NASA Plans to Wrangle Comets With New Harpoon [VIDEO]

December 14th, 2011
Link Twitter

NASA is testing a new harpoon to collect surface samples off asteroids and comets that were once unreachable.

“The best way to grab a sample of a rotating comet that is racing through the inner solar system at up to 150,000… read more

Book Review: No Plastic Sleeves

December 14th, 2011
Link Twitter
Freelanceswitch

You may be committing a portfolio sin without even knowing it.

And what might that sin be? Well, it’s as simple as that stuff that’s keep your portfolio work samples in place. It’s…

…plastic.

In the eyes of art directors, photo editors, and other buyers of creative work, plastic-sleeved portfolios are a… read more

Big Collection of Free WordPress Themes with Premium Quality

December 14th, 2011
Link Twitter
Francesco Mugnai

Today we present you a big collection of FREE WordPress themes with premium quality to beautify your self-hosted WordPress blogs. Click on the picture to head to the info, demo and download page.

Personal Blog Themes

Ari by Elma Studio

BonPress by WPZOOM

ecoBlog by iDesignEco

Skeptical by WooThemes

Side Blog by Press75

iTheme2… read more

A Comprehensive Checklist To Creating The Perfect WordPress Website

December 14th, 2011
Link Twitter
Design Informer

There is no doubt that WordPress is the best content management system (CMS) for your website. Sure, countless CMS’ are available, ranging from open-source to paid, and you’ll hear evangelists on all sides swearing that their choice is the best. But Drupal, Joomla or any other CMS doesn’t hold a… read more

eBook Tips for Facebook Business Marketing

December 14th, 2011
Link Twitter
Freelanceswitch

Facebook’s new Timeline format has already kicked off in come countries, but its U.S. launch has been slowed by a lawsuit from Timelines.com. They are claiming their service would go kaput once Facebook’s Timeline platform launches, as functionality is so similar.

A counter suit by Facebook has been filed, so… read more

Goals and Achievements This Year and Into the Future

December 14th, 2011
Link Twitter
Vector Tuts

It’s coming towards the end of the year where traditionally people will set New Years Resolutions, which ultimately dooms them into failing and feeling bad and we become envious and joyful of those rare few who managed to keep them.

In today’s article, we’re getting nosey and finding out what people… read more

FreelancerPro Interview: Punky Chicken

December 14th, 2011
Link Twitter
Freelanceswitch

Sometimes, the freelance world can seem like one big sea with too many fishes. There are plenty of designers, writers, crafters–but then there are a few that stand out. You know the type…you look at their work and you know they are the real deal.

Courtney Mason is that type… read more

Excellent Tips for Branding Your Blog

December 14th, 2011
Link Twitter
InstantShift

Branding is an important factor behind the success of all business. Whether you are selling a pen or a car, brand names work everywhere. People still prefer buying a Pelikan and a Toyota. This is because these names have grown up as big brands and people have started relating to… read more

36 High Quality Templates & Tutorials To Design Business Website

December 14th, 2011
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36 High Quality Templates & Tutorials To Design Business Website

read more

Turn Your Great Ideas Into Extraordinary Projects With Rock the Post

December 14th, 2011
Link Twitter
Mashable

The Spark of Genius Series highlights a unique feature of startups and is made possible by Microsoft BizSpark. If you would like to have your startup considered for inclusion, please see the details here.

Name: Rock the Post

Quick Pitch: Rock the Post is a free business social networking site.

Genius Idea: Serves… read more

Google Buys a Virtual Assistant, But It’s a Far Cry From Siri

December 14th, 2011
Link Twitter
Mashable

Android owners looking for a fully-integrated response to Apple’s Siri will have to wait a little longer.

Google announced on Tuesday that it acquired a company called Clever Sense, the maker of the app Alfred, which serves as a digital personal assistant. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Mashable… read more

Categories: Apple, Mashable, Technology

Lemon: An Easy Way to Track Your Expenses

December 13th, 2011
Link Twitter
Web App Storm

For those of you that run a small business, you know that keeping track of your finances is very important. You want to make sure that every penny is accounted for that goes out and that comes in.  As someone that does the finances for my wife’s photography business, I… read more

Facebook Could Launch Mobile Ads in March [REPORT]

December 13th, 2011
Link Twitter
Mashable

Facebook may begin experimenting with mobile advertising in March, with a launch right before the company’s planned IPO, according to a report.

The social networking giant is considering rolling out a version of Sponsored Stories that would appear in users’ mobile news feeds, reports Bloomberg, which cites “two people with… read more

Why the Higgs Boson Announcement Matters

December 13th, 2011
Link Twitter
Mashable

Some of the brightest scientists in the world announced Tuesday that they’d come close to actually discovering a new particle: the Higgs boson. Unfortunately, for a large part of the world, the question of why it’s important is far from being answered.

In the world of business, even high-tech business, this… read more

With 5% Discount, Amazon Triples Use of Controversial App

December 13th, 2011
Link Twitter

Amazon has been offering shoppers a 5% discount (up to $15 for three items) for looking up an item using its Price Check App and making a purchase through the online retailer.

The promotion, which ran Saturday, was a success in… read more

13 Tech Companies and Products That Went Under in 2011

December 13th, 2011
Link Twitter
Mashable

Some we mourned, others we shrugged off. Whatever the customer reaction, every year we wave goodbye to companies and gadgets gone south.

This year was no different. In 2011, the tech industry saw tablets fail, daily deal services fizzle and bookstores get muscled out of the industry. Some were caused… read more

Tags: ,

Protesters Gear Up as SOPA Nears House Debate

December 13th, 2011
Link Twitter
Mashable

Major companies, websites and everyday protesters are continuing to fight the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) as the bill nears its day for debate in the House.

Tumblr has joined the fight by creating Fight For the Future, a site which breaks down what it believes to be the three… read more

The 10 Most Overused LinkedIn Profile Buzzwords of 2011

December 13th, 2011
Link Twitter
Mashable

Do you describe yourself as professionally creative and motivated? Then a new list from LinkedIn suggests another descriptor for you too: Unimaginative.

LinkedIn has analyzed the 135 million accounts on its network to reveal the top 10 most-overused buzzwords that people use on their professional profiles.

“Maybe during the last year… read more

U.S. Shoppers Have Spent Nearly $25 Billion Online This Holiday Season [VIDEO]

December 13th, 2011
Link Twitter

U.S. shoppers have already spent close to $25 billion online this holiday season, marking a 15% increase in ecommerce since last year, comScore says. Cyber Monday had its biggest year ever, with $1.2 billion spent online.

“These highlights represent another very… read more

The Messy Art Of UX Sketching

December 13th, 2011
Link Twitter
Smashing Magazine

I hear a lot of people talking about the importance of sketching when designing or problem-solving, yet it seems that very few people actually sketch. As a UX professional, I sketch every day. I often take over entire walls in our office and cover them with sketches, mapping out everything… read more

Make the Most of Twitter’s New Interface

December 13th, 2011
Link Twitter
Freelanceswitch

Last week, Twitter released a new online and mobile interface to try to simplify and make it easier to connect with others. I think it’s also because both Facebook and Google + have recently offered businesses a new way to use their sites to brand themselves online.

As more businesses—large… read more

Proofreading – An Essential Skill for ALL Freelancers

December 13th, 2011
Link Twitter
Freelanceswitch

Thanks to the internet, reaching prospective clients has never been easier.

Whether you are a freelance web designer, writer or international mountain guide, you are likely to have a website, twitter account, LinkedIn profile and blog – and so you should. Without these tools, most of us would… read more

Uncharitable Charitable Design

December 13th, 2011
Link Twitter
InstantShift

Like many people, I always say, “Never work for free.” Like many people, I break that rule when it comes to a good cause or meeting women. So far, I’ve only been screwed… by the good causes, that is.

This winter, I spent three days working for a nationwide charitable initiative… read more

5 Places for Graphic Designers to Find Inspiration

December 13th, 2011
Link Twitter
YouTheDesigner

We designers are always on the lookout for inspiration. We often find it in unlikely places. A splash of paint on a kindergartner’s overalls can be just what it takes to transform an ordinary project into something extraordinary. The way the sunlight reflects off the surface of… read more

30 More Great Apps You Won’t Find on the App Store

December 13th, 2011
Link Twitter
Mac App Storm

Apple recently announced that the Mac App Store has led to over 100 million app downloads, cementing it as the indisputable one stop shop for just about everything Mac users need or want. Today I want to place emphasis on the “just about” part, because despite these impressive numbers, there… read more

Web Design Trends in 2012

December 13th, 2011
Link Twitter
Web Design Ledger

Advertise here with BSA

It’s that time of year again, where we look into our crystal ball to see what will be the hot trends in web design for the upcoming year. It’s no secret that trends come and go, with some hanging around longer than they should. (Yes, splash… read more

Gift Guide 2011: Books

December 13th, 2011
Link Twitter

The holiday season is here and it’s time to get together with our family and friends, celebrate and get ready for the new year that is about to start. As we see sites with gift guides all over the web we decided to post the Abduzeedo 2011 Gift Guide because… read more

ToutApp Brings Sanity To Repetitive Outgoing Emails

December 13th, 2011
Link Twitter
Mashable

The Spark of Genius Series highlights a unique feature of startups and is made possible by Microsoft BizSpark. If you would like to have your startup considered for inclusion, please see the details here.

Name: ToutApp

Quick Pitch: ToutApp lets you template and track your emails.

Genius Idea: Improving email rather than trying… read more

NBA Fan’s Twitter Stunt Lands Him Job With Team

December 13th, 2011
Link Twitter
Mashable

On Friday, Mashable brought you the story of two NBA fans who took it upon themselves to help out their favorite team on Twitter, only to receive a legally threatening email. By the end of the day, though, the fans had traded in the Twitter accounts they created for box… read more

Groupon to Offer Two Tickets Around the World in $10,000 Deal

December 13th, 2011
Link Twitter
Mashable

Groupon is offering an unforgettable deal Tuesday — that is, if you can really call something with a $20,000 price tag a deal.

You can purchase Epic Deal: Jet Set Adventure, consisting of a pair of tickets around the world, through Groupon’s Epic Deals program. For $10,000 you get two economy… read more

18 Awesome Business Card Photoshop & Illustrator Tutorials

December 12th, 2011
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18 Awesome Business Card Photoshop & Illustrator Tutorials

read more

How to Craft a Smart Startup Exit Strategy

December 12th, 2011
Link Twitter
Mashable

Jason Lemkin is vice president of web business services at Adobe and former CEO of EchoSign. His operational experience spans the business development, sales, legal, human resource and finance fields, and he is an acknowledged expert in the field of electronic signature and electronic contracting.

Entrepreneurs often speak of their startups… read more

Rounded Corner Business Cards Giveaway From Next Day Flyers

December 12th, 2011
Link Twitter
Smashing Apps

Next Day Flyers is running a contest, where 500 pcs of Rounded Corner Business Cards for 5 winners are givingaway. Well, you guys know who are Next Day Flyers? Let’s say it once again for n00bs.

Next Day Flyers is an online printing services company that delivers top-quality printed marketing materials with… read more

Track Your Gift, Without Ruining the Surprise

December 12th, 2011
Link Twitter
Mashable

Exchanging package tracking information is the gift equivalent of a buzz kill. But Slice, an online purchase manager startup, launched a new feature on Monday that warns recipients to expect a delivery while preserving the fun of gift giving.

“Track With Friends” sends a gift-wrapped virtual box to the recipient’s email… read more

15+ Best Desktop Publishing Resources and Beginner Tips

December 12th, 2011
Link Twitter
Freelanceswitch

Desktop publishing has become a critical business skill today, and the use of the Internet means that creation of print content is no longer the only consideration.

Now the documents you create likely have to be displayed in both print and on the web.

This article looks at how to determine… read more

4 Ways to Convert Facebook Fans Into Super Fans

December 12th, 2011
Link Twitter
Mashable

Amy Porterfield is the co-author of Facebook Marketing All-In-One for Dummies and creator of the Facebook marketing training program, FBinfluence. You can join her on Facebook at facebook.com/AmyPorterfield or read her blog at AmyPorterfield.com.

For most of us, football season means it’s time to grab our jerseys and clear our Sunday… read more

80+ New Digital Media Resources You May Have Missed

December 12th, 2011
Link Twitter
Mashable

Last week was a busy one for social media. In fact, Christmas might have come early for you with the reveal of Twitter’s new design and the long-awaiting roll-out of Facebook’s Timeline. If you were left indecisive about which shiny new toy to play with first, we have all the… read more

Google+ Pages: What’s the Hype?

December 12th, 2011
Link Twitter
Freelanceswitch

Is it just me or does it seem like everyone is rolling out new technology this time of year? Facebook has its Timeline, Twitter has a new interface, YouTube has bought a company to help license music, and LinkedIn has partnered with Cvlynk to simplify and accelerate profile sharing.

And… read more

An Introduction To Object Oriented CSS (OOCSS)

December 12th, 2011
Link Twitter
Smashing Magazine

Have you ever heard the phrase “Content is King”? Being a Web developer, and therefore having a job that’s often linked to content creation, it’s likely you have. It’s a fairly overused but true statement about what draws visitors to a site.

From a Web developer’s perspective, however, some may argue… read more

Asana: Free Project Management for Teams

December 12th, 2011
Link Twitter
Web App Storm

Project management can be the hardest part of executing on your goals. Sometimes it’s easy to dream up the next big idea, but without the discipline to get things done, you are going to be left sitting around telling everyone that you meet about how you could have created the… read more

Checkout: Simple And Easy POS Software

December 12th, 2011
Link Twitter
Mac App Storm

Macs have, traditionally anyway, not really found a true home in the business world owing to their lack of support and the limited range of compatible programs available for them. But now, that’s all changing. More and more developers are either releasing dual-versions of their programs (compatible with Windows or… read more

400+ Creative Business Card Designs – Around the world

December 12th, 2011
Link Twitter

400+ Creative Business Card Designs – Around the world

read more

Feds Withdraw Lawsuit Against AT&T Over T-Mobile [REPORT]

December 11th, 2011
Link Twitter
Mashable

The U.S. Justice Department has asked a federal judge to postpone or withdraw its petition to stop AT&T from acquiring T-Mobile. It cited a shifting regulatory landscape that makes the AT&T/T-Mobile lawsuit unnecessary.

The request, as reported by Bloomberg on Friday, appears to be part of the strategic tit-for-tat between AT&T… read more

Pinterest: Inspiration for Photographers

December 11th, 2011
Link Twitter
Digital Photography School

Pin ItSocial networking has exploded onto the scene over the last few years and many photographers use sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+ to showcase their work, network with others and to promote their businesses.

But there are a large range of other social networking sites that are well worth… read more

How Has Cloud Computing Changed Business? [INFOGRAPHIC]

December 11th, 2011
Link Twitter
Mashable

We have long been advocates of moving business operations into the cloud. The remote access, cost-savings and organizational benefits alone make it a no-brainer.

Now that we’ve been floating around in the digital ether for a few years, what have we learned? How has cloud computing affected company bottom lines? Has… read more

Tags: ,

Linkswitch #93, Productivity Apps, Simplifying, Content Cycles

December 11th, 2011
Link Twitter
Freelanceswitch

Every other week we roundup some of the highest quality articles and resources that benefit freelancers from across the web. We present these articles here on various helpful topics. This week we have articles on productivity apps, simplifying your freelance business, content cycles, and more.

10 Leading Chrome Productivity Apps

As… read more

DesignM.ag Network Holiday Sale!

December 11th, 2011
Link Twitter
DesignM.ag

Advertise here with BSA

Tis the season! DesignM.ag has partnered with FreelanceFolder.com to offer their great selection of freelance products at unbeatable prices for the holidays! All of the hit selling products are discounted for a limited time. Don’t miss your chance! Here is the scoop.

The… read more

December Job Hunt Tips

December 10th, 2011
Link Twitter
Mashable

Cesar Ulloa is a Senior Staffing Manager in the Accounting & Finance Contracts division at Winter, Wyman, the largest and one of the most recognized staffing organizations in the Northeast. Find out more on the Winter, Wyman blog or follow on Twitter @WinterWyman.

Finding a job during the holiday season may… read more

XXX Domains: An Obvious Failure

December 10th, 2011
Link Twitter
Mashable

Is it just me or is the ICANN plan to corral online porn going terribly wrong? We already have reports that universities are snapping up XXX domains in an effort to get ahead of porn pranksters who want to besmirch a few good online names with smut.

I guess this turn… read more

3 New Digital Solutions For Capturing and Sharing Content

December 10th, 2011
Link Twitter
Mashable

The Spark of Genius Series highlights a unique feature of startups and is made possible by Microsoft BizSpark. If you would like to have your startup considered for inclusion, please see the details here.

Each weekend, Mashable selects startups we think are building interesting, unique or niche products.

This week we… read more

5 Things Your Business Can Learn From a Rapper

December 10th, 2011
Link Twitter
Mashable

This post originally appeared on the American Express OPEN Forum, where Mashable regularly contributes articles about leveraging social media and technology in small business.

Professional inspiration can come from anywhere, even the unlikeliest of places. This month, I was inspired by a rapper imparting business advice to startups.

Hip-hop historian, music technologist… read more

8 Best New Apps This Week [PICS]

December 10th, 2011
Link Twitter
Mashable

Evernote Food and Evernote Hello

Evernote released two new iPhone apps on Wednesday, “Food” and “Hello,” that coordinate… read more

5 Timekeeping Apps for Your Small Business

December 10th, 2011
Link Twitter
Mashable

This post originally appeared on the American Express OPEN Forum, where Mashable regularly contributes articles about leveraging social media and technology in small business.

Time is money, especially for small businesses on the hustle. It’s important not just to properly manage time but also to accurately log actions and keep employees… read more

Find the Right Resources for Your Business or Career With Entrepreneur Finder

December 10th, 2011
Link Twitter
Mashable

The Spark of Genius Series highlights a unique feature of startups and is made possible by Microsoft BizSpark. If you would like to have your startup considered for inclusion, please see the details here.

Name: Entrepreneur Finder

Quick Pitch: Entrepreneur Finder helps new companies develop.

Genius Idea: Interactive resource that brings together… read more

How to Increase Facebook Engagement Using Custom Page Tabs

December 10th, 2011
Link Twitter
Mashable

Meaghan Edelstein has gained national media attention through her blog, I Kicked Cancer’s Ass, which she started to document her battle with end stage cancer. She is an attorney, the founder of the non-profit organization Spirit Jump, and works for the Global Strategic Management Institute.

The year 2011 brought exciting changes… read more

High-Tech Adidas Soccer Shoe and App Track Your Performance

December 10th, 2011
Link Twitter
Mashable

Your days of phony hustling on the soccer pitch — appearing to exert maximum effort while actually conserving energy — are over, thanks to a new shoe and app recently introduced by Adidas.

Released this month, the free miCoach Soccer app for iPhone and iPod touch collects and visualizes data… read more

Ron Paul Only GOP Hopeful With Positive Twitter Sentiment

December 9th, 2011
Link Twitter
Mashable

Texas congressman and presidential candidate Ron Paul may be trailing in the polls, but he is the only politician with positive Twitter buzz, according to a new study.

The Pew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism — which analyzes online conversation, news coverage and more than 20 million tweets about… read more

Crunch: Online Accounting In The Cloud

December 9th, 2011
Link Twitter
Web App Storm

With the ever-rising popularity of web apps, businesses are turning to online solutions for their business needs, as it allows quick and easy access no matter where you are. The days of being tied down to the office to complete work are over as cloud computing and online platforms become… read more

5 Small Biz Mobile Marketing Strategies for the Holidays

December 9th, 2011
Link Twitter
Mashable

Ted Iannuzzi is the CEO of DIDMO. As co-creator of the company’s flagship product, mobile content creation platform Magmito, he’s passionate about mobile communication.

This year’s record-breaking Cyber Monday and Black Friday sales are a good indication that a successful holiday shopping season is well underway. We’re seeing big retailers pull… read more

Apple Opens Stunning Store in Grand Central Station [PICS]

December 9th, 2011
Link Twitter
Mashable

New York City just got a stunning new tourist attraction. Apple’s largest-ever retail venue opened on Friday at the historic Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan, as swarms of fans camped out for hours to be among the first to enter.

Hundreds of fans – some of which joined the line… read more

120 Years of ‘Vogue,’ Online for $1,575

December 9th, 2011
Link Twitter
Mashable

In fashion, they say, what goes around comes around. Now designers, fashionistas and historians — as well as advertisers and the simply curious — can browse Vogue‘s new digital archive for inspiration. It contains every page of every U.S. issue of Vogue published since the magazine launched in 1892,… read more

What It Takes to Build a Thriving Design Business on the Web

December 9th, 2011
Link Twitter
Mashable

The Leaders in Design Series is supported by Volvo.

Jesse Thomas founded the creative agency JESS3 as a student in 2007. In a few short years, he managed to climb an impressive entrepreneurial ladder. The company has completed projects for Facebook, Google and NIKEiD, among dozens of other… read more

HP: WebOS Is Now an Open Source Project

December 9th, 2011
Link Twitter
Mashable

WebOS may be more tenacious that we thought. The Linux-based OS with a rocky history has officially risen from the ashes of HP’s TouchPad bungle to be reborn as an open source project.

HP made the announcement Friday, in the wake of increasing speculation that we would all learn the… read more

Will Apple iTV Trade the Remote for Kinect-Like Control?

December 9th, 2011
Link Twitter

When Steve Jobs told Walter Isaacson in Jobs’s recent biography that he had “cracked” the secret to controlling an Apple TV set, most people assumed he was talking about Siri, the voice assistant in the iPhone 4S. But a new patent… read more

National and International Freelancers Day

December 9th, 2011
Link Twitter
Freelanceswitch

Did you know that November 23, 2011 was National Freelancers Day in the U.K.? This year marked the third annual NFD, which was launched by PCG—a trade association and support network for freelancers.

On Wednesday, November 23rd, St. Luke’s in London was host to leading industry experts who debated key… read more

Announcing the UPrinting Creative Suite Pillows Giveaway Winners!

December 9th, 2011
Link Twitter
YouTheDesigner

We’ll make this short and sweet. … read more

Why Every Small Business Website Owner’s Love Joomla CMS

December 9th, 2011
Link Twitter

Why Every Small Business Website Owner’s Love Joomla CMS

read more

Categories: Freelance

Bored? Sit Back and Let EventGrabber Find the Perfect Events for You

December 9th, 2011
Link Twitter
Mashable

The Spark of Genius Series highlights a unique feature of startups and is made possible by Microsoft BizSpark. If you would like to have your startup considered for inclusion, please see the details here.

Name: EventGrabber

Quick Pitch: EventGrabber matches local events with your personality.

Genius Idea: Aggregates and personalizes local events for… read more

How to Design the Best Navigation Bar for Your Website

December 9th, 2011
Link Twitter
Mashable

Daniel Alves is the design director for the small business web design division at the digital marketing and web design company 352 Media Group.

The navigation bar is the most important design element on a website. Not only does it guide your users to pages beyond the homepage, but it’s also… read more

New Twitter HQ Shows Big Ambitions, Rooftop Garden

December 9th, 2011
Link Twitter
Mashable

Twitter didn’t just launch a major new redesign Thursday — the event also served as an unveiling of sorts for its next headquarters in San Francisco.

Like the redesigned service — part of an aggressive push to make Twitter the dominant communication tool for people from all walks of life… read more

Senators Press ICANN on Generic Top-Level Domains

December 8th, 2011
Link Twitter
Mashable

Senators asked the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) to slow down the process of releasing new top-level domains Thursday at a hearing of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. But the discussion was moot. ICANN, not under the governance of the Senate, sees it… read more

Interview: Meet ZURB

December 8th, 2011
Link Twitter
Web App Storm

Managing successful paid web apps and client design work while still releasing free apps and resources regularly would be tough to handle for any company. ZURB’s one company in the world of web apps that has always excited us with their dedication to quality and the sheer number of apps… read more

Crowdsourced Kitchen: How Two Journalists Made Cooking Social Again [VIDEO]

December 8th, 2011
Link Twitter

Food journalists, Amanda Hesser and Merrill Stubbs, met while working together on the New York Times Cookbook. As they wrote the book, the noticed a shift in the online foodie community from content consumption to creation and hatched an idea… read more

Follow Mashable Staff on Facebook With the Subscribe Button

December 8th, 2011
Link Twitter
Mashable

Facebook rolled out its Subscribe button for websites today, and Mashable is proud to be a launch partner.

By clicking the Subscribe button from a staffer’s author page on Mashable, you can get his or her Facebook updates right in your News Feed.

Many of us from the Mashable team jumped on… read more

International Clientele Can Throw a Wrench in Your Holiday Plans

December 8th, 2011
Link Twitter
Freelanceswitch

Are you planning on taking some time off this holiday season?

Are you sure?

If you have international clients, you’d better double check your deadlines.

According to a recent Businessweek story, workers with international clients are finding it increasingly difficult to rest on national or religious holidays.

Employees are now based around… read more

5 Ways to Spread Some Festive Freelance Cheer

December 8th, 2011
Link Twitter
Freelanceswitch

Freelancing is all about building relationships, and the holidays are a perfect time to nurture those relationships.

Sending a holiday greeting adds a human touch to your cyber business, and keeps your name fresh in people’s minds. It’s also a great way to thank those who have contributed to your… read more

Handling the Well-Meaning Helpers

December 8th, 2011
Link Twitter
Freelanceswitch

It’s probably happened to every freelancer. Your friends, relatives, and acquaintances heard about your business – especially your never-ending quest to find and retain good clients – and they try to help.

Sometimes, this help can be just what you need. I can remember when I finished my first-ever website… read more

So You Want To Build A Software Product

December 8th, 2011
Link Twitter
Smashing Magazine

If you like the idea of being your own boss (I certainly do), chances are you get the itch sometimes to create your own product — a product whose direction you control, that you do not have to compromise on with someone else, and whose fruits you get to fully enjoy, instead… read more

Why The InstantShift Website Has Been Down for The Last Three Days

December 8th, 2011
Link Twitter

Many of you have been wondering what happened to our site, why it was down and why we are not responding to emails related to InstantShift.com. In short, our website was hacked.

Because of this vicious attack, InstantShift.com has been down the last three days We have been continuously updating… read more

Instagram Is Coming to Android

December 8th, 2011
Link Twitter
Mashable

Instagram, the hugely popular iPhone photography app that evokes 1970s style, has announced it’s finally developing an Android app.

The company believes its membership base of 50 million could double with its Android launch, CNET reports.

“We have two people working on Android now,” Kevin Systrom, CEO of Instagram said… read more

Design Focused Fab.com Raises $40 Million and Continues to Grow

December 8th, 2011
Link Twitter
Mashable

Hot on the heels of rapidly growing membership base and a growing number of transactions, Fab.com has just closed a $40 million Series B funding round, led by Andreessen Horowitz.

It was just six months ago that Fab.com pivoted from a social network and deal site targeting gay men into a… read more

Facebook Timeline: The Complete Guide

December 8th, 2011
Link Twitter
Mashable

Facebook Timeline has been on the back burner for months now, after it was first announced at the company’s f8 conference in September. Despite much delay, it is finally rolling out to the public, starting with New Zealand. That means it’s only a matter of days before it comes to… read more

7 Free Office Tools to Save Non-Profits Money

December 7th, 2011
Link Twitter
Mashable

Giving programs and donations to non-profits are generally the first thing that companies scale back on when a struggling economy forces budget cuts. Fortunately there are great no-cost ways for non-profits to continue to administrate and build their organization in spite of leaner times. One simple solution that will shave… read more

Free Facebook Page Business Card PSD Template

December 7th, 2011
Link Twitter

Free Facebook Page Business Card PSD Template

read more

Solo: An Artsy Project Manager (with a giveaway!)

December 7th, 2011
Link Twitter
Web App Storm

The world of web apps is over-saturated with project management apps. It often seems like the only new apps you hear about are new project management, time tracking, or invoicing apps. There’s only so many ways you can design an app for the same purpose, and so many project managers look like… read more

Online Piracy Act: Would It Help Business or Kill Innovation? [INFOGRAPHIC]

December 7th, 2011
Link Twitter
Mashable

The Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) is stirring up a lot of controversy in the tech world. Companies that rely heavily on copyright protection call the bill piracy protection; those that rely on user-generated content call it censorship.

The bill strengthens the U.S. Justice Department’s power to go after websites that… read more

Seth Godin Challenges You to Fail [VIDEO]

December 7th, 2011
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Seth Godin wants you to fail, but in a good way. In this interview with Behind the Brand, Godin explains why companies like Facebook and Google aren’t afraid to fail fast and why you should try it too.

In his… read more

Five Online Graphic Makers To Create Simple Design Elements

December 7th, 2011
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Smashing Apps

There are many websites out there for generation and creation of graphical elements, but getting by free and good ones is not that easy. That is why I am sharing Five Online Graphic Makers To Create Simple Design Elements. Read each entry in the list and see which one suits… read more

LivingSocial Raises $176 Million in $400 Million Private Offering [Confirmed]

December 7th, 2011
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Mashable

Daily deals startup LivingSocial has raised $176 million in a private offering.

The funds were raised from a mix of new and existing investors, including Amazon (which invested $175 million in the company in late 2010), U.S. Venture Partners, Grotech Capital Group and AOL founder Steve Case’s venture fund, according to… read more

Why the New Jobs Act Is Good for American Startups

December 7th, 2011
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Mashable

Eric Koester is the founder and COO of Zaarly, a mobile, real-time marketplace. Eric is a former securities lawyer who has testified before Congress on matters of startup and small business financing, immigration reform and business taxation.

Normally, I become very skeptical when any politician introduces a “Jobs Act” bill…. read more

AT&T 4G LTE Coming to New York City by Year End

December 7th, 2011
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Mashable

AT&T’s LTE expansion will officially hit New York City later this month.

John Stephens, the senior executive vice president and CFO for AT&T, announced that the wireless carrier will cover 70 million users with LTE service by the end of 2011.

This follows reports of unofficial LTE availability in parts of… read more

Groupon’s New Scheduler Lets Customers Book Appointments Online

December 7th, 2011
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Mashable

Groupon launched a pilot for a new service Wednesday that lets customers independently book appointments with small businesses online, regardless of whether or not those appointments are associated with a Groupon deal.

The trial version of “Scheduler” launched with merchants in Sacramento and Miami who are running Groupon deals. These businesses… read more

The AP is Changing the Way Their Reporters Use Twitter

December 7th, 2011
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Freelanceswitch

The Associated Press has recently forbade its writers from expressing their opinions on Twitter, including implied opinions in retweeting posts by others. This has caused a bit of an uproar.

Many journalists and other media-industry observers on Twitter responded to the AP’s edict with scorn and derision, as detailed in… read more

How to Get More Clients Faster With Templates

December 7th, 2011
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Freelanceswitch

No matter how well you plan, there will be times when you’ll need more clients. During the “famine” periods of your feast and famine cycle, the best thing you can do is cut this time as short as possible.

To do this, you need a system for contacting leads, qualifying… read more

Business Pro Blogger FREE Premium WordPress Theme

December 7th, 2011
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Business Pro Blogger FREE Premium WordPress Theme

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Kaboodle Founders Launch Mobile Fashion Marketplace

December 7th, 2011
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Mashable

The Spark of Genius Series highlights a unique feature of startups and is made possible by Microsoft BizSpark. If you would like to have your startup considered for inclusion, please see the details here.

Name: Poshmark

Quick Pitch: Purchase and sell pre-owned apparel and accessories via your iPhone.

Genius Idea: Four-and-a-half years after… read more

Microsoft Reveals Windows Store in Bid to Crash Tablet Party

December 7th, 2011
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Mashable

Developer-friendly revenue sharing, new app capabilities unique to Windows 8 and easy compatibility with touch or mouse-and-keyboard devices were among the upcoming Windows Store features that Microsoft touted at a special preview event for developers and media Tuesday evening in San Francisco.

The Windows Store will debut with the launch… read more

Apple, Nintendo and Kodak: Three Innovators and How They Faced Extinction

December 7th, 2011
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Mac App Storm

Today I’d like to talk about three tech companies that have each had their ups and downs. Apple, Nintendo and Kodak: How are these companies alike? How are they different?

We’ll discuss how an industry leader falls from grace and whether or not it’s possible to be saved once that happens…. read more