Apple Interested in Bidding for English Premier League Streaming Rights?

Apple is considering bidding for the rights to stream English Premier League (EPL) football matches, according to the Daily Mail. The EPL is the top football league in England, and one of the premiere football leagues in the world and the bidding for the television rights is expected to generate billions of dollars in revenue for the teams and the league.
The Premier League is seen as the type of premium content that will help establish Apple TV in the UK and boost iPad sales, while the iTunes subscription service infrastructure is already in place.

The involvement of Apple - and their great multimedia rivals Google are also expected to make similar soundings - would give the PL a hugely competitive market at a time when the price of other TV sports rights are in decline.

The Daily Mail notes that Sky, the current holder of the Premier League broadcast license, ESPN, and Al Jazeera are also expected to bid on the rights.

Thanks Dean!


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from MacRumors: Mac News and Rumors - Front Page http://www.macrumors.com/2012/01/03/apple-interested-in-bidding-for-english-p...

Mineways offers up 3D-printed models of your Minecraft creations

Sure, those gigantic tributes to Italian plumbers look great on your PC screen, but sometimes you want something a little more tangible. That's exactly what Mineways lets you do. Yep, it's another demonstration of why we all need a 3D printer in our life, although this Minecraft-friendly software can also export your models across to 3D printing site, Shapeways, which will do the whole printing slog for you. Sure, it'll cost you, but it's likely to be a mere fraction of your own 3D printer. The Mineways program is based on the open-source mapping tool Minutor and creates both a data and texture file ready to pinged across to the Shapeways site. You can also attempt to reclaim some money from those many hours sunk into Minecraft by selling your creations on the site. Check the source below for tutorials, more examples and the latest version of the model exporter.

[Photo credit: postapocalyptic]

Mineways offers up 3D-printed models of your Minecraft creations originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 Jan 2012 11:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Geek  |  sourceMineways  | Email this | Comments

from Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/03/mineways-3d-printed-models-minecraft/

Apple Planning 'Media-Related' Announcement in New York This Month?

AllThingsD reports that Apple is said to be planning a special event in New York for the end of this month. The event is reported to be for a "media-related announcement" and not for the iPad 3 or an Apple television set.
According to sources close to the situation, Apple is planning an important — but not large-scale — event to be held in New York at the end of this month that will focus on a media-related announcement.

Per the usual caveat, the tech giant is well known for moving around their public show-and-tells, so this could certainly change at any moment.

As the report notes, the New York location makes it likely that the announcement has something to do with advertising or publishing. Several of Apple's media and advertising units under senior vice president Eddy Cue have significant presences in New York City, and Cue is also said to be set to play a role in the event.

Apple participated in a pair of New York-based media events last year, although both of those were primarily hosted by other companies: the Verizon iPhone introduction and the launch of The Daily. The company had previously been a participant in Macworld Expo events held in New York, but that event ceased to exist a number of years ago and Apple has now pulled out of trade shows entirely.

Update: The Loop's Jim Dalrymple tersely indicates that he is hearing similar information.


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from MacRumors: Mac News and Rumors - Front Page http://www.macrumors.com/2012/01/02/apple-planning-media-related-announcement...

Apple gearing up for 'media-related announcement' later this month?

Leave it to Apple to completely avoid CES, yet be one of the largest stories surrounding its dates. Much like last year's invite to what would eventually be the introduction of Verizon's iPhone 4, All Things D has it on good authority that the folks in Cupertino are spending their first hours back on the job planning a "media-related announcement" for later this month. Contrary to earlier beliefs, we're told that this particular event won't be related to the next-gen iPad, and it's also "unlikely" to be connected to a "large-scale rethinking of its interactive television initiative."

So, knowing what it won't entail... what will be talked about? According to unnamed sources, Apple SVP of Internet Software and Services Eddy Cue is reportedly involved. For those unaware, Cue is responsible for a sizable chunk of Apple's media units, not the least of which include the App Store, iBookstore, iTunes Store and iCloud. Sadly, details outside of that are few and far betwixt, but you can bet we'll be keeping an ear to the ground for more -- even if it's smack-dab in the middle of a Sony CES keynote. Cough.

Apple gearing up for 'media-related announcement' later this month? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 Jan 2012 16:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceAll Things D  | Email this | Comments

from Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/02/apple-media-related-announcement-this-mont...

Fully Use Your Apple Keyboard in Windows with Apple Wireless Keyboard Helper [Windows Downloads]

Windows: If you use multiple OSes or just prefer using an Apple keyboard you'll know that many keys such as print screen, volume control, and eject do not work in Windows. Apple Wireless Keyboard Helper is a free executable program that restores many of these key combinations. More »


from Lifehacker http://lifehacker.com/5872334/fully-use-your-apple-keyboard-in-windows-with-a...

Google Launches New Site With Resources for the 2012 Presidential Election


Google will officially announce its online information hub for political elections on Monday, a day before the Iowa Caucuses. It is the first website Google has dedicated exclusively to elections.

The new website has both Egyptian and U.S. editions. Google will post content from the later version on a large screens throughout the Media Filing Center at the Iowa Caucuses on Tuesday.

That information includes news articles sorted by candidate and issue, links to voter resources such as the political calendar and YouTube politics channel and a trends dashboard that shows search trends, news mentions and YouTube views for each candidate.

“As Nov. 6, 2012, draws closer, the site will evolve into a robust election hub where citizens can watch, learn, discuss, participate — and perhaps even make an impact on — the digital campaign trail as it blazes forward to the election of the next President of the United States,” a Google spokesperson wrote in a statement to Mashable.

Google’s offline presence in Iowa will extend beyond its display of its online resources. From a sponsored section of the Filing Center, it will conduct live hangouts with journalists who are covering the 2012 elections. The company is also serving them food from local restaurants.

Surrounded by media and politics, Google will be quite at home at the Filing Center. According to Pew, the company is the biggest driver of traffic to top news sites. It’s also taken steps toward becoming not just a referrer, but a destination for political information with campaign tools, a dedicated YouTube channel and virtual town halls.

Will you be heading to Google’s new election site to learn about candidates in the 2012 election, or will you navigate directly to more traditional sources?

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, sjlocke

More About: 2012 election, Google, Iowa caucuses, Politics

from Mashable! http://mashable.com/2012/01/02/google-launches-new-site-2012-presidential-ele...

What Job Seekers Need to Know in Today’s Digital Market


Jindrich Liska is founder and CEO of Jobmagic, a leading social recruiting platform which enables employers to hire candidates on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Jindrich has pioneered many social recruiting approaches which are now used worldwide by brands such as Disney, J.Crew and Compuware.

The 2011 job market is ending on a positive note. With unemployment shrinking to a mere 8.6% — its lowest level since May 2008 — and a steadily growing economy, businesses are planning on hiring and recruiting even more as their confidence in customer demand builds.

In this new, growing market, those seeking their next dream job should cultivate their presence and contacts strategically in places where employers will be on the lookout for the best talent. According to the MSU survey [PDF] of more than 3,000 companies conducted last month, social media has flourished as a burgeoning recruitment strategy, becoming a more mainstream approach for companies of all sizes and industries, even the most conservative. For job seekers, social media platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+ and Twitter have established new ways getting discovered by employers, as well as directly reaching recruiters and hiring managers.

Here’s the scoop on what job seekers should know in order to be successful in today’s digital job market.


Your Social Media Profiles Are as Important Your Resume (If Not More Important)


The MSU report asserts that 36% of companies surveyed are using social media for recruiting. In today’s competitive market, recruiters look for the most current information on candidates, which is readily and easily available on social networks. Job seekers should actively include links to their complete and up-to-date Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+ and Twitter profiles in their applications. When creating your profiles, do not just import your resume — it often contains too much detailed information. Rather, build your profile from scratch with a concise description of your prior experience to grab a recruiter’s attention. To make yourself more discoverable, search engine optimize your title and skills.

Be sure to use social news streams as a dynamic extension of your traditional resume. Employers are interested in candidates who are passionate about their work. Job hopefuls should share interesting and relevant news about your industries and areas of expertise, demonstrating their knowledge and establishing yourself as an essential player in the fields. While the social news dialogue ought to maintain a professional tone, you should also reveal yourself to be a fun, authentic individual.


80% of Success is Showing up


Social media enables us to stand out, to be more noticeable, to differentiate ourselves from the masses and to tell the whole story behind and beyond a one-page resume. When contributing to your news streams and profiles, choose current topics of interest, start participating in discussions about your professional field and industry trends, and share your own hands-on tricks of the trade. Many companies are now making use of Facebook Pages that are dedicated exclusively to careers and hiring. These pages are generally run by recruiters and talent acquisition professionals that are looking to attract and hire candidates. Savvy job seekers should make use of these pages and proactively ask questions about job openings, the specifics of a company’s interview process, or any upcoming career events. Responses are generally instantaneous, and you will quickly establish connections within the company.

Additionally, every field has its own industry thought leaders broadcasting on Twitter. You should follow the influencers in your field, contribute to the discussion and share it with others who might be interested. Take advantage of @-mention feature to keep participants engaged and include hashtags to increase the visibility of your tweets.

You should also join LinkedIn Groups related to your field or moderated by a company you are interested in. Since hiring managers are always on the lookout for team players, you should establish a reputation by sharing your opinion, answering questions and offering advice in the group discussion forums. Join specific company groups to gain additional insight and keep up on the latest hiring news. Recruiters are very active in these groups, and taking steps to establish a positive LinkedIn presence will help to assure that you get a call.


Social Networks Enable Direct Interaction


There was a time when contacting recruiters on job sites and boards was difficult, and proactively reaching out to hiring managers was nearly impossible. Social media has created a culture of openness, and has all but eliminated the ‘black hole’ that resumes have fallen into for decades. Many companies even highlight their recruiters on job postings; not only can you contact a recruiter directly, but you can often view recruiters’ and hiring managers’ social media profiles before contacting them.

Job seekers need to connect to recruiters who are hiring in their field and location. If you don’t know them directly, subscribe to them on Facebook or follow them on Twitter to stay current on all job openings, and work towards developing a positive relationship with them.


Your Networks Help You Find Jobs (and Help Employers Find You)


More companies than ever are cutting their job advertising budgets, opting to channel their recruiting efforts through referral hiring. The MSU report indicates that 44% of companies use referral hiring, and 49% tap into alumni networks in order to recruit. Companies are drawing on their employee’s social networks to share jobs and attract the most qualified candidates. The more extensive your personal network is, the greater your odds of encountering these unadvertised job opportunities.

Grow your networks by reaching out and connecting to people with whom you have either professional or personal relationships. If you don’t know the person well, begin by subscribing to their feed or ask a friend for an introduction. As in real life, opportunities can arise from any connection — a co-worker, a friend, a neighbor, etc. Many companies publish their job openings and career events on their Facebook Pages, so connect to the pages of companies that are of interest to you to start receiving active job openings in your news feed with little effort.

With the economy on the mend and hiring rates rising, job seekers should not hesitate to break into the social media sphere. Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+ and Twitter offer an abundance of ways to connect with companies, foster your professional reputation, gain exposure to job postings, and ultimately, realize your professional aspirations. Establish your online professional brand and presence now. Your dream job is waiting for you.


Social Media Job Listings


Every week we post a list of social media and web job opportunities. While we publish a huge range of job listings, we’ve selected some of the top social media job opportunities from the past two weeks to get you started. Happy hunting!

More About: contributor, Facebook, job search series, jobs, profiles, Twitter

from Mashable! http://mashable.com/2012/01/01/digital-market-job-seeker/?utm_source=feedburn...

8 Simple Digital Tools for Scanning Documents


This post originally appeared on the American Express OPEN Forum, where Mashable regularly contributes articles about leveraging social media and technology in small business.

Small business and startup employees are constantly on the go. They need quick, mobile solutions for scanning, storing, organizing and sharing important documents.

Eager to empty that box full of receipts? Looking for an easy and secure way to send signed documents? We’ve found eight apps and tools that seamlessly scan and file your most important documents and keepsakes. Best of all, most of them integrate with proven file hosts Dropbox and Evernote.

What other tools have proved useful when scanning and integrating your own documents?


1. DocScanner


from Mashable! http://mashable.com/2012/01/01/scan-documents-apps/?utm_source=feedburner&utm...

Is Twitter Aiding and Abetting Terrorism?

wiredmikey writes with word (and the following extract from a CNN report) that "Nitsana Darshan-Leitner, director of the Shurat HaDin Israel Law Center, sent a letter to Twitter on Thursday asserting that the company is violating U.S. law by allowing groups such as Hezbollah and al Qaeda affiliate al-Shabaab to use its popular online network. ... In her letter, Darshan-Leitner noted that Hezbollah and al-Shabaab are officially designated as terrorist organizations under U.S. law. She also cited a 2010 Supreme Court case — Holder v. Humanitarian Law Project — which upheld a key provision of the Patriot Act prohibiting material support to groups designated as terrorist outfits."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

from Slashdot http://tech.slashdot.org/story/11/12/31/0255237/is-twitter-aiding-and-abettin...