Wednesday 12 September 2012

Mashable: Latest 29 News Updates - including “Iceland ISPs Consider Blocking Porn, Gambling Sites”

Mashable: Latest 29 News Updates - including “Iceland ISPs Consider Blocking Porn, Gambling Sites”


Iceland ISPs Consider Blocking Porn, Gambling Sites

Posted: 12 Sep 2012 03:39 AM PDT


Iceland's biggest internet service providers could block access to porn and gambling sites for safety reasons.

Vodafone and Síminn, two of the country's larget ISPs, are eyeing sites that feature x-rated material, gambling or other questionable content, according to RUV, Iceland's national broadcaster. So far, no formal decision has been made on any potential restrictions.

The block wouldn't be all-encompassing, as customers could still request access to such sites, reported The Reykjavik Grapevine, an Icelandic English-language magazine. But doing so would require users to tell their ISP what risqué sites they want to visit, it said.

Hrannar Pétursson, a spokesman for Vodafo…
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More About: ISP, ISP block, Iceland, gambling, online gambling, porn


Google: 500 Million Android Devices Activated Globally

Posted: 12 Sep 2012 03:16 AM PDT


Ahead of today's iPhone 5 event, all eyes are on Apple, but Google thought it would be a good time to remind everyone that Android, on the whole, is still bigger than iOS. According to Google's Director of Product Management for Android Hugo Barra, 500 million Android devices have been activated globally.

Barra, who shared the news on his Google+ account, also said that over 1.3 million Android devices are added every single day.

This number is even more amazing when you take into account that in July 2012, Google's Andy Rubin said 900,000 Android devices are activated every day, and in December 2011, that figure was 700,000.

Android can probably thank the huge jump in act…
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More About: android, iOS


What to Expect From Apple’s iPhone 5 Event

Posted: 12 Sep 2012 03:00 AM PDT


Here we go again: About a year ago Mashable ran a story with almost the exact same headline as this one. In October 2011, Apple unveiled its fifth-generation iPhone to the world, except it wasn't called the iPhone 5. It was the iPhone 4S, an incremental update that had been predicted, although that was after many months of wild speculation.

Sound familiar? We've been hearing for months that we'll see the iPhone 5 this fall. Except this time it's the real deal -- when Apple sent out invitations for its Sept. 12 event, the shadow of the "12" was clearly made to look like the number five, with the accompanying caption "it's almost here." As my colleague Chris Taylor observed, that may no…
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More About: LTE, apple, iPhone 5, iPod Touch, ipad mini, iphone, sprint, tim cook, trending


Samsung Galaxy S III to Get Android Jelly Bean Update in October

Posted: 12 Sep 2012 01:58 AM PDT


Samsung's flagship Android smartphone, the Galaxy S III, will be updated with the latest version of Android in October, the company announced.

Android 4.1 or Jelly Bean brings numerous improvements, including smoother user interface, improved accessibility, expandable notifications, improved camera and voice search, among other updates.

Samsung confirmed that the update will become available in October, but did not specify an exact date. The 4G version of the device, however, will come with Jelly Bean as standard, according to CNET.

This version will soon become available to UK customers through internet service provider Everything Everywhere, which recently promised to bring…
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More About: Samsung Galaxy S III, android, jelly bean, trending


Life Lessons From Dad [COMIC]

Posted: 12 Sep 2012 01:16 AM PDT


Listen kid, you know it's a good movie if you have to wait for Netflix to send it to you by mail.

More About: Netflix Instant, comics, humor, streaming movies, trending


Travelers Want More Tech and Mobile Services From Airports, Airlines [INFOGRAPHIC]

Posted: 12 Sep 2012 12:19 AM PDT


Complaints about limited, expensive and choppy Wi-Fi are widespread among frequent flyers, but what about other mobile and tech services on planes and at airports?

FlightView, the company behind mobile apps that track real-time flight information, polled 2,600 travelers on what they want on-the-go while in-the-air.

Unsurprisingly, the survey revealed that 69% were unsatisfied with in-flight Wi-Fi, while 58% felt that wireless was sub-par at airports.

Along with better access to the web, travelers polled wanted updates on their flight statuses while waiting to board and after the first leg of a connecting flight.

For more results, check out the infographic below.

What mobile…
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More About: airline, airport, conde nast traveler, travel, trending


Trend Micro Offers Protection for Your Social Networks [INFOGRAPHIC]

Posted: 11 Sep 2012 11:33 PM PDT


By now, you know that running anti-virus software is essential for protecting your computer against spyware, phishing scams and unsafe websites. Even Mac users are aware that they too are vulnerable to malware. But did you know that you need to protect yourself from hidden dangers on social networks as well?

Not only are there viruses, trojans and worms in cyberspace, there are hackers looking for clues to your identity -- clues that can be used to steal your passwords, similar to what happened to a journalist from Wired Magazine last month.

It's called "social engineering," and Carol Carpenter, executive vice-president and general manager for Trend Micro's consumer division, says hac…
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More About: antivirus, social networks, trending


Hop in the Time Machine For 10 Vintage Apple Commercials

Posted: 11 Sep 2012 10:30 PM PDT


1. What is Newton?


Takeaway lesson: "If there's anything this world could use, it's more communication."

Click here to view this gallery.


The rollout of Apple's latest generation of gadgets on Wednesday will bring with it a new round of advertisements.

Shall the Mac Guy and his hoodie enjoy a revival? Can we expect a flashback to the colorful cheesiness of the 1980s? Likely none of the above, but feel free to let your dreams drift to the clouds -- or iCloud.

SEE ALSO: 6 People Who Marvelously DIYed Their Own iPhone

Instead of spending time guessing about the tech giant's future ad strategy, we look back at vintage Apple commercials for a tour of the past.

Take the trip -- no time machine required -- by clicking through the gallery.

Do any of the commercials deserve a 21st century reboot? Share your thoughts…
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More About: Watercooler, apple, trending, viral videos


‘Rudy’ Gives Advice to NFL Rookies [VIDEO]

Posted: 11 Sep 2012 09:29 PM PDT


Wait a minute, what's Samwise Gamgee doing talking to a bunch of NFL rookies?

Actually, that's Rudy Ruettiger -- or Sean Astin, the actor who played both the underdog Notre Dame football player immortalized in the 1993 film Rudy, as well as Frodo Baggins' erstwhile sidekick.

Astin is part of a Pepsi Max digital marketing campaign, in which he employs his football expertise (or lack thereof) to engage in some gridiron banter with the NFL's latest crop of talent. The back-and-forth is good for a few chuckles, so check it out in the video above.

More About: Marketing, nfl, viral videos


Take a Peek Inside This Apple Exec’s $17 Million Mansion

Posted: 11 Sep 2012 08:02 PM PDT


Jony Ive, credited with designing the iPod, iPhone and other Apple products, has purchased a $17 million, five-story mansion in San Francisco, California.

More About: Jony Ive, apple, trending


Zuckerberg: A Facebook Phone is ‘The Wrong Strategy For Us’

Posted: 11 Sep 2012 07:48 PM PDT


Facebook CEO and founder Mark Zuckerberg quashed rumors that the company is working on a "Facebook Phone" Tuesday.

"It's always been the wrong strategy for us," he said during an interview at TechCrunch Disrupt, a tech conference currently being held in San Francisco, California.

Zuckerberg went on to explain that a phone simply doesn't make sense for Facebook.

"Let's say we build a phone, " he said. "We're not, but if we did, we could maybe get 10 to 20 million people to use it … It doesn't move the needle for us."

"The strategy we have is different from every other tech company [like Apple] that's building their own hardware system -- we're…
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More About: Facebook, Facebook Phone, Zuckerberg, trending


Watch Robotic Tentacles Gently Pick Up a Flower

Posted: 11 Sep 2012 07:39 PM PDT


Robotic technology has come a long way in terms of intelligence, durability and power. But what about finesse?

Would you trust a robot to crack open an egg, build a house of cards or -- here's the kicker for the Internet generation -- handle a baby kitten? Probably not.

The Whitesides Research Group at Harvard University, however, has been busy developing a series of "soft robots" -- robots with a more delicate, human-like touch.

SEE ALSO: This Qbotix Robot Is Solar Power's Best Friend

A newly released video shows their latest tentacle creation twisting around a flower without causing any damage to it. Watch it above.

The tentacle…
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More About: Robot, Science


NFL Player Launches App to Demystify Notorious Card Game

Posted: 11 Sep 2012 06:34 PM PDT


The little-known Cajun card game called bourre gained a certain level of notoriety among sports fans after it led to a pair of high-profile altercations between NBA players in 2010 and 2011.

First, star guard Gilbert Arenas nearly lost his career after wielding an unlicensed handgun in the team locker room following a bourre-related gambling dispute with a fellow Washington Wizard. Then a couple Memphis Grizzlies fought on a team charter flight after some high stakes bourre gone bad. The two incidents served to pull back a curtain on a previously unheard-of part of pro athlete gambling culture, but gave bourre (pronounced BOO-ray) a hint of menace as well.

Now an app released by NFL p…
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More About: App, Sports, apps, nfl


Amazon Kindle Fire HD 7 Is a Great Tablet and a Great Value [REVIEW]

Posted: 11 Sep 2012 06:00 PM PDT


Amazon Kindle Fire HD 7-Inch




The Amazon Kindle Fire HD is a 7-inch tablet that costs $199 and goes on sale Sept. 20. Like its predecessor, it's a bit buggy, but it's also one of the best tablet deals you can find. This is the library screen, which shows your books. Navigation to other media is in the strip up top.

Click here to view this gallery.


Going all the way back to the earliest Kindle e-readers, Amazon has shown a penchant for re-imaging its hardware with almost every product update. It's a notable trait in an era where most other manufacturers seem content to deliver incremental updates.

It's especially laudable one when the re-imagined device is better than its predecessor in almost every conceivable way. The new Amazon Kindle Fire HD 7-inch is such a device.

Externally, it's almost unrecognizable from the first Amazon Kindle Fire launched about 10 months ago. That product had a reference-design look and, in hardware and software, an almost rushed feel. There was one protruding power button that users could tri…
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More About: Amazon Fire, Kindle, kindle fire hd, reviews


NBA Unleashes ‘White Mamba’ Upon the Web [VIDEO]

Posted: 11 Sep 2012 05:11 PM PDT


Depending on how you interpret the game of basketball, the NBA has just released either the awesome-est or gross-est highlight reel to hit YouTube.

The clip features Brian Scalabrine. Scalabrine, for the uninitiated, is a red-haired, pasty-faced journeyman center who spent eleven seasons warming the bench for three different teams. He was alternately loathed and loved by fans for his herky jerky moves, decided lack of hops and human-victory-cigar status before announcing his retirement from the NBA earlier this month.

In a nod of respect to the man some know as the "White Mamba" (as opposed to Kobe Bryant's "Black Mamba") the NBA on Tuesday shared this expertly produced two-minut…
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More About: NBA, Sports, Watercooler, viral videos


10 Incredible Instagram Shots for Bike Enthusiasts

Posted: 11 Sep 2012 03:53 PM PDT


Instagram and bikes were destined for one another from the very start. Not only is the bicycle the official vehicle of the hipster, but its beautiful geometry, cute baskets, heritage leather saddles, and blurred spokes look really good in filters like Hudson, Rise, and Valencia.

Plus, let's face it, bike-related pictures are at least as interesting as food and cats. So, if you'd like some cycling inspiration, check out these incredible cycling-themed Instagram shots.

More About: contributor, features, instagram


Zuckerberg’s Biggest Mistake? ‘Betting on HTML5′

Posted: 11 Sep 2012 03:23 PM PDT


In his first public interview since Facebook's IPO, CEO Mark Zuckerberg admitted that making big bets on HTML5 for its mobile apps was a "big mistake."

Facebook was one of the first major companies to embrace HTML5 -- not just as the basis for its mobile web experience, but also for its apps for iOS and Android.

That focus was based on the idea that HTML5 would be an easy way to develop for multiple platforms and screen sizes at one time, and that the overall experience would be similar to a native app. It did not account for stability or speed.

"The biggest mistake we made as a company was betting too much on HTML5 as opposed to native," Zuckerberg said in an interview at TechCrun
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More About: Facebook, HTML5, facebook mobile, mark zuckerberg, trending


Microsoft Patent Details Full-Room Gaming Experience With Wall Projections

Posted: 11 Sep 2012 03:23 PM PDT


Microsoft has been approved for a patent that could take gaming to a whole new dimension, allowing images from the TV to be projected around the room to create a 360-degree virtual display.

The company, which filed for the patent in March 2011, details a technology that would project a peripheral image onto environmental surfaces such as furniture and walls around a user. The focus would be on one primary image -- for example, what's highlighted in a game displayed on a TV -- but projections around the room would serve as an extension.

This means a gamer would be able to "turn around and observe an enemy sneaking up from behind."

Microsoft-Gaming-Projection-Patent

"User enjoyment of video games and related m…
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More About: 3D, Gaming, Xbox 360, microsoft


235 Million People Play Games on Facebook Every Month

Posted: 11 Sep 2012 03:15 PM PDT


Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg says 235 million people are playing games on Facebook each month -- proving the platform is a new home for gamers.

Zuckerberg made the remarks at TechCrunch Disrupt Tuesday afternoon, during a live interview with TechCrunch founder Michael Arrington.

Zuckerberg made his point about gaming after talking about what things he was excited about on the Facebook platform. He mentioned that Zynga, who has been struggling lately with falling stock prices and departing executives, was losing market share on the platform, but that other game companies had risen to take its place.

In particular, Zuckerberg mentioned two rising stars by name -- Kixeye and King
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More About: Facebook, Gaming, Zynga, kixeye, social games


Facebook Stock Up 4.6% After Zuckerberg Interview

Posted: 11 Sep 2012 03:09 PM PDT


It looks like Wall Street liked what Mark Zuckerberg had to say in his first interview since Facebook went public.

Facebook's stock was up as much as 4.6% following Zuckerberg's interview with TechCrunch on Tuesday, rising above $20 a share for the first time in more than three weeks. At the time of publication, the stock had dipped back down slightly, but was still up more than 3%.

From the moment he took the stage, Zuckerberg made it clear that his intention was to appease investors. He led off the interview by acknowledging that the Facebook IPO has been "disappointing" and noting that "we care about our shareholders." Zuckerberg went on to reassure those listening that Facebook…
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More About: Facebook, mark zuckerberg, stocks


Instagram Has 100 Million Users, Says Zuckerberg

Posted: 11 Sep 2012 03:05 PM PDT


Photo-sharing app Instagram, fresh from finalizing its acquisition by Facebook, has crossed the 100 million users mark. That's according to Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

"They're this super-talented bunch of engineers, they just crossed 100 million users," Zuckerberg told the audience at the TechCrunch Disrupt conference in San Francisco Tuesday. "They're just killing it."

Last we heard from Instagram, the service had 80 million users. That was at the end of July, which suggests that the app -- now available on both iPhone and Android -- is seeing upward of 10 million downloads a month.

But for Zuck, that still isn't enough. "We want to help them grow to hundreds of…
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More About: Facebook, instagram, mark zuckerberg


Crest Toothpaste Has Bizarre Interchange With Comic on Twitter

Posted: 11 Sep 2012 02:39 PM PDT


Crest toothpaste displayed a previously unknown comic side this week when it launched a Twitter exchange with comedian John Freiler, in which the latter accused the former of donating funds to Al Qaeda and called its signature product "toothgoop."

However, rather than taking offense, the Procter & Gamble brand rolled with the punches, matching wits with the comic.

The exchange started gently enough, with Freiler claiming unauthorized use of the product:

. @johnfreiler Whoa.Cavity creep.— Crest (@Crest) September 10, 2012

@johnfreiler Our toothbrushes are lovers not fighters.See the package: SOFT bristles.— Crest (@Crest) September 10, 2012

.@crest with S…
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OMG LOL: Twitter Account Tweets Your Old AIM Away Messages

Posted: 11 Sep 2012 02:24 PM PDT


You know the %N trick?




You must be so smart.

Click here to view this gallery.


Remember AOL Instant Messenger?

If you were chatting online in the late 1990s and early 2000s, of course you do.

Remember what you set as your away messages? Think hard, AIMers.

New Twitter parody account YourAwayMessage remembers them all, and is sharing them with the world.

The service was an entire generation's introduction to conversing with others instantaneously on the Internet. In a way, the service acted as one of the first mainstream social networks.

SEE ALSO: AIM: AOL Instant Messenger Isn't Dead … Yet

What is your favorite memory from AIM? Share your story in the comments.

More About: Watercooler, aim, aol


7 Marketing Strategies With a Flair for Politics

Posted: 11 Sep 2012 02:07 PM PDT


1. Duck 2012




The University of Oregon says its duck mascot is the ideal candidate this fall. The duck's smooth website features a candidacy announcement embedded from YouTube, as well as a bunch of other links riffing off the premise.

Click here to view this gallery.


The 2012 presidential campaign is an opportunity for Americans to exercise their right to equal say. They will determine who leads them through the next four years, amid a climate of cultural discord and economic uncertainty.

It's also a ripe time for advertisers looking to tie their marketing campaigns to the election hype.

Whether via a faux presidential candidate or an actual political personality, ads are reflecting the intertwined nature of American democracy and capitalism -- and we still have two months left until election day. Some election-themed marketing campaigns are good for a few chuckles; others you'll find cringe-worthy. And still others prove the viral power of a time…
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More About: 2012 presidential campaign, Advertising, Business, Marketing, Politics, US, election 2012, features


GoDaddy Outage Leaves Small Businesses in the Lurch

Posted: 11 Sep 2012 02:06 PM PDT


Justin Wilcox and his team of developers were feeling pretty good about their startup ThingsWeStart, an online map of active Kickstarter projects, which launched on Monday after months of work. The startup had secured a fair amount of positive press and was starting to see some nice traffic, until suddenly the site stopped working -- an entrepreneur's worst nightmare on launch day.

"We discovered it when half the team had gotten together at a coffee shop to celebrate and react to the press in real time, and we noticed we couldn't actually get to the site," Wilcox told Mashable. "At this point, I had pulled an all-nighter and was pretty delirious. Our team was upset and frustrated."…
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More About: godaddy


Live From Mark Zuckerberg’s First Interview Since Facebook’s IPO

Posted: 11 Sep 2012 01:58 PM PDT


Since Facebook's disappointing IPO in May, CEO Mark Zuckerberg has stayed pretty quiet.

After the company's continuous stock price drop, last week Zuckerberg announced that he wouldn't be selling any of his shares of Facebook for at least a year. The move raised Facebook's stock price and inspired confidence in some investors who were concerned that the CEO might cash out on his shares and send shares of he company even lower. The move was not enough, however, to stop some from suggesting he should resign from his position and replace himself with a more capable CEO.

Today the CEO is out of hiding, doing his first interview on stage in front of a room of entrepreneurs, startup f…
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More About: Facebook, Zuckerberg, mark zuckerberg


Boingo and Google Offer Free Wi-Fi in 4,000 Locations

Posted: 11 Sep 2012 01:52 PM PDT


Boingo Wireless, one of the largest Wi-Fi providers in the world, will team up with Google to bring free Wi-Fi to more than 4,000 hotspots across the U.S. for the month of September.

Through Google Play, the web-search giant will partner with Boingo to give Wi-Fi connections free of charge. In turn, these hotspots will enable advertisers to reach a big audience of consumers in a global advertising network. In other words, Google targeted ads will subsidize your free connection. Normally, unlimited access to Boingo Wi-Fi hotspots costs $10 a month, and there are also different hourly rates depending on the location.

According to a statement anno…
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More About: Google, Google Play, boingo, wi-fi hotspots


75% of iPhone Users Want to Upgrade to iPhone 5 in Next Year [INFOGRAPHIC]

Posted: 11 Sep 2012 01:49 PM PDT


A new study suggests that three in four iPhone owners will likely upgrade their current model to Apple's next-generation smartphone by the end of 2013.

AYTM Research -- which surveyed 3,000 U.S. consumers (22% of which are already iPhone owners) to measure the anticipation of the launch -- found that 24% of current iPhone users have their sights set on upgrading to the latest version by the end of this year. Meanwhile, about 25% said they will likely upgrade in the first half of 2013 and 26% anticipate upgrading in the second half. In total, this equates to about 75% of current iPhone owners plan on getting an upgrade in the next year.

According to the study, those who are most li…
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More About: android, apple, iPhone 5, iphone, smartphone


Obama, Romney Take Over the Web With Advertisements

Posted: 11 Sep 2012 01:38 PM PDT


Television has long been considered the dominant medium for political advertising, and that's mostly still true -- spending on TV ads by campaigns and Super PACs this year alone is expected to reach $2.9 billion. However, campaigns are increasingly putting more of their advertising budget into the web -- to the tune of seven times more than they spent online in 2008.

It's a trend that was evident across the Internet during the Republican and Democratic National Convention. Over the past two weeks, Barack Obama and Mitt Romney's campaigns waged digital warfare to get more eyeballs on their content -- and their message. Along the way, they made every effort to out-innovate the other side th…
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More About: 2012 presidential campaign, Advertising, Democratic National Convention, Mitt Romney, Politics, US, barack obama, republican national convention


6 People Who Marvelously DIYed Their Own iPhone

Posted: 11 Sep 2012 01:36 PM PDT


1. My IPhone




"My Home Made Iphone" Image and description courtesy of Mauricio Lara

Click here to view this gallery.


On June 29, 2007, the world -- or people with a hefty enough wallet -- got their hands on the first iPhone. With long lines and a price tag that made some folks flinch, a few crafty gadget geeks decided to DIY their own Apple smartphones.

On the eve of the iPhone 5 announcement, we decided to take a look back at the brilliant makeshift iPhones of yesteryear.

SEE ALSO: 'Leaked' iPhone 5 Video Reveals Radical New Design

There's really nothing you can't do with enough duct tape and motivation.

Thumbnail image courtesy of Mauricio Lara

More About: Watercooler, humor, iphone



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