Monday 18 February 2013

Mashable: Latest 28 News Updates - including “Comedy Group ‘Blogologues’ Brings the Internet to Life On Stage”

Mashable: Latest 28 News Updates - including “Comedy Group ‘Blogologues’ Brings the Internet to Life On Stage”


Comedy Group ‘Blogologues’ Brings the Internet to Life On Stage

Posted: 18 Feb 2013 02:52 AM PST


A New York comedy group performs blog posts -- verbatim -- through live performances. It's the Internet IRL, basically.

More About: blogging, Feature, galleries, stand up comedy, videos

LG Officially Announces Optimus G Pro

Posted: 18 Feb 2013 01:44 AM PST


LG's Optimus G Pro smartphone will be launching this week in Korea, LG has announced.

The company's first full HD smartphone, LG Optimus Pro has a 5.5-inch 1080p display, a 1.7GHz quad-core Snapdragon 600 processor, a 13-megapixel camera, 2GB of DDR RAM, and 32 GB of storage memory, expandable via microSD memory cards.

The device also has a huge 3,140mAh battery and runs Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean.

LG has developed several unique features for the Optimus G Pro, including Dual Recording, a video capture mode which simultaneously uses both the front and the rear camera, and VR Panorama, which enables users to shoot a horizontal or vertical 360-degree panoramas.

We'll have a chang…
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More About: LG, LG Optimus G Pro, Optimus G Pro

Watch Apple’s Newest TV Ads for iPad

Posted: 17 Feb 2013 11:56 PM PST


Apple unveiled its latest television ads for the iPad and iPad mini on Sunday.

Called "Together" and "Alive," the ads showcase the tablets' reading and gaming capabilities, as well as apps from the App Store.

Check them out, above and below; then tell us what you think in the comments.

More About: ads, apple, ipad

Simplcase Is a Minimalist iPhone Case Designed for Travelers

Posted: 17 Feb 2013 10:44 PM PST


A new minimalist iPhone case aims to accommodate jet setters who are constantly on the go.

Buying local SIM cards is a way for world travelers to minimize steep roaming charges, but in swapping them, iPhone users often lose or damage a card, and find it difficult to remove the SIM tray.

At least that's according to SIMPLcase, a covering designed to "discreetly and securely" store a SIM tray eject tool, as well as up to three cards.

What's more, the case can use any standard credit card (or similarly sized card) as a stand to prop up the phone either vertically or horizontally. For more details, check out the video, above.

So far, SIMPLcase has raised close to $4,000 of its $20,…
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More About: iphone, iPhone 5, sim card

Kim Dotcom’s Mega to Expand Into Secure Email, Chat, Video, Mobile

Posted: 17 Feb 2013 09:44 PM PST


Online privacy advocate Kim Dotcom has plans to expand Mega, his new file-sharing site, to include secure email, chat, voice, video and mobile services.

Dotcom made the announcement Saturday via Twitter, saying the updates will arrive "in the coming years."

In the coming years #Mega plans to expand from secure cloud storage to secure email, chat & voice, video and "mobile".— Kim Dotcom (@KimDotcom) February 16, 2013

This tweet, along with several others, seems to position Mega as a stronghold for Internet privacy and freedom. Dotcom cautioned against using U.S.-based servers and email providers -- calling out Gmail, iCloud and Skype, in particular -- because the American…
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More About: Bitcoin, chat, email, Kim Dotcom, Mega, Mobile, Video, voice

Burberry Personalizing New Collection With RFID Chip Content

Posted: 17 Feb 2013 08:40 PM PST


Personalization just got a whole lot smarter thanks to a new initiative from Burberry, which is launching as part of its London Fashion Week show on Monday.

The British heritage brand is embedding radio-frequency identification (RFID) chips that will unlock bespoke content in a bid to entice consumers to pre-order bags and coats from its new season, immediately after they hit the catwalk.

The chips will activate short films to bring the product in question to life, telling the story of its creation, from sketches to runway edits. They will also show video of the customer's name being engraved on metal nameplates -- also new this season -- that are stitched into the lining of the…
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More About: burberry, RFID chip

Bacon Is Irresistible [SUNDAY COMICS]

Posted: 17 Feb 2013 07:41 PM PST


What is it about bacon that makes it so irresistible?

Comic artist and Mashable Editor-in-Chief Lance Ulanoff turns the tables in this Sunday Comic:

Lance Ulanoff Comic, Copyright 2013

SEE ALSO: More Sunday Comics

More About: Bacon, Sunday Comic, Sunday Comics

How to Land a Job at Square

Posted: 17 Feb 2013 06:46 PM PST


Square is at the forefront of the mobile payment space, providing merchants with a simple and affordable payment processing system. The company was started by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey and Jim McKelvey in 2009, and launched publicly the next year. Since then, Square has raised more than $300 million funding and is reportedly valued at $3.25 billion. Square now processes more than $10 billion in payments annually, from more than 3 million users and a network of 250,000 merchants.

As Square's business has grown, so has its staff. Square went from just 10 employees in 2010 to more than 450 employees now, and the company says it plans to employ nearly 1000 employees by the end of this ye…
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More About: features, job search series, Square, startup

Why the Web Hasn’t Birthed a Prettier Craigslist

Posted: 17 Feb 2013 05:44 PM PST


You can check-out any time you like, But you can never leave!

If I told you these Eagles lyrics described a certain website, you'd probably think it was Facebook. After all, public exclamations of quitting Facebook are so common it's cliche, but by and large the people still stay. The same is true on other networks that angered users with product or business changes. But even when a better alternative arrives -- such as Path to Facebook or App.net to Twitter, we still don't see the users walk away. The two times a major exodus did come to fruition -- Myspace to Facebook and Digg to Reddit -- it was largely based on weaknesses in ease of use rather than philosophy.

The weaknesses in C…
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More About: 3taps, apartments, craigslist, features, padmapper

Honk App Saves You From Tickets, Remembers Parking Spots

Posted: 17 Feb 2013 04:42 PM PST


The two biggest parking pains -- remembering your spot and keeping track of the meter -- have finally been addressed in a single app.

Called Honk, the HD app for iPhone and iPad provides a "minute-by-minute" update of the time left on a parking meter.

"Simply swipe your finger across the meter to set how long you plan to park. As you quit Honk, it will mark your parking location on the map, and when the time comes to head back to your car, it will honk you," according to Honk's App Store description. "On your home screen, its icon will also display the remaining minutes."

Honk also provides a notepad in which users can quickly write down the exact location of their parking space.…
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More About: App, honk

Hands-On With The Week’s Top Apps

Posted: 17 Feb 2013 03:44 PM PST


This week brought with it some fantastic new apps.

Tempo, a new smart calendar from Siri's birthplace, launched for the iPhone, and Tamagotchi celebrated its 16th anniversary by releasing the popular pocket pet as an Android app.

Slacker Radio updated its Android and iOS apps this week, and San Francisco's Exploratorium released a new app to help you learn about sound in new and interesting ways.

Curious what these new apps really look like? Check out the video above for a visual run-through of some of our favorite apps of the week.

Have you given any of this week's top apps a try? Tell us in the comments about your favorites.

Photo by Mashable

More About: android, App, iphone

The Apple iWatch’s Many Amazing Functions

Posted: 17 Feb 2013 02:43 PM PST


We learned last week that there's actually some truth to the Apple smart watch rumors. Several Internet users even came up with concepts of what the design and functions might look like.

SEE ALSO: More Sunday Comics

Our friends Nitrozac and Snaggy at The Joy of Tech did the same in the comic below. "Groundhog Day mode" would be most convenient.

Apple iWatch Comic, Joy of Tech

Comic illustration provided by The Joy of Tech. Published with permission; all rights reserved.

More About: apple, comics, humor, Joy of Tech, Watercooler

15-Year-Old Designs Unique iPhone Wallet Case

Posted: 17 Feb 2013 02:13 PM PST


When 15-year-old Vojtech Svarc was unhappy with the iPhone case market, he figured the best solution was to whip one up himself.

Svarc wanted an iPhone case that also carried the contents of his wallet -- and didn't force him to remove the case to use the actual phone. After four months of research and development, the determined entrepreneur came up with the iWallie.

SEE ALSO: The 10 Coolest iPhone and iPad Cases From CES

Unfortunately, a 15-year-old's pockets aren't too deep, so Svarc and his dad turned to Indiegogo to help raise the $10,000 needed to turn the concept into a salable product that others could benefit from.

Check out Svarc's product in the video above.

iWally Product Shot
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More About: indiegogo, iphone case, iphone cases

Twitter Archives: A Window on Social Media’s Rise and My Past

Posted: 17 Feb 2013 01:49 PM PST


What a trip. I've been walking back in time through seven years of tweets and it's quite a revelation.

More About: Twitter

9 Golfers Sink Epic Simultaneous Putts

Posted: 17 Feb 2013 01:24 PM PST


These nine dudes are putting Tiger to shame. In some sort of crazy act of fate or intricate planning-and-swing-execution, the ace golfers (especially the guys farthest away from the hole) manage to sink nine simultaneous putts.

If only the Olympics sponsored a synchronized swinging golf team so these guys could have some use for their god-given domino talents.

SEE ALSO: Kangaroos Invade Australian Golf Course

And their reaction to their own awesomeness manages to be just as precious as the actual trick.

BONUS: 25 of YouTube's Funniest Sports Fails

Video courtesy of NowThisNews. Image courtesy of Flickr, trustypics.

More About: Golf

Viral Video Recap: Must-Watch Memes of the Week

Posted: 17 Feb 2013 01:10 PM PST


While you were busy this past week preparing for Valentine's Day (or figuring out how to avoid looking lonely and desperate on Feb. 14th), cats and the Harlem Shake continued to fight over Internet domination.

Cats edged out the dance craze, most likely because of the emergence of long-lost footage of Lil' Bub back in his kitten days. Another video of a mischievous feline trying to wake up his sleeping friend also melted hearts -- yes, even the hearts of dog-lovers.

But a video of the Georgia men's swim and dive team Harlem shaking-it-out gave the cats a run for their money, proving the dance moves are even more awesome underwater.

SEE ALSO: More Viral Video Recaps

Zombies ro…
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More About: cats, cute animals, Viral Video Recap

Internet, Keep Your Damn Hands Off My Rom Coms

Posted: 17 Feb 2013 12:52 PM PST


The tech world is often misunderstood as hard and cold. Movies about the internet have commonly fallen into the sci-fi and dramatic genres. Romantic comedies just don't work for us web-dwellers because we're all robots and we have no feelings, right?

Nope. There's nothing Meg Ryan and a little soft focus can't warm up. Take these tech-inspired romantic comedies (rom coms) and warm up your cold, bionic heart.

SEE ALSO: 23 Worst Romantic Comedies in History

Share your own web rom coms in the comments below.

Mashable composite, image courtesy of Warner Brothers

Mashable composite, image courtesy of 20th Century Fox

Mashable composite, image courtesy of Screen Gems,
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More About: features, Movies, Watercooler

Top 5 Apps For Kids This Week

Posted: 17 Feb 2013 12:45 PM PST


3. Pip and Posy: Fun and Games




Ages 3-8 Overall rating: 4.4 out of 5 stars Why we like it: It's easy to find thousands of jigsaw puzzles, games of concentration and coloring books in the app store; but few are crafted this well. In other words, part with your $3, and do it right. There are five games in all built around the world of German book illustrator Axel Scheffler. Mix in the trademark British Nosy Crow narration, by expert sounding children and you have a good app. Need to know: The "Make a Face" game, that uses the iPad's camera to take a picture of your own face, creates an excellent setting for applying language related to emotions. All in all, this is a great all-purpose app to have for a rainy day or a long car trip. Ease of use: 9/10 Educational: 9/10 Entertaining: 9/10 $2.99

Click here to view this gallery.


See which apps your kids will love this week.

More About: contributors, galleries, kids apps, mobile apps, parenting

The Wrong Time to Use Instagram

Posted: 17 Feb 2013 12:16 PM PST


Instagram's user base has evolved since the app's release in late 2010, but that doesn't mean you won't still find the duckfaces and "artsy" pics that once defined the platform.

SEE ALSO: More Sunday Comics

In the comic below, Cyanide & Happiness cartoonist Dave McElfatrick shows us that using Instagram isn't always the right choice for documenting the world around you.

Instagram Comic, Dave McElfatrick, Cyanide & Happiness

Comic illustration by Dave McElfatrick, Cyanide & Happiness. Published with permission; all rights reserved.

More About: comics, Cyanide & Happiness, Sunday Comic, Sunday Comics, Watercooler

Google Retail Stores Rumored to Be On the Way

Posted: 17 Feb 2013 11:55 AM PST


A few months ago, I was in the market for a new laptop. The Google Chromebook line was appealing for its price, but I was unable to find a store that physically had them for me to try. I type for a living, so I'm particular about my keyboard. As nice as the Chromebook is, since I couldn't get my hands on it, I opted for the Asus machine I use now. To try to prevent this kind of thing from happening, Google is reportedly opening physical retail locations that would let customers get their hands on the latest Google products, and they'll be coming just in time for Google Glass.

A company moving a store from the web to the real world can sometimes be a step backward. Yes, I'm talking about y…
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More About: Google, Google Glass, Retail Stores

Michael Jordan’s 50 Greatest Plays of all Time

Posted: 17 Feb 2013 11:34 AM PST


Michael Jordan turns 50 today, so what better time to look back at the 50 of the most sensational jump shots, slam dunks and plays that made him into the greatest basketball player of our generation?

While many of us remember the defining moments of Jordan flying through the air and into NBA history -- including gracing the cover of Sports Illustrated 49 times and winning MVP five times -- most don't know details of his humble beginnings or personal life.

SEE ALSO: Is This the Coolest Basketball Coach of All Time?

This infographic by Top10OnlineColleges.org tells us how Jordan didn't make the varsity team in high school, experienced an extraordinarily expensive divorce and ev…
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More About: basketball, infographics, michael jordan

‘SNL’ Debuts New Tarantino Movie, ‘DJesus Uncrossed’

Posted: 17 Feb 2013 10:20 AM PST


Now that Quentin Tarantino is done promoting Django Unchained and has some free time until the Oscars, Saturday Night Live has mocked up an idea for the director's next project.

It's an "historical revenge fantasy" about the one man who deserves to retaliate more than any other -- Jesus. All those Romans and Judas never got what was coming to them, did they?

SEE ALSO: This Robot Could Be the New Quentin Tarantino

In true Tarantino style, it's a movie with over-the-top blood, guts and action. But we don't mind, and we know Tarantino won't.

So check out a Jesus we're not used to -- one that's less forgiving and more sword-swinging. And watch out for a cameo by Brad Pitt, bec…
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More About: Quentin Tarantino, saturday night live

What if the White House Had a Show Like ‘Downton Abbey’?

Posted: 17 Feb 2013 09:43 AM PST


It might be hard at first to see the similarities between the White House and Downton Abbey, a drama about aristocrats and their gaggle of staff, but trust us, it's almost as if the British show was created about the Obamas.

Namely, the extensive live-in help that the Executive Office must have. Who wouldn't want to see the drama boiling up between the White House chef and the presidential dog walker?

SEE ALSO: Watch 'Sesame Street' Hilariously Parody 'Downton Abbey'

And just throw some period clothing on the First Family (Barack and Michelle are shoo-ins as Lord and Lady Grantham, and Sasha and Malia were meant to play Mary and Edith Crawley) and you've got yourself an inte…
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More About: Downton Abbey

World’s Quietest Computer Packs a Powerful Punch

Posted: 17 Feb 2013 09:09 AM PST


The more powerful a PC is, the noisier and hotter it runs, right?

Not the Puget Serenity Pro, the world's quietest computer. It's so quiet, you can't hear any noise coming from it at all. Yet it runs the fastest third-generation Intel Core i7 quad-core processor, and has a graphics card that can drive four monitors at the same time and play serious games.

Impressive specs -- but does it deliver?

I know, we're all hearing that the trend is toward tablets and mobile platforms, even beyond ultrabooks. Desktops are dead, we're told. People want to get their information on the go -- on mobile phones, on tiny ultrabook laptops, on tablets, on convertible notebooks and on devices that ar…
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More About: PCs, Quiet PC, Quietest PC in the World, reviews, Windows 8

Sen. Marco Rubio Defends His Love of Water on ‘SNL’

Posted: 17 Feb 2013 08:55 AM PST


U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) -- or as he's known now, the thirstiest man to ever have walked the planet -- sat down with Seth Meyers from Saturday Night Live to prove he can make it through a sentence without needing to guzzle down some H2O.

He insists that it was just nerves that got him all cotton-mouthed during his rebuttal of President Obama's State of the Union address, but really we all know that Rubio's on-air stunt was just a way to boost the economy by promoting sales of tiny water bottles.

SEE ALSO: Poland Spring Facebook Post Revels in Rubio's Thirsty Moment

But from what this SNL skit shows us, Rubio should just get a permanent I-V drip of some aqua -- maybe even…
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More About: marco rubio, saturday night live

Ask This Astronaut Anything — As He Flies In Space

Posted: 17 Feb 2013 08:17 AM PST


Set your astronomical clocks and prepare your best space queries, Earthlings -- you're about to get a direct dispatch from the cosmos. Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield, who is currently circling the earth on the International Space Station, will be hosting a live Reddit AMA from space on Sunday at 9 p.m. GMT (4 p.m. ET).

A note to all Redditors: I will be doing an AMA from Station this Sunday at 9 p.m. GMT (4 p.m. EST). I look forward to your questions! -- Chris Hadfield (@Cmdr_Hadfield) February 15, 2013

Hadfield follows in the hallowed footsteps of U.S. President Barack Obama, entrepreneur/philanthropist Bill Gates and rapper Snoop Lion, who have all hosted successful and fascinat…
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More About: Chris Hadfield, reddit, space

8 Tips to Help Achieve Your Career Goals

Posted: 17 Feb 2013 07:30 AM PST


Professionals who are in careers today will change jobs much more frequently than in previous generations. Therefore, you need to be prepared and proactive in managing your career. People's lives are busy enough balancing work and family without having to think about finding time for their career as well.

More About: career, features, goals, job search series, Jobs

What If Twitter Replaced Wrestling in the Olympics?

Posted: 17 Feb 2013 07:07 AM PST


Tweeting as an Olympic Sport, by Jerry King

Wrestling -- one of the oldest Olympic sports -- was dropped from the Summer Games last week, causing confusion and a lot of online protest.

What if Twitter were a "core sport"? Get those thumbs in shape for 2020.

SEE ALSO: More Sunday Comics

Comic written by Larry Lambert, illustrated by Jerry King.

More About: comics, humor, olympics, Social Media, Sunday Comic, Sunday Comics, Twitter, Watercooler

5 Fascinating Facts We Learned From Reddit This Week

Posted: 16 Feb 2013 09:03 PM PST


1. Bamboo can grow one meter every 24 hours.




The evergreen grass is one of the fastest-growing plants in the world. The right subspecies, combined with perfect soil and climate conditions, can yield 100 centimeters of growth per day. But that's rare. More common bamboos top out at 3-10 centimeters per day, which is still ridiculously fast when you think about it. Image courtesy of Flickr, Pieterjan Vandaele.

Click here to view this gallery.


Plants, presidents and cute animals turned evil await you in this week's edition of Reddit Facts.

Spy any good knowledge bombs on the front page of the Internet this week? Share your favorite tidbits in the comments section.

More About: features, reddit, reddit facts, Social Media


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