Mashable: Latest 12 News Updates - including “Mashable Weekend Recap: 30 Stories You May Have Missed” |
- Mashable Weekend Recap: 30 Stories You May Have Missed
- User Reviews on Android Market Get Advanced Filters
- Top 5 Mashable Comments This Week
- Top 10 Tips for Using Your Feature Phone as a Smartphone
- Retrospective Video by Anonymous Includes Ominous Warning
- What the World’s Biggest Websites Looked Like at Launch
- Feds Withdraw Lawsuit Against AT&T Over T-Mobile [REPORT]
- Can Facebook Get You a Job? [INFOGRAPHIC]
- 9 Delicious iPhone Apps for Foodies
- Polaroid Z340 Digital Instant Camera: Party Animal [REVIEW]
- Alec Baldwin Appears as Apologetic Airline Captain on Saturday Night Live [VIDEO]
- Angry Birds Celebrates 2nd “Birdday” With New Levels, All Episodes Unlocked
- How Has Cloud Computing Changed Business? [INFOGRAPHIC]
| Mashable Weekend Recap: 30 Stories You May Have Missed Posted: 12 Dec 2011 04:38 AM PST      The weekend is all wrapped up for you here, and what a couple of days and three nights it was! Too bad you missed it, because there was a lot going on while you were (hopefully) enjoying your leisure time. There were plenty of good videos crossing our screens and we served the best up for you. And there were tales of tech and tumult, agony and ecstasy, birds of anger and a Baldwin who might have just turned things around for himself. Or not. There was even an ominous warning for 2012 from a mysterious group. Such drama. After all that hyperbolic prose, betcha won’t miss the goings-on here at Mashable next weekend. But not to worry — we’ve got your back … this time. And as is our wont, we urge to to read your fill here with your trusty Weekend Recap, and then go out there and attack the week with all due gusto! News & Opinion Essentials
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| User Reviews on Android Market Get Advanced Filters Posted: 12 Dec 2011 12:50 AM PST   The web version of Google’s Android Market now has a couple of very useful new filtering options, including the ability to filter the reviews by device model or app version. After you click on “User Reviews” for any app, you will now have the choice to see reviews only for a certain version of the app. Furthermore, if you’re signed in, you’ll be able to filter the reviews by all devices connected to your account – incredibly useful when you want to know how an app behaves on a particular device. Finally, you can filter the reviews based on individual ratings by clicking on them. All of the above give you quite advanced filtering possibilities; for example, you can display only very poor reviews (1 star) for the official Facebook app on a Samsung Galaxy S. The Android Market was quite limited in its options at its inception, but lately Google has been listening to users and adding features that make it easier to find the apps you need. These new options, however, are currently only available in the web version of the Android Market – you cannot access them from your smartphone.  [via Android Police] More About: android, Android Market, Google, Mobile, smartphone For more Mobile coverage:
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| Top 5 Mashable Comments This Week Posted: 11 Dec 2011 07:12 PM PST   Another week has come to a close, which means it’s time for a look at the top Mashable comments of the week. In this weekly roundup post, we showcase the week’s greatest comments on our site. We select thoughtful comments that engage the community and drive more conversation as well as those that make us laugh. This week’s comments were innovative, witty and fun to read. Here are the top comments on Mashable this week: MaioloNCSAC MaioloNCSAC adds some personal knowledge of Student Life Network, taken from how he implements it at Niagara College. Comment originally posted on: Build a Private Social Network for Your College With Student Life Network Click here to view this gallery. If you haven’t commented on a Mashable article before, check out Mashable Follow, our content curation and social tool, as well as our comment guidelines to learn more. We’d love for you to join the conversation. We look forward to reading next week’s community comments! More About: comments, community, mashable, mashable follow, top comments For more Social Media coverage:
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| Top 10 Tips for Using Your Feature Phone as a Smartphone Posted: 11 Dec 2011 02:34 PM PST   If you’re still taking flak for your antennae-clad flip-phone, the joke’s on your smartphone friends. Maybe you don’t need a smartphone, or you don’t want the high monthly data bill. Don’t worry, because you can do nearly all the mobile tricks they can if you know how to use your feature phone. However, the day-to-day routine becomes increasingly more inconvenient for those who can’t download an app at the snap (or touch) of their fingertips. If you think you’re behind because you don’t own a smartphone, you should know there aren’t as many smartphone users as you’d think. There are plenty of ways to utilize your phone for more than just texting and calling. Even if you have a smartphone, sometimes you run into an area without service, so it’s good to know how to get back to basics. Here are ten ways to get more out of your phone. 1. EmailThere are some people who respond quicker to email than anything else. That’s unfortunate for anyone who doesn’t have a phone capable of email, but you can actually send them a message from your phone. Just direct the text to the recipient’s email address, type the message as you would in the body of an email address and you can also send photos. Many of the following tips require email to utilize their service. So if you can do this with your phone, you should be good to go. 2. TwitterUpdating your Twitter via SMS is easy as sending a text. First you need to find your code — for example, U.S. is 40404. Text “start” to the code and wait two minutes. Twitter will reply and ask you to sign up if you’re new, or just text back your username. You’ll need to send your password too, then once you’ve agreed to the sign-up, you can tweet away. You can also receive select updates from followers of your choice. On each profile, next to the follow button, there is a small button with a cellphone on it. Clicking that will automatically send their status updates to you via SMS. Once verified, simply texting the code with your 140-character update is all you have to do. If you have a camera phone, you can send pictures by registering through other services, such as TwitPic. 3. FacebookUploading to Facebook is similar to Twitter. You need to register your phone and then activate it for text messaging. If you don’t want your friends to see your phone number, make sure you uncheck the box on the right side of the page. You’ll receive a personalized email to post status updates or send photos to your profile, which you text the email address and it will automatically update for you. You can also receive status updates, messages and wall posts from friends via SMS. I advise against this if you have a large volume of friends on Facebook. It will get old quickly. 4. TumblrIf you’re a blogger on a budget, you can still update your Tumblr via SMS. First, you need to grab your personal email address from the settings page of your blog. It’s separate from the regular email address you’d normally use to log in. Whether you want to send an short update, blog post with tags, a photo, quote or any other feature on Tumblr — send it in a text to the custom email address and Tumblr will automatically detect it and send to your blog. 5. ChaChaChaCha may be evolving to mobile, but it still answers one to two million questions every day by text message. The service lets you ask a question via calling or SMS from your mobile and quickly receive an answer. Wondering how tall Danny Devito really is? Want to know when Superman’s birthday is? Just text CHACHA (242242) to get any burning question resolved. 6. GoogleWhether you need to find an address or check your Gmail, these are all capable features through Google SMS applications. When you need an address, or perhaps restaurant suggestions in the area, simply text GOOGL (46645) with whatever information you have, for example “sushi” (without the quotes), and then the Zip code or city and state. Within minutes, you’ll receive a listing of places. Need to be reminded of an important event? Register your phone to Google Calendar SMS and then text GVENT (48368) to request your next scheduled event, or all of your events within the next two days. 7. FourSquareDon’t think that you can’t earn the “Super User” badge just because you don’t have a smartphone. First you have to sign up, then compose a new message to the phone number DOTCOM (368266), and send the word foursquare in the body of the message. After that, you’ll receive a menu of options, such as tips nearby, your to-do list and check-ins, which are based on your last location. So, say you last checked into Brooklyn Brewery, it would assume you were still in Brooklyn. To change cities, simply select the number 3, plus the new place. 8. RSSYou can go anywhere with your favorite blogs and news sites to read with SMSmyRSS. After creating a free account, just enter RSS web content you want forwarded to your phone. You can enter keywords to flag any important stories. Like with Twitter, take incoming content sparingly. Otherwise, your inbox is going to become full very quickly. 9. Traffic.comTraffic.com will send you traffic alerts via email or SMS updates when roads you frequent reach dangerous conditions, or accidents or construction are blocking the way. Just sign up for the free service and get notified when it'd be better to take an alternate way home. 10. PayPalAfter linking your mobile number to your account, there are a couple things you can do with your PayPal account via SMS. To check your PayPal balance, text “bal” or “balance” to PAYPAL (729725), and they’ll text you back with the information. Send money by texting PAYPAL (729725) with the specific amount and the recipient’s phone number or email address. You can also request money by texting the same number with “Get” plus the specific amount “from” the person you’re requesting from’s number. Once you’re SMS-savvy with these basic features on PayPal, there are a few more advanced options you can try. BONUS: PizzaYes, that’s right. Once you’ve had money sent to your PayPal account, you can reward yourself with a pizza. Domino’s, Pizza Hut and Papa John’s all let you order a pizza via SMS after you’ve registered with the website. Pizza Hut: text PIZZA (83080) the word “pizza” plus your zipcode, and the nearest store will call you back. Domino’s: text 61212 with easily recognizable keywords, and the pizza should be delivered within 30 minutes. Papa Johns: Although you can’t literally order a pizza via SMS at Papa John’s, the company does offer a restaurant locator and will text you special deals on pizza and other items. Images courtesy of Flickr, mallix, Ramberg Media Images and callme_crochet More About: cellphone, email, how tos, Mobile, smartphone, SMS, text messaging For more Mobile coverage:
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| Retrospective Video by Anonymous Includes Ominous Warning Posted: 11 Dec 2011 01:35 PM PST
The controversial Internet hacking group known as “Anonymous” created this retrospective video commemorating a tumultuous year in the world of anarchy and subversive activism. Its “LulzXmas” video is a complicated and picture-packed montage of mayhem, where the group’s point of view doesn’t exactly come into sharp focus, but you can get an idea of what sort of year some of its members think we’ve just gone through. The group doesn’t speak with one voice. It consists of many free spirits who want to change the world and are willing to employ a variety of digital methods — both constructive and destructive, and often just mischievous — to make that happen. Here’s how the group announced the video in a tweet:
From the video’s eerie beginning with its “We do not forgive and we do not…forget” motif, to the tweet with its ominous warning to companies that haven’t been “nice,” to its final admonition to “prepare yourself for 2012,” Anonymous has certainly enshrouded itself in mystery and foreboding. Do you think Anonymous should be the ones policing corporate behavior? Is civil disobedience the best way to get things done in today’s world? What did you think of this video? More About: anonymous, LULZXMAS, Video, YouTube, YTVOD For more Dev & Design coverage:
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| What the World’s Biggest Websites Looked Like at Launch Posted: 11 Dec 2011 12:37 PM PST 1. Google While the company's design doesn't seem to have changed a whole lot, its services and capabilities sure have. Created by Stanford PhD students Sergey Brin and Larry Page, Google officially launched Sept. 4, 1998. The interface was so simple because the founders didn't know HTML and were looking for a quick design. Click here to view this gallery. Since the rise of the Internet in the ’90s, the web has shown no signs of slowing down. We’ve watched the birth and evolution of social media, e-commerce and online video entertainment. It’s hard to imagine that the treasured websites we all use today were at one point just scribbles on a piece of paper, or the brainchild of a 19-year-old college student. With the help of the Wayback Machine, which provides screenshots of any website imaginable from its inception until now, we’re can view the original designs and content of the most visited websites in the U.S. Seeing how far the world has come in terms of web design, where do you foresee us heading next? More About: amazon, design, Google, myspace, the new york times, web design, Yahoo For more Dev & Design coverage:
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| Feds Withdraw Lawsuit Against AT&T Over T-Mobile [REPORT] Posted: 11 Dec 2011 11:47 AM PST   The U.S. Justice Department has asked a federal judge to postpone or withdraw its petition to stop AT&T from acquiring T-Mobile. It cited a shifting regulatory landscape that makes the AT&T/T-Mobile lawsuit unnecessary. The request, as reported by Bloomberg on Friday, appears to be part of the strategic tit-for-tat between AT&T and the regulators who are determined to stop the merger. The new move by the Justice Department, which filed its antitrust suit in August, comes on the heels of the phone giant’s decision to yank its approval application from the FCC. AT&T had decided to withdraw the approval application before the broadcast regulator, which had publicly voiced disapproval, could formally say no. An attorney for the Justice Department argued that the case should be halted because it’s a waste of taxpayer resources to continue litigating a case that is effectively moot. The government’s position is based on the fact that AT&T can’t go forward without FCC approval and, now that the approval application is withdrawn, it is unlikely that the deal can close by a contractual deadline in September. AT&T replied that it wants its day in court so that it can obtain a legal green-light that it can take back to the FCC. The parties will appear in court on December 15 to make further arguments about whether the government can postpone or withdraw the suit. If the Justice Department succeeds in withdrawing the suit, it will have effectively outflanked the phone companies by forcing the clock on the deal to run out. If the deal fails, AT&T will be obliged to pay T-Mobile a $4 billion break-up fee. The company’s CEO recently said the fee wouldn’t hurt that much because most of it could used as a tax deduction. More About: att, lawsuit, T-Mobile For more Business coverage:
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| Can Facebook Get You a Job? [INFOGRAPHIC] Posted: 11 Dec 2011 11:27 AM PST In answer to the question above, approximately 18,400,000 Americans say yes, they got their current job through Facebook. Though Zuck’s platform ranks #1, Twitter and LinkedIn don’t have shabby numbers either — 8 million and 10.2 million Americans, respectively, have gotten their jobs through social platforms. Judging from our Job Search Series, it should come as no surprise that being socially savvy pays off in the job hunt for two reasons — it helps you network, and it’s a highly marketable strength in your skill set, given all the openings in the digital space. So, it’s about time you spruce up those social profiles and start networking. The infographic below combines data from Jobvite, CNN, LinkedIn and JobSearch to assemble a statistical picture of the modern-day job seeker. Check it out for interesting insights and some tricks of the trade to help you land a job.   Infographic courtesy of MBA Online Social Media Job ListingsEvery week we post a list of social media and web job opportunities. While we publish a huge range of job listings, we’ve selected some of the top social media job opportunities from the past two weeks to get you started. Happy hunting!
More About: Facebook, infographic, job search series, linkedin, Twitter
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| 9 Delicious iPhone Apps for Foodies Posted: 11 Dec 2011 10:34 AM PST 1. Urbanspoon This app answers the common question, "where should I eat today?" All you do is select your location, food type and price range, and it shuffles to find you the best-matched restaurant. Not in the mood for that particular suggestion? Hit shuffle again. If that doesn't fare well, just hit the "Around Me" button, and you'll receive a listing of every eatery in the area. If you are sick of chain restaurants and the norm, try LocalEats for independently owned restaurants, equipped with coupons on reservation options for select places. Click here to view this gallery. Any foodie knows you can never have too much of a good thing, which must explain the hundreds upon hundreds of food-related iPhone apps available these days. Whether you are soaking everything in and teaching yourself new recipes or looking for a quick bite to eat, these no-hassle iPhone apps are easy to use and get straight to the point. Share with us your favorite foodie apps in the comments below. More About: apps, Food And Drink, foodie, iOS, iphone
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| Polaroid Z340 Digital Instant Camera: Party Animal [REVIEW] Posted: 11 Dec 2011 09:36 AM PST   What’s there to say about Polaroid’s new Z340 Digital Instant Camera? Sure, I could go on about the 14-megapixel image sensor, the clunky menu interface, and the pop-up LCD, but at the end of the day none of that matters a whole hell of a lot. If you’re buying a camera with the brand “Polaroid,” you’re doing it for a certain kind of experience, not performance. The question is, does it deliver? From test shoots from models to the movie Memento, the Polaroid instant camera has been ingrained in the world’s consciousness since the popular SX-70 model was introduced in 1972. Snap the picture, a photo pops out, flap the photo around for a few minutes, and you’re done. It’s probably more familiar than making toast, and certainly easier. Of course, like most things analog, the Polaroid fell into obsolescence as digital cameras got better and better, and the whole idea of print and film seems quaint today (high-end professionals excepted). After failing to adapt to the digital era, Polaroid went bankrupt, and what remained of the company discontinued the instant camera, and later the film. Nostalgia is a powerful thing, however. A new company controls the Polaroid brand, PLR Holdings, and it’s been making a lot of noise lately — most famously, by employing Lady Gaga as a design consultant. The new Polaroid has created a digital version of the classic instant camera, the Z340, which combines a point-and-shoot model with a small color printer in a single case shaped similar to Polaroid cameras of old. The Magic of ZinkThe Z340, priced at $299, is actually Polaroid’s second take on the “digital instant” camera. The first was the Polaroid PoGo, which looked more like a typical point-and-shoot and sold for $199 (I guess Polaroid puts a $100 premium on nostalgic form factors). Both cameras use a special printing technology called Zink. Zink is ideal for an instant camera because it uses no ink. It creates images on special paper ($19.99 for a pack of 30 sheets, each 2 x 3 inches) that’s embedded with dye crystals. Heat from the printer activates them, with different heat levels resulting in different colors, creating the photo. It sounds pretty magical, and it is. A handheld, battery-operated camera/printer that shoots out a photo you just took in under a minute (45.8 seconds to be exact)? That’s amazing — and actually a lot faster than the old-school Polaroid instant cameras, once you take into account the time it takes the prints to develop (evidenced in this video comparison). The quality of the Zink printouts is even much improved over the PoGo, which were typically a bit smudgy. Check out the Z340′s printing process in the video below. The ExperienceWalking around with the camera at Mashable‘s holiday Christmas party, I snapped a bunch of pics of my colleagues, their significant others and various pets — thankfully early in the evening. This is exactly the thing the Z340 is made for: a group setting where the primary goal is to have fun. By the night’s end, tiny photos were scattered all over the place. It’s in this kind of festive environment that the Z340 excels. In the social setting of a party, things like adding a heart-shaped or snowflake-adorned border stop being cheesy and become useful features. An Instagram-like color changer and red-eye correction are pretty handy, too. The LCD pops up, making framing shots a little easier. As point-and-shoots go, the Z340 is obviously bulky. But it’s a shame that Polaroid didn’t use that bulk for more than just a printer. It would have been nice to have an optical zoom, even if it was just 3x or something. It’s also annoying that there’s no LED to indicate when the battery’s charging. When you’re not partying, the Z340 is an okay fall-back camera. Which is to say it’s better than using your phone. The 14MP images it creates look good, though they get a little grainy when you zoom in close. It shoots passable video, but not HD, maxing out at 640 x 480. The interface is nothing special, about as confusing as most point-and-shoots, so with luck you won’t accidentally delete anything. Final ShotsIn the end, though, does it deliver on the Polaroid experience? Although the time for a photo to print is shorter than the developing time for the old photos, there’s something organic missing here. The fact that you could walk away with the pic immediately, even before it was developed, was a tremendous advantage. And browsing through a menu for a Polaroid border isn’t the same as having those white-rimmed prints spat out by default. Don’t get me wrong: The Z340 is a great party trick, and I think it could stand in for, say, those disposable cameras they leave on tables at wedding receptions. But if you’re looking for nostalgia, you’ll instead re-learn the depressing lesson that you can’t go home again. The Polaroid Z340 Digital Instant Camera Polaroid's Z340 aims to make instant photos cool again. Click here to view this gallery. More About: cameras, instant camera, point and shoot, polaroid, printers, review, zink
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| Alec Baldwin Appears as Apologetic Airline Captain on Saturday Night Live [VIDEO] Posted: 11 Dec 2011 08:49 AM PST Alec Baldwin, kicked off an American Airlines plane for playing Words with Friends (at the wrong time) and generally making a nuisance of himself, received a generous apology from the airline last night on NBC’s Saturday Night Live. Wait a minute, who’s that guy playing “Captain Steve Rogers?” “It was very important for me to come here tonight and on behalf of everyone at American Airlines issue an apology to Mr. Alec Baldwin, said “Captain Rogers.” “Mr. Baldwin is an American treasure, and I am ashamed at the way he was treated,” he added. Well played, Alec, and good move by your publicist. You might have wanted to consult with your PR staff before deciding to throw a temper tantrum on an airliner, an environment that’s lately become akin to a barracks at boot camp, and you’re the recruit. Even if the guy does have a hot temper, notice what an excellent actor he is in this segment. By the way, our apologies to those outside the United States who aren’t able to view Hulu Clips. More About: alec baldwin, american airlines, saturday night live For more Entertainment coverage:
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| Angry Birds Celebrates 2nd “Birdday” With New Levels, All Episodes Unlocked Posted: 11 Dec 2011 08:11 AM PST   It’s a big day for Angry Birds lovers, with Rovio busting out a free upgrade today for iOS with 15 special levels to honor the game’s second birthday on December 11. All episodes of the original Angry Birds game will be unlocked, so no matter how poorly you play the game, you can now take a peek into the first level of each episode. Whether you can climb up each level within those newly revealed episodes is entirely up to you.  In addition, Rovio‘s teamed up with Barnes & Noble, and on December 11 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. there will be various special events such as scavenger hunts, high-score contests, designing Angry Birds characters, parades and guessing games in many of Barnes & Noble’s U.S. stores. Toys “R” Us gets in on the fun, too, with discounts on Angry Birds plush toys, and that includes an unlock code for an Angry Birds Chrome “Seasons Greedings” bonus level. This is starting to sound like the next Star Wars franchise. Rovio certainly does have a lot to celebrate with its Angry Birds games, explosively successful and contributing to the company’s astonishing value, which its CMO says is worth more than $1 billion. As of last month, fans have played 266 billion levels of the game, shot 400 billion birds and collected 44 billion stars. In fact, according to Rovio, people play Angry Birds for a combined 1.825 billion hours per month. You might say this game, in its own way, is taking over the world: 1. Smartphone Apps Where the revolution began: Angry Birds first released the game onto Apple's iOS in December 2009. Click here to view this gallery. More About: angry birds, Gaming, iOS, rovio
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| How Has Cloud Computing Changed Business? [INFOGRAPHIC] Posted: 11 Dec 2011 07:05 AM PST We have long been advocates of moving business operations into the cloud. The remote access, cost-savings and organizational benefits alone make it a no-brainer. Now that we’ve been floating around in the digital ether for a few years, what have we learned? How has cloud computing affected company bottom lines? Has it really made operations “greener?” Why do most companies move into the cloud in the first place? Business technology company CSC commissioned a survey of IT decision makers in eight countries to find out the motivations behind their move to cloud computing systems and its effects on their businesses. The data they distilled might surprise you, and it’s all packed neatly into the infographic below.   More About: Business, cloud computing, infographic, it, Tech
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