A curious boy

http://www.ted.com/talks/james_cameron_before_avatar_a_curious_boy.html

Nova motherboard da Asus

Asus Rampage III Estreme é o nome dela...

Do Customer Experience Labs da University of St. Gallen

Don’t try to predict the future, go out and invent it – Lessons from Twitter, Facebook and the first iPod Posted: 16 Mar 2010 02:11 PM PDT The hype around Apple’s latest product, the iPad is ongoing and every pundit has given us reasons why the iPad will be a total success or why it will be total failure. We love these discussions, but they are a waste of time. There is simply no correct answer at this point in time whether the iPad will be a success or not. But that is exactly why everyone loves to talk about that since everybody can be right and everybody can be wrong. Just like discussions about religion, the performance of Mac computers vs. PCs, BMW vs. Audi – there is not right or wrong and that’s why we put so much passion into these discussions. If you want to innovate, you should prevent such discussions because they lead nowhere. Of course there is a difference between a well-founded feedback session and polemic argument, but even the value of feedback is limited when you are truly innovating. Could anyone have imagined a situation like the one below? Who would have thought that one day we would be communicating 140 characters at a time? At least not Mike Arrington, founder of Techcrunch, the largest technology blog online, who wrote in his first post about Twitter (which was still called Twttr at that time): There is also a privacy issue with Twttr. Every user has a public page that shows all of their messages. Messages from that person’s extended network are also public. I imagine most users are not going to want to have all of their Twttr messages published on a public website. If this was a new startup, a one or two person shop, I’d give it a thumbs up for innovation and good execution on a simple but viral idea. But the fact that this is coming from Odeo makes me wonder – what is this company doing to make their core offering compelling? How do their shareholders feel about side projects like Twttr when their primary product line is, besides the excellent design, a total snoozer? Today Twitter has become a global phenomen with 75+ million users and aims to become the number one platform for real-time conversations on the web. Apple is the company that usually receives pretty bad feedback when they are releasing new products. Let’s have a look at the first comments about the iPod in the MacRumours forums, the number one outlet for Apple news: Great just what the world needs, another freaking MP3 player. Go Steve! Where’s the Newton?! I still can’t believe this! All this hype for something so ridiculous! Who cares about an MP3 player? I want something new! I want them to think differently! Why oh why would they do this?! It’s so wrong! It’s so stupid! We have all experienced the revolution of the music industry that was triggered by the iPod. Not much more needs to be said. Fortunately, Marc Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, did not listen to his Harvard Professor’s recommendation either, who told him sincerely, that it doesn’t make sense to further pursue Facebook. Of course, at that time I thought that social networking sites were a complete waste of time — both for the users and those developing the sites — so I earnestly tried to talk Mark out of squandering his precious Harvard education on such a frivolous endeavor. "You think you’re going to compete against Friendster and Orkut?" was the general outline of my argument. There were already too many social networking sites out there, I claimed, and building yet another one was clearly a waste of time. After all, didn’t he want to graduate? And make an A in CS161 while he was at it? What is the key take away? Nobody can predict the future and even the "experts" will never fully grasp the impact of some innovations when they where interacting with them the first time. You will always find somebody who can give you hundreds of reasons why it will not work. But the goal is not to find the idea that is not facing any obstacles – the goal is to find an idea that is worth overcoming these obstacles. But maybe even more important: What does it mean when even pundits fail to predict the success of breakthrough products and services like Twitter, the iPod and Facebook? How much can you really trust the naysayers? Innovation leaders and entrepreneurs need to be aware of this, ignore the pundits and focus on building traction for their ideas. While others are discussing, the leaders are acting. And even though one might fail, only by trying to invent the future you can achieve success. Solely discussing and predicting what the future might hold will never lead to a different future.

New password-stealing virus targets Facebook

26 mins ago

BOSTON (Reuters) – Hackers have flooded the Internet with virus-tainted spam that targets Facebook's estimated 400 million users in an effort to steal banking passwords and gather other sensitive information.

The emails tell recipients that the passwords on their Facebook accounts have been reset, urging them to click on an attachment to obtain new login credentials, according to anti-virus software maker McAfee Inc.

If the attachment is opened, it downloads several types of malicious software, including a program that steals passwords, McAfee said on Wednesday.

Hackers have long targeted Facebook users, sending them tainted messages via the social networking company's own internal email system. With this new attack, they are using regular Internet email to spread their malicious software.

A Facebook spokesman said the company could not comment on the specific case, but pointed to a status update the company posted on its web site earlier on Wednesday warning users about the spoofed email and advising users to delete the email and to warn their friends.

McAfee estimates that hackers sent out tens of millions of spam across Europe, the United States and Asia since the campaign began on Tuesday.

Dave Marcus, McAfee's director of malware research and communications, said that he expects the hackers will succeed in infecting millions of computers.

"With Facebook as your lure, you potentially have 400 million people that can click on the attachment. If you get 10 percent success, that's 40 million," he said.

The email's subject line says "Facebook password reset confirmation customer support," according to Marcus.

(Additional reporting by Alexei Oreskovic; Editing by Bernard Orr)

NPD x Social Media

Muito bom esse texto do Brett Borders

D

Why Narcissistic Personality Disorder Loves Social Media

by BRETT BORDERS on DECEMBER 8, 2009

Spend any length of time in the social media scene and you’ll almost certainly encounter a person with a severe character flaw calledNarcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD). The psychiatrists’ DSM manual describes it as “a pervasive pattern of grandiosity, need for admiration, and a lack of empathy.” Narcissists (NPD people) are excessively preoccupied with personal adequacy, power and prestige. Everyone has some need for attention, but NPD people are pathologically obsessed with it.

NPD is Commonplace in the Social Media Scene

People with NPD have a fragile, deeply wounded self-concept and they puff their ego up like blowfish in order to hide the flaw and overcompensate for it. Some use their cunning & charm to become materially successful and accomplished in the business world. A significant percentage of venture capitalists (VCs) have high-functioning NPD… and some of the online “rockstars” and glitterati do too. If you go to a big city tweetup or social media conference, you’re almost guaranteed to meet a clique of NPD people and their minions engaged in an ego-stroking circle jerk.

Certain professions supply a continual buffet of ego food: politics, acting, modeling, television, pro sports and social media. Social media participation has no barriers to entry and take minimal skills – just drive and copious free time. It’s the perfect habitat for NPD people to put themselves on a digital pedestal and receive lots of one-way attention (”narcissistic supply”). The exhibitionist aspect provides endless opportunities for narcissists to reinforce their vanity and activate their grandiosity.

Identifying Narcissistic Personality Disorder

Some common characteristics of NPD types who inhabit the Web 2.0 / social media scene:

• Narcissists can be irresistibly charming. They appear to be so deeply in love with themselves that others get taken along for the ride with them. They develop polished communication and manipulation skills that can easily dazzle you like the Wizard of Oz. Narcissists “go big” leave an “epic” first impression on many people.
• Narcissists are all about themselves. A relationship with a narcissist is typically a “one-way street.” When the conversation is focused on the narcissist, they become alive and animated. When it’s someone else’s turn to talk or take the stage, they tend become distant and withdrawn.
• Narcissists lack empathy for others. Narcissists are impostors who are so wrapped up in the drama of their own internal world, they almost completely lack the ability to empathize with others. The best they can offer is “psuedo-empathy” of the type that a telemarketer offers during a closing pitch. They may act nice when they want something from you, but once they’ve gotten what they came for – they’ll drop you faster than a call on the AT&T cellular network.
• Narcissists are preoccupied with power, status, recognition, money, followers, fame. They will stop at nothing to get more fans, more followers, more time in the limelight, more accolades. They are relentless, inexhaustible social climbers who sometimes excel at sales, business development and executive roles. Many high-level narcissists use money and its privileges as the perfect bait to draw the chosen into their inner circle of loyal supporters and admirers. (The ugly side of this cozy equation is the sacrifice of self, the abuse and the humiliations many exchange for their privileged status.)
• Narcissists are defensive & hypersensitive to criticism. NPD people protect their brittle self-esteem by launching biting, harsh attacks on those who dare to criticize and question them. They are also very controlling about how others view and think of them – by positively rewarding the praise and tyrannically punishing dissent. When it’s impossible for them to attack the critic directly, they’ll do anything in their power to block or sabotage their future success.
• Narcissists indulge themselves extravagantly. They’ll do anything to get first class travel, new gadgets, sexual conquests, spa treatments, exclusive after party invites, fancy swag bags, exclusive club memberships, extravagant homes and cars. All these things provide external proof of their adequacy and help (momentarily) fill the enormous emptiness inside them. When they get them, they’re quick to brag about it and post lots of details and TwitPics.
• NPD people can be exhibitionists. In order to keep the life-sustaining supply of attention focused on them, they will metaphorically “drop their pants” and revealTMI that most professionals never would. They will open talk about their drug use, sexual life or fantasizes, their income, their enemies or their business exploits. They especially love speaking gigs, interviews, video blogging, karaoke, etc., – becuase moments in the limelight are life-sustaining soul food for their inadequate self concept.
• NPD people keep score. They watch rivals with microscopic vigilance, and will come up with cunning ways to sabotage, outdo or humiliate them. Multimillionaire VCs with NPD are envious of the billionaire ones. On Twitter, you’ll notice that narcissists almost always maintain a very high ratio of followers to friends — reflecting their lack empathy and primal need for their numbers to reflect “one- way” attention. They never “give back” and pay attention to someone else unless they absolutely have to.
• Narcissists demand total loyalty from their followers. No matter how badly an NPD person behaves, their fans and subordinate “yes men” will cheer them on and publicly declare how “awesome” they are, etc. People (unconsciously) sense they have a dangerously fragile self-concept… and are intuitively afraid of getting on their “bad list” – so they tend to leave lots of ego stroking (”You rock!”) comments. One you get on the bad list, there is no way off without heavy ass-kissing and contrition. (Unless you get access to something they desperately want.)

The Narcissist’s Bleak Inner World

The narcissist selectively chooses an “inner circle” of others who will resonate with her vision of self. The successful NPD person creates an intricate matrix of positive feedback in the form of fans, friends, followers and partners who fulfill their endless needs. When the sources of these ego rewards (comments, accolades, retweets, speaking gigs) become unavailable or fail, the narcissist experience intense feelings of emptiness.

In her excellent book on high-level narcissism, Dr. Linda Martinez-Lewi says:

“The narcissist’s experience of emotional emptiness is beyond longing or sadness. It is a severe and intractable wounding, a pain so savage and deep that it seems intolerable. The psychological landscape of the narcissist is bleak. He has no inner resources to sustain him. He cannot turn to himself or others for real affection or solace. Although he enjoys the transient loyalty of dedicated followers, no one really cares about him.”

Social media addiction is the ultimate dual-action stimulant + painkiller for the narcissistic personality.

Dealing with NPD Individuals

Being in a family, business, or romantic relationship with a narcissist is living hell. Working for one can be an ‘emotional holocaust.’ There are some excellent books on the deeper aspects of defending yourself against the narcissist’s insidious nastiness – The Wizard of Oz & Other Narcissists: Coping With the One-Way Relationship in Work, Life and Family is highly-recommended.

In a more shallow social media type of relationship, you must remember that narcissists they demand loyalty and perfect ego stroking. If you choose to get involved in their world, prepared to perpetually walk on eggshells and keep your true feelings masked – no matter how disgusting or annoying the person’s behaviors are. Never criticize them unless you are willing to go on their permanent “shit list.”

If you don’t need or want anything from the Social Media Narcissist, it’s best to be cordial and distant from them. Keep firm boundaries. Stay far away, don’t be drawn into their charismatic web of illusion, and if they attack you — you don’t have to attack back. Recognition and awareness of the painful-yet-common disorder in the social media scene can save you intense pain and grief.

AppleiPhoneNews (Apple iPhone NEWS)

AppleiPhoneNews: Three Arguments the iPhone is the Greatest Gadget
Ever http://bit.ly/WJxLF
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Playing With a More Sensitive Wii [The Mossberg Solution] - AllThingsD.com

http://solution.allthingsd.com/20090804/playing-with-a-more-sensitive-wii/?mod=ATD_iphone

mobile@iPhone

Facebook buys social media start-up FriendFeed

Zoom picture

By Alexei Oreskovic

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Facebook, the world's largest social networking site, said it will buy FriendFeed, netting a group of prized ex-Google engineers in the fast-growing Internet business.

FriendFeed, an up-and-coming social media startup, lets people share content online in real time across various social networks and blogs.

The service is similar to, though less popular than Twitter, the microblogging site that Facebook tried to buy for $500 million (303 million pounds) in 2008, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed on Monday, but Facebook said FriendFeed would operate as it has for the time being as the teams determine long-term plans.

Facebook's big gain in the acquisition is the engineering talent at FriendFeed, rather than the actual product, which has won critical praise, but lagged in popularity compared to Twitter, said Forrester Research analyst Jeremiah Owyang.

"These guys now how to build scalable, social applications," said Owyang.

In a statement, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said he admired the FriendFeed team for having created a service he described as simple and elegant.

"As this shows, our culture continues to make Facebook a place where the best engineers come to build things quickly that lots of people will use," said Zuckerberg.

FriendFeed's four founders are former Google employees who count well known products like Gmail and Google Maps among their accomplishments.

Facebook said the founders will hold senior roles on its engineering and product teams.

FriendFeed had talked with Facebook "casually" for a couple of months, and that it became clear that the teams were "cut from the same cloths," FriendFeed co-founder Bret Taylor told Reuters in an interview.

He declined to say whether FriendFeed had been in talks with other companies.

One bridge between Facebook and FriendFeed might have been Matt Cohler, Facebook's former management vice president. He joined FriendFeed backer Benchmark Capital last year.

Asked what role the connection played in the deal, FriendFeed's Taylor said the decision to be acquired by Facebook was made entirely by the team at FriendFeed.

Facebook has more than 250 million registered users. In May, the social networking company announced a $200 million investment from Russian investor Digital Sky Technologies that pegged the value of its preferred shares at $10 billion.

Facebook has said its revenue is on track to rise 70 percent this year, and board member Mark Andreessen has said the company will bring in more than $500 million in revenue in 2009.

But Forrester's Owyang said that Facebook must make the content generated within the site more accessible to the public instead of only to closed networks of Facebook friends, so that the company can sell more ads.

Earlier this year, Facebook announced changes to its privacy controls to allow people to make their status messages and posts viewable to a broader Internet audience.

(Reporting by Alexei Oreskovic; Editing Bernard Orr and Robert MacMillan)

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TEDchris (Chris Anderson)

TEDchris: Satellite data used to create world's most detailed digital
topographic map: http://tr.im/qigB http://tr.im/qifB
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20 operadoras mundiais respondem por 59% das conexões wireless

Do Telecom Online:

 

20 operadoras mundiais respondem por 59% das conexões wireless

Estudo da Wireless Intelligence mostra que o processo de consolidação está aprofundando a concentração Um novo estudo realizado pela Wireless Intelligence revela que as 20 maiores operadoras e grupos de operadoras responderam por mais de 58% das conexões móveis no primeiro trimestre de 2009. Ele aponta para uma maior concentração de mercado impulsionado pelo processo de consolidação que está em andamento em algumas regiões, principalmente na Europa. A primeira colocada no ranking, China Mobile, possui 11,5% de market share mundial com operações em dois países (China e Hong Kong). Com 479 milhões de conexões, ela ultrapassou outro grande grupo de telefonia móvel, a Vodafone. Na terceira e quarta posição estão, respectivamente, o grupo Telefónica e América Móvil, que possuem uma intensa disputa na América Latina. A TIM, com presença em dois países, incluindo Brasil, está na 15ª posição. O grupo Vodafone, atuando em 19 mercados, atingiu 247 milhões de clientes e ficou na segunda posição. Com presença em 10 mercados europeus, a companhia tem expandido sua atuação no Leste Europeu, Ásia e África. Sua mais recente expansão foi em Ghana, na Índia, e a próxima deverá ser no Quatar onde está prestes a lançar sua operação. A Telefónica, em 20 países, fechou o primeiro trimestre com 190,1 milhões de clientes. O grupo espanhol disputa posições com a América Móvil em 13 mercados da América Latina. Sem presença na Europa, como sua concorrente, o grupo mexicano tenta se aproximar da Telefónica, somando 174,9 milhões de clientes em 17 mercados. A China Unicom, com presença apenas na China, ocupa a quinta posição no ranking das 20 maiores operadoras mundiais. Ela responde no mercado chinês por 137,7 milhões de conexões wireless. Com 127,1 milhões de clientes e atuação em 12 mercados, o grupo Deutsche Telekom vem em seguida. O grupo Telenor, constantemente envolvido em rumores sobre fusões e aquisições, ficou em sétimo lugar nos três primeiros meses deste ano, com 96,6 milhões de assinantes. A maior presença em mercados, diretamente ou mantendo a maior parte das ações de operadoras locais, é a da France Telecom, com 26 operações. Isso lhe garantiu 85 milhões de clientes e a décima primeira posição no ranking. A Telecom Italia Móbile (TIM) soma 70,3 milhões de assinantes nas suas duas operações. O levantamento feito pela Wireless Intelligence mostra que entre as 20 maiores operadoras mundiais menos de 20% conta com redes de nova geração da telefonia móvel. Segundo os analistas da empresa, isso se deve, entre outros, ao fato de grandes operadoras terem sua atuação em países onde o estágio da implantação de redes de próxima geração ainda é inicial, como a China, e com muitos leilões de licença ainda estarem em andamento, como a Índia. Segundo Will Croft, da Wireless Intelligence, o estudo mostra que estão diminuindo as oportunidades de crescimento orgânico nos países maduros o que leva as empresas a buscarem rentabilidade com múltiplas conexões por cada assinante e se tornarem o fornecedor secundário de acesso de dados. Ele enxerga a possibilidade de o processo de consolidação se aprofundar, com as dificuldades de crescimento orgânico e os mercados emergentes mantendo sua importância estratégica para os grandes grupos.

[DAPB]