Welcome to this morning's edition of "First To Know," a series in which we keep you in the know on what's happening in the digital world. Today, we're looking at three particularly interesting stories.

LG Starts Production of New Smartphone Screens, Rumored to be Used in Apple's iPhone

LG kicked off production of new, thinner smartphone screens, which are speculated to be part of Apple's next-generation iPhone.

"We just began mass production and we don't expect any disruption in supplies," said Han Sang-beom, chief executive of LG Display.

Reports are swirling around Apple's upcoming iPhone, likely to be announced on Sept. 12, though nothing has been confirmed yet. But…
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More About: Facebook, LG, apple, features, first to know series, flickr, iphone, mashable

Tumblr was forced to remove Twitter as a source of finding friends for its users on Wednesday.

The news, first reported by The Next Web, comes after the microblogging service debuted stricter API rules that negatively impact third-party app developers. Both Tumblr and Twitter later confirmed the removal.

Now, Tumblr users are left with Facebook and Gmail to find friends when signing up for the service.

The blogging platform, which has always been tightly integrated with Twitter, expressed its disappointment over the turn of events in a statement.

"To our dismay, Twitter has restricted our users' ability to 'Find Twitter Friends' on Tumblr. Given our history of embracing th…
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More About: Twitter, trending, tumblr

Google has embarked on a trip to build the most comprehensive map of Canada's Arctic region to date, the company announced Wednesday night.

It is the furthest north that the Google Maps Street View team has traveled in Canada, and marks the first time that it has set foot in the Canadian territory of Nunavut, according to Google spokeswoman Deanna Yick.

Residents of Cambridge Bay, a small northern hamlet, used Google Map Maker to add roads, rivers, lakes and other points of interest -- including a daycare and nine-hole golf course -- to the area's map on Wednesday. The tool, which allows locals to add their knowledge directly to Google Maps, supports Inuktitut, one of Nunavut's of…
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More About: Canada, Google, Google Maps, Map Maker, arctic, mapping, trending

You arrive at the airport two hours early, check your bag, get through security, take out your laptop and liquids -- the process can be nightmarish and stressful. It's time for a major (good) shakeup in the travel industry.

Could a startup called Surf Air be the ticket?

Founded by Eyerly brothers Wade and Dave, Surf Air offers subscription-based air travel on private planes. "We're trying to provide access to private planes to folks who otherwise wouldn't have had it," Wade says.

No extra fees, no security nightmares, and you are flying on a private jet. All this for a monthly subscription fee of about $1,000 for four flights per mont…
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More About: air travel, private air travel, subscription, trending, valleygirltv

Hey, tweeps. Done any photobombing lately? You know, while you lifecasted your date night with that ripped Wikipedian; he said he was an ethical hacker, but turned out to be a douche who just wanted to talk vajazzling. Totes ridic, right? Lolz.

If every word in the above paragraph makes sense, congratulations: You're on the cutting edge of the English language, according to the Oxford Dictionaries Online.

This Internet-based sibling to the storied Oxford English Dictionary released its latest batch of new words Thursday, and it's a doozy. In addition to the above, you can now officially use "dogfooding" (the act of testing your own software) and "inboxing" (sending any sort of privat…
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More About: Oxford English Dictionary, trending

Radio DJs may have some competition from a new app that lets users dedicate songs to their Facebook friends.

ShoutOut Radio describes itself as a "personal radio station" where users can send tunes to a select few privately, or broadcast them to a larger group. The songs or "ShoutOuts" will then pop up on their friends' apps, if they have it downloaded, as well as on their Facebook timelines. Of course, each user has the option of commenting or "liking" the "ShoutOut."

Users can share tunes from their own devices, or access millions of songs in ShoutOut Radio's database. They can also create a customized radio station around a particular song. C…
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More About: ShoutOut Radio, apps, music sharing, radio, songs, trending

Some students use their mobile phone for more than texting with friends or playing games.

According to McAfee's 2012 Teen Internet Behavior Study, only 23% of parents expressed concern about their teen cheated in school by going online, yet nearly half of all teens (48%) admit they've looked up answers to a test or assignment online. Twenty-two percent of teens said they cheated specifically on a test via online or mobile phone, while only 5% of parents believed their children did this.

SEE ALSO: 5 Android Apps for Your Straight-A Student

The study also found:
15.8% of teens have admitted to cheating on a test by looking up answers on their phone. Only 3.2% of parents tho…
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More About: Children, Mobile, Tech, trending

Google has announced its first update to Google Chrome for iOS, adding the ability to share pages from the browser directly on your favorite social network, including Facebook and Twitter.

Google Chrome for iOS was announced and launched at the company's annual developer's conference in June.

The mobile browser offers a number of features already available in its desktop version, including synched tabs; if you're checking out a website on your iPhone, you can open it on your desktop computer, and vice versa. Users can also share saved passwords between devices, bookmarks and search history.

SEE ALSO: Chrome and Google Drive Land on iOS

Wednesday's update allows you to…
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More About: Facebook, Google, Twitter, google chrome, iOS, trending

1. Lemon Sucker

This little guy owns the "sour face."

Click here to view this gallery.

Chances are you don't remember your first taste of lemon, but nowadays, parents are capturing such moments for posterity -- and sharing them all over YouTube.

We found 10 clips of babies getting their first tastes of citrus fruit. What's really funny is that, despite the initial shock, they almost all go back for more.

SEE ALSO: 10 Infectious YouTube Clips of Babies Laughing at Dogs

Take a look through our comedic selection in the video gallery above. Link in the comments below to any of your favorite baby-themed YouTube videos.

More About: Video, Watercooler, YouTube, babies, family and parenting, features, trending

Héctor Navarro

Zurich-bound.

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Departure is often bittersweet. While it means leaving someone or something behind, departure also means new beginnings — whether a vacation, a move or a new venture in life. From touching goodbyes to morning commutes, departure is a constant theme in each of our lives. The moments that surround it are among the most significant.

Last week we called for photo challenge submissions that symbolized departure, and the photos we received were inspired. You captured soldiers leaving for a tour of duty, a last look at a flooded region and even an Indian wedding, and as usual, our readers' thoughtfulness and interpretation of the theme was captivating.

SEE ALSO: 16 Gorgeous Photos of Gold …
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More About: Mashable Photo Challenge, Photos, community, photography

The Bible says Jesus rode a donkey into Jerusalem, where he was greeted by adoring crowds before beginning his Passion and eventual crucifixion. But what if that donkey had doubled as a Wi-Fi hotspot?

A biblical park tourist attraction in Israel has fused together the ancient and online worlds by equipping its donkeys with wireless routers. Visitors to the park dress in authentic biblical robes and ride the donkeys to see and imagine what life was like centuries ago. Now, thanks to the Wi-Fi-enabled animals, those visitors can instantaneously share with friends what Old Testament times were like via tweet, Instagram photo or Facebook wall post.…
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More About: Social Media, travel

Mint can be a powerful tool when it comes to monitoring your finances. The service helps you track how much money you're spending and on what, and alerts you when bills are due and when you might finally pay off your credit card.

While most Mint users know the basics, how to use the service to better manage their finances, there are a few features in Mint you might not be aware of. They might even to improve your bottom line.

Here are some of our favorite underutilized Mint features.

1. Tags
A lot of people use categories in Mint for expenses, but not everyone takes advantage of Mint's tagging feature. Use tags in conjunction with categories for further organizing your expenses…
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More About: Mobile, apps, features, mint, money

Tweets sent by two friends just before they were killed by a derailed coal train in Maryland give an eery window into the young women's final minutes. Now, as investigators try to piece together just what happened and how the train came off its rails, it's possible the Twitter posts could play a role in solving the mystery.

Nineteen-year-old students Elizabeth Conway Nass and Rose Louese Mayr were drinking atop a railroad bridge in Ellicott City, Maryland, late Monday night before returning to college for the new school year, according to reports. Their respective Twitter accounts appear to have since been deactivated or made private, but multiple news accounts and a Washington Post Stor…
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More About: Twitter

1. Up Chuck

Image courtesy of GPK World

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On August 22, 1987, a group of vile and unlucky kids with abnormally large noggins went Hollywood with the release of The Garbage Pail Kids Movie.

Widely regarded as one of the worst films of all-time (sorry, Howard the Duck!), the Kids hold a 0% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. A New York Times critic even described the Razzie-nominated flick as "too repulsive for children or adults of any age."

To honor the 25 year anniversary of this cinematic pièce de cráp-stance, we not only dug up the original movie trailer, but also collected 25 classic Garbage Pail Kids cards.

Flip through the gallery for a childhood flashback filled with gross bodily functions, dismemberment and other things t…
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More About: Movies, Watercooler

AT&T made it very clear today who is in charge. In a terse, borderline condescending note, AT&T lectured some its customers for voicing their objections to the company's new policy regarding Apple's FaceTime app. The note is actually refreshingly honest and free of spin, offering a glance into how the company views itself and its relationship with the people who use its network.

First, a quick recap: In June, Apple revealed that its extremely competent video-chatting app, FaceTime, which had previously been limited to Wi-Fi, would be coming the 3G and 4G networks with the release of iOS 6 this fall. I was there in San Francisco's Moscone Center when Apple's Scott Forstall made the…
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More About: apple, att, facetime, net neu

"I only need eight bits to know that this is it," a lovestruck Luigi croons to Princess Peach in this nerd-tastic ballad that instantly went viral on the social web upon hitting YouTube earlier Wednesday. The green-clad, mustachioed Luigi always seemed to be more a wingman to partner in-crime-Mario -- who sported a more passionate red outfit -- in the Super Mario Bros. video game franchise. But it seems Luigi was really just the shy, sensitive type and actually had dreams of his own all along.

More About: YouTube, video games, viral videos

The Federal Trade Commission announced Wednesday that it had completed its investigation of Facebook's purchase of photo-sharing app Instagram -- all but clearing the way for the deal to close.

"It now appears that no further action is warranted by the Commission at this time," the FTC's acting secretary April Tabor wrote both companies on Wednesday. "Accordingly, the investigation has been closed ... [but] the Commission reserves the right to take such further action as the public interest may require."

In FTC-speak, however, that means Facebook has the federal approval it sought for the purchase. The Commission's vote to close the investigation was unanimous, 5-0.

The deal h…
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More About: Facebook, instagram

The first official poster for the historical biopic Lincoln was revealed Wednesday, featuring Daniel Day-Lewis' striking resemblance to Honest Abe.

The film, directed by Steven Spielberg, is expected to be one of the year's biggest blockbusters. Day-Lewis portrays Lincoln during the President's final months.

Entertainment Weekly revealed the first look at Day-Lewis as Lincoln, but the official poster -- and a recent theatrical release date in November -- hints that the trailer should surface soon.

More About: Lincoln, Movies, Watercooler

As expected, Hewlett-Packard reported a $8.9 billion loss in its third quarter, as the company recorded $10.8 billion in write-downs for acquisitions and restructuring costs.

Revenues declined 5% to $29.7 billion year-over-year. The computer giant earned $2 billion, or $1.00 per share, for three months ending in July.

The company slightly lowered the high end of its full-year guidance from $4.07 per share to $4.05 per share.

"HP is still in the early stages of a multi-year turnaround, and we're making decent progress despite the headwinds," Meg Whitman, HP president and CEO, said in an earnings release. "During the quarter we took important steps to focus on strategic priorities, ma…
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More About: HP

No matter what size your company is or what industry you're in, it's critical to stay on top of evolving mobile technology. This is part of why more and more companies are creatively harnessing smartphones and tablets to engage their target audience and enhance the overall consumer experience. With options like touchscreen dining menus and shopping checkouts on smartphones, these businesses are using mobile technology as both a marketing angle and a productivity tool.

We asked six successful entrepreneurs to note which companies have made a lasting impression with their use of on-site tablet technology. Here are their top picks.

1. Uncorkd
Uncorkd has a wine and beer selection a…
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More About: contributor, features, tablets

Remember Spud Webb? Meet Aquille Carr. He's a pint-sized high school senior-to-be whose new highlight video instantly went viral in online basketball circles since being posted to YouTube late Tuesday night. And it's easy to see why. Despite measuring in at just five-and-a-half feet tall, Carr sails through the air to dunk over defenders, spins them in circles with whiplash-inducing crossover dribbles and even catapults himself up for some epic two-handed blocks.

This compilation was put together and set to music by Hoopmixtape. Hoopmixtape is one of several companies that have created a cottage industry in recent years by using YouTube and other social media platforms to introduce f…
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More About: Sports, YouTube, viral videos

Hard to believe, but Steve Jobs resigned from Apple almost exactly a year ago and died just a little over a month later.

Happily for the company he founded, Apple has continued to prosper. Warnings that Apple would collapse without his leadership have been off the mark -- at least so far. Apple reached another milestone this week when its valuation reached $621.64 billion making it the most-valuable company ever, at least measured in 2012 dollars. While there's some dispute about whether Apple actually broke Microsoft's 1999 record (factoring in for inflation, Apple still appears to have some way to go), this infographic, from Statista, shows just how dominant Apple is today.

Ima…
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More About: apple

Tony Nicklinson, 58, passed away in his sleep Wednesday morning -- several days after he was denied the "right to die" by Britain's High Court.

Nicklinson's family confirmed his death on Twitter.

You may already know, my Dad died peacefully this morning of natural causes. he was 58.— TonyNicklinson (@TonyNicklinson) August 22, 2012

before he died, he asked us to tweet: 'Goodbye world the time has come, I had some fun'— TonyNicklinson (@TonyNicklinson) August 22, 2012

Thank you for your support over the years. We would appreciate some privacy at this difficult time. Love, Jane, Lauren and Beth— TonyNicklinson (@TonyNicklinson) August 22, 2012

The locke…
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More About: Social Media, Twitter

How often do you use your smartphone to peruse a website? According to a recent survey, over the course of the past year visits to leading ecommerce websites from consumers' mobile devices have skyrocketed. And the battle for smartphone supremacy is intensifying.

The infographic below illustrates the direction in which the mobile commerce is headed, and shows the race between iPhone and Android.

Digital marketing technology company Monetate issued the report from which this information is extracted. The report analyzed more than 100 million online shopping experiences to come up with the data below.

Have you shopped more frequently from your mobile device in the past year? Tell u…
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More About: ecommerce, smartphone

Facebook began rolling out a new, cleaner version of Messages on Wednesday.

Your inbox is now (or will soon be) sorted into two panes, mimicking a format favored by email clients such as Microsoft Outlook. Search and message previews are listed on the left; on the right, full message threads and a reply field are displayed.

As you can see in the screenshot below, it's a big improvement on the earlier version of Messages. Now, users don't have to navigate back to the main Messages page to see all of their incoming notes.

Beyond the big layout change, you can now add emoticons and attach multiple photos to Messages, Facebook said in a blog post. The social network has…
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More About: Facebook, Facebook Messages

Sure, maybe Facebook does distract you a bit during the day, but the real distraction, according to workers questioned for a new survey, is chatty coworkers (14%), followed closely by computer glitches and meetings (both at 11%). Only 5% of workers said Facebook and Twitter is their biggest distraction at the office. In fact, 44% said social networks increase productivity.

Employers have been banning social networking sites since they started, but in the past several years some workplaces are recognizing the benefits -- and sometimes necessity -- of social networks for both their employees' satisfaction and business.

Another survey about Facebook in the workplace showed that using th…
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More About: Facebook, Twitter, social networking, workplace

After three weeks of preparations, the car-sized Mars Curiosity rover started making tracks on the Red Planet on Wednesday. In a press conference, NASA revealed a 360° panorama taken by the roving craft, which moved about 15 feet in its first foray on the planet's surface, then rotated 120° and moved backward approximately 8 feet.

The spacecraft is now about 20 feet away from its landing site.

Take a look at the gallery below for selected crops of the 360° photo, or click here to see the entire panorama, which is composed of 23 frames arranged in a cylindrical projection.

[via NASA]

More About: Curiosity, Mars, NASA, trending

Bing is continuing to build out its "social search" functionality with the integration of Quora, a question-and-answer forum particularly popular among tech industry professionals.

Bing first began using Facebook data in its searches in October 2010, and introduced a social sidebar in May 2012. When the sidebar launch, the Microsoft-owned search engine promised users they would soon be able to tap into many of their social networks to help them find what they're looking for.

Here's how it works: If I run a search on "restaurants in San Francisco," for example, Bing will scan Facebook's open graph and recommend that I get in touch with a friend who lives in San Francisco. I can…
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More About: bing, quora, social search

Want to wear your political allegiance proudly on your Facebook profile this election season? You're in luck -- Facebook and CNN have released an app helping Facebook users easily share their stances on the candidates and campaign issues with the power of Facebook's Open Graph.

When users first load the app, they're asked to commit to voting on Election Day. If they do, they can share that commitment to their friends' news feeds, perhaps creating some peer pressure to get others to vote as well.

Then, users can answer a series of questions about their political leanings, favorite candidates and stances on various issues, including the economy and healthcare, the responses to which…
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More About: App, Facebook, Politics, US, cnn

Streaming live on Mashable, 2tor Inc. co-founder Jeremy Johnson will be answering questions from readers at 3 p.m. ET (12 p.m. PT) tomorrow, August 23. As part of the Young Entrepreneur Council's program called YEC StartupLab, Johnson will appear live via video chat broadcast on this site.

Jeremy Johnson is the co-founder or 2tor, Inc., an education technology company that partners with top-tier universities to deliver rigorous, selective degree programs online.
 
In 2008, Jeremy co-founded 2tor with John Katzman, founder of the Princeton Review, and Chip Paucek, former CEO of Hooked on Phonics. At 2tor, Jeremy has worn multiple hats, as chief marketing officer (2009-2012), and…
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More About: Business, Live Chat, Startups, education, yec