Monday 11 March 2013

Mashable: Latest 29 News Updates - including “TiVo Mini Now Available for $99”

Mashable: Latest 29 News Updates - including “TiVo Mini Now Available for $99”


TiVo Mini Now Available for $99

Posted: 11 Mar 2013 04:27 AM PDT

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TiVo has launched its TiVo Mini extender, which enables you to watch TiVo content in another TV in your house, for $99.99.

The box lets you watch live TV and recorded shows from the TiVo DVR, as well as access movies and music from Hulu Plus, Pandora, YouTube and Spotify. You can also schedule recordings, pause, fast forward and rewind both live TV and recordings, and start a show in one room and finish it in another

There are some drawbacks as well — TiVo Mini doesn't work with TiVo Premiere or Premiere XL, and it requires a wired connection

Also, the price is $99.99 plus a monthly subscription charge of $5.99, or a one-off payment of $149.99. So, if you're not into subscriptions, the device will actually cost you a formidable $250

LG Begins Global Rollout of Optimus L5II

Posted: 11 Mar 2013 01:53 AM PDT

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LG has launched its Optimus L5II smartphone in Brazil, followed by a rollout in South and Central America, Europe, Asia, Russia, the Middle East and Africa

Showcased at this year's Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, the Optimus L5II is a mid-to-low-range smartphone, designed for those who deem the company's Optimus G and Optimus G Pro too big and pricey

It sports a 1GHz single core processor, a 4.0-inch WVGA screen, 512MB of RAM and 4GB of storage memory, a 5-megapixel shooter and a 1,700mAh battery. It's powered by Android Jelly Bean 4.1.2 and comes in four colors: Indigo Black, White, Pink and Titan

Be Mesmerized by This Synchronized Clock Art Installation

Posted: 11 Mar 2013 01:07 AM PDT

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Stockholm-based design studio Humans Since 1982 has turned time into clock art, using the clock faces to demonstrate fluid motions and shapes that are striking and sure to keep you entranced for hours

Artists Per & Bastian used 288 single analog clocks to create a 11.3-foot-long installation, entitled "A Million Times." Each clock contains two separate motors to drive the minute and hour hands, creating the illusion of time "choreography."

"The clocks escape from its solely pragmatic existence," the artists said in a press statement. "Usually locked in its functionality to show the time, there is another natural character inherent in an analogue clock. With its two arms rotating around the center, a clock always dances in slow motion. Shaping out this hidden quality, without denying a clocks primary purpose, was our goal."

Interactive Doodle Pays Tribute to Douglas Adams' 'Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'

Posted: 11 Mar 2013 12:16 AM PDT

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Today's Google Doodle is an interactive tribute to one of the funniest sci-fi novels ever — Douglas Adams' "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy."

Douglas Adams, who was born on March 11, 1952, was an English writer who started the "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" as a radio play on BBC, and later developed it into a trilogy (though the novel actually consists of five books)

Not much can be said about the book(s) except that if you haven't read them, you should, and if you have read them, you should read them again

The Doodle on Google's homepage today shows several motifs from the book, including the guide itself and Ford Prefect's towel. And if you look carefully enough, you might even get a glimpse of Marvin, the paranoid android

Father Helps Daughter Play as Pauline by Hacking 'Donkey Kong'

Posted: 10 Mar 2013 10:24 PM PDT

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As Donkey Kong's resident damsel-in-distress, Pauline usually awaits rescue from hero, Mario. But one father turned the tables by hacking the classic arcade game, and creating "Donkey Kong: Pauline Edition."

At his 3-year-old daughter's request, Mike Mika designed a progressive version of the game, which features heroine Pauline trying to liberate Mario from the grips of gorilla villain, DK

After his daughter asked if she could play as Pauline, and save Mario, Mika explained that it wasn't possible: "I told her we couldn't in that particular Mario game [and] she seemed really bummed out by that.

Yabbly Is Like Quora Specifically For Shopping Questions

Posted: 10 Mar 2013 09:34 PM PDT

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There's no shortage of reviews online for all types of products, but Tom Leung believes the vast majority are useless to readers because the people writing them don't know anything about your situation. That's why he decided to come up with an alternative called Yabbly.

Yabbly, an iPhone app that launched in beta late last year, prompts users to describe their specific situation and concerns about a particular product or purchasing decision. Based on that information, Yabbly matches the user with others in the community who have similar interests or may own the product. From there, Yabbly creates a customized thread online and through the app of people who can respond to your shopping question.

Cat Adorably Hides From Camera to Finish Dinner

Posted: 10 Mar 2013 09:00 PM PDT

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Here's how the story goes: Cat wants to eat. Cat can't eat in front of cameras. Cat figures out a solution

It's a cautionary tale about how intrusive paparazzi are getting in the daily life of celebs like this cat

Too bad those of us in the media can make a good story out of just about anything

Video and image courtesy of YouTube, mihaifrancu

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Meet Old Spice's Newest Spokesman: Mr. Wolfdog

Posted: 10 Mar 2013 08:35 PM PDT

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Old Spice is looking to appeal to men's wilder side — and the company is using a wolf to do it.

So to speak. To market its Wild body fragrance collection, the P&G-owned brand has developed a character, Mr. Wolfdog, and appointed him Director of Marketing for Old Spice. Mr. Wolfdog speaks through a "patent-pending" electronic voice collar that translates Wolfdog communication into English, according to P&G. (To see it in action, check out the video, above.)

"Director Wolfdog brings a unique blend of professional, real-world experience and wild attributes that lend themselves perfectly to the fast-paced, innovative world of Old Spice," Marc Pritchard, global brand-building officer at P&G, said in a statement. "We look forward to tapping his unparalleled animal instincts to further enhance the launch of new Old Spice Wild Collection. We continuously strive to hire the most dynamic talent on earth, and given Director Wolfdog's fierce track record, he is sure to be a force to be reckoned with at P&G."

'Click With Me Now' Lets You Share Your Screen, Help Others Online

Posted: 10 Mar 2013 08:02 PM PDT

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Let’s face it: Explaining to your mom how to book a hotel room on Expedia, or trying to help your dad sort through all the cameras for sale on Best Buy’s website is a bit of a challenge if you’re not sitting in front of the computer with them.

A new service called Click With Me Now attempts to make that process a bit more manageable with a one-click, no-download solution that instantly lets you share a web session with someone else. The company is a 2013 SXSW Interactive Accelerator finalist.

“Our users are everyday consumers, but our customers are the websites that provide information, products and services to them," Mark Comiso, Co-founder and President of Click With Me Now told Mashable.

Are You Human? Take Part Two of the Test

Posted: 10 Mar 2013 07:24 PM PDT

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After taking YouTuber Ze Frank's "Human Test," you may have been concerned about your true identity — perhaps you're actually a cyborg or zombie roaming the planet in a human body

But fear not. If your results were inconclusive, try the follow-up test. It's much more accurate in its ability to predict whether you're an undeniable member of this species. It can tell if you were made from the same awkward, confused human DNA that results in eccentric behavior, such as making your pet angry just for the fun of it, or lying about allergies for no conceivable reason

This Week's Biggest Moments in 25 Photos

Posted: 10 Mar 2013 06:35 PM PDT

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Another week has come and gone, giving us stories of triumph, loss and enduring spirit. But the days go by so fast we might not get a chance to truly process it all. Take the time now to reflect on the week's biggest moments through the beautiful photographs that captured it.

This week saw the death and funeral of Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez, and the funeral of 20-year-old Mahmud al-Jaziri, who was shot during clashes between police and protesters in Bahrain

This week also saw the 115th birthday of the world's oldest woman, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. It was a week of sport and fashion — you'll see images from Fashion Week in Paris, the 71st Paris-Nice cycling race and the Auckland Trotting Cup in New Zealand. You'll see signs of the changing times: a new president in the Czech Republic, and an advanced android at a demonstration in Germany

Promo for Louis C.K.'s New HBO Special Mocks All Promos

Posted: 10 Mar 2013 05:44 PM PDT

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When drumming up publicity for a new show, celebrities typically use a tried-and-true format for their promos: big sound, bright lights and bold headlines.

But not Louis C.K

As the comedian is wont to do, he subverts the standard by, well, making fun of it. Watch C.K. hilariously break down the promo for his new HBO special, Oh My God, in the above video.

Screenshot image courtesy of HBO via YouTube

Magic Trick for Homeless Man Will Warm Your Heart

Posted: 10 Mar 2013 04:59 PM PDT

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They say money doesn't grow on trees, but apparently, it can emerge from cups.

One street magician makes a homeless man's day by turning coffee into cash. Watch the emotional YouTube video, above, then tell us what you think in the comments

Image courtesy of Flickr, PhotoAtelier

Top 5 Apps for Kids This Week

Posted: 10 Mar 2013 04:14 PM PDT

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Chris Crowell is a veteran kindergarten teacher and contributing editor to Children's Technology Review, a web-based archive of articles and reviews on apps, technology toys and video games. Download a free issue of CTR here.

It's never too early to get kids interested in reading. Some of this week's top apps focus on letter tracing and vocabulary, mixed with the element of discovery

Children's Technology Review shared these five top apps for kids with us from their comprehensive monthly database of kid-tested reviews. The site covers everything from math and counting to reading and phonics.

Pheed: The Next Social Craze for Teens?

Posted: 10 Mar 2013 03:28 PM PDT

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Have you sent your first "Pheed" yet? Launched late last year, Pheed is a new social media platform that lets you share text, photos, videos and audio. Propelled by teenage users, Pheed topped the App Store's social networking category in late February.

Though the company says the app is not just for teens, Pheed told Mashable the user base is 81% between age 14 and 25.

Pheed's popularity with teens was spurred by several influential teenagers on Twitter sharing that they'd discovered the app. First was Acacia Brinley, followed by Pia Mia, Garrett Backstorm and Colin Ford.

SXSWi Day 3: Cory Booker, Memoto's Lifelogging Camera and More

Posted: 10 Mar 2013 02:46 PM PDT

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AUSTIN — The sun was out for day three festivities at SXSW and is expected to stay all week. Attendees can put their umbrellas away — well, at least 'til South By 2014.

Cory Booker dominated trends on Mashable's Trendspotter today. The mayor of Newark, NJ spoke with TIME Magazine's Steven Snyder on how digital media impacts him as a politician. They also discussed Waywire, a video startup with which Booker is involved. For SXSW, Waywire put together a page rounding up videos from across the Web. Booker's 1.3 million Twitter following spans outside New Jersey and he's expected to announce a run for Senate soon

RebelMouse: How to Create Your Personalized Social Front Page

Posted: 10 Mar 2013 02:17 PM PDT

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Have you heard about RebelMouse, the social media aggregator — or "social front page" — created by former Huffington Post CTO Paul Berry?

Based on the idea that people's personal websites are often neglected, RebelMouse takes your social presence across the major networks and organizes it into what it calls a "beautiful, dynamic and social site."

We've taken a look at RebelMouse and have put together a brief introduction to the service. Click through the slideshow above for our first look. Let us know in the comments below if you're using RebelMouse and what you think of it

The Closest We Can Get to Time Travel

Posted: 10 Mar 2013 02:03 PM PDT

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Time Travel, Jerry King

Spring forward, fall back — daylight saving time is our only brush with defying the laws of nature.

It's no Quantum Leap, but we'll just have be satisfied

Comic written by Larry Lambert, illustrated by Jerry King.

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SimpleWash, the Easiest Way to Clean Up Your Facebook Page

Posted: 10 Mar 2013 01:45 PM PDT

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Whether you're job searching or have a pending friend request from your boss, it's a good idea to clean up your social media profiles every once in a while. After all, even if you're pretty militant about what gets posted publicly, things can slip through the cracks (i.e., that Throwback Thursday photo from freshman year you didn't realize you were tagged in). But, let's face it, you don't always have time to comb through your profiles to find this potentially questionable content.

That's why we were stoked to find SimpleWash, a new app designed to quickly make your profiles squeaky clean. It scans all the content on your Facebook profile — including comments by other people on photos or posts — and detects keywords that might be associated with things you don't want a potential employer seeing (drugs, alcohol, profanities, and the like).

6 Questions With Director Danny Boyle

Posted: 10 Mar 2013 01:10 PM PDT

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AUSTIN - Danny Boyle is an Oscar-winning director behind films as diverse as Trainspotting, Slumdog Millionaire and 127 Hours. As New York Times columnist David Carr put it, "just when you think you have [Boyle] pegged, he comes up with something else completely different and new."

Boyle was at SXSW showing off a preview of his next film, Trance a film about an art auctioneer who gets mixed up with some criminals and a hypnotherapist in order to recover a lost paintingTrance opens in the United States on April 5, 2013.

We had a few minutes to talk with Danny bout the future of filmmaking and the role digital technology plays in its evolution.

Viral Video Recap: Must-Watch Memes of the Week

Posted: 10 Mar 2013 12:50 PM PDT

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Well, folks. You heard it here first: Cats are still cute. Which is why the frisky little felines take up the majority of this week's viral video recap

We've got a cat that fights a "ghost" and cats that are jerks — equally adorable, of course. And for those puppy supporters, there's something here for you too — a corgi who has recently discovered the mirror. Don't worry pup, humans often have the same confused expression when gazing at their reflections

But it's not all puppies, kittens and rainbows on this week's edition of viral fun. There's a common (and startling) theme of electricity going on, from fences to what electricity tastes like

Why 'Hater' App's Founder Wanted a Negative Alternative to Social Media

Posted: 10 Mar 2013 12:32 PM PDT

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Social networks like Facebook and Instagram are intended to help users share their lives, but Jake Banks believes the language of "likes" used on these services forces us to be overly positive and restricts our ability to be ourselves. That's why he decided to develop an alternative social networking app called Hater, which is intended for sharing all the things you don't like.

"It's really an answer to everything out there in social media. All you can do is 'like' things," Banks told Mashable. "I don't want to be the guy pretending to be someone I'm not. I want to be real and say, 'I'm sitting in traffic and I hate this.'" While you can post a comment like that on Facebook or Twitter, Banks' contention is that providing a dedicated community for dislikes frees up users to re-think the type of posts they share and vent a bit.

Paintingbombs Are the New Photobombs

Posted: 10 Mar 2013 12:13 PM PDT

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Paintingbomb, Cyanide & Happiness

What do you mean it can't happen? Have you ever tried?

This probably happened to Salvador Dalí like all the time.

Comic illustration by Rob DenBleyker, Cyanide & Happiness. Published with permission; all rights reserved.

Marvel Digital Comics Get Intelligent Audio Tracks

Posted: 10 Mar 2013 11:59 AM PDT

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AUSTIN — We’ve all seen enough comic book movies to know that the right soundtrack can intensify or deaden the action. The same could be true of more traditional, albeit digital, comics. Add a music track and it could be a whole new experience. At least that’s what Marvel Digital Comics hopes to accomplish with Project Gama and its aural enhancements for everyday digital comic books.

“I was more skeptical than the next guy about the notion of providing a score for a comic book,” said Marvel Editor-in-Chief Axel Alonso. On the other hand, Alonso said he’s not the only one who’s had the experience where he's reading a comic book and listening to iPod and then ”suddenly there’s synergy.”

Not It Labs Turns Family and Office Chores Into a Game

Posted: 10 Mar 2013 11:34 AM PDT

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There's not much fun about doing chores for work or home, but one startup hopes to gamify the experience with a new smartphone app.

Not It Labs, a startup out of Birmingham, announced at SXSW this week it plans to release an iPhone app for delegating real-world tasks through an online game that is modeled after Tag. If the garbage needs to be taken out at home or someone in the office needs copies made of a report, Not It's app will send a notification to the group letting them compete to not get stuck with the task. It's not just a matter of being the first one to opt out; Not It gives users the option to earn badges and immunity to get out of chores.

Can Facebook Put Video Ads in News Feed Without Angering Users?

Posted: 10 Mar 2013 11:18 AM PDT

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Facebook video ads are coming to your News Feed — it's just a matter of when.

AdAge reported in mid-December that Facebook was planning to introduce a new ad product "by April at the latest" that would let marketers target video ads in users' News Feeds on desktop and mobile devices

According to that report, the ads would max out at 15 seconds and start playing automatically in the feed

Rory Maher, an analyst with Hillside Partners, said last month that Facebook was "beta testing a video ad product," which could be released in the first half of this year. And Facebook's top ad exec David Fischer confirmed in a recent interview that the company was "certainly looking" at the option of introducing video ad units

Elon Musk at SXSW: "I Would Like to Die on Mars, Just Not on Impact"

Posted: 10 Mar 2013 10:19 AM PDT

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AUSTIN — The most popular name on Twitter during day two of South by Southwest was Elon Musk, the founder and CEO of SpaceX

During his keynote address at the conference, Musk said he would one day like to set foot on Mars, but only if he knew his company could carry on without him and the technology could get him there safely

The old joke, Musk told NowThisNews, was that he would like to die on Mars, just not on impact.

Musk also said he hopes contact with life from another planet would come some day, and that it will be peaceful.

"So far we haven't seen any signs of life from other worlds," he said. "We haven't detected anything. Hopefully we do, and hopefully it's not a warship coming towards us."

Google Experiment Creates Web Magic for 'Oz the Great and Powerful'

Posted: 10 Mar 2013 10:12 AM PDT

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AUSTIN — Like a magician pulling a rabbit out of a hat, a Google Chrome experiment wondrously appeared for Oz the Great and Powerful to serve as an interactive trailer

The masterminds behind the "Find Your Way to Oz" experience revealed their sleight of hand, so to speak, during a quick discussion before a screening at South by Southwest

The Google Chrome experiment takes you on an interactive journey from a circus to the land of Oz with a balloon ride and an encounter with an ugly storm in between. Watch the walk-through above see everything in motion, or click here to experience it yourself.

SXSW Day 2: The Top Social Buzz

Posted: 10 Mar 2013 09:48 AM PDT

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With South by Southwest in full swing, what were the most-buzzed about topics in Austin on Saturday? The answer sounds like a David Bowie song: a party on Mars

With almost all buzz coming from Twitter, the most popular topic by far was the party scene at SXSWAl Gore retained some of his social heat from the day before, when he defended his choice to sell Current TV to Al Jazeera on a panel in Austin. But entrepreneur and SpaceX Founder and CEO Elon Musk was the most talked-about person on day two, thanks to his keynote, where he said he'd like to die on Mars (just not on impact).

Facebook Is So Uncool

Posted: 10 Mar 2013 09:38 AM PDT

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Facebook is losing its grip on kids, according to a recent article by CNET's Jennifer Van Grove, in which she cites complicated features and too much parental control.

In this Sunday Comic, our friends Nitrozac and Snaggy at The Joy of Tech illustrate how parents might be dealing with this shift in demographic.

Facebook Is So Uncool, Joy of Tech

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


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