Election 2012: YouTube seeks voters’ videos for its Elections Hub channel

Fancy trying your hand at a spot of citizen journalism? YouTube is inviting US voters to submit videos of their Election Day experiences to the website's Elections Hub channel where it promises to feature some of the best.

Election Day is almost here, and it’s been quite some build-up this time around. We’ve seen Clint Eastwood talking to an empty chair, Mitt Romney hammer President Obama in the opening debate and a hurricane called Sandy turn things upside down in more ways than one.

As Obama and Romney begin nursing their bruised and battered vocal cords following a punishing campaign which saw both of them manically criss-crossing the country in a last-ditch effort to persuade voters in crucial swing states, YouTube has put out a call to voters requesting videos of their Election Day experiences as they head to their local polling station to cast their ballot in an election too close to call.

“Regardless of whether you’re a veteran or first-time voter, taking part in the electoral process is a powerful experience, and one that we know many of you will document in some way, just like you did in 2008,” the video sharing site’s Olivia Ma wrote on the YouTube blog on Monday.

She added, “Whether you’re vlogging about which candidate you support, capturing footage of the long line at your polling place, or encouraging your friends to get out of the house and go vote, we’re inviting you to send us your Election Day videos.”

Ma suggests voters either tweet their submissions to @YouTubePolitics or simply include #YouTubePolitics in the video title, promising that a selection of the submissions will be featured on the YouTube Elections Hub channel.

The special election channel has been featuring extensive coverage from the likes of ABC News, Al Jazeera and the New York Times, and has plenty of live coverage lined up for Tuesday as people go out to vote.

So if you fancy trying your hand at a spot of citizen journalism – with the possibility that your work might end up being shown alongside coverage by broadcasting giants – you know what to do.

Something to keep in mind, though: YouTube reminds vloggers to check their state law for guidelines when it comes to polling station activities. It’s good advice – the last thing you want is to be marched away from the polling station before you’ve had a chance to have your say in this tightly contested election.

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Election 2012: YouTube seeks voters’ videos for its Elections Hub channel

Fancy trying your hand at a spot of citizen journalism? YouTube is inviting US voters to submit videos of their Election Day experiences to the website's Elections Hub channel where it promises to feature some of the best.

Election Day is almost here, and it’s been quite some build-up this time around. We’ve seen Clint Eastwood talking to an empty chair, Mitt Romney hammer President Obama in the opening debate and a hurricane called Sandy turn things upside down in more ways than one.

As Obama and Romney begin nursing their bruised and battered vocal cords following a punishing campaign which saw both of them manically criss-crossing the country in a last-ditch effort to persuade voters in crucial swing states, YouTube has put out a call to voters requesting videos of their Election Day experiences as they head to their local polling station to cast their ballot in an election too close to call.

“Regardless of whether you’re a veteran or first-time voter, taking part in the electoral process is a powerful experience, and one that we know many of you will document in some way, just like you did in 2008,” the video sharing site’s Olivia Ma wrote on the YouTube blog on Monday.

She added, “Whether you’re vlogging about which candidate you support, capturing footage of the long line at your polling place, or encouraging your friends to get out of the house and go vote, we’re inviting you to send us your Election Day videos.”

Ma suggests voters either tweet their submissions to @YouTubePolitics or simply include #YouTubePolitics in the video title, promising that a selection of the submissions will be featured on the YouTube Elections Hub channel.

The special election channel has been featuring extensive coverage from the likes of ABC News, Al Jazeera and the New York Times, and has plenty of live coverage lined up for Tuesday as people go out to vote.

So if you fancy trying your hand at a spot of citizen journalism – with the possibility that your work might end up being shown alongside coverage by broadcasting giants – you know what to do.

Something to keep in mind, though: YouTube reminds vloggers to check their state law for guidelines when it comes to polling station activities. It’s good advice – the last thing you want is to be marched away from the polling station before you’ve had a chance to have your say in this tightly contested election.

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

4 ridiculous deaths for the iPhone 5 [videos]

Apple's new iPhone 5 is a pretty piece of equipment. But these four videos show how to change all that in no time.

With each year’s release of a new iPhone, YouTube fills to the brim with videos of people (and companies) “testing” the durability of Apple’s handset. This year is no different. While so-called drop tests (like this one) can be useful for (clumsy) people looking to purchase a new handset, many such videos have slipped into the realm of absurdity. Beyond that, a surprising number of early adopters appear to have purchased an iPhone 5 with pure destruction in mind. Below, we’ve rounded up the four best, most preposterous ways to completely annihilate an iPhone 5. Enjoy.

Gravity

Hammer and knife

Glue 

.50 caliber machine gun

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Motorola Droid RAZR HD promo video calls it the ‘all-day phone’

Motorola unleashed the first wave of promo videos and the one for the Droid RAZR HD describes it as the “all-day phone”. It also focuses on the new 4.7” Super AMOLED display with 720p resolution and fact that the RAZR HD is the most compact phone for its screen size.

Check out the video after the break.

Source : blog[dot]gsmarena[dot]com

Samsung Galaxy Camera hands-on videos are ready, check them out

The Samsung Galaxy Camera sure attracted a lot of attention, ours included. We got a chance to spend some quality time with the device and we did a couple of videos to give you an idea of the device.

Samsung has based most of the Galaxy Camera software on the Galaxy S III’s, but the camera interface is a bespoke solution. The menus heavily rely on spinners, which make them easy to use with your thumb – good thing since you don’t get any hardware controls on the back, you use the 4.8″ touchscreen for almost everything.

The camera has several shooting modes, ranging from Auto to Expert. Expert gives you the highest degree of control – you can choose between aperture or shutter priority, program mode and there’s even full manual mode.

The settings are arranged into “rings”, similar to the ones on a DSLR lens. The Galaxy Camera gives you extensive control over the photography process, which camera enthusiasts will appreciate.

The Gallery app is also a custom Samsung solution, although it’s not unique – it’s similar to the app that the Galaxy Note II uses. It has a split-screen interface similar to the file explorer in Windows – folders on the left, folder contents on the right.

Source : blog[dot]gsmarena[dot]com

Watch the promo videos for the new Xperia phones right here

Sony announced its new Xperia droids just minutes ago and to get you better acquainted with them, it released three promo videos that highlight each phone’s strengths.

Check out the videos after the break.

First up is Sony’s new global flagship – the Sony Xperia T. The video shows how quick and easy it is to snap a 13MP photo and share it with your friends or put it on your TV. It also shows the NFC-enabled speaker pairing.

Next is the LTE-packing Sony Xperia V. It follows in the footsteps of the active and go with a water-resistant shell. Here it is, swimming with the fishes:

Finally, the entry level droid of the trio – the Sony Xperia J. It’s specs may not be quite as impressive as those of the other two, but it packs the latest Sony UI updates and a 4″ FWVGA screen.

Source : blog[dot]gsmarena[dot]com

Best YouTube Channels

So many YouTube videos, so little time. With our curated Best Youtube Channels list, these are the Web entertainment you can't miss.

Who needs cable television when there’s quality entertainment on the Web? If you’re constantly getting links from friends about new YouTube videos and viral clips, perhaps you can be the first to share something interesting by following these awesome YouTube Channels. Categorized by archetypes, we hope these channels will be useful from whether you need instructional videos or updates of the latest news.

For the scientist

Minute Physics

Want to learn all there is about physics but don’t have a long attention span? Minute Physics makes science easy to understand with each video never going on for more than several minutes (the most is around seven minutes, but that’s a rarity; most average around 1:30). The channel helps explain everything from “What is Fire?” to the recent discovery of the Higgs Boson. Now, you don’t have to feel lost when your geek friends discuss scientific topics and easily follow along.

Nurd Rage

Scientific explanations might be cool, but everyone knows it’s the experiments that drew us all to actually attending class back in grade school. Nurd Rage fulfills those fantasies by conducting neat experiments that are probably not recommended for you to try at home. This way, you can live vicariously through the professional while still learning a thing or two.

 

For the web culture-obsessed

PBS Off Book

Do you want to know everything there is about the art behind pop culture-related things? For example, what’s the buzz with 8-bit graphics or Lego sculptures? Why do people freak out over viral videos and what makes Reddit so popular? PBS Off Book will explain it all to you with a new video every Thursday exploring these web-related topics.

What’s Trending

For those who keep up with the latest pop culture news, What’s Trending is an awesome variety show that discusses exactly what the title suggests. Host Shira Lazar puts on a live stream every day at noon pacific time and 3 p.m. eastern, along with some YouTube videos at its channel featuring online personalities or must-see clips of the week. The channel covers every topic related to pop culture: sports, music, movies, video games, gadgets, and more.

Next Media Animation TV

Next Media Animation TV, shortly known as NMATV, is best suited for those who enjoy WTF animation to go along with updates of the most relevant social news. The channel switches around several different newscasters, but they all narrate a varied range of topics accompanied by hilarious graphical interpretations. NMATV is based in Taiwan, so Chinese narrations are also available should you want to hear your news in a foreign language. The quirky animations have been featured in several television programmings and networks, including The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, Adult Swim, and Spike TV.

For the foodie

My Drunk Kitchen

Cooking should be fun, and if you’re of legal drinking age, that fun comes along with a nice alcoholic beverage of choice with your meals. My Drunk Kitchen accomplishes both at the same time, featuring host Hannah Hart as she comedically stumbles her way to creating a dish while consuming random types of alcohol per episode. After all, doesn’t everything taste better when you’re drunk? A must watch for the modern chef-wannabe.

Cooking with Dog

Despite what the title might lead you to believe, Cooking With Dog doesn’t actually involve cooking dog meat but rather, cooking with a dog as your companion. It’s a quirky Japanese-based show with instructions on how to make intricate meals, such as cute dessert crepes, shrimp tempura, ramen noodle soup, and green tea ice cream. It’s the original Cooking Mama… plus dog co-host.

For general tutorials and tips

A.J. Wood “The Adobe Wan”

Got your hands on a fancy copy of Creative Suite and no idea what to do with it? A.J. Wood, or the self-dubbed Adobe Wan, provides a series of tutorials to help you learn tricks, tips, and tools to get the most out of your software. The tutorials range from beginner level, such as learning to use the Navigation in Photoshop, to more complex, like how to use the Clone Stamp tool for maximized results. The channel is great for those who wonder about all the various tools available on Creative Suite, and how exactly to use them to your advantage.

DietHealth

No gym? No problem. Those who enjoy working out in the comfort of their own home and find a variety of exercise programs on DietHealth’s YouTube channel best to target muscle groups they want to work out the most. Some healthy food recommendation videos are slipped in between workout routines to help you become and overall fitter and healthier person. Many of the workouts posted on DietHealth are also beginner-friendly, with moves you can do on your own with minimal equipments.

Videojug

If you have a random question on how to accomplish a certain task, be it how to cry on cue or how to clean windows with lemons, Videojug can tell you in step-by-step details. Some of the videos are tutorials of things you never knew you wanted to know the steps of, but once it’s there, you can’t help but watch Videojug’s advice — which happens to come complete with dry humor. Don’t you want to know how to make fake blood? Strangely enough, I do. 

We’ll keep this list updated as times change, but if you have any you’d like to contribute, feel free to discuss in the comments!

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Droid Razr HD videos leak: Is this Motorola’s new flagship smartphone?

Five leaked tutorial videos surfaced on YouTube over the weekend allegedly revealing Motorola’s new flagship Android handset, the Motorola Razr HD.

Motorola and Verizon are due to host an event on September 5 and we’re beginning to think that the Motorola Razr HD will be unveiled. Five leaked Razr HD tutorials were posted on YouTube over the weekend and soon popped up on Droid Life and other websites, but they have since been removed and the user account responsible for posting them has been closed.

There has been a great deal of speculation about the new Motorola flagship device. Expectations have been high since Google officially acquired Motorola Mobility back in May.

None of the videos explicitly mention the Motorola RAZR HD and details are scant. The tutorials explained how to set up email, messaging, and Wi-Fi, along with a few other bits and pieces, like battery saving tricks. The phone appears to be running Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) with a MotoBlur overlay, just like the UI on the Motorola Atrix HD.

Nokia and Microsoft are also set to make a joint announcement at a press conference on September 5. It seems likely that it will involve a new line of Nokia Windows Phone 8 devices. The timing is clearly not accidental and Motorola and Verizon will be aiming to steal their thunder – the invitations they sent out for their event say “Motorola. On Display. Join us for the day’s main event.”

We’ll bring you all the news as it emerges.

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com