The Scriptshadow Writer Scale

LEVEL 10!!!

Back when I taught tennis, there was something called a NTRP Rating. To this day I have no idea what NTRP stands for, but its purpose was legitimate. It ranked players on a 7 point scale. So a player with a solid forehand, decent backhand, and consistent serve in the 80s, might be a 4.0, while a player with a high national ranking who could pound groundstrokes consistently deep into the court with heavy topspin, might be a 6.0. This allowed us pros to group players according to their level as well as place them in the right leagues and tournaments.

That always had me thinking: Why don?t they do the same thing for screenwriters? Because I think one of the big problems with screenwriters is they have no idea where they stand. Assuming an imaginary 10 point scale, there are millions of 1s out there who believe that they?re 10s. And that?s because there?s nothing to go by. It?s frustrating not just to see these writers deluding themselves, but if a writer doesn?t know where the checkpoints are, how can they possibly know what they need to do to get better? And hence, the 10-Point Scriptshadow Writer Scale ? a detailed breakdown, from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest) which tells you where you stand. Are you ready to find out your level?

LEVEL 1
If you?re on your first or second screenplay, you?re probably at Level 1 status. Level 1s usually know very little about storytelling. They often start their stories with no idea of what?s going to happen from scene to scene, making everything up as they go along. They?re not yet aware that events must progress in a logical fashion to make sense to a reader, and therefore much of their story bounces around illogically. Characters are often replicas of characters from their favorite movies and therefore display no originality. Dialogue scenes can go on for 10 pages at a time with no point ? they?re just people talking. Most Level 1s assume screenwriting is easy and therefore put very little effort into the final product.

LEVEL 2
A level 2 writer has typically read 1 screenwriting book (usually ?Save The Cat?) and is therefore aware of the 3 act structure, giving their stories a little more form than a Level 1. The problem is, while they know where the act breaks reside, they have very little idea what to do inside of those acts, particularly the second act. Their dialogue is typically on-the-nose and feels false as a result. Also, the writer hasn?t learned the importance of clarity yet, leaving out key pieces of information that they erroneously assume are obvious. This ensures a lot of head-scratching on the reader?s end, as they?re constantly trying to keep up. For example, the writer may know that their protagonist is a recovering alcoholic, but they don?t tell this to the reader. So when that character falls off the wagon and starts drinking again, it?s supposed to be this big powerful moment, but means nothing to the reader. Many Level 2s believe that since they?ve written a few screenplays, they know everything. They don?t. Not even close.

LEVEL 3
Level 3s are still often writing personal stories with very little market appeal, making it nearly impossible to sell their script or get noticed. Their structure is getting better ? particularly the first act ? but they still don?t know what to do with their second act, resulting in 60+ filler pages whose only purpose is to get them to that ending. Ironically, their scripts tend to be on the long side, usually 125 pages or more, and they *insist* that they need every single one of those pages, even though more than half the pages are extraneous and/or repeating information. Another problem is that their dialogue scenes are way too long, and usually consist of two characters discussing topics that the author thinks are interesting, even if they have nothing to do with the story.

LEVEL 4
Level 4 is usually where the writer first learns the importance of a strong goal that drives the story. Not only does this give the story a point, but it makes the main character active, since he has to go after something. Because these two things are so important in creating a great story, the jump from Level 3 to Level 4 is one of the most important a writer will go through. Level 4s also write good first acts, since having a character goal makes setting up the story a lot easier. But they still falter when they get to the second act, as even though they know where the protagonist is going, they don?t yet know how to create obstacles, reversals, surprises and interesting relationships, the things that keep the second act entertaining. But if you can make it to Level 4, which can take between 1 and ? to 2 and ? years depending on your talent level, you put yourself in a strong position to make it as a screenwriter.

LEVEL 5
Level 5 is when a writer first *really* understands the importance of concept. They?re no longer trying to write Academy Award winning scripts that change the world. They realize that in order to get noticed, you need to write something that appeals to the studios, and a marketable concept is the best way to go. Level 5 is also where writers first typically stress ?showing? (tell the story through action/visuals) as opposed to telling (characters explaining through dialogue). They?re also learning to hide their exposition more so that characters aren?t speaking so on the nose. Their story is becoming more invisible. Although they don?t add conflict to every scene, they?ve started to subconsciously pick up on its importance, and therefore have quite a few strong scenes. Level 5s will occasionally place in contests as contest runners will see the potential in their work.

LEVEL 6
Level 6 often signifies a writer who?s in it for the long run. This writer has read a lot of the screenwriting books and has taken the best from all of them to develop his/her own approach. He/she also understands the importance of reading scripts, which they read a lot of. Level 6 is also when character development first starts to become a major focus for the writer. They?re just as interested in developing characters with full arcs as they are plotting their story out. Their scenes are also much better as they understand how to get into scenes late and leave early, giving their scripts a crisp ?straight to the point? feel. There?s more conflict (in the plot, in the characters, in the relationships, in the scenes) making a larger chunk of the script entertaining. The thing is, while a Level 6 KNOWS all these things, they haven?t yet perfected them, giving the scripts an unpolished feel. Level 6s will place high in many secondary contests, possibly even winning a few.

LEVEL 7
Level 7 is when a writer really begins to ?get it.? They?ve had all these pieces they?ve been perfecting for so long, but now those pieces are finally starting to fit together. It?s one of the more magical times for a writer, as they?ll experience a lot of ?Ah ha!? moments. Outside of a strong marketable concept, Level 7s often look to the power of irony (i.e. a lawyer who can?t lie) to make their concepts and stories even juicier. Characters become the primary focus, specifically creating characters who are relatable and who have interesting problems and backstories that need to be resolved by the end of the story. Structure is never an issue with Level 7s. The dialogue is also a lot better since they keep their scenes short and to the point and have done enough character work that their characters speak distinctly and specifically. The problem with Level 7s is that they sometimes stress the craft side of screenwriting so much that their scripts feel a bit mechanical. Everything is where it?s supposed to be. The characters are all going through transformations. And yet there?s something missing that prevents the story from connecting with the reader. The writer hasn?t yet learned how to make all of these things feel natural, feel invisible. Level 7 is usually when writers start to make money off of their work, getting small jobs here and there. A few of them will even get lucky, selling a script if they have a really great concept. This is why you sometimes see so-so professional writers. They?re Level 7s who caught a break.

LEVEL 8
A level 8 writer has almost all of the screenwriting tools at their disposal and is working on perfecting more advanced techniques, such as dramatic irony, invisible set-ups, and thematic consistency. They can easily recognize when a scene or section isn?t working and know how to fix it. This skill is essential for working in the industry since that?s what you?ll be doing most of the time ? rewriting your own and other people?s work. Level 8, in my opinion, is also when you first start ?moving? readers emotionally with your work. It?s when you first create characters who really resonate with people, who feel real to them. This extends to the story as well. Often when reading a Level 8 writer, the reader isn?t aware that they?re reading a script as they?re too lost in the story. Their dialogue scenes often have subtext and in most scenes, there?s usually more going on than what?s on the surface. Strangely enough, Level 8s still struggle with the second half of the second act and can get overconfident, believing that their writing is good enough that it can overcome a weak premise, ironically putting them back at Square 3 ? writing an unmarketable script. Level 8s are making a living off screenwriting, but aren?t yet trolling the 90210 zip code on Trulia for their next home.

LEVEL 9
A level 9 writer has gotten to the point where they can break time-tested screenwriting rules and still get away with it, since they know how to counteract them. Level 9 writers are specifically aware of what the studios and producers want and cater their premises accordingly. They know, for example, that to get a non-book-franchise movie made, you need an A-list actor to play the lead ? which means coming up with an intriguing protagonist role with a lot of meat that an A-lister would love to play. Their execution is first rate and they know how to make every single moment interesting ? even that damn second half of the second act. Level 9s don?t stop at making their primary characters interesting, but make sure every single character in the script is memorable and changes in some way. These guys are the meat and potatoes of the industry and are responsible for most of the movies you enjoy. They get paid at least 500k per job and are sought after for all the big assignments.

LEVEL 10
Level 10 is master status, Aaron Sorkinville, Academy award winning screenwriter. There are only 20-30 of these writers working and they know EVERYTHING about screenwriting. They know how to manipulate every single button inside of you using conflict, irony, sympathy, character flaws, all to make you laugh, cry, angry ? WHATEVER they want you to be! They know every trick in the book to keep you turning the pages as well ? anticipation, obstacles, mysteries, dramatic irony. They can write a character who seems like your best friend even though you?ve only known him for a few minutes. They can make you fall in love with a woman even if women aren?t your preference. Every scene has a specific purpose. There is no fat. They can completely ignore rules and still make it work. But what really separates these guys from the rest of the pack is how fast they work. They not only give you a great screenplay, but they can do it in a very short amount of time, something only a coveted few in Hollywood can pull off. Which is why they?re paid so much money. Once you reach Level 10 status, you can quit. Cause you?re at the top of the mountain baby.

Now is the Scriptshadow Writer Scale perfect? No. There are some writers who are naturally gifted with dialogue, for example, who still might be a Level 2 in every other category. But generally speaking, these are the observations I?ve made after reading every type of script from every type of writer under the sun. So how do you accelerate your ascent up the scale? Simple: LEARN AS MUCH AS YOU CAN ABOUT THE CRAFT. Read all the books. Read a ton of scripts. Write! Trade scripts with a screenwriting group. Get constant feedback. Study! It doesn?t mean you have to listen to everything you read. In fact, I encourage writers to perfect their own unique approach to screenwriting. But you can?t perfect something you don?t know anything about. So keep at it. Hopefully this scale gives you an idea of where you stand and where you need to get to. Good luck. :)

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Military families to get free park pass

NORFOLK, Va. (AP) - Active-duty military personnel and their dependents will soon be able to enter every national park for free as part of an effort to thank service members and their families for the sacrifices they make, the Interior Department announced Tuesday.

An annual pass will be made available to members of the military free of charge beginning Saturday, which is Armed Forces Day. The America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreation Lands Annual Pass ordinarily costs $80. It provides access to more than 2,000 national parks, wildlife refuges and other public lands.

The initiative is being marked with a Tuesday ceremony at Colonial National Historical Park in Yorktown, Va., the site of the last major battle of the American Revolutionary War. The park is nestled in a region of Virginia that plays host to all five branches of the military, including the world's largest naval base.

"I think when one goes into Virginia and you see all the sites, the Yorktown battlefield and the whole history of the country, it's important that those who have fought in the tradition of making sure the nation's democracy and freedom are protected also have access to these wonderful sites there," Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said in a conference call with reporters in advance of the announcement.

The National Park Service estimates that giving away the passes to service members and their families will result in a revenue loss between $2 million and $6 million. The passes allow the owner and passengers in a single private vehicle access to sites that charge per vehicle. At sites where entrance fees are charged per-person, it covers the pass owner and three adults age 16 and older.

"We collect about $150 million in fees nationwide, so we don't think that this amount of decrease will be significant to the overall operations of the service," said Jon Jarvis, director of the National Park Service.

Military personnel can get the passes at any national park or wildlife refuge that charges an entrance fee by showing their military ID. Each family member will also be able to obtain their own pass even if the service member is deployed or if they are traveling separately.

The pass will be accepted at National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Reclamation, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Army Corps sites that charge entrance or standard amenity fees.

The free pass will be made available for activated members of the National Guard and Reserves, but not for military veterans or retirees.

The effort compliments the Joining Forces initiative being spearheaded by first lady Michelle Obama and Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, to support military families.

"Our nation owes a debt of gratitude to our servicemen and women who make great sacrifices to protect our country and preserve our freedom," Jill Biden said. "In recognition of their service, we are so pleased to be putting out a welcome mat for our military families at America's most beautiful and storied sites."
?

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Promoting Business Through Online Marketing Services | Social ...

May 15th, 2012 // 10:34 am @ Miguel Rivera

The past few years have certainly shown mankind to be in the age of the entrepreneur. As global economies struggle, the creative drive of the people has expanded into new markets with fresh ideas. There are many businesses being conducted on the internet these days, in addition to the small business model in the service sector. Marketing services have become more vital than ever.

Even businesses that are not net based still have a need to advertise their product or service. There are many great methods of getting a business noticed. None have the power to reach as many people as the internet. Should a person have trouble setting up their own ad campaign, an online concierge service can be utilized.

Because the web is accessible to the entire planet, we now have a concept of economy on a global perspective. The possible income a small business can generate in this modern marketplace cannot even be measured. All businesses on the web are treated equally, which allows even a small player to play in the same league as a major corporation.

Even a microbusiness can be as successful as a monopoly, and on the net it frequently is because people prefer to shop at specialty stores online. While it is nearly impossible to avoid the large box stores in the physical world, the internet contains a much more broad spectrum of options. In order to get a piece of the action, internet advertising is absolutely key.

For businesses that serve a function which can only be done by physically going to that location, the internet can still be a vital tool for getting the customers coming. Having a searchable net presence with links to contact information and maps can cause people to choose one business over another. Utilizing social networking sites can make a business very easily searchable.

Establishing an internet presence through a website is absolutely vital, especially if goods are being shipped to clients. One must have an online store which is easy to navigate. Also, there are video websites which host advertisements and provide links. The more traffic a business website can generate, the better.

Whether a company is large or small, utilizing marketing services on the internet is key to being a success. There are many website generators available. In addition there are video hosting sites that accept advertisements. It is important to get started now, before the large corporations buy up all the domains and net neutrality is lost.

Check out this site for more info Inbound marketing firm

Category : SEO Marketing

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Digital Coupons Can be an Effective Marketing Tool | Small ...

In 2010, more than 49 million people used digital coupons according to research quoted by SavingStar. This research shows the importance of digital coupons to any marketing strategy that intends to offer discounts. Digital coupons are a cost effective way to attract new customers and reward existing ones. Redemption is on the increase since the economic downturn of 2008 according to knowledgenetworks, and demographics show an increase across the board, but if your product appeal is towards the younger generation (18-30 YRS.) digital is the way to influence a sale.

A digital coupon can be as simple as;

1. An e-mail offering current customers a discount.

2. A clickable banner ad offering a percentage off.

3. A limited deal offered through twitter or facebook.

4. A printable coupon which must be presented at time of sale

Steps to creating and distributing a digital coupon

Know your marketing budget:

Offers sent via your existing facebook fans, twitter followers or customer e-mail lists are an inexpensive way to distribute a digital coupon and ?sharing? through your existing customer base has the added bonus of increasing your new customer base. If you have the means to shoot a video presentation for YouTube which mentions your discount, posting is fairly simple. Adding a banner ad to your website or purchasing one on a locally-focused network is a bit more sophisticated, but if your budget has the capacity, it can be rewarding. A social coupon ?like Groupon or Living Social takes a bigger budget and a very carefully strategized marketing plan.

Clearly state time frame and discount:

How ever you decide to present your digital coupon, being clear about your offer is important to a successful campaign. Decide both the level of discount; ?10% off of certain dollar amount spent? or ?buy one get one free? and the time frame of discount; ?One time only? or ?first time customers?. Always put a time limit on your coupons!

Constructing your digital coupon:

If your marketing budget is low but you want to do more than work your existing social connections; the best way for small businesses to reach a targeted, local market is to construct your coupon through local sites like Craigslist or Local.com. The listings are free and their tools for creating and distributing your digital coupon are user friendly. Craigslist is especially targeted for the service industry and can be a good source of new customers.

Distribution:

Understanding the demographics of your products or services is important to a successful marketing campaign, and understanding which digital sites your demographic uses, is important to a successful distribution. If you are not sure, target all the inexpensive social media sites [facebook, twitter, e-mail, YouTube] with your digital coupon and track the success before investing in a more expensive campaign. A YouTube video has a chance of going viral and telling viewers to mention your video when they come into your shop or call for your service, is an inexpensive method of distribution. Banner Ads, available through sites like; AdReady, iPromote and Jivox, can be free to get started, but beware that a cost will be incurred for the best distribution.

Digital coupons should be one part of your marketing campaign. While their usage is on the rise, paper coupons and other forms of advertising should be included. Discounts are a way to bring new customers to your business, tracking their usage is where the benefits really pay off. This new data will increase your demographic knowledge, allowing for a more targeted campaign in the future. Discounts do not cheapen your product or service and in these economically challenging times it allows your business to build a loyal customer base that will see you through and into a better business future.

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Kate Hudson, Sarah Jessica Parker guesting on "Glee"

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PST: Galaxy honored at the White House

On their way back to Los Angeles from Montreal, LA Galaxy stopped off for their well-earned White House visit. You know: that ceremonial honor given to those who win titles? The one people can?t decide is meaningful or merely obligatory? But hey, at least nobody didn?t use this as an opportunity for misguided?politicization?(though it would be funny to see Juninho dogmatically expressing strong views on the growth of government).

Per Washington Post?s Steven Goff, all the Galaxy luminaries were there, including a relatively ignored David Beckham. Former Galaxy contributors Clint Mathis and Chris Klein were also in attendance, presumably just in the neighborhood.

More interesting (for us) than a visit to the president, Goff got some time with former D.C. United, current Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena, whose answers on a myriad of topics ranged from pointed, to brow-furrowing, to more honest than he needs to be.

The honesty, as it concerned the visit itself:

?In a perfect world, we certainly wouldn?t be doing this,? said Arena, whose team played in Montreal on Saturday and will return to Los Angeles on Tuesday night. ?But it?s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the players and staff who haven?t been involved in this type of ceremony. It?s certainly a great honor.?

On what?s been troubling his team (which sits seventh in the West after lifting MLS Cup in November), well, that?s where brow-furrowing comes in:

?I can give you that answer at the end of the year,? he said. ?I have a lot of understanding why our issues to date have been what they are, but that?s not anything I will make public right now. I have a very good sense why.?

Oh, boy. That sounds horrible.

On his coaching future, having reached his 60th birthday:

?A year or two more and then I would love to have the challenge of impacting the technical direction of the league,? he said, declining to reveal when his contract expires. ?That?s something that keeps my head spinning every day. It?s been very difficult to have a dialogue in the league that impacts change.?

And that?s where the responses get particularly pointed. You should read Mr. Goff?s full interview to get the depth and flow, but one more piece on player?development:

?There is a model for how to do this stuff ? it?s how the rest of the world does it. The model is there for us. We just have to get that model efficiently running in our system. It takes a number of people having the time and the right voice and the right intelligence to articulate the message.?

Who has the right voice and intelligence? Check out the full interview.

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home improvement | home office paint color

Have you ever walked into a room and immediately had a certain feeling wash over you? Like, when you walk into a spa, you feel calm and soothed or when you walk into a gym, you feel energized. A lot of this ?feeling? can come from the colors that have been chosen and how those colors stimulate and affect us. If your home office or study space has you feeling less than productive, why not take some cues from color researchers to spruce things up and boost your creativity, energy and productivity.

So, what are the best colors to use in your home office?

Orange ? evokes a sense of energy, enthusiasm and excitement. It can also stimulate collaboration, socialization and teamwork. Painting a bright orange on all your walls would definitely be overstimulating but you could use pops of orange around the room such as in patterned drapes, or throw pillows or in the art on the wall. Pale orange or terracotta are good paint color options.

Red ? is often seen as an aggressive color but it also raises energy and excitement, which can be good to motivate you throughout the workday. As with orange, this would be a good accent color and is best in smaller doses.

Blues ? light blue helps you stay calm, focused and productive and conveys a cool sense of professionalism. Blue-green hues are calming and stimulate creativity. Bright turquoise, however, can create an environment in which it is difficult to stay focused and productive.

Browns ? although we may not think of brown as a creative color, it does give a sense of comfort, security and credibility; great attributes if you are bringing clients into your office.

Yellow ? bright yellow is not recommended as a color for a workspace since it is overstimulating and people often feel frustrated when surrounded by it. Pale yellow, however, can stimulate creativity and clear thinking.

A few other things to consider:
? Size of the room and amount of natural light ? if you have a small space or don?t receive a lot of natural light, you?ll want to use colors that brighten up the room and make it feel larger.
? Furnishings and finishes ? keep in mind the type of wood, color of your office chair, window coverings and flooring in order to have your wall color coordinate with the existing elements in the room.
? The mood or impression you are trying to create ? if you will be welcoming clients into your home office, keep this in mind so that you aren?t choosing a color that you love but that may be a bit over the top for others.
? Adjoining rooms and color schemes ? if it is important to you, you may want to take into account the color palette that you?ve chosen for the rest of the house in order to choose a complementary color for your office.

Now that you have a few ideas, why not visit a paint store to pick up some paint chips to take home and try out in your home office before you start painting. This is your own office, so whichever color you choose, make sure that it is something that you truly enjoy and will be able to live with for hours at a time.

For more information of choosing the right colors for your home office, talk to your local interior designer, painter or home improvement expert.

Tagged as: complementary colors, creativity, energy, Flooring, furnishings, Home Improvement, home office, home office colors, natural light, painter Fairfax, painter Oakton, painter VA, painting Fairfax VA, painting Oakton VA, painting VA, productivity, window coverings

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Ten One Design Pogo Sketch Pro stylus for iPad review

Ten One Design Pogo Sketch Pro, part of the Pogo Sketch line up of stylus pens, one of the best we've had the pleasure use with the iPad. It's not as cheap as some of the competition, however, and not as specific as some others. So is it worth it?

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Apple rumored to be in talks to acquire high end HDTV manufacturer Loewe

Apple is rumored to be in talks to acquire high end German HDTV manufacturer Loewe. The news comes from an anonymous source who claims that Apple has offered 87.3 million euros (around $112 million dollars).

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Box: The Path From Arrington?s Backyard To A Billion Dollar Business

It's no secret that many deals have been struck and key relationships formed at TechCrunch founder Michael Arrington's former house in Atherton. In case you aren't familiar, Arrington threw epic parties at his home for the tech community in the early days of TechCrunch. Police were called, booze was flowing, people passed out. I don't have enough fingers to count how many times I've spoken to a Silicon Valley entrepreneur or VC who said he or she used to frequent Mike's house parties back in the day. Clearly this was the place to be for anyone looking to meet their next investor, acquirer, co-founder etc. And that's exactly what Box co-founders Dylan Smith and Aaron Levie were thinking when they showed up to Mike's house in early February 2006 for the Naked Conversations TechCrunch Party. It was in Mike's backyard where they met then Draper Fisher Jurvetson partner Emily Melton. Beers in hand (actually only Levie was of age-barely, so Smith was drinking water), the pair pitched Melton on their idea. She was so impressed and their passion for what they were building cloud storage, that she immediately introduced them to the DFJ partner covering SaaS and enterprise investments, Josh Stein, who months later led Box's first round of institutional investment.

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Monday Brief: More 7-inch iPad Rumors, BB10 secrets, CTIA recap, and more!

 

Mobile Nations Podcast Feed Mobile Nations on iTunes Mobile Nations YouTube	Everything you need to know about CTIA 2012 Hype, expectation and the Samsung Galaxy S III HTC EVO 4G LTE video walkthrough and not an unboxing
A closer look at the BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha device and some of the secrets it holds Research In Motion Appoints New Chief Operating Officer and Chief Marketing Officer After much waiting, are RIM’s new CMO/COO executive hires any good?	HP looking to hire more webOS team members Read This: Infighting, dysfunction, and the revolving CEO door; Fortune examines HP under Léo Apotheker and Ray Lane HP announces it will be making tablets again, but not webOS tablets
7-inch iPad on track for October 2012 release, $200 to $250 price iPhone 5 to be another Google killer -- but with a twist iPhone 5 design still not finalized, still no big screen, still no metal back, still on track for October release	Nokia reveals upcoming exclusive apps and games for Lumia Windows Phones Samsung Focus 2 hands on Hands on with Windows Phone Tango and the Nokia Lumia 710

 

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Biden Rolls into Buckeye Territory (TIME)

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Marvel?s Avengers fight crime and move files

If you were one of the eleventy bazillion people that went to see Marvel’s The Avengers movie a couple weekends ago, congrats, you helped break box office records. But now that you’ve seen the movie, you are probably suffering from Avengers withdraw… Fill the void with more Avengers by collecting Dane-Elec?s character replica USB drives. [...]

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No More Beating Around The Bush At Yahoo: Thompson Is Out, Levinsohn In As CEO, Effective Immediately

Well, after days and days of nothing, suddenly things are moving at a fast clip. After news came out just hours ago that Thompson might be leaving the company tomorrow, moments ago Yahoo officially confirmed the news, as we reported earlier: Ross Levinsohn is now interim Chief Executive Officer, replacing Scott Thompson, and Fred Amoroso is chairman of the board. Scott Thompson's departure and the reasons for it are not mentioned at all in the statement, which simply says he has left the company. (Earlier a report in AllThingsD had said he would resign for personal reasons, although at least in this statement nothing at all is mentioned for why he has left.) The announcement from Yahoo also underscores how activist shareholder Third Point is very much a key player in all of this.

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Sarah Tressler, Houston Chronicle Reporter, Fired For Moonlighting as Stripper

Sarah Tressler, a 30-year-old reporter who was fired by the Houston Chronicle because of her second job as a stripper, has filed a formal complaint against her former newspaper employer, alleging sex discrimination.

Tressler was working as a society and general assignment reporter for the Chronicle and writing an anonymous blog entitled "Diary of an Angry Stripper" when another paper, the Houston Press, revealed her part-time profession.

She said the major newspaper fired her "because of a claim that I did not disclose on my employment application that I worked as an exotic dancer."

Sarah Tressler Press Conference

"I feel that women should not be denied other employment because they have worked as an exotic dancer," said Tressler, in response to her dismissal.

Tressler has hired high-profile attorney Gloria Allred and filed a charge of gender discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Allred said Tressler was stripping as an independent contractor, not an employee, so she had no reason to list exotic dancing on her job application.

"Most exotic dancers are female, and therefore terminating an employee because they had previously been an exotic dancer would have an adverse impact on women, since it is a female dominated occupation," Allred said.

Sarah Tressler getting canned ...

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Facebook Adds ?Good Enough? File Sharing To All Groups. Dropbox Should Worry About Growth

Today Facebook begins rolling out file sharing to all Groups, and while it's got many restrictions, it could be good enough to limit the long-term growth potential of cloud storage / file sharing services like?Dropbox, iCloud, and Google Drive. Music and any copyright files aren't allowed and file size is capped at 25mb, as Mashable first reported. But this is just the first version, and you can be sure Facebook will keep hacking away at it. Last month, the social network started letting users share files within?Groups for Schools, but now we confirmed with Facebook that within a few days all Facebook users should have the option to upload and share files from the Groups post composer.

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Nintendo to pull the plug on 3D TV service in Japan

If you were still holding out for those 3D-erific videos of cute dogs and sumo wrestlers for your American 3DS via Nintendo's "Itsu no Ma ni Terebi" service, bad news just got badder. In short, it's not coming. Ever. In fact, worse than that, the service will take its last look at the rising sun on the 20th of June, as Nintendo has announced that it's shuttering the service one day short of a year since it launched. There is mention of occasional content coming to both 2D and 3D devices via the Nintendo Video service, but if we didn't know better, we'd suggest this is Kyoto's way of saying "I'll call you".

Nintendo to pull the plug on 3D TV service in Japan originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 May 2012 10:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC EVO 4G LTE video walkthrough

OK, folks. The Sprint HTC EVO 4G LTE is in our hot little hands. We're on Day 1, and quite frankly we're already pretty impressed. Under the hood it's basically an HTC One X. But it's been redesigned, tweaked (and truth be told, improved) and launched as the EVO 4G LTE, the follow-up to the extremely popular EVO 4G.

Some quick thoughts:

• The display is gorgeous. And it should be -- it's the same Super LCD 2 as on the One X.
• Under the hood, it seems speedy enough. And it should be. It's the same processor as on the One X. (The Qualcomm version, that is.)
• Sense 4 is great. And it should be. It's the same Sense 4 that's on the HTC One phones.
• The camera is great. And it should be. It's exactly the same as what's on the HTC One phones.
• The rear speaker is pretty good, too. A lot of you have been asking about that.

 

Our full review's coming. We like to actually use the phone first. Crazy, I know. But here's a quick video walkthrough answering some of the more burning questions that have been thrown our way.

Still want to know more? Our complete EVO 4G LTE review is well in the works. In the meantime, be sure to make your way into our EVO 4G LTE forums, where you'll you'll find the best info on the net. Huzzah!

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