Author: Scarlett Madison

Names. If you tell someone you’re running to the store to pick up a “Touch”, a “Wildfire”, or a “Vitality”, you could be talking about either a condom or an Android phone. You see, the folks over at Intercom were able to find several words that are common to Google smartphones and condom brands and styles. Is it an odd coincidence, or is there something to the concept of trying to make the Android brand as “sexy” as the iPhone brand?  …

The latest social media phenomenon to grab our attention (and engulf the attention of some) is Pinterest. It’s getting the same type of attention that Twitter started getting in 2008 before it truly hit the mainstream and many are hoping that it will turn into the “next big thing” from a business perspective. Unlike Twitter and Facebook, Pinterest isn’t for every business. In fact, it may only be suitable for very few. When deciding whether it’s worth the time and effort from a business perspective, one must decide a few things about where they want their business to go on social media as well as understanding…

The acquisition of 750 patents from IBM by Facebook signals the venture of the social networking giant into a realm new to them: patent defense. The company has never been as involved as some of their peers when it comes to patenting with 503 filed to date and 56 or more issued, but this will expand their portfolio in light of a recent battle waged against them by Yahoo. How do purchased patents after the fact help them fight Yahoo? Leverage. There are unsubstantiated (but likely accurate) reports that some of the patents purchased were being licensed by Yahoo. If this is correct, it would justify this…

The Tek Robotic Mobilization Device developed by Istanbul, Turkey-based AMS Mekatronic, bridges the gap between bulky wheelchairs with the inherent problems that come with them and mechanical engineering that will give many paraplegics more and easier access to their world. The idea is brilliant in its simplicity to the point that one wonders why something like this is new. Using a combination of balancing mechanisms, manual attachments and pulleys, and robotic engineering, the AMS team has reduced the horizontal size of mobility devices while solving other challenges such as mounting…

There has been a giant shift in the content posted to Pinterest over the last 3 months. Around Christmas, 2011, the site was filled with holiday crafts, recipes, and home ideas with sprinklings of hairstyles and present wishlists dominating the site. Once it hit the “mainstream” and experienced the exponential growth that has highlighted the site over the last 3 months, more cars, infographics, and offbeat funny pictures started creeping it. By all accounts, it appeared as if the site that was completely dominated by women was being invaded by male users. Long-time Pinterest users started…

It can be argued that the Google search algorithm is the most used form of mathematical engineering in history. With billions of searches performed daily, it’s easy to argue that it is used at the scale of many of the naturally-occurring algorithms that govern the world around us. Last year, the search giant gave us the revelation that Google makes changes to the algorithm an average of once every 17.5 hours, but the vast majority of these changes go unnoticed by even the most scrutinizing observer. Some changes are major, and those are the ones that are detailed below in this infographic. Click…

The debate has raged for decades as many politicians, scientists, and educators believe that gaming contributes to such things as increased violence and emotional detachment, while many studies show that there are distinct positive reactions to gaming that can actually help people achieve higher mental states and improved cognitive abilities. Regardless of which side of the fence someone is, one thing is clear: gaming affects our minds. Here’s how: Via: Online Universities Blog…

Anyone with kids (and many adults, for that matter) are aware that achievements garnered through performing certain activities in games are sought after despite being relatively worthless. They can rarely be “cashed in” on anything. They aren’t broadcast. In many ways, these achievements and progressions are very personal though they do add bragging rights amongst friends. How can this mild obsession with rewards and achievements be translated into education? The fact that it’s a question is sort of sad; this could easily become the cornerstone of an education system that goes beyond grades…

There are so many threats to online security and privacy that many have simply given up on the notion of being protected. Their best defense is simply not putting anything online that they wouldn’t want to share with the rest of the world and the nefarious types in particular. For example, signing up for one of NBCs websites means that your username is shared with 7 other companies. For Home Depot signups, that number grows to 13 and includes your email address. We’ve all heard of how Google, Facebook, and other major companies are watching us when we aren’t aware. The list of security and privacy infractions…

Some have said he’s the greatest villain of all time in movies. Other say he was more likeable than the protagonists. He exudes power, authority, and an oddly-righteous evil that only Darth Vader can pull off. He also has some great dance moves, apparently. Warning: watching these videos may ruin portions of your childhood memories. …