Monday, March 25, 2013

Mashable: Latest 29 News Updates - including “Viral Video Recap: Must-Watch Memes of the Week”

Mashable: Latest 29 News Updates - including “Viral Video Recap: Must-Watch Memes of the Week”


Viral Video Recap: Must-Watch Memes of the Week

Posted: 25 Mar 2013 05:04 AM PDT

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Who needs coffee when you can jumpstart your Monday with a humorous dose of viral videos?

Watch cats duelling through a box, a man owning up to picking his nose on national television and Kid President's March Madness bracket in this week's edition of our viral video recap

All of these and more can be seen in the video, above, for your viewing pleasure.

Screenshot image courtesy of YouTube, Funnycatsandnicefish

Star Trek Logo Appears Over London Sky for Earth Hour

Posted: 25 Mar 2013 02:41 AM PDT

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As the hype for the upcoming movie "Star Trek Into Darkness" grows, Paramount Pictures decided to heat things up even more by displaying a huge, glowing Star Trek logo over London

Displayed during Earth Hour, the rotating logo was set up with 30 LED-bearing quadrocopter drones

The logo, created by Ars Electronica Futurelab & Ascending Technologies, was approximately 308 feet tall, and it hovered 118 feet above the ground, with the highest point being some 426 feet above ground

BONUS: New Star Trek Trailer is 2 Minutes of Total Destruction

Check out the video above and tell us what you expect from the upcoming Star Trek movie in the comments

This Week's Biggest Moments in 20 Photos

Posted: 25 Mar 2013 12:27 AM PDT

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This week there were many photo-worthy moments. From Perez Hilton introducing the world his one-month-old son, Mario Lavandeira III a.k.a. Sweet Pea or Perez Jr., to President Obama making his first official visit, to Israel and the newly appointed Pope Francis' official inauguration mass — the week was certainly eventful

In sports, the Dominican Republic made history with its 8th consecutive victory in the World Baseball Classic. We also had Saint Patrick's day last week, which was celebrated in Chicago by dying the Chicago River green.

These moments and many more can be admired in this week's biggest moments collection. Which photo is your favorite? Let us know in the comments.

Do You Fit the Profile of Tech Industry's Most Obnoxious Tweeters?

Posted: 24 Mar 2013 10:55 PM PDT

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If you've ever been the victim of an unfollow on Twitter, you may just fit the profile of an obnoxious tweeter.

The following infographic, created by Israel-based company Conduit, details 11 of the tech industry's most annoying Twitter users. Some examples of feed-cloggers include "The Eventaholic," who tweets about every pseudo-interesting person he meets at every single gathering he attends, and "The Social Media Butterfly," who constantly provides updates in a bid to gain more followers

Sure, the infographic is just for laughs, but do any of these tweeting types sound familiar to you? If so, share some examples in the comments

College Students Developing Human-Powered Helicopter

Posted: 24 Mar 2013 09:59 PM PDT

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Forget hoverboards. A group of college students are looking to lift off with a human-powered helicopter

While it doesn't fly yet, Kenneth Huff and his fellow classmates at Middle Georgia State College have been conducting research and building prototypes of their helicopter since May 2011.

The group plans to enter the Sikorsky Competition, which awards $250,000 for the "first successful controlled flight of a human-powered helicopter."

But first, they aim to raise money through Kickstarter to build the final version of their helicopter. So far, the team has received just $319 of its $20,000 goal, with six days left in the campaign.

8 Death-Defying Photographs That Will Make Your Palms Sweat

Posted: 24 Mar 2013 09:01 PM PDT

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Take a deep breath. Maybe sip a soothing cup of chamomile tea, because the terrifying shenanigans of "Mustang Wanted" will make your heart race.

The Ukrainian Spider-Man and amateur stuntman scales high-rise structures to pose for stunningly scary photographs. Mustang Wanted shares the death-tempting images and videos on his website and YouTube page, where he has amassed more than a half-million views.

"Death is not the worst thing that can happen," he told the Daily Mail. "Everyone dies — but not everyone lives the way they want."

20 Infomercial GIFs That Prove Real Life Is Hard

Posted: 24 Mar 2013 08:00 PM PDT

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Let's face it: The real world is tough

Mundane tasks like opening doors and putting on pants aren't just irritating — they're downright difficult. For every new cardigan, it seems, there's a stubborn button or poorly stitched sleeve waiting to ruin our lives with inconvenience. And don't even get us started on cracking eggs

Thankfully, countless consumer products exist to help us forge ahead through the war on motor skills. Check out a few of our infomercial favorites, below

Any good ones we missed? Share them with us in the comments!

1. It's like the spices are against me

Top 10 Tech This Week

Posted: 24 Mar 2013 06:58 PM PDT

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It was an especially exciting week in tech, with lots of big news coming from all fronts. So who dominated the Top 10 Tech world this week?

Google, a week after announcing the demise of the beloved Google Reader, launched a new note-taking Evernote-like app called Google Keep. The company's most exciting unveiling this week, though, might have been the addition of stunning imagery from the world's tallest mountains

Amazon took another step in its quest to conquer the tech world, announcing "Send to Kindle" a button that allows readers to save articles to read them later on their Kindle devices.

Clean Up Your Desktop With These Helpful Tools

Posted: 24 Mar 2013 06:13 PM PDT

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Does your PC's desktop bear a resemblance to a second grader's?

A disorganized desktop filing system can slow you down. Maybe you just take an extra moment to scroll through an endless list of documents and find what you're looking for. Well, over days, weeks and months, those moments add up.

Simplify your life by transforming your desktop into a consistently clean, functional and sparse workspace

Need some help getting started before wading into the junk? Our friends at Hack College will tell you how. Check out the video above.

Homepage image courtesy of Flickr, robscomputer

Spring Cleaning: 8 Home Inventory Apps to Log Your Stuff

Posted: 24 Mar 2013 05:34 PM PDT

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Here's a test: Think about all the stuff you have at home. Now write it all down. Every. Single. Item. Impossible, right?

Unless you're like Monica Geller from Friends, you might not prioritize hyper-organization. But when the going gets rough — e.g., a house fire, robbery or natural disaster — you'll want to be prepared, at least to make an accurate insurance claim

Plus, if you're in the midst of spring cleaning, it's the perfect opportunity to really take note of everything you own.

Last year, we saw Hurricane Sandy wreck havoc across the East Coast. Even if you feel prepared for the worst with emergency apps, backup plans and homeowners or renters insurance, experts recommend having an accessible home inventory list, too.

BlackBerry Z10 Is Coming: Here Are 10 Cool Cases

Posted: 24 Mar 2013 04:46 PM PDT

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BlackBerry's new Z10 smartphone is an exciting option for fans of the company formerly known as RIM. Already released in some countries, the Z10's U.S. launch is just days away.

If you're getting ready to get the Z10, we have taken a look at what your case options are

Have a peek at the selection we've found in the gallery above. Let us know in the comments below if you're looking forward to the launch and if you're planning on purchasing some phone protection.

Image courtesy of BlackBerry

Top 5 Apps for Kids This Week

Posted: 24 Mar 2013 04:00 PM PDT

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

Encouraging kids to willingly do math takes some persuasion and coaxing. Luckily, there are apps for that. This week's top apps will have children adding and subtracting in no time with exploration tools and quizzes

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

Can the Internet Replace Big Banks?

Posted: 24 Mar 2013 03:12 PM PDT

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Douglas Rushkoff, a media theorist, author, and documentarian. The ideas in this piece are built on the arguments of his new book, Present Shock: When Everything Happens Now.

We've seen digital technology disintermediate everything from record companies to university curriculum. Yet banking has remained rather immune to all this disruption

Sure, ATMs and online banking may threaten the bank teller's union, but central banking's monopoly over money has hardly budged. Just like we have to get our food from real plants and animals, we have to get our money from real banks. Or at least it appears that way to most of us

If You Had To, Could You Survive Doomsday?

Posted: 24 Mar 2013 02:45 PM PDT

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We all throw around the phrase "Doomsday" in a joking manner, but if push came to shove, could you survive such dire times?

To kick off tonight's new episode of Doomsday Preppers on National Geographic (9:00 p.m. ET), the network has published a fascinating infographic about what it would take to make it through

For starters, one person would require 200 gallons of water (or 5,302 water bottles) to survive for one year. And then there's the food situation. About 55% of Americans have less than a three-day supply of food in their homes. To survive for a year, each person would need 400 pounds of grains, 20 pounds of meat and 90 pounds of fruits and vegetables

10 Cute Kids Explaining Things

Posted: 24 Mar 2013 02:24 PM PDT

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We all know that kids say the darndest things — even their explanations of everyday events can be incredibly amusing

We have scoured YouTube for children's points of view on everything from bacon to leprechauns, and we think you'll find the 10 videos we've picked pretty funny.

Take a look through the video gallery above for our selection. Share in the comments any other kid-tastic explanations that have made you smile

Image courtesy of Flickr, Jorge Bueno

G-Boom Cranks Out Big Wireless Sound for $100

Posted: 24 Mar 2013 02:12 PM PDT

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With portable sound, you usually get what you pay for. Is that true for the G-Boom, a ruggedized Bluetooth boombox that sells for a mere $100? Let's give it a listen.

If you like to take your tunes with you for partying al fresco, you're looking for the biggest possible sound in the smallest possible container. Outdoorsy types are hoping such a device will resist the harsh elements, and hold up well to accidental bumps and dings. Take one look at the G-Boom, and then give it a serious listen, and you'll soon notice that this device accommodates both needs.

It's not waterproof, but its controls can resist the occasional bit of water. The USB and auxiliary ports in the back are covered with a rubber flap, preventing water damage there, too. That cover probably can't keep a submerged G-Boom out of serious trouble, but it'll keep a few splashes or sprinkles out of your boombox in a pinch.

5 Fascinating Facts We Learned From Reddit This Week

Posted: 24 Mar 2013 01:45 PM PDT

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"That's what she said" before the 20th century? Apparently so

Find out just what that means (plus more) in this week's collection of Reddit Facts

Stumble across any fun factoids on the Internet this week? Drop your knowledge in the comments below

Thumbnail image courtesy of Flickr, George Lu

Hands-On With The Week's Top Apps

Posted: 24 Mar 2013 01:30 PM PDT

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This week brought with it quite a few new and interesting apps.

Google released Google Keep, an application to help you keep up with notes and reminders throughout the dayPinterest released an update that makes it easier than ever to discover new pins, and a photo-editing app for iOS named Repix gave us a new way to make our smartphone photos look their best.

Pandora finally arrived for Windows Phone, and a new tablet application launched to help you learn about physics.

Curious what all these new apps look like? Check out the video above for a hands-on look at some of our favorites from the past week.

A Rousing Game of Google Musical Chairs

Posted: 24 Mar 2013 12:55 PM PDT

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Google may have just launched Google Keep, the company's new note-taking app that bears a strong resemblance to Evernote, but that doesn't mean we've forgotten about Reader's impending demise.

In fact, when users noticed last week that Google Alerts were acting strange, it raised suspicions that the email notification service might be next on the chopping block.

In this Sunday Comic, our friends Nitrozac and Snaggy at The Joy of Tech compare the use of Google's apps to a game of musical chairs, where a service can be dropped at any moment. Are you worried about a particular product disappearing?

Buzz Aldrin Refutes Space Sale, Is Keeping His Moon Memorabilia

Posted: 24 Mar 2013 12:35 PM PDT

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A New York auction house is set to sell more than 300 space artifacts on Monday (March 25), including original documents that were flown to the moon and used to carry out the first manned lunar landing. But contrary to recent headlines prompted by Bonhams' upcoming "Space History Sale," Buzz Aldrin, the Apollo 11 moonwalker whose lunar-traveled checklists and flight plans are being offered, is not the one doing the selling.

"I am not offering any items for sale from my current collection of Apollo 11 articles in the Bonhams auction," astronaut Buzz Aldrin said in a statement provided to collectSPACE.com. "The Apollo 11 items being auctioned on Monday are being resold from auctions that took place in 2007 or earlier at the instigation of my ex-wife and her daughter who acted as my attorney and business manager."

Social Media-Based Public Shaming Has Gotten Out of Control

Posted: 24 Mar 2013 12:17 PM PDT

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Mashable OP-ED

Are people so busy fiddling with their electronic devices that they can no longer resolve disputes face to face?

It certainly seems that way lately. The insane tale of Adria Richards' dismissal from SendGrid is just the latest example of the social media-based public shaming trend. Don't get me wrong. I am in no way endorsing Richards' firing and especially not the horrifying comments and threats she received through social media. Nor am I in any way saying that she got what she deserved

However, there is a case to be made that this whole incident could have been avoided with one real-life conversation.

Watch the New 'Iron Man 3' TV Spot Trailer

Posted: 24 Mar 2013 12:05 PM PDT

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A new mini-trailer for Iron Man 3, set to hit theaters in early May, premiered during last night's Kids' Choice Awards. Contrary to the dark trailers that were previously released, this clip advertises the movie in a lighter tone

Check it out above — it's short, sweet and Stark-tastic

You can watch the previously released trailer here:

Iron Man 3 comes to theaters on May 3, and stars Robert Downey, Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Ben Kingsley and Guy Pearce.

Are you excited to see the movie? Tell us what you think about it below

10 Dogs That Will Break Your Heart, Then Make You Smile

Posted: 24 Mar 2013 11:51 AM PDT

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Like humans, dogs can face health obstacles. Sometimes man's best four-legged friend needs a little help making all four limbs properly function.

Whether it's from injury or disease, dogs with physical challenges can't always run freely like their furry buddies. That's where places like Eddie Wheels for Pets come in to help Fido find his freedom.

"Every day we put a dog back on its feet and on a roll, there's tears of joy and it feels like Christmas," Leslie Grinnell of Eddie Wheels told Mashable

Roll through the gallery above for 10 adorable pooches wheeling through life.

Airline Passengers May Soon Be Able to Use Electronics During Takeoff and Landing

Posted: 24 Mar 2013 11:28 AM PDT

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For any airline passenger who has been annoyed during takeoff and landing when told to power down electronics, here's some great news: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) may only require you to put some gadgets such as e-readers and laptops in "airplane mode" during takeoffs and landings — maybe as soon as next year.

According to The New York Times, the FAA has been looking into the use of electronics on planes, and might ease up on the strict rules to shut them down during certain times. However, don't get too excited. This wouldn't apply to cellphones, the report said.

Versatile Norelco Toolkit Shaves, Grooms Beards and Manscapes

Posted: 24 Mar 2013 10:56 AM PDT

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Guys, are you contemplating a switch to an electric razor for a variety of grooming needs? Norelco had you in mind when it created its Click & Style Shave Toolkit, a versatile electric razor with three snap-on attachments that give you a close shave, precision beard trim, or manscaping anywhere below the neck. Norelco sent it to us to test, so we spent some face time with it, cutting all kinds of our body hairs for your evaluation and entertainment.

Norelco told us it's positioning this product for young men who haven't quite figured out exactly what their style preferences are yet.

Norelco told us it's positioning this product for young men who haven't quite figured out exactly what their style preferences are yet. That's why the company gives you three ways to clean up hair, wherever it is on your body.

Apple Buys Indoor Mapping Startup WifiSLAM

Posted: 24 Mar 2013 10:40 AM PDT

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As a part of a larger effort to improve and grow its mapping services, Apple has acquired mobile location startup WifiSLAM.

According to the Wall Street Journal, sources familiar with the deal say the sale price was about $20 million

The move signals another step Apple is taking to improve its Maps presence, which was widely criticized when it replaced Google's existing Maps app in September. Apple Maps earned a reputation for omitting transit directions, giving poor navigation and displaying incomplete 3D views that distort national monuments.

Now, with the acquisition of the two-year-old WifiSLAM, Apple will likely offer indoor GPS mapping of businesses such as office buildings, sports venues and retail locations. This will allow Apple to compete more effectively with Google, which already offers indoor mapping capabilities

Hilarious Dove Commercial Warns Against Using Women's Shampoo

Posted: 24 Mar 2013 10:29 AM PDT

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Everybody wants gorgeous, free-flowing hair, right? Not men — at least, according to a new Dove commercial in Brazil

The commercial shows an average male cubicle worker showing up to the office with Fabio-style locks, complete with their own seductive soundtrack. His co-worker quickly points out the phenomenon is the result of new shampoo.

Simply put: His hair is a little too beautiful. Good problem?

Watch the hilarious clip for yourself. Have you stumbled upon any share-worthy commercials in the past week? Share them with us below

March Madness for the Connected Generation

Posted: 24 Mar 2013 09:50 AM PDT

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March Madness, Jerry King

March Madness is underway, and that means online brackets, hilarious tweets and general buzz on the web for the basketball championship. If you go to a live game, though, be sure to actually direct your eyes to the court.

Comic written by Larry Lambert; illustrated by Jerry King.

Book Publishing 101: What Publishers are Looking For

Posted: 24 Mar 2013 09:33 AM PDT

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Everyone — and I mean everyone — is working on a book. For some, it's just a spark of an idea that hasn't quite made it to paper; for others, it's thousands of words socked away in a drawer or saved on an old laptop. Either way, the same question is bound to come up eventually: What does it take to get this thing published?

There is no easy way to get published and become a successful author.

There is no easy way to get published and become a successful author. I can safely say this after years of reading submissions for a literary agency and a Big Six publisher (including everything from amazing books that bombed to titles I hated but everyone else in the world loved). Writing books is a weird, long haul, but — thankfully! — there are a few things you can do to help you on your journey. Here's the advice that I give every aspiring author.

Windows Blue Update Leaks Online With Tile Changes

Posted: 24 Mar 2013 09:08 AM PDT

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The next version of Windows 8 operating system, said to be called Windows Blue and rumored to make it easier for users to multitask on screen, has just leaked online

According to screenshots posted to Winforum and reports indicating it has popped up on file sharing sites to download, the Windows 8 update will usher in a new look with both smaller and larger Live Tiles on the home screen

Other design updates gives the user more control over picking colors, as well as a brand new way to view apps side by side (up to four at a time). This will make it easier to multitask between two apps at once and adjust their size.

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