Easily among the sweetest photography gigs in the world is Official White House Photographer: You get to hang out with the Leader of the Free World day in and day out, making images of history through multiple presidencies

The gig is currently filled by Pete Souza, who travels with President Barack Obama and uploads images to Flickr and YouTube. Souza's even made some history of his own: He was the first to shoot an official presidential portrait with a camera, rather than painting on canvas.

Mashable collected some of Souza's best frames along with other White House photographers' work in the gallery above. Want to know a little more about the man behind the DLSR? Check out this 2010 web interview with Souza, wherein he talks about life as the official White House photographer: Read more...

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We all know how an addition to your look, whether it's new earrings or simply a fresh haircut, can elevate self-confidence and put a spring in your step.

With smartphones now becoming a staple of our day-to-day experiences, there's no reason why we shouldn't apply some of that adventurous fashion sense to our phones as well.

Check out our suggestions for accessorizing your trusted electronic companion, with items ranging from the surprisingly useful to the purely decorative — and everything inbetween. At the very least, your phone will become quite the conversation starter in more ways than one. Read more...

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Craigslist: It's likely better known for job searches and furniture hunting than it is for true romance. But if you dig deep into your local missed connections section, you'll find the hopeful notes of people hoping to connect with those who they regret not pursuing further.

Missed connections on Craigslist can range anywhere from perfectly harmless to downright creepy. But if you happen to be the subject of one of these ads, the sweeter ones can serve as a pretty hefty boost to your self-esteem.

Even if you choose not to respond, it can be nice knowing that someone in the world thought you were cute enough to post about online. Read more...

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It's huge. It's number-heavy. And many say it has the potential to drastically change the way our business, government, academia and healthcare fields operate

But what does "big data" really mean?

It's a swanky term for a not-so-sexy concept: the idea that mass amounts of information can be analyzed to find hidden patterns, buried beneath terabytes of numbers, in Facebook posts, Google searches and Amazon purchases. These patterns can predict social trends and, in some cases, reengineer the way we live.

And it isn't newGCN argues that the first "big data" software was IBM's DB2, a database management system it released back in 1983. What's new is the ability to compile and process everything at such large scales — and quickly. Read more...

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Sometimes it's the small annoyances in life that really drive you nuts. The little glitches and quirks that bug you in a minor way, but on a regular basis

If having multiple copies of the same song in your iTunes library is one of those bugs, we can help you out. We have taken a very quick, very easy look at how to delete those pesky duplicates

Take a look through our simple walkthrough in the gallery above. In the comments below share your other tech grievances — we may well take a look into them in a future feature

Homepage image: Apple Read more...

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At Beyoncé Knowles' concert in Atlanta on Friday, she didn't hesitate to let the crowd know who's in charge.

Knowles led an acoustic sing-along of her 2006 hit "Irreplaceable," letting members of the audience chime lyrics into the microphone. She told the crowd, "This is my favorite part of the show because I can see all of your faces." But apparently, one concert-goer didn't get the memo

When Beyoncé bent down to let him sing into the mike, he got the lyrics wrong. Worse, the words were garbled, hoarse and off-key. "You can't even sing because you're too busy taping," she says. "I'm right in your face, baby. You've got to seize the moment. Let's try this one more time." Read more...

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A week after launching the new version of Google Maps for Android, Google has launched a new version of the app for iOS devices, including a dedicated tablet design

Google Maps for iOS 2.0 features turn-by-turn navigation, public transportation info, live incident reports and biking directions and navigation.

Indoor maps with walking directions are also available in certain locations, such as malls, airports and transit stations

Explore is a feature that lets users visually browse and discover new places without actually typing a query

More about Google, Google Maps, Ios, Tech, and Mobile

The first trailer for Hollywood's WikiLeaks movie, The Fifth Estate, debuted online Tuesday night

It gives a sneak peek into the film's main plotline: the troubled relationship between Wikieaks founder Julian Assange and his longtime right-hand man, Daniel Domscheit-Berg. According to director Bill Condon, this is "the crux of the movie."

"We felt as though the the story of Daniel, this kind of everyman, this guy who comes into WikiLeaks, joins up with Julian when it's already up and going, and ultimately he's there for the two-year period when it really explodes, and then has a falling out — that was a good way for us to explain not only what WikiLeaks is about, but also explain the bigger issues,” Condon told Mashable in an interview. Read more...

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Firing up the grill is a summertime tradition

Image courtesy of Kickstarter, BBiQ Read more...

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Google Maps' redesigned web app is now open to everyone — and no invites are necessary

In a tweet sent Tuesday night, @GoogleMaps said users simply have to "sign up" to access the new app.

The new Google Maps for the web is even easier to try out. No email invite needed. Sign up and get instant access: http://t.co/uN65ALct88

— Google Maps (@googlemaps) July 16, 2013

Under the "desktop" section of the new Google Maps' about page, users are prompted to click "Try now." Doing so will send them to a preview of the revamped app. From now on, whenever users visit the maps.google.com URL, they will be redirected to google.com/maps/preview Read more...

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Talking to our phones is something we do all the time: It makes our multitasking easier. And now Google is apparently upping its game in the sector with the rumored Motorola X handset.

In a leaked video from Rogers Wireless, the Motorola Moto X appears to constantly listen for voice cues. It's expected to learn the sound of your voice and “O.K. Google Now” is apparently its trigger phrase. The short video demonstrates what the phone can do in addition to the constant listening, including its new visual notification system to replace the flashing light and a camera that activates with a flick of the wrist. Read more...

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Icona Pop's "I Love It" has topped the charts for months with its anthem-like hook and infectious beat

So it can be tough to imagine how a song so joyously pro-female might sound stripped of its' pounding rhythm in favor of slowed down piano and guitar melodies.

Thankfully, Robin Thicke — best known for his own summer megahit "Blurred Lines" — has done just that, performing a soulful rendition of the dance song during BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge. And guess what? We love it.

Check out Thicke's sexy and original take on "I Love It" in the video above. Read more...

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Do you know your blood type? A Portuguese student has designed a device that can quickly determine blood type — four times faster than current solutions. In emergency situations, diagnosing a patient's blood type is vital when a blood transfusion is needed

Ana Ferraz built a portable prototype device that has a small centrifuge with small containers for testing blood. Blood is mixed with a reagent — a substance used for chemical analysis — and put in the device, which can pair with a smartphone, tablet or PC app. Ferraz's prototype is noteworthy because it can figure out blood type in five minutes, compared to current testing methods that often take quadruple the time. Read more...

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Tumblr urged users to download an important update for its iOS apps on Tuesday, after a "security vulnerability" put passwords at risk.

"We have just released a very important security update for our iPhone and iPad apps addressing an issue that allowed passwords to be compromised in certain circumstances," Derek Gottfrid, the blogging platform's vice-president of product, said in a blog post. In a footnote, Gottfrid elaborated that passwords were "sniffed" or detected while in transit on certain versions of the app.

The company also advised users of its iOS apps to update their passwords on Tumblr, as well as "anywhere else you may have been using the same password." Read more...

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Prepare your brain for a Five Alarm level of cute.

A firefighter in Fresno, Calif. rescued a kitten from a burning home and the entire heroic act was caught on his helmet camYouTube channel kalanick1111 cut the footage in the style of a Hollywood blockbuster — or at least a heartstring-ripping indie flick — for maximum joy.

This movie looks better than pretty much anything in theaters now

Image: Flickr, Alan Huett Read more...

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Pancakes, bacon and eggs are about to feel quite plain.

Oakland-based artist Milena Korolczuk was feeling bored with her routine breakfast, so with a little creativity and a few pantry items, she started adding a bit of life to her plate.

Korolczuk used chunks of Wonder Bread to sculpt historical figures and celebrities, like Jay-Z, Plato, Andy Warhol and Prometheus. When finished crafting her carb-heavy art, she carefully photographed the collection.

Warsaw art gallery Raster described the portraits as a result of "the com­pul­sive activity of idle hands and a mind con­stan­tly on the hunt for ideas." The gallery is currently hosting an exhibit of Korolczuk's work. Read more...

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The Launchpad is a series that introduces Mashable readers to compelling startups. If you would like to have your startup considered for inclusion, please see the details here.

Name: Givted

One-Liner Pitch: Givted is like crowdfunding for gift-giving.

Why It's Taking Off: Visual bookmarking sites allow you to collect aspirational products, but Givted allows your friends to buy you those higher pricetag items they couldn't afford on their own.

Here's a riddle: Would you rather have 10 stocking stuffers or one dream-come-true under the Christmas tree? It's the wrong season, but gift-giving (and receiving) happens all year long. A site called Givted aims to help you friends buy you what you really want — by pooling their funds Read more...

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"Twitter made me do it!"

That's a fame-seeking fan's excuse after rushing the field during the middle of Tuesday night's MLB All-Star Game.

Our antagonistic proganonist's tale begins with this Tuesday afternoon tweet:

1000 RT's and ill run across the field.#ASG #CitiField

— dyl (@MasoneDylan) July 16, 2013

Sure enough, as you'll notice, the post racked up well over the required 1,000 retweets, and young @MasoneDylan stayed true to his word. He live-tweeted his approach to the field and even shared screenshots of a text-message exchange with his horrified mother before doing the deed

More on that in just a bit — but first, here's a bit of Instagram video of Dylan's fifth-inning stunt, and a security guard's rather epic takedown right next to second base. See how that guard gets low, wraps up the legs and drives with his hips? Read more...

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The Internet is dark and full of terrors, so we're lucky Thomas Stwaazy is here to bring some levity to the situation

Stwaazy, better known on Instagram as @Dancehardwow, has taken full advantage of the social network's new video-sharing capabilities. How? In a nutshell, he dances like he just don't care and has the 15-second clips to prove it

Yes, that's all Stwaazy's Instagram account is — short clips of him breaking it down in ridiculous fashion in public spaces. But before you scoff, consider this: Stwaazy's charmingly comical moves have earned him 30,000 followers in just three weeks, so he's clearly hit some sort of social-media sweet spot. Read more...

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Your day-to-day grind can be exhausting, even impossible, without a little help. We want to know what apps, gadgets and tricks help you

On Thursday, we'll be hosting a Twitter chat on our Lifestyle Account (@mashlifestyle) to discuss how you solve your everyday problems: What apps help you wake up in the morning? How do you improve gas mileage? Which gadgets could you not live without?

How to Join

• Join us on Twitter at Thursday, July 18, 3 p.m. ET

• Follow @MashLifestyle on Twitter and tweet your questions and comments.

• Join the conversation using the hashtag #MashLifeChat.

You'll be sharing your best hacks, shortcuts, DIY projects, apps and gadgets while learning a few new ones from our community. We've also invited lifestyle bloggers Carley Knobloch and Jeana Tahnk to share their expertise and lead the conversation Read more...

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Verizon plans to “unveil the next generation of one of their most popular family of devices” next Tuesday.

The wireless carrier sent out invitations to members of the press for a private event to be held on July 23 in New York City. Details about the invite-only event were sparse, however — although the invitation's wording suggests that the event could be for the next generation of Motorola’s Droid line of handsets.

Verizon launched the first “Droid” handset in October 2009 as a competitor to the iPhone. Since that time it has launched a number of other Motorola handsets under the Droid name, including most recently the DROID RAZR HD, RAZR Maxx HD, and Razr M, which all launched last summer. Read more...

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It's summertime, which means your local Shakespeare Thespian Society (or some variation of the name) heads to the park — equipped with their tights, corsets and epic words — to perform for the masses. But in case you can't get tickets to a park play, don't fret

In this comic, Grant Snider of Incidental Comics shows us that Shakespeare's legendary words can be used in plenty of situations other than onstage

Comic illustration by Grant Snider, Incidental Comics. Published with permission; all rights reserved. Read more...

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Look out, Gabby Douglas! This robot gymnast is incredible, absolutely nailing a quadruple backflip with both grace and style

Watch as it gets a boost up to the horizontal bar then generates its own momentum, picking up speed before launching itself into the air and sticking a perfect landing. The clip has picked up more than 25,000 views since hitting YouTube on Monday.

But if the video above isn't enough, check out the longer highlight reel compiled by YouTube user hinamitetu, embedded below. It's enough to make you wonder just how long we have before robots rule the sports world Read more...

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Weeds star Mary-Louise Parker says she's just about done with acting and you may be partially to blame

Parker tells the website news.com.au that the Internet's culture of celebrity destruction has become too much to deal with

"The world has gotten too mean for me, it's just too bitchy. All the websites and all the blogging and all the people giving their opinion and their hatred … it's all so mean-spirited, it's all so critical," she says. "It's sport for people, it's fun to get on at night and unleash their own self-loathing by attacking someone else who they think has a happier life — or something, I dunno." Read more...

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Microsoft indirectly hinted that Skype communications can be intercepted and handed over to the National Security Agency, according to two privacy and security researchers' interpretation of the latest statement by the company regarding NSA surveillance.

In a long blog post addressing the latest reports that said Microsoft helped the NSA spy on its users, the company equated Skype with traditional calls, saying that it "[assumes] that all calls, whether over the Internet or by fixed line or mobile phone, will offer similar levels of privacy and security."

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At least one person is a big fan of Yahoo's performance under Marissa Mayer in her first year as Yahoo CEO: Marissa Mayer

During Yahoo's second-quarter earnings call on Tuesday, Mayer broke down Yahoo's business into four categories — search, mobile, display and video — and noted that she and the company deserve top marks for making progress on mobile in particular

"I grade our progress on mobile as an A," Mayer said. "We invested heavily and are seeing incredible growth as a result."

In particular, Mayer highlighted the fact that Yahoo now has 340 million active mobile users and has grown its mobile team by a factor of six in the past 12 months, going from "dozens" to "hundreds," thanks in part to Yahoo's acquisition of 16 companies Read more...

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If you've ever wished for a pop song that painfully details the murky territory of using a dating app, you're in luck.

While Taylor Swift probably isn't on Tinder, this Funny or Die parody imagines a world in which the pop-country star is looking for love through the dating app. And, obviously, she writes a song about it.

"Tinder Too" parodies Taylor Swift's "22," turning a ridiculously catchy ode to your early twenties into an exploration of the ups and downs of dating on Tinder — two things that are potentially very intertwined Read more...

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As a part of a greater effort to use social media to connect with Catholics worldwide, the Pope will start relieving punishment for your sins via social media.

According to the Vatican's Sacred Apostolic Penitentiary publication, Pope Francis will be giving "plenary indulgences" — which is a special act that is said to reduce time in purgatory — to his Twitter followers. The Pope typically offers indulgences to those who see him in person, but for the first time this year, it will extend to virtual visits, too

The decision was made as the Pope gears up to visit the World Youth Festival in Brazil next weekThe Guardian is reporting Catholics will be able to follow the "rites and pious exercises" that the Pope will do in Brazil online Read more...

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If you've ever used Google Glass, the fascinating wearable technology that some 1,500 Glass explorers are currently walking around the world with today, then you're familiar with the phrase "O.K. Glass." If not, then you should know it’s the key to Google's wearable technology castle; pretty much how you make Glass do all the amazing and interesting stuff it can do (take photos, videos, send messages, search the web). And now we know how that simple phrase came to be.

In a revealing and entertaining post on Google+ (Google's social network that is also intrinsically tied to Glass), Glass Product Marketing Manager Amanda Rosenberg explained on Tuesday not only the origins of the phrase, but how she came to be a member of the Glass team Read more...

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When the fourth season of USA Network's hit show Covert Affairs premieres Tuesday night, fans will get to enjoy a prequel storyline — thanks to the second screen.

The series, dubbed Sights Unseen: Auggie Undercover, will run for six weeks and introduce viewers to a part of character Auggie Andersen's life before he lost his sight. Created in conjunction with Jaguar, the webisodes will focus on Auggie's relationship with Russian-hacker Natasha — a character fans may remember from season 1 of the show.

For Christopher Gorham, the actor who plays Auggie, the second screen and social TV are an increasingly important part of business. Gorham, who has an active presence on Twitter (he's @ChrisGorham), stopped by Mashable HQ to talk about the new web series, the future of the second screen and social media's growing importance to television.

Best alternative to bluestacks

Read more...

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