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Mashable: Latest 8 News Updates - including “4 Fresh Apps For Your Weekend Enjoyment”

Mashable: Latest 8 News Updates - including “4 Fresh Apps For Your Weekend Enjoyment”


4 Fresh Apps For Your Weekend Enjoyment

Posted: 04 Jun 2011 05:37 PM PDT


The Spark of Genius Series highlights a unique feature of startups and is made possible by Microsoft BizSpark. If you would like to have your startup considered for inclusion, please see the details here.

Each weekend, Mashable hand-picks a few startups that we think are building interesting, unique or niche products. Here we’re featuring a collection of applications that might come in handy this weekend depending on your mood.

If you’re in a playful state of mind, Shnap for iPhone will command your attention and challenge you to an intricate game of rating and producing stylized photos. Trust us, it’s more fun than it sounds. For the bargain hunter with an iPhone or Android device, there’s Social Listing, an app that could help you discover the hidden treasures your neighbors are ready to part with.

Self-promoters can occupy their free time by creating a shareable social calendar of their upcoming events and appearances using Simply Events. And if you’re in the mood to be generous, but in an obvious sort of way, Givey will let you make a donation and share it with your followers on Twitter, all with a single tweet.


Shnap: Are Your Stylized Photos Cool or Meh?


Quick Pitch: Shnap [iTunes link] is a social iPhone game where Hot or Not meets Instagram.

Genius Idea: Using game mechanics to make applying filters and effects more addicting than it already is.

Mashable’s Take: Not yet sold on the mobile and filtered photo sharing craze? Perhaps the competitive nature of Shnap will change your mind. The iPhone application invites you to rate users’ stylized photos, or “Shnaps” as they’re called in the app, by selecting one of five ratings: LOL, Meh, WTF, Cool or Wow.

Of course, the flip side is that app users can also rate and comment on your Shnaps. The application incentivizes behavior with Shnap bucks — you earn bucks for each rating — and a level system. Level 1 noobs have limited access to effects, but those who level up will unlock higher-quality photo filter options.

“Instead of passively browsing a grid of photos, users are shown one photo at a time and encouraged to rate it,” Shnap creator and ex-Googler Kuan Yong tells Mashable. “There is a scoring system for posting and rating shnaps, and a complete social network where users can establish friend relationships, message one another and post shnaps to other social networks.”

The application experience is super slick and quite fun — what Shnap lacks in meaningful purpose it more than makes up for in style. Still, we’d love actual Instagram integration and more convenient options for finding and adding friends.


Givey: Give & Tweet at the Same Time


Quick Pitch: Givey allows user to make tax-efficient, secure donations to charity by tweeting or sending an SMS.

Genius Idea: Instant and social donations.

Mashable’s Take: By encouraging $10 text message donations in the aftermath of the Haiti earthquake, the Red Cross raised millions and proved that people will donate if they have a fast and simple way to do so. Givey, a UK fundraising startup that launched in late May, is taking this fast and simple donation model and making it more social and personal.

The idea: Allow people to donate between £1and £500 via Twitter or SMS whenever they want — to the charity of their choosing. Givey partners with PayPal and MissionFish for the payments components so that once a user registers, all he needs to do is a select a charity and tweet or text his donation.

Givey is currently only available to UK tax payers, but the startup is planning a U.S. launch for later this year.


Simply Events: Create & Share Your Social Agenda


Quick Pitch: Add your future social activities and events to your calendar to share with friends and family.

Genius Idea: A simple way to promote and share your appearances, speaking engagements or activities in a single place.

Mashable’s Take: You can use Simply Events as way to keep friends, family members or even strangers in the know about your social agenda. The tool seems best suited for public speakers, authors, uber-social types or anyone looking to promote their own appearances or agenda.

Friends can use it privately to coordinate get-togethers, organizations can use it to promote their events and public figures can “shout” their appearances while also posting to Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

With so many calendaring and event apps — Plancast, Lanyrd and Facebook come to mind — Simply Events needs to do a better job at answering the “Why should I use the app?” question. It’s also in dire need of deeper Facebook integration.


Social Listing: Mobile & Local Classified Ads


Quick Pitch: Social Listing is a simple and fast mobile app that connects local buyers to sellers.

Genius Idea: Classifieds reinvented for Android and iPhone.

Mashable’s Take: iPhone and Android users looking for a more mobile way to browse or post classified ads might consider using Social Listing.

The application does not have anywhere near the quantity of ads or audience as Craigslist, but it does make it easy to scroll through and checkout nearby for-sale items. Sellers can use the app to snap a photo, name a price and send the listing to nearby Social Listing users, Facebook or Twitter.

Try as they might, classifieds startups have yet to knock Craigslist off its almighty throne. Social Listing will need much more than mobile appeal to beat the staunch incumbent of online classifieds.

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, catscandotcom


Series Supported by Microsoft BizSpark

Microsoft BizSpark

The Spark of Genius Series highlights a unique feature of startups and is made possible by Microsoft BizSpark, a startup program that gives you three-year access to the latest Microsoft development tools, as well as connecting you to a nationwide network of investors and incubators. There are no upfront costs, so if your business is privately owned, less than three years old, and generates less than U.S.$1 million in annual revenue, you can sign up today.

More About: bizspark, charity, Givey, Shnap, Simply Events, Social Listing, spark-of-genius

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Video Preview of “iOS 5″ Makes the iPad Truly Magical

Posted: 04 Jun 2011 04:35 PM PDT

While magician and performance artist Simon Pierro is not really showing us a “beta version of iOS 5,” his iPad demo is magical nonetheless.

We especially like the way Simon demonstrates iOS 5′s new “space/time connection,” engaging in a special kind of streaming that you won’t soon forget.

More About: humor, iOS 5, magic tricks, Magician, Simon Pierro Video, trending, youtube

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Syrian Internet Restored, Dramatic Footage Emerges [VIDEO]

Posted: 04 Jun 2011 03:45 PM PDT

Internet intelligence firm Renesys reports that Syrian Internet services are now operational again. But these dramatic clips of Syrians rising up against their government, shot on June 2, were allegedly sent out of the country via satellite phone.

Warning: some of these chaotic scenes from YouTube’s Citizentube channel are violent and might be disturbing to sensitive viewers.

According to Renesys, seven of the country’s 40 networks returned at 1900 UTC (3 p.m. Friday EDT), with the rest coming back early Saturday morning, “shortly after 04:00 UTC” (Midnight EDT).

Now, Google Transparency Report shows Syrian Internet traffic has resumed levels that are roughly the same as they were before the initial shutdown occurred at 3:35 UTC on Friday (11 p.m. Thursday EDT).

More About: Syria, Syrian Internet, trending, Uprising, video, youtube

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Exclusive Review: Two Elegant iPhone 4 Cases Have Carbon Fiber Backs [PICS]

Posted: 04 Jun 2011 02:21 PM PDT


Element Case rolled out two new carbon fiber-backed cases for iPhone 4, and we have both the Ion 4 and Formula 4 (picture above) models here for an exclusive hands-on review.

Element Case is best known for its series of “Vapor 4″ aluminum cases for iPhone 4, which are beautifully designed and carefully crafted, with optional carbon fiber backing. The latest Vapor 4 case cleared up a slight reception problem noticed with its predecessor, while still retaining that high style.

In my testing of both the earlier and the latest models, besides their high $80 price (which originally was much more than that), those Vapor 4 cases were also inconvenient, requiring a tedious removal of tiny screws to install or remove an iPhone 4. No thanks.

That’s all different with these two new cases.


1. Ion 4 Case


First, let’s take a look at the $49.95 Ion 4 Case, a soft polymer enclosure that feels like silicone and has an elegant carbon fiber back. Even though that’s a small piece of carbon fiber, it’s not an optional feature as it was with the Vapor 4 case, and you normally don’t find anything with carbon fiber on it for such a low price.

The Ion case is exceptionally thin, adding hardly any thickness to the iPhone while protecting the front and completely covering the back. Unlike its Vapor 4 brethren, the iPhone installs within it as easily as an Apple bumper case, but feels so much better. Its grippy sides give you a firm handhold, and there’s a gradual recess leading to each of the iPhone’s buttons that gives you easy access, whether you’re using an iPhone 4 from either Verizon or AT&T.

Even though this Ion 4 case costs at least $30 less than the Vapor 4 case, I like it a whole lot better. It looks great and fits perfectly in the hand. Gone are those sharp aluminum edges, replaced by cushy and flexible rubberized material. The only downside I could find is that it’s a little wide on the bottom, which prevented me from inserting it into all the speaker/charging docks I tried.


Ion 4 Case: Front View





Carbon-Fiber Back





Grippy Sides





Docking




Although this doesn't fit in the docks I tried, you can still plug a charging cable into it with ease.


Removing the iPhone 4




Element Case's product shot shows how easy it is to insert or remove the iPhone.


3/4 View




This case looks even better in your hand than it does in this photo.


2. Formula 4 Case


Next up is the Element Case’s Formula 4 Case, a $59.95 product that’s similar to the Ion but has a removable bottom that lets you easily insert it into any of the iPhone docks available on the market today.

Made of harder polycarbonate plastic, it’s even easier to install your iPhone into by simply sliding off the bottom piece, sliding in the iPhone, and replacing the bottom section. Also sporting that elegant carbon fiber back, it’s even thinner than the Ion — its shape more closely approximates its more-expensive Vapor brandmate.


Formula 4 Case, Side View





Easy Access





Looking Good





Removable Bottom




Photo courtesy Element Case


Clean Design




Photo courtesy Element Case


Carbon Fiber Back




These are two excellent cases, either of which I’d be proud to use to ensconce my way-too-fragile iPhone 4. After a slight stumble, Element Case has now figured out how to price and manufacture its products to suit the market with these two examples. My only complaint is that each is only available in black. Highly recommended.

More About: accessories, Carbon Fiber, Element Case, formula, Ion, iphone 4 cases, review

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6 New Apps For Getting More Out of Foursquare

Posted: 04 Jun 2011 12:49 PM PDT


As Foursquare’s 10 million members check into locations in cities around the world, much of that location data can be accessed in unique and fascinating ways, thanks to the service’s ever-improving API.

Here we’ve collected six of our favorite Foursquare applications. Each stays true to Foursquare’s original mission by encouraging us to get out and experience the world around us in rich new ways, all the while making our place and checkin data come alive.

With Foursquare’s growing popularity, there are almost too many interesting and handy applications to count, so make sure to share your personal favorites in the comments.


Scoville




How well do you know your city, and are you willing to share your prized city secrets with your friends and neighbors? Scoville, a private beta site for Foursquare superusers, makes the clever assumption that those active on Foursquare are likely to have an intimate knowledge of the best coffee shops, bars, restaurants and venues in their home towns.

Scoville's rich integration with Foursquare makes it easy to pluck the best places you visit each week and place them on a weekly #toptuesday list that you can distribute to friends on the site or out to Facebook and Twitter.

Even better than #toptuesday is Scoville's latest addition -- the Likebox. Create Likeboxes for timeless lists that include your picks for the best vegan eateries, mexican restaurants, grocery stores, fast food joints, coffee shops and so forth in your 'hood. It's a simple, fun and easy way to curate your Foursquare checkins and create city recommendations.


Sonar




Sonar, an application for iPhone, uses Foursquare checkin data and your Facebook and Twitter social graphs to help you determine if you have things in common with others checked in at the same venue.

Fire up the app, connect with Foursquare, Facebook and Twitter and watch as Sonar identifies Facebook and/or Twitter friends you have in common with other patrons. You can then tweet at or follow people from inside the app.

Ideally, Sonar will encourage you to make contact with new people.


Localmind




Localmind adds a question-and-answer layer on top of your Foursquare (Gowalla and Facebook) checkins.

Sign up to use the web app or iPhone app and you're essentially opting in to receiving questions from other app users curious about the venue that you're checked in to.

"The power of Localmind is you can get remote omniscience. You can see what's happening anywhere in the world through other people's eyes," co-founder Lenny Rachitsky tells Mashable.

The next time you have a time-sensitive question about a nearby or faraway place, why not message someone who's actually there?


When Should I Visit?




Traveling to London this summer? You might want to pay a visit to When Should I Visit? first.

The site, built in 24 hours at the Culture Hackday event in January, gathers data from Foursquare to calculate the least (and most) busy times at London's galleries, museums and theaters. It's a simple tool to discover when best to visit London attractions.

Creator Dan Williams plans to add admissions data, along with Gowalla and Facebook checkin data to make the service more accurate.


4squareand7yearsago




What were you doing a year ago today? Foursquare users can turn to 4squareand7yearsago for a trip down memory lane.

This simple application hooks into your Foursquare account to send you a daily email reminder of what you did on the same day last year.

4squareand7yearsago, built at Foursquare's hack day 2011, amplifies nostalgia for a digital generation of social media socialites who often lose themselves in the here today/gone tomorrow nature of checkins and status updates.

Image courtesy of Flickr, dpstyles


WeePlaces




WeePlaces aims to make your Foursquare checkins useful. Use it to create an embeddable geoprofile of your experiences, activities and the places you've been, as sourced from your past checkins.

Plus, it's entertaining to watch as WeePlaces plots your checkins on a map, and you can zoom in or out of the interactive map for a narrower or wider perspective. We also give the application bonus points for letting you compare your checkins against friends' checkins to see where your activities overlap.

Just make sure to lock down your WeePlaces profile -- use the lock icon at the top -- if you don't want your geoprofile to be public.

WeePlaces also makes a sister map-based application called Ratio Finder. You can use the tool to find places in San Francisco or New York where there's a higher than average ratio of men to women or vice versa.

WeePlaces comes from Movity.com, a geo-focused startup that came out of Y Combinator's accelerator program.

Image courtesy of Flickr, poperotico

More About: 4squareand7yearsago, foursquare, foursquare apps, Localmind, Scoville, Sonar.me, trending, WeePlaces, When Should I Visit?

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Video Glasses Stream Everything You Do to Social Media Sites [VIDEO]

Posted: 04 Jun 2011 11:43 AM PDT


Video cameras and wireless technology have gotten so small, now developers at ZionEyez in Seattle are working on Eyez, a pair of glasses with a tiny embedded video camera that can continuously record everything you see in 720p, transmitting it wirelessly to social media sites for all to see.

ZionEyez is calling Eyez “a new revolution in social media technology,” allowing some exhibitionistic gadget lover to wear these video-shooting glasses that transmit their images via Bluetooth to an Eyez app on an iPhone or Android device. From there, the video would be streamed through wireless networks to video sites online, where it could all be viewed live.

Streaming live HD video is possible, but it’s still an awfully tall order for wireless data networks circa 2011, so there’s also 8GB of flash memory on board as well as a mini-USB port, allowing users to record the goings-on and then transfer them to a computer for editing and later broadcast.

Alas, Eyez aren’t available yet, but it’s a Kickstarter project, where if enough investors are interested in funding the project, its final development will get underway (Kickstarter details here). So far, 58 backers have pledged $9,745 toward the $55,000 goal with 56 days to go.

This is fascinating. In a situation where transmission technology is dependable enough for smooth streaming, this could turn into an interesting performance-art project. Or imagine a celebrity wearing these glasses throughout the day. Maybe someday, everyone will record video of everything they do every day, and stream it live. That’s the ultimate social media.


Accommodates Any Lenses




Since the tiny camera is not part of the lenses, conventional lenses can be used in the frames.


Almost Undetectable




The camera is so small, you can't even tell it's there.


Tap the "Z"




That Z logo functions as the button to start recording.

[Note: this video has no sound]

More About: Eyez, kickstarter, social media, trending, Video camera, ZionEyez

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5 Gadgets We’re Playing With This Week

Posted: 04 Jun 2011 10:13 AM PDT

Mashable recently kicked off its Gadget of the Day Series, supported by the Energizer Inductive Charger. Each week, we’ll review a number of gadgets that catch our interest. In case you missed them, here are the gadgets from our third week — read on for great reviews of Samsung Q10 camcorder, Joby GorillaMobile for iPhone 4, Logitech Keyboard Case by ZAGG for iPad 2, Etymotic hf3 Earbuds and the MiLi Power Projector 2 pico projector.

Looking for even more gadget reviews? This roundup will appear every weekend during the series, and you can check out all of our gadget coverage on the Tech & Gadgets channel.


1. Samsung Q10 Camcorder


Samsung’s handheld camcorder packs high-quality HD video in a small package. Sure, it’s bigger than your smartphone, but it also takes much better footage than your smartphone. This camcorder retails for $230.


Front and Center





This is a tiny camcorder, about the size of one of those mini soda cans.


One-Button Record




Surrounding the record button is the zoom control, which took a little getting used to.


Look How Small




You could almost hide this baby in the palm of your hand.


Top View




That OIS logo stands for Optical Image Stabilization, which I didn't think was very effective.


Viewfinder for Lefties




The only way you can tell the camcorder is upside down is by looking at that Home button on the right of the viewfinder.


"Full" HD




Despite the "Full HD" marketing, the camcorder doesn't actually shoot 1080p.


Smart Touch 3.0




This menu system is as refined as it is easy to use.


Settings Menu




Its touchscreen feels as responsive as an iPhone.


It's 1080i




Not to belabor the point, but here's where Samsung finally owns up to the fact that this camcorder's shooting at 1080i.


Viewscreen




It's bright and easy to see, even on a sunny day.


2. Joby GorillaMobile for iPhone 4


The Joby GorillaMobile is a fantastic, flexible tripod for the iPhone 4, which is enhanced by a fun, free app, Frame X Frame. The GorillaMobile for iPhone 4 is a good purchase for anyone looking for a tripod solution for his Apple phone — and the tripod kit also contains a bumper frame and a bonus camera adapter clip so that you can use the tripod with other compact cameras, too. The app provides useful features, such as a spirit level and a self-timer, enabling your iPhone to capture both time-lapse sequences and stop motion montages.


1. Joby GorillaMobile for iPhone 4 Kit




The kit contains the tripod, bumper case and camera adapter.


2. Joby GorillaMobile Bumper




The bumper boasts an always-on design and is easy to fit.


3. The GorillaMobile as a Stand




The GorillaMobile could also be used as an iPhone stand.


4. GorillaMobile Grip




The legs are flexible and can be used on any surface -- or wrapped around suitably sized objects.


5. Frame X Frame App




Joby's free companion offers some useful features.


6. Frame X Frame App Stop Motion Options




The app lets you create time-lapse and stop-motion videos easily.


7. The Frame X Frame App's Sharing Options




As well as technical features, the app offers a good variety of sharing options.


3. Logitech Keyboard Case by ZAGG for iPad 2


You spent a lot of money on your iPad 2, and you take it everywhere. To protect it, you want a case. To make the iPad work even more for you, you’d like a keyboard so you don’t have to type your emails just with your index fingers. Enter the Logitech Keyboard Case. Although it’s not cheap ($100), the sleek and shiny aluminum case matches the iPad exterior, protects the iPad screen and adds productivity-boosting convenience.


In the Slot




Slide your iPad 2 into that slot above the keyboard, and it looks like a little netbook.


The Keys




At first, I missed having both the backspace and delete key, but look at those handy shortcut keys across the top.


Aircraft-Grade Aluminum




The case matches well with the iPad 2's aluminum finish. However, you can see that the back of your precious device might still get scratched if you use this case.


Side View




We wish the keyboard enabled us to adjust the angle of the screen.


Rear View




View from the back when the keyboard is in use.


Thin is In




Case and iPad together are only an eighth of an inch thicker than the iPad 2 alone.


Block of Aluminum




The case looks like a solid slab of aluminum from the back, and still sports the ZAGG logo of its originating company.


4. Etymotic hf3 Headset and Earphones


The key to in-ear earphones, especially those that promise noise-isolation, is a good seal. Etymotic has good instructions for how to insert the hf3 earphones on its website (it even has a video), and you'll be hard-pressed to find a better value for high-quality, in-ear headphones. The earphones definitely do their job when it comes to noise isolation — they block out the sounds of the subway, ambient street noise and even office chatter, and you get crisp sound with comfort.


Earbuds Get a Close-Up




The key to getting the best sound from noise-isolating in-ear earphones is a good, tight seal.

It can take a bit of time to find the right seal with the hf3 headset and earphones, but once its found, the only sounds you'll hear are the tunes coming from your audio device.


iOS Friendly Remote




The hf3 headset and earphones aren't just for Apple products -- we successfully used the earbuds with our Android devices and laptops, too -- but an added bonus feature is that the remote control is compatible with the iPhone, iPad and iPod nano. This makes it easy to not only accept phone calls, but adjust volume, play and pause music and scan forward and backward in your library.


Included Accessories




Etymotic doesn't scrimp on the accessories. The hf3 headset and earphones come with a durable, soft case (great for keeping your earphones tangle free and in good condition), a larger set of three-flanges insets and foam and dome-shaped inserts. Use whatever feels best in your ear and whatever gives you the best seal.

Etymotic also includes two replacement filters and a cleaner to keep your earbuds sounding their best.


Awareness App




By registering their earphones, users gain full access to the fantastic Awareness app for iOS.

This app uses the built-in microphone on the hf3 earphones to alert users of what is happening around them when the noise gets above a certain decibel. That means that you can get the benefits of a noise-isolating experience, while still being on alert for things happening around you, like a fire engine or a honking horn.


Awareness App Settings




The Awareness app has lots of customizable settings to really make it useful for users that want a way to keep an eye on something else, while still enjoying their earphones.

The app works with any audio on the iPhone, but some features, like ClearVoice, only work in the default iPod app.


5. MiLi Power Projector 2 pico projector


At $399.95, this isn’t a cheap gadget, but it’s a fun item for someone looking to splurge. Insert your iPhone into the portable MiLi projector, and you can project it onto a wall — we found a size and brightness sweet spot 40′ from the wall. Sure, it’s not a home theater, and the VGA resolution means you won’t see the nuances and details you’re used to on a big screen TV, but it’s a much better viewing experience than on the iPhone.


3. MiLi Power Projector 2 vs iPhone




The MiLi Power Projector 2 is smaller and quieter than the previous model.


2. MiLi Power Projector 2 Open




It flips open and the iPhone or iPod sits on the Apple dock.


4. MiLi Power Projector 2 With iPhone




The stands pops out to support the projector.


5. MiLi Power Projector 2 In Use




You can project images from a few inches wide up to 70 inches.

For more gadget reviews, check out the Gadget of the Day Series and visit the Tech & Gadgets channel.

More About: Etymotic hf3 Earbuds, Gadget of the Day Series, Joby GorillaMobile for iPhone 4, Logitech Keyboard Case by ZAGG for iPad 2, MiLi Power Projector 2 pico projector, Samsung Q10 camcorder

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Social Media-Using Guys Are Lovin’ The Fast Food [INFOGRAPHIC]

Posted: 04 Jun 2011 09:06 AM PDT


Fast food is a part of American life, whether we like it or not. But social media users aren’t scarfing down that junk, are they? Sounds like a good topic for a survey filled with statistics that are both obvious and surprising.

That’s exactly what our Infographic-creating and social-media researching friends at Lab 42 did, collecting opinions from 500 social networking males aged 18 to 35 about their fast food preferences.

Because Lab 42 hit one of the biggest target demographics of fast food purveyors (perhaps biggest in more ways than one), and to qualify for the survey respondents must have gone to a fast food restaurant in the last three months, the survey might make it look like there are more fast food lovers than in the general population.

Let’s see if these preferences match up with yours:

Infographic courtesy Lab 42, graphic by iStockphoto

More About: fast food, infographic, Lab 42, social media users, survey, trending

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Top 10 Twitter Trends This Week [CHART]

Posted: 04 Jun 2011 07:34 AM PDT

Twitter Chart Image

Sports and Bieber. Not only is that the title of my upcoming memoir, but it about sums up the biggest Twitter trends on this week’s chart.

International soccer, a trend that has hovered around number three or four on our chart for weeks, has finally broken through to the top slot, thanks to some big matches and the discussion of FIFA politics.

Stateside, the NBA finals kicked off between the Miami Heat and the Dallas Mavericks. Tweets about the tournament propelled the topic to the number two spot — a rare feat for American sports on Twitter.

And like a warm blanket, the reassuring presence of Justin Bieber returns to this week’s top 10, thanks in part to some fervent Beliebers in Latin America. The Biebs rings in at number three.

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: 5/27 – 6/2


Rank
Topic
Intensity
Description
#1
Soccer/Football
2
May 28 was the UEFA Champions League final between Manchester United and Barcelona. Barcelona won, 3-1. Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes annouced his retirement from playing football on May 31. He will now work as a coach with the club. Soccer fans also discussed their displeasure with FIFA president Sepp Blatter who was unopposed in his controversial re-election.
#2
NBA Finals
2
The NBA Finals series began this week between the Miami Heat and the Dallas Mavericks. Users came up with some new nicknames for players: Batman & Robin, LeBum, LeChicken and Dirk NoRingski. The series is tied, 1-1.
#3
Justin Bieber
2
This week, Bieber fever continues unabated with new trends primarily coming from fans in Latin America.
#4
Sean Kingston
1
Singer Sean Kingston got in a jet skiing accident in Florida and was in critical condition. He has now stabilized.
#5
Gil Scott-Heron
1
Gil Scott-Heron was an influential poet and musician who died on May 27 at the age of 62. His most well-known piece is the radical “The Revolution Will Not be Televised.”
#6
Spanish Protests
1
At approximately 7 a.m. on May 27, the city council of Barcelona decided to send 350 police officers from the Mossos d’Esquadra and another 100 or so from the Guàrdia Urbana to temporarily vacate Plaça de Catalunya so that it could be cleaned ahead of the final of the Champions League final on May 28. According to police figures, more than 12,000 people gathered in Barcelona through the course of the day, angry about the earlier actions of the police.The clearing of the Barcelona camp was broadcast live by two Spanish television channels, including Antena 3, and was also widely dispersed through social networks like Twitter.
#7
Demi Lovato
1
“Lovatics,” or Demi Lovato fans, took to Twitter to send supportive messages to her.
#8
Britain’s Got Talent
1
This UK variety show aired semi-final rounds every night this week, garnering the series a lot of time in Twitter’s top trends. Contestants generating the most discussion were organist Jean Martyn, Steven Hall, Edward Reid (who sang a bunch of kids’ TV theme songs), Joe Oakley, Ronan Parke and Jay Worley.
#9
Marilyn Monroe
1
Users noted Marilyn Monroe’s 85th birthday would have occurred on June 1, 2011 if she were still living.
#10
Single Ladies
1
VH1′s first scripted series, Single Ladies, stars Lisa Raye and Stacey Dash, and premiered this week on Monday night. The show is written and created by Stacy Littlejohn and directed by Tamra Davis.


Data aggregate courtesy of What the Trend.

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, 123render

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

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