Threat Level Privacy, Crime and Security Online Malicious ATM Catches Hackers

"There’s no honor among thieves, nor apparently among hackers. A malicious ATM kiosk was positioned in the conference center of the Riviera Hotel Casino capturing data from an unknown number of hackers attending the DefCon hacker conference before someone noticed something suspicious about the kiosk. An organizer for the conference said security authorities seized the device. It’s not known how long the ATM was in the hotel or whether it was placed there by a DefCon attendee to catch his fellow hackers or simply by an outside criminal group trying to target conference attendees."

[via wired]

Things Most Men Do In Secret (But Won’t Admit)

"We all have secrets, some that could be monumentally embarrassing if they were exposed to the fairer sex. Since nobody enjoys humiliation, unless you happen to be into S&M or something, evidence of some of your less than manly habits must be deeply buried. So what’s manly? Actually, you might be surprised. There are some things that many men enjoy that they’ll never acknowledge to anyone, for fear of seeming soft."

[via manolith]

Happy Birthday Game Boy, You Murderer

"With media mega-giants like Sony unable to topple Nintendo's dominance of the modern-day handheld market, it's seems damn near crazy that smaller and less-wealthy companies would have ever tried to chip away at the Game Boy dynasty. But try they did, and as a result, every last one of them was brutally murdered at the hands of Nintendo's lovable, fat brick. As we round off our three-part tribute honoring the little guy's 20 years of life, it's impossible to ignore that it's also been two decades of violent death to all who dared oppose him."

[via game spy]

Costume Fails from Comic Con

"We’ve seen some amazing costumes from Comic Con, as well as some… not so amazing ones. While it’s great that everyone dresses up and has fun, we feel like some costumes could have used a bit more effort or forethought. Here are some of the costume fails from Comic Con."

[via costume pop]

The history of cheating in Video Games

"Game cheats have spawned an entire industry of their own. It began in the back pages of magazines, then in full cheat books, and finally settled on the internet, where sharing cheats is as established as sharing ultra-niche Bolivian porn. Just ask our tireless CheatPlanet editor, Paul Ryan, and he’ll probably tell you, “Yeah, cheats. People like those.”"

[via games radar]

The Journalist’s Guide to Facebook

"Celebrities like Martha Stewart and Bill Gates might find Facebook () high maintenance, but the world’s largest social networking site can be invaluable to journalists. Facebook gives reporters a means to connect with communities involved with stories, find sources, and generate leads. For media companies, Facebook is a way to build community and reach a larger audience."

[via mashable]

How to Choose a Business Model

How to Choose a Business Model from Carsonified on Vimeo.

Best Vector Icon Sets All In One Place

"As you’ve probably noticed, we love finding the best freebies out there and sharing them with you. In this post, I’ve rounded up the best vector icons available. Vector icons are great because they can be scaled to custom sizes while not losing any quality."

[via web design ledger]

Power up your website with the might of APIs

"The popularity of application programming interfaces (APIs) is now such that they're considered just another part of a web developer's arsenal. Reasons for API usage are many, but mostly relate to accessibility, in the sense that you gain access to masses of data and functionality that you wouldn't be able to afford or develop on your own."

[via tech radar]

Customize Your YouTube Channel

"YouTube recently redesigned channel pages to make them more dynamic and easier to customize. The beta channels are now a hodgepodge of your uploads, favorites, playlists, and numerous in-channel editing options. Should you upgrade to the new design, you have a greater chance of creating an eye-catching channel that’s likely to keep your viewers engaged for longer."

[via mashable]

Essential Mac time-saving shortcuts

"We all want our Macs to be labour-saving rather than labour-causing devices. Yet, even if you've been using a Mac for a long time, the thought, "There has to be a better of way of doing this," will probably come to mind on a daily basis."

[via tech radar]

Ballmer: We're cheaper than Apple! (but not Linux)

"Linux. It's all about Linux. We've been competing with Linux for a number of years. I want to describe our value proposition. We are a high-volume player. We do not, like Apple, believe in low volume, very high prices. Apple's a great company, does a fine job, but their model says high margin, high quality, high price, that's kinda how they come to market."

[via cnet news]

Downloadable eBooks To Teach Yourself Linux

"So you have heard of all the advantages and geeky babble about how Linux is better and you have finally decided to try it? Just one thing, you don’t know an awful lot about Linux to get you started. How about some free downloadable ebooks to teach yourself Linux, that you can download today? Would that help?"

[via make use of]

Guide To Speeding Up Firefox 3.5

"I like Firefox but it’s not as fast as it used to be. This is a comprehensive, safe guide to optimizing Firefox 3.5 for speedy browsing. For each suggestion, your mileage may vary. Before you proceed, create a new profile. Quit Firefox, run “firefox.exe –profilemanager”, and create a new profile to experiment on. Use the new profile as your default only if your performance improves. Only those changes needed from a default installation are mentioned in this guide."

[via make use of]

When Do You Use Twitter Versus Facebook?

"There is growing body of people who actively use more than one social network, and do so with quite different purposes. Though on the surface many social networks seem similar, to use them skillfully it helps to better understand the different roles they can play in one’s online activity. Here’s what I have discovered in my use of both Twitter and Facebook."

[via mashable]

Computer Hardware Fixes and Upgrades

"If your desktop or laptop parts have died or seen better days, you've got a friend. All of your Lifehacker editors—and many helpful net denizens—have upgraded or repaired faulty systems, and we've rounded some of their most helpful tutorials."

[via lifehacker]

Words We Would Love To See Banned From Press Releases

"It’s not that I dislike the PR industry in general, although I often wonder how so many of these firms continue to be in business when the large majority of them have been doing it exactly the same way for the past few decades, instead of evolving."

[via tech crunch]

A Brief and Informal Twitter Etiquette Guide

"The idea to write a brief and informal twitter etiquette guide came from my new friend Zaven, who asked whether, in some cases, people might just be behaving in a social structure that makes sense to their culture, but not mine. He might be right. With that as a motivator, here are some guidelines for Twitter to consider."

[via chris brogan]

Sync Photoshop Presets on Multiple Computers

"If you have multiple computers, and you use both of them quite frequently (like myself), then you understand that syncing 2 computers is a never-ending battle. Syncing files is hard enough, but I want to share a workflow tip with everyone that will make your lives easier when switching back-and-forth between machines. I want to show you how to sync all your Photoshop Presets (Brushes, Actions, etc.) on multiple computers."

[via bitt box]

Photoshop Text Effect Tutorials

"No matter you want to design a banner or logo, text effect is very important. Why? It is because a beautiful text effect on the banner or logo will attracts the visitor and also delivers a better message. There are tons of Photoshop text tutorials around us, but today we are going to pick the most 40 beautiful Photoshop text effect tutorials."

[via web design booth]

How to write a killer bio

"With the bio in full bloom right now, it pays to take some time to write yours in a way that that reflects how you want to be perceived. Perhaps you want to show a sense of humor or wit. Maybe you want to show your technical prowess by delivering your bio in a video format. And while you're at it, why not let your bio accomplish some personal branding for you. As you write yours, consider a few things."

[via yahoo shine]

Old PC Game Franchises We Want Rebooted

"Ever since Piranha Games, the team behind the surprisingly fun video game adaptation of the wretched Transformers sequel, announced that they were bringing back one of the greatest classic PC franchises, MechWarrior, we here at GamePro started wondering, what else might be rebooted? From the countless PC franchises that have fizzled out over the years, we've handpicked only the best games that deserve a reboot. "

[via gamepro]

Microsoft on Yahoo Deal: “Nobody Gets It”

"Yahoo and Microsoft finally announced the big deal that would transform their “search platforms into a market competitor.” Microsoft will power Yahoo Search, while Yahoo gets a revenue sharing agreement. How did Wall Street react? While Microsoft investors and shareholders had a mildly positive reaction to the deal, Yahoo shares sunk. By billions of dollars."

[via mashable]

Geeky Weddings We’ll All Remember

"I enjoy a concept wedding as much as the next gal, but have some gone too far? Love ‘em or hate ‘em, one thing’s for sure: They put in some serious effort!"

[via divine caroline]

I Quit The iPhone

"What finally put me over the edge? It wasn’t the routinely dropped calls, something you can only truly understand once you have owned an iPhone (and which drove my friend Om Malik to bail). I’ve lived with that for two years. It’s not the lack of AT&T coverage at home. I’ve lived with that for two years, too. It certainly isn’t the lack of a physical keyboard, that has never bothered me. No, what finally put me over the edge is the Google Voice debacle."

[via tech crunch]

Make Your Web Design Stand out from the Crowd

"Keep it simple. It’s easy and tempting to try and fill a web page with too much information. Don’t be afraid of space on a page. I’ve lost count of how many times people have asked me “Why is there a space there”? I’m sure this is just pure web page conditioning. People don’t ask the same question in print design. We’re so used to seeing web pages packed with info that when we see a space it looks strange."

[via carsonified]

How to Read 300% Faster in 20 Minutes

"How much more could you get done if you completed all of your required reading in 1/3 or 1/5 the time? Increasing reading speed is a process of controlling fine motor movement—period. This post is a condensed overview of principles I taught to undergraduates at Princeton University in 1998 at a seminar called the “PX Project”

[via four hour work week]

Social Media Resources for Foodies

"Every culture has their own cuisine and we can communicate a lot about ourselves in how we assemble raw ingredients into delicious meals. But some of us like food more than others. So-called “foodies” are amateur gourmets who simply love food — eating it, talking about it, preparing it, and learning about it. And for foodies, the social web is an amazing playground."

[via mashable]

Nero 9 - Free version

"What’s better than free? Free forever! Nero offers you the chance to enjoy Nero’s world-renowned data disc burning and copying features for an unlimited time, absolutely FREE!Enjoy basic data burning and copying capabilities for your CDs and DVDs from the world’s most trusted digital media brand, Nero."

[via nero]

An Argument Against Buying an iPhone

"Apple just rejected the Google Voice iPhone application from App Store distribution, the most recent in a long line of questionable moves, and the message is clear: If you want a device that won't lock you out of innovation, skip the iPhone."

[via lifehacker]

Microsoft: Not such a fun place to work anymore

"Microsoft (MSFT) is going on a major cost-cutting diet to reign in expenses. The goal of CFO Chris Liddell is to save billions in costs to compensate for much slower revenue growth (if any) and adjust to a five-year market outlook that's far from rosy. Yep, it's the time-honored way for middle-aged, slow-growth companies to increase profits -- by slicing fat and squeezing perks."

[via daily finance]

Linux appliances made easy with SUSE Studio

"Novell has launched a new Web service called SUSE Studio that simplifies the process of building Linux-based software appliances. It provides a convenient interface for creating custom versions of Novell's SUSE Linux distribution with specialized configurations. The service is part of Novell's broader SUSE Appliance Program initiative."

[via ars technica]

App Stores For Everyone

"Cell phones have been mobile PCs for a while, but it took Apple's brilliant App Store to really set the idea of downloading apps for your cell phone in motion. Today, the mobile app market is thriving. Hundreds of handsets are capable of installing and running apps, and a slew of big-name app stores are striving to compete with Apple, including BlackBerry App World and Android Market."

[via pc mag]

Pirate Bay Ordered To Close In The Netherlands

"The Dutch anti-piracy outfit BREIN has won its court case against The Pirate Bay. The Amsterdam court today ruled that the site must cease all operations in The Netherlands within 10 days, or else pay penalties of 30,000 euros ($42,300) a person, per day."

[via torrent freak]

Free Website Analytics Tools

"Web designers are often website owners. If you fall into this category, you have probably already realized the importance of knowing and understanding who is coming to your site and what they are doing while they’re there. Whether you are running a blog or an e-commerce site, this information is vital. That’s why it’s key to have a good set of tools providing you with website analytics."

[via web design ledger]

Fresh Portfolio Websites for Your Inspiration

"Creating personal portfolio website is probably the most challenging task for designers as it should reveal the talent and some special unique style of its author. Beautiful portfolio is like a good setting – it makes design works sparkle and grabs visitors’ attention immediately."

[via smashing magazine]

iPhone Application UI Design Patterns

"The iPhone is one big constraint — no keyboard, small screen, few buttons — so designing applications for the iPhone is an exercise in building smart, simple software. Bloated apps on the iPhone? You won't find many. Most applications pick one feature or group of related features and centralize the product around that central theme."

[via flyosity]

Code a Grunge Web Design from Scratch

"In this step-by-step web development tutorial, you will learn how to convert a beautiful and eye-grabbing grunge theme web layout–created from Photoshop in a previous tutorial–into a working HTML and CSS template."

[via six revisions]

Use a 3:2 Inhale-Exhale Ratio for Improved Runs

"The aptly named Complete Running Network details how to breathe properly when running. Included in their list of seven tips is the importance of establishing the right inhale/exhale ratio. Specifically, they suggest that runners should take three footsteps for every inhale and two footsteps for every exhale, which puts them at a 3:2 ratio."

[via lifehacker]

Yahoo Gives In to Microsoft, Gives Up on Search

"In a deal that presages its departure from a market it helped pioneer, Yahoo will scrap its own efforts to best Google in search and instead rely on Microsoft's recently debuted Bing search engine. Ads placed next to those search results would be served up not by Yahoo's ad platform, dubbed Panama, but by a Microsoft technology called AdCenter. Yahoo CEO Carol Bartz "is essentially giving up on search," says Danny Sullivan, editor of Search Engine Land."

[via business week]

Sci-Fi Characters You Want on Your Buddy List

"We asked PopWatchers which science-fiction characters/creatures they'd most like to hang out with; Kara Thrace, Bender, Hiro, E.T., and more have an open invitation to get in your fave fives"

[via entertainment weekly]

Dumb Military Designs from G.I. Joe

"August's new movie G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra may not be at the top of our list of must-sees this summer, but we have been watching closely for the strange weapon designs they come up with. Bad procurement choices and G.I. Joe–the toys, cartoons and, now, the movie–have a long history. Here, we look at the five most misguided equipment designs placed in the hands of G.I. Joe figurines over the years."

[via popular mechanics]

Wisecracks RPG Fans Never Want to Hear Again

"On the videogame playground, RPG players are the ones who get hit in the face with a dodgeball while everyone points and laughs. You've got your jocks gunning through their FPSes, the theater nerds showing off on platformers, and the goth kids firing up the latest indies while they cop a cigarette under the bleachers. They all have one thing in common: They make fun of the RPG crowd."

[via crispy gamer]

World's first computer may be even older than thought

"From Swiss Army knives to iPhones, it seems we just love fancy gadgets with as many different functions as possible. And judging from the ancient Greek Antikythera mechanism, the desire to impress with the latest multipurpose must-have item goes back at least 2000 years."

[via new scientist]

Ways to Browser Test and Validate Your Work

"Every day, when reviewing templates on ThemeForest, I test the submissions for validation and browser compatibility - not to mention my own work as well. Over time, I've scrounged the web for the best validation and browser compatibility testing tools around."

[via net tuts]

Use Textures to Enhance Your Photographs

"If you’ve spent anytime at all exploring sites like Flickr, I’m sure you’ve notice a good many photographs that have a certain “vintage” look to them, a patina if you will. There are many variations to this theme, ranging from simple toning to full blown distressing of the photograph complete with film like grain or scratches and surface variation resembling an old or imperfect photo. Up till now you might have thought that achieving this look was difficult and time consuming, but in fact it is remarkably easy, and it is done using textures.

[via digital photography school]

Places to Watch Great Minds in Action

"The TED conference has been helping to blow people’s minds for many years now, and that’s in large part because they put videos of many of the TED talks online for anyone to watch, share, and spread for free. But there are a number of other conferences held each year around the world that also bring together visionaries, intellectuals, and luminaries from a wide variety of disciplines to discuss innovative ideas."

[via mashable]

Apple iTablet component suppliers named

"The clamor greeting the potential September debut of the as yet completely unannounced Apple tablet device has already gathered to a crescendo, and now a Taiwanese newspaper’s grabbing its share of attention by naming some of the component suppliers for the product."

[via 9 to 5 mac]

Firefox 4.0: Early Screenshots Released

"The pace at which Mozilla works can seem insane. It was less than a month ago when the the company released Firefox 3.5. Only three weeks later, Firefox posted screenshots of Firefox 3.7, which includes a change to the Tools bar and an Embracing Glass design. But the ambition doesn’t end there. The Firefox team is looking even farther in the future: all the way to Firefox 4.0."

[via mashable]

Social Media Wins for Your Small Business

"Social media is useful for almost every type of business. Cafes, retail stores, and even professional services can build their online reputation and increase trust. By taking advantage of social media, businesses can make themselves more accessible, more personable, and maintain long term connections. For a small business looking to increase referrals, social media can be a powerful tool."

[via mashable]

Why People Use Twitter

"According to the “Consumer Internet Barometer” from TNS and The Conference Board, 41.6% percent of Internet users who used Twitter did so to keep in touch with their friends. "

[via e marketer]