Senin, 19 Juli 2010

Mashable: Latest 8 News Updates - including “Foursquare in Talks With Major Search Engines [REPORT]”

Mashable: Latest 8 News Updates - including “Foursquare in Talks With Major Search Engines [REPORT]”

Link to Mashable!

Foursquare in Talks With Major Search Engines [REPORT]

Posted: 19 Jul 2010 04:20 AM PDT


Foursquare’s co-founder Dennis Crowley claims the company is in talks with major companies in the search space, including giants such as Google, Microsoft and Yahoo.

"Our data generates hugely interesting trends which would enrich search," Crowley said to Telegraph. "We can anonymise data and use it to show venues which are trending at that moment. Twitter helped the world and the search engines know what people are talking about. Foursquare would allow people to search for the types of place people are going to – and where is trending – not what."

This reminds us of Twitter’s search deal with Google and Microsoft, which brought Twitter users’ status updates to Google Search and Bing.

Microsoft in particular has been very interested to adopt third-party data into Bing, and it wouldn’t surprise us to see Foursquare making a deal with Microsoft first. The two companies already have a deal which puts tips from Foursquare users on Bing Maps. On the other hand, Crowley has connections with Google reaching back to 2005, when he sold the text messaging app Dodgeball to the search giant.

Unlike Twitter who, despite being pitted against dozens of clones, was always the leader in its space, Foursquare has strong competitors such as Gowalla and Yelp breathing down its neck. Foursquare is a great service, but it’s not the only option for a search deal with Google, Microsoft, Yahoo and others. However, having recently raised capital at a $95 million valuation, and reaching a user base of about 2 million members, things are looking good for the NYC-based company.

More About: foursquare, Google, microsoft, Yahoo

For more Mobile coverage:


The iPhone 4 Saga Animated in Star Wars-Style [VIDEO]

Posted: 19 Jul 2010 01:15 AM PDT


As odd as it is, this animation seems like a perfect ending to the entire iPhone 4 saga.

Created by the Taiwanese outlet NMANews, which has done a couple of similar animations in the past, the animated story about the rise and fall of iPhone 4 goes from weird to slightly disturbing and then completely crazy in only two minutes.

Lightsaber fights, evil powers, and Steve Jobs as an evil overlord behind a reality distortion field – it’s all there. Check out the video below.

[via Gizmodo]

More About: animation, apple, iphone 4, steve jobs

For more Apple coverage:


Google Discontinues the Nexus One Android Phone

Posted: 18 Jul 2010 06:58 PM PDT


Google has pulled the plug on the Nexus One, its once highly anticipated smartphone. The last shipment has arrived at Google HQ, and once those are gone there will be no more Nexus Ones for U.S. consumers.

The handset will still be sold through Vodafone in Europe and some Asian carriers, and developers will still be able to get their hands on one, but it looks like the Droid phones on Verizon will carry the mantle for Google’s Android mobile operating system. This is the end of the company’s grand experiment with an unlocked consumer handset in the U.S.

Following disappointing sales, Google had already closed the Nexus One web store two months ago, so this final nail in the coffin was already overdue.

Google announced the end of the line on its blog on Friday, but there was so little fanfare or interest in the story in the tech scene that the story slipped through the cracks. Though the device was popular with geeks, most American consumers probably just didn’t understand the concept of an unlocked handset, and Google didn’t put much marketing muscle behind the device.

Thus, it’s no surprise that the phone has been discontinued and hardly anyone noticed. It’s too bad, actually. It was a fine device; it got even finer with the Android 2.2 update a couple of weeks ago.

[via ReadWriteWeb]


Reviews: Android, Google, blog

More About: android, Google, htc, nexus one, smartphone, trending

For more Mobile coverage:


Mashable Hosts #SummerMash in San Francisco [PHOTOS]

Posted: 18 Jul 2010 06:20 PM PDT

Mashable hosted its second stop on the U.S. Summer Tour in San Francisco Wednesday night. The event brought hundreds from the San Francisco community together for networking, an open bar, food and awesome prizes from our sponsors, which included iPads, tickets and much more. We were also joined by Rachel Sklar, who interviewed event attendees and readers participating remotely in our Watchitoo live stream.

Below are some of the highlights from the event, thanks to photos from Lisa Bettany and Kenneth Yeung. To see more pictures of the event, go to our Facebook album or Flickr Set. Also, check out the Bing Photo Booth pictures.


SummerMash San Francisco





More than 600 tickets were sold to San Francisco's Summer Tour stop, filling the Grand Hyatt venue with local techies, entrepreneurs, marketers, and social media mavens.


Live Stream Interviews




We were joined by Rachel Sklar, who interviewed event attendees and readers participating remotely in our Watchitoo live stream.


A Warm Welcome from Pete Cashmore




Pete Cashmore gives an opening welcome to the San Francisco community, noting the the purpose of Mashable's U.S. Summer Tour is to connect with readers and local communities.


SES Ticket Giveaway




Co-editor Ben Parr and Events Director Karen Hartline, both of whom are based in San Francisco, show-off a drawing for a pass to attend SES.


Intel Prizes




Regan Fletcher of Intel talks about what the company is working on and announces a giveaway for a netbook.


Lots of Swag to Go Around




T-shirts and swag from sponsors lines a table for attendees to take a grab at.


Drew Olanoff and Brett Petersel




Drew Olanoff and Mashable's Brett Petersel pause from mingling for a picture.


Pete Cashmore and the Mopho Panda




Mopho, a location-based photo sharing application, had a panda mascot. Mashable's Pete Cashmore stopped to take a picture with the friendly creature.


Bing Photo Booth




With props in hand and costume items, attendees were able to get their photos snapped and printed on the spot at the Bing Photo Booth.


Mashable Team




Mashable team members from San Francisco, New York City and Phoenix attended the event. Back: CEO and Founder Pete Cashmore, Business and Development and NYC Events Director Brett Petersel, COO Adam Hirsch, Designer Louis Dorman and Social Media Reporter Jenn Van Grove. Front: Co-editor Ben Parr, Tech Reporter Jolie O'Dell, Events Director Karen Hartline and Community Manager Vadim Lavrusik.


Attendees




Attendees included Mashable readers, tech entrepreneurs, movie industry directors, social media enthusiasts and more. Here Lisa Bettany stops to take a picture with attendees.


iPad Giveaway




Gotelo, which is giving away iPads at each event, awarded one to a lucky attendee.


TechKaraoke Afterparty




Festivities wrapped-up around 10 p.m., when people started making their way to the afterparty TechKaraoke event for some singing and more prize giveaways.

We’re excited for our next stop in Washington D.C. on Thursday, August 5. We hope you will join us in person or participate in the livestream with Rachel, and suggest questions for her to ask in interviews with the local social and tech community. We also encourage you to help facilitate some of the discussion on Watchitoo by joining us on camera to ask attendees questions and answer some social media trivia. We had several participants for our first stop on the tour, including Brian Flaccus, who submitted this great video for the contest.

If you're interested, the details are outlined below. You'll also have a chance to win tickets to attend the events through the contest.


Summer Tour DC


USA Today HQ
7950 Jones Branch Drive
McLean, VA 22107

Thursday, August 5
Time: 7:00 – 10:00 p.m.
Mashable Presence: Adam Hirsch, Sharon Hirsch, Adam Ostrow, Vadim Lavrusik, Brett Petersel, Brenna Ehrlich, Erica Swallow, Lauren Indvik, Matt Silverman, Stefanie Rennert, Stephanie Marcus, Zachary Sniderman and Karen Hartline
Tickets: Tickets are available through Eventbrite.
Socialize : Facebook, Foursquare, PlancastTwitter (#summermash), Meetup

Register for Summer Tour DC in Mclean, VA,  on Eventbrite


Mashable Watchitoo Summer Tour Contest


Contest Submission Criteria: Upload a 14-second YouTube video explaining why you should be brought on live to chat with hosts/attendees at the Mashable 2010 Summer Tour.

  • Answer the question: "Why are you the one to be featured LIVE on the Mashable Summer Tour Live stream?"
  • YouTube video link must be posted to Facebook/Twitter with appropriate hashtags #summermash #watchitoo
  • Become a fan of both Mashable & Watchitoo on Facebook. (Please use your real identity so we can confirm).
  • After uploading to be picked for the contest, please email: hila@watchitoo.com with your contact information
  • Prize: Winners will be selected to participate live in the show. Mashable & Watchitoo will select winners. If you're chosen to participate, you will get to ask some of the virtual hosts live questions & answer social media trivia.
  • Grand Prize: Mashable will award the best video with 2 tickets to the west coast event in San Fransisco, and then 2 tickets for each subsequent city: DC, NYC, & Chicago.


SummerMash Tweets



Thanks to our Local Sponsors:

Bing helps you find the information you need faster, and with fewer clicks, so you can make better decisions. It's different than a typical search engine—it's your “decision engine.”

Mopho is simply the best way to capture and share mobile photos. More than a check-in, Mopho tags your photos with a location or event and shares them with your friends. Mopho saves you time and effortlessly gives your photos more context, allowing you to capture and better reflect all of your experiences. Start sharing more with your photos — Download Mopho today from the iTunes app store and see more on the Web at http://mopho.to.

Discover the tools of engagement at SES San Francisco, Aug. 16-20. No longer just lecturing your customers, learn to listen and converse in a more social world. Our experts will show you how integrating search, social media, and video, in even basic ways will transform both your sites visibility and profitability. Packed with sessions on PPC management, information architecture, social media, local search, mobile application development, video optimization, and other advanced topics, we have created an educational and networking environment designed for both beginners and veterans in digital marketing. Register by July 30th and SAVE up to $554. Enter MBL15.

Sessions Include: Social & the Marketing Mix, Search, PR & the Social Butterfly, The Business Value of Social Media, Local Search Ranking Factors

Thanks to our TechKaraoke Sponsor:

Yahoo! is the place where hundreds of millions of people go every month to connect with the people and things that matter to them most. Yahoo! develops innovative technology to create unique, relevant and engaging experiences for users. We bring together the best of the world – information, knowledge, news, entertainment, editorial – with the best of consumers’ worlds – friends, families, interests, locations, communities, tasks – to provide engaging content and experiences on top-rated sites across the global Web. Our massive and dedicated users make Yahoo! one of the world’s most visited Internet destinations and a world class online media company.


A Special Thanks to Our Tour Sponsors


Join Gotelo.com and choose where you want to be found, anytime, in one easy step.  It's fast, free, and launching this summer. Gotelo simplifies the way you connect with people you know and businesses you like by directing you to their most current web page.


The Intel® Atom™ Developer Program provides software developers with everything you need to easily develop and sell applications for Intel® Atom™ processor-based products starting with netbooks, and eventually supporting tablets, smartphones, consumer electronics and more. Program features include: Powerful tools—including an SDK, easy deployment and validation, Revenue and marketing opportunities, Developer Catalog to buy and sell application components, Application Labs in addition to a vibrant online community for support.



Weber Shandwick is a leading global public relations agency with offices in 76 countries around the world. The firm's success is built on its deep commitment to client service, our people, creativity, collaboration and harnessing the power of Advocates – engaging stakeholders in new and creative ways to build brands and reputation. Weber Shandwick provides strategy and execution across practices such as consumer marketing, healthcare, technology, public affairs, financial services, corporate and crisis management. Its specialized services include digital/social media, advocacy advertising, market research, and corporate responsibility. In 2010, Weber Shandwick was named Global Agency of the Year by The Holmes Report for the second year in a row; an ‘Agency of the Decade’ by Advertising Age, Large PR Agency of the Year by Bulldog Reporter, and Top Corporate Responsibility Advisory Firm by CR Magazine. The firm has also won numerous ‘best place to work’ awards around the world.


A Special Thanks to Our Multi-Streaming Partner


Watchitoo is an embeddable, live multi-streaming platform that allows 10+ participants to communicate via a web-cam in real time, while collaborating around a custom designed rich media playlist. A passive audience of thousands can view the show online. Any viewer can be added into a show via a virtual green room, where a moderator can adjust their microphone, have a private one-on-one chat, and vet their overall suitability to participate. Streams can be inserted, removed, re-arranged and re-sized in real time. Watchitoo has a rich feature set that includes Twitter and Facebook integration, chat, questioning, recording, screen-sharing and white-boarding.


Thanks to Our Official Ticketing Partner


Eventbrite is the world's largest self-service online ticketing site. Eventbrite makes it easy for anyone to sell-out an event.


Reviews: Bing, Facebook, Foursquare, Internet, Mashable, Twitter, YouTube

More About: Events, gallery, kenneth yeung, lisa bettany, mashable, mashable summer tour, mashable summer tour 2010, photographs, photography, Photos, pics, rache sklar, San Francisco-San Jose, summermash, summermash 2010, watchitoo

For more Social Media coverage:


Top 10 Funniest Old Spice Guy Responses [VIDEOS]

Posted: 18 Jul 2010 04:56 PM PDT


We’ve collected 10 hilarious Old Spice Guy video responses right here to celebrate one of the most popular social media campaigns of all time.

Among the fantastic responses: a marriage proposal, an attempt to woo a TV star, and all sorts of geek in-jokes. Enjoy. And we know you’ll fill us in if you think we omitted your favorite!

In case you’ve been missing out, here’s the scoop: The Old Spice deodorant company signed up former NFL wide receiver and all-around preposterously sexy dude Isaiah Mustafa to make a series of funny TV commercials pointing out that if only men would wear Old Spice, they could be as awesome as he.

Later, the campaign reached epic proportions when Mustafa began responding to Twitter fans and bloggers with personalized video messages on YouTube. He made countless responses before throwing in the literal towel in favor of a chainsaw and a giant fish. Yep, you read that right!

Mustafa may have stepped away from his online role as the Old Spice Guy, but he left behind a huge library of hilarious videos addressed to bloggers, celebrities and plain Joe and Jane fans. We recommend watching them all when you have time, but this list will start you off with the very best of the best. Deeper cuts are your discretion.


Re: @Jsbeals | Old Spice


The Old Spice Guy takes care of a fan's marriage proposal. She said yes!


Re: @Isaiahmustafa | Old Spice


The Old Spice Guy responds to... himself.


Re: Haley | Old Spice


The Old Spice Guy responds to his real world alter-ego's daughter, and notes that until a few days ago he was a struggling actor no one had heard of.


Re: @mrskutcher | Old Spice


The Old Spice Guy beats up a piñata for Demi Moore.


Re: April Johnson Allen | Old Spice


The Old Spice Guy takes a pun one step too far... in the direction of awesome.


Re: @kevinrose | Old Spice


The Old Spice Guy has a message for the then bed-ridden former Digg CEO Kevin Rose.


Re: @knitmeapony | Old Spice


The Old Spice Guy provides sound clips for ladies' voicemail machines.


Re: 12755JDH | Old Spice


The Old Spice guy speaks robot for a YouTube commenter.


Re: Alyssa_Milano 3 | Old Spice


The Old Spice Guy puts the moves on Alyssa Milano in part three of lengthy exchange.


Re: Alyssa_Milano 4 | Old Spice


In the last part of the Alyssa Milano exchange, the Old Spice Guy asks her what the next step is, because she should know. Because she's a woman, right?


Reviews: YouTube

More About: Feature, gallery, Isaiah Mustafa, List, MARKETING, old spice, old spice guy, social media, twitter, video, viral videos, youtube

For more Entertainment coverage:


11 Essential Online Resources for Consultants

Posted: 18 Jul 2010 03:40 PM PDT


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

One of the keys to being a successful consultant is information — having it at your fingertips the moment you need it.

While some sources might come and go depending upon the projects I’m working on or the hot topics of the day, there are a few that I keep bookmarked and ready, because I seem to need them on a regular basis.

My top 11 suggestions for online resources that cater to the needs of consultants are listed below. This is just a starter list — add your own suggestions in the comments below.

1. You’re the Boss: Because small business owners oftentimes get very little formal training, The New York Times has started a blog where you can read about what’s keeping entrepreneurs up at night. The topics covered on the blog enhance the lessons you are already learning on the job. A couple of my favorite posts include “Inside a Family Business: Maybe This Isn’t the Best Place for Everyone” and “It’s the Economy, Mr. Bernanke“.

2. Workshifting: Even solopreneurs need a place to turn and the Workshifting blog focuses on independent workers. Their mantra is about making work more productive so people can work from anywhere – home, an airport or your local coffee shop. I enjoyed reading “The Great Debate: Coffee Shop vs. Home Office” and “The Nature of Remoteness.”

3. CNN Travel: I don’t know a consultant out there who doesn’t travel, whether it’s to client sites or conferences. And trends in travel can impact business. CNN Travel does a good job of reporting tips and information on everything from baggage fees and security screenings to situations that might impact your travel plans. You can even access their information on the go via Twitter.

4. LinkedIn: We’ve talked about using it for recruiting, but you can also use LinkedIn as a marketing tool. Be sure to regularly change your status update and share with your connections those projects you’re working on. Also get out there, join some groups and answer questions.

5. MarketingProfs: Every business, regardless of size, needs to market itself. MarketingProfs offers resources in the areas of email marketing, branding, SEO, lead generation and so on. They offer a free membership as well as a pro level with enhanced benefits. I find their data very useful. For some examples, take a look at “Consumers Want Print Magazines, but Also Relevance” and “Average Value of Facebook Fan $136.38.”

6. Help a Reporter Out (HARO): Let’s face it… we all want free PR. But we can’t all afford a public relations firm. HARO connects reporters with sources. Sign up to get their regular queries — it’s not only good from a response perspective, but it gives you some sense of what writers are researching and the hot topics. You can also follow HARO on Twitter for fast breaking stories that need experts.

7. USA.gov: The official website of the U.S. Government provides tons of resources for the self-employed. If you need information about starting a business, being self-employed, small business loans or government contracts, it’s all on the USA.gov site. You can also follow them on Twitter for regular updates.

8. IRS: Speaking of government, the Internal Revenue Service is another site with a seemingly endless amount of information. You can apply for your Employer Identification Number (EIN), download required tax forms and check on the latest mileage rate. The IRS also has a Small Business and Self-Employed Tax Center that includes news, events and videos to help you with your tax-related questions.

9. LegalZoom.com: Sometimes there are situations where you need an attorney, but for those times when you just need a form, this is a great option. There are other online legal document companies as well that offer trademark documentation, partnership agreements and other business services. Of course, I don’t need to remind everyone that you have to do your homework about when and how to use a site like this.

10. Evernote: Consultants are always working on multiple things — on one hand you’re working with a client project and in the other you’re running your business. Evernote is a web-based application that allows you to save your ideas and inspiration. You can record a message, write a note, clip an article or take a picture. I really like their blog because it profiles people and companies using Evernote. I’ve discovered many ways to make my work life easier. It integrates with the iPhone and Android, allowing you to capture your best thoughts on the go.

11. Google Docs: Speaking of ways to make life easier, Google Docs and Wave are great collaborative tools as well. And Microsoft is offering free online storage and document sharing via Office Live.

As you can see, there is no shortage of places for consultants and the self-employed to get tips, tricks and resources that help with the everyday running of a business. What websites are on your “go-to” list?

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, webphotographeer


Reviews: Android, Evernote, Google Docs, LinkedIn, Twitter, iStockphoto

More About: CNN Travel, consultants, evernote, google docs, HARO, Help a Reporter Out, IRS, LegalZoom, linkedin, MarketingProfs, new york times, the new york times, USA.gov, Workshifting, You're the Boss

For more Business coverage:


10 Cool Cable Management Solutions [PICS]

Posted: 18 Jul 2010 01:23 PM PDT


Here at Mashable we love our computers, phones and other gadgetry, but what we certainly don’t love is the tangled mess of wires that comes along with them.

If you’ve got more than a few wires crossed under your desk, then to help you out of cable chaos we’ve found 10 great solutions to help you manage your wires in style.


1. Leaf Tie




These gorgeous ties add botanical flair to your cables with the simple addition of little leaves that make a functional object fun. Available in six colors, they cost $7 for a pack of 12.


2. CableDrop




CableDrops hold onto your wires so when you unplug your gadget you won't have to scramble before it drops down the back of your desk. It's a simple concept, but if you stick these on your work station, you'll soon wonder how you lived without them. In "bright" or "muted" shades, a set of six costs $9.95.


3. Cable Monkey




This little guy will hug your cables and stop them sprawling out of control for a mere $4.99.


4. CableBox Mini




This is more of a 'out of sight, out of mind' solution rather than actually getting organized, but hey, if that works for you the CableBox Mini comes complete with a built-in four-socket surge protector, and is available in five funky colors for $29.95.


5. Dotz




These colorful "Dotz" clip onto your cables and the little icons identify which wire is for what. It's a fun way to avoid unplugging your router and they come in packs of 10 for your computer, and entertainment/gaming systems with 24 printed icons and 12 blank ones for $9.99.


6. PowerCurl for Mac




This is a godsend for MacBook owners -- the PowerCurl holds your charger brick while you can wrap the cord around it. This Apple-enhancing solution comes in various cool colors and costs $14.99.


7. Wire Blooms Cable Clips




Similar in design to the leaf ties, the wire blooms cable clips have a different function as they allow you to nail more permanent wires to the wall, making them a feature rather than an eyesore. 12 leaves and one red bird will cost you $9.99.


8. Fork and Cream Sauce




This Korean design sees your wires wrapped spaghetti-style around a fork. This quirky item can be yours for $13.


9. Driin Phone Holder




This simple solution offers a tidy way of charging your phone. With a choice of six colors the lightweight plastic holders cost $6.95 each.


10. Cordies




The colorful "Cordies" offer a desktop solution for keeping wires you use often close at hand for $12.99 a pop.


More Tech Resources from Mashable:


- Top 10 Geekiest Marriage Proposals
- 5 Must-See Google Easter Eggs
- Tech Tourism: 10 Great Geek Destinations
- 10 Must-See Google Street View Sightingse
- 10 Essential Accessories for the Fashionable Geek

More About: accessories, cable management, gadgets, gallery, office gadgets

For more Tech coverage:


HOW TO: Score a Design Job

Posted: 18 Jul 2010 11:39 AM PDT

mathers fishing image

Without designers there probably wouldn't be an Internet, or at least there wouldn’t be an Internet that looked this good. Many skilled hands go into creating the websites that we know and love, but designers are usually the ones held responsible for how it looks. They put together everything from flashy logos to image banners to drop downs and font choice.

Twitter's Fail Whale or Facebook's distinctive blue and white color scheme both came from designers, but someone needed to find and hire those designers in the first place.

Getting a job is usually a daunting experience regardless of the field. It can be all the more intimidating for creative types that must submit their portfolios for critique. To help, we spoke with three seasoned designers that have gone through the job process with great success. They helped us with resume tips, cover letter advice, and whether to actually print out that portfolio. Read on for their tips and a selection of current job openings for designers.


Don't "Over Design"


mathers image

Perhaps one of the biggest questions for a designer is how much to gussy-up their application. You are a designer after all, shouldn't you “design” your materials? The answer is: Sort of.

It's always nice to present something that is visually appealing, but remember that your employer will probably value legibility and clarity over a bunch of fancy doodles. "I'm more a supporter of simplicity, especially when it comes to a resume, where it is important for it be as clear, straight forward, and comprehensible as possible," said Alex Mathers, a graphic designer, illustrator and author. It can hint at your skills and abilities but shouldn't detract from conveying the important information.

Still, a little flair can help you stand out. "I wouldn't have a portfolio that was so graphically busy that it interfered with the work I was trying to present," said Chris Coyier, designer and author of design blogs CSS Tricks and Digging into WordPress. "… At the same time, an online portfolio is a website and personal creation of yours, so it being beautiful in itself is important."


The Resume


yiying image

Resumes are a necessary evil, but a good one can actually be a window into your personal design style. "The resume as a whole should reflect your personality," said YiYing Lu, a designer most associated with the Twitter Fail Whale. "The words, the linguistic skills should be transparent. It should carry your spirit. I think the resume is almost like your avatar in a way."

It's obviously important to highlight any previous design experience, but what else should you include? Do employers really care if you "enjoy travel and cooking?" A lot depends on the specific job you're applying for. If its a travel and cooking site, potentially. It is most important to stay professional and tailor your resume for each job.

"I definitely wouldn't bother mentioning you worked at McDonald's in high school," Coyier said. "I'll go out on a limb and say don't even put on where you went to high school. Any company I would want to work for wouldn't care about that, they would want to know if I'm a good designer, a hard worker, and if I'll fit with their team or not."


Cover Letter


Yes, they're still important, and yes, nobody likes writing them, but there are a couple things to keep in mind while crafting yours. Mathers explained that cover letters are still the first line of introduction, and just might prevent your resume from being thrown in the trash. Your cover letter should introduce who you are, but most importantly, give a reason why they should bother reading your resume or looking at your work.

Almost as important as the cover letter is that first email you send with your resume. Coyier argues it's even more important as a way of introducing yourself and setting the tone. It's your first chance to demonstrate your personality.


Online Portfolio


In some ways, your Portfolio is the most important thing you submit. A great portfolio can convey a designer's skill, talent and approach. There are, however, a couple stumbling blocks that can make all that work look disorganized or unprofessional.


Print vs. Digital


coyier image

You know you need a portfolio, but should you make it digital or print it out? The consensus from our design pros was that it is imperative you have a digital portfolio as a default. Printing your portfolio, however, can sometimes give you an edge over the competition.

"Creating things on a hard copy can always be good," Lu said. "I love technology and how tech really helps people but do keep in mind that people also like tangible things, especially if you have an old fashioned grandpa interviewing you who doesn't like the screen." More than just appealing to an older sect, Lu said the choice to print can reveal a lot of your personality or the creative choices in your work.

Still, moderation is key according to Coyier: "A portfolio in like a big leather zip case feels pretty outdated to me, unless it's examples of work that you did for print. Just because the job is for digital work doesn't mean they wouldn't be interested in seeing past work you've done in other mediums."

If you are going to remain purely digital, it's useful to think of how the employer will access. For example, Lu pointed out that using Flash can backfire if your employer's on the run: "Maybe the person who is going to view your resume or portfolio will use [his iPhone] because he's busy and for some reason your flash site couldn't be opened during the time he had."


How Many Is Right?


yiying shoes image

How many samples is too many samples? It's important to showcase your work but you don't want to overload a portfolio to the point where it gets diluted. Lu recommended thinking of the portfolio like Twitter: "Keep it short, but keep it punchy." Aim for no more than 10 samples, the more you show, the less confident you can seem.

Mathers, like all our designers, said to put your best stuff first and upfront, but said that organization is even more important, especially for an online portfolio. "It's important to show that you have a breadth of ability in different styles — mediums if you have that — but be sure to categorize these different areas." A polished, easily readable portfolio shows you're a pro. Conversely, illustrators and animators are usually hired based on overall style so consistency can help for those kinds of jobs.

Ultimately it comes down to quality. "If you've done 50 amazing things, by all means show fifty. But you probably haven't," Coyier said. "Showing five awesome things is way better than showing 10 things, the other five being mediocre."


Last Minute Tips


Now armed with a brilliant resume, cover letter, and revamped portfolio, don't forget the final touches. Make sure you add your name, or credit yourself somehow on all of your work so that people can find you and contact you.

Take a scan over your materials and make sure everything's in order. "Details are dead giveaways," Coyier said. "Improperly kerned type, for example, really stands out to me… If you are looking at a great design with great detail, the designer is both skilled and cared enough to do it right."

Make sure you know your identity and strive to stand out not for gimmicks but for creativity and work ethic. "Work on being a brand that is memorable, with a service that stands out" Mathers said.

That very ethos once got Lu a job. She said a recruiter gave her the job because hers was the only application that didn't have any typos.

We know, it's a lot of information to process, but the advice really comes down to patience and effort. Take the time to make sure your materials are polished, accurate, and show the best you can offer. As Coyier put it: "If you do good work and care about what you do, things will happen for you."


Dev & Design Job Listings


Every week we put out a list of social media and web job opportunities. While we post a huge range of job listings, we’ve selected some of the best dev & design jobs from the past two weeks to get you started. Happy hunting!


More development and design resources from Mashable:


- HOW TO: Create a Pixel Fireworks Animation Using JavaScript
- Top 10 Resources for Design Inspiration
- HOW TO: Get Up-to-Date on WordPress 3.0
- 7 Hackathons Around the World and the Web
- 10 Web Design Bloggers You Should Follow

[img credit: Chris Coyier, YiYing Lu]


Reviews: Facebook, Twitter, aim

More About: cover letter, cv, design, designer, digital, graphic artist, Illustrator, job, portfolio, resume

For more Dev & Design coverage:


23 Essential Social Media Resources You May Have Missed

Posted: 18 Jul 2010 10:17 AM PDT

Drawn Social Media Image

We know, it’s summer in some parts of the world — you don’t want to stay indoors all day everyday. Well don’t worry, even if you missed some of Mashable’s social media resources while out frolicking we’ve got another great list of resources from the past week to get you all caught up.

Below you’ll find our weekly power-guide to the best social media resources this side of the ‘Net. This edition includes a ton of business resources for the social-media-savvy entrepreneur and even some quirky facts (LOL used to mean “Little Old Lady”?). Whatever your passion, dig in and enjoy.


Social Media

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


Tech & Mobile

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


Business

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

[Image Credit: Nitin Garg]


Reviews: Facebook, Foursquare, Mashable, Twitter, YouTube

More About: business, facebook, Features Week In Review, List, Lists, Mobile 2.0, small business, social media, tech, trending, twitter, youtube

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