Thursday, April 4, 2013

Chances Are You've Been Resetting Your Router Wrong

2013-03-29 19:44:21 UTC

The first line of troubleshooting for any Internet issue is always to restart the modem and router - annoying, but usually effective.

But did you know that there's actually a precise optimal sequence for powering down and rebooting those devices? A new Kickstarter project is betting that you didn't —or that if you did, you'd still like the process to be streamlined.

Enter The Amazing Jellybean - a device that "reboots your connected devices in the correct order to solve connection problems," according to its description.

Plug your router and modem into The Amazing Jellybean and then plug the device into the wall. When you need to reset, simply press one button and the rest of the process will take care of itself.

The project is fully funded with six days to go, and final delivery to backers is projected for November 2013. Check out the video above for the full story.

Image via istockphoto, ronen

Topics: BC Video Lead, Dev & Design, Gadgets, routers, Tech, troubleshooting if(window.pageChanged) window.omni({"channel":"tech","content_type":"article","top_channel":"tech","content_source_type":"Internal","content_source_name":"Internal","author_name":"Alex Hazlett","age":"0","pub_day":29,"pub_month":3,"pub_year":2013,"pub_date":"03/29/2013","isPostView":true,"post_lead_type":"BC Video Lead"}); metaData = {"link":[["canonical","http://mashable.com/2013/03/29/the-amazing-jellybean/"],["image_src","http://rack.0.mshcdn.com/media/ZgkyMDEzLzAzLzI5L2YzL3JvdXRlci5jMTQ5Yi5qcGcKcAl0aHVtYgk3MjB4NzIwIwplCWpwZw/b0854cce/bed/router.jpg"]],"meta_property":[["og:url","http://mashable.com/2013/03/29/the-amazing-jellybean/"],["og:title","Chances Are You've Been Resetting Your Router Wrong"],["og:type","article"],["og:site_name","Mashable"],["og:image","http://rack.0.mshcdn.com/media/ZgkyMDEzLzAzLzI5L2YzL3JvdXRlci5jMTQ5Yi5qcGcKcAl0aHVtYgk3MjB4NzIwIwplCWpwZw/b0854cce/bed/router.jpg"],["og:article:published_time","2013-03-29T19:44:21Z"],["og:article:modified_time","2013-03-29T19:44:40Z"]],"meta_name":[["description","The first line of troubleshooting for any Internet issue is always to restart the modem and router - annoying, but usually effective. But did you know that there's actually a pr..."],["keywords",["gadgets","troubleshooting","routers","uncategorized","tech","dev-design","bc-video-lead"]],["twitter:title","Chances Are You've Been Resetting Your Router Wrong"],["twitter:description","The first line of troubleshooting for any Internet issue is always to restart the modem and router - annoying, but usually effective. But did you know that there's actually a precise optimal sequence ..."],["twitter:image","http://rack.3.mshcdn.com/media/ZgkyMDEzLzAzLzI5L2YzL3JvdXRlci5jMTQ5Yi5qcGcKcAl0aHVtYgk1NjB4NzUwCmUJanBn/57153dd3/bed/router.jpg"],["twitter:site","@mashable"],["twitter:url","http://mashable.com/2013/03/29/the-amazing-jellybean/"],["twitter:creator","@mashable"],["twitter:card","photo"],["twitter:image:width","560"],["twitter:image:height","750"]],"short_url":[["short_url","http://on.mash.to/13EqrQg"]]};

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Tumblr Back Up After Network-Wide Outage

Tumblr12013-03-30 00:35:47 UTC

Update: The issue appears to have been resolved:

Tumblr was experiencing "network issues" that prompted a system-wide outage Friday night.

The company, which recently announced that more than 100 million blogs were using its platform, provided an update on the situation via its Twitter feed:

Tumblr has experienced a few more outages of late including one last December and another last October.

Image credit: Tumblr

Topics: Business, Media, tumblr if(window.pageChanged) window.omni({"channel":"business","content_type":"article","top_channel":"business","content_source_type":"Internal","content_source_name":"Internal","author_name":"Todd Wasserman","age":"0","pub_day":30,"pub_month":3,"pub_year":2013,"pub_date":"03/30/2013","isPostView":true,"post_lead_type":"Default"}); metaData = {"link":[["canonical","http://mashable.com/2013/03/29/tumblr-down-network-outage/"],["image_src","http://rack.1.mshcdn.com/media/ZgkyMDEzLzAzLzMwLzY0L3R1bWJscjEuMTMyODkuanBnCnAJdGh1bWIJNzIweDcyMCMKZQlqcGc/5bf9c45d/01e/tumblr1.jpg"]],"meta_property":[["og:url","http://mashable.com/2013/03/29/tumblr-down-network-outage/"],["og:title","Tumblr Back Up After Network-Wide Outage"],["og:type","article"],["og:site_name","Mashable"],["og:image","http://rack.1.mshcdn.com/media/ZgkyMDEzLzAzLzMwLzY0L3R1bWJscjEuMTMyODkuanBnCnAJdGh1bWIJNzIweDcyMCMKZQlqcGc/5bf9c45d/01e/tumblr1.jpg"],["og:article:published_time","2013-03-30T00:35:47Z"],["og:article:modified_time","2013-03-30T02:03:56Z"]],"meta_name":[["description","Tumblr was down Friday night. The service blamed \"network issues.\""],["keywords",["tumblr","uncategorized","business","media"]],["twitter:title","Tumblr Back Up After Network-Wide Outage"],["twitter:description","Update: The issue appears to have been resolved: Network issues that affected certain Tumblr users have been resolved. Thanks for your patience.\u2014 Tumblr (@tumblr) March 30, 2013 Tumblr was experiencin..."],["twitter:image","http://rack.0.mshcdn.com/media/ZgkyMDEzLzAzLzMwLzY0L3R1bWJscjEuMTMyODkuanBnCnAJdGh1bWIJNTYweDc1MAplCWpwZw/6f96baa8/01e/tumblr1.jpg"],["twitter:site","@mashable"],["twitter:url","http://mashable.com/2013/03/29/tumblr-down-network-outage/"],["twitter:creator","@mashable"],["twitter:card","photo"],["twitter:image:width","560"],["twitter:image:height","750"]],"short_url":[["short_url","http://on.mash.to/10hsfZt"]]};

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Follow These 10 Twitter Accounts for North Korea News

Nk2013-03-29 17:08:41 -0400

Tension across the Korean peninsula is rising: bellicose rhetoric coming from the North has gotten increasingly menacing and South Korea, along with the United States, hasn't backed down.

The American military conducted Thursday a test along with the South Korean army, flying B-2 stealth bombers and carrying out mock bombing exercises. The United States' drills were intended to show North Korea that they're ready to support South Korea in case of war. Friday, North Korea announced Kim Jong-un has ordered its missile units to be ready to strike.

In this period of heightened tension, it's helpful to have quick and insightful sources of information about the situation on the Korean peninsula. Here at Mashable, we rounded up what we think are the 10 best people for you to follow on Twitter.

Herman is the Seoul bureau chief for Voice of America. After being based in Japan for many years, he now covers the Korean Peninsula for the the federally-funded broadcast channel. Herman is a prolific Twitter user, with more than 20,000 tweets recorded, and he's a great source for constant updates coming out of North and South Korea.

Lee is another great go-to source. She is the Associated Press bureau chief in Seoul and she is also one of the few western journalists to ever visit North Korea. In a February visit, she became probably the first person to ever send a mobile tweet from the tech-isolated country. She also snapped a few Instagrams directly from Pyongyang.

For more Instagram pictures coming out of North Korea, don't miss David Guttenfelder's account. The AP's chief photographer in Asia, he is currently on assignment in North Korea.

As a lecturer in Asian History at Queen's University Belfast in the UK and the chief editor of Sino-NK, a blog devoted to analyzing and reporting on the relationship between China and North Korea, Cathcart is an authoritative voice. He is also an extremely prolific Twitter user, so he's good for multiple updates throughout the day.

Gale is the Korea bureau chief for Dow Jones and the Wall Street Journal. While Gale doesn't tweet as much as others, he shares a lot of news stories, so he's a good follow if you're looking for a curated stream of stories about the Korean conflict.

Foster-Carter is an Honorary Senior Research Fellow in Sociology and Modern Korea at Leeds University, and he is also a skeptic. In a column he wrote forThe Guardian on Friday, he questioned the likelihood of a real war and a subsequent nuclear Armageddon.

"Are they serious? Do they mean it? Could a Korean Armageddon really happen? My one-word answer would be no." he wrote.

His Twitter feed is good if you're looking for opinion, analysis and a healthy dose of skepticism.

Snyder is another authoritative voice when it comes to the two Koreas. He is a Senior Fellow for Korea Studies at the prestigious Council on Foreign Relations, where he regularly writes about North and South Korea. On Friday he wrote a column for CNN titled "Why North Korea is Scary," although he was quick to point out that he did not write the headline.

He's not a very active Twitter user, but his expertise makes it worth following him and reading his posts and columns.

If you're looking for an source of information who isn't afraid to be critical of the United States, Breuker, a professor of Korean studies and historian at the University of Leiden in the Netherlands, is the Twitter user you're looking for. He is an expert and doesn't bite his tongue when it comes to criticizing the stance of the U.S. government in the conflict.

Yoon is a South Korean native reporter based in Seoul, where she covers North and South Korea for Bloomberg. Her Twitter feed is good for the latest news of the conflict and get a curated stream of information — especially if you're looking for somebody who will limit her tweets to just the most important stories.

Fisher is not a Korean correspondent nor is he based in Seoul, but as the Washington Post's foreign affairs blogger, he is a must follow for his constant and often funny coverage of the most important international stories of the moment. A perfect example is his recent blog post explaining, in a snarky tone, why he got called out by the North Korean state media.

"The Post covered long-running reports that North Korea is using its diplomats as drug dealers, therefore North Korea needs more nuclear weapons. I’m not sure I see their case but, as a member of the lackey reptile media shock brigade, I don’t suppose I would," he wrote.

According to his personal website, Ferris has been Chief Mate on U.S.-flagged oceanographic research ships, and in early 2013 he became a minority owner and guide of Young Pioneer Tours, a company that organizes tourist trips in North Korea. Ferris is not an authoritative voice, like some of the other accounts we listed here, but he's been to North Korea and he offers an independent perspective.

He also has an Instagram account featuring pictures taken inside the country.

Who are your favorite North Korea follows? Share in the comments below.

Image via iStockphoto, alexkuehni

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Spring Clean Your Gadgets With These 10 Weird Products

Wackycleaninggadgets2013-03-29 18:26:28 UTC

At this time of year it's traditional to partake in a little bout of spring cleaning. Here at Mashable, we think that annual ritual should be extended to your gadgetry.

We have found 10 products that will help you spring clean your laptops, smartphones and other gizmos.

Take a look through our selection of weird and wonderful products that can help you keep your tech world tidy. Share in the comments below any tips, tricks and cleaning gadgets you swear by.

Image courtesy of Aroma Home

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5 Tech Brands Made in America

Madeinamerica2013-03-30 01:52:17 UTC

According to recent reports, Google will manufacture its newest gadget, Glass, in Silicon Valley.

The "Made in America" label has drawn new focus recently as the U.S. seeks to regain some of its lost manufacturing power. Both the branding and Glass' buzz have coalesced for the launch of this new product, so we wanted to highlight some of the other tech brands who do their manufacturing on American soil.

These aren't all the tech brands by any means, but they're setting a good example. Think we should have included a specific tech brand? Let us know in the comments.

Image courtesy of Flickr, John Morton

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Can T-Mobile Change Wireless in America?

T-mobile-ceo2013-03-27 23:00:13 UTC

Mashable OP-ED

T-Mobile wants to kill the wireless contract. I think I speak for everyone in America when I say, "Have at 'em, cowboy." The company's plan to change the way the U.S. wireless industry does business is bold — and it might even have a shot — but as the nation's fourth-largest carrier, it's got a big uphill battle on its hands.

The idea is simple: Instead of selling cheap phones tied to two-year contracts that most customers loathe, instead sell the phone at full price and keep the price low by letting customers pay off the phone (interest free!) over two years.

Isn't that a contract by any other name? After all, if you want to switch carriers or buy a new phone, you'll still have to pay off the old phone, which is akin to an early termination fee. So your carrier gets your money either way, right?

Not necessarily. For the iPhone 5, at least, our own analysis showed that buying the phone from T-Mobile will cost you $600 less than an iPhone on AT&T, Verizon or Sprint over two years — a significant savings. When I asked T-Mobile regional vice president of marketing Jason Young whether the new plans are de facto contracts, he said transparency and flexibility is the difference.

"With T-Mobile, there's not a contract. That's an equipment installment plan. It gives you transparency about how long it'll take to pay off that phone over time. If you decide to trade your phone in for the residual value and apply that to another phone, you've got that flexibility."

Flexibility is nice. We like flexibility. It's particularly useful these days since phones become obsolete in months or weeks, and most carrier contracts make the costs of upgrading before you hit the 18-month mark prohibitive (I still carry an iPhone 4S, and not an iPhone 5 for that reason).

When T-Mobile CEO John Legere got up on stage at yesterday's event to rail against the horrible status quo of two-year contracts, he had me at "Stop the bullsh-t." His presentation was spirited to say the least, and although it was peppered with vulgarities, he had a sincerity that was infectious. You couldn't help but root for the guy — check out the highlights in this video:

Again, getting a phone contract-free is nice, but you know what else is nice? A reliable and consistent network. While T-Mobile's new no-contracts approach is compelling — and potentially a money-saver — it's network simply doesn't cover as much of the map as the big guys. And its LTE network is just getting started whereas Verizon's and AT&T's already reach most of the country.

"I think it's a great point," says Tom Ellefson, T-Mobile's regional vice president of engineering and operations. "Ultimately your service has to be where you live, work and play. Right now our focus is on technology upgrades. Once we sort of get to that point, we'll continue the network rollouts that we're doing."

T-Mobile won't be finished the bulk of its LTE upgrade until late this year, and then it'll need to work on integrating the spectrum it's obtaining from MetroPCS. Maybe the map will get larger then.

There's also the question of T-Mobile's future as a corporate entity. It's now two years past its failed attempt to get acquired by AT&T, after which the company publicly said it has "no Plan B." Since then it appears to be really making a go of staying in the game, leveraging its spectrum assets, buying MetroPCS and this week's "un-leashing" of wireless contracts. But is it still doomed to remain in fourth place?

Maybe not, if enough customers hate their contracts so much that they'll jump ship for magenta-adorned freedom. After all, T-Mobile finally brought the iPhone onboard — plugging a persistent leak in their subscriber base.

T-Mobile's contractless vision isn't groundbreaking (it's similar to how many wireless carriers operate in Europe), but it's definitely preferable to the alternative. That doesn't mean you should ignore the weaknesses of its network, but at least if it doesn't work out, you'll be able to leave anytime you want.

Do you think you'll switch to T-Mobile now that it's eliminated contracts? Share your reasoning in the comments.

Image courtesy of Mashable, Pete Pachal

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Create Your Own 'Game of Thrones' Coat of Arms With HBO Tool

Game-of-thrones-coat-of-arms-maker2013-03-27 22:29:21 UTC

HBO is drumming up more online buzz for Game of Thrones season three with a tool that lets you build your own family arms — sigil, house name and motto included.

Available in two dozen languages, JoinTheRealm.com helps you create a coat of arms, or the tool can generate one for you. After all, you can't be a Lord in Westeros battling for the Iron Throne without a sigil for your bannermen to proudly wear.

To feed your GOT addiction further, you can join Mashable's Game of Thrones meme contest in which winners will receive show-themed prize packs. Or you can download the free "A World of Ice and Fire" Android and iOS app, which will help you keep track of characters, places and timelines from the George R. R. Martin books that inspired the HBO series.

Here's the family arms I created, just in time for the show's March 31 premiere:

... and this is the one HBO created for me using words from my Twitter bio:

BONUS: 'Game of Thrones' Trailer Promises More Violent Third Season

Image courtesy of Game of Thrones' Facebook page

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Animals Drying Off in Slow Motion Will Mesmerize You

2013-03-27 19:27:52 UTC

It's the number one rule of animal kingdom hair care: shake it off for that fluffy, shiny coat. No hairdryers needed.

And while we've all seen how dogs can go from wet 'n' wild to bone dry in a few seconds, we bet you never knew that they can shake 5.37 times per second. And every animal, from hedgehog to rat, has a different shake-to-dry ratio. (By comparison, humans average two shakes per second.)

EarthUnpluggedTV filmed these mammals to discover just how many shakes it takes to get their dry-off routine just right. And if you thought watching a dog shake it off was cute normally, just wait until it's in slow motion.

Image courtesy of YouTube, EarthUnpluggedTV.

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