McDonald’s Photoshop Burger Advertisment Video

McDonald Quarter Pounder Photoshop Burger

The Perfect McDonald’s Advertising Burger

Dear McDonald’s – “Why does your food look different in the advertising than what is in the store?”

This was a question asked by a customer to McDonald’s. I am sure lot of us always wondered or at least balked at how perfect the burgers look on the ads yet look so flat, small, and less appetizing in real life.

Well folks, we already know the answer. It’s because the burgers are carefully crafted and yes, photoshopped to perfection. That is not a surprise. The surprise is that McDonald’s answered this question by producing a quick video on the whole process.

Was this a good move or bad move by McDonald’s?

Either way, we’ve often talked about famous photo manipulations here at Clean Cut Media especially in terms of how altering photos of people causes us to have distorted view of beauty. This is a different kind of “Beauty”, perhaps not so harmful, but still is pretty fun to watch as they carefully craft and photoshop a quarter-pounder with cheese.

Hungry Anyone? Enjoy the video.

Mcdonald’s Photoshopped Burger Video

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Should Children be Allowed on Facebook?

Child Laptop Internet Facebook

Children Allowed to Open Facebook Accounts?

News is spreading.

Facebook is considering allowing children under the age of 13 to have accounts on Facebook.

The question would had to have come sooner or later as means for continual Facebook growth. Previously anyone under the age of 13 were not allowed to have accounts, though a Consumer Report study estimated that out of 20 million minors on Facebook, 7.5 million of these children were younger than 13. Among these users, 5 million were 10 years or younger and were not being supervised by their parents. Age restrictions have always been difficult on the internet.

This is not a simple matter of whether to let kids have access or not. Keep in mind, part of the reasoning in keeping young children on Facebook is the incredible dangers that it poses.

There are the obvious factors most people would know, such as the presence of sexual predators, and creepy people talking to kids. Also one million kids were harassed, threatened, or cyberbullied on the past in the last year (Consumer Reports). There has been numerous studies on how the internet and social media cause anti-social behaviors in hyper-connected children. We here at Clean Cut Media even posted an infographic about how the internet is ruining your brain! But even more than these obvious issues, there are many other dangers not as well known. For example:

Dangers of Children on Facebook You May Not Know

Photo Accessibility: Photos posted on Facebook or the internet in general can easily spread very quickly. As they say once it’s on the internet, it’s there forever, even if you delete them. Even if you were careful, it can easily be grabbed by someone and posted elsewhere. There are many instances were lives were ruined because of some poor Facebook photo going viral. This is not only for photos you upload, but photos your friends may upload or you upload of your friends. Many lives are ruined because of one photo uploaded by someone who didn’t think through the consequences.

Abuse of Knowledge: Another example many do not consider is how sites like Facebook are used for theft and burglary. Did you just say you and your family are going on a awesome 3 month vacation to Europe? You just announced your home will be vacant for 3 months. It’s scary to think about, but consider how else more dangerous people can utilize such information.

Inappropriate Content: How about dangerous and inappropriate links shared by friends, strangers, malware or clicked on by accident as they surfed the web?

Is your daughter posting pictures of themselves all over the net? Who can access those? Download those?

Any Other way of Handling Pre-Teens on Facebook?

Some may argue that the children are already on it anyway and more should be done to help allow parents to monitor. Is that Facebook’s responsibility to provide the tools to do so or does it mostly lie on the parent? How about the idea that Facebook create a separate sub-site for those under 13 with strict monitoring tools and filters as well as an easy way to transition the account to the main facebook platform? Food for thought. Share your ideas!

Should Children be Allowed to Use Facebook?

So Question:

  • Do you support Facebook opening up to pre-teen accounts?
  • What is the best way for parents to help monitor or prevent children from making terrible mistakes?
  • At what age do you think, children have the capacity to think intelligently about these things?

[poll id=”34″]

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The Muppets Movie Review: Good for Children?

The Muppets Movie: Good for Children?

The Muppets Movie Review: Fine for Kids, but Will They Care?

The Muppets have always been grown-up versions of the “Sesame Street” characters. If you were a little kid in the late 1970s, you probably have fond memories of watching their variety show. I watched it with my grandfather, listening to him chuckle over the antics of Kermit, Fozzie and the rest.

Fast-forward 30 years and a handful of theatrical films later. Most kids know Elmo, but how meaningful is a visit back to Muppet Studios?

“The Muppets,” the latest film excursion for this band of felt characters, catches us up years after Muppet fame has peaked — and crashed. Human character Gary (Jason Segel) is best friends with Walter, who happens to be a puppet. Since childhood, Walter has dreamed of being a real Muppet, so when the friends have a chance to visit Muppet Studios, they jump on it — and are horrified to discover that the studio is run-down and the Muppets disbanded. Tex Richman, an “evil oil baron,” plans to raze the studio. From there, the friends (along with Gary’s long-time girlfriend Mary, played by Amy Adams), scheme to get the gang back together, put on a show and raise money to get the studio back and make the Muppets famous again.

But that’s like saying that Pixar’s “Up” is about a boy rescuing a bird from a hunter.

The Muppets Movie: Funny but Serious

Yes, the film is hilariously funny. Fans of “The Muppet Movie” will recognize the self-referential moments, such as Kermit being introduced with a chorus of angelic singing, only to have a church choir bus drive by. Or when the road trip to gather the remaining Muppets takes too long, and the little group agrees to “pick up the rest by montage.”

But it’s serious, too. Emotionally, the movie aims for a level of sophistication that’s above the average 6-year-old. The puppet characters are filled with regrets. A scene where Kermit and Miss Piggy discussed how they disappointed each other could have just as easily played out with, say, Johnny Depp and Penelope Cruz.

Time has passed since their hey-day, and we’re asked if the Muppets were left behind. Tex tells them, “You’re relics, Muppets. The world has moved on, and no one cares about your goody-goody, hippy-dippy Julie Andrews and Dom DeLuise hostin’, singin’-and-dancin’ act anymore. You’re dead!” For those who wouldn’t recognize Dom DeLuise, sadly, that may be true.

Muppets Good to Show Your Children?

So, should you even try to get your little ones to watch? If you want to share the Muppets with your kids, it’s sure worth a try — it’s a kid-safe experience. The language is squeaky-clean. I’ve heard some take offense at the “evil oilman,” but along with the soundtrack, Tex is a throwback to the 1980s. Gary and Mary share a hotel room on their vacation, though the twin beds are obvious and their relationship is almost painfully wholesome.

“The Muppets” is a great film for older kids who like sllly humor (and who doesn’t?) and may be able to grasp how friends can get left behind. Be warned, though — it packs a surprising emotional punch. If you were embarrassed when your daughter or son caught you crying at the beginning of “Up,” you might want to prepare yourself. At least on home video, you can slip out of the room for a moment.

Clean Cut Media’s Take

I haven’t seen it, but I have heard good reviews about this movie. Though the note above about Gary & Mary sharing a hotel room bothers me. If it’s a kids movie, why not just have them be in different rooms? However, considering how unclean so many movies are these days, it is refreshing to see a movie that seems to pass all the filters with flying colors.

  • Have you seen the movie?
  • Let us know your thoughts!

About Guest Author

Jennifer Rose Hale is a freelance writer and web producer at an education nonprofit that offers online education opportunities and discussion for a variety of age groups.

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Top 10 Creative iPhone 5 Design Mockups

Most Creative iPhone 5 Design Mockups from around the Web

Here at Clean Cut Media, we love good art, good design, and awesome display of creativity. We’ve posted great 3D Chalk Art, Photography, Short Films and even good clean Commercials.

Apple has always been a leader in design and usability. As each new product nears it’s launch period, numerous design mockups and speculations start to appear around the web. The iPhone 5 is nearing it’s speculated launch date. See below some of the excellent mockups  “guessing” what Apple might do. I’ve ranked 10 different designs in my own personal top 10 based on 3 factors.

| creativity | realistic | awesomeness

How would you rank them?

#10 – The iPhone – Ciccarese

iPhone 5 Design Mockup - Ciccarese Design
My first thought was, wow very creative. It’s kind of, cute. Points for creativity. However this doesn’t seem like a next generation phone, rather just a copy of the mighty mouse. I believe this might have been mocked for a previous iphone release as well – thus the small screen. Clever though!

#9 – The iPhone – ADR

iPhone 5 Design Mockup - The New iPhone ADR
This phone is interesting. Love the huge screen. Give some creative points for the unique back and even having the home screen button being part of the touch interface. However the back is a bit awkward and the phone itself just screams droid.. or android.. as it mimics current designs.

#8 – The iPhone – LM

iPhone 5 Design Mockup - LM

iPhone 5 Design Mockup - LM 2

The iPhone LM is simple, beautiful and very realistic. If the next iPhone looked like this – it would seem realistic wouldn’t it? Sleek, more professional, and a wider screen. Apple are masters at making small tweaks that quickly makes older phone seem old and obsolete. Well Done. Realistic Points off the charts.

#7 – The iPhone – Full Screen

iPhone 5 Design Mockup - Full Screen

Simple and realistic. Having the screen reach end to end gives it a simple but unique difference from previous generations and helps it stand above the crowd. Also super thin. Nothing fancy here.

#6 – The iPhone – Full Screen Tempered

iPhone 5 Design Mockup - Tempered Edge

Same Idea but with tempered edges and no home button. The tempered edges helps distinguish the newer iPhone a little bit more without making huge adjustments.

#5 – The iPhone Pro Care – Bend it

iPhone 5 Design Mockup - iPhone Concept Bend

This certainly won’t happen for the iPhone 5. Awesome points yes! Creativity points yes! Realistic points negative! It seems awesome and cool but two problems. First the technology at the right price is just not there to produce something that will match Apple’s desired quality of execution. Secondly, people just aren’t ready for something like this. It’s a bit too novel especially the way it bends and how you would feel holding it in your hands. But very creative indeed.

#4 – The iPhone Plus

iPhone 5 Design Mockup - iPhone Plus

This design is simple. Bigger screen, thinner body, make it look sleek. It’s a great design and the thinness looks awesome. The problem? It better be made of the toughest material in the world because I would be afraid to break it in half accidentally.

#3 – The iPhone Pro

iPhone 5 Design Mockup - iPhone Pro

Ah yes. I am a big fan of the dark grey metallic back. It adds a touch that says this is the next generation and helps distinguish itself from past models. Very professional. I believe this mockup is for a phone that is significantly larger though, thus the icons are small, but you get the idea.

#2 – The Tear Drop iPhone

iPhone 5 Design Mockup - Tear Drop

Bonus creative points because of the unique teardrop shape as well as a stab at a different interface that just works. It looks very professional and simple. It has that “oomph” factor that makes previous iPhone seem obsolete and old. I love the switch to the dark metallic grey. I like that it is still very similar to the old design, but has that updated feel. I also love the idea of using that extra screen space for something other than just another row of apps. I’ll take it!

#1 – Iphone by Rames Studios

iPhone 5 Design Mockup - Rames Studios

It was a close race between #1 & #2, but more creative bonus points here for a completely new design and thinking through the specs including a 64gig flash drive and removable battery. Those specs alone would cause many to upgrade. The design isn’t revolutionary as the block look is already popular, but it is done in a simple, clean way. Great job!

Which One is Your Favorite?

  • Let us know in comments your thoughts on each of the designs! Like it? Hate it? 
  • How would you rank them?
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South Korea Undisputed King of Internet Speed. Again.

South Korea Video Games Internet

South Korea Undisputed King of Internet Speed

Last year we learned that South Korea was the King of Internet Speeds. Korea owned 6 of the top 10 fastest cities in Asia and the country AVERAGED 14.6 Mbps. Meanwhile only 4.4% of users in the United States were above 10 Mbps.

So what has changed since then? Have other countries caught up? Did someone steal the throne of the internet?

Nope.

South Korea’s Internet Speed Rises

South Korea’s average internet speed is now 17.5Mbps. In other news, the rest of the world averages 2.3 Mbps.

South Korea was also 1 of only 2 countries (other being Japan) that increased in Internet Speed from Q3 to Q4 2011.

Also note that these are averages. South Korea peak in Q4 was 47.9 Mbps. Yes 47.9 Mbps. That’s like… at least a couple songs.

See the latest figures from Akamai below:

South Korea Internet Speed Akamai Statistics

Internet Speed Statistics

Some Highlights:
South Korea: South Korea’s Average internet speed is 17.5
Hong Kong & Japan: Hong Kong’s speed decreased from 10.5 Mbps to 9.1Mbps, putting them tied for #2 with Japan which increased from 8.9 to 9.1 Mbps.
United States: Average speed is 5.8 Mbps, down from 6.1 Mbps in Q3. Ranked #13.
Few Risers: Only South Korea & Japan increased in speed in Q4
Down Overall: Average internet speed fell 15% overall from 2.7 Mbps to 2.3 Mbps. 93 countries saw a decrease. 41 countries saw an increase.
New & Old: Belgium enters the top 10, Denmar falls off
Asia’s Lead: 69 of the 100 cities are based in Asia Pacific. 61 are in Japan, 6 in South Korea, 1 in Australia plus Hong Kong. 24 are from North America, 7 from Europe.

South Korea Plan to Increase Internet Connection

Though South Korea has the fastest Internet connection in the world, it has more plans to further increase connections throughout the country. Choi Gwang-gi is overseeing South Korea’s plan to connect every home in the country at over one gigabit per second by the end of 2012. They plan to increase speeds 10x leaving them 200x faster than the average home in the United States.

“The gigabit Internet is essential for the future, absolutely essential, and all the technologists will tell you this,” said Don Norman, co-founder of the Nielsen Norman Group, a leading technology consultancy in Fremont, Calif. “We’re all going to be doing cloud computing, for example, and that won’t work if you’re not always connected. Games. Videoconferencing. Video on demand. All this will require huge bandwidth, huge speed.”

south korea internet campsIncreased Internet Speeds Causing Internet Addictions?

A big concern with increased internet speeds is the increase in internet addiction. Internet addiction is a huge social issue in South Korea. The country even has established “Deprograming Camps” to help the young break free from the Internet.

There have already been many tragic stories of Internet additions causing great harm. One man died in a Net Cafe after playing games several days in a row. Even worse, a South Korea couple neglected their own 3 month old daughter who died of starvation as they were immersed in a role-playing game nurturing a virtual daughter.

It’s a sad reality that as technology advances and brings greater connection and good to the world, it is also creating more harm through detachment, social awkwardness and internet addiction.

  • What is your gut reaction to the rise in internet speeds?
  • Do you think enough is being done to prevent the harms of the internet?
  • Do you have any checks or accountability for your or your family’s internet use?
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Butterfly Circus – A Beautiful Short Film

The Butterfly Circus Film - Eduardo Verastegui

Butterfly Circus – A Beautiful Short Film

“The greater the struggle, the more glorious the triumph.”

This is a very well done, beautiful short film which will leave you feeling warm and touched.

The Butterfly Circus Short FilmThe short film “Butterfly Circus” takes place in the Great Depression. A showman of a renowned circus discovers a man without limbs being exploited at a carnival sideshow. He shows him a bit of kindness, a reaction that this limb-less man has never experienced. Starting with this small encounter, this man without limbs is slowly driven to hope despite all of his life experiences telling him otherwise.

The showman is Eduardo Verastegui (Bella) and the man without limbs name is Nick Vujicic. The ladder is a famous speaker of hope and change. The short film won several awards in the Best Short Category & Audience Favorite Category at the Heartland Film Festival, Palm Springs Short Festival, Ashland Independent Film Festival and Grand Prize winner at the Doorpost Film Project.

Again, “Butterfly Circus” is very well done, beautiful score (music) and the story is very heart warming. Wanted to share some good clean media films such as these. The creators are working on making this into a feature film.

  • Give it a watch and tell us what you think below!

Director: Joshua Weigel
Writer: Joshua Weigel & Rebekah Weigel
Producers: Joshua Weigel, Rebekah Weigel, Angie Alvarez
Executive Producers: Jon & Esther Phelps, Jason Atkins, Nathan Christopher Haase, Bob Yerkes, Ed Vizenor & Nathan Elliott
Director of Photography: Brian Baugh
Production Designer: Yeva McCloskey
Editor: Chris Witt
Cast: Eduardo Verastegui, Nick Vujicic, Doug Jones, Matt Allmen, Mark Atteberry, Kirk Bovill, Lexi Pearl, Connor Rosen
Original Score: Timothy Williams (Composer)

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Does Anyone Read Books Anymore? Be Surprised!

Book Stack - Old AncientHalf of Americans are Reading a Book! [Statistics]

Did you know in 1957, less than 25% of Americans were reading a book or a novel according to Gallup Poll? By 2005, that figure had risen to 47%. This means one if every two Americans are actively reading a book. Half of Americans also said they have read more than five books this past year. 

  • How many have you read this past year?

With the media onslaught of movies and video games, you may have thought reading was a lost art. I would have had thought the same, but these figures show that more people are reading than before. Perhaps it is because there was just a lot less books back then? But as recently as 1990 the poll show the reading rate was much lower at 37%.

Internet Reading Novels & Books

What do you think is causing more people to read?

  • MORE BOOKS: Is just more books in print?
  • MORE ACCESS: Affect of easy purchase through sites like Amazon and eBooks through iTunes?
  • MORE SHARING: Is it the proliferation of communication mediums like the internet where we can share our thoughts on books on forums and Facebook?
  • MORE GADGETS: Perhaps more gadgets like Kindles and iPads to make reading easier (and cooler) than ever?
  • MORE BLOCKBUSTERS: Is it the popularity of  big series like Harry Potter and Hunger Games?

Ipad Book Reading MagazineClean Cut Media’s Take: More people are reading books because of one word – “EASY”. It’s easy to find out about new great books through the internet. It is easier to read up on numerous book reviews and peer reviews through websites, forums and social networking. It is easier to purchase a book. No longer do we go through a local Barnes n’ Noble to find a book and pay $25 for a book when it’s $10 on Amazon Books with a click of a finger.

Who is Doing all the Reading?

in 2005:

Gender: Female (53%) vs. Male (42%) – 11pt differential!
Age: 18-29 (40%), 30-49 (47%), 50-64 (51%), 65+ (47%)

Battle: Movies vs. Reading Books

One interesting reading statistic is that those who frequently watch movies tend to also read more books.

Watch a Lot of Movies makes you read Less, or More?

  • High Frequency: 62%
  • Moderate Frequency: 49%
  • Not at All: 33%

At first, this may seem counter intuitive since people often bemoan how nobody reads books anymore but rather just watch tv and movies. Yet perhaps the stronger correlation lies in a person’s desire to get lost in a story. Both mediums does provide that avenue in which someone can get pulled into a whole different world.

  • Why do you think there is a correlation of movie watching and book reading?

How do People Find New Books to Read?

Not much has changed from 1999 to 2005. Below are the % statistics for 2005.

  • Choosing an Author whose book you like: 30%
  • Based on Recommendation from someone you know: 27%
  • Browsing a bookstore or library: 22%
  • Based on Book Reviews: 7%
  • By Subject: 6%
  • By Browsing an Internet Site: 3%
  • Advertisement You’ve Seen: 2%
I personally rely heavily on User Reviews found on Amazon or in my case on Audible since I tend to go to Audiobook route. Got to be productive on commutes!

iPad Book ReadingThe Rise of e-Books. Do People Read it?

In a survey by Pew Reserach Center, 21% of U.S. adults said they have read an e-book within the past year. As Kindles & iPads become more and more popular, more people have been getting into e-books. The average # of books read by a reader of e-book is 24 books compared to 15 books for those who only read print.

  • Got e-Book on Your Computer?: 42%
  • Use an e-Book Reader like Kindle or the Nook?: 41%
  • Read e-Books on Mobile Phone?: 29%

Tell us what you think!

  • What do you think about these stastistics?
  • Why do you think more people read now then before?

[poll id=”33″]

 

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Social Media Success Summit 2012: Awesome Conference

Social Media Success Summit 2012 [Conference]

I know that many of the readers here on Clean Cut Media have strong interest in Social Media. Whether you are marketing professionals, business owners, or perhaps just curious on how Social Media is being used to reach various audiences, I would recommend you check out this Social Media Summit 2012.

Why this Social Media Conference?

  • No travel – All Online Webinars. Saves a lot of money!
  • Session Recordings – Miss a seminar? You can watch the recording. Or just watch at your convenience.
  • Ask Questions – It’s a great place to ask all the social media questions you’ve always had but never could get good answers for. The speakers here are all veterans of social media marketing, people who’ve found a lot of success. They can speak through experience.
  • Network & Private Forum – There is a private Linkedin group you can join where you can network with others in a similar boat as you and other professionals in the space. It’s also one of the best Q&A spaces. Everyone asks each other questions and opinions on social media and get immediate answers from real people in similar situations. It’s great. It’s a great resource.
  • Cheap & Money Back Guarantee – Conferences are usually $2,500-$3,500. It’s a hefty price to pay to learn. This conference is only $297 if you sign up before April 19th (Extended to April 20th!) (50% off!).  If I do the math… give me a second… that means if you sign up after that date, it’ll be $594! Still cheap, but not as cheap if you sign up NOW! Nothing to lose as you can just email them within the first 2 days if you rather get a refund. Full refund with no hassle. Nice.

Social Media Success Summit Conference 2012Need Another Good Reason to Attend Social Media Success Summit?

I personally attended the last two Facebook Success Summits. What I like about this conference (other than that super cheap price) is that the examples are more concrete, more catered to smaller businesses. Also you get great access to the speakers both during the webinar and the ample opportunity to connect with them through twitter afterwards. Also the Q&A section in the linkedin section is super helpful!

Sample Social Media Summit Webinar Topics

  • Google+ For Business: How Google’s Social Network Changes Everything
  •  How to Grow Your Brand and Following with Facebook
  •  YouTube Marketing 2012: No Camera, Content or Audience? No Problem!
  •  Twitter Power Strategies: Essential Insights for Business Success
  •  How to Put Google+ to Work for Your Content and Your Business
  •  3 Simple Steps to Generating Massive Traffic with YouTube
  •  8 Steps to Managing a Social Media Crisis
  •  How Social Customer Service is Attracting New Customers and Increasing Sales
  •  How Big Brands are Using Blogs
  •  The Social Sale: How to Turn Fans and Followers into Customers
  •  No Fluff Social Media Measurement
  •  The Art of Story: How to Succeed with Blogging
  •  Pinterest: How Your Business Can Use Images to Drive Traffic

More Seminar Topics Here

Social Media Success Summit Conference 2012

  • Give it a try!: SIGN UP HERE
  • Tell us how it was and what you learned!
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How the Internet is Ruining Your Brain [Infographic]

Internet Use & Depression Statistics

This has to be the ugliest, most mind draining infographic ever made. However, the statistics are interesting a relevant so put on your thinking caps, take off your creative sensibilities and check out the statistics below! Highlights written out for the faint of heart.

Statistics: How the Internet is Ruining Your Brain

Internet Depression Sad TeenInternet Usage Statistics

  • 35 Billion: Collective hours we spend on the internet per month
  • 3x: We consume 3x more information than the 60s’ (not that I would know)
  • 61%: Admit to being addicted to the Internet (that means either you or I are addicted. It’s you… i think)

Multitasking the Internet

  • Frequency: We Change Windows/Check Email/Programs more than once every 2 minutes
  • Avg Tabs Open: See chart below. It’s a lot. How many do you have open right now!

Google is Great, but makes you Dumb

  • 7.2 Billion: # of times we collectively visit Google per day
  • 3 Billion: # of queries we collectively make per day

Social Networking – Growing # of “Friends”

  • 8 Hours: # of hours a month we spend on Facebook
  • 245: Avg # of Friends
  • 73.2%: Percentage of those friends we really know
  • 4%: Percentage that we would actually hang out with

Internet Causing Happiness or Depression?

  • Heavy internet users are 2.5x more likely to be depressed (chicken & egg?)

Internet Depression & Usage Statistics

Share Your Thoughts

Use your brain a bit.
Seriously Google makes it so easy to look up information as it is needed. How did we live without Google back in the day? Hmm… can’t remember. I better Google it…

  • How many tabs do YOU have open?
  •  Do you agree the Internet is causing some bad mojo?
  •  Does your head hurt from trying to read this infographic?
[poll id=”19″]
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Best April Fools Day Jokes Roundup 2012

April Fools Day Roundup

It has become commonplace for internet firms to get in the April Fools media fun. Last year we saw a few hilarious April Fools Jokes from Starbucks introducing the 128oz Plenta & 2oz Micra Sizes to Animal Translate by Google. Some companies like Google have confused consumers by introducing real products like Gmail on April Fools Day!

So what happened in 2012? Below are a few of the funnier ones from 2012. Enjoy.

Let us know what was your favorite and please share other good ones you’ve found on the web!

Google – 8 Bit NES Maps

Google-8-Bit-Maps-April-Fools

Google teamed up with square enix to added a button allowing users to view a 8 Bit NES style map as you would find it in old nintendo RPGs. Pretty fun to see what your home town looked like in an 8 bit world. Graphics have come a long way!

West Jet Introduces Child-Free Cabins! – Kargo Kids

WestJet - Kargo Kids April FoolsThis one is cute (can I say that as a man?)…

WestJet, Cananda’s low-cost airline introduced Kargo Kids! From the Horses Mouth:

“Kargo Kids is an exciting new program allowing guests to travel on select child-free flights, creating a quieter and more relaxing inflight experience, while children travel in a special VIP area of the aircraft”

What a great idea. it’s like having a play pen section with baby sitters. The question now is, why not MAKE THIS REAL!

Love the images of kids in the little cargo bins. Just watch it.

Google – Multitask in Chrome

Need to increase productivity? Forget browser tabs. What if you could click on multiple things all at once! Google Introduces Multitasking on Chrome, but not in the way you would have thought. Now you can control multiple cursors at once! Watch the video below. then try it out yourself!

Try Google Multi-Task Mode

The YouTube Collection on DVD

YouTube Collection DVDEver wish you had that YouTube video handy but didn’t have an internet connection? Well now you can order the YouTube Collection on DVD and watch your favorite YouTube videos online. What is in this collection you say? Every single YouTube video ever created. That’s right, it’s the biggest collection you have ever seen and since YouTube is growing like a man-child, the will continue to deliver dvds by the truckloads every week.

The YouTube Collection – Order Now

Sony VAIO Q – New Ultrabook – Amazing Small

All these Ultrabooks and Netbooks were bound to fail. Nothing can hold up to what Apple is doing these days. But this. This just might do it. Check out the new Sony VAIO Q. Amazingly small. It would make Steve Jobs proud. See the video below and be amazed. It’s a laptop literally at your fingertips.

Toshiba Announces “Shapes” Tablets – iPad Killer?

Toshiba Amore Heart TabletApple has been making all the news with their new iPhones and new iPads. All other companies have done is to copy iPhone & iPad designs and produce sad copy cats that are dead on arrival. In addition to the Sony introducing the VAIO Q, Toshiba has also been innovating to make the news waves. Finally an iPad killer worth talking about. Innovation at it’s finest. Check out the “Shapes” Tablets. It’s just the kind of thing you would have never thought of. Enjoy!

Come in Oblong, Rhombus & Amore. Available April 1st.

Get the Toshiba Shapes Tablets Now!

AdBlock introduces CatBlock

AdBlock has been a wonderful piece of add-on software to help block ads on the internet. I love this plug in and thus wrote an AdBlock review on it. But they outdid themselves this year. Introducing CatBlock. No, it doesn’t block Cats. Rather it replaces ADs with Cat images because you know, we can’t get enough of those cute furry things.

Warby Parker Presents, Glasses for Dogs

Sadly, it wouldn’t have been a surprise if this was real. Seeing dogs where clothing already is disturbing to me. Luckily, it’s not real, so it’s cute.

Warby Barker Canine Sunglasses April Fools

Power Ranger Fragrance

Already Pre-ordered the whole set. Since I am a man, looking forward the blue one.

Power Ranger Perfume April Fools

Google – Interplanetary Reporting in Google Analytics

Alright you analytical nerds. Already segmenting your data by demographics? By source? By engines? By location? No idea what I am talking about? It’s ok, you’ll still understand the joke.

Google has plans to expanded their features. Starting in the year 2030, you can know from what planet people are searching from. Is it true men are from mars and woman are from venus? Now you can find out. Google states it will start as far as the Andromeda Galaxy. Check out the screenshot below!

Google Analytics Interplanetary Reports

Official Google Interplanetary Reporting Announcement Post

CatBlock Details

Conan O’Brien Buys Mashable

Mashable is a very popular technology blog followed by millions of people including yours truly. Recently we got the exciting news that Conan O’Brien has officially bought Mashable and has Ousted CEO Pete Cashmore. Conan O’Brien is the new CEO and he promises great things.

Unfortunately several hours later and a couple videos later, Conan sadly resigned stating that he mistakenly actually bought a M.A.S.H sitcom fan site instead. Good while it lasted.

History of April Fools Day

Lastly, here is a fun video talking about the History of April Fools, or at least their best guesses.

April Fools 2012 – What was Your Favorite?

  • Pick your top 3 favorites in the poll below.
  • Share why in comments!
  • Know of other good ones? Let us know!
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How Much Data does Your Child Use Per Month?

Mobile Data Usage Statistics

DID YOU KNOW:

  • Teens ages 13 to 17 use on average 320MB of data per month?
  • Adults ages 25-34 use on average 578MB of data per month?

A study by Nielson analyzed mobile data from 65,000 U.S. subscribers. Smartphone users using mobile internet has increased 45% this year. Take a look around. Before the iPhone revolution, who among the people you know had smartphones? Very few people I imagine.

Mobile Data Usage Infographic

Teens & Texting: Where are Thou Social Skills?

We’ve had many article here following the incredible growth of text usage among teenagers. During Q3 of 2011, female teens had reached 3,952 texts per month. Male teens were at a “paltry” 2,815 per month. It wasn’t long ago that I was fine with a 200 txt msg plan! Not anymore.

Some people argue that social networks and easy communication access is lowering children’s ability to socially connect with others. Well this latest crop of statistics show that voice minute usage is dropping among teens. it dropped 17% year over year as they opt to text as it is faster and easier. An older poll from 2011 of 500 social networking Americans between ages 13 to 21, showed that 71% of the respondents preferred texting to phone calling. Ok, confession time. I would fall in that category as well. It is indeed easier and quicker, but do you think it has an adverse affect? Will it hurt social abilities and limit experiences for children and teens who grow up texting, talking online, messaging on Facebook, and IMing on gchat. I would argue, yes it would have an effect, though it may not be obvious or all that dramatic at first. I’ve worked with enough college students and youths to know, it could potentially become a problem.

  • What do you think?

Mobile Texting Statistics for Teens

  • 45% of teens send at least 30 texts a day
  •  54% of teens say they are just “chatting”
  •  14% text in class
  •  17% text while riding in a car
  •  10% text during a movie
  • Teens Ages 13-17 average 3417 text messages per month
  • Equivalent to 7 texts per every waking hour
  • 18-25: 1,914 texts per hour
  • 25-34: 928 texts per hour
  • 95% use phone for online gaming
  • 66% use to stream music

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Teen Cell Phone Usage Statistics Infographic

Teen Texting Statistics Infographic

Infographic Courtesy of OnlineSchools

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Is Being Hyperconnected Hurting or Helping our Children?

Children Laptop Online InternetDid you know a lot of employees of leading high-tech firms in the silicon valley such as Apple, Google, Yahoo, and Hewlett-Packard send their children to a computer-free school?

Schools nationwide have rushed to supply their classrooms with computers, and many policy makers say it is foolish to do otherwise. But the contrarian point of view can be found at the epicenter of the tech economy, where some parents and educators have a message: computers and schools don’t mix. – NY Times

So then comes the questions:

  • Why would high tech employees and internet executives who are so immersed in technology not want their child to use such technology to learn? Do they know something we don’t?
  • Does the use of technology potentially hurt child development…. adult development?

SURVEY: Will Millennials Benefit or Suffer Due to their Hyper-Connected Lives?

A recent survey released by Pew Internet Projects asked technology experts about this issue. The question: Will Millennials benefit or suffer due to their hyperconnected lives?

Child Mobile Phone ConnectedIn this survey, technology experts and stakeholders were fairly split in their opinions about whether highly connected people will end up having a positive or negative impact by 2020. The feeling is that young people who grow up hyper-connected via the internet, mobile web, and the internet will reap the benefit of being more nimble and quick-acting multitaskers. However on the other end, the same experts expect that those growing up fully connected will increase in their need for instant gratification, settling for quick choices, lacking patience, and the loss of social skills. Many expressed concerns of these trends, some mentioning George Orwell’s 1984 as well as fears of control by powerful interests in an age where distractions and quick entertainments rule.

Anyone remember this haunting quote?

” [it’s] easier [online] to be who you want to be, because nobody knows you and if you don’t like the situation you can just exit and it is over. ” – Clean Cut Media

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Internet Connection helps with Learning & Multitasking!

The respondents were encouraged to pick one of two stances. 3% did not respond.

55% agreed with this statement:

In 2020 the brains of multitasking teens and young adults are “wired” differently from those over age 35 and overall it yields helpful results. They do not suffer notable cognitive shortcomings as they multitask and cycle quickly through personal and work related tasks. Rather, they are learning more and they are more adept at finding answers to deep questions, in part because they can search effectively and access collective intelligence via the internet. In sum, the changes in learning behavior and cognition among the young generally produce positive outcomes.

Internet Connection makes People Shallow & Lose Social Skills!

Child Watching TV Media - Hurts!42% agreed with the opposite statement:

In 2020, the brains of multitasking teens and young adults are “wired” differently from those over age 35 and overall it yields baleful results. They do not retain information; they spend most of their energy sharing short social messages, being entertained, and being distracted away from deep engagement with people and knowledge. They lack deep thinking capabilities; they lack face to face social skills; they depend in unhealthy ways on the internet and mobile devices to function. In sum, the changes in behavior and cognition among the young are generally negative outcomes.

What is considered Hyperconnected?

Hyperconnected basically means, you are always connected, a finger tip away. It is a word describing an environment where people are linked continuously through some kind of technology to other people and information.

Another survey from Pew Internet Projects show that 95% of teens ages 12-17 are online, 76% use social networking sites, and 77% have cell phones. Those in ages 18-29? 96% use the internet, 84% use social networking sites and 97% have cell phones. Over half of them use smartphones and 1 out of 4 own tablet computers like the iPad.

Want more Amazing Internet & Social Media Statistics?

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So the same question remains.

  • Will Hyper-Connectedness of Millennials result in greater Benefit or Deteriment in the long run? Let us know your thoughts!
  • OR, at least think of a good caption for that litlte girl on the cell phone. Awesome picture!

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