Friday, April 20, 2012

Mashable: Latest 29 News Updates - including “Today’s Top Stories: Microsoft Reports Record Revenue, Samsung S-Cloud Rumors”

Mashable: Latest 29 News Updates - including “Today’s Top Stories: Microsoft Reports Record Revenue, Samsung S-Cloud Rumors”


Today’s Top Stories: Microsoft Reports Record Revenue, Samsung S-Cloud Rumors

Posted: 20 Apr 2012 04:50 AM PDT

Social Media News

Welcome to this morning's edition of "First To Know," a series in which we keep you in the know on what's happening in the digital world. Today, we're looking at three particularly interesting stories.

Microsoft Posts Strong Quarterly Results

Microsoft announced revenue of $17.4 billion for the quarter ended Mar. 31, 2012, a 6% increase from the prior year period and a record for the company. Operating income was $6.4 billion, a 12% increase compared to the same period last year.

Samsung to Unveil Cloud Service Called S-Cloud [RUMOR]

Samsung plans to unveil a new cloud service called S-Cloud at its press event in London on May 3rd, Maeli Business reports citing a leaked document from Samsung. The details about the service are scarce, but it’s said to be similar to iCloud — sans the limitations of what type of content you can upload to the cloud.

Hulu Announces Four More Original TV Shows

Hulu has announced four more original shows, bringing the total number to seven, TechCrunch reports. The new series are "We Got Next," "The Awesomes," "Don't Quit Your Daydream," and "Flow."

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, mattjeacock

More About: features, first to know series, hulu, mashable, microsoft, samsung

For more Business coverage:


Crysis 3 Teaser Reveals New Weapon, Amazing Graphics [VIDEO]

Posted: 20 Apr 2012 02:56 AM PDT

The long-awaited sequel to the Crysis series, Crysis 3, is due to hit the stores in spring 2013, and today we get a first glimpse into the game with a very short teaser trailer.

The trailer only shows a couple of seconds (8, to be exact) of gameplay, but boy, does it look good!

The graphics look incredible, as one would expect from the gaming series which managed to torture even the most powerful PC configurations.

Also, a new weapon — the composite bow — can be seen in the trailer.

The game was announced by publisher Electronic Arts earlier this week. Crysis 3 Hunter Edition, which gives gamers early access to the new bow and other goodies, is already available for pre-order for $59.99.

More About: Crysis 3, game

For more Entertainment coverage:


Forget ‘Local’ – Now, All Politics Are Social [INFOGRAPHIC]

Posted: 20 Apr 2012 01:40 AM PDT

Forget former Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill’s oft-repeated maxim, “all politics is local.” In the 2012 race for the White House, all politics are social.

People are posting political news, op-eds and their own opinions across their myriad social profiles on Facebook, Twitter and other platforms. As it turns out, the type of political content you share and the way you interact with others’ shared content depends very much on your political leanings.

For example, liberal voters are more likely to use the Internet and social networks in general than their conservative brethren. Liberals also defriend people more often than others because they post disagreeable material or because they just post about politics too often.

SEE ALSO: On Twitter, The Primary's Over and It's Obama vs. Romney

People on the extremes of either side are more willing to click the “like” button on political content, and they’re more likely to friend someone who shares their political views.

For more, check out this infographic, care of Jarred Romley:


Do you agree with these results, or are you an outlier? Let us know in the comments below.

More About: 2012 presidential campaign, Facebook, Politics, Social Media, social politics, Twitter, US


Instagram Has ‘Jumped the Shark,’ Says Top Apple Exec [UPDATED]

Posted: 19 Apr 2012 09:04 PM PDT


The $1 billion photo-sharing app Instagram — once named “app of the year” by Apple — has now “jumped the shark,” according to Apple’s marketing chief Phil Schiller.

And not only is Schiller trashing the service (in a brief message to Apple enthusiast Clayton Braasch), he has also deleted his Instagram account (@schiller) entirely (much like some thousands of other users.)

What got Schiller so upset? Not the billion-dollar acquisition by Facebook, apparently. “It ‘jumped the shark’ when it went to Android,” was all the Apple executive wrote to Braasch Thursday.

Instagram launched its Android version earlier this month. In the first five days, the Android app saw five million users sign up. That’s not huge compared to the 30 million iPhone users, but the rate of growth was stunning — and strongly contributed to Mark Zuckerberg’s decision to offer Kevin Systrom $1 billion for the app.

What exactly Schiller meant is unclear. How can five million new users on a slightly different platform make an app “jump the shark”? Many iPhone Instagram users have seen their follower counts swell, but it’s hard to see what’s wrong with that.

You wouldn’t be hard pressed to see further evidence that the “nuclear war” Steve Jobs vowed to wage against Android is being continued by his successors at Apple.

If a favored iOS app launching on Android is enough to earn a rebuke from a top Apple executive, that may serve as a warning to other app makers who are currently on iOS alone.

Remember, Apple is a company where practically every executive comment is a calculated one. (Naturally, we’ve reached out to Apple for comment and will let you know if we hear back.)

SEE ALSO: Sorry, Larry Page, Steve Jobs Wanted to Destroy Android

But it’s got to be galling for Instagram. Just four months ago, Schiller was congratulating them on his Twitter feed, where he also plugged his own Instagram account:

Follow that account link now, and all you’ll see is an Instagram error page.

You could well argue that with Zuckerberg’s backing and $1 billion in the bank, Systrom et al have no more need for Apple’s patronage. But the majority of Instagram’s users are still on the iPhone, and the iPhone’s handlers apparently just turned hostile.

UPDATE: Braasch reached out to Schiller for clarification, and got the following via email:

Instagram is a great app and community. That hasn't changed. But one of the things I really liked about Instagram was that it was a small community of early adopters sharing their photographs.

Now that it has grow [sic] much larger the signal to noise ratio is different. That isn't necessarily good or bad, it's just not what I originally had fun with.

What do you make of Schiller’s comments? Can Instagram patch things up? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

More About: android, apple, Facebook, instagram, trending


Startup Pays You to Recommend Apps to Friends

Posted: 19 Apr 2012 08:16 PM PDT


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: Buzzdoes

Quick Pitch: Buzzdoes rewards app users who recommend apps to friends.

Genius Idea: A word-of-mouth marketing tool for apps.


With thousands of mobile apps being released each month, it’s difficult for a new app to get noticed. That’s why Buzzdoes aims to turn app users into app distributors.

The add-on and marketing tool for apps encourages users to recommend their favorite mobile apps to friends. For each successful recommendation, Buzzdoes rewards the user with cash, free apps, vouchers, and other prizes.

"App users can become your best marketing tool to increase downloads and quality users, while helping friends discover new apps," Assaf Kolirin, CEO of Buzzdoes, told Mashable.

When developers add Buzzdoes to their apps, it shows users a list of their Facebook friends, email addresses and the number of Buzzdoes credits they can receive for each friend who downloads the app.

With one click, Buzzdoes automatically sends a download link for the app in an email or Facebook message to friends the user chooses. Users only receive Buzzdoes credit if a friend downloads the app directly from the link.

To make sure recommendations are real and to prevent spam, Buzzdoes sometimes limits the number of friends to which a user can recommend an app.

"Buzzdoes is not about spreading apps to thousands of friends," says Kolirin. "It's about choosing the right friends and making real recommendations."

Depending on the add-on package, developers have to pay a one-time setup fee to incorporate Buzzdoes in their apps.

The cost-effective tool charges the developer a minimum fee of 25 cents for each successful recommendation or app download. Half of the amount goes to Buzzdoes, and the other half is used to reward the app users.

If recipients don’t use their rewards, they can choose to donate them to charitable causes.

Launched in January, Buzzdoes has raised $750,000 in funding and is incorporated into 300 apps. The company will soon allow users to recommend apps to their friends on Twitter.

Thumbnail image courtesy of iStockphoto, akinbostanci


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, Buzzdoes


What if Environmentalism Were as Big as Social Media? [INFOGRAPHIC]

Posted: 19 Apr 2012 07:46 PM PDT

What if everyone across the globe used his or her social media influence to help the planet?

The impact would be huge, according to a recent infographic from Recyclebank, a company that rewards green consumers with discounts and deals from local and national businesses.

The data encourages the connected generation to use social networks and technology for a positive effect on the earth. For example, if each Pinterest user shared one green idea per month, there would be 12 million more environmentally-conscious tips being passed around.

The efforts can be carried offline, too. According to Recyclebank, if everyone on Facebook shortened his or her shower by one minute, we would save enough water to fill 1,136,364 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

What relationship do you see between social media and helping the planet? What can you do to make an impact? Let us know in the comments.

'Sharing' Responsibility for the Planet

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, Olena_T.

More About: earth day, infographics, Social Good, Social Media


5 Hot New Events in Business, Mobile, Social Media and More

Posted: 19 Apr 2012 07:22 PM PDT


From digital advertising conferences to programming hackathons and everything in between, you’ll definitely find a swanky locale to suit your professional and personal interests on Mashable’s new Events Board. Whether you’re an event organizer or an event-goer, our Events Board is an essential resource for helping you build relationships, engage face-to-face and learn about new trends in the business.

Exciting new events are always added to Mashable’s Events Board in a variety of industries, and every week, we round up five freshly-posted events that you should definitely add to your calendar. Keep checking the board for the newest listings of conferences, meetings and expos spicing up the tech scene around the world.


Business: DocuSign Momentum 2012


Date: 5/2/2012 – 5/3/2012
Location: San Francisco, California

Speakers from Salesforce, DeVry and Comcast will join DocuSign for DocuSign Momentum 2012, a two-day event to help businesses get the most out of the cloud-based document management system. There will be breakout sessions on how to maximize DocuSign for Human Resources, sales, mobile and other business departments. In addition, there will be evening parties for attendees, by invitation only.


Mobile: Apps World


Date: 10/2/2012 – 10/3/2012
Location: London, England

More than 5,000 developers, mobile marketers, mobile operators, device manufacturers, platform owners and industry professionals are expected to attend Apps World Europe 2012, a multi-track workshop and networking conference on mobile app development and design. The event will also feature free passes to its exhibition space, where vendors will be able to show off their latest mobile app offerings and attendees can participate in complimentary workshops.


Other: Make: Hardware Innovation Workshop


Date: 5/15/2012-5/16/2012
Location: Palo Alto, California

Presented by Make: magazine, the Make: Hardware Innovation Workshop is a conference dedicated to the Maker Movement. The agenda is dedicated to entrepreneurs developing technological hardware from every step of the development process. Workshop topics include cutting-edge materials, capital strategies for hardware startups and prototyping.


PR & Marketing: NXNE Interactive


Date: 6/12/2012 – 6/15/2012
Location: Toronto, Canada

North by Northeast (NXNE) has partnered with Future.Innovation.Technology.Creativity (FITC) to present NXNEi, a three-day conference dedicated to technology and social media. The event has released their “Priority Pass” — which grants afternoon access to all NXNEi presentations and panels — for $250 per person. A student rate of $125 is also available.


Social Media: Social Media for Defense Summit


Date: 5/21/2012 – 5/23/2012
Location: Washington, D.C.

The Institute for Defense and Government Advancement will hold its fifth-annual Social Media for Defense Summit for senior level professionals from the military, government agencies, private sector and the academic community to discuss the advancements and challenges of military social media strategy. Speakers include high-ranking officials from every major branch of the American military, as well as employees from popular government-oriented websites like GovLoop and OhMyGov.


Want to promote your upcoming event on Mashable’s Events Board? Click here.

More About: Events, features, mashable


Kickstarter Project Wants You to Drink 999 Bottles [VIDEO]

Posted: 19 Apr 2012 06:49 PM PDT


Leading a sustainable life is a matter of choice, but it can be hard to visualize what effect your choices are actually making on the world — and prove to others how important sustainability is.

That’s why the new green water bottle 999Bottles is set to launch on Kickstarter, just in time for Earth Day.

What sets it apart from Nalgene, Klean Kanteen and other reusable bottle makers is that each 24 oz. bottle includes three numbered dials around its base. Every time you refill the bottle, you advance the dial up a notch.

In short, it’s an effortless way to add up the number of plastic bottles you save — up to 999 bottles.

999Bottles also has an iPhone app that tells you what these numbers actually mean. Designed by the Artefact group, the app visualizes your consumption with graphs so that you can share the impact of your efforts with your friends as well.

And that’s exactly the point of 999bottles. Anybody can use re-usable bottles, but as stated on its website, “With 999Bottles you can share and amplify the impact of your behavior to influence others in helping reduce consumption of disposable water bottles.”

The campaign also points out that there are no health benefits to drinking bottled water over regular tap water. According to the Centers for Disease Control, not drinking tap water can be detrimental to your health:

“If you mainly drink bottled water with no or low flouride, and you are not getting enough flouride from other sources, you may get more cavities than you would if fluoridated tap water were your main water source.”

With Earth Day coming up on April 22, look out for the 999Bottles’ Kickstarter campaign later this week.

More About: earth day, green, Social Good, sustainability

For more Social Good coverage:


7 Surprising Facts About Mobile Shoppers

Posted: 19 Apr 2012 06:20 PM PDT


Jinal Shah is a digital strategist at JWT in New York. Before joining JWT, Jinal worked at Advanta, where she created ideablob.com, the very first social network launched by a financial services company.

As we all know, the spike in smartphone adoption is changing the way users interact with their mobile devices. For instance, phone calls are no longer the point of phones for many of us.

Instead, we expect our phones to perform more complicated tasks in shorter amounts of time, and we take them with us wherever we go. People also treat the smartphone as a first screen, rather than a second screen, because it's the go-to device to instantly source real-time information like directions, prices, and reviews.

In fact, most people look at their phone about 150 times a day, (that's roughly once every 6.5 minutes), according to Qualcomm CEO, Paul Jacobs. Those glances are to check incoming e-mail and text messages, but mobile web browsing is exploding as well. This begs the question: what about mobile shopping?

These days, consumers are indeed using their smartphones to bridge the gap between brick-and-mortar stores and ecommerce. IBM reported that Black Friday sales were up 24.3% in 2011 and attributed some of these gains to mobile device purchases, which "surged to 9.8% from 3.2%," compared to the same time last year.

In an effort to learn more about who these mobile shoppers are, we conducted a quantitative study, zeroing in on adults (we define adults as anyone 18 years old and above) who used a smartphone or tablet to shop during the holiday season. What we found is that consumers are constantly integrating their smartphones into their shopping routines all year round. Below, are seven other interesting facts about how this plays out.


1. Mobile Shopping Doesn’t Equal Mobile Purchasing


While browsing is up, mobile shoppers aren't necessarily using their phones to complete the purchase cycle. In fact, of all the activities for which shoppers use their phones, purchasing is one of the least popular, with price comparison ranking the highest. Mobile shoppers overwhelmingly cite security concerns as the top reason for not completing purchases with their phones.


2. Men Are More Likely To Consult Their Phone


One thing is clear, men are more likely to use mobile devices as in-store companions for all types of shopping activities, from price comparisons to gathering information for a purchase. Men are also more apt to use their mobile phones for shopping outside of traditional retail settings.


3. Mobile Devices Often Trump Computers


The majority of mobile shopping is done in locations where computers are more readily accessible, such as at home and work. Part of this may be because some employees prefer to do personal browsing and web shopping on a mobile device rather than a computer attached to a corporate network.


4. Mobile Phones Hardly Impact Shopping Habits


Most mobile purchasers say they would buy all or some of the same items, whether or not they were shopping on a mobile device. So while mobile purchasing trends don't have a huge impact on goods, bought or sold, they do establish a new commerce channel with a potentially different purchase funnel.


5. The Mobile Experience is Good


Of those who shop on their mobile device, 69% believe the experience is either "excellent" or "very good." Most consider it a convenience to use a mobile device rather than wait in line.


6. But It Still Needs Some Work


Despite the convenience factor of mobile phones, there is plenty of room for improvement, particularly in the user experience of the commerce sites themselves. Most mobile users were dissatisfied with the difficulty of navigating mobile shopping sites, lack of product information on those sites, and the need for better mobile shopping apps. It appears that one of the biggest consumer obstacles — perception of mobile web security — also needs to be addressed more fully before a broader swath of consumers feels comfortable entering credit card info via their smartphones.


7. Touchscreens Are Preferred


We are witnessing a new user behavior that is being driven largely by adoption of tablets and touchscreen phones. These offer an easier web-browsing experience that turns an Amazon.com purchase into what it should be: a natural, no-fuss, alternative that allows for greater convenience.

Kyle Monson, JWT’s content strategy director, contributed to this article.

Image courtesy ofiStock, _bilge

More About: contributor, features, mobile shopping, mobile technology


Is This The World’s Most Downloaded Man? [VIDEO]

Posted: 19 Apr 2012 05:57 PM PDT

How many times have you actually paid attention to the model in stock photos? Yes, you know they’re good looking, but could you pick them out of a crowd of models a day later? Probably not; several studies have shown we don’t actually record the characteristics of people on ads.

And that’s why, if you looked further, you might be surprised to find some of the same anonymous model faces gracing thousands of magazines and websites. And you’d notice some faces appear more than others.

Danish Jesper Bruun is the world’s most downloaded model in stock photography — at least, according to Brazilian photographer Fernando Martins. (We couldn’t find any independent confirmation of that, so make of it what you will.)

In this video produced for his photography company, Martins is not happy about the amount of work he’s lost to Bruun and other stock models. So he went all the way to Denmark to meet Bruun and find out more about him.

Watch what Martins finds out about the “king of stock images” in what may be the most awkward encounter ever. And let us know in the comments: are you buying his claim?

More About: stock photography, viral, viral videos, YouTube


Why Politicians Should Talk About Technology

Posted: 19 Apr 2012 05:18 PM PDT


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

Ethan Riegelhaupt is senior vice president for corporate and public affairs at Edelman. Previously, he served as vice president for speech writing and internal communications at The New York Times Company. He was also a senior staff member for New York Gov. Mario M. Cuomo. Follow him at @Ethanriegelhaup.

The Republican primary process has mercifully come to an end. Now that we are gearing up for the general election, President Barack Obama and Gov. Mitt Romney might want to get away from dramatic declarations and focus on a topic that speaks to what is really making the electorate anxious: rapid technological change. Or as I like to call it, technological anxiety.

Technological anxiety is all about the impact current advancements are having on economics, jobs, self-worth, and identity. The changes are so exponential that people are often left with the feeling that they lack the skills or the opportunity to earn a decent wage or improve their quality of life.

SEE ALSO: 5 Essential Mobile Apps for Keeping Up With U.S. Politics

Campaign strategists will respond to this suggestion by arguing that polling data shows the public is primarily focused on the economy and jobs. They need to look below the surface.

Technological innovation outpacing political thinking has been a theme in American elections ever since the mid-19th century when the United States was in the midst of the Industrial Revolution. At the time, we imagined ourselves as an agricultural nation, and for decades we adamantly resisted our increasingly urban identity. This mindset helped to motivate the populists of the 1880s and 1890s, as farmers bitterly fought the Eastern Establishment for fiscal control of the nation.

While readers will be spared how difficult it was for farmers to pay their loans to the banks in the midst of a series of serious recessions (sound familiar?), the underlying tension between technology, politics, and an overall anxiety about the future was in full display.

Of course, there are unique elements to the current relationship between technology and politics in this campaign cycle. Unlike past eras, there are very few luddites around, and no one seems to want to smash anyone's tablet or smartphone. We are fascinated by each new digital device that comes on the market, but we worry about whether these same advancements will render our skills irrelevant five years from now. When this concern turns into protest, we use those same tools to try and preserve a lifestyle.

As we move towards November, the political conversation will hopefully dig deeper into what truly concerns the public. Campaigns should want to address technological anxiety because it will provide them with an excellent opportunity to shape whether Americans see the future through a lens of hope or fear. This ultimately dictates the results of every election.

This hope-fear scenario need not be a battle between cherished images of the past and scary visions of what is to come. Instead, in the months ahead, it can provide an opportunity for presidential candidates to use technological themes and ideas to engage the electorate in a far more in-depth discussion about what the U.S.'s shared future might actually offer. President Obama and Gov. Romney might be surprised by the overwhelmingly positive response to this.

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, manley099

More About: contributor, economics, features, Politics, technology


Watch Kids Narrate ‘Planet Earth’ [VIDEO]

Posted: 19 Apr 2012 04:54 PM PDT

In the long-running tradition of cute kids narrating things on YouTube, BBC America presented this gem Thursday: children supposedly auditioning to replace narrator David Attenborough on its hit nature series Planet Earth.

In honor of Earth Day, BBC America is playing the full, uncut version of the nature docu-series for the first time on April 20th and 21st. The show itself won’t be narrated by kids, of course; that idea was cooked up by genius director Joe Sabia.

How are you observing Earth Day? Let us know in the comments.

More About: social tv, viral, viral videos, YouTube


Next iPhone to Be Made of ‘LiquidMetal’, Arrive in October [REPORT]

Posted: 19 Apr 2012 04:21 PM PDT

iPhone Apps

Apple’s next iPhone will be available in October, according to Gene Munster, analyst for Piper Jaffray. Munster also says the phone will have a redesigned body, and will run on 4G data networks such as LTE.

The analyst predicts the phone will be available in October based on a statement made yesterday by Qualcomm, which is currently having trouble meeting customer demand for its radio chips. Those chips would be used by Apple to connect the new iPhone to faster data networks.

Apple released an LTE version of its iPad on both AT&T and Verizon. It seems like almost a given that the company would choose to support the faster data network on its new iPhones as well.

Another report Thursday focused on what materials Apple will be using to build that redesigned body. Computerworld claims Apple will be using an exotic material known as LiquidMetal to create the phone. Apple spent $30 million acquiring the rights to use LiquidMetal in 2010.

Rumors have circulated before that it plans to use the alloy to build a phone, however, recent reports indicate that the company will make good on those rumors with the release of the iPhone 5.

LiquidMetal is a mix of several different metals, allowing the phone to be more durable while giving it a liquid-like exterior feel. Light like plastic but durable like aluminum, LiquidMetal would allow the phone to weigh less and have a thinner profile.

LiquidMetal announced it started shipping its first commercial parts in December of last year. “We are very excited about the use of amorphous alloy technology to deliver stronger, lighter, and more corrosion resistant parts to our customers in varying industries globally." President and CEO Tom Steipp said in a press release.

"These initial shipments represent a significant milestone in our efforts to provide a new class of materials for our customers to consider when designing complex parts.”

What do you think Apple has planned with the iPhone 5? What features do you hope will be a part of the phone’s design? Would you buy a LiquidMetal phone? Let us know in the comments.

More About: apple, iphone, iPhone 5, Liquidmetal, trending

For more Mobile coverage:


Microsoft Posts Record Revenue — but Xbox Is Slipping

Posted: 19 Apr 2012 03:48 PM PDT

microsoft-sign-headon-600

Microsoft reported record revenues of $17.41 billion for the past quarter, but profits slipped 2.4% from the same period a year earlier, down from $5.23 billion to $5.11 billion.

PC sales were sluggish due to the twin pressures of a hard-disk shortage brought on by flooding in parts of Asia and the ongoing shift from traditional computers to mobile devices such as tablets.

Microsoft’s tablet strategy won’t be fully realized until the fall, when Windows tablets are expected to debut alongside the company’s new PC operating system, Windows 8.

Microsoft did take a hit in its Xbox division, with revenues dropping 16%, which Microsoft blames on a soft game console market. Nonetheless, the company remains upbeat about the Xbox platform, pointing out it’s currently the market leader, and has been for more than a year.

“We’ve really staked out a unique value proposition,” said Microsoft CFO Peter Klein on an earnings call. “We view Xbox Live as a persistent long-term revenue stream. We feel great about out leadership position.”

The good news was from the company’s business-oriented products, like Office 365, Lync and Sharepoint, and there was double-digit revenue growth in those areas. Microsoft attributes its growing strength in the enterprise market to its unique offerings, particularly with cloud services.

SEE ALSO: Microsoft Reveals Its Plan to Sell Windows 8

“Businesses are investing in data centers and desktops because the see technology as a way to cut costs and improve their strategic positioning,” said Klein.

“I think investors sometimes put companies in a box and say you’re either in private cloud or public cloud, and we’re in both,” added Bill Koefoed, Microsoft’s general manager of investor relations.

“We’re really the only company that’s got that breadth of offerings. We’ve kind of coined this term ‘hybrid IT,’ where you can use both to manage your IT infrastructure.”

Microsoft said it was also trying to bring its growing Windows Phone platform to more people, particularly with the recent high-profile launches of the Nokia Lumia 900 and HTC Titan II.

In the past three months, the number of apps in the Windows Phone Marketplace has doubled, Microsoft said — though it didn’t give a total number.

What kind of future do you see for Microsoft and its brands? Let us know in the comments.

More About: earnings, microsoft, Windows 8, xbox

For more Business coverage:


PinView Turns Your Facebook Timeline Into a Pinterest Board

Posted: 19 Apr 2012 03:29 PM PDT

PinView Transforms Your Facebook Timeline Into a Pinterest Grid

Ever wished that long, scrolling Facebook Timeline was somehow easier to manage — like, say, a Pinterest board?

Brand new Facebook app PinView displays items from your News Feed, Timeline, friends list and multimedia pages as small panels, just like social bookmarking site Pinterest showcases images on Pinboards.

The spiffy app launched Thursday with the mantra, “Browse Facebook like you browse Pinterest.”

Once you download the app, PinView opens up your News Feed in grid format. Buttons on the top right allow you to just view stuff from your Timeline, friends’ profile photos, photos or videos.

PinView’s developers have ambitious goals for how to improve the app with new features — such as the option to save favorite posts. “We are also planning to allow you to sort them based on popularity and other non-realtime properties,” co-developer Thomas Petersen told Mashable.

SEE ALSO: Turn Your Facebook Timeline Into a Movie

PinView resembles Friendsheet, a similar app that rolled out in January. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg added his Like to the service in March.

Sites across the web have used the grid-format display in the past, but Pinterest has found major success presenting the design to the masses.

“It’s popular because it allow you to quickly scan lots of pictures; that is the strength of this format,” Thomas says. “It’s not something Pinterest invented, but they found the proper use for it.

“Imagine if you could browse eBay that way.”

What do you think of PinView? Will you try it? Let us know in the comments.


BONUS: 7 Useful Pinterest Tools to Supercharge Your Pinfluence



1. PinReach




PinReach measures your Pinterest influence. As well as giving you an overall score, it provides easy-to-read charts and tables that show your most popular pins and boards.

Click here to view this gallery.

More About: Facebook, Facebook app, pinterest, PinView, trending, web design


Why Dyson Hasn’t Made Its Own Roomba Robot — Yet [VIDEO]

Posted: 19 Apr 2012 03:10 PM PDT


Dyson may have branched out recently into fans and hand dryers, the company’s name is synonymous with vacuum cleaners. On that score, its products are considered some of the most high-tech available.

But there’s one competitor that’s arguably even more advanced: the Roomba.

The little robot vacuum cleaner has gobbled up headlines (and market share) the past few years, and the company behind it, iRobot, has subsequently launched robots that scrub floors and clean gutters.

But so far Dyson hasn’t responded with a similar product. Why not?

Mashable had a chance to sit down with Dyson’s industrial design director, Alex Knox, and we asked him why the company hasn’t made a robot vacuum.

“We got into robots years ago,” Knox says. “We’ve never been satisfied that we’ve cracked it yet. We want a device that really will clean the carpet incredibly well and will do it in an intelligent fashion, and actually that’s a pretty difficult challenge.”

SEE ALSO: Dyson's New Space Heater Is Stylish, but Expensive [VIDEO]

Obviously, companies like iRobot and LG have taken that challenge head on. But the results so far aren’t good enough for Dyson, Knox says.

“We don’t think they’re really good enough. I don’t think they clean carpets as good as a full-size vacuum cleaner would, and that’s got to be the objective.”

As for when Dyson may come out with a robot vacuum, Knox demurs, but he says they company continues to work on the issue. You can see everything he has to say about potential Dyson robot vacuums in the video above.

What would you like a Dyson version of the Roomba to be? Sound off in the comments.


BONUS: Dyson’s Ball Vacuum, Inside and Out



Dyson DC39





The DC39 ($450) is Dyson's latest vacuum. Dyson says its engineers spent three years figuring out how to miniaturize all the components of a vacuum cleaner so they would fit in the floor vacuum version of the Dyson Ball.

Click here to view this gallery.

More About: dyson, roomba, vacuum

For more Dev & Design coverage:


How 3 Mashable Readers Landed Jobs Via Social Media

Posted: 19 Apr 2012 02:38 PM PDT


At Mashable, we believe that our community is our biggest asset. We love it when you tell us your success stories. Part of our mission is to empower people through social and digital media.

As Alyssa Milano wrote in her TIME 100 article on Pete Cashmore, Mashable “gives voice to millions who are trying to make their lives better through digital innovation.”

When digital innovation and real lives combine, that’s where inspiration happens — specifically, your inspiration. Here are three fantastic tales from our readers about how digital media helped each land a job or launch a career.


Starting Up on Social Media Day


Last year, Desiree Ford organized the Phoenix Social Media Day Meetup, an informal networking event for more than 500 people. But it wasn’t her first time engaging with Social Media Day. She wrote to tell us that the year before, she founded her business, Pink Media, on the inaugural Social Media Day.

“I had been a long time user of Twitter and Facebook as well as a freelance designer,” she wrote. “I started networking in Phoenix, which lead me to helping people understand how to use Facebook and other social media.

“A lot of people told me to make it into a business, but it wasn’t until I started seeing all the posts and buzz around #SMDay on Twitter that I really thought I could turn it into a business. On June 29, I bought the domain, got the social media name, made a logo and sent out an email on June 30, declaring myself as a business.

“I then went down to the LLC office and made it official.”

Pink Media is still going strong and will celebrate the two-year anniversary of Ford’s business on Social Media Day this year.


From Canada to India, via Twitter


Blair Henatyzen wrote us last year to tell us that an article we’d written helped him land a job. Blair wasn’t looking for a new position, but after learning how to use advanced Twitter search to find a job, he performed a quick search out of curiosity.

He wound up finding a job in an exotic, far-flung location: Bangalore, India.

He wrote: “I found the opportunity literally within minutes of reading the article. I applied and went from there. There was no plan to move anywhere. No plan to try anything else. I was happy with what I was doing.

“The scenario just kinda popped up and I thought why not? The job is similar to what I was doing in Canada. However, this gave me the chance to travel and see a part of the world I had never seen before.”

We’re thrilled to hear that a post we wrote about Twitter quickly and efficiently made a positive impact on one of our reader’s lives.


Not Just a Fan Anymore


In December we told you about two NBA fans who had started up Twitter accounts to help drum up support for the Philadelphia 76ers mascot contest. Only, the 76ers reacted with legal threats, and the two turned over their accounts.

Jerry Rizzo, one of the two fans, reached out to us to tell his story. At first, it seemed an organization had misunderstood the power of its fans. But the story took a better turn. Rizzo was ultimately offered a job as a social media coordinator for the team, an opportunity that he described as “kind of like a dream job.”


Got a story to tell us? We’d love to hear it. Let us know in the comments, or tweet us @mashableHQ. We’d love to hear how social media and digital innovation is making your life better.

And if you think we’re doing a good job, please vote for us in the Webby Awards — we’re nominated in the Websites category for best business blog.

There are two honors for each category: the Webby Award and the Webby People’s Voice Award. Members of the academy will select the winners of the Webby Awards, and the public will determine the winners of The People’s Voice.

You can help us win the People’s Voice Award by voting here! Polls are open from now until April 26.

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, JulNichols

More About: community, digital media, jobs, Social Media

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Holographic Tupac Crashes ‘Star Wars’ [VIDEO]

Posted: 19 Apr 2012 02:09 PM PDT



Tupac — at least the holographic version — seems to be everywhere these days, even in a galaxy far, far away.

Still, it might be a good way to get some kids to appreciate Star Wars, which is going for on 35. Not that everyone would agree. One YouTube commenter notes with (we hope) tongue in cheek, “George Lucas has gone too far with these additions. Leave Star Wars alone!”

More About: hologram, Star Wars, tupac, viral videos, YouTube


How Social Media Will Change the Olympics [INFOGRAPHIC]

Posted: 19 Apr 2012 01:40 PM PDT

This year’s Olympics are being branded by organizers as the world’s “first social Games,” and it’s not hard to see why. Social media has narrowed the divide between athlete and fan over the past few years, with new and unexpected connections happening every day.

That’s why the International Olympic Committee (IOC) launched an online hub this week.

Sixteen years after the Olympics first launched a dedicated website, the portal will offer a directory of verified accounts, gamification rewards for active fans and exclusive content.

It may not seem like a huge step for the organization, but consider these stats. When the last Summer Olympics began in 2008, Facebook was a relative baby, at just 100 million users. When the 2012 Games kick off in London this summer, Mark Zuckerberg’s empire will boast more than 845 million members.

Likewise, Twitter had 6 million users in 2008; today the network is more than 20 times larger, at 140 million users.

Of course, it’s not all positive news — the Olympic organization has also seen branding-related troubles that have been denounced by some observers. Still, that controversy will only increase the level of social media chatter around the games.

Check out this IOC-produced infographic illustrates how social media has contributed to the changes in the Summer Olympics experience for fans and athletes. Check it out to see how coverage has evolved since the first modern Games in 1896, and find out the most popular athletes on Facebook and Twitter.

What role will social media play in your Olympics experience this summer? Let us know in the comments.


More About: Facebook, olympics, sports, trending, Twitter

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Black Boxes Will Likely Be Required in New Cars by 2015 [VIDEO]

Posted: 19 Apr 2012 01:14 PM PDT


A bill recently passed in the U.S. Senate and expected to be approved by the House would require all new cars sold in the U.S. to contain a black box like those used in airplanes. The devices are intended to be used by emergency medical workers in case of an accident, but this requirement has some worrying that the addition could be too much like Big Brother.

The Senate Bill 1813 titled, “”Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act,” stipulates that the data recorders must be installed in all new cars starting in 2015.

The bill does note that the data can only be retrieved by the owner, medical workers in the case of an emergency, or by law enforcement officials conducting an investigation or with a court order.

According to website Infowars.com, the devices will allow the government to eavesdrop on citizens and track them in real time.

We always knew the government makes use of all the personal data available online due to our culture of oversharing. But does the potential privacy breach presented by these black boxes make it worth the risk to meliorate emergency response situations? Tell us what you think in the comments.

Photo courtesy of iStockphoto, PeterMcKinnon

More About: big brother, surveillance, trending, US Government


Meme-Inspired Movie Posters Now for Sale [PICS]

Posted: 19 Apr 2012 01:03 PM PDT

Viral Internet Sensation Designs

The movie posters starring viral Internet sensations that we introduced to you in February are now yours to own.

London-based designer Stefan van Zoggel has put five of the 29 meme-inspired posters (see gallery below) on the market.

The 23-by-33-inch posters for these memes each cost €40 ($52), shipping included: Nyan Cat, Leave Britney Alone, Fenton, Trololo and Paul the Octopus.

“I received a lot of tweets from people who really wanted one or more posters for their office, living room and what not,” van Zoggel told Mashable. “I will release another round of five posters if the first five sell enough.”

The not-for-sale posters on his Meme Movie Posters website feature Rebecca Black’s “Friday,” planking, Double Rainbow, Keyboard Cat, Shake Weight and a slew of other memes.

SEE ALSO: Nyan Cat Turns 1 | Meme Management — Meet the Man Who Reps Internet Stars

You can also infuse your offline world with 3D versions of memes thanks to the folks at Shapeways.


Meme Movie Posters




Click here to view this gallery.

More About: art, memes, Movies, trending


10 Google Bombs That Will Live in Infamy

Posted: 19 Apr 2012 12:50 PM PDT


What does it mean to “Google bomb” something — or someone? For starters, a Google bomb isn’t as sudden and life-threatening as it sounds. Some of these bombs can actually take months to execute.

And there are several kinds of Google bomb. The most well-known tactic involves linking a specific term to a specific site as many times as possible all over the Internet. For instance, say you had a completely irrational hatred for man sandals (true story), and you were making it your life’s mission to tarnish the “mandal” industry. You would link the phrase “Mandals are ogre shoes” to a site like Urban Dictionary’s definition for mandals. And you would copy/paste the heck out of that linked phrase — all over the web.

Soon, presumably, you would have associated the definition of mandals with the term “ogre shoes” so many times that a Google search for “ogre shoes” would bring up the Urban Dictionary mandal page in search results. (Fun fact: A current search for the phrase “ogre shoes” brings up about 2 million results. Go figure.)

SEE ALSO: Google's Amazing Growth, By The Numbers [INFOGRAPHIC]

Google bombs were originally known as “search engine bombs” before Google became the ubiquitous, default term for online search. That should signify that these “bombs” have been around for quite some time, the first dating back to 1999.

They’ve been used in political campaigns to associate a negative word or phrase with certain politicians. They’ve even been employed to accompany Internet memes like Chuck Norris. Some Google bombs are still active, despite the fact that Google usually takes measures to remove the forced search results.

We’ve found 10 infamous Google bombs that have taken advantage of search results for decades now. Let us know whether you think all’s fair in love and war — or whether these web pranks deserve repercussions.


1. Rick Santorum




After former senator Rick Santorum made a series of anti-homosexual comments in 2003, sex columnist Dan Savage held an online contest that encouraged his readers to define the term "santorum." He created the website santorum.com, which still houses the sexually explicit definition. Needless to say, the site ranked high in Google search results for "Rick Santorum." SEE ALSO: Dear Rick Santorum: 6 Ways to Fix Your Google Problem Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons, Eustress

Click here to view this gallery.

More About: features, Google, Politics, Search, trending


Create a Stop-Motion Masterpiece With ‘Lego Super Hero Movie Maker’

Posted: 19 Apr 2012 12:28 PM PDT


Building block giant Lego has released a new iOS app that allows you to create your own stop-motion videos using your iPhone. Called Lego Super Hero Movie Maker, the app lets you bring your blocks to life through a short video and even add tunes to your creation.

Designed to be used with Lego’s DC Universe Super Heroes blocks, the app lets you plan, create, and shoot the next big summer blockbuster on your smartphone. Creating videos simply entails setting up your smartphone and blocks and snapping a shot. After taking one photo, you then move the blocks ever so slightly and snap another photo, repeating the process until your masterpiece is complete.

The interface is exceptionally kid-friendly, but adults are also likely to have a good time with the app making their own Lego adventures. While you don’t technically have to own a tripod to use the app, you’ll find that having one –or at least a stationary surface — will come in handy for creating consistent shots.

To help with the storytelling process Lego has included 11 title cards in the mix with images from Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman and more. The app also has five different soundtracks you can add to enhance your crime-fighting tale, and offers the option to add a colored filter to your shot to give a scene a particular look or mood.

Finished flicks can be saved to the camera roll on your phone and then shared with friends or uploaded to YouTube.

Lego Super Hero Movie Maker is compatible with iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPad, and 3rd and 4th generation iPod touch. The free app is available now from the Apple App Store.

More About: iOS, iphone, Lego, stop motion, Super Hero


Want to Reserve One of Nike’s Hot New Shoes? You’ll Have to Tweet for It

Posted: 19 Apr 2012 12:17 PM PDT

air jordan

Like Apple, new product releases from Nike generate a lot of hype among fans. Customers will line up in front of a Nike store for days ahead of a midnight shoe release. Sometimes, the police are called in. Such launches can drive a lot of valuable press for Nike — and cause a lot of headaches for store managers and shoppers alike.

As a consequence, Nike has developed a new RSVP system that promises to both generate buzz — of the Twitter variety — and instill order. On designated “RSVP dates,” individual U.S. stores will send out a tweet at a random time with a product specific hashtag (i.e., #electrolime). Followers have exactly one hour to direct message the store account with the hashtag, the last four digits of their state, passport, military or school ID number and their shoe size. The store will then DM those who have successfully reserved shoes in their size — first come, first served.

After a reservation has been confirmed, the customer will still need to come pick up the shoe from a Nike store on launch day. Unclaimed shoes will go back into the Twitter RSVP system.

For a list of participating stores and their Twitter handles, see Nike’s help page.

What do you think about Nike’s new RSVP system? Is it something you would participate in?

[via Gizmodo]

More About: Nike, Twitter

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Airliner’s Close Call Blamed on Pilot’s Texting [VIDEO]

Posted: 19 Apr 2012 12:05 PM PDT


A pilot’s preoccupation with his cellphone caused his crew to forget to lower the landing gear just 500 feet above ground, according to a report issued Thursday by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau.

The close call on Jetstar flight JQ57 on May 27, 2010 from Darwin to Singapore began when the pilot became fixated on his incoming text messages. The first officer had to twice get the captain’s attention to request they run through the landing checklist. When the first officer still didn’t get the captain’s attention, he looked over at him to see the captain using his cellphone. According to the report, the captain told the first officer he was trying to unlock his cellphone to turn it off. The captain said he didn’t hear the copilots request to land. Then, the co-pilot realized the landing gear wasn’t lowered. Luckily, the plane was able to try for a second landing attempt.

Pilots landed the plane safely on the second try. The statement on Jetstar’s website notes, “These cancelled landings – called ‘go-arounds’ – are standard procedure for all airlines and happen every day at airports around the world.” This particular go-around, however, was determined to be a result of pilot distraction, an unsettling issue that’s becoming increasingly common.

SEE ALSO: Put the Phone Down: April Is Distracted Driving Awareness Month

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau’s report about the incident notes, “The investigation identified several events on the flight deck during the approach that distracted the crew to the point where their situation awareness was lost, decision making was affected and inter‑crew communication degraded. In addition, it was established that the first officer’s performance was probably adversely affected by fatigue.”

This incident has resulted in additional procedures for pilots flying Jetstar. Now, part of the pilots’ landing checklist will include reminders to turn off their cellphones. Checklists will now have to be completed by the time planes have descended to an altitude of 1,000 feet, rather than 500.

Jetstar is owned by Qantas Group, Australia’s largest international and domestic airline. Jetstar has not yet responded to a request for comment.

The report does not note how many passengers were on the Airbus A321-231, but according to Jetstar’s website, that type of plane can hold 220 passengers.

Accidents caused by gadgets are a common problem that can affect the safety of passengers, both in the air and on the ground.

When is it acceptable for pilots to use cellphones while working? Tell us in the comments.

Image courtesy of egmTacahopeful, Flickr

More About: Airplane, Airplanes, australia, Qantas

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Viral Video: ‘We’re Not Young’ Parody Teases Getting Older

Posted: 19 Apr 2012 11:54 AM PDT

Sometimes, growing up sucks. “We’re Not Young” — a depressing but funny viral video that turns indie pop band Fun’s “We Are Young” smash hit on its head — captures the conflicts people encounter in their 30s.

Part of Yahoo’s Sketchy comedy series, the parody lampoons 30-year-olds’ drinking problems, married friends, long-term relationships, expanded waistlines, prostate appointments and not-so-desirable jobs.

Fun’s original version (listen below) has become an anthem for the younger set with lyrics celebrating the carefree nature of, well, not being older than 30.

The lines in the music video spoof, however, portray a much more tormented period in someone’s life. For example:

  • “Tonight, we’re not young. We’re all somewhere in our 30s and nothing worthy. This ain’t fun. Tonight, we’re not young. I guess I’ll learn Photoshop. Maybe I’ll sell pot. Start a blog.”
  • “I guess I’ll do elliptical. Maybe I can finally do that yoga class. But I probably won’t. HGTV. Going to stay at home. Watch Modern Family.”

“We’re Not Young” has 1.3 million views on Sketchy and nearly 300,000 on YouTube. Singers Tommy Fields and Nikki Boyer lent their pipes for the song.

SEE ALSO: Finally, a Rap Song About Being 24 and Awkward [VIDEO]

Fun’s video has racked up 34 million YouTube views since Dec. 27. The song peaked at number one on Billboard‘s Hot 100 chart and currently is number two.


More About: humor, Music, music video, trending, viral videos, Yahoo

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RIP Picnik: 7 Free Alternatives for Quick Photo Edits

Posted: 19 Apr 2012 11:38 AM PDT


1. PicMonkey




This site was created by two former Picnik engineers, Justin Huff and Brian Terry, so you can imagine some similarities.

Click here to view this gallery.

The day has finally come: April 19 is your last chance to use online photo editor Picnik. In January, Google announced that it would be shuttering its popular web property.

While we mourn Picnik’s demise, we found seven other online photo editors to help you with quick crops, saturations and touch-ups. Some offer easy-to-use basics, while others echo the more advanced edit options of Photoshop. Either way, one of these is bound to replace the Picnik-sized hole in your heart.

SEE ALSO: New Site Challenges Instagram Users to Take Their Best Shot

Let us know which is your favorite in the comments below.

More About: design, features, Google, photo editing, photography, picnik, trending


Google Offering Analytics for Your Email Inbox

Posted: 19 Apr 2012 11:27 AM PDT

Want Google to analyze your email habits? The search engine giant highlighted on its Official Blog on Thursday a program called Google Meter that allows Gmail users to learn more about their inbox, from whether they’re more likely to write long emails to information on how long it takes you to typically reply.

Called Gmail Meter, the program analyzes email patterns to give a better sense of overall inbox activity. Gmail Meter was developed by Romain Vialard, a Google Apps Script Top Contributor, so it wasn’t created by Google but the site supports it.

Gmail Meter runs on the first day of every month and sends users an email containing different statistics about your Inbox.

For example, Gmail Meter provides stats about the number of important and starred messages in your inbox, as well as how often you email with others. Additional features include a tool that reveals stats on how you manage your inbox and how you how long it takes for you to reply (and how long it takes for them to respond).

It also tracks whether you are prone to writing short or long emails, and averages what your usual word count might be.

SEE ALSO: Beyond Signatures: BrandMyMail Adds Analytics to Email for Cheap

For those interested in installing the feature, there’s a few steps you need to take. Go to Google Docs and create a new spreadsheet (and save it). Click on Tools, followed by Script Gallery, then search for "Gmail Meter" and click Install. Although the creator’s email address may appear near the install button, Google confirmed to Mashable that the download is completely safe and no information will be shared.

An authorization prompt will ask for you to grant the tool access.

A new menu item called Gmail Meter will appear on the spreadsheet. Select Gmail Meter and then Get a Report. You will get an email once the report is ready.

If you’re having problems with the install button — in some cases, it’s been taking awhile to download — Google said that the influx of people trying to access the feature has slowed the process. It’s working to correct the issue soon.

Last month, Google announced a feature called “Account Activity” that gives you a monthly summary as to how you use the site.

UPDATE: This story has been updated from its original version to reflect that Gmail Meter was not created by Google, but supports the tool which was created by a Google Apps Script Top Contributor. We regret the error.

Thumbnail image courtesy of iStockphoto, alija

More About: email, gmail, Google, trending


Water Defies Gravity, Flows Backward [VIDEO]

Posted: 19 Apr 2012 11:15 AM PDT

This is clear hack of the Matrix if we’ve ever seen one.

In the video above, YouTube user Brusspup shares an experiment with sound and water.

He first plays a 24hz sine wave towards a stream of water and records it using a camera set to 24 frames per second. At that rate, the camera’s frame rate is synced up with the rate of the vibrations of the water, which makes the water appear to be frozen or still.

He then plays a 23hz sine wave sound towards the water, while keeping the camera’s frame rate the same. Because the camera’s frame rate is slightly different from the sine wave, the water appears to move backward.

Although not shown, if you play a 25hz sine wave, it will look as though the water moves slowly foward.

More About: Science, viral


Norway Shooter Tells Judge He Trained Playing ‘Call of Duty’

Posted: 19 Apr 2012 11:04 AM PDT

call of duty

Anders Behring Breivik, the shooter behind Norway’s July 2011 massacre, told the court during the fourth day of his trial that he practiced his shot playing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, with the “holographic aiming device” he bought for the game. His Thursday testimony adds significant clout to the argument that video games have a negative impact on behavior.

Breivik said armies around the world train for war using the gun-like tool he used to play the video game, The Guardian reports.

“It consists of many hundreds of different tasks and some of these tasks can be compared with an attack, for real,” Breivik said. “That’s why it’s used by many armies throughout the world. It’s very good for acquiring experience related to sights systems.”

SEE ALSO: Should the Geneva Conventions Be Applied to Video Games?

In addition to Call of Duty, Breivik took a year off from his career as an entrepreneur between 2006 and 2007 to play World of Warcraft. He said he would spend up to 16 hours per day gaming in his bedroom in his mother’s Oslo apartment. He denies that the game had anything to do with his attacks.

WoW is only a fantasy game, which is not violent at all. It’s just fantasy,” Breivik said.

Breivik says his life as a gamer was to cover up his plans for the attack, feigning an addiction to World of Warcraft.

Breivik killed 69 people at a political youth camp on the island Utøya and eight people in a car bomb explosion in Oslo, in the country’s deadliest attack since World War II.

More About: Call of Duty, Gaming, modern warfare, Norway, trending, world of warcraft


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