Friday, January 27, 2012

Mashable: Latest 29 News Updates - including “22 EU Countries Ratify ACTA, Key Parliament Member Calls it a ‘Charade’”

Mashable!

Mashable: Latest 29 News Updates - including “22 EU Countries Ratify ACTA, Key Parliament Member Calls it a ‘Charade’”

22 EU Countries Ratify ACTA, Key Parliament Member Calls it a ‘Charade’

Posted: 27 Jan 2012 02:11 AM PST


Most member states of the European Union have signed the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) at a ceremony in Tokyo, Japan on Thursday, Jan. 26.

ACTA is a global treaty that tries to normalize copyright protection and IP standards. It’s similar to SOPA and PIPA, proposed U.S. laws which have recently been dropped after massive internet protests, but in many ways even more dangerous.

Unfortunately (and unlike SOPA and PIPA), ACTA has been signed by many states without a wide, open public discussion. Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Morocco, New Zealand, Singapore and the United States signed the ACTA on 1 Oct 2011.

As of yesterday, they are joined by Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

Finally, according to a statement by Japan’s foreign affairs Ministry, the EU states which did not sign ACTA yet are “expected to do so on the completion of respective domestic procedures.”

“ACTA (…) aims to improve enforcement mechanisms to help its members combat IPR infringement more effectively,” said Mr. Hans Dietmar Schweisgut, Ambassador and Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Japan.

Many, however, think that it does so at the expense of internet users’ privacy and freedom. In Poland, thousands of people have taken to the streets, protesting the signing of ACTA. And now, French socialist and member of the European Parliament’s Committee on International Trade Kader Arif has resigned from his position of European rapporteur for ACTA and posted a stern note about the lack of transparency surrounding the signing of ACTA.

“This agreement may have major consequences on the lives of our citizens, and yet everything is done in such a way that the European Parliament has no say on the matter. So today, in submitting this report in my charge, I want to send a strong signal and alert the public about this unacceptable situation. I will not participate in this charade,” he wrote.

The ACTA is not yet in effect. It has to be ratified by the European Parliament this summer. Let’s hope for a healthy, open discussion in the Parliament that will clear air of secrecy surrounding ACTA and result in a decision that’s best for the citizens and internet users all over the world.

More About: ACTA, copyright, eu, PIPA, privacy, SOPA, trending

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Industry-Leading Super Team Launches Two Anti-HIV Programs at Davos

Posted: 27 Jan 2012 01:00 AM PST

hiv free image

Some of the world’s most powerful and influential CEOs have created a campaign focused on eradicating new HIV infections in children by 2015, one of the UN’s Millennium Development Goals.

The news, announced on Friday, created the Business Leadership Council for a Generation Born HIV Free and the Social Media Syndicate. Both campaigns aim to reduce the number of HIV-infected births from 390,000 a year down to zero in just three years.

The Business Leadership Council includes CEOs from McKinsey & Company, NBC-Universal, WPP, Apria Healthcare Group, and is part of the Global Steering Group led by Michael Sidibe, the Executive Director of UNAIDS and Ambassador Eric Goosby, the United States Global AIDS Coordinator.

The presence of all those heavy hitters means the campaign is taking a no-nonsense, results-based approach, according to Cynthia Carroll, Chief Executive of Anglo American and a member of the Council:

“It is truly unconscionable that out of the roughly 1.4 million global HIV-positive pregnancies each year, we still see some 390,000 new child infections. That's 28% — not much better than if we did nothing at all. We would not tolerate such poor performance in business and there is no earthly reason why mothers should tolerate such a burden of disease in their newborn babies. I am excited to see everyone here joining in our determination to achieve the goal of an HIV-free generation. This is achievable by the end of 2015 and makes unmistakable business sense from both a humanitarian point of view and as a simple return on investment."

The Council’s “Generation Born HIV Free” campaign will be joined by the Social Media Syndicate, headed by Randi Zuckerberg, founder of R to Z Studios and former marketing director of Facebook. The Social Media Syndicate will help promote the campaign and raise awareness for the cause with special events and messages across a variety of social networks.

The partnership is being called the world’s largest social media movement of its kind, combining the syndicate’s social media know-who with the Council’s financial resources and determination.

Ironically enough, it’s unclear what the two programs will specifically do to eradicate HIV in newborns, other than acting like social and financial steroids for the cause. The Council and Syndicate will work with UNAIDS and other partners including the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

The Generation Born HIV Free campaign seems like it has a good shot at success thanks to its clear end-goal, emphasis on efficacy and partnership with trusted organizations such as UNAIDS.

Is a businesslike approach to social good needed to make real change? Will the Council and Syndicate reach their goal of eradicating new HIV infections in children by 2015? Sound off in the comments.

Image courtesy of For a Generation Born HIV Free

More About: philanthropy, Social Good, Social Media

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Flashpoint Demo Day a Glimpse of How Entrepreneurs’ Dreams Come True

Posted: 26 Jan 2012 09:19 PM PST


A gathering of entrepreneurs in the Bay Area on Thursday offered a window into how ambitious techies’ visions become reality. It started with a presentation from a go-getter named Adam Ghetti.

Dressed casually in a dark tee-shirt, Ghetti stepped to the front a conference room at the Silicon Valley venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz on Thursday afternoon. He launched into an intense, rapid-fire pitch and test drive of his cloud security startup Social Fortress.

After Ghetti finished, 14 more entrepreneurs repeated the process, describing the basics of their businesses. They hoped to spark interest — and investment.

Ghetti and his cohorts are members of Flashpoint, a startup accelerator located at Georgia Tech university. The three-month program provides mentorship, advice and learning. Director Merrick Furst told Mashable the program functions “to address uncertainties and risks in the startup phase.” Thursday was the group’s chance to convince Silicon Valley venture capitalists of the value of their respective visions.

This is how it works in The Valley, in the country-club atmosphere of the austere office parks located on Sand Hill Road. Owners of nascent businesses sling a concept, sell an idea and present a business plan, usually touting massive potential and market opportunity.

If they’re lucky — or, more likely, smart and talented — they get the funding to potentially push their idea over the edge and toward the mainstream.

And it’s how the tech world operates now in enclaves outside of Silicon Valley too; the Flashpointers were on the third and final stop in a series of public demo days that took place earlier this month in Atlanta and New York City.

The presenters on Thursday ranged from a Georgia Tech undergrad who started his first company at 14, to hip young entrepreneurs, to serious middle-aged men in slacks and dark blazers. They bragged about who had already invested in their products, gaps in the market and how much teammates had sold previous companies for. They also told how much more money they needed. Most asked for between $500,000 and $1 million. Some companies had recently shifted focus and had been organized for just seven weeks. Others had already generated real revenues.

In addition to Social Fortress, companies that caught Mashable‘s eye for various reasons included CollectorDash, which targets a multibillion market of collectors of trinkets such as action figures; CodeGuard, a self-described “time machine for websites;” Trimensional, which makes 3D scanning available to consumers via a smartphone app; and SportsCrunch, a social network for athletes to relive glory days and reconnect with former teammates.

But our opinions mattered little compared to those of the attending representatives of venture capital firms such as Split Rock Partners of Menlo Park. Split Rock’s Leo de Luna was at the pitch session to begin scouting out early-stage businesses for potential future Series A investments by his firm.

“At this stage, where they’re at in seed, it’s about market potential because that’s a good way to kind of filter things out,” de Luna said in an interview following the presentations. “Then just to see the entrepreneurs themselves, see their maturity, their ability to communicate and sell the idea and maybe glean some things about how well they know their market and their product. The best ones were the ones that could show a live demo and could say, ‘We’ve got a product, we’ve got customers.’”

For Adam Ghetti, the demonstration of Social Fortress apparently worked well. Between chatting and networking with investors and other attendees after the show, he was asked how he thought Thursday’s event went.

“I left my Friday wide open,” he told Mashable, “and it’s now full. So I think today went great.”

More About: entrepreneurs, Silicon Valley, Startups

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How Brands Can Manage Facebook Comment Overload

Posted: 26 Jan 2012 08:56 PM PST


Jason Keath is the CEO of Social Fresh, the leading social media education company for marketers. He works with industry leading brands, agencies and vendors to produce social media conferences and online social media training programs. Follow him on Twitter @jasonkeath.

Human beings are social by nature, and not surprisingly, we choose to spend much of our talkative time on Facebook.

Comscore released data in December 2011 that showed Facebook is virtually synonymous with social media. Worldwide, people spend three out of every four minutes of their total social networking time on Facebook.

Check out the recent comment counts on nearly any major Facebook brand Page — the numbers get big very quickly. Disney’s image of Happy, the dwarf from Snow White earned over 1,600 comments at the time of publication. Coca-Cola asked fans whether they have ice-cold Cokes in their fridges – 2,170+ comments.

And these are just single posts. Add in all other posts, as well as wall comments, and brands quickly face a huge amount of fan commentary to respond to — for better and worse.

Thousands of Comments Per Hour

“We have seen many times examples from our customer base when the brand is receiving hundreds or thousands of comments per hour,” said Joe Ciarallo, VP of communications at Buddy Media.

After Facebook announced a new advertising system in 2007, Pages became significant customer conversation hubs for many big brands. Simultaneously, the logistics of managing such a volume of fan interaction had to evolve as well. A brand no longer scrolled through its Facebook Wall, responding and moderating only once or twice a day. Many brands today are forced to manage their Facebook Pages 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Lessons Learned From Lowe’s

In early December Lowe’s pulled its advertising from reality TV show American Muslim, due to customer complaints. Once the 24-hour news stations got wind of the move, other customers expressed their anger. Soon, the crossfire found its way to Lowe’s Facebook Page.

One post on Lowe’s Page received 28,000 comments in just a few hours. Many comments were hateful, racist or profane. Lowe’s would normally delete these types of comments, moderate its fans, and keep its fan voice intact, but the company simply could not handle the scale of comments in such a short amount of time.

Brad Walters, social media director for Lowe’s Home Improvement explained the situation. “[We] received thousands of comments from many sides of the issue. Lowe's allowed the debate to continue on the company's social media sites, removing only the most hateful and, in some cases violent, posts that clearly violate company policy.”

But Lowe’s did not have a solution to the scale of comments it received in such a short period of time. The company deleted the original post, and the 28,000+ comments along with it. “While we appreciate the desire to discuss previous advertising, the focus of our social channels are helping our customers with their home improvement needs,” said Walters.

The good news is there are services out there that have worked with Facebook to make these situations more manageable. And best practices are emerging. Director of community programming at LiveWorld, Mark Wiliams, says, “We actually see things like the Lowe’s event quite frequently. We work closely with our clients to establish a both a staffing plan and review/escalation process for peak events.”

Let’s review a few key steps that your company can take to prepare itself for these large-scale waves of Facebook commenting.

1. Declare Your Rules.

Establish clear commenting guidelines for your Facebook Page. When you do need to enforce these rules, publicly available guidelines will help subdue any arguments by fans and and minimize second-guessing by page admins.

“Almost all of our customers have set guidelines in place for moderation…It’s extremely important to have the basics in place,” said Ciarallo.

2. Do Not Delete All Negative Comments.

Make sure your rules reflect your brand values and culture, but avoid a broad-brushed removal of fans’ negative commentary. “It may be tempting to delete the negativity, but it’s much more important to be transparent and respond swiftly,” said Reggie Bradford, founder and CEO of Vitrue.

3. Enforce Your Rules.

If you do not moderate Wall comments that violate your policy, you create a double standard and a false expectation for your fans. When a future situation arises and you have to delete a comment, your public guidelines will not be as helpful.

4. Practice Worst Case Scenarios.

Training is important. If possible, employ a community manager or staff of social media professionals that can regularly respond to your Facebook community. When a PR crisis spreads to Facebook, your core team is going to need backup; train additional staff to help as needed.

Use the Lowe’s example as a model. What would it take for your organization to moderate 28,000 comments in a few hours? How many people would you need to manage it? What training would those people need? What if the crisis happens outside of normal working hours?

5. Get Professional Help.

You may find that your organization is more prepared because it has enlisted outside help that specializes in this type of Facebook comment management. Facebook software vendors like Buddy Media and Vitrue, as well as social moderation services like LiveWorld and ICUC use a combination of technology and manpower to manage these situations. A single moderator can handle 500-1,000 comments per hour, according to Williams.

These services can provide better 24-hour moderation support, and can train specific staff to reflect your company’s guidelines and brand voice. When you have five employees moderating the same thread of comments of Facebook, each individual reviewing the same content at the same time, workflow overlaps and productivity decreases. Software like LiveWorld’s allows a “separation of workflow” that prevents moderators from tackling the same post at the same time.

If your brand invests staff and budget into a Facebook presence and the associated community, your followers may choose to speak out periodically in ways that require response or moderation. Therefore, be prepared.

“Brands should never let volume of comments effect their ability to moderate their communities,” says Ciarallo. “One of the biggest reasons brands devote budget and resources for both people and technology is to make sure they are well prepared for any situation, like the one Lowe’s found themselves in.”

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, MHjerpe

More About: comment moderation, commenting, community management, customer service, Facebook, facebook pages

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Super Bowl-Bound Ochocinco Calls Out Boehner on Twitter

Posted: 26 Jan 2012 08:41 PM PST


Social media is lauded for its ability to foster unlikely connections. This week, Twitter helped join two of the most unlikely public figures in conversation: outspoken (and Super Bowl-bound) NFL wide receiver with the New England Patriots Chad Ochocinco and Speaker of the House John Boehner.

While watching President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address on Tuesday evening, Ochocinco noticed that the Republican leader wasn’t enjoying the speech. But he apparently didn’t know who Boehner was.

Ochocinco, who has a long history engaging in oftentimes hilarious antics on Twitter that have on occasion landed him in hot water with the NFL, posted this tweet:

A follower then caught Ochocinco up on some basic civics and and he was directed to the @SpeakerBoehner Twitter account, where the Obama nemesis was refuting some of the President’s key points. So Ochocinco tweeted at Boehner directly with this message:

The next day, after having received no response, Ochocinco expressed his concern again:

This time Boehner, apparently a fan of Ochocinco’s former team the Cincinnati Bengals responded, with this tweet:

“Wow thanks,” Ochocinco replied, later adding, “Totally awesome that John Boehner just tweeted me.”

Boehner took a lighthearted approach at the end of Wendesday, recapping the day with this tweet:

Later, an Ochocinco fan suggested that the two new friends host a “tweetup” event similar to what the White House did by inviting journalists to attend and live-tweet the State of the Union.

Ochocinco’s response?

“I have his number now I’ll ask him. #GreatIdea”

Do you think Ochocinco and Boehner should host a tweetup? What’s the most random Twitter interaction you’ve seen? Let us know in the comments.

BONUS GALLERY: Who to follow on Twitter for the Super Bowl XLVI scoop


1. @SuperBowl2012




The official account of the 2012 Indianapolis Super Bowl Host Committee is a must-follow for fans going to the game. It will function as one of several channels directing fans to entertainment venues and addressing logistical concerns from the committee's social meda command center.

Click here to view this gallery.

More About: nfl, sports, Super Bowl, trending, Twitter

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Collaborate On Multimedia Slideshows With Tumblecloud

Posted: 26 Jan 2012 08:25 PM PST


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

Name: Tumblecloud

Quick Pitch: Tumblecloud is a collaborative space for creating multimedia slideshows.

Genius Idea: Drag-and-drop collaboration.

The audio, video and images sitting on my desktop are pretty easy to put online via Facebook, Twitter and other social sharing sites. They’re also pretty easy to send to someone who also uses something like Dropbox. Tumblecloud wants to make them just as easy to use in online collaborative work.

The company, which launched its public beta product this week, has built a collaborative tool for dragging and dropping media into interactive slideshows. Users upload media from their desktops or social accounts into “stacks” that can be shared with nobody, specific friends or everybody. When they go to build an interactive slideshow, they can access media from any stacks they have access to.

It works just as well without building a slideshow — providing a way to share, for instance, photos from a wedding without involving mass emails.

Tumblecloud’s tool for online storytelling is pretty intuitive. Users drag widgets that represent each piece of media around a blank canvas to link and layer them. The way media can be stacked to play simultaneously — an audio clip with an image, for instance — reminds me of a drastically less-intimidating version of professional video or audio editing software.

“It's not meant to be a Dropbox substitute,” Tumblecloud founder Brian Andreas says. “Really what we're good at is allowing people to collaborate on the multimedia of their life.”

Andreas has a background in storytelling. The author and illustrator of several children’s books, he runs a boutique online bookstore called Storypeople.

While — true to Andreas’s background — Tumblecloud is great for creating stories, it falls a bit short when it comes to sharing them. There aren’t native apps yet, but because most of the site is built in HTML5 building stories on almost any mobile devices is still possible. The player, however, uses Flash, so it isn’t accessible on iOS devices. And story “clouds” can’t yet be embedded in other sites.

Also still in development is the site’s business model. Possibilities include charging for extra file storage, paid content and sponsored content.

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, DaveBolton

Series Supported by Microsoft BizSpark

Microsoft BizSpark

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

More About: bizspark, Tumblecloud

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5 Ways to Get Ahead of the Competition at SXSW 2012

Posted: 26 Jan 2012 07:51 PM PST


Mark Gilbreath is the co-founder and CEO of LiquidSpace, the mobile application that helps anyone find a great space to work now.

Approaching SXSW for the first time last year, we were not quite sure what to expect. I offered advice on what I know best — staying productive amidst the craziness — but beyond that, we let the universe guide us through a full roster of parties, early morning panels, late night deals and the best damn BBQ this side of the Mississippi. 



This March, however, the stakes are higher. And as a SXSW veteran, I feel a responsibility to share what I've learned.

SXSW is basically one giant co-working space. There is no shortage of people you want to meet, and endless opportunities to collaborate, bounce ideas of others and spur impromptu entrepreneurial jam sessions. 



SXSW 2012 attendance is expected to once again set records, currently estimated to produce over 20,000 people — which means an outstanding number of potential customers, press, influencers and drunken idiots to maneuver around. How will you stand out? 



Here I’ll outline five basic principles to help you get ahead of the SXSW competition this year.

1. Make your Product Appeal to SXSW Attendees

This may sound obvious, but you would be surprised how many startups spend thousands of dollars recycling old marketing campaigns from a previous conference or event. You may be the hottest thing since Twitter, but if you don't find a way to tap into the central nervous system of a SXSW attendee, you may as well save your investors' money.



The best way to make your product stand out? Be useful. 



Each and every year, the apps that rule SXSW are the ones that address a pain point or enrich an attendee's experience. Last year, AirBnB offered us local spots to crash when every hotel was sold out; Beluga and GroupMe helped us coordinate with our friends at the conference; HurricaneParty showed us where to find the coolest after-parties; and Instagram was our visual portal into happenings around the city.

2. Invent a Venue

Every year, there's a mad scramble to secure the perfect venue. Whether you're throwing an epic launch party, looking to host a small group of press, or want to organize a dinner, always keep your needs and your audience in mind. In other words, don't think that simply dropping a huge check on a venue close to the convention center will lead to success. Remember, the experience is as important as the location. (Not to mention, if you're reading this and haven't booked a space in Austin yet, you're probably already out of luck at this point.)

Instead, get creative. Bring the venue to attendees. Maybe your entire party takes place on a limo bus driving around downtown, or your product accompanies partygoers to other events. Dream big and don't forget: The more out-of-the-box, the better. Revolving door party anyone?

3. Know Who You Want to Talk To

If you're not launching a product or seeking press for an announcement, there is still value in attending SXSW. In fact, given the size of the conference in recent years, the majority of startups simply get lost in the shuffle. Ensure you aren't one of them by knowing how to talk about your company and determining the right people to talk to. 



Not every startup is the same and, as such, each has different needs. If you are seeking funding, for example, research the VCs in your space and find out if they'll be attending. Interactions happen at the speed of light at SXSW, so be prepared to give a quick pitch which includes market fit and trend analysis. If you're looking for partnership opportunities, figure out what companies will be in attendance and the individuals responsible for business development. And most importantly, if you are hoping to connect with journalists in Austin, spend a few minutes researching a writer's background before blindly pitching her. A final word of caution: When networking, watch out for those vodka Red Bulls.

While I advocate knowing who you plan to meet ahead of time, there is something to be said for tapping into the co-working mentality of SXSW. Step outside your comfort zone and introduce yourself to the person sitting next to you at a panel. You never know who you will meet at this cluster of a conference.

4. Be Prepared to Scale

While not as sexy as planning a launch party, the last thing you want to worry about at SXSW is whether your app will scale. Talk to any successful startup CEO, and he'll tell you how important a solid infrastructure is. 



If the conference gods shine down on your company, will you be ready to support an influx of thousands of users in mere hours? 



Anticipate many unanticipated tasks and complications to arise during SXSW. Your team should be focusing on the ground game, not anxiously awaiting a blackout or dealing with a crashed server. The hassle-free scalability and up-time SLA's of Azure helped us succeed last year. Choose the infrastructure that meets your needs, both in the present and pending colossal traffic and success.

5. Follow Up

So, you made a splash, converted thousands of users, landed a few press mentions, and even earned a few potential hires. But don't pat yourself on the back just yet. SXSW is the starting point, not the finish line.



Success in Austin means absolutely nothing if you don't maintain that momentum. The most successful entrepreneurs I've worked with are bullish about following up.

Don't assume that a late night at the Driskill bar with a journalist means anything more than just that. Take that pile of business cards and start digging in. Prompt, personal notes post-conference go a long way, while everyone is still digesting the event. 

Don't get lost in the crowd this year. SXSW is expected to be bigger than ever, which means you need to work smarter and faster to get ahead of the competition. 



Remember, even if you don't have hard news, you can still gain a great deal of insight and value from attending. Determine what your goals are and who can help you achieve them, prepare to discuss your product and the current market landscape, and most importantly, close the feedback loop by following up once the conference ends.

Image courtesy of Flickr, kylesteed

More About: contributor, entrepreneurs, Events, features, networking, sxsw, sxsw 2012

How You Can Turn 19th Century Photos Into Animated GIFs

Posted: 26 Jan 2012 07:34 PM PST

GIF made with the NYPL Labs Stereogranimator - view more at http://stereo.nypl.org/gallery/index


GIF made with the NYPL Labs Stereogranimator

The New York Public Library wants you to turn its archive of 40,000 historic stereographs into 3D images and animated GIF files.

The NYPL launched a feature Thursday called the Stereogranimator, which allows users creative access to its collection of stereographs, a popular photo format from the 19th century in which two pictures were placed side by side to create a 3-D effect.

“For nearly a century, stereographs were the cutting edge of 3D entertainment, but their flat, doubled surfaces give little indication of the thrill they once held for millions,” Ben Vershbow, manager of NYPL Labs, told Mashable.

“Meanwhile, GIF animations were a staple of the early web, and continue to pop up in viral media streams in surprising and increasingly innovative ways. The prospect of mashing up 19th century photography with 1990s Internet folk art seemed an opportunity too weird and wonderful to pass up.”

The concept of turning vintage stereographs into animated gifs began several years ago when San Francisco-based artist and writer Joshua Heineman started creating his own from the NYPL’s collection and uploaded them to his blog.

His site went viral, with as many 70,000 visitors a day flocking to check out his 3-D animations, according to an article he wrote for The Huffington Post.

“I didn’t ask permission. I didn’t think to ask, being under a spell of wide-eyed discovery at the time and not expecting anyone to notice,” Heineman said. “This is the sort of behavior that has led to cease-and-desist letters and lawsuits in recent years.

“Instead, the library seemed invigorated by the creative re-use, pointing to my project in media and in seminars as an example of a way forward for heritage institutions in the all-access jungle of modern technology.”

NYPL Labs — a department that focuses on technology and user collaboration — decided to create a way for all web users to have the same interaction and engagement with its stereograph collection. For those who want to create 3-D images, 3-D glasses are needed.

“[Heineman's project] opened up these images to new audiences,” Vershbow said. “It provided us with a compelling example of the great things that can happen when we release digital collections into the open web.”

Vershbow noted that NYPL has conducted extensive user surveys that provide strong evidence of an increased appetite for deeper collaboration in library initiatives and services.

“At the end of the day, we were operating on a hunch that the inherent appeal of the collection — plus the ability to quickly and easily participate and share the fruits of this bite-sized labor through online social networks — would be compelling to our users,” he added.

“Judging by the intense interest in our first day, I’d say we were on to something.”

Image courtesy of NYPL.

More About: 3D, animated GIFs, photography, Photos, trending

Meme Machine: 5 Hilarious Viral Topics Trending Right Now

Posted: 26 Jan 2012 07:01 PM PST


The Mashable Meme Machine is a daily look at five hilarious viral topics spreading across the web right now.

The theme of today’s collection of memes could be “Messing with Your Head.” Whether intentionally or unintentionally, all of these memes delve deep into some weird parts of our human brains. You know, that space where we have to question, “Is this real life?”

For instance, Wheel of Fortune‘s Pat Sajak admitted to drunkenly hosting some early episodes of the game show. And this one rap is so weird that it’s hard to even understand how a group of people thought it up in the first place. Therefore, I can’t promise you that this roundup won’t mess with your head a little. Oh, and we’ve added in a little psychoanalysis as a bonus!

Enjoy the mindmeld, kids.

Is there a meme that you can’t get out of your head? Let us know. Feel free to contact Brian Anthony Hernandez (@BAHjournalist), Christine Erickson (@christerickson) or Lauren Hockenson (@lhockenson).


1. Forever Resentful Mother




No one can throw a guilt-trip quite like a mother, and the sneering statements of Forever Resentful Mother are certainly more aggressive than passive. She looks at you coldly while holding a glass of wine, always quick to remind you just how much she sacrificed to ensure your current existence -- and that she can take anything she wants because of it. The guilt trip is heavy, which is why Redditors can't get enough of it.

Forever Resentful Mother makes sure your Mommy Complex is strong.

Click here to view this gallery.

More About: cats, features, Meme, Meme Machine, reddit, trending, viral, viral videos

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Size Matters: Clever Website Compares Smartphone Proportions

Posted: 26 Jan 2012 06:28 PM PST


If you’re smartphone fanatic like I am, you want to know the precise size of each one of these phones. Sure, that latest model may be super slim, but will it be too large for your pocket?

We found a site that answers those questions in the best way possible: by letting you stick your current phone up to the screen, then seeing how its rivals stack up in size.

When you go to phone-size.com (editor’s note: the site might be down — it’s been hit pretty hard by interested visitors), it first asks you about the aspect ratio and size of your screen. Once you’ve enter that data, you can choose between dozens of the latest smartphones from Apple, Samsung, Google, BlackBerry, LG, HTC, Motorola, Sony and more. Then you can compare smartphones to your heart’s content.

How accurate is it? I held my iPhone 4S up to the screen, and noticed the picture of it was slightly larger than the actual iPhone. That was easily remedied by the site’s offset control that allowed me to reduce the size by a slight amount, making the pic of the iPhone 4S on the screen perfectly match its actual size.

Then I could compare it with my other two favorite phones, the Samsung Galaxy S II and the Google Galaxy Nexus.

This is more than just a website — it’s a valuable tool. We’re hoping its creators will keep up with the latest smartphone technology, adding each new handset as it’s introduced.

That’s not going to be easy, however. Unlike Apple, lots of handset makers think it’s necessary to introduce dozens of new devices every month.

For now, there’s a decent selection of phones available, along with key statistics that you’ll find informative and entertaining. It’s certainly worth a try.

How did your phone stack up? Let us know in the comments.

More About: galaxy nexus, iphone, smartphones, trending

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Who Has the Best Space Plan: Gingrich, Obama or Romney? [POLL]

Posted: 26 Jan 2012 06:00 PM PST


Forget about presidential politics for a moment. Forget left and right, Republican and Democrat. Forget the GOP primaries and the same tired old debates that have filled the opinion pages for the last four years.

Instead, to determine the next occupant of the White House, try this question on for size: Would you rather build a moon base or start mining the asteroid belt? Or do you think space exploration should be de-emphasized, and that NASA should be run with the help of the business community?

If you favor the moon base, you’re with Republican hopeful Newt Gingrich. The former speaker, a self-confessed space nerd, made that announcement while campaigning Thursday on Florida’s space coast. “By the end of my second term,” he said, “we will have the first permanent base on the moon, and it will be American.”

Former president George W. Bush also directed NASA to aim for a moon base by 2020. (There’s a commercial purpose to this; the moon is likely full of helium-3, a potential energy source for the fusion reactors of the future.) That plan was scrapped by President Obama, who favors sending a manned mission to an asteroid instead.

The asteroid belt is full of minerals such as iron, cobalt and platinum, each worth trillions of dollars Indeed, the worth of a single M-class rock has been conservatively estimated at $10 trillion. Obama wants NASA to put astronauts in that ballpark by 2025.

Both Gingrich and Obama want humans on Mars in the 2030s. Obama wants NASA to take the lead on that, while Gingrich favors cutting the space agency’s budget by 10% and giving that money to the private sector — in the form of a $10 billion prize for the first organization to land on Mars.

And Romney? Gingrich’s rival in the GOP contest has been far less specific about his space plans. But in a recent debate, he suggested his first step would be to have NASA partly funded by commercial interests. “Bring them together, discuss a wide range of options for NASA,” Romney said. “Let’s have a collaborative effort.”

Romney has also said he favors an Apollo-like mission to “excite young people about the potential of space,” but hasn’t said where that mission should go to.

So whose space policy sounds the smartest? Take our poll below, and sound off in the comments.



More About: barack obama, Mitt Romney, moon, newt gingrich, space

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Cable Networks Embrace Social TV, Creating New Social Apps

Posted: 26 Jan 2012 05:47 PM PST


As the mid-TV season continues to roll out, cable networks like FX and USA are doubling down on social TV campaigns and show integrations.

Using mobile apps and tablet apps, social networks such as Facebook and check-in services like GetGlue and Miso, cablers are focusing on connecting fans with show content.

Cable has long been a strong supporter of social TV, with networks like MTV and VH1 using social apps to engage in real-time discussions around awards shows and other programming.

The newest trend, however, is social-focused marketing as a way to keep viewers engaged and spreading the word through their networks and graphs.

FX and GetGlue Send Archer Fans to Spy School

When it came time to promote the third season of the hit animated comedy Archer, FX turned to social check-in service GetGlue. Fans can earn special stickers by checking into the show.

What makes the Archer promo a bit different from most other GetGlue promotions is that a set of stickers can only be unlocked if fans play and complete the “Archer Spy School” online games.

The “Archer Spy School” games are fun mini-games that capture the humor of the show and feature the voice work from the cast, including star H. Jon Benjamin.

The games really capture the spirit and humor of the show and the integration with GetGlue is quite cool. In my own experience, I discovered that some of my friends were Archer fans just because they wanted to know how I was earning special stickers.

The games can be played at FXNetworks.com or on the Archer Facebook page . FX told us it has really committed to integrating Twitter, Facebook and GetGlue into its various web offerings, especially for shows such as Archer that have strong social followings.

Jason Phipps, VP of digital media marketing at FX told us that the network can’t draw direct correlations between activity on sites like GetGlue and ratings. Still, Phipps said that looking at the real-time engagement levels taking place on those sites and on networks like Facebook has shown the network that fans embrace social media in a big way.

“For FX our goal is to draw synergy with our shows and fans across digital platforms.”

In addition to the GetGlue partnership, FX is also rolling out a second-screen app for Archer built in HTML5. The app will allow users to monitor social feeds, including Twitter, GetGlue and Facebook — as well as tweets from socially savvy members of the cast — while watching the show on FX.


Archer Spy School




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USA Continues its Commitment to Social with White Collar

FX isn’t the only cable network doubling down on social media — USA Network is continuing to invest in social TV initiatives. Following up on the success of its HashTag Killer for Psych, USA has rolled out two digital campaigns around another hot show, White Collar.

Last week, the network rolled out Mozzie’s Mission, an online game that tests viewers to see if they have the skills to locate a hidden stash alongside White Collar character Mozzie.

The game will take place over the course of six weeks, and each week a new challenge is offered up to players. Original video is integrated into the experience and players that successfully complete each challenge will be entered into a sweepstakes to win an iPad 2.

The game continues USA’s strategy of working with show creators to build digital experiences that maintain the overall feel of the show itself.

In addition to the Mozzie’s Mission game, USA is also working with Miso to take advantage of unique SideShows with the Miso mobile app for iPhone and iPod touch.

Miso SideShows are custom second-screen experiences that can be created by fans, show producers or networks. USA is creating specific SideShow content for each episode of White Collar that is accessible within the Miso iPhone app.

White Collar fans can also create their own SideShows for other Miso users to interact with.

Social TV is Paying Off for Networks

Both USA and FX have found success in prior social TV campaigns. FX’s American Horror Story was a huge hit in ratings — as well as on GetGlue.

FX’s Jason Phipps reiterated the importance of Facebook and social conversations around new and returning programming.

Meanwhile, at USA Network, SVP of digital Jesse Redniss continues to be one of the most bullish television executives concerning the social TV space.

USA Network’s HashTag Killer campaign for Psych got a tremendous amount of traction, including over 350,000 unique visitors. Even more impressive was the sustained engagement level. 60% of users returned at least four times with Hashtag Killer, spending an average of 14.2 minutes per visit. Even more astonishing is that 15% of users were engaged in the game daily over its seven week period.

Those types of engagement numbers are promising, especially from a potential marketing perspective.

We asked both networks about the possibility of including actual plotline elements into the various social TV campaigns and both seem open to the idea.

For us, that’s the real future of social TV: bringing the story to the extended platforms and inventing new types of storytelling.

More About: archer, fx, getglue, miso, social tv, usa network, White Collar

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ACTA ‘Is More Dangerous Than SOPA’

Posted: 26 Jan 2012 04:41 PM PST


SOPA and PIPA are stalled (or dead) in the halls of the U.S. Congress. Yet, there may be a bigger, perhaps more dangerous threat to Internet freedoms on the way, called the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement, or ACTA. At least that’s how U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa, R. – Calif., sees it, telling an audience, “As a member of Congress, it’s more dangerous than SOPA. It’s not coming to me for a vote. It purports that it does not change existing laws. But once implemented, it creates a whole new enforcement system and will virtually tie the hands of Congress to undo it.”

The stunning declaration came during what was actually an upbeat panel discussion at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The convo, part of Mashable’s Documented@Davos program at the WEF, featured U.S. Rep. Issa, Wikipedia Founder Jimmy Wales, Google SVP and Chief Legal Officer David Drummond, Scribd Cofounder and CEO Trip Adler, and Mashable CEO Pete Cashmore.

Congress’s inability to change ACTA, Issa added, is “what makes ACTA very dangerous. It sounded probably to people like a good idea, but people should ask, why did they work around the WTO [World Trade Organization] and all the existing bodies? I think the answer is: They could work in secret. They could get it done, and then they could tell people you couldn’t change it.”

California Representative Darrell Iss

California Representative Darrell Issa (left) issues dire warning about ACTA at the World Economic Forum

Unlike SOPA, (Issa called it “radioactive”) and PIPA, which are bills in Congress, ACTA is a more far-reaching, global treaty that seeks to normalize copyright protection and intellectual property standards across participating nations. It even addresses offline issues like counterfeit pharmaceuticals.

ACTA already has significant support. Signers include Poland, France, Italy, Japan, Singapore, Switzerland, South Korea and, yes, the U.S. (it signed last year). While it’s unclear if ACTA shares the same “draconian” enforcement measures, Issa said, “Many of the things in SOPA are basically implied in ACTA.”

If the movement against ACTA, which is gathering steam in countries such as Poland, takes off, the anti-SOPA protest may provide the blueprint for a wide-scale counteroffensive. Prior to the SOPA and PIPA protests, the panelist noted, the tech community had only informally lobbied Washington on issues like education, visas and other items not necessarily closely related to technology. However, the game changed with SOPA. The relatively young tech community, which, as Google’s Drummond noted, does not have the political organization or clout of, say, an older industry like Hollywood, transitioned from sending letters to Congress to taking direct action, and taking the issue directly to their site visitors and customers. Drummond said the Web community now may have “the prospects of a lasting coalition that will give us a bigger voice in Washington.”

Protesting SOPA

During the panel, Wikipedia's Wales described how the community-sourced online encyclopedia made the decision to protest SOPA by going dark. He noticed in early December 2011 that “SOPA seemed to be on a fast track. Was really being pushed through and not a lot was being done to stop it.” The possibility of a Wikipedia protest was discussed and decided by the community. “In the end, we held a vote, and 87% were in favor,” recalled Wales. It was a dramatic act soon followed by many other online destinations. As Congressman Issa sees it, this was the right approach.

“I don't want to understate the importance of money, I think everyone gets that that’s part of the process of politics at all levels. But …a broad coalition is more powerful than any amount of money.” Issa believes his fellow congressmen may now think twice before supporting similar legislation, “The next time the content community comes with a pre-packaged bill that they’ve written, every office is going to say, ‘And how does the tech community feel about it?’ ” Issa told the panel.

Issa has sponsored another piece of online legislation known as the Online Protection & ENforcement of Digital Trade Act or OPEN Act, which has found some support among Facebook and Google, two Internet companies that opposed SOPA and PIPA.

No one is denying the issues of copyright infringement and content piracy remain, but Scribd’s Trip Adler, who said his site “wouldn’t be able to exist if SOPA was in place,” thinks it's time to take a different approach. “We can innovate our way to a solution that’s good for the users, good for the Internet and good for content owners,” he said. Google’s Drummond agreed, “There are ways to deal with these problems with technology and being smart about it where we don’t actually have to have legislation.”

ACTA on the Way

While panelists talked about what they saw as the relatively secrecy under which ACTA was authored, ACTA is by no means a new initiative. Posts about the act started emerging online as early as 2008 (the initiation began with the U.S. and Japan in 2006). Canada’s Foreign Affairs and International Trade site offers a comprehensive look at the act, and even tackles the claim that ACTA was built and ratified in secret:

“This process has not been kept from the public. On October 23, 2007, the partners involved in ACTA at that time publicly announced that they had initiated preliminary discussions on ACTA. Several countries involved in ACTA have conducted public consultations on the key proposed elements of the ACTA.”

One thing is clear: The temperature is finally rising for ACTA, and at least one Congressman now publicly sees it as a greater threat than SOPA. You can see the entire panel in the exclusive video above.

What do you think? Is ACTA bigger, badder and more worrisome than SOPA and PIPA, or is Issa simply trying to steer votes to his own legislation? Share in the comments.

More About: ACTA, Facebook, Google, PIPA, SOPA, trending, wikipedia

‘Sh*t Politicians Say’ Video Arrives Ahead of Republican Debate

Posted: 26 Jan 2012 04:03 PM PST

The latest political parody — Sh*t Politicians Say — just hit YouTube, keeping the unstoppable Sh*t [Insert Stereotype] Say meme alive for yet another day.

Go ahead and bemoan the meme all you want; you’re still going to watch the clip. And you should because it has multiple purposes. Other than trying to induce laughs, the video serves as an advertisement disguised as a meme for Americans Elect. Let’s call it a meme-vertisement for the the group’s online political campaign.

Americans Elect dubs itself the “first nonpartisan nomination,” which means it wants to provide Americans a third candidate — not just a Democrat or Republican — to vote for during the 2012 presidential race.

Sh*t Politicians Say landed just hours before Thursday night’s Republican presidential debate and stars actor Joe Leon. In true political fashion, his character rattles off common jargon heard from people running for office.

Do these ring a bell? Moral fiber, family values, trust me, three-point plan, earmarks, tough question, children are our future, Washington outsider, jobs, my opponent — all sound familiar.

SEE ALSO: MTV's 'Power of 12′ Campaign Creates Fantasy Political Election Game

Taking jabs at politicians is nothing new. For example, this presidential election season alone has spawned funny memes poking fun at Rick Santorum’s sweater vests and Rick Perry’s controversial “Strong” commercial.

Bonus: Political Gaffes Caught on Tape

Speaking of Rick Perry, remember his "Oops" memory lapse during a debate in November? That moment and these nine other gaffes have been etched into our mind's eye for better or worse.


Rick Perry: "Oops"


2012 presidential candidate Rick Perry drew a massive blank Wednesday night during CNBC's "Your Money, Your Vote" GOP debate. On stage in Michigan, Perry attempted to rattle off three federal government agencies he would eliminate, but failed to remember number three: "Commerce, education and the … uh, um, what's the third one there. Let's see … " The mental block lasted about 40 more seconds before Perry uttered, "Oops."

Click here to view this gallery.

More About: memes, Politics, trending, Video, YouTube

Twitter to Censor Content in Certain Countries

Posted: 26 Jan 2012 03:22 PM PST


Twitter is giving itself the right to withhold content in specific countries, while keeping that content available for the rest of the world, the company announced Thursday.

Until now, the only way for Twitter to censor content was to universally eliminate it from the site. This change means content deemed inappropriate by a specific government can be withheld locally, explains a blog post called “The Tweets Still Must Flow.”

“When we receive a request from an authorized entity, we will act in accordance with appropriate laws and our terms of service,” a Twitter rep told Mashable.

If and when content is withheld, affected users will be notified of either an account or tweet’s censorship. Twitter will make that decision public on Chilling Effects, through an expanded partnership that charts Cease and Desist Notices.

If this sounds to you like something Twitter said it would never do, you’re onto something. Last year, the company posted a similarly titled blog post, “The Tweets Must Flow.”

"The open exchange of information can have a positive global impact,” the original post said. “Almost every country in the world agrees that freedom of expression is a human right. Many countries also agree that freedom of expression carries with it responsibilities and has limits."

The post comes one day after Twitter announced it would be becoming available in Arabic, Farsi, Hebrew and Urdu — languages written from right-to-left and spoken in many countries associated with strict government media restrictions.

Mustafa Kazemi, a war correspondent in Afghanistan, points out that Twitter users in countries with government censorship have yet to find out what this will mean for them.


Kazemi suspects recent calls from members of the U.S. government to remove the Taliban from Twitter are at the root of this policy update.

“This censorship can be a blow to the independence and freedom of speech online and will widely affect the twitter usage market globally, particularly in the countries where there is a high graph of anti-US activities online,” Kazemi told Mashable.

Though Twitter states in the blog post that it will do its best to keep content up whenever possible and will be transparent when it takes down content, is that enough?

Should Twitter make compromises with censoring governments for the sake of global expansion? Let us know in the comments if you think growing with restrictions is the right move for the microblog.

More About: censorship, trending, Twitter

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Will Apple’s TV Have a Super-Smart Touchscreen Remote? [VIDEO]

Posted: 26 Jan 2012 03:04 PM PST


It could be the most direct evidence so far that Apple is developing a television set: the company filed for a patent on a new kind of touchscreen remote control last September, according to a report.

The patent, made public Thursday and first reported by Apple Insider, would create a simpler remote in two ways. First, it would only show controls that are relevant or used frequently, hiding the others. Second, it would automatically detect and configure itself to control the devices in a user’s home.

The patent makes a lot of sense in the context of the recent discussion of a real Apple TV. After Walter Isaacson’s biography of Steve Jobs revealed that Apple was developing a TV set, many suspected the user interface might use Siri, the voice assistant found in the iPhone 4S. Then came rumors of screen sizes and gesture controls.

The entire remote concept sounds very Apple, and the patent application’s accusation that many buttons on today’s remote controls are “clutter” and “can cause confusion to the user when trying to locate a seldom-used feature” certainly rings true.

However, one of the aspects of button-based remote controls that many users appreciate is their feel. On a remote with hard buttons, it’s very easy to locate the right button without even looking at the remote, just by touch. A remote control that’s all touchscreen would mean the user would have to look down to operate it, taking attention away from the screen.

Nonetheless, manufacturers have brought remote controls with touchscreens to market before — for example, the Logitech Harmony 1000 — though those are usually supplemented with several hard buttons, and not many were successes.

Is this what you’d want an Apple TV remote control to be? How would you improve it? Let us know in the comments.

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, mishooo

More About: apple, Apple TV, itv, patents, remote controls

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YouTube Changes Again: Video Editor, Browse Page Updated

Posted: 26 Jan 2012 02:48 PM PST


Building off its homepage redesign in December, YouTube is rolling out design updates to other aspects of its site.

The changes include updates to the Browse page, Video Editor and Video Manager and align with the overall rebranding that Google has pushed out to the majority of its sites and products.

The Browse page now boasts a cleaner design with a focus on discovering new channels and videos. YouTube displays the most viewed videos as well as recommendations based on your past viewing habits.

A nice touch is the “play all” button, which will play all the videos in a certain section or channel.

YouTube Browse Page

The Video Editor has also released a big overhaul. Not only is the look and feel consistent with the overall YouTube design, the timeline and moving playhead are now much more similar to editing programs such as Apple’s iMovie.

YouTube Video Editor

YouTube updated its Video Manager back in December, but the company has made some changes based on user feedback. This includes a new search history section. YouTube has also re-added the like and dislike statistics and the ability to sort by popularity.

YouTube Video Manager

YouTube isn’t the only video sharing service to change up its design. Vimeo started rolling out its biggest update in five years earlier this week.

Let us know what you think of the new YouTube in the comments.

More About: design, redesign, YouTube

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Google Earth 6.2 Is a Massive Improvement, Shows Smooth Blue Planet [PICS]

Posted: 26 Jan 2012 02:42 PM PST




You’ll be amazed at what Google has just done with Google Earth. Overnight, the earth-mapping application was upgraded to Google Earth 6.2, with vastly improved imagery that changes the choppy patchwork quilt of past versions into a smooth globe that rivals the most detailed satellite shots.

Beyond the realistic-looking map imagery, Google Earth 6.2 includes a new way to search the globe for locations and landmarks, and it’s added sharing features that let you share images you found on Google Earth onto Google+. This update is further evidence of Google’s intention to integrate all of its products with Google+.

Google Earth 6.2 features a new way of rendering all those mosaic pics of satellite and aerial photographs, smoothing out the borders between them so the globe looks even more like our beautiful blue planet.

That smooth beauty is not just visible from a distance, either — as you zoom in, the seamless look continues, all the way down to the closest views.

It’s not just version 6.2 that’s received this welcome new technology — the difference is in the data underneath this magnificent map. Google says in a blog post that this seamless look is available on all versions of Google Earth, but “the 6.2 release provides the best viewing experience for this new data.”

The improvement is now available on both the desktop and mobile versions of Google Earth.

I tried the new version of Google Earth, and it’s easy to share screenshots directly from the interface. Once you’ve logged in to your Google account by clicking on the top right, a new Share button appears, giving you the choice of sharing a screenshot on Google+ or emailing an image or a placemark.

The search interface also shows minor improvements, with a facelift to the search panel and the Auto Complete feature you might have become familiar with in Google Maps.

In addition, Google’s added search layers so you can go beyond just the top 10 results, along with biking, transit and walking directions.

This upgrade to Google Earth is so significant, I’m wondering why the company only made it a point upgrade to version 6.2. It could easily have been called Google Earth 7.0 with its profound improvement in image quality, easy sharing ability and enhanced search.

If you haven’t used Google Earth in a while, download Google Earth 6.2 and look at how much better it’s become.

Check out these pics, with before and after shots where you can see how much better Google Earth looks now:


Big Improvement




Look how much smoother the imagery is. Pic courtesy Google.

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More About: Google, google earth, trending

50 Cent Bets Nude Twitter Shot on Giants Winning Super Bowl [UPDATED]

Posted: 26 Jan 2012 02:32 PM PST


The artist formerly known as Curtis Jackson may soon pull a Weiner and flash his johnson for all his followers to see.

Rapper 50 Cent has broadcast some reckless NFL bets on Twitter this week and is upping the ante for Super Bowl XLVI.

He claims to have won $500,000 by betting on the New York Giants to make the Super Bowl, and now says that if they lose the Big Game he’ll post a nude photo of himself on Twitter.

After the Giants beat the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday to gain a berth in the Super Bowl, Fiddy posted this to his Twitter account: “Some times I hear voices in my head they tell me thing. Like bet on th GIANTS so I listen now look.” It was accompanied by this photograph:


Earlier that day the rapper wrote: “just watched a 500,000 dollar foot ball game get on my level.Chump”. He said that he was going to give all the money to his “nana,” who would probably “faint” as a result.

“LMAO,” he added.

But 50 Cent’s betting got more serious soon after that tweet. A Twitter user called @MyBestAssets proposed this: “Lets bet. If the Giants lose the Superbowl, u must post ur d*ck on the twitter. If they win, I’ll post my boobs & face on here. Bet?”

“Ok,” Fiddy replied.

Sports betting via Twitter appears to be something of a trend. In England, Queens Park Rangers captain Joey Barton tweeted predictions for Premier League soccer games featuring teams he has played against, according to the Associated Press.

Barton said the league’s governing body then reprimanded him for potentially passing “inside information” to gamblers.

Perhaps English soccer authorities were concerned that Barton would soon start posting the kind of photo that 50 Cent put on his Twitter account recently:

Do you think 50 Cent will stay true to his tweeted word? Is Twitter a good forum for sports betting? Let us know in the comments.

UPDATE: Fiddy apparently backed out of the bet late on Thursday afternoon, posting this tweet: “I Change my mind I’m not betting on the super bowl I’m gonna promote #SKstreet king and focus on making a difference 4 the less fortunate.” But we’ll keep you posted as further events warrant.

BONUS GALLERY: Who to follow on Twitter for the Super Bowl XLVI scoop


1. @SuperBowl2012




The official account of the 2012 Indianapolis Super Bowl Host Committee is a must-follow for fans going to the game. It will function as one of several channels directing fans to entertainment venues and addressing logistical concerns from the committee's social meda command center.

Click here to view this gallery.

Thumbnail image courtesy of Devin and Jason McCourty’s Facebook Page.

More About: 50 cent, sports, Super Bowl, Twitter

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Is the Neo Geo About to Return as a Slick iPhone-Like Device? [VIDEO]

Posted: 26 Jan 2012 02:19 PM PST


The Neo Geo is said to be making a comeback with a flashy hand-held gaming device resembling an iPhone.

Neo Geo who? Don’t feel bad if you haven’t heard of the over-priced hand-held gaming device that flashed through the late-’90s — many haven’t. The company first emerged in the early ’90s with a $650 gaming console, according to CNET.

Kotaku says the news of the Neo Geo reemergence was first reported on a Japanese gaming site and not SNK Playmore, the maker of the Neo Geo. The Osaka-based company’s website makes no mention of a new gaming device, but did release news of two “vintage pre-NEOGEO era Arcade Classics” games for PlayStation on Tuesday.

“…this does look to be a leak, and it could even be a prototype. According to the blog, the temporary name for the device is ‘Neo Geo Keitai’ or ‘Neo Geo Portable.’ Note that once it goes in to production the device’s specs could change,” Kotaku said.

The gaming device has a 4.3-inch LCD screen, 2 GB of memory, a SD card slot on the side and comes preloaded with classic games like Baseball Professional, Fatal Fury and King of Monsters.

With smartphone gaming apps dominating the hand-held gaming market, Neo Geo’s planned entry into the gaming market comes at a difficult time to hook gamers. In November, Flurry Analytics reported iOS and Android held 58% of the portable gaming market, while Nintendo DS shored up 36% and Sony PSP had 6% in 2011.

Watch the video to see what the Neo Geo looks like. Are you still into non-smartphone hand-held gaming devices?

Thumbnail image courtesy of Flickr, PaRaP

More About: Gaming, mashable video

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U.S. Takes First Steps Toward Internet Voting

Posted: 26 Jan 2012 02:02 PM PST

Voting

The 2012 Republican primary‘s first vote was not cast in New Hampshire, as most Americans would assume. An Okaloosa County, Fla., resident living in Thailand got that privilege in December, thanks to a new technology called LiveBallot.

LiveBallot, a new platform for accessing ballots built on the Windows Azure operating system, allows American citizens living abroad to access their official ballots from the cloud, 45 days before a state primary or national election.

Once voters download their ballots — from anywhere in the world with Internet access — they can return them by postal service or, for overseas voters only, fax.

You may be thinking that getting your ballot online is only half of online voting. However, as Kim Nelson, director of eGovernment at Microsoft points out, it eliminates the more difficult part of the process.

“While it does only solve half the problem, it’s the most important half,” Nelson told Mashable. “A person living overseas is highly mobile, but almost always has access to the Internet. The Secretary of State isn’t moving, so getting it back to the U.S. is a whole lot easier.”

Nelson notes that while several countries in Europe allow Internet voting, the U.S. does not, largely due to security concerns. Making ballots available online does not, however, present the risk of election fraud, because all ballots still must be signed by registered voters.

To date, some 1,200 Floridians in 40 counties have used LiveBallot to vote in the 2012 primary, which will take place Jan. 31. Virginia just made ballots available in advance of the state’s Super Tuesday primary March 6. California will follow suit in April, before its June primary.

Okaloosa County, one of the Florida’s 13 counties chosen to participate in a pilot program through Democracy Live, is unique for its proportion of military voters. Among its population of 120,000, some 20,000 are members of the armed services, meaning the likelihood of absentee voters is exceedingly high.

Paul Lux, Okaloosa County’s supervisor of elections, says he’s motivated to pursue online voting options because of the lack of progress made to help military voters in recent years. There have been several instances in past elections when voters abroad, particularly those serving in the military, did not have their votes counted.

“They mail me to ask for a ballot and hope I get it, then I mail them a ballot and hope they get it,” Lux says, speaking to the uncertainty of the pre-digital system. “That’s what’s driven my passion to hoping we can use technology to better reach these voters.”

Do you think ballots available in the cloud is making a big stride toward equality for absentee voters? Do you think the process is only half-way complete? Let us know what you think in the comments.

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, manley099

More About: 2012 election, elections, online voting, Politics, voting

7 Ways to Follow ‘The Hunger Games’ Movie on Social Media

Posted: 26 Jan 2012 01:51 PM PST


1. Capitol Couture





The newly launched Capitol Couture blog is dedicated to the styles featured in the upcoming film. The site almost serves as a magazine, hinting at future installments, and features cover stories, profiles, style tips and even a place to become "your district's next stylist."

Click here to view this gallery.

The release of the first Hunger Games film, based on of the wildly successful book trilogy, is less than two months away, but the powers that be are teasing fans with various marketing gems via social media sites. The latest installment — which was released this week — is a high-fashion site called Capitol Couture, dedicated to the fictional capitol city in the post-apocalyptic nation of Panem.

The Hunger Games — a young adult novel written by Suzanne Collins — has become extremely popular and successful since its debut in 2008. The film, which will be released on March 23, depicts an annual event where one boy and one girl from each of Panem’s 12 districts fight to the death in a televised battle. The story follows young protagonist Katniss — played by Jennifer Lawrence — who represents District 12.

Fashion plays a big role in the fictional capitol city, and the Tumblr blog is dedicated to the styles featured in the upcoming film. The site almost serves as a magazine, hinting at future installments, and features cover stories, profiles, style tips and even a place to become “your district’s next stylist.”

The first installment features a cover story for Effie Trinket — the capitol escort for District 12 — played by Elizabeth Banks.

“Whether you’re a Capitol fashionista seeking inspiration for your latest look or a District citizen tracking rumors about the Tributes and other celebs, Capitol Couture is the only place to turn for pictures and news reports on the fashion, trends and lifestyle that make Capitol living so grand,” the site reads.

Although this is the latest marketing initiative from the Hunger Games to create more buzz about the film, the franchise has been covering its social media bases for months.

A Twitter account — @TheCapitolPN — has been tweeting updates not only about the characters and the plot’s annual Hunger Games ceremonies and event. It also references themed merchandise for sale, such as the line of Hunger Games nail polishes, and has been tweeting links to its various Facebook pages — each of the 12 Districts featured in The Hunger Games has its own page, in addition to the main Facebook page for the film. The most influential sharer on a District page can become the “mayor,” with access to more news and prizes.

Facebook has also been posting movie trailers, posters and behind-the-scenes content to build anticipation for the film.

In August 2011, Lionsgate launched the first teaser trailer for the film during the MTV Video Music Awards, which included a hashtag — #whatsmydistrict — that led Twitter users on a chase to find a hidden website. Ultimately, thecapitol.pn was revealed to give fans an interactive destination site for the film, but the studio’s attempt to send members on a chase to pick up clues and track down the site on Twitter complemented the game-themed plot.

Have you been following the Hunger Games online in anticipation of the film? Are you excited to see the first installment? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

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Nokia’s Windows Phones Rising Slowly, CEO Hints at Tablet

Posted: 26 Jan 2012 01:39 PM PST

nokia-tablet-600

The reinvention of Nokia is going slowly, if the last financial quarter is any indication. The Finnish cellphone giant lost nearly a billion euros in Q4 2011, or $1.3 billion. On top of that, Nokia sold 31% fewer smartphones than over the same period last year.

Despite those troubles, the company’s push toward the Windows Phone platform appears to be gaining some steam, selling “well over” 1 million phones under the Lumia brand — though that’s out of 19.6 million smartphones sold worldwide. Windows Phone is expected to make greater strides this year, though, and Nokia CEO Stephen Elop hinted at one point during today’s earnings call that the company may soon extend the partnership beyond just phones.

In response to a question about how Nokia Windows Phones will fare in the marketplace against the iPhone and Android devices, Elop stressed, unprompted, that Nokia had not announced other product plans and other product families, but he saw lots of “opportunities” for the ecosystem.

“The broader digital experience is coming into focus,” he said. “If you look at the overall Microsoft strategy, you see the consistency of user experience… across PCs, tablets and phones. And for the operators, I suspect they see an opportunity to participate in a larger play when a consumer walks through their doors.”

While that’s nowhere near, “We’ve got a tablet in the works,” it would be odd for the Nokia CEO to suggest AT&T up-selling a customer on a Dell PC.

Rumors about a Nokia Windows 8 tablet were seemingly confirmed last November when the director general of Nokia France, Paul Amsellem, said the company had such a product in the works. The company later said the remarks were taken “out of context.”

It’s early days for Nokia’s Windows Phones. The company has so far unveiled just three — the Lumia 710, 800 and 900 — and just the 710 is available in the U.S. so far. The 900, unveiled at CES, will be the company’s first LTE Windows Phone, and a rumored AT&T leak pegs the price at an inexpensive $100, due in March.

SEE ALSO: Is the Lumia 900 a Recipe for Windows Phone Success?

The Lumia 900 could give Nokia the boost it needs in the U.S., where Elop said the company is stepping up efforts to be relevant again. During the company’s earnings call, Elop optimistically explained that carriers were hungry for a “third alternative” outside of Apple’s iPhone and Android devices.

“The third ecosystem strategic desire from the operators is very strong,” Elop said. “It’s something that they believe… is critical from their perspective maintaining some degree of balance and one more knob to control in the context of their revenue mix.”

Elop maintained that it’s still very early in the company’s reluctant alliance with Microsoft. Elop essentially harnessed Nokia on the operating system’s strategy early last year, when it agreed to abandon its proposed smartphone OS, MeeGo, and go with Windows Phone in exchange for a lot of cash, among other things. In Nokia’s balance sheet, we have a clue as to how much cash — a $236 million “platform payment” — though that was just for this quarter.

What do you think about the idea of a Nokia Windows tablet? Does it make any more or less sense than a Samsung or Dell Windows tablet? Let us know in the comments.

More About: Nokia, smartphones, windows phone, windows phone 7

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Which Oscar Nominees Got the Most Social Buzz [STATS]

Posted: 26 Jan 2012 01:28 PM PST

Academy Awards

The nominees for the 84th annual Academy Awards were announced on Tuesday, and fans quickly hopped to social media to share their approval or distaste for those selected.

Our friends at NM Incite analyzed 120,000 messages across several social media platforms to reveal the most buzzed-about films and actors.

The study showed that the “Best Picture” nominee most talked about on social media is The Artist, which took 23 percent of all buzz within the category. Within the “Best Director” nominees, Woody Allen is topping the conversation online with 27 percent of related buzz:

In the main acting categories, George Clooney leads with 29 percent of the buzz for his role in The Descendants and Meryl Streep has 24 percent for her role in The Iron Lady:

For the supporting roles, Jonah Hill has 26 percent of the buzz for his role in Moneyball and Melissa McCarthy received 30 percent for her part in Bridesmaids. That’s more than a quarter when stacked against the competition:

Finally, Rango received the most talk for “Best Animated Feature Film,” receiving 26 percent of the conversation compared to the other nominees:

SEE ALSO: Twitter Celebrates Melissa McCarthy, Jonah Hill and Other Oscar Nominees

Do you think the nominees most-talked about have a shot at an Oscar? Let us know what you think in the comments.

More About: academy awards, Entertainment, Film, Nominations, Oscars

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Meet the Man Behind the ‘Crazy Nastyass Honey Badger’ [VIDEO]

Posted: 26 Jan 2012 01:16 PM PST


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

Randall, the elusive narrator of the mega sassy “Crazy Nastyass Honey Badger” viral video was recently caught on footage during a promotional tour for his book, Honey Badger Don't Care: Ewwww! What the Hell is That?!

“This is my guide to crazy nastyass animals,” he told TMZ about the book in the clip above. “Everyone inside of them has an inner honey badger just waiting to get out. They don’t care, they want to take what they want.”

During the interview, the TMZ cameraman tells Randall, “This is the first time anybody’s ever seen you.”

The original Honey Badger video (watch below), which takes National Geographic footage and replaces the sound with Randall’s hilarious narration, came out in January 2011 and has since attracted almost 35 million views on YouTube.

SEE ALSO: Look at That Crazy Honey Badger, Trying to Get a TV Show | The Honey Badger Badge

If you can’t get enough of Honey Badger, you can now hold him in your hand with the Honey Badger Don’t Care game app, which landed in Apple’s App Store and the Android Market in December. And yes, Randall lends the voice for the game, too.

Honey Badger also appeared in a commercial for Wonderful Pistachios in September. You can also surf over to the Randall’s Animals blog for details about the book or specifics about the promotional tour.

Does Randall look like the person you imagined? Will his book sell, considering it doesn’t have audio that turned the Honey Badger video into a Internet sensation in the first place? Sound off in the comments.

More About: Honey Badger, memes, viral videos

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Facebook After Death: What Should the Law Say?

Posted: 26 Jan 2012 01:05 PM PST


When you die, your social media presence lives on. But should it? Lawmakers and lawyers are tackling the question of what should happen to your digital life after death.

The Uniform Law Commission recently approved a study committee on fiduciary power and authority to access digital property and online accounts during incapacity and after death. Uniform laws are created when there is little current legislation for states to follow.

Gene Hennig, one of Minnesota's commissioners on uniform state laws, offered the proposal. “Fiduciaries need clear powers to act on behalf of the individuals in the digital world” after death, he said.

He estimates the uniform law process will take three years or more and will let estates gain access to the dead person’s online property with ease — while also allowing you to have a say in how you want your digital assets to be handled after death.

“There is a crying need for a uniform law that would grant a unified way of addressing the issue throughout the country,” Hennig said.

Lawmakers have been slow to enact legislation related to digital property after death, and social media companies have relied on terms of service to guide them.

Former Oklahoma Rep. Ryan Kiesel was one of the first to realize the need for legislation. The dead are leaving behind valuable virtual property that needs tending to in the same way physical property is passed on, Kiesel said.

“People are living differently in 2012 in that a large part of their lives are shifting digital,” said Kiesel, the backer of Oklahoma’s digital property management after death law, which passed in November 2010.

“We have shifted away from letters in a shoe boxes to email messages and Facebook. There is a lot more traceable communication floating around.”

Laying Down the Law

Only five states — Oklahoma, Idaho, Rhode Island, Indiana and Connecticut — have created laws governing digital asset management after death.

In 2005, Connecticut was the first to establish a digital assets law. The statute is a little dusty — it references an “electronic mail account” and makes no reference to blogs, online bank accounts, payment accounts, photo sharing accounts or Facebook and other social accounts.

“I'm not sure if the existing state laws governing digital assets have been comprehensive enough,” Hennig said. “But I do think existing legislation is a good starting point for a more thorough look into fiduciary access to digital assets after death.”

Other states are crafting legislation now, and don’t want to wait three years or more for a uniform law. Michael Walker, an estate planning attorney, is on the Oregon State Bar virtual assets committee looking into developing a state law on the issue. And just last week, Nebraska Sen. John Wightman announced his sponsorship of a digital assets bill.

Nebraska’s law scrapes the surface of Internet account management and is similar to Oklahoma and Idaho’s laws. The bill proposes a dead person's personal representative — appointed by the court or the heir to the estate — be granted access and control of digital accounts belonging to the dead person.

Service Providers Cling to Terms of Service

Facebook’s terms of service say it will not issue login and password information to family members of a person who has died. A family member can contact Facebook and request the dead person’s profile be taken down or turned into a memorial page.

If the family chooses a memorial page, the account can never again be logged into. But new laws change the way sites like Facebook are addressing digital life after death.

“Our existing policy works to ensure that privacy settings are preserved and respected. These policies extend to memorialized accounts,” said Tucker Bounds, a spokesman for Facebook. “We will provide the estate of the deceased with a download of the account’s data if prior consent is obtained from or decreed by the deceased, or mandated by law.”

Yahoo’s terms of service have been more strict than others. In 2005, a family asked Yahoo for login and password information for their son, Justin Ellsworth, a Marine who died in Iraq.

Yahoo refused to give login and password information, citing the company’s privacy standards. In the end, the court ordered Yahoo to release the email account login and password.

Gmail and Hotmail will mail the estate holder a CD with the decedent’s account information, after the beneficiary of the estate sends the required information.

The Future of Digital Dead

It’s hard to tell the impact of the five state laws on online property post-death since the laws have hardly been utilized. Kiesel said Oklahoma lawyers now ask a person desiring a will to include how he or she wants digital accounts to be taken care of after death.

The law has created a lot of chatter, but Kiesel hasn’t heard of anyone using the law to gain access to dead loved one’s digital accounts.

Walker said he and other estate planners in Oregon prepare a virtual asset instruction letter (VAIL) for a person to leave in his or her safety deposit box. The letter lists a person’s online account information to make the account more accessible after death. A person can also instruct the executor to delete all accounts without reading emails or other communication, Walker said.

SEE ALSO: If I Die: Facebook App Lets You Leave Sweet Last Words

Online services like Entrustet, Legacy Locker and My Webwill offer other options for passing on online account access after death.

But some lawmakers advise against using these services. Kiesel points out that a will including digital accounts is more secure than these sites, which may not exist when a person dies.

Check out the gallery for more services that provide tools for managing your digital life after death. And tell us in the comments: Do you have a plan? Do you think lawmakers should establish uniform methods for dealing with social accounts? If so, how?


Legacy Locker




Legacy Locker was one of the first services to be offered in this arena and is a trusted service for transferring access to digital assets, including e-mail, social media and blogging accounts, to trusted sources.

Legacy Locker offers three pricing plans, starting with a free account that includes storage of information for three digital assets, one beneficiary and one legacy letter, which acts as a digital goodbye note sent after death. If the basic, free service isn't enough, there's also the $29.99 per year plan or the $299.99 one-time fee plan, which both allow for unlimited assets, beneficiaries and legacy letters, as well as document backup and video upload.

Click here to view this gallery.

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, DNY59, KZENON,

More About: Facebook, law, social media privacy, Top Stories, trending

7 Key Tips for Leveraging Big Data

Posted: 26 Jan 2012 12:51 PM PST

Data Numbers Image

Dan Kimball is the Chief Marketing Officer of Kontagent, and an advisory board member for AppNation. Follow Dan on Twitter at @dmkimball05.

One of my company’s clients, the CEO of a top social and mobile game publisher, recently commented: "When you're learning how to ski, you learn pretty quickly that whatever direction you're looking is the direction your skis ultimately will take you down the mountain. The same holds true for data: You really need to make sure the metrics you are looking at from the start are the ones that are most important to your business' success. That is inevitably where your business will focus."

That seems like a simple concept, but it's also incredibly insightful, particularly when it comes to big data.

The business world has been abuzz about the ability to process petabytes of data at incredible speeds and ultimately leverage it for increased efficiency, engagment and profitability. The gaming industry in particular has been very good at turning big data into meaningful insights.

Other industries should take some notes from their counterparts at Zynga, Popcap, Playdom and other successful gaming studios that have figured out how to scale their businesses more efficiently. It's been reported that the health care industry could see an additional $300 billion in value by leveraging big data. And, the retail industry could create efficiencies that lead to a 60% increase in operating margins. These are much bigger industries than gaming, with far-reaching outcomes if they can actually put big data driven decision-making to action.

So, what are some of the lessons learned that can enable organizations to effectively use big data to improve their businesses? Here are seven that I’ve witnessed first-hand.

1. Decide on Your Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) Up Front

If you don't have the expertise to properly define these indicators out-of-the gate, enlist some help from service providers who have experience in building data science infrastructure. Then, operate your business around those KPIs.

2. Make the Data Accessible Throughout the Organization

There's been lots of talk about the "consumerization of data" lately, and it’s more than just buzz — it is absolutely critical to success. From the CEO to the engineers to the marketing folks, the greater the synchronization in making decisions on a universal data set, the greater the chance there will be organizational improvements (as opposed to just departmental, which won't have nearly the impact).

3. Data is a Time Suck – Focus on What Matters

Don't get caught up in the sheer amount of data available — it can become both overwhelming. Stick to your guns on paying attention and optimizing your business around only the metrics that matter. Vanity metrics are irrelevant. Focus on the metrics that drive insights that move your business in the right direction.

4. Make Important Data Hires

Find the people that will be able to understand and synthesize big data for your company. Big data is meaningless without an appropriate layer of data science, so consider hiring some applied mathematics majors out of school. It will pay dividends down the road.

5. Take Advantage of Data Tech

There are many resources that make big data processing, storage and visualization possible, even for smaller businesses. Cloud-based, SaaS-delivered solutions have transformed what were once multi-million dollar investments into a very manageable expense. Some off-the-shelf analytics solutions are easy to implement, and can give you a huge head start in data processing, visualization and interpretation.

6. Don't Believe Everything You Read

Big data has great promise, but taking all data at face value is dangerous. Peel the onion back a few layers, make sure the data is sound and that you're not misreading it and making poor decisions. Formulating the right KPIs up front, as in point number one above, will help you to focus your efforts.

7. Be Prepared to Operate Your Business Differently

Becoming a data-driven company is not easy. It requires a commitment by the entire organization to build the proper foundation for success, both technically and operationally. And, your organization will need to make an ongoing commitment to data interpretation and action.

Big data holds great promise for a variety of industries, but there are also dangers in relying too heavily on data without proper controls, data science and overall supervision. Fortunately, there are now tools, technology and talent available on the market that can deliver on this potential.

It's really up to you whether access to this data becomes a distraction or a game-changing opportunity.

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, Muhla1

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How One Entrepreneur Is Connecting Celebrities With Their Fans [VIDEO]

Posted: 26 Jan 2012 12:50 PM PST


After graduating from the famed Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, Steve Ellis spent the next decade trying to make it in the music business, while tending bar on the side. According to Ellis, he was one of the lowest earning Wharton grads in the school’s history. He persevered, though, and founded Pump Audio, as a means of distributing his own music online. The site eventually became the de facto online destination for independent artists looking to license their music, and in 2007, Ellis sold Pump Audio to Getty Images for a reported $42 million.

Back as a second-time entrepreneur, Ellis’ latest venture is creating a marketplace for celebrity content where none previously existed. At WhoSay, Ellis is building a platform that simplifies the direct-to-fan relationship, creating greater engagement for the celebrities and influencers who use it.

Follow Venture Studio, in association with Mashable, which is brought to you by Square1 Bank. The show is hosted by Dave Lerner, a 3x entrepreneur and angel investor. To join Venture Studio’s Facebook page, click here.

Thanks to Mike Brown, Jr. for hosting our shoot at AOL Ventures.

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Multi-Screen iPhone Game Expands Your Playing Space

Posted: 26 Jan 2012 12:29 PM PST

All of Apple’s iDevices — iPhones, iPads, iPod Touches — are a ton of fun, but for the most part that fun happens on a tiny screen (iPad excepted, we know).

Now one gaming app is expanding the view with some fancy Bluetooth technology that allows a shared-screen experience across multiple devices.

Instead of the game — called Johnny Test: Roller Johnny — taking place on one screen, individual devices act like “windows” onto a larger, digital play space. Moving the devices can reveal hidden areas or new parts of the screen which both players can explore.

The game is based on a cartoon character from Teletoon Canada. The game itself is pretty simple: Johnny is in a roller derby and he and his cartoon friends have to race to the finish line.

Bright visuals aside, the game’s appeal is largely due to its cool use of tech. Johnny Test: Roller Johhny‘s playing space will automatically expand when a Bluetooth-linked device with the game running comes into range.

The shared-screen experience is meant for two players though the video above shows that two iPhones can also hook up with an iPad to create an even larger playing surface.

Kolody, the creative agency that built Roller Johnny claims the game is the first iOS gaming experience with co-operative screen play. It even got serious support from Apple, which gave Kolody special access to its mobile development team.

Roller Johnny came out in late December, but Kolody is already working on an update to bring the shared-screen experience to Wi-Fi as well. Check out the video above and let us know what you think about sharing a screen: mere novelty, or cool innovation?

johnny test image

More About: Gaming, iOS, iphone, mobile gaming, video games

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Revealed: The FBI Wants to Monitor Social Media

Posted: 26 Jan 2012 12:12 PM PST

Security Cameras

The FBI is looking to develop a web application that can monitor social networks, including Facebook and Twitter, in order to gain better real-time intelligence about current or potential future security threats or situations.

This plan was inadvertently revealed by the FBI’s Strategic Information and Operations Center (SOIC) in a market research request for a “Social Media Application.”

The eagle-eyed New Scientist picked up on the request, which aims to “determine the capabilities of the IT industry to provide a social media application.”

Government agencies like the FBI are usually reluctant to openly discuss how social networks are used as an intelligence tool.

In the Request for Information document, the FBI lays out the requirements for the application that it is seeking to build. In the background portion of the document, the SIOC writes:

The FBI has conducted market research and determined that a geospatial alert and analysis mapping application is the best known solution for attaining and disseminating real time open source intelligence and improving the FBI’s overall situational awareness.

We’ve embedded the six-page document below, but here are some of the highlights:

  • Provide an automated search and scrape capability of both social networking sites and open source news sites for breaking events, crisis, and threats that meet the search parameters/keywords defined by FBI SIOC.
  • Ability for user to create, define, and select parameters/key word requirements. Automated search of national news, local news, and social media networks. Examples include but are not limited to Fox News. CNN, MSNBC, Twitter, Facebook, etc.
  • Provide instant notifications of breaking events, incidents, and emerging threats that have been vetted and meet the deÔ¨Åned search parameters.
  • Ability to immediately access geospatial maps with coding in addition to providing critical infrastructural layers. Preferred maps include but are not limited to Google Maps, Google 3D maps, ESRI, and Yahoo Maps.
  • Ability to instantly search and monitor key words and strings in all “publicly available” tweets across the Twitter Site and any other “publicly available” social networking
    sites/forums (i.e. Facebook, MySpace, etc.).

The entire document is worth reading, if only to see the request for a “tweet lingo” dictionary within the app.

Monitoring social media activity isn’t limited to the FBI. Earlier this month, House subcommittee members urged the Department of Homeland Security to more closely monitor social media traffic.

While privacy advocates have bristled at the idea of social media monitoring, the government position is that if information is public, it’s fair game for scraping and monitoring.

The FBI’s RFI specifically targets “publicly available information” — rather than anything users keep private.

What do you think about how government agencies and law enforcement are using social media monitoring tools? Let us know in the comments.

Social Media Application Request for Information


Social Media Application

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, adventtr

More About: Facebook, FBI, privacy, trending, Twitter
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