05th Sep 2010

10 Great Watches for Gadget Lovers [PICS]


Everybody loves a good watch, and the best thing about watches is that they actually serve a practical purpose. These handy, portable gadgets are more than just decoration, which means you can usually justify spending money on a decent one.

However, being geeks, we want more from our timepiece than the ability to inform us of the hour, so we’ve found 10 great watches that offer some special geek-friendly functionality too.

Whether you want to use your wristwatch to make a call, to control your iPod or record video, the gallery below has got a watch for you. Let us know your favorites in the comments.


1. Casio Databank DBC32C-3B




Casio is such a giant in the geek watch space it could easily warrant a top 10 list of its own. For now, we're bringing you news of the limited edition Databank that offers up-to-date geek functionality in a design reminiscent of Casio's classic calculator watches.

Cost: $59


2. Wifi Finder Watch




This watch will sniff out Wi-Fi at a distance of 100 meters, meaning you'll be kept abreast of when you're in a hotspot or not without the trouble of pulling out your laptop or smartphone to check. Tidy!

Cost: $65.99


3. LG GD910 Watch Phone




Available on contract in the UK and some other regions, the LG GD910 - or Watch Phone - can be purchased SIM-free in the States, if you're willing to pay the price. Arguably one of the only credible phone-watch combos to have ever hit the market, the GD910 boasts a 1.3-inch touchscreen, video as well as voice-calling capabilities. It can be used with a Bluetooth headset or for those yes-I'm-with-the-Secret-Service moments, via the built-in speakerphone.

Cost: From around $800


4. Nike Amp+ Sport Remote Control




This clever bit of gadgetry integrates with your iPod nano and Nike+ running system to offer remote control over your iPod, and voice feedback on your time, distance, calories burned and pace. Its reduced price on the Nike online store suggests it's heading towards end-of-life (it's been around since 2007), so if you are interested, you might want to grab one sooner rather than later.

Cost: Currently $39.99, down from $79


5. Spy Camera Video Watch




Want to be able to record audio and video from your wristwatch? Of course you do! No one would suspect this classic-looking mini-clock is in fact capable of such cloak-and-dagger video capture. There's a tiny lens between the hours 12 and 1 that will capture events around you in AVI format, ready to be transferred to your PC next time you're back at HQ.

Cost: $79.99


6. Sony Ericsson MBW-150 Music Edition Bluetooth Watch




Falling short of full-fat phone-watch capabilities, this Bluetooth-enabled timepiece hooks up to your phone and displays data such as the name and number of incoming callers and when a text has been received. In addition, for anyone with a Sony Ericsson Walkman phone, there are media buttons to control your music on the move.

Cost: Approx $120


7. USB Hidden Flash Drive Watch




The true geek never leaves the house without a flash drive. Concealed in the side of this watch is a teeny-weeny storage stick boasting 8 lovely gigs of flash memory.

Cost: $49.99


8. Stanley Tape Measure Watch




Part of a range of tooled-up Stanley watches released in Japan, gadget emporium Brando offers an easy way to import this item. It cunningly conceals a 3-foot tape measure behind its plastic exterior, offering a charmingly lo-fi way to geek out.

Cost: $44.50


9. Luminox Men's 3051 EVO Navy SEAL Colormark Watch




Ideal for a tough gal or guy geek, there's some cool sci-fi tech in this timepiece used by the Navy SEALs and U.S. Air Force pilots. Glowing 100 times brighter than your average luminous watch, the 24/7 luminosity comes via tiny gas lights (technically known as "borosilicate glass capsules") which are good to glow for over 25 years.

Cost: $168.99


10. InPulse BlackBerry Smart Watch




If you're a red-blooded, gadget-loving BlackBerry owner, then you're really going to want to take a look at the inPulse watch. Thanks to some Bluetooth magic, it'll hook up to your RIM-made device and offer you on-screen info on incoming e-mails, texts and calls - meaning if you're in a meeting (or otherwise socially engaged) a quick glance at your watch is all you'll need to do to stay connected.

Cost: On pre-order for $149 with a September beta release planned

Disclosure: RIM is a Mashable sponsor.

More Tech Resources from Mashable:

- Life After Google: 15 Startups Founded by Ex-Employees
- 7 Services That Will Suggest Things You Like
- HOW TO: Change the Google Logo to Your Favorite Google Doodle
- 10 Cool and Unusual Laptop Sleeves [PICS]
- 10 Entertaining eBay Facts You Might Not Know

More About: blackberry, Brando, casio, gadgets, geek, geeky, inPulse, LG, List, Lists, luminox, Nike, Sony Ericsson, Stanley, tech, thinkgeek, watches, wristwatches

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02nd Sep 2010

HOW TO: Track Hurricane Earl Online


Hurricane Earl is expected to wreak some havoc on the East Coast this Labor Day weekend. According to the the National Hurricane Center, Earl is expected “pass near the North Carolina outer banks tonight [Thursday]… and approach southeastern New England Friday night.”

President Obama has declared a state of emergency for North Carolina, and FEMA has deployed teams to North Carolina, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine.

Whether you live near the National Hurricane Center’s official “Forecast Cone” or you’re one of the 34.4 million people who planned a trip for this weekend, you’ll want to keep an eye on Earl. Here are some resources to kickstart your tracking:

Government Resources

The National Weather Service

Get your weather warnings and advisories right from the source on top of a color-coded map. You can also use the site to check in on where Earl is likely to hit and whether or not hurricane force winds are probable in your area.

NOAA’s nowCOAST

nowCOAST

Make a customized, real-time map using NOAA data. Decide what location, information, and time you’d like to view and what data layers you’d like to activate, and nowCOAST will make a map for your request. This is a great tool for people who actually know something about weather, but it can leave the beginner hurricane tracker a bit confused.

NASA Earth Science Office

NASA

See what the hurricane looks like from outer space by taking a look at the latest satellite pictures direct from NASA’s Earth Science Office. The site offers a number of different satellite views, include infrared and water vapor readings.

Weather Media Resources

MyFoxHurricane.com

Myfoxhurricane.com

Very helpful for connecting with other hurricane tracking nerds, this dedicated hurricane website from MyFoxTampaBay and the FOX Network hosts a live chat in addition to its other hurricane resources. Interesting maps include the hurricane’s predicted path map, the wave height near the storm and a radar map that zooms in on the Outer Banks.

The Weather Channel

The_Weather_Channel

The Weather Channel’s Hurricane Central allows you to view where Hurricane Earl has been and where it’s projected to go. There are also separate maps for hurricane advisories, tropical storm advisories, wind speeds and wave heights; the site also has satellite maps for specific regions. The maps aren’t as flashy as some of the other sites on this list, but they are very easy to read and understand.

AccuWeather.com

If you want to see what Hurricane Earl looks like – and we’re not talking radar – watch this footage taken from directly above the eye of the storm. These brave NASA pilots apparently let an AccuWeather videographer on board. Hopefully this is as close to Earl as you will get.

The site’s frequent video coverage of Hurricane Earl is also a great resource.

Google Maps Mashups

Ibiseye

ibiseye

Ibiseye puts the storm’s history, projected path and at-risk areas on one Google map. It’s especially useful for finding at what time and with what intensity the storm is expected to reach a specific point. A graphical synopsis of the storm’s winds, pressure and wind field is also available.

StormAdvisory

ibiseye

Another Google Maps-based resource, StormAdvisory plots Hurricane Earl’s actual path and wind speeds as well as its projected path and wind speeds.

Weather Underground

ibiseye

The tropical weather section of Weather Underground includes radar, satellite, wind and forecast maps. The stand-out feature, however, is the site’s trademarked “Wundermap,” on which you can choose layers of information to display.

Stormpulse: A Hurricane Tracking Dashboard

stormpulse

Stormpulse is all you need to track Hurricane Earl’s vital stats. The dashboard displays every the essential detail, including current category, wind speed and movement, on one screen. You can switch the map to radar or satellite and select a point on the map to calculate its distance from the hurricane.

Mobile Resources

hurricane_mobile

  • The Weather Channel App for iPhone or BlackBerry

    The free version of the Weather Channel’s app for both iPhone and BlackBerry will alert you to weather advisories in your area and check in on the current forecast. The iPhone version comes with an updated local video forecast as well. If you want more from your weather source, a $3.99 iPhone version of the app comes with access to an entire video center and a database of beach condition reports. The Weather Channel also claims this is the only weather app with animated future radar.

  • Hurricane iPhone App

    Anything a storm tracker could want: animated satellite and radar, computer models, NHC bulletins, forecasts, your distance from each forecast point and all the vital stats (including wind speed, direction and pressure). You can keep this $1.99 app on your phone after Earl has passed for the latest updates from government hurricane centers.

  • Hurricane Wallpaper Android App

    Download this $0.99 Android app, and you’ll never be without your weather map. You can keep the current National Hurricane Center’s Atlantic Tropical Cyclone Activity image up on your phone as your wallpaper.

  • MyFoxHurricane iPhone App

    The resources of MyFoxHurricane.com (as discussed earlier in this post) in a $3.99 iPhone app. Get access to breaking news and videocasts from the site as well as radar and satellite images. You can also look at past hurricanes in your area to see how Earl compares.

  • Hurricane Hound Android App

    This Android app shows the storm’s current position, projected storm track and storm warnings on a Google map. It also lets you know how far away you are from the storm at any given moment. And it’s free, which we like.

  • AccuWeather.com iPhone App

    Not fancy but still free, AccuWeather.com’s iPhone app will alert you to weather advisories in your zip code. Aside from accessing the usual web forecast, you can also access video forecasts for your area.

  • Hurricane Central Web App

    Tired of downloading apps? Hurricane Central is a bare-bones mobile site for hurricane information. It pulls maps, advisories and other hurricane announcements from the National Hurricane Center.

Twitter Resources

hurricane_twitter

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21st Aug 2010

7 Cool Chrome Extensions for Twitter

Chrome Twitter Image

We all know Chrome is fast, but can it also be social? We’ve already brought you a list of social media extensions for Google’s Chrome browser, but here we set our sights on extensions designed specifically for Twitter.

We’ve scoured Chrome’s extensions listings and found seven free tools that we think are worth the install for anyone who uses Twitter’s web interface.

From extensions that will help you be more productive, to those that will just let you have more fun, check out our list below and let us know about any Twitter-related Chrome plug-ins that you use in the comments.

1. Twitter Share This Page

If you want a super-quick way of sharing a URL on Twitter, you can’t go wrong with the “Twitter Share This Page” extension.

Once installed, all you have to do — when you are on the page you want to share — is hit the blue “t” icon (which appears on the right-hand side of your browser bar) and the extension will load the relevant URL in your “What’s happening?” Twitter box.

If you want the link shortened, right click on the “t” icon and select the shortening option. All shared links will be pre-shrunk using Bit.ly.

2. Twitter Extender

Khaled Musaied’s “Twitter Extender” also offers tidy Bit.ly URL shortening abilities with an “add URL” option inserted just below the “What’s happening” box.

There are a ton of other enhancements offered by the extension, including old-style retweeting abilities, “reply to all” functionality, quicker direct messaging and the option to load previous tweets if the tweet is a reply.

3. TwitterWatch – Real Time Twitter Update

This tool is very useful for anyone wanting a lightweight way to watch keywords and topics, especially if they are topical memes.

Installing it will place a little blue “t” button on the right-hand side of your browser bar, which, when clicked, lets you manage your keyword phrases.

Once you’ve set up the words you want watched, a tiny number will appear on the “t” letting you know how many mentions the word has racked up. Clicking it again will let you see the mentions in full.

4. Twitter Refresh

You can make Twitter streams — whether they are your homepage stream or a search stream — refresh automatically. Tweets pour fluidly down the page, saving you from having to bother with the “X new tweets” clickable bar.

5. Twitter Creation Date

This is a fun one. Other than pure nosiness, the only real reason we could see for anyone needing this data is journalistic/research purposes. Usefulness aside, this extension will let you see the date that any user joined the micro-blogging service.

6. Twitter Photo Zoom

Ideal for the lazy Twitterer, Twitter Photo Zoom will super-size anyone’s avatar from the home screen or sidebar lists when you run your cursor over the thumbnail.

7. Twitter Symbols

Use this extension if you want to spice up your tweets with unusual symbols like stars, check marks and the like. If they’re supported by the browsers and systems on the reader’s end, they’ll appear in your tweets normally, and you won’t have to memorize any unusual codes or load up a character map outside the browser to make it happen.

More Startup Resources from Mashable:

- 5 Startup Tips From the Father of Gmail and FriendFeed
- 20 of the Best Resources to Get Your Startup Off the Ground
- 6 Ways to Recruit Talent for Startups
- 5 Lessons to Learn from Web Startups
- 40+ Essential Social Business Resource

Reviews: Chrome, Twitter

More About: browser add on, chrome, Chrome Extensions, extensions, google chrome, twitter, twitter apps, twitter tools, web apps

For more Social Media coverage:


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15th Aug 2010

5 Key Benefits of Monitoring Your Client’s Brand on Social Media

5 Key Benefits of Monitoring Your Client’s Brand on Social Mediagbuzz feed 5 Key Benefits of Monitoring Your Client’s Brand on Social Mediafb 5 Key Benefits of Monitoring Your Client’s Brand on Social Mediadiggme 5 Key Benefits of Monitoring Your Client’s Brand on Social Media
Social Media Monitor


Lauren Fernandez is the Agency Community Manager at Radian6, the social media monitoring and engagement platform. She is @cubanalaf on Twitter, and blogs at LAF and MarketingProfs Daily Fix.

From an agency perspective, many utilize social media monitoring at the request of a client who either doesn’t know much about it, or depends on their agency to educate them. With no client direction, it can be a bit difficult to decipher the first steps of what to monitor, who the players are, and the information that will prove valuable to your client.

Volume, Influence and Sentiment are metrics that will come in handy once these five benefits are realized.

1. Crisis Management

Crisis communications strategies are ingrained into most PR professionals’ skulls from the beginning of their education and internships. However, many don’t ever have to execute a crisis communications plan. In the traditional space, it was few and far between, but social media gives customers instant access to a real-time complaint channel.

Creating a presence on social media networks won’t stop this type of conversation from happening, but will enable brands to make the conversation a two-way street. So, what type of metrics can you measure in a crisis? You can look at conversation at the start, middle and end for benchmark comparison, and evaluate response on a cause-and-effect spectrum.

In June 2009, the Holocaust Museum shooter was incorrectly identified as a current American Mensa member. Amongst all of the horror, the Mensa fact was reported quite extensively. We knew about it before the first reporter called because we monitor the mention of the client’s name on social channels. We were able to discuss a quick response, activate our crisis communications plan and be prepared. We not only considered image, but the sensitive matter and how our members would react. If we didn’t know about it beforehand, our response would have been much slower and not as precise.

2. Influencer Identification

Influencer identification is a processes that is unique to each brand. If the client’s presence is heavy in forums or blogs, it helps to look at post mentions, commenter count and post volume.

Work with your client to determine whom they think is the most influential. A few questions to ask them:

  • What platforms are you currently using?
  • Are there others in the works?
  • What type of demographic does your typical customer belong to?
  • Where do you see conversation happening?
  • Where would you like conversation to be happening?

These questions will start to form a picture of who the heavy influencers are and how to target them.

Influencers can also change dependent on the situation and type of audience they attract. Create an A, B and C list. This reflects a high, mid or low priority. A low priority might move to a high priority if a blog post written attracts a lot of commentary. The key to tapping influencers is being flexible and knowing they can change constantly.

3. Building Relationships with Media and Customers Alike

We are in the field of communications. Journalists are utilizing social media to stay on top of the news, get leads and build relationships not only with PR professionals, but also with the community. It also enables brands to see if the discussion, content and approach is resonating with their target audience.

This is an area where customer service will come into play as well. What type of conversation is your customer base having? Does the sentiment skew heavily toward positive, negative or neutral? What areas are they focusing on? This will enable brands to act quickly and efficiently for their current and future customer base.

Ask a reporter out for coffee. Chances are, if you build a relationship, they will call you if they have a story that fits. You’re able to pitch them off-topic ideas to see if it can run. Other reporters can see the interactions you’ve built and will find you more approachable.

4. Creative Feedback and Ad Targeting

If you work in an agency that also handles the advertising for a specific client, the creative feedback and ad targeting principle is something to incorporate in your monthly metrics report.

Advertising campaigns reflect brand positioning, which should also be reflected by social media efforts. Incorporating the mindset and campaigns into your social media presence isn’t being promotional. It’s not about using the campaigns directly, but the idea the campaign presents.

For Facebook, you might see an ad for shoes once you update your status dealing with that particular subject. Monitoring if someone actually clicks ad that will be beneficial.

Other questions to answer: Is the message hitting the right demographic? Is it resonating with the audience, or is it having the opposite effect? Did the platforms we chose work?

Benchmarking your efforts can help with this. Set attainable objectives and the type of demographic desired. Set up a pyramid effort to check in increments of three months, starting at six months out. That will give you enough time to measure the “before,” “during” and “after” of a campaign.

5. Competitive Monitoring

Your clients want to know if they are measuring up to the competition — literally. Monitoring industry conversation is the first step in identifying who the competition is in the social space.

With this, it can be two-fold: Who the client perceives as their competitor might not be the same across different social networks. It’s up to the agency to identify and further define what is successful and what’s failing. The latter is important when one needs to prove why a certain idea isn’t the best route.

Knowing competitor efforts can affect not only what a brand does in the future, but current efforts. You can see where the consumer is, and what efforts they react positively and negatively to. Brands like to see competitor efforts for consumer validation, trends and market research.

From these five areas, you can then start focusing on specific metrics to report on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. Monitoring specific topics will always come down to what the brand wants to achieve and if it meshes with objectives.

What would you add? Share your opinions and strategies in the comments below.

More Social Marketing Resources from Mashable:

– 5 Tips for Managing Your Company’s Brand on the Web
– 10 Steps for Successful Social Media Monitoring
– 5 Tips for Aspiring Social Media Marketers
– 10 Tips for Corporate Blogging
– Is Social Media Failing to Produce Business Leads?

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, apostol_8

More About: advertsing, brands, List, Lists, pr, social media, social media marketing, social media monitoring

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5 Key Benefits of Monitoring Your Client’s Brand on Social Media
5 Key Benefits of Monitoring Your Client’s Brand on Social Media

5 Key Benefits of Monitoring Your Client’s Brand on Social Media 5 Key Benefits of Monitoring Your Client’s Brand on Social Media 5 Key Benefits of Monitoring Your Client’s Brand on Social Media 5 Key Benefits of Monitoring Your Client’s Brand on Social Media 5 Key Benefits of Monitoring Your Client’s Brand on Social Media 5 Key Benefits of Monitoring Your Client’s Brand on Social Media 5 Key Benefits of Monitoring Your Client’s Brand on Social Media 5 Key Benefits of Monitoring Your Client’s Brand on Social Media 5 Key Benefits of Monitoring Your Client’s Brand on Social Media 5 Key Benefits of Monitoring Your Client’s Brand on Social Media 5 Key Benefits of Monitoring Your Client’s Brand on Social Media

5 Key Benefits of Monitoring Your Client’s Brand on Social Media

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08th Aug 2010

38 Essential Social Media Resources You May Have Missed


Capping off a busy week at Mashable HQ we bring you a massive list of social media resources you may have missed. We’ve got 38 of the most interesting features and tools published over the last week or so in case you were, you know, outside during the summer.

Have a look through our social media resources for the Origin of Twitter’s “Fail Whale,” some great Twitter visualizations, or why WikiLeaks and the mainstream media still need each other.

Our Tech and Mobile resources include some amazing Konami code Easter eggs, great (free) WordPress themes to use, and a game plan for keeping BlackBerry relevant in the battle for mobile dominance.

For our entrepreneurs, we’ve got tips on how to self-publish anything, great Twitter lists for C-Suite execs, and a guide on how to structure your startup. That’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Looking for even more social media resources? You can find this guide every weekend, and check out all of the lists-gone-by.

Social Media

For more social media news and resources, you can follow Mashable’s social media channel on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

Tech & Mobile

dolls image

For more tech news and resources, you can follow Mashable’s tech channel on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

Business

aardvark image

For more business news and resources, you can follow Mashable’s business channel on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

[img credit: webtreatsetc]

More About: business, facebook, Features Week In Review, List, Lists, Mobile 2.0, small business, social media, tech, technology, trending, twitter, youtube

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25th Jul 2010

10 Best Apple iPad Stands


While you don’t have to worry about how to hold your iPad, there will be times when you want to go hands-free.

We’ve scoured the Internet for the best iPad stands known to man, and have pulled together a top 10 list of products we’d be happy to see holding our devices in place.

So, if you’re in the market for an iPad stand or holder, have a look at our choices below and let us know your favorites in the comments.


1. Element Case Joule




Perfect for minimalists, the Joule stand will hold your iPad in landscape or portrait modes in what must be one of the most simple and elegant ways available. The Joule comes in aluminum, or anodized silver or black for $10 more.

Cost: From $129


2. LUXA2 H4




Made from solid aluminum with six supporting rubber-covered arms, LUXA2’s H4 iPad stand boasts 360-degree adjustability, can rotate vertically or horizontally, or even flip.

Cost: $59.99


3. Quirky Cradle iPad Lap Desk




Made from “Plyboo” (bamboo plywood) this lightweight “lap desk” offers a stylish way to use your iPad without holding it, while the Lazy Susan approach to the desk’s design means rotating it just takes a twist.

Cost: $52.50 on pre-sale


4. GroovyStand




Get rugged yet sleek with the GroovyStand, an ultra-portable and affordable solution for propping up your iPad. In dark and light wood as well as black, the GroovyStand range offers stands with single slots, wide slots to accommodate cases and dual-angle stands that’ll keep your iPad at 18- or 45-degrees.

Cost: From $7.95


5. Elago Design P2




Another simple, yet effective stand comes from Elago Design. Available in silver or black and made from aluminum, the slightly angled P2 has a hole in the back for cable management, making it a great desktop option.

Cost: $29.99


6. ClamCase




More than just a stand, the soon-to-be-released ClamCase is a three-in-one wonder. In addition to offering protection, it contains a Bluetooth keyboard so you can use your iPad like a netbook, and the clever design means the “screen” will flip back on itself so you can view movies and other media on a desk or table-top.

Not yet available - Due Fall 2010


7. Modgrain Modern iPad Stand




What’s so cool about this Modgrain item isn't that it’s handmade, not that its height is adjustable, not even that you can use it in landscape or portrait mode, but that you can wall-mount it with a metal bracket.

Cost: $69


8. TwelveSouth BookArc




Described as “a beautiful slice of heavy gauge steel,” the BookArc boasts a neat design. It has a cut-out for home button access, keeps the iPad raised so you can have access to the charging port, and the stand will hold your iPad at a slight angle in work mode and upright in storage mode, in both landscape and portrait.

Cost: $39.99


9. Thought Out Company Stabile




Weighing in at nearly four pounds of solid steel, and featuring non-slip feet with a low center of gravity, the good-looking Stabile stand is ideal for the clumsy.

Cost: From $59.99


10. WedgePad




Unlike the other more desktop-like stands on this list, the WedgePad’s unique selling point is that it’s perfect for when you're lounging on the sofa or even in bed. The hand-made, bean-bag style design is finished in microsuede and it has little elastic straps on each corner to keep your iPad in place.

Cost: $27


BONUS: Kitteh iPad Stand!




Veronica Belmont has discovered a great iPad stand -- her little kitty!

More Apple Resources from Mashable:

- 10 Awesome Apple-Inspired iPad Wallpapers [PICS]
- 10 Fascinating Facts You Didn’t Know About Apple
- 10 Fun iPod Speakers for Listening in Style
- 5 Fantastic Free iPhone E-book Reader Apps
- 10 Essential Money-Saving iPhone Apps

More About: accessories, apple, Apple iPad, ipad, ipad accessories, Quirky, twelvesouth

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17th Jul 2010

HOW TO: Give Your Photos a Vintage Look


Your profile photo is an important part of your online personality, offering a glimpse of you to the wider world. We’ve previously brought you tips for creating the perfect profile pic, and in this post we’ll be looking at some great online services that can help you create a variety of fun, vintage-looking pics for your profile.

So, for anyone who doesn’t have photo editing know-how, expensive editing software and a load of time to spare, here’s how to create a retro profile pic in a matter of minutes using some absolutely free, entirely online services.

Let us know in the comments if we’ve missed any!

The Original Shot

This is the photo we’re editing, shown here as a control pic so you can gauge how dramatic the effects we’ve picked really are. A standard snap from a point-and-shoot camera, there’s nothing wrong with this image, but read on to see how it can be made so much more fun in just a few clicks.

1. Phixr’s Cross Process Effect

The Effect

In film photography, the cross processing effect was achieved by switching different chemicals used to process print or slide films. This made for dramatic colors, contrast and grain.

Although the effects of cross processing have been known since the 1960s, it was in the 1990s that the effect reached the height of its popularity with photographers like Nick Knight bringing cross processing to fashion and studio work.

How to Get the Effect

It’s possible to recreate the effect using photo software by playing around with the color balance and contrast ratios (there are plenty of tutorials around the web to help). If you don’t have the time/inclination/correct software, then Phixr offers the effect at the click of a button.

Simply head to Phixr and hit “get started,” which will bring up account options. If you want to set up a free account you can do so from here, but you can also skip this step, which will give you access to Phixr (as long as you’re not on it for more than six hours straight, which, trust us, you won’t be).

You then need to upload your chosen pic from your computer (or via a URL) and hit the upload button, at which point the pic will be be resized if it’s too big.

After your photo has loaded, select the “color effects” button from the icon menu on the left hand side and scroll down one line to select “cross process.”

At this point there are options to adjust the brightness, contrast and opacity, but for the effect in the image above we kept it all at the auto levels pre-loaded by the site. The effects are previewed, however, so if you’d like to play around, you won’t be committed to the changes until you click “execute.”

2. Picnik’s 1960s Effect

The Effect

Although many technical advances have been made now, back in the “old days” the colors in photo prints were made up of dyes that decay with age — especially if exposed to light — hence why so many of your parents’ or grandparents’ photos take on pink or yellow tones as the years go by.

The faded color helps to date a photo almost as much as the outlandish fashions that might be found in it, and is a great effect to give your modern pic a vintage feel.

How to Get the Effect

Drop into Picnik and click the “get started now” button. Upload your chosen photo, hit the “create” tab along the top, and select “effects” from the secondary tab menu. Now scroll down the menu on the left hand side of your display and choose “1960s” which brings up further options.

You get the option to keep the round corners (we did, as it helps achieve the dated look even more) and what color you want to fill them in with (we chose white for a subtle effect) as well as how much “fade” you want. We maxed our fade in the pic above (zero percent) but again, you can play around with a preview, so feel free to experiment before hitting “apply” and saving the photo back to your computer.

3. Rollip’s Styled Lenses Effect

The Effect

In the 1960s, cheap cameras like the Holga and Diana were mass-produced as “toys” and were predictably made of cheap construction and parts, including such photographic abominations plastic lenses.

Of course, though poorly made, these low quality cameras actually produced really interesting effects such as light flares, blurs, distortion and vignetting (darker or blurry edges) that have, in recent years, gained the cameras a cult following (best seen from the Lomography movement) by those interested in the unpredictable and often beautiful results.

How to Get the Effect

If you’re at all interested in super-simple retro photo effects then you need to head to Rollip pronto as it offers over 40 options. We narrowed our choice down to this “Styled Lenses” option which emulates the kind of effect you could hope to get from a quirky old-school film camera.

To find it on the Rollip site, hit “click here to start” on the home page and then scroll through the “more effects” option until you get to page 5/10. Click “Styled Lenses” and select the photo in the top left hand corner. Once you’ve done this, it’s just a matter of clicking to browse your computer for a photo and wait for Rollip to work its magic.

4. Photobucket’s Color Splash Effect

The Effect

Coloring black and white photographs by hand using photo oils or tinting pencils was popular in the first half of 20th Century before the advent of affordable color film. Recreated digitally, it makes for a nostalgic effect and can increase the emphasis to a certain part of an image, such as a person, or a features like lips or eyes.

How to Get the Effect

You do need an account to use Photobucket, but it’s a simple email and password affair, so not too arduous to get set up. Once you’re good to go, upload an image from your computer and then hit “edit.” After your photo has loaded, select “effects” from the tab menu at the top of the page and choose the first option called “color splash.”

The software will then greyscale your photo to black and white, leaving you to choose which part you want to fill in with color. The actual coloring in is super-easy: Just dab the circle over the area you want the color restored too. We stuck to the standard size blob in the image above, which worked fine, but if what you want colored is smaller, or more detailed, you can change the blob size to suit.

Finally we took advantage of another free effect from Photobucket to complete our image and employed the “blur edges” tool (on the default setting) from the effects menu to give a blurry vignette feel. This helps focus the eye on the colorful figure.

5. Picnik’s Polaroid Effect

The Effect

Polaroid photographs are iconic and immediately recognizable as the instant photo format of choice. Polaroids ruled up to the start of of digital photography when slower, film-based formats were pushed out of the market.

Since Polaroid’s decline, nostalgia for the product has seen various groups campaigning for a revival of the format. With some success, film and cameras are now back on the shelves. It looks like Polaroid will live on for a few more years yet.

How to Get the Effect

There are various Polaroid-erizing tools on the web, the most notable of which is Poladroid, however, this requires a download and we’re nothing if not impatient. We wanted an in-browser service.

Picnik offers a Polaroid look as part of its “frames” options, but that doesn’t give the image an aged look. We countered this by using the 1960s effect (detailed above in number two) but nixing the round corners and setting the fade to 40 percent for a less dramatic effect.

Once you’ve applied that, go to the frames menu under the “create” tab and select “Polaroid.” We opted for a white background color and a five percent angle. When you’ve made your choices, it’s just a matter of saving the pic down to your computer and you’re all done!

More Tech Resources from Mashable:

- 4 Tips for Producing Quality Web Videos
- 50+ iPhone Apps to Enhance Your Photo and Video Experience
- 20+ Great Adobe AIR Apps for Photos & Videos
- 5 Ways to Share Images on Twitter
- Top 10 Robot Videos on YouTube
- Top 10 Wedding Dance Videos on YouTube

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, kevinruss

More About: Phixr, photo editing, photobucket, photography, picnik, polaroid, profiles, retro, rollip, vintage

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11th Jul 2010

5 Handy YouTube Channels for DIY and Home Improvement


The easiest way to learn how to do something practical is to first see it done properly by someone else. By breaking it down into easy-to-follow steps, these how-to videos offer an absolute wealth of knowledge that is just a few clicks away.

We’ve searched YouTube for the very best home improvement instructional video channels where experts and enthusiastic amateurs share their skills for free.

So the next time you have a DIY job to do, whether it’s fixing a leaky faucet or a more ambitious project, check out our choice of top five channels where, no doubt, there’s a handy video by someone who’s been there, done that, and can help you avoid throwing the wrench against the wall in frustration.

1. VideoJug

VideoJug is one of the big boys in the online instructional video world, and specializes in helping people do a huge range of things, with separate channels for Food & Drink and Beauty & Style.

As far as help around the house goes, the site offers a small selection from its hundreds of do-it-yourself videos on YouTube, mostly covering topics the average home-owner would be happy to tackle without paid help from a workman, such as how to bleed a radiator. And if that’s not enough, more videos can be found at its main site.

While some of them are sponsored, the advertising is not intrusive and the videos are short and sweet, offering clear and concise advice on various how-to topics.

2. Ron Hazelton

Ron Hazelton will show you how to paint evenly, apply wallpaper, wash windows and strip paint at the easy end of the DIY ladder, and he’ll show you how to drill a shank hole on the more advanced end.

His tool-side manner is great; he’s like a friendly neighbor giving you a one-to-one lesson. Hazelton sometimes offers up different methods to the viewer for them to then decide which will suit them, as shown in the video above.

His instructions are clear and easy-to-follow, and he manages to make jobs look easy, thus removing the fear-factor from any home repair chore that’s weighing on your shoulders.

3. AskTheBuilder.com

Tim Carter is the energetic, fast-talking host of the AskTheBuilder video tutorials. As well as a ton of specific how-tos, Carter offers advice that DIY novices might find quite useful, such as more general overviews of products and processes. For example, a quick ‘paint brushes 101,’ explaining which to use when, or a look at the kinds of log splitters that are available and the benefits of each.

Whether the topic is roof moss, masking tape, or evaluating the quality of 2×4, Carter’s easy manner and knack for simple explanations will keep you watching, and more importantly, hopefully get you DIY-ing.

4. HomeAdditionPlus

Mark Donovan of HomeAdditionPlus currently offers over 100 YouTube videos with info on various aspects of DIY home improvement and home remodeling.

Clean-cut and coherent, Donovan’s straight talking approach is easy viewing, although some of the videos don’t offer a compete walkthrough of every element of a process, so may be more suited to those with some knowledge looking for an overview, rather than anyone new to home improvement who needs his or her hand held through every stage.

5. eHow Home

eHow is another giant for instructional videos and its “Home” channel is chock full of clips offering advice on decor, soft furnishings, troubleshooting problems around the home, and more cleaning tips than you could shake a duster at.

Although more technical eHow (and ExpertVillage which comes under the eHow umbrella) videos show up in keyword searches, there does not seem to be an easy channel-based way to browse them on YouTube, which is a real oversight as the content is mostly decent. So do a topic search and look out for “eHow” or “ExpertVillage” as the creator.

BONUS: Gardenfork.tv

Gardenfork covers an eclectic mix of topics from beekeeping to cooking, but it earned its place on this list because of the gardening videos it offers.

With an occasional DIY, “how-to” thrown in, the gardening side of things encompasses how to build raised garden beds, make bird houses and grow tomatoes.

Host Eric’s laid-back video style, willingness to learn, and enthusiasm are infectious and dog lovers will enjoy the two lovely labs, Henry and Charlie, who are never far from the action.

More Social Media Resources from Mashable:

- 5 Handy iPhone Apps for Home Improvement
- 10 Essential Money-Saving iPhone Apps
- Top 10 YouTube News Bloopers
- Top 10 Stop Motion Videos on YouTube
- 10 Best “Get a Mac” Parodies [VIDEOS]

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, microstocker

Reviews: YouTube, iStockphoto

More About: diy, home improvement, how to, videos, youtube

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05th Jul 2010

10 Social Media Travel Resources You May Have Missed


90 degree heat? Check. Sunscreen, sandals and sunglasses? Check, check, check. You are officially ready for the hot winds and bright rays of summer days.

With summer already upon us, you’re probably planning your next great getaway. No matter if you’re a backpacking adventure-seeker or just looking for some places off the beaten path, we’ve rounded up a bunch of great travel posts to help you plan your next trip.

If you’re looking for a travel buddy, maps to help you explore, or ways to record your memories then read on. Let us know in the comments which resources were most useful, and when you’re planning to go on your summer vacation.

  • Find a Travel Mate for Your Next Remote Adventure
    Some people like to explore the globe solo, but most find it a bit daunting. Here’s how to find a new friend for your next great excursion.
  • Tech Tourism: 10 Great Geek Destinations
    If you’re tired of sandy beaches, swim-up bars, and scuba diving, here are some tech-related destinations to help you make sure you stay as pale as you want to be.
  • Top 10 Checkin Locations on Gowalla
    The road less traveled by is not for everyone; sometimes you just need to be part of the the crowd. Here are the most popular checkin spots around the world for Gowalla users.
  • 5 Great Sites for Exploring Cities Around the Globe
    There is nothing more frustrating or scary than being lost in a city that you don’t know, especially if you don’t speak the language. Here are some mapping sites to help you find your way around and maybe even look like less of a tourist.
  • Trip Journal Turns Your Smartphone Into the Ultimate Trip Scrapbook
    Your trip is going to be awesome, so you’ll want to make sure your memories last. Learn how to turn your smartphone in to a scrapbook, so when you return to work you can stare longingly at that week of relaxation.
  • How the Resort Industry is Using Social Media
    The best vacations are often the ones you have to plan the least. Resort packages take care of that for you. Learn how the resort industry is using social media, so you can find the best place to set up that poolside lounge chair.
  • Explore Space with Buzz Aldrin on Your iPhone
    We are taking this opportunity to say that the word “staycation” should be officially banned. But if you can’t get away this summer, what’s better than a little suspension of reality? Here you can take the ultimate trip and explore space with the help of your iPhone.
  • 5 Ways Airlines and Hotels Can Drive Revenue with Social Media
    Planes, trains, and automobiles will get you where every you want to go, but if you have no patience for the open road, the open skies are the way to go. Here are five ways airlines are promoting good deals through social media, and you can snag those business-class seats to China on the cheap.
  • 11 iPhone Apps for Stress Free Family Travel
    For many of us, “family vacation” can be a bit of an oxymoron since relaxation and fun often go out the window once you’ve rounded up the kids, the grandparents, the dog, and your kid’s friends who just had to come along. Behold, 11 applications designed to keep you from throttling your kids every time they ask, “Are we there yet?”
  • HOW TO: Use Social Media for Travel Research
    Here is our basic guide to using social media sites to find out about hot destinations, amazing deals, traveler reviews and more.

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, gisele

Reviews: Gowalla, iStockphoto

More About: adventure, check.in, geek, gowalla, iphone, maps, Planning, resorts, social media, space, travel, travel buddy, travel mate, vacation

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19th Jun 2010

10 Fun Facts You Didn’t Know About Google

“Google is not a conventional company. We do not intend to become one.” So began the “letter from the founders” penned by Sergey Brin and Larry Page in the company’s securities registration form in 2004. Despite ever-increasing commercial success since that date, Brin and Page have kept to their word.

Google is an unconventional company with a huge stake in our online lives. It is a source of fascination for many, including us, but what really happens in the Googleplex? And what cool factoids and stats exist from the company’s relatively short past?

Here we bring you 10 fun facts about Google to quench our own thirst for Google knowledge as well as hopefully offer you a distracting diversion from your daily life.

1. The First Google Doodle

Google’s famous homepage “Doodles” (the changing Google logo graphics) are well known and enjoyed by millions around the world as a way to mark an event or anniversary. But did you know that the very first Google Doodle was designed as a kind of “out of office” message?

In 1998 Brin and Page took the weekend off to go the Burning Man festival in Nevada. The Burning Man doodle (shown above), was designed by the Google guys and added to the homepage to let their users know they were out of office and couldn’t fix technical issues like a server crash.

2. Interesting Figures from the Google IPO

While the initial price for Google’s stock at its Initial Public Offering in August 2004 is an interesting stat in itself, there’s more to the story. The opening price for Google’s stock was $85 per share. At the time of writing, the stock price was $483 but has soared as high as $600 in the past year, making GOOG a rather nice investment for many.

A bonus factoid from Google’s IPO process is the value Google stated it hoped to raise on its S-1 form — as much as $2,718,281,828. It may just look like a string of numbers to non-mathletes, but 2,718,281,828 is actually the first ten digits of the mathematical constant ““e”,” showing that even as their company was planning to go public, the Google guys could still geek out with a bit of numerical humor.

3. The First Google Storage Was Made From LEGO

As proud hosts to Google back when it was still a research project, and known as “BackRub,” here Stanford now showcases the original Google storage from way back in 1996. It’s made up of a whopping 40 GB (less than a modern iPod) and it’s made from, as fans of the building bricks will be delighted to see, LEGO. It even hash funny mini-figures on the top.

Legend has it that the reason for the LEGO construction was that the Google guys needed an easily expandable, and cheap way to house 10 4 GB hard drives, and LEGO fit the bill. Whether the primary colors of the bricks used were the hues that went on to inspire the Google logo’s design is up for debate, but we’d guess it wasn’t just a coincidence.

4. Google’s First Ever Tweet

Google’s first ever Twitter post was as satisfyingly geeky as you could hope for. The message, sent in February 2009, reads “I’m 01100110 01100101 01100101 01101100 01101001 01101110 01100111 00100000 01101100 01110101 01100011 01101011 01111001 00001010.”

For anyone not fluent in binary, here’s a hint — it’s a well known phrase from the company’s homepage. Got it? Yep, it reads: “I’m Feeling Lucky.”

5. Google Rents Goats

This one isn’t actually one of Google’s infamous April Fools’ Day jokes: Google rents out goats. Yes you read that right. It rents goats from a company called California Grazing to help cut down the amount of weeds and brush at Google HQ.

The operation of 200 goats (plus herder and a border collie) is kind to the environment, and as Google puts it: “A lot cuter to watch than lawn mowers.”

6. Google’s Impact on Language

While you’d think the news that the Merriam-Webster and Oxford English Dictionary adding “google” as a verb to their lexicons in 2006 would thrill the search engine, Google was actually none too pleased with the development.

“We’d like to make clear that you should please only use ‘Google’ when you’re actually referring to Google Inc. and our services,” the company wrote in a blog post at the time.

The rationale behind the semantic displeasure was that Google had “a brand to protect,” and feared Google would “slip from trademarked status into common usage.” Now, four years later, we have to say Google was fighting a losing battle — just ‘google it.’

However, we’ve found some other Google-themed linguistic delights for you — a Google staffer is commonly referred to as a “Googler,” while a new team member joins as a “Noogler.” Nooglers also used to wear a colorful hat with a spinner on top. According to a former employee, those hats are now pretty scarce in some offices, instead: “Every Noogler gets a yellow smiley balloon and a nameplate.”

7. Google Is Dog-Friendly

Google is a super dog-friendly company. It proudly names “company dogs,” like Yoshka (described as a “free-range Leonberger”) pictured above. Yoshka accompanies Urs Holzle, senior VP operations and Google Fellow to the Googleplex. Less senior staff are also allowed to bring their dogs to the office.

According to Google’s “Dog Policy”, one indiscretion too many on the Google carpets, or aggressive behavior, means Lassie will have to stay at home in the future. Strong bladdered and friendly canines are more than welcome across the campus.

Unfortunately, cats are not quite as welcome. Here’s an excerpt taken directly from Google’s Code of Conduct: “Google’s affection for our canine friends is an integral facet of our corporate culture. We like cats, but we’re a dog company, so as a general rule we feel cats visiting our offices would be fairly stressed out.”

8. Google’s First Ever “Company Snack” Was Swedish Fish

Back in February, 1999, the chewy candy known as “Swedish Fish” became the first ever company snack (not counting beverages) that was ordered into the Google office.

Although a relatively small event, it has led to big things. Google is infamous in the industry for treating its employees to not just free drinks and snacks on tap, but full-on gourmet meals, three times a day at a plethora of on-site cafes and eateries, as well as regular BBQs during the summer.

Brin and Page have been quoted in the past as saying no Googler should have to go more than 100 feet for food, leading to snack-filled “microkitchens” that are liberally dotted around the Google offices.

In fact, the free food is said to be so tempting that Googlers risk the “Google 15,” similar to the “Freshman 15,” where they pile on weight soon after joining the company. Good thing they also have a Google gym.

Backing this up, here’s a stat from Google — “Bay Area Googlers consumed approximately 5,500 pounds of handmade chocolates from the snack bins in the microkitchens in 2007.” Wow.

9. The Google Logo Was Not Centered Until 2001

Google’s famously sparse homepage is considered a classic design in the online world. The Google logo, however, wasn’t actually centered on the page until March 31, 2001. As early users will remember, the homepage had a bias to the left-hand side, and even earlier — back in 1998 — Google sported a Yahoo-style exclamation mark.

10. Google Has a Company Dinosaur

By all accounts, there are many wondrous sights to be seen at the Googleplex, but one of the most arresting is surely the gigantic T-Rex skeleton — nicknamed “Stan” after a “real” dino found nearby — that looms menacingly at Googlers in Mountain View.

Joining Stan in the unique campus decorations is a scale replica of the SpaceShipOne, enormous Android-themed models, pink flamingos, a large LEGO man, Google-colored phone boxes and grown-up size ball pits. One thing seems for sure — just like the company itself — life at the Googleplex must be far from dull.


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More Google Resources from Mashable:

- 10 Must-See Google Street View Sightings
- 5 Must-See Google Easter Eggs
- 4 Ways Non-Profits Can Use Google Buzz
- The Small Business Guide to Google Apps
- 4 Surprising Google Wave Uses

Tags: April Fools' Day, binary code, burning man, dogs, Doodle, goats, Google, googleplex, googler, gym, ipo, language, larry page, Lego, noogler, office decor, pets, Sergey Brin, snacks


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