Hot Topics Blog

Soul Train' Creator Don Cornelius Dead of Apparent Suicide

2012-02-01T10:24:00.001-06:00

By James Sullivan

February 1, 2012 10:15 AM ET

Host Don Cornelius on the set of 'Soul Train' in Los Angeles.

Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Don Cornelius, who created the long-running R&B and dance-music showcase Soul Train, was found dead in his home in Sherman Oaks, Clifornia, early this morning. He was 75. Law enforcement officials suspected suicide; the body was found with a gunshot wound to the head.

Trained as a journalist on WVON, an African-American talk radio station in his native Chicago, Cornelius conceived of Soul Train during the Civil Rights movement, noting there was no showcase for black music on national television. Soul Train debuted in 1971 and quickly became a popular stop for major acts such as James Brown, the O'Jays and Michael Jackson. Cornelius hosted the show from its inception until 1993; Soul Train ended its long run in its original form in 2006.
The show had a huge influence on popular culture and the pop charts. One of its themes, "TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)," became a hit record, and references to Cornelius and Soul Train have appeared in dozens of songs over the years. Cornelius famously closed each episode with the parting words, "We wish you love, peace and soul."

President Obama's First Google+ Hangout: How'd He Do?

2012-01-31T16:06:00.000-06:00

MASHABLE

President Obama's First Google+ Hangout: How'd He Do?

President Obama held the first all-digital interview from the White House on Monday night. Like a modern day reincarnation of FDR’s fireside chats, the video chat brought the president directly into the homes of thousands of Americans via a Google+ hangout.

Over 227,000 people submitted questions, while the president spoke with five Americans from across the country. Google and YouTube selected questions for Obama from the videos that got the most votes from YouTube users.
Queries about the legalization of marijuana dominated the top-voted questions, but none were asked. President Obama previously addressed his drug policy in a 2011 YouTube interview.
At the beginning of the hangout, when the President delivered seemingly prepared remarks about unemployment and a living wage, some watchers took to Twitter to express disappointment that the President had received the questions ahead of time, though this wasn’t the case. (The hangout had no official Twitter hashtag, though #obamahangout gained some traction.)
As the hangout progressed, the questions got tougher and the dialogue more democratic. This wasn’t an “ask and mute” hangout where the rest of the room was barred from speaking while Obama responded to questions. The conversation was two-way: follow-up questions were generally welcomed, there was some crosstalk, and participants vied for the chance to speak.
A query from Jennifer Wedel, the wife of an unemployed semiconductor engineer, seemingly caught the president off-guard. She asked the President a specific question about the White House’s expanded issuance of H-1B visas, which allow skilled workers to come to the U.S. for employment. Obama’s respond ended with a request for Wedel to send her husband’s resume to the president’s desk.
“I meant what I said, if you send me your husband’s resume, I’d be interested in finding out exactly what’s happening right there,” said Obama.
Wedel later told Politico that she didn’t find the president’s initial answer satisfactory.
When the President took a question on his administration’s use of unmanned drones, he responded by downplaying a report in The New York Times that suggested the U.S. is flying a large number of drones over Iraq.
His defense of the global drone program also happened to be his first official acknowledgement that the program existed, a fact which made headlines Tuesday morning.
When Obama gave a response about college education to California high school student Adam Clark, Wedel, a Texas mother of three, jumped in with her not-quite-contented opinion of the president’s answer. Ramon Ray, a small business owner from New Jersey, also joined in with his own views on saving for his children’s education.
Towards the end of the event, Obama was asked a YouTube question about the Stop Online Piracy Act, or SOPA. President Obama pointed to the recent indictment against Megaupload CEO Kim Dotcom as an example of how his administration was tackling intellectual property theft. It was the first time the President himself directly addressed the issue.
“I think that it’s going to be possible for us to make sure that we’re protecting intellectual property that creates a lot of jobs in this country,” said Obama. “It’s one of the United States’ biggest exports, but also do it in a way that it doesn’t affect the fundamental integrity of the internet as an open, transparent system.”
The Obama administration made their anti-SOPA stance known in a blog post responding to a We The People petition about the bill.
The hangout, despite the lack of muting, avoided the torrential crosstalk which has plagued other Google+ hangouts. How? Two ways:

1. The hangout was moderated by Steve Grove of Google, a former broadcaster. Grove allowed intelligent follow-ups while managing crosstalk and providing an even mixture of live and YouTube questions.
2. There’s an level of respect commanded by the office of the President. To quote The West Wing, “when the president stands, nobody sits.”

Overall, the hangout was a successful way to use new technology to connect the president with a diverse group of Americans in an intimate, personal setting. The conversation wasn’t just for the benefit of the attendees, it was also a way for President Obama to better understand the worries and daily struggles of a wide swath of everyday Americans.
Obama has previously held virtual town halls over Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Two of his possible rivals, Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich, have also hosted Google+ hangouts.

Heaviest Snowfall In Decades Heading Northwest

2012-01-17T20:02:00.001-06:00

Seattle Public Schools closed Wednesday

(TOPLINES: Seattle Public Schools CANCELED FOR WEDNESDAY …Snow still expected to be widespread in early am …)

Pedestrians walk across a hill in Seattle during a snowstorm, Sunday. (Ted S. Warren/AP)

This blizzard is expected dump up to 14 inches of snow Wednesday which will make it the heaviest snowfall in this area in decades said the National Weather Service reports. Seattle was already hit by a snowstorm on Sunday.

A storm of possibly historic proportions is crashing into the Pacific Northwest. Seattle could see more than six inches of snow as reported on the weather channel as of 8:57 PM.

Play Video

Video: Snow in the Northwest causes wrecks, but makes kids happy

by Chris Dolce, weather.com Meteorologist

Since Sunday, snow showers have been falling off and on across the lower elevations of the Pacific Northwest. This wintry pattern will be capped off by a major, potentially historic, winter storm that will move across the region through Wednesday.

Live: Real-time updates on the storm

Current radar of the Northwest region: Click to enlarge, animate and interact

Major Winter Storm from Pacific Northwest to the Northern Rockies

Late Tuesday night through Wednesday, a strong low-pressure system with copious amounts of moisture will approach the Northwest coast. This will set the stage for a major winter storm across the lower elevations and mountains of the Pacific Northwest. Travel could become dangerous or impossible in the cities listed below, just to name a few.

Cities in the winter storm threat zone: Seattle | Olympia | Bellingham | Portland/Vancouver |

Snow from this storm will spread well inland across the interior Northwest into the Northern Rockies. Spokane, Wash., Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, Kalispell, Mont. and Missoula, Mont. will all deal with substantial amounts of snow and rough travel conditions.

How Much Snow?

As usual, the big question is always: How much snow am I going to see??? Below is our snow forecast map for the Northwest region the next 48 hours. You can find specific snow forecast total ranges plotted below some of the cities on the graphic. As you can see, we are forecasting some rather hefty amounts across western Washington (including Seattle).

One caveat to this forecast. There remains some uncertainty with how quickly the snow may eventually change to rain on Wednesday. This is particularly the case the farther south you go along the I-5 corridor (i.e. Portland/Vancouver). Snow should change to rain in Portland on Wednesday morning.

Keep in mind, average annual snowfall is only 2.4" in Portland and 5.9" in Seattle, so these amounts are very significant for these metro areas! According to the National Weather Service in Seattle, Wash., snow amounts from this storm could exceed anything seen since November 1985 at Sea-Tac airport.

More perspective: Seattle's snow history

In the mountains (Cascades and Bitterroots), we expect several feet of snow to pile up!

48-hour snow forecast for the Northwest. Snow total forecast ranges plotted for select cities.

So, bundle up my friends!

Want Half-Off Facebook Ads? Keep Users On-Site [VIDEO]

2012-01-16T16:28:00.000-06:00

MASHABLE

Want Half-Off Facebook Ads? Keep Users On-Site [VIDEO]

Facebook offered advertisers a discount of as much as 45% on cost-per-click rates if they directed users to other Facebook destinations rather than to external websites during the fourth quarter of 2011, according to a report by marketing agency TBG Digital.

The significant incentive for advertisers to help keep Facebook users on-site appears to reflect a push by the social networking giant to solidify its status as a web within the web, with Facebook as the nexus for the majority of people’s online activity.

But, one TBG executive tells Mashable, the reduced rate also shows the potential success for brands advertising within the platform.

“Though one could suggest that Facebook is rewarding advertisers for keeping people in the Facebook environment, it also indicates that keeping ads within Facebook is more effective,” Patrick Toland, director of TBG’s North American operations, said in an interview.

Because only ads users click on make Facebook money in the cost-per-click market, it serves the network’s interest to facilitate advertisements with a higher success rate. And ads that integrate more smoothly with the Facebook experience have a set of built-in advantages, said Toland.

“If you’re there trying to catch up with old friends and suddenly an ad wants you to leave Facebook and change your path, that’s much less effective than an ad that just asks you to ‘Like’ Spotify, for example,” he said.

The overall cost-per-click ad rates rose by an average of only 1% between the third and fourth quarters in the major territories of the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France and Canada. In the cost-per-impression market, meanwhile, Facebook ad rates increased by 8% from the third to fourth quarter and 23% since the year’s first quarter in those same countries, according to TBG.

Toland said that the rate increase for cost-per-impression ads combined with the relative stability of Facebook’s cost-per-click market is another indicator of its apparent advertising success.

The TBG fourth-quarter report also showed an overall improvement in user engagement over the course of 2011. In the five major territories mentioned previously, the overall click-through rate increased by 18% from Q1 to Q4. The average increase from the third to fourth quarter was 7%.

Toland said that TBG’s findings show that advertising based around social connections and social sharing — key to the success of Facebook’s impending IPO, which could come as soon as May — appears to be catching on with consumers and advertisers alike.

“People seem willing to participate in that process of sharing what they’re doing, whether it’s watching movies, reading articles or liking major brands,” he said. “The willingness of advertisers to participate in social-by-design advertising will enable Facebook to continue to succeed on that platform, which is unique to Facebook.”

The TBG report studied more than 326 billion ad impressions by 266 clients in 205 countries. To see the entire report, click here.

What do you think? Will Facebook’s advertising platform ultimately be as successful as the company hopes? Let us know in the comments.

Haley Barbour Pardons: Outrage Over Former Gov.'s Last Act as Governor

2012-01-12T10:09:00.001-06:00

January 12, 2012
Gov. Barbour frees man convicted in death of local woman
By Jeremy Pittari, Item Staff Writer
The Picayune Item

PICAYUNE — A local official is outraged at former Gov. Haley Barbour’s last act as governor, which was to release a man who pleaded guilty to charges in the death of a local woman.

On Tuesday, a list of about 200 people who were released from prison at Barbour’s order was released. That list included the name of Azikiwe Kambule, who pleaded guilty to charges of armed carjacking and accessory after a murder in the 1996 kidnapping and murder of 31-year-old Pamela McGill.

Kambule’s release has sparked anger from Pearl River County Board of Supervisor’s member Anthony Hales who knew McGill and her family well. Hales said McGill was a Poplarville native. McGill graduated from Poplarville High School before attending Pearl River Community College and then graduating from William Carey College.

“When it hits close to home, it really hits home,” Hales said.

Hales said he can remember how McGill’s death affected and galvanized the entire Poplarville community, especially in the weeks between her disappearance and the discovery of her body. While Hales understands there are people in jail who may not have committed a crime, people who are a menace to society should not be released, even if they claim to have been in the wrong place at the wrong time.

“What would have been the right place and right time for this not to happen to (McGill)?” Hales said. “She don’t have any more options.”

McGill’s father, the Rev. James McGill, declined to comment on Kambule’s pardon.

According to stories that ran in the Picayune Item following her death, McGill had been working in Jackson for almost ten years with the Department of Human Services before Kambule and an accomplice, Santonia Berry, followed her to her home on Jan. 25, 1996. McGill was kidnapped at gunpoint as she was checking her mail and forced back to her vehicle and later murdered along a wooded road. The motive in the crime was said to be to take the 1993 Dodge Stealth she was driving at the time.

Both Kambule and Berry were later arrested on kidnapping and vehicle theft charges. Two other suspects also were arrested on accessory after the fact charges.

McGill’s remains were not found until April 3, 1996, nine weeks after her murder, in a wooded area.

Berry, the admitted triggerman, pleaded guilty to the capital murder of McGill and received a life sentence, which was not reported to have been revoked in Barbour’s recent action. Kambule pleaded guilty to armed car jacking and accessory after a murder, and received 35 years for both charges. According to an Associated Press story, Kambule’s defense attorneys stated during the trial that Kambule, who was a teenager at the time of the crime, was never positively identified as the one who pulled the trigger, and knew little of the American justice system since he was originally from South Africa. Kambule had lived in Mississippi for only two years prior to the crime. Barbour granted Kambule a full pardon.

Remote Control Cars and Helicopters Spy on Your Neighbors [VIDEO]

2012-01-09T13:10:00.001-06:00

MASHABLE

Remote Control Cars and Helicopters Spy on Your Neighbors [VIDEO]

This CES Video is presented by Wendy’s, where $1 gets you more. Show what you can do with $1 on Facebook during the Wendy’s Value Challenge! No purchase necessary. Enter by 1/22/12. To enter and for Official Rules, visit www.facebook.com/wendys.

LAS VEGAS — Looking for a lower cost alternative to the new AR.Drone? Interactive Toy revealed at CES 2012 a line of iOS and Android-controlled toy cars and helicopters that can stream live video, audio and photos to you.

Called “Wi-Spi,” the toys are controlled via Wi-Fi, include night vision capabilities and allow the user to instantly share the footage to Facebook, YouTube or email. The Wi-Spi Helicopter and Intruder join a lineup of other novel remote controls toys created by the company, ranging from birds to “Medal of Honor” licensed battle tanks.

Highlights from CES: A Refrigerator That Helps You Diet | Canon Unveils New Flagship PowerShot Camera, G1 X
Look for the new helicopter and car to be available in fall 2012 in retail stores, with an MSRP of $119.99. Check out the video above to learn more and see them in action.

Twitter Admits Verifying Fake @Wendi_Deng Was a Mistake

2012-01-03T12:04:00.000-06:00

Twitter Admits Verifying Fake @Wendi_Deng Was a Mistake

On Tuesday morning, the world learned that the account bearing media mogul Rupert Murdoch’s wife’s name, Wendi Deng Murdoch, is not run by her or anyone connected to her.

And less than two hours after the revelation, Twitter admitted in a tweet that it had mistakenly verified the @Wendi_Deng account (see tweet below), causing users to poke fun at the legitimacy of Twitter’s verification process.

The impostor sent these tweets between 9 and 10 a.m. ET calling out Twitter on its blunder.

News Corporation original told a few media outlets the Deng account was legit, but the company backpedaled and that’s when the fake Deng came clean in the above series of tweets.

Mashable had previously reported that “an unverified account” using Deng’s full name had persuaded the News Corporation CEO to delete an insulting tweet. Shortly after the exchange, the tweet went missing from his accurately verified Twitter account.

Murdoch joined Twitter on New Year’s Eve and has since accumulated more than 90,000 followers.

Do you think this incident shows a major hole in Twitter’s verification process? Sound off in the comments.

KGB Spy Kit Is Not Just for the Movies [VIDEO]

2012-01-03T11:48:00.001-06:00

KGB Spy Kit Is Not Just for the Movies [VIDEO]

There may be more truth than you’d think to the James Bond-like spy gadgets in movies. Entertainment blogEnglish Russia released photos of a KGB spy kit that includes a lip stick gun, pipe gun, cyanide gun and other various small firearms.

Check out the video above to see some of the items in an authentic KGB spy kit.

Mashable - [via Gizmodo]

Casey Anthony named most hated person in US

2011-08-10T11:00:00.000-05:00

Casey Anthony named most hated person in US

Poll: 57 percent of Americans find her ‘creepy’; she beats out O.J. Simpson, Paris Hilton

LOS ANGELES — Casey Anthony, the Florida woman who was found not guilty recently of murdering her two year-old daughter, is the most hated person in America, according to a new poll that tracks public perceptions of celebrities.

Anthony, 25, who is now in hiding after being released from jail in July, was more disliked than California's "Octomom," former football star O.J. Simpson and socialite Paris Hilton, according to the poll released on Wednesday by E-Poll Market Research.

Anthony was acquitted in July of murdering her daughter Caylee in 2008, to the surprise and outrage of many legal pundits and millions of Americans who had watched her six-week trial live on television.

Story: Balloons, memorial mark Caylee Anthony's birthday

California-based E-Poll's E-Score Celebrity research for the first week of August showed that 53 percent of those questioned were aware of Casey Anthony and her story, and 94 percent of those people disliked her.

Anthony was also considered "creepy" by 57 percent of those questioned and "cold" by 60 percent of respondents.

Former "The Hills" reality TV show star Spencer Pratt was second in the "total dislike" category, followed by Nadya Suleman, the unemployed single California woman who gave birth to octuplets in 2009 despite already having six children.

O.J. Simpson — who was acquitted in 1995 of murdering his ex-wife and a friend in 1994 — came fourth.

What Does Social Media Mean for the Future of Mortality? [VIDEO]

2011-08-01T14:48:00.001-05:00

MASHABLE

What Does Social Media Mean for the Future of Mortality? [VIDEO]

With 48 hours of video being uploaded to YouTube every minute, 200 million tweets being posted every day and the average Facebook user creating 90 pieces of content each month, this generation is publishing an unprecedented amount of data that will live in the cloud indefinitely — even after we’re gone.

Back in July at TED Global in Edinburgh, Scotland (which I also covered for Mashable), I gave a 5-minute talk about the implications that the social media boom will have on the future of mortality, and what might become possible as technology’s ability to understand and process the hundreds of thousands of pieces of content we’re creating in our lifetimes continues to grow exponentially.

In my talk, I discussed a number of services that are already emerging for figuring out what happens to ouronline identity and social media accounts after we die, as well as a couple of examples of how people are already planning their digital legacy. Ultimately, I hypothesize that technology will one day be able to recreate a realistic representation of us as a result of the plethora of content we’re creating converging with other advances in machine learning, robotics and large-scale data mining.

At the very least, the 1 billion or so people currently making use of social media will leave behind a legacy unlike anything created by any previous generation. At the most, we’ll soon have a number of philosophical questions to deal with about the nature of our existence and what comes after it.

Check out my talk in the video below and let me know what you think in the comments.

Lindsay Lohan Gabs With Air New Zealand Puppet [VIDEO]

2011-08-01T12:27:00.000-05:00

Lindsay Lohan Gabs With Air New Zealand Puppet [VIDEO]

MASHABLE

Air New Zealand is continuing its use of celeb cameos with a new video featuring Lindsay Lohan being interviewed by Rico, the airline’s puppet mascot.

The five-minute video shows Lohan playing the straight man to Rico, a Borat-like character who hosts a talk show with a laugh track. Lohan, a fixture of gossip blogs, answers questions about Kim Kardashian, the paparazzi (or “papsmearazzi” as the malapropism-prone Rico deems it) and, oh yeah, New Zealand, before pretending to fall asleep after being hypnotized.

It’s a weird little cameo to be sure and in keeping with other recent Air New Zealand stunts, like a David Hasselhoff interview with Rico and a safety instruction video featuring Richard Simmons.

Air New Zealand, which fancies itself a “high-energy airline,” is clearly going beyond what even the boldest players in the category — like Virgin Atlantic, for instance — have already done on the marketing front.

What do you think? Is it working or does this actually make you less likely to book a flight with ANZ? Let us know in the comments.

How A Nonprofit Funded 1,000 Students With Micro-loans [EXCLUSIVE]

2011-07-27T10:54:00.000-05:00

MASHABLE

How A Nonprofit Funded 1,000 Students With Micro-loans [EXCLUSIVE]

A Seattle-based non-profit has helped 1,000 students in developing countries get a proper education — thanks entirely to its micro-loan platform and donations from the public.

Vittana was founded in 2009 with the aim of helping students in developing countries pay for their education through student loans. Two years later it has funded 1,000 students in 10 developing countries.

While that may not seem like a lot, it’s a major milestone when you consider those micro-loans are being paid by micro-donations from around the world. The platform’s high return rate doesn’t negate the amount of blind trust and goodwill necessary to make Vittana run. So far it’s been paying off for students like Bernarda Esmilsen Escobar, a young woman studying nursing in Paraguay and Vitanna’s 1,000th student.

Escobar didn’t have enough money to finish school and requested a $900 micro-loan. When she graduates she’ll earn more than $20 per day, up from $9 per day, to support herself and her son. That improvement is typical, according to Vittana, which claims its students earn nearly three times their original income after graduation.

Student loans can amount to thousands of dollars in the U.S. In developing countries, student loans are much less expensive, but there are also fewer options for help. Vittana acts as a way to provide those people with the loans needed to finish their education. Users can pledge as little as $25 to be repaid by the student over time. Although repayment isn’t guaranteed, the non-profit claims a 99% return rate. Users can then reinvest that money, donate it to Vittana or withdraw it as cash.

Does Your Digital Marketing Agency Have a Creative Office Space? Send Us Your Photos

2011-07-25T10:53:00.000-05:00

MASHABLE

Does Your Digital Marketing Agency Have a Creative Office Space? Send Us Your Photos

When you spend eight hours a day in your office, a stimulating work environment is key to creative success.

That’s why many digital marketing agencies — where creativity is everything — have made a solid investment in office space. Whether it’s ergonomic desk setups, interactive wall art or office pets, digital agency spaces have become much more inviting places to spend your Monday to Friday.

Now we’re asking you: What does your inspiring office space look like? How does it help you to brainstorm creative digital marketing campaigns? Upload your photo to Facebook, Flickr, Twitter, Instagram, or the photo-sharing service of your choice, and drop us a link to it in the comments below. Be sure to tell us where you work and why it’s the perfect creative work environment.

Send your submission by Wednesday, July 27 at noon ET. We’ll choose the most inspired submissions to be featured in a follow-up post next week.

In the meantime, here’s a gallery of Edelman Digital’s New York City office, featuring EVP of Global Strategy and Insights Steve Rubel.

Twitter Finally Unlocks New St. Vincent Track,

2011-07-22T09:55:00.000-05:00

Twitter Finally Unlocks New St. Vincent Track,

Is Phone Hacking Ever Justified? [OPEN THREAD]

2011-07-21T11:00:00.000-05:00

MASHABLE

Is Phone Hacking Ever Justified? [OPEN THREAD]

Following the News of the World shutdown, the media has been buzzing with reports of the tabloid’s phone hacking exploits. Targets of the hacks included celebrities, members of the Royal Family, family members of dead soldiers, terror victims and Milly Dowler, a 13-year-old who was murdered in 2002.

While hacking into the phones of high-profile figures may be easily classified as an unjustifiable invasion of privacy, the ethics of covert reporting can raise questions.

A journalist’s job is to seek the truth and make it known. According the Society of Professional Journalists’Code of Ethics, journalists must, “Avoid undercover or other surreptitious methods of gathering information except when traditional open methods will not yield information vital to the public. Use of such methods should be explained as part of the story.” Like all questions in ethics, this exception leaves much room for debate.

A journalist’s primary obligation is to pursue the truth in significant, important and meaningful stories. Is it acceptable for laws to be bent when serving the “common good” — such as exposing business or government corruption? So we ask:

Is lying to get to the truth ever justified?

Roku 2 Gets TV, Games & Movies in a Tiny Package

2011-07-20T16:14:00.001-05:00

MASHABLE

Roku 2 Gets TV, Games & Movies in a Tiny Package

It was only last fall that Roku revamped its line of players, introducing the Roku XD and XDS. The new Roku 2 comes in at the same price as the previous units, but it comes in smaller, sleeker and with support for a Bluetooth motion-remote control.

The new remote will be bundled free with the $99 Roku 2 XS and will come bundled with a version of Angry Birds built just for the Roku.

Roku says it plans on bringing a large collection of games aimed at casual gamers to the platform between now and Christmas.

AmEx Offers Deals Based On Your Facebook Likes

2011-07-19T09:49:00.000-05:00

AmEx Offers Deals Based On Your Facebook Likes

null

2011-07-11T10:37:00.000-05:00

null

First Google eBooks Device To Go on Sale at Target This Week

Google will make inroads into the ereader market next week when the first such device using the Google eBooks platform will go on sale at Target.

The iriver Story HD will retail for $139.99 — the same price as theKindle and the Nook Simple Touch Reader — at the chain July 17, according to a blog post from Google. The device sports a qwerty keyboard and a black-and-grey screen similar to the Kindle. It also can access more than 3 million free Google eBooks and hundreds of thousands of paid ebooks in the system. The device is the first to be able to access titles via a Wi-Fi connection. Previously, users had to download the titles with a PC and then transfer them to the ereader.

Google entered the ebooks market in earnest in December with its Google eBookstore. Since then, the company has been expanding distribution for the format — it added its 250th independent bookstore partner in May.

The flying car one step closer to hitting the highway

2011-07-07T09:38:00.000-05:00

The flying car one step closer to hitting the highway

If you’ve ever dreamed of being able to simply fly over that parking lot posing as a highway after work, the most recent victory scored by Terrafugia, Inc. will brighten your commute today if not yet ease it.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has granted the special exemptions necessary to put the company’s “roadable aircraft,” the Transition, one step closer to becoming a reality for consumers. The use of plastic windows that wouldn’t break in flight as automotive safety glass could and tires fit for both highway speed and the rigors of landing were the two major points given the thumbs up, and the first model should be delivered in late 2012 rather than the original date of later this year.

That delay just leaves more time to get those “So long, suckers!” bumper stickers ready for the release.

By: Holy Kaw http://holykaw.alltop.com Full story at Wall Street Journal via Neatorama

HOW TO: Use CoTweet as a Marketing Tool

2011-07-06T10:50:00.000-05:00

HOW TO: Use CoTweet as a Marketing Tool

The Social Media 101 Series is sponsored by Global Strategic Management Institute. GSMI’s Social Media Strategies Series are the leading educational events for organizations looking to advance their online capabilities. Learn more.

One of the greatest challenges of social media marketing is juggling multiple accounts across a variety of networks. As messaging, engagement and analytics differ from platform to platform, keeping yourself organized is vital.

A great way to keep your social media presences in line is with CoTweet, a web-based social media management and analytics tool. It has a simple design and the basic plan, which has fairly robust features, is free. Like HootSuite, it’s accessed through your web browser rather than a desktop client.

Mashable spoke with Kevin Bobowski, CoTweet’s marketing director, for an explanation of how to use the platform for social media marketing.

Setup Support

While some platforms might leave you to your own devices after a product demo, CoTweet’s Services team is on hand to help you set up your account. This can be helpful if it’s your organizations first go at social media management. The social consultant will customize the setup and training based on your needs, and he or she will also record the training session, so you don’t have to worry about memorizing each step.

Already a social media management pro? You’re welcome to pass on the setup help and get your business started on the platform however works best for you.

Tweets as Teamwork

CoTweet is an excellent tool for small businesses or divisions of larger businesses that spread social media duties among team members and have a customer service approach to engagement. It has a number of features in place that ensure each employee is doing his or her work — and taking responsibility for it.

Like many social media management services, CoTweet allows updates and follow-up messages to be assigned to specific social media managers. This can make responses more relevant as team members with certain knowledge bases can handle appropriate questions and comments from followers. The responder’s initials are included at the end of the tweet, letting the follower know there’s a person behind the handle. This not only puts the follower at ease, but also the marketing manager as he or she will know who to talk to if questions (or congratulations!) arise for a specific tweet.

What’s different about CoTweet is its OnDuty status, which notes who is responsible for social streams at a certain time. Aside from organizing your social updates schedule, it allows for more passive monitoring. The person on duty can receive e-mails when something needs to be acted on, freeing him or her up to go to meetings or take calls while remaining aware of social media activity.

Campaign Conversion

The ability to track campaigns is the most important feature many marketers look for when deciding on a social media management tool. With CoTweet, you can not only manage clicks on content you publish within the application, but also integrate any web analytics platforms with campaign codes and shortened URLs.

“This provides closed-loop reporting and allows marketers to associate revenue and other success metrics to social media activity,” Bobowski says.

The platform recently launched a new Data Integration framework that allows you to extend the CoTweet application across other CRM tools, including Salesforce and Microsoft Dynamics CRM Integration. This means you can associate a conversation from Facebook or Twitter with an individual’s existing CRM profile and then tag it as a lead or opportunity. The feature breaks down silos by integrating data across platforms, allowing you to create more comprehensive customer profiles and have more relevant conversations in social media.

“We’re delivering the industry’s first solution to give businesses a complete view of their customers across online, offline and social channels,” says Jesse Engle, general manager of the ExactTarget Social Media Lab, in a press release. “This will help enterprises significantly extend the benefits of social to sales enablement to better target campaigns, increase product demand, improve client satisfaction and quantify the true ROI of social media.”

Worth a Try?

Whether you’re looking for a high-level social data reporting solution or just combating “Twitter overwhelm,” CoTweet is worth a shot. The platform supports Twitter and Facebook and has an iPhone app. The Standard edition is free and allows up to six Twitter accounts. The Enterprise version costs $1,500 a month, but you can request a free demo.

Have you used CoTweet for marketing? Would you recommend it? Tell us your experience with the tool in the comments below.

Series Supported by Global Strategic Management Institute

The Social Media 101 Series is sponsored by Global Strategic Management Institute, a leading source of knowledge for today’s leaders. Learn more by visiting GSMI’s website, liking it on Facebook and following it on Twitter.

Intel’s Little Laptop That Could Brings Tech to Millions of Children Around the World

2011-07-05T11:18:00.001-05:00

Intel’s Little Laptop That Could Brings Tech to Millions of Children Around the World

MASHABLE

Intel has created a low-cost, high-function laptop designed to get beat up, dropped and deliver education to children around the world.

The Intel-powered convertible classmate PC is about the size and weight of two iPads stacked on top of one another with a soft rubber backing and carry handle. The idea was to get computers into young hands to connect them to a larger world and improve the learning experience in global classrooms, explains Wayne Grant, the director of research and planning for Intel’s Education Market Platforms Group.

The PC has a swivel screen, allowing the clamshell laptop to turn into a pseudo-tablet with full touch-screen functionality. It also has a webcam and an accelerometer. The computers are designed for tough conditions. The battery lasts four to eight-and-a-half hours working on a minimal charge. The PC has been drop tested, baked in an oven and frozen in a refrigerator. It may seem like a lot of punishment for a piece of tech, but the tests ensure that the computers can’t break down in the remote areas where they’re being sent. So far, Intel has placed more than 4 million PCs into places like Argentina (1.5 million), Nigeria (150,000) and the Republic of Srpska (10,200).

That’s nearly twice the amount delivered by One Laptop Per Child, perhaps the best known non-profit trying to get low-cost computers into children’s hands. Grant says he admires One Laptop Per Child and its custom-built laptop, but he does see some clear-cut differences between the program and Intel’s efforts. Intel has created a software suite of education tools to help teachers in the classroom. This includes cloud-based programs that allow teachers to send out quick questions and quizzes to their students and collect data from work projects. “Without software, this isn’t much more than a friendly hand-warmer,” Grant jokes.

Grant spent 15 years in education, as a math and science teacher at Red Lake District High School, and then as a curriculum designer at Confederation College of Applied Arts & Technology. That influence is clear in the PC. Rather than just parachuting technology and letting kids figure it out, Intel augments that free time with a software suite and training from Intel employees. “Just because you make it available in a classroom doesn’t mean a teacher know what to do with it,” Grant says. Employees head to classrooms across the world and help train teachers to get the most out of the hardware and the software.

That kind of training is more of a resource drain than One Laptop Per Child, which purports to be more intuitive. That, combined with the software and touchscreens, means that Intel’s PCs run in the $400 to $500 range. It is significantly more than One Laptop Per Child’s price point.

Interestingly, Intel doesn’t actually sell the classmate PCs, but instead licenses them out to local ODMs (original design manufacturers) that make and sell the Intel-branded computers. Because of this, the price can skew high or low. However, this also means that Intel helps create jobs by outsourcing manufacturing to the same communities that are getting the technology.

So is the classmate PC a win-win for everyone? Are technology and education the best resources we can give underserved communities? Sound off in the comments.

Wimbledon Finals To Be the First 3D Broadcast on the BBC

2011-06-08T09:45:00.000-05:00

Wimbledon Finals To Be the First 3D Broadcast on the BBC

MASHABLE

Like it or not, 3D is coming. The BBC has succumbed to the latest trend, announcing its first 3D broadcast: this year’s Wimbledon finals.

The broadcast will include both men’s and women’s singles finals, which are taking place over the first weekend in July, and will only be shown on the BBC HD channel — free to cable or satellite subscribers, as well as customers with Freeview HD boxes.

Of course, users will need a 3D-enabled TV, as well as 3D glasses to be able to watch the finals in their full glory.

This is just a trial for the BBC, but the company has high hopes for 3D. “This is a hugely important experiment for us and I’m pleased that we have the opportunity to show some of our stunning sports coverage to our audiences, in 3D for free,” said BBC’s George Entwistle in a statement.

It’s becoming more common to air 3D TV broadcasts in the UK; Sky 3D has been showing live sporting events as well as movies and entertainment in 3D for some time now.

Image courtesy of Flickr, Marc Di Luzio

Facebook & Spotify To Launch Streaming Music Service [REPORT]

2011-05-25T14:29:00.000-05:00

Facebook & Spotify To Launch Streaming Music Service [REPORT]

MASHABLE:

We could soon be listening to Spotify within Facebook, according to reports from sources close to the deal.

Forbes is reporting that the integrated service is going through testing, but when it drops (in as little as two weeks), Facebook users will see Spotify’s icon appear on the left-hand side of their newsfeed. Once you click on the image, the service will be installed on your desktop, allowing you to listen to Spotify’s catalog via Facebook. Users will also be able to listen to music with friends via Facebook.

One downside, though, should this service come to pass: It will only be available in countries with access to Spotify — tough luck, U.S.

Forbes also reports that a Spotify spokesperson claimed not to know about the new music deal with Facebook. “We have a Facebook integration. We’re continuously working with them to make that as good as it can be. But that’s the extent of our relationship,” the spokesperson said.

Spotify tells us that it continues to work with Facebook on its integration, but didn’t confirm the rumor of a partnership.

“We have a good relationship with Facebook in that we have done an integration on Facebook Platform that has been valuable in terms of driving engagement with the Spotify service,” a Spotify spokesperson tells Mashable, referring to the music streaming service’s use of Facebook Connect. “We’re continuously working together to make the social experience on Spotify the best it can be and welcome relationships with any company looking to innovate by building more social value into the user experience.”

Facebook also tells Mashable there’s nothing new to announce.

“Many of the most popular music services around the world are integrated with Facebook and we’re constantly talking to our partners about ways to improve these integrations. Specific to Spotify, we consistently point to their product as one of the best examples of using Facebook to provide people with a rich social experience,” a spokesperson tells us.

At the eG8 forum in Paris on Wednesday, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg also implied that there’s no such deal.

So we have to take this news with a grain of salt. Remember that rumor that Google was partnering with Spotify? That ended up being false.