Tuesday 21 August 2012

Mashable: Latest 29 News Updates - including “‘Seventeen’ Tests E-commerce With a Charitable Angle”

Mashable: Latest 29 News Updates - including “‘Seventeen’ Tests E-commerce With a Charitable Angle”


‘Seventeen’ Tests E-commerce With a Charitable Angle

Posted: 21 Aug 2012 04:28 AM PDT


Leading lifestyle magazines are continuing to experiment with online retail, exploring different technologies and incentive programs to transform their readers into shoppers. The latest of these comes from Seventeen magazine, which is hoping to motivate its readers to buy by appealing to their charitable instincts.

Widgets are now appearing on select pages of Seventeen.com, prompting users to "Shop Now" in support of Stomp Out Bullying, a not-for-profit anti-bullying program for kids and teens. Underneath this article about eco-friendly beauty products, for instance, is a carousel of related products readers are encouraged to purchase to benefit the non-profit.

Clicking on prod…
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More About: ecommerce, hearst, mulu, retail, seventeen


Solar Power Station Claims to Charge Your Phone at Outlet Speeds

Posted: 21 Aug 2012 03:07 AM PDT


A new tool uses the power of the sun to charge up your electronic devices.

The SunVolt Solar Power Station is a portable charging platform that will convert the sun's rays into an outlet-free charger for your phone, tablet or digital camera. On a clear day, the station can charge multiple devices as fast as if they were plugged into a wall, according its Kickstarter page.

In a promotional video, creator Don Cayelli recommends using the SunVolt on camping trips, at the beach or as an emergency power source.

A SunVolt Power Station Charging Kit includes one 10 or 15 watt monocrystalline solar panel, a custom carrying case, a power regulation cir…
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More About: mobile phones, solar power, trending


Samsung: Minuscule Galaxy Nexus Sales Didn’t Hurt Apple

Posted: 21 Aug 2012 02:31 AM PDT


The patent war between Apple and Samsung continues, with both sides explaining their position before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington on Monday.

Apple claims Samsung's Galaxy Nexus is a copy of the iPhone. "This was the top of the line, Cadillac phone they trotted out to compete with the iPhone," said Apple lawyer Mark Perry.

In response, Samsung claims Galaxy Nexus sales were so "minuscule," they couldn't possible hurt iPhone sales.

If Apple manages to prove that the Galaxy Nexus copied the iPhone's features and stole some of its market share, Samsung will experience a big setback. Google, which partnered with Samsung to create the device…
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More About: apple, samsung


Football v. Football: Which Sport Wins Social? [INFOGRAPHIC]

Posted: 21 Aug 2012 12:55 AM PDT


Americans love their football. Brits love their football, too. Thing is, they love different footballs. Americans love the football that involves a pigskin, gridiron and crushing body blows between 300-pound behemoths. Brits, and pretty much the rest of the world, love the football that's also known as futbol, futebol or -- in the States -- soccer.

But how do the respective footballs match up on social media? A comparison of the NFL and English Premier League yields some interesting results as both seasons begin to get under way. While the NFL's official league pages dominate their EPL counterparts on Facebook and Twitter, EPL clubs' global appeal appears to give them an big advantage wh…
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More About: Social Media, Sports, infographics, nfl, soccer, trending


The Avengers Gag Reel Surfaces on YouTube

Posted: 20 Aug 2012 11:59 PM PDT


A gag reel for blockbuster film The Avengers surfaced online Monday.

Based on a comic book, the movie follows a motley crew of superheroes that fights to defend the world from evil forces. While YouTube has disabled embedding for the video, you can watch it here.

The reel begins with a botched kissing scene between Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man and Gwyneth Paltrow's Pepper Potts. It includes various shots of the film's actors flubbing lines and posing in front of green screens. The reel also features Chris Evans' Captain America messing up a few stunts, including one where he crash lands after swinging from a tree. As an added bonus, Whedonites can delight in director Joss Whedon h…
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More About: films, gag reel, movie, the avengers, trending


‘The Startup’ Movie Looks For Funding on Kickstarter

Posted: 20 Aug 2012 10:28 PM PDT


In the lonely category of startup films, The Social Network has got new company.

Produced as an independent film by Traplight Media, the startup gives a fictional look inside the world of early-stage businesses. The dramedy, written by David Hockaday and directed by Jared Cohn, follows the development of a startup through the eyes of an engineer. For more on the film, check out the video above.

On their Kickstarter page, the creators say they aim to raise a minimum of $25,000 to fund the film; this amount would allow for a production of 30 to 45 minutes. To complete a feature-length film of 90 minutes, however, their "ideal budget" would be $95,…
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More About: engineers, films, kickstarter, movie, trending


The Most Popular Freelancer Apps for Work-Life Balance [INFOGRAPHIC]

Posted: 20 Aug 2012 09:45 PM PDT


There are 42 million freelancers in the U.S. alone. Although the beauty of being a part of this large group is that you can call your own shots -- from having a flexible schedule to picking the best workspace for your style -- juggling multiple projects at once is no easy task.

With so many tech tools and apps on the market that promise to get work-life balance in order, software and app recommendations company BestVendor polled 100 freelancers and put together an infographic of some of the most favored apps used by the group.

SEE ALSO: Inside the Mind of a Freelancer [INFOGRAPHIC]

It's no surprise that freelancers tend to rely on cloud-based apps, which allow flexibility in stori…
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More About: Dropbox, apps, gmail, hootsuite, trending


This Online Group Collaboration Hub Replaces Insecure Listservs

Posted: 20 Aug 2012 08:06 PM PDT


Name: Groopt

Quick Pitch: Groopt is an ad-free, group-collaboration platform that's big on boosting privacy and productivity.

Genius Idea: Notify sub-groups and individuals in your organization without spamming an entire listserv.

Rarely does an online tool built for students work well when adopted by nonprofits and companies of all sizes.

However, that's exactly how Groopt -- a free group-collaboration platform online -- came to be.

WebGreek, created for fraternities and sororities, ultimately changed how many Greek organizations communicated with chapter members. Leaders could effortlessly publish content to an online hub instead of ineffectively reaching 60+ busy s…
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More About: bizspark, lifestyle, productivity, work


You Can Control This Multicolored Light Bulb From Your Smartphone [VIDEO]

Posted: 20 Aug 2012 07:41 PM PDT


A new gadget will let you see your favorite room in a whole new light, literally. Called Bluetooth Bulb, the RGB bulb can replace any traditional light bulb, and can be controlled over Bluetooth via your smartphone.

Giving you more than just the power to turn your lights on and off using your phone, the accompanying app will also let you do things like set the brightness of the RGB bulb, put the light on a timer, and change the color of the bulb to set the mood.

"All you need is a phone and a Bluetooth Bulb, and you can enjoy the benefits of automation wherever you live and work," Bluetooth Bulb says on its website. "As a bonus, it protects the e…
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More About: App, bluetooth, home automation, smartphone, trending


Dog Shaming Tumblr Hilariously Embarrasses Fido for Bad Behavior

Posted: 20 Aug 2012 06:39 PM PDT


1. "I eat all the cat's food and then I fart in front of the fan and it smells AWFUL."




Image courtesy of dogshaming

Click here to view this gallery.


The next time Fido poops in your shoe, teach him a lesson by blasting out his defiant deeds across the Internet.

A Tumblr called Dogshaming asks dog owners to submit photographs of their pooches with signs explaining what they did to deserve a moment of public humiliation.

But beware, humans: Somewhere in a backyard doghouse, a plan for revenge is underway.

More About: Watercooler, dogs, trending, tumblr


Rosie O’Donnell Divulges Heart Attack on Facebook, Twitter

Posted: 20 Aug 2012 06:19 PM PDT


Comedic entertainer Rosie O'Donnell published a poem on her blog Monday, detailing her scare with a heart attack last Tuesday morning.

She shared the poem to Facebook and Twitter with a simple yet revealing three-word prompt: "my heart attack."

In the poem, O'Donnell writes she's "happy to be alive." She didn't call 911 after experiencing body pain. Instead, she took aspirin and on the following day visited a cardiologist, who sent her to a hospital to get her "99% blocked" left anterior descending artery remedied.

Fans quickly sent her messages of relief and encouragement when they saw her tweet and Facebook status.

"Know the symptoms, ladies. Listen to the voice inside --…
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More About: Entertainment


Inside the Battle for College Athletes’ Social Media Lives

Posted: 20 Aug 2012 05:48 PM PDT


Should universities be allowed to monitor the online behavior of student athletes through forced access to social media accounts or contracts with third-party tracking companies?

That question was thrust into the public eye again Monday after the Courier-Journal in Louisville reported on how two local universities with powerhouse sports programs keep an eye on players via Facebook, Twitter and other platforms.

The University of Kentucky and University of Louisville both track players through contracts with the social monitoring software service Centrix Social, which emails coaches whenever players produce tweets or posts that include words from a list of some 400 trigger terms. Word…
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More About: Facebook, Social Media, Sports, Twitter


Apple Apologizes to Employees For Scheduling Error

Posted: 20 Aug 2012 05:11 PM PDT


Apple is traditionally very calculated in making changes, whether those be to its products or within its business model. So it came as a surprise when reports of the company laying off employees emerged in recent weeks. This was later proven to be false.

The company made changes in its scheduling system and many employees' hours were cut. The majority of those affected were part-time employees. It is believed that because the hours were cut down so drastically that some thought layoffs would occur. Layoffs tend to occur when companies are losing business, but Apple continues to grow, so the new system came as a surprise to employees and patrons alike.

Apple implemented this new s…
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More About: apple, employment, layoffs


Who Should Be Kelly Ripa’s Permanent ‘Live!’ Co-Host? [POLL]

Posted: 20 Aug 2012 04:43 PM PDT


"On September 4, I'll be joined by my new co-host," a giddy Kelly Ripa revealed in a video posted on Live! With Kelly's Facebook page Monday.

The announcement will end an almost year-long search for a replacement to to fill Regis Philbin's vacancy.

Philbin retired in November -- after clocking 995,000 minutes in his 28 years as the morning show's leading man. Since then, Ripa has been hosting Live! with a rotating cast of celebrity fill-ins such as Saturday Night Live's Seth Meyers, singer Josh Groban, entertainer Nick Lachey and 56 others.

SEE ALSO: Best Regis Philbin Retirement Tweets

ABC producers' lips are sealed until Sept. 4, but they did release the above video te…
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More About: Entertainment, Facebook, TV, Video, abc, celebrities, social tv


Unlock Mashable’s GetGlue Sticker

Posted: 20 Aug 2012 04:11 PM PDT



Mashable's GetGlue sticker has launched, and you can unlock it right now. To grab our sticker, simply check in to the TV shows and movies we're most anticipating this fall.

The Mashable GetGlue sticker is unlocked by checking-in to these shows and movies: 30 Rock, Community, The Life of Pi, Looper, The Mindy Project, ParaNorman, Parks and Recreation, True Blood, The Voice, The X Factor

GetGlue, the network for social entertainment, rewards its users with stickers. These stickers are unlocked digitally and then physically shipped to users.

By mailing these unlockable rewards to users, GetGlue's real-life stickers stand out in a world of digital badges and virtual achievements…
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‘Twilight’ Celebrates 1 Million Twitter Followers With Fan-Filled Video

Posted: 20 Aug 2012 03:36 PM PDT


The Twilight Saga's Twitter account (@Twilight) surpassed 1 million followers this month. It's the first movie franchise to reach the seven-digit mark, beating its closest competitor, @HarryPotterFilm, to the milestone.

To help celebrate, the films' studio Summit Entertainment unleashed a fan-filled video Monday (watch below). Cast members are also using hashtag #Twihards4EVER to thank fans, including actor Kellan Lutz, who plays Emmett Cullen in Twilight.
Best fans ever! Love you Team Emmett fans. Thanks for making this journey in life forever unforgettable. Every Twiligh… say.ly/foj40Ao— Kellan Lutz (@kellanlutz) August 20, 2012

The @Twilight handle launched in Octobe…
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More About: Entertainment, Movies, Social Media, Twitter, films, twilight


Music Monday: What’s Your Favorite Cover Song?

Posted: 20 Aug 2012 03:16 PM PDT


There's an art to the cover song, and we've assembled a fine gallery of them.

Taking someone else's work and making it your own is a challenge. In the 20th century, jazz, blues and early pop music were particularly dependent on standards and reinventing songs.

There's any number of reasons artists take on covers. Perhaps it's to pay tribute to a legend. Maybe its to expose fans to an influence on theirs. Sometimes it just comes from the love of nuance of songwriting. In the early days of pop music, it wasn't uncommon for songs to be covered over and over, and for huge hits to be the second or third iteration of a previously lesser-known song.

For example, "Twist and Shout" was ori…
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More About: Music, music monday, spotify


Peter Thiel Sells Almost All His Facebook Stock

Posted: 20 Aug 2012 02:53 PM PDT


Peter Thiel, one of Facebook's earliest investors, has taken advantage of the expiration of a lock-up period last week and has sold 22.3 million shares -- almost all the stock he owns in the company -- according to documents filed with the SEC.

The sale, at a price of around $20, means Thiel netted about $446 million and now has another 1.3 million shares left. Thiel was one of many investors to take advantage of last Thursday's lock-up expiration. The end of that first lock-up period freed up a total of 271 million shares.

Predictably, Facebook's share price fell at the time, hitting a new low of $19.69.

Facebook's stock closed at $20.01 on Monday and was up slightly in aft…
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More About: facebook ipo, peter thiel, stock, trending


Samsung’s New Galaxy S Duos Can Run on Two Carriers Simultaneously

Posted: 20 Aug 2012 02:46 PM PDT



Samsung announced the Galaxy S Duos on Monday, the newest addition to the company's Galaxy smartphone lineup.

Sporting a design similar to Samsung's popular Galaxy S III smartphone, the Galaxy S Duos comes with one feature not found on many smartphones: the ability to support two SIM cards.

Dual-SIM support would allow you to have two different phones numbers, running on two different networks, on the same phone. For instance, if your work number is on AT&T and you use T-Mobile in your personal life, you could pop both SIM cards in the Galaxy S Duos and use the same phone for both accounts.

"Its unique 'Dual SIM Always On' feature allows you to receive calls on one SIM…
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More About: Galaxy S II, SIM, Samsung Galaxy S Duos, Samsung Galaxy S III, samsung


The Most Amazing Humpback Whale Photos You’ve Ever Seen

Posted: 20 Aug 2012 02:31 PM PDT


1. Boaters get a front row view.




Image courtesy of Bill Bouton

Click here to view this gallery.


Humpback whales swimming in the waters off San Luis Obispo, Calif. created an unexpected and incredible photo opportunity for Bill Bouton.

The retired college biology professor had set out for a day of snapping bird images when he stumbled on the pod breaching the ocean surface scarily close to kayakers and paddlers. Bouton used a 700mm lens on his Canon EOS 7D to capture the stunning shots.

BONUS: A Kayaker's Up Close Video of a Humpback Whale

Images courtesy of Bill Bouton

More About: Watercooler, YouTube, viral video


Did a Robot Find Amelia Earhart’s Plane?

Posted: 20 Aug 2012 02:16 PM PDT


It's not much more than a couple of pieces of landing gear, but 75 years after Amelia Earhart's Lockheed Electra airplane went missing, a pair of robots may have found its final resting place.

The International Group for Historic Aircraft Recover (more easily remembered as TIGHAR), announced last week that its robot search team (which consists of an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle [AUV] from Bluefin robotics and a remote-control unit from Submersible Systems, Inc. known as the TRV 005) captured images of a debris field that may be from the ill-fated plane.

The two robots had been searching the Western Pacific in an area known as Nikumaroro, which is part of the Phoenix Islands. T…
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More About: Amelia Earhart, robots


Facebook’s Instagram Acquisition Now Only Worth $735 Million

Posted: 20 Aug 2012 02:02 PM PDT


The agreement Facebook struck to acquire Instagram in April is starting to look like a bargain. The value of the deal, which was estimated at $1 billion at the time of its announcement, has since dropped to about $735 million.

Facebook agreed to exchange $300 million in cash and 23 million shares of common stock for the mobile photo-sharing app. At that time, Facebook's shares were trading at around $31 per share. Those shares were trading just south of $19 Monday morning, less than half the $38 they commanded on IPO day. As a result, the value of Instagram's sale has dropped by roughly a quarter.

As The New York Times notes, Instagram could have cut a much better deal. Had Facebook or…
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More About: Facebook, instagram, trending


Join the Social Good Summit Global Conversation

Posted: 20 Aug 2012 01:47 PM PDT


From September 22-24, the third annual Social Good Summit will unite global leaders as they share how to use the power of innovative thinking and technology to solve the greatest challenges facing the world today.

This September, we want you to help us make history and join the conversation with leaders and citizens from around the globe.

On September 24, we invite people all over the world to connect through local meetups, where they will address the same question: How can new technology and new media create solutions for the biggest problems facing my community?

We want to create one of the biggest and most powerful global conversations the world has ever seen. So sign up f…
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More About: Conference, event, global conversation, meetup, social good summit, trending


Todd Akin Still Running for Congress Following Rape Comments

Posted: 20 Aug 2012 01:31 PM PDT


Todd Akin, Republican congressman from Missouri who's running for Senate, said in a radio interview on Monday he's continuing his campaign despite reported pressure from the GOP to step down following controversial comments about rape and pregnancy.

"I'm announcing today that we're going to stay in," Akin told Sean Hannity, host of The Sean Hannity Show.

If Akin stays in, he may find himself short on support from his own party. Hannity, a conservative, told Akin that his campaign will be harmful to the Republican Party's chances to win elections other than his own.

Meanwhile, the National Republican Senatorial Committee, which works to elect Republicans to the Senate, will red…
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More About: Politics, US, congress, todd akin, womens rights


Comedians Remember Phyllis Diller

Posted: 20 Aug 2012 01:23 PM PDT


Actress and comedian Phyllis Diller, 95, died Monday, leaving behind a legacy within the comedy world.

Diller was a pioneer for female comedians, starting her career in the 1950s. She was known for making self-deprecating housewife jokes, and her eccentric hair and wardrobe -- but her signature was an unforgettable laugh.

As news broke, comedians shared their thoughts, memories and remorse on Twitter.

Image courtesy of

More About: Twitter, comedy, phyllis diller


20 TV Shows With the Most Social Media Buzz This Week

Posted: 20 Aug 2012 01:08 PM PDT


What has two dorsal fins, three rows of razor-sharp teeth and a nefarious sense of humor? This guy.

With viewers in the 20 millions, Shark Week made serious social waves over the past week. Each summer, the Discovery Channel dedicates a week's worth of programming to the infamous predator. This year marked the 25th anniversary of the televised event, which meant shark fans were not only glued to to the TV, but also to social media conversations.

SEE ALSO: 7 Bone-Chilling GIFs for Shark Week

As part of the celebrations, Discovery Channel partnered with Mythbusters to build "Sharkzilla," a real-life replica of a megalodon, a prehistoric shark thought to be big enough to tear into a…
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More About: Entertainment, Social Media, TV, Trendrr, infographics, social tv, social tv charts


Curiosity Makes Her Biggest Discovery Yet [COMIC]

Posted: 20 Aug 2012 12:55 PM PDT


What NASA didn't tell you was that Curiosity was really aiming her laser at a male Martian with bad manners. #PewPew

SEE ALSO: Curiosity Rover's Laser Zaps First Martian Rock

Comic written and illustrated by Jerry King.

More About: Curiosity, Mars rover, comics, curiosity rover, humor


Legendary Comedian Phyllis Diller Dies at 95

Posted: 20 Aug 2012 12:42 PM PDT


Legendary comedienne Phyllis Diller died Monday at her home in Los Angeles at the age of 95.

While today's audiences may not be overly familiar with Diller, she paved the way for female comedians everywhere.

She started working in the 1950s, appearing on radio and as a stand-up comic. In the 1960s she was featured frequently on game shows such as What's My Line? and variety shows such as Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In. She appeared alongside Bob Hope in 23 television specials and three films.

Diller also worked as a voice actor in films such as A Bug's Life and in the role of Peter Griffin's mother on Family Guy. Diller was still working as late as 2007.

In the 2005 documentary,…
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More About: comedy, phyllis diller


See the Cutest Animals to Ever Blast Off to Space

Posted: 20 Aug 2012 12:32 PM PDT


1. Ham




Ham the Astrochimp traveled on board the Mercury Redstone rocket on January 31, 1961. Bonus fact: Ham's original name was the less personal No. 65. Image courtesy of NASA

Click here to view this gallery.


Blasting off into the depths of space isn't just for humans. Dogs, monkeys and even guinea pigs have made trips beyond our little Earth in missions with space agencies like NASA and the Soviet space program.

In the early days of space exploration, dogs and monkeys were used to test the feasibility of human space travel. Once humans were successfully launched beyond the atmosphere and brought back safely in the 1960s, animals were relegated to the role of "biological payload."

In honor of the 52nd anniversary of Soviet space dogs Belka and Strelka's trip on board the Sputnik 5, we looked back at some of the brave animals that made the out of this world trip. They're cute, they'r…
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More About: NASA, Watercooler, cute animals, space


3 Ways to Simplify Online Marketing

Posted: 20 Aug 2012 12:22 PM PDT


Technology makes the magical possible, but it's also making marketing complicated. With ad exchanges, hyper-local targeting, and endless mobile options, it's easy to get tangled up in an alphabet soup of advertising technology. Just one look at Terence Kawaja's ad-tech landscape induces tears of empathy for over-marketed-to marketers. Basically, the time for simplification is here.

Simplicity is what consumers want, what marketers need, and what standard-bearers such as Apple and Google have shown as the way forward.

What did Steve Jobs do when he returned to Apple in 1997? He simplified the product line and, by extension, Apple's whole business. That worked out pretty well.…
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More About: Marketing, contributor, features, online advertising, online marketing, trending



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