Mashable: Latest 22 News Updates - including “Opera Mini 5 and Opera Mobile 10 Shed Beta Tag” |  |
- Opera Mini 5 and Opera Mobile 10 Shed Beta Tag
- Twitter Will Be Available in China…Someday
- Project Natal Sacks PlayStation Move in Reader Vote
- Pete Cashmore Talks Twitter, Location and Mashable on Time.com [VIDEO]
- Chatroulette + Improv Piano Player = Love! [VIDEO]
- “Earth Days” PBS Documentary to Premiere on Facebook
- Tweet #RefreshMashable to Help Raise $50,000 for Volunteerism App
- Twitter CEO Says “No” to Acquisition in Next Two Years
- FCC’s Broadband Plan Heads to Congress
- “Titanic” to Return to Theaters in 3D
- 9 Killer Tips for Location-Based Marketing
- Details: Twitter’s New @Anywhere Platform
- Twitter CEO Evan Williams Speaks at SXSW [LIVE COVERAGE]
- First Look: Seesmic’s Upcoming Windows Phone 7 Twitter App [PICS]
- Windows Phone 7: New Details and App Partners Revealed
- Seesmic Announces Silverlight Desktop Platform with Plugins
- Apple App Store Has Twice as Many Apps as Facebook [UPDATED]
- MySpace’s New Tech Strategy, and Who It’s Hiring to Implement It
- iPad Orders Slowing Down, More Than 150,000 Sold So Far [ESTIMATE]
- Mashable’s Weekly Guide to Social Media & Web Events
- Ning CEO Gina Bianchini Stepping Down
- The Fully Sick Rapper: Viral Vids Are the Remedy [INTERVIEW]
- Facebook To Open First Offices in Asia
| Opera Mini 5 and Opera Mobile 10 Shed Beta Tag Posted: 16 Mar 2010 02:57 AM PDT  
Same goes for Opera Mobile 10, and since both these browsers have been available as betas for several months now, it’s no surprise that Opera decided to promote them to stable versions. Compared to the betas, Opera Mini 5 and Opera Mobile 10 don’t bring new features, only minor bug fixes. You can download them both here. Check out a video introducing Opera Mini 5 and Opera Mobile 10 below. Tags: mobile browsers, opera mini, opera mobile, web browsers
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| Twitter Will Be Available in China…Someday Posted: 16 Mar 2010 01:38 AM PDT 
And, as shown by Google’s recent squabble with the Chinese government, it can be very hard to operate in the world’s most populous country. But Twitter’s Jack Dorsey has faith that Twitter will be able to operate in China, although it’s currently blocked by the government. At a New York panel discussion on social media and digital activism, Chinese activist Ai Weiwei asked Dorsey whether they can promise availability of Twitter in China. Dorsey said: “I would say yes. It’s just a matter of time”. Weiwei called this answer “very philosophical”; knowing that a giant like Google has trouble securing their presence in China, a cautious answer like this by a much smaller Twitter instills little confidence. Weiwei also pointed out a very interesting fact that westerners probably don’t think about: Twitter is a very different tool in Chinese and in English. “At 140 words, in Chinese, you can really write a novel. You can discuss most profound ideas really to democracy, freedom, poetry,” he said. Unfortunately, it seems that this fact didn’t escape Chinese censors, which have been blocking Twitter for nearly a year now. Reviews: Google, Twitter Tags: china, social media, twitter
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| Project Natal Sacks PlayStation Move in Reader Vote Posted: 15 Mar 2010 09:37 PM PDT 
That’s why we made the topic of the latest edition of our Web Faceoff about Sony and Microsoft’s upcoming next-generation gaming controllers. We asked you to tell us which excited you more: Microsoft’s Natal or Sony’s Move. After over 2000 votes… …Project Natal emerged victorious. With 56% of the vote (1,268 votes), Natal was more than a match for the PlayStation Move, which mustered 30% of the ballots (668 votes). 170 voted that you didn’t care for motion controllers, while antoher 150 preferred the Wii. Tune in tomorrow for the next edition of our web faceoff series!  Tags: microsoft, Nintendo, playstation move, poll, project natal, PS3, sony, web faceoff, Wii, xbox, Xbox 360
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| Pete Cashmore Talks Twitter, Location and Mashable on Time.com [VIDEO] Posted: 15 Mar 2010 07:27 PM PDT 
Now, location-sharing services like Foursquare seem to be creating a ton of buzz down South. Foursquare was first introduced a year ago at the SXSW conference in Austin, TX, and has only become more popular in the ensuing months — just the other day it garnered 347,000 checkins in a single day (mostly due to folks checking in in Austin). Other services like Gowalla have also joined the fray, as well as Facebook and Twitter, who have adopted or plan to adopt location features. Check out the video below to see Pete chatting with Time at SXSW about Twitter and Foursquare, as well as how Mashable was born, the evolution of social networking, and what trends Pete sees dominating in 2010. What do you think of the future of Twitter and the advent of location-sharing services? Let us know in the comments. Reviews: Facebook, Foursquare, Gowalla, Mashable, Twitter Tags: facebook, foursquare, gowalla, mashable, pete cashmore, sxsw-2010, twitter
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| Chatroulette + Improv Piano Player = Love! [VIDEO] Posted: 15 Mar 2010 05:48 PM PDT 
The webcam network has quickly ascended to become one of the web’s biggest phenomenons. The anonymous webcam network, estimated to be made up of 71% males, 15% females, and 14% perverts, has gained huge traffic that has attracted venture capital interest and, of course, funny viral videos. The Chatroulette improv piano player, who we found via the Huffington Post, uses only his playing prowess and freestyle vocal to entertain random dudes and win the hearts of teenage girls in hilarious fashion. It’s no wonder this video’s already going viral. Watch and listen to the improv piano man himself; you won’t regret it: Tags: chatroulette, music, Piano, video, web video, youtube
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| “Earth Days” PBS Documentary to Premiere on Facebook Posted: 15 Mar 2010 04:52 PM PDT 
The film chronicles the history of Earth Day in the United States and investigates issues related to the today’s American environmentalism movement. It has been playing the festival circuit and in select theaters for months, leading up to its PBS American Experience premiere. Earth Days has pulled a 70 rating on Metacritic — “generally favorable reviews.” The Facebook event will use a new social streaming platform provided by a company called Brand Networks. The entire documentary will play (its producers claim this will be the first feature-length documentary to stream on Facebook) alongside a social stream of updates that can either be restricted to folks watching the event, or made available to other Facebook friends. Director Robert Stone will be joined by American Experience Executive Producer Mark Samels to interact with the community watching the film, though nobody’s said what that interaction will entail. You can RSVP to the Facebook event page. It currently has 543 confirmed guests, 398 maybes, and 2,344 from which it’s awaiting reply. That’s just the event page, though; there’s no telling how many will show up without RSVPing. In case you’re on the fence, here’s the trailer. Reviews: Facebook Tags: american experience, brand ntworks, documentary, earth days, facebook, live video, mark samels, pbs, robert stone, television, tv
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| Tweet #RefreshMashable to Help Raise $50,000 for Volunteerism App Posted: 15 Mar 2010 04:11 PM PDT 
As a quick refresher, we're competing against two other teams to help SparkHelp win $50,000 in funding so they can pursue their idea. If you want to help us out, you can append the hashtag #RefreshMashable to your tweets until voting ends, as the idea whose hashtag is used the most gets the prize. Meanwhile, the project and the competition have received a variety of media attention over the past few days. Below you can find our interviews with Blip.tv and The Derrick Ashong Experience on Oprah's XM radio channel (our segment is around the 2:00 mark), where we talk more about the project. CNN and CNET have also written about the competition. Blip.tvThe Derrick Ashong ExperienceReviews: BLIP Tags: sxsw
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| Twitter CEO Says “No” to Acquisition in Next Two Years Posted: 15 Mar 2010 03:49 PM PDT 
While Mr. Haque did ask a lot of questions, some thought that he did not ask enough tough questions about the future of Twitter. Perhaps that’s why Twitter’s CEO decided to answer more questions via the microblogging site:
The result was a flood of questions — and a flood of answers, including a few gems, including a definitive answer to: “Will Twitter be sold or merged in the next 2 years?” The QuestionsBefore I dive into analysis, what I’m going to do is actually repost the first 12 questions and the answers Evan Williams gave in chronological order. Most of the questions he answered were superfluous or humorous, but I’ve bolded some very interesting questions and answers:
  The Big Question Still Remains…We’re still looking through the questions people asked and answers Mr. Williams gave, but we can say a few things:
Still, there are a lot of questions we have, including one we had hoped he would answer during his keynote today: Is there a Twitter advertising platform, and if so, when will it launch?  Hopefully we’ll get our answer soon. If not today directly from @Ev, then most likely at the Chirp conference next month. Reviews: Facebook, Google, Twitter Tags: evan williams, facebook, social media, sxsw-2010, twitter
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| FCC’s Broadband Plan Heads to Congress Posted: 15 Mar 2010 03:01 PM PDT 
The four points outlined in the plan are:
If you’re interested in the entire overview, be sure to take a look at the plan. It will be interesting to see the Congressional response to this plan. While there are lots of calls for government regulations to ensure fair pricing and service speeds, the bulk of infrastructure development and roll-out costs are assumed to be provided by the private sector. How these two areas can be reconciled will likely be one of central issues in actually implementing any National Broadband Plan. What do you think of what the FCC is proposing? Let us know! [img credit: Matti Mattila] Tags: broadband, fcc, national broadband plan, politics
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| “Titanic” to Return to Theaters in 3D Posted: 15 Mar 2010 02:27 PM PDT 
While Cameron was critical of how little time some of these conversions were taking, he wasn’t opposed to the idea that old titles be converted — as long as the original director is the one who oversees the process. From the interview:
Titanic, for its time, was actually a quite technically advanced film. Many of the interior and exterior shots were completely computer-generated, as was much of the water in the film. That offers up some better options when re-processing the film for 3D because artists are working with digital imagery — not to mention the improvements in visual effects and CGI that have taken place in the ensuing 13 years. Cameron also discusses 3D television sets and plans for Avatar in Blu-ray and in 3D. What do you think about technology retrofitting classic films into 3D — or 2.8D as Cameron calls it? Let us know! Reviews: Blu Tags: 3D, 3D TV, Film, james cameron, Movies, titanic
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| 9 Killer Tips for Location-Based Marketing Posted: 15 Mar 2010 01:59 PM PDT 
So-called “lo-so” networks like Foursquare, Loopt, and Gowalla enable any business with a physical location to not only communicate with customers online, but actually get more of them to walk in the door — and that’s exciting. The question any brick-and-mortar business owner should be asking him or herself is no longer “Should I use lo-so networks?” It’s “How do I do it?” The following tips are essential to getting started. 1. Learn the PlatformsFirst of all, you need to understand how the technology works. Generally, people use lo-so apps on their phones to “check in” whenever they go places. Global Positioning Satellites (GPS) locate the users and determine what “venue” they might be at, giving them options to select a location or create a new listing. These “check ins” allow their friends to know where they are now, or where they frequently go. Some services allow users to leave location-based tips for friends to discover later, and several involve social competitions, or the ability to unlock digital badges, stickers, and prizes. Businesses can announce specials or promotions through these apps, so when users “check in,” they receive notifications of nearby deals. Item one on your to-do list should be to become familiar with the prevailing platforms. Foursquare, Gowalla, Loopt, Brightkite, and Google Latitude are the most talked about in general, though others exist, and popularity varies by geography (e.g. Foursquare reigns supreme in New York City, and Loopt has a lot of clout in Silicon Valley). Other platforms to be aware of include Yelp and Facebook, which are just now dabbling in lo-so. Sign up for all of these, and download the apps to your phone if you can, so you can become familiar with how someone would use each one. Most of the networks have iPhone, Android, and BlackBerry apps, and all of them allow you to “check in” via desktop and mobile web browsers. 2. Determine Your GoalsBefore you can optimize your business for lo-social networking, you need to step back and determine what you want to accomplish.
You may say, “I want all of those,” but to be effective, you need to set specific objectives. These will determine your approach to the entire process. Luckily, if you need to change things around to fit new objectives in the future, the cost of doing so is very small. One goal that should be on every business’s list is to be easily findable on every network, which brings us to number three: 3. Establish Your Presence Make sure that your business is listed on each network. Then make sure the address, phone, and details are correct and current. Don’t assume that users have added everything correctly. On some networks, once a venue is there, it’s stuck. Others let you edit. Don’t be afraid to contact the network itself to ask them for help if you can’t fix your venue listing. Gowalla’s Jonathan Carroll says, “We receive dozens of e-mails a day from businesses around the world asking for additions or tweaks to their Gowalla locations, and we’re happy to help out with them.” It’s also a good idea to put up notices or stickers (on the door, order counter, or table centerpieces, for example) announcing “We’re on Foursquare” or “Find us on Yelp.” This will remind people to “check in” and spread the word about you. 4. CustomizeDifferent networks have different options for customization, but it’s important that you do as much as you can to build out your listing. Add your website. Integrate with your other social networking accounts, like Twitter. Features are constantly being added to each network, but great customizations you can try right now include the following: On Foursquare: Create to-do lists for users to explore around your area. And if possible, work with Foursquare to create a custom badge for your venue or event. On Gowalla: Ask for a custom icon for your location, rather than the generic one for your category. Examples: Shake Shack, NYC, Austin Java, and Coop Ale Works. 5. Implement Compelling PromotionsLo-social networks allow you to run promos to increase engagement and get people into your store. Foursquare’s Tristan Walker says, “Any type of in-store promotion you can conceive we want to make it so Foursquare can run it.” Many businesses offer specials like “check in 10 times and get a free appetizer” on all the major lo-so networks. Establish well-conceived promotions based on your goals, then evaluate the results. The biggest mistake you can make is to do this sloppily or half-heartedly. Carroll cites Lift Cafe as a good example. “They offer 10% off every purchase when you check in on Gowalla, which they include in their description and also as a reminder in the success screen after check-in.” “[What] we’ve seen across all channels again and again is that what works is a good local offer,” says Loopt CEO Sam Altman. Businesses with offers that cater to people “making that gametime decision” when they’re out and about do the best. “Offer value to the customer so it doesn’t feel like an ad,” he advises. Shelley Bernstein, Chief of Technology for the Brooklyn Museum, talks about how the institution uses Foursquare to create a multi-faceted campaign and experience for museum goers. “We knew that many people coming here wanted to know more about the local neighborhood, which is something Foursquare does well. We asked our staff for their opinion of the best stuff in the neighborhood … and left tips at all these venues for Foursquare users to find. Second, we added a promo for our mayor to reward the people who are consistently identifying themselves with us. Third, Foursquare has given us a badge which unlocks after three visits, and this helps reward our community for coming in the doors. “All of these things together help create a total presence on the platform that works well for the Foursquare community, the Brooklyn Museum visitor, and the local merchants in our neighborhood.”" Common promotions across various networks include the following:
Tips for developing effective promotions:
6. Engage With Your CustomersIt would be a mistake to use Twitter as a one-way corporate megaphone, never interacting with your audience. That’s a quick route to an audience of zero. One of the most effective uses of social media is personal engagement and relationship building with your audience. The same goes for lo-so networks. 7. Track EverythingFoursquare just released a slick analytics dashboard for venues to track their stats. Other networks have metrics you can view as well, and they’ll certainly be releasing better and better tools. From data you can study online to qualitative observations at your own store, it’s important to keep track of everything so you can learn what promotions work with your audience. Be aware, though, that your ROI may not be directly measurable, and aside from increased sales, you’re working for brand exposure and increased awareness of your business. 8. Be Prepared to AdaptLocation-based social network technology may be the newest and grooviest incarnation of social media, but it certainly won’t be the last. And in a year it won’t look exactly like it does today. Be prepared to adapt your methods when features change, as new tools emerge, and as you review your own promotional results. Again, keep your objectives in mind, and be ready to keep up with new technology. 9. Avoid Common PitfallsIn talking with representatives from the major lo-so networks, several common mistakes came up. Here are a few things you should try to avoid:
We’d love to hear about your own lo-so experiences. Let us know how location-based services have benefited your business in the comments! More location-based resources from Mashable:
Reviews: Android, BlackBerry Rocks!, Brightkite, Facebook, Foursquare, Gowalla, Twitter, Yelp, iPhone Tags: brightkite, business, facebook, foursquare, google latitude, gowalla, List, location, location-based, loopt, MARKETING, Mobile 2.0, small business, social media, social networks, twitter
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| Details: Twitter’s New @Anywhere Platform Posted: 15 Mar 2010 01:37 PM PDT 
When you visit a website that supports @anywhere, you’ll be able to follow any Twitter account associated with that site without navigating away to the profile at Twitter.com. The Twitter blog suggests that the platform will let you follow a participating journalist from his or her byline. It also suggests that you’ll be able to tweet about a YouTube video without interrupting it. More @anywhere features are planned; Twitter says the above-mentioned items are are “just the beginning.” Integrating with the rest of the web is a wise move. Facebook’s Facebook Connect platform is dominating right now, and while Twitter has a similar login platform, it’s lost its head start when it comes to openness and integration. The person or organization behind a website can drop some JavaScript in the website to integrate with @anywhere, so there won’t be any arcane Application Programming Interface (API) to learn and implement. Initial partners will include Amazon, AdAge, Bing, Citysearch, Digg, eBay, The Huffington Post, Meebo, MSNBC.com, The New York Times, Salesforce.com, Yahoo, and — as mentioned above — YouTube. Twitter hasn’t said when those sites will begin using @anywhere. Future announcements regarding the platform will come from the @anywhere Twitter account — you get one guess as to what the username is. Platform/API guru Ryan Sarver promised “lots more details” at the Chirp Twitter developer conference this April 14 and 15. Reviews: Amazon.com, Bing, Chirp Blu, Digg, Facebook, Meebo, Twitter, Yahoo!, YouTube, eBay Tags: at-anywhere, ev, evan williams, sxsw, sxsw-2010, trending, twitter
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| Twitter CEO Evan Williams Speaks at SXSW [LIVE COVERAGE] Posted: 15 Mar 2010 11:58 AM PDT 
Williams — whose company pulled in an estimated $25 million revenue last year through search partnerships with Google and Microsoft — will be taking the stage momentarily (3pm ET) for an interview with Umair Haque of the Havas Media Lab. We’ll be updating below with live coverage. Live Coverage and Video[via @waynesutton] Hugh Forrest, event director for SXSW is talking on stage. Thanking sponsors, plugging Guy Kawasaki’s Twitter panel, and holding up a t-shirt he got from Williams 4 years ago. The room is jam packed (I got here 30 minutes early and am in the front row however Williams and Haque have taken the stage! Twitter’s @anywhere PlatformWilliams announces a new platform for integrating Twitter features for websites. It lets user follow an account (like Mashable) directly from a third-party site. Sites using it now include eBay, Yahoo, and Digg. It’s called “@anywhere”. Here are the initial partners:  Williams says that for example, users can follow a columnist right from their website. This helps solve Twitter’s “discovery” problem of finding interesting people to follow. Williams says this should help websites gain more followers and have more people who are your fans using Twitter and talking about your content. He wants to lower the barriers to adoption of Twitter. Williams says he thinks the platform will help news spread faster on Twitter. On Twitter’s Business ModelWilliams says Twitter’s business model is going to take experimentation – notes that Google started out by selling search services. Williams says Twitter is still mainly focused on creating the best experience for users and businesses. On Microsoft and Google deals, Williams says that tapping into their reach and technology is a way to bring more value out of tweets. People creating the content get wider distribution and people searching get more detailed information. Williams says that third-party developers have plugged many of Twitter’s holes – photo sharing, link shortening, etc. The next step he says is building interfaces for specific audiences — like CoTweet and HootSuite do for businesses. Twitter has deals with 65 mobile carriers around the world for SMS. Williams says “we only do win-win deals” – both for users and business partners. It’s one of the reasons they haven’t implemented many revenue generating pieces to Twitter yet. Williams says that Twitter has created a new conversation between consumers and brands (obviously). More Live Notes Williams says Twitter’s “140 character vision” is ease of exchange of information and being a force for good and save people time instead of costing them time. Williams says you can take advantage of Twitter without sharing your own content. He answers the question what is Twitter by calling it an “information network” — i.e. – people who just read accounts from people and brands they are interested in as opposed to actually tweeting. Twitter’s focused on improving the signal to noise ratio and if you’re a publisher, getting your content out to the people who care. Williams is discussing Twitter’s structure – lots of autonomous teams who are free to experiment. Williams says he spends about half his time thinking about product, and the other half thinking about company culture and how to scale it as Twitter grows. He wants the company try and be as open and transparent as possible both internally and externally. Williams notes that users have defined many of Twitter’s features – like retweets and @replies. He says a core part of Twitter’s philosophy is being open to the idea of being wrong. Williams says that Twitter sends cease and desist letters every day to malicious apps – like spammers and follower schemes. Williams says the company has a “pretty wide definition” of what a user is — there’s a pretty broad variety of how people use Twitter, and as people consume information on Twitter, they’re more likely to get involved. Williams says that people being able to share anything on the Internet continues to change the world. Williams says his goal is not to get people to spend more time on Twitter (and perhaps less … sounds very Google-like) Williams just hinted that they’ll get back to talking about business model stuff (ahem, the ad platform?!?) later in this conversation. We’re an hour into the keynote — checking in on Twitter, it sounds like lots of people have bailed out of the room, but I can’t quite tell how many because I’m in the front. It’s admittedly starting to drag … Williams advice for entrepreneurs: “create something you want to exist in the world.” He also notes that a lot of the most interesting companies come from outside Silicon Valley (it’s hard to think differently there). Keynote over … no ad platform announcement. Signing off!  [img credits: Victor Hernandez / CNN] Reviews: Digg, Google, HootSuite, Mashable, Twitter, cotweet Tags: evan williams, sxsw, trending, twitter
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| First Look: Seesmic’s Upcoming Windows Phone 7 Twitter App [PICS] Posted: 15 Mar 2010 11:42 AM PDT 
It’s just one of several initial app partners for Microsoft’s smartphone platform, including Foursquare, Netflix and the Associated Press. The company just announced a Silverlight-based plug-in platform and SDK at MIX, too, and Seesmic for Windows Phone will support that. So, as you can see below, Bing Maps integration is included, and more creative ideas from third-parties will be possible, too. Seesmic has already released apps for BlackBerry and Google Android smartphones, but not for Apple’s iPhone. The Windows Phone version appears basic in terms of features, with the exception of the Silverlight plug-in support. However, it does look gorgeous, and it fits in well with Windows Phone 7’s style and aesthetics.   Reviews: Android, BlackBerry Rocks!, Foursquare, Google, Seesmic, iPhone Tags: App, Bing Maps, microsoft, seesmic, twitter, windows phone 7, windowsmobile
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| Windows Phone 7: New Details and App Partners Revealed Posted: 15 Mar 2010 11:30 AM PDT 
The new information, revealed during Microsoft’s presentation at Microsoft’s MIX10 conference in Las Vegas, focuses on the tools developers will have at their disposal when creating apps for Microsoft’s marketplace. Most of what will be available has become standard on smartphones due to the iPhone and Google’s Android OS: accelerometer, GPS, push notifications, hardware-accelerated video, camera/mic support, Internet streaming capabilities and multi-touch. The last one is interesting because Google only recently added multi-touch to Android. As you might expect, Windows Phone 7 will run Silverlight, Microsoft’s rival to Adobe Flash, and feature Silverlight features for building games and applications. The company also said that developers of Windows 7 Phone apps can download a tool package for app development, including Visual Studio 2010 for Windows Phone, XNA Game Studio 4.0 and the Windows Phone 7 Emulator. The most important part of this announcement may be the development partners already on board; Pandora, Netflix, Foursquare, the Associated Press, Shazam and Seesmic will all have applications on the Windows Phone 7 Series marketplace and are working with the company to build apps for it. It will need the support of these developers if it’s to have any chance of competing with the iPhone or Android.  In the end, the success or failure of Windows Phone 7 depends on the user experience and developer adoption. Without an interface that rivals Apple or Google’s mobile platforms, Microsoft will fail. The same is true if it cannot court developers and get them to make great apps. Today’s announcements show that Microsoft is serious about making Windows Phone 7 a contender in the mobile app space. Reviews: Android, Foursquare, Google, Pandora, Seesmic, Shazam, Windows Tags: foursquare, microsoft, Mobile 2.0, pandora, seesmic, shazam, sling, windows phone 7, windows phone 7 series
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| Seesmic Announces Silverlight Desktop Platform with Plugins Posted: 15 Mar 2010 11:17 AM PDT 
Seesmic is currenly best known for Microsoft .NET-based Seesmic for Windows, which many Twitter users consider one of the best Twitter clients for that operating system. It also offers a multi-platform client based on Adobe Air called Seesmic Desktop. The company’s partnership with Microsoft has been carried on with Seesmic Desktop’s integration with Silverlight. Thanks to Silverlight’s development tools, the new desktop platform can bring in plug-ins made by just about anyone. For example, the software can inject Bing Maps into a Tweet when it knows the tweet’s location — which it often will thanks to a recent update to Twitter’s web interface. We’ve included a picture of the Bing Maps integration above. Seesmic hasn’t said exactly when this stuff will be available, but it sounds like it will be soon. Here are a couple of other screenshots of the new Silverlight-integrated Seesmic Desktop Platform. A Software Development Kit (SDK) going live at http://platform.seesmic.com/ very soon.   Reviews: Seesmic, Seesmic Desktop, Twitter, Windows, adobe AIR Tags: facebook, linkedin, microsoft, plugins, SDK, seesmic, seesmic desktop, Silverlight, software, twitter
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| Apple App Store Has Twice as Many Apps as Facebook [UPDATED] Posted: 15 Mar 2010 10:36 AM PDT 
Based on the updated report, we have struck out incorrect sections of this article. We apologize for the error. —
Flurry estimates that as of its eighteenth month this January, the App Store for iPhone, iPod touch and (shortly) iPad devices has 140,000 applications, while the Facebook Platform only reached 60,000 apps in its first 18 months. The discrepancy might exist because the App Store provides a clearer path to revenue and return on investment than Facebook’s until-recently ad-supported application platform.
 iPad Spurs Increased Developer Activity The report revealed that developer activity for App Store software has increased 185% since Apple announced its iPad device. In general, Flurry’s report voices tremendous expectations for the iPad; we’ll see if consumers buy the device in large enough numbers to justify the development surge.  Where Did iPhone Developers Come From?Flurry also did some research to find out where iPhone developers got started. Did they start with iPhone apps, or did they serve up something else beforehand, and if so, what what was it? It turns out that the iPhone is still a viable place for startups with no established brands or customers — for now. This might change as companies with the resources to market their apps continue to enter the market. Upstarts probably won’t have the resources to compete for attention. The majority of iPhone app developers come from other backgrounds; the graphs below show which ones. But around one fifth of developers are native to the iPhone OS and the Apple App Store.    Reviews: Facebook, iPhone Tags: apple, apple app store, application platform, apps, developers, development, facebook, facebook platform, iphone, iPod Touch, online games, video games
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| MySpace’s New Tech Strategy, and Who It’s Hiring to Implement It Posted: 15 Mar 2010 10:00 AM PDT 
We know one thing: The company is building and implementing a new plan. As it focuses on becoming “pillars of broadcasting, discovery, self-expression, and making content a part of all those experiences,” it’s also looking to re-establish itself as a technology company that is ahead of the game in terms of innovation and talent. To that end, MySpace is shifting its technical focus into smaller, more entrepreneurial teams and embracing a data-centric approach to building its platform and its organization. We had a chance to chat with MySpace CTO Alex Maghen about what to expect in the coming months. Can MySpace Return to Tech Prominence?In my first Social Analyst column, I argued that MySpace had become more of a content company than a technology company. After Facebook surpassed it as the world’s largest social network, the website floundered and the company slashed 30% of its staff. It’s been a rough road since, but now the company’s finally trying to rebuild, starting with its technology and engineering talent. Mr. Maghen, the former CTO of MySpace Music before his promotion, told me that it wants to become a technology leader once again. To that end, MySpace is breaking the structure of the organization into smaller, more entrepreneurial teams that operate “with a higher degree of independence.” He believes that a single, unified product can and should come from multiple, smaller teams and technology platforms. The goals Alex and the MySpace leadership have for its technology platform seem straightforward: to become more data-centric and to attract top-tier talent back to the social network. Here’s some more of what he told me:
To that end, MySpace is looking to hire engineers with great knowledge of Internet development. More specifically, it’s looking for “hardcore data architects” and “experts in data development.” If MySpace is to truly rebound, it has to be seen as a technology company as well as a content company. In order to do that, you need the kind of top-level talent that Facebook, Twitter and Google have. The company knows that it has been slower than its competitors, which is why the new overarching strategy for the technology group is “speed to market.” As a proponent of the “Iterate Fast and Release Often” philosophy to engineering and entrepreneurship, I’m of the belief that the company’s new focus on speed and data is not only logical, but the best shot it has to returning to prominence. That’s not easy task, though, and the odds are stacked against MySpace. It Starts at the Top
MySpace is also announcing a second hire: Tony Adam, who it snatched up from startup BillShrink to become its senior manager of online marketing. While at BillShrink, he was the director of search marketing. Both will play a big role in the future of MySpace. The company is working on building a new artist website, a new movie experience, reputation badges, an overhauled user dashboard and even MySpace trending topics by summer 2010. If the company’s to succeed in launching all of these initiatives, it will have to be fast, agile and able to attract talent. These changes are a step in the right direction, but it remains to be seen if they will stick and, if they do, whether or not it will result in a renaissance for MySpace. Reviews: Facebook, Google, MySpace, Twitter Tags: Arvind Puri, billshrink, myspace, tech, Tony Adam
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| iPad Orders Slowing Down, More Than 150,000 Sold So Far [ESTIMATE] Posted: 15 Mar 2010 09:44 AM PDT 
A blogger called Deagol (his real name is Daniel Tello) is something of an expert on the subject. By monitoring order numbers submitted at Investor Village’s AAPL Sanity board, he managed to get an idea of how many iPads have been ordered so far, and how orders have been slowing down over time. Check out one of his graphs, embedded below. If it’s close to reality, iPad pre-orders started with a bang, reaching well over 100,000 in the first 10 hours, but slowing down significantly on the second and third day.  Of course, declining orders may be due to the simple fact that the second and third day of iPad sales were Saturday and Sunday. Even if you take the weekend into account, though, Deagol’s numbers indicate far slower pre-orders in the future. Check out Deagol’s lengthy analysis over at his blog, and tell us what you think: Will iPad’s pre-orders pick up again after the weekend or is the iPad rush behind us?
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| Mashable’s Weekly Guide to Social Media & Web Events Posted: 15 Mar 2010 09:43 AM PDT 
Is your event not on this list? Contact us at least one month before your event and let's establish a media partnership. Mashable’s Weekly Social Media and Marketing Event Guide is proudly supported by Eventbrite, the Web’s Event Marketplace.  March 15-16, 2010, London, UK: At Social Media World Forum, learn from social networks, brands, advertisers and analysts. Hear from leading social networks on their strategy, revenue models and how they are approaching the future. Worldwide case studies from global brands and corporations on their use of social media. Examine the current market conditions, future forecasts and predictions from leading analysts. Mention you are a Mashable reader to receive 15% discount.  March 17, 2010, San Francisco, CA: Join SF New Tech, the Bay Area’s largest and longest running monthly tech event, to get an early look at of some of the hottest new tech around. Famous for its sold out events where executives (and the occasional hacker or two) take to the stage to strut their stuff, SF New Tech is *the* place where early adaptors, developers, influnencers, venture capitalists, journalists, bloggers, and regular every-day folks converge to see the latest and greatest technology. Visit sfnewtech.com for details.  March 19, 2010, London, UK: Justmeans' Social Media and Stakeholder Engagement Conference will bring together the top minds in sustainability, marketing, innovation and technology. This executive forum will explore how technology can enable sustainable business by involving stakeholders in the value creation process and will showcase examples of success and failure in this rapidly evolving market. Use this link for a 10% registration discount.  March 22-23, 2010, Paris, France: At Marketing 2.0 Conference, learn from brands’ social media initiatives, advertisers, researchers and analyst. Hear from leading people in the Social Media business on their strategy, revenue models and how they are approaching the upcoming trends in the Social Mediasphere. Worldwide case studies from global brands and corporations on their use of social media. Examine the current market conditions, future forecasts and predictions from leading researchers. The socialmash2010 discount code gives you €200 off.  March 22-23 & 25-26, 2010, Hong Kong & Singapore: Join us at the Social Media & PR conference. This comprehensive two-day event sees PR practitioners from leading global brands and agencies come together to share about the best practices, pitfalls to avoid, case studies, how-tos, measurement and ethics of social media in PR. See social media’s relevance to both B2B & B2C, discuss how new & traditional PR avenues can be integrated. Register today. Save 10% when you enter ‘Mashable‘ under ‘How did you know about this event’.  March 22-25, 2010, Dallas, TX: Attend the Advanced Learning Institute's 17th Forum on Social Media for Government: How To Engage Your Employees And Citizens By Using The Latest Web 2.0 Technologies To Drive Communication Results, to learn how to capture the power of social media in your organization, along with helpful tools, tips and techniques to get started. Hear practical advice, firsthand, from leading government agencies and organizations such as: Transportation Security Administration; NASA; Microsoft U.S. Public Sector, CDC; GovLoop; Southwest Airlines; National Institutes of Health; U.S. Army Reserve; City of Sugar Land, TX; Missouri River Regional Library; City of Reno, NV; Texas Parks & Wildlife Department; Deloitte Services, LP; GolinHarris; 2ndSix; & Panetta Communications. Mention Mashable when registering to save $200.  March 22-26, New York, NY: Go beyond search at the Search Engine Strategies. Learn the newest trends, strategic action plans, and technology that industry leaders are employing today. Our experts will trace the natural evolution of search exploring topics such as: digital asset optimization, mobile application development, transition from search to discovery and more. SAVE 15% with code MHNY15. Program will focus on cutting edge strategies, tips, and tactics that will be driving search in 2010. Hear from the leading voices in search and digital like Avinash Kaushik, David Meerman Scott, Tim Ash, Ray Comstock and more.  March 23, 2010, San Francisco, CA: Swagapalooza is an experiment in viral media. On March 23rd, the world's most-followed bloggers, tweeters, and digital influencers will gather to judge five-minute auditions from the creators of the latest, greatest, and most unexpected new products. Are you one of the world's top bloggers or tweeters? If so you deserve to be begged for your attention and your following. Your taste and discernment make you the perfect judge of these marketers who will come to cajole, beg, and bribe you with more free stuff than you can imagine… Tickets are free for those who qualify.  March 23, 2010, Sacramento, CA: Northern California Social Media Society Launch Party. Join NCSMS in celebrating their launch. Celebrate with cocktails, appetizers and door prizes; learn about the Society and network with other individuals and businesses. The NCSMS provides an opportunity for their members to collaborate with other individuals and advocates as well as continue to grow social media marketing skills and smarts. Whether you want to learn or lead, this is a great opportunity to be part of an organization which is dedicated to the advancement of social media. The event is free to those who register.  March 23-24, 2010, Berlin, Germany: Learn, discuss and explore the challenges and commercial opportunities that exist within the mobile internet ecosystem and make the most of best-practice perspectives over a two day period offering a programme packed with case studies, roundtable discussions, industry snapshots, masterclasses and fishbowl sessions. Significant discount for Mobile Operators, Online/Mobile Communities, and Content providers! Go to iir-mobileinternet.com/mashable for more information.  March 24, 2010, New York, NY: Social Reputation Management: Protecting and Strengthening Your Brand Across the Social Web is a conference that will share the best case studies on how communicators and marketers listen to conversations, monitor and comprehend what is being said, and engage through the social web. The case studies will be followed by moderated interactive roundtables. Use promo code MASH for a discounted rate of $155.  March 24, 2010, Rutherford, NJ: Learn about how you would grow your business, talk to your customers, interact and engage. Social Media will help your business grow, financially and in relation to your customers. Topics include Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Blogging, etc. This workshop is geared for small businesses that want to grow their fanbase and reach potential customers and make your relationships better with by using the social web. Click over to socialbiz324.eventbrite.com to purchase tickets to the event and use the code mashable to save 50%.  March 24-25, 2010, San Francisco, CA: EyeforTravel's Social Media Strategies for Travel conference goes beyond the 'what is social media?' debates (that were so 2008!) and examines the strategic importance of social media to travel brands. The 2 day conference will share leading case studies, hits, tips and advice from top travel companies including JetBlue, Hilton, Virgin America and more. Use the discount MASHABLE to save $100 on the registration fee!  March 25, 2010, Santa Monica, CA: Join us for more rock solid networking with tech geeks, VCs, entrepreneurs and good folks just like you. Schmoozd is an exclusive social mixer bringing together professionals in marketing, advertising, technology, social media and startups. The event is designed to facilitate knowledge sharing, relationship building and deal making. For more information, please visit www.schmoozd.com. Mashable readers get 50% off when registering via this link.  March 25, 2010, Toronto, ON: Join Nick La, creator of the popular blog Web Designer Wall, owner of N.Design Studio, IconDock, and Best Web Gallery for a one-day immersion into WordPress, the world’s most popular publishing platform. If you want to learn how to create your own WordPress themes, understand how to use template tags and conditional tags to format and display the data you want, or how to use WordPress as a content management system, Nick will take you from WordPress Zero to Hero in 7 hours flat.  March 25-26 2010, Atlanta, GA: REtechSouth: The only event in the Southeast that ties cutting edge social media concepts and practices, plus tips and tactics on existing technologies, to the unique challenges of the current real estate market. It's worth attending just to absorb all the expertise that will be in the room, as real estate's best and brightest direct their attention towards your needs. Presented by Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate. Save $29 off registration by using the code Mashable.  March 29, 2010, Portland OR: The social media conference for marketers, Social Fresh is not about concept, but focused purely on case studies from the front lines. Learn what social media can really do for business bottom lines. One day, 35 speakers from companies like Intel, Ford, Comcast, Nike and many more. As well as keynote Peter Shankman. Register now and use coupon code mashable for 15% off.  March 30, 2010, London, UK: The upcoming Hit Me! Social Media and Search event is designed for business owners and entrepreneurs who want to find out the latest practical business advice and information about Social Media and Search. Freshbusinessthinking.com has partnered with Microsoft to deliver this power-packed one day event featuring experts and leading practitioners from the world of social media and search. Stats published by Nielsen show that social media usage has increased by 82% in the last year. The challenge for organisations of all sizes is how to use social media to drive business. Over 1500 delegates have attended our one-day events and the average rating is 8.5 out of 10 – the next one is shaping up to be the best ever with a host of experts on hand to give you the information and advice you need to grow your business online. Mashable readers: get a discount entering promotional code MASHABLE.  March 30-April 1, 2010, San Jose, CA: Become Location Enabled at Where 2.0. Now in its sixth year, Where 2.0 is one of the world’s foremost events dedicated to exploring the emerging technologies in the geospatial industry. At Where 2.0, we expose the tools pushing the boundaries of the location frontier. Join us and meet the people behind the mashups, the people behind the platforms, and the people looking ahead to the future of geospatial. Find out what’s viable now, what’s lurking just below the radar and how to gain a competitive edge. Register now and save 15% at en.oreilly.com/where2010. Use code whr10mash.  April 5, 2010, New York, NY: You need to be a social media specialist. Today’s marketplace demands it. Content, regardless of medium or platform, is regularly created, curated, commented upon and shared by consumers. If you’re not strategizing to maximize the social component, you’re missing prime opportunities. Register for the IAB Social Media Marketplace to gain insights from Federated Media's John Battelle, MediaLink's Wenda Harris Millard, Del Monte's Doug Chavez, Deep Focus's Ian Schafer, GE's Andrew Markowitz and more. Use code mashable to save $100.  April 7, 2010, Cincinnati, OH: BlogWell: How Big Brands Use Social Media features 8 great case studies on the best social media programs at large corporations. AT&T, Dell, Duke Energy, General Mills, Hilton, Procter & Gamble, Rogers Communications, and Tyson Foods share case studies in corporate social media. You’ll learn how to get started, get past roadblocks, and make your social media program phenomenal. From GasPedal and the Social Media Business Council. Get $39 off registration by using the code ILoveMashable.  April 7, 2010, New York, NY: Attend the Social Media Advertising Consortium's April NYC Salon. Join SMAC members for a lively discussion on how brands are organized around social media. A panel of top brands including IBM and PepsiCo, and agencies will share insights, look at best practices, campaign successes and discuss what's next in measurement and research. Discussion followed by networking, wine & light hors d’oeuvres. The cost is free for SMAC members and $45 for non-members. Mention Mashable when registering to save 10%. Space is limited so register early.  April 7-8, 2010, New York, NY: Strengthen your business with mobile marketing, apps, video, and content at Think Mobile, a conference focused on mobile strategy, marketing, and mobile apps. Learn how to get your brand in front of the right customers, how to handle mobile content, and how to make money in mobile. The full day dedicated to mobile apps will cover building an app team, designing user interfaces, marketing your app, and targeting development for specific platforms. Speakers represent AdMob, Pandora, Nielsen, Bravo, PCMag.com, and more. Register with promo code TMMASH and save 20%!  April 7-9, 2010 Sydney, Australia: ConnectNow is a three day event focusing on the intersection of social media, emerging technologies and enterprise. The first two days is conference, where you’ll learn from international specialists how to leverage off new trends in marketing innovation such as augmented reality, location based services, social search, the real-time web, mobile’s growing dominance and the importance of ’social capital’. Day three is workshop day specifically for non-profits, charities, Government and community groups. Attend ConnectNow and leave equipped with actionable strategies to implement to your business. Register online and email info@connectnow.net.au quoting: Mashablemates to get 10% discount!  April 8-10, 2010, Atlanta, GA: The 2010 Nonprofit Technology Conference will bring together more than 1,000 nonprofit leaders, IT innovators, communications gurus, fundraising superstars and nonprofit staffers from all over. You’ll learn the latest trends, practical how-tos, and IT solutions that can optimize your organization’s use of technology and help you meet your mission to create more social good in the world — and you’ll have a good time, to boot. Select “Mashable” from the “How did you hear?” field to receive an $100 discount.  April 9, 2010, London, UK: Natural SEO, a thupr event, aims to resolve some of the myths around SEO. The event brings together people who blog (for themselves or on behalf of others) with tools designed to help them, and experts prepared to share their wisdom. There are discussion streams and the chance to try out some of the software on site in a relaxed, conversational environment. The event is free, but limited to 100 places.  April 12-15, 2010, Santa Clara, CA: The 6th annual MySQL Conference & Expo, presented by O'Reilly Media, brings over 2,000 open source and database enthusiasts together to harness the power of MySQL and celebrate the huge MySQL ecosystem. The O’Reilly MySQL Conference & Expo is a new event that builds on the tradition of past MySQL conferences (previous events were co-presented with MySQL AB and with Sun). This inclusive, innovative event will showcase the full spectrum of the MySQL ecosystem, from global corporations and diverse service vendors to start-ups and grassroots projects. Our growing lineup of speakers, program committee members, and sponsors represent a wide array of some of the most influential companies and projects in the MySQL community. Register now and save an additional 15% at: en.oreilly.com/mysql2010. Use discount code mys10msh.  April 12-15, 2010, Washington, DC: Attend the Advanced Learning Institute's Forum on Social Media for Recruiting in Government & Defense: Using Web 2.0 Technologies To Attract, Retain, And Engage Top Talent To Become An Employer Of Choice, to learn how to incorporate the power of social media into your organization’s recruiting strategy, along with helpful tools, practical tips and techniques to get started. Hear practical advice, firsthand, from leading government agencies and organizations such as the: Internal Revenue Service; Library of Congress; Booz Allen Hamilton; Sodexo, Inc.; U.S. Air Force; Peace Corps; Arbita, Inc.; Panetta Communications; CollegeRecruiter.com; Bold Interactive; Campbell-Ewald; Brazen Careerist & CampusGov. Mention Mashable when registering to save $200.  April 12-16, 2010, New York, NY: Attend New York Entrepreneur Week (NYEW), a non-profit movement formed around a single belief: entrepreneurs change the world. The New York Entrepreneur Week movement gives you the opportunity to actively engage the foremost entrepreneurs, investors and dealmakers both in the State and from around the world. Now is the time for entrepreneurs who have the will and drive to prove they can achieve anything, to stand up and come together in New York State for another groundbreaking NYEW event. Receive 75% off with code: Mashable 2010.  April 16-17, 2010, Royal Oak, MI: FutureMidwest, the region's largest two-day technology and knowledge conference, is aimed at helping professionals successfully add digital strategies to their communications programs. Technology and online tools have dramatically changed the way we do business. FutureMidwest will highlight the effect this transition has had on companies. The conference will feature presentations, group breakout sessions, relationship-building opportunities and influencers who are redefining business in the digital age. For a 50% discount, e-mail your name to hello AT FutureMidwest DOT com with the subject line "It's Happening Mashable." Then go to the Web site and register as a student.  April 16-18, 2010 Montreal, Quebec, Canada: The iPhone Boot Camp offers a three day workshop on iPhone and iPad Development, covering basic to advanced features such as web services, database, core location and animation, audio and camera and augmented reality. The workshops are limited to fifteen developers and is a full 24 hours of training. The iPhone Boot Camp is a well established certificate training program that has trained over 200 iPhone developers in dozens of cities since 2008. Our instructors are all developers with several apps in the store and experienced trainers using proven course material. Most developers are able to develop an app for sale in the app store after completing the training. The course is recommended for software developers that have a basic understanding of object oriented programming. A 10% discount off the discounted early bird rate – already a $400 saving – is offered at the workshop registration page for Mashable readers using the discount code mashable.  April 17, 2010, New York, NY: Seven on Seven will pair seven leading artists with seven gamechanging technologists, and challenge them to develop something new –be it an application, social media, artwork, or whatever they imagine– over the course of a single day. The seven teams will unveil their ideas at a one-day, public event at the New Museum. Participants: Tauba Auerbach, Ayah Bdeir, Cao Fei Jeff Hammerbacher, David Karp, Aaron Koblin, Andrew Kortina, Hilary Mason, Matt Mullenweg, Monica Narula, Marc Andre Robinson, Evan Roth, Josh Schachter, and Ryan Trecartin. Use registration code mash to get $100 off.  April 19, 2010, St. Louis MO: The social media conference for marketers, Social Fresh is not about concept, but focused purely on case studies from the front lines. Learn what social media can really do for business bottom lines. One day, 35 speakers from companies like Ford, Best Buy, Scottrade, Hardees, CMT and many more. Register now and use coupon code mashable for 15% off.  April 19-20, 2010, Washington DC: The annual Politics Online Conference is a decade old tradition where techies come together with elected officials, campaign consultants, hill staff, lobbyists, advocacy professionals, non-profits and more to talk about how technology is, and can be used, in politics. Over the course of two days we will have three keynotes, 28 breakout sessions, and two happy hours. Most importantly we will be giving away eight $1,000 prizes as part of the new Brains On Fire awards. Use discount code mashable to reduce the rate to $450.  April 20-23, 2010, San Mateo, CA: At NewComm Forum 2010, don't miss the premier conference for unlocking the power of the social web for business. Speakers include a who's who of social media experts and practitioners from leading companies. Five comprehensive tracks include: Online Communications & Communities, Social CRM, Markets are Conversations, Understanding the New Media Landscape, and NewComm Essentials. Early Bird discounts through March 12th Use discount code NCF2010MASH to save an additional $100 – register now – seats are limited!  April 20-23, 2010, Bangalore, India: As one the longest running independent developer conferences in India, Great Indian Developer Summit is the gold standard for India’s software developer ecosystem for gaining exposure to and evaluating new projects, tools, services, platforms, languages, software and standards. At GIDS participate in hundreds of practical sessions encompassing the full range of Microsoft computing, Java, Agile, RIA, Web, open source/standards, languages, frameworks and platforms, inspirational keynotes, an Expo Hall featuring dozens of latest projects and products activities, and engage with 80 speakers from around the world and over 3000 IT professionals. Save 50% when using code GIDS10MPR0200 to register at developersummit.com/registeronline  April 21, 2010, San Francisco, CA: Join SF New Tech, the Bay Area’s largest and longest running monthly tech event, to get an early look at of some of the hottest new tech around. Famous for its sold out events where executives (and the occasional hacker or two) take to the stage to strut their stuff, SF New Tech is *the* place where early adaptors, developers, influnencers, venture capitalists, journalists, bloggers, and regular every-day folks converge to see the latest and greatest technology. Visit sfnewtech.com for details.  April 21-23, 2010, Atlanta, GA: The 30th Annual Medical Communications Conference is a three day conference that focuses on improving the communication skills of medical professionals. Attendees will receive one on one media training from seasoned journalists, participate in hands on sessions that utilize the latest Web 2.0 applications, meet agents in publishing and television and receive case study driven examples of how to be a medical expert in all media platforms. CME will be provided for both MDs and RNs. Register now and receive $200 off as a Mashable reader.  April 22–23, 2010, Los Angeles, CA: If you're like most marketers, your intention to react with quickness and quality outpaces your ability. Forrester’s Marketing Forum 2010 connects you with analysts, peers, and industry leaders whose expertise will help you establish and embrace adaptive marketing practices. Call 888-343-6786 and save 20% off the regular rate with VIP code MFXMSH. Discount applies to new registrations only and cannot be combined with other offers.  April 23-25, 2010 Toronto, Ontario, Canada: The iPhone Boot Camp offers a three day workshop on iPhone and iPad Development, covering basic to advanced features such as web services, database, core location and animation, augmented reality, audio and the camera. The iPhone Boot Camp is a well established certificate training program that has trained over 200 iPhone developers in dozens of cities since 2008. The workshop is limited to fifteen developers and is a full 24 hours of training taught by experienced developers and trainers, using proven course materials. Most developers are able to develop an app for sale in the app store after completing the training. The course is recommended for software programmers that have a basic understanding of object oriented programming. A 10% discount off the discounted early-bird rate – already a $400 savings – is offered to Mashable readers on the workshop registration page using the discount code mashable.  April 25-27, 2010, Toronto, ON: Now in its 9th year, FITC Toronto is 3 full days and nights of events, plus one day of optional pre-festival workshops. With some of the most unique and engaging presenters from around the globe, FITC Toronto is an information blitz of over 70 presentations, demonstrations, and panel discussions covering the Creative, Technical, and Business aspects of Flash and digital media. Sandwiched between our legendary FITC parties, abundant networking opportunities, and opped off with the FITC Award Show, it’s three days and nights that will leave you inspired, energized and awed. Buy your 10% discount ticket today using the code: mashable  April 26, 2010, San Francisco, CA: The Future of Money & Technology Summit will bring together the best and brightest thinkers around money, including visionaries, entrepreneurial business people, developers, press, investors, authors, solution/service providers, and organizations who work where cash and commerce collide. We meet to discuss the evolving money ecosystem in a proactive, conducive to dealmaking environment. Featured speakers include Ben Parr from Mashable, as well as representatives from Wells Fargo Bank, Kiva, SharesPost, Jambool, Founders Fund, Outright.com, SoftTech VC, and many more. Entering the discount code Mashable will get you 10% off. Look forward to (hopefully) seeing you there…  April 26-27, 2010, St. Louis, MO: Join us for the Restaurant & Hospitality Social Media Marketing Bootcamp. This event provides the practical knowledge and insights required to establish objectives and strategies for your market, properly select the social media platforms to engage guests and monitor and measure the results of these efforts for a greater ROI. This event is presented by RestaurantWorx Consulting and Inside Hospitality. Use the Code “MASHABLE” (all caps) when registering and receive VIP pricing on “Day 1″ or “Day 1 & 2 Attendance” tickets. See complete event details on the event website at RestaurantSocialMedia.com  April 26-28, Berlin, Germany: Embedded Mobile & M2M. Services conference is a great chance to compare approaches to building a profitable Embedded Mobile and M2M business. The opportunities of the Embedded Mobile and M2M market are clear to see. This event will help you to realise them. Visit the website today and book your place at this exciting event. Receive a 10% discount by quoting I2AENMASH when registering. View our website at embeddedm2m.net/mashable  April 28-30, 2010, San Jose, CA: At NSDI ‘10, meet with leading researchers to explore the design principles of large-scale networked and distributed systems. This year’s 3-day technical program includes 29 technical papers with topics including cloud services, Web browsers and servers, datacenter and wireless networks, malware, and more. NSDI ‘10 will also feature a poster session showcasing early research in progress. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to meet with premier researchers in the computer networking, distributed systems, and operating systems communities. Save an additional $100 by using the discount code NSDIMASH10 upon registration.  April 29-30, 2010, Lawrence KS: Social media is much more than a fad – it’s changing the way the world communicates. The communities in northeast Kansas are at the forefront of this movement and have made the region a hub for innovative technologies and social media use. Because of this, The World Company of Lawrence KS, is hosting a brand new social media event: The Free State Social. The Free State Social will highlight the best in social media from our area and put local innovations and ideas on a national – even global – stage. Our purpose is to educate attendees about the current state of social media, present opportunities for its use and talk about where the industry is headed. The Free State Social will be held on April 29-30, 2010 at the new Oread hotel in Lawrence, Kan. Keynote speakers include Jeremiah Owyang, Ellyn Angellotti, Shawna Coronado, Sarah Evans, Gowalla co-founder Scott Raymond, and Chris Brogan, co-author of the New York Times best-seller Trust Agents. Enter MASHABLE when checking out for a $20 discount on each ticket.  April 30–May 2, 2010, Mountain View, CA: The Wisdom 2.0 Conference brings together staff from technology companies such as Twitter and Google, with Zen teachers, neuroscientists, and others to explore how we can live with deeper meaning and wisdom in our technology age. Speakers include Greg Pass, VP of Engineering at Twitter; Bradley Horowitz, VP of Products at Google; Dave Morin, Senior Platform Manager at Facebook; Ben Parr of Mashable; Loic Le Meur of Seesmic; and many others. Use the discount code Mashable here for special discount.  May 3, 2010, Boston, MA: Social Media & Community 2.0 Strategies is the FIRST social media event that focuses on real-life business impact. Not just for entertainment value, hype or buzz, but real-world examples of driving revenue, cutting costs, and energizing conversations around your brand. What can you expect from this event that you won't find anywhere else? Targeted advice for business managers including Market Researchers, Innovators, Brand Managers, Customer Experience Strategists and Marketing Enthusiasts seeking practical, real-life business examples they can translate into their own organization to monetize this powerful medium. Save 15% when using code SOCIAL10MASH at iirusa.com/socialmedia.  May 3-4, 2010, Tampa, FL: Search & Social has announced the second annual Search Marketing Conference filled with distinguished speakers, hyper-networking opportunities and a valuable educational forum. The 2010 Search and Social Spring Summit will be held at the Doubletree Guest Suites in an air-conditioned outdoor complex with a waterfront view. This two-day conference is a premier forum that will bring a search marketing community who make up of traditional marketers looking to expand to internet marketing, employees sent by companies for further training on search marketing tactics, and experienced search marketing professionals. For 15% off ticket price, use code: mashable.  May 4-5, 2010, Boston, MA: Drive sales and make social media work for you at MarketingProfs B2B Forum! You'll learn the ins-and-outs of social media as part of your overall B2B marketing mix – from integration and engagement to measurement. Get 1-on-1 access to the best and brightest B2B marketing stars who will share best practices and FREE advice! Plus, our loyal attendees say our events are ridiculously fun, interactive and the kicker is – we have the best Freebies in the biz! (no keychains here…FREE industry research reports & memberships—stuff to help you really drive sales in 2010!) Register today with code MASH to save up to $200!  May 6-7, 2010, San Francisco, CA: The Social Gaming Summit focuses on the intersection of games and the social web. The event will focus on helping social games developers build, monetize, and grow their social games. We’re bringing together the leaders in free-to-play games, social networking, and payments infrastructure for a full day of panels and talks. Speakers represent Gowalla, Five Minutes, Inc., LOLapps, RockYou, Booyah!, Inc., GameHouse Studios and more. Register with promo code SGSMASH and save 20%!  May 11-12, 2010, Toronto, ON: Join us for Social Media – Risks & Rewards. The social media revolution is happening now, and quickly gathering steam. No business can afford to be left behind – and no business can afford to be unaware of the increased legal risks that a Company is exposed to. Learn about implementing and improving social media strategies, protecting your brand, return on investment, legal implications and much more. PLUS…a special address from Kevin Flynn, member of the blogging team for Obama for America. Use promo code 10495MASH to receive 15% off!  May 13, 2010, London, UK: The International Search Summit Innovations will focus on some of the most recent trends, tools and techniques in digital marketing including video, mobile and social networking and offer delegates insight and advice on how to effectively use them in international online campaigns. A range of expert speakers will discuss the latest international opportunities in these areas and offer practical tips for integrating them into an organisation's overall marketing strategy. The Summit will be held at The Barbican Centre in London, and is a must for any marketer targeting multiple markets and/or languages online. Book now with coupon code MASH1305 to receive 20% discount.  May 13, 2010, San Francisco, CA: Vator, a leading platform for innovators and entrepreneurs to broadcast themselves, is holding its second Vator Splash competition to find 10 promising early-stage startups to present at the Vator Splash event. Enter the competition today and join other onstage presenters, such as Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh, gWallet CEO Gurbaksh Chahal, August Capital VC Howard Hartenbaum, Founders Fund VC Dave McClure, Lightspeed VC Jeremy Liew and Mayfield VC Raj Kapoor. Buy your 25% discount ticket here using the code: VatorMashable  May 13-15, 2010, Milwaukee, WI: unGeeked Elite is a Nationwide Marketing and Branding Event. Featuring eight social media gurus and mavens such as Chris Brogan, Jason Falls, Sally Hogshead, Olivier Blanchard and more. unGEEKING is the widespread adoption of trends, strategies, and tools that allow us to enhance and embrace internal and external marketing campaigns, enhance customer service and develop better PR campaigns. Throughout the three days this nationally-focused event participants will learn about positioning your internal and external brand; managing inbound and outbound marketing efforts; facilitating online customer relationships; building strategic public relations campaigns; and monitoring social trends among clients and customers. Mashable readers get an exclusive 25% off the standard pricing with the special code: unGEEKEDMASH  May 14-17, 2010, Chicago, IL: The 2010 NARM Music Business Convention is an annual event with two music-focused programs: 1. The Music Business Crash Course (May 14-15) is perfect for entrepreneurs, musicians, managers and labels. This session explores social media, marketing and sales opportunities in the evolving digital music world. 2. The Annual NARM Convention (May 15-17) brings top industry pros together to meet, share innovations, hear great live music — and discover what's next in music-related digital, physical, mobile, social networking and gaming initiatives. Use discount code mash25 to receive 25% off the non-member rate for the convention.  May 17, 2010, San Francisco, CA: The SF MusicTech Summit will bring together around 700+ visionaries in the music/technology space, the best and brightest entrepreneurs, developers, investors, service providers, journalists, musicians and organizations who work with them at the convergence of culture and commerce. We meet to discuss the evolving music/business/technology ecosystem in a proactive, conducive to dealmaking environment.Entering the discount code Mashable will get you 10% off. Look forward to (hopefully) seeing you there…  May 17-19, 2010, Charlotte, NC: Search Exchange is a 3-day action packed internet marketing conference offering insights into social media marketing, search engine optimization, online reputation management, and pay per click advertising. Learn and network with industry professionals and business owners from around the world. Mashable readers save 10% using code mash10 during registration.  May 17-19, 2010, Munich, Germany: a4uexpo heads to Germany for a two day Conference and expo. Over 30 presentations and panel debates on how to embrace the Affiliate Marketing sector, to include how media owners, agencies and advertisers can utilise Social Media platforms within the channel. Topics also include SEO, SEM, Blogging, Best Practice, Video, Mobile and API feeds. The conference includes access to 3 networking parties and promises to attract the very best entrepreneurs and affiliate marketing specialists from across Europe. Mashable readers can enjoy a 10% discount on registration with the code MASH10.  May 18-19, 2010, Santa Clara, CA: The Social Media Strategies Conference is the premier event for CMOs, Social Media Strategist, Managers, Marketers, Search Marketers, Online Community Managers, Corporate Communications, PR, Marketing, Advertising, and Recruiting Professionals. This year the conference will focus on how organizations are and can leverage Social Media to achieve their business goals. Hear from the experts about this cutting-edge space, how it impacts your business, and how you can leverage it. This conference will feature workshops, interactive sessions, panel discussions, and keynotes from thought leaders. Don’t miss it! To save $100 use the promotion code: mashable  May 19-20, 2010, San Francisco, CA: Gilbane Conference San Francisco 2010 is focused on Content, Collaboration and Customers. Today web and enterprise content management permeate every aspect of an organization. Internal websites, whether in the form of intranets, blogs, or portals and provide efficient ways to collaborate & share knowledge. Customer & internal-facing applications share requirements that call for a number of enterprise content, publishing and infrastructure technologies including multi-lingual, social media, search, and integration software. Our conference is focused on what you should expect from these technologies. Mashable readers get to save an additional $200 – just use discount code MARSH when registering!  May 19-20, 2010, Hong Kong: Mobile Social Networking Asia. Breaking the Barriers of Social Networking in Mobile – The Next Generation of MSN. The event that will bring the social network giants in mobile, mobile operators, application developers, telecommunication analysts and consultants, broadcasters, social media players, and start-ups in the field of Mobile Social Networking in one venue that will uncover and discover the trends in the region and the international scene. Mark your calendars on the 19 – 20 of May 2010 and join us in Eaton Hotel, Hong Kong for the most exciting and interesting Mobile Social Networking event of the year. Some companies onboard the conference: Friendster, Aircel, Bangalink, Plus Eight Star, GrupoDelaware, Zipano Technologies, Waze, Xuqa.com, Virgin Mobile, Maxis, Blogworks, Net Biscuits, Smart Telecoms, Infinita, Aljazeera Satellite Network, Exicon, Citycell, Dialog Telecom, Grameenphone, AdMob. Mention NeoedgeMashable when registering to save 25% discount on the delegate fee.  May 22–23, 2010 Los Angeles, CA: The You Conference presents a unique opportunity, to learn personal branding, social media, the art of the hustle, self promotion and create a flood of customers. Gary Vaynerchuk (Crush It!), Dave Lakhani (How To Sell When Nobody’s Buying), Peter Shankman (Can We Do That?!), and Geri Druckman will provide an interactive format enabling each attendee to learn the tools & techniques to infiltrate markets, make social media work for you and be successful. Use promo-code: Mashable for a $50 discount.  May 24-26, 2010, Chicago, IL: If you want to learn how to create a Twitter account or Facebook Fan page, then School of WOM is not for you. This conference will equip you with the knowledge you need to ensure "no consumer gets left behind." The curriculum will focus on the power of how great customer service leads to customer recommendations resulting in driving sales, building brands, fostering community, sparking conversations, and influencing a company's culture. School of WOM will ensure that your brand becomes talkable across all consumer touch points. Visit womma.org/schoolofwom and save $200 and receive the early bird rate by using the code: MashableRocks  May 25, 2010, Philadelphia, PA: SocialMediaPlus is a 1 day Social Media and Web 2.0 business conference for business leaders throughout the Mid-Atlantic area. SocialMediaPlus focuses on 4 types of business professionals that most need to understand the effect that Social Media is having on many businesses across the area. Four specific business Tracks include: 1) Executive Track; 2) Marketing and Sales Track; 3) IT Track; 4) Human Resources Track. It’s like 4 conferences in one. Business owners, Executives, Vice Presidents, Directors and Managers from all 4 business units will learn proven strategies and tactics for utilizing Social Media and the technology that drives it. Attendees will learn from some of the industry’s best and brightest minds and hear from business owners and professionals who have succeeded in implementing programs and campaigns built around Social Media and web 2.0 technology. Use promo code MASH15 for a 15% discount.  May 25-27, 2010, The Sage Gateshead, UK: Thinking Digital attracts more than 30 of the world's most innovative, creative, insightful and/or accomplished people to come to The Sage Gateshead, United Kingdom annually in May and talk about their work, inspirations, insights and ideas. Our venue and speakers thereby attract a wonderfully eclectic mix of people from around Northern England, Europe and the world. Mashable readers save 25% using code tdc_mashable here.  May 27-28, 2010, Greenville, NC: The Shift Conference is a free, two-night event for businesses to learn how to effectively use social media for cultural and economic influence. Bringing together speakers who are ‘in the trenches” { no big names here! }, businesses who are using social media on an everyday basis, and a few other surprises, attendees will receive practical information that they can use for immediate real-world application. Please visit CityShift.org for more information.  May 28-29, 2010, Dallas, TX: The Big Design Conference is an intense day of learning within the scope of Strategy, Social Media, User Experience, and Code Development. Experts from across the country will gather to present theories, research, experiences, and best practices to students, professionals, and executives looking to stay on the bleeding edge. Speakers include Jared Spool (founder, User Interface Engineering), Bill Scott (Netflix/author of Designing Web Interfaces: Principles and Patterns for Rich Interactions), Russ Unger (principal, UserGlue), Ryan Merket (founder, Ping.fm), Chris Bernard (UX Evangelist, Microsoft), and many more (full list at http://bigdesign10.com/speakers/). Mashable readers receive 10% off conference registration by using the code MASHABLE during the checkout process.  June 3, 2010, New York, NY: Hatch Match Columbia 2010: A great investor and industry event for one-on-one meetings with people you want to meet and have great conversations that stimulate action. This yearly event draws crowds of 400+ with 30+ investors including Union Square Ventures, Bessemer Ventures, Greenhill, Zelkova, NYC Seed, Metamorphic Ventures, and more. Additional experts are made available in the areas of mobile, digital, advertising, legal, etc for you to access in the main room. For more information and sign up go to: hatchmatch2010.eventbrite.com to meet one-on-one with NYC investors. Mashable readers can receive 25% off registration with promo code MASH10.  June 4-6, 2010, Hutchinson, KS: Small Business Social Media Summit – A live, rub elbows, shake hands and sit down across a table from other small business owners event. Some of the most respected social media, internet based marketers and small business peers have come together to share their proven strategies. They will give you real life, no hype and the nitty-gritty details you need to know how to take advantage of the benefits social media has to offer any small business. This is your chance to develop a plan and take what you learn home with you. Register now and save at: smallbizsocialmediasummit.com. Special pricing of $180 for Mashable readers is available here.  June 8-9, 2010, Seattle, WA: Search Marketing Expo – SMX Advanced Seattle is the only search marketing conference designed exclusively for experienced internet marketers. In-depth sessions offered on SEO, paid search, social media and more. Participate in hour-long keynote conversation with Google Senior Software Engineer Matt Cutts. Join the most accomplished search marketers in the world – attend SMX Advanced Seattle. Register before March 21 to get pre-agenda pricing, plus use discount code "smx100mashable" and you'll pay only $1095. SMX Advanced has sold out 3 years running – register today!  June 9, 2010, Mountain View, CA: The Online Community Unconference is a gathering of online community professionals – managers, developers, business people, tool providers, investors – to discuss experience and strategies in the development and growth of online communities. As we have found with our past events, the best source of information on all of these challenges is other knowledgeable practitioners. Get $20 off by registering with discount code mashable.  June 11-20, 2010, Washington, DC: Digital Capital Week (#DCWEEK) is a 10 day festival in Washington DC focused on technology, innovation and all things digital in our nation's capital. Modeled after Internet Week NY, Social Media Week, FotoWeek DC, Fringe Festival, etc. — DCWEEK will consist of a series of distributed events produced and hosted by individuals, organizations and community groups. Technologists, Artists, Entrepreneurs, Communicators, Govies, and social capitalists of all kinds will participate in panels, workshops, projects and parties. Register at dcweek.eventbrite.com – general admission is FREE.  June 15-16, 2010, Chicago, IL: Building on the success of the 2009 event, The 2nd Annual Health Care New Media Marketing conference will feature presentations from healthcare executives that implemented Web 2.0 strategies and developed quality metrics for evaluating the success of new media campaigns. Over the course of two days, attendees will have the opportunity to learn from thought leaders from major hospitals, healthcare institutions, and social media outlets. Through a series of case studies and forums, attendees will walk away with the tools needed to ultimately reach consumers through new media in an accurate and appropriate. Discount code: MASHABLE get $50 off.  June 24-25, 2010, New Orleans, LA: At The Customer Centric Solutions Expo we'll discuss how health plans should re-assess their customer service practices to ensure they implement “new” service models that meet the needs of their members. As health plans implement strategies to transform their business into customer centric organizations, essential to their success will be new customer service models supporting marketing, communications and benefit design strategies. Remain competitive in this new marketplace, register today to SAVE $200 on the current registration rate, mention PROMO CODE: XCX344 to qualify (not valid for gov't rate).  June 29-30, 2010, London, UK: The 2nd annual Cloud Computing and Enterprise 2.0 World Forum is the perfect event to learn and discuss the future development and integration of cloud and enterprise 2.0 services and products. Building on the success of the 2009 show, this two day conference and exhibition will provide a focused platform for the global cloud computing and enterprise social media industry. The 2010 show will include a free-to-attend exhibition with scenario based workshop area and key service providers demonstrating their products.  July 1, 2010, London, UK: Brand Republic's Achieving Maximum Value From Your Social Media Strategy conference. Learn which social media strategies have yielded proven results, how to build brand awareness, deal with negative PR, gain senior buy-in, measure and monitor your success and integrate your social media campaign with traditional marketing and PR. Roundtable discussions, case studies and presentations from social media experts including: BT, Photobox, Speedo, BSkyB, Facebook, Lastminute.com, Labour Party, Amnesty International, Mirror Group, TripAdvisor, Fatface, Space.NK, SeaFrance and many more. Register online quoting MASHABLE50 and receive an extra £50 off the early booking discount at www.socialmediastrategyevent.com.  August 13, 2010, Nashville, TN: At Big South Social Media Summit, come listen to some of the most forward-thinking business giants from companies like Southwest, SAP, Comcast, Domino's as well as social media loving celebrities who will speak directly on how they drive ROI through social media. Speakers will share real-world success stories, pit falls, and case studies to demonstrate the true value of social media. This summit will allow business leaders to finally understand how social media can propel their business and how to produce real results. More than the mechanics, this is a relatable summit that will open eyes to the power of social media in business. Get 15% off the ticket price by using the vacomash discount code.
Eventbrite is an online events marketplace where tens of thousands of individuals, businesses and organizations of all sizes manage, promote and sell tickets to their events. Make your event a success on Eventbrite. Reviews: Australia, Facebook, Friendster, Google, Gowalla, Mashable, Mobile social networking, Pandora, Ping, Seesmic, Twitter, WordPress, YouTube, society, video Tags: conferences, Events, networking
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| Ning CEO Gina Bianchini Stepping Down Posted: 15 Mar 2010 09:14 AM PDT 
While Ning may not be a household name on the level of Facebook or Twitter, it’s very likely you’re a member of one of the millions of social networks created by users of the Ning platform. Ning has grown to more than 20 million visitors, according to comScore. The announcement was made by Ning Co-Founder Marc Andreessen. You might remember him as the co-founder of Netscape, the web browser that was integral to the rise of the world wide web. He will remain as chairman of Ning. According to Boomtown, Gina Bianchini will be moving to Mr. Andreessen’s new venture capital firm, Andreessen Horowitz, as an executive in residence (EIR). Reviews: Facebook, Twitter Tags: business, Gina Bianchini, marc andreessen, ning
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| The Fully Sick Rapper: Viral Vids Are the Remedy [INTERVIEW] Posted: 15 Mar 2010 08:41 AM PDT 
But if you were Christiaan Van Vuuren (a.k.a. The Fully Sick Rapper), you would make a series of kick-ass viral rap videos that would launch you into the firmament of Internet stardom. The concept might sound rather after-school-special-esque — or, frankly, lame — to the uninitiated, but Van Vuuren’s amateur videos are a hell of a lot more entertaining than a lot of the schlock that professional comedians churn out. Why? Because they’re coming from a very real place. After seeing Van Vuuren’s raps popping up all over the Internet, Mashable sat down for an interview (via Skype) with the 27-year-old Aussie, direct from his hospital room in Sydney. (We’ve embedded the video portion below for those who aren’t fans of big blocks of text.) Getting Down with the Sickness Up until December of this past year, Christiaan Van Vuuren had a proper nine-to-five job in media sales that required him to pull a suit jacket over his tattooed arms and have lunches with clients and the like. During one of these lunches, however, Van Vuuren started coughing up blood. Soon after, he found himself in the hospital, where the doctor told him that he had a hole in his lung, which Van Vuuren describes as roughly the size of an Aussie 50 cent coin. The diagnosis? Tuberculosis — a disease he likely contracted four years ago during time spent in South Africa. The affliction lay dormant until a recent trip to South America. Van Vuuren was admitted to the hospital at the start of December, and at the time he thought he would only be there for roughly two weeks. Still, the seclusion took its toll. “I was itching to get out, banging on the walls,” he says. “That was when I made that first rap song, ‘I’m Not Sick, But I’m Sick Sick.’” He wrote the rap and recorded it using Garage Band. “At the start, it was just to make mates laugh,” he explains, but after friends convinced him to make a video for the song and upload it to YouTube, a local radio station covered the story, as well as Australian morning program Today. At that point, the video had around 10,000 hits. “I was a bit embarrassed that that many people had seen me without my shirt on and in the shower,” Van Vuuren says. Going Viral Van Vuuren was let out of the hospital around the first of the year, but after his condition worsened, he found himself back in quarantine, where he made his second video, “Life in Quarantine.” This time, the video spread to the States, where it was picked up by sites like College Humor. Currently, it has garnered more than a quarter of a million hits in less than a month. The popularity of the video came as a shock to the former punk rocker (Van Vuuren has a musical background, but he admits that he hasn’t messed around with instruments in any real capacity for five years.) He’d never even used Garage Band or iMovie before. “It’s unreal, it’s giving me something to do. I feel like I’ve got a nine-to-five job now,” he says. And that feeling of purpose had been a boon to the media man-turned-rapper. “I’ve taken my focus off of when I’m going to get out of here and when I’m going to be healthy,” he explains. “I try to apply [my energy] more to what I can do while I’m in here to have not wasted the time. I think the worst thing would be — and I think it’s made me feel the worst when I’ve been in here — is the whole world will keep on spinning out there and I’m here in this room doing nothing.” One look at Van Vuuren’s YouTube channel shows that he’s done a lot more than wallow: there’s his parody raps as well as a couple of other joke songs about his ukulele and hopeless crush on Today host Leila McKinnon, as well as his own take on MTV’s Cribs and a sketch about a hospital-bound Storm Trooper. Van Vuuren also plans to start making webisodes about his time in quarantine. Getting Social In addition to being a video-editing virgin, Van Vuuren also says he’s “as green as they come” when it comes to social media. “In the industry that I work in, in media, I’ve gone to these courses before where they’re talking about the power of social media,” he recalls. “And they’re like, ‘All right, let me demonstrate something: Who of you hasn’t got a Facebook?’ And I look around realize I’m the only person in the whole room of about 140 people who has their arm up.” That all changed after coming down with TB. Now, Van Vuuren has a Facebook page with close to 6,000 fans, as well as a newly launched Twitter account with a burgeoning list of followers. And, surprisingly, the trolls seem to be keeping their distance. “I don’t know whether everyone’s just like, ‘Oh, it’s so cute that he did that and he’s sick and he’s in a hospital, let’s watch that!’ And then as soon as I’m not sick anymore people are going to go, ‘Uhhh, you weren’t really that funny,’” Van Vuuren says with a laugh. Either way, he thrives off of the support this community gives him, members of which send photoshopped images of the viral star in various exotic locals and photos of themselves replicating moments from his videos. Van Vuuren also gets more than his share of marriage proposals from fawning female fans. “I’m sure that’s what God helped us make the Internet for or why the Internet is here,” Van Vuuren says (referring to his supporting fans, not the marriage proposals — per se). “It’s for things like that. Because when you’re so lonely and in such a place on your own, you can be around so many people or be supported by so many people.” The Fully Sick RapperReviews: Facebook, Mashable, Skype, YouTube Tags: Christiaan Van Vuuren, facebook, music, social media, the fully sick rapper, twitter, viral video
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| Facebook To Open First Offices in Asia Posted: 15 Mar 2010 08:03 AM PDT 
The Hyderabad office — Facebook’s first in Asia — is an important development. The company blog states that 70% of the people using Facebook come from outside the U.S. Having an international presence and support system is therefore crucial in continuing to expand and connect. The new offices join Facebook’s main headquarters in Palo Alto, as well as the office in Dublin, Ireland. The social networking site also has offices in Atlanta; Birmingham, Michigan; Chicago; Dallas; Detroit; New York; Venice Beach, Calif.; Washington, DC, as well as in Milan; Paris; Stockholm; Sydney and Toronto. Reviews: Facebook
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If you’re a user of Opera Mini, chances are you’ve already switched from Opera Mini 4.2 to 
While most of the world happily enjoys the Internet’s free services such as Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and Google, in China these are either inaccessible or might become so in the following months.
Last week, Sony announced the 
Feature-length documentary film 
Voting ends tonight (11:59PM CT) in the Pepsi Refresh SXSW Challenge, where 
A few hours ago, 
Jeffrey Katzenberg was right: 
Social networking has finally become something valuable for brick-and-mortar businesses. Smartphones and location-based social networks allow users to interact, share, meet up, and recommend places based on their physical coordinates. This real-world connection to social media can mean more foot traffic and profits for business owners.
Microsoft has just announced an avalanche of new details surrounding its 
Correction: Information within Flurry’s report inaccurately stated that Apple’s app store has more than twice the number of applications as the Facebook platform. The Flurry report meant to say that Apple had more than twice the number of apps as Facebook at its 18 month mark than Facebook did during its 18 month mark (November 2008)
Ever since 
Today, MySpace is going to announce that it has hired 
Apple’s iPad has recently stopped being a myth and started being something you can actually buy, which means it’s possible to guesstimate 
It’s a brand new week, which means it’s time for Mashable's guide to upcoming social media and web events, parties, and conferences. For more upcoming event listings, check out Mashable’s 
Over at the official Facebook Blog, the company has announced that it will | You are subscribed to email updates from Mashable! To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
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