Fighting Crime AND The Cold: Ninja Turtle Beanies

donatello-beanie.jpg This is a custom $30 Ninja Turtle beanie from Etsy seller Miss Pamela. One minute you look kinda like an aviator, then you flip the mask down and BAM -- you're unmagically transformed into everyone's least favorite ninja turtle, Donatello. "...He's actually my favorite." BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! F***, mine too. :/ Miss Pamela's Etsy Store (made to order, will make any character's mask color) via Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Beanies of the Day [geeks.thedailywh.at] Thanks to Mark, who tried ordering a yellow masked 'Botticelli' version but Miss Pamela refused to make a non-canon character.

from Geekologie - Gadgets, Gizmos, and Awesome http://www.geekologie.com/2012/01/knit-me-a-shell-too-transforming-ninja-t.php

5 Things Yahoo’s New CEO Must Do Now

Yahoo Image


Mashable OP-ED: This post reflects the opinions of the author and not necessarily those of Mashable as a publication.

OK, Yahoo, now you’ve done it. You’ve gone with PayPal tech whiz Scott Thompson for your new CEO, and that’s fine.

Picking a technologist as your new leader wasn’t what everybody wanted you to do (if the market is any indication). But the move is a clear bet, and Thompson himself says he wants the company to innovate again. The question now is: Do you have enough confidence in your choice to play the hand without folding?

Yahoo’s stock fell yesterday after the news, and it’s struggling today. Scuttlebut says that’s because investors wanted Yahoo’s board to move closer to either selling the company or actually following through on turning the brand into a media powerhouse — a goal that eluded previous CEO Carol Bartz, who was fired last fall.

Thompson is a technology guy, not a business or media guy, so it’s obvious why Wall Street is disappointed. It’s also been said he has no “turnaround” experience, and rejuvinating a digital brand is a nigh-impossible task. But the board clearly liked what it saw in Thompson, who started at PayPal in 2005 as chief technology officer, then rose to president 2008.

PayPal grew a lot during that time, but so did online commerce in general. Now Thompson has a chance to prove it wasn’t a fluke, and Yahoo has another shot — probably its last — to revive its brand. That must be its plan in picking Thompson, though to get the company moving in the right direction again he’ll need to make some big strategic moves, some of them painful. Check out our recommendations in the gallery below.


1. Get Back Into Search


Yahoo partnered with Microsoft to have Bing power its search engine a couple of years ago, part of a deal that let Yahoo run advertising for both. While the arrangement may make sense from a financial standpoint, it robs Yahoo of direct control over one of its primary products, and strengthen's Bing's brand more than Yahoo's. Sure, most people familiar with tech were using Google or Bing anyway, but the move basically told them to never come back.

Those tech-savvy people are influencers, and Yahoo needs to win them back if it's ever going to grow again. Ending its soul-leasing deal with Microsoft would free Yahoo up to innovate in one area most associated with the brand. Yes, Google is the 400-megaton gorilla in the room, but ceding the search-engine war when you're primary business is advertising is like saying you'll fight, but you're leaving the heavy weapons at home.

Click here to view this gallery.

More About: bing, carol bartz, Google, Opinion, paypal, Scott Thompson, trending, Yahoo

from Mashable! http://mashable.com/2012/01/05/yahoo-scott-thompson-tips/?utm_source=feedburn...

MetroPCS hooks up with the Mobile Content Venture for live TV on the go

The wireless-for-all carrier's been agreeing to all sorts of partnerships of late in an effort to keep its users content, the latest one being the tie-up with Mobile Content Venture that'll bring local broadcast TV live to your MetroPCS handset. The service, which is said to be coming later in the year, will be offered via a Dyle Mobile TV app, and the companies are guaranteeing that you'll be able to watch the content "right out of the box." There's 15 total broadcasters named in the deal, some of which are: FOX, ION Television, NBC, Telemundo and Univision (for all your novela needs). We've seen a plethora of mobile devices come and go since we first heard of the Mobile DTV promise, but they did say 2012 would be the year, and, well, here we are. A peek at the PR below tells us we'll see this in action next week at CES, so we'll let you know if it's as marvelous as it sounds.

Continue reading MetroPCS hooks up with the Mobile Content Venture for live TV on the go

MetroPCS hooks up with the Mobile Content Venture for live TV on the go originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Jan 2012 22:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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from Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/04/metropcs-mobile-content-venture-tv-partner...

TiVo, AT&T patent settlement will send at least $215 million TiVo's way through 2018

After leveraging its DVR patent portfolio into a $500 million settlement with Dish Network and Echostar TiVo has made it rain again, cutting a mutual patent licensing deal with AT&T that settles their litigation and will result in at least $215 million heading its way through 2018. Additional license fees are possible based on AT&T's U-verse DVR subscriber base, so besides the $51 million up front and recurring payments after that, there could be even more money at stake. Despite intervention on its behalf by Microsoft, AT&T apparently decided caving was the best option. Next we'll see what happens next in a similar battle with Verizon and whether TiVo decides to continue developing its products or just sit back and let the licensing money roll in. CEO Tom Rogers said in a statement (included after the break) that it provides TiVo rights to "innovate TiVo products and services under license from AT&T", although if it were us we'd make the call after taking a Scrooge McDuck-style dive into a pool filled with Dish and AT&T's money.

Continue reading TiVo, AT&T patent settlement will send at least $215 million TiVo's way through 2018

TiVo, AT&T patent settlement will send at least $215 million TiVo's way through 2018 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 Jan 2012 18:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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from Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/03/tivo-att-patent-settlement-dvr-lawsuit/

Engadget's CES 2012 Preview

Though the holidays are once again coming to a close, we now find ourselves just a week away from every geek's ultimate holiday -- the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show, arguably the biggest event of the year for the tech world. Thousands of companies gather in the Nevada desert to show off their latest innovations, setting the stage for what will no doubt be another stellar year in electronics. In anticipation of the onslaught we're about to experience, we want to offer up our predictions of what you can expect at the show. There's always a few wondrous surprises that nobody could ever see coming -- part of what makes CES fun -- but aside from those jaw-dropping moments, we have a pretty solid idea of what will take place next week. So join us as we break down CES 2012, one category at a time.

Continue reading Engadget's CES 2012 Preview

Engadget's CES 2012 Preview originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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from Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/03/engadgets-2012-ces-preview/

Samsung's Smart TV SDK reaches 3.0 with support for USB controllers, payment and ads

Even though all signs indicate Samsung will be joining the Google TV party shortly, it's not going to give up on its own existing Smart TV platform just yet. We don't know if it will run the two side by side as it has operated with Yahoo! Widgets, but the Korean manufacturer has announced it plans to release version 3.0 of its SDK January 5th. The new Samsung Apps toolkit supports mobile devices and TV sets, and lets developers build in support for remote controls, as well as USB mice, keyboards or gamepads. Of course, not all devs will work for free, so they're also adding a way for them to get paid through the built-in payment system or advertisements. Currently, Samsung claims 25,000 developers from 140 countries in its forums, but we'll have to wait until CES 2012 to find out if its products live up to the hype and attract more innovative software to the segment.

Continue reading Samsung's Smart TV SDK reaches 3.0 with support for USB controllers, payment and ads

Samsung's Smart TV SDK reaches 3.0 with support for USB controllers, payment and ads originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 Jan 2012 02:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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from Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/03/samsungs-smart-tv-sdk-30-usb-advertisements/

CES 2012: What to Expect


Is this the end of CES? That’s one question I’ll be trying to answer as I walk the acres-long trade show floor. I’ll also be searching for the one true thing: that awesome product that makes the whole endeavor worthwhile.

It’s turning out to be an odd year for the 40-plus-year-old trade show. Microsoft announced just weeks before the big event in Las Vegas that 2012 would be, essentially, its last CES. No more keynotes, no more trade show booth. The Consumer Electronics Association put on a brave face and explained that the decision to end the 14-year Microsoft keynote run was a mutual one and that other vendors are lining up to occupy Microsoft’s Central Hall space. Then just a few days ago, Verizon’s CEO announced he would not participate in a scheduled panel. Some might try and conflagrate these two events, but as I see it, Microsoft’s decision is momentous and Verizon’s is minor and not indicative of anything.

So what are we to make of this year’s CES, and which products, talks and technologies will define the event that could mark a turning point in CES’s history.


HDTVs: Smarter, Bigger More Desperate


The specter of Apple’s iTV, which could arrive this year, looms large over CES 2012. My guess is manufacturers like Samsung, Sony and Sharp will work hard to prove their HDTVs were smart long before Steve Jobs thought he had “solved” the TV problem. They’ll be right, too. Most of today’s TVs have much in common with computers. All they lack are spinning hard drives and keyboards (though some have those, too). Google will likely show off another Google TV update, possibly during one of the main electronics giant’s press conferences. My money is on Sony.

I think we’ll still see some 3D, but mostly the no-glasses-required variety. No one will care.

We’ll see giant TVs, but LG’s giant, razor-thin, edge-to-edge 55-inch OLED screen could be the belle of the CE ball. Unless of course someone like Sony (the company that showed me my first OLED screen CESes ago) shows up with an even bigger OLED screen.

By the way, I hope you aren’t too enamored of that bezel that runs around your HDTV. I expect more than a few of the next-gen sets (including LG’s OLED screen) to dispense with the bezel entirely.


Only the Thin Laptops Survive


HP’s Spectre Ultrabook (we assume that’s what it is, based on a 30-second teaser video) is sure to be just one of many super-thin, sub 3-lb, full-power laptops we’ll see at CES (an eager Lenovo couldn’t wait until CES to unveil its T430u ultrabook). These Mac Airbook competitors will all be sexy enough to draw away some of the attention from what may be one of the bigger stories coming out of CES 2012.


Re-Rise of the Tablets


Last year’s CES (2011) was a veritable “tabletpalooza.” This year, it’ll be more like a tablet convention. We’ll see a number of big-name manufacturers take another run at the iPad and, perhaps, Amazon’s 7-inch Kindle Fire (which sold at least a million units in a little more than a month last year). And not everyone will wait for CES to unveil their latest slabs. Velocity Micro jumped the gun this week and unveiled its new line of Cruz Tablets: the 9.7-inch T510 and the 7-inch T507. Expect this new generation of iPad competitors to look better and be more powerful than anything we’ve seen before.

SEE ALSO: 14 Essential Stops to Make on Your Tour of CES 2012

Hello, Windows 8 — Goodbye, Microsoft


Speaking of tablets, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer will likely use his last CES keynote to tout Windows 8 and tablets running the upcoming update. Two years ago, Ballmer showed off an HP slate running Windows 7. It seems unlikely that HP will step up to the plate again in 2012 with a Windows 8 tablet — at least not one that Ballmer cam show on stage. My money is on Acer, a company with first-mover tendencies. Windows 8 can run on ARM-based devices, so we may also see Samsung (not the Google-owned Motorola Mobility) with a Galaxy-like Windows 8 device.

I will be curious to see if Ballmer pulls out all the stops and finally brings some excitement to his CES presentation. His keynotes have been lackluster affairs that, while typically delivering valuable information and product glimpses, never excite or inspire. Come on, Steve, go out with a bang. (By the way, I’ll be live blogging the event Monday at 6:30 p.m. PT.)


Super-Duper Phones


I’m sure we’ll see handsets from all the usual suspects: HTC, Nokia, Motorola, Samsung and LG. We may also see some smartphones from companies that usually deliver larger computing and CE devices. In fact, I expect Intel to at least show one or two reference models for super-phones built around its Medfield (Atom-update) CPU.


Home of Your Future and the Internet of All Things


The legion of home automation and control products will only get larger after this CES. Carrier, Phillips, Leviton, Savant and many more will show a wide array of home automation and control solutions and appliances that, if not self-aware, will certainly be able to connect to you through the Internet.

Continuing a trend we saw start at CES 2011, in-car Internet technology will again take center stage at CES. Ford, Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi are all expected to show off some new, always connected technologies, as well as driver assistance advancements and more sophisticated navigation tools.


Going Social and App Aware


I got so few pure software pitches this year, but quite a few app press releases and more than a few emails promising the next big thing in social media at CES 2012. Quite a few of these apps and networks revolve around videos and photos. Makes sense, since one-fourth of all photos are captured on smartphones.


Gadget Explosion


Here’s what’s best about CES: All the crazy gadgets. There will be portable fuel cell batteries, security web cams, flying toys, game gear, walking robots and countless doodads you haven’t even imagined yet. Nestled in among there could be that one, magical consumer electronics product you’ve been waiting for.

Which products and technologies are you most excited to hear about and see from this year’s consumer electronics extravaganza? Let us know in in the comments.

More About: CES, CES 2012, HDTV, home automation, intel, LG, microsoft, OLED, smartphones, sony, tablets, trending, Windows 8

from Mashable! http://mashable.com/2012/01/05/ces-2012-what-to-expect/?utm_source=feedburner...

Social Media Pregame

January 19, 2012
6:00 pm to 8:00 pm

LPP and the Social Media Club Boston invite you to pre-game with us before the Bruins face off against the New Jersey Devils on Thursday, January 19. The pre-game fun starts at 6pm at The Greatest Bar, 262 Friend Street, in Boston.

Sign up today — only the first 50 who RSVP can get in. Visit http://www.lpp.com/joinus.html or email RSVP@lpp.com for more information or to save your space!

Thanks to our sponsor, LPP!

from Social Media Club Boston http://socialmediaboston.org/?p=388

Broadcom befriends Sling and Myriad, outs new set-top and streaming chips

Busy days at Broadcom, which has already forgotten about its earlier 5G WiFi announcement and launched a barrage of new chips for set-top boxes and home networking. The line-up supports the latest MoCA 2.0 standard for greater network bandwidth over coax wiring, but even more interesting is what some of the SoCs can do for smart TV and streaming. The BCM7425 dual-tuner HD gateway SoC will support Sling Media's "place-shifting" platform, potentially making it easier for set-top manufacturers to enable TV streaming to mobile devices. A similar deal has been inked with Myriad over its clever Alien Vue software (shown above), allowing Broadcom-equipped boxes to run apps designed for Google TV and HTML 5 without the need for extra dedicated hardware. In short, if your service provider fails to make TV content smarter or easier to access in 2012, they won't be able to blame it on Broadcom. Further details in the PR combo after the break and at the source link.

Continue reading Broadcom befriends Sling and Myriad, outs new set-top and streaming chips

Broadcom befriends Sling and Myriad, outs new set-top and streaming chips originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 05 Jan 2012 13:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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from Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/05/broadcom-befriends-sling-and-myriad-outs-n...

Have 2 Minutes? Check Out Who Has Access to Your Social Media Accounts


There are more than 130 Facebook app developers with access to my profile. Sixty-eight apps have permission to post to my Twitter feed, eight of them can access my LinkedIn data and another eight are connected to my Gmail account. You don’t have to be an online privacy expert to understand that’s probably too many, but how many apps have permission to your account?

Israel-based entrepreneur Avi Charkham has cut down the time it will take you to find out. After becoming frustrated with how difficult it is to locate app permission pages on social sites, Charkham compiled direct links to such pages for eight different networks into one place on the site MyPermissions.

“I kept connecting to services, and one day I was looking for the list to remove some of them,” Charkham tells Mashable. “I found that Facebook hid them behind four or five links…and thought to myself, ‘There’s no way people can find this.’ Two clicks I could live with, but four or five made it clear they were hiding it.”

He recently relaunched the list at the domain mypermissions.org, and it took off on Twitter and Facebook after a fan submitted it to Hacker News on Monday. Using the site to help clean up your app permissions takes about two minutes, and you can sign up to receive monthly reminders to review your app permissions thereafter.

Charkham is the cofounder of a web app called MyFamilio that lets families post their family moments privately. The simple MyPermissions site is just a side project and — if you’re looking to better protect your online privacy this year — a favor.

Image courtesy of Flickr, Darwin Bell

More About: MyPermissions, privacy

from Mashable! http://mashable.com/2012/01/04/mypermissions/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_mediu...