TECH BUZZ NET

Mashable: Latest 9 News Updates - including “Verizon Plans to Put Skype on its Phones [REPORT]”

2010-02-14T05:41:00.001-08:00

Mashable: Latest 9 News Updates - including “Verizon Plans to Put Skype on its Phones [REPORT]”

Verizon Plans to Put Skype on its Phones [REPORT]
Google Buzz Gets Some Serious Privacy Tweaks
Tweeting Dog Collar Posts Your Dog’s Movements to Twitter
Control Your iPhone From Your Couch With Bowtie
Wired Magazine for iPad Will Launch By Summer
Google Co-Founder: China Issue Could Be Resolved in a “Year or Two”
Google Pulls Olympic Luge Logo After Backlash
What Happens in Vegas, Goes on Foursquare [PIC]
How the Fashion Industry is Embracing Social Media
HOW TO: Make a Google Buzz Desktop App

Verizon Plans to Put Skype on its Phones [REPORT]

Posted: 13 Feb 2010 06:55 PM PST

Bloomberg is reporting that Verizon is planning on adding official support for Skype to its handsets. The two companies are expected to announce a partnership at the Mobile World Congress on February 16, which will allow Skype calls to be made from Verizon phones using the provider’s 3G data plan.

This would be a shrewd move on the part of Verizon. Voice calls are becoming a less and less of a profit center for wireless carriers. Look at the big price cuts that both Verizon and AT&T introduced last month: The biggest area of price savings is in unlimited voice plans. Data is still a premium, and in the case of Verizon, there are still data caps for mobile data usage.

For consumers, having Skype pre-loaded on a phone — which Bloomberg says is to be on a range of low and high-end handsets — might mean that instead of paying for a voice plan (or a more expensive voice plan), the option to get a better data plan and just use Skype when making calls might make more sense.

Bloomberg quotes IDC analyst Rebecca Swensen:

“What’s important is that Verizon understands that, at some point, they are going to be losing voice minutes to the data world. This makes their platform more valuable for end-users. It could be a differentiator for Verizon Wireless.”

Although Verizon is the largest wireless carrier in the US, it faces stiff competition from AT&T. Although AT&T’s service is pretty universally reviled, AT&T has the iPhone and that continues to drive customers to the carrier. While AT&T is expected to lose exclusivity at some point, it is unclear when or if Verizon will get to carry the device. As it stands, AT&T will be the 3G data provider for Apple’s iPad this April.

Skype works on AT&T’s WiFi network and a 3G version is in the works as well. Depending on which carrier can offer 3G access to Skype first — and on what phones — could depend on how valuable this feature is.

If given the choice, would you drop your voice plan and just use Skype over 3G data for making and receiving calls? Let us know!

Reviews: Skype, iPhone

Tags: 3g data, mobile voip, Skype, verizon, voip

Google Buzz Gets Some Serious Privacy Tweaks

Posted: 13 Feb 2010 05:46 PM PST

GMAIL USERS: You’re welcome to join the discussion over on Mashable's Google Buzz account.

Google Buzz only launched four days ago but it’s already taking off in a big way. Google already made some changes to how Buzz works on Thursday but today the company has created a blog post highlighting some additional changes — including some ways to turn Buzz off altogether.

Here are some of the big changes that Google is making to buzz, that it plans to roll out over the next few days:

Auto-follow will become auto-suggest — Based on privacy concerns from users who aren’t happy with the current auto-follow structure, Google Buzz will instead prompt users with some suggestions of what users they want to follow, based on who they e-mail most. This is what that screen will look like.

Existing Buzz users will be able to review and confirm their followers via similar screen over the next few weeks.
Buzz will no longer connect to Google Reader or Picasa Web Albums automatically — Although only public items were shared via these two connect options, due to feedback from concerned users and confusion, Google Reader and Picasa Web Albums will have to be added manually to your Google Buzz profile just like Twitter or Flickr.
New Buzz tab in Gmail Settings — You can see what the Buzz tab looks like below, but it offers you a chance to decide to show or exclude who you follow on your public Google profile and gives you the option to hide Buzz from Gmail. You can also disable Buzz completely.

One other note — at the bottom of the page in Gmail, you can select a turn-off Buzz button. This will hide Buzz from your Gmail account, although you can turn it back on without losing your information.

Reviews: Flickr, Gmail, Google, Google Buzz, Google Reader, Twitter

Tags: gmail, google buzz, privacy

Tweeting Dog Collar Posts Your Dog’s Movements to Twitter

Posted: 13 Feb 2010 05:15 PM PST

Mattel is about to launch a toy that will brighten the lives of some dog lovers — but act as a sign of the coming apocalypse for folks who aren’t so keen on cute pet gimmicks. It’s called Puppy Tweet, and it gives your dog the ability to send Twitter updates about what he or she is doing.

Well, sort of.

The collar detects when your dog moves or make a sound, then randomly selects one of 500 pre-written tweets to post to Twitter. Your dog has to be within a reasonable distance of the room with your computer in it, though; the tweets are sent wirelessly from the collar to a USB receiver that has to be plugged into a supported Internet-connected device.

Since the selection is random, the tweets don’t really represent what your dog is doing. It’s more a placebo that reminds you that your beloved pet is out there doing something, whatever it is. They’re cute though. A couple examples: “I finally caught that tail I’ve been chasing, and . . . OOUUUCHH!” and “I bark because I miss you. There, I said it. Now hurry home.”

It sounds like it would get redundant, but Mattel Brands President Neil Freidman said “”Eventually it will certainly repeat itself, but people repeat themselves, too.” True enough.

Puppy Tweets will cost $29.99 when it launches in the United States this fall at e-tailers like Amazon.

We’d be remiss not to mention when seeing this that it resembles the talking dog collar in the Pixar film Up — everybody else has mentioned it! Sadly, Puppy Tweets isn’t nearly as advanced as that one.

Reviews: Twitter

Tags: dogs, mattel, pets, twitter

Control Your iPhone From Your Couch With Bowtie

Posted: 13 Feb 2010 04:15 PM PST

One of our favorite little Mac utilities, the iTunes controller Bowtie has just hit version 1.0! Bowtie lets you easily control iTunes with customizable shortcuts, view album art and automatically send songs to Last.fm (and mark songs you love and songs you want to ban). Even better? There’s now a Bowtie iPhone app that you can control using Mac or Windows!

A Customizable iTunes Controller

When Bowtie first hit the scene in the Fall of 2008, it was a simple, themeable iTunes controller. If you’ve never used an iTunes controller like CoverSutra or Ecoute, you’re missing out. Simply put, it’s a really nice way to customize your iTunes playback experience, plus you can modify how album art and playback information is displayed on your Mac desktop, so when iTunes is minimized, you can still see what’s playing and rate, skip or view album art.

Bowtie 1.0 has received a big overhaul on the backend. It uses less memory, connects to Last.fm in a new way and is fully extensible in the future. The one big difference is that search — a much-loved feature in the alpha and beta releases — has been removed. Search was great because you could search for a song from Bowtie and start playing it. Unfortunately, as the developer says, that created some performance problems, led to crashes and was just buggy. The feature will be coming back, but when it does, it’s going to work the right way.

Bowtie is still ultra themeable (you can create your own themes by reading this guide), which is one of the things that first drew me to the app. I like being able to customize my desktop and lots and lots of designers have created some pretty awesome themes. You can check out MacThemes and Iconpaper to get more skins.

Bowtie for iPhone

The newest edition to the Bowtie family is Bowtie for the iPhone. With this iPhone app, you can control the music playing on your iPhone or iPod touch using Bowtie for Mac or the Bowtie iPhone Controller for Windows.

Why would you want to do that? Here’s a scenario that isn’t unfamiliar to me: Say you have some really badass speakers that have an iPhone connector dock. You like to plug your iPhone into the dock to pump music through your living room or office or whatever. However, the big problem is when you want to change tracks or pause the music. Rather than walk to the device to manually change what’s playing, why not use your computer?

It’s really nice and it works incredibly well. Check out these screenshots, which show how what you select in Bowtie will play or pause what’s playing on your iPhone or iPod touch.

Bowtie for the iPhone is 99¢ in the App Store. It’s a pretty cool program if you ever find yourself using your iPod or iPhone as a music player. Another thing to note — Bowtie for iPhone will work with the iPad on day one. The developer says that other iPad-centric features will be added too.

Bowtie for Mac and the Bowtie Remote for Windows apps are free. All three apps are available now.

Do you use any iTunes controllers? What’s your favorite? Let us know!

Reviews: Windows

Tags: apple, bowtie, iphone apps, itunes, mac, software

Wired Magazine for iPad Will Launch By Summer

Posted: 13 Feb 2010 03:51 PM PST

Wired Magazine Editor-in-Chief Chris Anderson showed off the iPad edition of Wired at the TED conference yesterday. He says it will be available by the summer; the iPad itself is expected to launch in late March.

Back in November, Wired publisher Condé Naste announced that it would be working on an edition of Wired for the Apple tablet before Apple even confirmed the existence of such a tablet. Other Condé Naste publications were expected to follow.

The announcement drew some ridicule since the iPad was just a rumor at the time, but it turns out the publisher wasn’t bluffing; Wired’s Creative Director Scott Dadich and Adobe’s Jeremy Clark have been working on the Wired iPad app for six months now.

The fruits of their labor: a digital version of the magazine on which you can flip horizantally to move between stories and vertically to read whatever story you’ve settled on. Rich media like expandable images, 360-degree ad views, and embedded videos are also part of the presentation.

While specific pricing hasn’t been announced, expect it to cost less than a subscription to the print version.

Tags: Apple iPad, media, Wired

Google Co-Founder: China Issue Could Be Resolved in a “Year or Two”

Posted: 13 Feb 2010 03:18 PM PST

Google co-founder Sergey Brin said in a Q&A at the TED conference in California that he and Google “want to work within the Chinese system” to bring uncensored results to the Chinese people. Though he’s not expecting immediate success, he said “maybe in a year or two.”

Brin was answering a question about his responsibility to the Chinese people who Q&A host Chris Anderson said would “feel all completely abandoned” if Google leaves. Brin went on to say: “A lot of people might think I am naive and that might be true.”

Google released a statement of intent to pull out of China rather than acquiesce to the Chinese government’s mandates of political censorship of search results and other Internet data. Though the company hasn’t flipped the switch off yet, the announcement has placed considerable pressure on China internationally. The country has been criticized by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and others.

It’s pertinent to note that Brin is believed to have been the major figure at Google who pushed for the decision to announce intentions to leave China.

The decision was announced after hackers of unknown affiliation working within mainland China broke into the Gmail accounts of human rights activists. The Chinese government denies involvement, but bloggers and journalists have widely speculated that the attacks were executed by the Chinese government itself. Brin believes the question of government involvement is irrelevant. He said “if there were a Chinese agent, it might represent a fragment of policy” that wouldn’t necessarily reflect on the government as a whole.

Other web services have been hacked in the past, and Brin said their failure to come forward has led to unpreparedness in their peers. “It turns out a number of companies were aware of certain attacks on their systems … if more companies were to come forward in respect to these security incidents, I think we'd all be safer.”

[img credit: jurvetson]

Reviews: Gmail, Google

Tags: china, Google, politics, Sergey Brin, TED, ted 2010

Google Pulls Olympic Luge Logo After Backlash

Posted: 13 Feb 2010 12:07 PM PST

Google posted a Vancouver Winter Olympics-themed search page logo featuring a luge athlete this morning just one day after 21-year old Georgian luge competitor Nodar Kumaritashvili died while practicing on the world’s longest luge drop.

The logo was replaced with a similar one depicting a snowboarder instead of a luger. The New York Daily News managed to find a picture of the logo that was pulled; you can see both the new graphic and the original one below.

After Google posted the logo, many people called it poor taste on Twitter. User jennytondera tweeted, “google luge logo. really, google? not okay.” On the other hand, some other folks took it to be a fitting tribute.

Individual sensibilities differ regarding this, but Google apparently decided to play it safe by replacing the logo. What do you think — fitting tribute or bad taste?

Original Logo: Luge

New Logo: Snowboarding

[Thanks, Shauna]

Reviews: Google, Twitter

Tags: Google, olympics

What Happens in Vegas, Goes on Foursquare [PIC]

Posted: 13 Feb 2010 11:21 AM PST

You’ve probably heard a dozen times now about people getting fired for what they posted on their blogs or their social networks. A web comic from Status THIS makes a good and humorous point that you should be just as careful if not more so with Foursquare’s public location check-ins.

8% of U.S. companies say they’ve fired an employee for unacceptable social media activity. That can be for something like sharing private company information, but it can also be for admitting misconduct — for example, foolishly sending out a tweet saying that you called in “sick” to work in order to play volleyball Tuesday afternoon.

With Foursquare’s check-ins, you can give too much info about your wild nightlife to your boss. Read the comic below and enjoy a little laugh.

Tags: comic, foursquare, status this

How the Fashion Industry is Embracing Social Media

Posted: 13 Feb 2010 10:11 AM PST

Hitha Prabhakar is a retail industry expert and principal of The Style File Group, a retail consulting firm based in New York City. She has also written about fashion for Forbes.com, Time magazine, People magazine, People.com, ELLE India, Metro Newspapers, and is a contributor on CNBC. Follow her on Twitter at @hithaprabhakar or @stylefilemedia.

What's the hottest trend in fashion right now? Social media of course.

As part of fashion week prep on Wednesday, I decided to do a quick search for #nyfw (New York Fashion Week, going on right now in New York) on Twitter. To my surprise, conversations ran the gamut — some Tweeters chimed in about the pending snow storm waiting to blanket the city, and others were buzzing about the Alexander Wang, Marc Jacobs and Rodarte shows being streamed online. When I turned away for half a second (literally) to grab my coffee, I was met with the words "43 more tweets since you started searching." 43 more tweets? Really?

What was most shocking wasn't the sheer volume of people talking about the week-long event, but the actual people who were participating in the conversation. Journalists, fashion incubators, retail gurus and people who were just plain interested in the industry were weighing in on a topic that has notoriously shut its doors to anyone deemed an outsider. Why the transparency now?

Social Success

"People want to feel connected," says Kelly Cutrone, owner of People's Revolution and executive producer of reality TV series on Bravo Kell on Earth. Cutrone has orchestrated the campaigns of hundreds of clients, including Donna Karan and Lisa Marie, and has always incorporated a digital strategy when working with them. "It's one thing if you are a luxury brand and have been around for 60 years and can weather the retail storm we've had, but if you are a new brand that's just starting out — whether you are a writer or a retailer — innovating through social media is crucial. Those that are hidden and guarded will not progress."

In the past six months, the amount of fashion insiders embracing social media has skyrocketed. On any given day (depending on who you are following) you can learn that Marc Jacobs president Robert Duffy is still pondering locations for their rapidly approaching fashion show. You might know that designer Rachel Roy had an interview with a media outlet, or that designer Tory Burch is hoping to see models with “some meat on their bones" in her show. By letting the public behind the fashion influencer curtain, stalwarts and luminaries have created and connected to an entirely new audience, and capitalized on the 400 million Facebook users and more than 22 million Twitter users. Social media, it seems, has become the hottest trend since skinny jeans and stiletto heels.

"Ignoring the Internet [and social media] is madness," says designer Diane von Furstenberg who has been advocating for transparency in the fashion industry for years. "We decided to have a presence because it was a very organic way for us to communicate online. And yes, we think about [transparency] but don't worry too much. We try to keep the focus on the clothes that are in the store, or buy now and wear now, not what is on the runway. But people will always get access to that as well."

With her following at over 22,000, von Furstenberg is one of the most beloved and popular designers on Twitter. And while that number doesn't seem high compared to the 4.5 million followers Ashton Kutcher has, von Furstenberg's followers are loyal key influencers whose voices hold a certain amount of authority not only in the fashion industry but also in high-tech social circles.

The viral marketing capabilities of re-tweeting by this targeted group is something an advertising budget cannot buy. Within the last year of having a major online and social media presence, von Furstenberg's online traffic has increased by 13% and sales "have been great" according to a source in the corporate offices of DvF.

"Brands are learning how to humanize without killing their mystique," says Shiv Singh, VP and global social media lead at Razorfish and author of Social Media Marketing for Dummies. “You look at brands like Chanel, who have pushed designer Karl Largerfeld into the social media sphere to further connect with their customers, or Victoria's Secret, who has 2.63 million fans on Facebook and 1.7 million for Pink — you are able to see how these brands are able to connect with their customers and monetize on it through awareness, loyalty and engagement."

Likewise, Burberry who launched the "Art of the Trench" campaign last summer shot by photographer Scott Schuman saw incredible success by having fans comment on the pictures. Schuman, who has launched himself into the fashion stratosphere with his photography blog “The Sartorialist" says he has never updated his Twitter account (he claims it is someone he doesn't know who is posting) but has upwards of 34,000 followers. "The Burberry campaign was the first of its kind to not use a large budget for hair, makeup and models. They got me, and my style of taking photos, and it allowed us to communicate with the customer on a whole new and very real level."

Not Everyone is Ready to Take the Plunge

Wesley R. Card, CEO of Jones Apparel Group explained at the WWD CEO Summit last November that transparency and lack of control over what is being said online is a worrisome issue. "As a chief executive, you want to think that you have complete control over what is being said about you or your company, and you want to make sure what you are saying isn't getting misconstrued. Even though I know we need to embrace it as a corporation, I am a little apprehensive."

Even with those who are tentative or might not understand social media completely, the Fashion Week gods, i.e. the CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America) and IMG (who produce the shows at the tents in Bryant Park), have also decided to let bloggers populate the front rows, and have established WiFi areas instead of putting the kibosh on their coverage.

The Blogosphere is Getting Access

Nichelle Pace, blogger and owner of the site STYLEMOM, who has been covering the runway shows for three seasons, noticed a significant change in tone of responses when requesting coverage of the shows this season. "The ice has definitely thawed," she notes. "I have a lot more [invites] to shows this year and publicists are more willing to float me images post-show if by chance they are over capacity and I can't cover it."

Another major change is that the dialog between designers, bloggers and social media gurus has opened up. Designers understand their customers are consuming media at mach-5 speeds. Likewise, magazines realize it's not about printing information three months after fashion weekends. "I think it’s going to be more and more important to get stuff up on the web — images, reviews, interviews, etc. — as quickly as humanly possible," says Lauren Sherman co-editor of Fashionista.com. “People read what they see first. I think magazines in particular need to figure out a way to cover the shows more uniquely in print because by the time the September issue comes out, no one cares anymore."

Joe Zee, creative director at ELLE Magazine says that just like in most give-and-take relationships, it’s a compromise. "I've always been about what the 'next big thing' is. Please, I was the one that would help my grandmother put the VCR together when I was little and got a Tivo 15 years ago. People fear what they don't understand, but trust me, magazines, designers and retailers are getting to understand what social media is faster than they can say 'that's fabulous.'"

More social media resources from Mashable:

- 5 Ways Social Media Changed Fashion in 2009
- 9 Fantastic Facebook Pages for Fashion
- Zen and the Art of Twitter: 4 Tips for Productive Tweeting
- The Tao of Tweeting
- How Social Media Has Changed Us
- 5 Tips for Building Lasting Online Friendships
- 4 Steps for Effective Online Networking

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, webphotographeer

Reviews: Twitter, iStockphoto

Tags: blogosphere, BLOGS, entertainment, facebook, fashion, fashion week, social media, style, twitter, Victoria's Secret

HOW TO: Make a Google Buzz Desktop App

Posted: 13 Feb 2010 09:37 AM PST

GMAIL USERS: We hope you’ll join the discussion over on Mashable's Google Buzz account.

Whether you’re using it on your phone or your desktop, Google Buzz is quickly becoming an interesting and popular way to share content with your Gmail friends. However, because it’s tied to Gmail, Google Buzz is also tied to your web browser. That can be fine for lots of instances, but what if you what if your primary Gmail account and the account you use Buzz with aren’t the same? What if you want to have Buzz act like more of a regular application than a browser tab?

While we’re sure that plenty of Buzz-specific application clients are in the works, we’re going to show you how you can create your own Buzz Application for Windows, Mac or Linux. As a side benefit, you can utilize this technique with practically any web application out there!

The Rundown on SSBs (Site-Specific Browsers)

To create our stand-alone copy of Gmail (and by extension, Google Buzz), we’re going to create what is known as a site-specific browser (SSB). An SSB is a web browser instance that is created specifically for a certain website or web application. It has its own desktop shortcut and can appear as its own application.

Most SSBs will eschew more advanced browser features and add-ons (meaning you see the web page and not the toolbar and navigation components), keeping the focus just on a singular app or app suite. So why would anyone want something like this? Well, it makes it easy to keep a certain website or web app separate and distinguishable from other tabs. It also keeps the focus on just that app. Plus, if your main browser crashes or you accidentally close it, your SSB isn’t affected.

It can also be good for users that want to login to multiple accounts of the same service, depending on what type of SSB tool you use. Plus, for the advanced user, some SSBs support different scripting extensions that can add in extra or custom functionality specifically to that SSB — functions that might not be available for the standard browser.

Choosing the Right Tool

There are a number of different programs for creating your own SSB.

Bubbles for Windows was one of the first general purpose SSB tools. It uses Internet Explorer’s rendering engine, meaning that it will display sites the same same way as Internet Explorer does on your PC. With Bubbles you can see your app from the system tray and get desktop notifications and drag and drop local files to your app.

Bubbles shares cookies with Internet Explorer, meaning that logging into two Gmail accounts at once is not the easiest thing to do. However, if that’s not what you need and you just want a good separate Gmail and Google Buzz client for Windows, you can download the free Bubbles for Gmail SSB.

Fluid for Mac is easy to use and customize, plus you can add in scripts and other additions if you want to get really geeky. It uses Safari’s WebKit rendering engine — so it’s fast — and you can take advantage of any of the Safari add-ons (like Agile Web Solutions’ 1Password), which makes it really slick.

However, like Bubbles, Fluid shares cookies with Safari for Mac. Again, this means that logging into multiple accounts of the same service is pretty much out of the question. We expect this to be fixed in the future, but as for right now, it’s not really an option. For developers that want to have customize an SSB and also distribute it to other users, check out the open source Fluidium project. Fluidium is in many ways the successor to Fluid.

Google Chrome (Windows and Linux Only) Google’s Chrome browser has the ability to create an SSB from any browser tab. Google calls this Application Shortcuts. To create an Application Shortcut, navigate to the page you want to access and then click on the Control this Page button (the icon that looks like a document) and select “Create Application Shortcut.” Then designate where you want a shortcut to be created. Now, when you launch that shortcut, you’ll be taken to that page. Like other SSBs, the address bar and navigation bar won’t be visible.

Sadly, like Bubbles and Fluid for Mac, Google Chrome’s SSB tool still shares cookies with the Google Chrome browser. Again, if you want to login to the same service under multiple accounts, this isn’t the option for you. But it is a darn easy way to create an SSB.

Mozilla Prism is a standalone app or a Firefox extension that creates site-specific browsers that are rendered using Firefox’s Gecko engine. If you use the standalone app, you just need to enter in an address, an application name, and designate where you want the app to be located. If you use the Firefox Extension, you can turn any website into an SSB just by clicking Tools, “Convert to Website Application.”

Unlike Fluid, Chrome and Bubbles, Prism stores cookies for Prism apps separately from Firefox. This is fantastic for anyone with multiple accounts with the same service (like Gmail) who don’t like to shuffle between logins day in and day out.

For us, this is a killer feature — because one of the downsides of Google Buzz is that it is explicitly linked with a particular Gmail account. For teams or small businesses that want to use Buzz from a main account (like we do at Mashable), this is a way for multiple users to share an account, without having to give-up access to their personal mail or personal Buzz messages.

Creating a Google Buzz App in Prism

The process is pretty simple, but we’ll walk you through it step-by-step.

Step 1: Download Prism either as an extension or stand-alone app. Both options are virtually the same, so which one you use really just depends on your preference.

Step 2: Either double-click on the Prism application or go to Tools -> Convert Website to Application in Firefox.

In the address bar, you want to fill-in: https://mail.google.com/mail/?shva=1#buzz

Choose whether you want the app to be on your Desktop or in your Applications folder (or in the Start Menu for Windows) or both. You can choose to have a navigation window or not (we’d rather not have it), if you want status updates and notifications, and if you want to enable navigation keys.

By default, Prism will select the website’s favicon, in this case, a small Google logo, but we’ll want to replace that with something that looks better at a larger size.

Zandog and deviantART created a great PSD of the Google Buzz logo. I made just a couple of tiny modifications and resized it to 512×512 and saved it as a transparent PNG file. You can download it and use it for you own Buzz icon if you want something that will look nice in your task bar or Mac dock.

Here’s the image:

Right click on this image and select Save As. Then, in the icon dropdown box, select “Choose Image” and find the PNG file you’ve saved to your hard drive. This will be your Buzz icon.

Click OK.

Step 3: Double-click on your Buzz icon to launch you new Buzz app.

That’s it! Now you can use Buzz in a stand-alone browser window without distractions and you can remain logged into a different Gmail account in Firefox, Chrome or Safari.

Make Other Sites into SSBs

You can use Prism (or Fluid, or Bubbles or Chrome) to create single-site browsers for other websites. Just follow the steps outlined above, replacing the Gmail URL with the site of your choice. Keep in mind that if you are dealing with a site that uses cookies for login info and you have or want to simultaneously access multiple accounts of the same service, Prism is the best option to use. Otherwise, it all comes down to a matter of preference!

Do you ever create site-specific browsers? What features would you like to see in a full-blown Buzz client? let us know!

Reviews: 1Password, Chrome, Firefox, Gmail, Google, Google Buzz, Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Linux, Mashable, Safari, Windows, fluid

Tags: applications, Bubbles, buzz, chrome, fluid, Google, google buzz, google chrome, prizm, trending

YugaTech

2010-02-13T21:04:00.001-08:00

YugaTech

Asus Eee PC 1005P gets priced

Posted: 13 Feb 2010 06:07 PM PST

Stores are now selling the refreshed version of the 10″ Asus Eee PC 1005P Seashell running an Atom N450 processor. Options for no OS or Windows 7 makes the pricing a bit interesting.

The one with Windows 7 Starter has a suggested retail price of Php21,900 while the one without any OS is just Php19,896.

Asus Eee PC 1005P
10.1″ display screen @ 1024×600 pixels
Intel Atom N450 @ 1.66GHz
Intel GMA 3150
1GB DDR2 RAM
250GB HDD
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth
0.3MP webcam
Windows 7 Starter
Price: Php21,900

Asus Eee PC 1005P
10.1″ display screen @ 1024×600 pixels
Intel Atom N450 @ 1.66GHz
Intel GMA 3150
1GB DDR2 RAM
320GB HDD
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth
0.3MP webcam
No Operating System
Price: 19,896

The 2 thousand peso difference for the OS and the HDD upgrade to 320GB makes this model a pretty nice deal. I think it’s a good thing they offer options without any OS so consumers can save up a bit and just run some free OS like Ubuntu.

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Interesting Stats from YugaTech iPhone App

Posted: 13 Feb 2010 01:57 AM PST

For about 2 and a half months now, we’ve had the YugaTech iPhone App as a dedicated reader for the iPhone and the iPod Touch. I’d like to share some insights on the stats we’ve gathered from over 600 active users.

From just over 600+ YugaTech iPhone App users, close to 60% are coming from the Philippines followed by United States (14.43%), Australia (5.14%) and Singapore (3.81%).

Users by Country/Region:

As for the type of devices used, for the longest time it was the iPhone 3G that led the pack until this month when the iPhone 3GS took the lead at 28.24%. There’s a 6 to 4 ratio between iPhone and iPod Touch users.

Users by Device Type

The most interesting to me actually is the number of jailbroken devices — the 30% has been pretty consistent even from the start so it looks like one in every 3 iPhone users jailbreak their devices.

Jailbroken Devices:

Anyway, just thought I’d share these numbers with my readers and thank them as well for using the iPhone App. I’ll be running a separate give-away for the App users one of these days so watch out for that.

If you like to check out the YugaTech iPhone App and download it to your iPhone or iPod Touch, go see this entry.

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Mashable: Latest 19 News Updates - including “We Are the World 25 For Haiti Debuts on YouTube [VIDEO]”

2010-02-13T05:21:00.001-08:00

Mashable: Latest 19 News Updates - including “We Are the World 25 For Haiti Debuts on YouTube [VIDEO]”

We Are the World 25 For Haiti Debuts on YouTube [VIDEO]
Twitter Users React to Google Buzz [STATS]
Glitch: Flickr’s Stewart Butterfield Explains His Ambitious Online Game
Friday Poll: TED Attendees Talk Top Technology Trends
President Obama Wants YOU… to Twitter for Him
Mosquito Death Ray in Action at TED [VIDEO]
TED: Future of Mobile With Henry Tirri, Head of Nokia Research [INTERVIEW]
HOW TO: Integrate Facebook, Twitter, and Buzz into Your Gmail
Thanks to Mashable’s Socially Savvy Supporters
3 Social Media Sources for Official NBA All-Star Content
Google: Buzz Is Staying in Gmail
SocialTALK Helps Businesses Diffuse Social Media Clutter
Joker Tricks TV Host Into Reading Lyrics From “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” [VIDEO]
5 Tips for Creating Non-Profit Online Communities
The New York Times and Foursquare Partner for the Olympics
How We’re Using Social Media on Our Mobile Phones [STATS]
8 iPhone Apps for the Perfect Valentine’s Day
Hilarious Vintage Dating Reels From Found Footage Fest [VIDEO]
Yahoo Launches Mobile Site for the Winter Olympics
Opera Mini Reaches 50 Million Active Users

We Are the World 25 For Haiti Debuts on YouTube [VIDEO]

Posted: 12 Feb 2010 08:42 PM PST

Following up on the success of the star studded TV and Internet streamed "Hope for Haiti Now" event last month, a new version of "We Are the World" has premiered on YouTube, featuring more than 75 artists.

The video was directed by Paul Haggis, produced by Quincy Jones, and features a diverse array of artists including Mary J. Blige, Tony Bennett, YouTube phenom Justin Bieber, and a flashback to Michael and Janet Jackson performing the song 25 years ago in a similar fundraiser for Africa.

The charitable connection here is a digital download – all proceeds from sales of the song on iTunes go to Haiti relief. The We Are the World Foundation website also offers other ways to donate, as well as more information about the song.

On choosing to use YouTube for distribution, the legendary Jones says in a Q&A that "… with the stroke of a key on your keyboard or cell phone, images and messages can be transferred all around the world to hundreds of millions of people in seconds. That's an enormous amount of power. How can you not try and harness that resource to help people in need?”

We imagine the results here will indeed be huge. In addition to the YouTube premiere, the song played during the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics earlier this evening.

Reviews: YouTube

Tags: haiti, video, youtube

Twitter Users React to Google Buzz [STATS]

Posted: 12 Feb 2010 08:04 PM PST

GMAIL USERS: We hope you’ll join the discussion over on Mashable's Google Buzz account.

Some think Google Buzz could be the next huge social platform. Others think it's one big privacy nightmare. With its launch week drawing to an end, we pinged our friends at Crimson Hexagon for analysis of Twitter user's opinions.

The results, not surprisingly, are incredibly mixed. 16 percent of the tweets analyzed were characterized as positive, while 14 percent simply express curiosity. The much talked about privacy issues that Google has already moved to address garnered 15 percent of the tweet activity, though a full 50 percent either don't like Buzz or are already claiming to be done with it. Somewhat surprisingly, 6 percent expressed loyalty to Twitter in their comments – a sign that some view Buzz as a competitive threat.

The overall buzz, one way or another, has been plentiful. According to another analytics firm – Trendrr – Buzz garnered more tweet volume than Google's Nexus One launch, with a peak of nearly a quarter of a million tweets on Tuesday.

Reviews: Google, Google Buzz, Twitter

Tags: Google, google buzz, twitter

Glitch: Flickr’s Stewart Butterfield Explains His Ambitious Online Game

Posted: 12 Feb 2010 07:04 PM PST

Flickr co-founder Stewart Butterfield and five other former Flickr employees are joined by one Digg alum, one games expert and several freelancers in Tiny Speck, a company that’s working on an online game that has a shot at rebooting the stagnating massively multiplayer online game genre.

The 2D game — called Glitch — incorporates beautiful illustrations and cutting edge game mechanics, but its most interesting features are its social aspirations and the lessons it learns from the web that its founders mastered at their previous gigs.

The game itself is difficult to pin down; it’s some combination of FarmVille, MapleStory, World of Warcraft, MetaPlace and any number of other online games or virtual worlds, but it doesn’t fall anywhere on a spectrum.

We spoke with Butterfield at length about the game — here are a few reasons why it’s something to keep an eye on.

Rebooting the Genre

Butterfield hopes Glitch will “do for online gaming what the Wii did for consoles” — greatly expand the audience for a type of product that has recently sold itself short by settling all too comfortably into a niche.

For more than two decades, designers of online games ranging from the text-based multi-user dungeons (MUDs) of yore to early graphical experiments like Meridian 59, Underlight and Ultima Online imagined amazing social possibilities for online games. They pictured virtual societies run by the users, with political factions and other organizations appearing organically and giving people a way to socialize in a whole new way outside of the rigid establishment of real life.

But that dream never came true, in part because a game called EverQuest introduced a less ambitious and more restrictive model that was arguably the first to comfortably support a business. It did so by appealing narrowly to a niche of hardcore gamers with powerful gaming computers and a lot of time on their hands.

The great majority of massively multiplayer online games (MMOs for short) that have come to market since then have closely mirrored EverQuest’s example, including World of Warcraft, the 11-million player phenomenon that has dominated the genre for just over five years. If you watch the industry closely, though, you can see that the model isn’t working well for everybody, and it restricts the genre to a very small segment of users.

“A big difference between 2001 or 2002 when the model solidified and now,” Butterfield explained, is that “there are 10 or 20 times more people online so there’s a much, much, much bigger potential audience and you can try something that wouldn’t have worked to attract the hardcore gaming audience.”

The hope is that the game will appeal to casual gamers who have been introduced to gaming by FarmVille and restaurant management games on Facebook, but that they’ll like it more because it’s a much deeper experience without losing that accessibility. Butterfield also hopes that the game will appear more to women than other MMOs have.

The Juicy Stuff: Integration With Social Media

One of the most ambitious aspects of Tiny Speck’s plans (and one of the most interesting for Mashable readers) is expansive integration with social media. It’s not clear how much of this is planned at launch and how much will be added over time, but either way it’s ambitious.

Tiny Speck plans to integrate several platforms and social networks, including the web, Facebook, the iPhone, SMS text messaging and eventually — maybe — Xbox Live Arcade, Wiiware, and the PlayStation Network. The initial, core experience will be the Adobe Flash-based web game, which will resemble side-scrolling games like Super Mario Bros. and LittleBigPlanet. It will not be a violent game, though; the emphasis will be on social activity, role-playing game elements, and other things typical to casual games that aren’t aimed at the young-male-dominated core video game market.

Butterfield says Facebook Connect is part of the plan: “It’d be kind of idiotic for us not to work with it even if it’s just for authentication. It would be very foolish for us to ignore that.”

He says he wants it to be “as permeable as possible.” Players should be able to determine how much crossover they want between their in-game socialization and their connections with real-world friends. It goes both ways, too; eventually Tiny Speck plans to offer you the ability to bring your tweets and Facebook status updates to your game profile.

Flickr was a pioneer in blog widgets and badges; Butterfield said that Glitch badges could be placed on your blog, and your friends could send you a message using those badges. The message would then appear as a physical note within the game world.

Mobile apps are planned at some point, but Tiny Speck’s vision is not to port the entire game to the iPhone or Android devices. Rather, mobile apps would feature mini-games. Playing them would amp up your web game avatar’s abilities. Other options for mobile apps could include managing your in-game robot servants and participating in in-game auctions.

SMS interaction would be similarly focused. One example we were given: A game friend might knock on the door of your in-game home. You’d receive a text message letting you know that they’ve arrived. Then you could reply to allow them entry.

Butterfield even described a feature that would make the real world a platform for experiencing Glitch. “Imagine you buy a magic box in the game,” he said. “When you buy that magic box, we’ll mail you the Glitch logo on one side and QR code on the other.” If you place that QR code sticker somewhere in your hometown, a person who finds it can photograph it and gain access to your magic box, which you can then use to exchange items with them.

How Experiences at Flickr Prepared Tiny Speck for Online Game Development

Flickr parent company Ludicorp was originally founded to work on massively multiplayer games, but the Flickr alums in the Tiny Speck team are informing their development of Glitch with experiences from both Ludicorp’s Game Neverending and Flickr, which has been itself described as a massively multiplayer photo sharing site.

When we asked how experience at Flickr prepares key Tiny Speck employees for the online game space, Butterfield said that in addition to having vast experience with open APIs, the people working on the game are skilled in building scalable systems. “We want to make one big world, we don’t want to have shards,” he explained. That one big world will be able to support hundreds of thousands or millions of players.

Another claimed advantage: “A bigger and better background in the web and online communities, and how a community can drive the product.”

Butterfield finally said that there will be no scheduled maintenance for game updates in normal circumstances. Everyone from coders to writers will be able to define changes to the game and publish them live without interrupting the experience for any of the players. This is in contrast to World of Warcraft, which goes down for several hours each week to apply patches and other upgrades.

Will It Be Huge?

As exciting as most of the details we heard about Glitch were, we’re forced to ask a few difficult questions.

Folks who’ve been following online games might remember that was another project that was all about drawing inspiration from the way the web is built to make virtual worlds — MetaPlace. Unfortunately, MetaPlace failed. It was shut down at the beginning of the year.

Butterfield had several good things to say about MetaPlace creator Raph Koster, alternating between calling him a “genius” and a “super idealist.” However, he suggested that MetaPlace struggled because people weren’t as keen as Koster hoped they would be about making their own virtual worlds. “There’s not necessarily a high level of coincidence between the people who have the desire to do it and who can do it really well,” Butterfield said. He said Glitch isn’t trying to do the same thing that MetaPlace was.

It’s too early to make predictions as to whether or not this project will be successful; some of the hot features we were told about sounded like they only exist on paper so far. Often games that start out ambitious get scaled down over the course of development. We’re curious to see if Glitch’s vision will be preserved to the end.

There’s no doubt that there’s a vast, untapped market of would-be gamers — hundreds of millions of people who’ve never picked up an Xbox 360 controller or played World of Warcraft, but who could become absorbed in an accessible, story-driven experience.

If Tiny Speck isn’t doesn’t fully exploit that massive and emerging market, someone else will.

Reviews: Android, Facebook, Flickr, Mashable, iPhone

Tags: flickr, games, glitch, MMO, online games, stewart butterfield, video games

Friday Poll: TED Attendees Talk Top Technology Trends

Posted: 12 Feb 2010 05:58 PM PST

As you may know, each Friday we do an informal poll to find out what Mashable readers think of a particular topic du jour. This week, since we’re at TED with some of the best and brightest minds working hard to change the world, we thought we should take the Friday Poll on location and find out what TED attendees have to say about this week’s topic.

We asked a number of TEDsters the following question: “What do you think is the most interesting thing happening in technology right now?” Below is a sample of the answers we got back, featuring a range of responses as diverse as the contributors they came from. What do you think is the most interesting technology trend today? Let us know in the comments.

Di Winkler, CEO of Summer Foundation — Tools and innovations that help people with disabilities do things they otherwise wouldn’t be able to and even in some ways to become superhuman.
Jane Wulf, TED scribe — Open data. As transparency increases in government, the supply chain and elsewhere, we have so much more access to information and are able to use it in so many ways.
Rod Beckstrom, CEO of ICANN — The explosion of smartphones in the developing world, increasing education and community organizing there. Also, the movement to keep the Internet unified, not Balkanized and forked by different countries’ interests.
Andrew Bird, musician — Philosophy is more interesting than technology. Mashable: What do you think about tools that bring music creation to aspiring artists more cheaply? Andrew: I think live performance has become even more valuable because it allows for improvisation and unexpectedness, in contrast to tools that can allow too much perfection in the studio.
Lakshmi Pratury, founder and co-host of TED India — How technology is being used to further the human mind. We’ve finally gone beyond tech for tech’s sake and are using technology to make a difference in the world.
Perry Chen, CEO and co-founder of Kickstarter — Mark Roth’s work on suspended animation. Also Microsoft Pivot, for starting to bring whole new ways of browsing the web.
Juliana Machado Ferreira, biologist at Sao Paulo University and TED senior fellow — Whole genome sequencing.
Dean Guida, CEO of Infragistics — Cloud computing and collaborative software that allows distributed teams to work together across place and time.
Julianne Wurm, founder of R-cubed educational consultancy — Microsoft Surface and touchscreens in general; MIT Media Lab’s Siftables; and the iPad. I’m in education, and I think these kinds of tools are going to be incredibly important there.
Ralph Simon, CEO of Mobilium and chairman emeritus of Mobile Entertainment Forum — The emergence of smartphone components in entry-level phones in the developing world, which is accelerating Internet access for so many people who wouldn’t otherwise have it. Also augmented reality, mobile health applications, and mobile money for the unbanked.
Virginia Miracle, SVP of digital strategy at Ogilvy — The collision of our online and offline identities and the concept of an open universal identity.
Farhad Mohit, founder and CEO of Dotspots — Tim Berners-Lee’s concept of an open web of linked data. We’re enabling a kind of “information militia” that can make better, more informed decisions. Information is power and when people have power, everything changes.
Rachel Pike, Ph.D. and atmospheric chemist at the University of Cambridge — Personal and scientific data sharing, and the crowd-sourcing of science making more vital data publicly available.
Kimberly De Los Santos, associate vice president, Arizona State University — Social media. Not any specific platforms per se, but the connections across cultures they enable.
Donald Samuels, managing partner at Pictorial Offset Corporation — QR codes. They’ll become ubiquitous and all our devices will read them and take us directly to information.
Jenny Lam, co-founder of Jackson Fish Market software company — Threadless, Blurb and other tools that let artists create something physical and get it out to the public on-demand and at high quality.
Hillel Cooperman, co-founder of Jackson Fish Market — The falling cost of creating software, and new devices that have commerce built in so that customers can get payments to software developers, are both contributing to a renaissance in software development.
Debra Silver, international board member of Save a Child’s Heart — Touchscreens. I’m a sculptor so I love to see computers getting more tactile!
Peter Knights, executive director of WildAid — Work on cold fusion. Energy solutions are the most important thing right now. And the Nexus One Google just gave me is pretty cool too!
Todd Grant, creative director of Switzerland West — The disappearance of technology as it becomes a natural and intuitive part of our daily lives, so much so that we don’t always notice it.
David Wish, founder of Little Kids Rock — Gift economies and the impact that the web is having on economics overall.
Sunny Bates, partner at Icarus Talks — Microsoft Pivot, Bing Maps and real-life photo integrations, and all the new ways of visualizing information coming online.
Stephen Petranek, editor-in-chief at Weider History Group magazines — Applications made possible by putting genetic code onto discs. Imagine taking your DNA sequence on a chip to the supermarket and having it tell you what foods you should be eating.

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, ericsphotography

Reviews: Mashable, blurb, iStockphoto

Tags: Augmented Reality, Bing Maps, blurb, cloud computing, crowd sourcing, digital identity, energy, genetics, ipad, microsoft pivot, nexus one, open data, poll, QR Codes, Science, smartphones, social media, technology, TED, ted 2010, threadless

President Obama Wants YOU… to Twitter for Him

Posted: 12 Feb 2010 04:22 PM PST

Think you’re such a social media expert that you could tweet for a living? Well, President Obama is looking for an official social networks manager, and you might be just the tech whiz for the job.

According to President Obama’s website, The Democratic National Committee and Organizing for America is in the market for a new hire. According to the Wall Street Journal, Mia Cambronero, who currently holds the position, said, "[I] will be stepping down from my infamous role as 'Barack Obama's twitterer… We're looking for someone who is available to start immediately."

And what exactly are they looking for over at the White House? According to the job posting:

“The Social Networks Manager is responsible for maintaining the Democratic Party and Organizing for America accounts on all social networks (such as Facebook, Twitter and MySpace accounts, etc.) The Social Networks Manager works closely with the rest of the New Media department to execute grassroots campaigns to advance the President's agenda for change.”

Said person must also be willing to work hard — “this isn’t a 9-5 job,” the posting said — and be “passionate about engaging millions of Americans in advancing President Obama’s agenda and changing the country.” Yeah, that’s not daunting at all.

Social media has been integral to President Obama’s career since the beginning. He launched his Twitter account back in 2007 (although he only really tweeted for the first time last month to support Haiti relief efforts after admitting back in November that he was too clumsy to use the microblogging tool), and recently used YouTube to engage with the nation after the State of the Union address.

Although both the Obama and White House Twitter feeds used to read like a stream of press releases, the tweets have become much more lively in the ensuing months. Whoever fills this new position will have to continue to up the ante when it comes to engaging with the American people. Will you apply?

Reviews: Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, YouTube

Tags: facebook, myspace, Political, politics, president obama, twitter, White House

Mosquito Death Ray in Action at TED [VIDEO]

Posted: 12 Feb 2010 03:55 PM PST

Nathan Myhrvold is an inventor and killer of mosquitos with lasers. The mosquito death ray demoed in the video below was built in-house by Myhrvold’s company Intellectual Ventures Lab from parts purchased on eBay.

Every 43 seconds, a child dies from malaria. Given the constraints of current methods for fighting the disease, Myhrvold put the scientific minds of his company to the problem of eradicating the mosquitoes themselves. The lasers recognize and track the insects, measuring the frequency of the wingbeats to determine their gender. Females are targeted specifically and zapped to prevent them from taking blood meals and breeding more mosquitoes.

Intellectual Ventures’ Eric Johanson explains how the system works in the first video below. Green laser pointers are being used instead of killing lasers for safety reasons, so to witness the satisfying wisp of smoke that accompanies the pew pew-induced mosquito deaths check out the second video embed, also below:

Mosquito Death Ray Demo at TED

Mosquito Shootdown Sequence

[img credit: Intellectual Ventures Lab]

Tags: lasers, malaria, mosquito death ray, Science, technology, TED, ted 2010, video

TED: Future of Mobile With Henry Tirri, Head of Nokia Research [INTERVIEW]

Posted: 12 Feb 2010 03:39 PM PST

Disclosure: Nokia is a sponsor of Mashable’s TED Channel

We had a chance to sit down at TED with Henry Tirri, Senior Vice President and Head of the Nokia Research Center, to talk about what the mobile landscape of the future holds. Read on to find out what we might expect from mobile technologies within the next five to ten years.

Q: Can you tell us a bit about what you do at Nokia?

A: I’m heading Nokia’s long-term research globally in our labs worldwide, from Santa Monica and Palo Alto to the easternmost lab in Beijing, and everything in between: Cambridge, UK, Los Angeles, Switzerland, and teams in Nairobi and Bangalore and so on.

Q: What emerging technologies do you see playing the biggest role in the next five to ten years: augmented reality, voice recognition, etc.?

A: Those two things are more user experience technologies, but you’re correct. We also talk about “mixed reality” — the terminology can be confusing, but there is a distinction between augmented reality, where I’m looking at reality and add information to that from the digital world, and mixed reality which means you can do vice versa also, and put things into the virtual world from the real world. To me it’s obvious that it’s such a natural way of looking at the world and interacting with it.

The key question is how simple and how immersive it becomes. My prediction is it starts with rather isolated services like search and navigation but by the end of the day it becomes part of the interaction. You don’t any more find it extraordinary that you can see the real picture and you get some digital information too or vice versa. And it might be visual digital information, or in audio, or even sometimes in sensing. If you’re talking about a five or ten year spectrum, we’re probably going to have some kind of haptic and sensing way of navigating and getting feedback.

All of this is a very Western view: The high end, cool things for those living in the “geek world.” But if you ask me then about growth economies and the emerging markets like Africa, India, greater China, Latin America and some parts of Russia, I would say that the experience and emerging technologies tend to have a different nature because of the constraints you have. You might not have the infrastructure to support data, for example.

So from an interface perspective, speech and gestures are very important there. But emerging technologies are not necessarily always related to the user experience, so things like energy-efficient networking are also a necessity in growth economies. Protocols like SMS are being used in these areas for things we wouldn’t dream of doing with it here because we have access to broadband. There are the “hundreds of millions” who are doing all these very sophisticated and cutting edge things, and at the same time there is emerging technology for the “billions” which can take a different track.

Q: Do you think there will be an upcoming involvement with biology? Are we going to bring these devices into our bodies? Will I have a phone in my wrist?

A: Yeah, chip embedding is already an old idea in computer science so we’re ready for that. I think there’s a natural continuum from biosensors — we already have heartbeat sensors connected to a wireless device and measuring you for sports and wellness purposes. So again, if you talk about the five to ten years era, the questions there are more related to the sensors. In some areas, the sensor development is slower than one would think. Mechanical sensors are faster, but chemical sensors are much slower, so even in the five to ten year domain, certain things are not so easy to do.

When you talk about implantable electronics, you start having … challenges with your biological rejection mechanisms and other problems for medicine to solve. I would say in five years it doesn’t become big, but in ten years I would be surprised if we’re not seeing a lot more of it. Five years is surprisingly fast, because when you think about large scale deployment of something, there’s a delay factor involved in getting the manufacturing process to be reliable and cheap enough.

I do believe health and wellness-related things will become part of our life, and may probably also merge with augmented reality too. Your body state will be communicated to somewhere, or you can start getting metadata and remote analysis on yourself.

Q: How important do you see cloud computing being for mobile, now that we have an increasing range of devices we cart around with us and are looking for a more seamless experience between them?

A: To me, the cloud has become, and will become, a much broader notion than a server farm sitting somewhere and doing something. So the cloud architecture will expand to more devices and the question is more of the seamlessness in actual usage. You may not even know occasionally what is computed close to you physically and what is computed far away.

There are two issues: One is energy. Sending information bits takes more energy than computing them, which means local computing consumes less energy. This is absolutely so fundamental that it will define the future of how our networks will be built. It implies that the cloud has to have a distributed architecture, because it will be too costly energy-wise for billions of people to be transmitting data. I’m not talking about the bandwidth problem — this is much more fundamental. Regardless of how much bandwidth you have in the dynamic user spectrum, you will still face this problem.

The second problem is sociological, which is privacy. People are much more positive about something physically close to them and physically in their possession because they feel like they have more control over it. You believe that if your personal metadata sits in the device, it’s better than to let it go away to some nameless server. So there will still be parts of metadata and bits of information sitting close to you for these sociological reasons.

But the cloud itself will expand, and I think the term will eventually disappear. It will just be our default network architecture.

Q: Do you think people’s notions of privacy might change over time too? I’m thinking of Facebook pushing on people’s privacy, Google taking Gmail more public with Buzz…

A: Yes, and my views on this have evolved a lot over the past 20 years. One dimension is that privacy is culturally dependent, so privacy in growth economies looks a bit different from privacy in the Western world. And even in the Western world, there are different approaches to privacy in Europe and the U.S. In Europe for example it’s very much regulatory — Germans don’t like Google Street View so they banned it. In the EU there’s a lot of regulatory resistance. In the U.S. it’s more like a community movement, “we’re going to make it public that you’re evil.” So it’s a different approach. Asia is somewhere in between.

There are also very contradictory arguments that have been presented to me on whether there’s a generation gap or not. Some say young people put more things up on Facebook or publish things people in my generation would never publish. I’m not totally sure if the generation gap is the right thing to ask. I think it’s more of a question of how much the technology is a part of your life, and it doesn’t as much matter what your age is, although there might be a correlation between the two.

I think it’s complex to predict how people will react, and if there will be negative consequences. Privacy is always considered with respect to the tradeoff you get in terms of utility. If one or two people didn’t get a job or get fired because of something embarrassing they posted on Facebook, but there were 100,000 people that were recruited because of their Facebook presence, how does the judgment come down regarding privacy? Privacy is always relative to the benefits you get, so if people see enough value in sharing and feel safe enough, privacy isn’t the same question anymore. There’s no simple answer — privacy is an evolving factor.

Q: What do you think of the renaissance of the tablet form factor, and will we see another range of devices occupying this middle ground between smartphone and laptop?

A: I’m a computer scientist and have been hacking with computers for 40 years, so I’ve seen the development from mainframes to mini-computers to PCs to laptops to PDAs. The sarcastic comment is that all of them are “fads” to some degree, they come and go and the form factor changes. But each can be a decade or two decades or more in popularity. On the other hand, the only thing that has really disappeared is mini-computers. Mainframes still exist, PCs still exist, and so on.

I don’t think the tablet will “kill” anything — I don’t think it’s strong enough. I would almost think that tablets and netbooks might see convergence. I don’t think the tablet will become so dominant that you will drop your laptop or netbook and use it as your only device.

Q: How will the advent of 4G change the computing landscape? Will we see new types of applications become possible?

A: This is the capacity question, and right now data-intensive applications cause bandwidth challenges. The interesting thing is we have tolerance thresholds for new features, where we want to keep doing things as long as it’s fast enough, but if the performance is below that threshold, we’ll just tinker with it for a bit and, and I think real-time online media streaming will become more prevalent.

Right now the latency time is not good enough. You can’t have 20 million people streaming their personal video streams around the world in real-time right now — that is not possible yet, but will become so. There will definitely be new applications emerging — it won’t just be the old ones getting faster.

Q: In terms of online media streaming, do you think that’s going to change things on the content provider end of things? There’s a user behavior issue to confront too, and I think about how hard things like mobile TV have struggled to take off. How many people really need to watch TV while they’re walking to their car?

A: That’s again extremely culturally-dependent too, looking at places like Korea that have had mobile TV for years. But for me, the real-time media streaming is more about the popularity of sharing your own personal experiences, like your kids playing soccer or when you’re out with your buddies at the bar. That’s a different thing from traditional content; for one thing it’s snippets so it tends to be shorter, but it’s also participatory and it’s human nature to want to exhibit yourself. It becomes a form of expressing yourself, and that will always be popular. And there’s always a long tail of people who are interested in you expressing yourself.

I think the most difficult thing is scale, so something like Twitter is interesting when you have few followers, and it’s great when you have 2 million followers, but if you have something like 10,000 followers it’s more like, “what do I do?” They are not my buddies anymore — I don’t know 10,000 people, and on the other hand I’m not famous like someone who has a million followers. I believe in this idea of federated local community: It’s good when you have this small audience, and federated means you have a common platform and you can actually reach things globally. There’s a certain community that is local enough in a network sense — not necessarily a geographic sense — to want to follow you.

Q: That makes a lot of sense, especially considering the landscape of user-generated content on the web — that’s a lot of what people want to share.

A: Yeah, they just want to share and if there’s an easy way of doing it and there’s a general platform, they will do it. Because there’s always some people who want to follow it.

Q: How far along are we in terms of bringing mobile and artificial intelligence together?

A: People talk a lot about intelligent agents, but I think in a computer form factor it doesn’t make that much sense. Think of the annoying Microsoft Office clip guy that no one wanted. The devices we’re talking about are much more personal, so if you can get help when doing real things and interacting in the world, it becomes more persuasive and appealing to have an intelligent agent or avatar type of thing.

The greatest intelligent agent’s behavior can be specified by a good secretary, who can predict a lot of the things I do, can handle a lot of tasks and information flow, and only checks on the things which are important for me. People want to do this and there’s a lot of development around it, but it faces the same problems that any AI activity does: Any time we introduce an automized way of doing something, our own cognition changes to a different abstract level to assume that.

When there’s a more intelligent layer in a device or in software, we start using that in a different way. This is very fundamental and has nothing to do with mobile devices specifically. But I truly believe there’s a good place for AI — we have elementary things in navigation assistants already that can provide intelligent traffic information. There’s actually a lot of hidden intelligence already and machine learning is already used a lot.

Radio technology will be using AI techniques too, in a deep and unseen way. Dynamical allocation of the spectrum based on availability has deep machine learning components — it has to learn to predict when certain spectrum is available and so on. So there is a lot going on, but it isn’t necessarily always as sexy as the intelligent assistant everybody is looking for.

Q: As location-based services become more and more popular, do you see any killer apps emerging?

A: The first things that come to mind are local search, really relevant search results based on your positioning. Social search is another no-brainer, because you want to start finding people based on physical proximity because it doesn’t make any sense to go to the bar with someone far away. These are no-brainers and they will be very big.

The things people don’t usually think about with location-based systems are aggregate things like traffic information, and collective information about air pollution and other environmental data. In growth economies there’s a need for health-related and epidemic information collection. Mobile devices are key to monitoring things like this because they are globally prevalent and always where we are. They will enable us to aggregate data and get information that would otherwise be very difficult to get — I call these aggregate services.

The pollution example is a very good one. You can start to get real-time information about the environment — your exposure to pollution in LA for example. We did this in traffic already, so think about generalizing it to weather, pollution, and others. The platform allows people’s position combined with something measured, and that gives us a new world.

Reviews: Facebook, Gmail, Google, Twitter

Tags: aggregate services, artificial intelligence, Augmented Reality, cloud computing, computing, future, Henry Tirri, interview, location, mixed reality, Mobile 2.0, Nokia, privacy, social media, tablets, TED, ted 2010, ugc

HOW TO: Integrate Facebook, Twitter, and Buzz into Your Gmail

Posted: 12 Feb 2010 03:19 PM PST

GMAIL USERS: We hope you’ll join the discussion over on Mashable's Google Buzz account.

With over 9 million posts and comments in two days, Google Buzz has stormed the web like a swarm of locusts. An array of strong features, integration with Gmail, and lots of press have turned Buzz into an overnight phenomenon.

If you’re like a lot of us, you’ve suddenly found yourself using your Gmail even more than you already were. Spending so much time in Gmail and Buzz though inevitably takes away from your Facebook and Twitter, and who wants to sacrifice their tweeting and facebooking?

Luckily if you’re a Gmail user, you don’t have to sacrifice either, even while you’re browsing your email or your buzz.

Gadget Integration Is Your Friend

Yesterday we caught a Buzz post by Ari Milner where he described how he turned his Gmail into his personal “social command center.” How did he do it? In his words:

“The key was using Gmail Labs feature at the bottom of the list called ‘Add any gadget by URL’. This allowed me to add these 3 features to my Gmail sidebar.”

By utilizing third-party gadgets, he transformed his Gmail into a place where he could access his Twitter, Buzz, and Facebook straight from his Gmail. Here’s how:

Step By Step: Integrating Your Social Media into Buzz

1. Activate “Add any gadget by URL” in Gmail Labs — you’ll find it near the bottom of the list.

2. Now go to Settings –> Gadgets. Here you’ll find a place to add Gadget URLs.

3. Add the TwitterGadget App. Any iGoogle gadget will do actually, but the best one in our opinion is TwitterGadget, a fully-functional Twitter service for iGoogle and Gmail. This lets tweet from the sidebar or open up your Twitter with all of your tabs intact. It even supports multiple accounts.

To add it, copy and paste this URL into Gmail’s Gadget settings: “https://twittergadget.appspot.com/gadget-gmail.xml”

4. Add the Facebook Gadget. In the same way you added TwitterGadget, you can add Facebook to your Gmail. While Google has an official Facebook gadget, it doesn’t play nicely with Gmail, so we suggest using the app Ari Milner users: Facebook Gadget by iBruno. It will expand into the rest of your Gmail for easy Facebook management.

To add it, copy and paste this URL into Gmail’s Gadget settings: “http://hosting.gmodules.com/ig/gadgets/file/104971404861070329537/facebook.xml”

5. That’s it! Google Buzz, Facebook, Twitter, and Gmail are now all wrapped up into one. Pretty nifty, no? Let us know about your experience in the comments.

Reviews: Facebook, Gmail, Google Buzz, Twitter, add

Tags: facebook, gmail, Google, google buzz, Guide, how to, trending, twitter

Thanks to Mashable’s Socially Savvy Supporters

Posted: 12 Feb 2010 02:31 PM PST

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This week, our valued sponsors are Elon University, phpFox, Yield Software, Monica Rich Kosann, Clickatell, Influxis, Microsoft BizSpark, MailChimp, Sun Startup Essentials, MaxCDN, and Eventbrite.

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Monica Rich Kosann is a jewelry and home accessory brand that allows customers to tell their own personal stories and capture their most precious memories of families and friends that are created each day. The MRK eLOCKET is a free application for the iPHONE and Facebook that allows users to share photos and a personal "engraving" from their camera roll and facebook page with family and friends.

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If you’re working for a startup, Sun can help you get it off the ground fast. We created the fee-free Sun Startup Essentials program offering deep discounts on industry leading, power efficient systems and storage products, optimized open-source software, massively scalable Web hosting services, plus free visibility via Sun’s co-marketing engine. It’s time to build your business on the kind of infrastructure that can scale right along with the skyrocketing demands of success. Find out about Sun Startup Essentials today!

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Reviews: Digg, Facebook, Mashable, iStockphoto

3 Social Media Sources for Official NBA All-Star Content

Posted: 12 Feb 2010 02:30 PM PST

Jalen Rose is a former 13-year NBA star and current ESPN sports analyst but may be best known for being a member of the famous University of Michigan Fab Five.

This year’s NBA All-Star weekend will be held in Dallas, Texas, and like all others that came before, it will be an awesome spectacle. They say everything is bigger in Texas, and this event will be no exception. The 59th All-Star Game will be played this Sunday, February 14th at the new Cowboys Stadium in Arlington. This venue has the potential to hold a large crowd and could break the all-time NBA attendance record. The old All-Star record was 44,735 people at the Houston Astrodome in 1989. In 1998, the largest ever regular-season crowd at an NBA game was 62,046 strong at the Georgia Dome to see the Atlanta Hawks play Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls. With a crowd approaching 90,000, the 2010 All-Star game should definitely surpass these records. Those in attendance will be a part of history.

A lot of fans will find themselves navigating the Internet looking for the best information about the All-Star Game. The National Basketball Association has done an amazing job at making NBA.com a one-stop destination for its fans. NBA.com is easy to navigate, and has all the resources that you need, from schedules of events to highlights. Here are some of the other things they’re doing for All-Star Weekend.

1. Twitter

With over 1.7 million followers, the NBA’s Twitter account has become a great portal for fans to get quick, accurate information about games, teams, and players. They’ve already started to talk about All-Star Weekend with the hashtag #AS10 and they’ll continue to do so all weekend long. The NBA is also retweeting players and teams who are talking about the festivities in Dallas. Along with the #AS10 hashtag, the NBA is using #SpriteSlam for the Slam Dunk Contest, which will take place on Saturday night. Further, they’ve created the @100FromAS10 Twitter account, which will capture 100 different tweets from 100 different VIPs who are down in Dallas for the weekend. Yesterday, the NBA tweeted out an #AS10 Scavenger Hunt for fans who were down in Dallas early.

2. Facebook

The NBA has almost 1.9 million fans on Facebook, and they’re doing a fantastic job of putting out great content for all of those people. You can definitely expect more content throughout the weekend. Earlier today, they promoted a Dunk Contest Marathon they were hosting on NBA TV all day, to get people hyped up about the competition and the weekend in general. I expect to see more highlights, videos, and efforts to get the fans talking in the coming days.

3. NBA.com

NBA.com is rich with content revolving around All-Star Weekend. Specifically, there are a ton of videos from past All-Star Weekends, as well as footage from this year’s event. With the NBA Tweetmixx, you can see what NBA insiders and NBA fans are saying (and linking to) about All-Star weekend on Twitter. The NBA also built the All-Star Weekend widgets for fans to take advantage of on their own sites and blogs.

As a fan, you want to have the ability to get information the way you want it, and now. With the All-Star Weekend upon us, we all want to make sure that we don’t miss the amazing dunks and great match-ups, but most of all, we’re looking forward to a great game.

What do you think about the way the NBA is utilizing its online and social media presence to cover ASW? What could they be doing better?

More sports resources from Mashable:

- How Social Media Is Changing the Super Bowl
- When Social Media Gets Athletes in Trouble
- 5 Predictions for Athletes on Social Media in 2010
- 5 Social Media Lessons the NBA Can Teach Businesses
- 5 Reasons Every Sports Fan Should Be On Social Media

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, toddtaulman

Reviews: STAR, Twitter, iStockphoto

Tags: basketball, fab five, facebook, jalen rose, NBA, NBA All-Star Game, social media, sports, twitter, video, web

Google: Buzz Is Staying in Gmail

Posted: 12 Feb 2010 02:19 PM PST

GMAIL USERS: We hope you’ll join the discussion over on Mashable's Google Buzz account.

Google might have a made a major misstep in assuming that the people we communicate with the most in Gmail are the same people we want to automatically share the Google Buzz experience with, but new information confirms that Buzz is not being removed from Gmail.

The blogosphere is abuzz over a Search Engine Land report that Google might unlink the two products. In contacting Google, however, we received the following statement:

“No, we’re not planning to remove Buzz from Gmail. Among some of the features we’re considering is building a standalone Buzz experience in addition to the one in Gmail, but I can’t confirm anything right now.”

Since the launch of Google Buzz there has been a growing backlash against the autofollowing formula of the social networking service and the assumptions it makes about our relationships. As the complaints crescendo, Google has shown that they’re not afraid to take quick action with alterations to the product.

Last night Google made it easier to hide your followers/following list and block users, though Search Engine Land’s report indicated they may go much further:

“Google says it may end the marriage between Buzz and Gmail … [Google executive] Horowitz said Google is considering separating Buzz from Gmail, so that people can participate independently from email. The company might also allow people on Buzz to claim new names and redirect anyone seeking them at their old profiles to the new locations. Horowitz says Google also continues to look at ensuring search is a good way for people to locate the "right" people, as well.”

That information, however, clearly contradicts what Google just told us.

If you’re looking to better understand why there’s so much upheaval about Buzz working inside of Gmail, consider reading Harriet Jacob’s colorfully worded account of her experience with Google Buzz. Here’s a snippet from that post:

“I use my private Gmail account to email my boyfriend and my mother.
There's a BIG drop-off between them and my other "most frequent" contacts.
You know who my third most frequent contact is?
My abusive ex-husband.
Which is why it's SO EXCITING, Google, that you AUTOMATICALLY allowed all my most frequent contacts access to my Reader, including all the comments I've made on Reader items, usually shared with my boyfriend, who I had NO REASON to hide my current location or workplace from, and never did.
My other most frequent contacts? Other friends of Flint's.”

Reviews: Gmail, Google, Google Buzz

Tags: Google, google buzz, privacy

SocialTALK Helps Businesses Diffuse Social Media Clutter

Posted: 12 Feb 2010 02:07 PM PST

Although many businesses are starting to embrace social services and networks to connect with potential customers, such tools are still by and large built for end users, not for businesses. That can make managing multiple social media accounts, moderating comments and scheduling posts difficult.

Syncapse launched its SocialTALK social media workflow tool this week, which is designed to help companies control their presence on different platforms, as well as monitor feedback.

Social management tools are slowly starting to become more relevant. ContexOptional, Vitrue SRM and Salesforce.com are all targeting this space in various ways. SocialTALK’s approach to it is to plug into various platforms that can all be managed from one dashboard.

Check out this video:

Right now SocialTALK supports Twitter, Facebook, WordPress and MoveableType. You can create new posts, moderate comments, schedule when posts go out and push the same content across to multiple networks at once.

The organizational features are great, but the features that have the most potential are the real-time analytics. We’ve discussed measuring social media ROI before and as we said then, finding trends and tracking them back to their point of origin is the key to measuring ROI.

While analytics aren’t going to do that for you, if you can get a real-time measurement of traffic, discussion points and comments as they relate to various social media campaigns — and if you can add in identifiers to track that data to either a transaction or other measurable goal — taking control of social media ROI becomes much less difficult.

How does your business manage its social network presence? Let us know!

Reviews: Facebook, Twitter, WordPress

Tags: social media roi, social media tools, socialtalk

Joker Tricks TV Host Into Reading Lyrics From “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” [VIDEO]

Posted: 12 Feb 2010 11:44 AM PST

A YouTube prankster has been terrorizing a religious broadcasting channel of late, tricking unsuspecting hosts into reading the rap from the opening sequence of the ’90s sitcom, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, starring Will Smith.

The Telegraph recently reported on YouTube user raepmykipz’s most popular scam, in which he sent an e-mail to the host of Genesis TV, a British Christian channel, telling a story of salvation identical to that of the protagonist’s in The Fresh Prince. The host read most of the story on-air before realizing that it was a prank, including the lines:

“I would like to share my story of salvation with you. I was born in West Philadelphia and also raised there. I spent most of my days playing basketball on the playground, but also chilling out and relaxing. But then one day a couple of guys who were up to no good started making trouble in my living area.”

The host went on to unknowingly read another e-mail from the prankster — this one recounting the Star Wars plot.

Although this video is the most widely viewed — it has garnered close to 500,000 views in one month — it’s far from the joker’s only contribution to the crank call canon. The host of Genesis TV is a frequent target, and has, in the past, read selections from Family Guy and Taxi Driver. There are scores of other videos in the same vein on his YouTube channel.

In the clip below, which is more recent than the one featured in The Telegraph, another hapless host begins reading the Fresh Prince parable before the veteran Genesis host stops her. What ensues is five minutes of the hosts trying to sort fact from fiction. The joker, however, still manages to trick them many a time, as the woman reads earnestly: “Please pray for my cousin Carlton and my Uncle Phil, who have both been having a very hard time finding jobs. Thank you so much, Will.”

And, just in case you don’t know all the words to the Fresh Prince theme song (as I surprisingly do):

Reviews: YouTube

Tags: pop culture, television, viral video

5 Tips for Creating Non-Profit Online Communities

Posted: 12 Feb 2010 11:10 AM PST

So much conversation about social networking revolves around Twitter and Facebook, but in actuality these networks are just the tip of the iceberg. From general networks like Wiser Earth and Care2, to cause specific networks like PickensPlan and the Sierra Club’s Activist Network, there’s a hotbed of social activity occurring in private communities. Non-profit oriented networks use a wide variety of social tools to foster community, including their own white label communities.

Non-profits use white label platforms like Ning to connect with their communities. Ning serves 1.6 million networks (see Mashable’s Six Ways to Use Ning post). “What we're seeing organizations and non-profits use Ning for is to develop a deeper layer of conversation and engagement with their supporters and advocates,” said Ning’s Morgan Seal. “Their memberships are those that are looking for a more contextual social experience around the things they care about most.”

Here are five tips for non-profits considering their own white label community.

1. The Cause is the Purpose

The cause is the purpose of the network. Don’t build a network for your organization’s website. The mission of the site needs to revolve around the general common bond a non-profit has with its stakeholder community.

“I feel we may be successful because we deeply believe in the importance of community and what it does to people touched by diabetes,” said Manny Hernandez, president of the Diabetes Hands Foundation, which runs the 13,000 person TuDiabetes network. “We have seen so many people come back to us and say: ‘I have had diabetes for X many years. I felt so alone. I never knew there were SO many people who felt exactly like me.’”

2. Listen

Listening to your community remains a core social media principle. When considering building a cause or organization-specific network, listening can be critical in driving community requirements for function and content.

“I think it’s imperative to have a good ‘listening and monitoring’ plan in place to see what their stakeholders are doing online in public spaces — basically to figure out what their audience’s capacity is for collaboration and collective action online in general,” said Maddie Grant, Chief Social Media Strategist for Social Fish. “They should then be able to figure out whether that activity could translate to engagement in their own community site.”

3. Choose a Platform that Serves Your Community’s Needs

Some networks enable privacy; others integration with larger networks. Still others offer great information sharing via wikis. When considering the many white label community options avalaible, try to understand what your community’s needs are before setting up shop.

“Our community had a unique need for a secure and private space where Iraq and Afghanistan veterans could connect with one another, share stories, offer support, and know that the people they're interacting with share many of the same life experiences,” said Chrissy Stevens, Communications Director of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA). “We spent months assessing our options for starting a white-label social network, and Ning was the only platform that offered the right combination of privacy controls, quality user experience, easy administration and customization, and ongoing support.”

4. Offer Great Value to Your Network

The classic community mistake is to use a network to drive information out into the public as opposed to creating a compelling experience for members. Sometimes that means getting out of the way. Providing value includes a dynamic environment where members interact and drive conversation, participate in activity they can’t find on general social networks, and receive acknowledgment.

“A social network needs to deliver value. I don’t think that you should be sending the members links to your research and reports 5 times a day,” said Holly Ross, Executive Director, NTEN: The Nonprofit Technology Network. “A theater company may be able to serve its patrons by providing a social space for the patrons to discuss play writing, set design, and/or the latest shows from the company. A health organization may serve its clients by giving them a space to talk to and support one another privately.”

5. Use the General Networks as Beachheads

It’s smart to include Twitter and Facebook functionality in your general strategy. In many ways, there’s a larger conversation occurring and the general networks can serve as beachheads to bring people back to your network. Conversely, integrating Twitter and Facebook allows for people within your network to talk about your activities in the larger context.

“Even though we run our own niche social network, we are heavily engaged on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn,” said Steve Ressler, founder of GovLoop. “Plus, we speak a lot at in-person events where lots of government folks attend. This draws a lot of our membership and engagement.”

“They are in a way their own communities, but we are OK with the fact that not all conversations that start through our Twitter account or our FaceBook page end up on TuDiabetes or EsTuDiabetes,” said TuDiabetes’ Manny Hernandez. “Put another way, people will have conversations where it’s most convenient to them and groups creating online communities need to be mindful of this.”

More social good resources from Mashable:

- 5 Real Challenges For Non-Profit Texting Campaigns
- Why We're In the Age of the Citizen Philanthropist
- How Social Media Creates Offline Social Good
- How Non-Profits and Activists Can Leverage Location Based Services
- 5 Essential Tips for Promoting Your Charity Using Social Media
- 20 Ways to Change the World in Only 15 Minutes a Day

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, timsa

Reviews: Facebook, LinkedIn, Mashable, Twitter, iStockphoto

Tags: charity, communities, facebook, ning, non-profit, nonprofit, online communities, social good, social media, twitter

The New York Times and Foursquare Partner for the Olympics

Posted: 12 Feb 2010 10:55 AM PST

The New York Times has just entered the location-based content distribution game via Foursquare, which is fast becoming the vehicle for experiencing editorial content when and where it matters most.

Much like the major media companies before it, the publishing powerhouse has found a distribution partner in the mobile application and is finding a way to apply the location craze to its Vancouver Olympic Games coverage.

Starting today, Foursquare users can tap into the Times on Foursquare for recommendations on restaurants, attractions, shopping and nightlife — as reported by the Times’ travel and entertainment writers — in Vancouver, Whistler, and Squamish. And it wouldn’t be Foursquare without a badge to boot, so Foursquarers in those areas should keep their eyes peeled for suggested venues should they want to earn The New York Times Olympic badge.

The New York Times should be commended for its avant-garde approach to serving up relevant and contextual editorial content to Olympic Games attendees, though the idea is one we’re starting to see quite frequently now courtesy of Foursquare.

What’s especially interesting is that while the game elements of Foursquare are tightly integrated into each media partner’s experience, the true value is in the editorial content that Foursquare can distribute by user location. This means that while Google Buzz (for mobile) and Yelp can attempt to tackle check-ins and add a layer that serves as the voice of the people, Foursquare has managed to add the voices of trusted and high-profile resources to the mix. The game has truly evolved into a travel guide with an editorial lens that competitors simply can’t match at this point.

Reviews: Foursquare, Google Buzz, Yelp

Tags: foursquare, media, new york times, social media, winter olympics

How We’re Using Social Media on Our Mobile Phones [STATS]

Posted: 12 Feb 2010 09:29 AM PST

Mobile analytics company Flurry used its January data to look at the top application categories for iPhone and Android device owners. Parallels between the two types of smartphone users are very similar: social networking apps are by far the most frequently used category of apps.

For Flurry’s January report, the company decided to dissect application usage based on the following categories: games, entertainment, social networking, and news and lifestyle.

On both iPhone and Android phones, social networking apps were used most frequently — about 20 times per month — with news coming in a distant second. In fact, in terms of frequency alone, we’re using social networking apps at double the rate we’re using news applications, and four times the rate we’re firing up mobile games. Based on Flurry data, it also appears that the frequency at which we use entertainment, games and lifestyle apps in totality still doesn’t rival how frequently we use social networking apps each month.

It’s interesting to note, however, that in terms of actual session length — duration of individual application usage — smartphone users split larger chunks of their time between news, games and social networking respectively, with users devoting nearly 10 minutes on average to news applications. What it boils down to is that we use social networking apps most frequently, but spend longer periods of time consuming information in news applications.

These findings are especially striking and essentially confirm that social media has become integrated into our lives, so much so that we’re using our smartphones to stay connected while we’re away from our computers. In fact, social media has become more entertaining than entertainment itself.

Reviews: Android

Tags: android, Hardware, iphone, Mobile 2.0, mobile social networking, social media, social networking

8 iPhone Apps for the Perfect Valentine’s Day

Posted: 12 Feb 2010 08:54 AM PST

Megan Berry is an evangelist for Mobclix, the industry’s largest mobile ad exchange, working on social media and marketing. She also blogs at The Huffington Post and the Mobclix blog. You can follow her on Twitter as @meganberry, or through the @Mobclix handle.

Can your iPhone help your love life? I’ll have to admit I’ve found it’s more likely to lead to fights about whether it’s OK to check e-mail during dinner, but crafty iPhone developers have cooked up some great apps to turn your iPhone into a Valentine’s Day lifesaver.

These iPhone apps can impress your valentine, provide dating advice, send virtual flowers, or even help you work out your anti-Valentine’s Day resentment.

Romantic Love Note/Card

1. iWrite: Love Poems

iWrite features eight different Valentine’s-appropriate styles of poetry. For each one, it walks you through the process from brainstorming, to examples, to step-by-step guidance. If you really want to cop out, it’ll even generate your poem for you.

I have to admit I was skeptical that an app like this could be anything but hokey, but it’s actually great. I am not a poet at all, but in about one minute it helped me create a poem I’d actually like to share with my boyfriend.

For a less helpful, but more humorous version of this try the (free) Love Poem Generator.

Cost: $1.99

2. Valentine ~ Postage

This is a special Valentine’s Day edition of the Postage line of iPhone apps. This app has a lot of high quality e-card designs and lets you easily insert your own pictures into its templates. Customize your card with photo effects and your own message, then share it via e-mail or Facebook. A word of warning, it’s hard (read: impossible) for any e-card to be as personal as a nice hand-written one, but this is perfect for long-distance friends or relationships.

If you don’t believe you should pay to make an e-card, then try StickerJam Hearts – Free.

Cost: $1.99

For the Perfect Date

3. Creative Romantic Ideas

This app is more than a little cheesy, but it has some genuinely good ideas. It has everything from the obvious (heart locket) to the more creative (romantic crossword puzzle). I’d definitely recommend it for anyone trying to come up with the perfect Valentine’s surprise and in need of a little inspiration. The ideas are categorized by price and difficulty level and each idea breaks down what you’ll need.

Cost: $0.99

4. 20 Minute Meals – Jamie Oliver

A home cooked meal is often much more romantic than a dinner out. There’s no need to deal with traffic, reservations, or a crowded restaurant. This app opens up the possibility of a home cooked meal for those of us lacking talent in the cooking department.

Why this app? At $7.99, it’s pricey, but it promises and delivers on two key things: 20 minutes meals and easy to follow instructions. Really, what else could you ask for?

But if you’re still not convinced it’s worth the price tag try Allrecipes.com Dinner Spinner or Epicurious Recipes & Shopping List, both free.

Cost: $7.99

Virtual Gifts

5. Be Mine Hearts

Remember Sweethearts, that candy that was the number one choice for elementary school Valentines? Well, now you can send them in virtual form with the Be Mine Hearts app (we all know they didn’t taste that good anyway). Shake your iPhone to get a different heart (and message), add your own note at the bottom, then send it in e-mail. Not groundbreaking but very easy, and definitely cute.

Cost: Free

6. Send eFlowers

Flowers are a Valentine’s Day classic for a reason, and this app allows you to send virtual flowers to everyone you care about (or even people you don’t) with the touch of a finger. You can send via e-mail or MMS. It’s a nice touch, and I highly recommend it for sending to friends and family. However, if you send your girlfriend virtual flowers instead of real ones, don’t say I didn’t warn you. To send real flowers on the go use the 1800Flowers app.

Cost: $0.99

If You’re Single

7. iFlirt

iFlirt is “your fearless dating companion” and offers pickup lines and tips for dating. Definitely use it with a grain of salt, but it could be just the ticket for coming up with an icebreaker — or maybe just for realizing that you should stop staring at your iPhone and go talk to someone if you’re out.

If you’re feeling lucky, check out “Get Any Girl: The Ultimate Pickup and Dating Guide.” I’m pretty sure it’s just for laughs (and some might even find it mildly offensive), but there’s only way to find out…

Cost: $0.99

8. iXplode – Valentine’s Day

If you’re feeling a little bitter about the whole (admittedly over-commercialized) holiday, then iXplode may be just the app for you. Watch Valentine’s gifts such as candy, a teddy bear, or roses blow up. This app also allows you to send these videos as anti-Valentine’s Day cards and, luckily for your ex-girlfriend, it clearly labels it as an iXplode card before viewing.

Cost $0.99

More iPhone resources from Mashable:

- 9 Essential iPhone Apps for Cat Lovers
- 10 Best iPhone Apps for Dog Lovers
- 10 iPhone Apps to Avoid Work Disasters
- 10 Essential iPhone Apps to Avoid Dating Disasters
- 5 Fantastic iPhone Chargers to Keep You Juiced
- 5 Must-Have iPhone Apps for Wine Lovers

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, JoeBiafore

Reviews: Facebook, iStockphoto

Tags: apple, apps, dating, Holiday, Holidays, iphone, iphone apps, Mobile 2.0, trending, Valentine, Valentines

Hilarious Vintage Dating Reels From Found Footage Fest [VIDEO]

Posted: 12 Feb 2010 08:32 AM PST

In honor of Valentine’s Day, we would like to give you a gift — the gift of Found Footage Festival, which is possibly the most amusing video site on the web. Why? Because it has tons of badass dating videos from the olden times. Check out our favorites after the jump.

Joe and Nick, the founders of the website and accompanying tour, started FFF after finding a McDonald’s training video in 1991 called “Inside and Outside Custodial Duties.” Ever since, they have been collecting oddball VHS tapes — and only VHS tapes, no YouTube videos — and sharing them with the world.

Every video is (unintentionally) funny, but those that have to do with love and romance take the proverbial cake. So whether you’re dining with your sig other at some fancy joint this Sunday or sitting at home with a bottle of … something, we would like to direct your attention to the following array of hilarity.

David Seeks Goddess

The Video Guide to Successful Seduction

The Art of Meeting a Man

Video Dating

Courtship vs. Dating

Reviews: YouTube

Tags: dating, online dating, viral video

Yahoo Launches Mobile Site for the Winter Olympics

Posted: 12 Feb 2010 06:46 AM PST

Sports fans, rejoice: If you’re on the move, you can still easily find out what’s happening at this year’s Winter Olympics. Yahoo launched a mobile site for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games, with up-to-the-minute live results, upcoming events schedule, medal counts, expert commentary and more.

You can also do an athlete search to see in-depth profiles of athletes competing at the games, and find detailed info about the 15 sports included in the games. The site is available in English for 13 countries, including the U.S., Canada, the Philippines, India, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Italy and Spain.

To check out the site, point your mobile browsers to m.yahoo.com/olympics Also, check out a preview in the video below.

Reviews: Australia

Tags: Mobile 2.0, winter olympics, Yahoo

Opera Mini Reaches 50 Million Active Users

Posted: 12 Feb 2010 05:46 AM PST

A couple of days ago we wrote about Opera Mini for the iPhone, a somewhat odd step for Opera as Apple is unlikely to ever approve the app (since it duplicates Safari’s functionality).

While Opera was obviously making a statement with that move, in reality it can survive without the iPhone; in fact, Opera Mini is one of the most popular mobile browsers out there.

The latest number to support this claim is 50 million active users. Opera Mini was launched in 2006 and had a somewhat slow start; it took it nearly two and a half years to reach the first 10 million; in the last couple of months, however, it has been growing a lot faster. According to Opera, Mini has grown 150% from January 2009, when it had 20 million monthly unique users, to 50 million monthly unique users in January 2010.

To try out Opera Mini, you need a Java ME-enabled phone; you can find the latest version over at the official Opera Mini site.

Reviews: Opera, iPhone

Tags: Browsers, Mobile 2.0, opera mini

Mashable: Latest 28 News Updates - including “Official Twitter App for BlackBerry Looks Really Good”

2010-02-12T05:08:00.001-08:00

Mashable: Latest 28 News Updates - including “Official Twitter App for BlackBerry Looks Really Good”

Official Twitter App for BlackBerry Looks Really Good
Google Maps Get Labs With Nine Cool New Features
Google Buzz Buttons Learn To Count
Dear Google Buzz: 4 Features You Need to Add Now
Google Buzz Surpasses 9 Million Posts and Comments
Apple Fast Approaching 10 Billion Song Downloads
Pizza Hut Looks to Start a Pick-Up Line Meme on Twitter
YouTube Documents Iranian Protests Via Smuggled Footage [VIDEO]
Why Brands are Becoming Media
Online Dating Faceoff: Match.com vs. PlentyofFish
Fist Pump: I’m a Mac Ad Gets “Jersey Shore” Inspired iPad Parody [VIDEO]
Jake Shimabukuro, Hawaiian Ukelele Virtuoso [INTERVIEW]
Meebo Bar Adds Facebook-like Notifications to Your Website
Awesome: Google Liquid Galaxy Live at TED [VIDEO]
Once a YouTube Challenger, Veoh Files for Bankruptcy [RUMOR]
6 Products to Watch from Macworld’s Best of Show
5 Ways to Avoid Sabotaging Your Personal Brand Online
HBO’s “How to Make it in America” Premieres Free on YouTube [VIDEO]
CONFIRMED: Google to Acquire Social Search Startup Aardvark
Facebook’s Happy Aquarium Might Be Moving to Microsoft [RUMOR]
Shazam and Last.fm Team Up for More Music Magic on iPhone
Google’s Next Step in Speeding Up the Web: The YouTube Speed Dashboard
PayPal and Bebo Founders Invest in Mixpanel
5 Fantastic Free Tools to Showcase Your Portfolio
iPhone App Adds Photos and Videos to Foursquare Check-ins
Chrome for Mac Officially Gets Extensions and Bookmark Sync
Google Deletes Music Blogs, Prompts a Twitter Upheaval
KommandCore Combines Project Management With GTD
Windows 8 Will Blow Your Mind. Hopefully Not Like Vista

Official Twitter App for BlackBerry Looks Really Good

Posted: 12 Feb 2010 02:54 AM PST

If you’re a BlackBerry user who also happens to like Twitter, chances are you’ve been throwing jealous looks at your friends’ iPhones and their elegant Twitter clients. Yes, things got a lot better once UberTwitter entered the scene, but can there be an even better Twitter client for the BlackBerry? The upcoming official client might fit the bill.

A while ago, we wrote that an official Twitter app for BlackBerry was in the works, and now it’s getting close to a public beta. You can find a very detailed analysis of the client and its features here, and from the looks of it, it’s far more advanced than any other Twitter app for BlackBerry out there.

Some of the features are automatic URL shortening, easy photo sharing, push and message list integration (sending you notices of new direct messages as they arrive), as well as search filtered by geolocation.

The public beta should be available “later this year” (we know, it doesn’t sound very comforting considering the year is still young). If you want to be a beta tester for the app, go to www.blackberry.com/twitter and sign up to receive notification when Twitter for BlackBerry becomes available.

Tags: blackberry, Mobile 2.0, RIM, social media, twitter

Google Maps Get Labs With Nine Cool New Features

Posted: 12 Feb 2010 12:31 AM PST

Here’s a nice surprise from Google’s Maps team: just like Gmail, Google Maps now also have the Labs feature (it’s the little green vial in the top right menu), which brings experimental new features for you to try out.

Right now, you can try out nine new features (all disabled by default):

Drag ‘n’ Zoom – lets you zoom in on a specific part of the map by drawing a box.

Aerial Imagery – gives you rotatable, high-resolution overhead imagery, but it’s only available in certain areas. Google plans to add more over time, though.

Back to Beta – OK, this one is a little weird. It lets you have a beta tag on Maps (just like Gmail). Only for hardcore Google users.

Where in the World Game – test your geography knowledge by guessing the names of countries from satellite imagery. I lost days playing a similar game on Facebook, and I forgot everything I’ve learned. Sigh.

Rotatable Maps – North facing up is just one way to look at a map. Now you can rotate it any way you like.

What’s Around Here? – Adds a second search button that searches for “*”, returning the top results in the current view. I’ve actually been waiting for this for a long time; it makes searching for certain POIs within some area a lot easier.

LatLng Tooltip – See the exact latitude and longitude next to your cursor.

LatLng Marker – Drop a marker anywhere on the map, showing the latitude and longitude of that location.

Smart Zoom – stops you from zooming into an area if imagery is not available.

Tags: Google Maps, labs, trending

Google Buzz Buttons Learn To Count

Posted: 11 Feb 2010 11:34 PM PST

Yesterday we added Google Buzz buttons to Mashable, letting you share our stories to Google’s new social network as you can on Twitter and Facebook. Today we added share counts to those buttons, letting you hone in on the most popular posts.

If you’re not already up to speed: Google Buzz buttons use Google Reader’s shared items feature to post links to your Buzz feed. If you’re not already on Google Reader, you’ll need to set that up and make sure it’s connected to your Google Buzz account under “connected sites”. If you were on Reader before you joined Buzz, chances are that’s already set up.

NEW: Buttons that Count!

Today we added counters and tracking to our buttons, running the clicks through URL shortener Bit.ly so we can display the share counts. It’s not the perfect solution, but it’s a temporary step until Google decides to support such implementations officially.

We’ll be gathering the stats about how much people share on Google Buzz versus Facebook and Twitter, and we’ll be sure to report back with our findings!

GMAIL USERS: You’re invited to join the conversation on Mashable’s Google Buzz account.

Tags: bit.ly, Google, google buzz

Dear Google Buzz: 4 Features You Need to Add Now

Posted: 11 Feb 2010 07:03 PM PST

GMAIL USERS: We hope you’ll join the discussion over on Mashable's Google Buzz account.

Earlier today, we posted a buzz asking our followers: “What features would you like to see in Google Buzz?” We received just shy of 500 responses over the course of the afternoon, and we saw both big trends and unique ideas.

Here are a few of the biggest and best responses. Some are obvious — some not so much. We think they’re all great ideas, though, except maybe the last one! But some 75 million people might disagree with us.

Keep reading to find out what we (or rather you) are talking about, and be sure to add your own ideas to the comments here or over on our Google Buzz.

The #1 Request: Collapsible Comment Threads

Far and away, the most requested feature is the ability to collapse comments. By our count, 197 of the 492 comments that we read before writing this requested this feature. The issue is that posts are sorted on the main interface chronologically by the most recent comment.

That means any buzz that gets an insane number of comments (like, say, the very “what features would you like” buzz we’re talking about) gets stuck to the top of the feed because it keeps receiving new comments. Since it has hundreds of comments, it’s so long that you “have to have to SCROLL FOR EIGHT YEARS,” as Buzz user Ian Wheat puts it.

The consensus is that if you’re following any brands or extremely popular individuals, this is a major issue because it makes Buzz almost unusable. Maybe it didn’t occur to Google because there weren’t enough users testing Buzz internally to create the problem to begin with.

Better Facebook and Twitter Integration

The second most popular request was for integration with Facebook, and the ability to send buzz posts out to Twitter. There are some technical challenges to the latter since Buzz allows more characters than Twitter does, but it would still be nice to be able to send buzzes that have less than 140 characters out to Twitter.

Of course, there’s no connection at all between Buzz and Facebook. We suggested that this is going to be Buzz’s biggest challenge moving forward if it’s not resolved. Facebook relationship with Microsoft makes this an even bigger challenge.

More Chronological Sorting Options

One consistent theme: There should be more ways to sort buzzes and comments chronologically.

John Fredrickson summarized one of the most common requests succinctly: “We need a way to separate recently commented buzz from new buzz. As it is right now, the recently commented buzz dominates the stream so that you never see any new buzz.” This is of course related to the collapsible comments issue we mentioned above.

Many readers requested the ability to see the newest comments at the top of a buzz, not the bottom. When a buzz’s comment thread gets long, you have to scroll down a long way to see what’s new or to post your own comment. It’s a bit of a hassle.

Lisa Neal Shaw also suggested the “ability to switch back and forth between trending and chronological buzzes.”

Repost/Rebuzz/Share

Folks couldn’t quite agree on the terminology, but no matter what they called it, a lot of them wanted the same thing: a Facebook Share or Twitter retweet-like feature to copy buzzes and send them out to followers.

Facebook has only recently added this feature (though the implementation is closer to Buzz’s than it is to Twitter’s), but it’s a huge part of what makes Twitter work — especially for brands.

There was some dissent on this one, though. Several people requested that a repost feature not be added, including Eric Droege, who said: ”Please no re-post feature. That is the most over-used Twitter feature and its annoying when someone just goes over and over retweeting.”

Other Suggestions

We liked Joshua Montgomery’s suggestion: “An application similar to the Google Wave Yes/No/Maybe. It seems geared specifically for some of the posts I see. ‘Is Google Buzz a Hit?’ Use the Yes/No/Maybe app rather than 214 people having to list their answer.”

John Wilson and numerous others wanted “the ability to add photo/video to a comment.”

In contrast to the requests for greater Facebook and Twitter integration Robert de Castro said, “Definitely a way to mute specific 3rd party feeds (Twitter, Friendfeed, etc)… people who tweet too much as it is, there just isn’t a way around it unless you unfollow them completely.” That isn’t too surprising; there’s a sizable minority of Facebook users who get frustrated with seeing Twitter hashtags and the like in their news feeds.

Jehad Affoneh wants Google to “add the update status bar somewhere on the top of Gmail. I am not sure I want to sign in to Gmail, go to buzz then update my status every time I want to update my status.”

Robert N. Lee said only one word: “FARMVILLE.” We’re not sure we’re with him on that one right now, but we’ll see! Maybe he was being sarcastic, though. We hope.

Reviews: Facebook, FriendFeed, Gmail, Google, Google Buzz, Twitter

Tags: gmail, Google, google buzz

Google Buzz Surpasses 9 Million Posts and Comments

Posted: 11 Feb 2010 05:42 PM PST

GMAIL USERS: You’re invited to join the conversation on Mashable’s Google Buzz account.

Google Buzz just launched on Tuesday, but it looks like it’s already made a big splash with Gmail users. Now the Google team is moving quickly to make rapid improvements based on user feedback.

First the numbers: according to Google, its Buzz service already has over 9 million posts and comments. Remember, this is a service that launched on Tuesday, meaning that it’s getting over 160,000 comments and posts per hour. That’s a staggering, staggering number.

Mobile usage is also gaining in popularity — over 200 posts per minute by mobile phone according to the search giant.

Despite those numbers, there have been a number of complaints about Google Buzz in terms of usability and privacy. In rather rapid fashion, Google has responded to those criticism in a blog post highlighting several new changes it has made.

Specifically, there are three new changes to Google Buzz:

1. It’s now easier to hide your followers/following lists. The option is now more visible in the set-up process and exists in the profile editing section of Buzz.

2. It’s easier now to block anybody who is following you. Before, you could only block people who created a public profile.
3. Buzz now distinguishes between followers with public profiles and those with private profiles.

These changes came quite rapidly, and we’re thrilled that they’re now more prominent parts of Google Buzz. They were major concerns that the company needed to alleviate. We just didn’t think they would be able to do it in two days.

Reviews: Gmail, Google, Google Buzz

Tags: Google, google buzz, trending

Apple Fast Approaching 10 Billion Song Downloads

Posted: 11 Feb 2010 04:28 PM PST

Apple is rapidly approaching 10 billion song downloads. They’re counting down to the massive milestone download number, and doing it in style. But don’t blink or you might miss it.

To speed along the process — though it really doesn’t appear that iTunes needs the extra push — Apple is greasing the wheels and offering a $10,000 iTunes Gift Card to the individual credited with the 10 billionth song download. To increase your odds at the big iTunes prizes, you might want to keep your eyes on their nifty countdown mechanism (in fact I’m firing up iTunes as we speak).

The record iTunes event has been seven years in the making. In recent years, however, the song download rate appears to be speeding up at an astronomical pace, as less than two years ago Apple was merely touting 4 billion songs sold.

We’re going to keep a close eye on that timer and so should you if you want a chance at that $10,000 reward. Good luck.

Tags: apple, apple itunes, music

Pizza Hut Looks to Start a Pick-Up Line Meme on Twitter

Posted: 11 Feb 2010 03:12 PM PST

Twitter's trending topics — to the dismay of some — are often filled with whimsical hashtags that emerge organically (today's #awkwardsituation for example). Pizza Hut is trying to force the issue a bit with a new Valentine's Day-themed promotion that encourages users to tweet pick-up lines, with the added bonus of free desserts for the most creative entries.

The promotion, announced on the @pizzahut feed earlier today, asks users to append #iluvPH to their (G-rated) tweets. It will run through Valentine's Day, with the 100 best submissions as judged by Pizza Hut to be notified of their free "chocolate-topped dessert sticks" (sounds just like what you need after a 2,000 calorie pizza and wings binge) on Monday the 15th.

Looking at the promotion so far, it appears to be far from breaking into Twitter's trending topics, but is seeing plenty of tweets, including the oft-tested, rarely (if not ever) approved, "How much does a Polar Bear weigh? Enough to break the ice" and, "Are you a parking ticket? Because you’ve got FINE written all over you."

In the past, the chain has demonstrated a knack for attracting some buzz in the social media world, starting with a widely reported search for a Twitter intern long before that became a desirable job. That intern then offered up free food to those that became fans of Pizza Hut on Twitter and Facebook during a summer promotion, which have helped the company’s presence grow to more than 25,000 followers and 1.1 million fans, respectively. It also has an iPhone app that’s generated more than $1 million in sales.

That said, free stuff type promotions have become so commonplace on Twitter that it's a lot harder to move the needle than even just a few months ago (#moonfruit dominated trending topics for days with its iPhone giveaway last July). Nonetheless, tying it to a holiday in a clever way adds a fun and engaging twist, and could get you what sounds like a terribly indulgent dessert if you choose to participate.

Reviews: Facebook, Twitter

Tags: MARKETING, Pizza Hut, twitter

YouTube Documents Iranian Protests Via Smuggled Footage [VIDEO]

Posted: 11 Feb 2010 02:58 PM PST

Yesterday, Iran permanently banned Gmail in an attempt to stifle today’s protests surrounding the anniversary of the Iranian revolution. Today, scores of videos depicting the melee have found their way onto YouTube, demonstrating the power that social media has to make voices heard against all odds.

YouTube is reporting on its blog today that videos of pro-reformers flooding the streets of Iran and battling anti-riot police forces are being uploaded to the web. Even though YouTube is blocked in Iran, “dissidents are passing videos to friends out of the country and using Internet circumvention technologies to post the footage,” according to the blog post.

This is not the first time that YouTube has been used as a portal for such news — back in June, the social media world was inundated with buzz about Iran after the elections, and videos of the protests that followed were all over YouTube.

In the days leading up to the anniversary, Iran made moves to stifle the protests against June’s alleged election fraud — Iranians were experiencing far-reaching disruption of text and Internet service, according to the Wall Street Journal. And this wasn’t the first counter-attack the country took against social media; back in May, Iran also put the kibosh on Facebook in an attempt to stifle President Ahmadinejad's opponent, Mir Hossein Mousavi. Still, despite these roadblocks — and the more recent Gmail blackout — the truth managed to out, as it is wont to do.

YouTube is monitoring the videos via CitizenTube, and it’s compiling a playlist, which we have embedded below.

The Google LatLong Blog is also offering a view of the Iran streets via the IKONOS satellite.

Warning: Some images may be disturbing.

Reviews: Facebook, Gmail, Iran , YouTube

Tags: Political, web video, you tube

Why Brands are Becoming Media

Posted: 11 Feb 2010 02:19 PM PST

Brian Solis is a principal at new media agency FutureWorks, and author of the upcoming book, Engage. You can connect with him on Twitter or Facebook.

One of the greatest challenges I encounter today is not the willingness of a brand to engage, but its ability to create. When blueprinting a social media strategy, enthusiasm and support typically derails when examining the resources and commitment required to produce regular content.

Indeed, we are programing the social web around our brand hub, which requires a consistent flow of engaging and relevant social objects. Social objects are the catalysts for conversations — online and in real life — and they affect behavior within their respective societies.

They are our tweets, our Flickr photos, YouTube videos, Facebook updates and events, Delicious links, FourSquare check-ins, and blog posts.

But once we introduce a social object, we must be ready to back it up with additional relevant content, and create a publishing calendar programmed specifically for each network on which we maintain a presence.

Brands Become Their Media

There’s a saying in theater: A big part of acting is reacting. This is especially true when we consider how many individuals, brands, and organizations engage on the web today. Instead of seeking inspiration and direction from those around us however, we simply react to activity, which may or may not benefit us in the long run.

The democratization of publishing and the equalization of influence allows us to create and connect with a wider reach. Everything starts with a mission, and is fortified by the content we create.

Among the most valuable resources we procure through dedicated publishing is good will, social capital, and influence. It comes at a price however: The cost of production, distribution, and support. In the end, you get out what you put in. The investment represents time, money, creativity, and passion.

Thus, we not only become our media — through production and engagement, we can become influential.

Productive Social Media Must Be Earned

While establishing a presence is elementary, captivating audiences is artful. In the near future, brands and organizations will create new or augment existing roles for editors and publishers to create timely, relevant, and captivating content on all social media channels. This work is in addition to the other reactive and proactive social media campaigns that are already in progress. A strategic editorial calendar should blend video, audio, imagery, text, updates, and other social objects and networks to reach, inspire, and galvanize communities.

Earned, Paid, and Owned Media

In media, there are several channels that populate and shape perception — earned, paid, and owned media. Each requires a dedicated management system that actively creates, monitors and stimulates strategic movement.

Recently, Sean Corcoran, an analyst at Forrester Research, published a detailed post that describes the differences between earned, paid and owned. He clarifies the roles for brands who undertake the responsibility of embracing new media. Dave Fleet, a thought leader in new media and public relations, also visualized Corcoran’s thoughts through a series of graphics that represent the social media ecosystem.

As Corcoran points out in his recent report:

“Increasingly, interactive marketers are being asked to manage a wide range of paid and unpaid marketing communication —- despite the fact that many marketing departments are still organized around traditional paid marketing channels. All types of online media (whether ‘earned,’ ‘owned,’ or ‘paid’) can play specific roles in meeting marketers’ objectives —- especially when seamlessly working together. To find the right balance between these types of media, marketers should take stock of their resources, listen for the impact of earned media, look for opportunities to shift short-term paid media to the role of catalyst, and begin to build out a solar system of long-term owned media touchpoints.”

In other words, paid, earned and owned media require thoughtful programming and targeted distribution and must be linked to a systematic review of behavior and activity that surrounds each object. And, the analysis of activity and ultimately the end result should play a monumental role in the creation of future publishing and social activation.

Corcoran uses the word “touchpoint,” which by standard definition, refers to any point of contact between a buyer and a seller. Touchpoint is part of the greater opportunity here. But more importantly, these touchpoints require direction and the establishment of a path that offers a complete experience — a beginning, a middle, an end, and a reward.

These experiences are definable by paid, earned, and owned media.

New media necessitates a collaboration between all teams involved in creating and distributing content, including advertising, interactive, communications, brand, and marketing — with an editorial role connecting the dots. We are competing for attention and our success is dependent on our ability to not compete against each other. Producing content and lobbing it over the firewall to an “audience” will only confuse communities. Therefore, we are obligated to build pipelines that carry strategic communications, each with calculated intents, targets and outcomes.

If we examine the differences between earned, owned, and paid, we can visualize necessary programming and dedicated channels for each.

Owned media is essentially that which we control. If we designed the object, we own the content within the object. Most likely, we also own (or lease) the distribution channels that present these objects to our target communities. We do not however, control the impression and perception of our objects. We lose that control at the point of distribution.

For example, in addition to standard web pages, social media presences contribute to our portfolio of owned media including Twitter accounts, Facebook Fan Pages, Blogs, YouTube channels, etc. By creating presences in the communities where our customers, prospects, partners, and influencers congregate and collaborate, we can lay the foundation to contribute “earned” social objects of value.

Social hubs are also gaining prominence in social media plans as brands weigh options for directing traffic. The creation of strategic landing pages can extend the rich, interactive experience within social networks (channels which we partially own) to pages we do own. This shapes the experience in a way that maintains interactivity and targeted options for action. I’m not necessarily recommending the creation of microsites, unless it’s warranted in the overall program. But a bridge that connects the social experience to a valuable destination is important.

Forrester’s Corcoran recommends that brands create a “solar system” of owned media. However, I suggest that brands instead create a focused ecosystem of media that establishes presences where their communities are already active — a brand or organization-specific social media ecosystem. This requires research. In the process, we uncover not only locations that require our engagement, but also how, where, when and to what extent to participate. We just may find that the given locations for social profiles represent only part of the many opportunities rife within the Conversation Prism.

Paid media represents the visibility we purchase, such as display ads, paid search, and sponsorships. When paired with owned and earned media programs, paid media can complement, reinforce, and polish a brand’s voice, directives, mission, and stature. While many argue over the future and fate of advertising, what’s clear is that online paid presences can benefit initiatives where action and experiences are defined and promoted through the click path. Current trends reflect a shift away from branding programs and place emphasis on sparking desired activity, empowering viewers and their social graph to share in the experience all in ways that measure the cost per action.

Earned media is the result of our owned, paid, and participatory media programs and is reflected in the blog posts, tweets, status updates, comments, and ultimately actions of our consumers, peers, and influencers. Earned media is linked to owned media campaigns as well as proactive initiatives that attempt to incite viral and word-of-mouth activity. Garnered visibility is also tied to communications and public relations programs as they continually seek to gain the attention of reporters, bloggers, analysts, and influencers who can drive awareness and behavior.

This isn’t a one way street however. Success is absolutely conditional on the techniques and methodologies that inspire dedicated programs focused on outreach, relations, and hopefully the engendering of productive and mutually beneficial relationships. Crowd-powered visibility also merits an official and devoted listening and response initiative to ensure that each respective community aligns with the mission.

Participatory media is an extension of earned and owned media. It takes the shape of a hosted hub where brand representatives and our communities can interact and collaborate. Good examples of this are Dell’s IdeaStorm and Starbucks’ “My Idea” network, which resemble branded wikis designed to elicit responses and establish community-focused governances. Participatory media equalizes the balance of power, providing a dedicated platform the gives voice to the consumer and a channel for their ideas.

Sponsored media is a new category that fuses owned, paid, and earned media. Sponsored media is championed by companies like Izea, Ad.ly, and Twittad, among others, and is creating a new medium for packaging messages through trusted voices within highly visible and social channels. Sponsored media can take the form of paid tweets, blog posts, appearances, and featured objects on targeted profiles. And, whether you agree or disagree with the idea, the reality is that it works, and seems to benefit all parties involved, from the brand, to the paid affiliates, to their communities. In fact, Forrester’s Josh Bernoff and Sean Corcoran shared their thoughts on why sponsored media is worthy of consideration.

Sponsored objects fuse earned, paid, and owned media, as technically: 1) The messages are owned; 2) The voices are paid, and; 3) With more thoughtful approaches, the responses within targeted communities can inspire a positive wave of earned media.

Disclosure: My company works with Ted Murphy, Founder/CEO of izea.com.

Influence

As media, brands earn prominence and hopefully influence as rewards for contributing meaningful content. On Twitter, brands can earn legions of loyal and responsive followers, who in turn become brand advocates and ambassadors, extending the messages, mission and purpose of the brand to their followers as well. On Facebook, brands can cultivate vibrant and dedicated communities where interaction inspires increased responses — each reverberating across new social graphs. On Ustream and YouTube, we can earn global audiences of viewers who tune in to watch our programming and interact with brand representatives in a live community that spills over other social networks. And of course, our blog is more important than we may realize. Through our posts, we can establish a strong alliance of subscribers who hope to learn new things and participate in the discussion of a brand’s future.

As Tom Foremski points out, we have the ability to earn noteworthy, equal, and in some cases, greater influence than those authorities whom we’ve relied on over the years to help us reach greater audiences and communities. As influence is equalized, our ability to earn presence and relationships is derived from how we program, manage, and participate in all forms of media. And, it is through a balance of media and engagement that we also establish the foundation for affinity. People align with movements they can believe in, and it is the human, intellectual, and financial investment in genuine content that defines experiences, and hopefully one day earns the significance your brand deserves.

More business resources from Mashable:

- The Maturation of Social Media ROI
- The 10 Stages of Social Media Business Integration
- HOW TO: Use Social Media to Connect with Other Entrepreneurs
- HOW TO: Implement a Social Media Business Strategy
- 9 Great Document Collaboration Tools for Teams
- HOW TO: Choose a News Reader for Keeping Tabs on Your Industry
- 5 Advanced Social Media Marketing Strategies for Small Businesses

Images courtesy of iStockphoto, cogal, YanC, Juanmonino

Reviews: Delicious, Facebook, Flickr, Foursquare, Twitter, YouTube, iStockphoto, ustream

Tags: blog, blogging, brand, branding, business, facebook, List, Lists, MARKETING, small business, social media, social media marketing, social networking, twitter, ustream, youtube

Online Dating Faceoff: Match.com vs. PlentyofFish

Posted: 11 Feb 2010 02:03 PM PST

It’s almost Valentine’s Day, so we thought we’d inject a little romance into this week’s Web Faceoff, our weekly poll series where we compare web services and have them compete for your vote.

Online dating is a big business — millions are made every year helping singles young and old connect through the filters that the web provides. There are also literally hundreds of dating sites to choose from: Yahoo Personals, eHarmony, SinglesNet, OKCupid, among others.

However, this week’s faceoff pits the two biggest dating websites against one another: PlentyofFish vs. Match.com.

PlentyofFish is the world’s largest free dating web service (although it now has a $5 “serious” option). Still, for most of its existence it has made millions solely through ads and a staff of fewer than five, led by the founder, Markus Frind. Match.com, on the other hand, has 20+ million users, hundreds of millions in revenue, and is owned by IAC, who also owns Chemistry.com, CollegeHumor, Citysearch, Ask.com and Vimeo.

A big part of the debate is simple: Which model is better? Is Match’s subscription service more effective at helping find true love, or does PlentyofFish provide the best chance at romance?

This is where we want you to weigh in. Vote in our poll and let us know what you think. Polls close on Valentine’s Day, 12:00 p.m. PT. Until then, vote and comment away. And Happy Valentine’s Day!

Who would win in a fight: Match.com or PlentyofFish?(polls)

Reviews: Vimeo

Tags: dating, okcupid, online dating, Plenty of Fish, web faceoff

Fist Pump: I’m a Mac Ad Gets “Jersey Shore” Inspired iPad Parody [VIDEO]

Posted: 11 Feb 2010 01:44 PM PST

By now everyone has seen the iconic “I’m a Mac” ads with Justin Long as Mac and John Hodgman as PC. A new parody video from Take180.com copies Apple’s winning formula, but pits the new iPad against Jersey Shore’s “The Situation.”

Upon first glance, the iPad and The Situation don’t appear to be likely competitors, but after watching this spoof commercial, the comparison might make more sense.

For instance, the iPad has awesome apps and Mike, a.k.a. “The Situation,” thinks his abs are just as awesome as apps. Also, both have names that some might consider “dumb.” The list goes on.

The hilarious spoof was posted online yesterday and it’s already getting mad love and fist pumps on YouTube. We think you’ll appreciate it whether or not you’re a fan of the self-proclaimed guidos and guidettes on the Jersey Shore.

Reviews: YouTube

Tags: Apple iPad, Apple Tablet, jersey shore, viral video

Jake Shimabukuro, Hawaiian Ukelele Virtuoso [INTERVIEW]

Posted: 11 Feb 2010 01:24 PM PST

Hawaiian musician Jake Shimabukuro does things with a ukelele that Tiny Tim never could. He garnered a standing ovation for his performance here at TED this year, and we had a chance to sit down and ask him about how YouTube has played a role in his success, why he loves Twitter, why he’s a ukelele evangelist and more.

Check out the interview in two parts below, followed by the YouTube video Jake mentions in the interview, which is currently up to 4,659,736 views.

Jake on stage at TED 2010

Part 1

Part 2 Ukelele Weeps

[img credit: James Duncan Davidson for TED]

Reviews: YouTube

Tags: interviews, Jake Shimabukuro, music, TED, TED2010, ukelele

Meebo Bar Adds Facebook-like Notifications to Your Website

Posted: 11 Feb 2010 01:04 PM PST

Meebo has added a Facebook-like notifications feature to the Meebo Bar.

The bar is an overlay that Meebo offers to website publishers that readers can use for instant messaging and other social activities. Now website owners can push notifications to readers regardless of where they are on the site.

The notifications pop up out of the bar just like in the picture we’ve included. They can be whatever the publisher wants them to be. The most obvious usage is to notify a reader of just-breaking news that they might not see if they’re not browsing the front page, but there are many other possibilities.

Meebo struck a deal with AdWeek, which will start using notifications immediately. That will give folks a way to see the bar in action when they’re thinking about whether or not they’d like to add it to their own sites.

The Meebo Bar is available to any blogger who uses Movable Type, Blogger, TypePad or WordPress — but not to bloggers who use WordPress.com as a host. Additional features like ad placement and custom IM networks are available through Meebo’s business channel. Meebo is more generally known for its web-based, multi-protocol instant messaging client.

Reviews: Meebo, TypePad, WordPress, blogger

Tags: im, meebo, meebo bar

Awesome: Google Liquid Galaxy Live at TED [VIDEO]

Posted: 11 Feb 2010 12:52 PM PST

We wrote about Google’s Liquid Galaxy project back in December, one of the more interesting 20% projects in which a series of eight LCD panels surround the viewer in a wraparound view of Google Earth or Street View.

We had a chance to get a live demo of the system from its creator, software engineer Jason Holt, who used an off-the-shelf controller device to virtually fly us around the world (and under the sea!). Check out the video below (be cautious if you’re prone to motion sickness) and let us know what you think: Would you want this setup in your own home?

Tags: Google, google earth, Liquid Galaxy, software, TED, ted 2010, trending, video

Once a YouTube Challenger, Veoh Files for Bankruptcy [RUMOR]

Posted: 11 Feb 2010 12:39 PM PST

Veoh, a video-sharing website that raised around $70 million funding and was at one point a quick growing rival to YouTube, has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, according to a source familiar with the matter. CEO Dmitry Shapiro offered Mashable a “no comment” when reached this afternoon.

Investors in the company included Goldman Sachs, Time Warner and Spark Capital, who were all eager to get into Veoh and a host of other video-sharing startups that raised massive amounts of funding after YouTube exploded and sold to Google for $1.6 billion in October 2006. YouTube, of course, has gone onto only further dominate that part of the web while most of the startups have struggled to gain ground.

Combined with the significant layoffs and restructuring that took place at Veoh last year, today's news comes as little surprise. Traffic has also been on a steady decline, falling from better than 5.5 million unique visitors in December '08 to around 3.2 million unique visitors in December '09.

We’ve also heard from sources that the company had been looking to sell in recent months. Apparently, however, it has been unable to find a buyer, and now will undergo a formal liquidation as part of Chapter 7. We will update when we know more.

Reviews: Google, YouTube

Tags: money, veoh, video

6 Products to Watch from Macworld’s Best of Show

Posted: 11 Feb 2010 12:27 PM PST

This week in San Francisco, CA, Apple geeks are gathering for the Macworld 2010 conference and expo to show off new products and geek out over — you guessed it — Apple.

While the conference is far more muted this year due to Apple’s decision to no longer participate in Macworld, there are a lot of interesting products and developers here. To highlight these startups, Macworld put on a “Best of Show” segment this morning in conjunction with the DEMO conference. Six products were demoed for the audience. Some of them were very impressive, while others could have used some polish.

Here are our thoughts and assessments for each of the Macworld “Best of Show” Demos:

Best of Show at Macworld

1. SkyVoyager: This app (3GS only) allows you to get a live, dynamic view of where the stars are in the sky. Using augmented reality, you can move your iPhone around the sky and see what stars correspond to what constellations or celestial bodies. The app also includes details on stars, planets, constellations and more. It is built by Carina Software.

The coolest feature of the app may be its integration with another device from the same company. Skyfi is a device that plugs into a telescope and creates its own wireless network. If you join your iPhone with the Skyfi wireless network and relaunch the Sky Voyager app, it is now linked to your telescope and allows you to move it to any point in the sky.

Assessment: I’m downloading this app right now. Highly impressive.

2. Papershow Papershow is an annotation software for presentations. It allows you to annotate on-the-fly. Draw lines and notes, and they appear in real-time on the screen. It utilizes a pen with a camera that works at 75 frames per second to send what you draw on the Papershow paper to your presentation.

Assessment: Weak presentation, good concept, requires refinement and work.

3. Inklet: This is drawing and design software for laptops that utilizes the trackpad. It is meant as a replacement for graphics tablets, which allow you to draw on a computer. Inklet simply translates a stylus into images via trackpad. It is pressure-sensitive and easy to launch within Photoshop. It costs $25.

Assessment: Definitely useful on-the-go, but in most cases I would want a full graphics tablet for a wider range of drawing.

4. Microvision SHOWW Laser Pico Projector: The Pico Projector creates a projected image on the wall (via lasers!), but it fits in the palm of your hand. It connects with your iPhone, iPod touch, Macbook, PC and most other devices that accept video component inputs/outputs. The team did a good job of displaying the uses: projecting onto whiteboards for presentations or even on the wall at the bar so you can watch football.

It’s always in focus, no matter how close or how far away you are, even if its an uneven surface. It will be available in March for $500.

Assessment: I want this pretty bad. Hopefully the price will go down in the future, but it’s quite impressive technology in an iPhone-size device.

5. Quickoffice Connect Suite: This is an iPhone app that connects to MobileMe, Google Docs, Box.net and Dropbox, as well as to your e-mail attachments. It’s a mobile productivity app that just lets you access your files and transfer them between your e-mail and the other services to which it is connected. It even stores files that you’ve synced with so that you can access them and edit them.

Assessment: I can’t say it’s sexy, but I can say that it’s well-designed and useful for an on-the-go business person. It makes docs easy to read on the iPhone, too.

6. Yapper Yapper is a tool for creating an iPhone/Android/iPad app utilizing RSS feeds. This is similar to other tools such as iSites. Its major differentiating feature is the inclusion of push notifications, which costs $50 on top of the $99 fee.

Assessment: Clearly there’s a market for this, but there are a lot of players. Yapper didn’t present enough differentiating points against costs to make it a better option.

Finally, Our Winner…

Our favorite of the demos: SkyVoyager

5 Ways to Avoid Sabotaging Your Personal Brand Online

Posted: 11 Feb 2010 11:46 AM PST

Dan Schawbel is the bestselling author of Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success, an award winning blogger at Personal Branding Blog, a national speaker and consultant on branding and a BusinessWeek columnist.

There have been countless incidents in which professionals have lost their jobs, been evicted, or even been arrested for things they’ve done on social networks. There has never been a more important time to discuss the many ways you can sabotage your personal brand, and how you can prevent these mistakes before it’s too late.

A new report by Microsoft states that 64% of HR managers think it is appropriate to look at online profiles of candidates and 41% have rejected people as a result. Your online presence — which may consist of both content that you provide (on your LinkedIn profile for instance), as well as what’s written about you by people you may or may not know — is slowly becoming part of the formal recruitment process. It’s also where first impressions occur before in-person handshakes are made, so you have to make sure you are managing your brand online, before someone else does it for you. The following are five ways to avoid sabotaging your personal brand.

1. Don’t Ignore Brand Mentions

58% of Americans don’t even Google themselves, but employers and potential customers certainly will. It’s safe to say that people are already talking about you, either online or offline.

As you create your personal brand on a variety of platforms, your name will start popping up in search engines and on social networks. This can be both beneficial to your brand or harmful depending on the context. The viral nature of social networks, as well as their new ubiquity, should encourage you to start listening in on what people are saying about you.

Negative mentions will spread fast unless you keep your ear close to the web, so I recommend you setup a Google alert for your name, your company’s name, key competitors, partners, and industry buzz terms. There are many other free tools that can help you monitor your brand. You can also try Social Mention for a more complete solution to brand mentions on social networks.

2. Don’t Spread Yourself Too Thin

A future problem, which some might say is a current problem, is the volume of social networks and the amount of status updates and messages you receive each day. If you’re active on each and every social network that launches, you will start to spread yourself too thin, which can really hurt your brand. You won’t possibly be able to update all of your social profiles, as well as keep track of pictures, profile information, groups, etc. In general, you should only join the largest social networks (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn), as well as those networks in your industry.

As I noted in a previous Mashable post, you should reserve your full name on as many of the popular social networks as possible by using a service such as namechk.com, before someone who shares your name claims them and you’re locked out for life. But just because you have claimed your name everywhere doesn’t mean you should expend valuable time and energy maintaining a presence on every social network.

There are some websites that allow you to scale your social feeds so that one status update can automatically spread to other networks, without manually publishing content. You can use hellotxt.com or ping.fm to spread your status message to many social networks at once, including Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and Bebo. You can also go to your LinkedIn profile and syndicate your tweets for your LinkedIn status update automatically or by using “#in” for each tweet (if you want to be selective). There is also a Facebook application for Twitter so you can syndicate your tweets through your Facebook profile.

3. Know Your Audience

It’s really easy to forgot who you’re connected with on social networks as they grow. You might start out with high school, college, and summer camp friends, and then add some co-workers when you start a new job. There will be a point where you’re going to have to make a strategic decision, who you accept and who you don’t. The second you add your manager or colleagues is the time when you have to rethink what you publish or what you syndicate from other social networks. One mistake could cause you trouble.

On Facebook, you may want to have a profile page for your inner circle of friends and family members and then a Facebook Fan Page for your professional image. This way, you can make your profile private and hide it from search, while having a fan page that you can point your coworkers to. They will know that you are hiding your profile but should respect your privacy, especially since you’re giving them the option to follow your fan page.

4. Limit Self-Promotion

Certainly, self-promotion is an extremely important part of building your brand because if no one knows of your achievements or the company you work for, then how are they going to do business with you? Yet, I’ve noticed that people often over-promote themselves in various ways across the web.

Successful self-promotion only works in moderation, because if you’re constantly only promoting yourself, many people will unfollow, unfriend, or block you from their network. The best way to build a strong personal brand is to promote other people, which creates goodwill and a connection, as well as distributing value based on what you have to offer: Your expertise. If you’re helping people 80 or 90% of the time, then people will be much more accepting of your self-promotional messages the other 10%. You will also start to notice that other people will promote you — and their endorsement is even stronger than your own proclamations.

5. Be Consistent

Consistency is extremely important when it comes to any kind of branding, from personal to corporate.

Selecting a unified “picture” and spreading it across all your social media — your website, your blog, your presentations, your press kits, your business cards, etc. — will build image recognition in the mind of your audience. Consistency is significant for pictures, your name, as well as the fonts, the colors and the overall message that you communicate through your online properties.

There is no question that you already have a personal brand — whether you built it yourself or not. The way to differentiate it from everyone else is through management. By paying attention to mentions of your name online, not spreading yourself too thin, knowing your audience, offering more value than self-promotion, and being consistent, you can be very successful.

More business resources from Mashable:

- Social Media Marketing: How Pepsi Got It Right
- How Social Media Helps One Small Business Connect with Fans
- 5 Ways Small Businesses Can Avoid Social Media Panic
- HOW TO: Implement a Social Media Business Strategy
- The 10 Stages of Social Media Business Integration
- HOW TO: Use Social Media to Connect with Other Entrepreneurs

Images courtesy of iStockphoto, drflet, titaniumdoughnut

Reviews: Bebo, Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace, Ping.Fm, ResuWe Facebook Application, Twitter, iStockphoto

Tags: brand, branding, brands, business, facebook, linkedin, List, Lists, personal brand, personal branding, small business, twitter

HBO’s “How to Make it in America” Premieres Free on YouTube [VIDEO]

Posted: 11 Feb 2010 11:31 AM PST

Itching to check out HBO’s new show How to Make it in America? Good news, you don’t have to wait until the premiere this Sunday, because the pay network is releasing the pilot for free to a myriad of online sources, including YouTube and iTunes [iTunes link].

From now until February 20, the first episode of the half-hour comedy series (starring Bryan Greenberg, Eddie Kaye Thomas, Luiz Guizman and, get ready for this, Kid Cudi) will be available for your viewing pleasure online. The show, from the creators of smash hit Entourage, follows two Brooklyn 20somethings as they try to break into the New York City fashion scene. The video is not embeddable, and you have to have a YouTube account to check it out (it’s rated TV-MA), but it has already racked up more than 43,000 views since it was posted on February 7.

This isn’t the first time YouTube has aired premium programming prior to launch. According to NewTeeVee, Showtime released The United States of Tara — embed code-enabled — via digital channels last year. Consequently, it racked up more than 500,000 YouTube views in the first day. That staggering number makes How to Make it in America’s premiere look rather sad by comparison, but Steven Spielberg was the director on that project, which is a factor that should be taken into account.

Regardless, this move just stands as more evidence of YouTube’s intention to become an even more legit entertainment source. As we reported back in December, the video site is thinking about offering "variations of monthly subscription models such as those seen with cable TV providers," according to Reuters. And recently, YouTube debuted movie rentals (which didn’t really work all that well). Therefore, it’s not all that far-fetched to think that YouTube could be getting more content like this — perhaps at a price. In the meantime, the cable channels are hoping putting pilots online will drive more subscriptions.

As we reported yesterday, YouTube has recently introduced parental controls, which could come in handy if the site introduces more shows in the realm of HBO and Showtime.

In the meantime, we suggest checking out the HBO pilot via YouTube. Since we can’t embed it here, we’ll just leave you with the preview below.

Reviews: YouTube

Tags: hbo, How to Make it in America, humor, itunes, pop culture, television, youtube

CONFIRMED: Google to Acquire Social Search Startup Aardvark

Posted: 11 Feb 2010 11:13 AM PST

We’ve just confirmed with Google that the company has signed an agreement to acquire social search engine Aardvark.

Google isn’t disclosing the terms, but news of the acquisition was first reported by TechCrunch, who put the figure at around $50 million. Google told us that it’s “signed an agreement to acquire Aardvark but don’t have any additional details to report at this time.”

Aardvark is a relatively new startup from former Googlers that uses social distribution channels to get immediate answers to your questions. As a user you can either ask or answer questions, and those questions and answers are funneled through friends and friends of friends via social channels, IM and e-mail with the purpose of turning your online network and reach into a easy way to get more qualified answers to your queries. In some ways, Aardvark is very much like an alternative search engine that puts your social circle to work.

While we can only speculate as to what Google will do with Aardvark and its team at this point, here are few things that might make a service like Aardvark appeal to the likes of Google:

- Better search results: Earlier this year Google introduced answer highlights in search results in an attempt to actually answer your queries. From this endeavor we know that Google is interested in better understanding how to actually answer your queries, instead of just returning a list of links. Google could potentially use the database of Aardvark questions and answers to help them fine tune its algorithms and improve this experience, or even integrate Aardvark answers into results pages.
- Social context: Google Social Search attempts to provide context to your queries by returning matching content from your social network. Aardvark is somewhat of an extension of this idea, and could easily factor into and improve the social search experiment.
- Insight behind the question and answer chain: Aardvark has tons of interesting data on what searchers want to know, and how or why people choose to answer a particular query. Aardvark also has proof of concept that distributed social queries are effective means to getting fast answers to user questions. This data could help Google better understand what motivates certain queries and/or prompts quick responses. It’s certainly not a stretch of the imagination to guess that Google could even add Aarvark-like functionality to search, so that while you search you can query your friends as well.

Reviews: Google

Tags: Aardvark, acquisition, Google, Search, social media

Facebook’s Happy Aquarium Might Be Moving to Microsoft [RUMOR]

Posted: 11 Feb 2010 10:59 AM PST

Microsoft is in talks to buy CrowdStar, a company that makes games for Facebook. CrowdStar’s biggest game is Happy Aquarium, which boasts more than 26 million active monthly users.

Bloomberg’s sources say that Happy Aquarium is valued at $200 million. That might seem ridiculous, but when you consider that Electronic Arts acquired Playfish last year for $400 million, it just might be true.

CrowdStar is apparently the fourth-largest Facebook developer, so nabbing the company might be very much in Microsoft’s interest — if it does in fact want to enter the social game space. It’s unclear if CrowdStar’s games would be ported over to the MSN Games portal that Microsoft currently runs, or if the games would be added to Xbox Live.

In any event, the huge success of FarmVille and its estimated $1 billion valuation underscores the enormous potential of this sector, especially in the area of virtual goods.

The games themselves are free and relatively inexpensive to produce — but users are addicted and are more than willing to spend money on virtual goods. Microsoft already has a virtual goods ecosystem and community built around Xbox Live. If it could pair that experience with some of the most popular social games — whether by CrowdStar or someone else — the platform as a whole could become compelling in an entirely new way.

Reviews: Facebook

Tags: CrowdStar, happy aquarium, social gaming, Zynga

Shazam and Last.fm Team Up for More Music Magic on iPhone

Posted: 11 Feb 2010 10:18 AM PST

One of the first big “wow” apps for the iPhone was Shazam — hold up your phone to the radio or TV and BAM, find out what song is playing. Likewise, the Last.fm iPhone app was one of the first apps in the App Store for music fans. Today Shazam and Last.fm are partnering to bring features from both services together.

When Shazam launched its premium versions, Shazam Encore and (SHAZAM)RED, last fall, it was unclear if the new features would be worth the $4.99 price tag. The new Last.fm-enhanced features significantly change the value proposition.

Here’s what you can now do with the Shazam Encore and (SHAZAM)RED apps:

- You can listen to Last.fm stations directly from your tagged Shazam tracks.
- You can create new stations from those tracks in Last.fm, provided you have the Last.fm iPhone app installed.
- You can view ticket and tour info for tagged artists with geolocation support to see when your favorite band will be near you.

To us it makes sense to combine a discovery engine like Shazam with a music aggregator like Last.fm. It takes away the need to go the extra step of researching an artist, and also lets you find other artists with similar sounds.

What do you think of the combination of these two services? Let us know!

Reviews: Shazam

Tags: iphone apps, Last.FM, music, shazam, shazam encore

Google’s Next Step in Speeding Up the Web: The YouTube Speed Dashboard

Posted: 11 Feb 2010 10:02 AM PST

As part of Google’s master plan to make the web a faster place (read The Google Revenue Equation for details), the search giant is launching a new speed assessment tool for YouTube dubbed the “YouTube Speed Dashboard.”

The YouTube Speed Dashboard is essentially a quick and easy way to find out about your connection speed. This isn’t something new to the web, but the fact that Google is launching it for YouTube and placing resources and emphasis on it is. In fact, members of the Google team were central to building the YouTube Speed Dashboard, led by Product Manager Amit Arawal, who I spoke with earlier today.

The reason for launching the Speed Dashboard is simple: Google wants to make the web faster. Video specifically suffers from slow load times and buffering issues when you have a slow connection, turning people off from YouTube and forcing them to go elsewhere.

On the Speed Dashboard, you can quickly find out about your connection speed, as well as the speed of the people around you based on ISP and location. Since I’m writing this post via 3G, it’s rather low, for example. It’s a simple and fast way to compare your ISP speed across the spectrum and figure out whether you’re getting the bang for your buck or whether you should switch connections.

For now, the YouTube Speed Dashboard remains just an information tool — it will only give you your connection speed and the speeds of others around you. It does not provide tools or suggestions for speeding up your Internet — yet. Mr. Arawal says that adding links to useful tools for speeding up your connection is coming in the near future.

Today’s move comes in the wake of other recent moves by Google to improve the speed of the web, most prominently announcing the creation of an ultra high-speed fiber network.

If you want to try out the Speed Dashboard, you can check it out here.

Reviews: Google, YouTube, video

Tags: Google, Speed Dashboard, youtube

PayPal and Bebo Founders Invest in Mixpanel

Posted: 11 Feb 2010 10:00 AM PST

Mixpanel, a real-time web analytics and analysis service for understanding how users behave with web apps, has just announced a $500,000 angel investment round coming from three of the web’s most successful entrepreneurs: Max Levchin, co-founder of PayPal and Slide, and Michael and Xochi Birch, the founders of Bebo.

The startup already has strong backing by the well-known seed investment firm Y Combinator, and this new investment, while small, will only add to that. Usually Y Combinator invests about $5,000 per founder to get them started.

Co-founder Suhail Doshi explained to me that the investment came about because Max, Michael, Xochi and their companies are known for their scientific, numbers-based approach to web traffic and building web apps. In Mr. Doshi’s words, Mixpanel brings that analytical approach and toolsets and allows other companies to use it. Doshi also used to work for Max Levchin at Slide.

Mixpanel, based out of Mountain View, CA, intends to use the new angel round to hire more engineers.

Tags: bebo, business news, finance, Mixpanel, paypal, slide, startup, y combinator

5 Fantastic Free Tools to Showcase Your Portfolio

Posted: 11 Feb 2010 09:57 AM PST

This series is supported by Webdesigner Depot, a popular web design blog covering tutorials, design trends, blogging and inspirational posts. You can visit WDD at webdesignerdepot.com and follow WDD on Twitter @designerdepot.

Whether you’re an artist, designer, or photographer, your web portfolio is your calling card and your showroom. While the work should speak for itself, presentation is important. Modern style and clean functionality can be a great selling point.

If you’re looking for an alternative to hand-coding or DreamWeaving your ultimate gallery, check out these five great tools that should make maintenance a bit easier, and give you a stylistic leg-up on the competition.

1. SimpleViewer

Simpleviewer is simply gorgeous, and can generate a stunning visualization of your portfolio that is sure to impress. It uses XML to pull in images from a web directory (or Flickr, if configured) and display them as a Flash presentation. You can incorporate captions and links for each image.

The viewer comes in a few impressive flavors, including the TiltViewer (my personal favorite), and the PostcardViewer, both shown below.

Pros: You can’t beat the design. The presentation is clean, artistic, professional, and unique. While there is a pro version, the free download is highly customizable and full-featured. The viewers are scalable to full pages, or embeddable as part of your existing website or blog.

Cons: It’s not so simple. There is no software or user interface for SimpleViewer. It is powered by one Flash file and one XML file, so you’ll have to know how to manipulate the code, and have access to dedicated web hosting where your files will live. The support area presupposes you know most of this, but is a good resource on how to set up and implement your viewer.

2. PhotoSnack

PhotoSnack is a web-based solution that generates slideshows from photos you upload to your account. The free version offers clean, embeddable flash presentations. If you’re looking for a bit more customization, you don’t have to buy the farm to get a pro account. Additional features can be purchased a la cart through the website’s “points” system.

Pros: The web interface is easy to navigate and use. Your photos live on PhotoSnack’s website, so there’s no need for web hosting or link pointing. Updating, changing, and reorganizing slideshows is a snap, and customizable embed codes ensure your presentation will fit snugly on your site.

Cons: While there are a few custom options, the presentation is fairly basic for free accounts, and the embeds contain links back to the main site. It is also worth noting that Flash is still not viewable on most mobile platforms and may leave a gaping hole for some users with outdated browser plugins.

3. ScriptOcean Accordion Menu

If you’re looking to avoid Flash altogether, ScriptOcean has some handy JavaScript solutions that really look sharp. Among them is this accordion menu that unfolds — with optional captions and links — as you roll your mouse over it (click through to the website to see it in action).

ScriptOcean provides downloadable software with a user interface that makes compiling and customizing your menu quite simple. Add your images from a local directory, set the dimensions, colors, and animation properties, and the software generates a JavaScript file and some embed code. Upload everything to your website and embed as needed.

Pros: The user interface makes this otherwise daunting code project very intuitive. Customization is also very granular. You can control everything from the colors between the slides to the speed at which they snap together.

Cons: You must host the images and scripts yourself, and you should understand where to put them in your web directory so that the JavaScript file can reference them. The software interface makes this a bit easier to configure, but it may not be for beginners.

4. Carbonmade

Carbonmade is an online portfolio community of sorts. It offers a really great-looking presentation that is sure to please the discerning eye of a graphic designer. It’s Flash-free, with a strict anti-clutter policy. A great drag-and-drop interface lets you organize, present, and share your work with ease.

Pros: Simplicity is the name of the game here. There is nothing to distract a viewer from your art. In addition to photos, you can also upload video and flash projects. Built-in metrics let you know who is viewing, and connecting with other artists is easy through the online community.

Cons: Carbonmade provides no viable way (that we can see) for embedding your portfolio on your own website. This may be a drawback for some professional users, who would rather people view their work on their own domain, rather than a third-party site.

UPDATE: Carbonmade does allow you to map your portfolio to a custom domain when you upgrade to a paid account for $12 per month.

5. Flickr Slideshows

When all else fails, there’s always your Flickr account. If all of your artwork is already there, why not group the best of it into a set and embed the slideshow into your portfolio website? For a free service, the Flickr slideshow is surprisingly elegant and functional.

Unfortunately, there’s no way to generate embed code from Flickr itself, but there are a few handy tools that can do it for you.

FlickrSLiDR is a really simple web-based solution. Simply drop in the URL of the set, user, or group you want to create the slideshow from, set your parameters, and click “create” to get some code you can pop right into your website or blog.

Flickrshow is another easy and customizable way to embed Flickr slides. Simply reference Flickrshow’s JavaScript code as per the installation instructions, and tweak the parameters as needed.

Pros: It’s free, easy, and the social aspect of Flickr itself provides many advantages for hosting your content there.

Cons: A branded slideshow may not be ideal for a professional website or portfolio.

Are there any other great tools out there that we missed? Add your suggestions in the comments!

Series supported by Web Designer Depot

Webdesigner Depot is one of the most popular web design blogs in the world. It covers tutorials, design trends, blogging as well as inspirational posts. It’s run by Walter Apai, a web designer from Vancouver, Canada. The blog is a great resource for both beginners and advanced designers looking to expand and improve their knowledge. The site is visited by Fortune 500 companies and is used as a reference by many design schools. Visited by almost 2 million readers per month, WDD is a prime resource for both graphic and web designers. Visit WDD at webdesignerdepot.com. Follow on Twitter: twitter.com/designerdepot. Subscribe to RSS feed: webdesignerdepot.com/rss.htm.

More design resources from Mashable:

- HOW TO: Build a More Beautiful Blog
- HOW TO: Create Custom Backgrounds for Twitter, YouTube, & MySpace
- Oprah's Designer Nate Berkus Tackles Twitter Backgrounds
- A Guide to Mobile Web Design Tips and Tricks
- 85+ of the Best Twitterers Designers Should Follow
- 100 Great Resources for Design Inspiration

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, Grafissimo

Reviews: Carbonmade, Flickr, Twitter, add, iStockphoto

Tags: artists, BLOGS, design, flickr, Photographers, photography, Photos, portfolio, slideshows, web design, web design tips series

iPhone App Adds Photos and Videos to Foursquare Check-ins

Posted: 11 Feb 2010 09:56 AM PST

Foursquare is becoming synonymous with the concept of the check-in, but it hasn’t tackled location-based photo- and video-sharing — until now. Enter SquarePik, a new Foursquare app for the iPhone that adds photo and videos to the location equation.

After downloading SquarePik — a product of Pikchur — users can log in with their Foursquare credentials and check in at venues as usual, but they can also now add photos and videos to their favorite places.

Here’s how it works:

- Launch the app
- Select your location
- Tap the purple button in the middle to capture a photo or video, or to add one from your iPhone library

Once you’ve uploaded your digital media to a location, you can also add a shout (i.e. status update) per usual. Afterwards your photo or video check-in will be forever associated with the place in question, so anyone visiting a venue via the SquarePik application will be able to view your content addition to the photo and video check-in place stream.

Unfortunately, there are a few drawbacks to the application as it stands. Right now there’s no way to search nearby places, which leaves you with a long list of possible venues to scroll through. We’re told search is coming in a revised version of the app that has already been submitted to Apple.

Also, in the Friends tab, SquarePik displays activity from all of your Foursquare friends (not just those nearby), which is pretty cool in its own right, but it’s a bit odd that you can’t click through to places to see whether or not your friends are sharing photos and videos.

The service does become a tad more useful when you use your Foursquare credentials to log in to Pikchur on the web. There you can access all of your SquarePik shared photos and videos and edit them with Picnik or share them elsewhere on the web.

Ultimately if you feel like the Foursquare experience is diminished by the lack of photos and video then you’ll gladly pony up $1.99 for the app.

Reviews: Foursquare, Pikchur, picnik

Tags: check-ins, foursquare, geolocation, iphone, social media

Chrome for Mac Officially Gets Extensions and Bookmark Sync

Posted: 11 Feb 2010 08:33 AM PST

Google has just officially rolled out extensions as part of the latest beta release of Chrome for Mac. The new release of Chrome for Mac also includes bookmark sync (across multiple computers), bookmark and cookie managers and a new Task Manager.

Today’s Chrome for Mac news brings Mac users up to speed with PC Chrome users and introduces them to Google’s entire Chrome extension collection, which now includes well over 2,200 browser add-ons.

Those of us who have been using the Mac developer build to access extensions (and our PC friends) know that add-ons like Evernote, Google Mail Checker, Cooliris, Google Similar Pages and Tab Menu will really help improve the overall browsing experience within Chrome. Per Google’s message on the news, the update was designed to provide Chrome for Mac with a “snappy, safe, and simple browsing experience.”

The snappiness of the new build is portrayed in the video below:

Reviews: Chrome, Cooliris, Evernote, Google

Tags: Browsers, Chrome for Mac, Google, google chrome, google chrome extensions, software, trending

Google Deletes Music Blogs, Prompts a Twitter Upheaval

Posted: 11 Feb 2010 08:27 AM PST

Google has deleted six of the most popular Blogger-based music blogs on the web (including their entire archives) in an effort to combat online music piracy. The move comes in response to Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) take-down notices.

According to The Guardian, the deletions were performed without clear notice, and bloggers are insisting that they did not host any owned content without permission.

The sites shut down were using Google’s Blogger service; they included I Rock Cleveland, It’s a Rap, Living Ears, To Die By Your Side, Masala and Pop Tarts. Each was dedicated to introducing music fans to new songs and genres they might not otherwise experience, usually from obscure and independent artists.

MP3 downloads were often included with blog posts, but bloggers have claimed that nothing they’ve uploaded recently has violated copyright laws. For example, I Rock Cleveland owner Bill Lipold claims that all the MP3s served up on his blog in the past two years were either publicly released promotional tracks or provided by the labels or artists.

The take-downs have angered social media and music enthusiasts, who have started using the hashtag #musicblogocide2010 on Twitter in tweets voicing disapproval of Google’s actions.

Google’s Response

Google responded to the outrage with a blog post explaining its DMCA policy. While Google usually gives bloggers a chance to respond to a single DMCA take-down request with a counter-claim, it explained: “When we receive multiple DMCA complaints about the same blog, and have no indication that the offending content is being used in an authorized manner, we will remove the blog.”

That might have been the case with these blogs. However, some bloggers who received lone complaints said they didn’t know how to go about responding with a counter-claim.

The issue is that the DMCA occasionally makes mistakes when sending take-down notices to websites — sometimes it doesn’t realize a site is within its rights to use that particular track — but bloggers feel that Google didn’t give them an adequate chance to defend themselves, and now months or years of blogging history (which is critical for serving readers and good search engine placement) are permanently lost — even if the bloggers are able to get their Blogger blogs reinstated.

Lawyers in the music industry are understandably sensitive about rights issues after the industry was turned on its head by illegal file sharing services like Napster, but they need to be careful not to anger consumers who are enjoying music legally.

Reviews: Google, Twitter, blogger

Tags: blogger, blogging, dmca, Google, music, piracy

KommandCore Combines Project Management With GTD

Posted: 11 Feb 2010 07:31 AM PST

This post is part of Mashable’s Spark of Genius series, which highlights a unique feature of startups. If you would like to have your startup considered for inclusion, please see the details here. The series is made possible by Microsoft BizSpark.

Name: KommandCore

Quick Pitch: KommandCore is an innovative and absolutely new SaaS web service designed for project and communication management.

Genius Idea: KommandCore makes working on group tasks — even with people outside your organization — easy.

Most project management systems give you a limit on the number of projects you can create and participants it can support. We like that KommandCore doesn’t impose those limits. Depending on your pricing plan, you have different levels of available space to store files and documents inside KommandCore, but you can have as many users and projects as you want. Users can be assigned different roles and can be given access to only the parts of the project the manager wants them to see.

Another feature we like in KommandCore: You can upload and attach files to messages, just like regular e-mail. You can also preview files within the program. That makes making notes or adding comments much faster than having to open the file separately before commenting.

We also appreciate the slick interface that KommandCore utilizes. Try out the demo on its site and play around — it’s intuitive and has a great look and feel. But what we really appreciate is that there are separate workflows and dashboards for each project member. The whole structure is much more similar to a GTD program than a tradition web-based project management app.

Pricing starts at $5 per month for 1GB accounts and goes up to $40 a month for 10GB accounts with phone support. Small companies that might want the benefits of a web-based system, but don’t want to have user limits or pay high monthly prices, should give KommandCore a try.

YugaTech

2010-02-11T21:17:00.001-08:00

YugaTech

BlackBerry Bold 9700 launched and priced
Lenovo IdeaPad S10-3 & S10-3T Prices
Nokia Booklet 3G in the flesh!
What’s buzzing with Google Buzz?

BlackBerry Bold 9700 launched and priced

Posted: 11 Feb 2010 08:07 PM PST

Yesterday evening, Globe Telecom did a launch of the new BlackBerry Bold 9700 with a couple of offers to prepaid and postpaid subscribers.

Being first to market with the Bold 9700, Globe is offering a pre-paid price of Php28,995.

If you are on Globe Post-paid, you can get the Blackberry Bold 9700 for free starting at Plan 3500. If you want unlimited data surfing with it, there’s a BlackBerry Plan 3799. Post-paid subscribers also get a free Enjoy Philippines kit we featured here before.

If you want the pre-paid option, just get it for Php28,995 and then subscribe to unlimited internet with an additional Php1,200 per month on Super Surf.

You can read the review of the BlackBerry Bold 9700 here.

Follow YugaTech on Twitter: http://twitter.com/abeolandres

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Blackberry Curve 8520 launched Research in Motion today unveiled a new and affordable version...

Lenovo IdeaPad S10-3 & S10-3T Prices

Posted: 11 Feb 2010 08:29 AM PST

Looks like the new Lenovo IdeaPad S10-3 and the S10-3T tablet netbooks are here and local prices aren’t that bad too.

Local PC retailer, Villman, is listing the two new IdeaPad models as follows:

Lenovo IdeaPad S10-3
10.1″ display screen @ 1024×600 pixels
Intel Atom N450 @ 1.66GHz
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 3150
250GB HDD
1GB DDR2 RAM
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth
6-cell Li-Ion battery
Multi-touch trackpad
Windows 7 Starter
Price: Php23,900

Lenovo IdeaPad S10-3T
10.1″ touch-screen display @ 1024×600 pixels
Intel Atom N450 @ 1.66GHz
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 3150
250GB HDD
1GB DDR2 RAM
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth
6-cell Li-Ion battery
Multi-touch trackpad
Windows 7 Starter
Price: Php29,900

The design and form factor looks interesting, especially with the tablet model. The keys on the keyboard also inherited the same edgy & concave shapes.

Follow YugaTech on Twitter: http://twitter.com/abeolandres

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Lenovo IdeaPad U110 spotted, priced Spotted on display at one of the store shelves at...
Lenovo IdeaPad S10 in the flesh Just like most other netbooks we’ve published here in the...

Nokia Booklet 3G in the flesh!

Posted: 10 Feb 2010 08:10 PM PST

So here we have it — one of the very first few Nokia Booklet 3G in the country. We don’t know when it will be released in the Philippines but if it ever did, at least we’re able to share with you some close-up shots and a review ahead to help you get decided.

I have to admit, the Nokia Booklet 3G is just gorgeous (and I use this word very sparingly). Pretty solid aluminum construction. If it didn’t have the Nokia logo on the glossy-black lid cover, I’d easily mistaken it for an Apple netbook (okay, the non-existent one).

Nokia Booklet 3G specs:
10.1″ display screen @ 1280×720 pixels
Intel Atom Z530 1.6GHz
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 500
1GB DDR2 RAM
120GB HDD
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
3G Modem
Integrated GPS and A-GPS
1.3MP camera
HDMI port, 3 x USB 2.0 ports
SD card reader

The Booklet 3G is Nokia’s first attempt to enter the laptop segment so it will be interesting how it will position itself in this already-crowded market. We’ll have the full review of this unit in a week or two so stay tuned for that.

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What’s buzzing with Google Buzz?

Posted: 10 Feb 2010 06:13 PM PST

So I’ve added the new Google Buzz into my GMail and see if I can see some use for it. I’ve also added my YouTube, Twitter and sites like YugaTech.

Now, updates I make on those sites and accounts will also appear in my Google Buzz stream. Likewise, updates made by people (comments, etc.) will also be streamed into my Google Buzz. I only wish though that comments made on the Buzz will also be inserted into those sites (the other way around).

So, I’m looking at my Google Buzz as an stream of alerts. Other than that, I don’t see any use for it now. Feels like channel surfing.

But what happened to Google Wave? Buzz looked like a scaled down Google Wave to me. Hopefully, this won’t be another time-waster. I got some nagging privacy concerns too.

How do you find Google Buzz so far?

Follow YugaTech on Twitter: http://twitter.com/abeolandres

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Mashable: Latest 27 News Updates - including “How Biz Stone Promoted Twitter in 2006 [FUNNY]”

2010-02-11T05:43:00.001-08:00

Mashable: Latest 27 News Updates - including “How Biz Stone Promoted Twitter in 2006 [FUNNY]”

How Biz Stone Promoted Twitter in 2006 [FUNNY]
Flickr is Now 6 Years Old
Google Buzz Buttons: The New Way to Share Mashable Stories
Task Squid: Task Management Meets Activity Streams [INVITES]
Mashable’s Ben Parr Talks Google Buzz on G4’s Attack of the Show [VIDEO]
Watch Jamie Oliver’s TED Talk Live Online [VIDEO]
MySpace CEO Out After Just 9 Months
Twitter Hires a CFO From Pixar
Man to Be Locked in Box and Live Streamed to World
HOW TO: Create and Distribute Effective Online Coupons
Google Buzz Contest: Win a Google Nexus One
Iranian Government Bans Gmail
4 Elements of a Successful Business Web Presence
Mashable’s Weekly Social Media & Web Development Job Guide
New BBC Director Mandates Journalists Use Social Media
14 Fantastic Free WordPress Themes
Now You Can IM Your Facebook Friends With AIM
Facebook Mobile Now Has 100 Million Monthly Users
Yahoo Talks Search Strategy and the Microsoft Deal
Shop Etsy in Pictures
Love Stinks: 5 Parodies of Google’s Romantic Super Bowl Ad [VIDEO]
Warner Music Plans to End Support for Free Streaming
YouTube Adds “Safety Mode” to Keep Videos PG
Visualizing 6 Years of Facebook [INFOGRAPHIC]
Google Getting Into the ISP Business With Ultra High-Speed Network
Twitter Is Still Growing Rapidly [STATS]
Detroit Red Wings Make Game Programs Interactive With QR Codes
Opera Wants to Bring Its Mobile Browser to iPhone

How Biz Stone Promoted Twitter in 2006 [FUNNY]

Posted: 11 Feb 2010 03:00 AM PST

This is 2010, and Twitter is now serious business. Well, it’s not a serious business in the context of actually making money, but in terms of millions of users, billions of tweets, and very strong potential, we take it seriously.

Back in 2006, however, it was a tiny blip on the web 2.0 (remember that term?) radar, and Biz Stone had to do whatever it takes to make the name (back then it was Twttr) stick in our mind. The result is below, a (partly intentionally) hilarious video from 2006, with Biz Stone sporting a crazy scientist look, speaking very fast but telling us surprisingly little about the service in 43 seconds of the video’s duration. Credit for finding this gem goes to Say OMG.

Tags: biz stone, twitter, video

Flickr is Now 6 Years Old

Posted: 11 Feb 2010 12:29 AM PST

Popular photo sharing social network Flickr has been launched back in February 2004 by a Vancouver-based company Ludicorp. It took one year for Yahoo to acquire Flickr, and among the company’s many acquisitions, Flickr definitely stands as one of the most successful.

Being 6 years old (nearly the same age as Facebook) makes Flickr almost an old guy on the Internet, as many other social networks (Bebo, hi5) have risen and fallen within that timespan. Although its traffic lately isn’t growing as it used to, it’s still doing well, with users sharing billions of photos there. We wish you a very happy birthday, Flickr!

[Image credits: Flickr]

Reviews: Flickr

Tags: birthday, flickr, photo sharing, Photos, social media

Google Buzz Buttons: The New Way to Share Mashable Stories

Posted: 10 Feb 2010 09:47 PM PST

Google Buzz is shaping up to be an interesting new way to share content with your Gmail friends, so why not have a button for sharing blog posts to the service?

Our new Google Buzz buttons are a first step. To make it work, you’ll need to make sure you’ve set up Google Reader and included that in your “Connected Sites” on Buzz. If you already had a Reader account before setting up Buzz, chances are that’s already set up for you.

Try it now: click “Buzz This” to the left of this post!

Happy buzzing!

—

Kudos to Andy Brett on this one.

Reviews: Google Buzz, Google Reader

Tags: Google, google buzz

Task Squid: Task Management Meets Activity Streams [INVITES]

Posted: 10 Feb 2010 08:09 PM PST

This post is part of Mashable's Spark of Genius series, which highlights a unique feature of startups. If you would like to have your startup considered for inclusion, please see the details here. The series is made possible by Microsoft BizSpark.

Name: Task Squid

Quick Pitch: Collaboration focused on completing the tasks, that ultimately complete the project. Its group tasks done easy.

Genius Idea: In the spectrum of project collaboration tools you have the completely freeform Google Wave and structured enterprise tool from SAP called 12Sprints. In the middle is Task Squid, a private beta project management tool (we’ve got invites!) that takes an activity stream approach — designed with productivity in mind — to project collaboration.

The Task Squid experience is centered around task management, with you as the focal point. Upon login the service displays the tasks assigned to you or those that you assigned to others. The activity stream also highlights all recent items — tasks, subtasks, comments, files, time — in reverse chronological order and color-coded by type for an overview of all recent project activity.

During the initial setup process you can connect your Twitter, Facebook, and Google Calendar accounts. You’ll also want to start the process by predetermining categories — which you can treat like separate projects — for tasks. Those categories will be shown on the right-hand side of the page so you can filter through tasks. Should you wish to be notified of new or completed tasks you can add your mobile number to receive SMS messages for updates.

Tasks themselves can be basic notes or robust action items, which means you can include stylized text, rich media (including flash), add files, assign multiple owners, and add a due date. Each task also supports comments (with replies), subtasks, and time entry options. Tasks can even be shared via direct URL or Facebook and Twitter, though login will be required to access the shared task.

For those of you with a penchant for aesthetics, TaskSquid doesn’t disappoint. The experience looks and feels clean, and the comments are treated as colored chat bubbles that make back and forth repartee visually appealing. Task Squid won’t work for everyone’s project collaboration needs, but it does get simple task management right.

The service is still in beta, but Mashable readers can enter “sparkofgenius” in the invite code field to get in early. That code will work for 1,000 users, so get in there, try it out and let us know what you think in the comments.

Reviews: Facebook, Google Wave, Mashable, Twitter

Tags: project management, social media, task squid

Mashable’s Ben Parr Talks Google Buzz on G4’s Attack of the Show [VIDEO]

Posted: 10 Feb 2010 06:04 PM PST

Mashable Co-Editor Ben Parr made an appearance on G4's Attack of the Show this afternoon to talk Google Buzz – the new service you can access through Gmail that the social media world is still (for lack of a better word) buzzing about after its big debut on Tuesday.

How is Buzz being used already, and how might the service evolve over the next few months? See and hear Ben's thoughts on that and more in the segment below. Also — don't forget to follow Mashable on Buzz if you're so inclined.

Tags: attack of the show, g4, google buzz

Watch Jamie Oliver’s TED Talk Live Online [VIDEO]

Posted: 10 Feb 2010 05:27 PM PST

Just because you’re not at TED 2010 in person doesn’t mean you can’t still get some of the TED experience. CNN.com is going to live stream 2010 TED Prize winner Jamie Oliver’s talk tonight at 8:50 pm EST, where he discusses his one wish to change the world. You can see it for yourself by tuning into CNN.com and www.CNN.com/live1

Oliver was awarded $100,000 and the opportunity to present his vision to the world as part of his TED prize. A celebrity chef and nutrition advocate, we imagine that part of that vision includes better eating — and living.

Tags: cnn.com, Jamie Oliver, TED, TED Talks

MySpace CEO Out After Just 9 Months

Posted: 10 Feb 2010 05:04 PM PST

Owen Van Natta made waves when he became MySpace CEO in April 2009 after having previously served as a high-ranking exec at Facebook. But his effort to revitalize the once top social network has come to an end tonight after less than 10 months on the job, as Van Natta has resigned from MySpace, effective immediately.

Here’s the statement we just received from the company:

“News Corporation today announced that Owen Van Natta will step down from his position as MySpace CEO, effective immediately. Mr. Van Natta will be replaced by newly-elevated co-Presidents Mike Jones and Jason Hirschhorn, who will each report to Jon Miller, Chairman and CEO of Digital Media for News Corporation. All three executives joined MySpace in April 2009, with Mr. Jones and Mr. Hirschhorn previously serving as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Product Officer, respectively.”

Needless to say, this news doesn’t look good for MySpace, who continues to fall further behind Facebook as it tries to reinvent itself as an entertainment destination. The company has also undergone significant job cuts and restructuring — in June of last year, MySpace laid off 30 percent of its staff at Van Natta’s behest.

Reviews: Facebook, MySpace

Tags: myspace

Twitter Hires a CFO From Pixar

Posted: 10 Feb 2010 04:28 PM PST

This is the year that Twitter is slated to start monetizing in a big way. Along those lines, the company has just hired a Chief Financial Officer by way of Pixar Animation Studios.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Ali Rowghani will join Twitter in March, after having worked in finance – most recently as CFO – at the studio since 2001.

Twitter CEO Evan Williams tells WSJ that "Ali will be an important member of a growing team focused on creating value for our users and capturing the financial opportunities that result from it."

Those opportunities we suspect will include paid accounts, as well as a number of potential advertising models the company is rumored to be working on.

Reviews: Twitter

Tags: finance, pixar, twitter

Man to Be Locked in Box and Live Streamed to World

Posted: 10 Feb 2010 02:31 PM PST

What do you get when you cross social isolation, money and Google Maps? A truly odd live-streaming event from Justin.tv called “Man in a Box.”

On February 15, controversial UK broadcast personality Tim Shaw will lock himself in a steel box that’s 3 feet high, 4.5 feet wide and 8 feet long. He will have no clue as to where the box is located — only that it is somewhere significant to him.

His only company? A camera. His only social interaction? A hatch that dispenses food and water, as well as a daily clue as to where he is located. He will share said clue with his viewers, who are tasked with finding Shaw by following along with his foibles on the official website and highlighting his location via Google Maps.

The viewer who correctly ascertains Shaw’s location — which will free the man from confinement — will win £30,000. If no one guesses correctly, homeboy has to stay under lock and key for the full 30 days.

The stunt is a little hokey in a Criss Angel Mindfreak/David Blaine kind of way, but all proceeds go to Help for Heroes, a charity that helps wounded UK soldiers.

Viewers will be able to follow along on the Justin.tv site as well as on the “Man in a Box” site, which will also include tons of other content: forums and chats, a tool whereby you can suggest food for Shaw (oh, the trouble that will likely breed), and various videos featuring the box man’s therapist and advisers dispensing wisdom on how to handle isolation.

This is undoubtedly a cool way to raise money and generate buzz for a live stream, but you do have to wonder how Shaw is going to hack it. There are places in the world where such treatment is considered psychological torture — and we call those places prison.

The stream isn’t live yet, but we’ve embedded it below for anyone who wants to bookmark it in anticipation of the meltdown — I mean, show.

Reviews: Google Maps

Tags: justin.tv, live video, television

HOW TO: Create and Distribute Effective Online Coupons

Posted: 10 Feb 2010 01:50 PM PST

Darren Waddell is Vice President of Marketing at MerchantCircle.com. He can be found on the MerchantCircle blog and on Twitter.

The age of the coupon is upon us. With historically high unemployment and uncertainty about the economy weighing heavily on consumer spending, the humble coupon has enjoyed a resurgence. Both the classic clip-and-save variety and new online options delivered via the web, e-mail, social networks, and mobile phones are popular among consumers.

Coupon redemption in the U.S. rose 10% in the fourth quarter of 2008 –- the first rise in coupon use since the early 1990s –- and total coupon redemption reached 3 billion in 2009, according to Inmar. What's more, the use of printable coupons, where people print online coupons and redeem them in stores, rose 308% in the first half of 2009, while 10 million digital coupons were redeemed during the same period, up 25% year-on-year.

Price sensitive consumers want deals, and smart local companies realize coupons are a great way to attract new customers and retain existing ones. Increasingly, local businesses are eager to use online coupons as a simple, cost-effective way to attract local customers. But while it's fairly easy to create a coupon online (more on this below) the bigger trick is making sure people find it. To ensure a small business coupon promotion reaches enough people in your local area, a well-planned distribution strategy is crucial.

What is an Online Coupon?

Before I jump in with some concrete tips on how to create, distribute, and track redemption of online coupons, let's take a step back and answer the seemingly simple question: What is an online coupon?

The truth is, an online coupon can mean many things: A small clickable banner on a homepage offering 10% off; a discount offered via e-mail, redeemable online, over the phone, or in-store; a printable coupon consumers bring into a merchant's store or office; or even a limited-time deal offered solely to a company's Twitter followers or Facebook fans. Whether or not you've used online coupons before, now is the time to test the waters. Some 80% of consumers say they would increase coupon use if relevant coupons were delivered online, according to recent research from Prospectiv.

Create Your Online Coupon

The first step in creating an online coupon is deciding on the level of discount you want to offer, and how long you want the promotion to run. Be clear and direct with the promotion: "10% off this week" or "Buy one get one free today only.”

Next, you'll need to create your online coupon. There are many national coupon sites targeted at large consumer brands, like Coupons.com and Redplum, but they aren't suited to smaller businesses. Small businesses need to reach a targeted, local audience with their promotions, so it makes more sense to create a coupon on a site like Craigslist or Local.com, which let local businesses create and distribute coupons with just a few clicks. You can also create a "coupon" by simply coming up with an offer to send out via e-mail.

Distribute Your Online Coupon

Once you've created a coupon offer, you need distribution. If your local business coupon isn't getting into the hands of local consumers, what's the point? Here are several free or inexpensive ways small businesses can distribute online coupons.

1. E-mail a coupon to your client list. Allow recipients to print the coupon and bring it into your store, or simply "mention" the promotion to receive the discount.

2. Blog about it. Even if you only have a few customers subscribing to your blog, posting deals will encourage recommendations and new subscribers.

3. Post your coupon on an online business directory site or social network that automatically distributes coupons to targeted audiences via a network of local sites and social channels, such as Facebook, Local.com, or Valpak.

4. Particularly if you are a service business, create a Craigslist posting in a relevant business or service category offering your discount. Even a simple text-only coupon works well.

5. Add a coupon banner on your website that automatically applies the promotion at checkout. To make this work, you need a somewhat sophisticated transactional system that allows you to tie a promotion to clicks on the coupon banner.

6. Use your Twitter and Facebook accounts to offer friends and followers a special discount. Make sure the promotions you offer are compelling and make your followers feel special. They are following you for a reason: To get deals and inside information.

7. Purchase a paid banner ad promoting your discount on a locally-focused advertising network such as AdReady, iPromote, Jivox, or Inflection Point Media.

8. Film a short video clip showcasing your business and post it on YouTube. Add text to the video offering a discount to customers who mention they saw the clip. Don't forget to promote your YouTube video in Facebook, Twitter and on your blog.

9. Go viral. Make your coupons shareable, allowing people to pass the deal along to friends. Try promotions like "Get 20% when you refer a new client," or "Bring in three friends and get 20% off for everyone." Each coupon you send out via e-mail, on Twitter or Facebook, or post online should include a link to "Share this coupon with a friend" so people can easily forward the discount onto their networks. Stats show that sharing now drives upwards of 33% of traffic as search, so it's crucial to make your coupon shareable.

10. Try a social shopping site. Sites like Groupon allow businesses to offer coupons to local customers redeemable only if a certain number of people sign up for the discount, so it's a great way to attract a large number of new customers.

Whatever combination of distribution methods a small business chooses, don't forget traditional methods that have stood the test of time. For example, place printed coupons on your shop's counter, promote your deal via flyers, or continue to include paper coupons in the local ValPak mailer. Even though online coupons are gaining in popularity, tried-and-true methods still work to drive some business.

Measure Redemption

Always put a time limit or expiration date on a coupon. Once your coupon promotion is over it's time to measure how well it performed to drive sales. If you have a transactional website, use Google Analytics or your other analytics provider to find out how many people clicked on your coupon, and how many of those clicks lead to purchases. YouTube will show you how many people viewed your video promotion.

You should also use other more "primitive" methods to track redemption. Ask customers where they saw the coupon they are redeeming in your store (e-mail, your website, a third-party website) and track their comments in a document. After a few weeks, look back to see a pattern of which distribution channels yielded the highest redemption rates.

Use Coupons to Build Loyalty

Lastly, remember that coupons are more than just a one-time deal. They have the potential to create ongoing customer loyalty. Remember this: on average, according to most industry estimates, it costs nine times more money to acquire a new customer than to keep an existing one.

Each time a customer redeems a coupon, it’s an opportunity to connect with them on a personal level. Ask for their e-mail address, or encourage them to write a review of your products or services on local directory listing sites. Ask them to follow you on Twitter or join your Facebook Fan Page, and always follow-up with further promotions down the road. Make sure to deliver something of value to your customers –- don't spam them with unwanted e-mails, but offer compelling, targeted offers that nurture an ongoing relationship.

Why not try some unique customer loyalty promotions? Try a coupon sent to only your most loyal customers, or open your shop one hour early for loyal customers, paired with coffee and croissants and a store-wide 15% off discount.

Many small businesses offering high-quality products and services mistakenly believe a coupon cheapens their business and makes them look desperate for sales. This is not true. In fact, coupons are cool again. Customers are holding tight to their wallets these days and they won't change their behavior any time soon. There are a multitude of free or inexpensive tools that help small business owners deliver timely, targeted, relevant offers to local consumers seeking deals. With the proper distribution of your coupon online, you'll build sales, increase customer loyalty, and come out ahead of competitors when the economy recovers.

More business resources from Mashable:

- How Social Media Helps One Small Business Connect with Fans
- 5 Ways Small Businesses Can Avoid Social Media Panic
- Social Media Marketing: How Pepsi Got It Right
- HOW TO: Implement a Social Media Business Strategy
- The 10 Stages of Social Media Business Integration
- HOW TO: Use Social Media to Connect with Other Entrepreneurs

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, svengine, gvictoria

Reviews: Craigslist, Facebook, Google Analytics, Twitter, YouTube, add, blog, iStockphoto

Tags: business, coupons, Craiglist, facebook, List, Lists, MARKETING, online coupons, shopping, small business, social media, social media marketing, social networks, twitter, youtube

Google Buzz Contest: Win a Google Nexus One

Posted: 10 Feb 2010 01:07 PM PST

Google this week launched Google Buzz, its biggest venture yet into the social media space. We’re excited to have the Mashable community contribute to our articles and knowledge using the new tool, making our site even more collaborative.

Today we’re launching a contest to spur even richer conversations on Google Buzz. For the next week, we’ll be asking questions on our Google Buzz account about how we should use Buzz, and what you think about the topics discussed that day on Mashable. The most intelligent and constructive comments will win one of two Google Nexus One phones.

To enter:

1. Follow the official Mashable account on Google Buzz
2. Look out for the questions we post to Buzz and offer your most insightful replies
3. The two most insightful comments posted before midnight PT on Friday, February 19 will win a Google Nexus One

That’s it! The contest is open internationally and we’ll pay shipping worldwide. In order to make the contest international, the Nexus One phones are unlocked without contract. Winners names will be announced on our Google Buzz account on or before February 22.

Reviews: Google Buzz, Mashable

Tags: announcements, buzz, google buzz, nexus one

Iranian Government Bans Gmail

Posted: 10 Feb 2010 12:44 PM PST

As the Iranian authorities attempt to stifle tomorrow’s protests surrounding the anniversary of the Iranian revolution, they are going one step further: Iran is permanently suspending access to Google’s Gmail.

Earlier this week, we wrote about failing Internet connections in Iran. The timing of these problems has been met with suspicion: February 11 (tomorrow) marks the anniversary of the Iranian revolution and gatherings are already being planned to protest against June’s alleged election fraud.

From the Wall Street Journal:

“Iranians have reported widespread service disruptions to Internet and text messaging services, though mobile phones appeared to be operating normally Wednesday.
Iran’s telecommunications agency announced what it described as a permanent suspension of Google Inc.’s email services, saying instead that a national email service for Iranian citizens would soon be rolled out. It wasn’t clear late Wednesday what effect the order had on Google’s email services in Iran.”

We wrote about Iran’s censorship monster back in June, and it’s clear that the Iranian authorities have no intention of loosening their grip.

Twitter was famously a catalyst for communication during the Iranian elections and post-election protests, and Iranian citizens have often relied on networks set up by westerners to send information.

While this isn’t a completely unique move — the Iranian government did suspend access to Facebook in the lead-up to May’s election — an all-out block on a communication service and the attempt to move citizens to a state-run service is another story.

Even when compared to the Great Firewall of China, this is disturbing and infuriating.

The Wall Street Journal also reports that satellite dishes from residential rooftops have been confiscated, as well as mobile phones from some opposition members.

Reviews: Google, Iran , Twitter

Tags: censorship, gmail, government censorship, iran, iranian revolution, trending

4 Elements of a Successful Business Web Presence

Posted: 10 Feb 2010 12:26 PM PST

This post originally appeared on the American Express OPEN Forum, where Mashable regularly contributes articles about leveraging social media and technology in small business.

What's the most important piece of your business's web presence? Your website, of course.

Creating a website requires a good deal of thought; it's important to plan what information you want on the site, what the layout will look like, and how you'll connect each piece together.

Think of your website as your hub; it's what people will see when they look for you. Here are four elements of a successful business web presence that can help ensure that your first impression is a good one.

Before We Begin

Your very first step should be to define the goals of your website. Most businesses should have at least three: to create an online presence, to differentiate your business, and to capture leads.

1. Creating an online presence is the most basic reason for building a website. This means building a site that includes your business information, highlights what makes you special, and gives consumers a way to contact you.
2. Making your business stand out takes a more advanced strategy. Maintaining a blog that portrays your thoughts and insights can help your website stand out and help consumers better understand your business.
3. A good business website can be used to capture potential leads. As the site grows it becomes a community for customers and potential consumers. Connect with potential consumers and find a way to continue marketing to them. Your website can be the elevator pitch and your connection the long sell.

The Website

With our goals in mind, we can begin to explore specific elements of a strong website.

The homepage will generally be the initial point of contact with your consumers. A good homepage will answer the questions "What do you do?" and "Why should I trust you?" Consumers will make a split-second decision on whether they'll stay to learn more or go to a competitor. Don't lose them at the start.

An "About" page can further reinforce the trust factor. Explain exactly what your company does, in-depth. I want to know who you are, why you do what you do, and what makes you special. This page should make an impact and impress your consumers.

Finally, create a "Contact" page. This page should clearly explain to your customers how to get in contact with you. Make sure it outlines your address, phone number, email address, and any other way someone can reach you. You might even want to include a Google Map with directions to your store or office.

These three pages create a basic online presence, but not much more. If you want to set your business apart from everyone else, the best way to do that is to create a company blog.

The Blog

For some reason, many business owners shy away from blogs. What they don't realize is that most business "News" sections are blogs. "Blog" simply defines any continually updated news or content section of a site. In fact, this is technically a post on a blog.

So why is a blog important? For one, it shows that you know what you're talking about. It helps you identify yourself as an expert or unique. Secondly, a blog is constantly updated. It gives readers a reason to come back to your site. The more contact you have with your consumers, the more likely they are to buy from you.

Also, consumers have become savvier and will search out information. They want more than a simple explanation of what your product does. They want to know how to use your product, examples of interesting things people are doing, and how you can make their life easier.

After you have a site with information and a blog that is ever-growing, you'll begin to experience a growth in site traffic. It would be a shame to ignore these potential customers. Which leads us to our next step; lead capture.

The Newsletter

It's here that we begin building leads from your website's visitors.

The first and most important element is a newsletter form. I use Aweber to handle my own personal newsletter sign ups and delivery. I just write the actual newsletter and format it.

There are a number of other services you can use too such as MailChimp and ConstantContact; it simply depends on what you want. Do your research and choose a program you like. The newsletter cost quickly pays for itself. Email marketing is one of the most effective ways to generate sales.

Getting consumers to sign up for your email list means you no longer have to wait for them to come to you, you can go to them. You can offer your core consumers specials and keep them up to date on new products or changes.

Social Media Accounts

Another option for capturing leads is social media. Microblogs and social networks such as Facebook and Twitter can help you connect with and contact those within your core community. For this strategy to work, your blog should serve as a central hub. The hub sends consumers to your respective social media profiles to build the connection.

Businesses with a Facebook Fan page can include a Fan box on the site to make it an easy process to fan the business page. If you have an active Twitter account, consider adding the "Follow Me on Twitter" button. These two elements can help turn a one-time reader into a connected consumer.

When you're building an online presence, the most important aspect is your website. It's your hub and your first impression. Are you using the right elements to maximize your website's effectiveness?

More business resources from Mashable:

- Social Media Marketing: How Pepsi Got It Right
- HOW TO: Implement a Social Media Business Strategy
- HOW TO: Choose a News Reader for Keeping Tabs on Your Industry
- The 10 Stages of Social Media Business Integration
- HOW TO: Measure Social Media ROI
- HOW TO: Use Social Media to Connect with Other Entrepreneurs

Imagea courtesy of iStockphoto, geopaul, WendellFranks, melhi

Reviews: Facebook, Twitter, iStockphoto

Tags: blog, blogging, business, entrepreneurship, List, Lists, small business, social media, social networks, web

Mashable’s Weekly Social Media & Web Development Job Guide

Posted: 10 Feb 2010 12:25 PM PST

If you’re seeking a job in social media, we’d like to help out. For starters, Mashable’s Job Lists section gathers together all our resource lists, how-tos and expert guides to help you get hired. In particular, you might want to see our articles on How to Leverage Social Media for Career Success and How to Find a Job on Twitter.

But we’d like to help in a more direct way, too. Mashable's job boards are a place for socially-savvy companies to find people like you. This week and every week, Mashable features its coveted job board listings for a variety of positions in the web, social media space, and beyond. Have a look at what's good and new on our job boards:

Mashable Job Board Listings

SEO Manager at Experience Project in San Francisco, CA.

This SEO specialist (looking for 1 manager and/or 1 associate) will have (or will build) a successful track record working with large, dynamic media websites.

Read more about this opportunity here.

Graphic Designer / UI Specialist and Creative Ninja at Experience Project in San Francisco, CA.

Experience Project, San Francisco, CA, is looking for a creative and proactive Graphic Designer / UI Designer to join our already impressive team and take our look and feel to the next level.

Read more about this opportunity here.

Social Media and Content Management Intern at EMBARQ in Washington DC.

EMBARQ is looking for a full-time (37.5 hours/week), 12-week intern to work closely with the EMBARQ Information & Innovation Coordinator to assist with social media outreach, search engine optimization and digital media management for EMBARQ's suite of Web sites and multimedia platforms, including TheCityFix.com, an online resource for sustainable transport news, advocacy and "best practice" solutions from around the world.

Read more about this opportunity here.

Senior SEO Strategist and Provider at Infuse Creative in Santa Monica, CA.

The Senior SEO Strategist and Provider develops and provides effective Search Engine Optimization strategies for client websites, with the goal of generating increased targeted Web traffic and higher lead generation.

Read more about this opportunity here.

Manager of Social Media at Chegg.com in Santa Clara, CA.

This role will lead Chegg’s positioning and marketing efforts in the social media environment, driving the social media communications strategy to develop brand awareness, initiate product adoption, generate inbound traffic, and activate a social media referral network.

Read more about this opportunity here.

Director of Application Services at PETA Foundation in Norfolk, VA.

The PETA Foundation seeks a Director of Application Services to provide vision and leadership and to direct daily affairs and long-term planning for the department, and to implement the software needs of the organization and its affiliates.

Read more about this opportunity here.

VP / Director of Marketing at rec.fm in Los Altos, CA.

New website focused upon the creation and sharing of concise, trustworthy product recommendations is looking for a founder-level VP / Director of Marketing with consumer internet experience for a hands-on role which will be rewarded with founder-level equity.

Read more about this opportunity here.

Social Media Manager at Devine + Powers in Philadelphia, PA.

You should be up on the latest social media trends and have a minimum of 3 years professional experience incorporating YouTube, wikis, Facebook and twitter as part of communications strategies.

Read more about this opportunity here.

Digital Marketing Consultant at International Center for Journalists in Washington DC.

The International Center for Journalists (www.icfj.org) requests proposals for the development of an international marketing plan for ICFJ's International Journalists' Network (www.ijnet.org) and the Knight International Journalism Fellowship program (www.knight.icfj.org).

Read more about this opportunity here.

Senior Community Manager at Social Media Link in New York, NY.

We are seeking an experienced social media expert and manager to lead our team of community managers.

Read more about this opportunity here.

Social Media Specialist at Sittercity, Inc. in Chicago, IL.

Sittercity.com, the nation's largest and most trusted website for finding in-home care is seeking a high-energy, experienced team player to be the voice of the brand and build on our already significant presence across all forms of social media.

Read more about this opportunity here.

Senior Developer at Soversa LLC in New York, NY.

This is a senior developer position with responsibilities ranging from core technology architecture and greenfield feature development to unit-test creation, QA and release management.

Read more about this opportunity here.

Group Communications Specialist at Ameritas Life Insurance Corp in .

The Group Communications Specialist is responsible for the creation, production, coordination and distribution of field advertising, promotion, public relations and marketing communications for the group division.

Read more about this opportunity here.

Web Developer at PrankDial, LLC in New York, NY.

You will work with a small team of young, enthusiastic web developers at our office in Manhattan, creating fun and robust applications used by millions of people.

Read more about this opportunity here.

Product Marketing Manager at Visible Technologies in Bellevue, WA.

If you have a desire and demonstrated ability to launch category-defining products and solutions, set up Sales, Marketing and Support teams to win in highly competitive marketspaces and provide strong leadership at the company, partner and industry levels, then Visible Technologies has the opportunity you've been looking for.

Read more about this opportunity here.

Mashable has a variety of web 2.0, application development, business development, and social networking job opportunities available. Check them out at Mashable's Job Board.

Got a job posting to share with our readers? Post a job to Mashable today ($80 for a 30 day listing) and get it highlighted every week on Mashable.com (in addition to exposure all day every day in the Mashable marketplace).

Reviews: Facebook, Mashable, YouTube, rec.fm

Tags: career, hiring, job, jobs

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New BBC Director Mandates Journalists Use Social Media

Posted: 10 Feb 2010 11:24 AM PST

Peter Horrocks assumed the position of director of BBC Global News last week, and he’s not wasting time with niceties. The self-proclaimed technology enthusiast is telling journalists to get with the social media program or get out.

As quoted in the BBC in-house weekly Ariel, the new director said, “This isn’t just a kind of fad… I’m afraid you’re not doing your job if you can’t do those things. It’s not discretionary.”

On the social media front, Horrocks appears to take the stance that Twitter, RSS readers and other social media tools are extremely valuable news-gathering resources essential to the output of journalists working in these digital times.

The report details that:

“Aggregating and curating content with attribution should become part of a BBC journalist’s assignment; and BBC’s journalists have to integrate and listen to feedback for a better understanding of how the audience is relating to the BBC brand.
Horrocks, formerly head of the BBC’s multimedia newsroom, finds clear words for it: ‘If you don’t like it, if you think that level of change or that different way of working isn’t right for me, then go and do something else, because it’s going to happen. You’re not going to be able to stop it.’”

The strong statements mirror the behaviors of other newsrooms actively impressing upon employees the necessity of social media. Media companies like Sky News — who drastically switched up its newsroom to focus on Twitter — are making bold maneuvers to transition into the age of social media.

Tags: bbc, media, Peter Horrocks, social media, trending, twitter

14 Fantastic Free WordPress Themes

Posted: 10 Feb 2010 11:23 AM PST

This series is supported by Rackspace, the better way to do hosting. Learn more about Rackspace’s hosting solutions here.

Whether you’re a web developer whose clients need a great look and feel for their blogs, or just someone eager to bring a fresh new look to your own web site, there are literally hundreds if not thousands of free WordPress themes out there to consider. A number of those themes have been built by professional designers and talented amateurs, and are as easy on the eyes as they are easy on the wallet.

Whether you need a great photoblog layout, personal lifestream, or more business-oriented design, there’s almost surely an existing theme out there worth checking out for your next blog or blog upgrade. And if you’re already a developer or are willing to acquire a small set of template editing skills, you can always modify an existing theme to taste.

Have a look at some of our picks for great themes to either drop in as is or use as a starting point for your own tweaking and twiddling. Keep in mind this is only the tip of the iceberg — be sure to let us know about your other favorite themes in the comments!

1. Irresistible

For a unique personal blog look and feel, check out the free Irresistible theme from the folks at Woo Themes. It features dedicated spots for your photos, videos, and events lifestream along with your typical blog content. Featuring a nice, clean layout, this theme offers something a bit different from your typical 3-column blog design.

2. Demet

For a more magazine-style theme, check out the free premium Demet theme. This 3-column layout is fixed width and banner-ready for 125×125 and 468×60 pixel ad units.

3. P2

The P2 theme was inspired by Twitter, and was designed around allowing a group of bloggers to post short updates. It’s a great option for a cohesive group blog as well as for sites that do frequent liveblogging. Featuring dynamic page updates, threaded comment display, live tag suggestion, real-time notifications, and in-line editing for posts and comments, P2 is a powerhouse for blogs where real-time updates are critical.

4. WPESP Portfolio

WPESP Portfolio is a minimalist theme designed primarily for artists, photographers, designers, and others who need more of a portfolio showcase for their work. It combines the benefits of easy and frequent updates with the layout and user interface conducive to browsing visual works.

5. DarkHive

For an alternative magazine-esque style in two columns, have a look at DarkHive from the folks at MagPress. It sports a featured content slider for up front promotion of hot stories, auto-generated thumbnails for front page display, an Adsense ready loop between posts and on individual post pages, a 125×125-ready block in the sidebar and more.

6. Google Chrome

Here’s an interesting lightweight theme great for a geek-oriented blog, or a site that just wants a nice and clean two column look and feel. Inspired by the browser of the same name, Google Chrome is widget and gravatar ready plus XHTML and CSS validated.

7. Gallery

The showcase-style WordPress theme Gallery is built on the Thematic framework and was designed specifically for Smashing Magazine readers. Another great theme for a portfolio or other visual showcase, Gallery is a highly flexible and customizable theme that supports widescreen video embedding with the installation of a free plug-in.

8. Selecta

Another very visually-oriented theme, Selecta is great for videoblogs or other sites where video needs to be prominent. With a featured post slider carousel up top to promote your best content, threaded comments, and interest jQuery effects on board, Selecta also comes with six different color schemes to choose from.

9. BlackPower

A widget ready theme from the folks at SkinPress, the BlackPower theme features prominent Twitter integration, with your latest tweet appearing in the header. The two column theme also features easy on the eyes typography and a pastel color scheme with black wood effect on a translucent background.

10. Scarlett

The Scarlett theme features another great featured content carousel area up top and a real-time scrolling update area in the right-hand sidebar. It also includes a built-in javascript navigation menu, Adsense ready units, threaded comments display and more.

11. Freemium

The Freemium theme is a slickly-designed “premium” theme being given away for free thanks to the folks at FreebiesDock. Featuring two widget ready sidebars, a jQuery-based menu, 125×125 ad ready area and more, Freemium is a compelling design at a great “price.”

12. iBusiness

A great theme or starting point for a more professional business presence, iBusiness is a modern theme designed to showcase the About section right up front with a prominent image and company blurb or motto. This two column layout is widget ready, SEO optimized and 125×125 banner ready.

13. Meganews

Another great option for a magazine or news site, Meganews features a clean story-lead display in four columns plus a right-hand sidebar. It also supports an animated tag cloud and featured content slideshow.

14. Snapshot

A great theme for shutterbugs and photoblogs, Snapshot from Woo Themes can also be put to use as a portfolio or design gallery. It also comes with three unique color schemes to choose from as well as options for switching between photoblog and portfolio use.

Series supported by Rackspace

More WordPress Resources from Mashable:

-10 WordPress Plugins to Help Build Community
- HOW TO: Build a More Beautiful Blog
- Top 10 WordPress Plugins to Promote Your Social Media Profiles
- Top 10 Tips for WordPress Plugin Developers
- Embeddable Waves: The Google Wave WordPress Plugin

Reviews: Google Chrome, Twitter, WordPress

Tags: blogging, BLOGS, design, free, Lists, Web Development, web development series, Wordpress, wordpress themes

Now You Can IM Your Facebook Friends With AIM

Posted: 10 Feb 2010 11:23 AM PST

Facebook and AOL Instant Messenger have made a deal: Now you can send IMs to your Facebook friends using the new AIM beta client for Mac or Windows.

It was already possible to merge AIM’s Lifestream with Facebook’s News Feed — and with Twitter, too. But Facebook’s IM network has always been a bit unfriendly to outside connections. The Mac desktop app Adium supports Facebook, but with frequent disconnections and other issues.

Web IM app Meebo has had an on-again, off-again relationship with the social network. It was one of the first to support Facebook, but when Facebook Connect went live, the network asked Meebo to rework its IM network connections around that new framework. The result was a Facebook outage on Meebo. The issue has since been rectified.

AIM uses Facebook Connect to integrate with Facebook IM, too. When you load up the beta for the first time, you’ll see an option just above your contacts to connect with Facebook. Do that and all your Facebook friends will appear in your AIM contact list. You can chat with them just like you can with your AIM buddies. We tried it, and it seemed to work well.

It’s Neat, But…

We’d still like to see Facebook’s IM network open up completely to third-party applications without any workarounds or hoops to jump through.

We just spoke about Google Buzz’s lack of support for Facebook, and this is the same sort of issue. Whether we’re talking about instant message networks or web-based social networks, there are too many islands out there and it’s not easy enough to sail between them. The AIM/Facebook deal is an exciting one. We just wish it wasn’t necessary to begin with.

Update: Shortly after we published, Facebook appears to have granted us our wish. The company announced on their blog that they’re opening up Chat to all IM clients.

Reviews: Adium, Facebook, Meebo, Twitter, aim

Tags: aim, aol, facebook, im, instant messenger

Facebook Mobile Now Has 100 Million Monthly Users

Posted: 10 Feb 2010 11:09 AM PST

Facebook has just revealed that more than 100 million of the site’s 400+ million users use Facebook Mobile via their mobile devices every month.

The 100 million milestone was hit today, and is almost double the usage the mobile service was seeing just six months ago.

The rapid acceleration of mobile usage can be attributed to the fact that smart phones — like the iPhone and Android devices — are ubiquitous and that mobile browsing has become a phenomenon of its own.

Reviews: Android, iPhone

Yahoo Talks Search Strategy and the Microsoft Deal

Posted: 10 Feb 2010 10:51 AM PST

Yahoo is revealing its new plans for search here at an event it has dubbed “Yahoo! SearchSpeak,” occurring now at Yahoo’s headquarters in Sunnyvale.

While the world’s second-largest search engine is slated to be sucked up by the Microsoft mothership later this year, the team hasn’t stopped developing new features for its product.

On stage, SVP of Search Products Shashi Seth began to discuss Yahoo’s history of search and “misconceptions” of the Yahoo-Bing deal, and still went on about the subject even after the power went out throughout the Yahoo building.

Specifically, Mr. Seth spoke about keeping users engaged with Yahoo search until the Bing deal came through (if it is approved, he specifically added).

Here’s some of what of the Yahoo team spoke about:

Details (More Updates to Come):

- Did we mention that the power went out all across the Yahoo building?

– Yahoo claims it is winning in the Affiliate market, especially in Asia.

- The company is now speaking about how the engine you see on Yahoo won’t be the same as the one on Bing.

- Yahoo speaks about search in terms of “The Web of Things,” a metaphor for finding and breaking down information all across the web.

- There is a lot of touting of Yahoo’s innovations and search awards.

Yahoo, Before and After Bing

- Yahoo will have two core pieces on the search results page: search results and advertising. It used its demo to display its innovations and widgets in SERPs.

- Yahoo’s now displaying a video touting its search engine. It’s mostly demoing features such as its music player, Yahoo Finance results, auto-suggest, video ads and new “Search Pad” feature, among many other things.

- The point seems to be: “We’re a pretty damn good search engine, you can’t ignore us!” And in many respects, Yahoo is right.

- Yahoo believes it must hit on three major areas of user experience: finding things faster, exploring what matters and getting things done.

- Yahoo’s touts another feature: rich information in the search box. Stock quotes, movies or different apps in the Yahoo network.

- Yahoo search “is more about discovery” than keywords and links, it stated.

- Launched Today: new module discussing the Winter Olympics within Yahoo Search

New Features

- Time-based views: You can organize news information to show you just news articles published recently on a specific topic. It’s small but useful.

- Celebrity view: Search for a celeb and you’ll soon find a module that shows the latest photos, news, and tweets about him. On the left-hand column will be related movies and related people. Nifty, actually.

- New feature: a search module within Yahoo! Mail: If someone e-mails you and discusses Jay Leno or Tom Cruise, you’ll find information below your e-mail on those people, complete with videos and news.

- Sketch-a-Search: Yahoo has revealed a new mobile product. Want to find a restaurant in a specific neighborhood? Sketch-a-Search lets you draw a boundary on a Google map and pull up just results in that area.

Yahoo Search Advertising

- Now David Pann, VP Search Advertising, is up speaking about that very subject.

- Yahoo recently added enhancements to better align its advertising pricing algorithms.

- Yahoo “understands its position in the marketplace.” Mr. Pann admitted that most advertisers optimize for Google campaigns. Yahoo’s goal is now to make it easy to “import” that campaign onto Yahoo’s platform with minimal fuss.

- Yahoo has rich media ads. Essentially you can add video, sublinks, text boxes and other things in its advertising search results. Yahoo demonstrated Esurance advertising with a video from the Esurance girl.

Reviews: Bing, Google

Tags: bing, Yahoo, Yahoo Search

Shop Etsy in Pictures

Posted: 10 Feb 2010 10:50 AM PST

PicClick — which already offers a visual way to browse eBay — has just introduced an interface that offers a simple, fast and eye-catching way to find your favorite handmade goods.

PicClick’s Etsy shop centers around visualization and displays images — filtered by category, best match, newly listed and oldest listings — based on search queries. You can also set price parameters to limit results, scroll infinitely and use a slider to increase image sizes for a bigger and brighter look at product results.

As it stands, PicClick generates about $1 million in gross product sales per month for eBay and other sellers, so the integration of Etsy could prove to be a powerful sales tool for that site as well.

Tags: Etsy, picclick, software

Love Stinks: 5 Parodies of Google’s Romantic Super Bowl Ad [VIDEO]

Posted: 10 Feb 2010 10:14 AM PST

Google’s groundbreaking "Parisian Love" Super Bowl ad touched the hearts of many a viewer when it aired this past Sunday. Three days later, however, Internet video directors are showing their cynical sides.

“Parisian Love” was a milestone for the search giant — marking its first major push into the realm of television advertisements. It was also a viewer favorite, scoring the second most-liked spot with Hulu users and garnering more than its share of buzz on social media networks.

Well, you know the old adage: The bigger they are, the harder they fall. The rampant success of the spot has touched off a series of parody remakes, many of which have to do with love gone wrong. And that makes sense, given that V-Day is just around the corner. Despite some bright spots in the realm of social media amour, the following videos just go to show that deep within each of us beats a heart not made of spun sugar and love, but rather iron ore and bitterness. Happy Valentine’s Day, y’all!

The Original

For the sake of comparison.

The Pop Culture Pot Shot

It wouldn’t be a parody of love and romance without a little Tiger. Will this scandal never die?

Google Commercial – Tiger Woods Parody – Watch more Funny Videos

The Accidental Pregnancy

Google was kind of asking for it with that whole “how to assemble a crib” thing…

The Stalker

This one taps into the inherent creepiness of Google stalking, which will only get worse once Buzz goes global.

Love in the ADD Era

Wait, what am I doing? Oh yeah, writing a stor– Look! A squirrel!

Google vs. Yahoo

This vid takes a long and winding road through Thailand that ends with one, overwhelming sentiment: Should have used Yahoo.

Reviews: Google, Hulu

Tags: Google, humor, MARKETING, pop culture, super bowl ad, viral video

Warner Music Plans to End Support for Free Streaming

Posted: 10 Feb 2010 09:45 AM PST

The BBC reports that Warner Music Group has said that it isn’t planning to offer songs to free music-streaming services like Last.fm or Spotify moving forward.

Warner Music CEO Edgar Bronfman Jr. said, “Free streaming services are clearly not net positive for the industry” and the model “is not the kind of approach to business that we will be supporting in the future.”

Warner’s shift could be a big blow to some music-streaming services. Warner’s catalog includes artists REM, Death Cab for Cutie, Fall Out Boy, Sean “Diddy” Combs, Aretha Franklin, Nine Inch Nails, Marilyn Manson, The Grateful Dead, Jay-Z, The Doobie Brothers, Freezepop, Garbage, Jimi Hendrix, Jet, Green Day, Goo Goo Dolls, Metallica, Morrissey, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Frank Sinatra and numerous others.

Back in 2007, a DRM-free music e-tailer called AnywhereCD closed its doors mostly because it lost Warner Music Group content and couldn’t entice its users to keep coming back for more without those important artists.

The timing is poor for streaming site Spotify if its deal with Warner is not renewed. The U.S. launch of European site is probably on the horizon, but without these artists the service could look less attractive to new American users. And the whole situation is a bit confusing; we recently saw reports that Spotify is paying out well to record labels.

Reviews: Spotify, rem

Tags: internet radio, Last.FM, music, spotify, warner music group

YouTube Adds “Safety Mode” to Keep Videos PG

Posted: 10 Feb 2010 09:17 AM PST

As YouTube continues to grow, and more and more types of content gets uploaded, it can be difficult to avoid objectionable videos. To that end, YouTube is rolling out a new feature called Safety Mode to help add some controls to the service.

At the bottom of any YouTube page (under Countries and Languages) you will see a Safety Mode option. Safety Mode is an opt-in setting that can either be turned on or off at will — or it can be locked on by default in your choice of browser (you’ll have to make the opt-in choice in each browser you use). YouTube created a video (what else) to explain the process.

So what kind of videos does Safety Mode filter out? Think about things like news coverage of violent events. This content is within YouTube’s Community Guidelines, it might not be something that you (or your children) want to see.

If you don’t have Safety Mode right now, don’t fret — YouTube says it is rolling it out to users throughout the day.

We like that Safety Mode is opt-in, rather than something you have to seek to disable. It’s also nice that YouTube has decided to add more controls to the overall experience.

Now if only they could create a safety mode for stupid comments…

What do you think of Safety Mode?

Reviews: YouTube

Tags: safety mode, video, youtube

Visualizing 6 Years of Facebook [INFOGRAPHIC]

Posted: 10 Feb 2010 08:43 AM PST

Muhammad Saleem is a social media consultant and a top-ranked community member on multiple social news sites. Follow him on Twitter for more social media insights.

Facebook was launched on February 4, 2004 and has come a long way from a Harvard-only networking site in the intervening years. In fact, Facebook has undoubtedly become the world’s largest social network, with over 400 million users worldwide and more than 900 employees. Let’s take a closer look at what kinds of numbers and user activity this growth translates to.

The following infographic explores Facebook’s growth over the past 6 years.

Click for the full-size graphic.

Reviews: Facebook

Tags: birthday, facebook, growth, infographic

Google Getting Into the ISP Business With Ultra High-Speed Network

Posted: 10 Feb 2010 08:24 AM PST

Could Google be your next ISP? Maybe. The company has just announced a trial of its own high-speed network that it plans to offer to "at least 50,000 and potentially up to 500,000 people."

Google says it will be capable of delivering speeds more than 100x faster than typical U.S. Internet connections with up to one gigabit per second. It will do so at a “competitive” price.

The next step in getting this potentially massive project off the ground appears to be teaming up with local governments – Google has launched this website and intros "Google Fiber for Communities" in the video below:

Why is Google getting into the ISP business? Here’s the explanation:

“Next generation apps: We want to see what developers and users can do with ultra high-speeds, whether it’s creating new bandwidth-intensive ‘killer apps’ and services, or other uses we can’t yet imagine.
New deployment techniques: We’ll test new ways to build fiber networks, and to help inform and support deployments elsewhere, we’ll share key lessons learned with the world.
Openness and choice: We’ll operate an ‘open access’ network, giving users the choice of multiple service providers. And consistent with our past advocacy, we’ll manage our network in an open, non-discriminatory and transparent way.”

Although it sounds like we’re still some time away from seeing Google’s fiber service available on a massive scale, this could represent a massive shift in the Internet ecosystem. Keep in mind that Google has also recently launched its own Public DNS service, as well as an alternative to HTTP that it calls SPDY. The company clearly thinks it can build a better Internet than the one we have today.

If it’s successful, Google will not only know what we do on its plethora of services, but also just about everything else we do on the web (especially if Google becomes our ISP). Now, perhaps more than ever, the question of whether or not that’s too much power for one company to have is at the forefront.

Update: Google tells us they “honestly have no plans to build a nationwide network” and offered us this statement: “our goal is to develop a trial network in one or more communities that reaches at least 50,000 people, which will enable experimentation to help make the Internet better and faster.”

Reviews: Google

Tags: Google, trending

Twitter Is Still Growing Rapidly [STATS]

Posted: 10 Feb 2010 07:23 AM PST

Maybe Twitter doesn't have a growth problem after all. According to new stats out today from Royal Pingdom, Twitter saw an all-time high of more than 1.2 billion tweets in January. Perhaps this is what CEO Evan Williams meant last month when he said that the site was hitting records "across all the metrics that matter."

Diving a bit deeper into the numbers, Royal Pingdom reports that tweet volume grew by 16x from January '09 to January '10. Over the past three months, tweet volume has grown steadily at around 17 percent. In other words, if tweet volume is the metric that matters, Twitter is still growing at a very healthy clip.

Questions about Twitter's growth have stemmed from other publicly available analytics data that shows the site is seeing a flat-to-down number of unique visitors hit its website each month. That data though, as has often been pointed out, doesn't take into account those that use Twitter through third-party apps, both on the desktop and via mobile devices.

Still, that's not to say that Twitter is adding users as fast as it once was. It could just be that the average Twitter user is tweeting more (Royal Pingdom doesn't offer data on this), not to mention the ever-growing number of automated bots that tweet. In any event, here’s what the tweet growth looks like:

Reviews: Twitter

Tags: trending, twitter

Detroit Red Wings Make Game Programs Interactive With QR Codes

Posted: 10 Feb 2010 07:05 AM PST

The Detroit Red Wings are a socially savvy bunch. The NHL team recently started including QR codes in their in-arena distributed Red Wings Today program, and the effort is proving to be a big hit with fans in attendance.

After seeing Esquire’s use of augmented reality, the team decided to get creative and make their print program interactive (embedded below) to include digital media accessible via QR codes.

The codes in question appear in the program and include a prominent call to action that reads, “Smartphone interactive, scan here.” A mobile device scan of the QR code brings up the following video for fans to watch instantly:

Instead of letting fans figure out QR codes on their own (a rather complicated concept to people unfamiliar with the technology), the team got smart and put together an instructional video that now airs on the big screen during games. That video can be seen below:
What’s more important is that the experimental approach to a traditionally old-fashioned print publication is paying off big-time. Fans are actually using QR code bar scanners on their mobile devices to access the video, and sticking around to enjoy it. The Red Wings’ Social Networking Coordinator Nicole Yelland tells us (bolded for emphasis):

“In tracking this effort, the Wings have found mobile devices to be the #1 viewing medium fans are using to see videos accounting for an overwhelming 22% of fans viewing linked videos nearly 2,000 times all the way through. We're very excited at the possibilities this technology provides our team in giving more access and we've only just begun to tap into the capabilities it provides us in both marketing to our fans and giving them exactly what they are asking for in terms of access to their team.
Moving forward, we're looking to create exclusive video content that is complimentary to stories included in the magazine, create opportunities for our advertisers to include offers in their ads via QR codes and put our fans in the driver's seat when it comes to giving them information on the Detroit Red Wings.”

We’ve seen plenty of impressive social media sports initiatives (especially around the Super Bowl), but this has got to be one of the most innovative approaches to driving home the connection between the team, its fans, online content and the in-game experience.
Lilja Feature_Iss 4

Tags: detroit red wings, MARKETING, NHL, QR Codes, sports

Opera Wants to Bring Its Mobile Browser to iPhone

Posted: 10 Feb 2010 06:42 AM PST

Opera Mini is a great mobile browser on most smartphones, but we didn’t really expect to see it on the iPhone. The reason for this is twofold: iPhone already sports Safari, which works really great, and second, Apple is unlikely to approve another browser, because it duplicates the functionality its app (Safari) already provides.

Despite this, Opera has announced Opera Mini for the iPhone. At the official page, Opera sounds serious about it, treating it just like they would any other product launch.

"This is a unique opportunity to introduce the fast, feature-rich Opera Mini experience for the iPhone, and to showcase our latest beta releases of Opera Mobile and Opera Mini on other platforms and devices. Opera's mission is to bring the Web to the world, and by making Opera Mini available on yet another platform, we are one step closer," says Jon von Tetzchner, Opera’s co-founder.

The problem, however, is that this isn’t yet another product launch. As the folks at Opera themselves admit, “Opera Mini for iPhone is not publicly available,” and it’s quite possible that it never will be. Publicity stunt, a jab at Apple or a serious intention to compete with Safari on the iPhone sometime in the future? Time will tell.

Still, Opera plans to unveil several interesting products at the upcoming Mobile World Congress, which takes place in Barcelona from February 15 to 18. Visitors will be able to try out Opera Mobile 10 beta 3 on Symbian S60 and Windows Mobile handsets, Opera Mobile 10 beta running on Android handsets, Opera Mini 5 beta running on a variety of handsets and platforms, and finally, Opera's cross-platform Widgets Manager beta running on Windows Mobile and S60 handsets.

Reviews: Android, Opera, Safari, Symbian S60, iPhone

Tags: apple, iphone, opera, opera mini

Mashable: Latest 23 News Updates - including “Google Now Has a Street View Snowmobile”

2010-02-10T05:20:00.000-08:00

Mashable: Latest 23 News Updates - including “Google Now Has a Street View Snowmobile”

Google Now Has a Street View Snowmobile
Google Maps for Android Get Buzz Support
Muppets + Digg + YouTube Commenters = FIRE! [VIDEO]
Google Buzz: Will You Use It? [POLL]
Associated Press Returns to Google News
The Location Implications of Google Buzz
Google Buzz: What It Means for Twitter and Facebook
Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Issue Delivers Video from Page to Phone
What Google Buzz Means for Mobile
Google Buzz: Competitors and Experts React
5 Ways Airlines and Hotels Can Drive Revenue with Social Media
Google Buzz: The Official Demo [VIDEO]
Google Goes Social with Google Buzz
Facebook Kills Lexicon, Focuses on Analytics for Page Admins
7 Ways to Promote Your Offline Event Using Social Media
WordPress To Posterous Users: Graduate to a Full Blog
Bonnaroo Lineup Announced on MySpace
World’s Longest-Married Couple to Answer Your Romantic Queries Via Twitter
Aperture 3 Hits the Apple Store
Mashable Launches TED Channel
9 Odd But Awesome Tumblr Blogs
Navigon GPS iPhone App Gets Twitter and Facebook Support
Box.net for iPhone Adds Powerful Features for Business Users
Apple Grabs 25% of the Smartphone Market, Android Doubles Market Share

Google Now Has a Street View Snowmobile

Posted: 10 Feb 2010 01:58 AM PST

First, there was the Google Street View Car, a special vehicle with a 360 degree camera mounted on top, that brings us all that detailed Street View imagery. Then, Google engineers invented the Trike, a tricycle with a camera that can reach all those places where Street View Car cannot go.

Neither of those two vehicles, however, can venture out in the snow, and this is why Google created the Google Street View Snowmobile. Just like the Trike, it was invented by Daniel Ratner, and it was created especially for the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, so expect some beautiful imagery on Street View during the event. See a video introduction to the Snowmobile below.

Google Maps for Android Get Buzz Support

Posted: 10 Feb 2010 01:13 AM PST

GMAIL USERS: You can now follow Mashable's official Google Buzz profile here: http://www.google.com/profiles/mashable

Wow, things really are rolling out fast. After announcing their breakthrough new Gmail feature, Google Buzz, Google is making sure that everything else they do is buzzed (or at least buzzable). Google Buzz for Mobile is already available at if you visit http://buzz.google.com on your iPhone or Android device, but now other mobile apps are getting Buzz support.

First in line is Google Maps 4.0 for Android, which now also supports Buzz and is available in the Android market. We already wrote quite a bit about the location implications of Buzz, but if you’re an Android owner, please let us know how this new feature is working for you.

[Image credit: Engadget]

Tags: android, google buzz, Google Maps

Muppets + Digg + YouTube Commenters = FIRE! [VIDEO]

Posted: 09 Feb 2010 06:50 PM PST

The Muppets are rapidly becoming socially savvy, and the result is one burnt muppet.

First they stormed YouTube with the Muppet rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody in 1080p. Then they followed that up with an iPhone app and more videos, most of which have become viral sensations.

Now the Muppets, specifically Beaker, Statler, and Waldorf, are taking on YouTube commenters and Diggers with their latest clip, “Beaker’s Ballad,” which is well on its way to becoming a top YouTube video.

The clip pays homage to Internet speak, harsh and angry YouTube commenters, and Digg bait, all while Beaker sings out his ballad. Oh, and a house gets lit on fire.

Enjoy:

Reviews: Digg, YouTube

Tags: digg, fire, Muppet, muppets, viral video, youtube

Google Buzz: Will You Use It? [POLL]

Posted: 09 Feb 2010 05:30 PM PST

You can also join the discussion on our official Google Buzz account.

Google Buzz has arrived. We’re all still chatting about and analyzing Google’s biggest move into social media yet — it’s a top trending topic on Twitter and the big subject in the blogosphere.

While we think a lot more time needs to pass before we know the true implications of Google Buzz, especially whether it will succeed as a product, we want to know right now what you think.

Today’s flash poll is simple: Will you use Google Buzz? After reading the stories and analysis across the web, do you think this is a product you’d use in your daily life or is it something you’ll completely ignore?

We want to know your opinion. Make your voice heard by voting in the poll below and joining the debate in the comments.

Reviews: Google, Twitter

Tags: Google, google buzz, poll

Associated Press Returns to Google News

Posted: 09 Feb 2010 04:35 PM PST

After more than a month of proverbial radio silence, news stories by the Associated Press are back on Google News.

The AP and Google have been in talks to establish a new agreement that would allow Google to continue to aggregate and host AP content, but because the AP has adopted a hawkish stance with regards to controlling its content online, Google stopped posting new AP stories in anticipation of a fall-through in talks.

Today the Wall Street Journal’s Digits blog noticed that AP stories were again appearing on Google News. We have confirmed this as well.

When contacted for comment, Google released the following statement:

“We have a licensing agreement with the Associated Press that permits us to host its content on Google properties such as Google News. The licensing agreement is the subject of ongoing discussion so we won't be commenting further at this time.”

The AP also responded, simply saying that it had nothing to add to Google’s statement.

Last year, AP CEO Tom Curley said of online news aggregators, “We will no longer tolerate the disconnect between people who devote themselves — at great human and economic cost, to gathering news of public interest and those who profit from it without supporting it.” He also said that he and other figures in the journalism industry “must quickly and decisively act to take back control of our content.”

That attitude is obviously in stark contrast to Google’s standard of openness for web content. Even though the AP and Yahoo struck a deal just over a week ago that allows Yahoo to keep posting AP content, we weren’t sure whether or not a Google/AP deal would follow because Google is known for fervently holding the free information line.

If you’re curious what the AP or Google gave up to make the deal happen, you’re out of luck — no details about the deal have been made public yet. Hopefully we’ll find out soon.

Reviews: Google, Yahoo!

Tags: ap, associate press, Google, google news, media

The Location Implications of Google Buzz

Posted: 09 Feb 2010 03:28 PM PST

GMAIL USERS: You can now follow Mashable’s official Google Buzz profile here: http://www.google.com/profiles/mashable

We learned earlier this morning that Google Buzz adds a shared social experience — very similar to FriendFeed and Facebook — to your Google contact circle via Gmail. Google also made it very clear that the mobile component, especially around location, is important to the product as a whole.

Location plays a big role in Buzz — we saw this with the introduction of the snap, Google’s answer to the check-in.

That one key feature demonstrates how right we were when we predicted late last year that “everything points towards Google taking big leaps on the location front in 2010,” and that “Google is interested in further assimilating the Latitude and Place Pages products into a more full-fledged location and recommendation service centered around places.”

The assimilation is Google Buzz for Mobile, and the ambitious endeavor is Google’s attempt to catch up to the likes of Foursquare, centralize the location-sharing experience around Place Pages and collect valuable place data. Here we’ll explore Google’s second attempt at getting the location-sharing formula right, and what it means in terms of the bigger picture.

Mobile Feature Run-Down

The mobile experience supports all the following features and functionalities:

Menu: From the Menu page you can search, select Following and Nearby stream options, navigate to My Posts, and view who you’re following as well as who is following you.
Snap to a location: Google Buzz’s version of the place check-in is a snap-to-location feature that lets you associate your physical location in place form with a buzz/status update.
Buzz: The “Share what you’re thinking” buzz box is located atop the My Posts, Following and Nearby tabs, and it’s the quickest possible route to snapping your location.
Once you start typing your buzz update, you’ll notice that a location is automatically associated with that post. If that location is inaccurate, you’ll want to click the light blue box and select the appropriate location from the list of nearby options. At the very bottom, you can also specify if the post is public or private. Once you select a post mode, your buzz is snapped to that location, and shared with Google Buzz users that are following you.
Replies: Right now the autocomplete reply feature supported in Google Buzz via Gmail doesn’t exactly carry over to the Google Buzz for Mobile experience, which means you won’t currently be able to type official replies from your mobile device just yet. You can, however, view replies as they were intended. Also, clicking on the associated user URL will direct you to the mobile version of the user’s Google Profile.
Streams: In the mobile application you have two stream types: Following and Nearby. Both are straightforward stream options.
Buzz Maps: In the Nearby stream, you can click “Buzz map” to view nearby buzz on a map.
Buzz Threads: Any item in your Following or Nearby streams has the potential to become a thread featuring comments and likes. You can moderate comments to your individual Buzz posts. What’s especially interesting about threads is that your check-ins, a.k.a. snaps, can become interactive conversations. That functionality doesn’t exist in location-sharing apps like Foursquare.
Buzz Permalinks: Each individual buzz and its associated conversation has a permalink, which means you can share individual items. If they’re public, anyone can comment on or like shared buzz items.
Place Pages: Every place in Buzz for Mobile is associated with a Google Place Page. Navigating to the Place Pages is a tad complicated at times, but there are a few ways to do it. If you’ve snapped to a location, you can select “Show map” from the specific buzz and click the link for the location. In the Nearby stream view, once you select a location, you can click “More info” to navigate to the Place Page.
Search: You can search all Buzz updates from the people you follow or just those nearby by selecting the search icon.

Is it Foursquare Re-imagined?

The answer to that question is not a simple yes or no, but Google was clearly inspired by the check-in model that Foursquare made popular. Here we will focus on the primary differences between the two approaches.

Snaps are conversations, check-ins are sport: Google’s approach is conversation-oriented. To snap to a location you need to post a buzz, and that buzz becomes the beginning of a potential conversation with friends. There are no points, no leaderboards, no mayorships and no rewards, but that doesn’t mean those elements won’t be added into the mix in the future. Buzz updates snapped to a location will also appear on Place Pages, which will expose them to a much wider audience.
Location-based deals are place-specific, but not tied to snaps: One of Foursquare’s finer features are the official location-based specials and mayor deals offered by businesses to Foursquare users that check in at their locale. While business owners have the ability to create mobile coupons for their Place Pages and promote them, the idea of snapping to a location and discovering nearby deals doesn’t seem to exist.
Place buzz and chatter: Lately we’ve seen Foursquare become a hub of curated content via its media partnerships, which bring in content from respected restaurant review sites (like Zagat), city tourism offices, reality stars, celebrities and fictional characters to serve as a dynamic and pocket-friendly city guide that travels with you. Right now, Google’s not attempting to separate the venue-related chatter from buzz updates that are meant to be recommendations or tips. Buzz for a particular place is mix of all location-shares and could be perceived as lacking the same value as Foursquare tips and to-dos. As a product that aims to reduce noise, this feature doesn’t deliver on that promise yet.

Place Page Significance

One way to look at the location features of Buzz for Mobile is to see as it another way to encourage business owners to claim their Place Pages. Google has been pushing Place Pages since their launch, and Buzz for Mobile extends the value of those pages. Now all Google Mobile and Gmail users are a few clicks away from Place Pages.

Another thing to keep in mind is that Google has finally found a way to support its own system for status updates and to tie those to physical locations in a potentially mainstream way. We’ve already seen that this data is incredibly valuable, especially to businesses and advertisers, and with every snap and its associated buzz, Google is learning more about what we’re doing and where we’re going.

Is Buzz for Mobile Too Ambitious?

While there are advantages to using the location-sharing functionality of Buzz, the mobile application is bloated with features and will be a challenge for the average mobile user to grasp.

The mobile application is certainly a nice complement to the Gmail experience, providing a convenient way to follow along and contribute to conversations. As a location service, however, Buzz for Mobile is overly complex. For those of you who have latched on to the location-sharing trend, the advantages to transitioning your check-ins from more niche apps with built-in rewards to Buzz are nonexistent at present.

Reviews: Facebook, Foursquare, FriendFeed, Gmail, Google

Tags: Google, google buzz, location, Mobile 2.0

Google Buzz: What It Means for Twitter and Facebook

Posted: 09 Feb 2010 02:59 PM PST

GMAIL USERS: You can now follow Mashable’s official Google Buzz profile here: http://www.google.com/profiles/mashable

So far, Google has failed to launch a successful social web product to U.S. Internet users. Orkut has taken off in including Brazil and India, but not in North America. Wave is a neat concept, but it has proven too abstract to catch on.

Is Buzz — Google’s new Twitter and Facebook-like social stream — the product that’s going to win Google a dominant — or at least prominent — place in the social web?

That all depends. Integration with existing social networks are critical for Buzz’s success — especially Facebook. I don’t believe Buzz can enjoy significant success without Facebook integration. When Google unveiled Buzz today, it announced that the app will share your Twitter updates with your Buzz followers. That’s great news, but you won’t be as thrilled to learn that (at least at launch) there will be no integration with Facebook at all.

We ought to consider the consequences of Buzz’s relationships with Twitter and Facebook. What are the relationships? Will Buzz, Twitter and Facebook co-exist elegantly or is this a zero sum game with a winner you can place your bets on?

Google Buzz and Twitter: Probable Peaceful Partners

When you post a new tweet using Twitter, Google can import that tweet and send it out to your Buzz followers with the rest of your Buzz updates. You won’t have to jump through any hoops or use any back-door methods to make it happen. Twitter is officially supported by Buzz — the same is true of Flickr, Picasa, Blogger and YouTube.

However, you won’t be able to publish out to Twitter using Buzz, which makes this all seem less useful. And since Buzz won’t aggregate tweets from your Twitter followers (unless you happen to be following them on Buzz and they also happen to be pushing their tweets into Buzz as described previously), you’ll still have to keep both Twitter and Buzz open to reach all your contacts across both networks.

That’s disappointing, but it’s no where near as disappointing as Buzz’s completely nonexistent relationship with Facebook.

Google Buzz and Facebook: Cold Shoulders

While Buzz and Twitter have some connectivity, there’s none at all between Buzz and Facebook. Buzz doesn’t import your Facebook status updates. It doesn’t post updates to your Facebook feed. It doesn’t display your friends’ feed updates. There’s no Facebook Connect integration at all. When asked about it this morning, Google said it has nothing to announce at this time.

Google is going to have a difficult time building a userbase when everyone who has a Facebook profile (that’s just about everyone who uses the social web at all now) is concerned that they can’t see their friends’ updates. They’ll have to keep using Facebook to stay in touch with their Facebook friends.

With more than 400 million users, Facebook is the world’s largest social network; Twitter by contrast has only 18 million or so. Gmail’s unique visitors numbered around 36 million as of last year. Clearly, Facebook is dominating. Google is attempting to challenge that dominance with Buzz, but Facebook is at the same time planning to move just as aggressively into Google’s territory.

It was recently discovered that Facebook will eventually launch its own webmail service. You can already send messages to e-mail addresses from Facebook, but the execution isn’t as smooth as it needs to be. The new e-mail plan would address that.

Codenamed Project Titan, the service would offer users e-mail addresses ending in @facebook.com. Facebook would become the largest webmail provider overnight. If the service is functional enough, it could threaten Google’s Gmail. People will be able to comfortably make the switch because they won’t lose the ability to e-mail their Gmail contacts — even if they move to another mail provider.

The Outlook: Buzz Won’t Win the Social Web Without Facebook Integration

I predicted at the end of last year that Facebook is well-poised to try to pry web dominance away from Google in 2010. Buzz doesn’t change my mind. Facebook is threatening Google, but Google isn’t threatening Facebook because it doesn’t offer any features so great that they incentivize people to leave behind their existing networks or spend their time updating and following yet another one when their friends are already all on Facebook or Twitter.

Facebook now dominates the social web so completely that it’s difficult to imagine an exodus to a competing service, unless that service offered some revolutionary new features that Facebook couldn’t possibly match — Buzz doesn’t.

I can picture one other success scenario, though: a service that aggregates other services’ features and content, and then offers up its own set of unique perks (like Buzz’s noise-control algorithms) that make the social web experience better. People would feel comfortable switching for the extra perks, because they wouldn’t have to leave their existing connections behind.

The outlook could change if Buzz integrates with Facebook the way it does with Twitter. Unless that happens, though, you’re better off keeping your bets on Facebook in the coming year or two — at least if your standard of success is something greater than niche appeal.

GMAIL USERS: You can now follow Mashable’s official Google Buzz profile here: http://www.google.com/profiles/mashable

[img credit: Drew Olanoff]

Tags: facebook, gmail, google buzz, Google Wave, orkut, project titan, social media, social networking, software, trending, twitter

Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Issue Delivers Video from Page to Phone

Posted: 09 Feb 2010 02:08 PM PST

Bummed because you don’t have the time to salivate in front of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition Ustream? Well, now you can get plenty of SI content sent directly to your cell: All you need is a physical issue of the mag and a camera phone.

Once you pick up your issue (available on stands today), simply search through the pages for the JAGTAGs — or 2D barcodes — featuring a black and white image of what they’re calling a “mobile beauty.” Snap a photo of the JAGTAG and send it via MMS in order to get behind-the-scenes videos of the models sent directly to your phone.

As the web becomes more and more ubiquitous, encroaching on print’s territory (iPad, anyone?), magazines continue to try to find new and different ways to convince people to buy the physical copy (especially as newsstand sales are on the decline).

Back in November, Esquire launched its augmented reality issue, a neat little edition that gave one more content when one held a page up to a webcam. Back then, editor-in-chief David Granger told The Wall Street Journal that the issue was a gimmick, but one that allowed for a more interesting reader experience and cross-platform ad sales.

SI’s efforts with the Swimsuit Edition could be considered a horse of a very similar color. Although mobile technology such as this is far from new, and even though SI has used it in the past (in various articles last summer and in recent marketing materials), the swimsuit issue has a certain cache with SI fans (i.e.: It features girls in swimsuits, and dudes like that).

"The 2010 Swimsuit Edition is a mass media event and JAGTAG is the only 2D barcode solution capable of reaching a mass mobile audience," said Charlie Saunders, executive director of integrated marketing for Sports Illustrated. Saunders is referring to the fact that you don’t need a smartphone to yoink this content, which opens it up to a wider audience.

Have you picked up the latest Sports Illustrated yet? How’s the view from inside?

[img credit: SI Vault]

Tags: MARKETING, Mobile 2.0, pop culture, software, sports, video

What Google Buzz Means for Mobile

Posted: 09 Feb 2010 01:31 PM PST

GMAIL USERS: You can now follow Mashable’s official Google Buzz profile here: http://www.google.com/profiles/mashable

Earlier this afternoon, Google announced Google Buzz, a semantic approach to social status updates that live inside Gmail. The demonstration video showed off some of what you can do with Buzz on your desktop — but what seems really exciting is what Buzz can do in your pocket.

Android and iPhone Optimized Sites

If you visit http://buzz.google.com on your iPhone or Android device, you’ll be taken to a WebKit-optimized interface for using and connecting with Google Buzz.

When you do that, you’ll either be asked to log in to your Google account or, if you’re already logged in, you’ll be taken straight into the main Buzz screen. Here you can see Buzz from the people you follow and from nearby locations, view your own posts, and find other people.

The web-based interface fits in perfectly with the Gmail-optimized webpages that iPhone users are accustomed to using — Buzz is merely a new tab in the interface.

Sharing with Friends

You can view Buzz surrounding your followers in a real-time stream. The concept is very similar to something like FriendFeed or Cliqset, in that each status update can become its own conversation.

You can also share and view photographs via Buzz.

The Buzz About Location

One of the most compelling aspects of Google Buzz is its integration with Google’s Latitude service. Using your device’s GPS or Wi-Fi connection, Buzz will find your location (or show you nearby locations) and you can send an update and pin yourself to that location. Unlike Foursquare, where you can just check in to a location, if you want to indicate that you are someplace currently (or leave an opinion about an establishment), you have to send a Buzz message.

The Nearby tab is pretty cool because it shows you information from the public stream about what’s going on nearby. If you’re in a new city or simply trying to find out what’s going on in your neighborhood, this could potentially work like Gowalla or Loopt Mix.

Overall

Like Buzz in general, Buzz Mobile is still very much in development. The web app, while well-designed, doesn’t let you actively manage any of your accounts or connections. It’s also somewhat limited, for the time being, in what you can do — based on what type of access you or your followers have been given.

Once everyone has Google Buzz in Gmail, we’re sure that the mobile options will become a bit more well-rounded. As it stands now, there’s lots of potential, but not a ton of substance.

Have you used Google Buzz for your iPhone or Android device? Let us know!

Tags: buzz, geolocation, google buzz, web applications

Google Buzz: Competitors and Experts React

Posted: 09 Feb 2010 01:17 PM PST

GMAIL USERS: You can now follow Mashable’s official Google Buzz profile here: http://www.google.com/profiles/mashable

It’s no shocker that the web is buzzing about Google Buzz (terrible pun intended), Google’s most aggressive push into social media yet.

The new social updating and aggregation feature integrates with your mobile and your Gmail, providing a service that seems like a hybrid of Foursquare, Twitter, Facebook and Yelp.

People are already taking sides, including some of Google’s competitors. Yahoo struck first, putting out an e-mail about its own previous (and similar) social media efforts before Google even finished its announcement. Microsoft didn’t take long to make its thoughts heard, either.

Here are some choice reactions from web experts and Google’s rivals:

Microsoft

Microsoft’s statement can be distilled into one very simple phrase: Nobody should care about Google Buzz.

Here’s the actual statement in its entirety:

"Busy people don't want another social network, what they want is the convenience of aggregation. We've done that. Hotmail customers have benefited from Microsoft working with Flickr, Facebook, Twitter and 75 other partners since 2008."

In three sentences, Microsoft manages to rip Google for building yet another social network, claim the social innovation crown, and promote its social integrations with its popular Hotmail product.

In reality, Buzz is far more advanced than anything Google has ever put out. However, Microsoft does own a piece of something that directly compete with Google Buzz: Facebook.

Google Buzz has the most potential yet to give Facebook and Microsoft trouble in the social space.

Yahoo

The Internet giant did not explicitly react to Google Buzz, but it did time an e-mail titled “Latest on Yahoo!’s social updates” with the intent of reminding people about its social features in the face of Google’s newest social media monster.

Choice quotes:

“There are now more than 200 Yahoo! and third-party sites that feed into Yahoo! Updates – like Flickr, Twitter, YouTube, Yelp and Yahoo! Buzz – allowing people to see and share updates such as when they've uploaded photos, changed their status, buzzed up a news story or posted a new restaurant review, all from Yahoo!”
“Yahoo! Updates now appear throughout the Yahoo! network, in popular sites and services like Yahoo! Mail, Yahoo.com, and Yahoo! Messenger and across our content properties, meaning people can always keep up to date with their friends' latest activities”
“Yahoo! Updates are featured prominently on the "What's New" section of Yahoo! Mail, which is used by more than 300M people worldwide. People can also update their status and share it with friends and family directly from the "What's New" tab”

Clearly Yahoo feels threatened by Google’s product and, perhaps just as importantly, the buzz it is receiving. Yahoo is quickly becoming the oft-forgotten “other guy” despite being first with some of the features that Google is touting.

Forrester Research

Forrester Research’s Augie Ray had this to say:

"While bringing relevance filtering to the noisy social media world could prove a significant advantage, this doesn't (yet) seem to be enough to pull people away from the networks they've already created elsewhere. Buzz doesn't update user's Twitter or Facebook feeds, so I expect experimentation but not wholesale switching in the foreseeable future. Buzz could end up supplementing rather than replacing users' other social networks for now."

We agree with Forrester’s initial reaction: Google Buzz isn’t compelling enough to pull people away from Foursquare, Facebook or Twitter — at least, yet. Google is putting a lot of resources into this project, and it won’t give up the fight for social easily.

You

Now it’s your turn. What do you think of Google Buzz? Do you think it has the potential to challenge Facebook or Twitter, or is this going to end up being another Orkut or Google Knol (remember that thing?).

Let us know in the comments.

Tags: Google, google buzz, microsoft, Yahoo

5 Ways Airlines and Hotels Can Drive Revenue with Social Media

Posted: 09 Feb 2010 12:18 PM PST

Shashank Nigam is the CEO of SimpliFlying.com, an award-winning blog on airline branding. He tweets at @simpliflying.

Social media is no longer the "new" thing, especially for airlines. JetBlue has over one an a half million followers on Twitter. Lufthansa allows passengers to update their Twitter or Facebook status about where they are in the sky. AirAsia drives buzz about its new destinations through custom micro-sites. However, most airlines (and airports and hotels) are still struggling to earn direct revenue from their social media efforts.

Yet if Dell can make $6.5 million from Twitter, why can't airlines? Here are five ways that social media can directly drive dollars for airlines (and other travel companies, like hotels).

1. Clear Distressed Inventory on Twitter

Running an airline or hotel is much like running a cinema. It costs about the same to operate the hall (and the plane/hotel) no matter how many seats or rooms are filled up. Any unsold seats or rooms at the last minute are called "distressed inventory." Combine the last-minute nature of such seat/room availability with the real-time features of tools like Twitter and you create the opportunity for airlines and hotels to generate cold, hard cash.

United Airlines recently launched Twares, where it clears off seats for the upcoming weekend every Wednesday and Thursday. JetBlue's Cheeps program works along similar lines. All it takes is to create a separate fare category in the revenue management system for such deals and have one person put them out on Twitter, once or twice each week, after looking at how full the flights are.

Of course, you have to set clear expectations with your followers that the account will only be sending out deals, and is not a customer service vehicle.

Ultimately, using real-time platforms like Twitter helps the airline circulate cheap fares and get people to fly more often, or even for the first time. Hotels could similarly post unfilled room inventory on Twitter. Ultimately this fills up the planes and hotels and drives more revenue.

2. Infuse Social Media Reviews Into the Booking Engine

Done correctly, ratings and reviews deliver a significant increase in sales. One third of retailers reported an 11-20% or more overall increase in conversions as a result of adding reviews to their sites, while consumers are willing to pay up to 22-49% more for a 5-star rated product than for a 4-star rated product in the hospitality and travel industries.

For airlines, leveraging reviews correctly requires integrating them into the booking path when a person is searching for flights, especially at the point when the potential customer is most likely to convert into a sale — similar to how many airlines integrate selling travel insurance.

The critical factor here is to be transparent about where the reviews are coming from. They shouldn't look made-up at all. Stating that reviews come from a source like TripAdvisor or Skytrax only further establishes trust.

3. Integrate with Social Media Travel Applications

People around the world are using applications like TripIt and Dopplr to announce their travel intentions and plans to their friends well before the journey actually takes place. I personally share my plans up to two months in advance.

These status updates are also often integrated with generic social media sites like Facebook and LinkedIn, allowing a whole network of friends to find out where the person intends to travel to.

As an executive at a travel company, what more could you ask for than the intentions of a prospective customer to travel to a destination you serve? Because most of these applications have open APIs, airlines and hotels can pull the data being submitted and build custom applications using it.

For example, an airline could integrate TripIt data with their frequent flier database to create a list of their loyal customers and the destinations those customers are planning to visit. The airline could then reach out to them with a custom-tailored travel deal.

4. Create Private Online Communities

The social web offers a great opportunity for travel companies to create private online communities to give some of their loyal customers an exclusive experience. By targeting socially influential customers, these frequent travelers could be nudged toward becoming true brand ambassadors.

Creating an experience that offers exclusivity and privilege doesn’t have to cost big bucks — companies could start with basic white-label social networking tools like Ning. Offering that experience to select customers will increase their loyalty and the likelihood that those customers will evangelize the brand to fellow travelers.

5. Remember: Social Media is About Relationships

Imagine going to a cookout, only to see one of the guests waving a CD for some new software program, and shouting "new release, buy today!" That person would be completely out of place, and probably ignored by most of the other attendees.

It's important to remember that social media is always about relationships first.

A good example of relationship building is Lufthansa's MySkyStatus, which allows you to share your location with your Facebook and Twitter friends during the flight. Right now, it's not generating any revenue for Lufthansa, but if they integrate a field to input a passenger's frequent flyer number, they might be able to mine the data for some unique insights. However, right now, they’re concentrating on building a relationship with passengers through social media, not hammering them with ads.

It is important to always set the right expectations with your fans or followers on what you're going to be doing. If you're only selling seats or rooms, let them know. If you're providing customer service, let them know that, too.

More business resources from Mashable:

- Social Media Marketing: How Pepsi Got It Right
- How Social Media Helps One Small Business Connect with Fans
- 5 Ways Small Businesses Can Avoid Social Media Panic
- HOW TO: Implement a Social Media Business Strategy
- The 10 Stages of Social Media Business Integration
- HOW TO: Use Social Media to Connect with Other Entrepreneurs

Images courtesy of iStockphoto, craftvision, pidjoe, Barghest, gchutka

Reviews: Dopplr, Facebook, LinkedIn, TripIt, Twitter, iStockphoto

Tags: airline, Airlines, business, Flying, hospitality, Hotel, hotels, List, Lists, MARKETING, small business, social media, travel

Google Buzz: The Official Demo [VIDEO]

Posted: 09 Feb 2010 11:08 AM PST

GMAIL USERS: You can now follow Mashable’s official Google Buzz profile here: http://www.google.com/profiles/mashable

Google has just unveiled its latest attempt to become more relevant in the social media space: Google Buzz. The product is integrated within Gmail and will be rolled out gradually to all of the webmail service's users over the next few days.

We're still digesting all of the implications of Buzz (and will have more coverage throughout the day), but in the meantime, here's the two-minute demo of the product in action both on the Web and via mobile that Google showed off during today's press conference:

This video from Google looks specifically at the mobile features of Buzz:

What are your initial reactions? Another soon-to-be-forgotten Google social product? A FriendFeed clone? A Facebook/Twitter killer? Let us know in the comments!

Reviews: Facebook, FriendFeed, Gmail, Google, Twitter

Tags: Google, google buzz

Google Goes Social with Google Buzz

Posted: 09 Feb 2010 10:21 AM PST

GMAIL USERS: You can now follow Mashable’s official Google Buzz profile here: http://www.google.com/profiles/mashable

It’s official: Google has just announced Google Buzz, its newest push into the social media foray. This confirms earlier reports of Gmail integrating a social status feature.

On stage revealing the new product was Bradley Horowitz, Google’s vice president for product management. While introducing the product, Mr. Horowitz focused on the human penchant for sharing experiences and the social media phenomenon of wanting to share it in real time. These two key themes were core philosophies behind Google Buzz.

“It’s becoming harder and harder to find signal in the noise,” Bradley stated before introducing the product manager for Google Buzz, Todd Jackson.

Here are the details:

Google Buzz: The Details

- Mr. Jackson introduced “a new way to communicate within Gmail.” It’s “an entire new world within Gmail.” Then he introduced the five key features that define Google Buzz:

- Key feature #1: Auto-following
- Key feature #2: Rich, fast sharing experience
- Key feature #3: Public and private sharing
- Key feature #4: Inbox integration
- Key feature #5: Just the good stuff

- Google then began the demo. Once you log into Gmail, you’ll be greeted wiht a splash page introducing Google Buzz.

- There is a tab right under the inbox, labeled “Buzz”

- It provides links to websites, content from around the web. Picasa, Twitter, Flickr and other sites are aggregated.

- It shows thumbnails when linked to photos from sites like Picasa and Flickr. Clicking on an image will blow up the images to almost the entire browser, making them easier to see.

- It uses the same keyboard shortcuts as Gmail. This makes sense. Hitting “R” allows you to comment/reply to a buzz post, for example.

- There are public and private settings for different posts. You can post updates to specific contact groups. This is a lot like Facebook friend lists.

- Google wants to make sure you don’t miss comments, so it has a system to send you an e-mail letting you know about updates. However, the e-mail will actually show you the Buzz you’ve created and all of the comments and images associated with it.

- Comments update in real time.

- @replies are supported, just like Twitter. If you @reply someone, it will send a buzz toward an individual’s inbox.

- Google Buzz has a “recommended” feature that will show buzzes from people you don’t follow if your friends are sharing or commenting on that person’s buzz. You can remove it or change this in settings.

- Google is now speaking about using algorithms to help filter conversations, as well as mobile devices related to Buzz.

The Mobile Aspect

- Google buzz will be accessible via mobile in three ways: from Google Mobile’s website, from Buzz.Google.com (iPhone and Android), and from Google Mobile Maps.

- Buzz knows wher you are. It will figure out what building you are and ask you if it’s right.

- Buzz has voice recognition and posts it right onto your buzz in real-time. It also geotags your buzz posts.

- Place pages integrate Buzz.

- In the mobile interface, you can click “nearby” and see what people are saying nearby. NIFTY, if I say so myself.

- You can layer Google Maps with Buzz. You can also associate pictures with buzz within Google Maps.

- Conversation bubbles will appear on your Google Maps. They are geotagged buzz posts, which lets you see what people are saying nearby.

- They just showed off a video for Buzz. We’ll have it up soon.

The Third Act

- Google’s philosophy on social is this: It wants buzz to be the paragon and poster child for creating a social destination in an open environment that adheres to open standards.

- It’s launching at 11:00 a.m. PT in its first wave.

Reviews: Android, Facebook, Flickr, Gmail, Google, Google Maps, Picasa, Twitter

Tags: android, gmail, Google, trending

Facebook Kills Lexicon, Focuses on Analytics for Page Admins

Posted: 09 Feb 2010 10:20 AM PST

Facebook has removed its Lexicon analytics app, blogger Steve Rubel noticed last night.

Don’t know what Lexicon was? That’s OK, a lot of people didn’t; it was announced very quietly, but it was a neat tool. You could use Lexicon to see how frequently, and when, certain terms were trending in status updates, just like you can use Google Trends to do the same with search terms.

For example, our own Stan Schroeder was a bit perplexed a couple years back when the word “sex” had a massive spike in usage on May 30, 2008. It was the launch day of the Sex and the City movie in the United States — understandably something a man in another hemisphere might not follow closely.

Unfortunately, those amusing little mysteries and insights are now lost to Facebook users, and Facebook hasn’t provided a satisfactory explanation as to why. The notice that hangs where Lexicon used to be says:

“Thank you for your interest in Lexicon. We are removing the Lexicon product from Facebook for the time being. We may bring components of Lexicon back in the future, but we are focusing development on our analytics tools for Page owners, advertisers and Platform developers.”

Facebook has already launched its analytics tools for Page owners, but it is probably working on expanding them. Still, that doesn’t seem like a sufficient reason for taking down Lexicon. We’ll update here if we learn more.

Reviews: Facebook, SEX

Tags: analytics, facebook, google trends, lexicon

7 Ways to Promote Your Offline Event Using Social Media

Posted: 09 Feb 2010 10:10 AM PST

Susan Payton is the President of Egg Marketing & Public Relations, an internet marketing firm. She blogs at The Marketing Eggspert Blog, and teaches marketing courses at Marketing EggSchool. Follow her on Twitter @eggmarketing.

We all know about Tweetups and online events, but what about events that you didn’t specifically invite the Twitterati to attend? Conferences, meetings and parties are all events that might not have started online, but which can definitely benefit from online promotion and mention.

Leverage your offline event with some smart social media marketing. Here are seven ways you can maximize exposure of your event using online tools.

1. Blog About It

Before, during and after your event, blog about it. Blogging beforehand can alert others about your event and encourage them to learn more or register to attend. Live blogging during your event can create buzz and excitement for those who were unable to attend (and provide them a snippet of what they missed, which will encourage them to look for your next event). Blogging after can provide a recap, as well as info on upcoming events.

SXSW attendee Allen Stern liveblogged several sessions at the 2009 event. His blog posts are little more than notes from the presentation, but they do a good job of relaying the highlights to readers quickly.

2. Post Photos on Flickr

Everyone loves seeing photos of themselves (as long as they’re flattering). By posting photos of your event on Flickr and tagging them with people’s names, you can generate interest in your event from the people who attended and those who follow them on various social media channels.

BlogHer posts photos from its conferences and events both in the header on its website and in its Flickr stream. It invites participants to upload their own photos from the events into the Flickr stream, which encourages interaction.

3. Put it on Facebook

You can also post the photos and tag them on Facebook. The added benefit of doing so on Facebook is that when you tag someone, it appears on their wall. Anyone who is a friend of someone you tagged can see the photo. The idea is that it will lead them to want to learn more about the event (because hey, they want their photo put on Facebook from a cool local event too). Note that you’ll only be able to tag people that you’re connected to.

If your event or company has a Facebook Page, you can include highlights from the event, like quotes from keynotes, activities, awards or even faux pas from speakers.

For even more interaction, visit the profiles of those that attended and leave custom comments: “Hope you got that wine stain out of your blouse. Sorry about that!” “Great comment you made at the keynote presentation!” Etc.

The Wine Conference, an annual event held in Houston, posts updates on the conference to its Facebook Page. Here the event posts logos for its sponsors, photos from events, and blog links about the conference.

4. Post Photos to Twitpic

Twitpic is a great tool that allows you to take a photo with your phone or camera and upload it directly (via a shortened URL) to Twitter. Anyone following you on Twitter will see your tweet and the link to the photo, and can click to view it.

During your event, what better way to show those not in attendance what they’re missing than by taking photos and sending them in real time? Save your hi-resolution photos to be processed later, but upload snapshots from your phone instantly to create a sense of visual livestreaming as the event is underway.

5. Tweet the Event

Don’t overlook the best real-time tool in social media for your event. Sending tweets out to your followers is a great way to keep everyone updated on what’s happening. Whether it’s an awards show where you can share the winners before journalists write about them, or a conference where you can tweet soundbites, Twitter is a great tool for connecting people online and offline to your event.

Make sure your organization or business doesn’t have legal objections to you tweeting from the event. If the event covers trade secrets or other sensitive stuff, you may be entangled in more legal issues than you can shake a stick at if you’re not careful. The NFL banned tweeting from football events this season, for example, and is imposing fines for those that violate the ban.

6. Use Hashtags

The easiest way to track tweets and other mentions of your events on social media platforms is to ask all participants to use a # with a designated keyword or phrase when discussing it.

For example, in 2009, BlogWorld New Media Expo used the hashtag #bwe09 on Twitter to track all mentions of it. Many presentations used this hashtag or one relating to a particular topic as a way to field questions and comments during the presentations. For those unable to attend, following the hashtag was a great way to stay updated on soundbites from the conference.

7. Livestream Your Event

If your event is a conference or educational platform, consider livestreaming it via web video. Using services like Justin.tv or Ustream.tv, you can broadcast your event live over the Internet. This helps expand your audience and interact with them, even if they are not present in person at your event.

Wrapping it Up

Remember that you can get the most out of online promotion if you start long before the event. Map out a strategy that includes what you will do prior to the event, during, and after. Ask employees and attendees to assist you by posting their own take on the event through their blogs, Twitter, Facebook, and Flickr accounts. Make it as easy as possible for anyone to share their content and photos of your event online.

More social media resources from Mashable:

- 5 Levels of Effective Communication in the Social Media Age
- Zen and the Art of Twitter: 4 Tips for Productive Tweeting
- The Tao of Tweeting
- How Social Media Has Changed Us
- 5 Tips for Building Lasting Online Friendships
- 4 Steps for Effective Online Networking

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, sjlocke

Reviews: Facebook, Flickr, Twitpic, Twitter, iStockphoto

Tags: blogging, BLOGS, business, event planning, Events, facebook, flickr, justin.tv, List, Lists, live blogging, livestream, livestreaming, MARKETING, small business, social media, social networks, twitter, ustream

WordPress To Posterous Users: Graduate to a Full Blog

Posted: 09 Feb 2010 09:57 AM PST

In an effort to remind you that WordPress can be just as flexible and e-mail-friendly as Posterous, the company has released a Posterous importer for users who want to “graduate” from the mini-blogging site to “a full blog with the features, flexibility and reliability of WordPress.com.”

The new WordPress.com utility can be found via the Tools section within the Dashboard. All that’s required to run the import is your Posterous host name, user name and password, and it can import all of the following: posts, tags, comments and images.

On the flip side, Posterous has supported the inverse functionality — import from WordPress (and other blog platforms) — for several months, along with an autopost to WordPress option.

Now that you can get your content both in and out of Posterous and WordPress, it seems as if there’s a battle brewing between the two services, which serve overlapping purposes but offer unique advantages. We see the value in both, but we’re curious if WordPress’ we’re-just-as-dead-simple-as-the-other-guys strategy will convince you to switch over. Share your thoughts in the comments.

Reviews: Posterous, WordPress

Tags: posterous, Wordpress

Bonnaroo Lineup Announced on MySpace

Posted: 09 Feb 2010 09:39 AM PST

Legendary music festival Bonnaroo is announcing the lineup for its 2010 festival today, and instead of doing so in one fell swoop, the fest is releasing info via its MySpace page all day long.

If you head on over to www.myspace.com/bonnaroo right now, you’ll be greeted with a cartoonish cuckoo clock and what appears to be a flying lightbulb. Every six minutes or so, the clock opens — like something out of The Nutcracker — and a cadre of punkish-looking dudes emerge to reveal another artist who be present at Bonnaroo this June.

Artists will also be making their own announcements over the course of the day (they started at noon, EST) via various social media channels, and the MySpace page will aggregate that list. Tickets also went on sale today — which is a milestone, since this is the first time ticket sales and the lineup announcement have fallen on the same day.

Acts that have already been revealed include: Cross Canadian Ragweed, John Fogerty, Medeski Martin & Wood, Weezer, The Flaming Lips with Stardeath and White Dwarfs performing The Dark Side of the Moon, The Avett Brothers.

While this idea is certainly creative, it is rather messy in essence. Why? Because information about the line-up is currently all over the web like confetti on the sidewalk after New Year’s. Bonnaroo provides no links to individual artist announcements, so if you’re not, say, Rolling Stone (who has a more comprehensive list than the Bonnaroo MySpace page), you’re stuck staring at a rather irritating flying light bulb for six minutes until the page refreshes with a new announcement. I know cubicle culture breeds downtime, but I doubt anyone has the hours — or patience — for that.

Reviews: MySpace

Tags: music, myspace, social media

World’s Longest-Married Couple to Answer Your Romantic Queries Via Twitter

Posted: 09 Feb 2010 08:39 AM PST

If Dear Abby and your therapist just aren’t cutting it this Valentine’s Day, you can tweet at the world’s longest-married (living) couple, Herbert and Zelmyra Fisher, for the scoop on how to score and sustain love.

That’s right, while some of the older set just can’t wrap their heads around Twitter (unless it’s connected to a fax machine), the Fishers will be all up on the microblogging site this V-Day, dispensing pearls of wisdom to the younger set (for whom the sanctity of marriage has already been destroyed by Facebook). The whole project was dreamed up by blinkbox, which is an on-demand movie and TV website in the UK.

Herbert and Zelmyra — who were married in 1924 and are 104 and 102 years old respectively — are inviting us romantically bankrupt miscreants to visit their Twitter page, @longestmarried, from today until February 12. Simply tweet your question to the pair, who will select 14 questions that they will then answer on February 14.

The couple, who enjoy hanging on their front porch, watching trains pass by, counting cars and talking to their neighbors, are apparently the model of wedded bliss. They each have their own bedroom — so Herbert can stay up late watching baseball. Well, I guess distance does makes the heart grow fonder.

Reviews: Twitter

Tags: dating, online dating, twitter, valetine's day

Aperture 3 Hits the Apple Store

Posted: 09 Feb 2010 08:27 AM PST

Earlier this morning, the Apple Store was down for a protracted amount of time. That almost always means one thing: Something new was added to the store. This time, it was Aperture 3.

Aperture is Apple’s photo management and editing software for professionals or users who just want more power than Apple’s iPhoto can offer. In many ways, you could call Aperture iPhoto Pro — and that looks like it’s an even more apt description in the latest version.

The software — which is $199 for new users and $99 to upgrade from a previous version of Aperture — lets you organize, edit and export or print all of your photographs.

Aperture 3 adds a bunch of new features, including the Faces and Places features first introduced in iPhoto ‘09. This feature will automatically detect people in your photographs, allowing you to add tags and identify people — which makes exports to Facebook and Flickr pretty simple. The Places feature uses GPS data embedded in your photographs to add location-related data to the photo. This is really cool if you’re on a trip and want to create a supplementary map of all the places you visited and took pictures.

The other big new feature with Aperture 3: It supports video. Photos are still the main focus, but as more and more digital cameras start to feature video and HD video, it makes sense to be able to import all the same data alongside your photographs. You can create a JPEG from a frame, create multimedia slideshows and edit clips. I just got my fiance a Panasonic GF1 micro four-thirds camera that shoots AVCHD Lite. Not having to use different programs to import footage from the card will be a great time-saver.

Even my favorite feature of Aperture — Photo Books — got an upgrade. You can now order extra-large 13×10 books, and Apple added some new book themes. I don’t think I’ve ever given my parents a better gift than the Photo Book that I created with Aperture for Mother’s Day 2008. The print quality was astounding and my parents still keep the book on the coffee table.

Are you a photog or photog in training? What is your favorite photo editing software tool? Let us know!

Reviews: Facebook, Flickr

Tags: aperture, aperture 3, apple, mac, photography, software

Mashable Launches TED Channel

Posted: 09 Feb 2010 07:59 AM PST

TED, the Technology Entertainment Design conference, is renowned for bringing together the world’s smartest and most creative people. TED 2010 starts today in Long Beach, California, and we’ll be bringing you coverage of the event all week.

To help you track the most insightful presentations and news at TED, we’re launching a dedicated TED channel today at mashable.com/ted. Don’t forget to check out the TED channel – or bookmark it – to see what the world’s most influential people are saying about technology and social media innovation.

If you’re new to TED, check out 5 Insightful TED Talks on Social Media to get started.

Special thanks to Nokia for sponsoring the TED channel, which will be featured on Mashable for the next week.

Reviews: Mashable

Tags: TED, ted 2010

9 Odd But Awesome Tumblr Blogs

Posted: 09 Feb 2010 07:21 AM PST

In honor of the grueling work days in the immediate future and Tom Selleck’s glorious ’stache, we thought it prudent to offer up a list of single-serving Tumblr blogs that are sure to provide you with a much-needed helping of entertainment.

This list is far from comprehensive, seeing as how there’s scores of Tumblrs on the web — with more popping up every day — but it does contain both staff and popular favorites. We know we’ll probably miss a few that you have bookmarked, so please feel free to post them in the comments.

Selleck Waterfall Sandwich

This blog is basically self-explanatory, which isn’t really explaining much. It will leave you oddly hungry — whether it’s for Selleck or the sandwiches is up to you.

Awesome YouTube Comments

Of all the trolls in the land, those who frequent YouTube are by far the most amusing/horrible. Get a daily dose of idiocy and rare lyrical clarity here.

Unhappy Hipsters

OK, so it’s no longer a Tumblr and those aren’t really hipsters (“yuppy” would be more accurate), but this blog is hilarious. If decorating magazines generally put you to sleep, this blog will stir your ventricles back into wakefulness.

Animals With Casts

Come on, if the title alone doesn’t melt your heart, you are obviously made of granite and sitting in a courtyard, pigeons roosting peacefully on your shoulders.

Lunch Bag Art

This dad pimps out his kids’ lunch bags every day with awesome art. Um, can I get a parental upgrade? (And someone else to make me lunch…)

Clients From Hell

Yeah, bosses can be a drag, but what about the people who are supposed to be “always right”? This blog has some real gems…

The Daily What

This pop culture aggregator has everything — weird news, videos and ephemera galore. So many time wasting diversions, so little, well, time.

(via The Daily What, via Delete Yourself)

Slaughterhouse 90210

Page meets primetime with this photo blog, which combines literary quotes with photos from popular TV shows.

F*ck Yeah Indie Boys!

OK, a list of entertaining sites wouldn’t be complete with a little eye candy (and one of the denizens of the “F*ck Yeah!” meme), and seeing as how we covered Sports Illustrated models last week, I thought we needed a little something for the ladies. Incidentally, there’s a version for the gents as well.

Reviews: Tumblr, YouTube

Tags: blog, pop culture, tumblr

Navigon GPS iPhone App Gets Twitter and Facebook Support

Posted: 09 Feb 2010 07:11 AM PST

Navigon’s MobileNavigator, one of the first iPhone apps to offer real turn-by-turn GPS navigation, has established itself as one of the best such applications available for Apple’s smartphone.

The latest version of the app (available here) has an option to alert your buddies to your current location via Facebook or Twitter. It also adds an option called MyRoutes, which enables you to create custom routes according to your needs and habits. Finally, Panorama View 3D gives you a 3D terrain view, based on NASA’s data.

The price of the app itself is currently $20 cheaper than before: $69.99. However, if you want live traffic information that’ll cost you an extra $19.99 (promotional price, applies only until the 15th of February), and the Panorama View 3D will cost you an additional $9.99. Put all that together, and it’s 100 bucks; not exactly cheap, but it’ll definitely buy you a full-featured navigation package on your iPhone.

Reviews: Facebook, Twitter

Tags: facebook, iphone, Mobile 2.0, Navigon, twitter

Box.net for iPhone Adds Powerful Features for Business Users

Posted: 09 Feb 2010 06:49 AM PST

Back in September, cloud content management provider Box.net rolled out its OpenBox Mobile platform, thereby allowing developers — and users — to access and integrate Box.net’s cloud storage with their own files and applications. Today the company is releasing a bunch of new updates that enhance mobile collaboration.

New iPhone App

Box.net was one of the first collaboration companies to enter the iPhone space, back in October of 2008. Since that time, the company has been working hard to bring the Box.net experience to your pocket. The new version of the Box.net iPhone app adds a bunch of new features that go a long way to achieving that goal.

Box.net 2.0 adds in file preview (similar to the enhancements rolled out last month for the full site), the ability to comment and view comments on files or folders, the ability to share files or folders straight from the app, and the ability to view updates to an account or project.

In the last 18 months, we’ve watched as Box.net has transitioned from a cloud storage solution into an entire cloud-based content management system. At this point, Box.net is actively pitting itself against Microsoft’s SharePoint for small and large business users.

Quickoffice Integration

This is where Box.net gets cool. One of the long-touted benefits of the cloud is that it is location agnostic. So if I’m in Miami, San Francisco, New York or Atlanta, I can access my files — even if I’m not using the same computer at each location. When it comes to mobile solutions, however, while Google Docs is doing what it can — especially on the Android platform — to bring in the mobile editing experience to docs stored in the cloud, most of the existing solutions are tied to local files on your phone.

This is why it’s awesome that Box.net is integrating with the Quickoffice Connect Mobile Suite. That means you can edit Word and Excel files on your Box.net account on your phone and save the changes back to your Box account, all within Quickoffice for the iPhone. This is a huge boon for business users. And when you think about the power of something like this when paired with Apple’s upcoming iPad, the possibilities become fantastic.

The Quickoffice app that offers Box.net integration will be available shortly in the App Store. If you already use Quickoffice, check your updates — it’s coming!

New Mobile APIs

One of the things I’ve always liked about Box.net has been its OpenBox platform. This allows Box.net to plug into other web services like Salesforce.com. When OpenBox Mobile launched in September, developers were given the opportunity to add support for Box.net storage and file integration into their own apps.

A number of applications have done just that — including my favorite PDF reader, GoodReader. Now Box.net is expanding its developer APIs to add in more options for search, commenting, update notification and other ways to plug into the Box.net ecosystem.

Developers can check out Box.net/developers for more information and to access the OpenBox Mobile APIs. I think that GTD and to-do apps that could integrate with Box.net could be absolutely killer. Think how great it would be if you could add in a link to a file on your Box.net account when crafting a to-do or setting a meeting agenda.

Mobile Matters

The biggest benefits of cloud-based storage — and really cloud computing in general — isn’t really visible at the end-user until you leave the workstation and embrace being location agnostic. This is what mobile integration does. We expect more and more companies to follow in Box’s footsteps and add mobile integration at the API level to their cloud-based products.

What do you think about mobile computing paired with cloud storage? Let us know!

Reviews: Android, Google Docs

Tags: box.net, cloud computing, iphone, openbox mobile

Apple Grabs 25% of the Smartphone Market, Android Doubles Market Share

Posted: 09 Feb 2010 05:33 AM PST

comScore has released a report on the state of the US mobile market from September to December 2009, and it shows that the recently established trends of Android and iPhone growth don’t show signs of ceasing.

In December 2009 RIM was still the leading mobile smartphone operating system in the U.S., with 41.6% market share, a slight drop from 42.6% from September 2009. Apple has risen from 24.1% to 25.3% in that same period, and Google, although still in the fifth place, has doubled its market share – from 2.5% to 5.2%.

Microsoft lost one percentage point and dropped to 18% share, but the biggest loser of the bunch was Palm, which dropped from 8.3% to 6.1%, despite recent price cuts which made their smartphones one of the cheapest on the market. If Palm doesn’t do something to reverse this trend, it may soon be looking at the back of Android, which is growing like a weed, both in the US and internationally.

[Image credit: comScore]

Reviews: Android, Google

Tags: android, apple, Google, iphone, microsoft, palm, RIM

YugaTech

2010-02-09T21:09:00.001-08:00

YugaTech

Asus Eee PC 1201T vs. Lenovo ThinkPad X100e

Posted: 09 Feb 2010 07:35 AM PST

Two of the latest CULV notebooks we’ve reviewed recently, the Asus 1201T and ThinkPad X100e, sported the single-core AMD Athlon Neo processor and ATI Radeon HD3200. We ran some benchmarks to compare the two and found out some interesting results.

While on the CPU side, both notebooks practically has the same chip, the ATI Radeon HD 3200 doesn’t look the same. Just look at the GPU ID below:

We compared PassMark results between the two notebooks:

The big difference can be seen between the Radeon HD3200 GPU. That’s because of the memory allocation (256MB on Asus & 336MB on Lenovo) as well as the memory clock (200MHz/500MHz on Asus & 380MHz/333MHz on Lenovo).

Now that’s odd and don’t know how that came about. At least, if we look at the performance of the GPU, we know which one has the better one.

Asus Eee PC 1201T specs:
12.1″ display @ 1366×768 pixels
AMD Athlon Neo MV-40 1.6GHz
ATI Radeon HD3200 256MB
2GB DDR2 RAM
320GB HDD

Lenovo ThinkPad X100e specs:
11.6″ dispay screen @ 1366×768 pixels
AMD Athlon Neo MV-40 @ 1.6GHz
ATI Radeon HD3200 336MB
2GB DDR2 RAM
250GB HDD

The Asus has an SRP of Php21,900 and the ThinkPad X100e is Php28,990 — both having no OS pre-installed.

We got more PassMark results for the ThinkPad X100e here and the Eee PC 1201T here.

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Asus EeePC 1201T Review The Asus Seashell design was continued with the introduction of...
Asus EeePC 1201T in the flesh! Interestingly, Asus’ 12-inch version of their netbooks have only arrived...

Mashable: Latest 26 News Updates - including “Apple Store Down, Wild Speculations Abound”

2010-02-09T05:15:00.001-08:00

Mashable: Latest 26 News Updates - including “Apple Store Down, Wild Speculations Abound”

Apple Store Down, Wild Speculations Abound
Nexus One Gets Live Phone Support, Sort Of
Foursquare Inks Deals With Major Media and Entertainment Brands
Music Ownership Beats Music Subscription in Reader Poll
Twins Discover Teenage Brother’s Death on Facebook
From “Eraserhead” to MMS: David Lynch Goes Mobile
Netflix Instant Streaming Goes 1080p This Year [Updated]
Tell Us Your Favorite Super Bowl Moment, Win a FLO TV [CONTEST]
Super Bowl Ads: Hulu’s Winners and Losers [STATS]
New Update to Give Droid Multitouch
Rumor: iPhone 4G Will Be Taller Than Predecessors [PICS]
Barnes & Noble Nook on Shelves Wednesday
5 Insightful TED Talks on Social Media
Free Music Monday: 10 Free Downloads for Your Collection
Bandize: Manage Your Band Like a Business
Onion Ring More Popular Than Justin Bieber in Latest Facebook Meme
5 Levels of Effective Communication in the Social Media Age
Google Could Unveil Gmail’s Social Features Tomorrow
Social Media Score Card: How the Super Bowl Advertisers Performed
HUGE: Google Set to Make Gmail Social With Status Update Features
EA Sports to Bring Madden to Facebook
Dunkin’ Donuts Wants You to Create Its Next Donut
Loopt and Mobile Spinach Team Up for Location-Based Deals
TweetDeck Brings YouTube and Flickr Inside the Client
The Top 10 Most Watched Web Series, January 2010
Google is Working on Speech-to-Speech Translation for Android
Mashable’s Weekly Social Media Event Guide

Apple Store Down, Wild Speculations Abound

Posted: 09 Feb 2010 04:40 AM PST

Whenever Apple Store goes down, it’s a moment of geek bliss, especially if you like Apple products. What will Apple launch this time? Will they just announce minor changes to some of their Macbooks, or do they have something really interesting in store for us this time?

In any case, the Store is down now, so feel free to share your guesses on what’s coming once it goes back up again. Let’s just hope it’s not common maintenance.

Tags: apple, Apple Store

Nexus One Gets Live Phone Support, Sort Of

Posted: 09 Feb 2010 12:51 AM PST

There’s no denying it: Google’s Nexus One, although being one of the best Android-based smartphones on the market, isn’t selling well.

One of the reasons behind sluggish sales is lack of true customer support. Who does an owner of a Nexus One turn to in case of trouble? HTC, the phone’s manufacturer, mobile network operator, or Google itself? This issue is still not solved, but at least now Google gave customers live phone support.

Live phone support is available at 888-48NEXUS (63987) and it works from 07:00am to 10:00pm PST; unfortunately, you can’t request tech support, as this line seems to be limited to status and shipping issues. Furthermore, as an international user, my best bet is still going through online forums in case of problems. Google is getting better at this, as they finally realized that providing proper support for a smartphone is a not as easy as launching a support website. Still, Google has a long way to go to make Nexus One users really happy.

Reviews: Google

Tags: Google, nexus one, smartphone

Foursquare Inks Deals With Major Media and Entertainment Brands

Posted: 08 Feb 2010 10:28 PM PST

Hello, Hollywood. On the heels of the Foursquare-Bravo TV deal, news of several additional major media partnerships involving the location-based social networking app have dropped this evening.

According to various reports, Zagat, Warner Bros., HBO, the History Channel and ExploreChicago have all been added to Foursquare’s media and entertainment mix. Here are the partnerships that appear to be live or coming very soon:

Zagat

The New York Times is reporting that Foursquare has signed a deal with trusted restaurant review service Zagat. Zagat’s official Foursquare page is already live and includes official Zagat rated tips and recommendations that users can add as to-do’s to their Foursquare experience.

Zagat is calling the partnership, “Foodie Love,” and there’s even a new accompanying foodie badge. What’s also interesting is that Zagat.com is extending the partnership beyond Foursquare and starting a “Meet the Mayor” online interview series that will feature discussions with prominent Foursquare mayors.

Foursquare’s relationship with Zagat is clearly an answer to Yelp’s introduction of check-ins, especially given the trusted and prestigious nature of Zagat content.

Warner Bros.

Earlier this evening we received some intel in our inbox about a Warner Bros. partnership with Foursquare around the studio’s upcoming movie, Valentine’s Day. Per Foursquare’s other big media partners, the deal includes content in the form of tips and to-dos, but these are themed around romance and Valentine’s Day activities. Of course, it wouldn’t be Foursquare without a badge to go with the campaign.

The Valentine’s Day Foursquare page includes text that reads, “Visit and check-in on Foursquare at any of the locations on our Valentine’s Day inspired list of the most romantic places in New York City, San Francisco, Chicago, Los Angeles and Boston to get a Valentine’s Day badge! Then go see the movie, in theaters on February 12!”

HBO

We found HBO’s Foursquare How to Make it in America page via AdAge. The series premieres on February 14th, and although HBO isn’t ready to go on the record about their Foursquare relationship, a page packed with show-related tips is already live. The deal appears to be structured in a similar fashion as the others, and includes the addition of show-specific badges for “Culture, Living, Cocktails, and Nightlife.”

The idea seems to be that viewers can turn fiction into reality and live like the show’s main characters, Ben and Cam, who are “two enterprising Brooklyn twentysomethings as they hustle their way through New York City, determined to achieve the American Dream.”

More Major Media Deals

AdAge is also reporting that the History Channel is exploring similar options with Foursquare, and thanks to a tip sent in via email, we uncovered an ExploreChicago page that is reminiscent of Metro News’ relationship with the location-based game.

ExploreChicago happens to be Chicago’s official tourism site, and the deal includes three Chicago-themed Foursquare badges (which we believe to be the ones above) that users can unlock by checking-in across the city.

Tags: entertainment, explorechicago, Film, foursquare, hbo, MARKETING, media, social media, trending, tv, warner bros, zagat

Music Ownership Beats Music Subscription in Reader Poll

Posted: 08 Feb 2010 07:27 PM PST

In last week’s Faceoff Series we asked about music consumption models: Do Mashable readers prefer to own their entire music collections or do some of you gravitate toward subscription services?

One week later and the results are in: Ownership wins the day at a full 50% of the vote. Of all our past Faceoffs, though, this edition had one of the highest “tie” votes constituting people who really like both models. The music subscription model still came in second place behind ownership at 28% of the vote, but the “Tie: I like them both!” option was very close behind at 22%.

The results seem to indicate both a growing contingent of folks warming up to the idea of music subscription services, and the idea that there could be room in the market for both approaches to be sustainable business models. Which option got your vote in our poll, and why? Let us know in the comments!

Who would win in a fight: Music subscription, or music ownership?(poll)

Reviews: poll

Tags: music, polls, social media, subscription, web faceoff

Twins Discover Teenage Brother’s Death on Facebook

Posted: 08 Feb 2010 05:45 PM PST

This isn’t the way you should learn about the death of your 17 year old brother.

According to Sydney’s The Daily Telegraph, twins Angela and Maryanne Vourlis had just woken up on their 20th birthday. Like most young adults, they logged onto Facebook to check their walls and inboxes for birthday greetings.

Instead of finding happy birthday wishes, the two twins found messages of “RIP Bobby” (their brother) and “RIP Chris Naylor” (a friend of his) all across their Facebook news feeds. Completely shocked, baffled, and hurt, the two rang their brother’s phone in the hopes it was a mistake. It was to no avail.

Next, they rang their mother. While she didn’t receive any word from the police or others about Bobby or Chris Naylor, she did know that Bobby was with his friend that night. After a call to the police, they confirmed what they had learned on Facebook: that Bobby Vourlis was dead. He passed away along with Chris Naylor in a fatal car accident that also took the life of a third teenage passenger.

You can read the whole heartbreaking story over at the Daily Telegraph, but it’s clear that the real-time nature of the web spread information far faster than even the police or phone calls could. While we understand it takes time to identify victims and send an officer to a residence to inform family of the news, the process can simply take too long in today’s world.

We offer our condolences to both families for the tragedy they are enduring. We could not imagine learning about it the way they did.

[via CNET]

Reviews: Facebook

Tags: Brothers, death, facebook, Twins

From “Eraserhead” to MMS: David Lynch Goes Mobile

Posted: 08 Feb 2010 05:26 PM PST

Award-winning director (and three-time Oscar nominee) David Lynch (of Blue Velvet and Twin Peaks fame) and the David Lynch Foundation Television have teamed up with mobile video marketer Mogreet to bring video MMS messages to Lynch fans.

We spoke with Mogreet and the David Lynch Foundation about the technology, the purpose of the campaign and how the DLF is using social media and technology to further its message.

Spreading a Message With Mobile Video

The ever-increasing pace of smartphone adoption only underscores the growing importance of mobility. As we’ve seen with everything from mobile app stores to the Red Cross’s text message for Haiti campaign, mobile is an extremely valuable platform for brands and nonprofits to get their messages across.

Video is an important communication driver, too, and when you combine the two technologies together, you end up with something potentially amazing.

Last month, we wrote about Thwapr, a company that specializes in doing mobile-to-mobile video. We see mobile video messaging as something that’s only going to continue to grow, especially as more and more companies realize just how many users are able to actually view video on their phones.

One of the companies that is really focused on mobile video marketing is Mogreet. Mogreet works with companies so that they can send video MMS messages to users that request their information. Because virtually every mobile phone sold since 2005 or so can support MMS messages that include video playback, the potential audience for these sorts of messages is huge.

I spoke with James Citron, the CEO of Mogreet, and he told me that the company has more than 2,700 device profiles in its database, meaning that if you have a cell phone, chances are, it can play one of Mogreet’s video MMS messages. Each video is encoded in a variety of different formats and it is sent to phones in the best format for that phone, so that users of an iPhone get a different experience than someone using a Motorola Razr, but each user gets the best possible experience for his or her device.

While this has primarily been used for commercial advertisers, Mogreet is interested in getting into the non-profit space too, because that’s perhaps an even better market for this sort of service. Think about it, what if you could donate and then get a video message back showing someone who is helped by your donation saying thanks? Or what if you could see what is going on in Haiti or some other place that needs aid? The non-profit organization’s message might be that much more powerful. After all, images often speak louder than words.

To that end, Mogreet decided to work with the David Lynch Foundation and bring some of Lynch’s talents — and messages — to his fans.

David Lynch Goes Mobile

The David Lynch Foundation Television is dedicated to documenting programs that awaken creativity and transform lives. To that end, the foundation has a website, DLF.TV, that has lots of video content of David Lynch and of people the Foundation has helped, as well as of other artists and friends who have support the Foundation’s vision.

The first mobile video message that the DLF will be sending to fans is of a short film that Lynch directed featuring the musician and artist Ariana Delawari. Delawari’s debut album, Lion of Panjshir was recorded in Kabul and Los Angeles, and reflects the cultures of both places. Delawari’s decision to return to Afghanistan in 2007 to record the album influenced her work and its overall sound. Like Lynch, Delawari is a student of transcendental mediation and like Lynch, it has also influenced her life and her work.

Lynch directed a six-minute short showing off Delawari’s style and voice. The style is unmistakable Lynch, from the background to the sound mix to the camera angles. It’s also a piece that works well when viewing on the web or on a mobile phone.

To spread the word about Delawari — and to kick off a mobile-type of initiative — fans can text ‘LYNCH’ to 647338.

It’s an interesting approach to spread a message from an always-interesting director. It’s also something we expect to be a growing trend, especially as nonprofits start to embrace the power of mobile.

What do you think about mobile video? Are you a fan of David Lynch? What do you think of this initiative? Let us know!

Reviews: video

Tags: david lynch, MMS, Mobile 2.0, video, video messaging, web video

Netflix Instant Streaming Goes 1080p This Year [Updated]

Posted: 08 Feb 2010 04:22 PM PST

Update: Netflix contacted CNET and retracted its statement regarding plans for 1080p streaming, saying it has no plans for 1080p this year. However, the company stood its ground on the 5.1 surround sound plans, so you can still keep your ears open for that upgrade.

–

Netflix plans to bump the video quality of its Watch Instantly streaming service up to 1080p on some devices, CNET claims. It will also roll out 5.1 surround sound support. Both upgrades will occur by next year.

Currently, Netflix Watch Instantly is available in 720p HD on the Xbox 360, the PlayStation 3, and some set-top boxes. 1080p is a much higher resolution, and the existing devices don’t stream Netflix content with 5.1 surround sound.

Netflix’s CEO has in the past predicted that streaming will overtake DVD-by-mail as the company’s main business. The library keeps on growing — for example, the Criterion Collection just contributed a ton of art-house and foreign films — and the number of devices you can watch the content on is growing too.

No time frame for the upgrade has been given, but the core technology that powers Netflix Watch Instantly — Microsoft Silverlight — got the capability last year. You can already watch 1080p streams on the Xbox 360 through the Zune Marketplace using Silverlight.

In some ways, streaming stole HD’s thunder. While the high definition digital video disc format Blu-ray was counting on viewers’ interest in quality, it turned out that more users have been interested in the convenience of watching content when and where they want. That has meant a sacrifice in resolution among other things, but 1080p Netflix is a first step towards closing the gap between quality and convenience.

The highly compressed 1080p streams that are possible over the United States’ broadband infrastructure are still not high enough on the quality scale to beat Blu-ray head-to-head, but they will still be better than most people are used to.

Reviews: Blu, Netflix Watch Instantly

Tags: 1080p, netflix

Tell Us Your Favorite Super Bowl Moment, Win a FLO TV [CONTEST]

Posted: 08 Feb 2010 03:48 PM PST

What was your favorite moment during the Super Bowl? Was it the fast-paced game or the ads that got your attention?

If the ads caught your eye, which moment stood out for you? If it was the game, which play was most memorable? Why did it stick with you? We want to know!

FLO TV, which ran its “Moments” commercial as one of the Super Bowl ads this year, has provided three FLO TV Personal Televisions (value: $290 each with 6 months free service) as prizes for this contest.

To enter, leave a comment on this post telling us your favorite Super Bowl moment of 2010, either during the game or the ads. We’ll pick three winners based on the originality, humor and creativity of your comment.

Because FLO TV works in the US, this contest is US-only. The contest will run for 24 hours and winners will be notified via email by Friday February 12.

About the Prize: FLO TV Personal Television

The FLO TV is a way to watch TV on the go. Here’s how the company describes the device:

FLO TV brings live mobile TV to the small screen. The FLO TV service combines the best content, an intuitive user interface and a superior multicast network to deliver a true quality TV viewing experience for consumers. FLO TV offers full–length simulcast and time–shifted programming from the world's best entertainment brands, including ABC, CBS, CNBC, COMEDY CENTRAL, Disney Channel, ESPN, FOX, FOX News Channel, FOX Sports, FUEL TV, MSNBC, MTV, NBC 2Go and many more.
The FLO TV Personal Television is available through Amazon.com, Best Buy and RadioShack among other leading retailers at a suggested MSRP of $199 and comes with 6 months free service, for a total retail value of about $288.94 USD.

Disclosures: FLO TV is not a Mashable sponsor or partner. Mashable and its staff receive no payment or incentives for running this contest.

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, Willard

Reviews: Mashable, iStockphoto

Tags: contest, flo tv, moments, Super Bowl, Superbowl

Super Bowl Ads: Hulu’s Winners and Losers [STATS]

Posted: 08 Feb 2010 03:26 PM PST

We’ve already looked at how on-air Super Bowl advertisers fared with audiences during the Big Game, but how did online viewers react to the spots? Check out which ads were the biggest winners — or losers — with the Hulu crowd.

The 2010 Super Bowl was a big win for more than just the New Orleans Saints, CBS scored big-time, too, garnering the biggest Super Bowl audience on record, and, with 106 million U.S. households tuned in, the most-watched television program of all time. That means a lot of eyes were on the ads — both online and on-air. And now more than ever, we can ascertain almost instantly how these commercials resonated with viewers.

Similar to YouTube’s AdBlitz channel, Hulu’s AdZone features all of the nationwide Super Bowl spots and lets viewers vote, Siskel & Ebert-style (that’s thumbs-up or thumbs-down) on which ads worked and which ads fell flat. You can even see how many users from different demographics and locations liked or disliked certain ads, and you can compare those metrics with other ads.

Hulu explains the whole process in its blog, and voting continues until tomorrow night should you choose to check it out. Still, Hulu shared some of the rating charts with us (at least as they stand right now), and we think the results are pretty interesting:

Motorola clearly scored big time with its Megan Fox photo ad. Why? Not only is it the most-viewed commercial, it is the fifth most “liked” ad and the third most “disliked” ad. That’s some pretty serious buzz.

Other big winners? Doritos’ “House Rules” ad got high marks from viewers and racked up the online views. Likewise, Google’s big Super Bowl ad played well with audiences and got lots of views.

Proving that controversy does indeed lead to viewership, Focus on the Family’s Tim Tebow ad is one of the most watched, even if it is also the most disliked.

What was your favorite ad from the Big Show? Least favorite? Let us know!

Reviews: Hulu

Tags: ads, hulu, MARKETING, Super Bowl, super bowl as, video

New Update to Give Droid Multitouch

Posted: 08 Feb 2010 03:15 PM PST

There’s some good news and some bad news. First, the good news: sources tell Engadget that multitouch browsing will be added to the Motorola Droid in its next software update.
Multitouch was one of the most requested features on Android, at least until the Nexus One gained multitouch browsing last week.

The bad news: the update won’t add the ability to install live wallpapers, a coveted feature of Android 2.1 seen in the Nexus One.

The point of live wallpaper is essentially to let your homescreen behave like an application, making it animated and interactive. Live wallpapers have the same access to the platform functionality that apps do, giving your homescreen the ability to change dynamically and to bring relevant information to the background of your phone. There’s no word on when or even if the Droid might support live wallpaper, but it looks like it won’t be included in this upcoming update.

Other tidbits from the new build — based on Android 2.1 version 1 — include pre-installed Google Goggles experimental visual search, and versions of the news and weather widgets first included with the Nexus One.

The official word on the street from Motorola is that the new update will roll out this week, so it won’t be long now before Droid users finally get to enjoy the multitouch browsing experience their Nexus One counterparts have been privy to since last week.

Reviews: Android

Tags: android, android 2.1, droid, live wallpaper, Motorola, multitouch, verizon

Rumor: iPhone 4G Will Be Taller Than Predecessors [PICS]

Posted: 08 Feb 2010 02:49 PM PST

iPhone repair shop iResQ claims that it has the front panel component of the next iteration of Apple’s iPhone, and it has posted a few photos to demonstrate a couple of ways the handset will differ from its predecessor.

If these pics are legit, then the new iPhone will actually be one-fourth of an inch taller than all of the previous three models. Presumably this is to make room for a new component — or more than one new component.

iResQ also observes that the front panel has a “reflective, mirror-like surface” near the top of the phone, and speculates that this is a relocated proximity sensor. The current iPhone’s proximity sensor is used to detect when you’re holding the phone up to your ear. If you are, it shuts off the screen to save battery life and to avoid blinding you with light.

If the reflective surface is the proximity sensor, then Apple might be planning to use the sensor for other functions as well.

If Apple is planning to launch a new iPhone this year, it will likely be announced at WWDC this June. We’ll have to wait until then to see if these photos are real. Take a look at the photos below, but remember that it’s best to pile this in with the rest of the rumors for now.

[via MacRumors]

Reviews: iPhone

Tags: apple, iphone, iphone 4g, trending

Barnes & Noble Nook on Shelves Wednesday

Posted: 08 Feb 2010 02:38 PM PST

While the Nook — Barnes & Noble’s $259 e-reader and Kindle rival — has been available for purchase online since November, it has yet to be sold in the company’s brick-and-mortar stores. Come Wednesday, however, that will all change.

The New York Times is reporting, “Barnes & Noble, the country's largest bookselling chain, said that its Nook electronic reading device would be available for purchase in its stores starting Wednesday.”

Barnes & Noble originally made a big splash with its Nook announcement in late October, but its digital book reader has since been met with mixed reviews and suffered from stock shortage problems around the holidays.

The push to finally get the Nook in Barnes & Noble stores is likely the result of the hoopla involving Apple’s iPad. As Google is learning via lackluster Nexus One sales, consumers haven’t exactly embraced the online-only purchase model when it comes to electronics. With its physical debut coming several months prior to the iPad’s, Barnes & Noble might have an opportunity to land key sales before consumers can hold the iPad for themselves.

Tags: barnes & noble, ereader, nook

5 Insightful TED Talks on Social Media

Posted: 08 Feb 2010 02:29 PM PST

The 2010 Technology Entertainment Design conference will be kicking off tomorrow in Long Beach, California, bringing the leading minds of many fields together to talk shop about innovation, change, and what the future holds.

As social media has become a game changer for industries across the board, you can bet the experts at this year’s TED conference will have their sights set on peeling back the hype and getting at the core of what social technology has in store for this year and beyond.

Perhaps the best part of the TED conferences is that videos of the talks are archived and free to view right on the organization’s website. Given the wealth of insight we’re sure to see tomorrow, we thought we’d whet your appetite by highlighting a few recent and exceptional talks from TED’s past, with a focus on social media.

1. Alexis Ohanian: How To Make a Splash in Social Media

We’ll start things off with a real-life social media parable about how the biggest and most effective forces on the web usually take shape by accident. Alexis Ohanian of Reddit.com tells the quick and hilarious story of how the social web provided some unexpected help to Greenpeace in halting the Japanese whaling industry. Internet marketers take note: The meme is all powerful, and it cannot be controlled.

2. Clay Shirky: How Social Media Can Make History

In this talk, consultant, professor and author Clay Shirky discusses the unprecedented immediacy of real-time citizen journalism made possible by social media and the nearly ubiquitous access to mobile web technologies. From the election crisis in Iran to the massive earthquake that shook China in May of 2008, Shirky discusses how media is made on the ground, as-it-happens, via the social web.

3. Evan Williams: Listening to Twitter Users

With a couple of anecdotes building the ultimate social media case study, Twitter co-founder Evan Williams discusses how a little side project called Twitter became a game-changing phenomenon with the help and input of the very users who made the service a success. From innovative marketing uses to core functionality, Williams provides the evidence for what we knew all along: Users know best.

4. Stefana Broadbent: How the Internet Enables Intimacy

As social media changes our social lives, speculation has abounded for years on how the web may be disconnecting us from intimate interactions in favor of meaningless quests to rack up followers and “friends.” Not so, says Stefana Broadbent, who explains that social networks function the same way online as they do in real life. While we may have lots of friends, we only really communicate regularly and meaningfully with a handful of them, and social technologies like e-mail, texting, and tweeting allow us to do so more often across time and space.

5. Seth Godin: The Tribes We Lead

From professional sports mascots to balloon animal makers, some communities are so extremely niche that they could only properly thrive on the Internet. So argues blogger and author Seth Godin, who believes that our revolutionary new connectedness has brought human culture back to its roots, and that tribes (groups of people mobilized around a shared interest) are the present and future of all web content.

What are your favorite TED talks about social media? Which did we miss? Let us know in the comments.

Reviews: Iran , Twitter, reddit.com

Tags: future, List, Lists, social media, social networks, technology, TED, TED Talks, twitter, video

Free Music Monday: 10 Free Downloads for Your Collection

Posted: 08 Feb 2010 02:07 PM PST

In this week’s Free Music Monday we offer you 10 free downloadable MP3s (or the occasional full album) for your eclectic listening pleasure. If you haven’t checked out Free Music Monday before, we’re giving away free and legal tracks in honor of the #musicmonday tradition on Twitter.

We also gladly accept your submissions for Free Music Monday — please find information about how to submit your tracks or music from artists you represent at the end of this post. Now without further ado, let’s roll some tracks!

1. [DOWNTEMPO] Cosmo D’s Sauce: “Metroid (Brynstar)” — Jazzy horns and downtempo beats from one of several acts from the Brooklyn-based Smoothe Moose label and artist collective. Right-click to download this track, and grab lots more from Smoothe Moose’s mixtapes at Soundcloud. The We Love Video Game Music sampler featuring this track is also embedded below for streaming and download.
Smoothe Moose Mixtape #3 – We Love Video Game Music by smoothemoose
2. [OPERA] The Knife: “Colouring of Pigeons” — It’s The Knife like they’ve been heard before. Right-click to snag a track from the electro-opera the brother and sister duo were commissioned to compose, Tomorrow, In a Year, based on the infamous Charles Darwin text The Origin of Species. The digital release on the 92-minute opera is out now, with the two-CD physical album to arrive March 1.
3. [STONER ROCK] Ancestors: “The Ambrose Law” — If you like Sabbath-influenced progressive rock, right-click to check out this track from L.A.’s Ancestors. [via Stoner Rock]
4. [ELECTRONICA] Four Tet: “Essential Mix” — Almost two hours’ worth of mixes and remixes are included in this set from UK’s Kieran Hebden, better known as Four Tet. Download the entire set from Soundcloud or from the streaming player below.

Essential mix (January 2010) by Four Tet
5. [ROCK] Martha and the Muffins: “Don’t Say Anything” — To get your free download from the recently released new album Delicate (their first studio release in 18 years), head on over to MatM’s site to sign up for the mailing list and get a copy of “Don’t Say Anything” from these Toronto-based rockers.
6. [INDIE] Thunderhawk: “King Basement” — Get your right-click on to snag a track from the forthcoming VI release from Indianapolis’ Thunderhawk, slated to drop in March. Check out more about the band on their MySpace page and at Standard Recording.
7. [EXPERIMENTAL] Primary Colors of Sound: “bAg” — Chill, downtempo beats characterize this experimental electronic outfit, who offer a free download of the track “bAg” along with several others on their iLike artist page.
8. [GUITAR ROCK] Gary Reynolds and the Brides of Obscurity: “Three Angels” — Songwriter, guitarist and Electrokitty Studios owner Gary Reynolds has embarked on an ambitious plan to release a new track per week and a full-length album every month in 2010. New tracks go up every Monday, and you can always download the latest on Gary and the band’s website. This week’s track is “Three Angels,” described as “religion and spacemen done to a Zeppelin style groove and a nice backwards guitar solo.”
9. [DUBSTEP] Derivate: “L2 (Beto Narme’s Dense Subspace Remix)” — Netlabel Sublime Porte from Istanbul offers this remix (right-click to download) of Derivate’s recent EP, Lagrange Points I. You can also download the release in its entirety at Sublime Porte, plus follow the label for future releases on Twitter.
10. [SINGER/SONGWRITER] GarageSpin: “Spinning Daydream” — This track about “embracing all experiences in life, good and bad” from singer/songwriter and music blogger Mike B, recording and blogging as GarageSpin, is available for the low cost of your right-click. Snag another free track and free stream from the GarageSpin Music page.

As always, thank you for tuning in to Free Music Monday! If you like this feature, please help us out by sharing it with your music-loving friends. You can always find the latest edition of this feature by hitting up the Free Music Monday tag page, so please check back. We’ve appended the list of past Free Music Mondays at the end of this post in case you missed any of the back catalog.

Big thanks to everyone for the great submissions we’re getting. If you sent us tracks and we haven’t featured them yet, stay tuned for a future Free Music Monday. If you’d like to submit tracks for yourself or an artist you represent, give us a shout at barb AT mashable DOT com. Be sure to send us an MP3 or two we can use (no more than 25MB file size total please) or send us a link to listen to tracks you’re willing to provide as a free download. Thanks everyone!

P.S. Bonus tip: They’re not “free” but they are low cost — be sure to check out Amazon’s 100 albums for $5 through February.

Free Music Monday Back Catalog

- Alternative Rock Edition
- Covers, Remixes, and Mashups Edition
- Electronica Edition
- Free Downloads for Your Ears (Feb. 1, 2010)
- Fresh and Free Downloads (Jan. 25, 2010)
- Hip-hop Edition
- Labor Day Edition
- Live Edition
- Rock and Pop Edition
- Singer-Songwriter Edition
- Video Edition
- Your Submissions Edition
- Your Submissions, All Downloads Edition
Reviews: Opera
Tags: downloads, free music monday, mp3s, music

Bandize: Manage Your Band Like a Business

Posted: 08 Feb 2010 01:18 PM PST

Name: Bandize

Quick Pitch: Online DIY organization and management business tools for musicians, bands, band managers and record labels.

Genius Idea: Bandize, which will be unveiled at South By Southwest, is an idea so sharp that you’re likely to wonder why it hasn’t already been done. And to some extent, it has; many of its features have appeared in web or desktop apps before, but not in such a complete and cohesive package.

Managing an independent music act (like, say, a punk rock band) is like owning a small business. Bandize helps managers and band members collaborate on all the critical data related to their work, from merchandise sales to event schedules to important contact information.

If you already know the world of online workplace collaboration tools, think of it as a Basecamp or Backpack for bands. Tasks can be assigned to band members and you can track their productivity to make sure every one is pulling his or her weight. And if someone pitches in a little extra — like if he or she lends the band some money for gas — you can keep track of that and make sure that person is compensated.

The obvious features are all here, of course. You can schedule tour dates and track how much money you’ve made with merchandise sales. But one feature that sets Bandize apart is the ability to track how well each piece of merchandise is selling at each venue. You can see if one T-shirt tends to be more popular than another when your band plays in Austin so you can plan to bring more of that same merch the next time you have a date there.

You can also use Bandize to manage your contacts. If someone is associated with a particular venue, you can tag him or her with that venue, and when you print out day sheets at each venue, his or her contact info will be included. If you already have a lot of contacts, you can import them from various sources like Outlook, Google Contacts or a vcard. There are a bunch of other smaller features like poster printing, file storage, and more accounting and contact management tools.

Bandize is currently in beta testing, and you can get a 30-day trial for your band right now. After the trial, it will cost $15 each month.

Level 1: The Public Reply

Just about everyone, including Bill Gates (who if you have not heard, recently joined Twitter), has learned the importance of having both a means to communicate with people, and a channel where people can respond. Though you can do this on Facebook through comments on Fan pages and in groups, this seems most applicable to Twitter, where people use @replies to send and receive short, publicly viewable messages.

The public reply provides an open and transparent channel for people to interact with public figures, brands, and each other, without the pressure of response that comes with e-mail. Public interactions are a great starting point for engagement that never existed before social media, and if done correctly, can often lead to more fruitful direct communication.

Level 2: The Direct Message

Once a relationship is established through public communication, the next step is often a direct message within a social network. A direct message creates a private connection without opening the floodgates of e-mail. In fact, in may even be preferable to e-mail in the long term.

Why? Especially with Twitter, a DM has a character limit, and can only come from people you follow. If you have ten e-mails (of unlimited length and possibly unknown sources) and ten Twitter DMs, which are you likely to open first? For an increasing number of people, the answer is DM.

Once you make a connection through DM and get permission to follow-up via e-mail, the e-mail is often better received. Facebook, where most people allow private messages, can also be a means to take communication to the next level.

Level 3: E-mail

E-mail still has its place in this new era. It allows for more in-depth communication, can be easily forwarded, and sent to numerous people at once. When e-mail is used skillfully, it enables deeper communication. When not used effectively, it can become a huge time drain, as people write lengthy messages without much thought of the time and attention they are asking of recipients.

This fine line makes e-mail tough to master in the social media age. If you’re looking to advance to the next communication level with someone, respect this direct and private channel, and be sure to keep your e-mails succinct and meaningful.

Level 4: Phone

Hearing someone’s voice allows people to get a better sense of one another. While communicating via text, a person can take time to carefully craft his or her words, potentially presenting an image that may not be true or is harder to trust. A phone call allows for more immediate back-and-forth, and can be particularly helpful if a subject matter is delicate or people are considering a more in-depth relationship.

Some time back I was communicating with an editor about an issue that we had bounced back and forth several times. Finally she said, "Let’s chat about it on the phone." This furthered the dialogue significantly and bypassed what may have taken weeks to sort out via e-mail.

Level 5: In-Person (or Video Chat)

I have met numerous people in person that I first communicated with via social networks. All of these meetings were enhanced by the natural progression of our first digital communication. While at one time face-to-face interactions were the entry point, today, in-person meetings often come at later stages.

Particularly if people are considering working on a project together, an in-person meeting allows for the most in-depth connection. For some people Skype or other video chat may be enough to experience this.

Too often people think communication is only through words, but our bodies communicate as well. They communicate how comfortable or uncomfortable we are discussing a matter, our level of passion for a subject, and our hopes and fears. Meeting with someone in person allows for communication to occur on multiple levels, and people often come away with a much better sense of each other.

Conclusion

In this era of social media when we are reaching out and engaging more and more people, the question is not just "Should I communicate with someone?" but "How should I communicate with someone? How can I build engagement one step at a time?" The more we allow for and understand the importance of all the various levels of communication, the more we can skillfully and effectively use each one.

More social media resources from Mashable:

- Zen and the Art of Twitter: 4 Tips for Productive Tweeting
- The Tao of Tweeting
- How Social Media Has Changed Us
- 5 Tips for Building Lasting Online Friendships
- 4 Steps for Effective Online Networking

Images courtesy of iStockphoto, TommL, PaulPaladin, Kohlerphoto, sandoclr

Reviews: Facebook, Skype, Twitter, iStockphoto

Tags: communication, e-mail, email, facebook, List, Lists, meeting, social media, social networking, social networks, twitter

Google Could Unveil Gmail’s Social Features Tomorrow

Posted: 08 Feb 2010 12:12 PM PST

We learned earlier today that Google is launching a social status update feature in Gmail. While details are sparse, The Wall Street Journal reports that it is a new Gmail module that could integrate status updates as well as content from YouTube, Picasa and potentially other social sources. WSJ is unclear as to when it will launch, though.

We think that Google’s new social status feature will be announced tomorrow. We have just received an invite to attend an event at Google’s headquarters where it will be “unveiling some product innovations in two of [its] most popular products.”

The description fits very well with the WSJ report. Gmail is one of Google’s most popular products, and this new social status update feature would be a “product innovation” within Gmail.

As for what the other product getting new features may be, we can’t say for certain. Picasa, YouTube, Google Friend Connect and Google Accounts all seem like potential candidates.

The event begins at 10:00 a.m. PT tomorrow. We will be there covering the entire thing.

Reviews: Gmail, Google, Picasa, YouTube, google friend connect

Tags: gmail, Google, social search, WSJ

Social Media Score Card: How the Super Bowl Advertisers Performed

Posted: 08 Feb 2010 12:03 PM PST

Although all is said and done when it comes to football this season, such is not the case for the Super Bowl advertisers.

We’re now entering the entertaining aftermath of the Super Bowl ad showdown, and thanks to social media tracking services like Alterian and Radian6, we can take an early look at advertisers winning big on the web.

The following results come from two sources. Starting in early December, Alterian SM2 looked at social media conversations across a variety of sites and tracked all discussions relevant to Super Bowl advertising. Its latest report is embedded below. By contrast, Mullen and Radian6 crafted BrandBowl2010 to measure volume and sentiment of Twitter chatter mentioning the advertisers, with analysis beginning the Friday prior to the game. The discrepancies in their results represent different methods of data collection.

Biggest Buzz-Makers

When it comes to sheer volume alone, Alterian SM2 ranks Focus on the Family as the advertiser with the most mentions overall from December 1, 2009, to February 8, 2010, at 3:00 a.m. CST.

You might recall that initially the unaired ad stirred up controversy prior to the big game due to its pro-life subject matter. While this viewer thought the buzz was much ado about nothing, the fact of the matter is that the build-up led to a highly anticipated spot with a big payoff on the social web in terms of overall mentions.

By comparison, however, Alterian SM2 found that conversations on game day alone were Google-heavy. According to the company, Google’s late entry into the Super Bowl advertiser foray was a pretty big win for the search giant. On Super Bowl Sunday, Google was the advertiser with the most mentions, highest Social Engagement Index (i.e. farthest reach), and the second-highest sentiment score (second only to Doritos) among all advertisers.

According to Mullen and Radian6’s BrandBowl2010, which looked at just Twitter chatter over a shorter time span, Doritos saw the most volume of tweets, and was its winner for “most effective brand to advertise on the Super Bowl telecast.”

BrandBowl ranked Google and Focus on the Family as second and third in the most-buzzed about competition. Its top 10 most effective brands are as follows:

1. Doritos
2. Google
3. Focus On Family
4. Snickers:
5. Budweiser
6. Bud Light
7. Hyundai
8. Kia
9. GoDaddy
10. Coca-Cola

Who We Really Love

Quantity is one thing, but quality is something else entirely. When looking at initial tallies, social media analysis points to the advertisers and ads we loved the most.

Alterian SM2 crowns Anheuser-Busch as its initial post-game victor in the battle for the most-loved brand overall (for the entire duration of the measurement period).

On game day only, however, Doritos took the top spot with the highest sentiment score, followed by Google in a distant second. Due to the flurry of social positive sentiment Doritos garnered on Super Bowl Sunday, the brand was able to skyrocket to become the second most-loved (i.e. highest sentiment score) brand overall as well.

Per BrandBowl, we — the members of the Twittersphere — loved McDonald’s and Dr Pepper. Though neither of these advertisers ever cracked the top 10 list in terms of volume, tweets about them were extremely positive.

The Biggest Losers

Per Alterian SM2’s data, the advertiser with the most negative conversations from December 1, 2009, to December 8, 2010, at 3:00 a.m. CST was Focus on the Family.

Interestingly enough, BrandBowl declared Budweiser Select55 to be its last place-finisher. The kind hearts at Mullen are now offering free creative services for next year’s commercial as a consolation prize. Its 10 least effective brands list is as follows:

30. NBC's Universal – Universal Orlando
31. Paramount Pictures
32. FloTV
33. Cars.com
34. Motorola
35. Diamond Foods' – Pop Secret
36. Honda
37. Teleflora
38. Michelob Ultra
39. Budweiser Select55

Super Bowl Social Media Results Feb82010

[img credit: Willard, iStockphoto]

Reviews: Google, Radian6, Twitter, iStockphoto

Tags: Anheuser-Busch, doritos, MARKETING, Super Bowl, Super Bowl ads

HUGE: Google Set to Make Gmail Social With Status Update Features

Posted: 08 Feb 2010 11:35 AM PST

Gmail is set to become Google's next major push into social media. According to The Wall Street Journal, the popular webmail service will soon launch a new feature for sharing content and status updates with friends. [Update: We think Google might announce these features on Tuesday]

As WSJ points out, Gmail users can already update their statuses — sort of — through Gmail's chat feature. Currently, this feature is more akin to the traditional IM "away message." However, with this new social push, Gmail will offer a timeline-view of your friends’ status updates, just like on Facebook and Twitter.

Those updates might come from both Gmail and third-party services. According to WSJ, Google-owned YouTube and Picasa will be integrated into the stream. The huge question then is whether or not the new feature will include updates from Twitter and Facebook.

If so, the new features could be thought of more like a TweetDeck or Seesmic, looking to provide an aggregate view of your friends’ social media activities along with the ability to push status updates to the services you use from inside of Gmail. If not, it could be thought of as a major competitor to Twitter and Facebook as Gmail looks to covert its millions of e-mail users into adherents to a whole new breed of social media service.

An issue with the latter, however, is that Gmail has historically added people to your contacts based on e-mail interactions. Hence, this contact list often varies significantly from your friends on social sites where relationships need to be made explicitly.

In other words, your Gmail contacts aren’t necessarily the same people you want to share status updates, photos and videos with. This is an issue that shouldn’t be overlooked in evaluating the new features Google is soon to unveil.

Reviews: Facebook, Gmail, Google, Picasa, Seesmic, TweetDeck, Twitter, YouTube

Tags: facebook, gmail, Google, trending, twitter

EA Sports to Bring Madden to Facebook

Posted: 08 Feb 2010 11:22 AM PST

EA Sports President Peter Moore told Bloomberg that the popular Madden NFL series of football video games will make its way to Facebook.

We haven’t heard a peep about a launch date. Moore says we will definitely see Madden on the Facebook platform, but the social media version will be simpler than its console cousins, because EA wants to “make Madden more accessible.”

Facebook games are a big deal these days. FarmVille and Mafia Wars developer Zynga just raised $180 million in funding. The news that established (but more niche) long-time video game franchise Civilization is coming to Facebook this summer has gotten a lot of press and interest, too.

More presciently, EA just bought a huge Facebook game company called Playfish for $400 million. The quote from Moore about EA’s Madden plans didn’t mention Playfish, but it’s possible that the acquired company’s resources will be used to develop and publish Madden on Facebook.

EA launched Madden NFL 2010 for the video game consoles just in time for the Super Bowl, so hype for the brand is already high right now. This was a good time for the company to let this news slip out.

Reviews: Facebook

Tags: ea sports, facebook, football, games, madden, nfl, online games, sports, video games

Dunkin’ Donuts Wants You to Create Its Next Donut

Posted: 08 Feb 2010 10:50 AM PST

Last year Dunkin’ Donuts’ “Create Dunkin’s Next Donut” contest was a huge success, generating more than 130,000 donut submissions and 174,000 votes. In celebration of its 60th birthday, Dunkin’ Donuts is doing it all over again.

Through March 8, 2010, anyone can create their own custom virtual donut — with imagination and available ingredients being the only limitations.

Donut submissions will be judged based on use of ingredients, donut name and the story behind the creation.

The Contest

Just like last year, contest hopefuls can build their donut using Dunkin’ Donuts’ donut-building website, creating the breakfast foods from scratch by selecting its shape, dough, filling, frosting and toppings. This year, however, you can actually save your creations and find them in the My Donuts section, download versions for your desktop or favorite social sites, and share your creations more easily with friends via social media sites.

After the submission deadline, donuts will be judged internally, with the company selecting the top 12 finalists, whose donuts will be put up for vote online beginning in April. Each of the 12 finalists will also get a $1,200 cash prize, a year’s worth of donuts, a Flip HD camcorder and a trip to Dunkin’ Donuts University to bake their donuts and meet with chefs. The grand prize winner takes home $12,000 and will have the honor of seeing their donut sold in stores for a limited time.

What’s in it for Dunkin’ Donuts?

While the company wouldn’t share exact costs around the campaign, we did learn that the costs associated with such a massive undertaking — especially in building and maintaining a site to handle the hundreds of thousands of submissions — is quite significant.

David Tryder, manager of interactive and relationship marketing, told us that there is a “substantial commitment and investment involved with the building of site, marketing, and media,” but that last year’s contest, “met expectations on the business side,” and the company, “saw a healthy response in donut sales during the promotion period.”

The bottom line is that online initiative translated to offline sales. Obviously Dunkin’ Donuts is banking on a bigger and better response to this year’s contest. We definitely expect that to be the case, especially given that Facebook is now 400 million members strong and the company reported 25,000 donuts posted to the social networking site alone last year.

Speaking of last year, let’s take a look at more stats from last year:

- 130,000 “Create Dunkin’s Next Donut” donut submissions
- 218,000 total donuts created
- 25,000 donuts posted to Facebook
- 174,000 votes
- 269,000 more donuts created after the promotion was over

That last stat is especially interesting and proves that even without the promise of a big prize, the company has hit on something that its customers absolutely love to do.

More Screenshots

Reviews: Facebook

Tags: dunkin donuts, Food, MARKETING, social media

Loopt and Mobile Spinach Team Up for Location-Based Deals

Posted: 08 Feb 2010 10:02 AM PST

Location-based service Loopt is going to offer deals at venues and stores near you thanks to a partnership with Mobile Spinach.

Mobile Spinach has already built up a large database of exclusive deals at venues ranging from sushi restaurants to concert halls to clothing stores. Currently, it serves San Francisco by texting users with deal notifications, but the partnership with Loopt will make the process that much more effective.

Loopt and Mobile Spinach plan to offer deals in New York and Los Angeles “during the coming months,” too.

This advertising model is kind of a no-brainer. A neighborhood business can use a service like Loopt to target someone who lives or works nearby and offer him or her incentives to visit an establishment.
These offers can be redeemed by phone or optionally via e-mail or text message.

Foursquare already struck a deal with 8coupons, which does something very similar to what Mobile Spinach does. Yelp offers local deals, too, so this seems to be the model de jour.

We’ll have to wait and see how successful this venture is, but as we noted the other day, there’s untapped potential for using check-in data to learn more about what consumers like and offering them appropriate ads and deals.

Reviews: Foursquare, Yelp

Tags: location-based, loopt, MARKETING, mobile spinach, money

TweetDeck Brings YouTube and Flickr Inside the Client

Posted: 08 Feb 2010 09:45 AM PST

All right Tweetdeck fans, rev up your engines and prepare to update to Tweetdeck 0.33, which adds a slew of new features, better API management and more in-Tweetdeck media previews.

We could list all the new features in Tweetdeck 0.33, but the company was nice enough to make this little video that shows everything off:

Some of the highlights:

Tweetdeck Can Manage Your Twitter API Usage — This means that the program can delegate how to use your available API calls so that the most important info gets to you as easily as possible. Plus, Tweetdeck now uses OAuth and can request up to 350 API calls an hour, and that is expected to increase soon.
Better Column Management — You can now view Flickr, YouTube and Posterous media within Tweetdeck.

Tweetdeck is free. Don’t forget to check out the Mashable branded version.

Reviews: Flickr, Posterous, TweetDeck, YouTube

Tags: software, tweetdeck, twitter client, web apps

The Top 10 Most Watched Web Series, January 2010

Posted: 08 Feb 2010 08:59 AM PST

Each month, our partner Visible Measures compiles a list of the top ten most popular web video series, and we share those results with you and provide analysis.

In January, the threshold for entry into the list was the highest it’s ever been, but viewership for the top 10 shows dropped 26% as compared to the record-breaking month of December.

If you’ve been keeping track in previous months, you won’t be surprised to see that Fred and Happy Tree Friends have again topped the list. Also notable: CollegeHumor and video game-themed shows collectively took up half the list. There weren’t any new series on the list in January, but a couple that dropped off in the past made a comeback. We also learned that the majority of viewers for the top 10 shows were male.

Here’s the complete chart with video clips included for each series. We provide some deeper analysis below.

The Chart: January 2010

Rank

Last Month’s Rank

Title

Studio

Genre

True Reach View Count

% Change in Views

Sample Episode

1	1	Fred	n/a	Comedy	24,719,556	-28%	Play
2	2	Happy Tree Friends	MondoMedia	Animation	17,697,316	-15%	Play
3	4	Smosh	Deca TV	Comedy, Sketch	13,151,356	13%	Play
4	5	The Station	The Station	Comedy	4,317,575	-24%	Play
5	Back On Chart	POV	CollegeHumor	Comedy	4,146,733	Back On Chart	Play
6	10	Hardly Working	CollegeHumor	Comedy	3,562,906	32%	Play
7	9	Jake & Amir	CollegeHumor	Comedy, Sketch	3,275,001	6%	Play
8	Back On Chart	Red Vs Blue	Rooster Teeth	Animation, Comedy	3,224,802	Back On Chart	Play
9	8	The Guild	n/a	Comedy, Gaming	3,209,027	-17%	Play
10	7	Key Of Awesome	Next New Networks	Comedy, Music	3,150,905	-39%	Play

*The Visible Measures Top 10 Webisodes Chart focuses on digital studio-driven Web series that appear on Internet video-sharing destinations. Each Web series is measured on a True Reach™ basis, which includes viewership of both studio-syndicated video clips and viewer-driven social video placements. The data are compiled using the Visible Measures Viral Reach Database, a constantly growing repository of analytic data on more than 100 million Internet videos across more than 150 video-sharing destinations.

Note: This chart does not include vloggers, interviews, how-to series, news shows, or product review shows. View-count results are incremental by month.

To notify Visible Measures of an upcoming Web series, or for an end-to-end assessment of your campaign’s overall performance, please contact us directly.

If you’re interested in exploring this data further, go to visiblemeasures.com/mashable.

Consistently On Top: Fred

The teenager with the high-pitched voice has topped the list again, and he managed to do it even though he only put out one new video in January. That new episode garnered 1.7 million views, so the rest of the 24.7 million were all thanks to old content that people are still discovering or re-watching.

You can’t fault Fred completely for dropping from his December high of 34.2 million views; he didn’t have topical holiday content to work with this time. It’s still impressive that a 16-year old actor with a webcam is beating each and every show from web TV networks like Next New Networks and CollegeHumor.

We mentioned earlier that the majority of top 10 show viewers are male; it’s interesting to note that Fred has the highest ratio of female viewers at 45%.

CollegeHumor’s Mark Is Hard to Miss

CollegeHumor is straight up mainstream now thanks to two cable TV deals in the works with MTV, and its online performance is as impressive as ever. It’s the only network with three series on the list — POV, Hardly Working, and Jake & Amir. They’ve all appeared on the list before, and together they racked up just shy of 11 million views.

All three of these CollegeHumor series saw growth since last month; POV didn’t appear on the December chart at all, but now it’s back. Hardly Working is actually working hard; it cranked out several new videos in January and grew 32% as compared to last month. Jack & Amir experienced a modest 6% growth.

The Guild and Red Vs. Blue: The Gamer Niche

Video game-themed programming has always been a significant genre in web TV. Because web series are usually cheaper to produce and viewership expectations are lower than would be the case with over-the-air shows, web series find it advantageous to serve a deep and narrow niche. Gamers are a great audience because there are just enough of them, and because they have their own dedicated ecosystem of social media and blogs to spread the word.

The Guild and Red Vs. Blue aren’t performing as well as they used to, but the gamer audience is still obviously alive and well since these gamer shows take up two of the top 10 spots. Red Vs. Blue just started airing new content, so it returned to the list after a hiatus. Conversely, The Guild is off-season so its numbers have declined.

A greater portion of Red Vs. Blue’s audience is male than any other show on the list. That should be no surprise since the series is based on the science fiction action shooter Halo.

Reviews: video

Tags: monthly top webisodes, video, visible measures, Web TV, web video

Google is Working on Speech-to-Speech Translation for Android

Posted: 08 Feb 2010 06:22 AM PST

In Douglas Adams’s humorous sci-fi novel series Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy a special kind of fish is mentioned — the Babel Fish. When inserted into the ear, it translates any spoken language into whichever language the listener understands. It is a very nifty device, and now Google seeks to create something similar.

According to Times Online, Google is developing a speech-to-speech automated translator for Android phones. It’s essentially a combination of two of Google’s existing technologies; its online universal translator service, Google Translate, and its voice recognition system.

Google plans to make its Babel Fish a lot like a human translator; the software would analyze chunks of speech, and translate them in their entirety rather than translating word for word. Franz Och, Google's head of translation services, claims the technology could go live in a couple of years. "Clearly, for it to work smoothly, you need a combination of high-accuracy machine translation and high-accuracy voice recognition, and that's what we're working on. If you look at the progress in machine translation and corresponding advances in voice recognition, there has been huge progress recently," he says.

Anyone who’s used Google Translate knows that translations aren’t (and probably never will be) perfect, but they’re very helpful when you can’t understand a word of some foreign language. However, Google’s voice recognition also has issues of its own, and I fear that these two combined would produce a very high amount of errors. The Times also mentions the issue of different accents, a problem that Google plans to solve by making the software gradually learn the speaking habits of the phone’s owner.

Despite the big issues Google has to overcome to make this technology useful, if anyone can pull it off, Google can. The idea of being able to call someone who doesn’t speak your language, and have the conversation translated almost instantly, well, that’s one of those inventions that made Google the company it is today.

Reviews: Google

Tags: Google, machine translation, translation

Mashable’s Weekly Social Media Event Guide

Posted: 08 Feb 2010 06:21 AM PST

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

Is your event not on this list? Contact us at least one month before your event and let's establish a media partnership.

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

February 8, 2010, Tampa, FL: The Social Media conference that comes to you. Social Fresh is a one day, case study rich conference targeted for marketers. Social Fresh Tampa will have 30+ speakers including Chris Barger of GM, Maggie Fox of Social Media Group, and John Andrews of Collective Bias (formerly of Walmart). Get 15% off if using code mashable.

February 8-10, 2010, Philadelphia, PA: The 9th Annual ePharma Summit is the most innovative digital marketing event for pharma. Year after year, hundreds of marketing professionals from leading pharmaceutical companies attend ePharma for incomparable access to insider information for optimizing their brand strategy and perfecting consumer relationships. Join us next February to collaborate with industry leading industry minds and perfect your digital strategy by pursuing true e-marketing innovation. The 2010 event is packed with fresh case studies, hands-on workshops, hot topic debates, facilitated roundtable discussions, and live audience polling sessions. Register with Priority Code XP1506MASH to save 15% off standard registration!

February 8-11, 2010, Washington, DC: Attend the Advanced Learning Institute's Forum on Social Media for Government: How To Engage Your Employees And Citizens By Using The Latest Web 2.0 Technologies To Drive Communication Results, to learn how to capture the power of social media in your organization, along with helpful tools, tips and techniques to get started. Hear practical advice, firsthand, from leading government agencies and organizations such as: CIA; IRS; U.S. Army Public Affairs; National Wildlife Federation; U.S. Department of Agriculture; City of Raleigh, NC; U.S. Navy; Morris County, NJ; U.S. Department of State Roanoke Public Libraries, VA; Court Services & Offender Supervision Agency; Department for International Development, Government of the United Kingdom; NOAA; National Institutes of Health; U.S. Department of Health & Human Services; National Defense University; City of Richmond, VA; Porter Novelli; Booz Allen Hamilton, and more. Mention Mashable when registering to save $200.

February 9-13, 2010, San Francisco, CA: Macworld 2010 is a five-day event that educates, entertains and immerses attendees in the Apple products community. A comprehensive expo hall offers access to hundreds of Mac products and services, paired with expert advice, demonstrations and instruction. Macworld conference programs feature industry leading minds, presenting cutting edge product training on the topics attendees most want to see. From Mac Power Users to creative professionals to first-time users to Enterprise computing professionals, Macworld has the conference content, special presentations and exhibit hall attractions that create what has been called "Mecca for Mac Users". Get 15% off as a Mashable reader.

February 10, 2010, New York City: The Online Community Unconference East is a gathering of online community professionals – managers, developers, business people, tool providers, investors – to discuss experience and strategies in the development and growth of online communities. As we have found with our past events, the best source of information on all of these challenges is other knowledgeable practitioners. Mashable readers are entitled to a discount by registering here with code mashable.

February 15, 2010, Barcelona, Spain: The Mobile Premier Awards recognize the year's best in Mobile Startup Innovation and are the largest open, global startup competition in the mobile industry. The awards are the point of reference in startup premiers during the Mobile World Congress and are organized in collaboration with some of the main networks in the industry. Participation to the awards is free and open to any startup with a mobile angle. Sign up at mobilepremierawards.com and take your chance to walk the red carpet in Barcelona!

February 16, 2010, San Diego, CA: BlogWell: How Big Brands Use Social Media features 8 great case studies on the best social media programs at large corporations. Starbucks, Clorox, USAA, Intuit, Avery Dennison, Community Medical Centers, State Farm Insurance, and the Navy Office of Information share case studies in corporate social media. You’ll learn how to get started, get past roadblocks, and make your social media program phenomenal. From GasPedal and the Social Media Business Council. Save $39 off registration by using the code ILoveMashable.

February 17, 2010, Atlanta, GA: Startup Riot is an annual event that focuses on giving fifty startups an opportunity to present, in three minutes, to a large audience of investors, corporate business development and M&A representatives, and other interested parties. Attendees are pre-screened so the room is never filled with service providers, job hunters, or others who are not the target audience. Selected presenting entrepreneurs pay nothing to attend. In 2010 we will move to a bigger venue for the event and the always popular after-party. Also new in 2010 are prizes for presenters and attendees. We are currently accepting applications to attend and present.

February 19, 2010, London, UK: What game changing technologies are on the horizon? What new business models will drive growth and value? Who will evolve? Who will go extinct? London Business School's fourth annual Technology Summit explores these and many other questions on the eve of a brand new decade. The Summit promises to be a watershed event for the London technology community. It brings together global thought leaders at the intersection of enterprise, consumer interest and emerging technology for an exciting day of provocative discussions. Come to hear fresh business insights from Facebook, Skype, Goojet, Advent Venture Partners, DoTheGreenThing.com, INQ Mobile, IDEO, BT Design and many others. Buy your 10% discount tickets here.

February 19-21, 2010, Los Angeles, CA: SCALE 8X is the 8th Annual Southern California Linux Expo. As the premier community run Linux / Open Source conference, it will feature tutorial sessions designed to show users of all skill levels what Open Source can do and how to do it. Whatever your interest is in Open Source, SCALE 8x will have something for you. Mashable’s readers can receive 40% off registration with the promo code MASH8.

February 19-21, 2010, Miami, FL: The Miami iPhone Boot Camp offers a three day workshops on iPhone Development, a full 24 hours of training in Obj-C and the iPhone SDK 3.0, from basic to pro iPhone application development. The workshop is part seminar, part training, part hack-a-thon and students get plenty of hands on exercises. Limited in size the workshop is taught by iPhone developer Ben Sgro. He has released four iPhone applications to the appstore RapLyrics, RapLyricsRaw, 5KQuotes, WisestOne. His current project is a 2D engine that will power a series of game. The training is a great way to jump start your iPhone app development and save weeks of effort trying to figure out the iPhone SDK on you own. Currently the early bird rate is in effect, a savings of $400 and a 10% discount to Mashable readers using entering discount code mashable on the registration page: miamiiphone.eventbrite.com/

February 22-24, 2010, New York, NY: From authoring, editing, and layout to distribution and consumption, new technologies are changing all aspects of publishing. TOC will help you navigate these changes and understand how to apply them to your business or organization for a more profitable future in publishing. You’ll also have the opportunity to participate in conversations that are shaping that future as often as they are describing it. The fourth annual O’Reilly TOC Conference is your opportunity to join those inventing the future of publishing. Register now and save at: en.oreilly.com/toc2010/public/register. Save an additional 15% when you use the Discount Code: toc10mas.

February 22-24 2010, Miami, FL: The Future of Web Apps Miami is a three day event for web application developers and entrepreneurs and includes tutorials, inspiration and workshops taught by leading figures at the cutting edge of today’s web. Companies at the event include Twitter, Facebook, Mint.com, Palm, FreshBooks, Reddit and Mozilla. Topics include HTML5, jQuery, online marketing, funding strategies, measuring the success of your web app and Facebook Connect. Save $50 when using promo code MASHABLE.

February 22–25, 2010 San Diego, CA: Online Marketing Summit, the premier educational event for marketing professionals, is coming to San Diego this February. Join your marketing peers as they share ideas, hear from expert practitioners, and learn best practices in the areas of: Social Media, Search, Email, Analytics, and more – in a completely vendor free environment! Register now and receive 25% off using discount code MASHABLE.

February 23, 2010, Milwaukee, WI: Think Tank Live! Search Marketing & Social Media Summit. An Internet marketing conference focused on using digital marketing and social media to drive strategic business results, increase profits, and lower costs. Be prepared to learn: Emerging best practices for key online marketing channels • Align your business for customers on the web • Create a strategy to increase clients and profits. Topics: Search Engine Optimization (SEO) • SEM / Pay Per Click • Web Analytics • Social Media • WordPress. Our speakers are professionals from Chicago, Illinois and Milwaukee, Wisconsin who are committed to providing high level insights to provide real-world results for your business. To register, visit ThinkTankLive.com. Please use discount code Mashable for $50 off.

February 23-26, 2010, San Jose, CA: At FAST ‘10, explore new directions in the design, implementation, evaluation, and deployment of storage systems. Learn from leaders in the storage industry, beginning Tuesday, February 23, with ground-breaking file and storage tutorials by industry leaders such as Brent Welch, Marc Unangst, Michael Condict, and more. This year’s innovative 3-day technical program includes 21 technical papers, as well as two keynote addresses, Work-in-Progress Reports (WiPs), and a Poster Session. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to meet with premier storage system researchers and industry practitioners from around the globe. Register by February 8 and save! Mashable readers get $100 off using code FASTMASH10.

February 26, 2010, New York, NY: NY Tech Cares (@nytechcares) for Haiti, Irving Plaza, was pioneered in light of the heart wrenching devastation that has struck Haiti. The NY Tech community has come together in a collaborative effort to launch and host a disaster relief and fund raising effort to help Haiti’s 1 million homeless and wounded. Many are joining us, so please visit nytechcares.org for more information on this event with an exciting line up of musicians, a live feed to Haiti and a silent auction.

February 26-28, 2010, Washington DC: The Washington D.C. iPhone Boot Camp offers a three day workshops on iPhone Development, a full 2 hours of training in Obj-C and the iPhone SDK 3.0, from basic to pro iPhone application development. The workshops are part seminar, part training, part hack-a-thon and students get plenty of hands on exercise. The workshops are limited in size and taught by iPhone developer Matt Campbell, iPhone developer with several apps in the app store and author of the popular book “How to Make an iPhone Application” The training is a great way to jump start your iPhone app development and save weeks of effort trying to figure out the iPhone SDK on you own. Currently the early bird rate is in effect, a savings of $500 and a 10% discount to Mashable readers using entering discount code mashable on the registration page: dc1.eventbrite.com

February 26-28, 2010, Saint Louis, MO: The Saint Louis Innovation Camp is a three day event focused on the needs of the Saint Louis IT and Entrepreneurial community. This camp will be hosted on the UMSL campus in Saint Louis, MO. In this camp, local leaders from the Business, IT, Education, and Marketing communities have all joined forces to accomplish the singular goal of supporting entrepreneurs in the successful development of business models which focus on the delivery of technical products and services. To accomplish this goal, this camp offers no non-sense education, hands-on assistance, interactive networking exposure, and a follow through support package to spark technical innovation in the Saint Louis Market. Enter Mashable as the discount code for a 10% savings on the standard ticket price.

March 1-4, 2010, Ottawa, ON: Attend the Advanced Learning Institute's Forum on Social Media for Government: How To Engage Your Employees And Citizens By Using The Latest Web 2.0 Technologies To Drive Communication Results, to learn how to capture the power of social media in your organization, along with helpful tools, tips and techniques to get started. Hear practical advice, firsthand, from leading government agencies and organizations such as: ON Ministry of Health & Long-Term Care; Parks Canada; Communications Community Office; City of Ottawa, ON; Public Safety Canada; Indian & Northern Affairs Canada; Toronto Police Service, ON; Canadian Forces Aerospace Warfare Centre; Human Resources & Skills Development Canada; Northern Lights Canada; Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency; Canada Mortgage & Housing Corporation; Royal Bank of Canada; Genome Alberta; Business Development Bank of Canada; Thornley Fallis Communications; Centre of Excellence for Public Sector Marketing, & more. Mention Mashable when registering to save $200.

March 1-5, 2010, worldwide: 70+ Ignites will take place in cities around the world. Upwards of 10,000 entrepreneurs, technologists, DIYers, creative professionals, and enthusiastic knowledge-seekers will gather for an evening that is a unique blend of networking, information, and fun. In talks that are exactly five minutes long, Ignite presenters share their personal and professional passions. Local Ignites will stream live video during the event, and those videos will be archived on the new Ignite video site that is being launched in conjunction with the event. At least 500 five-minute session videos will be available on the new site when it debuts. Don’t miss being part of this enlightening week—attend, present, or lead an Ignite in your city: globaligniteweek.com.

March 2-4, 2010, Santa Clara, CA: Search Marketing Expo – SMX West content is so compelling, you'll want to implement what you've learned before leaving the conference. Over 50 super-charged sessions on PPC, SEO, local search, search-friendly design, and social media marketing will help you flourish today, tomorrow and in the future. Whether you're new to search or have years of experience, employed at a Fortune 500 company or run your own business or agency, you'll be a more effective, innovative and inspired internet marketer after attending SMX East. Featured keynote – Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer. Use discount code smx100mashable when you register. For more info visit smxwest.com

March 3, 2010, Seattle, WA: Join a select number of PR, marketing and communications professionals at PR+MKTG Camp™ Seattle for a full day of highly interactive discussions on social media — complete with marshmallows and a virtual campfire. It will explore how to market, measure and manage the opportunities and challenges that social media presents. Our format avoids panels or PowerPoint demonstrations. Top agency and brand executives serve as moderators to help participants find solutions to their social media questions. Mashable readers get a ten percent discount with promo code MASHABLECAMPSEATTLE.

March 4-5, 2010, Chicago, IL: At SOHO's 2-Day, "The Co-Alignment of the Corporate and Personal Brand," a Strategy Framework, develop your exclusive copy of "The Draft," SOHO's 16-page social communications policy workbook for businesses and corporations. The focus in 2010 is aligning the corporate brand with internal and external communications. SOHO brings to you presentations, case studies and Town Hall meetings with Olivier Blanchard and Dan Schawbel, and other experienced practitioners. For more information and to register, please visit Sohobiztube.com. Use discount code MashableChi for a 20% discount on a 2-day "The Draft" ticket.

March 6, 2010, Cape Cod, MA: Geek Girl Tech Boot Camp – Cape Cod 2010 is going to rock! Geek Girl Boot Camps are full-day technology “unconferences” for women, taught by women, of all ages and knowledge levels where you can find workshops on everything to do with computers and the Internet! Workshops include PC and Mac, Social Media (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.), Photoshop, QuickBooks, Blogging, Podcasting, WordPress, Google Tools, Dreamweaver, Video, Inbound Marketing, digital photography, and more. The workshops are designed for Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced. There are Discussion Groups and an all day Help Desk. The Mission of Geek Girl Camp is to educate and empower every girl and woman at every age level, on every skill level, at every income level on computer technology with fun and provide a legacy by giving back and paying it forward. Mashable readers get an exclusive $30 discount off the standard pricing of $139 with special code mashable2010 when registering!

March 6, 2010, Reno, NV: Nevada Interact will bring together business owners, non-profit advocates, publishers, newsmakers, bloggers, podcasters, filmmakers, media, PR and advertising professionals and anyone else interested in interactive media from every corner of Nevada together for hands-on learning, rich discussions, opportunities to meet with local companies working in interactive media and plentiful networking opportunities. Proposals are being accepted until February 8th, 2010: nevadanewmedia.org/nevada-new-media-summit/submissions/

March 8, 2010, Los Angeles, CA: At digiday:MOBILE, discuss the question “Is Mobile The Next Critical Mass Medium?” Discover the what the future holds for you and this game changing media platform at digiday:MOBILE in Los Angeles. During this high-level full day event – top Publishers, Agency Executives and Brand Marketers will come together to discuss and debate how to fully utilize the next critical mass medium: MOBILE. DIGIDAY gives media leaders a chance to converge and discuss high level strategies and the future of Mobile Marketing. www.digidaymobile.com. Get $100 off for Mashable Readers with discount code: Mashable.

March 9, 2010, Los Angeles, CA: At digiday:SOCIAL we’ll discuss the question of The New Media Reality: Everything is Social. Are You? During this high-level event, top Publishers, Agency Executives and Brand Marketers will come together to discuss how Social Media is everywhere and is changing everything. DIGIDAY gives media and marketing leaders a chance to converge and reveal high-level success strategies as well as offer insights on how the future of Social Media Marketing will play out for all. Get $100 off for Mashable Readers using code Mashable.

March 9-10, New York, NY: Is your intranet dead or alive? Fire it up at INTRANET INSIDER WORLD TOUR LIVE 2010: Making Enterprise 2.0 Work. Learn how to get the intranet basics right (governance, buy in, usability, etc.), plus how to start down the Enterprise 2.0 journey with blogs, wikis, internal social networks, podcasts and video . Learn what leading edge companies such as IBM, ESPN, Alcatel-Lucent, Deloitte and EMC are doing to “socialize” their intranets for communication, collaboration and bottom-line success. Register today with promo code mashable10 to receive $200 off registration.

March 9-11, 2010, Baltimore, MD: At the Gartner Portals, Content & Collaboration Summit: Evolution in Real Time, you'll learn how to bring your workplace, information, and processes up to real-time speed for greater efficiency. In 3 days, 30+ Gartner analyst sessions, case studies, workshops and roundtable discussions you'll gain a set of tools and insights on Gen4 collaboration, cloud-based portal and content services, social networking, Web 2.0 and Enterprise 2.0, megavendor wars and more. Save $300 off the standard rate when you register at gartner.com/us/pcc with priority code PCCMASH.

March 10, 2010, New York, NY: Cross Media NYC brings together leaders from all key media industries to discuss, demonstrate, and debate cross media integration and partnerships. Our goal is to bridge the gap between the different media sectors in order to share information and find new opportunities. We want the gaming people to meet the TV people, the publishing people to meet the web video people, and everyone to meet the advertising people but let's be honest, in the end, it's all about the money. Use Registration Code mashable to get 15% off.

March 15-16, 2010, London, UK: At Social Media World Forum, learn from social networks, brands, advertisers and analysts. Hear from leading social networks on their strategy, revenue models and how they are approaching the future. Worldwide case studies from global brands and corporations on their use of social media. Examine the current market conditions, future forecasts and predictions from leading analysts. Mention you are a Mashable reader to receive 15% discount.

March 17, 2010, San Francisco, CA: Join SF New Tech, the Bay Area’s largest and longest running monthly tech event, to get an early look at of some of the hottest new tech around. Famous for its sold out events where executives (and the occasional hacker or two) takes to the stage to strut their stuff, SF New Tech is *the* place where early adaptors, developers, influnencers, venture capitalists, journalists, bloggers, and regular every-day folks converge to see the latest and greatest technology. Visit sfnewtech.com for details.

March 19, 2010, London, UK: Justmeans' Social Media and Stakeholder Engagement Conference will bring together the top minds in sustainability, marketing, innovation and technology. This executive forum will explore how technology can enable sustainable business by involving stakeholders in the value creation process and will showcase examples of success and failure in this rapidly evolving market. Use this link for a 10% registration discount.

March 22-23, 2010, Paris, France: At Marketing 2.0 Conference, learn from brands’ social media initiatives, advertisers, researchers and analyst. Hear from leading people in the Social Media business on their strategy, revenue models and how they are approaching the upcoming trends in the Social Mediasphere. Worldwide case studies from global brands and corporations on their use of social media. Examine the current market conditions, future forecasts and predictions from leading researchers. The socialmash2010 discount code gives you €200 off.

March 22-26, New York, NY: Go beyond search at the Search Engine Strategies. Learn the newest trends, strategic action plans, and technology that industry leaders are employing today. Our experts will trace the natural evolution of search exploring topics such as: digital asset optimization, mobile application development, transition from search to discovery and more. SAVE 15% with code MHNY15. Program will focus on cutting edge strategies, tips, and tactics that will be driving search in 2010. Hear from the leading voices in search and digital like Avinash Kaushik, David Meerman Scott, Tim Ash, Ray Comstock and more.

March 23-24, 2010, Berlin, Germany: Learn, discuss and explore the challenges and commercial opportunities that exist within the mobile internet ecosystem and make the most of best-practice perspectives over a two day period offering a programme packed with case studies, roundtable discussions, industry snapshots, masterclasses and fishbowl sessions. Significant discount for Mobile Operators, Online/Mobile Communities, and Content providers! Go to iir-mobileinternet.com/mashable for more information.

March 24, 2010, New York, NY: Social Reputation Management: Protecting and Strengthening Your Brand Across the Social Web is a conference that will share the best case studies on how communicators and marketers listen to conversations, monitor and comprehend what is being said, and engage through the social web. The case studies will be followed by moderated interactive roundtables. Use promo code MASH for a discounted rate of $155.

March 24, 2010, Rutherford, NJ: Learn about how you would grow your business, talk to your customers, interact and engage. Social Media will help your business grow, financially and in relation to your customers. Topics include Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Blogging, etc. This workshop is geared for small businesses that want to grow their fanbase and reach potential customers and make your relationships better with by using the social web. Click over to socialbiz324.eventbrite.com to purchase tickets to the event and use the code mashable to save 50%.

March 24-25, 2010, San Francisco, CA: EyeforTravel's Social Media Strategies for Travel conference goes beyond the 'what is social media?' debates (that were so 2008!) and examines the strategic importance of social media to travel brands. The 2 day conference will share leading case studies, hits, tips and advice from top travel companies including JetBlue, Hilton, Virgin America and more. Use the discount MASHABLE to save $100 on the registration fee!

March 30, 2010, London, UK: The upcoming Hit Me! Social Media and Search event is designed for business owners and entrepreneurs who want to find out the latest practical business advice and information about Social Media and Search. Freshbusinessthinking.com has partnered with Microsoft to deliver this power-packed one day event featuring experts and leading practitioners from the world of social media and search. Stats published by Nielsen show that social media usage has increased by 82% in the last year. The challenge for organisations of all sizes is how to use social media to drive business. Over 1500 delegates have attended our one-day events and the average rating is 8.5 out of 10 – the next one is shaping up to be the best ever with a host of experts on hand to give you the information and advice you need to grow your business online. Mashable readers: get a discount entering promotional code MASHABLE.

March 30-April 1, 2010, San Jose, CA: Become Location Enabled at Where 2.0. Now in its sixth year, Where 2.0 is one of the world’s foremost events dedicated to exploring the emerging technologies in the geospatial industry. At Where 2.0, we expose the tools pushing the boundaries of the location frontier. Join us and meet the people behind the mashups, the people behind the platforms, and the people looking ahead to the future of geospatial. Find out what’s viable now, what’s lurking just below the radar and how to gain a competitive edge. Register now and save 15% at en.oreilly.com/where2010. Use code whr10mash.

April 8-10, Atlanta, GA: The 2010 Nonprofit Technology Conference will bring together more than 1,000 nonprofit leaders, IT innovators, communications gurus, fundraising superstars and nonprofit staffers from all over. You’ll learn the latest trends, practical how-tos, and IT solutions that can optimize your organization’s use of technology and help you meet your mission to create more social good in the world — and you’ll have a good time, to boot. Select “Mashable” from the “How did you hear?” field to receive an $100 discount.

April 12–15, 2010, Santa Clara, CA: The 6th annual MySQL Conference & Expo, presented by O'Reilly Media, brings over 2,000 open source and database enthusiasts together to harness the power of MySQL and celebrate the huge MySQL ecosystem. The O’Reilly MySQL Conference & Expo is a new event that builds on the tradition of past MySQL conferences (previous events were co-presented with MySQL AB and with Sun). This inclusive, innovative event will showcase the full spectrum of the MySQL ecosystem, from global corporations and diverse service vendors to start-ups and grassroots projects. Our growing lineup of speakers, program committee members, and sponsors represent a wide array of some of the most influential companies and projects in the MySQL community. Register now and save an additional 15% at: en.oreilly.com/mysql2010. Use discount code mys10msh.

April 20-23, 2010, San Mateo, CA: NewComm Forum 2010 will feature 5 keynotes, 5 workshops and 40 sessions in 5 tracks: NewComm Essentials, New Communications & Communities, Social CRM, Understanding the New Media Landscape & Markets are Conversations: From Theory to Practice. Register by 3/12 and save up to $600 at newcommforum.com/. Get $100 off with code NCF2010MASH.

April 21, 2010, San Francisco, CA: Join SF New Tech, the Bay Area’s largest and longest running monthly tech event, to get an early look at of some of the hottest new tech around. Famous for its sold out events where executives (and the occasional hacker or two) takes to the stage to strut their stuff, SF New Tech is *the* place where early adaptors, developers, influnencers, venture capitalists, journalists, bloggers, and regular every-day folks converge to see the latest and greatest technology. Visit sfnewtech.com for details.

April 22–23, 2010, Los Angeles, CA: If you're like most marketers, your intention to react with quickness and quality outpaces your ability. Forrester’s Marketing Forum 2010 connects you with analysts, peers, and industry leaders whose expertise will help you establish and embrace adaptive marketing practices. Call 888-343-6786 and save 20% off the regular rate with VIP code MFXMSH. Discount applies to new registrations only and cannot be combined with other offers.

April 26-28, Berlin, Germany: Embedded Mobile & M2M. Services conference is a great chance to compare approaches to building a profitable Embedded Mobile and M2M business. The opportunities of the Embedded Mobile and M2M market are clear to see. This event will help you to realise them. Visit the website today and book your place at this exciting event. Receive a 10% discount by quoting I2AENMASH when registering. View our website at embeddedm2m.net/mashable

April 28-30, 2010, San Jose, CA: At NSDI ‘10, meet with leading researchers to explore the design principles of large-scale networked and distributed systems. This year’s 3-day technical program includes 29 technical papers with topics including cloud services, Web browsers and servers, datacenter and wireless networks, malware, and more. NSDI ‘10 will also feature a poster session showcasing early research in progress. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to meet with premier researchers in the computer networking, distributed systems, and operating systems communities. Save an additional $100 by using the discount code NSDIMASH10 upon registration.

April 29-30, 2010, Lawrence KS: Social media is much more than a fad – it’s changing the way the world communicates. The communities in northeast Kansas are at the forefront of this movement and have made the region a hub for innovative technologies and social media use. Because of this, The World Company of Lawrence KS, is hosting a brand new social media event: The Free State Social. The Free State Social will highlight the best in social media from our area and put local innovations and ideas on a national – even global – stage. Our purpose is to educate attendees about the current state of social media, present opportunities for its use and talk about where the industry is headed. The Free State Social will be held on April 29-30, 2010 at the new Oread hotel in Lawrence, Kan. Keynote speakers include Jeremiah Owyang, Ellyn Angellotti, Shawna Coronado, Sarah Evans, Gowalla co-founder Scott Raymond, and Chris Brogan, co-author of the New York Times best-seller Trust Agents. Enter MASHABLE when checking out for a $20 discount on each ticket.

April 30–May 2, 2010, Mountain View, CA: The Wisdom 2.0 Conference brings together staff from technology companies such as Twitter and Google, with Zen teachers, neuroscientists, and others to explore how we can live with deeper meaning and wisdom in our technology age. Speakers include Greg Pass, VP of Engineering at Twitter; Bradley Horowitz, VP of Products at Google; Dave Morin, Senior Platform Manager at Facebook; Ben Parr of Mashable; Loic Le Meur of Seesmic; and many others. Use the discount code Mashable here for special discount.

May 3, 2010, Boston, MA: Social Media & Community 2.0 Strategies is the FIRST social media event that focuses on real-life business impact. Not just for entertainment value, hype or buzz, but real-world examples of driving revenue, cutting costs, and energizing conversations around your brand. What can you expect from this event that you won't find anywhere else? Targeted advice for business managers including Market Researchers, Innovators, Brand Managers, Customer Experience Strategists and Marketing Enthusiasts seeking practical, real-life business examples they can translate into their own organization to monetize this powerful medium. Save 15% when using code SOCIAL10MASH at iirusa.com/socialmedia.

May 4-5, 2010, Boston, MA: Drive sales and make social media work for you at MarketingProfs B2B Forum! You'll learn the ins-and-outs of social media as part of your overall B2B marketing mix – from integration and engagement to measurement. Get 1-on-1 access to the best and brightest B2B marketing stars who will share best practices and FREE advice! Plus, our loyal attendees say our events are ridiculously fun, interactive and the kicker is – we have the best Freebies in the biz! (no keychains here…FREE industry research reports & memberships—stuff to help you really drive sales in 2010!) Register today with code MASH to save up to $200!

May 11-12, 2010, Toronto, ON: Join us for Social Media – Risks & Rewards. The social media revolution is happening now, and quickly gathering steam. No business can afford to be left behind – and no business can afford to be unaware of the increased legal risks that a Company is exposed to. Learn about implementing and improving social media strategies, protecting your brand, return on investment, legal implications and much more. PLUS…a special address from Kevin Flynn, member of the blogging team for Obama for America. Use promo code 10495MASH to receive 15% off!

May 13, 2010, London, UK: The International Search Summit Innovations will focus on some of the most recent trends, tools and techniques in digital marketing including video, mobile and social networking and offer delegates insight and advice on how to effectively use them in international online campaigns. A range of expert speakers will discuss the latest international opportunities in these areas and offer practical tips for integrating them into an organisation's overall marketing strategy. The Summit will be held at The Barbican Centre in London, and is a must for any marketer targeting multiple markets and/or languages online. Book now with coupon code MASH1305 to receive 20% discount.

May 17-19, 2010, Charlotte, NC: Search Exchange is a 3-day action packed internet marketing conference offering insights into social media marketing, search engine optimization, online reputation management, and pay per click advertising. Learn and network with industry professionals and business owners from around the world. Mashable readers save 10% using code mash10 during registration.

May 17-19, 2010, Munich, Germany: a4uexpo heads to Germany for a two day Conference and expo. Over 30 presentations and panel debates on how to embrace the Affiliate Marketing sector, to include how media owners, agencies and advertisers can utilise Social Media platforms within the channel. Topics also include SEO, SEM, Blogging, Best Practice, Video, Mobile and API feeds. The conference includes access to 3 networking parties and promises to attract the very best entrepreneurs and affiliate marketing specialists from across Europe. Mashable readers can enjoy a 10% discount on registration with the code MASH10.

May 18-19, 2010, Santa Clara, CA: The Social Media Strategies Conference is the premier event for CMOs, Social Media Strategist, Managers, Marketers, Search Marketers, Online Community Managers, Corporate Communications, PR, Marketing, Advertising, and Recruiting Professionals. This year the conference will focus on how organizations are and can leverage Social Media to achieve their business goals. Hear from the experts about this cutting-edge space, how it impacts your business, and how you can leverage it. This conference will feature workshops, interactive sessions, panel discussions, and keynotes from thought leaders. Don’t miss it! To save $100 use the promotion code: mashable

May 19-20, 2010, San Francisco, CA: Gilbane Conference San Francisco 2010 is focused on Content, Collaboration and Customers. Today web and enterprise content management permeate every aspect of an organization. Internal websites, whether in the form of intranets, blogs, or portals and provide efficient ways to collaborate & share knowledge. Customer & internal-facing applications share requirements that call for a number of enterprise content, publishing and infrastructure technologies including multi-lingual, social media, search, and integration software. Our conference is focused on what you should expect from these technologies. Mashable readers get to save an additional $200 – just use discount code MARSH when registering!

May 25-27, 2010, The Sage Gateshead, UK: Thinking Digital is overtly inspired by the TED and PopTech conferences in America. We attract more than 30 of the world's most innovative, creative, insightful and/or accomplished people to come to Hall Two of the Sage Gateshead, United Kingdom annually and talk about their work, inspirations, insights and ideas. Our venue and speakers thereby attract a wonderfully eclectic mix of people from around Northern England, Europe and the world. Mashable readers save 25% using code tdc_mashable here.

June 15-16, 2010, Chicago, IL: Building on the success of the 2009 event, The 2nd Annual Health Care New Media Marketing conference will feature presentations from healthcare executives that implemented Web 2.0 strategies and developed quality metrics for evaluating the success of new media campaigns. Over the course of two days, attendees will have the opportunity to learn from thought leaders from major hospitals, healthcare institutions, and social media outlets. Through a series of case studies and forums, attendees will walk away with the tools needed to ultimately reach consumers through new media in an accurate and appropriate. Discount code: MASHABLE get $50 off.

June 29-30, 2010, London, UK: The 2nd annual Cloud Computing and Enterprise 2.0 World Forum is the perfect event to learn and discuss the future development and integration of cloud and enterprise 2.0 services and products. Building on the success of the 2009 show, this two day conference and exhibition will provide a focused platform for the global cloud computing and enterprise social media industry. The 2010 show will include a free-to-attend exhibition with scenario based workshop area and key service providers demonstrating their products.

August 13, 2010, Nashville, TN: At Big South Social Media Summit, come listen to some of the most forward-thinking business giants from companies like Southwest, SAP, Comcast, Domino's as well as social media loving celebrities who will speak directly on how they drive ROI through social media. Speakers will share real-world success stories, pit falls, and case studies to demonstrate the true value of social media. This summit will allow business leaders to finally understand how social media can propel their business and how to produce real results. More than the mechanics, this is a relatable summit that will open eyes to the power of social media in business. Get 15% off the ticket price by using the vacomash discount code.

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

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

Reviews: Facebook, Google, Gowalla, LinkedIn, Mashable, Mint, Seesmic, Skype, Twitter, WordPress, YouTube, linux, video

Tags: conferences, Events, parties

YugaTech

2010-02-08T21:08:00.001-08:00

YugaTech

Wi-Tribe 4G Broadband Launched

Posted: 08 Feb 2010 08:57 AM PST

I actually deferred writing about it last December as requested by telco insiders but looks like the cat is finally out the hat. Wi-Tribe Philippines did a soft launch recently offering WiMax broadband internet in Metro Manila.

We already knew that this new telco challenger, Liberty Telecoms, is a partnership between San Miguel Corporation and Q-Tel (Qatar Telecoms). The service is called Wi-Tribe and ads have been published on newspapers and flyers recently (I got a flyer yesterday).

Wi-Tribe is offering WiMax broadband internet for an introductory price of Php998 per month with up to 1Mbps bandwidth. There’s a 24-month lock-in period.

As a comparison, Globe Telecom introduced WiMax last year with a starting plan of 512Kbps for Php795. It now offers 1Mbps WiMax for Php995.

A number of beta-testers have been using the Wi-Tribe service for several months now. If you’re one of them, let us know you impression of the service. You can download their application form here.

The San Miguel and QTel partnership is a solid one that could prove to be a formidable challenger to the current broadband internet market. We always welcome competition.

Bayan Broadband offers EVDO at Php699 Bayan Broadband is now offering a new wireless internet plan...
Bayan Broadband 512 Speed Test We’re able to get a review unit of the new...
Sun Cellular unveils Wireless Broadband Plans The tip we got earlier this month about Sun Cellular...
Globelines Broadband at 2Mbps Got home this evening to find pamphlets at my doorstep...
Sky Broadband now up to 12 Mbps Sky Broadband seems to be tipping the scale for broadband...

Acer Liquid goes Android and SnapDragon

Posted: 07 Feb 2010 07:34 PM PST

Acer’s famous for notebooks but their first foray into the smartphone market didn’t go quite well. Now, they’re back with a vengence — the Acer Liquid is powered by a SnapDragon processor and Android OS.

The Acer Liquid isn’t their most powerful smartphone to date as the neoTouch that came out earlier had a Qualcomm Snapdragon QSD8250 1GHz CPU running Windows Mobile 6.5.

Acer Liquid
3.5″ capacitive touchscreen @ 480×800 pixels
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8250 768MHz
256MB RAM / 512MB ROM
up to 16GB on microSD
3G/HSDPA 7.2Mbps/HSUPA 2Mbps
WiFi 802.11 b/g
5MP AF camera
GPS w/ aGPS support
Bluetooth w/ A2DP
Android OS v1.6 with Acer UI 3.0

Acer’s laptops have been tested for build-quality for many years now but their smartphone line has yet to be proven. I think they got the Acer DX650 locally but haven’t bumped into one of the units ever.

The Acer Liquid was announced November of 2009 and released last December but has yet to reach the Philippines. We’re not really sure if Acer Philippines will release the unit locally but it’s nice to see a non-HTC smartphone running Android these days. So far, we only have the HTC Magic and HTC Hero so having another competing product is always good for the market.

Nokia Liquid Phone Concept The hardest part with transitioning from a phone with a...
Lenovo LePhone: SnapDragon and Skylight OS Lenovo is going to release their very own phone to...
Why Nokia won’t divorce Symbian for Android? Yesterday, rumors about Nokia looking into running Google Android OS...
Motorola Dext on Android OS Motorola has finally announced its own Android-powered smartphone. Officially dubbed...
HTC Magic is next Google Android Phone HTC’s has announced it’s second Android-based phone — the HTC...

Mashable: Latest 9 News Updates - including “German Pranksters Attach GPS Device to Google Street View Car [MAP]”

2010-02-08T05:45:00.001-08:00

Mashable: Latest 9 News Updates - including “German Pranksters Attach GPS Device to Google Street View Car [MAP]”

German Pranksters Attach GPS Device to Google Street View Car [MAP]
Don’t Have Money for a Real iPad? Cut One Out of Paper
Super Bowl Ads 2010 [VIDEOS]
The Top 10 Twitter Trends This Week [CHART]
TOUCHDOWN: Google Runs Super Bowl Ad
Saints Beating Colts…on Facebook [Super Bowl]
Iran’s Internet Fails Ahead of Protests
12% of Super Bowl Viewers Use Web During the Game
Popcorn Tweets: Twitter-Powered Popcorn Maker [VIDEO]
How Social Gaming is Improving Education

German Pranksters Attach GPS Device to Google Street View Car [MAP]

Posted: 08 Feb 2010 05:29 AM PST

This one will definitely put a smile on the faces of all those who think Google’s Street View service is invading their privacy: members of German Free Art & Technology group (F.A.T.) have noticed Google’s Street View car in Berlin and decided to attach a GPS device onto it and track its movement.

The result of their efforts can be seen on a large map, and although it doesn’t seem to show anything out of the ordinary – the Google Street View car seemed to be driving around Berlin as it should be, until they realized they’re tracked and removed the GPS device – but it was nice to be able to reverse the roles and snoop on Google, even for a short while.

Tags: Google, gps, street view

Don’t Have Money for a Real iPad? Cut One Out of Paper

Posted: 08 Feb 2010 04:10 AM PST

Yeah, we know. Although experts have been congratulating Apple on how competitive the iPad prices are, when you actually have to part with 500 bucks or more (if you want 3G which is a must-have for such a device), it hurts.

There is a solution that won’t cost you a dime, though. It also won’t get you an iPad, but you can perhaps fool someone with poor eyesight you have one, at least for a second. Yes, we’re talking about a paper iPad.

To make one yourself, you’ll need these two PNG files: the front and the back. Print them, cut them out, and voila – your brand new paper iPad is ready to…well, it can’t really do anything except sit on your desk, but considering the price is zero, we won’t hold it against it.

Tags: diy, Fun, ipad, paper

Super Bowl Ads 2010 [VIDEOS]

Posted: 07 Feb 2010 11:03 PM PST

YouTube delivered on its promise to upload all the Super Bowl Ads as soon as they aired today, with users voting to choose which one will adorn the YouTube front page on Thursday.

The tech and web ads were a mixed bunch: both the established GoDaddy “Too Hot for TV” schtick and Motorola’s decision to put Megan Fox in a bathtub stuck to the “sex sells” mantra, while Monster.com returned with a “Fiddling Beaver”. Intel went for a quirky “lunch room” ad while Vizio chose star power in its Beyonce commercial. We don’t know what inspired Boost Mobile’s ad, meanwhile, but the humor appears to miss the mark [update: commenters say it's a remake of the "Chicago Bears Super Bowl Shuffle"].

Our favorite: Google’s sentimental made-for-web ad — it was promoted to Super Bowl status after its success on YouTube. FLO TV’s retrospective on American media is also a very memorable attempt. Which ads are your faves?

Web and Tech Super Bowl Ads 2010

Megan Fox Motorola Ad

FLO TV: My Generation Ad

Monster.com Fiddling Beaver Ad

GoDaddy Super Bowl

Boost Mobile Ad

Google: Parisian Love Ad

Intel Lunch Room Ad

Go Daddy: News

Vizio Beyonce Ad

Cars.com Ad

Other Super Bowl Ads 2010

Snickers Super Bowl Ad

Survivor: Heroes Vs. Villains Ad

Hyundai Sonata Ad

Doritos Ad

Robin Hood Spot

Doritos: House Rules Ad

NCIS /CBS Ad

Coca-Cola / Simpsons Ad

Undercover Boss Ad (CBS)

Doritos Casket Ad

Wolfman Ad

The Good Wife

Emerald Nuts: Awesomer

Hyundai Soata / Brett Favre Ad

VW Punchdub

Budweiser Bridge Ad

Denny’s Chicken Birthday Ad

Denny’s Chicken Warning

Alice in Wonderland

Skechers

Homeaway Vacation Ad

Dr Pepper / KISS ad

Select 55 Ice Bottle Ad

Michelob Ultra – Little Bumps Ad

Budweiser Clydesdale Fence Ad

Late Show Ad

Bud Light Asteroid Ad

Reviews: Google, YouTube, beyonce

Tags: ads, Super Bowl, Superbowl, trending

The Top 10 Twitter Trends This Week [CHART]

Posted: 07 Feb 2010 07:00 PM PST

Twitter was abuzz this week with chatter about the iPad, performances at The GRAMMYs and relief efforts in Haiti.

Some of the top trends were predictable (Mashable’s Ben Parr successfully guessed at four of the ten last week), while others were unexpected.

The tendency for Twitter users to sign off with “Goodnight” has made that a top topic this week, while the “Retweet If” meme gathered momentum. Meanwhile, the Super Bowl is the dominant topic today, although these stats were compiled before the big game: its true popularity will be seen in next week’s list.

Here’s a roundup of the top 10 topics on Twitter this week, courtesy of our friends at WhatTheTrend. As this is a topical list, hashtag memes like “#UKnowUBrokeWhen” and “#thatsanono” are not included.

You can find previous weeks’ Twitter trends in our Twitter Topics section.

Contextual Learning

While university departments have cleanly separated academic subjects, solving the real-life problem of, say, building a website, requires individuals to orchestrate the expertise of communication, business, and economics, in addition to computer science. At the ultra high tech Quest2Learn school in New York City, small groups of 6th graders will marshall a range of social technologies, from video games to social networking, to solve hypothetical problems.

For instance, 6th graders learn geography from Google Earth, collaborate through an internal social networking platform, and present ideas through a podcast. Administrators hope that wrestling with the question of "How can a system function within a larger system?" will bolster critical thinking skills. Many experts contend that so-called "Scaffolded Problem-based learning" is known to improve academic skills and enhance motivation. With all these new toys, it's no surprise that one student admits his least favorite part of the day is "dismissal."

What About More Popular Gaming Models?

It should not come as a shock that Quest2Learn exists because of endowments from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Intel, among other big-name donors. For the less well-to-do educator, the Federation of American Scientists has developed a first-person shooter-inspired cellular biology curriculum. Gamers explore the fully-interactive 3D world of an ill patient and assist the immune system in fighting back a bacterial infection. Dr. Melanie Ann Stegman has been evaluating the educational impacts of the game and is optimistic about her preliminary findings. “The amount of detail about proteins, chemical signals and gene regulation that these 15-year-olds were devouring was amazing. Their questions were insightful. I felt like I was having a discussion with scientist colleagues,” said Stegman.

Perhaps more importantly, the video game excites students about science. Motivating more youngsters to adopt a science-related career track has became a major education initiative of the Obama administration. So desperate to find a solution that motivates students to become scientists, the government has even enlisted Darpa, the Department of Defense's “mad scientist” research organization, to figure out a solution.

For Stegman, however, the video game solution is intuitive: The actual phenomona of science are fascinating, unlike their 2D textbook drawings. “Explaining how proteins interact takes lots of new words and new vocabulary that can put you to sleep when you're a 5th year graduate student,” Stegman told Mashable. "But, watching two proteins interact and bump into each other and using them in a video game is fun and exciting."

Check out the video of some gameplay below. You can download the game here.

Simulated Life

For some school subjects, poor test results aren't simply a matter of personal failure, but can mean life and death; especially for security officer training. Loyalist College in Canada recently boasted "massive" test score improvements for its border officer training via simulation in the virtual world of Second Life. "No single technological addition has ever impacted grades at the college in such a positive way," says Ken Hudson, their Managing Director of Virtual World Design. Indeed, the results speak for themselves. According to the report:

“The amazing results of the training and simulation program have led to significantly improved grades on students' critical skills tests, taking scores from a 56% success in 2007, to 95% at the end of 2008 after the simulation was instituted.”

While security screenings are taking an onslaught of criticism for what are sometimes seen as abject failures, these kinds of successes may give hope to both security experts and the future of online learning.

Conclusion

Social gaming has a come a long way from the days when a dozen students would squint at a 10-inch screen of Oregon Trail. The 2000s seemed to be the decade of case studies: Bold educators willing to experiment with developing technologies. But now, the involvement of major funders, such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, points to an industry that is on the cusp of freeing education from its 2D textbook prison.

More gaming resources from Mashable:

- What's Up With Virtual Worlds? [ANALYSIS]
- The Future of Gaming: 5 Social Predictions
- Free Multiplayer Android Games [3 of the Best]
- Top 10 Games You Can Play on Facebook
- 15 iPhone Apps to Tame the Kids
- 60+ Free Classic Tabletop Games for the iPhone

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, morganl

Reviews: Google Earth, Mashable, iStockphoto

Tags: education, games, gaming, Science, Second Life, social games, social gaming, social media, trending, video games, web

YugaTech

2010-02-07T21:10:00.001-08:00

YugaTech

Poll: Which laptop species are you?

Posted: 07 Feb 2010 06:53 PM PST

Now that the laptop market has been spread thinly with the introduction of netbooks and CULVs, it looks like the regular ones have been placed in the sidelines. Our next poll looks at what people prefer when buying a laptop.

We only have 3 big categories actually:

Netbook. This is the most popular category nowadays because of its affordability but it generally lacks the processing power.
CULV Notebooks. This recently created category for the thin and light segment offers better computing power yet still inherits almost the same battery performance of netbooks. Only issue is that they cost too much, almost twice the price of netbooks.
Regular Laptops. The 13″ to 17″ laptops that carry discreet graphics cards and sport dual core or quad core processors. These are mainly geared towards gamers and processor-intensive users that want a nice, big screen.

So, which one are you? If you own a laptop, which category does it fall among the 3 mentioned above?

I’ve added the poll on the side but you can leave a comment below. I think it’s all about the need and lifestyle but many people really look at the price points.

Follow YugaTech on Twitter: http://twitter.com/abeolandres

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Poll: Which UMPC you’ll likely buy? At least half a dozen ultraportable laptops are now available...
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Techronnati Update

2010-02-07T09:04:00.001-08:00

Techronnati Update

SQL Loader Error?

Posted: 07 Feb 2010 02:22 AM PST

The other day, I was attempting to load data coming from the Mainframe thru ftp server using Oracle sqlloader but while doing so i temporarily loss my consciousness because of this error.

The procedure entry point sllfmd count not be located in the dynamic link library oracommon10.dll

Now what does THAT suppose to mean? Seriously i have no idea.

Gladly Google gave a fairly nice results dealing with this error. And as someone suggested, i just need to rearrange the environment variables for path such that C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\client_1\bin;c:\windows;c:\windows\system32; comes in first in the line. But alas, it didnt work for me.

I even tried registering regsvr32 oracommon10.dll in the registry but to no avail it didn’t work also. Then Aimee my oracle officemate came to the rescue. She suggested to reinstall oracle 10g. Since i have no other choices left, i followed her advice and luckily get it working. Pretty much it… yep. But when you do so, don’t forget to back up the old oracle data structure along with the files, especially your tnsnames.ora file. Once installed, get the tnsnames.ora file back to its original folder and then you are all set. =)

Try your sqlldr now. That should work =)’

Mashable: Latest 8 News Updates - including “Watch the Super Bowl Ads on YouTube [VIDEO]”

2010-02-07T05:16:00.001-08:00

Mashable: Latest 8 News Updates - including “Watch the Super Bowl Ads on YouTube [VIDEO]”

Watch the Super Bowl Ads on YouTube [VIDEO]
Google Buys Super Bowl Ad? [RUMOR]
The Internet Nominated for Nobel Peace Prize
8 Social Media Questions With NFL Stars Matthew Stafford and Darrelle Revis
Does Your Small Business Need an iPad?
Amazon and Macmillan Agree: You Should Pay More for eBooks
The Rise of Tablets, and Why You Should Care
The 10 Oddest Apple-Themed Products [PICS]
Thanks to Mashable’s Socially Savvy Supporters

Watch the Super Bowl Ads on YouTube [VIDEO]

Posted: 06 Feb 2010 09:23 PM PST

As expected, YouTube announced the launch tonight of its Super Bowl ad channel at youtube.com/adblitz, which will allow viewers to vote on the commercials immediately after they air on TV.

The channel, sponsored by car maker Kia, has already been populated by content from the YouTube community, and YouTube is working directly with advertisers to get the videos posted as soon as they appear on TV.

The top rated commercial will be featured on the YouTube homepage on Thursday February 18th.

Google Buys Super Bowl Ad? [RUMOR]

Posted: 06 Feb 2010 04:57 PM PST

Google may run a commercial during tomorrow’s Super Bowl, according to a mysterious Tweet from CEO Eric Schmidt and further details in a blog post from search blogger, author and entrepreneur John Battelle.

Schmidt’s Tweet reads: Can’t wait to watch the Superbowl tomorrow. Be sure to watch the ads in the 3rd quarter (someone said “Hell has indeed frozen over.”)

While the most logical product to push on Super Bowl fans would be Google’s Nexus One phone – perhaps improving its poor sales numbers – Battelle says the ad will be a brand ad for Google itself. In fact, his source claims the ad will be “Parisian Love” (below), a French-themed commercial about getting the most out of Google. We’d think that an unlikely choice for the most all-American of sporting events, would it not?

There’s reason for skepticism, too: USAToday’s list of Super Bowl advertisers does not include Google. Meanwhile, Forbes says most of the Super Bowl advertisers are working closely with Google to promote the ads on YouTube for voting upon after they air.

Is this a Google Super Bowl ad, or something else? We’ll find out tomorrow.

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, Willard

Reviews: Google, YouTube, iStockphoto

The Internet Nominated for Nobel Peace Prize

Posted: 06 Feb 2010 01:42 PM PST

The Internet has made the list of nominees for the Nobel Peace Prize this year, going up against a Chinese dissident and a Russian human rights activist among others.

The nomination was made after a petition by the Italian version of Wired Magazine, which cited the Internet’s contributions to “dialogue, debate and consensus through communication”. Signatories include Iranian activist Shirin Ebadi, and organizers say the nomination will make for a legitimate entry.

Legitimate or not, it’s unlikely that the Nobel Committee would choose such an unlikely winner this year: as the AP reports, last year’s pick of Barack Obama proved controversial given his short time in office. This year’s choice is likely to be a conservative one.

What do you think? Has the Internet improved the world through better communication?

Tags: internet, nobel prize, trending

8 Social Media Questions With NFL Stars Matthew Stafford and Darrelle Revis

Posted: 06 Feb 2010 01:27 PM PST

When the clock runs out on Super Bowl XLIV tomorrow, the Gatorade that gets dumped on the winning coach's head will be one of three new sports drinks that the beverage company has debuted in Miami over the past week, the culmination of a marketing blitz that has made heavy use of social media and some of football's biggest stars.

On Friday, I had a chance to talk with two of the athletes involved – Matthew Stafford, last year's #1 pick and quarterback of the Detroit Lions, and Darrelle Revis, the Pro Bowl cornerback of the New York Jets. The two had just completed 30-minute sessions on Ustream (and via Facebook), where they answered questions live from fans while doing performance testing on specially-equipped exercise bikes.

I asked the athletes about the campaign, how they personally use tools like Ustream and Twitter, the impact of social media is having on sports, and a few bonus questions about football that my followers wanted to know.

Stafford admits to being a bit slow to social media, though Revis has been a big proponent, maintaining both a Twitter presence (where he somewhat famously got into a trash talking match with the omnipresent Ochocinco) and a Facebook Page. Revis even told me he plans to launch "Revis Island" t-shirts, alluding to his moniker which got significant buzz as the Jets made their surprise playoff run.

Here are the of highlights of the conversation (answers paraphrased):

1. What were some of the questions you got from fans during your Ustream session?

Stafford: What's my favorite movie, what's my favorite color. It was fun — using Ustream to bring the fans closer to the action and keep us in the loop and connected with fans.

Revis: They were asking crazy stuff — if I like eggs and cheese, eggs with ketchup on them. Do I run faster than a cheetah. How tall am I.

2. What's it like for you interacting with fans online? Do you think it's now part of your job as an athlete?

Stafford: It was my first time using Ustream. I definitely want to do more of it, and I think it's important for players to relate to their fans and the people they're trying to reach, especially with social media being such a big part of the mainstream media. But I haven't got around to it much yet.

Revis: I think Twitter's a good tool for fans to get to talk to us on a daily basis and see what we're up to and our day-to-day activities. I read my replies to see where people's minds are at and how they feel.

3. How do you feel about blogs like Deadspin now TMZ covering the personal lives site of pro athletes? Does it make you more cautious about what you do off the field?

Stafford: Obviously people are gonna say what they're gonna say and you need to be smart about what you're doing, but you can't let it run your life. You can't let it make you live like a hermit.

Revis: I think they're just trying to get inside information. It's not just TMZ, it's people with phones, Flip video to record stuff. You've always gotta be careful and do what you do.

4. Do you post your own content on social media sites or do you have others do it for you?

Revis: I do it all my own. I have a lot of friends on there I like interacting with. Some of the stuff I try and stay away from [replying to fans who say negative things], I want to avoid being negative.

Stafford: I had a page on one of those sites [a Facebook profile for friends and family] when I was in college but gave it up when I got to the NFL.

5. Did you get any training on social media from your team or the NFL?

Stafford: I haven't had a lot of training, but I had a page on one of those sites when I was in college. [Stuff you say in social media] is just like you're doing an interview, and you have to treat it the same way … It's going out to a lot of people when it's on the Internet. The guys on our team are being cautious.

Revis: There are certain things both the NFL and the Jets try and prep you on with how to use Twitter. Some people still say whatever they want and that gets you in trouble sometimes … There's also some people just don't want to interact with fans and at first I wasn't even on Twitter. But I started seeing how it was progressing and people were showing it to me so I got into it. I was missing out.

6. Which athlete do you think does the best job with social media?

Revis: Probably Ochocinco. I was with him last night at the EA Sports party, he interviewed me. That's his thing. He'll probably be doing TV when he's done in the NFL.

Stafford: Chad Ochocinco, he's probably the best at it and now trying to start his own network (OCNN). He's been everywhere this week and doing a great job.

7. What should fans expect from your teams next year?

Stafford: I think we're gonna build really well through this draft, get some pieces through free agency. Our goal is to make the playoffs and be competitive. It's gonna take some time in Detroit to build it but every Sunday we're trying to win football games.

Revis: Right now I just need to relax — we played 20+ games this year. We're making great strides, we're a young team, we're improving. We want to win the Super Bowl.

8. Super Bowl picks!

Stafford: I think it's going to be tough to beat Peyton, he's been doing it for so long. Drew's been doing great too though. It could be the last team with the ball.

Revis: Colts.

Reviews: Facebook, Twitter, ustream

Tags: gatorade, MARKETING, social media, sports

Does Your Small Business Need an iPad?

Posted: 06 Feb 2010 11:29 AM PST

This post originally appeared on the American Express OPEN Forum, where Mashable regularly contributes articles about leveraging social media and technology in small business.

Now that the dust has settled and we know what the Apple iPad is, many people have begun trying to answer the question, “How can I justify spending the money to get one of these things?” There is certainly no denying that the iPad is a very cool looking device, but as a small business owner, do you really need one? And what about netbooks? Apple CEO Steve Jobs claims that the new iPad fills a niche for which netbooks were failing to deliver, but is that really true for business users?

Here, then, are reasons why you should go out and buy an iPad as soon as they’re available, and reasons why you shouldn’t.

Why You Need One

There are many reasons why small business owners could justify purchasing an Apple iPad. Though clearly aimed at casual users and touted primarily for couch web surfing and multimedia consumption, the iPad also has plenty of potential business uses. By creating a special iPad optimized edition of iWork, Apple’s productivity suite, Apple also clearly sees the iPad’s business potential. Their ultra-competitive announced price of just $9.99 for the app indicates that Apple plans to aggressively court business users, even if that is not necessarily their core customer.

Essentially, the iPad is a big iPod touch that in theory provides a better typing experience (by virtue of its larger onscreen keyboard). Because the iPad will run any of the 140,000 iPhone/iPod apps right out of the box, any business use you already have for your iPod touch or iPhone (except making phone calls) will be available to you on the iPad — but bigger. With that in mind, the iPad could certainly become an asset to sales people who make presentations on the road (what’s more impressive — clicking through PowerPoint slides or manipulating product demos and data visualizations with your fingers?) or anyone who needs to easily monitor core business functions (server health, web site traffic stats, sales indicators, financial numbers, etc.) from the road using a relatively cheap and compact device.

Why You Don’t

What the iPad isn’t, however, is a replacement for your desktop or laptop computer. There are many features missing from the iPad, but two in particular could be deal breakers for serious small business users.

First, the iPad lacks a standard USB port. There will almost certainly be aftermarket accessories available to add USB support to the tablet, but the bottom line is that using the USB devices you already own, such as memory sticks and external hard drives, will not be easy or even possible with the iPad out of the box.

Second, and more egregious, the iPad, like the iPhone and iPod touch, currently lacks the ability to multitask. For Apple’s apparent target consumer — users who will use the iPad for casual web surfing, to watch movies, and to play games — not being able to run more than one program at the same time isn’t likely a big deal. But for business users, that’s a major setback. If you’re putting together a presentation or writing up a sales report, you need the ability to be able to refer to a web page or data locked in some other application while you work. For that reason alone, the iPad in its current form is not an ideal business machine.

What About Netbooks?

For about half the price of an iPad you could buy a very capable netbook (some come even cheaper when subsidized by a 3G data plan subscription). According to Apple CEO Steve Jobs, “netbooks aren't better at anything.” But in many ways, a $299 netbook outshines the $499 iPad, especially for business users. If what you’re after is a machine that offers extreme portability and business critical features for a low price, a netbook might be a better option.

Netbooks have a number of advantages over the iPad. They multitask, they often have cameras (for video conferencing), they can generally run Windows (meaning they run Microsoft Office and Outlook), they support an open software ecosystem (meaning more choice and the ability to easily custom develop and deploy software for your organization), and they have standard ports and inputs. While they can’t match the iPad for cool factor, as far as business functionality, netbooks pack a lot of bang for the buck.

So which should you buy? That will come down to what type of device you need and its intended use. The iPad, however, is not a must-have purchase for all small business owners — at least, not in its first generation.

More business resources from Mashable:

- How Social Media Helps One Small Business Connect with Fans
- Social Media Marketing: How Pepsi Got It Right
- HOW TO: Take Advantage of Social Media in Your E-mail Marketing
- HOW TO: Implement a Social Media Business Strategy
- The 10 Stages of Social Media Business Integration
- HOW TO: Use Social Media to Connect with Other Entrepreneurs

Reviews: Windows, iWork ‘09

Tags: apple, Apple Tablet, business, ipad, iphone, iwork, small business

Amazon and Macmillan Agree: You Should Pay More for eBooks

Posted: 06 Feb 2010 10:12 AM PST

Macmillan printed books and eBooks began to return to Amazon last night following a dispute over Amazon’s $9.99 eBook pricing scheme. Under the agreement, publishers can now raise prices to up to $14.99.

Macmillan, which was later joined by fellow publisher Hachette, requested the price increases over fears that Amazon would undercut its hardcover sales.

Amazon reacted by pulling all Macmillan books, but later conceded to the publisher’s demands. Under the agreed agency model, Amazon will receive 30% commission on sales.

Will you pay up to $14.99 for eBooks? Let us know in the comments.

[via The NYTimes]

The Rise of Tablets, and Why You Should Care

Posted: 06 Feb 2010 08:39 AM PST

Even before Apple announced the iPad last week, the Internet was going tablet-crazy. After speculation, literally years in the making, finally came to a crescendo, the public reaction has been decidedly mixed. Discussions about what’s missing and why the announcement was a disappointment have been covered from nearly every angle.

However, whether Apple’s iPad ultimately succeeds or fails, it is yet another sign of an emerging device class. With Google, Microsoft, and others investing in researching tablet-style computers, this is a trend that will not begin or end with the iPad.

The Tablet Redefined: A Media Pad

The concept of tablet computing is hardly a new idea. Although prototypes of tablet or pen-input based computers go back to the late 1970s, the first big industry push for pen computing came in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The GO operating system and later PenWindows were lauded as the next big innovation. Pen computing never took off. Undaunted, manufacturers decided to try again, and almost ten years ago, Microsoft introduced its Microsoft Tablet PC platform. Again, the concept never gained traction.

What’s different about this new wave of tablet devices is that the intended use cases for the device have evolved into something completely different. These new tablets are not being presented as a replacement for the existing computer but for an ancillary type of platform. The new tablets are also not being primarily targeted at business users, but at home users instead. The usage cases are more tightly defined as well. The new tablet devices are about accessing and consuming web content.

Plus, unlike tablets of decades past, these new devices come on the heels of similar devices with similar usage cases: Smartphones.

A New Device Class

When you think about what this new wave of tablet computers offers — easy access to the Internet, a way to watch video, portability without being a smartphone — you might think, “hey, that’s a netbook.” And you would be right. However, the netbook, despite its early aspirations, has never been able to define itself as a separate class of device.

The problem with netbooks is that the form factor is too similar to that of a traditional laptop. In fact, as time has gone on, the line between a netbook and a CULV notebook has blurred to the point that the two categories have almost become one. Plus, because the physical appearance of a netbook is so similar to that of a traditional laptop computer, the expectations of the overall experience are often higher than the devices can adequately offer.

Steve Jobs commented during the iPad launch that people buy netbooks because they want cheap laptops. This is by and large completely true. What this wave of tablet computers is doing is repackaging the intended purpose of a netbook into a form factor that doesn’t confuse its abilities.

But Do We Really Need Another Gadget?

The fact that tablets and smartphones seem so similar on its face have many people questioning the need for this new device category. It’s true, in the beginning, tablets will become a secondary product. I don’t think that any tablet maker is going to advertise their solution as a complete replacement for a main computer. Instead, this is for people who want to have something larger than a smartphone, yet more portable than a regular laptop, to use to access content.

Touch-input is key here. Yes, the ability to use add-on accessories is important, but touch is one of those features that instantly makes a product easy to use and also limits the need to carry add-ons like a stylus or other input device.

Consumers might not need a tablet device or media pad any more than they need to have multiple TiVos or Blu-ray players, but many will want them and buy them anyway.

Don’t Count Out Students

Beyond just entertainment, tablet computers have one huge, huge area of potential: Education, specifically college textbooks. Already textbook publishers are lining up to support the iPad. I have long believed that whatever eBook platform could conquer textbooks would end up winning the battle of this generation of technology. Why? Because this is an area ripe for innovation.

College students spend hundreds of dollars on textbooks every semester — textbooks that are heavy, that are sometimes out of date as soon as they are published, and that don’t fit well with the existing digital lifestyle of today’s students. Even without subsidizing the initial device price, I know that students would flock to using a tablet computer if they could get all of their textbooks, have the ability to make notations, get online updates and see supplementary information all in a device that weighs under a pound and can fit easily in a backpack.

The convenience factor alone makes it a killer device. Mark my words, whoever is able to get textbook publishers and universities on-board en masse first will ultimately win the eBook market.

The great thing about tablet computers is that they aren’t just eBook readers. They can offer additional content experiences as well.

What Do You Think?

Tablet computers are coming. By the end of the year, a variety of tablet devices will be on the market. Do you want one? How do you see it fitting in with your existing lifestyle. Let us know!

More iPad resources from Mashable:

- 9 Upcoming Tablet Alternatives to the Apple iPad
- Will Apple's iPad Change Mobile Gaming?
- 4 Reasons the Kindle is Dead, 4 Reasons It's Not
- Why Apple Could Have Etched "iPad" Into Some Rocks and Sold Millions

Images courtesy of iStockphoto, 4×6, abalcazar

Reviews: Blu, Google, iStockphoto

Tags: analysis, apple, Apple Tablet, chrome, computers, google tablet, ipad, Tablet, tech

The 10 Oddest Apple-Themed Products [PICS]

Posted: 06 Feb 2010 08:11 AM PST

Apple fandom has inspired a generation of designers to create products that complement, contrast or clash with design guru Jonathan Ive’s cleverly thought out consumer electronics.

We’ve pulled together a list of Apple-themed products — both real and conceptual –- that ooze wit, and celebrate those that nod to the fun side of life in their product designs.

If we’ve missed anything, do let us know your favorite fun Apple-themed object in the comments below.

1. 500XL Giant Earbud Speakers

Apple’s iconic white earbuds have become a symbol of the iPod, despite the fact that many real music connoisseurs will swap them for a better pair. These speakers then, shaped like gigantic (500 times the size) earphones are a witty audio accessory for your desk.

Cost: $60

2. AirMail Manila Envelope

When Steve Jobs unveiled the MacBook Air on stage at Macworld ‘08 by pulling it out of a manila envelope, the crowd gasped at its slimness. Two Apple geeks saw an opening and created the AirMail sleeve for the slimline laptop, ensuring all Air owners could re-live the moment again and again –- as well as receive knowing nods from other fans when out and about.

Cost: $34 plus shipping

3. iClooly iPhone Stand

The iClooly stand makes your iPhone or iPod touch look just like a mini-me for your iMac. Described as “the perfect little buddy for your iMac,” the iClooly is made out of aluminum and features a 90-degree pivot joint to hold your favorite gadget in landscape or portrait mode. It also offers tilt functionality, and a speaker cable cut-out. So cute!

Cost: $39

4. iMac Aquariums

The kind of Mac-themed innovation we love, Jake Harms takes old, unloved iMacs and converts them into cozy homes for our fishy friends. Holding 3.5 gallons of water, a converted Mac-quarium is a great way to celebrate the iconic, semi-see-through design of the G3 iMac, long after its computing powers have been eclipsed by more modern machines.

Cost: $199, plus shipping

5. iShelf

Li Jianye’s brilliant storage unit may not be able to display your entire CD collection, but it does offer a fantastic real-world representation of iTunes Cover Flow functionality. Someone should really make this.

Concept only

6. iTables

These coffee tables from Italian design house Mirko Ginepro are shaped as huge iPods with glass for the screen and hollow innards, meaning you could, theoretically, use them to store your CD collection — a sort of Gulliver-scale physical format version of the original digital music device.

Cost: Varies (custom made)

7. Notepods

Originally designed for iPhone developers to get a to-scale, real-life canvas to sketch their app ideas and designs on, the Aussie creators behind the Notepods also suggest they are ideal for “jotting down the phone number of a hot geek,” so good luck with that. At the very least, they might make for a good conversation starter.

Cost: $17.95

8. RetroPod

Described by the inventor as a “retro-kitsch ‘love it/hate it’ thing,” the RetroPod took a big, heavy, yellow Sony Walkman from the 80s and turned it into an iPod case, either to repel muggers or show off some ironic retro-chic. Unfortunately, Sony shut the outfit down with some threatening legal letters, but they can’t stop us from remembering such a witty idea.

Concept only

9. Snow White MacBook Sticker

A fairy tale figure with a penchant for apples, and a high-tech laptop make for a pleasing contrast. The vinyl graphic cleverly puts the poisoned apple right into Snow White’s hands, adding a little knowing whimsy to any MacBook. The alternative apple-lover would be Eve of course, but the laws of decency might not allow that.

Cost: From around $15

10. TwelveSouth BookBook

So you’ve got a MacBook right? Well the BookBook hardback leather case for MacBooks and MacBook Pros makes your Apple laptop look just like that, providing not only protection, but a cunning disguise for your pricey portable.

Cost: $79.99

More Apple resources from Mashable:

- Mac Gift Guide: 10 Buying Ideas for Apple Fans
- 5 Mac Apps to Boost Your Productivity
- HOW TO: Create a Mac Theme for Windows 7
- Top 10 iPhone Apps as Judged by Mashable Readers
- 10 iPhone Apps to Avoid Work Disasters
- 20 Creative Apps For Your iPhone

Tags: apple, design, iMac, iphone, iphone accessory, ipod, List, Lists, mac, shopping list, trending

Thanks to Mashable’s Socially Savvy Supporters

Posted: 05 Feb 2010 09:46 AM PST

Thanks to this week's advertisers and partners for enabling us to bring you the latest social media news and resources. Mashable’s sponsors are as social media savvy as our readers!

Advertise with us and get noticed.

This week, our valued sponsors are phpFox, Yield Software, Monica Rich Kosann, Sourcebits, Clickatell, Influxis, Microsoft BizSpark, MailChimp, Sun Startup Essentials, MaxCDN, and Eventbrite.

Sourcebits is a leading developer of software and services for iPhone, mobile, Mac and the Web. We specialize in robust, high performance code with an elegant, easy to understand front end. With over 4.5M downloads from the iTunes App Store and a growing portfolio of Android, BlackBerry, and Rich Internet Applications, Sourcebits brings its record of innovation and success to each new project. Whether mobile, Mac or RIA, trust our 100+ strong team of talented programmers and user interface designers to build your next application. Contact us today for a quote.

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Mashable would also like to thank AttentionPR for their PR support. AttentionPR proves that PR today is measurable, transparent, and yes, social. Learn more about AttentionPR.

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Contact us for more information about supporting Mashable’s growth and development. Alternatively, visit our advertise section for more details about:

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Reviews: Android, Digg, Facebook, Mashable, iStockphoto

YugaTech

2010-02-06T21:15:00.001-08:00

YugaTech

Asus EeePC 1201T Review

Posted: 06 Feb 2010 07:31 AM PST

The Asus Seashell design was continued with the introduction of the Eee PC 1201T, a 12-inch AMD Athlon-powered netbook. We took the unit for a spin and shared my verdict in the review below.

The Intel version, which is the 1201N with Atom N330 dual core and nVidia Ion, will not be released by Asus in the Philippines. But that shouldn’t prevent you from seeing some units sold in the grey market.

If you’re familiar with the Seashell 1008HA and 1005HA, the 1201T is the 12.1″ version with respect to design and construction — slim and tapered at the edges.

The unit is glossy all over — from the lid, to the keyboard panel and the palm rest — so expect a lot of smudges and fingerprints when using this. Some people like it, others hate this type of piano-black finish.

The chiclet-type keyboard is well-spaced although the individual keys are a bit small and prone to slipping when touch-typing. I kinda liked that style though.

The display screen is 12.1″ in diagonal and has a resolution of 1366×768 pixels. The glossy screen is bright and crisp — a big disadvantages when used outdoor because of the glare.

When I ran Windows Experience Index, the processor got a rating of 3.2. This is 0.1 higher than the same Athlon MV-40 on the ThinkPad X100e (WEI: 3.1) because I installed 64-bit version of Windows 7.

Now at least we know that 64-bit OS does some improvements on performance. There’s also a difference in the GPU performance but that’s for another entry. I guess the most revealing about this CPU is that it can’t play YouTube HD (720p) smoothly — playback is choppy at best. It can play Full HD 1080p video files but that’s because of the help of the GPU.

One unique design feature of the Asus 1201T is that the trackpad area is continuous with the palm rest and that it’s pimpled (dotted like that of a Braille). This gives you some tactile feedback and I think works very well. The other drawback though is that the left and right click buttons are not separated.

The system is pre-installed with the Asus Express Gate, a quick-boot OS that allows for basic functions like instant messaging, browsing, games, video and photos. It’s a nice feature that’s built into the system and saves a lot of time when you’re in a hurry to get connected and just wanted to do a quick check.

As for battery life, the 6-cell battery only provides up to 2.5 hours but that’s because of the low rating of 4400mAh. I reckon if it had been 5600mAh, it could do about 3.25 hours. The Athlon CPU and Radeon HD3200 graphics are really juice-guzzlers.

The unit sells for Php21,900 without an OS — pretty affordable price if you asked me. However, the poor battery life and slightly above average performance of the CPU isn’t something to be too excited about.

In some respects, it’s actually better than a regular Atom-powered netbook with a 3-cell battery selling at the same price point. At the same time, if you compare this to the Lenovo ThinkPad X100e which has the same specs, the Eee PC 1201T looks attractive with the Php21,900 but don’t forget you still need to shell out some more money for the operating system.

Follow YugaTech on Twitter: http://twitter.com/abeolandres

Asus EeePC 1201T in the flesh! Interestingly, Asus’ 12-inch version of their netbooks have only arrived...
Asus EeePC Design Contest Winners Announced Asus Philippines has just announced the winners of the Asus...
Asus EeePC 1000: Price & Launch Date Asus Philippines will finally launch the newer edition of its...
Asus EeePC 900 SRP: Php24,995 Asus Philippines is still mulling over the suggested retail price...
Asus EeePC 1008HA UltraSlim Netbook So it looks like the Asus S101 isn’t the slimmest...

I am now in Bahrain | Technology At Hand

2010-02-06T13:05:00.001-08:00

I am now in Bahrain | Technology At Hand

I am now in Bahrain

Posted: 06 Feb 2010 11:16 AM PST

I will be staying in Bahrain for a business Meeting for 2 days, I will share you some views and pictures later. I am staying at Windsor Hotel and as usual I will be giving out my comments and suggestion about staying in Bahrain and in my Hotel.

Pictures Taken @ Bahrain Airport
Below are pictures taken at Bahrain Airport. The first and last pictures is the F1 car with Gulf Air...
Blogging at Bahrain Airport Thru Free Wi Fi via BIA Wi-Fi
I am now at Bahrain Airport and I am testing their Free Wi-Fi System via BIA Wi-Fi, I must say that ...
Now Blogging Again in Saudi Arabia
I arrived yesterday night in Riyadh time at about 11:00 PM. It was a long flight since we have to t...
Travel Tips When Going Abroad Via Gulf Air
Top 100 Pinoy Blogger by Blog Juice

© Dexter Panganiban - visit the Tech At Hand Dot Net for more great content.
Dexter Panganiban Facebook | You can also visit my Dexter Panganiban Blog |CFriend Feed

Mashable: Latest 17 News Updates - including “Google Maps Suggests New Places You Might Like”

2010-02-06T05:06:00.001-08:00

Mashable: Latest 17 News Updates - including “Google Maps Suggests New Places You Might Like”

Google Maps Suggests New Places You Might Like
FBI’s Most Wanted: Your Browsing Activity
Facebook Turns Its Photo Uploader into a Plug-in
Facebook Gives Us the Lowdown on Its Redesign [VIDEO]
Venezuela’s Chavez: Twitter Messages Are Terrorist Threats
8 Social Media Resources for Super Bowl XLIV
Online Video Continues Steady Growth Streak [STATS]
Nexus One Sales Still Sluggish: Only 80,000 in First Month
Follow Along as Super Bowl Advertisers Fight for Twitter Domination
Will the Emmys Ditch Tape Delay?
Moms on Facebook Are Savvy to Marketers [STATS]
Exclusive: Urbanspoon Launches for Android
Check Out Hot Chip Live on MySpace Tonight [VIDEO]
For Sale: Designer Google Fashion
Hachette Joins Macmillan in E-Book War Against Amazon
The Future Journalist: Thoughts from Two Generations
MashBash SXSWi 2010: 2,000+ RSVPs & Last Chance to Win a Free Conference Badge!
Smartphones Are Selling Like Crazy

Google Maps Suggests New Places You Might Like

Posted: 05 Feb 2010 04:51 PM PST

Google keeps adding new features to Google Maps and Google Earth. The latest: As of today you can type in a restaurant or other place you like in Google Maps and receive recommendations of nearby places you might like just as much or more.

Sure, it’s not quite as radical as something like the rumored store interior pics in Google Street View, but it’s always good to see more robust location services. Yelp offers something vaguely similar with a “people who viewed this also viewed” box, but Google’s algorithm is probably more sophisticated.

Google has beaten location-focused services like Foursquare to the punch with this. That’s too bad, because we imagine Foursquare could in theory use your check-in history to provide much better suggestions just like Netflix suggests films based on which movies you’ve already rented or streamed and how you’ve rated them. It’s not surprising that Google did it first, though; Google has a lot more experience using algorithms to determine what you’re looking for than Yelp or Foursquare do.

Google wasn’t very clear about how its algorithm works in its blog post on the subject. You’ll just have to try it for yourself to see if the results are helpful to you, but your mileage may vary.

We viewed the place page for the Indie Cafe sushi and Asian fusion restaurant on the far north side of Chicago and received a bunch of — you guessed it — sushi and Asian fusion restaurant suggestions in adjacent neighborhoods. But when we looked up Big City Swing dance studio in the same city, the results were a bit less precise. Some were great, like the Lincoln Tap Room and Tango Chicago. Others made a lot less sense, like a barber shop and other unrelated venues in a distant suburb almost an hour’s drive away.

Try it out and let us know what you think: How does it work? Do you think it’s helpful enough that you’ll be using it regularly?

Tags: foursquare, Google, google earth, Google Maps, location services, yelp

FBI’s Most Wanted: Your Browsing Activity

Posted: 05 Feb 2010 03:49 PM PST

FBI Director Robert Mueller wants ISPs to track “origin and destination information” about their customers’ browsing habits and store them for authorities’ use for two years, according to a CNET report.

That would mean monitoring the IP addresses, domains and exact websites users visit, and then storing that information for months. If officials who support this measure get their way, federal, state and local law enforcement would be able to access the information via search warrant or subpoena.

Access to exact URLs would require deep-packet inspection, which could be a violation of the Wiretap Act. The courts would end up having to make a ruling one way or the other if authorities try it.

The argument in favor is that the FBI has long been able to do this with telephone call information, but since so much telephone communication has been replaced by web activity, this would just be a preservation of existing powers. And those in favor insist that no actual content would be released to authorities — only points of contact. For example, authorities can see that a phone call was made from one number to another, but they don’t know what was said unless they wiretap.

The FBI says it could use an ISP’s data to investigate suspected child pornographers, but there are obviously potential abuses as well. The good news for privacy hawks who oppose this sort of thing just as strongly as they do the CIA’s alleged use of social networking data is that no significant progress has been made to get this done; consider this more a statement of intent. It’s not the first though; a formal request was sent to congress almost two years ago.

image courtesy of iStockphoto, Nikada

Tags: FBI, Political, privacy

Facebook Turns Its Photo Uploader into a Plug-in

Posted: 05 Feb 2010 03:26 PM PST

Facebook has just started rolling out a new photo uploader, one that the company promises will be faster, easier and more stable than the current one.

In an announcement on Facebook’s blog, the company revealed that the new Facebook uploader is actually a browser plug-in. In order to upload photos, you have to install it.

Once that’s done, though, you will be greeted by a new interface for uploading photos that connects to your computer’s file directory. From Facebook, you can navigate your hard drive and pick out the photos you want. A preview function on the bottom of the uploader makes it simple to pick the right pics out.

Oh, and it has another nifty feature: background uploads. You can navigate away from not only the upload page, but from Facebook itself while uploading photos. A notification will tell you that the uploads are done.

We don’t like installing plug-ins unless we have to, but we can see why Facebook took this approach. Still, this will limit some people from being able to upload, especially those at work with locked-down browsers.

What do you think: Is this a smart move by Facebook or are plug-ins a bad idea? Is it active for you? Let us know in the comments.

Tags: facebook

Facebook Gives Us the Lowdown on Its Redesign [VIDEO]

Posted: 05 Feb 2010 02:52 PM PST

Yesterday, Facebook celebrated its sixth birthday and a new milestone: 400 million users. Oh, and it celebrated it in style, if we do say so ourselves.

Last night, the company decided to mark the momentous occasion by launching a complete homepage redesign and throwing a party for its employees. Not only that, but it invited engineering students and select members of the press to chat with Facebook’s team, including Mark Zuckerberg, COO Sheryl Sandberg and Product Manager Peter Deng

In a private meeting with the press, Mr. Deng took the time to explain the new Facebook redesign and all of its new features in-depth. I whipped out my Kodak ZI8 and filmed the entire conversation and demo. While he didn’t reveal many new details, he did provide a very useful overview that made Facebook design and its plan much easier to understand.

Check it out:

Tags: facebook, mark zuckerberg, Peter Deng, redesign, Sheryl Sandberg, video

Venezuela’s Chavez: Twitter Messages Are Terrorist Threats

Posted: 05 Feb 2010 02:28 PM PST

Venezuelans have been taking to Twitter to protest threats to journalism and freedom of expression, leading the hashtag #freevenezuela to become one of the largest trending Twitter topics this week.

President Hugo Chávez has responded to the outpouring of messages — many of which call for his resignation along with expanded freedom of the press — by asking the National Assembly to start preparing legislation that would regulate the Internet.

Similar to what we saw happening in Mexico this week, government officials in Venezuela are perceiving social networks such as Twitter to be a threat to the state. Chávez has apparently even gone as far as indicating that Twitter could be considered a “tool of terror,” and National Assembly deputies were quick to leap to the charge of “eliminating terrorist threats posed by social networks.”

We suspect this won’t be the last case we hear about governments feeling threatened by Twitter and other popular social networks. What do you think: Will Venezuela succeed in regulating networks like Twitter?

[awesome img credit: Semana.com]

[via Boing Boing]

Tags: government, Hugo Chavez, protests, regulation, social media, terrorism, twitter, Venezuela

8 Social Media Resources for Super Bowl XLIV

Posted: 05 Feb 2010 01:53 PM PST

Jalen Rose is a former 13-year NBA star and current ESPN sports analyst but may be best known for being a member of the famous University of Michigan Fab Five.

The big game is this weekend. Super Bowl XLIV will feature the Indianapolis Colts, from the AFC, and the New Orleans Saints, from the NFC. I won't be in attendance but I'll definitely be glued to the TV to see who will take home the trophy. I follow the NFL all season and thought I'd share some of the best online resources that will enhance your Super Bowl experience.

1. The NFL Super Bowl Website

In addition to main NFL.com site that covers all things pro football, the National Football League launched a separate web page that focuses specifically on the Super Bowl. It includes an abundance of interactive information including Super Bowl news, the history of the big game, a visitor's guide, local events, trivia, etc.

The site even has links to purchase tickets and make travel arrangements if you are fortunate enough to be able to attend the game. (Though at this point it might be a bit late for that!)

2. Tweets & Pics

The NFL also set up a special site for football fans who use Twitter and Flickr to track their social media contributions to Super Bowl weekend. The site lets users explore photos and tweets from fans tagged #SB44, the official tag of the Super Bowl.

There is a lot to see on this page as you click and drag the grid around to watch the excitement unfold. Fans are encouraged to celebrate Super Bowl XLIV through the experiences of fans in South Florida and the rest of the world.

The NFL itself has an official Twitter presence at @NFL.

3. NFL Game Center

The NFL also has fans in mind with their Game Center site, which lets fans preview the game via news and injury updates, analyze the matchup via stats, and watch pregame video clips. It also offers a fan discussion page where NFL fans can chat with each other. This is a great forum to bring fans together before the big game, and you can also participate in the NFL.com live chats that are scheduled with NFL players and personalities.

Once the game starts the page will update with live score reports and a play-by-play drive chart. It also includes links to live radio broadcasts from both New Orleans and Indianapolis for fans that subscribe to the NFL’s Field Pass service.

4. Choose Your Team

NFL fans have a lot of places to congregate and commiserate with their fellow fans. For Colts fans, one of the best places to start is probably the official MyColts fan social network, while Saints fans should check out the popular fan-created hubs at Black and Gold and WhoDatZone. The SB Nation blog sites for the Saints — Canal Street Chronicles — and the Colts — Stampede Blue — also offer great places for fans to connect and stay up-to-date on all the pre- and post-game chatter.

5. Stay Informed

Want to know where each team is on the depth chart in every position? Want to know all the latest news before the teams take the field? AOL’s FanHouse Super Bowl page is a great resource for Super Bowl news, as are the NFL pages from ESPN, Yahoo, Bleacher Report, Sports Illustrated, and CBS (who is broadcasting the game in the U.S.) — their Countdown to Kickoff page has plenty of streaming video coverage.

During the game be sure to check your favorite sports blog, as many of them will be live blogging this Sunday.

6. Super Bowl Game Program

For those of us who won't make it to the game to get a commemorative program, at least we can view it online. This resource is packed with feature stories, news, and Super Bowl festivities. This isn't just for Super Bowl fans, but all NFL fans whether your team made it to the big game or not.

They've even made the online version interactive and included video. I’m impressed.

7. Food

If you’re hosting a Super Bowl party this Sunday, there are a few staple foods that always go over well. Both Food Network and Martha Stewart score big with great recipes and menus for the ultimate football-watching party.

From chili to wings to pigs in a blanket, these resources have you covered. Though if you’re a Saints fan, you may want to look for a good gumbo recipe. (And don’t worry, despite the rumors, having your friends over to watch the game probably isn’t illegal.)

8. Commercials

And finally, for those of you who only watch the Super Bowl for the commercials, I have something for you as well. Check out the top 10 Super Bowl commercials of the decade. This link is an interactive countdown special, hosted by Jim Nantz, Lead Play-by-Play Announcer of the NFL on CBS, and co-host Lara Spencer, host of The Insider, where viewers voted live for their top commercial pick.

After kickoff on Sunday, check out out the YouTube Ad Blitz where commercials will be uploaded as they air and fans will be able to vote for their favorites, and you can watch real-time, Twitter-powered rankings of the ads on the BrandBowl 2010 site.

The game is this Sunday, February 7th in South Florida. My pick is the Indianapolis Colts – who ya got?

More sports resources from Mashable:

- How Social Media Is Changing the Super Bowl
- When Social Media Gets Athletes in Trouble
- 5 Predictions for Athletes on Social Media in 2010
- 5 Social Media Lessons the NBA Can Teach Businesses
- 5 Reasons Every Sports Fan Should Be On Social Media

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, Willard

Tags: Colts, fab five, football, jalen rose, List, Lists, saints, sports, Super Bowl

Online Video Continues Steady Growth Streak [STATS]

Posted: 05 Feb 2010 12:32 PM PST

Online video viewing is more ubiquitous than ever. According to comScore, in the month of December 178 million people watched 33.2 billion videos, with the average viewer watching 187 videos per month in the U.S.

The astronomical numbers for December mean that viewers tuned into two billion more videos than in November, and that, as expected, a majority — nearly 40% — of those videos were YouTube videos, with Hulu still coming in a very distant second place and accounting for 3% of video views.

What’s most interesting to us is that while these video-viewing numbers are giant, we’re not seeing too much fluctuation as to where online denizens are consuming this video content. Month-to-month Google’s YouTube maintains its commanding lead, while everyone else battles it out for a marginal piece of the video pie.

The month-to-month data clearly points to the fact that watching videos online is a trend that will continue to gain momentum, meaning that we can expect to see a few billion more videos added to next month’s total. The video sites we turn to for content, however, aren’t likely to change, so we can expect YouTube, Hulu and all the rest to continue to grow at the approximately the same rate.

[img credit: adamjackson1984]

Reviews: Hulu, YouTube

Tags: ComScore, hulu, ONLINE VIDEO, video, youtube

Nexus One Sales Still Sluggish: Only 80,000 in First Month

Posted: 05 Feb 2010 12:18 PM PST

It looks like sales of Google’s Nexus One haven’t really improved since we checked in on them last. According to the same Flurry mobile analytics team who estimated 20,000 sales in week one, the Nexus One at least held pace to turn in about 80,000 sales in its first month.

As compared to first month sales of the iPhone (about 600,000) and the Droid (about 525,000), sales of the Nexus One do appear to be moving along rather slowly. A lot of factors probably contribute to the relatively low numbers, key among them the lack of traditional marketing expenditure (as compared to, say, the $100 million ad campaign for the Droid) and Google’s direct-to-consumer sales approach, which, although innovative, is simply not something the typical mobile consumer is used to.

Add to that its support for 3G on T-Mobile only, reports of support problems for the device, plus reports of 3G issues — although the latter has reportedly been addressed in the latest software update.

On the other hand, we know the Nexus One won’t be the only horse Google will be backing in its bid to upend business as usual in the mobile marketplace. Motorola is already working on another direct-to-consumer device with the search giant, and the Android operating itself is starting to see impressive growth overall. So it’s not all bad news, but we can’t help but wonder how Nexus One sales compare to Google’s hopes for the handset.

What do you think: Do these sales numbers surprise you? Did you think the Nexus One would sell faster or perhaps even slower given the obstacles?

Reviews: Android, Google, add, iPhone

Tags: android, droid, flurry analytics, Google, nexus one, sales

Follow Along as Super Bowl Advertisers Fight for Twitter Domination

Posted: 05 Feb 2010 11:58 AM PST

What better to way to watch the convergence of social media and the Super Bowl than to follow the real-time ratings and rankings of advertisers as determined by your tweets?

BrandBowl2010 — a new Super Bowl advertiser tracking site from Mullen and Radian 6 — offers near real-time analysis for an immediate look at pre-, post- and in-game Twitter reactions to the Super Bowl spots everyone will be watching.

The BrandBowl2010 experience highlights and ranks the 10 brands getting the most Twitter buzz at any given time. Users can roll over individual advertisers to get a high-level view of their Super Bowl performance, including their BrandBowl score (non-negative share of each brand relative to all brands), total number of tweets and net sentiment score.

For an even deeper look at how an advertiser is performing, visitors can click the button next to “nerd alert” to look at charts highlighting tweet content and the fluctuation of tweets over time. So while advertiser tweets and their sentiment scores are actively being measured and dissected in the background, you can sit back and take in the fight for social media attention via the eye-catching and smartly-designed user interface.

It appears that BrandBowl’s advertiser tracking has just begun, but we expect the playing field to heat up come game time, and BrandBowl2010 will be the best place to watch the advertiser mêlée as it goes down live. For Twitter data nerds like myself, BrandBowl2010 is especially exciting because it’s clearly an evolution in how we can track and follow Twitter conversations during the Super Bowl.

Reviews: Twitter

Tags: brandbowl, MARKETING, money, mullen, radian6, software, sports, Super Bowl, twitter

Will the Emmys Ditch Tape Delay?

Posted: 05 Feb 2010 11:39 AM PST

According to Broadcasting & Cable, NBC is planning to broadcast the Emmy Awards live nationwide without tape delay this year, following up on the success of the Golden Globe Awards, whose previous live show garnered the network a ratings jump of 14% in total viewers.

The Golden Globes marked the best ratings NBC had in that time slot (excluding sports) in six years. We’ll have to see how the Emmys fare on August 29.

Social Media and Time Delay

Historically, most award shows have been broadcast to the West Coast and Mountain Time zones on a time delay. While this has slowly started to change for some shows (The Academy Awards has aired live for several years), it has remained a choice for broadcasters who fear decreased viewership if they air before primetime. While most big award shows are now broadcast on Sunday night, in the past, when shows have been broadcast on weekdays, holding them back for primetime just made sense. There’s no use in broadcasting an event if your West Coast audience is still at work (or is trying to eat dinner).

However, this started to change about 15 years ago. When the Internet and World Wide Web became mainstream, the disadvantages of time delay started to become apparent. Viewers in California would often know who won before the preshow starting rolling.

Like sporting events, the live nature of award shows is important — you watch because you don’t know what is going to happen.

Social media has only made the need for live programming even more clear. In the old days, web forums or IM chats or liveblogs could give people the play-by-play, but people had to know where to look. Now, live events immediately take over Twitter and Facebook streams. If you don’t want the surprise to be spoiled, you pretty much have to stay off any social network during the live telecast.

As I opined last week with regard to the Grammy Awards, Twitter is becoming the new water cooler. As we as a culture move to discuss events as they are happening (rather than after they are over), social networking can drive interest to watching award shows live. That same factor could also potentially drive viewers away from watching on a time delay.

Don’t Say Goodbye Just Yet

However, as we reported last week (and as Broadcasting & Cable notes), ratings for the Grammy Awards were up year-over-year, too. In fact, the increase in viewers for the Grammys was a staggering 35%, and this was with a tape delay.

Broadcasting & Cable makes an interesting assessment:

“And just as the Twitterfication of award-winner info can be used as an argument for live telecasts of Oscars and Emmys, it could also be argued that new media is a factor for driving the Grammys as well, as word on the web spreads about must-see performances like singer Pink’s suspended, nearly-naked routine this year.”

This is very true. With or without a time delay, social media has the ability to impact viewership. In my opinion, the big advantage that skipping the time delay brings is that if a Kanye West moment doesn’t happen, you don’t risk those viewers not tuning in based on what they hear online. They might change the channel anyway, but networks can at least combat the “read the Cliff’s Notes, skipped the book” effect that instant communication has afforded us all with regards to award shows.

West Coast readers, would you like to see the Emmys live, without delay? What do you think about how social media impacts live events? Let us know!

(via Business Insider)

Reviews: Facebook, Twitter

Tags: award shows, emmy awards, Emmys, Film, media, tape delay, television, televison

Moms on Facebook Are Savvy to Marketers [STATS]

Posted: 05 Feb 2010 10:47 AM PST

2009 was a big year for social media moms, with brands like Huggies actively targeting this increasingly tech-savvy demographic. Brand outreach to moms via social networking will only increase in 2010, but as an eMarketer study points out, the method of that outreach is of vital importance — especially when using Facebook.

Lisa Finn and Lucid Marketing collected data from moms who are also Facebook users and found that most are neutral about ads that appear on Facebook, but 36% actively disliked Facebook ads.

However, in general, the study shows that moms are more receptive to marketing, as long as it is done in the right way. The survey showed that most moms use the social networking site to communicate with family and friends, but three-fourths of the respondents were Facebook fans of at least one brand. Even more interesting, perhaps, is the statistic that 16% of the respondents were fans of more than 10 companies or brands.

The most popular type of brand outreach for moms on Facebook? Coupons and pages with kid-oriented themes.

Here’s an excerpt from eMarketer’s blog post:

“Facebook is fertile ground for marketers to engage mothers and drive sales, but it needs to be done on their terms,” said Kevin Burke, president of lucid marketing, in a statement. “They have no time for brands that don’t ‘get it,’ but they do embrace brands that play by their rules.”

So what are the rules when marketing to moms on Facebook? This is what the survey recommends:

- Be respectful of their time
- Make it easy to share stuff like coupons
- Be straightforward
- Exclusive and special offers are a big pull

Are you a mom who uses Facebook? Tell us what you think of Facebook marketing in the comments!

Reviews: Facebook

Tags: facebook, facebook marketing, MARKETING, Moms, money

Exclusive: Urbanspoon Launches for Android

Posted: 05 Feb 2010 10:03 AM PST

Urbanspoon, one of the iPhone’s most popular apps for food and travel, finally has an Android version.

Urbanspoon for Android, now available for Nexus One and Droid phones, provides the same awesome functionality that you’ve likely come to expect from its iPhone version. For those unfamiliar with the iPhone app, Urbanspoon allows you to find and choose nearby restaurants and reviews by simply shaking your phone.

The Android version does the same thing, but includes a different interface with a few extra features. At its core, it provides localized restaurant suggestions and reviews based on price, location, and culinary style. Shake your Android phone and a suggestion for a restaurant appears. At the bottom of your screen will not only be the restaurant that Urbanspoon has chosen, but restaurant location, a phone number, and the rating the destination has received from Urbanspoon users.

Search has also been made very prominent. As you can see from the top of the screenshot above, you can quickly access text or voice search to find the restaurant or style of your choice. The Android app also comes with other options, such as browsing restaurant listing or changing your location in case you want to check on food locations in another city.

After playing around with it for a while now, I have to say that this app is near the same quality as the iPhone app. They didn’t simply port the app, but added onto it with Android-specific features. They utilized the extra screen space quite nicely.

In a phone conversation I had with Urbanspoon founder Ethan Lowry, I learned that the team was waiting until the Android platform caught up with the iPhone OS in terms of functionality and critical mass before creating an Android version of the app.

He loves how “blazingly fast” it is, which gives the Urbanspoon team more control over the animation of the app. He’s also excited over the potential of the Google Voice search (we geeked out for a while about the future of voice search). He also said the big challenge is the diversity of handsets — display sizes and speeds differ from phone to phone.

Are you an Urbanspoon user? Then please, let us know what you think of the iPhone or Android apps in the comments.

Reviews: Android, Google Voice

Tags: android, Android App, Food, iac, iphone, UrbanSpoon

Check Out Hot Chip Live on MySpace Tonight [VIDEO]

Posted: 05 Feb 2010 10:01 AM PST

Want to catch a show tonight — without having to deal with the giant who inevitably steps in front of you the minute the band takes the stage? Well, tonight at 8 p.m. EST/5 p.m. PST, you can watch the UK eletcro-pop band Hot Chip via Livestream on MySpace.

The physical show, which is taking place at New York City’s Highline Ballroom, is in celebration of the band’s fourth album, One Life Stand, a thoroughly fun disc in the tradition of Brit pop oddballs XTC and Magnetic Fields-esque whimsy. The album is getting some pretty flatline reviews, it seems, with NME saying dejectedly: “Waiting for Hot Chip to make that classic album is a bit like waiting for an alcoholic parent to arrive at your birthday party. There's a kind of unconditional love that'll keep you hoping every time one comes around, but there may be a point where you have to accept that it's just never going to happen.”

Haters aside, if you’re down for some tunes with an interactive twist (and you really don’t want to change out of your sweats), you can always tune into this stream (embedded below) and have a dance party all by your lonesome.

Livestreams of music and entertainment events are becoming more and more ubiquitous as of late, with YouTube streaming U2’s concert and San Francisco’s Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival, and MySpace’s own record-breaking livestream of the Twilight New Moon Red Carpet Premiere (which brought in 3 million viewers). MySpace will also be streaming Disney's upcoming Alice in Wonderland fan event on February 19, which will feature cast appearances, performances by soundtrack artists and a sneak peek at film footage.

The social networking site has been hip to livestreams since early 2008, when it streamed Operation MySpace live from Kuwait. Still, although the site has been launching streams fairly regularly since mid-2009, tonight’s show marks the first time MySpace has streamed a Secret Show live in more than one territory ( U.S. and UK). Secret Shows usually take place in smaller venues and have a limited audience (tonight’s show is invite-only and first come, first served), so the livestream allows for fans who would otherwise be unable to catch the gig to enjoy the show as well.

As more and more events get the livestream treatment, it’s nice to see a smaller band make the cut. Granted, Hot Chip has been around for more than five years now and have a pretty big following, but they hardly have the name recognition of, say, U2. Do you plan to tune in tonight? Let us know in the comments.

Reviews: MySpace, YouTube

Tags: hot chip, live video, livestream, music, myspace

For Sale: Designer Google Fashion

Posted: 05 Feb 2010 09:41 AM PST

Is Google the fashion industry’s muse du jour? Perhaps, as the search giant has just put up three high-end, Google-inspired pieces — created by designers as part of the Vogue/Council of Fashion Designers of America Fashion Fund — for sale in the Google Store.

The designer Google duds now up for sale — prices start at $85 for a tee with a giant Google Maps map point — are the physical manifestations of designs submitted in the Fashion Fund challenge. Each designer was challenged to incorporate Google’s “logo colors, technology or commitment to equal access to information.”

The three items up now on sale for limited purchase are the following:

Peace “Vintage” Inspired T Shirt by Gary Graham
Price: $85
Description: “This 100% cotton, hand silk-screened tee shirt takes its inspiration from the Google map point and search results graphics. Gary has reinterpreted the map point — a point of destination — as a global symbol for where we are and where we’re going by enlarging the map point, making it look "worn" away, and placing it over a backdrop of search results for the word 'Peace.' The distressed, vintage-looking tee shirts were hand silk-screened by Devil's Rainbow in Providence, Rhode Island.”

Oversize Knit Scarf in Google colors by Ohne Titel
Price: $300
Description: “For the CFDA/Vogue Google challenge, Alexa Adams and Flora Gill designed an oversize, multi-yarn, intarsia hand-knit scarf incorporating silk bias trim with wool and nylon yarn. Inspired by Google’s multi-functionality and diversity, the scarf features Google’s signature colors and is designed to be worn in several ways.”

Old-fashioned Magnifying Glass Pendant by Waris
Price: $200.00
Description: “‘Search,’ says designer Waris Ahulwalia, ‘is at the heart of everything Google does.’ His old-fashioned magnifying glass pendant was inspired by that statement. Symbolizing a "Googol" — the digit "1" followed by 100 zeros — the chain has one hundred small round links and the digit "1" dangling at the end. Waris worked with craftsmen in New York to create this piece. The glass lenses were hand cut in Brooklyn and the sterling silver casing made on the isle of Manhattan.”

Reviews: Google, Google Maps

Tags: fashion, fashion designers, Google

Hachette Joins Macmillan in E-Book War Against Amazon

Posted: 05 Feb 2010 09:12 AM PST

The Wall Street Journal reports that French publisher Hachette Book Group has sent letters to book agents letting them know that it is going the way of Macmillan and defying Amazon’s pricing scheme for e-books on the Kindle reader.

Amazon has tried to keep new digital books at $9.99 or less, but publishers are concerned that the price will undercut hardcover sales. Major hardcover releases often go for as much as three or four times that much.

Publisher Macmillan previously announced that it wanted to bump prices of its digital books closer to $15, and Amazon responded by pulling the publisher’s books off its online store shelves. Amazon eventually agreed to capitulate, though; it will offer Macmillan books at higher prices. Still, this agreement has yet to come to fruition.

Hachette books — which include The Lovely Bones and titles by authors like Stephen Colbert and Emily Dickinson — are still available in the Kindle store at Amazon’s preferred prices, and Amazon hasn’t responded publicly to Hachette’s newly stated intentions. We don’t expect that there will be a sales freeze in this case, though.

News Corp. bigwig Rupert Murdoch has said that his publisher HarperCollins — which News Corp. owns — is also dissatisfied with Amazon’s restrictions on pricing, and that its newly struck deal with Apple for the iPad allows greater flexibility. It looks like the iPad’s entry to the market could force Amazon to budge more than Macmillan already has; we’ll probably all be paying more for our e-books soon.

Tags: amazon, apple, hachette, ipad, Kindle, Macmillan

The Future Journalist: Thoughts from Two Generations

Posted: 05 Feb 2010 08:47 AM PST

Sree Sreenivasan is a professor and Dean of Student Affairs at Columbia Journalism School and contributing editor at DNAinfo.com.

Ask a journalist about the state of the media and the answer you get may range from dire predictions about journalism’s imminent demise to cautious optimism. The doomsayers point to falling newspaper circulation, fragmenting TV audiences and the 18,000+ jobs lost in 2009. Sites like PaperCuts, which painstakingly tracked those job losses (and has already noted 815 losses for January of 2010), and Twitter feeds like TheMediaIsDying, help reinforce the notion that the American media is, well, dying.

For the optimists, this is an exciting time of great opportunities, with more media being created and consumed than ever before. Here’s part of what Joshua Micah Marshall, creator of Talking Points Memo, told the graduating class at Columbia Journalism School last year:

It's the people who are entering the profession right now that are going to create the editorial models, the publishing models, the business models, that define journalism in the 21st century.
And that is something that's exciting, it's a challenge, which, in my mind, totally outweighs the bumps in the road, the instabilities, and the lack of security that journalists face today that maybe they didn't 20 years ago.

Of course, no one knows for sure exactly where we are headed, but this seems like a time when preparing to deal with the changes ahead would be a good idea.

And that’s what Mashable did earlier this week with its fourth Mashable NextUp NYC, as part of Social Media Week. Held at the 92YTribeca — the hip, downtown version of the venerable 92nd Street Y of the Upper East Side (“free Wi-Fi” announces a chalkboard at the door) — the event attempted to look at the changing media landscape and the evolving role of journalists in it. When Mashable’s Adam Hirsch asked former contributor (and my student at Columbia J-school) Vadim Lavrusik to do a public conversation with me on the topic, we decided to bill it as “The Future Journalist: Thoughts from Two Generations.”

The Tra-digital Journalist

Once upon a time, I used to be a young, fresh-faced journalist of the future, so it horrifies me that I’ve turned into the voice of an older generation. But Vadim is an example of what it will take to succeed in the future: a balance between the traditional values and skills of journalism, and the digital skills and mindset that are so critical these days. My colleague, Sig Gissler, administrator of the Pulitzer Prizes, coined the term “tra-digital journalist” and it describes Vadim and so many other young journalists today (be sure to read his Mashable post on 8 Must-Have Traits for Tomorrow’s Journalist, which served as a backbone for our discussion).

The concept of the tra-digital journalist is among the many ideas we discussed and we’ve put together our slides below and also have a Twitcam live-streamed video of the conversation.

Here are some of the other key concepts that we discussed:

The Fundamentals Are Critical

Despite the importance of technology, it’s the fundamentals of journalism that are still critical. The fundamentals include: great reporting and writing, journalistic ethics, specialization by topic or beat, investigative skills, news judgment. Also invaluable, critical thinking and critical reading — too many journalists don’t pay attention to either.

The Future Journalist Is…

We identified specific digitally-oriented skills and traits a future journalist would need. These include being:

a multimedia storyteller: using the right digital skills and tools for the right story at the right time.
a community builder: facilitating conversation among various audiences, being a community manager.
a trusted pointer: finding and sharing great content, within a beat(s) or topic area(s); being trusted by others to filter out the noise.
a blogger and curator: has a personal voice, is curator of quality web content and participant in the link economy.
able to work collaboratively: knowing how to harness the work of a range of people around him/her — colleagues in the newsroom; experts in the field; trusted citizen journalists; segments of the audience, and more.

Business Items

We discussed some business-ish skills and traits that are going to be useful.

an entrepreneurial spirit: having an experimental open-mindedness, being an innovator.
being entrepreneurial within an existing company: you don’t have to be at a startup to be entrepreneurial; there might be a lot you can do within some large corporations.
business savvy: understands the business of his/her industry; understand value of content; understand new media business models
knows & embraces metrics: understands the value and danger of metrics; studies today’s major metrics tools, Google Analytics, Omniture, Nielsen, Bit.ly, etc
thinks “Career Management,” Not “Next Job”: understands value of thinking long-term; thinks strategically about career choices; keeps re-tooling

Be a Permanent Learner

Most journalists don’t appreciate how much better they’d be at their jobs if they were constantly learning new ideas and skills. Such a learner’s media diet may include:

Mashable
PaidContent.org
ReadWriteWeb
Lifehacker
Poynter, Mediabistro blogs, Mediaite, CJR, etc
[what would you add?]

Being on deadline or in crisis mode is not the time to try and figure out new technology. When the plane lands in the Hudson, it’s too late to figure out Twitter. When your company starts layoffs, it’s too late to figure out LinkedIn. Start carving out time to learn new concepts and tools.

Social Media

Wouldn’t be Mashable if we didn’t talk about social media. Using the syllabus of my Social Media Skills for Journalists course (developed with adjunct professor Adam Glenn), we outlined what social media can do for journalists:

find new story ideas, trends and sources
connect with audience(s)
bring attention and traffic
help them create, craft and enhance their personal brands — this point is absolutely essential for journalists to grasp. Once upon a time your work spoke for itself. Nowadays, there’s too much competing for everyone’s attention and you have to make sure you get your work out there and get it noticed.

Smart journalists understand that social media is for listening, not just broadcasting or sharing what’s on your mind.

Mashable’s Convening Power

As with most events these days, I learned much from the audience Q&A and the networking sessions before and after the talk. My boss, Nicholas Lemann, Columbia J-school Dean and New Yorker contributor, often talks about the convening power of a place like our school: the ability to bring together influential people to have important conversations. I saw up close for the first time Mashable’s in-person convening power, having experienced its online convening power for a long time now. Attendees included a cross-section of folks doing some of the most interesting work in media today. And, as you will hear in the video, many people in the room knew more about the topic that I did, including Edelman’s Steve Rubel and members of the Mashable editorial team (who, in some ways, are living prototypes of tomorrow’s journalists).

The Folly of Predicting the Future

As we say in the slides, the social media scene today is where radio was in 1912, where TV was in 1950, where the web was in 1996. A lot of wonderful opportunities and terrible mistakes lie ahead of us. Predicting the future of journalism at any of those points would have resulted in a lot of wrong predictions back then. While we are sure many of our predictions are going to be wrong in specifics, we have the chutzpah to presume they are right directionally. We welcome your feedback and input.

Connect with Vadim Lavrusik on Twitter (@lavrusik) and via his blog, Lavrusik.com and his new project covering startups in New York City, NYC3.0.

Connect with Sree Sreenivasan on Twitter (@sreenet) and via his Facebook tech tips page, Facebook.com/SreeTips. His columns about the media and technology run in DNAinfo.com, a Manhattan news site he helped put together with Ameritrade founder Joe Ricketts (whose family just bought the Cubs and Wrigley Field). The syllabus and notes for his Social Media Skills for Journalists course is at bit.ly/socmediaskills and his workshops collection is at bit.ly/workshops. On Friday, Feb. 5, 2010, he is hosting two free webcasts, Basic Twitter for Journalists and Advanced Twitter for Journalists, one of them featuring Mashable founder Peter Cashmore. Details and archive at bit.ly/columbiajtw2.

Image courtesy of 92YTribeca in New York City

Reviews: Facebook, Google Analytics, Lifehacker, LinkedIn, Mashable, Twitcam, Twitter

Tags: journalism, Journalist, media, nextup-nyc, social media week

MashBash SXSWi 2010: 2,000+ RSVPs & Last Chance to Win a Free Conference Badge!

Posted: 05 Feb 2010 07:12 AM PST

More than 2,000 people have RSVPed for MashBash SXSWi 2010, our second annual official SXSWi event, taking place on Sunday, March 14, at Buffalo Billiards in Austin, Texas.

If you don’t have your SXSWi ticket yet, this is your last chance to enter our giveaway to win two full SXSWi conference badges and access to the MashBash VIP List via a sweepstakes on Facebook! Check out the contest here and enter to win before tonight at 11:59 p.m. ET.

Join Mashable’s Pete Cashmore, Adam Ostrow, Josh Catone, Barb Dybwad, Brett Petersel and myself, along with our sponsors Cliqset and Sony Electronics and 1,600+ SXSWi attendees for a night of music and networking. In addition, there will be a three-hour open bar, strong Wi-Fi, a game room and plenty of surprises!

Don't forget to RSVP to let us and the other attendees know you are coming at our Eventbrite page. Starting next week we will be selecting winners at random from the Eventbrite RSVP list to get special VIP Access to the event.

More MashBash SXSWi news, updates and excitement to come!

The Contest

Apply: Facebook Contest powered by WildFire
Prizes: Two winners will each receive one SXSWi Conference Badge and VIP Admission to the MashBash SXSWi 2010 event
Rules: 18+, U.S. Only (see application for full rules)
Thanks to: Special thanks to SXSW team for the 2 SXSWi Conference Badges

Details

Date: Sunday, March 14, 2010
Time: 10:00 p.m. – 1:00 a.m.
Location: Buffalo Billiards, 201 6th Street, Austin, TX
Admission: Open to SXSWi attendees
RSVP for Chance to Win VIP Access to MashBash SXSWi 2010: sxswi.eventbrite.com
Socialize: Facebook

Many thanks to our sponsors:

“Sony Electronics has created high-quality, innovative and stylish products for over 40 years. Thanks to Mashable, Sony's new MP4 bloggie™ camera will make its SXSWi debut. Capturing everyday moments in 1080p HD MP4 video and 5-megapixel photos, the compact device has advanced features like Face Detection and SteadyShot™, a large LCD screen, a built-in USB for uploading and charging, integrated software for easy Web sharing, and allows for expandable storage with Memory Stick PRO Duo™ or SD media cards. The bloggie camera is one of many products just launched under Sony's new global brand message – make.believe. Believe that anything you can imagine, you can make real. For more information go to www.sony.com/bloggie.”

“Cliqset makes it easy for people to share, discover, and discuss content from everywhere on the Web. Cliqset helps you filter through the activity, like status updates, reviews, blog posts, videos, articles, music and pretty much everything that's online, and consume the social stream the way you want to. To connect with Cliqset, visit us at www.cliqset.com.”

Reviews: Facebook, Mashable

Tags: contest, MashBash, sweepstakes, sxsw, sxswi

Smartphones Are Selling Like Crazy

Posted: 05 Feb 2010 05:46 AM PST

According to market research firm IDC, vendors shipped 54.5 million smartphone devices in the fourth quarter of 2009, an increase of 39% compared to the same period in 2008.

A lot of this growth can be attributed to Apple and its iPhone, which has grown from 9.1% market share in 2008 to 14.4% in 2009, shipping 8.7 million units in the fourth quarter of 2009. Although some reports claim Apple’s smartphone market share has dropped compared to the third quarter of 2009, Apple can still be satisfied with its impressive overall growth.

BlackBerry manufacturer RIM lately hasn’t been getting as much press as some other manufacturers, but it’s also doing very well, with its market share rising from 15.6% to 19.8% in 2009. Besides RIM, Apple and Nokia (which still holds the first spot in the smartphone market, slightly dropping from 40.0% in 2008 to 38.9% in 2009), the other two names in the top five list are HTC and Samsung with 4.6% and 3.3% market share, respectively. However, this list might get rearranged soon, as Motorola has had significant success with its Droid, shipping 2.5 million smartphones in the fourth quarter of 2009, compared to just 1.6 million in the same period in 2008.

[img credit: IDC]

Tags: idc, Mobile 2.0, smartphones

YugaTech

2010-02-05T21:10:00.001-08:00

YugaTech

Canon EOS 7D First Impressions

Posted: 05 Feb 2010 01:03 AM PST

Been eyeing this dSLR for some time now since it was launched last September 2009. During the annual PhotoWorld Asia last week-end, was able to check out both the 5D Mark II and the EOS 7D and decided to go for the latter. Here are my first impressions.

The Canon EOS 7D is not any bigger or heavier than my old trusty 40D, aside from the re-orientation of the controls and buttons. All the goodness is found inside.

18-megapixel CMOS sensor with dual (2) DIGIC 4 image processors
8 frames per second continuous shooting
1080p (1920×1080) Full HD video recording
19 focus points
ISO 12800!

This camera is shoots real fast and focuses quickly too. My Canon 40D shoots ~~3fps~~ 6.5fps and this one can do 8fps. That coupled with 1080p video recording and I’m sold. The 7D is a close contender to the 5D Mark II — it’s a debatable issue on which one is better but I think it depends on where you are coming from.

For me, since I got a couple of precious EF-S lenses that I already use and don’t want to let go, the EOS 7D was a sure winner. The 19 points of focus is pretty cool and allows you some creative focusing of subjects that can’t be done with most other models.

And that doesn’t even count the fact that the 7D (body only) costs Php85,000 compared to the 5D Mark II at Php129,000.

Hopefully, from now on, I can do some HD video footages for my reviews and coverage here. Watch out for my review perspective of the Canon EOS 7D soon.

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Canon 7D leaked, EOS 6D skipped? Photos and specs of the upcoming Canon EOS 7D has...
Canon EOS Rebel T1i takes Full HD Videos Now this is going to disappoint those who bought the...

Techronnati Update

2010-02-05T09:21:00.001-08:00

Techronnati Update

I Love Sony VAIO CW!!!

Posted: 30 Jan 2010 09:01 AM PST

What a great blessing this 2010 !

I couldn’t help but blog about this. This Sony VAIO am using right now is my new baby! What can i ask for? Imagine for $749.99 or roughly around P35,249.53.00 (i.e. $749.99* P47 conversion as of this writing) you can actually own an Intel-based Core i3-330M Processor combined with all smart features of a genuine LAPTOP (am using it here in MANILA).

I must admit, it took me sometime to sit down, ponder my current needs and eventually realize that i needed to buy a new one. With my busy schedule as a student, full-time IT professional by day, part time blogger & CEO of my own business for a sideline it’s rational to think that i can be highly selective when choosing an alternative laptop. My almost 4-yr old Toshiba M100 Sunlight Laptop is losing its shine already having the machine used for almost 24×7 in my daily operations. I know it needed some break and hence this decision. Cashing out around P69,999.00 (tax included) at Octagon Megamall Manila was really a cry for my pocket during that time but i realized it was still one great investment after all because of my unequivocal urgent need plus am still using it until now.

Actually I’ve been eyeing for Sony VAIO Laptop for like a year already… much like when they started to release their notebook VAIO product lines. At first instance, I got a huge crush on this Sony Black VAIO Z series because of it’s powerful and business-centric features. But my heart jumped off because of the price tags here in MANILA. The exquisite design for such series is pricing for around P130,000 bucks. Check out www.sony.com.ph. I can’t barely imagine! But later on as i did my further research and successive hands on trial/ demo use at VAIO Store in SM Megamall, and to the other Sony outlets, considering my budget constraints/need, i decided to shift my gear to Sony VAIO CW Series instead only to find out it’s actually cheaper to buy such models in the US than here in Manila. Check out www.sonystyle.com for comparison. They have US-based pricing schemes. The good thing was, i was able to find a good contact c/o my sister and got the item Sony VAIO CW purchased at bestbuy.com. I don’t have much credit left in my credit card hence i decided to buy some dollars in the local bank then handed them over to my sister’s friend who happen to be going to the US as well. Talking about social networking???? Yipee…. .

I’ve had this computer for like about a week already, and I am really loving it! Though i mostly prefer black in all my gadgets, this Sony VAIO CW i bought looks great with the color Icy white, very neat! It makes me feel like I am using a Mac Pro much like now that I have installed a Clown Fish Wallpaper, lol! This I3 Core processor is much faster than my Core 2 Duo Toshiba I’ve mentioned, and there is an ample memory left for other programs to run smoothly . 4GB is heaven! LED display is crystal clear and looks sharp and exquisite when video is output to HDTV via HDMI. The HDMI feature requires no setting up: just plug in the cable to the laptop and the television, and it’s all set. The touchpad mouse has multi-touch zooming capability as well which i think is cool. Windows 7 is a difference maker but would have preferred if this is Windows 7 Professional instead of Windows Home Premium installed. But hey, it’s totally fine as i could get it upgraded anytime i want for $89. Windows 7 is amazing, performance is great, screen size + resolution looks great, keyboard has a sleek design and comfortable, mouse pad is very responsive. The keyboard is very “Mac-ish” in style which i like. I also notice this little “click” with each button pressed, an albeit quiet noise that some may not like especially some teens but that’s totally irrelevant….i wonder if i buy a black keyboard skin this time to see what’s the effect. The battery life appears better than the average, though I just wish that it had a Blu-Ray player which maybe a nice complement for $750. And one more thing i noticed is that even if I keep this laptop running for the whole day (say 8-10 hours – i am leaving this at home when am working), it still doesn’t make a huge noise and it doesn’t heat up very quick unlike my old Toshiba which requires you to get a cooling pad to suppress the heat inside. Looks amazing, sleek design and performs better then most upscale computers.

Sony VAIO CW Product Features : Model: VPCCW21FX/W | SKU: 9705355

Intel® Core™ i3-330M processor
Features a 3MB L2 cache and 2.1GHz processor speed.
The all new 2010 Intel® Core™ i3 processor
Features smart 4-way processing performance for HD quality computing.
4GB DDR3 memory
For multitasking power, expandable to 8GB.
Multiformat DVD±RW/CD-RW drive with double-layer support
Records up to 8.5GB of data or 4 hours of video using compatible DVD+R DL and DVD-R DL media. Also supports DVD-RAM.
14″ LED-backlit widescreen display
With 1366 x 768 resolution showcases movies and games in stunning clarity.
500GB Serial ATA hard drive (5400 rpm)
Offers spacious storage and fast read/write times.
NVIDIA GeForce 310M GPU
With 256MB dedicated graphics memory and 2007MB total available graphics memory. HDMI output for connection to an HDTV. Intel® High Definition Audio support.
See the benefits of an NVIDIA graphics processor in your laptop.
Built-in MOTION EYE webcam
With microphone and face-tracking technology makes it easy to chat with and send video mail to family and friends.
Multiformat media reader
Supports Memory Stick PRO and Memory Stick PRO Duo formats with MagicGate functionality. Also includes a Secure Digital card slot.
i.LINK (IEEE 1394) port and 3 high-speed USB 2.0 ports
For digital data transfer and mobile digital imaging capabilities.
Built-in wireless LAN (802.11b/g/n)
To wirelessly connect to the Internet.
Built-in A2DP Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR (Enhanced Data Rate) interface
For linking with other Bluetooth-enabled devices, such as a mobile phone or MP3 player.
Built-in 10Base-T/100Base-TX/1000Base-T Fast Ethernet LAN
With RJ-45 connector for a quick and easy wired Web connection.
Weighs 5.3 lbs. and measures 1.5″ thin
For easy portability.
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium Edition 64-bit operating system preinstalled
Provides a stable platform for word processing, Web navigation, gaming, media storage and more.
Software package included
With Sony Creativity Suite, Microsoft Works SE 9.0 and more. 60-day trial version of Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007 also included.
ENERGY STAR qualified
Designed to use less energy and meets strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Energy.
Intel, Pentium, Celeron, Centrino, Core, Viiv, Intel Inside and the Intel Inside logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries.

Overall this computer has been perfect for what I need. I can run numerous programs and even play music and movie all at the same time, with no performance problems. I will agree that maybe it is a lil too many extra unnecessary programs on here, but the computer is wonderful!! Great investment for any “computer needing” person.” It is incredibly fast, even when I’m multi tasking. It streams video without any choppiness. All in all this is an excellent buy for the money and for anyone who’s looking for an above par experience I highly recommend this laptop. In my opinion, if you want a solid running lappy, that looks like a Mac, that blows the price versus options of a Mac outta the water, go with this or any of Sonys VAIO Product lines. I Highly recommended them.

***For more inquiries and possible orders of any Sony VAIOs (MANILA Users only),we can get better pricing deals. Just contact me for more details.

Mashable: Latest 25 News Updates - including “Number of Tweets Gone Wild for Some Users”

2010-02-05T05:25:00.001-08:00

Mashable: Latest 25 News Updates - including “Number of Tweets Gone Wild for Some Users”

Number of Tweets Gone Wild for Some Users
How the Nexus One Was Created [VIDEO]
Astronaut Tweets Beautiful Earth Images From Space
Siri Assistant Turns Your iPhone into a Personal Assistant
Apple to Developers: No Location-Based Ads for You
Facebook Passes the 400 Million User Mark
Congress Asks NBC Why Hulu Blocked Boxee
Seesmic for Android Adds Multiple Account Support
Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Models + Live Video = One Sexy Stream
Facebook’s Major Redesign Emphasizes Search and So Much More
The Amazon vs. Macmillan War Isn’t Over Yet
The Simpsons Couch Gag: There’s an App for That
Google Street View to Add Store Interiors? [RUMOR]
How Social Media Helps One Small Business Connect with Fans
WordPress 1.0 Now Available in BlackBerry’s App Store
Facebook Profile For Holocaust Victim Brings History to Life
Apple’s iPad: Will it Improve the Web?
Beach Webcam Helps Save Tourist’s Life
5 Real Challenges For Non-Profit Texting Campaigns
How Social Media Is Changing the Super Bowl
Elmo Has an iPhone (and an iPhone App)
Sneak Peek: Monster’s Super Bowl Social Media Blitz
Vanity Fair Launches iPhone App for Oscars Predictions
Sirius XM Radio Now Broadcasts to Your BlackBerry
iPhone Apps Get Web Previews
AT&T Finally Lets You Use SlingPlayer with Your iPhone Over 3G

Number of Tweets Gone Wild for Some Users

Posted: 05 Feb 2010 03:12 AM PST

Twitter seems to be experiencing some problems again, as some users report their number of tweets is off the charts, usually up to tens of thousands although the real number is much lower.

We’ve emailed Twitter and asked them what’s happening. It seems that besides the unusually high number of tweets for certain users, everything else is normal, so there’s no reason to panic just yet.

Tags: social media, tweets, twitter

How the Nexus One Was Created [VIDEO]

Posted: 05 Feb 2010 01:03 AM PST

Google has launched a series of videos on its official Nexus One YouTube channel, documenting various details on how one of the world’s best Android phones was created.

The videos are being gradually rolled out; two are already live, and the other three will appear in the next three days. Other than soothing music, cool animations and 3D models, they do contain some interesting information. For example, the folks at Engadget and Android Central noticed there’s a car dock there, and another dock with an integrated spare battery charger, which aren’t yet available in stores. Check out the first video in the series below.

Tags: Google, Mobile 2.0, nexus one

Astronaut Tweets Beautiful Earth Images From Space

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 10:02 PM PST

One of the astronauts currently in residence on the International Space Station is using Twitpic to send some spectacular imagery of our home planet back down to us Earthlings (that’s Mt. Kilimanjaro as seen from space at right).

It’s the next logical step now that the first real-time tweet from space milestone has been passed. Flight engineer Soichi Noguchi is now sending back images via his Twitpic account as the ISS orbits the Earth.

Check out a selection of some of the pics below, and you can find more at Astro_Soichi’s Twitpic. Astronaut Jose Hernandez, who flew on the Shuttle Discovery mission STS-128, has also posted some imagery from his mission to Twitpic as well.

Twitpics From Space

Mount Fuji, Japan. 3,776m. The highest mountain in Japan.

Port-Au-Prince, as of Feb 3. Three weeks after the earthquake.

Maldives Islands, Indian Ocean.

[via io9]

Tags: astronaut, Earth, NASA, social media, space, twitpic, twitter

Siri Assistant Turns Your iPhone into a Personal Assistant

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 09:02 PM PST

At the beginning of the week, Dag Kittlaus wrote a post for Mashable about the birth of the virtual assistant. Today, Dag’s company, Siri, is releasing its iPhone app, Siri Assistant. Siri helps people get things done, by combining intelligent voice recognition with hooks into tons of different web services, making it easy for people to use their mobile devices to get things done.

When I talked to Dag a few weeks ago, he gave me a demo of what Siri Assistant is and what it does. The concept is pretty powerful: talk to your phone and let it find and make plans for you. So instead of going directly to a website and doing a traditional search for movie tickets at a certain time, I can just say “Get me movie tickets for Shutter *Island around 9 pm” and options for theaters near me (or theaters that I have previously indicated are my favorites) will show up and I can then purchase tickets directly from my phone.

Check out this screencast to see more of what Siri Assistant can do:

Siri was born from SRI’s CALO Project. The CALO Project (or Cognitive Assistant that Learns and Organizes) is the largest Artificial Intelligence project in US History. DARPA invested $150 million into CALO over the course of 5 years. What was learned from CALO has been implemented into Siri.

Using natural language understanding (think the Dragon Search and Dragon Dictation apps for the iPhone) to connect with existing services and APIs and traditional search components, Siri can become very adept at helping people get things done.

Siri has more than 30 different partners whose APIs the app can plug into when answering a request. These include services like OpenTable, MovieTickets.com, Eventful, StubHub, Taxi Magic, Rotten Tomatos, Bing, Google Maps, and Yelp. This list of partners will continue to expand over time.

What I was particularly impressed with is that if you have existing accounts with these services, you can log in to them and have Siri remember those credentials — so you can get your OpenTable points or use your MovieWatcher card. Siri will also offer up results from Bing if it can’t find something with one of its partners, so you aren’t just limited to the services that are integrated at the API level with Siri.

When I think about the best use cases for something like Siri, I think about when unexpected things come up — say you need to book a flight to a different city and also get a hotel room and taxi — and time is of the essence. It’s much easier and faster to say what you need than to have to go through the manual search mechanisms.

Siri gets better the more you use it, can adapt to the places you frequent, and can use technologies like geolocation to find better results. You can correct it with text input if the voice recognition isn’t right and also use traditional text input to get results.

Siri Assistant is free and available right now in the App Store. It’s an amazing first glimpse of a Jetsonian type of future. Now all I need is my jetpack and my robotic maid!

What do you think about the advancements in voice recognition and how they are changing how we can get things done? Let us know!

Reviews: Bing, Eventful, Google Maps, Yelp

Tags: iphone app, siri, siri assistant, voice recognition

Apple to Developers: No Location-Based Ads for You

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 07:54 PM PST

Apple has posted a note to iPhone developers that sounds suspiciously like a warning against including location-based advertising in a mobile app.

The specific text reads: “If you build your application with features based on a user’s location, make sure these features provide beneficial information. If your app uses location-based information primarily to enable mobile advertisers to deliver targeted ads based on a user’s location, your app will be returned to you by the App Store Review Team for modification before it can be posted to the App Store.”

Developers began noticing the “App Store Tip” and suggesting the underlying message is that Apple wants to reserve location-based ads for themselves to either utilize or control. Other outlets picked it up, largely agreeing with that analysis.

We do know Apple acquired mobile ad network Quattro Wireless, ostensibly to make a concerted push in this space, which stands to become extremely hot over the next few years. We don’t yet know what their exact plans are, but this developer-facing post certainly seems to hint at Apple’s intent to heavily mediate how location-based advertising will be handled on apps for the iPhone. For now, developers should brace themselves for rejection if a submitted app contains a hook that “primarily” enables local ads.

What do you think: is the developer tip an early warning sign about Apple’s own mobile advertising foray, or is there an alternative explanation for alerting developers about local ads?

[via ReadWriteWeb and Gizmodo]

Tags: -local, advertising, apple, iphone, iphone apps, location, location based advertising, Mobile 2.0

Facebook Passes the 400 Million User Mark

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 06:22 PM PST

Facebook is celebrating its 6th birthday in style, with yet another traffic milestone: 400 million users served.

Two months ago the social network hit 350 million, and CEO Mark Zuckerberg reminds us that number was less than half of today’s 400 million mark a year ago. It took the site about three months to climb from 300 to 350 million users and only about two months to gain another 50 million, indicating Facebook’s explosive growth is actually still accelerating.

Zuckerberg also mentions some upcoming announcements followed by an all-night Hackathon coding session. We’ll be on the ground at Facebook HQ to cover the upcoming new features, so sit tight for more birthday news on the way.

Reviews: Facebook

Tags: facebook, traffic

Congress Asks NBC Why Hulu Blocked Boxee

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 05:45 PM PST

Boxee and Hulu have had a contentious history, with Hulu several times blocking its content from working with the Boxee social media software. NBC Universal CEO Jeff Zucker once told All Things D he didn’t want Hulu content on Boxee because they were committed to keeping the former “an online experience.”

Today during the Congressional hearing to investigate Comcast’s proposed acquisition of NBCU (you can watch the full length video of the hearing below), Representative Rick Boucher asked Zucker flat out about the company’s exclusion of Boxee users from accessing Hulu content. Zucker’s reponse:

“This was a decision made by the Hulu management to, uh, what Boxee was doing was illegally taking the content that was on Hulu without any business deal. And, you know, all, all the, we have several distributors, actually many distributors of the Hulu content that we have legal distribution deals with so we don't preclude distribution deals. What we preclude are those who illegally take that content.”

In a blog post, Boxee CEO Avner Ronen responds to Zucker’s claims of illegal content access. He explains that the workaround that currently allows Boxee users to watch Hulu shows is to simply use a web browser for access. Just like Firefox or Chrome users can watch Hulu content, so can Boxee users: “We don’t ‘take’ the video. We don’t copy it. We don’t put ads on top of it. The video and the ads play like they do on other browsers or on Hulu Desktop. And it certainly is legal to do so.”

Considering neither Mozilla nor Google (nor Microsoft or other browser makers) have distribution deals with Hulu, it’s hard not to concede that Boxee has a valid point. What do you think: should Congress intervene to prevent a company like Hulu from blocking access to particular web TV companies, be it Boxee or otherwise?

Reviews: Boxee, Chrome, Firefox, Google, Hulu

Tags: boxee, Browsers, congress, hulu, internet tv, nbc universal, software, tv

Seesmic for Android Adds Multiple Account Support

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 04:50 PM PST

Seesmic for Android, one of the platform’s most popular Twitter apps, has just gotten a major upgrade that should become available in the next few minutes in the Android marketplace. Among the biggest new features: managing multiple accounts.

In an email to us, Seesmic CEO Loic Le Meur outlined some of the features of the newly upgraded app, which should become available for all users around 5:00 PM PT. The biggest one, as we said, is the ability to add and manage multiple accounts, something that I have sorely desired on my Nexus One. Just like the Tweetie or TweetDeck apps for iPhone, the Seesmic app allows you to swap accounts and cross-post at the same time.

While multiple accounts is the biggest new addition, it isn’t the only one. Seesmic now remembers your scroll position, loading up new tweets on top of where you left off in your timeline — Tweetie users should be familiar with this feature. If you are not a fan though, it can be turned off.

Other additional features include an extra large font size, automatically updated profile information (a big gripe of mine), auto-correcting your words and sentences, and the ability to change your Twitter password from Seesmic for Android.

I’m installing the build now. In the meantime though, here is Loic talking about the new features:

Reviews: Android, Seesmic, TweetDeck, Twitter, tweetie

Tags: android, seesmic, twitter, twitter app

Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Models + Live Video = One Sexy Stream

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 03:44 PM PST

Starting February 9, 2010, red-blooded males (and females) can get closer than ever before to the Sports Illustrated swimsuit models of their dreams. Sports Illustrated will be using Ustream for several days of interactive model action streamed live to the web.

The web broadcast promotion is part of the Sports Illustrated Group’s SI Swimsuit 24/7 campaign, presented in conjunction with the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. As the models attend events in New York and Las Vegas, SI will use its Ustream channel, Facebook Page and ExtraMustard site to bring the models to fans via live webcasts.

While you can expect a Q&A session with the cover model and red carpet event coverage, we imagine that bikini-clad model close-ups will be at a minimum. Per the schedule we’ve included below, however, you can get a glimpse of models learning trapeze skills and hear what they have to say about their various risque shoots.

February 9th
- 3PM ET (12PM PT): Q&A with the Cover Model
- 6PM ET (3PM PT): Red Carpet Access from SI Swimsuit Launch Party hosted by Provocateur in New York City
February 10th
- 1:20PM ET (10:20 AM PT): 2010 Swimsuit Model Photo Call outside The Mirage Hotel & Casino
- 5:30PM ET (2:30PM PT): Appearance at Garden of the Gods at Caesars Palace Las Vegas Hotel & Casino
- 11:30PM ET (8:30PM PT): 2010 model Anne V gives a tour of SI Swimsuit Salon
February 11th
- 1:30PM ET (10:30AM PT): 2010 model Jessica White reveals her travel essentials
- 6:30PM ET (3:30PM PT): 2010 model Julie Henderson learns trapeze
- 12PM ET (9PM PT): Red Carpet Access from Club SI Swimsuit hosted by Vanity Nightclub in the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas and Backstage Interview with Maroon 5
February 12
- 12PM ET (9AM PT): Models recount their 2010 SI Swimsuit experience

If you can’t handle the anticipation, some video footage from the SI vault should hold you over until next week.

[img credit: SI Vault]

Tags: live video, media, social media, Sports illustrated, ustream

Facebook’s Major Redesign Emphasizes Search and So Much More

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 03:36 PM PST

Update: 80 million users will have the new design live tonight.

Facebook is celebrating its sixth birthday today with a dramatic redesign of the homepage that millions of people see when they log on every day.

We’ve already seen images of this new design in the past, and all the things we said to watch for are included. It places a new emphasis on search and lets you sort through much more information without ever leaving the homepage. You can even send messages without navigating away.

Facebook confirmed to us that the redesign is already rolling out to users. Everyone will get access to the new homepage shortly, and Facebook plans to post an update to its blog announcing the changes later today. In the meantime, the lucky few who have the new homepage are posting pictures on their blogs, Twitter, and elsewhere. The best repository we’ve seen is Matthew Sanders’s Posterous; it’s where we got the images in this post

A More Powerful Homepage

The pics show a much larger and more prominently placed search bar, which is just another example of how Facebook means business with search.

Facebook added real-time search features several months ago, and many of its recent privacy changes were made in the hopes that users would make some of their updates public so others could search for information just like they already do on Twitter and some other networks.

Many of the items (like groups and events) that were kept in the Applications menu in the bottom left have been moved back to the left sidebar on the main page. Rather than taking you to a new page, these now open within the main window where the feed usually appears.

Notably absent are the Friends lists. These may still exist for the purpose of the privacy features for updates and profile info, but we don’t see them as sorting options for the news feed in the images that have come out. Hopefully they’re still running in the background somehow. If you have a lot of friends, the noise can be too much if you don’t break them out into groups.

Easier Messaging

Instant messaging and the e-mail-like message inbox have been moved out of the periphery as well. Not only can you check your inbox from a dropdown menu at the top, you can send messages from there as well — again, all without leaving the front page. Your IM contact list is no longer hidden in a popup menu in the bottom right; it’s now in the left sidebar.

Reviews: Facebook, Twitter

Tags: facebook, Search, trending

The Amazon vs. Macmillan War Isn’t Over Yet

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 03:21 PM PST

We thought that the Amazon vs. Macmillan saga was done last weekend. We were definitely wrong.

Last Friday, Amazon yanked Macmillan books off its digital shelves. The move was a response to Macmillan’s demands for an increase in e-book prices and an agency pricing model where the revenue would be split 70/30. Eventually Amazon surrendered to Macmillan’s demands, stating that it would offer Macmillan books on its terms and let customers decide whether higher e-book prices were reasonable.

Or at least, that’s what Amazon said. You still can’t buy Macmillan books from Amazon, though, and now the book publishing giant has fired back with full-page ads in The New York Times and Publishers Marketplace.

The Ads

The NYT ad is a subtle dig at the world’s largest online retailer. The ad is specifically for The Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawande. As TechFlash notes, Macmillan clearly intended to poke fun at Amazon with the line, “Available at booksellers everywhere except Amazon.”

The second ad is a message to authors and publishers in Publisher’s Marketplace from Macmillan CEO John Sargent. In it, he states that the two companies have been “in constant discussions” since the weekend. He states that Macmillan is intent on changing the business model, but intends to work with Amazon in good faith “to find a way forward.” However, it provides no details about when the standoff may conclude.

You can read the full text on Teleread, but the point is this: The Amazon-Macmillan saga isn’t over, and it doesn’t look like a conclusion’s going to come anytime soon, if these escalations are any indication.

Apple must be loving this.

[img credit: Galleycat]

Tags: amazon, apple, Apple iPad, Apple Tablet, business, Macmillan, money

The Simpsons Couch Gag: There’s an App for That

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 02:36 PM PST

Every episode of The Simpsons begins with the family congregating on the couch in front of the TV, and every episode includes a different gag during the iconic couch sequence. This week, it was an Apple gag: Homer Simpson whipped out his iPhone.

The clip is currently on the front page of YouTube’s Most Viewed section, and we’ve embedded the Hulu video below. This isn’t the first time Apple has shown up in The Simpsons. A little over a year ago, the Simpsons family went to the “Mapple Store,” a place full of “MyPods.” The episode featured a lot of inside tech geek jokes, like a keynote from “Steve Mobs.” Recently, there was an episode dedicated to sending up social media, Twitter, blogging, Facebook and Skype.

This clip is just 30 seconds long, so if you don’t have 20 minutes to revel in the Mapple Store or social media episodes, this is a more manageable bite of tech humor.

Reviews: Facebook, Hulu, Skype, Twitter, YouTube

Tags: apple, iphone, television, the simpsons, tv

Google Street View to Add Store Interiors? [RUMOR]

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 02:17 PM PST

Is Google working on an addition to Google Maps that will take users inside stores? According to a tip received by Search Engine Land, that’s exactly the case, with their source labeling the project “Google Store Views.”

Oh Nuts — a New York nut and candy retailer — e-mailed the blog outlet claiming that someone from Google “came to their store to take pictures for a new Google Maps product,” and that “they took pictures of the inside of the store, every 6 feet, in all directions. They also took pictures of products.”

Oh Nuts accompanied this bit of intel with the photo seen below, which shows a nondescript man with camera equipment photographing the store (as seen by the store’s security cameras).

At the moment we have no way to confirm if the addition of in-store images to Google Street View is a legitimate product in the works (obviously those photos could be staged). We e-mailed Google for comment, and an official representative gave us the same statement that was communicated to Search Engine Land: “We are always experimenting with new features for Google Maps. We have nothing further to announce at this time.”

The non-confirmation is not a denial, which definitely piques our curiosity. Should the intel be legit, we think it would be an interesting experiment and evolution of the current Google Maps Street View functionality.

One thing that does add up is the fact that Google Street View has its origins in New York City (the city was one of five populated with images at launch), which means any additional enhancements to the offering would likely begin in New York as well.

In some ways, being able to virtually browse through a store without having to physically walk in could be a big timesaver, but in other ways it could be conceived as more intrusive than necessary.

While we wait to see what comes of this rumored new product, we’d like to leave you with the following video as a parting thought. Remember, Google Street View is watching.

[img credit: Search Engine Land]

Reviews: Google, Google Maps

Tags: Google, Google Maps, google street view, trending

How Social Media Helps One Small Business Connect with Fans

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 01:26 PM PST

This post originally appeared on the American Express OPEN Forum, where Mashable regularly contributes articles about leveraging social media and technology in small business.

Customers of Seattle-based bag manufacturer Tom Bihn are as passionate about the product as the company's 22-person staff.

The company's namesake has been designing and making bags for more than 20 years. He always has a sketchbook, regularly works on up to 10 designs at once and always sews the prototype of the new product himself, according to the company's Web site.

Tom Bihn has a Seattle factory showroom/retail store that is open to the public one day per month. Otherwise, the bags are available exclusively through its Web site. The company's social media presence is rich with customer experience about their products and photos of bag-toting fanatics all over the world.

What makes Tom Bihn's social media efforts successful? Among the keys are product passion and that the social media networks are updated regularly. Engagement is going on among members on these platforms, not simply the company broadcasting promotional messages. Each social media platform has unique Tom Bihn content that doesn't overlap with the other platforms the company is on, yet at the same time, they're integrated and linked to each other.

"All of us at Tom Bihn are fortunate to work for a company that makes truly innovative and high quality bags — bags that we are proud to stand behind, bags that we use ourselves," said Darcy Gray, vice president at Tom Bihn, in an email interview. "While Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, our blog and the Tom Bihn Forums give us an endless variety of ways to communicate who we are to our customers, we don’t think those efforts would resonate if we weren’t so excited about our company and what we do."

Gray manages the Tom Bihn Facebook Fan Page, forums, blogs, Flickr and Twitter. She said updating them is a lot of fun and works on them whenever she checks her iPhone. Yash Khemani, a longtime customer and friend, is the master behind the Tom Bihn channel partner videos on YouTube.

She said engaging directly with customers began with the TomBihn.com forums.

"In 2006, it occurred to us that our customers and potential customers could get significant value from talking with each other as opposed to just with us. They could share their experiences of their Tom Bihn bags, offer advice for selecting the right bag to new customers, and post reviews/pictures of their experiences with their bags," she said.

She said the company's success on social media starts with their bags and that social media tools have given them more powerful ways to connect.

"Anytime a company is given more ways to directly communicate with customers, it’s an opportunity for growth. Tom Bihn designs all of our bags himself. Interest in a particular type of bag might encourage him in a certain direction," Gray said.

For example, Bihn is in the process of designing, among other things, a personal carry-on travel bag and a camera insert. If we see a lot of interest in the Tom Bihn forums and on Facebook in the camera insert, it might influence the company to release that product first.

"We’re still who we’ve always been, doing what we’ve always done, we’re just able to be closer to the pulse of our customer base," she said.

Engagement Began With Forums

TomBihn.com's user forums have been active since 2006 and have 1,823 members. Threads range from 30 to more than 700. Topics include company news, reviews, pictures and video and travel news. The company curates forum posts such as those of photos on its blog.

Blog Is Central Hub

The company's lively blog is a mainstream hub of the latest company information. It features everything from e-mail reviews from customers with photos to timeline rundowns on new product launches to hints on new products that are top secret, but coming soon.

A-Ha Moments On Flickr

The Tom Bihn Flickr group has 278 items posted and more than 115 members. The stream isn't just photos of people wearing their bags while traveling or at the airport. Informative photos show how much can fit inside a bag (and weight) and how items look once they're in the bag. What's also interesting are the user comments. Someone commented on a photo in the Flickr group that they had been looking everywhere for a photo of that exact bag and wanted to know if the bag was still available. Another person chimed in that they were also looking for that same bag.

Two-Way Enagement On Facebook

Tom Bihn's Facebook fan page has more than 500 members. There are posts to the wall a few times a week by both fans and the company. Gray posts status updates such as photos and links to new products, reviews as well as shipping deals. One post even calls for fans to submit questions they would like to ask Tom Bihn himself for an upcoming e-mail newsletter. The company also incorporates its blog posts and YouTube Channel videos into the fan page.

Demo Videos On YouTube

Tom Bihn has had its own Channel partner page since 2006. The page has received nearly 20,000 total upload views. Videos are uploaded about every two weeks and most clips have several hundred views. The videos are thorough demonstrations of a bag’s features — often by Tom Bihn himself. They cover topics including what he uses a particular bag for, items he fits in which compartments, accessories he uses with it and what the bag is made of.

Tweets Are Content Mix

Tom Bihn's Twitter account @tombihn is a well-branded Twitter profile page with the company logo, photos of products and contact information. There's a good mix of retweets, company mentions on Twitter, thank you messages for customers who visited its factory showroom, announcements of new product updates, and even travel regulation notices from the Transportation Safety Administration. Tweets also incorporate links and photos from the company's blog.

Gray said that seeing Tweets (like these below) makes them realize that this feedback might have never made their way to them if email or phone was the only way of communication with their customers.

"You can’t go wrong with a @tombihn,” a Twitter user said.

Another tweet: "Rains like today in Chicago make me happy I have a good @tombihn bag, I’m soaked, but the computer is nice and dry.”

More business resources from Mashable:

- Social Media Marketing: How Pepsi Got It Right
- 5 Ways Small Businesses Can Avoid Social Media Panic
- HOW TO: Take Advantage of Social Media in Your E-mail Marketing
- HOW TO: Implement a Social Media Business Strategy
- The 10 Stages of Social Media Business Integration
- HOW TO: Use Social Media to Connect with Other Entrepreneurs

Reviews: Facebook, Flickr, Twitter, YouTube

Tags: blog, blogging, business, facebook, fashion, flickr, forums, MARKETING, online marketing, small business, social media, social networks, twitter, youtube

WordPress 1.0 Now Available in BlackBerry’s App Store

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 01:00 PM PST

Just days after releasing WordPress for Android, the WordPress team has also just released WordPress for BlackBerry 1.0. WordPress for BlackBerry has been in beta since July 2009, but the 1.0 version adds support for VideoPress, better commenting and a place in the BlackBerry App World.

You can check out this video to get a taste of what WordPress for BlackBerry is all about:

Version 1.0 includes some awesome features, including the ability to record and upload video from your phone — plus support for 3gp and 3g2 for older BlackBerry devices.

If you haven’t given WordPress for BlackBerry a try or if you just need to upgrade, you can grab it for free from the BlackBerry App World.

As a former BlackBerry user, I think it’s wonderful that this app is finally out. Despite being such a popular platform, the BlackBerry often gets overlooked when it comes to apps — even apps that can take advantage of some of BlackBerry’s best features, like its keyboard.

BlackBerry users, do you use your device to blog? Let us know!

Reviews: WordPress

Tags: blackberry, Mobile 2.0, Wordpress, wordpress for blackberry

Facebook Profile For Holocaust Victim Brings History to Life

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 12:09 PM PST

Virtual memorials are nothing new — people have been paying their respects to departed loved ones on Facebook and Myspace for years. But a Facebook page set up for Henio Zytomirski, a 6-year-old Polish boy who was killed during the Holocaust, is truly revolutionizing the way we recount history and remember the dead. His profile is, in essence, a virtual museum.

Last summer, a group of people in Lublin, Poland, and Israel — including Henio’s cousin Neta Zytomirski Avidar — created a Facebook profile for the boy, who was sent to the Majdanek death camp in 1942. According to the AP, the idea grew out of a group called Grodzka Gate-NN Teater, which uses the arts to remember victims of the Holocaust. Henio was chosen because there were so many photos and letters available to draw from, which makes his profile a truly rich reading experience.

The profile functions as kind of a piecemeal storybook, with Polish status updates in Henio’s voice as well as photos and other updates in the third person that tell his tale. Henio’s own voice is simple and touching, as you can see in the selection below. (Rough Translation: “I am seven years old. I have a mom and dad. I have a favorite place. Not everyone has a mom and dad, but everyone has their favorite place. Today I decided that I will never leave Lublin. I will stay here forever. In my favorite place. With Mom and Dad. In Lublin.”)

According to the AP, not everyone is happy with the project — the news company cites Adam Kopciowski, a historian at Lublin’s Marie Curie-Sklodowska University who specializes in Jewish studies, who thinks that writing in the dead boy’s voice is ethically unsound and amounts to “abuse toward a child that has been dead for the past 70 years.” Others have also raised the fact that the page — much like Doppelganger Week — violates Facebook’s TOS.

Still, Henio’s cousin makes very clear in a note on the profile that the young boy’s voice is meant to be purely speculative, and that he is to function as a symbol:

“We try to reconstruct his life in the ghetto from survivors’ testimonies, from documents, from knowing the history of Lublin during the Nazi occupation. From all of these we try to guess what might have been his testimony.
Henio is also a representing figure, a symbolic figure, an icon. His figure represents the destruction of the ancient Jewish community of Lublin.
His figure brings to Facebook the story of the Jewish community under the Nazi occupation regime and of its ruin.”

And judging by his 3,000+ fans, scores of thankful wall posts and avalanche of virtual gifts, people have become enamored of the long-lost boy.

Aside from being a touching memorial to a tragically departed boy, Henio’s profile is also a fascinating use of social media as an educational tool. Some of us have probably visited the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. Upon entering, you receive a passport depicting someone who experienced the Holocaust, and throughout your tour through the museum, you learn his or her fate. Henio’s page brings this experience to another level, allowing you to interact with the boy, and to learn about his life in a way that integrates fully into your own social media experience.

This profile only goes to show how sites like Facebook are no longer silly time wasters or places to troll for your next collegiate hookup, they provide us with news, entertainment, advertisements and, now — as more and more people are seeing it as both a news portal and source — education. I recently became a friend of Henio’s, will you?

Reviews: Facebook, news

Tags: facebook, holocaust, social media

Apple’s iPad: Will it Improve the Web?

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 11:56 AM PST

Apple and Adobe are battling this week over Flash support on the iPad — or rather the lack of it.

With many video sites and online games likely to be inaccessible to iPad users, the decision could confuse web users and dent Flash’s popularity.

But is Steve Jobs doing us a favor by (reportedly) encouraging developers to drop Flash in favor of HTML5?

That’s the topic of my CNN column this week.

Check out the column at CNN.com >>

Tags: adobe, apple, Apple iPad, cnn, Flash, HTML5, ipad, steve jobs

Beach Webcam Helps Save Tourist’s Life

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 11:48 AM PST

A woman watching the sunset off the coast of St Peter-Ording — a popular tourist destination in Germany — via a beach webcam became an unlikely hero. She spotted a disoriented man walking on the frozen ice who was using his camera flash to signal for help, and directed police to his rescue.

According to the BBC, the unnamed photographer “had become lost after walking onto ice off St Peter-Ording to photograph a sunset,” and Kristen Stielow spotted him via a webcam operated by St Peter-Ording’s local tourism board. Police were then able to locate the lost German tourist and guide him back to shore by flashing their car lights.

The happy ending to this latest incident is yet another reminder — much like the iPhone app that helped save a man’s life after the Haiti earthquake — of how technology we may take for granted on a daily basis can be used for greater purposes.

[img credit: BBC]

Tags: media, webcam

5 Real Challenges For Non-Profit Texting Campaigns

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 11:27 AM PST

The Haiti crisis brought to light the powerful fundraising possibilities that texting can offer to causes. But while the Red Cross did a fantastic job fundraising, not every non-profit will experience such phenomenal success.

Close examination of texting-based fundraising reveals a wide variety of barriers for 501c3s, including the use of mandatory foundations and ASPs (application service providers) to interact with carriers, a stringent vetting process to become accepted, limited donation amounts of $5-$10, limited short codes, and shared costs with partners (in some cases, the wireless carriers). Even after setting up text-based fundraising mechanisms, non-profits face the challenge of limited function integration, and appealing to donors.

“The key is a campaign's ability to raise awareness,” said Steve Largent, president and CEO, CTIA-The Wireless Association. “Alicia Keys appeared on American Idol and urged viewers to donate to Keep a Child Alive, and raised about $500K. When then-candidate Obama urged his constituents to donate to the Red Cross Disaster Relief fund as Hurricane Gustav approached New Orleans in September 2008, the Red Cross realized $250,000 in donations. Similar campaigns around the Southern California wildfires a year earlier, however, did not fare nearly as well.”

Given the many aspects of texting, from technology to communications, non-profits need to consider SMS with their eyes wide open. Causes may even want to consider alternative mobile channels for communications and fundraising.

Here are five things non-profits should consider before pursuing texting.

1. Texting Costs Non-Profits Money

While all of the carriers and their non-profit texting partners waived fees for Haiti relief, most causes shouldn’t expect such treatment. Non-profits have to pay set up fees with wireless partners like mGive and the Mobile Giving Foundation, which can range from $3,000-$10,000 in some cases.

There are additional costs for short codes. If a non-profit elects to use a shared code, it can reduce costs. Having a unique short code can be beneficial for branding, such as the Red Cross’s 90999 code, but these are more costly.

“Creating a unique shortcode can take several weeks and is the most expensive option,” said FrogLoop’s Allyson Kapin. “However, it does give non-profits the opportunity to brand themselves around a code as well as launch different types of fundraising appeals and action alerts.”

“The non-profit ends up paying roughly 5-10% of the amount raised back to the Foundation and the ASPs for the short code, reporting and messaging costs associated with campaigns,” said Kristin Ivie, a Social Citizens blogger. “Just like there are costs for online giving services and direct mail campaigns, text campaigns require some level of effort and funds to run.”

2. Non-profits Must Work with a Third Party

It’s not as simple as calling one of America’s big four carriers and setting up a short code. The wireless industry has set up approved third party vendors to vet non-profits. These third party players have stringent requirements to ensure causes meet state charitable solicitation registration requirements.

“These organizations are instrumental in vetting the charities and non-profits that want to participate in mobile giving campaigns; managing the setup of the actual short codes the charities use for their initiatives; helping the charities market their mobile giving programs to potential donors; and ultimately reducing the costs associated with implementing these programs,” said Sprint Spokesperson Crystal Davis.

But there are additional requirements including a $500,000 minimum of revenues, effectively locking out small non-profits. “Carriers set strict standards for the Foundation to follow with vetting and approving non-profits,” said Tony Aiello, CEO of mGive. “Some requirements include 990 tax returns, Letter of Determination, certificate of good standing, bylaws, and in some cases audited financial statements.”

3. Limited Capabilities

Texting offers limited capability. Donations are capped at $10, much less than the average online donation. For example, Network for Good reported an average donation of $92 in 2009.

Texting requires an event, such as a celebrity request, a concert, or unfortunately, a catastrophe to compel people to donate en masse. Repeated solicitations in general communications can repel potential donors. Further, other limitations include the ability to interact with texters and garner their contact information.

“The big challenge for non-profits is that they don’t get the donor info from the cell companies — the non-profit just gets a check from their text donation provider 30 to 90 days after folks make the donations,” said Lucy Bernholtz, principal author of the Disrupting Philanthropy: Technology and the Future Social Sector report. “This is problematic; as knowing who the donors are and being able to keep in touch with them is as important as the donation. Ironically, many donors will love text donations because they keep the donor’s information anonymous.”

4. Integrating Texting Into the Larger Mix

There’s a lot of excitement about texting as a fundraising mechanism, but it offers more than that. Texting campaigns have been used for all sorts of non-profit activity, including notifying interested Democrats about then candidate Barack Obama’s choice of Senator Joe Biden as Vice President.

If discouraged by fundraising options, non-profits can use text messsages for other opportunities. While mobile applications are sexy, SMS marketing offers communications benefits, too. Non-profits can push URLs, facts and opportunities to parties who opt in to such lists. The sky (or organizational creativity) is the limit.

“Instead of just focusing on fundraising via mobile, engage members with other meaningful opportunities such as volunteering locally, text breaking news related to your campaigns, launch a poll, etc,” said Allyson Kapin. “Because it's text messaging, you can actually engage in some back and fourth conversations rather then just pushing out alerts or appeals and having one-way conversations.”

5. Other Options Exist

There are more options than just texting for mobile. The great news about the mobile Internet revolution is the certain rise of non-profit applications on the iPhone, Android, and other platforms. If a non-profit wants to look at creating a mobile opportunity, general applications such as social good based The Extraordinaries offer powerful choices.

Further, the cost of making an application has dropped dramatically, with iPhone (and soon Android apps) accessible to any organization for just hundreds of dollars. While these early low-cost applications are RSS based platforms, increased functionality is coming quickly for non-profits.

“What's been successful for us is opening up the mobile content distribution capability,” said Daniel Odio, president of PointAbout, creator of the AppMakr service. “By the end of March, there will be notifications for activism such as rallies or fundraising web pages. The notification pops up as an alert, and the user logs in. It's that simple.”

From a fundraising standpoint, some of the same barriers exist for vetting charities. Apple bars organizations from fundraising with apps because they can't verify the authenticity of the organization. Yet is seems like it’s only a matter of time before an online solution like Facebook Causes or Ammado offers a mobile option for donations.

“The convergence of the mobile handset and the traditional desktop computer is taking place right now so many new solutions are on the horizon,” said mGive’s Tony Aiello.

More social good resources from Mashable:

- Why We're In the Age of the Citizen Philanthropist
- How Social Media Creates Offline Social Good
- How Non-Profits and Activists Can Leverage Location Based Services
- Why Social Media Is Vital to Corporate Social Responsibility
- 5 Essential Tips for Promoting Your Charity Using Social Media
- 20 Ways to Change the World in Only 15 Minutes a Day

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, macroworld

[Image Credits: karpov the wrecked train, futureatlas.com, Gonzalo Baeza Hernández]

Reviews: Android, iStockphoto

Tags: charity, giving, haiti, List, Lists, Mobile 2.0, non-profit, nonprofit, SMS, social good, text message, text messaging

How Social Media Is Changing the Super Bowl

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 11:05 AM PST

2010 is the year social media and the Super Bowl are officially converging.

Everyone from the advertisers and the NFL to fans and athletes are getting in on the social media Super Bowl action like never before.

In fact, we’re seeing advertisers play up their controversial Super Bowl spots in social media channels, with online denizens weighing in with their candid thoughts. Of course there are also advertisers who are taking the straight and narrow path via their Facebook Fan Pages, offering fans the ability to share and and participate in Super Bowl-inspired Facebook activities.

Below we’ll look at the entire social media picture as it pertains to the Super Bowl and round up what we’ve seen and expect from advertisers, the NFL, fans and athletes.

Advertisers

Super Bowl advertisers are using social media in three very unique ways this year:

1. To Manufacture Controversy:

- GoDaddy: The web-hosting company has never been shy about creating ads that push the boundaries of what’s socially acceptable for television. This year it posted its “Lola” ad online — which features a former football player now filling his time with more feminine activities — after it was banned by CBS. The move seemed like an effort stir up drama and generate online interest. What’s especially interesting is that while GoDaddy has managed to rank fifth overall as the most-mentioned advertiser in terms of social media Super Bowl conversations (per Alterian SM2 data), it’s also generating a ton of negative online buzz.
- ManCrunch: ManCrunch posted its “banned” ad — which shows two men grabbing for chips and then spontaneously making out — to YouTube and used social media channels to drum up controversy and video views. The strategy worked quite well and the advertisement has since gone viral.
- Focus on the Family: Focus on the Family may not have manufactured the controversy around its pro-life Tim Tebow spot, but the unseen advertisement has become the second most widely discussed Super Bowl ad nonetheless. People are using social media — especially Facebook — to voice their frustration and show their support, making Focus on the Family one of the most buzzed-about advertisers going into the Super Bowl this year.

2. To Generate Buzz Around Spots:

Several advertisers are using Facebook tie-ins to pump up the volume on online chatter about their spots. Instead of going for cheap controversy, they’re using their Fan Pages to inspire fans to share content and participate in Super Bowl-themed activities that are spreading virally via Facebook, ensuring that social media mentions are mostly positive in nature (per Alterian SM2’s analysis included below). Let’s take a look at a few of the Facebook-savvy brands capitalizing on the Super Bowl via social media.

- Coca-Cola: The company’s Live Positively Facebook app lets fans share a virtual Coke bottle on Facebook in order to watch a sneak peek of one of its Super Bowl spots. For each virtual gift shared, the brand is donating $1 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. As it stands, the campaign is generating a ton of positive buzz for the brand. Coca-Cola currently places fourth when it comes to the most positive conversations about Super Bowl advertisers, per recent Alterian SM2 social media analysis.
- Budweiser: Anheuser-Busch is the biggest Super Bowl advertiser this year, occupying five minutes of air time. It’s also wisely using Facebook in a big way by encouraging fans to vote for the commercial they most want to see during the Super Bowl on Sunday. The efforts are paying off handsomely, as the brand has the highest positive sentiment score according to Alterian SM2 when compared against other advertisers.
- Target: While not a Super Bowl advertiser, Target is definitely getting in on the social media Super Bowl action with its Valentine’s Day-themed Facebook application: Super Love Sender. The campaign combines the two events with a generous $1 million contribution promised to the most popular charities as selected by fans.
- Monster: The Super Bowl advertiser’s social media blitz was unveiled earlier today. The company’s social media efforts include a few seconds of its actual spot — which it exclusively shared with us — and a Super Bowl-specific microsite dubbed Fiddle a Friend. This site is currently just a landing page with a fiddle-playing beaver, but come Super Bowl Sunday you’ll be able to send customized greeting cards to friends that feature the busy beaver fiddler.

3. Skipping the Super Bowl for Social Media

For the first time in 23 years, Pepsi will not have a Super Bowl ad. The soft drink maker has opted instead to spend $20 million on a social media campaign dubbed the Pepsi Refresh Project.

The idea behind the campaign is to encourage people to submit ideas to refresh their communities, and site visitors can vote on the ideas they like best. Ultimately, Pepsi will select and fund the most popular crowd-sourced ideas.

So far the campaign has been a huge social media success. According to Alterian SM2 data (see below), Pepsi tops all Super Bowl advertisers in total number of mentions and overall online reach.

NFL

For the first time ever, the NFL is officially participating in the Super Bowl mêlée. The Tag the Super Bowl #SB44 initiative encourages fans to tag their tweets and Flickr photos with the SB44 hashtag. The football organization is aggregating all tagged content and presenting it in a unique and interactive user interface, giving anyone the ability to visually explore tweets and photos.

Fans and Athletes

Fans are turning to Twitter and Facebook to weigh in on the big game and the advertisers like never before, and the social media activity will only continue to increase as we get closer to game time.

In fact, what will be especially interesting to watch is the online chatter about the Super Bowl ads that will continue long after the game. Given that sites like Hulu have a tradition of posting the Super Bowl spots online, we know from years past that the advertisers and ads will remain hot topics as social media fans continue to watch, share and discuss the top spots during the following week.

Another unique element to this year’s Super Bowl: This is the first year NFL players are tweeting en masse. It’s also the first time that fans will have this much unfettered access to the athletes uncensored opinions and game-day activities.

For example, Chad Ochocinco will bring us the Motorola-sponsored OCNN to cover all angles of the games, which will include commentary from other players he has recruited to his news crew. We also expect other players to share their experiences extensively, which is why we’ll be following Twitter Lists like the one below.

Social Media Analysis

Alterian SM2 has been tracking the Super Bowl advertisers since early December. It has just released the latest version of its social media analysis and the findings are quite interesting. We’ve embedded the entire report below, but here are a few key takeaways:

- Pepsi and Focus on the Family are still the most buzzed-about advertisers. Together their combined social media mentions make up about 15% of all advertiser conversations tracked by Alterian SM2.
- GoDaddy is the fifth most mentioned advertiser in social media conversations, but it is also receiving the second biggest number of negative mentions (second only to Focus on the Family).
- Anheuser-Busch has the highest sentiment score among all advertisers.
- It’s still the case that advertisers that are keeping mum on their Super Bowl spots aren't making anywhere near the impact on social media conversations as those that are offering sneak peaks or previews.

Super Bowl Social Media Results 3 Feb 10

Bonus

Earlier this morning I appeared on NBC San Diego to talk about the Super Bowl and the Social Media. The segment is embedded below.

View more news videos at: http://www.nbcsandiego.com/video.

[image courtesy of iStockphoto, spxChrome]

Reviews: Facebook, Flickr, Hulu, Twitter, YouTube, iStockphoto

Tags: chad ochocinco, coca cola, godaddy, MARKETING, Pepsi, social media, sports, trending

Elmo Has an iPhone (and an iPhone App)

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 10:23 AM PST

Sesame Street is one of my favorite brands, not just because Grover is amazing, but because over the last 40 years, it has never been afraid of innovating and embracing new technologies.

From video games to CD-ROMs to websites, Sesame Workshop has been able to connect with kids and their parents. Last fall, the first Sesame Street app for the iPhone was released, and this week, a new app, Elmo’s Monster Maker became available.

These apps are aimed at kids, especially young children — which might surprise some people who associate the iPod touch and the iPhone with older individuals. However, after watching my cousin’s 5-year-old son blast through games on his dad’s iPhone, I think that this is one sector of users that is only going to grow. On my running route, I see children in their strollers playing on iPhone or iPod touch devices. It’s amazing.

You can watch the video to see what the app is all about here:

It’s pretty cute and the fact that the video was designed just for kids is pretty indicative that Sesame Workshop sees this as a growing audience. CenterNetworks commented that these sorts of apps could be a huge driver for the iPad, and I have to agree. Visual storybooks especially could be perfect for a tablet, especially if it adds in touch-sensitive interactive features.

Plus, games like the Monster Maker and other apps from companies like Disney and Nickelodeon mean that even more entertainment titles make the iPhone — or the iPad — a compelling competitor to things like the Nintendo DS.

What do you think about mobile apps for kids? Let us know!

Reviews: iPhone

Tags: elmo's monster maker, iphone app, sesame street

Sneak Peek: Monster’s Super Bowl Social Media Blitz

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 09:58 AM PST

Super Bowl Sunday is just a few days away and advertisers are gearing up to show off their new campaigns. While Pepsi and Focus on the Family might be getting the most pre-game buzz for their advertising strategies (or lack thereof), plenty of other companies are also working hard on campaigns that cross multiple platforms. One company is veteran Super Bowl advertiser, Monster.com. I had the chance to talk to Monster about their upcoming campaign and its ties to social media.

The Super Bowl is a really interesting event because it is one of the only occasions where advertising breaks are almost as anticipated as the next play. Try to change the channel during a commercial break at a Super Bowl party and see what happens (warning: don’t do this if you are at my house — I will hurt you). Consumers are actively engaged in the commercials, which is one reason advertisers are willing to pay such high prices for ad time.

For a company like Monster.com, which focuses on helping people find jobs, the Super Bowl is also an opportunity to get the word out about how its business has evolved. I spoke with Ted Gilvar, the Executive VP and Global Marketing Officer for Monster about the theme of the company’s Super Bowl ad and how it is also going to integrate itself with social media.

Starting Viral

Earlier this week, Monster launched the website Fiddle a Friend. Right now if you go to the site, all you’ll see is a video of a fiddle-playing beaver, currently stationed in a subway, hoping to attract attention. This beaver (who has his own Twitter account) will be the star in Monster’s Super Bowl ad.

By starting with an ambiguous landing page and engaging in social media, Monster hopes to attract attention, interest and anticipation to their ad.

The Ad

The premise of the ad is that Monster can help you find your dream job. Monster was nice enough to offer us a few seconds of their actual spot, so you can check out this sneak peek:

The Site

After the Super Bowl ad runs on Sunday, FiddleaFriend.com will become a microsite where users can send their own customized greeting cards, starring the beaver, to their friends on Facebook and Twitter. And like JibJab’s Elf Yourself campaign, these can be customized with your own photos.

The Message

Monster has undergone lots of changes over the last few years. In addition to yesterday’s announcement of the HotJobs acquisition, the company has invested in new technologies and systems that make Monster not only a better job search tool, but also offer users and companies a better way to connect and plan.

Monster’s new 6Sense search technology has greatly improved search results for users that uses a more semantic approach that also builds on Monster’s experience in helping people find and post jobs. In tests of the new technology, we found the results to be vastly improved over the previous iteration of Monster’s search.
And better results means more qualified applicants applying to jobs, which is helpful to companies that no longer have to sift through applications that really don’t meet the job requirements.

Additionally, Monster has expanded its service offerings for job seekers, both in planning tools for switching careers, or connecting with other people who are in the same field. These innovations are important to Monster, because with the advent of job-boards and even sites like Craigslist, Monster needs to set itself apart from the competition.

The goal of the Super Bowl and ancillary campaign is to both entertain and call attention to these new features.

What do you think about how companies are using social media in conjunction with high profile ads for events like the Super Bowl? Let us know!

Reviews: Craigslist, Facebook, Twitter

Tags: monster, monster.com, Super Bowl, Super Bowl ads

Vanity Fair Launches iPhone App for Oscars Predictions

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 08:59 AM PST

Vanity Fair is asking for your 2010 Oscars predictions via a free iPhone app available in the App Store as of yesterday.

The app is called Vanity Fair Hollywood, and you can use it to read Vanity Fair’s Hollywood coverage leading up to the Oscars in March. If you feel like you’re informed enough to make a prediction, you can use the app to vote for which person or film will win an Oscar in each of the major categories.

Since there are 10 Best Picture nominations this year, your odds of coming out on top are lower than usual, but if you’re confident you can share your predictions with your Facebook friends via Facebook Connect. You can form a betting pool with your friends within the app and compare your picks in the leaderboards after the Oscars have aired on March 7.

Vanity Fair is trying to engage its readership using technology and social media — a progressive plan for a print publication. The app is sponsored by L’Oréal Paris, whose products are featured in the “Gift Bag” tab of the app. If you want to learn more about the app, this is a great time to try out iTunes’ new web preview pages for apps. Head over to the iTunes app page for additional details and images.

[via The Business Insider]

Reviews: Facebook

Tags: Film, iphone, Mobile 2.0, Oscars, vanity fair

Sirius XM Radio Now Broadcasts to Your BlackBerry

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 08:46 AM PST

The online streaming version of Sirius XM satellite radio is now available on many of the newer BlackBerry smartphones. Sirius XM just announced that a free app is up for download at its website, though the service isn’t free.

Sirius XM is trying to win ground by streaming its programming online both via the web and mobile devices. An iPhone app launched last year. Now BlackBerry users get to try out the 120 channels of exclusive programming, which includes talk shows from CNN, Fox News, Playboy and Oprah. There’s also an abundance of sports coverage and commercial-free music.

Unfortunately, licensing issues prevent Sirius XM from giving BlackBerry owners its star talk show host — Howard Stern.

Sirius XM is offering a seven-day free trial to BlackBerry owners, but once that trial is over they’ll have to spend $13 per month to keep listening. Supported handsets include the Storm 9530, Storm2 9550, Bold 9000, Bold 9700, Tour 9630, Curve 9800, Curve 8520 and Curve 8530.

Tags: blackberry, Hardware, music, research in motion, Sirius, sirius xm, xm

iPhone Apps Get Web Previews

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 07:44 AM PST

Back in November, Apple quietly rolled out iTunes Preview, which created a web-based page for iTunes albums and song tracks. Earlier this year, the company added song samples to iTunes Preview, further fueling speculation of a web-based iTunes client. Today, the company is completing the circuit, so to speak, and putting iPhone App Store Previews on the web, too.

In the past, when visiting a direct link for an iPhone application, like this link for Draw, users had to endure a page that is little more than a redirect to the link embedded in the iTunes desktop application. Now, that’s generally fine — most home computers do have iTunes installed (and certainly all Macs do), but if you’re on a computer that doesn’t have iTunes, you’re out of luck. That’s why we always indicate iTunes links in our posts, so that readers know — hey, this will try to open iTunes, be aware.

Now, when you hit those direct links, iTunes will still want to load the page (assuming it is installed), but you’re also going to get to see all of the app information, screenshots and review information on a regular web page.

Take a look:

You can still choose to view an app in iTunes, and you’ll need to use iTunes, either on your phone or your Mac or PC, to make a purchase.

Still, it’s yet another indicator that an iTunes.com or similar solution is in the works. We wouldn’t be surprised if this had an iPad component to it as well. Regardless of the reasons, we’re just glad that Apple is making it easier to access iTunes content outside of iTunes.

What do you think Apple is planning on doing with iTunes? Would you like to see a web-based version of the popular music player? Let us know!

[via Lifehacker and TechCrunch]

Reviews: Lifehacker

Tags: app store, itunes, itunes preview, music, software

AT&T Finally Lets You Use SlingPlayer with Your iPhone Over 3G

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 06:28 AM PST

Recently, we wrote that AT&T is planning to spend an additional 2 billion dollars in 2010 on improving its wireless network. Now, it’s showing that it wasn’t kidding, at least about its intentions, as it’s finally let SlingPlayer, a mobile app that lets you watch TV on the iPhone, deliver data over its 3G connection.

Until now, SlingPlayer was only available over Wi-Fi, which means it was pretty much unusable in most situations where you actually needed it. Now, owners of Slingbox who purchase SlingPlayer ($29.99 in the App Store) can watch TV shows on their iPhones, provided they’re in 3G range.

Although it has approved SlingPlayer over 3G, AT&T points out that optimization is still a big deal when it comes to mobile apps such as SlingPlayer.

“Collaboration with developers like Sling Media ensures that all apps are optimized for our 3G network to conserve wireless spectrum and reduce the risk that an app will cause such extreme levels of congestion that they disrupt the experience of other wireless customers. Our focus continues to be on delivering the nation’s most advanced mobile broadband experience and giving our customers the widest possible array of mobile applications,” said Ralph de la Vega, president and CEO of AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets.

To make sure app developers are following guidelines, AT&T will provide them with wireless network optimization requirements for video and other apps by the end of the first quarter at its Developers Program website.

Tags: iphone, Mobile 2.0, SlingPlayer, tv

YugaTech

2010-02-04T21:20:00.000-08:00

YugaTech

LG SL90 Borderless LED TV

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 08:03 PM PST

LG Philippines lent us their latest LED TV, the borderless one in the SL90 series. The one that I got is the 42″ model. When they say “borderless” design, it means the glass screen extends up to the very edges of the set.

But that doesn’t mean the TV screen also displays video output up to the edges (I had that impression before — like an infinity pool).

LG SL90 LED TV
2.9cm thin (1.15″)
Full HD 1080p (1920×1080 pixel resolution)
3,000,000:1 Dynamic Contrast Ratio
TruMotion 120Hz (100Hz)
AV Mode
24p Real Cinema (24p 5:5 pull down)
Expert Mode (ISF Ready)
Bluetooth
HD DivX
USB 2.0
Intelligent Sensor II
Invisible Speakers

If you look at the middle photo above, you’ll see the glass reaches up to the edges (the LED screen and the back panel are sandwiched evenly). This is a departure from previous designs where there’s a frame around the display that borders the glass. The TV is also slim at only 1.15 inches on the side (about 29mm) so you can also hang this on your wall.

I am told this unit has a suggested retail price of Php119,990. I’ve only been using this for a couple of days so the review will have to wait by end of next week.

Follow YugaTech on Twitter: http://twitter.com/abeolandres

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Sony Vaio W drops to Php29k with Pine Trail

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 11:23 PM PST

Sony Philippines introduced several new models in their line of laptops, including a CULV line (Vaio Y), a high-end Vaio Z and a refresh of their Vaio W netbook.

Sony’s Vaio W netbook got a 25% price drop from Php39k+ to just Php29k+ with a fresh upgrade of the Intel Atom N450 with GMA3150.

They also introduced a new model, the Vaio Y, which uses low-powered Intel processors for the thin and light category at 13.3 inches. The Vaio Y gets a price range of around Php55,000.

Expect an Intel Core 2 Duo SU7300 in here.

On the top of the heap is the Php150,000 Sony Vaio Z.

Sony also introduced their most powerful laptop running Intel Core i7.

Sony Vaio Z
Intel Core i5-540M 2.53GHz (up to 3.06GHz with Turbo Boost)
6GB DDR3 RAM
nVidia GeForce GT 330M GPU with CUDA
128GB SSD
13.1″ display @ 1600×900
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth
Up to 5.5 hours battery life
Windows 7 Professional 64-bit
Price: Php149,999

Sony Vaio Y
Intel Core 2 Duo SU7300 1.3GHz
2GB DDR3 RAM
Intel GMA 4500 MHD
320GB HDD
13.3″ display @ 1366×768
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth
up to 6 hours battery life
Price: Php54,999

Sony Vaio W
10.1″ display @ 1366×768
Intel Atom N450 1.66GHz
1GB / 2GB DDR2
Intel GMA 3150
250GB / 320GB HDD
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth
Price: Php29,999 / Php39,999

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Comments are Redirecting to Feed Burner E-mail subscription | Technology At Hand

2010-02-04T13:24:00.001-08:00

Comments are Redirecting to Feed Burner E-mail subscription | Technology At Hand

Comments are Redirecting to Feed Burner E-mail subscription

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 09:45 PM PST

Updates : The Problem has been resolved, I think you can now put your comments. The problem was due to the additional code that I put under the author box below. I will try how to manage it later on.

Thank to metalpigs.com for telling me about the problem. But did you know because of what happen I have gained about additional 50 new subscribers

Could anybody help me with this problem. ? My Comments are Redirecting to Feed Burner E-mail subscription. You can contact me thru dcpanganiban [at] gmail [dot] com . I did not remember doing anything except for adding links below my comment section.
So this answer why I have received comments for about 2 weeks.

Something Wrong With Google Feed Fetcher and Feedburner ?
I have noticed from Yesterday night that Google Feed Fetcher is not reporting in the Feedburner ...
Stop Using FeedBurner Plug in if You Love Comment Luv , Why ?
To all readers and constant visitors of this site, most of you know that I have installed a comme...
Thanks to Friendfeed for Increasing 100 more subscriber
Well after hearing the news thru Google Reader and Google Alert that Friendfeed is now being connect...
To My Dear Subscribers, Let Me Know What You Expect
Do You Want To Be Included In My Custom Search Engine

© Dexter Panganiban - visit the Tech At Hand Dot Net for more great content.
Dexter Panganiban Facebook | You can also visit my Dexter Panganiban Blog |CFriend Feed

Mashable: Latest 25 News Updates - including “Happy 6th Birthday, Facebook!”

2010-02-04T05:21:00.001-08:00

Mashable: Latest 25 News Updates - including “Happy 6th Birthday, Facebook!”

Happy 6th Birthday, Facebook!
Symbian OS Goes Open Source
Sun CEO Tweets His Resignation, Haiku Style
Hovercards: Twitter Launches New Profile Preview Feature
Twitter Finally Fixes Mobile OAuth [PICS]
SAP Launches a Google Wave for the Enterprise
Teens Just Don’t Blog or Tweet [STATS]
Los Twitteros: Mexico Eyes Legislation to Regulate Twitter
Why Redbox New Release DVDs May Vanish from Kiosks
Stanford Offers Up Millions of Books in Support of Google Book Search
Amazon Buys Touchscreen Company for Its Kindle Division [REPORT]
Monster Acquires Yahoo HotJobs for $225 Million
Email Marketers Want a Piece of Geolocation, Too
4 Essential Traits for Social Media Success in Your Career
Haiti Benefit Songs “We Are The World” and “Everybody Hurts” Go Viral
Textbook Publishers Embrace iPad Apps for Education
Keep Your Online Calendar in Check With Plan.fm
Jailed Mobster Plays Real-Life Mafia Wars on Facebook
11 Outstanding Online Resources for Web Developers
Mashable’s Guide to Social Media Job Openings
Coming Soon: Skype for iPhone Over 3G
Most Companies Don’t Have a Social Media Policy [STUDY]
Google Lets Kids Design Next Logo
Facebook Trends: Goodbye Doppelganger, Hello Urban Dictionary Week
SlideShare Launches Channels for Businesses and Brands
A New Debate on Blog Comments is Brewing

Happy 6th Birthday, Facebook!

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 03:08 AM PST

According to Wikipedia and their Info page, Facebook was launched exactly six years ago, on February 4, 2004. Back then it was called “Thefacebook“, and it was originally located at thefacebook.com, but it’s definitely the same project.

Founded by Mark Zuckerberg, together with his college roomies Eduardo Saverin, Dustin Moskovitz and Chris Hughes, Facebook was originally intended to be a network only for Harvard students, but was later expanded to other universities and finally to everyone.

Intelligent design, a lot of smart business decisions and gradual expansion made Facebook what it is today: by far, the biggest social network on the Internet.

For a lot more on Facebook, we recommend reading our Facebook Guide Book, a collection of some of our best resources, how-tos and guides on Facebook.

Tags: facebook, social media, social networking

Symbian OS Goes Open Source

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 01:26 AM PST

As of today, the source code of Symbian 3 mobile OS (the successor of previous Symbian versions, S60, S40 and others) is open and free to use. Nokia had acquired Symbian back in 2008, turned the consortium that makes the software into the Symbian foundation, and has now decided to make it available to all phone manufacturers. The source code is published under the Eclipse Public License (EPL).

Although it’s the most popular mobile OS, powering some 330 million phones, Symbian has been in some sort of a limbo lately. On one side, it competed against the increasingly popular (and completely closed) iPhone, while many manufacturers, such as Motorola, opted to use the open source Android, which offers a much more similar experience to iPhone than most Symbian phones.

Lee Williams, executive director of the Symbian Foundation, claims that the new, open Symbian has an advantage over Android. Symbian is fully open, he says, while "about a third of the Android code base is open and nothing more. And what is open is a collection of middleware. Everything else is closed or proprietary."

Still, one can’t help but wonder whether Symbian is a bit late to the game here. Many manufacturers have already all but ditched Windows Mobile and Symbian in favor of Android, and some of them (like Motorola with their Droid) have been quite successful with Android-based devices. Whether the new version of Symbian, together with the move to open source, will be enough to make Symbian interesting to manufacturers, remains to be seen.

Tags: Mobile 2.0, Nokia, open source, Symbian

Sun CEO Tweets His Resignation, Haiku Style

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 12:46 AM PST

We’ve seen quite a bit of resignation notes in the IT world over the years, but this one takes the cake when it comes to originality. Jonathan Schwartz, CEO of Sun Microsystems, has tweeted his resignation, explaining it with a haiku poem: “Today’s my last day at Sun. I’ll miss it. Seems only fitting to end on a #haiku. Financial crisis/Stalled too many customers/CEO no more”

The reasons for Schwartz’s resignation were more or less known from before; recently, Oracle has acquired Sun, and Oracle CEO Larry Ellison said in an interview last week he expects Schwartz to resign. Last week, Schwartz already announced that he’s probably resigning, tweeting a link to his last blog at Sun.

According to the New York Times, Schwartz was the first Fortune 200 boss to tweet his resignation. Well, why not: if you have to leave, you might as well leave in style.

Tags: haiku, sun, trending, twitter

Hovercards: Twitter Launches New Profile Preview Feature

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 06:34 PM PST

Twitter has just introduced a new feature for its users: Hovercards, a new way to access profile information without actually visiting someone’s profile.

In an announcement, Twitter Spokesperson Jenna Sampson discussed how the new feature works:

“Hovercards are cards which appear when you hover over a username or avatar. The cards display additional information about the person and allow you to interact with them while staying within the context of your page.”

If you hover over a person’s username in your timeline, their profile information, location, and whether you follow them will appear. You also get the options menu, which allows you to follow, block, mention, or report someone right there.

The feature isn’t active for everyone yet — just like other Twitter launches, this one will be phased in over time. It also only affects users of the Twitter.com interface.

Regardless though, we really like this feature. It’s quite useful. Tell us what you think (and if it’s active for you) in the comments.

Tags: Hovercard, Hovercards, trending, twitter

Twitter Finally Fixes Mobile OAuth [PICS]

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 06:23 PM PST

Twitter mobile users and developers, rejoice: the microblogging company has finally fixed mobile OAuth.

In an announcement earlier today, Twitter’s Director of Platform Ryan Sarver revealed that the team has finally fixed the rendering issue that made OAuth nearly unusable in mobile interfaces. It’s an issue I’ve discussed with Ryan all the way back to last year.

In addition to the mobile interface fix, Twitter also made a few changes to OAuth. The most important of these changes is that the default action in mobile is “allow” instead of deny in iPhones.

Ryan was also kind enough to post some picture showing mobile Oauth in action on Foursquare:

It’s been a nagging issue that we’re glad has finally been resolved.

Reviews: Foursquare, Twitter

Tags: Mobile 2.0, OAuth, social media, twitter

SAP Launches a Google Wave for the Enterprise

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 05:47 PM PST

SAP’s newly released beta product 12Sprints — a free cutting edge collaborative decision-making tool — adds much needed structure to the idea of real-time collaboration, made popular by Google Wave, and improves upon the functionality of popular web-based team collaboration tools like Basecamp.

While 12Sprints can work for teams of all sizes, the tool is designed to especially serve the needs of their Fortune 500 clients with a cloud-based system that is designed to be a results-driven workspace.

The 12Sprints workflow is structured around Activities, which are like project buckets for specific decision-making processes. Participants can add tools to activities to collaborate and discuss files, make decisions, manage time, set action items, assign responsibilities, work together in real-time via word-processing and spreadsheet-like tools, group individual items into collections, and conduct sophisticated business tasks like cost/benefit analysis and SWOT analysis.

Activities for Business Decision-Making

If you’re familiar with Google Wave, you can think of starting an Activity as akin to starting a Wave, so you’ll want to name it, invite participants, and start adding content to it. Unlike Google Wave, 12Sprints is incredibly structured which makes it less flexible when it comes to supporting free form conversations, but more conducive to maintaining a clean workspace, collecting feedback, and coming to group decisions.

There are, however, very little bounds to what can be added to an Activity, but each item is considered its own entity. The individual items/elements — regardless of type — all support comments, action items with due dates, the ability to add reference points, export/import options where appropriate, and other business appropriate features. Elements and their associated action remain open into closed or completed by a participant.

Within Activities, the product currently supports all of the following elements:

- Text: Adding “Text” to an activity inserts a text editor that supports group collaboration on documents. The text editor is SAP’s take on a Google Docs document and includes standard style and formatting options.
- Table: A Table is like a paired down spreadsheet, and when added to an Activity, team members can collaborate in real-time. You can either start your table from scratch or import an .xls, .xlsx, or .csv file. Tables can also be exported.
- Discussion: Discussions are chat-like blocks that participants can add to Activities to chat back and forth with team members. Since multiple Discussions can be added to an Activity, they can be used to centralize discussions around a particular topic.
- Collections: Collections offer users a way to group content, so any of the tools you’ve added to your Activity can be grouped in a Collection. Participants can also add files from computer or notes from an Evernote notebook to a Collection.
- WebEx Meeting: Should a participant want to add a particular WebEx meeting to an Activity, this option supports that.
- Tools: In addition to the above options, users can optionally add tools from the Tools Catalog to Activities. Choices include tools designed to streamline coordinating team members, analyzing data, and making decision. The collection is quite impressive with tools supporting sophisticated processes as is, but anyone can create an Open Social compatible tool of their own for integration with 12Sprints via their APIs.
- Files: Users can either upload files from their computer or pull in notes from their Evernote account. If the Scribd extension is activated, files will be uploaded in an iPaper-format so participants can view the document in question in-line (ie. no need to download to view).

A Social Extension for Business Systems

Even though it’s not immediately apparent in the product right now, 12Sprints was designed to extend the purpose and functionality of other commonly used work-related tools and systems like email, IM, Sharepoint, and even Google Wave.

Currently this can best be seen with the Evernote integration, which creates an extra layer of group collaboration around imported Evernote notes, a functionality that Evernote doesn’t support. Eventually you should be able to pull in Activity content from a host of third-party applications and even comment on and engage with 12Sprints Activities and action items from those applications as well. Ultimately the idea of 12Sprints is add structure around conversation, serve as a social utility to help teams come to a decision, and maintain a record of what’s happening across different mediums.

Of course as a beta product 12Sprints — just like Google Wave — has its own shortcomings. Personally I find the communication options to be rather limited. While the Discussions option is great for a structured and open group chat, it’s almost too structured to be appropriate for general team member chat and doesn’t allow for privacy options. Plus, it’s impossible to message an individual participant, except via email. There’s also no way to publicly share Activities or any of the elements included, at least for the time being (that feature is said to be in the works).

As it stands, 12Sprints pushes the notion of team collaboration in exciting new directions and we’re differently interested to see how the product evolves over time.

Additional Screenshots

Reviews: Evernote, Google Docs, Google Wave

Tags: 12Sprints, Google Wave, real-time, SAP, team collaboration

Teens Just Don’t Blog or Tweet [STATS]

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 05:09 PM PST

A new study published today by Pew Internet finds that teens and young adults are blogging less and using social networking sites more, with the prominent exception of Twitter.

Pew’s Report surveyed 2,253 American adults and 800 U.S. teens to get a reading of how they use the internet, which gadgets they own, and which social media tools they use the most.

Some of the data will surprise you.

The Internet’s Everywhere

Here’s a no-brainer: young adults use the web far more than older adults. In its study, Pew found that 93% of teens and young adults go online, compared to only 38% of adults over 65 years of age. It surprises us that 7% of 12-29 year olds still don’t browse the web, but some just don’t have or can afford access.

Among those teens going online, 63% say they go online at least once a day, with older teens more likely to go online than younger teens.

Most are connecting with high-speed connections as well. 76% of families with teenage children have broadband connections, while 10% still use dial-up, 8% have no computer, and 4% have a computer but no Internet access. For comparison, 49% of families used dial-up in 2004.

The Internet’s getting faster and more accessible. As computer prices drop and Internet access becomes more readily available, we should see these Internet usage numbers continue to rise.

The Laptop Is More Popular than the Desktop

In terms of gadgets, more teenagers have cell phones (76%) than a computer (69%). More than half of 12 year olds own a mobile phone, while a rather impressive 83% of teenagers carry a cell phone in their pockets. That number only rises with age — a full 93% of 18-29 year olds own a cell phone.

The mobile trend even continues into the computing realm: laptops have overtaken the desktop for those under 30. 66% of adults 18-29 own a laptop, while 53% own a desktop. Other interesting trends: males are more likely to own a cell phone, income dramatically affects computer ownership but not cell phone ownership, and race is a non-factor when it comes to the percentage of adults using cell phones.

Teens Just Don’t Blog. Or Tweet.

As you might have guessed, Pew found that teens are avid social networkers: 73% of 12-17 year olds, in fact. They are posting pictures, commenting on status updates, and sending IMs.

What they aren’t doing much of, though, is blogging and tweeting.

Pew’s study finds that blogging has dramatically decreased in popularity with the younger crowed since 2006, where 28% of teens reported that they were bloggers. Now that number has dropped to just 14%. Interestingly enough, lower income households (under $50,000) report more blogging than higher income ones. With Facebook, Twitter, and other social tools to keep your friends updated about your life, blogging just isn’t as necessary.

Perhaps we shouldn’t include Twitter in that list of social media tools teens use, though. As we’ve reported on multiple occasions, teens don’t tweet, and Pew’s numbers don’t disagree with that assertion:

Yes, only 8% of teens use Twitter, remarkably small when compared to most social networks. Only one in ten high schoolers use Twitter. Among this small group though, the girls are more likely to be microblogging: 13% of 14-17 year old girls reported using the service.

Conclusions: Teens Aren’t Heavy Content Creators

First, it’s important to note that most of this data was taken from September 2009. A lot changes in social media in a five month period.

With that said though, the trends seem clear: teens love to be online, but they’re not terribly interested in writing blog posts or maintaining a stream of tweets. Creating content takes time and energy that they’d rather exert on Facebook, texting, YouTube, or other online activities. And of course, they have school and friends.

Let’s face it: teenagers haven’t had the time to build up expertise, life experiences, or a career that would merit content creation. Without that expertise, less people are inclined to listen to what they have to say, and without that knowledge, teenagers have less to talk about.

As my colleague Barb Dybwad also brings up, a teenager’s social circle is far smaller and more closely defined than an adult’s network. Perhaps this is why more closed networks like Facebook are more appealing to teenagers than Twitter, which is a completely public experience. Blogging was a more intimate experience a few years back, which could also explain why more teens have abandoned personal blogs over the last few years.

Combined, it means that Twitter just might not be for the average teenager. Let us know what you think in the comments.

Reviews: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube

Tags: blogging, internet, Pew, stats, study, teens, twitter

Los Twitteros: Mexico Eyes Legislation to Regulate Twitter

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 03:56 PM PST

Politicians in Mexico are reportedly drafting a bill to regulate Twitter and other social networks to curb crime in the country, according to Seattle PI.

Just like we’ve seen here in the States, citizens in Mexico are apparently using Twitter to evade police checkpoints that test for sobriety in Mexico City. The Global Post reports there is also a fear that drug cartels are using social networking tools to communicate, distribute wares, and evade law enforcement. Those using social networking for nefarious purposes even have a new nickname: Los Twitteros.

Federal lawmakers are currently working on specific legislation to address and punish Twitteros who either break the law directly or enable others to do so. “We have to regulate these websites to make sure there aren't people breaking the law, making death threats or committing crimes via electronic means,” said federal representative Nazario Norberto. The bill contains a tentative provision to establish a sort of “cybernetic police force” that would help monitor social networking sites for criminal activity.

The proposed bill is already drawing criticism from civil liberties groups and ridicule from the general population. Where do you think governments should draw the line between protecting civil liberties and improving public safety?

[img credit: Seattle PI]

Tags: crime, drunk driving, law, legal, legislation, mexico, police, trending, twitter, twitteros

Why Redbox New Release DVDs May Vanish from Kiosks

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 02:57 PM PST

On Monday, February 1, 2010, Walmart put into effect a DVD purchase cap on new releases, limiting customers to no more than 5 DVD new release purchases at a time. It’s a decision that could make it impossible for Redbox — the enemy of the entertainment industry — to keep their kiosks stocked with new releases.

Walmart’s newly enforced restrictions are similar to those that Target began to enforce back in December 2009.

Both companies assert that the rules are meant to be consumer-friendly, ensuring that more customers have access to new releases, but it is widely accepted that these decisions were motivated by studio pressure and designed to thwart RedBox’s ability to stock new releases in their 19,000 plus kiosks.

The Trouble with New Release Rentals

As DVD sales of new releases plummet, studios have made efforts to turn things around. The idea that seems to have the most traction right now is to create an extended delay between the date a new release becomes available for purchase and the date that consumers can rent the same title.

Given that the success of low cost rental services like Netflix and Redbox is contingent upon having vast quantities of titles to deliver to customers, studios are seeking to sell DVDs to these retailers at lower prices in exchange for the services delaying new release rentals by around 30 days.

Netflix ultimately took the bait and signed an agreement with Warner Bros. Now Netflix customers will have to wait 28 days to rent newly released Warner Bros. flicks. The suggested payoff for customers is that once the titles become available, they will have access to more copies and are less likely to encounter unavailable titles. Netflix benefits by being able to buy movies in bulk from the studio at substantially lower prices.

With the Warner Bros. deal in place, expectations are that other studios will follow suit and structure a similar relationship with Netflix.

Redbox, however, has shown no signs of responding to pressure from movie studios. They have filed lawsuits against Warner Home Video, Universal Studios Home Entertainment, and Twentieth Century Fox with the goal of forcing the studios to sell them new releases on the day they become available.

Will Redbox Concede?

In a BusinessWeek article, Adams Media Research President Tom Adams estimates that Redbox gets about 40% of new release DVDs from retailers like Walmart and Target. Clearly the newly enforced limitations will make it much more for difficult for Redbox to supply their ubiquitous kiosks with new releases.

The relationship between Redbox and studios is tenuous at best, but it appears that they’re being backed in to a corner that might force them to concede to the demands of studios.

In an email communication, Redbox’s Director of Public Relations Marci Maul tells us that the company is “closely monitoring this situation as these limits were just recently put into practice.”

While that tidbit of information doesn’t tell us too much about their strategy moving forward, we have to presume that the company will continue to do everything in its power to secure new releases. Some reports estimate that 100% of Redbox’s business is dependent on new releases. A 28 day new release delay could put a significant dent in their sales, which means we foresee the fight forging on.

On the flip side, NCR — which operates Blockbuster Express kiosks — is said to be negotiating with studios and could have deals in place later this year. Alex Camera with NCR told BusinessWeek, “We have the same challenges in securing DVDs … We are working closely with the studios to find a solution. My intention is to have agreements by spring [or] early summer.”

[Img credit: Eddie Does Japan]

Tags: DVDs, entertainment, Film, movie rentals, netflix, redbox

Stanford Offers Up Millions of Books in Support of Google Book Search

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 02:14 PM PST

Today, Stanford University threw its hat into the ring for Google by expanding an earlier agreement with the search giant and agreeing to digitize the University’s library. The move comes amidst legal controversy over the Google Book Search engine.

As you may know, Google Book Search is currently embroiled in a mess of legal issues that arose a few years back when book authors, book publishers, the Author’s Guild and the Association of American publishers filed a pair of class-action lawsuits claiming that the service encroached on their intellectual property. An agreement was reached in 2008 that comprised these five major points explicating what search should include:

- More access to out-of-print and hard to find books.
- Additional ways to purchase copyrighted books and materials.
- A means for educational institutions such as colleges and universities to subscribe to entire collections.
- Free access from US libraries.
- Compensation and control for authors and publishers.

However, back in August 2009, the issue arose again when Microsoft, Amazon, Yahoo and multiple library associations joined forces with the non-profit Internet Archive to challenge the Google settlement and push for revisions.

A Settlement in Limbo

According to the Wall Street Journal, Google revised the settlement in November — adding more pricing options and expounding on potential services. A Google spokesperson told the WSJ, "[The settlement] stands to unlock access to millions of books in the U.S. while giving authors and publishers new ways to distribute their work."

Still, folks remained unsatisfied, and were given the chance to file objections to the document directly to the U.S. District Court of the Southern District Court at the end of last year. The Court has set a fairness hearing for February 18.

Therefore, Stanford’s decision, which makes it a Fully Participating Library according to the University’s website, is a move that shows solidarity with Google on the college’s part. Close to two million of Stanford’s books have already been scanned, and now even more volumes — including those that are rare and hard to find — will be available to the world at large.

University Librarian Michael A. Keller said of the settlement:

“It creates a working partnership among authors, publishers, libraries and Google that will usher in a revolutionary change in access to books on library shelves, even beyond the incredibly powerful vision that Google Books first developed. It's no longer just about finding books of potential interest; it makes them vastly more readily readable. The agreement also compensates authors and publishers for the use of works that, by virtue of being out of print, would not have earned the rightsholders any income – a novel and, for most authors, a most welcome innovation.”

[img credit: timetrax23]

Reviews: Google

Tags: books, business, Google, money, Stanford

Amazon Buys Touchscreen Company for Its Kindle Division [REPORT]

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 01:44 PM PST

An alleged insider told The New York Times today that Amazon has just bought a startup specializing in touchscreens, and that Amazon will merge the company and its technology into its own Kindle division.

If this little rumor turns out to be true, then Amazon is probably preparing a response to the Apple iPad that was launched last week. The iPad doesn’t add a whole lot of functionality that you don’t get on a smartphone or a laptop, but the thing it does add is the iBooks application, which competes directly with Amazon’s Kindle e-book reader by way of deals with publishers Penguin, Simon and Schuster, HarperCollins, Macmillian and Hachette.

The startup — it’s called Touchco — specializes in resistive touchscreen displays that display full color; they’re not as precise and elegant as the capacitive tech used by the iPad, but they’re much cheaper. Amazon will probably try to keep it’s significant price advantage if it moves ahead with a touchscreen Kindle.

Touchco has a website, but right now that website reads only: “Thank you for your interest in Touchco. As of January 2010, the company is no longer doing business.”

Tags: amazon, Apple iPad, Apple Tablet, gadgets, Kindle, startups, touchco

Monster Acquires Yahoo HotJobs for $225 Million

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 01:32 PM PST

Monster, best known for its online employment website, has just announced that it has acquired Yahoo HotJobs from the Internet giant for $225 million in cash. Yahoo and Monster have also entered a 3 year traffic deal as part of the acquisition.

Yahoo’s HotJobs service works as you might expect any job website to function. However, the power of the Yahoo brand and some useful job hunting tools have made it one of the world’s largest job recruiting websites. Monster, while larger, stands to benefit in terms of traffic and new users.

The deal gives Monster control over the assets behind Yahoo HotJobs, along with a three year deal that makes Monster the official tool for career and job content on Yahoo, including on its highly-trafficked home page. Monster will provide “performance based annual payments calculated by clicks and expressions of interest, subject to annual floors and ceilings” in return for the traffic Yahoo will provide.

Yahoo’s been selling some of its less strategic assets lately. Less than a month ago, Yahoo sold Zimbra to VMWare, but still gets to keep some of the Zimbra technology on its products.

[Source: BusinessWire]

Reviews: Zimbra

Tags: jobs, monster, trending, Yahoo, Yahoo HotJobs

Email Marketers Want a Piece of Geolocation, Too

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 01:09 PM PST

Well before the end of 2009, it was clear that geolocation would be one of the biggest web trends in 2010. From social services like Foursquare to location-specific trends in Twitter, location is one of the hottest new features for users, businesses and especially advertisers. While we expect the biggest push in geolocation will continue to be its integration with social services, even e-mail marketers like MailChimp are catching the geolocation bug.

Advertising has the most chance of succeeding if it is targeted, not just by demographic and interests, but location. Thanks to GPS, skyrocketing smartphone adoption and more and more geo-aware services, it’s easier than ever to get information about where someone is at any specific moment.

The real-time nature of geolocation is giving advertisers exciting new opportunities — think about the potential of letting nearby users know that you’re having a sale or the ability to offer Facebook fans offers that are specific to their location. Location has interesting potential for other forms of communication as well.

MailChimp’s goal is to let small and large businesses easily send e-mail to customers or potential clients. That’s great because it lets businesses reach lots of people at once when announcing a new product or promotion. Unless unless you specifically collate the data yourself, that database of e-mail addresses still lacks context.

If you’re a business that has a local location but also ships worldwide, you don’t want to sent a campaign about a sale in your brick and mortar store to someone who lives 3000 miles away, but segmenting users by location hasn’t been an easy task unless you ask customers for an address when they sign up for a newsletter.

Now MailChimp is introducing location-based targeting for its users that will determine location based on IP address, negating the need for address or location fields.

How it Works

In MailChimps’s case, they are tracking location based on IP address. When a customer (who has double-opted in to a subscription) clicks on a link in a newsletter sent by MailChimp, MailChimp can grab their IP address and then determine its location. IP addresses aren’t 100% accurate, but they are usually indicative of about 150 miles or so.

MailChimp will keep a database of locations that a customer uses when interacting with your mail and will average that to give you a general location idea.

MailChimp customers can then enter in an address or zip code and compare it against a subscriber list within a radius of 50, 100 or 150 miles. The limitations on specificity are important to note if you are wanting to send a truly localized campaign.

Indicative of the Future

While MailChimp’s implementation, by the nature of how it works, isn’t going to be as specific or accurate as relatime data that marketers could grab from Facebook or Foursquare, it does open up other avenues for effective targeted campaigns.

Geolocation, whether it’s in a mobile app or an e-mail service, is becoming a bigger and for effective part of how advertisers reach consumers.

What do you think about how location is changing advertising? Would you use this type of information in your campaigns? Let us know in the comments!

Reviews: Facebook, Foursquare

Tags: email, geolocation, lbs, location, mailchimp

4 Essential Traits for Social Media Success in Your Career

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 12:50 PM PST

Amybeth Hale is a Talent Attraction Manager with AT&T's Interactive Staffing team. She uses social technology to help drive awareness of job opportunities as well as interact with candidates. Connect with her on Twitter at @researchgoddess.

Want to know what it takes to start, and develop, a successful career path in the realm of social media? I recently had the pleasure of talking with 17 bright, enthusiastic professionals who are on the rise in their respective careers about some of the things they have learned and are continuing to learn along the way about using social media in their daily work, and where they see things heading.

These people were recommended to me by some of the most well-known players in social media today, and after comparing notes on the conversations I had, I concluded that there are four main areas that these 17 people have in common: they all know how to and appreciate the value in building authentic relationships, they are all digital trendsetters within their communities, they are all risk-takers, and they all know the extreme importance of giving back. These four items, I believe, have significantly contributed to their rising popularity as well as the increase in respect that they receive from their managers, peers, and colleagues.

A Few Things That Don’t Matter

In addition to identifying key traits among these successful social media stars, I also discovered a handful of things that are not indicative being successful with social media.

- There is no specific age or generation bias. The people I spoke to range in age from mid-20s to mid-40s; years of experience range from a few years to a couple decades.
- Education doesn't matter. Some have post-graduate degrees, some have Bachelors degrees, and some were educated through the school of life.
- Type of employment situation doesn't matter. Some are self-employed, some work for small companies, and some work for large international corporations.

In other words, traditional traits of success don’t necessarily apply to those working in social media, who instead tend to create opportunities for success through their actions.

1. Develop Authentic Relationships

Developing authentic relationships with or as a mentor is a great starting point for kicking your career into high gear. For example, when the three women behind MamaLaw.com reached out to Elisa Camahort of BlogHer asking for assistance in organizing a first-of-its kind event called Blogalicious (created "to ignite a sense of unity within our community [women of color] as well as to educate marketers on the importance of our demographic in today's marketplace"), they established an authentic relationship with Elisa because she saw her own desires reflected in what they were looking to accomplish.

As well, Keith Burtis, who was recommended to me by Chris Brogan, believes he was recommended as a result of years of developing a professional friendship and partnership with Chris in several business endeavors.

Initiating the outreach for these relationships was also a common occurrence amongst those with whom I spoke. When Amanda Mooney, now a Sr. Social Media Strategist with Edelman, attended a presentation by Richard Edelman at a PRSSA conference, she decided to contact him via email beforehand. He responded and remained in contact throughout her time in college, and has continued to be supportive as her career progresses.

Continued learning is also a great way to nurture relationships with your colleagues. Those I spoke to all cited a strong desire to learn from their peers. Dan Honigman, Digital Supervisor with Weber Shandwick, took a special interest in learning from the corporate culture created at Zappos as well as how they keep customers coming back again and again. Jennifer Leggio, a blogger at ZDNet, invited every security person she met at the Source Conference to join Twitter, and then created a categorized list on her blog so that they could all learn from each other. Kaitlyn Wilkins, VP of Digital Strategy with Ogilvy's 360 Digital Influence Group, has sat at the feet of Managing Director John Bell to learn and grow, citing that he has been an incredible mentor for her during her time there.

The bottom line is that creating authentic relationships with peers is smart networking, and that works in the world of social media just as it does in the offline world.

2. Be a Digital Trendsetter

Being up-to-date with, and oftentimes ahead of, digital trends is also an important trait to possess in order to be successful in the social media world. For example, Dave Knox, Brand Manager, Digital Innovation with Procter & Gamble, was an integral part of P&G's Hack Night, a gathering of some of the brightest minds in the digital space in early 2009 in an effort to educate the P&G senior marketers. Placing himself ahead of the curve positioned Knox for success in helping to lead P&G’s social media efforts.

Kipp Bodnar, Social Media Marketing Manager at Howard, Merrell & Partners, indicated that he believes there is tremendous opportunity for location-based social media applications in the near future. That's why he is working with one of his B2B clients on a mobile campaign to raise consumer crossover awareness. So does Venessa Miemis: she hinted that we should be watching companies that enhance the mobile experience, citing products such as Layar, an augmented reality browser, as an example. Being ahead of the adoption curve will allow those people to position themselves as thought-leaders once the next wave of popular social media applications reach a mainstream audience.

And Jessica Randazza, a Senior Associate with Digitas, realizes that as brands become more entrenched in social media, there will be a need to silo things out and focus on creating more genuine content as consumers become more savvy, and jaded, to marketing outreach via social media. In her words, "Less brands, more brand ambassadors."

3. Take Risks

Speaking of Jessica, she just recently moved across the country, relocating from Seattle to New York City for her new position at Digitas. This brings up trait number three which is being willing to take risks.

With no risk, there is no reward. Just ask Laura Roeder, Principal of Roeder Studios, who set out on her own a few years ago in an effort to move beyond the echo chamber of social media professionals preaching just to each other. She says, "We need to be brave, get out of our comfort zones, and go to places where people may be skeptical of social media, and of us. We need to evangelize."

Kneale Mann, also self-employed, says that he "sees opportunities" so he can "seize opportunities." (He admitted that this was cheesy, but it's true!) Kneale came from a more traditional media background – radio/TV/print – and took a risk that has turned out to be quite fruitful when he crossed over and found new avenues and channels to pursue through social media.

4. Give Back

Finally, it is key to remember where you've come from and to constantly give back – or in some cases, to pay it forward. Ernst & Young's Director of Social Media, Ken Burbary, specifically used the phrase "pay it forward" when he talked about how he communicates with and promotes other data and analytics social media professionals. He says this was one of the things that has helped him to catch the attention of his peers.

Len Kendall, Digital Account Supervisor with GolinHarris, along with his colleague Dan Honigman, started the3six5 Project in which they will put up a blog post by a different author every day of 2010. The idea was born out of the concept of lifestreaming and the goal is to introduce and give a voice to lots of different people, from many different places, using social media.

Another example comes from Sarah Evans, President at Sevans Strategy, whose business is almost entirely built around working with non-profits and 'social good' companies. She shared a story about the Crisis Overnight campaign she helped to run which raised $160,000 via social media channels to help a local community crisis center keep its doors open.

Conclusion

Are these the only traits that must be possessed in order to rise up in the social media world? Absolutely not – but the fact that almost every one of the 17 people with whom I spoke shared each of these four things in common speaks loudly to their importance.

Learn from those who are on the fast-track to success in their careers and you'll find your own success in your social media career: develop genuine relationships with your peers and mentors, be ahead of the digital curve in your business, don't be averse to taking some risks in your career, and always be willing to pay it forward and help those coming on behind you.

What other traits have you found helpful in advancing your own career? Let us know in the comments.

Images courtesy of iStockphoto, shapecharge, inkastudio, kaczka

Reviews: Twitter, iStockphoto

Tags: List, Lists, social media, success, traits

Haiti Benefit Songs “We Are The World” and “Everybody Hurts” Go Viral

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 12:29 PM PST

Famed producer and soon-to-be-former American Idol judge Simon Cowell brought together 21 noted musical artists to record a rendition of R.E.M.’s “Everybody Hurts.” Both it and a benefit cover “We Are the World” with 80 artists are making a big splash on the web.

Relief efforts in Haiti have already seen huge influxes of aid from sources connected with social media and technology. First the text message donation campaign and online donation push spread rapidly with the help of Facebook, Twitter, and blogs. Then the star-studded Hope For Haiti benefit concert was broadcasted online in addition to the TV broadcasts, raising even more money as a resut.

Now social media users are turning up the buzz around these two singles, likely boosting sales in the process.

Music retailer HMV says pre-orders for “Everybody Hurts” are through the roof. HMV’s rep was quoted in The Inquisitr saying “It is well on course to become a million seller, easily the biggest single for a decade.” Revenue from those big sales will go to Haiti relief.

The artists on that one include Mariah Carey, Jon Bon Jovi, Susan Boyle, Rod Stewart, Kylie Minogue, Robbie Williams, and Leoni Lewis. R.E.M. has relinquished all royalty rights for the song, so they won’t be taking a penny.

The other single — “We Are The World” — is produced by Quincy Jones, who also produced the original 1985 song featuring Michael Jackson. It has contributions from Celine Dion, Wyclef Jean, Pink, Jamie Foxx, Carlos Santana, LL Cool J, Barbra Streisand, Miley Cyrus, Kanye West, Akon, Jeff Bridges, Usher, Jason Mraz, Brian Wilson, Brandy, Lil Wayne, Josh Groban, and numerous others. Vince Vaughn is even part of the chorus.

An ABC news video on the “We Are The World” recording is making the rounds on social media channels. It’s a behind-the-scenes look at the recording process, with brief clips from the song. Celebrities tweeted about the recording, including socialite Nicole Richie; she tweeted a claim that she outsang Jennifer Hudson. Watch the ABC News clip below if you’re interested.

Reviews: Facebook, Twitter, akon, lil wayne, michael jackson

Tags: celebrities, celine dion, haiti, jon bon jovi, kanye west, kylie minogue, leona lewis, lil wayne, mariah carey, michael jackson, miley cyrus, music, pink, R.E.M., robbie williams, rod stewart, simon cowell, susan boyle

Textbook Publishers Embrace iPad Apps for Education

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 11:49 AM PST

Textbook publishers have already enlisted the third-party services of developers to build adaptations of textbooks for the iPad, the Wall Street Journal reports.

McGraw-Hill, Houghton Mifflin, Pearson and Kaplan have struck deals with iPhone and iPod touch developers ScrollMotion Inc. to build applications for the iPad that bring test preparation, study guides and new types of instructional materials to the classroom.

Among the many industries potentially revolutionized by the Apple iPad, the publishing industry has been one of the early front-runners. We’re already seeing that start to play out in the e-books market with the Amazon and Macmillan dispute.

But galvanizing publishers to re-envision textbooks for new interactive devices could have a huge impact not only on Apple’s bottom line, but on education as a whole. “People have been talking about the impact of technology on education for 25 years. It feels like it is really going to happen in 2010,” said executive Rik Kranenburg of McGraw-Hill’s higher education unit.

Despite Apple’s relative lack of commentary on the iPad’s potential for the educational sector during its iPad announcement last week, it appears that textbook publishers aren’t waiting to be invited. Still, it’s yet unclear how or even if the iPad or other upcoming tablet devices will achieve wide adoption in the classroom, considering the cost of employing new technologies and the competition with other portable computing tools, particularly netbooks. But no matter what device ecosystem ends up holding sway, it’s potentially great news to students who stand to benefit from an emerging renaissance in digital learning materials.

As a student, teacher or parent, what new kinds of teaching materials would you like to see in the classroom?

Tags: apple, education, ipad, scrollmotion, textbooks

Keep Your Online Calendar in Check With Plan.fm

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 11:10 AM PST

Name: Plan.fm

Quick Pitch: Plan.fm collects the plans you make on other services and organizes them into a single source that you and your friends can access from anywhere.

Genius Idea: By collecting notifications and invites from multiple sources, Plan.fm has the makings of a very convenient service for people who have a hard time managing their various social calendars.

One of the best things about the social web is that it’s now incredibly easy to find out about events or parties and RSVP quickly. One of the worst things about the social web is that if you’re not careful, you can wind up with a million different calendars that don’t talk to one another. CalDAV is great, but not every service utilizes it, which makes it hard to reliably attach that data to iCal or Google Calendar.

That’s why the idea of Plan.fm is so appealing. If all your events could be aggregated in one place, it would be much easier than trying to figure out the export or subscribe options with each service. Right now Plan.fm supports Facebook, Meetup, Eventbrite and Twitter, plus iCal subscriptions URLs.

Facebook, Meetup and Eventbrite all have their own calendar systems, but what about Twitter? How does that work? You can make plans with Twitter by using the #plan hashtag, and you have the option of tweeting when you make or join other plans on Twitter.

Facebook is probably the best example of how convenient Plan.fm can be. When you allow it to access your Facebook account, all of your invitations and Facebook events come into your Dashboard. You can easily view what’s going on, make comments and respond to requests. It’s very streamlined and the data is displayed alongside all of your other events.

Plan.fm is still very much in its early stages, but the idea shows lots of promise. However, there are some bugs that do need to be worked out. While the service let me add an iCal feed to my dashboard, it didn’t actually read any of that data, even though it recognized the title and the URL went directly to that calendar.

Removing services from your dashboard (once I figured out how) also currently doesn’t work — although I’m sure that will be fixed soon.

What I’d like to see for Plan.fm would be integration with more services — LinkedIn and Upcoming, for instance — and either an export or CalDAV subscription option. I don’t mind going to a website to view all of my online social events, but if I’m on my phone, I’d rather have the option to sync to a calendar so that I can set alarms and e-mail reminders. A good export option is essential to any scheduling tool, at least for me.

Still, in these early stages, I like where Plan.fm is going. How do you manage your social graph calendar? Let us know!

1. W3 Schools

Featuring one of the largest collections of tutorials and reference articles for web developers on the internet, W3 Schools offers a huge assortment of learning and training resources on just about every relevant language and web service in use on the web today. You’ll find content tailored towards the full range from beginner to expert developer along with code examples, quizzes, tutorials, and reference guides in a relatively clean and well-organized site complete with a well-trafficked forum community.

2. A List Apart

Taking a holistic approach to the subject of web development, A List Apart is “for people who make websites” including designers, developers, and online content creators of all stripes. From its origins as a mailing list in 1997, to its official launch as a website the following year, and on into today’s ALA 4.0 incarnation, A List Apart has consistently produced and curated top notch content at the intersection between design and development for the web.

3. Webmonkey

Now a property of Wired Digital, Webmonkey has been a resource to developers on the web with a long and storied history stretching back to 1996. Having been brought back to life twice during that time, Webmonkey now operates as a wiki, featuring contributions from the developer community to an extensive code library, reference section, and tutorial clearinghouse.

4. Dev Shed

Combining extensive coding tutorials with an active forum community, Dev Shed is one of a family of interconnected sites offering free guides and instructional material to web developers. From language tutorials to webmaster tools to example scripts, the Dev Shed collection has something for webdevs at various skill levels and technology needs.

5. Smashing Magazine

Aimed at both web designers and developers, Smashing Magazine is a frequently updated and independent web publication serving up quality information and community discussion surrounding best practices and techniques on the web. Though the heavier emphasis is on design, the articles, resources, and tools address dynamic HTML technologies, WordPress template coding, and development software as well.

6. Developer Tutorials

Dedicated to “helping ordinary people create extraordinary websites,” Developer Tutorials has offerings for major languages and multimedia production software. In addition to free scripts and extensive developer manuals, the site also has sections for finding reputable online services for common development needs, and to help with projects where you may need to outsource certain components.

7. Ajaxian

A great resource for folks building dynamic web content, Ajaxian is a long-running blog featuring news, editorials, podcasts, resource links, code examples, and more. Less a repository of tutorials and more a timely resource for news and developments of interest to dynamic web builders, Ajaxian also features an active community of readers and commenters in addition to its experienced staff of writers and practitioners.

8. DZone

The simplest analogy is to think of DZone as Digg for developers. The link-sharing community surfaces great resources of interest to webdevs as well as providing free reference cheatsheets, white papers, and original editorial articles as well.

9. IBM developerWorks

A clearinghouse for tutorials and articles on a wide range of development topics, IBM’s developerWorks explores dynamic web content technologies as well as related fields including systems administration and open source applications. Various learning resources and downloads are offered surrounding a wide variety of web projects from PHP and DHTML to wikis and web service mashups.

10. Sitepoint

Having waxed and waned in popularity over the years, Sitepoint has survived the changing tastes and standards on the web to currently bring fresh perspectives and information for both developers and designers. Instructional videos are available in both free and paid series flavors, a well-organized reference section covers CSS, HTML and Javascript, and an active forum community round out this resource for webdevs.

11. O’Reilly

Best known for its extensive book series covering a wide variety of technical topics, O’Reilly’s online site is also home to a number of web resources both free and paid of interest to web developers. An Answers platform provides a community knowledge base, original blog and video content provide news and commentary, and the Safari Books Online service gives access to thousands of technology reference books from major publishers for a monthly subscription fee.

Series supported by Rackspace

More web developer resources from Mashable:

- 7 Useful Tools for Web Development Testing
- A Guide to Mobile Web Design Tips and Tricks
- An Inside Look at 4 Developer Ecosystems
- 20 Developers to Follow on Twitter
- Top 18 Social Media Resources for Developers

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, a_Taiga

Reviews: Digg, PHP, WordPress, iStockphoto

Tags: developer, Lists, web developer, Web Development, web development series

Mashable’s Guide to Social Media Job Openings

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 09:34 AM PST

Mashable Job Board Listings

Senior Manager: Communications at MySpace in San Francisco, CA.

MySpace is looking for an experienced and energetic new addition to our growing in-house team of communications professionals

Read more about this opportunity here.

Social Media Editor at Yahoo! in Santa Monica, CA.

Yahoo! News is seeking a social media editor to help manage and grow Yahoo! News' social media efforts and support the director of social media.

Read more about this opportunity here.

Senior User Interface Developer at Tagged in San Francisco, CA.

Do you believe that JavaScript actually requires engineering and computer science techniques, rather than just hacking?

Read more about this opportunity here.

Senior Product Manager at Tagged in San Francisco, CA.

Our goal here at Tagged: to fulfill the original promise of the Internet by making the world a smaller and more connected place.

Read more about this opportunity here.

Sports Marketing Intern at Sports Marketing Worldwide at your college campus.

Are you an online sports nut who has a keen understanding of social networks such as Facebook and Twitter?

Read more about this opportunity here.

Senior Social Media Manager at CVS Caremark in Woonsocket, RI.

The Senior Social Media Manager is directly responsible for the strategic planning, buying, and analysis of all digital media programs to attain company objectives and drive profitable sales growth.

Read more about this opportunity here.

Assistant Content Manager at BFG Communications in Bluffton, SC.

Where some merely dabble in social media, you are immersed in it, super-connected and show creativity along the way.

Read more about this opportunity here.

Investigative Reporter at Mashable in San Francisco Bay Area, CA.

Mashable, the top social media blog, is seeking a seasoned investigative reporter based in the San Francisco Bay Area to research and report on news items.

Read more about this opportunity here.

Senior Editor at Mashable on the West Coast.

Mashable, the top social media blog, is seeking a talented and experienced editor based on the West Coast with a professional journalism background and at least 3 years writing and/or editing at an established news organization.

Read more about this opportunity here.

Editorial Assistant at Mashable in New York, NY.

Mashable, the top social media blog, is seeking a talented and experienced editorial assistant eager to gain exposure to the online media space, with the desire to build a career as an online editor.

Read more about this opportunity here.

Technical Project Manager and System Architect at Traverse Technologies in Boston, MA.

This is primarily a technical project management position to lead 2 related SBIRs that are building distributed information management and collaboration tools for the Air Force.

Read more about this opportunity here.

Web Developer at Nevada Cancer Institute in Las Vegas, NV.

The Web Developer’s role is to build the operations end of the organization’s Web sites and keep them running smoothly.

Read more about this opportunity here.

Assistant Director New Media Communications at First Focus in Washington DC.

Assitant Director, New Media Communications will identify, develop, and maintain meaningful relationships with various online communities, including social media sites, blogs, online reporters, and producers.

Read more about this opportunity here.

Web Developer at Zonline Sports in Palo Alto, CA.

SkiClubZ.com, is looking for a developer with experience creating and maintaining scalable, dynamic Web sites.

Read more about this opportunity here.

Online Engagement Manager at Hostelling International USA in Silver Spring, MD.

HI-USA is looking for a tech-savvy Online Engagement Manager to activate our online presence.

Read more about this opportunity here.

Social Media Manager at Jekyll Island Club Hotel in Jekyll Island, GA.

Daily contact, response, posting, monitoring and changing on all social media outlets.

Read more about this opportunity here.

UI Designer at Mochi Media in San Francisco, CA.

Mochi Media, Inc. is looking for a User Interface Designer to work on our online applications targeted to Flash game developers and players.

Read more about this opportunity here.

Web Developer at Singleplatform in New York, NY.

Tech start up is currently looking for an in house Web Developer to be their go-to programming expert.

Read more about this opportunity here.

Online Editor at Environmental Defense Fund in Washington DC.

We are looking for an Online Editor to keep our work powerfully presented and in line with the best practices for Web writing.

Read more about this opportunity here.

Integrated Art Director at Ignited LLC in El Segundo, CA.

One role is concepting with a copywriter to create fresh solutions to clients' business challenges (a.k.a. advertising)

Read more about this opportunity here.

Web Analyst at Ignited LLC in El Segundo, CA.

Ignited is looking for a Web Analyst who will thrive in an environment that fosters critical thinking, creativity, innovation and collaboration.

Read more about this opportunity here.

Public Relations Manager at 360i in New York, NY.

The Public Relations Manager will have 5-7 years of B2B public relations experience with a proven track record for building long term, trusted media relationships that result in editorial coverage and promote thought leadership for leading B2B companies.

Read more about this opportunity here.

Web Developer at Mindgruve in San Diego, CA.

Mindgruve is looking for a highly motivated problem-solver with a documented history of success in web development.

Read more about this opportunity here.

User Interface Designer at a confidential company in Lexington, MA.

In close coordination with our business, and engineering teams, you will develop and execute a consumer-facing website design.

Read more about this opportunity here.

Web Developer at eBaum Nation, LLC in Rochester, NY.

You will work with a small, talented team of web professionals in a fast-paced environment at our office in Rochester, NY, developing highly entertaining, media rich websites and Internet applications used by millions of people.

Read more about this opportunity here.

Interactive Creative Director at Oneupweb in Traverse City, MI.

We are looking to build our new interactive design division with just the right leader who can plan and present client solutions, managing them from conception to reality.

Read more about this opportunity here.

Partnership Manager at HomeAway in Austin, TX.

The Partnership Manager has day-to-day responsibility for managing HomeAway distribution partners and HomeAway and VRBO affiliate marketing programs

Read more about this opportunity here.

Senior Web Developer at ROBLOX in Redwood City, CA.

You will work on our gaming and virtual goods catalogs, social networking features, the ROBLOX API, translation, SEO, and various features to support our gaming client. You will also own your project from design to production.

Read more about this opportunity here.

Social Media Manager at Greenopolis.com in Houston, TX.

The ideal person must be energetic, creative, an excellent writer and internet-savvy; immersed in what it means to “live life online”.

Read more about this opportunity here.

Digital Marketing and Social Media Project Manager at Infuse Creative in Santa Monica, CA.

A Project Assistant works with our search marketing and optimization senior leads and teams as well as client agencies, support people, and in some cases the clients themselves, to help us provide our search engine marketing related services to clients and involves:

Read more about this opportunity here.

Senior Developer at Rent the Runway in New York, NY.

NYC Venture-backed e-commerce company looking for hard-working drupal coder to evolve exisiting website and take on challenging new products related to CRM algorithms.

Read more about this opportunity here.

Social Media Community Manager at Biz bash Media in New York, NY.

Be the front face of our company for online networks as well as the person that will execute “Socnet” campaigns for our advertisers.

Read more about this opportunity here.

Marketing and Monetization Leader at InstantAction in Portland, OR.

As a key member of the executive team, the M&M leader synthesizes and drives multiple aspects of our business: overall marketing/sales strategy, branding, and the use of data analytics and business intelligence to drive monetization strategy and ROI for all business lines and customer segments.

Read more about this opportunity here.

Marketing Communications Specialist at Opportunity International in Oak Brook, IL.

The primary function of the Marketing Communications Specialist is to support the Marketing department's web and internet communication, public relations and strategic fundraising online efforts that promote Opportunity's mission to cultivate current and potential donors, as well as expand the Young Ambassadors for Opportunity (YAO) brand to the online mass audience.

Read more about this opportunity here.

Digital Strategy Assistant/Coordinator at ID PR in West Hollywood, CA.

Seeking Assistant / Coordinator for the Digital Strategy Department at a highly reputable entertainment PR and brand communications agency in West Hollywood.

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SEO Specialist at The Buzz Company in Chicago, IL.

This position will require you to wear many hats with primary emphasis on SEO and secondary on SEM/SMM.

Read more about this opportunity here.

Social Media and Affiliate Community Associate at Babeland in Oakland, CA.

The purpose of this position is to grow Babeland's affiliate program and oversee our presence in online communities.

Read more about this opportunity here.

Electronic Media Marketing at Missoula Nissan-Hyundai, Inc. in Missoula, MT.

Candidate will oversee all aspects of electronic media used at our new car dealership.

Read more about this opportunity here.

Digital Sales and Account Management at DAC Group in Purchase, NY.

Both positions involve selling our digital products and services. Both positions are results-focused, and require intelligent, professional, articulate, positive, sales individuals who are self-motivated and energetic. Both positions require a strategic, consultative selling style. Some travel (mostly local) will be required.

Read more about this opportunity here.

PR/Community Manager at The Fuze Box in San Francisco, CA.

The successful candidate will report to the Director of Marketing and will work with our internal marketing team to oversee and contribute content to support our customers and corporate objectives.

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Web Developer at The Fuze Box in San Francisco, CA.

You will work with a small, talented team in a fast-paced environment at our office in San Francisco, building and scaling out highly entertaining, media rich Internet applications used by millions of people.

Read more about this opportunity here.

HR Manager at The Media Network in Silver Spring, MD.

We are searching for a PART-TIME WEB/NEW MEDIA DIRECTOR (20 hours) to oversee web-related marketing strategy development, including web materials and social media venues and opportunities.

Read more about this opportunity here.

Assistant Professor of Communication – Digital Media at The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication in Europe (Armed Forces).

Responsibilities include teaching undergraduate classes that involve hands-on training in digital media content creation across multiple media platforms, including broadcast, print and Internet. Areas of expertise or research emphasis may include digital media, journalism, social media, advertising, public relations, marketing, and/or visual communication; tenure-track candidates may be asked to teach graduate level courses.

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Sr / UI Designer at AOL, Inc. in New York, NY.

The User Interface Designer is accountable for delivering consumer-centric design solutions for AOL.

Read more about this opportunity here.

New Media Associate at WEMU-FM, Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti, MI.

Develop, maintain and/or utilize departmental website and new media, Internet and radio systems that communicate departmental information to a technologically diverse public

Read more about this opportunity here.

Interactive Producer at Zugara in Culver City, CA.

The Interactive Producer is responsible for providing value to our clients by translating business strategies and requirements into prioritized project plans and deliverables for web, video, mobile, and related content and applications.

Read more about this opportunity here.

Director of Sales at Red Bricks Media in San Francisco, CA.

As a Director of Sales for Red Bricks Media, you will play a critical role in developing and implementing sales strategies that generate revenue.

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Social and Digital Media SAE, AS, Director, and VP at Levick Strategic Communications in Washington DC.

Levick Strategic Communications, the nation's top crisis communications and reputation management firm, is actively recruiting highly motivated candidates both mid and senior level candidates to support its rapidly growing social and digital media practice in Washington, D.C.

Read more about this opportunity here.

Sr. Manager, Professional and Social Networking at College of American Pathologists in Winnetka, IL.

This newly-created position will be an exciting opportunity for you to help bring the CAP to the next level by developing and implementing a comprehensive professional/social networking strategy in harmony with the College's overall communication strategy to increase interaction and meaningful participation between and among the College and its constituents.

Read more about this opportunity here.

Director of Development at Toura in New York, NY.

Toura is currently recruiting a Director of Development to lead and manage its on-going technology development efforts.

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Mashable has a variety of web 2.0, application development, business development, and social networking job opportunities available. Check them out at Mashable's Job Board.

Reviews: Facebook, Mashable, MySpace, Twitter, Yahoo!, news, tagged

Coming Soon: Skype for iPhone Over 3G

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 09:26 AM PST

Skype has just gone on the record confirming that a version of Skype for iPhone that supports calls over 3G is coming “real soon now.”

Skype for iPhone currently supports calls over Wi-Fi, which severely limits how useful the Skype application can be on the go. In a blog post this morning, however, Skype’s Peter Parkes confirmed that a 3G-capable version of the application is on its way, which will make Skype for iPhone “totally mobile.”

The Skype for iPhone team is also asserting that call quality — especially for Skype-to-Skype calls — has been drastically improved and will have near CD-quality sound. The application will also maintain the call quality indicator, which will be either be green, yellow or red depending on your 3G network coverage.

We also know that the team is looking at developing a new version of Skype for the Apple iPad.

Here’s what Skype had to say about the pending application:

“Last Thursday, Apple introduced the iPad, which we're very excited about here at Skype. David Ponsford … and his team are reviewing the device and its specs, and you can expect to hear more from us about Skype for iPad in due course.
What does this have to do with calling over 3G? The SDK (Software Development Kit) that Apple provides to developers like Skype has been upgraded for the iPad. The new version, 3.2, removes the restrictions on calling over 3G, which is great news.
You may have seen other apps offering calls over 3G, but we're holding ours back for a little bit longer. Why? So that we can give you the very best audio quality we can. When our 3G-capable Skype for iPhone app is released, it'll let you make calls in wideband audio, giving you greater clarity and fidelity – because that's what you expect from Skype.”

You can also watch the video below for more information:

Reviews: Skype, iPhone

Tags: 3g, iphone, Mobile 2.0, Skype, voip

Most Companies Don’t Have a Social Media Policy [STUDY]

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 09:11 AM PST

A report by Manpower employer services found that only 29% of companies in the Americas have a “formal policy regarding employee use of social networking sites.” The number is lower in other regions — 25% in Asia-Pacific and 11% EMEA. The worldwide number is 20%.

We ran a story a few months ago about a different survey that said more than half of companies block Twitter, Facebook or MySpace. That piece might seem like it conflicts with these numbers, but there’s a distinction between a CIO opting to block access to sites and a formal social media policy.

Keeping productivity up is a reason either way; 63% of companies who have a social media policy say it’s effective. But a formal policy can also be put in place to make sure an employee doesn’t say anything publicly that could damage the company’s reputation. The report says that 4% of companies worldwide claim they have had their reputations tarnished by employees’ social media activity.

Supposedly most workers spend less than a half an hour a day on social networking sites (Over here at Mashable, we spend much longer than that). If you’re a business owner or a manager, take a look at the articles we’ve written to help you decide if a policy is right for your company and figure out how you should put one together if it is.

Reviews: Mashable
Tags: business, facebook, myspace, social networking, twitter

Google Lets Kids Design Next Logo

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 08:27 AM PST

Today Google is kicking off its third installment of Doodle for Google, a yearly nationwide art contest for students in grades K-12. Eligible students can submit their own “Google Doodles,” and the winning Doodle will appear on Google’s homepage for one day. Plus the winner and his or her school will receive money and scholarships.

The theme for this year’s competition is “If I Could Do Anything, I Would…” and the idea is to encourage kids to think about the future, dream big and push the limits.

The official Doodle 4 Google website has all the details on how to enter. Only kids from registered schools can compete, so kids (and parents), talk to your administrators and make sure they’re in on the fun. The deadline for school registrations is March 17, 2010, and the deadline for Doodle submissions is March 31, 2010.

We think this is a fun way for Google to give back to schools, while also encouraging kids to express themselves with pen and paper.

Reviews: Google

Tags: Doodle, doodle 4 google, education, google doodle, Kids

Facebook Trends: Goodbye Doppelganger, Hello Urban Dictionary Week

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 07:02 AM PST

Go to urbandictionary.com, type in your first name, copy and paste this as your Facebook status, and put the first entry for your name under comments. OK, you don’t really have to do it, but if you don’t, you’ll be missing out on the latest Facebook craze: Urban Dictionary week.

For me, the result is this: “Based on the central character in the Eminem song of the same name, a “stan” is an overzealous maniacal fan for any celebrity or athlete.” Close enough, although I’d replace “celebrity or athlete” with “electronic gadget or video game.”

Just like most other Facebook trends, this one seems equally useless (other than being a nice promotion for Urban Dictionary), but it can be a lot of fun. If you decide try it out, be careful, Urban Dictionary is a site that doesn’t shy away from very strong language.

Reviews: Facebook

Tags: facebook, social media, social networking, trending, trends

SlideShare Launches Channels for Businesses and Brands

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 06:28 AM PST

Presentation sharing site SlideShare today adds a new Channels service to its professional content sharing arsenal, allowing businesses and brands to create custom microsites within the community. With Channels, companies can create a branded channel for sharing professional content including presentations, whitepapers and webinars, or sponsor a topical content channel curated by SlideShare staff.

Combined with the LeadShare and AdShare programs launched in late 2009, businesses can develop integrated social media campaigns, from custom brand experience to lead generation to targeted promotion of professional content to the large community of business leaders and decision makers that comprise SlideShare’s more than 25 million unique visitors per month.

The above screenshot showcases a highly customizable branded channel experience for Microsoft Office, while the below image depicts the second curated channel option. In the latter, the focus is on curating great content within SlideShare to incorporate around a chosen topic (virtualization, in the example below). Interested users can follow a particular channel to get notified of new updates.

Speaking with CEO and Co-founder Rashmi Sinha, we discovered that companies and organizations account for the lion’s share of SlideShare’s recent traffic growth, up 400% in 2009. The site’s newest suite of services from LeadShare and AdShare to today’s Channels announcement seems to wisely target that growing audience sector, giving businesses new tools to leverage social media for brand engagement surrounding professional presentation and whitepaper content.

Has your business or organization used SlideShare to share professional content? Are there any topics you’d like to see covered as curated channels?

Reviews: Microsoft Office 2010

Tags: business, presentations, slideshare, social media, whitepapers

A New Debate on Blog Comments is Brewing

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 06:13 AM PST

If you’ve been following the blogging and social media scene over the last five or more years, you know that there’s one heated debate that keeps on showing up: the debate about comments on blogs. Should blogs have comments? Should these comments be moderated? When has a comment gone too far? Judging from a couple of recent events, it’s once again time to rethink these issues.

Popular gadget site Engadget has recently shut down comments. It’s a temporary measure, it says, but the blog took it because the “tone in comments has really gotten out of hand.”

On the other hand, one blog that’s famous for not having comments – John Gruber’s Daring Fireball – has just gotten comments against its will. More accurately, the folks behind MacHeist have launched a mirrored version of Gruber’s site that includes free commenting, called DaringFireballWithComments.net.

Gruber has a very interesting (and very personal) reasoning behind the lack of comments on the site. “It's totally egotistical. I want Daring Fireball to be a site that you can't skim if you're in the target audience for it. You say, ‘Oh, a new article from John. I need to read it,’ and your deadlines go whizzing by because you have to read what I wrote. If I turn comments on I feel like it's two different directions,” he said.

The counterargument is usually the notion that blogs, at their core, are about two-way communication; a blog is simply not a blog without comments. The folks at Engadget seem to discard that notion: “Luckily, our commenting community makes up only a small percentage of our readership (and the bad eggs an even smaller part of that number), so while they may be loud, they don’t speak for most people who come to Engadget looking for tech news.”

Without taking sides, we’d like to hear what you think. Do you sometimes feel that some comments are simply too much? Is a blog without comments still a blog? How important are comments in this age where a lot of commenting is happening off-site — on Twitter, Facebook and other social networks? Please tell us what you think in (heh) the comments.

images courtesy of iStockphoto, mattjeacock

Reviews: Facebook, Twitter, iStockphoto

Tags: blogging, BLOGS, comments, social media, trending