Spun » Freelance

Our Latest Book: How to Write Great Copy for the Web

admin — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 02:30:07 +0000

Last week I introduced you to the latest collaboration between Rockable Press and FreelanceSwitch, How to Write Great Copy for the Web by Donna Spencer. I am happy to announce that the book has been launched today and Rockin’ List members get a $5 discount on the digital book, bringing… read more

Google Launches the Google Apps Marketplace

admin — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 02:05:19 +0000

Today at the Google’s Campfire One event at the company’s headquarters in Mountain View, California, the Internet search giant is launching its new app store for business, known as the Google Apps Marketplace.

Last week, we broke the story of today’s Google Apps Marketplace launch. We learned that it… read more

Watch Out, Topeka: Greenville, SC Also Wants to be Googletown, USA

admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 23:19:34 +0000

Google’s call for medium-sized cities to pilot its high-speed broadband network has attracted the marketing wit of another locale: Greenville, South Carolina.

Citizens of Greenville have launched the “We Are Feeling Lucky” campaign – an obvious play on Google’s “I’m Feeling Lucky” button – an effort that will culminate in… read more

Win 1,000 Business Cards from Next Day Flyers

admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 21:59:30 +0000

Next Day Flyers has offered to give 1,000 business cards and $25 of printing credit to a lucky reader of Designm.ag.

If you’re not familiar with Next Day Flyers they provide offset printing services and specialize in quick printing, mailing and finishing marketing materials. They are available to print business … read more

Lindsay Lohan Sues E-Trade Claiming Baby Ad Is a Parody of Her [VIDEO]

admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 21:30:28 +0000

The Super Bowl may be long over, but Brand Battle 2010 continues to rage on, as yet another commercial is bit by the controversy bug — this time one of those adorable spots from E-Trade featuring a talking baby named “Lindsay.”

According to the New York Post, actress… read more

Hulu Gets 400 Hours of NFL Video

admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 21:12:35 +0000

Hulu struck a deal to host content from The NFL Network in January, including eight shows and highlights from every team in the National Football League. The network has been adding new content to the site ever since, and this week Hulu has posted an impressive 400 hours of… read more

Winners of 5000 Business Cards from UPrinting

admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 20:44:55 +0000

Today we’re announcing the winners of the UPrinting contest that we held on WDD for the past week.

Many thanks to all of you who participated. The response was great and we’ve got almost 500 comments.

Each of the 10 winners has won a set of 500 free business cards of their… read more

How to Pop Color Selectively Using Channel Mixers and Layer Masks in Photoshop

admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 20:15:28 +0000

By Jodi Friedman of MCP Actions: Photoshop Actions and Training

There are literally dozens of ways to saturate your colors in Photoshop. For this post I am going to focus on one way to pop colors using “Channel Mixer” adjustment layers.

To start with, locate an image that could benefit from more… read more

ShiftPlanning Makes Setting Schedules for Businesses Easy

admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 18:55:38 +0000

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

Name: ShiftPlanning

Quick Pitch: ShiftPlanning Provides free… read more

FileMaker 11 now available with charting, reporting improvements

admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 18:30:00 +0000

Launch

Right off the bat, the introduction screen is new (after the splash screen “wobbles” into view). It’s wider with more options, like a link to the online resource center. There you’ll find video tutorials, starter solutions (more on that later) and access to consultants. They’re all extremely useful… read more

Put Your Email on Autopilot with OtherInbox

admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 18:00:51 +0000

Email communication has not changed much in the past decade, but the amount of email we get daily has grown exponentially. Be it relevant communication or spam, the sheer volume of emails received impacts our email productivity. Inboxes are inundated with too many newsletters, product updates and countless other services… read more

Foursquare Courts Business Users with Checkin Analysis Features

admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:55:37 +0000

The Foursquare platform currently caters to consumers and offers businesses the ability to provide specials. Today, however, we’re learning more information about a business dashboard — complete with checkin analytics — that’s being gradually rolled out to business owners.

While the dashboard is still an alpha product, it’s already able… read more

MacHeist Offers Early Access to Tweetie 2 for Mac

admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:29:40 +0000

Tweetie for Mac is the newest bonus edition to the MacHeist nanoBundle 2, which gives Mac users an opportunity to buy a variety of software for a discounted price. Additionally, buyers will also get early access to the pre-public beta for Tweetie 2 for Mac, plus a free… read more

Why Computer Engineer Barbie is Good for Women in Tech

admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 16:54:19 +0000

Rebecca Zook, whose current favorite fashion item is a sparkly ladybug necklace, is an online female math tutor who has been helping students get math into their brains for seven years. Her blog, Triangle Suitcase, is about unpacking the process of learning in all its complexity and delight.

Over… read more

Build Your Own iPhone Specific Website

admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 16:31:58 +0000

It’s been a while since I’ve posted some legit content. I have been very busy lately with work, freelance, running BoomSkins, etc. Recently I just finished my first iPhone specific website. It was created in an incredibly short time (less than a week) and generated it’s first sale within 15… read more

Go Tribal Helps Friends Coordinate Informal Plans

admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:59:09 +0000

Launching in beta today, Go Tribal tackles the other side of the equation from formal event services like Meetup or Plancast by helping members organize informal group plans. By identifying when users are free and available to hang out, Go Tribal hopes to eliminate some of the hassle involved… read more

Postbox adds Things and OmniFocus support

admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:00:00 +0000

50+ Free Resources for Charts and Graphs Solution

admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:08:21 +0000

A chart or a graph is a visual representation of data, in which “the data are represented by symbols, such as bars, lines, or slices”. These symbols can represent tabular numeric data, functions or some kinds of qualitative structures. For one reason or another, a lot of freelancers use Charts… read more

5 Websites & Tools Bloggers Should Know About

admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:59:39 +0000

While the job is interesting and one gets to discover the latest about the Internet, blogging is no easy task. “Time is money” could not be any truer for bloggers; impossible deadlines put us under harsh time constraints. Due to this constraint, bloggers are always actively on the lookout for… read more

How to Give Yourself a Raise Without Losing Business

admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:30:40 +0000

This post is an excerpt from my eBook, The Blog Business Funnel. It teaches freelancers how to run a profitable freelance business, fed entirely by a healthy and thriving blog. This excerpt is from Chapter 7: Scaling Up. FreelanceSwitch readers can claim a special discount at the end of this… read more

30+ Corporate WordPress Themes

admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:00:57 +0000

We’ve compiled 30+ excellent corporate WordPress themes from ThemeForest for your next corporate client. Either download the themes and customize them to your client’s needs or use these designs as inspiration to create a unique WordPress template from scratch.

Corporate WordPress Themes

Dark n’ Clean

Agivee

idea Business Shop

Creative.Biz

Universal Business

Spacio WP

Top 8 Dreaded Favors Asked of Web Designers

admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 06:30:02 +0000

Long before you officially take the profession of graphic or web designer, your friends and family will support your ambitions by developing your talent. At first, your loved ones inspect your work and if they like what they see, you’ll get flooded with their requests for one page flyers, t-shirt… read more

Gowalla Launches on webOS and Vies for Your Checkins with Free Stuff

admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 05:53:05 +0000

Foursquare is battling for your SXSW check-ins with a musical scavenger hunt. Rival Gowalla is going to go after them with free gadgets – specifically free Palm Pre Plus and Palm Pixi Plus devices as part of a promotion the location-based social networking service is unveiling in conjunction… read more

Hootsuite to Integrate with Foursquare and MySpace this Week

admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 01:28:22 +0000

Today at the #140tc Twitter Confernece in Seattle, Washington (which I keynoted this morning), Hootsuite CEO Ryan Holmes announced that its popular Twitter application will be integration with both MySpace and Foursquare, starting this week at the South by Southwest Interactive conference.

Hootsuite is one of the more popular Twitter… read more

iPhone devsugar: The need for multiple ipa delivery

admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 01:00:00 +0000

Each of those applications must be registered with a unique app identifier, each one takes up a separate slot when installed on your iPhone’s home screen, each application occupies a separate App Store listing, complete with its own screen shots, marketing material, reviews, and so forth. Each one must be… read more

DotNetNuke Makes It Easier For You To Build Feature-Rich, Interactive Web Sites And Applications

admin — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 23:58:11 +0000

DotNetNuke Community Edition is a leading free open-source content management system for ASP.NET websites. With DotNetNuke, you can quickly and effectively deploy dynamic web applications with almost no technical knowledge, however if you are an ASP.NET developer, you can customize it in the way you want to fulfill your specific… read more

HP Slate Demo Shows Off Flash Support [VIDEO]

admin — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 22:31:29 +0000

One of many upcoming tablet alternatives to the Apple iPad, HP’s forthcoming Slate device was teased briefly by Steve Ballmer at Microsoft’s CES keynote earlier this year. HP and Adobe teamed up to offer a couple of video demos of the HP Slate (embedded below), with an emphasis on… read more

Is Google Search Coming to Your TV?

admin — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 21:30:28 +0000

Google is testing a new television programming search service in conjunction with Dish Network, according to The Wall Street Journal.

The service, which appears to be very much in a limited testing phase, runs on a special set-top box and apparently searches content from both the Dish programming guide, as… read more

iPad Gets a Doritos-Themed Parody [VIDEO]

admin — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 19:48:16 +0000

College Humor is out with a video that gives new meaning to that super annoying superlative: Snacky. In a truly inspired mashup, CH equates the iPad with Doritos, creating a commercial parody for something called Spice 2.0.

Although the parodies have yet to start pumping out in the… read more

How Job Seekers Are Using Social Media for Real Results

admin — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 19:09:33 +0000

The Real Results series is supported by Gist, an online service that helps you build stronger relationships. By connecting your inbox to the web, you get business-critical information about key people and companies. See how it works here.

Whether you’re looking for your first job, exploring a career change, or… read more

How to design a print ready business card design in photoshop

admin — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:55:02 +0000

How to design a print ready business card design in photoshop

5 Ways to Use Google Wave for Business

admin — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 17:55:37 +0000

Sharlyn Lauby is the president of Internal Talent Management (ITM) which specializes in employee training and human resources consulting. She authors a blog at hrbartender.com.

Remember Google Wave? Clearly, Google Buzz has recently overshadowed Google’s other hotly anticipated social communication platform, but before you ditch your Wave account, give… read more

Why Designers Shouldn’t Settle

admin — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:47:29 +0000

Ugly designs abound on the web, and behind each and every one of them is a “designer”.

In many of these cases the designers behind the sites are simply incompetent.

They’re often amateur designers or those who have little or no design training or people who design their own… read more

The Perfect Office #27

admin — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 15:08:59 +0000

We’ve seen some great gadgets and equipment for designers. So many cool stuff, that we could actually assemble infinite perfect office spaces! Every week we’ll assemble a perfect office, and we’d like you to help us. What equipment would the perfect office have?

Not only gadgets and equipment, but also furniture,… read more

Bing Takes On “Goliath” Google with Huge UK Ad Campaign

admin — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:37:54 +0000

It’s a bit funny to hear Microsoft referring to any other company as the “Goliath,” but when it comes to the business of search, there’s no doubt that Google has managed to overshadow Microsoft’s efforts, which prompted Microsoft to ditch Live Search and start anew with Bing.

It’s therefore no… read more

Freelance Freedom #146

admin — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 12:30:42 +0000

Common Questions About Design Professionalism

admin — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 09:48:52 +0000

The design profession is full of happy folks, and understanding why so many designers enjoy their work is not hard. But not all are so happy. If you’re not careful, the joy of getting paid to pursue your passion can be tainted by the less joyous realities of the professional… read more

5 Ways to Use Twitter to Avoid a Backchannel Disaster

admin — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 17:25:26 +0000

Cliff Atkinson is author of The Backchannel: How Audiences are Using Twitter and Social Media and Changing Presentations Forever (New Riders, 2009).

What do you do when you’re giving a presentation, and notice that your audience is looking down, busily typing on their laptops and smartphones? And what about… read more

Interview with Dacosta!

admin — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 17:24:55 +0000

Dacosta is an independent artist currently based in Vancouver and is the founder of Chocolate Soop, Inc. He specializes in vector graphics and character design. This self-taught designer has over 10 years of professional experience. He’s influenced by Japanese culture, graffiti and industrial design. He works in a variety of… read more

Best of the Week #109

admin — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 15:10:20 +0000

It’s time for our best news of this week, the first one of 2010. We have a lot of graphic and web design, a bit of architecture, ads, tech news, awesome reads and other crazy stuff! So take a look at the links we’ve selected for your inspiration and to… read more

Handy Tools and Tips for E-Commerce Websites

admin — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 10:47:49 +0000

Running an e-commerce website is a never-ending task, from trying to squeeze that extra bit of conversion rate out of the check-out page to figuring out which referrers give you the best traffic. There’s also a plethora of tools out there to help you achieve your goals. But which ones… read more

TextMarks Makes Sending Mass Text Messages Easy

admin — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 02:24:52 +0000

Name: TextMarks

Quick Pitch: TextMarks group text… read more

VeriFone credit card reader gets deal to be in Apple Stores

admin — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Major Facebook Investor Hopes to Score with Chatroulette

admin — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 23:57:08 +0000

Digital Sky Technologies, the Russian venture capital firm that has invested $400 million in Facebook, has apparently made an offer to buy a piece of Chatroulette, the webcam network where you can chat with random strangers.

According to Spiegel Online, DST made an offer to 17-year-old Andrey Ternovskiy to buy… read more

The Top 10 Most Watched Web Series, February 2010

admin — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 22:04:34 +0000

*The Visible Measures Top 10 Webisodes Chart focuses on digital studio-driven Web series that appear on Internet video-sharing destinations. Each Web series is measured on a True Reachô basis, which includes viewership of both studio-syndicated video clips and viewer-driven social video placements. The data are compiled using the Visible Measures… read more

revMobile: write iPhone and iPad apps without knowing Objective C

admin — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 21:00:00 +0000

Google’s App Store for Business to Launch Next Week

admin — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 20:36:08 +0000

Google is set to launch an app store for business next week, Mashable has learned from sources close to the company. It will be focused around creating software for Google Apps and could launch as soon as Tuesday.

Early last month, news leaked about Google working on its own… read more

How Companies are Using Social Media to Make Better Decisions

admin — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 18:33:22 +0000

Mat Fogarty is the Founder and CEO of Crowdcast, a leading provider of collective intelligence and prediction market solutions. You can read more of Mat’s posts on the Crowdcast blog or follow @crowdcastinc.

Collaboration and crowdsourcing are the realities of today’s public Internet, and the trend is now gaining real traction in the workplace…. read more

20 cool & creative business cards for your inspiration

admin — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 15:30:36 +0000

20 cool & creative business cards for your inspiration

So You Want to Enter the Photography Business?

admin — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 14:06:54 +0000

The photographic industry is one of the most challenging, difficult, and competitive for start up businesses. The statistics prove it. Take this 3 year study discovered by Dane Sanders in his book Fast Track Photographer: In the 1st year, 60% of photographers give up their business. Of that remaining… read more

Apple job listing hints at official App Store advertising

admin — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 14:00:00 +0000

A recent Apple job listing for a Senior Interactive Web Developer pretty much confirms that Apple is entering the mobile advertising business head on. The listing begins “Apple advertising is an opportunity to redefine the advertising on mobile devices. It’s an exciting environment and a fast-paced development… read more

Print Magazines for Web Designers, Digital Artists, and Photographers

admin — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 13:32:54 +0000

Although much valuable information for all sorts of web and print professionals can be found online, it is often difficult to weed through all the noise and find good quality content. I believe it’s vital that professionals in different creative fields supplement their online learning and research through well-edited and… read more

The Perils and Plusses of a Persistent Project

admin — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 12:30:41 +0000

As a freelancer, I’ve tackled plenty of projects. Not all have been enjoyable, naturally, but I’ve been able to keep a steady flow of work. I don’t think every job has to be perfect, and as long as I’m making good money and maintaining my freedom, I’m generally satisfied with… read more

Sites of the Week #92

admin — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 11:12:05 +0000

For this Sites of the Week we have selected some great sites such as FWA and Cog’aoke. Also we’re featuring a wonderful Wordpress Theme called Simplify Business and much, much more! As usual we would love to hear from you, keep sending your suggestions to us and we will be… read more

Suite Arrival Delivers Toothpaste (And Other Essentials) to Your Hotel

admin — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 02:33:00 +0000

Name: Suite Arrival

Quick Pitch: Travelers customize… read more

Rumor: Sony developing PSP phone to challenge iPhone

admin — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 23:45:00 +0000

Since the introduction of the App Store in 2008, a new mobile gaming juggernaut has emerged, seemingly out of nowhere — the iPhone/iPod touch. With the forthcoming launch of the iPad, whose larger screen and more powerful CPU could make it a gaming powerhouse, it means there are now three… read more

Apple Tops Google and Amazon on “Most Admired Company” List

admin — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 22:55:59 +0000

In Fortune Magazine’s annual ranking of “most admired companies”, Apple has once again walked away with the top spot. Apple was voted #1 for the third year in a row in a poll of executives, industry analysts and company directors. This year, Apple actually took pole position by its… read more

How Google Keeps Your Data Safe in the Cloud

admin — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 22:35:13 +0000

In a blog post today, Google essentially reminds its enterprise customers that Google Apps provides an alternative to expensive, complex solutions as far as data disaster recovery goes.

Synchronous replication is a system that Google Apps uses to store customer’s info in two data centers at once, so that if… read more

American Idol Strips Contestants of Social Media Accounts

admin — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 20:28:06 +0000

This year American Idol made headlines for pushing out individual Twitter, Facebook, and MySpace accounts for each of its 24 finalists. However, the show made a drastic change in strategy last night by consolidating all of them under the AI9Contestants username across sites.

Twitter followers of each of the individual… read more

Mashable’s Weekly Guide to Social Media & Web Development Jobs

admin — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 19:50:06 +0000

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

9 Ways Freelancers Disrespect Their Own Time

admin — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 19:47:49 +0000

As a freelancer or independent designer, the most valuable asset you have is your own time. Your ability to earn a living relies upon your own time management, which will allow you to perform income-generating services for clients. With effective time management you may be able to earn… read more

Send Email and SMS Messages Using Voice Commands With Vlingo for iPhone

admin — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 18:56:01 +0000

Since Vlingo first introduced its voice control app for the BlackBerry more than a year and a half ago, smartphones and voice-to-speech technology have evolved quite a bit. Today, the company has launched a pretty major update to its iPhone app, adding the ability to send e-mail and SMS… read more

Simple File Sharing and Collaboration with drop.io

admin — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 18:00:57 +0000

While visiting my apartment leasing office, I was randomly asked if I knew anything about computers. This question is always an interesting one as it tends to go in so many different directions. The issue at hand involved sending a ~90MB video to the corporate office of the leasing agent…. read more

iPhone photo of “ghost” makes UK tabloids look foolish

admin — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 18:00:00 +0000

Apple pressuring music publishers over Amazon Daily Deal

admin — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 17:30:00 +0000

According to Billboard, participating labels entered into the program with Amazon in 2008 without paying a thing. It was simply meant to increase the store’s publicity. Two years later, that’s changed. An unnamed major-label head of sales told Billboard that “[the] promotion morphed into something where the labels make arrangements… read more

Microsoft’s “Project Pink” Mobile Project is Real and Coming Soon

admin — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 17:01:57 +0000

When Microsoft unveiled its plans for Windows Phone 7 Series last month, one part of Microsoft’s long-rumored mobile strategy was revealed. However, the second part, Project Pink — a rumored Windows Mobile/Zune mash-up with a heavy emphasis on social networking — wasn’t mentioned at all.

Today Gizmodo is reporting that… read more

I wish I would have known: Answers from 11 top freelancers

admin — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 16:15:21 +0000

I wish I would have known: Answers from 11 top freelancers

3 Crisis Survival Lessons for the Social Media Age

admin — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 16:04:55 +0000

Dallas Lawrence is Chair of the Social and Digital Media Practice at Levick Strategic Communications, the nation’s top crisis communications firm. He blogs on emerging digital media trends and best practices for social media engagement on Bulletproof Blog. Connect with him on Twitter @dallaslawrence.

If there was any doubt… read more

Mark Zuckerberg: Facebook in No Rush to Go Public

admin — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 14:31:00 +0000

Everyone is still trying to figure out just how big a business social networks are, how much is Facebook worth, and how much money it’ll be making in a couple of years. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, however, doesn’t seem worried at all.

Asked about Facebook’s plans to launch an initial… read more

How to Work with a Marketing Expert if You’re a Freelancer

admin — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 12:20:35 +0000

As a freelancer, you may find yourself either a) too busy or b) too clueless to handle your own marketing. This happens more often than you might think, and even some excellent freelancers with a strong reputation aren’t doing a very good job at marketing.

But you, you’re smarter than that…. read more

Beautiful Illustrator Artworks By Artists Around The World

admin — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 11:10:02 +0000

Adobe Illustrator is a powerful software for illustrating that allows users to produce beautiful artwork, technical illustrations, and even graphics for both print and the web. Adobe Illustrator is a multipurpose vector illustration tool and its versatility makes it the most preferred choice among many professional artists and designers.

In the… read more

To Sketch or Not to Sketch – That is the Question

admin — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 09:41:46 +0000

Close your eyes and picture this scenario. You have just landed a dream contract with a client and you are anxious to start working. You have already consulted with them regarding the subject matter (a logo, a website, a brochure, etc.) and you’ve written up a design brief. It’s time… read more

Coming Soon: How to Write Great Copy for the Web

admin — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 05:47:33 +0000

A couple of years ago, FreelanceSwitch brought you How to Be a Rockstar Freelancer by Collis and Cyan Ta’eed, which helped a lot of you find your feet in the world of freelancing. Since then, FreelanceSwitch and Rockable Press have been working together to bring another great guide to your… read more

How Topeka Became Google, Kansas: The Mayor Speaks

admin — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 23:18:25 +0000

Welcome to Google, Kansas – the capital city of fiber optics, population 122,642. The small city with a big dream recently changed its name from Topeka to Google in order to show its enthusiasm for Google’s experimental Fiber for Communities program.

Mayor William W. Bunten issued a proclamation on Monday… read more

RootMusic’s BandPage Makes Better Facebook Fan Pages for Bands

admin — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 20:12:00 +0000

Name: RootMusic

Quick Pitch: RootMusic is all about making… read more

Yelp for Android Gets Bookmark Sync and Draft Support

admin — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 19:29:20 +0000

Back in December, Yelp for Android arrived, joining the local review site’s stable of iPhone, BlackBerry and Palm Pre apps. Since then, the app has been steadily updated with new features and options for Yelp users, and today, version 1.4 is being released with even more updates.

Yelp… read more

Vodafone UK Partners with Foursquare

admin — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 18:25:56 +0000

Vodafone UK — one of the nation’s largest carriers — has just announced a partnership with Foursquare that entails heavy promotion of the location-based gaming app via Vodafone MyWeb and Vodafone live.

As it stands, all Vodafone UK customers will now have instant access to Foursquare’s mobile site from any… read more

Omniture Introduces New Tools for Managing Facebook Ad Campaigns

admin — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 17:38:43 +0000

Enterprise web analytics provider Omniture has further cemented its partnership with Facebook by announcing today that customers can now purchase, automate and more thoroughly track their Facebook ad buys.

The new offerings are geared toward marketers looking to better understand the performance of their Facebook media buys, adding custom reporting… read more

How to Kill the Design Community

admin — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 17:37:42 +0000

Recently, the notion of killing the design community has come up on a few blogs (sometimes indirectly), creating many intense conversations on the direction the design community has taken over the past couple of years, and what can be done about it.

The possibility that such discussions… read more

7 Essential Online HR Resources for Your Small Business

admin — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 17:23:16 +0000

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

As a business owner, you know your product, service, market and customers. But sometimes one of the most challenging aspects of operating a business is… read more

Slow Motion Dog Treat Commercial Beguiles Internet [Randomly Viral]

admin — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 16:33:13 +0000

For some reason, a Pedigree commercial featuring dogs leaping through the air in super slow motion has taken the Internet by storm, appearing on multiple video-sharing sites and racking up the YouTube views.

According to Creativity Online, the video was shot with a Phantom camera at 1,000 frames… read more

iPhone gross profit margins nearly 60%

admin — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 15:00:00 +0000

Sacconaghi believes that the iPhone’s high gross margins could change Apple’s business model as the iPhone’s share of Apple’s overall revenue stream grows from 30% in FY09 to an estimated 45% to 50% in FY11.

Philip Elmer-DeWitt over at Apple 2.0 notes that while the Street generally assumes Apple’s… read more

Get Noticed And Grow Your Business With MyTemplateBox

admin — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 12:07:38 +0000

The Internet is filled with useful resources for business owners and especially for web designers and developers. From free icon sets to CSS templates, and from web design inspiration to stock images, websites like these have everything one may need. There are a number of tools, useful pieces of advice,… read more

How To Market Your Mobile Application

admin — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 11:59:23 +0000

App Store is a competitive environment. Against more than 140,000 apps, all screaming for attention, how do you make sure your app gets its time in the spotlight? What does it take to get good media coverage? How do you get people to talk about your app—and, ideally, how do… read more

Tales of an Ex-designer

admin — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 06:54:12 +0000

Tired of clients? Sick of toeing the line between artist and “mad man” (without the added bonus of the martini lunches)? Want to get paid? Want to get paid on time?

Me too.

photo by yushimoto

I was sitting on the plane from New York to Los Angeles racing to finish a project… read more

Fantastic Photographs by Eric Curry

admin — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 04:22:22 +0000

Eric Curry was born in 1956 in Los Angeles, California. A graduate of the Art Center College of Design in 1980, he lived in Scandinavia for the next 12 years, running his own advertising photography studio based in Copenhagen, Denmark, returning to the states in 1992.

Originally trained and specializing in… read more

Keeping Yourself Motivated

admin — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 23:58:26 +0000

Staying motivated isn’t easy – we often convince ourselves not to be. We often give ourselves excuses, allow other people to put us down, or look at the success of others and think, “That’ll never be me.”

There are two basic types of motivation: intrinsic motivation, and extrinsic motivation.

Intrinsic motivation comes… read more

iBookstore expanding internationally … eventually

admin — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 23:30:00 +0000

According to MacRumors, a new job listing has been posted on Apple’s website for “Manager, iBooks Asia Pacific & Canada.” Part of the managerial position’s role includes being “the primary person responsible for building the book business in Asia Pacific and Canada” — for now, “Asia Pacific” is only loosely… read more

Free HTML/CSS Template for Download

admin — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 22:36:18 +0000

A few weeks ago we published a tutorial How to Design a Blue Marketing Company Layout in Photoshop. Our friends at SnobbySlice have taken that design, coded it, and made it available for free download. The template includes the homepage design that was created for the tutorial, as well as… read more

Foursquare Sees Its Name in Lights in Vegas

admin — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 20:44:32 +0000

Thanks to love from social media savvy digital display service LocaModa, Foursquare is now part of that colorful Vegas experience: It’s featured on a 126-foot LED video screen at the entrance to Vegas’ Miracle Mile Shops.

The enormous digital display pulls in Miracle Mile checkin data via Fousquare’s API and… read more

Macmillan trying to sell readers ‘hardcover’ e-books

admin — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 20:00:00 +0000

Macmillan is sticking with an old pricing scheme even in a brand new marketplace. Just what exactly makes the difference between a “hardcover e-book” and a “paperback e-book”? Read on to find out.

The first question is: “Why would someone buy a hardcover book?” I can… read more

Google Expands Click-to-Call Mobile Ads to National Advertisers

admin — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 19:42:32 +0000

Google advertisers can now add click-to-call phone numbers to their mobile ads. The move expands the offering from just local advertisers to national advertisers.

The setup is quite simple and means that all advertisers running mobile ads can add a phone number via the adwords phone extensions menu (make sure… read more

10 Fantastic Places for Finding Designers Online

admin — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 19:24:40 +0000

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

Unless you are a creative agency, most small businesses don’t have the luxury of having an in-house designer. There are literally thousands of freelance designers and… read more

Printing Pages with Print What You Like

admin — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 19:00:26 +0000

Generally web developers are supposed to create a print friendly stylesheet for their website(s) in case visitors actually want or need to print something out. Unfortunately, this is often skipped by developers leaving a large majority of websites in a very sad state when printed. Of course, the content of… read more

Thanks to the Web.AppStorm Sponsors

admin — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 18:57:45 +0000

We’d like to say a big thank you to February’s AppStorm sponsors, and the great software they create! If you’re interested in advertising, you can order a slot through BuySellAds.

MailChimp – MailChimp is a free email marketing service to design, send, and track HTML email campaigns with their simple tools.

cctext… read more

Nokia Announces C5 “Smartphone”

admin — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 18:31:56 +0000

Nokia has unveiled a new “smartphone,” the Nokia C5, a Symbian S60 third edition handset offering decidedly mid-range features in a slimline candybar design.

While Nokia calls the device a “smartphone in a feature phone body,” what the C5 offers isn’t arguably that smart in an increasing competitive market.

The Cseries… read more

How Small Business Is Using Social Media [STATS]

admin — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 18:01:58 +0000

The University of Maryland’s Smith School of Business looked at the relationship between social media and small businesses and found that the technology adoption rates in the U.S. have doubled in the past year from 12% to 24%.

The data comes straight from the university’s third installment to its Small… read more

Win 5000 Business Cards from UPrinting

admin — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 17:46:01 +0000

We all know that as web designers, we should market ourselves both online and offline.

For online purposes, a great portfolio website or blog is a perfect way to spread the word, but for offline purposes, nothing beats the traditional business card.

We’ve partnered with UPrinting to bring an amazing contest to… read more

How Companies Are Using Your Social Media Data

admin — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 16:41:10 +0000

Rapleaf Inc. will collate information about individuals and sell it to companies that want to learn about those customers and what they do online.

Personal finance reporter Erica Sandberg, who covered the issue of social media datamining in a story for CreditCards.com, said that if a data mining company turns… read more

CoTweet Acquired By Email Marketing Firm ExactTarget

admin — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 15:52:54 +0000

CoTweet, the Twitter CRM tool used by several massive brands including Best Buy and Ford, has been acquired by ExactTarget, an email marketing firm.

In a statement, ExactTarget CEO Scott Dorsey said,” By combining the power of ExactTarget and CoTweet, we can provide businesses a complete solution to tie together… read more

HootSuite Rolls Out Android Apps and iPhone App Upgrade

admin — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 15:09:54 +0000

Popular professional Twitter app maker HootSuite has just updated its iPhone app and released three new mobile applications.

HootSuite’s mobile arsenal now includes a total of four apps — iPhone and Android apps in both full and free versions.

You may recall that HootSuite’s iPhone app retails for $1.99… read more

Designers: How to Search For, Hire, and Work With a Web-Developer

admin — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 14:29:05 +0000

The market for freelance web design is huge. Being able to design a beautiful site in Photoshop is one thing. Programming a website is a whole other story.

So when clients come knocking at your door asking for web design services, what do you, the non-programmer but rockstar designer,… read more

80+ Incredible Collection Of Inspirations, Tutorials And Resources For Designers To Discover The Best Of The Web In February

admin — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 13:03:20 +0000

We are always in search of great free resources, tips, tricks, etc. for our readers. Every day we work hard to find new resources and inspiration for designers like you. Today, we have another great post, “Discover the Best of the Web” on SmashingApps. In this, we made a list… read more

Ask the Expert – Speaking About Startups with Collis Ta’eed of Envato

admin — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 09:59:01 +0000

Speaking About StartupsEnvato has emerged as one of the most exciting companies in the creative world. Can you please give us a brief history of your startup?

Envato started out about four years ago initially to build a marketplace for Adobe Flash files. Back then we were… read more

Google Secures Broad Patent for Location-Based Advertising

admin — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 01:31:29 +0000

Google, the world’s largest search engine and the owner of the world’s largest online advertising platform, has been granted a major U.S. patent for “determining and/or using location information in an ad system.” In other words, Google now owns a key patent for location-based advertising.

The patent, which was… read more

Some things we may not see again from Apple

admin — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Conan O’Brien once had a recurring segment on Late Night called “Guests We Won’t Have Back,” during which he would look back at guests (who were fake) that he regretted having on the show. There was bug expert Sara Wiggins, who ate a live beetle in front of the camera…. read more

iCyte Creates Sharable Bookmarks from Highlighted Text

admin — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 23:33:28 +0000

Name: iCyte

Quick Pitch: iCyte saves webpages… read more

Freelance Freedom #145

admin — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 23:09:09 +0000

Thank You Our Valued Sponsors For Being With Us In The Month Of February

admin — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 23:05:27 +0000

This is a post in which we want to say a big Thank You to the SmashingApps’ fastest growing community for regularly visiting our blog. Do you want to be the first one to know the latest happenings at SmashingApps.com just subscribe to our rss feed and be the one… read more

HOW TO: Create a Successful Company Blog

admin — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 21:22:37 +0000

Mark Suster is a Partner at GRP Partners, a Venture Capital firm in Los Angeles. He blogs at Both Sides of the Table and can be found on Twitter at @msuster.

I’m often asked by entrepreneurs and business owners whether it is worth blogging, and if so, what they should… read more

Doing Pro Bono Work Brings in Big Money

admin — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 20:46:12 +0000

I wanted to share something with the Woork Up community about doing pro bono work (as you probably know: “Pro Bono is a phrase derived from Latin meaning for the public good. The term is generally used to describe professional work undertaken voluntarily and without payment as a public service”… read more

Topaz Adjust 4 AND a New Cintiq 21UX

admin — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 19:30:11 +0000

Hey everyone, Happy Monday! Today I am happy to hear that there are two really cool additions that I think you’d be very interested in.

Topaz Adjust 4
Topaz Adjust is one of those products that sits on the computer of many a digital artist (myself included). it takes… read more

Found Footage: SNL parodies Steve Jobs again

admin — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 19:00:00 +0000

Saturday Night Live (SNL) has done a great job of satirizing Steve Jobs and Apple over the years, and the tradition continued last week. “Undercover Boss” is a TV show in the states that has big business CEOs perform their company’s entry-level jobs. SNL expanded the idea to Undercover Celebrity… read more

How to Build a Footer That Doesn’t Stink

admin — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 17:33:43 +0000

As the first thing visitors see, home pages and headers often steal the design spotlight.

But above-the-fold thinking neglects the natural flow of vertical page layout. What happens when people reach the end of a page?

You can bet that a simple copyright statement won’t hold visitors’ attention, but many pages are… read more

Best of AppStorm in February

admin — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 17:30:24 +0000

We’ve collected the top five reviews, roundups and how-to articles from across the AppStorm network in February. Whether you’re interested in Mac, iPhone, or Web apps, there’s bound to be something you didn’t spot over the course of the month.

Now would be a good time to explore a part of… read more

Upgrading to Windows Phone 7 May Not Be Possible

admin — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 15:16:15 +0000

Yes, most of us want Windows Phone 7 to be very different from Windows Mobile. And Microsoft promised that it will, indeed, be different, closer to the latest generation of Zunes than to a Windows Mobile 6.x phone. But it comes with a price: chances are owners of Windows… read more

My experience with a micro-4/3rds camera – (Panasonic GF1 Review)

admin — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 14:05:24 +0000

If you’ve been able to get your hands on one of these, consider yourself lucky. After driving to most every electronic store I knew of and still not being able to get a hands-on feel for this new camera, I decided to take the plunge and make my order on… read more

Creative Bookmarks: Best of February 2010

admin — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 14:00:57 +0000

February was a great month full of awesome tutorials, interesting articles and interviews, and stunning showcases for inspiration.

Quick Nav:

Photoshop TutorialsIllustrator TutorialsWeb/Blogging TutorialsFreebies, Inspiration, & ResourcesPhotoshop TutorialsSuper Easy Typographic Portrait in Photoshop

This tutorial, from Abduzeedo, will show you how to use the Displace filter and some Blend Modes to a great… read more

Intuit Offers a New Look at the Economy and Employment Trends

admin — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 13:30:31 +0000

Many economists (and the President) believe that small businesses will be what reignites job growth in the US. Today, Intuit is out with a new way to track that theory – a monthly small business employment index that leverages payroll data from tens of thousands of customers to… read more

Encouraged by iPhone market, Nuance announces new medical apps

admin — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 13:00:00 +0000

The first app is Dragon Medical Mobile Dictation. It is designed to allow clinicians to dictate patient notes, emails and text messages instead of typing them on a mobile device. The idea is to let medical professionals dictate and capture information in real time with a smartphone, without having to… read more

The Ultimate Collection Of Brilliant Web Design Tutorials

admin — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 11:45:18 +0000

By Callum Chapman

In this ultimate collection, we bring you a massive selection of great Web design tutorials from all over the design community. All of the tutorials use Photoshop for the main application. By the end, you should have a pretty good idea of where and how to start designing… read more

TUAW Fact Check: Apple using underage labor? No.

admin — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0000

When a headline leans towards the sensational side, or doesn’t accurately reflect the information that’s actually contained in the article, it’s easy for poorly-represented news to spread like wildfire. This article from the UK’s The Daily Telegraph, regarding Apple’s self-initiated audit of its overseas manufacturing facilities, is a perfect example,… read more

11 Tips for Making Your Home Office More Comfortable

admin — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 23:57:41 +0000

Freelance designers will probably spend more time in their home office than anywhere else. Having a comfortable office that is conducive to work is essential in order to keep your working hours pleasant and productive.

In this post we’ll look at some things that you can do to… read more

My on-again, off-again Apple relationship

admin — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 18:00:00 +0000

The Apple IIe was the only computer I used in school through 1990. I spent most of seventh grade cooking up little text-based adventure games in BASIC, and I even learned some rudimentary drawing and audio programming, all of which I forgot long ago. In mid-1990, the school revamped our… read more

6 Free Android Apps That Will Make You Drop Your iPhone

admin — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 16:03:39 +0000

The Android Market may still lag behind the iPhone App Store in terms of variety and quality, but there is something to be said for the Android operating system’s extremely tight integration with existing Google products, and the wide choice of devices and carriers.

There’s no question that the… read more

How to (Legally) Become a Professional Photographer

admin — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 14:15:46 +0000

A Guest Post by Scott Bideau from capturedbyscott.com

Image by Roberto Carlos Pecino

A common question asked by an amateur photographer looking to turn professional is, “what equipment do I need?” I’ll skip the discussion around skill and experience being more important than equipment, but before you rush out and buy any… read more

Thanks to the Mac.AppStorm Sponsors

admin — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 13:00:35 +0000

We’d like to say a big thank you to this month’s AppStorm sponsors, and the great software they create! If you’re interested in advertising, you can order a slot through BuySellAds.

CleanMyMac – CleanMyMac represents a sophisticated all-in-one-suite utility that helps keep your Mac clean and healthy.

MiniBooks – A handy… read more

Desktop Wallpaper Calendar: March 2010

admin — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 10:43:17 +0000

Desktop wallpapers can serve as an excellent source of inspiration. However, if you use some specific wallpaper for a long period of time, it becomes harder to draw inspiration out of it. That’s why we have decided to supply you with smashing wallpapers over 12 months. And to make them… read more

Our Favorite Tweets of the Week Feb 21-Feb 28, 2010

admin — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 05:06:06 +0000

Every week we tweet a lot of interesting stuff highlighting great content that we find on the web that can be of interest to web designers.

The best way to keep track of our tweets is simply to follow us on Twitter, however, in case you missed some here’s a quick… read more

Wallpaper of the Week #89 – Saad Moosajee

admin — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 03:30:31 +0000

The wallpaper of this week is another super cool artwork from the young self taught freelance Illustrator and Art Director Saad Moosajee. We have already featured him in the past but he has some new works that are definitely worth checking them out.

Since Saadart.com was established in September 2008, Saad… read more

2010: The Year of Common Sense User Experience

admin — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 22:42:22 +0000

This was a very interesting article that made me think about user experience. The author, Eric Sagalyn, brings up some great points in the article. While I may not completely agree with everything that was mentioned in the article, it was definitely a great read with many pertinent thoughts.

Apple gives Vancouver Olympic visitors a rare treasure

admin — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 20:00:00 +0000

Interview with Jonathan Patterson

admin — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 18:59:34 +0000

Fans of Vectortuts+ are certainly familiar with the vector tutorials of Jonathan Patterson. He’s obviously a talented vector illustrator, there is however a wide variety of work he produces in addition to his vector artwork. Jonathan is a Michigan native working as a Senior Art Director at an advertising agency…. read more

Be a Teacher, Not a Douchebag

admin — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 13:18:07 +0000

I’ve been tracking trends and looking deeper into the scenarios that make my company the most money. That’s why I wrote my previous articles regarding retainers, web cams and other such things that we do that keep our clients close to our sides.

So today I get this new customer’s mobile… read more

Best of the Week #108

admin — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 12:31:32 +0000

FastMall Is Foursquare for Malls

admin — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 01:37:20 +0000

Name: FastMall

Quick Pitch: Think Foursquare-meets-Yelp for… read more

Apple files for ‘Magic Trackpad’ trademark

admin — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 01:00:00 +0000

No one knows exactly what this thing is for, or where it might be used. It could be for the new iPad, or something for the upcoming laptop refresh. It could well be an extension of the work Apple has done on multitouch, or something completely different. Apple has filed… read more

Using NarrativeStyles for Web Form Increased Conversion by 25-40%

admin — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 00:32:50 +0000

This was a very interesting article for me because I used to work for a company that created landing pages. Out of the many pages that I created, I never even thought of trying this method. This is definitely an article that you should read if you want to increase… read more

People Searching for Footage of SeaWorld Tragedy Hit with Viruses, Rickroll [VIDEO]

admin — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 00:30:28 +0000

If you’re one of the many searching for footage of SeaWorld trainer Dawn Brancheau (who was killed by Tilikum the whale during a show), be warned: You could be vulnerable to viral attack, or, at the very least, a Rickroll.

Ever since the tragic incident at SeaWorld on… read more

Yelp CEO Denies Extortion Scheme

admin — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 23:58:09 +0000

Yelp CEO Jeremy Stoppleman has just released a passionate statement denying all wrongdoing on Yelp’s part, addressing a class action lawsuit filed on Tuesday that purports that Yelp is running an “extortion scheme.”

In the statement, Stoppleman begins by addressing “the long history of people accusing Yelp of monkeying around… read more

New Seesmic for BlackBerry App First to Support Ping.fm

admin — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 23:23:35 +0000

In January Twitter application maker Seesmic acquired Ping.fm. Today the updated Seesmic for BlackBerry application is the first to integrate the Ping.fm service into the fold, which means Twitter users can now use the BlackBerry app to simultaneously update 50 different social sites.

The fresh-faced BlackBerry app also includes multi-account… read more

Associated Press sources report Associated Press working on iPad app

admin — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 23:00:00 +0000

Business Insider’s The Wire is reporting, rather humorously, that AP sources have the scoop that the Associated Press is working on its own iPad app. It will reportedly be a paid subscription news app that generates content from the AP and more than 1,000 member newspapers and broadcasters.

The… read more

Interview with Dan Noe of Noe Design Studios

admin — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 22:53:14 +0000

I recently had the opportunity to interview multi-media designer Dan Noe. Many DesignM.ag readers have probably seen Dan’s portfolio site for Noe Design Studio showcased at various design galleries or blogs. Dan works at Screenscape Studios in Des Moines, Iowa. I hope you’ll find Dan’s insight and experience to be… read more

myYearbook Revenue at $20 Million Annually and Growing

admin — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 22:32:26 +0000

Somewhat quietly, myYearbook remains one of the most popular social networking sites, with 20 million members and a place in the top 30 most trafficked websites in the US. Now, the site is publicly disclosing some of its financials.

According to CEO Geoff Cook, the company ended 2009 with… read more

Social Media Analysis: The 2010 Winter Olympics

admin — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 21:08:34 +0000

Teresa Basich is the Content Marketing Manager at Radian6, the social media monitoring and engagement platform. She blogs at Writing On Purpose and is @TransitionalTee on Twitter.

The Olympics. They’ve been talked about, reported on, blogged about, tweeted, YouTubed, Facebooked, Flickred, and then some. A sporting event of this magnitude… read more

10 Tips for Successful Twitter Fundraising

admin — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 19:56:44 +0000

Twitter fundraising has steadily been on the rise in the last two years. Twitter has been used to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for charities and charitable causes, and has been used to spread awareness about social issues.

But it takes more than posting multiple tweets a day… read more

Line2 adds a second line to your iPhone for $15 a month

admin — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 19:00:00 +0000

Would you like to add a second line to your iPhone? Perhaps you’d like to add a business number to the phone, but your existing phone is currently tied to your personal mobile number. You could always carry a second phone, but that’s an expensive proposition, particularly if you’re an… read more

Baidu Gets $50 Million to Bring New Video Site to China

admin — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 18:48:59 +0000

China’s 400 million or so Internet users will soon be able to enjoy a new online video service. Baidu, the country’s top search provider, has announced plans to create a new video-on-demand website.

With the domain name Qiyi.com registered, Providence Equity Partners (a global private equity investment firm that put… read more

Details: Twitter’s Impending Ad Platform

admin — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 17:32:59 +0000

The guessing game surrounding Twitter’s imminent launch of an ad platform just got a little bit more focused. The Wall Street Journal’s All Things Digital blog reports that Twitter’s ad plan is tied to Twitter search (and third-parties that use the API), uses Twitter’s 140 character limit, and… read more

Wildfire’s Hot Campaign Winners

admin — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 16:58:29 +0000

We recently reviewed Wildfire, an amazing web application for creating branded interactive promotions like sweepstakes, contests and giveaways with the viral features of the social web. Wildfire was kind enough to give three Premium campaigns away to our readers, each valued at more than $250. Thanks Wildfire team!

Congrats to our… read more

Google Buzz: 5 Opportunities for Small Businesses

admin — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 16:30:43 +0000

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

Just when you thought you had social media figured out, Google has shaken things up with a new entrant into the market: Google Buzz. It’s… read more

Do You Have What it Takes to be a Freelance Web Designer or Developer?

admin — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 16:00:55 +0000

Do You Have What it Takes to be a Freelance Web Designer or Developer?

Reebok Ups the Sexual Ante With Nude Workout Video of Chuck Liddell

admin — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 15:58:45 +0000

Reebok is once again looking to stir up the Internet with a racy viral video, this time around featuring Chuck Liddell – of UFC fame – and girlfriend Heidi Northcott working out in the nude. The video, which appears to have been first leaked to TMZ, has the… read more

Friday Fresh Free Fonts #37

admin — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 14:41:47 +0000

I will be posting some fresh free fonts every Friday, yes I know it’s awesome. I will look forward to bring a lot of great fonts that will sure help you improve your typography work. Check out what I selected for you on the FFFF#37 and make sure to comeback… read more

12 Secrets Of Effective Business Communication

admin — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 13:34:13 +0000

By Alyssa Gregory

The ability to communicate, and communicate well, is one of the biggest factors in business success. You could be an excellent designer, but if you’re unable to promote your services and communicate effectively with clients and colleagues, your potential is limited. The principal areas where communication is essential… read more

What’s the Next Step in a Freelancing Career?

admin — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 12:30:06 +0000

If you’re working for an employer, your career patch can be pretty clear: work hard and move up the corporate ladder, hopefully winding up somewhere near the top. But when you’re freelancing, your career path can be a lot less clear. We all want to land more clients and earn… read more

Music Streaming Service MOG Raises $9.5 Million

admin — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 05:20:06 +0000

MOG, an on-demand music streaming service with backing from both Universal Music Group and Sony Music, has raised $9.5 million in a new round of funding.

MOG, which has already raised over $10 million in angel and Series A rounds, launched in December with the goal of muscling into the… read more

Featuring Manipulator Alexander Lataille

admin — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 04:24:48 +0000

We got a chance to introduce Alexander Lataille a few weeks ago. His interesting manipulation style provided for unique feedback on his work. This week, we’re taking the time to feature him and his artwork. Feast your eyes upon the work of a true graphic manipulator!

Everything you… read more

Q&A: A Career in Web Design

admin — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 03:34:06 +0000

If you are a still not sure about whether or not you would like to work as a web designer, then you definitely need to read this article so you can get some insight about the web design field. This post is about a college student who contacted several of… read more

Almost Everything You Want to Know About the Bloom Energy Box [VIDEOS]

admin — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 02:37:45 +0000

By now, you have probably heard of the Bloom Box, the green fuel cell device that promises to soon power our homes. After appearing on CBS’ 60 Minutes last week, its sand-based fuel cells generated a ton of buzz and media attention.

Yesterday, Bloom Energy launched the Bloom Box… read more

Facebook to Take 30% Cut of Developers’ Facebook Credits Revenues

admin — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 01:34:40 +0000

Facebook will soon roll Facebook Credits out to even more application developers, so it has publicly announced that it will take 30% of the revenues earned for goods sold via Facebook Credits.

Facebook Credits make up Facebook’s virtual currency; the currency became available to some users last Spring. Those users… read more

Texas Offers Facebook $1.4 Million Incentive to Open Austin Office

admin — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 23:28:59 +0000

Facebook is planning to open a new office outside of its Palo Alto, California headquarters, and the office of Texas Governor Rick Perry announced in a Facebook note (How appropriate!) that the state is willing to offer Facebook $1.4 million in incentives to establish the new operation — along… read more

The Future of the Non-Profit Internet

admin — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 22:18:23 +0000

Geoff Livingston co-founded Zoetica to focus on cause-related work, and released an award-winning book on new media Now is Gone in 2007.

Earlier this month, Pew Internet released its annual Future of the Internet report. The survey of 900 leaders forecasts the future direction of online media. In turn… read more

Has Digg Found the Winning Formula for Ads?

admin — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 22:00:09 +0000

Digg took a big risk when they added in-line advertisements that users could digg or bury. Four months later, however, early signs indicate that DiggAds are a win for all parties involved: users, advertisers, and especially Digg.

This latest bit of information was shared in a blog post earlier today… read more

5 Fantastic Facebook Fan Page Ideas to Learn From

admin — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 21:17:51 +0000

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

So your business is on Facebook, and brand engagement is up thanks to some savvy social media strategy. You may even be interested in further… read more

The Norwegian Olympic Curling Team’s Pants Fan Page [Randomly Viral]

admin — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 18:56:20 +0000

If you’re like me, the only time you pay any attention to the Olympics is when someone wears something brightly colored (Hello, U.S. snowboard team). Well, imagine my delight upon finding The Norwegian Olympic Curling Team’s Pants fan page, which is rapidly garnering followers on Facebook.

The page,… read more

Webtrends Launches Analytics for Facebook Marketers

admin — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 17:39:49 +0000

Webtrends, a company that offers marketers detailed web analytics, has rolled out new measurement capabilities for Facebook, including the ability to view Facebook data alongside data for other channels.

Tools like this are useful because Facebook’s own platform for this, Facebook Insights, runs three days behind, doesn’t measure custom tabs… read more

22 Corporate Brand Logo Evolution of Automobile Groups

admin — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 14:53:38 +0000

Did you know that many of the biggest automobile companies started as bicycle manufacturers? Have you ever wondered why the Audi has four interlocked rings as its logo? Or why the Alfa Romeo has such a romantic company name?

Logos represent the brand image, traditions and origins of a company. It… read more

1000 Business Cards to Giveaway!

admin — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 14:08:29 +0000

NextDayFlyers are an online printing company that specialize in business cards, postcards, menu’s, tickets and even more items such as posters and greeting cards.

You can check out their website at the following address: nextdayflyers.com

The Lucky Winner…

The lucky winner will receive 1000 Full Color U/V Coated Standard Business Cards. Also included… read more

Designing User Interfaces For Business Web Applications

admin — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 13:55:15 +0000

Business Web application design is too often neglected. I see a lot of applications that don’t meet the needs of either businesses or users and thus contribute to a loss of profit and poor user experience. It even happens that designers are not involved in the process of creating applications… read more

How To Supercharge Your Calendar With BusyCal

admin — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 12:30:59 +0000

If you are anything like me, you have scraps of paper lying around with dates, times, and names all over the place. Hopefully, you aren’t relying mainly on your head to keep yourself on-time and in the right location. Maybe you are stuck in the world of iCal misery, with… read more

Ask FreelanceSwitch #6

admin — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 12:30:20 +0000

In this issue of Ask FreelanceSwitch, Travis King and Thursday Bram look at website maintenance packages and what to do if people have a problem with were you live.

Ask FreelanceSwitch is a new regular column here that allows us to help beginners get a grip on freelancing. If you have… read more

Lobby Group Says Open Source Threatens Capitalism

admin — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 02:39:18 +0000

Does advocating the use of open source software make one an enemy of capitalism? Yes, according to a U.S. intellectual property lobby group.

The Guardian reports that the International Intellectual Property Alliance, a lobby group broadly representing the RIAA, MPAA and others, has requested that the U.S. government put countries… read more

The AIDA Marketing Model in Web Design

admin — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 01:27:03 +0000

I’ve personally never heard of the AIDA Marketing Model before, so this was an interesting read for me. AIDA is an acronym that represents the different steps involved in selling a product or service. Very often, the principles of AIDA are applied naturally when a useful product or service is… read more

Showcase of Beautifully Designed Brochures

admin — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 22:44:09 +0000

Brochure design is a key component to the marketing of many businesses large and small. A well-designed brochure can present a positive image of the business while providing helpful information about the products or services offered.

In this post we’ll showcase 25 examples of well-designed brochures for your own design inspiration…. read more

Mashable’s Weekly Guide to Social Media Job Openings

admin — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 21:56:11 +0000

Compare Social Media Performance Head-to-Head with uberVu

admin — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 20:32:23 +0000

What Compete does for website analytics uberVU is now trying to do for social media. The company has just launched Compare, a new tool that does instant side-by-side social media performance comparisons by keyword or brand name.

Compare offers a freemium social media head-to-head comparison tool where users can input… read more

Win 1 of 5 Free Subscriptions to Pixmac.com worth $199 each

admin — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 16:05:14 +0000

Our sponsors Pixmac.com, are offering the chance to five of our readers to win a $199 subscription each to there marvelous microstock photo site service.
That is a huge prize fund of $995 to be shared amongst the winners!
Don’t miss this great opportunity, enter now!

How to Enter

For a chance… read more

Manage Social Media with NutshellMail

admin — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 16:00:34 +0000

The world of social media is generally hectic and always evolving faster than most people are capable of keeping up with. Twitter alone can be a challenge to manage, let along Facebook, LinkedIn or other networking sites. Most people use multiple social media networks, which means piles of emails, notifications… read more

The Science of Building Trust With Social Media

admin — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 15:22:42 +0000

The Internet-era has made establishing trust an increasingly complicated issue. Our finely tuned ability to read facial expressions does not apply to e-mail, and emoticons are, at best, an imperfect substitute for sarcastic inflection (raise your hand if you’ve ever gotten into trouble for typing something that was… read more

The AIDA Marketing Model in Web Design

admin — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 13:23:04 +0000

By Louis Lazaris

If you’ve been formally educated in marketing, more than likely you’ve learned about a marketing model called AIDA. AIDA is an acronym that represents the different steps involved in selling a product or service. Very often, the principles of AIDA are applied naturally when a useful product or… read more

Twitter Up Your Business: Rockable Mini-Book Review

admin — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 12:30:45 +0000

Twitter seems to have a very polarizing effect on people. Some love it and some hate it. Some even love to hate it when they haven’t even tried the service yet. What makes Twitter so divisive?

Recently, actor Sir Patrick Stewart came down on the usefulness of Twitter in his… read more

Top 20 Free Fonts for Distinctive Headlines and Titles

admin — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 10:28:01 +0000

Whether you are reading a printed magazine or a web article it is very rarely the content that draws you in at first, the hook is always the title or the headline. A well written and thought out title or headline are fundamental, it has to not only describe with… read more

45 Best Places You May Visit To Get Or Create Free 3D Models

admin — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 06:39:08 +0000

3D models are being in used in a wide variety of industries with great popularity and fame. 3D Models are basically the representation of 3 Dimensional objects by using a compilation of points in 3D space and associated by different geometric entities. Free 3D models have been in use primarily… read more

Apple: iPad to Be Sold at Best Buy

admin — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 02:45:56 +0000

Today at the Goldman Sachs Technology and Internet Conference in San Francisco, Apple COO Tim Cook revealed that the iPad will be available at multiple retail locations soon after launch, including Best Buy.

In his Q&A at the conference, Mr. Cook revealed some interesting insights into the secretive Cupertino, CA… read more

Google Hit With Antitrust Investigation in Europe

admin — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 01:09:58 +0000

Are Google search results purely algorithmic, or does the “do no evil” empire occasionally inject editorial oversight in the name of stifling competition? According to three European companies – one of which is owned by Microsoft (Ciao) – the latter is true, and their allegations have led the… read more

TaskPaper for iPhone, simplified to-do lists go mobile

admin — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0000

ZipList Creates Sharable Grocery Lists from Thousands of Recipes

admin — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 23:57:50 +0000

Name: ZipList

Quick Pitch: ZipList is a… read more

Win 1000 Free Business Cards from PrintRunner!

admin — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 23:50:09 +0000

PrintRunner has offered to give 1,000 business cards each to 5 readers of DesignM.ag! PrintRunner offers a wide variety of printing services including business cards, brochures, post cards, flyers, and posters.

Business Cards from PrintRunner:

PrintRunner’s business cards come on premium 14 pt card stock with water resistant UV coating. The cards… read more

Tears for Fears’ Curt Smith Talks Twitter and Solo Career [INTERVIEW]

admin — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 21:52:18 +0000

Musician Curt Smith, otherwise known as half of the international hit group Tears for Fears (along with Roland Orzabal), took a unique approach to finding a collaborator for a recent solo project: he used Twitter. Still touring with Tears after an early ’90s breakup and early 2000s reunion, Smith… read more

Wake up Mr. Singh

admin — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 20:58:46 +0000

Wake up Mr Singh. Its not a statement, it is the name of the design studio of Karan Singh. He is an grauate of the University of Sydney with a Bachelor in Design Computing and now works as a freelancer. Most of the work showcased here are personal artworks for… read more

How the Resort Industry is Using Social Media

admin — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 19:21:34 +0000

A growing number of resort and spa destinations are spreading their wings and reaching a wider customer base via social media. With the help of social networking platforms and niche bloggers, vacation spots are broadening their branding efforts from the sand to the slopes, and connecting with potential… read more

Use Zoho’s Office Suite with Your Facebook Account

admin — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 18:37:54 +0000

Zoho is attempting to appeal to the mass market of Internet users by allowing its adherents to log in to the online office suite via Facebook Connect.

The move, which follows Zoho already offering sign-in with Google, Google Apps and Yahoo accounts, means that Facebook’s 400 million-plus users will be… read more

Showcase of Great Web App Interfaces

admin — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 18:09:44 +0000

Web Apps are popping up everywhere. Five years or so ago, we could live without them, but as the internet has evolved we use them more and more in our daily lives.

We have put together a great compilation of beautiful web application interfaces.

The web applications that were… read more

Twitter’s Ad Platform Could Launch Next Month

admin — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 17:49:06 +0000

It seems as though Twitter is finally ready to get down to business. Following search deals with Microsoft and Google that put the company at break even for 2009 and the recent hiring of a CFO, Twitter is now said to be readying the launch of its… read more

The Entertainment Industry Gets Its Own Twitter Dashboard

admin — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 16:36:45 +0000

Social media measurement platform Trendrr has just released a new real-time dashboard — targeted toward TV networks and brands — that tracks online conversations by gender, location, sentiment, influence, reach and volume.

The Trendrr real-time dashboard — now available to all Trendrr Pro users — may sound like yet another… read more

Top 5 Web Apps to File Taxes Online

admin — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 16:00:20 +0000

It’s tax season again, at least in the States, and if you haven’t filed your taxes already then you probably will soon. Every year, more and more people file their taxes online. Not only are online tax applications making taxes easier than ever to file, they’re also making it easier… read more

Power Users Drive the Vast Majority of Twitter Usage [STATS]

admin — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 15:12:23 +0000

Marketing research firm Nielsen has some stats on the habits of UK social networking users, and it once again shows that social networks, for the most part, adhere to the Pareto principle (also known as the 80/20 rule). Originally applying to land ownership, the Pareto principle now states that… read more

Shalom! Showcase Of Web Design In Israel

admin — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 13:53:10 +0000

Israel is a young country with an old heart. It has been quickly built up over the last 60 years as an independent democratic Jewish state and is shockingly cutting edge for a country so new.

It is a tiny surreal sliver of land smack dab in the middle of the… read more