Mashable: Latest 6 News Updates - including “Versatile Smartphone Dock Offers Three Functions in One [REVIEW]”

This unusual device functions as a cellphone dock, a Bluetooth speaker, and a Bluetooth handset that lets your cellphone act like a landline phone. Here’s our review.

The Moshi Moshi04i Bluetooth Speaker-Handset by Native Union works with any Bluetooth-equipped mobile device. It has a silver-colored receiver, festooned with a honeycomb motif and measuring a couple of inches longer than typical telephone handsets.

That handset rests on its base that also functions as a dock (that works particularly well with iPhones). Once you place the handset on the dock, it touches contacts that charge its battery. Likewise, when we plugged our iPhone 4 into the dock, it charged that as well. Overall, this device, designed by UK-born Michael Young, looks completely original, unlike any dock we’ve ever seen.

Let’s start out with what the 04i does best: It’s an excellent iPhone dock and Bluetooth speaker. Once you’ve charged up the handset, it serves as a portable pair of great-sounding speakers, capably playing whatever audio your mobile device feeds to it. Because of the two speakers’ diminutive size, its bass response isn’t going to rock the house, but even when it’s on battery power (when it will only play at 75% of its maximum volume), it sounds surprisingly good.

It’s easy to pair up your Bluetooth device with the 04i. With our iPhone, it acted just like any other Bluetooth gadget, where you put the 04i into pairing mode, find it in the appropriate iPhone menu, and the two devices recognize each other from then on. It can also be paired with a Bluetooth-equipped laptop, and from there you can use the handset to talk on VoIP connections such as Skype.

If you’re listening to music from your iPhone on the speakers and a phone call comes in, it behaves properly, fading down the music while you answer the phone. Working like a landline phone, when you pick up the handset from its cradle, you can begin talking without pushing any buttons.

Sound quality as a telephone handset is excellent, but we did have a problem with each of the two cellphones with which we tested it: Although the calls sounded excellent from the 04i, when talking from the other end, we could hear a slight echo at the end of a spoken sentence or phrase. In some instances this was distracting, while in other cases it was subtle, but it was still there, and you might find it annoying. Strangely enough, that echoing characteristic was not as noticeable when we used it in speakerphone mode, which worked well.

Here’s the bad news: It’s priced at a steep $200, a number that will probably give you sticker shock. But if you’re looking for a way to minimize your exposure to cellphone radiation, and would like an unusual cellphone dock that also functions as a pleasant-sounding Bluetooth speaker and gives you a landline-like wireless handset, the Moshi Moshi04i might be worth a try.

Side View

The handset sits atop the base.

Handset

Remove the handset from its dock, and you can begin talking right away without pushing any buttons.

Base Without Handset

The dock slides out from its base. On top, notice the contacts that charge the handset's batteries. And up front, the signature of its designer, UK native Michael Young.

Back

You can feed audio to external speakers, or sync your smartphone with a Mac or PC via its mini-usb port.

Closeup

Three buttons at the top: The middle one is like a Flash button on a telephone, while the two outside buttons are either volume controls or when you're listening to music, advance your player to the next/previous track.

More About: bluetooth, iphone, Michael Young, Moshi Moshi04i, Native Union, review, Smartphone accessories

For more Tech & Gadgets coverage:

• Follow Mashable Tech & Gadgets on Twitter
• Become a Fan on Facebook
• Subscribe to the Tech & Gadgets channel
• Download our free apps for Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad

Gambling online just got significantly less convenient Friday when the U.S. Government shut down the three largest Internet gambling sites operating in the United States. Now it’s time for a precedent-setting showdown, where courts will determine if this kind of gambling is legal or not.

Federal prosecutors accused the three founders of the gambling sites and eight others with illegal gambling, bank fraud and money laundering, according to the Financial Times [paywall].

The government also filed a $3 billion civil suit to recover profits from the operations, the Financial Times reported. Gambling sites Full Tilt Poker (Update: which responded to the allegations here), PokerStars and Absolute Poker allegedly disguised billions of dollars of gambling payments as online store purchases of items such as golf balls, jewelry and flowers, according to the Wall Street Journal.

If you’re in the U.S., when you point your browser to any of those three gambling sites, you see a scary thing: The U.S. government has seized the domain names of the three sites, preventing gambling transactions and anything else:

The indictment says many of the banks that processed payments for these gambling companies were unaware they were handling gambling funds, which is against a 2006 law prohibiting gambling operations from accepting payments in the United States. In addition, it says the three gambling companies found smaller, financially ailing banks to bribe, making investments in those banks that were willing to look the other way when processing gambling funds.

The problem gets a bit dicey when you realize that these three online gambling organizations are not based in the U.S. For instance, PokerStars headquarters is on the Isle of Man, a self-governed British Crown Dependency located in the Irish Sea between Great Britain and Ireland. One of our readers sent a picture of its headquarters to us today:

Will the Isle of Man or other countries where these gambling organizations are based comply with U.S. extradition requests? So far, that’s unknown.

There’s disagreement about whether online gambling is even a crime or not. Of course, the gambling organizations don’t think it should be. For example, former Senator Alphonse D’Amato of New York, who is now the chairman of a gambling group that calls itself the Poker Player’s Alliance, told The New York Times, “We are shocked at the action. Online poker is not a crime and should not be treated as such.”

Should the government be prosecuting online gambling sites? What do you think?

Graphic courtesy Flickr/JohnSeb

More About: Bank Fraud, Civil Suit, money laundering, online gambling, poker, trending

For more Tech & Gadgets coverage:

• Follow Mashable Tech & Gadgets on Twitter
• Become a Fan on Facebook
• Subscribe to the Tech & Gadgets channel
• Download our free apps for Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad

Do you sigh every time you see an overused plot device or hear a tired old cliché trotted out on the silver screen? We do too. In what should be required viewing for all Hollywood scriptwriters, we’re calling out the industry for its lack of imagination.

To poke some loving fun, we’ve curated 15 fantastic “supercuts” lovingly compiled by some talented YouTubers. This clips make fun of hackneyed lines and fatigued filmic scenarios that appear all too often.

Take a look through the video gallery below to see our selection and let us know in the comments below which movie clichés make you groan.

These compilations contain clips from hundreds of different films, some of which fall into the NSFW category.

1. "I Could Tell You But I'd Have to Kill You"

This translates to: "I could write an original line, but it would probably kill me".

2. "Get Out of There!"

A character telling a protagonist-in-peril to "get out of there" works well to really ramp up the "tension." It's often followed by a phrase from the next slide ...

3. "It's Gonna Blow!"

With or without a countdown timer, you're sure to hear "it's gonna blow" a few times in your movie-watching career. Enough times to make you wish it actually did explode so you could skip to the credits. Cue the slow-mo running/jumping heroes and expensive explosions.

4. "No Signal" (and Other Cellular Drama)

We guess everyone in Hollywood is on AT&T. We jest, of course. Scriptwriters just love the cellphone for the extra dollop of fear it can add to a "we're stranded" scenario.

5. "Let's Enhance"

In most cases, this wonder-tech doesn't even exist. This montage makes fun of a tired method for helping to crack a case. "Wait! What's that address on the document reflected in the pupil of the dead body that's just visible in the reflection of the rear view mirror through the window of the kidnapped girl's apartment?" Well done Captain Improbable, you've done it again.

6. The False Alarm

Now, this is a just by-the-book horror film trick. Lazy, even. Scare us with a clever script, not things falling out of cupboards.

7. "It's Showtime"

By the end of this edit, you'll have heard the phrase so often, we swear it will lose meaning.

8. The Mirror Scare

Yet another horror film cliché, seeing someone -- or worse still, something -- reflected in the mirror has been used a little too often in recent years. Here's some free advice. If you find yourself in a slightly unnerving situation stay away from mirrors. It's that simple.

9. "You Look Like Sh*t"

How many times have you actually told someone they resemble excrement? In Hollywood-land it happens all the time.

10. "Blah Blah Blah"

Jokingly described by its creator as "Hollywood scriptwriting at its best," watch out for a sweary blah blah half way through and a surprise Star Trek entry at the end.

11. "You're Off the Case"

In which the angry, uptight senior police person under pressure from above demands the gun and badge of the lower ranking cop with maverick methods. This will make no difference to the maverick cop who will continue to investigate, likely with help from a sympathetic colleague, and will almost certainly go on to solve the case.

12. "NOOOOOOOOO"

This painstakingly edited collection will be ringing in your hurt our ears.

13. "We've Got Company!"

If you want your tough guy/gal to announce the imminent presence of others, there's only one way to do it in Hollywood ...

14. "We're Not in Kansas Anymore"

We blame Dorothy. And her little dog too.

15. "Now, If You'll Excuse Me..."

Now, if you'll excuse me, I insert appropriate phrase ...

---

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

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, hronos7

More About: Cinema, Film, gallery, List, Lists, Movies, parodies, spoofs, trending, video, videos, viral videos, youtube

For more Video coverage:

• Follow Mashable Video on Twitter
• Become a Fan on Facebook
• Subscribe to the Video channel
• Download our free apps for Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad

It’s mid-April and we’ve officially hit jacket weather. If you were lucky enough to be outside enjoying the sun, we can’t blame you. But that does mean you might have missed some of our tools and resources from the past week or so.

This week we’ve got stories about Apple’s plan for a world without wires, a breakdown of Google’s earnings and a review of the new BlackBerry playbook. 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.

---

Editors’ Picks

---

• How Paywalls Are Changing News Organizations' Social Media Strategies
  Here’s a look at the digital subscription models of three different publications, and how each affects its news organization’s community-building strategy.
• Why the U.S. Should Stand Behind its Commitment to Open Government Data [OPINION]
  Significant budget cuts are threatening the viability of open government data and transparency programs, despite their proven cost-effectiveness.
• Will 3D Printing End Mass Manufacturing? [PICS]
  3D printing is still mostly a curiosity, but as the technology keeps improving, it opens up new possibilities.
• 7 Mind-Blowing Xbox Kinect Hacks [VIDEOS]
  These Xbox Kinect hacks feature ingenious uses of Microsoft’s motion-controlled UI, including music videos, remote-controlled helicopters and invisibility cloaks.
• 9 Digital Marketing Lessons From Top Social Brands
  We asked big social brands — MTV, Xbox, AT&T, NBA and AmEx — about the lessons they’ve learned in their digital marketing efforts.

---

Social Media

---

• Should You Outsource Your Social Media Efforts?
  Social media is a popular way for entrepreneurs to market their small businesses. But should you do it yourself or hire a consultant?
• 5 Facebook Apps for Getting More From Your Photos
  Facebook has a decent photo interface these days, but check out these third-party apps if you want to get more out of your online albums.
• 10 Ways to Find Blogs You'll Love
  There are a lot of blogs out there. Here are 10 tools to help you cut through the noise and find great posts on topics that interest you.
• The Winners & Losers of Social Networking [INFOGRAPHIC]
  Here are the rising stars and the fading lights of social media — as well as stats on what kinds of people are using which apps.
• A 12-Step Guide to Fostering Your Creativity
  Designing a website can be mentally draining, and sometimes it’s hard to stay creative. Here are 12 ways to keep the juices flowing and avoid burning out on less exciting projects.
• Why Social Media Reinvigorates the Market for Quality Journalism
  Social media has created a human filter for quality content, threatening the reach of keyword stuffers and content farms when it comes to news.
• The PR Pro's Guide to Twitter
  Are you a PR pro looking for tips on how to take advantage of social media? Here’s how to capitalize on Twitter.
• The Impact of the Social Web on Media Agencies
  The media world has evolved greatly since 2000, and with it, the media agency has had to evolve. We spoke to three agencies about how social media has affected the way they work.
• Tech Cereal: Part of a Connected Breakfast [COMIC]
  What’s in your bowl?
• There Is One Thing Missing From Google’s +1 [OPINION]
  Google’s +1 idea is interesting, but will it really add value for users the way Facebook’s social graph does?

For more social media news and resources, you can follow Mashable’s social media channel on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

---

Tech & Mobile

---

• 8 Mobile Apps for Golf Season
  These eight mobile apps might not get you to the Masters, but they may at least make you feel like you're worthy of playing at Augusta. FORE!
• 5 Creative iPhone Accessories That Could Be Made With Your Help [VIDEOS]
  We’ve found five fabulous iPhone accessory projects currently live on Kickstarter that we think are worth investigating.
• NASA & Google Celebrate Milestones in Space Travel [INFOGRAPHIC]
  NASA is celebrating the 30th anniversary of the first Space Shuttle launch, which happened on April 12, 1981 – the same date on which Russian astronaut Yuri Gagarin became the first man in space, 20 years earlier.
• Apple's Plan for a World Without Wires
  Apple is reportedly working on a way to sync iPods with iTunes wirelessly, another step toward making wires a thing of the past.
• How Smarter Parking Technology Will Reduce Traffic Congestion
  In major cities, the longer you spend looking for a parking spot, the more traffic congestion is caused. Here are a few apps that are improving city transit infrastructure.
• HOW TO: Get Devs to Use Your Company's API
  You’ve decided to release your API – now how do you get devs to use it? Here are some tips to help you reach critical mass.
• Behind the Scenes: How Yoostar Is Building a Social Platform Around Movie Karaoke [VIDEO]
  How’s your Schwarzenegger impression? Yoostar 2 lets you perform in your favorite movie scenes and share them with your Facebook friends, regardless of which console they play on.
• BlackBerry PlayBook Enters the Tablet Race [REVIEW]
  BlackBerry has entered the tablet race. Read on for the pros, cons and our view as to whether or not PlayBook stands a chance
• How HTML5 Is Influencing Web App Development
  Here’s a look at the impact HTML5 and related web standards are having on the way web apps are created and deployed.

For more tech news and resources, you can follow Mashable’s tech channel on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

---

Business & Marketing

---

• HOW TO: Score a Job at a Creative Agency
  Are you an aspiring Don Draper? Here are tips from the experts at four top creative agencies to help you get your foot in the door — and get hired.
• HOW TO: Optimize Your LinkedIn Company Profile for Recruiting
  The career networking site is also a great resource for recruiting. Here’s how to attract top talent to your company on LinkedIn.
• Top 5 Web Design Mistakes Small Businesses Make
  A website is an important marketing tool for a small business — here are 5 mistakes to avoid when you’re designing yours.
• 4 Reasons a Remote Workforce Might Be Right for Your Startup
  Before you spring for that office space, consider the benefits of a remote team of employees.
• 5 Tips for Recruiting College Students via Social Media
  Web-savvy graduates about to enter the workforce won’t be into traditional recruiter marketing. Here are a few ways to reach them where they engage online.
• HOW TO: Spread Your Business Footprint Around the Web
  The web is a great place to market your business, but only if people can find you. Here are some tips for expanding your online presence, even on a budget.
• 5 Ways Tech Startup Financing Is Changing
  The logistic of venture capital in tech are not the same as they were 5 years ago. If you’re thinking about funding, take a look at the current landscape.
• 6 Ways To Visualize Your Taxes
  Google has selected six finalists in its tax data design challenge. Each of the projects visualize how your federal income taxes are spent, using public budget data.
• Was the Charlie Sheen Tweet a Win for Internships.com?
  Little-known company Internships.com raised awareness with its Charlie Sheen Twitter endorsement, but can it build a brand from there?
• How Tasti D-Lite Has Raised the Bar for Social Media Success
  We spoke with Chief Marketing Officer Bill Zinke to get a taste for what digital and social projects have been successful and what the company is working on next.
• Why Large-Scale Product Customization Is Finally Viable for Business
  Everything on the web is customizable, and consumers have come to expect the same from physical products. Here’s why custom goods will be big in the years ahead.
• HOW TO: Start Marketing on Gowalla
  We spoke with Andy Ellwood, Gowalla's director of business development, for the scoop on how to start marketing a brand on Gowalla.
• Social Media for Small Businesses: 6 Effective Strategies
  If your small business is ready to start testing the social media waters, take a few lessons from experience.
• Google's Earnings: 4 Takeaways
  There are surprising jumps in Google’s R&D, stock-based compensation and marketing expenses. Why are all of these expenses on the rise?
• 5 Simple Web Apps For Saving Time at Work
  While there are some great mobile apps out there, we still do most of our work at our desks. Check out these 5 download-free tools that will make your work life a little easier.
• 9 Tips for Small Business Success on eBay
  We asked a panel of young entrepreneurs how users can build up and market their eBay businesses to become successful online retailers.

For more business news and resources, you can follow Mashable’s business channel on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.
Image courtesy of Icon Expo

More About: business, facebook, Features Week In Review, gadgets, List, Lists, Mobile 2.0, social media, tech, technology, twitter

For more Social Media coverage:

• Follow Mashable Social Media on Twitter
• Become a Fan on Facebook
• Subscribe to the Social Media channel
• Download our free apps for Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad

Google‘s decided to shut down its Google Video service, and in an email sent Friday night (4/15/2011), reminded those who’ve uploaded videos to the site that they have until May 13 to download them before they are removed.

Google says that on April 29, Google Videos will no longer be viewable on the site, and the download function will still be available for a couple of weeks to allow users to retrieve their work. Perhaps many of those users will move their video clips to Google’s other video service, YouTube, which Google acquired in 2006.

We’re surprised Google has taken so long to shut down Google Video, given that the company is finally figuring out how to make YouTube profitable, is also allowing video uploads to its Picasa service, and stopped accepting uploads to Google Video almost 2 years ago, in May, 2009.

In addition, wouldn’t it be a good business move for Google to make it easy for Google Video users to transfer their video clips to a YouTube account? Commenters, do you think Google is leaving its users hanging with this move?

Here’s the email sent to Google Video users:

From: “Google Video”
Date: Apr 15, 2011 9:56 PM
Subject: Google Video Hosted Content To Be Removed After May 13

Dear Google Video User,

Later this month, hosted video content on Google Video will no longer be available for playback. Google Video stopped taking uploads in May 2009 and now we're removing the remaining hosted content. We’ve always maintained that the strength of Google Video is its ability to let people search videos from across the web, regardless of where those videos are hosted. And this move will enable us to focus on developing these technologies further to the benefit of searchers worldwide.

On April 29, 2011, videos that have been uploaded to Google Video will no longer be available for playback. We've added a Download button to the video status page, so you can download any video content you want to save. If you don't want to download your content, you don't need to do anything. (The Download feature will be disabled after May 13, 2011.)

We encourage you to move to your content to YouTube if you haven't done so already. YouTube offers many video hosting options including the ability to share your videos privately or in an unlisted manner. To learn more go here.
Here's how to download your videos:

1. Go to the Video Status page.
2. To download a video to your computer, click the Download Video link located on the right side of each of your videos in the Actions column.

Once a video has been downloaded, "Already Downloaded" will appear next to the Download Video link.

If you have many videos on Google Video, you may need to use the paging controls located on the bottom right of the page to access them all.
Please note: This download option will be available through May 13, 2011.
Thank you for being a Google Video user.

Sincerely,
The Google Video Team

More About: canceled, Google Video, rip, trending, warning

For more Tech & Gadgets coverage:

• Follow Mashable Tech & Gadgets on Twitter
• Become a Fan on Facebook
• Subscribe to the Tech & Gadgets channel
• Download our free apps for Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad

The deadline for filing your tax return with the IRS in the United States is rapidly approaching — this year it’s a few days later than its usual date of April 15, coming up on Monday, April 18.

Why is the deadline three days later this year? According to the Internal Revenue Service website:

Taxpayers will have until Monday, April 18 to file their 2010 tax returns and pay any tax due because Emancipation Day, a holiday observed in the District of Columbia, falls this year on Friday, April 15. By law, District of Columbia holidays impact tax deadlines in the same way that federal holidays do; therefore, all taxpayers will have three extra days to file this year.

Are you ready? Some of you already have your tax refunds in hand, but others … well, let’s just say you’re the deliberative type.

You’re not alone. How you stand among social media users? Lab42 artists and researchers put together this infographic for us, surveying 400 people who use social networks, randomly selected and evenly distributed across age groups and income levels.

Commenters — have you filed yet? Do you think taxes are too damn high?

Infographic courtesy Lab42

More About: infographic, IRS, social media, tax day

For more Social Media coverage:

• Follow Mashable Social Media on Twitter
• Become a Fan on Facebook
• Subscribe to the Social Media channel
• Download our free apps for Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad

Do you remember the world before it was culturally acceptable to set days of the week to music? ‘Twas a simpler time, when pop stars were made of swoopy hair and winky dance moves, and a young Canadian prince ruled the Twitterverse with adolescent smarm.

Well friends, we’re happy to report that the king has returned. Thanks to some hubbub on his world tour and an outcry from Latin American fans, His Biebness has reclaimed the throne as this week’s number one trending topic on Twitter.

We found the aggregate of Bieber-related topics most encouraging. Read a sampling, won’t you?

• #beforewehadjustin
• #cheerupjustin
• #papsleavebiebsalone
• VenezuelaAsksToSeeNSN3D
• #thankyoujustin
• LatinAmericaLOVEDNSN3D
• #BiebsTweetFans
• VenezuelaNeedsNSN3D
• #staystrongbiebs

Stay strong Biebs, indeed.

In fact, music won the week, as far as Twitter is concerned. A duet performed by Rihanna and Britney Spears sent the singers’ names to the number two spot, and a meme about people’s ultimate fantasy concert mashups hit number three. Beyond that, sports were big, with soccer making its usual appearance, and Major League Baseball creeping into the chart as the season gets into full swing. (See what I did there? No, you shut up.)

To see the full list, check out the chart below. Because this is a topical list, hashtag memes and games have been omitted from the chart. The aggregate is based on Twitter’s own trending algorithm, and does not necessarily reflect raw tweet volume.

You can check past Twitter trends in our Top Twitter Topics section.

---

Top Twitter Trends This Week: 4/8 – 4/14

---

Rank	Topic	Intensity	Description
#1	Justin Bieber	3	Justin Bieber fans from around the world are tweeting encouragement after Bieber complained about being harassed by paparazzis while in Israel. Also, fans in Latin America want his film to be released there.
#2	Rihanna / Britney Spears	1	Rihanna and Britney Spears have done a duet for a new remix of Rihanna’s "S&M." Fans of both artists are enthusiastic about the collaboration.
#3	Dream Concert	1	People are naming their ultimate artist combos for the perfect concert.
#4	Soccer/Football	1	Soccer fans were talking about Stan Kroenke, owner of the Denver Nuggets and the Colorado Avalanche, who is set to takeover Arsenal F.C. after agreeing to buy key shares in the club. It has also been revealed that fan favorite Gary Neville, will play one last game for Manchester United.
#5	Masters Tournament	1	The Masters golf tournament from Augusta National Golf Club took place between April 8 and 11. Golfers receiving a lot of attention are Charl Schwartzel, Adam Scott and Rory McIlroy.
#6	Happy Endings	1	A new ABC comedy TV show starring Elisha Cuthbert debuted. But once this trended, people shared other "happy endings" they experienced or knew about.
#7	WWE	1	Adam "Edge" Copeland, whose career spanned 13 years with 11 World Championship reigns, announced his retirement due to an injury. The WWE’s next "Extreme Rules" is happening May 1. People are talking about possible matches.
#8	MLB	1	Player Manny Ramirez has announed his retirement, according to a statement released by Major League Baseball. Fans were upset with Bob Davidson who made a bad call against the Toronto Blue Jays in the game against the Los Angeles Angels on April 9, 2011, costing the Blue Jays the game. A Dodgers-Padres game lasted beyond 1 a.m. PT due to a rain delay.
#9	NBA	1	The Oklahoma City Thunder’s Kevin Durant tweeted "God DAMN Derrick Rose" and it got a lot of retweets. The Sacramento Kings just closed out their season with an overtime loss against the Lakers. This week, the NBA will decide if the Kings will move to Anaheim next season.
#10	My Chemical Romance	1	The fanbase of the American rock band My Chemical Romance celebrated the birthday of band member Gerard Way.

Data aggregate courtesy of What the Trend.

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, 123render

---

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

More About: justin bieber, List, Lists, social media, Top Twitter Topics, trends, twitter, Twitter Lists

For more Social Media coverage:

• Follow Mashable Social Media on Twitter
• Become a Fan on Facebook
• Subscribe to the Social Media channel
• Download our free apps for Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad