Switched http://www.switched.com Switched. http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.switched.com/media/feedlogo.gif Switched http://www.switched.com prods@weblogsinc.com (Weblogs, Inc. Producers) support@weblogsinc.com (Weblogs, Inc. Web Support) en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. View our terms of service here: http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/ Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/ <![CDATA[Rustock Botnet Reportedly Taken Down, as Spam Volumes Plummet]]> http://www.switched.com/2011/03/17/rustock-botnet-reportedly-taken-down-as-spam-volumes-plummet/ http://www.switched.com/2011/03/17/rustock-botnet-reportedly-taken-down-as-spam-volumes-plummet/ http://www.switched.com/2011/03/17/rustock-botnet-reportedly-taken-down-as-spam-volumes-plummet/#comments Krebs on Security is reporting that a huge drop in the volume of e-mail spam circulating worldwide on Wednesday was the result of a planned takedown of the Rustock botnet, which, at one point, was the most prolific purveyor of spam in the entire world. According to the Composite Spam Blocklist (CBL), which measures global spam volumes, Rustock spam (usually ads for online pharmacies and male enhancement pills) vanished at around 10:45 EST on Wednesday. Another Rustock watchdog, SecureWorks director of malware research Joe Stewart, told Krebs that none of the 26 Rustock networks he'd been watching were responding on Wednesday afternoon either. "It looks to me like someone has gone and methodically tracked these [addresses] and had them taken out one way or the other," Stewart said. It isn't clear, however, exactly who is behind this takedown, if that's the case.

This isn't the first time it's Rustock has gone quiet. The problem is that Rustock has infected about 815,000 PCs around the world, according to an estimate from the CBL. As long as these machines are active, the zombie network can be reanimated through a preexisting algorithm that tells the bots to visit a website that contains software updates and new instructions for spreading spam. That's why we'd put our money on this drop-off being temporary rather than permanent. But it doesn't mean we can't (and won't) enjoy our less congested inbox for the few days or weeks that Rustock remains offline.

Rustock Botnet Reportedly Taken Down, as Spam Volumes Plummet originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 17 Mar 2011 14:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> botnetbotnetsemailinboxphishingrustocksecurityspamtopvolumeWeb Caleb Johnson Thu, 17 Mar 2011 14:50:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Visa Takes on PayPal with Personal Payments Service]]> http://www.switched.com/2011/03/16/visa-takes-on-paypal-with-personal-payments-service/ http://www.switched.com/2011/03/16/visa-takes-on-paypal-with-personal-payments-service/ http://www.switched.com/2011/03/16/visa-takes-on-paypal-with-personal-payments-service/#comments visa logoVisa announced plans on Wednesday for a new personal payments service, with which U.S. customers can send or receive funds from any Visa credit, debit or prepaid bank account across the world. Much like with PayPal, customers with Visa accounts at participating banks will be able to swap money by entering the sixteen-digit account number, e-mail address or cell phone number associated with the recipient's account. Visa already offered a personal payments service through banks based overseas, but this will be the first time it's been available to customers who bank in the U.S.

Visa Takes on PayPal with Personal Payments Service originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 16 Mar 2011 16:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> bankscredit cardsCreditCardsDebit CardsDebitCardsmoneypaypaltopVisaweb Caleb Johnson Wed, 16 Mar 2011 16:05:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Explore March Madness Arenas in 3-D with Google Earth]]> http://www.switched.com/2011/03/15/google-3d-tours-ncaa-march-madness/ http://www.switched.com/2011/03/15/google-3d-tours-ncaa-march-madness/ http://www.switched.com/2011/03/15/google-3d-tours-ncaa-march-madness/#comments Google 3-D tours of basketball arenas. Tonight's First Four games in Dayton, Ohio, will tip off the 2011 NCAA men's basketball tournament. Until then, Google has a remedy for March Madness, offering 3-D virtual tours of the tourney's 14 host arenas. You can get a sneak peek, inside and out, at the places in which all the hoop heartbreak and joy will go down. In addition to the 3-D tours, Google has created a map that pinpoints the locations, times and match-ups for every tournament game.

Continue reading Explore March Madness Arenas in 3-D with Google Earth

Explore March Madness Arenas in 3-D with Google Earth originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 15 Mar 2011 17:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> 3Dbasketballfinal fourFinalFourgooglegoogle earthgoogle mapsGoogleEarthGoogleMapsmapsmarch madnessMarchMadnessncaaNcaaTournamentsportstopweb Caleb Johnson Tue, 15 Mar 2011 17:37:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Google to Test Mobile Payment System in NYC, San Francisco]]> http://www.switched.com/2011/03/15/google-mobile-payment-system-nyc-san-francisco/ http://www.switched.com/2011/03/15/google-mobile-payment-system-nyc-san-francisco/ http://www.switched.com/2011/03/15/google-mobile-payment-system-nyc-san-francisco/#comments nexus sGoogle has purchased thousands of VeriFone's mobile payment registers, intending to install and test the system in stores in New York and San Francisco, according to Bloomberg. With this system, customers could pay for products with their Nexus S (or other smartphone equipped with a near-field communication chips) rather than using cash or physical credit and debit cards in stores. The anonymous Google source told Bloomberg the mobile payment system should be up and running within four months.

Last year, we reported that AT&T and Verizon would test a mobile payment system, but the technology still hasn't really taken off. If this latest report is true, Google's entrance into the mobile payment arena should be a kick in the butt to other companies that hope to be on the forefront of changing the way we buy stuff. In the end, though, they'll still need customers who are willing to trust in a new technology that has potential security risks. New York and San Francisco are good places to start, but the real test would be expanding beyond those markets.

Google to Test Mobile Payment System in NYC, San Francisco originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 15 Mar 2011 16:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> bankingcellphonesgoogleMobilePaymentMobilePaymentsNearFieldCommunicationnfctop Caleb Johnson Tue, 15 Mar 2011 16:07:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[NBA Referee Slams AP Writer With Twitter Defamation Lawsuit]]> http://www.switched.com/2011/03/15/bill-spooner-slams-jon-krawcyznski-twitter-defamation-suit/ http://www.switched.com/2011/03/15/bill-spooner-slams-jon-krawcyznski-twitter-defamation-suit/ http://www.switched.com/2011/03/15/bill-spooner-slams-jon-krawcyznski-twitter-defamation-suit/#comments jon krawczynski's tweet An NBA referee has filed a defamation lawsuit against an Associated Press reporter over an accusation the reporter made on Twitter. During a Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Houston Rockets game on January 24th, AP writer Jon Krawczynski wrote, "Ref Bill Spooner told Rambis he'd 'get it back' after a bad call. Then he made an even worse call on Rockets. That's NBA officiating folks." Rambis is the Timberwolves head coach who, according to the lawsuit, argued about a foul Spooner called on a T-wolves player during the second quarter of the game. Spooner doesn't deny the exchange with Rambis, but he claims he never promised a make-up call, instead telling the coach he would review the foul call at halftime, according to the Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Journal. Spooner is asking fro $75,000, that the tweet be removed, and a published retraction.

Of course, this is a very serious accusation. If Spooner promised a make-up call, he conspired to fix the game. (Some fans believe that happens nightly in the NBA anyway.) That could mean disaster for a league that has struggled with its image. But aside from the impact this case might have on the game, it could also go a long way in defining the legal gray area Twitter resides in.

NBA Referee Slams AP Writer With Twitter Defamation Lawsuit originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 15 Mar 2011 15:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> basketballbill spoonerBillSpoonerjon krawczynskiJonKrawczynskilawsuitlawsuitsNBANbaRefereessocial networkingSocialNetworkingsportssuetoptwitter Caleb Johnson Tue, 15 Mar 2011 15:07:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Facebook Tracks Status Updates About Earthquake, Tsunami in Japan]]> http://www.switched.com/2011/03/14/facebook-tracks-japan-earthquake-tsunami-status-updates/ http://www.switched.com/2011/03/14/facebook-tracks-japan-earthquake-tsunami-status-updates/ http://www.switched.com/2011/03/14/facebook-tracks-japan-earthquake-tsunami-status-updates/#comments Facebook tracks earthquake and tsunami status updates. The Global Disaster Relief Facebook page has posted a set of time-stamped maps that show how news spread through status updates about the earthquake and resulting tsunami in Japan. The site found that 4.5 million updates from 3.8 million users around the globe contained the words "Japan," "earthquake" or "tsunami" in the aftermath of the disaster. Many of the updates originated from places affected (or potentially affected) by the tragic event, but were not limited to those areas.

Facebook Tracks Status Updates About Earthquake, Tsunami in Japan originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 14 Mar 2011 14:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> facebookJapanjapan earthquakejapan tsunamiJapanEarthquakeJapanTsunamimapSocialNetworkingStatusUpdatetoptsunami+in+japantsunami+in+japan+2011tsunamiinjapantsunamiinjapan2011 Caleb Johnson Mon, 14 Mar 2011 14:40:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Apple's Phil Schiller: White iPhone 4 Will Drop This Spring]]> http://www.switched.com/2011/03/14/phil-schiller-white-iphone4-coming-spring/ http://www.switched.com/2011/03/14/phil-schiller-white-iphone4-coming-spring/ http://www.switched.com/2011/03/14/phil-schiller-white-iphone4-coming-spring/#comments phil schiller tweet Phil Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide product marketing, tweeted yesterday that the white iPhone 4 will finally be available this spring. Schiller didn't reveal any specific details about the mythical phone, like whether it'll be available on both Verizon and AT&T, or its exact release date. But with summer a likely target launch date for the iPhone 5, we'd bet on seeing the white iPhone 4 sometime around Easter.

Apple's Phil Schiller: White iPhone 4 Will Drop This Spring originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 14 Mar 2011 14:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> Applecellphonesiphoneiphone 4Iphone4PhilSchillertoptwitterwhite iphonewhite iphone 4WhiteIphoneWhiteIphone4 Caleb Johnson Mon, 14 Mar 2011 14:10:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Instaprint Creates Inkless, On-Demand Photo Prints From Instagram Snaps]]> http://www.switched.com/2011/03/09/instaprint-uses-instagram-to-make-inkless-prints/ http://www.switched.com/2011/03/09/instaprint-uses-instagram-to-make-inkless-prints/ http://www.switched.com/2011/03/09/instaprint-uses-instagram-to-make-inkless-prints/#comments Instaprint creates inkless on-demand photos. Capitalizing on people's nostalgia for old Polaroid prints, a company called Breakfast will soon beta-test a location-based printer that will create inkless, on-demand photos from the Instagram iPhone app. Instaprint, as it's called, automatically prints photos that are taken with Instagram app and tagged with a specific location or hashtag. Next week, Breakfast will show off two printers to SXSW, where conference attendees can use the hashtag #SXSW. If you tag a photo with #instaprint before March 10th, you can watch the photo be printed and posted live on Instaprint's site. The photos are created with a thermal printing technology called ZINK -- which is also used in modern Polaroid prints --- that doesn't use ink. Aside from real-time printing, your photos will be archived online for your viewing pleasure, as well.

Continue reading Instaprint Creates Inkless, On-Demand Photo Prints From Instagram Snaps

Instaprint Creates Inkless, On-Demand Photo Prints From Instagram Snaps originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 09 Mar 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> appscameracamerascellphoneinstagraminstaprintiphonephotospolaroidprintersxswtopzink Caleb Johnson Wed, 09 Mar 2011 12:00:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Verizon Has Best Call Quality Across Nation, Says J.D. Power Survey]]> http://www.switched.com/2011/03/07/jd-power-survey-finds-verizon-has-best-call-quality-us/ http://www.switched.com/2011/03/07/jd-power-survey-finds-verizon-has-best-call-quality-us/ http://www.switched.com/2011/03/07/jd-power-survey-finds-verizon-has-best-call-quality-us/#comments Verizon named best carrier. In a recent survery released by J.D. Power, customers named Verizon Wireless the service provider with the best call quality in four of six regions across America. Verizon tied with AT&T for best customer satisfaction in another region, and U.S. Cellular was named the best carrier in the other. The survey, which canvassed 26,000 cell phone owners between July and December 2010, used seven factors to crown its call quality champ: dropped calls, static and interference, failed call connection on the first attempt, voice distortion, echoes, delayed voicemail notification and delayed text mesage notification.

Verizon Has Best Call Quality Across Nation, Says J.D. Power Survey originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 07 Mar 2011 11:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> ATTcellphonecellphonesjd powerJdPowerstudysurveytopUsCellularVerizonverizon wirelessVerizonWireless Caleb Johnson Mon, 07 Mar 2011 11:50:00 EST Switched <![CDATA['Angry Birds' Migrating to Facebook This March]]> http://www.switched.com/2011/03/06/angry-birds-facebook/ http://www.switched.com/2011/03/06/angry-birds-facebook/ http://www.switched.com/2011/03/06/angry-birds-facebook/#comments 'Angry Birds' comes to Facebook in March. By now, it's pretty clear that no platform is safe from the 'Angry Birds.' According to All Facebook, a new version of the game will debut on Facebook sometime in March. It's unclear exactly what new features the Facebook version of the pig-smashing, flying birds game will have, but Rovio CEO Mikael Hed's use of the word "collaborative" to describe it suggests a new social component. In a profile in the latest issue of Wired UK, according to Develop, Hed said, "There will be completely new aspects to ['Angry Birds'] that just haven't been experienced in any other platform." He went on to say, "The pigs will have a more prominent role."

Continue reading 'Angry Birds' Migrating to Facebook This March

'Angry Birds' Migrating to Facebook This March originally appeared on Switched on Sun, 06 Mar 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> angry birdsangry birds facebookangry+birds+gameAngryBirdsAngryBirdsFacebookangrybirdsgameappsfacebookgamegamesgamingnew+angry+birdsnewangrybirdsRoviosocial networkingSocialNetworkingtop Caleb Johnson Sun, 06 Mar 2011 12:00:00 EST Switched <![CDATA['Forced Obsolescence': HarperCollins Makes Libraries Re-Buy E-Books After 26 Checkouts]]> http://www.switched.com/2011/03/04/forced-obsolescence-harpercollins-makes-libraries-re-buy-e-bo/ http://www.switched.com/2011/03/04/forced-obsolescence-harpercollins-makes-libraries-re-buy-e-bo/ http://www.switched.com/2011/03/04/forced-obsolescence-harpercollins-makes-libraries-re-buy-e-bo/#comments HarperCollins places restrictions on eBooks.
HarperCollins has placed a restriction on the number of times its e-books can be checked out from a public library. After 26 checkouts, the expired title becomes locked in the library's virtual collection until a new digital copy has been purchased. The idea is that the physical copy of a HarperCollins book would be worn out after about 26 checkouts, and the library would then have to purchase a new copy of it. With money on its mind, HarperCollins figured the same rule should apply to electronic versions of the books.

But there are a couple problems with this line of thinking. For one, e-books don't wear out! As for the other, some librarians in Oklahoma have proven that HarperCollins's arbitrary checkout limitation is arbitrary even when judged by physical books. Having examined the HarperCollins hardbacks in their library, these librarians show that some books could survive five times as many checkouts as HarperCollins had suggested.

Continue reading 'Forced Obsolescence': HarperCollins Makes Libraries Re-Buy E-Books After 26 Checkouts

'Forced Obsolescence': HarperCollins Makes Libraries Re-Buy E-Books After 26 Checkouts originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 04 Mar 2011 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> bookse-booke-bookse-readerE-readersharpercollinslibrarieslibrarytop Caleb Johnson Fri, 04 Mar 2011 11:40:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[THQ's 'Homefront' Balloon Stunt Angers San Francisco Residents]]> http://www.switched.com/2011/03/03/thqs-homefront-balloon-stunt-angers-san-francisco-residents/ http://www.switched.com/2011/03/03/thqs-homefront-balloon-stunt-angers-san-francisco-residents/ http://www.switched.com/2011/03/03/thqs-homefront-balloon-stunt-angers-san-francisco-residents/#comments balloons in San Francisco Bay Some San Francisco residents are upset about a promotional stunt that, in support of a video game, sent thousands of red balloons drifting across the city on Wednesday, some landing in the nearby bay.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, game developer THQ released the balloons, which had promotional cards from Gamestop attached to them, to promote its new game 'Homefront' at the Game Developers Conference. When people noticed the balloons in the bay, much of their ire was directed at Gamestop, but the retailer was quick to distance itself from the stunt. "[The] balloon drop stunt in San Francisco was created by THQ... and Gamestop had no prior knowledge of it," the company said in a statement.

Continue reading THQ's 'Homefront' Balloon Stunt Angers San Francisco Residents

THQ's 'Homefront' Balloon Stunt Angers San Francisco Residents originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 03 Mar 2011 12:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> advertisingballoonsenvironmentGameDevelopersConferencegamestopgaminggreenmarketingSanFranciscostuntsTHQtopVideoGames Caleb Johnson Thu, 03 Mar 2011 12:05:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[March Madness On Demand to Bring Free Live Games to iPad, iPhone]]> http://www.switched.com/2011/03/03/march-madness-on-demand-free-to-ipad-iphone/ http://www.switched.com/2011/03/03/march-madness-on-demand-free-to-ipad-iphone/ http://www.switched.com/2011/03/03/march-madness-on-demand-free-to-ipad-iphone/#comments March Madness comes to iPad, iPhone. There's really no reason why college basketball fans should miss any of this year's NCAA basketball tournament, which kicks off on March 15th. Aside from watching live games on TV or streaming for free on the Web, live tournament games will be available for free on the iPad and iPhone for the first time. In the past, you needed a paid app to stream live games on the iPhone. CBS, which is now sharing broadcast rights with Turner Broadcasting, decided to give the people what they want -- free March Madness action on their portable devices. But this isn't just TV networks being generous. As GigaOM reports, fans watched more than 11.7 million hours of online tournament basketball last year, which is exactly what happens when many of the games are played while most Americans are (supposed to be) working. By bringing iPad and iPhone owners into the fold, CBS and Turner should increase last year's viewing numbers without taking away viewers from other mediums. Grab the app on March 13th.

March Madness On Demand to Bring Free Live Games to iPad, iPhone originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 03 Mar 2011 07:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> appsbasketballCBSiosipadiphonencaaNCAA TournamentNcaaTournamentsportsstreamingtopturner Caleb Johnson Thu, 03 Mar 2011 07:30:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Japanese Robot Baby Helps Treat Depression in Seniors]]> http://www.switched.com/2011/03/02/babyloid-helps-fights-elderly-depression/ http://www.switched.com/2011/03/02/babyloid-helps-fights-elderly-depression/ http://www.switched.com/2011/03/02/babyloid-helps-fights-elderly-depression/#comments Robot baby keeps elderly company. A Japanese researcher has created a robot that is designed to treat depression in seniors with dementia. Masayoshi Kano's Babyloid, which was inspired by the looks of a baby beluga whale, measuers 17 inches long and weighs about five pounds. It can move its stubby arms, round head, thin mouth and beady eyes while making baby noises. The bot's faces features LEDs that help to mimic human expressions, while a microphone and several sensors detect when a person is nearby. The idea is that simulating childcare using the Babyloid will reduce depression and keep minds sharp. Kano, who recently spoke at the Artifical Intelligence Research Promotion Foundation, has tested Babyloid with five residents at an intensive-care nursing home. The outcome must have been positive, because, although it's just a prototype now, Babyloid will retail soon in Japan for about $600.

The prototype Babyloid almost makes our skin crawl, as most robotic babies do. But, if taking care of this pill-shaped, blank-faced bot baby really makes older folks happier, well, we don't have a problem with it. Just keep it far, far away from us.

Japanese Robot Baby Helps Treat Depression in Seniors originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 02 Mar 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> babybabyloiddementiadepressionelderlyhealthMasayoshiKanoresearchrobotRobotstoptreatment Caleb Johnson Wed, 02 Mar 2011 17:00:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Teach For America Giving Teachers Feedback via Wireless Headsets]]> http://www.switched.com/2011/03/02/teach-for-america-giving-teachers-feedback-via-wireless-headsets/ http://www.switched.com/2011/03/02/teach-for-america-giving-teachers-feedback-via-wireless-headsets/ http://www.switched.com/2011/03/02/teach-for-america-giving-teachers-feedback-via-wireless-headsets/#comments teach for america logo A group of Memphis-based Teach For America candidates is testing wireless headsets in the classroom. A mentor located in another room provides feedback and support to the teacher through the headset, just like an NFL coach does to a quarterback. Funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Memphis TFA branch will study how teachers who wear the headsets adjust to leading a classroom compared with teachers who don't wear the headsets. The idea is that real-time professional development, which is made possible by the back-and-forth between teacher and mentor via headsets, will lower the learning curve of new teachers entering the TFA program.

Teach For America Giving Teachers Feedback via Wireless Headsets originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 02 Mar 2011 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> classroomfutureheadsetlearningteacherteachersTeachForAmericatopWirelessHeadset Caleb Johnson Wed, 02 Mar 2011 16:15:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[AT&T Texting Users Location-Based Shopping Deals with ShopAlerts]]> http://www.switched.com/2011/03/01/atandt-shop-alerts-send-sms-deals-to-shoppers/ http://www.switched.com/2011/03/01/atandt-shop-alerts-send-sms-deals-to-shoppers/ http://www.switched.com/2011/03/01/atandt-shop-alerts-send-sms-deals-to-shoppers/#comments shop alertsAT&T has launched a new service called ShopAlerts, which sends promotional text messages to subscribers who are near certain retailers. According to The New York Times, AT&T is now the first American carrier to push location-based ads via text messages. The free service will soon be available for subscribers in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and San Francisco.
The technology AT&T uses to determine a subscriber's location is called geo-fencing, developed by Placecast. Basically, a virtual "fence" is placed around locations of retailers who partner with AT&T. So, whenever a subscriber who has opted to receive ShopAlerts enters this designated area, he or she will receive a text message about a nearby special deal from companies like Hewlett-Packard, Kmart, JetBlue or S.C. Johnson. (Expect more companies to sign up if the program is successful.) The idea is that shoppers are more likely to buy, for example, a product if they're notified of a deal while they're one block away from a store, rather than while they're sitting on the couch in their underwear.

AT&T Texting Users Location-Based Shopping Deals with ShopAlerts originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 10:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> at&t+shop+alertsat&t+shoppingat&tshopalertsat&tshoppingATTcellphonecellphoneshpJetbluekmartlocation-basedLocationBasedServicesshopalertsshoppingtextTextingTextMessagingtop Caleb Johnson Tue, 01 Mar 2011 10:40:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Teen's Hacked Facebook Account Invites 4,000 to House Party]]> http://www.switched.com/2011/02/28/teens-hacked-facebook-account-invites-4-000-to-house-party/ http://www.switched.com/2011/02/28/teens-hacked-facebook-account-invites-4-000-to-house-party/ http://www.switched.com/2011/02/28/teens-hacked-facebook-account-invites-4-000-to-house-party/#comments Aussie teen's Facebook hacked. An Australian teen's Facebook account was hacked and used to invite more than 4,000 people to a party at his parents' house. According to an AAP report, the unnamed South Brisbane boy, who apparently had planned on having a small party with friends before his account was compromised, told his dad what had happened when the number of people who RSVPd climbed into the thousands. "The first thing I thought was 'how am I going to be able to control this,' because the numbers of people coming just kept climbing, it was crazy," the dad said in a statement. The family posted online that the party had been cancelled, and notified Brisbane police (via Twitter, oddly enough) that thousands of drunk teens could potentially descend upon their home. The police agreed to post a couple officers outside the property, just in case any partiers showed up over the weekend.

Teen's Hacked Facebook Account Invites 4,000 to House Party originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 28 Feb 2011 17:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> facebookFacebookFaceLosshackhackskidspartySocialNetworkingteenstopweb Caleb Johnson Mon, 28 Feb 2011 17:08:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[$200 Scanner Detects Cancer Cells, Diagnoses With iPhone App]]> http://www.switched.com/2011/02/28/cancer-scanner-costs-200-diagnoses-via-iphone/ http://www.switched.com/2011/02/28/cancer-scanner-costs-200-diagnoses-via-iphone/ http://www.switched.com/2011/02/28/cancer-scanner-costs-200-diagnoses-via-iphone/#comments cancer scanner Researchers at Harvard University and MIT have developed a handheld scanner that can detect potential cancer cells and diagnose them with an iPhone app -- all in about an hour. According to Physorg, the scanner uses antibodies and magnetic particles to identify suspicious lumps. But rather than biopsy the entire mass, the scanner, which costs just $200 to create, extracts cells from all over the mass using a small needle. The device can then be connected to an iPhone, and an app will diagnose the sampled cells in an hour or less. In Dr. Ralph Weissleder's trial of 50 patients, the scanner provided an accurate diagnosis 96-percent of the time. A typical diagnosis, which involves a painful biopsy and a few days of waiting for lab results, is only accurate 84-percent of the time.

$200 Scanner Detects Cancer Cells, Diagnoses With iPhone App originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 28 Feb 2011 16:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> ApplecancerCancerResearchhealthhospitaliosiphonemedicalRalph WeisslederRalphWeisslederresearchsciencesmartphonetop Caleb Johnson Mon, 28 Feb 2011 16:38:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Homeless Man Uses Prepaid Phone, Twitter to Find Estranged Daughter]]> http://www.switched.com/2011/02/26/homeless-man-uses-prepaid-phone-twitter-to-find-daughter/ http://www.switched.com/2011/02/26/homeless-man-uses-prepaid-phone-twitter-to-find-daughter/ http://www.switched.com/2011/02/26/homeless-man-uses-prepaid-phone-twitter-to-find-daughter/#comments
A homeless man in New York City used a prepaid cell phone to sign-up for a Twitter account and find his estranged daughter. Daniel Morales was given the phone by the Unheard in New York project, which uses social networking to give a voice to the city's homeless. On Wednesday, Morales tweeted that he was looking for his daughter, as well as his phone number and a picture of her at age 16. The next day, his daughter, Sarah Rivera, saw the tweet and called from Brooklyn. The father and daughter planned to meet for the first time in 11 years on Friday.

Homeless Man Uses Prepaid Phone, Twitter to Find Estranged Daughter originally appeared on Switched on Sat, 26 Feb 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> cellphonecellphoneshomelesshomelessnesssocial networkingSocialNetworkingtoptwitterunheard in new yorkUnheardInNewYork Caleb Johnson Sat, 26 Feb 2011 09:00:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[NFL Testing Sensor-Laden Under Armour Shirts at Combine Training]]> http://www.switched.com/2011/02/25/nflcombine-feature-e39-sensor-laden-under-armour/ http://www.switched.com/2011/02/25/nflcombine-feature-e39-sensor-laden-under-armour/ http://www.switched.com/2011/02/25/nflcombine-feature-e39-sensor-laden-under-armour/#comments NFL prospects wear Under Armour shirt with sensor. During this weekend's NFL Combine, some prospects will wear an Under Armour shirt equipped with an accelerometer as well as heart and breathing monitors. According to Wired, the E39 shirt is made from the same material as Under Armour's other compression gear, and weighs less than 4.5 ounces -- even with the bright yellow puck stitched just below the chest. In addition to the accelerometer, the sensor pack contains a processor and 2 gigabytes of storage. The E39 can share the information it gathers via Bluetooth, helping NFL personnel to determine which prospects they will draft in April. The shirt's triaxial accelerometer monitors the body in parts; for example, it sensese the left and right leg independently, so that athletes can find the smallest inefficiencies in their movements and fix them. After this weekend's Combine workouts, Under Armour will test the shirt with contracted players and teams before letting non-contracted teams give it a try. Eventually, regular folks will be able to buy one of these shirts, so we can have scientific evidence on how out of shape we are.

NFL Testing Sensor-Laden Under Armour Shirts at Combine Training originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 25 Feb 2011 16:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> accelerometere39e39+shirte39+under+armourE39Shirte39underarmourexercisefootballNFLnfl combineNflCombineNflDraftsensorsensorssportstopunder armour e39UnderArmourUnderArmourE39wearables Caleb Johnson Fri, 25 Feb 2011 16:35:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Bing Shows Facebook Friend 'Likes' in Search Results]]> http://www.switched.com/2011/02/25/bing-shows-facebook-friend-likes-in-search-results/ http://www.switched.com/2011/02/25/bing-shows-facebook-friend-likes-in-search-results/ http://www.switched.com/2011/02/25/bing-shows-facebook-friend-likes-in-search-results/#comments bing search results Bing now displays your Facebook friends who have "liked" a link in its search results. If you're searching for a restaurant in New Orleans, for example, and a friend has publicly "liked" one, then you'll see his or her photo and name below the link. Even those of us with the most extensive friends lists won't find "liked" links in every search result, though. Still, this new feature should give content publishers more incentive to share on Facebook, since doing so will likely generate more hits in Bing's search results, thanks to what amounts to free endorsements from Facebook users.

Bing Shows Facebook Friend 'Likes' in Search Results originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 25 Feb 2011 14:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> BingfacebookmicrosoftsearchSearchEnginesSearchResultsSocialNetworkingtop Caleb Johnson Fri, 25 Feb 2011 14:05:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Google Adds Recipes Filter to Search Results]]> http://www.switched.com/2011/02/25/google-adds-recipes-filter-to-search-results/ http://www.switched.com/2011/02/25/google-adds-recipes-filter-to-search-results/ http://www.switched.com/2011/02/25/google-adds-recipes-filter-to-search-results/#comments Google introduces Recipes search tab. Google has introduced a new tab that filters search results to show nothing but recipes. The search results in Recipe View can be refined by ingredient, calorie content and cooking time with the options found on the left side of the page. Each recipe also includes a star rating by users who have tried the dish and photos of the finished product, too. While this new feature does make finding the perfect meal easier, it unfortunately doesn't make cooking said meal any easier for those of us don't know kale from collard greens.

Google Adds Recipes Filter to Search Results originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 25 Feb 2011 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> cookingfoodgooglegooglerecipesreciperecipessearchSearchEnginestopWeb Caleb Johnson Fri, 25 Feb 2011 08:30:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Twitter, Tumblr Copycat Sites Gain Popularity in China]]> http://www.switched.com/2011/02/23/twitter-tumblr-copycat-sites-gain-popularity-in-china/ http://www.switched.com/2011/02/23/twitter-tumblr-copycat-sites-gain-popularity-in-china/ http://www.switched.com/2011/02/23/twitter-tumblr-copycat-sites-gain-popularity-in-china/#comments Twitter and Tumblr clones in China. As the saying goes, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. If that's true, Twitter and Tumblr should be very flattered by the Chinese copycat sites Sina Weibo and DianDian, which have plucked ideas and designs from the microblogging networks. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Sina Weibo has eclipsed Twitter as China's leading microblogging site. Mirae Asset Securities estimates that about 87-percent of the microblogging done by China's 450 million Internet users is with Sina Weibo. Just like "tweet" is now a verb in English, "zhi weibo" is being used as a verb by the Chinese. CEO Charles Chao makes no bones about the inspiration for the site, which also caps users' posts at 140 characters. "We learned much from Twitter," he said. DianDian, on the other hand, didn't really "learn" from Tumblr; it straight-up swiped the site's dashboard layout and color scheme. According to The Next Web Asia, DianDian is currently in private beta testing, and there's no word yet on when it will go public.

Perhaps the most interesting part of the emergence of Twitter and Tumblr's Chinese counterparts will be how these sites censor users' posts, as required by the government. New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof already had his Sina Weibo account deleted for posts referring to the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989, so don't expect a free-speech movement to be born on DianDian, either.

Twitter, Tumblr Copycat Sites Gain Popularity in China originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 23 Feb 2011 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> BlogblogschinachinesediandianmicrobloggingSina WeiboSinaWeibosocial networkingSocialNetworkingtoptumblrtwitter Caleb Johnson Wed, 23 Feb 2011 12:45:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[How a Man Got Hired by Facebook by Infecting It with a 'MySpace Worm']]> http://www.switched.com/2011/02/23/chris-putnam-hired-facebook-infecting-worm/ http://www.switched.com/2011/02/23/chris-putnam-hired-facebook-infecting-worm/ http://www.switched.com/2011/02/23/chris-putnam-hired-facebook-infecting-worm/#comments facespace With jobs being hard to come by these days, you need to get creative in order to land that dream gig. We wouldn't recommend this path to everybody, but Chris Putnam earned a job at Facebook by creating a worm that made users' profiles look like a MySpace page.

In 2005, Putnam, along with his friends Marcel Laverdet and Kyle Stoneman, wrote the XSS-based worm, which spread every time an infected Facebook user viewed a friend's profile. In addition to slapping MySpace's clunky boxes and color schemes on top of a Facebook profile's cleaner layout, the worm also sent a friend request to Putnam's account so he could track how far it spread. By doing so, Putnam knew it'd be easy to figure out that he was behind the hack. Sure enough, in less than one day, Putnam received complaints and messages from people -- even some Facebook employees, including co-founder Dustin Moskovitz. He messaged Putnam, saying that the worm was funny, but it was also deleting some users' contact information, which is no joke to the folks at Facebook.

Continue reading How a Man Got Hired by Facebook by Infecting It with a 'MySpace Worm'

How a Man Got Hired by Facebook by Infecting It with a 'MySpace Worm' originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 23 Feb 2011 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> ChrisPutnamfacebookhackhacksjobsmyspaceSocialNetworkingtopwormWorms Caleb Johnson Wed, 23 Feb 2011 11:15:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[ecoATM Gives You Cash for Your Old Gadgets, Raises $14M for Kiosks]]> http://www.switched.com/2011/02/23/ecoatm-ecycling-kiosks/ http://www.switched.com/2011/02/23/ecoatm-ecycling-kiosks/ http://www.switched.com/2011/02/23/ecoatm-ecycling-kiosks/#comments ecoatmIn an effort to find a convenient and profitable way to recycle discarded electronics, ecoATM has raised more than $14 million to place eCycling kiosks in stores across the U.S. Each kiosk pays people who recycle their e-waste by giving them either cash or coupons from the store where the machine is located. All you have to do is drop off that old BlackBerry, iPod or other device at the kiosk. The ecoATM will then automatically calculate the value of the device, and pay you for it on the spot. It's instant gratification, which could be a crucial aspect in convincing Americans to recycle their old electronics instead of throwing them in the trash. Like it or not, most people are more likely to eCycle if they can do it during a trip to the grocery store or Best Buy.

If this automated system sounds familiar, that's because Coinstar -- the company that operates the DVD rental kiosks called Redbox -- is one of the primary investors in ecoATM kiosks. We can't turn a corner or enter a store without seeing a Redbox, so that gives us hope that ecoATMs will catch on. The plan, however, was to place 200 kiosks across the U.S. by the end of last year. Unfortunately, for now anyway, there are only a handful of machines -- located primarily on the West Coast.

ecoATM Gives You Cash for Your Old Gadgets, Raises $14M for Kiosks originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 23 Feb 2011 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> atmcoinstare-Cyclinge-wasteecoatmenvironmentewastegreenGreenTechkioskrecyclingredboxtopwaste Caleb Johnson Wed, 23 Feb 2011 08:30:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Google Discusses Broadcasting Live NBA, NHL Games on YouTube]]> http://www.switched.com/2011/02/23/google-may-broadcast-nba-nhl-games-live-youtube/ http://www.switched.com/2011/02/23/google-may-broadcast-nba-nhl-games-live-youtube/ http://www.switched.com/2011/02/23/google-may-broadcast-nba-nhl-games-live-youtube/#comments Last year, when YouTube broadcast an Indian Premier League Cricket tournament, rumors began to circulate about Google's plans to show more live sporting events on the video site. Now Google, the NBA and the NHL are discussing a plan to broadcast entire live games on YouTube -- possibly as soon as this fall or winter, according to Bloomberg News. Clearly, Google wants to broadcast live sports on YouTube because advertisers are more likely to spend money if viewers are spending more time on the site. "It's fair to say that there will be a lot more appealing sports content you'll see on YouTube," Gautam Anand, Google's director of content partnerships for Asia Pacific, recently told reporters. Anand wouldn't reveal any specific details about the company's talks with the NBA, NHL or any other pro sports leagues. But Brian Suh, YouTube's partnership head at Google in Korea, confirmed the talks by saying the company was in negotiations with "most pro sports leagues," which we'd think would mean some European soccer leagues, too. (Sorry, NFL fans, but don't expect the league to share any of its broadcasting rights)

Google Discusses Broadcasting Live NBA, NHL Games on YouTube originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 23 Feb 2011 07:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> googlemediaNBAnhlsportsstreamingtopvideowebyoutube Caleb Johnson Wed, 23 Feb 2011 07:30:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Pucker Up With 'Kiss Controller,' the System Controlled by Tongue Hockey]]> http://www.switched.com/2011/02/22/kiss-controller-redefines-motion-gaming/ http://www.switched.com/2011/02/22/kiss-controller-redefines-motion-gaming/ http://www.switched.com/2011/02/22/kiss-controller-redefines-motion-gaming/#comments
From old-school joysticks to motion-control interfaces, the ways gamers control onscreen movements have drastically evolved. We aren't sure what's next, but, if a project by artist Hye Yeon Nam is any indication, it could involve locking lips. That's right: Nam has designed input hardware that allows gamers to control onscreen movements by making out. With the Kiss Controller, one gamer places a magnet on his or her tongue while the other gamer wears a headset. The person with the magnet controls the direction and speed of an onscreen bowling ball for 20 seconds while, we guess, the other gamer just enjoys it. The goal of the game is to get the ball rolling fast and keep it in the center of the alley by wiggling your tongue around in the other person's mouth. Sounds romantic, right?

Pucker Up With 'Kiss Controller,' the System Controlled by Tongue Hockey originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 22 Feb 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> artdesigngamingHyeYeonNaminterfacekissingKissingControllerMakingOuttopVideoGames Caleb Johnson Tue, 22 Feb 2011 16:30:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Nike Sneakers Customized With Google, Firefox and Twitter Themes]]> http://www.switched.com/2011/02/21/nike-sneakers-get-google-firefox-twitter-themes/ http://www.switched.com/2011/02/21/nike-sneakers-get-google-firefox-twitter-themes/ http://www.switched.com/2011/02/21/nike-sneakers-get-google-firefox-twitter-themes/#comments google nike Customized kicks aren't just for the cool kids. For proof, check out these customized Nike Dunks inspired by Firefox, Twitter and Google. The colorful hi-tops are designed by Daniel Reese, who sells a number of other nerd-themed kicks at his site Brass Monki. Most of his custom sneakers, which are available in limited runs, retail for between $200 and $250. Honestly, that's a small price to pay for showing off your Web browser, microblogging and search engine allegiance everywhere you walk, right?

Continue reading Nike Sneakers Customized With Google, Firefox and Twitter Themes

Nike Sneakers Customized With Google, Firefox and Twitter Themes originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 21 Feb 2011 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> designfashionfirefoxgeekgooglenikeshoessneakerstoptwitterwearables Caleb Johnson Mon, 21 Feb 2011 15:45:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Billy Mitchell's 'King of Kong' Airport Arcade Doesn't Have 'DK' Cabinet]]> http://www.switched.com/2011/02/21/billy-mitchell-king-of-kong-airport-arcade-doesnt-have-dk/ http://www.switched.com/2011/02/21/billy-mitchell-king-of-kong-airport-arcade-doesnt-have-dk/ http://www.switched.com/2011/02/21/billy-mitchell-king-of-kong-airport-arcade-doesnt-have-dk/#comments Billy Mitchell opens 'King of Kong' arcade. Billy Mitchell, the coin-slot villain from 'The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters,' has opened a 'KoK' themed arcade inside the Orlando International Airport. (Finally, there's something to do while waiting on a flight besides drinking at the Applebee's bar!) But, for all its appeal, the airport arcade doesn't even have a 'Donkey Kong' cabinet. Maybe that's because the bratty Mitchell was afraid some gamer would break the new 'Kong' record in his own house.

Continue reading Billy Mitchell's 'King of Kong' Airport Arcade Doesn't Have 'DK' Cabinet

Billy Mitchell's 'King of Kong' Airport Arcade Doesn't Have 'DK' Cabinet originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 21 Feb 2011 10:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> ArcadeArcadeGamesBillyMitchellDonkeyKonggamingKingOfKongtopVideoGames Caleb Johnson Mon, 21 Feb 2011 10:10:00 EST Switched <![CDATA['Smart' Red Light System Predicts and Prevents Traffic Collisions]]> http://www.switched.com/2011/02/18/smart-red-light-system-predicts-and-prevents-traffic-collision/ http://www.switched.com/2011/02/18/smart-red-light-system-predicts-and-prevents-traffic-collision/ http://www.switched.com/2011/02/18/smart-red-light-system-predicts-and-prevents-traffic-collision/#comments 'Smart' red light could prevent collisions. In about a month, the city of Marysville, California will test the country's first "smart" red light system, which is designed to predict and prevent traffic collisions at intersections. According to Sacramento's Fox 40 News, the city has incorporated predictive software into an existing red-light camera system, which is located at the intersection of 3rd and F streets. The system predicts when an approaching driver is most likely to run the red light, and it holds traffic coming from other directions until the unlawful car zips safely (and illegally) past. If there isn't a threat of somebody running the light, the intersection lights will just operate as usual.

From the beginning, traffic cameras were meant to make intersections safer by discouraging drivers from running red lights and ticketing those who violated the law. Despite these fines and threats, some people will always break the rules of the road, which is why the preventative aspect of this "smart" red light is so important. It's a much more active way to prevent collisions. The one or two additional seconds a driver might wait at the intersection could literally be the difference between life and death.

Continue reading 'Smart' Red Light System Predicts and Prevents Traffic Collisions

'Smart' Red Light System Predicts and Prevents Traffic Collisions originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 18 Feb 2011 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> CaliforniaCardrivingRedLightredlightcamerassafetytoptransportation Caleb Johnson Fri, 18 Feb 2011 08:30:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Detroit Group Raises $50,000 For RoboCop Statue, Mayor Be Damned]]> http://www.switched.com/2011/02/16/detroit-robocop-statue-group-raises-50000/ http://www.switched.com/2011/02/16/detroit-robocop-statue-group-raises-50000/ http://www.switched.com/2011/02/16/detroit-robocop-statue-group-raises-50000/#comments Barely a week after Detroit's mayor tweeted that a RoboCop statue wouldn't be erected in the city, the Detroit Free-Press is reporting that a group of artists and fans who supported the idea have raised more than $50,000 toward its construction. The group will continue to solicit donations on its Kickstarter page until March 29th. After that, it will determine how much to spend and hire sculptors to build the RoboCop statue. Despite Mayor Dave Bing initially rejecting the idea, the Free-Press claims the Mayor's office is now working with the group to find a public spot for the statue. If not, the statue will likely end up at an outdoor art space called the Imagination Station.

Detroit Group Raises $50,000 For RoboCop Statue, Mayor Be Damned originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 17:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> DaveBingDetroitdetroit+robocop+statuedetroitrobocopstatuekickstarterlolzMayorDaveBingmoviesrobocoprobocop statueRobocopStatuetop Caleb Johnson Wed, 16 Feb 2011 17:40:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Lendle Lets Kindle Users Share E-books]]> http://www.switched.com/2011/02/16/lendle-lets-kindle-users-share-e-books/ http://www.switched.com/2011/02/16/lendle-lets-kindle-users-share-e-books/ http://www.switched.com/2011/02/16/lendle-lets-kindle-users-share-e-books/#comments Lendle allows Amazon users to borrow and share e-books. Lendle, an e-book sharing site that launched this week, allows Amazon users to borrow and lend select Kindle e-books, of which 821 are currently available, for two-week periods. All you need is at least one of the free Kindle apps for Mac, PC, iOS or Android (or a Kindle, itself). Besides that, you'll need an Amazon account and a willingness to share with others. Just make sure you return the borrowed e-book on time, because being late can get you banned from the site. Lendle's Brian Ford notes in the comments:
Books are auto-returned by Amazon's lending service after 14 days. We can't control that and neither can the borrower. The primary reason we would ever ban someone is if it was discovered they were harvesting emails rather than fulfilling promised lends.
Thanks!

Lendle Lets Kindle Users Share E-books originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> amazonamazon kindleAmazonKindleappse-booke-readereBookkindlelendlereadingtopweb Caleb Johnson Wed, 16 Feb 2011 15:00:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[U.S. Cyber-Security Czar: Don't Use the Term 'Cyber-War' Lightly]]> http://www.switched.com/2011/02/16/howard-schmidt-dont-use-cyberwar-term-lightly/ http://www.switched.com/2011/02/16/howard-schmidt-dont-use-cyberwar-term-lightly/ http://www.switched.com/2011/02/16/howard-schmidt-dont-use-cyberwar-term-lightly/#comments howard schmidtU.S. security officials are asking that the rhetoric surrounding the potential for "cyber-war" be tempered in favor of a rational discussion on how to distinguish an actual cyber-war between nations from cyber-attacks that use war-like tactics. It's a blurry line, but White House cyber-security czar Howard Schmidt, who spoke at the RSA computer security conference in San Fransisco, said using the term "cyber-war" to describe attacks like the Stuxnet worm and last year's Chinese Google hacks only fuels unwarranted fear and hysteria. "Cyber-war is a terrible metaphor," he said. "Don't make it something it's not." But doesn't Schmidt know that's what politicians, talking heads and bloggers do best?

U.S. Cyber-Security Czar: Don't Use the Term 'Cyber-War' Lightly originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 13:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> CyberAttackCyberWarCyberWarfaregovernmenthackHowardSchmidtpoliticssecuritytopwar Caleb Johnson Wed, 16 Feb 2011 13:40:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[British Army Apologizes for Firing 38 Soldiers via E-mail]]> http://www.switched.com/2011/02/15/british-army-apologizes-for-firing-38-soldiers-via-e-mail/ http://www.switched.com/2011/02/15/british-army-apologizes-for-firing-38-soldiers-via-e-mail/ http://www.switched.com/2011/02/15/british-army-apologizes-for-firing-38-soldiers-via-e-mail/#comments liam fox with british soldiers Due to an administrative error at Britain's Ministry of Defense, 38 soldiers recently learned via e-mail that their contracts would be terminated in a year because of sweeping budget cuts. According to an Associated Press report, British soldiers who agree to these short-term contracts usually learn whether or not they'll be renewed each year around January. The Ministry of Defense first contacts those soldiers' commanding officers, who then notify each soldier of his fate in a face-to-face conversation. This time, though, the notification e-mails were sent directly to the soldiers, not their commanding officers. Administrative gaff or not, people aren't happy that the soldiers -- including one who is currently serving in Afghanistan -- were treated in such an impersonal way by the government that they're protecting. Defense Secretary Liam Fox apologized Tuesday, saying, "This is no way to treat our armed forces personnel."

As a result, each soldier who received a firing e-mail will now get to sit down with a commanding officer and discuss whether or not the contract will be renewed. While the outcome might not change, we're guessing that whoever was responsible for sending the e-mail in the first place won't get that same courtesy -- if they haven't already been ordered to pack up their office.

British Army Apologizes for Firing 38 Soldiers via E-mail originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 15 Feb 2011 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> armybritish armyBritishArmyemailfiredliam foxLiamFoxmilitarytop Caleb Johnson Tue, 15 Feb 2011 16:20:00 EST Switched <![CDATA['Minecraft' Marriage? Game Developer Pops Pixelated Question With Lava]]> http://www.switched.com/2011/02/15/minecraft-marriage-game-developer-pops-pixelated-question-wit/ http://www.switched.com/2011/02/15/minecraft-marriage-game-developer-pops-pixelated-question-wit/ http://www.switched.com/2011/02/15/minecraft-marriage-game-developer-pops-pixelated-question-wit/#comments
Even our stone-cold hearts melted some when we watched this video of Bioware sound designer Joel Green's pixelated proposal to his girlfriend/co-worker, Heather Rabatich, in the world-building game of 'Minecraft.' Green placed signs along the virtual way, leading Rabatich's avatar to an aerial view of his digital monument to marriage: pools of orange lava spelling "Marry Me?" His overture also included a giant iron engagement ring with a diamond that he had mined in the game. (Yes, there was a real ring, too.) Rabatich, who's obviously a fan of the game, said yes to her nerdy beau, only to be killed later by a creeper.

'Minecraft' Marriage? Game Developer Pops Pixelated Question With Lava originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 15 Feb 2011 15:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> BioWaregaminglolzmarriageminecraftproposaltopValentinesDayVideoGames Caleb Johnson Tue, 15 Feb 2011 15:44:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Smithsonian Museum Will Host Video Game Art Exhibit in 2012]]> http://www.switched.com/2011/02/15/smithsonian-museum-will-host-video-game-art-exhibit-in-2012/ http://www.switched.com/2011/02/15/smithsonian-museum-will-host-video-game-art-exhibit-in-2012/ http://www.switched.com/2011/02/15/smithsonian-museum-will-host-video-game-art-exhibit-in-2012/#comments 'the art of games' Despite what Roger Ebert has said about video games not being art, The Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C. will host an entire exhibition next year dedicated to the medium. 'The Art of Video Games,' which runs from March 16th, 2012 to September 9th, will feature interviews with several artists and developers, game footage spanning 40 years, a thorough history of gaming consoles, and even some playable consoles for visitors.

Sun Microsystems' chief gaming officer Chris Mellissinos will work as the exhibit's guest curator, but the Smithsonian also wants input from gamers. By visiting The Art of Video Games website, you can vote for 80 games out of a group of 240 candidates, which are divided by era, game type and platform. However, when we tried to cast our vote Tuesday morning, the voting component of the site had crashed because so many enthusiastic gamers rushed to the polls. Once the Smithsonian gets the voting back up and running, you'll have until April 7th to cast your vote. Remember, if you don't vote, you really shouldn't exercise your right to complain about your favorite game being left out of the exhibit. Although, we're sure that plenty of angry gamers will -- no matter what.

Smithsonian Museum Will Host Video Game Art Exhibit in 2012 originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 15 Feb 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> artart of gamingArtMuseumArtMuseumsArtOfGaminggamingmuseumSmithsoniansmithsonian american art museumSmithsonianAmericanArtMuseumtopvoting Caleb Johnson Tue, 15 Feb 2011 15:00:00 EST Switched <![CDATA['NBA Legend' Brings 'FarmVille'-style Facebook Gaming to Pro Ball]]> http://www.switched.com/2011/02/15/nba-legend-facebook-game/ http://www.switched.com/2011/02/15/nba-legend-facebook-game/ http://www.switched.com/2011/02/15/nba-legend-facebook-game/#comments NBA unveils social game for Facebook. During this, the week leading up to its all-star game in Los Angeles, the NBA has unveiled a new social game for Facebook users. The game, 'NBA Legend,' which was developed by Lionside in partnership with the NBA, is similar to 'FarmVille,' 'Mafia Wars' and other popular social games that clog your News Feed with incessant updates. Users create avatars and purchase points to increase their skills. Instead of bolstering their avatar's cow-milking abilities, though, players will boost jump shot and passing ratings. The ultimate goal is to build your virtual baller, who can play on any of the league's 30 teams, into the next Kevin Durant -- all while your friends' players languish on the bench.

'NBA Legend' Brings 'FarmVille'-style Facebook Gaming to Pro Ball originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 15 Feb 2011 09:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> basketballfacebookgamesgamingNBANbaLegendSocialGamesSocialNetworkingsportstop Caleb Johnson Tue, 15 Feb 2011 09:20:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Camera Tech Could Let You Refocus Your Blurry Shot After You Take It]]> http://www.switched.com/2011/02/14/pelican-imaging-lets-you-refocus-photos-after-shooting/ http://www.switched.com/2011/02/14/pelican-imaging-lets-you-refocus-photos-after-shooting/ http://www.switched.com/2011/02/14/pelican-imaging-lets-you-refocus-photos-after-shooting/#comments pelican Pelican Imaging has developed a prototype imaging system for cellphones with 25 tiny cameras, which take 25 separate pictures and combine those into one bigger, better image. Instead of using a single, large lens and sensor, Pelican's camera array technology uses multiple lenses and sensor to capture light images, adds some 3-D depth and gesture control, and could even let users manipulate a photo before or after it's taken (check out the video after the break to see how this could work). With the additional data provided by the array of sensors, you could salvage a blurry shot by refocusing hours after you've taken the shot. Of course, this tech is a ways off from hitting the market, so no need to get too excited -- yet.

Continue reading Camera Tech Could Let You Refocus Your Blurry Shot After You Take It

Camera Tech Could Let You Refocus Your Blurry Shot After You Take It originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> cameracamerascellphonedesignpelicanphotographyphotossmartphonetop Caleb Johnson Mon, 14 Feb 2011 08:30:00 EST Switched <![CDATA['Multi Lines' Spaces Out Your Extension Cords]]> http://www.switched.com/2011/02/12/multi-lines-power-cords-extend-to-where/ http://www.switched.com/2011/02/12/multi-lines-power-cords-extend-to-where/ http://www.switched.com/2011/02/12/multi-lines-power-cords-extend-to-where/#comments multi lines No matter how hard we try, we can't hide all the cords that power the gadgets we love, so Connect Design suggests you keep your wires out in the open with its Multi Lines. The cord, which is an extension cord with multiple plugs spaced across its length, comes in three tasteful colors -- white, pink and blue -- and three different lengths -- 6.5 feet ($16.00), 9.8 feet ($18.00) and 16.4 feet ($22.00).

'Multi Lines' Spaces Out Your Extension Cords originally appeared on Switched on Sat, 12 Feb 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> cordsdesignEnergyextension cordExtensionCordmultilinespowerpower cordPowerCordPowerStriptop Caleb Johnson Sat, 12 Feb 2011 15:00:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Sports Illustrated Announces Digital Subscriptions For Android, Web]]> http://www.switched.com/2011/02/11/sports-illustrated-announces-digital-subscriptions-for-android/ http://www.switched.com/2011/02/11/sports-illustrated-announces-digital-subscriptions-for-android/ http://www.switched.com/2011/02/11/sports-illustrated-announces-digital-subscriptions-for-android/#comments Time Inc. announced today that, starting Friday, it will begin selling digital subscriptions to Sports Illustrated, both for Android-powered smartphones and tablets, and on the Web. An annual subscription to print and digital versions of the magazine will cost $48 per year, and a monthly subscription to the weekly magazine can be purchased for $4.99 (the same price as just one issue of the iPad edition of SI). Those who want an annual, digital-only subscription are out of luck for now, since Time will offer digital-only subscriptions at monthly rates rather than annual. If you're already an SI subscriber, you'll have immediate access to the digital version of the magazine for the remainder of your subscription. From there, it will be up you to choose which option suits you best.

For readers, this deal mostly means you can access the world's most popular sports magazine on-the-go (as long as you have an Android device or a laptop handy) instead of toting a paper copy with you. The story is really bigger news for publishers, who have dreamed about offering digital subscriptions of magazines since the iPad debuted, but haven't been able to hammer out the terms with Apple. If SI's digital subscription model proves profitable, Time intends to offer similar packages for subscribers to its other magazines. With Google's foot planted in the door, Apple might be left outside when it inevitably comes knocking for a subscription deal with Time.

Sports Illustrated Announces Digital Subscriptions For Android, Web originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 11 Feb 2011 15:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> androidmediasports illustratedSportsIllustratedsubscriptionstimetop Caleb Johnson Fri, 11 Feb 2011 15:10:00 EST Switched