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A battle of the sexes on cleanliness and hygiene [infographic]
Holy Kaw!9 Feb 2012 | 9:26 am -
Texts Now Popular Ammo for Divorce Battles [VIDEO]
Mashable!9 Feb 2012 | 9:39 amNew technological and social media tools have a way of messing up relationships — and they can also be used for evidence when those relationships fail and end up in divorce court. A study of divorce attorneys released this week shows an increase in smartphones being used as evidence. Ninety-two percent of the attorneys surveyed in the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers study said they’ve seen an increase in the past few years in the number of cases that use evidence from smartphones; 94% said they’ve seen a rise in the use of texts as evidence in the past three years. -
The Google Wallet Hack Is Not The End Of The World (Or Even NFC) As We Know It
Fast Company9 Feb 2012 | 9:32 amStay calm and carry on, people: It's way too soon to say that NFC should stand for Now Fatally Corrupted. Yes, Google's breakthrough NFC payments app Wallet is being mentioned all over the news thanks to a flaw--it's vulnerable to a hack that gives nefarious types access to your secure PIN number. But don't believe any doomsayers or fearmongering that you may encounter on this matter; it's not as evil as it seems and, believe it or not, it's actually a sign that the future of wireless mobile payments is probably more secure than your current credit card. As reported over at the blog of… -
Raising Money: What Not to Say and What Not to Believe #OfficeandGuyK
How to Change the World20 Jan 2012 | 12:46 pmOver the past two weeks via my partnership with Microsoft and Office Web Apps, I’ve provided templates of models for you to create enchanting PowerPoint pitches, Word business plans, and Excel financial models. They are all available for you to download from my SkyDrive account. I hope these documents and blog posts help you save a boatload of time and increase the quality of your efforts.I leave you with two sets of top ten lies: one of entrepreneurs and one of investors so that you know what not to say and what not to believe. Top Ten Lies of Entrepreneurs “Our projections are… -
Kodak Shutters Digital Camera Business In Favor Of Licensing, Photo Printing
TechCrunch9 Feb 2012 | 9:47 amConsider today the end of an era for one of the most iconic brands in the imaging industry. While their bankruptcy protection filing from last month signaled the need for some drastic action, it’s still a bit of a shock to see Kodak announce that they are putting all of their digital cameras, camcorders, and picture frames out to pasture. When all is said and done, Kodak expects annual operating savings of around $100 million, but the bigger loss is going to be that of a cultural icon. Kodak will still exist, sure, but primarily as a purveyor of desktop printers as well as online and retail…
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Holy Kaw!
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A battle of the sexes on cleanliness and hygiene [infographic]
9 Feb 2012 | 9:26 amVia Keeping It Kleen. Clean dating. Permalink | Leave a comment » -
Coffee-themed bike racks
9 Feb 2012 | 9:13 amJava junkies that commute via bicycle get their coffee experience started before even walking in the door of Filter Coffeehouse & Espresso Bar in Washington, D.C. The quirky joe shop recently installed bike racks shaped like a giant coffee mug and French press. The Washington Area Bicycle Association teamed up with the BikeBrand Your Biz campaign to set up the bike racks that not only accommodate the shop's many bikers, but also are wonderful branding for anyone strolling by. Via Laughing Squid. Coffee and biking make for a good morning. Permalink | Leave a comment » -
America's bacon obsession: 10 bacon-inspired products
9 Feb 2012 | 9:07 amHow much do we love our cured meats? A whole lot: On average, every American eats 18 pounds of bacon per year. Now, that salty meat obsession is reaching a new level. A look at the bacon craze sweeping the States, from the relatively tame bacon shake to the 'wait, what?' bacon lube: View slideshow at The Week. Photo: CC by kimtaro All the top stories from The Week. Permalink | Leave a comment » -
The content marketing explosion [infographic]
9 Feb 2012 | 6:44 amVia Blue Glass Interactive. Marketing infographics. Permalink | Leave a comment » -
8 historical figures who ate disgusting things
9 Feb 2012 | 1:26 amBefore you read this article, you may have thought your dog had the grossest eating habits ever. But Fido's penchant for poo is nothing compared to some of these sickos highlighted in Cracked. For example, Victorian scientist William Buckland: He didn't just stop at the meat of animals, either. While on a visit to St. Paul's Cathedral, a strange mark was found on the floor. A debate broke out as to what the stain could possibly be, at which point Buckland got on his hands and knees, licked the stain and confidently announced it to be bat piss. But the craziest thing Buckland ever did, at…
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Mashable!
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Texts Now Popular Ammo for Divorce Battles [VIDEO]
9 Feb 2012 | 9:39 amNew technological and social media tools have a way of messing up relationships — and they can also be used for evidence when those relationships fail and end up in divorce court. A study of divorce attorneys released this week shows an increase in smartphones being used as evidence. Ninety-two percent of the attorneys surveyed in the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers study said they’ve seen an increase in the past few years in the number of cases that use evidence from smartphones; 94% said they’ve seen a rise in the use of texts as evidence in the past three years. -
Photo Finish: Kodak to Stop Selling Digital Cameras
9 Feb 2012 | 9:28 amIn a cost-cutting move and a signal of the company’s poor financial situation, Eastman Kodak on Thursday announced it plans to stop selling digital cameras. The company, which filed for bankruptcy protection last month, will instead focus on online and retail-based photo printing as well as desktop inkjet printing. Kodak plans to phase out all digital camera sales within the first half of this year. The move is expected to save Kodak $100 million. Kodak expects to incur charges of $30 million for exiting the business. “For some time, Kodak’s strategy has been to improve margins in… -
iPhone, Meet Laser Blaster. Is This 2012′s Hottest Toy?
9 Feb 2012 | 9:17 amiPhones aren’t cool. You know what’s cool? Shooting your friends with your iPhone, mounted into a laser blaster. A couple of phone-based friend-blasting systems have crossed our radar this week — one for iPhone, one for any smartphone. First came news that Hasbro is updating Lazer Tag (remember that?) for the app-obsessed 21st century. Its 2012 edition guns, hitting toy store shelves this August for $40 per blaster, include a slot for your iPhone or iPod Touch. Using a free Lazer Tag app and the phone’s built-in camera, the set-up will keep track of who shot whom and… -
3 Ways to Optimize Search on Your Ecommerce Site
9 Feb 2012 | 9:01 amThe Future of Search Series is supported by SES New York, the leading search, social and display conference. From March 19 to 23, get five days of education, inspiration and conversations with marketing experts from the digital space. Register with MASH20 to save 20%. More people are flocking online to get their shopping done these days. But, an online shopper doesn’t necessarily equal genius website navigator. Your need to ensure that your business website’s search tools are simple and intuitive for those who are less technologically inclined — or risk losing customers. -
Twitter to Get First Look at Several New York Fashion Week Collections
9 Feb 2012 | 8:35 amIt worked for Burberry, so why couldn’t it work for us? So seems to be the thought process of several prominent U.S. fashion labels during New York Fashion Week, all of which are planning their own takes on the “Tweetwalk” Burberry debuted at its womenswear show in September 2011. The London-based fashion house made headlines when it posted photos of every look from its Spring/Summer 2012 collection on Twitter seconds before they appeared on the catwalk. The initiative generated a huge amount of interest on Twitter — so much so that both “#Burberry” and “Christopher…
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Fast Company
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The Google Wallet Hack Is Not The End Of The World (Or Even NFC) As We Know It
9 Feb 2012 | 9:32 amStay calm and carry on, people: It's way too soon to say that NFC should stand for Now Fatally Corrupted. Yes, Google's breakthrough NFC payments app Wallet is being mentioned all over the news thanks to a flaw--it's vulnerable to a hack that gives nefarious types access to your secure PIN number. But don't believe any doomsayers or fearmongering that you may encounter on this matter; it's not as evil as it seems and, believe it or not, it's actually a sign that the future of wireless mobile payments is probably more secure than your current credit card. As reported over at the blog of… -
Inside INTERPOL's New Cybercrime Innovation Center
9 Feb 2012 | 9:09 amINTERPOL, the international policing agency, is opening a massive innovation center in Singapore in 2014. At the center, law enforcement will learn all about the latest cybercrimes... and have access to cutting-edge forensics laboratories and research stations.INTERPOL, the international policing organization, is building a law enforcement tech geek heaven in Singapore. The INTERPOL Global Complex for Innovation will function as a R&D lab, training facility, and forensics lab for all things cybercrime. Slated to open in 2014, the Global Complex for Innovation (IGCI) will be part of the… -
5 Ways To Put The "Pro" In Profile Pics
9 Feb 2012 | 8:29 amYour profile photo is an important part of your online image, so if you still have an egg as your Twitter avatar or a blue-and-white silhouette for your Facebook page, it's time to step things up. (Hint: This photo is a "don't.")If you still have an egg as your Twitter avatar, it's time to step things up. Your profile photo is an important part of your online image. Not only is this pic the first thing people see when they look you up on the web, whether you're using Facebook, LinkedIn, or Google+, this image is now regularly transported into people's in-boxes and pulled onto their phones as… -
Apple May Sell iPads To Air Force, Groupon Reports Surprise Q4 Loss, Foxconn Servers Hacked
9 Feb 2012 | 8:17 amBreaking news from your editors at Fast Company, with updates all day.Rumor: iPad 3 Announcement In March. The latest buzz on the iPad 3, this time from AllThingsD, is that the new device will be unveiled at an early March event. Sources, per usual, are anonymous, but their tips confirm what's already expected of the device--a faster chip, Retina Display, and better graphics. --NS--Updated 9:15 a.m. ESTApple May Sell iPads To Air Force. The Air Force is on the lookout for about 18,000 new tablets, and chances are the iPad--the only device mentioned on their recently spotted notice--may fit… -
Fast Talk: How This Bartender Is Rebooting The Condom
9 Feb 2012 | 7:05 amMeet Richard Pessall, a 20-year-old British entrepreneur who wants to take the condom where no man has gone before (no, not space.)Richard Pessall, 20, lives and works as bartender in Shropshire, England. He spent nine years living in the United States, but when he ran out of money to pay for college in North Carolina, he was unable to renew his visa and was forced to return to the UK. He’s decided to make his fortune before attempting to return stateside. His big idea? Reboot the condom. Forplay, the condom company he's been bootstrapping with his barman’s earnings, has grown to a staff…
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How to Change the World
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Raising Money: What Not to Say and What Not to Believe #OfficeandGuyK
20 Jan 2012 | 12:46 pmOver the past two weeks via my partnership with Microsoft and Office Web Apps, I’ve provided templates of models for you to create enchanting PowerPoint pitches, Word business plans, and Excel financial models. They are all available for you to download from my SkyDrive account. I hope these documents and blog posts help you save a boatload of time and increase the quality of your efforts.I leave you with two sets of top ten lies: one of entrepreneurs and one of investors so that you know what not to say and what not to believe. Top Ten Lies of Entrepreneurs “Our projections are… -
Design a Sam Adams beer
20 Jan 2012 | 10:24 amNow this is a fun project. I’m helping Sam Adams “tap” the knowledge of beer drinkers and crowd source its next brew. Join the party by getting the app and designing your beer: The final brew will be released in Austin in the first week of March. #sponsored -
How to Create an Enchanting Financial Forecast #OfficeandGuyK
17 Jan 2012 | 3:52 pmThis is the third post in my Microsoft partnership, and it’s all about numbers. The topic is crafting your financial forecast to include in your pitch. Bill Reichert, my partner at Garage Technology Ventures, created an Excel model and wrote this blog post. There’s a lesson in this too: Get the best person for the job. His grasp of financial models and how to present them exceeds mine by two orders of magnitude. The Purpose of Financial Projections When it comes to financial projections, there are two types of entrepreneurs: first, the “visionary entrepreneur” who… -
How to Create an Enchanting Business Plan #OfficeandGuyK
12 Jan 2012 | 10:16 amHere is the second post in my series about planning, pitching, and launching a new business venture. In partnership with Microsoft and Office Web Apps, I’ve created a Word document that outlines a good business plan. It’s saved to my SkyDrive folder here. Feel free to download it and use it as inspiration. And if you’re working with a partner, you can use the free Word Web App to stay in sync. I provided the PowerPoint document before the Word document because a good business plan is an elaboration of a good pitch as opposed to a good pitch being a distillation of good business plan. -
How to Create an Enchanting Pitch #OfficeandGuyK
9 Jan 2012 | 10:01 amWelcome to the first in a series of blog posts I’ll be doing as part of a partnership with Microsoft and Office Web Apps. Over the next two weeks, I’ll cover everything a budding entrepreneur needs to turn an idea into an enchanting investment opportunity—from the perfect pitch to a killer business plan to financial forecasts. I’m going to start with a little dissertation on creating effective PowerPoint pitches for your company. I embedded the sample deck for you to click through by using the PowerPoint Web App. When you’re ready to get started, you can download the…
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TechCrunch
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Kodak Shutters Digital Camera Business In Favor Of Licensing, Photo Printing
9 Feb 2012 | 9:47 amConsider today the end of an era for one of the most iconic brands in the imaging industry. While their bankruptcy protection filing from last month signaled the need for some drastic action, it’s still a bit of a shock to see Kodak announce that they are putting all of their digital cameras, camcorders, and picture frames out to pasture. When all is said and done, Kodak expects annual operating savings of around $100 million, but the bigger loss is going to be that of a cultural icon. Kodak will still exist, sure, but primarily as a purveyor of desktop printers as well as online and retail… -
Shopzilla Founder Launches Cheers: The “Like Button” For The World Around You
9 Feb 2012 | 9:40 amThe “toast” is an age-old, time-honored tradition, where we raise a glass to pay tribute to — and express our goodwill towards — friends, loved ones, and sometimes even our fellow man. They are even known to be meaningfully punctuated with by a good drinking song or two. And now, thanks to BizRate.com and Shopzilla Founder Farhad Mohit, there is, as they say, an app for that expression of goodwill. Yes, “cheers” is no longer simply a word that accompanies toasts — or the place where everyone knows your name — it’s also the… -
Nielsen: Cord Cutting And Internet TV Viewing On The Rise
9 Feb 2012 | 9:24 amAccording to a new report from Nielsen, the number of U.S. homes that have broadband Internet, but only free, broadcast TV, is on the rise. Although representing less than 5% of TV households, the number has grown 22.8% over the past year. In addition, the behaviors within these homes are unique. These broadband/broadcast-only households stream video twice as much as the general population, says Nielsen, and they watch half as much TV. Nielsen hesitates to dump all these households in the “cord cutters” bucket, though, saying that while perhaps some are cord cutters (the term that… -
Protesters March Toward Apple Stores On The Heels Of A Foxconn Hack
9 Feb 2012 | 9:09 amIt would seem that representatives from Change.org and SumOfUs.org have organized a global protest against Apple’s use of Foxconn and other Chinese manufacturing plants to build the iPhone and iPad. This comes on the heels of a New York Times series exposing harsh working conditions in said plants. 250,000 people have signed petitions calling for a “worker protection strategy”, which will today be delivered to Apple stores in a number of major cities, including New York. We’ve known about the harsh conditions at Foxconn since well before the NYT series. The media… -
Appcelerator Acquires Mobile Cloud Services Startup Cocoafish
9 Feb 2012 | 8:58 amAppcelerator, the company behind the popular Titanium app-building platform, is announcing its third acquisition today. The company is buying Cocoafish, a mobile app infrastructure provider that lets developers add various features to apps including messaging capabilities, push notifications, photo uploads, checkins and other social features, storage, discussion forums and more. Although the name implies an iOS affiliation, Cocoafish is actually a cross-platform backend service provider supporting iOS, Android, and even Flash and Ruby. Starting in Q2 2012, the features Cocoafish previously…
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Seth's Blog
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Inaccurate labels and why we need them (and need to improve them)
9 Feb 2012 | 4:46 amIf I tell you, "I'm going to the baseball game," it seems as though you're likely to understand what I mean. Of course, you won't. When George Will goes to a baseball game, it's a religious experience. Me, I don't even like baseball. Or maybe it's my nephew's ball game (the playoffs), or maybe going to the game causes me to miss an important event, and on and on. We label the experience with just two words, and two words can't possibly capture the emotions and circumstance surrounding an event. The same thing is true with brands. If I tell you that a new business was funded by USV, that might… -
How do they know you're not a flake?
8 Feb 2012 | 4:43 amBefore your link gets clicked or your proposal gets read, a busy person is going to triage it to find out if it's even worth glancing at. Since everyone is now connected, the new permeability has created a deluge of noise, and just about everyone worth contacting is taking defensive measures. Do I know this person? Did someone I trust send them over? Where does she work? (Ideo? the FDA? The New York Times?) Has she won an award? Is she famous? Are there typos and is the design sloppy? Are they pestering me? Do I already follow this person online? Does music play when I visit the website? Will… -
Horizontal marketing isn't a new idea
7 Feb 2012 | 4:09 amBut it is the new reality for just about every organization. Vertical marketing means the marketer (the one with money) is in charge. Vertical marketing starts at the top and involves running ads, sending out direct mail and pushing hype through the media. Your money, your plans, your control. It might not work, but generally the worst outcome is that you will be ignored and need to spend more money. Horizonal marketing, on the other hand, means creating a remarkable product and story and setting it up to spread from person to person. It's out of your control, because all the interactions are… -
Who is your customer?
6 Feb 2012 | 4:26 amRule one: You can build a business on the foundation of great customer service. Rule two: The only way to do great customer service is to treat different customers differently. The question: Who is your customer? It's not obvious. Zappos is a classic customer service company, and their customer is the person who buys the shoes. Nike, on the other hand, doesn't care very much at all about the people who buy the shoes, or even the retailers. They care about the athletes (often famous) that wear the shoes, sometimes for money. They name buildings after these athletes, court them, erect… -
In search of a timid trapeze artist
5 Feb 2012 | 4:01 amGood luck with that, there aren't any. If you hesitate when leaping from rope to another, you're not going to last very long. And this is at the heart of what makes innovation work in organizations, why industries die, and how painful it is to try to maintain the status quo while also participating in a revolution. Gather up as much speed as you can, find a path and let go. You can't get to the next rope if you're still holding on to this one.
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NYT > Home Page
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Breakthrough on Austerity Clears Way for Greek Deal
9 Feb 2012 | 9:34 amAfter days of talks, Greek political leaders reached a deal Thursday to support a package of harsh austerity measures demanded by Greece’s financial backers in return for a bailout. -
For Recently Divorced Men, a New Breed of Decorators
9 Feb 2012 | 9:30 amFor recently divorced men, a new breed of decorators offers help navigating a strange new world. -
U.S. and Israel Split Over How to Deter Iran
9 Feb 2012 | 9:29 amAn intense debate has erupted over when Tehran’s nuclear facilities will become invulnerable to an Israeli attack, and if economic sanctions need more time to work. -
Kodak to Stop Making Digital Cameras to Cut Costs
9 Feb 2012 | 9:25 amEastman Kodak, the inventor of the hand-held camera, plans to stop making digital cameras, pocket video cameras and digital picture frames in the first half of 2012 in an effort to cut costs. -
Settlement Worth $26 Billion Reached for Homeowners
9 Feb 2012 | 9:23 amNearly two million Americans could benefit from mortgage relief from the nation’s biggest banks, as part of a broad government settlement announced on Thursday.
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Wired Top Stories
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Bitly Fights for Social Analytics With Weapons-Grade Math
9 Feb 2012 | 5:30 amBitly is just one of many tools that are trying to make sense of people's behavior on social networking services -- and put this information to use inside marketing departments. Like Bitly, the Vancouver, Canada-based HootSuite offers a "social dashboard" that seeks to analyze the performance not only of shortened links, but other media. Big names like IBM and Salesforce.com offer social analytics tools. And Google has gotten into the game with its acquisition of another Canadian outfit, PostRank. -
Feb. 9, 1870: Feds Get on Top of the Weather
9 Feb 2012 | 5:30 amPresident Ulysses S. Grant signs a bill creating what we now call the National Weather Service. Forecasting models were simple but generally effective. -
Up Your Game With Banned Sports Gear
9 Feb 2012 | 5:30 amThese athletic aids — from bats to balls to hockey sticks — aren?t approved for official play, but they can give you the unfair advantage you deserve. -
Amphibious Network Lets Marines Share Data From 250 Miles Away
9 Feb 2012 | 5:30 amThe Marines think they have their data network of the future, an experimental communications system that can keep jarheads linked to sea bases 250 miles away. If it works, it'll be a big win for a Navy/Marine plan to take U.S. troops off of land bases where the locals don't want them. And it got its first test this week off the Atlantic coast during a massive wargame. -
Goodbye Magic Bullet: Hello, Highly Resistant Gonorrhea
9 Feb 2012 | 5:00 amPhysicians have announced that the sexually transmitted disease gonorrhea threatens to become untreatable, thanks to the acquisition of antibiotic resistance. Superbug blogger Maryn McKenna reports.
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@ProBlogger
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6 Powerful Guest Post Tactics that No One’s Talking About
9 Feb 2012 | 8:05 amThis guest post is by Tom Ewer of Leaving Work Behind. Guest posting is a hot topic amongst startup bloggers. It is one of the most widely-adopted blog promotion strategies in existence, and has been made perhaps even more popular by the success of “serial” guest posters such as Danny Iny of Firepole Marketing. His “blitzkrieg” strategy may come across to some as a triumph of quantity over strategy, but nothing could be further from the truth. He understands the key concepts that we will be exploring in this post, and executes them in a highly effective manner. Whilst… -
How to Succinctly Report a Blog Issue to Tech Support
8 Feb 2012 | 8:07 amThis guest post is by Matthew Setter of Malt Blue. How often do you find it happening to you? You discover an issue with your site, or one of your community members emails you to tell you about it, and soon you start to see tweets about it too. Maybe it’s as simple as an error message that detracts from the professional appearance of your site. Perhaps the contact form doesn’t send messages to your contact email address. Or is it that the whole site just displays as a blank page, otherwise known as the white page of death? You’re not a programmer, a software engineer or a seasoned… -
Make Your Blog Load Faster than ProBlogger: Part 2
7 Feb 2012 | 2:05 pmThis guest post is by Devesh of WP Kube. A few months ago, I wrote a guest post here called How to Make Your Blog Load Faster than ProBlogger. Today, I’ll go into some more detailed advice to help you speed up your site even more. If you’re a blogger, you already know about the importance of blog loading speed, and the role it plays in search engine rank and marketing your blog. But if this is new territory for you, here are three quick reasons why you need to speed up your blog: Google includes website loading speed as an important metric in their ranking algorithm. If you want… -
How I Beat my Best Month Ever by Doing Something Good, Better [Case Study]
7 Feb 2012 | 8:04 amMid-December 2010: on my photography site, we launched a new campaign—our first ever 12 Days of Christmas promotion. The result was my biggest month of earnings ever up to that point. The idea was simple: offer discounts on 12 products over the 12 days leading up to Christmas. I used a mix of my own ebooks and products from other photography sites with affiliate commissions. The result was massive. Not only did we see some great revenue generated, it created some lovely buzz on the site. Due to the success of the 2010 campaign, in mid-December 2011 we launched our second 12 Days of… -
Six Steps to Make Sure Your Site Is Ready to Go Viral
6 Feb 2012 | 8:00 amThis guest post is by Nancy Sathre-Vogel of Family on Bikes. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Surely Google Analytics was confusing my site with another, way more popular site. There was no way my visitor numbers could be so high! And yet they were. One of my posts had taken off and was spreading like wildfire. Those viral post phenomena that happen to others were now happening to me. The first day, 17,000 visitors came to my website. The next day we topped out at 56,000. Readers were coming in droves. It was exciting. It was exhilarating. My site, viral! Wow! And then I took a…
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Entrepreneur Update
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Four Questions to Ask Before Setting a Price
9 Feb 2012 | 7:03 amBefore you figure out your pricing, figure out your business. -
Three Ways to Extend the Battery Life of Smartphones and Tablets
9 Feb 2012 | 6:00 amConsider these options for extending the battery life of your mobile devices. -
Fashion Mogul Christopher Burch Talks Business
9 Feb 2012 | 4:00 amAs Fashion Week kicks off, we sat down with the man behind brands like Tory Burch and Monika Chiang to find out what it takes to make it in the business. -
Seven Ways to Kill Your Meetings and Unleash Productivity
8 Feb 2012 | 2:08 pmDespite studies showing that meetings are a colossal waste of time, they remain common. Here's how to collaborate while cutting back on meetings. -
The Danger of Being Franchisee No. 1
8 Feb 2012 | 12:00 pmSure, it's a thrill to get in on the ground floor of a hot new concept. But it's risky to invest in an unproven business model. Here are questions to ask.
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Lifehacker
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Approximate the Weight of Any Item Using a Clothes Hanger [Macgyver Tips]
9 Feb 2012 | 9:30 amMore » -
Make Frozen Dough Rise Quickly with an Electric Heating Pad [Food Hacks]
9 Feb 2012 | 9:00 amMore » -
Boost Your Working Memory to Make Time Fly [Mind Hacks]
9 Feb 2012 | 8:30 amMore » -
Waze for iPhone Offers Voice Control for Hands-Free Operation While Driving [Video]
9 Feb 2012 | 8:00 amiPhone: Waze, our favorite turn-by-turn navigation app for iPhone (and Android) just added a great new feature: hands-free operation. Now you can control Waze with a wave of your hand and the power of your voice. More » -
ContactPrivacy Alerts You When Apps Access Contact Information [Privacy]
9 Feb 2012 | 7:30 amMore »
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MacRumors: Mac News and Rumors
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Steve Jobs' 1991 FBI File Released, Reveals Consideration for Presidential Appointment
9 Feb 2012 | 9:33 amAs noted by Gawker, the FBI has just released a 1991 background check on Steve Jobs. The 191-page document was undertaken as Jobs was being considered for a presidential appointment to the President's Export Council by George H. W. Bush. The file was released following a Freedom of Information Act request filed through the open government site MuckRock. Beyond basic biographical information, the report makes reference to comments from a number of Jobs' acquaintances who were interviewed to help build a picture of his background. Gawker notes that the report contains an unusually high number… -
Apple to Introduce iPad 3 in First Week of March
9 Feb 2012 | 8:01 amAllThingsD, which has an accurate track record in revealing Apple's new product media events, is reporting that Apple will hold an event to launch the iPad 3 in the first week of March.Sources say the company has chosen the first week in March to debut the successor to the iPad 2, and will do so at one of its trademark special events. The event will be held in San Francisco, presumably at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, Apple’s preferred location for big announcements like these. No word yet on a street date for the iPad 3 (assuming that’s what it’s called), though my guess is… -
Photo of the Back of an iPad 3 Rear Shell, Smart Cover Magnets
8 Feb 2012 | 11:44 pmApparently, iPad 3 enclosures are easy to come by these days. Earlier today, Repair Labs posted a photo of the interior the iPad 3 rear shell. They concluded that there were some minor changes that suggested a larger battery and redesigned logic board. Tonight, Apple.pro posts an image of the back of the same shell, showing it to look quite simliar to the current iPad 2 backing, though the camera appears closer to the edge. There's no markings on the enclosure, however. No "iPad" or serial number markings. The site also claims to have a photo of the Smart Cover magnets, suggesting the iPad 3… -
Foxconn's Servers Hacked, Exposing Vendor Usernames and Passwords
8 Feb 2012 | 10:11 pmOne of Foxconn's servers was reportedly hacked, exposing usernames and passwords for clients and employees. The group that took credit for the hack is called SwaggSec who claims they weren't doing it in response to working conditions or even for information on the iPhone 5, but simply for the enjoyment of it. We encourage media, security experts, and other interested individuals to explore our leaks. Foxconn did have an appropriate firewall, but fortunately to our intent, we were able to bypass it almost flawlessly. Of course with funding ourselves we did have our limitations. But with… -
Apple Determines iTunes Match Royalties By Counting How Many Times A Song is Accessed
8 Feb 2012 | 3:56 pmTuneCore president Jeff Price today wrote a blog post praising Apple's iTunes Match service for creating money "out of thin air" for copyright holders. iTunes Match launched with all the major record labels on board, but some small labels refused to participate over concerns the service was legitimizing music pirates. Price disagrees: A person has a song on her computer hard drive. She clicks on the song and plays it. No one is getting paid. The same person pays iTunes $25 for iMatch. She now clicks on the same song and plays it through her iMatch service. Copyright holders get paid.
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chrisbrogan.com
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Throw Away the Maps
6 Feb 2012 | 3:30 amPeople judge us by the path they’ve seen us walk before. They can’t anticipate our future steps. We, ourselves, look to how things have been, what seems to be the lay of the land, without realizing that the maps are not the territory. Want to succeed at work? Then don’t try to do your job. Instead, work towards something larger, more meaningful, and something that blends your convictions internally with your best ability to help others externally. Want to create something new? Then throw away the old, or maybe join two disparate old things together into something new. The… -
The Next Social Networks
5 Feb 2012 | 3:30 amThe rage in social networks right now is Pinterest, partly because it’s probably the first social network that has a much higher adoption rate by females than males, and partly because it’s an interesting concept: somewhere between visual social bookmarking and scrapbooking. What also might not be immediately obvious is that it’s just “easier” to interact there. In that way, Pinterest has something in common with Instagram, which is community around photos. What I’m interested in, though, is Gentlemint, which I keep calling “Pinterest for… -
Learn From Adele – Build Your Platform
3 Feb 2012 | 3:30 amJacq and I just watched Adele Live At The Royal Albert Hall (amazon affiliate link), and though every song was just wonderfully done, I found myself fascinated by what Adele was doing in between each song. Because even though most people would be interested in hearing her belt out her amazing repertoire of hits, what I took away from the performance was Adele’s real magical ability: the ability to resonate with her audience. What Adele Could Teach You About Impact I’m writing something about this right now for my upcoming book with Julien Smith, but I had to share some of the… -
Rob Gokee is a Musical Wizard
2 Feb 2012 | 10:05 amI had such a great experience working with award winning musical composer Rob Gokee. We did some musical work together, and the process was so amazing. Rob helped me create my theme song for Shhh! The Secret Show. So anyhow, he and I sat down to do an interview, and it’s a bit long, but it’s totally worth it. We talk about what collaboration feels like at a distance, what it takes to get music like this made for your own show, and a lot more. Rob’s a hero to me, and has been part of the community for a while. I was so fortunate to have worked with him. Can’t see the… -
Build Your Platform – Start
30 Jan 2012 | 3:30 amThe following is part ONE of a series called Build Your Platform. If you find it interesting, please consider subscribing for free to get the rest of the series. This post is long. You might want to bookmark it for later. The age of social media oversaturation is upon us. People are declaring Twitter bankruptcy to go along with their email bankruptcy. They cite not wanting to start on yet another social network as their reason for not getting more involved with Google+. And just as soon as you start getting into Pinterest, you hear about Path, but wait: there’s Gentlemint, which is…
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Copyblogger
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How to Recover From a Social Media Hangover
9 Feb 2012 | 5:00 am“Hello. My name is Cori and I’m a social media addict. “Today is day 1 of my commitment to give myself a regular break from technology and the foggy, uncreative haze it can unwittingly lead to.” I was reading a post the other day by blogger Michael Brenner at B2B Marketing Insider, talking about getting your social media game on. Of course, being the skimmer that I am, the first thing that caught my attention and made me go back and read the whole thing was his mention of having a Social Media Hangover. His hangover was induced by sometimes (as we all do) forgetting to… -
The “New” SEO Secret Weapon
8 Feb 2012 | 5:00 amIf you have a web site, you may have noticed one of two things about the traffic you get from search engines. Your search traffic may have dried up overnight, with once-healthy streams turning into a sad little trickle. Or you may have noticed a nice, steady improvement as you’ve climbed higher in the SERPs (search engine results pages), while other sites that used to outrank you suddenly evaporated. There’s a super-secret new ingredient in SEO. It was always a factor, but it’s become even more important recently, as the Google team relentlessly declares war on what they see… -
8 Quick Tips for Writing Bullet Points People Actually Want to Read
7 Feb 2012 | 5:00 amIt’s a Twitterized world, we’re just living in it. Blog posts, Tweets, quick videos, Google+, the Facebook Timeline, and tens of thousands of images pinned to digital boards are flying past us faster than we can read them. Faster than we can even scan them, depending on the time of day. What does this mean for writers trying to cut through it all? At least two things that I can think of: You’d better know how to write a compelling headline You’d better know how to write bullet points that grab (and keep) your reader We’re not telling you to keep your copy short. -
7 Crucial Tactics for Writing a Wildly Successful Guest Post
6 Feb 2012 | 5:00 amWe all know that guest posts grow blogs. But not many people realize that tactical guest posting grows careers. Most bloggers I see pump out these articles while reciting the mantra “quantity over quality”; there’s no real strategy and there are no real long-term benefits. In this post I am going to show you the seven crucial tactics for writing a radically successful guest post. Done right, these strategies will get you more email subscribers, coveted Google ranking positions, and a big head-start on your content marketing goals. Who am I to teach you about guest blogging? -
7 Smashing Social Media Marketing Links
4 Feb 2012 | 5:00 amThis week on The Lede … What really works on Twitter One thing social media copywriters should never do 9 productive social media hacks A reminder of the power of the original social media If you just can’t wait for The Lede every Saturday, and you want even more practical, useable links than the seven we highlight here every week, follow @copyblogger on Twitter. It’s painless. Really. // 9 Social Media Hacks You Need to Embrace Now Mr. Baer makes a good case that though social media is inexpensive in monetary terms, it can get good and costly when it comes to spending your…
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Macworld
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(Insider) The Macalope Daily: Self-covering tracks
9 Feb 2012 | 9:30 amThe nice thing about being a silly pundit is that sometimes your articles expire. (This story is viewable exclusively by Macworld Insider members.) -
With a wave of its hand, Waze adds voice-control features
9 Feb 2012 | 8:54 amVersion 3.1 of the crowd-sourced traffic and navigation app for iOS adds the ability to report traffic incidents and calculate routes using voice commands. -
Married to your desk? Five tips for a better relationship
9 Feb 2012 | 8:00 amHere's a sobering statistic: With a 40- to 45-hour work week, many Americans spend about 25 percent of the year on the job and 2,000 hours sitting at a desk. A simple workstation tune-up can make you a lot more comfortable. -
iOS App Review: Phrase Wit has a way with words
9 Feb 2012 | 7:45 amThis funny education app can set you straight on commonly mangled phrases, with the help of a pleasing game mode. -
Review: Olympus Pen E-P3 camera gets a performance boost
9 Feb 2012 | 7:00 amImproved performance alone may provide enough motivation for Pen users to upgrade and certainly gives the E-P3 an edge over the competition, particularly in combination with its well thought out feature set.
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ReadWriteWeb
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Big Question (Answered): "Do You Have Too Many Facebook Friends?"
9 Feb 2012 | 9:04 amEvery day I jump onto Facebook for my work, but honestly, I never use it as it was intended. If you send me a message or like my status, I might engage, but I never reach out to folks. My stream is full of interesting content about people I don't know enough to care about. I know that sounds rude, but there's really only so much room in your life for connections. I have a little over 700 friends and I think that's about 500 too many. I've been considering paring down for some time, not because I think my connections aren't cool, but because I'm missing out on things like my family's birthday… -
Appcelerator Acquires Cocoafish to Implement Mobile Cloud Services in Titanium
9 Feb 2012 | 9:00 amMobile development company Appcelerator announced today that it is buying "backend-as-a-service" startup Cocoafish to implement cloud services and functionality to its Titanium Platform. Acquiring Cocoafish is an astute move by Appcelerator, which focuses on tools for developers to create native and mobile Web apps. The company realized in its latest mobile developer report that 84% of developers using Titanium were utilizing some type of cloud service. With Cocoafish, Appcelerator attempts to keep all the necessary mobile development tools on its own platform. Appcelerator admits that with… -
Three Ways To Use Linked In If You're NOT Looking For A Job
9 Feb 2012 | 7:00 amA post last week on pimping your LinkedIn profile drew a big response, as well as a divide in comments about whether or not people should be using LinkedIn. One of the bigger misconceptions in comments in emails was that LinkedIn is primarily a job-hunting site. But there are reasons to use LinkedIn even if you have a job you love, aside from the obvious benefits of keeping up on your industry and making connections with potential business partners. Sponsor Among them: LinkedIn is a great contact manager. Not all of your contacts will have their phone numbers in their LinkedIn profile (and if… -
Groupon's First Earnings Call Missed the Mark, But It May Not Matter
8 Feb 2012 | 11:28 pmToday in its quarterly earnings call, Groupon reported that it did not meet fourth quarter expectations. The company posted a $43 million loss, or $0.08 cents per share. Despite the loss, Groupon's revenue in the fourth quarter 2011 grew 194% to $506.5 million, up from $172.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2010. In fact, the fourth quarter 2011 was the company's first quarter of operating profitability since it opening international operations in the second quarter of 2010. This brings everyone back to the same question: Is the daily deals model a real, legitimate business, or is it just a… -
Daily Wrap: January's List of Apps You Need to See and more
8 Feb 2012 | 8:00 pmDan Rowinski rounds up the best apps, in our opinion, of January 2012. This and more in today's Daily Wrap. Sometimes it's difficult to catch everything that hits tech media in a day, so we wrap up some of the most talked about stories. We give you a daily recap of what you missed in the ReadWriteWeb Community, including a link to some of the most popular discussions in our offsite communities on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Google+ as well. Sponsor New iPhone, iPad and Android Apps for January 2012 In what is surely a labor of love, Dan Rowinski combs through the mass of apps released…
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Smashing Magazine Feed
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Smashing Special: WordPress Theme Trends For 2012
9 Feb 2012 | 7:25 amThis special is the first in our series of Smashing Specials — extended articles and studies dedicated to a specific topic. The special features current WordPress theme trends for 2012, covering past trends, new developments in theme design and trends in the theme development. 2011 was a great year for WordPress, with some excellent new updates that saw the introduction of a drag-and-drop uploader, distraction-free writing, the HTML5 Twenty Eleven theme, and movement towards a fully responsive dashboard. As well as changes to WordPress core, theme development continued to… -
A Craft Of Consequences: Reader, Writer And Emotional Design
8 Feb 2012 | 10:06 amBefore the very first page of a book has been read, you’ve already analyzed it in countless ways without even noticing. The paper stock, the thickness of the binding, the aroma, the color of the type and even the texture of the cover; the very character of the book is being dissected by the hand and eye at every moment. In this brief second there is a dialogue between the reader and the object. This conversation is subtle and complex, but for most people it is entirely subconscious. This is because we rarely think about these things — we feel them… -
Collaging: Getting Answers To The Questions You Don’t Know To Ask
6 Feb 2012 | 9:02 amWhen conducting user research, we all know that asking the right questions is just as important as how you ask them, but how do you know exactly what questions to ask? What if the discussion topic is very personal? How do you get a complete stranger to open up? There is a better way to conduct an in-depth interview, and it doesn’t involve a clipboard. Just imagine what you could discover if the participant’s answers weren’t limited to a predetermined set of questions. This is where collaging can help. Collaging is a projective technique by which participants select images… -
How To Use Custom Post Types To Organize Online Marketing Campaigns
3 Feb 2012 | 9:04 amCustom post types add a level of flexibility to WordPress that makes this open-source Web development platform more useful on many levels. Whenever I have been faced with a Web-based task, especially one that involves organizing information, the first thing I do is examine WordPress to determine if it can handle the job. It usually can. Image Source As an Internet marketer and analyst, I need to be able to organize online marketing campaigns in a way that is trackable in Google Analytics. This is the perfect task for WordPress custom post types. In this article, we’ll explain… -
Freebie: St. Valentine’s Day Icon Set (10 PNG/PSD Icons)
2 Feb 2012 | 9:38 amEvery now and then, we release useful freebies for all of our highly valued readers. Today, it is our pleasure to present to you Cuberto‘s fantastic St. Valentine’s icon set — exclusively designed for Smashing Magazine and its loyal readers. The icons presented are available in transparent PNGs as well as Photoshop PSDs (128×128 px) and are perfect for any projects you have coming up for St. Valentine’s Day. Enjoy! Download the Set for free! This icon set is completely free to use for commercial or personal applications without any…
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CNN.com
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Deep freeze overloads Ukraine EMS
9 Feb 2012 | 9:35 amSuffering in the grip of a brutal winter where temperatures have not risen above freezing in nearly a month, Ukraine has seen a wave of deaths related to the cold, and the country's ambulance service is inundated with calls for help. -
Opinion: Google knows too much
9 Feb 2012 | 9:28 amFrida Ghitis says online hoarding of our private information is not something we can afford to "dismiss." -
Ousted Maldives president faces arrest
9 Feb 2012 | 8:42 amA tense calm reigned Thursday morning in the streets of Male, the capital of the Maldives, a day after the country's former president and his supporters clashed with the police. -
911 response probed in Powell killings
9 Feb 2012 | 6:34 amPolice are investigating how dispatchers handled 911 calls from those seeking help before a Washington state man killed himself and his sons in a fiery explosion. -
700 get food poisoning after Mexico rally
9 Feb 2012 | 6:21 amAuthorities treated more than 700 people for food poisoning after a political rally in southern Mexico this week, officials said.
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Scott Kelby's Photoshop Insider
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Cliff Mautner on the Nikon D800
8 Feb 2012 | 11:02 pmWhat a few days. It’s amazing how much interest a little piece of metal can produce. As a proud member of the team at Kelby Training, I wanted to share my experience with the D800. This project has been going on for many months. i was approached by my good friends at K&L in Tokyo- Nikon’s agency for decades- and was blown away that they asked me to participate with this project. My job was well defined: Use the D800 in a way that utilizes and highlights the latest features the D800 offers in real world wedding conditions that I’d face week in and week out. Simple, right? -
It’s Free Stuff Thursday!
8 Feb 2012 | 11:01 pmPhotoshop World DC – 9 Days Left for Early Bird Registration! Photoshop World Washington DC is quickly approaching, and there are only 9 days left to save $100 on registration! Head on over to PhotoshopWorld.com to sign up, get hotel info, see the full schedule of classes from instructors like Jay Maisel, Joel Grimes, Lindsay Adler, Glyn Dewis, and a ton of other incredible people! And, there are only a few spots left in some of the pre-conference workshops like Lightpainting 101 with Dave Black, On Location DSLR Workshop with Rich Harrington, Real World Concert Photography with Alan… -
It’s Guest Blog Wednesday featuring Jake Peterson!
7 Feb 2012 | 11:37 pmMaking History Come to LifeTen months ago I was attending Photoshop World in Orlando, FL. It was the second time I had been to Photoshop World, but after the blast of Vegas the previous September there was no way I was going to miss the one that Spring. One morning in the instructors’ lounge Jay Maisel, someone who I knew of but had never met, was sitting at a table. I introduced myself and we started to talk. Afterward Jay went up to my Dad and said, “You have failed as a parent if you let your kid go into photography as a career.” He smiled and my Dad just laughed;… -
Jumping the gun on the Nikon D800
7 Feb 2012 | 9:46 amSince my post last night here on Google+ (http://www.scottgplus.com), and here on my blog earlier today, I’ve seen a lot of comments flowing in pro and con about this camera, and I just want to say a quick few things about the comments I’ve been reading thus far:(1) The D800 was apparently created for a very specific type of photographer There is no law that every camera introduced by a camera company has to be designed to fit your personal needs. If you read that it has 36.3 megapixels and you’re like “36.3 megapixels is overkill!!!” then obviously this… -
Nikon Announces The D800 And Baby Does It Look Sweet!!!!
6 Feb 2012 | 11:33 pm36.3 megapixels (wow!) with a full frame sensor. Full HD video with stereo sound (yay) built in HDR (sweet) and it looks like its aimed at the commercial, wedding and landscape markets (photographers who shoot medium format digital backs. I mean who used to shoot digital backs). ;-)I haven’t seen one, held one, etc., but it sounds amazing and I want one. Bad!!!! (And yes, sometimes you need 36.3 megapixels). Two words: Whoo Hoo!Read the full scoop at Nikon USA: http://bit.ly/wVaU77
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Digital Photography School
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How to Shoot Through a Wire Fence
9 Feb 2012 | 7:47 amStuck behind a wire fence when trying to shoot an interesting subject can be a pain. It’s a challenge most often faced at the zoo but you also come across it when shooting at some sporting events (car racing for example) or in other random circumstances (for example I recently was photographing some kids on a trampoline which had a mesh around it). Image by Doug Brown So how do you minimise the impact of the fence in your shots? Here’s a few quick tips: Switch to Manual Focusing – one challenge you may face shooting through any kind of fence is that your camera may not know… -
How to Use Dome Diffuser to Eliminate Shadows and Harsh Light
8 Feb 2012 | 12:40 pmA Guest Post by PhotographersOnUTube. One question I frequently get asked is how to get rid of shadows in the picture when the subject is close to a wall? Well, it depends on if the shadow is being created due to a specific angle of the speed light or you’re using some sort of a flash diffuser. A lot of photographers assume that the omni dome diffuser you get with your speed light is essential to making the light softer, which is not always true. In most cases that dome diffuser is used to spread the light in a very challenging lighting situation when you can’t bounce anything off the… -
Beginner’s Tip: Get Closer
8 Feb 2012 | 7:48 amI work with a lot of people just starting out in photography. People who want to move off of Auto mode and on to something more. And they show me their images, asking, “What can I do better?” I’ve started noticing a pattern in many of the images I have seen from new photography enthusiasts. It’s not absolute, but it is common enough that I write here today offering this bit of advice: Get closer. Here’s the pattern I see when I ask new photographers to photograph something of interest. I’ll illustrate the flow with photos most students start out with. First, they find something… -
Canon Update 3 Lenses including EF 24-70 F/2.8L II USM
7 Feb 2012 | 6:35 pmYesterday saw some excitement among our Nikon readers with the launch of the new Nikon D800 DSLR – but also announced yesterday were 3 new lenses from Canon. The main one of interest is the EF 24-70 F/2.8L II USM. Version I of this lens has always been a popular choice with photographers for quite a few years so an update is a logical one. The main updates included: More durable body Smaller Size (only slightly) Redesigned Optics New Zoom Lock lever to prevent damage in transit Unfortunately the update didn’t bring any Image Stabilisation to this lens – something that will… -
View a Short Film Shot on the New Nikon D800 DSLR
7 Feb 2012 | 6:10 pmWith the announcement of Nikon’s new D800 DSLR yesterday came a short film shot on the D800 that shows off some of the D800′s video shooting capabilities. The film is called ‘Joy Ride’ and was created by photographer – Sandro. The film showcases the D800′s ability to shoot in some tricky lighting conditions and situations (fast moving motorbikes, low light etc). Here it is: Also released by Sandro today was a behind the scenes video. It doesn’t contain a heap of technical info by will give you a feel for how it was shot. Post originally from: Digital…
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TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog
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Daily iPhone App: Spice Invaders
9 Feb 2012 | 9:00 amIf you're tired of tower defense games, I don't blame you. Feel free to skip this post, but let me say this before you go: I wouldn't spotlight yet another tower defense game if it wasn't special. That's why Spice Invaders has made the cut. The standard tower defense tropes are in place. Build and upgrade towers with spells and abilities to repel invaders while carrying on a map-wide campaign. But Spice Invaders by On5 Games (published by Chillingo) goes a step further. First of all, the game is super polished. It runs great and looks terrific, and everything from the characters to the UI… -
AllThingsD: Apple to announce iPad 3 in March
9 Feb 2012 | 7:54 amJohn Paczkowski of AllThingsD is claiming that Apple will hold a press event in the beginning of March to announce the new iPad, which he calls "iPad 3" (noting that might not be its official name). Paczkowski expects the announcement to take place in San Francisco's Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, where Apple has held several other similar events. The iPad 2 was announced on March 2, 2011 and was released on March 11 on the US. If the rumor is true, the so-called iPad 3 would be in line with a similar schedule. Paczkowski's sources say it should be available for purchase "...a week or so… -
Slidevana provides pro design templates for Keynote
9 Feb 2012 | 7:00 amSlidevana is a curious thing. This US$69 bundle offers a set of professionally designed slides. These templates map out the kinds of data most speakers want to communicate, providing specific elements you can customize. Called "Dark," this first release includes a clean presentation style that would feel at home at any boardroom or conference. From tables to bullet lists to key point images, Slidevana offers a unified design that easily translates into high quality presentations. It's like a Keynote version of those graphic design and color harmony cookbooks you can purchase at art school… -
iPad is a nuisance for many Chinese parents
9 Feb 2012 | 6:00 amA report from the Beijing Evening News suggests Chinese parents are scuffling with their kids over iPads. It seems the iPad was the gift of choice for many children this past Chinese New Year, and now those youngsters are having a hard time putting their tablets aside. Exasperated parents don't know what to do when their tots refuse to hand over the iPad, and they're afraid iPad use may impede their children's education. It may seem silly to non-parents, but as a parent myself, I can confirm this report. My kids are enthralled with the iPad. They will creep into a corner, turn down the volume… -
Apple shows interest in European patent laws
9 Feb 2012 | 5:00 amApple has delivered a letter to the European Telecommunications Standards Institute asking for basic principles for that region of the world on patents and their licensing, according to the Wall Street Journal. The letter asks for consistency across the board in how patents are owned and shared, and it also asks for specific rates to be set on possible patent royalties for everyone to follow. As smartphones and other mobile technology continue to develop and grow, patents on the many components are becoming increasingly more important, both in terms of determining ownership for the research…
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Strobist
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How the Other Half Lives: George Holz' Beyoncé for Spin
8 Feb 2012 | 11:00 pmPhoto © George HolzYou know how people on the Strobist Flickr group like to talk about how it is technically possible to shoot blow-away white with just one flash?Yeah, this is not exactly that.Hit the jump for a walk-thru vid for the (ahem, eight-light) shoot, including a key light combo that you're prolly gonna want to rent rather than buy next time you are assigned to shoot Beyoncé. Read more » -
Lighting Inside the Box
6 Feb 2012 | 8:30 amAfter 15 years of long-term planning (and saving) Susan and I finally took the plunge with a full kitchen remodel. We were really pleased with the results, and at some point I had promised the contractor a nice photo of the final product.In a room like this you are basically illuminating the inside of a box by using hidden lights, which turned out to be an interesting exercise. And it's something I would recommend for just about any photographer. Read more » -
Core Knowledge: Working With Remotes
2 Feb 2012 | 8:00 amThere are two things you should always remember about radio remotes:One, radio can be fickle. This is true whether you are using your time-honored PocketWizards or a brand new Chinese offering.Two, radio waves -- and success with your remotes -- are all about the physics. So a little knowledge can go a long way toward ensuring good range and reliability. Some basics that every lighting photographer should know, inside. Read more » -
Tyler Stableford: Dispatches From the Underground
30 Jan 2012 | 8:00 amAspen, Colorado-based photographer Tyler Stableford generally shoots action and adventure, most of it aboveground. But this shoot for Timberland PRO would send him a half-mile deep into the earth. That far down, before adding light it is absolutely pitch black. As in, you cannot see your hand in front of your face. And the lights the miners use while extracting coal there aren't much friendlier -- low-level, and a mix of tungsten and fluorescents. So Stableford shot the entire campaign working on the edge of the quality envelope, and lighting with only a few speedlights. Read more » -
Q&A: Dealing with Glare from Dark Wood Backgrounds
26 Jan 2012 | 8:00 amReader Jefferson, from California in the US, asked via Twitter:"How do you deal with glare on dark wood in background for portraits? Is this covered in Lighting 101 or 102?"Actually, it is covered in L102, if a little obliquely. And yes, pretty much any time you light into dark wood as a background you are gonna get some blowback.But rather than look at this as a problem, I prefer to think of it as a feature… Read more »
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News: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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Sony full-frame camera coming, 500mm F4 lens finally announced
8 Feb 2012 | 9:05 pmSony has confirmed it will be making a full-frame replacement for its flagship A900 DSLR. No further details were given during a round-table discussion at the CP+ show in Japan, but we find it hard to believe the result will step away from the SLT technology the company has invested so heavily in. The company has also finally announced the A-mount 500mm F4 lens that it has been showing in various states of preparedness since PMA 2007 will be available from late March. -
Ricoh reshuffle sees Pentax take control of cameras
8 Feb 2012 | 7:07 pmRicoh has announced that its Pentax Ricoh Imaging (PRI) business unit will take full control of the design, development and sales of the company's cameras, worldwide. PRI was created when Ricoh bought Pentax and is the business that has been responsible for the design, manufacturing and sales of Pentax cameras. It will now absorb the consumer businesses of Ricoh's Personal Multimedia Product Company, which was responsible for the design, manufacture and sale of Ricoh cameras. The change will take effect from April 1st 2012. -
Sony promises more NEX lenses in updated E-mount lens roadmap
8 Feb 2012 | 7:00 pmSony has said it will have 15 lenses ready for the NEX system by the end of 2013. It made the annoucement of an expanded E-mount roadmap at the start of the CP+ trade show in Yokohama, Japan. The roadmap includes a variety of zooms and prime lenses, including a high-end standard zoom with Sony's premium 'G' branding. There will also be a pancake prime and a mid-telephoto prime lens some time during 2013. -
Sigma DP series reinvented as DP1M and DP2M with 15MPx3 sensor from SD1
8 Feb 2012 | 1:00 amSigma has totally reinvented its DP series of large sensor compacts with the DP1 Merrill and DP2 Merrill. The DP Merrill models are named after Dick Merrill, inventor of the Foveon sensor and include the most recent version of his technology - the 15x3MP APS-C sensor first seen in Sigma's SD1. Because the Merrill cameras feature full APS-C sensors, they also feature totally redesigned lenses, with the DP1M including a 19mm F2.8 lens to offer a 28mm equivalent field of view and the DP2M having a 30mm F2.8 lens to give a 45mm equivalent field-of-view. -
Sigma SD1 becomes SD1 Merrill and gains (much) keener price tag
8 Feb 2012 | 1:00 amSigma's new CEO, Kazuto Yamaki has announced the re-branding and re-pricing of the company's flagship camera. The SD1 DSLR will now be know as the SD1 Merrill, in honor of Dick Merrill, inventor of the Foveon sensor technology on which it is based. The price will also be revised, falling to what should be a street price of around $2,299, which Yamaki attributes to work conducted to reduce production costs of the sensor. Despite these changes, his letter promises the performance and characteristics of the sensor have not changed. To avoid disappointing existing SD1 customers, Sigma will offer…
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Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Killer Tips
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Why I Don’t Backup My Photos Using Lightroom
7 Feb 2012 | 7:39 amIf you’ve used the Import dialog in Lightroom, you’ve probably noticed an area under File Handing called “Make a Second Copy To:”. This is Lightroom’s way of letting you make a backup of your photos as you import them. That way you can get your import and your backup all done at once. A while back, some one pointed out that when you use this feature, you don’t have much control over how the backup drive stores the photos. Basically, it just stores them in a folder named “Imported on….”. For me this is a big problem because it’s not… -
Lightroom Worth-a-click
3 Feb 2012 | 8:26 amHappy Friday! Here’s a few Lightroom/Photography related things that are worth a quick click if you’re surfing around. • A friend of mine from Paris (who I shot with while I visited last year and was a HUGE help!), Serge Ramelli has a Lightroom app on the iTunes store. Here’s the link if you want to check it out. • It’s not exactly brand new news but I had a new class go up on Kelby Training last month that’s all about Lightroom presets and how I create them. If you’re looking for a peak inside the mind of the preset creator (and some cool ideas for… -
Lightroom Video – Dynamic Watermarks (well… not really, but kinda)
1 Feb 2012 | 10:08 amI always like to do videos that answer questions I get, rather than just doing a video that I “think” everyone wants to know about. Well, this weeks video comes from a question that I’ve gotten in several forms over the last couple years. Recently, some one asked if they could add a watermark to their photos with the current year on them. So basically, Lightroom would have to figure out the year from the metadata (probably not hard) and dynamically add it to the photos when you export them into JPEGS (not so easy). So, there’s really no way to do this, but there is an… -
Your Burning Lightroom 4 Questions Answered From Adobe
30 Jan 2012 | 9:10 amI just saw a post over on Adobe’s Photoshop.com blog where product manager Sharad Mangalick, answered a bunch of Lightroom 4 questions. Everything from catalogs, to video, new features, you name it. Below is one question I pulled directly from the page because I’ve been asked quite a bit too, but there’s lots more in the full article. @luxx11 and @jennawoodward Ask: @Lightroom why can’t I use my LR3 catalogs in LR4? Is there a way to easily transfer my Lr3 catalogue into Lr4? Sharad: Since Lightroom 4 is still in beta form, we restricted the ability to bring in catalogs… -
Lightroom 4 and Windows XP
23 Jan 2012 | 9:52 amI’ve seen quite a few comments about the fact that Lightroom 4 Beta doesn’t work with Windows XP (and you can probably guess that the full version isn’t going to work with it either). Last week Tom Hogarty (Lightroom Product Manager) wrote about the reasons behind that decision on his blog. Here’s a quick snippet but you can go here to read the rest: “As many have noticed, the Lightroom 4 public beta we released last week does not support Windows XP. This decision did not come lightly and was based on a number of factors. With each version of Lightroom, our goal…
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MacRumors: Mac News and Rumors - iOS Blog
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The iPad 3's A6 Processor to be Dual-Core?
8 Feb 2012 | 7:47 pmTheVerge's Joshua Topolsky summarizes the iPad 3 casing findings reported earlier today, but also adds his own sources regarding some details of the iPad 3. Image from RepairLabs As expected, the iPad 3 will reportedly include a 2048x1536 Retina Display, be nearly identical physically, and use the A6 processor. The A6 processor, however, is claimed to have a dual-core chip, not a quad-core one, at least according to his sources: What is surprising, however, is that our sources say that the A6 will not be a quad-core chip, but will remain dual-core. We've previously had heard that the device… -
Tweetbot for iPad Hits The App Store
8 Feb 2012 | 2:37 pmPopular iPhone Twitter client Tweetbot has finally arrived on the iPad, with a user interface instantly familiar to any current Tweetbot user. Designed for the Twitter power-user, Tweetbot packs a lot of punch into an intuitive, slick interface, with unique functionality like Smart Gestures which give quick access to a variety of features through double or triple-taps. The Next Web and Business Insider have more in-depth reviews. The app is $2.99 and is a separate purchase from the iPhone app, a fact some users may dislike, but Tweetbot co-developer Paul Haddad explained his thoughts… -
Vonage Rolls Out "High-Definition" VoIP Calling App
8 Feb 2012 | 12:24 pmVonage has introduced yet another app to its growing mobile arsenal. The latest, called Vonage Mobile (not to be confused with another app called Vonage Mobile, introduced in 2009) adds a Skype-esque component to the old app's VoIP calling component. Users with Vonage Mobile installed can make "high-definition" audio calls or SMS-type text messages over Wi-Fi and 3G to other Vonage Mobile users. Users can also make low-cost international calls with credits added via In-App Purchasing. Calls to landline or wireless numbers in the US, Canada or Puerto Rico, from anywhere in the world, are free… -
'iBank Access' Seeking to Remake Personal Finance on the iPad
8 Feb 2012 | 7:26 amAs Intuit's Quicken options for Mac users continue to falter in the wake of a stripped-down Quicken Essentials release and the company's ongoing efforts to make the more fully-functional Quicken 2007 compatible with OS X Lion, other personal finance software firms have attempted to step into the void. One of the more successful companies has been IGG Software with its iBank software, which is available as both a Mac application and a companion iPhone app. IGG Software has been teasing a few tidbits about its work on an iPad application over the past few months, and as noted in a new blog post… -
The Best Superbowl Ad Was for the iPhone
7 Feb 2012 | 5:53 pmMore than fifty commercials aired during the Super Bowl this past Sunday, including one from Samsung that again poked fun at Apple's customers. Apple didn't run any ads during the Super Bowl, at least not officially -- a fact that puzzled some commentators. But, as investment guru Jim Cramer points out, Apple did have an advertisement of sorts air during the Super Bowl. After the game was over, Colts hall of famer Raymond Berry carrier the Vince Lombardi Trophy along a long line of New York Giants players. Players took turns touching or kissing the trophy, all the while taking photos and…
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Underwater weddings: In Thailand, get hitched with the fishes
8 Feb 2012 | 9:58 pmSome say keeping a marriage afloat is a constant struggle, a battle to keep your heads above water. If that’s indeed true, it seems only fitting that you and your sweetheart start your journey as one under the sea, in full scuba gear. Now in its 16th year, Trang Underwater Weddings welcomes couples from around the world to exchange vows with the fishes from February 10-12. This year, organizers say they have 34 couples signed up to take part in the underwater wedding, a mix of both Thai and international divers. Prices start from 25,000 baht per couple. Guinness recognition The first… -
5 Valentine recipes from 5 top chefs
8 Feb 2012 | 4:05 pmby Anthea GerrieNothing proves your love like a well-cooked meal. And nothing sabotages the moment like a badly cooked one. We searched the planet for the most positively passionate chefs, and found five for whom food isn't just for eating, it's for loving. So wherever you are and whatever your culinary skills, you can score some passion points with these simple but sumptous Valentine recipes. 1. Shannon Bennett, Melbourne: Coq au vin in sweet wine Melts first on your eyes, then in your mouth. Shannon Bennett of Vue de Monde in Melbourne treasures the meal he enjoyed with his wife at… -
Japan's weirdest snowscape: The Monsters of Zao
8 Feb 2012 | 3:55 pmby Lisa JardineWhen Hilary Wendel, a Tokyo-based photographer and good friend, asked me to tag along as she photographed “Japan’s scariest monsters,” I was apprehensive at first. Fortunately for us both, the Snow Monsters of Zao in Yamagata Prefecture are more impressive than terrifying. They are actually Aomori fir trees that have been coated with extremely wet snow and ice carried by a cold Siberian jet stream that also freezes them almost solid in some of the most peculiar shapes I’ve ever seen. And they're easy to reach from Kanto too -- tickets from Tokyo Station to Yamagata by… -
Roving robotic scarecrows battle airport birds
8 Feb 2012 | 3:52 amby Frances Cha, Seoul EditorIt sounds like something out of a Marvel Comic: an atomic research institute and a weapons manufacturer team up to create a new robot. But instead of fighting crime, this new semi-autonomous robot will be fighting birds. "They were originally commissioned by the military to prevent bird strikes at military airports," said Yi Jongmin, head of public relations at the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI). The robotics lab at KAERI spearheaded the development -- officially dubbed "Airport Birdstrike Prevention System" -- in conjunction with… -
CNNGo TV: Rome -- beyond the Colosseum
8 Feb 2012 | 1:37 amThe Colossuem, the Trevi Fountain, St. Peter's Basilica ... most travelers know the fundaments of this former center of the Roman Empire. Yet, Rome has a lot more to offer. This episode of CNNGo TV takes in award-winning modern museums, traditional Italian food and that with a modern twist and of course amazing sites of historical significance. Here are just a few of the outstanding places a team of exuberant locals took us to. Air times are below. Don't miss on CNNGo: What to do in Rome -- a big mini guideread more
