Selected by victusfate

• Most Topular Stories

• Do aliens go invisible by 'going green'?

  Holy Kaw!

  9 Feb 2012 | 11:24 am

  As we discover more and more planets around other stars, the Fermi Paradox is becoming, well, more paradoxical. The Fermi Paradox simply asks the question "where are they?" Our Milky Way galaxy is so big and so old -- and we are estimated to be accompanied by at least 100 billion planets -- that aliens should have visited us by now. Instead, when we peruse the heavens, we are faced with the Great Silence, which is one of the biggest challenges to modern astronomy. Full story at Discovery News. More news from Discovery Communications. Permalink | Leave a comment  »

• leolaporte: @robinwauters @alexia @sarahlane I blame the French.

  Twitter / leolaporte

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:42 am

  leolaporte: @robinwauters @alexia @sarahlane I blame the French.

• chrisbrogan: @detailsdivas - you have no idea. I'm all kinds of ADD. : )

  Twitter / chrisbrogan

  9 Feb 2012 | 11:31 am

  chrisbrogan: @detailsdivas - you have no idea. I'm all kinds of ADD. : )

• Scobleizer: @jubbing I will be first in line for the iPad 3 if I can arrange it.

  Twitter / Scobleizer

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:57 am

  Scobleizer: @jubbing I will be first in line for the iPad 3 if I can arrange it.

• ChrisPirillo: RT @kellyhclay: Do you know how to determine your social media ROI? Here are a few tips from the team at Microsoft's @office365: http:// ...

  Twitter / ChrisPirillo

  9 Feb 2012 | 11:24 am

  ChrisPirillo: RT @kellyhclay: Do you know how to determine your social media ROI? Here are a few tips from the team at Microsoft's @office365: http:// ...

• 

  Holy Kaw!

• Do aliens go invisible by 'going green'?

  9 Feb 2012 | 11:24 am

  As we discover more and more planets around other stars, the Fermi Paradox is becoming, well, more paradoxical. The Fermi Paradox simply asks the question "where are they?" Our Milky Way galaxy is so big and so old -- and we are estimated to be accompanied by at least 100 billion planets -- that aliens should have visited us by now. Instead, when we peruse the heavens, we are faced with the Great Silence, which is one of the biggest challenges to modern astronomy. Full story at Discovery News. More news from Discovery Communications. Permalink | Leave a comment  »

• Mysterious sounds reported around the world

  9 Feb 2012 | 11:23 am

  People around the world have reported hearing strange sounds from the skies over the past month. Sometimes they describe it as a hum or low rumble; other times it’s a whine, thump, or even a melody. Often the sounds have been recorded and posted online, fueling rumors and conspiracy theories. One blogger wrote, "either the world is ending, aliens are landing or everyone is getting hoaxed. Or, possibly, there’s an actual scientific explanation for the mass amount of YouTube videos capturing bizarre sounds that are being heard around the globe. Are we witnessing the beginning of a…

• Costa Concordia: an ecological time bomb

  9 Feb 2012 | 11:21 am

  As workers begin to extract the half-million gallons of fuel in the shipwrecked cruise liner, locals are worried that their pristine waters are in danger. Reporting by Rossella Lorenzi. Written and produced by Rossella Lorenzi and Martin Berman. Full story at Discovery News. More news from Discovery Communications. Permalink | Leave a comment  »

• Inside Syria's capitol: nervously normal

  9 Feb 2012 | 11:18 am

  As the violence in Syria continues to escalate, Syrian citizens are arming themselves to resist their oppressive regime. For days, Homs, the third-largest city in Syria, has endured shelling, tanks and attacks by heavy weaponry. Syrian protestors react with more violence against forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad, resulting in all-out war zones in some residential neighborhoods. Full story at Discovery News. More news from Discovery Communications. Permalink | Leave a comment  »

• How to battle negativity

  9 Feb 2012 | 11:17 am

  How often have you gotten together with a group from work who can’t say enough great things about the boss and all your wonderful colleagues? When was the last time you hunkered down over a cup of coffee with a friend and discussed how great your day was? If you can’t remember, you’re not alone, since, as Jeff Haden at Inc. explains, the research shows we humans appear to be wired for negativity. Sound like a challenge? If you’re ready to buck the trend, Haden also offers a number of tips for swimming against the tide. - One trick is to take on a difficult task,…

• 

  Twitter / leolaporte

• leolaporte: @robinwauters @alexia @sarahlane I blame the French.

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:42 am

  leolaporte: @robinwauters @alexia @sarahlane I blame the French.

• leolaporte: @livinonprayer @jeffjarvis Ryan Tate is an idiot and Gawker is not a news source. Do you worry that Path shared your info?

  8 Feb 2012 | 8:38 pm

  leolaporte: @livinonprayer @jeffjarvis Ryan Tate is an idiot and Gawker is not a news source. Do you worry that Path shared your info?

• leolaporte: Gina Trapani is our guest right now on Triangulation. http://t.co/pWPYkJSi (with Tom at @TWiT) [pic] — http://t.co/8ufQZFEH

  8 Feb 2012 | 4:17 pm

  leolaporte: Gina Trapani is our guest right now on Triangulation. http://t.co/pWPYkJSi (with Tom at @TWiT) [pic] — http://t.co/8ufQZFEH

• leolaporte: I wouldn't buy anything from Apple for the next couple of months @jrock2004 @ChrisPirillo. I expect new hardware in all categories.

  8 Feb 2012 | 8:38 am

  leolaporte: I wouldn't buy anything from Apple for the next couple of months @jrock2004 @ChrisPirillo. I expect new hardware in all categories.

• leolaporte: My mind is going. Well, the streaming machine, actually. We'll get video back soon, meanwhile audio is still up. http://t.co/dCJSBkdO

  7 Feb 2012 | 12:33 pm

  leolaporte: My mind is going. Well, the streaming machine, actually. We'll get video back soon, meanwhile audio is still up. http://t.co/dCJSBkdO

• 

  Twitter / chrisbrogan

• chrisbrogan: @detailsdivas - you have no idea. I'm all kinds of ADD. : )

  9 Feb 2012 | 11:31 am

  chrisbrogan: @detailsdivas - you have no idea. I'm all kinds of ADD. : )

• chrisbrogan: @cassydinel - alll the way back to 1998. : )

  9 Feb 2012 | 11:18 am

  chrisbrogan: @cassydinel - alll the way back to 1998. : )

• chrisbrogan: @detailsdivas - hope it's going well. : )

  9 Feb 2012 | 11:18 am

  chrisbrogan: @detailsdivas - hope it's going well. : )

• chrisbrogan: @ekcetera - glad you're here. : )

  9 Feb 2012 | 11:07 am

  chrisbrogan: @ekcetera - glad you're here. : )

• chrisbrogan: @kenjansen - thanks! Very kind of you. : )

  9 Feb 2012 | 11:03 am

  chrisbrogan: @kenjansen - thanks! Very kind of you. : )

• 

  Twitter / Scobleizer

• Scobleizer: @jubbing I will be first in line for the iPad 3 if I can arrange it.

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:57 am

  Scobleizer: @jubbing I will be first in line for the iPad 3 if I can arrange it.

• Scobleizer: Read @techmeme for the big tech news, but my favorite tweets often catch the startup news it misses: https://t.co/ugNSociJ Hope you enjoy!

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:52 am

  Scobleizer: Read @techmeme for the big tech news, but my favorite tweets often catch the startup news it misses: https://t.co/ugNSociJ Hope you enjoy!

• Scobleizer: A better SMS? Yes, says @inZair in this video: https://t.co/CmuYEEWt Send geofenced messages, interesting new messaging system.

  8 Feb 2012 | 5:51 pm

  Scobleizer: A better SMS? Yes, says @inZair in this video: https://t.co/CmuYEEWt Send geofenced messages, interesting new messaging system.

• Scobleizer: I'm reading @ShelIsrael's new book on presentations, and wish every entrepreneur would read it too. http://t.co/S5V6fIeZ

  8 Feb 2012 | 5:39 pm

  Scobleizer: I'm reading @ShelIsrael's new book on presentations, and wish every entrepreneur would read it too. http://t.co/S5V6fIeZ

• Scobleizer: Does the world need another iPad book reader? @Readmill says yes in this video I did: https://t.co/kVoddbYP

  8 Feb 2012 | 5:37 pm

  Scobleizer: Does the world need another iPad book reader? @Readmill says yes in this video I did: https://t.co/kVoddbYP

• 

  Twitter / ChrisPirillo

• ChrisPirillo: RT @kellyhclay: Do you know how to determine your social media ROI? Here are a few tips from the team at Microsoft's @office365: http:// ...

  9 Feb 2012 | 11:24 am

  ChrisPirillo: RT @kellyhclay: Do you know how to determine your social media ROI? Here are a few tips from the team at Microsoft's @office365: http:// ...

• ChrisPirillo: Engaging key influencers is easier that it looks. Here's how: http://t.co/ulBQ2IEk

  9 Feb 2012 | 11:01 am

  ChrisPirillo: Engaging key influencers is easier that it looks. Here's how: http://t.co/ulBQ2IEk

• ChrisPirillo: Political Geeks http://t.co/uQVKzhBg

  9 Feb 2012 | 10:45 am

  ChrisPirillo: Political Geeks http://t.co/uQVKzhBg

• ChrisPirillo: How Much is Your Privacy Worth? http://t.co/p1c7CtqE

  9 Feb 2012 | 10:30 am

  ChrisPirillo: How Much is Your Privacy Worth? http://t.co/p1c7CtqE

• ChrisPirillo: Welcome to Gnomies @genford! - http://t.co/6ND6Tmvo

  9 Feb 2012 | 10:08 am

  ChrisPirillo: Welcome to Gnomies @genford! - http://t.co/6ND6Tmvo

• 

  TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog

• Apple Store employees accept petitions from protesters

  Chris Rawson

  9 Feb 2012 | 11:00 am

  Slightly over a dozen protesters from Change.org and SumofUS delivered a petition signed by more than 250,000 people to the Grand Central Terminal Apple Store today. Both organizations are urging Apple to improve working conditions at factories run by its overseas suppliers, particularly Foxconn's massive facility in China. CNET reports the event was relatively low-key -- there were more people present covering the event for the media than the number of protesters who showed up -- and Apple Store employees seemed well-prepared when they accepted the big box of signatures. The group claims the…

• NOAA drops BlackBerry, embraces iPhone and iPad

  Steven Sande

  9 Feb 2012 | 10:00 am

  The Loop is reporting that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is taking RIM BlackBerry devices off of the list of officially supported mobile devices. What's taking the place of the trusty old BlackBerry? iPhones and iPads running iOS 5 and newer versions of the mobile OS. While a February 3rd memo from NOAA Chief Information Officer and Director for High Performance Computing and Communications Joseph Klimavicz noted that support for BlackBerrys will continue until May 12, 2012, it does not say when the government organization will actually start providing workers…

• Apple stock soars, company worth more than Google, Microsoft combined

  Mel Martin

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:30 am

  Whoa! As of this writing (noon EST) Apple stock has reached a new high of US$493.85, which is a new a record. It also gives the company a market capitalization of $465 billion, which exceeds the combined totals of Google and Microsoft. Apple passed Microsoft in Market Cap back in May of 2010. At the current prices, Apple is comfortably ahead of Exxon Mobil, with has a market cap of about $400 million. Just yesterday we reported that Apple had gained $100 in share price since Steve Jobs died last October, but those numbers are already outdated.Apple stock soars, company worth more than Google,…

• Satechi's Cup Holder Mount keeps your iPad and iPhone close at hand

  Steven Sande

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:00 am

  So, your Family Truckster is loaded with sixteen cup holders in various places. Since you already have a place to stash your hot coffee while driving, wouldn't it be nice to use one of those cup holders for something really useful, like holding your iPad or iPhone within arm's reach? Satechi yesterday delivered the SCH-121 Cup Holder Mount (US$29.99), which comes with two cradles, one for 7" - 10" tablets and the other for your smartphone. While you don't exactly want to be going down the road watching movies on your iPad, this is perfect for the back seat crowd, front row passengers, or for…

• Steve Jobs' 1991 FBI file has been released

  Steven Sande

  9 Feb 2012 | 8:26 am

  Have a bit of time? Want to learn more about Steve Jobs' life than you were able to dredge up reading the Walter Isaacson biography? All you have to do is read the 191-page 1991 FBI background investigation of Jobs that was done when he was being considered for an appointment to the President's Export Council. The file also include records of a 1985 bomb threat made against Jobs. John Cook at Gawker noted that "I've read the files from a lot of background FBI investigations; it's pretty rare in my experience that this much derogatory information gets dredged up." What kind of derogatory…

• 

  Virtualization.com

• Aqua Connect Sues Code Rebel, Alleging Reverse-Engineering Shenanigans

  Robin Wauters

  9 Feb 2012 | 7:17 am

  Aqua Connect, which provides Remote Desktop Services for Mac OS X, announced today that it has filed suit against Code Rebel. In its complaint (filed in the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles, Aqua Connect basically alleges that ... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

• Virtual Bridges Appoints CFO; Iser Cukierman Joins Executive Team

  Robin Wauters

  7 Feb 2012 | 8:17 am

  Virtual Bridges today announced the appointment of Iser Cukierman to the company’s executive leadership team. Cukierman will serve as chief financial officer where he will oversee all finance and accounting operations and provide strategic and operational leadership for the company. ... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

• Virtacore Names Phill Lawson-Shanks As CTO

  Robin Wauters

  7 Feb 2012 | 5:54 am

  Virtacore Systems, a provider of hybrid clouds, announced today that Phill Lawson-Shanks has joined the company as Chief Technology Officer. During his more than 25 year career in technology, Lawson-Shanks has held a variety of strategic and practical positions. Before ... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

• Red Hat Launches Virtual Storage Appliance For Amazon Web Services

  Robin Wauters

  7 Feb 2012 | 5:47 am

  Red Hat today announced the availability of the Red Hat Virtual Storage Appliance for Amazon Web Services (AWS) that is built on the former Gluster technology that the company acquired in October 2011. Red Hat Virtual Storage Appliance enables organizations ... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

• VMware Debuts VMware vCloud Integration Manager

  Robin Wauters

  7 Feb 2012 | 5:44 am

  VMware today introduced VMware vCloud Integration Manager, a new solution designed to help service providers automate the delivery and operations of VMware vCloud Director-based clouds. VMware also announced that nearly 90 service provider partners now offer services that have met ... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

• 

  Hulu - Popular videos today

• The Morning After - s2 | e29 - Thu, Feb 9, 2012

  9 Feb 2012 | 12:21 am

  The Morning After brings you the first look of The Bourne Legacy, Greg Kinnear on Modern Family, Maya Rudolph's big announcement, and more! Plus, American Idol goes to Hollywood!Add this to your queueAdded: Thu Feb 09 08:21:15 UTC 2012Air date: Thu Feb 09 00:00:00 UTC 2012Duration: 04:49

• Are You There, Chelsea? - s1 | e5 - The Gynecologist

  8 Feb 2012 | 9:12 pm

  Chelsea gets quite the surprise when she romances her sister Sloane's gynecologist.Add this to your queueAdded: Thu Feb 09 05:12:21 UTC 2012Air date: Wed Feb 08 00:00:00 UTC 2012Duration: 21:51Closed captions available.

• Law & Order: Special Victims Unit - s13 | e13 - Father's Shadow

  8 Feb 2012 | 6:17 pm

  Benson puts herself in the line of fire when the son of a TV producer takes hostages and demands the release of his father.Add this to your queueAdded: Thu Feb 09 02:17:18 UTC 2012Air date: Wed Feb 08 00:00:00 UTC 2012Duration: 43:44Closed captions available.

• CollegeHumor Sketches - Every Michael Bay Movie in Under a Minute

  8 Feb 2012 | 11:19 am

  Plot optional. Add this to your queueAdded: Wed Feb 08 19:19:15 UTC 2012Air date: Wed Feb 08 00:00:00 UTC 2012Duration: 00:53

• Modern Family - s3 | e14 - Me? Jealous?

  8 Feb 2012 | 9:13 am

  Claire thinks Phil's new business partner is blatantly inappropriate.Add this to your queueAdded: Wed Feb 08 17:13:08 UTC 2012Air date: Wed Feb 08 00:00:00 UTC 2012Duration: 21:14Closed captions available.

• 

  Infinite Loop

• FBI document on Steve Jobs: apparently more than fit for office

  9 Feb 2012 | 10:20 am

  Did you know that Apple cofounder Steve Jobs was considered for an appointment with the US government under George Herbert Walker Bush? Now you do—along with the rest of the world—thanks to newly released documents by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The FBI posted on Thursday a 161-page document of its extensive background check on Jobs as a result of a Freedom of Information Act request filed by the Wall Street Journal—the document doesn't otherwise contain much new information that wasn't covered in Walter Isaacson's recently released biography on Jobs, though it does…

• Hackers target iPhone manufacturer to protest harsh working conditions

  9 Feb 2012 | 8:49 am

  Hackers protesting harsh working conditions at iPhone manufacturer Foxconn dumped what they said were megabytes of private data belonging to the outsourcing giant. "Note: The passwords inside these files could allow individuals to make fraudulent orders under big companies like Microsoft, Apple, IBM, Intel, and Dell," a group calling itself Swagg Security wrote in a message posted to Pastebin. "Be careful." The purported contents were made available in a torrent on The Pirate Bay. The group said Foxconn's network was protected by "an appropriate firewall, but fortunately to our intent, we…

• Etc: TED Talks are now available as free downloads via iTunes U, collected and arranged by topics such as design, science, and religion.

  9 Feb 2012 | 7:16 am

  TED Talks are now available as free downloads via iTunes U, collected and arranged by topics such as design, science, and religion. Read More: iTunes U Read the comments on this post

• First week of March fingered for iPad 3 announcement

  9 Feb 2012 | 6:50 am

  There have been many rumors about the launch of Apple's next-gen iPad, but the first substantial bit of info comes courtesy of All Things D. According to sources speaking to the publication, the iPad 3 will be introduced at an event in San Francisco during the first week of March—the same week the iPad 2 was announced in 2011. Rumors have been all over the map as for what the iPad 3's specs might be. It has been generally accepted at this point that it will come with a higher-resolution "retina" display, but others have pointed to upgraded cameras, a slightly thicker body, a quad-core…

• Ding dong, the white MacBook is dead—for real this time

  8 Feb 2012 | 4:20 pm

  The white plastic MacBook is officially dead for good after Apple notified resellers that it will no longer be available to educational institutions. The 13" machine was essentially killed off for most of the public last July, but the budget laptop continued to be available to schools for the last six months. Now, however, the machine has officially been EOL'd (End of Lifed), bringing the old iBook legacy to an end once and for all. As noted by MacRumors, Apple informed resellers of the product EOL on Wednesday, saying they had ended the educational distribution channel for the machine. It's…

• 

  Mashable!

• Mass Effect 3 Gets iPad Version with Action-Packed ‘Infiltrator’ [PREVIEW]

  Zachary Sniderman

  9 Feb 2012 | 11:35 am

  Mass Effect 3 is coming to an iPad near you in the form of Mass Effect Infiltrator, an iOS game aimed at expanding the game’s narrative and give players some mobile combat. Infiltrator isn’t a direct port of the latest Mass Effect game. Unlike its big brother, a sci-fi role-playing game known for its first-person shooter gameplay and massive, branching story-lines, Infiltrator is all about fighting. Mashable got a demo of the game played on an iPad and hooked up to a television at an EA showcase. The story follows a soldier called Randall Ezno as he travels the universe tracking…

• WikiLeaks Suspect Bradley Manning to Be Arraigned Feb. 23

  Alex Fitzpatrick

  9 Feb 2012 | 11:24 am

  U.S. Army Pfc. Bradley Manning, accused of leaking hundreds of thousands of diplomatic cables and war reports to WikiLeaks, will be arraigned before a military judge at Fort Meade, Maryland on Feb. 23, the Pentagon announced Thursday. Some of the 22 charges against Manning include aiding the enemy, disclosing classified information to a person not authorized to receive it, wrongfully causing intelligence to be published on the internet knowing that it is accessible to the enemy, and violating Army computer use rules. The charge of aiding the enemy potentially carries the death penalty, but…

• 5 Essential Spreadsheets for Social Media Analytics

  Ann Smarty

  9 Feb 2012 | 11:13 am

  Ann Smarty is a search marketer and full-time web entrepreneur. Ann blogs on search and social media tools. Her newest project, My Blog Guest, is a free platform for guest bloggers and blog owners. Follow Ann on Twitter @seosmarty. Social media analytics and tracking can be very time-consuming and expensive. You’ll find quite a few smart social media monitoring tools, but what if you can’t afford them? That’s why many social media marketers and power users are in constant search of free, efficient alternatives. Here, we’ll share a few ready-made spreadsheets you can…

• Google: No, We’re Not Launching Retail Stores Yet

  Samantha Murphy

  9 Feb 2012 | 10:55 am

  Google planned to open its first-ever public store at its European headquarters in Dublin, if you believed a rumor reported by Bloomberg. But according to a company spokesperson, no plans are definite right now. A Google planning application for an expansion of its Dublin office indicated plans for an employee swimming pool, a restaurant and a store. But Google says the company doesn’t have plans to get into the retail business right now. “We already have an online store selling things like Google T-shirts and pens,” a Google spokesperson told Mashable. “We have the…

• H&M Has the Most-Followed Brand Page on Google+

  Todd Wasserman

  9 Feb 2012 | 10:44 am

  Fashion retailer H&M has beat out heavyweights Pepsi, Starbucks and Coca-Cola to become the most-followed brand on Google+. In a testament to the network’s viability as a marketing vehicle, Google, the former number one on Google+, is now number 13. Following H&M is Samsung USA, Pepsi, Starbucks and Burberry. The rest of the top 10, compiled by Simply Measured and based on the number of “circlers” for each brand in early February, is below. The full list, which is based on Interbrand’s Top 100 Brands, is available here. Simply Measured’s report, which…

• 

  @ProBlogger

• 6 Powerful Guest Post Tactics that No One’s Talking About

  Guest Blogger

  9 Feb 2012 | 6:05 am

  This guest post is by Tom Ewer of Leaving Work Behind. Guest posting is a hot topic amongst startup bloggers. It is one of the most widely-adopted blog promotion strategies in existence, and has been made perhaps even more popular by the success of “serial” guest posters such as Danny Iny of Firepole Marketing. His “blitzkrieg” strategy may come across to some as a triumph of quantity over strategy, but nothing could be further from the truth. He understands the key concepts that we will be exploring in this post, and executes them in a highly effective manner. Whilst…

• How to Succinctly Report a Blog Issue to Tech Support

  Guest Blogger

  8 Feb 2012 | 6:07 am

  This guest post is by Matthew Setter of Malt Blue. How often do you find it happening to you? You discover an issue with your site, or one of your community members emails you to tell you about it, and soon you start to see tweets about it too. Maybe it’s as simple as an error message that detracts from the professional appearance of your site. Perhaps the contact form doesn’t send messages to your contact email address. Or is it that the whole site just displays as a blank page, otherwise known as the white page of death? You’re not a programmer, a software engineer or a seasoned…

• Make Your Blog Load Faster than ProBlogger: Part 2

  Guest Blogger

  7 Feb 2012 | 12:05 pm

  This guest post is by Devesh of WP Kube. A few months ago, I wrote a guest post here called How to Make Your Blog Load Faster than ProBlogger. Today, I’ll go into some more detailed advice to help you speed up your site even more. If you’re a blogger, you already know about the importance of blog loading speed, and the role it plays in search engine rank and marketing your blog. But if this is new territory for you, here are three quick reasons why you need to speed up your blog: Google includes website loading speed as an important metric in their ranking algorithm. If you want…

• How I Beat my Best Month Ever by Doing Something Good, Better [Case Study]

  Darren Rowse

  7 Feb 2012 | 6:04 am

  Mid-December 2010: on my photography site, we launched a new campaign—our first ever 12 Days of Christmas promotion. The result was my biggest month of earnings ever up to that point. The idea was simple: offer discounts on 12 products over the 12 days leading up to Christmas. I used a mix of my own ebooks and products from other photography sites with affiliate commissions. The result was massive. Not only did we see some great revenue generated, it created some lovely buzz on the site. Due to the success of the 2010 campaign, in mid-December 2011 we launched our second 12 Days of…

• Six Steps to Make Sure Your Site Is Ready to Go Viral

  Guest Blogger

  6 Feb 2012 | 6:00 am

  This guest post is by Nancy Sathre-Vogel of Family on Bikes. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Surely Google Analytics was confusing my site with another, way more popular site. There was no way my visitor numbers could be so high! And yet they were. One of my posts had taken off and was spreading like wildfire. Those viral post phenomena that happen to others were now happening to me. The first day, 17,000 visitors came to my website. The next day we topped out at 56,000. Readers were coming in droves. It was exciting. It was exhilarating. My site, viral! Wow! And then I took a…

• 

  Logic+Emotion

• Permission To Fail

  David Armano

  9 Feb 2012 | 10:15 am

  I love my job. Seriously. The skeptical among you may read this as shameless corporate cheer-leading, or a PR ploy (given I work at a PR firm). It's not. You have to understand that I work for a very unique company—in fact, it's been the most unique career experience in my life. A sixty year old company—technically family owned (not public) with over four thousand employees globally and the CEO of the company wears the last name of the founder, his father. Which brings me to the video above. I had the opportunity to interview our CEO, Richard Edelman on the topic of trust as it relates to…

• Will The Real Social Business Experts Please Stand Up?

  David Armano

  7 Feb 2012 | 10:23 am

  Stop what you're doing and check out this thread (on Google Plus of all places) started by Francine Hardaway. She started it off with a simple question. "Who are the best experts in social business?"What followed was a robust discussion on what social business is, isn't and who's driving the agenda forward in the space both in thought and action. If you're interested in the emerging definition of social business (aka the convergence of enterprise 2.0 and social media) I highly recommend you taking a look. Some of my favorite thoughts:"the thread that social business is not the same as social…

• People, Places & Events

  David Armano

  3 Feb 2012 | 11:01 am

  A few significant events happening over the next few months—here's where I'll be: Chicago: February 6th, Social Media Club, An Interview With Richard EdelmanOur I'll be interviewing Richard Edelman our CEO in our new office space as we host the Chicago Social Media Club. We will be discussing this Year's Trust Barometer findings. If you can't make it to Chicago, we will be live streaming video the interview at 5:00 CST. London & New York: February 13-16, Social Media Week Our London office is hosting a panel titled "Social Business In Action". A topic I'm very passionate about—then…

• How To Be A Social Media Self-Righteous Jerk

  David Armano

  1 Feb 2012 | 4:28 pm

  The scale above shows the many stages one has to go through in order to become a bona fide self-righteous jerk in social media. Still, there are many people who aspire to reach this peak, but fall short in executing against it. Given this observation, I thought it would be worthwhile to piece together a few best practices which will ensure your status as a social media self-righteous jerk (or SMSRJ). In no particular order: 1. Join The Klout GestapoAll social media SMSRJ's know that Klout is simply evil incarnate and requires a organized force to take on this evil axis of influence wherever…

• Launching a Social Command Center (Without The Center)

  David Armano

  27 Jan 2012 | 8:05 am

  "Social command centers" are all the rage today and it's not without some merit. Many organizations now find themselves in a real-time business environment where news travels faster than sound, and information is set free. As a result, some forward thinking companies have put "monitoring" in place either in-house or in combination with partners. This isn't enough. And to make matters worse, I've seen companies make the classic mistake of buying a tool BEFORE putting any thought into the design that goes into effective monitoring and response, forgetting the 3P's (People, Process, Platforms).

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  Brian Solis

• Meet the Mother of All Processes

  Brian Solis

  8 Feb 2012 | 10:32 am

  Guest post by John M. Bernard, author of the new book, Business at the Speed of Now, and Chairman and Founder of Mass Ingenuity. Imagine going to work in one of Henry Ford’s factories a century ago, proud that management referred to you a “hand” or a “hammer” or maybe even a “wrench.” The labels reflected Ford’s emphasis on automation and management’s view of laborers as mere cogs in the machine. Screw this nut onto that bolt; weld this strap to that frame; do it over and over and over again until your brain froze with boredom. Of course, management needed workers to get the…

• 2011 Was the Year of the Mobile Consumer, What’s in Store for 2012? Value.

  Brian Solis

  7 Feb 2012 | 10:10 am

  Chris Silva, my colleague at Altimeter Group, released a useful report today that I wanted to share with you here. Mobile is important and I believe you know this. However, when we consider mobile, we often think about the experience when and where it begins. But, we often miss the opportunity to lead a more meaningful journey as it may travel from small screen to larger screens across laptops, desktops and beyond. And along the way, we must now determine our role in this journey to provide information, shape decisions, and influence behavior. In Chris’ report, he reminds us that 2011…

• Season 2 Finale: How Yamaha invests in new customer experiences

  Brian Solis

  3 Feb 2012 | 10:52 am

  This is it…the Season Finale! And, what a way to end Season 2 of (R)evolution…. In this episode, Yamaha shares what is by far the most expansive view of disruptive technology’s impact on business infrastructure and culture on the show to date. What you’ll see is a genuine discussion with Jeff Hawley and Rick Williams of Yamaha explore how an already successful business is exploring new opportunities to better define the customer experience before, during and after transactions. It comes down to workflow. Nowadays, it either works for you or works against you. Here,…

• Smartphones, Tablets, PCs, The Devices People Use to Discover Information in Social Media (and when)

  Brian Solis

  2 Feb 2012 | 3:13 pm

  My friends over at bit.ly published an interesting graph that reveals the devices as well as the days/times that people use different devices and how and when they consume information. As you can imagine, it’s across the board, but as you can see, there are waves that every device follows, except the desktop. Desktops are of course the devices that we can assume people use during work hours. As such, they are most heavily used on weekdays before noon. Interestingly enough, phone traffic peaks at about the same times, but not to similar effects. What’s also telling is that tablets…

• What’s Love Got to Do with It? The 3P’s of Identity

  Brian Solis

  2 Feb 2012 | 6:16 am

  Guest post by Allison Cerra, author of Identity Shift With the 2012 Presidential election looming, there’s no shortage of polls to help narrow the field of candidates. I find a recent one from Fox News to be particularly fascinating. Among other questions, Republican primary voters were asked which Republican presidential candidate is most likeable and which they would most trust with a nuclear weapon. While Newt Gingrich scored at the top of the heap in earning the trust vote, he scored only marginally well on the likeability scale. The topic was discussed on the network’s “Fox &…

• 

  PR-Squared - Social Media Marketing and Public Relations

• Open Letter to Havas CEO David Jones

  Todd Defren

  8 Feb 2012 | 8:12 am

  Hi Mr. Jones.  I caught your MSNBC interview this morning with Morning Joe co-host Mika Brzezinski re: your new book, Who Cares Wins: Why Good Business is Better Business.  You made some excellent points re: how transparency, authenticity and speed will win the day for corporations; about how companies who expect to do well must increasingly expect to do good, as it is becomes ever easier for consumers to suss out egregious behavior and punish bad actors (from un-friending to public humiliation). This is all well-worn territory for Social Media geeks, of course, but it’s always good…

• Facebook IPO is Good for Everybody

  Todd Defren

  6 Feb 2012 | 6:35 am

  Depending on who you ask, the Facebook IPO will result in boundless glory or is destined to be remembered as the final pinprick in an impending burst of the current tech bubble. For my part, whereas in the past I likened Facebook to previous Walled Garden successes like AOL (the AOL of the early 90′s, not the AOL of today – which is a SHIFT client!), in the past 18 months or so I’ve only been impressed by Facebook’s ability to embed itself across the larger, open expanses of the Web. It “rides alongside” us as we surf, versus dictating how and where we experience the…

• Susan G. Komen PR Disaster: Lessons Learned

  Todd Defren

  3 Feb 2012 | 11:27 am

  Wow. It’s been nearly two weeks since my last blog post. Sorry about that. I was out sick. And wow, what a crazy time to sit on the sidelines… Facebook IPO. Hello!  More on that in a future post. Susan G. Komen vs. Planned Parenthood.  Sheesh! Let’s talk about that! (Caveat:  I am a Blue State progressive; whose mother died of breast cancer; who marched on Washington as a college student in support of women’s rights; and whose dear-departed grandmother spoke with horror of the days prior to Roe v. Wade. Got all that?  You’ve been warned.) Just as I started…

• It’s the End of the Web as We Know It … or, Speed Kills

  Todd Defren

  23 Jan 2012 | 9:46 am

  Those of you who follow me on other social nets like Twitter or Facebook know that I am pretty opinionated when it comes to politics.  Suffice to say that I am a card-carrying member of the “Liberal Coastal Elites.”  (I try not to over-indulge or bore folks with it; and I certainly can play nice with my right-leaning friends.) I bring it all up only as a segue to the fact that I am a big fan of Andrew Sullivan’s Dish blog.  Sullivan’s one of the big dogs in blogging; he’s been freshly-empowered by his move to the Daily Beast to experiment…

• Thoughts on a Twitterversary

  Todd Defren

  19 Jan 2012 | 7:18 am

  Let’s take a ramble. One of those automated spambots on Twitter informed me that today was my 5–year anniversary of microblogging.  Wow.  Five years.  Really? What was I up to five years ago? I was living in Boston, in-between my family’s quinquennial moves to San Francisco.  My brain was on fire, as I’d hit upon a worthy successor to the Social Media News Release concept and was just a couple of weeks away from debuting the Social Media Newsroom template. As I look back, 2007 was a prolific time for the entire Social Media industry.  It was not only the year Twitter…

• 

  MarketingProfs Daily Fix Blog

• Has Pinterest Broken a Golden Rule?

  Paul Fabretti

  9 Feb 2012 | 11:26 am

  Why are we so concerned about a report by LL Social that popular online pinboard Pinterest is making money off our interactions when Facebook has been doing it for years—but with our much more personal information? Is it because more people understand affiliate marketing—and have experienced the spammy nature of its content? Or is it that most people just don’t understand how Facebook makes money from them? The interesting or perhaps biggest risk I see Pinterest facing is in the relationships it will now have (or perhaps, not have) with brands. The launch of Google + brand…

• The Biggest Challenge for Marketers: Engagement

  Steve Olenski

  9 Feb 2012 | 11:17 am

  A recent McKinsey Quarterly study revealed that having the ability to engage their customers and leverage those relationships is the No. 1 digitally related challenge facing marketers today. The survey, which was conducted over a two-week period, queried nearly 800 marketing executives representing a wide range of industries from business-to-business marketing and business-to-consumer marketing. The results of the survey were quite fascinating insomuch as over 50% of the respondents indicated that engaging their customers and gleaning deep insights from those engagements is their most…

• How to Find ROI in the Multichannel Marketing Haystack

  Guest Blogger

  9 Feb 2012 | 6:51 am

  A guest post by Irv Shapiro of Ifbyphone. Admit it: Sometimes, you get knots in your stomach when you think about trying to attach measurable outcomes to all of your company’s multichannel marketing campaigns. The (sort of) good news is that you’re not alone. Even veteran marketers are having a tough time finding ROI in the ever-expanding haystack that is today’s multichannel marketing environment. But the unsettling news is that easy, online tracking tools and a shaky economy have created a C-suite expectation that every dollar spent must be connected to a quantifiable and measurable…

• How Social Media Is Changing the Agency/Client Relationship

  Matthew Grant

  8 Feb 2012 | 10:03 am

  This week on the Marketing Smarts Podcast, we discuss the evolving relationship between agencies and clients in the era of social media. Our guest is Glenn Engler, CEO of Digital Influence Group, a full-service digital agency with “social media at the core” of everything they do. The jumping-off point for our interview was that “social at the core” position. I wanted to know what that meant, and Glenn explained that, in a nutshell, it doesn’t make sense for an agency to offer “social” as a capability to its clients (as in, “We can also do…

• 5 Super Bowl XVLI Ads That Could Have Been Improved with a Mobile Call-to-Action

  Jeff Hasen

  8 Feb 2012 | 6:49 am

  Marketers buy into the Super Bowl telecast because it is the one time of the year when consumers are actually tuning in to commercials instead of muting the volume or fast-forwarding on their DVR. Here’s an old school recipe for success: One part new product or service offering upgrade A tear-inducing script (Tears can be a result of hilarity or a message that pulls at the heartstrings.) One teaspoon of a timely message (Think Valentine’s Day and/or tax season.) A cute animal or hot celebrity A tease in the media What’s missing in this day of 24/7 social, mobile consumers? Mobile calls…

• 

  Conversation Agent

• Being in Control of the Interaction

  Valeria Maltoni

  9 Feb 2012 | 3:00 am

  I don't know about you. I wasn't terribly impressed by the Super Bowl ads this year. With the exception of the seducing commercial of the FIAT Abarth, where they are clearly in control of the interaction, most ads seemed to have sacrificed newer creative executions for safer ones. At the per second dollar spend, it was an understandable move. Disappointing because of the high expectations created through social media ahead of the big day. I got many ad preview offeres from the PR Agencies working with brands this year. A few days ahead of the game I saw that FIAT was making the rounds on…

• Collaboration? You Must be Joking!

  Valeria Maltoni

  8 Feb 2012 | 3:00 am

  I read this post by Chris Saad the other morning in response to Robert Scoble 's mention in a recent post and I keep thinking about the applicability of its concepts not just for Silicon Valley and the tech community. It applies to marketers and communicators as well. [Posted originally on Google+]<rant>1. lead not just cheerlead - how many times do we copy the same concept over and over, or look at short term payoffs when the opportunities are on the making better promises side of the conversation?2. add to the business DNA - nothing dies, not media companies, not blogging, not…

• What a Difference Five Years Make

  Valeria Maltoni

  7 Feb 2012 | 3:00 am

  Here I am. Writing from my heart more than my head where all the good ideas are and I get the zinger -- yeah, a personality would be great. Seriously? Kidding. I'm sure it would. And I have one. I can go from Zero to Italian in no time. When appropriate. Why do you care? Because that's just it -- online content should have a style and point of view, to get more personality it needs to have guts, and it needs to have time. Guts don't come from charts and stats, they come from people. Time as in face time, as in skin in the game, as in relationships. Or you're just making the seagull move --…

• How Would You Redesign the Sears Customer Experience?

  Valeria Maltoni

  6 Feb 2012 | 3:00 am

  As a regular at Brand Autopsy, I remember the "would you miss" series of posts about brands John Moore wrote a couple of years back. The brands discussed ranged from Denny's, Costco, Ace Hardware, Dairy Queen, Crate & Barrell, BusinessWeek, UPS, Pizza Hut, to Walgreens, Polaroid Instant Film, Advertising Age, The Cheesecake Factory, Chili's, Wells Fargo, and more. One of the brands was Sears -- if Sears went out of business tomorrow, would any of us care? Does Sears provide such a unique product and customer experience that we would be saddened if it didn’t exist? How did Sears do on…

• ... then I Discovered I am Actually Funny

  Valeria Maltoni

  5 Feb 2012 | 4:00 am

  So, I've been thinking. What I'm doing here with this blog is not working. It's not you, it's me. Somehow I manage to scare you off to some site with LOL cats whenever you open your feed. I'm not inspiring you. Or maybe I am, and you're not telling me. I've tried a couple of things to justify keeping up with producing researched and useful content. That only makes the scraping and copying and rewriting gremlins happy and me poor. They don't link anymore in the sphere, those bastards. This is a departure from my usual writing style, I know. I've been slaving on figuring out an angle for the…

• 

  Seth's Blog

• Inaccurate labels and why we need them (and need to improve them)

  Seth Godin

  9 Feb 2012 | 2:46 am

  If I tell you, "I'm going to the baseball game," it seems as though you're likely to understand what I mean. Of course, you won't. When George Will goes to a baseball game, it's a religious experience. Me, I don't even like baseball. Or maybe it's my nephew's ball game (the playoffs), or maybe going to the game causes me to miss an important event, and on and on. We label the experience with just two words, and two words can't possibly capture the emotions and circumstance surrounding an event. The same thing is true with brands. If I tell you that a new business was funded by USV, that might…

• How do they know you're not a flake?

  Seth Godin

  8 Feb 2012 | 2:43 am

  Before your link gets clicked or your proposal gets read, a busy person is going to triage it to find out if it's even worth glancing at. Since everyone is now connected, the new permeability has created a deluge of noise, and just about everyone worth contacting is taking defensive measures. Do I know this person? Did someone I trust send them over? Where does she work? (Ideo? the FDA? The New York Times?) Has she won an award? Is she famous? Are there typos and is the design sloppy? Are they pestering me? Do I already follow this person online? Does music play when I visit the website? Will…

• Horizontal marketing isn't a new idea

  Seth Godin

  7 Feb 2012 | 2:09 am

  But it is the new reality for just about every organization. Vertical marketing means the marketer (the one with money) is in charge. Vertical marketing starts at the top and involves running ads, sending out direct mail and pushing hype through the media. Your money, your plans, your control. It might not work, but generally the worst outcome is that you will be ignored and need to spend more money. Horizonal marketing, on the other hand, means creating a remarkable product and story and setting it up to spread from person to person. It's out of your control, because all the interactions are…

• Who is your customer?

  Seth Godin

  6 Feb 2012 | 2:26 am

  Rule one: You can build a business on the foundation of great customer service. Rule two: The only way to do great customer service is to treat different customers differently. The question: Who is your customer? It's not obvious. Zappos is a classic customer service company, and their customer is the person who buys the shoes. Nike, on the other hand, doesn't care very much at all about the people who buy the shoes, or even the retailers. They care about the athletes (often famous) that wear the shoes, sometimes for money. They name buildings after these athletes, court them, erect…

• In search of a timid trapeze artist

  Seth Godin

  5 Feb 2012 | 2:01 am

  Good luck with that, there aren't any. If you hesitate when leaping from rope to another, you're not going to last very long. And this is at the heart of what makes innovation work in organizations, why industries die, and how painful it is to try to maintain the status quo while also participating in a revolution. Gather up as much speed as you can, find a path and let go. You can't get to the next rope if you're still holding on to this one.

• 

  Six Pixels of Separation - Marketing and Communications Insights - By Mitch Joel at Twist Image

• The Death Of The Unconference

  Mitch Joel

  9 Feb 2012 | 8:23 am

  Does anyone remember the unconference? There was hope for collaboration and self-organizing groups, but it seems to have gone the way of the corporate spin machine. I was a massive proponent of the unconference movement (I still am!), but that word has been used so poorly by so many groups that it seems to have all but disappeared. In short: calling your conference an "unconference" just to sound young, hip and with it, actually makes you sound old, out-of-touch and stupid. This past month, I've seen a handful of events that are billing themselves as unconferences when, in reality,…

• How To Get Started As A Business Leader

  Mitch Joel

  7 Feb 2012 | 1:04 pm

  Your life and your success is not obvious. It's not a given. It's not a direct path. I often say that the best careers in marketing (specifically the ones that have a digital/new media slant) are very squiggly. They involve everything from stumbling through university and very crappy jobs to bad choices and decisions that were driven by financial debt instead of personal opportunity. Every year, I do my best to attend the TED conference. A couple of years ago, the name Chris Sacca was bandied around as someone who everyone wanted to not only meet, but hang out with. He was (and still is) a…

• Digital Tumbleweeds And Virtual Crickets

  Mitch Joel

  7 Feb 2012 | 6:51 am

  If you publish online get ready for a lesson in humility. Brands quit publishing content for the exact same reason that many individuals stop publishing content: the brutal reality that nobody cares. As someone who creates and publishes a lot of content online (roughly six Blog posts and one audio Podcast every week), there is both a certain humility and instant humiliation that comes along with the process. The cream rises to the top. Even in a world where two hundred billion videos get viewed every month, the cream still does rise to the top (as the saying goes). It's just that we seem to…

• CTRL AT DEL - The Business Book

  Mitch Joel

  5 Feb 2012 | 11:30 am

  CTRL ALT DEL is the title of my second business book. It will be published in Spring 2013. Following is the official press release and some media mention of the pending project... BUSINESS PLUS To Publish CTRL ALT DEL by Mitch Joel Author of the best-selling business book, Six Pixels of Separation, and President of award-winning Digital Marketing agency, Twist Image, signs with Business Plus for the release of his sophomore book. NEW YORK, February 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ - Business Plus, an imprint of Grand Central Publishing (Hachette Book Group USA), has announced it will publish CTRL ALT…

• Madison Avenue And Mountain View Collide For The Future Of Marketing

  Mitch Joel

  5 Feb 2012 | 10:41 am

  Episode #291 of Six Pixels of Separation - The Twist Image Podcast is now live and ready for you to listen to. This is also episode #20.20 of Across The Sound. Joseph Jaffe is widely regarded as one of the top Marketing Bloggers (Jaffe Juice) and Podcasters (both Jaffe Juice in audio and Jaffe Juice TV in video). He is the author of three excellent books (Life After The 30-Second Spot, Join The Conversation and Flip The Funnel). A long-time friend (and one of the main inspirations behind the Six Pixels of Separation Blog and Podcast), we've decided to hold monthly conversations, debates and…

• 

  PR-Squared - Social Media Marketing and Public Relations

• Open Letter to Havas CEO David Jones

  Todd Defren

  8 Feb 2012 | 8:12 am

  Hi Mr. Jones.  I caught your MSNBC interview this morning with Morning Joe co-host Mika Brzezinski re: your new book, Who Cares Wins: Why Good Business is Better Business.  You made some excellent points re: how transparency, authenticity and speed will win the day for corporations; about how companies who expect to do well must increasingly expect to do good, as it is becomes ever easier for consumers to suss out egregious behavior and punish bad actors (from un-friending to public humiliation). This is all well-worn territory for Social Media geeks, of course, but it’s always good…

• Facebook IPO is Good for Everybody

  Todd Defren

  6 Feb 2012 | 6:35 am

  Depending on who you ask, the Facebook IPO will result in boundless glory or is destined to be remembered as the final pinprick in an impending burst of the current tech bubble. For my part, whereas in the past I likened Facebook to previous Walled Garden successes like AOL (the AOL of the early 90′s, not the AOL of today – which is a SHIFT client!), in the past 18 months or so I’ve only been impressed by Facebook’s ability to embed itself across the larger, open expanses of the Web. It “rides alongside” us as we surf, versus dictating how and where we experience the…

• Susan G. Komen PR Disaster: Lessons Learned

  Todd Defren

  3 Feb 2012 | 11:27 am

  Wow. It’s been nearly two weeks since my last blog post. Sorry about that. I was out sick. And wow, what a crazy time to sit on the sidelines… Facebook IPO. Hello!  More on that in a future post. Susan G. Komen vs. Planned Parenthood.  Sheesh! Let’s talk about that! (Caveat:  I am a Blue State progressive; whose mother died of breast cancer; who marched on Washington as a college student in support of women’s rights; and whose dear-departed grandmother spoke with horror of the days prior to Roe v. Wade. Got all that?  You’ve been warned.) Just as I started…

• It’s the End of the Web as We Know It … or, Speed Kills

  Todd Defren

  23 Jan 2012 | 9:46 am

  Those of you who follow me on other social nets like Twitter or Facebook know that I am pretty opinionated when it comes to politics.  Suffice to say that I am a card-carrying member of the “Liberal Coastal Elites.”  (I try not to over-indulge or bore folks with it; and I certainly can play nice with my right-leaning friends.) I bring it all up only as a segue to the fact that I am a big fan of Andrew Sullivan’s Dish blog.  Sullivan’s one of the big dogs in blogging; he’s been freshly-empowered by his move to the Daily Beast to experiment…

• Thoughts on a Twitterversary

  Todd Defren

  19 Jan 2012 | 7:18 am

  Let’s take a ramble. One of those automated spambots on Twitter informed me that today was my 5–year anniversary of microblogging.  Wow.  Five years.  Really? What was I up to five years ago? I was living in Boston, in-between my family’s quinquennial moves to San Francisco.  My brain was on fire, as I’d hit upon a worthy successor to the Social Media News Release concept and was just a couple of weeks away from debuting the Social Media Newsroom template. As I look back, 2007 was a prolific time for the entire Social Media industry.  It was not only the year Twitter…

• 

  Brian Solis

• Meet the Mother of All Processes

  Brian Solis

  8 Feb 2012 | 10:32 am

  Guest post by John M. Bernard, author of the new book, Business at the Speed of Now, and Chairman and Founder of Mass Ingenuity. Imagine going to work in one of Henry Ford’s factories a century ago, proud that management referred to you a “hand” or a “hammer” or maybe even a “wrench.” The labels reflected Ford’s emphasis on automation and management’s view of laborers as mere cogs in the machine. Screw this nut onto that bolt; weld this strap to that frame; do it over and over and over again until your brain froze with boredom. Of course, management needed workers to get the…

• 2011 Was the Year of the Mobile Consumer, What’s in Store for 2012? Value.

  Brian Solis

  7 Feb 2012 | 10:10 am

  Chris Silva, my colleague at Altimeter Group, released a useful report today that I wanted to share with you here. Mobile is important and I believe you know this. However, when we consider mobile, we often think about the experience when and where it begins. But, we often miss the opportunity to lead a more meaningful journey as it may travel from small screen to larger screens across laptops, desktops and beyond. And along the way, we must now determine our role in this journey to provide information, shape decisions, and influence behavior. In Chris’ report, he reminds us that 2011…

• Season 2 Finale: How Yamaha invests in new customer experiences

  Brian Solis

  3 Feb 2012 | 10:52 am

  This is it…the Season Finale! And, what a way to end Season 2 of (R)evolution…. In this episode, Yamaha shares what is by far the most expansive view of disruptive technology’s impact on business infrastructure and culture on the show to date. What you’ll see is a genuine discussion with Jeff Hawley and Rick Williams of Yamaha explore how an already successful business is exploring new opportunities to better define the customer experience before, during and after transactions. It comes down to workflow. Nowadays, it either works for you or works against you. Here,…

• Smartphones, Tablets, PCs, The Devices People Use to Discover Information in Social Media (and when)

  Brian Solis

  2 Feb 2012 | 3:13 pm

  My friends over at bit.ly published an interesting graph that reveals the devices as well as the days/times that people use different devices and how and when they consume information. As you can imagine, it’s across the board, but as you can see, there are waves that every device follows, except the desktop. Desktops are of course the devices that we can assume people use during work hours. As such, they are most heavily used on weekdays before noon. Interestingly enough, phone traffic peaks at about the same times, but not to similar effects. What’s also telling is that tablets…

• What’s Love Got to Do with It? The 3P’s of Identity

  Brian Solis

  2 Feb 2012 | 6:16 am

  Guest post by Allison Cerra, author of Identity Shift With the 2012 Presidential election looming, there’s no shortage of polls to help narrow the field of candidates. I find a recent one from Fox News to be particularly fascinating. Among other questions, Republican primary voters were asked which Republican presidential candidate is most likeable and which they would most trust with a nuclear weapon. While Newt Gingrich scored at the top of the heap in earning the trust vote, he scored only marginally well on the likeability scale. The topic was discussed on the network’s “Fox &…

• 

  John Battelle's Search Blog

• Larry Page’s “Tidal Wave Moment”?

  jbat

  7 Feb 2012 | 10:54 am

  Who remembers the moment, back in 1995, when Bill Gates wrote his famous Internet Tidal Wave Memo? In it he rallied his entire organization to the cause of the Internet, calling the new platform an existential threat/opportunity for Microsoft’s entire business. In the memo Gates wrote: “I assign the Internet the highest level of importance. In this memo I want to make clear that our focus on the Internet is crucial to every part of our business. The Internet is the most important single development to come along since the IBM PC was introduced in 1981.” The memo runs more…

• Now All That’s Left Is To Write It

  jbat

  7 Feb 2012 | 9:27 am

  For posterity, if nothing else, here’s what my desk looks like at the moment. After a particularly enlightening whiteboard session with Steven Johnson late last week, then further musings on the back of bar menus and borrowed receipt-tape with my wife, and finally after waking up and scribbling notes in the middle of the night, I finally have a working outline of The Next Book. No, it’s not supposed to make much sense. Yet. Now all I have to do is write it.

• Do You Think The US Government Is Monitoring Social Media?

  jbat

  3 Feb 2012 | 8:49 am

  I had the news on in the background while performing morning ablutions. It was tuned to CBS This Morning – Charlie Rose has recently joined the lineup and my wife, a former news producer, favors both Rose and the Tiffany Network. But the piece that was running as I washed the sleep from my eyes was simply unbelievable. It was about the two unfortunate british tourists detained by Homeland Security over jokes on Twitter about “destroying America” (a colloquialism for partying – think “tear up the town”) and “digging up Marilyn Monroe” whilst in…

• In Which I Officially Declare RSS Is Truly Alive And Well.

  jbat

  2 Feb 2012 | 7:50 pm

  I promise, for at least 18 months, to not bring this topic up again. But I do feel the need to report to all you RSS lovin’ freaks out there that the combined interactions on my two posts – 680 and still counting –  have exceeded the reach of my RSS feed (which clocked in at a miserable 664 the day I posted the first missive). And as I said in my original post: If I get more comments and tweets on this post than I have “reach” by Google Feedburner status, well, that’s enough for me to pronounce RSS Alive and Well (by my own metric of nodding along, of course). If…

• It’s Not Whether Google’s Threatened. It’s Asking Ourselves: What Commons Do We Wish For?

  jbat

  2 Feb 2012 | 10:40 am

  If Facebook’s IPO filing does anything besides mint a lot of millionaires, it will be to shine a rather unsettling light on a fact most of us would rather not acknowledge: The web as we know it is rather like our polar ice caps: under severe, long-term attack by forces of our own creation. And if we lose the web, well, we lose more than funny cat videos and occasionally brilliant blog posts. We lose a commons, an ecosystem, a “tangled bank” where serendipity, dirt, and iterative trial and error drive open innovation. Google’s been the focus of most of this analysis…

• 

  TechCrunch

• Glancee: A Nice-Guy Ambient Social Location App For Normal People

  Eric Eldon

  9 Feb 2012 | 10:44 am

  Some of us can’t be bothered to check in, but still want to find interesting people nearby. The challenge for developers is how to do this in a way that is both useful and not creepy. Glancee, available for both iOS and Android, gets closer to solving these problems than most I’ve seen. The app lets you sign in with Facebook, then it shows you people within 100 yards, or one, two, or ten miles who have things in common. In some ways this sounds similar another app I recently covered, Highlight — but there are key differences, that will make each app appeal to different sets…

• Pixloo Helps You Sell Your Home With Free Virtual Tours, Exports To Zillow, Trulia & More

  Sarah Perez

  9 Feb 2012 | 10:28 am

  In December, Eric covered Open Home Pro, a startup that lets realtors sell homes via their iPads. Today, there comes a similar effort from Pixloo, except this service is designed for use by anyone – realtors and homeowners alike. With Pixloo, you can upload information about your home, including text, photos and even videos and then immediately export that data to major real estate sites including Trulia, Zillow, Realtor.com and others, all for free. OK, technically, Pixloo is freemium. The pricing tiers depend on whether you need one virtual tour, the number of exports per tour and…

• Avast, Me Hearties: How The Pirate Bay Changed The Way We Steal

  John Biggs

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:41 am

  The Pirate Bay, in many ways, is disappearing. It is one of the most popular torrent sites on the web and its database of millions of torrent files – essentially pointers to pieces of files hosted elsewhere – has long been the go-to spot for budding pirates around the world. While it still exists in spirit, the admins are now moving all of the torrent files off the site and are instead offering magnet links. This is an important distinction that will move the locus of general piracy from a single site to any number of sites, reducing the Pirate Bays importance as a source. First,…

• Cinemagram Turns iPhone Photos Into Animated Gifs In Seconds

  Sarah Perez

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:07 am

  Remember when the iPhone app GLMPS launched last summer, seemingly heralding the start of a new image format that blended static photos and video? No? That’s OK. Today, there’s a new twist on the idea of reinventing the mobile photo, this time by turning static photos into animated ones. With the newly launched app called Cinemagram, you can turn your iPhone pics into animated gifs in a matter of seconds. Cinemagram isn’t quite the same as GLMPS, to be clear. “The GLMPS app embedded an entire video as a picture-in-picture onto the image,” explains…

• Google, Microsoft Search Queries Grow In January While Yahoo Continues To Slide

  Leena Rao

  9 Feb 2012 | 8:56 am

  comScore has released its ‘explicit’ U.S. search data for January of this year and while Google and Microsoft Bring’s search share continues to grow, Yahoo’s share dropped both year over year and month over month. This comes after Bing overtook Yahoo in terms of search queries for the first time in December. While Bing grew slightly from December 2011 to January, Google reached its highest share since December 2010 this past month. Google search queries increased 6% year over year in January, to 66.2%, compared with 65.9% in December 2011 and 65.6% in January 2011.

• 

  Gizmodo: Iphone

• iPhone Thief Confronted in Extremely British Fashion

  Michael Hession

  9 Feb 2012 | 10:20 am

  After witnessing a fellow train passenger swiping an unattended iPhone, one brave chap decided to take action—in the form of video taping and yelling. Oh, the yelling. This could not be more hilarious and silly and proper and kind. More »

• Aluminum Speaker Dock Looks Right At Home Under Your iMac

  Andrew Liszewski

  9 Feb 2012 | 10:00 am

• Nature's Greatest Predator Reduced To Blaring Your LMFAO

  Andrew Liszewski

  8 Feb 2012 | 8:20 am

• An iPhone Used as a Hockey Puck at 82 MPH

  Sam Biddle

  8 Feb 2012 | 7:36 am

  If you want to sell something in tech, you can either employ cleavage or violence. In this case, the boys at G-Form are demoing their new iPhone case by beating the hell out of it with a hockey stick. Sure! More »

• TripLingo Romance Edition: Love Abroad

  Roberto Baldwin

  7 Feb 2012 | 3:28 pm

  More »

• 

  ReadWriteWeb

• [STUDY] 61% of Social Media Users Feel So Close To You

  9 Feb 2012 | 10:30 am

  Sometimes little things like a sweet comment on Facebook or a Twitter friend calling your tweet a "favorite" can really make a social networker bee's day. A new study from Pew finds that for the most part, adults are kind to each other on social media sites. In fact, 85% of adults say that most of the people they come across on social media are rather kind; only 5% say that people are "mostly unkind," which would imply rude or mean. An additional 5% say that it's all situational. On the whole, adults have positive experiences on social networking sites. A total 68% of SNS users had an…

• [Infographic] Mapping the Tools in the Mobile Development Ecosystem

  9 Feb 2012 | 10:00 am

  The mobile development ecosystem is a large, complicated space. There are innovative startups making tools for native and mobile Web apps along with large enterprise-grade companies that offer solutions from cloud support to frameworks and developer environments. For a mobile developer, it can be confusing to know where to turn and what to use to make the best app possible. Mobile "backend-as-a-service" startup Kinvey created a map for ReadWriteMobile to help developers understand the ecosystem. Kinvey brackets the mobile ecosystem between two primary pillars: the service providers and the…

• Harry Reid Wants a Bigger, Badder Version of SOPA/PIPA

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:30 am

  Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., still licking wounds from last week's defeat of the Protect IP Act and its House counterpart the Stop Online Piracy Act, is reportedly working on an even more sinister, Internet-regulating bill. Few details have been publicly disclosed about the latest push by legislative Democrats to expand executive-branch authority over the Internet, but the Daily Caller has pieced together publicly-available clues suggesting that Reid's newest bill is even broader than President Barack Obama's cybersecurity proposal. Sponsor Released last May, Obama's proposal…

• Keep Track of your AWS Expenses With Cloudyn

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:02 am

  With the number of individual Amazon Web Services now seemingly approaching infinity, it makes sense for third parties to get into the act of trying to keep track of what you are actually spending and whether you have over-provisioned your services. Enter Cloudyn.com, an Israeli based company that announced its services this week. Sponsor The idea is to have a dashboard similar to what you see below (mine isn't very interesting, sorry, I have taken down all of my machines at the moment) where you can track your projected annual costs, which accounts you have on AWS and what your running…

• A Look at Steve Jobs' FBI File

  9 Feb 2012 | 8:16 am

  Yes, it's true. The FBI had a file on Steve Jobs. It's not what you might think, though. The FBI performed a "level III" background investigation on Jobs as a potential presidential appointee in 1991. He was described by most witnesses as an "individual of good character and integrity" that would be suitable for a "position of trust and confidence with the Government." Jobs also had a brush with the FBI when Apple received a bomb threat in 1985. Sponsor According to one of the filings, Jobs was being considered for an appointment to the President's Export Council in early 1991. This was while…

• 

  NYT > Home Page

• Islamists Call for New Cabinet in Egypt

  By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

  9 Feb 2012 | 11:13 am

  The Muslim Brotherhood said the military-appointed government it has failed to manage security in Egypt.

• Greeks Reach Deal on Austerity to Meet Condition of Bailout

  By RACHEL DONADIO and NIKI KITSANTONIS

  9 Feb 2012 | 11:13 am

  After days of talks, Greek political leaders reached a deal Thursday to support a package of harsh austerity measures demanded by Greece’s financial backers in return for a bailout.

• Mortgage Plan Gives Homeowners Bulk of the Benefits

  By NELSON D. SCHWARTZ and SHAILA DEWAN

  9 Feb 2012 | 11:13 am

  Under the settlement, about $5 billion would go to states and federal authorities, $17 billion would be earmarked for homeowner relief and $3 billion would go for refinancing.

• 2 New Reactors Approved in Georgia

  By MATTHEW L. WALD

  9 Feb 2012 | 11:09 am

  The Nuclear Regulatory Commission voted 4-to-1 to grant a license to build two nuclear reactors in Georgia, the first time the commission had done so since 1978.

• TIMESCAST: TimesCast | February 9, 2012

  9 Feb 2012 | 10:51 am

  Greece reaches a deal on austerity measures | Rush Limbaugh’s new radio rival | The dangers and benefits of yoga.

• 

  Neuromarketing

• Super Bowl Ads: “Second Payoff” Pays Off

  Roger Dooley

  8 Feb 2012 | 11:11 am

  The Super Bowl is the biggest day of the year for football fans, and just about as important for neuromarketing companies. The first results of neuromarketing studies from the big game are trickling out, and Innerscope Research observed a strategy employed by multiple advertisers: a “second payoff” at the end of the ad, after the [...]

• Neuromarketing Fun: Add Your Caption

  Roger Dooley

  7 Feb 2012 | 5:32 am

  Want to win a signed copy of my new book, Brainfluence: 100 Ways to Persuade and Convince Consumers with Neuromarketing? I thought we could have a little fun while we’re waiting for the results of the Super Bowl neuromarketing studies to roll in. Read on… Neuromarketing scares some people, even though the techniques used by [...]

• NeuroBowl: Neuromarketing and Super Bowl 2012

  Roger Dooley

  3 Feb 2012 | 5:51 am

  The Super Bowl may be the biggest sports event of the year and the biggest advertising event of the year, but it’s also the biggest event of the year for neuromarketing companies. With $3 million being spent on every 30 second spot, you can be sure that lots of advertisers rang up their favorite neuromarketing [...]

• Social Personalization and the Doppelganger Effect

  Roger Dooley

  1 Feb 2012 | 5:18 am

  Are you overlooking a way to personalize your ads that goes far beyond the usual “Dear Roger” salutation? In my recent article, Put Your Customer in the Ad, I mentioned that LinkedIn was using profile pictures for targeted ads. Since then, I’ve been able to capture a couple of examples. The first one surprised me [...]

• Time Warner Opens NYC Neuromarketing Lab

  Roger Dooley

  26 Jan 2012 | 5:42 am

  Time Warner Inc. is opening their new “Medialab” at its New York City headquarters. The media giant expects to “generate valuable insights into consumer behavior, evolving media habits and industry trends across all of Time Warner’s businesses, brands and advertising partners.” The lab sounds like one of the more diverse facilities dedicated to this kind [...]

• 

  Wired: Wired Science

• Black Hole Eats Asteroids, Burps Out X-Rays

  Adam Mann

  8 Feb 2012 | 2:31 pm

  The supermassive black hole at the center of our galaxy may be constantly snacking on asteroids. A new study finds that asteroids at least 12 miles wide falling into the black hole would account for the regular bright x-ray flares seen through telescopes. Though nothing, including light, can escape a black hole, most are ringed by a disk of gas and dust. As it falls in, this material heats up to incredible temperatures, generating energy. For several years, NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory has spotted daily fluctuations in the emissions coming from the Milky Way’s central black…

• European Cave Spiders Produce Super-Stretchy Silk

  Adam Mann

  8 Feb 2012 | 2:00 pm

  Scientists have discovered some of the most stretchable spider silk ever, which can elongate up to 7.5 times its initial length. European cave spiders produce the silk to build egg sacs that protect their developing young. Spider silk is a remarkable material known for its strength and toughness. Most species secrete seven or eight types of silk for different purposes. Dragline silk, for instance, anchors spiders to a surface and is used as the backbone of most webs while other silks are used for web scaffolding or to wrap captured prey. Female European cave spiders (Meta menardi), which live…

• Asia and Americas on Course for Arctic Collision

  Brandon Keim

  8 Feb 2012 | 1:06 pm

  It’ll be a geological showdown for the ages, with North America, South America, Europe and Asia colliding head-on over the North Pole to create a supercontinent called Amasia. Unfortunately, nobody we know will be around to watch the collision, which won’t happen for another 50 million years or more. But it’s still fun to imagine. “The snapshot that is the present is smack-dab in the middle of what we call the supercontinent cycles,” said geologist Ross Mitchell of Yale University, lead author of a Feb. 8 Nature prediction of supercontinental trajectories.

• The Unusual Physics of Floating Pyramids

  ScienceNow

  8 Feb 2012 | 11:00 am

  By Kate McAlpine, ScienceNOW Think floating pyramids are more metaphysics than physics? Think again. Results just in from an experiment that levitated open-bottomed paper pyramids on gusts of air reveal a curious phenomenon: When it comes to drifting through the air, top-heavy designs are more stable than bottom-heavy ones. The finding may lead to robots that fly not like insects or birds but like jellyfish. Physicist Jun Zhang and his colleagues at New York University wanted to better understand how flying bugs control the orientations of their bodies. Do they have to work at it, or are they…

• Tiny Tarsiers Talk in High-Pitched Code

  Wired UK

  8 Feb 2012 | 7:04 am

  By Mark Brown, Wired UK The Philippine tarsier is a tiny primate with a seriously high voice. The saucer-eyed mammal can let out (and listen to) squeaks and squeals at such a high frequency that it effectively gives the mammal a private communication channel. A team of researchers, led by Marissa Ramsier of Humboldt State University in California, found that the tiny tarsier can hear and emit sounds in the ultrasound range — that’s above 20 kHz. Most humans can’t hear in that range, and a dog whistle is pitched to be just inside ultrasound, somewhere between 22 and 23 kHz. A…

• 

  chrisbrogan.com

• Throw Away the Maps

  ceb

  6 Feb 2012 | 1:30 am

  People judge us by the path they’ve seen us walk before. They can’t anticipate our future steps. We, ourselves, look to how things have been, what seems to be the lay of the land, without realizing that the maps are not the territory. Want to succeed at work? Then don’t try to do your job. Instead, work towards something larger, more meaningful, and something that blends your convictions internally with your best ability to help others externally. Want to create something new? Then throw away the old, or maybe join two disparate old things together into something new. The…

• The Next Social Networks

  ceb

  5 Feb 2012 | 1:30 am

  The rage in social networks right now is Pinterest, partly because it’s probably the first social network that has a much higher adoption rate by females than males, and partly because it’s an interesting concept: somewhere between visual social bookmarking and scrapbooking. What also might not be immediately obvious is that it’s just “easier” to interact there. In that way, Pinterest has something in common with Instagram, which is community around photos. What I’m interested in, though, is Gentlemint, which I keep calling “Pinterest for…

• Learn From Adele – Build Your Platform

  ceb

  3 Feb 2012 | 1:30 am

  Jacq and I just watched Adele Live At The Royal Albert Hall (amazon affiliate link), and though every song was just wonderfully done, I found myself fascinated by what Adele was doing in between each song. Because even though most people would be interested in hearing her belt out her amazing repertoire of hits, what I took away from the performance was Adele’s real magical ability: the ability to resonate with her audience. What Adele Could Teach You About Impact I’m writing something about this right now for my upcoming book with Julien Smith, but I had to share some of the…

• Rob Gokee is a Musical Wizard

  ceb

  2 Feb 2012 | 8:05 am

  I had such a great experience working with award winning musical composer Rob Gokee. We did some musical work together, and the process was so amazing. Rob helped me create my theme song for Shhh! The Secret Show. So anyhow, he and I sat down to do an interview, and it’s a bit long, but it’s totally worth it. We talk about what collaboration feels like at a distance, what it takes to get music like this made for your own show, and a lot more. Rob’s a hero to me, and has been part of the community for a while. I was so fortunate to have worked with him. Can’t see the…

• Build Your Platform – Start

  ceb

  30 Jan 2012 | 1:30 am

  The following is part ONE of a series called Build Your Platform. If you find it interesting, please consider subscribing for free to get the rest of the series. This post is long. You might want to bookmark it for later. The age of social media oversaturation is upon us. People are declaring Twitter bankruptcy to go along with their email bankruptcy. They cite not wanting to start on yet another social network as their reason for not getting more involved with Google+. And just as soon as you start getting into Pinterest, you hear about Path, but wait: there’s Gentlemint, which is…

• 

  Scientific American

• Alzheimer's Disease Symptoms Reversed in Mice

  9 Feb 2012 | 11:15 am

  A nearly 13-year-old skin cancer drug rapidly alleviates molecular signs of Alzheimer's diseas e and improves brain function, according to the results of a new mouse study being hailed as extremely promising. Early-stage human clinical trials could begin within months. [More]

• Widespread Plasticizer Clouds Doping Tests of Cyclists

  9 Feb 2012 | 10:00 am

  In the race to catch drug cheats, sports officials are turning to more sophisticated tests. Since cheaters are rarely caught red-handed, scientists devised a plan to catch them with the packaging inside their bodies. But a plasticizer is so ubiquitous in people that it has clouded the results of these blood doping tests in the world of professional cycling. [More]

• Satellites Help Scientists Quantify Ice Melt and Sea Level Rise

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:45 am

  For years, scientists have warned that climate change is taking its toll on Earth's ice, thawing not just the massive ice sheets of Greenland and Antarctica but mountain glaciers and ice caps from the Andes to the Alps. [More]

• Zebra Stripes Clash with Insect Interest

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:14 am

  How did the zebra get its stripes? One theory holds that stripes help confuse predators. But stripes might be primarily to protect zebras from ferocious…insects. That’s according to a study in the Journal of Experimental Biology . [Ádám Egri et al., "Polarotactic tabanids find striped patterns with brightness and/or polarization modulation least attractive: an advantage of zebra stripes "] [More]

• Shiny Science: Make Homemade Nontoxic Glass Cleaner

  9 Feb 2012 | 7:00 am

  Key concepts [More]

• 

  Dumb Little Man - Tips for Life

• 5 Myths Haunting Your Healthy Foods

  DLM Writers

  3 Feb 2012 | 8:03 am

  These days, eating healthy has become a curiously difficult task. Despite the fact that the canons of healthy eating have not changed in centuries, the proliferation of health food products has continued unabated for years. It’s become a crisis of abundance.However, just because a product occupies shelf space in a boutique food store doesn’t mean it’s any better for you than its generic counterpart. Advertisers are very aware of the powers of “mood affiliation”, which is the tendency to associate familiar claims with one another. For example, consumers are very likely to believe a…

• Four Steps To Rescue Stray New Year Resolutions

  DLM Writers

  2 Feb 2012 | 6:55 am

  Looks like it is that time of year when many New Year resolutions that people set have already strayed. Attempts to kick a smoking habit for example, might have seemed successful for a few weeks but once the realities and stresses of coming back from the holidays have resurfaced, some people may have caved into the nicotine again.Of course there is the usual health promises that get broken too. According to the fitness industry, a lot of gym memberships are sold from December to February but gym attendance significantly drops shortly afterwards when people realize that working out involves a…

• Finding the Courage to Stay the Course

  DLM Writers

  30 Jan 2012 | 10:06 am

  Anytime you decide on the pursuit of an important goal, you’ll be faced with a series of challenges. Peaks, valleys and plateaus are par for the the course. But the thing that separates the people who make it from the ones that don’t is the courage to stay the course.At the start of any new endeavor most of us look forward to every single day with a child like excitement. We see infinite possibilities and the future appears bright. It seems as though there is absolutely nothing that can get in our way. We feel almost invincible and the possibility of failure doesn’t even occur to us. We…

• How to Deal with Difficult People and Have Constructive Conflict

  DLM Writers

  28 Jan 2012 | 8:32 am

  Life and relationships aren't always perfect. Take a minute to think of some difficult people you have to deal with in your life? These may be people you work with, the in-laws that come to town throughout the year, or your neighbor who can’t seem to take a hint. For whatever reason, you're just not jiving with these people.Do you flee? Or, do you get flexible and learn to interact?When we encounter these extreme personalities it can feel like they are trying to make our life miserable, but more often than not, it’s simply learning about these peoples’ tendencies and how to interact in…

• 7 Habits of Highly Excellent People

  DLM Writers

  27 Jan 2012 | 2:16 am

  Are you driven in life? Do you love to excel? I believe all of us do. We are born to be the best we can be and to make the best out of our lives.When I was in high school, I wasn't exactly the kind of student teachers would like. I was truant, didn't do my homework and did badly on my examinations. I was lazy and unmotivated in school. However, after a while I realized that this wasn't who I wanted to be. This wasn't the life I saw myself leading. People around me were judging and negative, and I had enough of all of that crap. I had enough of being discriminated against and I decided to turn…

• 

  HowStuffWorks Daily Feed

• What’s the future of virtual sex?

  9 Feb 2012 | 6:15 am

  The future is bright for virtual sexuality. After all, we're human beings. Think of any great artistic or technological achievement and chances are it winds up in the bedroom. Will it end up in yours?

• 5 Tips for Getting Organized at Work

  9 Feb 2012 | 6:15 am

  Whether you're fresh off the job hunt or a seasoned employee, a little organization can go a long way. Here are five tips for keeping the piles at bay.

• 5 Tiny Countries With Big Space Dreams

  9 Feb 2012 | 6:15 am

  Do you know what that spacecraft is? It's one of the old Soviet space shuttles, and it never would have gotten built without the help of one the tiny countries on our list. Can you guess which one?

• Costumes 101 Pictures

  9 Feb 2012 | 6:15 am

  They're at every sci-fi convention and Halloween party -- those people who always have the most amazing original costumes. Learn the basics of building a costume and find out what it takes to do well in costume competitions.

• How Airplanes Work

  9 Feb 2012 | 6:15 am

  Today in 1969, the Boeing 747 made its first commercial flight. But it was more than 100 years ago that the Wright brothers made their historic first flight in Kitty Hawk, N.C. Even after all these years, their creation still boggles the mind: How can something so heavy take to the air?

• 

  Wired: Wired Science

• Black Hole Eats Asteroids, Burps Out X-Rays

  Adam Mann

  8 Feb 2012 | 2:31 pm

  The supermassive black hole at the center of our galaxy may be constantly snacking on asteroids. A new study finds that asteroids at least 12 miles wide falling into the black hole would account for the regular bright x-ray flares seen through telescopes. Though nothing, including light, can escape a black hole, most are ringed by a disk of gas and dust. As it falls in, this material heats up to incredible temperatures, generating energy. For several years, NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory has spotted daily fluctuations in the emissions coming from the Milky Way’s central black…

• European Cave Spiders Produce Super-Stretchy Silk

  Adam Mann

  8 Feb 2012 | 2:00 pm

  Scientists have discovered some of the most stretchable spider silk ever, which can elongate up to 7.5 times its initial length. European cave spiders produce the silk to build egg sacs that protect their developing young. Spider silk is a remarkable material known for its strength and toughness. Most species secrete seven or eight types of silk for different purposes. Dragline silk, for instance, anchors spiders to a surface and is used as the backbone of most webs while other silks are used for web scaffolding or to wrap captured prey. Female European cave spiders (Meta menardi), which live…

• Asia and Americas on Course for Arctic Collision

  Brandon Keim

  8 Feb 2012 | 1:06 pm

  It’ll be a geological showdown for the ages, with North America, South America, Europe and Asia colliding head-on over the North Pole to create a supercontinent called Amasia. Unfortunately, nobody we know will be around to watch the collision, which won’t happen for another 50 million years or more. But it’s still fun to imagine. “The snapshot that is the present is smack-dab in the middle of what we call the supercontinent cycles,” said geologist Ross Mitchell of Yale University, lead author of a Feb. 8 Nature prediction of supercontinental trajectories.

• The Unusual Physics of Floating Pyramids

  ScienceNow

  8 Feb 2012 | 11:00 am

  By Kate McAlpine, ScienceNOW Think floating pyramids are more metaphysics than physics? Think again. Results just in from an experiment that levitated open-bottomed paper pyramids on gusts of air reveal a curious phenomenon: When it comes to drifting through the air, top-heavy designs are more stable than bottom-heavy ones. The finding may lead to robots that fly not like insects or birds but like jellyfish. Physicist Jun Zhang and his colleagues at New York University wanted to better understand how flying bugs control the orientations of their bodies. Do they have to work at it, or are they…

• Tiny Tarsiers Talk in High-Pitched Code

  Wired UK

  8 Feb 2012 | 7:04 am

  By Mark Brown, Wired UK The Philippine tarsier is a tiny primate with a seriously high voice. The saucer-eyed mammal can let out (and listen to) squeaks and squeals at such a high frequency that it effectively gives the mammal a private communication channel. A team of researchers, led by Marissa Ramsier of Humboldt State University in California, found that the tiny tarsier can hear and emit sounds in the ultrasound range — that’s above 20 kHz. Most humans can’t hear in that range, and a dog whistle is pitched to be just inside ultrasound, somewhere between 22 and 23 kHz. A…

• 

  TidBITS: Apple News for the Rest of Us

• External Link: iTunes Match a (Small) Moneymaker for Copyright Holders

  9 Feb 2012 | 7:17 am

  Subscribers to Apple’s iTunes Match service are sending copyright-holders “magic money,” writes Jeff Price at the blog for the TuneCore online music distribution service. And while not an overwhelming amount ($10,000 in the first two months, spread out across 55,000 TuneCore artists), Price points out that it is more than the null sum that artists were previously receiving. Read the full article at TidBITS, the oldest continuously published technology publication on the Internet. To get a full-text RSS feed, help support our work and become a TidBITS member! Members also enjoy an…

• Bookle 1.0.3

  9 Feb 2012 | 6:43 am

  Fixes addition of “-Temporary” to some EPUB display names plus disappearance of table of contents when resizing window in Mac OS X 10.6. ($9.99 new, free update, 2.6 MB) Read the full article at TidBITS, the oldest continuously published technology publication on the Internet. To get a full-text RSS feed, help support our work and become a TidBITS member! Members also enjoy an ad-free version of our Web site, email delivery of individual articles, the ability to make long comments with live links, and discounts on Take Control orders and other Apple-related products.

• FileMaker Go Brings FileMaker Databases to iOS

  9 Feb 2012 | 5:56 am

  Ever wanted to access a FileMaker database on your iPhone or iPad? The solution to that problem is FileMaker Go, but you may need to modify your database to make it useable, particularly on the iPhone’s small screen. Read the full article at TidBITS, the oldest continuously published technology publication on the Internet. To get a full-text RSS feed, help support our work and become a TidBITS member! Members also enjoy an ad-free version of our Web site, email delivery of individual articles, the ability to make long comments with live links, and discounts on Take Control orders and…

• Piezo 1.1.2

  8 Feb 2012 | 12:13 pm

  Fixes issue that prevented recording audio from Skype on Mac OS X 10.7.3. ($10 new, free update, 2.8 MB) Read the full article at TidBITS, the oldest continuously published technology publication on the Internet. To get a full-text RSS feed, help support our work and become a TidBITS member! Members also enjoy an ad-free version of our Web site, email delivery of individual articles, the ability to make long comments with live links, and discounts on Take Control orders and other Apple-related products.

• Firmware Updates for iMac, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Air

  8 Feb 2012 | 12:03 pm

  Trio of updates for additional 2010 Macs enables Lion Recovery from an Internet connection. (Free, 3 MB) Read the full article at TidBITS, the oldest continuously published technology publication on the Internet. To get a full-text RSS feed, help support our work and become a TidBITS member! Members also enjoy an ad-free version of our Web site, email delivery of individual articles, the ability to make long comments with live links, and discounts on Take Control orders and other Apple-related products.

• 

  தென்றல்

• மூன்று வியப்புகள்!!! - பகுதி - 2

  Vavanna (உமர்தம்பிஅண்ணன்)

  22 Jan 2012 | 10:28 am

  பகுதி - 2பழைய கனவுகளில் மூழ்கி, தலைப்பை மறந்து, பாதை மாறி, வெகு தூரம் வந்து விட்டேன்! மன்னியுங்கள்! மீண்டும் 1957 ஆகஸ்டு முதல் தேதிக்குப் போவோம்!  காலைச் சிற்றுண்டி முடிந்தது. எனது ஞானத் தந்தை, முதல்வர், பேராசிரியர், தி.தனக்கோடி…

• மூன்று வியப்புகள்!!!

  Vavanna (உமர்தம்பிஅண்ணன்)

  18 Dec 2011 | 10:20 am

  1957- ஆம் ஆண்டு, ஆகஸ்டுத் திங்கள், முதல் நாள், அன்று தான் அதிராம்பட்டினம் மண்ணில் முதல் தடவையாகக் காலை வைத்தேன்! முதல் நாள் அன்றே மூன்று வியப்புக் குறிகள் என் நெஞ்சில் பதிந்தன!கல்லூரி இருக்கும் ஊர் பெரிய நகரமாக, மாட மாளிகைகள்,…

• ஐம்பது ஆண்டுகளுக்கு முன்!

  Vavanna (உமர்தம்பிஅண்ணன்)

  11 Dec 2011 | 8:30 am

  அதிரை நகரக் கல்வித் தந்தை ஹாஜி எஸ்.எம்.எஸ். ஷேக் ஜலாலுதீன் 28-01-1920 – ல் பிறந்தார். நகரத் தந்தை சேர்மன், முஹம்மது அபுல் ஹசன் மரைக்காயரின் ஒரே பிள்ளை; செல்லப்பிள்ளை; சேர்மன் தன் தந்தை ஹாஜி ஷேக் ஜலாலுதீன் பெயரைப் பிள்ளைக்குச்…

• எம் சிந்தையைக் கவர்ந்த கல்வித் தந்தை!

  Vavanna (உமர்தம்பிஅண்ணன்)

  11 Dec 2011 | 8:17 am

  A.M.M.A.,Bed.

• நடையா, இது நடையா! நற் கடமையன்றோ நடக்குது!

  Vavanna (உமர்தம்பிஅண்ணன்)

  2 Nov 2011 | 7:39 pm

  “நான் வாக்கிங் போகும்போது கச்சலை அவிழ்த்து விட்டு,சலாம் சொல்லிக் கடக்குமளவுக்கு மதிப்பிற்குரிய வாத்தியார்களின் ராஜபாட்டை நடைப் பயிற்சி தொடர்கிறதா?” என்று, உமர் வரலாறு ஆக்கத்துக்குக் ‘கமென்ட்’ எழுதிய கவிஞர் சபீர்…

• 

  ReadWriteWeb

• Fabled Google Drive Won't Be Another Dropbox

  9 Feb 2012 | 11:00 am

  The Wall Street Journal has revived rumors about Google launching a cloud storage service called Drive. The comparison everybody wants to make is to Dropbox. The thinking is that Google will challenge everyone's favorite start-up by releasing a native desktop and mobile Drive app with the same syncing features Dropbox users know and love. Google Drive rumors have been around for many years, and they've always conformed to the understanding of "The Cloud" that has prevailed at the time. If it's not like Apple's iCloud, which is integrated into Apple's devices, then it must be like Dropbox,…

• [STUDY] 61% of Social Media Users Feel So Close To You

  9 Feb 2012 | 10:30 am

  Sometimes little things like a sweet comment on Facebook or a Twitter friend calling your tweet a "favorite" can really make a social networker bee's day. A new study from Pew finds that for the most part, adults are kind to each other on social media sites. In fact, 85% of adults say that most of the people they come across on social media are rather kind; only 5% say that people are "mostly unkind," which would imply rude or mean. An additional 5% say that it's all situational. On the whole, adults have positive experiences on social networking sites. A total 68% of SNS users had an…

• [Infographic] Mapping the Tools in the Mobile Development Ecosystem

  9 Feb 2012 | 10:00 am

  The mobile development ecosystem is a large, complicated space. There are innovative startups making tools for native and mobile Web apps along with large enterprise-grade companies that offer solutions from cloud support to frameworks and developer environments. For a mobile developer, it can be confusing to know where to turn and what to use to make the best app possible. Mobile "backend-as-a-service" startup Kinvey created a map for ReadWriteMobile to help developers understand the ecosystem. Kinvey brackets the mobile ecosystem between two primary pillars: the service providers and the…

• Harry Reid Wants a Bigger, Badder Version of SOPA/PIPA

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:30 am

  Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., still licking wounds from last week's defeat of the Protect IP Act and its House counterpart the Stop Online Piracy Act, is reportedly working on an even more sinister, Internet-regulating bill. Few details have been publicly disclosed about the latest push by legislative Democrats to expand executive-branch authority over the Internet, but the Daily Caller has pieced together publicly-available clues suggesting that Reid's newest bill is even broader than President Barack Obama's cybersecurity proposal. Sponsor Released last May, Obama's proposal…

• Keep Track of your AWS Expenses With Cloudyn

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:02 am

  With the number of individual Amazon Web Services now seemingly approaching infinity, it makes sense for third parties to get into the act of trying to keep track of what you are actually spending and whether you have over-provisioned your services. Enter Cloudyn.com, an Israeli based company that announced its services this week. Sponsor The idea is to have a dashboard similar to what you see below (mine isn't very interesting, sorry, I have taken down all of my machines at the moment) where you can track your projected annual costs, which accounts you have on AWS and what your running…

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  Leadership Consultant - Bill Hogg » Blog

• What Values Are You Communicating?

  Bill Hogg

  30 Jan 2012 | 6:20 am

  Recently I executed an employee engagement survey across a client organization. When I compared the senior executive team with the blended front-line results I discovered a very troubling outcome. The senior executives were almost unanimous in the belief that they had done an excellent job of communicating the core values of the organization — yet results from the front-line indicated exactly the opposite. Even worse, some of the comments indicated that the values the front-line were observing were inconsistent with the “advertised” values. Too many organizations believe…

• Is Your Leadership Limiting Your Organizations Ability to Grow?

  Bill Hogg

  12 Jan 2012 | 8:43 am

  This is the first in our series of articles that looks at leadership capacity and its impact on organizational growth and transformation. The full series will be available for download as a white paper once it is completed. Leadership capacity is more than simply skill development; it’s about performance, growth, transformation and change. For the purpose of our discussion in this series of articles, let’s define it as; “Leadership Capacity is the skilful use of leadership attributes for the growth and development of ourselves, our colleagues and our organization”.

• Are You Really Incubating Fresh Ideas and Thinking?

  Bill Hogg

  3 Jan 2012 | 11:46 am

  Are you finding that you are not hearing the fresh ideas and new thinking in your organization that you would like. Are you often faced with sitting through presentations that sound like the same ideas rehashed again and again. Well maybe you are burying good ideas under a bad process. Before you hear their ideas — are your teams spending time getting them “right”? Are they vetted, reviewed, revised and debated around in circles until all the edginess and excitement has been “fine-tuned” right out of existence. Imagine if ideas for the iPhone had been fine-tuned…

• Start, Stop, Do Different

  Bill Hogg

  1 Dec 2011 | 6:41 am

  Many people are familiar with the expression, Start, Stop, Do Different from personal evaluation processes — those regularly scheduled reviews by our supervisor. They will often use this outline to give us feedback of our performance. But I also think it should be used more regularly, both personally and with colleagues. No leader improves without feedback and personal introspection. So rather than waiting for a formal review by a supervisors, consider asking your colleagues these questions. What should I start doing? What activities or behaviours should I add into my daily activities…

• Best Practices Are Not Always Best Practice

  Bill Hogg

  17 Nov 2011 | 9:31 am

  Best Practices. Another great business term we all know and love. We love to throw out in meetings because it sounds good and rarely will anyone disagree. It’s safe. But is it wise. Who said that adopting best practices is right for your business? Maybe it’s the wrong thing to do in your case. Sacrilege? Maybe, but here are few thoughts to consider before deciding whether to adopt best practices or develop your own best practices. Are They Transferable? If the best practices are to work effectively in your business, then the businesses have to have similarities. Do you share…

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  Influential Marketing

• The Best And Worst Of Super Bowl Marketing Strategy 2012

  Rohit

  6 Feb 2012 | 1:40 am

  I couldn't help but feel sorry this year for anyone who only watches the Super Bowl ads for entertainment. Perhaps the most defining feature of all the ads this year was how uniformly uncreative and dated they were. Marketers turned to old and obvious gags like girls in bikinis and dogs (lots of dogs) to try and carry their ads. The result was a very disappointing collection of ads for anyone who loves marketing and the hype of Super Bowl advertising. Still, there is plenty of marketing to learn from all the efforts this year, so let's get started in breaking down the strategy behind the ads…

• What The Amish Paradox Can Teach You About Marketing

  Rohit

  3 Feb 2012 | 4:01 am

  Last year on a trip back to the US from South Africa, I picked up a magazine about a topic I knew very little about. It is of the common tricks I use to learn about different industries outside of the ones I work directly with – and in this case, the magazine I ended up with was called Farmer’s Weekly. The content was as you would expect, advice for farmers on techniques, information about regulations that will affect their industry and ads for tractors and things like that. In the middle of the issue I picked up was a feature article about what the author called the “Amish Paradox”…

• The 4 Principles Of Delusional Economics

  Rohit

  27 Jan 2012 | 4:59 am

  When it comes to economic theories, there is plenty of fascination in the business world around how to explain what drives business and purchasing activities. Behavioural economics, the field of economics concerned with examining why people behave the way they do when it comes to their purchasing behaviour, is hot right now.  Bestselling books like Freakonomics and Predictably Irrational dig deep into the psyche of people to try and explain seemingly illogical actions. My own upcoming book called Likeonomics, to some degree, looks at a similar theme of why we do business with people and…

• FinnAir, Republic Day & Why Celebration Is The Best Marketing Strategy

  Rohit

  26 Jan 2012 | 8:28 am

  A few weeks ago it was my birthday. The day before on a Saturday morning, my two boys came leaping into our room very excited to wake me up. It wasn't so much about my birthday, unfortunately, as it was about getting ready to do their favourite thing on a Saturday morning: going to IHOP for pancakes. And when there is a birthday involved, it is an even bigger deal. Your birthday is a celebration there. They bring over at least 6 of the wait staff to sing their own version of the birthday song to you. You get ice cream for breakfast (what kid wouldn't love that?). People love celebrations -…

• Honda Masters The Art of Marketing Timing

  Rohit

  23 Jan 2012 | 6:44 pm

  Every year at the start of the new year there is something that most of us do without realizing it. It is related to making new year's resolutions, but it is more about sequencing your long term goals into the order in which you want to achieve them. One example might be saying to yourself, "I want to be married and then have a kid before I turn 35." Life is full of these little promises. So full, in fact, that often we make them to ourselves without even thinking. It raises an interesting marketing question as well. What would it take to get a customer to reevaluate the life sequence they…

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  TREND HUNTER - The Latest Trends

• Grinning Pooch Stationary - Turn Organizing into a Fun Activity with the Dog Stapler (TrendHunter.com)

  9 Feb 2012 | 11:43 am

  (TrendHunter.com) Stationary items usually leave much to be desired in terms of creative designs, but this Dog Stapler stands out with its unique look and feel. Rather than resembling a stapler that you would find in just...

• Collectible Quilt-Inspired Cases - QuiltMyPhone Lets You Envelope Your Phone in Historic Artifacts (TrendHunter.com)

  9 Feb 2012 | 11:33 am

  (TrendHunter.com) Ah, the irony of vintage on high-tech! We all love our mobile phones, tablets, iPads, Blackberries and other gadgets, and now, a new venture called QuiltMyPhone lets you share your love of vintage textiles...

• Tank Tread Skate Decks - The Rockboard Descender is Designed to Traverse Any and All Terrain (TrendHunter.com)

  9 Feb 2012 | 11:23 am

  (TrendHunter.com) Skaters looking for a new thrill should spend some time checking out the Rockboard Descender. The Descender is a combination skateboard/tank and is designed to traverse any type of terrain. The four wheels...

• Intricately Angular Seating - The Dodecahedronic Chair Offers a Contemporary Look (TrendHunter.com)

  9 Feb 2012 | 11:13 am

  (TrendHunter.com) I believe that chairs should be both appealing to the eye as well as comfortable, and the Dodecahedronic Chair combines these two elements together perfectly. Created by a design student based in Japan,...

• Carry-On Automobiles - The Soleil Concept Car Makes Hunting for a Parking Space a Thing of the Past (TrendHunter.com)

  9 Feb 2012 | 11:03 am

  (TrendHunter.com) Parking problems would become a thing of the past if the Soleil concept car were to ever hit the streets. Soleil was designed by Engin Cesmeci and Emre Gurel for the 2012 Michelin Design Challenge. The...

• 

  How to Change the World

• Raising Money: What Not to Say and What Not to Believe #OfficeandGuyK

  GuyKawasaki

  20 Jan 2012 | 10:46 am

  Over the past two weeks via my partnership with Microsoft and Office Web Apps, I’ve provided templates of models for you to create enchanting PowerPoint pitches, Word business plans, and Excel financial models. They are all available for you to download from my SkyDrive account. I hope these documents and blog posts help you save a boatload of time and increase the quality of your efforts.I leave you with two sets of top ten lies: one of entrepreneurs and one of investors so that you know what not to say and what not to believe. Top Ten Lies of Entrepreneurs “Our projections are…

• Design a Sam Adams beer

  GuyKawasaki

  20 Jan 2012 | 8:24 am

  Now this is a fun project. I’m helping Sam Adams “tap” the knowledge of beer drinkers and crowd source its next brew. Join the party by getting the app and designing your beer: The final brew will be released in Austin in the first week of March. #sponsored

• How to Create an Enchanting Financial Forecast #OfficeandGuyK

  GuyKawasaki

  17 Jan 2012 | 1:52 pm

  This is the third post in my Microsoft partnership, and it’s all about numbers. The topic is crafting your financial forecast to include in your pitch. Bill Reichert, my partner at Garage Technology Ventures, created an Excel model and wrote this blog post. There’s a lesson in this too: Get the best person for the job. His grasp of financial models and how to present them exceeds mine by two orders of magnitude. The Purpose of Financial Projections When it comes to financial projections, there are two types of entrepreneurs: first, the “visionary entrepreneur” who…

• How to Create an Enchanting Business Plan #OfficeandGuyK

  GuyKawasaki

  12 Jan 2012 | 8:16 am

  Here is the second post in my series about planning, pitching, and launching a new business venture. In partnership with Microsoft and Office Web Apps, I’ve created a Word document that outlines a good business plan. It’s saved to my SkyDrive folder here. Feel free to download it and use it as inspiration. And if you’re working with a partner, you can use the free Word Web App to stay in sync. I provided the PowerPoint document before the Word document because a good business plan is an elaboration of a good pitch as opposed to a good pitch being a distillation of good business plan.

• How to Create an Enchanting Pitch #OfficeandGuyK

  GuyKawasaki

  9 Jan 2012 | 8:01 am

  Welcome to the first in a series of blog posts I’ll be doing as part of a partnership with Microsoft and Office Web Apps. Over the next two weeks, I’ll cover everything a budding entrepreneur needs to turn an idea into an enchanting investment opportunity—from the perfect pitch to a killer business plan to financial forecasts. I’m going to start with a little dissertation on creating effective PowerPoint pitches for your company. I embedded the sample deck for you to click through by using the PowerPoint Web App. When you’re ready to get started, you can download the…

• 

  Ogilvy Blog Aggregator

• Digital Paris, c’est avec Reed Expositions et Ogilvy PR Paris

  9 Feb 2012 | 8:23 am

  Digital Paris, sans doute en avez-vous entendu parler ? Les 11 et 12 avril prochains, à l’Espace Pierre Cardin se tiendra le nouveau congrès dédié au e-commerce, marketing, e-crm organisé par... Lire l'article en détails

• Don’t let go!

  9 Feb 2012 | 6:04 am

• The Wolseley .

  9 Feb 2012 | 2:21 am

  Had lunch at the Wolseley last week, a real place not a place you follow or follows you or a place I have thank the good Lord ever seen someone become Sherrif of or been ousted.Nope its a place with real people with real lives and real stories. I’d just ordered when on his way out the handsome and chiselled Brett Gosper dropped by to gloat on England’s performance in Dubai adding on parting that he and Jeremy King once considered swopping roles for a week, I’ll conclude with the probable results later but the exchange did prompt me to think further and try and analyse the…

• Pinterest Hits 11 Million UMVs (and 8 Tips for Brands)

  8 Feb 2012 | 9:02 am

  In case you haven’t heard, last night TechCrunch announced that Pinterest hit 11.7 million UMVs, becoming the fastest standalone site ever to surpass 10 million monthly uniques. This presents a huge opportunity for brands, as you might have already read about here. The #1 driver of consumer purchases is word of mouth recommendations from friends, and Pinterest holds the power to drive authentic “word of eye” recommendations in a way that is changing the landscape of social commerce. How? The landing page for Pinterest is an endless visual stream of subtle product…

• Just another typical creative / strategic review…

  8 Feb 2012 | 8:24 am

  Just another typical creative / strategic review…

• 

  Adrants

• A Threesome is a Good Way to Promote Lingerie, Right?

  9 Feb 2012 | 6:39 am

  Agent Provocateur is at it again with its provocative promotions.

• Man and Duck Rap For Phone Freedom

  9 Feb 2012 | 6:26 am

  Old white guys rapping. It's always good for a laugh.

• Mitsubishi Rides the Storm

  9 Feb 2012 | 6:17 am

  Following up on its Live Drive and helping Mitsubushi set new Guinness world Records, 180LA is out with another project for the car maker called Ride the Storm.

• Brands: Sponsor Adrants Coverage of SXSW

  9 Feb 2012 | 6:06 am

  If you are a brand that wants to be a part of what's become the biggest marketing event of the year, SXSW, then we can help you do just that.

• James Franco Films Hot Hipsters For Jeans Campaign

  8 Feb 2012 | 11:28 am

  In what seems mildly akin to a bunch of 60's hipsters frolicking in LSD-infused splendor while hippy dippy music with shades of The Good, The Bad and the Ugly plays in the background, James Franco films his first ad campaign.

• 

  Being Peter Kim

• Is social media free?

  Peter Kim

  2 Feb 2012 | 12:22 am

  In 2002, I was having a budget conversation with my CFO. I was general manager of the online store and we were discussing my requests for FTEs, technology upgrades, and marketing spend. The CFO asked me, "this is an online store...why do we need to spend any more money...doesn't it run itself?" (I'm 99% sure he wasn't joking.) This week, news has been circulating that FMCG company Procter & Gamble will eliminate 1,600 jobs and shift more budget into digital media. The headline over at Business Insider is a bit more incendiary: "P&G To Lay Off 1,600 After Discovering It's Free To…

• 

  Duarte Blog

• Creative Like a Fox! Dan Roam and I Compare Notes on Creative Process

  Nancy Duarte

  3 Feb 2012 | 6:15 am

  Dan Roam schools me on creative process. His new book, BLAH BLAH BLAH, offers awesome tips on how to utilize visual and verbal concepts to refine ideas to their most pure state.

• Are You a Fox or a Hummingbird? Dan Roam Explains Your Brain

  Nancy Duarte

  2 Feb 2012 | 6:27 am

  Dan Roam uses an animalistic metaphor to explain how your brain processes information, and reveals how to help facilitate communication between our verbal and visual minds. That and more in his new book, BLAH BLAH BLAH.

• Grammar Ain’t Just for Words Anymore

  Nancy Duarte

  1 Feb 2012 | 8:58 am

  Dan Roam used the rules of verbal grammar to build a Visual Grammar Graph that bridges the gap between verbal and visual concepts. Vivid Grammar is featured in his new book, BLAH BLAH BLAH.

• Quit Talking and Start Thinking

  Nancy Duarte

  31 Jan 2012 | 4:03 pm

  Dan Roam explains why we talk too much, and how we can use our predilection for vision to become better problem solvers. “Vivid Thinking” is one of the many gems in his new book, BLAH BLAH BLAH. 

• Obama’s SOTU: What Is, and What Could Have Been

  Greta Stahl

  25 Jan 2012 | 3:46 pm

  Last night President Barack Obama delivered what could be considered the biggest presentation of the year. In outlining his vision for America and his legislative priorities for 2012, the President attempted to persuade a variety of different audiences – including the United States Congress, business leaders and 25 million members of the American public – that he has a plan to continue improving the lives of Americans. So how did he do? Leaving aside the merit of his proposals, did he tell a story compelling enough to convince such a broad audience? Graphic recording of the State of the…

• 

  Presentation Zen

• Hans Rosling: The Jedi Master of data visualization

  Garr

  26 Jan 2012 | 11:31 pm

  Dr. Hans Rosling is one of my presentation heroes; he's been featured or mentioned in all my books and several times on presentationzen.com over the years. If there is a Jedi Master of presenting data clearly, visually, and simply, then it is Hans. He proves time and time again, that data are not dull—and when you are trying to change the world, there is no excuse for boring presentations. Most people are aware of Dr. Rosling through his popular TED Talks, but just in case you've never seen him present, below is a nice 5-minute piece he did on CNN's Fareed Zakaria GPS. At TED.com you'll…

• New: Presentation Zen (2nd Edition)

  Garr

  18 Jan 2012 | 10:36 pm

  Four years ago my first book Presentation Zen was published by Peachpit Press. Since then I wrote two other presentation books and a sketchbook/storyboard book and a DVD (plus an additional DVD/Book just for Japan). Although a lot of time had passed, I was still happy with the original Presentation Zen. And yet, the original Presentation Zen book could benefit from a little freshening up in the form of a 2nd edition for 2012. This 2nd edition of Presentation Zen has the same look and feel as the original book and I still did all the design and layout myself. The biggest difference is the book…

• 10 great books to help you think, create, & communicate better in 2012

  Garr

  10 Jan 2012 | 4:54 am

  In the spirit of personal kaizen, I have listed below a few books that I read (or reread) over the past year that you may want to read as part of your own continuous improvement journey. (Clicking on the book's icon takes you to Amazon.com.) (1) Your Brain at Work: Strategies for Overcoming Distraction, Regaining Focus, and Working Smarter All Day Long. Over the last 10-20 years scientists have made many remarkable discoveries concerning the brain and how it works. David Rock is not a neuroscientist but he is a good "neurotranslator" of the scientific evidence and does a good job of…

• Progress and the intentional selection of less

  Garr

  30 Dec 2011 | 5:26 pm

  Many people today talk about presentation technology as if it were a panacea for boring lectures and ineffective presentations. Technologies such as our laptops, iPads, and cool software packages are wonderful tools that can, when used well, increase the quality of communication and engagement. This is especially true when we need to engage with people live on the other side of the planet via tools like video conferencing, webinars, Skype, and so on. However, while technology has evolved in dramatic ways over the last generation, our deep human need for visceral connections, and personal…

• Steve Jobs: "People who know what they’re talking about don’t need PowerPoint"

  Garr

  20 Dec 2011 | 5:12 am

  One thing we need to constantly remind ourselves is that slides and other forms of projected visualization—no matter how "cool" they may be—are not appropriate for every context. Multimedia is great for presentations before large groups such as keynote addresses or conference presentations, but in meetings where you want to actively discuss issues or go over details in depth, slides—especially the snooze-inducing bulletpoint variety, which are never a good idea—are almost always counter productive. I stressed early on in the first version of Presentation Zen four years ago—and ad…

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  Charlene Li

• New Report: “Make An App For That: Mobile Strategies For Retailers”

  Charlene Li

  7 Feb 2012 | 10:16 am

  When it comes to shopping, I have a love/hate relationship with my iPhone. Some apps are actually helpful, letting me explore products or buy something immediate. But the vast majority of the retailer apps litter my screens, sitting unused after an initial, disappointing whirl. My frustration is reflected in the findings of my colleague Chris Silva‘s new report, entitled “Make An App For That: Mobile Strategies For Retailers“. Of particular value is that Chris pivots the report around two major strategies retails can use when it comes to mobile: Enrich: These strategies are…

• Jerry Yang’s departure signals a New Day for Yahoo!, the passing of an era for Tech

  Charlene Li

  17 Jan 2012 | 4:30 pm

  My first reaction to the news that Jerry Yang is leaving Yahoo! was that this was the passing of an era. I first met Jerry in 1994 when he was still a PhD student at Stanford, before he and David Filo left to run Yahoo! full time. Through bubbles and two economic downturns, Jerry has always been omnipresent in Silicon Valley. But all good things come to pass. With the arrival of Scott Thompson as the new CEO of Yahoo!, it makes sense that Scott be given a clean slate upon which to write the future of Yahoo!. This is very much the norm for incoming CEOs, where founders are asked to take a…

• Predictions Social Business in 2012, Part III: Transforming Your Organization

  Charlene Li

  9 Jan 2012 | 10:26 am

  This is the last of three posts I’m writing on predictions and priorities for Social Business in 2012. You can read the first and second prediction posts for more context. Prediction #3: Connected leaders and employees will create sustained competitive advantages through a culture of sharing. This year will see some companies pull ahead of others because they are able to collaborate, innovate and execute better and faster thanks to an ingrained culture of sharing. This is the year that companies get serious about investing in their internal social business capabilities, simply because it…

• Predictions for Social Business in 2012, Part II: Knowing Your Customer

  Charlene Li

  3 Jan 2012 | 4:26 pm

  Rather than simply make prognostications, I wanted to give actionable advice based on these trends. This is the second of my three predictions and priorities for Social Business in 2012 (read the first prediction). Prediction #2: Your customers want to be known. Your customers don’t merely want you to understand their needs or pain points. They want you to know them as individuals anywhere and anytime they engage with you. Companies sure know a lot about us, without knowing much. For example, I’m classified for marketing purposes as a Gen X, 35-45 years old, graduate degree holding, Real…

• Predictions and Priorities for Social Business in 2012 – Part I

  Charlene Li

  2 Jan 2012 | 9:57 am

  My pet peeve about the annual predictions ritual is that they lack context for action. It’s nice to know that tablets and big data are important — but what should you do about it? So here’s my attempt at not only forecasting but also to provide actions that companies should be prioritizing in 2012. The Process: I went through my speaking and client engagements in 2011 and looked at which topics and themes I kept referring to over and over again, especially toward the end of the year. I also analyzed which of the tweets from these events were most retweeted to verify where the heat…

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  Digital Influence Mapping Project

• Are Social Media Ethics About Actions or Intentions?

  John Bell

  30 Jan 2012 | 12:29 am

  What is your social strategy? Are you trying to increase the amount of positive consumer generated media (CGM) for your brand or are you trying to inspire and manage brand advocacy? The media mindset thinks in terms of CGM. How can they make more of that and put it in all the places where customers will find it. How they “make” that media happen is a means to a simple end.  The social mindset thinks in terms of genuine brand advocacy. How can we give customers, employees, stakeholders a reason and a means to share a sincerely positive point of view about a brand with their friends,…

• Actionable 2012 Social Business Predictions: #4 Social Selling as a Service

  John Bell

  16 Jan 2012 | 1:38 am

  Sales force-driven organizations are wising up to using social media to build relationships with customers. Businesses are investing in sales enablement software like Salesforce.com, iCentera and Jive that have social-related functions internally to foster collaboration and knowledge sharing and some even have ways to manage social contacts. Sales as Content  Sales organizations are all a-twitter about content marketing, certain the answer to closing sales is in a steady flow of just the right white papers or video talking heads. All that is right-minded in my book. The sales process,…

• Actionable 2012 Social Business Predictions: #3 Gamification Endures

  John Bell

  9 Jan 2012 | 12:08 am

  No, it’s really not about gaming. It’s about good old behavioral economics using game mechanics. PFSK recently ran a series profiling how different organizations were using points, leaderboards and social proof to drive behavior change. They have sunk a fair amount of energy into reviewing the use of game mechanics in groups like RecycleBank, LetGive, Stickk and SuMo . They have also produced a report that is worth previewing and grabbing called The Future of Gaming. The world of ‘gamification’ is certainly buzzy if not frothy. Loads of marketers are talking about it. Many startups…

• Actionable Social Business Predictions: #2 Social Insights over Social Data

  John Bell

  5 Jan 2012 | 12:35 am

  We have long been fascinated by the wealth of data we could collect, analyze and put to use via digital media.  It’s taken us years to get beyond the intention and excitement of doing that to actually using data in constructive ways. Now along comes all this social data spread between platforms like Facebook and Twitter and conversation search tools like Radian6 and Sysomos. The promise of knowing what your fans and detractors are saying about your brand is irresistible. The chance to put these social "signals" to use cannot be passed up.   Well, as more brands finally…

• Actionable 2012 Social Business Predictions: #1 Comprehensive Content Strategy

  John Bell

  2 Jan 2012 | 12:30 am

  Timing is everything in business. Business leaders want to embrace innovations the moment before they become profitable business strategy or execution. That goes for most social media-based business solutions. Most annual social media predictions are loose stabs at what may happen and often range from the obvious, “20-whatever is the year of mobile,” to the interesting, “2012 will/won’t be the year of Google+.”   With hard-to-read economic indicators, business leaders don’t need broad meditations on what might happen but rather ways of more precisely anticipating change and…

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  Cool Hunting

• Eau Good

  Evan Orensten

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:00 am

  Reusable water bottle incorporates traditional charcoal filtration From design powerhouse Black + Blum comes a stellar new alternative to wasteful disposable water bottles. Eau Good uses Binchō-tan, a traditional Japanese charcoal, to naturally filter tap water over the course of six hours. The plastic bottle has a small indent to hold the charcoal in place while drinking, and a simple squeeze releases the piece for replacement. Held in place with a metal ring, a natural cork stopper secures the opening. Sourced from sustainably harvested timber, the charcoal is created by burning the…

• CH Editions: Our Photo Safari With The Bushcamp Company and Pentax

  Evan Orensten

  9 Feb 2012 | 5:44 am

  Travel with Cool Hunting editors on a very special trip to Zambia's South Luanga National Park When we learned about The Bushcamp Company, the only safari operator in the southern part of Zambia's game-filled South Luanga National Park, we not only wanted to visit, we wanted to share it with our readers in a way that a story or video couldn't provide. We decided the best way to share the experience was to actually share the experience, and we are proud to announce our first CH Edition trip, which is available exclusively through Jetsetter. This trip of a lifetime combines adventure, education…

• Almond Water

  Evan Orensten

  8 Feb 2012 | 3:45 pm

  A nutty French refreshment from LA's Victoria's Kitchen A longstanding French tradition, almond water has been produced in small batches by nut lovers around the globe for hundreds of years. Bringing this all-natural treat to the masses is Victoria's Kitchen, a small, family-run company started by husband-and-wife duo David and Deborah Meniane to "honor the importance of family and traditions that are passed on from generation to generation." Loaded with the nutrients found naturally in almonds, the gluten-free beverage still uses Grandma Victoria's original recipe of water, natural almond…

• Vim Beget Jewelry

  Graham Hiemstra

  8 Feb 2012 | 1:36 pm

  The one-man machine behind beautifully antiqued hand-woven accessories Seattle-based Vim Beget makes jewelry and accessories with a vaguely antique aesthetic, blurring the barrier between past and present. Each piece of burnished silver is finished with rusted steel, affording it its own unique look and feel—the upshot of hours spent in the hands of sole designer Billy Bartels. Deeply rooted in the process, Bartels believes a hands-on approach makes the the end result worthwhile, and cuts each link separately before hand weaving them into a chain for bracelets and necklaces. "It's a…

• Matthieu Lehanneur

  James Thorne

  8 Feb 2012 | 11:02 am

  The designer's first monograph explores his commitment to scientifically informed creations For his first monograph, Matthieu Lehanneur has opted to express his design standpoint through the medium of his past works. Since his 2001 graduation from the ENSCI-Les Ateliers, he has stunned the community with a decade of innovative production in industrial and interior design. The bound collection from Gestalten looks at Lehanneur's design language with accompanying essays by the MoMA's Paola Antonelli and Ross Lovegrove, in addition to a conversation between Lehanneur and curator Hans Ulrich…

• 

  Scobleizer

• Hacker News vs. Google+

  Robert Scoble

  5 Feb 2012 | 10:20 am

  I might as well have titled this “Hacker News vs Marketers.” Or “Hacker News vs Bloggers.” Or “jerks vs nice people.” But I never participate in Hacker News for a few reasons and I just was faced with these reasons again when I read the responses there to my blog post yesterday. 1. Programmers often have an attitude of “I can code, you can’t, so I am defacto better than you.” This often comes out in Hacker News comments. 2. Programmers love to bash people anonymously and then, in real life, they will come begging for PR for their companies…

• It’s too late for Dave Winer and John Battelle to save the common web

  Robert Scoble

  4 Feb 2012 | 5:02 pm

  The date was January 3, 2008. Facebook had kicked me off for running a script to try to save the common web. See, I worked with Plaxo to run a simple script. One that would have taken my contacts out of Facebook and put them back into the common web. The script did some very simple things: 1. It grabbed all my friends names. 2. It grabbed all their phone numbers. 3. It grabbed all their email addresses. 4. It gave me a simple CSV file with all that data so I could bring them back to Google, or Microsoft, or anywhere else I wanted to put them. Facebook’s answer was predictable. They shut…

• HTML 5 pushback in San Francisco? Best mobile app designers say yes

  Robert Scoble

  1 Feb 2012 | 3:39 pm

  The new Path? The one that won a Crunchie last night for great design? It’s not done in HTML 5. This morning I saw something new coming soon from Storify. Not done in HTML 5. This morning I visited Foodspotting, which just shipped hot new apps on iOS, Android, and Blackberry. Not done in HTML 5. More and more I’m hearing that designers and developers are ignoring HTML 5, especially for the high end of apps. Why? Well, Path’s founders told me it just isn’t possible to build a great user interface, the way they did it in HTML 5. Storify’s founder told me it…

• Why Facebook will be worth a half trillion by 2015: the mobile and open graph revenue it’s leaving on the table

  Robert Scoble

  1 Feb 2012 | 2:48 pm

  Lots of people think Facebook is overvalued, at about $100 billion (it just released their S1, announcing its IPO). But in talking with developers, like I did with Foodspotting’s founder, Alexa Andrzejewski, and in reading the S1 I see that Facebook has left most of the potential revenue on the table. That makes me think that the folks crying “overvalued” are nuts. Check that interview out, Foodspotting is one of the hottest San Francisco startups, aimed at people who are looking for better places to eat. Here it is from just this morning: See, Mark Zuckerberg is sandbagging…

• 2012 brings a pause in the disruption

  Robert Scoble

  31 Jan 2012 | 4:58 pm

  OK, I’ve been talking with hundreds of geeks from around the world this year at three conferences, CES, DLD, and World Economic Forum. I’m seeing a trend that is worth talking about. What is it? We’re seeing the end of one of the most disruptive ages in human history. I believe that we’re seeing a pause in the disruption. More on that a little later. Just think about all the changes humans have been asked to adopt in the past eight years. Most of us, back then, didn’t carry mobile computers in our pockets. If we did use tablets, like I did, they were expensive,…

• 

  Mind Hacks

• goCognitive 2.0

  tomstafford

  4 Feb 2012 | 5:30 am

  We’ve reported before on the Univeristy of Idaho’s goCognitive project. It’s a enticing collection of videos and demonstrations, including many guest spots by the glitterati of cognitive neuroscience. The site has more free video content in cognitive neuroscience than before – and it is more easily accessible as well. Check it out

• Dressing psychologists as wizards in court

  tomstafford

  4 Feb 2012 | 1:53 am

  From overlawyered.com we hear that in 1995, New Mexico state senator Duncan Scott introduced a legislative ammendment providing that When a psychologist or psychiatrist testifies during a defendant’s competency hearing, the psychologist or psychiatrist shall wear a cone-shaped hat that is not less than two feet tall. The surface of the hat shall be imprinted with stars and lightning bolts. Additionally, a psychologist or psychiatrist shall be required to don a white beard that is not less than 18 inches in length, and shall punctuate crucial elements of his testimony by stabbing the air…

• A treasure hunt for the mysteries of mind and brain

  tomstafford

  21 Jan 2012 | 6:22 am

  I’ve published a couple of free ebooks recently: Explore your blind spot shows you how to reveal the gap we all have in our visual experience of the world, and discusses what it means about consciousness that this gap is kept hidden from us most of the time. Control Your Dreams, co-written with Cathryn Bardsley and illustrated beautifully by Harriet Cameron, tells you how to have lucid dreams, those dreams where you realise you are dreaming and can take control over reality. Both books are written as treasure hunts – travel guides, but for exploring inner space. When you start…

• The peak experiences of Abraham Maslow

  vaughanbell

  19 Jan 2012 | 4:48 pm

  The New Atlantis has an in-depth biographical article on psychologist Abraham Maslow – one of the founders of humanistic psychology and famous for his ‘hierarchy of needs’. Maslow is stereotypically associated with a kind of fluffy ‘love yourself’ psychology although the man himself was quite a skeptic of the mumbo jumbo that got associated with his work. The association is not so much because of Maslow’s focus on self-actualization, a goal where we use our psychological potential to its fullest, but because of his association with the ‘human…

• Gimme Shelter

  vaughanbell

  16 Jan 2012 | 5:44 pm

  The Rolling Stones launched their career in a social therapeutic club, designed to help troubled youth with communication skills. The club became legendary in rock ‘n roll history but its therapeutic roots have almost been forgotten. Eel Pie Island is a small patch on the River Thames famous for the underground club that earned a place in 60′s history for hosting the cream of jazz bands and rock n’ roll outfits. Less well known, is the story of how the club was created as a therapeutic environment to help troubled youth. Its place in music history has been recounted many…

• 

  PsyBlog

• Multiple-Choice Tests: Why Sticking With Your First Answer is (Probably) Wrong

  Jeremy Dean

  7 Feb 2012 | 6:34 am

  What's the best strategy for taking a multiple-choice test? The standard advice for multiple-choice tests is: if in doubt, stick with your first answer. College students believe it: about 75% agree that changing your first choice will lower your score overall (Kruger et al., 2005). Instructors believe it as well: in one study 55% believed it would lower students' scores while only 16% believed it would improve them. And yet this is wrong. One survey of 33 different studies conducted over 70 years found that, on average, people who change their answers do better than those who don't (Benjamin…

• Duck/Rabbit Illusion Provides a Simple Test of Creativity

  Jeremy Dean

  31 Jan 2012 | 10:06 am

  Are you creative? Try this simple test... The well-known known illusion above can be seen in two ways: as both a duck and a rabbit. Which do you see first? And if you see one, can you also see the other? Most people see the duck first and can flip between the two representations, but the question is: how easy is it for you to flip between them? Does it require real mental strain, or can you do it at will? Wiseman et al. (2011) had a hunch that the ability to flip between representations is related to creativity. To test this participants were given a simple test of creativity which involves…

• Powerful People Feel Taller Than They Really Are

  Jeremy Dean

  24 Jan 2012 | 9:05 am

  Experiment demonstrates how a powerful feeling feeds back into self-perception of height. Language can reveal all kinds of truths about our psychology. Take these expressions: He's the big man on this project. We look up to her. Lady Gaga is huge. He puts her on a pedestal. It's not hard to see the strong association here between size and power that's embedded in the way we talk about the relations between people. The reason why is almost too obvious to bother stating: larger people quite often do have more power. As children our parents, teachers and all our authority figures are taller than…

• Why Stories Sell: Transportation Leads to Persuasion

  Jeremy Dean

  18 Jan 2012 | 10:10 am

  Psychological research on persuasion suggests that stories which transport people are more likely to be persuasive. Marketers have known for years that stories are a powerful tool for persuading people. That's partly because stories (unlike statistics) are easy to understand. That's why politicians try to persuade us by telling stories about their vision of the world. They do spout statistics as well, but normally only in support of some kind of grand narrative. We instinctively understand that people resist being told what to do, but will respond to the moral of a story. So we try to…

• The Amazing Power of Regret to Shape Our Future

  Jeremy Dean

  12 Jan 2012 | 8:41 am

  Why people are reluctant to exchange lottery tickets, but will happily exchange pens. Regret might not make a list of the most powerful emotions. It would probably include things like anger, happiness, jealousy, sadness and especially for us English, embarrassment. We tend to think of regret as essentially a backward-looking emotion. We regret things in the past, like not trying hard enough in school, how we treated a friend or the things we said to our partner in the heat of an argument. In this sense you might argue that it's useless: why regret something you can't change? But regret isn't…

• 

  BuzzMachine

• Economist debate on sharing

  Jeff Jarvis

  8 Feb 2012 | 1:28 pm

  The Economist has just launched a debate between me and Andrew Keen — and you — on the proposition that society benefits when we share information online.” Here is my opening statement; follow the link for Andrew’s and the discussion: We are sharing for good reason—not because we are insane, exhibitionistic, or drunk. We are sharing because, at last, we can, and we find benefit in it. Sharing is a social and generous act: it connects us, it establishes and improves relationships, it builds trust, it disarms strangers and stigmas, it fosters the wisdom of the crowd,…

• Sin or sense?

  Jeff Jarvis

  8 Feb 2012 | 7:04 am

  Oh, no, the “original sin” meme of newspapers not charging for content is rising again. Sigh. Dick Tofel, general manager of Pro Publica and former assistant publisher and assistant managing editor of The Wall Street Journal, is a very smart and reasonable man and he has written a smart and reasonable Kindle Single (enabling him to charge as a matter of metaphor) about “why newspapers gave away the future.” But his case is not exactly what it appears, for this is more of a history than a reverse-Reagan (that is, “Mr. Gorbachev, build this wall!”). Tofel…

• Facebook goes public: Zuckerberg in Public Parts & WWGD?

  Jeff Jarvis

  1 Feb 2012 | 12:12 pm

  Relevant to the expected Facebook IPO announcement, here are excerpts from my interview with Mark Zuckerberg for Public Parts. “I’m in the first generation of people who really grew up with the internet,” Zuckerberg tells me. “Google came out when I was in middle school. Then there was Amazon and Wikipedia and iTunes and Napster. Each year, there were new ways to access information. Now you can look up anything you want. Now you can get cool reference material. Now you can download any song you want. Now you can get directions to anything. The world kept on getting better and…

• Efficiency over growth (and jobs)

  Jeff Jarvis

  26 Jan 2012 | 12:29 am

  The hook to every song sung at Davos is “jobs, jobs, jobs.” The chorus of machers on stages here operate under an article of faith that growth can come back, that they can stimulate it, that that will create jobs, and then that all will be eventually well. What if that’s not the case? I am coming to believe, more and more, that technology is leading to efficiency over growth. I’ve written about that here.This notion is obviously true in some sectors of society: see news and media, retail, travel sales, and other arenas. But how many more sectors will this rule strike:…

• Davos, disrupted

  Jeff Jarvis

  24 Jan 2012 | 11:53 pm

  I’m among the disrupted of Davos. Outside, there’s an #OccupyDavos encampment in igloos (really). Down the road, someone will be giving out an award to the worst company of the world. But the disruption is no longer outside. That’s what I sensed in past years; that’s what they wanted to believe here. Now the disruption is inside. Every institution is challenged. Every. The World Economic Forum issued a list of global risks (though Google’s Eric Schmidt countered on his Google+ page that he’s optimistic; that’s because he’s a disruptor).

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  A VC

• The Black Hole Of Email

  Fred

  9 Feb 2012 | 3:40 am

  I have never ever been so behind on email as I am right now. I believe I am seeing about one third of all email that is sent to me. If you have sent me an email that I haven't replied to, don't be offended. You are not alone. You are in the majority. I write these posts occasionally to let people know. The result is hundreds of comments about how I can make email work better for me. Please don't leave those comments. I don't want to make email work better for me. I don't want to hire an assistant to do email for me. I don't want to try some new magical app that will make email better for me.

• Payments Day

  Fred

  8 Feb 2012 | 3:27 am

  Yesterday was payments day at USV. Two pretty big things that our firm has been involved in for a while now were coincidentally announced on the same day. First, our newest portfolio company Dwolla announced the closing of a round we led on their blog. Dwolla is building a large network of engaged users via a radically lower cost payment system. How much lower? Zero for transactions below $10 and a $0.25 flat fee for transactions over $10. If you move $10,000 over the Dwolla network, you or the recipient (your choice) will be charged $0.25. That's it. Dwolla does this by avoiding credit…

• Building The Ecosystem

  Fred

  7 Feb 2012 | 7:35 am

  I've always seen the work that my colleauges and I do as more than venture capital investing. That is our main job and we need to do it very well. But we also need to work to make sure the macro environment for our investing activities remains attractive. There are two primary activities that Union Square Ventures focuses on in addition to our core venture capital activities of backing and then working closely with entrepreneurs and their teams. They are policy advocacy around protecting the freedom to innovate and efforts to build the ecosystem for startups and entrepreneurship. Longtime…

• The Management Team - Guest Post From Phil Sugar

  Fred

  6 Feb 2012 | 2:44 am

  Continuing our MBA Mondays series on The Managemet Team, we are deep into the guest post phase. This guest post comes from AVC regular Phil Sugar. I've never met Phil, but his comments here at AVC tell me that he's a very experienced entrepreneurial manager. And so I reached out to him to ask for a guest post. And he responded with this post below. There are so mant great lines in here, I'm tempted to reblog a bunch of them. Best Friends, Buddies, and Co-WorkersSince there is no way I am going to be more insightful than Matt or JLM about management process, I am going to go through three…

• Women Entrepreneurs

  Fred

  5 Feb 2012 | 6:05 am

  A few weeks ago, I spent the day at NYU ITP at the Womens Entrepreneurs Festival. This is a one day event put on by The Gotham Gal and her friend Nancy Hechinger who is on the faculty at NYU ITP. In its second year, the WE Festival features a day of panels and talks featuring women entrepreneurs. Men can attend and do, but the stage is filled with women all day long. It's a very different experience from the typical startup/tech event and I highly recommend it to anyone who is eager to see more women doing startups. My favorite panel was called Makers and featured five women who love to…

• 

  Logic+Emotion

• Permission To Fail

  David Armano

  9 Feb 2012 | 10:15 am

  I love my job. Seriously. The skeptical among you may read this as shameless corporate cheer-leading, or a PR ploy (given I work at a PR firm). It's not. You have to understand that I work for a very unique company—in fact, it's been the most unique career experience in my life. A sixty year old company—technically family owned (not public) with over four thousand employees globally and the CEO of the company wears the last name of the founder, his father. Which brings me to the video above. I had the opportunity to interview our CEO, Richard Edelman on the topic of trust as it relates to…

• Will The Real Social Business Experts Please Stand Up?

  David Armano

  7 Feb 2012 | 10:23 am

  Stop what you're doing and check out this thread (on Google Plus of all places) started by Francine Hardaway. She started it off with a simple question. "Who are the best experts in social business?"What followed was a robust discussion on what social business is, isn't and who's driving the agenda forward in the space both in thought and action. If you're interested in the emerging definition of social business (aka the convergence of enterprise 2.0 and social media) I highly recommend you taking a look. Some of my favorite thoughts:"the thread that social business is not the same as social…

• People, Places & Events

  David Armano

  3 Feb 2012 | 11:01 am

  A few significant events happening over the next few months—here's where I'll be: Chicago: February 6th, Social Media Club, An Interview With Richard EdelmanOur I'll be interviewing Richard Edelman our CEO in our new office space as we host the Chicago Social Media Club. We will be discussing this Year's Trust Barometer findings. If you can't make it to Chicago, we will be live streaming video the interview at 5:00 CST. London & New York: February 13-16, Social Media Week Our London office is hosting a panel titled "Social Business In Action". A topic I'm very passionate about—then…

• How To Be A Social Media Self-Righteous Jerk

  David Armano

  1 Feb 2012 | 4:28 pm

  The scale above shows the many stages one has to go through in order to become a bona fide self-righteous jerk in social media. Still, there are many people who aspire to reach this peak, but fall short in executing against it. Given this observation, I thought it would be worthwhile to piece together a few best practices which will ensure your status as a social media self-righteous jerk (or SMSRJ). In no particular order: 1. Join The Klout GestapoAll social media SMSRJ's know that Klout is simply evil incarnate and requires a organized force to take on this evil axis of influence wherever…

• Launching a Social Command Center (Without The Center)

  David Armano

  27 Jan 2012 | 8:05 am

  "Social command centers" are all the rage today and it's not without some merit. Many organizations now find themselves in a real-time business environment where news travels faster than sound, and information is set free. As a result, some forward thinking companies have put "monitoring" in place either in-house or in combination with partners. This isn't enough. And to make matters worse, I've seen companies make the classic mistake of buying a tool BEFORE putting any thought into the design that goes into effective monitoring and response, forgetting the 3P's (People, Process, Platforms).

• 

  Engadget

• Microsoft details Windows for ARM at length: desktop applications confirmed, first devices expected with Windows 8 release

  Donald Melanson

  9 Feb 2012 | 10:35 am

  We've been getting some mixed signals about Windows 8 for ARM-based devices as of late, but Microsoft's Steven Sinofsky has now returned with another of his exhaustive Building Windows 8 blog posts and cleared up some of the confusion. The short of it is that Windows for ARM will offer the same out of the box experience as the x86 edition of Windows 8. That includes the full Windows desktop (complete with File Explorer and the like), and the same desktop applications including Word, Excel and PowerPoint. So-called Metro-style apps from the Windows Store will also be able to support both…

• IRL: Logic3 PowerSleeve, HP Folio 13 and a trio of Nintendo handhelds

  Engadget staff

  9 Feb 2012 | 10:00 am

  Welcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we're using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment. This week's IRL is a bit of a mixed bag, with tales of gadgets well-used and those deployed for pure pseudo-science. In two paragraphs, Mat Smith sums up his experience with three generations of Nintendo DS handhelds, while Dan Cooper attempts to explain why he's still using a gadget he obviously hates. And Dana, our resident laptop reviewer, tries leaving the 'ole six-pounder in the office and going home to…

• Nokia Astound owners face a Belle-less future, no update coming

  Brad Molen

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:41 am

  So this is where the road ends for the Nokia Astound. After getting a hearty helping of Symbian Anna in November, owners of T-Mobile's first (and only) Symbian^3 device became hopeful that -- despite the fate of the OS being sealed -- the US counterpart to the C7 would remain relevant throughout the course of their contract. Sadly, it was not to be: the phone maker tweeted that the Astound won't receive an update to Symbian Nokia Belle. What of the original C7, you ask? Oh, the latest refresh is already rolling out to users worldwide, but the Astound doesn't appear to be invited to the party.

• Sigma DP1, DP2 get 46-megapixel makeover

  James Trew

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:19 am

  If Nikon thought its 36-megapixel D800 would be the king of the resolutions this week, they were wrong. Sigma, it seems, didn't get the memo and has crashed the party, updating its DP1 and DP2 compacts with whopping 46-megapixel sensors. Okay, so technically it's three 15.3 megapixel layers (that also being the effective resolution), but we'll play along with the marketing spin. Rebranded as the DP1- and DP2-Merrill in honor of the sensor's co-creator, the refresh sees the compacts sporting the same imaging innards as the firm's flagship SD1 Merrill SLR. The LCD screen also gets a bump from…

• HTC's first ICS update rolls out in late March, Sensation and Sensation XE call first dibs

  Brad Molen

  9 Feb 2012 | 8:58 am

  Ice Cream Sandwich is slowly trickling out to the masses, but we're still waiting on the major phone vendors to come out with their own tweaks of the latest Android dessert. We've known that HTC's busy plugging away at its Sense-ified version of Android 4.0, but the company's finally ready to start discussing specifics. According to the outfit's UK Facebook page, the update will begin rolling out to the HTC Sensation and Sensation XE by the end of March, with the Sensation XL following suit. Additionally, owners of the EVO 3D, Incredible S, Desire S and Desire HD still haven't been forgotten,…

• 

  Lifehacker

• Ask and Answer Questions About Getting Rid of Old Junk [Help Yourself]

  9 Feb 2012 | 11:30 am

• Quirky Scribe Is a Lapdesk That Can Carry Your Laptop, Textbooks, and Pens [Stuff We Like]

  Adam Dachis

  9 Feb 2012 | 11:00 am

  More »

• The Best Virtual Assistant for Android [Video]

  Alan Henry

  9 Feb 2012 | 10:30 am

  There are a number of apps for Android that all advertise that they can be your personal assistant. None of them are perfect, and all of them have their quirks, issues, and especially their limitations. Even so, we think that Vlingo is your best bet for a well-rounded personal assistant for Android. More »

• How Can I Talk to My Phone in Public Without Looking Like a Jerk/Creep/Weirdo? [Video]

  Melanie Pinola

  9 Feb 2012 | 10:00 am

• Upgrade a Wall Outlet to Charge USB Devices [DIY]

  Melanie Pinola

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:30 am

  More »

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  Ubergizmo

• Ford SYNC to arrive on all 2013 Fusion and Flex cars

  George Wong

  9 Feb 2012 | 11:29 am

  If you want to make sure that your next car features Ford SYNC, it’s going to be easier to find on cares within the next few years. Today Ford announced that its SYNC technology will be available as standard equipment for its Ford Fusion and Flex – on all trim levels. With more states supporting the ban on driving and texting, getting a hands-free solution integrated with the car sounds like a pretty good idea. In case you aren’t familiar with SYNC, it is a technology from Ford that enables hand-free use of your mobile phone via a simple and reliable voice control system. All…

• Skyrim 1.4 patch arrives for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3

  George Wong

  9 Feb 2012 | 10:29 am

  It’s been a week since the 1.4 patch for Skyrim arrived on PCs, so it’s about time it made its way over to our living room consoles. Bethesda announced today on its official blog that the Skyrim update is now live for Xbox 360 users. The patch brings a whole load of bug and quest fixes (unfortunately no Skyrim Workshop for consoles) that gamers will no doubt look forward to. The patch for the PlayStation 3 version of the game is said to be coming out later today as well (apparently Sony usually releases patches on the evening in the East Coast) so keep an eye out for it. For those…

• T-Mobile Nokia Astound won’t get Nokia Belle update

  George Wong

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:50 am

  It looks like Nokia Astound owners on T-Mobile won’t be receiving the Nokia Belle update on their phones. In case you didn’t know, the Nokia Astound is the T-Mobile rebranded version of the Nokia C7 – one of the devices that was on the list of devices that were supposed to get the update. However, when a customer reached out to Nokia US about the update through Twitter, the following reply was sent: “Thanks for your patience @bittersw8regene. Unfortunately the Nokia Astound on T-Mobile will not be updated to Nokia Belle.” There was no explanation to why it…

• PS Vita unboxing

  Edwin Kee

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:45 am

  It is only a matter of weeks before the PS Vita launches in the US, and surely those who are waiting anxiously would love to devour any and all news concerning the new handheld console. Well, Sony has put up a video of the PS Vita unboxing which can you watch after the jump. Those who placed a pre-order for the First Edition Bundle will be able to get their hands on the PS Vita 3G/Wi-Fi system a day after Valentine’s, which is an entire week to brag about to your mates before the official launch happens on February 22nd. Apart from that, another benefit of being an early adopter would…

• HTC’s Ice Cream Sandwich upgrades arrive end of March

  Edwin Kee

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:38 am

  HTC’s Facebook page has just revealed more information about the upcoming Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich upgrades, where the first round of upgrades are tipped to be released by the end of next month for the follwing smartphones – the HTC Sensation, HTC Sensation 4G and HTC Sensation XE, as well as the HTC Sensation XL shortly after that. Apart from that, HTC also confirmed that other smartphones from their stable will be getting the Ice Cream Sandwich update later this year (post-March obviously), and these will include the HTC Rezound, HTC Vivid, HTC Amaze 4G, HTC EVO 3D, HTC…

• 

  Wired Top Stories

• Origami Robots Run Only On Air

  Dave Mosher

  9 Feb 2012 | 11:38 am

  Powered by nothing more than puffs of air, robots molded from paper and silicone rubber can bend, twist, grip and even lift more than 100 times their weight.

• Bear McCreary Reveals the Physics Behind Your Favorite Science Fiction Theme Tunes

  Charlie Jane Anders

  9 Feb 2012 | 11:35 am

• Visions of a Gaming Apocalypse Kick Off Annual DICE Summit

  Chris Kohler

  9 Feb 2012 | 11:26 am

  LAS VEGAS -- The presentations at the annual DICE Summit are meant to be something like the videogame industry's version of TED talks, big-think speeches meant to inspire gamemakers with new ideas. This year's DICE Summit began on a considerably different note, with a pair of speakers who had no end of harsh predictions.

• Report: Apple Expected to Hold iPad 3 Event First Week of March

  Christina Bonnington

  9 Feb 2012 | 11:23 am

  Those eagerly awaiting the iPad with bated breath shouldn't have to wait much longer. Circulating rumors and Apple's traditional iPad release timeline, the next iPad should make its public debut in the first week of March.

• Cloud War Heats up as Oracle Buys Taleo for $1.9B

  Mike Barton

  9 Feb 2012 | 10:07 am

  The competition for cloud app market share is heating up, with Oracle announcing Thursday it will buy the talent management software company Taleo for $1.9 billion.

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  Gizmodo

• They Know You’re Reading This [Privacy]

  Dave Pell

  9 Feb 2012 | 10:40 am

• iPhone Thief Confronted in Extremely British Fashion [Video]

  Michael Hession

  9 Feb 2012 | 10:20 am

  After witnessing a fellow train passenger swiping an unattended iPhone, one brave chap decided to take action—in the form of video taping and yelling. Oh, the yelling. This could not be more hilarious and silly and proper and kind. More »

• Use Your Instagram Photos To Make Sweet Love [Instagram]

  Mat Honan

  9 Feb 2012 | 10:20 am

• Aluminum Speaker Dock Looks Right At Home Under Your iMac [Speakers]

  Andrew Liszewski

  9 Feb 2012 | 10:00 am

• SUV-Sized Treadmill Pool Provides Awkward-Looking Workouts [Fitness]

  Andrew Liszewski

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:40 am

• 

  Wired: Gadgets

• Purported Pictures of iPad 3's Rear Casing Emerge

  Christina Bonnington

  8 Feb 2012 | 4:28 pm

  The launch of Apple's next iPad is just around the corner, if the presence of leaked parts images are any indicator. Today, what reasonably seems to be the rear casing of the new iPad has popped up in photo form on the interwebs.

• Sprint's iPhone Strategy Is Paying Off, Q4 Results Suggest

  Christina Bonnington

  8 Feb 2012 | 2:46 pm

  Sprint desperately needed a hit, and it looks like it got one. The struggling wireless carrier sold 1.8 million iPhones in its fourth quarter, with 40 percent of those phones going to first-time Sprint customers.

• Adobe Splashes Out With Creative Cloud

  Mike Barton

  8 Feb 2012 | 2:30 pm

  Adobe is making a big splash into the cloud with its Creative Cloud service, launching an enhanced online version of its sought-after Adobe Creative Suite for $50 a month on a one-year contract.

• Little Lenses: 3 Miniature Cameras Tested

  Christina Bonnington

  8 Feb 2012 | 3:21 am

  These extraordinarily tiny picture machines make snapping photos fun and different.

• Greenpeace Hates Big Tech, But Wants To Kill Google Least

  Caleb Garling

  7 Feb 2012 | 9:00 pm

  Greenpeace looks down on the tech giants of the world. But it looks down on Google the least. On Tuesday, the big-name environmental-rights outfit unveiled its annual ranking of the tech giants working hardest to combat climate change and shift their operations to renewable energy sources. It's called the "Cool IT Leaderboard," and this year's leader is Google, which scores a mere 53 points out of 100. Cisco, last year's leader, dropped to second, with 49 points.

• 

  Lifehacker: Gadgets

• Make Your Own Screen Protector Quickly and Cheaply with Adhesive Vinyl and an Xacto Knife

  Adam Dachis

  8 Feb 2012 | 12:30 pm

  We've previously mentioned that you can make your own screen protector on the cheap with adhesive vinyl. Although it's a simple process to understand in theory, it helps to actually see it in practice. This video from Household Hacker demonstrates how to make a vinyl screen protector and apply it to your device in just a few minutes. More »

• LARK Silent Alarm Clock Will Wake You Up Without Disturbing Your Partner and Help You Sleep Better

  Adam Dachis

  7 Feb 2012 | 12:30 pm

  We don't all have the same sleep schedule, and this becomes problematic when sharing a bed. This is why LARK has devised a silent alarm that you wear around your wrist while sleeping so you'll be woken up gently without disturbing your partner. As an added bonus, it'll track your sleeping patterns and provide you with relevant data as well. More »

• The RCA USB Wall Plate Charger Adds USB Ports to Your Wall Outlets, No Wiring Required

  Whitson Gordon

  6 Feb 2012 | 1:30 pm

  More »

• Read the Manual Before Making Big Purchases

  Thorin Klosowski

  3 Feb 2012 | 6:30 am

  More »

• Why Sub-$100 Android Tablets Are Rarely Worth the Trouble

  Whitson Gordon

  1 Feb 2012 | 4:30 pm

  More »

• 

  Gear Diary

• Sony Finds One Last Way to Screw US PSP Owners

  Michael Anderson

  9 Feb 2012 | 11:30 am

  They say that if you want to learn something about a person take a look at how they treat people they DON'T have to be nice to - you know, anyone from kids to animals to waiters and store clerks. If a person treats them poorly without reason they are, quite simply, a lousy person. And you can only expect to receive the same down the line. On the other hand, if they treat you AND others well, you have a partner you can count on. I can hear you saying 'what is it NOW, Anderson? What are you griping about this time?' Well, I'm talking about Sony. Anyone who has a PSP Go remembers how, right up…

• 10 Artists Who Never Got a Grammy And a Presentation We Won’t See This Year

  Michael Anderson

  9 Feb 2012 | 11:00 am

  Before the Grammy Awards last year I highlighted performances by Miles Davis and the double-genre performance by Wynton Marsalis that took more than 10 minutes and would be impossible today ... if those categories still even existed. The Grammy Awards are now all about corporate self-congratulation, highlighting the few artists who sell all the records and those who get rich on their backs. Last year there was outrage when Justin Beiber had "his" best new artist award 'stolen' by the amazingly talented Esperanza Spalding (of course, ANYONE in the category was/is more talented than Beiber, but…

• Supermarket Mania 2 for the Kindle Fire Review

  Michael Anderson

  9 Feb 2012 | 11:00 am

  I loved the PC version of SuperMarket Mania 2, and now that it is available for iPhone and iPad I wanted to take another look and see how it would work as a port! Read on and find out how they did! The Hype: Nikki and her friends are back in Supermarket Mania 2! Help her uncle Ross manage and run his chain of grocery stores on the other side of the country. Keep the supermarket shelves stocked up, floors clean and customers coming as you work on improving the stores and increasing profits. It's not all peachy though, as the evil Assistant Torg and his robotic Continue reading on Gear Diary…

• Remember the ‘iLike’ Music Service? It’s Dead Now. Did You Even Notice?

  Michael Anderson

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:30 am

  Technology moves so quickly that sometimes we hardly notice the changes ... last night we were streaming music on Slacker that appeared on my Facebook timeline, something that didn't exist just a few months ago. But Facebook has had music integration for a while ... and for a long time the top music integration app on Facebook (and this thing people tell me once existed called 'MySpace', but I don't believe them) was 'iLike'. How huge WAS iLike? Back in 2009 HypeBot asked is there was 'an iLike Effect' as the #1 and #2 albums on iTunes just happened to have debuted exclusively on iLike in…

• Gear Deal: 10% off all Apple iPads and iPods

  Dan Cohen

  9 Feb 2012 | 6:45 am

  Today's Gear Deal is something you don't see every day. In fact, it is something you almost NEVER see! Today Only! you can save 10% on all Apple iPads and iPods. In addition, they will ship for free and, unless you live in California, New Jersey, Tenessee or Puerto Rico, there won't even be tax. All this means, for example, that you can get a 16GB iPod Nano for $134.99, a 64GB iPod Touch for $359.99, a 64GB iPad 2 WiFi for $647.99 and a 64GB iPad 2 WiFi + 3G for just $746.99. Yes, all iPods and iPads are 10% off but this is for today only! Click here to visit the deal page Continue reading…

• 

  Crave: gorgeous gadgets and other crushworthy stuff. - CNET

• RIM will trade you a free PlayBook for an Android app

  9 Feb 2012 | 10:58 am

  Take one, please! (Credit: RIM) Lately, Research In Motion has seemed determined to push out more of the BlackBerry PlayBooks it has lying around, even if it means literally giving them away. There are still a few days left on a special deal announced by RIM's developer relations head Alec Saunders via Twitter--the company is giving away a free 16GB PlayBook to every developer who converts their Android app to be compatible with and available for the PlayBook. The Android app needs to be ported and submitted to BlackBerry App World prior to the February 13 deadline to get the free tablet.

• Lightsaber relay to kick off Comic-Con 2012

  9 Feb 2012 | 10:46 am

  (Credit: Video screenshot by Bonnie Cha/CNET) Calling all Jedis! Grab your lightsabers, lace up your running shoes, and come embark on what's sure to be an epic journey to Comic-Con 2012. Even better, you'll get to use the Force to help some young Padawans in need. Lucasfilm, Nerdist Industries, Octagon, and Machinima have teamed up to put on an Olympic torch-style relay race called Course of the Force that will help kick off this year's Comic-Con in San Diego and benefit the Make-a-Wish Foundation. The 136-mile run/walk will begin in Santa Monica, Calif., on July 7. At every quarter-mile…

• Digital pop-up book gets poetic with QR codes

  9 Feb 2012 | 10:44 am

  Video screenshot by Edward Moyer/CNET Rather than fret about the rise of e-readers and tablets and the seemingly imminent demise of the book as we know it, book artist and poet Amaranth Borsuk decided to reimagine the digital-versus-paper struggle as a kind of dance, and make it the basis for an artist's book of her own. Along with her husband, Web developer Brad Bouse, Borsuk created "Between Page and Screen." It's a digital pop-up book that contains nothing but elegantly rendered QR codes on its printed pages. Readers go to the book's Web site, hold a page in front of their Webcam, and…

• Microsoft ends preorders for Nokia Lumia 900

  9 Feb 2012 | 10:16 am

  No more preorders for the Lumia 900. (Credit: Bonnie Cha/CNET) Smartphone buyers eager to preorder the Nokia Lumia 900 may have missed their window of opportunity. Microsoft has shut down the preorder deal for the Windows Phone-based 900, a company spokesman confirmed to CNET today. No specific reason was given as to why the offer was stopped after only one week. But the rep said that its Microsoft Stores do continually update such offers. "Customers who are interested in purchasing a Windows Phone Nokia Lumia 900 should stay tuned to the Microsoft Store Facebook Page for store offers in the…

• iHome ships new, budget-friendly mini Bluetooth speakers

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:36 am

  iHome's iDM11 retails for $69.99 and has speakerphone capabilities. (Credit: iHome) We saw iHome's new portable Bluetooth speakers last month at CES, and both models, the iDM8 and iDM11, looked pretty nice. They're shipping now and available for $59.99 and $69.99, respectively. The iDM8 comes in red and black for $59.99 (click to enlarge). (Credit: iHome) The spherical iDM8, which comes in black as well (for some reason iHome's only showing the red version on its Web site), seems to be the more travel- and bag-friendly. But, as you can see from the specs, the iDM11 has a built-in…

• 

  Electronista | Gadgets for Geeks

• Apple stock worth more than Google, Microsoft together

  9 Feb 2012 | 10:25 am

  An exceptional run on Apple stock over the past few days has made Apple's stock value worth more than either of its two most direct rivals combined. A comparison has shown that, as of mid-day Thursday, Apple's market cap of about $456 billion was greater than both those of Google ($198.9 billion) and Microsoft ($256.7 billion). As noted by AppleInsider, Apple was taking advantage of both Google missing targets and bruising its share as well as Microsoft's historic inability to excite shareholders....

• Samsung Galaxy Camera trademark hints at photo focus

  9 Feb 2012 | 10:00 am

  Samsung may apply its Galaxy smartphone branding to a dedicated camera if a recent trademark filing with the USPTO is any indication. The "Galaxy Camera" name it's seeking would likely involve an Android-powered compact digital camera with a significantly larger lens, perhaps similar to the Polaroid SC1630 we had a chance to check out at CES. The filing falls under the "Cameras and Camcorders" section of the patent office and therefore wouldn't be a phone....

• Swiss firm SmartData sues Apple over Apple TV, iPhone

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:25 am

  Apple is facing a rare instance of foreign patent trolling this week after a discovery that Swiss firm SmartData has sued it over a lone patent. The accusation, quietly filed earlier in the week in Apple's home court district in San Jose, alleged that the Apple TV, the iPhone, and the iOS Remote app violated a patent for a "modular computer." Using Remote on the iPhone to control content on the Apple TV copied the technology, the plaintiff argued....

• Lytro camera teardown shows Wi-Fi, Bluetooth radios

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:10 am

  Lytro's infinite focus camera has been torn down by the FCC, revealing its internal components. Behind the 1.5-inch display hides a Marvell Avastar 88W8787 system-on-chip that contains both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi radios. This is interesting, as it indicates the camera has the hardware required to be controlled over a wireless link or share its photos online....

• FBI publishes Steve Jobs background file

  9 Feb 2012 | 8:25 am

  The FBI has released a 191-page file on former Apple CEO Steve Jobs, Gawker notes. The document actually dates back to 1991, when Jobs had long left Apple, but was being considered for an appointment to the President's Export Council in the George Bush Sr. administration. It also makes reference to an earlier bomb threat against Jobs, dating back to 1985....

• 

  Engadget Mobile

• Nokia Astound owners face a Belle-less future, no update coming

  Brad Molen

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:41 am

  So this is where the road ends for the Nokia Astound. After getting a hearty helping of Symbian Anna in November, owners of T-Mobile's first (and only) Symbian^3 device became hopeful that -- despite the fate of the OS being sealed -- the US counterpart to the C7 would remain relevant throughout the course of their contract. Sadly, it was not to be: the phone maker tweeted that the Astound won't receive an update to Symbian Nokia Belle. What of the original C7, you ask? Oh, the latest refresh is already rolling out to users worldwide, but the Astound doesn't appear to be invited to the party.

• HTC's first ICS update rolls out in late March, Sensation and Sensation XE call first dibs

  Brad Molen

  9 Feb 2012 | 8:58 am

  Ice Cream Sandwich is slowly trickling out to the masses, but we're still waiting on the major phone vendors to come out with their own tweaks of the latest Android dessert. We've known that HTC's busy plugging away at its Sense-ified version of Android 4.0, but the company's finally ready to start discussing specifics. According to the outfit's UK Facebook page, the update will begin rolling out to the HTC Sensation and Sensation XE by the end of March, with the Sensation XL following suit. Additionally, owners of the EVO 3D, Incredible S, Desire S and Desire HD still haven't been forgotten,…

• Dell Voice offers VoIP, but only to Canadians

  Daniel Cooper

  9 Feb 2012 | 8:25 am

  Dell's teamed up with Fongo to offer Dell Voice, a VoIP app that's available exclusively in Canada. It's currently available for Android, iOS and Windows (Desktop), enabling everyone to shoot the breeze about Dustin Penner without charges. You'll get a local phone number that'll let you call all the big cities (and most of the smaller ones), caller ID, voice-mail, 911 service and long-distance calling for no additional charge. Call credit costs 2c per minute, with each call averaging out to 1MB of data. Canadians clutching to their BlackBerries will be relieved to know that the app will roll…

• Telus flipping switch on LTE, network goes live February 10th

  Edgar Alvarez

  9 Feb 2012 | 7:57 am

  After the competition got a head start, Telus has finally announced it's ready to flip the switch on its fresh LTE network tomorrow. Though it's certainly taken the longer road, its 4G waves are hitting several more markets on launch day in comparison to Rogers' solo-city debut. Among the selected 14 markets for the rollout are major cities such as Vancouver, Edmonton, Toronto, Waterloo, Ottawa and Montreal. In the process, the carrier's also managed to stamp a release date on that LTE Note, which will arrive just in time for Valentine's Day. That said, it won't be the only Samsung Galaxy…

• DoubleTwist update brings podcast support to auditory Android users

  Amar Toor

  9 Feb 2012 | 2:11 am

  A fresh version of the DoubleTwist media player hit the Android Market this week, offering a whole new world of podcast possibilities -- for a price. With the in-app upgrade, users can search for and subscribe to a variety of podcasts from the comfort of their own handsets. It's pretty simple. The app will automatically download the latest episodes, too, though there's an option to restrict all downloads to WiFi, in case you're worried about eating into your data plan. You can also choose to either stream or download each file, and manage all your feeds straight from your device. It's…

• 

  mobileYouth®

• Why everything we believe about Youth Mobile services is wrong

  Graham Brown

  9 Feb 2012 | 2:08 am

  Why (Most) Youth Mobile Services are Doomed to Failure Amp’d, Disney, Helio, Virgin Mobile India and Blyk – just a few MVNOs that have tried to capture the youth market and been dashed at the rocks of failure. They failed because the youth market is less about “Big Ideas” amped by your creative agency and [...] (click the item title for the full story)

• Build a Beachhead or Perish: Why everyone apart from your Fans is a distraction

  Graham Brown

  2 Feb 2012 | 2:02 am

  Fans: All Else is mere detail   Every brand has fans, even yours Image (c) Flickr Nokia CEO Stephen Elop went on record last week talking about “Building a Beachhead” for Windows phones. It’s an interesting change in tact. By referring to “Beachheads”, Elop acknowledged a growing trend that is quietly revolutionizing marketing, one customer [...] (click the item title for the full story)

• Kodak vs Apple: Key lessons for the mobile industry when focusing on youth

  Graham Brown

  25 Jan 2012 | 11:49 pm

  Kodak Could Have Been in the Mobile Business By Now   This week was a tale of two brands. On the one hand, Kodak. Kodak could have been the Apple of photography but last week, the iconic American brand filed for bankruptcy protection. On the other, Apple’s latest earnings figures surpassed analyst expectations. The difference? Not [...] (click the item title for the full story)

• Students are the Future of Mobile Customer Experience

  Graham Brown

  19 Jan 2012 | 1:36 am

  Craig’s Journey 19 year old Craig from New York is hunting down a patch to solve an upgrade problem with his Android phone. He’s tried T-Mobile customer service but gave up after the rep referred him back to the manufacturer claiming they didn’t support his OS anymore. He shows me a list of forum posts [...] (click the item title for the full story)

• Where would Blackberry be without women?

  Graham Brown

  12 Jan 2012 | 12:19 am

  image (c) Flickr The Change Agents that Made Blackberry The world’s 1 billion youth female mobile owners are key to the future of Blackberry. Rather than employing creative agencies to engage this segment, RIM needs to focus on strategies that partner with the key change agents – Disruptive Divas. Increasing female representation in innovation, marketing [...] (click the item title for the full story)

• 

  Lifehacker: Iphone

• Waze for iPhone Offers Voice Control for Hands-Free Operation While Driving

  Adam Dachis

  9 Feb 2012 | 6:00 am

  iPhone: Waze, our favorite turn-by-turn navigation app for iPhone (and Android) just added a great new feature: hands-free operation. Now you can control Waze with a wave of your hand and the power of your voice. More »

• Make Your Own Screen Protector Quickly and Cheaply with Adhesive Vinyl and an Xacto Knife

  Adam Dachis

  8 Feb 2012 | 12:30 pm

  We've previously mentioned that you can make your own screen protector on the cheap with adhesive vinyl. Although it's a simple process to understand in theory, it helps to actually see it in practice. This video from Household Hacker demonstrates how to make a vinyl screen protector and apply it to your device in just a few minutes. More »

• The Best Virtual Assistant for iPhone

  Adam Dachis

  8 Feb 2012 | 10:30 am

• Black SMS Encrypts and Decrypts Your Text Messages

  Adam Dachis

  7 Feb 2012 | 12:00 pm

  iOS: Anyone can pick up your phone and read your text messages. It's also not that difficult for someone to install spy software or for the U.S. government to acquire your messages from your carrier. If you want to keep your text messages private, Black SMS is an app that provides a very simple method for doing so. You simply type in the message, set a password, and send it over to iMessage. The recipient can then use their copy of Black SMS to decrypt the message using the password you set by simply pasting the message into the app and entering the password. (Watch the video above for a…

• Get the Most Out of Your iPhone's Notification Center, from Beginner to Jailbreaker

  Thorin Klosowski

  7 Feb 2012 | 6:00 am

  More »

• 

  BBC News - Technology

• Kodak exits digital camera market

  9 Feb 2012 | 7:42 am

  Eastman Kodak, a name synonymous with photography, is to stop making digital and video cameras.

• Microsoft backs Apple patent view

  9 Feb 2012 | 7:37 am

  Microsoft promises not to block rivals' products from sale if they infringe patents it owns which are deemed essential to industry standards.

• App makers' address-book apology

  9 Feb 2012 | 7:13 am

  The makers of Path and Hipster iPhone apps apologise for accessing phone contacts without explicit permission.

• Ofcom targets switching slammers

  9 Feb 2012 | 5:59 am

  Ofcom proposes new measures to prevent consumers being switched from one phone or broadband service to another without their consent.

• CNN man off air for Beckham tweet

  8 Feb 2012 | 6:03 pm

  CNN suspends a political analyst for sending tweets during the Super Bowl that sparked a homophobia outcry.

• 

  O'Reilly News and Commentary

• #Ebook Deal/Day: The Art of SEO - $17.99 (Save 50%)

  O'Reilly Media

  7 Feb 2012 | 8:51 pm

  Get "The Art of SEO" today and save 50%!This sale ends at 2:00 AM 2012-02-08 (PDT, GMT-8:00).

• #Ebook Deal/Day: Hadoop: The Definitive Guide - $19.99 (Save 50%)

  O'Reilly Media

  6 Feb 2012 | 3:48 am

  Get "Hadoop: The Definitive Guide" today and save 50%!This sale ends at 2:00 AM 2012-02-07 (PDT, GMT-8:00).

• #Ebook Deal/Day: Programming Interactivity, 2nd Edition - $19.99 (Save 50%)

  O'Reilly Media

  3 Feb 2012 | 3:50 am

  Get "Programming Interactivity" today and save 50%!This sale ends at 2:00 AM 2012-02-06 (PDT, GMT-8:00).

• #Ebook Deal/Day: Node for Front-End Developers - $3.99 (Save 50%)

  O'Reilly Media

  2 Feb 2012 | 4:50 am

  Get "Node for Front-End Developers" today and save 50%!This sale ends at 2:00 AM 2012-02-03 (PDT, GMT-8:00).

• #Ebook Deal/Day: Google Script: Enterprise Application Essentials - $11.99 (Save 50%)

  O'Reilly Media

  1 Feb 2012 | 3:52 am

  Get "Google Script: Enterprise Application Essentials" today and save 50%!This sale ends at 2:00 AM 2012-02-02 (PDT, GMT-8:00).

• 

  Techmamas - Curating the Best of Tech and Social Media for Families

• In Honor of Susan Niebur – Her Inspiration Will Always Be With Us

  Beth B.

  7 Feb 2012 | 2:32 pm

  When people ask me about the parent blogging community, I say it is a diverse and supportive community.  Most can’t understand how online relationships can translate to friendships, but it does. I had the honor of meeting Susan Niebur (WhyMommy) through BlogHer. Beyond being a parent blogger, she was also also a scientist, mother and amazing friend to many. The first time I had an extended email conversation with her was on the night she posted about her courageous fight with cancer and that she was going in for a Double Mastectomy. When I read that post, I emailed her to see if there…

• Disneyland Explorer – a Disney Parks App for iPad

  Beth B.

  6 Feb 2012 | 12:06 pm

  Part of the excitement of our family adventures to Disneyland is going online to plan our trip. Our kids love helping to collaborate so we can fit in all of their favorite Disney experiences in the trip. The Disneyland mobile apps are also helpful for us to get information on the go.   When I received this press release about a new Disney Parks app for the iPad, I was excited for a new mobile opportunity to experience and get information about Disneyland. Disney Explorer is a free app for the iPad that offers a mobile experience of the sights and sounds of Disneyland. The app offers the…

• Social Shield: S.O.S. for Parents Trying To Understand Social Networking Terms

  Beth B.

  3 Feb 2012 | 11:10 am

  SocialShield Releases the Top Social Networking Terms Kids Don’t Want Their Parents to Know Sheds light on the latest lingo kids are using to hold illicit, risky or secretive conversations As a parent of a tween, I am well aware of the language and terms tween/tweens use to communicate with each other. But add on to that technology – and the dangers of their terms increases exponentially.  From watching what goes on – I can see that it does not matter if your child has their own phone or not – these terms are used across devices – including computers. They can be…

• New Release: “Double Fine Happy Action Theater” – A New Kinect for Xbox 360 experience for families

  Beth B.

  2 Feb 2012 | 2:10 pm

  Our family loves our Kinect for XBox 360 as family entertainment with a gesture tech slant. We always enjoy trying out the new activities and games that come out for the Kinect, especially ones for all ages. I just received a press release today of a new activity for the Kinect called Double Fine Happy Action Theater. The 18 new family friendly “arcade” like experiences include jumping in a ball house, hot lava, build an ice cave out of your furniture and wait out a blizzard, become a giant monster and stomp buildings and more. Up to six players at once can play with the…

• Connecting With The RickiLakeShow

  Beth B.

  31 Jan 2012 | 6:17 pm

  I have been a fan of Ricki Lake for some time and was excited to see her on Dancing With The Stars. Putting my own fantasies aside of dancing on the show with those fantastic costumes, I was rooting for her to win as a fan and as a fellow working mom. When she made the finals – I was so proud! But I am most excited to announce that I am one of the members of social media community called Friends of Ricki that supports her forthcoming television show: The Ricki Lake Show.   Our first fun event is a #FriendsofRicki Ustream (http://ustream.tv/rickilake) at 5pm PST this Wednesday,…

• 

  Gotta Be Mobile

• Motorola Blames Hardware for Slow Android Updates

  Adam Mills

  9 Feb 2012 | 11:36 am

  It’s no secret that one of the more agonizing things about owning an Android device is the wait for major software updates. Google announced Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich back in December and only a couple of devices currently have the software on board as we head into the middle part of February. And while many blame the long wait times on the user interfaces that manufacturers put on their devices, one manufacturer is saying that hardware, not software is to blame. Christy Wyatt, senior vice president and general manager of Motorola’s Enterprise Business Unit had some…

• Samsung Series 7 Slate Review: First Impressions

  K. T. Bradford

  9 Feb 2012 | 11:09 am

  These days whenever someone mentions the word “Tablet” visions of the iPad or something similar dance in their heads. Not that long ago a tablet was something quite different: a Windows-based slate computer. Since the rise of the new idea of the tablet there have been a few Tablet PCs trying for relevance in an iPad-ified world. The problems they face include the not quite touch-friendliness of Windows 7 and that the CPUs inside either didn’t have enough power to make the tablets usable or enough oomph but far too much heat for a handheld device. Samsung’s Series 7…

• Quad-Core Devices Confirmed for MWC

  Adam Mills

  9 Feb 2012 | 11:07 am

  All along, we have expected quad-core smartphones to get announced at this month’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona but expectation is different than confirmation. Well, we now have confirmation as NVIDIA has sent out a press invite that essentially confirms what we thought. Quad-core devices will be announced over the course of MWC. Of course, the invitation doesn’t reveal any sort of specifics only to say that it wants to show off the performance and great battery life that will come with the company’s new quad-core processors. Right now, the only quad-core device…

• Droid 4 Camera Review: Photo and Video Samples

  Josh Smith

  9 Feb 2012 | 10:15 am

  The Droid 4 is a new 4G LTE smartphone launching on Verizon on Friday, and many users are looking forward to using the camera on the back of the Droid 4 to capture fun videos and take photos to upload to Facebook and share with friends. The Droid 4 has an 8MP camera capable of recording in 1080P HD, but the device is set to take photos at 6MP by default and to record at 720P. To show you the capabilities of the Droid 4′s camera I took several photos and shot an HD video which are shown below. I left the camera settings on default, as most users will, but Will include sample videos and…

• Amazon Takes on the iPad in New Kindle Ad

  Adam Mills

  9 Feb 2012 | 10:03 am

  Over the last couple of months, Samsung has produced a number of advertisements that have taken shots at Apple, its fans and its products. And now, it appears that Amazon has joined the fray with a new Kindle ad that takes shots at Apple’s iPad while touting the benefits of the company’s Kindle e-reader and its sub-$200 Android tablet, the Kindle Fire. The commercial starts off with an iPad owner walking up to a woman lounging on a chair somewhere nicer then where you’re sitting right now. You might miss it the first time around but if you look closely, he’s having a…

• 

  Flickr Blog

• Time Flies! Celebrating 4 Years of The Commons on Flickr

  Fiona Miller

  9 Feb 2012 | 8:59 am

  Back in early 2008, some clever folks at the U.S. Library of Congress and Flickr collaborated to create a pilot project with two key goals: To increase exposure to the hidden treasures held in the world’s public photography archives, and to show how your input and knowledge can help make these collections even richer. To achieve these goals, a special rights statement — ‘No known copyright restrictions’ — was created to provide a copyright framework allowing institutions to add their photos to Flickr and define how the public could use their work through their own rights…

• Flickr goes East Coast: Meet us in New York and Philadelphia

  Markus Spiering

  8 Feb 2012 | 4:27 am

     Come and meet other Flickr members at two events on the East Coast later this month. Swing on by to meet Flickr staff in New York and Philadelphia to talk about gear, take photos, walk with us through the city and chat about the site. Here are our (new) meetup pages, with signup information:  New York, February 18th – More info & RSVP Philadelphia, February 19th – More info & RSVP   In other news: Starting today, we’re switching to Meetup.com as our main site for global community events. Feel free to start and organize your own, or join in with…

• I am…

  Kay Kremerskothen

  7 Feb 2012 | 7:12 am

  iamaustin published the photos from this lovely project in his photostream.

• Reptar is ready for his trip to another dimension

  Zack Sheppard

  6 Feb 2012 | 11:02 am

  I for one welcome our new feline overlords. The human that was forced to photographically document this moment in space time was christopher.berry.

• iPortrait

  Kay Kremerskothen

  4 Feb 2012 | 1:39 pm

             Tablets make for a great weekend project! Have fun. Photos from Buvone, tismey, Pichead, Jonathan Vazquez, • Andrei •, coreyweekley, and PBodyPhotos.Idea from gregivu.

• 

  Gaming articles at Blogcritics

• PC Game Review: The Book of Unwritten Tales

  8 Feb 2012 | 10:30 am

  For adventure game fans, The Book of Unwritten Tales is a story not to be missed.

• Presented By:

  8 Feb 2012 | 10:30 am

• iOS Review: Age of Monsters

  7 Feb 2012 | 9:26 am

  Rock, paper, scissors; with a difference

• iOS Review: Squids

  6 Feb 2012 | 1:16 pm

  Fling your Squids into an adventure to save the underwater world from corruption.

• PlayStation 3 Review: Final Fantasy XIII-2

  3 Feb 2012 | 10:58 am

  Final Fantasy XIII-2 is better than the original XIII and probably the mechanically best Final Fantasy yet.

• 

  Edge Magazine - Main feed

• Big Fish Games heads to the cloud

  Nathan Brown

  9 Feb 2012 | 8:48 am

  Casual gaming company Big Fish Games has announced an expansion of its Cork office as it seeks to make its catalogue of over 2500 games available on multiple platforms via the cloud and become the Netflix of games. Casual gaming company Big Fish Games has announced an expansion of its Cork office as it seeks to make its catalogue of over 2500 games available on multiple platforms via the cloud and become the Netflix of games.Big Fish is seeking to recruit 30 skilled software engineers to develop and improve its technology, and the move is being backed by IDA Ireland, the department of…

• Opinion: Did Double Fine just kill the publisher?

  Nathan Brown

  9 Feb 2012 | 6:02 am

  Tim Schafer's studio has raised $400,000 to fund development of a game most publishers would have dismissed out of hand. Where do we go from here, asks Nathan Brown. Tim Schafer's studio Double Fine launched its new project on crowdfunding platform Kickstarter last night. The developer sought $400,000 for a PC point-and-click adventure, a genre in which Schafer and Ron Gilbert cut their teeth and won the hearts of a generation of fans.read more

• Opinion: Bad lines

  Clint Hocking

  9 Feb 2012 | 3:09 am

  Clint Hocking explains why we should stop judging game dialogue by the standards of film. Dialogue in games is terrible. I can say this because I have personally written tens of thousands of words of game dialogue. I have, in the past, both championed and condemned game dialogue writing. I have played games with terrible dialogue and games with less terrible dialogue, and have seen games of both sorts win awards for their terrible writing. I, myself, have won awards for writing games accused of having terrible dialogue. If I am not qualified to make the assertion that game dialogue is…

• Resident Evil: Revelations tops Japanese chart

  Nathan Brown

  9 Feb 2012 | 3:09 am

  Resident Evil Revelations is the new number one on the Japanese chart, rising one place as last week's number one, Armored Core V, drops to fifth. In between are three new entries: Soul Calibur V at number two, followed by PhotoKano for PSP and Vita title Ragnarok Odyssey. Just sneaking into the chart is Dragon Age II, published in Japan by Spike, at number ten. http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=462383 NeoGaf Resident Evil Revelations is the new number one on the Japanese chart, rising one place as last week's number one, Armored Core V, drops to fifth.read more

• Converse Japan debuts Mario-themed trainers

  Ben Maxwell

  9 Feb 2012 | 2:38 am

  The Super Mario Bros. X Converse One Star Ox shoe (we're not entirely sure why Mario All Star didn't make the cut) comes in white or black and red with a pixelated Mario sprite and inset yellow star. http://sneakernews.com/2012/02/02/super-mario-bros-x-converse-one-star-ox/ Sneaker News Shoe company Converse, famous for its iconic All Star High Top trainer, has collaborated with Nintendo on a Mario-themed sneaker.Converse Japan's Super Mario Bros. X Converse One Star Ox shoe (we're not entirely sure why Mario All Star didn't make the cut) comes in white, or black, and…

• 

  Gamespot Recent Updates [News]

• 56% of US households have current-gen consoles - Nielsen

  9 Feb 2012 | 2:39 am

  New data from audience measurement firm indicates Xbox 360, PS3, and Wii in more than half of nation's homes; 39 percent own an iOS device.

• Double Fine Adventure sets Kickstarter record

  9 Feb 2012 | 2:16 am

  Tim Schafer and co.'s classic point-and-click adventure achieves $400,000 goal in eight hours; current funding stands at more than $740,000.

• 'Stick of Truth' domains tied to THQ

  9 Feb 2012 | 1:44 am

  Publisher linked to several URLs related to "Stick of Truth" and "Truth Stick."

• iPad 3 to be announced next month - Report

  9 Feb 2012 | 12:03 am

  Apple will unveil iPad 2 successor during first of week of March at an event in San Francisco, Wall Street Journal sources say.

• Blocking used games unfair - Saber Interactive CEO

  8 Feb 2012 | 11:28 pm

  Inversion's Matthew Karch says players should be allowed to sell games they don't want, suggests digital distribution of single-player and multiplayer components for $15 each.

• 

  HP Labs Technical Reports

• Enabling Data Sharing in the Cloud

  7 Feb 2012 | 10:10 am

  HPL-2012-22 Enabling Data Sharing in the Cloud - Casassa Mont, Marco; Matteucci, Ilaria; Petrocchi, Marinella; Sbodio, Marco Luca Keyword(s): Data Sharing; Data Sharing Agreements; Cloud; Dynamic Consent; EnCoRe; Privacy; Security Abstract: Web interactions usually require the exchange of personal and confidential information for a variety of purposes, including enabling business transactions and the provisioning of services. A key issue affecting these interactions is the lack of trust and control on how data is going to be used and p ... Full Report

• Similarity Pyramid: Browsing a Document Database with

  7 Feb 2012 | 10:10 am

  HPL-2012-21 Similarity Pyramid: Browsing a Document Database with - Ahmadullin, ildus; Allebach, Jan Keyword(s): Document database management; document visual similarity; similarity pyramid; Isomap Abstract: Managing large document databases has become an important task. Sorting documents with respect to their visual similarity and layout features, and visualization of the whole document database is a desirable application. A user may wish to search for documents in a database that are similar to a quer ... Full Report

• Planarization coating for polyimide substrates used in roll-to-roll fabrication of active matrix backplanes for flexible displays

  7 Feb 2012 | 10:10 am

  HPL-2012-23 Planarization coating for polyimide substrates used in roll-to-roll fabrication of active matrix backplanes for flexible displays - Almanza-Workman, Marcia; Jeans, Albert; Braymen, Steve; Elder, Richard E.; Garcia, Robert A.; de la Fuente Vornbrock, Alejandro; Hauschildt, Jason; Holland, Edward; Jackson, Warren; Jam, Mehrban; Jeffrey, Frank; Junge, Kelly; Kim, Han-Jun; Kwon, Ohseung; Larson, Dan; Maltabes, John; Mei, Ping; Perlov, Craig; Smith, Mark; Stieler, Dan; Taussig, Carl P.; Trovinger, Steven; Zhao, Lihua Keyword(s): Planarization coating; plastic substrate; self-align…

• Text Documents as Social Networks

  7 Feb 2012 | 10:10 am

  HPL-2012-27 Text Documents as Social Networks - Balinsky, Helen; Balinsky, Alexander; Simske, Steven J.; Keyword(s): Small world network; unusual behavior detection; Helmholtz principle; social networks; keyword extraction; data mining Abstract: Good surface quality of plastic substrates is essential to reduce pixel defects during roll-to-roll fabrication of flexible display active matrix backplanes. Standard polyimide substrates have high density of ?bumps? from fillers and belt marks and other defects from dust and surface scratching. Som ... Full Report

• Feature Selection "Tomography" - Illustrating that Optimal Feature Filtering is Hopelessly Ungeneralizable

  7 Feb 2012 | 10:10 am

  HPL-2010-19R1 Feature Selection "Tomography" - Illustrating that Optimal Feature Filtering is Hopelessly Ungeneralizable - Forman, George Keyword(s): Feature selection; text categorization; visualization; machine learning classification; Abstract: Feature filtering methods are often used in text classification and other high-dimensional domains to quickly score each feature independently and pass only the best to the learning algorithm. The panoply of available methods grows over the years, with frequent research publications touting new func ... Full Report

• 

  Hewlett-Packard Press Kits

• HP at National Retail Federation 2012

  15 Dec 2012 | 8:45 pm

  HP introduced retail products at the 2012 National Retail Federation convention, including a self-checkout system, touch-enabled wall displays and barcode scanners. HP offers a broad portfolio of retail-focused products and services that help retailers create a seamless customer experience across multiple store touch points.

• HP DISCOVER Vienna 2011

  28 Nov 2011 | 4:00 pm

  HP extended its Information Optimization portfolio with solutions that help enterprises turn information into insight, intuition and ideas to quickly respond to changing customer or citizen needs. Additionally, HP announced new Cloud Solutions that advance deployment of private, public and hybrid clouds, enabling enterprises, service providers and governments to capitalize on emerging market opportunities.

• HP Latex Leadership Summit

  2 Nov 2011 | 3:00 am

  HP Designjet L28500 and L26500 Printers improve versatility, from soft signage to vehicle wraps. Announced at the HP Latex Leadership Summit, these new printers featuring HP Latex Printing Technology offer double-sided printing, deeper, richer blacks and greater versatility.

• HP Innovations Shape the Future of Extreme Low-Energy Server Technology

  1 Nov 2011 | 3:00 am

  HP today announced a new industry program, discovery lab and a server development platform focused on the advancement of extreme low-energy servers to significantly reduce complexity, energy use and costs. Combined with HP Converged Infrastructure innovations that allow the sharing of technology resources across thousands of servers, the offerings will pave the way to the future of low-energy computing for emerging web, cloud and massive scale environments.

• ColorLok Technology

  31 Oct 2011 | 5:45 am

  ColorLok® paper simply makes your work look better. With ColorLok paper, all you see is your ideas coming to life with vibrant, smudge-resistant inkjet printing and high-quality laser printing and copying. From home offices to multi-national enterprises, ColorLok paper delivers an outstanding office printing experience. That's why HP recommends ColorLok papers for best printing results.

• 

  Nintendo.com – News and Updates

• Nintendo Download Highlights New Digital Content for Nintendo Systems for Feb. 9, 2012

  8 Feb 2012 | 4:00 pm

  Nintendo Download Highlights New Digital Content

• Canine Superstar Uggie Lands Epic Role as Nintendo's First-Ever ''Spokesdog''

  7 Feb 2012 | 4:00 pm

  Four-Legged Star of The Artist Delays Retirement

• "I Heart Club Nintendo" Contest Now Live on Facebook

  7 Feb 2012 | 4:00 pm

  Think you're the biggest Club Nintendo fan?

• Nintendo Zone Adds Pokémon Episodes and Game Demos

  1 Feb 2012 | 4:00 pm

  More Than 29,000 Locations

• Nintendo Download Highlights New Digital Content for Nintendo Systems for Feb. 2, 2012

  1 Feb 2012 | 4:00 pm

  Nintendo Download Highlights New Digital Content

• 

  All about Linux

• Samsung Planning To Merge Bada OS With Tizen

  16 Jan 2012 | 3:15 am

  Samsung will be merging their homegrown Bada OS for smart phones with Tizen. No time frame has been set for the merger however, it is expected that Samsung will be releasing at least two new smart phones this year(2012) itself running on the Tizen platform. Read more » For more news, tips, and reviews on all things Linux, Open source and Free software, visit Linux Help blog.

• PC-BSD 9.0 - Isotope Edition - Released

  15 Jan 2012 | 3:48 am

  PC-BSD 9.0 (Isotope edition) has been released. PC-BSD is a FreeBSD variant operating system that is targeted specifically at desktop users / end users. One of the uniqueness of PC-BSD is its PBIs or Push Button Installers that allow you to install and uninstall applications just like you are used to in Windows. Read more » For more news, tips, and reviews on all things Linux, Open source and Free software, visit Linux Help blog.

• FreeBSD 9.0 Released

  14 Jan 2012 | 7:27 am

  FreeBSD engineering team has released FreeBSD ver 9.0. This is the first release from the stable/9 branch, which improves on stable/8 and adds many new features. Read more » For more news, tips, and reviews on all things Linux, Open source and Free software, visit Linux Help blog.

• GIMP 2.7.4 Released As a Precursor To Stable 2.8

  14 Dec 2011 | 6:04 pm

  A new version of GIMP - the free graphics suite par excellence - has been released. GIMP ver 2.7.4 , which is termed as an unstable release leading to a stable version 2.8 sometime in January next year, brings a lot of new features. Read more » For more news, tips, and reviews on all things Linux, Open source and Free software, visit Linux Help blog.

• HP Contributes webOS to the Open Source Community

  13 Dec 2011 | 4:08 am

  HP has contributed webOS to the open source community. webOS is a mobile OS  originally created by Palm. It uses HTML, CSS, and JavaScript heavily in the application layer of the stack. This is an obvious advantage for developers as applications can be easily built using standard web technologies. And webOS is based on Linux. Read more » For more news, tips, and reviews on all things Linux, Open source and Free software, visit Linux Help blog.

• 

  Ruby Inside

• This Week in Ruby: Rails 3.2, Rails Tutorial, and Why You Should Learn Smalltalk

  Peter Cooper

  27 Jan 2012 | 5:35 pm

  It's the latest Web-based syndication of Ruby Weekly, the weekly Ruby and Rails e-mail newsletter (which just tipped 11K subscribers). Ruby Weekly now has a 'tips' page where you can submit links for potential inclusion so if you're releasing something or have written a cool post, fill out the form and you may be in Ruby Weekly next week :-) Headlines Rails 3.2 Released DHH has unveiled Rails 3.2! Not quite as big a deal as 3.1 but has a faster development mode, faster route recognition, a tagged logger, and more. With Rails master now aiming at 4.0.0, it seems 3.2 may be the last version of…

• This Week in Ruby: Nominate Your Ruby Heroes, Include/Extend, Ruby on Netbeans, Jekyll-Bootstrap, and more

  Peter Cooper

  20 Jan 2012 | 8:32 am

  Welcome to this week's Web-based syndication of Ruby Weekly, my Ruby e-mail newsletter. Headlines Vote for your 'Ruby Hero' in the Ruby Hero Awards The Ruby Heroes awards run each year and present 6 community nominated 'heroes' with an award at RailsConf. Nominations are now open so go and drop your nomination for the Rubyist whose code has brightened up your life the most in the past year. Heroku Receives InfoWorld's Technology of the Year Award Sorry it's just a press release but it's great to see a company that came up from the Ruby world continue to do well. Congrats to the Heroku team.

• The Last Week in Ruby: RSpec 2.8, Redcar 0.12, Torquebox 2.0 beta, articles and more

  Peter Cooper

  16 Jan 2012 | 3:36 am

  Welcome to this week's Web-based syndication of Ruby Weekly, the Ruby e-mail newsletter. While I have you, be sure to follow @RubyInside on Twitter as I'm going to be posting news more frequently there than on the Web site in future. Follow @RubyInside Also, if you're interested in getting one interesting programming related quote or link each day on Twitter, check out @codewisdom. Follow @CodeWisdom Headlines RSpec 2.8: The Popular Ruby BDD Tool Goes Supersonic RSpec 2.8 and rspec-rails 2.8.1 have been released and some users have been reporting significant performance improvements. Other…

• RSpec 2.8: The Popular Ruby BDD Tool Goes Supersonic

  Peter Cooper

  7 Jan 2012 | 5:53 am

  RSpec 2.8 has been released, along with rspec-rails 2.8.1 for the full Rails 3.x integration experience. RSpec is a BDD-focused testing tool that's particularly popular in the Rails world where everyone except DHH is using it (if you believe the hoopla). RSpec has faced accusations of being less than speedy in the past, but it seems 2.8 has had a performance firework shoved up its tailpipe: David Chelimsky, the creator of RSpec, also notes that in RSpec 2.8: the documentation has been significantly improved there's improved support for tags and filtering random example running order support…

• The Past 2 Weeks in the World of Ruby: 40 Links to Bring You Up to Speed (January 2012)

  Peter Cooper

  6 Jan 2012 | 7:03 am

  Ruby Weekly has just tipped over 10,000 subscribers but I know not everyone is into getting their news via e-mail, so here's the latest frequent roundup of the latest Ruby and Rails news for you, all on the Web :-) Key News, Releases, and Headlines Hungry Academy Application Process Closes This Weekend LivingSocial's 'Hungry Academy' will provide a paid, on-site 5 month Ruby and Rails learning experience and mentorship program to a small group of lucky applicants. Interested? You've only got a few days left to apply. DOS Attack Vulnerability Found in Ruby 1.8's Hash Algorithm Ruby 1.8.7-p352…

• 

  Latest Adobe News

• Social Networking Sites: New Virus Threats

  TechSling

  9 Feb 2012 | 10:35 am

  Social media marketing has meant a lot more people are spending a lot more time, sharing a whole lot more information than they once did. Social media websites, like any... Read more » This is a content summary only. Click on the above title or visit techsling.com for the complete article and much more!

• O'Reilly ebooks now optimized for Kindle Fire

  O'Reilly Radar

  9 Feb 2012 | 10:35 am

  If your O'Reilly ebook bundle includes a Mobi file, you can now download a KF8-compliant file. These updated files take advantage of the Kindle Fire's functionality.

• The Next Photoshop Evangelist Could Be…YOU!

  Photoshop.com

  9 Feb 2012 | 10:35 am

  We’re on the hunt once again for the Next Photoshop Evangelist. The last winner was Gavin Hoey, who flew from his home in the UK to hang with the product team at Photoshop Orlando and showcase his favorite features in Photoshop at our booth. Gavin’s enthusiasm and energy were definitely characteristics of a great evangelist, who passionately [...]

• Speaking at the LA PhoneGap Meetup on Wednesday, February 15th

  DigitalBackcountry

  9 Feb 2012 | 10:29 am

  I’m doing a presentation in conjunction with HTC at the LA PhoneGap meetup on Wednesday, February 15th, so if you’re in the area, come by. I’m going t be covering Debugging and Deploying with PhoneGap which includes talking about using … Continue reading →

• Bhavnani Squeezes Out Lil Angels Short

  Cold, Hard Flash

  9 Feb 2012 | 10:21 am

  Rajesh Bhavnani, who we featured here back in 2010, has released a new Flash-animated short titled Lil Angels. We’re introduced to a group of mostly pre-pubescent school girls, who realize that one of their classmates is evolving. [NSFW - sexual stuff, but not too crazy]

• 

  Google Code Blog

• Google Summer of Code 2012 is on!

  Scott Knaster

  4 Feb 2012 | 12:08 pm

  By Carol Smith, Open Source Team Cross-posted with the Google Open Source Blog Today at FOSDEM I was proud to announce Google Summer of Code 2012. This will be the 8th year for Google Summer of Code, an innovative program dedicated to introducing students from colleges and universities around the world to open source software development. The program offers student developers stipends to write code for various open source projects with the help of mentoring organizations from all around the globe. Over the past seven years Google Summer of Code has had 6,000 students from over 90 countries…

• Fridaygram: science education, simulating galaxies, spider webs

  Scott Knaster

  3 Feb 2012 | 12:11 pm

  By Scott Knaster, Google Code Blog Editor Most software developers started getting interested in technology at an early age. With that in mind, Google Roots in Science and Engineering (RISE) is a program that annually awards grants to groups that come up with great new ways to teach students in Computer Science (CS) and science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). This year’s awards were just announced. The winners included a program that helps primary school students in Dublin, girls in the San Francisco Bay Area, and kids in Uganda who want to learn about technology. Scientists love…

• Angry Birds Chrome now uses the Web Audio API

  Scott Knaster

  31 Jan 2012 | 2:16 pm

  By Fred Sauer, Developer Advocate Cross-posted with the Google Web Toolkit Blog Last week Angry Birds for Chrome was updated to use the Web Audio API for all its in-game audio for Chrome users, which means Chrome users get the full Angry Birds experience, without any plugins. The Web Audio API supports a wide variety of use cases, including the high fidelity and low latency requirements of games. Users of other supported browsers will still get sound via Flash or HTML5 audio. How does this cross-browser audio magic work? As you may have seen or heard, Angry Birds was in no small part made…

• Translating JavaScript to Dart

  Scott Knaster

  30 Jan 2012 | 12:00 pm

  Marcin Aaron By Aaron Wheeler, Senior User Experience Prototyper, and Marcin Wichary, Senior User Experience Designer Cross-posted with the Chromium Blog It took approximately 2000 years for the original Rosetta Stone to be discovered, which helped translate the Egyptian Hieroglyphs. We couldn’t wait that long to bridge the Dart and JavaScript worlds, so today we are releasing the JavaScript to Dart Synonym app. Like most web developers, we are familiar, comfortable, and productive with JavaScript. We were curious about Dart, and thanks to a recent Dart hackathon, we had the chance to play…

• g|saudi arabia 2.0 is back

  Scott Knaster

  29 Jan 2012 | 10:31 am

  By Rania Hadi, MENA Outreach Manager View this post in Arabic Building on a year packed with g|days throughout the Middle East and North Africa, today we are announcing Google MENA’s first 2012 event to kick off the new year. On March 24-25, Google, in collaboration with Badir Technology Incubator, will be hosting our second event in the Kingdom: g|saudi arabia 2.0. We’re coming to Jeddah with a host of fresh sessions on all things technology and business. Google engineers, product managers, and business leaders will be there to not only deliver trainings but will be available for any…

• 

  The Programmer's Paradox

• The First Principle of Software

  Paul W. Homer

  27 Jan 2012 | 3:03 pm

  The very worst thing that any computer can do is lie to you. You have to be able to trust it when it says it will accomplish some work on your behalf. If it tells you one thing, then goes off and does something completely different -- causing a huge mess -- you have the right to be mad. If it shows you deliberately incorrect or misnamed data then you should be pissed. Except during hardware

• An Informal Ramble

  Paul W. Homer

  22 Dec 2011 | 1:41 pm

  [ Author’s Note: I really don’t know what to say. It was just one of those days. If you don’t feel like reading a broad rambling on loosely connected ideas, please don’t read this! ]A good place to start -- as always -- is with a few definitions. For this particular discussion it works better if I create them loosely and use somewhat non-conventional meanings. I’ll try to explain why that

• The Engineering of Software

  Paul W. Homer

  19 Dec 2011 | 2:50 pm

  The last thing I ever wanted to be -- twenty-six years ago -- was an engineer. When I started university I had heard that 70% of all engineers hate their jobs and that they were often bored at work. Boredom sounded horrible. What I wanted, was to master the black art of coding. To follow in the foot steps of those early magicians I had seen in the computer magazines. The ones that crafted

• Getting to the Truth

  Paul W. Homer

  10 Dec 2011 | 5:02 pm

  One of the most enjoyable things about building software is that it requires the developers to dig around in other domains. If you’re writing financial software, you need to know how the industry works, understand the terminology, and all of the complex details underneath. If you build something for the printing industry, you need to grok their equipment and business models. Everything you

• Problems and Solutions

  Paul W. Homer

  30 Nov 2011 | 10:51 am

  The world is littered with a growing number of problems. Some of these problems are solvable by using a computer, some not. To solve a problem with a computer all it takes is to design and construct a software solution, then get people to use it. Easy?Solving a problem with software is not nearly as simple as it looks. Many more solutions fail then succeed. The stats are ugly: 66% of all

• 

  The Official Google Blog

• Going gothic with bestselling author Anne Rice

  A Googler

  8 Feb 2012 | 9:00 am

  Bestselling Southern American author Anne Rice is coming to Google headquarters to discuss her latest book, The Wolf Gift, on Friday, February 24 at 10am PT. One of the most popular authors of contemporary fiction, Rice has bewitched readers with her vampire chronicles, tales of the Mayfair Witches and other metaphysical gothic fiction for more than thirty years. Submit your question online between now and Feb 23 at midnight PT, and it could be asked during the Interview with the Vampire—we mean, the interview with Anne Rice. To watch the live broadcast, tune in to the Authors@Google…

• Introducing Chrome for Android

  A Googler

  7 Feb 2012 | 9:40 am

  In 2008, we launched Google Chrome to help make the web better. We’re excited that millions of people around the world use Chrome as their primary browser and we want to keep improving that experience. Today, we're introducing Chrome for Android Beta, which brings many of the things you’ve come to love about Chrome to your Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich phone or tablet. Like the desktop version, Chrome for Android Beta is focused on speed and simplicity, but it also features seamless sign-in and sync so you can take your personalized web browsing experience with you wherever you go,…

• What’s your X? Amplifying technology moonshots

  A Googler

  6 Feb 2012 | 6:10 pm

  Last week, we ran an experiment. We hosted a gathering, called “Solve for X,” for experienced entrepreneurs, innovators and scientists from around the world. The event focused on proposing and discussing technological solutions to some of the world’s greatest problems. Discussions began last week with this small event, and now we invite others to join the conversation on our website and our Google +page. The Solve for X gathering, which we co-hosted with Eric Schmidt, is a place to celebrate a concept we champion internally and that we believe will inspire many others: technology…

• Supporting U.S. student veterans with a new scholarship

  A Googler

  6 Feb 2012 | 3:03 pm

  The newest addition to the Google scholarships family is the Google Student Veterans of America (SVA) Scholarship. We’re partnering with the nonprofit Student Veterans of America (SVA) to support their mission of providing veterans with the resources, support and advocacy they need to succeed in higher education and throughout their careers. The Google SVA Scholarship is available to student veterans who are pursuing degrees in computer science and related fields in the U.S. for the 2012-2013 academic year. In addition to the financial award, recipients will be invited to attend the annual…

• Super Bowl XLVI: Mobile, Manning and Madonna

  A Googler

  6 Feb 2012 | 6:35 am

  Now that the final Super Bowl touchdown has been scored, the dip bowl wiped clean and the last of the chicken wings devoured, we’re taking a look at some game-day search trends to see what football fans were searching for this year. As the Giants and Patriots battled it out on the field yesterday, U.S. viewers multi-tasked, watching the game on television and also going online more than ever before, turning to their smartphones and tablets to look up players, halftime show performers and their favorite Super Bowl commercials. In fact, around 41% of searches related to [Super Bowl ads] that…

• 

  Facebook Blog

• Introducing New Apps for Timeline

  Carl Sjogreen

  18 Jan 2012 | 5:26 pm

  New timeline apps are now available from Foodspotting, Foodily, Ticketmaster, Pinterest, Rotten Tomatoes, Pose, Kobo, Gogobot, TripAdvisor, and others.  You can now enhance your timeline with apps that help you tell your story, whether you love to cook, eat, travel, run, or review movies.Apps bring your timeline to lifeOnce you've added an app, you can begin updating your timeline with your activities as they happen. For example, if you love design, shopping or fashion, you can add the Pinterest or Pose apps to make your favorite items part of your timeline.If you love to cook, you can add…

• Listen to Music With Your Friends

  Alexandre Roche

  12 Jan 2012 | 10:00 am

  Music is one of the most powerful and fun ways to connect. Whether it's at a concert with a bunch of people or on a long car ride with your best buddy, we love listening to music with our friends. But what if you could listen to music with your friends when you're alone, like at work, at home or on the go?Today, with music services on Facebook, there's a new way to listen with friends. This feature lets you listen along with any of your friends who are currently listening to music. You can also listen together in a group while one of your friends plays DJ.  You can listen to the same song,…

• Timeline: Now Available on Mobile

  Mick Johnson

  15 Dec 2011 | 10:00 am

  UPDATE on Sunday, December 18th 2011: We're excited to announce that timeline is now available on Facebook for iOS version 4.1, for iPhone and iPod Touch devices.Originally Published on Thursday, December 15, 2011: Timeline gives you an easy way to see the things you've shared, and collect all your best moments in a single place. In addition to making timeline available on the web, today we're also launching timeline on Android and m.facebook.com.Mobile timeline starts with your unique cover photo. As you scroll down, you'll see your posts, photos and life events as they happened, back to the…

• Timeline: Now Available Worldwide

  Paul McDonald

  15 Dec 2011 | 4:30 am

  UPDATE on Tuesday, January 24th, 2012: Last year we introduced timeline, a new kind of profile that lets you highlight the photos, posts and life events that help you tell your story. Over the next few weeks, everyone will get timeline. When you get timeline, you'll have 7 days to preview what's there now. This gives you a chance to add or hide whatever you want before anyone else sees it. You can learn more about these new features by taking the quick tour available at the top of your timeline. If you want to get timeline now, go to the Introducing Timeline page and click "Get…

• A Faster Facebook for Android

  Keith Peiris

  7 Dec 2011 | 11:30 am

  Today we're launching an updated Facebook app for Android. It's now quicker and easier to view photos, get messages and navigate around the app.Photos get betterPhotos and albums are up to two times faster than the previous Android app. It's also easier to share photos, view comments and edit captions on the go.View photos with tags, comments and likes Messages on top Your messages and notifications are now at the top of your screen. You can respond to friends and stay updated without leaving the page you're on.Get notifications and messages at the top of every screenMenu on the side You can…

• 

  Twitter Blog

• Post-Bowl Twitter analysis

  twitter

  6 Feb 2012 | 1:06 pm

  The results are in: People love to share the experience of watching the Super Bowl with millions of other viewers from around the world. Whether it’s cheering for your team, commenting on the halftime show or discussing the ads, it seems you have a lot to say about this annual tradition—and you’re using Twitter to say it.Here’s a fun fact: in 2008, Twitter’s largest spike in Tweets per second (TPS) during the Super Bowl was just 27. Three years later, fans sent 4,064 TPS, which was the highest TPS for any sporting event at that time.This year, the TPS peak was 12,233 Tweets. The…

• Roar of the crowd: Super Bowl on Twitter

  twitter

  2 Feb 2012 | 11:34 am

  From @TimTebow leading the Denver Broncos to a shocking overtime win (and a new record for sports-related Tweets per second: 9,420) to San Diego Chargers receiver @ericweddle1’s sideline Tweets from the Pro Bowl—we watched all of the NFL post-season’s most memorable moments come alive on Twitter.And while the @Giants and @Patriots’ rematch and halftime show play out on TV, the national conversation is happening well beyond your den: it also happens on Twitter. Follow your favorite NFL players, coaches and commentators during the game, or just search for #SuperBowl to see how everyone…

• Tweets still must flow

  twitter

  26 Jan 2012 | 11:25 am

  See below for an update.One year ago, we posted "The Tweets Must Flow," in which we said,“The open exchange of information can have a positive global impact … almost every country in the world agrees that freedom of expression is a human right. Many countries also agree that freedom of expression carries with it responsibilities and has limits.”As we continue to grow internationally, we will enter countries that have different ideas about the contours of freedom of expression. Some differ so much from our ideas that we will not be able to exist there. Others are similar but, for…

• Hack Week @ Twitter

  twittereng

  25 Jan 2012 | 12:20 pm

  Hack Week is one of the ways we actively promote innovation through experimentation around the company. This week, a wide range of folks here are taking time away from their day-to-day work to collaborate and develop ideas that they are passionate about. Get comfortable with uncertainty; it leaves room for inspiration. #hackweek— benji shine (@bshine) January 24, 2012Employees across the company have formed nearly 100 teams to work on a variety of projects. Some are developing ways that could make Twitter even easier to use; others are testing out a new feature or tool that people might…

• Twitter Translation Center adds Right-to-Left Languages

  twitter

  25 Jan 2012 | 7:00 am

  Beginning today, right-to-left languages are now available for volunteers to translate in the Twitter Translation Center, starting with Arabic, Farsi, Hebrew and Urdu. The Twitter Translation Center takes a crowd-sourced approach to translating and localizing Twitter for people around the world. More than 425,000 volunteers contribute to the Translation Center, and to date have helped make Twitter available in 22 languages. With their help, these will be the next four.As we prepare to add Arabic, Farsi, Hebrew and Urdu to Twitter, we’ve developed new ways to ensure that Tweets and hashtags…

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  Techwatch: Tech News

• Xbox 720: The pre-owned games debate

  Darren Allan

  9 Feb 2012 | 2:20 am

  We’ve heard plenty about the next Xbox, which many are calling the Xbox 720 for the time being. The console, which should be out in the autumn of 2013, is alleged to have six times the graphical firepower of the … Continue reading →

• PC sales down 20% in the UK

  Darren Allan

  9 Feb 2012 | 1:10 am

  The UK market for PCs is looking decidedly rocky according to the latest figures from Gartner. The research firm, which doesn’t include media tablets in its PC stats as do some rivals, estimated a year-on-year decline of 19.6% in overall … Continue reading →

• Chrome for Android: The reaction

  Adam Smith

  9 Feb 2012 | 12:36 am

  You’re unlikely to have missed the fact that this week, Google has pushed out a beta of the Chrome for Android browser. This means that Android tablet and smartphone users can be officially Chromed up for surfing the mobile web, … Continue reading →

• Apple TV to snare 5% of HDTV market?

  Adam Smith

  8 Feb 2012 | 3:14 am

  At the end of last year, we heard a lot of rumours about Apple’s supposedly upcoming TV set offering (the iTV, as it has been referred to in the past). Speculation indicated that the HDTV will come in three sizes, … Continue reading →

• Samsung Galaxy S III: Thinnest phone yet?

  Darren Allan

  8 Feb 2012 | 12:50 am

  There’s been another rush of rumours about Samsung’s next-generation Galaxy S. One piece of speculation, derived from OLED-Display.net, claims that the handset will be the thinnest phone ever at just 7mm thick. Apparently the firm has managed to find a … Continue reading →

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  The Big Blog

• Skype for Symbian supporting the Symbian Belle OS

  Mark Douglas

  3 Feb 2012 | 7:25 am

  Skype is pleased to announce that Skype for Symbian now supports Nokia's Symbian Belle OS. Symbian Belle was announced by Nokia in August 2011 and offers a significantly enhanced user experience on the Nokia 603, Nokia 700 and Nokia 701. A new user interface, virtual QWERTY keypad in portrait mode, split-screen messaging, enhanced Nokia Maps, better web browsing and stronger security are just a few of the improvements that people will be able to enjoy. Skype for Symbian is available for download from the Nokia Ovi store, alternatively, you can visit Skype for Symbian on Skype.com.

• Share your photos and presentations with friends and colleagues with Group Screen Sharing

  Jonathan Watson

  2 Feb 2012 | 7:11 am

  We're releasing an updated version of Skype for Windows (version 5.8) today with a few improvements we want to tell you about. Download the latest version of Skype for Windows and start Group Screen Sharing. Share photos with a group of friends and family or share your screen to display a presentation with up to 10 people. Group Screen Sharing is available with Skype Premium, which also includes Group video calling and live chat customer support. Skype for Windows users can stay better connected with the ability to check their Facebook Newsfeeds, instant messages and video call their Facebook…

• Get even more from Skype ... with #SkypeTips

  Jennifer Caukin

  17 Jan 2012 | 2:09 pm

  At Skype, we're all about sharing and making it easy for you to connect with your friends and family using free Skype video calls. We want to make Skype even easier to use, so we've set up a Twitter hashtag - #SkypeTips - so you can follow and see some of our top tips for video calls, international calling, instant messaging, and more. Just follow us on Twitter at @Skype, or if you have a help request to troubleshoot specific account issues, you can send a message over Twitter to @SkypeSupport. Here's a sampling of some of our Skype tips: - Taking off to another country? Use a flag emoticon…

• Congrats to the Best of CES!

  Jodi Mau

  12 Jan 2012 | 9:40 pm

  CES is winding down and thousands of people are leaving Las Vegas with the hottest new technologies top of mind. Hundreds of new tech products were announced this week, we wanted to give a big congratulations to the Sony and Qik teams for launching a stand-out product, the Sony Bloggie Live™ HD camera with embedded Qik™ video from Skype. In fact, we're very excited to share with you that the Sony Bloggie Live™ HD camera was awarded a Best of CES 2012 Award from Laptop Magazine and joins the ranks of other innovative technologies such as the Mercedes Dynamic and Intuitive Control…

• International Skype-to-Skype calling continues to accelerate in 2011

  Jennifer Caukin

  9 Jan 2012 | 7:16 pm

  New estimates from telecom market research firm TeleGeography show that while international PSTN call traffic growth is slowing, increasing only 4% in 2011, international conversations by Skype users continued to accelerate. International Skype-to-Skype call minutes increased 48% last year to approximately 145 billion minutes - an increase of 47 billion minutes in 2011 alone. International Skype-to-Skype call volumes are now equivalent to just over 33% of the 438 billion minutes of international PSTN call traffic seen in 2011.* Similarly, Skype-to-Skype calls comprised nearly 25% of 2011's…

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  The Official Smarthome Blog - All Things Home Automation » New Products

• iDVM is the World’s First Wireless DMM for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad

  ccanta

  9 Feb 2012 | 8:00 am

  The Redfish Instruments iDVM Digital MultiMeter (DMM) makes measuring and utilizing voltage, current, and resistance data much, much easier than any other product on the market. With its unique, advanced features, the iDVM will facilitate your work, save you time, and increase your productivity. The iDVM is the only DMM on the market that works with Apple’s iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad products. Our unique voltmeter measures voltage, current, and resistance. The iDVM wirelessly links to the Apple devices to allow the use of the tremendous Apple interface as an interface to the…

• Attractive and Energy Efficient Alternative to Bulky USB Adapters

  jaolvera

  8 Feb 2012 | 5:00 pm

  The CurrentWerks USB Outlet Duo 2 features two powerful in-wall USB charging ports delivering 16 Watts of output power from a standard 110V wall outlet. The Duo’s advanced power management design gives the consumer a total of four charging solutions, two USB charging ports and two standard US/CAN sockets from a single wall outlet. This makes the Duo the second most powerful in-wall charging solution available in the market today, surpassed only by the CurrentWerks Quattro. No more carrying around bulky USB adapters or powering up a computer to charge cell phones, music players, PDAs, or…

• Get Your kids the paperless alternative to notepads, sticky notes and memo pads

  jaolvera

  8 Feb 2012 | 3:00 pm

  Join the Green movement by lowering dependence on paper with the Boogie Board 8.5 LCD Writing Tablet from Improv Electronics. Using just one of these tablets can save as much as 50,000 pieces of paper because it cuts out the need for sticky notes, memo pads, scrap paper, etc. Think about all the grocery lists thrown in the trash after being used and the to-do lists with a few chores on them that are crumpled up and thrown out afterwards. With this LCD Writing Tablet write out a grocery list and afterwards simply erase it from the board with the push of a button so it can be used for another…

• 4 Port Switch is the Perfect Solution for High- End Home Theater Setups

  jaolvera

  8 Feb 2012 | 11:00 am

  This high performance HDMI switcher by Hall Research is capable of switching and boosting 4 independent HDMI audio/video sources to one output. Since HDMI digital signals have cable distance limitations, this switcher is equipped with a signal booster and equalizes the inputs for losses in the cable up to 65 feet. This HDMI switch is 3D HDMI ready, can support HDMI 1.3, HDCP 1.1, and DVI 1.0 and 30/36 bit color depth. This unit is equipped with front panel LED indicators for status monitoring. You are able to change which input you would like to use by either pushing the selection button on…

• Solar Powered Spot Light Designed to Look Like a Real Rock

  jaolvera

  8 Feb 2012 | 8:00 am

  Tricod Inc’s rock-themed Solar Stone Spot Light seamlessly integrates into a yard to blend into its surroundings by day and then provide light where ever needed come nightfall. Designed to look like a common stone, this spot light will be unnoticeable while not in use and give the appearance of just another rock. The Stone Spot Light can be easily moved and used where desired because it is wire-free with the only catch being that it needs to be left in the sun during the day so that it can charge. When fully charged it will provide as much as 10 hours of lighting time. A photocell…

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  The Official Smarthome Blog - All Things Home Automation

• Complete and Comprehensive System to Train Three Dogs Simultaneously

  jaolvera

  9 Feb 2012 | 11:00 am

  Training your canine friends can take a little time and this system lets you train three dogs simultaneously! The system comes with three collars with sets of both long hair and short hair probes for use with just about any breed of dog. The collars are waterproof so you can continue training in all weather conditions. Each of the collars is controlled with a single handheld transmitter that will work up to 1/3 of a mile away. This training system is designed to teach a multitude of behaviors using proprietary Pavlov concepts. The collars can present three different positive tones to…

• iDVM is the World’s First Wireless DMM for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad

  ccanta

  9 Feb 2012 | 8:00 am

  The Redfish Instruments iDVM Digital MultiMeter (DMM) makes measuring and utilizing voltage, current, and resistance data much, much easier than any other product on the market. With its unique, advanced features, the iDVM will facilitate your work, save you time, and increase your productivity. The iDVM is the only DMM on the market that works with Apple’s iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad products. Our unique voltmeter measures voltage, current, and resistance. The iDVM wirelessly links to the Apple devices to allow the use of the tremendous Apple interface as an interface to the…

• Power Up to 12 Plug-In Devices from a Single Outlet

  jaolvera

  9 Feb 2012 | 5:00 am

  Allows for 12 Grounded Outlets Right Angle Grounded Plug On / Off Switch with 15Amp Breaker Excellent for Rack and Cabinet use Heavy Duty Metal Housing Use one outlet to power up to 12 devices at once with the AVB Cable 12 Outlet Power Stip. This heavy-duty metal power strip features 12 wide-spaced transformer outlets. Its 14-gauge, 3-prong power cord has a right angle grounded plug designed for tight spaces, making it ideal for any workspace. A lighted on/off switch with a 15Amp breaker allows you to cut off all power to the outlets without unplugging. Easily mount the power strip to a wall…

• Attractive and Energy Efficient Alternative to Bulky USB Adapters

  jaolvera

  8 Feb 2012 | 5:00 pm

  The CurrentWerks USB Outlet Duo 2 features two powerful in-wall USB charging ports delivering 16 Watts of output power from a standard 110V wall outlet. The Duo’s advanced power management design gives the consumer a total of four charging solutions, two USB charging ports and two standard US/CAN sockets from a single wall outlet. This makes the Duo the second most powerful in-wall charging solution available in the market today, surpassed only by the CurrentWerks Quattro. No more carrying around bulky USB adapters or powering up a computer to charge cell phones, music players, PDAs, or…

• Get Your kids the paperless alternative to notepads, sticky notes and memo pads

  jaolvera

  8 Feb 2012 | 3:00 pm

  Join the Green movement by lowering dependence on paper with the Boogie Board 8.5 LCD Writing Tablet from Improv Electronics. Using just one of these tablets can save as much as 50,000 pieces of paper because it cuts out the need for sticky notes, memo pads, scrap paper, etc. Think about all the grocery lists thrown in the trash after being used and the to-do lists with a few chores on them that are crumpled up and thrown out afterwards. With this LCD Writing Tablet write out a grocery list and afterwards simply erase it from the board with the push of a button so it can be used for another…

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  Electronic House Recently Filed

• 10 Sweet Valentine’s Day Gifts for Geeks

  info@audioholics.com

  9 Feb 2012 | 10:25 am

  Here are 10 great gifts for the tech geek in your life.

• Review: Netgear Powerline Internet Adaptor for AV

  info@audioholics.com

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:47 am

  Audioholics checks out the latest Netgear product for connecting all your streaming media components to the Internet.

• Leviton’s Universal Dimmers work with LEDs, CFLs, Incandescents

  info@audioholics.com

  9 Feb 2012 | 6:23 am

  What do you need to dim new LED and CFL lamps?

• App Alert: Twonky Beam Browser Video Streaming

  info@audioholics.com

  8 Feb 2012 | 1:36 pm

  The Twonky Beam Browser allows users to browse web video and beam selections straight to the TV.

• Top 10 Valentine Movies On Blu-ray

  info@audioholics.com

  8 Feb 2012 | 12:34 pm

  Just in time for Valentines Day, pop in one of these favorites for a sweet at-home date night.

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  Webanalyticsbook - Web Analytics

• 5 Benefits of Integrating All Your Enterprise Data

  admin

  9 Feb 2012 | 7:00 am

  Enterprise data integration is incredibly beneficial and it presents many advantages, but few enterprises ever do it the right way. According to many studies, only about 10% of all enterprises have ever performed data integration, or actively support that integration. This is mostly because data integration takes a lot of time and money, and the short-term benefits are not quite as great as the long-term ones.However, once the integration is complete, this can help enterprises better survey data and decrease costs by need less people and making it easier for workers to go through the…

• Social Graph Gaming

  admin

  6 Feb 2012 | 2:59 pm

  I usually don’t post about SEO anymore, but if I hear all this paid, owned, earned social stuff out there I just feel like I have to defend SEO and especially the value of links a bit. SEO is currently and will be in the near future the online marketing techniques that drives the highest ROI (if done properly). Social engagement or whatever you want to call it is still in the early days and until Facebook, Google Plus and Co. are gamed like below…I just don’t see a chance that the simplicity of the “link system” will be taken over by a social graph. Nowadays it…

• Google Offers Paid Inclusion- Good To Know

  admin

  1 Feb 2012 | 1:05 pm

  A few years ago I was really impressed by everything Google did and it remained like that for years. However,  recently I really have to wonder were their ethics went. It’s been reported all over the web that the Google+ integration is “a bit” too much and the Google privacy rules might turn into a Spy world. I guess it sucks, but they will probably get away with it. Today I noticed another fun little feature, that should make the Groupons of this world a bit upset: Google started pushing the Google Offers product into the SERPS (top right above all Adwords). The banner and…

• Project Management Software For Streamlining Development

  admin

  19 Jan 2012 | 7:11 am

  When it comes to project management usually users have strong opinions.  Not only the big shops like SAP got a fair share of criticism, but also small companies such as Basecamp usually get tossed after a while since user adaption just goes to hell. The project management field is one of the hardest things to pack into software sind needs are different and can be quite complex while users are used to very simple UIs. A new approach apparently  was launched by  the company 6 Wunderkinder: Wunderkit, a software that tries to be Google Wave on steroids. A project management software that not…

• Social Link Building Strategies

  admin

  5 Jan 2012 | 7:25 pm

  Since people like, share, tweet more than they traditionally link, the influence of social mentions in SEO is currently a hot industry topic. Some SEO experts consider them essential for improving rankings. Other professionals give them a very low influence value . And several SEOs could care less about them one way or the other. Then there’s Google and Bing. The two search engines are desperate to understand social metrics in order to improve their algorithms, so much so that they are trying to coax Facebook and Twitter into sharing more data. This should be a signal to those in SEO that a…

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  Techipedia | Tamar Weinberg

• How to Select an Interactive Marketing Agency

  Guest Author

  31 Jan 2012 | 5:42 am

  This is a guest post by Brad Shorr. Check out his earlier posts on How to Hire Your Social Media Marketing Partner and How to Hire Your SEO Partner. It’s very difficult for small and mid-size firms to select the right interactive marketing agency — as evidenced by how often agencies get fired, and how frequently client-agency relationships subsist at a low level of productivity and mutual satisfaction. The best way to prevent agency angst is to select the right agency to begin with. Here are 25 selection criteria to help you do this. I’ve listed the most important ones first,…

• 5 Things I’ve Learned from Running BizSugar

  Guest Author

  24 Jan 2012 | 5:03 am

  This is a guest post by Anita Campbell. When my company, Small Business Trends, LLC, first purchased BizSugar in the summer of 2009, the best way I could describe it was as a miniature version of Digg, except that BizSugar focused soley on sharing information geared toward small and mid-sized businesses. This is still true. But as BizSugar has grown over the last couple of years, it’s also become a small business networking site where business owners can discuss issues, get and give advice, and gain insight into the ins and outs of running a small business. As the site has changed and…

• Attack of the Consumer! The Many Ways Consumers Can Put You Out of Business Online

  Guest Author

  17 Jan 2012 | 6:04 am

  This is a guest post by David Rodnitzky. Having the best prices and largest selection of products means nothing on the Internet if you don’t back it up with incredible customer service. Treat customers badly and you will be out of business – period! Bad customer service will get you banned from major advertising networks, skewered in organic results, and ridiculed on social networks. Here are the top ways consumers can crush your business online. Advertising Bans If consumers complain about your business, your money won’t be green enough to buy advertising online. Both eBay and Amazon…

• How to Hire Your Social Media Marketing Partner

  Guest Author

  11 Jan 2012 | 5:51 am

  This is a guest post by Brad Shorr. Want more? See How to Hire Your SEO Partner from November. After taking the social media plunge, companies quickly discover that it is vastly more complicated and time-consuming than they thought.  The normal response is, HELP! But companies must avoid a panicky response, because hiring a social media marketing (SMM) partner requires careful study. As I’ll run down in a minute, SMM involves a wide range of activities that require totally different skills. So, First, we’ll take a look at what the activities are, to help clarify the type of support you…

• Best Internet Marketing Posts of 2011

  Tamar Weinberg

  5 Jan 2012 | 5:19 am

  It’s my birthday and I have some great news! In January of 2011, I said that I’d make our Internet Marketing Posts of 2011 subscriber only. And I did. Many loyal readers have checked in on the newsletter throughout 2011 to get both evergreen content, the content that typically embraces these monthly updates, in addition to something completely new, monthly digital trends – the stuff you use for presentations and proposals, for arguing that social media and online marketing does have a firm place in today’s landscape. The newsletter, which was sent within the first…

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  Web Strategy by Jeremiah Owyang | Social Media, Web Marketing

• Google+ Has a Perception Problem

  jeremiah_owyang

  9 Feb 2012 | 5:36 am

  Remember that smart kid who sat in the front of the class, but was ignored by the cool kids? That’s a good metaphor for what Google+ is going through. I’ve heard from corporate social strategists I should be cautious about how much time and how frequently I discuss this nascent social newtork, and I spoke to media from a Tier 1 this week who said “does anyone even go there anymore? It seems like a wasteland”. Furthermore take this damning image which has been viewed 11k times suggests Google+ is filled with Google employees –and that’s about it. In fact, in our data on Super bowl…

• Altimeter Webinar Recording: State of Social Media Management Industry

  jeremiah_owyang

  8 Feb 2012 | 10:08 am

  This week, Altimeter (myself and Andrew Jones, researcher) hosted a webinar stemming from the the recent report on Social Media Proliferation, which you can download the full report on this blog post. In the embedded slides and video below, you’ll be able to get additional insights on how we perceive how this market will change in the coming years: We’ll see a vendor shakeout, although expect pure play vendors of each of the five uses cases to remain Consolidation will occur from market forces of email marketing, web analytics, CMS, marketing automation, brand monitoring, support…

• Hey Retailers! Refine That Mobile Marketing Strategy (Altimeter Report)

  jeremiah_owyang

  7 Feb 2012 | 10:01 am

  This latest Altimeter Report, by my colleague Industry Analyst Chris Silva, focuses on how companies must develop a mobile marketing strategy. It sources research from 26 ecosystem contributors including brands, agencies, and technology providers. To learn more about this report, please register for the webinar in which Chris will provide deeper knowledge from the report. This report is powerful in a few ways, it indicates the growth the in space, referencing that 45% of all mobile phone users are carrying a smart phone, and the growth rate for tablets is 23% annually. The report also…

• Five Trends: How Brands Integrated Social, Mobile, and Web into 2012 Super Bowl Advertisements

  jeremiah_owyang

  6 Feb 2012 | 8:39 am

  By Altimeter’s Jeremiah Owyang, Brian Solis, and Zak Kirchner Findings: Five Trends Indicate Cross Channel Integration a Mainstay. Super Bowl ads, while only representing the nation’s largest consumer facing ads are a bellwether for advertising trends for the remainder of the year. To best understand these trends, Altimeter Group’s research team analyzed each Ad in real time, and conducted analysis to best understand the advertising trends for 2012.  Using Chicago as a middle ground, we reviewed all ads from kickoff till the game clock expired and found that trends out of 87…

• P&G Layoffs Signal Focus on Digital Industry

  jeremiah_owyang

  4 Feb 2012 | 10:49 am

  Last week was a tremendous change, giant marketer P&G announces 1600 layoffs as they reduce jobs in various roles, and instead shifting budget to digital marketing. The CEO, when pressed, indicates a strong focus on digital marketing, citing: “In the digital space, with things like Facebook and Google and others, we find that return on investment of the advertising when properly designed, when the big idea is there, can be much more efficient” -Bob McDonald, Chairman-CEO, P&G Yet this is a trend, as P&G had previously cut advertising spend on soap operas on traditional TV,…