Microsoft's Hohm energy efficiency and tracking service, still in beta, has a unique sense of style. Who expects a discussion about insulation R-values to involve pirate jokes?

"What do pirates look for in attic insulation?" Hohm asks. "The arrrr value! Insulation R-value measures how well a material stops heat flow, the higher the better."

This can be a bit jarring at first?are the sorts of people who write about "arrrr value!" really the ones you go to for home improvement questions??but if you're going to use Hohm, you'd better get used to it.

"Read and follow the instructions that came with your new refrigerator. (This will not harm your street cred)," says a tip on buying more efficient iceboxes. You'll also want to keep the new fridge away "from anything hot like an oven, direct sunlight, or visiting supermodels." 

When it comes to lighting your room, consider task lighting; it can save money because, the site informs us, "you won't need to turn on the overhead light for your ironic cross-stitch." Advice from Bob Vila this is not.

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Belgians are probably most interested in knowing whether their country will survive its strife between the French and Flemish-Dutch speaking groups, or whether it will break apart into separate nations. Here at Ars, however, we?re more interested in the country's peculiarities with respect to copyright law and broadband technology (and, of course, Belgium's wide variety of beers and chocolate). We recently wrote about Belgian bandwidth hogs, and in the past on ISPs having to filter P2P and newspapers suing Google News. This week it?s Belgian broadcasters seeking to cripple Digital Video Recorders and get compensation for their introduction.

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It's hard to pin down exactly when Nerf started going for broke with its gun designs, but it may have been around this time last year when the Vulcan was released. That gun featured a 25-dart, belt-fed design that handled both full-auto and single-shot firing, but it also had some issues with jamming and was a little too heavy for child-sized warfare. This year, Nerf went back to the drawing board for the Stampede, and the $50 package features several steps in the right direction.

From office warfare to friendly dart battles in the backyard, this is a great addition to the arsenal.

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There are few examples of good writing in video games. The medium tends to tackle the same issues and genres, and only rarely steps outside of that comfort zone. At the recent Fan Expo in Toronto, a group of veteran writers and producers, with credits ranging from Too Human to Splinter Cell Conviction, discussed what makes a good writer and a well-written game.

The majority of the discussion centered on why games aren't yet at the same level as film or television.

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It's apparent that the physics lexicon has been dragged kicking and screaming out of the 19th century with a recent paper published in Nature Photonics titled "Hacking commercial quantum cryptography systems by tailored bright illumination." I never thought I would live to see the word "hacking" used in its proper context in a physics paper. But enough about physics lingo. What about the quantum encryption hacks alluded to by the title?

What we have is another paper demonstrating that the weak point of quantum encryption systems is the point where classical meets quantum. This is not the first hack of its kind, but, it is, in true hacker tradition, the first focused on a commercial system.

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After months of pressure from state attorneys general, Craigslist pulled its adult services listings offline over the Labor Day weekend. Visitors to the site were greeted with a black bar with the word "censored" in white text (as seen to the right) where the link to the adult services listings would normally be.

The adult services listings have been a perpetual source of concern for law enforcement, including numerous state attorneys general, who have said that listings facilitate prostitution and that children are often victimized by the ads. Craigslist originally had an Erotic Services section, but shut it down in May 2009 in response to pressure from law enforcement. The company had previously attempted to stave off criticism by verifying listings over the phone and working with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, but decided that having an entire section of the site devoted to the sex trade was a bad idea. Shortly after the erotic services section was yanked, it was replaced with the adult services section.

The new section, which required credit card payments for listings that were reviewed by moderators before going live, failed to mollify critics. The attorney general of Connecticut and 37 of his colleagues across the country subpoenaed the classified site over what they described as its brothel business. In late August, Kansas attorney general Steve Six called on Craigslist once again to shut down adult services, saying that the site had not done enough to fight "illegal sexual activity on the Internet."

At this time, it's not clear whether craigslist is going to get out of the adult services business altogether. The classifieds giant has remained silent so far, not offering any rationale for its move. If this does indeed mark the end of the line for the adult services section on Craigslist, it doesn't mean that all adult services ads will magically vanish; they're likely to migrate to other parts of the site. That said, the attorneys general will no doubt view the apparent shutdown of the adult services section as a victory in their war against the online sex trade.

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The Associated Press didn't need any help from a bunch of unshowered bloggers pecking away at their keyboards from the basement offices in which they play "reporter," thank you very much. Now it knows better.

At the AP's 2009 annual meeting, Chairman Dean Singleton reminded his audience (read the speech) that the AP and its members "are the source of most of the news content being created in the world today." The collective remains "the gold standard of newsgathering and reporting throughout the world." And with 62 journalists killed, beaten, or detained in 2008, journalism "is not a profession for the fainthearted, or those who work in their pajamas."

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An Apple event means lots of new announcements. Almost the entire iPod line got updated, Apple TV got a serious makeover, and iTunes 10 got... something. But we also covered a patent suit, some lessons learned from Delicious Library 2, and a rumor about an iPhone revision. Read on for the roundup:

Microsoft cofounder drops patent bomb on Apple, Google, Facebook: Microsoft cofounder Paul Allen has filed a lawsuit against 11 tech companies for violations of his current company's patents that cover basic Internet concepts. The list includes Google, Facebook, and Apple... but not Microsoft.

Hands-on photos, observations of new iPods, Apple TV: Following the fall Apple media event, Ars got some hands-on time with the new iPod touch, iPod nano, iPod shuffle, and Apple TV. We have some up-close and personal photos to share with you, as well as extra product details that we got out of the Apple representatives.

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The fallout from Google's Buzz social networking aggregator continues: the company has agreed to settle a class action lawsuit over concerns that the service's original configuration violated users' privacy. While Google has made numerous changes to the service since its February launch and maintains that it did no wrong, the company has agreed to pay out $8.5 million to end the litigation.

Buzz launched in early February to a lukewarm reception, which was quickly followed by an enormous controversy over concerns that the default settings revealed private information. At the heart of the problem was an auto-follow feature meant to facilitate quick adoption. Users quickly found, however, that it could reveal their Google accounts to people they'd like to avoid. Journalists were concerned that confidential sources could be revealed to the public, while one woman noted that her private Google account was auto-followed by her abusive ex-husband.

Google worked quickly to make changes, turning the auto-follow feature off in favor of recommendations, and making some features easier to opt out of. Still, it wasn't long before a federal class-action suit was filed on behalf of all Gmail users who were automatically opted-in to the Buzz service.

Google has also faced criticism from advocacy groups like EPIC and the EFF, US lawmakers, and foreign governments.

In the proposed settlement submitted to the court this week, Google agreed to make efforts to better educate Buzz users on issues of privacy and the particular privacy features that Buzz offers. Additionally, Google also agreed to pay out $8.5 million to a fund which will be disbursed as cy pres awards for organizations that focus on Internet privacy policy or education.

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Would it be sad to admit I was excited when our Move feature was pimped on the official True Blood twitter account? If so, chain me to the sad pole, because that was awesome. We went toe-to-toe with Sony's PlayStation Move for a week, and liked what we saw. Microsoft announced the price for Xbox Live was going less than the price of a cup of coffee a month, and the rage was intense.

There will also be a new official Xbox 360 controller, but right now we don't know if it will be better... or just different. This is what gamers were talking about this week.

P.S: go buy Ivy the Kiwi.

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Samsung fires first Android-powered salvo at iPad with Galaxy Tab: Samsung is putting the iPad in its crosshairs with its new Android-powered Galaxy Tab touchscreen tablet. The well-specced device will launch in a few week in Europe, with the US and Asia to follow soon.

Chrome 7 shows off hardware acceleration, "Tabpose": Google's Chrome Web browser will soon gain hardware-accelerated graphics?the latest trend for Web browsers that has already shown up in early builds of Internet Explorer 9 and Firefox 4.

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Microsoft unveils shape-shifting Arc Touch Mouse: Microsoft has officially announced the $70 the Arc Touch Mouse. The device is available for presale now, starts shipping in December, and officially goes on sale in January.

New malware detects browser, shows fake malware warning page: There's a clever new piece of malware that goes to extreme lengths to pass itself off as genuine software.

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Even as the IEEE P1901 working group was set to meet this week to recommend its draft standard for broadband over powerline networks for official status, Netgear announced its line of Powerline AV 500 adapters that incorporate the HomePlug-compatible flavor of the standard. The new devices theoretically promise up to gigabit Ethernet speeds over home electrical wiring, and are the first to incorporate the newest standard.

The Powerline AV 500 comes in either standard or power pass-through versions, and are available in two-adapter "kits" to set up a source and destination point for your network. While hardcore geeks won't settle for anything less than running Cat 6 cable all throughout the house, powerline adapters have the benefit of being able to utilize existing electrical wiring to move data from point to point, and could be convenient for homes or apartments where running new cable would be impractical, prohibitively expensive, or just not allowed by your landlord.

While the IEEE P1901 standard promises speeds up to 1Gbps, no powerline adapters come close to the top theoretical speeds (and to be fair, neither does most wireless networking hardware). Still, it can provide greater and more consistent bandwidth for applications like networked AV equipment or gaming consoles compared to increasingly crowded home WiFi networks.

"Almost every new home entertainment device today can be connected to the Internet. This puts tremendous demand on the home network," Netgear product manager Chris Geisersaid in a statement. The new Powerline adapters are up to 2.5 times faster than competing products and provide a useful supplement to WiFi networks, he said.

The Powerline AV 500 line starts at $159 for a kit, and will begin shipping this fall according to Netgear. The P1901 WG expects its standard to be submitted the IEEE for adoption as an official standard at the end of this month.

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Canonical has announced the availability of the Ubuntu 10.10 beta release. The new version of the popular Linux distribution, codenamed Maverick Meerkat, is scheduled for final release in October. It brings some noteworthy user interface improvements and updated software.

The beta ships with GNOME 2.31, which introduces support for the new dconf configuration storage system. Ubuntu's standard F-Spot photo tool has been replaced by Shotwell, a relatively new application that is developed by nonprofit software group Yorba. Although it's not as feature-complete as F-Spot, it's progressing quickly and has a lot to offer.

Canonical has continued its work on panel indicators, especially the audio indicator which now has playback controls in addition to a volume management slider. This will eliminate the need for individual audio applications to have their own notification area icons.

Work has also continued on the Ubuntu Software Center, which now promotes "Featured" applications and has a section for purchasing commercial third-party applications. The look and feel of the Software Center is more refined and aesthetically sophisticated.

The Ubuntu Netbook Edition has seen particularly dramatic improvements during this development cycle due to Canonical's work on the new Unity user interface. Unity, which was initially introduced in May, has matured very rapidly. It has a global menubar that works surprisingly well.

Users who want to get an early look at the new version can download the beta release from the Ubuntu website. For additional information, you can refer to the release notes.

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The extraction of heavy crude oil from oil sands in Canada is releasing as many as 13 kinds of pollutants into the surrounding air and water, according to a study published in PNAS this week. The independent report directly contradicts the results of the government-administered Regional Aquatic Monitoring Program (RAMP) that claimed neither humans nor the environment were at risk from the oil extraction.

Oil sands are swaths of ground that are laced with heavy crude oil that can be extracted and refined into fuel. Development of oil sands in Canada has been taking place since 1967, but scientists have long been uncertain of the production's impact on the environment.

The RAMP study conducted by the government showed no significant ill effects, but another group of scientists decided to double-check their work. They took samples around an oil sands development facility in Alberta near the Athabasca River from the air and surrounding watersheds, and found some highly contradictory evidence.

Summertime water samples downstream from the development area had concentrations of elements like mercury, arsenic, chromium, and beryllium eight times as high as the background levels. Air samples showed concentrations twice that of the late 1970s, and during the winter, the water concentrations were also twice as high as normal.

The authors speculate that the concentration difference results from the snow capturing many airborne particulates and holding them until summer, when it all melts into the ground and water. The researchers also suspect that many of the airborne contaminants are scattered, lowering their local concentrations but spreading their effects over a wide area.

While this single study doesn't automatically invalidate the RAMP study, this data seriously undermine the government's results and methods, and suggests that the long-term effects of oil sands development bear further scrutiny.

PNAS, 2010. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1008754107  (About DOIs).

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The news of an upcoming announcement at PAX, followed by a tweet that showed the image of a flying pig. These were the hints pointed at a momentous occasion in gaming history: Duke Nukem Forever will see release late this year, or maybe next year, on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. Gearbox Software will be taking over development from the now-defunct 3D Realms.

After the studio's closing, litigation began between 3D Realms and Take-Two Interactive, the publisher of Duke Nukem Forever. According to the Wall Street Journal, the suits have now been settled and neither side was willing to discuss terms. The game has not sat still, however:

The game is actually playable at PAX, for both the press and the general public. If you're there and you get to play, send in your report. We'd love to hear what it's like to finally put your hands on it.

If the release slips into 2011, we won't exactly be shocked.

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Contrary to popular belief, Google Wave is not quite dead. Google plans to expand upon the open source code it has already released to form a more complete, standalone application known as "Wave in a Box." Wave will work (or not work, depending on how you look at it) as it always has, but with the new app, developers can run their own wave servers and host waves from their own machines.

"Since the beginning, it has been our vision that the Google Wave protocols could support a new generation of communication and collaboration tools," wrote Wave software engineer Alex North on the Google Wave Developer Blog. "The response from the developer community to date has been amazing and rewarding. Even more so now, we believe that developers and other projects are a critical part of this story."

North says the project will include an app bundle with both a Wave server and client, a "fast and fully-featured" wave panel in the Web client, persistent wave store and search for the server, and the ability to import wave data from the Web. Additionally, it will have gadget, robot, and data API support, as well as the ability to federate across other Wave in a Box instances. Even more details are available in Google's Wave Protocol Forum.

Google announced earlier this week that the Web version of Wave would remain online through "at least" the end of the year, and that users would be able to export their waves during that time. It was a blip of good news to those few lamenting Wave's short lifespan, but Wave in a Box should be a major step toward helping the project live on.

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Forgetful Facebook users and wannabe-burglars can now rest a little easier at night knowing that they can remotely log themselves out if they accidentally left logged-in sessions in other locations. Facebook users will soon be able to see where else they might be logged on, adding another layer of security to the social networking service.

Some of you may know the scenario all too well: you log into your Facebook account at your friend's place or your parents' house to check an event page or post a quick update. Then you forget to log out before you leave, which you realize after your friend has posted 30 penis photos to your profile wall. If you think this doesn't really happen, think again: members of the Ars staff are constantly finding logged-in Facebook accounts at places like the Apple Store, and we aren't always able to resist the temptation to post a (polite, but) embarrassing update to the user's profile, reminding them to log out next time.

You'll be able to go to Account > Account Settings > Account Security in order to see which devices are currently logged into Facebook as you. (The feature is slowly rolling out to all users, so it may not be available on every account just yet.) There, Facebook will provide a list of active sessions along with as much device and location info as it can gather.

You then get the choice to "end" each session by logging it out, and there are extra steps you can take if those sessions aren't your own doing. "In the unlikely case that someone accesses your account without your permission, you can shut down the unauthorized login before resetting your password and taking other steps to secure your account and computer," the Facebook team wrote on its blog.

This update follows one from earlier this year that allows Facebook users to authenticate each device they want to use to log into their accounts. When someone tries to log into a locked-down account on a new device, Facebook will ask a series of questions to ensure the user is who she says she is. And, Facebook says these features are just the beginning: "Stay tuned over the coming weeks and months for more improvements," says Facebook.

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Imagine that your name is Nathan Nabors and that you live in the sunny climes of Orlando, Florida. Imagine further that, back when Google announced its own Android phone and called it the Nexus One, you realized that your Orlando-based life would only be complete with the purchase of this shiny new gadget.

So you bought one, paying the full unlocked price of $563.38 from Google's online store. And, because you already had service with AT&T, you dropped a cool $230 to break that contract. Grand total: $793.38, and that doesn't even include a month-to-month service plan from T-Mobile.

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By now, most iTunes users have already downloaded and installed iTunes 10. We've already given you the low-down on the biggest addition to the new version of iTunes?the Ping social network?but we also wanted to give our impressions on two "improvements" promised in the release notes: look-and-feel and performance. While we agree that iTunes is "faster and more responsive," we're not sold on the revised user interface.

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Ivy the Kiwi was created by Yuji Naka, the co-creator of Sonic the Hedgehog. Sonic is a character that continues to enjoy a strong following, and the series gives any follow-up work a huge shadow to live under. Don't worry, this game is up to the challenge.

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Judging by the Federal Communications Commission's latest survey, we're still pretty far away from the FCC's National Broadband Plan goal of 4Mbps Internet download speeds for everyone. The agency's newest statistics indicate that out of 71 million wireline household connections, less than half (44 percent) matched or exceeded that benchmark, with its upload goal of 1Mbps.

Meanwhile, the number of consumers with full mobile wireless Internet accounts shot up by 40 percent from January through June of 2009, to 35 million subscribers. Twenty-five million had such access at the end of 2008.

But among those 35 million wireless connections, only 45 percent met the Department of Commerce and Agriculture's $7.2 billion broadband stimulus program's definition of "broadband"—advertised speeds of 768Kbps downloads and 200Kbps uploads.

Of the 113 million Internet connections out there all told (residential and business), 87 million or 76 percent reached that level. If you look just at fixed-location connections, 91 percent met that goal.

There were a few bright spots in the statistical picture. There are now four million fiber connections—a 23 percent jump, and the largest increase among fixed-location broadband services.

But cable modem connections only grew by three percent to 41 million and DSL by a mere one percent to 31 million (not that DSL is much of a measure of progress any more).

All-in-all, this latest survey offers the portrait of a nation whose consumers access the 'Net at relatively slow throughput rates. Keep in mind that another benchmark of the National Broadband Plan is 100Mbps to 100 million homes by 2020. We're a long way from that goal.

The data comes from information submitted to the FCC every six months by all ISPs.

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StarCraft 2 has been doing some serious business: Blizzard has recently announced that the game has sold 3 million copies in the first month of availability. Mike Husky is certainly doing his part to keep the game popular; his YouTube channel has just under 200,000 subscribers, and his videos have over 64 million lifetime views.

The demand is there for high-quality commentary on StarCraft 2 matches, and Husky wants to help fill it. "It is my goal to support and promote StarCraft as much as possible," he told Ars, and his success shows the promise of "on-air" personalities in competitive gaming.

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When Google launched its Chrome Web browser in 2008, it was clear that the product had considerable potential. Its emphasis on performance and its intriguing minimalistic user interface attracted a lot of well-deserved attention. Today, exactly two years later, Chrome has over 80 million users, a 7.52 percent global market share (21.87 at Ars, making it the second most popular browser here behind Firefox), and is gradually creeping into the mainstream.

It wasn't entirely clear at first if the browser would have real staying power or if it would be cast aside unfinished like so many of Google's other ambitious *cough*Wave*cough* experiments. But Google's commitment hasn't waned, and it's increasingly evident that the browser is an important part of Google's platform strategy and long-term aspirations for the future of the Web. To mark Chrome's second anniversary, Google has announced the official release of Chrome 6, a new major stable version of the browser.

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Microsoft is warning about a new piece of malware, Rogue:MSIL/Zeven, that auto-detects a user's browser and then imitates the relevant malware warning pages from Internet Explorer, Firefox, or Chrome. The fake warning pages are very similar to the real thing; you have to look closely to realize they aren't the real thing. The ploy is a basic social engineering scheme, but in this case the malware authors are relying on the user's trust in their browser, a tactic that hasn't been seen before. 

Beyond the warning pages, the actual malware looks like the real deal: it allows you to scan files, tells you when you're behind on your updates, and enables you to change your security and privacy settings. Performing a scan results in the product finding malicious files, but of course it cannot delete them unless you update, which requires paying for the full version. Attempting to buy the product will open an HTML window that provides a useless "Safe Browsing Mode" with high-strength encryption. To top it all off, the rogue antivirus webpage looks awfully similar to the Microsoft Security Essentials webpage; even the awards received by MSE and a link to the Microsoft Malware Protection Center have been copied.

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If you’re a Basecamp user running Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard, you just might love the new menu bar application BaseApp.

BaseApp is a lightweight utility that sits in your menu bar and monitors the activity from your Basecamp account or accounts. You’re alerted of updates or changes to your Basecamp, and accessing the new changes are just a click away.

Created by Made by Elephant (of Maxvoltar fame) and Linebreak (the people that gave us CloudApp), BaseApp was designed to combat the problem of too-frequent Basebamp notification e-mails.

As a collaboration and project management tool, Basecamp can be configured to send users an e-mail any time a message is sent, a project is updated, a file is uploaded or changes are made to a to-do list or project. This is a really terrific feature, but if you are working with lots of other people, especially when a project is undergoing frequent changes, those e-mails can quickly overtake your inbox.

Creating a filter for Basecamp e-mails defeats the purpose of being alerted of changes and new messages, thus BaseApp was born. Instead of receiving e-mail notifications, you get notified on your Mac OS X desktop.

The app runs in the background, checking for changes on your various Basecamp accounts at intervals of every minute, every five minutes, every fifteen minutes or every half hour.

If a new change is made, the menu bar will change color and you can choose to have a Growl notification and/or an audible alert show you what has been changed.

If you don’t want to be bothered with sounds or Growl alerts, simply clicking on the BaseApp icon will show you any unread changes to your various projects. Selecting the item will take you directly to it in your web browser. You can also use BaseApp as a quick link to your various Basecamp project dashboards.

The app is beautifully simple by design, but we wouldn’t mind having a few other features. For instance, the ability to auto-upload a file to Basecamp (a la CloudApp’s shortcuts) like you can with Freshlog would be really great.

At ?7 (about $9 U.S.), BaseApp is a well designed and useful application for the frequent Basecamp user. You can try the app free for 14 days to see if it meets your needs.

Do you use any desktop tools with your 37Signals accounts? Let us know about them in the comments.

More About: baseapp, basecamp, mac os x, mac software, software

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Former HP CEO Mark Hurd is joining business software and hardware firm Oracle as Co-President, the company announced today, confirming yesterday’s rumors.

Oracle CEO Larry Ellison publicly defended Hurd after he resigned under pressure from HP’s board last month. The board cited inaccurate expense reports related to a personal relationship.

Ellison called the board’s actions “the worst personnel decision since the idiots on the Apple board fired Steve Jobs many years ago”.

Tonight Oracle confirmed that Hurd would join Oracle as Co-President, reports the New York Times.

More About: business, HP, management, mark hurd, oracle

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Over the weekend, we noticed Craiglist had replaced a certain notorious section of its site with a black bar reading “censored.”

A longtime and well-known digital resource for prostitutes and the people who engage their services, Craigslist has come under fire many times over the past few years for its erotic/adult classified ads. Craigslist has stated it does everything it can to comply with government and legal stipulations and has an attorney manually screen all of its Adult Services ads. The company once said that 700,000 ads were manually rejected in just one year.

Still, this hasn’t stopped sex trafficking on the site, nor has it stopped the site from coming under harsh criticism for its business.

In a recent poll, we asked if you thought Craigslist’s “Adult Services” section should be censored. Here are the results.

Our readers are surprisingly liberal-minded about the Adult Services section. The vast majority of you (71.37%) said you thought the site should not be censored for a variety of reasons:

Among our readers who thought the site should be censored, two-thirds found the Adult Services section objectionable because they felt it allowed Craigslist to profit indirectly from prostitution.

Of those who thought the site and the adult sections should remain uncensored, almost half of you (46.15%) felt the censorship was unwarranted because prostitution should not be illegal in the first place. These broad-minded folks comprise almost 33% of everyone who voted in the poll.

Others who were against the censorship in this case thought that Craigslist’s anti-prostitution policies were sufficient or stated another reason for opposing Adult Services censorship.

As of this moment, we’re not sure if or when the site’s adult section will be back online or why it was taken down in the first place. While prostitution isn’t likely to become legal in the U.S. any time soon, we’ll keep you posted on Craigslist’s dilemma as more details become available.

More About: censorship, craigslist, prostitution, sex

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When Apple released iTunes 10 last week, the newest version of the venerable media app sported not only a refined interface and the new Ping social network but a new application icon, as well.

For nearly a decade, every version of iTunes has used some variation of a CD and paired with an eighth note as its desktop icon. iTunes 10 dropped the CD, opting instead for a circle with a slight gradient with the music note emblazoned at the center.

Users are not impressed. The more displeased among us are taking their message to Twitter, Facebook and even Steve Jobs’ e-mail account, decrying what some consider to be a design abomination.

Here at Mashable, we’re more about solving problems rather than kvetching online. Thus, we scoured the web (basically Deviantart and Dribble) to find the best substitute iTunes 10 icons around.

Re-beautify your desktop and put an end to eyestrain, headaches and the general feeling of malaise that may accompany the use of the default icon with some of these replacements, showcased and linked in the gallery below.

How to Replace Your Icon

Need help replacing your icons? Never fear, Mashable has your covered!

Mac

For Mac users, Apple.com actually has a help document that outlines the steps needed to change an application or folder icon.

From that document:

To change an item’s icon to another one:

Note: Mac users want to use the *.icns file type for icons. You can also use third-party programs like the fantastic CandyBar if you want more control over your icons and organizing sets of icons.

Windows

For Windows users, you want to use the *.ICO file type.

In Windows XP:

To change the icon to a shortcut for iTunes (assuming it is on your desktop)

In Windows Vista and Windows 7:

Louie has two different icons, one a straight modification and another that mimics the iTunes icon on the iPhone.

Dan takes the original icon and makes it a bit more robust, while also offering some color variations.

Toffeenut keeps the general feel of the original icons but with thicker borders various colors and lighter text.

Javier takes a multi-colored approach to his icons and offers round and square choices.

Our friend David Lanham updated the Iconfactory's popular Flurry system with four different iTunes 10 icons.

Ryan takes some cues from Apple's own iTunes icon for the iPhone in his take.

Dean decided to go metallic in his icons.

We found Sean's icon on Dribble and fell in love with his Fisher Price approach to icon design.

Another Dribble find, Thomas's icon has a really great blue in its background.

It's hip to be square!

More About: desktop customizations, icons, itunes, itunes 10, mac, replacement icons, Windows

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According to private-company intelligence firm CB Insights, now is a particularly bad time to try to raise money if you’re a company built on top of Twitter.

The ecosystem of third-party Twitter apps has seen a 50% decline in early-stage investment over the past year. Whether it’s due to Twitter’s evolving business model or due to the number and nature of new apps on the market, investors have decidedly cooled on “pure play” Twitter applications in the past 12 months.

Between June 2008 and May 2009, a total of $21.6 million was pumped into Twitter-based startups. However, between June 2009 and this May, that number had dropped to just $10.4 million. This number would include such deals as TweetPhoto’s $2.6 million Series A, around $2 million for oneforty, and a round of an undisclosed amount for TwitVid from DFJ.

The number of deals have seemed to hold steady, but the amount per round has dropped by about half year-over-year.

So why are investors becoming so squeamish about third-party Twitter apps?

Third-Party Apps and Twitter’s Strategy

Just before Twitter’s developer conference, Chirp, the company announced it had acquired iPhone app Tweetie. By adopting an official iPhone app, Twitter had taken a step into almost virgin territory: It had moved ever so slightly away from its core product, a microblog service, and had begun thinking about consumer features that could potentially lead to more users and more revenue.

Both developers and VCs saw this move as a loud and clear signal to those who had built their businesses on top of Twitter’s platform. The message was succinct as it was ecosystem-altering: Make way.

In other words, if you had made a business around developing a Twitter-based feature as a third-party app, and the company saw some profit in making that function part of an official, internal feature, you’d better watch your back and beef up your value proposition.

Within months, Twitter rolled out official apps for Android and BlackBerry as well. They also announced their ad platform.

Were developers and entrepreneurs shaken? Absolutely. Was this strategy in Twitter’s best interest? You bet.

While third-party apps have drifted toward the shallow end of the investment pool, Twitter itself has been raising healthy rounds to continue growing its staff and infrastructure. In September 2009, the startup closed a $100 million round, just a few months after closing another round in February. Apparently, buying into small companies with features built on top of another company’s core product has not been as attractive as going to the source itself.

How Third-Party Apps Can Still Get Funding

Back in April, we reported that investors were less than bullish on third-party Twitter apps. Venrock’s David Pakman asked the question on everyone’s mind at the time: “Where are there currently opportunities that won?t risk overlapping with Twitter?s current or upcoming features?”

Interested parties should read the rest of that post, which contains advice from a panel of VCs. Pakman continued to summarize, “There?s a huge amount of data being thrown out by Twitter. Going through the data and finding value for consumers and businesses seems a lot smarter than making features.”

Over the next few months, expect to see only the most savvy entrepreneurs securing funding for Twitter apps. Those apps will probably integrate with other services, à la TweetDeck and Seesmic, and they will likely offer revenue-creating features that Twitter isn’t currently exploring.

What’s your take on trends for third-party-app startup funding? We’d love to get your insights in the comments.

More About: business, funding, startups, third party, twitter

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Nike has just rolled out a new iPhone app for runners, available for download now [iTunes link].

The Nike+ GPS App for iPhone will pull in data from the device’s accelerometer and GPS to give runners an effective, accurate and useful tool for getting in shape and staying motivated. So far, it’s available in English only and sells for $1.99.

Although fitness apps abound in the App Store, few carry the street cred or instant name recognition of Nike.

The app will allow runners to visually map and track every run, indoor and outdoor, “free range” or treadmill. Nike says the app even works when a GPS signal is unavailable. Mapped routes show a breakdown of the runner’s pace at various points during the run, as well. You can track your distance, time and number of calories burned.

One interesting aspect of the app is the ?Challenge Me? feature. It helps runners challenge themselves to run greater distances, longer times or quicker paces than their previous runs. Aside from giving challenges, the app also provides in-run, on-demand motivational messages from pro athletes and celebrities.

And of course the app carries the now-obligatory social sharing features. Through integration with NikePlus.com, runners can save each run to their online profiles and share the run through the site, Twitter and Facebook.

We have no word so far on when to expect Android, BlackBerry or other apps, but Nike says the app will work for iPod touch (second, third and fourth generations), iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4. The company makes no promises about how the app will function on an iPad; then again, if you’re running with your iPad, you might need less motivation to run faster and more motivation to give the tech gadgets a rest.

Here’s a video sent to us by Nike showing some of the ins and outs of the app:

What do you think of Nike’s app so far? Is this something you’d use for your running routine, or will you stick to the free apps already available?

More About: App, fitness, iphone app, Nike, Nike+GPS, runner, runners, running, sport

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This post originally appeared on the American Express OPEN Forum, where Mashable regularly contributes articles about leveraging social media and technology in small business.

Online infrastructure for your small business doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. By leveraging many of the free and inexpensive products offered by Google, you can create a website, a domain-branded e-mail system, and a document collaboration platform, all unified under one master login and password.

Once all of the virtual wires are connected, these services are extremely user-friendly, allowing anyone with a bit of web savvy to become the “system administrator” for their office.

Follow the steps below, and you’ll be on your way to a customizable and scalable business infrastructure that lives where your employees do: in the cloud.

1. The Master Key: Your Google Account

Create a free consumer-level Google account (essentially, a Gmail address) that you’ll use to administer your business domain.

This could be your existing Gmail address, but if you already have other Google products connected to this account (YouTube, Docs, Blogger, etc.), we recommend creating a new profile; yourbusinessname@gmail.com, for example.

Note that for the purposes of this tutorial, this will not be the e-mail address that you’ll be using to conduct business and correspond with clients. Consider it the “Master Key” account, which you will use to access the rest of your domain. Be sure to choose a strong but memorable password.

2. Create a Blogger Site

Head over to blogger.com. Log in with your “Master” Google account, and you’ll have the opportunity to create a blog on this popular Google-owned platform. Using a blog as your company website has a number of advantages:

This blog will eventually become your business website, so title it with your company’s name. The blog URL is less important because we will be mapping it to your custom domain in the next step, but for consistency, create yourbusinessname.blogspot.com if available.

Choose the default template for now (we’ll be customizing it later). Once you’ve set up the blog, you’ll be taken to the Dashboard, which is where you can start creating content for the site.

You’ll have to decide: Do you want a traditional informational business site (with pages, links, etc.)? Or do you want to keep the blog format and create content on a regular basis? We urge you to choose the latter — business blogging is one of the best ways to distinguish yourself in any field or industry. If you decide to stick with this format, you’re off and running. Experiment with your content and layout, and skip ahead for some resources on finding the perfect template design.

If you’ve decided to stick with a more classic site layout without the blogging format for content creation, you can still utilize the Blogger content management system (CMS). Simply create one blog post that will serve as your home page. Title it accordingly, and add information about your business.

In your dashboard, choose “Design.” The “Page Elements” screen is where you can manage and rearrange the items that appear on your site. In the box labeled “Blog Posts,” click “Edit” to bring up a list of settings. Since you will only be creating one blog post to act as your home page, uncheck all the items on the “Post Page Options” list. This will remove things like the date, time, and sharing options, and format the entry like a simple page, rather than a post. As this will be your only entry, it will always appear on your home page.

To create static pages (About Us, Contact Us, for example), click the “Posting” tab and then select “Edit Pages.” Pages are formatted like posts, but will not appear as part of the blog feed. Instead, they can be arranged like traditional navigation links at the top of your site. You can also configure the order in which they appear, and whether certain pages are visibly linked in this navigation.

Note that Blogger utilizes Picasa to host images. You can upload post images and business header logos directly through the Blogger interface, but if you want to manage your images more directly bookmark the Picasa Web Albums site, and simply log in with your master Google account to see the Blogger album(s).

3. Design Your Site

Now for the fun part. You don’t have to be a web designer to build a great looking blog. There are plenty of free template resources available, particularly for the Blogger platform.

We’ve previously highlighted some of our favorites, many of which are clean and versatile — perfect for business use. Additional quality templates can be found on these sites:

You’ll need to download the template XML file and upload it to your blog. Under the “Design” tab, choose “Edit HTML.” This is an area where advanced users can make more specific tweaks. For now, you can upload the template of your choice by selecting the downloaded file and hitting “Upload.” This will change the look and layout of your site, but the content itself (Posts, Pages, etc.) will be unchanged.

Note that templates utilize different layouts and page elements. Changing or altering your template will never erase your content, but it may arrange it in a way that’s undesirable. You should always download a backup copy of your current XML template before installing a new one. That way, you can revert back to it if something goes awry.

As you become more familiar with how templates and blog elements work, you may want to do some further customization by tweaking the XML and HTML in your layouts and posts.

4. Register and Map Your Custom Domain With Google Apps

Now for the overhead cost. A whopping $10 will allow you to register your custom domain through Google with one of its registrar partners. Domain registration should be a top priority for all businesses these days, and setting up shop with Google offers the added benefit of its integrated apps — an e-mail, calendar and document system identical to the free products on the web, but which operate within your custom domain.

From your Blogger dashboard, click “Settings,” then “Publishing.” Currently, you’re publishing on the “Blogspot” domain, but click the link that says “Switch to: Custom Domain.” This will take you through the process of checking your domain’s availability and making the purchase with a credit card. Because you are doing this directly through your Blogger account, the system will map your site to the new domain name automatically — no DNS manipulation is required.

Once you’ve registered yourbusinessname.com, you’ll have the opportunity to set up your employees’ accounts — up to 50 of them, as needed. Explore the administrator backend to find out what other settings and features might be useful for your company’s workflow.

Conclusion

You’re off and running with a complete, cloud-based business infrastructure that you can customize and administer from any browser with one Google account and password. As you begin to experiment with more online content, your master Google account connects you to a host of other useful products like YouTube, Google Voice, and AdWords — all of which can easily be integrated on your site, and all “live under one roof,” so to speak.

For $10 and a bit of DIY time investment, this is a small business web solution that’s certainly worth experimenting with. If you give it a shot, let us know if it meets your needs in the comments below.

More Business Resources from Mashable:

- 5 Lightweight CMS Alternatives for Small Businesses
- HOW TO: Optimize Your Mobile Site Across Multiple Platforms
- 8 Funding Contests to Kick Start Your Big Idea
- 4 Tips for Writing SEO-Friendly Blog Posts
- How CEOs Will Use Social Media in the Future

More About: blogger, business, CMS, content management, content management system, domains, Google, google apps, small business, web design, Web Development

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YouTube has just launched an official gallery showing off some of the 80,000 submissions it received as part of its Life in a Day project.

The official gallery is viewable as a matrix or as a 3D sphere. You can sort through videos based on location, time of day, mood, the type of place where the video was shot and more.

The Life in a Day project began in July with executive producer Ridley Scott (of Blade Runner and Gladiator fame) asking ordinary YouTube users to film a day in their lives and upload what they recorded to a special YouTube channel. All in all, around 80,000 entries were received.

On its blog, YouTube says that film editor and director Kevin Macdonald and his team will be adding more of these videos to the gallery as they are reviewed and using the gallery as a place to update users on the status of the project.

Macdonald will be working with editor Joe Walker and a research team to review footage as it is edited into the final film. The final result will be a feature length project produced by Ridley Scott that will debut at the Sundance Film Festival in January.

We’re big fans of the approach YouTube is taking to showcasing the video submissions. The presentation is very similar to what the Recording Academy used with its Grammy.com site this year.

Did you participate in Life in a Day? What are your thoughts about this project? Let us know.

More About: crowdsourcing, Film, life in a day, viral video, youtube

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Apple may get a nasty surprise this holiday season; rumors are swirling that Google’s Andy Rubin is planning on a holiday-season launch for the search behemoth’s new music download service.

According to a Reuters report, Rubin, the Google VP Engineering who oversees Android development, has been deep in talks with record labels and “hopes to have the service up and running by Christmas.”

Google’s service would be an iTunes challenger that would be deeply connected to the Android mobile operating system. As we reported over the summer, it seems the company plans to first launch a music download service and progress to an online subscription service by next year. Ultimately, “Google Music” would be a cloud-based subscription service with the ability to stream directly to Android mobile devices.

An anonymous record label exec confirmed to the newswire that Google was, indeed, in talks with labels about launching such a service and that labels aren’t at all upset about the prospect.

?Finally here?s an entity with the reach, resources and wherewithal to take on iTunes as a formidable competitor by tying it into search and Android mobile platform. What you?ll have is a very powerful player in the market that?s good for the music business,” the source said.

Right now, the ever-more-popular swarm of Android phones have an integration with Amazon’s MP3 store, but it’s not the best-integrated solution. If Google can perfect a music downloading system and include some of the mobile-desktop syncing features we saw at Google I/O, they just might have a killer app on their hands — one that would continue to allow Android to successfully challenge Apple’s iPhone in the mobile market, too.

Google began its work in the music space last year with the launch of a music search feature. When users searched Google for any kind of music, among search results would be streaming audio previews and music discovery features from music-centric companies including Pandora and Rhapsody.

With the recent launch of iTunes 10 and built-in music social network Ping, Apple is aiming for a major revitalization of its music offering. But so far, users’ reactions to the new software has been lukewarm at best.

Do you think Google could emerge in just a couple months with a winning approach to music downloading? How do you think this move might — or might not — affect Apple’s bottom line? Let us know your opinions in the comments.

More About: apple, Google, google music, music, music download, Ping, trending

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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.

This September, join Mashable for the Mashable & 92Y Social Good Summit in partnership with the United Nations Foundation. More information about the event can be found here. Please e-mail events@mashable.com for available sponsorship information.

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

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

September 6?7 & 9-10, 2010, Singapore & Hong Kong: Join us at the Social Media Marketing & Measurement Workshop. Through hands-on exercises, interactive discussions and case studies analysis, expand your knowledge in Social Media (SM) Marketing strategy development and implementation techniques and pick up skills in measuring social media efforts in financial and non-financial terms. Marketers can look forward to hearing how to design and integrate social media with existing marketing platforms and how to measure and monitor social media campaigns using free and paid tools. Register today and save 10% when you enter the code Mashable under ?Additional Info?.

September 7, 2010, New York, NY: nternet Is People (IIP) is a bi-monthly panel series, in partnershipwith Pace University, that focuses on the people who have found personal and professional success by using the Internet to bring their product, service or cause to the masses. Our second panel topic is the “Personal Finance Revolution” and features Andrew Kortina, Co-Founder of Venmo, Mark Armstrong, Director of Content for Bundle, and financial journalist Caroline Waxler. The panel is moderated by Kate Miltner. A networking hour will follow the the panel and feature complimentary wine and appetizers from the Four Seasons’ Garden Bar. Tickets are
$20 and are available at http://bit.ly/iisp2.

September 8-9, 2010, Minneapolis, MN: Event Camp Twin Cities is about inspiring event professionals to try new communication and collaboration paradigms at their events. Today?s attendees are more educated, more experienced and have more information at their fingertips than ever before. Event Camp Twin Cities will show you new ways to harness this new attendee power and transform that energy into new ideas and solutions that change business. Come to Event Camp and discover the collaborative community of event professionals that are leading the events industry into the world of Social Media. Save 15% using discount code mashable.

September 9-11 2010, Denver, CO: BlogPaws 2010 West is the only social media and blogging conference for the pet industry. Join us and more than 300 bloggers, pet-focused media and brands to learn, network and create change for pets in need. You?ll walk away from this exciting weekend with new ideas, a fresh perspective and a supportive network of new friends and partners to help you further your mission online. Whether you blog for business, fun or for a pet-related cause, the inspiring keynotes and action-oriented breakout sessions by pet industry and social media experts will provide you with the inspiration, guidance and tools you need to build and promote your online presence. Register with promo code MASHABLE for a 20% discount! Learn more and register here.

September 9-11, 2010, Atlanta, GA: The Modern Media Man Summit is the first blogging conference for men and dads and will feature many of the most influential social media experts in the country, including Charles J. Orlando, Dave Taylor, Liz Strauss, Carol Roth and Ted Murphy. Many speakers, including Jim Kukral and Ron Mattocks, are newly published authors and are focused on helping men and women bloggers prosper in the digital age. Thanks to M3?s Platinum Sponsor Chevrolet, baseball legend Cal Ripken, Jr. is throwing out the first pitch. Register with the promo code M3MASH and save 20 percent.

September 10, 2010, San Francisco, CA: Join San Francisco trendsetters, world travelers and social media fans to celebrate Trendy Lime’s first anniversary with the special edition of JETLAG! Over the past year, Trendy Lime, a social media-driven producer of upscale events, has been creating events to suit the most discerning tastes by mixing Fashion, Travel and New Media. Among JETLAG partners: Mashable, Vator.tv, Bub.bliciou.us, 360 Fashion Network, Mesaic and others. Register with the promo code JLMASH to receive a surprise present.

September 13-14, 2010, San Francisco, CA: APPNATION is the first global conference and exposition to focus exclusively on the burgeoning consumer applications marketplace. The event will cover social and mobile apps across all devices and platforms including social media platforms, smartphones, tablets, internet-enabled televisions and other emerging connected devices. Speakers include Adobe, Accel Partners, Getjar, The North Face, Marvel, Sequoia Partners, Smule, Time Inc., The Wall Street Journal and more.

September 13-14, 2010, Charlotte, NC: Social Media 4 Responders is the first hands-on social media conference specifically designed with responders in mind. Law enforcement; fire service, emergency management, public health, disaster and crisis aid, emergency medical services, public utilities and the list goes on! Seven hands-on workshops and four power packed sessions over two-days that will provide you with the knowledge & skill you need to get your organization engaged in the fastest growing means of communication in the world. Follow us on Twitter hashtag #sm4r. Use promo code Mashablesm4r to save 10% on your registration fee.

September 13-15, 2010, Silicon Valley, CA: DEMO is the premier launch event with a 20-year track record of successfully identifying and delivering the world?s most innovative new products and services to the market. Companies like: VM Ware, Palm, Skype, Google, EA, Microsoft, IBM, Nokia and Citrix have launched new products at DEMO. DEMO Fall 2010 will showcase the top B2B, B2C and vertical innovations coming to market?innovations on track to evolve or disrupt the markets they serve. Don?t miss the chance to experience first hand the latest technology game changers in social and media, health and life sciences, clean and sustainable technology, cloud and enterprise computing and more! Register for DEMO at http://www.demo.com/EDFPartner and save 25% off the current public price for DEMO.

September 14-16, 2010, Dallas, TX: BIA/Kelsey?s Directional Media Strategies 2010 takes place in a pivotal moment in Yellow Pages history. BIA/Kelsey?s latest global Yellow Pages forecast indicates digital will account for 39% of Yellow Pages revenues by 2014. The future revolves around how publishers can best serve the needs of small business advertisers ? with video, reputation management, mobile directories, social platforms, group buying, SEM/SEO and more. Join more than 400 senior execs from the global Yellow Pages community at DMS ?10, September 14-16 in Dallas. Register with the promo code DMSMASH and save $200!

September 14-16, 2010, San Francisco, CA: The social business event of the year, JiveWorld10, will bring together industry luminaries, customers, business executives and leading enterprise vendors to share social business thought leadership and provide a platform to network with peers. Jive CEO, Tony Zingale will keynote and unveil company news highlighting how to enable the social enterprise. JiveWorld10 includes 40 content-rich sessions featuring customer speakers from Alcatel-Lucent, Charles Schwab, CSC, EMC, Intel, Mattel, McAfee, MIT, Premier Farnell and SAP. These customers will share their experiences in adopting and implementing a successful social business strategy that has changed the way they engage with customers, employees and the social web. Register by August 27 to secure your discounted hotel room.

September 14, 2010, Lawrence KS: Social Media Marketing Boot Camp with Sarah Evans: Limited tickets will be available for this unique boot camp style event with 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, 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, tools and resources and plenty of opportunities for discussion and Q & A. Use the discount code MASHABLE to receive a 20% discount at registration.

September 15-16, 2010. Cologne, Germany: The dmexco is the leading European exposition for digital marketing & advertising. The exposition covers among others the theme areas online marketing, targeting, tracking, digital contents (moving images, audio advertising), social, mobile, performance marketing, affiliate, email marketing, search engine marketing and in-game advertising and offers agencies (media agencies, creative agencies, full-service agencies) a presentation platform. The dmexco is organised by the Koelnmesse, its industry partners are the BVDW (Federal Association of the Digital Industry) and the OVK (Online Marketers Circle).

September 15-16, 2010, Chicago, IL: Are you looking to quantify your social media efforts? Do you want to have constant customer engagement? If the answer is yes, join us at in Chicago at the Hotel Allegro for iStrategy 2010 to learn, network, share ideas, and understand how to build your online marketing strategy to its fullest potential. iStrategy 2010 Chicago brings together the cream of American leaders in social media marketing. iStrategy 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 and quote MashableCHI to receive a 10% discount

September 15-17, 2010, San Francisco, CA: GSMI presents the 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 microblogging and sustaining online communities, you leave with a refreshed vision to take your marketing plan to the next level for 2010 and beyond. Please use the code “MikeSM” for a discount.

September 15, 2010, New York, NY: Mobile Social Communications: Case Studies & Roundtables — Our Keynote Presenter will be Eric Friedman, Director of Client Services, Foursquare. Case studies by Tasti D-Lite LLC, Buzzd, Yelp, McDonald’s and others will showcase how real brands are achieving tangible business goals integrating mobile social strategies into their overall marketing and communications approach. The case studies will be followed by moderated interactive roundtables. Use the promo code MASH for a discounted rate ($155).

September 15, 2010, Los Angeles, CA: Announcing our 2nd annual Digital Media Pipeline conference which will offer the only industry event that has as its primary focus – the distribution pipeline that helps connect the world?s leading digital media content providers with the end user. Digital Media Pipeline offers an opportunity for digital retailers, Hollywood studios and aggregators, technology and service providers to share learnings and experiences in the business of retailing digital entertainment. Join us; register now and use the discount code MASH45 to receive $45 off.

September 15, 2010, Antwerp, Belgium: Out of Site proudly presents its very first Social Media and Google Optimization seminar. In two 60-minute sessions which take place in Out of Site headquarters in Antwerp (Belgium) you will gain more insight in the possibilities Social Media can offer your brand or company. Also an in-depth view of Google?s role in your sales process will add to your key-knowledge of web technologies available to us today. Regular fee is 35 euro a person, which includes an incentive gift, lunch and drinks. Mashable readers can save 15% by entering the discount code OOSMASH159.

September 16-17, 2010, Dallas, TX: This year?s 2nd Social Media Optimization Summits event, presented by Multifamilypro, brings together small to mid-sized business owners with an interest in putting social media to work successfully within their organizations. The event offers two full days of intensive, hands-on workshops from the intermediate to advanced level, led by top social media experts including Brian Solis of FutureWorks, Jason Falls of SocialMediaExplorer.com, Shama Kabani of The Marketing Zen Group and Shama.TV, Geno Church of Brains on Fire and more. The unique ?See it. Hear it. Do it.? approach allows attendees to learn by doing and begin applying newly-acquired skills and knowledge while the event is underway. Register now and save $125 at: http://optimizationsummits.com/. Use discount code Mashable.

September 16-17, San Diego, CA: The San Diego Music & Technology Conference brings people together to enjoy, advance and celebrate the convergence of electronic music and technology. Interactive panels led by industry experts and musicians will be open forums where attendees can collaborate, challenge themselves and walk away inspired. And come experience world-class artists and up-and-coming talent perform in beautiful, sunny San Diego. Register today and save 20% off the ticket price with the code: mashable.

September 17, 2010, San Francisco, CA: Social:Email is a one day conference that offers expert-led guidance on how to engage with customers via email and social media, including tips on how to maximize the impact of your campaigns, insights into new tools and services, how to monitor and measure the results, and trends to watch out for. This is the ultimate event for anyone interested in combining email with social media marketing. Speakers include Brian Solis, Kristin Hersant, Dan Martell, Chase McMichael, Luke Brynley-Jones and Murray Newlands. Register with code mashable to get a 10% discount.

September 17, 2010, Pittsburgh, PA: Join us for a morning of networking and discussion on topics pertaining to how social media affects how you do business in the Pittsburgh region. Lauren Lawley Head, editor of the Pittsburgh Business Times, will moderate the discussion. Some of the topic questions include “How have you used social media to increase your business?”, “What is the biggest change your business has seen due to social media?”, How do you measure the ROI of your social media efforts?”, and “How much time do you devote each week to social media?” Join the discussion of live tweets on Twitter by following the hashtag #pghbiztu. We’ll also be broadcasting live on Ustream. Seating is limited, so register today here!

September 18, 2010, Seattle, WA: Imagine the 200 smartest, most passionate and most influential entrepreneurs and business leaders gathered together to strengthen your business and ventures in Seattle. BizTechDay is an intensive one-day experience where you can meet, learn and be inspired by the most practical business ideas and technology strategies. Get fired up by stories, ideas and strategies from some of the most inspiring entrepreneurs. Speakers include Ben Huh, Founder of Cheezburger Network, the Chief People Officer of Zynga, the Founder of Biznik, as well as leaders from Squidoo, Theo Chocolate, Teachstreet, Wildfire App, Madrona Venture, Fox News and Hotel Max. Get your tickets at BizTechDay 2010. It is like Woodstock for Entrepreneurs. Use the promo code BTDMASHWA and save 20%!

September 20-24, Los Angeles, Bogotá, Buenos Aires, Mexico City, and Milan: Coming this September to a city near you is the second 2010 edition of Social Media Week, which will be held simultaneously in Los Angeles, Bogota, Buenos Aires, Mexico City, and Milan. Social Media Week is a co-curated, distributed conference featuring hundreds of free events taking place over the course of the week in interesting venues across each of the five cities. Topically framed around social media, events include panels, parties, product demos, meetups and more, put on by media, communication and technology companies around the globe. Social Media Week was held for the first time in February 2009 in New York City, and followed in February 2010 with an expansion to five more cities, adding London, Berlin, San Francisco, Toronto and São Paolo to the fold. The February 2010 event attracted more than 7,500 attendees across 200 events, nearly all of which were made available for free to attendees thanks to sponsorship from a number of global brands, including Meebo and PepsiCo. Learn more about the September 20-24 event at socialmediaweek.org.

socialmediaweek.org

September 21?22, 2010, London, UK: ad:tech London is the UK’s essential free to attend event for professionals seeking to stay ahead of the latest interactive media, advertising and marketing trends. The event unites advertisers, media owners and agencies to harness the power of digital and deliver real marketing ROI. Alongside the exhibition, there is also a conference featuring 100+ international speakers for serious digital innovators and marketers. Mashable readers can take 20% off their conference ticket price ? call John Corrick on + 44 (0) 203 180 6595 and quote Mash10. Register online now at www.ad-techlondon.co.uk.

September 21-22, 2010, Los Angeles, CA: PPC Summit Presents: Search and Social Media Success. This September, PPC Summit is launching its new conference, a comprehensive look at Search and Social Media marketing. The conference features 27 ALL NEW expert-led classes through three in-depth tracks. You?ll learn the latest techniques for leveraging search engine marketing, search engine optimization, pay per click and social media marketing. Learn actionable campaign techniques and tactics to maximize your campaign results.

September 21, 2010, London, UK: Join us at this topical event to ensure that you are fully aware of all the legal and regulatory requirements surrounding data protection, as well as to hear how other organizations are handling these challenges. Speakers include Rosa Barcelo, Senior Legal Adviser to the EUROPEAN DATA PROTECTION SUPERVISOR, and Martin Hoskins of everything everywhere (the company that manage T-Mobile and Orange), who will discuss the lessons learnt from T-Mobile?s data breach experience. Plus, don’t miss out on our post-conference workshop on Cloud Computing. Mashable readers save 10% with the following code: KW8112MASH. For more info or to register, go to http://www.ibclegal.com/dataprotectionmash.

September 21, 2010, Chicago, IL: The New Marketing Labs team will be invading Chicago to hold our New Marketing Experience event. Imagine a world where you can take your One Big Idea and tap over 100 other participating conference attendees and experts and each of their One Big Ideas. All of this in a structured, fast-paced and highly interactive one-day program under the direction of Chris Brogan, Justin Levy and the team from New Marketing Labs. New Marketing Experience is that world. Through six key discussion sessions this program will help you analyze and draw the best of what you need form these Big Ideas. For more information, visit us at: http://nmlevents.com. Use the code “MASH50” for a 50% off discount.

September 21, 2010, New York, NY: NY Games Conference — A Day of Power Networking with Leaders in the Exploding Games and Connected Entertainment Industries! NY Games features a lively and fun debate on timely cutting-edge business topics and demos, as well unrivaled access to some of the most progressive companies in Hollywood, Silicon Valley and beyond. We invite you to join us at the event and take part in the discussion with executives, creators, investors, analysts, press and gamers who will be instrumental in shaping the future of this booming business. Mashable readers can receive 10% off registration with promo code MASH10.

September 22-23, 2010, Santa Clara, CA: The Toy, Game and Technology Summit, in Santa Clara, CA is a one-of-a-kind summit that brings together leaders from the toy, video game and technology industries for in-depth discussion, cross-industry networking and the opportunity to generate new business. Capitalize on crossover business opportunities. Gain insight into toy, game and technology design issues, marketing strategies, exclusive market research and the latest trend forecasts. Toy, Game and Technology Summit is co-located with the Virtual Goods Conference. One registration gets you into both events for unparalleled networking and knowledge. Register with promo code MASHVIP and save 15%.

September 22-23, 2010, Singapore, Asia: At Social Media World Forum Asia, become educated, discover, engage, network, share and collaborate in the world of social media. Ideal for those looking to embrace the latest in brand engagement, monitoring, ROI, advertising and building communities. learn from social networks, brands, advertisers and analysts. Mention you are a Mashable reader to receive a 15% discount.

September 22-23, 2010, Chicago, IL: As we fight our way through a tough economy, “change” is the biggest word in business. Anyone who wants their organization to thrive knows that making change happen is better than watching it happen, and that “new ideas,” “fresh thinking” and “continuous innovation” have to be more than buzzwords. When IBM?s Institute for Business Value recently asked 1,500 chief executives to name the most important leadership competency for the successful enterprise of the future, the number one answer was “creativity” — and creativity is why the Cusp Conference exists. A supercollider for creative thought, Cusp 2010 will feature designers of change like TED founder Richard Saul Wurman, social activist Tim Will, education innovator Diana Rhoten, “doctor of the future” Jay Parkinson and many more. Creativity is contagious. Register with the promo code MASHC and save 10%.

September 22, 2010, Santa Monica, CA: Join us for an evening of fun mingling with other startups, VCs, entrepreneurs, and technology enthusiasts, as we host our first Startup Demo event in Los Angeles. StartupDemo is an informal social gathering of tech companies and people, companies showcasing their new ideas and attendees sharing their feedback. This event is FREE for all attendees. For more information, please visit www.startupdemo.com and/or register here.

September 22, 2010, Toronto, ON (Canada): Social Media Bootcamp: history | strategy | tactics is a perfect introduction to social media for your business or organization, this full-day workshop and seminar will investigate how to use Facebook, Twitter and YouTube and how to use them successfully. Besides providing a foundation on the origins of the web, we’ll cover the latest and most important trends and dive deep into where this is all going. We’ll cover emerging technologies and look how this will shape our future. Attendees will leave the workshop with an integrated, and more holistic view of how the web is changing and how their businesses and organizations can harness their potential for building relationships online. This knowledge will be used to reach a wider audience and improve community engagement. Register now and save an additional 10% with discount code mashable.

September 23-25, 2010, Richmond, CA: Are you a community leader, organizer, marketing executive, CEO, Executive Director, or media maker? Join us at theCOREconference where community and technology leaders convene to exchange ideas, practices & strategies. Learn how to build, engage, lead, communicate and collaborate with your people from dynamic practitioners across many fields. Grow your social endeavors and understand the economy and ecology of communities. Subjects explored include: collective intelligence, crowd sourcing, alternative currencies, movement building, multi-stakeholder collaborations and the economics of community. Save $50 off with the promo code MASH at http://thecoreconference.com.

September 23, 2010, Atlanta, GA: Lift: The B2B Social Commerce Summit is a ?must attend? event for marketers, senior management and business owners looking to apply real-world social tactics that drive sales lift to their business. Co-hosted by Wharton Interactive, OfficeArrow and Social Strategy1, and bringing together the brightest minds in the B2B space, this 2nd annual 1-day information-packed all-inclusive event delivers educational workshops on how to monetize social media, how to quickly generate quality leads, and how to translate social data into measurable conversions. Use promo code MASH2010 and save 10% off $199 admission or $159 early-bird through 8/16.

September 23, 2010, San Francisco, CA: Mediabistro’s Think Mobile conference explores the broadening mobile ecosystem, the application marketplace and the innovation that drives the industry. Hear from visionaries that reinvented businesses by innovating with unique mobile offerings and gain an understanding of key mobile metrics. Speakers include Starbucks CIO Stephen Gillett, Microsoft Sr. Product Manager Anand Iyer, NPD Group Executive Director Ross Rubin, Evernote CEO Phil Libin and more. Register with promo code MASH and save 15%!

September 24-26, 2010, Asheville, NC: Type-A Mom Conference provides bloggers and companies with a chance to network, learn and take it to the next level. The conference will feature some of the most insightful people in social media talking about topics like finding your voice, how businesses can engage bloggers, and turning your passion for blogging into a paycheck. New this year is Dad Track, Type-A Mom Business and Tribes, small group power sessions for blog niches. The popular Blogger Town Hall Meeting and Kid Con will be back this year. Register with the promo code MASHABLE to save 25%.

September 24, 2010, New York, NY: Imagine 400 of the smartest, most passionate and most influential entrepreneurs and business leaders gathered together to strengthen your business and ventures in New York. BizTechDay, an intensive one-day conference where you meet, learn and be inspired by the most practical business ideas and technology strategies. Get fired up by stories, ideas and strategies from some of the most inspiring entrepreneurs. Speakers include: Seth Godin, Clay Shirky, Founder of Meetup, Help a Reporter Out, Profounder, Gymboree, Ofoto, Dan Schawbel and Fox News. Get your tickets at BizTechDay 2010. It is like Woodstock for Entrepreneurs. Use promo code BTDMASHNY and save 20%.

September 24, 2010, San Francisco, CA: Mediabistro and Charles Hudson’s Smartphone Games Summit is a one-day conference about emerging trends in the mobile gaming industry. As new developments emerge such as the iPhone Game Center, is it game over for a number of gaming companies, or does it open an even larger opportunity? How do new technologies like the iPad change the game? The conference will bring together leading developers, investors and executives from around the globe to share their collective wisdom on what’s working today and where this exciting industry is heading. Register with promo code MASH and save 15%!

Sep 24, 2010, Mumbai, India: Digital Content and Social Media define the new marketing mantra of the future world, and they go to the heart of Corporate Strategy. Are you in yet? Attend the Digital Media Conclave – the most relevant and cutting-edge conference brought to you by CellStrat, India’s leading Mobile and Digital Media Strategy Consulting firm. Listen to top-notch digital and social media innovators from leading companies across India as well as corporate case studies in the digital media domain undertaken by India’s foremost Digital Marketing experts. Mashable readers will receive a 10% discount upon registration at the event.

September 24, 2010, San Francisco, CA: TEDxSoMa seeks bring the TED experience to a local level, bringing together innovative ideas andconcepts through TEDtalks and inspiring speakers. TEDxSoMa is organized by members of the pariSoma Innovation Loft and other volunteers whose core beliefs are community, collaboration, innovation, openness, and sustainability. Join us in person or by watching the live stream on the day of the event. Learn more and register at www.tedxsoma.com.

September 25, 2010, Atlanta, GA: Produced by Harvard University?s Berkman Center for Internet & Society & Kennesaw State University?s Center for Sustainable Journalism, Media Law in the Digital Age ? The Rules Have Changed, Have You? provides an overview of the new legal landscape, case studies, cautionary tales and how to make the laws work for you. In a one day conference held at Kennesaw State University, learn what Lawyers, Journalists, Educators, Citizen Media Producers, Communications Directors, Academics and Publishers big and small need to know now. Panelists include the Nation?s top Media Law Attorneys, Scholars and Journalists. Register with promo code MASH and save 20%.

September 27-28, 2010, Chicago, IL: midVenturesLAUNCH is the largest startup and innovation conference in the Midwest. Showcasing new startup companies in web, mobile, consumer products, sustainability and greentech, we?re bringing together 150+ new companies in three tracks: COMPETE, a startup competition with over $100,000 in cash and prizes; mVDEMO, an area for early-stage startups to gain exposure; and LAUNCH, where later-stage VC- or angel-backed startups and established brands will launch new, innovative products and services from 2010 on our main stage. Featuring key panelists and speakers from the top of the industry, midVenturesLAUNCH is the conference for technology innovators, offering a unique opportunity to seek funding, meet entrepreneurs, investors, developers, designers and leaders, and watch new ideas come to life. All in one space. Visit wwww.midventureslaunch.com for more info.

September 27-28, 2010, Minneapolis, MN: Get your ticket today for the ninth annual MIMA Summit, the premier interactive marketing conference in the Midwest. We?re offering summit attendees more session speakers than any year before, a whole new line of intensive workshops, and featuring author and high-energy businessman Gary Vaynerchuk and comedian, author, and vigilante pundit Baratunde Thurston keynoting the event. The MIMA Summit 2010 will offer more than 1,000+ attendees a dynamic range of educational content?from interactive, media, brand and technical strategies, to design, content strategy, the neuro-science of marketing, open-source CMS, and even social media. Early bird pricing is available until September 3rd at www.mimasummit.org.

September 27-29, 2010, Dallas, TX: After 15 years, the Web has lost its “new media” moniker to a new disruptor: mobile. The action is clearly local. Local mobile advertising is forecast to take an even sharper hockey-stick trajectory than the local Web, going from a few hundred million in 2009 to $14 billion in less than five years. Join Borrell Associates for its Local Mobile Advertising Conference to identify what’s working today for local advertisers, what’s likely to work tomorrow, and how to get there. The conference is designed for executives selling mobile-related advertising at the local level. Use promo code MASH100 and save $100!

September 27-30, 2010, New York, NY: Web 2.0 Expo New York assembles top tech influencers for four days of intense talks, workshops, discussions, and networking events. This year, Web 2.0 Expo New York focuses on Platforms for Growth, diving into the platform opportunities for the whole web ecosystem. We?ll highlight the important challenges faced by the industry’s key players, and help you pick the winning platforms for growth in a web-fueled world. Connect with other designers, developers, entrepreneurs, marketers, business strategists, and investors at one of the most vibrant events of the year. Use discount code webny10bd14 when you register to save 25%.

September 27, 2010, Miami, FL: Calling all Affiliates, Merchants, Advertisers and Social Media Strategists looking to CONNECT to the right people, LEARN from the experts, increasing their EARNING potential and GROW their business! The Performance Marketing Expo is the premier event for best-in-class educational sessions (become an expert at Landing Page Optimization, Search, Social Media Strategies and Relationship Management), highly effective facilitated networking (in the Tune-Up Shop, Idea Factory, Masters of the Universe Roundtable sessions) and access to the leading Super Affiliates (Stephanie Nelson, Coupon Mom ? Zac Johnson, MoneyReign, – Todd Martini, Alex’s Coupons ? plus, eCoupons, MarketAmerica, TrialPay, Parent Media and more). Save 15% when using code PME2010MASH at www.iirusa.com/performancemarketingexpo.

September 28-30 2010, London, UK: IIR?s Mobile Broadband World is an absolute must for all those involved in the MBB ecosystem, including Mobile Operators, Content Developers, Financial Investors, Press and Media, Consultants, Technology Partners, Handset Developers and more. To claim your 10% discount courtesy of Mashable, please quote I2GS2MASH when registering.

September 28-30, 2010, Hamburg, Germany: Facebook, Twitter & Co are now part of good corporate communication and marketing. They dominate all channels of interaction. To find out how to optimize your business and marketing activities by using these instruments is this year`s topic of the annual Community & Marketing 2.0 Summit in Hamburg. Within two parallel tracks 36 experts from different companies share their experiences and best practices in the fields of community management and marketing 2.0. Register with promo code CMSMASH and save 10%.

September 28, 2010, San Francisco, CA: Want to learn how to leverage technology as a tool to GROW your business? Want to attend the Small Business Technology Tour? The tour is for business owners, entrepreneurs and business professionals who want to have FUN, NETWORK and LEARN. Whether you know nothing about technology or know a lot, the Small Business Technology Tour is for you. Bring a friend! The first 10 attendees who register with discount code MASHABLE – get a complimentary ticket. Use discount code MASHABLEDISCOUNT to get 50% off!

Sept 28, 2010, Brisbane, Australia: Come to Bluewire Media?s E-mail Marketing Secrets event and learn how to use email marketing to its full potential. Discover the dos and donts of growing your database, getting the basics right, nailing your newsletter content, calculating your ROI and be amazed by some of the biggest email marketing blunders! Bring your most pressing questions for our guest panel of email marketing professionals ? Evan Fortune (Vision 6), David Smerdon (Clemenger), Adam Franklin (Bluewire Media) & MC?d by Toby Jenkins (Bluewire Media). Tickets $50. Early birds $40. Register with the promo code MASHABLE to get $10 off your ticket price!

September 28, 2010, London, UK: Brands are frequently companies’ most valuable asset. The threats to this valuable asset are increasingly coming through online channels. This event will provide practical solutions and risk mitigation strategies for brand owners to combat these critical risks. Join experts from companies including Abercrombie and Vodafone to benefit from the practical advice and guidance they can provide. Not only will they share their own experience of preventing brand abuse, but will explain how they derive real ROI from their brand protection activities. Mashable readers save 10% on the event with the code KW8079MASH. For more info or to register, please go to http://www.ibclegal.com/obpmash.

September 28, 2010, London, UK: The first ever Mobile and Video in Recruitment Conference has been designed to help recruiters get the most from using mobile and video in Recruitment. This unique conference will include speakers from some of the largest and well-known blue chip companies (including YouTube) who are leading players in mobile and online video. The conference will also include case studies and discussion panels and is aimed at forward-thinking recruiters who want to gain a competitive advantage. Save 15% with the discount code MASHABLE.

September 28, 2010, New York, NY: Discover how to best use online media to target the mature consumer and make your brand stand out among the high school demographic. Delve deep into the minds of both consumer groups during our live consumer panels. Led by Ken Colen of Colen Research, these panels will discuss music discovery and purchasing behavior, social media usage and music gifting. Also slated for the agenda are research and best marketing practices presentations offering fresh perspectives, facts and figures. Event speakers include Lori Bitter, President of ContinuumCrew; Scott Hess, VP of Insights for TRU; Scott Jones CEO/Founder of ChaCha; Ron Roy, Partner at Wines That Rock; Joseph Vella, President & Founder of Vella Interactive and boomitude.com; and Tina Wells, CEO of Buzz Marketing Group. For presentation descriptions, pricing and registration information, visit knowyourconsumer.eventbrite.com. Use the promo code Mashable100 to receive $100 off the non-memberr ticket price.

September 29-30, 2010, Singapore: The Customer Show Asia 2010 is providing a unique platform that links loyalty and experience strategies with the latest technological tools and media. This conference will gather the world?s largest brands, major stakeholders and leading solution providers in the customer care industry to learn, network, establish partnerships and seal profitable business opportunities. For more information, please visit website at http://www.terrapinn.com/2010/customerasia/index.stm. Register with promo code CSAMAS01 and enjoy 10% discounts.

September 29-30, 2010, New York, NY: The Location-Based Marketing Summit in New York City, is the leading event for Fortune 1000 companies seeking to maximize marketing, commerce and business strategies using location-based services. Attendees receive valuable industry insight that can be immediately utilized in developing a location-based strategy. We give you an inside look at the location based marketing activities of major brands. Hear from companies who’ve made the journey and learn from their experiments and activities. We cut through the hype and separate buzz from success. Register with promo code MASHVIP to save an extra $100 off registration. The full schedule and speakers list can be found here.

September 29-30, Denver, CO: 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 will be in a different city each week, so please check our listings to see when we will be in your area!

September 29, 2010, London, UK: At a time when organisations are having to cut their budgets for training, marketing and communications, we recognise that having the right skills in-house are more important than ever. With this in mind, sounddelivery are proud to announce The Social Media Exchange Express. During this one-day event, you?ll have the opportunity to attend four workshops of your choice. From podcasting and video production, to AudioBoo and social media management, you will get hands-on and learn the skills you need to improve your organisation?s online presence and increase your confidence in the use of social media, all in bite-size, one-hour chunks.

September 30-October 1, 2010, Lake Tahoe, NV: Tahoe Tech Talk is NOT just about assembling an outstanding lineup of speakers (though we’ve done that, including Digg founder Kevin Rose, Twitter adviser / investor Chris Sacca, and former Facebook strategist Dave Morin). It’s about creating an opportunity for true discussion. Each speaker will return to the stage for a massive interactive session, taking questions from the audience about the technology sphere in 2010 and beyond. Conference registration includes a complimentary night’s stay at Harrah’s Lake Tahoe Resort and Casino… all for just $399! Space is extremely limited, so reserve your spot today! For more details, visit www.tahoetechtalkconf.com.

September 30-October 1, 2010, Málaga, Spain: From the organizers of SearchCongress, a new and professional online marketing event, WebCongress, featuring two days of conferences, workshops and networking, will take place at the Palacio de Ferias y Congresos de Málaga. The event offers a wide range of sessions providing you a complete training in social media, developer, hosting and domains, web design, search and marketing online. Come and share with Google, SEMPO, W3C, Sedo, InternetX and the most impressive experts specializing in SEO, SEM, web analytics, accessibility, usability and social media. For more information, please visit www.wcongress.com/malaga.

September 30, 2010, New York, NY: DigitalFlashNYC Productions, in conjunction with Popular Science magazine, presents POPSCI LIVE, a one of a kind digital tech event. For the first time in New York, the future of consumer electronics?from phones and cameras to next-gen 3-D televisions?will be in your hands. Popular Science Deputy Editor Jake Ward will be on hand to discuss these amazing devices in an interactive Q&A about the future of electronics, and what they mean for the future of media. As part of Advertising Week, this event will be the only place that will be providing an interactive forum for you to hold the gadgets you?ve always wanted to understand, and to ask tough questions about where it?s all headed. There’s also a special discount for the Mashable community – enter coupon code DFNYMASH at checkout for a 15% discount off your ticket. Go to www.digitalflashnyc.com to register.

September 30, 2010, San Francisco, CA: Vator, a leading platform for innovators and entrepreneurs to connect and learn from one another, is holding its third Splash competition to find 10 promising early-stage startups to present at the Vator Splash event on Sept 30, Thursday. Enter the competition today and join other onstage presenters, such as Groupon founder and CEO Andrew Mason, Twitter COO Dick Costolo, Eventbrite founder and CEO Kevin Hartz, and VCs from First Round, FirstMark, Charles River, Felicis Ventures, Javelin Venture Partners, Khosla Ventures, Mayfield, Norwest and many more. Buy your 20% discount ticket here using the code MashableSplash.

September 30, 2010, New York, NY: More than ever, ad operations is integral to online advertising. AdMonsters introduces OPS, a forum for the growing Ad Ops community, and invites everyone to join us and dig in. OPS will deliver a deep understanding of the critical technologies, tools, methods and practices that will enable you to turn online ad operations into a source of greater profit. In true AdMonsters fashion, this one day event will focus on what is actionable today that will lead to long term success. Speaking companies include The Wall Street Journal, Turner Broadcasting, The Weather Channel, MTV, NBC, Havas Digital, Universal McCann and more. See the event page for more details and register today.

September 30, 2010, London, UK: Bringing together collective thoughts on Social Media for 2011. We know its going to be much more than an introduction to Social, we?re looking forward into the bigger picture about how we communicate within the platforms and how we measure and integrate Social Media into our strategies. We?re bringing together some of the leading authorities in Social Media, from app developers to word of mouth evangelists to discuss where and how the industry is evolving! – ?A forward thinking social media conference?. For more information, please visit http://www.social-collective.com. Mashable readers can receive 25% off ticket prices at registration with promo code MASH25

September 30, 2010, London, UK: Get the latest on the attempts to increase regulation surrounding the moderation of UGC. What qualifies as illegal and inappropriate content and how should it be dealt with? This year Luisa Edwards, Head of Commercial, Google Legal EMEA, will share with you her expertise on the interactive online environment, based on experience managing the legal challenges facing Youtube. Plus attend the workshop Social Networking and the Law: Challenges, Risk & Opportunities; a fully interactive guide on protecting your organisation and maximising on the opportunities that social networking presents. Mashable readers save 10% on the event with this code: KW8094MASH. For more info or to register, go to http://www.ibclegal.com/ugcmash.

September 30, 2010, London, UK: Brightlemon Drupal Training ? Drupal Development with Views and CCK: Drupal is a powerful CMS solution on its own – but the add-on modules of Views and CCK take that flexibility to a whole new level. This day is dedicated to turning you into an expert of how to integrate the two modules to get a lot done quickly. Buy tickets here.

October 1-2, 2010, New York, NY: The Open Video Conference (OVC) is a multi-day summit of thought leaders in business, academia, art and activism to explore the future of video on the web. Join us October 1-2 for two days of learning and inspiration, and stick around for the OVC hack labs, presented in partnership with NYU ITP.

October 1, 2010, New York, NY: Produced by Mediabistro and Social Times, the third annual Social Ad Summit explores best practices for social media marketing and advertising. The rapid growth of social media is providing marketers with larger reach, stronger customer relationships and increased relevance. At this showcase of recent case studies from agencies and brands, you?ll see firsthand what is working and learn how to implement a successful strategy for your organization or client. Social networks, publishers, ad agencies, marketers, PR agencies, service providers delivering social advertising and anyone else interested in the latest trends in social media marketing will unite at Social Ad Summit. Speakers include Organic SVP Steve Beck, Turner Sports VP of Marketing Jeff Mirman, Skimlinks Co-founder and CEO Alicia Navarro, and more. Register with promo code MASH and save 15%!

October 1, 2010, London, UK: Brightlemon Drupal Training ? Drupal e-commerce solutions with Ubercart (London): The course will introduce you to the world of e-commerce Drupal style and show what a powerful and flexible suite of solutions is available. We will build a shop from scratch and through the process explore the various modules and techniques that are required. The main focus is around the Ubercart set of modules. Buy tickets here.

October 2-3, Vancouver, BC, Canada: The Pacific Northwest Drupal Summit is an annual conference to unite and improve the Drupal Community in the Pacific Northwest region. This year’s Drupal Summit is being organized by volunteers from the Surrey, Vancouver and Victoria Drupal User Groups. The camp will feature both scheduled sessions and “unconference” content on both days. Sessions are proposed by community volunteers and programming decisions will be made based on the interests and Drupal experience level of the attendees. In addition to the scheduled sessions, the camp will feature space for community gatherings, Birds of a Feather (BoF) sessions, hands-on training and more!

October 2-3, 2010, Philadelphia, PA: PodCamp Philly 2010 is targeted to audio and video podcasters, bloggers, social media enthusiasts, professionals and hobbyists, musicians, marketers, and people who generally want to understand more about the new media space. The power of an unConference is you get open access to ideas, thoughts, best practices, and the true ?wisdom of crowds? simply by registering and attending. Find out more at http://www.podcampphilly.com, or sign up at http://podcampphilly2010.eventbrite.com.

October 3, 2010, Victoria, British Columbia: Come to Canada’s most beautiful city, and the first city in the world to proclaim Mashable’s Social Media Day! Whether you are an avid Facebook user, interested in learning about Twitter, or you?re trying to grow your business by leveraging social media tools ? there is something for everyone at this event! Social Media Camp is a one-day event featuring interesting and knowledgeable speakers from around British Columbia, and across North America! Register with promo code SMCV10 and save 15%!

October 4-6, 2010, New York, NY: At Search Marketing Expo ? SMX East, you?ll learn to maximize ROI from paid search advertising, optimize your website content for superior organic search results, expand your skills with local and mobile advertising expertise, master social media marketing on Twitter, Facebook and other SMM networks, boost conversions? and increase sales. Use code ?smx100mashable? and save $100 off your registration. For more info visit http://www.smxeast.com.

October 4-7, 2010, Atlanta, GA: FutureMedia Fest 2010 ? Explore new paradigms in how Content is Created, Distributed and Consumed with FutureMedia at Georgia Tech. Join our mash-up of talent, ideas, trends and technology. Hear directly from top industry execs and visionaries. Talk with investors. Meet interactive marketing experts. Network with potential partners. Experiment real-time with open innovation. Industry leaders, academics, entrepreneurs and VC?s will inspire and challenge attendees with provocative panel discussions, facilitated small discussion groups and hands-on demos of next generation technology. Register today at futuremediaglobal.com and use the code FutureMedia 2010.

October 4-8, 2010, Boston, MA: FutureMis the first ever week-long, collaborative, multi-location conference in Boston offering participants the opportunity to tap into the freshest thinkers in marketing, media and technology. Leading innovators will come together to share and explore how the newest technologies and insights are changing the way marketers think, create, engage and measure.

October 5-8 2010, Austin, TX: The Game Developers Conference® Online, formerly GDC Austin, is designed for online and connected game developers creating social network games, free-to-play titles, large scale MMOs, and all types of social games. GDC Online focuses on emerging topics in connected game development including microtransactions, the casualization of MMOs, and new distribution models and is ideal for online gameservice providers, tool vendors, and emerging game technology pioneers. Join industry trailblazers from Bigpoint, Disney, Playdom, Tencent, Relic, Zynga and more to discuss best practices and provide insight on the future of online games. Register with code GDCMASH and save 15% off conference passes. Learn more about GDC Online and start the registration process at www.gdconline.com.

October 5-6, 2010, Prague: EyeforTravel?s Online Marketing & Social Media in Travel Summit brings together top travel brands to share key insights on how to maximize the impact of your online marketing and social media initiatives. The 2 days are packed full of case studies, presentations and networking opportunities. Speakers hail from across Europe and include Lufthansa, Lonely Planet, Expedia, TripAdvisor, P&O Cruises and many more. Use the code MASHABLE to claim your ?100 discount on the price to attend.

October 5-6, 2010, London, UK: Are you looking to quantify your social media efforts? Do you want to have constant customer engagement? If the answer is yes, join us at in London at the Millennium Gloucester Hotel for iStrategy 2010 to learn, network, share ideas, and understand how to build your online marketing strategy to its fullest potential. iStrategy 2010 London brings together Europe?s leaders in social media marketing. iStrategy 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 and Quote MashableLON to receive a 10% discount.

October 6-7, 2010, Boston, MA: The Inbound Marketing Summit is where the online marketing community gathers to solve today’s marketing and business communications challenges. This event features the brightest minds in the business, including world-renowned authors and practitioners, as well as leaders from some of the companies already using the new tools and strategies. This fast-paced and information-packed event is your check-up on your existing business communications strategies and your prescription for the coming months. On October 6 and 7 join Chris Brogan, Justin Levy and the entire New Marketing Labs team along with hundreds of marketers like yourself and 60+ speakers and sponsors at Gillette Stadium for two days of fast-paced, highly interactive, actionable content. For more information, visit us at: Inbound Marketing Summit. Use the code “MASH50” for a 50% discount.

October 6-7, 2010, Novotel Clarke Quay, Singapore: The Mobile Social Networking Conference is hailed as the event for all major players within the mobile social networking and telecommunications industry to explore topics ranging from product innovation, revenue management, pricing strategy, and consumer trends. Conference presentations include case studies, discussion panels, and presentations by industry leaders, professionals and regulators. Register with the promo code M1 for a 10% discount.

October 6-7, 2010, Los Angeles, CA: Digital Music Forum West: Over 300 of the most influential decision-makers in the music industry gather in Los Angeles each year for this incredible two-day dealmakers’ forum to network, do deals and share ideas about the business. Digital Music Forum West -? now in its fifth year ?- features a lively and fun debate on timely cutting-edge business topics and demos, as well as unrivaled access to some of the most progressive companies in Hollywood, Silicon Valley and beyond. Mashable readers can receive 10% off registration with promo code MASH10.

October 6, 2010, San Francisco, CA: As the patient moves to the center of healthcare delivery, innovative personal health technologies empower the consumer with a wealth of data and information. This new consumer is responding by changing their behaviors and taking ownership over their own health outcomes. VITAL brings together all the key stakeholders shaping this revolution to evaluate consumer preferences, and the impact consumer health technologies have on health outcomes to meet the needs of an empowered digital health consumer. Visit www.iirusa.com/vital/vital.xml for more program information. Please use the promo code XP1554MASH when registering.

October 6, 2010, New York, NY: AdWeb 3.0 is an exclusive event taking place at the Cornell Club in New York City focusing upon the latest in business models, solutions and technologies in the digital advertising business in of data, platforms and monetization from the perspectives of buyers and sellers. Registration is open and available at the discount rate of $495. For more information on registration, and a full roster of speakers and sponsors, visit adweb30.com.

October 6, 2010, Seattle, WA: The International Search Summit is coming to the US for the first time and will be held alongside Localization World at the Bell Harbour Conference Center. As with the European events, the Summit will focus on international and multilingual search marketing topics and offer delegates insight and advice on how to effectively develop and manage international online campaigns. Speakers at the event will include Eugene Lomize from Russian search engine Yandex, Greg Jarboe of SEO-PR, Andy Atkins-Krüger from WebCertain, John Yunker of Byte Level Research and Anne Kennedy from Beyond Ink. Topics covered will include International Video Optimization, Twittering in Tongues, International Link Building and Geolocation. The summit is a must for any marketer targeting multiple markets and/or languages online. Register now with the coupon code MASH20 to receive 20% discount.

October 7-8, San Francisco, CA: Every year we bring you our biggest and brightest conference in the Fall in our beautiful hometown of San Francisco. Health 2.0 always features the most comprehensive line-up of technology innovators, as well as leaders in health care, government and finance, and unveils the best new health care technology startups at Launch! You won?t want to miss the Fourth Annual Health 2.0 Conference. With nearly a hundred speakers and plenty of new healthcare demos and technologies on display on stage and in the exhibit hall, you?ll get a sweeping overview of the ways that information technology and the web are changing healthcare.

October 7-8, 2010, Las Vegas, NV: Over 100 venture capital and angel investors will review and select the top pitches to speak at the PerfectBusiness Summit 2010 in Las Vegas. Some of this year’s speakers and attendees include John Paul DeJoria (founder of Paul Mitchell & Patron Tequila), Gavin Maloof (owner of the Palms Casino & NBA’s Sacramento King, Tony Hsieh (CEO of Zappos.com), plus 60 other speakers and over 2,000 attendees. For more information, go to www.PerfectBusiness.com/DISCOUNT20 and receive $20 off tickets

October 7, 2010, New York, NY: Please join Google, Cisco and Wikimedia on Thursday, October 7th, as we discuss issues that even the savviest of brands face today ? hosted by WOMMA?s Brands Council. The Brands Council is a learning community where marketers from Brands and Non-Profits share best practice advice on how to use Word of Mouth and Social Media marketing more effectively. Register before September 24 and save more than 10% off the full ticket price. Use code WOMMATalkMASH. http://womma.org/events/october-7-talkable-brands-exchange/

Oct. 7, 2010, Cheyenne, WY: Last year’s inaugural event was so great, we’re bringing SocialWyo back. And SocialWyo 2.0 will be free! Build on your knowledge of social media for small business and other applications while learning a bit more about keeping your online life in balance with your offline life with Boulder, Colo.’’s Gwen Bell. The only statewide social media conference in Wyoming will be at Laramie County Community College, and once again is sponsored by LCCC and the LCCC Entrepreneurial Program. Space is limited, so register soon at socialwyo.com.

October 7, 2010, New York, NY: The Great Leaders Conference is an invitation-only annual event for C-Suite and senior executives. The goal of the conference is to examine the Changing Culture of Leadership in a Web 2.0 world. The GLC will honor Great Leaders in Corporate Social Responsibility, Social Advocacy, Sustainability and Innovation. Keynote Speakers include Tony Hsieh, CEO Zappos, Wyclef Jean, Founder Yele Haiti, Jeffrey Swartz, CEO Timberland, Stephen McDonnell, CEO Applegate Farms and more. Register by September 3 for best price: $999! Learn more and register at greatleadersconference.com.

October 8-10, 2010, Miami, FL: The Blogalicious Weekend conferences are aimed at celebrating the diversity of women of all ethnicities in social media. Over the course of 3 event-filled days, savvy, influential and talented bloggers will ignite a sense of unity within the multicultural blogging community as well as educate marketers on the importance of our demographic in today?s marketplace, all while networking, building relationships, and promoting inspiration and success for each other. Imagine a getaway that combines all of the things that you love about blogging with the added element of face-to-face interactions and the intimacy of ?IRL? relationships. At Blogalicious 2010, You?ll laugh, you?ll learn, you?ll let your hair down. It will be just like blogging?only better! Register with the promo code MASHABLE10 and save 5%

October 8-10, 2010, Philadelphia, PA: Experience 24 hours of training in iPhone/iPad Development covering basic to advanced features. It is an established certificate training program that trained over 400 iPhone developers since 2008. Matt Campbell, author of “How to Make an IPhone App? for AppMastery Press, will serve as the instructor. Developers will be able to develop an app after the training. For limited time, a 10% discount off the discounted early bird rate – a $400 savings is offered on the registration page using the discount code mashable.

October 9-14, 2010, San Francisco, CA: Unlike other conferences out there, DMA2010 is the only Global ROI Marketing Event, focusing on direct and digital marketing integration across all channels! Learn from 300+ experts from brands like Pepsi, LG, HP and Twitter. Network with 10,000 practitioners from 50+ countries giving youaccess to broad and fresh marketing insights. and, create new partnerships with any of 400+ vendors in the comprehensive Exhibit Hall to learn how to merge direct and digital to maximize your ROI! Register and save an additional $250 with the discount code AN500.

October 10-13, 2010, Cincinnati, OH: The HighEdWeb Conference is nationally recognized as the conference designed by and for all higher education Web professionals — from programmers to marketers to designers to all team members in-between — who want to explore the unique Web issues facing colleges and universities. With more than 60 presentations; a robust poster session; daily general session addresses; pre-and post-conference intensive, hands-on workshops; and multiple high-quality networking opportunities, HighEdWeb attendees receive a high-quality professional development experience packed into just a few days. Register by August 31, 2010 and save $125!

October 12-13, 2010, London, UK: a4uexpo is Europe’s largest Performance Marketing Conference with over 1,000 delegates, 48 diverse conference sessions, an all inclusive middle evening party, a pre and post event networking bash, and a buzzing expo hall all being shared with the leading entrepreneurs and players within the dynamic £10bn Affiliate & Performance Marketing industry. A4uexpo London focuses on quality, knowledge transfer and unparalleled networking opportunities with delegates from around the world, whether you’re a new or established affiliate, agency, entrepreneur, search specialist, merchant or network, a4uexpo is simply a must attend, educational and networking event for those serious about making an impact in Affiliate Marketing. Register online today with code MASHABLE25 and save £25 on a full conference pass for a4uexpo London.

October 12, 2010, Orange County CA: Trust Agents: A Special Night of Networking with Chris Brogan. Well known author, A-list speaker and social media mogul Chris Brogan is in Orange County for 1 night only. With themes from his WSJ and NYT best-selling book Trust Agent and a stellar networking opportunity with some of the top marketers, social media influencers and biz talent in SoCal, we hope you’ll join us. Not in SoCal? Join us for the LIVE or On Demand recorded broadcast here.

October 13-14, 2010, New York, NY: The 2010 Social Media Strategies Conference will feature leading digital, client, and agency experts who will reveal how to use social media to increase business and explore the future of this extremely powerful marketing platform. Presented by YouTube and in Association with Buzz Media, this event will be held October 13-14 in New York City. For more information, visit socialmediastrategiesconference.com.

October 13-14, Princeton, NJ: Brought to you by the producer of the sold-out ePharma Summit, the Multi Channel Pharma Marketing Event brings together product managers and marketing operations under one roof to discuss cross-channel media plans for building brand value and elevating top line sales. Join us at the ONLY industry event focused on breaking down internal silos to achieve channel integration and maximize return on engagement. Visit www.multichannelevent.com for more information. Register with Priority Code XP1515MASH to save 15% off standard registration!

October 14-15, 2010, London, UK: Creating and distributing video online? Join us at Online Video Strategies this October in London and learn how to choose the online video solutions that meet your needs, increase audience engagement with interactivity, use video for marketing, promotion and branding, deliver video to the iPad, iPhone and other mobile devices, leverage video for internal and external corporate communications, make sure your video gets seen by viewers and search engines and measure the ROI of your video projects. In addition, Online Video Strategies is a featured event at Streaming Media Europe and all delegates enjoy unlimited access to the Streaming Media Expo as part of their registration. Register at streamingmediaglobal.com/ovs. Quote priority code MASHABLE20 for a 20% discount.

October 14-16, 2010, Las Vegas, NV: BlogWorld & New Media Expo is the first and only industry-wide tradeshow, conference and media event dedicated to promoting the dynamic industry of new media including all forms of blogging, podcasting, social media, social networking, online video, music, Internet TV and radio. The BlogWorld conference features more than 120 educational sessions, panel discussions and keynote presentations, while the New Media Expo features the only industry-wide new media marketplace where thousands converge to network and find all of their online business and marketing resources. Running concurrent with the BlogWorld conference, the Social Media Business Summit is the world?s largest social media business conference where marketing executives, business owners and world-renowned companies send their teams to learn the strategies, tactics, tools and technologies they need to build their brands and grow their businesses with social media. Register today with the code MASH20 for 20% off!

October 17-19, 2010. New York, NY: Pivot Conference is the only industry conference to explore and evaluate the attitudes, technologies and preferences of the “always on” 18-34 year old consumer. Attend Pivot Conference and hear from those successfully engaging with today’s emerging consumer and create your own action plan for success. Register today with code MASH101 and save 20%.

October 17-20, 2010, Scottsdale, AZ: SuperGlad describes the prosperous life of agencies on the right side of the digital marketing divide. The “have’s” have it. The “have nots” do not. For an agency, in-house digital marketing expertise is now a must, not a nice-to-have. And does the knowledge permeate the agency or rest with just one person operating as a stand-alone department (who, by the way, could leave you high and dry if something better comes along)? Digital marketing is a core competency of the “have” agencies. You might not need to execute on all of it but you need to understand it and drive the strategy upon which decisions are made surrounding it. BOLO 2010 takes on the big task at hand: explaining why digital media leads the charge in SuperGlad agencies. It is not an afterthought. It is dealt with using creative, media, traffic and account service employees who think traditionally first, then translate that thinking to a digital environment. This event will show you how. $799/person (or $599 for agencyside members). Use discount code mashable to save $125 (more than 15%) off full-price registration at any time.

October 18-22, 2010, Chicago, IL: Discover the tools of engagement at SES Chicago Conference and Expo on October 18-22, 2010. No longer just lecturing your customers, learn to listen and converse in a more social world. Our experts will show you how integrating search, social media, and video in even basic ways will transform both your sites visibility and profitability. Our program features 60+ sessions covering everything from marketing attribution, the business value of social media, brand reputation management and more. Save 15% with promo code MHCH15. Register now!

October 18-20, 2010, Washington, D.C.: As Social Media quickly emerges as more than a communication tool, the U.S. Government must proactively leverage this new ?environment? to achieve organizational goals. IDGA?s 3rd Social Media for Defense and Government provides a forum for senior Government and Military officials, industry partners and academic communities to align shared goals, showcase new technology and define the way forward. This conference will present advanced social media strategies that not only improve communication but actually utilize the tools to improve effectiveness. Register with code MASH4GOV and receive 20% off the standard three-day event fee!

October 18-19, 2010, Dallas, TX: The Restaurant & Hospitality Social Media Marketing Bootcamp event provides the practical knowledge and insights required by restaurant and hotel operators to establish objectives and strategies for your market, properly select the social media platforms to engage guests and monitor and measure the results of these efforts for a greater ROI. This event is presented by RestaurantWorx Consulting and Inside Hospitality. Use the code MASHABLE when registering and receive VIP pricing on “Day 1″ or “Day 1 & 2 Attendance” tickets. See complete event details on the event website at www.restaurantsocialmedia.com.

October 18-19, 2010, Singapore: Build your company?s reputation and profits at Online Reputation Management Asia 2010. It only takes a few blog posts or YouTube videos or Facebook threads to destroy reputation and image. Don’t miss this opportunity to benefit from industry leaders? extensive experience, practical insights, and proven business-building tactics that you need to know. Be sure to secure your spot now! For more information, please visit our website or download the brochure. Mashable members/subscribers are entitled to a 10% discount off the registration fee!

October 18, 2010, San Francisco, CA: Join us for the third annual i-stage startup competition, featuring debuts from game-changing apps, products and services. Presented by CEA, i-stage gives tech startups the opportunity to compete for a share of $50,000 in prize money and a free booth at the 2011 International CES. Audience members get the first look at the industry?s newest visionaries and network with high profile investors, media and industry leaders. Past winners include Boxee and Regen Inc?s ReNu solar charging system. There is no entry fee for competing start-ups. Mashable readers save 10% on attendee tickets. Register now and use discount code IMASH.

October 18, 2010, Washington DC: Digital East 2010 will feature over 75 leading speakers addressing best practices and trends in Social Media, Mobile, Online Advertising, Ecommerce, Cloud Computing, Web Analytics, Search, Online Video, Email, ORM and more! Hear from brands such as ESPN, Google, Intel, Salesforce.com, AOL, Rosetta Stone, National Geographic and the US Dept of Energy just to name a few. When registering, use the code MASH1 for 20% off.

October 19, 2010, New York, NY: Create business value — and discover insight — in enterprise, web, and social content. Smart Content is the profitable future for media & publishing, advertising & on-line commerce, marketing and PR… and for content consumers. Register now for an unmatched opportunity to learn how.

October 20-22, 2010, Las Vegas, NV: Every year, Stamats Integrated Marketing: Technology Conference brings together digital thought leaders from higher education and corporate America to offer fresh, innovative thinking and hands-on, practical strategies and tactics to take back to campus. The conference will cover the crucial building blocks of integrated digital marketing, including Social Media, mROI, Content and UX. Register with the promo code MASHTECH for $50 off the registration fee and a free pre-conference session.

October 20-21, 2010, Baltimore, MD: The Power of eMarketing Conference provides the perfect forum for actionable and relevant best practices, processes and case studies that will transform and improve your marketing programs. 35+ Speakers ? 4 Dynamic Modules – 12 Breakout Roundtables – 15 Presentations ? 2 Keynote Sessions – 4 Panel Sessions and one great networking party! The conference has several tracks and will cover social, search, email and emerging marketing technology. Register with the promo code linkedin and receive a special 10% discount off your registration.

October 21-22, 2010, Princeton, NJ: IIR?s 2nd Annual Value-Driven Pharma is not just another managed market event ? it delves deeper than ever before to give you the tools to reconcile government, payer and patient perspectives on drug valuation to bring you closer to the patients you serve. Visit www.valuedrivenpharma.com for full program information. Please use the promo code XP1580MASH when registering.

October 22-23, 2010, Petaluma, Sonoma County, CA: SocialBizWorld is a 2-day Social Media and Web 2.0 business conference for private and public-sector business executives, leaders, managers, employees and consultants looking for insightful speakers, hands-on workshops, in-depth discussions and real-world examples to move their business forward with new media. With Basic, Intermediate and Advanced tracks, attendees will have full access to multiple sessions on both days, have numerous networking opportunities, attend the Friday evening Awards and Business Networking reception (with Special Guest “The TwitchHiker”) and have access to experts gathering in Northern California from all over the country. Join us for this fantastic event in beautiful Sonoma County, at the foot of wine country, minutes from Sonoma and Napa, and just 30 minutes north of San Francisco. Mashable readers receive 15% off conference registration with promo code MASHED. Please visit socialbizworld.com for more information.

October 22-23, 2010, Atlanta, GA: Social Media Experts will be in high demand as social media becomes an integral part of PR and marketing campaigns. Will you be one? Designed specifically for marketing and PR professionals of all backgrounds, non-profit organizations and small business owners, the Integrating Social Media Conference goes beyond the buzz words to real-world and proven methods for successfully incorporating social media into your current marketing and PR strategies. You?ll hear firsthand from social media experts including Shiv Singh of Pepsi Co., The Brand Builder?s Olivier Blanchard, WholeFoods?s Marla Erwin, HubSpot?s Mike Volpe, Kellye Crane of Crane Communications and more. Register with promo code MASH and save 20%.

October 22, 2010, Nashville, TN: Social Media Marketing Workshops 101 & 201 — a full day, hands-on training for businesses who want to create a social media marketing campaign from the ground up. Featuring top 10+ networking sites with step-by-step setup guides on each application with strategies on how they all work together. Sessions include blogging strategy, social CRM, social monitoring, email & mobile marketing, best of Google Analytics, SEO tactics and special focus on Wordpress websites for businesses. These are no-nonsense, intensive learning workshops you wont find anywhere else! Register with the promo code MASH and save $100!

October 21, 2010, Mountain View, CA: See “Super Angel” pioneer Mike Maples Jr. speak at the The Founder Showcase – Silicon Valley’s premier startup pitch and networking event. This quarterly event brings together over 300 investors, founders, and members of the press to hear talks from leading CEOs, and pitches from 10 hot technology start-ups. Over $1.5mm has been raised by presenting companies at previous Founder Showcase events. Tickets start at just $40 – to register or enter the free Pitch Competition, go to www.FounderShowcase.com. Mashable readers get 15% off by using discount code mashable_15.

October 25-26, 2010, Northborough, MA: The Restaurant & Hospitality Social Media Marketing Bootcamp event provides the practical knowledge and insights required by restaurant and hotel operators to establish objectives and strategies for your market, properly select the social media platforms to engage guests and monitor and measure the results of these efforts for a greater ROI. This event is presented by RestaurantWorx Consulting and Inside Hospitality. Use the code MASHABLE when registering and receive VIP pricing on “Day 1″ or “Day 1 & 2 Attendance” tickets. See complete event details on the event website at www.restaurantsocialmedia.com.

October 25, 2010, Orlando, FL: IIR presents CUSTOMER WORLD, the co-location of three unique customer-centric events (NACCM, Linkage Strategies & Customer UNinterrupted) under one roof. Where the Voice of Your Industry comes together to champion and celebrate CUSTOMERS 1ST. Customer World?s flagship event, NACCM, is an industry favorite. It attracts top customer-centric leaders in North America to share new and best practices for strengthening customer relationships. Content areas include customer-centric social media strategies, loyalty, customer experience, innovation, culture, engagement, leadership and more. Register with code CWORLD10MASH and save 15% off the standard rates.

October 26-28, 2010, Frankfurt, Germany: The Enterprise 2.0 wave has spilled over the corporations? boundaries and creates a good deal of discussion about the way businesses will be managed in the future. ?Setting the path towards an open and agile E 2.0 driven organization? is therefore the topic of this year?s Enterprise 2.0 Summit, the gathering of European experts and practitioners discussing technology trends and adoption topics on Enterprise 2.0. The English-language conference consists of interactive workshops, seminars, expert talks and best practices from all over Europe, e. g. BMW, Hewlett Packard, SONY, Swiss Reinsurance Company, etc. Go to www.e20summit.com and register with the promo code MASH10 and save 10%!

October 26-27, 2010, San Francisco: Join Us at PayPal X Innovate 2010 Developer Conference – The only developer conference dedicated to payments, the PayPal X Innovate 2010 Developer Conference invites developers to explore new ways to integrate payments into web pages, applications, and products using PayPal?s open, global APIs. Developers get the chance to code live with PayPal engineers; attend hands-on technical sessions; and network with 2000 peers. Register by September 15th and save $100. Register now.

Participate in the PayPal X Developer Challenge – The PayPal X Developer Challenge is offering a $100,000 grand prize for the most innovative application that integrates the PayPal X Platform. The Challenge also includes X Awards, additional prizes of $10,000
each, in addition to the grand prize in specified categories like mobile, cross-border payments, and integration with Yahoo technologies or eBay. Learn more and submit ideas at www.x.com.

October 26, 2010, San Jose, CA: Get real about social media at SocialTech 2010 ? the only conference dedicated to teaching B2B high-tech marketers how to harness the power of social media. You’ll learn from B2B marketing leaders at companies like IBM, Intel, SAP, HP, Adobe and Cisco how to use social media to achieve real, measurable business results. Enjoy networking and keynotes from Guy Kawasaki, Robert Scoble and Jeremiah Owyang. Can?t make it to San Jose? You can join us online. Register today and save 10% with coupon code MASH10!

October 27-28, 2010: The Caribbean Media Conference & Expo have become the Caribbean?s premier regional conference on television, cable and satellite, broadband, wireless, radio, magazines, news and print media, advertising and marketing. The 2010 Caribbean New Media Expo and Conference is unique in that it seeks to strengthen the relationships with new media companies, marketers and advertisers to further capitalize on the benefits of digital, social and mobile media. Presentations and panel discussions will help marketers understand concepts such as online-display advertising, search and social networking and how the impact of new technologies has wrought consumer behavior changes.

October 27-29, 2010, Washington, DC: This event will showcase 15 federal perspectives on different strategies government agencies can implement to comply with the Obama Administration?s Open Government Directive. The social media realm will be a prevailing topic of discussion as it has been the prime means federal agencies have taken to achieve compliance, but problems with its use still persist. This event will provide ADVANCED solutions and ideas to the policy, security, monitoring and measuring struggles that many agencies face on a daily-basis. Mashable subscribers will enjoy a 10% discount when they mention MASHABLE in their follow-up email to the event contact listed here: event.

October 28-30, 2010, Toronto, Canada: Today, companies recognize that Social Media is an important part of an integrated strategy that is woven into every fiber of Sales, Marketing, PR, Advertising, Customer Relations and Branding campaigns. The second unGeeked Elite three-day Retreat brings together 10 keynotes and 16 presenters who?ll provide you with examples of best practices, solutions and case studies in a forum where keynotes and presenters ask you to engage, poke them in the eye with questions and get one-on-one responses in this intimate learning environment. RSVP with the promo code unGeekedMashable and save 30% off regular ticket price!

October 28-29, 2010, Exeter, UK: The Like Minds Conference – Autumn 2010 is a 2 day event attended by participants from across Europe focusing upon the subject of “Creativity and Curation”. This year, we have a range of workshops, keynotes and lunch time talks from leaders in marketing, communications and media from around the world. Then, you can relax on Thursday and Friday night with the Like Movies and Like Music festivals. Details and registration at www.wearelikeminds.com.

October 28, 2010, London, UK: The International Search Summit will focus once again on international and multilingual search marketing topics and offer delegates insight and advice on how to effectively develop and manage international online campaigns. Speakers at the event will include Eugene Lomize from Russian search engine Yandex, Omar Khaled from Arabic search Engine Ayna, as well as well-known search marketers Mikkel deMib Svendsen, Marty Weintraub, Massimo Burgio and Barry Lloyd. The Summit will be held at The British Library in London and is a must for any marketer targeting multiple markets and/or languages online. Register now with the coupon code MASH20 to receive 20% discount.

October 28, 2010, New York, NY: Join a select group of senior communications professionals in helping you build an integrated PR and marketing engagement strategy that maximizes your impact with your targeted audiences and key influencers. PR+MKTG Camp? East limits talking head powerpoint presentations. Executives from top agencies and some of the world’s largest brands will lead HIGHLY INTERACTIVE discussions on such topics as assessing the current media landscape, building a integrated strategic engagement vision, executing an action plan, and measuring your results. Mashable readers get a 10% discount with promo code MASHABLECAMPEAST.

November 1-2, 2010, New York, NY: Are you a health marketing and communications professional? Please join us at unNiched 2010, a unique collaborative boot camp where you will actively learn and use collaboration, strategic marketing and communications skills. Using our unNiched Innovation Model, gain the tools to create and drive marketing communications success within (and without) your organization. In addition, you’ll have access to a private online group and learn from a range of experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, AIDS.gov, Edelman, Vertex Pharmaceuticals and the Stanford University Persuasive Technology Lab. Use the discount code Mashable and get 10% off.

November 1-2, 2010, Dubai, UAE: Social Media Marketing and Search Engine Summit at Total Marketing Discuss and debate the opportunities and challenges faced by marketers in leveraging social media as a marketing tool. Hear from leading organizations on how they managed to turn Twitter and LinkedIn amongst others into powerful communication channels! Getting in at the top of any search remains a key focus for many organizations today. Hear from leading practitioners on how best practice strategies and innovative methods to get the most out of the internet. Register and save 15% when using code MASHABLE-TM. For more information, visit www.totalmarketing2010.com.

November 3-5, 2010, San Francisco, CA: DevLearn|10 is the super-charged conference and expo for those involved in the design, development, or management of e-Learning. DevLearn|10 offers the industry?s largest expo, over a hundred sessions covering the latest e-Learning tools, technologies, and strategies, plus exciting content stages like the Social Learning Camp, Mobile Learning Jam, Serious Games Zone, and Learning Media Studio . If you want to know what’s coming next in the world of e-Learning and what the top people in the field are thinking, this popular, cutting-edge conference is the place to be.

November 3, 2010, Frankfurt, Germany: The viscom tec.10 conference focuses upon how to create a customer focused experience with technology. Thanks to modern technologies, consumers are now more networked and better informed than ever before. Used to finding the ideal product by making comparisons and consulting with others on a wide range of webservices. In the future the challenge for marketing and technology providers will be to reach this “always on” generation in real life. The conference will highlight the perspectives and visions of the different sectors: from traditional advertising and out-of-home possibilities to web and mobile-based communication and digital signage. Use the early bird pricing and save 200 EUR.

November 4-6, 2010, Savannah, GA: Geekend is the interactive conference phenomenon you have been waiting your whole life for. Geekend is your chance to interact with people taking the tech and creative industries by storm. Join us this November as the brightest geeks, designers, developers, artists, and social media mavericks flock to Savannah for a weekend filled with cutting edge speakers, fun-filled after parties, and amazing networking opportunities. Speakers include Noah Everett of Twitpic, Scott Stratten of Unmarketing, Margaret Francis of Lithium, and many more.

November 8-11, 2010, Las Vegas, NV: PubCon, the premier search and social media conference, features the industry’s biggest names and key players shaping the future of the Web. PubCon holds cutting edge panel sessions exploring tracks dedicated to search, social media and affiliate marketing, an intensive professional search and social media training program and some of the world?s top keynote speakers. PubCon Las Vegas will also hold a one day two-track slate of intensive educational training programs led by some of the industry’s most respected search professionals. PubCon makes all of this available at some of the most affordable registration rates in the industry. Please use the code ma-8201210 for 10% off the registration price.

November 8-11, 2010, Santa Clara, CA: See the latest collaboration tools and technologies at Enterprise 2.0 Santa Clara’s comprehensive conference and expo. Gain thought leadership ? from strategy to execution and performance monitoring ? to bring the power of collaboration to your organization, accelerate information flow, drive revenue and increase productivity. Register with the promo code CNUJES04 to save $100 off the onsite price for passes or for a free expo pass.

November 9, 2010, Philadelphia, PA: BlogWell: How Big Brands Use Social Media features 8 great case studies on the best social media programs at large corporations. SAP, American Express, Johnson & Johnson, Scholastic, SunGard, The Hershey Company, Pfizer, and BlackRock share case studies in corporate social media. You’ll learn how to get started, get past roadblocks, and make your social media program phenomenal. From GasPedal and the Social Media Business Council. Save $39 off registration by using the promo code ILoveMashable.

November 9, 2010, San Francisco, CA: Agencies and advertising brands are invited to The Bees Awards – 1st international social media competition for marketing professionals. 20 judges from 13 different countries will gather at the Legion of Honor to grant recognition to the best industry practices. Honor will be granted in 16 different categories including: best use of social media platform, best conversation with consumers, best campaign, agency of the year, client of the year, and others. You are invited to submit your work before October 1st and join the celebrations on November 9th at www.beesawards.com.

November 10-12, 2010, Orlando, FL: Please join the Social Media Club for their first annual conference, Social Media University, in Orlando, FL. The Social Media University event will be a deep dive into the higher ideals and issues affecting Social Media itself, including the rise of the Social Media Professional. It will be quite different from what you have experienced at other conferences on social media. With John Hagel III, David Meerman Scott, KD Paine, Tom Foremski and many other social media masters as our ?faculty?, this conference will be invaluable for all Social Media Professionals. Please visit www.socialmediauniversity for more information!

November 11, 2010, San Francisco, CA: Social Media Prom, presented by @FunnyOrDie, is for anyone and everyone who didn’t have a chance to go to prom. Or maybe you did, but you were the wallflower, someone poured punch down your dress, or gave you a wedgy and hung you from a locker. This is your chance to shine, and relive what you may not have been able to experience from the backseat of the car or behind the bleachers. Visit www.socialmediaprom.com to get your tickets! Don’t have a date? No big deal, go stag! Tickets are $20 for couples and $15 for singles.

November 11, 2010, London, UK: The first London Social Gaming Summit is a one day event focused on the intersection of games and the social web. The event focuses on helping social games developers build, monetize, and grow their social games. We’re bringing together the leaders in free-to-play games, social networking, and payments infrastructure for a full day of panels and talks.

November 12, 2010, London, UK: The first London Virtual Goods Summit is a one day event focused on the emerging market opportunity for virtual goods and economies. Once restricted to the world of online gaming, virtual goods and currencies are beginning to influence the development of social networks, community sites, and many other new and exciting markets. The market for virtual goods continues to grow – join us for engaging talks and panels designed to highlight important trends in this fast growing market. This is a must-attend event for those in the games, social media, and entertainment markets. Register now with the promo code MASHABLE010 for 15% off!

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, 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, 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, 2010, Raleigh, NC: Internet Summit 2010 will feature over 100 speakers and an audience of over 1500 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, E-commerce and more. Use registration code MASH for 20% off.

November 17, 2010, Phoenix, AZ: Fifth Annual Arizona Entrepreneurship Conference (AZEC10). 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, 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: Join the Real-Time Revolution with code MASHABLE and save 20%! Register today at http://twtrcon.com/sf10. 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 18th 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 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 5th 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 30, 2010 ? December 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, 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 by September 30th to receive an early bird 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%! http://www.mobilecloudcomputingforum.com/

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 6-7, 2010, Los Angeles, 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 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 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.

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. http://www.clickasiasummit.com/register

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%.

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 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.

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

Eventbrite is an online events marketplace where tens of thousands of individuals, businesses and organizations of all sizes manage, promote and sell tickets to their events. Make your event a success on Eventbrite.

More About: Social Media Event Guide

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Ad Age has obtained an internal Google document that highlights some of the biggest AdWords buyers for the month of June 2010, offering insight into how big brands are using Google and how much they are spending.

According to the documents, the biggest buyers of AdWords in June included AT&T Mobility, Amazon, eBay and BP. Although most of those companies are frequent big Google spenders, BP was a newcomer to the list, spending $3.59 million on search ads in the wake of the gulf oil spill (compared to just $57,000 in the two months prior).

Top Spenders

The top spender in June, AT&T Mobility, spent $8.08 million on search ads to coincide with the release of the iPhone 4. According to Ad Age, AT&T’s the third-largest U.S. advertiser overall, so its Google spending is not a big surprise.

Other companies that made up the top 10 include:

Why Brands Buy Google Ads

The data shows us that for big brands, a heavy investment in Google is usually tied to revenue that comes directly from search traffic (as in the case of Amazon, eBay, Expedia, Hotels.com) or in instances where companies are trying to build awareness (AT&T) or weather a PR crisis (BP).

It’s also interesting to note some of the brands that aren’t on the list. The documents obtained by Ad Age indicate that companies like GM, Disney and BMW spent less than $500,000 on Google ads in June. Even Apple spent just less than $1 million on Google ads, despite its high-profile launch of the iPhone 4.

However, we also think it is possible that some big brands are spending money on search, but not directly with Google. For instance, although Ad Age cites Walt Disney as one of the companies that spent less than $500,000 on Google ads in June, the movie studio released Toy Story 3 that month, a film supported by a massive ad campaign. The film has gone on to gross more than $1 billion worldwide, making it one of the most successful animated films of all-time. It seems odd that Disney would spend only $500,000 on search terms for its big summer release.

What seems more likely, however, is that Disney purchased advertising through companies like Fandango or MovieTickets.com and those companies have their own arrangements with Google. In other words, when it comes to evaluating search spending, don’t count out the potential middle men.

This also makes sense when taking a big-picture approach to Google’s own revenue. The top 10 brands only accounted for 5% of U.S. revenues for the month.

Google is a big target for advertisers because of its strength in search and because of its ubiquity across devices. We do wonder if ad buys will shift to other outlets, like say, Facebook, as users spend more and more time on those networks.

More About: ad age, advertsing, att, bp, Google, google adwords, online advertising

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Here at Mashable we’ve been taking a look at what the iPhone camera is capable of, and it seems (with a decent eye-of-the-beholder and the help of a variety of really cool apps) that it can turn out some pretty spectacular results.

Continuing on from previous galleries in which we highlighted some amazing landscape and portrait shots taken on the iPhone, this time we’ve turned our eye to man’s best friend.

Meander through the gallery below for some incredible dog photographs, captured and edited on the iPhone from talented photographers all around the world. Have your say as to which pooch portrait you liked the best in the comments.

1. The Dog by Tomasz Grabowiecki

This beautiful photograph from Polish photographer Tomasz has an almost painterly quality, while the converging lines, parallel tree cover and cleverly applied band of focus helps draw the eye to the off-center noble-looking hound.

2. B&W Dog by Benjamin James

The contrast is off the charts in this shot of an Australian Cattle Dog by Benjamin, who has made the great decision to shoot from the side and slightly below for a stunning canine cameo.

3. Jodie vs. Ball Part 1 by Stephen Reedy

Jodie is all about the ball. Thanks to Stephen's clever use of perspective, so is this shot in which the ball becomes as big to the viewer as it must be for the desperate pooch. It's a brave move to only capture part of the face of your subject, but this result shows that sometimes it really pays off.

4. She Had a Dog by oNico®

This is a clever photo. Not only do we just see the boots of the female protagonist, but the dark part-figure in the foreground gives the audience an idea of what a dog's eye view of the world is like for the almost-cowering, muzzled dog. Bravo to French photographer oNico for seeing and creating such a brilliant image.

5. Lilly by Marc Bibby

"Dogtographer" Marc says everything he needs to get such great shots includes a pair of sturdy walking boots, an iPhone and "an amazing dog." The plan has certainly worked with this capture. Lilly looks positively heroic framed against a heavenly backdrop. Good dog!

6. The Man and His Shadow Dog by Georgios Karamanis

Sweden-based Greek photographer Georgios' sense of timing could win awards in this humorous picture of a man and his "shadow dog." Even though you can't see the pooch, the distinctive shadow gives the game away. It made us smile and we hope it has the same effect on you!

7. Wally by Jim Darling

Wally is special as the only non-human to be shot as part of Jim's iPhone Portraits Project. Although a great standalone shot (effects courtesy of the ShakeItPhoto iPhone app by the way), his furry face looks even better surrounded by the human visages as part of the larger series.

8. Window Screen Portrait by Miki Ballard

Miki hails from a small town in North Carolina and says that because of it, she takes "way too many photos" of her dog. We'll certainly forgive her that foible if she comes up with shots like this. Going in close has helped capture her dog Maxie's habit of pushing her nose against the screen and watching passers-by in a unique way. It's a fun, quirky portrait that seems to really capture Maxie's spirit, despite not capturing very much of her face or body.

9. TPR, Milford, Ohio, August 2009 by Paul Rinkes

By all accounts, Paul's Goldendoodle Trotter is quite a character. Paul tells us this joyous shot was taken after eight hours in the car, on a trip from Nashville to eastern Ohio. Trotter's happiness at being out of the car, in the sunshine, lying on the grass after a quick fetch of his ball just shines through in a fantastic way.

10. Always Being in the Middle by Matthias Vlasits

Without the puddle this is still a great shot from Austrian Matthias, but add in that reflection and the opposing silhouettes and it's instantly elevated.

11. Spuds by Adam Lorber

As taken by Adam, an LA-based graphic designer who "dabbles" in photography, "Spuds" looks adorably gawky with tilt shift effects stepping in to add some extra focal emphasis on the dog.

12. (Impossible) Love at First Sight by Sion Fullana

NYC-based Sion is a big figure in the iPhotography scene and his Flickr stream is full of fab dog shots that appear to be channeling the great Elliott Erwitt's style of spontaneous street dog photography. This delightful shot however, was taken in Palma de Majorca, showing that although New York may be some kind of muse for Sion, he can clearly grab a great shot regardless of location.

13. Dog by Agata Alexander

Considering Agata states that "this dog scared the living s*** out of me," we think she did rather well in staying composed enough to grab such a great shot. The composition and colors make this a great portrait and reminder that not all dogs want to be your buddy.

14. Black Dog by Arys Chien

You'd be mistaken for thinking this dramatic shot from Far Eastern photographer Arys was in black and white. Note the red tongue.

15. Damon and Harry's Profile by David Milne

We're ending this great gallery on a heart-warmer. This isn't just a photograph, it's a love story between a man and a dog. Congratulations to David for capturing the moment in such a beautiful way.

More iPhone Resources from Mashable:

- 10 Useful iPhone Keyboard Shortcuts, Tips and Tricks
- 10 Incredible iPhone Portrait Photographs
- 10 Incredible iPhone Photographs
- 10 Ridiculous iPhone Accessories [PICS]
- 5 iPhone Apps to Help You Learn to Dance

More About: apple, dogs, flickr, galleries, gallery, iphone, iphone 4, iphoneography, iphonography, iphotography, pets, photo, photography, Photos, pictures

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We hope you’ve had a fantastic weekend! Now that you’re back, you might want to catch up on all that’s happened while you’ve been out enjoying the final stretch of summer (those of you in the Northern Hemisphere, anyway).

This weekend, Craigslist defiantly removed its Adult Services section, the most popular iPhone game in the App Store made its Android debut, Kanye West finally apologized to Taylor Swift, and we learned that HP’s former CEO is in talks to start work at Oracle.

As always, we published some fun and helpful features, too. Thanks for reading!

News Essentials

Helpful Resources

Weekend Leisure

More About: adult services, android, angry birds, apple, craigslist, HP, ipone, kanye west, mark hurd, mashable weekend recap, twitter

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Nokia is the world’s largest cell phone manufacturer, but when it comes to smartphones, it’s losing ground to iPhone and Android-based devices. Thus, the expectations for its next high-end, Symbian^3-based device, the Nokia N8, are through the roof.

Nokia N8 is coming soon – September 30th, if you trust Nokia’s Senior Comms Manager Tapani Kaskinen – and one of its biggest claims to fame is a 12-megapixel camera capable of recording Full HD video.

The camera is a big selling point for the N8, and Nokia plans to draw attention to it in a big way: by hiring Pamela Anderson and Ed Westwick (of Gossip Girl fame) to star in a short movie shot entirely with the Nokia N8’s camera.

It gets better: two lucky fans will have a chance to play the main roles in the movie, dubbed The Commuter. Although the details about the script are scarce, one fan will partake in a bedroom scene with Pamela, while another will be in an elevator with Ed Westwick.

The short feature will be directed by the McHenry Brothers, who have just finished filming their first full-length animated movie, Jackboots on Whitehall, starring Ewan McGregor and Rosamund Pike.

Filming The Commuter begins in London on the 20th of September. To enter the contest, you must be 18 or over, and a UK resident. For the details about the contest, visit either www.starwithpam.com or www.starwithed.com.

More About: Mobile 2.0, Nokia, Nokia N8, Pamela Anderson, smartphone

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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:Follow Mashable Apple on TwitterBecome a Fan on FacebookSubscribe to the Apple channelDownload our free apps for iPhone and iPad

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.

Should Craigslist’s “Adult Services” Be Censored?online surveys

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, anykeen

More About: adult services, censored, censorship, classifieds, craigslist, erotic services, law enforcement, Opinion, politics, poll, prostitution

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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.

1. Casio Databank DBC32C-3B

Casio is such a giant in the geek watch space it could easily warrant a top 10 list of its own. For now, we're bringing you news of the limited edition Databank that offers up-to-date geek functionality in a design reminiscent of Casio's classic calculator watches.

Cost: $59

2. Wifi Finder Watch

This watch will sniff out Wi-Fi at a distance of 100 meters, meaning you'll be kept abreast of when you're in a hotspot or not without the trouble of pulling out your laptop or smartphone to check. Tidy!

Cost: $65.99

3. LG GD910 Watch Phone

Available on contract in the UK and some other regions, the LG GD910 - or Watch Phone - can be purchased SIM-free in the States, if you're willing to pay the price. Arguably one of the only credible phone-watch combos to have ever hit the market, the GD910 boasts a 1.3-inch touchscreen, video as well as voice-calling capabilities. It can be used with a Bluetooth headset or for those yes-I'm-with-the-Secret-Service moments, via the built-in speakerphone.

Cost: From around $800

4. Nike Amp+ Sport Remote Control

This clever bit of gadgetry integrates with your iPod nano and Nike+ running system to offer remote control over your iPod, and voice feedback on your time, distance, calories burned and pace. Its reduced price on the Nike online store suggests it's heading towards end-of-life (it's been around since 2007), so if you are interested, you might want to grab one sooner rather than later.

Cost: Currently $39.99, down from $79

5. Spy Camera Video Watch

Want to be able to record audio and video from your wristwatch? Of course you do! No one would suspect this classic-looking mini-clock is in fact capable of such cloak-and-dagger video capture. There's a tiny lens between the hours 12 and 1 that will capture events around you in AVI format, ready to be transferred to your PC next time you're back at HQ.

Cost: $79.99

6. Sony Ericsson MBW-150 Music Edition Bluetooth Watch

Falling short of full-fat phone-watch capabilities, this Bluetooth-enabled timepiece hooks up to your phone and displays data such as the name and number of incoming callers and when a text has been received. In addition, for anyone with a Sony Ericsson Walkman phone, there are media buttons to control your music on the move.

Cost: Approx $120

7. USB Hidden Flash Drive Watch

The true geek never leaves the house without a flash drive. Concealed in the side of this watch is a teeny-weeny storage stick boasting 8 lovely gigs of flash memory.

Cost: $49.99

8. Stanley Tape Measure Watch

Part of a range of tooled-up Stanley watches released in Japan, gadget emporium Brando offers an easy way to import this item. It cunningly conceals a 3-foot tape measure behind its plastic exterior, offering a charmingly lo-fi way to geek out.

Cost: $44.50

9. Luminox Men's 3051 EVO Navy SEAL Colormark Watch

Ideal for a tough gal or guy geek, there's some cool sci-fi tech in this timepiece used by the Navy SEALs and U.S. Air Force pilots. Glowing 100 times brighter than your average luminous watch, the 24/7 luminosity comes via tiny gas lights (technically known as "borosilicate glass capsules") which are good to glow for over 25 years.

Cost: $168.99

10. InPulse BlackBerry Smart Watch

If you're a red-blooded, gadget-loving BlackBerry owner, then you're really going to want to take a look at the inPulse watch. Thanks to some Bluetooth magic, it'll hook up to your RIM-made device and offer you on-screen info on incoming e-mails, texts and calls - meaning if you're in a meeting (or otherwise socially engaged) a quick glance at your watch is all you'll need to do to stay connected.

Cost: On pre-order for $149 with a September beta release planned

Disclosure: RIM is a Mashable sponsor.

More Tech Resources from Mashable:

- Life After Google: 15 Startups Founded by Ex-Employees
- 7 Services That Will Suggest Things You Like
- HOW TO: Change the Google Logo to Your Favorite Google Doodle
- 10 Cool and Unusual Laptop Sleeves [PICS]
- 10 Entertaining eBay Facts You Might Not Know

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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. Doodling

Doodle 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 Capability

iPhone 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:

- 8 Free BlackBerry Games Worth Downloading
- A Look Back at the Last 5 Years in Mobile
- 10 Must-Have BlackBerry Apps for Small Business
- 4 Ways BlackBerry Can Stay Relevant

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, PeskyMonkey

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

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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

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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 Search

Daniel 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:

“This doesn’t mean companies should look up everything on the candidate and use those vacation pictures or personal tastes to judge if that person is a good candidate for the job. It’s important to remember our private persona is very different from our professional one. If someone writes she likes wine, that doesn’t mean she’s going to drink wine at her desk.”

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:

“When researching a candidate’s applicable skills in relation to a specific job it should not matter what they have been doing in their free time, on their vacations, or over holidays. What is important is their ability to perform the appropriate tasks in relation to the position.”

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:

“If these things are something illegal or something that indicates an angry person, you most likely can find a better candidate. But if it’s ‘weird’ in the way that they have eccentric tastes or dress-up as a superhero at conventions, that in no way means they might be a bad employee. By no longer considering them for the job, you could be losing an excellent candidate for your organization.”

During the Interview

Ultimately, 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.

“Does one really understand the entire context behind a Facebook update or a mobile uploaded photo? I would think not. It is cliché, but don?t judge a book by its cover. In my 10 years of corporate recruiting, I have been surprised more than once by what?s behind the cover. Peel back the onion a bit and use the interview to dive into relevant questions that will highlight the individual’s expertise. And finally, if the candidate is not a fit due to skills and experience, don?t gossip about what you may have seen on their MySpace site!”

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:

“Asking for someone?s passwords seems to cross a line that most people are uncomfortable with. One way to circumvent that is to provide notice that you will conduct a background check that may include a review of any publicly-available social media sites. But we typically don?t advise snooping into an account that has its privacy settings turned to Warp 10.”

“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 Hired

Even 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:

“I often tell my clients and candidates that I am a vault. I take in a lot of interesting candidate and client information, information that is not appropriate to share with colleagues, other clients, other candidates, or anyone for that matter. If the ‘questionable’ material is not related to job performance then you need to leave it alone and lock it in the vault. However, if the information is related to lack of performance or negatively impacting the company, it is your responsibility to let your HR representative know of the situation. I would recommend feeding the information without bias or opinion and leaving it to human resources to determine appropriate action.”

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:

- HOW TO: Respond when Social Media Attacks Your Brand
- HOW TO: Handle an Employee?s Controversial Online Behavior
- 8 Funding Contests to Kick Start Your Big Idea
- 4 Tips for Writing SEO-Friendly Blog Posts
- How CEOs Will Use Social Media in the Future

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, alexsl

More About: job interview, job interviews, job recruiting, social media

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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 Internships

PR 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 Up

Nowadays 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 Creative

With 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 Line

While 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 Listings

Every 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:

- 5 Tips for Aspiring Copywriters and Art Directors
- Top 5 Tips for Aspiring Music Bloggers
- 5 Tips for Aspiring Social Media Marketers
- HOW TO: Score a Design Job
- 10 Tips For Aspiring Community Managers

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, hjalmeida

More About: job search, job search series, pr, PUBLIC RELATIONS, social media

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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

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More About: business, facebook, Features Week In Review, List, Lists, Mobile 2.0, small business, social media, tech, technology, trend, trending, twitter, youtube

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Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales said in an interview with the Associated Press yesterday that paid apps like those found on the iPhone, Android and iPad could help financially troubled news organizations, but he didn’t have anything positive to say about charging for content on the web.

On the other hand, he’s not optimistic about other micropayment plans wherein publications would charge users to access individual articles because at present there is not a centralized and widespread payment system as there is with Apple’s services (iTunes, iBooks and the App Store) or the Android Market.

“If I just click on my iPad, and it’s billed on my normal bill, that micropayment model makes it possible for people to have an impulse purchase,” he said. Apple already has his payment information from the get go, and the creator of each app can use Apple’s billing system for in-app purchases.

That’s one of the reasons Wales believes app stores could be beneficial for the news industry. “The apps model ? the iPad app, the Kindle ? does provide new and interesting opportunities for newspapers.”

We’ve heard rumors in the past that Google has a unified micropayments system in the works that could do the same for desktop content, but it hasn’t happened yet.

Wikipedia is not a commercial enterprise, but Wales’s current venture Wikia is ad-supported.

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, enot-poloskun

More About: amazon, android, apple, apps, interview, ipad, iphone, Jimmy Wales, journalism, Kindle, monetization, News, paywalls, Wikia, wikipedia

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Apple makes computers, tablets, phones, portable media players, TV set-top-boxes, displays and a dozen other things, but to date, it hasn’t made a wristwatch. Oh, wait, actually, it has! It’s called “the new iPod nano.”

Sure, battery life will be a problem when you leave that screen on the whole time, but you could just act like it’s an LED watch and it’s nighttime by hitting the button to see the time.

People have dreamed of fancy computer watches for a long time, and they’ve recently become a reality in a sufficiently usable form. LG started the latest upswing trend by introducing a watch phone concept at the 2008 Consumer Electronics Show.

Apple may not have intended the nano to be used this way, but the above Flickr photo from Kei Ogikubo leads us to believe that maybe tablets aren’t the only geek fantasy that Apple is recently the first to get right!

[via 9 to 5 Mac]

More About: apple, flickr, ipod, ipod nano, iwatch, trending, watch

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