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Firefox 8 Adds Twitter Search, Clamps Down on Add-Ons [Firefox]

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 19:12:00 +0000

Firefox 8 is now officially available for Windows, Mac, Linux, and Android. The light new version incorporates native Twitter search along with several other tweaks—including a cold shoulder towards third-party add-ons. More »

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Firefox 8 Adds Twitter Search, Clamps Down on Add-Ons [Firefox]

35 Objects Plunging Into the Abyss [Shooting Challenge]

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 19:00:00 +0000

OK, maybe it’s not the abyss. Maybe we’re just talking about a fishtank. But here are 35 pretty fantastic high speed photographs, capturing that moment when an object breaks a water’s surface tension and plunges . More »

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35 Objects Plunging Into the Abyss [Shooting Challenge]

Ubuntu Wants to Be on Your Phones, Tablets and TVs

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 18:41:25 +0000

Ubuntu , the Linux distribution with a serious case of Mac-envy , has ambitions of moving beyond the PC to the tablet, smartphone and connected device space. At the Ubuntu Developer Summit, Mark Shuttleworth, the founder of Canonical — the company that funds Ubuntu development — said that the time is right to move the distribution to additional devices. On his blog, Shuttleworth says that by April 2014, Ubuntu “will power tablets, phones, TVs and smart screens from the car to the office kitchen, and it will connect those devices cleanly and seamlessly to the desktop, the server and the cloud.” This isn’t the first time Shuttleworth has made big proclamations about the future of Ubuntu. In July 2008, he boldly proclaimed that the open source software OS could surpass Apple in UI in two years. Three-and-a-half years later, Ubuntu looks a lot more like OS X, but has hardly surpassed Apple in terms of interface and user experience. Still, Shuttleworth argues that Ubuntu is well positioned to thrive in a world where computing takes place on a myriad of devices, from the car to the living room, thanks to its Unity user interface. Competing Against Android This isn’t the first time that Ubuntu has vowed to take on alternative platforms. In fact, the Unity user interface was originally designed for netbooks and other smaller-screened devices. Throughout the past year, Ubuntu has gained support for touchscreens and ARM processors. Here’s the problem: An operating system based on the Linux kernel that can be augmented to phones, tablets, in-car systems and connected TVs already exists. It’s called Android . While Android is most frequently used to power smartphones and tablets, it has become the base OS for a multitude of embedded devices. Plus, as Amazon has shown with the Kindle Fire , it’s entirely possible to use Android without using Google’s user interface or additional platform components. This leaves Ubuntu in a precarious position. The distribution already struggles to straddle the line between community involvement and strong, designated leadership from a parent company (in this case, Canonical). Convincing developers optimize applications for use on additional devices may prove difficult. [via Engadget ] 1. TiVo Underneath the digital video recorder TiVo’s user-friendly and popular interface is a modified version of Linux. We have a hunch that those Linux underpinnings are responsible for TiVo’s snappy response and smooth video playback. Click here to view this gallery. More About: connected tv , Linux , Tablet , Ubuntu

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Ubuntu Wants to Be on Your Phones, Tablets and TVs

5 Reasons Google+ Could Win the Social Enterprise Battle

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 18:16:27 +0000

Balakrishna Narasimhan leads solution marketing for Appirio , a cloud solution provider that helps enterprises adopt, connect and extend cloud platforms such as salesforce.com, Google and Workday. Follow him on Twitter: @bnara75 Last Thursday, Google announced that Google+ will be available for Google Apps users . This means that the millions of people using Google Apps for their businesses will now have access to the Google+ social collaboration platform. With Google+’s unique features for search, selective sharing and rich communication, it offers consumers a very different user experience than the established social networks. For individuals, Google+ has quickly become a great place to build your interest graph — that is, find the latest content and people related to topics you’re interested in. SEE ALSO: Google+: The Complete Guide With its seamless integration with Google Apps, Google+ promises a very different type of social enterprise experience. In fact, Google+ has five unique advantages over other social business platforms. 1. Smart Integration With Existing Google Apps Google+ is fully integrated with Google Apps. As a user, you don’t need a new login — it’s just another tab like mail, calendar, docs or video. Most business users spend their day in mail or calendar, so a tool that’s easily accessible from the daily workflow has advantages over third-party software. Thinking a bit ahead of where the product is, the possibilities that are opened up by the integration with Google Apps are pretty exciting. You can imagine “+1” buttons and rich collaboration across sites, docs, spreadsheets, presentations, blogs, videos, photos and more. Or imagine working within a doc and starting a hangout with collaborators while sharing your screen. For companies using Google Apps, taking advantage of these features would require no additional software, logins or changes in behavior. 2. Google+ Already Knows a Lot About You Because of its tight integration with Google Apps, Google+ could take advantage of what it already knows about each business user, including whom they email, how often and how recently, as well as the topics they write about and search for. Google+ is in a position to help an enterprise user not only quickly build out his internal circles , but also discover those outside the company who are talking about the same topics or industry. If Google chooses to pursue this, it would make a great tool to help each user build out broad interest-based professional networks. 3. Google+ Is Uniquely Positioned to Help You Find and Share Interesting Content Nobody has a better index of what’s on the web than Google. So nobody is better positioned to help you find interesting content and people from both inside and outside your company. Google+ Sparks let you follow the latest from the web on topics you’re interested in, and one can imagine something similar within your domain. Internal Sparks could let you quickly find content and experts within your company on work-related topics you’re most interested in. 4. Google+ Integrates Public and Private Sharing Unlike other social enterprise platforms, which keep most shared content behind company walls, Google+ integrates public and private sharing. When I’m using Google+, I can decide for each post whether I want to share it with my colleagues, my clients, or certain subsets of either category. Also, because a number of websites have already embedded +1 buttons, it’s easy to “like” content from across the web and share it with targeted groups. 5. Android Phones Sync Easily With the Entire Apps Suite Finally, an Android mobile phone brings this complete integration to users on the go. Activating Android handsets with your company’s Google Apps account brings all this productive and social functionality to the palm of your employees’ hands. And the wide variety of devices and carriers means greater flexibility. A Video Explanation of Google+ The Google+ project: A quick look Google provides an overview of the entire Google+ project. Click here to view this gallery. More About: Business , contributor , features , Google , Social Media , trending

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5 Reasons Google+ Could Win the Social Enterprise Battle

Video Collaboration Software Maker ViVu Acquired By Polycom

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 12:45:44 +0000

Polycom , provider of telepresence, video and voice solutions, this morning announced that it has acquired ViVu , a privately- held video collaboration software company. The deal was signed last Friday, for undisclosed cash consideration, and Polycom expects the transaction to be neutral to earnings. ViVu raised $3 million from Inventus Capital Partners, DFJ and Quest Venture Partners back in October 2009, followed by a strategic investement by chip maker AMD last June. ViVu has developed software that can be embedded into Web applications such as enterprise, social, and vertical industry applications to enable instant web-based HD video collaboration. Founded in 2008, the company currently has offices in Cupertino, California and Bangalore, India, and employs about 25 people. Clients include TIBCO and Thomson Reuters. Here’s how Polycom pitches the acquisition of the company: ViVu gives Polycom a fast-track to embed HD video into web-based applications through an OEM model, accelerating time-to-market and adoption of Polycom HD video collaboration solutions, and driving awareness of the Polycom brand powering video collaboration inside a wide range of applications. Polycom will leverage ViVu technology in its RealPresence Platform , a software infrastructure suite for video collaboration. Crunchbase VIVU POLYCOM Company: ViVu Website: vivu.tv Launch Date: October 17, 2011 Funding: $3M ViVu delivers smarter videoconferencing solutions for global communications. The company’s browser-based video platform is easy-to-use, affordable and requires zero download – within minutes, people can videochat and share their desktops with small teams or up to thousands of people at once. Fortune 500 companies trust ViVu to power a better online meeting experience than legacy players. ViVu is compatible with PCs, Macs, Linux, mobile devices and the iPad. Go to www.vivu.tv to learn more about smarter videoconferencing. Learn more Company: Polycom Website: polycom.com Polycom is the global leader in telepresence, video, and voice solutions and a visionary in communications that empower people to connect and collaborate everywhere. Learn more

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Video Collaboration Software Maker ViVu Acquired By Polycom

The Linux Foundation Announces First Ever Automotive Linux Summit

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 17:00:19 +0000

The Linux Foundation announced today the first ever Automotive Linux Summit . Taking place in Japan on November 28, 2011, it will be an opportunity to address the growing need for carmakers and Linux developers to collaborate on the future of cars as devices. Nissan and Toyota will both be there, along with Intel, NEC, and a host of other mobile solutions developers. Dig it: “cars as devices”. The Internet of Things will be upon us sooner than we imagined. Automobiles are becoming increasingly complicated, with computers and computer systems getting more and more integrated into the whole of the vehicle, not to mention connectivity being expected by the driver at the dashboard. No single vendor can provide the breadth of experience required to develop and maintain the kind of software necessary to power all the computing on a car, so the vendor-neutral approach of the Linux stack makes tremendous sense to car makers. The Automotive Linux Summit is specifically designed for the automotive industry and the growing cross-industry ecosystem for the future of mobility solutions. This premier vendor-neutral business and technical conference will bring together the brightest minds from the automotive industry, the Linux developer community and the mobility ecosystem. Attendees can expect to learn about how to use Linux and open source software in automotive applications ranging from in-vehicle on-board systems to cloud solutions for vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communications. The Automotive Linux Summit currently has an open call for participation , so if you’re into Linux on cars, or cars as devices, consider submitting a presentation proposal.

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The Linux Foundation Announces First Ever Automotive Linux Summit

Canonical Releases Windows Version of Ubuntu One

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 13:30:43 +0000

Canonical , the commercial backer behind the Ubuntu Linux distribution, have been hosting a file synchronization service called Ubuntu One for a couple years now. A free account gets you 5GB of storage, and the client side controls have been baked into the last couple of releases of the Ubuntu distribution. It works pretty much like Dropbox or similar services, but has been — until today — Linux-only. In an announcement late last night, Canonical has revealed that there is now a Windows client for Ubuntu One, allowing you to access all your files from either Linux or Windows computers. We have long received feedback from Ubuntu users regarding their evolving needs to manage all their content from a single, secure place across multiple platforms and devices. We’ve looked at many use cases, the most common being the Ubuntu user who is using more than one device or OS. Many people have to work in Windows or Mac environments, even if they prefer to use Ubuntu as their home desktop or OS of choice. Another case is enabling more opportunities for sharing across platforms. For example families using different operating systems in one household can use Ubuntu One as their central place to store all their music, documents, photos and share them easily with each other and friends. Ubuntu One also offers a nifty music streaming service. For $4 per month, you get 20 GB of storage and the ability to stream music files from your account to your mobile device. The Ubuntu One app is available for iOS and Android, and Android devices get the added benefit of a controllable offline cache, allowing you to listen to your cloud-stored music without requiring a network connection. Neat stuff.

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Canonical Releases Windows Version of Ubuntu One

Report: HP Still Looking To Offload Palm, Amazon Named As Top Contender

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 12:50:03 +0000

The Kindle Fire announcement set the interwebs ablaze as Amazon burst into the tablet scene. But the retailer-turned-CE player might be looking to go a different way in the future. Amazon has been named as Palm’s current top suitor among “a handful of contenders” as HP looks to rid itself from the TouchPad/webOS disaster. It’s unclear from VentureBeat’s leaks why Amazon is interested in Palm. Ditching Android for webOS after building an ecosystem around Android seems foolish and shortsighted. This move, if it’s really happening, could be more about hardware development and patents than reviving a dead operating system. Sorry, fanboys. Amazon launched the Kindle Fire earlier this week, which brings nearly all of Amazon’s cloud services into one device. Even Amazon’s massive cloud servers, Amazon EC2, are used in the clever Silk browser and the Amazon Appstore finally has flagship device in the Fire. Amazon rebuilt its Kindle syncing platform, Whispersync, to enable resuming of TV shows and movies purchased or streamed using its Prime Instant Vidoes Android app. The Fire is the compilation of a lot of Amazon’s work — and it’s all built around Android. Adding a second tablet to Amazon’s offering seems to go against the Kindle brand’s mantra of keeping it simple. The Fire isn’t about Android or specs. It’s a tablet built around the same principles as the iPad. By bringing webOS into the fold, Amazon turns the attention to the platform, capabilities and differences rather than the form and function. A webOS Kindle doesn’t make sense. Instead, if Amazon is indeed looking to acquire Palm from HP, the company could be looking to acquire a proper hardware design team. Amazon reportedly outsourced the Fire’s development to Quanta, who, as Ryan Block puts it , “helped them shortcut the development process by using the PlayBook as their hardware template.” Amazon is clearly going all-in on tablets and will need the right principles in place for future products. However, Palm, and even HP, have never been known to make killer hardware so even this motive is a bit questionable. The notion of Amazon buying Palm seems a bit untimely at this point. Amazon is fully vested in the Android ecosystem with a host of apps and services. Plus, the Android-powered Fire is seemingly a hit. The install base of webOS, even after the $99 TouchPad fire sale, isn’t large enough to compensate the upfront cost and effort resurrecting a dead platform. Palm off-loaded most pre-webOS patents before HP acquired the company in 2010 so Amazon would only be purchasing whatever patents were left over or granted within the last few years. Steve Ballmer proudly proclaimed that Android isn’t free and his company is constantly signing new Android licensing agreements . In fact Microsoft reportedly makes more money from Android than its own Windows Phone 7. Amazon’s only play, and this is a stretch given the company’s Android investment, would be to buy webOS upfront to avoid any potential deals with Microsoft down the road. Some companies are fighting Microsoft’s patents but others, including Samsung, HTC and Acer, have already signed on the dotted line. From this vantage point outside of Amazon’s boardrooms, it doesn’t seem like Amazon needs Palm or webOS. The company did a fine job retooling Android into a consumer-friendly offering and is the only company outside of Apple to supplement hardware with a rich set of services and media, properly setting up the Fire for success. But if the price is right and Amazon foresees a legal battle with Microsoft, it’s completely plausible Amazon will be the next owner of the company that first innovated and advanced touchscreen tablets. Crunchbase PALM KINDLE FIRE Company: Palm Website: palm.com Launch Date: September 30, 1992 Funding: $100M Palm, Inc. was a leading mobile products company, creating instinctive yet powerful mobile products that enabled people to better manage their lives on the go. The company’s products for consumers, mobile professionals and businesses included Palm® Treo™ and Centro™ smartphones and Palm handheld computers, as well as software, services and accessories. In July 2010, Palm was acquired by HP. The Palm brand was subsequently discontinued upon the introduction of webOS products under the HP brand. Learn more Product: Kindle Fire Website: Company Amazon Kindle Fire brings you Movies, apps, games, music, reading and more, plus Amazon’s cloud-accelerated web browser Product features: 18 million movies, TV shows, songs, magazines, and books Amazon Appstore – thousands of popular apps and games Ultra-fast web browsing – Amazon Silk Free cloud storage for all your Amazon content Vibrant color touchscreen with extra-wide viewing angle Fast, powerful dual-core processor Amazon Prime members enjoy unlimited, instant streaming of over 10,000 popular movies and TV shows Learn more : Website: Learn more

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Report: HP Still Looking To Offload Palm, Amazon Named As Top Contender

61 New Digital Media Resources You May Have Missed

Sat, 24 Sep 2011 16:22:06 +0000

The Facebook redesign news kicked this week’s features roundup into full-throttle. For instance, press “command F” and search “Facebook”. Go ahead, try it. The word comes up 31 times on this page alone. Therefore, the theme of this week’s roundup is: We-Pretty-Much-Covered-Everything-You-Need-to-Know-About-the-Facebook-Redesign. In other news, we reviewed the Google Wallet and analyzed Netflix’s recent business maneuvers. Regardless, this week might very well set a record — are you ready to get crackin’ on Mashable ‘s 62 feature stories from the past week? We thought so. Editorial Picks Google+ vs. Facebook: The Gloves Are Off [OPINION] What a day. In the space of a few short hours, Google+ opened its service to the masses, while Facebook retooled its newsfeed so you won’t miss any of your friends’ vital updates. Which social giant came out on top? Qwikster From Netflix: The Worst Product Launch Since New Coke? [OPINION] How bad is Netflix’s Qwikster idea? Let us count the ways. Facebook’s Latest Changes: A Hands-On Look [PICS] Take a tour of Facebook’s latest features and let us know if you’re a fan of the changes. Facebook Timeline: Zuckerberg’s Biggest Gamble Yet Facebook Timelines will, ultimately, replace Facebook’s profiles, to become the way we view each other on the popular social networking service. It may also be Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s biggest risk since launching the Social network in 2004. Google Wallet: First Impressions Our first impressions after using Google Wallet for six weeks. Social Media Emmys 2011: Twitter Takes On The Media [INFOGRAPHIC] Who will win an Emmy on Sunday night? We can’t put you in a time machine, but we do have plenty of stats about the pre-show buzz from Twitter and media. HOW TO: Follow London Fashion Week Online The best resources for following London Fashion week online via live video, Twitter and news sites. 7 Tips for Designing a Successful Photo Contest Running a photo contest is one of the easiest and most effective ways to achieve engagement within your community. Here are seven things to consider as you get started. 5 Content Lessons for Non-Profits on Tumblr Tumblr is a great way for non-profits to be seen and heard. Here are five lessons from non-profits on how to get the most out of your own site. Facebook: Hot, Not, Or Lukewarm? [OPINION] There are whispers that Facebook’s best days are behind it and that it may be the next MySpace. Is this real or a reality distortion field? 3 New Takes On Instagram Photos, Professional Profiles & Virtual Goods This week we’ve chosen new takes on showing off Instagram photos, sharing professional profiles and buying virtual goods. Fall TV Goes Social: 27 New Shows to Watch Check out the social strategy behind this fall’s new TV shows. 10 Customizable Social Media Accessories These apps and services connect to your social accounts and transform profile pictures, status updates and mobile photography into fun and meaningful memories. 8 Twitter Accounts to Follow During Emmy Awards For you, we’ve assembled this all-star list of Twitter accounts that will light up the show’s hashtag stream — #EMMYS. 10 Entertaining Tumblr Blogs About Your Parents We’ve taken a look at some Tumblr blogs that venerate, commiserate and otherwise celebrate your parents. How London Fashion Week Is Going Digital London Fashion Week, which kicked off Friday, is showcasing an increased commitment to all things digital this season. Google+: Why the Real Name Policy Is Creating a Very Boring Social Network [OPINION] Social networks have always been a way for people to curate their identities and experiment with celebrity status. Google’s real name requirement may hinder users’ creativity and ultimately devalue Google+. Why Oscar de la Renta Is So “Haute” on Social Media Mashable caught up with the Oscar de la Renta team to learn about the high fashion company’s digital strategy and how the democratizing social media platforms affect the marketing of such an aspirational brand. 3 Ways to Improve Your Company’s Social Media Architecture Too many companies scatter their social media presence across disparate accounts and platforms at the expense of real community. Here’s how to consolidate and set clear guidelines as you grow your brand’s social footprint. How Nike Outruns the Social Media Competition Mashable spoke with Nike’s Global Digital Brand and Innovation Director Jesse Stollak to gain insight into how the brand connects with its fans on a global scale. How Facebook Will Fix Its Like Button Problem Nobody can argue with the success of the Facebook Like Button, but Facebook wants to take it to another level. Here’s how. The Evolution of the Facebook Profile [PICS] In the spirit of the profile redesign, we’ve compiled a gallery that charts the evolution of the ubiquitous profile, from its humble beginnings as “The Facebook” in 2005 to the profile timeline introduced today, in 2011. Facebook Changes Again: Everything You Need To Know At the f8 conference in San Francisco, Mark Zuckerberg revealed some of the most profound changes ever seen on Facebook. Here’s a handy guide. What Facebook’s Changes Mean for Marketers Facebook’s redesign has put the onus on marketers to make better, more relevant content, marketing execs say. How to Enable the New Facebook Timeline NOW You’ve been hearing about all the wonderful new Facebook features, and like us, you’re probably super-eager to get started with them. Here’s how. Facebook’s New Profiles: First Impressions We’ve had a chance to try out the new Facebook profiles and play with Timeline. The following are our first impressions of the new product, as well as screenshots of Facebook Timeline in action. How the World Uses Social Networks [INFOGRAPHIC] We’ve taken a look at the social media breakdown of 10 countries — how they’re engaging with social networks, blogs and Internet culture. Why Facebook Timeline Is Made For Its Youngest Users [OPINION] Is Facebook Timeline for you? That depends how old you are. Here’s why the newest features are aimed squarely at its youngest users. HOW TO: Use the New Facebook to See Who Has Unfriended You In addition to showing users a timeline of their activity on the site throughout the years, it turns out that Facebook’s new profile provides a rundown of which friends they’ve lost. For more social media news and resources, you can follow Mashable’s social media channel on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook . Tech & Mobile Happy 20th Birthday, Linux: 10 Cool Devices That Embrace You The Linux operating system is not just for nerds. Even though you may not realize it — you probably have a version of Linux running right under your nose. 8 Current Technologies That Will Shape Our Future How eight of today’s top technologies are predictors for future high-tech innovation. Suddenly It’s Clear: 10 Transparent Screen Trick Shots [PICS] Suspend disbelief and take a look through the photo gallery of “see-through display” images. 10 Peculiar Vending Machines [VIDEOS] While soda and snack machines are now commonplace, the vending machine has gone beyond convenience to curio, dispensing bizarre objects to those with the correct change to purchase them. 7 Amusing Nature Mockumentaries [VIDEOS] We’ve hunted down a handful of funny YouTube videos spoofing the nature footage format. Talk Like a Pirate: 5 Free iPhone Apps for Mobile Scallywags To help you landlubbers out, we’ve found five fun iPhone apps that will get you talking like you were born with a peg leg and a parrot on your shoulder. As an added bonus, you won’t need to part with a single piece o’ gold to download them — they’re all free. 23% of Global Population Never Uses the Internet for Health Info [INFOGRAPHIC] David Armano, Edelman Digital’s EVP of Global Innovation and Integration spoke Monday about how digital innovation is having an impact on global health. HOW TO: Create a Transparent Monitor Illusion [VIDEO] This trick will turn your screen into a window — at least at first glance. Check out our step-by-step video guide to this cool illusion. How Online Services Are Changing the Way Bands Consume Music We spoke with a number of bands and musicians about their favorite online music services, and how those platforms have changed the way they view their craft. A Brief History of the Emoticon The emoticon is nearly 30 years old. We take a look back at some memorable points in its past. The Games People Play [INFOGRAPHIC] This infographic breaks down what’s happening in the casual gaming space. Which Country Has the World’s Fastest Internet? [INFOGRAPHIC] Who has the fastest download speeds in the world? South Korea, and it’s not even close. 4 Apps That Can Help During a Natural Disaster Communications technologies — including the use of social and mobile tools — continue to play increasing roles in emergency and rescue efforts as well as for overall personal and family safety. Here are a few examples of communications tools helping in times of need. 10 Handy iPhone Apps for Home Improvement These 10 mobile apps can help you plan, design and serve as inspiration for your next home decor project. When & How You Should Update Your Mobile App When adding new features, UI or bug fixes to your mobile app, there’s a lot to consider. We break down the best practices and the pros and cons of different approaches. How Digital Has Transformed the Home Video Marketplace Today’s consumers can watch movies at home in any number of ways — disc rental, digital download, subscription streaming, download rental and even disc or download purchase. Here’s a look at what methods are winning. 5 Ways QR Codes Could Shake Up the 2012 Election Political campaigns are focusing more on digital, but few have leveraged the location power of QR codes. Here are a few ways candidates should be tapping into cutting-edge mobile marketing. 10 Excellent User Interface Designs to Learn From Here’s an analysis of 10 beautiful user interfaces — five for mobile, five for web — to inspire your own designs. For more tech news and resources, you can follow Mashable’s tech channel on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook . Business & Marketing 5 Online Learning Resources to Help You Run a Better Business Check out these resources to help you develop skills you need to be a successful entrepreneur, including video tutorials and tips on how to fundraise. A Look at the Growing “Work From Home” Phenomenon [INFOGRAPHIC] Working from home is more prevalent and more widely accepted than ever. This infographic shows results of a recent study of the increasing number of telecommuters. HOW TO: Get Started With Mobile Search Advertising Mobile search advertising is a bit different in practice than standard search advertising. Here’s how to get started. Batman & Hobbits: Why Warner Bros. Is Betting Big on Film-Flavored Video Games Warner Bros. is gearing up for some big video games this fall. We had a chance to get some hands-on time with Batman: Arkham City and Lord of the Rings: War in the North . Why Your Business May Need Internal Social Software Social networks have changed the way we communicate externally, so why not invest in internal social business systems? Here’s a look at the landscape. From IM to Checkins: How Meebo Stayed Relevant In a Changing Social Web Before Twitter and Facebook, Meebo helped us communicate via instant messaging. We spoke with Sandy Jen, Meebo’s CTO, about how the tech landscape has changed in six years and how Meebo has adapted. 7 Tips for Surviving & Thriving at Networking Events While it may seem like some are born to mingle, the truth is it takes practice. Here are 7 ways to skip the small talk and get more value out of industry events. Dear Netflix CEO: Here’s Why You’ll Miss Us. Love, DVDs [OPINION] A “dear Reed” note from Reed Hastings’s other half. What the Recent U.S. Patent Reform Law Means for Startups Here are three things startups should do, given the new patent reform. 10 Quotes From the Google Senate Hearing Hear the choice quotes from the Google Senate hearing. 8 Tech Tools for Better Business Management We asked a group of entrepreneurs to poinpoint their favorite tech tools, and to explain how their picks can help entrepreneurs build, operate and grow similar businesses. 5 Tips for Improving Product Photos & Video on Your Ecommerce Site Check out these five tips for better photography and video for business-to-consumer ecommerce and marketing. HP: Bring Back Mark Hurd [OPINION] HP is close to ousting current, hapless CEO Leo Apotheker for Meg Whitman. Meg won’t solve HP’s problems, but former Hewlett-Packard CEO Mark Hurd will. 7 Lessons From Successful Companies on LinkedIn Many companies large and small have yet to fully leverage the social network for professionals, LinkedIn. Here are 7 companies getting it right, and some lessons we can take away from their success. For more business news and resources, you can follow Mashable’s business channel on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook . Image courtesy of webtoolkit4.me More About: Business , Features Week In Review , List , Mobile , Social Media , web For more Social Media coverage: Follow Mashable Social Media on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Social Media channel Download our free apps for Android , Mac , iPhone and iPad

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61 New Digital Media Resources You May Have Missed

Happy 20th Birthday, Linux: 10 Cool Devices That Embrace You

Sat, 17 Sep 2011 16:56:35 +0000

The Linux operating system is not just for nerds. Even though you may not realize it, chances are you probably have a version of Linux running right under your nose. It’s found its way into a multitude of devices, both large and small. Today, Sept. 17, 2011, is the 20th anniversary of the date when the first Linux kernel (version 0.01) was released and uploaded to an FTP server by Linus Torvalds in Helsinki. Although Torvalds had been working on the code since April, 1991 (recognized by some as the birthday of Linux ), it wasn’t until September of that year that he released the first Linux kernel to the world. That early iteration consisted of a mere 10,239 lines of code. Fast-forward to the present day, where the Linux kernel 2.6.35 contains more than 13.5 million lines of code, and controls gadgets, devices and instruments you might never have expected. Take a look at our gallery below and be surprised by the ubiquity of this useful, versatile and compact operating system on its 20th birthday: 1. TiVo Underneath the digital video recorder TiVo’s user-friendly and popular interface is a modified version of Linux. We have a hunch that those Linux underpinnings are responsible for TiVo’s snappy response and smooth video playback. 2. Android The Android operating system is showing up in multitudes of handheld devices. It was created by the Open Handset Alliance, headed up by Google. Lots of smartphone providers place their own brand of user interface enhancements on top of Android, and there’s a lot of tricky programming called middleware in between, but underneath? Good old Linux. 3. AT&T MiFi This pocket-sized device gives users a mobile access point that makes it so multiple people can use a single 3G connection. That gives any Wi-Fi device the ability to go online practically anywhere. What’s in it for you? Imagine never having to pay a $12.95 Wi-Fi charge in a hotel again, thanks to Linux. 4. Large Hadron Collider When it’s time to answer big questions, physicists are turning to Linux to run the Large Hadron Collider, the world’s largest and highest-energy particle accelerator. Just what questions are they trying to answer with this $9 billion scientific instrument? They’re trying to understand some of the deepest and most fundamental laws of physics, such as the structure of space and time. 5. Refrigerator (Electrolux Infinity I-Kitchen) Why would you need Linux in your refrigerator? How about running a touchscreen on the front, storing your contacts and calendars, recipes and reminders, and letting you keep your family organized with electronic Post-it notes? And, some refrigerators are smart enough to remind you that it’s time to buy more milk. 6. Sony Bravia HDTV We tested the latest Sony Bravia connected TV, which brings you your favorite video-on-demand service from Netflix or Amazon and a lot more. That’s thanks (in part) to its Linux underpinnings. Of course, it can show you the latest 3-D video, and the one we tested was even smart enough to turn itself off if there was no one sitting in the room. 7. Chumby This little supersmart alarm clock runs more than 1,000 apps, and it’s all made possible by Linux under the hood. Don’t let its diminutive size fool you — this gadget can display video, call up your favorite Pandora Radio channels and remind you of appointments. Best of all, it’s fun. 8. GPS (Tom Tom) Bet you didn’t know that GPS unit on your car’s dashboard was running Linux. Humming away inside many Garmin, Tom Tom (and other) GPS navigators are versions of Linux. Now if the accuracy of the maps could measure up to that sharp Linux code running inside, we wouldn’t have to recalculate so often. 9. Kindle The electronics reader that made e-reading famous is the Amazon Kindle, and displaying its E-Ink screen with enough speed to make it a pleasure to use is — you guess it — starts with an “L.” 10. Self-Driving Car Self-driving cars, otherwise known as autonomous vehicles, are not perfect yet, but they’re getting there. Many of them are running Linux, and researchers are using the operating system to find their way toward someday eliminating the need for traffic signals, driver’s licenses, and maybe even rules of the road. Graphic courtesy iStockphoto/ DNY59

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Happy 20th Birthday, Linux: 10 Cool Devices That Embrace You