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Posts Tagged ‘facebook’

Okay everyone, Path is really sorry that they did something really creepy and didn’t think tot ell anyone first. The mobile start up is attempting to talk its way out of the outrage stepping from a discovery recently that user address books were being uploaded to the Path servers without any notification. CEO Dave Morin has posted a lengthy apology on the Path blog explaining what the company has done to smooth things over.

According to Morin, Path was using the address books to help improve the functionality of the “Add Friends” feature. Path would also use the stored data … [Read More...]

If you’ve been reading the blog lately, you know that I’m trying to bring back Valentine’s Day as a cool hip holiday. It’s not my fault; really, I’m just a sucker for a love note. The best thing about a Valentine’s Day card, to be honest, isn’t the words (they are always cheesy) – it’s the thought. With that thought in mind, we headed to the wilderness to create this card for you.

You can find behind the scenes shots on the Windows Facebook page or the whole album on our Pinterest page or on SkyDrive below.

Google+ grew to over 90 million members in short order, and for the most part, it did it without the benefit of teenagers flocking from Facebook (not counting the ones who slipped through the cracks and were previously able to open an account). A change in policy now allows teens age 13 and over to join Google’s social networking service, but will they find it fun enough to stick around?

Google promises to put forth an honest effort to keep teens engaged.

“Teens and young adults are the most active Internet users on the planet. And surprise, surprise: they’re also … [Read More...]

Texas Representative Lamar Smith was recently interviewed by Reuters about his authorship of the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), and the Congressman vociferously defended the legislation. Smith even went so far as to call into question the motives of opponents. It could be said that Smith calling into question the credibility of SOPA opponents is more than a little ironic.

Smith asserted in the interview that Google makes money by advertising on sites that would be blocked by SOPA. For that reason, their motives are suspect. Not much was said of experts on the net who have been attempting to … [Read More...]

Whether you just built or bought a new PC, it pays to optimize your setup from the start

Nothing holds more promise than a brand-new PC. The hardware is fresh and full of potential, the OS is clean and clutter-free, and you have nothing but pure, unadulterated storage space awaiting your precious data. It’s an exciting time, indeed. But before you start dumping old files onto your new rig willy-nilly, and downloading every shiny bauble of an app that catches your eye, take some time to consider a more measured approach to moving in. After all, you only have this … [Read More...]

Microsoft Hardware is launching a new digital art project today called The Art of Touch. The campaign is inspired by Microsoft’s Touch Mouse family of mice. And it’s pretty cool.

By visiting the website, people can sign-in to create a piece of digital art on a canvas with a series of tools which include 3 types of brushes (ribbon, smoke or streak), and 5 different effects (like starbursts, trees, ribbons and splats). The artwork can be created using a click, swipe, or flick of a mouse!

Once a person has created a piece of artwork (people can create multiple pieces … [Read More...]

In a world where most of us have turned to expressing ourselves in snippets through the use of services like Twitter, Facebook and Google+, there’s still a place in this world for websites. After all, 140 characters might get be enough to push out a message concerning how much you drank last night and where you think you left your pants, but unless you’re a MAG Poetry Prize winner, you might have some difficulty at expressing the emotions you felt in seeing the Grand Canyon for the first time on your summer vacation. It goes without saying that for businesses, … [Read More...]

Spotify’s a pretty awesome streaming music service, but the Facebook integration it’s rolled out in the past week has left users with a pretty not-so-awesome taste in their mouths.  Never mind the fact that new users need a Facebook account just to sign up now; even old users woke up the other morning to find their Spotify listening selections blasted on their Facebook feed. Here’s how to disable the feature from either application.

Spotify

Open up the Spotify app, then click on “Edit” > “Preferences”. Right near the top you’ll see a “Facebook” header over a section that reads “Get … [Read More...]

When I was 10, I composed an entire “freeform” dance number to Jackson 5’s “ABC” because I loved it so much. I danced it all day long and then I danced it a few more times. If you asked, I could probably still do it now. I won’t because I pretend to be a grown up but I could if pressed really hard or if someone threatened me.

That being said, when I was discussing how to share the shortcut keys that the Windows Facebook page, my head went to one place and one ever popular song. So, let me … [Read More...]

The rumors have been swirling for months, but according to CNBC, a Facebook music platform is set to launch in September. The source claims that Facebook will be partnering with some music streaming heavyweights in Spotify, Pandora, and MOG. Facebook is staying silent, but the frequency and specificity of the rumors lead most to believe something is coming soon.

The date of September 22 is being floated for an announcement, which coincides with the Facebook F8 conference. There are already ways to connect music services with Facebook Connect, but the site would benefit from keeping people logged on while they … [Read More...]

Photo remixed from an original by Shutterstock.

You may not be ready to ditch Facebook for good, but now that you’ve had a chance to kick the tires on Google+, you might be ready to make it your go-to social network. The problem: You’ve built up a lot of friends, photos, videos, and other data on Facebook over the years, and you don’t want to simply lose all that data. Here’s how to migrate it all from Facebook to Google+.

When Google+ came out, it’s success was very much up in the air (remember Google Buzz?). However, it seems a … [Read More...]

By now, you’ve likely seen our favorite new Windows ads running on television with Julie who “never shopped for a new PC, because she didn’t think there was anything better out there.” To show her what she was missing, we built a PC store in her house and filled it with the newest, sexiest, and fashionable Windows 7 PCs on the market. While we can’t do this for everyone, we can help you to create a beautiful new space with a stunning Windows 7 PC.

Combining a technology makeover with a room makeover means that you can proudly … [Read More...]

Your Windows Phone 7 device is officially obsolete. At a press event in New York this morning and several media events around the world, Microsoft cut the ribbon on its next generation Windows Phone mobile platform codenamed “Mango,” which introduces “more than 500 new features to push the boundaries of the smartphone experience.”

Before we jump into Mango and it’s many new features, let’s put some worries to rest. Yes, your Windows Phone 7 device is yesterday’s news, but don’t toss it in a river just yet. Not only would that be environmentally irresponsible, but Microsoft is making the Mango … [Read More...]

Email. We all have it. We all hate it. From Outlook to Gmail to the Great Email Beyond, here’s how to make the most of it.

They say that the kids don’t use email that much these days. Doesn’t that sound dreamy? We adults, unfortunately, have no such luxury. For better or for worse, email is a major part of our personal and work lives.

We’re tempted to just leave it at that. But there’s no need to feel hopeless. We took a good, long look at the center of our communication universe with an eye toward improving, upgrading, and … [Read More...]

It’s been a while since I’ve done one of these types of blog posts. Those of you who have read a lot of my blog posts here know that I like taking photos and use Windows Live Photo Gallery to manage all the photos I take. If you haven’t already done so, you should check out Windows Live Photo Gallery – part of Windows Live Essentials 2011 – by downloading it here. Photo Gallery has several really awesome features worth taking a look at. There’s Photo Fuse which helps you create the perfect photo. Photo Gallery also has a feature … [Read More...]

The Veer is ridiculously small. Almost Zoolander ridiculously small.

When you first grip the thing in your hand and try out the keyboard, you think, “Oh man, this is never going to work.” But after a few initial typos, it’s actually not that bad at all.

At 3.25 inches long, the Veer is tiny, stealthy and unassuming. It’s so small, it’ll even fit in the coin pocket of your jeans. The back of the black model has a rubberized texture that keeps your brain from mistaking it for a large, smooth pebble.

The 2.6-inch touchscreen is minuscule compared to giant … [Read More...]