Mashable: Latest 24 News Updates - including “Mashable Weekend Recap: 60 Stories You Might Have Missed”

Monday 16 July 2012 by IrwanKch

Mashable: Latest 24 News Updates - including “Mashable Weekend Recap: 60 Stories You Might Have Missed”


Mashable Weekend Recap: 60 Stories You Might Have Missed

Posted: 16 Jul 2012 04:05 AM PDT




You might think mid-summer is kind of quiet here at Mashable HQ, but that couldn't be further from the truth. This weekend was rip-roaring, rollicking and all those other "R" words -- full of news, views, ballyhoo and woo woo, and we gathered all of it together right here, just for you.

So start your week right, check out all of our posts we did over the weekend here on the Weekend Recap, and then go out there and make it your best week yet.

Editor's Picks

Sneak Peek: iPad 7″ Features Unicorn Horns, Levitation [SUNDAY COMICS]

Advertisers Need to Pay Attention to Connected TV [INFOGRAPHIC]

Next iPhone Will Debut in Fall, Japanese Blog Reports [VIDEO]

Richard Branson Anno
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More About: mashable weekend recap


Apple Developing Smaller iPad While Amazon Works on a Bigger Kindle Fire [RUMOR]

Posted: 16 Jul 2012 02:09 AM PDT




Apple is working on a smaller version of its iPad tablet, cheaper than the current model, the New York Times reports citing several people with knowledge of the project.

The new, smaller iPad will have a 7.85-inch screen diagonal and will cost "significantly less" than the "regular" iPad, which starts at $499.

Meanwhile, Amazon is working on a bigger version of the 7-inch Kindle Fire in order to compete with the iPad, claims a developer briefed on Amazon's plans.

Steve Jobs has famously claimed that the iPad has just the perfect screen size, and Apple hasn't even hinted at a smaller version of the tablet yet, so the "iPad mini" stays deep within rumor territory. We'll find out t…
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More About: Kindle, amazon, apple, ipad


You Too Can Fly Into Space With Richard Branson

Posted: 15 Jul 2012 11:54 PM PDT




At long last, Richard Branson has announced the scheduled departure of the first Virigin Galactic space flight. Branson will depart sometime in 2013 with his two sons beside him for the much-anticipated flight. And if you've got $200,000 burning a hole in your pocket, you can join them for the ride.

The AP reports that more than 500 people have already signed up to board the company's SpaceShipTwo craft. A seat on the flight also requires a week-long training course in addition to the hefty price tag.

SEE ALSO: Virgin Galactic's LauncherOne Aims to Make Satellite Deployment Cheaper

Watch this video to learn more about the history behind Virgin…
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More About: Space Flight, Virgin Galactic, richard branson


Nokia Knocks Lumia 900 Price Down to $50

Posted: 15 Jul 2012 09:31 PM PDT




Nokia has cut the price of its flagship Lumia 900 phone in half just three months after it hit the U.S. market. The Windows-based smartphone now costs $49.99 with a two-year contract from AT&T.

The new price took effect Sunday, The Wall Street Journal reports. Nokia's and AT&T's website have both been updated to reflect the change.

The price cut comes less than a month after Microsoft unveiled its next-generation mobile OS, Windows 8 -- and with it, news that Lumia 900 phones will not be getting the upgrade. If the phone wasn't selling well before that bit of news dropped, it's likely selling much worse now.

A Nokia spokesperson told the Journal that the move was "a normal strategy…
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More About: Nokia, att, lumia 900, microsoft, windows phone 7


Modern Day Heat Wave Problems [COMIC]

Posted: 15 Jul 2012 08:02 PM PDT




The U.S. is suffering through a series of hot, muggy days. Sometimes the weather tops 90-degrees for a few days or more. In our neck of the woods, that's called a heat wave. It gets so bad you feel like you're gonna melt. If that does happen, let's hope you have the presence of mind to remember what's important. Like this guy.

More About: cartoon, comic, humor


LEGO Version of ‘Portal’ May Be Coming to a Store Near You

Posted: 15 Jul 2012 07:05 PM PDT


Full Portal Set




Look familiar? The Portal gang's all here! Via Brickthing

Click here to view this gallery.




We can't think of a geekier marriage then LEGO building blocks and the Portal hit series of video games. Good news for fans of both: LEGO Portal products might be available for purchase in the near future.

The idea was pitched to LEGO via its CUUSOO platform, a petition-style site where LEGO fans can submit ideas for products they'd like to see the company sell. If an idea gets at least 10,000 supporters, LEGO will consider turning the dream into a reality.

The LEGO Portal project was introduced late last month. It only took about two weeks to cross the 10,000 vote threshold. This September, a "LEGO Jury" comprised of designers, project managers and other staff will take the idea into…
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This Robot Can Express Frighteningly Human Emotions [VIDEO]

Posted: 15 Jul 2012 06:36 PM PDT




Robots just got creepier. The new FACE robot can express a range of human emotions that go beyond expressing happiness and sadness to show disgust and amazement, among other expressions. It can even adjust the intensity of each emotion displayed on a sliding scale.

The robot relies on 32 gears in its "face" (compared to approximately 52 muscles in a human face) that control the expressions and show emotion.

SEE ALSO: Human Thought Can Control This Robot

Watch the video to learn how long it took developers to create this feat of robotics and how the FACE robot learns to mimic actual human emotions. While a little unsettling, we've got to admit…
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More About: Face, Robot


Richard Branson Announces Satellite-Carrying ‘LauncherOne’

Posted: 15 Jul 2012 05:50 PM PDT




Virgin Galactic, the space travel outfit belonging to business mogul Richard Branson, unveiled a low-cost option for delivering satellites into orbit called "LauncherOne" this week.

LauncherOne, which Branson announced at the Farnborough Airshow near London, England, is scheduled to begin sending satellites to space in 2016. The vessel will have a cargo capacity of up to 500 pounds and cost under $10 million, according to a release from the company.

Branson hailed the project as a solution for democratizing satellite-based scientific research.

"It will be a critical new tool for the global research community, enabling us all to learn about our home planet more quickly and affordably…
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More About: SpaceX, Tech, Virgin Galactic, richard branson, space, technology


How to Watch ‘Breaking Bad’ Premiere Live Online

Posted: 15 Jul 2012 04:56 PM PDT




Good news Breaking Bad fans, you can tune in to watch the fifth season premiere live online tonight at 10 p.m. ET.

Earlier this month, an ongoing dispute between AMC Networks and Dish over carriage fees meant that Dish satellite customers lost access to the AMC, IFC, Sundance Channel and WEtv cable networks.

That's bad news for any Dish customer who wants to tune into the latest (and final) season of the award-winning show Breaking Bad.

For the last few weeks, AMC has ramped up its own "Get the Facts" campaign with its "Keep AMC Networks" site geared towards telling its side of the story.

In a move that is unprecedented -- at least as far as these disputes go -- the network is go…
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More About: AMC network, amc, breaking bad, streaming television


5 Fascinating Things We Learned From Reddit This Week

Posted: 15 Jul 2012 03:41 PM PDT


1. NASA Uses Armageddon as a Training Movie




As part of NASA's management training program, new staff must find as many scientific inaccuracies in the film Armageddon as they can . NASA considers this a game for its "space geeks," however 168 inaccuracies is apparently the record.

Click here to view this gallery.




This week, there seemed to be a trend of interesting facts on Reddit. From blastoffs to blasts from the past, there was an unusual amount of interest in space and nostalgia.

SEE ALSO:

More About: features, reddit, reddit facts


Kickstarter Project: Bring Ancient Artillery Into Your Office [VIDEO]

Posted: 15 Jul 2012 03:27 PM PDT




Have you ever daydreamed of bringing the weapons of the ancient battlefield into your office? Now you can help fund a Kickstarter project that will do just that.

The ballista, an ancient weapon that fired shield-piercing bolts, is being developed into a toothpick-firing desktop model by engineer Kerwin Lumpkins. Remember the Internet sensation of the ancient catapult-liketrebuchet? This follows suit. We've got a feeling it would be the weapon of choice for Dwight from The Office.

SEE ALSO: Penny Arcade Raises $200,000 in 2 days on Kickstarter

Watch the video to see just how the ballista is constructed and learn more about the Kickstarter proje
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More About: Ancient weaponry, Ballista, Kerwin Lumpkins, kickstarter


The 10 Most Awesome Breaking Bad Finds on Pinterest

Posted: 15 Jul 2012 03:14 PM PDT


Blue Meth Cupcake




If you're throwing a "Breaking Bad" party, pick up Gatorade and whip up a batch of these cupcakes. Image via of Craftster

Click here to view this gallery.




The Pinterest crowd might not stand out as the most fervent Breaking Bad fans, but tucked in amongst the food porn and craft projects, you can discover gems of Walter White delight.

Ramp up your excitement level for tonight's premiere of the fifth and final season by flipping through the gallery of Breaking Bad Pinterest finds that are more fun than noshing on Funyuns in the New Mexico desert.

BONUS: Watch the stars of "Breaking Bad" before meth and Albuquerque.

More About: breaking bad, pinterest, watercooler


Top 10 Tech This Week [PICS]

Posted: 15 Jul 2012 02:34 PM PDT




Want to feel like you just stepped into a science fiction movie? You came to the right place: It's Top 10 Tech This Week.

More About: Google, Spy, Top 10 Tech, iOS, iPhone Dock, trending


Watch the Gruesome Trailer for The Walking Dead’s New Season

Posted: 15 Jul 2012 02:20 PM PDT




Season three of AMC's hit zombie series The Walking Dead is just around the corner, and the audience at Comic-Con got a sneak preview this week. That trailer's hit YouTube, and it's four minutes of walker-hunting, apocalypse-surviving action and drama that'll whet the appetite of the show's massive fanbase.

The new season picks up right where season 2 left off: The group is partially split up after a walker attack on the farm and some of them have just come upon a prison which could potentially serve as a new home.

Fans of The Walking Dead graphic novel -- on which the AMC series is based -- will recognize several key players, including the sword-wielding Michonne (introduced at th…
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More About: Entertainment, TV, amc, television, the walking dead, trailers, trending


770,000 Users Demand YouTube-to-MP3 Conversion

Posted: 15 Jul 2012 01:26 PM PDT




Philip Matesanz, a 21-year-old German student studying computer science, believes that it should be easy to convert YouTube videos into downloadable .mp3s. His website, youtube-mp3.org, allows its more than one million daily users to do exactly that.

Google, however, disagrees. Last month, it reportedly sent Matesanz a cease-and-desist, claiming that his site's function violates YouTube's terms of service. The site is still up, but it no longer works as advertised.

In response to Google's threat of legal action, Matesanz did two things: he turned to two experts in Germany to examine his case (they have produced reports defending Matesanz) and he asked his users and supporters to sign…
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More About: Entertainment, Google, YouTube, audio, mp3, streaming video, trending


Top 6 Comments on Mashable This Week

Posted: 15 Jul 2012 12:41 PM PDT




From Lady Gaga's network of Little Monsters to debates on bullying in the gaming community, Mashable readers had a lot to comment on this week.

Following the hilarious Rolling Stones 404 message, one commenter had another great suggestion for U2.

Lady Gaga finally opened up her social media network to all her Little Monsters, complete with multilingual chat, Pinterest-style layout and Reddit-like voting system. Still, our readers wanted to discuss how she would stack up to other social media celebrity heavyweights.

Another big story this week came from the announcement of a re-release of another little monster: Furby. The talkative tech-toy that flew off the shelves during the…
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More About: Furby, Lady Gaga, Little Monsters, mashable follow, top comments


Watch London Cops Pull the Plug on Springsteen and McCartney [VIDEO]

Posted: 15 Jul 2012 12:28 PM PDT




No music fan in his or her right mind would pull the plug on the legendary Bruce Springsteen and Sir Paul McCartney, but that's exactly what London police did late Saturday night.

Springsteen was at the tail end of a three-hour long performance in London's Hyde Park when he brought the ex-Beatle onto the stage to do a couple of songs together. The pair went beyond the park's 10:30 p.m. curfew by about half an hour, prompting police to cut off the juice.

It may have been a first for The Boss, but McCartney's had this happen once before: The Beatles famously played a surprise show from the rooftop of London's Abbey Road Studios way back in 1969 before their power was turned off by po…
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More About: Music, Video, Viral, World, YouTube, london, trending, uk, watercooler


Reserve These 5 Web Properties for Your Kids Now

Posted: 15 Jul 2012 11:56 AM PDT


1. Domain Name




Purchasing a domain name is the most useful and expensive property you can reserve for your new child. He or she can turn the site into anything, that is, when the little tyke comes of age.

Here's zoefox.com, the domain name I can't own because young Zoe's parents are squatting on it until August 2013.

If you want to snag an already taken domain, you can find out on who owns it by visting WhoIs. Unlike many social networks, which prohibit the sale of user names, you can purchase domain names if someone is squatting on yours.

Click here to view this gallery.




I can't easily obtain personal domain name zoefox.com because some proactive parents of a girl named Zoe Fox, born in San Francisco on Oct. 26, 2001, have already claimed the property. However, since discovering the site, I've never noticed the other Zoe's parents make any changes to the site. Perhaps they're squatting until their daughter has some grander plan for zoefox.com. Annoying to me = awesome present to the now 11-year-old Zoe.

"People will buy domain names before they'll do anything else," says Beth Blecherman, founder of TechMamas.com.

If you're a new parent, you can make sure this doesn't happen to your children by creating some thoughtful digital gifts now, which take rela…
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More About: Facebook, Google, Kids, Social Media, Twitter, features, lifestyle, parenting, trending, web


Watch the Soyuz Lift Off for the International Space Station [VIDEO]

Posted: 15 Jul 2012 11:19 AM PDT




A Russian Soyuz lifted off from Kazakhstan early Sunday morning, carrying three astronauts bound for the International Space Station.

The crew, made up of astronauts from Russia, Japan and the United States, will fly for two days before docking at the ISS for a six-week mission. They will join three others already on board the station orbiting some 255 miles or so above the surface of the Earth.

The crew will conduct a series of experiments and prepare the ISS for a busier-than-normal period of activity, according to the Associated Press.

With the United States' space shuttle program over but its domestic replacement not yet off the ground, Am…
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More About: ISS, International Space Station, NASA, russia, space


Sneak Peek: iPad 7″ Features Unicorn Horns, Levitation [SUNDAY COMICS]

Posted: 15 Jul 2012 11:05 AM PDT




While the rest of the world speculates about the upcoming iPhone and a mini version of the iPad, The Joy of Tech has all the answers.

What far-out features would you predict for the newer, smaller iPad? Are we already deep into The Hype Zone?


SEE ALSO: Previous Sunday Comics

Comic illustration provided by The Joy of Tech. Published with permission; all rights reserved

More About: Sunday Comics, trending


Advertisers Need to Pay Attention to Connected TV [INFOGRAPHIC]

Posted: 15 Jul 2012 10:53 AM PDT




Consumers have shifted their video consumption habits drastically in recent years -- from cable to connected TV. That's not news. But advertisers have been slow to catch up, often undervaluing web video commercials in a world where network prime time and Super Bowl ads still command big money.

To illustrate the trends advertisers should be watching, Tremor Video commissioned Frank N. Magid Associates to run a study on consumers' connected TV preferences and viewing habits. The researchers recruited 1,010 video viewers from across the U.S. between the ages of 18 and 54. All respondents said they viewed video weekly on a smartphone, tablet or connected TV.

See their findings below.


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More About: Advertising, Business, Entertainment, TV, connected tv, infographics


Why Analytics Matter to Small Businesses

Posted: 15 Jul 2012 10:17 AM PDT




Small businesses are past the fact that they need to use social media. Customers are using social tools to communicate, shop, research and discover -- most of which are rapidly becoming a mobile experience. And so, entrepreneurs are shifting how they run their business around that fact.

The question now becomes "how?" Booz and Company conducted an in-depth study with Buddy Media of social media's marketing impact, and found that most businesses were not utilizing tools and services properly.

Chris Vollmer, a partner and leader of Booz and Company's global media and entertainment practice, says businesses large and small are moving toward three capabilities: content development, com…
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More About: Small Business, Social Media, analytics, features, open forum


‘Call Me Maybe’ Meets Star Wars: Forced Parody? [VIDEO]

Posted: 15 Jul 2012 09:49 AM PDT




What happens when you mix the music from "Call Me Maybe" with its lyrics lifted from all six Star Wars movies? That's right, it's yet another "Call Me Maybe" parody, this one from a galaxy far, far away.

This YouTube video by James Covenant is not quite viral yet, but it certainly is picking up some steam on this hot summer afternoon. Even so, this little disjointed ditty has a long way to go before it catches up with the original song's YouTube traffic, already topping 100 million views.

Do you think this parody is better than the Cookie Monster's version of Call Me Maybe?

More About: Call Me Maybe, Star Wars, parody, trending


3 Online Tools for Finding the Perfect Job Candidate

Posted: 15 Jul 2012 08:48 AM PDT




desk job

With so many qualified job seekers available for so few positions in the U.S. workforce, many recruiters may be wondering how they can ensure they're choosing the most qualified candidates.

Fortunately, a slew of new services are available to make the role of a recruiter easier. New software is allowing job candidates to earn professional recommendations, prove their skills and more.

These tools are not only powerful ways for job seekers to stand out from the crowd, but they can also help HR managers and recruiters to more adequately sift through the growing pool of qualified candidates and find the best fit for their companies. Check out a few of these tools below.

1.…
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More About: features, job recruiting, job search series, jobs, mashable, trending


HTC Working on ‘Unique’ New Tablet [REPORT]

Posted: 15 Jul 2012 08:10 AM PDT




Most peoples' lists of top tablet competitors doesn't include Taiwanese mobile manufacturer HTC -- the company unsuccessfully tried to enter the tablet market in May of 2011 with the HTC Flyer, but it was widely considered a flop and production was canceled before the end of the year. Another HTC tablet, the Jetstream, also failed to make a major impact.

Now, HTC is reportedly planning a comeback attempt with an unnamed tablet that will "definitely" arrive sometime in the future, according to PC Advisor.

Details on HTC's upcoming mystery machine are slim, but a spokesperson told PC Advisor that it will have a "unique selling point" to separate it from competition, such as Apple's iPad
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More About: Mobile, Tech, android, htc, tablets, technology, trending


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