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Mashable: Latest 29 News Updates - including “HTC Launches a 7-Inch, 1.5 GHz Tablet”

Posted by Ashim Adhikari on 5:17 AM // 0 comments

Mashable: Latest 29 News Updates - including “HTC Launches a 7-Inch, 1.5 GHz Tablet”

HTC Launches a 7-Inch, 1.5 GHz Tablet

Posted: 15 Feb 2011 04:44 AM PST


Besides the two Facebook-enabled mid-range Android smartphones and a slew of high-end Android devices, HTC has also launched a powerful aluminum tablet called HTC Flyer.

The device should really be flying with a 1.5 GHz CPU (single-core), 1 GB of RAM and 32 GB of storage space (further expandable with microSD memory cards). It also features a 1024 x 600 7-inch screen, a 5-megapixel camera on the back and an additional 1.3-megapixel one on the front for video calls.

It’s a powerful machine, but it does lack one thing its competitors have: Android Honeycomb. That’s right, the HTC Flyer will be running an improved version of Android Gingerbread and a special version of HTC’s Sense UI designed for tablets.

Furthermore, with a 7-inch screen it’s smaller than most of its new competitors, such as the Motorola Xoom and the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1. HTC will probably have to follow up on the Flyer soon if it wants to catch a sizable chunk of the tablet market.

How do you feel about the Flyer? Would you buy the device? Please, let us know what you think in the comments!

More About: android, Flyer, htc, Tablet

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HTC Adds a Facebook Button to Two New Android Handsets

Posted: 15 Feb 2011 04:14 AM PST


HTC waited for its competitors in the Android smartphone/tablet arena to show off their wares on day one of the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, only to burst on the stage on day two with an onslaught of Android devices, many of which will definitely be a hot topic in the months to come.

The tally is as follows: One 1.5 GHz Android tablet, HTC Salsa and ChaCha, two Android handsets with a dedicated Facebook button, and Android Incredible S, Desire S and Wildfire S, powerful refreshes of HTC’s already very comprehensive Android smartphone lineup.

We’ll start with HTC ChaCha and Salsa which are mid-range Android Gingerbread-based smartphones, with a 600 MHz CPU and 512 MB of RAM. The main difference between the two is a full QWERTY keyboard on the ChaCha.

What makes them interesting is a dedicated Facebook button. Speaking at a MWC keynote titled “The Power of Applications” this morning, HTC CEO Peter Chou said that the Facebook button “knows where you are.”

“If you’re in an app you want to share, or listening to music, you can share it by pressing one button,” he said. In practice, after clicking the button a menu will appear, letting you write whatever you want into that Facebook status field.

What do you think: is such a dedicated Facebook button useful? Would you use the feature? Would you like to see it on HTC’s more powerful smartphones as well? Please, share your opinions in the comments.

More About: android, ChaCha, facebook, htc, phone, salsa, smartphone

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iPhone 5 Rumor Round-Up: Bigger Screen, Better Camera, Physical Keyboard?

Posted: 14 Feb 2011 10:10 PM PST


The word on the street tonight is that Apple is toying with the idea of a much larger screen for the iPhone 5.

Other iPhone 5 rumors include a slide-out keyboard and a more competitive camera.

These rumors may have been spawned by glimpses of as-yet unfinished prototypes which may never come to market; they could be complete fiction. Or they could also represent part of the future of Apple’s iconic phone.

The bulk of this iPhone 5-related gossip comes from a Taiwanese blog with a high rate of accuracy on previous Apple leaks. The screen-size rumor comes from DigiTimes.

The interesting thing about all these rumors is that each one suggests Apple is more concerned than ever about competing with Android devices, many of which feature huge screens, massive cameras and physical keyboards already.

For example, many top-of-the-line Android models feature 8-megapixel cameras in contrast to the iPhone 4‘s 5-megapixel model. A couple devices in non-U.S. markets even top that spec; the Altek Leo features a 14-megapixel camera. Without question, the trend is toward more megapixels with every passing month.

And some of these Android devices feature screens as large as 4.3 inches. Android devices with screens in the 4-inches-and-over category often sport kickstands and are lauded for their multimedia capabilities — or derided for being slightly impractical and unwieldy, depending on the user’s perspective.

Now, the iPhone 5 is rumored to have a camera between 8 megapixels (competitive with current Android phones) and 12 megapixels (blowing most current Android models out of the water and likely keeping pace with future Androids, too). With a better camera and a larger screen, it might sport the specs to intrigue those whose loyalties lie with the best hardware over the brand name.

The physical keyboard rumor, however, is a horse of a different color. A handful of Android and RIM devices have been holding sway over the business and content-creating crowd with their über-efficient text entry. But the enterprise isn’t a market Apple has typically courted in the past; to do so now, we suspect they’d have to have a virtual keyboard option alongside a physical keyboard option — an extremely atypical move for the company.

Which of these rumors — if any — do you think are true? Vote in the poll, and give us your full opinion in the comments.


Image courtesy of Flickr, boedker.

More About: camera, iphone, iPhone 5, keyboard, rumor, rumors, screen

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Where Twitter Trending Topics Really Come From [STATS]

Posted: 14 Feb 2011 08:49 PM PST


HP‘s Social Computing Research Group has released the results of a new study that dives into the anatomy of Twitter’s Trending Topics.

For its research, HP analyzed 16.32 million tweets on 3,361 different trending topics between September and October 2010. To get its data, it queried Twitter’s search API every 20 minutes.

HP discovered that Twitter’s Trending Topics algorithm cares more about the specific subject and reach of a tweet than who tweets it or how often it’s tweeted. Around 31% of trending topics are retweets. More importantly, 72% of those retweets come from mainstream media outlet like @cnnbrk or @nytimes. The Telegraph, ESPN, @breakingnews and The Huffington Post all made the list of top retweeted users in at least 50 different trending topics.

“What proves to be more important in determining trends is the retweets by other users, which is more related to the content that is being shared than the attributes of the users,” HP concludes in its research report. “Furthermore, we found that the content that trended was largely news from traditional media sources, which are then amplified by repeated retweets on Twitter to generate trends.”

Tweets from “influencers” have little effect on trending topics. Instead, trending topics often come from news stories tweeted from major news outlets. HP concludes that traditional media still starts the conversation around the most-discussed topics in social media, not the other way around.

HP’s researchers (led by HP Senior Fellow Bernardo Huberman) also analyzed the factors impacting the length of a trending topic on Twitter. It found that the very few trending topics stay at the top longer than 40 minutes. "We showed that the distribution of long-time trends is predictable, as is as the total number of tweets and their growth over time,” Huberman said in the company’s blog post.

We’ve embedded HP’s report so you can check out the company’s methodology and mathematics. Let us know what you think of its research in the comments.

Trends in Social Media: Persistence and Decay

More About: HP, Social computing, stats, trending, trending topics, twitter

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Kaltura Raises $20M for Open-Source Video Technologies

Posted: 14 Feb 2011 07:33 PM PST


Today, open-source video platform Kaltura announced a $20 million round of funding led by new investors Nexus Venture Partners with participation from Intel Capital, existing investors .406 Ventures and Avalon Ventures, and technology lender Silicon Valley Bank.

Altogether, the company has raised $27.5 million since its 2007 Series A.

Currently, the startup says it serves more than 100,000 publishers, including media companies, enterprises, educational institutions and service providers.

Its users include such big-name entities as Fox, Paramount, HBO, Warner Brothers, Best Buy, Texas Instruments, Coldwell Banker, MIT, Yale, Stanford, Princeton, NYU, Columbia University and Siemens. These clients use the platform to enhance their web-based and mobile offerings with custom multimedia features.

The company hosts an app and plugin marketplace called the Kaltura Exchange, and its HTML5 media library has also been a recent focus.

The startup’s CEO, Ron Yekutiel, said in a release that the company’s open-source mission isn’t at all at odds with its capitalistic goals — something other open-source entrepreneurs such as WordPress founder Matt Mullenweg are also quick to point out in interviews.

Yekutiel said, "Kaltura is disrupting the online video space in a similar way to how open-source Red Hat and MySQL have disrupted their fields of operating systems and databases. We are honored to have gained the support of Intel Capital and Nexus Venture Partners, who have played an important role in the success of these two open-source giants.

“Kaltura's financial success and the premium investors that it attracts demonstrate once again that there is indeed no dissonance between doing good and doing well."

More About: 406 ventures, avalon ventures, funding, Intel Capital, kaltura, nexus venture partners, silicon valley bank

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Fashism Goes to Fashion Week [PICS]

Posted: 14 Feb 2011 05:05 PM PST


Design label Timo Weiland and Fashism, a mobile startup that recently raised $1 million from a round of prominent investors, including Ashton Kutcher, co-hosted a tech-infused party at the Soho Trump Hotel in New York City Sunday evening.

Attendees were able to try on and photograph themselves wearing pieces from both the Spring and Fall 2011 collections, the latter of which had been presented on stage at Lincoln Center just hours earlier. Photos were posted directly to Fashism, and Fashism users were able to view and share their opinions about the looks on fashism.com and through the Fashism iPhone application [iTunes link].

It was one of several initiatives the startup hosted over Fashion Week to spread awareness among the fashion industry elite. Last week, Fashism co-founders Brooke Mooreland and Ashley Gramata gave a demo of the upcoming version of their app to dozens of rapt fashion bloggers (and thousands of others online) at the Lucky Fashion and Beauty Blogger Conference. THe duo also ran a startup workshop at the Bloglovin’ Evolving Influence Conference.

It was also a great opportunity for Timo Weiland, an up-and-coming label that is only just beginning to attract broader mainstream attention.





Designers Alan Eckstein and Timo Weiland.

















Images courtesy of Fashism

More About: fashion week, fashism, iphone app, new york fashion week, nyfw, timo weiland

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Get Rewards for Saving Money on Your Energy Bill

Posted: 14 Feb 2011 04:04 PM PST

green image

Giving people free stuff is a great way to convince them to do something, especially when they get that free stuff just by cutting down their energy bills.

Earth Aid is a web app that operates a lot like Mint.com for your energy bill. Signing up for the free service will allow it to read your meter and track your output over time, giving you an online energy budget. The more energy you save on your electric, water, and gas bills, the more points you earn. These points can then be redeemed for rewards from local businesses and big brands such as Starbucks and Dove. The goal is to help you decrease your energy use and save some cash month-to-month.

Earth Aid recently received more than $4 million in Series A funding and has partnered with major institutions like the U.S. Green Building Council. The council uses the web app to make sure LEED-certified buildings continue to maintain their eco-friendly standards.

But the app doesn’t just rely on outside funding. “We’ve been making money,” said Earth Aid CEO Ben Bixby. “We’re really serious about finding a sustainable way — not just environmentally but economically, to deliver these solutions and this opportunity to people.” Bixby explained that Earth Aid gets paid when it helps people save energy. It earns a commission when users choose certain rewards products or when the company’s partners get new customers through the app.

energy image

Earth Aid is in the midst of launching a new version of the web app that also works on mobile browsers. New features include ways to break up your energy bill so you can read it by calendar month or in smaller increments. By moving away from the convention of seeing an energy bill once a month, Bixby hopes that usage becomes a daily conversation rather than a monthly headache.

The app also includes group features, where you can challenge and converse with friends or take advantage of the “automated bragging” feature, Bixby’s affectionate way of referring to social network integration. Depending on personal proclivities, users can share all of their usage updates or just share when they show improvements.

One major problem with Earth Aid is that rewards are based on a personal baseline calculated from your own energy usage history. This means rewards are given based on personal performance as opposed to overall output. Someone who maintains a low output won’t get rewarded as much as someone who cuts back, even if they still use more energy. It’s a problem that Earth Aid is working to fix.

There is also the question of intent. If someone cuts their output just to win rewards, isn’t that sending the wrong message about sustainability? Bixby understands there are some people that will use Earth Aid just for the rewards and others that are actively trying to monitor their ecological footprint. “Whether it’s important for you to save energy and the rewards are a bonus, or if it’s important for you to just win awards, the outcome is the same,” Bixby said. “We’re trying to build an app that serves all people. Those that are green already and people that are just trying to save money for the fun stuff in life.”

Will you give Earth Aid a shot? Does it matter if social good occurs as a result of awards or do the ends justify the means? Sound off in the comments.

Image courtesy of Flcikr, stevendepolo

More About: charity, earth aid, environment, non-profit, social good, web app

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100+ Upcoming Social Media & Tech Events

Posted: 14 Feb 2011 03:16 PM PST

social_media_events_guide1

Every week, Mashable puts together a calendar of upcoming social media and web events, parties and conferences. Would you like to have your conference or event listed here? If so, please contact us for the Mashable Media Partnership Guidelines document. If your event meets our requirements, contact us at least one month before your event to establish a media partnership with us. For more upcoming listings, check out Mashable’s‘s Events section.

In the meantime, here are some tips on how to network, share your information and/or promote your event(s) using social media:

Mashable’s Weekly Social Media and Marketing Event Guide is proudly supported by Eventbrite, the Web’s Event Marketplace.

February 14-17, 2011, Washington, DC: Attend the Advanced Learning Institute's 23rd updated forum on Social Media for Government: How To Engage Your Employees & Citizens By Using The Latest Web 2.0 Technologies To Drive Communication Results, to learn how to incorporate social media into your communications & marketing plans & leverage the latest interactive Web 2.0 tools & techniques to advance your organizational goals. Hear practical advice from: ON Ministry of Labour; Toronto Police Service; Northern Lights Canada; Royal Bank of Canada; Genome Alberta; ON Ministry of Health & Long-Term Care; Public Service Commission of Canada; City of Ottawa; Halton Region, ON & more. Register and mention Mashable to save $200!

February 14-16, 2011, New York, NY: O’Reilly Tools of Change for Publishing Conference (TOC) – Explore the new world of “Publishing Without Boundaries” at the 5th annual O’Reilly Tools of Change for Publishing Conference (TOC). This premiere event provides an unparalleled opportunity for stakeholders from across the book publishing and tech industries to network, share ideas, engage in lively debate, and come away with the knowledge and inspiration to lead change within their own organizations. Not only does TOC cover what's working now, but we also look ahead to what will work as publishing transitions to the next phase. The people who attend TOC are the people who are shaping publishing's future. Mashable readers can save 15% on registration with the promo code toc11mash. http://www.toccon.com/toc2011?cmp=mp-conf-tc11-mashable-banner-ad

February 14, 2011, Barcelona, Spain: The Mobile Premier Awards are among the most influential events in the mobile industry and the point of reference in early-stage innovation during the Mobile World Congress. An international jury of the most recognized mobile industry experts will select the 20 finalists from all the local AppCircuses held during 2010 to showcase their app in a 3-minute pitch at the event in Barcelona in front of investors, operators, media companies, peer entrepreneurs, and press and influential bloggers. Register and use the promo code #BCNMASHABLE to receive a 10% discount.

February 15-17, 2011, San Jose, CA: FAST ’11 explores new directions in the design, implementation, evaluation, and deployment of storage systems. Learn from leaders in the storage industry with ground-breaking tutorials by experts such as Brent Welch, Mostafa Khalil, Benjamin Reed, and more. This year’s innovative 2-day technical program includes 20 technical papers, Work-in-Progress Reports (WiPs), and two poster sessions. FAST’ 11 promises to be an exciting conference presenting leading examples of current research and a strong vision of the future of file and storage technologies. Learn more by clicking here. Receive a $75 discount by entering FAST11MASH upon registration.

February 15, 2011, New York, NY: iKids is a new one-day event designed to help you connect your app business with leading kids entertainment brands. Featuring case studies, expert panels, networking sessions, a global research presentation and an Apps Showdown format, our program will challenge and inspire you to approach your mobile business in new ways. For more information and to register, please click here.

February 16-17, 2011, Berkeley, CA: Content Marketing is a key digital trend for 2011. Come to the first conference dedicated to leveraging content to attract more customers: Contentmarketing2011.com. The conference will bring together leading brands, ad agencies, publishers, PR professionals and service providers to focus solely on the latest strategies, solutions and technologies in digital content marketing. The conference will reveal through real-world case studies how to use content marketing to increase business and explore the future of this extremely powerful marketing tool. Mashable readers can register with the promo code mashable and save $100 off the early bird rate.

February 16, 2011, San Francisco, CA: VigLink is hosting a one-day Forum and Communities Conference in San Francisco and will bring together leading brands, forum owners and community managers to explore strategies in forum and community development.
During this one-day event, a team of renowned experts will provide guidance on how to effectively engage with community, give tips on how to maximize the value of your communities and offer insights into new services to try and trends to watch out for. This is the ultimate event for anyone involved in creating communities. Register with the promo code mashable to get a 10% discount.

February 16, 2011 London, UK: What can gaming do for your brand? Is now the time for that games app and what's so special about social gaming? How can brands be part of the gameplay and is gaming right for your brand? Our speakers will make the case for brand-games collaborations and showcase their gaming successes at IAB HQ in central London. There’ll be short lively presentations, a panel/audience discussion, plus a networking and drinks session where the conversations can flow. Register today for 20% off the full price of £125 at www.brand-e.biz/games.html using the discount code MASHABLE.

February 17, 2011, Miami, FL: Interested in meeting early-stage Angel Investors and Venture Capitalists in Florida? Then register for the FundingPost event on Thursday, Feb 17, 2011, at The University of Miami. FundingPost has hosted 175+ sold-out venture events in 20 cities over the past 9 years. At our next event, the panel of investors will focus on Early-Stage Venture Investing: How to meet investors, pitch them, and what it really takes to get them to write you a check! Guest Moderator, Daymond John, star of the ABC show Shark Tank will be moderating the panel. Register and use the promo code miami11.

February 17, 2011, New York, NY: unNiched(micro) is a breakfast event designed to provide attendees with the latest information on a range of subjects important to the health marketing communications field, including mobile, digital marketing and social media. Join us for an information packed session, “Mobile Health: Hype or Hope.” During this event, noted noted health economist, futurist and management consultant Jane Sarasohn-Kahn will: separate hype from reality in current and future mobile trends; discuss how old and new mobile tech will power the Web of the future; outline how health organizations are leveraging mobile technologies to communicate with consumers and health providers while sparking behavior change today (and in the future).

February 19-20, 2011, New York, NY: The Students for Free Culture Conference 2011 is a gathering of student activists, intellectuals, artists, hackers, and generally interested people to discuss the latest issues in the free cultural world, with a focus on student involvement and participation. The conference will take place in New York City from February 19-20. It will feature keynotes from the creators of Diaspora, Brazilian professor and activist Pablo Ortellado, and professor and former Obama Administration advisor Susan Crawford, as well as panels on remix culture, open education, and fashion and copyright. The second day is an unconference where anyone is invited to pose a panel, discussion, gathering, or hack session. Registration is pay-what-you-want, and travel funding is available by request. For more information and to register, please visit http://conf11.freeculture.org.

February 20, 2011, Kfar Maccabiah/Ramat Gan, Israel: Join us for the MEGAComm Conference for marketing professionals and technical communicators. This 5-track, full-day event will feature sessions for marketing managers, sales directors, technical writers, documentation managers and many others. MEGAComm is our FIFTH annual conference, and offers a unique opportunity to hear from the experts in both these important English-based industries, network with hi-tech professionals from all over the country, and expand your knowledge. Keynote speakers include Jeff Pulver (well known entrepreneur and Producer of #140conf) and Danny Ayalon (Deputy Foreign Minister of Israel). Features session will include SEO, WordPress, Agile Documentation, Single-Sourcing, MediaWikis, Managing Content and much more. For more information, please click here.

February 21-23, 2011, New Delhi, India: The RadioAsia conference is a yearly event designed to address on-going developments in radio broadcasting content and services while highlighting the near future opportunities and challenges. This annual conference is organized by the Asian Media Information and Communication Centre (AMIC) , Asian Broadcasting Union (ABU) and Singapore Exhibition Services Pte Ltd for leading radio media practitioners, communication specialists, policy makers, academicians and students from across the Asia Pacific region and beyond. The theme for this year’s conference is “Radio on Air Everywhere – Adopting Multiplatform Strategies” keeping in tune with the changes in the medium due to globalization, convergence and technological advances. Register for the conference to learn more about the radio industry in Asia.

February 21-22, 2011, Tampa, FL: Facebook Masters Training & the social media conference for marketers, Social Fresh is not about concept, but focused on drilled down learning and case studies from the front lines. Learn what social media can really do for business bottom lines.Two days, 16 industry leading speakers, and Facebook Masters Training. As well as keynote Paula Berg of Linhart PR and Southwest Airlines social media veteran. Register now and use coupon code mashable for 25% off.

February 21, 2011, Tel Aviv, Israel: The upcoming Israel Dealmakers Summit 2011 hosted by Landmark Ventures will bring together a high-profile audience of 350+ Chairmen, CEOs, Investors and Technology Professionals across the Digital Media, Internet, Mobile, Cloud, Enterprise Software and Hardware sectors to discuss the future of Israel's economy, from large enterprises to the thriving start up culture, and ongoing role as an integral part of the global marketplace. The summit will additionally feature a VIP Delegation of 20-25 leading US & European corporations and investment funds who will all be speaking at the conference bringing a unique global perspective.

February 22, 2011, Los Angeles, CA: 3rd Annual Gravity Summit at UCLA – The Power of Real-Time; Social Media Marketing for Executives. Learn how to master the tactics and strategies of real-time social media to build brands, get customers and increase the bottom line. Speakers from Fast Company, DIRECTV, Mashable, WeberShandwick, Orci, Lexus, and more. Legendary music artist and Twitter star MC Hammer receives “Social Media Marketer of the Year” award in person. Join 200+ business leaders on campus at UCLA to learn from top brands and thought leaders in the field as they talk about understanding and harnessing the new real-time social media platforms and tools. Register with the promo code GRAVSUM1 and save $60!

February 23, 2011, Portland, OR: Join hundreds of your online marketing peers for the Fifth Annual SearchFest Internet Marketing Conference in Portland on February 23, 2011. Thought leaders and industry experts from around the country–including major brands like Intel, REI, and the New York Times–will deliver in-depth presentations on topics including Advanced Search Engine Optimization, Social Media Marketing, Universal Search, Analytics, Paid Search Marketing and many more. Register with the promo code MASHABLEPDX to save 10% on your General Admission ticket!

February 23, 2011, Los Angeles, CA: DIGIDAY:ON MEDIA: Where THE digital media moguls caucus on the business of buying and planning and advertising across digital platforms. There is an enormous media market that media agencies have to master: Online Media, Social, Video, Mobile, Search, Apps, Ad Networks, Email, Targeting, Measurement, Emerging Platforms, and much more and media execs are constantly seeking the highest performance and most innovative platforms to help them run, create, engage and deliver their digital advertising creative and messages to their target audiences. ON MEDIA will be an event that brings together the leading media executives, buyers and planners for the ONLY a high level one-day summit to help them discuss and debate the current state of buying digital and how they can thrive in today’s fragmented media economy. Join us for this one of a kind meeting of the digital media moguls in Los Angeles. Register and use the promo code ONMASH to save $100 (Mashable reader discount).

February 24, 2011, Los Angeles, CA: DIGIDAY: MOBILE APPS: The event will bring together the leading executives from top mobile agencies, blue-chip brands, mobile app developers, mobile advertising networks, and content owners to discuss the explosive Mobile “app-vertising” market. The “app-vertising” business is igniting the imaginations of brand marketers worldwide and serving up a land grab for an increasingly valuable piece of real estate on the omnipresent mobile device in our pockets. The industry pioneers, visionaries, and leaders will converge to take a deep dive into the emerging mix of branded mobile applications and in-application advertising that is finally poised to deliver on the promise of mobile marketing. Attendees will learn and gain key insights on the innovative brands, the killer mobile apps, dynamic integrated content and offers, video, storytelling, and the rich functionality of apps. And a whole lot more! So what does the future hold for app-vertising? Find out at DIGIDAY: MOBILE APPS! Register and use the promo code APPMASH to save $100 (Mashable reader discount!).

February 24, 2011, New York, NY: TV Apps, Social TV, Content & Viewer Experience – Talk NYC kicks-off 2011 with an in-depth look at the emerging world of TV Apps and Social TV. Attendees will learn about and discuss the current state of these new spaces, in which directions they are heading, and how to take advantage of the opportunities these new spaces present. Please join us for an evening filled with engaging discussions and cross-industry networking. Featured leaders include Alex Iskold, CEO of GetGlue, Michael Wolff, Editorial Director of Adweek Group of Companies, and Ricky Van Veen, Founder of Collegehumor.com.

February 24, 2011, New York City: The 11th Annual Digital Music Forum! We are the only event in the United States that brings together the top music, technology and policy leaders for high-level discussions and debate, intimate meetings and unrivaled networking about the future of digital music. Digital Music Forum is known worldwide for the news that is made in our auditorium, the deals that get done in our hallways, and the friendships and partnerships that are forged year after year. Why wait by the sidelines, when you can join the event that is helping to drive the industry’s future! Pre-registration Rate of $399 (a $300 saving) available till January 28, plus receive 15% off with the promo code MASH15! Don’t miss the opportunity – Book NOW to reserve your seat!

February 25-27, 2011, Los Angeles, CA: The 9th Annual Southern California Linux Expo, the premier community run Linux / Open Source conference, will feature tutorial sessions designed to show users of all skill levels what Open Source can do and how to do it. Whatever your interest is in Open Source, SCALE 9X will have something for you. Register and use the discount code MASH9 for 35% off.

February 25-26, 2011, Miami Beach, FL: We’re launching 9 companies. Judged by 3 investors, 1 entrepreneur & 1 journalist. With $25k in cash & prizes. Now that was just day one! On day 2 we’ve got everyone from Ashvin Kumar to Zed Shaw speaking at this event. Covering Web Development, Marketing, Community Building, User Experience & straight money making – there is no business subject that will go untouched! SuperConf is going to be epic. Register with promo code MASHABLE for $35 off a 2 Day ticket.

February 25-26, 2011, Atlanta, GA: The Business Bootcamp for Wonder Women Conference is a 2 day conference in Atlanta on Feb 25 + 26. Whether you're B2B, B2C or a professional blogger, you want to know what can help your business NOW, without spending a fortune. With over 30 unique sessions, panels and workshops teaching results-oriented and creative social media, marketing, business and technology strategies, such as podcasting, video, mindmapping, Skype, getting publicity with no budget, building media relations, Facebook Fanpages, co-working, lead generation, and more, the BBWW is THE professional women's conference of the year. More importantly, there'll be NO HARD SELLING. All sessions will teach you HOW-to, not just WHY. Lasso and tiara optional. Register with the promo code MASH and save 20%.

February 25, 2011, New York, NY: Fostering a Culture of Innovation is a full-day event is designed to give managers and senior marketers tools, best practices, and tactics to unlock and signal digital innovation within their organizations and drive a culture that rewards risk-taking, rapid prototyping, and continuous learning. Register with the discount code Mashable_friends to get 25% off.

February 27 – March 1, 2011, Palm Desert, CA: Be part of the exclusive unveiling of the most promising new products and prototypes of 2011. DEMO Spring 2011 provides a window into technology’s future and introduces you to the people and companies who are paving the way. Attend DEMO Spring 2011 and you'll have access to this exceptional group of global innovators, be the first to see 70 new product demonstrations and 30 AlphaPitch presenters, test drive products, and network with leading venture capitalists and angel investors, CEOs, dealmakers, entrepreneurs and demonstrators. Register with promo code MSH1 and save 25%!

February 27, 2011, Dubai, UAE: The new market dynamics facing our region require new thinking to stay ahead. This year's expert speakers at the Corporate Communications 2011 have decades of experience, real world case studies and practical communications strategies to share. Take the benefit of their experience today and apply it in your workplace tomorrow! F or more details about the Corporate Communications 2011 program, speaker-line-up and other information, visit our website www.iirme.com/corpcomm. To register, simply click here or email Janet.

Feb 28-March 1 & March 3-4, 2011, Singapore & Hong Kong: Join us at this interactive two-day conference on Social Media & PR to acquire effective PR techniques for boosting your brand image and reputation. Find out how companies like Boeing, BASF, BT Asia Pacific, SAP, Microsoft, HP, Kia, Dow Jones and more have successfully grasped the intricacies of social media to make it work for them. By the end of the conference, you’ll be able to successfully integrate both new and traditional media into your PR strategies! Register today and save 10% when you enter Mashable under Additional Info.

February 28-March 1, 2011, Sydney, Australia: Social media marketing has rapidly evolved to the extent that it is no longer enough to just get on board the “social media marketing train.” Marketers are bombarded with tools and technologies without a real understanding of integrating social media effectively. Social Media Marketing – The Way Forward enables marketers develop and manage a sound strategy for your ongoing and future social media marketing projects, with practical and valuable insights shared by some of the most successful brands and campaign creators in both B2C & B2B social media marketing. Register with the promo code MPMASH and save 10%!

February 28, 2011, San Francisco, CA: The Future of Money & Technology Summit will bring together over 500 of the best and brightest thinkers around money, including entrepreneurs, developers, visionaries, press, investors, authors, solution providers, and organizations who work with them at the convergence of cash and commerce. We meet to discuss the evolving converging industries of finance & technology, and to do business in a proactive, conducive-to-dealmaking environment. Come learn & share how innovations in technology are changing the way we do business on a global and local scale. For more information, please visit www.futureofmoney.com. Register and save 10% by clicking here!

February 28, 2011, Israel: The Future of Nonprofit Summit: Israel (#FONSI) brings together some of the best professionals, innovators, lay leaders, organizations, brands, and other passionate people to explore tools and ideas to move the vital third sector forward. Join us for a day of innovation, collaboration and excellence where you will learn best practices, innovative ideas and valued case studies. Visit http://www.fonsi.co for complete details.

March 1-5, 2011, Hannover, Germany: CeBIT is the world’s largest trade fair showcasing digital IT and telecommunications solutions for home and work environments. The key target groups are users from industry, the wholesale/retail sector, skilled trades, banks, the services sector, government agencies, science and all users passionate about technology. CeBIT offers an international platform for comparing notes on current industry trends, networking, and product presentations. For more information, please visit: http://www.cebit.de and to receive your complimentary visitor registration to this elite event, please email lguiang@hfusa.com.

March 1-2, 2011, London, UK: TFM&A is the UK’s largest and longest running multi-channel marketing, media and advertising event. TFM&A will be delivering the latest industry insights, trends and developments as well as leading suppliers of digital, direct, data and CRM solutions. With free seminars and keynotes from big names like Microsoft Advertising and Experian, over 200 exciting exhibitors, a dedicated networking bar and cafe and many more show features, take advantage of your FREE entry to create a campaign that becomes a classic. Register at t-f-m.co.uk/mashable.

March 2-4, 2011, New York, NY: Borrell Associates' Local Online Advertising Conference is designed for executives responsible for developing, managing, marketing, and selling local online advertising. Clay Christensen is part of an all-star lineup of more than 50 speakers who will explore the transformation of local media brought on by the Internet and mobile media. Borrell will explore who’s making money in local online, mobile and social advertising, and offer attendees the tactical intelligence to help them “hit the ground running” when they return home. Register to attend at the Grand Hyatt in NYC or Attend@ Your Desk with a streaming pass. Save $100 with code BA100.

March 2-3, 2010, San Francisco, CA: EyeforTravel's Social Media Strategies for Travel Conference is North America's number one social media event for travel professionals. Now in its fourth successful year, the event brings together top travel brands to share key insights on how to maximize the impact of your social media initiatives. The two days are packed with case studies, presentations and networking opportunities. Please use the promo code MASHABLE for a $100 discount on the admission price.

March 2-3, 2011, Barcelona, Spain: Innovative e-Marketin is our exciting cross-industry event in which we offer you the opportunity to uncover the secrets to success from the most experienced e-Marketers in the world and learn how to put ideas into practice in the form of social networking activities, brainstorming sessions, talking circles, keynote case studies and insightful presentations. Why not treat yourself to one of our exclusive VIP passes? Let us pick you up from the airport and drive you directly to the venue. Register with the promo code EMK11/004 to save 10%.

March 2, 2011, Orange County, CA: Invisible or Remarkable? Seth Godin is back for one night only live and in person in SoCal. Join us for an unprecedented night of networking and evening with best-selling author, A-List lecture circuit speaker and marketing expert Seth Godin. This event is expected to sell out early. Reserve your spot now by clicking here.

March 2, 2011, Berlin, Germany: FEI is Europe's first and only event to solve your industry challenge in real-time. Explore best in class presentations by top multi-nationals, collaborate with world renowned experts, Listen to real-world visionaries choreographing "next" best practices, and participate in a real-time case study where you will tackle industry challenges and work to propel the industry forward. FEI is no ordinary conference — this is truly a catalyst for change. Register and use the promo code FEI2011MASH to save 20% off the standard rate.

March 3-5, 2011, Orlando, FL: unGeeked Elite Retreats brings together 24 speakers over the course of three days. The format is styled as an “open discussion” with topics centered around enhancing, positioning and leveraging both the internal and external brand. PPTs and Prezi’s are strongly discouraged and instead, on-going and intimate discussions among keynotes, regional speakers and attendees are encouraged. Speakers include: Amanda Hite, Dan Schawbel, Jeff Power, Amber Osborne and more. Register with the promo code unGeekedFlorida and save 5% off regular ticket price.

March 4-5, 2011, Louisville, KY: Code PaLOUsa is a two-day, eight-track software development conference in Louisville, KY that’s designed to cover all aspects of software development regardless of technology stack. We will have sessions revolving around Microsoft, Java, Ruby, PHP, and Clojure; along with sessions on higher, platform-agnostic levels. There will be 60 technical presentations and panel discussions from well-known professionals in the software development community and a keynote talk from Douglas Crockford of Yahoo! and JavaScript/JSON fame. For more information and to register, please visit codepalousa.com.

March 5, 2011: Telecommuting, the holy grail for many developers. Not work from home but work from where you are. Because after all, "Work is what you do, not where you go" Day Camp 4 Developer #2:Telecommuting will help developers understand the benefits and risks involved in telecommuting along with offering practical advice on what tools you and your team need to master in order to successfully distribute your team geographically. In one day we cover five important topics that every developer needs to understand before starting to telecommute. Register with the promo code MASHABLEROCKS and save $5.

March 7-9, 2011, San Mateo, CA: The Android Developers Conference, March 7-9 in San Mateo, CA, is the world’s premier independent event dedicated to building, marketing and managing apps for the Android platform. The format includes dozens of top technical classes, workshops and breakout classes. Mashable readers can receive a $100 discount off the Full Event Passport and/or gain free admission to the exhibits (first time registrants only – cannot be combined with other offers) by inserting the code MEDIASPONSOR on the registration page.

March 7, 2011, Toronto, Ontario: Today’s global market is consistently changing. How do you know what’s happening now and how do you innovate and create marketing strategies to stay ahead of the curve? The Art of Marketing brings thought leaders from around the globe and gives you direct access to cutting edge thinking and real world experience. On March 7th, 2011, join 5 internationally renowned bestselling authors including Guy Kawasaki, Gary Vaynerchuk, Avinash Kaushik, Dr. Sheena Iyengar & Jeffrey Hayzlett at Canada’s #1 marketing conference. Register with promo code MASH23 and save $50.

March 8-10, 2011, Washington, D.C.: Join hundreds of CARE supporters to advocate for women and girls around the globe at the CARE Conference & International Women's Day Celebration. Events kick off on March 8 with a celebration in honor of the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day. The conference begins March 9 and will feature keynote speakers Melinda Gates and Laura W. Bush, as well as panel discussions led by issue experts from around the world. On March 10, CARE advocates will hear from keynote speaker Judy Woodruff before heading to Capitol Hill to meet with their members of Congress and ask for their support on key policies that work to combat global poverty. For more information and to register, visit careconference.org.

March 8-10, 2011, San Jose, CA: At Search Marketing Expo – SMX West, you'll learn to maximize ROI from paid search advertising, optimize your website content for superior organic search results, expand your skills with local and mobile advertising expertise, master social media marketing on Twitter, Facebook and other SMM networks, boost conversions, and increase sales. Use the promo code smx100mashable and save $100 off your registration. For more information, please visit http://smxwest.com.

March 8-9, 2011, Brussels, Belgium: Are you looking to unleash the power of social media for CRM? As new channels and strategies emerge it is increasingly important to meet face-to-face to share knowledge, challenges and experiences. Enterprise Social 2.0: CRM will bring social media marketers and CRM experts together to share knowledge through real-world case studies, best practices, lessons learned and offering networking opportunities with some of the biggest brands and businesses today. Past speakers include: Google, Kodak, L'Oreal, Philips, Nokia, Lego, Siemens, Vodafone, SWIFT, SAP, Roger Smith Hotel, Dominos Pizza, Airbus and more. To receive a special discount, register now!

March 8-9, 2011, Amsterdam, NL: We’ve brought back some of your favorite speakers, as well as a number of new ones, and we’ve also added a few surprises to keep everyone on their toes. With some of the most interesting and engaging presenters from around the globe, FITC Amsterdam 2011 will be 2 days and 2 nights that will leave you inspired, energized and awed. Join us for an event that you will never forget! Register with the promo code Mashable10 and save 10%!

March 9, 2011, Dubai, India: The Cloud Computing World Forum Middle East and Africa will feature all of the key players within the Cloud Computing and SaaS market providing an introduction, discussion and look into the future for the ICT industry. Register today and get inspiration on how to address your latest issues with advice from real-life end-user case studies and practical examples. Register with the promo code MEAmash20 and save 20%!

March 11, 2011, San Jose, CA: The International Search Summit is partnering with SMX to run its global search and social media program at SMX West. Focusing specifically on international and multilingual topics, the summit will run on 11th March and give delegates the opportunity to attend both events. Topics at the Summit will include international link building, managing global content, international SEO case studies and multilingual video optimisation. The agenda can be found here, and will be regularly updated with confirmed speakers. Combo or Summit only tickets are available. Early Bird rates apply and Mashable readers can get $100 off the booking price with the discount code ISS@SMXmashable. For more information and to register, please click here.

March 13-18, 2011, San Francisco, CA: Come to the eMetrics Marketing Optimization Summit and learn how to turn customer touchpoint data into insight… whether it’s search terms, ad response, web behavior, customer satisfaction, mobile activities, social media attitude or transactions. Attendees will: Investigate Social Media, Online Media, Mobile Marketing and as always, Marketing Analytics; Soak up intelligence from keynotes, breakouts, Clinics, Labs, Round-table Discussions and your peers.; Take advantage of unparalleled networking.; Enjoy parties, receptions, and the WAA Awards Banquet. For more information and to register, please click here.

March 14-15, 2011, Jacksonville, FL: Paging all health care communicators! Social media won't be flat lining anytime soon. Join us at our Health Care Marketing and PR Social Media Summit, hosted by Ragan Communications and Mayo Clinic Center for Social Media. Explore the hottest social media case studies and learn how to transform your communications strategy with mobile health applications. Empower yourself to convince executive non-believers that social media doesn't waste employees' time, but it actually increases productivity! Register with the promo code MASH11 to get a $100 discount on this previously sold-out conference. Can't attend? We're webcasting the entire experience!

March 15, 2011, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: Want to know successful stories on how big brands build their brand and reputation online? Everyone can go online, but can you STAY online? Our conference, Digitalize Your Marketing Strategy, is going to be most anticipated event of the year! WE are bringing you the Malaysian's most valuable brands, review their successful stories and provide you hands on tips to manage your online marketing strategy. Our privileged speakers from Digi, Dell, Unilever, Intel and Microsoft will share case studies using social media, digital and search engine. Register with the promo code DYMSMASH and save 20%!

March 16, 2011, Washington, DC: The Innovative Giving Foundation presents the 2011 Innogive Conference – "Mobile Giving Applied". This will be a one day event focuses on applying the best practices in mobile giving and communications for social good, and will address integrating SMS appeals, mobile apps and other emerging innovative giving technologies. The Innogive format combines a great mix of respected keynotes, riveting innovation speakers and super informative panels and hands on classes. Organizations of all sizes should attend! Register and use the promo code IGF for $50 off.

March 17-19, 2011, Washington, DC: The annual Nonprofit Technology Conference (NTC) is the Nonprofit Technology Network’s signature event, a three-day gathering bringing together nearly 2,000 nonprofit professionals from around the world to collaborate, innovate, and maximize effectiveness. Our members share the common goal of helping nonprofits use all aspects of technology more effectively; the NTC brings them face-to-face to connect, learn — and return to their organizations brimming with the energy, strategies, and networks they need to change the world. For more information and to register, please click here.

March 18, 2011, New York, NY: Facebook, In-Depth is an intensive full-day event that educates marketers and senior management on the world's largest social network. L2 is inviting an unprecedented group of scholars, thinkers, entrepreneurs, technologists and exemplar brands for a full day immersion on Facebook. Topics covered will range from best practices on branded Facebook pages to growing your fans and followers to Facebook commerce and advertising. Register with the discount code Mashable_friends to get 25% off.

March 19, 2011, Cape Cod, MA: Geek Girl Tech Boot Camp (Cape Cod 2011): Geek Girl Boot Camps are full-day technology “unconferences” for women, taught by women, of all ages and knowledge levels where you can find workshops on everything to do with computers and the Internet! Workshops include PC and Mac, Social Media (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.), Location (foursquare, Gowalla, Yelp) Photoshop, QuickBooks, Blogging, Podcasting, WordPress, Google Tools, Dreamweaver, Video, Inbound Marketing, digital photography, and more. The workshops are designed for Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced. There are Discussion Groups and an all day Help Desk. The Mission of Geek Girl Camp is to educate and empower every girl and woman at every age level, on every skill level, at every income level on computer technology with fun and provide a legacy by giving back and paying it forward. Mashable readers get an exclusive $30 discount off the standard pricing of $139 with special code mashable2011 when registering!

March 21-23, 2011, Boston, MA: BIA/Kelsey's Interactive Local Media is the definitive conference on local digital advertising and marketing. Join the interactive local media community in Boston for ILM East where the focus will be on new local marketplaces, keying in on the latest developments in search, mobile, geolocation, reviews, group buying and deals. Register with the promo code ILMEMASH and save $200!

March 21-22, 24-25, 2011, Hong Kong & Singapore: Branding in a Digital Age – Join us at this 2-day conference to learn the best methodologies and tactics to boost your brand. Obtain a clear understanding of consumer behaviour and trends, and leverage on this knowledge to amplify your brand through digital platforms. Find out how brands such as Virgin Mobile, adidas, Dell, Sunkist, Flawless, Allianz and the Hong Kong Tourism Bureau have successfully incorporated digital as a means of delivering real-time, holistic and interactive brand experiences. Learn practical and actionable solutions from real-life case studies, and how to implement these new-formed insights for your brand! Register today!

March 21, 2011, Orlando, FL: The Mobile Web and Apps World Forum is the official Mobile Web and App event of International CTIA. Now in our 4th great year, we will once again bring together top minds from around the world to discuss how to develop, market, deploy and monetize mobile web and applications. This year's theme is "rise of mobile application commerce" and includes Facebook commerce, location based and viral marketing issues.

March 22-24, 2011, Washington, DC: The Publishing Xchange is a two-plus day interactive conference with discussions revolving around the latest market dynamics as they relate to real-world publishing and marketing processes. You'll learn about the latest technologies and how to achieve the greatest return on your efforts and investments while utilizing the new media channels. Choose from 6 tracks produced by Outsell, The Seybold Report, InfoTrends, Thad McIlroy The Future of Publishing, What They Think and IDEAlliance. Discover the future of publishing, how to implement a cross-media campaign, how a printer can make the leap into this new world & so much more!

March 22-24, 2011, Washington, DC: Ready or not, the way workers create, manage, share and consume information is changing in profound and unprecedented ways. Join us as thousands of technologists and business users from the world’s top companies gather to explore the technologies that are changing the way the world works. Choose from 19 conference tracks and programs, including the SharePoint Summit @ info360, EMC's Information Intelligence Summit @ info360 and Oracle @ info360. Visit www.info360show.com for details.

March 22, 2011, Orlando, FL: After the overwhelming response to our first tablets event in San Francisco (formerly iPad and Tablets: Entertainment and Publishing Apps) we are proud to once again present the next Future of Tablets event at International CTIA in Orlando. We will be covering issues that are important to the publishing, media and entertainment industries. Topics include market research and trends, deployment on multiple platforms, digital newsstands, ad-funded, sponsored and premium apps, business and revenue models, incorporating multimedia communities and much more

March 23-24, 2010, Las Vegas, NV: Hear groundbreaking social media ROI case studies at Social Pulse 2011: The Corporate Social Media Marketing Event! This conference provides corporate marketing leaders from across industries the newest insights and case studies on how to drive measurable results and marketing ROI through smart social media strategy. Moving beyond theory and assumptions, it is the only conference that focuses on social media initiatives that have generated measurable results for America’s leading corporations. Register online or call 1-800-647-7600, and use the promo code MJK233 to save $200!

March 23, 2011, New York, NY: The Social Consumer: Case Studies and Roundtables — Representatives from PepsiCo, Sony, Unilever, Kotex, and others will demonstrate the best case studies of how leading brands engage, influence and service consumers through innovative social programs. Register and use the promo code MASH for a discounted rate of $155.

March 23, 2011, New York, NY: GigaOM presents "Structure Big Data" That “fire hose” of information pouring through your company’s databases and systems? That data, whether real-time or historic, presents an enormous opportunity to gain business insights to maximize profits and improve products. Structure Big Data, GigaOM’s newest conference, is focused on helping technology executives develop a big data strategy. Turn your company’s information into your next big revenue opportunity. Register with the promo code BDMASH and save $100!

March 28-29, 2011, Paris, France: The Marketing 2.0 Conference features leading social media experts who will discuss and learn about the social media initiatives from brands, advertisers, researchers and analysts. Hear from leading people in social media about their strategies, revenue models and how they are approaching upcoming trends in the field. The event will also examine the current market conditions, future forecasts and predictions from leading researchers. Use the promo code mash2011 to receive a discount off the registration price.

March 29-30, 2011, San Francisco, CA: Following the success of our inaugural summit, the SSN 2nd Alternative Payment Systems Innovations Summit will enable industry senior executives and decision-makers to share implementation challenges and success stories for capitalizing on the explosive growth of the rapidly evolving mobile payments arena. Merchants, payment processors, telecom carriers, developers and solutions providers will gather for provoking discussions on topics such as upcoming plans for accepting mobile payments in stores, facilitating collaboration amongst all players in the mobile payments space and direct-to-mobile billing. Register with the promo code APSIMA1 and save $300 off registration rate!

March 29-30, 2011 London, UK: Social Media World Forum Europe is now in its 3rd year, the event this year will be providing a format for networking, engagement, and lots of social media debate around the latest tools, technologies, platforms, and emerging trends within social media marketing. With over 4000 attendees last year, the show has grown significantly to become one of the leading shows in its field, hosting a variety of free to attend workshops & conferences for marketers, pr professionals, developers, and the like. Mashable readers receive a 20% discount when they register and use the promo code MASH2011.

March 29, 2011, New York, NY: GE, H&R Block, Scholastic, Walmart, Scripps Networks, HP, and more will share case studies in corporate social media at BlogWell New York: How Big Brands Use Social Media. You’ll learn how to get started, get past roadblocks, and make your social media program phenomenal — in one afternoon, for just $250. Get practical, how-to advice on creating great content, getting management buy-in, educating employees, keeping lawyers and regulators happy, simple and ethical disclosure, and engaging fans. Presented by GasPedal and SocialMedia.org. Register with promo code THANKSMASHABLE and save 10%!

March 31 – April 1, 2011, New York, NY: Produced by Mediabistro, AllFacebook and SocialTimes, Socialize: Monetizing Social Media unites business leaders in gaming, virtual goods, social mobile, marketing, and media for two days of learning, connecting, and sharing about all things social. Attendees come to Socialize for the real-world insight that our unique blend of industry heavyweights, business visionaries and results-oriented practitioners bring to the table. Expert speakers include Mitch Joel (President, Twist Image), Ian Schafer (Founder and CEO, Deep Focus), Geoff Cook (CEO, myYearbook), and more. For full details and registration, visit the site. Register with the promo code SOCMASH and save 15%!

April 4-6, 2011, Boston, MA: SOCIAL MEDIA & COMMUNITY 2.0 STRATEGIES is a unique event that focuses on the business value of social media for established brands, as well as entrepreneurial companies. It brings together community experts with lines of business leaders who are using social media strategically to drive their business. From setting the strategy, to operationalizing it, to measuring the results – this event is a high-level think tank for and by those particularly focused on understanding and improving efforts and investments in the Social Media & Community space. Join the evolution and register today (Save 20% with the promo code SOCIAL11MASH).

April 4, 2011, San Francisco, CA: Data 2.0 Conference – Learn from Google, Microsoft, SimpleGeo, Factual, and 50 other innovators about what's next in the world of data. The first conference to examine the growing importance of information accessibility in business, technology and society, the midVentures Data 2.0 Conference focuses on how the web is becoming the new database, and how businesses can better analyze and monetize this information. Discussions will span the next decade of data, from the data ecosystem and commoditization of information, to personal data control and open data initiatives. How will you use data to better target your new customers? Register and use the code data2mash for a 15% discount.

April 4, 2011, Munich, Germany: The International Search Summit is partnering with SMX to run its global search and social media program at SMX München. Focusing specifically on international and multilingual topics, the summit will run on 4th of April and give delegates the opportunity to attend both events. Topics at the Summit will include international link building, the impact of display on global search, international SEO case studies and multilingual video optimisation. All sessions will be in English. The agenda can be found here, and will be regularly updated with confirmed speakers. Combo or Summit only tickets are available. Early Bird rates apply and Mashable readers can get 15% off the booking price with the discount code MASHABLE011. For more information and to register, please click here.

April 5-6, 2011, San Francisco, CA: iStrategy is an inspirational, 2-day, digital media conference for senior executives who believe that the success of their business requires a sound digital strategy. iStrategy has recruited keynote speakers, panelists, workshop facilitators and attendees with expertise in the online channels that drive successful outcomes and tools that provide ongoing measurement including: Social Media, Mobile Marketing and Applications, Display Advertising, SEO/SEM, Email Marketing, Database Marketing, Web Analytics, E-commerce and Content Strategy. Register with the promo code MASHSJ10 to receive a 10% discount off the ticket price.

April 6-8, 2011, Phoenix, AZ: K-12 educators from across the country are invited to the Mobile Learning Experience 2011. Over the course of three days dozens of breakout sessions are offered. Leaders and visionaries like Travis Allen, Graham Brown-Martin, Scott Meech, Tony Vincent, and Susan Wells give inspirational, informative, and practical presentations. In addition to breakouts, there are keynote presentations, panel discussions, app sharing opportunities, and scavenger hunts. Topics include classroom management, assistive technology, higher-order thinking, movie-making, research, and personalized learning. Register at http://mobile2011.org.

April 6-8, 2011, New York City, NY: Have you ever wondered what it would be like to ring the closing bell at NASDAQ? Now you don't have to – you can be there as an added bonus for attending our conference The 2011 Content Summit for Corporate Communicators & PR, presented by Ragan Communications and hosted by NASDAQ OMX. You'll discover new ways to tell a story that are echo-worthy in both social media and traditional media. Register with the promo code MASH11 to save $200 off the regular registration price.

April 6-8, 2011, Los Angeles, CA: Hispanicize 2011, the 2nd Annual Hispanic PR & Social Media Conference, is the first and largest conference devoted to Latino social media, bloggers and public relations professionals. The three-day conference will feature top industry keynote speakers and more than 24 professional development sessions. It’s also the first event to gather all the Latino and multicultural bloggers together for first time. For more information, please click here.

April 6, 2011, New York, NY: The annual We Media Conference features the people and ideas shaping media, technology and society. This year's conference is a lightening-strike for fast-movers: a one-day event filled with must-have intelligence, inspired ideas and brilliant people looking ahead to what’s next and what to do about it. Dozens of new projects, hundreds of new relationships and scores of solutions, partnerships and investments have emerged from the activities and key connections forged at We Media conferences around the world. The conference also features the finals of the $50k We Media PitchIt Challenge, a contest to help turn two startup ideas into something real. Register with the promo code WEMASH and save 10%!

April 7, 2011, Los Angeles, CA: Social Media Advanced Skills Huddle – SMASH is an interactive conference designed to help you make better decisions about deploying social media for marketing, public relations and corporate communications. Presenters and attendees will huddle to air issues, seek advice, and tap into each other’s wisdom while arriving at practical solutions. This event is part of a series of unique how-to huddles on the campuses of the world’s best universities, taught by some of America’s top social media practitioners and experts. SMASH pushes the traditional conference into something much more interactive and practical. Register and use the promo code smashmash11.

April 11-13, 2011, San Francisco, CA: Mix and mingle with more than 10,000 digital marketers at ad:tech. Discover the latest innovations in social media, mobile, search, e-mail, location-based marketing and much more. Find hundreds of the hottest digital marketing and advertising companies to network with and learn from. For more information and to register, please click here.

April 12-14, 2001, New York, NY: Market Research and Insights In Action is a connecting platform where global leaders meet to discuss strategic and key topics, exchange most recent experiences, and brainstorm on future developments. The event will include keynote presentations, case studies, interactive sessions, workshops, talking circles, panel discussions, business meetings and formal and informal networking activities designed to link and connect senior executives within the field of Market Research and Consumer / Customer Insights. Why not treat yourself to one of our exclusive VIP passes? Let us pick you up from the airport and drive you directly to the venue. Register with a promo code MRIUS11/003 to save 10%.

April 13-15, 2011, Singapore: The Internet Show Asia 2011 is a series of seminars and a large end-to-end showcase of the latest internet technologies and solutions. More than 10,000 attendees will be at the exhibition and conference to find new ways of doing internet business and enhancing product offerings through the internet – through case study presentations and speaking directly with solution partners. The show will aim to increase your ROI, it's all about business, not a technology show. For more details and registrations, please visit www.theinternetshows.com/2010/Singapore.

April 13, 2011, Knoxville, TN: Some of the brightest minds in social media in the country are coming to Knoxville for this can't-miss marketing and PR event of the year: Social Slam 2011! Join for us for four expert panels and nationally acclaimed keynote speakers, including: Jay Baer, Christina "CK" Kerley, Trey Pennington and Brian Winter. For more information, please visit socialslam.com.

April 14-16, 2011, New Orleans, LA: Whether you're a mom entrepreneur, blogger, a brand trying to connect with moms, or are just passionate about the online world, Mom 2.0 Summit is the conference for you. Talk shop with social media influencers, industry leaders and leading brands as they share best practices. Discuss ways to create smarter web-based marketing, and discover social media tools that engage your audience and build relationships. Register and use the promo code mashable2011 to save $35 off the ticket price.

April 14-15, 2011, Toronto, Canada: Gain cutting edge strategies to manage the risks and uncertainties involved in your organization's use of social media – all in just 2 days! Attend The Canadian Institute's Advanced Forum on Managing Legal and Business Risks in Social Media, and walk away with the tools you need to prepare a thorough plan for your organization to successfully navigate this ever-changing online world. Register and use the Mashable discount code 248CX01 to save 15% off the conference.

April 18-20, 2011, Dubai, UAE: Planet of the Apps Arabia 2011 is a three day conference dedicated to the opportunities and challenges of mobile applications in the Arab world. The event is for app developers, content providers, device manufacturers, network operators and brands to meet and discuss the current challenges and opportunities presented in this growing market. Key issues addressed will include; the sustainability of the current business models, consumer engagement, developer recruitment, app discoverability, platform choice and the importance of social media networks. Register with promo code Mashable and save 20%!

April 18-19, 2011, London, UK: The Mobile Research Conference is the must-attend annual event for brands, agencies and academics interested in engaging consumers and capturing real-time feedback through mobile phones. Mobile, along with social media and online networks, represents the latest frontier for market research. Attend MRC 2011 and discover how to engage respondents, extract insights for product innovation and optimize marketing activities. This 2-day event is designed for consumer insights professionals; corporate, agency and academic survey researchers; mobile operators and tech companies. Register and use the promo code FF-MASHABLE to receive 20% off the main registration price!

April 26-28, 2011, San Francisco, CA: GSMI presents Mobile Marketing Strategies Summit. GSMI has diligently worked to find the best, brightest and most distinct speakers in the Mobile Marketing industry. Our 2011 Mobile Marketing Summit will provide valuable information, through case studies, presentations and hands on workshops. Attendees will leave the conference with the tools and knowledge needed to keep their brands competitive in the Mobile Marketing industry. Register and use the promo code MikeSM.

April 26, 2011, Los Angeles, CA: LA Games Conference – Over 300 of the most influential decision-makers in the games industry gather for the LA Games Conference to network, do deals, and share ideas about the future of console, PC, online and mobile games. LA Games Conference – now in its 4th year – features a lively and fun debate on timely cutting-edge business topics, demos as well unrivaled access to some of the most progressive companies in Hollywood, Silicon Valley and beyond. We invite you to join us at the event and take part in the discussion with executives, creators, investors, analysts, press and gamers who will be instrumental in shaping the future of this booming business. For a limited time we are offering a special Early Bird Rate of $299 – a $400 saving, plus plus receive 15% off with the promo code MASH15! Don’t miss the opportunity – Book NOW to reserve your seat!

May 2-4, 2011, Toronto, Canada: Now in its 10th year, FITC Toronto is one of the largest and longest running events of its kind in the world. With some of the most unique and engaging presenters from around the globe, FITC Toronto is a blitz of presentations, demonstrations, and panel discussions, sandwiched between the legendary FITC parties and abundant networking opportunities. Register with the promo code Mashable10 and save 10%!

May 2-3, 2011, Chicago, IL: At Technology Driven Market Research, the focus is on presenting ground-breaking tools and technologies that are being used NOW and those on the horizon. These technologies are enabling “in the moment” research to more clearly understand consumer behavior. Through real-world experienced based presentations, this event will look at brand-mind placement, eye tracking research in a virtual retail environment, social gaming as a research device, and social and mobile analysis plus much more. Register with the promo code TDMR11MASH and save 20% off the standard rate.

May 3-7, 2011, London, UK: Digital Shoreditch is the voice of everything happening in Shoreditch. The festival explores and celebrates digital technologies; unites the digital community; and provides a platform for sharing knowledge. The activity culminates in a series of exhibitions, parties, presentations, open studios and games.

May 4, 2011, Washington, D.C.: ConAgra Foods, United Health Group, the IRS, the U.S. Navy, and more will share case studies in corporate social media at BlogWell Washington, D.C.: How Big Brands Use Social Media. You’ll learn how to get started, get past roadblocks, and make your social media program phenomenal — in one afternoon, for just $250. Get practical, how-to advice on creating great content, getting management buy-in, educating employees, keeping lawyers and regulators happy, simple and ethical disclosure, and engaging fans. Presented by GasPedal and SocialMedia.org. Register with promo code THANKSMASHABLE and save 10%!

May 9-11, 2001, Chicago, IL: School of WOM is the Word of Mouth Marketing Association’s annual spring conference. School of WOM will provide marketers with in-depth practical knowledge on the arts and sciences of Word of Mouth and Social Media marketing. School of WOM attendees learn the techniques, methods, and processes that are being implemented into your business practices today that they can bring back and implement tomorrow. At School of WOM, you’ll learn to stay ahead of the competition and ensure your company remains talkable for all the right reasons. Go to www.womma.org for more information. Register and use code the promo code WOMMASOWMASH when registering for the event.

May 9-11, 2011, Minneapolis, MN: Content strategy is the next big thing. Is it your thing, too? Whether you’re a content strategy veteran or curious about where to start, Confab: The Content Strategy Conference is for you. Real-world case studies from major companies like Disney, eBay, Facebook and Merck. Hands-on workshops. All the experts. Mix and mingle with other content strategists. Share your insights. Hear the insights of others. Plus, there will be some fantastic parties. Get ahead of the curve in your business and career … come to Confab: The Content Strategy Conference. Register with the promo code MASHABLE and save $150.

May 10-11, 2011, Hollywood, FL: Following an incredible inaugural year in 2010, the annual Social Media Customer Response Summit is back with more excitement and even better sessions addressing the industry's key issues. This year’s theme will focus on ideas surrounding how corporate America is responding to emerging ‘Customer Response’ channels through social media, web 2.0, video streaming and mobile applications. During this two-day seminar, attendees will be able to listen, learn and collaborate with prominent industry leaders such as Bob Simmonds of Disney, David Thornton of Bank of America, Robert Lamb of AT&T, and Jim Moloney of General Motors on the challenges/benefits with using an ‘interactive social media customer response strategy,’ and what technological developments will continue to affect the industry, plus much more. C-Level executives interested in attending can find more information about the Summit’s Agenda & Registration at customerresponsesummit.com.

May 11-12, 2011, Amsterdam: iStrategy is an inspirational, 2-day, digital media conference for senior executives who believe that the success of their business requires a sound digital strategy. iStrategy has recruited keynote speakers, panelists, workshop facilitators and attendees with expertise in the online channels that drive successful outcomes and tools that provide ongoing measurement including: Social Media, Mobile Marketing and Applications, Display Advertising, SEO/SEM, Email Marketing, Database Marketing, Web Analytics, E-commerce and Content Strategy. Register with the promo code MASHEU10 to receive a 10% discount.

May 12-14, 2011, Chicago, IL: unGeeked Elite Retreats will be held at the SYNCUBATOR and brings together 24 speakers over the course of three days. The format is styled as an “open discussion” with topics centered around enhancing, positioning and leveraging boththe internal and external brand. PPTs and Prezi’s are strongly discouraged and instead, on-going and intimate discussions among keynotes, regional speakers and attendees are encouraged. Speakers include Julian Smith, Jason Falls, Spike Jones, Amanda Hite and more. Register with promo code unGeekedChi and save 5% off regular ticket price.

May 16-19, 2011, Prague, Czech Republic: The TERENA Networking Conference (TNC) is the largest and most prestigious European research networking conference – over 500 participants, including decision makers, networking specialists and managers from all major European networking and research organisations, universities, worldwide sister institutions and industry representatives attend. Through keynote speeches by renowned specialists and many parallel sessions, TNC presents an overview of the latest developments in research networking, both in the technical field and in the areas of application and management. For more information, click here.

May 16-18, 2011, London, UK: The Future of Web Design (FOWD) hits London again this May! Following on from the success of last year, we’re bringing you 3 full days of essential web learning: a day of in-depth workshops, followed up by a two day conference, covering all of the hottest topics across two stages. Big names, rising stars, great networking opportunities and some fabulous catering thrown in for good measure. Hope you can join us!

May 17-19, 2011, London, UK: The World E-Reading Congress brings together digital and print publishers with e-reading platforms and device manufacturers to discuss the business models and opportunities provided by the growth of the e-reading industry. Publishers must be prepared for this dramatic industry upheaval. They must learn how to embrace this disruptive technology and the World E-Reading Congress will enable them to discover how they can profit from the E-Reading revolution. Visit our website for more information and register before January to save 10%!

May 17-18, 2011, Sydney, Australia: With an estimated 200,000 loyalty programs currently operating in Australia, it is vital for businesses to understand how to make their brand stand out from the crowd. More than ever, your success hinges on your ability to gain a greater understanding of your customers’ wants and needs.Traditional modes of marketing have evolved and it is necessary to embrace more personalised communications across numerous channels. The Customer Loyalty 2011 Conference is a case-study driven program that will explore different strategies to add the value that your customers want from your loyalty initiative. It will discuss evolving definitions of best practice in loyalty marketing and help you make your mark in this evolving multichannel landscape. Register with the promo code CC*MASHABLE and save 10%!

May 18-19, 2011, Boston, MA: Text analytics has grown from an interesting but little known software application into an invaluable commercial tool being used by businesses worldwide. Forward thinking executives across a myriad of industries are using text analytics solutions to increase efficiency and unlock essential information that they never had access to before. Whether you are a software developer, an experienced analytics user, or new to the text analytics industry, the Text Analytics Summit is the only place to get the information that you need to stay ahead of the competition and profit from text mining. Register and use the promo code mashable to save 10%.

May 20-22, 2011, Ft. Lauderdale, FL: SheCon’s 2011 New Media Expo is the industry’s first free, three-day social media event that is bringing together some of the industry’s most renowned experts to condense a four-year journalism school experience into three days of new media sessions, with sessions and panels ranging from general to specific, niche market discussions. Combined with the educational sessions, the expo will bring together a diverse group of exhibitors that will be focusing on a brand integration, rather than forced brand interaction, concept for engaging and building relationships with attendees.

May 24-26, 2011, San Francisco, CA: All About the Cloud. Save $100 with the promo code PRMMASH to attend the software industry's leading ISV conference on Cloud Computing. (Note: discount valid off the individual non-member rate only and does apply to current attendees.) You'll join an anticipated audience of more than 500 senior executives from ISVs, resellers, and platform / technology providers, as well as the industry's leading analysts, bankers, venture capitalists and the media. Key networking events include: a Golf Tournament, a Speed Networking Event, a Mardi Gras-themed Welcome Reception and an offsite Networking Reception featuring the Microsoft Rock Band Challenge. For details, including registration information, please visit AllAbouttheCloud.net.

May 24-26 2011, Gateshead, UK: Thinking Digital is an annual conference where the world’s greatest thinkers and innovators discuss the latest ideas, innovations and technologies. The conference provides an experience like no other, stimulating new thinking and new ideas. It's about what you'll learn, and who you'll meet. Our eclectic schedule means you'll listen to world-class authorities, meet amazing people, be entertained and outrageously inspired! When you leave Thinking Digital you'll know about things that you previously didn't even realise existed and have become part of our unique community. Register with the promo code TDCMASH and save 10%.

May 25, 2011, London, UK: The Guardian Sustainable Business Awards aim to showcase genuine innovation in corporate sustainability and reward those who take sustainability to the very heart of their business. Enter the awards today at guardian.co.uk/gsb-awards to get the recognition you deserve. Winners will be invited to a ceremony held in London in May and will feature in a supplement published on guardian.co.uk. All entries meeting the criteria will be added to the new Guardian Sustainable Business best practice exchange – an online database allowing sustainability professionals to share their learning. Enter before February 7th at guardian.co.uk/gsb-awards.

May 29-30, 2011, Dubai, UAE: Social Media Marketing – The Way Forward – It is undeniable that social media has fundamentally transformed and evolved the architecture of business, communications, and the dissemination of information and influence. In July 2010, Facebook announced it had over 500 million users worldwide,of which at least 15 million were in Middle East.Survey findings also indicated that one out of five Facebook users is from Asia or Middle East. Participants at this two-day conference will be exposed to the intricacies of corporate social media strategies tailored for your industry. Participants would gain insights to maximizing the usage of social and establishing and maintaining a good relationship with consumers, thus effectively introducing their brands online and engaging long-term relationship with the audience. For more information, please click here.

June 6-8, 2011, Chicago, IL: The Art & Science of Integrating Traditional & Social Media Marketing – Measure Up, is the world's most comprehensive cross-dimensional view of marketing measurement best practices. With a focus on return on investment (ROI) as it relates to the integration of traditional, online and mobile activities; specifically, social media, this event explores analytics across the entire marketing mix and incorporates those results into marketing strategies and tactics to drive higher revenue, profit and brand share. Register and use the promo code XU2308MASH and save 10%!

June 7-8, 2011, Munich, Germany: a4uexpo Europe is the largest pan European Affiliate and Performance Marketing Conference. With over 1000 delegates, a diverse conference programme, a focus on quality, knowledge transfer and unparalleled networking opportunities with delegates and key industry figures from around the world, a4uexpo Europe is a must attend educational and networking event. Whether a new or established affiliate, agency, entrepreneur, search specialist, merchant or network – a4uexpo is the conference for those serious about making an impact in Affiliate and Performance Marketing. Register with the promo code MASHABLE25 and save €25 on a full conference pass for a4uexpo Europe.

June 8, 2011, Singapore: With the phenomenal growth of apps worldwide, Asia is the next big market to watch out for. Planet of the Apps Asia is the leading event dedicated to mobile applications in Asia. The two day conference plus a dedicated masterclass day brings together the mobile application ecosystem in one location. The event will shine on a light on the latest innovations and showcase the latest solutions in the world of mobile applications. Be part of this definitive event and network with professionals from all around the globe.

June 16, 2011, London, UK: The Augmented Reality Summit is designed to explore this new dynamic reality and provide delegates with the perfect opportunity to uncover Augmented Reality in full and explore the opportunity's AR brings any brand or company. The AR Summit is positioned at the forefront of this exciting continually developing new industry. Whether you are a Brand, Advertiser or Agency, Technology provider or Developer looking to meet key industry figures, keep up with the latest developments, technology's & tools or simply to network with other from the world of AR – Register and use the promo code ARMASH to save 25%!

June 27-29, 2011, Las Vegas, NV: The Future of Web Apps (FOWA) is coming to Vegas. After successfully running shows in Miami and London, the conference hits Vegas for the first time in June. A conference for web developers and entrepreneurs, there are 3 days of jam packed web fun including a day of workshops and 2 conference days of two tracks. As well as App Clinics and Expo Area, you can learn and network with people who have passion for the web! Register with the code FOWA_MASHABLE and receive 10% off our 2 day conference passes.

September 6-8, 2011, Cleveland, OH: At Content Marketing World, you'll learn how to transform your marketing department into a storytelling factory, engaging your prospects and customers in all the right channels with the right messages– including social, mobile, email, online and even print and in-person strategies. Through 24+ breakout sessions and amazing keynotes led by worldwide experts, you'll get the tools you need to be a successful content marketer. Plus, you'll experience the best of what Cleveland has to offer, starting with our opening night reception at the infamous Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Register and use the promo code mash to receive $100 off the current price of a ticket.

September 12-13, 2011, Renaissance Glendale, Phoenix, AZ: The third Social Media Optimization Summit event, presented by Multifamilypro, brings together small to mid-sized business owners with an interest in putting social media to work successfully within their organizations in ways that are proven to generate results. The event offers two full days of intensive, hands-on workshops from the intermediate to advanced level, led by top social media experts. The unique "See it. Hear it. Do it." approach allows attendees to learn by doing, and begin immediately applying newly-acquired skills and knowledge while the event is underway. See what others are saying about the event and register now at optimizationsummits.com and use discount code Mashable to save $100!

Sept 21-22, 2011, London, UK: ad:tech London is the UK’s essential free to attend event for professionals seeking to stay ahead of the latest interactive media, advertising and marketing trends. The event unites advertisers, media owners and agencies to harness the power of digital and deliver real marketing ROI. Alongside the exhibition, there is also a conference featuring 100+ international speakers for serious digital innovators and marketers. Mashable readers can take 20% off their conference ticket price. Register online now with the promo code MASH11 at www.ad-techlondon.co.uk.

September 26-29, 2011, Kaua’i, HI: The Search and Social Woot! is an elite conference unlike any other that will provide you with the strategies and complete know how to thrive in this ever changing environment. Each day begins with morning sessions around the hottest topics. With Keynote Bruce Clay of Bruce Clay, Inc. and speakers from corporations such as Real Networks, Network Solutions, AT&T, Microsoft Bing and Logitech. Afternoons are spent in a relaxed environment including planned activities in which individual attendees can get to know speakers and each other on a more personal level continuing the discussion and building long lasting relationships. Register and use the promo code SSWootMash to save 10%.

September 29-October 1, 2011, Atlanta, GA: As pet owners, bloggers, consumer brands and those connected to the industry – including veterinarians – continue to build upon social media & marketing, pet social media education & networking is an extremely important aspect to mobilizing efforts and to address the challenges faced by pet owners. Whether you use YouTube, Twitter, Dog/Catbook or online forums to gather & share information about pets, it's increasingly important for this community to have a face-to-face forum. Established in 2009, the BarkWorld Conference & Expo is the only pet social media conference covering ALL facets of social media & pet education. Our 2011 annual conference will focus on many topics, including: how to take great photos your pet & use it online, how to build/design a blog & monetize, mobile applications, metrics/SEO, pet food demonstrations, promoting your pet/business via social media and using online forums. Join us for this 2 ½ day conference. You'll be amazed with the information you'll walk away with and the new connections you'll make; your well-trained, leashed, pet is welcome. Register with the promo code MASH2011 to receive a 25% discount.

November 16-18, 2011, Las Vegas, NV: The WOMMA Summit is the only word of mouth marketing conference where research and measurement integrate with online social media and offline conversations. The Summit is a year-end review of BEST and NEXT practices in word or mouth and social media marketing in addition to future trends. WOMMA Summit showcases through leadership from some of the innovative and forward thinking. Go to www.womma.org to learn more about the event and use code WOMMASummitMASH when registering for the event.

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The Flaming Lips Release Song Via 12 YouTube Videos

Posted: 14 Feb 2011 02:54 PM PST

Forget about defeating those evil machines; the Flaming Lips have just released a new song that can only be heard if 12 YouTube videos are played simultaneously.

Much like the band’s album Zaireeka, which came in the form of four CDs to be played at once, “Two Blobs F**king” (some extra romance for Valentine’s Day) is meant to utilize multiple devices in order to come together.

The Flaming Lips are up to some insane stuff this year, including collaborating with the synth-tastic Neon Indian, and a loosely defined plan to release a song every month in 2011. Keep an eye on Mashable for more in the coming months, as we’re slated to chat with frontman Wayne Coyne.

In the meantime, check out the instructional video above (NSFW: language) and let us know how your musical mass rendezvous goes down.

[via Pitchfork]

More About: flaming-lips, video, youtube

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The 10 Coolest New Toys at This Year’s Toy Fair [PICS]

Posted: 14 Feb 2011 02:46 PM PST


The holiday season just ended, but the toy industry is already looking ahead to the next holiday season and beyond. Toy Fair, the industry’s big trade show, hit New York this week and along with it, some high-profile attention-getting stunts. (If you were wondering, for instance, why Mattel chose this moment to publicize Ken and Barbie’s relationship struggles, this should answer your question.)

As usual, the big trend in toys is KGOY or “Kids getting older younger,” or more simply, “age-compression.” In short, kids want to play with stuff their older siblings and parents play with, which is why we’re seeing so many iPhone-based offshoots this time around. Still, there are ways to let kids be kids even in this digital age, as evidenced by the heartwarming success of Angry Birds plush toys. Here’s a look at that item plus nine other cool toys we spotted at Toy Fair.

Photos by Jehangir Irani.


Angry Birds Plush Toy




Newer, angrier plush toys based on the uber-popular game ship next month at the manufacturers' suggested retail price of $59.99.


Baby iCan Play iPhone case, Fisher-Price




Fisher-Price's new toy protects mom and dad's iPhone while letting baby play with the apps or chat with grandma on Face Time. Ships July 2011. MSRP: $14.99.


Digi-Piggy, Cisco Sales Corp.




A variation on the traditional piggy bank, Digi-Piggy keeps a running total of what you've saved. An internal memory card records the amount, in case the batteries die. Distribution is set for the third quarter, but you can buy it now over Cisco's web site for $14.99.


360 LED Helmet, Mobo




Not a toy per se, but a nice safety accoutrement for the biker on the go. MRSP: $119. Currently available.


Inchworm, by Hexbug




Little boys love insects and robots. The Hexbug Inchworm is the perfect combination of both. Measuring 2.5"x2.5", the Inchworm is controlled through a seven-way steering system and even has the ability to pirouette in place. MSRP: $19.99. Available now.


"Brick" iPhone case, Thumbs Up




Remember the Zack Morris phone? Now you can have your own. Plug your iPhone into the back of this replica vintage cell phone and give Kelly Kapowski a ring. MSRP: $14.99. Available now.


iPhone Telescope, Thumbs Up




Want to get a closer look something, without leaning out the window? British-based Thumbs Up let's you peek from a safe distance with their iPhone telescope accessory. MSRP: $39.99.


Kid Tough See Yourself Camera, Fisher-Price




Want to teach the little ones about photography without risking your DSLR? Fisher Price's new Kid Tough See Yourself Camera allows you to do just that. With a lens that rotates 180 degrees, your kids can point and shoot at just about anything. MSRP: $69.99. Ships in July.


Magna Color tablet




The Magna Color tablet allows you (and the kids, if they let you have it) to draw and color in 3D. Look for it in 2012.


Plants vs. Zombies Board Game, Screenlife Games




There's a zombie on your lawn... and table! This fall, Screenlife Games is releasing Plants Vs. Zombies, the board game. MSRP: $19.99

More About: angry birds, fisher-price, List, Lists, mattel, toy fair, toys

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Netflix Arrives on the Boxee Box

Posted: 14 Feb 2011 02:20 PM PST


Happy Valentine’s Day Boxee Box owners — Netflix is now officially supported on the D-link-produced connected device.

Netflix was one of the first services to get official support from the Boxee media center software, so it came as a surprise (and disappointment) to some when the actual Boxee Box shipped without support last fall.

Fortunately, the wait is over. Boxee founder Avner Ronen announced the news on the official Boxee blog, noting that a software update to make Netflix accessible in the U.S. and Canada is now available. Users can manually update the firmware or wait for the update to hit their boxes in the next 24-hours.

Rather than using the custom interface designed for the Boxee desktop software, Netflix for the Boxee Box uses the official Netflix UI that the company recently released for the PlayStation 3. That means Boxee Box owners will get the benefit of the interface updates and tweaks that Netflix is able to deploy on the fly.

The Premium Content Quagmire

As connected devices go, the Boxee Box has some of the most impressive technical specs and third-party content options. The beauty of Boxee is that it can interface with existing devices on a home network to play back media files of practically any stripe, as well as offer support for streaming and online content.

The problem for the Boxee Box has been that some third-party services — like Netflix — have been slow to hit the device. Last month Vudu was officially added to the Boxee Box, helping fill a void for feature-length commercial content.

It isn’t clear if Hulu Plus will make its way to Boxee. Hulu took great strides to block (or attempt to block) access to its site from early Boxee software implementations, but in the ensuing 22 months, the streaming video site has launched the subscription Hulu Plus offering and provided access to devices like the iPhone, iPad, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, TiVo, Roku, and assorted connected TV sets and Blu-ray players.

This is representative of a growing problem — not just for Boxee — but for any device maker that wants to offer users more choice and variety in content offerings.

Looking at the various streaming media services that are available in the U.S., finding a device that supports every major premium service is impossible. What is more problematic is that getting access to non-premium content, like regular Hulu or network TV websites, is difficult on most connected devices without opting for using some browser-agent changing tomfoolery.

In short, as we edge closer to finally making connected devices a common part of the living room, the content available on those devices can fall short of expectations. Yes, individuals can always build and configure a stand-alone HTPC, but that requires an investment in both time and money that outpaces a sub-$200 set-top box.

As a Boxee Box owner, I’m excited that Netflix support is finally on the flagship device. I have at least six other Netflix-capable gadgets in my house, but having Netflix built into Boxee means I can see myself using that device much more often.

What do you think of the Boxee Box and the general state of connected devices? Let us know.

More About: boxee, boxee box, connected devices, connected tv, netflix, trending

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HOW TO: Turn Your Facebook Profile Photo Into a Video

Posted: 14 Feb 2011 02:14 PM PST

Some Facebook users — myself formerly among them — are obsessive profile tweakers. We edit our list of interests. We reorganize our photo albums and experiment with awesome profile photo hacks. We weigh carefully whether we want to “Like” this Page or that, because we wonder how that information will be inferred. And we’re always just a little bit, well, bored with our profiles.

Enter FlipYourProfile, a new Facebook app slash browser plugin that allows you to replace your profile photo with a video. That’s right. You no longer have to have a boring still image in your profile photo box. You can have a moving, breathing, sound-generating profile video on loop.

The app was built by Cisco and DDB Singapore as a way of promoting the former’s line of Flip video cameras.

The application has two catches: First, only those who have the plugin installed will be able to see your video, otherwise they’ll just see your regular Facebook profile photo. Thus, if you want your friends to see your new profile video, you’ll need to persuade them to install it (and perhaps upload a video to their own profiles as well). Secondly, an ad saying, “Amazing! You can post videos on your Facebook profile. Get the app to view my profile vid,” will be automatically posted to your wall should you decide to upload a video, which is rather annoying.

Still interested? Follow these four steps to upload your own Facebook profile video.

  1. Go to facebook.com/FlipSG and download the browser plugin for Chrome, Safari, Firefox or IE.
  2. Restart your browser.
  3. Connect your profile with the app.
  4. Shoot and send video by e-mailing a video from your Flip Video cam to me@flipyourprofile.com, or by using the Profile Maker to shoot a video using your webcam or to upload an existing video (less than 10MB, .flv, .mp4, h.264 only).*

*Note: If you’re using, for example, your iPhone to shoot video, you’ll need to use a free file converter like Get Miro to convert your .mov file to one of the compatible formats. You should also shoot your video in horizontal mode; otherwise, it will appear sideways on your profile.

Try it out for yourself and let us know what you think.

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Monday at Mobile World Congress …

Posted: 14 Feb 2011 02:09 PM PST


The Mobile World Congress Series is supported by Snapdragon by Qualcomm. Inside your smartphone beats the heart of a dragon.

Barcelona’s greatest annual tech event, Mobile World Congress, opened today under a couple of clouds. There was the raincloud above the conference, held in the shadow of the National Palace, where attendees scurried from hall to hall toting umbrellas along with their mobiles.

And there was the figurative cloud of Friday’s Microsoft-Nokia deal, which many attendees felt sucked a lot of oxygen out of the event. Few observers seemed truly enthusiastic about a deal to put Windows 7 on a new breed of future phones from smartphone laggard Nokia. Even Steve Ballmer seemed subdued when introducing his new partner, Stephen Elsop, to Ballmer’s keynote crowd. Ballmer kept an odd distance at the other end of the stage and looked down pensively while the Nokia CEO spoke.

Despite the clouds, the Congress soldiered on — with demos, video walls full of content and carefully-orchestrated stunts. Samsung gamely plugged its second Android Tablet, the Galaxy Tab 10.1, which we found underwhelming, along with a large-screen smartphone, the Galaxy S Wifi 5.0, pictured above. LG had a booth full of glasses-free 3D phones that regularly ran out of a charge while playing battery-killing 3D games. (The company also offered a tablet that does require glasses for its 3D; we’ll bring you a closer look tomorrow.)

Meanwhile, a team of “fashion police” were found issuing “citations” for attendees who carried more than one mobile device. It turned out to be a stunt for Good Technology, which apparently plans to outlaw the need to carry both a work phone and a home phone. For those seeking more intellectual stimulation, Twitter CEO Dick Costolo offered an interesting look at how all this technology can be used to clear storm clouds of a different kind: dictatorship.

Series Supported by Snapdragon by Qualcomm

The Mobile World Congress Series is supported by Snapdragon by Qualcomm. Qualcomm's Snapdragon chipset platform is redefining mobility by offering an optimal combination of mobile processing performance, powerful multimedia, wireless connectivity and power efficiency. The Snapdragon family of chipsets is designed to power a new generation of advanced smartphones, tablets, and other smart devices.

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Get Your Music Heard By 50 Cent’s Label, Thanks to SoundCloud & Ning

Posted: 14 Feb 2011 02:06 PM PST


Thanks to Ning’s recent integration with SoundCloud, musicians can now submit their songs to ThisIs50.com, the Ning community dedicated to 50 Cent’s G-Unit Records, for a chance to be featured on the site.

Ning announced last week a new intregation with SoundCloud that lets users feature customizable music players on their pages, access previously uploaded SoundCloud files and review uploaded tracks from members before posting.

Thisis50.com is taking full advantage of the latter feature with Independent Fridays, a new contest that asks indie (unsigned) artists to submit their songs via SoundCloud for the chance to be seen by G-Unit A&Rs. The best song will be featured on Thisis50.com every week.

According to Jonathan Hull, director of strategic relationships of Ning, Thisis50.com is one of the most popular Ning networks. “It’s become a really, really relevant news source and entertainment source for hip-hop,” he says.

Corentin Villemeur, new media director of G-Unit Records, says that the site started as merely a fan community for 50 Cent, but now it’s much more about hip-hop culture — about 50% of users call themselves rappers.

“Every member on the site works hard to be seen and get some shine in the community,” Villemeur says. This new venture should yield said shine. According to Villemeur, getting signed by G-Unit is not the end goal, but it is a possibility.

The first round yielded around 1,500 submissions, and the winning song, “Get Paper,” has been listened to more than 8,000 times. (We’ve embedded it below.)

“I was surprised by the quality of the songs we received. We have a lot of wannabe rockers on the site, and we’re impressed by the quality of the songs we’ve seen,” Villemeur says.


Find more music like this on ThisIs50.com

Photo courtesy of Flickr, Alyssa Tomfohrde

More About: 50 cent, g-unit-records, music, ning, soundcloud

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Twitter Turns to Users to Translate Site Into More Languages

Posted: 14 Feb 2011 02:03 PM PST


Twitter has opened a Translation Center website to recruit volunteers to help the company translate its websites and mobile apps into more languages.

Much like Facebook’s community-driven translation tool, Twitter is relying on volunteers to help go through its website and translate it into new languages. The company says it has been doing this with its other language updates, but has decided to create “a completely new system, based on feedback from translators, to improve the translation experience.”

Once volunteers sign into the Twitter Translation Center, they can start contributing to projects, including Twitter.com, Twitter’s mobile apps, Twitter Help and Twitter for Business. The center also includes a leader board of top translators and a level system to encourage community and competition between translators.

The Translation Center includes some of the languages currently available to Twitter users, those being French, Italian, German, Japanese, Korean and Spanish. Twitter has also released projects for Turkish, Indonesian and Russian languages within the Translation Center. They are also the next languages in which Twitter will make its product available.

More About: translate, twitter, Twitter Translate Center

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Arcade Fire Wins Grammy, Web Freaks Out, Blog Mocks Web

Posted: 14 Feb 2011 01:34 PM PST


Granted, Mashable readers know who the Arcade Fire are (we all saw that rad HTML5 video last year), but the same cannot be said for other Internet users, as evidenced by a blog that popped up after the band’s Grammy win for “Album of the Year” last night.

Who Is Arcade Fire? takes the pulse of Twitter following Arcade Fire’s victory — and that pulse was apparently cold and dead for some (including Rosie O’Donnell), who had no idea who the band was.

Apparently, many people were so livid about the fact that poor Lady Gaga got shafted that they lost the ability to form coherent, grammatically correct sentences.

Or, you know… yeah.

More About: arcade-fire, grammys, humor

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Google Launches Chrome Extension to Block Websites From Search Results

Posted: 14 Feb 2011 01:22 PM PST


Google has released an experimental Chrome extension that attempts to curb the proliferation of so-called content farms.

The extension, Personal Blocklist, adds a new link underneath any Google search result that lets users remove an entire website from search results.

Personal Blocklist also places a link at the bottom of search result pages affected by the extension so users can still see the results they’ve blocked. Users can also manage their block lists by clicking on the extension’s icon.

Google says that this Chrome extension is all about curbing the rise of content farms, websites that create vast quantities of low-quality content and rely on search for their traffic. When users block such a site, that information is transmitted to Google, where it could potentially be used as part of the company’s complex search algorithms.

In other words, Google is debating whether to use explicit user feedback and human input in its search algorithm. It’s a move that’s definitely out of character for the famously algorithmic-centric company, but it has had limited success in stopping content farms — often characterized as sites like Yahoo’s Associated Content or some of Demand Media’s properties (though Google doesn’t call out anyone specifically) — from dominating search results with low-quality articles created on-the-cheap.

Last month, Google’s Matt Cutts outlined the company’s plan for combating search spam, emphasizing recent changes to the algorithm and a redesigned document-level classifier as just the start of its anti-spam efforts. However, Google also admitted that there has been an uptick in search spam, mostly from the content farms.

We welcome Personal Blocklist extension as a great tool for personalizing search results, but it’s also an admission that Google hasn’t quite figured out how to weed out the content farms. Google is hoping that an injection of human input can help it clean up its search results pages.

More About: Associated Content, chrome, content farms, Demand Media, Google, google chrome, google search, matt cutts

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Twitter CEO: Why There Won’t Be a “Twitter Phone”

Posted: 14 Feb 2011 01:14 PM PST


When Twitter CEO Dick Costolo gave his keynote at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona Monday, he didn’t intend to launch a new product. He didn’t come to reveal his finances (Twitter is “making money,” he said, declining to specify whether it was profit or revenue), and he casually denied rumors that Google was going to buy the company for $10 billion.

Instead, Costolo came to explain how he thinks the Twitter brand works best: when it’s invisible, and everywhere.

In response to a questioner who referenced the so-called “Facebook phone” and the INQ, and asked if he could ever see a Twitter-branded smartphone, Costolo’s answer was short and sweet: No.

“Twitter already works on every device you’re going to hear about this week,” Costolo told the audience of mobile industry elites. “Tweets flow seamlessly across platforms; that’s what we’re trying to accomplish.”

Throughout his hour-long address, Costolo compared Twitter to water — a utility so useful and ubiquitous, we almost forget it’s there. We don’t need to re-learn how to use it in different contexts.

And in the case of Egypt, where the country-wide protest lost access to Twitter as part of a wider Internet blackout, Costolo said, “People in the desert will always find a way to water.” (Indeed, Google and Twitter provided a voice-to-tweet service that kept protesters in touch.)

That’s why there will never, under Costolo’s leadership, be such a thing as a “Twitter phone”. Water doesn’t need branding. It’s water. Everyone needs it every day. It isn’t just mobile (just 40% of Twitter users use it on a phone, Costelo revealed). It may be bigger than mobile, in some measures.

So perhaps Costolo, despite his protestations, did launch a new product today — the invisible, indispensable tech company, one that is less about the tweeting of birds, and more about the flowing of water.

More About: barcelona, dick costolo, Mobile World Congress, trending

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Only Two Weeks Left To Join Mashable’s Facebook Wall

Posted: 14 Feb 2011 12:59 PM PST


In November, we told you we’re going to build the world’s largest real-life Facebook wall at our New York City headquarters — and we still plan to do so. But we recently restructured our process to allow fans to opt in or opt out of the project.

The deadline to opt in is March 1. To participate, simply click the “connect” button below and we’ll use that to pull your profile picture for the Facebook wall. We’ll then work with Social Printshop to print a giant poster of our readers’ Facebook avatars, which will be a fixture in our office.

We hope to connect with as many of you as possible by March 1. A big thanks to all our readers and fans who have already participated! Our success is determined by you.

Connect to Participate

We appreciate your readership, community and support for the past five years, and this is a small way of saying thank you. Here’s a rendering of what part of the wall might look like with the Facebook profiles on it.

More About: facebook, mashable, social media

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J.P. Morgan Creates $500M-$750M Digital Media Fund [REPORT]

Posted: 14 Feb 2011 12:49 PM PST


J.P. Morgan Chase, apparently looking to make up ground against rival Goldman Sachs, plans to start a fund that would target Internet and digital media companies, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal.

The fund is looking to raise $500 million to $750 million, according to the report, which cites “people familiar with the matter.” The firm sent marketing materials to prospective investors about two weeks ago, the article states. (Access to the full article requires a subscription.)

The investment fund would target “late-stage” private companies that have demonstrated a successful business model replete with steady revenues, the article goes on to say.

J.P Morgan’s move follows Goldman Sachs’s $1 billion private offering for Facebook. Since that time, other social media companies have gotten new, somewhat startling valuations. For instance, another report today put Zynga’s valuation between $7 billion and $9 billion. Groupon, meanwhile, is said to be worth in the neighborhood of $15 billion to $20 billion and Twitter’s value may be in the $10 billion range.

Image courtesy of iStock, Silberkorn.

More About: facebook, goldman sachs, groupon, JPMorgan, twitter

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Qualcomm Reveals Quad-core Processors for Mobile Devices

Posted: 14 Feb 2011 12:49 PM PST


Dual-core tablets and smartphones might be all the rage at Mobile World Congress, but mobile chipset maker Qualcomm has something even beefier in mind: Quad-core.

In Barcelona Monday, Qualcomm announced the next generation of the Snapdragon family. These mobile processors will offer speeds of up to 2.5Ghz per core and will be available in single, dual and quad-core variants. Furthermore, these chips — based on the “Krait” micro-architecture, will also feature new versions of the Adreno GPU.

The single-core MSM8930 is being billed as the first single-chip solution to feature an integrated LTE modem. Qualcomm clearly intends to market this chipset at the mass-market, so think low- to mid-range smartphones.

For the dual-core MSM8960, Qualcomm is introducing a device that has an integrated multi-mode 3G/LTE modem. The processors are dual asynchronous CPU cores that can be independently controlled for maximum power efficiency and power. This chipset will also support dual-channel LP DDR memory and an enhanced GPU.

The premier chip in the new Snapdragon line is the quad-core APQ8064. Qualcomm bills this as a solution to power the “next generation of computing and entertainment devices” — which to us means it seems more likely that we will see this chipset in higher-end tablet/netbook hybrids rather than smartphones or tablets. At least for right now.

This monster features four asynchronous CPU cores and a quad-core Adreno 320 GPU. Proving that the target for this chipset is larger form factor devices, the APQ8064 will support PC and LP DDR memory, PCIe interfaces and multiple USB ports. LTE and 3G modems can also be added to the chipset at OEM discretion.

Samples of the dual-core Snapdragon will be available in Q2 2011. The single-core and quad-core Snapdragon processors should be available in early 2012.

Qualcomm put together this video that attempts to demystify asynchronous CPUs and why that matters in mobile devices:

We look forward to seeing the next generation of Snapdragon processors in handsets and gadgets.

Disclosure: Qualcomm is a current Mashable sponsor.

More About: mobile chipsets, Mobile World Congress, MWC, MWC2011, qualcomm, snapdragon

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Syria Jails 19-Year-Old Blogger

Posted: 14 Feb 2011 12:34 PM PST

Syria

A Syrian security court has sentenced a 19-year-old blogger to five years in jail on charges of revealing information to a foreign country, Reuters reported Monday.

The blogger, Tal al-Mallouhi, was arrested in 2009 and detained for more than 13 months without charge. Her blog mostly consists of poetry and social commentary.

According to Human Rights Watch, Syrian security services may have arrested Mallouhi for a poem she wrote criticizing restrictions on freedom of expression in Syria. According to Reuters, she had also posted a request for U.S. President Barack Obama to support the Palestinian cause. The U.S. State Department said last week that Mallouhi should be released because the allegations against her were baseless.

After grassroots movements successfully ousted repressive leaders in Tunisia and Egypt recently, many have speculated that Syria, which has been under the control of the Baath Party for 50 years, is where the next revolution will take place (other analysts say a Syrian revolution is unlikely). On February 4, a planned protest against President Assad gained 17,000 Facebook likes but failed to materialize.

Last week, the Syrian government removed a four-year-old ban on social sites like Facebook and YouTube. The move was seen by many as an attempt to preemptively quell future uprisings.

The decision to jail a high school student for her blog activities, however, seems to be a move very much in the opposite direction.

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, selensergen

More About: arrest, blogger, censorship, Egypt, Syria

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How Small Businesses Are Using Social Media [INFOGRAPHIC]

Posted: 14 Feb 2011 12:01 PM PST

As technology adoption among small businesses increases, social media is an area that more business owners are becoming interested in. In fact, social media is predicted to see one of the biggest increases in online marketing spending this year, just behind website and e-mail marketing.

Alexis Lamster, VP of customers at Postling and creator of the below infographic, told us that the company analyzed nearly 20,000 Postling users to extract information on how small business are using social media.

Check out the data below and let us know in the comments how your small business is using social media comparatively.


More Small Business Resources from Mashable:

- 10 Easy Ways to Show Your Employees You Love Them
- HOW TO: Be a Better Coworker
- 4 Small Business Mobile Predictions for 2011
- 8 Ways Entrepreneurs Can Get More Out of Twitter
- How Professional Foodies Are Using Tech to Transform the Restaurant Business

More About: business, infographics, small business, social media

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Startup Lets You Scan & Decode Barcodes Without an App

Posted: 14 Feb 2011 11:36 AM PST


Barcode scanning applications for iPhone and Android are a dime a dozen. Monday, mobile barcode service Scanbuy is introducing technology that brings barcode scanning to all mobile phones with MMS capabilties, no application needed.

Scanbuy’s new “Scan & Send” feature supports application-independent scanning of QR Code, Datamatrix, EZcode and UPC barcodes. Users can now simply snap a photo of a barcode and send it via MMS to 43588, or e-mail to scan@scanlife.com, to be decoded.

Images are decoded in much the same way as Scanbuy’s ScanLife mobile application decodes barcodes via iPhone or Android app. The user is sent an MMS message with actions associated with the code, including links to product info, videos, photos and phone numbers.

Scanbuy pulls information from its ScanLife Shopper engine, so any UPC code MMS scan will return price information, and could include reviews and coupons.

The technology is a welcome advancement for feature phone (often called “dumphone“) owners — 264 million of these phones were sold in the second quarter of 2010. Alternatively, the smartphone owner could still benefit from the MMS feature if he experiences application connectivity issues or has yet to install a barcode scanning application.

Perhaps the real winners here, though, are marketers running campaigns with barcode tie-ins. No longer does the end user need to be fettered to a particular app or phone to engage with QR code campaigns, which are starting to grow in popularity stateside.

“Scanbuy's technology now allows a brand, agency or retailer to reach at least 80% of today's camera phone users with industry standard barcodes,” says Scanbuy CEO and president Mike Wehrs. “The user experience now ranges from taking a picture and sending it (a seven keystroke solution) to a zero click, very fast recognition when using the ScanLife app on the over 190 models of phones that are supported.”

The only downside is that the Scan & Send MMS feature is limited to U.S. users on Verizon, Sprint and AT&T, though the e-mail option will still work for camera phone owners on other carriers.

More About: MARKETING, MMS, QR Codes, scanbuy, scanlife, startup

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How Facebook Deals Are Helping One NBA Team Connect With Fans

Posted: 14 Feb 2011 11:19 AM PST


The Facebook Marketing Series is supported by Buddy Media, Power Tools for Facebook. The Super Bowl isn’t the only way to reach 100 million people. Learn the best way to launch a new product or service to more than 500 million people on Facebook with this white paper.

Late last year, Facebook launched its Deals service and began allowing select businesses to claim their Facebook Place Pages and offer customers who check in one of four possible deals.

Prior to launch, the Golden State Warriors — an NBA basketball team based near Facebook’s Bay Area headquarters — were approached by Facebook to beta test the new program as a launch partner.

The invitation from the hot company was well-received, explains Kyle Spencer, the team’s executive director of marketing. And so, the organization decided to offer a Facebook Deal for each home game for the remainder of the season.

Trial and Error

The Warriors, like any other brand offering deals, have the option of choosing one of four types of deals: Individual Deals, Loyalty Deals, Friend Deals or Charity Deals. The team is mostly using the Individual Deals to offer merchandise discounts or post-game access to players for fans who check in to individual games. But, it’s very much a trial and error approach designed to uncover the tactics that best drive people to engage with the brand on a deeper level.

The basketball team’s greatest commodity are the players themselves, which explains the higher than average checkins the Warriors see when they involve a meet-and-greet with a player in the night’s deal.

Facebook, for its part, sends out packets to participating Places with promotional stickers. The Warriors have opted instead to create their own promotional materials, including concourse fliers, stickers, table tents and a physical check in table where fans need to go to pick up Warriors’ printed deal cards.

In many ways, the Warriors have departed from Facebook’s original plan for the Deals platform. Facebook makes it known that deal redemption is to be managed by the business owners, but it was likely not the company’s intention to create a system that would require additional overhead on the part of each venue.

Spencer admits that he has access to resources a coffee shop or small business may not have. The extra investment ensures that each Facebook deal fits within the brand experience the team hopes to create on a nightly basis.

Location and Leads

The Facebook Deals program is not without its kinks. To participate, a brand must claim its Place Page, distinct from its brand Page. The two pages can be merged into one, so long as the Place Page has the same name as the brand Page. Herein lies the problem for organizations, like the Golden State Warriors, that are not locations.

In the case of the Warriors, the team plays at the Oracle Arena, a venue the organization does not own. The Warriors cannot claim the arena on Facebook, and instead have created the Golden State Warriors Home Game Place on Facebook. “The biggest challenge we have is getting fans to check in to the right venue,” says Spencer.

The matter of location presents yet another challenge around brand awareness. “We can’t tie our place to our brand,” says Spencer, who feels that this decreases the reach of fan checkins.

“I’d like there to be more synergy between the game, the checkin location and the brand on Facebook so we can drive more awareness to those 160,000 fans we already have on Facebook,” he says.

As is the case with most location-based platforms, Facebook also offers brands very little actionable information they can use following a deals campaign.

“We’d love to know who these people are,” says Spencer. To circumvent this limitation, the Warriors hope to turn each checkin into a transaction. Deals tailored around team store merchandise discounts help with this. So too do the two-for-one ticket deals the team has been experimenting with.

Initial Results

Having offered 23 checkin deals, amassing nearly 17,000 total checkins, averaging 740 checkins per game (at the time of publication), Spencer reports that the organization is extremely pleased with the results thus far.

“We pride ourselves on the fan experience at the arena,” says Spencer. “This lets us take that experience to another level.”

Spencer reports incremental growth in sales at the team store on nights the Warriors run merchandise deals. And while he can’t make the direct correlation between Facebook “Likes” and checkins, Spencer believes there is an important connection.

"Since the start of deals, we've gone from roughly 80,000 fans to over 160,000. I think a portion of that can be attributed to people checking in and telling their friends they were at the Warriors game," he says.

Series Supported by Buddy Media

The Facebook Marketing Series is supported by Buddy Media, Power Tools for Facebook. The Super Bowl isn’t the only way to reach 100 million people anymore. Learn the best way to launch a new product or service to more than 500 million people on Facebook. Download this white paper.

More Facebook Marketing Resources from Mashable:

- HOW TO: Create a Facebook Engagement Policy
- HOW TO: Engage and Mobilize Facebook Fans Beyond the “Like”
- 5 Creative Facebook Places Marketing Campaigns
- 5 Facebook Giving Campaign Success Stories
- 5 New Ways to Market Your Brand on Facebook

Images courtesy of iStockphoto, Jamesmcq24, and the Golden State Warriors

More About: facebook, Facebook Deals, facebook marketing, Facebook Marketing Series, Golden State Warriors, location-based marketing, MARKETING, social media marketing

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Let a Musician Crash on Your Couch With Better Than the Van

Posted: 14 Feb 2011 10:19 AM PST


Ever been inside a band’s “tour bus” (a.k.a. rusted old van of questionable origins)? It’s not, shall, we say, the most fragrant of places. Well, the newly relaunched site Better Than the Van aims to give musicians reprieve from the sweat-stewed interiors of their tour buses and crash with fans.

BTTV co-founder Todd Hansen came up with the site idea for the site back in 2008, whilst touring with bands and running a record label in Minneapolis. “I figured there had always been a need for something like this, so I built a quick site (with help, as I’m not really a developer) and put it out there,” he says via e-mail.

Over the years, the site has chugged along, giving away an appropriately beat-to-hell Chevy van packed with music gear at SXSW, and attempting to get funding — without success.

“Looks like investors aren’t too hot on altruistic travel sites for bands and music fans,” Hansen says. “Not surprising, but we also see a much bigger picture in what we are doing. This is where it all starts, but much bigger things are on the way.”

Those “bigger things” include the site’s relaunch, which include overhauls in the realms of development and UI.

The site itself is pretty slick, allowing bands to find places to stay on tour, connect with bands touring in the same cities, connect with venues and accrue new fans.

Music fans, for their part, can host touring bands and fans, find out when artists are touring near them and discover new bands.

This kind of site is nothing new (remember Adopt a Hacker?), but any resource that lets bands save cash by couch-crashing is aces in our book. Would you let a wayward musician crash on your floor?

Photo courtesy of Flickr, mandiberg

More About: better-than-the-van, music

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Facebook Photos By the Numbers [INFOGRAPHIC]

Posted: 14 Feb 2011 10:17 AM PST


Facebook has a larger photo collection than any other site on the web. According to an extrapolation of photo upload data reported by Facebook, the site now houses about 60 billion photos compared to Photobucket’s 8 billion, Picasa’s 7 billion and Flickr’s 5 billion.

Photo organizing Facebook app Pixable has used data from a sample of 100,000 of its users to give some insight into the contents of Facebook’s huge photo collection.

According to the data, weekends are the most popular days for uploading photos. Middle-aged users and those in their twenties upload comparable numbers of photos, but the older group uses significantly fewer tags. Women upload about twice as many photos as men — which might be good for everybody, as recent research suggests photos with women in them are generally preferred.

“Guys prefer photos with girls. Girls prefer photos with girls. Pretty much everyone prefers photos with girls,” explained Pixable CEO Inaki Berenguer at a recent Social Media Week panel.

facebook_photos

More About: facebook, facebook photos, Photos, Pixable, trending

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BlackBerry Acquires Social Contact Manager Gist

Posted: 14 Feb 2011 10:09 AM PST


BlackBerry maker Research In Motion (RIM) announced Monday that it has acquired relationship manager Gist.

In the past, we’ve called Gist a “power networker’s fantasy service” because it combines e-mail from Outlook, Gmail, Google Apps or Lotus Notes with a universal contact database that can be accessed from the web, the iPhone or on Android. Those contacts and messages are also associated with profiles on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.

The various Gist apps do a great job of contextualizing contact information and pulling in relevant data about a group, company or conversation.

On its blog, RIM says that it is excited about bringing the Gist team and its expertise to BlackBerry. Likewise, the Gist blog notes that the team is excited about bringing Gist to millions of BlackBerry users around the world.

Although Gist has Android and iPhone apps, the service works best when it can directly integrate with an e-mail program, calendar or CRM system. When we reviewed Gist for Google Apps last spring, we commented on how well that overall approach works.

BlackBerry is still known as the platform for messaging and communication. While BlackBerry OS 6.0 has taken strides to better integrate multiple contact streams and destinations into the core Address Book and inbox, having a solution like what Gist offers available system-wide — and native — strikes us as synergistic.

What impact RIM’s acquisition of Gist will have on the various Gist services is unclear, but we expect at the very least that the e-mail plugins and web-based management dashboard products should continue to be available to users.

More About: blackberry, contact management, e-mail, gist, RIM, startups

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Fresh Off TweetDeck Acquisition, UberMedia Raises $17.5 Million

Posted: 14 Feb 2011 10:05 AM PST


UberMedia, a collection of third-party Twitter tools that includes TweetDeck, PostUp, UberTwitter, Echofon and others, has raised $17.5 million in funding from Accel Partners, Index Ventures and Steve Case’s Revolution Ventures.

The funding, first reported by AllThingsD, will help replenish the company’s coffers after its $30 million acquisition of TweetDeck.

Accel’s Jim Breyer will be joining the company’s board of directors. Breyer also sits on Facebook’s board of directors, a situation that could result in interesting questions, opportunities and partnerships, depending on the direction UberMedia takes.

UberMedia was founded by Bill Gross, the founder of GNP Audio Video and Idealab. The company was originally known as TweetUp, an ad platform for Twitter. Once Twitter introduced its own, the company pivoted, changing its name to PostUp, before acquiring UberTwitter and changing its name again to UberMedia.

The combined entity controls approximately 20% of the tweets in the Twitter ecosystem. What Gross and UberMedia intend to do with all of those assets is anybody’s guess.

More About: accel partners, funding, index ventures, Jim Breyer, Revolution Ventures, steve case, tweetdeck, twitter, UberMedia

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Shopping Rewards App Shopkick Hits 100 Million Checkins

Posted: 14 Feb 2011 09:55 AM PST


Shopkick’s location-based shopping app lets users implicitly check in to the locations of its retail partners in exchange for rewards. The startup’s 750,000 users have paid it in-kind with more than 100 million checkins in the six months since launch.

Shopkick is celebrating the milestone achievement Valentine’s Day, just days prior to its official six-month anniversary on February 17. Shopkick users will notice that the service’s iPhone and Android apps are decked out with celebratory-themed fare.

“We thought Valentine's Day would be good day to say 'We love you' to our users,” says co-founder and CEO Cyriac Roeding. “And yes we're happy to be pretty cheesy for a day.”

Shopkick’s location-based formula is unique in that the startup forms partnerships with retailers — Sports Authority, Target, Macy’s and Best Buy to name a few — that install an in-store device that emits a signal picked up by the startup’s iPhone and Android apps and prompts the automatic checkin. A Shopkick checkin is meant to be a verifiable and quantifiable entity that retailers can incentivize with points in the form of Shopkick currency called “kickbucks.”

The startup’s methodology is focused around driving and measuring in-store foot traffic. Shopkick reports that 10% of its users are active each day, 40% are active each month and users have gone on to scan products in stores more than 3 million times since launch.

With a partner network consisting of 1,100 retail and 100 mall locations, Shopkick is far more a commercial win than a consumer hit. Still, the more than 100 million checkins suggest that the startup is delivering on its promise to drive foot traffic to retail stores.

More About: checkins, location-based apps, shopkick, startup

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