Mashable: Latest 29 News Updates - including “Apple’s Big Win: The Best Thing to Ever Happen to Windows Phone”

Saturday 25 August 2012 by IrwanKch

Mashable: Latest 29 News Updates - including “Apple’s Big Win: The Best Thing to Ever Happen to Windows Phone”


Apple’s Big Win: The Best Thing to Ever Happen to Windows Phone

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 07:55 PM PDT


Mashable OP-ED: This post reflects the opinions of the author and not necessarily those of Mashable as a publication.

Apple CEO Tim Cook is certainly raising a glass tonight now that his company has walloped Samsung in its patent-infringement case to the tune of $1.049 billion. But there's another CEO who must be feeling pretty good, too: Steve Ballmer.

Yes, the jury's verdict had a lot of facets to it, and the infringement was very specific. The Droid Charge and Galaxy Tab, among other devices, emulate iOS's "bounce back" (the bounce that happens when you scroll to the end of a list) too closely. The Galaxy S 4G and Fascinate ripped off double-tap to zoom. And the Vibrant? It just looks way too much like an iPhone.

Luckily there's another major platform in the smartphone market -- one whose "…
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More About: Opinion, android, apple, iOS, microsoft, patent lawsuit, patent lawsuit theater, samsung, trending, windows phone


Sorry, Twitter Users — Not Everything Is Breaking News

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 07:30 PM PDT


Justin Beiber?




If you're that excited over a new follower, we hope it's Justin Beiber.

Click here to view this gallery.


The term "breaking news" has become one of the most overused pieces of press jargon. So, naturally, the term is asking to be poked fun at by the Internet.

In the new Tumblr What People Consider Breaking News, curator Craig Kanalley highlights "breaking news" updates on Twitter that really shouldn't be labeled as such.

SEE ALSO: Dog Shaming Tumblr Hilariously Embarrasses Fido for Bad Behavior

When asked why he created the Tumblr, Kanalley told Mashable: "I always have 'breaking news' in my Tweetdeck so I see these a lot. Finally decided to document/curate the best ones."

Are you annoyed by the amount of "breaking news" you see, or do you think that it is a necessary evil? Tell u…
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More About: Watercooler, tumblr


Buy Tickets On Bands’ Facebook Pages With Tikly

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 05:57 PM PDT


When buying tickets for a concert, festival or event, do you compare the listed ticket prices on various sites?

The online ticket-buying space is slowly getting more contenders. Ticketmaster, a company that dates back to the 1970s, was dominant in the online ticketing space for awhile. Then other sites such as Ticketfly (founded in 2008), Eventbrite (2006) and StubHub (2000) came on the scene touting platforms integrated with social media. Some denounced the high fees of other ticketing services, essentially changing the game for online ticket sales.

Tikly is a new ticketing service that's fully integrated with Facebook. Artists, venues and events can sell directly from their Fac…
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More About: Events, Music, Tickets


Google’s ‘I’m Feeling Lucky’ Button Has a Cool New Trick

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 05:52 PM PDT


If you go over to the Google Search homepage and hover your cursor over the "I'm Feeling Lucky" button, something pretty cool happens. The button starts spinning like a slot machine before stopping at a random completion of the phrase, "I'm feeling..." Then, you click the button to experience some related corner of the online Google empire.

Select "I'm Feeling Wonderful," for example, and you're whisked away to some part of Google's World Wonders Project, which highlights fascinating cultural sites from around globe. "I'm Feeling Trendy" takes you to the Hot Searches page, which shows the topics and stories that are trending online. "I'm Feeling Stellar" brings up image search results fo…
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More About: Google, google search, trending


Apple and Samsung Respond to Verdict in Patent Case

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 05:39 PM PDT


Samsung and Apple have both issued statements regarding the jury's verdict in the long-running patent dispute. The jury found that Samsung willfully infringed on many of Apple's design patents and awarded the Cupertino giant $1 billion in damages.

Samsung, understandably, is unhappy with the decision. In a statement, the company didn't pull any punches, saying:

"Today's verdict should not be viewed as a win for Apple, but as a loss for the American consumer. It will lead to fewer choices, less innovation, and potentially higher prices. It is unfortunate that patent law can be manipulated to give one company a monopoly over rectangles with rounded corners, or technology that…
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More About: apple, apple vs samsung, patent lawsuit, patents, samsung, trending


For Brand Engagement, Visuals Rule [INFOGRAPHIC]

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 05:10 PM PDT


What was the last thing you shared on the web? There's a good chance it was either a photo or a video. And increasingly, that shareable content is originating from brands.

Companies are quickly learning that visual media is one of the most effective ways to share their stories. In a study of the top 10 brands on Facebook, users liked photos twice as often as text updates. And they shared videos 12 times more than photo and text posts combined.

SEE ALSO: How to Make Money From YouTube

The world's biggest social media properties have quickly made visual content a huge priority, often designing or re-designing their entire platforms to nurture such media. Pinterest proved that stunnin…
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More About: Social Media, Video, infographics, photography, storytelling


Lance Armstrong: Livestrong Donations Soaring Despite Ban

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 05:07 PM PDT


Lance Armstrong's ban from cycling for doping may have hurt his credibility with some -- but it's proved a major financial performance enhancer for his Livestrong foundation, according to a tweet he sent his 3.7 million Twitter followers Friday afternoon.

On Thursday night, the seven-time Tour de France winner announced he would end his years-long resistance against the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency's accusations. He admitted no wrongdoing, however, saying in an online statement that "I am finished with this nonsense."

On Friday morning, the USADA's hammer fell. The agency smacked him with a lifetime ban from the sport in which he is -- or was -- a legend, and essentially deleted 14 years…
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More About: Sports, Twitter


This Wish List Site Makes It Easier to Get What You Want

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 04:35 PM PDT


Wantworthy allows you to create a clean and organized wish list for everything you're eyeing online.

More About: bizspark, online shopping, startup, wish list


Apple Awarded $1 Billion in Damages in Samsung Trial

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 04:31 PM PDT


The jury has returned with its decision in the Samsung-Apple dispute and the results are overwhelmingly in Apple's favor.

The jury awarded Apple $1,049,343,540.00 in damages.

There is a lot to go over in the verdict form, which we've embedded below. In the meantime, what do you think of the jury's decision? Sound off in the comments.

Apple Samsung Verdict

More About: apple, apple vs samsung, patent lawsuit theater, patents, samsung, trending


Parody iPhone 5 Promo Teases Cutting-Edge Features [VIDEO]

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 04:29 PM PDT


Siri has a sweet voice -- in a snooty robot kind of way -- but imagine the iPhone assistant with one of Hollywood's most epic voices. That's right, Apple gadget fans, you could hear the smooth vocal stylings of Morgan Freeman every time you have a question. Well, that's if this fake iPhone 5 video somehow has any truth to it.

SEE ALSO: 'Leaked' iPhone 5 Video Reveals Radical New Design

The Smosh team tackled the biggest complaints about the current iPhone and came up with clever suggestions as to how the new Apple gadget could improve.

You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll ask yourself, "seriously, when is this phone finally coming out?"

BONUS: Is This the…
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More About: Watercooler, apple, iPhone 5, viral video


Apple vs. Samsung Verdict Is In: Apple Wins

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 02:54 PM PDT


The jury has reached a verdict in the Apple vs. Samsung patent trial taking pace in a San Jose, Calif. court. Apple succeeded in the majority of its claims against Samsung, with the jury awarding Apple more than $1 billion in damages and potentially banning several Samsung devices from the U.S. market.

The jury validated almost all of Apple's claims against Samsung, for many different smartphones and tablets, putting the South Korean electronics giant on the hook for $1.049 billion. The jury also found that at least some of the infringement was "willful," which helped lead to the high figure. (Take a look at the complete verdict form here.)

Among the Apple-patented features Samsung…
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More About: apple, patent lawsuit, patent lawsuit theater, patents, samsung, trending


The Empire State Building Shooting Photos: Too Graphic to Run?

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 02:25 PM PDT


Today I made a judgment call. As an editor, I do this a lot. But the decision to not run the extremely graphic photos of the Empire State Building shooter's lifeless body was among the most important I've made this year.

It's been a tough year in the newsroom, with a seemingly endless stream of violent shootings in very public places. Until today, the most recent was the Aurora, Colo., "Dark Knight" massacre. During these times, the news team has to make dozens of on-the-fly decisions about how we'll approach a breaking and still-developing story and what is news and what is simply exploitation.

SEE ALSO: Mayor Names Jeffrey Johnson, 56, As Empire State Building Shooter
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More About: new york city


‘Breaking Bad’ Star Hangs Out With ‘The Office’ Cast [PIC]

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 02:05 PM PDT


Who would win in a cage match between Walter White and Dwight Schrute? You can't help but wonder -- well, maybe you can -- when you see this photo of Breaking Bad's Bryan Cranston on set of The Office.

Rainn Wilson, who plays Dwight on the show, posted an Instagram photo of Cranston with the Dunder Mifflin crew. Cranston is directing an episode of the NBC sitcom for its upcoming season.

SEE ALSO: Paul Ryan Is Gabe From 'The Office'

Wilson also shared a photo earlier this week (below) with the caption "Free meth for The Office! (look who's directing...)."

Images courtesy of @rainnwilson

More About: TV, Watercooler, breaking bad, the office


Meet the Instagram User Whose Graphic Shooting Pic Went Viral

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 01:41 PM PDT


Friday morning's deadly shooting at the Empire State Building led to at least one through-the-looking-glass moment that illuminated both the journalistic power and bizarre connections only social media can provide. It all started when Instagram user @mr_mookie posted a violent photo, which shows a bleeding victim sprawled on the sidewalk outside the Empire State Building.

(Editor's note: Due to the photo's graphic nature, Mashable has decided not to post the image high up in this story, but it's embedded at the bottom.)

The accompanying caption -- "They shoot, aw made you look! No really tho. Dude got popped!" -- quickly engendered outrage from commenters on Instagram and Twitter. It…
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More About: instagram, new york, new york city, trending


Adele Collides With Higgs Boson in Nerdy Cover [VIDEO]

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 01:30 PM PDT


Have you ever wished someone would explain particle physics to you with help from the sweet sounds of Adele? Look no further.

"Rolling in the Higgs," a parody of the Adele hit "Rolling in the Deep," is the first video posted to a new YouTube channel called A Capella Science.

SEE ALSO: Higgs Boson: The Musical!

The creator, Tim Blais, is a self-professed harmony addict who is currently working on a master's degree in theoretical physics. On his Facebook page, Blais describes the venture as "an educational and utterly nerdy online video project."

The cover is chock full of informative lyrics, such as:

There's a collider under Geneva
Reaching new energies that we

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More About: Higgs boson, Science, Watercooler, YouTube, particle physics


Ultrasonic Robotic Hand Can Give You a Breast Exam, Detect Lumps

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 12:45 PM PDT


Three innovators in a program at Singularity University developed a robotic hand with ultrasonic sensors that can detect lumps in breasts as well as abnormal lymph nodes. For people living in rural areas, this glove might provide examination-like thoroughness if it's ever made available to the public.

The University's Graduate Studies Program challenges participants to create something that would positively impact 1 billion people in 10 years. They came up with the Med Sensation, essentially a glove with lots of wires sticking out of it. Each finger is equipped with sensors that can detect temperature, vibrations and sound.

"Our team created a glove that solves the lack of availa…
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More About: health, robotics, robots, trending


Amazon Stock Hits All-Time High

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 12:31 PM PDT


Amazon's stock climbed after the company sent out press invitations for a big announcement, setting a record high of $246.87 per share on Friday. The company is now trading at a valuation of $111 billion.

Amazon hasn't yet hinted at what it plans to announce at its event on Sept. 6. Many expect the retail giant will unveil its next-generation Kindle Fire and E-Ink e-readers, but the fact that the event is being held in L.A. suggests the company may have more of an entertainment-related announcement up its sleeve.

Amazon also announced Friday morning that it had expanded its licensing agreement with NBCUniversal, bringing shows like Parks and Recreation, Battlestar Galactica, Pa
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More About: amazon, stock quotes


MashTags: Tweet Us Your Funniest #FreeOnCraigslist Finds

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 12:28 PM PDT


Craigslist is like a virtual yard sale. Sometimes you find a real deal — and other times you're left with a "vintage" chord organ that you swore you'd learn how to play.

More About: MashTags, Twitter, Watercooler


‘Wall Street Journal’ Offers Free Wi-Fi in NYC, San Francisco

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 12:22 PM PDT


From now until the end of September, The Wall Street Journal is offering free Wi-Fi to residents of New York City and San Francisco.

The Wi-Fi network is available through more than 1,300 hotspots labeled "The Wall Street Journal Wi-Fi." You won't need a Wall Street Journal subscription to access the network, but you will need to create a free WSJ.com account or log in with your existing credentials.

The paper says the network covers approximately two-thirds of Manhattan, including Times Square, Union Square and the West Village, as well as some areas in Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx. San Franciscans will be able to log in at Washington Square, Nob Hill and Fisherman's Wharf,…
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More About: wall street journal, wi-fi


Ubi Is Siri for Your Home [VIDEO]

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 11:48 AM PDT


Ever wish you could have Siri-like voice activation in your home rather than just on your phone? Ubi -- short for ubiquitous computer -- is an always-on voice-activated Android-powered computer. It's a little four-inch square packing a microphone and speakers, and it's got lots of uses.

Just say 'Ubi' and it will do your bidding, be that voice-based web searches, speakerphone, intercom or alarm clock functions. The compact computer can be used as a baby monitor, or as a supplement to networked climate control systems like Nest.

"We believe people want to do things when they're at home -- they clean, they fold laundry, they cook, they ea…
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More About: Ubi, android


Why We’re ‘Only in the Early Days’ of Social Search

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 11:34 AM PDT


Web searches aren't what they used to be. Now, you can get relevant search results pooled not only from images, videos, news articles and blogs, but also Facebook friends, connections on Twitter and even Gmail.

"Just as search engines try to improve algorithms, companies such as Bing and Google are really starting to understand how social search fits into results and the overall experience," says Kath Skerry, client services director for SEO and social search marketing company iProspect. "In addition to making social elements more prominent, results are becoming more personalized with links to user-generated content, videos and blogs with brand mentions and connections through your so…
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More About: Facebook, Future of Search Series, Google, Search, Twitter, bing, social search


‘Parks and Recreation,’ ‘Battlestar Galactica’ Coming to Amazon Prime Instant Video

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 11:31 AM PDT


AmazonSubscribers to Amazon's $79-per-year Prime service now have free, online streaming access to past seasons of Parks and Recreation, Battlestar Galactica, Parenthood, Friday Night Lights and Heroes, thanks to an expanded licensing agreement with NBCUniversal.

The agreement brings Amazon's Prime Instant Video catalog to 22,000, up from 18,000 in June.

Amazon's last streaming deal was signed with ESPN earlier this week. The company also has licensing deals with Discovery, Fox, CBS, NBC, MGM, Sony Viacom and Warner Bros., among others.

Videos can be watched on Kindle Fire, Roku, Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and, as of the first of this month, iPad devices. The $79-per-year subscription also g…
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More About: NBCUniversal, amazon, amazon prime


Fall’s Hottest Fashion Trend: Internet Memes

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 11:18 AM PDT


1. Nyan Cat




Image courtesy of B for Bel

Click here to view this gallery.


While surfing the web to revamp your fall wardrobe, perhaps your biggest inspiration will be the Internet itself: memes.

The blog B for Bel created fashion inspiration boards, basing the outfits on Internet memes. We totally think Anna Wintour would approve.

SEE ALSO: The Best Memes of 2012 So Far

Images courtesy of B for Bel

More About: Watercooler, fashion, humor, memes


Curiosity Rover is Graffiti Artist, Tagging Mars in Morse Code [VIDEO]

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 10:46 AM PDT


You probably know a lot about the Mars Curiosity rover currently exploring the Red Planet. It's beaming back photos and videos at an impressive rate, and its flight director has an epic mohawk.

But here's something you may not know -- Curiosity, like an excited teenager visiting a new part of town, is tagging the Martian landscape with the initials of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in morse code everywhere it goes.

How? gaps in Curiosity's wheels leave this pattern of lines with each revolution:

short long long long
short long long short
short long short short

That translates to JPL, for Jet Propulsion Lab. Graffiti on Mars, in o…
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More About: Mars, NASA, curiosity rover


5 Companies Changing the Way We Shop

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 09:55 AM PDT


Consumers are becoming more comfortable shopping online, and that may forever change the way we browse and buy products.

Compared to a year ago, ecommerce is up 15%, according to new data from comScore. The report indicates consumers spent $43.2 billion in online purchases last quarter, meaning it's the seventh consecutive quarter of double-digit growth. It also found 42% of ecommerce purchases included free shipping, a fact that may be contributing to shoppers' willingness to buy online.

Some reports have predicted ecommerce will be a nearly $300-billion industry in the United States by 2015. With so many consumers moving their shopping transactions to the web, it's hard to ig…
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More About: contributor, features, online marketing, online shopping


Incredible Water Wigs Will Make You Toss Your Rogaine [PICS]

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 09:32 AM PDT





Image courtesy of Tim Tadder

Click here to view this gallery.


Men with full heads of lush locks might consider taking a razor to their noggins after seeing how stunning a bald man can look with a water wig. A water what, you ask?

LA-based photographer Tim Tadder rounded up a fetching group of bald fellers and chucked water balloons at their heads to create the illusion of wigs made of water.

SEE ALSO: Stunning Photo Animations Go Beyond 3D [PICS]

The images snapped at just the right second gave the bald and beautiful dudes a splash of hair that would be the envy of any shampoo model.

Images courtesy of Tim Tadder via Behance

More About: Watercooler, humor, photography, trending


10 Sports Twitter Accounts With a Shocking Number of Fake Followers

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 09:17 AM PDT


1. Cristiano Ronaldo




Followers: 12.6 million

Fake: 40%

Inactive: 39%

Good: 21%

Adjusted Follower Count: 2.6 million

Photo courtesy @Cristiano

Click here to view this gallery.


Twitter has become one of the most powerful tools available for athletes, sports teams and leagues to connect with fans, improve their marketability and shape public perception. A single tweet sent out to millions of followers can become an instant viral hit or offer unprecedented access to the rarified air of pro sports. But how much online influence do teams and athletes really have, and how many of those followers are actually bogus accounts?

A new tool called Fakers from the London-based social media management company StatusPeople analyzes a sample of anyone's Twitter account to identify fake and inactive followers.

We ran some tests on prominent accounts from the sports world t…
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More About: Marketing, NBA, NHL, Social Media, Sports, Twitter, bots, nfl, trending


LinkedIn Staff in Empire State Building Unharmed in Shooting

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 09:03 AM PDT


There are many businesses housed inside the Empire State Building, near the location of a shooting that left several people wounded and at least two dead Friday morning. Among those businesses is LinkedIn, which alerted Twitter followers about two hours after the shooting that all staff in its Empire State Building office were "accounted for and safe."

During a live press conference at 11 a.m., New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said that two people, including the shooter, were dead. The other victim was the shooter's former co-worker. Nine more were wounded, but not fatally. The shooting took place at 9:03 A.M. in front of 10 West 33rd St.

LinkedIn occupies the entire 25th floor of…
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More About: empire state building, linkedin, new york city


No One Wins in South Korea’s Chapter of Apple vs. Samsung

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 08:42 AM PDT


Although the trial in a San Jose, Calif. courtroom has been garnering the lion's share of attention lately in the ongoing patent war between Apple and Samsung, the two companies have ongoing litigation worldwide. One of those skirmishes, in South Korea, just reached a verdict.

A South Korean court delivered a split decision between the two electronics giants, the Wall Street Journal is reporting. A three-person judicial panel ruled Apple violated two of Samsung's patents while Samsung violated one of Apple's. The court said each side must pay the other damages, but more importantly, it said some specific products must be taken off store shelves in the country.

All of the products affec…
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More About: apple, lawsuit, patent lawsuit theater, patents, samsung


10 Hot Indie Games to Watch

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 08:26 AM PDT


1. Chivalry: Medieval Warfare




First-person melee combat often lacks that visceral, cinematic feel, even in the most polished modern games (Skyrim notwithstanding). Chivalry seeks to remedy that. Its epic, objective-based battles are focused squarely on hand-to-hand strategy. Cut down your enemies at range with a pole-arm or tussle broadsword to broadsword. Your tactics, proximity and speed depend on your blade. In short, you'll need to learn how to handle your weapon of choice. Gameplay videos serve up some very satisfying gore. Where and how you strike matters, and the frenetic danger of medieval combat is palpable. You can't grab a demo or beta yet, but the website promises a fall 2012 release — assuming the game reaches its Kickstarter goal.

Click here to view this gallery.


Soak in this veritable golden age of independent game development. There are so many fantastic projects out there, many of which you can play right now, even as they evolve into finished products. Buying an alpha or beta version means you get in on the ground floor, while helping indie developers meet their goals and create exciting new worlds.

SEE ALSO: 15 Vintage Video Games You Can Play on Your iPhone

We've hand-picked some highly anticipated indie projects that every gamer should keep tabs on. Some you can play now, while others are holding out for an official release. Which of these piques your interest?

More About: Entertainment, Gaming, features, indie games, video games


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