Offbeat posts

Everyone in the tech industry has heard of Silicon Valley, but how many have heard of Silicon Alley? New York is known for business and money, pizza and people, but in recent years the most populated city in America has become a center where tech companies are finding their groove. This infographic by our friends at GPlus takes a detailed look at the culture developing in New York surrounding start-ups. Check it out and see how many have planted more than apple seeds in the northeast. …

With the start of summer, the start of blockbuster movie season begins. While the money-making is strong for many summer releases, they often pale in comparison to big game releases. Much of it can be attributed to the prices – a newly released video game costs much more than the price of admission to a movie. Still, there has to be something more to it. Game prices have not gone up as much as movie tickets relatively. Volumes have been increasing. More gamers are born into the world of COD and other franchises every day. Movie watchers, on the other hand, accounts for a steady number of people. The only…

If you someone asked you where you were from, you would probably reply with your city or state. That’s the real world. On Twitter, we tend to answer that question a little differently. Do you live in Funkytown? How about Naptown? Bucktown? There are more than a few people who live in “Gotham”. There are many who tend to use the nicknames of their areas to indicate where they are on social media. This map by our friends at inboxQ breaks it down and shows us how America would be viewed if from Twitter’s perspective. Click to enlarge. …

There is a decent amount of “good” going on through social media. Changes, revolutions, and innovations happen on and as a result of social media every day. And yet, for every good action, there are thousands of neutral or negative actions that occur that wash the benefits out with noise. How should we really be using this amazing technology? Those of us who grew up without the internet can (potentially) remember a world where we needed to check our mailbox (that thing on top of the pole outside of your house that seems to have an endless flow of junk mail in it replenishing magically every day) to see…

It’s not a cute little chimp pushing buttons randomly. As you’ll see in the video, this guy plays Far Cry 2 well enough to get some kills and blow up some barrels. Rise of the apes? Probably (see below). Still, the power of the opposable thumb is evident, as is the highly developed brain and oddly natural thirst for blood. Our closest relative in the animal kingdom may be more than just stronger and faster. In the future, he may be a better shot with an AK-47. Update: This “viral video” from 20th Century Fox for Rise of the Planet of the Apes got us. At the 0:44 mark, the controller isn’t on, nor is the chimp…

With nearly 70% of the US adult population accessing the internet via their mobile devices, it has become a strong play for the devious phishermen in the world. Security is always a concern when getting online, but on devices where encryption and bouncing internet connections happen regularly, phishing is the biggest issue. This graphic by our friends at MyLookout puts it all into perspective. Are you taking the right precautions when it comes to mobile surfing? Click to enlarge. …

If you haven’t heard, social media is big. For many businesses, they get onto it because they hear how awesome it is and it’s free. Then, they get into the real “cost” of social media and suddenly it’s not so beautiful anymore. This infographic by our friends at Focus gives a strong overview of what’s really happening on the cost aspect of social media for business. Click to enlarge. …

Science has been solving life’s little problems for centuries, but one task that has remained manual over the years has been chicken breast de-boning. While it may sound like a simple task, the accuracy required to make shallow cuts and clean off the bones efficiently has eluded us… …until now. It can process 1,500 chickens per hour, approximately 10X as quickly as doing it manually. According to Atsushi Suzuki, assistant manager for Mayekawa Mfg., “The most important thing in removing chicken meat from bones is the process of making shallow cuts. It recognizes images taken by the camera…

Have you ever asked a question out to the world in hopes of getting a crowdsourced response? Millions of people do this every day. They use social networks like Facebook and Twitter to get answers of various importance to them. Is it really working? “We answer more questions on Twitter every day than we do anywhere else,” said Gail Umbridge at Honda Naperville. “It’s an imperative tool for connecting with our customers.” For others, Twitter is more of a personal question tool. There are sites like Quora that are specifically designed for questions and answers, but Twitter is still the tool of choice…

Safety has been a concern online since kids started showing their parents how to surf. Now, as adults are realizing that there are real-world dangers online, the concern has grown into a threat that must be addressed. This graphic by our friends at ZoneAlarm breaks down the potential for exposure to the negative elements that fill the internet. Sometimes, even things that seem harmless on the surface can be bad. Here are 10 tips to keep your family safe. Click to enlarge. …