Saturday, October 20, 2012

Mashable: Latest 29 News Updates - including “Liberals More Active Than Conservatives on Social Media [STUDY]”

Mashable: Latest 29 News Updates - including “Liberals More Active Than Conservatives on Social Media [STUDY]”


Liberals More Active Than Conservatives on Social Media [STUDY]

Posted: 19 Oct 2012 07:11 PM PDT


If you've ever had the sneaking suspicion that liberals might be more active on social media than conservatives, you might be right: A recent study by the Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project found that 79% of liberals use social networking sites, while only 63% of conservatives do the same. The gap is less severe when comparing Democrats and Republicans, at 71% to 65%, respectively:

A possible reason for the difference? Age. 92% of those aged 18-29 reported using social networking, 73% of 30-49 year-olds said the same, and 57% of those aged 50-64 said so. Meanwhile, Obama's beating Romney 59% - 41% among likely voters younger than 30 according to a recent Gallup s
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More About: Politics, US


TSA Removing Backscatter X-ray Scanners From Largest U.S. Airports

Posted: 19 Oct 2012 06:50 PM PDT


Backscatter X-ray body scanners are now a thing of the past at many major airports, replaced by less revealing, smarter and safer millimeter wave scanners.

More About: Airport Security, Airports, X-Ray, tsa


Chest Strap Heart Rate Monitor Reinvented with Breathable Material, Bluetooth

Posted: 19 Oct 2012 06:11 PM PDT


With Polar's H7 heart rate monitor and free app, you can extract every little tidbit of your health stats to learn how to become a fitter you.

The Polar H7 Bluetooth chest strap monitor can be worn for any fitness activity, but it seems to be best for runners and bikers. The Polar Beat app acts like a personal trainer in your palm. First, you set a goal -- whether that's beating a previous time or burning a certain number of calories. The app, in conjunction with the Polar H7 heart rate monitor, helps you stay on track of that goal throughout your workout with real-time data tracking and voice guidance. And you can still listen to music while the app is running.

The heart rate moni…
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More About: POLAR, apps, fitness


Parents Prepare: Kids Are Crazy for ‘Skylanders Giants’

Posted: 19 Oct 2012 05:46 PM PDT


Parents, if you haven't heard of the movement by now, prepare for a ton of excitement about the Skylanders. In just one short year, Activision's game series went from an unknown newcomer with little-tested novelty to one of the top 10 best-selling brands for kids nationwide.

Its part-toy, part-video game gameplay struck a chord with a wide demographic of youngsters (and collectible-crazy adults). And now, with Skylanders: Giants hitting stores nationwide this Sunday -- including new character figures and a line of "Giant" Skylanders -- both Activision and prominent toy retailers are forecasting the game to be one of the hottest items for the holidays.
 
"One of the things that I t…
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More About: Entertainment, Gaming, Kids, features, holidays 2012, toys


Obama’s ‘Romnesia’ Joke is a Surprise Hit on Twitter

Posted: 19 Oct 2012 05:31 PM PDT


It's hardly the most gut-bustingly funny routine a candidate ever came up with. But President Obama's claim that his opponent suffers from "Romnesia" appears to be going viral Friday.

The odd term -- a portmanteau of "Romney " and "amnesia" -- was at the top of Twitter's trending topics in the U.S. for several hours after Obama used it in a stump speech in Virginia -- an unusual feat for a political topic.

At its peak at 1pm EST, Romnesia was mentioned in more than 18,000 tweets per hour.

Stealing a page from the Jeff Foxworthy playbook, Obama made several jokes along the lines of "you might have Romnesia if ..." at George Mason University. (See video above.)

"If you come d…
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More About: Twitter, barack obama


5 Fascinating Facts We Learned From Reddit This Week

Posted: 19 Oct 2012 04:50 PM PDT


1. Christianity, Judaism and Islam all prohibit interest loans.




Most modern economies are fueled by money lending -- usury, in biblical terms. Most people couldn't own a car, home or start a business without it. But the "big three" world religions label interest bearing loans as outright sinful. Torah: If thou lend money to any of My people, even to the poor with thee, thou shalt not be to him as a creditor; neither shall ye lay upon him interest. (Exodus, 22:25) New Testament: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. (Matthew, 25:27) Qur'an: Those who charge usury are in the same position as those controlled by the devil's influence. ... God permits commerce, and prohibits usury. (Al-Baqarah 2:275)

Click here to view this gallery.


What have we learned from the Reddit community this week? A bit of religious history, some prehistoric science and a fading '90s rap star's last bid for relevance.

It's all part of our weekly series. Find any fascinating links in your Internet travels? Share them in the comments.

More About: features, reddit, reddit facts


11 Ghoul-tastic Halloween TV Moments [GIFS]

Posted: 19 Oct 2012 04:04 PM PDT


1. Will & Grace




We'd choose wine over an Almond Joy any Halloween. Image courtesy of npine

Click here to view this gallery.


While chowing down candy and carving pumpkins are two popular Halloween activities, nothing beats curling up on the couch with a mug of toasty hot apple cider and tuning in to your favorite show.

Luckily, there's a way to combine all of the above when our TV faves roll out Halloween-themed episodes.

SEE ALSO: 10 Halloween Cards for the Ghoulish Geek

We've collected some GIFs of the most memorable Halloween episode moments in TV history in the gallery above. Be sure to leave your spooktacular show memories in the comments below.

Image courtesy of B Rosen

More About: Entertainment, GIF, Halloween, TV, Watercooler


This Card Can Get You Past Airport Security in a Jiffy

Posted: 19 Oct 2012 03:45 PM PDT


Clear

You don't have to be a celebrity or elite flyer to skip long airport security lines. Clear is a New York City-based company that's putting U.S. travelers in the flight express lane with smart cards.

Clear members are fast tracked to the front of security checkpoints after their identities are digitally verified with a touch of a finger or an iris scan at terminal kiosks. This replaces getting documents and boarding passes checked by Transportation Security Administration agents.

Clear members just need to bring personal Clear cards and boarding passes to get on flights, which means you can leave your driver's license and passport at home. Passengers are offered a "full concierge se…
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More About: airport, clear card, security, travel


13 Creepy Halloween Costumes for Your iPhone

Posted: 19 Oct 2012 03:17 PM PDT


1. Halloween CandyShell BatLit




Bats flit in front of a full moon on this CandyShell case. For: iPhone 5, Cost: $34.95

Click here to view this gallery.


Here at Mashable, we like to go all out for Halloween. If you want to join the fun, score a special iPhone case for this spooky time of year. We have found 13 devilish designs that will help you celebrate All Hallow's Eve.

SEE ALSO: 10 Creepy iPhone Photos for Halloween

Take a look through our ghoulish gallery above for our hand-picked selections. Let us know in the comments below which designs send a shiver down your spine.

More About: Gadgets, Lifestyle, Tech, accessories, cases, features, iphone


Google’s Disappointing Third Quarter [Infographic]

Posted: 19 Oct 2012 03:00 PM PDT


Google's third-quarter earnings report leaked four hours early Thursday afternoon. The earnings, which missed Wall Street's expectations, sent the stock down more than 8% before trading was halted. Google said R.R. Donnelley, its filing agent, is to blame.

Earnings were $9.03 a share on $11.33 billion in revenue, missing expectations of $10.63 a share on revenue of $11.86 billion. Profits took a 20% dip due to costs related to the acquisition of Motorola and Android development. Google's paid clicks were up 33% year-over-year, but cost-per-clicks revenue declined 15% from the year previous.

Numbers are one thing, but the data is much easier to take in visually, which you can do in…
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More About: Google


Talking Soccer and Social Media With Sports Illustrated’s Grant Wahl

Posted: 19 Oct 2012 02:36 PM PDT


If you're a content-starved, social media-savvy soccer fan in America, chances are high that Grant Wahl's among your most essential Twitter follows. The Sports Illustrated senior writer and Fox Soccer TV analyst is the most prominent American journalist covering the "beautiful game" and as a never-ending source of analysis, news and features is a perfect portal for keeping up to date with soccer stateside and around the world.

Wahl joined Twitter in summer 2009, right around when he transitioned to covering soccer full time for SI and SI.com (he previously wrote about college basketball). He calls that a "fortuitous" bit of timing and has since amassed more than 250,000 followers on the…
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More About: Sports, soccer


Conan, Leif Garrett Lampoon Brad Pitt’s Chanel No. 5 Ad [VIDEO]

Posted: 19 Oct 2012 02:20 PM PDT


Conan O'Brien and '70s heartthrob Leif Garrett memorably rip Brad Pitt's confounding ad for Chanel No. 5 with a visual re-imagining of the ad that will make it hard to view the original the same way.

More About: Advertising, parodies, viral videos


Coke Stunt Challenges 007 Fans to Race Through Train Station [VIDEO]

Posted: 19 Oct 2012 02:14 PM PDT


Coke Zero is at it again, teaming up with the James Bond franchise to tease the film series' next movie. This time, they've orchestrated an elaborate stunt for unsuspecting train passengers to win exclusive tickets to see Skyfall, the 23rd installment in the 007 saga.

The stunt challenged people to race to a certain platform within 70 seconds, all the while dodging human obstacles throughout the busy train station.

SEE ALSO: 'Skyfall' Video Gives Glimpse of Bond's Underwater Fight Scene

Skyfall lands in UK theaters Oct. 26 and U.S. theaters Nov. 9. Previously, Coke Zero worked on ads for the 2008 release of Quantum of Solace.

BONUS: Watch Adele's Official 'Skyfall' Lyric
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More About: Coke, Entertainment, Film, James Bond, Marketing, Skyfall, trending, viral videos


Farewell, Faithful Old iPad 2?

Posted: 19 Oct 2012 01:36 PM PDT


Mashable OP-ED: This post reflects the opinions of the author and not necessarily those of Mashable as a publication.

After upgrading to the new iPad back in March, I was left with the problem of what to do with a perfectly functional iPad 2.

Solution: Since my mother had never owned a tablet, I would load it up with apps, books and music she'd love, then hand-deliver it to the UK for her birthday this month.

It got a warm reception and reminded me there are still a whole world of people who are just getting turned on to the joys of lean-back tablet living -- and for whom the resolution of the screen doesn't really matter so much.

Which is why it's a shame that Apple seems likely to ditch the iPad 2, according to analyst Rob Cihra with Evercore Partners, in favor of the new iPad Mini, se…
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More About: apple, ipad, ipad mini


Could Your Cat Pull Off These Impressive Tricks? [VIDEOS]

Posted: 19 Oct 2012 01:29 PM PDT


1. Cooper the Puppy Cat Does the Roll Over Trick


Cooper + chopsticks = awesome.

Click here to view this gallery.


If you thought cats were untrainable, think again. We have YouTube video evidence of clever cats capable of learning some pretty cool tricks.

SEE ALSO: These 10 Cats Hate Toasters, Popcorn and Treadmills

Take a look through our video gallery of talented kitties above. Remember these clips the next time your cat gives you a withering stare when you ask it to do something.

More About: Video, Watercooler, YouTube, animals, cats, features, gallery, humor, viral videos


‘Quest for Glory’ Creators Launch Kickstarter for New Game

Posted: 19 Oct 2012 01:13 PM PDT


Legendary adventure game designers Lori and Corey Cole have officially launched the Kickstarter campaign for their new project, Hero-U: Rogue to Redemption. Best known for creating the beloved Quest for Glory series in the mid '90s, the Coles spoke to Mashable in September about their passion for rich, story-driven adventures, and how longtime fans had been urging them to get back into the biz.

"We had been getting letters from fans saying, 'If you want to do a new game, say the word and I'll open up my checkbook and write you a $1,000 check right now,'" said Corey.

Rogue to Redemption will be the first installment in a five-part series.

SEE ALSO: 'Quest for Glor
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More About: Gaming, kickstarter, video games


Why Drug Companies Love Elections [COMIC]

Posted: 19 Oct 2012 12:48 PM PDT


Depression is just one of the many side effects that an undecided voter experiences.

More About: 2012 presidential campaign, comics, humor, political campaigns, political humor


Apple Begins Construction of New Data Center in Oregon

Posted: 19 Oct 2012 12:34 PM PDT


With its iCloud growing bigger and bigger every day, Apple needs to ramp up its data capacity. That's why the Cupertino company is opening a new data center in Prineville, Ore., the Oregonian reports.

Apple bought a 160-acre lot for $5.6 million in February and quickly built a small, temporary 10,000-square-foot data center. Now the company is starting to work on its fourth major data center. Just phase one of the complex in Prineville will cost $68 million.

SEE ALSO: 8 Clever Google Data Center Easter Eggs [PICS]

Prineville is also home to one of Facebook's giant data houses. Companies tend to cluster their data centers in the same areas, d…
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More About: apple, data centers


How to Edit Video on YouTube

Posted: 19 Oct 2012 12:06 PM PDT


Wave goodbye to the days of inaccessible, high-priced video editing tools -- they're long gone. Anyone with a smartphone and a free YouTube account can create a video that could reach millions.

For context, there are now more than 1 billion smartphones in the world, and YouTube video views surpassed 1 trillion in 2011. Basically, the world has video fever.

And anyone with a camera phone can film. What you may not know is that YouTube has some basic editing tools built into its website.

SEE ALSO: YouTube's Built-In Video Editor Gets Easier [VIDEO]

The YouTube editor is rudimentary, even when compared with simple video editing programs like Movie Maker and iMovie. Let's not…
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More About: Video, YouTube, editing, features, tips and tricks, trending


High School Kicker Obliterates NFL Record for Longest Field Goal [VIDEO]

Posted: 19 Oct 2012 11:51 AM PDT


Earlier this NFL season, kicker David Akers of the San Francisco 49ers kicked a 63-yard field goal to tie the league record. People thought that was a pretty big deal, and it was. But the NFL record books might want to save a spot for Austin Rehkow of Central Valley HS in Spokane Valley, Wash. Rehkow booted a 67-yarder to send a game into overtime on Thursday. His team went on to win and you can bet college scouts everywhere are taking notice as the video above spreads.

Basically, the takeaway is this: any team that Rehkow suits up for only needs to get to the 50 yard line to have a chance at putting points on the board. Not a bad deal.

BONUS: 25 of YouTube's Funniest Sports Fa…
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More About: Sports, nfl, viral videos


Woman With Ovarian Cancer Shares Hair Loss Story on YouTube

Posted: 19 Oct 2012 11:44 AM PDT


Diem Brown has ovarian cancer -- again. This time, she is sharing her story with the world.

The first time Brown faced cancer, she was only 23. Now 30, she is once again dealing with chemotherapy and the resulting loss of her hair.

Seven years ago, when she searched the Internet for videos of people who were going through similar issues, she ran into a roadblock. There were no videos of women in her situation -- only footage of celebrities like Natalie Portman and Britney Spears who had shaved their heads for a movie role or breakdown. The only photo or video she found that she felt a connection with was a shot of Melissa Ethridge during her appearacnce at the 2005 Grammy Awards w…
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More About: Watercooler, viral videos


Wii U’s Pro Controller Feels Great — Once You Get Used to It

Posted: 19 Oct 2012 11:25 AM PDT


The Wii U, Nintendo's upcoming console release, features an innovative tablet controller. But Nintendo is also introducing its own "Pro" controller, for gamers who want more command than a tablet or Wii remote can provide.

Mashable spent time Wednesday playing Ubisoft's ZombiU, a Wii U launch title. While the single-player mode uses the GamePad, the multiplayer allows up to four players to use Pro Controllers (or Wii Remotes and Nunchuks) against one player who is using the GamePad to unleash zombies.

SEE ALSO: 9 Classic Nintendo Games That Need a Wii U Upgrade

When Nintendo first announced the Pro controller at this year's E3, fans likened its resemblance to the Xbox 360 contro…
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More About: Entertainment, Gaming, Nintendo, Wii U, features


‘Community’ Actors Mock NBC’s Unknown Premiere Date [VIDEO]

Posted: 19 Oct 2012 11:15 AM PDT


Season four of Community was supposed to debut Oct. 19, but NBC delayed the premiere until an unknown date. Today, the show's actors are mocking the situation in a new YouTube clip and on Twitter, where the joke has sparked a worldwide trending topic.

The video focuses on characters Troy Barnes and Abed Nadir, who try to explain NBC's intentions.

"Even though the powers at be agreed to put the premiere on Oct. 19, they couldn't decide where to put Oct. 19," Abed says. "They explained to us that Oct. 19 isn't just a date. It's a state of mind."

The @NBCcommunity handle has been using hashtag #ThatsOctober19th to rally fans:

♪Troy and Abed trending Worldwide ♫ #ThatsOctobe
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More About: Entertainment, TV, celebrities, community, nbc, social tv


Purple Hybrid Electric Supercar Looks Awesome, Zooms Round Corners [VIDEO]

Posted: 19 Oct 2012 11:05 AM PDT


The Kepler Motion hybrid electric supercar has blossomed way beyond the concept stage, seen now in full-throated prototype form as its makers showed it roaring through the hills of California.

More About: Hybrid vehicles, Kepler Motion, Supercars, electric cars


Baby Elephant Reunited With Mom After Dramatic Rescue [VIDEO]

Posted: 19 Oct 2012 10:51 AM PDT


The Amboseli Trust for Elephants played hero to a calf and his mother by rescuing the young elephant from a well in Kenya. Three employees from the nonprofit conservation organization coordinated the effort, using their vehicles to chase the mother away before attempting to lift the hefty baby from the ditch.

SEE ALSO: These Are the Cutest Elephants You'll See All Day [VIDEO]

Footage of the rescue shows the three-month-old pachyderm trumpeting distress sounds as two men try to extract him from the hole using a rope, a truck and a bit of ingenuity.

After the rescue, the group helped reunite the baby elephant with his mom.

BONUS: Adorable Animals With Bad Cases of the Hicc…
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More About: Watercooler, cute animals, viral videos


Pressure Your Friends Into Voting With This Facebook App

Posted: 19 Oct 2012 10:45 AM PDT


Need some help making sure your friends and family vote this Election Day? Never fear -- Vote With Friends, a new Facebook app, is here to help.

Vote With Friends, from Internet advocacy organization Fight for the Future, lets users check to see if their Facebook friends are registered to vote, whether they've pledged to do so and whether they actually go and vote.

The idea? Take Facebook's "Poke" concept, and use it to bring a little positive peer pressure into democratic participation

"We think [voting] is essential to what makes a vibrant democracy," said Tiffiniy Cheng, co-founder and co-director of Fight for the Future. "Especially in the United States, we're seein…
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More About: Facebook, Politics, US


How to Game for 24 Hours Straight and Raise Money for Sick Kids

Posted: 19 Oct 2012 10:30 AM PDT


This Saturday, while many will be out enjoying the weekend, hundreds of gamers are going to play a full day of gaming.

This probably isn't a new scenario, but this week they're doing it for a good cause.

Extra Life is a charity that allows gamers to do what they do best in support of its parent company, the Children's Miracle Network. Children's Miracle Network is a charity group representing hospitals in the United States, Canada and the UK. They raise money for children's care in those hospitals and for medical research on diseases affecting children.

Gamers participating in Extra Life raise money by asking friends and family to donate for each hour of the 24 they plan to spe…
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More About: Gaming, Social Good, features, video games


Different Instagram and Twitter Usernames? Your Life Just Got Easier

Posted: 19 Oct 2012 10:23 AM PDT


Instagram rolled out an update Thursday that will make life a little more seamless for those of you with different Twitter and Instagram handles.

Now, when someone @mention you on Instagram and shares it to Twitter, Instagram will automatically translate your username in the tweet it sends to match your Twitter handle. It will do this so long as your Instagram and Twitter accounts are linked.

For example, if I mention my colleague Chris Taylor (@futurechris on Instagram and @futureboy on Twitter) in a photo caption and share it to Twitter, it will appear as @futurechris on Instagram and @futureboy on Twitter.

SEE ALSO: Instagram Now Has More Daily Active Users on Mobile Than Twitter
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More About: Twitter, instagram, trending


Katy Perry and Girl With Autism Bring Down the House With ‘Firework’ Duet

Posted: 19 Oct 2012 10:10 AM PDT


Jodi DiPiazza, an adorable 11-year-old girl living with autism, uses music to connect with the world.

At Comedy Central's Night Of Too Many Stars, DiPiazza had the chance to show off her talents in a duet with one of her favorite singers, Katy Perry.

In a pretaped video before the performance, her parents shared their experience raising Jodi.

"Anything she would hear on TV or on the radio station, she would would walk over to her keyboard and start playing," DiPiazza's mother said. "She loves music, and I think through music, and through song, she's making herself known."

Her father explained: "We were afraid she would never speak. Never dreaming she would sing, or even be…
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More About: Watercooler, jon stewart, viral videos


Major Brazilian Newspapers Withdraw From Google News

Posted: 19 Oct 2012 09:49 AM PDT


Google BrazilBrazil's major newspapers have collectively opted out of Google News after the search giant refused publishers' demands to pay for indexing their article headlines and excerpts.

All 154 members of the National Association of Newspapers in Brazil (ANJ), who collectively represent 90% of the country's newspaper circulation, have pulled their content from Google's news aggregator, according to the Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas.

Google, as the company has argued elsewhere, believes it shouldn't have to pay to include content because it sends so much traffic to news sites -- approximately 4 billion clicks per month, a Google spokesperson said at a media conference in São Pa…
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More About: Brazil, Google, Media


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