnter( ev, this ) ) self._openMenu( this ); } );  					el.addEventListener( 'mouseout', function(ev) { if( isMouseLeaveOrEnter( ev, this ) ) self._closeMenu( this ); } );  				}  			} );    		},  		_openMenu : function( el ) {    			var self = this;  			clearTimeout( this.omtimeout );  			this.omtimeout = setTimeout( function() {  				var submenu = el.querySelector( 'ul.cbp-tm-submenu' );    				if( submenu ) {  					el.className = 'cbp-tm-show';  					if( self._positionMenu( el ) === 'top' ) {  						el.className += ' cbp-tm-show-above';  					}  					else {  						el.className += ' cbp-tm-show-below';  					}  				}  			}, this.touch ? 0 : this.options.delayMenu );    		},  		_closeMenu : function( el ) {  			  			clearTimeout( this.omtimeout );    			var submenu = el.querySelector( 'ul.cbp-tm-submenu' );    			if( submenu ) {  				// based on https://github.com/desandro/classie/blob/master/classie.js  				el.className = el.className.replace(new RegExp("(^|\\s+)" + "cbp-tm-show" + "(\\s+|$)"), ' ');  				el.className = el.className.replace(new RegExp("(^|\\s+)" + "cbp-tm-show-below" + "(\\s+|$)"), ' ');  				el.className = el.className.replace(new RegExp("(^|\\s+)" + "cbp-tm-show-above" + "(\\s+|$)"), ' ');  			}    		},  		_handleClick : function( el, ev ) {  			var item = el.parentNode,  				items = Array.prototype.slice.call( this.menuItems ),  				submenu = item.querySelector( 'ul.cbp-tm-submenu' )    			// first close any opened one..  			if( this.current &&  items.indexOf( item ) !== this.current ) {  				this._closeMenu( this.el.children[ this.current ] );  				this.el.children[ this.current ].querySelector( 'ul.cbp-tm-submenu' ).setAttribute( 'data-open', 'false' );  			}    			if( submenu ) {  				ev.preventDefault();    				var isOpen = submenu.getAttribute( 'data-open' );    				if( isOpen === 'true' ) {  					this._closeMenu( item );  					submenu.setAttribute( 'data-open', 'false' );  				}  				else {  					this._openMenu( item );  					this.current = items.indexOf( item );  					submenu.setAttribute( 'data-open', 'true' );  				}  			}    		},  		_positionMenu : function( el ) {  			// checking where's more space left in the viewport: above or below the element  			var vH = getViewportH(),  				ot = getOffset(el),  				spaceUp = ot.top ,  				spaceDown = vH - spaceUp - el.offsetHeight;  			  			return ( spaceDown <= spaceUp ? 'top' : 'bottom' );  		}  	}    	// add to global namespace  	window.cbpTooltipMenu = cbpTooltipMenu;    } )( window );

Find this project on Github

View demo Download source

The Missing Trust Factors That Are Hurting Your Website – A Comprehensive List

May 23rd 2013, 08:00

Check out the extensive list of factors that hurt you website's level of trust and overall profitability of your business.

The Guiding Principles and Rubrics Behind Responsive Images

May 22nd 2013, 08:00

As there is ruling principles behind every technology, so does there are important principles behind responsive images. A set of guiding principles therefore support the evolution of responsive images and make it the hot topic in the designing community.

Interview with David Henzel, the VP of Marketing at MaxCDN

May 21st 2013, 08:00

We'd like to listen to the VP of marketing at MaxCDN - David Henzel. David kindly agreed to share his knowledge, professional experience and insights of marketing theory. Check out the conversation and feel free to ask your own questions.

SlyJones forked bittorrent/webseeded-torrent-generator to SlyJones/webseeded-torrent-generator

May 18th 2013, 18:43

SlyJones forked bittorrent/webseeded-torrent-generator to SlyJones/webseeded-torrent-generator

May 18, 2013

Your Daily digest for Tech Geek`s Tools, Tips, Tricks and Tutorials

2013-05-22T19:17:00.001-06:00

Tech Geek`s Tools, Tips, Tricks and Tutorials

Got A Question About Technology? Find your answers here at http://blog.simplysly.com

Keeping your corporate social media accounts secure

May 22nd 2013, 14:00

Does your company have official social media accounts like Twitter or Facebook? How do you protect them from unauthorized access? Get a few tips here and take our poll on security measures.

Maximize Office 365 for project management

May 22nd 2013, 12:55

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Webcast: Ensuring Project Portfolio Management Success

May 21st 2013, 07:00

Profitable new product and service development in today's market depends on maximizing resources and minimizing time to market. Successful enterprises prudently invest the right resources in the right projects to advance their strategies -- while completing quality work on schedule and within budget. To accomplish this objective launching successful products to the market requires robust...

Webcast: Ensuring Project Portfolio Management Success

May 21st 2013, 07:00

Your Daily digest for Tech Geek`s Tools, Tips, Tricks and Tutorials About Online Privacy

2013-05-22T17:53:00.001-06:00

Tech Geek`s Tools, Tips, Tricks and Tutorials About Online Privacy

Identity Theft Is On The Rise! Guard your identity on and offline with our accumulated articles about online privacy.

Online account privacy bill dies in committee - Daily Comet

May 22nd 2013, 23:46

Online account privacy bill dies in committee
Daily Comet
Online account privacy bill dies in committee. By LITTICE BACON-BLOOD Associated Press. Published: Wednesday, May 22, 2013 at 5:48 p.m.. Last Modified: Wednesday, May 22, 2013 at 5:48 p.m.. BATON ROUGE, La. - A proposal to ban employers and ...

Teenagers care more about online privacy than you think - Salon

May 22nd 2013, 22:41

Salon

Teenagers care more about online privacy than you think
Salon
Pacific Standard The latest round of research on teenagers and digital privacy is out, this time in the form of a joint study by the Pew Research Center and the Berkman Center for Internet Society. The results of the study are similar to the results of ...
Teens say they are in control of online privacy, image USA TODAY
American teenagers doing more to protect online privacy: study Raw Story
Online Privacy And Reputation Are Becoming More Of A Concern For Teens RedOrbit
Hot Hardware - The Pew Internet and American Life Project - GigaOM
all 171 news articles »

Facebook Joins GNI Online Privacy-and-Freedom Group - Wall Street Journal (blog)

May 22nd 2013, 19:25

Insider Monkey (blog)

Facebook Joins GNI Online Privacy-and-Freedom Group
Wall Street Journal (blog)
Facebook sa id Wednesday that it joined the Global Network Initiative, an advocacy group that promotes online privacy and freedom. The organization already features several other technology giants such as Microsoft Yahoo and Google , as well as rights ...
Facebook Inc (FB) Joins This 'Net Freedom-but-Privacy Group Insider Monkey (blog)
United States: Facebook Makes Human Rights Commitment Reuters AlertNet
Facebook joins Web freedom group Phys.Org

all 9 news articles »

Storm after the storm: Consumers warned about fake Oklahoma charities

May 22nd 2013, 17:21

Slideshow: Tornadoes ravage Plains

Destroyed vehicles lie in the rubble outside the Plaza Towers Elementary school in Moore, Okla., on Tuesday.

Launch slideshow

By Bob Sullivan, Columnist, NBC News

For many, it's impossible to view the heartbreaking stories coming out of Oklahoma and not feel an overwhelming urge to do something. But following your first impulse to help could just lead to more heartbreak, as many charitable givers often fall prey to scams in the wake of national tragedies.

Authorities are warning would-be donors to think carefully before they donate, and before they click.

"There is always a high probability for con-artists or 'travelers' to pop-up in the state following a storm, pushing quick-fix repair schemes and charity scams," Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt said in a press release. He urged Oklahomans to stay alert.

Scam artists crawl out of the woodwork only hours after the first pictures of death and destruction emerge. Like clockwork, spam emails, fake Facebook pages, telemarketing phone calls — even full-fledged websites that accept credit cards — pop up, all claiming falsely that they are collecting money for victims. Virus writers also get into the act, sending around booby-trapped emails that appear to come from charities, but are designed to invade victims' computers.

Follow @NBCNewsUS

Pruitt said people around the country should donate to "reputable" organizations such as the Salvation Army or Red Cross. "The first scam we typically see after devastation like this is charity fraud,” he said

Pruitt also said his department has already sent 30 investigators into the tornado-ravaged area to stop local scams, fraud and price gouging.

For a detailed list of ways to help Oklahoma victims, visit NBC News' How to Help page.

Attorneys general in several other states, from Washington to South Carolina, have also issued charity fraud warnings.

Even consumers who wouldn't normally fall for scams are at risk in the aftermath of major disasters because the overwhelming sadness of the events, and the urgency of the need, can override a giver's natural sense of skepticism. The same urgency force is at play whenever a scam artist insists that a supposedly great deal is only available for a short time.

Federal Trade Commission spokesman Frank Dorman said he didn't believe his agency had received any complaints about Oklahoma-related scams yet, but that's not unusual: victims wouldn't yet realize they'd been scammed, he said.

The agency does offer an extensive set of tips for evaluating charities.

Consumers should beware anyone who:

Uses high-pressure tactics like trying to get you to donate immediately, without giving you time to think about it and do your research.
Refusing to provide detailed information about its identity, mission, costs and how the donation will be used.
Won't provide proof that a contribution is tax deductible.
Uses a name that closely resembles that of a better-known, reputable organization.
Thanks you for a pledge you don’t remember making.
Asks for donations in cash or asks you to wire money.
Offers to send a courier or overnight delivery service to collect the donation immediately.

Follow Bob Sullivan on Facebook or Twitter.

Related content:

Microsoft kicks off online privacy campaign - Daily News Egypt

May 22nd 2013, 15:04

Microsoft kicks off online privacy campaign
Daily News Egypt
Microsoft is currently offering a quiz on their website called "Your Privacy" that shares information about user tendencies and preferences regarding online privacy. After the quiz, customers are presented with tips on how to turn their new awareness ...

AVG Technologies Acquires Online Privacy Firm PrivacyChoice - NASDAQ

May 21st 2013, 16:35

AVG Technologies Acquires Online Privacy Firm PrivacyChoice
NASDAQ
(RTTNews.com) - AVG Technologies N.V. ( AVG ) announced that it has acquired online privacy organisation PrivacyChoice. Commenting on PrivacyChoice, the company said it was founded in 2009 and for the past four years the company has been helping ...

AVG buys web privacy firm PrivacyChoice & its smart Privacyfix dashboard - VentureBeat

May 21st 2013, 12:10

AVG buys web privacy firm PrivacyChoice & its smart Privacyfix dashboard
VentureBeat
"We saw strong synergies between our approach and the efforts AVG continues to make in empowering people when it comes to their online privacy." Privacyfix is currently available for Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox, but it will soon be available for ...

and more »

Your Daily digest for Tech Geek`s Tools, Tips, Tricks and Tutorials

2013-05-22T15:05:00.001-06:00

Tech Geek`s Tools, Tips, Tricks and Tutorials

Got A Question About Technology? Find your answers here at http://blog.simplysly.com

Keeping your corporate social media accounts secure

May 22nd 2013, 14:00

Does your company have official social media accounts like Twitter or Facebook? How do you protect them from unauthorized access? Get a few tips here and take our poll on security measures.

Maximize Office 365 for project management

May 22nd 2013, 12:55

Project managers can find a lot to like in Office 365 to keep their teams better connected and centralize their project information and communications.

Your Daily digest for Template Designer`s Tools, Tips, Tricks and Tutorials

2013-05-22T14:58:00.001-06:00

Template Designer`s Tools, Tips, Tricks and Tutorials

Find The Web Design or Corporate Idetity Template That You Are Looking For At http://templates.simplysly.com!

Storm-Penetrating Drones Could Fly Into Tornadoes

May 22nd 2013, 20:55

Engineering students at Oklahoma State University (OSU) have designed three concept drones that could one day help storm trackers and researchers better understand tornadoes.

Led by professor Jamey Jacob, three teams of students outlined plans for Storm Penetrating Air Vehicles (SPAVs) that would penetrate thunderstorms, including the supercells that generate tornadoes, to collect vital meteorological data for better storm forecasting. The teams hope their SPAVs will collaborate with or ultimately replace storm chasers, who risk their lives driving after tornadoes in attempt to track down data. Read more...

More about Weather, Tornado, Tornadoes, Tech, and Gadgets

ZZ Ward's App Uses Facebook to Plot When Fans Discovered Her Music

May 22nd 2013, 20:40

ZZ Ward, who Fuse TV recently proclaimed as one of 30 must-see artists at South by Southwest, just launched a web app that plots when fans first discovered her. How?

The "365 Days of ZZ Ward" app uses Facebook's Open Graph to browse users' Facebook activity and plot their ZZ Ward-tagged status updates, photos and videos.

The moments will be displayed on an interactive timeline, and fans' social participation with the experience will unlock exclusive music content. At launch, people will be able to earn access to four videos and a free MP3 download of an unreleased song

"The app will actually get better over time as more fans connect to it and new ZZ content is added," Brian Ressler, director of digital marketing at Disney Music Group, told Mashable. The app will add new unlockable content every three weeks or so Read more...

More about Facebook, Music, Entertainment, Web Apps, and Open Graph

Jif Peanut Butter Weighs In on GIF Pronunciation Debate

May 22nd 2013, 20:35

It was only a matter of time.

Jif, the popular peanut butter company, has finally weighed in on the debate about how to pronounce GIF:

It's pronounced Jif® #Jif #GIF bit.ly/10QjQim
— Jif® Peanut Butter (@Jif) May 22, 2013

The tweet links to, what else, a GIF:

Jif's tweet came less than a day after the creator of the Graphics Interchange Format (ie GIF) revealed that GIF is actually pronounced "Jif." This simple declaration set off countless tweets and much self-doubt among the GIF-faithful.

Whose side are you on? Share in the comments below.

Image courtesy of Flickr, brianc Read more...

More about Twitter, Business, and Gifs

14-Year-Old Girl Destroys Van Halen Guitar Solo

May 22nd 2013, 20:20

Here's a video of Tina, 14, covering Eddie Van Halen‘s “Eruption” guitar solo and absolutely shredding it

If the words “Eddie Van Halen’s ‘Eruption’ guitar solo” have no meaning to you, we'll get to the meat of the story: This girl is some sort of guitar wizard.

Image courtesy of YouTube, Tina S Read more...

More about Music, Guitar, Rock, Watercooler, and Videos

Hovertrax is Like a Segway Without Handlebars

May 22nd 2013, 20:02

Vancouver, Wash.-based company Investist has a new idea for rolling in style. It's called Hovertrax, and it's an auto-balancing, electronic transporter with two-wheeled gyro technology — or, more simply, a wiggle board with power.

The group is collecting funds for the gadget through Kickstarter, and, as of Wednesday afternoon, has already raised more than $50,000 — exceeding its original goal of $40,000, with 39 days remaining to donate

SEE ALSO: Flying Concept Car Could Hover Over Congestion

The concept behind Hovertrax is simple: Its two motors, one in each wheel, correspond with your movements. To move forward, lean in to your toes; to move backward, tilt your heels behind you. Spin the board in circles by placing one foot behind the other. The company assures there's no learning curve — just hop on and hit the road Read more...

More about Gadgets, Videos, Crowdfunding, Kickstarter, and Small Business

Watch Your Heartbeat on Xbox One’s New Kinect

May 22nd 2013, 19:49

Two years and millions of units later, Microsoft Kinect motion and voice capture and control system for the Xbox 360 is an unparalleled success. So it came as little surprise that the powerful controller is now an essential part of the Xbox One console that Microsoft will ship sometime later this year.

The new, somewhat larger — dare I say boxy -– Kinect is vastly more powerful than the one Microsoft had been selling for $99. During a post-Xbox One unveiling panel with Xbox’s Major Nelson (A.K.A. Larry Hryb), Todd Holmdahl, the corporate vice president of Xbox Hardware, outlined the sensor’s new capabilities: Read more...

More about Microsoft, Kinect, Entertainment, Gaming, and Gadgets

Twitter Introduces Two-Step Authentication

May 22nd 2013, 19:38

Twitter has finally introduced two-factor authentication to more securely protect accounts, the company announced Wednesday.

The move comes after a number of hacks of high-profile Twitter accounts, including The Onion, the Associated Press and E! Online

Jim O'Leary from Twitter's product security team announced the new feature via a blog post, saying it is in response to accounts "occasionally" being compromised by phishing schemes or password breaches on other sites

The move will likely be of most interest to major brands with a presence on the site as a part of an effort to ward of hackers. By implementing the feature, it will make it more difficult to gain control of an account. Read more...

More about Twitter, Security, Social Media, Apps Software, and Two Factor Authentication

Jennifer Lopez and Verizon Launch Mobile Stores for Latinos

May 22nd 2013, 19:27

LAS VEGAS — Jennifer Lopez unexpectedly took the stage at a Verizon Wireless press conference Wednesday to talk about Latinos and wireless service.

“As modern Latinos we do things differently, including how we shop for mobile devices,” said Lopez.

With that in mind, she's launching Viva Movil, a new wireless store and online presence designed specifically for the Latino community. Lopez will serve as the Chief Creative Officer for the company and is also the majority shareholder

Verizon will be the exclusive wireless provider for Viva Movil, but it does not own a portion of the company.

SEE ALSO: Jennifer Lopez to Premiere Music Video on Twitter

Read more...More about Verizon, Celebrities, Latino, Jennifer Lopez, and Music

Watch People Fall for This Google Glass Prank

May 22nd 2013, 19:15

In 1995, Tiger Electronics released a wearable video game system called the R-Zone that projected crappy beat 'em ups directly into kids' eyeballs. It was a flop — and obviously way ahead of its time.

Fast forward to 2013, the year of Google Glass — our greatest shot at human/Internet singularity, and one of the creepiest technologies ever invented. Many have heard about Glass, but few have seen it in the wild.

So we sent comedian and Internet star Mark Malkoff onto the mean streets of New York City with a Google t-shirt and an R-Zone strapped to his face. Can he fool people into believing this 8-bit monstrosity is really Glass? Read more...

More about Google, Videos, Comedy, Humor, and Funny

Giphy Wants to Make GIFs More Legit

May 22nd 2013, 19:05

GIFs are about to get a bit more serious

Giphy, a startup that recently launched out of Betaworks, aims to empower the community of GIF creators and consumers by making it easier for users to search for GIFs and for artists to get their work discovered.

The website initially started off as a side project by two hackers-in-resident at Betaworks. Jace Cooke and Alex Chung spent a couple weekends building a searchable database of about 15,000 GIFs, which they quietly released in early February. Even without a proper launch, the database attracted a sizable audience — it currently averages 3 million visits per month — and the two founders decided to incorporate the company, staff up and focus on Giphy full time. Read more...

More about Startups, Betaworks, Business, and Gifs

How 3 Brands Use Agile Marketing Tactics

May 22nd 2013, 19:01

This article was written by Elana Varon, and a version of it originally appeared on the Adobe-owned site CMO.com. For more information about BrandSpeak, click here.

Agile management methods, experts say, provide a framework for making better decisions and improving overall productivity.

"One focus of agility is understanding the relative value of the initiatives you want to work on and prioritizing them," said Barre Hardy, senior director with marketing consultancy CMG Partners. "A lot of companies are not great at doing that today."

But there's potential for big improvements to how CMOs manage marketing initiatives, if the results from software development, where the methodology originated, are any guide. A survey by VersionOne of IT organizations that use agile methods found 90% of respondents improved their ability to manage changing priorities, 85% increased productivity, and 84% improved project visibility as well as team morale. (VersionOne sells tools used for agile software development.) Read more...

More about Marketing, Business, Brandspeak, and 30 Days Of Buzzwords

Bystander Live-Tweets Brutal London Machete Attack

May 22nd 2013, 18:48

Police shot two assailants Wednesday in a southeastern London neighborhood after they allegedly murdered a person in public with a machete. The victim is believed to be a solider from a nearby barracks, and the British government is treating the event as a terrorist attack.

One bystander apparently live-tweeted the entire horrific event from start to finish. While Mashable hasn't yet confirmed the following account is legitimate, the timing of the tweets matches up with the timeline of the attack. This Twitter user was also recently located in the neighborhood of the attack, according to geolocation data. Read more...

More about Terrorism, Crime, London, United Kingdom, and Us World

Sports Team's Twitter Takeover Turns Disastrous After Rape Joke

May 22nd 2013, 18:32

The L.A. Kings handed its Twitter account over to a local morning show host, who ended up having to apologize for his posts Tuesday evening

Kevin Ryder is co-host of L.A. radio station KROQ's Kevin and Bean show. He took over the Kings's Twitter page as a promotion during its playoff matchup against the San Jose Sharks. It's not uncommon for sports brands to have big names tweet from their accounts from time to time, but here the stunt went about as poorly as possible for both parties

As expected of a morning show host who makes his name on testing listeners' limits, Ryder's tweets from the Kings account were full of attitude. But this one had Twitter buzzing in all the wrong ways: Read more...

More about Nhl, Entertainment, and Sports

Rent 'The Hobbit' Free on Redbox Instant (Today Only)

May 22nd 2013, 18:16

Redbox Instant is offering a free rental of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey — but only on May 22 — after fans unlocked the freebie in a tweet-to-stream promotion.

People who rent the movie before the clock strikes 12 a.m. ET on May 23 will have the movie in their Redbox Instant library for 30 days. A few more caveats: "Once you start watching it, you have 48 hours to view the movie as many times and on as many supported registered devices as you choose," the promotion's disclaimer reads

Users must have Redbox Instant account (no subscription needed) to redeem the offer

SEE ALSO: Redbox Instant Comes to Xbox 360: Should Netflix Worry?

Apple to Build Macs in Texas

May 22nd 2013, 18:07

Apple CEO Tim Cook got specific about where in the U.S. the company would be building its Mac computers, something he promised last year.

Cook said in a statement before the Senate subcommitee in Washington D.C. that a factory in Texas will be used to build a new line of Macs. The move would be a part of an effort for the company to keep taxes lower on products.

SEE ALSO: iPhone 6 Concept Includes a Projected Keyboard

"We're investing $100 million to build a Mac product line here in the U.S.," said Cook, according to an AllThingsD report. "The product will be assembled in Texas, include components made in Illinois and Florida, and rely on equipment produced in Kentucky and Michigan." Read more...

More about Mobile, Apple, Macs, Laptops, and Tim Cook

Buzzy Takes the Sting Out of Shots

May 22nd 2013, 17:50

In her lecture “Hacking Healthcare: How Makers can Save Medicine” at the 2013 Bay Area Maker Faire, Dr. Amy Baxter, an Atlanta-based pediatrician and pain researcher, told the story of taking her 4-year-old son in for a routine vaccination.

Like many people, her son Max was scared of needles, so she came armed with topical anesthetic cream to numb the pain, books for distraction and a juice box for a soothing sensation. But a gruff nurse came in, discredited the numbing cream by saying it didn’t work, then proceeded to tell Max to “sit there, don’t move, this is going to hurt.”

SEE ALSO: Power Wheels Resurrected In Racing League

Why 'People Movers' Are Popping Up in Cities Everywhere

May 22nd 2013, 17:25

Rushing to your gate and making your flight, it’s easy to forget just how you got there. But, the next time you’re on your way to the airport, take a look around you. You might find that some of the most high-end and cutting-edge technology is taking you right to your destination.

It’s easy to shrug off Automated Transit Systems (known colloquially as "people movers") as robots that specialize in getting from point A to point B, but there’s plenty of exciting technology happening in that very field. Companies are working hard to not only develop products that work as well in Toronto as they do in Buenos Aires, but also to remain mindful of individual needs within cities and airports. Read more...

More about Features, Transit, Global Innovation Series, Tech, and Dev Design

10 Cat Beards to Tickle Your Whiskers

May 22nd 2013, 17:18

Having difficulty growing a manly beard worthy of a lumberjack? Try sticking a cat up to your face, and head out the door in a flannel shirt

Cat bearding is the latest viral photo trend to sweep the confused place we call the Internet. There may seem to be no reason for the insane concept, but once you've had a cat snuggle up to your chin, you'll completely understand

The cuter and smaller the cat, the more rugged the beard

SEE ALSO: 8 Freaky Animals With Human Parts

Next up on our radar: cat hats — in which cats sit on your head to provide warmth and style. (We can't even make this stuff up, it's actually beginning to happen.) Read more...

More about Lists, Cats, Cute Animals, Memes, and Watercooler

IBM's Watson Is Now a Customer Service Agent

May 22nd 2013, 16:58

IBM's cognitive supercomputer Watson will soon be helping several of the company's most important customers, who will have the opportunity to ask for his assistance via web chats, email, SMS and smartphone apps

Watson's new role, called "Ask Watson," will be available to big IBM clients like Australia’s ANZ Bank, Nielsen, Celcom, IHS and Royal Bank of Canada. Watson will tap his ability to use semantic searches — remember when he beat Jeopardy's two greatest champions? — and not just keywords, making him a formidable customer service assistant

"Watson pulls up stuff that an agent wouldn’t because it is looking for semantic links, not just doing text-matching based on keywords," Manoj Saxena, general manager of IBM Watson Solutions, told Forbes Read more...

More about Ibm, Ibm Watson, Cognitive Computers, Tech, and Apps Software

Moon or Asteroid? Congress Debates Best Pit Stop to Mars

May 22nd 2013, 16:42

NASA's plan to lasso an asteroid for astronauts as a deep-space dry run for a future mission to Mars has some members of Congress wondering if the space agency would be better off setting its sights on the moon instead.

The asteroid mission was announced when President Barack Obama unveiled his 2014 NASA budget request. The scheme would have NASA use a robotic spacecraft to capture a roughly 23-foot-wide (7 meters) asteroid in deep space, and redirect it to an orbit closer to the moon. Once there, NASA would launch a human mission to rendezvous with the space rock and explore it.

But members of the U.S. House of Representatives Science, Space and Technology Committee expressed their skepticism of the plan during a hearing Tuesday to discuss NASA's ultimate goal of sending astronauts to Mars. The asteroid mission was proposed as an initial step toward that goal — one that would test technologies needed for a Mars mission and allow crews to gain experience in deep space exploration. Read more...

More about Space, Nasa, Mars, Asteroids, and Us World

The Zaniest Recurring 'Arrested Development' Gags

May 22nd 2013, 16:31

Arrested Development returns this Sunday for a new season on Netflix, which means that you have less than 100 hours to catch up on all the hijinks and hilarity of the Bluth family

Feeling overwhelmed? No need to have an anxiety attack of Buster-Bluth proportionsSlackstory has created an uber-supercut of the 18 funniest recurring jokes that Arrested Development writers have used time and time again for a surefire chuckle

SEE ALSO: 8 Quirky 'Arrested Development' Protest Posters

And if you need an even more structured way to remember the running jokes in the show, check out this interactive visualization. The website charts each funny saying, which episodes it's used in and explains the joke's context Read more...

More about Viral Videos, Netflix, Arrested Development, Tv, and Video

Orchestra Plays 'Carmen' Entirely on Mobile Devices

May 22nd 2013, 16:19

Fans booed when Bob Dylan went electric in 1965, but in 2013 in the Czech Republic no one seemed to bat an eye when the Czech National Symphony Orchestra one-upped Dylan by also going mobile.

As part of a stunt to promote a new "all-digital" bank in Europe called Hello Bank!, BNP Paribas and ad agency B-Roll wired up 60 musicians with smartphones and tablets for a rousing rendition of "Carmen." According to a behind-the-scenes video, the effort required 227 different interfaces that were hooked up to Wi-Fi

The point: You and your mobile device can make beautiful music together. Or something

[Via Creativity Online ] Read more...

More about Advertising, Music, Marketing, Orchestra, and Mobile Marketing

20 Hot London Startups You Need to Watch

May 22nd 2013, 15:54

Most entrepreneurs assume they’ll have to move to Silicon Valley to make it big. Let’s face it, some regions are more abundant with investors, resources and talent than others. But if you’re in or near London, you might consider staying put — the startups below prove that building a great company with staying power can be done in The Big Smoke

SEE ALSO: 25 Startups In Surprising Places

Most operate in London exclusively, while companies that serve many regions are noted. If you live in London, which of these startups would you want to work for? If you're outside of London, which services do you wish you could use? Tell us in the comments Read more...

More about Startups, Features, London, Business, and World

Scientists Build a Robot Cheetah

May 22nd 2013, 15:53

This robot can sprint 13.6 miles per hour, making it the second-fastest robot on land. (Here's the fastest one, which can run 18 miles an hour.)

While the scientist dubbed it "cheetah robot," it's a bit slower than the real thing. Cheetahs can reach speeds up to 70 miles per hour

Image courtesy of NowThis News Read more...

More about Robots, Science, Robotics, Tech, and Dev Design

Find Your Next Favorite Song With Yap Music App

May 22nd 2013, 15:40

Yap Music, a company advised by Steve Wozniak, is moving into the burgeoning social music market after building a popular second-screen app for television.

Social music brings music to like-minded listeners and serves as a platform for artists to reach and cultivate fans. As of late, music discovery is proving to be one of the hottest verticals in tech.

Yap Music, which debuts today on the App store, is planning a head-to-head battle with Twitter #music and a slew of other established giants like Shazam, Pandora and Spotify, which is valued in the $3 billion range.

More about Music, Social Music, Music Discovery, Mobile Apps, and Spotify

4 Ways to Convert Your Site to Retina

May 22nd 2013, 15:29

A new generation of Retina displays with high pixel densities is now on the market. Unfortunately, that means your website imagery could instantly become ugly and pixelated if you don't take action

With the introduction of the iPhone 4 in 2010, Apple no longer measured its screens in pixels, but in points. The scaling factor of the screen changed, which determines how a point relates to a pixel. A Retina display now has a scale of two, so one point is equal to two pixels — if you draw a one-point line, it shows as two pixels wide. If you're imagery isn't optimized to account for this, your product won't make a great first impression Read more...

More about Features, Design, Tech, Dev, and Dev Design

The Epic 'Friends' Reunion We've Been Wanting for Years

May 22nd 2013, 15:18

Sure, Friends has been off the air for nine years, but aren't the former cast members still hanging out like old times in a cozy coffee shop somewhere in downtown New York City?

To help promote an upcoming co-hosting stint on Ellen, Jennifer Aniston taped a sketch where she shows up at friend Matthew Perry's house for advice (he previously co-hosted the talk show). But what follows is a series of awkward discoveries, forgotten names and surprise cameos.

SEE ALSO: Beyond Barrel Roll: 10 Hidden Google Tricks

We don't want to ruin the plot of the clip, but you'll get a kick out of the mini reunion and the ridiculous plot that unfolds. Read more...

More about Tv, Comedy, Friends, Jennifer Aniston, and Ellen Degeneres

Amazon's Latest Venture: Fan Fiction

May 22nd 2013, 15:07

Beloved novels, games, even TV series have spawned pages upon pages of fan fiction — much of it unauthorized and unsellableAmazon is hoping to create a new model to commercialize the genre. The company announced Wednesday that it has partnered with Alloy Entertainment, a division of Warner Bros. that produces novels tied to its television shows, to authorize and compensate writers who produce fan fiction related to certain shows.

Amazon writers are now authorized to publish and sell fan fiction on Gossip Girl, Pretty Little Liars and Vampire Diairies, with additional licenses on the way. Writers are encouraged to self-publish their works — of at least 10,000 words — in the Kindle Store Read more...

More about Amazon, Publishing, Kindle, Ebooks, and Business

Anthony Weiner Announces NYC Mayor Bid on YouTube

May 22nd 2013, 14:53

Brace yourselves, New York City: Anthony Weiner officially wants to be your mayor.

Weiner formally announced his candidacy in a YouTube video that first appeared late Tuesday night and was then shared with supporters in an early Wednesday email. The video puts an end to the will-he, won't-he speculation that has been surrounding the former Congressman for months: he has long been expected to run and has already amassed $5 million in campaign funds.

Formerly a Congressman representing Queens and Brooklyn, Weiner was forced out of office two years ago after it came to light he had sent lewd texts and photos to young females who were not his wife. Weiner at first denied the allegations; he later said they were true and left Congress. Read more...

More about Youtube, New York City, Anthony Weiner, Us World, and Politics

Still Living at Home? This Ad Campaign Is for You

May 22nd 2013, 14:50

Bloomberg Businessweek is targeting twentysomethings living at home for a campaign that aims to gently nudge them out of their parents' basements by offering — what else? — a subscription to the magazine.

The title launched the website bbwgetsyouahead.com, which houses e-giftcards that parents and friends can send to Gen Y-ers still living at home. One card from the parents reads, "Our American dream is for you to move out." A friend's card offers the following inspiring message: "**Spoiler Alert** You end up middle-aged and single." In addition to launching the site, Bloomberg Businessweek will also run an online campaign Read more...

More about Advertising, Marketing, Bloomberg Businessweek, Business, and Media

Examples of Pseudo-Elements Animations and Transitions

May 22nd 2013, 11:25

View demo Download source

Today we are going to experiment with animations and transitions on pseudo-elements (:before and :after) and we are going to discover their potential. We will talk a bit about animating pseudo-elements and look at four examples that use some special techniques to achieve a variety of effects.

Let’s first have a look at the advantages and disadvantages that come along with using animations and transitions together with pseudo-elements.

Advantages

Simplification and optimization of HTML markup
Taking advantage of CSS3 capacities
Contributing to design

Disadvantages

Only supported by modern browsers like Firefox, IE10 and recently Chrome (see this updated support table for more info)
Does not work in mobile browsers yet
Pseudo-elements cannot be identified by ID
Pseudo-elements don’t appear in the DOM.
Pseudo-elements can’t be animated with JavaScript

It is clear that there are more disadvantages than advantages, but I think that we should be excited about the future and give it a try!

The following four examples were created for this specific topic. It is clear that there are other ways for reaching the same visual effects, but for the sake of this experiment, we’ll of course use pseudo-elements so be aware that it only works in browsers that support their animations and transitions.

Please note:

In this tutorial we will omit vendor prefixes, but you will find them in the download files.
For both examples we will primarily use the box-shadow property and EM units.

A very interesting fact: pseudo-elements inherit the properties from their parent. In the case of the animations all the transformations affect them directly. This can come in handy if we want to maximize the support. Check out Use CSS transitions for pseudo-elements right now by Roman Komarov for more on that matter.

Let’s start!

Example 1

First, we’re going to do a fun thing: an animation of a drop of water falling into a rounded container (based on the Codrops logo)

The Markup

  <div class="drop"></div>

We only have one element, although it could have another container that helps the change of scale.

The CSS

  *,  *:before,  *:after {      box-sizing: border-box;  }    .drop {  	background: rgba(255, 255, 245, 1);  	border: 4px solid rgba(255, 245, 235, 1);  	border-radius: 100%;  	box-shadow: inset -0.1em 0 2em 0.5em rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.5),   	            inset -0.1em 0 0.5em 0 rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8);  	position: relative;  	margin: 0 auto;  	width: 15em;   	height: 15em;  	overflow: hidden;  }    .drop:before,  .drop:after {  	content:"";  	display:block;  	position:absolute;  }    /* Drop */    .drop:before {  	background: rgba(167, 217, 234, 1);  	border-radius: 100%;  	  	/* Drop start */  	  	box-shadow: 0 0 0 0.1em rgba(167, 217, 234, 0.8),   	            0 0 0 0.15em rgba(167, 217, 234, 0.8),   	            0 0 0 0.2em rgba(167, 227, 234, 0.8),   	            0 0 0 0.25em rgba(167, 227, 234, 0.8),   	            0 0 0 0.3em rgba(167, 227, 234, 0.8),   	            0 0 0 0.35em rgba(167, 227, 234, 0.8),   	            0 0 0 0.4em rgba(167, 227, 234, 0.8),   	            0 0 0 0.45em rgba(167, 227, 234, 0.8),   	            0 0 0 0.5em rgba(167, 227, 234, 0.8);  	top: 0%; left: 50%;  	  	/* The "width" and "height" of the division must be smaller than the "box-shadow" total size. So we can control different variant sizes. */  	  	width: 0.2em;   	height: 0.2em;  	animation: fall 3.5s cubic-bezier(0.5, 0, 1, 0.5) infinite;  }    /* Surface */    .drop:after {  	background: rgb(52, 152, 219);  	background: linear-gradient(rgba(52, 255, 255, 1) 0%, rgba(52, 152, 219, 1) 10%, rgba(152, 252, 219, 1) 100%);  	border-radius: 100% 0 50% 0;  	left: 0;   	bottom: 0;  	width: inherit;   	height: 3em;  	opacity: 0.7;  	animation: surface 3s linear infinite;  }    /* Drop animation */    @keyframes fall  {    	/* Drop form */    	5%, 15%  {  		box-shadow: 0 -1.4em 0 0.1em rgba(167, 217, 234, 1),   		            0 -0.8em 0 0.15em rgba(167, 217, 234, 1),   		            0 -0.3em 0 0.2em rgba(167, 217, 234, 1),   		            0 -0.1em 0 0.25em rgba(167, 217, 234, 1),   		            0 0 0 0.3em rgba(167, 217, 234, 1),   		            0 0.2em 0 0.35em rgba(167, 217, 234, 1),   		            0 0.4em 0 0.4em rgba(167, 217, 234, 1),   		            0 0.6em 0 0.45em rgba(167, 217, 234, 1),   		            0 0.8em 0 0.5em rgba(167, 217, 234, 1);  	}  	  	/* Drop fall */  	  	16%  {  		top: 80%;  	}  	  	/* Contact surface */  	  	18%  {  		top: 80%;  		box-shadow: 1em -8em 0 0.2em rgba(177, 227, 234, 1),   		            -2.2em -3.8em 0 0.1em rgba(177, 227, 234, 1),   		            3em -2.85em 0 0.3em rgba(177, 227, 234, 1),   		            -3.5em -4em 0 0.2em rgba(177, 227, 234, 1),   		            0 0 0 0.3em rgba(177, 227, 234, 1),   		            2em -2em 0 0.2em rgba(177, 227, 234, 1),   		            -0.3em -3em 0 0.2em rgba(177, 227, 234, 1),   		            0.5em -5em 0 0.35em rgba(177, 227, 234, 1),   		            -3em -1em 0 0.3em rgba(177, 227, 234, 1);  	}  	  	/* Dispersion */  	  	30%  {  		top: 90%;  		box-shadow: 1.5em 0 0 0.2em rgba(252, 252, 255, 0.1),   		            -2em 0 0 0.15em rgba(252, 252, 255, 0.1),   		            3em 0 0 0.2em rgba(252, 252, 255, 0.1),   		            -2em 0 0 0.25em rgba(252, 252, 255, 0.1),   		            0 0 0 0.2em rgba(252, 252, 255, 0.1),   		            2.35em 0 0 0.3em rgba(252, 252, 255, 0.1),   		            -0.5em 0 0 0.2em rgba(252, 252, 255, 0.1),   		            1em 0 0 0.3em rgba(252, 252, 255, 0.1),   		            -4em 0 0 0.4em rgba(252, 252, 255, 0.1);  	}  	  	/* Hidden */  	  	40%, 100%  {  		top: 95%;  		background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 1);  		box-shadow: 1.8em 0.5em 0 0.2em rgba(255, 255, 255, 0),   		            -3em 0.5em 0 0.1em rgba(255, 255, 255, 0),   		            4em 0.5em 0 0.1em rgba(255, 255, 255, 0),   		            -3.5em 0.5em 0 0.1em rgba(255, 255, 255, 0),   		            0 0 0 0.3em rgba(255, 255, 215, 0),   		            2.45em 0.5em 0 0.1em rgba(255, 255, 255, 0),   		            -0.8em 0.5em 0 0.2em rgba(255, 255, 255, 0),   		            1.5em 0.5em 0 0.3em rgba(255, 255, 255, 0),   		            -4.5em 0.5em 0 0.2em rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);  	}  }    /* Animation of water surface */    @keyframes surface  {  	50%  {  		border-radius: 0 75% 0 75%;  		opacity: 0.5;  		height: 3.5em;  	}  }

Here are two tips for obtaining more naturalistic animations:

Watch and analyze references like images, videos, etc.
Experiment with different speeds for transitioning CSS properties and for keyframes.

More about animating characters, but definitely fun and worth exploring is the “The Animator’s Survival Kit” by Richard Williams.

Let’s go back to our subject. In this last example the :before pseudo-class has the same width like the father. In order not to have unexpected problems of overflowing we will use the “inherit” value.

Example 2

In this example we will create a hover effect by using a transition.

The Markup

    <div class="circle">  	<h1>codrops</h1>  </div>

Here we just have a container and a heading to separate the text from the rest.

The CSS

  .circle {  	background: rgb(255,255,255);  	border-radius: 100%;  	cursor: pointer;  	position: relative;  	margin: 0 auto;  	width: 15em;   	height: 15em;  	overflow: hidden;  	transform: translateZ(0);  }    .circle h1 {  	color: rgba(189, 185, 199,0);  	font-family: 'Lato', sans-serif;  	font-weight: 900;  	font-size: 1.6em;  	line-height: 8.2em;  	text-align: center;  	text-transform: uppercase;  	-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;  	user-select: none;  	transition: color 0.8s ease-in-out;  }    .circle:before,  .circle:after {  	border-radius: 100%;  	content:"";  	position: absolute;  	top: 0;   	left: 0;  	width: inherit;   	height: inherit;			  	box-shadow: inset 10.6em 0 0 rgba(30, 140, 209, 0.2),   	            inset 0 10.6em 0 rgba(30, 140, 209, 0.2),   	            inset -10.6em 0 0 rgba(30, 140, 209, 0.2),   	            inset 0 -10.6em 0 rgba(30, 140, 209, 0.2);  	transition: box-shadow 0.75s;  }    /* We rotate the :after pseudo-element to get the edge from the corner, we could also just do that with box-shadows. */    .circle:after  {  	transform: rotate(45deg);  }    /* There is no problem using "pseudo-class + pseudo-element" :) */    .circle:hover:before,  .circle:hover:after  {  	box-shadow: inset 0.86em 0 0 rgba(255, 0, 0, 0.5),   	            inset 0 0.86em 0 rgba(252, 150, 0, 0.5),   	            inset -0.86em 0 0 rgba(0, 255, 0, 0.5),	  	            inset 0 -0.86em 0 rgba(0, 150, 255, 0.5);  }    .circle:hover > h1  {  	color: rgba(185, 185, 185,1);  }

You have to use only one color at a time, to avoid an unwanted mixing of colors by overlapping when triggering the hover.

Example 3

How could we dare to leave out the indispensable spinner loading animation!
The idea here is to merge colors through the rotation. It’s very simple!

The Markup

  <div class="loading"></div>

We’ll just use one single element for the markup.

The CSS

  .loading  {  	background: rgba(0, 50, 250, 0);  	position: relative;  	margin: 5em auto 0 auto;  	width: 3em;   	height: 3em;  	animation-name:rotate;  }    .loading,  .loading:before,  .loading:after  {  	border-radius: 100%;  	animation-duration: 3s;  	animation-iteration-count: infinite;  	animation-timing-function: ease-in;  }    .loading:before,  .loading:after  {  	content: "";  	position: absolute;  	top: 0;   	left: 0;  	width: inherit;   	height: inherit;  }    .loading:before  {  	background: rgba(200, 250, 100, 0);  	animation-name: ring;  }    .loading:after  {  	background: rgba(250, 0, 200, 0);  	animation-name: ring2;  }    @keyframes rotate  {  	0%  {  		transform: rotateZ(0deg) scaleX(0.1) scaleY(0.1) translateZ(0);  		box-shadow: inset 0.8em 0 0 rgba(255, 0, 0, 0.5),   					inset 0 0.8em 0 rgba(252, 150, 0, 0.5),   					inset -0.8em 0 0 rgba(0, 255, 0, 0.5),   					inset 0 -0.8em 0 rgba(0, 150, 255, 0.5);  	}  	  	/* hidden */  	  	85%, 100%  {  	  	/* 360deg * 10 */  	  		transform: rotateZ(3600deg) scaleX(2.01) scaleY(2) translateZ(0);  		box-shadow: inset 0 0 0 rgba(255, 0, 0, 0),   					inset 0 0 0 rgba(252, 150, 0, 0),   					inset 0 0 0 rgba(0, 255, 0, 0),   					inset 0 0 0 rgba(0, 150, 255, 0);  	}  }    @keyframes ring  {  	0%  {  		transform: scaleX(0.1) scaleY(0.5);  		box-shadow: inset 0.8em 0 0 rgba(255, 0, 0, 0.5),   					inset 0 0.8em 0 rgba(252, 150, 0, 0.5),   					inset -0.8em 0 0 rgba(0, 255, 0, 0.5),   					inset 0 -0.8em 0 rgba(0, 150, 255, 0.5);  	}  	  	/* hidden */  	  	75%, 100%  {  		transform: scaleX(2) scaleY(2.1);  		box-shadow: inset 0 0 0 rgba(255, 0, 0, 0),   					inset 0 0 0 rgba(252, 150, 0, 0),   					inset 0 0 0 rgba(0, 255, 0, 0),   					inset 0 0 0 rgba(0, 150, 255, 0);  	}  }    @keyframes ring2  {  	0%  {  		transform: scaleX(0.5) scaleY(0.1);  		box-shadow: inset 0.8em 0 0 rgba(255, 0, 0, 0.5),   					inset 0 0.8em 0 rgba(252, 150, 0, 0.5),   					inset -0.8em 0 0 rgba(0, 255, 0, 0.5),   					inset 0 -0.8em 0 rgba(0, 150, 255, 0.5);  	}  	  	/* hidden */  	  	65%, 100%  {  		transform: scaleX(2) scaleY(2.1);  		box-shadow: inset 0 0 0 rgba(255, 0, 0, 0),   					inset 0 0 0 rgba(252, 150, 0, 0),   					inset 0 0 0 rgba(0, 255, 0, 0),   					inset 0 0 0 rgba(0, 150, 255, 0);  	}  }

This is a great example of experimenting with timings and speeds to get a really smooth animation.

Example 4

This is the most crazy and extravagant example from all: a little one-eyed flying creature!
We are going to use both, animations and transitions.

The Markup

    <div class="pojoro">●</div>

We will use one element for the creature’s eye.

The CSS

  .pojoro  {  	background: rgba( 255, 255, 255, 1);  	background: radial-gradient(ellipse at center, rgba(255,255,255,1) 40%,rgba(51,51,51,1) 100%);  	border-radius: 100%;  	  	/* box-shadow: secondary color, body, eyelash */  	  	box-shadow: 0 0 0 0.2em rgb(146,89,149),   				0 0 0.1em 0.55em rgb(176,89,179),   				inset 0 0.2em 0 0 rgb(136,79,139);  	  	/* ojo (eye) */  	  	color: rgba( 40, 40, 40, 0.8);  	line-height: 1.1em;  	padding-left: 0.18em;  	-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;  	user-select: none;  	  	/* usability, position and transition */  	  	cursor: pointer;  	position: relative;  	margin: 5em auto 0 auto;  	width: 1em; height: 1em;  	transform-origin: center;  	transition: all 0.8s ease-in-out;  	  	/* Separate the animations to have a better control over the eye and the body */  	  	animation: eye 2.2s ease-in-out infinite, body 1.15s 1.8s linear infinite;   }     /* Elevate and distort the creature. */    .pojoro:hover  {  	transform: scaleY(0.9) scaleX(0.95) translateY(-3em) translateZ(0);  }    /* wings */    .pojoro:before,  .pojoro:after  {  	background: rgba(0,0,0,0);  	border-radius: 100%;  	content: "";  	  	/* display:none, hide wings */  	  	display: none;  	position: absolute;  	width: 1em; height: 0.1em;  	-webkit-filter: blur(1px);  	transition: all 0.2s;  	animation-duration: 0.2s;  	animation-iteration-count: infinite;  	animation-timing-function: ease-in-out;  }    .pojoro:before  {  	top: 25%; left: 1.45em;  	margin-left: -1em;  	transform-origin: left;  	transform: rotate(-60deg);  	animation-name: wings;  }    .pojoro:after  {  	top: 25%; left: -2.2em;  	margin-left: 1em;  	transform-origin: right;  	transform: rotate(60deg);  	animation-name: wings2;  }    .pojoro:hover:before,  .pojoro:hover:after  {  	background: rgba(100,100,100,0.8);  	  	/* display:block, we allow the wings to appear and the animation starts */  	  	display: block;  	margin-left: 0em;  	width: 2em; height: 0.3em;  }    @keyframes eye  {    	/* Eye movement */  	  	5%, 10%  {  		line-height: 1.2em;  		padding-left: 0em;  	}  	15%, 20%  {  		line-height: 1.15em;  		padding-left: 0.4em;  	}  	  	/* Eyelash movement */  	  	25%  {  		box-shadow: 0 0 0 0.2em rgb(146,89,149),   					0 0 0.1em 0.55em rgb(166,89,169),   					inset 0 1em 0 0 rgb(136,79,139);  	}  	23%, 27%  {  		box-shadow: 0 0 0 0.2em rgb(146,89,149),   					0 0 0.1em 0.55em rgb(166,89,169),   					inset 0 0.2em 0 0 rgb(136,79,139);  	}  }    @keyframes body  {  	50%  {  		width: 1.4em; height: 1.4em;  	}   }    @keyframes wings  {  	50%  {  		transform: rotate(65deg);  	}  }    @keyframes wings2  {  	50%  {  		transform: rotate(-65deg);  	}  }

On hover we activate the wings animations and the body stars to elevate.
And that was the last example!

In conclusion, pseudo-element are a great thing and combining them with animations and transitions allow for the creation of some fun effects without using too much markup or images. Wider browser support is hopefully coming soon; until then we can play with it and discover fun and interesting techniques.

What do you think about it?

I hope that this will be useful for you and serve as an inspiration.

References

Use CSS transitions for pseudo-elements right now Roman Komarov.
Transitions and Animations on CSS Generated Content support table by Chris Coyier.
Manipulating CSS pseudo-elements using jQuery (e.g. :before and :after) on Stackoverflow

View demo Download source

Natural Language Form with Custom Input Elements

May 21st 2013, 15:48

View demo Download source

There is something really interesting about Natural Language UIs and after visiting awesome Escape Flight, we wanted to play around with NL forms and custom form elements. The idea is to turn a classic form into one that uses natural language to obtain information from the user. For that we’ll construct a sentence where some words and parts are select elements and text inputs. We’ll then transform the select elements so that we can customize them.

Natural language forms are quite suitable for some UI cases, not for all, of course. They have a couple of limitations but they can also be more engaging for users if used in the right place and in the right way. Anyway, we wanted to give this concept a try and we’ll show you how we did it.

Please note: this only works as intended in browsers that support the respective CSS properties.

The Markup

The HTML will be composed of a form with a sentence and some select and text input elements:

  <form id="nl-form" class="nl-form">  	I feel to eat   	<select>  		<option value="1" selected>any food</option>  		<option value="2">Indian</option>  		<option value="3">French</option>  		<option value="4">Japanese</option>  		<option value="2">Italian</option>  	</select>  	<br />in a  	<select>  		<option value="1" selected>standard</option>  		<option value="2">fancy</option>  		<option value="3">hip</option>  		<option value="4">traditional</option>  		<option value="2">fine</option>  	</select>  	restaurant  	<br />at   	<select>  		<option value="1" selected>anytime</option>  	 	<option value="1">7 p.m.</option>  	 	<option value="2">8 p.m.</option>  	 	<option value="3">9 p.m.</option>  	</select>  	in <input type="text" value="" placeholder="any city" data-subline="For example: <em>Los Angeles</em> or <em>New York</em>"/>  	<div class="nl-submit-wrap">  		<button class="nl-submit" type="submit">Find a restaurant</button>  	</div>  	<div class="nl-overlay"></div>  </form>

We want to transform the select elements to a custom drop-down list, like this:

  <div class="nl-field nl-dd">  	<a class="nl-field-toggle">any food</a>  	<ul>  		<li class="nl-dd-checked">any food</li>  		<li>Indian</li>  		<li>French</li>  		<li>Japanese</li>  		<li>Italian</li>  	</ul>  </div>

The toggle is the visual part in the sentence. We’ll hide the list and when we click on the toggle we want the list to appear with a nice transition. Once we click on one of the list items, we’ll replace the toggle value with the newly selected one.

The text input will also be transformed into a similar element:

  <div class="nl-field nl-ti-text">  	<a class="nl-field-toggle">any city</a>  	<ul>  		<li class="nl-ti-input">  			<input type="text" value="" placeholder="any city" />  			<button class="nl-field-go">Go</button>  		</li>  		<li class="nl-ti-example">For example: <em>Los Angeles</em> or <em>New York</em></li>  	</ul>  </div>

The CSS

Note that the CSS will not contain any vendor prefixes, but you will find them in the files. Some proprietary browser rules will be listed, though.

Let’s first add some icons (checkmark and arrow):

  @font-face {  	font-family: 'nlicons';  	src:url('../fonts/nlicons/nlicons.eot');  	src:url('../fonts/nlicons/nlicons.eot?#iefix') format('embedded-opentype'),  		url('../fonts/nlicons/nlicons.woff') format('woff'),  		url('../fonts/nlicons/nlicons.ttf') format('truetype'),  		url('../fonts/nlicons/nlicons.svg#nlicons') format('svg');  	font-weight: normal;  	font-style: normal;  }

The form will have some general styles:

  /* general style for the form */  .nl-form {  	width: 100%;  	margin: 0.3em auto 0 auto;  	font-size: 4em;  	line-height: 1.5;  }

Let’s remove the default styling for all the lists:

  .nl-form ul {  	list-style: none;  	margin: 0;  	padding: 0;  }

And we’ll also normalize the form elements and make them look like everything else:

  .nl-form input,  .nl-form select,  .nl-form button {  	border: none;  	background: transparent;  	font-family: inherit;  	font-size: inherit;  	color: inherit;  	font-weight: inherit;  	line-height: inherit;  	display: inline-block;  	padding: 0;  	margin: 0;  }

We don’t want any outline on a focussed element:

  .nl-form input:focus {  	outline: none;  }

Now, let’s take care of the custom field element. Remember, this is the custom class that we give to the transformed drop-down list and the text input element:

  .nl-field {  	display: inline-block;  	position: relative;  }

Using inline-block will keep the element in the flow of our sentence.

When we click on the toggle, we want the whole thing to open. For that we also need to set a high z-index to the custom field:

  .nl-field.nl-field-open {  	z-index: 10000;  }

The toggle itself, which is the visible part in the sentence, will have the following style:

  .nl-field-toggle,  .nl-form input,  .nl-form select  {  	line-height: inherit;  	display: inline-block;  	color: #b14943;  	cursor: pointer;  	border-bottom: 1px dashed #b14943;  }

The same style we’ll apply to the default form elements if JS is disabled.

The unordered list will be hidden and positioned absolutely. We will use the visibility transition trick to be able to transition the opacity properly. The trick is about setting a delay for the visibility transition by default (when it disappears) and no delay when the .nl-field-open class is applied to its parent (when it appears):

  /* drop-down list / text element */  .nl-field ul {  	position: absolute;  	visibility: hidden;  	background: #76C3BD;  	left: -0.5em;  	top: 50%;  	font-size: 80%;  	opacity: 0;  	transform: translateY(-40%) scale(0.9);  	transition: visibility 0s 0.3s, opacity 0.3s, transform 0.3s;  }    .nl-field.nl-field-open ul {  	visibility: visible;  	opacity: 1;  	transform: translateY(-50%) scale(1);  	transition: visibility 0s 0s, opacity 0.3s, transform 0.3s;  }

The style for the list elements and specifically for the ones of the drop-down are the following:

  .nl-field ul li {  	color: #fff;  	position: relative;  }    .nl-dd ul li {  	padding: 0 1.5em 0 0.5em;  	cursor: pointer;  	white-space: nowrap;  }    .nl-dd ul li.nl-dd-checked {  	color: #478982;  }    .no-touch .nl-dd ul li:hover {  	background: rgba(0,0,0,0.05);  }    .no-touch .nl-dd ul li:hover:active {  	color: #478982;  }

Let’s define the icons for some of our elements:

  /* icons for some elements */  .nl-dd ul li.nl-dd-checked:before,  .nl-submit:before,  .nl-field-go:before {  	font-family: 'nlicons';  	speak: none;  	font-style: normal;  	font-weight: normal;  	font-variant: normal;  	text-transform: none;  	-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;  }    .nl-dd ul li.nl-dd-checked:before {  	content: "\e000";  	position: absolute;  	right: 1em;  	font-size: 50%;  	line-height: 3;  }

The text input replacement field will have a minimum width:

  .nl-ti-text ul {  	min-width: 8em;  }

The text input field, which we are still using but wrapped in our overlay field structure, will have the following style:

  .nl-ti-text ul li.nl-ti-input input {  	width: 100%;  	padding: 0.2em 2em 0.2em 0.5em;  	border-bottom: none;  	color: #fff;  }

The arrow button will be positioned absolutely and we’ll out it on the right side:

  .nl-form .nl-field-go {  	position: absolute;  	right: 0;  	top: 0;  	height: 100%;  	cursor: pointer;  	background: rgba(0,0,0,0.1);  	width: 1.8em;  	text-align: center;  	color: transparent;  }

The icon itself will have the following style:

  .nl-field-go:before {  	content: "\e001";  	font-size: 75%;  	color: #fff;  	width: 100%;  	line-height: 2.5;  	display: block;  }

Let’s change the placeholder text colors to fit into the color scheme:

  /* custom placeholder color */  input::-webkit-input-placeholder {  	color: rgba(255,255,255,0.8);  }    input:active::-webkit-input-placeholder ,  input:focus::-webkit-input-placeholder {  	color: rgba(255,255,255,0.2);  }    input::-moz-placeholder {  	color: rgba(255,255,255,0.8);  }    input:active::-moz-placeholder,  input:focus::-moz-placeholder {  	color: rgba(255,255,255,0.2);  }    input:-ms-input-placeholder {    	color: rgba(255,255,255,0.8);  }    input:active::-ms-input-placeholder ,  input:focus::-ms-input-placeholder {  	color: rgba(255,255,255,0.2);  }

The description text item will have a smaller font size:

  /* example field below text input */  .nl-ti-text ul li.nl-ti-example {  	font-size: 40%;  	font-style: italic;  	font-weight: 400;  	padding: 0.4em 1em;  	color: rgba(0,0,0,0.2);  	border-top: 1px dashed rgba(255,255,255,0.7);  }    .nl-ti-text ul li.nl-ti-example em {  	color: #fff  }

Let’s style the submit button and the icon:

  .nl-submit-wrap {  	margin-top: 0.4em;  }    .nl-form .nl-submit {  	line-height: 3;  	text-transform: uppercase;  	cursor: pointer;  	position: relative;  	background: #76C3BD;  	color: #fff;  	padding: 0 1em 0 0;  	font-size: 40%;  	font-weight: bold;  	letter-spacing: 3px;  }    .nl-submit:before {  	content: "\e001";  	color: #fff;  	float: left;  	padding: 0 0.7em;  	margin: 0 0.8em 0 0;  	background: #69B1A9;  }    .no-touch .nl-form .nl-submit:hover,  .no-touch .nl-form .nl-submit:active {  	background: #69B1A9;  }    .no-touch .nl-form .nl-submit:hover:before {  	background: #58a199;  }

The overlay will be a fixed element and we’ll show it when one of the field elements are opened using the general sibling selector:

  .nl-overlay {  	position: fixed;  	top: 0;  	left: 0;  	width: 100%;  	height: 100%;  	background: rgba(0,0,0,0.5);  	opacity: 0;  	z-index: 9999;  	visibility: hidden;  	transition: visibility 0s 0.3s, opacity 0.3s;  }    .nl-field.nl-field-open ~ .nl-overlay {  	opacity: 1;  	visibility: visible;  	-webkit-transition-delay: 0s;  	-moz-transition-delay: 0s;  	transition-delay: 0s;  }

Last, but not least, let’s add some media queries for adjusting the size on smaller devices:

  @media screen and (max-width: 45em) {  	.nl-form {  		font-size: 3em;  	}  }    @media screen and (max-width: 25em) {  	.nl-form {  		font-size: 2em;  	}  }

And that’s all the style. Now, let’s have a look at the JavaScript.

The JavaScript

Let’s start by defining the object representing the form element:

  function NLForm( el ) {	  	// the form element  	this.el = el;  	// the overlay  	this.overlay = this.el.querySelector( '.nl-overlay' );  	// array with all the possible custom fields  	this.fields = [];  	// counter for each custom field  	this.fldOpen = -1;  	this._init();  }

We will start by creating some custom structure by replacing all the select and input elements inside the form. We will define a object that represents each one of these custom fields – NLField.

  NLForm.prototype = {  	_init : function() {  		var self = this;  		Array.prototype.slice.call( this.el.querySelectorAll( 'select' ) ).forEach( function( el, i ) {  			self.fldOpen++;  			self.fields.push( new NLField( self, el, 'dropdown', self.fldOpen ) );  		} );  		Array.prototype.slice.call( this.el.querySelectorAll( 'input' ) ).forEach( function( el, i ) {  			self.fldOpen++;  			self.fields.push( new NLField( self, el, 'input', self.fldOpen ) );  		} );  	},  	...  }    function NLField( form, el, type, idx ) {  	this.form = form;  	// the original HTML element  	this.elOriginal = el;  	this.pos = idx;  	this.type = type;  	this._create();  	this._initEvents();  }  NLField.prototype = {  	_create : function() {  		if( this.type === 'dropdown' ) {  			this._createDropDown();	  		}  		else if( this.type === 'input' ) {  			this._createInput();	  		}  	},  	...  }

The structure will be different depending if it’s a select box or an input field.

  NLField.prototype = {  	...  	_createDropDown : function() {  		var self = this;  		this.fld = document.createElement( 'div' );  		this.fld.className = 'nl-field nl-dd';  		this.toggle = document.createElement( 'a' );  		this.toggle.innerHTML = this.elOriginal.options[ this.elOriginal.selectedIndex ].innerHTML;  		this.toggle.className = 'nl-field-toggle';  		this.optionsList = document.createElement( 'ul' );  		var ihtml = '';  		Array.prototype.slice.call( this.elOriginal.querySelectorAll( 'option' ) ).forEach( function( el, i ) {  			ihtml += self.elOriginal.selectedIndex === i ? ' ' + el.innerHTML + ' ' : ' ' + el.innerHTML + ' ';  			// selected index value  			if( self.elOriginal.selectedIndex === i ) {  				self.selectedIdx = i;  			}  		} );  		this.optionsList.innerHTML = ihtml;  		this.fld.appendChild( this.toggle );  		this.fld.appendChild( this.optionsList );  		this.elOriginal.parentNode.insertBefore( this.fld, this.elOriginal );  		this.elOriginal.style.display = 'none';  	},  	_createInput : function() {  		var self = this;  		this.fld = document.createElement( 'div' );  		this.fld.className = 'nl-field nl-ti-text';  		this.toggle = document.createElement( 'a' );  		this.toggle.innerHTML = this.elOriginal.placeholder;  		this.toggle.className = 'nl-field-toggle';  		this.optionsList = document.createElement( 'ul' );  		this.getinput = document.createElement( 'input' );  		this.getinput.setAttribute( 'type', 'text' );  		this.getinput.placeholder = this.elOriginal.placeholder;  		this.getinputWrapper = document.createElement( 'li' );  		this.getinputWrapper.className = 'nl-ti-input';  		this.inputsubmit = document.createElement( 'button' );  		this.inputsubmit.className = 'nl-field-go';  		this.inputsubmit.innerHTML = 'Go';  		this.getinputWrapper.appendChild( this.getinput );  		this.getinputWrapper.appendChild( this.inputsubmit );  		this.example = document.createElement( 'li' );  		this.example.className = 'nl-ti-example';  		this.example.innerHTML = this.elOriginal.getAttribute( 'data-subline' );  		this.optionsList.appendChild( this.getinputWrapper );  		this.optionsList.appendChild( this.example );  		this.fld.appendChild( this.toggle );  		this.fld.appendChild( this.optionsList );  		this.elOriginal.parentNode.insertBefore( this.fld, this.elOriginal );  		this.elOriginal.style.display = 'none';  	},  	...  }

Finally we will bind some events to the custom fields. For the dropdown we want to update the form field with the value chosen from the list of options, and for the input the User will type the desired value and either press enter, the submit button or simply click the overlay to update the form value.

  NLField.prototype = {  	...  	_initEvents : function() {  		var self = this;  		this.toggle.addEventListener( 'click', function( ev ) { ev.preventDefault(); ev.stopPropagation(); self._open(); } );  		this.toggle.addEventListener( 'touchstart', function( ev ) { ev.preventDefault(); ev.stopPropagation(); self._open(); } );    		if( this.type === 'dropdown' ) {  			var opts = Array.prototype.slice.call( this.optionsList.querySelectorAll( 'li' ) );  			opts.forEach( function( el, i ) {  				el.addEventListener( 'click', function( ev ) { ev.preventDefault(); self.close( el, opts.indexOf( el ) ); } );  				el.addEventListener( 'touchstart', function( ev ) { ev.preventDefault(); self.close( el, opts.indexOf( el ) ); } );  			} );  		}  		else if( this.type === 'input' ) {  			this.getinput.addEventListener( 'keydown', function( ev ) {  				if ( ev.keyCode == 13 ) {  					self.close();  				}  			} );  			this.inputsubmit.addEventListener( 'click', function( ev ) { ev.preventDefault(); self.close(); } );  			this.inputsubmit.addEventListener( 'touchstart', function( ev ) { ev.preventDefault(); self.close(); } );  		}    	},  	_open : function() {  		if( this.open ) {  			return false;  		}  		this.open = true;  		this.form.fldOpen = this.pos;  		var self = this;  		this.fld.className += ' nl-field-open';  	},  	close : function( opt, idx ) {  		if( !this.open ) {  			return false;  		}  		this.open = false;  		this.form.fldOpen = -1;  		this.fld.className = this.fld.className.replace(/\b nl-field-open\b/,'');    		if( this.type === 'dropdown' ) {  			if( opt ) {  				// remove class nl-dd-checked from previous option  				var selectedopt = this.optionsList.children[ this.selectedIdx ];  				selectedopt.className = '';    				opt.className = 'nl-dd-checked';  				this.toggle.innerHTML = opt.innerHTML;    				// update selected index value  				this.selectedIdx = idx;  				// update original select element´s value  				this.elOriginal.value = this.elOriginal.children[ this.selectedIdx ].value;  			}  		}  		else if( this.type === 'input' ) {  			this.getinput.blur();  			this.toggle.innerHTML = this.getinput.value.trim() !== '' ? this.getinput.value : this.getinput.placeholder;  			this.elOriginal.value = this.getinput.value;  		}  	}  	...  }

And that’s it! I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and find it inspiring!

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