Mashable: Latest 26 News Updates - including “Apple Store Down, Wild Speculations Abound”

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• Apple Store Down, Wild Speculations Abound
• Nexus One Gets Live Phone Support, Sort Of
• Foursquare Inks Deals With Major Media and Entertainment Brands
• Music Ownership Beats Music Subscription in Reader Poll
• Twins Discover Teenage Brother’s Death on Facebook
• From “Eraserhead” to MMS: David Lynch Goes Mobile
• Netflix Instant Streaming Goes 1080p This Year [Updated]
• Tell Us Your Favorite Super Bowl Moment, Win a FLO TV [CONTEST]
• Super Bowl Ads: Hulu’s Winners and Losers [STATS]
• New Update to Give Droid Multitouch
• Rumor: iPhone 4G Will Be Taller Than Predecessors [PICS]
• Barnes & Noble Nook on Shelves Wednesday
• 5 Insightful TED Talks on Social Media
• Free Music Monday: 10 Free Downloads for Your Collection
• Bandize: Manage Your Band Like a Business
• Onion Ring More Popular Than Justin Bieber in Latest Facebook Meme
• 5 Levels of Effective Communication in the Social Media Age
• Google Could Unveil Gmail’s Social Features Tomorrow
• Social Media Score Card: How the Super Bowl Advertisers Performed
• HUGE: Google Set to Make Gmail Social With Status Update Features
• EA Sports to Bring Madden to Facebook
• Dunkin’ Donuts Wants You to Create Its Next Donut
• Loopt and Mobile Spinach Team Up for Location-Based Deals
• TweetDeck Brings YouTube and Flickr Inside the Client
• The Top 10 Most Watched Web Series, January 2010
• Google is Working on Speech-to-Speech Translation for Android
• Mashable’s Weekly Social Media Event Guide

Apple Store Down, Wild Speculations Abound Posted: 09 Feb 2010 04:40 AM PST Whenever Apple Store goes down, it’s a moment of geek bliss, especially if you like Apple products. What will Apple launch this time? Will they just announce minor changes to some of their Macbooks, or do they have something really interesting in store for us this time? In any case, the Store is down now, so feel free to share your guesses on what’s coming once it goes back up again. Let’s just hope it’s not common maintenance. Tags: apple, Apple Store

Nexus One Gets Live Phone Support, Sort Of Posted: 09 Feb 2010 12:51 AM PST There’s no denying it: Google’s Nexus One, although being one of the best Android-based smartphones on the market, isn’t selling well. One of the reasons behind sluggish sales is lack of true customer support. Who does an owner of a Nexus One turn to in case of trouble? HTC, the phone’s manufacturer, mobile network operator, or Google itself? This issue is still not solved, but at least now Google gave customers live phone support. Live phone support is available at 888-48NEXUS (63987) and it works from 07:00am to 10:00pm PST; unfortunately, you can’t request tech support, as this line seems to be limited to status and shipping issues. Furthermore, as an international user, my best bet is still going through online forums in case of problems. Google is getting better at this, as they finally realized that providing proper support for a smartphone is a not as easy as launching a support website. Still, Google has a long way to go to make Nexus One users really happy. Reviews: Google Tags: Google, nexus one, smartphone

Foursquare Inks Deals With Major Media and Entertainment Brands Posted: 08 Feb 2010 10:28 PM PST Hello, Hollywood. On the heels of the Foursquare-Bravo TV deal, news of several additional major media partnerships involving the location-based social networking app have dropped this evening. According to various reports, Zagat, Warner Bros., HBO, the History Channel and ExploreChicago have all been added to Foursquare’s media and entertainment mix. Here are the partnerships that appear to be live or coming very soon: Zagat The New York Times is reporting that Foursquare has signed a deal with trusted restaurant review service Zagat. Zagat’s official Foursquare page is already live and includes official Zagat rated tips and recommendations that users can add as to-do’s to their Foursquare experience. Zagat is calling the partnership, “Foodie Love,” and there’s even a new accompanying foodie badge. What’s also interesting is that Zagat.com is extending the partnership beyond Foursquare and starting a “Meet the Mayor” online interview series that will feature discussions with prominent Foursquare mayors. Foursquare’s relationship with Zagat is clearly an answer to Yelp’s introduction of check-ins, especially given the trusted and prestigious nature of Zagat content. Warner Bros. Earlier this evening we received some intel in our inbox about a Warner Bros. partnership with Foursquare around the studio’s upcoming movie, Valentine’s Day. Per Foursquare’s other big media partners, the deal includes content in the form of tips and to-dos, but these are themed around romance and Valentine’s Day activities. Of course, it wouldn’t be Foursquare without a badge to go with the campaign. The Valentine’s Day Foursquare page includes text that reads, “Visit and check-in on Foursquare at any of the locations on our Valentine’s Day inspired list of the most romantic places in New York City, San Francisco, Chicago, Los Angeles and Boston to get a Valentine’s Day badge! Then go see the movie, in theaters on February 12!” HBO We found HBO’s Foursquare How to Make it in America page via AdAge. The series premieres on February 14th, and although HBO isn’t ready to go on the record about their Foursquare relationship, a page packed with show-related tips is already live. The deal appears to be structured in a similar fashion as the others, and includes the addition of show-specific badges for “Culture, Living, Cocktails, and Nightlife.” The idea seems to be that viewers can turn fiction into reality and live like the show’s main characters, Ben and Cam, who are “two enterprising Brooklyn twentysomethings as they hustle their way through New York City, determined to achieve the American Dream.” More Major Media Deals AdAge is also reporting that the History Channel is exploring similar options with Foursquare, and thanks to a tip sent in via email, we uncovered an ExploreChicago page that is reminiscent of Metro News’ relationship with the location-based game. ExploreChicago happens to be Chicago’s official tourism site, and the deal includes three Chicago-themed Foursquare badges (which we believe to be the ones above) that users can unlock by checking-in across the city. Tags: entertainment, explorechicago, Film, foursquare, hbo, MARKETING, media, social media, trending, tv, warner bros, zagat

Music Ownership Beats Music Subscription in Reader Poll Posted: 08 Feb 2010 07:27 PM PST In last week’s Faceoff Series we asked about music consumption models: Do Mashable readers prefer to own their entire music collections or do some of you gravitate toward subscription services? One week later and the results are in: Ownership wins the day at a full 50% of the vote. Of all our past Faceoffs, though, this edition had one of the highest “tie” votes constituting people who really like both models. The music subscription model still came in second place behind ownership at 28% of the vote, but the “Tie: I like them both!” option was very close behind at 22%. The results seem to indicate both a growing contingent of folks warming up to the idea of music subscription services, and the idea that there could be room in the market for both approaches to be sustainable business models. Which option got your vote in our poll, and why? Let us know in the comments! Reviews: poll Tags: music, polls, social media, subscription, web faceoff

Twins Discover Teenage Brother’s Death on Facebook Posted: 08 Feb 2010 05:45 PM PST This isn’t the way you should learn about the death of your 17 year old brother. According to Sydney’s The Daily Telegraph, twins Angela and Maryanne Vourlis had just woken up on their 20th birthday. Like most young adults, they logged onto Facebook to check their walls and inboxes for birthday greetings. Instead of finding happy birthday wishes, the two twins found messages of “RIP Bobby” (their brother) and “RIP Chris Naylor” (a friend of his) all across their Facebook news feeds. Completely shocked, baffled, and hurt, the two rang their brother’s phone in the hopes it was a mistake. It was to no avail. Next, they rang their mother. While she didn’t receive any word from the police or others about Bobby or Chris Naylor, she did know that Bobby was with his friend that night. After a call to the police, they confirmed what they had learned on Facebook: that Bobby Vourlis was dead. He passed away along with Chris Naylor in a fatal car accident that also took the life of a third teenage passenger. You can read the whole heartbreaking story over at the Daily Telegraph, but it’s clear that the real-time nature of the web spread information far faster than even the police or phone calls could. While we understand it takes time to identify victims and send an officer to a residence to inform family of the news, the process can simply take too long in today’s world. We offer our condolences to both families for the tragedy they are enduring. We could not imagine learning about it the way they did. [via CNET] Reviews: Facebook Tags: Brothers, death, facebook, Twins

From “Eraserhead” to MMS: David Lynch Goes Mobile Posted: 08 Feb 2010 05:26 PM PST Award-winning director (and three-time Oscar nominee) David Lynch (of Blue Velvet and Twin Peaks fame) and the David Lynch Foundation Television have teamed up with mobile video marketer Mogreet to bring video MMS messages to Lynch fans. We spoke with Mogreet and the David Lynch Foundation about the technology, the purpose of the campaign and how the DLF is using social media and technology to further its message. Spreading a Message With Mobile Video The ever-increasing pace of smartphone adoption only underscores the growing importance of mobility. As we’ve seen with everything from mobile app stores to the Red Cross’s text message for Haiti campaign, mobile is an extremely valuable platform for brands and nonprofits to get their messages across. Video is an important communication driver, too, and when you combine the two technologies together, you end up with something potentially amazing. Last month, we wrote about Thwapr, a company that specializes in doing mobile-to-mobile video. We see mobile video messaging as something that’s only going to continue to grow, especially as more and more companies realize just how many users are able to actually view video on their phones. One of the companies that is really focused on mobile video marketing is Mogreet. Mogreet works with companies so that they can send video MMS messages to users that request their information. Because virtually every mobile phone sold since 2005 or so can support MMS messages that include video playback, the potential audience for these sorts of messages is huge. I spoke with James Citron, the CEO of Mogreet, and he told me that the company has more than 2,700 device profiles in its database, meaning that if you have a cell phone, chances are, it can play one of Mogreet’s video MMS messages. Each video is encoded in a variety of different formats and it is sent to phones in the best format for that phone, so that users of an iPhone get a different experience than someone using a Motorola Razr, but each user gets the best possible experience for his or her device. While this has primarily been used for commercial advertisers, Mogreet is interested in getting into the non-profit space too, because that’s perhaps an even better market for this sort of service. Think about it, what if you could donate and then get a video message back showing someone who is helped by your donation saying thanks? Or what if you could see what is going on in Haiti or some other place that needs aid? The non-profit organization’s message might be that much more powerful. After all, images often speak louder than words. To that end, Mogreet decided to work with the David Lynch Foundation and bring some of Lynch’s talents — and messages — to his fans. David Lynch Goes Mobile The David Lynch Foundation Television is dedicated to documenting programs that awaken creativity and transform lives. To that end, the foundation has a website, DLF.TV, that has lots of video content of David Lynch and of people the Foundation has helped, as well as of other artists and friends who have support the Foundation’s vision. The first mobile video message that the DLF will be sending to fans is of a short film that Lynch directed featuring the musician and artist Ariana Delawari. Delawari’s debut album, Lion of Panjshir was recorded in Kabul and Los Angeles, and reflects the cultures of both places. Delawari’s decision to return to Afghanistan in 2007 to record the album influenced her work and its overall sound. Like Lynch, Delawari is a student of transcendental mediation and like Lynch, it has also influenced her life and her work. Lynch directed a six-minute short showing off Delawari’s style and voice. The style is unmistakable Lynch, from the background to the sound mix to the camera angles. It’s also a piece that works well when viewing on the web or on a mobile phone. To spread the word about Delawari — and to kick off a mobile-type of initiative — fans can text ‘LYNCH’ to 647338. It’s an interesting approach to spread a message from an always-interesting director. It’s also something we expect to be a growing trend, especially as nonprofits start to embrace the power of mobile. What do you think about mobile video? Are you a fan of David Lynch? What do you think of this initiative? Let us know! Reviews: video Tags: david lynch, MMS, Mobile 2.0, video, video messaging, web video

Netflix Instant Streaming Goes 1080p This Year [Updated] Posted: 08 Feb 2010 04:22 PM PST Update: Netflix contacted CNET and retracted its statement regarding plans for 1080p streaming, saying it has no plans for 1080p this year. However, the company stood its ground on the 5.1 surround sound plans, so you can still keep your ears open for that upgrade. – Netflix plans to bump the video quality of its Watch Instantly streaming service up to 1080p on some devices, CNET claims. It will also roll out 5.1 surround sound support. Both upgrades will occur by next year. Currently, Netflix Watch Instantly is available in 720p HD on the Xbox 360, the PlayStation 3, and some set-top boxes. 1080p is a much higher resolution, and the existing devices don’t stream Netflix content with 5.1 surround sound. Netflix’s CEO has in the past predicted that streaming will overtake DVD-by-mail as the company’s main business. The library keeps on growing — for example, the Criterion Collection just contributed a ton of art-house and foreign films — and the number of devices you can watch the content on is growing too. No time frame for the upgrade has been given, but the core technology that powers Netflix Watch Instantly — Microsoft Silverlight — got the capability last year. You can already watch 1080p streams on the Xbox 360 through the Zune Marketplace using Silverlight. In some ways, streaming stole HD’s thunder. While the high definition digital video disc format Blu-ray was counting on viewers’ interest in quality, it turned out that more users have been interested in the convenience of watching content when and where they want. That has meant a sacrifice in resolution among other things, but 1080p Netflix is a first step towards closing the gap between quality and convenience. The highly compressed 1080p streams that are possible over the United States’ broadband infrastructure are still not high enough on the quality scale to beat Blu-ray head-to-head, but they will still be better than most people are used to. Reviews: Blu, Netflix Watch Instantly Tags: 1080p, netflix

Tell Us Your Favorite Super Bowl Moment, Win a FLO TV [CONTEST] Posted: 08 Feb 2010 03:48 PM PST What was your favorite moment during the Super Bowl? Was it the fast-paced game or the ads that got your attention? If the ads caught your eye, which moment stood out for you? If it was the game, which play was most memorable? Why did it stick with you? We want to know! FLO TV, which ran its “Moments” commercial as one of the Super Bowl ads this year, has provided three FLO TV Personal Televisions (value: $290 each with 6 months free service) as prizes for this contest. To enter, leave a comment on this post telling us your favorite Super Bowl moment of 2010, either during the game or the ads. We’ll pick three winners based on the originality, humor and creativity of your comment. Because FLO TV works in the US, this contest is US-only. The contest will run for 24 hours and winners will be notified via email by Friday February 12. About the Prize: FLO TV Personal Television The FLO TV is a way to watch TV on the go. Here’s how the company describes the device: FLO TV brings live mobile TV to the small screen. The FLO TV service combines the best content, an intuitive user interface and a superior multicast network to deliver a true quality TV viewing experience for consumers. FLO TV offers full–length simulcast and time–shifted programming from the world's best entertainment brands, including ABC, CBS, CNBC, COMEDY CENTRAL, Disney Channel, ESPN, FOX, FOX News Channel, FOX Sports, FUEL TV, MSNBC, MTV, NBC 2Go and many more. The FLO TV Personal Television is available through Amazon.com, Best Buy and RadioShack among other leading retailers at a suggested MSRP of $199 and comes with 6 months free service, for a total retail value of about $288.94 USD. Disclosures: FLO TV is not a Mashable sponsor or partner. Mashable and its staff receive no payment or incentives for running this contest. Image courtesy of iStockphoto, Willard Reviews: Mashable, iStockphoto Tags: contest, flo tv, moments, Super Bowl, Superbowl

Super Bowl Ads: Hulu’s Winners and Losers [STATS] Posted: 08 Feb 2010 03:26 PM PST We’ve already looked at how on-air Super Bowl advertisers fared with audiences during the Big Game, but how did online viewers react to the spots? Check out which ads were the biggest winners — or losers — with the Hulu crowd. The 2010 Super Bowl was a big win for more than just the New Orleans Saints, CBS scored big-time, too, garnering the biggest Super Bowl audience on record, and, with 106 million U.S. households tuned in, the most-watched television program of all time. That means a lot of eyes were on the ads — both online and on-air. And now more than ever, we can ascertain almost instantly how these commercials resonated with viewers. Similar to YouTube’s AdBlitz channel, Hulu’s AdZone features all of the nationwide Super Bowl spots and lets viewers vote, Siskel & Ebert-style (that’s thumbs-up or thumbs-down) on which ads worked and which ads fell flat. You can even see how many users from different demographics and locations liked or disliked certain ads, and you can compare those metrics with other ads. Hulu explains the whole process in its blog, and voting continues until tomorrow night should you choose to check it out. Still, Hulu shared some of the rating charts with us (at least as they stand right now), and we think the results are pretty interesting: Motorola clearly scored big time with its Megan Fox photo ad. Why? Not only is it the most-viewed commercial, it is the fifth most “liked” ad and the third most “disliked” ad. That’s some pretty serious buzz. Other big winners? Doritos’ “House Rules” ad got high marks from viewers and racked up the online views. Likewise, Google’s big Super Bowl ad played well with audiences and got lots of views. Proving that controversy does indeed lead to viewership, Focus on the Family’s Tim Tebow ad is one of the most watched, even if it is also the most disliked. What was your favorite ad from the Big Show? Least favorite? Let us know! Reviews: Hulu Tags: ads, hulu, MARKETING, Super Bowl, super bowl as, video

New Update to Give Droid Multitouch Posted: 08 Feb 2010 03:15 PM PST There’s some good news and some bad news. First, the good news: sources tell Engadget that multitouch browsing will be added to the Motorola Droid in its next software update. Multitouch was one of the most requested features on Android, at least until the Nexus One gained multitouch browsing last week. The bad news: the update won’t add the ability to install live wallpapers, a coveted feature of Android 2.1 seen in the Nexus One. The point of live wallpaper is essentially to let your homescreen behave like an application, making it animated and interactive. Live wallpapers have the same access to the platform functionality that apps do, giving your homescreen the ability to change dynamically and to bring relevant information to the background of your phone. There’s no word on when or even if the Droid might support live wallpaper, but it looks like it won’t be included in this upcoming update. Other tidbits from the new build — based on Android 2.1 version 1 — include pre-installed Google Goggles experimental visual search, and versions of the news and weather widgets first included with the Nexus One. The official word on the street from Motorola is that the new update will roll out this week, so it won’t be long now before Droid users finally get to enjoy the multitouch browsing experience their Nexus One counterparts have been privy to since last week. Reviews: Android Tags: android, android 2.1, droid, live wallpaper, Motorola, multitouch, verizon

Rumor: iPhone 4G Will Be Taller Than Predecessors [PICS] Posted: 08 Feb 2010 02:49 PM PST iPhone repair shop iResQ claims that it has the front panel component of the next iteration of Apple’s iPhone, and it has posted a few photos to demonstrate a couple of ways the handset will differ from its predecessor. If these pics are legit, then the new iPhone will actually be one-fourth of an inch taller than all of the previous three models. Presumably this is to make room for a new component — or more than one new component. iResQ also observes that the front panel has a “reflective, mirror-like surface” near the top of the phone, and speculates that this is a relocated proximity sensor. The current iPhone’s proximity sensor is used to detect when you’re holding the phone up to your ear. If you are, it shuts off the screen to save battery life and to avoid blinding you with light. If the reflective surface is the proximity sensor, then Apple might be planning to use the sensor for other functions as well. If Apple is planning to launch a new iPhone this year, it will likely be announced at WWDC this June. We’ll have to wait until then to see if these photos are real. Take a look at the photos below, but remember that it’s best to pile this in with the rest of the rumors for now. [via MacRumors] Reviews: iPhone Tags: apple, iphone, iphone 4g, trending

Barnes & Noble Nook on Shelves Wednesday Posted: 08 Feb 2010 02:38 PM PST While the Nook — Barnes & Noble’s $259 e-reader and Kindle rival — has been available for purchase online since November, it has yet to be sold in the company’s brick-and-mortar stores. Come Wednesday, however, that will all change. The New York Times is reporting, “Barnes & Noble, the country's largest bookselling chain, said that its Nook electronic reading device would be available for purchase in its stores starting Wednesday.” Barnes & Noble originally made a big splash with its Nook announcement in late October, but its digital book reader has since been met with mixed reviews and suffered from stock shortage problems around the holidays. The push to finally get the Nook in Barnes & Noble stores is likely the result of the hoopla involving Apple’s iPad. As Google is learning via lackluster Nexus One sales, consumers haven’t exactly embraced the online-only purchase model when it comes to electronics. With its physical debut coming several months prior to the iPad’s, Barnes & Noble might have an opportunity to land key sales before consumers can hold the iPad for themselves. Tags: barnes & noble, ereader, nook

5 Insightful TED Talks on Social Media Posted: 08 Feb 2010 02:29 PM PST The 2010 Technology Entertainment Design conference will be kicking off tomorrow in Long Beach, California, bringing the leading minds of many fields together to talk shop about innovation, change, and what the future holds. As social media has become a game changer for industries across the board, you can bet the experts at this year’s TED conference will have their sights set on peeling back the hype and getting at the core of what social technology has in store for this year and beyond. Perhaps the best part of the TED conferences is that videos of the talks are archived and free to view right on the organization’s website. Given the wealth of insight we’re sure to see tomorrow, we thought we’d whet your appetite by highlighting a few recent and exceptional talks from TED’s past, with a focus on social media. 1. Alexis Ohanian: How To Make a Splash in Social Media We’ll start things off with a real-life social media parable about how the biggest and most effective forces on the web usually take shape by accident. Alexis Ohanian of Reddit.com tells the quick and hilarious story of how the social web provided some unexpected help to Greenpeace in halting the Japanese whaling industry. Internet marketers take note: The meme is all powerful, and it cannot be controlled. 2. Clay Shirky: How Social Media Can Make History In this talk, consultant, professor and author Clay Shirky discusses the unprecedented immediacy of real-time citizen journalism made possible by social media and the nearly ubiquitous access to mobile web technologies. From the election crisis in Iran to the massive earthquake that shook China in May of 2008, Shirky discusses how media is made on the ground, as-it-happens, via the social web. 3. Evan Williams: Listening to Twitter Users With a couple of anecdotes building the ultimate social media case study, Twitter co-founder Evan Williams discusses how a little side project called Twitter became a game-changing phenomenon with the help and input of the very users who made the service a success. From innovative marketing uses to core functionality, Williams provides the evidence for what we knew all along: Users know best. 4. Stefana Broadbent: How the Internet Enables Intimacy As social media changes our social lives, speculation has abounded for years on how the web may be disconnecting us from intimate interactions in favor of meaningless quests to rack up followers and “friends.” Not so, says Stefana Broadbent, who explains that social networks function the same way online as they do in real life. While we may have lots of friends, we only really communicate regularly and meaningfully with a handful of them, and social technologies like e-mail, texting, and tweeting allow us to do so more often across time and space. 5. Seth Godin: The Tribes We Lead From professional sports mascots to balloon animal makers, some communities are so extremely niche that they could only properly thrive on the Internet. So argues blogger and author Seth Godin, who believes that our revolutionary new connectedness has brought human culture back to its roots, and that tribes (groups of people mobilized around a shared interest) are the present and future of all web content. What are your favorite TED talks about social media? Which did we miss? Let us know in the comments. Reviews: Iran , Twitter, reddit.com Tags: future, List, Lists, social media, social networks, technology, TED, TED Talks, twitter, video

Free Music Monday: 10 Free Downloads for Your Collection Posted: 08 Feb 2010 02:07 PM PST In this week’s Free Music Monday we offer you 10 free downloadable MP3s (or the occasional full album) for your eclectic listening pleasure. If you haven’t checked out Free Music Monday before, we’re giving away free and legal tracks in honor of the #musicmonday tradition on Twitter. We also gladly accept your submissions for Free Music Monday — please find information about how to submit your tracks or music from artists you represent at the end of this post. Now without further ado, let’s roll some tracks! 1. [DOWNTEMPO] Cosmo D’s Sauce: “Metroid (Brynstar)” — Jazzy horns and downtempo beats from one of several acts from the Brooklyn-based Smoothe Moose label and artist collective. Right-click to download this track, and grab lots more from Smoothe Moose’s mixtapes at Soundcloud. The We Love Video Game Music sampler featuring this track is also embedded below for streaming and download. Smoothe Moose Mixtape #3 – We Love Video Game Music by smoothemoose 2. [OPERA] The Knife: “Colouring of Pigeons” — It’s The Knife like they’ve been heard before. Right-click to snag a track from the electro-opera the brother and sister duo were commissioned to compose, Tomorrow, In a Year, based on the infamous Charles Darwin text The Origin of Species. The digital release on the 92-minute opera is out now, with the two-CD physical album to arrive March 1. 3. [STONER ROCK] Ancestors: “The Ambrose Law” — If you like Sabbath-influenced progressive rock, right-click to check out this track from L.A.’s Ancestors. [via Stoner Rock] 4. [ELECTRONICA] Four Tet: “Essential Mix” — Almost two hours’ worth of mixes and remixes are included in this set from UK’s Kieran Hebden, better known as Four Tet. Download the entire set from Soundcloud or from the streaming player below. Essential mix (January 2010) by Four Tet 5. [ROCK] Martha and the Muffins: “Don’t Say Anything” — To get your free download from the recently released new album Delicate (their first studio release in 18 years), head on over to MatM’s site to sign up for the mailing list and get a copy of “Don’t Say Anything” from these Toronto-based rockers. 6. [INDIE] Thunderhawk: “King Basement” — Get your right-click on to snag a track from the forthcoming VI release from Indianapolis’ Thunderhawk, slated to drop in March. Check out more about the band on their MySpace page and at Standard Recording. 7. [EXPERIMENTAL] Primary Colors of Sound: “bAg” — Chill, downtempo beats characterize this experimental electronic outfit, who offer a free download of the track “bAg” along with several others on their iLike artist page. 8. [GUITAR ROCK] Gary Reynolds and the Brides of Obscurity: “Three Angels” — Songwriter, guitarist and Electrokitty Studios owner Gary Reynolds has embarked on an ambitious plan to release a new track per week and a full-length album every month in 2010. New tracks go up every Monday, and you can always download the latest on Gary and the band’s website. This week’s track is “Three Angels,” described as “religion and spacemen done to a Zeppelin style groove and a nice backwards guitar solo.” 9. [DUBSTEP] Derivate: “L2 (Beto Narme’s Dense Subspace Remix)” — Netlabel Sublime Porte from Istanbul offers this remix (right-click to download) of Derivate’s recent EP, Lagrange Points I. You can also download the release in its entirety at Sublime Porte, plus follow the label for future releases on Twitter. 10. [SINGER/SONGWRITER] GarageSpin: “Spinning Daydream” — This track about “embracing all experiences in life, good and bad” from singer/songwriter and music blogger Mike B, recording and blogging as GarageSpin, is available for the low cost of your right-click. Snag another free track and free stream from the GarageSpin Music page. As always, thank you for tuning in to Free Music Monday! If you like this feature, please help us out by sharing it with your music-loving friends. You can always find the latest edition of this feature by hitting up the Free Music Monday tag page, so please check back. We’ve appended the list of past Free Music Mondays at the end of this post in case you missed any of the back catalog. Big thanks to everyone for the great submissions we’re getting. If you sent us tracks and we haven’t featured them yet, stay tuned for a future Free Music Monday. If you’d like to submit tracks for yourself or an artist you represent, give us a shout at barb AT mashable DOT com. Be sure to send us an MP3 or two we can use (no more than 25MB file size total please) or send us a link to listen to tracks you’re willing to provide as a free download. Thanks everyone! P.S. Bonus tip: They’re not “free” but they are low cost — be sure to check out Amazon’s 100 albums for $5 through February. Free Music Monday Back Catalog - Alternative Rock Edition - Covers, Remixes, and Mashups Edition - Electronica Edition - Free Downloads for Your Ears (Feb. 1, 2010) - Fresh and Free Downloads (Jan. 25, 2010) - Hip-hop Edition - Labor Day Edition - Live Edition - Rock and Pop Edition - Singer-Songwriter Edition - Video Edition - Your Submissions Edition - Your Submissions, All Downloads Edition Reviews: Opera Tags: downloads, free music monday, mp3s, music

Bandize: Manage Your Band Like a Business Posted: 08 Feb 2010 01:18 PM PST This post is part of Mashable’s Spark of Genius series, which highlights a unique feature of startups. If you would like to have your startup considered for inclusion, please see the details here. The series is made possible by Microsoft BizSpark. Name: Bandize Quick Pitch: Online DIY organization and management business tools for musicians, bands, band managers and record labels. Genius Idea: Bandize, which will be unveiled at South By Southwest, is an idea so sharp that you’re likely to wonder why it hasn’t already been done. And to some extent, it has; many of its features have appeared in web or desktop apps before, but not in such a complete and cohesive package. Managing an independent music act (like, say, a punk rock band) is like owning a small business. Bandize helps managers and band members collaborate on all the critical data related to their work, from merchandise sales to event schedules to important contact information. If you already know the world of online workplace collaboration tools, think of it as a Basecamp or Backpack for bands. Tasks can be assigned to band members and you can track their productivity to make sure every one is pulling his or her weight. And if someone pitches in a little extra — like if he or she lends the band some money for gas — you can keep track of that and make sure that person is compensated. The obvious features are all here, of course. You can schedule tour dates and track how much money you’ve made with merchandise sales. But one feature that sets Bandize apart is the ability to track how well each piece of merchandise is selling at each venue. You can see if one T-shirt tends to be more popular than another when your band plays in Austin so you can plan to bring more of that same merch the next time you have a date there. You can also use Bandize to manage your contacts. If someone is associated with a particular venue, you can tag him or her with that venue, and when you print out day sheets at each venue, his or her contact info will be included. If you already have a lot of contacts, you can import them from various sources like Outlook, Google Contacts or a vcard. There are a bunch of other smaller features like poster printing, file storage, and more accounting and contact management tools. Bandize is currently in beta testing, and you can get a 30-day trial for your band right now. After the trial, it will cost $15 each month. Sponsored by Microsoft BizSpark BizSpark is a startup program that gives you three-year access to the latest Microsoft development tools, as well as connecting you to a nationwide network of investors and incubators. There are no upfront costs, so if your business is privately owned, less than three years old, and generates less than U.S.$1 million in annual revenue, you can sign up today. Entrepreneurs can take advantage of the Azure Services platform for their website hosting and storage needs. Microsoft recently announced the “new CloudApp()” contest – use the Azure Services Platform for hosting your .NET or PHP app, and you could be the lucky winner of a USD 5000* (please see website for official rules and guidelines)." Reviews: PHP Tags: bandize, bizspark, music, startups

Onion Ring More Popular Than Justin Bieber in Latest Facebook Meme Posted: 08 Feb 2010 12:42 PM PST Forget doppelgangers and Urban Dictionary definitions, the newest Facebook meme is, undoubtedly, “Can this [Insert random thing] Get More Fans Than [Insert Famous Person]?” The latest victim? Pop singer Justin Bieber, who is apparently much beloved with the young folks (and their mothers). The victor? An onion ring. The fried food thoroughly trounced the Canadian pop star on February 6, according to the fan page, which was created by Facebook user Toby Brittan. Bieber Fan Count: 1,648,758 fans Onion Ring Fan Count: 2,152,536 fans Brittan founded the page on February 1, and according to The Independent, the 16-year-old — who is the son of British businesswoman Sharon Brittan — has even been approached by advertisers wanting to strike up some business on the page. Similar pages and spin-offs are already in abundance. In fact, the onion ring soon went on to beat out Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Despite these political aspirations, the meme mostly targets pop culture figures such as Miley Cyrus and The Jonas Brothers, as well as the Twilight films. The challengers? Everything from purple monsters to sausage rolls. My personal favorite? “Can This Pickle Get More Fans Than Nickleback [sic]?” The answer? Dear God, I hope so. Reviews: Facebook, twilight Tags: facebook, humor, justin bieber, memes, pop culture

5 Levels of Effective Communication in the Social Media Age Posted: 08 Feb 2010 12:23 PM PST Soren Gordhamer is the organizer of the Wisdom 2.0 Conference, which brings together staff from Google, Facebook, and Twitter with others to explore living wisely in our modern age. Mashable readers can use code 'Mashable' for a discount when registering. In the era of social media, our networks are much larger than they have ever been, and we have more ways to communicate with those in them. Even if you are not very active on Facebook or Twitter, my guess is that your sphere of communication has expanded significantly in recent years. Who you communicate with and how you communicate has changed radically. This new connected era brings both opportunities and challenges. In the past we had a set of contacts, all of whom generally knew how to reach us — via phone, e-mail, or regular mail. Today, thanks in large part to social media, we have many different levels of communication, each with a specific purpose and etiquette. When we do not understand the role of these levels, they can become huge time wasters. When we do understand them however, they can help us more effectively engage and navigate these new waters. Level 1: The Public Reply Just about everyone, including Bill Gates (who if you have not heard, recently joined Twitter), has learned the importance of having both a means to communicate with people, and a channel where people can respond. Though you can do this on Facebook through comments on Fan pages and in groups, this seems most applicable to Twitter, where people use @replies to send and receive short, publicly viewable messages. The public reply provides an open and transparent channel for people to interact with public figures, brands, and each other, without the pressure of response that comes with e-mail. Public interactions are a great starting point for engagement that never existed before social media, and if done correctly, can often lead to more fruitful direct communication. Level 2: The Direct Message Once a relationship is established through public communication, the next step is often a direct message within a social network. A direct message creates a private connection without opening the floodgates of e-mail. In fact, in may even be preferable to e-mail in the long term. Why? Especially with Twitter, a DM has a character limit, and can only come from people you follow. If you have ten e-mails (of unlimited length and possibly unknown sources) and ten Twitter DMs, which are you likely to open first? For an increasing number of people, the answer is DM. Once you make a connection through DM and get permission to follow-up via e-mail, the e-mail is often better received. Facebook, where most people allow private messages, can also be a means to take communication to the next level. Level 3: E-mail E-mail still has its place in this new era. It allows for more in-depth communication, can be easily forwarded, and sent to numerous people at once. When e-mail is used skillfully, it enables deeper communication. When not used effectively, it can become a huge time drain, as people write lengthy messages without much thought of the time and attention they are asking of recipients. This fine line makes e-mail tough to master in the social media age. If you’re looking to advance to the next communication level with someone, respect this direct and private channel, and be sure to keep your e-mails succinct and meaningful. Level 4: Phone Hearing someone’s voice allows people to get a better sense of one another. While communicating via text, a person can take time to carefully craft his or her words, potentially presenting an image that may not be true or is harder to trust. A phone call allows for more immediate back-and-forth, and can be particularly helpful if a subject matter is delicate or people are considering a more in-depth relationship. Some time back I was communicating with an editor about an issue that we had bounced back and forth several times. Finally she said, "Let’s chat about it on the phone." This furthered the dialogue significantly and bypassed what may have taken weeks to sort out via e-mail. Level 5: In-Person (or Video Chat) I have met numerous people in person that I first communicated with via social networks. All of these meetings were enhanced by the natural progression of our first digital communication. While at one time face-to-face interactions were the entry point, today, in-person meetings often come at later stages. Particularly if people are considering working on a project together, an in-person meeting allows for the most in-depth connection. For some people Skype or other video chat may be enough to experience this. Too often people think communication is only through words, but our bodies communicate as well. They communicate how comfortable or uncomfortable we are discussing a matter, our level of passion for a subject, and our hopes and fears. Meeting with someone in person allows for communication to occur on multiple levels, and people often come away with a much better sense of each other. Conclusion In this era of social media when we are reaching out and engaging more and more people, the question is not just "Should I communicate with someone?" but "How should I communicate with someone? How can I build engagement one step at a time?" The more we allow for and understand the importance of all the various levels of communication, the more we can skillfully and effectively use each one. More social media resources from Mashable: - Zen and the Art of Twitter: 4 Tips for Productive Tweeting - The Tao of Tweeting - How Social Media Has Changed Us - 5 Tips for Building Lasting Online Friendships - 4 Steps for Effective Online Networking Images courtesy of iStockphoto, TommL, PaulPaladin, Kohlerphoto, sandoclr Reviews: Facebook, Skype, Twitter, iStockphoto Tags: communication, e-mail, email, facebook, List, Lists, meeting, social media, social networking, social networks, twitter

Google Could Unveil Gmail’s Social Features Tomorrow Posted: 08 Feb 2010 12:12 PM PST We learned earlier today that Google is launching a social status update feature in Gmail. While details are sparse, The Wall Street Journal reports that it is a new Gmail module that could integrate status updates as well as content from YouTube, Picasa and potentially other social sources. WSJ is unclear as to when it will launch, though. We think that Google’s new social status feature will be announced tomorrow. We have just received an invite to attend an event at Google’s headquarters where it will be “unveiling some product innovations in two of [its] most popular products.” The description fits very well with the WSJ report. Gmail is one of Google’s most popular products, and this new social status update feature would be a “product innovation” within Gmail. As for what the other product getting new features may be, we can’t say for certain. Picasa, YouTube, Google Friend Connect and Google Accounts all seem like potential candidates. The event begins at 10:00 a.m. PT tomorrow. We will be there covering the entire thing. Reviews: Gmail, Google, Picasa, YouTube, google friend connect Tags: gmail, Google, social search, WSJ

Social Media Score Card: How the Super Bowl Advertisers Performed Posted: 08 Feb 2010 12:03 PM PST Although all is said and done when it comes to football this season, such is not the case for the Super Bowl advertisers. We’re now entering the entertaining aftermath of the Super Bowl ad showdown, and thanks to social media tracking services like Alterian and Radian6, we can take an early look at advertisers winning big on the web. The following results come from two sources. Starting in early December, Alterian SM2 looked at social media conversations across a variety of sites and tracked all discussions relevant to Super Bowl advertising. Its latest report is embedded below. By contrast, Mullen and Radian6 crafted BrandBowl2010 to measure volume and sentiment of Twitter chatter mentioning the advertisers, with analysis beginning the Friday prior to the game. The discrepancies in their results represent different methods of data collection. Biggest Buzz-Makers When it comes to sheer volume alone, Alterian SM2 ranks Focus on the Family as the advertiser with the most mentions overall from December 1, 2009, to February 8, 2010, at 3:00 a.m. CST. You might recall that initially the unaired ad stirred up controversy prior to the big game due to its pro-life subject matter. While this viewer thought the buzz was much ado about nothing, the fact of the matter is that the build-up led to a highly anticipated spot with a big payoff on the social web in terms of overall mentions. By comparison, however, Alterian SM2 found that conversations on game day alone were Google-heavy. According to the company, Google’s late entry into the Super Bowl advertiser foray was a pretty big win for the search giant. On Super Bowl Sunday, Google was the advertiser with the most mentions, highest Social Engagement Index (i.e. farthest reach), and the second-highest sentiment score (second only to Doritos) among all advertisers. According to Mullen and Radian6’s BrandBowl2010, which looked at just Twitter chatter over a shorter time span, Doritos saw the most volume of tweets, and was its winner for “most effective brand to advertise on the Super Bowl telecast.” BrandBowl ranked Google and Focus on the Family as second and third in the most-buzzed about competition. Its top 10 most effective brands are as follows: 1. Doritos 2. Google 3. Focus On Family 4. Snickers: 5. Budweiser 6. Bud Light 7. Hyundai 8. Kia 9. GoDaddy 10. Coca-Cola Who We Really Love Quantity is one thing, but quality is something else entirely. When looking at initial tallies, social media analysis points to the advertisers and ads we loved the most. Alterian SM2 crowns Anheuser-Busch as its initial post-game victor in the battle for the most-loved brand overall (for the entire duration of the measurement period). On game day only, however, Doritos took the top spot with the highest sentiment score, followed by Google in a distant second. Due to the flurry of social positive sentiment Doritos garnered on Super Bowl Sunday, the brand was able to skyrocket to become the second most-loved (i.e. highest sentiment score) brand overall as well. Per BrandBowl, we — the members of the Twittersphere — loved McDonald’s and Dr Pepper. Though neither of these advertisers ever cracked the top 10 list in terms of volume, tweets about them were extremely positive. The Biggest Losers Per Alterian SM2’s data, the advertiser with the most negative conversations from December 1, 2009, to December 8, 2010, at 3:00 a.m. CST was Focus on the Family. Interestingly enough, BrandBowl declared Budweiser Select55 to be its last place-finisher. The kind hearts at Mullen are now offering free creative services for next year’s commercial as a consolation prize. Its 10 least effective brands list is as follows: 30. NBC's Universal – Universal Orlando 31. Paramount Pictures 32. FloTV 33. Cars.com 34. Motorola 35. Diamond Foods' – Pop Secret 36. Honda 37. Teleflora 38. Michelob Ultra 39. Budweiser Select55 Super Bowl Social Media Results Feb82010 [img credit: Willard, iStockphoto] Reviews: Google, Radian6, Twitter, iStockphoto Tags: Anheuser-Busch, doritos, MARKETING, Super Bowl, Super Bowl ads

HUGE: Google Set to Make Gmail Social With Status Update Features Posted: 08 Feb 2010 11:35 AM PST Gmail is set to become Google's next major push into social media. According to The Wall Street Journal, the popular webmail service will soon launch a new feature for sharing content and status updates with friends. [Update: We think Google might announce these features on Tuesday] As WSJ points out, Gmail users can already update their statuses — sort of — through Gmail's chat feature. Currently, this feature is more akin to the traditional IM "away message." However, with this new social push, Gmail will offer a timeline-view of your friends’ status updates, just like on Facebook and Twitter. Those updates might come from both Gmail and third-party services. According to WSJ, Google-owned YouTube and Picasa will be integrated into the stream. The huge question then is whether or not the new feature will include updates from Twitter and Facebook. If so, the new features could be thought of more like a TweetDeck or Seesmic, looking to provide an aggregate view of your friends’ social media activities along with the ability to push status updates to the services you use from inside of Gmail. If not, it could be thought of as a major competitor to Twitter and Facebook as Gmail looks to covert its millions of e-mail users into adherents to a whole new breed of social media service. An issue with the latter, however, is that Gmail has historically added people to your contacts based on e-mail interactions. Hence, this contact list often varies significantly from your friends on social sites where relationships need to be made explicitly. In other words, your Gmail contacts aren’t necessarily the same people you want to share status updates, photos and videos with. This is an issue that shouldn’t be overlooked in evaluating the new features Google is soon to unveil. Reviews: Facebook, Gmail, Google, Picasa, Seesmic, TweetDeck, Twitter, YouTube Tags: facebook, gmail, Google, trending, twitter

EA Sports to Bring Madden to Facebook Posted: 08 Feb 2010 11:22 AM PST EA Sports President Peter Moore told Bloomberg that the popular Madden NFL series of football video games will make its way to Facebook. We haven’t heard a peep about a launch date. Moore says we will definitely see Madden on the Facebook platform, but the social media version will be simpler than its console cousins, because EA wants to “make Madden more accessible.” Facebook games are a big deal these days. FarmVille and Mafia Wars developer Zynga just raised $180 million in funding. The news that established (but more niche) long-time video game franchise Civilization is coming to Facebook this summer has gotten a lot of press and interest, too. More presciently, EA just bought a huge Facebook game company called Playfish for $400 million. The quote from Moore about EA’s Madden plans didn’t mention Playfish, but it’s possible that the acquired company’s resources will be used to develop and publish Madden on Facebook. EA launched Madden NFL 2010 for the video game consoles just in time for the Super Bowl, so hype for the brand is already high right now. This was a good time for the company to let this news slip out. Reviews: Facebook Tags: ea sports, facebook, football, games, madden, nfl, online games, sports, video games

Dunkin’ Donuts Wants You to Create Its Next Donut Posted: 08 Feb 2010 10:50 AM PST Last year Dunkin’ Donuts’ “Create Dunkin’s Next Donut” contest was a huge success, generating more than 130,000 donut submissions and 174,000 votes. In celebration of its 60th birthday, Dunkin’ Donuts is doing it all over again. Through March 8, 2010, anyone can create their own custom virtual donut — with imagination and available ingredients being the only limitations. Donut submissions will be judged based on use of ingredients, donut name and the story behind the creation. The Contest Just like last year, contest hopefuls can build their donut using Dunkin’ Donuts’ donut-building website, creating the breakfast foods from scratch by selecting its shape, dough, filling, frosting and toppings. This year, however, you can actually save your creations and find them in the My Donuts section, download versions for your desktop or favorite social sites, and share your creations more easily with friends via social media sites. After the submission deadline, donuts will be judged internally, with the company selecting the top 12 finalists, whose donuts will be put up for vote online beginning in April. Each of the 12 finalists will also get a $1,200 cash prize, a year’s worth of donuts, a Flip HD camcorder and a trip to Dunkin’ Donuts University to bake their donuts and meet with chefs. The grand prize winner takes home $12,000 and will have the honor of seeing their donut sold in stores for a limited time. What’s in it for Dunkin’ Donuts? While the company wouldn’t share exact costs around the campaign, we did learn that the costs associated with such a massive undertaking — especially in building and maintaining a site to handle the hundreds of thousands of submissions — is quite significant. David Tryder, manager of interactive and relationship marketing, told us that there is a “substantial commitment and investment involved with the building of site, marketing, and media,” but that last year’s contest, “met expectations on the business side,” and the company, “saw a healthy response in donut sales during the promotion period.” The bottom line is that online initiative translated to offline sales. Obviously Dunkin’ Donuts is banking on a bigger and better response to this year’s contest. We definitely expect that to be the case, especially given that Facebook is now 400 million members strong and the company reported 25,000 donuts posted to the social networking site alone last year. Speaking of last year, let’s take a look at more stats from last year: - 130,000 “Create Dunkin’s Next Donut” donut submissions - 218,000 total donuts created - 25,000 donuts posted to Facebook - 174,000 votes - 269,000 more donuts created after the promotion was over That last stat is especially interesting and proves that even without the promise of a big prize, the company has hit on something that its customers absolutely love to do. More Screenshots Reviews: Facebook Tags: dunkin donuts, Food, MARKETING, social media

Loopt and Mobile Spinach Team Up for Location-Based Deals Posted: 08 Feb 2010 10:02 AM PST Location-based service Loopt is going to offer deals at venues and stores near you thanks to a partnership with Mobile Spinach. Mobile Spinach has already built up a large database of exclusive deals at venues ranging from sushi restaurants to concert halls to clothing stores. Currently, it serves San Francisco by texting users with deal notifications, but the partnership with Loopt will make the process that much more effective. Loopt and Mobile Spinach plan to offer deals in New York and Los Angeles “during the coming months,” too. This advertising model is kind of a no-brainer. A neighborhood business can use a service like Loopt to target someone who lives or works nearby and offer him or her incentives to visit an establishment. These offers can be redeemed by phone or optionally via e-mail or text message. Foursquare already struck a deal with 8coupons, which does something very similar to what Mobile Spinach does. Yelp offers local deals, too, so this seems to be the model de jour. We’ll have to wait and see how successful this venture is, but as we noted the other day, there’s untapped potential for using check-in data to learn more about what consumers like and offering them appropriate ads and deals. Reviews: Foursquare, Yelp Tags: location-based, loopt, MARKETING, mobile spinach, money

TweetDeck Brings YouTube and Flickr Inside the Client Posted: 08 Feb 2010 09:45 AM PST All right Tweetdeck fans, rev up your engines and prepare to update to Tweetdeck 0.33, which adds a slew of new features, better API management and more in-Tweetdeck media previews. We could list all the new features in Tweetdeck 0.33, but the company was nice enough to make this little video that shows everything off: Some of the highlights: Tweetdeck Can Manage Your Twitter API Usage — This means that the program can delegate how to use your available API calls so that the most important info gets to you as easily as possible. Plus, Tweetdeck now uses OAuth and can request up to 350 API calls an hour, and that is expected to increase soon. Better Column Management — You can now view Flickr, YouTube and Posterous media within Tweetdeck. Tweetdeck is free. Don’t forget to check out the Mashable branded version. Reviews: Flickr, Posterous, TweetDeck, YouTube Tags: software, tweetdeck, twitter client, web apps

The Top 10 Most Watched Web Series, January 2010 Posted: 08 Feb 2010 08:59 AM PST Each month, our partner Visible Measures compiles a list of the top ten most popular web video series, and we share those results with you and provide analysis. In January, the threshold for entry into the list was the highest it’s ever been, but viewership for the top 10 shows dropped 26% as compared to the record-breaking month of December. If you’ve been keeping track in previous months, you won’t be surprised to see that Fred and Happy Tree Friends have again topped the list. Also notable: CollegeHumor and video game-themed shows collectively took up half the list. There weren’t any new series on the list in January, but a couple that dropped off in the past made a comeback. We also learned that the majority of viewers for the top 10 shows were male. Here’s the complete chart with video clips included for each series. We provide some deeper analysis below. The Chart: January 2010 Rank Last Month’s Rank Title Studio Genre True Reach View Count % Change in Views Sample Episode 1 1 Fred n/a Comedy 24,719,556 -28% Play 2 2 Happy Tree Friends MondoMedia Animation 17,697,316 -15% Play 3 4 Smosh Deca TV Comedy, Sketch 13,151,356 13% Play 4 5 The Station The Station Comedy 4,317,575 -24% Play 5 Back On Chart POV CollegeHumor Comedy 4,146,733 Back On Chart Play 6 10 Hardly Working CollegeHumor Comedy 3,562,906 32% Play 7 9 Jake & Amir CollegeHumor Comedy, Sketch 3,275,001 6% Play 8 Back On Chart Red Vs Blue Rooster Teeth Animation, Comedy 3,224,802 Back On Chart Play 9 8 The Guild n/a Comedy, Gaming 3,209,027 -17% Play 10 7 Key Of Awesome Next New Networks Comedy, Music 3,150,905 -39% Play *The Visible Measures Top 10 Webisodes Chart focuses on digital studio-driven Web series that appear on Internet video-sharing destinations. Each Web series is measured on a True Reach™ basis, which includes viewership of both studio-syndicated video clips and viewer-driven social video placements. The data are compiled using the Visible Measures Viral Reach Database, a constantly growing repository of analytic data on more than 100 million Internet videos across more than 150 video-sharing destinations. Note: This chart does not include vloggers, interviews, how-to series, news shows, or product review shows. View-count results are incremental by month. To notify Visible Measures of an upcoming Web series, or for an end-to-end assessment of your campaign’s overall performance, please contact us directly. If you’re interested in exploring this data further, go to visiblemeasures.com/mashable. Consistently On Top: Fred The teenager with the high-pitched voice has topped the list again, and he managed to do it even though he only put out one new video in January. That new episode garnered 1.7 million views, so the rest of the 24.7 million were all thanks to old content that people are still discovering or re-watching. You can’t fault Fred completely for dropping from his December high of 34.2 million views; he didn’t have topical holiday content to work with this time. It’s still impressive that a 16-year old actor with a webcam is beating each and every show from web TV networks like Next New Networks and CollegeHumor. We mentioned earlier that the majority of top 10 show viewers are male; it’s interesting to note that Fred has the highest ratio of female viewers at 45%. CollegeHumor’s Mark Is Hard to Miss CollegeHumor is straight up mainstream now thanks to two cable TV deals in the works with MTV, and its online performance is as impressive as ever. It’s the only network with three series on the list — POV, Hardly Working, and Jake & Amir. They’ve all appeared on the list before, and together they racked up just shy of 11 million views. All three of these CollegeHumor series saw growth since last month; POV didn’t appear on the December chart at all, but now it’s back. Hardly Working is actually working hard; it cranked out several new videos in January and grew 32% as compared to last month. Jack & Amir experienced a modest 6% growth. The Guild and Red Vs. Blue: The Gamer Niche Video game-themed programming has always been a significant genre in web TV. Because web series are usually cheaper to produce and viewership expectations are lower than would be the case with over-the-air shows, web series find it advantageous to serve a deep and narrow niche. Gamers are a great audience because there are just enough of them, and because they have their own dedicated ecosystem of social media and blogs to spread the word. The Guild and Red Vs. Blue aren’t performing as well as they used to, but the gamer audience is still obviously alive and well since these gamer shows take up two of the top 10 spots. Red Vs. Blue just started airing new content, so it returned to the list after a hiatus. Conversely, The Guild is off-season so its numbers have declined. A greater portion of Red Vs. Blue’s audience is male than any other show on the list. That should be no surprise since the series is based on the science fiction action shooter Halo. Reviews: video Tags: monthly top webisodes, video, visible measures, Web TV, web video

Google is Working on Speech-to-Speech Translation for Android Posted: 08 Feb 2010 06:22 AM PST In Douglas Adams’s humorous sci-fi novel series Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy a special kind of fish is mentioned — the Babel Fish. When inserted into the ear, it translates any spoken language into whichever language the listener understands. It is a very nifty device, and now Google seeks to create something similar. According to Times Online, Google is developing a speech-to-speech automated translator for Android phones. It’s essentially a combination of two of Google’s existing technologies; its online universal translator service, Google Translate, and its voice recognition system. Google plans to make its Babel Fish a lot like a human translator; the software would analyze chunks of speech, and translate them in their entirety rather than translating word for word. Franz Och, Google's head of translation services, claims the technology could go live in a couple of years. "Clearly, for it to work smoothly, you need a combination of high-accuracy machine translation and high-accuracy voice recognition, and that's what we're working on. If you look at the progress in machine translation and corresponding advances in voice recognition, there has been huge progress recently," he says. Anyone who’s used Google Translate knows that translations aren’t (and probably never will be) perfect, but they’re very helpful when you can’t understand a word of some foreign language. However, Google’s voice recognition also has issues of its own, and I fear that these two combined would produce a very high amount of errors. The Times also mentions the issue of different accents, a problem that Google plans to solve by making the software gradually learn the speaking habits of the phone’s owner. Despite the big issues Google has to overcome to make this technology useful, if anyone can pull it off, Google can. The idea of being able to call someone who doesn’t speak your language, and have the conversation translated almost instantly, well, that’s one of those inventions that made Google the company it is today. Reviews: Google Tags: Google, machine translation, translation

Mashable’s Weekly Social Media Event Guide Posted: 08 Feb 2010 06:21 AM PST It’s a brand new week, which means it’s time for Mashable's guide to upcoming social media and web events, parties, and conferences. For more upcoming event listings, check out Mashable’s Events section. Is your event not on this list? Contact us at least one month before your event and let's establish a media partnership. Mashable’s Weekly Social Media and Marketing Event Guide is proudly supported by Eventbrite, the Web’s Event Marketplace. February 8, 2010, Tampa, FL: The Social Media conference that comes to you. Social Fresh is a one day, case study rich conference targeted for marketers. Social Fresh Tampa will have 30+ speakers including Chris Barger of GM, Maggie Fox of Social Media Group, and John Andrews of Collective Bias (formerly of Walmart). Get 15% off if using code mashable. February 8-10, 2010, Philadelphia, PA: The 9th Annual ePharma Summit is the most innovative digital marketing event for pharma. Year after year, hundreds of marketing professionals from leading pharmaceutical companies attend ePharma for incomparable access to insider information for optimizing their brand strategy and perfecting consumer relationships. Join us next February to collaborate with industry leading industry minds and perfect your digital strategy by pursuing true e-marketing innovation. The 2010 event is packed with fresh case studies, hands-on workshops, hot topic debates, facilitated roundtable discussions, and live audience polling sessions. Register with Priority Code XP1506MASH to save 15% off standard registration! February 8-11, 2010, Washington, DC: Attend the Advanced Learning Institute's Forum on Social Media for Government: How To Engage Your Employees And Citizens By Using The Latest Web 2.0 Technologies To Drive Communication Results, to learn how to capture the power of social media in your organization, along with helpful tools, tips and techniques to get started. Hear practical advice, firsthand, from leading government agencies and organizations such as: CIA; IRS; U.S. Army Public Affairs; National Wildlife Federation; U.S. Department of Agriculture; City of Raleigh, NC; U.S. Navy; Morris County, NJ; U.S. Department of State Roanoke Public Libraries, VA; Court Services & Offender Supervision Agency; Department for International Development, Government of the United Kingdom; NOAA; National Institutes of Health; U.S. Department of Health & Human Services; National Defense University; City of Richmond, VA; Porter Novelli; Booz Allen Hamilton, and more. Mention Mashable when registering to save $200. February 9-13, 2010, San Francisco, CA: Macworld 2010 is a five-day event that educates, entertains and immerses attendees in the Apple products community. A comprehensive expo hall offers access to hundreds of Mac products and services, paired with expert advice, demonstrations and instruction. Macworld conference programs feature industry leading minds, presenting cutting edge product training on the topics attendees most want to see. From Mac Power Users to creative professionals to first-time users to Enterprise computing professionals, Macworld has the conference content, special presentations and exhibit hall attractions that create what has been called "Mecca for Mac Users". Get 15% off as a Mashable reader. February 10, 2010, New York City: The Online Community Unconference East is a gathering of online community professionals – managers, developers, business people, tool providers, investors – to discuss experience and strategies in the development and growth of online communities. As we have found with our past events, the best source of information on all of these challenges is other knowledgeable practitioners. Mashable readers are entitled to a discount by registering here with code mashable. February 15, 2010, Barcelona, Spain: The Mobile Premier Awards recognize the year's best in Mobile Startup Innovation and are the largest open, global startup competition in the mobile industry. The awards are the point of reference in startup premiers during the Mobile World Congress and are organized in collaboration with some of the main networks in the industry. Participation to the awards is free and open to any startup with a mobile angle. Sign up at mobilepremierawards.com and take your chance to walk the red carpet in Barcelona! February 16, 2010, San Diego, CA: BlogWell: How Big Brands Use Social Media features 8 great case studies on the best social media programs at large corporations. Starbucks, Clorox, USAA, Intuit, Avery Dennison, Community Medical Centers, State Farm Insurance, and the Navy Office of Information share case studies in corporate social media. You’ll learn how to get started, get past roadblocks, and make your social media program phenomenal. From GasPedal and the Social Media Business Council. Save $39 off registration by using the code ILoveMashable. February 17, 2010, Atlanta, GA: Startup Riot is an annual event that focuses on giving fifty startups an opportunity to present, in three minutes, to a large audience of investors, corporate business development and M&A representatives, and other interested parties. Attendees are pre-screened so the room is never filled with service providers, job hunters, or others who are not the target audience. Selected presenting entrepreneurs pay nothing to attend. In 2010 we will move to a bigger venue for the event and the always popular after-party. Also new in 2010 are prizes for presenters and attendees. We are currently accepting applications to attend and present. February 19, 2010, London, UK: What game changing technologies are on the horizon? What new business models will drive growth and value? Who will evolve? Who will go extinct? London Business School's fourth annual Technology Summit explores these and many other questions on the eve of a brand new decade. The Summit promises to be a watershed event for the London technology community. It brings together global thought leaders at the intersection of enterprise, consumer interest and emerging technology for an exciting day of provocative discussions. Come to hear fresh business insights from Facebook, Skype, Goojet, Advent Venture Partners, DoTheGreenThing.com, INQ Mobile, IDEO, BT Design and many others. Buy your 10% discount tickets here. February 19-21, 2010, Los Angeles, CA: SCALE 8X is the 8th Annual Southern California Linux Expo. As the premier community run Linux / Open Source conference, it will feature tutorial sessions designed to show users of all skill levels what Open Source can do and how to do it. Whatever your interest is in Open Source, SCALE 8x will have something for you. Mashable’s readers can receive 40% off registration with the promo code MASH8. February 19-21, 2010, Miami, FL: The Miami iPhone Boot Camp offers a three day workshops on iPhone Development, a full 24 hours of training in Obj-C and the iPhone SDK 3.0, from basic to pro iPhone application development. The workshop is part seminar, part training, part hack-a-thon and students get plenty of hands on exercises. Limited in size the workshop is taught by iPhone developer Ben Sgro. He has released four iPhone applications to the appstore RapLyrics, RapLyricsRaw, 5KQuotes, WisestOne. His current project is a 2D engine that will power a series of game. The training is a great way to jump start your iPhone app development and save weeks of effort trying to figure out the iPhone SDK on you own. Currently the early bird rate is in effect, a savings of $400 and a 10% discount to Mashable readers using entering discount code mashable on the registration page: miamiiphone.eventbrite.com/ February 22-24, 2010, New York, NY: From authoring, editing, and layout to distribution and consumption, new technologies are changing all aspects of publishing. TOC will help you navigate these changes and understand how to apply them to your business or organization for a more profitable future in publishing. You’ll also have the opportunity to participate in conversations that are shaping that future as often as they are describing it. The fourth annual O’Reilly TOC Conference is your opportunity to join those inventing the future of publishing. Register now and save at: en.oreilly.com/toc2010/public/register. Save an additional 15% when you use the Discount Code: toc10mas. February 22-24 2010, Miami, FL: The Future of Web Apps Miami is a three day event for web application developers and entrepreneurs and includes tutorials, inspiration and workshops taught by leading figures at the cutting edge of today’s web. Companies at the event include Twitter, Facebook, Mint.com, Palm, FreshBooks, Reddit and Mozilla. Topics include HTML5, jQuery, online marketing, funding strategies, measuring the success of your web app and Facebook Connect. Save $50 when using promo code MASHABLE. February 22–25, 2010 San Diego, CA: Online Marketing Summit, the premier educational event for marketing professionals, is coming to San Diego this February. Join your marketing peers as they share ideas, hear from expert practitioners, and learn best practices in the areas of: Social Media, Search, Email, Analytics, and more – in a completely vendor free environment! Register now and receive 25% off using discount code MASHABLE. February 23, 2010, Milwaukee, WI: Think Tank Live! Search Marketing & Social Media Summit. An Internet marketing conference focused on using digital marketing and social media to drive strategic business results, increase profits, and lower costs. Be prepared to learn: Emerging best practices for key online marketing channels • Align your business for customers on the web • Create a strategy to increase clients and profits. Topics: Search Engine Optimization (SEO) • SEM / Pay Per Click • Web Analytics • Social Media • WordPress. Our speakers are professionals from Chicago, Illinois and Milwaukee, Wisconsin who are committed to providing high level insights to provide real-world results for your business. To register, visit ThinkTankLive.com. Please use discount code Mashable for $50 off. February 23-26, 2010, San Jose, CA: At FAST ‘10, explore new directions in the design, implementation, evaluation, and deployment of storage systems. Learn from leaders in the storage industry, beginning Tuesday, February 23, with ground-breaking file and storage tutorials by industry leaders such as Brent Welch, Marc Unangst, Michael Condict, and more. This year’s innovative 3-day technical program includes 21 technical papers, as well as two keynote addresses, Work-in-Progress Reports (WiPs), and a Poster Session. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to meet with premier storage system researchers and industry practitioners from around the globe. Register by February 8 and save! Mashable readers get $100 off using code FASTMASH10. February 26, 2010, New York, NY: NY Tech Cares (@nytechcares) for Haiti, Irving Plaza, was pioneered in light of the heart wrenching devastation that has struck Haiti. The NY Tech community has come together in a collaborative effort to launch and host a disaster relief and fund raising effort to help Haiti’s 1 million homeless and wounded. Many are joining us, so please visit nytechcares.org for more information on this event with an exciting line up of musicians, a live feed to Haiti and a silent auction. February 26-28, 2010, Washington DC: The Washington D.C. iPhone Boot Camp offers a three day workshops on iPhone Development, a full 2 hours of training in Obj-C and the iPhone SDK 3.0, from basic to pro iPhone application development. The workshops are part seminar, part training, part hack-a-thon and students get plenty of hands on exercise. The workshops are limited in size and taught by iPhone developer Matt Campbell, iPhone developer with several apps in the app store and author of the popular book “How to Make an iPhone Application” The training is a great way to jump start your iPhone app development and save weeks of effort trying to figure out the iPhone SDK on you own. Currently the early bird rate is in effect, a savings of $500 and a 10% discount to Mashable readers using entering discount code mashable on the registration page: dc1.eventbrite.com February 26-28, 2010, Saint Louis, MO: The Saint Louis Innovation Camp is a three day event focused on the needs of the Saint Louis IT and Entrepreneurial community. This camp will be hosted on the UMSL campus in Saint Louis, MO. In this camp, local leaders from the Business, IT, Education, and Marketing communities have all joined forces to accomplish the singular goal of supporting entrepreneurs in the successful development of business models which focus on the delivery of technical products and services. To accomplish this goal, this camp offers no non-sense education, hands-on assistance, interactive networking exposure, and a follow through support package to spark technical innovation in the Saint Louis Market. Enter Mashable as the discount code for a 10% savings on the standard ticket price. March 1-4, 2010, Ottawa, ON: Attend the Advanced Learning Institute's Forum on Social Media for Government: How To Engage Your Employees And Citizens By Using The Latest Web 2.0 Technologies To Drive Communication Results, to learn how to capture the power of social media in your organization, along with helpful tools, tips and techniques to get started. Hear practical advice, firsthand, from leading government agencies and organizations such as: ON Ministry of Health & Long-Term Care; Parks Canada; Communications Community Office; City of Ottawa, ON; Public Safety Canada; Indian & Northern Affairs Canada; Toronto Police Service, ON; Canadian Forces Aerospace Warfare Centre; Human Resources & Skills Development Canada; Northern Lights Canada; Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency; Canada Mortgage & Housing Corporation; Royal Bank of Canada; Genome Alberta; Business Development Bank of Canada; Thornley Fallis Communications; Centre of Excellence for Public Sector Marketing, & more. Mention Mashable when registering to save $200. March 1-5, 2010, worldwide: 70+ Ignites will take place in cities around the world. Upwards of 10,000 entrepreneurs, technologists, DIYers, creative professionals, and enthusiastic knowledge-seekers will gather for an evening that is a unique blend of networking, information, and fun. In talks that are exactly five minutes long, Ignite presenters share their personal and professional passions. Local Ignites will stream live video during the event, and those videos will be archived on the new Ignite video site that is being launched in conjunction with the event. At least 500 five-minute session videos will be available on the new site when it debuts. Don’t miss being part of this enlightening week—attend, present, or lead an Ignite in your city: globaligniteweek.com. March 2-4, 2010, Santa Clara, CA: Search Marketing Expo – SMX West content is so compelling, you'll want to implement what you've learned before leaving the conference. Over 50 super-charged sessions on PPC, SEO, local search, search-friendly design, and social media marketing will help you flourish today, tomorrow and in the future. Whether you're new to search or have years of experience, employed at a Fortune 500 company or run your own business or agency, you'll be a more effective, innovative and inspired internet marketer after attending SMX East. Featured keynote – Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer. Use discount code smx100mashable when you register. For more info visit smxwest.com March 3, 2010, Seattle, WA: Join a select number of PR, marketing and communications professionals at PR+MKTG Camp™ Seattle for a full day of highly interactive discussions on social media — complete with marshmallows and a virtual campfire. It will explore how to market, measure and manage the opportunities and challenges that social media presents. Our format avoids panels or PowerPoint demonstrations. Top agency and brand executives serve as moderators to help participants find solutions to their social media questions. Mashable readers get a ten percent discount with promo code MASHABLECAMPSEATTLE. March 4-5, 2010, Chicago, IL: At SOHO's 2-Day, "The Co-Alignment of the Corporate and Personal Brand," a Strategy Framework, develop your exclusive copy of "The Draft," SOHO's 16-page social communications policy workbook for businesses and corporations. The focus in 2010 is aligning the corporate brand with internal and external communications. SOHO brings to you presentations, case studies and Town Hall meetings with Olivier Blanchard and Dan Schawbel, and other experienced practitioners. For more information and to register, please visit Sohobiztube.com. Use discount code MashableChi for a 20% discount on a 2-day "The Draft" ticket. March 6, 2010, Cape Cod, MA: Geek Girl Tech Boot Camp – Cape Cod 2010 is going to rock! Geek Girl Boot Camps are full-day technology “unconferences” for women, taught by women, of all ages and knowledge levels where you can find workshops on everything to do with computers and the Internet! Workshops include PC and Mac, Social Media (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.), Photoshop, QuickBooks, Blogging, Podcasting, WordPress, Google Tools, Dreamweaver, Video, Inbound Marketing, digital photography, and more. The workshops are designed for Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced. There are Discussion Groups and an all day Help Desk. The Mission of Geek Girl Camp is to educate and empower every girl and woman at every age level, on every skill level, at every income level on computer technology with fun and provide a legacy by giving back and paying it forward. Mashable readers get an exclusive $30 discount off the standard pricing of $139 with special code mashable2010 when registering! March 6, 2010, Reno, NV: Nevada Interact will bring together business owners, non-profit advocates, publishers, newsmakers, bloggers, podcasters, filmmakers, media, PR and advertising professionals and anyone else interested in interactive media from every corner of Nevada together for hands-on learning, rich discussions, opportunities to meet with local companies working in interactive media and plentiful networking opportunities. Proposals are being accepted until February 8th, 2010: nevadanewmedia.org/nevada-new-media-summit/submissions/ March 8, 2010, Los Angeles, CA: At digiday:MOBILE, discuss the question “Is Mobile The Next Critical Mass Medium?” Discover the what the future holds for you and this game changing media platform at digiday:MOBILE in Los Angeles. During this high-level full day event – top Publishers, Agency Executives and Brand Marketers will come together to discuss and debate how to fully utilize the next critical mass medium: MOBILE. DIGIDAY gives media leaders a chance to converge and discuss high level strategies and the future of Mobile Marketing. www.digidaymobile.com. Get $100 off for Mashable Readers with discount code: Mashable. March 9, 2010, Los Angeles, CA: At digiday:SOCIAL we’ll discuss the question of The New Media Reality: Everything is Social. Are You? During this high-level event, top Publishers, Agency Executives and Brand Marketers will come together to discuss how Social Media is everywhere and is changing everything. DIGIDAY gives media and marketing leaders a chance to converge and reveal high-level success strategies as well as offer insights on how the future of Social Media Marketing will play out for all. Get $100 off for Mashable Readers using code Mashable. March 9-10, New York, NY: Is your intranet dead or alive? Fire it up at INTRANET INSIDER WORLD TOUR LIVE 2010: Making Enterprise 2.0 Work. Learn how to get the intranet basics right (governance, buy in, usability, etc.), plus how to start down the Enterprise 2.0 journey with blogs, wikis, internal social networks, podcasts and video . Learn what leading edge companies such as IBM, ESPN, Alcatel-Lucent, Deloitte and EMC are doing to “socialize” their intranets for communication, collaboration and bottom-line success. Register today with promo code mashable10 to receive $200 off registration. March 9-11, 2010, Baltimore, MD: At the Gartner Portals, Content & Collaboration Summit: Evolution in Real Time, you'll learn how to bring your workplace, information, and processes up to real-time speed for greater efficiency. In 3 days, 30+ Gartner analyst sessions, case studies, workshops and roundtable discussions you'll gain a set of tools and insights on Gen4 collaboration, cloud-based portal and content services, social networking, Web 2.0 and Enterprise 2.0, megavendor wars and more. Save $300 off the standard rate when you register at gartner.com/us/pcc with priority code PCCMASH. March 10, 2010, New York, NY: Cross Media NYC brings together leaders from all key media industries to discuss, demonstrate, and debate cross media integration and partnerships. Our goal is to bridge the gap between the different media sectors in order to share information and find new opportunities. We want the gaming people to meet the TV people, the publishing people to meet the web video people, and everyone to meet the advertising people but let's be honest, in the end, it's all about the money. Use Registration Code mashable to get 15% off. March 15-16, 2010, London, UK: At Social Media World Forum, learn from social networks, brands, advertisers and analysts. Hear from leading social networks on their strategy, revenue models and how they are approaching the future. Worldwide case studies from global brands and corporations on their use of social media. Examine the current market conditions, future forecasts and predictions from leading analysts. Mention you are a Mashable reader to receive 15% discount. March 17, 2010, San Francisco, CA: Join SF New Tech, the Bay Area’s largest and longest running monthly tech event, to get an early look at of some of the hottest new tech around. Famous for its sold out events where executives (and the occasional hacker or two) takes to the stage to strut their stuff, SF New Tech is *the* place where early adaptors, developers, influnencers, venture capitalists, journalists, bloggers, and regular every-day folks converge to see the latest and greatest technology. Visit sfnewtech.com for details. March 19, 2010, London, UK: Justmeans' Social Media and Stakeholder Engagement Conference will bring together the top minds in sustainability, marketing, innovation and technology. This executive forum will explore how technology can enable sustainable business by involving stakeholders in the value creation process and will showcase examples of success and failure in this rapidly evolving market. Use this link for a 10% registration discount. March 22-23, 2010, Paris, France: At Marketing 2.0 Conference, learn from brands’ social media initiatives, advertisers, researchers and analyst. Hear from leading people in the Social Media business on their strategy, revenue models and how they are approaching the upcoming trends in the Social Mediasphere. Worldwide case studies from global brands and corporations on their use of social media. Examine the current market conditions, future forecasts and predictions from leading researchers. The socialmash2010 discount code gives you €200 off. March 22-26, New York, NY: Go beyond search at the Search Engine Strategies. Learn the newest trends, strategic action plans, and technology that industry leaders are employing today. Our experts will trace the natural evolution of search exploring topics such as: digital asset optimization, mobile application development, transition from search to discovery and more. SAVE 15% with code MHNY15. Program will focus on cutting edge strategies, tips, and tactics that will be driving search in 2010. Hear from the leading voices in search and digital like Avinash Kaushik, David Meerman Scott, Tim Ash, Ray Comstock and more. March 23-24, 2010, Berlin, Germany: Learn, discuss and explore the challenges and commercial opportunities that exist within the mobile internet ecosystem and make the most of best-practice perspectives over a two day period offering a programme packed with case studies, roundtable discussions, industry snapshots, masterclasses and fishbowl sessions. Significant discount for Mobile Operators, Online/Mobile Communities, and Content providers! Go to iir-mobileinternet.com/mashable for more information. March 24, 2010, New York, NY: Social Reputation Management: Protecting and Strengthening Your Brand Across the Social Web is a conference that will share the best case studies on how communicators and marketers listen to conversations, monitor and comprehend what is being said, and engage through the social web. The case studies will be followed by moderated interactive roundtables. Use promo code MASH for a discounted rate of $155. March 24, 2010, Rutherford, NJ: Learn about how you would grow your business, talk to your customers, interact and engage. Social Media will help your business grow, financially and in relation to your customers. Topics include Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Blogging, etc. This workshop is geared for small businesses that want to grow their fanbase and reach potential customers and make your relationships better with by using the social web. Click over to socialbiz324.eventbrite.com to purchase tickets to the event and use the code mashable to save 50%. March 24-25, 2010, San Francisco, CA: EyeforTravel's Social Media Strategies for Travel conference goes beyond the 'what is social media?' debates (that were so 2008!) and examines the strategic importance of social media to travel brands. The 2 day conference will share leading case studies, hits, tips and advice from top travel companies including JetBlue, Hilton, Virgin America and more. Use the discount MASHABLE to save $100 on the registration fee! March 30, 2010, London, UK: The upcoming Hit Me! Social Media and Search event is designed for business owners and entrepreneurs who want to find out the latest practical business advice and information about Social Media and Search. Freshbusinessthinking.com has partnered with Microsoft to deliver this power-packed one day event featuring experts and leading practitioners from the world of social media and search. Stats published by Nielsen show that social media usage has increased by 82% in the last year. The challenge for organisations of all sizes is how to use social media to drive business. Over 1500 delegates have attended our one-day events and the average rating is 8.5 out of 10 – the next one is shaping up to be the best ever with a host of experts on hand to give you the information and advice you need to grow your business online. Mashable readers: get a discount entering promotional code MASHABLE. March 30-April 1, 2010, San Jose, CA: Become Location Enabled at Where 2.0. Now in its sixth year, Where 2.0 is one of the world’s foremost events dedicated to exploring the emerging technologies in the geospatial industry. At Where 2.0, we expose the tools pushing the boundaries of the location frontier. Join us and meet the people behind the mashups, the people behind the platforms, and the people looking ahead to the future of geospatial. Find out what’s viable now, what’s lurking just below the radar and how to gain a competitive edge. Register now and save 15% at en.oreilly.com/where2010. Use code whr10mash. April 8-10, Atlanta, GA: The 2010 Nonprofit Technology Conference will bring together more than 1,000 nonprofit leaders, IT innovators, communications gurus, fundraising superstars and nonprofit staffers from all over. You’ll learn the latest trends, practical how-tos, and IT solutions that can optimize your organization’s use of technology and help you meet your mission to create more social good in the world — and you’ll have a good time, to boot. Select “Mashable” from the “How did you hear?” field to receive an $100 discount. April 12–15, 2010, Santa Clara, CA: The 6th annual MySQL Conference & Expo, presented by O'Reilly Media, brings over 2,000 open source and database enthusiasts together to harness the power of MySQL and celebrate the huge MySQL ecosystem. The O’Reilly MySQL Conference & Expo is a new event that builds on the tradition of past MySQL conferences (previous events were co-presented with MySQL AB and with Sun). This inclusive, innovative event will showcase the full spectrum of the MySQL ecosystem, from global corporations and diverse service vendors to start-ups and grassroots projects. Our growing lineup of speakers, program committee members, and sponsors represent a wide array of some of the most influential companies and projects in the MySQL community. Register now and save an additional 15% at: en.oreilly.com/mysql2010. Use discount code mys10msh. April 20-23, 2010, San Mateo, CA: NewComm Forum 2010 will feature 5 keynotes, 5 workshops and 40 sessions in 5 tracks: NewComm Essentials, New Communications & Communities, Social CRM, Understanding the New Media Landscape & Markets are Conversations: From Theory to Practice. Register by 3/12 and save up to $600 at newcommforum.com/. Get $100 off with code NCF2010MASH. April 21, 2010, San Francisco, CA: Join SF New Tech, the Bay Area’s largest and longest running monthly tech event, to get an early look at of some of the hottest new tech around. Famous for its sold out events where executives (and the occasional hacker or two) takes to the stage to strut their stuff, SF New Tech is *the* place where early adaptors, developers, influnencers, venture capitalists, journalists, bloggers, and regular every-day folks converge to see the latest and greatest technology. Visit sfnewtech.com for details. April 22–23, 2010, Los Angeles, CA: If you're like most marketers, your intention to react with quickness and quality outpaces your ability. Forrester’s Marketing Forum 2010 connects you with analysts, peers, and industry leaders whose expertise will help you establish and embrace adaptive marketing practices. Call 888-343-6786 and save 20% off the regular rate with VIP code MFXMSH. Discount applies to new registrations only and cannot be combined with other offers. April 26-28, Berlin, Germany: Embedded Mobile & M2M. Services conference is a great chance to compare approaches to building a profitable Embedded Mobile and M2M business. The opportunities of the Embedded Mobile and M2M market are clear to see. This event will help you to realise them. Visit the website today and book your place at this exciting event. Receive a 10% discount by quoting I2AENMASH when registering. View our website at embeddedm2m.net/mashable April 28-30, 2010, San Jose, CA: At NSDI ‘10, meet with leading researchers to explore the design principles of large-scale networked and distributed systems. This year’s 3-day technical program includes 29 technical papers with topics including cloud services, Web browsers and servers, datacenter and wireless networks, malware, and more. NSDI ‘10 will also feature a poster session showcasing early research in progress. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to meet with premier researchers in the computer networking, distributed systems, and operating systems communities. Save an additional $100 by using the discount code NSDIMASH10 upon registration. April 29-30, 2010, Lawrence KS: Social media is much more than a fad – it’s changing the way the world communicates. The communities in northeast Kansas are at the forefront of this movement and have made the region a hub for innovative technologies and social media use. Because of this, The World Company of Lawrence KS, is hosting a brand new social media event: The Free State Social. The Free State Social will highlight the best in social media from our area and put local innovations and ideas on a national – even global – stage. Our purpose is to educate attendees about the current state of social media, present opportunities for its use and talk about where the industry is headed. The Free State Social will be held on April 29-30, 2010 at the new Oread hotel in Lawrence, Kan. Keynote speakers include Jeremiah Owyang, Ellyn Angellotti, Shawna Coronado, Sarah Evans, Gowalla co-founder Scott Raymond, and Chris Brogan, co-author of the New York Times best-seller Trust Agents. Enter MASHABLE when checking out for a $20 discount on each ticket. April 30–May 2, 2010, Mountain View, CA: The Wisdom 2.0 Conference brings together staff from technology companies such as Twitter and Google, with Zen teachers, neuroscientists, and others to explore how we can live with deeper meaning and wisdom in our technology age. Speakers include Greg Pass, VP of Engineering at Twitter; Bradley Horowitz, VP of Products at Google; Dave Morin, Senior Platform Manager at Facebook; Ben Parr of Mashable; Loic Le Meur of Seesmic; and many others. Use the discount code Mashable here for special discount. May 3, 2010, Boston, MA: Social Media & Community 2.0 Strategies is the FIRST social media event that focuses on real-life business impact. Not just for entertainment value, hype or buzz, but real-world examples of driving revenue, cutting costs, and energizing conversations around your brand. What can you expect from this event that you won't find anywhere else? Targeted advice for business managers including Market Researchers, Innovators, Brand Managers, Customer Experience Strategists and Marketing Enthusiasts seeking practical, real-life business examples they can translate into their own organization to monetize this powerful medium. Save 15% when using code SOCIAL10MASH at iirusa.com/socialmedia. May 4-5, 2010, Boston, MA: Drive sales and make social media work for you at MarketingProfs B2B Forum! You'll learn the ins-and-outs of social media as part of your overall B2B marketing mix – from integration and engagement to measurement. Get 1-on-1 access to the best and brightest B2B marketing stars who will share best practices and FREE advice! Plus, our loyal attendees say our events are ridiculously fun, interactive and the kicker is – we have the best Freebies in the biz! (no keychains here…FREE industry research reports & memberships—stuff to help you really drive sales in 2010!) Register today with code MASH to save up to $200! May 11-12, 2010, Toronto, ON: Join us for Social Media – Risks & Rewards. The social media revolution is happening now, and quickly gathering steam. No business can afford to be left behind – and no business can afford to be unaware of the increased legal risks that a Company is exposed to. Learn about implementing and improving social media strategies, protecting your brand, return on investment, legal implications and much more. PLUS…a special address from Kevin Flynn, member of the blogging team for Obama for America. Use promo code 10495MASH to receive 15% off! May 13, 2010, London, UK: The International Search Summit Innovations will focus on some of the most recent trends, tools and techniques in digital marketing including video, mobile and social networking and offer delegates insight and advice on how to effectively use them in international online campaigns. A range of expert speakers will discuss the latest international opportunities in these areas and offer practical tips for integrating them into an organisation's overall marketing strategy. The Summit will be held at The Barbican Centre in London, and is a must for any marketer targeting multiple markets and/or languages online. Book now with coupon code MASH1305 to receive 20% discount. May 17-19, 2010, Charlotte, NC: Search Exchange is a 3-day action packed internet marketing conference offering insights into social media marketing, search engine optimization, online reputation management, and pay per click advertising. Learn and network with industry professionals and business owners from around the world. Mashable readers save 10% using code mash10 during registration. May 17-19, 2010, Munich, Germany: a4uexpo heads to Germany for a two day Conference and expo. Over 30 presentations and panel debates on how to embrace the Affiliate Marketing sector, to include how media owners, agencies and advertisers can utilise Social Media platforms within the channel. Topics also include SEO, SEM, Blogging, Best Practice, Video, Mobile and API feeds. The conference includes access to 3 networking parties and promises to attract the very best entrepreneurs and affiliate marketing specialists from across Europe. Mashable readers can enjoy a 10% discount on registration with the code MASH10. May 18-19, 2010, Santa Clara, CA: The Social Media Strategies Conference is the premier event for CMOs, Social Media Strategist, Managers, Marketers, Search Marketers, Online Community Managers, Corporate Communications, PR, Marketing, Advertising, and Recruiting Professionals. This year the conference will focus on how organizations are and can leverage Social Media to achieve their business goals. Hear from the experts about this cutting-edge space, how it impacts your business, and how you can leverage it. This conference will feature workshops, interactive sessions, panel discussions, and keynotes from thought leaders. Don’t miss it! To save $100 use the promotion code: mashable May 19-20, 2010, San Francisco, CA: Gilbane Conference San Francisco 2010 is focused on Content, Collaboration and Customers. Today web and enterprise content management permeate every aspect of an organization. Internal websites, whether in the form of intranets, blogs, or portals and provide efficient ways to collaborate & share knowledge. Customer & internal-facing applications share requirements that call for a number of enterprise content, publishing and infrastructure technologies including multi-lingual, social media, search, and integration software. Our conference is focused on what you should expect from these technologies. Mashable readers get to save an additional $200 – just use discount code MARSH when registering! May 25-27, 2010, The Sage Gateshead, UK: Thinking Digital is overtly inspired by the TED and PopTech conferences in America. We attract more than 30 of the world's most innovative, creative, insightful and/or accomplished people to come to Hall Two of the Sage Gateshead, United Kingdom annually and talk about their work, inspirations, insights and ideas. Our venue and speakers thereby attract a wonderfully eclectic mix of people from around Northern England, Europe and the world. Mashable readers save 25% using code tdc_mashable here. June 15-16, 2010, Chicago, IL: Building on the success of the 2009 event, The 2nd Annual Health Care New Media Marketing conference will feature presentations from healthcare executives that implemented Web 2.0 strategies and developed quality metrics for evaluating the success of new media campaigns. Over the course of two days, attendees will have the opportunity to learn from thought leaders from major hospitals, healthcare institutions, and social media outlets. Through a series of case studies and forums, attendees will walk away with the tools needed to ultimately reach consumers through new media in an accurate and appropriate. Discount code: MASHABLE get $50 off. June 29-30, 2010, London, UK: The 2nd annual Cloud Computing and Enterprise 2.0 World Forum is the perfect event to learn and discuss the future development and integration of cloud and enterprise 2.0 services and products. Building on the success of the 2009 show, this two day conference and exhibition will provide a focused platform for the global cloud computing and enterprise social media industry. The 2010 show will include a free-to-attend exhibition with scenario based workshop area and key service providers demonstrating their products. August 13, 2010, Nashville, TN: At Big South Social Media Summit, come listen to some of the most forward-thinking business giants from companies like Southwest, SAP, Comcast, Domino's as well as social media loving celebrities who will speak directly on how they drive ROI through social media. Speakers will share real-world success stories, pit falls, and case studies to demonstrate the true value of social media. This summit will allow business leaders to finally understand how social media can propel their business and how to produce real results. More than the mechanics, this is a relatable summit that will open eyes to the power of social media in business. Get 15% off the ticket price by using the vacomash discount code. The Mashable Weekly Social Media and Marketing Event Guide is proudly supported by Eventbrite, the Web’s Event Marketplace. Eventbrite is an online events marketplace where tens of thousands of individuals, businesses and organizations of all sizes manage, promote and sell tickets to their events. Make your event a success on Eventbrite. Reviews: Facebook, Google, Gowalla, LinkedIn, Mashable, Mint, Seesmic, Skype, Twitter, WordPress, YouTube, linux, video Tags: conferences, Events, parties

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