Mashable: Latest 24 News Updates - including “New Web Service Solves the What to Watch Conundrum” |  |
- New Web Service Solves the What to Watch Conundrum
- Moleskine Covers iOS Devices
- The Ovi Store Is Growing Fast, but Nokia Still Faces an Uphill Battle
- WARNING: Facebook “Like” Worm Spreading Through Javascript Exploit
- Our Favorite YouTube Videos This Week: The Cinema Edition
- Web Faceoff: Yahoo vs. AOL
- Facebook Staff Takes a Company Field Trip to See “The Social Network” [PHOTO]
- Google Acquires Touchscreen Keyboard Startup
- Microsoft Sues Motorola Over Android
- Google Chrome Only Browser to Show Measurable Growth This Year
- Panasonic Lumix Phone: Start Your Speculations [OPEN THREAD]
- Amazon and Pampers Bring Diaper Shopping to Facebook
- Connected TV: The New Battle for Your Living Room [INFOGRAPHIC]
- Why Product Reviews Can Drive Group Buying Success for Retailers
- Belkin Conserve Smart AV Surge Protector Saves Energy Automatically
- Foursquare Releases Merit-Based Badges for Better Living
- Minecraft: How Social Media Spawned a Gaming Sensation
- Thanks to Mashable’s Socially Savvy Supporters
- Justin Timberlake and Aaron Sorkin Not That Into Facebook [VIDEO]
- 10 Stories Beautifully Told with Animated Typography [VIDEOS]
- Booq Boa Folio Is Better Than The Apple iPad Case
- 10 Incredible Inventions from The World Maker Faire [PICS]
- Samsung Galaxy Tab Hits the UK on November 1
- Top 3 Stories in Social Media and Tech This Morning
- Samsung to Terminate Support for Symbian
| New Web Service Solves the What to Watch Conundrum Posted: 02 Oct 2010 01:49 AM PDT      This post is part of Mashable's Spark of Genius series, which highlights a unique feature of startups. The series is made possible by Microsoft BizSpark.. If you would like to have your startup considered for inclusion, please see the details here.
Quick Pitch: Inveni is a discovery engine that gives highly personalized recommendations based on a user’s universal taste profile and recommendations from friends. Genius Idea: What movie should we rent? What should we queue up on Netflix? Is that new television show worth watching? These are questions that plague singles, couples and families the world round. Newly launched startup Inveni exists to weave the interests we’ve expressed elsewhere on the web into a fabric of intelligent movie and television recommendations. Inveni’s technology attempts to build personal taste profiles for members and then use that data to predict other things they might like. Inveni’s recommendation engine also factors your friends and other member behaviors in to the equation with the hopes of making better, more personalized product recommendations. The company is starting with movies and television, but will eventually graduate to other product areas. Inveni’s recommendation engine kicks in to high gear the minute you begin the setup process. Right away, you can connect your Netflix, Rotten Tomatoes, Flixster, Fandago, Best Buy, Criticker, IMDB and Movie Web accounts to import your preexisting movie and television show ratings. You can also specify your movie and TV preferences around genres, time periods and ratings (PG, PG-13, R etc.). After the on-boarding process, which admittedly is quite fun, Inveni will drop you off at the site’s homepage where you can view recently recommended movies and rate them, save them, recommend them and help the system positively identify similar titles. If a selection is available to watch on Netflix, you can click the watch button to dive right in. The homepage also highlights the most saved titles across the site and movies currently in theaters. Each title has its own page. Members can check out informative details, leave comments and vote yes or no on similar suggestions. The privately funded company currently takes the form of a web service, alpha iPhone application (you will have to inquire for access) and Firefox plugin. In initial tests, Inveni had moments of genius and other instances of poor taste. We do suspect that the recommendation engine improves with additional use, and we certainly found the service to have features that may hook members and encourage them to come back the next time they’re in the mood to watch a flick. We’d be remiss if we didn’t point out that recommendation engines are a dime dozen. We are living in the age of the semantic web; recommendations are often already integrated in to a number of web services and mobile applications, especially the slew of entertainment checkin apps. Inveni will really have to deliver the best recommendations at the exact right time to make an impact and stand out from the rest.  Image courtesy of amanky, Flickr Sponsored by Microsoft BizSpark
Reviews: Firefox, Flickr, Flixster, Rotten Tomatoes, iPhone, imdb More About: entertainment, Film, inveni, netflix, recommendation engines, semantic web, tv For more Tech coverage:
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| Posted: 01 Oct 2010 11:33 PM PDT   If the Booq Boa Folio for iPad didn’t get your attention, then take a look at what Moleskine has coming. The makers of the iconic notebooks famously used by Hemingway are jumping into the iOS case fray. Moleskine will be releasing both a Tablet Cover for iPad and a Smartphone Cover that supports iPhone 3G and 3GS. Each Cover comes with a built-in notebook for quick notations. Like regular Moleskine notebooks, the Covers have rounded corners with an elastic band to keep the smooth black cover secured. The inside is lined with suede to prevent to prevent screen damage. Judging from the image, the Tablet Cover seems to be far more practical than the Smartphone Cover, which looks to add quite a bit of bulk. No word yet on pricing or availability, but the Covers are currently available for pre-order. Reviews: iPhone More About: accessories, apple, booq, cases, iOS, ipad, iphone, Moleskine For more Tech coverage:
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| The Ovi Store Is Growing Fast, but Nokia Still Faces an Uphill Battle Posted: 01 Oct 2010 10:00 PM PDT   Nokia is touting some impressive numbers for Ovi and the Ovi Store today, including surpassing 2.3 million daily application downloads. It faces an uphill battle though in its quest to catch up with Apple and Google. The Ovi Store has only been around since May 2009, but Nokia is touting not only 2.3 million app downloads per day (an increase from 2 million just a few weeks ago), but it also claims that 70 developers have surpassed 1 million downloads for their applications. The phone manufacturer also announced that Ovi is signing up 200,000 new users per day and is available in a staggering 190 countries. The company even listed some of its most successful application developers, including Fring, HeroCraft (creators of a game called Farm Frenzy), Offscreen Technologies (which has over 34 million downloads), and Shazam. The numbers are certainly impressive, especially considering that the Ovi Store is just 16 months old. But as we’ve noted before, Nokia is hurting because of its lack of a killer smartphone. It’s a big reason why Nokia hired former Microsoft president Stephen Elop as its new CEO. Earlier today, I had breakfast with Tero Ojanpera, executive vice president, Nokia services. I asked him about these issues, specifically whether Nokia could create a competitive mobile experience to Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android OS. While he said the Nokia N8 is a step towards Nokia making a comeback, he pointed to MeeGo, the new mobile OS being created by Nokia and Intel, as an even more important milestone in Nokia’s effort to make a smartphone comeback. There’s no question that Apple and Google are ahead of the game. Apple recently touted over 6.5 billion iOS app downloads, and attention by consumers and developers for its app store dramatically overshadows Nokia’s Ovi Store. Nokia may be making progress, but it has a lot more work to do in order to take on Apple and Google. It needs the hardware and software to compete with iPhone and Android devices. MeeGo may be what settles the question fo whether Nokia can build a killer smartphone. Reviews: Android, Farm Frenzy, Fring, Google, Shazam More About: Nokia, Opinion, ovi, ovi store For more Mobile coverage:
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| WARNING: Facebook “Like” Worm Spreading Through Javascript Exploit Posted: 01 Oct 2010 08:25 PM PDT   Thousands of Facebook users are being attacked by a nasty Facebook worm that forces you to “like” a Facebook page, which then automatically spreads it through a user’s wall. According to SocialToo’s Jesse Stay, the scammers have figured out a way to exploit the “Like” button via Javascript and are using it to force users to like the page, thus spreading it inadvertently through postings on Facebook walls. The result is thousands of wall posts for a page entitled “Shocking! This girl killed herself after her dad posted this photo.” Clicking the link enclosed spreads the worm further. Unfortunately, this is not the first time we’ve heard of such an exploit, but according to Facebook Search, a lot of people have been affected by this one. Do not click any of these links or go to this Facebook page. It will force you to like the page and spread the worm further. As far as we can tell though, the exploit doesn’t compromise your account or steal your password. We’ve put an e-mail out to the Facebook team for more information.  Reviews: Facebook More About: facebook, trending, warning For more Social Media coverage:
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| Our Favorite YouTube Videos This Week: The Cinema Edition Posted: 01 Oct 2010 06:59 PM PDT   Life is just one big movie in which you’re the star and everyone else is merely a player, huh? Well aren’t you a lil megalomaniac? Anyway, if you’re down with the drama of the celluloid, then this week’s YouTube roundup theme should have you reeling (pun intended): the Cinema. Yup, if checking out The Social Network and wringing your hands over your shoddy coding skills isn’t enough to sate your hunger for film this weekend, take a peek at the lovely collection of clips below. Enjoy the show! VW "See Film Differently"Christina Warren: So for like two or three years running (not sure if they are doing it this year), Volkswagen has had this AMAZING, like I'm talking completely stellar campaign in the UK to support independent film. Inconsiderate Cellphone Man Original TrailerRadhika Marya: Back in the early 2000s, Cingular did a series of commercials starring Rob Huebel of the Upright Citizens Brigade and Human Giant fame as "Inconsiderate Cellphone Man." The commercials aired at the movies. My friends and I were so entertained by the obnoxious title character, we made sure we got to the movies in time to catch the commercials. We not-so-secretly hope for the character to return. Orange cinema advert - Jack Black in Gulliver's TravelsAmy-Mae Elliott: Mobile phone operator Orange runs some amusing pre-film adverts in UK cinemas that help remind forgetful folk to turn their phones off. This latest installment starring Jack Black is a great example of the series, which manages to lampoon Hollywood, and all who sail in her, in a rather funny way. Kodak 1922 Kodachrome Film TestJay Irani: This video is a screen test and is said to be the earliest known copy of a motion picture shot in color. The Goonies: Making OfStephanie Marcus: Here is some real movie magic in the making. A study in choreography for camera (1945, Maya Deren)Meghan Peters: A silent short that captures a dancer's movement using stream of consciousness. One of the first experimental cinema pieces I saw -- and fell in love with :) The PlayerJosh Catone: The 8-minute opening shot of The Player amazes me every time I see it. It will amaze you, too. I promise. Charlie Chaplin - The Lion's CageZachary Sniderman: A vintage laugh or two from one of the greats Lord of the Rings Bloopers/outtakes.Sarah Kessler: Even wizards, elves, hobbits, and Academy Award powerhouses are still human. Grant Morrison Documentary Trailer (demo)Stefanie Rennert: I'm excited to share the trailer for Grant Morrison: Talking With Gods a film produced by Respect! Films (my brother's company!) and Sequart. It's a feature-length look at the life and work of Grant Morrison, an iconic comic book writer who hails from Scotland just like our fearless Mashable leader. Previews at NYC Comic Con, screenings in select cities during October and official DVD release on October 25th! La JeteeBrenna Ehrlich: I love that you can find this film in its entirety on YouTube. If you don't like foreign flicks, I guess you can just watch 12 Monkeys instead, though. Image Courtesy of Flickr, gailf548 Reviews: Flickr More About: favorite-youtube-videos, Film, humor, pop culture, video, youtube For more Web Video coverage:
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| Posted: 01 Oct 2010 05:18 PM PDT   Two titans of the web 1.0 era are trying to find their footing in the world of the social web. Will Yahoo or AOL be able to regain their former glory? At the turn of the century, Yahoo and AOL were the kings of the web. During January 2000, Yahoo’s stock hit its an all-time high of $118.75. During the same time, AOL announced its plan to acquire and merge with media giant Time Warner. Both companies were unstoppable. What a difference a decade makes. After Microsoft failed to acquire Yahoo, the Internet giant’s fortunes have gone south. Yahoo has lost more than half of its market value and is currently experiencing an epic exodus of its senior executives. AOL’s worth on the other hand dropped from its $240 billion market cap so dramatically that Time Warner spun AOL off as its own company late last year. The new AOL is now worth just $2.64 billion. Both companies are now at their own crossroads. Both companies have new leadership and are trying to reinvent themselves as media giants with strong technological components. Yahoo’s acquisition of Associated Content and AOL’s purchase of TechCrunch are clear proof of that. Will either succeed, though? That’s the subject of this week’s Web Faceoff. This week’s poll question is this: which struggling web giant do you think has a brighter future? Let us know your answer by voting in our poll below. The ballot box closes at 12:00 PM ET on Monday, October 4. Be sure to weigh in on the AOL vs. Yahoo debate in the comments. Reviews: Internet More About: aol, poll, web faceoff, Yahoo For more Battles coverage:
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| Facebook Staff Takes a Company Field Trip to See “The Social Network” [PHOTO] Posted: 01 Oct 2010 03:14 PM PDT   It looks like the Facebook staff is taking the afternoon off to go see The Social Network! We’ve received independent reports that the Facebook staff has essentially rented out the Century Cinemas 16 in Mountain View, California, where upwards of 1,200 staffers will be seeing the film. According to the Facebook Pages (how apt) of some Facebook employees, the film will be followed up by a trip to some Palo Alto-area bars for post-movie discussion. The Mashable crews in New York and San Francisco got to see the film on Monday night, and you can read our review and see the discussion we had with some tech entrepreneurs after the show. Facebook CEO and Co-founder Mark Zuckerberg is reportedly uninterested in seeing the film (even if our own CEO and Founder Pete Cashmore thinks he should like it), so we don’t expect him to join his employees. Still, that would be a pretty epic screening party. Are you going to see The Social Network this weekend? Let us know in the comments. Image Courtesy of Luke Strangel Reviews: Facebook More About: facebook, Film, Movies, the social network, trending For more Social Media coverage:
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| Google Acquires Touchscreen Keyboard Startup Posted: 01 Oct 2010 03:05 PM PDT   San Francisco-based startup BlindType has just been acquired by Google, the former announced. BlindType has developed a technology that removes the need to type with an on-screen keyboard. Users can simply start typing anywhere; BlindType will recognize their movements and translate them into text. In other words, users can write messages without having to look at their screens. Currently, the keyboard on Apple’s iOS-powered touchscreen devices, including the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, is superior to the one used by Android devices. The acquisition allows Google to leapfrog its rival in this respect. A better keyboard might seem like a minor advantage, but for those who frequently write SMS or e-mail messages on their mobile phones and tablets, it’s anything but. BlindType competitor Swype has been developing a nearly identical service for Android devices; we’ve reached out to the startup to find out if it plans to continue developing for the platform now that news of the acquisition has been revealed. This is the official announcement from BlindType’s blog:
Reviews: Android, Google, blog, iPhone More About: blind type, Google For more Business coverage:
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| Microsoft Sues Motorola Over Android Posted: 01 Oct 2010 03:03 PM PDT   Welcome to the latest episode of Patent Lawsuit Theater! In this edition, we find Microsoft suing former partner Motorola over, what else, patent infringement in the area of smartphones. Microsoft filed an action with the International Trade Commission (ITC) and in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington against Motorola, Inc. Microsoft claims that Motorola has violated nine of its patents in its Android-based smartphones, which include the Droid, Droid X and Droid 2. Earlier this year, Microsoft entered into a licensing agreement with HTC. Under that agreement, HTC pays Microsoft royalties for use of parts of its patent portfolio in HTC’s Android implementations. Microsoft and HTC have never made public what patents are covered under that agreement, so it’s uncertain if there is any overlap between that arrangement and the current Motorola lawsuit. On its TechNet policy blog, Microsoft’s Deputy General Counsel Horacio Gutierrez attempts to humanize the lawsuit and better frame its context. Of course, Microsoft isn’t the only company that is filing Android-related lawsuits. Oracle filed suit against Google back in August, claiming that Android and the Android SDK violate its Java-related intellectual property. In March, Apple sued HTC over its Android-specific Sense implementations and features. Image courtesy of Thomas Roche Reviews: Android More About: android, lawsuits, legal, microsoft, Motorola, patent lawsuit theater, patents For more Mobile coverage:
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| Google Chrome Only Browser to Show Measurable Growth This Year Posted: 01 Oct 2010 02:39 PM PDT   In the battle for your browsing activities, Microsoft’s Internet Explorer has remained a dominant force for years despite competition from Safari and Firefox. Data from Net Applications demonstrates that while there have been no massive changes in marketshare from month to month, Chrome continues to eat away at IE’s share. In the time between August and September, browser marketshare stayed pretty much the same. Chrome gained almost half a percent (.46%), Firefox saw just a .03% bump and Safari eked out an additional .11%. All very unremarkable, except that Internet Explorer lost .75% share in the same interim, even amidst the release of its celebrated IE9 beta.  Still, less than a percent movement in either direction is not especially worthy of note, until you consider change over time. In looking at Net Applications data from September 2009 to September 2010, some clear patterns emerge. Internet Explorer is on a downward trajectory, softened by some stabilization in the past few months. In the same span of time, Firefox and Safari have stayed relatively stagnant. Chrome, on the other hand, continues to take incremental steps forward, passing Safari in the process and showing signs of continued growth.  Of course, browser marketshare is a difficult thing to measure, as there’s no guarantee that Net Applications’s measurements are 100% accurate. But the measurement in change over time does seem to suggest that Chrome is carving out a nice foothold in the browser war. 7.98% does not a winner make, so it will be interesting to see how things play out over the course of the next few months. Images courtesy of Ars Technica. [via Ars Technica] Reviews: Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Safari More About: chrome, Firefox, google chrome, internet explorer, Internet Explorer 9, safari For more Tech coverage:
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| Panasonic Lumix Phone: Start Your Speculations [OPEN THREAD] Posted: 01 Oct 2010 01:20 PM PDT   Panasonic has just officially announced that a Lumix Phone is on the way. Details are set to be released on October 5, giving us the whole weekend to speculate on what this device will be packing. The Lumix brand is used by Panasonic for its line of consumer cameras. Many of the Lumix cameras come with Leica lensing, making them particularly formidable for point-and-shoot situations. This makes sense since Panasonic has stated that the device will include a high-resolution camera. There is, however, one small catch: The Lumix Phone is destined for Japan. Regardless, its Japanese release potentially indicates that the Lumix Phone will eventually head west, so let’s not let a little geography derail us from some healthy speculation. More About: camera phone, Lumix, mobile devices, Panasonic For more Tech coverage:
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| Amazon and Pampers Bring Diaper Shopping to Facebook Posted: 01 Oct 2010 01:01 PM PDT   As individuals spend more and more time on Facebook, big brands looking to leverage that time are integrating more features and services into their Fan Pages. Proctor & Gamble just launched a new e-commerce tab on its Pampers Fan Page, offering consumers a way to shop for diapers without ever leaving the site. We’ll admit that we have a hard time feigning enthusiasm for online diaper shopping — on or off Facebook — but the technology that powers the new Pampers web store has potential. Pampers is the first P&G brand to use e-commerce within its fan page, but the company’s press release indicates that it looks forward to rolling the capabilities out to other P&G brands in the future.  TechFlash asked Amazon spokeswoman Tracy Ogden about future plans for WebStore integration with Facebook, and while the company didn’t comment, citing its policy of not discussing future plans, this is definitely a feature that fits into the rest of the Amazon WebStore and Amazon Marketplace Web Service ecosystem. Pampers may be the first example of an Amazon-powered web store on Facebook, but it’s hardly the first e-commerce example. At the beginning of the summer, Disney rolled out an app on its Toy Story 3 fan page that allowed users to buy movie tickets and invite friends to various screenings. Sony Pictures Entertainment has also integrated movie ticket purchase options into the Fan Pages for some of its films, including Eat Pray Love and Resident Evil Afterlife. Likewise, other e-commerce platforms like ShopTab, Payvment and BigCommerce offer their own shopping solutions for businesses and brands. Still, Amazon remains a major player in the e-commerce and fulfillment space. Many businesses build either their own custom Amazon WebStores or use Amazon for fulfillment or payment processing. If the P&G fan page is indicative of a future product vertical, and we think it is, this could mean big things not just for bringing e-commerce to Facebook, but for expanding the reach of Amazon WebStores. What do you think of brands integrating web stores with Facebook? Reviews: Facebook More About: amazon, amazon webstore, e-commerce, facebook, pampers, proctor & gamble For more Social Media coverage:
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| Connected TV: The New Battle for Your Living Room [INFOGRAPHIC] Posted: 01 Oct 2010 12:40 PM PDT After years of false-starts and not-quite-there implementations, it appears that the connected TV revolution is upon us. Finally, consumers will have access to affordable technology that will let them access web content and content from their Macs or PCs from the comfort of the couch, without expensive HTPC setups or complicated software. The battle for the living room is finally here. Three of the big contenders in this space are the new Apple TV, the upcoming Boxee Box, and the recently updated Roku XDS. All three units work without a hard drive and stream content in HD from the web to your TV. All three also offer the ability to access non-web content too (via add-ons or over a network). How do these devices stack up when it comes to price, features and supported services? Our inforgraphic puts this battle in perspective:   As an aside, one other contender in this space, Google TV, is also coming this fall. However, unlike the other devices, it integrates with cable or satellite TV, in addition to offering access to some web services. We omitted Google TV from this lineup, but will take a look at how the device compares to the competition once it ships. Right after we commissioned this infographic, Roku announced that it will be adding Hulu Plus support to all of its units later this fall.> What do you think of the 2010 Battle for the Living Room? Is there one product that interests you more than others? Let us know your thoughts. More Tech Resources from Mashable:
More About: Apple TV, boxee box, connected devices, connected tv, infographic, internet television, roku, television, video, web video For more Tech coverage:
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| Why Product Reviews Can Drive Group Buying Success for Retailers Posted: 01 Oct 2010 11:56 AM PDT   Sam Decker is chief marketing officer of Bazaarvoice, the market and technology leader in hosted social commerce applications that drive sales. You can follow him on Twitter @SamDecker. Social networks and social media (Facebook, Twitter, blogs, etc.) get a lot of attention in the business world, and with good reason – these sites have huge audiences who are spending more waking hours being social online than ever before. However, another major marketing movement may have a much larger impact on how products are made and companies are managed: discounted group buying sites. Group buying sites attract businesses’ attention because these sites drive purchase behavior and results. However, it’s the bright light they shine on the importance of improving product and service quality that may have the more lasting effect on the marketplace. The group buying phenomenon is pushing businesses to improve their customer experience because making sure customers get real value from your brand is crucial to future success. That’s why product reviews and group buying are a match made in Heaven. How Group Buying Is Changing the Retail GameA recent Forbes profile on Groupon reported that the group buying site’s sales have reached $500 million and that the company’s valuation is now $1.3 billion. Groupon will be the fastest company to reach $1 billion in sales, and they were profitable seven months after inception. In just three years, there are now 200 competitors to Groupon in the U.S. alone (over 500 internationally, says Forbes), and this number is growing — not to mention the likelihood that Facebook, Yelp, Foursquare, and niche publishing sites seem likely to get in on this model of selling. Clearly, group purchasing has resonated with the market. This model is simple: a massive discount with urgency and strong merchandising. In Groupon's case, a 50%+ discount will definitely drive sales. It’s important to realize, however, that they are unprofitable sales. According to the article, the retailer only gets half of their discounted deal, netting only up to 25% of the list price. No, the retailer doesn't make money; however, they do get eyeballs on their company and product. The bet is this exposure will attract full price customers, offsetting the loss. A couple things will happen with businesses that advertise on sites like Groupon. First, it will be difficult to get off the “crack” of sales from these deals. Groupon reports 97% of their retailers want to be featured again. And with 200 group buying sites, and more coming, many retailers may just make the rounds of discount after discount. This is a recipe for losing money and commoditizing your brand. Unless – and this is the big caveat – the retailer sees sustained profitable sales from returning customers. Which brings us to the second and more salient point: Groupon reports 22% of customers who buy a deal return to buy full price. What's the standard deviation on that curve? Discounted customers will only return if they had a great experience with the product or service, and if, at full price, the experience is still a great value. What percentage of companies will clear that high bar? Companies must become amazing to attract profitable customers back, or they may discount themselves out of business. And that’s where Groupon shines a light on the need for a superior customer experience. Why Reviews Matter How can companies reach that level of excellence? By actively listening to customers and striving to improve their products and services based on feedback. Based on the over 140 billion impressions of reviews and other user-generated content my company has served over the past five years on more than 950 retail and brand sites, we’ve seen how companies transform based on what customers say about their products. Studies show reviews will influence 83% of all holiday shoppers this year, and over half of the top retailers now have customer reviews on their products. But this isn't just about shopping online. Retailers feature review content in catalogs, ads, store signage, mobile apps, and on social networks. Local review sites such as Yelp have exploded as popular communities for reviews of local businesses, and as a result, customer reviews and ratings come up near the top in most business or product search results. Logically, reviews will become as important to manufacturers as they are to retailers. E-tailers have been working with reviews for years now, and they know the impact reviews have on sales. They use product reviews to decide what to put (and keep) on shelves, what to merchandise in their ads and on their home page, and what to buy next year. The voice of the customer influences what will be sold. It follows that manufacturers must also to pay close attention to reviews, lest they disappoint customers, who then give poor feedback. Brands now listen to what customers are saying because product reviews are the most direct and actionable source for product decision-making. Similarly in retail, reviews inform manufacturer decisions on product development, design and marketing. By listening to customers, both on the retail and manufacturing side, business participants in group discount buying sites can increase their chances of converting coupon customers into full-paying ones. ConclusionReviews and discounted buying are two very powerful strategies that result in the same implication for business. Reviews drive sales, and can point to how to improve products. Discount buying sites drive sales, but require brands to become better to retain profitable customers. Both underscore that how you build your products and business matters most. Make your products exceptional. Make your service exceptional. This will enable success on group buying sites, and listening to customer feedback can help you get there. More Business Resources from Mashable:
Image courtesy of iStockphoto, RBFried Reviews: Facebook, Foursquare, Twitter, Yelp, iStockphoto More About: business, Google, group buying, groupon, MARKETING, product reviews, reivews, small business, yelp For more Business coverage:
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| Belkin Conserve Smart AV Surge Protector Saves Energy Automatically Posted: 01 Oct 2010 11:42 AM PDT   Your household electronics are trying to destroy the environment. Chances are, right now, dozens of them are currently guzzling down loads of energy in standby mode. This isn’t good, but the Belkin Conserve Smart AV is here to help you save the world and maybe even help you save a few bucks on your electric bill in the process. The concept behind the Belkin Conserve Smart AV is as elegant as it is simple. It works like this: Six ports are clustered together. One port serves as the master, while the other five are master-controlled. When the master device is turned on, the other five ports are activated. When the master is turned off, power to the master controlled devices is canceled. The result is an easy solution for energy vampirism. There are also two non-master-controlled ports for devices like clocks and fans that might need to be live when the master device isn’t. The Belkin Conserve Smart AV will be available soon for $30. Belkin estimates that standby energy costs about $76 per year, so it could pay for itself in less than 12 months. Are you an energy conservationist? Do solutions like the Belkin Conserve Smart AV appeal to you or do you have a better solution? More About: Belkin, Energy Conservation, environment, Smart Power For more Tech coverage:
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| Foursquare Releases Merit-Based Badges for Better Living Posted: 01 Oct 2010 11:05 AM PDT   As checkins become commonplace, Foursquare has changed its location-based game to reward players for actual achievements. RunKeeper was the first partner to introduce merit-based Foursquare badges, but today another partner has emerged. Health Month, a game that inspires players to set self-betterment rules to live by for a month, will now gift successful members with up to four different Foursquare badges. For those unfamiliar with Health Month, the site challenges users to commit to better living for a month. You set your own rules — it could be related to your health, fitness, diet or mental states — on the first of the month, and for each rule you commit to, you’ll be slotted in to one of four brackets based on difficulty. Each day, you’ll complete your scorecard and indicate whether or not you satisfied the terms of each rule. You start the month off with 10 life points, and you’ll lose a life point every time you break a rule. Should you finish the month with more than one life point, then you will have successfully survived your bracket and will be placed on the Wall of Awesomeness. Now, HealthMonth players who survive their brackets will be also win a Foursquare merit badge for their dedication to self-improvement, so long as they connect their Foursquare account to their Health Month account. Foursquare asserts, “We want Foursquare to help people live better and healthier lives.” The startup’s first two merit badge partners seem to back up that sentiment. What’s more interesting, though, is that the social gaming network is cleverly experimenting outside the crowded arena of checkin-based activity. Clearly, the product is evolving to account for checkin fatigue, inching closer to those “moments of magic and delight for users” that Founder Dennis Crowley hopes to inspire.  Reviews: Foursquare More About: badges, foursquare, health month, merit badges For more Social Media coverage:
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| Minecraft: How Social Media Spawned a Gaming Sensation Posted: 01 Oct 2010 10:48 AM PDT   If you enjoy interacting with other humans, sleeping more than three hours a night, and bathing from time to time, do not play Minecraft. It’s one of the most engrossing and addicting computer games to come along in some time. What is Minecraft? You might not able to figure that out from the developer’s own website. But if you’re like most avid players, you probably discovered the game through a social network like Reddit, where its popularity is exploding. The game itself is a giant “sandbox” — that is, an open-ended creative environment where you’re free to create and destroy what you will at virtually any scale, using the resources in the game world. There are no princesses to save or points to score (though there are monsters that come out at night to kill you and wreck everything), yet the game is still raking in millions of dollars. Beyond Minecraft’s engrossing mechanics and the story of its rise, there’s something else unique about the game: It’s not finished. In fact, it’s still in “Alpha” mode, and is constantly being updated and improved by its lone Swedish developer Markus Persson, known as “Notch” to his legions of online fans. Why are hundreds of thousands of people purchasing and obsessively playing a game that’s nowhere near final development? That you can credit to the social web. Simplicity and Community The grand experiment began in May of 2009, when Persson, according to his website, quit his day job in game development to focus on creating something “simple yet dynamic.” Developed in Java and playable via a browser or a downloadable client, Minecraft’s “lo-fi” graphics and procedurally generated environments are minimally taxing for most PCs, meaning just about everyone can join in on the fun. In June of last year, the game became available for pre-order, which meant that for €9.95 (about US$13 at the time of writing), you could start playing the game as it was being built. The purchase then entitles you to every subsequent update and release, including the final retail version, which will eventually sell for €20.00. This set the stage for community investment in a living, breathing product. By purchasing an account, you not only get to enjoy the game, but fund its development, and to some extent have a voice in the process via the burgeoning (and wholly “unofficial”) community. Fast forward to September 2010, and the game has sold nearly 300,000 copies to the tune of $3.8 million. Not bad for just over a year’s work. Has this model for game distribution — selling an unfinished product to fund its very development — been done before? Yes, says Michael Rose, a writer for IndieGames.com, who interviewed Persson about the game’s development. “There have actually been several cases of this happening, especially in recent times, but perhaps not on the same scale as with Minecraft,” Rose noted. “For example, late last year indie developer Terry Cavanagh began taking pre-orders for his retro platformer VVVVVV, and in turn gave access to the early beta for anyone who paid. Terry was very open on his blog, stating that the money from the pre-orders was helping to fund the rest of its development.” Andrew Webster, a tech and gaming writer who interviewed Persson for Ars Technica notes that, “In the age of frequent patches and updates, most games are an evolving and constantly changing experience. But I can’t think of any that achieved such a high level of success in such an early state.” So how does one man develop a game and provide support for the thousands who have paid good money to play it? He doesn’t — that’s where the community comes in. Ongoing issues, news, and game updates are curated by the thousands of fans who discuss gameplay and development on the World of Minecraft forums, the Minepedia (a wiki-style resource where most go to learn how to play the game), on Reddit and on other unofficial haunts. There’s plenty for fans to discuss, since Persson codes in the open and keeps players apprised of updates via his Tumblr blog, and recently via Twitter as well. He even maintains a public to-do list of the bugs he’s squashing and ideas he’s planning to implement. With a window into the day-to-day development process, the community is highly invested, and you can’t pay for better social marketing than that. The “Look What I Made” EffectGaming videos on YouTube are nothing new. But the Minecraft culture is pretty keen on sharing its in-game accomplishments in photos and video. “It’s definitely key,” said Webster of the game’s social success. “People are making incredible things in Minecraft, and this in turn makes other people want to play so they can create incredible things of their own.” Incredible might be an understatement. While many players are content to build log cabins, high towers, or underground lairs where they can safely spend the night away from zombies and exploding enemies called “creepers,” some have invested countless days building huge recreations of historic architecture like the Parthenon, or the temple at Chichen Itza (above). Others build their homes underwater, or amid complex underground minecart transportation systems. Using the game’s advanced “Redstone Circuit” system, some players have even constructed rudimentary in-game computers, capable of basic calculations, such as this arithmetic logic unit, or ALU. An then there’s this: A deliciously nerdy 1:1 scale recreation of the Starship Enterprise, made of stone, complete down to the official blueprints themselves. While it should be noted that this feat was achieved with 3D modeling software and then imported into the game, the results are no less compelling. “I know plenty of people who have bought the game simply because they saw something amazing on YouTube and wanted to get in on the action,” said Rose, underscoring the important role social media has played in Minecraft’s success. “There’s no doubt that it’s a fantastic game, however without social networks, potential customers would only have screenshots and info from the main site to go off, and those alone would most likely have not been enough.” What It Means for Indie Game DevelopmentMinecraft’s skyrocketing success is rare, to be sure, but it’s a hopeful sign that the right recipe of game mechanics, accessibility, and community involvement can make independent projects financially viable on the web. In a world where everything’s free online, Minecraft provides value worth paying for. “I have no doubt that many indie developers will now be looking carefully at how exactly Minecraft has become so popular, and trying to recreate this success for themselves,” said Rose. “Over the next year, we’re bound to see plenty of online, retro multiplayer games and sandbox-style builders appearing all over the place.” He also foresees established game studios trying their hand at the genre as well. “I’m hopeful that Minecraft will serve as an inspiration for other indie developers,” said Webster. “Creating a game on your own, especially one as complex as Minecraft, not only takes a lot of hard work, but it’s also very risky. But Markus’ astounding success shows that it can be worth all of that effort and risk.” More Gaming Resources from Mashable:
Reviews: YouTube, reddit.com More About: computer games, entertainment, game developers, games, gaming, minecraft, reddit, social media, tech, trending, video games, youtube For more Entertainment coverage:
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| Thanks to Mashable’s Socially Savvy Supporters Posted: 01 Oct 2010 10:35 AM PDT
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| Justin Timberlake and Aaron Sorkin Not That Into Facebook [VIDEO] Posted: 01 Oct 2010 09:29 AM PDT
Timberlake, for the most part, chatted with Jon Stewart about his boot business (it’s a joke, watch the video), and spent precious few moments talking about the movie and social media at large. When he was asked to discuss the phenomena that is Facebook, he replied, “Dude, I’m an actor and a musician. I have no idea.”
Sorkin, however, spent more time on the subject of the movie and Facebook as a whole. When asked about the veracity of the movie he told Colbert that it was “fiction. I’m sorry, fact!” (Yup, the media is going to be debating that point for a while yet.) Still, the most interesting part of the interview came when Sorkin admitted to not using Facebook, explaining that social networking is more of a performance than a reality. “Socializing on the Internet is to what socializing what reality TV is to reality,” he told Colbert. However, Sorkin maintained that you don’t need to be into social media to enjoy the movie (which makes sense — Confessions of a Dangerous Mind is a good movie whether or not you dig game shows, and you can still enjoy Network even if you don’t watch the news). “It doesn’t matter if you’re on Facebook or not — love Facebook or hate Facebook,” Sorkins said. “That is irrelevant to whether or not you’re going to enjoy this movie.” The Social Network hits theaters today. What do you think of Sorkin’s views on social media? Do they ring true? Also, do you think it’s necessary to be on Facebook to enjoy the film? Take a look at the videos and weigh in via the comments.
Image courtesy of Sony Pictures Entertainment Reviews: Facebook, Internet More About: Aaron Sorkin, colbert report, daily show, facebook, Film, justin timberlake, television, the social network, video For more Entertainment coverage:
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| 10 Stories Beautifully Told with Animated Typography [VIDEOS] Posted: 01 Oct 2010 09:22 AM PDT The power of the written word should not be underestimated, and while we are used to coping with more visual data than ever before, sometimes something as simple as text can cut through the white noise and make a big impact. We think moving type, or “kinetic typography” is a good example of just that. Thanks to some recent high profile examples like Cee-lo’s video for his expletive-filled song, moving type is no longer relegated to the credit sequence of a film or a quiet corner reserved for Adobe After Effects fans on YouTube. We’ve selected 10 examples of what we think are some great creations in the moving type arena — sometimes mesmerizing, sometimes funny, sometimes thought-provoking. Check out the gallery below and let us know which ones you like in the comments. 1. Duck and CoverThis is an updated take on an old public service broadcast from the Cold War era that aimed to frighten - sorry - advise school children in the event of a nuclear attack on the U.S. The uselessness of the "duck and cover" message, the stiff tones of the narrator and the great graphics make for an interesting take on social history. Oh, and if you didn't notice it the first time around, look out for the subliminal "WAR" flashed at 16 seconds in. 2. TypographicsThere's so much going on in this short created by Vancouver Film School students Marcos Ceravolo and Ryan Uhrich, and it's well worth watching a few times to really appreciate it. On one level, you've got a witty verbal description of typography, but there's another layer with the references that be viewed in the video. Can you name the three faces shown from 1:05? 3. How to ImpressThe punchline maybe fairly obvious, but there's some nice aspects to this student-made clip including the use of fonts that help depict the various words, and some cute animations. 4. Language by Ronnie BruceFilm student Ronnie Bruce takes a poem by Taylor Mali and turns it from an arresting monologue into a work of art. The text serves to emphasize the points made by Mali. It's a clever choice from Bruce. A poem about the way we talk -- emphasis on words, invisible question marks, etc. -- works very well indeed when translated back down to the animated written word. 5. Human RightsThe Universal Declaration of Human Rights gets a kinetic makeover here, as the sometimes paraphrased concepts come to life before your eyes with moving type and animation. It's very effective and a great way to bring a contemporary twist to a document that was drafted all the way back in 1948. 6. Psychiatric Answering MachineAn old joke gets refreshed as the "psychiatric answering machine message" animations bring the punchlines home in an amusing, visual way. 7. Who's on First?James Zito is a brave man to take on this fast-paced snippet of the famed "Who's On First" routine by Abbott and Costello, but he pulls it off brilliantly. The audio is a perfect candidate for moving type, as it focuses around the confusion of a name. The first baseman is called "Who" so "Who's on first" can be both a question and an answer. Somehow, a visual representation of the language makes it even more amusing. 8. MinimalismThe subject matter for Jeff Smith-Luedke's "kinetic poem" makes for a great typographic project, thanks to some clever contrast between black and white. In addition, different typefaces for different character voices and the use of scale, like the word "little" shown large, for example, all make for a witty piece. 9. Messi GoalThis short but sweet creation offers a glimpse into what sports commentary can look like when converted to animated type. What's also neat is how it demonstrates that you don't need to understand the text in order for it to be effective. Taken from real commentary as Argentinian footballer Lionel Messi scores a goal for Barcelona against Getafe in 2007, the field and addition of a ball makes it lots of fun. 10: Ego EGOWe're sort of cheating with this one, as it's not quite in the same vein as the previous examples, but it's so charming we just had to add it in. More animation than kinetic typography, Sebastian Bap uses moving type to great effect in this video. There are some really imaginative touches that will make you smile. More Typography Resources from Mashable
Reviews: YouTube More About: adobe, design, fonts, gallery, kinetic typography, Text, typography, video, videos, web video, youtube For more Web Video coverage:
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| Booq Boa Folio Is Better Than The Apple iPad Case Posted: 01 Oct 2010 08:30 AM PDT   In the market for a simple iPad case? Check out the Booq Boa Folio. It’s similar in design to the Apple iPad Case, but made from, you know, quality components. The Booq Boa Folio for iPad comes in an assortment of colors and constructions. At $50 for the base model, it’s not a significant up-sell from Apple’s own case, but its ballistic nylon shell does make it a significant upgrade.  If you’re feeling more executive, the $90 version of the Booq Folio for iPad comes in gray twylon with genuine Nappa leather accents. It costs a bit more, but it’s hard to argue that it doesn’t look smart. Since buying an iPad, I’ve personally had two Apple iPad Cases completely and totally, fall apart on me. If you have suffered similar misadventures while in possession of Apple iPad Case, please sound off in comments. If you’ve moved on from the Apple iPad Case (or never owned one in the first place): What case are you currently using and, most important, why are you using it? More About: accessories, apple, booq, cases, gear, ipad For more Tech coverage:
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| 10 Incredible Inventions from The World Maker Faire [PICS] Posted: 01 Oct 2010 07:46 AM PDT The World Maker Faire was an impossible density of coolness for anybody with even slightly geeky tendencies. Robots, rockets, art cars, electronics and even a giant Tesla coil all shared the grounds of the New York Hall of Science. Needless to say, we were a bit overwhelmed, but these 10 exhibits caught out attention (Did we mention the giant fire ball?). The Cubinator  The Cubinator currently holds the Guinness world record for fastest machine solve of a Rubik's cube. Pete Redmond, who developed the robot for the final project of his master's degree, says that its solve time averages about 25 seconds. Webcams in the robot's eyes detect the colors on the cube and the machine solves the puzzle by using an algorithm to find the fewest moves. It also has has a sense of humor, shouting "oh dear!" when it occasionally drops the cube. Propane-Powered Fireball Gun It's always hard to ignore a fireball gun (though admittedly easier if it's hanging out next to a pulse jet-powered steam punk carousel). But when the folks at PopSci told us we could push the button ourselves, it was impossible to resist. Brooklyn Aerodrome Brooklyn Aerodrome's "towel" kept people looking toward the sky. The homemade flyer is pretty much a souped-up paper airplane made out of trash. Inventors Breck Baldwin and Mark Harder host free towel building sessions in their basement studio and sell kits to people who want to build their own flying towels. Egg-Bot Egg-Bot is a build-your-own robot that decorates eggs (simple enough). All of the electronics and software are designed to be hackable and repurposable so that you can easily build something new with it. To be fair, the $195 robot also decorates spherical objects like ping pong balls, tree ornaments, and golf balls. But that was probably too much to work into the title. LineLife In this exhibit by Samwell Freeman, participants use a remote to control a vehicle that draws on a paper floor. The same remote simultaneously creates a drawing on the computer screen. "As more people interact with the piece, a population of drawings accumulates," explains Freeman's website. "This population exists in an artificial life environment where drawings evolve, mate and die." In other words, there are all sorts of way to play with them, like having the robots draw a physical version of the digital drawing. The EyeWriter Project Graffiti artist Tony Quan (known as TEMPT1) was diagnosed with ALS in 2003, a disease that paralyzed most of his body, but not his artistic creativity. Members of Free Art and Technology (FAT), OpenFrameworks, the Graffiti Research Lab, and The Ebeling Group communities teamed up to develop a device and software that allows Tony to draw by moving his eyes. MakerBot You make MakerBot. And then MakerBot makes you whatever you want. The 3D printer outputs plastic layers according to designs that you create or download. The "thing-o-matic" printer kit retails for $1,225. Try Me We were a little weirded out when a man wearing this exhibition approached us for a hug. That's before we realized his t-shirt had a built-in hug decoder. The decoded hug is sent to a Twitter account. According to the t-shirt, I gave an "Awww i missed you, too" hug. Flux Continuum This kinetic sculpture, designed by Patricia Adler, strives to assemble itself into a three dimensional mobius strip (which looks like an infinity sign). An algorithm on a micro controller drives eight stepper motors to control each individual segment. There are many thousands of configuration possibilities, so it will take several months for the sculpture to complete itself. When people watch the sculpture, their proximity speeds the algorithm, which gives the impression that they're "helping" the sculpture reach its final state. Uokhad Dan Perrone created Uokhad to "address the act of composition and exhibition of musical ideas." The floor of the exhibit is covered in audio cassette tape that's loaded with unusual sounds. Perrone made most of them with his guitar, but also used other props like crinkled up plastic. When the remote-control car (which is usually covered by a rock sculpture) moves, it drags a Walkman tape-head across the strips and plays the sounds. More About: Dan Perrone, Egg-Bo, Egg-Bot, EyeWriter, gadgets, Inventions, LineLife, maker faire, MakerBot, Patricia Adler, Pete Redmond, Photos, robots, Samwell Freeman, tech, The Cubinator, Try ME, Twitter Hugs, Uokhad For more Tech coverage:
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| Samsung Galaxy Tab Hits the UK on November 1 Posted: 01 Oct 2010 07:13 AM PDT   Samsung’s Android-based tablet, the Galaxy Tab, will be available in UK stores on November 1. The Galaxy Tab is a 7-inch tablet, sporting a TFT-LCD display with 1024×600 pixel resolution, a 3-megapixel camera and an additional front 1.3-megapixel camera for video chats. It runs Android 2.2 (Froyo). Powered by a Cortex A8 1 GHz processor, it has 512 MB of RAM and 16/32 GB of internal memory, which can be further upgraded with microSD memory cards. UK residents should be able to find the Galaxy Tab in the stores of electronic goods retailers and major carriers, including Carphone Warehouse, Dixons Store Group and T-Mobile. The exact price is still unknown, but Samsung claims the Galaxy Tab “will be available on a range of attractive price packages.” Disclosure: Samsung is a Mashable sponsor. Reviews: Android, Mashable More About: android, samsung, Samsung Galaxy Tab, Tablet For more Tech coverage:
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| Top 3 Stories in Social Media and Tech This Morning Posted: 01 Oct 2010 06:55 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. We're keeping our eyes on three particular stories of interest today. High-Resolution Photos Come to Facebook Facebook began rolling out some significant upgrades to its Photos service late Thursday, including the ability to upload and download high-resolution images up to 2048×2048 pixels in dimension, as well as bulk tagging options and a new, elegant lightbox interface for viewing images on the site. The changes put Facebook on a level with Flickr and other image and portfolio-sharing sites; artists, photographers, models and graphic designers will have every reason to display their work on Facebook now. The new image sizes should also allow users to make quality prints. Google Street View Now Available on All Seven Continents Since launching in major U.S. cities in 2007, Google has gradually expanded its Street View service, which allows users to get street-level views of locations they explore on Google Maps. Now, Street View has been made available in Brazil, Ireland and even parts of Antarctica. The Social Network Arrives in Theaters Today The Social Network, a feature film that dramatizes the founding and early years of social networking site Facebook, arrives in U.S. theaters today. Mashable’s Christina Warren has posted her full review here. Further News
Reviews: Android, Android Market, App Store, Facebook, Flickr, Foursquare, Google, Google Maps, Mashable More About: facebook, facebook photos, Google, google street view, the social network For more Social Media coverage:
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| Samsung to Terminate Support for Symbian Posted: 01 Oct 2010 06:53 AM PDT   Samsung has informed developers it will discontinue its Symbian support service beginning December 31 2010. The news comes just days after Sony Ericsson announced its intention to cease Symbian support. The announcement means that the Symbian Foundation has lost two major members in as many weeks. This doesn’t come as much of a surprise since Samsung has recently been focused more on manufacturing Android-based devices, such as the Galaxy S, while developing its own mobile platform, bada. Besides Samsung and Sony Ericsson, other members of the Symbian Foundation are Fujitsu, Huawei, LG Electronics, Nokia and Sharp. With LG openly admitting it’s no longer interested in Symbian, Nokia stands as the biggest — perhaps even the last real — Symbian supporter, and even Nokia has lately been focusing much of its efforts on MeeGo, at least when it comes to high-end smartphones. Symbian is still the world’s most popular smartphone platform, but it has consistently lost ground to competitors such as Android and iOS. The next two iterations of the OS, Symbian^3 and Symbian^4, should bring significant improvements and make Symbian more competitive against other mobile platforms, but with most major device manufacturers giving up on it, one has to wonder if Symbian is dead in the water. Reviews: Android, Symbian S60 More About: Mobile 2.0, samsung, smartphone, Symbian For more Mobile coverage:
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