Tuesday 1 January 2013

Mashable: Latest 29 News Updates - including “Cruise Ship Dancer Busts a Move, Gut”

Mashable: Latest 29 News Updates - including “Cruise Ship Dancer Busts a Move, Gut”


Cruise Ship Dancer Busts a Move, Gut

Posted: 31 Dec 2012 04:37 PM PST


What you think you saw out of the corner of your eye was real. Watch a man confuse and amuse cruise ship vacationers through the art of dance.

More About: pranks, videos, Watercooler

8 Tech Resolutions for the New Year

Posted: 31 Dec 2012 04:07 PM PST


At the beginning of a new year, we prepare -- or hope -- to become our better selves. Resolutions often focus on our diets and health, or balancing our families and careers, but you might want to consider adding some tech-focused resolutions to your New Year's to-do list.

Completing tasks like digitizing your photos and cleaning out your inbox will go a long way to make you more organized in 2013.

Check out some of these tech-related New Year's resolutions Mashable staff members are committed to accomplishing in the New Year.

Clean your keyboard. After a year of eating at your desk, crumpling papers, opening boxes, who knows what junk and residue is in your keyboard? Use a dus…
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More About: features, New Year 2013, Year End 2012

Low-Cost 3D Printer a Hit on Kickstarter

Posted: 31 Dec 2012 02:54 PM PST


3D printing may be accessible for the masses sooner than we thought thanks to devices like this.

More About: 3d printing, kickstarter

20 WTF New Year’s Resolutions

Posted: 31 Dec 2012 02:29 PM PST


Ringing in 2013 properly requires a few things: bottom-shelf champagne, "I survived the apocalypse" t-shirts, excessive sequins and -- most importantly -- New Year's resolutions that may or may not last beyond February.

SEE ALSO: Rock Your New Year's Eve Party With This Playlist

You promise to lose weight or quit smoking or stop stalking your ex on Facebook, but what about those people that shoot for a slightly different goal in the new year? Sometimes these resolution-makers come up with brilliant challenges and other times -- well, ummm -- they share goals that are more "WTF?" than an adult dressed like the New Year's baby.

1. New Years revolution- Stop using my cat as an excuse…
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More About: humor, new years, Twitter, Watercooler, WTF

Watch New Year’s Eve Live From Times Square

Posted: 31 Dec 2012 01:59 PM PST


There are at least 2,013 ways to ring in the New Year. But for most Americans, the ball drop at Times Square is a must-see (even if they don't happen to be in the east coast time zone).

For those who don't care to wade through TV ads and commentary to watch the iconic event, we've embedded the livestream above. Hit that fullscreen button and have it on in the background at your party; the stream will be playing until 12:15 a.m. EST.

This is not ABC's New Year's Rockin' Eve, the show traditionally hosted by the late, great Dick Clark (and anchored this year by Ryan Seacrest). Rather, it's a partnership between Livestream and Times Square itself, via the Times Square Alliance.

T…
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More About: New Year 2013, new years eve

Relive the Paralympics’ Most Inspiring Moment of the Year

Posted: 31 Dec 2012 01:12 PM PST


The Paralympics just picked their best moment of 2012, and it's a remarkable story of resilience and unlikely achievement. Watch here.

More About: olympics, paralympics, Sports

These Are the Worst Case Scenarios for New Year’s Eve

Posted: 31 Dec 2012 01:11 PM PST


Happy New Year! It is the last day of 2012, and many of you are (or were) finding ways to celebrate. Some are prepping for a big night out, while others choose to keep it casual.

Regardless, we can all revel in getting through another year, despite an apocalypse and zombies. But don't get too comfortable, because New Year's Eve comes with a lot of pressure. Try to avoid these scenarios in order to start 2013 on the right foot.

How are you celebrating on New Year's Eve? Share it in the comments below. (Bonus points for more GIFs.)

DJ Only Plays Dubstep Versions of Gangnam Style ... or Nickelback

Everyone Cancels on You Last-Minute

You're Stuck Mingling With the Drunk,…
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More About: GIFs, humor, new years eve, Watercooler

Doodle Party! Google Rings in 2013 in Style

Posted: 31 Dec 2012 12:48 PM PST


Google has released its final Google Doodle of 2012 and its first of 2013 -- a before-and-after party picture.

The search giant is known for crafting exceptional New Year-centric logos, and this year's is no exception. In countries where it is still 2012, Google has a festive party logo, replete with characters from Google Doodles from throughout 2012.

For places where the clock has already turned to 2013, however, the Google logo shows the Google letters cleaning up after the party.

The one partygoer still in attendance: Rodin's "The Thinker." The world-famous sculpture can be seen at his desktop computer in both pictures.

Earlier this month, Google revealed its most popular Go
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More About: Google, google doodle, New Year 2013

Top 10 Most Influential People on Facebook

Posted: 31 Dec 2012 12:37 PM PST


1. George Takei




Not only is Mr. Sulu a constant purveyor of hilarity on the social network—if you've been on Facebook for longer than a day, chances are one of your friends has reshared one of Takei's memetastic posts -- he's also been one of its biggest critics. Back in June 2012, Takei stood on top of his soap box and told his millions of followers that he was unhappy with Facebook's Promoted Posts, a feature that promised to expand the audience reach of any given post for a fee. "I understand that [Facebook] has to make money, especially now that it is public," wrote Takei, "but in my view this development turns the notion of 'fans' on its head." Takei still posts regularly on his Facebook fan page, though this November he announced that he was joining Tumblr, perhaps a sign that he was moving on. Photo courtesy of Flickr, Gage Skidmore

Click here to view this gallery.


We took a look back at the biggest Facebook stories of 2012 and the players involved. It's those people -- not celebrities (sorry, Rihanna) -- who helped shape the biggest online community in the world.

More About: barack obama, Facebook, George Takei, influence, mike huckabee, nypd

This Is 2012 Summed Up in One Image

Posted: 31 Dec 2012 12:06 PM PST


Afraid you missed something in 2012? Don't sweat it -- just look at this photo.

More About: 2012, pictures, reddit, Watercooler

Got a Klout Score Over 60? You Can Get a Piece of Frostbox

Posted: 31 Dec 2012 12:05 PM PST


UK startup Frostbox, which aims to be the Dropbox of social media, is offering up pieces of the company to investors -- but only those with Klout scores of 60 and above.

The program, run via Wahooly, is based on the premise that publicity from such social media mavens should translate into equity in the company. Dana Severson, co-founder and CEO of Wahooly, says the share of equity is based on the amount of social media activity. Severson declined to disclose exactly how much of Frostbox is being offered, though typically companies offer equity in 1% to 8% of their companies. Wahooly partnered with Klout last year.

Like previous funding efforts, Wahooly skirts SEC rules by offering i…
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More About: Frostbox, Startups, Wahooly

See 40 Meteors Per Hour in First Shower of 2013

Posted: 31 Dec 2012 11:40 AM PST


The first meteor shower of 2013 will kick off the year's night sky events this week, giving stargazers a chance to ring in the New Year with a celestial fireworks display.

More About: astronomy, meteor shower, space

Top 10 Twitter Pics of the Week

Posted: 31 Dec 2012 11:39 AM PST


1. D'awww




"Happy 21st Birthday louis_tomlinson" -- Eleanor Calder Photo stats: 57,019 retweets

Click here to view this gallery.


Justin Bieber, Demi Lovato and Steven Tyler's autograph. Check out this week's -- and 2012's last -- top 10 Twitter pics.

More About: features, justin bieber, One Direction, Top 10 Twitter Pics, Twitter

Casey Neistat Is Back With Follow-Up to Viral Nike FuelBand Ad

Posted: 31 Dec 2012 11:24 AM PST


Casey Neistat brought Nike plenty of positive press back in April with his "Make It Count" video for the Nike FuelBand.

Neistat, a film producer, had been hired by Nike to make several commercials for the FuelBand, but by the time he started on the third spot, he got restless and decided to deviate from the plan. Neistat ended up using the money Nike had allotted him for the ad to travel around the world filming himself living life to the fullest.

The result was an inspiring video that has since been viewed more than 8 million times on YouTube.

Now, Neistat is back with a follow-up to the ad that features a new slogan ("Do More") and perhaps more importantly, the FuelBand itse…
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More About: ads, Nike

Rock Your New Year’s Eve Party With This Playlist

Posted: 31 Dec 2012 11:20 AM PST


Across the world tonight, people will be celebrating the end of 2012 and the start of a new year. No matter what you're doing to welcome 2013, you're going to need a killer New Year's Eve playlist to count down to midnight. If you don't have the soundtrack for your New Year's Eve party compiled yet -- or if you want to make sure you've remembered all the best party songs -- we've got you covered.

In honor of the past 365 days, we've put together a Spotify playlist of some of 2012's top hits, as well as tracks that we think are perfect for ringing in a new year. What would you add to the list? Let us know by tweeting your selection to @MashableHQ or leaving your track in the comments below…
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More About: community, music monday, New Year, new years eve, playlist, spotify

Watch New Year’s Eve Unfold on Instagram

Posted: 31 Dec 2012 10:52 AM PST


As the clock strikes 2013 across the globe, Instagram knows that users will be busy commemorating the moment with filtered, square smartphone photos.

The photo sharing service launched a very cool data-driven microsite, showcasing photos from around the world as the clock strikes midnight.

As explained on the Instagram blog, the site -- instagram.com/nye -- aggregates photos from various locations within a specific timezone.

Rather than aggregating the photos by hashtag, Instagram tells us that the photos are "just popular photos from places that most recently rang in the New Year."

It's fun to explore the various photos taken within a certain time zone and as more areas ring in…
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More About: instagram, New Year 2013

This Comet Could Outshine the Moon

Posted: 31 Dec 2012 10:47 AM PST


Skywatchers may be in for a rare treat in 2013 -- a newly discovered comet is expected to pass very close to the sun, putting on what could be the celestial show of a century.

More About: astronomy, comet, moon, NASA, space

Watch Obama’s Fiscal Cliff Address Live

Posted: 31 Dec 2012 10:27 AM PST


President Barack Obama is scheduled to make remarks on the so-called Fiscal Cliff Monday at 1:30 p.m. EST.

Congress and the president have been intensely negotiating a solution to the Fiscal Cliff, a combination of spending cuts and tax hikes which some analysts believe would plunge the United States back into recession. Without a deal in place, the cliff will be triggered at midnight Tuesday as 2012 ends and 2013 begins.

Negotiations which took place over the weekend and earlier Monday reportedly brought Democrats and Republicans closer to a deal, details of which Obama may be officially announcing during this address.

Photo via Win McNamee/Getty Images News/Getty Images

More About: barack obama, congress, fiscal cliff, Politics, US

10 Best Video Games of 2012

Posted: 31 Dec 2012 10:26 AM PST


2012 has been a remarkable year for gaming. Players have been challenged and entertained beyond expectations, and there were so many great gaming moments. It was hard to narrow down just 10 games that were absolutely worth our time and money.

There are some definite trends in the list below. Almost half the games are made by independent or small studios, something that we'll definitely see more of in 2013. The list also contains some of the most polished and beautiful Triple-A titles in history, and these games are always improving when it comes to story and direction.

We've also seen a pull back from games that are too easy. It's so good to see design decisions that make us better pla…
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More About: features, Gaming, Halo 4, journey, the walking dead, video games, xcom enemy unknown, Year End 2012

12 Buzzwords You’ll Hear in 2013

Posted: 31 Dec 2012 09:51 AM PST


What buzzwords will have workers buzzing in 2013? Here's what small business owners, PR people and entrepreneurs had to say.

More About: buzzwords, online advertising, Small Business

Japan to Launch Ambitious Asteroid-Sampling Mission in 2014

Posted: 31 Dec 2012 09:30 AM PST


Japan's space agency is readying a new asteroid probe for launch, an ambitious mission that aims to build on the victory of the country's first round-trip asteroid mission that sent the Hayabusa spacecraft to retrieve samples of the space rock Itokowa.

The new Japanese asteroid mission, called Hayabusa2, is scheduled for launch in 2014 and aimed at the asteroid 1999 JU3, a large space rock about 3,018 feet (920 meters) in length. It is due to arrive at the asteroid in mid-2018, loiter at the space rock and carry out a slew of challenging firsts before departing the scene at the end of 2019.

If all goes well, the Hayabusa2 spacecraft will return to Earth with samples of asteroid 1999 JU…
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More About: Asteroid, asteroid mining, japan, space

35 Urban Innovations We’re Watching This Year

Posted: 31 Dec 2012 09:11 AM PST


In the Global Innovation Series, presented by BMW i, Mashable highlights new technologies that will improve the urban experience. City dwellers are always thinking about mobility, energy, shelter, safety and efficiency, and many technologies and startups in cities all around the globe are developing new tools to ameliorate these daily problems. If these concepts come to fruition, then the future of cities is looking bright.

Whether you're thinking easier ways to park your car or ideas for the home of the future, studying how we'll live in the next 10, 50 or 100 years can reshape the habits and challenges we face today. Below are 35 topics we've covered in the series, and they offer an exc…
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More About: features, Global Innovation Series, mashable

50 Most Memorable Tweets of 2012

Posted: 31 Dec 2012 09:09 AM PST


Twitter now has 200 million monthly active users, up from 100 million in late 2011. As the number of users in Twitter's birdcage grows, so does the number of memorable tweets.

Here's a collection of 50 tweets that made all of us think, laugh, become angry or even cry.

U.S. President Barack Obama Battles for Re-Election

Barack Obama, the platform's fifth most-followed person, and his administration used Twitter to rally voters and defend his reign as president. And when Clint Eastwood poked fun at Obama with an "Invisible Obama"/empty chair routine, the president fired back with this viral gem.
This seat's taken. OFA.BO/c2gbfi, twitter.com/BarackObama/st…— Barack Obama (@B…
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More About: celebrities, Entertainment, features, Music, olympics, Social Media, Sports, TV, Twitter, Year End 2012

Overwhelmed By Reader Response, 92-Year-Old Blogger Signs Off

Posted: 31 Dec 2012 09:03 AM PST


George White, a 92-year-old UK man whose wife passed away in November, started a blog just a week ago that touched a lot of people. Perhaps too many. On Monday, he pulled the plug on the online journal, thanking his readers around the world.

I have been overwhelmed by the vast amount of best wishes and encouragement. These have been much appreciated. However I am unable to manage responses on this scale especially at this time of recuperation. I regret I will no longer continue to blog as I wish to maximise my holiday time.

The WordPress blog, called GreyCavalier, began on Christmas Eve and chronicled White's experiences since losing his wife. His inaugural post read:

One month ag…
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More About: blogger

Dying Trekkie Gets Private ‘Into Darkness’ Screening

Posted: 31 Dec 2012 08:32 AM PST


A terminally ill Star Trek fan had his wish to see Star Trek Into Darkness come true, thanks to director J.J. Abrams himself -- and Reddit.

More About: reddit, Star Trek, Star Trek Into Darkness

Fab Passes 10 Million Members, Sells 5.4 Products Every Minute

Posted: 31 Dec 2012 08:30 AM PST


Fab has quickly emerged as a significant force in the e-commerce space.

The design-focused shopping site now has more than 10 million members, up from 7.5 million in September, according to data released Sunday by the company as part of a huge 104-slide presentation to investors and employees about its first 18 months in action. What's more, the company has now sold 4.3 million product since launching in June, 2011.

To put that another way, Fab has sold an average of 5.4 products each minute since it launched. During this holiday season, the company did even better and sold an average of 17.5 products per minute. That may still be well behind Amazon's pace of selling more than 300 item
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More About: e-commerce, Fab, startup

Watch New Year’s Celebrations Around the World

Posted: 31 Dec 2012 08:13 AM PST


We still have more than half a day before it's 2013 here on the East Coast of the United States -- but from Sydney to Tokyo, people have already begun welcoming the New Year.

To help celebrate the end of 2012 and welcome 2013, Mashable is collecting video of fireworks-filled New Year's celebrations around the world and embedding them below. We will update this post with new video from new cities as the worldwide party continues, so be sure to keep checking back for the latest. And if you find great video of a celebration we don't have yet, share it in the comments below!

[View the story "Watch New Year's Celebrations Around the World" on Storify]

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, JoeBi
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More About: new years, Video, Watercooler, World

3 Ways to Answer ‘What’s Your Biggest Weakness?’

Posted: 31 Dec 2012 08:06 AM PST


When you're asked "what's your greatest strength?" in an interview, you've got it covered: You showcase your professional skills and talk about how there's no one better suited for the job. But what's your biggest weakness? That question can be much harder to answer.

But it's not a trick question. What your interviewer is really trying to do—beyond identifying any red flags—is to gauge your self-awareness and honesty. So, "I can't meet a deadline to save my life" is not an option—but neither is "Nothing! I'm perfect!" A good answer can show how you can overcome challenges, paint you as a committed professional who continues to improve herself and actually…
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More About: job interview, job search, Jobs

The Year Ahead: Cyber-Warfare Dilemma

Posted: 31 Dec 2012 07:16 AM PST


The list of apocalypses is long: asteroids, disease, nuclear war -- but the one that worries officials? Cyber-warfare. And it's challenging how we think about national security.

In 2012, U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta called attention to a "Cyber Pearl Harbor." The catchphrase summarizes what government and defense officials have been saying for some time now: Foreign computer hackers are growing increasingly powerful in their ability to disrupt the nation's vital systems.

Pearl Harbor conjures up images of planes streaking across the morning sky, sinking ships and scrambling soldiers and airmen, all framed by those incongruous palm trees. But a massive attack on a centralized fle…
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More About: cyber war, national security, terrorism, threat

Facebook Temporarily Disables New Year’s Messages After Privacy Snafu

Posted: 31 Dec 2012 07:13 AM PST


Facebook was forced to temporarily disable its "Midnight Delivery" New Year's messages feature after a privacy flaw was exposed by an information technology student early Monday morning.

Facebook quickly took note of the problem and brought Midnight Delivery offline for maintenance. It has since been fixed and is available for use.

Midnight Delivery, which was introduced this year, was designed to allow you to write a message to friends or loved ones that will be delivered exactly as 2012 ends and 2013 begins. However, student and blogger Jack Jenkins noticed a problem: he easily exposed private messages and photos sent via the Facebook app by simply modifying the URL of his own messag…
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More About: Facebook, privacy


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