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This week in open source: G1, Firefox, Chrome
22 Nov 2008 at 5:15pmThis week in open source we looked at some G1 hacks and some new features in Chrome and Firefox. The week in Microsoft: WALL?E, IE8, and Tweak UI for Vista
22 Nov 2008 at 4:00pmIn this week's top Microsoft news, we cover Windows Live OneCare, codename Morro, IE8, an unofficial Tweak UI for Vista, Silverlight 3, Zune 3.1, Windows 7, Windows Live Wave 3, and WALL?E. The week in politics: Sarah Palin's e-mail, AIs with feelings, and debating ...
22 Nov 2008 at 2:45pmThis week at Law & Disorder, we checked in on the Sarah Palin e-mail hacking case, pondered the metaphysics of machine intelligence, and debated when a file on a p2p network is "distributed." The week in hardware: Unlocked, encrypted, upgraded, merged
22 Nov 2008 at 1:30pmWe recap the week's hardware news. Transmeta is no longer an independent company, you can now unlock your T-Mobile G1, and Toshiba is now selling a 500GB ultraquiet laptop drive. This week in Apple: HDCP, private APIs, and hacks
22 Nov 2008 at 12:15pmThis week's top Apple news was riddled with scandal, ranging from High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection hidden in new MacBooks to Google's private iPhone API use, and everything in between. Now, all we need is a sex scandal and the circle should be complete. Check it out in case you missed anything. Science week in review: vans get wings, the brain-pelvis interaction, and dar...
22 Nov 2008 at 11:00amAerodynamics, irrigation, self-replicating molecules, and the possible return of the mammoth loomed large in the world of science this week. The week in gaming: Fallout 3 Google maps, WoW, and Valkyria
22 Nov 2008 at 9:45amThis week in gaming brought us the advent of a Google Maps utility for Fallout 3, reviews of Valkyria Chronicles and Mortal Kombat vs. DC, as well as word of a potential retro revival of some old classic PC franchise by Stardock. Week in review: family tech support, piracy, and consoles
22 Nov 2008 at 8:30amIntel's newest CPU, troubleshooting new hardware, wide-scale Blu-ray piracy, and news about consoles top the week's most important stories at Ars Technica. Verizon employees fired after peeping Obama cell records
21 Nov 2008 at 4:50pmSeveral Verizon Wireless employees have been suspended after the company learned that some had accessed Barack Obama's cell phone records without authorization. Whether they'll face criminal charges is not clear. Google may offer Chrome detailing on new PCs
21 Nov 2008 at 2:14pmGoogle has big plans for Chrome, and they don't involve keeping the browser in a perpetual beta twilight. The search giant intends to seize a significant chunk of the browser market in 2009, and could offer competition the likes of which Internet Explorer has never faced. Inaction on disconnect pleas at root of Aussie ISP lawsuit
21 Nov 2008 at 12:21pmMajor movie studios aren't happy that Australian ISP iiNet won't disconnect users after receiving evidence that they have been sharing movies over BitTorrent. iiNet doesn't want to play traffic cop, but Australian law does demand it have (and act on) a disconnection policy for copyright infringers. Coupons, Inc. drops DMCA lawsuit against coupon hacker
21 Nov 2008 at 11:45amA copyright lawsuit against a man who posted instructions on how to print unlimited coupons online has finally been dropped after he argued that he didn't circumvent anyone's copyright protection in order to produce his "hack." Lots to like about new iPhone 2.2 software update
21 Nov 2008 at 11:09amApple released iPhone OS 2.2 last night, the latest update for the iPhone and iPod touch. A number of new features and fixes have arrived across the board, making this a must-have update. Beer, nachos, and broken street dates: 7-Eleven game sales
21 Nov 2008 at 10:32am7-Eleven is getting into the gaming business by offering a small selection of big-name console and PC games. With broken street dates and easily fenced goods being kept in stores, the business may be more trouble than it's worth. Ars talks about the challenge of selling games in a convenience store. Virtual appliances made easy with rBuilder
21 Nov 2008 at 9:53amSoftware appliance tools maker rPath has added CentOS and Ubuntu support to rBuilder, its web-based software appliance constructor. Microsoft to aid in war on terror, builds software for DHS
21 Nov 2008 at 9:19amMicrosoft has joined forces with GIS vendor ESRI to build a suite of collaboration tools for intelligence gathering and processing. This software will be used by the Department of Homeland Security's fusion centers. Sony gets $18.5M wrist slap for PSP patent infringement
21 Nov 2008 at 6:15amSony has been found guilty of willfully infringing Agere System's patents; several of the company's devices, including the PSP, use Agere's IP. Call it a victory on principle?Sony won't be losing any sleep over an $18.5 million fine. An outlet at every parking meter? Bay Area welcomes plug-ins
21 Nov 2008 at 5:10amGov. Schwarzenegger and several Bay Area mayors have joined forces with start up Better Place to transform California into an electric vehicle wonderland. Google CEO touts green energy shock doctrine
20 Nov 2008 at 10:00pmGoogle's CEO calls for a green bailout?and a more participatory, networked government. Study: time kids spend online not wasted after all
20 Nov 2008 at 8:55pmA large survey of studies that explore the use of the Internet by children in the second decade of their lives find that, in general, it's acting as just another social tool, while providing them new outlets for learning and creativity. The change we need: four ways to fix fcc.gov
19 Nov 2008 at 11:14pmThe Bush administration is coming to an end, but the FCC web site is still stuck in the Clinton administration. We've got four suggestions on how to bring fcc.gov into a Web 2.0 world. Co-op resurrected: Ars reviews Left 4 Dead
18 Nov 2008 at 11:30pmLeft 4 Dead is a monstrously fun co-op title that has you helping your friends survive a zombie invasion while a sadistic AI god called the Director throws death at you from all angles. Welcome to the game that will make PC gaming cool again. Second wind for muni WiFi? Mesh-networking startup hopes so
17 Nov 2008 at 11:05pmMuni WiFi never lived up to its promise to bridge the digital divide and bring a third pipe to homes. But it didn't quite fail, either. More quietly, a new round of networks has been built, and San Francisco's Meraki hopes to be part of that future. Financial crisis puts focus on efficiency, not green power
16 Nov 2008 at 11:45pmGiven the meltdown on Wall Street, will companies put aside plans for improved environmental standards? Talks from the recent Climate Leaders conference suggest that efficiency efforts still produce a big win for most companies, but green power may hit snags. Greenbox: saving power and cash in a flash
16 Nov 2008 at 6:26pmGreenbox wants to save consumers power by showing how much electricity a home uses, and how to change behavior or participate in programs that shave use during peak periods. Nehalem by the numbers: The Ars review
13 Nov 2008 at 1:05amNehalem's performance and architectural improvements have been big news, and we've been testing it for ourselves. A few hundred benchmark runs later, we now know how Nehalem scales from 1-8 threads, quite a bit of information on how Hyper-Threading affects Nehalem's performance, and a whole lot more. Talking to your Mac: Ars reviews MacSpeech Dictate 1.2
11 Nov 2008 at 11:10pmVoice recognition for the Mac comes of age as MacSpeech Dictate gains important new correction and spelling features. How to: coding a Drop.io uploader for GNOME with Python
11 Nov 2008 at 10:31amThis tutorial walks you through the steps of building a Drop.io uploader in Python that integrates with GNOME's Nautilus file manager. Complete source code is included and made available under the GPL. Little sister is watching: Ars reviews Mirror's Edge
10 Nov 2008 at 11:00pmMirror's Edge promised to bring something new and exciting to gaming. Ars reviews a game that should be taught in classes about design, but that no one should buy. The future of driving, Part III: hack my ride
9 Nov 2008 at 11:40pmIn the final installment of our "future of driving" series, we look at the politics of self-driving cars. We look at how self-driving cars will be regulated, who will be responsible if they crash, and whether you'll be allowed to hack your self-driving car. Of chainsaws and carnage: Ars reviews Gears of War 2
6 Nov 2008 at 9:35pmTwo years after the original stormed the Xbox 360, Gears of War 2 has landed as a worthy successor to the original, albeit an incremental one that doesn't go as far as it could have. Battered, but not broken: understanding the WPA crack
6 Nov 2008 at 7:25pmWiFi security takes a hit with the disclosure of an effective exploit for small packets encrypted with the TKIP flavor of WiFi Protected Access. The technique is fiendishly clever; the security solution, simple: switch to AES-only in WPA2. Genesis of success: 20 years of Sega's dark horse console
5 Nov 2008 at 11:05pmThe Sega Genesis recently celebrated its 20th anniversary. Ars looks at how the Genesis changed the console game. Transition to yesterday: subsidizing the killer app of 1952
3 Nov 2008 at 10:40pmFormer FCC Chief Economist Thomas Hazlett argues that the FCC is missing a huge opportunity with the end of most analog TV transmissions in February 2009. Instead of simply forcing analog TV off of some of the most valuable spectrum around, the FCC should auction it off. Hear Be Dragons: a review of Dragon NaturallySpeaking 10
2 Nov 2008 at 11:00pmDragon NaturallySpeaking 10 is simply the best voice recognition we've ever used, but it's Windows-only and may not be worth an upgrade for current users. High Voltage or brownout? Ars checks out the Chevy Volt
30 Oct 2008 at 10:25pmLast night, General Motors let reporters have a look at what it considers the final design of the Chevy Volt, which they're hoping to make the first mass-market electric car. The Volt looks to be the first electric car that really works well as a car, but GM will still have a tough sell on its hands. A third dimension: Ars reviews Photoshop CS4 Extended
29 Oct 2008 at 11:15pmAdobe has released the CS4 suite of applications just 18 months after CS3 hit the market. Ars reviews Photoshop CS4 to see if a redesigned interface and 64-bit support for Windows makes this an upgrade worth having. Falling in and out of love with you: Ars reviews Fallout 3
29 Oct 2008 at 10:30amFallout 3 suffers from morbidly high expectations, but after 50 hours we can say with some authority that both fans and first-timers will be very happy with what has been accomplished. The Avatars have landed: exploring the New Xbox Experience
29 Oct 2008 at 8:13amThe Xbox 360 will get an entirely new interface this November. Ars takes a detailed look at the "New Xbox Experience" and goes right to the source to get your questions about it answered. First look at Windows 7's User Interface
28 Oct 2008 at 10:59amMicrosoft has given us a first glimpse as Windows 7. The taskbar has changed significantly, and there are a number of other changes we have screenshots of. |
BigThink Investor Tapped for Obama?s Top Economic Advisor
23 Nov 2008 at 3:07am
The Wall Street Journal says that the news comes from ?Democratic officials? late last night, but a quick scan through our RSS archives at Mashable showed us that he?s no stranger to Silicon Valley. Sheryl Sandberg, the current COO of Facebook, once served as Summers? chief of staff during his stint the Clinton administration?s Treasury Secretary. Beyond that, Summers himself is an investor in the startup we termed the ?YouTube for Smartie Pants,? BigThink. From our initial review back in January:
Politically, Summers is an interesting choice for Obama. I?m not familiar enough with his personal partisanship to have many pre-conceived notions of the man, but were it not for the fact that he is being named to the top economic slot for the White House, I?d find him to be a delightful contrarian. To understand what I mean, witness his position on our current economic woes in this video from the BigThink website: Positivity not-withstanding, as CNet noted in March of this year, he spoke at a Valley-area economic summit, and warned of the Wall-Street financial crisis we?re now living through: “I believe we are facing the most serious combination of macroeconomic and financial stresses that the U.S. has faced in a generation–and possibly, much longer than that,” said Summers, adding that the country has “never been in more need of serious economic thinking than we are now.” [?] “The current estimates of mortgage losses are $400 billion,” he said. “Those estimates are substantially optimistic.” To that end, he?s made headlines from time to time with his sometimes eye-popping soundbytes. He attracted no small amount of outcry from women?s groups by suggesting that ?innate differences between men and women might be one reason fewer women succeed in science and math careers.? When it became clear a couple of days after the election that he was on a short list of candidates for economic advisory slots in the upcoming Obama administration, the Huffington Post ?discovered? a memo he had authored in 1991 as a vice-president of the World Bank that suggested areas of Africa are ?UNDER-polluted.? Certainly, Summers has ties to a wide variety of powerful organizational infrastructures spanning from banking to education to inside-the-beltway politicking. Still, his ability to elucidate with outrageous headlines what are in essence common sense observations (combined with his Valley connections), in my book at least, tells me that he might be one of us. --- Steve Case Launches Free Money Transfer Service YouTube Live! (But Dead on Arrival)
22 Nov 2008 at 6:39pm
And while some of us are still wondering why YouTube is taking the show on the road at all, I’m ready to call this for what it is: a wasted effort. YouTube is Your Choice, YouTube Live is Theirs
On one hand, the last time an international set of concerts became so publicized (July 7, 2007 during the historic Live Earth orchestration), it garnered a massive amount of attention. Millions tuned in to the coverage. So you think YouTube might milk that process a little bit for itself given the chance. But the effect of live Web coverage is really conditional on what?s made available. YouTube promises things like ?main stage, backstage, and off stage? views. Meanwhile, cameras at Live Earth were managed only by teams in charge of the equipment. It was your choice of concert - in the U.S., Europe, Asia, etc. - that dictated what you could see at any given moment. And that kind of choice really piqued peoples’ interest for days, even weeks on end. The same went for the Olympic Games in Beijing, if you’ll recall. Simply Put, Chad Vader Shines when Chad Vader is EditedIndeed, Chad Vader in his element (delayed release) and Chad Vader before a live audience sound like two very different things, and I don’t think I want to see the latter. Sitcoms are different than standup routines, basically put. YouTube Live is Dipping its Toe in the Wrong Body of WaterChange is good, and change is often necessary to stay loose and fresh and exciting. But change should be worthwhile. It should entail a move to a better place. YouTube Live seems less progressive and more tangential than anything else. YouTube has satisfied the ADD generation since its founding. To toss a real-time program of the magnitude of this cross-Pacific adventure is just off. At least in a numerical, we-need-lots-of-eyes-to-make-this-sparkle sort of way. Post-show, YouTube and gang might net a decent set of views. A sort of recoupment, if you like. But will we be astonished by the stats? I think not. Ode to an Error in the MakingTo be fair, with just minutes to go before the cameras roll, it?s anyone?s guess how Katy Perry, Will.i.am, Soulja Boy, et. al., will make or break the evening. My presumption however is that the cross-Pacific lineup won’t be considered very magical when all is said and done. Why? YouTube is on-demand. That’s its shtick. Its joie de vivre. Introducing a live feature or a whiz-bang live event at this point seems more like an anomaly than something that the company will really popularize in its own space to great effect. --- Mandolin Player Sues YouTube iPhone Your Life: Conan Did it Better
22 Nov 2008 at 4:55pm
Find the iPhone App Store a little overwhelming? Apple has the answer. The company has launched a section of its site called “iPhone Your Life“, wherein Apple has hand-selected the best iPhone apps for different lifestyles: Around Town, World Travel, At Home, Getting Things Done, Fun and Games. A handy reference, we think, for finding your way in the sea of iPhone apps now available. The iPhone as a lifestyle brand, though? We think Conan O’Brien got there first…
--- 3G iPhone Confirmed for 2008 YouTube Live: Why?
22 Nov 2008 at 4:11pm
Some ideas… 1. Partnership / Launch Announcement - YouTube Live will be live streamed…but by whom? Rumormongers break into two camps: YouTube’s own technology, which could launch today, or a partnership with UStream. But announcing a live streaming product or partnership today would be remarkably poor timing: mainstream news is littered this weekend with stories of the Justin.tv suicide, which would overshadow any launch announcement from YouTube. 2. Hulu - YouTube challenger Hulu has been making strong progress all year: this week, for instance, there are claims that it will beat YouTube in revenue in 2009. What better way to emphasize YouTube’s traffic lead than to hold a globally-streamed event? 3. MySpace - YouTube has many more competitors than Hulu, of course: it wants to be seen as a leader in grassroots music. MySpace has emphasized its role in the indie music space with a series of “Secret Shows“, so why not YouTube? 4. Money? - Money is a good reason for any commercial entity to do anything. Where’s the money in YouTube Live? Alas, nowhere to be seen. Are the sponsors - Lionsgate, Guitar Hero, Flip and Virgin America - paying big bucks for the opportunity? A recent AdWeek interview with YouTube’s CMO suggests not. How about converting traffic into an instant revenue driver as we sink lower into this economic downturn? That too seems improbable: YouTube has yet to prove it can convert pageviews to profits. 5. General Consolidation of Success - Boring as it sounds, if there’s no announcement of a live streaming service today, the only goal of the event may be a very public consolidation of YouTube’s success as both a web video host and - more importantly - a powerful grassroots movement. Like a political rally, YouTube Live may attempt to create a landmark moment for the web’s democratic uprising. Or, at least an excuse to leave your mom’s basement. --- The Daily Poll: Live Video ? Who Will Win? SHOOTOUT: Google SearchWiki vs. Wikia
22 Nov 2008 at 1:42pm
Google introduced SearchWiki, a search results customization feature, to the public this week. Naturally, there are comparisons being made with Wikia Search, one of the original roll-your-own search machines. So we ask: Which is best? Google?s broad implementation of editing options is of course going to grab more eyes, and thus more interest, than Wikia Search. But let?s do a quick shootout among technical competitors, shall we? A little mano-a-mano for fans and opponents alike to consider, eh? Google vs Wikia: The VisualsGoogle SearchWiki - Google has a substantial leg up here. SearchWiki has had a largely seamless introduction, and the edit options are almost too easy to learn. Wikia Search - It isn?t necessarily unattractive, but it?s considerably more complex. Which makes it a bit slower to operate.
How They WorkGoogle SearchWiki - Simply put, you have promotion and removal buttons to begin with, as well as a comment option to the right of the URL and ?Similar Pages? label. If you choose to raise a link?s profile, it will be carried to the top of the results page. Removal will drop a link to the bottom of the page. Changes can be reversed, too, so nothing is definite.
Unfortunately, there is no quick option to rearrange a page as you like. Promos jump to the top. That?s the only path to take. Which you can familiarize yourself with, but it can still be tedious, particularly if you?re mapping your ideal Top 10-20 set of results for certain keywords. Wikia Search - Apart from working with considerably less speed, there?s hardly anything to gripe about insofar as the engine?s toolset. Hover your cursor over a search result and you?re shown a menu by which to edit, annotate, spotlight, comment, or delete whatever you see. You can star results from with a 1-5 rating, and you can even add a result if it?s missing from view.
User FriendlinessGoogle SearchWiki - Some might say SearchWiki is way ahead of Wikia in this department, but that?s not necessarily the case. We refer you to our ?tedious? remark about having to customize a page?s results within the strict push-to-top and drop-to-bottom framework. It?s acceptable or annoying, depending on your level of patience and love for Mother Google. Wikia - Give it a minute or two of your time, and you?ll find this one surprises with just how intuitive and powerful it can be - without becoming too detail-heavy. The abundance of tags at the top of the roster is welcome, and the Facebook-esque pop-up menu along the bottom of the window is nice to have. On-the-fly language specification is also something to appreciate. And The Winner Is……it depends! It?s thoroughly difficult to be objective about these things, so we?ll leave it up to you to determine which engine is best. Google will command the discussions simply for its size and influence, so there?s no use thinking Wikia Search has a shot in a wide open one-on-one. Yet Wikia is without doubt the more capable of the two when it comes to search results customization and annotation. There are just more stuff that a real power user would need. And let?s face it, the only search engine users that will bother combing results for their personal best-of list(s) are the power users among us. The ones that aren?t happy with how algorithms alone make keywords sing. If you want to lend an engine a helping hand without care about brand loyalty and page count volume, Wikia Search is the place to go. --- Wikia Search Actually Launches Private Beta Google Docs Spreadsheet Art: Winter
22 Nov 2008 at 1:30pm
It’s time to just admit it: Google is better than you. Better at searching the web, better at advertising, better at email, better at…creating festive art by methodically changing the color of every square on a spreadsheet. Yup, someone at Google has taken the time to turn an ordinary spreadsheet into a work of wintry art. And then make a video of it (below). And then share the template with all Google Docs users to create their own snowcapped doodlings. Well, two can play that game. Presenting…a Mashable masterpiece: the Google Spreadsheets snowman! Where do I collect my prize?
[via Lifehacker] --- Google Spreadsheets Get a Real Menu HOW TO: Put Secret Santa Online
22 Nov 2008 at 12:15pm
The game, in which you buy a gift for a randomly-selected colleague you might not be close friends with, intentionally shakes up the cliques that typically form at your workplace. Any yet, the outcome is usually a crappy gift. Elfster claims to fix that with features like wishlists for each user, “do not need” lists, and the ability to ask anonymous questions to the person you’re buying for. That said…aren’t crappy gifts part of the fun? See also: CHRISTMAS TOOLBOX: 20+ Tools For A Merry Christmas --- Track Santa on a Google Map, In Real Time You Did Get the Memo, Right? Here?s a Better Way to Book Meetings
21 Nov 2008 at 6:03pmThis post is part of Mashable’s Startup Review series, which highlights great unsung startups. The series is made possible by Sun Startup Essentials. Company Name20-Word DescriptionA tidy and useful ‘Web 2.0′ SaaS application designed to simplify the management of meeting rooms in the office environment. Niche and Nice! CEO’s PitchUsing our online meeting room manager, you can check the availability of any meeting room in your office and make a booking in real-time using a web browser. Organising meetings made easy. Imagine the simplicity of using an online room scheduler to book a meeting room from your desk rather than having to locate a meeting room coordinator and have them check availability and reserve on your behalf. Typically the larger the organisation the more time can be taken up in the organising a room for a meeting. With bookmeetingrooom.com staff will be able to see with one quick glance which rooms are available from where ever you are. It?s a fantastic facility for anyone who schedules meetings and those who have to attend them. Mashable’s TakeFortunately, it?s been a few years since I worked in an office big enough that booking meeting rooms was required. But if I still did, a service like bookmeetingroom.com would make a lot of sense. It?s a web-based application for managing meeting rooms, allowing employees to see a calendar for all of an office?s available conference space and make bookings.
While booking meetings is a seemingly simple task, Bookmeetingroom.com takes just about everything into consideration, like allowing companies to maintain meeting rooms in multiple buildings across different time zones, with reports built in for administrators to see how their workspaces are being utilized. Like other software-as-a-service business models, pricing is based on the number of meeting rooms being maintained and the number of users accessing the system. If an app for managing meeting space sounds like overkill, you?ve probably never worked in a company where booking meeting rooms becomes a political affair and you wind up huddled in a janitor?s closet. (or maybe I?ve just had some really bad jobs in the past ?). The alternatives are typically either a system based on Outlook/Microsoft Exchange?s scheduling features, or just having a receptionist maintain a list of who has what rooms booked. In any event, bookmeetingroom.com has found a nice niche with a nicely executed web-based product. It seems a bit like something 37Signals should?ve come up with. Editor’s Note: This post is part of an ongoing series at Mashable - The Startup Review, Sponsored by Sun Microsystems Startup Essentials. If you would like to have your startup considered for inclusion, please see the details here. Sponsored By: Sun Startup Essentials Bo ShareThis, AddThis. Tomato, Tomatoe. Which Blog Plugin Rules Them All? (OWAs)
21 Nov 2008 at 4:40pm
So far, voting in the Blog Plugins category is neck and neck between two services with very similar functions: ShareThis and AddThis. The two plugins make it easy for your blog?s readers to bookmark your site and submit it to social news sites like Digg and Reddit. Several other plugins that help publishers increase page views and engagement are still in the running though. Here?s a quick look at the 10 finalists: AddThis ? Plugin for bookmarking your blog posts and submitting them to social news sites. Recently acquired by Clearspring. Apture ? Links specific words or phrases on a web page to multimedia content like music, video, and Wikipedia entries. CommentLuv ? Lets commenters attach a link to their most recent blog post to their comments. Leevigraham ? Developer of several popular plugins for features like polls, multi-language support, and custom forms. Ninja Zoo ? Plugin for selling your own custom designed products. Outbrain ? Lets users rate blog posts and suggests similar content from your blog and elsewhere. Plista ? Shows similar stories or products. ShareThis ? Lets your readers bookmarks posts and share with friends. Also provides analytics on their sharing habits. Snap ? Adds a ?preview? function to the outgoing links on your blog. Zemanta ? Automatically adds links, pictures, and tags to your blog posts. VOTE OFTEN: One Vote Per Category Per DayNow it’s time to vote for your favorite blog plugin in the first of two voting rounds. You can vote for one company per day until midnight on November 30th. Feel free to embed this widget on your own blog or website by clicking the “Grab This” button! For a timeline, rules and information on our 100 blog partners, please visit the Open Web Awards site. Top Tip For NomineesYou got through? Congratulations! Did you know you can create a custom version of our voting widget above to post to your company blog or website? Just visit the Open Web Awards Widget Creator and check the box to preset a category or company. This means your fans only need to enter an email address to vote - simple! Start Canvassing for YOUR Candidate!Want others to vote for your favorite site? Of course you do! Why not leave a comment here and on any of our international partner blogs encouraging other readers to add their support? The more you promote your candidate across these blogs, the more likely it is for your site to proceed to the finals! OWA Sponsors Love The WebThe Open Web Awards is made possible by our sponsors. By supporting the Open Web Awards, these companies reward and encourage innovative web technologies. We can’t thank them enough for sharing our passion: building great web companies. Platinum Partner
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--- Movable Type Plugin Connects FriendFeed Comments With Your Blog 5 Must Have Tools for Web Working Moms
21 Nov 2008 at 3:26pm
More and more moms are leaving the nine-to-five corporate grind and finding themselves working virtually from home in order to spend more quality time with their children. These balance-achieving moms need to stay productive, flexible, and as stress-free as possible what with carpooling the kids, making dinner, and advancing their careers. As a mom who works virtually myself, I’ve tried out my share of productivity and communications tools. Now I’m going to share with you the five I can’t live without: Google Apps
I use GMail to manage five different accounts related to the different projects I’m working on. I use Google docs to collaborate with other moms for event planning, project execution, and information capture. And Google calendar is a life saver when scheduling meetings because it plays nice with just about any calendaring platform out there. The bonus? Now that I have a T-Mobile G1, I cut out the step of a daily sync because Google’s Android platform syncs “over the air.” Meaning, I can focus on my child, the dishes, my clients, the mom communities, etc. instead of trying to remember the last time I synched my BlackBerry. Remember the Milk
As a busy mom, every second counts. Fleeting ideas and phone calls can happen unexpectedly and sometimes at the most distracted part of my day (erm…that would be every part). Remember the Milk is a task list tool that I also use to capture those ideas, jot a quick note, or write down a few words to jog my memory later. Using the Gmail Remember the Milk Add-on, this nifty little tool now lives within my Gmail screen. Handy and unintrusive, I don’t have to open any extra windows to get what’s in my head on that list. Literally, within seconds, it’s captured and saved. And with my hectic life? Every second counts. Alternatives to Remember the Milk include Jott and Evernote. 
Seems like more and more moms are on Twitter every day. So it was no surprise when the moms’ twitter streams made headlines recently after a Motrin ad rubbed many moms the wrong way. However, a lot of moms, like me, use Twitter as a way to keep up with current events, parenting resources, and developing friendships. And more moms than you might think are using Twitter as a professional networking tool. I’d even argue that I use Twitter stream as a blog reader that sees more action than my Google Reader. Want to find moms on Twitter? - Use Twitter Search with the search term mom, baby, or other keyword like baby sling, preschool, etc to find other like-minded moms on Twitter. - Sign up for the Twitter Moms Ning group to connect and share with other Moms on Twitter and find new ones to follow. - Look for a link to the mommy blogger’s Twitter profile on your mommy blogs. 
Sure, I’ve connected with childhood chums on Facebook as far back as elementary school on this ever-popular (some might even say THE most popular) social networking site. However, I also use it as an effective way to make important announcements about projects I’m working on, sharing resources I’ve found helpful with other moms, and discovering new blogs and websites to read and explore further. The Notes application makes it easy to share my feed with those that might not be avid blog readers and the Groups function lets me make new connections within various niches of interest. I’ve even designed my own flair with the logos of the companies I work with. Facebook can be a total time waster, but if used properly it can be a valuable tool. Feeling overwhelmed? Start with these mom-friendly Facebook apps: - Add your blog, support your favorites and discover new ones with Blog Network. - Support your favorite charity or express your passion for a cause with the Facebook application Causes. - Escape from preschool TV show line-up and be entertained by taking your friends quizzes or making up your own with the Quizzes app. YouMail
This is a neat application that works with your cell phone’s voicemail. A lot of people will find this useful, but moms especially. I know there are some times when because of a yapping puppy and a tired, cranky preschooler, I just can’t get to the phone. With YouMail, not only can I set up different voicemails depending on who the caller is, I can also see who left a voicemail in my email. This, with the ability to forward a voicemail by email to some else, helps me prioritize and therefore makes me productive. Plus, it takes Caller-ID to a whole different level, by showing me not just the number but the location, too. Working virtually, I get calls from all over the country, so this feature is very useful when taking time zones and the appropriate time to return a call into consideration. Living a balanced life as a full-time mom and a virtual executive isn’t easy and it’s certainly not without stress. But I’ve found that using a few key tools consistently, makes for a more productive and therefore, more successful outcome both with my family and my career. What are your must have tools? Jessica Smith has successfully brought her 8 years of marketing and business development experience home with her, literally. She is Chief Mom Advisor and the woman behind the idea for MomForce.com, Chief Mom Officer for Wishpot.com, and works with big brands including Walmart and Ford. Jessica offers a personal glimpse into her life as a mom and virtual executive at JessicaKnows.com. Her specialties include creating buzz and community for companies that target moms through new media. She has also been recently tapped as one of the 50 Most Influential and Powerful Women in Social Media as #23. Jessica enjoys the best of both worlds, motherhood and career, at home in the DC Metro area with her husband and young son. You can find her on Twitter as @jessicaknows. Image courtesy of iStockPhoto, iofoto --- Windows Live Launching Niche for Moms How a Tweet Lead to a Phone Call From Shaq
21 Nov 2008 at 1:19pm
Bryant Blount (aka lord_b) was one of the doubters after first hearing about @THE_REAL_SHAQ on a sports website. The back and forth between the two ultimately lead to an unforgettable phone call for a sports fan, and perhaps proves once and for all that Shaq is the coolest star athlete on the planet. After first hearing about Shaq?s presence on Twitter, Blount decided to follow him. A few hours later, much to Blount?s surprise, Shaq followed him back. Skeptical, Blount tweeted ?shaq has requested to follow me…boy is he gonna be disappointed.? A bit later, he added ?still 30% skeptical about shaq tweeting…will continue to investigate and report back with any new findings.? Low and behold, Shaq responded at 1am (the guy doesn?t appear to sleep based on his tweets), ?LORD B, DNT B SKEPTICAL, ITS ME GIMME A NUMBER I WILL CALL U.? The CallSince Blount?s Twitter account is private, he decided to go ahead and post his phone number. Blount explained to me what happened the next day at work. ?I was just doing some stuff at work and tweeted ?waiting for the big Aristotle to enlighten me?. Then a blocked number came up on my phone and I answered. It definitely sounded like Shaq,? he told me. A bit starstruck, the two chatted for ?3 or 4 minutes? about Twitter, the “fake” Shaq, and Blount?s hometown ? New Haven, CT ? where Shaq apparently used to play basketball with some people. Is Shaq Really That Cool?After the conversation, Shaq tweeted ?I just talk to my good friend lord b, hes cool, im a invite him to a game , him and his family.? Of course, all of this was simply amazing to Blount, who tweeted, ?@THE_REAL_SHAQ Big ups to shaq for making my life with that call. you can see why the big fella needs so many nicknames–he’s mad cool.?
What?s Next For Shaq on Twitter?Kathleen Hessert, who manages Shaq?s online marketing, commented on our post yesterday: ?Shaq is a joyful person and a riot to be around. He not only gets attention but actually attracts people - he?s magnetic and genuine. That?s why I recommended that he twitter. Frankly it suits him and he?s one of a select few who actually do care about his fans. He?s learning twitter on the run and tomorrow I?m showing him how to respond@ to a fan.? Sure enough, today saw Shaq make his first reply to a follower. The big man is clearly enjoying himself on the service, and while it might be more of a testament to his personality than the virtues of Twitter, it?s remarkable to watch. --- The Real Shaq is on Twitter and He?s a Must-Follow Sloshspot: The Website and iPhone App for Professional Drinkers
21 Nov 2008 at 12:10pm
What makes Sloshspot interesting, unique, and maybe a bit of an enabler, is a point system that allows users to earn rewards for more participation on the site. Of course, more participation ? like posting photos and comments from a night out at a particular venue ? requires more time out on the town. As you participate more on the site, you move up to different levels ? from lightweight, to weekend warrior, to socialite, etc. At each level, you unlock new site features, like things you can add to your profile, and eventually become eligible for prizes like iTunes gift cards and of course, free kegs.
Sloshspot also offers an iPhone app so you can find bars, events, and shows on the go. The app automatically detects your location, then lets you search the database to find something nearby. You can see all of the same data that?s available on the website, like ratings, the regulars, and who?s attending on a given night. The big competition for Sloshspot would seem to be MySpace, where many venues already maintain their own presence where you can do much of the same, by becoming a ?friend? of a given place, checking the event schedule, or leaving comments with your reviews and photos. Where Sloshspot has a chance to standout is with its reward system and a mobile experience specific to those that can?t get enough of the nightlife. And if those two components can take off, there is certainly money to be made in hyperlocal advertising to a crowd that?s looking to spend money. See Also: The Top Social Networks Where Alcohol is Allowed --- LimeWire Co-Creator Launches LittleShoot: The New Model for P2P?
21 Nov 2008 at 10:00am
For one, LittleShoot is starting off by serving as a search index for services that already have billions of files, like YouTube, Flickr, and yes, LimeWire. Thus, searching for just about anything will yield a plethora of results that you can download right to your computer. LittleShoot includes its own player too, so as a video or song is downloading, you can view and listen from the browser. Speedy DownloadsOnce those files are downloaded, they become part of the p2p network that is LittleShoot. Like other p2p services before it, LittleShoot works by downloading pieces of content from other users that have a given file, in the most efficient way possible. The service is optimized not just to find the most nearby computers with the file, but also defaulting (when possible) to users on the same ISP to further pump up the download speeds.
Anonymous PublishingPublishing files to LittleShoot is also exceptionally easy. You simply browse your hard drive and select the files you?d like to upload. You can add tags to your files to help improve the search index. You can access your files from a ?Publish? tab on the site, where you can edit, open, or delete them. LittleShoot requires no registration, which should give users some sense of anonymity in uploading their files (of course, whether copyright holders demand IP addresses at some point is another issue).
Turning Twitter into a p2p PlatformAlthough not live yet, another big feature LittleShoot has in the works will essentially turn Twitter into a file sharing service. When you upload files, you?ll have the option to tweet a link to them, which in turn will be tremendous viral marketing for LittleShoot while significantly improving the performance of the p2p network, since files will be hosted on more and more computers as they get downloaded. For DevelopersLittleShoot also plans to offer tools to external developers, so ?any site can include our javascript library and create a p2p YouTube, for example, but where flash files stream just as if they weren’t p2p,? says co-founder Adam Fisk. Why Are They Doing This?There are already a ton of p2p download services, many of which are under constant attack by copyright holders and industry groups. Essentially, Fisk and his team think file sharing has evolved in the wrong direction in the Web 2.0 world. ?People flocked to put their videos and photos on sites like YouTube and Facebook, and those sites now control an astonishing percentage of our digital content. Corporate ads are slapped on personal videos. Privately shared content is taken down due to bogus copyright claims. Sharing has become synonymous with forsaking one?s right to manage one?s own content,? the company says. LittleShoot could certainly shake things up, and given how long Limewire has managed to survive, I wouldn?t bet against it being a new disruptive force in p2p file sharing with some staying power. 5 Great Unofficial Gmail Themes
21 Nov 2008 at 7:59am
Indeed, the Google design corps won?t hit the spot for every Tom, Dick, and Henrietta. So there?s really only one alternative route to venture down to get Gmail a new dress: some good ol? CSS chop-shoppage via the ever-popular Greasemonkey and Stylish Firefox add-ons. Here are our current top picks: Be sure to post your faves if you?ve got ?em, and tell us how they compare to Google?s own. Gmail RedesignedThe king of all Stylish Gmail themes, Gmail Redesigned is without a doubt the most professionally done of all the themes listed here. It sports a fancy custom loading screen, and many details you won’t catch right away, but they’ll get under your skin after a while, making you wish the official Gmail theme had them. Super CleanSuper Clean is very liberal with its use of white and sweeping blues. Which, if we?re honest, give it a sort of Microsoft Live-like atmosphere. Admittedly, it looks quite good, wouldn?t you agree?
Dark Gmail 2 NasaWhat?s not white and fits in with the Nasa Night Launch Firefox theme? Yep, Dark Gmail 2 Nasa. This one?s pretty rich on the graphics, so if you?re seeking something more clean-looking (like Gmail?s own ?Terminal? option), this isn?t the thing for you.
Dark GrayApart from a white search field and some glimmers of light gray around the periphery, Dark Gray holds true to its name.
Dark Shiny BlueThere?s lots of shininess to the Dark Shiny Blue theme. Dark gray and blue tones get equal treatment. The drop-down transparent menu is a nice treat to see. All things considered, gamers may take a particular liking.
--- GMail Adding Greasemonkey Support? |
Big Think
The king of Web video is finally set to join the live video realm today. In 30 minutes, 
Secret Santa - the gift-exchange game that’s either the highlight or low-light of the festive season in workplaces everywhere - is getting the online treatment again this year. 4 year-old social site 
As we reported yesterday, 
Expanding beyond 140 characters, Blount told me ?I just thought it was amazing that Shaq was tweeting and really direct. A lot of [athletes] have blogs, MySpace, and Facebook, but Shaq on Twitter is pretty crazy because a lot of people are hearing him. I was never a huge Shaq fan, but one of the things he said was ?I?m a regular guy just like you.? I think he?s a great guy and a great person, you can just tell.?
As its name suggests, 
Well, it took 6 months since we first heard 
