Selasa, 28 Desember 2010

Mashable: Latest 25 News Updates - including “Images of Upcoming Asus Tablets Leave Us Hungry for More”

Mashable: Latest 25 News Updates - including “Images of Upcoming Asus Tablets Leave Us Hungry for More”

Images of Upcoming Asus Tablets Leave Us Hungry for More

Posted: 28 Dec 2010 04:00 AM PST


It’s not hard to guess that the upcoming CES, which takes place January 6-9 in Las Vegas, will be brimming with announcements of new tablets and tablet hybrids. Asus obviously plans to fight this battle on several fronts, as a new set of leaked images tease at least three new devices that fall under the tablet category.

One of the devices shown in the images looks like a “regular” tablet, akin to Apple’s iPad. The others seem to be tablet/laptop hybrids; one has a keyboard and a touchscreen on the lid, which reminds us of Dell’s Inspiron Duo.

None of the images give us a complete look at any of the devices, but what we can see definitely seems interesting. We’ll just have to wait until CES to find out all the details.

See the rest of the images over at Tech in Style.

More About: Asus, eee pad, Tablet, tablets

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AT&T to Add New Wi-Fi Hotspots in New York and San Francisco

Posted: 28 Dec 2010 01:44 AM PST


AT&T will expand its Wi-Fi coverage for subscribers in New York and introduce its first hotspots in the public areas of San Francisco, the Associated Press reports.

These hotspots, which AT&T calls “hot zones,” are a bit different from the regular Wi-Fi hotspots you see in places such as hotels and Starbucks coffee shops. AT&T has clustered many access points to blanket a larger, outdoor public area with Wi-Fi coverage.

Specifically, AT&T will expand Wi-Fi coverage in the New York Times Square, and add hot spots in the Embarcadero waterfront district in San Francisco.

According to AT&T CTO John Donovan, AT&T will also set up hot zones near the Rockefeller Center and St. Patrick’s Cathedral, with plans to further expand Wi-Fi coverage in the future, especially in sports stadiums.

In January, AT&T pledged to spend $2 billion to improve its wireless network, especially with HSPA technology. However, 3G and HSPA only go so far; in places such as New York and San Francisco, where data-hungry iPhone users abound, extending Wi-Fi coverage in public spaces is definitely a welcome move from AT&T.

[via AP]

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This Is Google’s New Android Music App [VIDEO]

Posted: 27 Dec 2010 07:22 PM PST


Video footage of the new version of the Google Android music app has leaked, revealing a revamped and colorful user interface.

First posted on XDA Developers and spotted by Engadget, the 50 second footage provides a demonstration of the new features of Android’s default music app.

The updated app is much easy on the eyes that its predecessor. The vibrant colors of the album covers captured our attention, while the elegant transitions and album stacking strike us as being more like the iPhone’s iPod music player. It’s more readable as well.

Our guess is that you’ll see the new music application launch with Android 3.0, aka Honeycomb. The Android interface has long needed an upgrade to keep it competitive with the design of the iPhone UI. We’ve heard that Android 3.0 will bring much-needed graphical and usability updates to the OS. The leaked music app is likely a preview of what we can expect.

Reviews: Android

More About: android, android 3.0, Android Music App, Google, Google Android, honeycomb

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Is Android 3.0 the Answer to Google TV’s Problems, or Is It Already Too Late? [OP-ED]

Posted: 27 Dec 2010 05:44 PM PST


It was clear from the day Google TV was revealed that the search giant had huge ambitions to bring the web to living room screens across the world. Google stood to make billions of dollars through both its partners and through TV advertising (a fulfillment of the Google Revenue Equation). You can’t say Google doesn’t dream big with its products.

At the time of its launch, we praised Google for its attempt to reshape the future of TV, but warned that it had to get things right the first time to succeed.

Here’s what we said in May:

“As one of the Googlers said in the demo, one of the key aspects of television is that it "just works." For connected TV to work — whether it be from Google or someone else — it has to be reliable, usable and consistent. I can deal with rebooting my computer if it starts acting weird. I don't feel the same way about my television set. As it stands, I already curse my cable company provided HD-DVR box for being finicky and having performance issues; if I have to reboot my entire entertainment system because an Internet video gets out of control, I'm not going to be very happy. I also have no desire to have to play tech support for my family when the TV stops working.

Not having had any hands-on time with Google TV, I can't speak for how well it works compared to the competition — but this is an area that Google needs to absolutely have at 100% at launch. Release early and often may work on the web, but users don't want to have to troubleshoot their devices in the living room.”

Unfortunately, that’s exactly what happened. Initial reviews have been lackluster, mostly because the OS feels like an unfinished piece of software. From the few times I’ve used it, it’s navigable but not intuitive. It’s usable but complicated.

In other words, they pushed an unfinished product out of the door, and now Google is scrambling to fix its TV product and save the project from implosion. A recent report claims that Google has asked its partners to hold off on launching Google TV devices at CES so that it can tweak the software. We’ve been hearing the same thing from our sources.

Is It Already Too Late?

Google’s going to try to rectify the mistakes it made in the previous release with upgrades it will likely launch in February, we’ve heard. Part of that upgrade will come in the form of “Honeycomb,” the Android 3.0 OS. Unlike version 2.3 (“Gingerbread”), 3.0 is designed for bigger screens. While it’s focused on tablet devices, it will also come with upgrades for Google TV.

We’re not sure what Honeycomb will include to fix Google’s television device, but we expect it to make the interface less complicated, to improve the quality of video search results (Google says it’s working on this) and to add the Android Marketplace to Google TV. These are relatively safe bets for what will come in “Google TV 2.0,” courtesy of Android 3.0.

Will that be enough, though? The core of the problem lies in the speed, fluidity, and intuitiveness of the software. Google TV can be agonizingly slow and the interface can be gut-wrenchingly confusing. I don’t know how Google, Logitech or Sony expected the average blue collar, stay-at-home parent to understand it.

Can Google transform its interface enough to get Google TV started? Google should take a page from Apple’s playbook: Apple TV has been far more successful, thanks to its lower price point and far more intuitive interface.

Maybe I’m asking the wrong question. Perhaps the more appropriate question is whether it’s too late for Google TV to make a comeback. The clock is ticking for Google TV.

Reviews: Android, Google, Internet

More About: android, Google, google tv

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100+ Upcoming Social Media & Tech Events

Posted: 27 Dec 2010 03:24 PM PST

social_media_events_guide1

Every week, Mashable puts together a calendar of upcoming social media and web events, parties and conferences. Would you like to have your conference or event listed here? If so, please contact us at least one month before your event to establish a media partnership. For more upcoming listings, check out Mashable’s Events section.

In the meantime, here are some tips on how to network, share your information and/or promote your event(s) using social media:

Mashable’s Weekly Social Media and Marketing Event Guide is proudly supported by Eventbrite, the Web’s Event Marketplace.

Upcoming Mashable Events:

The Mashable Awards, January 6, 2011, Las Vegas, NV: 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.

January 6-9, 2011, Las Vegas, NV: Join us at the 2011 International CES, the global platform for inspired ideas and innovation. With 2,500 exhibitors, CES continues to be the world’s largest consumer technology tradeshow and always reflects the dynamic consumer electronics industry. The International CES is not open to the general public and all attendees must be in the CE industry to be eligible to attend the show. Register FREE for the 2011 CES with the priority code MSHB, an exclusive promotion for Mashable readers.

January 6-9, 2011, Lake Tahoe, NV: The worlds of digital storytelling, snowsports and technology will converge on Heavenly Mountain Resort January 6 – 9, 2011 for the Tahoe Snowcial, a winter festival celebrating the global community of enthusiasts who live their passion in the snow and tell their stories online. Snowcial ties these worlds together in a participative, collaborative intermingling of industry leaders that sparks new ideas for the future, linking networks, passions and turns. Speakers include CEOs of Gowalla, Path and Vail Resorts with performances by OK Go and MC Hammer. Register with the promo code founderfriend and get 10% off!

January 12-14, 2011, Washington, DC: Social Media Legal Risk & Strategy – Social media has proven to be a critical medium for companies who are looking to have their services and brands penetrate the public sphere. The use of social media, however, has not come with an absence of legal risk. Join 16 lead counsels from Coca-Cola North America, IBM Corporation, Wal-Mart, Chevron, T-Mobile, Capital One, Dell, Aon Corporation, CSC, Nationwide and other fortune 500 companies as they discuss strategies to address and overcome the legal risks posed by engaging in social media. Mashable subscribers will enjoy a 10% discount when they mention MASHABLE in their follow-up email to ddrey@marcusevansch.com.

January 12, 2011, Las Vegas, NV: Influence People is hosting a one-day social media marketing conference in Las Vegas and it will bring together leading brands and marketing experts to explore the viral power of social networks. During this one-day event, a team of renowned marketing experts will provide guidance on how to effectively engage with customers via social media, give tips on how to maximize the impact of your campaigns and offer insights into new services to try and trends to watch out for. This is the ultimate event for anyone involved in social media or digital marketing. Register with the promo code mashable and receive a 10% discount.

January 12, 2011, Stanford, CA: The NextGen Conference brings together young, aspiring entrepreneurs and young, rock star entrepreneurs with more experienced entrepreneurs and venture capitalists. Join us for a full day at Stanford University and learn from the very best! Speakers include: Peter Thiel (Founder of PayPal, Clarium Capital, and the Founders Fund), Keith Rabois (COO of Square), Mark Suster (2x entrepreneur turned VC), Travis Kalanick (serial entrepreneur and angel investor), and more! Register and use the promo code NGCMASH!

January 13-14, 2011, Washington, DC: marcus evans invites you to attend the Social Media for Pharma Conference. Hear from your peers firsthand on how the new FDA guidance will mandate your social media strategies. By attending this conference you will learn how to boost product exposure, generate market research, build relationships and increase sales and overall business in the long term. For an exclusive discount as a Mashable member, please mention “Mashable” to Michele Westergaard at michelew@marcusevansch.com.

January 13-14, 2011, Wilmington, NC: This two-day event will feature the region’s most successful people in business, technology, internet marketing and social media. Keynote speakers, seminars and the expo will be designed to help companies and their employees develop professionally, make new connections and reach new customers. This BizTech event will focus on social media strategies, search engine optimization, PPC advertising, strategies to finance your business, cloud computing and more. Register with the promo code BIZTMASH and receive FREE admission to the expo and 10% discount off all BizTech events, if you register by December 22, 2010.

January 14, 2011, New York, NY: Tomorrow’s Media Plan: Where should you be allocating media spend in 2011?
Hosted by L2, Tomorrow's Media Plan is a half-day, intensive clinic that gives marketing and digital leaders tactical suggestions for where and how they should be allocating their online media spend in 2011. The clinic is highly interactive and takes place in a classroom setting. The curriculum is designed for executives tasked with understanding digital media trends and allocating capital across competing marketing channels. Academics and practitioners lead the group through a series of sessions with a balance of theory and industry case studies. Register and use the discount code Mashable_friends to get 25% off.

January 17-18 and 20-21, 2011, Singapore & Hong Kong: Join us at this interactive conference on Social Media Marketing to acquire effective techniques for boosting your brand performance and ROI. Find out how Intel, Nokia, Watsons, McDonald's, Volkswagen, HP, Canon, Johnson & Johnson, Wall Street Journal, SMRT and more incorporated social media activities to get ahead of conversations. Through in-depth case studies and workable solutions, learn how to develop coherent platform integration strategies, handle a social media backlash and identify KPIs for the effectiveness of social media campaigns. Register today and save 10% when you enter Mashable under Additional Info.

January 19, 2011, New York, NY: Mobile Healthcare Communications: Case Studies and Roundtables – Representatives from GlaxoSmithKline, Within3, Pfizer Inc., Johnson & Johnson, Roche Diabetes Care, and others will demonstrate the best case studies of how major healthcare brands are connecting with consumers and professionals through mobile communications. Register and use the promo code MASH for a discounted rate of $155.

January 19, 2011, Wichita KS: Explore & Engage with Brian Solis and Jason Falls – Explore & Engage is a unique opportunity to learn from two of the social web's leading experts in a rare and intimate workshop setting. Registration is limited to just 150 people. The program will open with a powerful message from Brian Solis, "Engage or Die". Jason Falls will respond with two hands-on workshops covering social media tools, tactics, content, planning, strategy and measurement. Between workshops participants will have the opportunity to visit with Jason and Brian and to have Brian sign copies of his book, “Engage”. The workshops are intended for those already active in the social web who want to take their business or organization to the next level of engagement. Register and use the discount code MASHABLE to save $25 on each standard registration.

January 20-22, 2011, Mumbai, India: Click Asia Summit 2011 is designed to be Asia's largest digital & mobile marketing conference and expo where industry thought leaders congregate to discuss online marketing, challenges faced by agencies, and the changing face of social media. Click Asia Summit 2011 is going to change the way you look at Digital and Mobile marketing. Please register by clicking here.

January 20-21, 2011, San Francisco, CA: The First Annual Gamification Summit brings together top thought leaders in game mechanics and engagement science for the first time. Hear what works and what doesn’t in this dynamic and fast-moving field through case studies, workshops, keynotes and panels delivered by experts such as Gabe Zichermann (author, Game-Based Marketing), Amy Jo Kim (gamification guru) and Jane McGonigal (TED fellow, debuting her new book) and network with other leaders in the space. Attend the Gamification Summit 2011 and learn how game mechanics and the new science of engagement are rewriting the rules of brand marketing, product design and customer acquisition. Know the score: Register now with the Mashable promo code GSMASH11 and save 10%.

January 20, 2011, London, UK: SMART Social Media for Business – What are the threats surrounding social media and are they offset by the realistic potential for business growth? With speakers from Twitter, Adidas, Nokia, The Times, Yahoo! & Lauren Rubin from Mashable, this is your chance to hear from the global leaders in social media strategy to find out how to mitigate risks whilst capitalizing on the vast opportunities. To learn more about SMART and to download the event’s agenda, please visit SMART2011.com.

January 20, 2011, Washington, DC: L2 is a think tank for digital innovation. L2 will host the Social Graph Clinic, an all-day intensive clinic addressing the opportunities, challenges, and underpinnings of social media. Held at the George Washington School of Business, the event will feature speakers from academia, public sector, and private industry to lead discussions on social media strategies, rules of engagement, and metrics for marketing and digital professionals. Register here for the Social Graph Clinic. The first 10 Mashable readers to register will receive a 25% discount on tickets (Please use the following discount code when registering: “MASHABLE“)

January 21, 2011, Boulder, CO: Mongo Boulder is a one day conference focused on MongoDB, the leading open source, non-relational database. The conference will feature sessions on schema design, indexing, administration, replication, sharding, and more. In addition to several of the MongoDB developers from 10gen, confirmed speakers include Michael Dwan of SnapJoy and Justin Smestad of Mongo Machine. The event is sponsored by 10gen, the company that develops and supports the database. Until January 5, 2011, attendees can purchase tickets at the early-bird rate (50% off the general admission price). Mashable readers may register and use the promo code mashable to receive a discount.

January 24-27, 2011, San Francisco, CA: The Emerging Media Conference is one of the largest and unique of its kind, welcoming the New Year with an opportunity to view and experience the latest in technology advances and upcoming product roll outs. For three full days there will be demonstrations, presentations, and discussions led by some of the most connected and recognized experts in the industry including Keynote Jesse Schell from Carnegie Mellon University. Whether you are immersed in the world of emerging media or just have a casual interest, this conference allows you to preview the future of the tech world like a seasoned insider. Register and use the promo code EmMeConMash to save 10%.

January 24-26, 2011, London, UK: The Digital Content Monetisation (DCM) Europe 2011 is a forum for media and entertainment specialists to find out how to deliver sustainable strategies to monetise their digital content. You will meet over 200 of your peers across TV, Film, gaming, music, publishing and sports. Mashable readers receive a 10% discount when they register and use the promo code MASH.

January 24, 2011, Washington, DC: There are no sales commercials masquerading as presentations here, or sleepy Q & A sessions where only 1 of 8 questions apply to your business. What’s Next DC is about brainstorming, case studies, energy, networking, strategy and – best of all – personalized solutions to your company’s most important challenges. We’ll have floating experts in a variety of fields available, so if you hear something you like and want to bounce ideas around right there on the spot, you can! We’ve scheduled group brainstorming/strategy sessions and niche learning sessions where you can discuss your areas of interest and expertise. There will also be an area dedicated solely to networking all day long. This is not just a conference, it is an experience. Come prepared and energized to learn and share with other Marketing, Public Relations, Advertising, and Communication Professionals! Register with promo code Mashable and save 25%!

January 25-26, 2011, New York, NY: Information Industry Summit – Save $100 with the promo code PRMMASH to attend this 10th annual Summit, the digital information industry's flagship conference. (Note: discount valid off the individual non-member rate only and does apply to current attendees.) With a theme on "Moving from Wired to Wireless," the Summit will address the sea-change shaping the industry: mobile business models and content delivery, as well as the top mobile technology trends. For complete details, including registration information, visit InformationIndustrySummit.net.

January 25, 2011, London, UK: If you don't have a plan to offer your mobile services, you could be left behind as consumers increasingly consume entertainment, social media, games and gambling via mobile access devices. Mobile Gaming will present a detailed and exciting roadmap for how gaming companies can take advantage of this new channel that has finally ‘come of age’ and multiply their revenues in the near future. Register and use the promo code MASHMOBILE.

January 26, 2011, London, UK: Monetising Social Games will show you how to integrate the phenomenal success of monetised social games into your product mix so you can catch the next wave of explosive customer acquisition and revenue growth via a channel that is legal in the USA, China and other markets inaccessible to traditional online gambling companies. Register and use the promo code MASHMSG.

January 27, 2011, San Francisco, CA: Macworld 2011 is your once-a-year opportunity to see and buy all of the newest, coolest stuff-hardware, software and accessories-for your Apple products. You will also find expert advice, demonstrations and instruction by the very people that develop these products. Macworld conference programs feature industry leading minds, presenting cutting edge product training on the topics – see our featured artists and presenters. Mashable readers who register today get 15% off conference packages and $10 expo only passes by clicking here.

January 31 – February 3, 2011, Toronto, Canada: Attend the Advanced Learning Institute's 23rd updated forum on Social Media for Government: How To Engage Your Employees & Citizens By Using The Latest Web 2.0 Technologies To Drive Communication Results, to learn how to incorporate social media into your communications & marketing plans & leverage the latest interactive Web 2.0 tools & techniques to advance your organizational goals. Hear practical advice from: ON Ministry of Labour; Toronto Police Service; Northern Lights Canada; Royal Bank of Canada; Genome Alberta; ON Ministry of Health & Long-Term Care; Public Service Commission of Canada; City of Ottawa; Halton Region, ON & more. Register and mention Mashable to save $200!

February 1-3, 2011, San Diego, CA: The Green Data Center Conference will analyze new technology that will not only benefit our environment, but also save organizations money and increase efficiency. Industry experts and executives will gather to discuss the growing importance of green technology and the associated benefits. Corporate case studies will be presented to demonstrate how existing data centers have been retrofitted and new facilities built from the ground up. This conference will share valuable information that can be taken back and used immediately to gain measurable ROI. Register and use the promo code GDCSD10 to save 10%!

February 1-3, 2011, Santa Clara, CA: O'Reilly Strata Conference: Making Data Work – Turn data into decisions at Strata, the new conference from O’Reilly Media, focusing on the business and practice of data.Unprecedented computing power and connectivity are bringing new layers of experience to our lives in how we manage and present data sets of all sizes. Throughout three days of training, breakout sessions, and plenary discussions, O’Reilly Strata connects the decision-makers, practitioners, and leading vendors from enterprise and the web who are at the leading edge of this space. Topics include data science, acquisition, organization, machine learning, visualization, and more. Mashable readers can save 15% on registration with the promo code str11msh.

February 2-4, 2011, Austin, TX: Turn up the heat on your digital campaigns at Digital Marketing Forum 2011. From social media to email marketing to online advertising and beyond — DMF will cover everything you need to know to ignite your digital strategy in 2011. Best of all, each session will include examples from B2B and B2C campaigns—ensuring a highly relevant conference, no matter your level or target audience. So add some kick to your campaigns and join us in Austin February 2-4 and save $100 with code MASH100. It’s going to be spicy! For more information, please click here.

February 2-3, 2011, San Francisco, CA: Marketing and customer service are on a collision course. Social media now shine a bright light on customer service interactions, which increasingly have brand implications. Customer care can also offer valuable insights for marketing and product development. How many companies are adapting and turning this to their advantage? Still too few as old modes of thinking remain entrenched in organizations. Opus Research's Conversational Commerce Conference (C3) brings together a diverse array of interested groups and stakeholders to discuss the new social media landscape and its joint impact on marketing and customer care.

February 2, 2011, Austin, TX: Toyota, REI, Texas Instruments, Kellogg Company, and more will share case studies in corporate social media at BlogWell Austin: How Big Brands Use Social Media. You’ll learn how to get started, get past roadblocks, and make your social media program phenomenal — in one afternoon, for just $250. Get practical, how-to advice on creating great content, getting management buy-in, educating employees, keeping lawyers and regulators happy, simple and ethical disclosure, and engaging fans. Presented by GasPedal and SocialMedia.org. Register with the promo code THANKSMASHABLE and save 10%!

February 4-5, 2010 Atlanta, GA: SoCon11, the South's premier social media networking event celebrates five years on February 4 – 5th at Kennesaw State University, just outside Atlanta. The two day SoCon11 event kicks off Friday night at the historic Carter Center complete with music, gourmet dinner buffet, and cash bar. Following is a day of networking and break-out sessions with some of the biggest names in digital media. This year it's all about mobile and as always, social media. Register and use the promo code MASH for 20% off.

February 7-11, 2011, New York, San Francisco, London, Hong Kong, Toronto, Sao Paulo, Rome, Istanbul and Paris: Coming this Februar to a city near you is the first 2011 edition of Social Media Week, to be held simultaneously in New York, San Francisco, London, Hong Kong, Toronto, Sao Paulo, Rome, Istanbul and Paris. Social Media Week is a co-curated, distributed conference featuring hundreds of free events taking place over the course of the week in interesting venues across each of the nine cities. Topically framed around social media, events include panels, parties, product demos, meetups and more, put on by media, communication and technology companies around the globe. Social Media Week was held for the first time in February 2009 in New York City. 2010 followed with an event in February that expanded to NYC plus five more cities, adding London, Berlin, San Francisco, Toronto and São Paolo to the fold, plus an event in September in Los Angeles, Bogota, Buenos Aires, Mexico City and Milan. Social Media Week 2010 attracted more than 17,000 attendees across 450 events, nearly all of which were made available for free to attendees thanks to sponsorship from a number of global brands, including Meebo and PepsiCo. Learn more about the February 7-11, 2011 event at http://socialmediaweek.org.

February 7-10, 2011, Orlando, FL: ARC's 2011 World Industry Forum: Driving Innovation, Sustainability and Performance will take place at the Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld! This forum will focus on challenges that will help you develop winning strategies. It provides an ideal environment for industry executives to collaborate, share ideas, and find new ways to attack their most pressing problems. The event includes sessions on the major issues facing our industry, with multiple tracks that enable executives to explore these topics from different perspectives. Owner/operators, solution providers, & technical experts will all benefit while contributing to the community's body of knowledge.

February 7-9, 2011, New York, NY: Now in its 10th year, the ePharma Summit is going to be bigger than ever. We are looking ahead to new trends and opportunities in digital marketing with unparalleled insight from leading industry innovators. Join us for more novel mobile strategies, more regulatory insights, more customer perspectives, and more examples of what is really working now from the organizations you admire most. Join us February 7-9 in New York City at the most respected digital marketing event for the life sciences industry as we explore innovative e-strategies and proven techniques to drive business. Register with promo code XP1606MASH and save 10%.

February 8-10, 2011, San Francisco, CA: Social Media Strategies Summit – We have researched the social media buzz to develop and present to you a top of the line marketing conference that you can't afford to miss. With in-depth case studies from the nuts and bolts to micro-blogging and sustaining online communities, you leave with a refreshed vision to take your marketing plan to the next level for 2010 and beyond. Register and use the promo code MASH to receive a discount.

February 8, 2011, Atlanta, GA: Mongo Atlanta is a one day conference focused on MongoDB, the leading open source, non-relational database. The conference will feature sessions on schema design, indexing, administration, replication, sharing, and more. In addition to several of the MongoDB developers from 10gen, confirmed speakers include Hugh Watkins of Ericsson and Jeremy McAnally of Intridea. The event is sponsored by 10gen, the company that develops and supports the database. Until January 18th, you can register at the early bird rate, which is half off the general admission price. Mashable readers may register and use the promo code mashable to receive a discount.

February 8, 2011, Springfield, MO: Social Marketing Boot Camp with Sarah Evans – Limited tickets are available for this unique boot camp style event with nationally renowned expert Sarah Evans. You'll spend a full six hours of session time with Sarah, taking an in-depth look at the role of social media in marketing your business or organization. You wont just learn effective social media marketing techniques, but will look at how social media works in conjunction with traditional marketing and public relations and why that's important, practical ways of engaging customers and prospects, case studies, help with creating a social media based marketing plan, hints and tips, ways to make your brand stand out online, effective engagement, latest trends, tools and resources, and plenty of opportunities for discussion and Q & A. Register and use the discount code MASHABLE to save $25 on each standard registration.

February 14-17, 2011, Washington, DC: Attend the Advanced Learning Institute's 23rd updated forum on Social Media for Government: How To Engage Your Employees & Citizens By Using The Latest Web 2.0 Technologies To Drive Communication Results, to learn how to incorporate social media into your communications & marketing plans & leverage the latest interactive Web 2.0 tools & techniques to advance your organizational goals. Hear practical advice from: ON Ministry of Labour; Toronto Police Service; Northern Lights Canada; Royal Bank of Canada; Genome Alberta; ON Ministry of Health & Long-Term Care; Public Service Commission of Canada; City of Ottawa; Halton Region, ON & more. Register and mention Mashable to save $200!

February 14-16, 2011, New York, NY: O’Reilly Tools of Change for Publishing Conference (TOC) – Explore the new world of “Publishing Without Boundaries” at the 5th annual O’Reilly Tools of Change for Publishing Conference (TOC). This premiere event provides an unparalleled opportunity for stakeholders from across the book publishing and tech industries to network, share ideas, engage in lively debate, and come away with the knowledge and inspiration to lead change within their own organizations. Not only does TOC cover what's working now, but we also look ahead to what will work as publishing transitions to the next phase. The people who attend TOC are the people who are shaping publishing's future. Mashable readers can save 15% on registration with the promo code toc11mash. http://www.toccon.com/toc2011?cmp=mp-conf-tc11-mashable-banner-ad

February 14, 2011, Barcelona, Spain: The Mobile Premier Awards are among the most influential events in the mobile industry and the point of reference in early-stage innovation during the Mobile World Congress. An international jury of the most recognized mobile industry experts will select the 20 finalists from all the local AppCircuses held during 2010 to showcase their app in a 3-minute pitch at the event in Barcelona in front of investors, operators, media companies, peer entrepreneurs, and press and influential bloggers. Register and use the promo code #BCNMASHABLE to receive a 10% discount.

February 23, 2011, Portland, OR: Join hundreds of your online marketing peers for the Fifth Annual SearchFest Internet Marketing Conference in Portland on February 23, 2011. Thought leaders and industry experts from around the country–including major brands like Intel, REI, and the New York Times–will deliver in-depth presentations on topics including Advanced Search Engine Optimization, Social Media Marketing, Universal Search, Analytics, Paid Search Marketing and many more. Register with the promo code MASHABLEPDX to save 10% on your General Admission ticket!

February 23, 2011, Los Angeles, CA: DIGIDAY:ON MEDIA: Where THE digital media moguls caucus on the business of buying and planning and advertising across digital platforms. There is an enormous media market that media agencies have to master: Online Media, Social, Video, Mobile, Search, Apps, Ad Networks, Email, Targeting, Measurement, Emerging Platforms, and much more and media execs are constantly seeking the highest performance and most innovative platforms to help them run, create, engage and deliver their digital advertising creative and messages to their target audiences. ON MEDIA will be an event that brings together the leading media executives, buyers and planners for the ONLY a high level one-day summit to help them discuss and debate the current state of buying digital and how they can thrive in today’s fragmented media economy. Join us for this one of a kind meeting of the digital media moguls in Los Angeles. Register and use the promo code ONMASH to save $100 (Mashable reader discount).

February 24, 2011, Los Angeles, CA: DIGIDAY: MOBILE APPS: The event will bring together the leading executives from top mobile agencies, blue-chip brands, mobile app developers, mobile advertising networks, and content owners to discuss the explosive Mobile “app-vertising” market. The “app-vertising” business is igniting the imaginations of brand marketers worldwide and serving up a land grab for an increasingly valuable piece of real estate on the omnipresent mobile device in our pockets. The industry pioneers, visionaries, and leaders will converge to take a deep dive into the emerging mix of branded mobile applications and in-application advertising that is finally poised to deliver on the promise of mobile marketing. Attendees will learn and gain key insights on the innovative brands, the killer mobile apps, dynamic integrated content and offers, video, storytelling, and the rich functionality of apps. And a whole lot more! So what does the future hold for app-vertising? Find out at DIGIDAY: MOBILE APPS! Register and use the promo code APPMASH to save $100 (Mashable reader discount!).

February 24, 2011, New York, NY: The 11th Annual Digital Music Forum – We are the only event in the United States that brings together the top music, technology and policy leaders for high-level discussions and debate, intimate meetings and unrivaled networking about the future of digital music. Digital Music Forum is known worldwide for the news that is made in our auditorium, the deals that get done in our hallways, and the friendships and partnerships that are forged year after year. Why wait by the sidelines, when you can join the event that is helping to drive the industry’s future! For a limited time we are offering a special Holiday Rate of $199 – a $500 saving! Don’t miss the opportunity – Book NOW to reserve your seat!

February 25-27, 2011, Los Angeles, CA: The 9th Annual Southern California Linux Expo, the premier community run Linux / Open Source conference, will feature tutorial sessions designed to show users of all skill levels what Open Source can do and how to do it. Whatever your interest is in Open Source, SCALE 9X will have something for you. Register and use the discount code MASH9 for 35% off.

February 27 – March 1, 2011, Palm Desert, CA: Be part of the exclusive unveiling of the most promising new products and prototypes of 2011. DEMO Spring 2011 provides a window into technology’s future and introduces you to the people and companies who are paving the way. Attend DEMO Spring 2011 and you'll have access to this exceptional group of global innovators, be the first to see 70 new product demonstrations and 30 AlphaPitch presenters, test drive products, and network with leading venture capitalists and angel investors, CEOs, dealmakers, entrepreneurs and demonstrators. Register with promo code MSH1 and save 25%!

February 28-March 1, 2011, Sydney, Australia: Social media marketing has rapidly evolved to the extent that it is no longer enough to just get on board the “social media marketing train.” Marketers are bombarded with tools and technologies without a real understanding of integrating social media effectively. Social Media Marketing – The Way Forward enables marketers develop and manage a sound strategy for your ongoing and future social media marketing projects, with practical and valuable insights shared by some of the most successful brands and campaign creators in both B2C & B2B social media marketing. Register with the promo code MPMASH and save 10%!

February 28, 2011, Israel: The Future of Nonprofit Summit: Israel (#FONSI) brings together some of the best professionals, innovators, lay leaders, organizations, brands, and other passionate people to explore tools and ideas to move the vital third sector forward. Join us for a day of innovation, collaboration and excellence where you will learn best practices, innovative ideas and valued case studies. Visit http://www.fonsi.co for complete details.

March 1-5, 2011, Hannover, Germany: CeBIT is the world’s largest trade fair showcasing digital IT and telecommunications solutions for home and work environments. The key target groups are users from industry, the wholesale/retail sector, skilled trades, banks, the services sector, government agencies, science and all users passionate about technology. CeBIT offers an international platform for comparing notes on current industry trends, networking, and product presentations. For more information, please visit: http://www.cebit.de and to receive your complimentary visitor registration to this elite event, please email lguiang@hfusa.com.

March 1-2, 2011, London, UK: TFM&A is the UK’s largest and longest running multi-channel marketing, media and advertising event. TFM&A will be delivering the latest industry insights, trends and developments as well as leading suppliers of digital, direct, data and CRM solutions. With free seminars and keynotes from big names like Microsoft Advertising and Experian, over 200 exciting exhibitors, a dedicated networking bar and cafe and many more show features, take advantage of your FREE entry to create a campaign that becomes a classic. Register at t-f-m.co.uk/mashable.

March 2-3, 2010, San Francisco, CA: EyeforTravel's Social Media Strategies for Travel Conference is North America's number one social media event for travel professionals. Now in its fourth successful year, the event brings together top travel brands to share key insights on how to maximize the impact of your social media initiatives. The two days are packed with case studies, presentations and networking opportunities. Please use the promo code MASHABLE for a $100 discount on the admission price.

March 2-3, 2011, Barcelona, Spain: Innovative e-Marketin is our exciting cross-industry event in which we offer you the opportunity to uncover the secrets to success from the most experienced e-Marketers in the world and learn how to put ideas into practice in the form of social networking activities, brainstorming sessions, talking circles, keynote case studies and insightful presentations. Why not treat yourself to one of our exclusive VIP passes? Let us pick you up from the airport and drive you directly to the venue. Register with the promo code EMK11/004 to save 10%.

March 2, 2011, Berlin, Germany: FEI is Europe's first and only event to solve your industry challenge in real-time. Explore best in class presentations by top multi-nationals, collaborate with world renowned experts, Listen to real-world visionaries choreographing "next" best practices, and participate in a real-time case study where you will tackle industry challenges and work to propel the industry forward. FEI is no ordinary conference — this is truly a catalyst for change. Register and use the promo code FEI2011MASH to save 20% off the standard rate.

March 3-5, 2011, Orlando, FL: unGeeked Elite Retreats brings together 24 speakers over the course of three days. The format is styled as an “open discussion” with topics centered around enhancing, positioning and leveraging both the internal and external brand. PPTs and Prezi’s are strongly discouraged and instead, on-going and intimate discussions among keynotes, regional speakers and attendees are encouraged. Speakers include: Amanda Hite, Dan Schawbel, Jeff Power, Amber Osborne and more. Register with the promo code unGeekedFlorida and save 5% off regular ticket price.

March 4-5, 2011, Louisville, KY: Code PaLOUsa is a two-day, eight-track software development conference in Louisville, KY that’s designed to cover all aspects of software development regardless of technology stack. We will have sessions revolving around Microsoft, Java, Ruby, PHP, and Clojure; along with sessions on higher, platform-agnostic levels. There will be 60 technical presentations and panel discussions from well-known professionals in the software development community and a keynote talk from Douglas Crockford of Yahoo! and JavaScript/JSON fame. For more information and to register, please visit codepalousa.com.

March 7-9, 2011, San Mateo, CA: The Android Developers Conference, March 7-9 in San Mateo, CA, is the world’s premier independent event dedicated to building, marketing and managing apps for the Android platform. The format includes dozens of top technical classes, workshops and breakout classes. Mashable readers can receive a $100 discount off the Full Event Passport and/or gain free admission to the exhibits (first time registrants only – cannot be combined with other offers) by inserting the code MEDIASPONSOR on the registration page.

March 8-10, 2011, San Jose, CA: At Search Marketing Expo – SMX West, you'll learn to maximize ROI from paid search advertising, optimize your website content for superior organic search results, expand your skills with local and mobile advertising expertise, master social media marketing on Twitter, Facebook and other SMM networks, boost conversions, and increase sales. Use the promo code smx100mashable and save $100 off your registration. For more information, please visit http://smxwest.com.

March 8-9, 2011, Brussels, Belgium: Are you looking to unleash the power of social media for CRM? As new channels and strategies emerge it is increasingly important to meet face-to-face to share knowledge, challenges and experiences. Enterprise Social 2.0: CRM will bring social media marketers and CRM experts together to share knowledge through real-world case studies, best practices, lessons learned and offering networking opportunities with some of the biggest brands and businesses today. Past speakers include: Google, Kodak, L'Oreal, Philips, Nokia, Lego, Siemens, Vodafone, SWIFT, SAP, Roger Smith Hotel, Dominos Pizza, Airbus and more. To receive a special discount, register now!

March 9, 2011, Dubai, India: The Cloud Computing World Forum Middle East and Africa will feature all of the key players within the Cloud Computing and SaaS market providing an introduction, discussion and look into the future for the ICT industry. Register today and get inspiration on how to address your latest issues with advice from real-life end-user case studies and practical examples. Register with the promo code MEAmash20 and save 20%!

March 11, 2011, San Jose, CA: The International Search Summit is partnering with SMX to run its global search and social media program at SMX West. Focusing specifically on international and multilingual topics, the summit will run on 11th March and give delegates the opportunity to attend both events. Topics at the Summit will include international link building, managing global content, international SEO case studies and multilingual video optimisation. The agenda can be found here, and will be regularly updated with confirmed speakers. Combo or Summit only tickets are available. Early Bird rates apply and Mashable readers can get $100 off the booking price with the discount code ISS@SMXmashable. For more information and to register, please click here.

March 15, 2011, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: Want to know successful stories on how big brands build their brand and reputation online? Everyone can go online, but can you STAY online? Our conference, Digitalize Your Marketing Strategy, is going to be most anticipated event of the year! WE are bringing you the Malaysian's most valuable brands, review their successful stories and provide you hands on tips to manage your online marketing strategy. Our privileged speakers from Digi, Dell, Unilever, Intel and Microsoft will share case studies using social media, digital and search engine. Register with the promo code DYMSMASH and save 20%!

March 19, 2011, Cape Cod, MA: Geek Girl Tech Boot Camp (Cape Cod 2011): Geek Girl Boot Camps are full-day technology “unconferences” for women, taught by women, of all ages and knowledge levels where you can find workshops on everything to do with computers and the Internet! Workshops include PC and Mac, Social Media (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.), Location (foursquare, Gowalla, Yelp) Photoshop, QuickBooks, Blogging, Podcasting, WordPress, Google Tools, Dreamweaver, Video, Inbound Marketing, digital photography, and more. The workshops are designed for Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced. There are Discussion Groups and an all day Help Desk. The Mission of Geek Girl Camp is to educate and empower every girl and woman at every age level, on every skill level, at every income level on computer technology with fun and provide a legacy by giving back and paying it forward. Mashable readers get an exclusive $30 discount off the standard pricing of $139 with special code mashable2011 when registering!

March 22-24, 2011, Washington, DC: The Publishing Xchange is a two-plus day interactive conference with discussions revolving around the latest market dynamics as they relate to real-world publishing and marketing processes. You'll learn about the latest technologies and how to achieve the greatest return on your efforts and investments while utilizing the new media channels. Choose from 6 tracks produced by Outsell, The Seybold Report, InfoTrends, Thad McIlroy The Future of Publishing, What They Think and IDEAlliance. Discover the future of publishing, how to implement a cross-media campaign, how a printer can make the leap into this new world & so much more!

March 22-24, 2011, Washington, DC: Ready or not, the way workers create, manage, share and consume information is changing in profound and unprecedented ways. Join us as thousands of technologists and business users from the world’s top companies gather to explore the technologies that are changing the way the world works. Choose from 19 conference tracks and programs, including the SharePoint Summit @ info360, EMC's Information Intelligence Summit @ info360 and Oracle @ info360. Visit www.info360show.com for details.

March 23-24, 2010, Las Vegas, NV: Hear groundbreaking social media ROI case studies at Social Pulse 2011: The Corporate Social Media Marketing Event! This conference provides corporate marketing leaders from across industries the newest insights and case studies on how to drive measurable results and marketing ROI through smart social media strategy. Moving beyond theory and assumptions, it is the only conference that focuses on social media initiatives that have generated measurable results for America’s leading corporations. Register online or call 1-800-647-7600, and use the promo code MJK233 to save $200!

March 28-29, 2011, Paris, France: The Marketing 2.0 Conference features leading social media experts who will discuss and learn about the social media initiatives from brands, advertisers, researchers and analysts. Hear from leading people in social media about their strategies, revenue models and how they are approaching upcoming trends in the field. The event will also examine the current market conditions, future forecasts and predictions from leading researchers. Use the promo code mash2011 to receive a discount off the registration price.

March 29-30, 2011 London, UK: Social Media World Forum Europe is now in its 3rd year, the event this year will be providing a format for networking, engagement, and lots of social media debate around the latest tools, technologies, platforms, and emerging trends within social media marketing. With over 4000 attendees last year, the show has grown significantly to become one of the leading shows in its field, hosting a variety of free to attend workshops & conferences for marketers, pr professionals, developers, and the like. Mashable readers receive a 20% discount when they register and use the promo code MASH2011.

April 4-6, 2011, Boston, MA: SOCIAL MEDIA & COMMUNITY 2.0 STRATEGIES is a unique event that focuses on the business value of social media for established brands, as well as entrepreneurial companies. It brings together community experts with lines of business leaders who are using social media strategically to drive their business. From setting the strategy, to operationalizing it, to measuring the results – this event is a high-level think tank for and by those particularly focused on understanding and improving efforts and investments in the Social Media & Community space. Join the evolution and register today (Save 20% with the promo code SOCIAL11MASH).

April 4, 2011, Munich, Germany: The International Search Summit is partnering with SMX to run its global search and social media program at SMX München. Focusing specifically on international and multilingual topics, the summit will run on 4th of April and give delegates the opportunity to attend both events. Topics at the Summit will include international link building, the impact of display on global search, international SEO case studies and multilingual video optimisation. All sessions will be in English. The agenda can be found here, and will be regularly updated with confirmed speakers. Combo or Summit only tickets are available. Early Bird rates apply and Mashable readers can get 15% off the booking price with the discount code MASHABLE011. For more information and to register, please click here.

April 6-8, 2011, Los Angeles, CA: Hispanicize 2011, the 2nd Annual Hispanic PR & Social Media Conference, is the first and largest conference devoted to Latino social media, bloggers and public relations professionals. The three-day conference will feature top industry keynote speakers and more than 24 professional development sessions. It’s also the first event to gather all the Latino and multicultural bloggers together for first time. For more information, please click here.

April 12-14, 2001, New York, NY: Market Research and Insights In Action is a connecting platform where global leaders meet to discuss strategic and key topics, exchange most recent experiences, and brainstorm on future developments. The event will include keynote presentations, case studies, interactive sessions, workshops, talking circles, panel discussions, business meetings and formal and informal networking activities designed to link and connect senior executives within the field of Market Research and Consumer / Customer Insights. Why not treat yourself to one of our exclusive VIP passes? Let us pick you up from the airport and drive you directly to the venue. Register with a promo code MRIUS11/003 to save 10%.

April 13-15, 2011, Singapore: The Internet Show Asia 2011 is a series of seminars and a large end-to-end showcase of the latest internet technologies and solutions. More than 10,000 attendees will be at the exhibition and conference to find new ways of doing internet business and enhancing product offerings through the internet – through case study presentations and speaking directly with solution partners. The show will aim to increase your ROI, it's all about business, not a technology show. For more details and registrations, please visit www.theinternetshows.com/2010/Singapore.

April 18-20, 2011, Dubai, UAE: Planet of the Apps Arabia 2011 is a three day conference dedicated to the opportunities and challenges of mobile applications in the Arab world. The event is for app developers, content providers, device manufacturers, network operators and brands to meet and discuss the current challenges and opportunities presented in this growing market. Key issues addressed will include; the sustainability of the current business models, consumer engagement, developer recruitment, app discoverability, platform choice and the importance of social media networks. Register with promo code Mashable and save 20%!

April 18-19, 2011, London, UK: The Mobile Research Conference is the must-attend annual event for brands, agencies and academics interested in engaging consumers and capturing real-time feedback through mobile phones. Mobile, along with social media and online networks, represents the latest frontier for market research. Attend MRC 2011 and discover how to engage respondents, extract insights for product innovation and optimize marketing activities. This 2-day event is designed for consumer insights professionals; corporate, agency and academic survey researchers; mobile operators and tech companies. Register and use the promo code FF-MASHABLE to receive 20% off the main registration price!

April 26, 2011, Los Angeles, CA: LA Games Conference – Over 300 of the most influential decision-makers in the games industry gather for the LA Games Conference to network, do deals, and share ideas about the future of console, PC, online and mobile games. LA Games Conference – now in its 4th year – features a lively and fun debate on timely cutting-edge business topics, demos as well unrivaled access to some of the most progressive companies in Hollywood, Silicon Valley and beyond. We invite you to join us at the event and take part in the discussion with executives, creators, investors, analysts, press and gamers who will be instrumental in shaping the future of this booming business. For a limited time we are offering a special Holiday Rate of $199 – a $500 saving! Don’t miss the opportunity – Book NOW to reserve your seat.

April 28, 2011, London, UK: The Augmented Reality Summit is designed to explore this new dynamic reality and provide delegates with the perfect opportunity to uncover Augmented Reality in full and explore the opportunity's AR brings any brand or company. The AR Summit is positioned at the forefront of this exciting continually developing new industry. Whether you are a Brand, Advertiser or Agency, Technology provider or Developer looking to meet key industry figures, keep up with the latest developments, technology's & tools or simply to network with other from the world of AR – Register and use the promo code ARMASH to save 25%!

May 4-8, 2011, London, UK: Digital Shoreditch is the voice of everything happening in Shoreditch. The festival explores and celebrates digital technologies; unites the digital community; and provides a platform for sharing knowledge. The activity culminates in a series of exhibitions, parties, presentations, open studios and games.

May 12-14, 2011, Chicago, IL: unGeeked Elite Retreats will be held at the SYNCUBATOR and brings together 24 speakers over the course of three days. The format is styled as an “open discussion” with topics centered around enhancing, positioning and leveraging boththe internal and external brand. PPTs and Prezi’s are strongly discouraged and instead, on-going and intimate discussions among keynotes, regional speakers and attendees are encouraged. Speakers include Julian Smith, Jason Falls, Spike Jones, Amanda Hite and more. Register with promo code unGeekedChi and save 5% off regular ticket price.

May 16-19, 2011, Prague, Czech Republic: The TERENA Networking Conference (TNC) is the largest and most prestigious European research networking conference – over 500 participants, including decision makers, networking specialists and managers from all major European networking and research organisations, universities, worldwide sister institutions and industry representatives attend. Through keynote speeches by renowned specialists and many parallel sessions, TNC presents an overview of the latest developments in research networking, both in the technical field and in the areas of application and management. For more information, click here.

May 17-19, 2011, London, UK: The World E-Reading Congress brings together digital and print publishers with e-reading platforms and device manufacturers to discuss the business models and opportunities provided by the growth of the e-reading industry. Publishers must be prepared for this dramatic industry upheaval. They must learn how to embrace this disruptive technology and the World E-Reading Congress will enable them to discover how they can profit from the E-Reading revolution. Visit our website for more information and register before January to save 10%!

May 24-26, 2011, San Francisco, CA: All About the Cloud. Save $100 with the promo code PRMMASH to attend the software industry's leading ISV conference on Cloud Computing. (Note: discount valid off the individual non-member rate only and does apply to current attendees.) You'll join an anticipated audience of more than 500 senior executives from ISVs, resellers, and platform / technology providers, as well as the industry's leading analysts, bankers, venture capitalists and the media. Key networking events include: a Golf Tournament, a Speed Networking Event, a Mardi Gras-themed Welcome Reception and an offsite Networking Reception featuring the Microsoft Rock Band Challenge. For details, including registration information, please visit AllAbouttheCloud.net.

May 24-26 2011, Gateshead, UK: Thinking Digital is an annual conference where the world’s greatest thinkers and innovators discuss the latest ideas, innovations and technologies. The conference provides an experience like no other, stimulating new thinking and new ideas. It's about what you'll learn, and who you'll meet. Our eclectic schedule means you'll listen to world-class authorities, meet amazing people, be entertained and outrageously inspired! When you leave Thinking Digital you'll know about things that you previously didn't even realise existed and have become part of our unique community. Register with the promo code TDCMASH and save 10%.

September 26-29, 2011, Kaua’i, HI: The Search and Social Woot! is an elite conference unlike any other that will provide you with the strategies and complete know how to thrive in this ever changing environment. Each day begins with morning sessions around the hottest topics. With Keynote Bruce Clay of Bruce Clay, Inc. and speakers from corporations such as Real Networks, Network Solutions, AT&T, Microsoft Bing and Logitech. Afternoons are spent in a relaxed environment including planned activities in which individual attendees can get to know speakers and each other on a more personal level continuing the discussion and building long lasting relationships. Register and use the promo code SSWootMash to save 10%.

September 29-October 1, 2011, Atlanta, GA: As pet owners, bloggers, consumer brands and those connected to the industry – including veterinarians – continue to build upon social media & marketing, pet social media education & networking is an extremely important aspect to mobilizing efforts and to address the challenges faced by pet owners. Whether you use YouTube, Twitter, Dog/Catbook or online forums to gather & share information about pets, it's increasingly important for this community to have a face-to-face forum. Established in 2009, the BarkWorld Conference & Expo is the only pet social media conference covering ALL facets of social media & pet education. Our 2011 annual conference will focus on many topics, including: how to take great photos your pet & use it online, how to build/design a blog & monetize, mobile applications, metrics/SEO, pet food demonstrations, promoting your pet/business via social media and using online forums. Join us for this 2 ½ day conference. You'll be amazed with the information you'll walk away with and the new connections you'll make; your well-trained, leashed, pet is welcome. Register with the promo code MASH2011 to receive a 25% discount.

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Samsung Galaxy Player to Challenge iPod Touch [REPORT]

Posted: 27 Dec 2010 02:59 PM PST


Samsung plans to roll out its latest personal media player next week at CES. The Galaxy Player shares a lot of tech with its Samsung brandmate, the Galaxy Tab, both running the Android 2.2 operating system and brandishing both front- and rear-facing cameras.

Samsung’s not saying when this slim player will be for sale, but did reveal that the 9.8mm-thin device will be available in 8GB, 16GB and 32GB capacities.

Handheld video aficionados will appreciate its 4-inch 800×480-pixel touchscreen, and it’s packing a pretty good punch inside, too, with a 1GHz processor underneath to supply sufficient oomph for HD playback.

However, if Samsung is trying to beat the iPod touch in the sharpness department, it falls slightly short of Apple’s 960×640-pixel “retina display.”

Although Samsung hasn’t announced pricing, we’re thinking it’ll undercut Apple’s iPod touch just as the Samsung Galaxy Tab did the iPad. We’ll know more next week when we bring you hands-on reports from the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

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AT&T Documentary Takes on Texting-While-Driving

Posted: 27 Dec 2010 02:47 PM PST

In a proactive public relations move, AT&T is taking the lead on texting-and-driving prevention with an 11-minute documentary on the topic, intended to reach consumers before New Year’s Eve.

The doc, called The Last Text, features stories about people whose lives were adversely affected by texting behind the wheel, including the parents of Mariah West, who died after texting “Where u at?” to a friend.

AT&T is distributing the film to schools, safety organizations and government agencies and on its YouTube channel. The doc is part of AT&T’s “It Can Wait” TV, print and online campaign, which the company introduced in March. Part of that campaign includes a Facebook app where friends can take a pledge not to text and drive.

AT&T’s not alone in publicizing the risks of texting and driving. Sprint partnered with The Oprah Winfrey Show in May for a program fighting texting and driving. In addition, a video from the Gwent Police Department in Wales also garnered thousands of views on YouTube thanks in part to its graphic depiction of a (dramatized) accident brought on by texting and driving.

Nevertheless, texting behind the wheel appears to be a growing problem. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, 5,500 people were killed last year because of “distracted driving” and the largest proportion of those fatalities were people under 20. A recent survey from the Pew Internet & American Life Project showed 26% of teens have texted while driving and 43% have made calls on their cell phones while driving.

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HOW TO: Get the Most Out of Facebook Insights for Small Business

Posted: 27 Dec 2010 02:42 PM PST


David Hartstein is a partner at JG Visual, an Internet strategy company that works with organizations to develop and implement their online presence. You can connect with David on the JG Visual Facebook Page.

You're a small business owner and you’ve decided to create a Facebook Page for your company. Or you're an employee in an organization and, since you are the only one who “gets” social media, you've been charged with running a Facebook Page.

You set it up and make it look nice. You put up some photos and videos that you think represent the organization well. You e-mail a bunch of your friends and the page has almost 100 “Likes.” But one day, your boss comes in and asks you the question that you have been dreading: "Is this Facebook Page helping us or just eating away most of your time?"

Enter Facebook Insights, a powerful analytical tool that can help any organization evaluate the effectiveness of its Facebook presence. But, for a small business where time is perhaps the most important (and often rarest) resource, Facebook Insights can help you evaluate whether you're investing or wasting your time.

The following scenarios are illustrations of how a fictional small business, “Bill's Tech Company,” can leverage Facebook Insights to evaluate the effectiveness of its new Facebook Business Page. Within each scenario are the different aspects of Facebook Insights that Bill could utilize to answer his questions. Beside each measure (in parentheses) is a note on where to find that specific piece of data in Facebook Insights.

Facebook Insights Overview

Before delving into the specifics of Facebook Insights, it is helpful to understand some of the basics. Once you have 30 “Likes” on your Facebook Page, Facebook Insights will automatically be activated and available on the left sidebar of your Facebook Page.

When you navigate to Facebook Insights, you are brought to the main dashboard, which shows you two summary graphs titled "Users" and "Interactions," both providing overviews of subpages with the same names. Below is a list of the measures you will find on each of these subpages:

Users: monthly active users, daily new “likes,” total “likes,” new “likes/unlikes,” “like” sources, demographics, page views, tab views, external referrers, media consumption

Interactions: daily post views, daily post feedback, daily story feedback, most recent posts, daily page activity

Now that we've outlined the basics, let's dive into the scenarios.

Scenario 1: Are "Likes" Enough?

Bill's Tech Company launched a Facebook Business Page two months ago. When he created the page, Bill sent out messages to all of his friends and it quickly grew to around 100 followers. While he feels good about having 100 “Likes,” he wants to know if having these “Likes” is enough.

  • Daily active users (top of main dashboard): Bill should avoid the lure of looking only at the number of “likes” that his page has received. Realistically, passive followers that “like” his page and never come back aren't helping his business grow. Instead, he should focus on daily active users, which are the number of users that actually come to his page or consume his content on a given day. If a follower engages in some way with Bill's page, it is far more likely that Bill's Tech Company will be on the top of this follower's mind, which is crucial for any small business.
  • Daily page activity (bottom of Interactions): To go beyond “like” counting, Bill should use daily page activity to measure his followers' level of engagement with his page. In particular, he should pay attention to the number of mentions that his page is receiving. When someone mentions Bill's Tech Company, they are broadcasting his company to their friends. Mentions can help a business reach a whole new audience.
  • Daily story feedback (top of Interactions): Is Bill engaging his followers? Is he alienating them? Daily story feedback can provide Bill a glimpse into the minds of his followers. Whenever a follower “likes” or comments on something on Bill's page, it will show up here. Bill could go a step further by looking at particular days of the week that his followers are more active and targeting the release of his content to the days that are more likely to garner a response.
  • Spikes in “likes” and “unlikes” (top of Users): Bill should take time to check his “likes” and “unlikes” for any deviation from the norm. A spike in either is worth investigating. To help him understand such a spike, Bill should align the date of the spike to the content he has released using most recent posts (middle of Interactions). He can sort his content by date posted to see what he did on a particular day that may have caused users to “like” him or leave him. If he sees that a certain subject or type of content seems to cause a spike in people “unliking” his page, he should avoid this content in the future.

Scenario 2: Producing Content Your Followers Want

Bill's Tech Company only has two full-time employees and can never seem to find enough hours in the day to get everything done. They can't afford a full-time social media strategy coordinator but definitely want to leverage the "power of social media" that they keep hearing about. In the little time that they have between serving their clients, Bill wants to know what content he should focus on to use his time most effectively.

  • Most recent posts (middle of Interactions): Bill can't afford to waste time producing content that no one cares about. By utilizing most recent posts, Bill can sort his recent content first by impressions to see how many people are seeing a post on his page, on a news feed or on a follower's profile page. Generally, the more that followers share a post by posting it to their profiles or sending it to their friends, the more impressions it will receive. Bill can then sort his most recent posts by feedback percentage to see which of his posts are leading his followers to comment or “like” an individual post.
  • Media consumption (bottom of Users): Bill loves the idea of producing videos, recording audio and shooting photos to engage his followers, but each is quite time consuming. Bill should use media consumption to see how many views each type of media is getting per day. If Bill's active users are not listening to the audio files he uploads, he should either change the nature of these audio files (perhaps try a new topic) or scrap them and use this time elsewhere.
  • Daily story feedback (top of Interactions): Bill can leverage daily story feedback to see if a particular day has a spike in “likes” or comments. If so, Bill has clearly found a topic that resonates with at least some of his followers. He can focus his efforts on producing content that is similar enough to receive the same favorable response.
  • Tab views (bottom of Users): This measure allows Bill to see how active users are engaging with his Facebook Page. If he's spending a lot of time writing in the discussions tab but none of his visitors are viewing this tab, Bill should probably spend his limited time doing something else. Conversely, if one of his tabs is particularly popular, he should use it to engage his followers. To optimize the use of his tabs, Bill should ask himself the following questions: “What tabs are my fans engaging with?” “What content is within these tabs?” “Can I cut out any tabs?” “Should I change the order of my tabs to prioritize what I want active users to see?”

Scenario 3: Evaluating Facebook Beyond “Facebook.com”

Bill devoted an entire weekend to setting up his web presence. He created accounts on many social media sites, put Facebook Like buttons on his company website and began promoting the company's Facebook Page all over the place. Bill wants to know what worked and what didn't.

  • External referrers (bottom of Users): Bill's concern is a common one. He wants to know if the time he spent setting up everything was worth it. Fortunately, Facebook Insights has something called “external referrers,” which shows the top external domains from which visitors are finding a Facebook Page. Bill can see which sites are driving traffic to his Facebook Page and use these successes to change his profiles on less successful websites. Additionally, if Bill is getting traffic to his Facebook Page from his website, he'll know that something on his site is piquing his visitors’ interest.
  • “Like” sources (top right of Users): Since he added the ability for visitors to “like” his Facebook Page from his own personal website, Bill now wants to track whether people are actually doing so. He can find out simply by looking at his “like” sources. Most of his “likes” are probably coming from his Fan Page, but he may get some from other sources. If Bill wants to prioritize getting more “likes” from another source like his website, he should consider making the button more prominent and seeing if it leads to more “likes” from external sources.
  • Insights on an external domain: Now that Bill took the time to add “like” buttons to his company's website, he should definitely set up Facebook Insights for this domain. By going to facebook.com/insights and clicking the "Insights for your Domain" box, Bill can easily copy a bit of code onto his website and link it to his Facebook account. By doing so, Bill can see how users of his website are interacting with his content including what users are “liking” and sharing with their Facebook friends.
  • Website analytics: Since Bill is interested in how effectively his Facebook Page is integrating with his overall Internet presence, he should definitely keep an eye on the website analytics on his company's website. Ideally, Bill wants his Facebook Page to drive traffic to his website, which would show up as a referring source on his website analytics.

Scenario 4: Reaching the Right People

Bill has been using Facebook Insights to create content that he thinks will be popular with his followers and has been linking to this content on numerous tech blogs. He has been seeing steady growth in “likes,” which he is very proud of, but Bill runs a local service business and wants to make sure that he is reaching the right audience.

  • Demographics (middle of Users): It is important that Bill first identifies the target audience for his Facebook Page. Does he want to target older men and women that may own businesses in the area? Does he want to target a younger crowd in the hopes that they will be influential when it comes to making decisions about tech spending? Once he has his audience identified, Bill can use Facebook Insights to evaluate how effectively he is reaching this target group.

    Since Facebook collects personal information from all of its members, it can give page administrators demographic info about page followers. Bill can see who “likes” his page according to age and gender. He can also see what countries and cities his followers come from as well as the languages that they speak. If the demographics of his followers do not match his target demographic, Bill may need to adjust his content or even his entire Internet strategy to target a different group of people.

  • External referrers (bottom right of Users): Bill can use external referrers to see if he is effectively driving traffic from the established tech blogs that he is posting on regularly. By adding his voice to conversations in his industry, Bill can establish his own authority on technology-related topics and drive traffic to his Facebook Page. If he's not seeing any traffic from these websites, he may need to adjust the content he posts or the websites that he frequents.

Conclusion

Hopefully the scenarios above resonate with you and your organization. While Facebook Insights won't provide you with all the answers to your questions, it can be a powerful tool for any organization to utilize when evaluating its online strategy. By utilizing Facebook Insights, you can ensure that you are making the most of your business Page while using both your successes and failures to craft a solid presence on Facebook.

More Small Business Resources from Mashable:

- 5 Predictions for Small Business in 2011
- 5 Essential Web Apps for the Lean Small Business
- 5 New Online Services Perfect for Small Businesses
- What Does Web Design Say About Your Small Business?
- 10 Customizable Holiday Gifts for Your Tech-Savvy Office

Reviews: Facebook, Internet

More About: analytics, business, facebook, facebook insights, facebook marketing, facebook page, List, Lists, small business, social media, social media marketing

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Vladimir Putin Orders Russian Government to Switch to Free Software by 2015

Posted: 27 Dec 2010 02:28 PM PST


Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has signed a government order that lays out the groundwork for the transition of federal bodies and agencies to use free software, including Linux, by 2015.

The 25-point document (available here) outlines specific steps the government must take in order to move off proprietary software and onto free and/or open source alternatives like Linux. The government order was approved on December 17 and affects all federal agencies of the federal budget.

Each point of the document names the specific action that must be taken, the agency responsible for implementing that order, the time frame for implementation, and the expected result. For example, point #5 instructs Russia’s Ministry of Communications to form, “the base package of free software solutions for typical problems of the federal executive bodies,” with the expected result a free package of software that includes operating systems, drivers and application software for servers.

Order #5 calls for, “creating and maintaining a single repository of free software used in the federal bodies of executive power,” while order #20 requires, “the development of departmental plans to move to the use of free software, including plans for transition of subordinate budget institutions.” The final order, to be implemented in Q3 2015, calls for, “preparation of the draft orders of the Government of the Russian Federation on the adoption of a phased introduction of free software for the next planning period.”

Russia has been moving in the direction of free software for the last few years. In 2008, the government ordered schools to implement free software packages in all of its computers. Schools that now want to use proprietary software have to pay for it out of their own pockets.

[Source: CNews via Open...]

Reviews: Linux

More About: Linux, russia, Vladimir Putin

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HANDS ON: LunaTik iPod nano Watch Kit Makes Us Swoon

Posted: 27 Dec 2010 02:16 PM PST


Thanks to quality design and savvy marketing, the iPod nano watch kits — the TikTok+LunaTik — have become the most successful Kickstarter projects of all time. More than 13,000 individuals pre-ordered either either the TikTok or the LunaTik, and the first batch of shipments are expected to go out by mid January.

Scott Wilson and the crew at MINIMAL were nice enough to send Mashable one of the early prototype runs of the LunaTik. After having the holidays to use the kit — and prying it off my fiance’s wrist — I feel I can now accurately speak to the viability of an iPod nano as a watch.

MINIMAL sells two different iPod nano watch kits. The TikTok is $34.95, and is designed as to be more of a sports watch. The iPod nano snaps into this configuration and can easily be removed, which is handy if you want to use the iPod in a non-wrist configuration.

The pricier LunaTik is $69.95 and is more like an actual, finished watch. This is the prototype MINIMAL sent us. A silicone rubber strap is connected between two pieces of aerospace grade aluminum that perfectly encase the iPod nano. The dock connector and headphone jack and power and volume buttons are flanked on either side of the watch for easy access.

Look and Feel

The watch band itself is fitted with notches that can be adjusted based on the width of the wrist. Ingeniously, a removable clasp is included for placement on the side of the band with the buckle for clean fit. Our LunaTik was very well assembled. Neither my fiance nor I have had any questions about the security of the watch. It feels like one cohesive unit. The “face” of the iPod nano can be rotated in any direction that you choose, which really adds to the flexibility of the watch.

Although men are clearly the target market for these kind of watch kits, women who want to pull off the Dick Tracy look can feel pretty confident that the watch will at least fit. I have an extremely small wrist, yet am able to wear the watch tightly on my wrist.

From a fashion standpoint, the most surprising aspect of the LunaTik, at least to me, is just how unassuming it really is. My fiance complained that despite purposefully trying to show off his wrist at Starbucks or the office, the watch just didn’t attract any attention. It looks like a regular watch, albeit one with an LCD touch face.

Can an iPod Be a Good Watch?

Sure, the size of the iPod nano makes for a good watch face. And the fact that a black or white clock background — complete with date and second hand — can be displayed upon “wake-up” really pulls the whole package together, but is the iPod a good watch?

My answer is unequivocally, yes. Purely as a watch, the iPod nano would work and serve its purpose. Pressing the power button on the side will turn on the time and in pure “watch mode,” the battery life is probably close to a week.

However, having a music player attached to your wrist — not to mention a pedometer — is surprisingly useful. My fiance said that running a pair of headphones up a long sleeved shirt from the watch still kept his hands free and maneuverable, while also allowing him to listen to podcasts, music or radio while working. The iPod charges to about 80% in about an hour and a half, which means that plugging it in at night or while stationary at a desk isn’t a problem.

Moreover, simply touching the power button brings up the watch face — which is reminiscent of the earliest digital watches — and swiping to the right or left brings up easy access to playlists, a stop watch, or other selections.

In fact, having information so accessible on your wrist only makes us wish that the iPod nano had a few more built-in features. For instance, having access to a calendar and alarms for appointments would be great. We can picture a day when future iPod nano units will feature built-in Wi-Fi, allowing for access to news headlines, stock updates and weather reports.

The iPod nano does not have built-in BlueTooth, however add-ons are available. They detract bit from the sleekness of the nano watch package, but provide a great workout alternative.

Final Thoughts

iPod nano watch bands and kits are not in short supply. Dozens of companies have their own models on the market. What impresses us about the LunaTik — even moreso now that we have the prototype in our hands — is just how well executed the concept is.

The design details make sense from the perspective of something you are putting on your wrist — from the adjustable nature of the clasp, to the way the plates frame the nano’s face. Moreover, this takes the concept of an MP3 watch, adds multi-touch and combines iTunes support for a package that is high on both form and function.

It’s rare to find an accessory that actually sells the main product, but the LunaTik does just that. When these things hit Apple retail stores, we fully expect iPod nano sales to soar.


LunaTik




Thanks to the adjustable clasp on the strap, the LunaTik fits even my insanely small wrist.


LunaTik




The backlight on the display stays on for a few seconds before dimming to conserve power and then going dark.


LunaTik




The prototype we received was assembled extremely well and looks and feels like a real watch.


LunaTik




The whole kit really does look like a wrist watch, rather than an iPod nano.


LunaTik




The LunaTik works on larger wrists as well.


LunaTik




The dock connector and headphone jack face the forearm or fingers, depending on orientation.


LunaTik




The volume and power buttons are opposite the dock connector.


LunaTik




The back of the LunaTik.

Reviews: Bluetooth, Mashable

More About: ipod nano, ipod nano watch, kickstarter, lunatik, minimal, reviews

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5 E-Book Trends That Will Change the Future of Publishing

Posted: 27 Dec 2010 01:48 PM PST


Philip Ruppel is president of McGraw-Hill Professional, a leading global publisher of print and electronic content and services for the business, scientific, technical, and medical communities.

Without a doubt, the e-book is practically the biggest thing that's hit the publishing industry since the invention of movable type. Publishers and e-book resellers are reporting astronomical growth.

At McGraw-Hill, we have been an active player in e-book technology dating back to devices like the RocketBook (one of the first e-book readers) that was launched more than 10 years ago. And today, e-books and e-book distribution is central to our publishing and growth strategy.

From the front lines of the e-book revolution, here are five trends I'm watching.

1. Enhanced E-Books Are Coming and Will Only Get Better

Consumers have already shown that they love e-books for their convenience and accessibility, but ultimately most e-books today are the same as print, just in digital form. The e-book of the not-too-distant future will be much more than text. Interactivity has arrived and will change the nature of the e-book.

Imagine video that shows how to fix a leaky faucet or solve complex math problems in statistics; audio that pronounces foreign language words as you read them, and assessment that lets you check what you remember and comprehend what you just read. These interactive features and more are being developed now and will be on the market in a matter of weeks, not months.

Publishers are already conjuring up designs for the enhanced e-book of the future. Imagine still: If you miss five questions on your geometry test, will your book adapt and change to help you learn the questions and concepts you missed? Will your new novel provide a platform for live exchange with reading groups where you can discuss the book with the author? Today's enhanced e-books that feature talking heads or out-takes from movies are yesterday’s ideas. Consumers will expect a much greater experience.

2. The Device War Is Nearly Over

Devices are proliferating to the point of confusion. Does a consumer buy a Nook, Kindle, Sony e-reader, an iLex or any one of 20 other dedicated e-readers? Or do they buy an iPad, Galaxy Tab, or other Android tablet? Or do they buy an e-reader at all? Have you ever noticed on a crowded train or bus how many people are reading their phone? And for a growing number of readers, the mobile phone is fine for reading just about anything. But as far as devices go, consumer confusion is likely to drive quick consolidation around a few winners in the market — no one wants to own the next "Betamax for books."

Because most developers are developing e-reader software that will work on multiple other devices (Kindle also works on the iPad, iPhone, and computers, for example), consumers will care less about the device and more about the user experience of the e-reader software, portability of titles from one device to another, and access to a full catalog of titles.

3. The $9.99 E-Book Won't Last Forever

Amazon popularized the $9.99 price point for best-seller trade titles, driving the widespread consumer adoption of the Kindle and consumption of e-books. This has caused confusion among many consumers who simply think every e-book should be $9.99 or less. But the majority of titles offered on Amazon are priced above $9.99, especially those with unique interactive features. For professional and technical publishers like McGraw-Hill, our e-books cannot stand the low, mass market pricing some consumers think should be applied to every e-book. Our costs are invested in extensive product and editorial development of sophisticated and technical content; the cost of paper, printing, and binding are a fraction of the real expense. And for some very specific and technical subject areas, our markets are much smaller. We simply couldn’t afford to publish the work if it must be priced at the everyday low, low price of $9.99.

The real opportunity for publishers will be to develop e-books that offer the kind of interactive features mentioned above. Our customers will demand interactive books that provide a much better, more informed and enriching experience. For them, the experience (not the cost) is often the primary driver.

4. The Contextual Upsell Will be a Business Model to Watch

E-books allow publishers to interact with their customers in new ways. Imagine customers who are trying to learn statistics and get stuck on a particular formula. They ask friends but no one can explain it well. They're stuck.

They click a help button, which points them to the publisher site where they can download relevant tutorials about specific formulas for $2.99. They choose the one they need and get a new learning tool, which helps them progress in their class. Multiply this by hundreds of thousands of students who share similar learning gaps who will purchase through the book ("in-book app purchase") and it becomes an interesting new marketing opportunity.

5. Publishers Will Be More Important Than Ever

Despite the hype around self-publishing via the web, publishing houses will play an even greater role in an e-book world. Commodity content is everywhere (and largely free), so high-quality vetted, edited content — which takes a staff of experts — will be worth a premium.

At McGraw-Hill, the average technical and reference book engages teams of editors, copy editors, proofreaders and designers to produce a single book. In the digital world, the role of publishers will be larger as new technologies provide for an even greater user and learning experience. Furthermore, with the skyrocketing amount of content being served on the web, customers will seek and pay expert content providers that aggregate and contextualize information for them efficiently and provide highly accurate and specific search options. Publishers with expertise and resources in these and emerging areas will be the ones that write the new rules of e-book publishing.

More E-Book Resources from Mashable:

- 5 Ways to Sell Your Expertise Online
- 5 Classic Children's Tales Reinvented for the iPad
- 5 Fantastic Free iPhone E-book Reader Apps
- HOW TO: Get Started With Your New Amazon Kindle
- 10 Excellent Accessories for Your Amazon Kindle

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, efesan

Reviews: Android, Multiply, iStockphoto

More About: business, e-books, ipad, Kindle, List, Lists, publishing, trends

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Friend Count Linked to the Size of a Certain Body Part? [STUDY]

Posted: 27 Dec 2010 01:45 PM PST


We’re social animals, but some are more social than others. If a university study published this week is correct, the number of Facebook friends you have might be due to the size of a small part of your brain.

It’s all in the size of your amygdalae, small almond-shaped portions of the brain nestled within the temporal lobe, say scientists who conducted the study using 58 participants. They concluded that the amygdala’s size can predict just how social anyone will be, regardless of age or gender.

“We considered a single primate species, humans, and found that the amygdala volume positively correlated with the size and complexity of social networks in adult humans,” says the leader of the study, Lisa Feldman Barrett, PhD, a professor at Northwestern University,

Another one of the scientists conducting the study says its results are consistent with the “social brain hypothesis,” the notion that the human brain evolved to adapt to increasingly complex social structures.

Could it be that all our extensive Facebooking and Twittering is causing our brains to evolve further? On the other hand, perhaps correlation doesn’t necessarily mean causation. After all, another study showed we’re only capable of handling 150 Facebook friends anyway. Discuss.

More About: Amygdala, Human Brain, research, social network, Social Science, study, trending

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6 Free Chrome Apps and Extensions for Small Businesses

Posted: 27 Dec 2010 12:48 PM PST


This post originally appeared on the American Express OPEN Forum, where Mashable regularly contributes articles about leveraging social media and technology in small business.

Google recently launched its Chrome Webstore for dedicated applications and extensions. Although the store is still in its early stages, there is already a wealth of choice for any small business owner.

This post highlights six noteworthy apps and extensions ranging from note-taking to project management. For small businesses with limited budgets, these resources can aid in productivity and time-management and let you concentrate on the more important aspects of your business.

Let us know in the comments below about any additional Chrome apps or extensions you would recommend.

1. Google Shortcuts

This extension brings all the Google services to your browser in a space-saving pop-up next to your address bar. Reach services like Gmail, Google Reader, Google Maps, Google Calendar and many more in just two clicks from your browser. The extension includes more than 140 Google services and websites. Once installed, just open the settings to customize and personalize the extension.

The level of customization is extensive, including sorting and rearranging the order of the buttons, selecting from six different icon sizes (16, 24, 32, 42, 48, and 64 pixels), adding your own custom URL button, integrating the Goo.gl URL shortener and changing the URL and names of services.

The support for Google Apps is what makes this really stand out from the crowd of Google-related extensions. Just scroll to the last section named Custom Domain for Google Apps and type your Google Apps domain name in the place provided. Now select the services of the domain you wish to add as a shortcut.

This is the official port of the well-known Firefox extension called ‘Google Shortcuts.’

2. Scribble

Scribble employs an approach that combines the simplicity and flexibility of text files with the order and control of GTD applications. If you have a habit of saving .txt files to your desktop as reminders, notes, thoughts and random ideas, Scribble is for you. You can now manage all those notes in one place, clutter free. It also works offline, which is invaluable, meaning your notes are stored locally. It has an attractive, simple UI, as well.

Perhaps the neatest feature is the letter-by-letter auto-save — there is no save key — because your note gets saved with every keystroke. Other features include the ability to attach reminders to specific notes; drag, drop and arrange the notes however you want; and store to-do lists, grocery items, phone numbers and e-mail templates.

Scribble can become a lifesaver if you have a habit of opening Notepad or TextEdit to jot down notes and reminders; it even gives a desktop pop-up reminder when something is due.

The developer has sync-to-cloud features and keyboard shortcuts planned for future releases.

3. Vyew

Vyew is a tool that allows you to meet and share information both in real-time and continuously. Upload images, files, videos and more, and Vyew will store the information in one “Room” that anyone can access and contribute to at any time. You can work independently over periods of time or in groups in real-time. All meeting content is auto-saved in real-time with no worry of losing work, even if a connection is lost.

There are several real-world applications for Vyew, including hosting presentations, reviewing documents, drawing and annotating, tutoring and training, desktop sharing and the ability to publish (read-only) versions of your meetings to a website, blog or through e-mail.

The app also includes a free conference call service, which means you can quickly and easily bring all your collaborators and participants together via telephone for live conferences. You can also use VoIP (up to two users) and webcams (up to five users).

4. Todo.ly

Todo.ly is an intuitive and easy-to-use to-do list and task manager to help you stay organized and get things done. Todo.ly was designed to be as simple to use as possible and fit in with your workflow.

It lets you divide your work into projects, which may have sub-projects. A task can also have sub-tasks. Managing “Tasks” and projects is straightforward; using the intuitive drag-and-drop interface, you can simply move your task from one project to another. Tasks will also pop into your “Today” list as due dates approach.

Due dates and filters (Inbox, Today, Next) are supported. The filters are easy to use and have been designed according to the Getting Things Done method. You can right-click tasks to edit them or add new tasks before or after it. The interface has been kept simple and functional and you’ll be up and running quickly. For example, if you want a simple unordered to-do list, you can simply start entering tasks.

While Todo.ly isn’t team-oriented at the moment, it has enough power under the hood and selection of features to be an excellent aid in personal productivity.

5. Write Space

Write Space is a customizable full-screen text editor for Chrome that is designed for distraction-free writing. It works offline, saves data locally and persistently backs up your work as each document is automatically saved with every key-press, so there is no worry of losing work. It allows customization to the font, background, width of the editor window and more. The live document statistics mean there’s no need to dig around menus to find the word count.

The standout feature is the ability to make Chrome go full-screen for a truly distraction-free environment. You can also set it to open in full-screen mode automatically by right-clicking on the application icon and selecting ‘Open full screen.’ You can import plain-text files, though if you already have data saved in Write Space, make sure you back it up before importing.

As Google Chrome does not yet support the HTML5 File Writer API, Write Space does not currently have an automated export function. However, you can export your work manually by copying the text in the browser window to another file or location.

Write Space is open source software, so you are free and encouraged to edit the application as you see fit.

6. Pivotal Tracker

Pivotal Tracker is a simple, story-based project management tool that allows teams to collaborate and react to feedback in real time. It’s based on agile software methods, but can be employed on a wide range of projects. It can be used on anything that you or your team works on that delivers some value, and that is large enough to benefit from being broken down into small, concrete pieces. It’s commonly used for organizing marketing campaigns or for general productivity management.

Everyone shares the same, up-to-the-minute view of what’s going on with the project and what needs to be done next. It lets project owners know exactly where things are without having to ask, and lets the rest of the team spend time on work, rather than on reporting the work.

You can create a Twitter account for your project, and let followers (team members) see project updates as they occur, as well as being kept up-to-date via Campfire, e-mail or web callbacks.

Iterate also provides a way to access Pivotal Tracker from your iPhone, with the same simple, well-designed UI as Pivotal.

Bonus Round

Here is a selection of quick links to six apps and extensions that are also worthy of making it into your Chrome setup:

  1. Scratchpad – A simple note-taking app from Google that allows you to take notes offline and optionally sync to the cloud when you’re online.
  2. Ge.tt – A real-time file-sharing service that allows you to share any number of files, no matter how large, within seconds.
  3. 280 Slides – Create beautiful presentations, access them from anywhere, and share them with the world.
  4. Hootsuite – Publish updates, track activity, and analyze results across multiple social networks including Twitter and Facebook.
  5. LovelyCharts – Online diagram software to create professional-looking flowcharts, sitemaps, organization charts, wireframes and more.
  6. Gpanion – Gpanion is your Google companion and provides a sleek dashboard for working with your Google Apps.

What other noteworthy Google Chrome apps or extensions have you discovered? Be sure to share your picks in the comments below.

More Business Resources from Mashable:

- HOW TO: Land a Job at Microsoft
- 5 Predictions for Small Business in 2011
- 5 Essential Web Apps for the Lean Small Business
- 5 Design Trends That Small Businesses Can Use in 2011
- 23 Free, Web-Based Tools SMBs Are Asking for Now

Reviews: Chrome, Facebook, Firefox, Google, Google Calendar, Google Chrome, Google Maps, Google Reader, HootSuite, Twitter, gmail

More About: business, chrome, Chrome App Store, chrome apps, Chrome Extensions, google chrome, List, Lists, small business, web apps

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Nissan Leaf Uses Crowdsourcing to Enhance Fuel Economy

Posted: 27 Dec 2010 12:26 PM PST


Nissan Leaf owners with a competitive streak will be happy to learn that the electric car has a wirelessly connected ranking system for driving efficiency.

Nissan’s Carwings system connects all Nissan Leafs to a network, wirelessly feeding their energy economy statistics to a central server. The “Regional Rankings” system compares the driver’s energy economy to other Leaf drivers in the region, and the winner receives a nifty gold trophy icon on the Carwings dashboard control center. The second, third and fourth place winners can also win a place on the graphical podium, receiving icons depicting gold, silver and bronze medals.

Originally available in Japan, the Carwings connected system uses crowdsourcing to enhance fuel economy, displaying real-time traffic predictions using data compiled from other Carwings users. Similar to GM’s OnStar, the system features a live operator system offering 24-hour driver support.

What a great idea — leveraging social networking to let other drivers know what’s happening ahead. The concept resembles a device that originally pioneered crowdsourced navigation, the Internet-connected Dash Express that was discontinued in 2008 after less than a year on the market. Let’s hope Nissan’s crowdsourced Carwings system doesn’t meet a similar fate.

The Nissan Leaf hit the streets earlier this month, featuring a 100-mile range and a $32,780 list price, about $8,200 cheaper than the Chevy Volt.

Image courtesy My Nissan Leaf Forum

Reviews: Internet

More About: Carwings, crowdsourcing, Electric Car, Fuel Economy, green tech, Nissan Leaf

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10 Predictions for Web Development in 2011

Posted: 27 Dec 2010 11:52 AM PST


As a class, developers have had a fantastic year in 2010.

We’ve made headlines, grabbed the limelight, been vilified and glorified beyond all reason and gotten paid pretty nicely along the way. And the bubble of consumer web apps just continues to swell, so there are no signs (yet) that 2011 will bring anything short of grandeur for the web and mobile development communities.

Looking ahead to what the coming year might hold, there are a few sure bets and a few speculations we’d like to offer. Some are, as noted, almost certainly bound to come true. Others are more along the lines of hopes and prayers than hard-and-fast predictions we’d stake money on.

With that in mind, here are 10 things we think the world of hacking will hold in 2011.

1. There Will Be a Need to Understand and Optimize for All Form Factors

Even the most brainless of “social media gurus” could tell you this one. With the surging popularity and newfound accessibility and affordability of smartphones — thanks in large part to the growth of the Android platform — we’ve had to optimize for the mobile web and learn about mobile applications a lot in the past year in particular.

Now, as tablets begin to creep into the market, we’re having to craft new experiences for those, as well. We’re constantly forced to consider form factor when creating new sites and apps. Will it run Flash? What about screen resolution? Font size?

Almost every developer worth his or her salt will have to become increasingly adept at developing for the myriad form factors set to dominate the gadget market in 2011.

2. There Will Be Breakout, Cross-Platform Mobile Development Tools

With all the mobile growth that’s been occurring, especially given the current state of the iOS/Android market shares, the time has never been riper for a great mobile framework, SDK or IDE to enter the arena.

Hopefully, sometime in 2011, we’ll see a new group of flexible and robust tools that can facilitate app development for any number of operating systems — including tablet-specific or forked OSes. We’re talking more than WYSIWYG, DIY app-builders and more than iPhone-to-Android porting tools; we want to see serious, mobile-centric power tools in 2011.

3. Investment in Cloud-Based, Collaborative Development Tools

We’ve seen some interesting starts in community-based, online coding. There are a few collaborative code editing apps, some of them with real-time capabilities.

We’re looking forward to seeing more and better apps for cloud-based, collaborative coding in 2011 — something like a better Wave, created specifically with hackers in mind. This will allow for better and faster work to be generated by an increasingly decentralized hacker community. It’ll also pave the way for improved on-the-job learning and open-source hacking.

4. WYSIWYG Tools Get Better and Grow

While WYSIWYG tools of the past — and, who are we kidding, the present — often lead to spaghetti code of the ugliest variety, we just keep seeing more and more of them.

We’re going out on a limb and predicting (or hoping) that WYSIWYG and split-screen (WYSIWYG and code) developer tools become more sophisticated. Whether they get better or not, they’re definitely going to continue to proliferate, especially for the novice coder and the DIY non-coder markets. Still, we’re being told the code on the other side of the GUIs is getting better all the time.

Who knows? 2011 could be the year WYSIWYGs stop sucking.

5. We’ll Keep Building “Touchable,” App-like UIs

Facebook Mobile Privacy

All that stuff we said earlier about form factors kind of applies here, too, but in reverse. Your sites will have to look better on mobile devices and tablets, yes; but also, they’ll continue to natively look and feel more like mobile and tablet apps.

Some folks, a couple of Mashable staffers included, aren’t happy about the app-itization of the entire Internet. Call us old-fashioned, but we like our websites to be websites and our mobile apps to be mobile apps.

The average consumer, however, seems to delight in the shiny, touchable, magazine-like interfaces taking over the iPad and similar devices. Expect to be asked to make more and more app-like sites in 2011.

6. There Will Be a Higher Standard for Web and Mobile Security

The past year has been a bit of a horror show when it comes to web security. There have been a handful of high-profile hacks that exposed user data to the world; there was also much confusion on the user’s side of the screen as to how security works on a personal level.

We predict — nay, we dream — that in 2011, developers of consumer-facing apps will be extra careful with things like data encryption, user privacy controls and other security issues.

7. Third-Party App Development Will Plateau

Building a Facebook app or a Twitter app was all the rage in 2009, but something shifted in 2010, right around the time of Twitter’s Chirp developer conference: Developers found out that building on someone else’s platform was a good way to set yourself up for failure, especially when the platform decides to shift direction, change its APIs, acquire a competitor, or simply change its terms of use.

We predict that developing these kinds of apps will plateau and even taper off in 2011. The web is glutted with third-party social media tools; many devs are beginning to realize there’s more money and more interesting challenges elsewhere. In the end, social networks will be more interesting to advertisers large and small than to independent and third-party developers.

8. Ruby Will Get Some Cool Optimizations and Tools

We’ve seen lots of cool tricks and optimization tweaks around Python and PHP; 2011, however, will be the year for better Ruby tools.

The Ruby language is becoming extremely popular in developing consumer-facing web apps, and we’re sure to see some big-name companies release open-source tools and even improvements to the Ruby core — think along the lines of what Facebook did last year with HipHop or Google’s Unladen Swallow project.

9. NoSQL Technologies Will Stake Their Ground

We’ve seen and heard interesting things from the NoSQL corners of the web this year… and by “interesting,” we don’t necessarily mean “good.”

NoSQL technologies have had some high-profile hiccups this year (remember that MongoDB/Foursquare disaster?), but we’ve been assured that what doesn’t kill NoSQL only makes it stronger and more stable.

That being said, we’re not predicting the demise of MySQL any time soon. As one astute Twitter friend wrote, “Relational databases have their place, as do NoSQL solutions. To blindly choose one over the other is shortsighted.”

10. Open-Source Software Will See Unprecedented Growth

Open-sourcing interesting or unused tech is a trend we like to see from companies like Google and Facebook. In fact, we hope to see even more open-source contributions from proprietary software giants in 2011.

It’s not just the big players who are writing great open-source code. We know a lot of web startups are working on internal tools that’ll also be open-sourced in 2011. There are more youngsters (and not-so-youngsters) joining the ranks of hackers every year; many of them are being encouraged by sites like this one to make valuable contributions to the open-source community.

We predict more awesome open-source software than ever in 2011. Will it be a victory by Stallman’s standards? Probably not, as it won’t be exclusive of proprietary software creation, sale and licensing. But the trend toward more FOSS is a good one, and one that we’ll continue to report on in the year to come.

What Are Your Predictions?

In the comments, let us know your predictions for what 2011 may bring to the world of web and mobile development. And if you disagree with our predictions, let us know. They’re only educated guesses, after all; join the conversation.

More Dev & Design Resources from Mashable:

- HOW TO: Make the Most of TextMate
- Hacker Web Design: Words of Wisdom for Building Great Apps
- 5 Better Ways to Read "Hacker News"
- A Beginner's Guide to Integrated Development Environments
- 10 Chrome Web Apps to Check Out

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, loops7

Reviews: Android, Chirp Blu, Facebook, Google, Internet, Mashable, PHP, Python, Twitter, iStockphoto

More About: app development, coding, developers, development, hack, hacking, List, Lists, predictions, predictions-2011, web design, Web Development

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GetGlue Teams Up With CNN & MTV for New Year’s Eve

Posted: 27 Dec 2010 11:42 AM PST


Yearning to check in to Times Square on New Year’s Eve? If you’re at a party or at home, you likely won’t be able to do so via Foursquare (nor will the thousands of 3G-starved bystanders in Times Square, for that matter), but you can still check in to live coverage of the ball drop from your mobile device via GetGlue.

GetGlue, an app that allows users to check in to various sources of entertainment (such as movies, books and wines), is offering virtual stickers to those who check in to New Year’s Eve Live with Anderson Cooper and Kathy Griffin on CNN and/or MTV’s New Year’s Bash with Whitney Cummings and Jersey Shore cast members Pauly D and Snooki, who will be reporting live from the ball drop on New Year’s Eve. Users can earn an additional sticker by checking in to New Year’s Eve Live with Anderson Cooper and Kathy Griffin before 11 p.m. ET on December 31, thereby alerting their friends of the event ahead of time.

While GetGlue has offered stickers and other, more tangible incentives for shows like HBO’s True Blood and USA Network’s Psych, this is one of its first attempts to drive users to tune in to a live event, says GetGlue CEO Alex Iskold. Iskold isn’t sure if CNN or MTV intend to mention their respective GetGlue offerings on air, although both cable stations have promised to promote them via Facebook and Twitter.

As an interesting side note, Snooki will be inside the ball as it drops. You heard me, inside. Lends a certain momentousness to the occasion, doesn’t it?

Disclosure: CNN is a Mashable content partner.

Reviews: Facebook, Mashable, Twitter

More About: cnn, getglue, media, mtv

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New Clue Points to Verizon iPhone’s Imminent Arrival

Posted: 27 Dec 2010 10:47 AM PST


If you’ve been waiting for the iPhone to be available on Verizon, here’s more evidence that your wish might be fulfilled.

Quoting anonymous sources, Digitimes reports that there is a shipment goal of 5 million to 6 million CDMA iPhones to be shipped to North America and Asia Pacific in the first three months of next year. Unlike AT&T’s GSM cellular network, Verizon’s network is CDMA.

Beyond that, there’s plenty more evidence of the impending Verizon iPhone. For example, its imminent arrival gained credibility two months ago when The New York Times and Wall Street Journal reported that an Apple source admitted the company is adapting the iPhone 4 to work with Verizon’s network.

Consumers are on board, too. There’s tremendous pent-up demand for a Verizon version of the iPhone, with one survey showing that nearly half of AT&T iPhone users would consider switching to a Verizon version.

If the Verizon iPhone arrives, it won’t be a moment too soon. There have been numerous complaints about AT&T’s coverage, supported by a Consumer Reports survey showing AT&T running dead last in consumer satisfaction.

In addition to Verizon’s perceived reliability advantage, the company is also further along with its 4G LTE network, promising faster connectivity. Perhaps the new iPhone will have this technology built in. The only possibility that would be a surprise at this point is if Apple doesn’t release an iPhone on Verizon next quarter.

More About: att, DigiTimes, iphone 4, Verizon iPhone

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19 of the Best Infographics From 2010

Posted: 27 Dec 2010 09:58 AM PST

shane snow graphic

Research can sometimes be a bit of a chore, but when knowledge is wrapped up in charts, cartoons, or even some heart-holding robots, suddenly “information” isn’t such a scary word.

What do Facebook’s 500 million users look like? Who’s suing whom in the mobile world? How does FarmVille stack up against actual farms? These questions and more are answered in the infographics below.

Have a look through the list and let us know which graphics you liked best (or learned the most from) in the comments below.

shane snow social good

Reviews: Facebook, Twitter

More About: infographic, List, Lists, roundup, social media, trending

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Top 100 BitTorrent Searches of 2010 Revealed

Posted: 27 Dec 2010 09:36 AM PST


Here’s an efficient way to put your finger on the pulse of the movie-watching and software-using public: Check out the top 100 search terms for 2010 on BitTorrent.

While there are lots of torrent tracking sites, Kickass Torrents is one of the biggest, and it’s revealed its most popular search terms of the year to file-sharing news site TorrentFreak, giving us a nonscientific glimpse into the data people sought most.

While the year’s not over yet — the movie Tron: Legacy tops this week’s top searches — the big winner for the year (or loser in the eyes of its creators at Warner Bros.) is that mind-bending action flick Inception, which was also 2010’s top user-rated pick on iMDb, followed by Iron Man 2, the term “2010,” and predictably, XXX is in the fourth spot. Looking down the list, the top-searched TV show was Glee, followed by Dexter, True Blood, and House.

Let’s dive into the list itself — take a peek into the zeitgeist of the non-movie-buying public:

BitTorrent Zeitgeist 2010
1. Inception
2. Iron Man 2
3. 2010
4. XXX
5. french
6. Avatar
7. dvdrip
8. Despicable Me
9. porn
10. Clash of the Titans
11. Toy Story 3
12. Glee
13. Salt
14. Twilight Eclipse
15. Dexter
16. The Sorcerer’s Apprentice
17. Axxo
18. Robin Hood
19. Prince of Persia
20. Windows 7
21. Get Him to the Greek
22. Predators 2010
23. The Last Airbender
24. Shutter Island
25. Knight and Day
26. The Expendables
27. Takers
28. Dinner for Schmucks
29. Unstoppable
30. The Book of Eli
31. Grown Ups
32. True Blood
33. Alice in Wonderland
34. movies
35. Shrek Forever after
36. Supernatural
37. Hindi
38. House
39. Devil
40. Step up Third
41. Megamind
42. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
43. Skyline
44. Green Zone
45. Naughty America
46. Iron Man 2
47. Eminem
48. Predators
49. Lost
50. The Town
51. Date Night
52. The Wolfman
53. Smallville
54. The Last Song
55. Torrents
56. How to Train Your Dragon
57. Fringe
58. Dear John
59. Toy Story 3
60. Red
61. The Social Network
62. Weeds
63. Noir
64. Telugu
65. PC Games
66. Vampire Diaries
67. The Town
68. 2012
69. Twilight
70. Cop out
71. Tamil
72. Sex and the City 2
73. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1
74. Remember Me
75. The Walking Dead
76. Eclipse
77. Due Date
78. Book of Eli
79. fxg
80. True Blood
81. Avatar the Last Airbender
82. Grown Ups
83. Ironman Two
84. Entourage
85. Sherlock Holmes
86. How I Met Your Mother
87. sex
88. Microsoft Office 2010
89. Spartacus
90. The Pacific
91. Karate Kid
92. The Other Guys
93. Call of Duty Black Ops
94. Despicable Me
95. Chuck
96. Ita
97. Resident Evil
98. Wii
99. Due Date
100. Hot Tub Time Machine

Source: TorrentFreak

Reviews: Alice, Eclipse, Kickass Torrents, SEX, Windows, harry potter, twilight

More About: 2010, bittorrent, downloads, inception, Iron Man 2, Most-pirated movies, top search terms

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Carl’s Jr. Launches Location-Based Rewards Program

Posted: 27 Dec 2010 09:18 AM PST


Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s are targeting consumers who got new phones for Christmas with a proprietary program that lets them earn rewards for checking in at the fast food restaurants.

Happy Star Rewards, an app available for the iPhone and Android platforms, includes GPS-driven checkins, social media interfaces, a restaurant locator and rewards. The first and fourth checkin at the restaurant gives a user the chance to take a spin on The Wheel of Awesome, an app on both restaurants’ Facebook Pages. When you spin the app with your finger, you get the chance to win discounted and free menu items, branded gift cards and other merchandise, including tickets to the film The Green Hornet. The more users check in using the app, the higher value the offers they’ll get on the Wheel of Awesome.

Citing fraud-protection and efficiency, Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s opted not to go with Foursquare, Gowalla or Facebook Places and instead created their own location-based app, which meant that agency 72andSunny had to outfit 3,000 stores with point-of-sales software. “If they’re successful, this will be a pretty important development,” says Erik Thoresen, director of research for fast food consulting firm Technomic. “It opens up opportunities for chains to do their own [location-based media] development.”

The sibling chains claim this is the first location-based rewards program in the fast food industry, but McDonald’s worked with Foursquare in September on a program that randomly rewarded $5 and $10 gift cards to diners. That program resulted in a 33% increase in checkins, according to McDonald’s.

Reviews: Android, Gowalla, foursquare

More About: advertising, carls jr, foursquare, gowalla, MARKETING

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Aaron Carter, Charlie Sheen Alive and Well After Twitter Hoaxes

Posted: 27 Dec 2010 08:39 AM PST


The Twitter rumor mill seems to have been working overtime this holiday weekend, spreading false news of both Aaron Carter and Charlie Sheen’s deaths.

Rumors about Carter’s death apparently started on Thursday evening. #RIPaaroncarter was trending on Twitter before Carter himself put the rumors to the end with a tweet: “This is the real Aaron Carter I know there’s a Hoax Going Around, But I’m Here, Alive & Well.”

The Twitterverse has since been speculating that the rumors were started by Justin Bieber fans to signify Bieber’s replacement of Carter as a teenage pop icon, thus the founding of #RIPBELIEBERS. Given Twitter’s track record of accuracy, we’re hauling in a truckload of salt to take with that one.

Charlie Sheen left straightening out news about his own death to his ex-wife Denise Richards, who tweeted on Sunday that “The rumor about Charlie Sheen is not true. He is alive and on his way over to see his daughters.”

After years of celebs like Britney Spears and Jeff Goldblum “dying” on Twitter before their times, the real miracle is that somehow people still manage to take the Twitter obituaries seriously.

Reviews: Twitter, justin bieber

More About: aaron carter, charlie sheen, Death by Twitter, Death hoax

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“Gift a Stranger” Promotes Anonymous Gift Giving

Posted: 27 Dec 2010 08:31 AM PST

The gift giving doesn’t have to stop just because Christmas is technically over. Communications agency Happiness Brussels has come up with a fun way to — in its words — “spread a little bit of happiness in the world.” It’s called Gift a Stranger and it fills us with post-holiday cheer.

Using Google Maps, the site lets you find strangers from around the world that you can send a special gift to. Enter in your first name, your city and country, and a description and photo of your gift, and the website offers up an address where you can address your boxful of happiness to a stranger.

Frankly, the world needs more of this sort of anonymous random gifting. What do you think about gifting strangers?

More About: gift a stranger, gifting, Google Maps, happiness brussels

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iPad Guide: 25+ Essential Resources for Your Apple Tablet

Posted: 27 Dec 2010 07:54 AM PST


After its late April debut on shop shelves, the iPad has had a great year. It proved popular as a digital publishing platform, enjoyed sales in the millions and has hosted a ton of top, device-specific apps.

If you grabbed an iPad earlier this year, or if you got one over the holidays, then we’ve got a treat for you with a roundup of more than 25 iPad-related resources.

From ace accessories to amazing apps, see below for a ginormous list of all the iPad posts we’ve published on Mashable during 2010.

Oh, and be sure to check back in the New Year as we’ll be continuing our run of iPad news, articles, how-tos and resources throughout 2011.

iPad Basics

Here’s what to do as soon as you’ve unboxed your shiny new iPad from its shiny new Apple packaging.

iPad Accessories

Sometimes accessories can make all the difference. We’ve taken a look at quite a few over the past year. Read on for our top picks.

iPad Apps

Like the iPhone, the iPad is all about the apps. From books to cooks, here’s a selection we tried and tested in 2010.

iPad Games

The iPad’s large screen makes it an engaging gaming platform. These are some of the games we played this year.

iPad Fun

Over the last year we’ve taken some time out to look at the lighter side of the iPad.

iPad Miscellany

Finally, here are some off-beat iPad resources that range from wallpapers to The Wall Street Journal.

Reviews: Mashable, iPhone

More About: apple, Apple iPad, ipad, ipad accessories, ipad apps, List, Lists

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GM’s New Social Media Marketing Agency Is Staffing Up

Posted: 27 Dec 2010 07:31 AM PST


Big Fuel, the New York-based agency that handles all of General Motors’ social media marketing, is opening a Detroit office to service the account and is on a hiring binge.

Avi Savar, the CEO and founder of Big Fuel (pictured), said he has about 15 people on the ground in Detroit right now and is looking to double that number by March. The agency has another 80 people in New York and handles other clients including McDonald’s, Neutrogena and Colgate-Palmolive’s Wisp toothbrush. Savar said he hopes to have a staff of more than 200 by the end of 2011.

Big Fuel was brought on about three months ago. Previously, the agency had been gearing up to work with Hyundai, but when Hyundai’s lead marketer Joel Ewanick moved over to GM (after a short stint at Nissan), Ewanick persuaded Big Fuel to come over. The agency hasn’t executed any campaigns on behalf of GM yet, but Savar said a few are set to launch in January. This includes one for the Chevrolet Cruze called “Cruze-arati” that gives Cruzes to people who have big followings on social media.

GM’s social media marketing had previously been handled in house by, among others, Chris Barger and Mary Henige. The two were behind a program back in March in which eight teams of drivers/bloggers attended South By Southwest on GM’s behalf. Henige says she’ll work with Big Fuel. “They’ve been retained by marketing so you’ll see more brand focused social marketing campaigns, which is good,” she says. “We’ll work with them, continue to lead GM’s brand efforts and maintain and increase the relationships we’ve built.”

GM’s social media marketing, however, has often been overshadowed by rival Ford, whose Scott Monty has more than 48,000 followers on Twitter. Ford also made a splash this summer when it introduced the Ford Explorer on Facebook and, in November, began circulating videos featuring celebrities like Snoop Dogg and Bret Michaels responding to consumers’ questions about the model.

Disclosure: Ford is a sponsor of the Mashable Awards.

More About: advertising, Big Fuel, GM, MARKETING, social media

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Kindle 3 Is the Best-Selling Product in Amazon History

Posted: 27 Dec 2010 07:10 AM PST


The third-generation Kindle is the best-selling product in Amazon’s history, the company has announced. To grab the top spot, Kindle 3 has surpassed Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos made a couple of statements about the new Kindle, emphasizing the product’s low price point as the key to its success and downplaying tablets as competition.

“We’re seeing that many of the people who are buying Kindles also own an LCD tablet. Customers report using their LCD tablets for games, movies, and web browsing and their Kindles for reading sessions,” Bezos said.

In August, Amazon also said the Kindle 3 is the fastest-selling Kindle ever, and this latest milestone shows that the iPad and other tablets haven’t hurt Kindle’s sales. Next year, however, we can expect to see more tablets at different price points; it’ll be interesting to see whether Kindle sales will remain as strong as they are now.

More About: amazon, e-reader, Kindle

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The 3 Biggest Stories in Social Media and Tech This Morning

Posted: 27 Dec 2010 06:59 AM PST

Social Media News

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

Julian Assange to Receive $1.3 Million for Autobiography

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has agreed to write an autobiography, which should net him around $1.3 million from publishers Alfred A. Knopf, a unit of Random House (U.S.), and Canongate Books Ltd (UK).

Kindle 3 Breaks Amazon’s Selling Records

Amazon announced Monday morning that the third-generation Kindle is now the bestselling product in its history, eclipsing the seventh installment in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Twitter Falsely Reports Deaths of Entertainment Celebrities

The Twitterverse was abuzz over the holiday weekend with rumors about the deaths of singer Aaron Carter and actor Charlie Sheen, both of which proved to be false.

Further News

  • Sizhao "Zao" Yang, one of the creators of Facebook gaming sensation FarmVille, has left parent company Zynga to launch his own startup.

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, DNY59

Reviews: Facebook, Wikileaks, harry potter, iStockphoto

More About: aaron carter, charlie sheen, julian assange, kindle 3, twitter, wikileaks

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