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Mashable: Latest 26 News Updates - including “Tor Project Wins Award for Role in Middle East Revolutions”

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Mashable: Latest 26 News Updates - including “Tor Project Wins Award for Role in Middle East Revolutions”

Tor Project Wins Award for Role in Middle East Revolutions

Posted: 01 Apr 2011 11:03 PM PDT


The Tor Project has been recognized by the Free Software Foundation for its role in the protests and revolutions around North Africa and the Middle East.

This software, which allows for safe and anonymous web browsing, was given the FSF’s Award for Projects of Social Benefit. The award is intended to highlight “a project that intentionally and significantly benefits society through collaboration to accomplish an important social task.”

Without question, enabling the Internet’s role in political revolution has been an important social task, and one that the Tor Project has explicitly supported. In its section on activist users, Tor reps state that anonymous browsing is essential for reporting abuses of power and organizing protests, especially from behind government-sponsored firewalls and ISP blocks.

“Using free software,” the FSF writes, “Tor has enabled roughly 36 million people around the world to experience freedom of access and expression on the Internet while keeping them in control of their privacy and anonymity. Its network has proved pivotal in dissident movements in both Iran and more recently Egypt.”

In Iran, political dissent before, during and after the 2009 election caused a firestorm on Twitter and Facebook; as a result, the government began censoring many apps and sites. The Tor Project allowed users to bypass the blocks and access the web apps they needed to continue to organize.

And in Egypt and other countries in North Africa and the Middle East, a couple months of steady political unrest has been punctuated by periods of site-specific blocks and even total Internet blackouts. Once again, Tor was instrumental for continuing to allow many users to access the web, where they communicated internally and externally and rallied for change.

Andrew Lewman, executive director of the Tor Project, was present to accept the award from the FSF and its founder and president Richard M. Stallman during a March 19 ceremony.

Previous winners of this award include such notable FOSS projects as the Internet Archive, Creative Commons and Wikipedia.

More About: award, Egypt, foss, free software, middle east, politics, tor

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Hole in Plane Leads to Emergency Landing, Twitpic Shows Details [PHOTOS]

Posted: 01 Apr 2011 10:04 PM PDT


Shawna Redden had a harrowing couple of hours tonight when a Southwest flight she was on took a turn for the worse.

A six-foot hole was somehow ripped in the top of the plane just five rows behind where Redden sat, and the frightened passenger said the resulting loss of cabin pressure was “hands down the scariest experience of my life.”

Redden gave eyewitness accounts of the experience on her Twitter account, @BluestMuse, and used Twitpic to relay images of the damaged plane and air masks and communicate with journalists about the flight and the passengers.

Just after 4 p.m., the emergency aboard Southwest flight 812 from Phoenix to Sacramento began. The cabin lost pressure, and air masks dropped from the plane’s overhead compartments. The pilot was forced to make an emergency landing in Yuma, Arizona.

Of the ordeal, Redden noted that passengers heard an “explosion sound, then a rush of air. Masks dropped, and a woman screamed. Everyone else was calm. Pilot landed safely.” While Redden said the noise of the ripped-open plane was “super loud,” she lauded the flight crew, who “stayed calm and checked on everyone.”

According to Redden and confirmations from authorities, no passengers were harmed (although Redden said two fainted), and one flight attendant was slightly injured during the landing.

Yuma International Airport director Craig Williams told the Associated Press these types of emergency landings are “rare but not unheard of.”

Williams said the flight ended in an uneventful landing in Yuma, where passengers waited for an hour or less for another plane to get them back in the air. “The passengers are all fine … keep dinner warm, they’re been there as soon as we can get them there,” Williams said.

Overall, Southwest received a couple complimentary mentions of the crew and pilot’s commendable poise during the emergency. The airline issued a statement saying, “Upon safely landing in Yuma, the flight crew discovered a hole in the top of the aircraft … A Southwest aircraft with maintenance, ground crew, and customer service agents onboard, is on its way from Phoenix to Yuma to assess the damaged aircraft and support the 118 customers onboard. They are expected to arrive in Sacramento later tonight.”

Investigation of the incident will be conducted by Southwest, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). An FAA spokesperson told the L.A. Times that, while no one yet knows the cause for the acciden, the Boeing 737 “made a rapid, controlled descent” from 36,000 feet to 11,000 feet after the loss of cabin pressure.

Redden’s pictures are below. What would you have done in her position?


Air Masks




As the cabin lost pressurization, air masks dropped from the overhead compartments.


Air Masks




As the cabin lost pressurization, air masks dropped from the overhead compartments.


Hole in the Plane




Here, Redden shows the six-foot hole that was ripped in the side of the plane.


Redden in Air Mask





Southwest Pilot




The pilot of Southwest flight 812, who safely landed the damaged plane in Yuma with all passengers in good health.

More About: citizen journalism, flight, plane, shawna redden, Southwest, twitpic

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35 Years & $317 Billion Later, Apple Intends To Dominate a Post-PC World

Posted: 01 Apr 2011 08:57 PM PDT


On April 1, 1976, Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne established a small company to sell personal computer kits hand-built by Wozniak. That company, as you probably know, was Apple Computer.

Thirty-five years later, Apple is now the most valuable technology company in the world. Its market capitalization exceeds $317 billion, trumping longtime rival Microsoft by more than $100 billion. And Apple’s iconic products sit on the desks and in the pockets of millions of people across the world.

Most people know bits and pieces of the Apple story, but the company has a complicated history. Some of us may not know, for example, that Apple had a third co-founder, Ronald Wayne, who got cold feet and sold his 10% stake in Apple less than two weeks later. Everybody knows Steve Jobs, but they may not know Mike Markkula, one of Apple’s first angel investors and the company’s second CEO.

In the 35 years of Apple’s existence, the company has gone through hell and back. The launch of the Macintosh in 1984 and the coinciding “1984″ Super Bowl commercial remain symbols one of Apple’s highest points, but only a year later, then-CEO John Sculley forced Steve Jobs out of the company. A decade later, in 1996, the company was on the brink of destruction when it acquired NeXT and brought Steve Jobs back. In 1997, Microsoft invested $150 million in Apple to keep it afloat (something it probably now regrets), and soon after came Apple’s golden years with the iPod, iMac, MacBook, iPhone and now the iPad.

We don’t necessarily want to dwell on Apple’s past; you can visit Wikipedia if you want a lesson in Apple Inc.’s history. Instead, let’s focus on what Apple might do in the next 35 years.

What’s In Store For The Next 35 Years?

For the last 35 years, Apple has almost always been the underdog. While it languished, Microsoft flourished. In fact, Apple surpassed Microsoft in market cap for the first time last May.

For the next few decades, however, the technology titan will be incumbent. Apple has a giant target on its back, and it’s not just Microsoft taking aim. Apple also faces challenges from Google, Amazon and a plethora of mobile device manufacturers. While Apple is handily beating its competition today, the status quo could change at any moment.

And while Apple fends off Android, PCs and competing tablets, it has its eye on creating a post-PC world. Rather than compete on hardware specs, it competes on design and user experience. Its a world of mobile devices that Apple intends to dominate for decades to come.

Leading the charge is Steve Jobs, not only the company’s CEO but also its heart and soul. While he’s currently on medical leave, he did show up for the unveiling of the iPad 2, demonstrating things aren’t as dire as previously rumored.

Still, Apple will some day have to continue its quest to redefine technology without its iconic leader, and many question whether anybody can provide the design and product vision Jobs has imparted on the company he founded 35 years ago.

Even if you aren’t a fan of Apple products, it’s tough not to be impressed with what Apple has been able to accomplish since 1976. We wonder what products it will create and challenges it will face in the next 35 years. Right now though, the sun is definitely shining down on Cupertino.

More About: iMac, ipad, iPad 2, iphone, iphone 3g, iphone 3Gs, iphone 4, ipod, mac, macbook, Macbook Pro, macintosh, steve jobs, steve wozniak

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Color Updates App, Addresses Speed & UI Problems

Posted: 01 Apr 2011 05:41 PM PDT


Color, the geolocation social network and photo-sharing app that made major headlines last week, has updated its iPhone app with major speed and UI changes.

The application, available for iPhone and Android, is a combination of social networking and photo sharing. Unlike traditional social networks though, there is no “friending” or “following” — the app figures out your social graph from implicit data such as who you hang out with and who you’re interacting with the most. It also lets you see the albums people are creating near you, whether they’re a friend or a stranger.

The company, which raised an astounding $41 million in venture capital before its launch, has received mixed reviews for the app. While Color has interesting technology (it can figure out who’s in a room based on ambient sound and light), its interface has been criticized as confusing; and the app is useless when nobody is nearby. Last week, Mashable spoke with CEO Bill Nguyen about these issues; at that time, Nguyen promised Color would fix these issues in the next update.

True to those words, Color 1.0.2 addresses some of these complaints with a series of stability improvements, updated icons and navigation changes.

The first thing you’ll notice is the inclusion of several new icons. These icons, which include captions when you press them, provide easier access to a user’s feed, history, notifications and nearby photos. Color has also replaced some icons that were difficult to understand. One example is the Heart icon, which shares photo albums on Facebook, Twitter and SMS. It has been replaced with a more intuitive paper airplane icon, making its purpose clear.

In addition to the icon and UI changes, Color 1.0.2 adds big speed improvements, as the lack of speed had hindered the app’s usability. Finally, the app is now available in three additional languages: Japanese, French and Chinese.

What do you think of the updated version of the app? Will it make you use it more, or is it too little, too late? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

More About: apple, color, iOS, iphone app

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Mobile Payments Will Disrupt, Just Not Immediately [REPORT]

Posted: 01 Apr 2011 04:08 PM PDT


Google, Amazon and Apple might be fighting to replace consumers wallets with smartphones. But a new report from Forrester indicates true mass adoption of mobile payments is still a few years away.

In the report “Mobile Payments Enter a Disruptive Phase,” Forrester analyst Thomas Husson says that only 12% of adults in the U.S. and 6% of adults in Europe have made transactions from their phones. Still, Forrester finds that mobile payments “have the potential to disrupt existing payment systems.” The speed in which this disruption takes hold of the industry, however, may be slow going.

When we talk about mobile payments, we’re really talking about two different types of solutions. The first is to use a mobile network to initialize and authorize a transaction. This can be done using SMS or carrier billing.

The second type involves the burgeoning NFC and contactless mobile payment systems. 2011 promises to be the year that NFC devices will ship en masse. Already RFID and NFC pilot programs have been tested by companies like Visa and Bank of America. Still, the first wide-scale demonstration of NFC and contactless payments probably won’t occur until the 2012 Olympics in London. Forrester says it likely will take until 2013 through 2015 for mobile payments to exist in a cross-market, interoperable way.

The transition will take time, Forrester says, because consumer interest in mobile payments is low. Vendors need to give users a reason to care. To create demand, they must adopt mobile payments for the systems to work. This becomes a catch-22 situation. Vendors and mobile payment companies may need to take the lead on convincing merchants and consumers to jump on board.

Still, the very real business and market realities not withstanding, mobile payments do have the potential to disrupt existing markets in the future. This is one reason that so many existing payment processors — like American Express and its new Serve initiative — are entering the mobile payment space with such vigor.

More About: forrester, mobile payments, nfc, paypal, serve, studies

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Our Favorite YouTube Videos This Week: The Rhythmic Silliness Edition

Posted: 01 Apr 2011 03:00 PM PDT


Weekends should be all about levity. And dancing. Which is why we asked audio-visual artists (and frequent Mashable party headliners) Eclectic Method to curate this week’s YouTube Roundup. The theme? Rhythmic Silliness.

It’s been a big couple of weeks for the guys in Eclectic Method. Their first single, “Outta Sight” (featuring Chuck D from Public Enemy), dropped on March 15 via a special microsite, and they also appeared on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon just this week.

Check out the video for their single below, and then head down the page for a lovely melange of dancey silliness. (Ian Edgar is the dude from Eclectic Method.)


O.A.U!, "AV Drum Machine"


Ian Edgar: You got to stick it out a couple of minutes with this whimsical video rhythm piece by Spanish a/v nonsense merchants, OAU! It's a criminally underviewed clip, but that adds to the joy of watching these two guys put a fair bit of effort into something really pretty silly, a simulation of a video drum machine featuring themselves. Perhaps we see ourselves in them, fellow accelerators of the global video apocalypse.


Rahzel, "Iron Man"


Emily Banks: This is just crazy, and I have no idea how he does it.


Reggie Watts


Zachary Sniderman: This was inevitable.


Fatboy Slim, "Weapon Of Choice"


Brian Dresher: One of my all-time faves...Christopher Walken with amazing dance moves in the "Weapon of Choice" video.


Pi Video by Hard n' Phirm


Josh Catone: It's a mathematical constant.


CathyMay15, "Boom Boom Boom" Way Ho Girl


Ada Ospina: ... Or lack there of. I've never heard Rachel Black but I'm team #CathyMay15.


Stone Forrest Ensemble


Erica Swallow: One of my favorite bands is Stone Forest Ensemble. I'm constantly amazed at their rhythmic amazingness.


Andrew Bird's One-Man Orchestra of the Imagination


Josh Catone: Andrew Bird at TED = awesome. If I ever win the lottery, I plan to hire this man to score my life.


NewVillager, "LightHouse"


Brenna Ehrlich: This video looks like it would be fun to live in. A little NSFW.

More About: eclectic method, music, viral videos, youtube

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HOW TO: Recruit All-Star Employees on a Startup Budget

Posted: 01 Apr 2011 02:39 PM PDT

superstar image

Alex Berg is the Chief Product Officer of Bonanza and Bags Bonanza. Bonanza is a marketplace focused on creating a browse-friendly experience that helps you discover unique items. Prior to Bonanza, Alex served in leadership positions with Wetpaint, Expedia, and Blue Nile.

At a startup it's painfully hard to make time for recruiting. Any time not spent advancing the product feels like a distant secondary priority. However, getting the right team in place is the most important thing you can do to make your startup successful.

Your first few hires set the tone for your culture. What's more, it's often said that A-level hires get you more top quality hires in the long run. You don't just need to make time for recruiting — you have to be great at it.

What follows are my tips and tricks for finding and closing all-star hires on a startup budget.

Do You Need a Recruiter?

While you'll be tempted to outsource recruiting so you can focus on the product, recruiting starts and ends with you. No one can recruit harder than you. No one knows the right fit like you do. And no one can sell the opportunity like you can. Before you look for help, block out some time on your schedule and hit LinkedIn hard.

Get ready for an endless stream of coffees and lunches. Sound painful? It is. You have to do it anyway. What's worse, many of these meetings won't even lead directly to hires. They aren't a complete waste of time however; karma has a good memory and the positive relationships you build now will pay off eventually.

Once you've exhausted the outer rings of your network, it's time to get help. A great recruiter can be a tremendous asset. I look for folks who I can pay by the hour and offer them a nice cash incentive for a fast hire. Contingency recruiters, and their exorbitant fees, are a personal anathema of mine. Who has twenty grand to spend per hire?

Types of Recruiters

In my experience, recruiters come in three flavors: Lead generators (a.k.a. “sourcers”), Process Builders, and Closers. Very few people have all three of these skills. In fact, depending on your rate of growth, you probably only need a sourcer.

  • Sourcers get you leads. To paraphrase Glengarry Glen Ross, you want the good leads. A great sourcer has a knack for finding the hidden gems: Passive candidates. Top candidates aren't typically combing Craigslist looking for their next gig and a good sourcer knows how to find them and open the door. Passive candidates are the hardest to close, but top talent is always worth it.
  • Process builders have their place. If you’re expecting explosive growth, you will need someone to create job profiles, manage candidate flow, and wrangle schedules. However, process builders aren't typically great sourcers. Get an intern to play coordinator and hire a sourcer instead. You’ll know a process builder by the bullets on their LinkedIn profile. A great process will make you feel organized, but it alone won't get those all-star butts in your office.
  • Closers are typically for executive hires and complex negotiations. Some recruiters will like to handle the negotiation for you and that's tempting when you're working nights and weekends. However, top talent is worth your personal time. You’re not just selling the role and package; you’re selling the vision and building a relationship in the process.

The Interview Process

Need more leads? Tap local professional associations or try hosting a meetup. My company recently hosted a meetup for Ruby developers. It cost us $200 in pizza but we had more than 40 developers right in our office. Thanks to several obnoxious “We're Hiring” signs, I had six interviews scheduled in two days.

Interviewing can feel even more painful than generating leads. After all, now you're tapping your team as well. However, the interviewing process is really where closing begins. And closing great hires requires a holistic approach in which you examine every aspect of the candidate experience.

Take a look at how your candidates flow through your interview process. Are your candidates greeted warmly and treated with respect? Is your office environment stimulating and welcoming? Talk to your team about how to close candidates, making sure they know that interviewing is about “buying” and “selling.” Have your team make sure candidates are appropriately handed off from interview to interview.

Finally, when your loop is over, make sure the hiring manager sees them out and lets them know precisely what's next. The impression you make through the interview process can be the difference between getting that rock star software architect and another batch of painful first-round interviews.

Closing

Do you have a gap between interview rounds? Make it as short as possible and don't go dark. At my previous company, we sent “swag” kits to hot candidates between rounds. It doesn't cost much to toss some logo gear together. Include a note from the first few interviewers expressing excitement at the prospect of working together. The goal is getting your candidate feeling like they are already on the team.

In the end, you need to close and closing is an art. I don't like making an offer without knowing it will be accepted. Understand your candidate's hot buttons, if they have any special needs, and the role of their significant other in the decision. Here's a quick list of the lengths I've gone to close all-star hires.

  • Dinner with the spouse. Chances are that half your candidate's decision resides with someone you likely haven't even met. Why leave such a huge factor untouched? Tell your candidate you'd like to take them to dinner and be ready to sell. I've heard SOs ask some delightfully blunt questions.
  • Special stipends. Sometimes candidates have special needs. One candidate I was interviewing had some special-needs pets. I tossed a small stipend on top of her offer that was specifically flagged for pet-related costs. Sure, I could have just raised the salary a bit, but I knew calling this out would have an emotional appeal. It let her know I was listening, it was a cinch to do, and most importantly it helped lock her down.
  • Press kits. For some candidates, particularly those with SOs, I'll mail a press kit to his or her house. Print out some screenshots of press coverage or some compelling aspects of your product and physically mail them out. Anyone can send an email. Getting something at home feels special and gets a tangible asset in front of the spouse. Spouses can justifiably be gun-shy of startups. Press kits can take the edge off and give you legitimacy.

A Key Example

Sometimes you have to go over the top. A few years ago I was recruiting an absolute star. I had tried to hire her once before, but was turned town. A year later it became clear she was ready for an offer and I wasn't going to miss out. Learning from my first attempt, I wanted to make sure that I built some momentum and closed the spouse too. So I created a campaign.

First she received a swag kit and card. Three days later she received a printed press kit followed by a nice dinner. By the time she got the offer letter, with a unique extra or two, she was overwhelmed. She joked that she might have to get a restraining order … and then she promptly accepted.

While this may sound like a big investment it doesn't need to be. All-star hires are worth their weight in gold and the time spent closing them is time saved in eliminating future interviews for you and your team. Think about the last time you were recruited heavily. It's nice being wanted isn't it?

Interested in more Startups resources? Check out Mashable Explore, a new way to discover information on your favorite Mashable topics.

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, purmar

More About: business, hiring, how to, MARKETING, Recruiting, startup, startups

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Apple, Google & the War To Replace Your Wallet

Posted: 01 Apr 2011 02:25 PM PDT


Amazon, Google, Apple, Microsoft and others have their eyes on the NFC mobile payment market, setting the stage for a potentially brutal battle over the future of payments.

NFC, or near-field communication, allows for wireless transfer of data over short distances between two devices. This makes it an ideal technology for financial transactions between a phone and a device at a brick-and-mortar store.

While NFC is still in its infancy in the U.S., it is prevalent in Japan, where you can pay for almost anything by simply swiping your phone. There’s no need for credit cards, cash or even ID. Your smartphone is your wallet.

A lot of companies are betting that 2011 is the year NFC takes off in the U.S., and are working on their own NFC payment solutions. This list includes some very big players:

A Multi-Billion Dollar Industry At Stake

In a wide-open NFC mobile payment market, you can make a compelling case for any of these companies to become the dominant player. Google is moving faster than anybody else in the market, has a partnership deal with Mastercard and Citigroup, and controls the Android OS. Apple not only has iPhone, but it has iTunes, making it the company with the most credit card information on the web. Microsoft may be behind in the mobile OS race, but its partnership with Nokia should fix that problem. And Isis alone controls more than 200 million wireless subscribers and hundreds of millions of handsets.

And then there’s Amazon. While it doesn’t control a mobile OS or millions of smartphones, it does have the most payments experience and clout of the group. It has also proven adept at developing strong mobile apps. And even more important is its potential ability to convince brick-and-mortar stores to include its own NFC devices in their stores.

It’s easy to see why all of these companies care about NFC. It’s potentially game changing technology. As Mashable‘s Sarah Kessler explained last year, NFC could be used in payments, transportation, health care, smart objects and social media. Each one of those industries is a multi-billion dollar market on its own.

The NFC battle is going to be waged over years, or even decades. The stakes are simply too high for anyone to let a competitor dominate the market.

More About: amazon, android, apple, Google, iOS, iphone, iphone 4, iPhone 5, mobile payments, nfc

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TweetForger Is Fertile Ground for April Fools

Posted: 01 Apr 2011 01:44 PM PDT


Here’s a convincing April Fools’ gag if there ever was one. Enter someone’s Twitter handle into the form at Tweetforger.com, create a crazy tweet, send your victim a link to the resulting page and watch the hilarity ensue.

Even though the graphic the site creates looks like a real tweet, it’s nothing of the sort. Once you enter a Twitter handle, TweetForger simply scrapes up your victim’s twitter background and then re-creates it almost perfectly with your chosen text inserted within.

While this looks pretty scary — and somebody might be calling up some lawyers any minute now — it’s just harmless fun. Here’s how the creators of Tweetforger explain it:

“TweetForger is a fun way to make it appear as if a Twitter user has tweeted something. You can pick any user you want, enter some text, and TweetForger will create an individual, look-alike tweet. Nothing you do here will appear in anyone’s Twitter stream, even your own. TweetForger is just for fun. Please don’t be a jerk.”

There’s still a few hours left of April Fools’ Day, so if it appeals to you, go ahead and make fools out of all your friends.

Meanwhile, here’s an example of TweetForger’s handiwork:

More About: April Fools' Day, Gags, jokes, pranks, Tweetforger, twitter

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Home Depot Tries Crowdsourced Philanthropy on Facebook

Posted: 01 Apr 2011 01:35 PM PDT

construction image

Home Depot just launched a campaign on Facebook allowing users to decide where the company should spend its grant dollars and volunteer hours.

The program, Aprons in Action, was launched by The Home Depot Foundation, the company’s philanthropic arm. In 2011, the Foundation committed $30 million over three years to non-profit organizations dedicated to improving the homes and lives of economically disadvantaged veterans.

Aprons in Action will tap Home Depot’s 250,000+ Facebook fans to help place that money in worthy hands. Each month, the Facebook competition will feature four community improvement projects to be completed by company volunteers and a local non-profit. Users can then vote between those projects to determine which gets a $25,000 Home Depot gift card. All featured projects will at least receive $5,000 in gift cards.

Those monthly winners (11 in total) will then be put into another competition for a larger grant of $250,000. There will also be runner up grants worth $150,000 and $100,000. By the end of the program, Aprons in Action will have donated $1 million. It’s no small number, and adds to the $270 million the Foundation has already donated to non-profits since its formation in 2002.

home depot image

"Social media and philanthropy are a natural fit," said Kelly Caffarelli, president of the Foundation, in a release. "What we're doing that's a little different here is getting people to support a cause they feel good about, letting them use our money to do it and giving our associates a chance to amplify their impact in their hometowns."

Crowdsourced philanthropy has become a trend in social good, but its effects are still unclear. Opening up competitions to the public is a great way to increase reach and turn your audience into evangelists. By canvassing for votes, your fans not only share your brand by also promote a good cause close to their heart. Crowdsourced voting, however, can sometimes overtake the cause at hand as organizations push for more votes in order to “win” rather than to “help.”

To be sure, this isn’t always the case. Home Depot is helping to alleviate this possibility by providing benefits and financial support to all its featured projects.

What do you make of using crowdsourcing as a tool for social good and online giving? What is Home Depot doing right? What could it do better? Sound off in the comments.

Image courtesy of Flickr, jphilipg

More About: aprons in action, charity, crowdsourced, facebook, Home Depot, home depot foundation, non-profit, social good

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Facebook Profile Migration Tool Takes a Hiatus

Posted: 01 Apr 2011 01:03 PM PDT


Facebook’s Profile to Page migration tool has been disabled.

The tool allowed users to convert Facebook Profiles into Facebook Pages, turning friends into fans, and was aimed primarily at brands and organizations.

The new feature was launched to little fanfare earlier this week, but managed to generate a lot of publicity after being featured on Inside Facebook, CNET, The Huffington Post and of course, Mashable. I decided to test the tool on my own account — and ran into a number of serious problems. Although my situation was resolved (a huge thanks to the Facebook engineer who helped me), it’s not an experience I would wish on anyone.

As of Friday, the option to convert profiles to pages appears to be disabled. Visiting the tool page redirects to the standard “create a page” tool. We’ve reached out to Facebook for official comment.

In the comments on my post yesterday, other readers who had attempted the conversion chimed in with their experiences. It’s likely that the additional publicity given to the tool resulted in a large number of inadvisable migrations.

If the tool does return, only use it if you are absolutely certain of the consequences. The Facebook terms of service state that inanimate objects, pets, and businesses can’t have personal profile pages — so in these cases, a migration makes sense. Otherwise, you’re better off sticking with the profile you already have.

If it’s for anything other than TOS compliance, it’s probably not a good idea to move forward.

More About: facebook, facebook migration

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5 YouTube Marketing Tips for Better Engagement

Posted: 01 Apr 2011 11:43 AM PDT


Jason Weaver is the CEO of Shoutlet, an enterprise social management software company he founded. He has been involved in social media strategy development since its inception for brands that include Disney, SC Johnson, and eBay.

In addition to its incredible success as the de facto portal for video uploads and viewing, YouTube is itself a community. For brands, it provides an additional viable opportunities to spark discussion with followers. It's a place to build relationships and create a space for users to converse with each other about branded content.

Just as Facebook has become an incredibly popular place for brands to maintain a dialogue with their customers, YouTube offers a similar opportunity, although the conversation is driven primarily by video content. Treating YouTube not only as a platform for video distribution, but as a forum for engagement deepens the customer experience.

So how do companies make the most of the conversations happening on YouTube?

1. Start With Great Content

Whether you're a popular consumer brand or an emerging B2B company, engaging content that prompts discussion and social pass-along requires outside-the-box thinking to make an impression (pun intended). Like any other content provided to social audiences, videos on YouTube must be engaging and compelling enough to spark those discussions and encourage sharing.

A classic example of this is "Will it Blend?" Blendtec’s famous video campaign that purées popular gadgets is an ingenious way to captivate viewers while demonstrating the power of the product. The ROI equaled its creativity, with sales jumping 700% since the campaign started four years ago. Great content brings users to your channel and your videos; engaging them once they arrive is another challenge.

2. Don't Post Your Videos and Run

Pairing good content with a commitment to engaging viewers and commenters will help strengthen those relationships on YouTube. Old Spice is a fantastic example of how great content worked in conjunction with a smart response strategy. After an intensely popular run for its initial commercials, Old Spice took the relationship building potential of the YouTube community to a new level by creating 180 individual video responses to those who commented on the originals. It's now highlighted as one of the most successful interactive campaigns in history, with 40 million impressions in the first week and a 107% jump in sales after the first month.

3. Know Thyself

Understanding what your brand voice is and what your goals are will shape how your brand interacts in this space. Are you aiming to be a resource for your customers with how-to videos? Be ready to respond to questions and be as helpful in the comments as you are on film. Going strictly for the fun factor? Take a cue from Old Spice and approach your responses with the same attitude in your content that got the discussion going in the first place.

4. Use Data to Inform Your Actions

Pull lessons from platform-specific data points, such as what people "like" and "dislike" on YouTube. Initiate discussion about what's popular and what's not. Your viewers are voting with a thumbs-up or thumbs-down — try to get a dialog going about why.

5. Cross-promote

There are discussions happening on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, often about the same content. If you post the same video to Facebook and YouTube, draw on conversations happening in other spaces.

For example, when you post a video to Facebook that's seen traction on YouTube, point it out in a post:

"10,000 people in Acme's YouTube community 'liked' this video. What do you think? Tell us here and join the discussion on YouTube."

You'll expose different parts of your community to other opinions and potentially encourage others to join the conversation regularly on more of your company's social pages.

Like Facebook and Twitter, YouTube can be a fertile ground for interacting with your customers. Its features and content may differ, but the basic principles for interaction remain the same. Keeping this in mind and taking a savvy approach to YouTube responses can help your company make the most of this incredibly popular social space.

Interested in more Marketing resources? Check out Mashable Explore, a new way to discover information on your favorite Mashable topics.

More About: List, Lists, MARKETING, social media, social media marketing, video, web video, youtube

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No Kidding: The Onion Releases iPad App on April Fools’ Day

Posted: 01 Apr 2011 11:33 AM PDT


Of all the days to release a new iPad app, The Onion chose today, April Fools’ Day. There’s something profoundly appropriate about that. And it really is an actual app, not an April Fools’ Day gag. It’s free and it’s packed with The Onion’s hilarious content.

The Onion has already has iPhone and Android apps, but this one’s different. To create OnionTablet, The Onion decided to keep development in-house, which took less than two months. Company reps tell us this internal development was more cost-effective than outsourcing the work. Built with a thin Objective-C wrapper (written by The Onion‘s developers) around an HTML5 layout, the developers decided not to use any mobile frameworks except for JavaScript and CSS.

The Onion‘s Art Director Rick Martin extolled the virtues of the humor publication’s new baby. "We find the iPad to be the optimal device for tactile, responsive news manhandling," he says. "This app satisfies our audience's dual-need for both shiny things and groping."

We gave the app a try, and it works well, similar to other iPad news apps, with its orderly layout and the ability to swipe from one page to the next until you’ve read all the content. Our only complaint is that the startup screen sits there for a long time at first, requiring you to stare at a car ad for what seems like an eternity, even on the faster iPad 2. It’s a 10-second wait, but it’s quicker if you’ve recently opened that app and already downloaded most of the latest stories.

Take a tour of the app below with the gallery we created:


Front Page





Videos Page





Sports Page





Images Page





Navigation Tab




Touch an icon on the side, and this handy navigation screen slides out.


Splash Screen




The car company must be happy with this ad, but users will become impatient as they stare at it for a long time as the app loads new content.

More About: April Fools' Day, ipad, iPad 2 apps, iphone, OnionTablet, the onion

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New York Public Library Invites 500 to Overnight Scavenger Hunt

Posted: 01 Apr 2011 11:10 AM PDT


The New York Public Library, which became the first public library to launch a Foursquare badge this week, is going one step further in mobile innovation by inviting 500 people to compete in a smartphone-based challenge for a library game night.

“Find the Future: The Game,” devised by renowned game designer Jane McGonigal, is a series of “quests” delivered via an app on players’ mobile devices that can be completed at the Library’s 42nd Street location. A group of 500 players will be invited to play the game for the first time at 8 p.m. on May 20 to tackle a list of 100 overnight challenges.

The challenges are designed to encourage players to explore and reflect upon the objects from the library’s collections. A player might be tasked, for instance, to scan a QR code located at the Declaration of Independence, and then respond to a creative essay prompt. Once enough quests have been completed, they will be “unlocked” for the public, who can begin playing the game online May 21.

"There is something to be said for being in the presence of rare, historic objects," says Caro Llewellyn, producer of the Library's Centennial celebration. "Wikipedia and Google are fantastic, but to see objects like these in the flesh has enormous power and can truly inspire creativity.”

To sign up to become one of the first 500 participants, interested parties are asked to go to nypl.org/game to complete a “top secret” quest for entry. Judges will invite the authors of the 500 most “innovative and creative” entries to the event.

Image courtesy of Flickr, Vincent Desjardins

More About: games, Mobile 2.0, new york public library, scavenger hunt, trending

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RockMelt Reboots Its Social Web Browser With New Beta Version

Posted: 01 Apr 2011 10:36 AM PDT


Social web browser RockMelt started rolling out RockMelt Beta 2 on Friday. The new version is the “most significant update” yet to the Chromium-based web browser and it touts better chat, more robust Twitter integration and a new “view later” feature.

RockMelt co-founder Eric Vishria walked us through the new updates and offered us some information about who is using RockMelt and where the browser is headed.

When RockMelt launched in November 2010, the goal was to create a tool that would integrate social networks and feeds directly in the web browser. Our first brush with the browser left us with a lukewarm impression, but the concept, at the very least remained interesting.

Tools like Flock and RockMelt face an uphill battle of balancing social functionality without making the core browsing experience sub-optimal.

In that regard, Vishria told us that the team spent a lot of time looking at ways to make the interface and the interactions more seamless and less confusing. The biggest UI overhaul is related to RockMelt’s popular integrated Facebook Chat feature.

Chat Gets Better

Vishria told us that RockMelt users use the built-in chat tool at least three times a day. With RockMelt Beta 2, the team has added a new chat bar at the bottom of the browser window. This bar lets users stay involved in multiple conversations at once. Each conversation can be parked in its own window or chat bar tab when users are browsing the web.

The best feature is the new notifications — very similar to Growl notifications in Mac OS X. When a chat window is minimized, users can still keep tabs on what is happening by way of an unobtrusive overlay.

Better Twitter Client

RockMelt says that 50% of its users have added at least one Twitter account to the browser. One of the biggest areas of user feedback was related to the Twitter app that RockMelt uses. Thus, RockMelt redesigned the app to provide a better interface and to more deeply integrate into the Twitter API.

The new Twitter app supports the real-time Twitter API and also supports Twitter search.

View it Later

Vishria told us that users are increasingly using bookmarks less — or not bookmarking content at all. Instead many users choose to save links to services like Instapaper, Readability, Pinboard and Read It Later. The advantage here is that content can be accessed for later consumption, which seems to be what users are doing more of, rather than bookmarking full sites for future reference.

Inspired by some of these services, RockMelt decided to build the ability to view a site, article, video or update later. A new View Later button was added next to the bookmark icon in the URL window. Clicking this icon will add a URL to a running list tagged “View Later.” This list can be accessed via the RockMelt App Edge in its own app.

The service differs from tools like Instapaper in that it isn’t just for text, it can be used for videos, music, status updates — anything in the browser.

Right now there isn’t a way to export any of that View Later data to other services or to integrate other services with View Later. Vishria told us that the company is planning on addressing some of those issues in the future, but for now wants a solid browser-integrated experience.

I do hope the company considers taking advantage of the Instapaper or Readability APIs and at least importing the content from those services to View Later. That could be a killer feature in its own right.

The new RockMelt is based on Chromium 10, which means it should be faster and more stable. The RockMelt team is pushing out the update to a few users now and everyone should have access to Beta 2 by next week.

RockMelt still might be the right browser for me, but for its userbase, the new version looks like a solid update with some compelling new features.

Have you used RockMelt? What do you think of custom browsers?

More About: Browsers, facebook chat, RockMelt, software, twitter

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Top 5 Comics From the Mashable Caption Contest

Posted: 01 Apr 2011 10:02 AM PDT

Thank you for submitting so many great entries to our Mashable Comics caption contest! As it turns out, most of you are hilarious (assuming you enjoy egregious puns and butt humor).

We’ve selected our absolute favorites for publication below. Congrats to all the winners!


Jonathan King






@CharlotteBeer





Gerald Khoury





Junior Roberts





Toby Kirkpatrick




Mashable Comics are illustrated every week by Kiersten Essenpreis, a New York-based artist who draws and blogs at YouFail.com.

More Mashable Comics:

- HOW TO: Survive Those Awkward Online Moments
- Pitching 101
- Viral Video Stars: Where Are They Now?
- HOW TO: Pick the Right Super Power for a Modern World
- Watson vs. Jeopardy: The Early Years

More About: comics, contest, dogs, humor, ipad, iPad 2, mashable comics, pets

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Bronx Zoo’s Cobra Hijacks Ryan Seacrest’s Twitter Account

Posted: 01 Apr 2011 09:21 AM PDT


The Bronx Zoo’s Cobra, which famously went missing last Friday only to turn up on Twitter to the delight of the entire Twittersphere, has hijacked the Twitter account of American Idol host Ryan Seacrest.

This is despite reports from Bronx Zoo officials that the cobra was found Thursday, a mere 200 feet from where it had escaped from a holding cage.

The joke appears to be somewhat elaborate on Seacrest’s part; not only has he staged a takeover of his Twitter account, his team has also revamped his website with features like “Britney Spears’s Albino Python: Where Is He Now?” and “5 Dos and Dont’s for Dating a Cobra.” Seacrest and his team must have suffered a moment of panic when the cobra was discovered the day before April Fools’.

More About: April Fools' Day, bronx zoo's cobra, ryan secret, twitter

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6 Tips for Creating Valuable Branded Content

Posted: 01 Apr 2011 09:16 AM PDT


Tamsin Hemingray is director of content for digital marketing agency iCrossing, where she oversees content strategies for brands including STA Travel and Sainsbury's Finance. Tamsin is also a co-author of the ebook How to Plan a Content Strategy, released in March 2011 by iCrossing, on which this post is based.

Content is the heart of an effective web presence. Whether you're a retailer, a media site or a social startup, it's compelling, up-to-date and relevant content that attracts and engages users. If your content isn't right, your customers simply won't engage with it in the way you hope.

The rise of search and social marketing has not changed this basic truth about the way that the web works. When people link to you, they're linking to your content. When they share via social networks, they're sharing your content. It means that great content should be just as important to marketers as it is to the people using the Internet to talk, learn and buy. It turns out that content is still king.

But branded web content is not without its problems. A focus on "search benefits" has led many brands to see content purely as a marketing tool, rather than a way to satisfy a specific user need. This has resulted in keyword-heavy “linkbait,” often of low quality, created for the search engine's algorithms, and not the user.

If you want to maximize the value of content so that it engages and retains customers (and boosts your search rank), take note of these tried-and-true methods.

1. Be on the Side of the User

Content is for people not machines, so you need to make sure that you're thinking about the user when you're developing a content strategy. This mind-set is more likely to create things that are useful to consumers and therefore earn attention and shares.

2. Start Platform-Agnostic

Good content is good content, wherever it's hosted. Don't start with a Facebook strategy (or a blog, or a YouTube channel) — start with identifying what content will be interesting to your users. Then as part of your content strategy, consider which platforms and tools are going to give your content the best chance to be seen and shared.

3. Make it Portable, Findable & Shareable

Avoid the mindset that your content must be published only on your site and completely controlled by you. Good content should be built to travel, so users should be able to download, embed or share it as they like. In fact, your content may not be published on your site at all. Of course, search engine optimization is essential, because search engines have to be able to see and make sense of stuff so they can show it to users. But don't get trapped into making SEO the end goal of your content — it undermines the bigger opportunity for your brand.

4. Release Early, Release Often

A lesson from the techies is an attitude that works for content as much as it works for startups and apps: Release early, release often. Develop a range of content ideas, get them out there and see how they go down with your users. Simple measurement tools and analysis will tell you what's working and what isn't so you can put more focus on the things that are successful. Things that work get more effort behind them. Learn and move on from things that don't.

5. Stay Close to the Data

Ideally you should be doing this yourself, but if data makes your head hurt, talk to data analysts and social media analysts about what it might be telling you about your content. How is it being used and where might the opportunities be? If you see that a particular social community is picking up on your content, then it might be an opportunity to develop further assets with that audience or network in mind. If, on the other hand, your target audience is only engaging with certain aspects of your content, or worse, ignoring it completely, then it's time to refine, optimize and retarget your efforts.

6. Be Prepared to Be Surprised

It's a liberating approach, and one which has given rise to some of our biggest successes for clients. You might be planning a series of videos about a topic when the first one really hits the spot and starts generating a lot of attention on its own. Take advantage of this and don't worry if you have to re-write your plans. When opportunity comes and it isn't what you are expecting, be prepared to move quickly. Be prepared to ditch the plans for that week and go after it with everything you have at your disposal.

A few simple tips like this can't tell you how to create great content — that's part talent, part experience, part understanding your audience, part luck and a great big chunk of content strategy. However, if you focus on creating content that's made for people, not machines, then you're starting from the right place.

Interested in more Business resources? Check out Mashable Explore, a new way to discover information on your favorite Mashable topics.

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, boboling

More About: blogging, branded content, business, content, List, Lists, MARKETING, Search, social media

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Introducing the Mashable SocialPay Digital Subscription Plan

Posted: 01 Apr 2011 09:06 AM PDT


The media has evolved a lot in the 5+ years since Mashable started. More people now get their news from the Internet than from newspapers. News is now often broken through citizen journalists on social media sites. And bloggers, once paid in energy drinks and dreams, now demand real salaries.

At Mashable, we've been riding high on this tidal wave of change. Once a rogue team of 3 or 4 people in distant places like Scotland, Croatia and even a non-coastal U.S. state, we now employ 45 people, most of whom work out of our brick and mortar offices in New York or San Francisco.

And although our revenue and traffic have grown considerably in this time, there is an economic reality to our business we can no longer ignore: producing catchy, highly shareable headlines for infographics about Facebook and photo galleries of dogs captured with iPhones isn't cheap. In fact, it's really expensive.

Which is why today we're introducing next evolution of Mashable: the SocialPay™ Digital Subscription Plan.

How Does It Work?

When SocialPay goes live later this year, access to Mashable's content will come with a price. All readers will be required to establish a SocialPay account and pay $10 per month to continue accessing our content on the web, the iPhone, the iPad and Android devices. Our webOS readers will be "grandfathered in," however, and pay nothing. At this time, Mashable plans to only accept Facebook Credits as a form of payment.

Isn't There Another Way?

Studies have shown that Mashable readers share content more than the readers of any other news site. That's why one feature of SocialPay is the ability to read articles for free — without an account — if you share the content on Facebook or Twitter. You may be asking yourself "how do I know I want to share something if I haven't read it yet?" Further studies have concluded that much of our audience already engages in this type of behavior, so it's really no big deal.

The SocialPay Bonus

Because we want to further encourage sharing, we'll be crediting your SocialPay account 25 cents each time you share a story. Best of all, there's no cap; by the end of each month, it's possible that we'll actually owe you money.

Is This the Future of Journalism?

We're not sure, but certainly employing an army of unpaid bloggers isn't the answer. Or is it?

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April Fools’ Day By the Numbers [INFOGRAPHIC]

Posted: 01 Apr 2011 08:24 AM PDT

Social media users, you’re not alone in your April Fools’ Day enthusiasm. That April Fools’ prank you’re about to pull puts you in good company, with a surprising percentage of your fellow social media mavens creating stunts today that would get them fired or beat up on any other day.

Heck, they might get fired or beat up today. If you’re not yet one of those brave and perpetually prepared pranksters, taking a look at this infographic from the researchers at Lab 42 might give you some ideas — it’s not too late:


More About: April Fool's Day. April Fool, infographic, Lab 42

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Rebecca Black Is Kind of Awesome — No April Fooling

Posted: 01 Apr 2011 07:48 AM PDT

Today, comedy site Funny Or Die is completely dedicated to this, the day of the week, Friday — courtesy of Rebecca Black.

Upon first visiting the site, you might think that Funny Or Die is taking a crack at Black, who rose to dubious Internet stardom the other week for her rather ridiculous YouTube jam, “Friday.” And then you start watching the videos, in which Black herself appears. And, get this guys, she’s in on the joke.

Check out the above video, in which the 13-year-old dissects the lyrics to her infamous tune, to see what I mean. Choice line: “The other thing that people don’t realize about Friday is that it pulls from a relationship of mine. The entire song is about Dave Coulier.”

Black has been the butt of many a joke over the last few weeks (we’ve even taken a couple of cracks at her), a position that would render the average 13-year-old (or 31-year-old, even) a jumbled mess of tears and self-hatred. Black, however, gets serious moxy points for teaming up with Funny Or Die to get in on the joke.

Update: Patrick Starzan, vice president of marketing & distribution, explains how the takeover went down: “It’s funny, we were at SXSW a couple of weeks ago and still trying to figure of what we would do for April Fools’. In the middle of all this amazing music a couple of our writers said we need to get Rebecca Black! And we all said ‘Fun Fun Fun!’ Our president of production, Mike Farah, contacted Rebecca’s mom to see if she would be interested and she was. Coincidentally, Ryan Seacrest who is a friend of Rebecca’s, was suggesting she do something with FOD too. We got ideas to her last Friday and shot all the videos on Wednesday. She was excited about the takeover and really great and easy to work with.”

More About: funny or die, humor, pop culture, Rebecca Black

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18 Ways to Earn Money From Crowdworking

Posted: 01 Apr 2011 07:42 AM PDT


With the rapid rise of crowdsourcing over the last five years since the term was coined by Jeff Howe in Wired, there has been a lot of coverage on how individuals, organizations and businesses can implement the concept into their work. Last year there was a new conference (CrowdConf), a new consortium (Crowdsortium) and a myriad of companies that offered sites, tools and platforms to get more out of the Internet masses.

But what about the worker? Since crowdsourcing is making such a visible impact on the way work is done, how can professionals and creatives benefit from the crowdsourcing model? Here are 18 ideas for participating on crowdsourcing sites for perks, prizes, and, yes, even income.

1. Work for Money

turks image

Mechanical Turk

If you're up for doing small tasks that other people might find tedious, this site may be a fit for you. This micro-labor site owned by Amazon offers HITs, or "Human Intelligence Tasks" which are things that are just a little too complex to be automated. Micro-labor means you often get paid pennies per piece of a task you complete. For example, you could choose an appropriate category for an extensive list of lodgings for a penny per answer. If you respond accurately to 500, you've made $5.00, if you do 5,000, you've made $50. Another assignment comes from MIT's Spoken Language Systems, and they're paying 10 cents per HIT to annotate batches of photos using speech.

Clickworker

This is a Germany-based crowd labor site, but there is also an English version available. You can get paid to provide writing, translation, research, data processing and search engine optimization. You can work for this site if you’re in a SEPA (Single Euro Payments Area) country or a valid PayPal account.

Before you start as a Clickworker, you have to qualify for the task you've chosen to work on including a base assessment and a project assessment. Some scoring to assess your skills will happen automatically while others will require manual review from the company.

Cloudcrowd

Work available through Cloudcrowd includes translation and editing, data entry, image processing, Internet research, and content creation. You need a Facebook account to work for them and a PayPal account to get paid.

CastingWords

Can you type quickly and accurately? Maybe transcription work is your thing. If so, you can find transcription jobs that come from CastingWords. To participate, you have to sign up with Mechanical Turk where CastingWords posts all of their jobs. You can search for CastingWords to see their specific assignments. You are paid through a bank transfer to a U.S. account or you can opt to receive Amazon.com store credit.

2. Pitch to Win Business

geniusrocket image

blur Group

The blur Group offers a number of specific opportunities for crowdworkers in the fields of design, marketing, writing, photography and video. The agency helps coordinate and filter the crowd of experts. You get creative briefs, and you can pitch on creative work. You are not asked to do spec work, but instead submit a proposal or ideas. The single largest brief submitted to the site so far was for $130,000, but average projects are in the thousands.

GeniusRocket

Like blur Group, GeniusRocket emphasizes a no spec and no contest approach to crowdsourcing. You get paid for work you do, but you have to be chosen by the GeniusRocket team for a project. All creative submissions including written concepts are kept private to help protect your intellectual property. The GeniusRocket staff sits between you and the client to manage the process once you're on an assignment. You can sign up for the site now and be notified by email when their new vetted model is ready. At that time, you'll be assessed by your body of work, your past clients, years of experience and your creative specialty.

Whinot

Whinot manages creative briefs for mostly marketing and business strategy projects. They also recommend the project team to the client (for which you can be considered) and the contracts and payments. You can submit ideas during a brainstorming session. The Whinot community votes on each other's ideas to bring the best to the top. If the client opts to work with you, Whinot may provide a project manager as well. You can then interact directly with the client as part of the consulting team.

3. Contribute Ideas

ideaoffer image

If you are good at coming up with ideas, you may want to try one of these sites. Remember, there is no guarantee you will win, and you cannot "protect" the ideas you contribute.

IdeaOffer

Create a free account, then peruse recent projects where people are looking for ideas. Idea topics are extremely varied and eclectic, and awards for the best answer range from $1.50 to $100, with most falling around $5 to $15. This isn't a place to get rich quick or to get steady income, but by participating a few minutes a week here, you could score some extra change in your PayPal account.

NamingForce

This site focuses on creating business names, website names and product names. Creative individuals can sign up for free and access Naming Assignments ranging from about $100 to $250. The competition is stiffer here than on a smaller site like IdeaOffer, with several dozen or more submissions for each assignment, but if you have a knack for naming things, you could win a little bit more than chump change.

SquadHelp

While naming and branding contests aren't the only thing SquadHelp offers, they do have a variety of opportunities to contribute to both with awards ranging from $50 to about $100 in these categories. Recent contests include coming up with a new domain name for an IT business and developing a new brand name that incorporates the word "karma." Other SquadHelp categories include marketing and videos, testing and usability, research and advice, and web design and logos. An example of a Research and Advice contest is brainstorming ideas for features on a website (for $100).

4. Enter a Design Contest

threadless image

While there continues to be a debate about whether or not designers should participate in contests (which essentially lead to spec work), there is a lot of anecdotal evidence that it can be a great way to break into an industry or a market. Controversy aside, here are a few to explore.

Threadless

This is one of the "granddaddy" design contest sites that was cited as an example of crowdsourcing in Howe's Wired article. Threadless lets anyone submit t-shirt designs that are then voted up by the crowd. If you are one of the weekly winners, you receive $2,000 in cash, a $500 Threadless gift certificate, and $500 in cash each time your design is reprinted.

You can also enter a t-shirt slogan contest for a $500 prize, as well as design-specific challenges.

99designs

You have a laundry list of design contests to enter on this popular site, including logo design, web design, business cards, icon design, WordPress themes, stationery design, brochure design, print design, t-shirt design and banner ads. According to the site, benefits of participation include reaching new clients, polishing your skills, building your portfolio and earning money. At the time of writing, there were nearly 1,000 design contests on the site with most awards ranging from $100 to $500.

Crowdspring

Competition is tough over at Crowdspring where there are 88,000+ creatives vying for about 250 or so open projects at any given time. Awards can range from $100 to $1,000 or more, depending on the specific assignment. Main project categories include print design packages, logo and stationery, logo design, company naming and small websites.

Prova

The benefit of working at a design crowdsourcing site like Prova is less heated competition, at least for the time being. You can find contests in the area of advertisement design including logos, postcards, packaging and websites.

Create My Tattoo

You don't have to be a tattoo artist to enter a custom tattoo design contest on this site. You retain the rights to your original designs if they are not accepted and removed from the site. The company behind the site takes 12% of prizes ranging from approximately $35 to $350.

5. Enter a Multimedia Contest

poptent image

Poptent

This site seeks individuals who want to make commercials, infomercials, branded webisodes, how-to-videos, and website videos for brands. You are under no obligation to participate, but if you do make a video to fulfill the assignment, upload it to your profile on the site and click "submit." Poptent staff or the brand client who put out the assignment will watch the video you submitted. If accepted, Poptent then requests your tax information. If you are in the U.S., you will need to submit a W-9 form. You can then invoice Poptent and you are paid Net 30. Most prizes run into the thousands of dollars.

Tongal

Tongal breaks down the creative process so that you can participate in a piece of a larger project, like brainstorming ideas or taglines, shooting commercials, and creating animations or graphic designs. You can also earn money for promoting and distributing content created on the site. Project purses can range from several thousand dollars to well into the tens of thousands. Projects are often split between a number of people who are handling discrete parts of each one.

6. Get Perks

crowdtap image

Crowdtap

Looking for VIP access to brands? Looking for cool products, swag and gift cards? Join Crowdtap to provide feedback, help brands spread the word about their products, and otherwise be a brand evangelist (including throwing product-related parties). You can also support your favorite charity as 5% of everything you earn goes to a cause you select with Crowdtap matching that amount. Join via Facebook, answer polls to help build your profile of interests, view opportunities, and earn status, rewards and donations.

Regardless of which site you use to do crowdwork, make sure you understand what you're getting into and note if the site is asking you to provide spec work via contests with no guarantee of payment or if you get paid for work rendered. Make sure to check with your tax advisor on how to handle money received through crowd contests and crowdwork.

Interested in more Crowdsourcing resources? Check out Mashable Explore, a new way to discover information on your favorite Mashable topics.

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, Nikada

More About: business, crowdsourced, crowdsourcing, MARKETING, money, social media, work

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Online File Storage & Backup Service Gets Innovative With New, Paper Option [VIDEO]

Posted: 01 Apr 2011 07:15 AM PDT

This morning, online file storage service Livedrive announced that it’s adding a new tier of protection to its offerings: Storing data on paper.

Obviously, this is an April Fools’ joke, but the video that the company created to accompany the faux news is rather entertaining. Although it’s totally giving me flashbacks to when I spent the summer helping my father’s medical practice go “paperless” by scanning EKG after EKG (and destroying many in the process — sorry patients!). Read: For some, storing data on paper isn’t all that far-fetched.

Enjoy!

More About: april fools, file storage, humor

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HTC Thunderbolt Challenging iPhone at Verizon

Posted: 01 Apr 2011 06:59 AM PDT


The Verizon iPhone hasn’t even been available for two months, but it’s already being challenged for the title of Verizon’s most popular phone by the HTC Thunderbolt.

The Android smartphone is a beast of a device; not only is it one of the world’s first 4G LTE devices, but it boasts a 4.3-inch touchscreen, an 8-megapixel camera and 8 GB of flash memory. Because of its large screen and LTE technology though, it retails for $249.99 with a two-year contract, $50 more than the iPhone 4.

That hasn’t stopped people from snatching up the device, though. Analysts at BTIG Research polled 150 Verizon Wireless stores and asked the sales people whether they sold more iPhones or Thunderbolts during the previous weekend; 61% of stores reported that sales of both devices were nearly identical, while a full 28% said the Thunderbolt was outselling the iPhone. Some 11% of stores, mostly in the Southeast, claimed the iPhone 4 was still outselling HTC’s newest smartphone.

While BTIG Research’s data isn’t scientific, it matches what we’ve been hearing; the HTC Thunderbolt is a hit. The combination of large screen and hyper-fast 4G speeds has proven alluring to Verizon’s customers. Don’t think this means the Thunderbolt is actually outselling the Verizon iPhone yet; Apple’s device is also available in Apple Stores and at Best Buy, increasing its total sales figures.

Still, with the release of the iPhone 5 likely delayed, the Thunderbolt and other LTE Android phones like it will have plenty of time to firmly establish themselves in the market.

[via BGR]

More About: android, htc, htc thunderbolt, iphone, iphone 4, Verizon iPhone

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This Morning’s Top 5, 100% Verified Stories in Tech & Social Media

Posted: 01 Apr 2011 06:56 AM PDT

Social Media News

Welcome to this morning's edition of "First To Know," a series in which we keep you in the know on what's happening in the digital world. We're keeping our eyes on five particular stories of interest today.

Tech Companies Take to April Fooling

Google, LinkedIn and others have engineered April Fools’ jokes for their users today. YouTube, for instance, has kicked off the April Fools' festivities with a celebration of its "100th birthday" — a journey into what YouTube might have looked like in 1911, if YouTube or the Internet existed back then.

Facebook Profile to Page Migrations Prove Difficult

Users who want to migrate from a traditional Facebook Profile to a Facebook Page might want to think twice, reporter Christina Warren has discovered.

Twitter Kills Unpopular “Quick Bar”

Twitter has gotten rid of the widely unpopular Quick Bar, a relatively new feature that floated at the top of the Twitter timeline in its official apps for the iPhone and iPad.

GoDaddy CEO Shoots Elephant, Injures Brand

A video of GoDaddy CEO Bob Parsons shooting an elephant in Zimbabwe made the rounds Thursday, causing the domain registry company to become a Google Hot Topic and the subject of criticism. Parsons tried to explain what really happened in follow-up interview.

HTC Thunderbolt Outselling iPhone in Some Verizon Stores

In a poll of 150 Verizon Wireless stores, 28% said that the HTC ThunderBolt is outselling the iPhone. Of course, many Verizon iPhones are purchased elsewhere, including Best Buy and Apple online and retail locations.

Further News

Thanks to Mashable’s Socially Savvy Supporters

Posted: 01 Apr 2011 06:32 AM PDT


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With the explosion of mobile devices, advertising dollars will begin to shift to mobile for tech marketers this year. IDG Global Solutions President Matt Yorke talks about the rise of social and how IDG helps marketers create social campaigns. The line is fading between social media and traditional media. Earned media or sharing of information within social networks is becoming mainstream whether on a PC or mobile device. Learn more.

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ConcentricSky offers web and mobile development with a focus on emerging technologies. With partners ranging from National Geographic and Encyclopedia Britannica to NASA and The World Bank, Concentric Sky is known for delivering innovative, world-class software solutions.

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HOW TO: Make an iPad Case Using Common Household Materials

Posted: 01 Apr 2011 05:59 AM PDT

Erica Domesek is the founder, creator and author of P.S.- I made this…, a distinguished DIY design and style blog. She’s based in New York City where she encourages everyone to embrace her creative motto: “I see it. I like it. I make it.”

Everyone needs to tote around a few devices these days, but when it comes to electronics cases, there aren’t too many fashionable and inexpensive options to choose from.

With DIY infused in my DNA, I am programmed to create things that make my life more beautiful and fun. Inspired by all of the bold striped patterns and color blocking styles seen on the runway this season, I thought it fitting to make my own iPad clutch out of common materials.

Even if you’re “craft-challenged,” I guarantee anyone can create a one-of-a-kind iPad case in about 15 minutes. Here’s how.


Ingredients





  • Kitchen drawer liner (available at The Container Store, Bed Bath Beyond, Target - basically any home store)
  • A sharp pair of scissors
  • Colorful tape. I like duct tape, but gaffer's tape and even electrical tape will work. You can find what you need at most hardware and art stores.
  • Velcro strips - available at most office supply stores, trim shops, and craft stores.


Step 1




Cut the drawer liner to the desired length. Two-thirds will become the pocket and the remaining third will be a flap closure that folds down over the pocket. Once you've got it cut to length, fold over one-third to create the pocket.


Step 2




Once you have measured your pocket, use a piece of tape to cover, secure, and wrap around the entire front and back. This will seal the edges.


Step 3




Continue to do so, adding pieces of tape around it until you are satisfied with the design. Make sure you have enough tape to keep your pocket intact without large gaps on the sides.


Step 4




Be sure to smooth the tape flat to make sure there are no air bubbles or bumps.


Step 5




Optionally, tape the other side to prevent fraying.


Step 6




Get creative with your colors and design. Add a monogram or try a bold pattern.


Step 7




Once taped, cut and stick velcro as a closure for the case. One piece should be on the inside flap (bottom), the other on the front flap (top). Be sure to line everything up properly so the case closes well.


Step 8




Voila!


Final




Ditch your iPad when necessary and use the clutch for other purposes: a travel pouch, accessory bag, document case, etc.

Interested in more Gadget resources? Check out Mashable Explore, a new way to discover information on your favorite Mashable topics.

More About: crafts, diy, fashion, gadgets, how to, ipad

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