Tuesday 26 February 2013

Mashable: Latest 29 News Updates - including “Asus Fonepad Is a 7-Inch Tablet That Can Make Calls”

Mashable: Latest 29 News Updates - including “Asus Fonepad Is a 7-Inch Tablet That Can Make Calls”


Asus Fonepad Is a 7-Inch Tablet That Can Make Calls

Posted: 26 Feb 2013 04:16 AM PST


BARCELONA -- Didn't we tell you that the lines between smartphones and tablets are blurred? Case in point: the Asus Fonepad, a 7-inch tablet that's also a phone.

Beware: the Fonepad is a completely different device than the PadFone Infinity. There's no smartphone-becomes-tablet witchery here; the Fonepad is a 7-inch tablet, powered by Android 4.1 and sporting a 3G chip. You can use it to make calls, although we don't think a 7-inch device is ideal for the task.

The Fonepad looks pretty much exactly like Google's Nexus 7, which is hardly surprising since Asus makes that device as well.

However, the Fonepad is very different from most other Android tablets in a one important way: i…
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More About: android, Asus, Fonepad, intel, MWC, MWC2013

LG Shows Off ‘World’s Smallest’ Wireless Charger

Posted: 26 Feb 2013 03:25 AM PST


BARCELONA -- LG is definitely one of the most active companies at this year's Mobile World Congress, having already shown several new smartphones and announcing it has acquired webOS from HP. It seems LG doesn't plan to stop there, as it just announced the "world's smallest" wireless charging device.

The WCP-300 is a little black pad, just 6.9cm in diameter. It's compatible with a standard 5-pin micro-USB charger, and complies with the Qi standards of the Wireless Power Consortium.

As for the devices that support it, there are two available in the U.S. market: the LG Spectrum and the Nexus 4. The freshly showcased LG Optimus G Pro also supports this technology, but we don't know when…
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More About: LG, MWC, MWC2013, Ultra HD Transmission, wireless charger

How to Safely Keep Java in Your Web Browser

Posted: 25 Feb 2013 11:58 PM PST


For the last year or so, Java seems to have spawned a never-ending flow of security bugs, partly because of the software environment's invisibility to end users and partly because of the system access it allows.

In January alone, two different Java vulnerabilities were attacked by widespread browser exploit kits. At least one of those Java flaws led to the recently disclosed network penetrations of AppleFacebook and Microsoft, and may have also been involved in the compromise of 250,000 Twitter accounts.

Because of these dangers, many security experts recommend that users disable Java browser plug-ins, or even to take the more drastic step of uninstalling the underlying Jav
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More About: browser, browser add on, java, javascript, plugin

How to Stop the ‘Harlem Shake’ Craze

Posted: 25 Feb 2013 11:44 PM PST


Stop the madness.

That's precisely what one video, above, aims to do, with its take on how to stop the "Harlem Shake" craze. Since debuting earlier this month, multiple versions of the meme have emerged online, subjecting anyone and everyone to 30 seconds of mesmerizing weirdness.

SEE ALSO: Here's How You Can Make Any Website Do the 'Harlem Shake'

The video, posted by YouTube user TeamRecycled, starts off in typical "Harlem Shake" fashion, with one crazy person dancing among regular folks going about their daily routine, and then cutting to the expected collective freakout. But the crowd is soon interrupted by a team of Psy impersonators doing the invisible horse dance while "…
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More About: harlem shake

9 New Ways We Sit, Thanks to Tech

Posted: 25 Feb 2013 11:13 PM PST


Mobile computing has changed the way we communicate, the way we work ... and the way we lounge.

More About: health, office, sitting, sitting down

Report Reveals How Consumers Use Mobile Phones Worldwide

Posted: 25 Feb 2013 11:01 PM PST


Mobile phones are found all around the world -- ubiquitous even in emerging markets such as China and India -- but how you use the device depends greatly on where you live.

In a new report entitled "The Mobile Consumer: A Global Snapshot," research company Nielsen looked at consumer behavior, device preference and usage in 10 different countries, including the U.S., UK, Australia, China, India and South Korea.

Nielsen concluded that "usage differs significantly by market and demographic groups."

For example, the majority of mobile consumers in developed markets -- such as South Korea (67%), Australia (65%) and the UK (61%) -- tend to prefer smartphones. Basic feature phones, on the…
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More About: mobile phones, Nielsen

This App Will Test Your Pee

Posted: 25 Feb 2013 09:57 PM PST


Those precious bodily fluids of yours can reveal a lot about your health, as any doctor will tell you. Urine analysis, for example, can give you early warnings about trouble brewing in your liver or kidneys. It can also tell you if your diet is on the wrong track, and if you're at risk for diabetes.

But can you get a heads-up about such medical problems in the privacy of your own bathroom, with a smartphone in hand?

Enter Uchek, a forthcoming iPhone and Android app. Launched on stage at the TED Conference underway this week in Long Beach, Calif., Uchek will reveal potential health issues in your urine, using nothing but commercially available test strips and a couple of smartphone sna…
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More About: health, TED 2013

Instagram Photos Capture Oscars’ Intimate Moments

Posted: 25 Feb 2013 08:58 PM PST


Ben Affleck Gets His Oscar Engraved




Ben Affleck joined Instagram Sunday and posted this photo of him getting his Oscar engraved along with the message "Thank you Academy, Tony, the cast and crew. What a ride #Argo has been for us all!"

Courtesy,benaffleck

Click here to view this gallery.


Turns out professional photographers weren't the only ones capturing photos of the Academy Awards on Sunday night. Many of the stars chose to share pictures from behind the scenes at the Oscars from behind a filter, using Instagram.

For instance, images of Jennifer Lawrence's tumble on stage has made the rounds, but have you seen a photo of her getting made up before the Oscars began?

SEE ALSO: How an iPhone App Made An Oscar-Nominated Film Possible

Check out the gallery, above, which includes photos of Paperman director John Kahr's bow ties, the card announcing a tie for Achievement in Sound Editing and more, as shared via Instagram.

Image via JOE KLAMAR/AFP/Getty Images
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More About: 85th Academy Awards, academy awards, instagram, oscar

Guardian Router and App Aim to Simplify Wi-Fi Management

Posted: 25 Feb 2013 07:58 PM PST


Wireless networks can be complicated to set up, with numerous features that require customization.

One company, Router Research, aims to simplify the process with its Guardian wireless router and accompanying My Guardian App. The router provides Internet access for all of a user's Wi-Fi enabled devices, while the app makes it easy to manage them, according to its Kickstarter page.

"Our App is designed to be intuitive and user friendly, allowing anyone with no prior network knowledge to manage their network," the company said. "While our features are not new to the industry, we make some of the very best enterprise features easily accessible to the average consumer."

From the app, us…
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More About: apps, wi-fi, wireless router

Michelle Obama Has One Crazy Week

Posted: 25 Feb 2013 07:22 PM PST


Looks like the first lady has been on the move this past week.

Michelle Obama, on a press tour to promote the third anniversary of the "Let's Move" campaign, has been all over the place for the past few days, popping up on late-night television, Sesame Street, and even at the Academy Awards.

FLOTUS got jiggy with it on Jimmy Fallon's talk show, showing us the "evolution of the mom dance." And her dougie moves solidified her status as the grooviest First Lady ever. (We're sure Sasha and Malia don't approve of any of this though.)

Video courtesy of YouTube, latenight.

SEE ALSO: Michelle Obama and Jimmy Fallon Compare Game Faces on Twitter

And, technically, Mo didn't get t…
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More About: academy awards, jimmy fallon, late night with jimmy fallon, michelle obama, Oscars, president obama, White House

Disabled Basketball Player Scores With Opponent’s Help

Posted: 25 Feb 2013 06:30 PM PST


Mitchell Marcus is a team manager for a Texas high school. He recently got to suit up for a game, and an opponent's selfless act made magic happen.

More About: basketball, Sports, Watercooler

‘Six Strikes’ Anti-Piracy Plan Is Both Loathed and Watched Closely

Posted: 25 Feb 2013 05:57 PM PST


The Copyright Alert System, an anti-piracy plan also known as "Six Strikes" which goes into effect the week of Feb. 25, is getting mixed responses from Internet activists who one year ago banded together to ward off the much-hated Stop Online Piracy Act.

CAS is an effort by content owners (mostly in the entertainment industry) to monitor public data on peer-to-peer networks for what they consider illegal sharing of their music, movies or software. Content owners can share the Internet Protocol addresses of alleged offenders to the accused's ISPs, which then sets off a series of escalating actions in an attempt to put the kibosh on illegal activity. These range from emails with links to le…
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More About: copyright, six strikes, US

11 Spectacular Celebrity Wipeouts

Posted: 25 Feb 2013 05:27 PM PST


Jennifer Lawrence isn't the only big celebrity to take a dive in front of a crowd. Here are some other famous slips.

More About: celebrities, funny, jennifer lawrence, Oscars 2013, viral videos

Luxi Turns Your iPhone Into a Light Meter

Posted: 25 Feb 2013 04:54 PM PST


One essential piece of equipment for any photographer is a light meter. While many of today's SLRs have light meters built in, their readings are often not as accurate as having your own separate incident light meter on hand.

Enter Luxi, a small diffusion dome that fits over the forward-facing camera on your iPhone, turning your smartphone into a light meter with the help of a light-metering app.

So, you already have a light meter app on your iPhone. Why do you need Luxi?

"It is important to capture all of the light falling on your subject. Luxi is designed to work just like a professional incident light meter which can capture light from a 180-degree angle," says its Kickstar…
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More About: camera, Luxi, photography

Big Data’s Value Lies in Self-Regulation

Posted: 25 Feb 2013 04:33 PM PST


Big data wants you to forget it exists. Before it leaves human hands, we have to take control and harness its potential for the greater good.

More About: big data, contributor, features, Tech

Jimmy Kimmel’s ‘Movie: The Movie 2V’ Spoofs Every Film Ever

Posted: 25 Feb 2013 03:51 PM PST


What does Hollywood do when it has a smash hit? Cheapen it with sequels, of course.

Late night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel has caught onto this trick of the silver screen mogul and has released a sequel to his first film. It's called Movie: The Movie 2V and, much like the first one, it "revisits" reoccurring themes, motifs and plots of blockbuster movies of the past.

Translation: Kimmel again mercilessly parodies every cliché and stupid movie technique found in every film ever -- mostly those of the vampire/zombie persuasion with bits of rom-com and action thrown in.

SEE ALSO: Matt Damon Kidnaps Jimmy Kimmel

Kimmel also employs an A-list cast to star in his movie. Movie: The
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More About: jimmy kimmel, Movies, parody

‘Real Calvin and Hobbes’ Mashups Killed by Copyright Claim

Posted: 25 Feb 2013 03:29 PM PST


An artist's "real Calvin and Hobbes" photo mashups put the iconic cartoon pals in real-life settings. The results? Beautiful, oddly poignant and no more.

More About: Watercooler

Tumblr Is Obsessed With Cats That Look Like …

Posted: 25 Feb 2013 02:50 PM PST


Cats That Look Like Ron Swanson




Image courtesy of Tumblr, Cats That Look Like Ron Swanson

Click here to view this gallery.


As the classic song so accurately goes, the Internet is made of cats.

This obsession with meow-mixing everything on the web extends to Tumblr, where clever folks have created entire pages dedicated to famous people's feline doppelgängers. Ron Swanson, David Bowie and Skrillex all star in Tumblr pages with their kitty twins. When was the last time you saw those three names in a sentence together? Send a thank you note to the Internet.

SEE ALSO: 15 Best Cat Memes Ever [MEOW]

Prance through the gallery above for nine of the finest "Cats That Look Like ..." Tumblr pages.

Homepage image courtesy of Flickr, meaganjean

More About: cats, cute animals, tumblr, Watercooler

YouTube App Update Suggests Paid Channels Are on the Way

Posted: 25 Feb 2013 02:46 PM PST


Code found in YouTube's most recent app update suggests that Google may be working on pay-to-view channels.

Spotted by Android Police, the code mentions subscribing and unsubscribing from paid YouTube channels, a function that will apparently only be available on the web, not in YouTube's mobile app.

Rumors have circulated for some time that Google was considering paid channels on YouTube; the stray code in the app update all but confirms that rumor.

In January, AdAge reported that Google had reached out to a small number of channel producers, asking them to submit applications and create channels that users would have to pay to access, in most cases to the tune of $1 to $5 per…
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More About: Google, YouTube

Aaron Swartz Was Targeted by Feds Over His Activism

Posted: 25 Feb 2013 02:35 PM PST


The Department of Justice admitted that Aaron's Swartz past activism played a role in his prosecution, according to a new report.

The revelation came during a briefing led by Steven Reich, an associate deputy attorney general, in front of the Congressional Oversight Committee, which is investigating the government's prosecution of the late activist and coder, who committed suicide on Jan. 11.

The Huffington Post initially reported the news. A committee aide later confirmed the report to Mashable. "That is consistent with what the investigators heard from the Justice Department," the aide said.

Prosecutors focused on Swartz's "Guerilla Open Access Manifesto." The federal prosecutor…
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More About: Aaron-Swartz, computer fraud and abuse act, open access

Could a Comet Hit Mars in 2014?

Posted: 25 Feb 2013 02:17 PM PST


A recently discovered comet will make an uncomfortably close planetary flyby next year — but this time it's not Earth that's in the crosshairs.

More About: comet, Mars, NASA, space

21 Completely Unconventional Cover Songs

Posted: 25 Feb 2013 01:52 PM PST


Everyone loves a good cover song. Plenty of bands get their start by easing a new audience into their sound by way of a truly great cover. Taking a familiar hit and proving that you can play it well is a status symbol for bands around the world. A cover can breathe a completely new life into a song.

Johnny Cash's haunting cover of Nine Inch Nails' "Hurt" gave new meaning to Trent Reznor's tortured lyrics. Ryan Adams' cover of "Wonderwall" even inspired Oasis' Noel Gallagher to do a cover of Adams' cover of his song.

Sometimes, a cover is so radically different from the original version that it's practically a new song. For Music Monday in the past, we've collected some of our all-tim
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More About: covers, Music, music monday, spotify

Kobe Bryant, Mark Cuban Talk Trash in Twitter Subtweets

Posted: 25 Feb 2013 01:33 PM PST


Two of the NBA's biggest names talked trash on Twitter this weekend, but did so via subtweets more common to emo teenagers than global celebrities.

More About: NBA, Sports

Lawrence, Clooney Were Oscars Best Dressed, Says Facebook

Posted: 25 Feb 2013 01:15 PM PST


If the Oscars are the Super Bowl of award season, then the fashion is the equivalent of the commercials. (It's the best part that true fans watch for all night and comment about for the next few weeks.)

So needless to say, during Sunday night's Oscars ceremony there was just as much rooting for celebs to show up looking drop dead gorgeous and dapper as there was rooting for them to take home a little gold buddy.

And these movie stars did not disappoint, bringing their A-game complete with a plethora of runway looks from A-list designers. And there's no point in having a favorite if you can't gab about it on Facebook.

So Facebook teamed up with InStyle, creating a Red Carpet Talk…
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More About: 85th Academy Awards, academy awards, anne hathaway, Facebook, fashion, jennifer lawrence, Oscars

5 Fascinating Facts We Learned From Reddit This Week

Posted: 25 Feb 2013 01:06 PM PST


1. It's possible to win Monopoly in nine dice rolls.




The odds of it happening are extremely small, but the shortest possible Monopoly permutation goes like this, according to a Notre Dame professor, who discussed it with NPR:

"One player moves around the board very quickly, to buy Boardwalk and Park Place, and places houses on them. And the other one ends up drawing a Chance card that sends them to Boardwalk, and they don't have enough money to pay the rent with three houses, and the game is over."
Image courtesy of Mark Strozier.

Click here to view this gallery.


This week's edition of Reddit Facts is brought to you by the letter M and the number 663.4 billion.

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

Ghost Mirror Prank Horrifies Beauty Shoppers

Posted: 25 Feb 2013 12:42 PM PST


Just going to quick fix my hair, let me peek in the mirr -- AHH! It's a scary ass ghost!

More About: pranks, Video, video gallery

12 Goats Destined to Become Pop Stars

Posted: 25 Feb 2013 12:24 PM PST


"Living on a Prayer" - Bon Jovi


Click here to view this gallery.


Goats get a lot of flak for eating trash and headbutting whomever they please. But these creatures are more than just a source of cheese -- it turns out goats make excellent sample tracks for pop stars.

The Internet recently re-discovered the joys of goat yelling, which sounds similar to a human scream.

SEE ALSO: Goats Yelling Like Humans Will Delight Your Ears

The latest viral video phenomenon sparked from a goat bleating along with Taylor Swift. However, it actually started in 2010, when our ancestors (that's like three centuries in Internet time right?) discovered goat yells were a perfect backup track to Usher's "Papers."

That doesn't mean you can't enjoy the latest creation…
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More About: goats, humor, Music, Watercooler, YouTube

Use This Tech to Get Your Kids Off the Couch

Posted: 25 Feb 2013 12:21 PM PST


The doldrums of winter are upon us and adults aren't the only ones capable of adding a cozy layer of winter hibernation fat -- kids are just as susceptible too. For those in cold climates, activity levels slow way down and there just aren't as many opportunities to get out there and vigorously play -– you can only build a snowman for so long.

Technology, hailed for its innovation and ability to organize our lives, has also been on the receiving end of some bad press when it comes to kids. The Kaiser Foundation found that kids aged 8-18 spend an average of 7 hours and 38 minutes using a variety of media gadgets during the day. Aside from time spent in school, that is nearly all of t…
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More About: contributor, features, Kids, Lifestyle, parenting, technology

Milky Way Shines Over Volcanoes in Gorgeous Video

Posted: 25 Feb 2013 12:16 PM PST


An amazing video shot over 12 days by an amateur astronomer captures the stunning beauty of Earth's active volcanoes with the Milky Way galaxy as a backdrop.

More About: space, Timelapse, YouTube

Andrew Sullivan Says His Blog Made $611,000 in Less Than 2 Months

Posted: 25 Feb 2013 12:11 PM PST


In the beginning of this year, Andrew Sullivan made the bold decision to part ways with The Daily Beast and turn his popular political blog The Daily Dish into a stand-alone business. As part of that move, Sullivan announced that the blog would forego ads and generate revenue through a metered paywall and an annual subscription fee for those who wished to pay.

Some questioned whether Sullivan would be able to make enough money from this model to support the business, which includes a team of writers and editors. On Monday, however, Sullivan revealed that he is already more than two-thirds of the way towards his goal for the year -- after less than two months.

The Dish has brought in ap…
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More About: BLOGS, Media, paywall


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