Thursday, January 10, 2013

Mashable: Latest 29 News Updates - including “Hands On With the Microsoft Surface Pro”

Mashable: Latest 29 News Updates - including “Hands On With the Microsoft Surface Pro”


Hands On With the Microsoft Surface Pro

Posted: 10 Jan 2013 02:22 AM PST


Microsoft Surface Pro




Starting at $899, the Surface Pro is the "prosumer" version of Microsoft's tablet. It runs Windows 8 Pro off an Intel Core i5 ship and is slightly thicker and noticeably heavier than the Surface RT. It will run older Windows apps as well as ones for Windows 8.

Click here to view this gallery.


LAS VEGAS -- Looking back, it was a little odd that Microsoft chose the Surface RT tablet as its showcase for Windows 8. After all, the device was created to run a version of Windows that runs on ARM-based processors instead of the usual x86 chips that had powered all Windows machines before it.

That inherently limited the Surface RT by preventing it from running legacy Windows apps. Windows 8 had to stand on its own, without the safety net of the classic desktop environment (it still exists on the device, it just can't run much of anything). That could be why the new operating system has apparently struggled to catch on.

That might change with the Surface Pro (starting at $899). This,…
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More About: microsoft, Surface Pro, surface tablet, Windows 8

Facebook Is Top Social Network in 127 Countries

Posted: 10 Jan 2013 01:57 AM PST


Facebook's reach just keeps getting wider.

According to social media analyst Vincenzo Cosenza's biannual World Map of Social Networks, Facebook is the leader in 127 of the 137 countries observed, the Los Angeles Times reports. Armenia, Latvia, Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam are among the 10 countries where Facebook now reigns supreme.

SEE ALSO: Facebook World Map Reveals Unexpected Trends Between Friends

The biggest recent growth area, according to Cosenza, is Asia, which now has 278 million Facebook users and boasts the social network's largest population. Europe now has fewer users than Asia, netting 251 million users total; North America has 243 million users; South America has 142 mil…
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More About: Facebook, Social Media, World

Apple Locks in iOS App Screenshots to Prevent Scams

Posted: 10 Jan 2013 01:00 AM PST


Apple's recent change to its App Store policy will lock in screenshots of iOS app submissions after they've been approved, preventing scammers from replacing them with ones from more popular apps.

Before the update, app developers were able to change screenshots of their apps after they've been published in the App Store. While updating screenshots may be a legitimate way to reflect new iterations of an app, some developers combined names similar to other titles with screenshots taken directly from other apps to dupe customers into spending money on, essentially, fakes.

An example of this tactic is an app called "Mooncraft," which leads customers to believe that they are buying a ver…
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More About: apple, iOS apps, screenshots

Paragraph Shorts App Reimagines How Readers Discover Short Fiction

Posted: 10 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST


A former novelist hopes to make it easier for readers to discover short fiction with a new iPad magazine app called Paragraph Shorts.

More About: apps, fiction, ipad, Media

10 Videos of People Getting Pwned by Winter

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 10:58 PM PST


1. Escape Attempt or Uncontrollable Slide?


You decide.

Click here to view this gallery.


Blizzards, icy roads and friends with video cameras. Watch these poor folks fall victim to winter.

More About: galleries, videos, Watercooler, winter, winter sports

iPotty Aims To Entertain Toddlers During Toilet Training

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 10:03 PM PST


Perhaps a tablet will convince your fidgety tot to sit on the potty for longer. A new product for parents of children being potty trained features a mini toilet and an adjustable iPad docking station: the iPotty.

Debuted at the 2013 International CES, the colorful plastic training toilet raised questions about whether or not it would actually assist parents with the task of potty training their little ones.

At $40, the iPotty doesn't come with any specific apps, but parents can use apps made for toddlers to encourage them to sit on the potty for awhile.

SEE ALSO: 10 Terrific iPad Apps for Toddlers

The makers of the toilet don't want parents to worry about any damage to t…
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More About: CES 2013, Children, parenting, Tablet

Cheaper iPhone Would Cost $99 to $149, Report Says

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 09:31 PM PST


Apple's rumored cheaper iPhone would cost anywhere from $99 to $149, according to a new report.

The device, which would debut in late 2013 "at the earliest," is part of an effort to attract more customers from developing markets, Bloomberg reported, citing an unnamed source. Among them, Apple is particularly eyeing China.

Last December, CEO Tim Cook said the country is "a very important market for us." At the time, Apple had sold more than 2 million units of the iPhone in China, setting a record for best first-weekend sales in the country.

SEE ALSO: Apple Unveils iPhone 5, Finally

A lower-cost version of the iPhone would also help Apple compete with Google's Android phones, which…
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More About: apple, iphone

77% of Parents Blame Video Games For Exposing Kids to Violence

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 09:01 PM PST


A new study from Common Sense Media shows the majority of parents (75%) feel that shielding children from violence is difficult. That same percentage of parents blame "media violence, such as content in TV, movies and video games" for adding to "America's culture of violence."

For this survey, conducted by USA Market Research, 1,050 parents with children ages 18 years and younger were randomly selected to share their opinions.

Results revealed that 88% of parents said violent ads should be prevented from airing during programs largely watched by children. What's more, 91% want theaters to show previews that only have the same or lower rating than the movie being shown.

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More About: Children, Common Sense Media, parenting, parents, video games, Violence

Social Sites for Families: More Personal than Facebook

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 08:15 PM PST


We've all seen (and some of us have been) that person on Facebook -- the over-sharer. Some of us may be happy to divulge every intimate detail of our personal lives; others are more private.

Social networks for families (FamilyLeaf, MyFamily.com, Rootsy, Origami), neighbors (Nextdoor), and select groups of family and friends (Path), have bloomed in the past few years. A growing number of us, it seems, want a more intimate online sharing experience.

On FamilyLeaf, as with other social sites meant for small groups, users can share photos and messages with their connections on a secure network.

"Many of our most active users are turned off by Facebook's openness -- and they use Fami…
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More About: family, online, Social Media, social networking

Even Amid Scandal, People Will Defend Their Favorite Brands

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 07:28 PM PST


What happens when your beloved brand runs into public relations trouble? If you're really in love with the brand, you'll stand by it, researchers say.

More About: brand marketing, branding, scandal

Could Stuffed Robots Ever Replace Stuffed Animals?

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 06:44 PM PST


Robots have had the power to replace many things reserved for humans in the past, but could they ever replace stuffed animals?

Amanita Design is now taking pre-orders for a $30 plush robot, which you can cuddle up with instead of a teddy bear.

The stuffed toy is modeled after Josef, the main character of Machiniarium, the multi-platform adventure game.

SEE ALSO: 10 Amazing Robots We Met in 2012

The plush Josef comes with some perks -- you can store your things inside its 25x10 centimeter trunk.

Do you think stuffed robots are the next big thing in toys for young kids? Let us know in the comments if you'd prefer youngsters stick to plush animals.

Image courtesy of Amanit
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More About: robots

Dad Hires Hit Men to Kill Son — in Video Games

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 05:55 PM PST


A father in China perturbed by the amount of time his adult son spent playing online video games hired other gamers to kill all the young man's characters.

More About: Gaming, parenting

Felicia Day Is Geek Icon, Closet Math Genius

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 05:45 PM PST


Felicia Day has starred in TV shows and created and stars in the popular online series The Guild. Now the geek icon is talking to us.

More About: CES, CES 2013, felicia day

Mark Cuban Fined $50,000 for Tweet

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 05:28 PM PST


Mark Cuban's in hot water with the NBA again, this time over some costly comments he made on Twitter.

More About: NBA, Sports

Google’s Android Is Coming to a Kitchen Near You

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 05:03 PM PST


Android users can vouch for the perks of large screens, custom widgets, and now, optimum rice cooking.

Google is expanding its free operating system to rice cookers, refrigerators and other home appliances. Adding the OS to more devices would be useful in helping Google and other manufacturers collect data, and also allow appliances to exchange information.

In the case of rice cookers, the device would be able to determine the type of rice and set cooking instructions. Other intelligent systems could signal an alert from a washing machine to your TV, letting you know when it's done. Check out the video above for more.

The International Data Corporation predicts the market for Int…
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More About: android, CES, ces2013, Google, home appliances, operating sytems

Would You Wear Internet-Connected Clothing?

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 05:00 PM PST


It could be so simple -- you just leave your house and your Internet-connected T-shirt will tell your social networks where you are going.

At International CES 2013 on Tuesday, one of the creators of the Internet, Vint Cerf, gave a talk about the future of the connectivity and pondered just how far it would expand.

Cerf asked the audience, "What would happen if our clothes were Internet-enabled?" reported CNET.

"Can you imagine if you lost a sock? You could send out a search and sock No. 3117 would respond that it's under the couch in the living room," Cerf said to the audience, according to Computerworld.

Cerf, Google's chief Internet evangelist, determined this might be a b…
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More About: CES 2013, clothing, internet, Vint Cerf

People’s Choice Awards Will Air on Xbox 360 Tonight

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 04:53 PM PST


CBS's televised broadcast of the People's Choice Awards will also be aired tonight on Xbox 360, Microsoft's gaming and entertainment-streaming console.

More About: connected tv, People's Choice Awards, Smart TV, social tv, TV, xbox, Xbox 260, XBox live

50 Cent Talks Tech With Mashable at CES

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 04:17 PM PST


LAS VEGAS –- You may know that 50 Cent has his own line of headphones. What you may not realize is the rap superstar is also the majority owner and CEO of the company making them.

2013 marks 50's third CES, his second with his company SMS Audio, which manufacturers high-end headphones and earbuds. Unlike other artists who have their own line of audio products, 50 is a key decision maker in the company, and has control over every step of the process -- from the audio quality of the headphones to their design and packaging.

One big business decision he's made is to partner with FeedAmerica, a charity that helps feed the underprivileged in the United States. Every set of headphones…
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More About: CES, CES 2013

The Best Wedding RSVP Cards Ever

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 04:04 PM PST


With wedding season a mere five months away, the invitations will begin pouring in just in time to replace those Christmas cards.

And when they do, you'll first want to rip your hair out and then begin the tedious RSVP process.

But sometimes you just need to be able to say something a little bit more elegant than "attending" or "not attending." You need to express yourself, and what other better way than through the magic of memes.

SEE ALSO: Watch Nearly 4 Minutes Of Wedding Disasters

Redditor babywhiz has blessed us all with that opportunity with this compilation of the best RSVPs ever created.

So even if your high school BFF4eva sends you an invitation covered with b…
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More About: Meme, wedding, wedding invitations

Toyota’s Self-Driving Car More of a Smart Co-Pilot

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 03:58 PM PST


LAS VEGAS -- Are we ready for self-driving cars? Google's got some competition on the road these days. Toyota introduced its Advanced Active Safety Research Vehicle at the 2013 International CES.

We got a chance to catch up with Jim Pisz, corporate manager of North American business strategy for Toyota to learn a little more about the car and why they're building it. As it turns out, while Toyota is on the road to developing an autonomous-driving car, they're really most interested in what they learn from the car.

Pisz says this Lexus-branded car is a research vehicle with a wide range of tech. That includes LIDAR, which is a group of lasers spinning 10 times per second, creating a 36…
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More About: CES, CES 2013, Lexus, self-driving car, Toyota

Psy Bringing ‘Gangnam Style’ to Wonderful Pistachios Super Bowl Ad

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 03:35 PM PST


Get crackin' -- "Gangnam Style."

That's the slogan of the forthcoming Wonderful Pistachios Super Bowl campaign featuring South Korean pop star Psy. The rapper achieved worldwide recognition last year for his music video "Gangnam Style," the first to hit 1 billion views on YouTube.

The spot doesn't air until Feb. 3, but Wonderful Pistachios is already trying to build buzz for the campaign, namely on Facebook, where a related photo sweepstakes will kick off this week.

Although some fans are enthusiastic, many took to the comments of Wonderful Pistachios' Facebook page to air their disappointment with the choice. Citing an anti-American rap song Psy produced in 2004, Tiffany Timmons C…
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More About: Advertising, gangham style, Marketing, psy, Social Media, Super Bowl, Wonderful Pistachios

Warner Bros. ‘Gangster Squad’ Tweet Capitalizes on ‘Hey Girl’ Meme

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 03:27 PM PST


A Ryan Gosling "Hey Girl" meme reference slipped in among the tweets Warner Bros. Pictures sent this week to promote the premiere of "Gangster Squad."

More About: celebrities, Entertainment, films, Gangster Squad, memes, Movies, Ryan Gosling, Twitter

Aging Ocean Tower May Be Used as Energy Lab

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 03:24 PM PST


A rusty 48-year-old tower standing in the Atlantic Ocean may soon get a makeover for modern energy. The one-time lighthouse even may accommodate energy researchers and staff for overnight stays.

Officials at the U.S. Department of Energy want to retrofit the Chesapeake Light Tower -- located 13 miles off Virginia Beach, Va. -- for basic research into harvesting electricity from gigantic offshore wind turbines. The tower would be equipped with instruments for measuring the wind 100 meters (328 feet) above the surface of the sea, which is the typical height of ocean turbines.

Good measurements will encourage funding for offshore wind power, said Will Shaw, a researcher at the Pacific Nor…
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More About: clean energy, renewable energy

How Apple Sold the iPhone, 6 Years Ago Today

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 03:22 PM PST


It's a widescreen iPod! No, wait, it's a breakthrough Internet communications device with desktop-class email! Best of all, it comes with Cingular phone service and Google's groundbreaking maps!

It was six years ago Wednesday that Steve Jobs strode on stage at the Moscone Center in San Francisco to deliver the Macworld keynote that introduced us to Apple's latest product: something called the iPhone.

It's almost impossible to comprehend how much has changed in just six years. Jobs, alas, is no longer with us; his job has gone to the man whose visual voicemail was played at the keynote, Tim Cook. Apple no longer participates at Macworld. Oh, and the product Jobs introduced that day we…
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More About: apple, iphone, smartphones

Celebrities Read Mean Tweets About Themselves (Round 3)

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 03:07 PM PST


Nothing is a bigger middle finger to the haters than ... reading their mean comments on national television.

Looks like Jimmy Kimmel is offering some sort of digital catharsis to mistreated celebs everywhere by letting some of them read, out loud, the terrible things that are said about them on Twitter.

And then laugh it off (or if you are the all-mighty Anderson Cooper, just tell them to f--- off).

It's like some sort of experiment in human psychology.

SEE ALSO: 50 Most Memorable Tweets of 2012

But nonetheless, this video provides something for all of us. A moment to shine for the haterade-drinkers or a lot of comic relief for the rest of us not-so-rude tweeters.

Ha…
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More About: jimmy kimmel

Everything You Need to Know About ‘Mint the Coin’

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 02:57 PM PST


If you follow anybody remotely interested in politics on Twitter, you've probably seen a reference to "mint the coin" fly across your stream at some point this month. And if you've seen that reference, you might have some questions: What coin? Who's minting it? What's it for?

Here's the skinny: According to the Treasury, the government hit its Congressionally-approved spending limit on Dec. 31 of 2012. While raising the debt ceiling has traditionally been a mostly uncontroversial practice, many congressional Republicans are now refusing to raise the debt ceiling unless Democrats agree to spending cuts.

Raising the debt ceiling allows the federal government to pay back loans it already…
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More About: Politics, US

Big Companies Turn to This Startup to Fix Bad Customer Service

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 02:49 PM PST


Big name companies are turning to cloud-based Zendesk to solve their customer service issues. CEO Mikkel Svane tells us why.

More About: customer service, valleygirltv, zendesk

Watch Mark Wahlberg Do the Weather in Philadelphia

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 02:48 PM PST


 

Viewers of Good Day Philadelphia got a surprise Wednesday morning when Mark Wahlberg stopped by to do the weather and traffic.

Wahlberg, who is promoting his upcoming movie Broken City, delivered the impromptu report on Fox affiliate WTXF. Looking ahead to the seven-day forecast, Wahlberg, joined by Broken City director Allen Hughes, pronounced Wednesday's 54 degrees "perfect golf weather." Wahlberg then slipped into a Philly accent for the traffic report: "Look at this congestion here. We're expecting 40- to 45-minute delays if you're coming east bound on the 676 here. You're going to have some serious problems. Why don't you stop and get yourself a hoagie?"

Wahlberg goof…
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More About: local news, viral videos

Intellect Motion Turns Gameplay Into Hardcore Exercise

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 02:38 PM PST


LAS VEGAS -- No matter what you think, video gaming is not exercise. It's sitting on your butt, twitching your fingers over a dozen multi-colored buttons. You rarely break a sweat. I can tell you though, from personal experience, that if you ever get to try Intellect Motion, you will sweat and bounce around like never before.

Intellect Motion's prototype system, on display here at CES 2013, consists of a steel frame, bungee cords, a computer, some web cams and wearable sensors to put your game-playing butt to work. To test it, I had the Intellect Motion team strap me in (very tightly, I might add), and connect all the bungee cords to me (via the harness). Those cords keep you propped up,…
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More About: CES, CES 2013, exercize, Gaming

‘Arrested Development’ Returns in May

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 02:35 PM PST


Arrested Development fans, your wait is nearly over. The Bluths are set to return for their feverishly anticipated fourth season this May.

More About: arrested development, netflix

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