David Lidsky's Blog, page 3324
February 25, 2014
Candy Crush Maker King Abandons Quest To Trademark "Candy"
Looks like developers are free to use the word candy however they like.
The candy-trademark saga is over. King, maker of the ultra-addictive Candy Crush Saga, has filed documents with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office requesting an express abandonment of its trademark application of the word "candy."
How VSCO Grid Plans To Set Itself Apart From Instagram
Instagram already exists--so why did VSCO launch a social network?
It's hard not to be a little bit envious of Joel Flory, one of the founders of VSCO, a startup best known for its award-winning camera app. Fresh off finishing runner-up for Apple's coveted "App of the Year" in the 2013, the company has spent the better part of the new year rolling out new features, including an in-app social network called VSCO Grid.
Comcast, Time Warner, And The Future Of The Cable Box
Time Warner Cable and Comcast had different visions of the future of cable boxes. How will it all play out for consumers?
Comcast's acquisition of Time Warner Cable (TWC) is well underway. The $45 billion deal cements Comcast's position as the country's largest cable provider and the First Among Equals of our national cable cartel. The Philadelphia-based media giant previously acquired NBC Universal in 2009 (as memorably satirized on 30 Rock), which gave them control of valuable networks like Telemundo, Bravo, and CNBC, along with the NBC broadcast network.
Google Is Lobbying States To Kill Restrictions On Wearing Glass While Driving
At least eight states have considered such legislation, but none have passed any measures to restrict the use of Google Glass while driving... yet.
The Google Glass driving ticket was just the start. Though San Diego resident Cecilia Abadie's citation for distracted driving was thrown out, at least eight states are considering regulation against wearing Glass while driving. In turn, the search giant is lobbying at least three states to stop such restrictions, reports Reuters.
Your Twitter Search Results Will Now Feature Promoted Accounts
Twitter says recent studies indicate that users are 72% more likely to make a purchase from a brand they follow.
Coming soon to Twitter: Promoted Accounts in your search results. That means when you search for, say, the term "donuts," the Twitter account for @DunkinDonuts could be the first thing you see.
Facebook Is Killing Its Email System (That Everyone Already Forgot About)
The social network is quietly retiring its @facebook.com email system.
So long, Facebook email. The social network is quietly shelving its username@facebook email service, and is notifying users that any mail sent there will soon be redirected to their primary account on file. So, if you are jon@facebook and you list jon@gmail as your primary email address, all messages will be forwarded to your Gmail.
This Might Be The First Selfie In Photographic History
Mustached New Yorkers, not teenage girls, were the creators of the arm's-length selfie.
As long as cavemen have been smearing stick figures on walls in Southern France, people have been making self-portraits. Who took the first 21st-century-style selfie, though? You know, that photographic self-portrait taken while holding a camera at arm's length?
What Fashion Designers Think Of Figure Skating Costumes
"Is this a Napoleon Dynamite talent show?"
Why is figure skating the most popular sport of the Winter Olympics? Sure, it's partly because skaters seem to defy physics with their gorgeous arabesques and butterfly jumps. But it's also because of the outrageous costumes. In sequin-bedazzled spandex, skaters use creative costume design to fuse sports with showbiz.
These Crazy South African Dorms Are Made From Shipping Containers And Old Silos
With an onsite gym, game rooms, computer rooms, and kitchens, this shipping container dorm building isn't nearly as no-frills as you might expect.
For decades, a set of old grain silos in a rundown Johannesburg neighborhood stood empty, and a few years ago, it was slated for demolition. Then a local developer decided to buy the property and reinvent it as student housing, complete with precarious-looking shipping containers mounted on top.
World's Meanest App? Facefeed Ranks You Based On How Many Strangers Like Your Selfie
The more people who talk to you because they like your selfie, the better your popularity ranking. It's high school all over again.
Facefeed, which launched yesterday for iOS, is a sort of combination of Tinder and ChatRoulette, but with an added ranking system that makes it oddly mean. It's a simple idea--you take a selfie and look at other people's selfies and choose to talk to them based on said selfie, if you want--but the more people choose to chat with you, the higher your ranking gets. And the ranking is right up front. Best selfie wins! Worst selfie cries.
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