Wednesday, December 22, 2010

CHART OF THE DAY: 44% Of New Twitter Accounts Were Made In The First 7 Months Of This Year

CHART OF THE DAY: 44% Of New Twitter Accounts Were Made In The First 7 Months Of This Year

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We've seen plenty of charts on Twitter's growth, but this one really grabbed our attention.

In the first half of 2010, 44% of Twitter's total account population joined the service, according to data from Sysomos, a social media tracking company.

It's a pretty impressive growth spurt for the already formidable social network.

The caveat: New Accounts created do not equal new and active users. Twitter appears to have many Zombie accounts, according to data from the Pew Research Center. Zombie accounts are people signing up to spam Twitter, and do other non constructive things.

So while this looks pretty great on face of it, the growth might be a little bit slower than what we're seeing here.

chart of the day, new twitter accounts created, dec 2010

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Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Your iPhone Takes Stirring Long-Exposure Photos With This Magic App [Video]

Your iPhone Takes Stirring Long-Exposure Photos With This Magic App [Video]

Sure, you've got your Hipstamatic filters and your ProCamera bag of tricks. But to capture truly ethereal slow-shutter speed shots and lithe light paintings, you're going to need Magic Shutter. It looks pretty amazing, and amazingly pretty.

You can choose among front and rear-curtain sync effects in flash modes, meaning that the blur effect either tails or leads the sharp image. It's a creative blend of the iPhone's video and still camera, and may just elevate the app camera effects game from "hipster art" to "art art."

While Magic Shutter does a terrific job of mimicking the blurry beauty of a long-exposure photo, you are a wee bit limited in output resolution because of limitations Apple puts on using the camera at full resolution for video. It's disappointing! But not so much, I'd guess, that it's a dealbreaker, especially at $3 and with an upgrade coming next month that promises improved output. [Magic Shutter via iPhoneography via Wired]

Streaming Video from iPad and iPhone to Linux Computers [Video]

Streaming Video from iPad and iPhone to Linux Computers [Video]

Someone has ported Apple's Airplay to a Linux box running Ubuntu and XMBC. It seems to work flawlessly, allowing the user to select and stream from any Airplay-enabled device. It seems pretty simple and straightforward, and works with video and audio.

I wonder how long it would be before we start seeing Airplay in every Linux-based TV set or video box coming from China. [Ubergizmo]

JBL's AirPlay-enabled On Air Wireless speaker dock hits the FCC

JBL's AirPlay-enabled On Air Wireless speaker dock hits the FCC

JBL was one of the first companies besides iHome and Denon / Marantz to announce support for Apple's AirPlay technology, so it's no surprise that the company's On Air Wireless speaker dock just hit the FCC, complete with its manual -- we've been hearing that AirPlay will be all over the place at CES 2011. The On Air Wireless seems like a fancier riff on JBL's On Air line of speaker docks and alarm clocks -- it features that familiar swoopy-loop design but adds in a large color LCD display that displays album artwork while streaming music. Looking at the manual, the display also makes WiFi setup and configuration a little easier, which is nice. All in all, it looks promising, but we'll see what price and availability looks like when we get to CES.

JBL's AirPlay-enabled On Air Wireless speaker dock hits the FCC originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Dec 2010 09:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Planex MZK-SNG02US brings DLNA to your SD cards and USB drives

Planex MZK-SNG02US brings DLNA to your SD cards and USB drives

Not looking to go all out with a DLNA-ready NAS or dedicated media player to get some streaming started on your home network? Then you might be able to get by with something like Planex's new MZK-SNG02US device, which packs a single USB port and an SD card slot, and basically acts as DLNA-enabled bridge between your storage media and your router. Unfortunately, it looks like this one is only available in Japan at the moment, and its ¥8,000 (or $95) price tag places it a bit closer to some of those aforementioned dedicated devices than we would have liked. We're guessing that will get knocked down a bit if and when it's released (and most likely rebadged) over here, though.

Planex MZK-SNG02US brings DLNA to your SD cards and USB drives originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Dec 2010 10:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Electric Motorbikes as Tires

Electric Motorbikes as Tires

Behold an electric motor vehicle who indeed does fit the mold of “more than meets the eye.” This is no robot though, it’s a compact urban city car, but what’s more is that its rear wheels transform into bikes. Each of these bikes have only a single tire, functioning on the same system as the Segway! The car with the bikes still integrated has a light weight structure, 2 parallel side panels and a bunch of cross panels making the car like a feather yet totally tough.

To separate the bikes from the car, you’ve only to open the rear hood, take the bumper out, set down the stand to keep the car aloft, remove the docking lock, and activate the bike. A couple more features in the car are a solar panel roof, glass panels for side doors, and an overall essence of architecture embedded in the whole structure.

This project is a 2010 Red Dot Design Awards winner!

Designer: Bobin Kil

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What's That Disembodied Head Doing in My Backyard? [Projections]

What's That Disembodied Head Doing in My Backyard? [Projections]

Ghostly faces, disembodied eyes, and haunting chandeliers can be found floating against trees and reflected in the water in small cities in Spain. But there's no need to call the Ghostbusters just yet.

Ibon Mainar's "Proyecciones en el Exterior" are simple, fleeting works of projected art against natural backdrops. But in some cases they're just as striking as the complexly choreographed light shows that we're used to seeing as "projected art"—something about the combination of the familiar natural canvas and the glowing, ephemeral images is spookier than the sum of its parts.

Perhaps the best part about Manair's pieces: when he unplugs his projector and steers his truck to some new destination, he leaves his canvasses are just as pristine as when he found them. [Ibon Manair via Designboom]

Verizon teases Android LTE hardware for January 6th at CES

Verizon teases Android LTE hardware for January 6th at CES

Notice how we said "hardware," not "phones?" In light of that wild Motorola teaser we just saw and the fact that we know Verizon and Moto are working pretty closely on Android tablets, it's entirely possible that phones won't be the only items on Verizon's docket when it starts pulling the covers off its first consumer-oriented LTE gear at CES in a couple weeks. The fact that there'll be new LTE hardware intros from Verizon at CES is nothing new -- they've been saying as much for a while now -- but the specific mention of Android is a comforting confirmation that we'll probably see the HTC Mecha, that unnamed LG, and perhaps a tablet or two on hand as opposed to MetroPCS' unusual strategy of taking the dumbphone route. 'Bout time the EVO 4G and Epic 4G had to watch their backs, isn't it?

Verizon teases Android LTE hardware for January 6th at CES originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 13:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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European Nissan Leaf gets always-on connection, lets you turn up the AC wirelessly

European Nissan Leaf gets always-on connection, lets you turn up the AC wirelessly

Nissan Leaf gets always-on connection, lets you turn up the AC wirelessly

We've already marveled at the Chevy Volt's ability to let you turn up the AC while it's still plugged in to the A/C, courtesy of its OnStar app. Now we can confirm the European model of Nissan's Leaf is getting the same sort of functionality, and it's said to be standard -- no monthly fees like you'll be stuck with on the Volt. We're still not sure who's providing the wireless connectivity in the US, but abroad it comes courtesy of Telenor Connexion, which will enable a mobile phone or PC to access the Carwings Data Center remotely, to check charging status and modify the car's climate controls. In an EV the car's heating and cooling can be two of the biggest sinks for the onboard battery packs, so this ability to get the car up or down to temp while it's still plugged in could help you spend more kW driving and less on acclimatizing.

Continue reading European Nissan Leaf gets always-on connection, lets you turn up the AC wirelessly

European Nissan Leaf gets always-on connection, lets you turn up the AC wirelessly originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 18:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kno tablets start shipping this week: quick, make desk space!

Kno tablets start shipping this week: quick, make desk space!

Did you happen to pre-order a single- or dual-screen 14.1-inch Kno tablet textbook? Alright, we're assuming that schools and wealthy students were the only ones that actually did, but regardless, the monster-sized tablets are starting to ship out this week. According to the press release after the break, both the single- and dual-display versions are being boxed up and will be sent out to those early pre-orderers over the next couple of weeks. However, if you were hoping that this would mark the launch of the general availability of the enlarged tablets, that's just not the case yet -- you still have to receive an "invitation" and complete a "request for purchase" form on its website. That means even we'll be waiting longer to get one of these our hands, but if you're one of the lucky ones to receive one of these bad boys this week, let us what you think of it in the comments!

Continue reading Kno tablets start shipping this week: quick, make desk space!

Kno tablets start shipping this week: quick, make desk space! originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 20:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Heart Spark pendant blinks with your heart, automatically gets you into B.E.D. (video)

Heart Spark pendant blinks with your heart, automatically gets you into B.E.D. (video)

Not that we haven't been inundated with circuit-related fashion accessories in the past, but if you've already started thinking about what to get that lovely lad (or lady) in your life come February, look no further. SenseBridge, a research group with loads of passion, has just revealed the Heart Spark ($69, on sale now) -- a wearable pendant with an integrated wireless receiver, a smattering of LEDs and a wow factor that's downright heartwarming. The fortunate wearer must also strap a belt around their chest in order to monitor their heart rate, which is then transmitted wirelessly to the Heart Spark; upon receiving the information, the onboard lights will flash at the same rate as your heart, making it easy for the love of your life to see when your heart is aflutter. Video demonstration is just past the break, and yes, it's about as precious as you'd imagine.

Continue reading Heart Spark pendant blinks with your heart, automatically gets you into B.E.D. (video)

Heart Spark pendant blinks with your heart, automatically gets you into B.E.D. (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Dec 2010 00:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AirPlay hacked onto XBMC Ubuntu PC, Windows next (video)

AirPlay hacked onto XBMC Ubuntu PC, Windows next (video)

You won't find this hack available for download just yet, but Erica Sadun over at TUAW has posted a video showing AirPlay streaming from an iPad to an XBMC media server running on Ubuntu. As we understand it, the Linux box runs the AirPlay client service with XBMC advertising its availability using the Bonjour-compatible Avahi. Erica, who helped initiate all this AirPlay trickery with her early code spelunking efforts, says that Windows hacks are also in development. Click on through to see AirPlay take another bold step down the path of device agnosticism.

Continue reading AirPlay hacked onto XBMC Ubuntu PC, Windows next (video)

AirPlay hacked onto XBMC Ubuntu PC, Windows next (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Dec 2010 04:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toshiba's Regza GL1 3DTVs going on sale in Japan tomorrow, no glasses required

Toshiba's Regza GL1 3DTVs going on sale in Japan tomorrow, no glasses required

The panacea of glasses-free 3D displays (or content) might not yet be upon us, but Toshiba's doing its best by putting the two models in its Regza GL1 family up for sale in Japan. Tomorrow marks the debut of the smaller 12GL1, spanning a 12-inch diagonal and offering the unconventional resolution of 466 x 350. That's expected to be priced at ¥120,000 ($1,431), exactly half of the ¥240,000 ($2,863) asking price of the 20GL1, which will follow it swiftly with retail availability on December 25th. The latter display has the decency to come equipped with a more civilized 720p resolution and 550:1 contrast ratio, although, as you can see above, neither panel can be accused of being unnecessarily thin or space-efficient. Still, this parallax barrier stuff is the best we've got for the moment -- and as usual the best we've got resides in Japan only.

Update: The Wall Street Journal reports that Toshiba is planning larger members of this glasses-free 3D family with a panel of over 40 inches in the cards for the company's next fiscal year, which begins in April 2011. More to come at CES in January.

Toshiba's Regza GL1 3DTVs going on sale in Japan tomorrow, no glasses required originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Dec 2010 04:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft axes Office Genuine Advantage, says program has 'served its purpose'

Microsoft axes Office Genuine Advantage, says program has 'served its purpose'

It's not offering any indication that Windows Genuine Advantage will follow suit, but Microsoft has just made the rather surprising move of shutting down its longstanding Office Genuine Advantage program. As with Windows Genuine Advantage, that program was designed to combat piracy and, as any Office user can no doubt attest, it wasn't shy to make its presence known -- warnings like the one above popped up when downloading templates from Office.com, for instance. Why the change? Microsoft isn't exactly offering too many details, with a spokesperson only going as far to say that the program has "served its purpose," and that Microsoft is "making several new investments that will allow us to engage with customers and help victims of fraud." In the meantime, however, it looks like you can now simply go about your business without a warning to be found.

Microsoft axes Office Genuine Advantage, says program has 'served its purpose' originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Dec 2010 05:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nexus One will get Gingerbread OTA update 'in the coming weeks'

Nexus One will get Gingerbread OTA update 'in the coming weeks'

The original Google phone got us all excited a couple of weeks back when an OTA update was presumed to be the oven-hot Gingerbread upgrade, only to disappoint us. Now we've got the most lucid statement from the Android chefs yet on when the real Gingerbread Nexus One will stand up, which is placed in the relatively ill-defined window of "the coming weeks." Hey, better weeks than months, right?

Nexus One will get Gingerbread OTA update 'in the coming weeks' originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Dec 2010 05:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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