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16 November 2010

Mashable: Latest 29 News Updates - including “Dell’s Hybrid Tablet Coming Next Week [REPORT]”

Mashable: Latest 29 News Updates - including “Dell’s Hybrid Tablet Coming Next Week [REPORT]”

Dell’s Hybrid Tablet Coming Next Week [REPORT]

Posted: 16 Nov 2010 01:53 AM PST


Dell Inspiron Duo, the hybrid tablet that flips open to become a netbook, is due for a launch next week, Cnet has learned from sources familiar with the matter.

The Duo is a Windows 7 machine with a dual core Intel Atom CPU, a 10-inch touchscreen, and a full QWERTY keyboard which is revealed when you flip the lid open. Close it, and you have a device that looks and operates pretty much like a regular tablet.

According to Cnet, the Inspiron Duo will be launched “early next week”, possibly on November 23.

Check out a teaser trailer for Dell Inspiron Duo below.

[via Cnet]

More About: dell, Dell Inspiron Duo, hybrid, Tablet

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New Private Sale Site Targets Wine Enthusiasts [INVITES]

Posted: 15 Nov 2010 11:00 PM PST


The Spark of Genius Series highlights a unique feature of startups and is made possible by Microsoft BizSpark. If you would like to have your startup considered for inclusion, please see the details here.

Name: Lot18

Quick Pitch: Lot18 is a membership-by-invitation website for wine and epicurean products from coveted producers at attractive discounts.

Genius Idea: Online private sales are big business these days. It all began with fashion sites, like Gilt Groupe, Rue La La and ideeli, quickly followed by sites that specialized in home products, like One King’s Lane, SnappyTuna and Bulx. You can find even more specialized private sale sites for travel, restaurants, and now, with the introduction of Lot18, wine.

For wine enthusiasts, this is an obvious win, as Lot18 members have access to fine wines (and eventually, specialty foods) made in small quantities and sold at great prices.

For wine producers, it’s also a win, though. Wineries often struggle to generate brand awareness among potential customers who have not heard of or tasted their wines. An online presence, via a website or social platforms, can help, but even then, engagement is difficult. The Lot18 team personally sources and reviews each wine that is presented as a deal, and the wineries manage the sales and shipping processes. This model ensures quality wines, as the Lot18 team is well-versed in viticulture and enology, and enables wineries to reach new markets.

Founded by Philip James, founder of the world’s largest wine site, Snooth.com, and Kevin Fortuna, a veteran technology entrepreneur, Lot18 completed a $3 million Series A round of funding last week, led by FirstMark Capital, a New York City-based venture capital firm. The round also included returning investors and angels from top companies such as Quigo, Time Inc., AOL, Ziff Davis, Bankrate and Experian, and follows a $500,000 seed round closed earlier this year.

Founder Philip James said of the startup:

“We want to fix the way wine is sold in the U.S. The winemaker is the rockstar, but few people are lucky enough to go visit the winery and experience that. Instead wine is sold like it’s a commodity. We want to change that, to bring the story behind the wine to the consumer, at the time of purchase.”

If you’re itching to test out the service, we’ve got 500 invites to dish out, courtesy of Lot18 — sign up here.

Series Supported by Microsoft BizSpark

Microsoft BizSpark

The Spark of Genius Series highlights a unique feature of startups and is made possible by Microsoft BizSpark, a startup program that gives you three-year access to the latest Microsoft development tools, as well as connecting you to a nationwide network of investors and incubators. There are no upfront costs, so if your business is privately owned, less than three years old, and generates less than U.S.$1 million in annual revenue, you can sign up today.

More About: bizspark, lot18, startup, wine, winery, wines

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Google Unveils Hotpot, a Recommendation Engine for Places

Posted: 15 Nov 2010 09:27 PM PST


Google has just taken the wraps off Hotpot, an early release of a location-based recommendation engine “powered by you and your friends.”

It’s painfully obvious that location is one of the fastest-growing segments of the tech industry; Google has been iterating quickly in this area with improvements to Places, Images, Latitude and other services with location features. Its newest foray into the world of location-based services is Hotpot.

Hotpot takes all of Google Places‘ ratings and reviews features and adds a more personal touch. Currently, Place Pages mostly aggregate review data from sources such as Yelp. With Hotpot, users will be encouraged to rate and review businesses directly from their Google-linked profile. Users’ ratings and reviews are tracked with a counter at the top of each profile, and likes and dislikes are remembered and used in Google’s recommendation engine.

Unlike the just-the-facts, business-friendly interface of Places, Hotpot has a distinctly user-friendly UI that mirrors current trends in web app design. In other words, it’s aimed directly at average consumers, not web junkies who live to search. While Hotpot works well with Places data, its presentation is entirely fresh, both visually and functionally. It presents high-impact data (star ratings and images) for each place in a grid format without introducing too many details — such as phone number or URL — that might not be needed until the user decides to dig down another level or two.

Another part of Hotpot is its social features. Users can create a profile nickname to separate their Hotpot account from their general Google profiles (the whole web can see the Places nickname, but only friends will see the linked Google profile and the user’s real name). Google uses Gmail accounts and linked Google profiles to help users find their friends. Friends’ reviews and ratings will be visible, and users will get recommendations based on what their friends like.

When you search for specific places, such as “sushi Berkeley,” in Hotpot, you can filter your search results to see businesses or other places you haven’t rated before; you can also choose to see only places that have been rated by your Hotpot friends.

And it goes without saying that this location-based product from Google integrates with Android out of the box. You can rate and review places on-the-go with Mobile maps on Android.

We’ve seen Facebook (which recently launched location-based Places features of its own) playing around with place recommendation, but we don’t know that any one method or design has been finalized yet.

Not only has Google beaten Facebook to the punch with its early release of a Places recommendation engine; it’s also giving businesses even more reason to set up Places pages and start thinking about their location-based advertising on Google. After all, more consumers will start their local-business searches on Google than just about anywhere else.

We like playing around with Hotpot so far. Its interface is simple; writing reviews and rating places is quick. Give it a spin, and let us know what you think in the comments.

Should Yelp and Facebook be feeling a little threatened by this early release?

Reviews: Android, Facebook, Google, Yelp, gmail

More About: Google, google hotpot, google places, hotpot, lbs, location, places, recommendation, trending

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“Newsweek” Staffers Turn to Tumblr to Save Website

Posted: 15 Nov 2010 08:52 PM PST


On Friday, Newsweek and The Daily Beast announced that the two publications — one a sober, 77-year-old print publication, the other a lighter, more entertainment-driven, 2-year-old online-only news site — would merge. Among the first reported casualties was Newsweek CEO Tom Ascheim.

In a followup article over the weekend, The New York Times reported another: Newsweek.com. The new chief executive of the joint company, former Daily Beast CEO Stephen Colvin, said, “Newsweek.com will cease to exist after the merger. Readers who type that URL into their browser will be redirected to TheDailyBeast.com, where Newsweek content will be housed.”

TheDailyBeast.com attracts a monthly audience of around 2 million (although Editor-in-Chief Tina Brown claims it is more than twice that); Newsweek.com receives 5 million unique visitors per month. Both publications are reporting yearly losses in the millions ($28 million for Newsweek and $10 million for The Daily Beast); one of the more attractive features of the merger between the two entities is the opportunity to reduce staff. Given the difference in audience sizes and the expectation that layoffs are in store, the announcement about Newsweek.com incubated many negative emotions among staff.

In response, a team of anonymous Newsweek.com employees created a Tumblr page, titled “Save Newsweek.com – A Defense of Newsweek.com,” above the subheader, “Why we think it would be a mistake to close the award-winning Website of Newsweek magazine.”

It’s a passionate cry for the preservation of the award-winning enterprise, which has managed, as it points out, to attract numerous awards and an audience much greater than that of its print counterpart despite constant changes in leadership and a small staff of 18. It’s also bitter, calling itself the “ugly stepchild to its print grandparents, who were too busy burning money to notice,” and moans that “while high-level print editors were taking sleek black towncars to and from the office (and everywhere in between, including, on at least one instance, from DC to New York), this was a staff who slept on grimy couches while reporting on the road; forking out their own funds, at times, just to produce good work.”

(As a side note, it’s interesting that they chose Tumblr to share their message over social platforms with a larger userbase, such as Facebook, or even their own website. By the time of writing, nearly 200 people had reblogged or “liked” the post on the blogging service — significant, but likely not as viral as a Facebook Page would have been. But I digress.)

A few hours after the Tumblr page was picked up by the media, Brown tweeted, “Woah! Newsweek.com’s superb content will live on under its own banner & in URLs on the new site. Not shutting down, combining.”

The tweet should leave some at Newsweek.com feeling slightly more hopeful about their jobs — but not about keeping their website.

We’ll see how articles like “The 12 Rules of Sex & Tech” stack up against “Rare and Unusual Photos and Images From the Burns Archive” — and whether Newsweek.com’s current audience will feel at home at Newsweek.com’s new address.

Image courtesy of Flickr, FontShop

[via PaidContent]

Reviews: Facebook, Flickr, SEX, Tumblr

More About: daily beast, media, Newsweek, the daily beast, tina brown, tumblr

For more Social Media coverage:

Twitter Trends Come to Even More Cities Around the World

Posted: 15 Nov 2010 06:42 PM PST


Twitter’s locally focused Trends, the list of hot topics that allows Twitter users to keep their twitchy little fingers on the pulse of their communities, is now available in a total of 18 countries and 24 cities around the world.

In an announcement today, a Twitter product manager stated that Twitter’s trending topics, a what’s what of popular and talked-about keywords, will be gaining a more local flavor for 13 new countries and 6 new cities starting today.

Twitter’s been paying a lot of attention to trend-related features lately. Trends became locally oriented for some users in major markets at the beginning of 2010. The company worked on its trending topics algorithm in the spring; with trends becoming ever more relevant and interesting, Twitter was ready to roll out trend-based ads in the summer.

In other globally focused Twitter news, the company will now be displaying tweets from other languages in the user’s native tongue.

According to the company blog, “We we are now using Google Translate to to display Tweet translations in the details pane to give people more access to what people are talking about around the world.”

This is hardly surprising; Twitter has been focusing on multi-language support since last year. Only a handful of users have this feature now; it’ll be rolling out site-wide in the weeks to come.

Reviews: Google translate, Twitter, blog

More About: -local, global, trending topics, trends, twitter

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Bit.ly Introduces Bundles: Multi-Link Sharing with One URL

Posted: 15 Nov 2010 06:08 PM PST


Link-sharing service Bit.ly has just launched a new tool for people who really, really love sharing links. Bit.ly Bundles allow you to package multiple long links in a single shortened URL.

This is a highly useful feature with an almost endless string of use cases. You can tweet a string of YouTube videos, email all your Thanksgiving recipes, post a collection of study materials to Facebook — all with just one short URL.

You can add multiple links to the Bit.ly entry field; just separate them with a space, then click “shorten” and “bundle” to quickly and simply create an all-in-one package of multiple links.

Every link you add will include a rich media preview and Bit.ly’s valuable metrics; your bundle can also be customized with a title and description.

We’ve actually seen other companies with this exact feature — in fact, just last week, we introduced our readers to BridgeURL, a service for packaging multiple links as a single URL. Sadly, this startup doesn’t have the market share and brand power of Bit.ly; we’ll see what happens to the company and product in the months to come.

In the meantime, however, give Bit.ly Bundles a shot and let us know what you think of this new feature in the comments.

Reviews: Facebook, YouTube

More About: bit.ly, bundles, link sharing, sharing, social media, url

For more Social Media coverage:

Baidu CEO: 99% of China Uses Our Search Engine

Posted: 15 Nov 2010 05:29 PM PST


The CEO of Baidu, one of China’s largest and most powerful Internet companies, says 99% of China uses its search engine, but he maintains the company isn’t anti-competitive.

Baidu, China’s largest search engine, doubled in value since January and is worth just as much as Facebook and eBay. It has even been outperforming Google in China, something very few companies can claim.

Robin Li, Baidu’s CEO, is on stage with journalist John Battelle at Web 2.0 Summit in San Francisco, speaking about Baidu’s rapid growth, Google’s recent decision to leave China and the differences between the Chinese market and the U.S. market.

Here are our live notes from the conversation:

Live Notes: Robin Li, CEO of Baidu

All times are in Pacific Standard Time

5:16 PM: Battelle: If you were Eric Schmidt, what would you have done to win China? Li’s advice would have been to live in China for at least six months.

5:17: Battelle: Baidu has a $40 billion market cap, and the stock price has doubled in January. Do you feel pressure to keep the rocket ship going? Li: No. I never thought search would be so profitable. Stock goes up and down. What matters to me is that revenue, users and profit keep growing.

5:19: Battelle: How big can it get? Li: Already, 99% of China’s users use Baidu.

5:22: Robin Li on Google leaving China earlier this year: People think Baidu is the only choice in China. In reality, there are many more choices than in the U.S., including Tencent, Sogo and a several others.

5:24: Battelle asks again about why Google failed in China. Li is focusing on the competitiveness of the Chinese Internet space, the difference between cultures and Chinese engineering talent willing to go back to China to start companies. “If you’re not prepared to compete in this market, you’re not going to be successful.”

5:27: Baidu has many other products, including Baidu Notes (100 million questions answered by Chinese users so far). It also has a social flavor that makes it hard to leave.

5:29: Battelle: Would it ever make sense to integrate Facebook Connect? Li: We don’t have a full-blown social graph yet. The purpose of our product is make search easier. If any product will make it easier, we’re happy to look at it.

5:31: Battelle asks about building an entrepreneurial company in an environment like China. Li responds that it’s still an emerging market, so we need to be patient.

5:33: Battelle asks about censorship and whether it was a frustrating issue for Li. Li says it was a frustration. His first reaction was to move to Hong Kong. He then realized that wouldn’t work for Baidu. If he moved to Hong Kong, “they would call me anti-government — my life would be ruined.” If an American company decided to break Chinese law, it would have to be called a “strategic partner.”

5:34: Some part of the Chinese government is making a search engine, apparently. Robin Li doesn’t seem worried about it. “We’re allow to compete,” he says. “It’s okay.” Battelle follows up, saying it would be unthinkable in the U.S. for its government to compete with the free market like that. Li responded, “I’m not worried.”

5:35: Li: Most of China uses 2G phones to get on the web. That means it’s slow and expensive, since users are charged by number of bytes. There are some people, very few, who use smartphones; and 3G is available but not popular yet. Most people are low-income migrant workers or nannies who can’t afford things like laptops or smartphones. That makes user behavior very different, but it’ll change as 3G networks become more popular.

5:38: Battelle: Could Baidu provide something like Android? Li: “Our vision of the future of mobile and web search is ‘box computing.’” In the future, for whatever device you use, when you turn on the device, it’ll be on instantly, instead of waiting 20 seconds. In one second, you see a search box. It’s not just search though, its ubiquitous. It replaces the OS. It’s the starting point of everything.

5:40: Battelle: In the U.S., part of the entrepreneurial mythos is to be offered an ungodly amount of money for your company or product and to reject the offer. Baidu had that situation, it had acquisition offers; why did you say no? Li: At the time, the Internet market was very small. He didn’t think Yahoo, Microsoft and Google realized that revenue could increase exponentially in five years.

5:44: Li says, “We have the largest Internet population in the world.” In 2003, Baidu made it social. It’s hard to switch. Tencent is probably earlier than Facebook to building a social network, he says. That company started as an instant messenger but quickly became dominant.

5:46: Last question: Will Baidu expand beyond China? Li answers that it has ambitions for Japan. The U.S. is not a high priority because it’s a relatively large and mature market. Baidu will have to think more carefully about it.

Reviews: Android, Facebook, Google, Internet

More About: Baidu, Robin Li, W2S2010, Web 2.0 Summit

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FarmVille’s Creator Wants to “Dog Activate” the World

Posted: 15 Nov 2010 04:47 PM PST


The CEO of Zynga, the company behind FarmVille, has a new vision and goal for his company moving forward: to “dog activate” the world.

During his talk at the Web 2.0 Summit in San Francisco, Zynga founder and CEO Mark Pincus discussed the state of his company and where he sees the future of social gaming headed.

In the middle of his talk, he introduced a new concept to the audience. “It’s going to change what we introduce next year, and hopefully it will change social gaming,” he said.

That new concept is “dog activated.” What does he mean by that? Pincus stated he hopes whenever someone sees Zynga’s logo (a black or white dog on a red background), users will immediately know that their friends are there playing social games. He wants to “dog activate” the entire Zynga network of games, not just a select few like FarmVille.

It doesn’t end there for Pincus. He says he envisions a point where the Znyga dog is essentially expected on any device you use. His example was Facebook; these days, you simply expect the Facebook icon to appear on your mobile phone, tablets, computer and other devices. It is synonymous with social networking. Pincus hopes to replicate that succes by making Zynga’s icon synonymous with social gaming.

Reviews: Facebook

More About: Dog Activate, farmville, Mark Pincus, W2S2010, Web 2.0 Summit, web-2.0, Zynga

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Zynga Boasts 320M Users and 650,000 Same-Sex Marriages

Posted: 15 Nov 2010 04:34 PM PST


Zynga, the social gaming platform valued at $4 billion, is now reporting three million concurrent users playing its suite of games at peak hours during the day.

That’s just one of many impressive stats CEO Mark Pincus shared in his presentation at Web 2.0 Summit in San Francisco today.

Pincus also said a mind-boggling 320 million people have played a Zynga game. And at any given time during the day, at least four of your friends are playing, says Pincus. The latter stat goes hand-in-hand with what Pincus refers to as the company’s “dog activated” strategy, meaning users know that when they see the Zynga dog, their friends are there.

Here’s another unique stat indicative of extreme gameplay on the platform: Users of Zynga’s FrontierVille game have created 650,000 same-sex marriages.

Pincus also shared that the company has ten major games being produced by 13 studios in six different countries. Plus, Zynga has made six acquisitions in as many months and now has 400 people working on new games slated for future release.

Zynga, says Pincus, aims simply to convince you and all web users to take a ten-minute break. By the numbers, the company seems to be doing a remarkable job accomplishing that goal.

More About: Mark Pincus, social games, W2S2010, web-2.0, Zynga

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Kinect for Xbox 360 Sells 1 Million Units in 10 Days

Posted: 15 Nov 2010 04:27 PM PST


With any luck, the next house party you attend will feature Dance Central instead of the usual Rock Band fare.

Microsoft has just announced it has sold more than 1 million units of Kinect for Xbox 360 worldwide in the first 10 days after the product’s launch.

Additionally, Microsoft says it’s pacing to sell more than 5 million units by the end of the year. This news comes just a week after Sony visualized sales figures for its Kinect competitor, PlayStation 3 Move.

When you consider that Kinect for Xbox 360 won’t even reach most of Asia until November 18 and Japan until November 20, the 1 million units in 10 days figure is even more impressive.

Buoyed by positive reviews and a solid game lineup, Kinect for Xbox 360 is shaping up to be a big winner this holiday season. The controller-free system, which includes the Kinect sensor, can be purchased separately or in a package. Microsoft didn’t break out sales of the systems and the add-on, only saying that 1 million Kinect units were sold.

Existing Xbox 360 owners can buy the Kinect system for $149.99. An Xbox 360 console with 4GB of storage and the Kinect kit sells for $299.99. For $399.99, consumers can get an Xbox 360 with a 250GB hard drive and the Kinect add-on.

Microsoft says that according to NPD, the Xbox 360 has led video game console sales in the United States for the past four months. Another part of the console’s allure is the ability to watch premium video content from Netflix and Hulu Plus and the ever-expanding library of Xbox Live titles.

As motion-controlled consoles go, Kinect takes a different approach from what Nintendo pioneered with the Wii, and even beyond what Sony is doing with PlayStation Move. By making the controller disappear and capturing full body movements, Kinect shows some really interesting possibilities for immersive gaming.

Have you played with Kinect? What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments.

More About: kinect, playstation move, video games, Xbox 360, Xbox Kinect

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Google CEO: Android Is for Touch, Chrome OS Is for Keyboards

Posted: 15 Nov 2010 04:11 PM PST


Google CEO Eric Schmidt has finally made it clear what differentiates Google’s Android OS from the soon-to-be-released Chrome OS: keyboards.

That’s a rather simplified expression of the bigger picture; but ultimately, Google sees Chrome OS as the operating system for traditional computers, such as PCs, netbooks and laptops, which may include touch interfaces but always include keyboards; and the company sees Android as an operating system best suited to mobile devices, which may include keyboards but almost always include touch interfaces.

During his talk at Web 2.0 Summit, Schmidt was asked by a member of the audience about Android’s perceived fragmentation. In addition, Schmidt was asked about where Chrome OS should be used vs. Android and where they overlap. The audience member professed that he was confused about Google’s strategy surrounding both platforms.

Schmidt responded in a few parts. His first point was that Android isn’t fragmented, stating that you can still run the same app on all Android phones — a point which our readers are welcome to dispute in the comments. However, Schmidt emphasized that he wants to make sure you can run the same apps on all Android devices.

What I found more interesting was his response to the difference between Chrome OS and Android. He iterated multiple times that it seems like Android is optimal for touch devices, while Chrome OS is best suited for traditional keyboard devices. While this explanation makes perfect sense to us, we’ve never heard this explanation from Google’s CEO until now.

In other words, if Google builds a touch-based tablet, it’s going to run Android. If it builds a new type of keyboard computer device, it’ll run Chrome OS. Schmidt says to expect Chrome OS “in the next few months” and the new version of Android (a.k.a. Gingerbread) in the next few weeks.

Reviews: Android, Google

More About: android, chrome, Chrome OS, Google, google chrome, W2S2010, web-2.0

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The Beatles Finally Headed to iTunes [REPORT]

Posted: 15 Nov 2010 03:36 PM PST


You know that cryptic iTunes message about an announcement Apple is making tomorrow? Well, according to The Wall Street Journal, that news is that iTunes will finally start carrying The Beatles’ catalog.

The WSJ is citing “people familiar with the situation” — a source one always has to take with a grain of salt — who report that Apple, representatives for The Beatles and EMI Group Ltd were recently in talks regarding the matter. Those same sources also warn that Apple could change plans at the last minute. We’re a bit doubtful of that note — why would Apple devote an entire ad to something that might not come to fruition?

If this deal does go through, however, it will mark the end of a decades-old dispute between the two camps. According to the WSJ, the Beatles and Apple have been at war since 1978, when the band said that the computer manufacturer infringed on its trademark — that of Apple Corps Ltd. and Apple Records.

Billboard.biz is in agreement with the WSJ — asserting that “‘Another Day’ (the words in Apple’s teaser message) is a Paul McCartney song released on his solo record Ram, but written during the Beatles’ Let it Be sessions.”

What do you think? Could this be Apple’s big announcement, or does it have something else in store?

More About: apple, itunes, music, the beatles, trending

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100+ Upcoming Social Media & Tech Events

Posted: 15 Nov 2010 03:34 PM PST

social_media_events_guide1

Every week, Mashable puts together a calendar of upcoming social media and web events, parties and conferences. Would you like to have your conference or event listed here? If so, please contact us at least one month before your event to establish a media partnership. For more upcoming listings, check out Mashable’s Events section.

In the meantime, here are some tips on how to network, share your information and/or promote your event(s) using social media:

Mashable’s Weekly Social Media and Marketing Event Guide is proudly supported by Eventbrite, the Web’s Event Marketplace.

Upcoming Mashable Events:

The Mashable Awards, January 6, 2011, Las Vegas, NV: In partnership with Cirque du Soleil, The Mashable Awards Gala event will bring together the winners and nominees, the Mashable community, partners, media, the marketing community, consumer electronics and technology brands and attendees from the 2011 International CES Convention to Las Vegas on Thursday, January 6, 2011. Together, we will celebrate the winners and the community of the Mashable Awards at the Cirque du Soleil Zumanity stage in the beautiful New York New York Hotel. The event will include acts and performances from our partner, Cirque du Soleil Zumanity, as well as special guest presenters and appearances. Email sponsorships@mashable.com for information.

November 15–18, 2010, London, UK: Europe's definitive customer strategy experience. Focusing on the strategy behind the concept of loyalty, Loyalty World will provide you with the insight and tools to develop the ultimate loyalty initiative to support your business goals and add measurable value to your bottom line. Loyalty World will examine the relationship between your brand and your customers, look at what drives consumer behaviour, and help you understand how you can identify and harness new trends and tools to really drive engagement. Loyalty World attracts participants from some of the world's most reputable brands. With speakers from retail, financial services, travel, leisure, utilities and telecoms, you will gain cross-transferable loyalty insights and experiences that will help rejuvenate your loyalty strategy, attract, engage and retain customers, and strengthen your market. Register here and SAVE 10%.

November 15-17, 2010, San Francisco, CA: Web 2.0 Summit brings the intelligence, innovation, and leadership of the Internet industry together in one place at one time. Through incisive plenary sessions, cut-through-the-hype onstage conversations, rapid-fire high order bits and show me presentations, visionaries and executives across key industries present their unique perspective on the Web's future-in-flux and how the tools and principles of Web 2.0 are impacting global businesses. Connect with the business leaders and technologists redefining the potential of the Web. Don't miss the Points of Control webcast on October 27th.

November 15, 2010, New York, NY: Gamification is the most powerful way to engage and grow your consumer base. Leverage the lessons of Foursquare, Farmville and Frequent Flyer Programs in this breakthrough full-day, hands-on workshop on Gamification in NYC on November 15th taught by experts Amy Jo Kim and Gabe Zichermann. Bring your product/design concerns and emerge with actionable strategies, tactics and resources at the end of the day tailored to your business needs. Space is strictly limited – register today with this discount code to save 15% off admission: MASH15. For more information, please visit http://nyc.gsummit.com

November 15, 2010, London, UK: The Social Technology Not for Profit Summit '10 caters specifically for those that work in or on behalf of charities and not-for-profit organizations. We're bringing you answers to the big questions across the industry, discussing how to make the most of little or no budget, and how to utilize social media to turn supporters into advocates. This event will bring you practical advice with a human perspective and tangible takeaways that you can implement seamlessly into your not for profit organization. Register and use the promo code mash80 for an additional 20% off the ticket price.

November 15, 2010, London, UK: The virtual goods model is the revenue-generating sensation that is taking the world by storm, from games publishers to media companies, from social-networking sites to consumer brands. The Virtual Goods World Europe 2010 promises to be the next step for your business! Major brands will come together to discuss the opportunities presented by the rise of virtual goods. Social networking sites will participate, to learn more from the brands and create business models for the future. Games publishers and developers will learn best practice customer acquisition strategies. All participants will learn new opportunities presented by advances in alternative payment systems. Register now with the promo code VGWMASH and save 10%!

November 17-19, 2010, Loudoun County, VA: Social Media Tourism Symposium. The symposium will be a combination of destination marketing organizations, hotels, resorts, attractions and any other tourism related entities sharing ideas and learning more about how social media is effecting promotion within the travel industry. What makes this conference unique is the involvement of attendees throughout the entire process. Attendees will have a voice in everything from the location to the session topics and presenters. Register now and become a Facebook fan.

November 17-19, 2010, Las Vegas, NV: The WOMMA Summit 2010 is the pinnacle of all we’ve learned this year as well as trends to watch in 2011 and beyond. WOMMA Summit 2010 showcases the NEXT and BEST practices from some of the innovative and forward thinking brands in word of mouth and social media marketing today. Register before October 1 and save $200 off the full ticket price. Use code WOMMASummitMASH.

November 17-18, Houston, TX: Are you a CEO, owner or marketing executive wondering how you should be using social media to promote your business? Come to our Free 90-minute Social Media Boot Camp for CEOs where you will learn proven techniques and valuable tips to drive customers to your website and generate new leads. Our expert speaker, Paul Slack, will offer abundant detailed strategies you can immediately put into action.

November 17-18, 2010, Raleigh, NC: The Internet Summit 2010 will feature over 100 speakers and an audience of over 1,500 internet execs, entrepreneurs and senior marketers. Join dozens of industry leaders and innovators in the conversation on topics such as Social Media, Mobile, Cloud Computing, Geolocation, Online Advertising, Analytics, Video, Ecommerce and more. This years, keynotes are Go Daddy’s CEO Bob Parsons and Ancestry.com’s CEO Tim Sullivan, and then hear thought leaders from Foursquare, Google, Salesforce.com, Yelp, eBay, StumbleUpon, Playboy, Red Hat, Microsoft, Cisco, Autotrader.com, Playdom, Travelocity and many more! Register and use the promotion code MASH for 20% off.

November 17-18, 2010, London, UK: The Corporate Social Media Summit is a two-day conference focused exclusively on how big businesses can use social media to enhance their marketing/comms strategy. The conference is tailored exclusively to a corporate – not a social media – audience. It features 20+ senior executives from European corporations speaking – including Vodafone, Honda, Nokia, Cadbury, PepsiCo and more. 14 in-depth, interactive workshops deliver best practice examples and practical next steps from companies that have already experienced marketing/comms success using social media. For our brochure, click here. Register and use the promo code MSH200 to save £200 off the ticket price .

November 17, 2010, Los Angeles, CA: Girls in Tech Presents What’s Next: Tech Trends To Watch in 2011 – With 2010 drawing to a close, Girls in Tech LA is proud to be hosting a diverse range of tech industry experts who will be sharing their predictions, plans and perspectives about what’s next for tech in 2011. The panel discussion will be held at the Border Stylo offices in Hollywood on November 17th, and will be followed by light refreshments and networking. It will also be streamed on Ustream, and details of that stream will be available via the Girls in Tech Twitter and Facebook pages before the event. Panelists participating in the discussion include Amanda Coolong (TechZulu), Heather Meeker (Whrrl), Tony Adam (MySpace), Erin Kotecki Vest (BlogHer), Laura Weidman (Border Stylo) and Lynn Langit (Microsoft). Tickets are just $10, and space is very limited, so buy yours early to guarantee admission.

November 17, 2010, Phoenix, AZ: Fifth Annual Arizona Entrepreneurship Conference – In the current environment, some companies will still come out stronger than before. Has your business suffered? Have you been laid off? Are you trying to grow in difficult circumstances? Here at AZEC10, we’ve got your back. Local investors, local entrepreneurs and Silicon Valley veterans will spend the day discussing the realities of business today. You MUST meet these people and learn from them during the Great Re-Set of 2010. This is the premier entrepreneurship conference in Arizona, benefitting the Opportunity Through Entrepreneurship Foundation.

November 18-19, 2010, New York, NY: Get your tickets now to attend NextGen:Charity, a conference on non-profit innovation being held in New York City. Learn and network with 500+ executive-level professionals of non-profits and foundations. Featured speakers include Seth Godin, Scott Harrison, Arianna Huffington, Nancy Lublin, Randi Zuckerberg. Visit our website for more information, to learn about all our presenters and get your tickets. Click here to register now!

November 18, 2010, New York, NY Financial Services Social Communications: Case Studies and Roundtables — Our Keynote Presenter will be Craig Pfeiffer, Chief Marketing Officer, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney. Case studies by MasterCard Worldwide, AllianceBernstein, and others will showcase how leading financial institutions are embracing social media and marketing to achieve business goals despite the regulated environment. The case studies will be followed by moderated interactive roundtables. Register and use promo code MASH for a discounted rate of $155.

November 18, 2010, Madrid, Spain: Stepping out of the comfort zone: Innovation & Social Media in Healthcare. Advertising in the new markets of conversations is the big challenge, and realizing that you no longer have the control of the brand is difficult to assume and scary. But wanted or not, the conversation is out there. HCPs are right now storytelling their opinions, experiences, unmet needs, therapeutic strategies and ideas via the Social Web. They are looking for connectivity and knowledge in these new ecosystems which are "common and global grounds". The word of mouth surpasses, in credibility, the traditional communication tools.

November 18, 2010, San Francisco, CA: Real-time tools are transforming business, government and non-profits. At TWTRCON SF 2010, you'll see case studies and learn best practices from leading organizations that are using the real-time web to deliver bottom-line results. Speakers from Ford, H&R Block, Wells Fargo, SAP, Southwest, Twitter, Google, stickybits, Roxy Theatre, StatusNet, OneRiot and more. New at TWTRCON SF: Hands-on workshops designed to let you learn the how-tos of real-time applications, tools and platforms. Register at http://twtrcon.com/sf10 use the promo code MASHABLE for 20% off.

November 18, 2010, San Francisco, CA: Calling all women in technology! Vator, a leading platform for innovators and entrepreneurs to connect and learn from one another, and Girls in Tech, a social network for women in technology, are holding their first event, Amplify, to recognize women-led startups. Silicon Valley legend Esther Dyson will be the keynote speaker, sharing advice on what it takes to build a company. Amplify is a day-long event and will be held on November 18 in San Francisco. To be among the 15 women-led startup presenters, be sure to enter the competition here. Register and use the promo code MashableAmplify for a 20% discount.

November 18, 2010, Kiev, Ukraine: Digital Communications of Ukraine International Conference is one of the main Ukrainian events that will feature the top professionals in the industry of Internet marketing. The main goal of the DCU is to exchange ideas and learn how to handle changes in media and marketing in day-to-day business using the latest knowledge, new technologies, best practice, and trends. Our speakers will share their experience and cases in digital communications. Companies represented by our speakers: Ukrainian Association of Internet Advertising, Yandex, Gemius, Digitas, Oxygen, Ukr.net, Brainberry and many more. Register with the promo code DCUMAS to save 15%!

November 18, 2010, San Francisco, CA: A hands-on social media and communications workshop produced by Richard Colback at BizSoMe and Robert Dickman at First Voice. This two-part workshop focuses on how to develop stories using the five elements of narrative and then guides attendees through how to adapt these stories to effectively leverage a variety of different social media platforms. The workshops have been developed for businesses and individuals who wish to move from experimenting with social media, into the development and implementation of highly effective social media communication. Register and use the discount code MASHABLE for 30% off.

November 19-21, 2010, Mexico City, Mexico: iWeekend is an intensive and innovative experience that brings together talented entrepreneurs and professionals of different profiles to select 3 ideas and bring these ideas to reality by collaboratively developing a business plan and a prototype, all in one weekend. The final outputs of the event are a prototype, a basic business plan, a product demo and a possible team. The event is ideal for entrepreneurs looking to get started and for professionals and freelancers looking to broaden their horizons while taking on a challenge and collaborating in a project they like. Register and use the code #VIVAMASHABLE on the signup form to receive a 10% discount.

November 19, 2010, New York, NY: On November 19th, 2010 THE JONATHANS (Jonathan Levy and Joanthan Rossman) will launch a fundraising campaign to benefit the New York City School System, with the goal of Beating Zuckerberg's $100 Million donation. THE JONATHANS will kick off the campaign with their joint birthday party at Good Units, a brand new event space in Manhattan's Hudson Hotel. All proceeds from the event will go to benefit New York City Schools. The event will raise funds to BEAT ZUCKERBERG! via patron and sponsor donations, the silent auction, and a portion of the bar proceeds.

November 20, 2010, Los Angeles, CA: At the K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Sweetheart) Social Media Training Seminars, we will clear the confusion surrounding social media marketing and give you all the information, coaching and hands-on tutoring you need to carry out an effective marketing campaign on social media – we cover Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Myspace, Blogging, scheduling and time-management, effective postings, linking, photo uploads, marketing and branding, growing your following and more! Register here: http://e-2productions.com/eventsseminar.html.

November 20, 2010, Córdoba, Argentina: Drupal Camp is a free event organized to expand, unite and improve the Drupal community in Argentina. The conference will be held the Saturday 20th of November of 2010, and it will take place in Córdoba; it promises to be a success! For more information and registration, please visit www.drupalcamp2010.com.ar.

November 24-25, 2010, Sydney, Australia: Are you looking to quantify your social media efforts? Do you want to have constant customer engagement? If the answer is yes, join us in Sydney at theSheraton on the Park for iStrategy 2010 to learn, network, share ideas, and understand how to build your online marketing strategy to its fullest potential. iStrategy 2010 Sydney brings together the cream of the Oceanic leaders in social media marketing. iStrategy Sydney will give delegates the valuable insight they need to: Harness New Technologies, Drive Revenue Growth, Create Value from Digital Assets, Develop Innovative and Creative Online Strategies and achieve a Market Leading Online Position. Register now with the promo code MashableSYD to receive a 10% discount.

November 24, 2010, London, UK: The New Brand Rules: Capitalising On The Online & Social Media Space – Following the success of our inaugural social media event in July, we will explore the issues of control, measurement and understanding of your brand's reputation online that will drive ROI and business success. This event offers marketers an unrivalled opportunity to come face-to-face with experts from a variety of brands at various points of their social media and online strategies to thrash out these and other pressing questions. Please click here for more information.

November 25, 2010, London, UK: BrightLemon Drupal Training – Introducing Drupal (London): This Drupal course quickly gets you up to speed with building dynamic database-driven websites with Drupal. It begins with a basic introduction into the main concepts behind Content Management Systems (CMS) and the types of websites they are meant to help create. We then map these concepts onto Drupal as a CMS and take you through installation to creations of a series of websites – each one adding an additional layer of functionality. Buy tickets here.

November 25, 2010, London, UK: The media and marketing industry's Global GREEN Awards 2010 recognise and reward creative work that communicates the importance of Corporate Social Responsibility, sustainable development and ethical best practice in any sector and across any marketing discipline. Now in its fifth year the GREEN AWARDS™ are going Global, this year for the first time, all the categories are opened for entry from all over the world. The Awards illustrate the crucial role that needs to be played by green marketing and sustainability communications in informing people about green issues, products and lifestyle choices, and showcase examples of excellence and best practice in communicating sustainability and green issues. The Awards are now open for entry. For more information about the 16 categories and entry process, please visit http://www.greenawards.co.uk.

November 25, 2010, London, UK: The Digital Brand Strategy Summit is designed to create a unique showcase from leading brands and industry experts on how to create, launch and implement an effective Digital Marketing Strategy for your brand. During this one day event delegates will be presented with strategic information, case studies and hot tips enabling delegates to walk away with a clear understanding of the digital concept and the knowledge and tools necessary to deliver an effective strategy.

November 30 – December 2, 2010, Boston, MA: In Todays Business Climate, Companies are under great pressure to attract and keep more customers. Corporate websites are now the most important public face of an organization and the best way to communicate with a broader customer base. Successful sales and marketing now requires Web sites with supporting content management systems that can reach a global audience, a mobile audience, and an audience familiar with social media and used to richer media. Use the promo code MASHABLE to save $200. Visit www.gilbaneboston.com for conference details.

November 30, 2010 – Dec. 2, 2010, London, UK: Online Information is the largest UK event dedicated to the information industry. Taking place in the Grand Hall at London's Olympia, the exhibition attracts more than 9,000 visitors each year from around the world. This unique, free to attend event consists of an exhibition with more than 200 international exhibitors alongside an extensive seminar programme. Online Information covers 6 core segments: Content Resources, ePublishing Solutions, Library Management, Content Management, Search Solutions and Social Media, providing an annual meeting place for this global industry. Mashable readers may register to attend here.

November 30-December 1, 2010, London, UK: Apps World aims to address the entire app ecosystem and the challenge of delivery, development and design of apps across multiple platforms. The event will bring together leading operators and app stores worldwide, and draw in parallels between the mobile & TV app platforms. Register now to receive the early-bird discount.

November 30, 2010, Paris, France: Social networks are leading us towards a new era of global interconnectedness. This exclusive one-day conference will examine why they have become so popular in the first place and how businesses are using them to enhance their marketing strategies, to leverage their HR policies and to boost their internal communications tactics. The business model of networking sites is based on the idea that people will share information. Even though most social networks already offer ways for members to restrict the information shared, they can constitute a major risk pool in terms of privacy, reputation and brand control. This exclusive event will provide invaluable strategic insights on how social networking is changing the way companies do business, a top-level speaker line-up, and an opportunity to network with peers. For more information and to register, please click here.

November 30, 2010, London, UK: Social Recruiting Conference will gather together leading employers and recruitment industry professionals, to passionately discuss and practically demonstrate the power of Social Recruiting. The conference will be unlike any other Social Media Recruiting conferences you have attended. Our aim is to take the talk from theory to practice; and shift conversations from hype and hope to reality and results. #SRCONF will focus on Social Recruiting case studies, with measurable ROIs. Save 10% when you register with the code MASH10 at http://www.srconf.com.

November 30, 2010, London, UK: Hear how 21 heavyweight brands, including Facebook, Sainsbury’s, Google-YouTube, COI, King of Shaves, Motorola, JustGiving, BBC, Volvo, M&S, FT, Jaguar, Eurostar and Santander are demonstrating real results from social media at the Social Media Results For PR & Comms Conference. Tried and tested strategies to genuinely engage audiences, fully embed and integrate social media practices and clearly demonstrate real results. Mashable readers receive a £150 discount with the promo code MASHABLE if you book before August 19. Click here to download the conference brochure.

December 1-2, 2010, Berlin, Germany: Lead generation, lead nurturing, inbound marketing, B2B social media marketing, SEO, storytelling, mobile marketing and blogging, B2B marketers are facing new challenges in building profitable marketing strategies. The first BB2B Marketing Europe event features a keynote presentation by Chris Brogan and will bring together European B2B marketers to share knowledge through real-world case studies, best practices, lessons learned and offer networking opportunities with some of the biggest brands and businesses today – Forrester Research, Google, Philips, Dassault Systemes, Accenture, HP, Honeywell, Canon, Kodak, Symantec, HubSpot, iTive and more. Register now.

December 1-2, 2010, Singapore: Are you looking to quantify your social media efforts? Do you want to have constant customer engagement? If the answer is yes, join us in Singapore at the Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel for iStrategy 2010 to learn, network, share ideas, and understand how to build your online marketing strategy to its fullest potential. iiStrategy 2010 Singapore brings together South East Asia's leaders in social media marketing. iStrategy will give delegates the valuable insight they need to: Analyze the current market growth, which are the latest platforms to emerge and their impact and potential to be used in brand building. This coupled with Driving Revenue Growth, Creating Value from Digital Assets, Developing Innovative and Creative Online Strategies and achieve a Market Leading Online Position makes this an unmissable event in the Asia marketing Calendar. Register now with the promo code MashableSING to receive a 10% discount.

December 1, 2010, London, UK: The Mobile Cloud Computing Forum will provide a full perspective of mobile cloud computing and SaaS from business value through integration and implementation and to the emergent trends in the industry. Meet some of the best known mobile cloud computing and SaaS professionals in person and exchange your experiences. Register with promo code MCMASH20 and save 20%!

December 1, 2010, Toronto, Canada: The Canadian New Media Awards recognize the highest standards of excellence in all areas of Canadian digital media and seek to honour individuals and organizations for their outstanding achievements over the past year. The CNMA gala will take place during nextMEDIA Toronto at the Design Exchange. Visit www.nextmediaevents.com/cnma for more information.

December 1, 2010, San Francisco, CA: The 3rd Annual Silicon Valley Rocks will take place on Weds., December 1, 2010 at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco. A fundraiser for Music in Schools Today, SVRocks will feature performances from the Valley's top tech talent from VCs and entrepreneurs to bloggers and software developers.

December 1, 2010, New York NY: Produced by Mediabistro, Charles Hudson, and Social Times, Social Gaming Summit East focuses on strategies for building, monetizing, and growing social games. Social Gaming Summit unites leaders in free-to-play games, social networking, and payments infrastructure for a full day of panels and talks. Speakers include Electronic Arts and Digital Chocolate founder Trip Hawkins, MyYearbook CEO Geoff Cook, PopCap’s Dennis Ryan, and Viximo founder Brian Balfour. Experts will share lessons learned from growing social games, transitioning from traditional to social gaming, building a successful social games distribution strategy, social networking on mobile, integrating social games on social networks, and much more. Register with the promo code MASH and save 15%!

December 2-6, 2010, Departing from New Orleans, LA: When you attend Social Media Conferences do you get the most value out of the conversation in-between sessions? Check out the 2nd Annual Social Fresh Cruise, the best parts of a social media conference at sea. Cruise the Caribbean for four days with 90 other social media leaders and influencers. For about the same price as just the ticket to many conferences, the Social Fresh Cruise includes all meals, private cocktail parties, eight hours of high-level interactive social media sessions, unbeatable networking, and entertainment.

December 2-4, 2010, San Francisco, CA: unGeeked is a unique three-day Social Media, Marketing and Branding Retreat. During the retreat, attendees will engage in discussions involving every aspect of your internal and external branding efforts. The goal is to learn how to align the personal and corporate brands by involving, Sales, Marketing, PR, Advertising, Customer Relations, Human Resource and Legal into your SoMe integration efforts. unGeeked San Francisco includes Social Media authors, mavens and practitioners such as Brian Solis, Scott Stratten, Jason Falls, Amanda Hite Jeff Power and more. Keynotes and presenters are here to get you involved in the discussions by asking you to bring your challenges, obstacles or questions to this intimate (we limit attendance to 150 people) learning environment. Register with the promo code unGeekedMashable to save 10% off three-day ticket cost.

December 2-3, 2010, Berlin, Germany: Gone are the days of paper surveys or email questionnaires where you often get poor response rates. With the advancement of mobile technology, surveys can be seamlessly integrated into mobile apps, making it more fun for consumers to respond than traditional methods. The international conference on Market Research in the Mobile World: The Next Frontier will be held on the 2 & 3 December 2010 in Berlin. The aim of this conference is to bring together top researchers and practitioners to discuss the key challenges and opportunities of using mobile research applications for generating actionable insights. Mashable subscribers will enjoy a 20% discount off the full registration fee when they use the promo code mashable20 before November 15th.

December 2, 2010, New York, NY: @BrandsConf is a new event taking place at the 92Y that will explore the "Humanization of Brands" and the underlying effects this is having on business. For brands, agencies, and their clients, you will hear from creative, out-of-the-box thinkers in the tradition of Jeff Pulver's #140Conf events. The conference will explore a range of topics from best practices to the legal issues to the natural conflict of personal and corporate branding. View the current schedule here. Register with the promo code Mashable to receive a 30% discount.

December 6-9, 2010, Las Vegas, NV. Attend the Advanced Learning Institute's 22nd Updated 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 incorporate social media into your communications and marketing plans, and leverage the latest interactive Web 2.0 tools and techniques to advance your organizational goals. Hear practical advice from: Department of State; City of Las Vegas; Army Public Affairs; Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources; San Francisco Public Utilities Commission; Deloitte and more. Mention Mashable when registering to save $200!

December 6-9, 2010, San Francisco, CA: Join us at Dreamforce 2010, the cloud computing event of the year. This December, more than 20,000 fans will gather in San Francisco for our 8th annual user and developer conference. In four action-packed days, we'll give you all the education, inspiration and innovation you need to succeed. There's no better way to get up to speed on the latest advances in Salesforce apps, the Force.com platform and cloud computing. And this year we'll connect you with your peers and heroes in ways you've never thought possible. It's time to dream again.

December 6-8, 2010, New York, NY. Attend the Advanced Learning Institute's 2nd Updated Forum on Social Media for Pharma: How To Develop, Execute, And Evaluate Web 2.0 Strategies To Engage Your Audiences And Drive Business Results, to learn how to incorporate social media into your communications and marketing plans, and leverage the latest interactive Web 2.0 tools and techniques to advance your organizational goals. Hear practical advice, firsthand, from leading organizations such as: Novo Nordisk; FDA; Johnson & Johnson; Kaiser Permanente; Astellas Pharma; UCB; Vertex Pharmaceuticals; Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals; Sanofi-Aventis; Millennium Pharmaceuticals; and more. Mention Mashable when registering to save $200!

December 6, 2010, San Francisco, CA: The SF MusicTech Summit brings together 700+ visionaries in the music and technology space, along with the brightest developers, entrepreneurs, investors, musicians, service providers, and journalists who work with them at the convergence of culture and commerce. We meet to discuss the evolving music/business/technology ecosystem in a proactive environment. Register and use the promo code Mashable to receive a 10% discount off the ticket price. For more information, please visit www.sfmusictech.com.

December 6, 2010, Los Angeles, CA: The Mobile Excellence Awards offers invaluable exposure, PR, branding and networking with the who’s who in mobile entertainment, media, & technology. The event has become one of the most influential and prestigious in the industry, honoring the best in mobile entertainment, technology, marketing & media. Attendees represent the entire mobile ecosystem, including execs from all major studios, entertainment companies, brands, content providers, industry influencers & press. Deadline for submissions is September 20th!

December 7-9, 2010, Santa Clara, CA: Taking place in the heart of Silicon Valley, BIA/Kelsey's Interactive Local Media 2010 (ILM:10) is a unique, three-day mega-conference featuring the true innovators of local media, local directories, local search, local mobile, local social and local direct marketing. One highlight is a special Mobile Local SuperForum offering the deepest and most strategic dive ever presented in the mobile local space. Head's up: Local is hot, and this year's conference should be BIA/Kelsey's largest ever. Register with promo code ILMMASH and save $200!

December 7-8, 2010, Universal City, CA: The LA Mobile Entertainment Summit is brought to you by the producers of the widely acclaimed 3D Entertainment Summit, this high level strategy and networking event will explore all facets of the mobile entertainment industry. This event will be presented in association with Variety and in partnership with the Mobile Excellence Awards, the industry's most prestigious awards program for the mobile industry. Located in the heart of the entertainment industry, the summit will attract the brightest minds in the mobile ecosystem. Delivering two days of packed in-depth discussions, the summit will deliver strategies to capitalize on this rapidly changing landscape, attracting senior level decision makers, leading press and market analysts.

December 7, 2010, New York, NY: The New York State Department of Health's AIDS Institute, in partnership with AIDS.gov, is hosting a free, one-day forum on the use of social media for HIV and STI prevention and care at New York University's Kimmel Center. Social Media: Going Viral Against HIV and STIs is principally targeting the executive leadership, administrators and communications specialists in community-based organizations, health care facilities and public health organizations in New York State. Only registrants may attend the forum. For more information, please click here.

December 8-10, Reno, NV: Join professionals from marketing, tourism, gaming, service industries and nonprofits in Reno-Tahoe's amazing ski country for Social Media at Reno Tahoe (SM@RT), one of the best values of any similar national conference in 2010. Speakers, along with specialized breakout session presenters, include top authors, practitioners and strategist from media giant, Gannett, winter travel destinations, Vail Resorts, and many other experts in building business for professional service firms. Anchored by the University of Nevada, and its business and journalism schools, attendees get specialized instruction to return home with ways to immediately improve their social media marketing. Register now and save and an additional $100 online for the main conference with the discount code MASH.

December 9-10, 2010, Sydney, Australia: Crime and Legal Issues in Social Media II will advise and assist professionals on the utilisation of social networking without fear of the risks. Some organisations are still hesitant to maximise their use of online networking. Risks such as breach of privacy, fear of legal action, developing a negative reputation and lack of control have given way to avoidance of this important medium. The event will explore the legal implications of using social media and the policies that manage the risks. Register and use the promo code CrimeSocialMash to save 15%!

December 9-10, 2010, Chicago, IL: Rocked the Recession: Startup the Nation is coming to Chicago to bring together entrepreneurs, professionals, and organizations that are not only thriving; they're Rocking! Join us in a two-day conference with some of Chicago's best entrepreneurs and thought leaders. Panels and workshops include: Fighting Recession with Social Media, Video & Your Business: Going Viral, Always Be Social, etc. We have planned two days of discussions to explore innovative companies that balk at the idea of bailouts. We are ready to Rock 2011! Register with the promo code MASHABLE for a $10 discount off your ticket price.

December 9, 2010, Washington, DC: L2 is a think tank for digital innovation. On December 9, 2010, L2 will host the Social Graph Clinic, an all-day intensive clinic addressing the opportunities, challenges, and underpinnings of social media. Held at the George Washington School of Business, the event will feature speakers from academia, public sector, and private industry to lead discussions on social media strategies, rules of engagement, and metrics for marketing and digital professionals. Register here for the Social Graph Clinic. The first 10 Mashable readers to register will receive a 25% discount on tickets (Please use the following discount code when registering: MASHABLE)

December 9, 2010, Springfield MO: Social Marketing Boot Camp with Sarah Evans: Limited tickets will be available for this unique boot camp style event with nationally renowned expert Sarah Evans. You’ll spend a full six hours of session time with Sarah, taking an in-depth look at the role of social media in marketing your business or organization. You wont just learn effective social media marketing techniques, but will look at how social media works in conjunction with traditional marketing and public relations and why that’s important, practical ways of engaging customers and prospects, case studies, help with creating a social media based marketing plan, hints and tips, ways to make your brand stand out online, effective engagement, latest trends, tools and resources, and plenty of opportunities for discussion and Q & A. This will be a very hands-on event designed to give you lots of practical experience and learning, and for you to leave with new ideas and tools you can implement in a very real way. Register and use the discount code MASHABLE to save $25 on each standard registration.

December 10-12, 2010, Cambridge, MA: Startup Weekend Cambridge is the place to come for anyone with a new idea that they want to see brought to life. Over the weekend, teams will work together to take the ideas and create new ventures. Register and use the promo code Mashable to save 15%.

December 11, 2010, Amman, Jordan: For the past few years, the field of social media has evolved to become one of the most exciting areas of technology and business marketing. How is it different for MENA? The first Arab Social Media Forum will be the first event in the region to discuss exclusively social media topics customized to MENA. ASMF2010 will bring both clients and agencies together to share their experience in dealing with social media platforms, different social engagement approaches and case studies. Register with the promo code ASMF10MASH and save 20%.

December 13, 2010, Portland, OR: Portland State University’s Digital Marketing Conference 2010 showcases success stories in digital marketing, addressing the needs of individuals and companies as they use new technologies to engage their audiences, clients, and customers. With three tracks, a digital marketing bootcamp, speakers addressing hyperlocal to international business, two keynotes, Ignite DMC, and a post conference wrap event, attendees receive high-quality, hands on, and interactive experiences to enhance their digital marketing knowledge. Please click here to both learn more and register today using code DMCMASH10 to get the early bird price (ends November 7).

December 15-16, 2010, Austin, TX: Are you a CEO, Owner, or Marketing Executive wondering how you should be using social media to promote your business? Come to our Free 90-minute Social Media Boot Camp for CEOs where you will learn proven techniques and valuable tips to drive customers to your website and generate new leads. Our expert speaker, Paul Slack, will offer abundant detailed strategies you can immediately put into action. We are in a different city each week, so please check our listings to see when we will be in your area!

December 15, 2010, New York, NY: Vator is bringing its popular Splash event to New York City. The Splash event, hosted by Vator, is a celebration of entrepreneurship. The evening gathering brings together high-profile, successful tech entrepreneurs sharing their lessons and advice alongside promising startups showcasing their innovative ideas. Register and use the promo code Mashable for a 20% discount off both ticket and table packages.

January 6-9, 2011, Lake Tahoe, NV: The worlds of digital storytelling, snowsports and technology will converge on Heavenly Mountain Resort January 6 – 9, 2011 for the Tahoe Snowcial, a winter festival celebrating the global community of enthusiasts who live their passion in the snow and tell their stories online. Snowcial ties these worlds together in a participative, collaborative intermingling of industry leaders that sparks new ideas for the future, linking networks, passions and turns. Speakers include CEOs of Gowalla, Path and Vail Resorts with performances by OK Go and MC Hammer. Register with the promo code founderfriend and get 10% off!

January 12-14, 2011, Washington, DC: Social Media Legal Risk & Strategy – Social media has proven to be a critical medium for companies who are looking to have their services and brands penetrate the public sphere. The use of social media, however, has not come with an absence of legal risk. Join 16 lead counsels from Coca-Cola North America, IBM Corporation, Wal-Mart, Chevron, T-Mobile, Capital One, Dell, Aon Corporation, CSC, Nationwide and other fortune 500 companies as they discuss strategies to address and overcome the legal risks posed by engaging in social media. Mashable subscribers will enjoy a 10% discount when they mention MASHABLE in their follow-up email to ddrey@marcusevansch.com.

January 13-14, 2011, Washington, DC: marcus evans invites you to attend the Social Media for Pharma Conference. Hear from your peers firsthand on how the new FDA guidance will mandate your social media strategies. By attending this conference you will learn how to boost product exposure, generate market research, build relationships and increase sales and overall business in the long term. For an exclusive discount as a Mashable member, please mention “Mashable” to Michele Westergaard at michelew@marcusevansch.com.

January 17-18 and 20-21, 2011, Singapore & Hong Kong: Join us at this interactive conference on Social Media Marketing to acquire effective techniques for boosting your brand performance and ROI. Find out how Intel, Nokia, Watsons, McDonald's, Volkswagen, HP, Canon, Johnson & Johnson, Wall Street Journal, SMRT and more incorporated social media activities to get ahead of conversations. Through in-depth case studies and workable solutions, learn how to develop coherent platform integration strategies, handle a social media backlash and identify KPIs for the effectiveness of social media campaigns. Register today and save 10% when you enter Mashable under Additional Info.

January 20-22, 2011, Mumbai, India: Click Asia Summit 2011 is designed to be Asia's largest digital & mobile marketing conference and expo where industry thought leaders congregate to discuss online marketing, challenges faced by agencies, and the changing face of social media. Click Asia Summit 2011 is going to change the way you look at Digital and Mobile marketing. Please register by clicking here.

January 20-21, 2011, San Francisco, CA: The First Annual Gamification Summit brings together top thought leaders in game mechanics and engagement science for the first time. Hear what works and what doesn’t in this dynamic and fast-moving field through case studies, workshops, keynotes and panels delivered by experts such as Gabe Zichermann (author, Game-Based Marketing), Amy Jo Kim (gamification guru) and Jane McGonigal (TED fellow, debuting her new book) and network with other leaders in the space. Attend the Gamification Summit 2011 and learn how game mechanics and the new science of engagement are rewriting the rules of brand marketing, product design and customer acquisition. Know the score: Register now with the Mashable promo code GSMASH11 and save 10%.

January 24-27, 2011, San Francisco, CA: The Emerging Media Conference is one of the largest and unique of its kind, welcoming the New Year with an opportunity to view and experience the latest in technology advances and upcoming product roll outs. For three full days there will be demonstrations, presentations, and discussions led by some of the most connected and recognized experts in the industry including Keynote Jesse Schell from Carnegie Mellon University. Whether you are immersed in the world of emerging media or just have a casual interest, this conference allows you to preview the future of the tech world like a seasoned insider. Register and use the promo code EmMeConMash to save 10%.

January 24-26, 2011, London, UK: The Digital Content Monetisation (DCM) Europe 2011 is a forum for media and entertainment specialists to find out how to deliver sustainable strategies to monetise their digital content. You will meet over 200 of your peers across TV, Film, gaming, music, publishing and sports. Mashable readers receive a 10% discount when they register and use the promo code MASH.

January 25, 2011, London, UK: If you don't have a plan to offer your mobile services, you could be left behind as consumers increasingly consume entertainment, social media, games and gambling via mobile access devices.
Mobile Gaming will present a detailed and exciting roadmap for how gaming companies can take advantage of this new channel that has finally ‘come of age’ and multiply their revenues in the near future. Register and use the promo code MASHMOBILE.

January 26, 2011, London, UK: Monetising Social Games will show you how to integrate the phenomenal success of monetised social games into your product mix so you can catch the next wave of explosive customer acquisition and revenue growth via a channel that is legal in the USA, China and other markets inaccessible to traditional online gambling companies. Register and use the promo code MASHMSG.

February 1-3, 2011, San Diego, CA: The Green Data Center Conference will analyze new technology that will not only benefit our environment, but also save organizations money and increase efficiency. Industry experts and executives will gather to discuss the growing importance of green technology and the associated benefits. Corporate case studies will be presented to demonstrate how existing data centers have been retrofitted and new facilities built from the ground up. This conference will share valuable information that can be taken back and used immediately to gain measurable ROI. Register and use the promo code GDCSD10 to save 10%!

February 7-10, 2011, Orlando, FL: ARC's 2011 World Industry Forum: Driving Innovation, Sustainability and Performance will take place at the Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld! This forum will focus on challenges that will help you develop winning strategies. It provides an ideal environment for industry executives to collaborate, share ideas, and find new ways to attack their most pressing problems. The event includes sessions on the major issues facing our industry, with multiple tracks that enable executives to explore these topics from different perspectives. Owner/operators, solution providers, & technical experts will all benefit while contributing to the community's body of knowledge.

February 7-9, 2011, New York, NY: Now in its 10th year, the ePharma Summit is going to be bigger than ever. We are looking ahead to new trends and opportunities in digital marketing with unparalleled insight from leading industry innovators. Join us for more novel mobile strategies, more regulatory insights, more customer perspectives, and more examples of what is really working now from the organizations you admire most. Join us February 7-9 in New York City at the most respected digital marketing event for the life sciences industry as we explore innovative e-strategies and proven techniques to drive business. Register with promo code XP1606MASH and save 10%.

February 8-10, 2011, San Francisco, CA: Social Media Strategies Summit – We have researched the social media buzz to develop and present to you a top of the line marketing conference that you can't afford to miss. With in-depth case studies from the nuts and bolts to micro-blogging and sustaining online communities, you leave with a refreshed vision to take your marketing plan to the next level for 2010 and beyond. Register and use the promo code MASH to receive a discount.

February 14, 2011, Barcelona, Spain: The Mobile Premier Awards are among the most influential events in the mobile industry and the point of reference in early-stage innovation during the Mobile World Congress. An international jury of the most recognized mobile industry experts will select the 20 finalists from all the local AppCircuses held during 2010 to showcase their app in a 3-minute pitch at the event in Barcelona in front of investors, operators, media companies, peer entrepreneurs, and press and influential bloggers. Register and use the promo code #BCNMASHABLE to receive a 10% discount.

February 23, 2011, Portland, OR: Join hundreds of your online marketing peers for the Fifth Annual SearchFest Internet Marketing Conference in Portland on February 23, 2011. Thought leaders and industry experts from around the country–including major brands like Intel, REI, and the New York Times–will deliver in-depth presentations on topics including Advanced Search Engine Optimization, Social Media Marketing, Universal Search, Analytics, Paid Search Marketing and many more. Register with the promo code MASHABLEPDX to save 10% on your General Admission ticket!

February 25-27, 2011, Los Angeles, CA: The 9th Annual Southern California Linux Expo, the premier community run Linux / Open Source conference, will feature tutorial sessions designed to show users of all skill levels what Open Source can do and how to do it. Whatever your interest is in Open Source, SCALE 9X will have something for you. Register and use the discount code MASH9 for 35% off.

February 28-March 1, 2011, Sydney, Australia: Social media marketing has rapidly evolved to the extent that it is no longer enough to just get on board the “social media marketing train.” Marketers are bombarded with tools and technologies without a real understanding of integrating social media effectively. Social Media Marketing – The Way Forward enables marketers develop and manage a sound strategy for your ongoing and future social media marketing projects, with practical and valuable insights shared by some of the most successful brands and campaign creators in both B2C & B2B social media marketing. Register with the promo code MPMASH and save 10%!

March 1-5, 2011, Hannover, Germany: CeBIT is the world’s largest trade fair showcasing digital IT and telecommunications solutions for home and work environments. The key target groups are users from industry, the wholesale/retail sector, skilled trades, banks, the services sector, government agencies, science and all users passionate about technology. CeBIT offers an international platform for comparing notes on current industry trends, networking, and product presentations. For more information, please visit: http://www.cebit.de and to receive your complimentary visitor registration to this elite event, please email lguiang@hfusa.com.

March 2-3, 2010, San Francisco, CA: EyeforTravel's Social Media Strategies for Travel Conference is North America's number one social media event for travel professionals. Now in its fourth successful year, the event brings together top travel brands to share key insights on how to maximize the impact of your social media initiatives. The two days are packed with case studies, presentations and networking opportunities. Please use the promo code MASHABLE for a $100 discount on the admission price.

March 2, 2011, Berlin, Germany: FEI is Europe's first and only event to solve your industry challenge in real-time. Explore best in class presentations by top multi-nationals, collaborate with world renowned experts, Listen to real-world visionaries choreographing "next" best practices, and participate in a real-time case study where you will tackle industry challenges and work to propel the industry forward. FEI is no ordinary conference — this is truly a catalyst for change. Register and use the promo code FEI2011MASH to save 20% off the standard rate.

March 8-9, 2011, Brussels, Belgium: Are you looking to unleash the power of social media for CRM? As new channels and strategies emerge it is increasingly important to meet face-to-face to share knowledge, challenges and experiences. Enterprise Social 2.0: CRM will bring social media marketers and CRM experts together to share knowledge through real-world case studies, best practices, lessons learned and offering networking opportunities with some of the biggest brands and businesses today. Past speakers include: Google, Kodak, L'Oreal, Philips, Nokia, Lego, Siemens, Vodafone, SWIFT, SAP, Roger Smith Hotel, Dominos Pizza, Airbus and more. To receive a special discount, register now!

March 9, 2011, Dubai, India: The Cloud Computing World Forum Middle East and Africa will feature all of the key players within the Cloud Computing and SaaS market providing an introduction, discussion and look into the future for the ICT industry. Register today and get inspiration on how to address your latest issues with advice from real-life end-user case studies and practical examples. Register with the promo code MEAmash20 and save 20%!

March 15, 2011, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: Want to know successful stories on how big brands build their brand and reputation online? Everyone can go online, but can you STAY online? Our conference, Digitalize Your Marketing Strategy, is going to be most anticipated event of the year! WE are bringing you the Malaysian's most valuable brands, review their successful stories and provide you hands on tips to manage your online marketing strategy. Our privileged speakers from Digi, Dell, Unilever, Intel and Microsoft will share case studies using social media, digital and search engine. Register with the promo code DYMSMASH and save 20%!

March 23-24, 2010, Las Vegas, NV: Hear groundbreaking social media ROI case studies at Social Pulse 2011: The Corporate Social Media Marketing Event! This conference provides corporate marketing leaders from across industries the newest insights and case studies on how to drive measurable results and marketing ROI through smart social media strategy. Moving beyond theory and assumptions, it is the only conference that focuses on social media initiatives that have generated measurable results for America’s leading corporations. Register online or call 1-800-647-7600, and use the promo code MJK233 to save $200!

March 28-29, 2011, Paris, France: The Marketing 2.0 Conference features leading social media experts who will discuss and learn about the social media initiatives from brands, advertisers, researchers and analysts. Hear from leading people in social media about their strategies, revenue models and how they are approaching upcoming trends in the field. The event will also examine the current market conditions, future forecasts and predictions from leading researchers. Use the promo code mash2011 to receive a discount off the registration price.

April 13-15, 2011, Singapore: The Internet Show Asia 2011 is a series of seminars and a large end-to-end showcase of the latest internet technologies and solutions. More than 10,000 attendees will be at the exhibition and conference to find new ways of doing internet business and enhancing product offerings through the internet – through case study presentations and speaking directly with solution partners. The show will aim to increase your ROI, it's all about business, not a technology show. For more details and registrations, please visit www.theinternetshows.com/2010/Singapore.

April 18-20, 2011, Dubai, UAE: Planet of the Apps Arabia 2011 is a three day conference dedicated to the opportunities and challenges of mobile applications in the Arab world. The event is for app developers, content providers, device manufacturers, network operators and brands to meet and discuss the current challenges and opportunities presented in this growing market. Key issues addressed will include; the sustainability of the current business models, consumer engagement, developer recruitment, app discoverability, platform choice and the importance of social media networks. Register with promo code Mashable and save 20%!

May 4-8, 2011, London, UK: Digital Shoreditch is the voice of everything happening in Shoreditch. The festival explores and celebrates digital technologies; unites the digital community; and provides a platform for sharing knowledge. The activity culminates in a series of exhibitions, parties, presentations, open studios and games.

September 26-29, 2011, Kaua’i, HI: The Search and Social Woot! is an elite conference unlike any other that will provide you with the strategies and complete know how to thrive in this ever changing environment. Each day begins with morning sessions around the hottest topics. With Keynote Bruce Clay of Bruce Clay, Inc. and speakers from corporations such as Real Networks, Network Solutions, AT&T, Microsoft Bing and Logitech. Afternoons are spent in a relaxed environment including planned activities in which individual attendees can get to know speakers and each other on a more personal level continuing the discussion and building long lasting relationships. Register and use the promo code SSWootMash to save 10%.

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Reviews: Amplify, Australia, Drupal, Facebook, Google, Gowalla, Internet, LinkedIn, Linux, Mashable, MySpace, StumbleUpon, Twitter, Yelp, YouTube, foursquare, social media, ustream, video

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Examining the Security Implications of Facebook Messages

Posted: 15 Nov 2010 03:29 PM PST


Facebook has officially launched its new “modern messaging system,” and as Mashable’s walkthrough of the new features illustrated, there’s a lot to like about the company’s approach to unifying the social inbox.

While Facebook should be applauded for some of the privacy settings built into its new messages system — for example, you can choose against receiving messages from people not on a trusted list — we can’t help but question some of its security implications.

The biggest advantage of a system like the new Facebook messages, which involves the ability to aggregate and combine all of your communications channels in one place, also makes our security sense go a little haywire.

Facebook Is Now More of a Target

To be clear, we’re not necessarily talking about the security of Facebook’s servers or its login system. By and large, Facebook has a pretty solid track record in regards to keeping its systems clean.

Instead, what we fear is that the continued use of phishing scams, tools like Firesheep and other forms of social engineering will make the bounty of information encompassed within a Facebook account that much more targeted.

Facebook is already the fourth largest online phishing target and the spate of attacks using the social network have only increased in recent months. Rogue Facebook apps and augmented e-mail scams are just some of what Facebook users can already be expected to look out for in the current messaging system.

We’ll echo Graham Cluley from Sophos, who remarked that, “It will be critical for Facebook to implement more effective filtering mechanisms to prevent fraudsters from manipulating Facebook users into falling victim to new spams, scams and phishing attacks.”

Keep Vigilant

Furthermore, if users are going to transition to using Facebook as a central repository for social messaging, keeping your computers patched, your browsers up-to-date and your passwords unique is going to become even more important.

We’ve covered some tools that make managing and creating hard-to-crack passwords in the past — if you aren’t already using some sort of uniquely generated password for Facebook, consider doing so.

Also keep in mind that if you choose to communicate with someone who has an @facebook.com e-mail address, what you send over is being archived and stored in their messages account. Now, this is true for all hosted e-mail platforms, but most e-mail accounts aren’t tied seamlessly to your social graph. When celebrities or politicians have their e-mail accounts hacked, it’s often a reminder of just what sort of information we all have that we might not want to be made public.

Our Questions for Facebook

Because Facebook’s new messaging system is still rolling out, we have some questions for the company regarding how it will handle security, malware and spam.

Some as-yet-unanswered questions include:

  • How will Facebook deal with spam messages that are sent from a user you call a friend? As we’ve seen in the past, it’s not difficult for rogue apps to take over your message account and send malware links or spam to people on your Friends list.
  • What types of attachments can be sent and received via Facebook.com e-mail addresses? Will these attachments be scanned for malware before being delivered to your inbox?
  • Will Facebook consider enforcing SSL-logins for messaging?
  • How will Facebook address sandboxing the Facebook.com message system from what information is available to app developers? Yes, we know applications aren’t supposed to be able to access certain information anyway, but how will Facebook.com e-mail data be segmented from any other application layers?

It’s too early to be too critical or too fawning of Facebook’s new message system. That said, we do think it’s important to point out the very real-world security implications that are inherent in any platform that encompasses so much potential information.

Do you trust Facebook to be your e-mail address?

Reviews: Facebook

More About: facebook, Facebook Messages, security

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Google Will Soon Power Mobile Payments

Posted: 15 Nov 2010 03:09 PM PST


In the first discussion at today’s Web 2.0 Summit, Google CEO Eric Schmidt took the stage with what he describes as “some unannounced mobile device” also known as the Nexus S. Of more significance, however, is that Schmidt shared that the device includes a Near Field Communication chip that Google believes will redefine how we think about location.

With the NFC chip and Android’s Gingerbread operating system, mobile device users will be able to tap a physical map point — the now-iconic Google Places point — to pay with their mobile device in lieu of credit cards or cash.

Google, then, is essentially announcing a very strategic move into the highly competitive mobile payment space.

In fact, Schmidt disclosed that Google will partner with third-party payment processors and continue to look for monetization opportunities through advertising. From the sound of it, this will be a competitive effort against PayPal’s Mobile Express Checkout.

The showcased technology, described as “Bump for everything,” will be baked into the Gingerbread release slated to come out in a few weeks time. Schmidt believes that NFC chips will go a long to advance mobile payments as the industry believes the technology will help minimize fraud.

Schmidt’s statements around the significance of mobile payments echo those of eBay CEO John Donahoe and Andreessen-Horowitz partner Marc Andreessen, both of whom previously shared their prediction that mobile phones will replace credit cards.

Reviews: Android, Google

More About: Google, MARKETING, mobile payments, nfc chip, W2S2010

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Why You Need an iPad This Holiday Season

Posted: 15 Nov 2010 02:57 PM PST

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This post is part of the Mashable 10, Mashable’s gift guide of the 10 hottest gadgets that will be on everyone’s wish list this holiday season. We’ll be publishing one new post each weekday until November 26.

It’s the holiday season and you know what that means — gift guide time! At Mashable, we decided to streamline our guide this year and focus on 10 gizmos and gadgets we think will please you and yours well into the new year. We call it, the Mashable 10.

Undoubtedly one of the hottest consumer electronics this holiday season is still the Apple iPad. First announced amidst a flurry of rumors, speculation and skepticism back in January, the device has gone on to sell millions of units over the last seven and a half months.

The device — available in Wi-Fi only and 3G enabled varieties — weighs just 1.5 lbs, has a 9.6 inch backlit IPS multi-touch display and manages to last at least 10 hours per charge. With storage capacities of 16, 32 and 64GB available, you can spend as little as $499 on an iPad (for the 16GB Wi-Fi only model) or as much as $829 (for a 64GB Wi-Fi and 3G model).

Before its release, a lot of people focused on what the iPad isn’t. It doesn’t support Flash. It doesn’t have a built-in camera. It can’t do your laundry. This is all true; the iPad is not a replacement for your primary computer. However, the iPad is more than just an oversized iPhone (as many critics first pegged the device). Read on for our thoughts on the device.

Why We Love It

Here are some of the reasons we’ve come to love the iPad:

The iPad is about to get even better. Apple is about to release iOS 4.2, which will bring the iPad in parity with iOS on the iPhone. It will also bring in support for AirPlay and Apple’s new AirPrint feature. This is a free software update that will be available to all iPad owners.

While the iPad was hard to come by for its first few months, Apple appears to have opened up the floodgates. In the United States, you can now pick up the iPad at Walmart, Amazon.com, Best Buy, Target, AT&T stores and even at Verizon stores (alongside a Verizon Mi-Fi card) — in addition to Apple stores and Apple.com.

Although 2010 was poised to be the “year of the tablet,” the iPad is one of the only devices that has actually managed to make it to market. Not only that, the iPad is competitive — price wise — with its rivals, even though the rivals often feature smaller screens, shorter battery life and lack tablet-optimized applications.

The fact that you can grab an iPad today, it’s affordable and it’s just straight-up fun to use makes it one of our 10 big gadget picks for the 2010 holiday season.

Is the iPad on your wish list this year? Let us know why you can’t wait to own one in the comments below.

Reviews: Apple Ipad, Mashable, Vimeo, YouTube

More About: apple, Christmas, gadgets, gift guide, Gifts, Holidays, ipad, mashable 10, wish list

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Google’s CEO on the Future of Mobile and More [LIVE]

Posted: 15 Nov 2010 02:48 PM PST


Google’s CEO is talking mobile, enterprise and search at the Web 2.0 Summit.

Here at the Web 2.0 Summit in San Francisco, the CEOs and leaders of the world’s most influential and powerful technology companies have gathered to speak about “points of control” and the future of enterprise and the cloud.

The conference is kicking off with Google CEO Eric Schmidt. He is speaking with John Battelle of Federated Media and Tim O’Reilly about practically everything under the sun.

Here are my live notes from the kick-off talk of the Web 2.0 Summit:

Live Notes: Eric Schmidt

All times are in Pacific Standard Time

2:40 PM: Eric Schmidt just whipped out a Nexus S. He won’t say what it is, but it sure as heck looks like the Nexus S.

2:42: He’s demonstrating the new Gingerbread. It includes location and “bump for everything,” including purchases. We’ll have more on that in a moment.

2:44: Tim O’Reilly is discussing finance and Google Checkout and the NFC chip. It’s about using the phone to make purchases.

2:46: What if instead of typing, you could just bump something to search? NFC chips could make search a whole different affair.

2:49: We’re moving on to search. What about identifying the best apps in the Android store? Schmidt’s response: what they should focus on is how much bigger the market is getting.

2:50: Schmidt is now focusing on mobile advertising and the Admob acquisition.

2:50: Battelle: Will we be free of carriers and carrier control? Schmidt: Android is a step towards that. It’s an open system, we made a bet on open systems. We think that’s the right model.

2:51: “There would never be a Nexus Two.” There’s a different between a “Two” and an “S,” though.

2:52: Battelle asks Schmidt about the 10% raise given to all Google employees and the current battle for engineering talent in Silicon Valley. Schmidt responds that it invested heavily in its core products (search, ads) during the recession and that’s paid off big. It also focused on acquisitions. Android, Maps were two of the acquisitions that have really worked out for Google. The last point is that it’s about sharing the success of Google with the rest of the employees.

2:53: The primary motivation is that it was good for the whole company because they could.

2:55: “People are dying to work here.” “We acquire things.”

2:56: Battelle: Google has been in hot water over privacy issues for Google Street View. Schmidt: “There is clearly a line we should not cross.” Facial recognition is mentioned as something that could be used for negative things.

2:58: “We have a rule about Google Maps and Google Earth that images aren’t shown in realtime.” They don’t want to expose people.

2:59: Google’s talking about the self-driving cars. Schmidt is convinced this is legal. It always has a driver in the driver’s seat. It’s safer than a drunk guy trying to drive.

3:01: Street View — face blurring of sensitive sights, license plates, etc. “We figured that would be good enough.” But in some countries, that’s not good enough, so we added ability to delete your house on the drive-by. For most countries that works. In Germany though, that’s not sufficient — you can request that you never get your house pictured.

3:03: Battelle asks about “Google Me.” “Almost none of what you said are products that I recognize.” Battelle asks again, “Are you creating products that are social competitive to Facebook?”

3:04: “There’s an obsession with competition, so everything we do is seen as competitive to everyone.” More: “That link structure has great value.”

3:05: Search results could be better with social data as one of the many signals. This is obvious for Schmidt. He notes that Bing and Facebook recently announced this.

3:06: Battelle: Why isn’t there Facebook Connect on Google? Schmidt: “It has to do with openness.” He says it’s not about busienss reasons.

3:07: Information is generally open. “I worry, as a generic statement, that the business structures are causing people to keep too much private information.”

3:08: Battelle brings up the Verizon-Google net neutrality issue. Schmidt: “A little bit of background…”

3:09: We support net neutrality. We don’t want the government writing regulations, though.

3:11: Schmidt is weaving his way around the net neutrality debate. He says they’re moving it forward, though.

3:13: O’Reilly whips out a card of Google location. He asks about Marissa Mayer’s job change. Schmidt calls it a promotion to focus on maps, location and more.

3:14: Google TV brought up. What do the networks have against it? Schmidt: “Nobody has fundamentally unified the Internet and television.”

3:15: Android + Chrome combined on your television. Press a button and boom you’re in you’re browser. Then you can switch between television and Internet. One TV exec told him: “Do you realize that you’re taking a dumb television and making it smart?” His response: “Well, yes.”

3:15: He thinks Google TV will make people watch more television, not less. “What do you think will fundamentally happen with television?” Because it’s a full browser on Android, you can have tremendously powerful applications on the TV. Gaming, immerson, lots of new revenue sources.

Q&A from the Audience

Q: What’s the next billion-dollar idea?
A: The next incremental revenue is the display business. Ad insertion, display ad platforms. Mobile is mentioned (was already mentioned before, though). Then he mentions enterprise.

Q: Color around of the tech approach of NFC and the “openness” of it. Will it be on the iPhone or Windows Phone 7?
A: The NFC is standardized in two versions — a read and a read/write version. The chips are used widely now. Google’s using the same standard, it won’t fragment.

Q: Android fragmentation: how will you fix it?
A: “The standardization of Android makes for a unified app store.” You can’t allow for fragmentation — it hurt Unix. “Features are not the same thing as fragmentation.” Will your app run on all Android phones? Absolutely yes.

Q: Chrome OS?
A: Android is for touch devices, Chrome OS is for keyboards. Software’s coming out in the next few months. Gingerbread: Next few weeks.

Reviews: Android, Bing, Chrome, Facebook, Google, Google Earth, Google Maps, Internet

More About: eric schmidt, Google, live, liveblog, W2S2010, Web 2.0 Summit

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Start the Bidding: Single Letter i.CO Domain Now for Sale

Posted: 15 Nov 2010 02:39 PM PST


Since widespread release in July, .CO domain names have been publicly available for purchase, causing a domain name land grab by parties interested in snatching up short domain names no longer available with the .COM extension. Today, the real gold rush begins.

Coveted single letter domains have not been made available for individual purchase, but that changes today. .CO Internet S.A.S — the official operator of the new top level domain — will begin auctioning them off to the highest bidders, beginning with i.CO at the Web 2.0 Summit in San Francisco today.

Unfortunately, not just anyone can bid on i.CO; the auction will be privately held and only eligible bidders will be allowed to participate. The qualification process will begin today and end on January 21, 2011. Interested parties can register at the i.CO site.

i.CO is just the first of several single-letter private domain name auctions. Additional auctions will follow in early 2011.

More than 600,000 .CO domain names have been registered to date, but only a few single letter domains have been assigned. Twitter, for instance, is using t.co as their service-wide URL shortener, and Overstock.com will use o.co in its holiday television spots. Over the weekend, GoDaddy briefly tested making .CO domains the default choice for new registrations.

We anticipate that i.CO will likely command a final price tag in the hundreds of thousands of dollars — if not millions — range. The demand for single-letter domains is high, and with “i” signifying “Internet,” this one would certainly be appropriate for a number of big brand names.

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, ramihalim.

Reviews: Internet, Twitter, iStockphoto

More About: .co, .CO Internet S.A.S., auction, Domain Names, W2S2010

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“Harry Potter” NYC Premiere to Stream Live on MTV.com [VIDEO]

Posted: 15 Nov 2010 02:26 PM PST


MTV.com will be live streaming the New York City red carpet premiere of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 at 6 p.m. ET today, and fans will also be able to participate in the event via Twitter.

The premiere is being held at Lincoln Center, where many of the film’s stars — including Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson and Ralph Fiennes — will be in attendance. MTV’s movie expert, Joshua Horowitz (@joshuahorowitz), will rely on Twitter to ask questions submitted by fans using the hashtag #askPotter. The premiere is being held four days before the first part of the final Harry Potter installment hits theaters on Friday, November 19.

The movie’s London premiere was also shown online last week, and similar live-streamed events have become more common over the past year. Last November, The Twilight Saga: New Moon premiere was streamed through a partnership between MySpace and Ustream — the event garnered more than 100,000 viewers within minutes of its kickoff. The third installment, Eclipse, also had its premiere streamed live this past June.

Vampire and wizard movie franchises aren’t the only Hollywood juggernauts to receive the live-stream treatment. Last December, Fox partnered up with UStream to broadcast red carpet arrivals during the Avatar premiere. And even the Academy Awards’s red carpet event streamed online earlier this year.

You can watch the New York City Harry Potter red carpet premiere below, starting at 6 p.m. ET.

Reviews: Eclipse, Twitter, harry potter, ustream

More About: harry potter, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, livestream, mtv, mtv.com, twitter

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Google, Facebook & Yahoo CEOs Speak at Web 2.0 Summit [LIVE VIDEO]

Posted: 15 Nov 2010 02:22 PM PST

The Web 2.0 Summit, one of technology’s premiere conferences, will be streamed live for the first time since it started in 2004. We’ve got the live video so you can watch all of the talks.

The Web 2.0 Summit brings together some of the web’s most powerful influencers for three days in San Francisco. It’s also a platform for major news announcements. Its speaker roster is chock-full of major technology luminaries, including Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg, Google’s Eric Schmidt, Yahoo’s Carol Bartz, Twitter’s Evan Williams, AT&T’s John Donovan, SV Angel’s Ron Conway and many more.

In the past, only the conference’s attendees (a few hundred people) could see what these people had to say about technology. This year though, the conference has decided to broadcast the talks to anybody with access to a computer and an Internet connection. The conference starts today, November 15 at 2:30 p.m. PT and goes until November 17.

We will be covering most of the talks at the Web 2.0 Summit, but we also wanted to share the live video stream with you as well. Bookmark this page, check the schedule and come back every day for a huge dose of tech.

Reviews: Facebook, Google, Internet, Twitter, Yahoo!

More About: carol bartz, eric schmidt, facebook, Google, live video, livestream, mark zuckerberg, Web 2.0 Summit, Yahoo

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10 iPhone Apps for Wine Enthusiasts

Posted: 15 Nov 2010 02:03 PM PST

iPhone Wine Image

You don't have to be a wine aficionado and toss around words like "bouquet," "tannin" and "terroir" to appreciate a fine glass of grape. But as with everything, a little knowledge can go a long way. Getting to know wine is an ongoing and pleasure-filled process that begs for a curious palate and a lot of welcomed experimentation.

If that isn't enough motivation, consider the health benefits that moderate wine drinking offers. Numerous studies have shown that antioxidants known as flavonoids found in red wine reduce the risk of heart disease, improve cardiovascular health, produce good cholesterol, reduce inflammation and even prevent cancer. Well, in that case, pour me another glass!

Regardless of whether you're a wine snob and refuse to drink from a bottle with a screw cap, or could care less and happily swig from a box, the following 10 apps will help you better understand this refined libation.

1. Snooth Wine Pro

Snooth Wine Pro represents the next generation of app technology. Its most unique differentiator is the use of image recognition technology (very Mission Impossible-esque), which enables users to take a photo of the wine label to match it to a vintner in the app's enormous wine database. From there, you can read a description of the wine, as well as users' reviews, without ever having to open the bottle. Snooth also provides a "virtual cellar" wine inventory management system, a geographic search feature of wine stores near you, as well as general wine searches by type, price, region and varietal. A free version of this app is available as well, but the image recognition capability is not available and ads are displayed.

Cost: $4.99

2. AG Wine

The Approach Guides Wine app is an information-rich resource for learning about wine styles, appellations, grape varieties and food pairings. Featuring an intuitive and easy-to-use interface, users can select their country of choice and then search for wine options based on personal preference. When choosing red wine, for example, you are offered a choice of "light and subtle," "smooth and medium-bodied" and "bold and full-bodied" wines, and you’re presented with a variety that fit under that category with detailed descriptions of each. This is a great app for wine drinkers who don't know specifics about which wines they want, but have a sense for what they're looking for.

Cost: $3.99

3. Hello Vino

Consider Hello Vino to be your personal sommelier, providing wine recommendations for when you'd like to match it with a particular food, a special occasion, a particular taste, or you simply desire a wine from a certain region. If you need a wine recommendation for a date, a holiday and much more, turn to Hello Vino for advice. Need a recommendation for Thanksgiving dinner? Hello Vino recommends Talley Vineyards Chardonnay, Beringer Private Reserve Chardonnay or Walnut Crest Chardonnay as perfect accompaniments to roast turkey. If you're like me and not crazy about Chardonnay, fret not. This app makes additional recommendations on top of those three. You can also share picks with your social networks via Twitter and Facebook directly from the app.

Cost: Free

4. Pair It

For wine and food pairings from internationally renowned chef and wine expert Bruce Riezenman, Pair It is worth checking out. Hailing from Sonoma County, Riezenman has won awards for his ability to masterfully pair wines with gourmet foods. Pair It offers more than 20,000 matches, comprising of approximately 180 varietals and 1,000 food items. You can match by food, wine, preview "Chef Bruce's picks" or let the Vegas-style slot machine make a match for you. The next time you have succulent braised lamb shanks, pick a nice red Zinfandel. At least that what Chef Bruce says.

Cost: $4.99

5. Drync Wine Pro

Drync is a wine lover's best friend and provides expert reviews and commentary for hundreds of thousands of wine listings. Essentially a "who's who" of wine, Drync lists "Featured," as well as "Most Popular" and "Top Wanted" wines as calculated by user actions and ratings. Each wine listing offers a detailed description of its taste, as well as reviews from oenophiles at Wine Spectator, Wine & Spirits, Wine Enthusiast and more.

There are even direct links to video reviews on YouTube. Find a wine that you're really interested in trying? Save it to your "Cellar" or better yet, click the "Buy from Wine.com" button for direct purchasing access. Drync also just launched a complementary website, drync.com, allowing you to manage your cellar, search for wine and discover new recommendations based on other Drync users' ratings. There is also a Drync Free version available, but it features ads and has a 10-bottle wine cellar limit.

Cost: $4.99

6. Wine Events

Drinking wine is a highly social activity that can exponentially increase in enjoyment in the company of others. If you like to frequent wine tastings and want to stay apprised of events in your area, Wine Events is useful to have. It is a simple app, yet it provides numerous listings of tastings for wine and spirits in your location or any location you choose. Within each listing, Wine Events provides the who/what/where and also gives you the option of posting the event to Facebook. Come one, come all!

Cost: Free

7. Wine Wherever

Imagine meandering through wine country with no agenda other than to taste wines from vineyards along the way. Sounds lovely, doesn't it? That is until you realize that you have no idea where the wineries are and end up wasting time looking for them when you could be sampling wines from them. Save yourself the hassle and get the Wine Wherever app for your travels to get a complete listing of all wineries in the area. With 13 locations from which to choose (all separate apps) – nine in California; the others in Oregon, Washington, New York and Texas – it's likely that if you're exploring a wine-producing area, Wine Wherever has an app for it.

Each listing provides the winery's address, phone number, website link and map. In addition, the app features regularly updated coupons for specials occurring at regional vineyards at any given time.

Cost: $2.99 per regional app ($1.99 for the California North Coast region)

8. Wine Notes

Say you try a wine that you love and want to remember every detail of the experience so that you can recreate it over and over again. The Wine Notes app provides you with the perfect template to record your wine of choice, your experience and what exactly you taste that tickles your fancy. There are a handful of fields that you can enter information into such as producer, varietal, vintage, rating, region, color, alcohol. There's also a handy visual guide for wine flavors you detect, with typical choices such as berry, raisin, oak and nutmeg and more unusual ones like bacon, dill, eucalyptus and toast. You can store photos, share your notes on Twitter and even back up and restore all your precious wine information with the app.

Cost: Free

9. Wine Enthusiast Guide

Wine Enthusiast as a brand, a magazine and an e-commerce site, is a prominent source for information and accessories about wine. Who better to create an app? The Wine Enthusiast Guide app contains reviews and ratings for more than 100,000 wines and is an all-encompassing resource for anything and everything related to wine. The search parameters are totally customizable and let you adjust by price, rating, style, region, editor's choice picks, best buys, etc. In addition to in-depth reviews, the app also contains a very useful reference guide that includes a "Wine 101" section with detailed articles on topics such as storing wine, cooking with wine, types of glassware, giving wine as a gift, serving wine and much more.

Cost: $4.99

10. Cor.kz

The Cor.kz app's pièce de résistance is its "CellarTracker" feature, which is a database of more than 935,000 wines from every region imaginable. You can either search for wines by region or varietal, or you can use the super cool barcode scanner that is included on the app (which alone is worth the cost). When you find wines that you like or ones that you want to try, simply add them to your cellar, which you can organize into best rated, by varietal, region, ones you want to drink sooner rather than later, and ones recently consumed. Cor.kz also features a comparison tab that provides information on pre-determined wine choices, or lets you build your own comparison list. Finally, there's a very comprehensive "Pedia" with hundreds of entries for all things wine, for those who are thirsty for knowledge and for the drink itself.

Cost: $3.99

Have another favorite wine-related app? Share your recommendations in the comments.

More Mobile Resources from Mashable:

- 10 Fun iPhone Apps for Beer Lovers
- 10 iPhone Apps for the Global Foodie
- Skiing and Snowboarding: 6 Apps For Conquering the Slopes
- Mobile Music: Top 4 Streaming Services Compared
- 10 iPhone Apps for a Better Night's Sleep

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, didyk

Reviews: Facebook, Snooth, Twitter, YouTube, iStockphoto

More About: apple, apple app store, Food, iphone, iphone apps, List, Lists, Mobile 2.0, mobile apps, Mobile Lists, wine

For more Apple coverage:

Facebook’s New Messaging System Explained [VIDEO]

Posted: 15 Nov 2010 01:37 PM PST

Facebook has just finished sharing its new messaging system with the world. And while the social networking site says that "it's not e-mail" or designed to be what many pundits wanted to call an "e-mail killer," it represents a big overhaul of a system that's being used by more than 350 million people to send more than 4 billion messages daily.

In the above video, Facebook provides a brief overview of how the system will work. It might be a while until you get to try it out for yourself though. For now, the Facebook Messages is invite-only and the company says the will "be launching [it] and email addresses gradually and making it available to everyone over the next few months."

A few Mashable staffers have access to Facebook Messages. Check out the gallery we’ve put together below for a walk-thru:


Facebook Messages Splash Screen





The first thing you'll see is that there's a new version of Facebook Messages. Clicking on the pop-up takes you to this splash page, which explains the benefits and gives you a giant "Upgrade" button to press.


@facebook.com E-mail




If you press the upgrade button, you're immediately taken to the new Messages inbox. You will receive this notification, asking you whether you'd like to activate your @facebook.com e-mail address.


The Facebook Inbox




This is the new Facebook inbox. It's a lot like the old one, although it does a better job of showing you who sent the last message in a conversation. It also shows you when you've received an attachment and is cleaner overall.


Facebook Messages Invites




This is the Invites page for Facebook Messages. The new product is invite-only, so to get access you have to have a friend invite you. I only got two invites, both of which I have given out already.


The "Other Messages" Inbox




This is the "Other Messages" inbox, mostly meant for messages sent to you by specific events or Facebook Pages.


Archiving a Message




This is what happens when you try to archive a message for the first time. Facebook wants you to archive your messages so you can refer to them two, five, or 50 years from now. Deleting messages has to be done from within the message itself.


Receiving a Message




This is the interface for receiving a single message. I got this message from Mashable Reporter Samuel Axon, who e-mailed my @facebook.com e-mail address.


Texting in Facebook Messages




If you check the mobile icon box, you send a friend a text message. In this case, my friend doesn't have SMS activated, so I can request that he turn it on. In most cases this will just send Samuel a text message.


Sending a Facebook Message




This shows off the messaging and "quick reply" features of the new Messages interface. Quick Messaging simply means you only have to hit "enter" to send a message.

Reviews: Facebook, Mashable

More About: facebook, Facebook Messages

For more Social Media coverage:

Top-Selling Pulse App Goes Free as College Project Matures

Posted: 15 Nov 2010 01:29 PM PST


Alphonso Labs, makers of the popular Pulse mobile apps for social news consumption, is making available its iPhone, iPad and Android apps free of charge as of today. The decision marks a major pivot as the product transitions from a college dream to a formal business.

Pulse News originally launched with much fanfare as a for-charge application to reinvent news reading on the iPad. The application was then later released for iPhone and Android.

In an interview with Mashable, Alphonso Labs co-founder Akshay Kothari shares that the decision to go free was representative of the startup’s maturation process. The project was concocted by Kothari and Ankit Gupta for a course at Stanford. Six weeks later, Pulse was released and quickly became the best-selling app in the App Store.

Kothari also discloses that the duo was motivated to make the application free to up the user count exponentially. Kothari and Gupta believe their product is now stable enough to handle a much larger user base and design to release features that surface trending articles for users in aggregate. “We want to uncover interesting things that are going on around the world,” Korthari explains.

As part of the announcement, Alphonso Labs is going on record for the first time to reveal that it previously raised $800,000 in seed funding from BV Capital, Greycroft Partners, Lightspeed Ventures, Mayfield Fund and Redpoint Ventures.

Image courtesy of Alphonso Labs

Reviews: Android, App Store, Mashable, iPhone

More About: alphonso labs, pulse news, social news, startup

For more Startups coverage:

OK Go to Write Its Name in GPS Across L.A. in Massive Musical Parade

Posted: 15 Nov 2010 01:13 PM PST

YouTube darlings OK Go have teamed up with Range Rover in the Evoque Pulse of the City project, in which they will create a huge “OK Go” sign, written in GPS across their hometown city of L.A. I’m starting to wonder when these guys have time to record.

This Wednesday, November 17, the band will be taking off on an 8-mile concert through the streets of L.A. Whilst jamming through the city, they will also be using the Range Rover Pulse of the City app [iTunes link], which lets you visualize your journeys using GPS, to spell out the band’s name.

OK Go is also asking fans to download the free app and create their own GPS artwork, the best of which they will incorporate into a new video launching January 2011.

After leaving their label — EMI — several months back, OK Go has really started ramping up their social media presence, releasing videos at a steady clip and tapping into a variety of networking channels. They just put out an animated vid for the single “Last Leaf” last week. This project, however, marks a much more interactive step for the band — a la Arcade Fire’s crowdsourced project, "The Wilderness Downtown.”

This isn’t the first time a person has created GPS-spun art — this past summer, literature lover Nick Newcomen drove 12,328 miles across 30 American states to scrawl "Read Ayn Rand" via GPS data inputted into Google Earth.

For more info, check out the video above, in which frontman Damian Kulash adopts the mein of an awkward elementary school kid acting in a student-written class production.

Image courtesy of Big Hassle Media

Reviews: Google Earth, YouTube

More About: App, MARKETING, music, OK Go, range-rover

For more Entertainment coverage:

Comcast Turns Your iPad Into a Remote Control and TV Guide

Posted: 15 Nov 2010 01:04 PM PST


Comcast has just released its new Xfinity TV app for the iPhone and iPad. The app, which will be demoed Monday at the Web 2.0 Summit, acts as both a remote control and a TV guide for your compatible Comcast set-top box.

Right now, the Xfinity TV app [iTunes link] doesn’t let you watch video content on your device, but Xfinity TV content will be coming to the iPad next month. We took some time to play around with the app and we’re really impressed with what the Comcast team has accomplished.

The Xfinity TV app — which is free — works by connecting to your compatible DVR or cable set-top boxes. When you log in to the app, you’re presented with what boxes you have that are compatible with that service (some boxes aren’t compatible) and you can test and name the boxes and DVR units that you can control.

Once you enter in your zip code and choose your channel offerings, you are presented with an interactive, searchable TV guide. Selecting the program gives you the option to watch it on TV or to set a recording.

When you click on “watch on TV,” your channel changes. You can find a variety of information, such as when the show is on again, if episodes are available on On-Demand and episode descriptions.

What we really appreciate is that you can restrict your channel listings to only stations in HD or only stations of a certain type. You can even create favorite channels.

The app also allows you to browse the On-Demand listings available through the Xfinity TV service. This is nice because it’s faster than using On-Demand’s remote-based setup and provides the choice of watching programs directly on TV. Future updates will allow users to access content directly on the iPad, much like the rebranded Xfinity TV service (formerly Fancast) that Comcast rolled out a few months ago.

You can also manage your DVR recordings from the app — although at this time, the iPad version takes you to a web page where you can control your recordings and rearrange or reschedule shows. An iPhone app that lets you manage your Comcast DVR already exists.

We were impressed with how quick and responsive remote controls were on the app. We also appreciate the ability to switch between rooms and to assign DVR recordings to various devices in the house.

As a free offering for all digital cable subscribers, the Xfinity TV app adds a real sense of value. The next question is: Will Comcast consider bringing live TV streaming, akin to what Verizon demoed this August, to the iPad or other devices?

Oh and for Android fans — Comcast says it plans to bring the Xfinity TV app to the Android Market sometime next month. It’s not clear if any of those apps will support streaming video playback.


Startup Screen




This is where you locate and name your various DVR or set-top boxes.


Getting Started




This is the navigation help screen.


On-Demand Selection




You can select specific TV shows or movies and then select content to watch on your TV.


TV Guide




The TV guide uses a traditional grid and also makes it easy to watch or record a program.


Program Information




You can choose to record a current or future broadcast or watch the TV show or movie immediately on your TV.

Reviews: Android, Android Market

More About: comcast, internet tv, ipad, ipad apps, television, tv, tv guide, xfinity tv

For more Mobile coverage:

The New Facebook Messages: A Walkthrough [SCREENSHOTS]

Posted: 15 Nov 2010 12:46 PM PST


Facebook has launched what it calls the “Modern Messaging System,” a product that integrates e-mail, IM and texting in a unified inbox. Team Mashable has been playing around with the new product, and we’ve put together a quick screenshot walkthrough to help you make sense of what the new Facebook Messages product is all about.

At a press event in San Francisco earlier today, Mark Zuckerberg revealed “Project Titan,” the codename for an overhauled version of the company’s messaging product. Long in need of an upgrade, Facebook has finally given it a facelift and a ton of new features. Its central thesis is that messaging should be simple and unified, which is why it integrates IM, chat, SMS and e-mail into one inbox. Users can send e-mails from an @facebook.com address and text their friends from the same interface.

The revamped Facebook Messages will be rolled out to the social network’s 500+ million users in the next few months. Initial access has only be given to a small group of Facebook employees and beta testers. In the meantime, we have a step-by-step picture guide to the social network’s revamped messaging feature.

Check out our gallery below, and let us know what you think of the new Facebook Messages in the comments.

Screenshots: The New Facebook Messages


Facebook Messages Splash Screen




The first thing you'll see is that there's a new version of Facebook Messages. Clicking on the pop-up takes you to this splash page, which explains the benefits and gives you a giant "Upgrade" button to press.


@facebook.com E-mail




If you press the upgrade button, you're immediately taken to the new Messages inbox. You will receive this notification, asking you whether you'd like to activate your @facebook.com e-mail address.


The Facebook Inbox




This is the new Facebook inbox. It's a lot like the old one, although it does a better job of showing you who sent the last message in a conversation. It also shows you when you've received an attachment and is cleaner overall.


Facebook Messages Invites




This is the Invites page for Facebook Messages. The new product is invite-only, so to get access you have to have a friend invite you. I only got two invites, both of which I have given out already.


The "Other Messages" Inbox




This is the "Other Messages" inbox, mostly meant for messages sent to you by specific events or Facebook Pages.


Archiving a Message




This is what happens when you try to archive a message for the first time. Facebook wants you to archive your messages so you can refer to them two, five, or 50 years from now. Deleting messages has to be done from within the message itself.


Receiving a Message




This is the interface for receiving a single message. I got this message from Mashable Reporter Samuel Axon, who e-mailed my @facebook.com e-mail address.


Texting in Facebook Messages




If you check the mobile icon box, you send a friend a text message. In this case, my friend doesn't have SMS activated, so I can request that he turn it on. In most cases this will just send Samuel a text message.


Sending a Facebook Message




This shows off the messaging and "quick reply" features of the new Messages interface. Quick Messaging simply means you only have to hit "enter" to send a message.

Reviews: Facebook

More About: e-mail, facebook, Facebook Messages, gallery, SMS

For more Social Media coverage:

Introducing the Mashable Startups Channel

Posted: 15 Nov 2010 11:36 AM PST


From Twitter and Facebook to YouTube, Mashable has been there to cover the birth (or at least the relatively early days) of some of the web's most important companies. It's in that same vein that we're delighted to introduce our latest channel: Mashable Startups.

Historically, Mashable's coverage of the space has included analysis of new companies and apps as they're released, trends within the investment community, how-tos and inspiration for those working in the space, and on-the-ground reporting from key industry events.

Mashable Startups will continue to focus on these areas, but also expand our footprint by leveraging our growing presence in San Francisco and New York (and our events around the world) to spend more time getting to know founders, going hands-on with new products and participating in opportunities unique to each city's startup culture.

Mashable Startups: Our Coverage

This has been happening behind the scenes at Mashable for some time, as evidenced by some of the stories you'll find today in the new channel, such as:

Subscribe to Mashable Startups

If you want to keep up with our comprehensive startups coverage, we encourage you to subscribe to Mashable Startups in any of the following ways:

Get Covered on Mashable Startups

And if you're a startup that's looking for coverage on Mashable, we invite you to submit to our BizSpark program — which is presented by Microsoft and features a new startup each weekday — or get in touch with our news team.

We look forward to continuing to serve the startup community and providing our readers with a comprehensive daily guide to the space. Let us know what you’d like to see from Mashable Startups in the comments.

Reviews: Mashable

More About: new york, San Francisco-San Jose, startups

For more Startups coverage:

Why Your Business Must Embrace the Foreign Language Internet

Posted: 15 Nov 2010 11:33 AM PST

Asia Globe Image

Christian Arno is founder of Lingo24, a global translation company specializing in website localization and optimization. Christian has more than nine years experience working with some of the world's biggest global brands. Additional research and writing by Paul Sawers from Lingo24.

All signs point toward an increasingly multilingual future for the web. It's estimated that over a billion people will be using PCs in the so-called BRIC countries alone by 2015, and the opportunity is even greater when you factor more people accessing the web using mobile devices than computers in many emerging markets. It's time businesses of all sizes embraced the foreign language Internet.

Foreign Languages on the Web

A truly global web must represent the languages of its users. And with growth in usage of the web in foreign languages outstripping English, businesses are playing catch-up with their potential customers. They're rapidly trying to get as multi-lingual and diverse as their current and prospective client base.

In the last ten years, the use of Arabic online has increased by over 2500%, while Chinese and Spanish rose twelve and seven-fold respectively. And English? It didn't even triple.

Today, 42% of all Internet users are in Asia, while almost a quarter are in Europe and just over 10% are in Latin America. These stats shouldn't sway businesses towards targeting one region over another, though — Latin American countries account for over 200 million people on the web.

However, the vast majority of all online searches are in a language other than English. English is losing its online market share rapidly, which is no bad thing for businesses that recognize and embrace the opportunities on the foreign language Internet.

Optimizing the Non-English Web

The rise of the foreign language Internet doesn't change the fact English leads the world in terms of volume and depth of content. Whether your industry is car insurance, web design or musical instruments, achieving top rankings for your English-language website for lucrative search terms is getting ever more difficult. The English-language web is saturated and competition for key search terms is tough, which makes increasing your online visibility tough too.

Conversely, the saturation of key search terms on non-English language websites hasn't reached anywhere near the level of the English-language web. This means that businesses can attain high — and lucrative — positions on search engines far easier on the foreign language Internet.

This also means that it costs less for businesses to achieve prominence on the foreign language web. So the return on your internet marketing investment in Brazil, Russia, India, China — whatever your target market — should be greater than in English-speaking markets.

And the successful web marketer's advantage when tackling the foreign language Internet is that you already know the essentials to achieve prominence online. You've proved this in the web's toughest language market: English.

Chitika Research found that the difference between first and second place on Google is significant. In fact, a number one spot on Google attracts nearly double the traffic as the number two spot, and about the same amount of traffic as the second through fifth spots combined. For marketers, you're several times more likely to hit top spot if you escape English-language levels of competition and target almost any other language market.

Going Local

Dubai Map Image

Doesn't everyone speak English? Although many non-natives of English do, studies have shown consumers are up to five times more likely to buy from a website with content in their native language.

It stands to reason that consumers would rather search for products and services in their own language. Even if a consumer does speak English as a second language, a report by Common Sense Advisory found that 85% of online shoppers required information in their own language before parting with their hard-earned cash.

So to really make the most of the foreign language Internet, you need search engine optimized localization — a hybrid somewhere between what an Internet marketing company and a translation service provider might offer.

Localization involves addressing the cultural and linguistic needs of each of your target countries. When it comes to search, this includes addressing different local search habits. It's more complicated than simply translating the search terms that work for you in English. In Italy, for example, one of the top terms for low cost airlines is actually half English, half Italian (“voli low cost”). As British and Irish airlines pioneered low cost travel in Europe, it seems their language infiltrated the Italian psyche and made this hybrid term lucrative. Brands really need local knowledge if they're to take advantage of commercial opportunities like this.

A 2007 paper by the Localization Industry Standards Association (LISA) reported that $25 dollars was returned for every $1 invested in localization. And with e-commerce set to grow by over 10% (CAGR) in Western Europe alone over the next five years, and much faster in so-called emerging markets, businesses should be gearing up for the surge in Internet spending.

Search and Social

Google's search algorithm uses many aspects of online activity to determine how highly a website is ranked for a given term. Social media is becoming an increasingly important factor. What does this mean for the multi-lingual digital marketer?

The number of tweets a piece of your content receives and the reputation of those tweeters is important. The same goes for “Likes” on Facebook or “Diggs” on Digg. From a foreign language perspective, increased use of social media around the world creates another opportunity to communicate with customers and a way to improve search rankings at the same time.

According to comScore, Latin American tweets are up over 300% between June 2009 and June 2010, followed by 243% in the Asia Pacific region, 142% in the Middle East and Africa, and 106% in Europe. By comparison, North America only increased by 22%.

So the “rest of the world” is actually leading the Twitter revolution. Big, global companies have already taken action. Sony supports twenty international Twitter feeds, while Microsoft, Cisco and PricewaterhouseCoopers all offer Twitter feeds in ten or more languages.

Of course, to succeed locally with social media depends on the prominence of your local websites. A consumer is far more likely to follow your Twitter feed in French if they find it on your French language website. Developing global social media strategies and fully SEO'd localized websites should all form part of the same grand globalization plan.

This plan should also factor what social media platforms are popular locally. According to Comscore, Russia is the biggest country for engaging with social media overall, with Yandex the number one platform. Facebook isn't even in the top ten most popular websites in Russia. And while Brazil is big on Twitter (alongside Indonesia), Orkut rules the roost there as the mainstream go-to social network.

Similar patterns emerge across the world. Just because one social network leads your home market, this may not be the case in your target market.

Putting the “World” in “World Wide Web”

Arabic Website Image

May 2010 saw a major development for the foreign language Internet — something that will make the web itself more localized. ICANN, the Internet regulator, enabled full URLs in non-Latin scripts. This includes the country code, which means that Arabic and Chinese characters can be used in web addresses.

This is another clear sign that the web is becoming less English-centric. Businesses that have thus far tackled only English-speaking markets online — with perhaps German, French or Spanish thrown in to help support their single biggest international markets — must cater to a more diverse user base.

The foreign language Internet is the low-cost gateway to global success. With online populations growing at a frenetic pace in the non-English speaking world, businesses need to plan how they'll keep up. Consumers and businesses in the fastest growing markets of the world -– online and offline -– want to talk to you in their languages. And their languages are usually anything but English.

More Business Resources from Mashable:

- 5 Tips for Marketing Online to an International Audience
- 5 Tips for Developing a Global-Friendly Website
- HOW TO: Build Your International Business Network Online
- 6 Free Web Tools for Managing Time Differences
- 15 Mobile Translation Apps for the International Businessperson

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, zennie

Reviews: Digg, Facebook, Google, Internet, Orkut, Twitter, iStockphoto

More About: business, facebook, foreign language, Googl, international, MARKETING, optimization, Search, SEO, small business, SMO, social media, twitter

For more Business coverage:

Former Digg CEO Jay Adelson Named CEO of SimpleGeo

Posted: 15 Nov 2010 10:46 AM PST


Former Digg CEO Jay Adelson has joined location-based data startup SimpleGeo as CEO. He will also join the company’s board of directors.

SimpleGeo, which has increased its staff from four to 25 since January and raised $8.14 million in a Series A in May, offers a suite of sophisticated geo-data products for purchase. The service targets individual developers and businesses who want to immediately build or enhance location-based applications in minutes.

Among its employees are former Digg staffers Joe Stump (previously lead architect of Digg), designer Jeffrey Kalmikoff, engineers Ian Eure and Paul Lathrop, and product ambassador Nicole Williams.

SimpleGeo’s current CEO, Matt Galligan, will serve as the startup’s Chief Strategy Officer moving forward, he announced in a blog post.

Adelson resigned from Digg in April, shortly before the company released what’s proved to be a hugely unpopular site overhaul. Traffic has plummeted heavily since then. At a conference in September, founder Kevin Rose said he was “burned out” and refused to confirm that he would still be working at the company by the end of 2010. In mid-October, Digg named a new CEO; later that month, he announced that the startup would be cutting its staff from 67 to 42 — more than one-third of the total team — in an effort to become profitable again. Among the casualties was Publisher and Chief Revenue Officer Chas Edwards.

Reviews: Digg

More About: digg, jay adelson, simplegeo

For more Startups coverage:

Facebook Messages by the Numbers

Posted: 15 Nov 2010 10:22 AM PST


According to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who is currently speaking at an event preceding the Web 2.0 Summit, the number of messages sent on Facebook is outpacing the growth of Facebook itself.

In his remarks, Zuckerberg revealed that 350 million users make use of Facebook messages, sending 4 billion a day — that’s personal messages, not messages from Pages or Groups.

Due to the rapid growth of Facebook messaging — and the increasingly anachronistic nature of e-mail (in his opinion) — Zuckerberg plans to revamp the service. “We don’t think a modern messaging service is going to be e-mail,” Zuckerberg says. He is currently detailing the new service. Stay on Mashable for more.

Reviews: Facebook, Mashable, pages

More About: facebook, messaging, social media, web-2.0

For more Social Media coverage:
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