Mashable: Latest 29 News Updates - including “Google Extends Free Gmail Calls in the US and Canada to 2012”

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Mashable: Latest 29 News Updates - including “Google Extends Free Gmail Calls in the US and Canada to 2012”

Google Extends Free Gmail Calls in the US and Canada to 2012

Posted: 14 Dec 2011 02:47 AM PST


Google has extended free voice calls in Gmail in the US and Canada to one more year, the company has announced.

Voice calls were originally added to Gmail in August 2010, with Google promising they will be free in the US and Canada “for the rest of the year.”

However, at the end of 2010 Google has extended free calling in these two countries to 2011, and now it has done so again, promising free calls in the US and Canada throughout 2012.

Originally announced with much fanfare, the popularity of voice calling in Gmail obviously still hasn’t reached the point where Google could start charging for the service, at least domestically.

Internationally, voice calling in Gmail is still available at what Google calls “insanely low rates.”

More About: Canada, gmail, Google, US, voice calls

Apple Founding Documents Sold for $1.6 Million at Auction

Posted: 14 Dec 2011 01:09 AM PST


Apple‘s original founding documents from 1976 have been sold for $1.59 million at an auction on Tuesday.

Originally estimated at $100,000 to $150,000, the papers were bought by Eduardo Cisneros, chief executive officer of Cisneros Corporation, for ten times as much – $1,594,500.

“Very happy to own a piece of American ( World) history,” tweeted Cisneros after the purchase.

The papers include the founding documents for Apple Computer Company signed by Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs, as well as a statement of withdrawal by Ronald Wayne, with which he relinquished his 10% stake in the company for a mere $800.


1. Apple Founding Documents




A piece of American corporate history, these documents made headlines when it was announced they were to be auctioned at Sotheby's New York.

Boasting the signatures of "Stephen G. Wozniak", "Steven P. Jobs", "Ronald G. Wayne," the collection consists of the Apple Computer Company Partnership Agreement from 1976, an amendment document and Wayne's official "Statement of Withdrawal."

With an estimated high of $150,000, they actually sold for an astonishing $1,350,000 (nearly $1.6 million with taxes) -- showing just how much people are prepared to pay to own some of Apple's heritage.

Click here to view this gallery.

More About: apple, auction, founding documents, steve jobs, steve wozniak

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Microsoft Founder’s Rocket Plane Hybrid: One Giant Leap For Mankind

Posted: 13 Dec 2011 11:20 PM PST


If you build it, they will come. That may be something of a cliche these days, but it retains an essential nugget of business sense: you need the infrastructure before you can find the big revenue models.

Nowhere is that more true than in the fledgling private space industry. Entrepreneurs have plenty of promising ideas for what we can do in Earth orbit and beyond, but no consensus on how we’re going to get there.

Tuesday’s announcement from Microsoft co-founder (and somewhat reclusive billionaire) Paul Allen could change all of that.

Allen is starting a $200 million company, Stratolaunch Systems, that will marry the designs of two of the space industry’s most important inventors: Burt Rutan and Elon Musk.

Behold, the hybrid rocket plane — due this decade, larger than any aerial vehicle yet built, it can put anything and anyone in orbit.

Rutan is the creator of SpaceShipOne, the world’s first commercial spacecraft, which was launched from the top of a light aircraft called White Knight. The plane took care of those crucial first 30,000 feet of a launch, where Earth’s hold on us is hardest to break. This is how Virgin Galactic will be sending its first tourists to space in 2013.

Musk, the former PayPal billionaire, owns a company called SpaceX, which is building a new breed of rocket called the Falcon in order to deliver commercial payloads like satellites.

So why not have a Falcon rocket launching off the back of a White Knight plane? That, essentially, is Paul Allen’s plan. There’s a little more to it than that; Rutan is creating a giant and far more expensive version of the White Knight, using six engines from Boeing 747s. The wingspan will be 385 feet, wider than that of the previous record holder, Howard Hughes’ Spruce Goose.

What Allen has done, wisely, is to take two already proven systems and fuse them together. To build even more confidence, he has hired NASA veterans such as the agency’s former administrator, Mike Griffin, to sit on the Stratolaunch board.

So what will this setup actually launch into space? In a word: everything. Commercial payloads, tourists, satellites, space hotels, International Space Station guests, maybe even unmanned missions to other planets.

Given that the only entity that can currently launch all of that for you is the Russian Space Agency — which charges more than $60 million per passenger — Allen thinks the industry is wide open to competition. At Tuesday’s press conference, he spoke of bringing “airport-like operations to the launch of commercial and government payloads." The company’s motto is “any orbit, any time.”

Sure, it’ll be a while before you can hop onto an affordable orbital flight; Stratolaunch has tentatively pointed to 2016 as its first year of operation, and the first clients are likely to be deep-pocketed telecoms companies and governments.

But the system seems powerful, light and easily scaled — a magical recipe for entrepreneurship. It also doesn’t hurt to have the resources of one of the world’s wealthiest men. Slowly but surely, it’s companies like this that will move the needle on the cost of getting ordinary people, everyday things, and all-important infrastructure to space.

“I have long dreamed about taking the next big step in private space flight after the success of SpaceShipOne – to offer a flexible, orbital space delivery system,” Allen said in a statement. “We are at the dawn of radical change in the space launch industry.”

As Wordsworth might say: bliss was it in that dawn to be alive, but to be young made it very likely you could eventually get a cheap ticket to the heavens.

More About: Paul Allen, space

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Turn Your Great Ideas Into Extraordinary Projects With Rock the Post

Posted: 13 Dec 2011 06:33 PM PST


The Spark of Genius Series highlights a unique feature of startups and is made possible by Microsoft BizSpark. If you would like to have your startup considered for inclusion, please see the details here.

Name: Rock the Post

Quick Pitch: Rock the Post is a free business social networking site.

Genius Idea: Serves as a platform for business partnerships to form in order to turn projects, dreams and passions into reality.

Are you working on a special project or venture that’s ready to take off? If so, Rock the Post will provide you with the resources, connections and support necessary for your project to be successful.

Rock the Post is a free business social networking site that serves as a bridge between entrepreneurs, professionals and investors to help take projects to the next level. The site targets entrepreneurs, professionals and artists with a range of expertise as well as investors who are looking to support a cause or invest in business opportunities.

Regardless of what stage a project is in, Rock the Post brings the community together to pledge money, time and/or resources to help turn great ideas into extraordinary projects.

For example, a fashion designer may not have the funds to accomplish her lifelong dream of building her own clothing line. By logging onto Rock the Post, she can create a post describing her situation and her fundraising goals. If users on Rock the Post are interested in her clothing line, they can pledge money, time and resources to help her raise the necessary funds to create her clothing line.

Users can choose to keep their posts on the site for 30, 60 or 90 days. If they don’t reach their desired goal within the specific time frame, they can extend the amount of days their post in on the site.

Natalie Wahl, a Rock the Post user, was diagnosed with multiples sclerosis this year and had to quit her job. She decided she wanted to build a blog to earn extra income for her family, so she created the following post asking for help on starting her own blog:

MS1

The Rock the Post community pledged their time and resources to Natalie, providing her with useful blogging links and even offering to help her design her own website.

To make a financial pledge to a project or cause, users have to sign up for a Rock the Post account or sign in with their Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn accounts. The site enables users to pledge money using credit cards.

“The problem with most social networks is that most of the time, you can only invest money into a venture,” says Tanya Prive, co-founder of Rock the Post. “Rock the Post takes it a step further by giving projects exposure and allowing users to also pledge their time and resources, not just money.”

Rock the Post plans to add an intuitive news feed that will keep track of projects that users are interested in, suggest other projects based on the users’ interests and allow users to see who views their profile.

Launched in November, Rock the Post has raised $350,000 in funding and currently has users in 116 countries. The site’s business model will be based on advertisements and on premium services that will give users the opportunity to connect with more professionals and search for unique business opportunities.

Image courtesy of Rock the Post, Rock the Post

Series Supported by Microsoft BizSpark

Microsoft BizSpark

The Spark of Genius Series highlights a unique feature of startups and is made possible by Microsoft BizSpark, a startup program that gives you three-year access to the latest Microsoft development tools, as well as connecting you to a nationwide network of investors and incubators. There are no upfront costs, so if your business is privately owned, less than three years old, and generates less than U.S.$1 million in annual revenue, you can sign up today.

More About: bizspark, Business, entrepreneurs, Rock the Post

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Google Buys a Virtual Assistant, But It’s a Far Cry From Siri

Posted: 13 Dec 2011 05:59 PM PST

Alfred

Android owners looking for a fully-integrated response to Apple’s Siri will have to wait a little longer.

Google announced on Tuesday that it acquired a company called Clever Sense, the maker of the app Alfred, which serves as a digital personal assistant. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Mashable confirmed with Google that the Alfred app does not have voice-command capabilities. Similar to Siri, he does search the Internet and provide users with recommendations from restaurant suggestions to bar and nightlife options. Alfred also learns user preferences and tastes over time to make more targeted recommendations.

But Siri does that already, and can also answer questions about the weather, news and directions. It’s unclear whether Alfred can catch up.

Also unclear: whether Alfred was named after Bruce Wayne’s confidant and butler in Batman. Clever Sense has said it originally picked out the name Seymour for the app.

“Today, we are excited to join Google and start a new chapter in curating the world around us,” Clever Sense said in a statement. “Together with the Google team, we will accelerate our efforts toward this shared vision. Google helps local businesses connect with potential customers, and its worldwide presence can bring the value of Clever Sense to a much larger audience.”

“Discovering local information is extremely important to both users and businesses, and the acquisition of Clever Sense will benefit both,” the company added.

Google isn’t yet poised to fully take on Siri, but Alfred is a step in the right direction. There’s a good chance Google has voice-recognition software in the works for Android — in which case, Alfred could well be the shell they put around it.

Could Alfred take on Siri in the future? Let us know in the comments.

More About: Alfred, android, apple, Clever Sense, Google, siri

Ford Teases 2013 Fusion With Logo Recognition App [VIDEO]

Posted: 13 Dec 2011 05:39 PM PST



Looking to top its own introduction of the 2011 Explorer on Facebook, Ford is teasing its 2013 Fusion via mobile apps.

Starting Wednesday, fans can download an iPhone and Android app that is activated by pointing the phone’s camera at a Ford logo — either on a car, online or even printed on a piece of paper. As the video above demonstrates, when the app reads the logo, it activates a 360 degree version of the new model, which you can use for a virtual driving course.

Every day until the hybrid sedan is officially revealed at the North American International Auto Show on Jan. 10 in Detroit, the app will offer new courses and video clips featuring interviews from the creators of the car. Users can also share photos from the app via Twitter and Facebook.

The goal is to keep superfans engaged and talking up the launch on social media, while Ford keeps the actual look and design a secret. The company aims to create the sort of frenzied speculation that precludes, for instance, an Apple product introduction.

The use of mobile is just the latest step in Ford’s strategy. In 2010, using Facebook to reveal a new model was novel, but now it’s passe. The auto giant is hoping that the mobile app will have the same wow factor that social networks did two years ago.

What do you think of Ford’s strategy? Sound off in the comments.

More About: Augmented Reality, cars, ford

Star Friends: George Takei Brings Peace to Sci-Fi Geek Feud [VIDEO]

Posted: 13 Dec 2011 05:11 PM PST


Each day, Mashable highlights one noteworthy YouTube video. Check out all our viral video picks.

George Takei just wants some peace. The actor, famous for his role as Hikaru Sulu in Star Trek, wants to put an end to the YouTube wars between fans of his franchise and fans of Star Wars.

The long-standing sci-fi battle caught fire back in September, when Captain Kirk himself (William Shatner) made the argument for Trek‘s superiority in a YouTube interview. Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia) responded on her own YouTube channel, arguing that Star Wars is clearly the best and that The Shat doesn’t know what he’s talking about.

Never one to back down, Shatner addressed Fisher directly via a video that amped up the insults.

In an attempt to snuff out this feud once and for all, Takei implores both sides to fight together to address the real enemy: Twilight.

What are the merits of the three franchises? Is Twilight really awful enough to unite sci-fi fans against it — and how long can the Trekkies and Star Wars geeks stay friends? Let us know in the comments.

More About: Carrie Fisher, George Takei, Star Trek, Star Wars, twilight, viral-video-of-day, William Shatner, YouTube

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8 Big Trends That Shaped the Mobile Phone Industry in 2011

Posted: 13 Dec 2011 04:44 PM PST

From the anticipated arrival of the iPhone 5 that never came to swiping phones in stores to make a purchase, 2011 was an exciting year for mobile phones.

As smartphones get smarter and consumer expectations rise, the mobile tech industry has stepped up to the plate to offer innovative and cutting-edge services. Here is a look at eight influential mobile phone stories and trends that surfaced throughout the year.

SEE ALSO: 13 Tech Companies and Products That Went Under in 2011

What do you think is in store for next year? Will we finally see that iPhone 5? Share your predictions in the comments below.


1. Mobile Payments Heat Up





Shoppers in parts of Asia have been tapping their smartphones to pay for in-store purchases for years, thanks to a technology called near field communications (NFC). This year the U.S. made strides toward the tech, especially with the arrival of Google Wallet, which allows users to store credit and loyalty cards on their mobile device. A phone equipped with an NFC chip can be tapped on any PayPass-enabled terminal at checkout to make a purchase.

Click here to view this gallery.

More About: android, features, iphone, Mobile, Tech

FCC Mutes Loud TV Ads

Posted: 13 Dec 2011 04:26 PM PST


Those insanely loud TV commercials that disrupt viewing will soon be a thing of the past. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has adopted a new rule that will limit the broadcast volume of television ads.

The rule is an implementation of 2010′s Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation Act (the CALM Act), which gives the Commission authority over excessive commercial loudness.

The rule will require TV commercials to have the same average volume as the programs they accompany. Historically, advertisers have requested that their advertisements broadcast louder than the accompanying programming. Other advertisers caught on and started encoding their ads with louder sounds. It’s a vicious cycle that can be jarring — and disquieting — for anyone who tries to watch television.

Local advertisements are the most frequent offenders — thanks to various insert procedures from the ad broker — though some cable and satellite companies have taken it upon themselves to turn down the volume.

The rule won’t go into effect overnight; the FCC will give stations and MVPDs (multichannel video programming distributors) a year to reach compliance. Hopefully, overly loud ads will be a thing of the past by Dec. 13, 2012.

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, mgkaya

More About: CALM Act, fcc, mashable video, tv ads

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Hands-on with Sony’s PlayStation Vita: Can It Win the Portable Gaming Crown?

Posted: 13 Dec 2011 03:47 PM PST

Curious about the PlayStation Vita handheld console? You can now try one out for yourself.

Mashable stopped by Sony’s Vita Hill Social Club — a pop-up store Sony has opened temporarily to show off the Vita to curious consumers — to play major games like Uncharted: Golden Abyss and FIFA Soccer.

The Vita comes out Dec.17 in Japan, and Feb. 22 in North America, Europe and Australia, starting at $249.99. Some of its most-touted features include dual analog sticks, WiFi and 3G capabilities, augmented reality, a back touchpad and a six-axis motion-sensing system. It also features the ability to remotely log in to and stream games from the PlayStation 3, while a Party App allows users to chat with friends while gaming.

Overall, the Vita impressed us. It’s easy, intuitive touch interface makes navigating the system simple and hassle-free. The graphics are pretty amazing for a 5-inch screen; it was easy to forget you were playing on such a small device.

Uncharted: Golden Abyss is one of the system’s biggest upcoming titles, alongside other highly anticipated games such as Unit 13 and Resistance: Burning Skies. Golden Abyss, which follows from the popular Uncharted series on PS3, was developed especially for the Vita. The impressive visuals and fast-paced storytelling at times felt almost like watching a movie.

The game also takes advantage of Vita’s built-in motion technology. You have to tilt the device back and forth to balance on beams and swiping the tilt screen resulted in your character chopping through a barrier. These are nice, intuitive additions to normal gameplay.

Reality Fighters, meanwhile, showcased the Vita’s augmented reality and connectivity. Players can snap a picture of their face and digitally layer it onto a fighter. Two people can battle it out by connecting their Vitas wirelessly. The combat can then be projected on a live “battlefield,” or any flat surface between them.

The augmented reality feature really shines on the new Little Deviants game, which also capitalizes on the back touchpad.

The back touchpad, a touchscreen on the back of the device, was most impressive in FIFA Soccer. To shoot on the Vita version of FIFA, for example, you simply visualize the rectangular back pad as the goal, and tap where you want the ball to go. Meanwhile, the front touchscreen lets you simply touch players to pass them the ball or switch to them to defense.

While FIFA is currently EA Sports’ only scheduled release for the Vita, it’s easy to imagine how other sports can make use of the device’s touch capabilities.

In short, the Vita is an extremely cool and innovative little handled console. The augmented reality and front and back touch capabilities allow a world of possibilities, as do the connectivity features.

Still, the system is not a must-buy for casual gamers. Consoles and mobile gaming offer enough diversion for boring subway rides. For the more serious gamers, the Vita could be a great purchase — offering truly remarkable visuals and gameplay capabilities in a portable format.

But don’t take our word for it — you can try out the Vita seven days a week at Sony’s Vita Hills Social Club in San Francisco through the end of February. There are also Vita pop ups in near Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Atlanta and Washington, D.C. Sony also just announced a Vita tour of the United Kingdom for February.

What does the Vita have to prove to make you plunk down the cash? Share your thoughts in the comments.

More About: Gaming, playstation, PS Vita, sony, video games, Vita

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Badoo Unveils Features to Help Shy Users Flirt

Posted: 13 Dec 2011 03:25 PM PST


In a bid to lure in more users in the United States, multilingual social network Badoo has rolled out two “U.S.-friendly” features that aim to help users charm strangers online.

The London-based company, which has 130 million users in 180 countries and has recently made a push into U.S. borders, touts its free new features — "Interests" and "Ice Breaker" — as digital aids for users who are concerned about leaving favorable first impressions.

Ice Breaker offers conversation starters, while the Interests component allows users to leave self-generated hobbies instead of pre-defined ones like other dating sites require. Badoo predicts the features “will help thousands of people connect with like-minded friends, hobby partners or potential love interests.”

"It's hard work coming up with lines to impress new people," says Jessica Powell, Badoo’s chief marketing officer. "We all want to appear funny, smart and relevant, and talking about things you already know the other person is interested in gives you a head start. It makes the approach much more personal and, the likelihood is, more successful.”

Badoo, which launched in 2006 and snatched up $30 million in funding in 2008 when it had just 12 million users, is available as a browser service, iPhone app or Android app.

At the Le Web conference on Dec. 7, Badoo founder Andrey Andreev discussed the company’s growth, including the U.S. expansion and its 400 employees. The company is profitable. A feature that lets users pay money to have their profiles featured higher in the app is one way Badoo brings in money.


Badoo App




Badoo is available as an iPhone app or Android app.

Click here to view this gallery.

More About: Badoo, dating, networking, Social Media

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No Calls in Cars, Even Hands-Free: NTSB Wants U.S.-Wide Cellphone Ban

Posted: 13 Dec 2011 02:57 PM PST


If the National Transportation Safety Board has its way, cellphone use of all kinds behind the wheel — from texting down to talking hands-free with a headset — will be illegal in all 50 of these United States.

That was the ruling the NTSB issued Tuesday, in what chairman Deborah A. P. Hersman called “a difficult recommendation, but the right recommendation.” Her five-member board agreed to a new set of guidelines that go far beyond laws that any states have on the books yet.

States are of course free to make their own laws about driving within state lines. But recommendations from Washington’s top traffic safety body are likely to carry a lot of weight — especially given that they were made in connection to a horrific accident in Missouri in August 2010. A teenager sent 11 texts in 11 minutes at the wheel of his pickup truck, then smashed into a school bus, killing himself and a 15-year-old student.

Missouri already had a law banning texting behind the wheel, but the NTSB concluded that law was not being rigorously enforced. That gave Hersman her best soundbite of the day: “No call, no text, no update is worth a human life.”

So a nationwide ban on texting while driving clearly makes sense. Holding your phone to your ear while driving seems like an obviously bad idea, too, as the millions of us who have watched such drivers swerving around the road can attest. But did the NTSB overreach by recommending we nix hands-free calls? U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood certainly doesn’t think so; he’s been inveighing against the evils of hands-free distracted driving for years.

And there’s good reason to think that way: a Virginia Tech study found that drivers were just as distracted when wearing a headset and talking as when they hold the phone to their ear. It’s the call, researchers said, not the location of the phone, that does the distracting.

Systems completely built into cars, such as OnStar, wouldn't be affected by the proposed ban, the NTSB said. Neither would GPS devices.

Do you think the NTSB’s recommended ban goes too far, or is it a sensible precaution that will save lives? Let us know in the comments.

More About: cars, cellphones, U.S. government

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Are Young People ‘Fed Up’ With the iPhone? [POLL]

Posted: 13 Dec 2011 02:18 PM PST

iphone cheer

With the release of the iPhone 4S, Apple is selling iPhones hand over fist, but are many of those buyers merely settling for something because they don’t see a better alternative? That appears to be the theory from one Nokia executive, who said young people are “fed up” with the iPhone.

In an interview with British gadget site Pocket-Lint, Nokia director of product marketing & sales Niels Munksgaard said, “What we see is that youth are pretty much fed up with iPhones. Everyone has the iPhone.”

The comments are reminiscent of those from the president of HTC earlier this year. Martin Fichter, acting president of HTC America, concluded that the iPhone was for old people, based on an informal survey of his daughter’s dormroom friends: "None of them has an iPhone," Fichter said, "because they told me: 'My dad has an iPhone.' There's an interesting thing that's going on in the market. The iPhone becomes a little less cool than it was.”

If you ask Apple, the iPhone is still pretty cool — to the tune of 4 million phones sold in just the first weekend after the release of the iPhone 4S. Of course, Apple doesn’t break down sales by age.

Nokia’s Munksgaard didn’t single out just the iPhone; he also dissed Android by saying that customers were put off by its “complexity” and “lack of security.” He described the market as a “sea of sameness,” with customers — especially young ones — hungry for services and phones that are different.

It’s clearly an attempt to drum up attention for Nokia’s coming Windows Phones, which Munksgaard believes will differentiate themselves with services like Nokia Mix Radio and the company’s well-regarded mapping service.

What do you think? Is the iPhone less hip than it used to be? And does that mean you’re in a rush to ditch it for something else? Vote in our poll, and let us know your thoughts in the comments.


More About: android, htc, iphone, Nokia, poll

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Racist Comments Pile Up on Lowe’s Facebook Page

Posted: 13 Dec 2011 01:58 PM PST

fail image

Over the weekend, Lowe’s posted a note to its Facebook Page explaining why the company complied with the Florida Family Association’s request to pull its ads from All-American Muslim, a TLC reality show about five Muslim families in Dearborn, MI. Now, supporters of that decision are going to Lowe’s Facebook Page to celebrate.

More than 23,000 comments have been left in reply to the note, which says that the home improvement retailer decided to to pull the ads because the program incited “strong political and societal views on [diversity and inclusion].” Lowe’s believes it is “best to respectfully defer to communities, individuals and groups to discuss and consider such issues of importance,” adding that the company continues to have a “strong commitment to diversity… across our workforce and our customers.”

Most of the 23,000 comments deride Lowe’s for its decision. “So it’s okay to advertise during Jersey Shore and other shows that make Americans look idiotic but it’s not okay to advertise during a show that demonstrates another perspective in an intelligent manner? Way to go pandering to the lowest element, Lowe’s,” writes Basia Cosentino. Others express regret for ever having shopped at Lowe’s, and pledge not to do so in the future.

But many transparently racist and offensive comments have also been posted since the note went up Saturday, and no one appeared to be moderating them until the press began taking notice on Monday. Below, a selection, via Adweek:

Of course, given the volume of posts now going up on the wall, it will be even more difficult moderate.

Lowe’s could not be reached for comment at press time.

Image courtesy of Flickr, Alex Jarvis

More About: Facebook, lowe's, pr disaster

Facebook Could Launch Mobile Ads in March [REPORT]

Posted: 13 Dec 2011 01:44 PM PST


Facebook may begin experimenting with mobile advertising in March, with a launch right before the company’s planned IPO, according to a report.

The social networking giant is considering rolling out a version of Sponsored Stories that would appear in users’ mobile news feeds, reports Bloomberg, which cites “two people with knowledge of the matter.”

Though Facebook’s mobile effort comes years after Google and Apple, among others, set their sights on the space, “Facebook's potential advantage is that by gathering so much information about a person's interests and associates, it can help advertisers target potential customers more directly than mobile web browsers or applications,” according to the report. Despite that, even the March rollout may not happen, according to one of the sources for the article.

Facebook reps could not be reached for comment.

With a few misfires under its belt in 2011, including Deals and Places, Facebook is taking its time with a mobile ad introduction. Though mobile advertising is nowhere near as big a business as traditional online advertising, it represents a tremendous growth opportunity that Google and Apple have already been able to exploit.

Google currently controls about 24% of the $630 million in 2011 U.S. mobile display advertising revenues, according to IDC. Apple’s share is 15%.

Image courtesy of Flickr, Wonderlane

More About: Facebook, Google, mobile advertising, Sponsored Stories

How to Pick an Ereader This Holiday Season

Posted: 13 Dec 2011 01:27 PM PST


Mario Armstrong is an Emmy Award winning media personality, digital lifestyle expert, talk show host, and public speaker. He's teamed up with Staples this holiday season to spread the word about their extensive tech offerings and provide tips for making gift giving easy this year, and distributes his content through his own website, Twitter, Sirius XM, and on Staples.com.

If you plan to give someone you love a great tech gift this holiday season, you can’t go wrong with an ereader. Yes, they have been around for awhile, but the technology has changed along with the selection. The great news is that ereaders are still relatively inexpensive, and they're bound to get a ton of use — really, who doesn't need to read more?

A year ago, there were really only two kinds of devices on the market: basic ereaders like the Kindle, the NOOK and the iPad. Today, Amazon alone offers six different versions of the Kindle (twelve if you distinguish the ad-supported versions from the more expensive ad-free models).

The choices this holiday season can be overwhelming, but that's why we’re here to help you pick the perfect ereader.

Understanding the Basics

On the lower-priced end, ereader devices use e-ink, a black and white-only display technology that looks like paper and offers amazing battery life, which can be measured in weeks, not hours. However, since the devices are unlit, you'll need a reading light at night just like with a real book, so keep that in mind when shopping. Quick tip: A lighted case makes a great companion gift!

Higher-end ereaders with full color screens are essentially seven-inch tablet computers. While some people don't mind reading for hours on computer monitors, others may find that a tablet-style reader fatigues the eyes. I recommend going to a store and test-driving the technology; that way you can get a real sense of how the device operates. Also, be aware of is battery life — the color versions have about eight hours of juice. On the whole, however, these devices not only offer an exceptional reading experience; they also provide video playback, color magazines, web browsing and email. So how do you choose? First, you need to understand what you're up against.

The Contenders

Basic Readers: The three basic ereaders all have six-inch e-ink screens, but they feature some important differences. The cheapest is the ad-supported $79 Kindle, a basic WiFi-only ereader with buttons to turn pages. While some may say that ads are tacky (the ad-free version costs $109), the fact is that no other ereader can compete price-wise.

Next up is the Kobo WiFi, a similarly configured reader that sells for $99. Like the low-end Kindle, the Kobo WiFi has physical buttons to turn pages and requires a WiFi connection to connect to the Internet and download books. Barnes & Noble remains a huge competitor at this price point: The $99 NOOK Simple Touch offers a touch-screen to help you turn pages and enter text. As an added bonus, B&N devices are all ad-free.

Finally, although it gets far less publicity, the Sony Reader WiFi has a special $99 holiday price through Christmas Eve. Sony's reader offers a touchscreen, comes in great colors and offers a stylus as an optional accessory.

The Middle Ground: In the ereader middle-ground, things can get confusing. Amazon's Kindle Touch starts at $99 with ads, and $139 without. Additionally, you can get the 3G version for $149/$189 with/without ads. The 3G version is useful for buying and browsing content when you are traveling, commuting or hanging out on the beach away from a WiFi network.

In general, though, if web browsing is really important, you need to look towards a tablet to get the best experience, for instance, the Barnes & Noble ereader/tablet hybrid, the NOOK Color. With an 800Mhz single-core processor, the Color is underpowered by tablet standards, but it nevertheless provides a full-color device with a touchscreen.

Finally, Kobo's middle-of-the-road option, the Kobo Touch, comes in two options: with ads for $99, or without for $129.

High-End Readers: In terms of high-end ereader devices, the Kindle Fire has gotten all the press for good reason, and it's not just due to its $199 price point. Unlike the competition, Amazon not only features a full-fledged bookstore, but also music and video stores. Existing Amazon Prime customers will love the Fire since they'll get free Amazon Instant Video on the device. I've tested the Kindle Fire extensively and am really impressed by the experience and the ease-of-use — no manual needed to start using. Many people may gripe about not having 3G, 4G or a camera, but you can always add 3/4G later with a mobile broadband hotspot device. And really, the camera is a non-issue for me.

Apps

Hearing talk about apps? Don't assume that all ereaders can run them. E-ink ereaders might offer you some light web browsing, but you certainly won't be playing Angry Birds on your black and white Kobo WiFi.

Both tablets can access Android video apps like Hulu and Netflix, send email, browse the web over WiFi, and let you check in with your friends on Facebook, Twitter and social networks. Beware, however, that while these tabs are great for content consumption, they're underpowered for content creation. That's the exclusive domain of the fully-featured iPad, and its $500 price tag.

Consider the Ecosystem

Perhaps the single most important question to ask when considering an ereader gift is whether your recipient already uses one of the platforms. Someone who already owns books on the Kindle or NOOK will want to stay within the same ecosystem, rather than re-buy her content in another store. Asking someone to switch from, say, Kobo to Sony is the quickest way get your gift returned. Do your homework, investigate what the recipient needs, and don't assume that just because you like a particular device, your giftee will want to switch over.

Avoid Like the Plague

Black Friday may be over, but cut-rate deals on media tablets will continue throughout this holiday season. My number one rule: If you are buying a tablet and it costs less than $199, it's not a tablet — it's junk. At the $199 range, the only two tablets you should be considering are the Kindle Fire and NOOK Color. They're able to offer you serious hardware at reasonable prices because they make money on the sale of content like books, etc.

What to Buy

I know this is a lot to take in, so I'm going to make it simple. Here are three recommendations that can't go wrong.

  • The discount shopper: The $79 Amazon Kindle WiFi with offers. Sure, it's going to display ads. And no, it doesn't have a fancy touchscreen. Maybe it's not the absolute latest in tech, but the fact is that a lot of people find clicking a button an easier way to read a book than putting their fingers on a screen. It may be the cheapest model, but make no mistake: For its price, the Kindle WiFi can't be beat.
  • Touch It: The $99 Barnes & Noble NOOK Simple Touch. For an ad-free, touchscreen ereader, this thing can't be beat. Barnes & Noble is a major name with a huge selection of 2.5 million books. Plus the device features a newer e-ink display and long battery life (two months for one hour of reading per day).
  • Jaw Dropper: The $199 Kindle Fire. While it's not as powerful as the NOOK Tablet, it's also not as expensive. For under $200, Amazon managed to produce a real tablet computer — no small feat! Just last year a tablet this size cost twice as much. Amazon’s device carries a rich ecosystem of apps, music, films and books. The Fire is guaranteed to impress.

Images courtesy of Flickr, momotm, krossbow

More About: contributor, ereaders, features, Holidays 2011, ipad, Kindle, nook

How Disney’s Club Penguin Became the Biggest Social Network for Kids

Posted: 13 Dec 2011 01:11 PM PST

penguins image

With more than 150 million profiles and a digital newspaper that’s read almost as much as The New York Times, Club Penguin might be the biggest, most improbably successful social network for kids ever.

Club Penguin is part game site, part educational resource, part social network all centered around a fictional world made up of user-created penguins which act as avatars for the millions of kids (generally 8- to 11-year-olds) from more than 190 different countries around the world.

The site, which is part of Disney Digital and run by Lane Merrifield, the evp of Disney Online Studios, has become a huge success thanks to it appeal to young kids and parents alike.

stats image

Club Penguin is all about creating a digital space where kids can play, participate in events and socialize. The site hosts regular contests, online meetups, “concerts,” digital events (like a site-wide sports tournament), and an official newspaper called “The Club Penguin Times” which is read by more than 1.1 million kids. All of this compliments the informal meetups and list of titles such as Card Jitsu, a simple card game.

These interactions are, however, much different from how old folks use more mature social networks, such as Facebook, Merrifield says: “At least when my kid picks up the phone he only has to say a couple words — Do you want to play?”

Merrifield compares Club Penguin’s success to a swing set in a schoolyard. During recess and after school the swings are swamped but you never see a line during down hours: “A lot of the fun is in social engagement,” Merrifield says. Club Penguin is like a digital swingset where kids can play and gather around communal events.

club penguin town image

It’s also good for parents hoping to teach their kids a thing or two. Merrifield says the site actually helps kids improve their typing, reading and writing since so much of the site is understood through language. Auto-complete and predictive sentences help kids put together simple phrases and even learn new languages. Club Penguin is available in five languages (English, German, French, Spanish and Portuguese) even though about 40% of the users come from the U.S.

All of the in-game signs, instructions and even predictive dialogue can be translated to any of those five languages. Some parents have allowed their kids to play for 30 minutes, for example, if they play for 20 minutes in a different language. It also means that kids from different countries can speak to each other in their own language. The site also has other parental features like a “timer” which automatically limits how long a child can stay logged in.

The site also promotes other lessons in responsibility, like how to take care of pets or keep a job. Players can adopt “Puffles” as companion pets, for example. These pets need to be fed and taken care of otherwise they run away. More than 25 million Puffles were “adopted” this year alone.

coins for change image

Philanthropy plays a surprisingly large part in Club Penguin. Every year the site donates $1 million to charity. This year it has doubled that amount to $2 million to provide medical care, improve the environment and resources for kids around the world.

The program, called Coins for Change, is actually driven by the users. Players are given a certain amount of coins which they can use to upgrade and buy items in-game. They can also donate those coins to in-game charities. These donations act as a kind of vote. The in-game causes with the most support influence where the Club Penguin team donates its actual dollars. In 2010, more than 3.4 million kids donated more than 12 billion virtual coins to charity. “We wanted to get the kids involved, we wanted them to learn the spirit of giving back,” Merrifield says.

It’s a lesson that parents and kids can both appreciate. “The parents pay, so its really about keeping them happy,” Merrifield says.

Club Penguin makes most of its money off subscription plans which range from $7.95 for one month to $59.95 for a year (about $5 a month). There is also a ton of real-world merchandise that, when bought, can be scanned into the site thanks to unlock codes on every product.

That money helps pay for a ad-free experience as well as a staff of more than 200 safety and security personnel which monitor the interactions and even wander the digital world as one of Club Penguin’s characters (only after going through two to three weeks of training similar to mascot training at Disney Parks).

Club Penguin has all the trappings of a successful Disney franchise — charming characters, vaguely educational undertones and a strong emphasis on merchandise. The site, more than its language lessons and games, is teaching kids how to navigate social networks in a safe way.

It’s a site for kids that satisfies adults for a relatively small fee. And just like a swing-set at recess, Club Penguin continues to draw long lines of wide-eyed users.

Is a site like Club Penguin a good teaching tool or a Disney cash grab? Sound off in the comments below.

More About: disney, Kids, Social Media

Mobile Gadgets Top the List of 2012 Corporate Security Threats [VIDEO]

Posted: 13 Dec 2011 01:01 PM PST


A recent study suggests mobile devices pose the biggest risk to media companies, especially those companies that allow employees to “bring their own phone.”

The study, conducted by Deloitte, found that 34% of tech, media and telecom companies surveyed believe mobile devices — or the sensitive data they contain — will be the biggest security threat next year.

“The ability to access information from anywhere at any time has become part of our daily lives — however, this ability also increases the threat to information security,” said Jacques Buith, TMT Security Leader at Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited.

SEE ALSO: How to Protect Your Company's Passwords

What do you think will be the biggest corporate security threats next year?

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, oonal

More About: deloitte, mashable video, security

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Kindle Fire Owners: Tell Us Your Story [OPEN THREAD]

Posted: 13 Dec 2011 12:52 PM PST


The customer reviews are in for Amazon’s Kindle Fire and more than a few users feel burned.

According to a story in The New York Times that ran on Tuesday, the product is “less than a blazing success” with “many” of the device’s early users. The article, which compares the tablet to the Ford Edsel and New Coke, among other failed products, lists a few problems including the lack of external volume control, an on/off switch that’s easy to hit by accident, slow-loading web pages, no privacy controls and a touch screen that’s “frequently hesitant and sometimes downright balky.” (These perceived shortcomings are also cataloged on Amazon’s review site for Kindle Fire

We've noted these issues before and reported on a planned update by Amazon, but now we want to hear from you. Do you have any issues with the Kindle Fire? Do you think these concerns are overblown?

Join the conversation and let us know your thoughts in the comments below.


Amazon Kindle Fire: Main Bookshelf Interface




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More About: amazon, kindle fire, tablets

Why the Higgs Boson Announcement Matters

Posted: 13 Dec 2011 12:33 PM PST

Higgs large

Some of the brightest scientists in the world announced Tuesday that they’d come close to actually discovering a new particle: the Higgs boson. Unfortunately, for a large part of the world, the question of why it’s important is far from being answered.

In the world of business, even high-tech business, this kind of uncertainty would not stand. Can you imagine Apple holding an event to say it had “strong hints” of the next iPhone? But we’re talking about particle physics here, where a major discovery could up-end our understanding of reality itself. Scientists need to tread carefully lest they wade into another cold-fusion fiasco — where grandiose claims are made, then embarrassingly debunked.

That’s why Tuesday’s news sounds a little wishy-washy. The two main ongoing experiments at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider, ATLAS and CMS, both independently saw evidence of a new particle in the expected mass range of the Higgs boson. There were strong signs of the Higgs at 124 and 126 GeV (giga electron volts) — right where it should be, though not strong enough that it can’t be written off as a statistical fluke.

“Today, we learned a lot of new information,” Pierluigi Catastini, a research associate with the ATLAS experiment, told Mashable. “We learned that the most likely window for the Higgs boson, in terms of Higgs mass, is very narrow. But it’s too early to talk about discovery.”

The scientists at CERN were extremely measured in their words. Fabiola Gianotti, spokesman for ATLAS, said the results “may be a fluctuation,” and CMS’s Guido Tonelli said that while the data point to the Higgs, it wasn’t conclusive. CERN Director General Rolf Dieter-Heuer told the BBC: “We need more solid numbers.”

Science websites, however, were more bold. The popular physics blog Not Even Wrong says, “It's about what you would expect if a Higgs was there at 125 GeV, highly unlikely to see if there is no Higgs there.” Writing for Science 2.0, Tommaso Dorigo went so far as to claim “Firm Evidence of the Higgs boson at last!”

So we’re well on our way to finding the Higgs. But who cares? What does this unimaginably tiny thing, this “God particle”, have to do with the real world?

In a word: everything. The Higgs boson is predicted by the Standard Model, which is kind of a user manual for modern-day physics. If the Higgs exists, then the Standard Model is correct, and physics as we know it lives to see another day. If there is no Higgs, the model is clearly incomplete, and new physics will be needed.

Many of the more adventurous physicists would actually prefer it if there were no Higgs boson, because it would open up whole new fields of research. “If we don’t see [it], that would be an incredible discovery, be cause then the Standard Model doesn’t work,” says Catastini. “If we do find the Higgs boson, then we fill in the most important piece.”

Besides giving physicists a reason to feel good about themselves, the Higgs boson’s existence would clue us in to how particles acquire mass. It’s believed that all of reality is awash in something called the Higgs field, and as particles move through it, they take on mass. It’s unproven, but one inevitable consequence of the theory is the Higgs boson.

So if we find the Higgs, science will in one fell swoop:

  • Essentially complete and affirm Standard Model particle physics.
  • Show how particles acquire mass.
  • Put the Higgs field on solid ground for further study.

Once the Higgs boson is confirmed, which scientists seem to agree will likely happen by the end of next year, it’ll be huge — even though, as scientific discoveries go, it’s not as grand a milestone as the confirmation of Einstein’s theory of relativity. But just as relativity up-ended classical conventions about physics, the existence of the Higgs will rule out some theories and point us further toward how the universe really works.

In a sense, the Higgs will have the opposite meaning of relativity. One consequence of Einstein’s theory was that there was no need to imagine an “aether” that permeates the fabric of the cosmos. But the “God particle” will confirm the aether is alive and well, and it’s called the Higgs field.

So the Higgs may end up showing that the universe is more connected than even Einstein ever thought.

BONUS: Slides From the Higgs Boson Announcement


Higgs 1




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More About: Higgs boson, large hadron collider, physics

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Apple at Auction: 5 Collectibles Sold for Big Bucks

Posted: 13 Dec 2011 12:22 PM PST


1. Apple Founding Documents




A piece of American corporate history, these documents made headlines when it was announced they were to be auctioned at Sotheby's New York.

Boasting the signatures of "Stephen G. Wozniak", "Steven P. Jobs", "Ronald G. Wayne," the collection consists of the Apple Computer Company Partnership Agreement from 1976, an amendment document and Wayne's official "Statement of Withdrawal."

With an estimated high of $150,000, they actually sold for an astonishing $1,350,000 (nearly $1.6 million with taxes) -- showing just how much people are prepared to pay to own some of Apple's heritage.

Click here to view this gallery.

As an iconic consumer technology company with a global fan-base, it’s easy to understand how vintage Apple items are of interest to collectors.

The Apple founding documents recently far surpassed expectations when they went under the hammer at Sotheby’s, and we have taken a look at back at some other Apple-themed items that sold at auction.

Take a look through the gallery. Let us know in the comments whether you find the prices paid surprising. What item from Apple’s history would you be interested in owning?

More About: apple, features, Gadgets, steve jobs, Tech, vintage

With 5% Discount, Amazon Triples Use of Controversial App

Posted: 13 Dec 2011 11:56 AM PST


Amazon has been offering shoppers a 5% discount (up to $15 for three items) for looking up an item using its Price Check App and making a purchase through the online retailer.

The promotion, which ran Saturday, was a success in one major respect: usage of the app tripled from the weekend before, according to Onavo, a company that monitors data usage on mobile devices.

Tripled usage may not enough to compensate for the public backlash the initiative received from small business owners, retail trade groups and U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe (R – Maine). They complained that Amazon was being “anti-competitive,” encouraging users to leave stores just at the point of purchase. Because Amazon deals in such great volume, and because it is not subject to the costs of maintaining brick-and-mortar operations nor state sales tax, the company can beat most smaller retailers on prices.

Of course, this is what the Price Check App has been designed to do since day one. But the amount of press the discount initiated brought about the public scrutiny.

Still, we think Amazon will emerge the stronger from the clash — having likely introduced a significant number of new shoppers to the app in the very midst of what promises to be a strong holiday shopping season.

Is the Amazon Price Check App anti-competitive? Is there any way to avoid it hurting small businesses? Share your thoughts in the comments.

More About: amazon, amazon price check

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Retro Speakers Find Style — and Big Sound — in Simplicity

Posted: 13 Dec 2011 11:49 AM PST


The Designer Tech Series is supported by the exquisitely crafted, new 2013 Lincoln MKS with Lincoln Drive Control. Now it gets interesting.

Luxury technology isn't always about the biggest and brightest product on the market. Sometimes, less is really more, and according to Danish company Libratone, minimalism is the epitome of high-end.

"We design to stand out, but not like a sore thumb," reads part of the company's philosophy statement. "We design to blur the lines between furniture and stereo systems by applying the aesthetics of the Scandinavian heritage to our design thinking."

Their concept-design-turned-consumer-product, the Live and Lounge speakers, hit the market in the U.S. just in November. But, the company has been garnering sufficient buzz off of its success in Europe and will be one of the few Airplay-compatible third-party speaker manufacturers to be sold directly at Apple Stores. However, simple doesn’t come cheap: The littler Live model retails for $699 USD, while its sizable brother, Lounge, runs $1,299.

Mashable spoke with Libratone's Copenhagen-based Creative Director Kristian Krøyer to gain insight into what makes the company’s speaker design a luxury must-have. Do you think minimalism is the height of luxury? Or do you enjoy the bells and whistles? Let us know in the comments below.

Inconspicuous Minimalism

While developing the Libratone speakers, Krøyer says that the inspiration for the overall design hinged on a rejection of everything the high-tech market is drawn to. No massive, attention-grabbing speakers with blinking lights and chrome displays here. Instead, the Live and Lounge speakers were designed to blend right into the background.

“All too often, stereo systems are aliens in our living rooms,” says Krøyer. “Big black blinking boxes that demand to own an entire wall. We wanted to create a sound source that would add positively to the room instead of trying to take it over."

But the speakers aren’t simply divested of a tech-heavy sell; the standard models feature a wooly outer layer in a neutral color, and there’s an option to ensconce your new speakers in fine cashmere for an extra $100. Krøyer says that while the tech materials come from Indonesia, the company researched in-depth to source high-quality materials from France and Italy for the designs.

“We wanted to make a mini-furniture that fit in with the rest of the house,” Krøyer adds, “and then add the technology.”

The result is a speaker that embraces the signature Scandinavian tradition of minimalism. No buttons, no display, just a block in a relatively neutral color that invites you to forget about it. Even the Lounge speaker, which measures a deceptive three feet across, manages to take a back seat to the sounds it emits.

Designer Technology

Another major tenet of Libratone’s design philosophy is a seamless interaction between technology and aesthetics. In fact, in order to take full advantage of the design, Krøyer says the creative team altered the original design concept to maximize functionality.

“The design was not edited, but re-aligned to fit the technology,” Krøyer explains. “In this case, the design came later on, when we changed the original concept.”

The clinching feature of the design is FullRoom technology, which means that the Live and Lounge are deceptively hold speakers to produce 360-degree sound. This means that when either speaker is placed correctly near a wall, sound can reflect off of the room layout to produce deeper and richer sound. Savvy users and audiophiles take full advantage of the company’s free iOS app [iTunes link], which allows the user to input the specifics of the room design and layout to optimize the FullRoom technology. Also, when multiple speakers are placed throughout a home or even a single room, there is no assignment of left and right channels — the speakers play all tones from the music all the time.

Another main sticking point is full wireless accessibility. The Live and Lounge speakers get their music from wireless AirPlay technology, whether via computer, mobile or tablet. The playback not only continues up to 33 feet away from the device, but when multiple speakers are present, the AirPlay can seamlessly float from one speaker to another once it gets in range to create a bubble of sound that remains present around the room.

Functionality is key for Libratone, and the elements of design for both the Live and Lounge speakers lend strictly to the power that lies within the clothbound cabinet.

Series supported by Lincoln

The Designer Tech Series is supported by the exquisitely crafted, new 2013 Lincoln MKS with Lincoln Drive Control. Now it gets interesting.

More About: airplay, Designer Tech Series, Libratone, mashable, minimalist, sound, speakers

‘Fear Factor’ Dominates Social TV Conversation [STATS]

Posted: 13 Dec 2011 11:44 AM PST


Fear Factor is back! Five years after being booted off the air, NBC’s gross-out stunt show returned to TV Monday night and dominated the social TV conversation.

Viewers generated more than 403,000 comments across social media websites during the two-hour premiere, according to data from Bluefin Labs. The reality show attracted 47% of all social comments for Monday’s primetime shows, beating out WWE Monday Night Raw (10%) and NFL Monday Night Football (9%).

Viewers were kept abuzz, thanks to gross stunts, action-packed challenges and commentary from host Joe Rogan. A cringe-tastic scorpion scene — in which teams of two fetched the eight-legged creatures out of black sludge and then ate 10 of them — was Fear Factor‘s high point of social media activity. That scene helped the show’s first hour net 218,000 comments compared to hour two’s 185,000 comments.

To put that data into perspective, The X Factor premiere in September garnered 190,000 comments. The X Factor is 2011′s number one social TV show in series programming, Bluefin Labs reports, and also routinely tops Mashable‘s weekly “20 TV Shows With the Most Social Media Buzz” list.

The Fear Factor contestants were competing to win $50,000. Stunts like these made the show, which first premiered in 2001, popular in the days before Twitter and Facebook. In those previous episodes, contestants devoured “delicacies” including cow bile, buffalo testicles and cave-dwelling spiders. Twitter publicly launched in July 2006, just a few months before NBC canceled Fear Factor.

Bluefin told Mashable that two other scenes stood out and incited plenty of comments. In one, Rogan says, “I hug my mom, but I let go,” referring to a close relationship between a mother-son team. In another, Rogan calls a contestant the “whitest man in America” and that he’d do well auditioning for future Twilight movies.

Check out Bluefin’s data below to see the Fear Factor moments that got viewers typing away. To watch the episodes online, click here. The scorpion scene starts about 20 minutes in.

More About: Bluefin Labs, Entertainment, Fear Factor, social tv, television

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13 Tech Companies and Products That Went Under in 2011

Posted: 13 Dec 2011 11:34 AM PST

Some we mourned, others we shrugged off. Whatever the customer reaction, every year we wave goodbye to companies and gadgets gone south.

This year was no different. In 2011, the tech industry saw tablets fail, daily deal services fizzle and bookstores get muscled out of the industry. Some were caused by downright poor business decisions, others simply faced a tough economy and cutthroat competition.

Give these 13 shuttered businesses and gadgets a proper sendoff by flipping through the gallery below. What other business closures do you regret? Let us know in the comments below.


1. Qwikster





After several fumbles, Netflix decided to launch a separate DVD plan, then soon abandoned it.

Click here to view this gallery.

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, McKevin

More About: Business, features, Gadgets, Mobile

The 2012 Vimeo Festival Plus Awards: Now Open for Submissions

Posted: 13 Dec 2011 11:18 AM PST

Video sharing site Vimeo has opened up submissions for its second Vimeo Festival + Awards — and it’s adding new categories, new judges and new prizes.

Part awards ceremony and part film festival, the Vimeo Festival + Awards is designed to celebrate the best in original online video. This year, Vimeo is adding these categories: Action Sports, Advertising, Fashion and Lyrical.

Submissions aren’t limited to works that have appeared on Vimeo. Any original work that premiered online between July 31, 2010 and February 20, 2012 is eligible. Original work that has never premiered can also be submitted. Submissions will be accepted from December 13, 2011 through February 20, 2012.

Winners in each category will get a $5,000 grant to make a new film. The overall winner gets an additional $25,000 grant. Complete rules and restrictions are available at Vimeo’s microsite dedicated to the awards.

Vimeo continues to be one of the best platforms — and communities — for aspiring and burgeoning creatives. YouTube certainly has a larger footprint — but for creatives looking for a place to showcase their works amongst other creatives, Vimeo remains a place to get noticed.

The style and structure in videos found on Vimeo is simply unique. For example, check out this video from Sophie Windsor Clive and Liberty Smith:

To me, this personifies the potential behind online video. The ability to tell and share experiences and stories — narrative or non-fiction — in a way that wasn’t possible a decade ago.

What do you think of Vimeo? What are some of the best videos you’ve seen in the last year? Let us know.

More About: ONLINE VIDEO, Vimeo, vimeo festival + awards

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Protesters Gear Up as SOPA Nears House Debate

Posted: 13 Dec 2011 11:05 AM PST


Major companies, websites and everyday protesters are continuing to fight the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) as the bill nears its day for debate in the House.

Tumblr has joined the fight by creating Fight For the Future, a site which breaks down what it believes to be the three major threats of SOPA, also called the E-PARASITE Act. Another similar site, I Work For the Internet, argues that if the bill passes, “America’s most promising engine of future jobs and opportunity will be put at risk.”

Wikipedia has joined in too, with a public proposal written by its co-founder Jimmy Wales. Wales is considering a blackout of his website to protest progress of the bill: “I may be attending a meeting at the White House on Monday (pending confirmation on a couple of fronts) along with executives from many other top Internet firms, and I thought this would be a good time to take a quick reading of the community feeling on this issue,” writes Wales.

The Italian version of Wikipedia recently put up a similar blackout to protest a pending bill that “would infringe on their editorial independence,” and the Italian Parliament immediately backed down.

“My own view is that a community strike was very powerful and successful in Italy,” writes Wales, “and could be even more powerful in this case.”

These latest protests compliment a growing anti-SOPA outcry from tech giants, including Facebook, Twitter, AOL and Google. They outlined their opposition in a letter to Congress, which stated, the bill "pose[s] a serious risk to our industry's continued track record of innovation and job creation, as well as to our nation's cybersecurity."

“Androids” Pressure Google

On Dec. 14, a group of individuals decked out in Android costumes will march from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to Google’s D.C. headquarters, petitioning Google to step up its game in the fight against SOPA.

The march is led by SumOfUs, a global movement of consumers, investors and workers. SumOfUs will present Google with 194,489 signatures collected from googlequitthechamber.org. "The Androids" hope to encourage the Google enough to quit the Chamber, believing the Chamber's policies, such as their support of the Stop Online Piracy Act, "oppose Google ideals." Google publicly opposes SOPA.

SOPA could be bad news for a slew of media sites. The bill expands the U.S. Department of Justice and copyright holders’ abilities to punish web sites that host copyright material. One part of the bill cracks down on foreign websites hosting illegal material, while another part allows the government to fine and limit U.S. sites that host illegal material even if they did not post it themselves.

This could mean trouble for websites such as Tumblr and YouTube which host content from thousands of users every day. If the bill is approved as is, a video of Justin Bieber singing a copyrighted song posted on YouTube, for example, could land the site in serious hot water.

Despite the tech giants in opposition, SOPA has a lot of support from entertainment and media companies in Hollywood. It’s gearing up to be a real battle. Do you think SOPA will go through? Should it? Drop into the comments (below) and let us know where you stand.

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, MarsBars

More About: bill, internet, stop online piracy act, US

WordPress 3.3 Update Refines Features, Interface

Posted: 13 Dec 2011 10:55 AM PST

Self-hosted WordPress users, get your update engines running: WordPress 3.3 is now available.

The culmination of five months of hard work, WordPress 3.3 offers a number of new updates and tweaked features.

The first of these is a redesigned dashboard, which features menus and toolbars that are more cohesive and easier to maneuver on smaller screens.


WordPress 3.3 has also added call-outs and pointers for new users, as well as better contextual help. The media manager, a long-standing point of pain for the CMS, has received an upgrade and now supports drag-and-drop file uploading. Let’s hope a more robust management and search system appears in future releases.

SEE ALSO: WordPress 3.3: The 11 Most Important New Features

As WordPress matures, releases become less about breakout features, and more about refining what already works and improving the backend for developers.

On the developer side, there is a new editor API for better integration with the core WordPress post and page editor, as well as updated versions of jQuery and jQuery UI.

I’ve already updated most of my personal sites to WordPress 3.3 and enjoy the new admin toolbar and the layout of the side navigation menus. Let us know your thoughts of WordPress 3.3 in the comments.


1. Redesigned Admin Bar




The redesigned admin bar brings a handful of strategic enhancements.

There are less links/elements shown, and the ones that remain are carefully placed for a reason. The search box and appearance menu were removed, and the user menu moved to the right side, similar to Google's user bar.

By making it a shade darker and bolder, the admin bar is now more prominent in the WordPress back-end.

Click here to view this gallery.

More About: WordPress

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Dance to the Hottest Mashups at MashBash 2012 in Las Vegas

Posted: 13 Dec 2011 10:51 AM PST

We’re pleased to announce that San Francisco-based DJ duo A Plus D — a.k.a. Adrian and Mysterious D — will be spinning their world famous mashups at MashBash! No, we’re not talking about your typical mashups, this time it’s all about mashing up musical genres. Think Lady Gaga + Bob Marley or Will Smith + Daft Punk, mixed together under one roof. A Plus D, creators of Bootie, the biggest mashup bootleg party in the world, will rock the party with their musical concoctions and creative song combinations.

MashBash will celebrate the best of digital from the Mashable Awards winners at CES in Las Vegas. Come have fun with the Mashable community, industry leaders and digital influencers from the biggest technology and consumer electronic brands.

The celebrations will take place at the brand new 1OAK Nightclub in the Mirage Hotel and Casino on Wednesday, January 11, 2012. You can expect a night of networking, dancing and celebration in true Mashable style at one of the hottest new clubs in Las Vegas.

Stay tuned for more exciting announcements about MashBash in the coming weeks.

Register for MashBash at CES celebrating Mashable Awards (Las Vegas - 2012 International CES convention) [Ticketed Event] in Las Vegas, NV on Eventbrite

The Mashable Award Finalists have been announced and final voting is open until Dec. 16. Winners will be announced on Mashable Dec. 19, and will be honored at MashBash. Come celebrate their success with us!

MashBash Info and Tickets

Date: Wednesday, January 11, 2012 (during International CES Convention week)

Time: 8:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. PT

Location: 1OAK Nightclub, Mirage Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, NV (1OAK is located at the Mirage Hotel & Casino just off the North Valet access or Self-Parking entrance into the hotel)

Premiere Sponsor

We are pleased to announce that 3M Screen Protectors is the premiere sponsor for MashBash.

More About: announcements, CES, event, mashable, mashable awards, mashable awards 2011, MashBash, Party

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6 Mobile Apps to Simplify Your Holiday Shopping

Posted: 13 Dec 2011 10:29 AM PST


1. Christmas List Gift Planner




Was it Tom who wanted the iPod touch? Or was it Kristy? Never leave home without your wishlist, thanks to The Christmas List Gift Planner for Android. Create profiles for all the good little boys and girls, and categorize them by group (Immediate Family, Friends, Co-Workers). Then set a budget for each person. Start adding gift ideas manually or simply scan an item's barcode.

The app will track whom you've purchased gifts for, as well as your individual and overall budget. A free version of the app exists, but if you want all the best features, pay the $1.99 Android Market price. Your sanity is worth it.

Price: $1.99

Click here to view this gallery.

Mobile devices accounted for 14.3% of all online Black Friday traffic in 2011. It’s clear that smartphone and tablet holiday shopping is making a huge consumer impact.

If you’re among the 14.3%, chances are you already know about specialized apps from big stores like Target, Best Buy and Amazon. But those aren’t the only ones that can help with your holiday shopping on the go. Here are six useful apps that even Santa can’t do without.

Image courtesy of Flickr, premasagar

More About: android, apple, contributor, features, Holidays 2011, iOS, iphone apps, mobile apps

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