Dramatic Video Shows Why You Should Never Jump Onto Train Tracks

Andrea Smith2013-04-02 15:02:12 UTC

Train tracks are a dangerous place, people. If you drop something on the tracks — like your cellphone — remind yourself it just isn't worth it.

The latest video showing a death-defying attempt at rescuing a cellphone shows a young woman in Sao Paulo, Brazil being frantically pulled back to the platform as a train is coming into the station. You can see how close it was in the video above.

The woman apparently dropped her phone onto the tracks and like so many people before her, jumped onto the tracks to retrieve it. In the video notice the man who helped pull her to safety is a trained security guard. She was lucky. There have been numerous stories before where people struggled to help someone back up. Of course, others stop to record the entire episode on their phones as well.

This morning on a crowded train platform in New Jersey I actually witnessed someone watch in horror as something spilled out of her bag onto the tracks. You could see for a fleeting moment she looked up in the direction the train comes from to see if she had time to retrieve it. She looked back down. It seemed like she might really jump down to go after it. Luckily, the people around her warned her not to and a station official was called.

Numerous studies show many of us have become addicted to our mobile devices — with 60% of those responding to one survey saying they usually can't go longer than an hour without checking their phone. Sure, you can squeeze out 30 extra seconds of email or texting while you wait for the train, but if the unthinkable happens, and it's going to happen, is it really worth risking your life?

What would you do if your cellphone fell onto the tracks? Does the video scare you? Let us know in the comments.

Image courtesy Flickr, mikecogh

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20 Excellent Wireframing Tools for Mobile

Grace Smith2013-04-02 18:41:41 UTC

Planning and wireframing your mobile website or application is an essential part of a successful design process. It can help save you money (on design and development costs), expand initial ideas, build structure and functionality and effectively gather invaluable early feedback.

We have gathered 20 of the best tools for wireframing mobile websites and apps, each of which offers a unique set of features.

Furthermore, there are plenty of other wireframing and diagramming apps available, which may also be of interest. Please note, though, not all the tools listed below offer mobile-specific functionality; several are rather basic. However, each is worth exploring to see if it fits your requirements:

Framer - Modern prototyping tool

Indigo Studio - Rapid, interactive prototyping

Mockingbird - Wireframes on the fly

Simulify - Interactive, shareable wireframes, mockups and prototypes

Solidify - Create clickable prototypes

Lovely Charts - Diagramming app with desktop and mobile versions

ForeUI - Easy to use UI prototyping tool

Creately - Realtime diagram collaboration

JumpChart - Architecture, layout and content planning

Lumzy - Mockup creation and prototyping tool

Concept.ly - Convert wireframes and designs into interactive apps

Frame Box - Easy, simple wireframing

Realizer - Interactive presentation prototypes

Cacoo - Diagrams with realtime collaboration

Mockup Builder - Super-easy prototyping and mockups

Tiggzi - Develop cross platform mobile apps fast

Mockup Designer - Basic wireframing tool hosted on GitHub

ClickDummy - Turn mockups into clickable prototypes

Mockups.me - Create and present interactive UI wireframes

Mockabilly - iPhone mockups with genuine iphone behavior

RWD Wireframes - Wireframing tool for responsive layouts

Blocks - Create annotated HTML prototypes

UX Toolbox - Create, document and share wireframes and prototypes

Have we left out your favorite wireframing tool? If so, please share your recommendations with other readers in the comments.

Image via istockphoto, thegoodphoto

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HTC One to Launch on AT&T, Sprint April 19

Pete Pachal2013-04-02 16:57:47 UTC

AT&T and Sprint will both launch the HTC One on April 19, the carriers said in separate announcements. Preorders begin this week.

Sprint will begin taking preorders for the phone Friday, April 5, while AT&T will let its customers buy one a day early, on April 4. On both carriers, a 32GB HTC One costs $199.99 with a two-year contract.

T-Mobile will also be offering the HTC One contract-free, letting users either pay the full price of the phone or buy it through an equipment installment plan. T-Mobile hasn't set a date for release, although its sign-up page for the phone has an offer in place for customers who purchase by April 26.

Verizon hasn't been named as a carrier partner for the HTC One, but there are rumors it will be available on that network later this year.

The HTC One is the company's newest flagship Android phone. The device features an aluminum-unibody casing (see video below), a camera that captures images with larger pixels called "UltraPixels," and a BlinkFeed — a Flipboard-like experience that the phone boots into by default.

Check out our hands on with the HTC One, and watch for our review in the coming weeks.

Are you planning on getting an HTC One? Let us know why — or why you're skipping it — in the comments.

Image by Nina Frazier, Mashable

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Instagram and Vine Shake Up News Industry

for TechNewsDaily 2013-04-02 17:11:00 UTC

News as we know it is poised to change, and it's in the hands of smartphone users.

On March 31, the New York Times ran a photo of New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez taken by sports photographer Nick Laham — on his iPhone and edited in Instagram. That was not the first time an Instagram-edited photo has been printed by a news outlet, but it was one of the most visible to date.

Laham shot a series of portraits in a bathroom. He didn't have much of a choice. "I wasn't given the option of studio or bathroom stall and decided on the latter," Laham wrote on his blog. "I joined the chain of photographers at 6 a.m. in the confines of the New York Yankees' spring training facility in Tampa, and took what space I could get and worked with it."

The sports world is not the only place you'll see Instagram-edited photos. In fact, seasoned photojournalist Ben Lowy even used his iPhone and Instagram to cover turmoil in Libya last summer. He wrote that using a phone, rather than an intimidating DSLR camera, allowed him to get closer to subjects. He believes Instagram photos get more attention because viewers feel as if they are looking at a friend's photos.

Filters have also come to Getty Images, which offers high-end stock photography. Percolate, a startup that provides a social media publishing service for brands, announced a new service that lets its clients select photos from Getty Images, add their logo and apply filters from Aviary, the photo-editing app that powers Twitter's in-app photo editor.

But filters are just the beginning. Vine, Twitter's 6-second video app, is also changing the way news is shown. For instance, Vine's looping format can heighten emotion as viewers see a video clip repeated over and over again. The Michigan Wolverines, the only team in the NCAA Final Four that has a Vine account, posted a video showing the team's triumphant return to Crisler Center.

Major League Baseball also has embraced Vine. For now, its videos show fun and informative clips, such as showing what's inside a baseball, but once the season gets underway, there will likely be more game highlights shown as Vines.

In addition, Vine recently released an update that allows users to embed other users' Vines on their own websites, in addition to posting to Twitter. The new sharing feature should fuel the spread of Vine.

So far, most news outlets have been reluctant to use Vine. CBS has an account, but has yet to use it. NBC and its affiliates around the country have posted a handful of Vines, but have mostly focused on lighter subjects, such as cute animals and weather. However, one exception is a clip from NBC's New York affiliate that shows how Vine could be used to highlight serious news stories.

Unlike Instagram and similar sites, Vine does not include filters or voiceover capabilities.

However, there are other video-creation apps that offer these features. For example, Funky, an app launched in February, lets users add filters and record a voiceover on videos of up to 30 seconds — about the length of a typical TV news brief.

With apps like Instagram, Vine and Funky, your news could soon look a lot more like you made it yourself.

Image via Nick Laham/Getty Images

This article originally published at TechNewsDaily here

Topics: Apps and Software, Business, instagram, journalism, Media, photography, Photos, Sports, Vine TechNewsDaily is a Mashable publishing partner that is an exciting new and accessible source of technology news and information for non-geeks seeking to learn about the cool gadgets, powerful software and unavoidable technologies of everyday life. This article is reprinted with the publisher's permission.

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Falllon and Leno Face 'Tonight Show' Rumors in Duet

Christine Erickson2013-04-02 14:11:27 UTC

Hosts Jimmy Fallon and Jay Leno turned rumors about the future of NBC's Tonight Show into a hilarious self-mocking duet.

Media has speculated that Fallon will take over in 2014 as host of The Tonight Show, which Leno has hosted for 21 seasons. Though neither side has officially confirmed the rumors, the hosts addressed them Monday night in between their two shows.

SEE ALSO: Selena Gomez, Jimmy Fallon Sing a Mario Kart Love Ballad

And what better way to resolve an imaginary "war" between two hosts? A riveting tribute to the musical West Side Story, of course. Leno and Fallon sing their own version of "Tonight" in the video above.

BONUS: 10 Movie Stars With Surprising Musical Talent

Image via Kevin Winter/Getty Images

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10 Tech Resources for the Autism Community

Camille Bautista2013-04-02 13:04:32 UTC

April 2 marks World Autism Awareness Day, continuing into Autism Awareness Month. Research shows that early intervention and technologies can significantly help children with autism, helping to enhance communication and social skills.

iPads are essential tools for such therapy with apps and online resources encouraging independence, allowing kids to express their desires and better connect with others. One in 50 school-aged children in the U.S. are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders, a 72% increase from 2007, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

iOS devices and other digital tools have significantly impacted developmental interactions in children with autism, says Joanne Lara, founder and president of Autism Movement Therapy. Most kids are automatically drawn to the computer, but those with autism often take to the devices because of the focus provided — they may not be as confused by where to look, as compared with other environments.

"Children with autism can communicate in amazing ways through iPads, they say amazing things that otherwise we'd have no way of knowing their thought process," Lara tells Mashable. "It gives those with limited communication skills a platform to let us know not just his wants and needs, but who he is."

Augmentative and Alternative Communication apps like Proloquo2Go let users tap symbols or icons to produce speech. Others, like Social Skills, help children learn to express emotions and understand what others are feeling.

Personalized tools aren't the only valuable resources. In time for World Autism Awareness Day, interactive Q&A platform ShareCare released its top 10 autism bloggers who lead online conversations with shared advice, tips and and support for the disorder.

We've gathered recommended apps and resources for Autism Awareness Month. Check out the gallery above and let us know if you know of any other useful apps or tools.

Image courtesy of Flickr, shannonrosa

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Alicia Keys Is Picking Tumblr Users to Document Each Tour Stop

Brian Anthony Hernandez2013-04-02 15:30:18 UTC

Singer-songwriter Alicia Keys and her imaginative digital team have been selecting Tumblr users to document every stop along her Set the World on Fire tour. The photos above showcase some of their posts.

"The unbelievable art, photos and GIFs that the Tumblr community create and share every day truly inspires me," Keys, who this year became BlackBerry's global creative director, said when announcing the news on Tumblr.

The Tumblr users had applied, and one person was chosen for each city so far and given a photo pass, two show tickets and two meet-and-greet passes. People can still apply for future stops along the North American concert tour.

They've been posting their work on their own blogs, but Keys has been giving them a boost by reblogging their posts on her Tumblr, TheKeysOfAlicia.Tumblr.com.

Keys and company are hoping users will create GIFs, oil paintings, collages and more.

The Tumblr initiative is one of several digital components of the tour, which also includes:

The Set the World on Fire tour is Keys' fifth tour, which features songs from her fifth studio album, Girl on Fire.

Image via Christopher Polk/Getty Images for NARAS

Topics: alicia keys, Entertainment, gallery, Music, tumblr if(window.pageChanged) window.omni({"channel":"entertainment","content_type":"article","top_channel":"entertainment","content_source_type":"Internal","content_source_name":"Internal","author_name":"Brian Anthony Hernandez","age":"0","pub_day":2,"pub_month":4,"pub_year":2013,"pub_date":"04/02/2013","isPostView":true,"post_lead_type":"Gallery"}); metaData = {"link":[["canonical","http://mashable.com/2013/04/02/alicia-keys-tumblr-artists-girl-fire-tour/"],["image_src","http://rack.2.mshcdn.com/media/ZgkyMDEzLzA0LzAyLzZkL0FsaWNpYUtleXNULjgwYzU5LmpwZwpwCXRodW1iCTcyMHg3MjAjCmUJanBn/d443523f/00b/Alicia-Keys-Tumblr.jpg"]],"meta_property":[["og:url","http://mashable.com/2013/04/02/alicia-keys-tumblr-artists-girl-fire-tour/"],["og:title","Alicia Keys Is Picking Tumblr Users to Document Each Tour Stop"],["og:type","article"],["og:site_name","Mashable"],["og:image","http://rack.2.mshcdn.com/media/ZgkyMDEzLzA0LzAyLzZkL0FsaWNpYUtleXNULjgwYzU5LmpwZwpwCXRodW1iCTcyMHg3MjAjCmUJanBn/d443523f/00b/Alicia-Keys-Tumblr.jpg"],["og:article:published_time","2013-04-02T15:30:18Z"],["og:article:modified_time","2013-04-02T16:23:33Z"]],"meta_name":[["description","Singer-songwriter Alicia Keys and her imaginative digital team have been selecting Tumblr users to document every stop along her Set the World on Fire tour. "],["keywords",["music","entertainment","tumblr","alicia-keys","uncategorized","gallery"]],["twitter:title","Alicia Keys Is Picking Tumblr Users to Document Each Tour Stop"],["twitter:description","Singer-songwriter Alicia Keys and her digital team have been selecting Tumblr users to document every stop along her Set the World on Fire tour. \"The unbelievable art, photos and GIFs that the Tumblr community create and share every day truly inspires me,\" said Keys, who this year became BlackBerry's global creative director."],["twitter:image","http://rack.1.mshcdn.com/media/ZgkyMDEzLzA0LzAyLzZkL0FsaWNpYUtleXNULjgwYzU5LmpwZwpwCXRodW1iCTU2MHg3NTAKZQlqcGc/c315bf06/00b/Alicia-Keys-Tumblr.jpg"],["twitter:site","@mashable"],["twitter:url","http://mashable.com/2013/04/02/alicia-keys-tumblr-artists-girl-fire-tour/"],["twitter:creator","@mashable"],["twitter:card","photo"],["twitter:image:width","560"],["twitter:image:height","750"]],"short_url":[["short_url","http://on.mash.to/YY3CiZ"]]};

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How to Set Parental Controls on In-App Purchases

Andrea Smith2013-03-30 00:14:39 UTC

Apps have become an important part of many kids' lives. There are educational apps that lend a hand in teaching math and history skills, apps for staying in touch with parents, and apps that just read you a story when no one else is around. But when no one else is around is when some kids get into trouble — racking up huge charges from in-app purchases from free apps and games.

There have been numerous stories in the past few weeks of kids making in-app purchases while playing a free game on their parent's iPad. Some adults call the added costs deceptive, others say it's too difficult to monitor. One parent went so far as to report his son for fraud so he could try to recoup the charge from his credit card company.

Apple, in February, agreed to pay around $100 million in compensation in a class action lawsuit to parents whose children ran up bills using the app store. In response to that lawsuit, Apple now puts an "Offers In-App Purchases" disclaimer on freemium apps in the iTunes App Store.

Many comments on the stories about these "accidental purchases" (many of which Apple refunded) put the blame squarely on app developers and app stores. One parent asks, "Why does the tech giant (Apple) make it so easy for kids to buy add-ons?"

The fact is, if you have a password and a credit card stored on your device, you're pretty much responsible for what happens on that device. What's important is that parents understand how the app store works, and what controls they have over their kid's purchases.

The good news is, restrictions and controls are available for most of the platforms — and they should be implemented. Here's how:

Apple makes it possible to restrict in-app purchases for both iTunes and iOS devices. Go to the Settings menu of your device, click General and then Restrictions. Click the tab on the top that reads Enable Restrictions. You'll be prompted to choose a PIN for this and you should NOT share it with your kids. Once that's confirmed, scroll down to the Allowed Content list. You'll see iTunes, Installing Apps, and various other settings you can change, such as restricting your child from listening to explicit music.

Scroll down and, mid-way down, you'll find an option for In-App Purchases. Simply toggle this on or off. You can choose whether you want the protection to take effect immediately or let you keep purchasing for 15 minutes. If you're handing your device off to your kids, click immediately.

To make changes or disable controls, go back in using your selected PIN.

If you're using iTunes on the web, Apple offers instructions for setting parental controls in iTunes here.

In the Google Play store, you can set a pin or password that must be entered before you can make a purchase. If it's just you using the device, you can check a box to turn that off. If you're sharing with your kids, keep that feature turned on and don't share your password.

Every Kindle Fire or Kindle Fire HD has the Kindle FreeTime app loaded on it. Parents can create accounts for their kids showing exactly which content they can access.

Kids are locked into FreeTime mode and can only access content their parent has pre-approved. Using this feature, parents can also limit the amount of time each child spends with each type of content. For instance, you can set a half hour of games each day, or perhaps an hour for reading. To go back to the regular Kindle Fire UI, a parent must enter the password to get out of FreeTime mode.

Kindle also offers FreeTime Unlimited, a paid subscription service that offers content based on a child's age. There are thousands of popular books, games, apps, and videos for kids to choose from. It's a paid feature, with a discount for Amazon Prime members.

Barnes & Noble recently announced in-app purchases are "coming soon" to its line of e-reader and tablet devices. In a statement, Nook Media's vice president, Claudia Romanini, said, "We look forward to adding thousands of more apps that feature in-app purchasing over the coming weeks and months to expand Nook's already wide array of digital content offerings."

Barnes & Noble declined to give Mashable details of any parental controls they might be implementing. However, you can set up a user profile for each child on your Nook that sets specific content they can and can't access. You can also limit their ability to access the Nook store and the web browser. You need to do this for each child.

If you use a Windows Phone 8 device, you can set up a child profile that restricts where your kids can go and what they can do on your phone. In fact, for apps like Pandora, Kids Corner lets you automatically filter out the explicit content you don't want your kids to hear. There's a how-to here. We just wish you had the ability to set up a profile for each child in Kids Corner. As of now, there's only one profile available.

Thumbnail photo via iStockPhoto, cglade

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