Switched http://www.switched.com Switched http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/%SiteURL%/media/feedlogo.gif Switched http://www.switched.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[10 Essential Bookmarklets for Better Browsing]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/24/10-essential-bookmarklets-for-better-browsing/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/24/10-essential-bookmarklets-for-better-browsing/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/24/10-essential-bookmarklets-for-better-browsing/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Bookmarklets Bookmarklets are an interesting and lightweight alternative to full-fledged browser extensions. Unlike regular bookmarks, bookmarklets don't take you to a website, but perform an action on the page you're currently viewing. They use bits of code, usually Javascript, to do things like send links, translate a page or mark a site for future reference. While they can't offer the deep functionality and integration of a proper extension, bookmarklets won't slow your browser down, are less likely to crash it, and, since they're treated the same as regular bookmarks, can be synced across browsers and computers without a problem. If you're ready to dive in, click past the break to explore our list of ten must-have bookmarklets.

Continue reading 10 Essential Bookmarklets for Better Browsing

Switched10 Essential Bookmarklets for Better Browsing originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 24 Aug 2010 13:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bookmarkletsbuzzfeedclippabledeliciousdownload from youtubeDownloadFromYoutubeevernotegmailgoogle translateGoogleTranslateinstapaperlong url pleaseLongUrlPleaseread it laterreadabilityReadItLatertinyurltoptumblrwebyahooyoutubeTue, 24 Aug 2010 13:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Eschew Pigritude with 'Save the Words,' Oxford's Site for Endangered Vocab]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/19/eschew-pigritude-with-save-the-words-oxfords-site-for-endang/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/19/eschew-pigritude-with-save-the-words-oxfords-site-for-endang/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/19/eschew-pigritude-with-save-the-words-oxfords-site-for-endang/#commentsFiled under: ,

screenshot of save the words
If, like the great Sylvia Plath, you punctiliously plot your prose with a thesaurus, may we entreat you to visit Save the Words? The prim nebbishes over at the Oxford University Press went crazy with Flash to develop the site, which features words that have all but disappeared from standard English usage and also asks users to "adopt" the archaisms in their daily communications. In a tragicomic gesture, the site anticipates your spell checker and pre-underlines the words with that red squiggle we know and love.

Thomas Pynchon and the late David Foster Wallace would surely fawn over the site, but we're just as interested in the UI's ease-of-use. (The dreadfully annoying 'Pick Me!' rollover sound clips can, thankfully, be turned off.) And, although we understand why terms like 'ten-cent store' and 'vitamin G' (now known as riboflavin, or vitamin B2) have fallen from use, the allegedly now-defunct 'snollygoster' only recently appeared on the OED's list of of top words for 2009. Still, we radicarians will succor these relics of an antediluvian age and save them from a rogalian fate in the vacivity of the Internet, until the historiasters pessundate us to the point where we need to visit a bumposopher to cure our venialia. [From: Urlesque]

SwitchedEschew Pigritude with 'Save the Words,' Oxford's Site for Endangered Vocab originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 19 Aug 2010 17:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dictionaryenglishflashlanguageoxfordOxfordEnglishDictionaryOxfordUniversityPressSaveTheWordstopvocabularywebwordsThu, 19 Aug 2010 17:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Can Facebook Predict Whether or Not You'll Graduate?]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/19/can-facebook-predict-whether-or-not-youll-graduate/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/19/can-facebook-predict-whether-or-not-youll-graduate/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/19/can-facebook-predict-whether-or-not-youll-graduate/#commentsFiled under: , ,

More Facebook Friends Means Graduation
File this under things impossible to prove, but a new study shows that, if you've got a lot of Facebook friends, you might actually be more likely to finish college. Abilene Christian University followed 375 college freshman for nine months, and tracked their social networking activity. What the university and its research partners found was that the students who returned for their sophomore year had slightly more friends and Wall posts than those who had decided to drop out. Researchers also tracked the number of photos posted and groups joined, but found no correlation between those activities and the likeliness that a student would return.

The suggestion is that students who were more active on Facebook were generally more involved at school, both socially and academically. Being more engaged in activities implied that a kid might be more invested in their education as well (although we suspect that rule would only apply to official and sanctioned activities). This data is, however, quite out of date. The research was actually performed during the 2006 to 2007 school year, but, for whatever reason, was not published until now. At the time, Facebook was still a young up-and-comer in the social networking market, and had only just opened up to members outside of colleges and universities. We suspect that, if this study were repeated today, the results might be less clear. [From: Wired, via: Geekosystem]

SwitchedCan Facebook Predict Whether or Not You'll Graduate? originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 19 Aug 2010 15:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AbileneChristianUniversitycollegeeducationfacebookfreshmanGraduationRatesSocialNetworkingtopwebThu, 19 Aug 2010 15:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Google Lets Germans Erase Their Homes on Street View]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/19/google-lets-germans-erase-their-homes-on-street-view/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/19/google-lets-germans-erase-their-homes-on-street-view/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/19/google-lets-germans-erase-their-homes-on-street-view/#commentsFiled under: ,

Blurry Street View Home In response to protests from privacy advocates in Europe's most populous country, Google is now allowing Germans to completely erase their homes from the company's Street View feature -- but only for a limited time.

In an unprecedented move, Google has decided to give Germans until September 15th to fully "opt-out" of Street View. Should a German user choose to nix the service, which is available in 20 German cities, his or her property will be completely blurred out by a special Google app. Interestingly enough, Google's decision doesn't seem to have been prompted by any newly passed German law or policy. Chancellor Angela Merkel, for instance, has publicly confirmed that she won't blur her residence out of Street View. And, even though German Minister of the Interior Thomas de Maziere is currently pushing for a new law that would specifically target Google and its Street View team, he's facing stiff competition from a clause in the German constitution that expressly prohibits such corporate targeting.

Continue reading Google Lets Germans Erase Their Homes on Street View

SwitchedGoogle Lets Germans Erase Their Homes on Street View originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 19 Aug 2010 14:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AngelaMerkeleuropegermanygoogleGoogleMapsGoogleStreetViewGoogleStreetViewCaropt-outprivacyPrivacyIssuesPrivacySettingsStreetViewtopThu, 19 Aug 2010 14:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Teacher Fired After Criticizing Colleagues, Parents on Facebook, We Say 'Duh']]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/19/teacher-fired-after-criticizing-colleagues-parents-on-facebook/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/19/teacher-fired-after-criticizing-colleagues-parents-on-facebook/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/19/teacher-fired-after-criticizing-colleagues-parents-on-facebook/#commentsFiled under: , ,

dr. june talvitie-siple
Share
Here's a great way to get yourself fired: logging onto Facebook, and letting the world know how much you hate your job -- and the people you work for -- especially if you work with kids. That's exactly what Dr. June Talvitie-Siple did, and it totally worked.

Dr. Talvitie-Siple, supervisor of the math and science program at Massachusetts's Cohasset High School, recently used the social networking site to air her grievances about her job and her community. "Residents are so arrogant and snobby," she wrote in one post. In another, she emoted, "So not looking forward to another year at Cohasset schools." As she told NBC's WHDH affiliate, she had no idea that her rants were visible for the whole world to see. "I thought I had my privacy settings set so that I was only talking to my friends," she said. "And it turns out I wasn't." Once word of her public criticism got around, Talvitie-Staple got her wish, and lost her job. Mission accomplished. [From: NBCBayArea and MSNBC]

Update: According to WCVBTV Boston and AOL News, Dr. June Talvitie-Siple was asked by school Superintendent Denise Walsh to resign.

Continue reading Teacher Fired After Criticizing Colleagues, Parents on Facebook, We Say 'Duh'

SwitchedTeacher Fired After Criticizing Colleagues, Parents on Facebook, We Say 'Duh' originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 19 Aug 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>educationfacebookFacebookFaceLossFacebookPrivacyMassachusettsprivacyPrivacySettingsSocialNetworkingteacherteacherstopwebThu, 19 Aug 2010 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Cameron Diaz Is the 'Most Dangerous Celebrity' on the Web]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/19/cameron-diaz-is-the-most-dangerous-celebrity-on-the-web/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/19/cameron-diaz-is-the-most-dangerous-celebrity-on-the-web/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/19/cameron-diaz-is-the-most-dangerous-celebrity-on-the-web/#commentsFiled under: ,

cameron diazCameron Diaz has won an award! (And no, we're not talking about her Teen Choice Award for Most Disgusting Scene in 'There's Something About Mary.') Computer security giant McAfee has named Diaz the most dangerous celebrity on the Internet, due to the massive amount of malware associated with her name. According to McAfee, you have a one in ten chance of stumbling on adware and viruses when searching for "Cameron Diaz," no matter how tame your search query is.

Diaz edged out Jessica Biel for the top spot this year, followed (in order) by Julia Roberts, Biel herself, Gisele Bündchen and Brad Pitt. (Strangely, McAfee notes that searches for people like Barack Obama and Sarah Palin are relatively safe.) We had no idea that Diaz was such a global star that her name would garner so much interest for cyber-criminals. (Why didn't Lindsay Lohan make the list in that case?) Still, for all our digs at Diaz and this dubious honor from McAffe, we have to give her props for her brilliant, frizzy performance in 'Being John Malkovich': "Don't stand in the way of my actualization as a man!" Check out the full list after the break. [From: McAfee, via: Huffington Post]

Continue reading Cameron Diaz Is the 'Most Dangerous Celebrity' on the Web

SwitchedCameron Diaz Is the 'Most Dangerous Celebrity' on the Web originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 19 Aug 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adwareBeingJohnMalkovichCameronDiazcelebritiescelebrityJessicaBielJuliaRobertsmalwaremcaffeesecurityspywareTheresSomethingAboutMarytopviruswebThu, 19 Aug 2010 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Attorney General Andrew Cuomo Says Classmates.com Is a Scam]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/19/attorney-general-andrew-cuomo-says-classmates-com-is-a-scam/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/19/attorney-general-andrew-cuomo-says-classmates-com-is-a-scam/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/19/attorney-general-andrew-cuomo-says-classmates-com-is-a-scam/#commentsFiled under: ,

andrew cuomoYou know those ubiquitous yearbook photo banner ads from Classmates.com? The ones that bait you into clicking by vowing to put you back in touch with your long lost high school buddies? Well, if you've never been tempted to hunt down old homecoming dates, consider yourself lucky, because the site has now been officially declared a scam.

Yesterday, New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo listed the old classmate finder as one of six websites that must now pay its part of a collective $10.1 million in fines and restitution. The group settled after being accused of tricking consumers into subscribing to discount programs with hidden shopping fees. According to Reuters, the websites for both GameStop and Avon beauty products were also included on Cuomo's list of wrongdoers. "Consumers should be on the lookout for cash-back and other discount offers that suddenly appear online or in the form of a check," Cuomo said in a statement. "They are often too good to be true." It's not like we ever felt compelled to get in touch with our high school friends via a sleazy banner ad, but, now, at least, we have a legitimate reason not to do so. [From: Reuters, via: Observer]

SwitchedAttorney General Andrew Cuomo Says Classmates.com Is a Scam originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 19 Aug 2010 10:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AndrewCuomoAttorneyGeneralavonAvonProductsbusinessclassmatesclassmates.comClassmatesOnlineethicsgamestopHiddenFeeslawscamtopwebThu, 19 Aug 2010 10:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Consumers Unaware of Inflated Broadband Speeds, FCC Report Finds]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/19/consumers-unaware-of-inflated-broadband-speeds-fcc-report-finds/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/19/consumers-unaware-of-inflated-broadband-speeds-fcc-report-finds/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/19/consumers-unaware-of-inflated-broadband-speeds-fcc-report-finds/#commentsFiled under:

FCC report on U.S. broadband use
According to a March FCC survey, a shocking 80-percent of U.S. consumers remain woefully unaware of their actual broadband connection speeds. Somehow, though, 91-percent of (blissfully ignorant) broadband users apparently profess satisfaction with their unknown rates. Given the results of a new FCC study, that latter statistic should shrink dramatically. While many shoppers realize products rarely meet advertised "up to" specifications, the FCC asserts that broadband speeds fall miserably short of providers' listed peak rates.

The most recent study concludes that "actual download speeds experienced by U.S. consumers appear to lag advertised speeds by roughly 50-percent." So, if an ISP promises broadband speeds "up to 7 mbps," the provider probably only delivers between 3 and 4. The FCC hopes to curb this trend with labels that clearly provide accurate speed information and ranges. The agency also hopes to increase awareness through free speed tests and the distribution of 10,000 speed-measuring routers. In its daunting, ongoing quest to "make American broadband better," the FCC is still soliciting help from the public, as well, through the official 'Test My ISP' website. [From: Ars Technica, via: Lifehacker]



SwitchedConsumers Unaware of Inflated Broadband Speeds, FCC Report Finds originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 19 Aug 2010 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BroadbandSpeedBroadbandSpeedsFCCFccTestFederalCommunicationsCommissionmbpstopwebThu, 19 Aug 2010 08:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Florida Teachers Barred from Friending Students on Facebook]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/19/florida-teachers-barred-from-friending-students-on-facebook/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/19/florida-teachers-barred-from-friending-students-on-facebook/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/19/florida-teachers-barred-from-friending-students-on-facebook/#commentsFiled under: , ,

screenshot of new lee county school district guidelines
School officials in Lee County, Florida have issued a new set of guidelines for the upcoming academic year. This go-round, they're cracking down on Facebook.

As the AFP reports, the newly published protocol explicitly warns district teachers against interacting with their students via social networking sites, in order to avoid the kinds of legal or professional pitfalls that have plagued so many. "It is inappropriate for employees to communicate, regardless of the reason, with current students enrolled in the district on any public social networking Web site," the guidelines read. "This includes becoming 'friends' or allowing students access to personal Web pages for communication reasons." The guidelines also warn against posting personal information or photos, and now prohibit educators from posting any information about their students.

Continue reading Florida Teachers Barred from Friending Students on Facebook

SwitchedFlorida Teachers Barred from Friending Students on Facebook originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 19 Aug 2010 06:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>educationfacebookfloridalee countyLeeCountymyspaceschoolschoolssocialsocial networksocial networkingsocial-networkingSocialNetworkSocialNetworkingstudentstudentsteacherteacherstoptwitterwebThu, 19 Aug 2010 06:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Facebook Places Shares Where You Are]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/18/facebook-places-shares-where-you-are/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/18/facebook-places-shares-where-you-are/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/18/facebook-places-shares-where-you-are/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Facebook Places
Share
Since March, at least, we've known that Facebook Places has been coming. We also knew that, despite its built-in audience, Facebook would have to offer more functionality than established location-based services like Foursquare if it hoped to succeed. Finally, after months of testing, Zuckerberg and crew have taken the cover off Places, and entered a brand new realm of usage. You'll be able to start checking out the new tools tonight (Wednesday) by visiting the mobile Facebook page on your smartphone or updating the official iPhone app.

Places, much like Foursquare, lets you check in from various locations while you're out and about. Checking in is connected to pages for those places (whether it be a restaurant or a park) that track recent activity at their respective locations. In addition to simply announcing that you're at a location, you can see if any of your other friends have checked in from there, or tag the friends who are currently there with you. The functionality of tagging is almost exactly like mentions on Twitter ('@' prefix and all), but, as with Facebook's photos, users have the option to untag themselves or prevent themselves from being tagged altogether.

Gallery: Facebook Places

Places logoTagging friends

Continue reading Facebook Places Shares Where You Are

SwitchedFacebook Places Shares Where You Are originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 18 Aug 2010 21:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>facebookFacebookPlacesgeolocationgeotaggingLocationBasedServicesplacestopWed, 18 Aug 2010 21:09:00 EST<![CDATA[New Clickjacking Scam Hits Facebook, Tries to Charge Your Phone Bill]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/18/new-clickjacking-scam-hits-facebook-tries-to-charge-your-phone/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/18/new-clickjacking-scam-hits-facebook-tries-to-charge-your-phone/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/18/new-clickjacking-scam-hits-facebook-tries-to-charge-your-phone/#commentsFiled under: ,

Facebook Clickjacking Scam

The security experts over at Sophos have just unearthed a new clickjacking scam making its way around Facebook, and, if you fall prey to it, you might end up losing some cash. This latest scam looks similar to a previous worm that spread throughout Facebook by tricking users into "liking" malicious pages. Instead of exploiting the "like" button, though, this new "sharejack" scam relies on the "share" feature to silently post content to users' Walls.

The trap originates on a sketchy-looking fan page, usually titled "10 Funny T-Shirt FAILS ROFL," or something similarly dumb. If you open the page, a message will pop up, claiming that you have to go through Facebook's new three-step verification process in order to view the content. In the second part of the verification, the page will prompt you to click a "next" button, which, as you might guess, isn't what it seems. By clicking the button, you'll inadvertently share the page with all of your friends. But that's not the end.

Continue reading New Clickjacking Scam Hits Facebook, Tries to Charge Your Phone Bill

SwitchedNew Clickjacking Scam Hits Facebook, Tries to Charge Your Phone Bill originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 18 Aug 2010 18:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>clickjackingfacebookfacebook phishingfacebook scamFacebookPhishingFacebookScamlikejackingphishingscamsecuritysharejackingSocialNetworkingtopwebwormWed, 18 Aug 2010 18:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Dimensions Puts Important Events and Structures in Your Backyard]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/18/dimensions-puts-important-events-and-structures-in-your-backyard/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/18/dimensions-puts-important-events-and-structures-in-your-backyard/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/18/dimensions-puts-important-events-and-structures-in-your-backyard/#commentsFiled under: ,

Dimensions of the Great Wall

If It Was My Home brought the tragedy of the BP oil spill to your backyard by laying an outline of the environmental disaster over a Google Map of your own neighborhood. Dimensions, an experiment created in partnership with the BBC, may have been conceived before the debut of the oil spill-specific site, but they use the same trick to put world and historical events into perspective.

Dimensions, which is parked at HowBigReally.com, puts the outlines of important events and structures over a map. You can see the Gulf oil spill swallow your neighborhood, but you can also see how the Colossus of Rhodes would easily straddle your street, or how the International Space Station would more than cover a square block of your town. The current selection of maps is just the beginning. According to the site's FAQ, Dimensions will continue to grow and add new features in response to user feedback. The BBC calls Dimensions a "prototype," meaning either that this could be the end of the project, or that it might continue to evolve. All we know is we'll keep imagining the Great Wall running down the middle of Broadway to get our kicks today. [From: Dimensions, via: BERG]

SwitchedDimensions Puts Important Events and Structures in Your Backyard originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 18 Aug 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bbcdimensionsgooglegoogle mapsGoogleMapshistorymapstopvisualizationwebWed, 18 Aug 2010 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Bank-Robbing German Teen E-mails Cops, Gets Himself Arrested]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/18/bank-robbing-german-teen-e-mails-cops-gets-himself-arrested/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/18/bank-robbing-german-teen-e-mails-cops-gets-himself-arrested/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/18/bank-robbing-german-teen-e-mails-cops-gets-himself-arrested/#commentsFiled under:

emailsA 19-year old bank robber in southern Germany was found out today when -- as is so often the case -- his pride got the best of him. After police and press had published reports of last week's robbery of a bank in the town of Roettingen, they received e-mails from an indignant thief, mocking the cops and reporters alike for inaccurately describing his height, age and accent. He also mentioned that he'd escaped in a car, and not by foot.

Of course, the police traced his e-mails, and, by the end of the day, had found him in a Hamburg casino. We're not sure what's dumber -- sending an e-mail to the people who are trying to arrest you, or "spending" all that money in a casino. [From: Reuters]

SwitchedBank-Robbing German Teen E-mails Cops, Gets Himself Arrested originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 18 Aug 2010 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bankbankrobberycrimedumbcriminale-mailemailtopwebWed, 18 Aug 2010 15:40:00 EST<![CDATA[John Mellencamp Calls the Internet the Most Destructive Invention Since the A-Bomb]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/18/john-mellencamp-calls-the-internet-the-most-destructive-inventio/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/18/john-mellencamp-calls-the-internet-the-most-destructive-inventio/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/18/john-mellencamp-calls-the-internet-the-most-destructive-inventio/#commentsFiled under: ,


First it was Prince, and now John Mellencamp is picking a bone with the Internet. According to Reuters, during a recent speech at the Grammy Museum, Mellencamp said, "the Internet is the most dangerous thing invented since the atomic bomb."John Cougar went on to say that it had destroyed the music business, and has the movie business in its sights. While this sentiment would be called relevant in 1999, the real issue is comparing the way most of us communicate to one of the most destructive forces of all time. (Granted, for an industry known for fleecing its audience and screwing its artists, maybe the open-ended Internet is akin to the loss of life...) What Mellencamp laments is the degradation of music via MP3, saying of an iPod, "the warmth and quality of what the artist intended for us to hear (is) so vastly different."

Well, John (can we call you that?), the Internet does not equal MP3s, and plenty of artists are thriving, connecting and producing in the new world. The Web and the atomic bomb are certainly two of the most important and powerful inventions of the last century -- as both are scary, both are game-changers and both completely shook things up, retiring plenty of obsolete technology (and pop ballads) in the process. Call us overly sensitive, though, as we do spend our days blogging, which is apparently nearly as devastating as Hiroshima. [From: Reuters]

SwitchedJohn Mellencamp Calls the Internet the Most Destructive Invention Since the A-Bomb originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 18 Aug 2010 14:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AtomBombcelebritiesfilesharingGrammyMuseumHiroshimaInternetJohnMellencampmusicprincetopwebWed, 18 Aug 2010 14:50:00 EST<![CDATA[Teen Creates 'Twifficiency' App, Endures Twitter's Misguided Wrath]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/18/teen-creates-twifficiency-app-endures-twitters-misguided-wra/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/18/teen-creates-twifficiency-app-endures-twitters-misguided-wra/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/18/teen-creates-twifficiency-app-endures-twitters-misguided-wra/#commentsFiled under: ,

screenshot of twifficiency updates
Yesterday, a harmless teenager from the U.K. suddenly found himself under a flood of Twitter attacks -- all because of an app called 'Twifficiency.' "Twifficiency calculates your Twitter efficiency based upon your Twitter activity," the service's site explains. "This includes how many people you follow, how many people follow you, how often you tweet and how many tweets you read." As with any other app that allows users to compare scores, Twifficiency went viral pretty quickly, and even landed a spot among yesterday's top trending topics.

What users didn't realize, though, was that the app would automatically update their statuses to display their twifficiency score, along with a link to the website. Even Google exec Marissa Mayer got duped, while revealing a 0-percent Twifficiency score. Not surprisingly, more than a few users began sounding the alarms about what they suspected to be a scam in app's clothing, and some began viciously targeting the app's developer, 17-year-old James Cunningham.

Continue reading Teen Creates 'Twifficiency' App, Endures Twitter's Misguided Wrath

SwitchedTeen Creates 'Twifficiency' App, Endures Twitter's Misguided Wrath originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 18 Aug 2010 09:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appappsdeveloperdevelopersJamesCunninghamoauthscamScamsSocialNetworkingteenteenstoptwifficiencytwitterTwitterScamWed, 18 Aug 2010 09:02:00 EST<![CDATA[eBay's Half.com App Scans Bar Codes for Best Textbook Deals]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/18/ebays-half-com-app-scans-bar-codes-for-best-textbook-deals/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/18/ebays-half-com-app-scans-bar-codes-for-best-textbook-deals/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/18/ebays-half-com-app-scans-bar-codes-for-best-textbook-deals/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

eBay launches free Half.com app that scans bar codes.

Share
With the fall semester around the corner, eBay has launched a mobile app for its discount site Half.com, which scans barcodes to locate the best deals on textbooks and other back-to-school products. According to CNET News, users snap a picture of a barcode (say, that expensive Biology 101 textbook), and the free iPhone app scans it using RedLaser technology, then trolling Half.com's inventory for the best prices on new and used items. If you find a better price on the site than at your college bookstore (and you likely will), you can even purchase the product within the app, and share the deal with your friends on Facebook and Twitter.

It's no mistake that this app was launched right as kids are headed back-to-school, since Half.com sells truckloads of textbooks. eBay clearly knows how important mobile shopping is to the future of its business, too. According to Tech Crunch, the company is on pace to sell about $1.5 billion worth of goods via mobile phones this year alone. Looks like the future is, uh, bright. [From: CNET News and Tech Crunch]

Continue reading eBay's Half.com App Scans Bar Codes for Best Textbook Deals

SwitchedeBay's Half.com App Scans Bar Codes for Best Textbook Deals originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 18 Aug 2010 06:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appapp storeAppleappsAppStorebarcodecellphoneseBayhalfhalf.comiphoneRedLaserscannershoppingtextbookstopWebWed, 18 Aug 2010 06:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Israeli Soldier Defends Facebook Photos of Palestinian Prisoners]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/17/israeli-soldier-defends-facebook-photos-of-palestinian-prisoners/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/17/israeli-soldier-defends-facebook-photos-of-palestinian-prisoners/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/17/israeli-soldier-defends-facebook-photos-of-palestinian-prisoners/#commentsFiled under: ,

Facebook PhotosOn Monday, newspapers in Israel ran a series of photographs, featuring an Israeli soldier posing childishly next to blindfolded and handcuffed Palestinian prisoners. The photos, which were taken by former Israeli soldier Eden Abergil in 2008, were posted on her Facebook page in an album titled 'Army -- the best period of my life.'

Once the pics were discovered and published, Abergil soon found herself at the center of controversy; an Israeli military spokesman called her actions "disgraceful" while the Palestinian Government Media Center described her photos as a clear indication of "the mentality of the occupier, to be proud of humiliating Palestinians." The only person who doesn't see anything wrong with the pictures, it seems, is Abergil herself.

Continue reading Israeli Soldier Defends Facebook Photos of Palestinian Prisoners

SwitchedIsraeli Soldier Defends Facebook Photos of Palestinian Prisoners originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 17 Aug 2010 17:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>armyfacebookIsraelIsraeli-palestinianConflictmilitaryPalestinepalestinianPalestinianConflictpalestiniansphotophotographyphotospoliticsprisonerprisonerssocialnetworkingtopwebTue, 17 Aug 2010 17:26:00 EST<![CDATA[Wired Declares 'The Web Is Dead,' Apps and Mobile Devices to Blame]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/17/wired-declares-the-web-is-dead-apps-and-mobile-devices-to-bla/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/17/wired-declares-the-web-is-dead-apps-and-mobile-devices-to-bla/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/17/wired-declares-the-web-is-dead-apps-and-mobile-devices-to-bla/#commentsFiled under:

Wired Web

Wired Magazine editor-in-chief Chris Anderson, like Prince, thinks the Web is dead. Unlike Prince, though, Anderson actually has some facts to back up his claim. In the cover story of the September issue of Wired, both Anderson and Michael Wolff use Internet traffic trends to support the argument that smartphone apps and e-readers have gradually begun to overtake the Web browser as our primary conduit of online consumption. And, according to Anderson, these trends will shape our future.

As he points out, ten years ago, Web-based, HTML-driven traffic comprised about half of all online activity. By 2010, though, that figure, according to Wired, had already dropped to 23-percent, due, in large part, to the rise of peer-to-peer services (23-percent), video (51-percent), and apps that aren't tied to browsers. These statistics lead Anderson to envision "a world Google can't crawl, one where HTML doesn't rule."

Continue reading Wired Declares 'The Web Is Dead,' Apps and Mobile Devices to Blame

SwitchedWired Declares 'The Web Is Dead,' Apps and Mobile Devices to Blame originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 17 Aug 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appsbrowserbrowser-basedbrowserschris andersonChrisAndersonconsumptiondeath of webDeathOfWebdemandEconomicseReaderereadersmagazinessmartphonesmartphonestopWebweb 2.0Web2.0WiredWired MagazineWiredMagazineTue, 17 Aug 2010 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[AP Drops LOLcat Talks, Can Haz Journalistic Integrity]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/17/ap-drops-lolcat-talks-can-haz-journalistic-integrity/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/17/ap-drops-lolcat-talks-can-haz-journalistic-integrity/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/17/ap-drops-lolcat-talks-can-haz-journalistic-integrity/#commentsFiled under:

AP cat lolz
The Associated Press has seemingly been undergoing some sort of nervous breakdown over the last couple of years. In between being usurped by Twitter as the premier source of breaking news and battling it out with aggregators like Google, the wire service has lost sight of what is truly important: integrity. At least that's what we assume following the collapse of talks between the AP and Pet Holdings, Inc., the owner of I Can Haz Cheezburger. The AP was negotiating a deal that would license its vast collection of photographs to the LOLcat super site.

The deal would have let the AP sell its images for use with user captions on the popular humor site, but talks broke down over concerns of "journalistic integrity." It is, however, tough to really buy into that excuse when the company entered "lengthy negotiations" with the site best known for this. Better luck next time, AP. Besides, getting your photos on I Can Haz Cheezburger really doesn't make up for losing CNN as a partner. Oh noez. [From: Los Angeles Times, via: Gawker]

SwitchedAP Drops LOLcat Talks, Can Haz Journalistic Integrity originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 17 Aug 2010 14:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>APAssociatedPressCheezburgerNetworkICanHasCheezburgerimageslolcatsphotostopTue, 17 Aug 2010 14:14:00 EST<![CDATA[How to Make and Manage a Facebook Fan Page]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/17/how-to-make-a-facebook-fan-page/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/17/how-to-make-a-facebook-fan-page/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/17/how-to-make-a-facebook-fan-page/#commentsFiled under: ,

Switched Facebook Page

@
Share
We're sure that at least a few of you out there have a business, website or maybe a band that you want to promote on Facebook. Operating a standard Facebook profile for promotional purposes is hardly an ideal solution (and we're pretty sure, in the case of a business, a violation of the terms of service). So that's where pages come into play. Pages are distinct from profiles in several ways; there's no limit on how many fans a page may have, multiple people can manage a page, and page managers have access to powerful analytical tools for tracking fans and visitors. We're going to walk you through the relatively simple task of creating a page for your business, band or cool hair club, and give you a few basic tips on how to run it effectively.

Continue reading How to Make and Manage a Facebook Fan Page

SwitchedHow to Make and Manage a Facebook Fan Page originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 17 Aug 2010 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>facebookfacebook pageFacebookAppsFacebookPageFacebookPagesFanPagefeaturesHowToLikeButtonpagepromotionrss graffitiRssGraffitiSocialNetworkingstatic fbmlStaticFbmltechtiptopwebTue, 17 Aug 2010 13:29:00 EST