Mashable: Latest 23 News Updates - including “Why Hulu’s New Dance Show is a Game-Changer”

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• Why Hulu’s New Dance Show is a Game-Changer
• A Brief History of 9 Popular Blogging Platforms
• Why Online Education Needs to Get Social
• Video-Based CAPTCHAs: Hard on Bots, Easy on Humans
• Google: There Are 129,864,880 Books in the Entire World
• Lessons Google Can Learn From Wave’s Failure
• Net Neutrality Brawl: FCC Is Not Happy with Google and Verizon
• Apple Launches “Try Before You Buy” Apps
• Mixpanel Brings Real-Time Analytics to Android Apps
• Watch #SummerMash Interviews From Washington D.C. [LIVE]
• Pentagon to WikiLeaks: Return Our Secret Documents, Or Else
• Fail Whale Party: Twitter’s Down! [UPDATED]
• Apple Hater Seeks Roommate in the Big Apple via Craigslist
• HOW TO: Self-Publish Anything Online
• “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” + Interactive Trailer = Achievement Unlocked! [AUTOPLAY]
• YouTube and Ridley Scott’s Life in a Day Project Receives 80,000 Entries
• Social IM Client Digsby Finally Gets Group Chat Support
• Is Social Media Costing the UK Billions in Worker Productivity?
• 5 Innovative Tech Camps for Kids and Teens
• Google, Verizon Deny Talks to End Net Neutrality (But They Are Talking)
• Amazon Launches UK Kindle Store
• 10 Free Web UI Kits and Resources for Designers
• Morning Brief: Google Acquires Slide, Hunch Relaunches
• Facebook Buys $40 Million Worth of Social Networking Patents

Why Hulu’s New Dance Show is a Game-Changer Posted: 06 Aug 2010 04:01 AM PDT At first it doesn't feel like a dance show. Audiences weaned on the high jumps and theatrics of Fox's So You Think You Can Dance will immediately miss it's flashy opening numbers and poppy dance music. The opening title of The LXD (The Legion of Extraordinary Dancers) feels like a graphic novel version of the Twilight Zone. The opening minutes of each episode feature an old man waxing philosophical in close-up. This doesn't feel like a dance show. About a fifth of the way into "Duet," a five-minute episode, we see a couple lying in bed. We learn the two are separated, each dance the same choreography as black bars frame and cut between them. Some nifty camera tricks and lovely choreography tie the story together. Until the very end, the whole episode takes place without words. Why should you care about The LXD? The new web series is broadcast exclusively on Hulu and is a mix of Heroes, comic books and dance -– essentially, it's good vs. evil set in the real world with "dance specialties" like break dancing, the robot, or contemporary serving as super powers. The show is difficult to describe because it breaks boundaries in genre, format and platform. It is, however, a game-changer in the way that web series — and the arts — are presented online. Oh yeah, and it’s stunning. This isn't the first time the arts have been shown online, but The LXD marks a shift in how a series can be conceived for an online space. It also provides a new way of viewing the arts outside of exhibition free-for-alls like America/Britain's Got Talent, So You Think You Can Dance and American Idol. The Players The creative trio behind the show includes director Jon M. Chu, known for helming Step Up 2 and Step Up 3D, and lead choreographers Chris Scott and Harry Shum Jr. (the dance-specialist on Glee). They, along with a talented staff and some unbelievable dancers, have created a web series that is consistently in the top 10 most watched shows on Hulu. They spoke about the show, future seasons, and how social media made it all possible. Where it Started Chu started experimenting with social media through a much-hyped 2008 YouTube dance battle between an early crew of LXD dancers and, of all people, Miley Cyrus. The battle, crowdsourced through social media, attracted millions of views and participation from celebrities like Lindsay Lohan and Adam Sandler. "Literally, I did all my field testing there," Chu said. "Our longest [video] was like seven minutes and that was even a stretch. But those ones got millions and millions of hits. I was like ‘OK, if it can get viral like that, that would be the key.’ And imagine if you could have all those virals connect in a bigger story. That would be freaking awesome." The LXD was born from the same crew of dancers with the addition of a running narrative and the desire to show off street dancing. "We really wanted to show how beautiful street dancing is," Scott said. “I kind of feel like sometimes it's overlooked … Contemporary is so beautiful and street dancing is just cool — it's like a ‘cool’ dance." Chu and crew put together a series of bite-size episodes, most no longer than 10 minutes. Hulu's Viral Video The next step was finding the right home for the show. Chu, worried that YouTube viewers preferred shorter, simpler videos, looked to other platforms. They chose Hulu because of the quality of its other content and the fact that they needed real cash to continue the series. Part of that thinking meant re-evaluating what "viral" meant. Viral videos usually consist of two-minute “FAILs” or kittens eating watermelons. The LXD is a new kind of viral. On Hulu, a platform familiar with half-hour shows or longer, the 10-minute LXD epics are considered easily digestible, short-form virals. Despite fan requests for longer videos, the plan is to keep them short and sweet. The Internet thrives on high-value, sharable snippets. The LXD has successfully entered that niche while expanding the time restriction normally associated with those videos. A Whole Day in Two Hours Making the show has been a little stressful with shooting days compressed as much as possible. The team sometimes films a whole day's worth of material in just two hours. "I mean, there's a good side of it, aside from having a heart attack at the end of the day," Shum Jr. said. The stress can create brilliant moments, but it is also wearing. "Whenever we're done, we finish a round of shooting and we look back and we're like, 'I can't believe we just did that!'" Scott said. "Every time," Shum Jr. added. "If we can do it like this, we can do it on anything, we can make it work," Scott said. That optimism belies the grassroots gumption behind the show. In a recent trip to New York, Chu was editing the second season from a hard drive in his hotel room, while much of the weekly PR comes from Chu and his dancers' Twitter accounts. "The only marketing is me on Facebook and calling Paramount being like, ‘Can you do something for this, please?’" Disney recently put in money to help promote the Step Up movie Chu also directed for them. "It's a very grassroots effort to get people to just watch it and stay watching, and doing one every week is really exhausting." Style The arts are often presented online in two ways: Either they are shows ported over from major networks or they are short videos of child musicians, performing artists, or show reels. The LXD exists somewhere between those options; not quite network, not quite viral, but somehow just as successful as either. The series has had that success largely thanks to social media. "The only way we can do it is because of technology," Chu said. "[It's] the only way we could get it out there without a studio on our butts telling us what to do and who to cast and how to tell the story. That frees us up creatively in so many ways." The show has built out its interactive features with a series of websites referenced in the shows themselves. The sites, like Cole Waters, are full of Easter eggs and plot secrets. "We make up for only having 10 to 15 minutes to tell a story [by making it] really interactive for the people that watch our show," Scott said. The production values have also needed to stay on track. Not consigned to YouTube obscurity, The LXD is displayed next to major shows like Lost or Heroes on the Hulu homepage. While Chu started with the mentality of "shorter, shorter, shorter, get to the dance, express everything in the dance," Hulu's reputation for long-form, polished, network shows has helped The LXD slow down and emphasize its story-telling. "I think we have to convince people you can do a high quality, strictly for the web," Chu said. "I don't understand why we keep expecting the web to be worse than anything else we watch, but that's what everyone expects — and ‘web series’ is the worst word ever because you hear that word and you just think: ‘Shit.’" Learning Process The LXD is the ever-changing result of many experiments. The early YouTube dance battle videos showed the potential of an online-only dance show. Using Hulu showed the potential for longer videos and an equal balance of story and dance spectacle. Even now Chu is tinkering with the format. "I think that's the fun part about being online," Chu said. "When you do a movie, you commit $20 million, $30 million … and that's what it is. With our online stuff, we get to adjust and refine." Criticism has centered on the sometimes stereotypical plots, the overblown acting, or the dancing itself. Still, as much as it stings, the feedback has helped Chu and crew learn from their mistakes and implement changes in their upcoming seasons. They've also been growing along with the technology. Web video used to be about processing speed and having the right browser. YouTube exploded those conceptions. "All of a sudden it didn't have to be perfect," Chu said. "As long as it was there, fast, you had a connection to it… With technology, now it's becoming a way of expression … so it's not about that screen; how big of a screen, how fast your processor is. It's just about what ideas you're communicating." Social Media and Young Artists Social media has long been part of the dance scene. Shum Jr. explained how dancers in Asia or Europe can go on YouTube to learn new styles, power moves, or put up their own videos for American audiences. It's a global conversation of styles, art and practice. It's increasingly important for young artists and dancers to be tech savvy. "Now you have your YouTube page and your Twitter followers, and [you can] show your videos and keep updating," Scott said. "You could even start your own show." JSmooth, a finger tutter, was hired for Step Up after Chu found an amateur video of him dancing on YouTube. Chu has held auditions via YouTube for his Step Up films as well as scouting talent for The LXD. "We've never really held an audition," Shum Jr. said. "What's great is you know a guy’s name, you hear about him, people talk about him, you go online and then you're able to see all his stuff… People can put their stuff up and you never know who's looking at your stuff and that's how we found a lot of these guys." What's Next Speaking with Chu, it's easy to see that the wheels are spinning pretty fast. The LXD is about halfway through its first season, the second is being edited and the third is about to be filmed. Right now, the team is working on a way to keep The LXD on Hulu while also launching the series to international fans at the same time. Chu said he's already written an LXD history that spans from the 1920s to the year 3000. These first three seasons are just a fraction in the middle. Future products could include an LXD style version of The Nutcracker, or a series of narrative tutorials that track the viewer's own dance progress with badges. Those who reach "Extraordinary" would be inducted into the crew and given their own filmed origin story. All of these will have to balance against Chu's other projects, including his upcoming movie and the projects of his choreographers and growing list of dancers. "The idea is to tell more stories as we go through seasons two and three," Chu said. "I mean, I hope we get to keep going because we got to finish this off, otherwise, it's going to be a tragedy." Further, Chu and crew want to expand The LXD into a brand, broaching comic books, live performance, and other genres of video. "We want to build this brand where people know they're going to get the best out of the best of dance," Shum Jr. said. "When you see LXD produced, you're going to get some great dancing." More Web Video Resources from Mashable: - HOW TO: Use Annotations to Promote Your Brand on YouTube - 6 Tips For Experimenting with Web Video - 4 Tips for Producing Quality Web Videos - HOW TO: Add Captions To Your YouTube Videos - HOW TO: Boost Your SEO with a YouTube Channel Reviews: Facebook, Hulu, Twitter, YouTube More About: Arts, chris scott, dance, harry shum jr., hulu, jon chu, lxd, step up 3D, web video For more Web Video coverage: Follow Mashable Web Video on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Web Video channel Download our free apps for iPhone and iPad

A Brief History of 9 Popular Blogging Platforms Posted: 06 Aug 2010 12:20 AM PDT Even though Microsoft’s spell check insists that “blog” and “blogger” are not real words, they’ve been been in the dictionary since 2003. Blogs and their platforms have a lengthy history. The beginnings of blogging was a time not unlike today: Plaid was in style, a beloved rock star had passed, and the Internet was just gaining momentum on college campuses. In 1994, then Swarthmore College student Justin Hall started an online diary called Justin’s Links from the Underground. The site, which first started as a guide to the web, soon became an account of Hall’s life, and earned him the surely coveted title of pioneer blogger. Three years later, Jorn Barger would coin the term “weblog,” and it’s short form, “blog,” was later coined by Peter Merholz. Today, the web is comprised of millions of blogs covering every topic imaginable. Here is short history of some of the medium’s most popular platforms. 1. Open Diary Founded in 1998 by Bruce Ableson, Open Diary was the first website that brought online journal keepers together as a community, as users had the ability to read each other’s journals and leave comments on them. To date, the site has hosted more than five million diaries since launch, with more than half a million diaries currently being used. 2. Live Journal Live Journal was launched in April 1999 by Danga Interactive’s Brad Fitzpatrick. It was one of the first free blogging platforms and online communities. For the first few years, the service was by invitation only but eventually became accessible to everyone. What started as a fun project — a way for Fitzpatrick to keep up with his old high school friends in pre-Facebook days — soon became too big for one person, and Live Journal began hiring their first team. In 2005, Six Apart bought Danga Interactive, with Fitzpatrick continuing to work on the site. In 2007, a Russian company called SUP purchased Live Journal and established LiveJournal Inc. to run it. 3. Xanga Similar to MySpace, Xanga started off in 1999 as a social networking site frequented by teens. One year later, Xanga added blogging capabilities. The platform offers users the option of giving “eProps” to show love for a particular post. The site has an estimated 40 million users (though I’ve yet to meet anyone who uses it), and is the 1,438th most visited site in the world. 4. Blogger Blogger was created by San Francisco company Pyra Labs in 1999. Created on a “whim” according to the site, Blogger took off, gaining in popularity. The site was bought by Google in 2003, and the platform subsequently saw the integration of Picasa and Hello. 5. Dead Journal Based on the same open source code as Live Journal but with a darker theme, Dead Journal was created by Frank Precissi in 2001, and became a place for Goths and emo kids to write their dark, angsty thoughts. The site actually touts itself as a place “where you find the journals that nobody else wants to see, or even host,” and that they “love pissed off people, if you’re a pissed off person who hates incompetence, please sign up now!” With only 500,000 accounts, it’s surprising that every netizen isn’t a member. 6. TypePad Launched in 2003, TypePad comes from Live Journal’s buyer, Six Apart. TypePad is based on Movable Type’s platform with the two sharing the same templates, technology and APIs. TypePad was Six Apart’s platform for the non-technical blogger. Unlike most blogging sites, TypePad isn’t free, but users do get their own .com domain names. 7. WordPress “WordPress was born out of a desire for an elegant, well-architectured personal publishing system built on PHP and MySQL and licensed under the GPL,” according to the site. It launched in 2003 as a joint creation between Matt Mullenweg and Mike Little as the successor to Michel Valdrighi’s b2/cafelog blogging site. Today, WordPress is the most popular blogging platform with 54,283 of the top million sites on the Internet using it, including Mashable. 8. MySpace MySpace launched in 2003 ready to take on Friendster as the social network of the day. Created by Brad Greenspan, Chris DeWolfe and Tom Anderson, the site was similar to how it looks today; hosting full profiles and very basic blogging options. Today, according to MySpace, there are 225,747,687 blogs on the site. 9. Tumblr Created by wunderkind David Karp in 2007, Tumblr is a recent addition to the blogosphere. Users are able to easily upload photos, text, images, video and conversation to the site for short, quick posts or lengthier ones. The site emphasizes its ease of use and encourages sharing by allowing users to “re-blog” posts they loved. With more than 6 million blogs, The New York Times (strangely) called it, “Facebook and Twitter’s new rival.” More Blogging Resources from Mashable: - 14 Fantastic Free WordPress Themes - HOW TO: Build a More Beautiful Blog - Top 10 Ways to Tweak Your WordPress Theme - HOW TO: Create a Successful Company Blog - HOW TO: Rescue Your Blog From Social Isolation Image courtesy of iStockphoto, JLGutierrez Reviews: Facebook, Friendster, Google, Internet, Mashable, MySpace, PHP, Picasa, Tumblr, Twitter, TypePad, WordPress, Xanga, blogger, iStockphoto More About: blog, blogger, BLOGS, dead journal, diary land, live journal, myspace, open diary, tumblr, typepad, weblog, Wordpress, xanga For more Social Media coverage: Follow Mashable Social Media on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Social Media channel Download our free apps for iPhone and iPad

Why Online Education Needs to Get Social Posted: 06 Aug 2010 12:19 AM PDT Marco Masoni is a lawyer turned educator who co-founded Einztein.com to address the related problems of searching for good online courses and real-time coursework interaction. Marshall McLuhan's classic expression " the medium is the message” hasn't lost its luster yet, as entrepreneurs and designers re-invent products and services for the web, unleashing thousands of new applications and sites every single day. The news industry is also in the throes of adjusting to the digital age, with countless print publications failing and folding after many years in the business while online news outlets and other platforms for news sharing, proliferate. Education is the second largest industry in America behind health care, and it too is experiencing a similar shift as it struggles to adapt traditional design and delivery models to the demands of modern audiences who are accustomed to digital interactivity. The challenge to transition successfully is especially pressing for online higher education. The Sloan Consortium reports that two-thirds of post-secondary educational institutions are seeing an increase in online courses and programs, so it's a market that education providers simply cannot afford to ignore. It’s About Course Quality, not Quantity All too frequently, providers meet the challenge of satisfying the rising demand for online education by simply throwing courses up on the web and seeing what sticks, without catering to student needs. This amounts to a loser's gamble since it risks pushing away students looking for schools that boast high online student retention rates. After all, why would you want to spend valuable tuition dollars on a school that isn't likely to hold your interest long enough to earn a degree? What's required are innovative approaches to course design that set aside old models of instruction where theory often trumps actuality. Online course providers must embrace the web's potential to match students with the kinds of timely knowledge and skills that address current issues head-on, and enable them to thrive in the global marketplace. It's not enough for a course to be accessible online, it must also be designed in a way that keys into the digital pulse of current events, trending topics and insider knowledge endemic to the web. The three-quarters of 18 to 29 year-olds who have profiles on social networks are likely wondering why online course offerings aren't nearly as enticing as the content that they find on their favorite social websites. To attract and retain the typical college-age demographic, as well as the larger population of adult learners in search of relevant and engaging educational content, the next generation of online education must be characterized by courses that build in the social, real-time information capturing components that have made the web such a dynamic medium for sharing information and knowledge. Learning From Events in Real-Time Consider what's happened recently in the Gulf of Mexico. BP’s major oil spill is perhaps even "the" news story of the year. By now facts, opinions, and graphic images of the damage and underwater video of the spewing oil have been circulated on countless websites, informing our shock and outrage. The wonders of the digital age have successfully kept us current on the disaster in real-time, but how can they help us repair the mess and learn about our mistakes? How can we enlist the social media zeitgeist in order to build a better online learning paradigm? Unfortunately, higher education providers are not racing to develop online courses that can seize on important events events like these, as they happen. Beyond the immediate victims, there are millions of people around the world who would certainly be inclined to learn about the incident so that they can apply the lessons to their own lives and communities. In mid July, another major oil spill occurred in the Yellow Sea, after the explosion of an oil terminal in the port city of Dalian, China. And recently, in Michigan, nearly a million gallons of oil leaked out of a forty year-old pipeline and into the Kalamazoo River. Innovation Pays The web, as a real-time medium, is begging us to build innovative courses that can be used for the rapid delivery of education designed in a way that integrates current news, information, insights and research about topics like the oil spill and thousands of other current issues. After exploring some of the leading interactive educational sites that have been created by public institutions and non-profit entities, including Webby nominee Your Life, Your Money and Webby winner The Ocean Portal, it's hard not to come away wondering why online courses rarely rise to the same level of quality and relevance. The most obvious explanation for this is the relatively high cost of producing an online course with similar design and functionality, plus, the added back-end resources involved in administering such a course. But is the cost really so prohibitive? One can't help but wonder what would happen if an education provider came along that offered, for starters, 20 or 30 online courses that were of "Webby" caliber. Even if the courses cost more to initially produce than your standard offering, the high market demand for online education might show that innovation pays when you begin creating online courses that look, teach and engage like they were purposed for the online medium. For the time being it's up to innovators like the folks over at TED to remind us how to use the web for exchanging knowledge in the search for solutions to global problems like the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. Online education providers everywhere could learn a thing or two from this approach and take a chance by creating real-time courses. More Education Resources from Mashable: - 5 Organizations Helping Women Get Ahead in Tech - 5 Innovative Tech Camps for Kids and Teens - 5 Fun Ways to Help Your Kids Learn Math Online - Social Media Parenting: Raising the Digital Generation - 6 Free Websites for Learning and Teaching Science Image courtesy of iStockphoto, pagadesign, marinephotobank More About: bp, digital, education, gulf of mexico, interactive, oil-spill, online, social media For more Social Media coverage: Follow Mashable Social Media on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Social Media channel Download our free apps for iPhone and iPad

Video-Based CAPTCHAs: Hard on Bots, Easy on Humans Posted: 05 Aug 2010 11:45 PM PDT Mashable's Spark of Genius series highlights a unique feature of startups. If you would like to have your startup considered for inclusion, see details here. The series is made possible by Microsoft BizSpark. Name: NuCaptcha Quick Pitch: NuCaptcha is a first-of-its-kind CAPTCHA technology that uses video to determine if users are human, not bots. Genius Idea: CAPTCHA is an acronym for "Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart". These tests, of which 100 billion were used last year alone, generally comprise warped letters and numbers displayed in a widely varying range of readability levels. The idea is that they’re supposed to be nonstandard enough to be indecipherable by machines yet simple enough for humans to understand and reproduce, preventing spambot or other machine use of computer systems while granting access to humans. In recent years, some of the CAPTCHAs humans has been asked to solve, however, have been ridiculously illegible. Most of us have at least once had to pause at the end of a web form to squint at a CAPTCHA that looked more like a yarn squiggle than an actual string of characters. That’s where NuCaptcha aims to make a difference. NuCaptcha’s technology substitutes a brief video display of characters for the usual smash or squiggle of letters. It’s definitely easier on the human eye, and its creators say it’s also much more secure. Moreover, if humans find NuCaptcha as legible as machines find it illegible, it should help increase signups while decreasing spambots for web services and applications. NuCaptcha’s Flash videos run in a small, embedded screen. They come in a variety of themes and show a predetermined, constant white text followed by a short string of red letters, which the user is asked to type in a box below. As you can see below, the legibility for end users is far better than with a typical CAPTCHA: NuCaptcha was founded in 2008 and has offices in Vancouver and San Francisco. The company offers APIs for a handful of languages and platforms; you can also download a WordPress plugin. What do you think of NuCaptcha’s technology? Is it easier for you to read than a CAPTCHA from another site? And if you have a site or app of your own, would you consider using a technology like this? Let us know what you think in the comments. Sponsored by Microsoft BizSpark BizSpark is a startup program that gives you three-year access to the latest Microsoft development tools, as well as connecting you to a nationwide network of investors and incubators. There are no upfront costs, so if your business is privately owned, less than three years old, and generates less than U.S.$1 million in annual revenue, you can sign up today. Reviews: WordPress More About: captcha, nucaptcha, spam, startup, turing test For more Tech coverage: Follow Mashable Tech on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Tech channel Download our free apps for iPhone and iPad

Google: There Are 129,864,880 Books in the Entire World Posted: 05 Aug 2010 10:49 PM PDT How many books have ever been published in all of modern history? According to Google’s advanced algorithms, the answer is nearly 130 million books, or 129,864,880, to be exact. We’ll admit it’s practically impossible to count every book that has ever been written, but in order for Google Books to successfully catalog the world’s supply of printed knowledge, the company needs an estimate of the amount of books it needs to scan. That’s why Google set out on the task to do just that. In a detailed blog post, software engineer Leonid Taycher outlined just how complex counting books actually can become. The first step is defining exactly what a book is. The company decided to discount anything that wasn’t an idealized bound volume: “One definition of a book we find helpful inside Google when handling book metadata is a ‘tome,’ an idealized bound volume. A tome can have millions of copies (e.g. a particular edition of Angels and Demons by Dan Brown) or can exist in just one or two copies (such as an obscure master's thesis languishing in a university library).” Google admits their definition is imperfect, but it’s workable and similar to what ISBNs are supposed to represent. ISBN, or International Standard Book Numbers, are designed to be unique identifiers for books. Because they’ve only been around for 30-40 years and are used in mostly Western countries, they can’t be used by themselves. That’s why Google took data from the Library of Congress, WorldCat and others to find as many books as possible — one billion raw records by the company’s count. Here’s where Google’s engineering talent comes into play. The company used countless algorithms to determine and discard duplicates in an effort that required more than 150 pieces of metadata related to the world’s books to evaluate whether each book record was unique or a duplicate of another. Analyzing this data resulted in 210 million unique books. Next, Google subtracted the millions of microforms, audio recordings, maps, t-shirts, turkey probles (yes, turkey probes) and videos with IBSNs, arriving at a much more reasonable number of 146 million. Finally, the company removed 16 million government document volumes from their estimate, getting to the 129.8 million count they announced today. Of course, publishers are issuing new books even as this post is being typed, so the company is constantly recalculating the book count. While we don’t have an army of software engineers and algorithms to back us up, my gut says this number is too low and the company has many more books to count from the annals of history. Still, this project to figure out the world’s book supply is simply fascinating and could be useful for research and historical purposes for years to come. Google’s next challenge: to stop getting sued over Google Books. Reviews: Google More About: books, Google, google books For more Tech coverage: Follow Mashable Tech on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Tech channel Download our free apps for iPhone and iPad

Lessons Google Can Learn From Wave’s Failure Posted: 05 Aug 2010 09:49 PM PDT Google Wave officially fizzled yesterday, following just over a year of exaggerated hype and underwhelming performance. From a practical standpoint, ending Wave development makes a lot of sense; why invest work hours and resources into an end product that isn’t being adopted and hasn’t met expectations? However, as we noted yesterday, speed in which Wave (and we promise, this is our last pun) wiped out is worth reflecting upon. Why did Wave fail and how can Google learn from this experience? Wave started its life amidst a ton of hype, which, we’ll admit, Mashable played a role in encouraging. Buoyed by a brilliant demonstration at Google I/O in May 2009, the anticipation for end users was already in full effect by early summer. I recall last June, six or seven weeks before I started work at Mashable, having dinner with some friends who had just attended a local user group meeting that included overview of Google Wave from some of the attendees of Google I/O. The invite-only public beta hadn’t even started, yet it was already worthy of local group discussion. The hype reached a crescendo when invites were first released on September 30 with everyone and their brother clamoring to get access to the new service. Then we got access, and the problems started. Lesson 1: Keep Expectations in Check The first lesson that Google or any web application developer can learn from Google Wave is the importance of managing expectations. Because the hype window started four months before Wave actually launched, the idea of what Wave was easily exceeded the reality. Phrases like “radically different approach to communication” and “e-mail 2.0″ were bandied around, along with buzz-word laden phrases like “paradigm-shifting game-changer.” But in reality, Wave turned out to be a collaborative real-time editor with an IRC menu attached and an in-browser macro creator. That isn’t to take away from the technical achievements of getting those components to work in the web browser, but it seems that Wave was really more of a convergence of longstanding ideas rather than some huge realignment of real-time group communication. Yes, the tech press is partially responsible for over-selling Wave, but ultimately, Google set the tone by playing coy and teasing Wave as the next big thing. “The next Gmail” was a common phrase. That set major expectations, and it was clear as soon as Wave launched in public beta that those expectations were not going to be met. Lesson 2: Make Your Product Clear Clearly defining what your product is goes hand-in-hand with managing expectations. From the very beginning, Google seemed unsure of what Wave was and clueless about how to present it to the public. For instance, it took a third party to create a video explaining Google Wave for many people to actually understand the central points and aims of the service. Google is usually very good about making its products easy to understand. Gmail, for example, was instantly recognizable as web email. Google Docs was quickly seen as an online tool for creating and sharing documents, AdWords as paid search keywords, etc. However, with Wave, the concept was never drilled down to a simple metaphor. And no, “a wave of information” is not a clear metaphor. Lesson 3: Launch When Ready Still, even with unchecked expectations and an unclear overall product, initial interest and demand for Wave was extremely high at the beginning. The invite-only frenzy was reminiscent of the early Gmail era (the first few rounds of invites in the spring and summer of 2004) and people were really eager to see what the fuss was about. The problem was, invites were very, very slow to roll out. In fact, the service only lost the invite-only method two months ago. To add insult to injury, the group that could have most benefited from Wave, Google Apps users, never got access. Staggered invite releases can make sense for certain product launches. It made sense for Gmail, considering the amount of storage each user was getting (relative to the other webmail services at the time) and consideration for scaling and spam issues. The same can be said for Google Voice. However, for a tool like Wave, which is by definition a collaborative tool, it really needed to be launched to a large audience. It may not have been feasible for Google to push Wave out to the entire world on the first shot, but there is absolutely no good reason it took nine months to go from initial invites to open access. Not when you add four months of hype in front of the initial launch. Had Google waited to make sure it had the resources to scale and support Wave or to bring it to Google Apps users before launching the product, the company might have better capitalized on the early hype. Web applications are moving so fast it’s just not reasonable to expect people to still care about your product after the initial frenzy of publicity and attention. The only time this kind of strategy can succeed is if the end product is totally worth waiting for. Hulu, for instance, got away with launching softly in late October of 2007 and then going live to everyone in February 2008. Why? Because in the end, having free online access to new and old television shows from the major networks was worth it. Lesson 4: Have Real Value Above and beyond the issues with strategy and marketing, our biggest problem with Google Wave was that it just didn’t offer any real value. First, it required creating a separate account that wasn’t linked to your other Google or Google Apps accounts, which made adding in contacts and sharing Google Docs files more difficult that necessary. Then was the problem with noise and managing groups and access control lists. Then there was the initial kludginess of the collaborative real-time editing set-up. Simply put, Wave just wasn’t a very good product in its final form. Even after the API and plugins were released, the features were never really structured in a way that made it overly useful. In fact, we would argue that the best thing to come from Google Wave was the acquisition of the EtherPad team. EtherPad is an example of how to build a useful and value-adding web application. The fact that EtherPad clones sprouted up after Google acquired Appjet is proof of just how useful the app continues to be. But as for Wave, even after all the hype, it ended up being hard to understand, annoying to use, and ultimately not very functional. Learn From the Past Hopefully Google will take a long, hard look at the decisions made in during Wave’s development and deployment. Ultimately, the decision to take the best elements of the service and push them into already existing services makes a lot more sense than trying to create something new. As Google has also seen with Buzz, finding success isn’t as easy as just slapping a Google logo on a product, especially when the primary audience is regular users (as opposed to early adopters). However, success is a lot more likely if expectations are managed, product definitions are clear, launches are well timed and the end product is ultimately providing value. Why do you think Google Wave flopped? Let us know what you think in the comments. Reviews: EtherPad, Gmail, Google, Google Docs, Google Voice, Google Wave, Hulu, Mashable More About: analysis, Google, Google Wave, wave For more Tech coverage: Follow Mashable Tech on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Tech channel Download our free apps for iPhone and iPad

Net Neutrality Brawl: FCC Is Not Happy with Google and Verizon Posted: 05 Aug 2010 08:50 PM PDT The Google-Verizon net neutrality saga has taken yet another strange turn as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has ended closed-door talks with several companies over the future of net neutrality and has lashed out against the practice of paying for faster transmission of data over the Internet. “Any outcome, any deal that doesn’t preserve the freedom and openness of the Internet for consumers and entrepreneurs will be unacceptable,” FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski told reporters earlier today. His remarks were in reaction to reports that Google and Verizon are about to strike a deal that would charge some Internet content providers more than others for the transmission of their data to users across the world. Clearly Genachowski is opposed to such an arrangement. The FCC also made another move related to an impending Google-Verizon deal: They cancelled closed-door meetings seeking a compromise on regulating Internet traffic and establishing net neutrality, according to the Wall Street Journal. According insiders familiar with the details, talks were abruptly cut off soon after the net neutrality story broke. The FCC believes the Google-Verizon deal undermines broader issues. The entire affair has blown up into a PR nightmare. Google and Verizon have both denied they are attempting to end net neutrality, but they have confirmed that they are talking to one another. It seems as if the two are trying to define net neutrality through an agreement and model their definition as a standard for the industry. However, the two companies are likely to find that others aren’t as willing to accept their agreement as they might have hoped. Anything involving paying different prices for the transmission of Internet traffic is sure to be challenged by both watchdog organizations and the very companies Google allied itself with last year in support of the FCC’s net neutrality rules. The situation is getting ugly. The FCC won’t allow Google or Verizon to derail its plan for net neutrality. The two companies are going to have to issue more than 140 character denials for this story to go away. Image courtesy of iStockphoto, PaulW.Brain Reviews: Google, Internet, iStockphoto More About: fcc, Google, Julius Genachowski, net neutrality, verizon For more Tech coverage: Follow Mashable Tech on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Tech channel Download our free apps for iPhone and iPad

Apple Launches “Try Before You Buy” Apps Posted: 05 Aug 2010 07:22 PM PDT Apple’s just opened up a new section of the App Store. Called “Try Before You Buy,” it lets users test drive a limited selection of apps before purchasing them. Unfortunately, this trial period doesn’t apply to all the paid apps in the store — not yet, at least. For now, the section only contains the freemium, “lite” or ad-supported versions of apps whose full versions are in the pay-to-play section of the store. If the app doesn’t have a free version already in the App Store, it won’t appear in Try Before You Buy. You’ll still have to download and pay for the full versions of these apps if you want to test or try the real thing; most of the free or lite apps are pared-down versions with less extensive feature sets. You can find this new section under the “Free on the App Store” heading. The section currently holds 98 apps, including the “lite” renditions games such as Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown, Metal Gear Solid Touch and Labyrinth 2 and free adaptations of apps such as Moodagent and AccuTerra. We’re not sure yet whether other paid apps will be added to this section for limited-time trials. But we’re fairly certain that a “try before you buy” policy might be an effective deterrent for would-be app pirates, the actions of whom have apparently cost the App Store around half a billion dollars. Many of the cracked or illegally shared apps were reportedly downloaded because the user didn’t have the option of making a truly informed purchase decision. They couldn’t use the apps, even for a brief test drive. In addition to taking a bite out of piracy, we’re thinking the section was added to allow Apple’s smartphones to remain competitive (or at least to present the appearance of competition) with Android OS devices. The Android Market has a liberal returns policy; apps can be purchased and returned for a full and automatic refund for up to a day following purchase. And as we know, that competition is much needed as Apple moves into Q3 and Q4 this year. What do you think of Try It Before You Buy It? Shameless ploy, or interesting opportunity? We welcome your opinions and thoughts in the comments section. [hat tip: 9to5mac] Reviews: App Store, Labyrinth More About: app store, apple, apps, itunes, trending For more Apple coverage: Follow Mashable Apple on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Apple channel Download our free apps for iPhone and iPad

Mixpanel Brings Real-Time Analytics to Android Apps Posted: 05 Aug 2010 06:04 PM PDT Web analytics firm Mixpanel has just launched real-time mobile analytics for the the Android platform. Mixpanel Android analytics lets Android developers track events, do A/B testing and segment user interactions across their apps in real time. Mixpanel’s goal is to offer app developers more robust and granular data as opposed to the high-level-only statistics that many mobile analytics packages offer. Android analytics support comes two weeks after Mixpanel launched its iPhone analytics library, and the Android offering integrates with applications in much the same way. Since its launch, the iPhone analytics library has received hundreds of sign-ups and is getting generally positive reviews. I spoke with Mixpanel’s Jeremy Richardson about how the company’s approach to mobile analytics is different from its competitors’ and what benefits Mixpanel can offer developers. Flurry, one of the better-known mobile analytics firms, was criticized by Steve Jobs at the D8 conference for collecting too much personally identifiable information. This led to an updated terms of service for analytics trackers. Richardson explained to me that Mixpanel’s approach is to track user behavior, not to collect personally identifiable information. Data is aggregated by default, and device data is never published. That ensures that Mixpanel complies with the iOS rules; the same considerations are in place for Android developers. An Actions-Based Approach to Analytics Mixpanel has always taken an approach that’s less about stats and more about actions and results when it comes to web and web application analytics tools. That is, instead of taking the Google Analytics approach of tracking page views, it tracks designated actions or “events” instead. In the web app space, this might be translated into how many users complete a survey or a level up in a game. This can translate over to the mobile side too. Android developers can use the Android analytics library to add support to their projects. Then they can designate what actions or events they want to track. The Android walkthrough contains some examples of how this process works. This video also gives an overview of Android analytics in action: Single Dashboard Overview When it comes to viewing your stats and reports, developers do it all from Mixpanel’s event dashboard. Event tracking, A/B testing, visitor retention analysis and funnel analysis are all selectable and data can be easily exported. Here’s what we like about the mobile analytics libraries: They use the same dashboard as those for websites or web apps. This means that instead of having to go to different sites or log into different accounts as you would with some monitoring services, you can just select what app or website you want to view from the same main panel. In this way, Mixpanel actually hopes it can gain some new customers for its social and web analytics offerings from its mobile users. Pricing Like all of Mixpanel’s offerings, Android analytics is free for up to 10,000 data points a month. After that, pricing starts at $50 a month. For developers that are looking at understanding how users are using applications and what features or aspects of the apps are used more than others, we think that the system Mixpanel has in place could be invaluable. For game makers especially, having an overview of where people stop playing a game or what levels are completed most or least can really be useful when making future design or programming decisions. The mobile analytics space is still relatively small, with very few companies taking an approach that is not associated with in-app advertisements. We expect to see this field blow up even more as mobile application usage continues to grow. Reviews: Android, Google Analytics More About: android, developers, Mixpanel, mobile analytics, Web analytics For more Mobile coverage: Follow Mashable Mobile on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Mobile channel Download our free apps for iPhone and iPad

Watch #SummerMash Interviews From Washington D.C. [LIVE] Posted: 05 Aug 2010 04:41 PM PDT The Mashable team is hosting its U.S. Summer Tour stop in Washington D.C. tonight. In case you can’t make it, you can still participate in the event via our live video and chat stream. We’ll be joined by Rachel Sklar, who will be interviewing attendees on our Watchitoo live stream. We encourage you to participate by suggesting questions for Sklar to ask in her interviews. She’ll be talking with people such as Steve Buttry and Jim Brady from the soon-to-launch news site TBD.com and other members of the local social and tech community attending the event, which is being hosted at the USA Today headquarters. Feel free to submit questions in the comments section below or on Twitter using the #summermash hashtag. We also want you to help the discussion on Watchitoo by joining us to help ask attendees questions and answer some social media trivia. If you're interested in being brought on-camera, the details are outlined below. You'll also have a chance to win tickets to attend other events. For those attending the Summer Tour stop in D.C., here are different ways you can socialize: 1. Check in at the event on BrightKite and earn a “SummerMash Badge.” 2. Check in at the “Mashable Summer Tour Seattle” venue on Foursquare. 3. Keep up with real-time updates around the event on Plancast. 4. Use the Twitter #summermash tag. 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 the hashtags #summermash and #watchitoo. Become a fan of both Mashable and Watchitoo on Facebook. (Please use your real identity so we can confirm). After uploading your video, 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 two tickets for each subsequent city: New York City and Chicago. Thanks to our Local Sponsors: USA TODAY was founded in 1982 with a mission to serve as a forum for better understanding and unity to help make the USA truly one nation. Through its flagship newspaper and popular Web site, USA TODAY engages the national conversation and connects readers online through social media applications. USA TODAY, the nation’s number one newspaper in print circulation with a total average daily print circulation of more than 1.8 million, and USATODAY.com, an award-winning newspaper Web site which launched in 1995, reach a combined 5.9 million readers daily. Today's leading organizations are turning to Parature to provide service and support that enhances their customers' experience while reducing service-related costs. Parature Customer Service™ software integrates a customer portal, knowledge base,ticketing application, chat, and a host of other service modules in one dynamic, tightly unified system that manages all your support needs. Parature's integrated social media application, Parature for Facebook, is the industry's first and only customer service application that empowers organizations to support their customers directly through Facebook. 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: Brightkite, Facebook, Mashable, Twitter, YouTube More About: Events, Live Stream, mashable, summer tour, summermash, Washington DC, watchitoo For more Social Media coverage: Follow Mashable Social Media on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Social Media channel Download our free apps for iPhone and iPad

Pentagon to WikiLeaks: Return Our Secret Documents, Or Else Posted: 05 Aug 2010 04:08 PM PDT The U.S. Department of Defense has issued a demand to WikiLeaks: Return all the secret documents related to the war in Afghanistan, or else. In a press briefing, Pentagon spokesperson Geoff Morrell made it very clear the Pentagon isn’t playing along; it wants its documents back or it will find ways to “compel them to do the right thing,” according to reports from the press conference: “We want whatever they have returned to us and we want whatever copies they have expunged… We demand that they do the right thing. If doing the right thing is not good enough for them, then we will figure out what alternatives we have to compel them to do the right thing.” WikiLeaks made international headlines when it published more than 90,000 military reports, many of them secret, related to the U.S. war in Afghanistan. Information from the documents was simultaneously published in The New York Times, The Guardian in the UK and Der Spiegel in Germany. Many organizations, including the Pentagon, are still sifting through the mountains of documents. This isn’t the U.S. government’s first clash with WikiLeaks. Just last week, Jacob Appelbaum, a security research and programmer, was briefly detained by U.S. authorities and probed on his involvement with the controversial website. Appelbaum’s three mobile phones were also confiscated. Government insiders have also told WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange that he could be arrested if he returns to the U.S. For all their hauteur, these ominous words from the government aren’t fazing WikiLeaks. The WikiLeaks Twitter account called the Pentagon’s threats “obnoxious.” “What we didn’t hear from the Pentagon last week: ‘Killing all those innocent people is bad. Sorry. We will stop that,’” the WikiLeaks rep continued via Twitter. What do you think of WikiLeaks’ role in these government PR disasters? Should the site return the documents in their possession? We welcome your opinions in the comments. Reviews: Twitter More About: afghanistan, Department of Defense, government, Pentago, trending, U.S. Military, wikileaks For more Tech coverage: Follow Mashable Tech on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Tech channel Download our free apps for iPhone and iPad

Fail Whale Party: Twitter’s Down! [UPDATED] Posted: 05 Aug 2010 03:01 PM PDT Twitter is down and fail whales are abound. The company announced that is aware of the situation on its status log: “We're currently experiencing a high error rate on Twitter. Our infrastructure and operations engineers are responding to the incident,” the post says. This is the first notable outage since the World Cup repeatedly overtaxed the site earlier this summer. Ironically, the downtime comes less than two weeks after Twitter’s public promise to improve the reliability of its service. If you’re experiencing withdrawal, feel free to have your own 140-character conversations in the comments. Update: Twitter’s intermittently up again. According to the status blog, “Twitter is currently recovering, Tweets are are flowing again. We expect a full recovery in the next hour.” We’ll keep you posted if and when we find out exactly why the site was down or whether the downtime was related to any of the other issues Twitter’s been having lately. Reviews: Twitter, World Cup More About: twitter For more Social Media coverage: Follow Mashable Social Media on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Social Media channel Download our free apps for iPhone and iPad

Apple Hater Seeks Roommate in the Big Apple via Craigslist Posted: 05 Aug 2010 02:30 PM PDT Are you an Apple hater? C’mon, we know you’re out there — you comment angrily whenever the newest Steve Jobs-forged product hits the scene. Well, do we have a roomie for you! Today, The New York Observer unearthed this rather specific Craigslist posting, penned by Vince Thomas, who works at a Chicago software company. Mr. Thomas is moving to the Big Apple and he does not dig…well… the big Apple. Check out his posting above and, if you’re so inclined, hit him up for future habitation. He’s probably super understanding when you finish all the milk. Yeah… image courtesy of iStockphoto, gbrundin Reviews: iStockphoto More About: apple, craigslist, humor, ipad, iphone, News, pop culture For more Apple coverage: Follow Mashable Apple on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Apple channel Download our free apps for iPhone and iPad

HOW TO: Self-Publish Anything Online Posted: 05 Aug 2010 01:56 PM PDT Scott Steinberg is the CEO of high-tech consulting firm TechSavvy Global, and a frequent tech analyst for ABC, CBS and CNN. He’s covered the field for 400+ outlets from NPR to Rolling Stone. His latest self-published venture is the online video series and magazine Game Theory. Starting your own fashion label; becoming a high-flying media mogul; publishing the next great novel — everyone's got their own vision of the "American Dream." Today, courtesy of countless online self-publishing services, taking the first big steps toward these goals is easier than ever. Anyone can take advantage of custom design, order fulfillment, payment processing and worldwide shipping solutions to start their own record label or launch tomorrow's most addictive software app. Even better still, most options are generally affordable enough (ranging anywhere from $10 to $1,000 and up), that you don't have to sell a kidney or beg friends and family for cash to fund the enterprise. Assuming you're the hands-on type, don't mind a little micromanaging, possess a knack for self-promotion and (better yet) have a friend who’s a graphic designer, there's nothing more satisfying than building your own business and enjoying complete and total creative freedom. The following sites and services can turn you from idle dreamer to entrepreneur overnight. Artwork, Clothing and Collectibles The globe's largest online art fair Etsy makes it possible to send handcrafted goods including pottery, furniture, jewelry, knitting and purses to millions of fans of fine Bohemian wares. Set up a stall there and you can sell virtually any crazy item, from Twilight-themed pet collars to necklaces adorned with Gary Coleman's likeness. Fancy yourself a fashion plate instead? Try CafePress, where you can build your own online clothing boutique and stock it with custom baseball caps, hoodies, boxers and baby clothes. Spreadshirt also lets you upload t-shirt designs and build personalized aprons, messenger bags and other goodies, while PrintMojo provides the tools to make and sell your own wearable slogans. Should your tastes range more towards stickers and souvenirs, Zazzle makes for a worthwhile pit stop too. Hit the site to design individualized mugs, magnets, greeting cards, mouse pads, binders and beer steins. PrintableMemories further makes it possible to put one's own stamp on pillows, photo tins, jewelry bottles and other assorted objects. Aspiring photographers might also turn to Snapfish, Shutterfly and Picaboo to produce coffee table-ready collections of their work. Images can also be appended onto stationary, address labels, coffee mugs, serving trays or anything else that can benefit from a candid close-up of your pet Pomeranian. Books and Magazines Lulu and Blurb are handy services you can use to produce paperbacks or hardbacks, as well as yearbooks, cookbooks, CDs, DVDs, calendars and other keepsakes that look as good as their professionally-produced counterparts. Granted, if you're not technically inclined, some outside graphic and visual layout assistance may be needed. While I've used the service successfully, others have complained of mixed results. Lulu can also be used as a platform to secure distribution with vendors like Amazon and Barnes & Noble. This is also the case with iUniverse and a multitude of other vendors including Wordclay, Xlibris, BookSurge and AuthorHouse. As with any item, you'll pay significantly more on short runs, but volume discounts are awarded based on larger orders. Food and Drink To share dad's secret chili recipe or grandma's sponge cake with the world, you might try Foodzie or Foodoro. The former makes it possible to market and sell a wide assortment of nuts, candies, meats, tea, coffee and other foodstuffs directly to legions of online gourmands. The latter lets you do so as well, but takes a more gourmet stance with its inventory, making it better suited to those selling specialty or high-end foods. Either way, this pair of sites offers a great way to get a taste of what running your own bakery or catering company is like. Music and Video Creating your own podcast or digital audio recording ready for Internet distribution is easy enough to accomplish with a $10 headset and free recording software such as Audacity. Other tools like REAPER, ProTools and GarageBand can also help rock star hopefuls. Once recorded, talk programming or musical performances can then be syndicated onto Apple's iTunes, Microsoft's Zune or through your own site to help find an audience. Afterward, TuneCore and CDBaby can help you get tracks out over the airwaves via eMusic, Amazon MP3, Rhapsody and others. Music licensing company Rumblefish can also help you get your music placed in films, television shows and other outlets. Video game lovers can also submit tunes to the popular music game Rock Band via the Rock Band Network. For those with cinematic aspirations, new low-cost, high-definition video cameras make it easier than ever to get started. Models like the Bloggie, Flip and Vado (all under $200) can help, but I personally recommend the Kodak Zi8, which offers external microphone support, allowing for superior audio. A webcam ($20-50) can also provide a ready way to record the next viral video sensation. Once clips are recorded and edited, just upload to YouTube, Vimeo, Viddler, Metacafe or other online aggregators for sharing and embedding, or you can simply distribute them on your own site. Live streaming services such as Justin.tv, BlogTV, uStream.tv and Stickam also let you become a talk show host in no time flat. Software and Video Games While there's no simple way to create software for PCs, smartphones and video game systems, you don't have to be a computer science major to self-publish. To create programs for Android devices or the iPhone (the latter of which costs $99 for the developer's toolkit), you can seek help from outside contractors at sites like oDesk or Guru.com. Other options like iPhoneAppQuotes, iPhoneAppCoder and Get Apps Done also promise to put you in touch with capable coders and artists. Be forewarned: Any outsourced project requires stringent management and oversight, and no sites guarantee quality of output or any return on investment. Entrepreneurs hoping to make their mark on the gaming scene can further try Microsoft's XNA Creators Club, which lets you design for Xbox 360, PC, Windows Phone 7 or Zune. Software suites like Torque Game Engine, The 3D Gamemaker and Adventure Game Studio also offer an outlet for custom productions, as does PlayFirst's free Playground SDK. But once again, if you're short on software coding or 3D animation skills, you'll need help from outside sources. Conclusion Contrary to popular belief, you don't have to be exceptionally rich, smart or well-connected to bring a company to life these days. With these self-publishing tools, all it takes is a little time, dedication, and of course, the talent to make a great product in the first place. More Tech Resources from Mashable: - 7 Ways to Customize Your Real Life Online - 10 Unique Gifts You Can Make with Help from the Web - HOW TO: Give Your Photos a Vintage Look - How Coca-Cola Created Its "Happiness Machine" [INTERVIEW] - 10 Cool Tech Toys for Kids [PICS] Image courtesy of iStockphoto, malerapaso Reviews: Amazon.com, Android, Internet, Justin.tv, Rhapsody, Stickam, Vimeo, YouTube, blurb, iPhone, iStockphoto, iTunes, twilight, video More About: artwork, books, business, clothing, Food, homemade, music, publication, publishing, self publish, sell products, small business, trending, video games For more Tech coverage: Follow Mashable Tech on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Tech channel Download our free apps for iPhone and iPad

“Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” + Interactive Trailer = Achievement Unlocked! [AUTOPLAY] Posted: 05 Aug 2010 01:27 PM PDT The interactive trailer for Scott Pilgrim vs. the World has made its debut, and we have to say: This is one of the coolest trailers we’ve ever seen. The interactive trailer utilizes the second full-length trailer for the film, but transforms it into a game chock-full of extra information about the film and how it was made. Much of the information is narrated by director Edgar Wright. The object of the trailer is simple: Click on the trailer to find as many pieces of information on the movie as possible. When you find a secret, you can check out the links in the interactive trailer’s information stream for more details about the film. The more secrets you find, the more points you gain and achievements you unlock. We love the creativity that Universal Pictures and the Scott Pilgrim vs. the World team are putting behind the marketing campaign. We could play with the interactive trailer for hours. And that’s exactly the point. The film hits theaters next Friday, August 13. More About: entertainment, movie, scott pilgrim vs the world, trailer For more Entertainment coverage: Follow Mashable Entertainment on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Entertainment channel Download our free apps for iPhone and iPad

YouTube and Ridley Scott’s Life in a Day Project Receives 80,000 Entries Posted: 05 Aug 2010 12:47 PM PDT Well, the guys over at YouTube are going to have a lot of (metaphorical) celluloid to sift through — its film project, Life in a Day, received 80,000 entries from 197 countries. Life in a Day launched at the beginning of July with the aim of documenting one day, July 24, as lived by people around the world. The project is executive produced by Ridley Scott — of Blade Runner and Gladiator fame — and edited by Kevin Macdonald, famous for directing films such as The Last King of Scotland and One Day in September. Once the film is completed, it will premiere at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival, where contributors whose footage makes the cut will be credited as co-directors. 20 of those contributors will be invited to attend the event. According to a tweet from YouTube, you’ll be able to check out a gallery of entries over at the website in early September. In the meantime, Christiaan Van Vuuren a.k.a. The Fully Sick Rapper (who we have written about in the past), helped promote the project back in July by making his own vid depicting a day in his life; he was in quarantine for TB for several months until recently. Check out his video below and let us know in the comments: Did you share your life with YouTube? Reviews: YouTube More About: Film, humor, pop culture, viral video, youtube For more Web Video coverage: Follow Mashable Web Video on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Web Video channel Download our free apps for iPhone and iPad

Social IM Client Digsby Finally Gets Group Chat Support Posted: 05 Aug 2010 12:09 PM PDT Social IM client Digsby is releasing a new version of its desktop client that includes a long overdue feature: group chat support. The new update, which has just begun to roll out, focuses on three new features: a revamped LinkedIn interface, the addition of MySpace likes/dislikes and group chat support. First, Digsby is taking advantage of LinkedIn’s new API with a revamped interface that allows users to comment and “like” status updates. Digsby’s MySpace interface is also getting an update, adding “Like!” and “Dislike!” buttons in the stream. Since MySpace’s API doesn’t support liking or disliking though, Digsby had to build a workaround. Group chat is by far the biggest of the new features, though. Users can now initiate group conversations in AIM, Google Talk, ICQ, Yahoo Instant Messenger, MSN and Jabber by either clicking the room list button at the top of any IM window or by going to “New Group Chat” in the Digsby menu. Digsby has been upping its social media integration in recent months, having created a unique Twitter client last year and beginning support for Facebook, LinkedIn and MySpace. The social IM client surpassed one million users last year. Image courtesy of iStockphoto, Kronick Reviews: Digsby, Facebook, ICQ, LinkedIn, MySpace, aim, google talk, iStockphoto More About: digsby, instant messaging, like, linkedin, myspace For more Social Media coverage: Follow Mashable Social Media on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Social Media channel Download our free apps for iPhone and iPad

Is Social Media Costing the UK Billions in Worker Productivity? Posted: 05 Aug 2010 11:25 AM PDT A survey conducted by online regional job network MyJobGroup.co.uk estimates that 55% of the UK’s working population access social media at work and 6% do so for more than an hour each day. The site polled 1,000 UK workers on their social media behaviors at work and ultimately concluded that social media is costing the UK economy $14 billion in lost work time. Fourteen percent of respondents also revealed that they were less productive as a result of their social media activities on sites like Twitter and Facebook, while 10% reported increased productivity with the help of social media. There’s no question that social media in the workplace is on the rise. A recent U.S. study by Cisco found that more than half of surveyed employees ignore social media policies to access their favorite social networking sites. Their midyear security report identified FarmVille as the primary secret reprieve. Still, MyJobGroup’s findings are a bit circumspect, if only in their generalization that 6% of their sample equates to 6% of the entire UK workforce. The MyJobGroup stats are believable, but it is more reasonable to conclude that social media usage in the workplace is on the rise and becoming commonplace. As for lost productivity, we’re pretty confident that those eating up company time on social networking sites were likely finding other ways to waste away an hour or more a day before the advent of Twitter and Facebook. [via Reuters] [img credit: Tojosan] Reviews: Facebook, Twitter More About: enterprise, social media, study For more Social Media coverage: Follow Mashable Social Media on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Social Media channel Download our free apps for iPhone and iPad

5 Innovative Tech Camps for Kids and Teens Posted: 05 Aug 2010 10:51 AM PDT Remember in the 80s and early 90s when the kid who shipped off to computer camp every summer was considered a total nerd? Well that kid probably made some serious cash during the dot-com boom. Those stereotypes have since subsided as new tech camps for kids and teens offer some of the coolest, innovative and most interesting programs around. These camps offer kids the chance to learn a variety of creative and technical skills that will be pretty handy next time mom or dad crashes the family computer — not to mention the huge leg-up it will provide in a competitive job market. Take a look and see all the ways your offspring could be actively engaged next summer. And if you ever went to a computer camp, let us hear about your experience in the comments below. 1. ID Tech Camps ID claims to be the number one tech camp in North America after 12 summers of teaching teens and kids the skills they need to be the next Mark Zuckerberg or Dennis Crowley. With a 6:1 camper to counselor ratio, the camp prides itself on having a “NO CIT” policy, meaning instructors are highly skilled industry professionals, graduate students and senior level undergrads. Camps are set up all over the U.S. and Canada at top-level college and university campuses. ID offers weeklong summer tech camps for kids ages 7 to 17, and two-weeklong “intensive teen academies” with programs broken down by age and skill level. Different camps offer different programs, but there is no shortage of classes to choose from. Teens looking to learn how to develop Facebook and iPhone apps can do just that at the Stanford and MIT camp locations. At almost all the locations, kids ages 7 to 11 can learn basic programming and how to develop interactive story telling while older kids can learn RPG game design and graphic arts. In an effort to keep things balanced, the camps also make sure kids have time away from the computer with something they call “Tech-Reation.” Because it is “summer camp,” there is time dedicated daily to sports and other traditional camp activities. There is even a Sports and Tech program offered at Stanford where kids learn golf or fencing and choose between learning video game design or web design. The UC San Diego location offers the coolest program of all: Surf and Tech — half the day is spent learning to ride waves and the other half is spent learning video game or web design. What kid wouldn’t want to do that? 2. Emagination Computer Camps Since 1982, Emagination Computer Camps have offered day and overnight programs for “Kilobytes” ages 8 to 10, “Megabytes” ages 11 to 13, as well as a program for teens in the 8th grade and up. With five locations on college campuses near Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, New York and Philadelphia, the camp offers a wide range of diverse tech programs for every skill level. Campers participate in three tech workshops each day, learning everything from Photoshop to robotics to computer system configuration. You can check out camper work online, here. It’s not just about the tech at Emagination. The camp’s motto is: “Where technology meets tradition,” meaning that kids do get “unplugged.” Part of the day is dedicated to sports like soccer, Ultimate Frisbee, and tennis, or kids can take part in theater workshops. Older teens can even satisfy their high school community service requirements by teaching tech skills to senior citizens. Like a traditional camp, Emagination offers a leadership program for 10th graders who become “program assistants,” where they can assistant-teach one workshop and take two others each day. PAs are assigned to a counselor/mentor who participate alongside them in skill training. 3. Digital Media Academy Digital Media Academy operates out of 10 of the top colleges and universities in the U.S. (Harvard, Stanford, UCLA, Brown) and UBC in Canada, offering day and overnight programs for children ages 6 to 18. According to DMA, kids are taught by “award-winning filmmakers and artists, master teachers and certified Apple, Adobe and AutoDesk professionals.” All of the camps are “project based meaning your son or daughter completes a real-world project under the guidance of one of our professionals.” What’s more, there are two sets of staff, one for technical instruction and another set for more traditional camp activities and the overnight program. DMA, like other camps, offers an almost overwhelming number of programs broken up to match age and skill level. Kids ages 6 to 8 can take part in Jr. Adventures learning drama and digital filmmaking, exploring high-tech and enviro-conscious technologies, as well as photo editing and 3D game design. Kids ages 9 to 11 can choose from workshops like special effect filmmaking, 2D and 3D game design and cartoon/comic creation. There are also pre-teen and teen courses with more beginner and advanced classes, as well as some really cool sport/tech combination programs like skateboarding and filmmaking. What’s more, DMA offers Apple and Adobe certification courses to teens ages 13 and up, and all summer courses are eligible to be counted as credits through the Stanford University Continuing Studies Program, which can look great on a college application. 4. National Computer Camps Founded in 1977, National Computer Camp has four locations: New York, Atlanta, Connecticut and Ohio. While it looks like their website hasn’t been updated in about 10 years, NCC claims to offer the same courses as it’s flashier competitors (2D and 3D game design, web design, Android app programming, video production, software apps), as well as offering A+ hardware, software and network+ certification, plus PSAT and SAT Math preparation classes, with a lower price tag to boot. Like all tech camps, it seems there is time for active recreation as well as a sports and tech program with tennis, soccer and baseball during part of the day. 5. Giant Campus Academy The learning doesn’t have to stop as summer comes to an end. Giant Campus Academy offers online courses for high school students to take elective classes for credit during the school year. Since 1997, Giant Campus has offered “real-world” tech courses as electives to students. Ninth to twelfth graders can take as many elective classes as they can handle throughout the year, and at the end of each course they receive an official transcript they can add to their high school records. This fall, students can choose from animation, 3D art modeling, audio engineering, flash animation, and green design and technology, among others. More Education Resources from Mashable: - 5 Organizations Helping Women Get Ahead in Tech - How Social Gaming is Improving Education - 5 Fun Ways to Help Your Kids Learn Math Online - Social Media Parenting: Raising the Digital Generation - 6 Free Websites for Learning and Teaching Science Image courtesy of iStockphoto, apomares Reviews: Android, Facebook, RPG, iPhone, iStockphoto, sports More About: 3D games, camp, Children, code, computer camp, education, Flash, Kids, learn, List, Lists, program, skills, tech camp, teens For more Tech coverage: Follow Mashable Tech on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Tech channel Download our free apps for iPhone and iPad

Google, Verizon Deny Talks to End Net Neutrality (But They Are Talking) Posted: 05 Aug 2010 10:10 AM PDT Google and Verizon have both issued denials of a story asserting that the two companies are in talks that would upend net neutrality. They are talking about the future of net neutrality, though. Yesterday, The New York Times published a story claiming that the two were “nearing an agreement that could allow Verizon to speed some online content to Internet users more quickly,” so long as the content creators were willing to pay. In the piece, sources “close to the discussion” said that Verizon and Google have been frustrated by the pace of F.C.C. talks over net neutrality, which spurred accelerated talks that seem to fly in the face of net neutrality itself. Verizon was the first to post a denial of the Times’ story on its public policy blog. In it, Verizon Executive Director of Media Relations David Fish said that the story “fundamentally misunderstands our purpose.” Here’s the full statement: “The NYT article regarding conversations between Google and Verizon is mistaken. It fundamentally misunderstands our purpose. As we said in our earlier FCC filing, our goal is an Internet policy framework that ensures openness and accountability, and incorporates specific FCC authority, while maintaining investment and innovation. To suggest this is a business arrangement between our companies is entirely incorrect.” Google quickly followed up with a tweet of its own: “@NYTimes is wrong. We’ve not had any convos with VZN about paying for carriage of our traffic. We remain committed to an open Internet.” Google and Verizon: What’s Really Going on? As we said yesterday, we found the Times’ story to be very unlikely. Google is one of net neutrality’s most active proponents and has been for some time. To execute an about-face of this magnitude would be uncharacteristic for the company whose motto is to “Do No Evil.” With that said, the nature of the denials does tell something: Verizon and Google are talking, just not about paying for the carriage of traffic over the Internet. Google CEO Eric Schmidt said as much at the Techonomy Conference yesterday: “We have been talking to Verizon for a long time about trying to get an agreement on the definition of what net neutrality is. We're trying to find solutions that bridge between the hardcore net neutrality view and the telecom view.” Schmidt goes on to say that it’s not okay to discriminate against the same type of data from two different content creators (example: the video content of YouTube, Vimeo and Ustream), but that it’s fine to discriminate against different data types, such as video vs. audio. Verizon and Google are talking, but it doesn’t look like any landmark business deal is coming anytime soon. More likely is that the two companies are preparing to issue a statement of agreement over the principles of net neutrality. We doubt it involves giving Google preferential Internet traffic treatment over its competitors. Reviews: Google, Internet, Vimeo, YouTube, ustream More About: fcc, Google, net neutrality, verizon For more Tech coverage: Follow Mashable Tech on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Tech channel Download our free apps for iPhone and iPad

Amazon Launches UK Kindle Store Posted: 05 Aug 2010 09:11 AM PDT Several years after the launch of its online e-book store in the U.S., a Kindle Store has finally opened in the UK. The store features more than 400,000 titles (compared to the U.S.’s roughly 650,000), including 80 of the 100 titles on the Nielsen UK bestseller list and the novels of Stieg Larsson, who has already sold more than 1 million electronic copies of his work in the U.S. Kindle Store posthumously. Contemporary classics which were previously available exclusively in the U.S. Kindle Store, like Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita and Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man, have also been made available. Previously, UK consumers had to purchase e-books in dollars and have their Kindle devices shipped from the U.S. Now, customers can purchase e-books in pounds, most of which range from about £3 to £11, and have the Kindle 3 (priced at £109 for the Wi-Fi-only model and £149 for the 3G model, respectively) shipped locally beginning August 27. In addition, UK shoppers can now read e-book reviews from fellow countrymen, and see which e-books are selling best locally, rather than across the Atlantic. UK residents: Are you pleased that Amazon has opened a UK-specific Kindle Store? How does this change the shopping experience for you? Are you now more likely to purchase an e-reader device and e-books from Amazon? [img credit: comedy_nose] Reviews: App Store More About: amazon, Kindle, kindle store, uk For more Business coverage: Follow Mashable Business on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Business channel Download our free apps for iPhone and iPad

10 Free Web UI Kits and Resources for Designers Posted: 05 Aug 2010 07:39 AM PDT This series is supported by Ben & Jerry’s Joe, Ben & Jerry’s new line-up of Fair Trade and frozen iced coffee drinks. Learn more about it here. As designers, we often recycle the same fundamental elements when wireframing or mocking up a design. However, by utilizing a library of reusable web UI elements, we can make the design process on each project more efficient, and cut down on research and design time. This post covers 10 of the best free web UI kits, resources and stencils from around the web to kick-start the early stages of your next project. If you’re partial to any particular free web UI kits or resources, let us know about them in the comments below. 1. UI Design Framework This is a complete design framework that includes a Graphical User Interface (GUI) library with hundreds of vector elements for interface design. Plus, it has a minimal UI icons set with 260 vector icons for Illustrator, and a library with 200 styles to apply in Illustrator. They can be utilized to create more comprehensive wireframes, mockups and deliverables using consistent, well-designed common UI elements. Each vector element can easily be customized to suit your needs by resizing, coloring and tweaking its appearance, all neatly contained within organized Illustrator panels. 2. Web UI & Button Set A large, versatile web UI and button set that should have something useful for everyone. It's available in three different styles with over seven colors and contains elements with three distinct aesthetics: Glossy, satin/light gradient, and one-color. The satin/light gradient set is available in seven different colors (all of which you'll find in the PSD file). The individual elements in the set include control buttons, info and text boxes, navigation elements, drop-down and collapsible box styles, speech bubbles, search forms and loading elements. 3. Sketching & Wireframing Kit This is a comprehensive and well-organized set of resources for sketching and wireframing that consists of form elements, icons, indicators, feedback messages, tooltips, navigation elements, image placeholders, embedded videos, sliders and common ad banners. The kit comes in two vector formats, one for Adobe Illustrator and the other in SVG vector format, which can be easily modified. It can also be downloaded in PDF and EPS formats. 4. Browser & Form Elements Designers Toolbox is an excellent resource; take note of the free web browser windows and standard HTML form elements. You can choose from several options, including Windows Vista (IE/Firefox), Windows XP (IE/Firefox) and Mac OS X (Firefox/Safari). Once you’ve chosen your operating system and browser, you can then download the required browser window size, ranging from 640×480px to 1600×1200px. Each form element package includes pull-down menus, input fields, radio buttons, check boxes, buttons, text fields and scroll bars, all within an easily editable PSD file. 5. Modern Web UI Set This is a clean and modern web UI set for use in web design, applications, and print. Its clean, black-and-white aesthetic means it can be used in virtually any situation. Included within the package are navigation elements, buttons, drop-down menus, scroll bars, and login panels. The set was built in a non-destructive way, meaning everything included in the PSD file is well organized in folders, and fully editable using vector layers in Photoshop, from the button shapes, to the gradients, and text. Having every element editable means you can recreate anything you need that is not included in the file, just by using existing items as your base. 6. UI Design Kit For those who don’t wish to create interactive or complex wireframes or mockups, this UI kit provides a worthy alternative. You can simply open it within Photoshop and start utilizing the elements included. The kit contains buttons, drop-down menus, scroll bars, navigation elements, speech bubbles, radio buttons, avatars, tabs, checkboxes, text fields, and a search bar. Included within the package are shape objects, which in some cases have been converted into SmartObjects, so they're completely scalable. 7. UI Buttons & Icons Here, you’ll find a selection of 165 high-quality UI icons and buttons, available in AI, JPEG and SVG formats, meaning each element can be easily modified. There are also five different color schemes to choose from. The package contains icons, loading bars, symbols, buttons, arrows, and star ratings. It’s a well-designed, clean collection that provides a good base to use when beginning any type of UI design, wireframe or mockup. 8. UI Library This is a simple but extremely useful Adobe Illustrator symbol library file with all of the elements organized on the art board. The package contains scroll bars, lists, buttons, tables, tabs, ads, text fields, and loading bars. This library of UI components could be utilized well when creating wireframes or mockups. To install this library, just drag and drop the file named "Wireframe Symbols.ai" into your Adobe Illustrator Symbols directory. Once you are in Illustrator, go to your Symbols Palette and load the library. 9. Web Elements Kit Here, you’ll find a huge set of UI elements that are easily modified through the layer styles. There are 17 modules in total in the package, with each module containing various color options. You can either use the “all in one” PSD or the individual PSD files for each element. Overall, the set is well organized with each layer labeled, so you can simply drag and drop them into your project. Each text field is fully editable, with easily customizable colors. Also included is a “How To” help file with information on how best to use the files. 10. OmniGraffle UI Stencils Try out this set of shapes for creating wireframes and mockups in OmniGraffle. It consists of the basic components you’ll need to create user interface specifications. Included in the package are header and footer variables, buttons, switches, controls, sliders, menus, headings, arrows, tabs, media players, modal windows, a color picker, and pagination elements. An OmniGraffle UX template is also available (free), which includes shared layers for basic UX document needs, including title page, wireframes, and storyboards. The UX Form stencil is also an excellent resource for OmniGraffle, which provides different button layouts, a progress indicator, captcha code input field, labels, and more. Are there any other free UI resources you would recommend? If so, let us know in the comments below. Series supported by Ben & Jerry’s Joe This series is supported by Ben & Jerry’s Joe, Ben & Jerry’s new line-up of Fair Trade and frozen iced coffee drinks. Learn more about it here. Image courtesy of iStockphoto, kryczka Reviews: Adobe Illustrator, Firefox, OmniGraffle, Safari, Windows Vista, iStockphoto More About: design, free, List, Lists, web design, web design series, Web Development, web UI, wireframe, wireframing For more Dev & Design coverage: Follow Mashable Dev & Design on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Dev & Design channel Download our free apps for iPhone and iPad

Morning Brief: Google Acquires Slide, Hunch Relaunches Posted: 05 Aug 2010 06:26 AM PDT This series is brought to you by HTC EVO 4G, America’s first 4G phone. Only from Sprint. The “First to Know” series keeps you in the know on what’s happening now in the world of social media and technology. Welcome to this morning's edition of "First To Know," a series in which we keep you in the know on what's happening in the digital world. We're keeping our eyes on three particular stories of interest today. Google Acquires Slide Following multiple reports that Google is preparing an aggressive entrance into the social gaming space, anonymous sources have revealed that Google has purchased social gaming, slideshow and widget maker Slide for $182 million. According to these same sources, the deal will be officially announced Friday. [via TechCrunch] Twitter “Shoutout” Feature in the Works Twitter may be readying a new promotional tool similar to @earlybird, an account that tweets out special deals from select advertisers. The account, @twittershoutout, is currently a private account followed only by Twitter employees. Its bio says, “Contribute your shoutouts to peeps.” It’s not yet clear whether this account will be used for advertisers, users or perhaps non-profits; we could imagine a service in which users could promote fellow users in a fashion similar to #FollowFriday, or a way to bring attention to individuals or companies involved in compelling causes. What do you think it could be? [via Louis Gray] Update: ShoutOut is an internal tool Twitter uses to let employees “give props” to each other, according to The Next Web. Hunch Repositions Itself as a Recommendation Engine Hunch, a much-buzzed about startup founded by Flickr co-founder Caterina Fake and angel investor Chris Dixon, has launched a redesign that positions itself not as a social Q&A service, but as a taste-driven recommendation engine. Log in with your Facebook or Twitter account, answer 20 quick questions, and the service will deliver a list of personal recommendations of music, books, magazines, TV shows, food, vacations, computer software and other products you’re likely to enjoy [via ReadWriteWeb]. Further News Facebook has purchased $40 million worth of social networking patents. Word puzzle games have arrived on the Kindle. Google has ceased development of its Google Wave product. A PDF of the ruling overturning California’s Proposition 8 appeared on document-sharing site Scribd, becoming the most viral document the site has ever hosted. The fourth Internet Explorer 9 Platform Preview is now available for developers [via IEBlog]. Series supported by HTC EVO 4G This series is brought to you by HTC EVO 4G, America’s first 4G phone. Only from Sprint. The “First to Know” series keeps you in the know on what’s happening now in the world of social media and technology. Reviews: Facebook, Flickr, Google, Google Wave, Hunch, Internet Explorer, Twitter More About: first to know series, Google, hunch, slide, twitter For more Social Media coverage: Follow Mashable Social Media on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Social Media channel Download our free apps for iPhone and iPad

Facebook Buys $40 Million Worth of Social Networking Patents Posted: 05 Aug 2010 03:57 AM PDT Facebook has acquired a broad set of patents on social networking covering the basic functions of just about any social app, ranging from friend lists to the news feed. The patents were acquired from Friendster, which has been awarded a wide array of social networking patents over the last decade. According to VentureBeat, there are 18 patents in all; GigaOm reports the price of the portfolio was $40 million. As with many technology patents, the Facebook patents are rather broad (some might say ridiculously obvious, too). For example, one of the patents, as we wrote back in 2006, covers "a system, method, and apparatus for connecting users in an online computer system based on their relationships within social networks." Another covers the slightly more innovative concept of photo tagging. For its part, Friendster didn't do much in the way of enforcing its patent portfolio, even as it fell from prominence in the U.S. It remains to be seen what Facebook's intentions are for its newly acquired IP, but the patents will certainly make it more challenging for others to go after the world's biggest social networking site with claims of infringement –- at least on the core features of the product. With numerous cases (and a movie) exploring the origins of Facebook, owning the basic patents that make social networking possible undoubtedly strengthens the company's position. Reviews: Facebook, Friendster More About: facebook, friendster, patents, social networking, trending For more Business coverage: Follow Mashable Business on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Business channel Download our free apps for iPhone and iPad

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