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| 5 Places to Get Digital Textbooks | | Monday, February 20, 2012 11:54 PM | Amy Burke |
|  The days of shuffling that 10-pound textbook to class or those countless fiction novels in your backpack are slowly but steadily coming to a close. With ebooks, your wallet may gain a few pounds as well, as you will be spending a lot less money on books. Check out these five digital text services. With synchronized convenience and interactive, cost-effective methods, life is on its way to becoming a little bit easier for readers on the go. |
| News Booth iPhone App Turns Ordinary Photos Into Newsworthy Ones | | Monday, February 20, 2012 10:26 PM | AppAdvice |
|  This just in! A newly released iPhone app called News Booth lets you edit photos to make them look as if they were taken straight out of a television newscast. Although you can easily use it for pictures of events that are serious and actually newsworthy, News Booth offers more value as a photo app when used all in the name of fun. Caught your cat wearing a silly facial expression? News Booth can turn it into something sillier. About to eat an enormous cheeseburger? News Booth can pass it off as breaking news. Took a picture of a hilarious game at your office party? Share it with others with News Booth, so they too can laugh at "important current events." Using News Booth is easy. First, choose a photo stored on your device or take a new one. Since News Booth is an app that requires access to your photo gallery, it's necessary that location services be turned on for the app. Otherwise, you can only edit the photos that you take within the app. After you've chosen a photo, choose a theme to make it look like fake news. You can go for a theme that mimics the modern format of cable news channels or opt for a classic black-and-white design. Finally, add some headline texts describing the circumstances of your photo. Like real news headlines, the catchier they are, the better. When you're done, you can of course save the finished image on your device, and you can also post it on Facebook or Twitter. Promising updates that will bring more themes and native iPad compatibility, News Booth is free until Feb. 26. |
| Harvard Makes Robot Bees [VIDEO] | | Monday, February 20, 2012 9:25 PM | Alissa Skelton |
|  Bio-inspired bees made from stacks of carbon fiber are buzzing right off the production line at Harvard's Microrobotics Lab. Why build robot insects? The new mass-production technique is a huge step forward in constructing high-power switches, optical systems and electromechanical devices. Earlier bug prototypes were carefully built by the researchers with glue and by hand, which was too tedious and error-prone. It took years for the Harvard researchers, a part of the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, to develop the U.S. quarter-sized robots with flying capabilities. It was a difficult task to build something made out of so many metals, joints and scaffolding that could move organically. "This takes what is a craft, an artisanal process, and transforms it for automated mass production," says Pratheev Sreetharan, who co-developed the technique with J. Peter Whitney. The prototype is called the Monolithic Bee (or MoBee). These micro-robots, made from 18 layers of carbon fiber, Kapton, titanium, brass and ceramic within adhesive sheets, are capable of rising to bee form similar like a pop-up book. The science of the MoBee has huge implications for the creation of robots and devices in the future. Tell us in the comments below what you would build with this mass-production robotic technique. Thumbnail image courtesy of Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. |
| Where's the Beef? Scientists Turn Stem Cells into PETA-Approved Meat [VIDEO] | | Monday, February 20, 2012 7:06 PM | Alissa Skelton |
|  Hamburger meat could be grown in a test tube as soon October. In a bid to protect the environment, Dutch scientists are exploring lab-grown meat options. Fake meat might sound gross, but scientists say an alternative meat is essential. Raising cattle takes an enormous amount of water, feed and energy. All in all, about 100 pounds of resources is required to obtain 15 pounds of usable meat. Artificial meat could improve that efficiency by at least 35 percent. Mark Post, chairman of physiology at Maastricht University in the Netherlands, is conducting the $330,000 experiment, funded by an anonymous donor. He has begun transforming stem cells from a herd of cattle into inch-long strips of muscle tissue. The meat strips can be mashed together to create a hamburger patty. The color of the meat is wavers between whitish pink or pinkish yellow. The research has support from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), which is also urging scientists to create stem-cell chicken by the end of June for a $1 million prize. PETA's competition started four years ago. Like the red meat, the chicken would edible. PETA says it supports eating meat as long as the animal isn't killed or inhumanely treated. Post did not offer any information about the healthy benefits from the artificial meat and we don't know whether the meat tastes the same as regular meat. We do know that with less real meat going around, E. coli and other food borne illnesses would be reduced. Would you consider eating artificial meat hamburgers? Tell us in the comments below. Thumbnail photo courtesy of Flickr, Passive Income Dream.com |
| Upcoming iPhone App Lists 1001 Must-Read Books | | Monday, February 20, 2012 6:37 PM | AppAdvice |
|  For iPhone users who are also voracious readers, here’s something good to look forward to. An app based on the bestselling literary reference book "1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die" is soon to be released in the App Store. The 1001 Books App is the creation of John aka Arukiyomi. It is being developed in response to comments on John’s book blog asking him to create a native iOS app version of his popular downloadable spreadsheets conveniently listing the contents of the "1001 Books" book. The source book, edited by Peter Boxall, is essentially a list of 1001 novels, short story collections and other fictional formats chosen and profiled by a number of international literary critics. Although by no means a definitive compilation, it aims to be a guide for avid readers of fiction, as it has long been for John. And soon, with the release of the 1001 Books App, this reading list will be just a few taps away, along with such features as book information links and personalized statistics. The 1001 Books App is based on all available editions of "1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die." As a lifelong book lover, I spend a ridiculous amount of time browsing the classics and general fiction shelves of my favorite bookstore. Often I see an interesting title and immediately wonder whether it's included in the "1001 Books" list. What I tend do is to whip out my iPhone and go through a plain-text copy of the list that I saved in my Notes app. It's a rather troublesome task, so you can just imagine how delighted I am that a searchable and feature-packed app version of the list is coming soon. And I’m pretty sure that I am joined in my excitement by other book-loving iPhone users as well. The 1001 Books App launches in the App Store on Feb. 29. Upcoming App Lists 1001 Must-Read Books is a story by AppAdvice.comAppAdvice - iPhone, iPad, iPod, App Reviews + News |
| What's Your Bank Card PIN Number -- 1111 or 1234? [VIDEO] | | Monday, February 20, 2012 6:06 PM | Joann Pan |
|  You shouldn't be allowed to pick your own four-digit PIN numbers -- and banks should start blacklisting the most common PINs, according to a team of British computer security researchers. Too many bank accounts are protected by the numbers "1111" and "1234", their study found. Self-selected pins are so unsafe that if a thief were to steal enough wallets, he would be able to access a bank account with every 18th wallet -- or every 10th wallet, if the cards come from banks that allow you to choose your own PINs. This form of stealing is called "jackpotting," says to New York Times' Bits Blog. The Cambridge University Computer Laboratory team determined self-selected PINs were extremely vulnerable by examining 32 million passwords on the social gaming website RockYou. They also looked at iPhone log-in codes and answers collected from online survey of 1,100 participants. The study also found most people participant in many unsafe password practices. Over half of the participants shared their PINs with another person. One third of users use the same PIN for all credit/debit cards, and many users were seen to re-purpose PIN numbers for voicemail codes and Internet passwords. SEE ALSO: 25 Worst Passwords of 2011/a> As a part of the experiment, members of the team went out to the streets with a list of common passwords. Five out of 20 people stopped on the street said they saw their PIN numbers on the page of most common passwords. Many used their date of birth, proving birthday-based guessing is the most effective strategy for thieves. Researchers warn you should not use your birth date, in case you lose your wallet along with your identification cards. The study found 99% of people carried something that stated their birthdate in their wallet. Image courtesy of Flickr, Elizabeth Hudy Photography |
| Even on $15,000 a Year, Most Young People Buy Smartphones [STUDY] | | Monday, February 20, 2012 4:08 PM | Sarah Kessler |
|  When a twentysomething's budget is tight, her smartphone is far from the first expense to go, suggests a new study from Nielsen. The survey of 20,000 U.S. mobile customers found that smartphone ownership skews toward the young and the wealthy -- exactly as you'd expect. What is more surprising, however, is this nugget: smartphone penetration among young people in the lowest income bracket is higher than it is among older people in the wealthiest bracket. Among 18- to 24-year-olds, more than half of respondents who make less than $15,000 each year said they own a smartphone. This might be explained if the parents of many college-age students footing their children's phone bills. Still, even in the next oldest, post-college age group, the percentage of those in the same income bracket who own a smartphone was a mere 13% lower. Making less than $15,000 in a year doesn't stop 43% of these 25- to 34-year-old mobile customers from paying for a smartphone. Meanwhile, fewer than 20% of respondents older than 45 who make less than $15,000 said they owned a smartphone. Older people were less likely to own smartphones than younger people in every income bracket, but it's still telling that so many young people are making room in tight budgets for what many consider to be a luxury expense. It suggests that many young people count smartphones as a necessity. |
| Look Out, Kindle Fire: Barnes & Noble to Launch Cheaper Nook This Week [REPORT] | | Monday, February 20, 2012 3:53 PM | Lauren Indvik |
|  Is Barnes & Noble launching an 8GB Android tablet to compete with Amazon's Kindle Fire tablet? The bookseller is planning to release a smaller edition of the Nook Tablet this week, if a leaked memo from Walmart is to be believed. The memo, obtained by The Verge, says that a Nook 8GB tablet is currently arriving in stores and will be available for purchase the morning of Wednesday, Feb. 22. In terms of specs, the current Nook Tablet and Kindle Fire are nearly identical: both are Android tablets with 7-inch, 1024-by-600 screens, and have 1GHz dual-core processors, access to Wi-Fi, more than eight hours of battery life, built-in microphones, etc. The Nook Tablet, however, comes with double the storage (16 GB vs. 8 GB) and is $50 more expensive. Presumably, the new, lower-storage option will allow Barnes & Noble to compete with the Kindle Fire not just on specs, but also on price. In Barnes & Noble's latest earnings call, CEO William Lynch said the company's Nook family of tablets experienced record sales during the nine-week holiday period at the end of 2011. In fact, that segment is doing so well that the company is considering spinning off the Nook business altogether. Digital content sales for 2012 are expected to be around $450 million, with the annualized forecast between $700 million and $750 million, according to Barnes & Noble's own estimates. Amazon also reported record-breaking holiday sales of Kindle tablets and ereaders. More than 4 million devices were sold altogether during the season. |
| Why You Should Sell Your iPad 2 Now [CHART] | | Monday, February 20, 2012 2:32 PM | Lauren Indvik |
|  Apple hasn't yet confirmed the existence of the iPad 3, but first and second-generation iPad owners are already rushing to sell their devices based on reports that the iPad 3 will debut in March. Why the rush? Consumers who sold their original iPads before the iPad 2 was announced were able to fetch higher prices from eBay, and resellers such as Gazelle and NextWorth, than those who waited to list theirs until after the iPad 2 arrived in stores. For example: in March 2011, immediately after the announcement unveiling the iPad 2, my colleague Christina Warren and I were able to sell our 32GB iPads on Gazelle for around $550 each. But just hours later, the asking price had dropped to the $300 range. Here's a chart, courtesy of NextWorth, that shows the drop in secondhand iPad prices around the time of the iPad 2 launch on eBay: Thus, if you're certain you want to upgrade to the iPad 3, you might want to sell your used iPad now. And if you're not that impressed with the iPad 3? You could still pick up another secondhand version for a lot less money on eBay in a few weeks. Image courtesy of iStockphoto, wdstock |
| Why Veterans Are a Good Fit for Tech Jobs [INFOGRAPHIC] | | Monday, February 20, 2012 12:55 PM | Lauren Drell |
|  Unemployment numbers are down, but there are 220,000 military veterans who are still looking for work. Though these vets are having a tough time finding jobs, they're actually well equipped to work in the tech sector -- many vets are skilled in computer security, SQL and troubleshooting. Some employers are reluctant to hire those in the National Guard or Army Reserve, due to the required time off for service or training. But these employers could earn a tax credit upward of $9,600 for hiring veterans. These tax credits and an improving job market could help the American economy achieve First Lady Michelle Obama's goal of hiring 100,000 veterans and military spouses by 2014. Tech companies such as Microsoft and Google have stepped up to the plate thus far. The infographic below, produced by Payscale, points out tech jobs commonly filled by veterans, lists common skills of veterans and shows why veterans are a good fit in the tech sector. 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! Senior Web Developer at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City Social Media Metrics Specialist at Imagination in Chicago Product Manager - Local Business Products at Yelp in San Francisco |
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