We’ve seen Tweets posted byplants, a space shuttle and even a house, so we shouldn’t be particularly surprised to hear that commercial jets are now Tweeting and posting Facebook messages (sorta). In fact, we think the idea is ingenious.Admittedly, it’s not the plane itself doing the Tweeting: it’s the airline. Lufthansa has set up a new service named MySkyStatusthat automatically posts the current position of your flight to Twitter or Facebook so your friends can follow your travels (and your friends living in those cities can look up!). Typical status updates read “flying over San Francisco Intl, California 94030, USA on United Airlines” or “flying over Grantsville, UT 84029, USA on United Airlines”. It seems the system posts the flight’s position around once per hour, pulling info from a database of flight information. Here’s the really smart bit: I stumbled on the service because one of my Facebook friends was on a United Airlines flight today. Clicking the link in the update, of course, directs you to the Lufthansa MySkyStatus page with a Google Map of the flight’s position, meaning that Lufthansa is getting free social media promotion from people travelling on all airlines. Pretty smart.On a long haul flight, of course, the system may post 20 updates or more, but the functionality is so cool that I’m prepared to give some slack to those Twitterand Facebookfriends who have decided to put their updates on autopilot. [Image credit: bribriTO]Reviews: Facebook, TwitterTags: flights, Flying, myskystatus
News came today that a server failure has resulted in total data loss for T-Mobile Sidekickusers. The data loss, seemingly the fault of Microsoft/Danger, is resulting in shock and anger. One Twitter addict is seeing the bright side, however: singer John Mayer points outthat celebrity blogger Perez Hilton has lost 2,000 address book contacts, which Mayer considers to be no bad thing:Hilton, of course, is not finding the situation amusing in the lightest: he’s been one of the Sidekick’s harshest critics in recent days, coining the hashtag #TmobileSucks (although it would appear that Microsoft/Danger may have more to do with the data loss). He’s unlikely to be alone: angry Sidekick users might now be motivated to take legal action, and lawsuits seem virtually inevitable.Tags: john mayer, perez hilton, sidekick
There’s bad news for Sidekick users today: T-Mobile has announced that it was unable to recover Sidekick data after a server failure at Microsoft subsidiary Danger. This means any data not stored on your Sidekick but residing in the “cloud” has been lost. Sidekick users are advised to keep their devices powered up and not conduct a reset or remove the battery: a power-down would mean any data still on the phone is lost. T-Mobile will provide an update on the situation on Monday, but things are looking very bleak indeed.In T-Mobile’s words: “based on Microsoft/Danger’s latest recovery assessment of their systems, we must now inform you that personal information stored on your device – such as contacts, calendar entries, to-do lists or photos – that is no longer on your Sidekick almost certainly has been lost as a result of a server failure at Microsoft/Danger.”The story is a jarring one for those storing increasing amounts of data in the “cloud”: as we become more reliant on servers to house our data, such losses can be catastrophic.The full press release is below (via Engadget).T-Mobile Press Release on Sidekick Data LossT-MOBILE AND MICROSOFT/DANGER STATUS UPDATE ON SIDEKICK DATA DISRUPTIONDear valued T-Mobile Sidekick customers:T-Mobile and the Sidekick data services provider, Danger, a subsidiary of Microsoft, are reaching out to express our apologies regarding the recent Sidekick data service disruption.We appreciate your patience as Microsoft/Danger continues to work on maintaining platform stability, and restoring all services for our Sidekick customers.Regrettably, based on Microsoft/Danger’s latest recovery assessment of their systems, we must now inform you that personal information stored on your device – such as contacts, calendar entries, to-do lists or photos – that is no longer on your Sidekick almost certainly has been lost as a result of a server failure at Microsoft/Danger. That said, our teams continue to work around-the-clock in hopes of discovering some way to recover this information. However, the likelihood of a successful outcome is extremely low. As such, we wanted to share this news with you and offer some tips and suggestions to help you rebuild your personal content. You can find these tips in our Sidekick Contacts FAQ. We encourage you to visit the Forums on a regular basis to access the latest updates as well as FAQs regarding this service disruption.In addition, we plan to communicate with you on Monday (Oct. 12) the status of the remaining issues caused by the service disruption, including the data recovery efforts and the Download Catalog restoration which we are continuing to resolve. We also will communicate any additional tips or suggestions that may help in restoring your content.We recognize the magnitude of this inconvenience. Our primary efforts have been focused on restoring our customers’ personal content. We also are considering additional measures for those of you who have lost your content to help reinforce how valuable you are as a T-Mobile customer.We continue to advise customers to NOT reset their device by removing the battery or letting their battery drain completely, as any personal content that currently resides on your device will be lost.Once again, T-Mobile and Microsoft/Danger regret any and all inconvenience this matter has caused.Tags: sidekick, T-Mobile
Beware: a Facebook poke could land you behind bars. Just ask Shannon D. Jackson of Hendersonville, Tennessee, who faces that very real possibility.Jackson was arrested and transported to Sumner County Jail on September 25th with a bond set at $1,500 after she violated an order of protection by allegedly poking a woman on Facebook. The alleged poke broke the terms of the court order: “no telephoning, contacting or otherwise communicating with the petitioner.” If found guilty, Jackson could face some more extended jailtime: a possible 29 days in jail and a fine of up to $2,500. The Tennesseanwrites:According to the affidavit filed in Sumner County General Sessions Court, Jackson is accused of using the “poke” option on Facebook to contact a Hendersonville woman, thus violating the terms of the order of protection…Hendersonville police have made copies of the page in which the alleged victim is shown to be “poked,” according to the affidavit.While the story seems unbelievable at first glance, the logic is impeccable: poking a person on Facebookis indeed a means of communication, no matter how subtle. What do you think? Is poking off-limits in this case? [Image Credit: Corey Leopold]Reviews: Facebook
“Our rock stars aren’t like your rock stars”, goes the slogan on Intel’s relatively recent TV ads. One ad in the series plays homage to Ajay Bhatt, co-inventor of the USB, although Ajay is played by an actor. Upon discovering that fact, The Tonight Show’s Conan O’Brien (and someone at Intel marketing) decided it was time for an interview with the man himself.Conan questions Bhatt on everything from his own failed attempt at creating the USB (a “gravy port”) to the effect of his “rock star” status on young women. The result, of course, is hilarious:[via Engadget]Tags: conan, intel, usb
The fusion of social and mainstream media is finally complete: not only did Thursday night’s “Jim and Pam wedding” episode of The Office feature the meme-tastic 3 Wolf Moont-shirt, but it also paid tribute to the YouTube hit JK Wedding Dance. The video, which featured wedding guests dancing down the aisle and put Chris Brown back in the charts, was one of the most-shared clips of the year. As we wrote back in July:It was a pretty remarkable feat for the United Breaks Guitars viral hit to pass 3 million viewsin just 10 days, but blowing that video out of the water is the breakout wedding reception monster of a web hit: JK Wedding Entrance Dance. We’ve just learned from Visible Measures that the hilarious and inspirational JK Wedding Entrance Dance video has amassed over 12 million views from 100 different clips since it hit the web on July 19. But while the Jim and Pam episode garnered 9.1 million viewers on NBC, the JK Wedding Dance has now received more than 27 million views on YouTube. Times they are a-changin’.Below: the official NBC clip and (for our international readers) a lower quality YouTubeversion.Jim and Pam’s JK Wedding Video (Official)Jim and Pam’s JK Wedding Video (International)JK Wedding Dance: The Original YouTube VideoReviews: YouTubeTags: jim and pam, the office
Would you post your love-making locations on the web? Thousands of people are happy to, it seems, on a quirky site called I Just Made Love.It’s a simple idea: right click on a Google Map to post the location of your passionate moments, select “Indoor” or “Outdoor” and choose from one of 5 positions, as illustrated by the site’s innocuous cartoon figures. (We’re intrigued by why the figures are blue and pink – does this imply only straight couples can add markers?)Whatever you might think – and we happen to find it pretty funny – the idea is sure to be shared around the web thanks to its mildly saucy spin and wonderful simplicity. Would you post a marker on I Just Made Love? Let us know in the comments.
Toy Story 3, to be released on June 18th, is one of the most anticipated movies of 2010. While a teaser trailer for the 3D movie had been posted online already, the theatrical trailer hadn’t yet made it to the web, and no actual footage had been seen online. This week that’s changing, as the full trailer has been posted to YouTubeand other sites. Whether Disney decides to leave the videos up is another matter, but it would seem the leak is only adding to the, err, Buzz, around the release.The social media chatter will likely be positive: the trailer not only hints at phenomenal animation, but also points to a decent plot. Thanks for the preview, interwebs!Toy Story 3: Full TrailerToy Story 3: Teaser TrailerReviews: YouTubeTags: toy story
Miley Cyrus deleted her Twitter account this week, citing the fact that tabloids were using the Tweets as fodder for their stories. But while deleting an online profile doesn’t usually require more than a few clicks, Cyrus went the extra mile and wrote a rap about her reasons for abandoning the site, writes the Daily Mail.Choice lyrics include “The reasons are simple: I started tweeting about pimples. I stopped living for moments and started living for people,” and “Everything that I type and everything that I do, all those lame gossip sites take it and make it news.” Miley’s father, Billy Ray Cyrus, urged the singer to return to Twitterin a Tweet on Thursday, writing“You can’t leave everyone now.We r countin on u”.Will your life be empty and void of meaning without Miley Cyrus’ Tweets? Let us know in the comments.Reviews: Twitter
Jeana Lee Tahnkis a writer and high tech PR consultant who focuses on a variety of topics including, social media, family & parenting and health & well-being. She is a regular contributor to The Huffington Post, MommyTrack’d and Examiner.com. You can follow her on Twitter. It’s hard to believe that a little device that’s the size of your hand can actually help parents become more organized, time-efficient, knowledgeable, even relaxed. However, that’s the beauty of an iPhone. The key, though, is to find the right apps to get you there, and with so many choices (more than 75,000), it takes time and effort to find good ones. What follows is a list of 20 free apps that won’t necessarily make you a better parent, but can make your life a little easier, or help out in a pinch wherever you are. And when you have a screaming, bored, hungry, or need-to-use-the-bathroom kid, sometimes a little help is all you need. The apps listed below have been compiled from the eyes of a parent, but many can be used regardless of whether you do or don’t have children.There are also several apps listed below that are ‘lite’ versions. These are completely functional, but just offer limited options compared to their more robust, feature-rich priced apps. What other great iPhone apps are you finding helpful as a parent? Let us know in the comments.1. WebMD MobileWebMD’s iPhone app enables parents to look up symptoms and try to figure out what’s ailing their children. Of course, it shouldn’t take the place of professional medical advice, but for those cases when your child has a minor rash, fever, cough, etc., this is a great resource to try and narrow down what is going on, and prepare for a doctor visit if necessary.2. Shutterfly for iPhoneAlthough you won’t get professional quality photos from your iPhone, the 3 mega-pixels are sufficient for taking quick snapshots of your kids. And with this app, you can instantly upload photos to your Shutterfly account, send them to your friends and family, and let the bragging begin. 3. Time-Out FREEKids’ behavior is unpredictable and there’s no knowing when a time-out may be necessary. When you’re away from the confines of your house and your kids act up, this simple timer on your phone can be used to track a time-out.4. SitOrSquat: Bathroom FinderAsk your kids one minute if they have to use the bathroom and the answer is “no.” The next minute, they’re doing the potty dance. SitOrSquat is a great app to have on your phone when you are out-and-about in an unfamiliar place and need to know where the closest public restroom is located.5. KidStatz LITEKidStatz LITE is an app that enables you to house basic information about your child, his/her physical characteristics, medical information and a photo. In the horrible event that your child goes missing, this will help you have immediate access to crucial information. The lite version enables you to email the information directly from the app, as well as call the police, but does not offer the option to enter information for multiple children, as the full version does. This type of app is a must-have for any parent.6. Pizza FinderWhat kid doesn’t like pizza? When you’re on the road, on vacation, or in an unfamiliar area, Pizza Finder identifies local joints in your area, links it through Google Maps, and lets you call directly from the app. It is perfect for finding a quick meal and quelling the constant “I’m hungry!” whines.7. Bank & ATM FinderBut pizza for dinner only makes sense if you have the cash to pay for it. Bank & ATM Finder is a good resource for any parent who is in need of some quick cash. By mapping out your location, this app quickly locates local banks and ATM machines near you.8. Disney World Wait Times FreeAsk any parent what the worst part is about going to Disney World and they will likely say the exorbitant prices and the constant waiting. There isn’t an app that can reduce the cost of admission, but this app certainly addresses the wait times. The app’s by-the-minute updates on how long the lines are for rides at Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom, can keep you one step ahead of the crowds and help you to plan your day at Disney more efficiently.9. Birthday NotificationIt’s easy to remember the birthdays of the people in your immediate inner circle, but throw co-workers, friends’ kids, distant relatives’ birthdays into the mix and it becomes a lot harder to keep track. With the Birthday Notification app, you can input all important birthdays (and also import from Facebook) and get email and/or push notifications. 10. myStarbucksParents with young kids are usually sleep-deprived. Sleep-deprived parents usually need coffee. Use this app to find the nearest Starbucks location and refuel on caffeine.11. ICE iEmergency LITEICE (in case of emergency) contacts are becoming a standard notation for cell phones. The lite version of ICE iEmergency allows you to list your top three emergency contacts, as well as select a wallpaper screen displaying your designated ICE contact. A different developer makes a similar, parent-focused ICE app, as well called, appropriately, Parent ICE.12. LibraryAs routine as a trip to the local library is for adults, it can be a fun outing for a child. If your kid loves going to the library and you are often in new locales, then the Library app is for you. This free app will automatically determine your location and then show you nearby libraries on a Google Map.13. AroundMeAroundMe is great all-around resource for finding everything in your area, including restaurants, hospitals, movie theaters, parking lots, supermarkets, gas stations and more. It also provides mapping functionality and enables you to send the information to a friend. It’s a perfect app for on-the-go parents who need help planning their errands and getting things done or finding things to do when traveling in unfamiliar locations.14. ManGo ShoppingManGo Shopping is similar in concept to AroundMe, but it focuses solely on retail stores in your area. ManGo covers 300+ retail chains and will help locate the nearest Target, Home Depot, Costco, etc. It’s perfect for when you’re traveling and you run out of diapers or formula and are in need of the nearest superstore.15. Regator – Web’s Best BlogsRegator is an app that aggregates information from the blogosphere to provide you with a steady stream of news from popular blogs. With more than 500 topics available to search from, you can prioritize which you follow. There’s even a topic on parenting which encompasses many popular mom blogs, which makes for great morning reading before the kids wake up.16. iRelax Melodies LiteWhen you want to transport yourself away from the hustle and bustle of daily life, even for a few minutes, would you prefer to hear the sound of ocean waves, or perhaps rain? With this lite version, you can pick from eight different sounds or even mix and match to create the perfect combination to suit your tastes. It even offers music box sounds to help calm a crying baby.17. Allrecipes.com Dinner SpinnerIt’s 5:00 p.m., you’re leaving work to pick the kids up from school and you have no idea what the dinner plan is. With Allrecipes.com’s cool ‘Dinner Spinner,’ you can select a dish type, ingredients, and prep time and ‘spin’ to see what kind of options pop up. Complete with photos and a search function, this is a great app for anyone who is responsible for meal planning in the house.18. IsWhenIsWhen is a very simple app that lists upcoming holidays and their dates for 2009 and 2010. The calendar that comes with the iPhone does not designate holidays, so when scheduling a family vacation or time off, it is a simple resource for finding specific dates. It’s also useful for planning for those tricky Monday holidays like President’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, and Columbus Day when schools are closed and businesses are not.19. Events FinderThis app locates all events in your designated area. By identifying everything from concerts to festivals to sporting events, Events Finder is a good resource for parents who are looking for something fun to do with the kids on the weekend.20. reQallreQall is an innovative voice-enabled service that allows you to capture passing thoughts, reminders and to dos in an easy way through your iPhone. But, this just scratches the service of everything it is capable of. Not only does reQall keep track of things you need to remember, shopping lists, etc., it also organizes your reminders, integrates into Outlook and even shares them with others. reQall works with both its free web-based accounts and paid subscriptions for added functionality.More parenting resources from Mashable:- 12 Fantastic Facebook Pages for Parents- Top 7 Sites for Parenting How-To Videos- 15 iPhone Apps to Tame the KidsReviews: AroundMe, Facebook, Google MapsTags: iphone, iphone apps, iphone list, Lists, parenting, parents
Three weeks ago, we launched our Web Faceoffseries. First, we pitted Firefox against Chrome(Firefox won) and Tumblr go head-to-head with Posterous(Posterous won). This week, we went melodic by asking you to choose between social music services Pandora and Last.fm. We know that there are many fans of both, so we wanted to definitively determine which one you, the readers, prefer.You guys didn’t make it easy, though. Only 31 votes separated the two tools. Still, there can only be one winner……and it is Last.fmthat eeks out the victory! Last.fm was able to gather 1187 votes (48%), while Pandora fell short with 1156 ballots cast (47%). 122 of you (5%) thought it was simply a tie. A lot of you said you picked Last.fm because of its international distribution (Pandora doesn’t work for Europeans), which likely pushed it over the top.Next week, we’re going to have a very special Faceoff between two of the web’s most popular social media tools. There are going to be fireworks, black eyes, and bruised egos, so don’t miss out on next week’s Web Faceoff.Who would win in a fight: Pandora or last.fm?(opinion)Web Faceoff: Overall ResultsWeek 1:- Mozilla Firefox vs. Google Chrome- WINNER: Firefox, 4600 votes (Chrome: 3310 votes, Tie: 911 votes)Week 2:- Tumblr vs. Posterous- WINNER: Tumblr, 1809 votes (Posterous: 1496 votes, Tie: 256 votes)Week 3:- Pandora vs. Last.fm- WINNER: Last.fm, 1187 votes (Pandora: 1156 votes, Tie: 122 votes)Reviews: Chrome, Firefox, Google Chrome, Last.fm, Mozilla Firefox, Pandora, Posterous, TumblrTags: Last.FM, pandora, web faceoff
Another day, another false dead celebrity rumor. But while we’ve seen our fair share of Twitter and social media spreading celebritydeath rumors, we’ve never seen one for an Internet celebrity until now.Yes, the Internet is abuzz with the rumor that Lucas Cruikshank, the star of the highly popular Fred YouTube series, has died. Yes, people actually believe this rumor. And no, he’s not dead, if his Twitter account is any indication.We don’t care who started this rumor, but this thing’s gone viral, so it’s time somebody set the record straight. We’ve very glad he is still alive and kicking, although this means that we’re still going to have to suffer through Fred: The Movie, which starts filming in November. God help us all.Reviews: TwitterTags: Fred, Lucas Cruikshank, youtube
Remember the whole Google Books debacle? After finally reaching a formal agreement with authors and publishers, a host of other heavyweights including Microsoft and Yahoo came forward to challenge the settlement. Google co-founder Sergey Brin addressed criticisms of the settlementearlier today in a lengthy editorial.In the piece, he attempts to clear up some of the myths surrounding the settlement and answer the critics’ major arguments.Point one concerns the “compulsory license” argument, which claims the settlement agreement amounts to a compulsory license because authors would have to opt out by a certain date. Brin says there is no statute of limitations on the terms for authors, who can come forward at any time to set pricing and access rights for their works, or opt out altogether. For out-of-print and other authors who haven’t yet claimed their works, revenue will accumulate on their behalf according to the default terms, giving them an incentive to come forward and claim their authorship.Unfair Competition?To address the complaint about unfair competition, Brin says nothing in the agreement prevents other companies from doing the same thing. The money quote on this point centers on the fact that there is currently close to zero access to out-of-print books now that we can potentially get: “The agreement limits consumer choice in out-of-print books about as much as it limits consumer choice in unicorns.”He goes on to express certitude that, should Google’s efforts be successful, other companies surely will follow suit and that it will be somewhat easier for them to get into the game and expand consumer choice even further.The last complaint Brin addresses concerns issues he says the company is working to address and spell out more clearly: the quality of bibliographic information, details about the classification system being used, and further details on the privacy policy. He assures that Google is a company that “obsesses over the quality of our products” and has as much desire to improve bibliographic information and classification as anyone.Preserving Human Knowledge: Someone Needs to Do ItHe also goes into a bit of the history and backstory behind the idea to index books in the first place. He paints the endeavor as being very much about preserving the intellectual and cultural knowledge of humanity, citing the floods that twice destroyed a huge chunk of the Stanford Library (once during Brin’s tenure there) and the thrice burning of the famed library at Alexandria — taking with it thousands of documents representing the sum total of recorded human works at the time. These are intellectual works that were lost forever, and Brin’s overall argument is that we as a society ought to take steps to prevent such historical devastation again. Of course, cynics will be correct in noting that Google’s goal here cannot be purely altruistic, and that ahead of the lofty humanitarian aim is the desire to make Google loads of money in the process. Still, it’s hard to deny that the preservation of and access to a veritable treasure trove of human knowledge is probably not an entirely bad thing — it’s more a matter of arriving at the acceptable terms at this point.What do you think: is Google overstepping its bounds with the Google Books project? Is the agreement they reached with authors and publishers tantamount to an unfair monopoly? Should the project be allowed to move forward, and if so do you think the agreement requires any changes?Image courtesy of iStockphoto, luomanReviews: Google, iStockphotoTags: books, Google, google books, microsoft, Yahoo
When Apple released the iPhone 3.0 OS, one of its best additions was Spotlight Search, which lets users quickly find not only contacts, but apps, songs, and emails through a universal search box. It’s useful, it’s quick, and it’s on every iPhone with 3.0.Now Google has its own versionof Spotlight Search for its Androidmobile platform, built by the same guy who created Quicksilver for Mac. And it is way, way more functional than Apple’s offering.The new addition to Android is called the Quick Search Box, or QSB. It sits on the home screen of your phone, but it does so much more. It auto-suggests keywords as you type and can search through your phone’s apps and content, but it also can do things Spotlight Search cannot. Specifically, QSB is linked to a full range Google web search options.When you start typing in the Android Quick Search Box, you’ll notice that it not only pulls up apps and contacts, but that it pulls web content. It’s not just about searching Google, but searching Google Maps, weather reports, and stock quotes. Being able to find nearby locations from the QSB via Google Maps is a very savvy addition all by itself, much less full web search.QSB also includes the microphone icon, which links you to voice search. You can search for contacts, pictures, and more. Yes, it’s similar to the voice search feature on the iPhone 3GS. Finally, this app tracks your habits. If you are constantly searching for the same things and picking the same items, it will recognize that and bring them to the top of the suggestions list.This update may seem small, but its implications are huge. It adds a whole new layer of functionality to Android that completely obliterates the iPhone’s functionality. And with Android launching on more carriers, this type of addition could help it win new customers, even ones with iPhones.Reviews: Android, Google, Google MapsTags: android, apple, Google, iphone, QSB, Quick Search Box, Spotlight Search
