XYDO.COM: Android

Facebook May Launch Smartphone by Next Year [REPORT]

Facebook may be gearing up to launch its first-ever smartphone by next year, a new report suggests. According to The New York Times, engineers have been sought by recruiters to work on building hardware for a Facebook smartphone. This would be the social network’s third attempt to develop a smartphone, the report said, citing sources close to the matter. The news comes as search engine giant Google completed the acquisition of Motorola Mobility for $12.5 billion earlier this week. This move could help Facebook counter that with its own foray into the smartphone hardware business. SEE ALSO: Motorola Under Google: 3 Possible Futures Rumors about a possible Facebook phone have been circulating for the past few years. Although Facebook was reportedly first working on a smartphone in 2010, sources said the initiative stopped due to development complications. Meanwhile, AllThingsD has reported Facebook and manufacturer HTC were working together to develop a mobile device under the code name “Buffy.” It’s believed that “Buffy” may still be in development. Hiring engineers to work specifically on building Facebook phones would position the company to explore other smartphone projects, as well. Do you think a move into the smartphone business would be smart for Facebook or would it overextend itself? Would you buy a Facebook phone? More About: Buffy, Facebook, mark zuckerberg, smartphone, smartphonesFor more Social Media coverage:Follow Mashable Social Media on TwitterBecome a Fan on FacebookSubscribe to the Social Media channelDownload our free apps for Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad

Tell-Tale Signs Your Employee is Overworked [INFOGRAPHIC]

Are you stressed at work? You’re not alone: A recent Gallup poll indicates that on-the-job pressure is the top reason for employee dissatisfaction in the American workforce, and nearly half of American workers say their job is “very or extremely stressful.” And whether you notice it or not, you’re broadcasting clear signs that should indicate to your employer that you are overworked and need a change of pace. The infographic below, developed by Column Five in conjunction with employee wellness company Keas, shows exactly how employees behave when they’ve been pushed to their limits. Workers tend to develop classic symptoms when their workload gets too much to bear, such as poor memory, fatigue and bad time management. They also exhibit odd behaviors, working too much or too little in response to the level of stress in the workplace. Employers should be watching for these key symptoms and redirecting overworked employees to a more manageable situation. Of course, the consequences of ignoring these signs can be major — 66% of employees suffer from stress-induced health issues, including but not limited to high blood pressure, headaches, sleeplessness and more frequent periods of sickness. Overworked employees are also more likely to have drastically decreased productivity and play hooky than those who are satisfied with their workload. The overall result is clear: Overworked and stressed workers are never good for a company. Check out the infographic below for an inside look into how overworked employees behave — and how it all can be fixed. Do you ever feel stressed at your job? Let us know in the comments. Infographic research and design by Column Five Social Media Job Listings Every week we post a list of social media and web job opportunities. While we publish a huge range of job listings, we’ve selected some of the top social media job opportunities from the past two weeks to get you started. Happy hunting! Social Media Strategy Director at Likeable Media in New York City Online Marketing Manager at USA Football in Indianapolis Social Outreach Manager at Awesomeness TV in Los Angeles More About: features, infographic, job search series, jobs, mashableFor more Business coverage:Follow Mashable Business on TwitterBecome a Fan on FacebookSubscribe to the Business channelDownload our free apps for Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad

Tell-Tale Signs Your Employee is Overworked [INFOGRAPHIC]

Why Facebook doesn’t need a Facebook Phone (but will try anyway)

With Facebook’s recent unveiling of a camera app for the iPhone, as well as a universal app store, it’s becoming clearer to me that even if the company is planning a phone of its own, it likely won’t be as big a deal as we think. Instead, Facebook is continually proving that every phone is a Facebook phone — or at least, every phone that can run Facebook’s apps, which includes the iPhone, Android devices, and Windows Phones. That seems a far better strategy for the company too, as Facebook likely won’t have a chance in hell to pry consumers away from their existing smartphone platforms. A rising popularity in Facebook mobile consumption led the company to list mobile as a major risk before it went public. The average Facebook user spent 441 minutes (7 hours and 21 minutes) accessing the site on mobile, the company revealed in its updated S-1 filing earlier this month. A Facebook phone likely won’t make a dent against all those users already using Facebook on their phones — and I don’t think that’s what the company wants anyway. Facebook wouldn’t spend $1 billion on Instagram, the wildly popular photo-sharing app on the iPhone and Android, if it aimed to actually kill other mobile platforms. Now I won’t deny that a Facebook phone will happen at some point. We’ve been hearing about such a device for some time — most recently, it’s gone by the codename “Buffy” and is said to be developed by HTC — and it makes sense for Facebook to want a device entirely its own. But if anything, it’ll likely be a cheap mid-range Android phone that will appeal to teenagers and emerging markets, and not something that will compete with high-end smartphones. (I’d imagine it would be similar to Inq’s Facebook-focused phones, though that company ended up cancelling one of its upcoming models.) Much like how Amazon offered a completely different spin on Android with the Kindle Fire, Facebook’s phone would be a cheap and easy way for its users to climb aboard mobile. (And the fact that it will lock those users into Facebook’s ecosystem is a nice plus.) Business Insider’s Jay Yarow points out that with all of its recent apps, it looks like Facebook is putting together all of the core components of its phone right in front of us. The Facebook Camera app could easily be the primary camera app on the Facebook phone, and Facebook Messages could serve as main messaging app as well (just like iMessages, Facebook could use the app to handle both SMS and its own messages). Of course, those apps also serve as a perfect way to distract users from built-in apps on their smartphones. Yarow also points to Facebook’s rumored interest in purchasing Opera, which would give it a powerful web browser of its own. While that’s one possibility, I view Facebook’s interest in Opera in another way: It’s the perfect way for Facebook to steal consumers away from mobile Safari on the iPhone and Android’s browsers (which includes the original Android browser and Chrome for Android). If you own the browser, you own the web. Opera could also serve as the perfect engine for a hyper-social web browser that’s intimately connected with all of Facebook’s services. It’s also a particularly interesting on the iPhone, as it’s the only third-party browser that isn’t forced to use Apple’s WebKit framework. Opera compresses web content on its servers before pushing it to your device, so it bypasses Apple’s restrictions on third-party browsers. That makes Opera on the iPhone faster than mobile Safari as well, and it could allow Facebook to build a truly interesting browser of its own with Opera’s tech. Photo via Johan Larsson/Flickr Filed under: mobile, social, VentureBeat

Motorola Videos Show Android 4.0 on Droid RAZR

New features in Motorola's custom version of Ice Cream Sandwich are displayed.

Being more productive with mobile tech

Gadgets and the apps that run them have become so powerful it makes me more productive, all of the time.

1Mpad is Malaysia's first branded tablet, delivers 7 inches of Gingerbread for $315

So you've decided that it's time to make a tablet part of your life, but a lack of star-spangled slabs has prompted you to defer the purchase. Malaysians now face no such dilemma, due in no small part to the 1Malasyia Pad -- the country's first branded tab. The 1Mpad will reportedly soon be marketed to students (1.4 million of them, in fact), but 5,000 of the 7-inch Gingerbread devices are now being offered up to deep-pocketed locals, priced online at a rather-ambitious 999 Malaysian ringgits (about $315). Manufactured by MalTechPro Sdn Bhd, the 1Mpad will be offered to students at a to-be-determined discounted rate, making it the first such device to be available using a student discount card. At its current high list price, the tablet doesn't appear to be a fantastic deal, shipping with 3G broadband and the 1Malaysia Messenger application, which will serve as an IM service of sorts for sending text, pictures, video and voice recording to other 1Mpad owners. Still, if you have the cash to spare for an early taste of what Malaysian students may some day be using to surf the web, you can hit up the source link after the break for a bit more info. [Thanks, Joe]1Mpad is Malaysia's first branded tablet, delivers 7 inches of Gingerbread for $315 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 27 May 2012 05:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | BorneoPost | Email this | Comments

Motorola Shows Off Ice Cream Sandwich For The DROID RAZR [Videos]

When Motorola released their updated Ice Cream Sandwich timeline, we learned that the DROID RAZR would get it before the end of June. Of course, Motorola will add its own manufacturer skin, known as Motoblur, on top of ICS to give it their own flavor. Just how will the latest Motoblur look on the RAZR? Motorola is giving us a peek through a series of videos on their Japanese RAZR site. These videos cover everything, including the new lock screen, Webtop 3.0, taking screenshots, navigation, and more. In all, there are 15 videos covering just about everything you want to see of the RAZR’s ICS build. Motoblur has been consistently panned by Android enthusiasts and media in the past, but it seems they are slimming down their latest skin to give the OS a distinctively Moto flair, but keeping ICS’s soul and essence intact. Check out all 15 videos after the break. Navigating Around Android 4.0: Click here to view the embedded video. Webtop 3.0 Basics: Click here to view the embedded video. Lock and Home Screen: Click here to view the embedded video. Taking and Sharing Screenshots: Click here to view the embedded video. Camera: Click here to view the embedded video. Face Unlock: Click here to view the embedded video. Notification Window: Click here to view the embedded video. Buttons and Icons: Click here to view the embedded video. Browser: Click here to view the embedded video. Dialer and Contacts: Click here to view the embedded video. Placing Shortcuts and Widgets: Click here to view the embedded video. More Widgets and Shortcuts: Click here to view the embedded video. Folders: Click here to view the embedded video. Social Networking: Click here to view the embedded video. Data Usage: Click here to view the embedded video. What do you think? Does it look attractive, usable, and functional? Or would you prefer stock ICS? Looks like more videos may be getting added over time on Moto’s site. Hit the source link below to see the latest. source: motorola Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more!

Wallpaper of the Week 205

The wallpaper of this week is an image created using the new 3D features in Photoshop CS6. The idea behind this image was to create an old style 3D text. The new Photoshop CS6 makes this process much easier and we will show you in a tutorial very soon. Desktop Version iPad Version iPhone Version Resolutions: 2560x1440px 1920x1200px 1680x1050px 1440x900px 1280x1024px 1280x800px 1024x768px iPhone iPad About the authorAbduzeedo is a blog about design. There are all sorts of articles for those who want to look for inspiration. Also you will find very useful tutorials for the most used applications out there, with a special selection of Photoshop Tutorials and Illustrator Tutorials. You can get in follow us via Twitter at @abduzeedo Sponsored Links:

Motorola shows off Ice Cream Sandwich on a Droid RAZR, sprinkles in Webtop 3.0

Although Motorola outed its Android Ice Cream Sandwich rollout plans back in February, we've only seen leaked glimpses of what its skinned version the OS would be like for its handsets. That's changed recently thanks to Motorola's Japanese website, where a new ICS landing page features nine demo videos showcasing the software on a Droid RAZR. Among the clips, which highlight features from updated icons to a revamped lockscreen, there's also a detailed look at the LapDock-friendly Webtop 3.0 UI. Sadly however, there isn't any new word on the rollout schedule past the update Moto detailed on the 18th. You can treat yourself to some of the eye candy by clicking past the break, and you'll find all the vids by hitting the source link below -- but do keep in mind that most of clips aren't voiced in English.Continue reading Motorola shows off Ice Cream Sandwich on a Droid RAZR, sprinkles in Webtop 3.0Motorola shows off Ice Cream Sandwich on a Droid RAZR, sprinkles in Webtop 3.0 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 26 May 2012 20:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink The Verge, Droid Life | Motorola Japan (translated) | Email this | Comments

Spanish Soccer Scores a Goal on Social Media

When Mashable took a look at the English Premier League’s social media side last week, the main takeaway was that the 2012 season marked the big social push of the world’s most high-profile soccer league. But Spain’s LigaBBVA — considered a tier below the EPL on the pitch, although it’s home to powerhouse clubs Real Madrid and FC Barcelona — actually looks to be world soccer’s digital leader. To get the fuller picture, we scoured social media sites, and consulted LigaBBVA as well as the Spanish sports and social media site Sportwist. Perhaps the place where La Liga’s social media dominance shines most is with its biggest stars. Three of the top four sports-related Twitter accounts are from Spanish soccer — Real Madrid stars Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo have 10.7 and 9.9 million followers, respectively, while the FC Barcelona club account claims almost 5.2 million. Last month, Kaka became the first sports figure ever to break 10 million followers on the the network. Fellow LigaBBVA stars Andres Iniesta, Cesc Fabregas, Gerard Pique, Carlos Puyol, Xabi Alonso and David Villa each top one million followers as well. The league itself maintains profiles on pretty much all the social web’s major networks — Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Google+, Pinterest and multiple Chinese services. LigaBBVA engages fans extremely well on Facebook in particular. The league’s official page has more than 1 million fans. During a stretch in April, engagement peaked according to Sportwist, with more than 55% of those fans “talking about” LigaBBVA teams, matches and players — an outstanding level of engagement for a brand in any industry. SEE ALSO: English Premier League: The Social Media Season LigaBBVA also dominates world soccer leagues on Twitter. The @LigaBBVA profile counts more than 280,000 followers there, compared with the official @premierleague account’s approximately 209,000 followers. LigaBBVA also has a Klout score of 74, compared to the EPL’s score of 70. The German Bundesliga — considered by many the world’s third-best league in overall quality of play — has a Klout score of 49. On the Chinese social network Sina Weibo, Spain’s soccer league has 155,000 followers, as well as an additional 106,000 fans on the similar Chinese network Ren Ren. What powers LigaBBVA’s social media popularity? Real Madrid and FC Barcelona, arguably two of the world’s three most popular club teams. Consider this, for example: Barcelona has more than 31 million Facebook fans and about 5.2 million Twitter followers; Real Madrid has over 28 million Facebook fans and 4.7 million Twitter followers. No other LigaBBVA team approaches a combined total of 500,000. Why do you think LigaBBVA beats out the EPL on social media? Let us know in the comments. Image via iStockphoto, mikkelwilliam More About: Facebook, Social Media, sports, Twitter, YouTubeFor more Entertainment coverage:Follow Mashable Entertainment on TwitterBecome a Fan on FacebookSubscribe to the Entertainment channelDownload our free apps for Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad

How To Organize A Social Media Day Meetup

Mashable‘s third annual Social Media Day is on Saturday, June 30, 2012! Social Media is quickly changing our world by bringing people closer together. So, in true Mashable style, we celebrate it! In previous years, we have had incredible Social Media Day Meetups created by event organizers around the globe. To keep that tradition alive, we invite you to once again bring your fellow social media enthusiasts together in person by hosting a Social Media Day Meetup in your area. Like any event, Social Media Day Meetups require planning. If this is your first time organizing one, here’s a couple of tips to get you started. If you have organized one in the past, here’s a refresher course! Step by Step Because we use the Meetup Everywhere platform, there is already a Social Media Day event set up for the over 1,500+ Mashable Meetup Everywhere communities. Here’s how to find and edit your local Meetup: 1. Visit Mashable’s Social Media Day 2012 Meetup Everywhere page. 2. Find the Meetup community nearest you and click on the city name to find the Social Media Day event page. 4. To be the sole organizer, give a date, time, venue and short description of the Meetup. 5. To be a co-organizer, leave other fields blank to allow another Meetup community member to fill them in, which will make him or her your co-organizer. 7. Check the meetup page frequently to answer questions and start conversations on the comment boards. Find a Meetup Community Near You Browse through this list to find a Meetup near you! If you can’t find your city, it may be up to you to create the event! Get The Word Out Make sure your community knows about your Mashable Social Media Day Meetup! Here’s a few ideas to get you started promoting: 1. Create a Twitter account and Facebook page for your event 2. Find something that makes your event special, and let your local media know about it. 3. Alert local organizations that have similar interests about the event. 4. Encourage attendees to share the details, both online and by word of mouth! Gather Organizer Tools Our Social Media Day website is a one-stop-shop for everything you may need to plan your Social Media Day event. On it, you will find Social Media Day logos, tweets, photos and videos from events around the globe, and helpful videos such as this one: Connect with Fellow Organizers The Mashable Meetup Organizers Facebook group is an incredible community of 250+ organizers who plan Mashable Meetups of their own. They’re a friendly, active bunch who are always willing to extend a helping hand to people treading the waters for the first time. Inspiration To get an idea of what a great Mashable Meetup is like, check out the photos below. Good luck planning your Social Media Day 2012 Meetup. We can’t wait to see what you’re able to put together! Photos: Cincinnati An awesome Social Media Day cake was made for #SMDay Cincinnati, the winners of our Most Social City contest. Photo by Christiaan Todd Photography.Click here to view this gallery. For more Social Media coverage:Follow Mashable Social Media on TwitterBecome a Fan on FacebookSubscribe to the Social Media channelDownload our free apps for Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad

Noise-Canceling Tech Lets You Quietly Dine in Noisy Restaurants [VIDEO]

How many times have you gone out for a fancy evening of food and revelry, and ended up spending the evening yelling into the ear of your dinner companion? An accomplished sound engineer has figured out a way to solve that problem, using technology similar to that of noise-canceling headphones. Using 123 cleverly hidden speakers, an array of highly sensitive microphones and noise-canceling technology, sound engineer (and now restaurant owner) John Paluska has teamed up with Meyer Sound to create a way to make the noise of conversation cancel itself out, letting him control the ambient sound levels in his restaurant using an iPad app. Paluska’s noise-canceling system’s beta test site is Comal, his restaurant in Berkeley, Calif. How well does it work? If the performance of noise-canceling headphones is any indication, this could be a breakthrough. [via SF Gate] More About: audioFor more Tech coverage:Follow Mashable Tech on TwitterBecome a Fan on FacebookSubscribe to the Tech channelDownload our free apps for Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad

How To Organize A Social Media Day Meetup

‘True Blood,’ ‘Twilight’ Sink Teeth Into Social Media [INFOGRAPHIC]

TV critics predict True Blood, the hit HBO series about vampires and other superhuman characters, will dominate conversations online this summer. And while the show’s plot is responsible for driving much of the dialogue across social networks, True Blood‘s social media tactics to engage viewers propels the buzz to another level. Competing vampire brands Twilight (Breaking Dawn part 2 hits theaters Nov. 16) and Vampire Diaries (season 4 premieres in October) leverage similar tactics to get viewers to participate via tablets, laptops and mobile devices. Season 5 of True Blood begins June 10. SEE ALSO: Summer TV Guide — 20 Social Shows to See But how do the shows stack up against each other? Direct SAT TV tells all in the infographic below. More About: celebrities, Entertainment, infographic, Social Media, social tv, true blood, twilight, Vampire Diaries, VampiresFor more Entertainment coverage:Follow Mashable Entertainment on TwitterBecome a Fan on FacebookSubscribe to the Entertainment channelDownload our free apps for Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad

Five reasons you need Android 4.0

We list five important reasons why you should want Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) on your next phone or tablet. If your phone manufacturer is doing its job, you may not have to wait long, either.

DRS presenta sus nuevas y rugerizadas tablets Armor con Android y Windows

Filed under: Tablet PCs Aunque suelen verse con menos frecuencia que en el segmento de telefonía, las tablets rugerizadas también tienen su pequeño hueco en el mercado. DRS Technologies es un claro ejemplo de empresa que apuesta por ellas, por lo que no es de extrañar que la compañía haya ampliado su catálogo con la incorporación de tres nuevos modelos Armor. El primero de ellos, el x7ad, cuenta con un tamaño de 7 pulgadas (589 gr.), procesador dual core Tegra 2 a 1 GHz, una autonomía de 8 horas y viene con sistema operativo Android 3.2. Le acompañan en la aventura dos propuestas con Windows 7, la X7et, con panel también de 7 pulgadas (680 gr.), corazón Atom Z60 y 6 horas de aguante sin enchufe; y la X12kb, que amplía su pantalla polarizada hasta las 12 pulgadas -2,49 kg-, incluyendo procesador Core i5 560UM, batería con 8 horas de duración, teclado físico giratorio (para transformarlo en un portátil), touchpad y un botón especial que desactiva luz y sonido para "operaciones encubiertas", como señala el propio fabricante. ¿Las prestaciones comunes de estas tables? Pues el reconocimiento, claro es, de los certificados IP65 y MIL-STD 810G, prometiendo aguantar caídas, golpes, arañazos, altas presiones, temperaturas extremas y prácticamente cualquier tortura china que se te ocurra. Todas vienen además con GPS, WiFi (b/g/n) y Bluetooth, entre otras especificaciones. Las nuevas Armor ya se pueden curiosear en la web norteamericana de la casa -enlace de lectura-, aunque sus precios son por el momento todo un misterio.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Startup Partners With Top Designers, Celebrities on High-End Capsule Collections

The Spark of Genius Series highlights a unique feature of startups and is made possible by Microsoft BizSpark. If you would like to have your startup considered for inclusion, please see the details here. Name: Edition01 Quick Pitch: Limited-edition capsule collections from celebrities and some of the world’s most recognizable designers. Genius Idea: Making luxury even more exclusive. Since sites like Gilt and Groupon took off in the U.S. at the end of the aughts, the number of online businesses offering limited-time discounts, particularly on luxury goods and services, has proliferated. This has been a worrisome trend for many a luxury brand anxious to preserve the price integrity of its wares. Edition01 is part of a small but growing flock of young startups, including retailers Moda Operandi and AHAlife, developing new models for full-priced retail. And it’s landing partnerships with some major brands as a result. It’s current list includes Donna Karan, Anna Sui, Zac Posen and Prabal Gurung. The one-and-a-half-year-old company has also done sales for vintage handbags and a private label collection of fur vests and scarves. How has Edition01 been able to land all of these designers? In addition to the appeal of selling at full-price, cofounder Estefania Lacayo has been working with many of them for years through consulting jobs at Rent the Runway and ideeli, where she worked on designer acquisitons. Before those, she worked as a retail buyer. Items are produced in limited editions of up to 80 and, if very expensive, as few as three. And most of these items are expensive, relatively speaking: Dresses on the site typically carry price tags between $1,000 and $2,500; jewelry and clutches typically cost between $300 and $600. Cofounder Estefania Lacayo says the company plans to launch more collections priced under $300 “for the woman who appreciates craftsmanship but doesn’t have the resources for a $3,000 dress.” Edition01 works with designers at different stages in the production cycle. Sometimes, both parties will meet when a designer is choosing fabrics for his or her own collection; other times, they’ll meet when a designer is placing orders, and develop something from the fabrics he or she has already ordered. Between now and the end of the summer, Edition01 is launching a line of sporty legwear with actor Gwyneth Paltrow and her trainer, Tracy Anderson, as well as a five-designer collaboration in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the CDFA and the New York Mets. A collection with jewelry designer Pamela Love will go live in September. Edition01 raised around $500,000 in seed funding from venture capitalists David Tisch, Ken Lerer and Ron Conway’s SV Angel in August 2011. Lacayo says the company has raised a bridge round with existing investors and also struck a licensing agreement with a luxury store in Qatar. Series Supported by Microsoft BizSpark The Spark of Genius Series highlights a unique feature of startups and is made possible by Microsoft BizSpark, a startup program that gives you three-year access to the latest Microsoft development tools, as well as connecting you to a nationwide network of investors and incubators. There are no upfront costs, so if your business is privately owned, less than three years old, and generates less than U.S.$1 million in annual revenue, you can sign up today. More About: bizspark, edition01, fashion, luxury, retailFor more Business coverage:Follow Mashable Business on TwitterBecome a Fan on FacebookSubscribe to the Business channelDownload our free apps for Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad

DRS unveils trio of ruggedized tablets in Windows and Android flavors

Drops, shocks, heavy vibrations, dust, water and temperatures in the extremes -- just the kind of punishment you'd expect a DRS Armor slab to put up with, and the firm's latest do so without the briefcase-like look. With MIL-STD 810G certification and an IP65 rating, the 7-inch multi-touch slates can withstand some rough and tumble -- though there's no word if they can pass the tesla coil benchmark. At 1.3 pounds, the Android 3.2-loaded X7ad squeezes out eight hours of battery life with a 1GHz dual core Tegra 2 processor. Its Windows-minded doppelganger, the X7et, holds a six-hour charge, sports an Atom Z670 processor and tips the scales at just under 1.5 pounds. If the chunkier look strikes your fancy, the 12.1 inch X12kb has you covered -- though at 5.5 pounds, it's the lightest MIL-STD-810G certified convertible tablet currently available. The swivel screened slate has up to eight hours of battery life, a Core i5 560UMCPU processor, a polarized LCD glass display, a spillproof keyboard and touchpad in addition to a one-click stealth mode that disables light and sound for "covert operations." With GPS, WiFi and Gobi Wireless Broadband options, all three of these are ready for missions at home and abroad, however you might need that stealth function to find out the (currently unspecified) pricing.Continue reading DRS unveils trio of ruggedized tablets in Windows and Android flavorsDRS unveils trio of ruggedized tablets in Windows and Android flavors originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 26 May 2012 03:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | | Email this | Comments

Startup Partners With Top Designers, Celebrities on High-End Capsule Collections

10 Ways to Bootstrap Your Startup Office Decor

Mashable’s new video series, Behind the Launch, follows Vungle on its startup journey toward a June launch. Each week on Mashable, the Vungle team offers tips and lessons learned from its own startup experience. This week, we saw Vungle take a break from their computers and head into nature, giving us a peek into Vungle’s company culture. Watch the episode above, and then check out Jack’s tips below to find out how to make your office embody your culture. Want more? Tune into Behind the Launch every Monday and Wednesday. Building a great company culture is really important to motivate your staff and to get everyone working toward a common vision and feeling a part of something big. Decorating your office is a fun and cool way to build culture, and though most startups don’t have the budget to compete with Facebook or Google, there are lots of things that you can do to add flair on the cheap. Below, you’ll find 10 ways to bootstrap your office decor, from a stuffed honey badger to a 22-inch gong. What “pieces of flair” do you have in your office space? Let us know in the comments. 1. Paint a Mural on Your Wall Murals are an inexpensive way to add color and personality to a room. Recruit a local artist or art major to do the job. Cost: $240 and a creative friend to helpClick here to view this gallery. More About: Behind the Launch Series, features, mashable, office decor, startup, VungleFor more Startups coverage:Follow Mashable Startups on TwitterBecome a Fan on FacebookSubscribe to the Startups channelDownload our free apps for Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad

Geek Pride: Mashable Staff Shows Off Their Nerdiest Tees to Celebrate

Mashable Features Editor Matt Silverman, Marketing Manager Jennifer Diamond, Features Writer Stephanie Buck and Campaigns Manager Lauren Dress pose for their geeky t-shirt-themed album cover.Click here to view this gallery.While every day may be “Geek Pride” Day in the Mashable offices, we decided to celebrate the day in style with our best nerdy tees. Mashable‘s staff is representative of the wide variety of geeks, from music lovers to space nerds to old-school gamers. The shirts we were wearing Friday represented that well, as everyone let a little bit of their geek flag fly. Geek Pride Day actually falls on two important geek days: the anniversary of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope and Towel Day, in honor of the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy series of books written by Douglas Adams. Check out photos of our staff showing off their geeky threads, and let us know your favorite shirt in the comments. More About: geek, mashable, Star WarsFor more Entertainment coverage:Follow Mashable Entertainment on TwitterBecome a Fan on FacebookSubscribe to the Entertainment channelDownload our free apps for Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad

App Helps Steer You to Lowest Gas Prices [VIDEO]

More than 30 million people will drive at least 50 miles over Memorial Day Weekend, according to results a survey from the AAA. No matter where they fill up their tanks along the way, they’ll likely spend less money on gas than last year. National gas prices on Friday averaged $3.67 per gallon, down from $3.81 a year ago. Those who still want to beat the average, however, can get some help from an app called GasBuddy. The app, which is available for both Android and iPhone devices, crowdsources gas prices and directs users to the stations where they’re lowest. Watch a demo of the app in the video above and tell us in the comments where you’ll be headed this weekend. Thumbnail image courtesy of iStockphoto, aydinmutlu More About: gas, gas buddyFor more Tech coverage:Follow Mashable Tech on TwitterBecome a Fan on FacebookSubscribe to the Tech channelDownload our free apps for Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad

‘The Avengers’: The First All-Star Movie By Design

Jeff Gomez is CEO of Starlight Runner Entertainment, a New York based production company that consults with Hollywood studios on some of their most popular entertainment franchises. Follow him @Jeff_Gomez. With some industry observers projecting global box office revenues as high as $2 billion for The Avengers, it’s clear that the film is an unprecedented success. Many have pegged Marvel Studios franchise producer Kevin Feige’s creative and strategic approach in building a shared “story world” out of a series of movies (Iron Man, Incredible Hulk, Iron Man II, Captain America and Thor) that coalesced into a kind of all-star movie in Joss Whedon’s Avengers. But contrary to popular belief, this is not the first time a mess of heroes (or anti-heroes) have been assembled in the service of a greater purpose‚ or multiple revenue streams. Our love of team-ups, in fact, dates back to the Stone Age. Early man imbued all things around him with animus, and the coolest things — the sun, the moon, the ocean — were either the incarnations of, or controlled by superior beings, gods. It was just a matter of time before pantheons formed, relationships got complicated, and villains arose to challenge the benevolent. In the Beginning In the myth of Jason and the Argonauts, stalwart and charismatic Jason assembled a crew of some of the hottest celebs of his day in order to retrieve the Golden Fleece. These included Hercules, Medea and Orpheus, all stars of their own myths and legends. In The Iliad, the epic poet Homer (the Joss Whedon of his time) brings together dozens of Greek gods and heroes and crashes them into the Trojan War. The story was such a hit, Homer followed up some years later with a sequel in The Odyssey. In the late 15th century, Thomas Malory took a mass of tales and legends around the character of King Arthur and wove them into a single story called Le Morte d’Arthur. There we see all of the heroic Knights of the Round Table (Lancelot, Galahad, Perceval, Gawain, etc.) united for the first time. A century later, the Italians were having fun mixing and matching prominent characters‚ often portrayed in masks and capes‚ from literature, theater and opera in their Commedia dell’Arte. Heroic pantheons became a motif in so-called low art in the 19th and 20th centuries. Pulp anti-heroes or notorious gunslingers met one another in dime store novels, but the comic books of the 1940s kicked things up a notch, uniting some of the most powerful and popular costumed heroes of the time to save the world from certain doom. All-Star Comics #3, for instance, introduced us to The Justice Society of America, teaming Hawkman, the Flash, the Spectre, Green Lantern and others in adventures that must have certainly blown young minds. From “Frankenstein” to Manga But the precedent that most clearly laid the foundation for Avengers can be tracked back to the great horror movies from Universal Pictures in the ’40s. After experiencing huge hits with such films as Dracula and Frankenstein, the studio took a cue from the comic books of the time and started cross-pollinating their franchise. So Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man was followed by House of Frankenstein, where posters screamed, “All Together! Frankenstein’s Monster, Wolf Man, Dracula! Hunchback! Mad Doctor!” The monsters would reunite two more times, until popular comedy duo Abbott and Costello killed them off once and for all by making the whole situation laughable. You might say the Japanese have had the most fun with pop culture pantheons. With the rise of the post-World War II ethos of keiretsu, concepts and characters tended to flow more easily between formal rival media companies. Heroes and villains could more readily show up in one another’s storylines, and the rest of the world got to enjoy the results with such franchises as Toho’s giant monster movies. Godzilla Versus Mothra featured the first rubber-suited cross-over, but no child of the ’60s could ever forget Destroy All Monsters, uniting Godzilla, Rodan, Anguiras and a megaton of other goggle-eyed kaiju in defense of the Earth against the triple-headed, lightning-spitting King Ghidorah. Always game to top themselves, the Japanese have more recently been mixing and mashing their own superhero franchises on television and in theaters. Five, 10 and 30 Kamen Riders, each from their own TV series, have banded together to save the world from escalating menaces. Check out this awesome team-up of every Power Ranger who ever existed in an epic battle against an alien armada from the climactic episode of Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger: Crafting For Greatness So what makes Marvel’s Avengers different from all of these previous mash-ups? A few things, actually. By all accounts, Kevin Feige and his team laid out a vision for how every Marvel movie would dovetail into the others, each introducing characters and elements that come into play in the others, all building toward Avengers. No writer, director or studio exec had incorporated this level of planning into how his or her franchise would unfold and interlock, not even George Lucas for his Star Wars movies. In addition to somehow skirting all the reasons why such an endeavor could not be possible under contemporary Hollywood business and creative constraints, Marvel Studios also played the technology and digital distribution cards like no other in history. Armed with the knowledge that their superheroes are the closest things we have to a godlike pantheon, Marvel worked triple-time over the several years to dust off these characters and reintroduce them to the world. Animated series, chapter books, action figures, video games, Blu-rays loaded with crash courses in Avengers lore, even a million-dollar Facebook game that mixed X-Men and Spider-Man into the four-color stew. We were set up like ten-pins and Avengers, as recounted by the cleverly chosen Joss “Homer” Whedon, could only bowl us over. Here’s both the takeaway and the challenge studios face in the wake of Avengers: a well-known and coherent story world is a rare and precious thing, and there is great power in a grand unifying narrative. Replicating Success The threads that tie 20th Century Fox’s X-Men franchise together are loose at best, with various filmmakers fraying even those with different, often contradictory takes on the material. Warner Bros. approach to the DC heroes has been almost entirely auteur-driven, with Batman, Superman and Green Lantern existing in entirely different universes. It will be some years before any of those characters can meet on the big screen, even if the studio wanted them to. We experience a certain kind of exhilaration when our gods unite toward a common purpose. That’s why we have All-Star baseball games, and why we’ll forever remember how Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, Willie Nelson, Michael Jackson, Tina Turner and a host of others joined forces to sing “We Are the World” for starving people in Africa. They are our champions, and their adventures together forge national, and now global narratives. To repeat the success of The Avengers, however, studios will need visionaries up to the cause, new kinds of storytellers as savvy with how narrative unfolds across multiple media platforms, and use licensing campaigns to build equity in lesser known characters, as with how to turn a good scene. Super nerds, thy time has come! More About: contributor, features, Marvel, the avengers, transmediaFor more Entertainment coverage:Follow Mashable Entertainment on TwitterBecome a Fan on FacebookSubscribe to the Entertainment channelDownload our free apps for Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad

Grown Woman Watches ‘Star Wars’ for the First Time [LIVE BLOG]

Against all odds, there are people on Earth who haven’t seen Star Wars. And I’m not talking about hunter-gatherers in the Amazon rainforest. I’m talking about people who enjoy indoor plumbing, like my colleague Christine Erickson. For 24 years, she’s been bombarded with quotes, jokes, memes, toys, commercials, sequels, prequels, parodies, marketing and countless cultural references that fly right over her ignorant little head like the Millenium Falcon making the Kessel Run. (She has no idea what I’m talking about there.) Today is auspicious. Thirty-five years ago, Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope debuted in theaters, blowing the sideburns off countless ’70s sci-fi nerds. George Lucas created an institution — dare I say, a cultural prerequisite — upon which all subsequent sci-fi owes a debt. How dare you, Christine Erickson, work at a nerd emporium like Mashable having never seen this seminal space opera. Do you think you’re better than us or something? Well, do you? To remedy this affront on humankind, we’ve locked Christine in a windowless storeroom asked Christine to watch Episode IV for the very first time and share her experience live on the web. At 2:00 p.m. ET, we launch her into a galaxy far, far away, and you can follow her journey right here in this very post. You can also play along on social media: Follow Christine’s tweets: @christerickson. Follow the official hashtag: #StarWarsVirgin. Lots of awesome people will be chiming in! Follow the plot of the movie in real time as it unfolds: @StarWarsPlot. Lots of people have RSVPed for the event on Facebook. See what they’re talking about! Check in to Star Wars and follow along with Mashable on GetGlue. Be sure to use the hashtag #StarWarsVirgin when you share your updates. We want to hear from you! Are you shocked that someone has never seen this movie before? Are you a Star Wars virgin yourself? Every tweet with the hashtag #StarWarsVirgin will be seen by our team, and the funniest, nerdiest, craziest ones will be included in our live blog, right here on Mashable. So, fire up your hyperdrive and join us for this special, social experiment. A huge thanks to Nick McKaig for providing the soundtrack to our video above. If you haven’t checked out his amazing acapella arrangement of the Star Wars theme, you’re really missing out. You can also download the track from iTunes. What better way to geek out on this holiest of holidays? More About: Entertainment, features, Film, humor, live blog, Movies, Sci-Fi, Social Media, Star Wars, trending, TwitterFor more Entertainment coverage:Follow Mashable Entertainment on TwitterBecome a Fan on FacebookSubscribe to the Entertainment channelDownload our free apps for Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad

SpaceX Dragon Makes History, Docks With the ISS [PICS]

SpaceX’s Dragon capsule has successfully docked with the International Space Station, making SpaceX the first privately owned company in history to achieve such a feat. This success came after a long period of planning and several launch delays. While there’s still work to be done (the Dragon must successfully return to Earth), it’s a historic event, hopefully marking the beginning of a new era of privately funded space exploration. Now that the docking process is complete, the astronauts aboard the ISS will open the Dragon’s hatch and unload the supplies the spacecraft is carrying. After that, they’ll load used equipment into the Dragon, which will return back to Earth approximately two weeks later. The Dragon is scheduled to land in the Pacific, hundreds of miles west of Southern California. Check out a gallery of photos from the mission tweeted by SpaceX below and our interview with SpaceX’s founder and chief designer Elon Musk here. SpaceX Dragon Capsule flying in formation with the ISS Click here to view this gallery. More About: International Space Station, ISS, NASA, SpaceX Dragon, trendingFor more Tech coverage:Follow Mashable Tech on TwitterBecome a Fan on FacebookSubscribe to the Tech channelDownload our free apps for Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad

Star Wars Tweets: 15 Hilarious Parody Accounts

1. Darth Vader (@DepressedDarth) Basically Darth, depressed. Click here to view this gallery.On the 35th anniversary of the release of Star Wars, we’re celebrating the film phenomenon with a look at how — three and a half decades later — the series’ influence can still be seen in modern media. Take Twitter for example. In addition to the official Star Wars Twitter account, currently enjoying nearly 220,000 followers, there are hundreds of parody accounts set up by dedicated fans. SEE ALSO: 9 Star Wars Tech Accessories From a Galaxy Far, Far Away We have collated our top 15 such entities. Take a look through our gallery above for some amusing accounts we recommend following if you’re a Star Wars fan. Let us know in the comments below about any others you follow that we haven’t listed. More About: Entertainment, features, Film, Lists, Star Wars, TwitterFor more Entertainment coverage:Follow Mashable Entertainment on TwitterBecome a Fan on FacebookSubscribe to the Entertainment channelDownload our free apps for Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad

Facebook Camera and Two Other Stories You Need to Know

Welcome to this morning’s edition of “First To Know,” a series in which we keep you in the know on what’s happening in the digital world. Today, we’re looking at three particularly interesting stories. Facebook Launches Camera App Facebook has released Facebook Camera for iOS, a camera application with a close resemblance to Instagram, which Facebook recently acquired for $1 billion. The app’s claim to fame are photo filters, which should — in theory, at least — make your photos look more attractive, but we’re not too sure Facebook Camera can compete with Instagram, whose filters are arguably much better. In any case, it’s a win-win situation for Facebook which owns both apps, and it can choose whether to push them both at the same time, merge one into the other or completely abandon one and put all its photo-nicefying eggs in one basket. SpaceX Dragon Docking Attempt SpaceX’s Dragon capsule is attempting to dock with the International Space Station today. If successful, SpaceX would become the first private company to achieve such a feat. Watch the live video stream of the docking here. Google Announces In-App Subscription in Google Play Google is adding an in-app subscription option for Android apps offered through the Google Play store. Starting today, developers can use in-app billing to sell monthly or annual subscriptions from inside of their apps. The subscriptions are auto-renewing, and developers just need to set the price and billing interval, with Google Playing managing the purchase transactions for them. Image courtesy of iStockphoto, mattjeacock More About: android, Facebook Camera, features, first to know series, Google, mashable, SpaceX DragonFor more Tech coverage:Follow Mashable Tech on TwitterBecome a Fan on FacebookSubscribe to the Tech channelDownload our free apps for Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad

Star Wars Tweets: 15 Hilarious Parody Accounts

Facebook Camera and Two Other Stories You Need to Know

Ketchup Slides Out of Bottles With LiquiGlide [VIDEO]

Smacking the ketchup bottle to get that last dollop out is a (small) but wide spread problem most people would rather avoid. Scientists at MIT did just that and created a secret substance they dubbed LiquiGlide. Bottles are coated in the FDA-approved substance, and the ketchup just slides right out when you tilt the bottle. The team would like to put the “super slippery” substance on numerous other bottles. The bottles for sauces alone is a $17 billion market, one of the scientists said to Fast Company. Another substance with a similar sounding name — Liquipel — debuted at CES earlier this year. It is used for waterproofing cellphones, but like LiquiGlide, it has numerous other intended uses. Would you like to see bottle companies adopt the LiquiGlide technology? What else do you think this could be used for? Tell us in the comments. ‪Photo courtesy of iStockphoto, fotobazilio ‬ More About: Inventions, mitFor more Tech coverage:Follow Mashable Tech on TwitterBecome a Fan on FacebookSubscribe to the Tech channelDownload our free apps for Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad

The Game Mechanics of Customer Loyalty

by Gabe Zichermann is a public speaker, designer, and author of the books Game-Based Marketing and Gamification by Design. Follow him @gzicherm Most of the interest in gamification and user engagement for startups centers on customer acquisition. This is partly because of the short time around startup planning, but also the strong need to show and grow traction as quickly as possible. With startups like Foursquare, Codecademy and StackOverflow using gamification to build unprecedented early customer engagement, it’s no wonder so many founders want to talk about virality. But while some startups exit within 12 to 18 months without having to prove revenue models or market opportunity, many other breakthrough entrepreneurs are still running their companies after three or four years in increasingly crowded markets. These organizations must get serious about marketing, especially when subscription drives their revenue. And nothing is more important to serious marketers than loyalty — or its

The Game Mechanics of Customer Loyalty

Pinterest Users: Find Out When Your Items Are on Sale

Want to know when items you pin on Pinterest go on sale? Now you can — up to a point — thanks to a new feature launched this week at a site called Lyst. Lyst, a London-based startup, is a little like Pinterest. The site invites you to follow designers, stores, bloggers and your friends, from which it creates a feed of clothing and accessories you can add to your own “lyst.” If an item on your lyst is discounted, you’ll be notified by email. Now, if you connect your Pinterest account, you’ll receive an email notification when an item you’ve pinned on Pinterest goes on sale, too, so long as that item is also indexed on Lyst. Lyst’s index is limited largely to fashion brands and retailers — so if you mostly pin books or furniture, this tool isn’t going to be terribly useful to you. To see which of your pins are recognized by Lyst, check out your “Collections” under “My Lyst.” A bonus: If an item you’ve pinned from one retailer (say, Neiman Marcus) goes on sale somewhere else (at Nordstrom, or Endless), you’ll still get notified. Lyst also offers a Runway Tracking tool that lets you know when your favorite runway looks arrive in stores. The tool was launched during New York Fashion Week last September. The London-based startup is currently exploring additional methods for tracking the fashion goods you may be interested in purchasing. More About: fashion, lyst, pinterest, shoppingFor more Business coverage:Follow Mashable Business on TwitterBecome a Fan on FacebookSubscribe to the Business channelDownload our free apps for Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad

Booming iPad Sales Dominate Mobile PC Market

Apple is dominating the mobile PC space with 22.5% of the market share. The company sold more than 17.2 million mobile PCs in the first quarter of 2012 alone, according to a NPD DisplaySearch report. The quarterly report analyzes the global tablet, notebook and mini-notebook market. The Cupertino, Calif.-based company sits atop the mobile PC leaderboard, followed by HP, Acer Group, Lenovo and Dell. Dell sold 5.6 million units in Q1. This season, the iPad is Apple’s MVP — making up 80% of Apple’s total mobile PC sales. More than 13.6 million units were sold, contributing to a 162% year-over-year growth. In one quarter, Apple sold about 62.8% of all tablets sold worldwide. March’s successful debut of the new iPad surely contributed to the gain. Samsung followed Apple with 7.5% of all tablet shipments. SEE ALSO: Tablet vs. Notebook: More Consumers Still Plan to Purchase a Laptop [STUDY] The report also created rankings for the notebook and mini notebook and tablets separately. Leading the way in the strictly notebook sector were HP, Acer Group and Lenovo. The report notes Acer group moved up to number two in notebook and mini-notebook sales (excluding tablets) with stellar numbers in China. “The China region had sequential quarter shipment growth, achieving 13% for mobile PCs overall, 12% for notebook and mini-note PCs, and 16% for tablet PCs,” said Richard Shim, NPD DisplaySearch Senior Analyst. “This is noteworthy given the sequential declines in all other regions as well as the declines in other product categories including TVs and monitors.” What will it take for tablet PCs to gain on Apple? Sound off in the comments. More About: ipad, Mobile, tabletsFor more Business coverage:Follow Mashable Business on TwitterBecome a Fan on FacebookSubscribe to the Business channelDownload our free apps for Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad

70+ Events in Design, Social Media and Advertising

Do you want to network with some of the thought leaders in your industry? Then set your eyes on the collection of more than 70 events on Mashable’s new Events Board. Our events board goes beyond your standard business conferences and exhibitions — we showcase the most thoughtful, informative and entertaining events happening all over the world and online. Every day, we debut more and more listings, and each week, we highlight four new events that are worth attending. Don’t forget to visit our listings for the freshest networking opportunities, meetings and expos that will enable you to engage with the global tech scene. Advertising Advanced Facebook Advertising 2012 Date: 6/11/2012 – 7/13/2012Location: Online Every Tuesday and Thursday for four weeks, Social Fresh will host Advanced Facebook Advertising 2012. Since the conference is a completely online offering, attendees of the conference will be able to log in to 22 live presentations by speakers from companies such as HubSpot, Likeable Media and Webtrends. In addition, there will also be live case studies and workshops on the latest trends and techniques to leverage advertising on Facebook. VideoNuze 2012 Online Video Advertising Summit Date: 6/19/2012Location: New York City Presented by VideoNuze, the 2012 Online Video Advertising Summit will address the breakthroughs, benefits and challenges of navigating the multi-billion dollar online video advertising market. The day-long conference will address specific video campaigns, as well as the future of connected television and multi-platform video experiences. The individual Early Bird ticket price of $495 ends on Friday. Dev & Design 9th Annual Games for Change Festival Date: 6/18/2012 – 6/20/2012Location: New York City Held at the NYU Skirball Center for the Performing Arts, the 9th Annual Games for Change Festival will honor and examine interactive games created for education and social good. The multi-day festival includes four separate workshop and speaking tracks and culminates in the Awards Ceremony, which will present awards to the most innovative and significant games. Enter the code “MASHABLE” to get 25% off any ticket type. Social Media Social Media in the Pharmaceutical Industry Date: 7/9/2012 – 7/10/2012Location: London Social Media in the Pharmaceutical Industry is one of the first events of its kind to analyze the purpose and role of social media in the pharmaceutical industry. The event will focus on how social media can factor into patient-doctor interaction, proliferation of new treatments and the public education of various healthcare issues. There will also be discussions on proper social strategy for pharmaceutical companies. Want to promote your upcoming event on Mashable’s Events Board? Click here. More About: Events, features, mashableFor more Business coverage:Follow Mashable Business on TwitterBecome a Fan on FacebookSubscribe to the Business channelDownload our free apps for Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad

Google+ Android Update: Start Hangouts Right From Your Phone

Google just rolled out an update to its Google+ Android app, revamping the layout of the “stream” with bigger photos and less white space, similar to the app’s recent update on iOS. Another highlight: Now users can start video chats — also known as hangouts — right from their phones. In a blog post, Google says the update is all about “polish and performance.” The change in layout and navigation ties with the search giant’s recent changes to the look of its services, what it calls a “simpler, more beautiful Google.” Now when users launch the app, they’ll be brought right to their stream instead of a sparse menu of options that’s heavy on the white space. To navigate, simply touch the stream icon (the “house”) in the top right corner. That brings up a menu that slides in from the side — similar to how Facebook‘s mobile apps work. SEE ALSO: Google News Gets Deeper Ties to Google+ Google has had mobile support for its multi-person video hangouts since last fall, but today’s update (version 2.6) brings the ability to start them from your Android device, phone or tablet. “Hangout” is now in the main navigation menu — simply tap it and enter the name, email or circle of the people you want to chat with (Hangouts support up to 10 people simultaneously chatting). In addition to enhanced hangout abilities, Google+ for Android now lets you +1 posts right from the stream, download photos from posts, and even edit posts right on your phone. Checking out the new version on a couple of Samsung Galaxy devices, we love the improved layout and navigation. The larger layouts for photos really beg to be touched, and the way they “fade in” as you swipe make the app feel more dynamic than it is. What do you think of the Google+ update? Share your thoughts in the comments. Google+ Android Update (Version 2.6) Google just updated the its Google+ Android app, revamping the layout and adding the ability to start video hangouts right from the app.Click here to view this gallery. More About: android, apps, Google, hangoutsFor more Tech coverage:Follow Mashable Tech on TwitterBecome a Fan on FacebookSubscribe to the Tech channelDownload our free apps for Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad

YouTube Launches Human Rights Channel

YouTube has launched a Human Rights channel, with non-profit partner Witness and video playlist creator Storyful, the company announced Thursday. The channel will curate footage of human rights-related stories, uploaded by citizen users, shedding light on under-reported stories and, potentially, fueling activism. Human rights organization Witness will be responsible for ensuring content is balanced and has adequate context. Storyful will source and verify all of the channel’s content. “In the case of human rights, video plays a particularly important role in illuminating what occurs when governments and individuals in power abuse their positions,” a YouTube blog post says, pointing toward the Arab Spring. According to YouTube, 100,000 videos were uploaded during the height of the revolution in Egypt, representing a 70% increase over the previous three months. And Egypt’s not the only example — we’ve seen YouTube content creation from protests in Syria, Russia and even Chicago. Beyond protest footage, YouTube says the channel will highlight topics such as police brutality, discrimination, elder abuse, gender-based violence, socio-economic justice, access to resources and bullying. Videos will also be curated from non-profit organizations working in the human rights space. SEE ALSO: 12 Top YouTube Videos for Social Good The channel launches with stories from the U.N. Observers in Syria, an anti-government hunger strike in Bahrain, clashes in Cambodia over land rights and Occupy Wall Street. “We hope this project can not only be a catalyst to awareness, but offer people new avenues for action and impact,” YouTube says. “The channel is committed to providing new citizen creators as well as viewers with the tools and information necessary so that every citizen can become a more effective human rights defender.” You can send video for review to the channel at witness@storyful.com, with information about the story you’re watching unfold. The channel will be available on Google+, where YouTube hopes discussions of human rights will continue. Is YouTube’s Human Rights channel the future of activism? Let us know if you think this will become a destination for online organizing. BONUS: 9 Social Media Uprisings That Sought to Change the World in 2011 1. Tunisian Revolution A 26-year-old Tunisian vegetable vendor set himself on fire Dec. 17, 2010 after police stole produce from his stand. The suicide of Mohamed Bouazizi, a college graduate unable to find work within his field of study, triggered a revolution in his home country that spread across the Arab world. Young Tunisians began organizing on Facebook and Twitter-- with Bouazi as their role model -- protesting the oppressive regime of the country's 23-year President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. On Jan. 14, Ben Ali fled the Tunisia, seeking refuge in Saudi Arabia. His exit triggered similar movements across the region, from Western Sahara to Iran, the most noteworthy of which are highlighted on coming slides.Click here to view this gallery. Images courtesy of Flickr, yurri More About: human rights, storyful, YouTubeFor more Social Good coverage:Follow Mashable Social Good on TwitterBecome a Fan on FacebookSubscribe to the Social Good channelDownload our free apps for Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad

Men in Black 3 Puts Viral Blogger Inside the Movie [EXCLUSIVE VIDEO]

The “investigative blogger” behind Men in Black 3′s smart social campaign is making a small cameo in the film. It’s been more than ten years since the Men in Black 2 hit the big screen, so today’s youth may be a bit unfamiliar with the brand that once dominated July 4th weekend box office sales. To generate buzz in the online world, the film has been engaging in a series of initiatives to build momentum for its Memorial Day weekend release. A 14-year-old blogger — known only “BugEyes126″ — has been posting blog entries and videos to TheMenInBlackSuitsAreReal.com since December. He’s cultivated a group of 100,000 fans and followers called “MIBelievers” who have helped him uncover clues about the Men in Black (and whether aliens are actually real) via his Facebook page. He also set up a hotline — 1 (888) 202-9797 — where fans can find out more information about his quest to learn more about the men in black suits. SEE ALSO: How Social Media Helped Toy Story 3 Win at the Box Office The last we saw of BugEyes126 was a video that ended with a strange knock on his door and phone call revealing a suitcase with his own black suit. This exclusive clip reveals that BugEyes not only gets a cameo in the film, he also appears to be a member of the Men in Black allegiance. It’s good to know that the alien-protection industry is hiring these days. This is one of the first times a movie has tied the actual film back to a marketing campaign. Are you looking forward to Men in Black 3? What do you think of BugEye126′s campaign? Let us know in the comments. More About: Facebook, Film, Social Media, YouTubeFor more Entertainment coverage:Follow Mashable Entertainment on TwitterBecome a Fan on FacebookSubscribe to the Entertainment channelDownload our free apps for Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad

One Million E-Readers Headed to Africa With FC Barcelona’s Help

Non-profit Worldreader kicked off a campaign Thursday aiming to put 1 million e-books in the hands of children across the planet, with a little help from players on one of the world’s most popular sports teams. This may sound like a crazy goal, considering the widespread absence of books from African classrooms, but the organization is aleady well on its way. So far, Worldreader has donated 100,000 books to 1,000 students in Ghana, Kenya and Uganda. The non-profit now wants to expand its reach throughout sub-Saharan Africa and has enlisted some capable help — the world-renowned players on FC Barcelona (Barça). “We’re trying to get them to do something radically different,” David Risher, CEO and co-founder of Worldreader, and a former Microsoft and Amazon executive, told Mashable. “When a student sees the image of a player he idolizes, it brings a whole new culture and habit, associating reading with a hero. Using these tricks we can get kids to read more, making it more fun and a bigger part of their lives.” The organization believes the popularity of Barça will inspire students to keep reading, when they see personalized messages on their e-readers from some of the team’s biggest stars, including Lionel Messi, Xavi Hernandez, Eric Abidal and Seydou Keita, encouraging them to “score big” and continue their education. The donated e-books include classic literature, local African textbooks and story books, and newspapers from around the world. To help reach this distribution goal, Worldreader is seeking donations of $5, which pay for one e-book. In addition to putting books in the hands of students, Worldreader gives local authors and publishers access to a larger market. E-Readers Impact on Students in the Developing World When Worldreader began delivering books to Ghana in November 2010, the non-profit launched a study, funded by USAID, measuring the first implementation of e-readers into classrooms in under-previledged areas. The study found performance on standardized test scores jumping between 12.9% and 15.7%. While Worldreader’s mission is to put a library of books in the hands of every kid on the planet, distribution isn’t the only challenge. Half the effort is getting kids excited about doing something new. “To classroom teachers, e-readers just feel like having more books — they’re not significantly new technology to adopt,” Risher says. “I’ve had young boys come and say to me, ‘I’ve always found books kind of intimidating, but this feels like a gadget because it’s something I can play with.’” Another advantage to e-readers, which can be often overlooked, is that the font sizes easily increase, making a big difference for students without proper eyewear. Worldreader mostly distributes books on Amazon Kindles, because they work well outside of the U.S. and because of Risher’s history with the company. The organization recently began venturing beyond e-readers and onto feature phones, through an e-book app created by developer biNu. Are e-readers a game-changing technology for students in the developing world? Let us know what impact you think technology could have on the developing world. Interested in technology’s role in sustainable development? Join Mashable and partners in Brazil for Rio+Social. If you can’t make it to South America, you can join in the discussions on Facebook and Twitter. Click on the image below to learn more. More About: ebooks, education, ereaders, Social Good, WorldFor more Social Good coverage:Follow Mashable Social Good on TwitterBecome a Fan on FacebookSubscribe to the Social Good channelDownload our free apps for Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad

Obama Wants Government Agencies to Focus on Mobile Apps

President Barack Obama has ordered all government agencies to offer more of their services in the form of mobile apps. A new memo called “Digital Government: Building a 21st Century Platform to Better Serve the American People” requires each agency to make at least two services, used by the public, available on mobile devices within 12 months. “For far too long, the American people have been forced to navigate a labyrinth of information across different Government programs in order to find the services they need,” says the memo. “Americans deserve a government that works for them anytime, anywhere, and on any device,” Obama said in a statement. Agencies are also required to provide online resources for third party developers, and make their data open and machine-readable by default. Finally, agencies are required to create a page on their websites (URL format being www.[agency].gov/digitalstrategy) within 90 days and publicly report on progress in meeting these new requirements. “The initiatives we’re launching today will make government data resources even more accessible to the public and to entrepreneurs who can turn these data into services,” said U.S. Chief Technology Officer Todd Park. The new White House directive is available (in PDF format) here. More About: agencies, apps, Mobile, obamaFor more Mobile coverage:Follow Mashable Mobile on TwitterBecome a Fan on FacebookSubscribe to the Mobile channelDownload our free apps for Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad

Bubble Robots Move Using Lasers [VIDEO]

This isn’t your typical artificial intelligence robot, but scientists at the University of Hawaii have created bubble “robots” that can be directed using lasers. They hope to use the bubble robots to build micro-structures. And once the bubble bots are no longer of use, they can be popped. The idea of using small robots to cure cancer or work with soldiers in combat zones is not a new concept. But the size and materials used to make the bots varies from project to project — just like the tasks they’re built to perform. But one thing’s for sure — robots are cool. Check out the gallery below for pics of amazing bots, and be sure to watch the video above for more on the University of Hawaii’s bubble bots. BONUS GALLERY: 10 Amazing Real-Life Robots 1. The Cubinator We met The Cubinator for the first time at the 2010 World Maker Faire. The robot currently holds the Guinness world record for fastest machine solve of a Rubik's cube. Pete Redmond, who developed the robot for the final project of his master's degree, says that its solve time averages about 25 seconds. Webcams in the robot's eyes detect the colors on the cube and the machine solves the puzzle by using an algorithm to find the fewest moves. It also has has a sense of humor, shouting "oh dear!" when it occasionally drops the cube.Click here to view this gallery. More About: microrobots, robotsFor more Tech coverage:Follow Mashable Tech on TwitterBecome a Fan on FacebookSubscribe to the Tech channelDownload our free apps for Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad

App Puts Your Bad Parking in the News [VIDEO]

Surrounded by bad parking? Maybe you should move to Russia. A new Android app called Douche Parking is aimed at stopping what its creators call “parking douches in Moscow” by subjecting them to public shame — in the news and on billboards. When users see poor parking, all they have to do is snap a photograph with their phones and upload them to the Parking Douche database. “Douche parking is a huge problem in Russia,” the creators explain in the video advertising the app. “The data is streamed live to banner ads that are targeted through an IP address, so people that live or work close to locations where these cars were parked see it.” The ads will appear on the Moscow-based online newspaper The Village. The news site is also the driving force behind the creation of the app. On The Village site, people have the option of clicking to share the ad on social media — so their Facebook friends can join them in making fun of bad parking. Public humiliation for parking offenses is nothing new. The website youparklikeanasshole.com launched in 2007. But the idea of harnessing mobile technology to make the process much more streamlined, and giving the photos prominent media placement — this is Parking Douche’s major asset. At the time of writing, only one user has given any feedback about the app on its Google Play site. The assessment doesn’t concern how well the app works, but the user does note it’s a “nice way to humiliate people.” There is no word yet whether the app will make its way to other countries. Do you think bad parkers should be publicly humiliated like this? Sound off in the comments. Photo courtesy of iStockphoto, PeterMcKinnon‬ More About: android, apps, cars, internationalFor more Tech coverage:Follow Mashable Tech on TwitterBecome a Fan on FacebookSubscribe to the Tech channelDownload our free apps for Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad

Confused By Your Health Insurance? Simplee Can Solve It

The Spark of Genius Series highlights a unique feature of startups and is made possible by Microsoft BizSpark. If you would like to have your startup considered for inclusion, please see the details here. Name: Simplee Quick Pitch: Simplee organizes your health insurance information into one dashboard. Genius Idea: Read-up on your health plan, pay bills and make the entire process of health insurance claims easier. Sifting through medical bills is probably one of the least pleasurable tasks in your to-do list. And filing health insurance claims can be complicated. A new website called Simplee aims to make this whole process a lot smoother by organizing all your health insurance information onto one easy-to-read dashboard. Users can manager their claims, pay bills from the site and read details of their individual health insurance plans. Simplee will show you what your insurance company is covering — and what out-of-pocket expenses you’ll need to fork over. “Simplee aims to empower you with tools and insights to optimize your health care benefits and lower your health care costs. Becoming a smart consumer of health care is increasingly important, as costs are rising rapidly,” the website notes. “Consumer premiums and out of pocket medical expenses have increased by over 50% in the last 5 years.” Once you sign-up, simply enter all your healthcare information (including your login info for your healthcare provider’s website) and you’re set up for life. When you visit the doctor, your bill is sent to your insurance provider. That bill will be accessible on Simplee’s site, just as it would be on your health insurance company’s website. However, with Simplee, you can view bills from various providers and medical services in one place. When your insurance claim is ready, Simplee will alert you via email. Currently, Simplee works with these health providers: Aetna Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) Blue Shield Cigna Delta Dental Medica Metlife United Healthcare Vision Service Plan (VSP) WellPoint Inc. (Empire BCBS) If your insurance company is not on the list, you can request it through a form on their site. Headquartered in Palo Alto, Calif., Simplee was co-founded by Tomer Shoval. He had the idea for the site after a vacation to Mexico during which his family became sick. When they returned home, he says, there was so much medical paperwork to sort through. “It was time consuming, extremely confusing, and frustrating,” he writes. “I couldn’t believe such an important aspect of people’s lives, one that is also costly, is so inefficient and unclear. I wanted to solve this problem that affects us all. That was the birth of Simplee.” Simplee never gives information to your insurance company, or changes anything on your insurance information. Simplee is HIPAA compliant, plus your information is encrypted. The company also boasts that it’s hosted on “one of the most secure hosting facilities in the United States.” If you delete an account linked with Simplee, it wipes the data from their servers and renders the information unusable. What do you think about Simplee? Would you use it? Tell us in the comments. ‪Photo courtesy of iStockphoto, blackwaterimages ‬ Series Supported by Microsoft BizSpark The Spark of Genius Series highlights a unique feature of startups and is made possible by Microsoft BizSpark, a startup program that gives you three-year access to the latest Microsoft development tools, as well as connecting you to a nationwide network of investors and incubators. There are no upfront costs, so if your business is privately owned, less than three years old, and generates less than U.S.$1 million in annual revenue, you can sign up today. More About: bizspark, health, medicalFor more Business coverage:Follow Mashable Business on TwitterBecome a Fan on FacebookSubscribe to the Business channelDownload our free apps for Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad

Sports Illustrated Vault: Amazing Pics Unite Social Media With History

With a slick weekly iPad edition and robust cross-channel packages including its meg-hit annual swimsuit issue, Sports Illustrated has adapted to the digital age better than many legacy print publications. But social media also plays a key role in kindling nostalgia and engaging younger readers, through the Sports Illustrated vault of photos dating back to the magazine’s inception in the 1950s. The @si_vault Twitter account has become a modest sensation among the sports media Twitterati for its multiple daily posts of timely and off the wall images celebrating athletic icons, historic moments and items of sporting whimsy. Since launching last autumn, its counterpart on Tumblr has amassed more than 30,000 followers. Andy Gray, who manages the vault of photos, says the Twitter and Tumblr presence have helped Sports Illustrated compete with more web-oriented publications in the crowded world of sports journalism. “For sports fans who want to go to ESPN, Yahoo or other sites, this is one thing those sites can’t and don’t offer — huge collections of photos that have appeared in our magazine over several decades, as well as ones that never made it to print,” he told Mashable. “The first day I looked through our photo database, I was blown away and just thought it could be something.” Gray joined Sports Illustrated in 2005 and launched @si_vault in 2009 to share old magazine article as well as photos. He soon shifted to just photos after noticing that those were what resonated with social media users, then started the SI Photo Blog Tumblr more recently to help get social sports fans to share the images more. Gray’s photo posts — culled from the magazine’s massive digital image repository — range from old World Wrestling Federation action shots, to poignant moments between longtime rivals, to curious images of athletes off the field or court. He says they’ve become equally popular with longtime Sports Illustrated subscribers as well as readers who may have never picked up a print issue. “I might post a photo of Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris smoking cigarettes in the Yankees locker room or Joe Namath wearing a fur coat, and all these college kids will be like, ‘Oh, that’s swagtastic,’ or something where I don’t even really know what they mean,” he says. That’s an encouraging sign for a legendary sports magazine seeking to stay influential as media continues its migration away from print. “People want to say this generation isn’t interested in history but I haven’t found that,” Gray says. Is the Sports Illustrated photo vault something you would check out — or have you already? What do you think? Let us know in the comments. More About: Media, Sports illustrated, tumblr, TwitterFor more Entertainment coverage:Follow Mashable Entertainment on TwitterBecome a Fan on FacebookSubscribe to the Entertainment channelDownload our free apps for Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad

Facebook May Unfriend Nasdaq, Hook Up With NYSE [REPORT]

If Facebook and Nasdaq were in a relationship, the status would likely read: “it’s complicated.” The relationship was on a rocky road from the start. The Nasdaq exchange, home to many tech stocks, had an unplanned 30-minute delay in offering Facebook stock on its IPO day, which may have contributed to the stock’s meager performance. Nasdaq declared itself “embarrassed” by the glitch, and earmarked $13 million to cover “bad trades” made by investors whose schedules were thrown off. But that face-saving gesture may not have been enough for Facebook. According to a Reuters source, the social network is mulling a breakup with Nasdaq — and a hook-up with the New York Stock Exchange. SEE ALSO: What Went Wrong With Facebook’s IPO? The report says Facebook sat through a pitch from the NYSE, and is mulling the option to switch its official listing exchange. In a statement to Bloomberg, a NYSE representative indicated reports it was in talks with are false. “There have been no discussions with Facebook regarding switching their listing in light of the events of the last week nor do we think a discussion along those lines would be appropriate at this time” No further comment was offered by Facebook or Nasdaq. Although unusual, such a move would not be entirely unprecedented. Viacom went in the other direction recently, switching from the NYSE to Nasdaq to save fees in November 2011. Should Facebook consider switching exchanges so early, or dance with the one who brung it for a while longer? Let us know your take in the comments. Image courtesy of iStockphoto, AUDINDesign More About: Facebook, nasdaqFor more Business coverage:Follow Mashable Business on TwitterBecome a Fan on FacebookSubscribe to the Business channelDownload our free apps for Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad

Deaths of Cell Tower Workers Grows With iPhone, Data Demands [VIDEO]

From 2003 to 2011, 50 workers died “working on cell sites” and 100 were “killed on communications towers.” The death toll among climbers is roughly 10 times higher than the rate for average construction workers in the U.S, according to a report released byProPublica. The peak of on-the-job deaths correlates with the release and popularity of the iPhone between 2006 and 2008. From 2008, deaths have “dropped considerably.” People in the industry are worried there will be another spike in deaths with companies prepping for the next generation of phones built on 4G LTE networks. Industry insiders say there’s an indisputable need for reform. About 10,000 workers scale sky-high towers to maintain America’s growing network of 280,000+ communication towers feeding our data-hungry population. The report, released this week, is the result of a joint ProPublica and PBS Frontline investigation into the high number of cell tower worker deaths. The high pressure on the job is frequently cited as a problem. Workers report saving time by “free climbing” — skipping steps in connecting safety gear to the towers. The report stated: “We found that in accident after accident, deadly missteps often resulted because climbers were shoddily equipped or received little training before being sent up hundreds of feet. To satisfy demands from carriers or large contractors, tower hands sometimes worked overnight or in dangerous conditions.” Climbers also report going without equipment replacements or safety checks. It’s not unusual that cell tower workers, who can make $10 to $11 an hour, pay the cost for gear out-of-pocket. Keep posted with the Cell Tower Deaths Series here. Thumbnail image courtesy of Flickr, radialmonster More About: android, cell phone, data, iphone, Mobile, VideoFor more Mobile coverage:Follow Mashable Mobile on TwitterBecome a Fan on FacebookSubscribe to the Mobile channelDownload our free apps for Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad

10 Ways Successful Entrepreneurs Delegate Tech-Related Tasks

Scott Gerber is the founder of the Young Entrepreneur Council, a nonprofit organization that promotes youth entrepreneurship as a solution to unemployment and underemployment. Follow him @askgerber. Naturally, entrepreneurs have an innate urge to want to tackle every part of every project themselves, but by trying to do so they can get tied up in tasks that limit their productivity and creativity. Especially when it comes to technical matters, outsourcing some of the work may not only be the best thing for the business owner, but it can also be the best thing for the business. SEE ALSO: 12 Ways Businesses Can Prepare for Mobile Commerce Of course, small-business owners shouldn’t outsource every tech-related item. To prevent miscommunication, lost time, and wasted investments, certain technical projects should remain in-house and become a new hire’s full-time gig. I asked a panel of successful young entrepreneurs for their advice about delegating various tech jobs, including software development, apps, and website design. Here’s what they suggested about what to outsource and what to keep in-house. 1. Keep Most Competencies In-House Keeping as many competencies as possible in-house gives us better quality and cost control, and allows us to be very nimble. For example, updates to our website, product photos, and layouts for our catalogs and advertisements are all done in-house. We call on outside specialists only for certain big projects, like a redesign of the website or complete software creation. - Vanessa Nornberg, Metal Mafia 2. Delegate Small Projects For more established businesses, beware of outsourcing all your web-development projects, especially because the code can be messy to work with later. Instead, only outsource small projects. This means that you limit your reliance on an outside firm, and you make sure that you can optimize resources so your own tech team isn’t overwhelmed with having to do every little thing. - Danny Wong, Blank Label Group, Inc. 3. Let Others Handle Mobile Apps If a mobile app is not a core part of your business but only a feature you’d like to provide to your customers, it’s an ideal tech job to outsource. Because of the breadth of platforms (iOS, Android, etc.) and the concrete, repeatable milestones of app development, reputable third-party providers have sprung up. These mobile-app development shops have the expertise to be successful in this type of arrangement. - Doreen Bloch, Poshly Inc. 4. Contract Everything You can outsource any tech work, if you’ve got excellent project specs and you set clear expectations for documentation and other details. But be aware that outsourcing may be more work than you expect. You need to create the documents to make sure that all your development work meets set expectations and follows similar style guidelines so that you don’t go crazy down the road trying to work with old code. - Thursday Bram, Hyper Modern Consulting 5. Outsource Website Design Outsourcing website design is very safe if you provide detailed instructions. We internally will develop a comprehensive treatment, which includes the emotional look and feel we want to convey, as well as the homepage content. We then have the designer go in phases, page by page. This provides great quality control and ensures timely deliverables. - Raoul Davis, Ascendant Group 6. Delegate Motion Media By hiring one or two employees, website design and digital could stay in-house. Motion media is something you usually need more frequently, so it’s better to outsource. We outsourced to Chimaeric and quickly learned that outsourcing motion media not only provides higher quality, but expands the capabilities of what you can do. - John Hall, Digital Talent Agents 7. Keep Core Business In-House If the job does not involve a core competency of your business, outsource it. If it is a core competency, hire excellent people and pay them what they’re worth. Your priorities should always be treated as the contractor’s priorities. Make it worth everyone’s while. - Brent Beshore, AdVentures 8. Delegate Straightforward Jobs As a rule, we outsource jobs that are straightforward, because they don’t need intense supervision. Also, if the jobs are repetitive, they only need to be explained once. Plus, if it is just a one-off project, we don’t want to bring someone onboard specifically to complete it. - Nicolas Gremion, Paradise Publishers 9. Outsource to the Right People Almost anything can be outsourced. However, don’t fall into the trap of hiring someone who says he/she can do some or all of the tasks you throw at them. If you need a PHP programmer, hire one. If you need a person to create a .PSD design for your website, hire a professional who’s done excellent site templates in that format. Always try to find a specialist, not a jack of all trades. - Juha Liikala, webVehicle Oy 10. Invest in the Best Partners Outsource to get the best, not to save money. Find the digital partner who brings the most value to the table and invest in a longstanding relationship. In addition to amazing design and technology, the best digital firms will add value to your business by providing big ideas. Don’t underestimate the worth of fresh, expert eyes that are invested in your success. - David Gardner, ColorJar Image courtesy of iStockphoto, Thomas_EyeDesign More About: business plans, contributor, entrepreneurship, features, startupFor more Business coverage:Follow Mashable Business on TwitterBecome a Fan on FacebookSubscribe to the Business channelDownload our free apps for Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad

Does Social Media Marketing Really Work? [INFOGRAPHIC]

From Twitter to Facebook, to Google+, to YouTube, to Foursquare and more, social media use is the hottest thing in marketing. But does it really work? Brands and businesses are certainly making a stronger push than ever on social media, which makes sense — that’s where the people are. Figuring out just how much social media marketing returns on investments of time and money, however, is harder to do. Facebook marketing company Pagemodo recently pulled research from sources around the web to produce the infographic below, looking at just how much faith marketers have in social media. The aggregated data shows a sense of conservative optimism. 64% of business owners say social media marketing is a promising tactic and they believe it provides returns — but they aren’t willing to go all in with it just yet and favor a more cautious approach. 20% are more bullish on its potential, according to the same study, while just 6% are hardcore skeptics. How do marketers and entrepreneurs measure whether social media marketing pays off? Most do so by measuring the accumulation of friends, likes, followers and other online connections. 39% look at shares of brand content, while 35% measure actual leads from social media. Just 18% measure success by overall brand awareness and favorability as gauged by consumer surveys. Check out the infographic below for more on how much faith businesses put in social media as a marketing tool, and for tips on additional ways to maximize results and measure influence. Then let us know in the comments — do you think social media marketing provides real results? Thumbnail image via iStockphoto, courtneyk More About: infographics, Marketing, social media marketingFor more Business coverage:Follow Mashable Business on TwitterBecome a Fan on FacebookSubscribe to the Business channelDownload our free apps for Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad

Facebook, Zuckerberg, Morgan Stanley Sued Over IPO [REPORT]

Shareholders have sued Facebook and CEO Mark Zuckerberg over the company’s bungled IPO, charging they hid bearish forecasts prior to going public, according to a report. The suit charges that Facebook and its lead underwriter concealed “a severe and pronounced reduction” in Facebook revenue growth forecasts before the company’s shares were offered to the public, according to Reuters. The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court in Manhattan, according to Reuters, which did not provide further details. More to come. More About: facebook ipo, lawsuits, mark zuckerberg, Morgan StanleyFor more Business coverage:Follow Mashable Business on TwitterBecome a Fan on FacebookSubscribe to the Business channelDownload our free apps for Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad