Posts tagged Mashable

Coder Quits Job And Moves Into Tent To Work on Startup

Thomas Backlund is a coder who quit his job and moved into a tent in the woods near Stockholm just so he could dedicate his full attention to his startup project, blockie.io. Backlund powers his laptop, external battery, and phone with two portable Brunton 62 Watt solar panels, and cooks his food on a Primus OmniLite stove. Backlund provides updates about his experience on his website.

So, what’s a coder’s motivation to move to a forest to work on a tech project?

Via Mashable: 

Not only does [living in a forest] give me the time to do this but it also gives me peace of mind.

I change my location about two times per week.

Computer, forest, batteries… unpractical? Maybe it would have been more rational to keep the apartment and just cut costs?

Well, rational and right do not always align.

I have no apartment, no job, no income. Still I’m exactly where I should be. I’m on my path. My gut feeling lets me know that.

I’m not exiting to a normal life until my startup has taken off. This is my big adventure. I’m not coming back empty-handed.

Backlund has been in the woods since March and there are no reports of his startup receiving any investors yet. 

FJP: Maybe this Backlund fellow is onto something. After all, studies show that nature resets our minds and bodies and makes us more focused. Maybe we should all be creating our technology-based masterpieces in the woods or on a mountain top. I think I’ll start with a balcony, though. Baby steps. — Krissy

Images: Backlund’s personal photos from his website

Bing Now Translates Klingon Language  Bing has just added Klingon, the language spoken by the Klingon warrior race of the Star Trek universe, to its language translator. Via Mashable:  Bing worked with the linguistics Ph. D. Marc Okrand who developed the language for the series. It also turned to 10 people who are fluent in the language to train the systems, as well as the Klingon Language Institute who assisted in the process. Bing users can now even translate entire websites into Klingon. FJP: I think I speak for everyone when I say: HIja’ tlhuchtlh! — Krissy Image: Today I Found Out

Bing Now Translates Klingon Language 

Bing has just added Klingon, the language spoken by the Klingon warrior race of the Star Trek universe, to its language translator.

Via Mashable: 

Bing worked with the linguistics Ph. D. Marc Okrand who developed the language for the series. It also turned to 10 people who are fluent in the language to train the systems, as well as the Klingon Language Institute who assisted in the process.

Bing users can now even translate entire websites into Klingon.

FJP: I think I speak for everyone when I say: HIja’ tlhuchtlh! — Krissy

Image: Today I Found Out

Fashion Designers Experiment With 3D Printing Fashion designers are using 3D printing to create garments, shoes, and accessories for their clothing lines.  3D printers follow instructions of computer generated blueprints to create one layer of material at a time until a piece of clothing is fully formed. According to Weburbanist, soles and fasteners aren’t necessary in 3D printed garments because of the architectural specificity of the blue prints; the apparel is designed to fit an individual’s exact measurements. The materials for 3D printed clothing and accessories are lightweight, flexible, and easy to produce, and Continnuum Fashion, a fashion start-up company, has already recognized the benefits of 3D printing their garments. Continnuum offers customers the option to design their own clothes to be printed in-house. The clothes are printed when the order is placed, so time and materials aren’t wasted. Via Huffington Post: In the past, when designers go to the trouble of manufacturing a dress, they have to be confident of selling hundreds to make the cost of production worthwhile. But 3-D printing flips that idea on its head. The technology cuts a designer’s manufacturing costs to zero until a customer has ordered a garment. As a result, designers can now afford to experiment in small batches and sell apparel in limited editions. FJP: Careful hand-stitching can now be replaced by code. And with Staples now offering mini-3D printers for your own home, does this mean that we’ll be ordering and printing clothes right in our offices? Ehhh. Probably not for awhile.  Via Readwrite: $1,300 for a hobbyist’s toy isn’t cheap. And that’s not counting the $50 per plastic cartridge holding 320 grams of material (0.7 pounds). Printing is expensive, whether it’s 2D or 3D. Also, it can take HOURS to print a garment. And according to Mashable,  the larger 3D printers necessary to print a full size pair of pants can cost upwards of $14,000. (And I thought ink cartridges for 2D printers were overpriced.) — Krissy Image: Weburbanist

Fashion Designers Experiment With 3D Printing

Fashion designers are using 3D printing to create garments, shoes, and accessories for their clothing lines. 

3D printers follow instructions of computer generated blueprints to create one layer of material at a time until a piece of clothing is fully formed. According to Weburbanist, soles and fasteners aren’t necessary in 3D printed garments because of the architectural specificity of the blue prints; the apparel is designed to fit an individual’s exact measurements.

The materials for 3D printed clothing and accessories are lightweight, flexible, and easy to produce, and Continnuum Fashion, a fashion start-up company, has already recognized the benefits of 3D printing their garments. Continnuum offers customers the option to design their own clothes to be printed in-house. The clothes are printed when the order is placed, so time and materials aren’t wasted.

Via Huffington Post:

In the past, when designers go to the trouble of manufacturing a dress, they have to be confident of selling hundreds to make the cost of production worthwhile.

But 3-D printing flips that idea on its head. The technology cuts a designer’s manufacturing costs to zero until a customer has ordered a garment. As a result, designers can now afford to experiment in small batches and sell apparel in limited editions.

FJP: Careful hand-stitching can now be replaced by code. And with Staples now offering mini-3D printers for your own home, does this mean that we’ll be ordering and printing clothes right in our offices? Ehhh. Probably not for awhile. 

Via Readwrite:

$1,300 for a hobbyist’s toy isn’t cheap. And that’s not counting the $50 per plastic cartridge holding 320 grams of material (0.7 pounds). Printing is expensive, whether it’s 2D or 3D.

Also, it can take HOURS to print a garment. And according to Mashable,  the larger 3D printers necessary to print a full size pair of pants can cost upwards of $14,000. (And I thought ink cartridges for 2D printers were overpriced.) — Krissy

Image: Weburbanist

Do Social Media Sites Like Tumblr Need Their Own News Publications? We learned last week that Tumblr is shutting down Storyboard — the news blog responsible for reporting on creative and noteworthy posts by Tumblr users. Tumblr’s cofounder, David Karp, posted his explanation for Storyboard’s closing on the site’s staff blog, saying: “What we’ve accomplished with Storyboard has run its course for now, and our editorial team will be closing up shop and moving on.” Karp mentions that Storyboard partnered with the likes of WNYC, Mashable, Time, etc. and was even nominated for a James Beard Award (to name a few accomplishments). So, why is it best to “move on” when the project has been so successful?  The consensus (here, here, and here) seems to be that Tumblr needs to downsize to turn a profit this year. However, in an interview with The New York Times, Charlie Warzel, deputy technology editor at Buzzfeed, suggested Storyboard is closing because there’s no point in writing about what you can just go and see for yourself. He said: It is always peculiar when a social network branches out into publishing, it just seems odd to bring on even excellent editorial talent to cover what is already going on organically. And he’s not the only one who shares the sentiment.  The New York Times calls attention to Dan Fletcher (a journalism school graduate) who quit his “amorphous” job as managing editor of Facebook in 2012. His position required him to write about FaceBook trends. He said that reporters aren’t needed on FaceBook and that articles detract from user activity that is “inherently more interesting” than the articles themselves. FJP:  Why is it “peculiar” that an excellent editorial staff would be reporting on the “organic” events of social media communities? Isn’t that what journalists do? Just because social media communities exist in the cyber-verse doesn’t make them less newsworthy. Admittedly, Storyboard and other social media news blogs (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest) aren’t exactly watchdog reporters (they want to talk about the posts that make themselves look good, after all), and that should make us question whether these publications can really be “journalistic.” But social media news is in its larval stage. Maybe, in the future, social communities will be publishing articles about juveniles who break copyright laws, and sites will be locking people’s profiles in cyber-jail-blocks for weeks due to hazing. Surely, social sites are gonna need some objective, guardian watchdogs for that, right? Eh? — Krissy Image: Screenshot from Storyboard.

Do Social Media Sites Like Tumblr Need Their Own News Publications?

We learned last week that Tumblr is shutting down Storyboard — the news blog responsible for reporting on creative and noteworthy posts by Tumblr users. Tumblr’s cofounder, David Karp, posted his explanation for Storyboard’s closing on the site’s staff blog, saying: “What we’ve accomplished with Storyboard has run its course for now, and our editorial team will be closing up shop and moving on.”

Karp mentions that Storyboard partnered with the likes of WNYC, Mashable, Time, etc. and was even nominated for a James Beard Award (to name a few accomplishments). So, why is it best to “move on” when the project has been so successful? 

The consensus (here, here, and here) seems to be that Tumblr needs to downsize to turn a profit this year. However, in an interview with The New York Times, Charlie Warzel, deputy technology editor at Buzzfeed, suggested Storyboard is closing because there’s no point in writing about what you can just go and see for yourself. He said:

It is always peculiar when a social network branches out into publishing, it just seems odd to bring on even excellent editorial talent to cover what is already going on organically.

And he’s not the only one who shares the sentiment. 

The New York Times calls attention to Dan Fletcher (a journalism school graduate) who quit his “amorphous” job as managing editor of Facebook in 2012. His position required him to write about FaceBook trends. He said that reporters aren’t needed on FaceBook and that articles detract from user activity that is “inherently more interesting” than the articles themselves.

FJP:  Why is it “peculiar” that an excellent editorial staff would be reporting on the “organic” events of social media communities? Isn’t that what journalists do? Just because social media communities exist in the cyber-verse doesn’t make them less newsworthy.

Admittedly, Storyboard and other social media news blogs (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest) aren’t exactly watchdog reporters (they want to talk about the posts that make themselves look good, after all), and that should make us question whether these publications can really be “journalistic.” But social media news is in its larval stage. Maybe, in the future, social communities will be publishing articles about juveniles who break copyright laws, and sites will be locking people’s profiles in cyber-jail-blocks for weeks due to hazing. Surely, social sites are gonna need some objective, guardian watchdogs for that, right? Eh? — Krissy

Image: Screenshot from Storyboard.

If Tech Companies Made Easter Candy Click-through to see Apple’s contribution. Image: Detail from Mashable’s comic.

If Tech Companies Made Easter Candy

Click-through to see Apple’s contribution.

Image: Detail from Mashable’s comic.

Rumor Mill: CNN in Talks to Buy Mashable

Word on the street at SXSW is that CNN might buy Mashable for $200 million.

Via the Next Web:

Well, well, well. A ‘little bird’ apparently informed Reuters reporter Felix Salmon that CNN is buying Mashable, a blog that covers social media-related news, a lot of lists about anything from the funniest cat videos of the day to the most pinteresting Pinterest pinboard of the hour and whatnot, often with the CAPS Lock key turned on for the headlines, for “upwards of $200 million”.

According to Salmon, who isn’t known to throw around this type of rumor unless it came from a solid source, the deal is poised to be announced on Tuesday.

The New York Times chimes in as well but doesn’t put a price tag on the potential acquisition.

Mashable, which specializes in stories about technology and social media, could bolster CNN.com, which is one of the most popular news Web sites in the United States. An acquisition of Mashable would make a statement about CNN’s interest in startups and social media…

…Mashable, which is seven years old and is privately held, would be CNN.com’s largest acquisition to date. Last fall, CNN.com acquired Zite, a company that made an iPad app that determines what its users want to read and view, for a price that was estimated to be between $20 million and $25 million. Mashable would cost CNN far more to acquire.

Salmon’s video interview discussing the rumor is here.

Mashable’s 7 Top Journalists to Subscribe to on Facebook The list includes a great blurb about each recommended journalist. 

Mashable’s 7 Top Journalists to Subscribe to on Facebook

The list includes a great blurb about each recommended journalist. 

In politics, size matters. How large is the mailing list, how much money was raised and, increasingly, how many friends, followers and other social networking whatnot all becomes valuable lucre in the media’s horse race coverage of the next election. Enter Newt Gingrich. A social media mastermind proclaims an astonished press as it looks at his 1.3 million plus Twitter followers.  Yet, like most things, what we see is not necessarily true. Mashable reports that over 90% of Gingrich’s Twitter followers aren’t even human. It appears that he’s been paying to build up his overall number count but instead of people he’s getting robots, zombies and the undead following him. Image: Robot Runamuck by Bob Canada via Flickr.

In politics, size matters.

How large is the mailing list, how much money was raised and, increasingly, how many friends, followers and other social networking whatnot all becomes valuable lucre in the media’s horse race coverage of the next election.

Enter Newt Gingrich.

A social media mastermind proclaims an astonished press as it looks at his 1.3 million plus Twitter followers. 

Yet, like most things, what we see is not necessarily true. Mashable reports that over 90% of Gingrich’s Twitter followers aren’t even human. It appears that he’s been paying to build up his overall number count but instead of people he’s getting robots, zombies and the undead following him.

Image: Robot Runamuck by Bob Canada via Flickr.

When it comes to industrial design, few consumer electronics or computer makers have the legacy or influence of Apple, Inc. In the last 35 years, Apple has introduced a myriad of products and devices, some very successful, some, not so much. Artist Mike Vasilev created this infographic for Mashable, highlighting the major Apple product releases and design changes from 1976 through 2011. With rumors of the iPhone 5, iPhone 6 and a smaller, lower-cost iPhone all spreading through the technosphere, we feel certain that at least one more item will be added to the “redesign” list before 2011 closes out. via Mashable

When it comes to industrial design, few consumer electronics or computer makers have the legacy or influence of Apple, Inc. In the last 35 years, Apple has introduced a myriad of products and devices, some very successful, some, not so much.

Artist Mike Vasilev created this infographic for Mashable, highlighting the major Apple product releases and design changes from 1976 through 2011.

With rumors of the iPhone 5, iPhone 6 and a smaller, lower-cost iPhone all spreading through the technosphere, we feel certain that at least one more item will be added to the “redesign” list before 2011 closes out.

via Mashable

Mashable

In partnership with CNN iReport, we would like to know: How has social media changed your life? Did you meet your joined-at-the-tweet BFF via Twitter? Find your dream job via LinkedIn? Make a big change in your life after being inspired by a Facebook update? Written by Chelsea Stark (@chelseabot) for Mashable

In partnership with CNN iReport, we would like to know: How has social media changed your life? Did you meet your joined-at-the-tweet BFF via Twitter? Find your dream job via LinkedIn? Make a big change in your life after being inspired by a Facebook update?

Written by Chelsea Stark (@chelseabot) for Mashable

Mashable

scribemedia:

Shazam For TV wants to use its technology to create interactive ads. 

Shazam for TV isn’t aiming to tell you that you’re watching The Simpsons the same way it tells you that you’re listening to The Beatles. Instead, the company has partnered with brands like Honda, Starbucks and Paramount Pictures to use its sound-identifying technology to create interactive ads.

read more at Mashable

krochmal: The History of Social Media [INFOGRAPHIC] Social media online, that is. 

krochmal:

The History of Social Media [INFOGRAPHIC]

Social media online, that is. 

Mashable’s 2011 Predictions for the News Media: Creative Destruction, More Leaks and Online Communities Will Rule

In 2011, the focus on mobile will continue to grow with the launch of mobile- and iPad-only news products, but the greater focus for news media in 2011 will be on re-imagining its approach to the open social web. The focus will shift from searchable news to social and share-able news, as social media referrals close the gap on search traffic for more news organizations. In the coming year, news media’s focus will be affected by the personalization of news consumption and social media’s influence on journalism.

Mashable