Archive for May 18th, 2008Google has released a Google Maps application program interface that enables developers to use the mapping software in applications that use Adobe Systems’ Flash technology. “We’ve designed it so that Flash graphics can be used for each tile layer, marker, and info window,” a n announcement by Google Maps engineer Mike Jones …  WujWuj is a badly named, yet really simple to use group gifting service. The aim is to let you gift a single friend with one or more items from Amazon.com and spread out the payment over a group of friends. It’s not a new idea–Fundable and FromEveryone do this. As do HomeSlyce and ChipIn, which manage to tack on general purpose fund raising as well. What might be WujWuj’s greatest asset is that it handles multiple gift giving with some basic intelligence. You can add as many presents to the list as you want, and it’ll send out whatever it can based on what you and your buddies scrap together before the giving cutoff time. This means you don’t need to raise your entire amount as long as it covers items on the top of the list. 
Add items you want to gift into a massive list. Others can pitch in to get the items, which are shipped out. (click to enlarge) (Credit: CNET Networks) Creating a list and inviting people to contribute is a snap. You can add items by searching through the built-in Amazon search engine. It’s not as fast as hunting for gifts on Amazon’s site, but if you’re looking for big name items you’re likely to find what you’re looking for on the first pass. When it comes time to invite others to get in on the purchase you can either knock out contacts one at a time or slurp them from your address book on a handful of popular e-mail services. The invite to pay (and go to the party) goes out in the form of an event that has its own special landing page. As the creator you can add all sorts of content like pics, a video from your digital camera, along with related links. It also shows a progress bar with how much money you’ve raised, as well as which gifts have been met with enough cash to get them. If your cohorts want to pitch in there’s a small fee which goes to pay for the transaction–unfortunately as a donor you can’t pick which item/s you want your funds to go to, which I’d like to see amended. Things I don’t like about the service include the taxes and additional fees. In most states, buying electronics from Amazon means whatever you’re buying is tax free. I added an iPod touch to my WujWuj gift list, which tacked on an extra $10 in tax to the buy price. There was also a mystery $23 “service charge” despite WujWuj’s claims that it’s making money only in transaction fees and whatever love it gets back from Amazon for being an affiliate store. Not cool. For that I wouldn’t suggest using WujWuj, despite its ease. You’re superior off simply using a money pooling tool like ChipIn (which links up to your Facebook buddies) and separate Web 2.0 event planning app like Socializr and MyPunchbowl. Update: CEO of WujWuj Monti Majthoub contacted me to clear up the service fees. The good news is that both the taxes and the service fees will be a thing of the past starting next week. I’ve pasted his points below:
Majthoub also tells me he’s trying to speak to Amazon about the affiliate fee, which he’s trying to get rid of. [via SimpleSpark]
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2008
 
Facebook suspends participation in Google’s Friend ConnectPosted by: admin in Social Media and Tech This post was updated at 3:17 PM with comment from Google’s David Glazer. A post Thursday on Facebook’s developer blog explains that the social network has suspended participation in Google’s “Friend Connect” project, citing a violation of its internal terms of service. “Now that Google has … CHICAGO (Dow Jones)–Subprime mortgages were the first sore spot for bond insurers as falling housing prices hit borrowers hard. But in the first quarter, home-equity lines of credit have become the new hot spot. Third-largest bond insurer Financial Security Assurance Ltd. on Wednesday became the latest to report that its loss projections for those loans rose in the quarter. FSA increased […] For more visit Source:www.investment-blog.net Google Translate just got more useful for a Prague citizen visiting India. The online translation function now can comprehend 10 more languages: Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Finnish, Hindi, Norwegian, Polish, Romanian, and Swedish. That brings the total to 23 languages, Google said in a blog posting Thursday. In addition, Google added a language-detection feature that can guess the source language a user is trying to translate. It’s more effective with longer amounts of text, Google stated. Detect Language means you only have to click the language you want to translate text into.
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05
2008
Bubble 2.0 Watch: Aggregation site Brijit shuts downPosted by: admin in Social Media and Tech Brijit.com, an aggregation site that summed on the web news stories and other content up in 100 words or fewer for swift consumption, has shut its doors. The shutdown is ideally temporary, the site’s management stated Thursday, but a placeholder on the front page admitted that Brijit “is out of … How’s this for a compelling press release opening line: “Aurora Flight Sciences announced today that it has been awarded a contract to develop a radical new aircraft that can stay aloft for up to five years. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) made the award under a program known as ‘Vulture.’” A report in EcoGeek speaks about this superplane. “It’s a little bit like a spy satellite, except it can operate under its own power, and at much lower altitudes (though still in the stratosphere).” The accompanying image, of a black flying machine wider than three 767’s wingspans and hinged like three quarters of a giant flying “W” festooned with tiny propellers, is something to behold. The theory is that the hinges could open and close as needed to expose the solar-energy-collecting wings to the ideal sunlight angles all day long. Cleantech adds that the hinged sections of the “W” are actually three separate vehicles that can launch separately and dock in midair. “The three constituent aircraft are each a complete, self-sufficient airplane with a wingspan of approximately 50 meters, or 164 feet.” Can you imagine how amazing this thing would look as it crossed the sky? Boeing and Lockheed are also in on this contract, and I eagerly await the first YouTube video of this solar superstar actually taking flight. What a compelling solar power proof of concept that’ll be.
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2008
TOP COUNTRY STATIONS TO BROADCAST LIVE FROM WESTWOOD ONE’S REMOTE EVENT AT THE 43rd ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS –Airing Friday, Might 16 through Saturday, Might 17, 2008 –Posted by: admin in Investment NewsNew York, NY – Might 13, 2008 – Westwood One (NYSE: WON), the Official Radio Network of the Academy of Country Music Awards (ACM’s), is proud to present a special multi-station remote broadcast event live from the MGM Grand Casino in Las Vegas, NV, Friday, Might 16, 2008 and Saturday, Might 17, 2008. Westwood One’s ACM Awards Remote Broadcast […] For more visit Source:www.investment-blog.net |
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