VMA Goes Viral

The 2011 MTV Video Music Awards have generated 5.5 million social media mentions since the awards on Sunday. MTV wanted more engagement via social networking and their wish was granted, with most of the interaction being on the Twitter mobile site. This is illustrated better with this cool informational graphic.

The awards show broke records; Beyonce’s pregnancy reveal alone resulted in nearly 9 000 tweets per second! That’s not even including the tweets about Lady Gaga dressed as a male. This year MTV made it really easy to get the viewers’ opinions out onto the web. As they could either watch the show live on TV, watch  backstage antics and red carpet videos online, or even tweet from their phones. MTV also used Twitter Tracker to show users who was the most popular on Twitter during the awards and ranked the popularity. The Hot Seat feature (which is no longer working) would show where the celebrities were tweeting from in the Nokia Theatre. MTV also flooded their Twitter profile with videos and images throughout. Their website had a running feed of all that was happening.

To put it bluntly, MTV rocked at social networking!

Steve Jobless

Steve Jobs has resigned as CEO of Apple Inc. But who can blame him when he earns a measly $1 annually for the honour. It’s all the other pies he has his fingers into that are making him all his money. In 2009 it was estimated his net wealth was $5.1 billion. Not bad, Steve.

In the letter he sent out on the 24th of August, Steve resigned as CEO because he believes he no longer fulfils his duties. Steve went on to recommended Tim Cook as his successor, a request which the company quickly obliged. After the announcement Apple shares dropped by 5%. Which could have been worse but Steve’s bad health has been in the media for years, so it wasn’t particularly a shock that he decided to step down. In 2004 he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and finally had a liver replacement in 2009. He had even been on medical leave since January of this year.

Steve will still be in charge of the major decisions but Tim will now deal with the day-to-day running of the company. In honour of Steve Jobs and his accomplishments, tributes have been popping up all over the web, for the man who transforms the industry almost yearly. You can read about all things Steve, thank him on facebook, or you can just go out and buy another Apple product making him even richer.

Touch. Pause. Engage.

Spirits are getting higher and our faith in the Boks is climbing. Our supporter shirts are ready and the remote control set to one channel. With just 15 days to go till the Rugby World Cup kicks off, you may think you're prepared. But wait, do you have the official Rugby World Cup 2011 Mobile App?

It's available in 3 languages, can follow all 48 matches with live commentary, score updates, half time and full time video highlights and much more.

For fans lucky enough to attend the world’s third largest sporting event, the app is the perfect tournament companion. There's exclusive match content and the app will provide fans with a calendar of events and festivals in New Zealand.

The Rugby World Cup has got their Social Media jacked. The Facebook page has over 1.1 million fans, there's a dedicated Twitter  account, a YouTube channel and now an official App to ensure that spectators are never left short of info.

If you're rocking a Blackberry, Playbook, iPad, Android, iPhone or Windows phone, this means that the Rugby World Cup got a whole lot more in your face.

The Third Device

Remember how the iPad was supposed to change our lives? Well, apparently it was. The real question is: has it?

Apple released the first iPad in April 2010, and sold 3 million in just 80 days. By the end of the year, Apple had sold 14.8 million iPads worldwide, representing 75 percent of tablet PC sales for 2010.

Over a year later, everyone is aware of Apple’s tablet, but they always seem to belong to a friend of a friend. The iPad 2 is selling like hotcakes but it's more than likely a result of marketing than functionally serving a purpose.

The iPad even came second in the Popular Science Innovation of the Year Awards 2010. It was beaten by the Groasis, which had to perform miracles by reinventing third world farming, in order to do so.

Where it matters, like productivity, they haven’t quite turned out to be the “Third Device” that we’d hoped for, and apparently needed. Until Apple makes it clear that it can do something we need better than something we already have, it's going to stay in the Nice To Have part of our wish list.

Snooze and Donate

There was donating money via SMS. Then it upgraded to clicking on a website. Now you can donate, in your sleep, via a new app. It doesn’t get more giving then this.

The app is called Snooze (how original) and works on iPhones, iPod Touches and iPads. It allows you to donate $0.25 every time you hit snooze. The app was created by LetGive, an organisation that combines mobile technology and charitable donations. You choose your charity and you’re given two opportunities a month to donate the money your snoozes accumulated. The money doesn’t automatically get donated so you could still change your mind (which isn’t really the point).

But wouldn’t it be really, really easy to snooze for an extra 40 minutes if it only cost you $1? That would be a dollar well spent. And you’ll have a great excuse: you were helping out a charity. What boss can be angry with that?

You can go here and download ten different charity-donating apps. Or you can take care of a hobo like a Tamagotchi but that doesn’t seem as charitable (or fun) as donating in your sleep.

Tech or Toys?

The world of technology can be a very intimidating place. What do you buy, which is the best? The possibilities are endless. What do you search for when it’s so confusing?

Take the positively futuristic Nano-structured Glass for example. These “monolithic glass space-variant polarization converters" (in English this means they are capable of storing data on glass) will be the next Flash Drives. With this kind rapid rate of technological development, what’s next?

When it comes to health, most people don't skimp and the latest aid seems to be coming from the most unlikely source. Jawbone, a company traditionally associated with audio products such as the Jambox Portable Bluetooth Speaker and Jawbone Bluetooth Headset, has created the “Up” wristband. Connecting to your cellphone it “tracks your movement, sleep patterns and eating habits and puts that information in the palm of your hand”.

If you prefer your tech in your toys rather then your tools, there’s still something for you and product review sites such as Cnet.com go a long way to help.

Among the thousands of gadgets, there are a few gems. Such as this really cool Big Ass Remote-Controlled Shark Balloon. Check out a demo of it's awesomeness here. You’re welcome.

Steer Safe?

Using your phone while driving is bad idea. Attaching your phone to your steering wheel to access it easily sounds even worse.

Steer Safe is a device that enables you to attach your phone to the top of your steering wheel. It fits all smart phones and all steering wheels. And it follows all the US Department of Transportation laws.

Really? Because in this video, you can’t see the speedometer. At least it doesn’t interfere with your airbags, because by the looks of it you’re going to need them.

Steer Safe makes it really easy to do all the things with a phone you shouldn't be doing behind the wheel like sending texts, replying to emails and watching videos. All of which are illegal. At least someone recognises just how catastrophic an idea this is.

Luckily the kit won’t be available anytime soon. The project is still pleading for funds and are way behind the goal of $20 000 with about three weeks to go. Chances are you won’t have to worry about even more dangerous drivers on the road anytime soon. At least, not until the next genius gets his brainfart into the public sphere.