Mashable: Latest 14 News Updates - including “Happy Holidays from Mashable” |
- Happy Holidays from Mashable
- Tech Predictions 2011: Winners and Losers
- Geolocation App Lets Fans Keep Up With Their Favorite Bands
- HOW TO: Get the Most Out of Your New Xbox 360 With Kinect
- 5 Predictions for Mobile in 2011
- Mashable Awards Facts From Baratunde Thurston [HUMOR]
- Meanwhile, at Santa’s Social Media Command Center… [COMIC]
- 10 More Creative Uses of the New Facebook Profile [PICS]
- “FarmVille” Co-Creator Now Working on a Stealth Startup
- Want Santa to Bring You a Kinect? Maybe You Should Bake Him These [PIC]
- Thanks to Mashable’s Socially Savvy Supporters
- 5 Free, Fresh and Festive Holiday Music Playlists
- 12 How-To Videos for Hosting the Perfect Holiday Party
- Skype Video Calling Coming to Mobile Soon [REPORT]
- This Morning’s 4 Biggest Stories in Tech & Social Media
Posted: 24 Dec 2010 08:36 PM PST Thanks to all of our fans for helping to make 2010 a winning year. Happy holidays and a happy New Year from all of us at Mashable. Wishing you all of the best in 2011! Pete Cashmore, Adam Hirsch, Adam Ostrow, Sharon Feder, Stacy Green, Vadim Lavrusik, Brian Dresher, Frederick Townes, Lauren Rubin, Andrew Reedman, Karen Hartline, Josh Catone, Todd Wasserman, Charlie White, Ben Parr, Stan Schroeder, Brenna Ehrlich, Jennifer Van Grove, Jolie O'Dell, Christina Warren, Lauren Indvik, Matt Silverman, Radhika Marya, Amy-Mae Elliott, Zachary Sniderman, Sarah Kessler, Erica Swallow, Emily Banks, Meghan Peters, Evan Wexler, Jehangir Irani, Brett Petersel, Tamar Weinberg, Kate Hayden, Stefanie Rennert, Louis Dorman and Ada Ospina. More About: Holiday, Holidays, mashable |
Tech Predictions 2011: Winners and Losers Posted: 24 Dec 2010 08:00 PM PST
If this past year is anything to go by, 2011 will be anything but predictable. And yet we can at least hazard a guess — based on early signs — as to which technology companies will flop and which will fly in 2011. That’s the topic of my CNN column this week. Read the full column on CNN.com >>More About: 2011, social media, tech predictions, web |
Geolocation App Lets Fans Keep Up With Their Favorite Bands Posted: 24 Dec 2010 08:00 PM PST 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.
Quick Pitch: Flowd is a location-based mobile app that facilitates closer connections and rewards between bands and their fans. Genius Idea: More and more bands are getting into the social space via tools like Twitter and Facebook, but location remains a truly untapped realm when it comes to promotion. Imagine getting an accurate gauge of how many fans attended a gig, real-time comments from said gig and the ability to host giveaways and promotions tied to that gig, all in one app. That’s the gist of Flowd, a fan outreach tool that’s basically Foursquare for bands. This app launched at the beginning of December as a free iPhone [iTunes link] and Android app developed by Digia Ventures. Any band — from up-and-comers to established acts — can sign up for Flowd via its website, where they can set up a profile complete with a bio, photo, skins that fans can apply to their own app pages (which can vary from device to device) and a welcome message that fans will receive upon following the artist in question. That artist can also add tour dates via an integration with Google Maps that pins the event in question to a physical location. Fans can then check in to that location. ![]() By creating events such as this, artists can also host contests that reward fans for attending and checking in. Right now, that functionality is rather bare-bones: Bands enter in contest details manually to the “info” field and check back with Flowd to see who checks in. There’s no real way to update fans on whether or not they’re won, aside from manually messaging them. Fans, for their part, can download the Flowd app — or register in-browser — in order to follow their favorite bands (and send them private messages) and their friends. In this way, users can keep up with where bands are performing by checking their “Flow” or news feed and check in to shows in order to garner rewards. Users can also foster social interactions with friends and followers (which can be found via Facebook) by updating their statuses with pictures and comments via what Flowd is calling a “Shout” (yes, that is a direct rip from Foursquare) and commenting on friends’ Shouts and checkins. One can also push Shouts to Facebook and Twitter. In theory, this is a clever idea and could be extremely popular with music lovers. In practice, the app is extremely new and populated by a mere handful of lesser-known bands. Locations also need to be added, as it is hardly as populated as Foursquare and other, more established services. (In truth, it may have been smarter to build this app on Foursquare’s API.) Still, Flowd offers a specialized experience that more overarching apps like Foursquare do not. Yes, you can create an Event checkin on Foursquare, but that’s not really the purpose of the app. It just remains to be seen whether such a specialized, fledgling service can take flight in an already crowded flock. Image courtesy of iStockphoto, Bliz Sponsored by Microsoft BizSpark
More About: flowd, geolocation, Mobile 2.0, music, spark-of-genius, startup For more Startups coverage:
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HOW TO: Get the Most Out of Your New Xbox 360 With Kinect Posted: 24 Dec 2010 06:05 PM PST This post is part of the Mashable 10, Mashable’s gift guide of the 10 hottest gadgets that our editors think should be on everyone’s wish lists this holiday season. If you were lucky enough to receive one of those gifts, our handy quick start guides should get you up and running. To view the entire gift guide, click here.
So what should you do first with your Kinect, one of the hottest items of the season? After many extensive hours of research (the vast majority of it jumping around in front of the TV), we have some suggestions for how you can get the most of your new motion control machine. If you have tips for the new Xbox 360 owners among us (and we’re sure you do), please leave them in the comments so the newbies can get the best experience out of their devices. Without further ado, here’s our breakdown: Random Tips to Get You StartedI’m not going to go into detail about getting started with your Xbox 360 with Kinect; I assume the majority of you already have an Xbox 360 or have played with one prior to this purchase. If you haven’t played with one before, bring someone who owns one to help you set it up and explain the cool things it can do. Instead, I’d like to leave you with a few random tips and pieces of advice when you’re setting up a Kinect-enabled Xbox:
New Software Update: ESPN, Last.fm and MoreTo coincide with the launch of Kinect, the Xbox OS and dashboard have been redesigned. It’s cleaner, it’s faster, it has more features, and oh, it’s the update that adds Kinect support. It’s not just the fact that you can now use voice commands to navigate some of the menus; it’s also the addition of services like ESPN and Last.fm. ESPN is great for highlights, and the videos are high quality. I’ll admit that I log into my Xbox just to watch some ESPN ever since I cut the cable cord. One more thing: do try out the Video Kinect app if you have friends who are big Xbox players. Being able to chat with your friends in the living room is a fun experience, though you won’t be using it anywhere near as often as Skype. The Games You Want to Buy![]() For all of its features, the Xbox 360 is still a gaming device, and it needs a fresh supply of games to be fun or useful. Let’s start with the Kinect games. There are about a dozen out on the market, but only a few high-quality ones that really utilize the motion sensing technology in a way that doesn’t feel like pulling teeth out of your own mouth. These are the Kinect games that will keep a party buzzing:
Beyond the Kinect games, we also recommend several traditional controller-based Xbox 360 games to get this holiday season, based on what genre interest you. For RPG players, Final Fantasy XIII is a must-have, as is Fable III. BioShock 2, Mass Effect 2 and Gears of War are all great options for those of us who like to shoot things up. If you want the true Xbox 360 experience though, you must get Halo: Reach. Halo is the franchise that defines the Xbox, and for good reason. Reach may very well be the best of the franchise. Kinect in 2011Developers are still trying to get a feel for the Kinect, so don’t expect anything too groundbreaking in 2011 for the device. With that said, we are definitely looking forward to trying Kinect Star Wars, Forza and Michael Jackson: The Experience. The Star Wars game especially interests us (if only to relive our lightsaber fantasies), but we have a sinking feeling that this game will get delayed until early 2012. Spring 2011 is also the target date for another update to the Xbox 360 dashboard. Beyond adding more Kinect improvements (e.g. multi-language voice commands), it is also the target date for the launch of Hulu Plus on Xbox 360. Finally, watch out for the release of Gears of War 3, Crysis 2, Dead Space 2 and Portal 2. Yes, all of these games are sequels, but they are all on track to be as good as their predecessors. We’re especially excited for Crysis 2, the long-awaited follow-up to the critically acclaimed 2007 hit of the same name. More Gaming Resources from Mashable:
Reviews: Internet, Skype, michael jackson More About: games, gaming, gift guide, kinect, mashable 10, mashable 10 quick start, microsoft, video games, xbox, Xbox 360 For more Tech coverage:
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5 Predictions for Mobile in 2011 Posted: 24 Dec 2010 05:10 PM PST Mobile really exploded in 2010, thanks to a surge in smartphone sales, the rise of the iPad, and of course the iPhone. Mobile devices are getting more powerful, data connections are getting faster and developers are really pushing the boundaries of how we define a “mobile app.” It’s always tough to make predictions about technology because of the speed of innovation. This is especially true for mobile technology, where the landscape can change in a period of six months, let alone in a year. These are five of my predictions for what we will see happen in mobile in 2011. 1. Tablet Mania Hits a Fever Pitch![]() Mark Zuckerberg might not think that the iPad is mobile, but I respectfully disagree. I define mobility more in terms of being portable, not pocketable. Many people predicted that 2010 would be the year of the tablet, but in actuality, it was the year of one tablet, the iPad. I fully expect the iPad to continue to succeed but in 2011, it will finally get some competition. The most important lesson that tablet makers can take away from the iPad is that user experience matters. We’re already seeing that in the early demos of the BlackBerry PlayBook and in teasers from Motorola. We might also see HP use its purchase of Palm to bring some webOS tablets to the market. 2. Photo Sharing Will Expand to Video![]() The mobile photo sharing boom, led by apps like Instagram and PicPlz was a nice surprise in 2010. Fusing the improvements in camera phones with the ability to seamlessly share photos across social networks is something that just really clicks with users all over the world. Smartphones have had the capability to record video for a very long time — and the hottest phones on the market all include the ability to record and upload HD footage. Still, we haven’t seen mobile video take off quite the same way as photographs. This is in part because, though improving, the quality of a smartphone video camera isn’t a “real” replacement for a camcorder, and more importantly, the bandwidth needed to upload video just isn’t widely available. As the major wireless providers across the world prepare or continue their 4G rollouts, the bandwidth issue has the potential to get a lot better. Moreover, compression technologies with video make it possible to send video from a device more quickly, without sacrificing tons of quality. The companies that make the image sensors in smartphones are also introducing models that support 1080p video, which means full HD on a mobile phone is on the horizon. We might not see the ease of sharing movies as we do with photos, but I expect mobile video to get bigger and better in 2011. 3. HTML5 App Explosion![]() Lots of app developers — or people hiring app developers — debated the merits of native versus web apps on mobile platforms. Native apps can take advantage of more hardware capabilities of a device and have tighter integration with some of the key components of a mobile OS, but web apps can be more easily ported to other types of devices and can really be beneficial in areas like iterative updates and user testing. With HTML5 however, many of the system-level and device specific features can still be harnessed by a web app. Moreover, developers can build a base application in HTML5, yet still put it in a native wrapper so that it can take advantage of some native device capabilities. When comparing some of the Chrome web apps with their iPad counterparts, it was easy to see how a base HTML5 implementation could be ported to a straight web app. This has been the idea behind development toolkits like Appcelerator’s Titanium, and with more and more devices of varying screen size and processor speed hitting the market, targeting the browser and then making modifications for the specific device will become more and more popular. 4. Flash Still Won’t Matter on Mobile DevicesIt’s been an interesting year for Adobe Flash. The technology has withstood criticisms from Steve Jobs, has been heralded by RIM and is now available on Android handsets. Adobe is doing a lot of work to help make Flash more suitable for mobile platforms; the problem is for Flash to really work well on these devices, existing Flash content needs to be reoptimized. For many developers or companies, if a site has to be retooled anyway, it is simply more pragmatic to adopt a solution like HTML5 that will work on a wider variety of mobile platforms. Flash 10.1 was a big improvement, and I expect that Flash 10.2 will be even better, but I still don’t think Flash is going to become a massively adopted mobile technology. That isn’t to say that Flash is dead — or that on the right platform (like the BlackBerry PlayBook), Adobe Air runtimes won’t be perfectly suitable. On the whole, I still think that the momentum that HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript and native libraries have in the smartphone and tablet space is unlikely to be usurped by Flash. 5. We Will See a Verizon iPhone![]() Even though Apple’s exclusivity agreement with AT&T for the iPhone is supposed to extend until 2012, I’ll go on record as saying I’m convinced we’ll see a Verizon iPhone in 2011. If I’m wrong, I’ll gladly take my lumps, but the signs and the rumors are just too great to ignore. First, Verizon is rolling out its LTE network. That removes one of the technical barriers of a Verizon iPhone, the CDMA factor. Second, is the fact that Verizon is already carrying the iPad, albeit a Wi-Fi version with a MiFi plan and adaptor — but hey, they are running ads. Finally, Verizon has made it very clear that it wants the iPhone, and AT&T has made it clear it knows its days of exclusivity are waning. With AT&T being a major factor with consumers who decide not to buy an iPhone, Apple has to want to break off that exclusivity agreement too. Share Your ThoughtsThose are my top predictions for mobile in 2011, but we want to hear yours. Let us know what trends, devices and technologies you expect to see take hold in the mobile space in the new year. Also weigh in on the probability of a Verizon iPhone. More Tech Resources from Mashable:
Image courtesy of iStockphoto, daboost Reviews: Android, adobe AIR, iStockphoto More About: android, HTML5, ipad, Mobile 2.0, predictions, predictions-2011, tablets, Verizon iPhone For more Mobile coverage:
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Mashable Awards Facts From Baratunde Thurston [HUMOR] Posted: 24 Dec 2010 04:21 PM PST In this video, awards show host and comedian Baratunde Thurston shares some (not so factual) facts about Mashable and the Mashable Awards Gala that will take place January 6 at the New York New York Hotel in Las Vegas. Can’t get to Vegas? Don’t fret; we’ll be live streaming the event too, and if you take a peek at the video, you’ll find out why you should plan to tune in. The Mashable Awards Gala at Cirque du Soleil Zumanity (Vegas)In partnership with Cirque du Soleil, The Mashable Awards Gala event will bring together the winners and nominees, the Mashable community, partners, media, the marketing community, consumer electronics and technology brands, and attendees from the 2011 International CES Convention to Las Vegas on Thursday, January 6, 2011. Together, we will celebrate the winners and the community of the Mashable Awards at the Cirque du Soleil Zumanity stage in the beautiful New York New York Hotel. The event will be hosted by comedian Baratunde Thurston, The Onion’s Director of Digital, and the remix masters, Eclectic Method, will get the crowd in a party mood. The Awards Gala will also include acts and performances from our partner Cirque du Soleil Zumanity. Date: Thursday, January 6, 2011 (during International CES Convention week) Thanks to Our SponsorsMashable Awards Gala Partner:
Cirque du Soleil has brought wonder and delight to nearly 100 million spectators in 300 cities on five continents. In 2010 Cirque du Soleil, will present 21 shows simultaneously throughout the world, including seven in Las Vegas. For more information about Cirque du Soleil, visit www.cirquedusoleil.com. Mashable Awards Online Partner:
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Mashable Awards Category Sponsor, Gala Silver Sponsor and After Party Sponsor: Research In Motion is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of innovative wireless solutions for the worldwide mobile communications market. Through the development of integrated hardware, software and services that support multiple wireless network standards, RIM provides platforms and solutions for seamless access to time-sensitive information including email, phone, SMS messaging, Internet and intranet-based applications including the BlackBerry® wireless platform and the new BlackBerry PlayBook. For the latest on the BlackBerry PlayBook visit the Inside BlackBerry Blog. Mashable Awards Category Sponsor: Join us on Facebook to learn how to enter Dynadot's I Can Haz iPad Giveaway! Dynadot is an ICANN accredited domain name registrar and web host where you can register the perfect domain name affordably, reliably, simply and securely. Whether you are a blogger, business owner, or planning on creating the next best Internet meme you need a domain that represents you. Let Dynadot help you establish your web identity today. Mobile Future is a broad-based coalition of businesses, non-profit organizations and individuals interested in and dedicated to advocating for an environment in which innovations in wireless technology and services are enabled and encouraged. Our mission is to educate the public and key decision makers on innovations in the wireless industry that have transformed the way Americans work and play and to advocate continued investment in wireless technologies. Our "Mobile Year in Review 2010” animation provides a glimpse into the most notable breakthroughs in the wireless industry this year.
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The Aro system automatically learns what's important in your life—the people, places, dates and organizations you care about most. In your communications, Aro automatically identifies people, places, events, dates,organizations and locations. From any recognized term, Aro offers quick action menus to speed up your day. The unique Aro experience is powered by advanced web services: next generation natural language processing and semantic data analytics services. Aro gives you the power to see through the clutter and focus your mobile life. Mashable Awards Gala VIP Lounge sponsor: Influxis specializes in the deployment of creative streaming solutions. Services include large scale deployment, mobile streaming, turn-key applications, and enterprise support with custom network options. With the unique combination of a worldwide network, knowledgeable developer support and nearly a decade of streaming media experience, Influxis is an essential partner to businesses, advertisers, developers, educators, and others who seek expertise in innovative streaming. Liquor Sponsor:
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Meanwhile, at Santa’s Social Media Command Center… [COMIC] Posted: 24 Dec 2010 03:37 PM PST Back in the day, the effort involved in creating a comprehensive naughty/nice index was nearly cost prohibitive. Sure, he sees you when you’re sleeping, he knows when you’re awake, but that doesn’t save you any time when you’ve misfiled Little Johnny’s damn TPS report. But this is 2010. No more photocopying wishlists or keeping your coal suppliers in a Rolodex. Letters to Santa? Try real-time, geo-targeted SMS merchandise requests, pal! It’s time to put down the elf magic and start aggregating the hell out of all this holiday-flavored social data. This comic was illustrated by Kiersten Essenpreis, a New York-based artist who draws and blogs at YouFail.com. For more laughs, check out our previous Mashable Comics. Remember kids, the holidays are not just about gifts. They’re about tweeting angrily at Santa’s community manager because you got an 8GB iPod touch when you clearly ordered the 32GB model. More Mashable Comics:
More About: analytics, Christmas, comics, funny, Holidays, humor, mashable comics, social media, social media monitoring, twitter For more Social Media coverage:
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10 More Creative Uses of the New Facebook Profile [PICS] Posted: 24 Dec 2010 03:03 PM PST We had so much fun pulling together the gallery of new Facebook profile photo hacks (not to mention a great reader response), we decided to follow up the original collection with 10 more creations. This time around we’ve sourced all the images from the marvelous Mashable readership, either your own profiles you’ve shared or ones you have highlighted as particularly impressive. So if you enjoyed the first 10, see below for 10 more creative uses of the new Facebook profile page layout and please keep on sharing your own designs in the comments! 1. Rob McCann![]() Rob MacCann's train works so well with Facebook's design, it's a shame it's doomed! 2. Katie Sokoler![]() Katie Sokoler says a colorful hello on her new profile page. 3. Luke Kingma![]() Luke Kingma has gotten into the festive spirit with his fun hack for Christmas. 4. Cyril Boggs Serrano![]() A lovely landscape and some arty photo panels make Cy Serrano's profile stand out. 5. Imran Latheef![]() A twist on the many frontal face shots, Imran Latheef offers his profile for his new profile page. 6. Hajann Man![]() Abstract and arty is how Hajann Man's played it, making for a very effective page. 7. Airport Nurnberg by Simon Schlerf![]() Simon Schlerf has given the German flughafen's Facebook profile a bang-on-trend makeover, showing that companies and brands can join in the fun. 8. Marc Laurent-Atthalin![]() Marc Laurent-Atthalin had us at "shark" with this playful take on the medium. 9. Tobias Hanika![]() Pretty, simple, yet effective. Tobias Hanika has decorated his page with daisies for a fresh, floral look. 10. Holly Knowlman![]() Holly Knowlman is enjoying some typographical fun with a cheeky "yeah?" BONUS: Prashish Rajbhandari![]() Finally, using the same principles as the profile page trick, Prashish Rajbhandari has wowed us with an entire album hack. More Social Media Resources from Mashable:
Reviews: Facebook, Mashable More About: facebook, facebook pro, galleries, gallery, List, Lists For more Social Media coverage:
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“FarmVille” Co-Creator Now Working on a Stealth Startup Posted: 24 Dec 2010 02:19 PM PST Sizhao “Zao” Yang, who was only too recently employed by Zynga, has moved on to launch his own startup, the stealth-mode BetterWorks. Yang was part of the team that created blockbuster social/casual game FarmVille. He was CEO at MyMiniLife, the company Zynga acquired and the company that originally developed FarmVille, which then became one of the most successful games in its class. Now, Yang, acting as COO of BetterWorks, is embarking on a much a wildly different pursuit. No more games: His new company promises to “make work rewarding.” Exactly what that means yet isn’t clear; we’ll have to wait for Yang and his co-founder and CEO Paige Craig to give us more product details over the months to come. What we do know is that BetterWorks will help business owners make work environments more rewarding for employees, quickly and affordably. Business owners are invited to sign up for beta access on the site; the company’s also hiring engineers and other employees now. This is quite a way for Yang and Craig, also an angel investor, to start the new year. The company’s third co-founder is George Ishii, a Yammer co-founder and recent Kiva fellow. Their company will be based in Santa Monica, adding to the ever-more-promising group of Southern California startups. Souce: VentureBeat Reviews: Yammer More About: betterworks, farmville, George Ishii, L.A., paige craig, Sizhao Yang, startups, Zao Yang For more Startups coverage:
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Want Santa to Bring You a Kinect? Maybe You Should Bake Him These [PIC] Posted: 24 Dec 2010 01:02 PM PST Want Santa to bring you a XBox 360 Kinect or Playstation Move this Christmas Eve? Perhaps you should bake him these replicas of your current controllers, courtesy of Not So Humble Pie, which has posted recipes for each on its blog. Just don’t forget the milk. Reviews: blog More About: cookies, wii remote For more Entertainment coverage:
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Thanks to Mashable’s Socially Savvy Supporters Posted: 24 Dec 2010 12:55 PM PST
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5 Free, Fresh and Festive Holiday Music Playlists Posted: 24 Dec 2010 12:20 PM PST It’s that time of year again — the time when you’re tempted to hurl yourself — roasting chestnut-like — onto an open fire if you hear one more Christmas song whilst out at the shops. Well, dear readers, we feel you. That’s why we’ve composed a collection of slightly off-beat holiday playlists — from modern twists on old jams to Hanukkah classics — to get you out of your Scrooge-like funk. And, all you real-life Scrooges out there will appreciate this part: They’re all free. Take a listen and be sure to share in the comments below your favorite holiday-themed tunes. 1. The MuseBox MixtapeWe’re starting you off with a mixtape from music marketing company The MuseBox, which tapped its artists to create covers of holiday jams. The MuseBox has uploaded the tracks to Soundcloud, where they are available for your downloading pleasure. You can also download them from the embed above. Our favorite kind of music: fresh and free. 2. VEVO Video Playlist: Holiday All-StarsVevo asked musicians like Katharine McPhee and Ne-Yo to share their favorite Christmas songs, with some rather amusing results (think The Chipmunks’ “Christmas Don’t Be Late” and “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” sung by Twisted Sister). One of my favorite Christmas jams actually made the list — The Killers’ “Don’t Shoot Me Santa.” 3. Flavorwire’s Literary Mixtape: Holden Caulfield![]() Inspired by everyone’s favorite holiday book, The Catcher in the Rye (hey, it takes place during Christmas), comes a Holden Caulfield-themed mixtape from Flavorwire. With jams from Elliot Smith, Arcade Fire, and Belle and Sebastian, this playlist is sure to get the S.A.D. flowing. Hey, Seasonal Affective Disorder is festive, no? 4. Slacker Radio’s Dysfunctional Holiday Radio![]() Everyone knows what the holidays are really about: fighting with your in-laws. Celebrate their scorn with this very special playlist from Slacker Radio, featuring “Christmas in Vegas” by Dale Watson, “Christmas Christmas” by Mojo Nixon and more artists who we’ve never heard of. 5. Pandora’s Hanukkah Station![]() Though Hanukkah has already come and gone this year, we still wanted to put this one on your radar for next December. Unfortunately, this is the only Hanukkah station that Pandora offers, but it should satisfy everyone out there who really digs traditional music. Still, we would have liked to see the music discovery service get a bit more creative with its mix — for example, a playlist containing jams by Jewish artists would have been pretty sweet. In lieu of such an offering, check out tunes like “Mi Y’maleil” by Paul Zim and “Hanukkah Oh Hanukkah” by Erran Baron. More Social Music Resources from Mashable:
Image courtesy of iStockphoto, LuckyBusiness Reviews: Pandora, iStockphoto More About: Christmas, hanukkah, Holiday, Holidays, List, Lists, musebox, music, pandora, Slacker, vevo For more Entertainment coverage:
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12 How-To Videos for Hosting the Perfect Holiday Party Posted: 24 Dec 2010 11:26 AM PST Will you be entertaining over the holiday? We’re offering you a helping hand with your festivities with a selection of how-to videos that will give you some seriously special skills to impress your guests. We’ve selected three holiday recipe demonstrations, four Christmasy craft tutorials for dressing up your home, and five clips showing how to make classic festive drinks. With these video tutorials under your belt you’ll be able to decorate your home economically, feed your guests some suitable holiday fare, and get them nice and tipsy on Yuletide beverages. Have a look through the clips below and share in the comments any holiday recipes, tips, tricks, how tos and shortcuts you swear by. 3 Festive RecipesThe holidays are dominated by food. Whether you’re planning a full sit-down feast or some buffet-style finger food action, here are three recipes to help. HOW TO: Make a Pretzel WreathSimple yet effective and oh-so-festive, this wreath is both decorative and edible — that’s a win-win in our book. HOW TO: Make a Glazed HamDon’t forget to cater for non-pork-eaters too, but a glazed ham is great for a sit-down dinner and works equally well as the centerpiece of a buffet. Here’s a how to to make a Christmas classic. HOW TO: Make Gingerbread PeopleIt’s not the holidays until you’ve had your first gingerbread man of the year. This video tutorial offers a really simple take on this old-fashioned treat. 4 Christmasy Craft IdeasYou can have so much fun decorating your home for the holidays, especially if you make some of the decor yourself. Here are four quick demos to show you how. HOW TO: Make Paper SnowflakesCheap, fun to make and very effective, paper snowflakes are a fantastic winter-themed decoration for any December celebration. HOW TO: Make a Popcorn GarlandGo old-fashioned with a lovely cranberry and popcorn garland. HOW TO: Make a Paper Christmas LanternOnce you’ve mastered the art of the paper snowflake, here’s something slightly more complicated to move on to that will look very impressive once complete. HOW TO: Make Christmas CrackersMaking your own Christmas crackers offers a lovely personal touch to a festive dining table or a great party favor to give to guests. 5 Festive BeveragesWhether it’s warming wine, bubbly champagne or something a little stiffer, your guests will likely be in the mood for some libation during the holidays. Here’s how to create some traditional snifters. HOW TO: Make Mulled WineSpicy and aromatic, mulled wine is a great wintertime treat. Once you’ve got the basic recipe down, you can make non-alcoholic versions with cranberry or grape juice. HOW TO: Make EggnogSure, you can buy it in a bottle, but once you’ve made your own and tasted the difference, we doubt you will. HOW TO: Make a SnowballOnce beloved of tipsy aunts, the snowball is making a comeback. Add some retro chic to your celebrations with this classic cocktail. HOW TO: Create a Champagne TowerThe perfect centerpiece for a New Year’s Eve party, a champagne tower, although impressive, isn’t that hard to create. A steady hand, some patience and this video tutorial are all you need. HOW TO: Make a Bloody MaryLet’s be honest, during party season there are going to be a few mornings you wake up feeling a little under the weather. With a great recipe for a hangover-busting Bloody Mary under your belt, you’ll be a popular party host. More Holiday Resources from Mashable
Image courtesy of iStockphoto, LockieCurrie Reviews: iStockphoto More About: Christmas, crafts, Food, Holidays, how to, how tos, List, Lists, tutorials, video, videos For more Web Video coverage:
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Skype Video Calling Coming to Mobile Soon [REPORT] Posted: 24 Dec 2010 09:53 AM PST VoIP service Skype may have let a rather sizable cat out of the bag with regard to its mobile applications. A help document making the rounds today shows that Skype is getting ready to release mobile video calling features for iPhone 4; we’re assuming that support for other OSes will be either concurrent or right around the corner. At least, that’s our hope. While Skype released its first iPhone app in April 2009, it only came to all (including non-Verizon) Android devices a couple months ago. And the company recently axed its line of Windows Mobile apps, too. This news comes about a month after Skype video chat for Facebook was strongly rumored. At that time, a Facebook app developer spotted an object entitled VideoChat in Facebook’s code, leading to speculation that Skype would be partnering with the social network to bring this capability to the site’s 500 million users. We’ll likely be hearing more from Skype during CES, which begins January 6, 2011. The company is slated to participate in a few events and make some big announcements at the show; we’ll definitely be keeping you posted. On a related note, this rumor is just the kind of publicity Skype could use right about now. A prolonged outage over the past few days has left many users disgruntled; mobile-to-mobile and mobile-to-PC video calls could be just the kind of holiday gift that would turn all that negative publicity around. Source: Engadget Reviews: Android, Facebook, Skype More About: CES, iphone 4, Mobile 2.0, Skype, trending, video, video calling For more Mobile coverage:
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This Morning’s 4 Biggest Stories in Tech & Social Media Posted: 24 Dec 2010 07:41 AM PST 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 four particular stories of interest today. Financial Times Names Steve Jobs Person of the Year Following Time magazine’s selection of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg as person of the year, the Financial Times has awarded Apple CEO Steve Jobs the same honor. Skype Is Back, But Some Features Are Still Broken Skype has mostly recovered from the outage that began Wednesday morning, according to the company's CEO, but several features remain offline. CityVille Is Now Bigger than FarmVille Less than a month after its release, Zynga’s latest game CityVille has become the most popular application on Facebook, surpassing the game developer’s previous major hit, FarmVille, in daily and monthly active users. Facebook Admins Can Now Separate Their Pages From Places Responding to the requests of page admins, Facebook has finally given Facebook Page admins the ability to separate their business's Facebook Page from their Facebook Place Page. Further News
Image courtesy of iStockphoto, DNY59 Reviews: Facebook, Google, Hulu, Internet, Skype, iStockphoto More About: apple, cityville, facebook, farmville, Skype, steve jobs For more Tech coverage:
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