New Technologies: Mashable!

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Mashable!

Posted: 08 Oct 2009 02:24 AM PDT

google_minimalist Just yesterday we've asked you, the readers, whether you actually go to Google.com, and most of you answered that you rarely, if ever, open the actual site, conducting most of your searches from third party apps such as Firefox.

If it was clutter on Google.com that annoyed you – not very likely, given the minimalist look of the page, but still a possibility – you can now fix that by trying out the latest Google experiment, which hides all elements on Google.com except the buttons, the logo and a search box. Don't worry: the missing elements fade in after you mouse over them.

So, how do you enable the look? Go to Google.com and paste this into the address bar:

javascript:void(document.cookie="PREF=ID=abac7a90f5a3784b:LD=en:NR=10:TM=1254990196:LM=1254990236:S=uB6F4jDnMP_DuxtT;path=/; domain=.google.com");

Now hit the return key and reload the page; next time you open it, you'll be greeted with the barebone version.

*Update: this particular prototype might not work with all browsers and with all setups. I've tested it with Firefox 3.5.3, as well as Chrome 3.0.195.25 and it worked.

To restore the standard Google.com, go to Firefox Options – Privacy – Remove individual cookies, then find Google.com and remove the cookie named PREF.

Reviews: Chrome, Firefox, Google

Tags: google.com, minimalist

REPS: Just Like Wii Fit, Only on the iPhone

Posted: 08 Oct 2009 12:57 AM PDT

REPS Fitness-related applications aren't exactly a rarity on the iPhone; there's a whole category devoted to them. Mostly, however, they help you keep a training log or calculate how many calories you've burned.

A new app called REPS, however, actually helps you train. By that, we mean picking up your iPhone and exercising with it like you would with a dumbbell.

Let's get something straight: no matter how you spin this, the weight of the iPhone is not enough for most exercise routines. There are, however, certain exercises which can be done with little or no weight, and there REPS could be helpful.

The features include setting a weight loss target for your exercise, real-time rep counter, motivational audio messages (Full Metal Jacket comes to mind), rep notification by vibration and sound alert, and game mode, which makes this one probably the closest thing you'll get to Wii Fit without the Wii.

REPS is available in the App Store for $2.99.

Tags: fitness, iphone, REPS

PREVIEW: Twitter, Facebook, and Last.fm Coming to Xbox Live Soon

Posted: 07 Oct 2009 06:05 PM PDT

xbox-integration Back at E3 in June we learned that Facebook and Twitter as well as last.fm integrations were coming to Microsoft's Xbox Live online gaming platform for the Xbox 360.

It marked a definitive expansion into social networking for the console and a strategy of broadening the Xbox brand into a wider entertainment realm beyond gaming.

Joystiq and Engadget both had a chance to get a first-hand look at exactly how these new integrations will work when they launch in beta later this month (and to the general public shortly thereafter), and were generally impressed with some of the user interface results.

Facebook Integration

The Facebook integration may even have improved on the photo album browsing interface of the actual Facebook.com site, with snappy loading times and full-screen images making it even easier to browse through you or your friends' photo galleries.

There's also a very nice feature coming with the Facebook implementation as well: the ability to see which of your Facebook friends have Xbox Live accounts. Of course, you may already be Xbox Live friends with some of them, but what about the folks you might not have had the chance to exchange gamertags with, or even the friends you don't even know are gamers? The new Dashboard update will solve that problem by identifying your Facebook friends on XBLA that haven't friended you there yet.

The Facebook Connect functionality that will allow you to opt-in to automatic status updates from the games you're playing unfortunately won't be ready at launch. But Microsoft representatives say this will be coming before the end of the year, and with it the ability to take in-game screenshots and gameplay videos and upload them right to Facebook.

Twitter and Last.fm

The Twitter implementation is a bit more bare bones, but nevertheless provides a way to update your status, see updates from those you're following, and also see trending topics and perform searches. As Joystiq notes, without an on-board web browser with which to follow links and view Twitpics though, it almost calls to attention the glaring omission of web browsing on the Xbox 360.

The Last.fm implementation also gets high marks for user interface design, with most of the functionality users are familiar with brought into the Xbox Live integration. You can listen to your various stations, create new ones, skip tracks, add favorites, and get more information about individual tracks and artists.

The major caveat here is that you can't play last.fm in the background — in other words, you can't stream tunes while playing games. To some that's a deal-breaker, but others will be psyched to have another internet radio-enabled appliance in the living room.

Let us know what you think: is the marriage of Xbox Live and social networking a match made in heaven, like chocolate and peanut butter? Or are you a food separatist who wants your Twitter out of your Xbox? Let us know in the comments!

Reviews: Facebook, Last.fm, Twitter

Tags: facebook, gaming, Last.FM, microsoft, social networking, twitter, xbla, xbox, Xbox 360, XBox live

Paranormal Activity Tries to Ride Social Media Buzz to Wide Release

Posted: 07 Oct 2009 04:29 PM PDT

ParanormalActivityLogo The low-budget horror film "Paranormal Activity" has been in limited release for two weeks and has been performing quite well, given its tiny budget.

Now, Paramount (the studio distributing the film) is using social media to build buzz and garner support for the film.

The studio has launched a campaign using Eventful to get would-be-watchers excited about a potential wide-release and sharing their enthusiasm across social media sites. If 1,000,000 people demand to see "Paranormal Activity," the film will get a wide release.

From the fine print:

"Paramount Pictures retains the final right of approval over the cities to be ultimately selected, due to theater and exhibitor requirements and other restrictions. The nationwide release is planned for any city which demands it, "demand" defined as at least 100 demands in a 100 mile radius (within the U.S. and Canada)."

As of this writing, more than 550,000 people have demanded to see the film — so it certainly looks like a wide-release is possible. Cynics (and I tend to count myself as one) might point out that this is just a brilliant ploy to get people excited about a film destined for wide-release. Still, I've had theater chain employees argue to me that Paramount is clearly using this campaign as a way to test the waters, and that if the buzz wasn't there, they wouldn't bother to invest in wide-distribution.

I like the idea of using social media — and social media event services — to gauge and collect interest in film. What do you think of the way movie studios are using social media to promote their films? Let us know!

Reviews: Eventful

Tags: eventful, movie marketing, paranormal activity

Twitter Launches a Very Unofficial App Directory: #appwednesday

Posted: 07 Oct 2009 03:37 PM PDT

It looks like we have another new theme day to sandwich between #musicmonday and #followfriday: the official Twitter account just kicked off #appwednesday.

It looks like the intent is essentially to celebrate all the amazing and varied third-party apps that make up and enrich the Twitter ecosystem. Twitter mentions Trendsmap, Tweetmeme, and Seesmic in its first round of accolades.

Not unlike the way Twitter chooses to feature some services prominently in the right-hand column of user profiles beneath the username and follower count, the company is also actively giving props to its third-party developer community here.

It's a much more informal "app directory" than something like the recently launched OneForty, but should be interesting for a weekly zeitgeist of what apps and services are on the collective Twitter hive's mind that week.

If you're answering the call and giving shout outs to the Twitter apps you use, let us know who your favorites are!

Reviews: Seesmic, Tweetmeme, Twitter

Tags: appwednesday, seesmic, Trendsmap, tweetmeme, twitter, twitter apps

Bill Clinton's Take on Innovation, Globalization, and Technology

Posted: 07 Oct 2009 03:10 PM PDT

Yesterday, we were lucky enough to listen to George Lucas talk about movies, business, and the iPhone at the World Business Forum in New York City's Radio City Music Hall. Closing out the two day conference is an even more iconic figure, though: former President Bill Clinton.

While Clinton focused on globalization and world instability, he also touched on technology, innovation, decision making, finance, and solving a world in crisis. While these are not necessarily topics that comprise our core focus, we thought his words were important enough to share with you. Here are some of the highlights:

- Clinton started by speaking about maximizing the impact people can make on global problems, even if it's just addressing something in their own neighborhoods. He talked about how a dollar can buy ten $0.10 packets that can purify water as an example.

- However, he gave the audience a reality check, even if it's an obvious one: we will never be able to solve the world's problems to a point where we're satisfied. People will cut down trees and pollute until it makes sense for them not to.

- Clinton took time to compare the changes that have occurred in the last few years. He quickly pointed towards the collapse of Lehman Brothers. He believes it was wrong for AIG not to give Lehman Brothers the loan necessary to save the firm, because he thinks it was the first domino that started the market collapse.

- Clinton said that he believed John McCain had a 1/3 or 1/4 shot at winning the White House before the market collapse. Afterwards, worse than 1 in 50.

- Clinton was asked yesterday "Is Bill Bernanke correct when he says the recession is over?" His answer was: Yes, No, and Maybe. His explanation: Yes if you're a professor of economics, since technically the recession is over after two quarters of growth. No, because hiring is a lagging indicator, and it can take a year after the stock market starts recovering for jobs to recover. Maybe, because people can be easily spooked by events and the market can easily fall back due to our concern and fear.

- Interdependence: This is the one word Bill Clinton believes describes the 21st century world. He also stated that the world faces 3 persistent challenges: inequality, instability, and unsustainability.

- Clinton: In 1992, cell phones weighed 5 pounds and there were 50 sites on the Internet.

- 1/4 of the people who die in the world this year will die not of cancer, old age, or strokes, but of AIDS, Tuberculosis, Malaria, and dirty water. "These are the diseases of the poor," he said. 80% of the people who die from dirty water are children.

- One of my favorite lines: "Congress is like a cat: Once you sit on a hot stove, you won't sit on a cold one either."

- From the implementation of the G.I. Bill (1940s) until 2001, the United States was the undisputed #1 ranked country for % of people with college degrees between 25-34. The U.S. ranking has now fallen to 10th. President Clinton believes that this will have devastating consequences on the US.

- Clinton: Solving the climate crisis through innovation would be the #1 best thing we've done since entering World War II. We cannot have a new source of jobs, and thus a new wave of economic prosperity, without it.

Bill Clinton then had a (very) short Q&A session on stage. Here are some of the most enlightening questions he received and answers he gave:

- On being a leader: There isn't any one model, but he thinks you need to start with the basics. Have a vision with where you want to go. Lay out a strategy to get there. Develop a set of specific actions to implement the strategy. You have to speak to your customers/constituency through the entire process. And understand not only policies, but people.

- Q: "What was one of your toughest decisions as President?" A: Decisions that were unpopular were not the hardest. Instead, the ones that had no easy answer were the most difficult. Literally no one could know the answer to some of the problems he faced, Clinton said.

Tags: Bill Clinton, World Business Forum

WOW: 4.1 Billion SMS Messages Are Sent Daily

Posted: 07 Oct 2009 02:46 PM PDT

text The mobile industry is on a tear. The CTIA semi-annual wireless industry survey has just been released, and while numbers showing robust mobile broadband growth are no surprise, data released on consumer text messaging behavior certainly caught our attention.

According to the survey, over 740 billion text messages were sent over carrier networks in the US during the first half of 2009. To put that astronomical number into perspective, it boils down to 4.1 billion SMS messages being sent daily, which is also nearly twice as many as sent during the same time period last year.

Other interesting findings include:

- Wireless consumers used 1.1 trillion million minutes of call time in the first half of the year

- Wireless service revenues neared $76 billion for the first six months of 2009

- There are currently over 276 million wireless users

If anything, the survey data certainly backs up the reasoning behind the FCC Chairman's Mobile Broadband Agenda, announced earlier today, which is designed to support the increase in wireless traffic by unleashing spectrum and removing obstacles around 4G network deployment.

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, HelleM.

Reviews: iStockphoto

Tags: CTIA, SMS, wireless spectrum

End of an Era: GeoCities to Close This Month

Posted: 07 Oct 2009 01:58 PM PDT

We've known this was coming for a while (some of you shared your GeoCities memories back in April), but Yahoo today sent out a final closure notice with the date of GeoCities' demise: October 26.

Back in the proverbial day, GeoCities was the place where many a modern-day internet nerd cut his or her teeth. After a spectacular dot com purchase of $3.65 billion and an equally spectacular dot com bust, its closure marks the end of one of the earliest ages of the social web.

Yahoo, of course, has been busy slimming down and cutting costs under CEO Carol Bartz. With the company's focus elsewhere, it makes sense to shut down what is essentially an internet relic. Still, to those who look back with nostalgia, October 26 could well be a wistful day. Check out the full farewell letter below, and let us know if you have any memories from the heady GeoCities days to share in the comments!

Tags: closure, dot com bubble, geocities, web hosting, Yahoo

HOW TO: Manage a Facebook Group

Posted: 07 Oct 2009 01:18 PM PDT

Alison Driscoll is an interactive copywriter and social media consultant who specializes in Facebook. She authors a blog at alisondriscoll.com.

Facebook Pages may be taking the social network by storm, but they can take time and technical skill to set up. When you need to promote something quickly, or are looking to foster a stronger sense of community, the more traditional Facebook Group is often the way to go.

While not as fancy as Pages, Groups offer many of the same features, with a slightly more streamlined look. This makes it easy for virtually anyone to create a Group, for any number of purposes, and get them live quickly—an important benefit in the time-sensitive social media sphere.

However, the ease and speed with which a Group can be set up has created a lot of spammy or messy Groups that are slapped together in minutes and abandoned soon after. In order to break through the clutter and gain members, you need to take the time to set up a Group correctly. Here are a few tips:

Global, Open, and Public

In order to get the maximum reach and value out of your Group, you need to ensure that anyone who wants to can join, without you having to approve them. You also want them to be able to invite their friends, as this cuts down on the work for you and allows you to focus on building a Group people want to join and share with other people. So, when setting up your Group, make sure you create it as a "Global" Group so it is visible to all of Facebook, and that the access is set to "Open," allowing members to invite friends. Members should also be able to post and share links and media on the Group page.

Fill Out All Fields

First and foremost, you absolutely must include as much information as possible—not JUST the required fields. This is what truly separates a successful, professional Group from a spammy, "I-lost-my-phone, give-me-your-numbers" Group. Don't go overboard with lengthy text—stick to basic web-reading principles—but don't leave anything blank. This includes the image field: think of it like a profile picture; would you really friend someone with a question mark for a head? Didn't think so.

Use Correct Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling

Another huge tip-off that a Group was slapped together in a few minutes and won't provide much value to members? Spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. Print out your Group and proofread it to make sure it says what you want and reads the way you want it to sound.

Include Keywords for Easier Search

Groups are indexed by the ever-evolving Facebook search, as well as traditional search engines. So having a completely and accurately filled-out Group description not only looks good and provides valuable information to those clicking on an invite, it also increases the chance that a potential member will find your Group while searching for similar topics, organizations or events. Put on your SEO hat when coming up with a Group name and crafting a description; think of keywords people would associate with your content or purpose of the Group and popular searches around your topic of interest.

Use With Profile or Page

When Facebook first introduced Pages, they offered Group admins the option of automatically transitioning members into fans. As a result, many brands now have a single presence on Facebook, in the form of a Page. But in order to launch a Group, you need a "parent" Page or Profile. This will give you a base from which to invite people and provide you with a more human connection.

Make New Friends

Since a Group cannot exist on its own (see above), your Profile, as admin, will more than likely be tied to the initial members, as they will have to be your friends in order to invite them. Send a friend request that explains how or why you found people and want to be friends. Selling socks? Search for "funky socks" and friend people in relevant groups, with a personal message attached to the friend request that says something along the lines of "I share your love for unique footwear."

Segment Friend Lists

While building your friend list (and by extension, potential member base for your Group), segment your friends into lists relevant to the Group for future marketing purposes. If you start friending random people based on a search for similar Groups, name lists after the keywords you searched for to find these people. The "funky socks" friends could go in a list called "funky" or "crazy patterns," so you know that these people will appreciate updates on your more outlandish designs.

Incorporate Events

Events and groups have a greater reach than other elements on Facebook, as they have built in "pass it on" functionality. Always include a brief intro when sending event invites and keep them as open as possible: allow guests to invite other people and post their own videos, links and photos. Try out "virtual events" as well, asking people to invite their friends to join the Group.

Participate and Post New Content

Keeping the Group wall, photo and video restrictions open encourages content sharing and discussion, but that only goes so far; you need to post and update yourself as well. In order to create a Group that people remain members of, particularly engaged members, you need to keep the Group's page fresh. Pages can be automatically updated, and to compete, you need to provide interesting, valuable perspectives or information to members.

Post Links, Photos, Videos

Besides providing fresh content, frequent posting keeps members engaged and allows for greater interaction. Post a link to any site, or off Facebook, to ask members to join, sign up or take action in some way. You can also post photos or videos from events and tag members in them to increase their connection to the Group.

Send Messages

Groups have mass messaging capabilities, allowing you to quickly keep all members up to date on Group news, events and information. Select "message all members" and draft your message like any other private correspondence on Facebook; it will be delivered to members' Facebook inboxes just like a message from anyone else. This is one advantage Groups have over Pages; Page updates are dumped into a hidden folder, whereas Group messages carry more weight. That said, they lack the formatting functionality of Page updates and can clog up inboxes quickly, so use sparingly. You may also want to utilize your segmented friend lists to deliver more targeted messaging.

As you can see, a lot of elements go into even the simplest of Facebook Groups. But the tools are all there for you; you just need to use them correctly. And as Facebook pushes users from Groups to Pages, it will be easier and easier to stand out from the crowd of "lost cell-phones" and differentiate your Group as one of the ones to stick with.

More Facebook resources from Mashable:

- HOW TO: Integrate Facebook With Your Blog
- HOW TO: Set Up a Winning Facebook Fan Page
- 3 New Facebook Strategies for Building Your Personal Brand
- The Journalist's Guide to Facebook
- HOW TO: Do Good on Facebook

Image courtesy Chris Spooner

Reviews: Facebook

Tags: facebook, Facebook groups, groups, how to

Announcing the 140Conf Los Angeles After Party – Media Mixer LA

Posted: 07 Oct 2009 01:17 PM PDT

Media Mixer LA Logo Mashable and Demand Media are joining forces to host Media Mixer LA, the official after party of the 140Conf LA, on Wednesday October 28th at the H.Wood. Join the Mashable and Demand Media teams along with the 140Conf LA attendees, the local Los Angeles tech and social media scene and guests of our media partner, New Media Vault for an evening of networking. The event is free, but we ask that you RSVP through our Facebook event page.

When: Wednesday, October 28th, 2009, 5:30 – 9:30 PM
Where: H.Wood, 1738 N. Orange Dr., Los Angeles, CA
RSVP: Free, Facebook Event Page

Thanks to our Partner

Demand Media Logo "Demand Media is a leading internet company transforming how online media works. With a comScore Top 25 U.S. network of premium online brands, a breakthrough internet content studio and an enterprise social media platform deployed on the world's leading digital destinations, Demand Media's unmatched combination of capabilities makes it possible for more than 80 million people each month to engage in conversations and form passionate communities around relevant content. One of the web's biggest and fastest growing online media companies, Demand Media is based in Santa Monica, California with offices in Austin, Bellevue, New York and London. For more information visit www.demandmedia.com."

Thanks to our Media Partner

newmediavault-LA "The New Media Vault is the East Side's first New Media Networking Event. Held monthly in Downtown Los Angeles at The Crocker Club, the Vault is a chance to mingle and mix with others from the worlds of TV, Film, New Media, Tech, Advertising and Venture Finance, and to make new acquaintances and catch up with old connections. The New Media Vault provides networking opportunities in a comfortable, low-key and casual environment, and brings new media into the historic core of Downtown Los Angeles."

Tags: 140conf, media mixer la

Samsung Moment: Sprint Launches Slick New Google Android Handset

Posted: 07 Oct 2009 01:17 PM PDT

samsung moment small Although currently a small player in the smartphone market, Google Android is forecasted by at least one analyst to take over the number two spot, ahead of the iPhone, Windows Mobile, and BlackBerry devices, by 2012.

The research conducted by Gartner estimates that Android will be second only to the Symbian OS, and accrue 14% of the global smartphone market.

Recent announcements in the mobile sector lead us to believe that it's certainly possible. Just yesterday Google and Verizon announced a partnership to bring more Android devices to Verizon, and today Sprint has unveiled their second Android phone, the Samsung Moment, to a captivated CTIA crowd.

samsung moment

The Samsung Moment retails for $179 (after a $100 mail-in rebate) and will be available for purchase in Sprint stores and outlets starting November 1st (though you can pre-register today). The phone leverages Android for instant access to Google service and the Android Market for applications. It also boasts a 3.2″ touchscreen display, a slide-out full QWERTY keyboard, a 3.2 megapixel camera and camcorder.

Although the hardware is impressive and the device itself slick, perhaps the most consumer-friendly feature is that it comes with the Sprint Everything Plan which includes the heavily advertised Any Mobile, Anywhere calling plan. This means that consumers can have the utility of a smartphone running Android, applications, and extras comparable to the iPhone, but with a more budget-friendly plan.

With all the recent news surrounding Android and new devices coming to the market, it may finally be on its way to becoming the hot mobile operating everyone was predicting over a year ago. Is it poised to become second in the global smartphone market by 2012? That remains to be seen, but an onslaught of devices across multiple carriers certainly can't hurt its cause.

For a quick video demonstration of the phone, check out this video:

Reviews: Android, Android Market, Google

Tags: Google Android, samsung moment, sprint

Ads On a Plane: (Maybe) Free Wi-Fi Coming to Airlines

Posted: 07 Oct 2009 12:53 PM PDT

airplane-wifi Mobile media company JiWire and satellite broadband provider Row 44 are teaming up to deliver an in-flight Wi-Fi system that will come to you via advertising support.

Southwest and Alaska Airlines have already begun to test Row 44-enabled Wi-Fi. When fully implemented, the new ad delivery network will make it possible for advertisers to target the coveted "business traveler" demographic. The system is expected to launch fully on at least those two airlines this fall.

The company doesn't specify exactly how the ads will appear, whether via pre-rolls or some sort of browser framing experience. Row 44's Skytown Center is mentioned as one place where ads will appear — a virtual shopping mall and content portal unique to specific airlines. Perhaps a mandatory stroll through the virtual mall will be required for entry into the wild and wooly internets.

While it will technically be up to the individual airlines to set pricing accordingly, the advertising support is meant to defray the otherwise significant infrastructure cost an airline would pay to set up and maintain in-flight broadband service. While it's certainly not always the case, the hope is that the airlines will pass on the savings to the consumer and either lower or eliminate the cost of Wi-Fi on flights.

The service sounds like a boon to consumers, who will benefit from free or lower-cost Wi-Fi (that's hopefully not too caged by the ad experience). It should be a good opportunity for advertisers as well considering a recent study by the Wi-Fi Alliance showing that 76% of business travelers would pick an airline based on Wi-Fi, and more than 70% would choose Wi-Fi over a meal service.

When you travel, do you pick your flights based on Wi-Fi availability? Would you leap at the chance for a free hot-spot in the air, or are you content to shell out a few bucks for an ad-free experience? Let us know in the comments.

[via Marketing Vox]

Tags: advertising, Airlines, free wifi, jiwire, planes, travel, wifi

Coke Zero Facebook App Searches for Your Digital Double

Posted: 07 Oct 2009 12:35 PM PDT

Coca-Cola-Zero-sm When big brands try to create novelty Facebook applications, the results are often disappointing (remember Whopper Sacrifice?).

It's too early to make a final judgment on Coca-Cola's Coke Zero Facebook tie-in, but the idea is fun enough that it just might work.

The Coke Zero Facial Profiler app aims to use Facebook to find your digital double. Coca-Cola promotes its Coke Zero brand under the guise of "having Coke's taste but with zero calories" so finding an identical stranger is an interesting tie-in.

The app is pretty simple. Grant the Coke Zero Facial Profiler app access to your Facebook account via Facebook Connect and it will search for photos you have uploaded of yourself and scan them with its face recognition software. If you don't have enough photos uploaded or if the photos aren't right for the software, you can upload a photo from your computer or take a picture from your web cam.

As soon as the app has enough information, you're added to the database and asked to invite your Facebook friends to join in on the fun too. Once the database is large enough (how large isn't specified, but it was 22% full as of this writing), Coke Zero will show your doppleganger.

Coke hints that you might be able to have some fun with the information after a match is made, but is playing coy with the details. If you decide you DON'T want your photo in Coke's database, you can request that it be removed and Coke says it will comply within 48 hours.

Like iPhone apps, Facebook applications are increasingly being used by small and large companies to promote or reinforce a brand. Personally, I like the idea of this app and can't wait to see who it matches my face with!

Reviews: Facebook

Tags: coke zero, coke zero facial profiler, facebook application, MARKETING

Your Opinion Counts: Help Google Build Better Maps

Posted: 07 Oct 2009 12:19 PM PDT

google_maps_problem The team behind Google Maps today reports several interesting improvements to the service. First of all, they've created a new base map dataset, which includes several publicly accessible geospatial government-created datasets, with information pertaining to toll roads, bridges, road networks and the like.

In practice, this simply means more data and more details in Google Maps. For example, maps of college campuses and cycling trails have been vastly improved; cyclists should soon even be able to check out biking directions directly on Google Maps, a feature which I've personally been anxiously waiting for.

The most important new feature, however, has to do with you: the user. On the bottom right of Google Maps you'll find a new link: "Report a Problem"; you can also find it by right clicking anywhere on the map and selecting it from the drop down menu. It's not related to technical issues with Google Maps, but rather to mistakes in the actual geospatial data. For example, if you see outdated or just plain wrong data – a street name, direction, or a missing road – you can now report it through this link. You'll soon be able to see what difference you've made, as Google plans to resolve reported issues within a month.

See an overview of this new feature in the video below.

Reviews: Google, Google Maps

Tags: geospatial data, Google Maps

Smarter Food: How Social Media is Making Our Cities Tastier

Posted: 07 Oct 2009 11:34 AM PDT

The Smarter Cities series is supported by IBM. Read more about building a smarter planet on the IBM A Smarter Planet Blog.

food image Social media has certainly changed the way we interact and the way we do business, but the way we eat? No really, it's true: social media is positively affecting virtually all aspects of our lives, including how we find, sell, and eat food. From helping restaurants connect with customers in new and innovative ways to helping consumers locate good eats, social media and the web are making our cities more delicious places to live.

In this post we'll look at some of the ways that social media is giving small food businesses the power to promote themselves and find new customers, as well as how it is providing city dwellers with the tools to find great (and safe) food. How else is social media making your city tastier? Let us know in the comments.

For Food Providers

Food vendors have put social media to some incredibly innovative uses in order to better locate and connect with their key demographic. The Albion Cafe in London, for example, uses Twitter to automatically alert customers when fresh baked goods have just come out of their ovens. Using a specially built box called BakerTweet, the people at Albion are able to automatically update Twitter any time something new comes out of their ovens. The result is that their customers know exactly when the freshest cookies and scones are available for sale. BakerTweet is a clever way to use social media to connect with customers on a new level and get them more interested in coming into the shop to purchase food.

Social media has also proven invaluable to the food truck business. Mobile food trucks have embraced the mobile web in a big way, by using status update services like Twitter to communicate with diners. By utilizing Twitter, food trucks have found they can create demand by keeping customers apprised of their whereabouts, and effectively advertise their good by running promotions, posting pictures, and announcing their menu.

Restaurants with more permanent locations are finding social media tools valuable as well. New Orleans pizza joint Naked Pizza has famously used Twitter to connect with the people that have eaten at their restaurant and turn their customers into die-hard fans. That attention to social media has created an exceptional amount of buzz for Naked Pizza and brought them national press coverage. Another pizza place, the Pie Hole Pizza-Joint in Chicago, effectively uses Facebook and Twitter to accentuate the fun atmosphere of their restaurant.

Promotion, of course, is one of the main reasons food merchants are using social media. In addition to helping restaurants connect with current customers in new and more personal ways, social media also allows restaurants to better connect with new customers. By making their establishments more easily discovered, food vendors can use the web to grow their business. Local guides like MerchantCircle.com, Judy's Book, and even Google Maps make restaurants easier to find and allow business owners to advertise directly to their most likely customers: hungry people searching the web for food.

Once people find a place to eat, social media is making it easier for them to order. Creative online ordering applications like the one employed by Pizza Hut on their Facebook Page or the iPhone app from Starbucks that even lets you pay for purchases using the app, are big wins for both consumers and restaurateurs. By making the order process painless using social media tools, restaurants are encouraging more business, while customers are getting their food more quickly. iPhone applications like the ones from OpenTable (iTunes), CityMint (iTunes), and GrubHub (iTunes) are allowing smaller restaurants without the resources to create custom online ordering apps get in on the action, as well.

For Food Consumers

Social media and the web are also changing food from a consumer perspective. The most obvious way is by making good food easier to locate. Social review sites like Yelp, the Chowhound discussion boards, and FriendsEAT help hungry Internet users to find the best places to chow down based on the advice of their peers. Mobile applications, such as Urbanspoon for the iPhone (iTunes) and WHERE for the BlackBerry, do the same thing for people on the go.

Once you find a place to eat, you can view menus online at sites like Menuism to figure out what you want to order and which items are the most popular. You can even order your food online and have it delivered via services such as SeamlessWeb, Delivery.com, and Campusfood.com (specifically for college students).

But web-based tools aren't necessarily just helping people find the best places to eat, they're also helping people locate the safest restaurants. Sites like EveryBlock, which lets users access visualizations and information about restaurant inspections in a number of cities, and SafeFoodFinder, a Seattle-based site that puts local food inspection data on a Google Map, are making data about food safety more accessible to consumers.

Further, social media has acted as whistleblower and exposed unsanitary conditions at restaurants, such as those in the infamous Domino's Pizza video that surfaced on YouTube in April and garnered national attention. Because social tools have a tendency to spread things virally, stories of import to the safety of restaurant goers can be spread quickly and social media can act as an alert system to help keep people safe.

The social web also offers tools specifically designed to help you in your goal to eat healthier food. Applications like GoodFoodNearYou for BlackBerry and FoodScanner for the iPhone can help you find the healthiest food at restaurants and in the supermarket, and get nutritional information about things before you eat them.

Finally, sites like NutritionData can even help you analyze recipes to get nutritional information about the food you eat, even if you're cooking at home.

Smarter Cities series supported by IBM

The Smarter Cities series is supported by IBM. Read more about building a smarter planet on the IBM A Smarter Planet Blog.

More food resources from Mashable:

- Tasty Tweets: 55+ Foodies to Follow on Twitter
- Top 15 Social Media Resources for Foodies
- 15 More Fantastic Social Media Resources for Foodies

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, loooby

Reviews: Facebook, Google Maps, Twitter, Yelp, YouTube, iStockphoto, iTunes

Tags: Food, health, restaurants, smarter cities, social media

Google Adds Quick View for PDFs to Search Results

Posted: 07 Oct 2009 11:33 AM PDT

PDFs, the file format often used for "official" documents and typically opened with the frustratingly slow Adobe Reader, are starting to get much more manageable, thanks to companies like Scribd and Docstoc, which make them embeddable, and Google, who has built its own web-based PDF viewer into Gmail and Google Docs.

Now, that same functionality has arrived in Google search results. PDFs now include a "quick view" link, which opens up the given file in your web browser. From there, Google has options like zoom, paging, print, and search.

The company says that they've been able to do this for more than half of the PDFs in its index – the ones that haven't yet been converted will still have the "View as HTML" option if you'd like to avoid the download.

This feature has been one of my favorite additions to Gmail, as it eliminates the need to download and then open a PDF on the desktop with Adobe Reader, which can grind system performance to a halt. Now that it's a part of search results too, there aren't too many scenarios in which you'll still need to view PDFs the old fashioned way. And that's a good thing.

Reviews: Gmail, Google

Tags: Google, pdfs, Search

Comment Contest: Why Do You Want to Go to UGCX?

Posted: 07 Oct 2009 11:12 AM PDT

ugcx_giveaway Interested in user generated content and the positive impact it can have on your business? Mediabistro's UGCX is headed to New York City from October 20-21, and will be exploring how user generated content is changing the business landscape and the ways you can get involved and generate revenue.

As a media partner of UGCX, we've given away two tickets to the conference, and have two more tickets to distribute, each valued at $345. To enter, let us know in the comments by noon PT on October 8: "Why do you want to go to UGCX?" Answers will be judged based on creativity and winners will be contacted via email (see rules below).

How to Enter and Win

The giveaway: Comment on this post by October 8 at 12:00 pm PT with the answer to the question, "Why do you want to go to UGCX?" Entries will be judged based on creativity and originality, and winners will be contacted via email.

Rules: Only one comment per person, please (duplicates will be disqualified). Please use a Disqus account to comment, or sign in as a guest. We'll need to pull your email address from your comment to notify you if you've won, so Twitter and Facebook Connect do not work!

Prize: Two winners will each receive a ticket to UGCX in New York City. You'll still be responsible for arranging your own hotel and travel accommodations. Tickets are not transferable.

Notification: Winners will be notified within one business day via email.

About UGCX

October 20-21, 2009, New York City: Following the success of Mediabistro's UGCX in San Jose last February, the fall 2009 conference will uncover the best places to target and maximize content, optimize customer data, and generate revenue as the big shift in media continues to take shape. Learn the best ways to incorporate the customer into your business plan to positively affect bottom line revenue. Discover how to aggregate, analyze, and organize data to provide a better brand experience to customers and partners. And learn how businesses and individuals can harness and take advantage of the powerful voice of the customer. Register with promo code UGCMASH and save 20%!

Mashable is a media partner of UGCX.

Reviews: Disqus, Mashable, Twitter

Tags: Contests, ugcx

How the FCC Plans to Support 30x More Wireless Traffic

Posted: 07 Oct 2009 10:28 AM PDT

Just a few weeks ago FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski made news when he announced a commitment to net neutrality with definitive rules and requirements for ISPs to treat traffic on the Internet equally.

Today Genachowski took the stage at CTIA as an opening keynote speaker and not only addressed net neutrality as it relates to wired and wireless internet, but went a step further to introduce and outline the FCC's Mobile Broadband Agenda.

The Mobile Broadband Agenda is a comprehensive four part plan that clearly demonstrates the FCC's commitment to an open internet and supporting a projected 30 fold increase in wireless traffic. The four parts are as follows:

1. Unleashing spectrum for 4G

2. Removing obstacles to a robust and ubiquitous 4G network (basically speeding up the deployment process for carriers)

3. An open Internet, with the rules and regulations previously announced

4. Empowering consumers by supporting a vibrant and transparent marketplace

Each of the four parts are fairly consistent with the tone that the FCC has set in the fast few weeks. Most notably, however, is the desire of the FCC to remove the obstacles around 4G. Genachowski even went so far as to say that there is a "looming spectrum crisis" and that the FCC's "highest priority is to close the spectrum gap."

You can read the full text of the FCC Chairman's speech below:

Tags: fcc, mobile broadband agenda

Drew Carey Raises Bid to $1 Million for @Drew on Twitter

Posted: 07 Oct 2009 09:11 AM PDT

drew Over the weekend, we reported on Drew Carey's bid of up to $100,000 (if he reaches 100,000 followers by Nov. 9th) for the Twitter name @drew. The name is currently up for auction by Drew Olanoff, who was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year, to raise money for LIVESTRONG as an extension of the #blamedrewscancer campaign.

News of Carey's bid has been spreading like wildfire across Twitter, as he's already passed 50,000 followers on his current account (@drewfromtv), up from just 13,000 or so at the start of the month. Now, Carey has upped the ante significantly, telling Shira Lazar of CBS News that he's willing to donate up to $1 million if he can reach 1 million followers by year end.

In the interview, Carey says he'll "pro rate" the donation, so if he only gets to 500,000 followers, he'll donate $500,000. We certainly hope to see it go all the way though, and definitely expect it to given what @drew and @drewfromtv have already been able to accomplish in just a few short days.

Here's Lazar's interview with Carey:

Reviews: Twitter, news

Tags: drew carey, drew olanoff, livestrong, twitter

Bing's Growth Grinds to a Halt [Stats]

Posted: 07 Oct 2009 08:48 AM PDT

Bing-share-september Since its official launch in June, the narrative for Microsoft's Bing search engine has largely been about growth in market share.

That may be changing, as a new report from Experian Hitwise shows that Bing usage in the United States for the month of September dipped 5% from the figures in August. This correlates with smaller declines reported by Net Applications last week.

According to Hitwise, Bing's market share in the US dropped from 9.48% to 8.96% last month. Meanwhile, Google increased its share 1% from 70.24% to 71.08% in the US. And although Yahoo Search experienced a 3% decline (ending at 16.38% for September), it is still the second-most popular search engine in the US according to Hitwise.

Assuming the Yahoo/Microsoft search deal goes through, Microsoft could still potentially end up owning 25% of the search market, which even if trends are dripping, is still a pretty good start to continuing to battle against the juggernaut that is Google.

It will be interesting to see the reports from other reporting firms (Nielsen, comScore, etc.) to see if Bing's decline is an anomaly or a sign of an overall monthly trend.

If you've tried Bing, have you gone back to using Google or has it won you over? Let us know!

Reviews: Bing, Google

Tags: bing, Google, Search, search market share, Yahoo

Google Street View Launches in Canada

Posted: 07 Oct 2009 08:18 AM PDT

Google has significantly expanded its Street View coverage in the US and around the world since launching in 2007, but one country left out of the voyeuristic fun has been Canada.

That changes today, as the company is launching Google Street View in 11 different Canadian cities after bringing its service into compliance with the country's privacy laws.

According to CBC, that includes automatic blurring of faces and license plates, as well as easy ways for users to request image removal. Other countries, like Greece, have requested similar modifications before allowing Street View.

For our uninitiated Canadian readers, Street View can used by dragging Google's orange buddy icon to the steet where you'd like to see imagery, or by simply clicking the "Street View" link you'll see for a specific location when pictures are available.

Google appears to be planning an event in Vancouver later today to officially unveil Street View. Meanwhile, Twitter search provides some amusing insight, as Canadian users for the first time get to discuss what Google was able to capture in their neck of the woods.

Tags: Canada, Google, google street view, privacy

Mashable's Weekly Guide to Web Development & Social Media Jobs

Posted: 07 Oct 2009 06:20 AM PDT

If you're seeking a job in social media, we'd like to help out. For starters, Mashable's Job Lists section gathers together all our resource lists, how-tos and expert guides to help you get hired. In particular, you might want to see our articles on How to Leverage Social Media for Career Success and How to Find a Job on Twitter.

But we'd like to help in a more direct way, too. Mashable's job boards are a place for socially-savvy companies to find people like you. This week and every week, Mashable features its coveted job board listings for a variety of positions in the web, social media space, and beyond. Have a look at what's good and new on our job boards: