Mashable: Latest 7 News Updates - including “Apple Photoshops One Icon Too Many on the New iPod touch” |  |
- Apple Photoshops One Icon Too Many on the New iPod touch
- Should Craigslist’s “Adult Services” Be Censored? [POLL]
- 10 Great Watches for Gadget Lovers [PICS]
- 6 BlackBerry Apps to Cure iPhone Envy
- Disgraced HP CEO Mark Hurd Might Work for Oracle
- Should You Search Social Media Sites for Job Candidate Information?
- HOW TO: Land a Career in Digital Public Relations
- 25 Essential Social Media Resources You May Have Missed
| Apple Photoshops One Icon Too Many on the New iPod touch Posted: 06 Sep 2010 01:13 AM PDT      The new iPod touch – with Facetime, multitasking, and the Retina display – is so close to an iPhone that even Apple can sometimes get confused. Case in point: look at this image of iPod touch from Apple’s site, and you’ll notice it has a Phone app icon, which definitely doesn’t belong there. To see the real icon layout on an iPod touch, check out this page. We’d call it an honest mistake (and a case of lazy Photoshopping), but given how much attention Apple’s gadgets attract, it’s likely to spark conspiracy theories about the iPod really getting a phone app, and we know that’s not happening. Or is it? [via: Engadget] More About: apple, iphone, iPod Touch For more Apple coverage:
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| Should Craigslist’s “Adult Services” Be Censored? [POLL] Posted: 05 Sep 2010 06:38 PM PDT   This weekend, Craigslist removed its notorious “Adult Services” classifieds section in U.S. markets and replaced it with a black bar that read “censored,” implying that pressure from law enforcement or the legal and political systems of the country became too much to resist. Craigslist is playing for sympathy, but will it get that sympathy from the public? We’ve put together this poll to find out. There’s something to be said for the free flow of information on the Internet; you know we believe in that general rule. But Adult Services (formerly “Erotic Services”) has been used by prostitutes since its inception — and by at least one serial killer who hunted them. Craigslist stood to gain $36 million in revenue from the adult services classifieds in 2010 according to an estimate from the Advanced Interactive Media (AIM) Group. Was Craigslist profiting from prostitution, or facilitating free speech and standing for the fundamental principles on which the Internet and the United States were both (supposedly) founded? Answer in our poll, and feel free to discuss your answer in the comments. Image courtesy of iStockphoto, anykeen Reviews: Craigslist, Internet, aim, iStockphoto More About: adult services, censored, censorship, classifieds, craigslist, erotic services, law enforcement, Opinion, politics, poll, prostitution For more Social Media coverage:
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| 10 Great Watches for Gadget Lovers [PICS] Posted: 05 Sep 2010 05:44 PM PDT   Everybody loves a good watch, and the best thing about watches is that they actually serve a practical purpose. These handy, portable gadgets are more than just decoration, which means you can usually justify spending money on a decent one. However, being geeks, we want more from our timepiece than the ability to inform us of the hour, so we’ve found 10 great watches that offer some special geek-friendly functionality too. Whether you want to use your wristwatch to make a call, to control your iPod or record video, the gallery below has got a watch for you. Let us know your favorites in the comments.
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| 6 BlackBerry Apps to Cure iPhone Envy Posted: 05 Sep 2010 03:47 PM PDT   We've all run into someone with a new iPhone. And we've all learned to expect the inevitable "watch this" moment involved in this encounter. Whether they identify the background music with Shazam, pull up a fancy screen saver, or fire up a classic PC game, it's easy for even the most loyal BlackBerry owner to feel a slight pang of jealousy while witnessing these demonstrations. The iPhone is so shiny, so trendy, and it does so many cool tricks. It's better to cope with these feelings than to admit them. There's no need to give up your BlackBerry. The following six iPhone tricks can be accomplished by BlackBerry Apps (and by the way, Shazam makes a BlackBerry app, too). 1. Cute Bubble Text Messages crunchSMS changes BlackBerry text messages to an iPhone-like speech bubble format. All you need to do is block incoming text messages from your regular inbox, and you can use the app as an alternative. 2. DoodlingDoodle Buddy lets iPhone and iPad users finger paint all over their touch screens, drop in stamps, and even collaborate with friends over the Internet. Doodle allows owners of the touch-screen BlackBerry Storm do the same thing for $0.99. Similarly, Make a Mess has fewer features but doesn't charge. BlackBerry enthusiasts who prefer navigation via ball don't need to feel left out, either. SketchIt allows them to make Etch A Sketch drawings using the scroll ball or keypad. 3. Photoshop Adobe makes an app for the iPhone that crops, rotates, changes the color of, and draws on photos. There's even a Soft Focus feature. Sadly this awesome app has no BlackBerry sister, but the unbranded BlackBerry version, imgEdit, accomplishes just as many editing tasks. Plus it a has “a special Warhol effect.” 4. Doppler Radar There's something about the weather that turns us all into geeks. The iPhone has widgets and apps specifically designed to supply live radar maps to wannabe weathermen. While there isn't a specific radar map app available for BlackBerry users, the "maps" feature of the Weather Channel's free app is more than adequate for backing up amateur forecasts. 5. InstaPaper  Often cited as one of the coolest apps for the iPhone, InstaPaper sends articles you find on the web directly to your phone so that you can read them later, even if your phone is offline. It turns out that the BlackBerry can do that, too. Save Web Page adds a "save PDF" option to your phone's browser. Saved pages can be read without connecting to the Internet. 6. Remote Control CapabilityiPhone users can purchase an accessory that plugs into the USB port and allows them to use their iPhone as a TV remote. The problem with this is that it changes the "where is the remote?" question to a "where is my USB accessory?" question. BlackBerry's version of a home theater remote control, however, is a box that sits near entertainment equipment rather than connecting to a phone. The AV Shadow can use one phone to control your television, TiVo, DVD player, and satellite box. You can even use your BlackBerry to control Apple products like iPods. Disclosure: BlackBerry is a Mashable Sponsor More BlackBerry Resources from Mashable:
Image courtesy of iStockphoto, PeskyMonkey Reviews: BlackBerry Rocks!, Internet, Shazam, Tvider Blackberry App , iStockphoto, instapaper More About: AV Shadow, blackberry, Bubble text, crunchSMS, Doodle, Doodle Buddy, Doppler radar, imgEdit, Instapaper, iphone, Mobile 2.0, Photoshop, remote control, Save a Web Page, trending For more Mobile coverage:
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| Disgraced HP CEO Mark Hurd Might Work for Oracle Posted: 05 Sep 2010 02:11 PM PDT   Former HP CEO Mark Hurd is in talks to join computer technology corporation Oracle “as a top executive,” the Wall Street Journal reports. Hurd resigned from his position at HP after an investigation into a sexual harassment claim made by a former HP contractor. The company concluded that Hurd did not violate its sexual harassment policy, but the investigation nevertheless uncovered evidence that he violated its Standards of Business Conduct, including filing inaccurate expense reports. Announcing his resignation, Hurd stated, “I realized there were instances in which I did not live up to the standards and principles of trust, respect and integrity that I have espoused at HP and which have guided me throughout my career.” The Wall Street Journal report says that Hurd will not replace Larry Ellison as Oracle CEO, but it didn’t reveal any details about what his new job would be. Oracle and Hurd are still in talks, and the Oracle board has to approve his appointment, so something could still go wrong. During his short tenure Hurd reportedly oversaw HP’s development into the largest PC manufacturer, and Ellison said to The New York Times that when HP let Hurd go, it “failed to act in the best interest of [its] employees and customers,” so it’s not surprising that Oracle is interested in bringing Hurd on board. More About: ceo, executive, Hewlett-Packard, HP, mark hurd, oracle, sex, sex scandal For more Tech coverage:
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| Should You Search Social Media Sites for Job Candidate Information? Posted: 05 Sep 2010 12:45 PM PDT   This post originally appeared on the American Express OPEN Forum, where Mashable regularly contributes articles about leveraging social media and technology in small business. Social media is becoming a great way for recruiters to announce job openings and find qualified candidates. The conversational nature of social media allows you to interact with potential applicants and learn more about their professional backgrounds, experiences, and goals. That being said, it also opens the door to learning a lot about applicants that you might not discover during a traditional interview. Which begs the question: If a candidate applies and you don’t know a lot about them, should you do a little detective work via social media? We talked to recruiting and legal experts about when it is and is not appropriate to search social sites for job candidates. Here are some pointers on why and when to turn to social media for applicant information. Understand the Purpose of Your SearchDaniel Schwartz, a partner at Pullman & Comley, LLC, a law firm which provides legal and labor law advice, suggests asking yourself a few questions to decide if using social media in the recruiting process makes sense for your organization. “I hate to use the lawyerly ‘it depends,’ but it’s not a simple question to answer. If pressed, I would say ‘yes but with real limits.’” Schwartz recommends answering three questions before you begin your search:
These three questions will help you understand the purpose of your search and perhaps shed a little bit of light on whether you should move forward. Schwartz noted, “I think too many employers think that adding social media to the hiring process will make their decision-making easier, but because of the volume and types of information available, it may only makes it more complicated.” Andrew J. Filipowski, executive chairman and CEO at SilkRoad technology, which provides talent management tools and solutions, is an advocate of using social media during candidate searches. “Companies should search for a candidate’s info on social sites to see if the candidate is a ‘real’ person with an online presence. We all want to hire savvy employees and this is a great test to find out if they stay current and engaged.” But he also tosses out a word of caution:
Before you launch your new side job as a social media detective, make sure you are seeking candidate information on social sites for the right reasons. Otherwise, you might just be adding another complication to the process. Focus on Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities“The only information companies should be researching is information that is pertinent to the position that the individual is or could be applying for,” says Heather McGough, a staffing consultant for Microsoft. “This could include blog forums that are related to job expertise, Facebook fan pages that are devoted to one's applicable skills, and information regarding job history on networks such as LinkedIn.” She continued:
Now you might be saying to yourself, I knew that. Stick to skills and abilities. The situation becomes a little trickier when you’re not searching per se, but you happen upon some weird posts or tweets after the person applies for a job. Schwartz reminds us to use that information in the same way that you would with other candidates. “Suppose you hear from an employee that a candidate likes to stay out late at nightclubs during the week — would you ignore that information or use it? But when you start using information that you would be prohibited from using anyways (things like race, gender, marital status, etc.), then you know you've crossed a line.” Filipowski also suggests it depends on how “weird” these postings are:
During the InterviewUltimately, candidates should be reviewed based on their qualifications. If an individual possesses the skills relevant to the position in mind, then a recruiter must evaluate them appropriately. McGough points out the importance of being non-judgmental.
If you do see something that bears some question, whatever you do, don’t ask for access to an applicant’s or employee’s social networking sites or passwords. Schwartz concurs:
“There’s more than a little talk about privacy settings in the news,” explains McGough. “Candidates ought to be very aware of the consequences when they post information about their likes and dislikes or their abilities and inabilities. It’s only a matter of time before those comments will be common knowledge.” After a Candidate is HiredEven when, as a recruiter, you take all the correct steps during the interview process, unexpected things can arise after a candidate is hired. If you make a strange discovery via social media after a candidate is on board, keep calm and try not to overreact. Treat the information as you would any other type of information. Schwartz remembers, “Just like we went through an adjustment period to employee misuse of e-mail, we seem to be going through an adjustment period on social media. It may be new, but the types of issues that are being raised aren't.” He recommends imagining how you might react if the information was surfaced in another manner, say via e-mail or during conversation with co-workers. “That will take some of the mystique away from social media,” Schwartz noted. McGough agrees that it is important to handle unexpected and possibly harmful information about employees or candidates in the proper way:
Social media is an excellent way to spread the word about your company, announce job openings, and connect with potential future employees. Use it that way, not to spy on or eliminate candidates. Review a candidate’s resume and/or application for job history, qualifications, accomplishments and skills — that’s how you will find the best candidate. Search to confirm they do, in fact, work where they claim that they work and to confirm they have experience in the fields they list as having experience in. But, as Filipowski says, “be wary of dismissing a candidate over pictures with a group of friends at a concert, because having personality and interests is what makes your employees more well-rounded individuals.” As a recruiter, have you ever used social media to search for information about a job candidate or employee? If so, let us know why you turned to social media and how it worked out in the comments below. More Business Resources from Mashable:
Image courtesy of iStockphoto, alexsl Reviews: Facebook, MySpace, iStockphoto More About: job interview, job interviews, job recruiting, social media For more Business coverage:
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| HOW TO: Land a Career in Digital Public Relations Posted: 05 Sep 2010 11:38 AM PDT   It’s easy to slap the digital prefix on to any job title and assume the rules are more or less the same. But digital PR means living online and basically trying to stay ahead of the Internet. There are a lot of tasks to juggle and it requires a special type of person. Digital PR requires social grace and the ability to think on your feet. You need to be able to develop brands, promote them across dozens of channels, and reach out to hundreds of reporters and bloggers. We spoke to some of the most innovative leaders in the industry and asked them for a few tips on how aspiring digital PR pros can land a job and break into the biz. Education and InternshipsPR may seem glamorous, but there is a lot of hard work, strategy and education that goes along with becoming a top player in the PR world. It’s a given that today’s PR program include digital and social media components, but what you learn in the classroom today could be outdated by the time you graduate. If you are still in school and dreaming of a career in digital PR, it helps to diversify your classes. Sarah Evans, owner of Sevans Strategy, a public relations and new media consultancy, and self-described “social media freak,” suggests that current students enroll in an bachelor’s degree in communications, take any and all classes related to new media, and try to grab as many intern opportunities as possible where the role you want exists. “Create a professional portfolio to document your experience. Future employees will love it. Call, email or tweet someone with your ‘future job’ and interview them about it,” she suggests. Likewise, Dave Levy, a senior account executive at Edelman Digital, advises PR hopefuls to take writing classes, and anything that focuses on digital. Levy said that one of the best classes he ever took was in “innovation management,” which was more about understanding the changes of the business world. “You can take a class on how to use Twitter or Facebook, but soon there will be something else to come along and replace it. So understanding technology shifts can give you some insight to how things may change. It’s about forward thinking, but understanding the history of how it happened can be a big help.” Levy also stresses the importance of doing internships in the industry. “There are many students right out of college or grad school who have the skill set to jump into a job, but aren’t ready for the pacing or the work environment, and you want to get to know the industry.” To jump right into a job could mean making mistakes, and it’s better to make those mistakes during an internship that’s more of an educational experience. But it’s not always about where you’ve gone to school or how many internships you can list on your resume. Chris Perry, president of digital communications at Weber Shandwick, says that landing a job in the field today is less dependent on pedigree and more about what candidates are doing. “It’s about their DNA structure and curiosity, more than an Ivy League education to a certain degree. There is a far less structured approach than we’ve had in place when trying to find traditional talent.” Read Up, Meet Up and Tweet UpNowadays everyone considers themselves a digital expert. Sure you might have social accounts across the board, but it’s what you do with them that matters, not how many you can acquire. Levy says that you need to immerse yourself in the industry you want to break into, so hopefuls should read everything. Being well-read is a competitive advantage, he says. Asking “what do you read, is a great interview question.” Levy says interviewers can learn a lot about candidates this way. “If you read constantly, and you can discover one new blog a day and be able to talk about why it’s interesting, then that’s great. It means that you’ll have something to share, and it shows that you want to be involved.” And don’t get too comfortable with the things you think you already know. “Always be willing to embrace innovation,” he says. “Don’t settle down because you understand Twitter, because something else is going to come along and you are going to have to think on your feet.” Likewise, Jason Winocour, social and digital media practice leader at Hunter PR, says that job hopefuls need to be reading key industry sites every day and keeping up on what is going on in the industry even if they aren’t in it quite yet. “Sprinkle your knowledge of cases studies throughout your interview. Everyone thinks they are an expert, but someone who can really talk the talk, and knows day to day what is happening on social media news sites, establishes credibility.” Even if you aren’t an “expert,” show that you want to become one. Evans says that a genuine curiosity about all things new media is a plus, and that she is more likely to hire (and has hired) candidates with the passion for the job but not all the technical skills. Perry agrees that passion is really what PR companies want when they hire. “When we look at portfolios, we like to see how they connect around a particular interest,” he says, “If they are a giant music geek and they have a blog and have built a reputation as a prominent music blogger, that is the type of thing we want to see.” Perry says he’s less impressed with the focus on building a personal online brand, and says that the number of followers or friends you have is overrated and not actually helpful to clients. What is valuable and helpful, however, is simply common social sense. “We want people who are organizing meet-ups or tweet-ups, for whatever their specific interests are, be it sports or crafts. Taking a leadership role in a specific interest is appealing to us. It shows that they have relevant experiences, that they advocate for something rather than just being the thousandth person to retweet another link.” Be CreativeWith hundreds of thousands of hopefuls vying for the same positions you need to stand out from the crowd. Easier said than done, but a talented PR person knows how to get the right attention. “Use an online tool like a blog or website to share insight or offer commentary on digital PR. Create a permanent ‘workshop’ blog dedicated to what you would do for specific brands and companies if you were part of their digital PR team. When it comes time for an interview you’ll have great content to share, with specific examples,” says Evans. Creativity definitely plays a part in landing a job; in fact, it’s a requirement. “It’s important to be creative, in the same way that you use the digital space. Expertise coupled with creativity goes a long way,” says Winocour. He offered up Alec Brownstein as an example of how being clever can get you noticed. Brownstein had the brilliant plan to set up an ad so that when top ad execs Googled themselves, the first result they got was a message from him asking for a job, along with a link to his resume. It was creative, and it showed off skills that he’d be using on the job. Winocour says it would be a great idea to do a social media audit of the company you are applying to; audit in terms of SEO, for tonality of messaging and mentions, but he warns not to offer too many concrete suggestions. “We know what we are doing and we are on top of that, but it looks great to have an outsider perspective and it shows they took the time to really research and care.” One thing to keep in mind, however, says Levy, is that applicants shouldn’t over prep for the interview. The person interviewing you knows the Google results better than you do, so make sure you aren’t just listing off Google factoids. “Go in there and be honest. You aren’t going to find the answer that is going to get you the job a half hour before the interview.” Show that you know how to apply what you’ve learned not just that you know how to perform a Google search. “Top results are at the top because a lot of other people have seen it too, think about that,” reminds Levy. Know Where to Draw The LineWhile you may think you need to reach out and promote yourself to your would-be employer, understand that there are boundaries even on the Internet, and there is etiquette you should follow. You wouldn’t cold call an exec and ask if they have any job openings and the same logic applies online. While many companies will post job opportunities on Twitter, and that is definitely your cue to reach out, other platforms are not as appropriate. “If someone is looking for a job and I don’t already have a relationship with them, or we’ve only met in passing, and tries to add me on LinkedIn — a cold LinkedIn request — that’s a little pushy,” says Winocour. Pushy isn’t another word for determined, so be careful when trying to connect. You might think you are being social media savvy, but it could backfire as well. “I wouldn’t just friend someone on Facebook,” says Levy, “It might not be the right person, and if you reach out to the wrong person it could really throw your job search off.” Instead, he says, reach out to recruiters, who want to hear from you, especially if you have the skills they are looking for. “Reach out to recruiters, if you can identify who they are, it shows you know how to research and identify things, which is what we expect from interns and entry- to mid-level staff. We want to see that you recognize influence and who the influencers are.” It’s a fine line, but it goes back to what Perry says about having social common sense: “I’m visible online and the way to connect with me is to use social skills to get on my radar, but not so much to say, ‘Hey, I’m looking for a job.’” “You need to strike up a conversation,” he says, “there are a lot of people who are trying to just build a personal brand instead of using the actual tools.” What is most important is that you research the company you are interested in. Try to gauge if they’d be impressed or annoyed with your inquires. Evans says that if you notice an opening at a desired company, find them and let them know you are out there. “We’re moving past the days where Human Resources were the gatekeepers of an organization’s hiring process. When recruiters, employees and other professionals engage via social media on behalf of the organization, it’s an open invitation for you.” That said, striking up an authentic conversation, not just a plea for a job, is key. Public Relations Job ListingsEvery week we put out a list of social media and web job opportunities. While we post a huge range of job listings, we’ve selected some of the best computer programming jobs from the past two weeks to get you started. Happy hunting!
More Job Search Resources from Mashable:
Image courtesy of iStockphoto, hjalmeida Reviews: Facebook, Google, Internet, LinkedIn, Twitter, iStockphoto More About: job search, job search series, pr, PUBLIC RELATIONS, social media For more Tech coverage:
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| 25 Essential Social Media Resources You May Have Missed Posted: 05 Sep 2010 10:10 AM PDT   Normally, we assume you’ve missed a few posts here and there because you’ve been outside enjoying the last days of summer. But given the impending Hurricane and crippling heatwave, we sincerely hope you’ve been inside this past week. So what’s your excuse? If you still have catching up to do, we’re back with another list of resources from the past week or so. Our Social Media section can help you gear up for Fantasy Football season, Watch the US Open, or break down the news with some insightful infographics. Tech and Mobile offers a guide on making your own ringtones, using Gmail’s priority inbox, and a slew of iPhone tips and tricks. Business comes packed with SEO tips, response plans to social media attacks, and advice on incorporating your startup. Looking for even more social media resources? This guide appears every weekend, and you can check out all the lists-gone-by here any time. Social Media
For more social media news and resources, you can follow Mashable’s social media channel on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook. Tech & Mobile
For more tech news and resources, you can follow Mashable’s tech channel on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook. Business
For more business news and resources, you can follow Mashable’s business channel on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook. Reviews: Facebook, Foursquare, Gmail, Google, Mashable, Twitter, YouTube, iPhone More About: business, facebook, Features Week In Review, List, Lists, Mobile 2.0, small business, social media, tech, technology, trend, trending, twitter, youtube For more Social Media coverage:
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