Friday, March 22, 2013

Mashable: Latest 29 News Updates - including “Sony Xperia Tablet Z Torn Down on Video”

Mashable: Latest 29 News Updates - including “Sony Xperia Tablet Z Torn Down on Video”


Sony Xperia Tablet Z Torn Down on Video

Posted: 22 Mar 2013 02:22 AM PDT

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Wondering what Sony's Xperia Tablet Z looks like on the inside? Worry not, cause the folks from Sony have disassembled it completely and recorded the entire process on video

From what we can see in the video, Sony's ultra-thin tablet is relatively easy to open up. It looks, however, like it could be a one-way process for most people, since the back cover is held together with an adhesive seal, and held to the battery with a double-sided tape

Also, quite a bit of screws are holding various components on the inside together — for example, to get to the battery, you'll need to remove six screws

How to Convince People to Join Your Startup

Posted: 22 Mar 2013 12:48 AM PDT

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When you’re first getting your startup off the ground, finding and reeling in awesome team members can be one of your biggest challenges. Once you’ve found the right employees, how do you convince them to drop what they’re doing and join your company?

There are a few key factors that matter most to early stage startup employees, and these are often the reasons that employees join startups in the first place. So, if you can show your top candidates how you can offer them those things, you’ll have a much better chance of people coming on board.

Here are the four important aspects of your company you’ll want to showcase throughout the interview and hiring process.

Game of Thrones' George R.R. Martin: Yes, I Need to Write Faster

Posted: 21 Mar 2013 10:19 PM PDT

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It's great to be George R.R. Martin. The author of the 'Song of Ice and Fire' Series — the basis for HBO's Game of Thrones — could be found at the show's West Coast premieres this week holding court, reveling in the popularity of his books and the international success of the show, which returns to U.S. screens in 10 days

But as Martin told Mashable on the red carpet, he understands the widespread pressure to increase his writing speed. He also revealed that the problem of online trolls who unkindly remind him of that fact is getting worse.

The main reason to hurry on those last two books of the series? The show, now entering the realm of the series' third book, is catching up with him. "I can't see the locomotive yet, but I hear the tracks vibrating," the Thrones supremo said, employing one of the most high-tech metaphor in his mostly medieval arsenal.

Loveflutter Finds Your Match Using Google's Knowledge Graph

Posted: 21 Mar 2013 08:18 PM PDT

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Name: Loveflutter

One-Liner Pitch: Loveflutter is a new dating site that helps you find people who share the same interests.

Why It's Taking Off: Powered by Google’s Knowledge Graph, Loveflutter matches people based on their interests, and uses Foursquare to suggest ideas for your first date

First dates can be fun and exciting, but let’s be honest – they can also be pretty awkward if you don’t have anything in common.

That’s why Loveflutter is taking on a new approach to online dating. The new site focuses on bringing together like-minded people who share the same interests, so that you can go on your first date with plenty to talk about

Back This $20,000 Arrested Development Kickstarter. Come On!

Posted: 21 Mar 2013 07:46 PM PDT

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"Now here's the story of a wealthy family who lost everything ..." If those mere words put a giant grin of anticipation on your face, you're probably going to want to put some money in this particular banana stand.

A couple of Arrested Development superfans did what seems impossible to most superfans: they got interviews with the cast, writers and creators of everyone's favorite canceled Fox sitcom. Now these Bluth-hunters need $20,000 to put their loose seals in order and release the documentary. (Click here for the full pitch.)

With Arrested Development season 4 just around the corner (it's set to hit Netflix in one big House of Cards-like burst in May), there's no better time to appeal to the fans. (There are dozens of us. Dozens!) Enough have decided they're not making a huge mistake that this Kickstarter campaign is halfway to funding in one day.

Invisible Friend Photo Prank Freaks Out Strangers

Posted: 21 Mar 2013 06:59 PM PDT

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We've all done it — asked random passersby to snap a couple pics of you and your friends in front of famous monuments (or just goofing off in front of a WalMart). But Magic of Rahat just added a touch of creepiness to the entire process

He and a friend camped out on Hollywood Boulevard and asked strangers for a picture. The catch? There's only one guy smiling with his arm around ... well, nothing

The strangers oblige the madman's wishes, then prepare to run away from the crazy camera guy. But Rahat (the same prankster responsible for the viral drive-through pranks) quickly shows the resulting picture to the photographer and claims, "Hang on, take another, my friend's eyes are closed."

Robot Helps Teach Kids With Autism

Posted: 21 Mar 2013 06:29 PM PDT

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Researchers have helped create apps and online platforms to assist children with autism. But one team at Vanderbilt University is introducing something which may have a leg up on capturing kids' attention: humanoid robots

Mechanical engineers and autism experts constructed an adaptive system using NAO, a fully-programmable robot. Paired with cameras, sensors and computers, the friendly robot is designed to help children develop basic social learning skills. (Check out the video above for more)

The system structure, called ARIA (Adaptive Robot-Mediated Intervention Architecture), uses the robot to give verbal prompts and gestures to the child to attract their attention. While eye contact is a natural skill for most developing children, those with autism may find it more difficult to maintain with other people and surrounding objects

Learn the History of Ringtones With This Wacky Song

Posted: 21 Mar 2013 05:55 PM PDT

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Ringtones are undeniably the most irritating concoction the tech world dreamed up since T9 texting

Those little jingles are solely responsible for the world's heightened noise pollution and the reason some of us are forced to listen to "Who Let the Dogs Out?" on repeat till the phone's owner picks up their call (vibrate mode, people, really)

But, nonetheless, those robotic ditties and orchestral snippets are as recognizable as the phones they are emitted from. But where did these repetitive tones come from? A ringtone composer? A song fairy?

Good thing PaulTheTrombonist has put together this neon-filled, wacky song to help teach us how the simple ring has evolved over the years

NBA Star Tweets Pic of Coach's Atrocious Shirt

Posted: 21 Mar 2013 05:35 PM PDT

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No one is safe in the social media age — not even NBA head coaches in charge of basketball savant twenty-somethings

New York Knicks head man Mike Woodson, no stranger to bold fashion choices, probably thought he could wear his super fly white-on-black polka dot button down without becoming an Internet spectacle on Thursday. He thought wrong, thanks to JR Smith, one of the team's star scorers and a (PR-unapproved) champion of the mobile social web

Smith posted this tweet from what looks like the team plane on Thursday morning:

#Top5WorstShirtsIveSeenInMyLife! instagram.com/p/XIXBM1tfG2/

— JR Smith (@TheRealJRSmith) March 21, 2013

Tesco Uses Google Street View for Virtual Easter Egg Hunt

Posted: 21 Mar 2013 05:02 PM PDT

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UK retailer Tesco is using Google Street View for a promotion that rewards users for finding virtual Easter eggs.

Call it an Easter egg hunt for real Easter eggs.

If you live in the UK you can claim a chocolate egg if you find three virtual eggs. If you find a golden egg, you're eligible to win a Samsung Galaxy Tab. If you live outside the area, though, you can still play. (In the attempt below, Google Street View served up the interior of Tamarind, a restaurant a block away from Mashable's headquarters in the Flatiron District of New York. We're not sure why.)

Tesco's effort follows a similar promotion in July 2011 from French automaker Citroen that used Street View for a game of hide and seek.

Gesture Chair Is Designed for Using Gadgets

Posted: 21 Mar 2013 04:25 PM PDT

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Technology can be pretty great. It can also wreck our posture and turn us into hunched-over Richard IIIs if we aren’t careful. The 21st century has not been kind to backs and necks.

Gesture is a new office chair that takes an interesting approach to bad posture. The worst part of bad posture is that our bodies are kinda hanging out in space without proper support, or don’t fit with more rigid chairs ergonomically. Gesture takes a pragmatic approach, creating a chair that will move and adapt to support the different kinds of positions you take when using different kinds of devices, instead of encouraging traditional good posture.

Canon Rebel T5i: A Serious DSLR Gets $100 Cheaper

Posted: 21 Mar 2013 04:00 PM PDT

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There's a good reason why the Canon Rebel T5i looks a lot like the Canon T4i: Their specifications are almost identical. Besides a slightly different finish and few grams of extra weight, this is the same camera

But there's one delectable difference: The T5i is $100 cheaper than the T4i.

If you're not familiar with either of these lower-priced digital SLRs, you'll be impressed with their capabilities, especially if you're upgrading from a point-and-shoot camera. For instance, their ISO range is from 100 to 12,800. That means you can use them to shoot in low light without much quality loss.

One of the best features of the T5i: its 3-inch adjustable touchscreen that swings out to give you a view from almost any angle.

Disney Star Wars Land? The Force Is Strong With This Plan

Posted: 21 Mar 2013 03:35 PM PDT

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In the annals of no-brainers, the concept of an entire Disney theme park devoted to Star Wars ranks pretty highly. So much so that plans were underway even before the Mouse House pounced on Lucasfilm in October 2012

Now it seems those plans are accelerating — and multiplying.

We already knew Disneyland Paris was set to get a Star Wars Land by 2015; the company's Imagineers let that one slip back in April 2012. Star Tours in Orlando's Disney World reopened that same month; bigger, better, not so much about Endor, and with a large enough marketing campaign that you could mistake it for a separate theme park.

Google Turns Your Favorite Website Into Smartphone-Controlled 3D Maze

Posted: 21 Mar 2013 03:07 PM PDT

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A Google Chrome Experiment turns your favorite webpage into a smartphone-controlled maze.

Appropriately called World Wide Maze, playing the game simply requires you to have Chrome installed on both your computer and your smartphone. Once your phone and computer are paired together (something you’ve likely already done if you’re a Chrome user), then all you need to do is enter a special URL, select your website gameboard of choice, and start playing.

The game board will appear on your computer’s web browser, and is controlled by the tilt of your smartphone. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to navigate your favorite page and collect gems along the way.

Sorry About Your Busted Basketball Bracket

Posted: 21 Mar 2013 02:26 PM PDT

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Thursday marks the first day of March Madness — and, completely coincidental, the least productive day of the year

However, if you've been groveling over a basketball bracket, you probably already knew that. There is a lot of time and dedication and thought put into bracket strategies. Some of this selection process has nothing to do with talent and skill, and more to do with loyalty, favoritism or which mascot is cooler.

Of course, these traditions prove no match for the underdog — or the unexpected fail from the superstar team. Most of our brackets will be completely shot after the first round, unless you're Nate Silver.

Filing Taxes as a Sole Proprietor? What You Need to Know

Posted: 21 Mar 2013 02:16 PM PDT

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Nellie Akalp is a passionate entrepreneur, small business advocate and mother of four. As CEO of CorpNet.com, a legal document filing service, Nellie helps entrepreneurs start a business, incorporate, form an LLC or set up sole proprietorships (DBAs) for a new or existing business.

More Americans are working for themselves than ever before. Call them freelancers, contractors, micro business owners, entrepreneurs, but a recent report says there are now 17 million full-time independents in the U.S.

Even if this is your first year self-employed, you already know that your income taxes are more involved than those of your colleagues, who only require W-2s. However, the complexity also brings opportunity, as freelancers can deduct many of their expenses, such as the cost of a computer, office supplies and work-related travel

Apple Says 75% of Its Power Comes From Renewable Energy

Posted: 21 Mar 2013 01:53 PM PDT

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About 75% of Apple offices worldwide, including its headquarters in Cupertino, Calif., are now powered by renewable energy — more than double the amount of green buildings the company had in the last year.

Apple posted an update to its environmental page on Thursday, highlighting how its increasing its efforts to become more sustainable. The company, like many today, aims to reduce its environmental impact and drop its carbon footprint even more in the years ahead.

Although Apple says it hopes to get all facilities running on renewable energy soon, its campuses in Austin, Texas, Sacramento, Calif., and Cork, Ireland, are already there

NFL Star Matt Forte Rails Against Rule Change on Twitter

Posted: 21 Mar 2013 01:53 PM PDT

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Star NFL running back Matt Forte took to Twitter on Wednesday to rail against a new NFL rule aimed at increasing player safety

The league's owners voted to make it illegal for running backs to lead with their helmets when colliding with defenders, stripping rough-and-tumble rushers like Forte of one of their key advantages. Forte had already campaigned on Twitter against the rule earlier this week, but appeared pretty livid after it was passed

Here are his tweets from Wednesday, which included multiple references to a cash stockpile he apparently intends to set aside as a "lowering the boom fund" to pay fines for breaking the new rule:

Curmudgeonly March Madness Announcer Hates Alley-Oops

Posted: 21 Mar 2013 01:47 PM PDT

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Sportscaster Verne Lundquist has been in the game for decades on decades on decades. He's seen college hoops change a lot, and, it seems here, not for the better. This moment comes from March Madness's first round-of-64 game, between Michigan State and Valparaiso. State handled Valpo easily, throwing superfluous alley-oops from early on. Clearly, Lundquist was not impressed — which only makes State's second lob attempt here even better, because it's kind of like a dunk on him, too

[via TheBigLead]

Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

Pinterest iOS App Update Makes It Easier To Discover New Pins

Posted: 21 Mar 2013 01:31 PM PDT

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Pinterest updated its iOS app Thursday, adding the ability to edit your profile from your phone, and a new close-up view of pins on the iPad.

The iOS version of the app also includes a new way to discover new pins through a “people who pinned this also pinned” function, a function the company debuted on its redesigned website.

Pinterest began rolling out a new site design earlier this week. The site update includes some minor cosmetic changes, as well as the addition of new discovery features.

You can preview Pinterest’s new look by going to your Pinterest newsfeed and selecting the “Preview our new look” box in the upper left hand corner.

Yoko Ono Shares Photo of John Lennon's Bloody Glasses in Gun Tweets

Posted: 21 Mar 2013 01:18 PM PDT

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Musician John Lennon's bloodstained glasses — the ones the 40-year-old was wearing when he was fatally shot in the back four times in New York City in 1980 — reemerged this week in four anti-gun messages on Twitter from widow Yoko Ono's account

Ono shared the tweets Wednesday with her nearly 3.7 million followers, marking the 44th anniversary since she and Lennon wed on March 20, 1969. In the background, the glasses image shows a blurry Central Park, where Ono spread Lennon's cremated ashes and where the city built his Strawberry Fields memorial

A similar image was used as cover art for Ono's 1981 album Season of Glass, but the image in the tweets included this death toll:

Here Are 10 Ryan Gosling GIFs to Keep You Warm While He's Away

Posted: 21 Mar 2013 01:11 PM PDT

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Did your computer let out a little exasperated whimper in the past 24 hours? That was just the Internet reacting to news that Ryan Gosling plans to take a break from acting.

Basically, Tumblr was all:

Image courtesy of Tumblr, perfectgosling

Twitter was pretty heartbroken too:

Ryan Gosling is taking a break from acting and my whole world is shattering.

— rachel waters (@deerrachel) March 21, 2013

What?! A film without gosling is like cake without sugar #rubbish #pointlessmarieclai.re/fkzMob

— JayneElizabethMann (@JayneyMann) March 21, 2013

Ryan Gosling has announced he's taking a break from acting... my day just went from worse to over#mybaby @johanne_smith #heartbroken

— Alice Edwards (@ae92) March 21, 2013

Apple Gets More Secure With Two-Step Verification

Posted: 21 Mar 2013 01:07 PM PDT

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Apple has added a new level of security to iCloud and Apple ID users: two-step verification. Much like the two-step verification process for other services, two-step-verification will require you to verify your identity when signing into your account from a new device.

Verification will be done using another one of your devices, such as your iPhone. For instance, if you buy a new computer and sign into iCloud on it, Apple will send a numerical code to your iPhone to verify that it is in fact you trying to access your account. You enter the code received on your phone on your computer, then Apple knows it’s you trying to access the account and you can proceed as planned.

Google Fiber Expanding to Another City That Probably Isn't Yours

Posted: 21 Mar 2013 01:05 PM PDT

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Google Fiber, Google's ultrafast broadband Internet service, is coming to your city — if you happen to live in Olathe, Kansas.

Google announced the expansion plans in a blog post Tuesday evening minutes after they were approved by the Olathe City Council.

"Olathe has become one of the fastest-growing cities in Kansas and has attracted an influx of new businesses and residents," wrote Rachel Hack, a Community Manager with Google Fiber. "They’ve all noticed what a great community Olathe is, and so have we. We think that Fiber and widespread Internet access will help to create jobs, grow local businesses, and make Olathe even stronger as it grows."

Navigate NYC Subway With Giant Touchscreens

Posted: 21 Mar 2013 12:38 PM PDT

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In partnership with the Control Group, the New York City MTA has decided to go even more digital with the installation of 47-inch interactive touchscreens in subway stations around the city

The touchscreens or On The Go interactive HD displays, will not only feature a detailed map of the subway system, but will also show commuters real-time information and updates. They will also be a place for ads, which account for a large portion of the revenue of the MTA.

These interactive touchscreens are meant to make commuting for locals and tourists easier. With a simple tap of the finger, commuters can find out which routes and transfers to take. The screens will also be equipped with two-way communication so users can opt to speak with an actual MTA employee. The interactive kiosks are scheduled to be rolled out later this year.

Vacation Disconnect Doesn't Mean Leaving Your Devices Behind

Posted: 21 Mar 2013 12:35 PM PDT

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When my husband and I were packing for our winter vacation, I marveled at all the tech devices that were lined up, waiting to be packed. This was supposed to be a "disconnected" vacation, in a country where our cellphones didn't even have service

Yet on the table before me was my iPhone, my iPad, a Kindle, my husband's Nook, his iPad and his BlackBerry. Not very disconnected, is it? The fact is, these devices have become a part of our everyday lives, whether we're using them to communicate, read work email or just relax with a good book

When I asked if we could scale back a little, my husband volunteered to leave his work BlackBerry behind. Good start, but there were still the screens. I like to read news stories on the iPad using both Pulse and Flipboard. My Kindle has the books I was planning to read while I was away. I prefer the Kindle on vacation because I can see the screen in the sun better than on an iPad. My husband had the same reasoning for bringing his Nook. I use Google Maps on my iPhone for directions to the airport parking, and thought I would stroll up to use the free Wi-Fi in the lobby of the hotel each day and check emails from home or send pictures to my mom.

New Private Rocket to Launch First Test Flight in April

Posted: 21 Mar 2013 12:22 PM PDT

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The maiden launch of a new private rocket that eventually aims to loft cargo toward the International Space Station is slated for the middle of April.

The Antares rocket, which is being developed by aerospace firm Orbital Sciences Corp., will blast off for the first time April 16-18 from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, NASA officials said.

Antares will launch a simulated payload to a target altitude of 155 miles to 185 miles (250 to 300 kilometers). If all goes well with the test flight, which Orbital is calling A-One, the next step will be a demonstration mission to the space station using Antares and the company's robotic Cygnus capsule, company officials said

Lawmakers: Police Should Need Warrant to Track You via GPS

Posted: 21 Mar 2013 12:09 PM PDT

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Should law enforcement need probable cause and a search warrant before tracking you via GPS? At least three lawmakers think so: Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Mike Kirk (R-Ill.) along with Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) reintroduced Thursday the Geolocation Privacy and Surveillance (GPS) Act, which would require police to get a warrant before using GPS to actively track suspects' whereabouts.

The GPS act, first introduced in 2011, would require police to get a warrant to access citizens' current or prior geolocation history from their wireless service provider. The warrant requirement would additionally apply to law enforcement's secret placement of tracking devices on citizens' vehicles or other property.

CPX Interactive Founder Answers Questions via Live Chat

Posted: 21 Mar 2013 11:55 AM PDT

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Got a question for Michael? Use the chat feature above to get it answered live.

Michael Seiman is the CEO and Chairman of CPX Interactive, a global digital advertising media company he co-founded while still a college student at Hofstra University in the early 2000s. The company has grown quickly and is now a major player within the crowded online advertising landscape, serving over 90 billion ad impressions in more than 65 countries every month. CPX Interactive continues the rapid growth that led to its inclusion on Inc. Magazine’s list of fastest-growing privately held advertising/marketing companies in 2008 and 2009. Michael was selected as a semi-finalist in Ernst & Young's Entrepreneur of the Year initiative in both 2009 and 2010.

8 Ways to Execute Your Brand’s Story Online

Posted: 21 Mar 2013 11:50 AM PDT

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Scott Steinberg, a top-ranked international event speaker on the lecture circuit, is a bestselling expert on leadership and innovation, and the head of strategic consultancy TechSavvy Global. His website is AKeynoteSpeaker.com.

Great stories make for memorable movies, books and TV shows. Similarly, arresting tales and compelling narratives help us remember iconic brands.

The corporate world spins similar yarns in the form of marketing, advertising and promotional efforts. A brand’s story can convey its message, build credibility, establish a vision, motivate buyers and build lasting customer loyalty

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