Mashable: Latest 6 News Updates - including “31 New Digital Media Resources You May Have Missed” |
- 31 New Digital Media Resources You May Have Missed
- Exotic Supercar Has Aerodynamic Flaps Like a Jet [PICS]
- 30+ Super Bowl Ads You Can Watch Before the Big Game [VIDEOS]
- HANDS ON: HTC Inspire 4G Is a First For AT&T [PICS]
- Are Cover Letters Still Relevant For Social Media and Tech Jobs?
- Top 10 Super Bowl Brands With the Most Twitter Pre-Buzz [Infographic]
- Top 10 Twitter Trends This Week [CHART]
| 31 New Digital Media Resources You May Have Missed Posted: 05 Feb 2011 03:43 PM PST      It’s Super Bowl weekend and in your excitement to see the “Packers/Steelers” beat the “Steelers/Packers” this sunday, we understand if you missed some of our tools and resources from the past week or so. Besides, that five-alarm chili isn’t going to slow-cook itself. It was a pretty exciting week for social media and tech with the launch of the Rupert Murdoch-backed iPad-only newspaper, “The Daily.” Below we’ve got a hands-on review and even some tricks to reading the new magazine for free on your computer. We also take a look at how the protesters in Egypt are using social media on the ground. Need to catch up on all the social media reading that passed you by? Check out our weekly megalist, full of essentials. Looking for even more social media resources? This guide appears every weekend, and you can check out all the lists-gone-by here any time. Social Media
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For more tech news and resources, you can follow Mashable’s tech channel on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook. Business
For more business news and resources, you can follow Mashable’s business channel on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook. Image courtesy of Webtreats etc. More About: business, Features Week In Review, gadgets, List, Lists, Mobile 2.0, social media, tech, technology
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| Exotic Supercar Has Aerodynamic Flaps Like a Jet [PICS] Posted: 05 Feb 2011 02:58 PM PST   Scrape together $1,358,500, and you might be lucky enough to drive home in one of the twenty Pagani C9 Huayra cars to be built this year. What makes this exotic supercar so special? Once you rev up its 700hp twin turbo V12 mid-engine and get the thing racing along at around 230mph, you’ll be traveling faster than the speed of a commercial airliner at takeoff. So naturally, you’ll need flaps, and this brainy car is more than happy to accommodate with its active aerodynamics. That means there are four control flaps on the car’s corners that rise and fall, perfectly timed to keep the vehicle stable at such blistering speeds. There’s been lots of talk and teaser videos (see the third one below) heralding the arrival of the gull-wing doored Pagani C9 Huayra, which is expected to roll out in March at the International Motorshow in Geneva. It’s named for its Argentinian/Italian designer and former Lamborghini manager Horacio Pagani, and Huayra-tata, the “Father of Wind,” according to pre-Columbian Peruvians and Bolivians. If you want even more details, take a look at Gizmag‘s extensive writeup. Meanwhile, feast your eyes on this gallery: Front View That's a serious-looking face. Front 3/4 View Gull-wing doors Windshield View Look at those exotic seats, built to keep you in place at 230mph. Low Angle Not much ground clearance here. Interior Pagani designed the interior so that everything you need is within reach while you endure extreme g forces. Top Wind-tunnel tested, its active aerodynamic flaps are assisted by its slippery shape. Flaps in Action There are two of the flaps raising to keep the center of gravity as equal as possible. At Speed Cab-forward design contributes to the aerodynamics. Short Ground Clearance The car is raised and lowered according to speed and driving conditions. Midships Engine AMG V12 engine by Mercedes More About: Aerodynamics, Exotic Cars, gallery, Horacio Pagani, Pagani C9 Huayra, Sports Cars For more Tech & Gadgets coverage:
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| 30+ Super Bowl Ads You Can Watch Before the Big Game [VIDEOS] Posted: 05 Feb 2011 01:48 PM PST Giving out details about your Super Bowl ad prior to the game used to be a marketing no-no, but that strategy makes less sense in the age of social media. Two days before the game, many advertisers had already loaded their Super Bowl ads onto YouTube. For some, like Volkswagen, this seemed to pay off, but for others it’s hard to say. For you, however, it’s a bonanza, as we’ve compiled all the stuff that’s already hit YouTube. If you see any that we haven’t loaded here yet, just let us know in the comments. Audi Startled Smart (Teaser 1)"At-risk" preppy youths get a visit to a luxury prison in a takeoff of the "Scared Straight" TV specials. Audi "Startled Smart" (Teaser 2)Smooth jazz dweeb Kenny G amiably pokes fun at himself in the second installment of "Startled Smart." Bridgestone "Reply All" (Teaser)Supposedly inspired by a real event, some office worker hit "reply all" when he really shouldn't have. CareerBuilder "Parking Lot"A man parks next to a chimpanzee. Stop me if you've heard this one. Cars.com Commercial: The Reviews are InThis bit featuring talking autos made me want to rent Pixar's Cars again. Coca-Cola Pub 2011 Super Bowl TV commercialWeary border guards share a moment and a Coke in an extremely well-produced spot. E*Trade Baby (Outtakes)"Some gems that didn't make it past the censors." If you're into babies talking sorta dirty, this is for you. GM Chevy "Bumblebee"What looks like an ad for a local dealer turns into a mini-Transformers movie. It's a funny premise, and very well executed.It's one of five commercials that GM Chevrolet will be airing during Super Bowl XLV. HomeAway "Test Baby"British "Minister of Detourism" sets up premise for the money shot: A baby doll flung against a glass wall. Hyundai Elantra "Hypnotized"This ad asks the question, "Have we been hypnotized to believe compact cars are good enough?" Uh, maybe. Maybe we just want to save money on gas. Hyundai Elantra "Childhood"Hyundai continues to get to the root of our compact car obsession. Did we develop this in childhood perhaps? Hyundai Elantra "Sheep" Super Bowl CommercialHyundai believes many drivers are, in effect, sheep because they keep buying boring cars. Hyundai Elantra "Deprogramming"Finally, Hyundai has the cure for our compact car fixation: A hypnotism session reminiscent of the dream sequence in The Big Lebowski. Of course, having Jeff Bridges on hand for the voiceover helps cement the connection. Kia Optima "One Epic Ride"There are apparently some secret clues in this ad, but you might be too distracted by the James Bond-type villains, the aliens and the Poseiden-like ocean god to notice. Mercedes (Teaser)A bunch of people are loading up ice and stuff for a stunt involving what looks like a fleet of Mercedes. I hope these are professional drivers. Motorola Xoom (Teaser)Motorola's PR agency produces video taking on Apple's iconic "1984" ad — and loses. Motorola "Empower the People"Fifteen seconds of the actual 60-second Motorola spot shows the brand is really begging for a comparison to Apple's iconic "1984" ad. Doritos "Pug Attack" (Crash The Super Bowl Contest Finalist)Here, a jerk taunts pug and gets what's coming to him. Doritos may risk the ire of PETA with this one. Doritos "House Sitting" (Crash The Super Bowl Contest Finalist)An unexpected ending puts this spot ahead of the pack. Doritos "The Best Part" 2011 (Crash The Super Bowl Contest Finalist)An incredibly odd little man will shame himself repeatedly to taste the crumbs at the bottom of a Doritos pack. Doritos "Adam and Eve" (Crash The Super Bowl Contest Finalist)The Genesis story gets a retelling with a plug for Doritos. For some reason Eve seems way out of Adam's league. Doritos "Birthday Wish" (Crash The Super Bowl Contest Finalist)A bearded man-child ruins a kid's birthday by blowing out the candles and making his own wishes. Pepsi Max "Love Hurts" (Crash The Super Bowl Contest Finalist)Dieting can be hard work. Pepsi Max "Zero Calories? Psshh" (Crash The Super Bowl Contest Finalist)Bad sound quality plagues a decent idea that would no doubt become annoying on repeated viewings. PepsiMax "First Date" (Crash The Super Bowl Contest Finalist)The differences between men and women's thinking are laid bare in this ad, which, because of the term "I want to sleep with her," seems a bit racy for the brand. Pepsi Max "Elevator Girl" (Crash the Super Bowl Contest Finalist)A guy trying to impress a pretty girl in an elevator can't help but make an ass of himself. Pepsi Max "Torpedo Cooler"Preppy villains who look like they came from an '80s movie get their comeuppance thanks to a trick cooler. Skechers (Teaser)If you can't get enough of Kim Kardashian - and hey, who can? - then you'll love seeing her cavort here. Snickers (Teaser)Imagine you worked on a construction site with Richard Lewis and Roseanne Barr. Yes, I'd make use of a jackhammer as well. Teleflora "Faith Hill Behind the Scenes. (Teaser)Country star Faith Hill complains about her high heels, poses for pictures and gushes about the brand in this behind-the-scenes teaser. "The Force" VolkswagenAn early favorite for the most-loved ad of the game features a pint-sized Darth Vader and leads up to a satisfying payoff. "Black Beetle" VolkswagenVW's other spot promotes this Fall's 21st Century Beetle by showing a CGIed black beetle racing around a forest and dodging millipedes and other obstacles. More About: advertising, MARKETING, sports, Super Bowl, television, trending, tv, video, web video, youtube For more Video coverage:
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| HANDS ON: HTC Inspire 4G Is a First For AT&T [PICS] Posted: 05 Feb 2011 12:27 PM PST   The first 4G phone using the AT&T wireless network is about to arrive, and we have one here for testing. The HTC Inspire 4G showed up on our doorstep yesterday, and after 24 hours of putting it through its paces, I’m impressed with the hardware, but not with AT&T. This slim smartphone is built using an aluminum unibody design, and it feels solid when you pick it up, even though it’s rather hefty at just under 6 ounces. I immediately liked its high-quality construction, put together with a minimum of nonskid plastic on the back and a maximum of glass on the front. The best feature of this phone is not new: its 4.3-inch screen — standard issue on HTC Android phones for about a year. After becoming accustomed to the 3.5″ screen of iPhones, this expansive display real estate feels positively luxuriant. And, the phone didn’t feel too big overall in my hand or pocket. The screen’s 800×480 resolution is slightly lower than the iPhone, and coupled with the Inspire’s larger screen results in a noticeably less sharp first impression. Never mind that; I’d rather have a large screen. After going back to my iPhone 4 after using the HTC Inspire 4G, the iPhone’s screen felt tiny. Beyond that, by comparison the iPhone felt much like what it is: an old-hat last year’s model compared with the futurephone that is the HTC Inspire. While I’m not reviewing the Android operating system, I must mention that it’s made a lot of progress since its first iterations couple of years ago. Android 2.2, codenamed Froyo, is easy to use and highly customizable. And, there are hundreds of thousands of apps available. The Android Market is growing so fast, it might soon surpass that of Apple’s App Store. But quantity isn’t everything — I found some of the Android apps a bit cheesier than most you’ll find on the App Store, some with garish graphics and lots of cheap-looking ads. Even so, my favorite apps were available, including Pandora Radio, a Sonos music system controller, a Speedtest app which I used for this review, and almost every other app I was looking for. If a perceived lack of variety of apps is keeping you from jumping into the Android operating system, you might want to think again. The HTC Inspire 4G‘s claim to fame is that it’s the first “4G” smartphone from AT&T. There’s some discussion about whether HSPA+ even qualifies as 4G at all, and AT&T admits that its HSPA+ service “will be available in limited areas.” If it’s not available where you live, that debate is academic. And, AT&T is not exactly forthcoming about where this HSPA+ service is available — a map of the company’s 4G service hasn’t been released yet. While AT&T vows to unleash a faster LTE wireless network by the middle of this year, this phone doesn’t support that. This situation might be enough to make you want to keep the cellphone you have now for a while longer. Undaunted, I tested the Inspire’s download and upload speeds using the available network connectivity. The phone’s network icon indicated I was using HSPA+, but its speeds showed me that it didn’t matter what it’s called, it’s slower than the company’s 3G in this area. Using the Speedtest app, I measured a 2.79 megabit-per-second (mbps) download and a .38 mbps upload speed. If this is 4G, it’s awfully slow, because I tested my iPhone on AT&T in exactly the same location with its 3G network, and its download speed was faster than this: 3.96 mbps downloading, .72mbps uploading. If my testing is indicative of this “4G” network, unfortunately, you’re not going to get much benefit from it yet over garden-variety 3G. Beyond its data capability, I found this to be a good-sounding cellphone when making calls, with better sound than the iPhone, albeit still in the substandard range that is a characteristic of all cellphones. I especially like the haptic response of the screen, where there’s a little vibration that occurs with each icon you press. This smartphone exudes such exquisite quality, it’s almost enough to make me want to abandon my iPhone 4. It’s a credible threat to the iPhone’s dominance, and those who were considering an iPhone might want to hold one of these in their hands first. The price is right, too, going on sale February 13 for $100 with a two-year service agreement — but watch out, AT&T will clip you with an early termination fee of $325 in the first months if you back out, and that HSPA+ 4G service offered by AT&T will probably be obsolete within a few months. Overall, though, the HTC Inspire lives up to its name, but its underlying AT&T 4G service, still in its infancy, inspires me to wait. Customizable Screen The 4.3-inch screen feels huge. Side View That long, thin volume control feels like it's placed too high for me. Might be force of habit. Top That's the power button. Back The black pieces are plastic, but they're non-skid to keep the phone from slipping out of your hands. Other Side The phone is quite thin, more so than it looks in this shot. All Apps Screen This is one contrasty and sharp screen, albeit not as crispy as the iPhone 4's display. More About: Android 2.2., hands-on, HTC Inspire 4G, reviews, smartphones, trending For more Mobile coverage:
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| Are Cover Letters Still Relevant For Social Media and Tech Jobs? Posted: 05 Feb 2011 11:07 AM PST   The cover letter is often an expected attachment to the résumé, serving as an applicant’s first impression on potential employers. Traditionally, it offers job seekers an opportunity to introduce their skills and qualifications, while giving hiring managers an idea of a candidate’s suitability for the position. But as more companies use social networks to screen candidates, many applicants are questioning whether their cover letters are still relevant. With the level of transparency in social media, what can a cover letter offer that a LinkedIn profile or Twitter stream can’t? Opinions of the career experts interviewed for this article were split, leading us to answer the above question with “it depends.” Here’s a look at why you may not want to send a cover letter, why it could still be useful to send one, and how to optimize your approach when applying for social media and tech positions. The Relevancy Factor A cover letter’s value can be determined by its approach. Many hiring managers see them as increasingly unnecessary because they’re often text-heavy, unoriginal, and repeat the résumé rather than enhance it. Mark O’Connor, staffing manager at oil company Tesoro, says he doesn’t read much into cover letters, particularly for tech jobs — but adds that it doesn’t mean applicants shouldn’t bother to send them. “They should be short functional summaries of their relevant experience,” he says. Still, O’Connor’s team of recruiters focuses on developing relationships with candidates via social networks. From there, they’re more concerned about the details that lie within the résumé and try to hone in on a candidate’s past experience. For MSNBC Career Columnist Eve Tahmincioglu, cover letters are even more important for social media and tech job seekers. “Today companies want tech employees who are critical thinkers, well-rounded and do more than just tech speak,” she says. “These things are hard to convey in a résumé.” In some cases, Tahmincioglu adds, the first person to see your application is a human resources manager, who may not know much about the dense list of computer programs and technical projects on your résumé. The cover letter can be an opportunity to draw them in with a personal touch. What Your Cover Letter Says About You
“A cover letter, especially one that is customized to the position tells me the person is actually applying for this position. This person cares enough to write something that applies — not just a blanket response of résumés to a bunch of jobs,” says Patrick Chaupham, senior vice president of digital communications at public relations agency Weber Shandwick. In fact, it’s the lack of tailored and interesting cover letters that keeps Ryan Goff, director of social media marketing at advertising and public relations agency MGH, from reading them. “We want to be wow’ed, and the cut-and-paste cover letter will never do the trick,” he says. “Know your audience and, in doing so, give us something that would impress.” Top Cover Letter Tips Here are the top four cover letter tips from the career experts we interviewed:
Conclusion A cover letter is still valuable — as long as it’s done right. Like Goff said, the key is to know your audience. If you’re applying to a company that has dedicated technical recruiters spending 90% of their time on LinkedIn, connect with them there. If you’re working with a general human resources manager, use the cover letter to be relatable by showing off your personality and creativity. No matter what your approach, be clear about your passion for the particular position and/or company. Hiring managers won’t be excited about you unless you’re excited about them. Social Media Job ListingsEvery week we put out a list of social media and web job opportunities. While we post a huge range of job listings, we’ve selected some of the top social media job opportunities from the past two weeks to get you started. Happy hunting!
More Job Search Resources from Mashable:
Images courtesy of iStockphoto, mrPliskin and wdstock Fan of Mashable? Join Other Fans on LinkedIn »More About: careers, cover letter, job applications, job search series, jobs, Recruiting, resume, social media, tech, trending For more Social Media coverage:
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| Top 10 Super Bowl Brands With the Most Twitter Pre-Buzz [Infographic] Posted: 05 Feb 2011 09:04 AM PST   Want to know which Super Bowl brands are already stirring up the Twittering masses? Here’s an infographic that’ll give you the scoop on the latest pre-buzz on Twitter. Super Bowl XLV is still a day away, but there’s already intense interest in the commercials that will be interrupted from time to time by a football game. Many of those ads have already leaked onto YouTube, and some have pulled out in front of the pack, certain to be standouts in tomorrow’s game. This data is from the Meltwater Group, using its Meltwater Buzz social media monitoring tool to calculate volume of tweets generated by each one of these brands since last Friday, more than a week ago. However, this is the pre-buzz on Twitter. A study from marketing technology and research firm Alterian shows PepsiCo’s Doritos leading the pre-game buzz bowl, but it’s not all positive. Take a look at the top 10, and then at the bottom check out the clever video that spurred the most pre-buzz for its brand in this contest, Volkswagen with its Star Wars-themed masterpiece. Image courtesy Meltwater Group More About: infographic, Pre-Buzz, Super Bowl ads, Super Bowl XLV, trending, twitter For more Social Media coverage:
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| Top 10 Twitter Trends This Week [CHART] Posted: 05 Feb 2011 07:25 AM PST   It was an interesting week in the Twitterverse, with top topics spread out over a wide gamut of news, cultures and countries. The protests in Egypt took the top slot, of course, with each day yielding new developments about the country’s political unrest. Social media’s role in the protests also fueled the Twitter discussion. A few developments in the world of soccer kept the sport in its usual location, hovering near the top of the trends chart. This week it comes in at number two. And word of Britney Spears’ new album and music video brought her name back into the Twitter zeitgeist. The buzz landed the pop singer at number three. For the full list of top trends, check out the chart below, compiled by our friends at What the Trend. Because this is a topical list, hashtag memes and games have been omitted from the chart. You can check past Twitter trends in our Top Twitter Topics section, and read more about this past week's trends on What The Trend. Top Twitter Trends This Week: 1/29 – 2/4 Image courtesy of iStockphoto, 123render More About: Egypt, entertainment, social media, Top Twitter Topics, trending topics, twitter, twitter trends For more Social Media coverage:
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The main advantage of a cover letter is its ability to be customized. Some hiring managers see it as a way to assess your dedication to and qualifications for a specific position.
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