Thursday, June 28, 2012

Mashable: Latest 29 News Updates - including “Nexus 7 Coming to the UK Mid-July”

Mashable: Latest 29 News Updates - including “Nexus 7 Coming to the UK Mid-July”


Nexus 7 Coming to the UK Mid-July

Posted: 28 Jun 2012 04:52 AM PDT




The 8 GB version of Google's Nexus 7 will be arriving on UK shores mid-July, while the 16 GB variant will become available July 27, Engadget reports citing sources from Asus.

Why the difference in release dates? Well, the 8 GB version of the tablet will be sold exclusively through Google Play for £159 ($247). The 16 GB version will cost £199 ($309) and will be available at retail stores such as PC World, Comet, Tesco and eBuyer.

One of the first retailers to officially confirm the news is Carphone Warehouse, which says the device will be available either for £199.99 standalone or for free on a tethered contact.

More About: Google, Nexus 7, uk


Online Fashion Magazine Refinery29 Makes Big Commerce Push

Posted: 28 Jun 2012 04:06 AM PDT




Refinery29, a fashion-focused online lifestyle magazine, is pushing further into ecommerce with a redesign of its "Shops" experience Thursday.

Readers will now be able to add items featured in editorials and on R29's "Shop" tab to a shopping cart. Users can purchase from multiple brands and retailers -- Tory Burch, Rebecca Minkoff and Michael Kors are among the initiative's launch partners -- and pay a flat $5.95 shipping fee if their orders amount to $75 or more. Inventory, shipping and returns will be handled separately by vendor, but R29 will be "the first point for customer service," R29 cofounder Justin Stefano tells me.

The site, which claims a monthly readership of about 5 milli…
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More About: ecommerce, Media, refinery29, retail


9 Google+ Power Users Still Going Strong

Posted: 28 Jun 2012 03:43 AM PDT


1. Trey Ratcliff




Travel photographer Ratcliff frequently posts pictures of his worldly escapades, which often earn hundreds of comments and interactions. He interacts regularly with his followers, and even welcomes them into Hangouts. Have Him in Circles: 2,698,656

Click here to view this gallery.




It's Google+'s first birthday. At this point, a great many users have come and gone, but some seem to be more active on the social network than ever.

While some people view Google+ as a wasteland, these nine power users continue to take full advantage of their incredibly large and engaged audiences. It's no surprise, then, that these users reflect the social network demographics themselves: primarily male and technologically-savvy, compared to the other major social platforms.

Take a peek at these nine power users, but please share your own suggestions of Google+ superstars in the comments below.

More About: features, Google, power users, Social Media


Google I/O And Two Other Stories You Need to Know

Posted: 28 Jun 2012 03:12 AM PDT




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.

Google Launches Nexus Q and Nexus 7 at I/O, More to Come

Google has taken over the tech news world with yesterday's opening of its I/O developer conference, launching two new key products: the lightweight, cheap Android tablet Nexus 7 and social streaming media player Nexus Q.

Also, the big G unveiled the next iteration of Android, 4.1 or Jelly Bean, showing it off on the Nexus 7 tablet. That's not all, though, as the Google I/O conference continues today, and we'll be there to keep…
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More About: android, chrome, features, first to know series, Google, mashable


Republicans Get Thousands of New Followers in Social Media Contest

Posted: 28 Jun 2012 02:57 AM PDT




For the past seven weeks, Republican lawmakers have been throwing down the gauntlet to beat one another in a race to get more followers, likes and engagement on social media.

The House Republican New Media Challenge came to a close on Wednesday after participants drew more than 50,000 new Facebook likes, Twitter followers and YouTube subscribers.

The Challenge, now in its third year, is the product of House Republican Conference Vice Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers and GOP Labs, a House Republican effort to teach members of Congress and their staffers how to digitally engage with voters.

About 95% of Republican representatives who use social media signed up for this year's challenge,…
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More About: congress, Facebook, Politics, republicans, Social Media, Twitter, US, YouTube


How Wayne Coyne of the Flaming Lips Uses Twitter

Posted: 28 Jun 2012 02:28 AM PDT




When asked about Twitter as a tool for musicians on Wednesday afternoon in Memphis, Flaming Lips singer Wayne Coyne delved into the ways that he uses the service.

"My Twitter I think is a lot like me," he told reporters. "It's sometimes utterly ridiculous. But I never use it to make fun of people."

He said he doesn't think that social media takes away from music. "I think when music is good, it makes you interested in someone's Twitter," he said, while admitting that he's trying to be better about only being interested in people for their art.

The questions came from reporters before his band embarked on a 24-hour tour as part of the O Music Awards.

More About: flaming-lips, Music, o music awards, Twitter


States With the Most Social Small Businesses [INFOGRAPHIC]

Posted: 28 Jun 2012 12:46 AM PDT




As the November elections approach, politicians will likely focus on several key issues, including job creation, particularly for small business owners. The small business sector represents 65% of the economy -- and owners of these businesses are wise to the importance social media can play in promoting their businesses.

Radius, a company providing sales intelligence for the small business market, released a report ranking cities based on the social media usage of its small business owners.

San Francisco tops the list of places with the most socially connected small businesses, with Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., coming in second and third, respectively. Overall, West Coast cities…
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More About: infographic, Small Business, states


Google+: A Year of Missed Opportunities

Posted: 28 Jun 2012 12:08 AM PDT




Mashable OP-ED: This post reflects the opinions of the author and not necessarily those of Mashable as a publication.
"Online sharing is awkward. Even broken. And we aim to fix it." With these words on June 28, 2011, Google introduced its most ambitious stab yet at breaking Facebook's hold on social media: Google+. Yet a year later, it's Google+ that needs fixing.

Google+ looks good on paper: The company claims it has in excess of 170 million users and compared to Facebook it's a much cleaner experience. You can also do a lot of cool stuff on it, like set up an impromptu video chat with your friends and neatly divide your social relations into "Circles" that differentiate close friends from friends, friends from acquaintances, and so on.

But Google+ is no Facebook killer. When G+ launched, Faceboo…
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More About: Facebook, features, Google, Opinion, Social Media, trending, Twitter


This Is Not the ‘Star Wars’ That You Used to Know [VIDEO]

Posted: 27 Jun 2012 08:05 PM PDT





If watching Star Wars for the first time taught me anything, it's that fans have no tolerance for technicalities -- like which version is the "true" one.

In its purest form, the original trilogy is only viewable on VHS. The special editions have been "compromised," according to diehard fans.

SEE ALSO: Forget HD: Watch the 'Star Wars' Trilogy as Animated GIFs

The video above, created by Teddie Films, uses Gotye's viral hit "Somebody That I Used to Know" to express the same frustration over George Lucas's multiple versions.

Our favorite line is "And they'll never get the Blu-ray of the Star Wars that you used to know." What's yours?

More About: George Lucas, Music, Star Wars, viral, YouTube


Tech Etiquette Rules For Commuters and Travelers

Posted: 27 Jun 2012 07:18 PM PDT




As an old proverb goes, politeness is to human nature what warmth is to wax -- it softens us. Being respectful to fellow straphangers and travelers can make trips more pleasant for everyone and in the case of tech etiquette, a little can make a big difference.

Most commuters know it's rude to gawk or blare music. But, there are lesser-known etiquette rules that are often broken.

For example, many travelers don't think twice about pulling an iPad out on a crowded train or plane. Etiquette experts say that's a no-no. Riders should always turn down screen brightness in close quarters and consider who's around before using devices with giant screens. Texting in the middle of pedestri…
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More About: android, Gadgets, iphone, Mobile, Social Media, travel


After Emmy Win for Viral Video Series, ‘Kids React To’ Creators Eye TV

Posted: 27 Jun 2012 06:58 PM PDT




The Fine Brothers won the Emmy for best viral video series over the weekend for the popular "Kids React To" YouTube series, and now the creative duo are looking to reach a much wider audience globally and on TV.

"Kids React To" features children and teens who express how they feel while watching funny trending videos or clips of serious topics like bullying and current events such as Osama bin Laden's death and Kony 2012.

Benny and Rafi Fine along with some of the kids from the series accepted the award on stage at the Daytime Emmys ceremony on June 23. Fittingly, each kid got to react to the big win:

The series has become a "time capsule of America though the eyes of the kids…
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More About: current events, Emmy, Entertainment, television, trending, Video, viral videos, YouTube


Tony Hawk Gets All Nostalgic About ‘Pro Skater’ Remake [VIDEO]

Posted: 27 Jun 2012 06:58 PM PDT




Legendary professional skateboarder Tony Hawk is bringing back what he says his fans have been clamoring for: a remake of the original Tony Hawk's Pro Skater games.

In a video exclusive to Mashable, Hawk talks about why he decided to release Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD -- an remastering of seven classic levels -- this year. He says he thinks the original Tony Hawk's Pro Skater and Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 opened the door for skateboarding in video games, and introduced lots of gamers to skating.

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD will be released for Xbox Live Arcade on July 18, and the PlayStation Network on a future date that's yet to be announced. To
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More About: features, Gaming, tony hawk, tony hawk's pro skater, Video


5 Ways Social Media Is Affecting Local Communities

Posted: 27 Jun 2012 06:43 PM PDT




In light of Mashable's Social Media Day mission to celebrate the digital revolution, we asked you how social media impacts your local community.

From disaster-affected regions using Twitter for community safety to local charities rallying donations from Facebook users, we received some inspired answers about the role of social media in your hometowns.

Here are excerpts from the top five responses to our question: How does social media affect your local community? You can click on the respondent's name to see the answer in full.

Mare Aehlich (Kenosha, Wisconsin) - "There are so many stories of how social media has impacted the community here, but two of the best are w…
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More About: community, smday, Social Media, social media day


YouTube for Android Lets You Watch Videos Offline

Posted: 27 Jun 2012 06:43 PM PDT




Amid the hoopla of Google IO, a few Google-related items sailed by almost unnoticed -- such as a cool update to the Android version of YouTube.

For the first time, YouTube will start downloading videos it thinks you might want to watch, whenever you're plugged in and on Wi-fi.

That's great news for commuters, for example, who can now watch videos when outside their mobile coverage zone (or without paying for costly video downloads over 3G).

YouTube will start choosing and downloading those videos based on your past browsing habits, as well as what channels you're subscribed to. (YouTube had a channel-based design relaunch back in December, which it says has boosted the number of ch…
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More About: android, YouTube


YouTube All Stars Parody ‘Beauty and the Beast’ [VIDEO]

Posted: 27 Jun 2012 06:26 PM PDT




Some former American Idol contestants -- along with a host of YouTube stars have have re-imagined the opening sequence from Disney's Beauty and the Beast. Only in this version, instead of a small town in France, Belle is living it up ghetto-fabulously.

The parody, Beauty and the Beat, features some of the biggest names in YouTube - including DeStorm, GloZell, Miles Jai and Antoine Dodson. It's as ridiculous and over-the-top as you might expect.

Directed by Idol semi-finalist Todrick Hall, the number is a bit like the parodies from the seminal sketch comedy show, In Living Color. In addition to Hall, the video features Idol alumni Katie Stevens and Vonzell Solomon.

Uploaded less…
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More About: antoine dodson, beauty and the beat, glozell, miles jai


Youth Hockey Coach Trips Kid. Biggest Jerk of All Time? [VIDEO]

Posted: 27 Jun 2012 06:23 PM PDT




Here's a video of youth hockey coach in Canada tripping a tripping a 13-year-old kid -- in the postgame handshake line no less. That's pretty messed up. Aren't you supposed to be, like, learning about sportsmanship and stuff at this age?

Admittedly, the video would also be pretty funny -- if the kid hadn't broken his wrist in the tumble. That's according to The Province, the Vancouver newspaper that posted this video to YouTube late Tuesday night. According to the paper, the coach tripped the kid after a win, no less, and police are investigating.

More About: sports, Video, viral video


20 Sharp Photos Showing Off Angles

Posted: 27 Jun 2012 05:57 PM PDT




The world is made up of lines -- many of which intersect to form angles. From the shape of our chairs to the architecture of the homes we live in, angles are everywhere.

For this week's Mashable Photo Challenge, we asked you to think about angles.

Readers captured all kinds of intersecting lines and sent in pictures of support cables, buildings and the spokes of a ferris wheel. But not all angles are so literal. A photo taken from an unusual vantage point captures the world from an angle not commonly seen.

SEE ALSO: 20 Close-Up Photos of Texture You Can Almost Feel

You expanded on that idea and sent us all kinds of interesting angled shots from iconic structures, including…
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More About: community, Mashable Photo Challenge, photography, Photos


Google Exec Shows Us Best Feature of Google+ Tablet App [VIDEO]

Posted: 27 Jun 2012 05:54 PM PDT




A Google+ app for both Android tablets and the iPad is finally here -- and after using it for a few minutes, it's obvious why it took a while to arrive.

The app brings the service to a new class of devices, and Google spent a lot of effort crafting the user experience.

Google's Senior Vice President of Social, Vic Gundotra, sat down with Mashable to show off the app. It has very obvious new features, such as a revamped video-chat hangout experience and Events. But Gundotra was clearly proud of one aspect of the user experience he didn't talk about in Wednesday's keynote.

Google's developers paid special attention to how the stream loads new c…
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More About: apps, Google, ipad, tablets


Could Google Glass Change Pro Sports Forever?

Posted: 27 Jun 2012 05:31 PM PDT




Google co-founder Sergey Brin dropped jaws at the company's annual developer conference in San Francisco Wednesday morning with an enthralling demonstration of Google Glass, the company's ultra-intriguing wearable computer project.

In case you missed it, here's what happened: a team of skydivers logged into to a Google+ Hangout and jumped from a plane then sailed down to the roof of the Moscone Center where Google I/O is being held. Via streaming video, viewers watched the descent from the jumpers' point of view in real time. As stunt bikers pedaled across the roof then rappelled down the side of the building and entered the conference hall, we saw all that from their eyes too.

It…
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More About: Google Glass, google io, NBA, nfl, sports


Facebook Apps Will Soon Let Users ‘Follow’ Actions

Posted: 27 Jun 2012 05:18 PM PDT




Facebook just rolled out a new Open Graph feature that will let users follow certain actions from various Facebook applications.

This will let users get updates for certain actions in the News Feed, without having to subscribe or be friends with the user.

For example, users could choose to follow and get notified when another user posts a photo to Instagram or when a movie critic publishes a new movie review -- without having to see all of the various updates from that person. It's like subscribing to someone's news feed, except you get to pick what parts you see, based on what app you are using.

On its developer blog, Facebook's Yaran Sadan describes the process. T…
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More About: Facebook, Open Graph, open graph follows


This Wedding Website Puts Yours to Shame

Posted: 27 Jun 2012 05:09 PM PDT




Online wedding registries, planning sites and individual profiles all help to personalize your most special day. But when a truly creative, design-savvy couple gets together, things get really interesting.

Jessica Hische and Russ Maschmeyer created a stunning website dedicated to their upcoming nuptials. The site uses CSS3 and HTML5 to fashion cool, interactive scrolling features as you peruse the couple's personal timeline. Learn about how they met, where they dated, their career setbacks and how Russ finally popped the question. And judging by the illustration credits, Jessica and Russ' friends contributed their own special artwork to the project, too.

SEE ALSO: Stacy Green, Will
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More About: design, lifestyle, viral, web, wedding


Nexus Q: This Little Ball Will Rock your World [HANDS-ON]

Posted: 27 Jun 2012 04:55 PM PDT




Google is taking a second stab at the living room -- this time with a media streaming player it has dubbed the Nexus Q. Think of it as an Apple TV crossed with a Sonos or Squeezebox with a heavy-dose of Android and Google Play.

The Nexus Q doesn't look too impressive at first. From a distance the tiny ball could be easily mistaken for a speaker, or an actual ball for that matter. Connect it to your television, however, and you'll quickly discover it's a whole lot more.

We're picking up a Q later this afternoon, but Google had a few of the devices set up in model living room spaces where we could get a quick peek.

Google is dubbing the Q as "the world's first social stre
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More About: Apple TV, connected devices, Google, google io, Nexus Q, streaming media player


Have a Nice Trip: A Subway Stairs Blooper Reel [VIDEO]

Posted: 27 Jun 2012 04:37 PM PDT




Dean Peterson thinks there is something very unique about his subway station.

One of the stairs leading to it, according to the video above, is a "fraction of an inch" taller than the others. This causes a great deal of stumbles, trips and falls.

This video serves as blooper reel of people tripping on the same step, over and over and over again. Carnivale-sque music is included.

Peterson says it took less than an hour to capture this many people tripping. In fact, he wrote that he trips almost every time he walks up the staircase, even when he is consciously trying to avoid it.

Dean posted the video to Reddit, where it quickly rose to the front page.

Do you frequent th…
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More About: Vimeo, viral, viral videos


Guy Behind ‘Back to the Future’ Hoax: It Was an Accident [EXCLUSIVE]

Posted: 27 Jun 2012 03:52 PM PDT




The man behind the Back to the Future hoax that circulated the web on Wednesday said the viral incident was "just an accident."

If you're like us, you fell for that Photoshopped image that claimed today was the "future date" Doc set the DeLorean to in the film Back to the Future. Although the photo says characters such as Doc and Marty McFly traveled from June 27, 2012 from Oct. 26, 1985, the actual date used in the film is Oct. 21, 2015. Not only was the picture shared thousands of times and became a viral hit in just a few hours, it wasn't the first time the same hoax happened.

So how did we fall for this again? Here's what happened.

Steve Berry, a social media manager for mob…
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More About: Facebook, internet hoax, Social Media, trending, Twitter, web hoaxes


Google Nexus 7: First Jelly Bean Tablet is Light and Fast [HANDS-ON]

Posted: 27 Jun 2012 03:25 PM PDT




Google took the wraps off the first device to run Android 4.1, Jelly Bean: a 7-inch tablet made by Asus, called the Nexus 7.

The pint—sized tablet has a 1280 x 800 display, NVIDIA quad-core Tegra 4 processor, and Google claims the tablet will keep kicking for 10 hours of reading or 8 hours of HD video playback on a single charge.

We had a brief opportunity after the keynote to spend a little bit of time with one of the tablets, albeit tied down to a demo station.

The tablet is light. Weighing in at just 340 grams you're probably not going to notice any extra weight when you throw it in your book bag or purse. The back-lit IPS display is easy to see from a variety of angles, and…
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More About: android, google io, jelly bean, kindle fire, Nexus 7, nook


Google Gives Apple a Lesson in Showmanship

Posted: 27 Jun 2012 03:21 PM PDT




The Google I/O 2012 keynote began too soon, before a good half of the audience had found their seats. The 6,000 attendees were in danger of getting crushed on the escalators going in, in one of the poorest attempts at crowd control the Moscone Center has witnessed. The Wi-fi had been divided into two networks for attendees and press; both collapsed immediately.

And yet from that ignominious start sprung one of the most memorable keynotes the tech world has ever seen.

It wasn't that Google executives were particularly polished in their delivery, or Jobs-esque in their pacing and presentation. The Jelly Bean unveiling opened with a lengthy discussion of Linux kernel speeds and tripl…
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More About: android, apple, Google, ios6, jelly bean


Celebrate Social Media Day San Francisco with Mashup Duo A Plus D

Posted: 27 Jun 2012 03:07 PM PDT




We're pleased to announce that San Francisco-based DJ duo A Plus D -- a.k.a. Adrian and Mysterious D -- will be spinning their world famous mashups at Mashable's third annual Social Media Day celebration in San Francisco.

Think Lady Gaga meets Bob Marley or Will Smith meets Daft Punk, mixed together under one roof. A Plus D, creators of Bootie, the biggest mashup bootleg party in the world, will rock the party with their musical concoctions and creative song combinations.

Come celebrate with Mashable, A Plus D of Bootie Mashup and Motorola Mobility, our exclusive global sponsor, for our third annual Social Media Day on June 30, 2012 at The Box SF.

The evening will feature…
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More About: Events, Music, Social Media, social media day


New York Times To Launch New Website in China

Posted: 27 Jun 2012 02:46 PM PDT




The New York Times is making a business move towards China, opening a Chinese language news website and a Sina Weibo account.

Unlike its American version, the Chinese edition of the New York Times will have no paywall.

Eileen M. Murphy, vice president of corporate communications for the New York Times, told Mashable that offering an unpaid site, at least in the beginning, is "consistent with what we do when we start new ventures."

"We want this new site to be found," she said, while adding that there are no current plans to put up a paywall in the future.

New York Times' Chinese site will launch in beta on Thursday morning local time. Its URL will be http://cn.nytimes.com/

"…
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More About: china, new york times, paywall


Dropbox Working on Secret Project [VIDEO]

Posted: 27 Jun 2012 02:36 PM PDT




Dropbox, one of the frontrunners in cloud storage, is working on a new product in which CEO Drew Houston refers to this as a "special project." All we know is that he dusted off his coding skills for this one.

"You can't code 100% of the time, but I think it's really important to stay current with technology if you run a technology company," he says.

Houston came up with Dropbox when he was at a bus station in Boston's Chinatown and realized he'd left all of the work he needed on a thumb drive at home. So he wrote the first lines of code on the bus for a "magic folder."

What does Houston think is the future of the cloud? H…
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More About: CEOs, coding, Dropbox, valleygirltv, Video


ChoreMonster App Nudges Kids To Get Things Done

Posted: 27 Jun 2012 02:25 PM PDT




ChoreMonster is the newest app to turn a seemingly endless list of kid-allergic chores into an interactive game. It gives kids a reason to get their tasks done and keeps parents from tirelessly nagging.

The app comes in two versions, one specifically for kids to use and one for parents. The adult version lets parents set up task lists, deadlines, rewards and points for completing tasks. Parents are also given the option to "accept" or "deny" a completion of a task to monitor how well their child is, for example, cleaning their room — kids don't just automatically win the points.

When kids log in, they can see what needs to be done and what their rewards and points are for getti…
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More About: apps, family & parenting, kids apps, Kids Games, parenting apps


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