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[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[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
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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.

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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.

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Facebook Places
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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.

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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.

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dr. frank ryanPlastic surgeon Dr. Frank Ryan, the man who turned Heidi Montag into a tragicomedic freak of science, died in a car crash on Monday after driving his car off of a cliff in Malibu. And, according to one of Ryan's former flames, texting might be to blame.

Charmaine Blake, Ryan's ex-girlfriend, recently revealed to People that the surgeon was tweeting about his border collie just before his fatal crash. "He lived up in Malibu on a tiny street and he was texting while driving and he accidentally went over the cliff," says Blake, who is also a celebrity publicist. Blake went on to say that investigators have already told Ryan's family that the doctor's tweeting caused the accident, although the California Highway Patrol has yet to declare an official cause. Although CHP officer Steven Reid confirms that Ryan was indeed typing away on his phone, he insists that, at this point, the tweeting is just "one of the elements that we are investigating."

Continue reading Heidi Montag's Plastic Surgeon Was Texting Just Before Fatal Accident

SwitchedHeidi Montag's Plastic Surgeon Was Texting Just Before Fatal Accident originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 18 Aug 2010 09:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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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.

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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[Hacker Tweets Fake Guns N' Roses Tour Cancellation From Axl Rose's Account]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/17/hacker-tweets-fake-guns-n-roses-tour-cancellation-from-axl-rose/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/17/hacker-tweets-fake-guns-n-roses-tour-cancellation-from-axl-rose/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/17/hacker-tweets-fake-guns-n-roses-tour-cancellation-from-axl-rose/#commentsFiled under: ,

Hacker tweets false tour cancellation message on Axl Rose's Twitter account.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Guns N' Roses fans were duped into believing Axl Rose and the boys had canceled an upcoming European tour when somebody hacked into Rose's Twitter account. On Sunday, this message appeared on Rose's rarely used (but verified) Twitter account: "All upcoming Guns N' Roses dates are officially cancelled. Please contact your place of purchase for any refunds." Live Nation's Festival Republic division, which booked GNR's shows at the Reading and Leeds festivals, quickly refuted the hoax by saying in a statement that the Twitter account had been hacked. But the message has been retweeted more than 100 times, so we imagine there are some folks who still think GNR bailed on these dates. Honestly, we're just surprised that so many people still care enough about GNR -- since Axl now looks like the host of 'Tales From the Crypt'. [From: The Hollywood Reporter and Axl Rose's Twitter]

SwitchedHacker Tweets Fake Guns N' Roses Tour Cancellation From Axl Rose's Account originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 17 Aug 2010 16:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Switched Facebook Page

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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<![CDATA[More Americans Finding Their Mates Online]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/17/more-americans-finding-their-mates-online/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/17/more-americans-finding-their-mates-online/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/17/more-americans-finding-their-mates-online/#commentsFiled under: ,

Finding Dates online
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It used to be that, if you wanted to meet that special someone, you had to chat up people at bars or go on dates set up by friends and family. Sure, there have always been personal ads and dating services, but they were generally considered the realm of the desperate. But now, social networks have turned the Internet into one giant repository of personal ads, and much of the stigma associated with online dating has disappeared. In fact, according to a recent study by Michael Rosenfeld from Stanford University, as many as one quarter of all couples first met online.

Rosenfeld has called the Web the greatest technological shake-up the dating scene has ever witnessed. While the phone certainly was a game changer, it only allowed you, largely anyway, to stay in contact with people you already knew. The Internet, on the other hand, has turned people into their own matchmakers. Now, thanks to dedicated dating sites like OkCupid and Match.com, as well as Facebook, those playing the field are identifying and evaluating potential mates from the comfort of their computers.

View Poll

Continue reading More Americans Finding Their Mates Online

SwitchedMore Americans Finding Their Mates Online originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 17 Aug 2010 10:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Harry Bruder
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When Carole Bruder filed a restraining order against her estranged husband Harry, she had every reason to believe that her soon-to-be ex-hubby would never dare contact her again. Apparently, though, Harry didn't think that Facebook friend requests fell under the legal definition of "contact." According to a Pasco County Sheriff's Office report obtained by the Smoking Gun, the 54-year-old plumber from Florida has admitted to contacting his wife twice on Facebook within the past month -- a clear violation, investigators argue, of a court-ordered domestic violence injunction that bars him from making contact. When police pressed him about the friend requests, Bruder reportedly replied, "Yeah, I did it," although he later admitted that it was "stupid" to send them. Now, the Floridian finds himself in jail, pending $5,000 in bail.

Bruder, who also admitted to changing his wife's password on her Yahoo! e-mail account, was clearly none too pleased about Carole's restraining order -- nor the counseling sessions he had to attend as a result. Shortly after the injunction was issued last month, the husband even posted a note on his Facebook page, in which he wrote, "today my future x wife thinks she won but the real winner is me for i know the truth she is nothing but a lying emotionally disturbed woman who needs help to handle previous abusive relationship." There may not be any "real winner" in a case like this, but we're willing to bet that it's probably not the person sitting in a jail cell. [From: The Smoking Gun, via: Huffington Post]

Continue reading Man Jailed After Sending Facebook Friend Request to Estranged Wife

SwitchedMan Jailed After Sending Facebook Friend Request to Estranged Wife originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 17 Aug 2010 09:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>courtcrimedumbcriminalsfacebookFriendRequestsfriendsmarriageRestrainingOrderseparationSocialNetworkingtopTue, 17 Aug 2010 09:20:00 EST<![CDATA[High-Tech 4food Burger Joint Encourages Customers to Eat and Tweet]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/16/high-tech-4food-burger-joint-encourages-customers-to-eat-and-twe/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/16/high-tech-4food-burger-joint-encourages-customers-to-eat-and-twe/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/16/high-tech-4food-burger-joint-encourages-customers-to-eat-and-twe/#commentsFiled under: ,

4food

Food is only as fast as the corners cut making it -- or such has been the corporate, American idea of fast food preparation technology. Yet, the fast food restaurant 4food dislikes this philosophy, and is opting to open a three-story restaurant in midtown Manhattan and to break practically every rule in the, err, fast food book -- if there is such a thing.

First off, there are over 140 million possible sandwich combinations, centered on 4food's unique, doughnut-shaped patty (beef, turkey, veggie and more), which can be filled with everything from mac and cheese to baked beans. Most of the ingredients are locally sourced, and whatever you leave on your plate will be composted.

Continue reading High-Tech 4food Burger Joint Encourages Customers to Eat and Tweet

SwitchedHigh-Tech 4food Burger Joint Encourages Customers to Eat and Tweet originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 16 Aug 2010 16:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>4foodburgersfacebookFastFoodfoodfoursquaremidtownNewYorkrestaurantssocialnetworkingtoptwitterMon, 16 Aug 2010 16:55:00 EST<![CDATA[The Best Android Twitter Apps]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/16/the-best-android-twitter-apps/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/16/the-best-android-twitter-apps/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/16/the-best-android-twitter-apps/#commentsFiled under: ,

Twitter for Android
It's no secret that the Android Market is considerably smaller than Apple's App Store, but this shouldn't get Android users down when searching for the Twitter app that will maximize their micro-blogging. There are more than enough high-quality Twitter apps available in the Market, and, as Android continues to grow, the offerings will only get better. Here's a list of some apps that let us tweet easy and powerfully.

Continue reading The Best Android Twitter Apps

SwitchedThe Best Android Twitter Apps originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 16 Aug 2010 13:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidfeatureshootsuiteseesmicsocial networkingSocialNetworkingtopTouiteurtweetcastertweetdecktwiccatwidroydtwittertwitter for androidTwitterForAndroidMon, 16 Aug 2010 13:35:00 EST<![CDATA[Justin Bieber Sics Twitter Fans on Enemy by Posting His Number]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/16/justin-bieber-sics-twitter-fans-on-enemy-by-posting-his-number/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/16/justin-bieber-sics-twitter-fans-on-enemy-by-posting-his-number/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/16/justin-bieber-sics-twitter-fans-on-enemy-by-posting-his-number/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Bieber Tweets Rival's Phone Number
Okay, so he's not exactly a violent mob boss, but the world has now learned a valuable lesson: don't cross Justin Bieber. While it's not quite breaking someone's legs, the floppy-haired, Segway-riding teen heartthrob decided to make one boy's life a living hell when he tweeted the kid's phone number to roughly 4.5 million followers.

Allegedly, Kevin Kristopik hacked the account of one of Bieber's close childhood friends. In response, the Biebs apparently took a page from M.I.A.'s play book and tweeted, "everyone call me 248-***-**** :) or text." Of course, the phone number was not his own but that of Kristopik, and Bieber's fans flooded Kristopik's phone with tens of thousands of texts and phone calls.

Continue reading Justin Bieber Sics Twitter Fans on Enemy by Posting His Number

SwitchedJustin Bieber Sics Twitter Fans on Enemy by Posting His Number originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 16 Aug 2010 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BiebercelebritycellphoneJustinBiebermusicprivacyrevengesocialnetworkingtextingtoptwitterMon, 16 Aug 2010 12:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Danger: Facebook 'Dislike Button' Is Just Another Scam]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/16/danger-facebook-dislike-button-is-just-another-scam/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/16/danger-facebook-dislike-button-is-just-another-scam/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/16/danger-facebook-dislike-button-is-just-another-scam/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Facebook Dislike

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Not to be party poopers or anything, but you know all those statuses you've seen on your friends' Facebook profiles, claiming to have finally installed that elusive 'Dislike Button?' Totally fake. Tragic news, we know, but, as of now, there's still no official dislike button, and anyone with a status claiming otherwise is just another victim of the latest scam to hit Facebook. As Sophos explains, the scam seems to be spreading through status updates that read, "I just got the Dislike button, so now I can dislike all of your dumb posts lol!!" or, alternatively, "Get the official DISLIKE button NOW!" Both versions, predictably enough, are followed by a link.

Of course, you're not gullible enough to actually click on the link, because if you did, you'd end up on a page asking you to 'install' the button. At this point, your internal alarms should go off, because if the dislike button were real, Facebook would've just automatically added it to your profile. If, on the other hand, you go ahead and click through the installation process, you'll have to first grant the app permission to run on your profile. The app will then automatically post the same link and message to your profile, before asking you to fill out a survey in order to complete the installation. Upon filling out the survey, you'll land on a Firefox add-on called FaceMod, which offers something called the "Facebook Dislike Button (the Original)."

Continue reading Danger: Facebook 'Dislike Button' Is Just Another Scam

SwitchedDanger: Facebook 'Dislike Button' Is Just Another Scam originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 16 Aug 2010 11:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dislikeDislikeButtonfacebookFacebookAppslikebuttonscamScamsSocialNetworkingsurveytopWebMon, 16 Aug 2010 11:05:00 EST<![CDATA[Crowdmap Makes Disaster Response More Accessible, We Go Hands On]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/15/crowdmap-makes-disaster-response-more-accessible-we-go-hands-on/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/15/crowdmap-makes-disaster-response-more-accessible-we-go-hands-on/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/15/crowdmap-makes-disaster-response-more-accessible-we-go-hands-on/#commentsFiled under: ,

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Since it launched three years ago, Ushahidi has played an increasingly crucial role in natural disaster and crisis relief efforts by allowing citizens to report violent incidents as they happen. Whenever the open-source software receives a notification from a user, it uses data collected from text messages, news reports or the Internet to geographically map the incident in real-time. In recent months, the system has been used to provide instantaneous maps of the Gulf oil spill, and, most notably, to help locate victims trapped under the rubble of the earthquake in Haiti.

The only problem, though, is that Ushahidi, in its original form, wasn't exactly the most user-friendly of platforms. "It's not that an average computer user couldn't do it, but it's intimidating," developer Brian Herbert told the New York Times. "It's not just, 'double-click this icon to install.'" Now, however, Ushahidi has been redesigned for less technologically inclined users, and is available through a Web-based application called Crowdmap. We spent some time on the revamped site, and here are our initial impressions.

Continue reading Crowdmap Makes Disaster Response More Accessible, We Go Hands On

SwitchedCrowdmap Makes Disaster Response More Accessible, We Go Hands On originally appeared on Switched on Sun, 15 Aug 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>crowdmapdisasterdisastersGulfCoastGulfOfMexicoOilSpillGulfOilSpillhaitiHaitiEarthquakeHaitiReliefhands onHandsOnIncidentreportreportstopushahidiviolenceSun, 15 Aug 2010 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Delta Booking Flights Through Facebook, iPhone App Coming Soon]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/13/delta-now-accepting-ticket-orders-through-facebook/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/13/delta-now-accepting-ticket-orders-through-facebook/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/13/delta-now-accepting-ticket-orders-through-facebook/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Delta Ticket WindowStarting today, you'll be able tag where you've been (or where you will be going), update your friends on your travel plans, and actually purchase your tickets all in the same place -- as long as you plan to fly Delta. The airline has opened an online Ticket Window, which lets customers purchase tickets through Facebook. Delta is the first airline to offer such a service through the social network, which is shocking since the larger airlines have been slower to adopt social marketing tools than have budget-oriented competitors like Southwest and JetBlue.

Delta will be making other improvements to its digital presence. The airline will launch a revamped website, and expand the Ticket Window widget to other sites -- namely by embedding it in banner ads, thus allowing you to book flights without interrupting your browsing experience. Most interesting, though, is the planned release of an iPhone app that will let customers check in, track their flight status and even use the app as an electronic boarding pass. The idea of never again having to fight with an airport kiosk or an employee at the check-in counter is certainly enough to catch our attention. [From: Huffington Post]

SwitchedDelta Booking Flights Through Facebook, iPhone App Coming Soon originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 13 Aug 2010 06:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>airlineairlinesdeltafacebookSocialMarketingsocialnetworkingTicketWindowtoptravelFri, 13 Aug 2010 06:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Facebook Login Loophole Reveals User Names and Profile Pictures]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/12/facebook-login-loophole-reveals-user-names-and-profile-pictures/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/12/facebook-login-loophole-reveals-user-names-and-profile-pictures/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/12/facebook-login-loophole-reveals-user-names-and-profile-pictures/#commentsFiled under: ,

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A recently discovered loophole on Facebook could reveal your personal information to complete strangers. And, for the moment, there's nothing you can do about it. As CNET explains, the loophole arises from one of Facebook's quirky log-in features. Usually, if you enter your e-mail address along with an incorrect password, Facebook will automatically open an error page, where you can try again. Also featured on that error page, however, is your full name and profile picture. It follows then, that, if you enter someone else's e-mail address and incorrect password, that person's full name and pic will pop up. And, unfortunately, this loophole exists for all users, regardless of how tight their privacy settings are.

The bug was first flagged by Atul Agarwal, security researcher and CEO of Secfence Technologies. Agarwal apparently noticed the glitch after trying to log on to his account with an incorrect password. In a subsequent e-mail posted to the Full Disclosure mailing list, the researcher described how the loophole could be manipulated to harvest user data, and even came up with a proof of concept script to demonstrate how it could be done. Not long after Agarwal posted his explanation, another mailing list user named Javier Bassi noted that, even if a user types in an invalid e-mail address, Facebook's system will automatically suggest a valid profile picture, user name and e-mail address that's similar to the incorrect address first entered.

Continue reading Facebook Login Loophole Reveals User Names and Profile Pictures

SwitchedFacebook Login Loophole Reveals User Names and Profile Pictures originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 12 Aug 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>emailfacebookFacebookPrivacyloopholeprivacyPrivacySettingssecuritySocialNetworkingtopThu, 12 Aug 2010 12:30:00 EST