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23:56
Apple tapped Hermes for Apple Watch collaboration before announcing device
» ‎ AppleInsider - Frontpage News

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In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Apple design chief Jony Ive revealed the company reached out to Hermes over a potential Apple Watch partnership before the device was unveiled last year, a project ultimately undertaken by the French luxury brand's artistic director Pierre-Alexis Dumas.

23:56
Försökte smuggla ut elektronik i cornflakes-paket
» ‎ GP

Tags: [edit]

En man försökte stjäla elektronik på Ica Maxi i Angered genom att dölja stöldgodset i ett cornflakes-paket. Men kassörskan anade oråd och avslöjade mannen.

23:56
Försökte smuggla ut elektronik i cornflakes-paket
» ‎ Nyheter - Toppnyheter via RSS

Tags: [edit]

En man försökte stjäla elektronik på Ica Maxi i Angered genom att dölja stöldgodset i ett cornflakes-paket. Men kassörskan anade oråd och avslöjade mannen..

23:54
Vargen dödade Sessan under hardrev
» ‎ Jakt & Jägare

Tags: [edit]

Fyraåriga hamiltontiken Sessan dödades på torsdagen av varg i Jämtland. Hunden försökte gömma sig i terrängen och komma undan men det tog bara fyra minuter för vargen att ge henne så svåra skador att hon inte överlevde. – Det är för djävligt, säger Sessans ägare Mattias Göransson.

23:52
Trafikolycka på Plastgatan
» ‎ Lidköpingsnytt.nu

Tags: [edit]

En olycka har inträffat på Plastgatan. Det är preliminärt flera fordon inblandade.
23:52
Trafikolycka på Plastgatan
» ‎ Lidköpingsnytt.nu

Tags: [edit]

En olycka har inträffat på Plastgatan. Det är preliminärt flera fordon inblandade.

23:52
9 Vogue Editors on Their Favorite Winona Ryder ’90s Beauty Moment: Inspired by Today’s Wes Gordon Show
» ‎ Vogue

Tags: [edit]
Expand
Models backstage at Wes Gordon's Spring 2016 show wore Winona-inspired hair.
Photo: Courtesy of Simona K / @simonakirchnerova

Is Winona Ryder the ultimate icon for ’90s good-girl-gone-bad beauty? The answer (yes) felt definitive backstage at Wes Gordon today, as James Pecis sculpted models’ hair into a “dark, swampy” style inspired by the muse’s Gothic look in Beetlejuice. Working Oribe’s Surfcomber Tousled Texture Mousse into the hair, Pecis pressed wet, piece-y bangs across models’ foreheads for a subversive spin on rumpled waves.

Reminiscing back at the office later this morning, we did a quick survey of our own favorite Winona moments. From her sooty, smoking, explosive final look in Heathers to her slick gelled crop and red lips circa the Johnny years, Winona’s moody, unapologetic take on beauty is forever cool.

The post 9 Vogue Editors on Their Favorite Winona Ryder ’90s Beauty Moment: Inspired by Today’s Wes Gordon Show appeared first on Vogue.
23:52
9 Vogue Editors on Their Favorite Winona Ryder ’90s Beauty Moment: Inspired by Today’s Wes Gordon Show
» ‎ Vogue

Tags: [edit]
Expand
Models backstage at Wes Gordon's Spring 2016 show wore Winona-inspired hair.
Photo: Courtesy of Simona K / @simonakirchnerova

Is Winona Ryder the ultimate icon for ’90s good-girl-gone-bad beauty? The answer (yes) felt definitive backstage at Wes Gordon today, as James Pecis sculpted models’ hair into a “dark, swampy” style inspired by the muse’s Gothic look in Beetlejuice. Working Oribe’s Surfcomber Tousled Texture Mousse into the hair, Pecis pressed wet, piece-y bangs across models’ foreheads for a subversive spin on rumpled waves.

Reminiscing back at the office later this morning, we did a quick survey of our own favorite Winona moments. From her sooty, smoking, explosive final look in Heathers to her slick gelled crop and red lips circa the Johnny years, Winona’s moody, unapologetic take on beauty is forever cool.

The post 9 Vogue Editors on Their Favorite Winona Ryder ’90s Beauty Moment: Inspired by Today’s Wes Gordon Show appeared first on Vogue.

23:51
Cameron: IRA must be disbanded NOW. But shouldn't he be in Ulster, not at the cricket?
» ‎ Home | Mail Online

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Downing Street said he was taking advantage of a delivering a speech in Yorkshire to drop into Headingley and watch the England cricket team take on Australia in their fourth one-day international.

23:51
Cyanogen CEO says Cortana is coming to the mobile OS, but Microsoft refuses to confirm
» ‎ VentureBeat

Enclosure: [download]

Tags: [edit]

Cyanogen, the startup behind the Android-based Cyanogen mobile operating system, is working with Microsoft on a major integration of Microsoft’s Cortana personal digital assistant for Cyanogen OS, if a report today is to be believed. But Microsoft wouldn’t confirm the information.

Cyanogen is “working with Microsoft to deeply integrate Cortana into the next version of Cyanogen OS,” the International Business Times reported, today attributing the information to Cyanogen cofounder and chief executive Kirt McMaster. When VentureBeat reached out to Microsoft to learn more, a spokesman responded with this a vague comment pointing to the partnership with Cyanogen that Microsoft unveiled earlier this year.

“As we announced in April, we’re excited to integrate Microsoft’s high-value services across the Cyanogen Operating System,” the spokesman wrote in an email to VentureBeat. “We have no further details to share at this time.”
From VentureBeat Get faster turnaround on creative, more testing, smarter improvements and better results. Learn how to apply agile marketing at our roadshow in SF.
A Cyanogen spokeswoman would not elaborate on the plans, either.

“We have a strategic partnership with them to integrate popular Microsoft services into our operating system,” she told VentureBeat in an email. “We have no other details to share at this time.”

You would think both companies would want to confirm the report at the very least, because it’s mutually beneficial. But that’s not the case today, oddly.

If it’s true that Cortana is coming to Cyanogen OS, it would be significant for Cyanogen as a mobile platform, which is available preinstalled on an increasing number of devices, including the OnePlus One. Cortana’s ability to deep-link into and control content in many mobile apps could help Cyanogen OS stand out even more from other phones running on Android or Android derivatives. Microsoft is making Cortana smarter and smarter, and in the future it could potentially do things that can’t be done with Android’s default, personal digital assistant, Google Now.

The new level of partnership also would mean that Cortana is becoming more pervasive.

Cortana debuted on Windows Phone last year and is now available on PCs running Windows 10. Microsoft rolled out a Cortana app for Android in public beta last month, and it will appear on iOS, too. (Apple’s iOS devices, of course, come with Siri, which is expanding its presence to the Apple TV.) There’s no guarantee that most iOS and Android users will adopt it, but for those seeking new mobile experiences, a Cyanogen OS phone with Cortana from a Silicon Valley startup could be just right — especially for Windows 10 users who are getting to know Cortana.

Cyanogen’s Microsoft partnership in April brought technologies like Office, OneDrive, OneNote, Outlook, and Skype to Cyanogen. Microsoft was reported to be considering an investment in Cyanogen but ultimately chose not to participate in the startup’s $80 million round, which included top-tier investors Andreessen Horowitz, Benchmark, and Redpoint Ventures.
More information:
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VB's research team is studying web-personalization... Chime in here, and we’ll share the results.
23:51
Cyanogen CEO says Cortana is coming to the mobile OS, but Microsoft refuses to confirm
» ‎ VentureBeat

Enclosure: [download]

Tags: [edit]

Cyanogen, the startup behind the Android-based Cyanogen mobile operating system, is working with Microsoft on a major integration of Microsoft’s Cortana personal digital assistant for Cyanogen OS, if a report today is to be believed. But Microsoft wouldn’t confirm the information.

Cyanogen is “working with Microsoft to deeply integrate Cortana into the next version of Cyanogen OS,” the International Business Times reported, today attributing the information to Cyanogen cofounder and chief executive Kirt McMaster. When VentureBeat reached out to Microsoft to learn more, a spokesman responded with this a vague comment pointing to the partnership with Cyanogen that Microsoft unveiled earlier this year.

“As we announced in April, we’re excited to integrate Microsoft’s high-value services across the Cyanogen Operating System,” the spokesman wrote in an email to VentureBeat. “We have no further details to share at this time.”
From VentureBeat Get faster turnaround on creative, more testing, smarter improvements and better results. Learn how to apply agile marketing at our roadshow in SF.
A Cyanogen spokeswoman would not elaborate on the plans, either.

“We have a strategic partnership with them to integrate popular Microsoft services into our operating system,” she told VentureBeat in an email. “We have no other details to share at this time.”

You would think both companies would want to confirm the report at the very least, because it’s mutually beneficial. But that’s not the case today, oddly.

If it’s true that Cortana is coming to Cyanogen OS, it would be significant for Cyanogen as a mobile platform, which is available preinstalled on an increasing number of devices, including the OnePlus One. Cortana’s ability to deep-link into and control content in many mobile apps could help Cyanogen OS stand out even more from other phones running on Android or Android derivatives. Microsoft is making Cortana smarter and smarter, and in the future it could potentially do things that can’t be done with Android’s default, personal digital assistant, Google Now.

The new level of partnership also would mean that Cortana is becoming more pervasive.

Cortana debuted on Windows Phone last year and is now available on PCs running Windows 10. Microsoft rolled out a Cortana app for Android in public beta last month, and it will appear on iOS, too. (Apple’s iOS devices, of course, come with Siri, which is expanding its presence to the Apple TV.) There’s no guarantee that most iOS and Android users will adopt it, but for those seeking new mobile experiences, a Cyanogen OS phone with Cortana from a Silicon Valley startup could be just right — especially for Windows 10 users who are getting to know Cortana.

Cyanogen’s Microsoft partnership in April brought technologies like Office, OneDrive, OneNote, Outlook, and Skype to Cyanogen. Microsoft was reported to be considering an investment in Cyanogen but ultimately chose not to participate in the startup’s $80 million round, which included top-tier investors Andreessen Horowitz, Benchmark, and Redpoint Ventures.
More information:
Powered by VBProfiles
VB's research team is studying web-personalization... Chime in here, and we’ll share the results.

23:51
randomColor 0.4.0
» ‎ Softpedia Webscripts / All

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A JavaScript library generating random colors, with a premium on bright, colorful selections, avoiding ugly greys and dark tones

23:50
Sarah Jessica Parker Wants You to Have Party Shoes for Every Occasion
» ‎ Vogue

Tags: [edit]

“I’m interested in simplicity,” Tracy Reese said, surveying a table set with at least a dozen shoes—four different designs, each in multiple colors and patterns. “But, to me, simplicity doesn’t mean minimal.”

The bespectacled designer walked a reporter through her beautifully lit Garment District studio, where the walls were lined with the racks of her Spring collection, ready to walk down her runway come Sunday. But it was the fruits of a new collaboration that filled up all the available surface area on tables, bookshelves, and dressers—the object of today’s conversation: shoes. Not just any shoes—shoes designed for her Spring collection by no less than the actress whose name has become synonymous with their fixation, Sarah Jessica Parker, and her fledgling footwear brand SJP Collection.

Reese pulled a few looks from the racks to demonstrate the power of the proper heel with the right silhouette. “I’m into single soles this season,” she said. “I’m in love with the idea of very simple shoe silhouettes and then making the shoes colorful or clear or adding embellishment.” Practically speaking, this ethos translates to wide-leg pants pairing well with the high heel of a classic pump, elongating the legs and keeping things swishy—“the heel really makes the whole thing flow.” With a high-low maxi dress she recommended the low heel—“we’re liking the juxtaposition”—and with a drapey shorts suit, a higher heel—“very Carrie Bradshaw.”

After a forewarned delay, the fabled “Carrie Bradshaw” herself entered, to much gasping all around, wearing a knee-length pink brocade dress from Reese’s upcoming collection. It was her first time seeing every single runway look (and corresponding shoes) fully produced in the same place at the same time, and she flitted about the room, circling and reconnoitering, touching, cooing, fussing over Reese’s collection and their combined offspring, the finished runway-ready shoe collection.

There was a lot to take in. The sheer number of possible permutations of pattern and shoe is daunting. All but one fabric is sourced from Reese’s Spring collection—a darling little scarab number on a demure, slightly lower-than-midi heel. A tall bootie comes in myriad metallics, bright leathers, and disco ball encrustations. There’s a sandal with beading from India, an ’80s-prom-chaperone low heel in dusty Barbie pink (worn on this occasion by SJP herself), and a classic pump. All designs come in clear PVC-panel options. “Transparency is a huge theme for this collection,” said Reese. “We’re playing with overlay and all that.”

Parker has worn Reese’s designs for years, and the collaboration was a natural fit—both designers share an affinity for color, a celebratory sense of pattern and whimsy, and an enduring appeal to women who take a fun, girly, and decidedly non-snobby approach to dressing. Reese’s flair for pattern and Parker’s trademark friendliness resulted in a long-anticipated meeting of the minds and an overflow of ideas. “I’m an actual customer,” Parker said, clasping Reese’s arm, “I love everything that she does. One of the things I’m most drawn to is her relationship with color. The fact that we got to work together was particularly exciting for me because our whole thing is color—color is a neutral.” She said the actual collaborative conversation was “enormously easy and fun.” As for Reese’s running theme of wearable, non-minimalist simplicity, Parker nodded. “It’s hard with a shoe—to be totally candid, you want to be all things to all people,” she said. “You don’t want to limit yourself. I do want a shoe that suits a lot of people that also feels fun, like what Tracy does with stuff that has a silhouette that seems wearable. There’s this idea that ‘wearable’ isn’t amazing, sparkly, ‘the party’—we try to be those things but you have to find your way; you can’t back into it. You have to figure out how you can do it authentically.”

Parker was being nudged out the door, answering the call of another appointment.

As bags are being passed around and hoisted atop shoulders and eyes dart toward the elevators, the question is posed: Will we see another season of SJP x TR?

Both designers laugh and exchange knowing glances.

“If she’ll have me,” piped Parker.

“I would be honored,” said Reese. The future is looking bright (and anything but minimal).

Sarah Jessica Parker answers all of our 73 questions:

The post Sarah Jessica Parker Wants You to Have Party Shoes for Every Occasion appeared first on Vogue.
23:50
Sarah Jessica Parker Wants You to Have Party Shoes for Every Occasion
» ‎ Vogue

Tags: [edit]

“I’m interested in simplicity,” Tracy Reese said, surveying a table set with at least a dozen shoes—four different designs, each in multiple colors and patterns. “But, to me, simplicity doesn’t mean minimal.”

The bespectacled designer walked a reporter through her beautifully lit Garment District studio, where the walls were lined with the racks of her Spring collection, ready to walk down her runway come Sunday. But it was the fruits of a new collaboration that filled up all the available surface area on tables, bookshelves, and dressers—the object of today’s conversation: shoes. Not just any shoes—shoes designed for her Spring collection by no less than the actress whose name has become synonymous with their fixation, Sarah Jessica Parker, and her fledgling footwear brand SJP Collection.

Reese pulled a few looks from the racks to demonstrate the power of the proper heel with the right silhouette. “I’m into single soles this season,” she said. “I’m in love with the idea of very simple shoe silhouettes and then making the shoes colorful or clear or adding embellishment.” Practically speaking, this ethos translates to wide-leg pants pairing well with the high heel of a classic pump, elongating the legs and keeping things swishy—“the heel really makes the whole thing flow.” With a high-low maxi dress she recommended the low heel—“we’re liking the juxtaposition”—and with a drapey shorts suit, a higher heel—“very Carrie Bradshaw.”

After a forewarned delay, the fabled “Carrie Bradshaw” herself entered, to much gasping all around, wearing a knee-length pink brocade dress from Reese’s upcoming collection. It was her first time seeing every single runway look (and corresponding shoes) fully produced in the same place at the same time, and she flitted about the room, circling and reconnoitering, touching, cooing, fussing over Reese’s collection and their combined offspring, the finished runway-ready shoe collection.

There was a lot to take in. The sheer number of possible permutations of pattern and shoe is daunting. All but one fabric is sourced from Reese’s Spring collection—a darling little scarab number on a demure, slightly lower-than-midi heel. A tall bootie comes in myriad metallics, bright leathers, and disco ball encrustations. There’s a sandal with beading from India, an ’80s-prom-chaperone low heel in dusty Barbie pink (worn on this occasion by SJP herself), and a classic pump. All designs come in clear PVC-panel options. “Transparency is a huge theme for this collection,” said Reese. “We’re playing with overlay and all that.”

Parker has worn Reese’s designs for years, and the collaboration was a natural fit—both designers share an affinity for color, a celebratory sense of pattern and whimsy, and an enduring appeal to women who take a fun, girly, and decidedly non-snobby approach to dressing. Reese’s flair for pattern and Parker’s trademark friendliness resulted in a long-anticipated meeting of the minds and an overflow of ideas. “I’m an actual customer,” Parker said, clasping Reese’s arm, “I love everything that she does. One of the things I’m most drawn to is her relationship with color. The fact that we got to work together was particularly exciting for me because our whole thing is color—color is a neutral.” She said the actual collaborative conversation was “enormously easy and fun.” As for Reese’s running theme of wearable, non-minimalist simplicity, Parker nodded. “It’s hard with a shoe—to be totally candid, you want to be all things to all people,” she said. “You don’t want to limit yourself. I do want a shoe that suits a lot of people that also feels fun, like what Tracy does with stuff that has a silhouette that seems wearable. There’s this idea that ‘wearable’ isn’t amazing, sparkly, ‘the party’—we try to be those things but you have to find your way; you can’t back into it. You have to figure out how you can do it authentically.”

Parker was being nudged out the door, answering the call of another appointment.

As bags are being passed around and hoisted atop shoulders and eyes dart toward the elevators, the question is posed: Will we see another season of SJP x TR?

Both designers laugh and exchange knowing glances.

“If she’ll have me,” piped Parker.

“I would be honored,” said Reese. The future is looking bright (and anything but minimal).

Sarah Jessica Parker answers all of our 73 questions:

The post Sarah Jessica Parker Wants You to Have Party Shoes for Every Occasion appeared first on Vogue.

23:50
Clinton tries warmth as voters go cold
» ‎ Europe homepage

Tags: [edit]

Email scandal hangs over Democratic frontrunner as Sanders and Biden rise in polls

23:49
Welcome To Hipster Hell, Tumblr Now Has Its Own Clothing Line
» ‎ TechCrunch

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If the pervasiveness of shitty memes on the web weren’t enough, it seems they’re soon going to be inhabiting the real world… worn by people walking on the streets of Earth. Tumblr just announced a new clothing line designed by 10 different Tumblr artists at New York Fashion Week, The New York Times reports. Read More

23:49
Han ställer ut i Kina
» ‎ Värmlands Folkblad

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Akvarellkonstnären Jonatan Ahlmark från Hammarö är uttagen att visa sin konst på Shenzhen international watercolur biennial i Kina. Detta som en av två svenskar.
– Det känns så klart jättekul, säger han.

Galan ska främja kommunikationen mellan kinesiska konstnärer och övriga världen.

– Just nu är det världens största vattenfärgstävling inom exempelvis akvarell och akryl. Den tjänar till att öppna upp Kina och främjar först och främst inhemska konstnärer. Men det finns även en avdelning för internationella konstnärer, säger Jonatan Ahlmark.

Juryn som har valt ut konstverken består av akvarellkonstnärerna Maureen Bloomfield från USA, Janice Gallizia från Frankrike, Joseph Zbukvic från Australien och Jean Noble från England England.

– Det känns som ett extra godkännande. Man kan även vinna priser och den totala prissumman är ganska hög.

– Det blir kul. en utsä som grundar sig på ett år i chicago och pluggade där arkitekt. mkt inom det området jag målar också.

Galan går av stapeln mellan den 5 och 10 december i Shenzhen.

Ahlmark är även aktuell med en utställning hos Galleri Nils Åberg i Göteborg med vernissage den 19 september.

– Det blir min tredje separata utställning där och jag märker ett större intresse för varje gång, säger han.

23:48
Rick Perry Is “Suspending” His Campaign, i.e., Quitting the 2016 Race
» ‎ Stories from Slate

Tags: [edit]

Handsome Texan and would-be 2016 Republican presidential nominee Rick Perry is polling at around 0.8 percent nationally, 0.8 percent in Iowa, and 1 percent in New Hampshire. He's also apparently running out of money. So:

According to remarks prepared for delivery at the Eagle Forum in St. Louis that were released by his campaign, Perry will say deep financial problems have left him with limited staffing in several key states.

"That is why today I am suspending my campaign for the presidency of the United States," he will say.

That's from CNN.

Presidential candidates say they are "suspending" their campaign instead of ending it because it allows them to receive federal matching funds if they raise more money (money that can be used, say, to pay debts). It also sounds better than saying "I'm dropping out because I've failed."

Today, Rick Perry's fancy new-look glasses are the glasses of defeat.

23:45
Finland’s Futurefly raises $2.5M to reinvent mobile game and app messaging
» ‎ VentureBeat

Enclosure: [download]

Tags: [edit]

Futurefly, a startup that includes former Remedy Entertainment game veteran Oskari “Ozz” Häkkinen, has raised $2.5 million in funding for a new mobile game and app-messaging technology.

Häkkinen, the former head of franchise development at Remedy (the maker of hit games like Alan Wake), joined the new company this summer in Helsinki, which is still a hotbed for mobile game startups (it’s the base for Rovio and Supercell and many others started by their veterans). Mobile games are expected to become a $30 billion business this year, eclipsing console games on a global basis, according to market researcher Newzoo. But Futurefly’s ambitions go beyond gaming.

Futurefly’s aim is to create traditional non-game consumer applications by uniting them with gameplay. Futurefly’s first project is an asynchronous mobile messaging app with 3D avatars, animations, mini-games and other such rich content from games.
From VentureBeat Get faster turnaround on creative, more testing, smarter improvements and better results. Learn how to apply agile marketing at our roadshow in SF.
The investors are an interesting group. European venture capital firm Visionplus Fund led the seed round, and it was joined by backers of companies such as Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp, and Snapchat. Tekes, the Finnish fund for Technology and Innovation, is also an investor.

“We are absolutely thrilled to be backed by such prestigious investors. Our investors bring financial muscle, but really it’s their unprecedented experience and incredible track record working with messaging and social media giants where the real value for a start-up like our is,” said Pietari Päivänen, cofounder and CEO at Futurefly, in a statement.

The team has game and consumer app veterans from companies like Remedy, Electronic Arts, Sulake, Grey Area, Microsoft, and User Intelligence. They have worked on titles including Alan Wake, Habbo Hotel, Shadow Cities, Death Rally, Hero Hunt, Agents of Storm, Puzzle Bandits, and the upcoming Xbox One exclusive, Quantum Break.

Häkkinen said the team is building a mobile game messenger that promises all the goodness from apps like WhatsApp, Kik Messenger, and WeChat, but with game features that are core throughout the experience.

“The Futurefly team is an exceptional, perfect storm of game and app development professionals coming together to create something truly innovative”, said Jari Tuovinen, cofounder and partner at Visionplus, in a statement. “They’re developing the next generation of messaging that I believe will be a showcase to how apps and games can be united in an engaging way.”

The company also announced that their investment round will temporarily remain open to potential investors with IP, brand, or celebrity affiliations, to help fulfill their user acquisition strategy goals. The company has nine employees.

“The plumbing works much like other messengers out there, however we use game development tools to bring beautiful 3D avatars, games and top class animations to the messaging experience. We are breaking down the walls of self-expression in messaging, if emoji was a first step in that direction, then we are taking a giant leap”, said Häkkinen.
VB's research team is studying web-personalization... Chime in here, and we’ll share the results.
23:45
Finland’s Futurefly raises $2.5M to reinvent mobile game and app messaging
» ‎ VentureBeat

Enclosure: [download]

Tags: [edit]

Futurefly, a startup that includes former Remedy Entertainment game veteran Oskari “Ozz” Häkkinen, has raised $2.5 million in funding for a new mobile game and app-messaging technology.

Häkkinen, the former head of franchise development at Remedy (the maker of hit games like Alan Wake), joined the new company this summer in Helsinki, which is still a hotbed for mobile game startups (it’s the base for Rovio and Supercell and many others started by their veterans). Mobile games are expected to become a $30 billion business this year, eclipsing console games on a global basis, according to market researcher Newzoo. But Futurefly’s ambitions go beyond gaming.

Futurefly’s aim is to create traditional non-game consumer applications by uniting them with gameplay. Futurefly’s first project is an asynchronous mobile messaging app with 3D avatars, animations, mini-games and other such rich content from games.
From VentureBeat Get faster turnaround on creative, more testing, smarter improvements and better results. Learn how to apply agile marketing at our roadshow in SF.
The investors are an interesting group. European venture capital firm Visionplus Fund led the seed round, and it was joined by backers of companies such as Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp, and Snapchat. Tekes, the Finnish fund for Technology and Innovation, is also an investor.

“We are absolutely thrilled to be backed by such prestigious investors. Our investors bring financial muscle, but really it’s their unprecedented experience and incredible track record working with messaging and social media giants where the real value for a start-up like our is,” said Pietari Päivänen, cofounder and CEO at Futurefly, in a statement.

The team has game and consumer app veterans from companies like Remedy, Electronic Arts, Sulake, Grey Area, Microsoft, and User Intelligence. They have worked on titles including Alan Wake, Habbo Hotel, Shadow Cities, Death Rally, Hero Hunt, Agents of Storm, Puzzle Bandits, and the upcoming Xbox One exclusive, Quantum Break.

Häkkinen said the team is building a mobile game messenger that promises all the goodness from apps like WhatsApp, Kik Messenger, and WeChat, but with game features that are core throughout the experience.

“The Futurefly team is an exceptional, perfect storm of game and app development professionals coming together to create something truly innovative”, said Jari Tuovinen, cofounder and partner at Visionplus, in a statement. “They’re developing the next generation of messaging that I believe will be a showcase to how apps and games can be united in an engaging way.”

The company also announced that their investment round will temporarily remain open to potential investors with IP, brand, or celebrity affiliations, to help fulfill their user acquisition strategy goals. The company has nine employees.

“The plumbing works much like other messengers out there, however we use game development tools to bring beautiful 3D avatars, games and top class animations to the messaging experience. We are breaking down the walls of self-expression in messaging, if emoji was a first step in that direction, then we are taking a giant leap”, said Häkkinen.
VB's research team is studying web-personalization... Chime in here, and we’ll share the results.

23:45
Almost half of Syria is fleeing
» ‎ Mashable

Tags: [edit]

The image of the lifeless little boy, facedown on a beach, highlights the deadly risks for Syrian refugees.

For three years, a civil war has raged in the country, causing the deaths of more than 200,000 people, and sending people fleeing from their homes.

See also: One man's story of how ISIS took his hometown

The country of about 23 million is falling apart, with almost half the population on the run. At least 4.1 million people have left the country and another 7.6 million are internally displaced

Mashable looked at the numbers to put them in context.

The map below shows the rise of the refugee population in Syria's neighboring countries of Egypt, Libya, Iraq, Lebanon and Jordan Read more...
More about Middle East, Syria, Us World, Refugees, and World

23:45
The First Crowdfunded Skyscraper Is Almost Finished, and More Are Coming
» ‎ Gizmodo

Tags: [edit]

Skyscrapers have been around for 130 years, and during that time they’ve been built one way: With investments from a few very, very wealthy investors.
Read more...

23:44
Minions are running rampant, selling bananas on the street in China
» ‎ Mashable

Tags: [edit]

Never get between a Minion and his bananas.

Photos of foam rubber Minions traipsing along a road in Beijing, China have been gaining popularity on Chinese social media site, Weibo. Apparently, the yellow lackeys were carrying loads of bananas.

See also: Giant inflatable Minion causes traffic chaos because there is no hope

Image: Weibo

Image: Weibo

Image: Weibo
At one point, urban management officers, pulled over the big, yellow creatures and their three-wheeler and attempted to confiscate their fruity wares.

According to the Shanghaist, some users on Weibo worried that the people inside the foam rubber suits were street vendors, suffering in the hot costumes in order to make a living. Read more...
More about China, Pics, Wtf, Funny, and Watercooler
23:44
Minions are running rampant, selling bananas on the street in China
» ‎ Mashable

Tags: [edit]

Never get between a Minion and his bananas.

Photos of foam rubber Minions traipsing along a road in Beijing, China have been gaining popularity on Chinese social media site, Weibo. Apparently, the yellow lackeys were carrying loads of bananas.

See also: Giant inflatable Minion causes traffic chaos because there is no hope

Image: Weibo

Image: Weibo

Image: Weibo
At one point, urban management officers, pulled over the big, yellow creatures and their three-wheeler and attempted to confiscate their fruity wares.

According to the Shanghaist, some users on Weibo worried that the people inside the foam rubber suits were street vendors, suffering in the hot costumes in order to make a living. Read more...
More about China, Pics, Wtf, Funny, and Watercooler
23:43
Rick Perry drops out of the 2016 race, surprising no one
» ‎ Mashable

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Former Texas GovRick Perry suspended his presidential campaign Friday, becoming the first in a crowded field of Republican candidates to withdraw from the race.

Perry's decision comes after weeks of lagging in the polls and reports that he had shuttered campaign offices and stopped paying staff in in the early states of Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina after struggling to gain momentum and money.

See also: Rick Perry's campaign in trouble as cash dries up

"We have a tremendous field — the best in a generation — so I step aside knowing our party is in good hands, and as long as we listen to the grassroots, the cause of conservatism will be too," Perry said in a statement obtained by Mashable. Read more...
More about Rick Perry, Us World, Politics, and Election 2016
23:43
Rick Perry drops out of the 2016 race, surprising no one
» ‎ Mashable

Tags: [edit]

Former Texas GovRick Perry suspended his presidential campaign Friday, becoming the first in a crowded field of Republican candidates to withdraw from the race.

Perry's decision comes after weeks of lagging in the polls and reports that he had shuttered campaign offices and stopped paying staff in in the early states of Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina after struggling to gain momentum and money.

See also: Rick Perry's campaign in trouble as cash dries up

"We have a tremendous field — the best in a generation — so I step aside knowing our party is in good hands, and as long as we listen to the grassroots, the cause of conservatism will be too," Perry said in a statement obtained by Mashable. Read more...
More about Rick Perry, Us World, Politics, and Election 2016

23:40
Fem otursminuter då HIF föll
» ‎ Norra Skåne - NorraSkåne.se

Tags: [edit]

Sport FK Karlskronas skyttekung Alexander Pettersson släckte Hässleholms IF:s förhoppningar om en andraplats med två mål på fem minuter i början av den andra halvleken.
– Några riktiga olycksminuter, säger HIF-tränaren Dan Olofsson efter matchen.
Olofsson hade ändrat om en del i laget sedan förra matchen mot Rosengård. Mattias Andersson gick in som högerback medan William Andersson tog hand om vänsterbacksplatsen. Oskar Olsson ersatte avstängde Simon Reinholdsson medan Arber Sabani gjorde sin debut som startspelare.
HIF var det bästa laget under de inledande 45 minuterna på Västra Mark som dock slutade mållösa. Christoffer Ekelund, Kristian Eriksson och Arber Sabani hade några riktigt bra chanser men bollen ville inte in bakom Hjalmar Forell i hemmamålet.
– Vi skulle gjort något mål innan paus, säger Dan Olofsson.
– Vi hade riktig bra chanser och man satt bara och väntade på att vi skulle ta ledningen.
Spelarna i HIF fick sig sedan en riktig chock i starten av den andra halvleken. Seriens skyttekung Alexander Pettersson gjorde två snabba mål under de första fem minuterna och gav sitt lag ledningen med 2–0. Det var för övrigt Alexanders 22:a och 23:e mål i årets division 2 Götaland där han leder skytteligan före Prespa Birliks Sadat Karim på 21 mål.
HIF jobbade sig sedan in i matchen men i 70:e minuten kom nästa kalldusch då Karlskrona gjorde 3–0 på en hörna.
Tycker inte 3–0 speglar matchen. De får några riktigt psykologiska mål som får avgörande betydelse, menar Dan Olofsson som inte var missnöjd med sitt manskap.
– Nej, vi ger aldrig upp och slutar inte att jobba. Och vi fick jobba i uppförsbacke efter deras två snabba mål strax efter paus.

23:40
One of the coolest Apple TV features won’t work with Netflix or HBO
» ‎ BGR

Tags: [edit]

The Apple TV demo we saw earlier this week was unbelievably slick. In particular, some of the Siri tricks Apple showed off were especially impressive. Tell Siri to “Show me that Modern Family episode with Edward Norton” and, boom, just like that the correct episode shows up. In another example, an Apple employee was able to use Siri to search just for the James Bond movies featuring Sean Connery. Some of the other Apple TV features that had TV fans excited included the ability to tell a program to “skip ahead 8 minutes” or even go back 15-seconds in time if a user asks “What did he/she just say?” DON’T MISS: Samsung trolls Apple with brilliantly timed post-iPhone 6s announcement TV ad

23:38
LG G4, vs LG G2 värt att uppgradera
» ‎ Swedroid forum - Nordens största Android-community

Tags: [edit]

Hej.

Jag är eg väldigt nöjd med har lyckats spräcka skärmen. Går i valet och kvalet om man ska lägga pengar
på att byta skräm och sen vänta in G5 innan man byter eller om man ska byta till en G4 nu.

Någon som tagit steget från G2, till G4.. är det ett stort lyft? Finns några nackdelar?
Hur skulle ni gjort om ni vore mig?
23:38
LG G4, vs LG G2 värt att uppgradera
» ‎ Swedroid forum - Nordens största Android-community

Tags: [edit]

Hej.

Jag är eg väldigt nöjd med har lyckats spräcka skärmen. Går i valet och kvalet om man ska lägga pengar
på att byta skräm och sen vänta in G5 innan man byter eller om man ska byta till en G4 nu.

Någon som tagit steget från G2, till G4.. är det ett stort lyft? Finns några nackdelar?
Hur skulle ni gjort om ni vore mig?

23:38
Straffvinst för Tyringe mot Varberg
» ‎ Norra Skåne - NorraSkåne.se

Tags: [edit]

Sport Segern satt hårt inne för Tyringe i träningsmatchen hemma på Tyrs Hov mot Varberg. Hemmalaget vann matchen med 3–2 först efter straffar.
Tyringe vann skotten klart i den första perioden men det var Varberg som gjorde enda målet. Andra perioden började lika illa då hallänningarna utökade till 2–0.
I den sjätte minuten åkte Joel Persson på en hård tackling och blev liggande i mittzonen. Joel kunde inte resa sig utan fick bäras av isen på bår för vidare transport till sjukhus.
– Han råkade ut för en hjärnskakning, säger Tyringes assisterande tränare Joakim Andersson som på fredagskvällen inte kunde ge några fler besked.
I mitten av perioden åkte Tyringebacken Mathias Sjöberg från egen zon över hela rinken och satte vackert reduceringen till 1–2. Sjöberg kunde sedan även kvittera i den tredje perioden med ett skott från den blå linjen. Nye Fabian Ilestedt avgjorde sedan genom att sätta den avgörande straffen i nät.
– Vi började matchen skapligt och vann skotten klart i den första perioden. Den andra förstördes av utvisningar medan vi avslutade matchen bra, sammanfattar Joakim Andersson vars Tyringe på onsdag möter Troja Ljungby hemma i seriegenrepet.
Jan Rydén

23:38
7 things Apple didn't tell you about the new Apple TV
» ‎ Mashable

Tags: [edit]

Apple TV is no longer a hobby. It's now a full-blown revolution for the big screen in your home. That much we knew about the upgraded device launched at Apple's event Wednesday — yet still, some questions abound

The new Apple TV is physically a little larger, but it's packed with tons of new features. It's got a new remote, Siri is baked into tvOS at a system-wide level and there are now apps — specifically games.

See also: 8 things Apple didn't tell you about the iPad Pro

It's a powerful set-top box that Apple thinks will change the way you interact with your TV. But there are still some details Apple didn't announce, which could ultimately sway your purchase decision. Read more...
More about Tv, Apple, Apple Tv, Tech, and Gadgets

23:37
Seger för Rögle BK i genrepet: "Var stabila"
» ‎ KvP: Nyheter

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ÄNGELHOLM. Rögle BK satte punkt för försäsongen med seger över Karlskrona HK.

Nu blickar nykomlingarna fram emot premiären mot Frölunda respektive Färjestad.

– Ingen kommer tro på oss men vi vet vad vi kan, det räcker för oss, säger RBK:s Jesper Williamsson.

– Det ska bli jäkligt kul, en liten dröm som går i uppfyllelse, säger KHK:s Alexander Bergström.

23:35
Han byggde Candy Crush Saga – nu startar hans nästa speläventyr
» ‎ breakit.se

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Tommy Palm gjorde 100 miljoner människor beroende av mobilspelet Candy Crush Saga.
23:35
Från datanörd till spelguru – nu börjar nästa stora speläventyr
» ‎ breakit.se

Tags: [edit]

Tommy Palm var med och såg till så att 100 miljoner människor började spela mobilspelet Candy Crush Saga. Nu vill han revolutionera ännu en spelbransch.

23:35
Let's Talk About Whatever You Want Right Now
» ‎ Gizmodo

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And lo, the weekend did arise, and descend upon the good people of Gizmodo.
Read more...

23:34
Tio år för mordförsök med grillkniv
» ‎ GP

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Tio år för mordförsök med grillkniv

23:33
The LAPD has a Tesla now
» ‎ The Verge - All Posts

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At a press conference today, Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti announced the lease of 160 battery electric vehicles and 128 plug-in hybrids for the city's vehicle fleet. "Today, we take another step toward becoming the most sustainable city in America," the mayor told reporters. "This year, Los Angeles will become home to the largest city-owned fleet of pure battery electric vehicles anywhere in the country, and we will save taxpayer dollars along the way."

The city's fleet already includes 23 electric scooters and three fully electric motorcycles, but this is the first major move into electric cars. The mayor has set ambitious environmental goals for the fleet, requiring that electric vehicles constitute half of the light duty fleet by 2017, and 80 percent of the city's fleet purchases by 2025.

#LAPD: @LAPDChiefBeck speaking at the news conference on Historic Transition to Green Energy Vehicles. pic.twitter.com/n1KdFOrX8F
— LAPD HQ (@LAPDHQ) September 11, 2015

Together with the new leases, the department also received two expensive loaner EVs: a BMW i3 and a Tesla Model S P85D, with 0-60 speeds of 7.0 and 3.2 seconds respectively. The police department was vague on what it would do with the cars, saying only: "These vehicles will be used for testing and research by LAPD technical experts to determine how this technology can support their future needs." Sounds like fun.
23:33
The LAPD has a Tesla now
» ‎ The Verge - All Posts

Tags: [edit]

At a press conference today, Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti announced the lease of 160 battery electric vehicles and 128 plug-in hybrids for the city's vehicle fleet. "Today, we take another step toward becoming the most sustainable city in America," the mayor told reporters. "This year, Los Angeles will become home to the largest city-owned fleet of pure battery electric vehicles anywhere in the country, and we will save taxpayer dollars along the way."

The city's fleet already includes 23 electric scooters and three fully electric motorcycles, but this is the first major move into electric cars. The mayor has set ambitious environmental goals for the fleet, requiring that electric vehicles constitute half of the light duty fleet by 2017, and 80 percent of the city's fleet purchases by 2025.

#LAPD: @LAPDChiefBeck speaking at the news conference on Historic Transition to Green Energy Vehicles. pic.twitter.com/n1KdFOrX8F
— LAPD HQ (@LAPDHQ) September 11, 2015

Together with the new leases, the department also received two expensive loaner EVs: a BMW i3 and a Tesla Model S P85D, with 0-60 speeds of 7.0 and 3.2 seconds respectively. The police department was vague on what it would do with the cars, saying only: "These vehicles will be used for testing and research by LAPD technical experts to determine how this technology can support their future needs." Sounds like fun.

23:32
“Jihadists Want Kill Us”
» ‎ Stories from Slate

Tags: [edit]

Nine years ago today, America marked the anniversary of Sept. 11 for the first time … on Twitter.

The network had been launched just a few months earlier. It wasn’t a hit. And because there was no retweeting or favoriting yet, early adopters had no way to know if their tweets had been hits, either. Every tweet just hung out on the user’s personal feed for a while, then ticked away to make room for the next musing:

That was a simpler time. The tweeting of Sept. 11is now an event in and of itself. To be clear, nobody has to tweet about 9/11.

Most people should not tweet about 9/11.

And yet every year, thousands of people are compelled to tweet about 9/11, as if not tweeting #NeverForget really means that you forgot. And now, thanks to Twitter’s metrics, everyone can keep track of who’s remembering 9/11 the best:

Not you, Kristin Davis.

Presidential candidates began preparing for the event well in advance. This year, some White House hopefuls have created their own custom-designed Sept. 11 tribute images cut to perfect tweeting size. Each one looks kind of like a tragedy greeting card branded in the candidate’s personal aesthetic. Rand Paul has opted for a sleek, timeless design:

Ted Cruz’s version looks like a PowerPoint slide jazzed up with Blingee:

And Ben Carson printed his own campaign slogan—“Heal, Inspire, Revive”—over the battered New York City skyline:

Some Republican candidates have chosen to also acknowledge the victims of the other Sept. 11:

Meanwhile, President George W. Bush’s press secretary Ari Fleischer has inserted himself back in the national conversation by staging a real-time retelling of the 9/11 story …

… for the third year in a row.

But curiously, the #brands—once eager to commemorate the event on their timelines—are now rethinking their contributions to this annual exercise. Last year, the owner of a Virginia Bikram yoga studio suffered backlash when he tweeted a 9/11-themed discount offer (“9+11= 20 % OFF!”) and then more backlash when he tweeted a conspiratorial nonapology. (“If you want to be upset, research the term ‘911 building 7’ and check the news because they are hearing ‘chatter’ about us getting hit again.”) And in last year’s “A Brand Remembers 9/11,” the Awl mocked Carnival Cruise Lines, White Castle, and Applebee’s for tweeting anodyne tributes in their peppy company voices. All three have yet to tweet in tribute this year.

Did they forget? Or did the humans behind the brands finally recognize how bizarre it is for a fast casual restaurant to claim to “remember” a terrorist attack? In 2015, it seems more appropriate for companies actually affected on Sept. 11—like American and United airlines, which lost passengers and employees on hijacked planes—to say a few words. And yet, even their tributes take the form of blandly generic nods. It’s almost as if social media managers really don’t remember Sept. 11.

As always, the best tweet about 9/11 is no tweet about 9/11. (Looking good, Hillary Clinton!)

Unless, of course, Sept. 11 represents not a national tragedy for you, but a personal one. In which case: Tweet whatever you want.

23:31
Apple's Live photos will DOUBLE the size of images and gobble up phone memory
» ‎ Home | Mail Online

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Apple says they could be the future of photography, mixing still photos and video into 'Live Photos' - although experts warn they could fill your phone.

23:31
3D-Printed Rib Cage And Sternum Implanted Into Cancer Patient
» ‎ Tech Times : Top News

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A cancer patient has become the first in the world to have a 3D-printed rib cage and sternum, which is made out of titanium. The implant itself was built by Anatomics, a company based in Melbourne, Australia.
23:31
3D-Printed Rib Cage And Sternum Implanted Into Cancer Patient
» ‎ Tech Times : Top News

Tags: [edit]

A cancer patient has become the first in the world to have a 3D-printed rib cage and sternum, which is made out of titanium. The implant itself was built by Anatomics, a company based in Melbourne, Australia.

23:30
Steve McClaren prepares to face the man who 'almost killed him' Slaven Bilic
» ‎ Sport

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Newcastle v West Ham on Monday night will see McClaren face Bilic for the first time since the Croatian ended his reign as England manager
23:30
Man Utd news: Louis van Gaal insists he is a communicator not a dictator
» ‎ Sport

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Man Utd manager make claim but admits Wayne Rooney and Michael Carrick approached him to warn him dressing room spirit was low
23:30
Arsenal news: Arsene Wenger blames high-quality pitches for lack of world class strikers
» ‎ Sport

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Arsenal manager explains why he didn't sign a centre forward this summer
23:30
Dick Advocaat admits that the priority for Sunderland this season will be avoiding relegation
» ‎ Sport

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The Black Cats are rooted to the bottom of the Premier League having only picked up two points from four games

23:30
Jose Mourinho: I'll never 'walk away' from Chelsea
» ‎ The Telegraph - Telegraph online, Daily Telegraph, Sunday Telegraph

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Portuguese will not quit the club under 'any circumstance' despite what he describes as the worst start a team of his has ever had to a season

23:30
Jose Mourinho: I'll never 'walk away' from Chelsea
» ‎ Sport

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Portuguese will not quit the club under 'any circumstance' despite what he describes as the worst start a team of his has ever had to a season
23:30
Roberto Martinez knows that the John Stones to Chelsea transfer saga is far from over
» ‎ Sport

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Martinez, who sees Stones 'as potentially the best centre back England has ever produced' is aware Chelsea will bid again

23:30
Playdate: Building the Mushroom Kingdom in 'Super Mario Maker'
» ‎ Engadget RSS Feed

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A lot of games are about wish fulfilment, but what if your dream is to make Nintendo games? Well, now there's a game for that, too: Super Mario Maker -- a video game creation suite that's exactly what it sounds like. Nintendo's been hyping this gam...

23:29
Russia urges US military link-up on Syria
» ‎ UK Homepage

Tags: [edit]

West suspicious of motives for bolstered Moscow presence
23:29
Russia urges US military link-up on Syria
» ‎ UK Homepage

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West suspicious of motives for bolstered Moscow presence

23:29
Russia urges US military link-up on Syria
» ‎ Europe homepage

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West suspicious of motives for bolstered Moscow presence

23:29
Boots customers share their outrage at measly sandwich fillings
» ‎ Home | Mail Online

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A picture posted on sharing forum Reddit was uploaded with the title 'Simply Ham Sandwich Epic Fail', showing a decidedly measly attempt at a sarnie bought by a London shopper.

23:27
Rep A Cause With Facebook’s New Temporary Profile Pics
» ‎ TechCrunch

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Your profile picture is the message you send most. There’s no easier, more ubiquitous way to raise awareness for a cause then splashing your pic rainbow for gay rights or green to promote the Arab Spring. Now Facebook is giving people a tool to leverage this tiny billboard. With its new Temporary Profile Picture feature that’s slated for a broader rollout, you can change your pic… Read More

23:27
Tesco customer's hilariously angry complaint and the tongue-in-cheek response
» ‎ Home | Mail Online

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Billy Cunningham, pictured, posted on Tesco's Facebook page after a self-service till in a branch in Maidstone, Kent, failed to apply the discount to his crisps, chicken sandwich and drink.

23:27
Your Neck Is Your Greatest Asset: Celebrating the Sexiest Body Part Backstage at Jason Wu
» ‎ Vogue

Tags: [edit]
If the Fall collections had a near-unanimous message it was: Grow your hair out and wear it long. This morning backstage at Jason Wu’s Spring 2016 show, Odile Gilbert presented us with the most powerful counterargument yet: Show off your neck. While fastening wet, finger-raked buns onto the models’ heads, Gilbert explained, “The sexiest part of the body is the neck. It talks to men. I don’t know why—you’ll have to ask them.” Referencing society swans like Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly, Gilbert waxed poetic on the benefits of showing skin between the collarbone and chin. “Women don’t realize it because they always wear their hair down, but there’s something so sensual [about a neck].”

Expand
Photographed by Kevin Tachman

And so, for the midcentury-inspired architectural collection of green, russet, black, and gray, Gilbert took a modern approach to the ear-height chignon. “We were thinking ballerina-meets–Helmut Newton, being a little bit more masculine,” she said, coating entire lengths of damp hair with Kérastase Crème de la Crème, and finishing with a spritz of hair spray before sending the girls off to makeup. There, too, they were given a classically feminine trope: the bold red lip, courtesy of Yadim, and, according to the makeup artist, “nothing else.” Why? “A lot of the girls are a bit tan right now from summer. We kept the skin completely raw—we even liked the little bit of redness on the face.” Blending two new Maybelline Liquid Matte reds for a balanced, universally flattering tone, he applied it to the lips with his finger, tracing a perfect outline afterward with a pencil and, for a dramatic chalky finish, dabbing on “a pure, intense matte red pigment” right before sending models down the runway. The cohesive statement here? Show some skin.

The post Your Neck Is Your Greatest Asset: Celebrating the Sexiest Body Part Backstage at Jason Wu appeared first on Vogue.
23:27
Your Neck Is Your Greatest Asset: Celebrating the Sexiest Body Part Backstage at Jason Wu
» ‎ Vogue

Tags: [edit]
If the Fall collections had a near-unanimous message it was: Grow your hair out and wear it long. This morning backstage at Jason Wu’s Spring 2016 show, Odile Gilbert presented us with the most powerful counterargument yet: Show off your neck. While fastening wet, finger-raked buns onto the models’ heads, Gilbert explained, “The sexiest part of the body is the neck. It talks to men. I don’t know why—you’ll have to ask them.” Referencing society swans like Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly, Gilbert waxed poetic on the benefits of showing skin between the collarbone and chin. “Women don’t realize it because they always wear their hair down, but there’s something so sensual [about a neck].”

Expand
Photographed by Kevin Tachman

And so, for the midcentury-inspired architectural collection of green, russet, black, and gray, Gilbert took a modern approach to the ear-height chignon. “We were thinking ballerina-meets–Helmut Newton, being a little bit more masculine,” she said, coating entire lengths of damp hair with Kérastase Crème de la Crème, and finishing with a spritz of hair spray before sending the girls off to makeup. There, too, they were given a classically feminine trope: the bold red lip, courtesy of Yadim, and, according to the makeup artist, “nothing else.” Why? “A lot of the girls are a bit tan right now from summer. We kept the skin completely raw—we even liked the little bit of redness on the face.” Blending two new Maybelline Liquid Matte reds for a balanced, universally flattering tone, he applied it to the lips with his finger, tracing a perfect outline afterward with a pencil and, for a dramatic chalky finish, dabbing on “a pure, intense matte red pigment” right before sending models down the runway. The cohesive statement here? Show some skin.

The post Your Neck Is Your Greatest Asset: Celebrating the Sexiest Body Part Backstage at Jason Wu appeared first on Vogue.

23:27
Slayer-stjärnan: Jag vill få In flames-killarna att bli fulla
» ‎

Tags: [edit]

Kerry King i intervju om döden, spriten – och de svenska vännerna

23:27
M. Night Shyamalan’s The Village is an underrated masterpiece
» ‎ Vox - All

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Director M. Night Shyamalan has become known to most film buffs as a joke, an enormously promising director who squandered his talent on an endless string of twist endings and self-aggrandizing projects that suggested he had bought his own hype. He is perhaps best summed up by the joke the TV show Robot Chicken makes about him.

In terms of his public reputation, Shyamalan first began to suffer in 2004. Before that, he was on a hot streak. The Sixth Sense (1999) was a box office sensation and received numerous Oscar nominations, including for Best Picture. Unbreakable (2000) is a terrific movie, a gloomy, surprisingly moving take on superhero stories. And Signs (2002) prompted magazine covers touting him as "the next Spielberg." (It's not all that great, but it boasts some superbly creepy sequences.)

In 2004, however, Shyamalan released The Village, and a whole bunch of things that had been swirling around his head descended at once. His overreliance on twist endings came to be seen as a weakness, and the hype surrounding him had become deafening. Worse, he seemed to have bought into it, as a contemporary promotional movie suggested. He was primed for a fall. Reviews were weak, but audience response was atrocious. The film dropped 67.5 percent at the box office between its first and second weekends — a sure indication of viewers rejecting the film.

Shyamalan's post-Village output has stumbled, but he's had a minor comeback in recent years, beginning with 2015's The Visit, and continuing with 2017's Split, which has received his strongest reviews in years. His career might finally be recovering a bit.

But conventional wisdom on Shyamalan's career is wrong on at least one count: The Village may be the director's best film, and one of the most interesting looks at the American film industry's early attempts to incorporate the Iraq War into fictional contexts. It's been unjustly derided, and now is as good a time as any to change that.
The "twist" in The Village isn't a twist. It's the whole point.
Touchstone

The foggy atmosphere adds so much to the film.

The biggest complaint about The Village is that its big twist is completely ridiculous. (If you haven't seen the film and somehow want to be unspoiled, stop reading.)

Late in the film, Shyamalan reveals that the reality the whole film has been based on is a lie. The film seems to be set in a New England agrarian community in the 1700s or 1800s, whose residents eke out their livelihood based on what they can coax the earth into giving up. The town is haunted by monsters from the woods, which come at night and take away anyone who is not sufficiently hidden away.

The point-of-view characters are older teenagers — played by a young Bryce Dallas Howard and Joaquin Phoenix — raised their whole lives in the town's restrictive environment but increasingly wishing to push the boundaries they've been raised within. That's the setup for a story where those natural desires conflict with what turn out to be the artificial limitations placed on the community. (The monsters, see, aren't real. They're the village's elders in elaborate costumes.)

Late in the film, Howard's character is forced to make a treacherous journey to a nearby community to fetch medicine. Since she's blind, the trip proves even more dangerous, until the reason she was sent is revealed. See, the village in The Village is in a massive nature preserve in modern times. Those who populated it saw friends and family killed in moments of dark violence and wished to retreat from society entirely, only to eventually realize how impossible such a thing would be.

On its surface, this is a ridiculous notion, and Shyamalan probably spends too much time explaining how this system works, instead of trusting the audience to go with it. But The Village is a Gothic romance, filled with shadows, fog, and long stretches of earnest yearning. And Gothic romances are not stories that need logical consistency to thrive. Instead, they need thematic coherence, and that's where The Village shines.

The desire to retreat into an imagined past in the wake of trauma is an understandable one, but The Village shows just how empty this idea ultimately is. See, this is a story about what happens when you abandon logic in the name of safety.
This movie is about the Iraq War
Touchstone

Those in power in The Village are caught between a huge series of bad options, which gradually come to define them. (Also, check out how many actors are beautifully framed in this shot.)

The summer of 2004 was a weird time to be a movie buff. The Passion of the Christ (released in February) and Fahrenheit 9/11 (released in June) had turned the multiplex into an unlikely culture-war battleground. At the same time, movies like Spider-Man 2 were playing off the superhero genre's instinctive notion of replaying the September 11 terrorist attacks as stories where no one died. (For more on this, see here.)

The Village stands out, then, as an early attempt to talk — granted, in veiled, metaphorical terms — about the psychological impulses that drove the United States into Iraq in early 2003. The impulse extends to a late-film shot in which one mother watches over her son's convalescence while two other parents are informed of the death of their son in the background. The shot calls to mind numerous wartime photographs of families on the home front, receiving bad news.

Touchstone

A shot that calls to mind imagery of parents being given bad news from the front.

Once you delve into this side of the film, it becomes much, much richer. The tension at the center of The Village isn't about mystery versus reality, or about the characters versus the twist in the narrative. (Intriguingly, this is the one Shyamalan film where the twist ultimately doesn't matter. The characters continue to live in their delusions, while only the audience is aware of what's going on.) It's about the desire for security versus its impossibility.

The monsters of the film are constructed by those in power to keep the population in check. They're dangerous, sure, but mostly because they've been imbued with that power to create fear by those who came up with them. This isn't so very far off from the then-contemporary criticism of George W. Bush's handling of entry into the Iraq War — that he was distracting from the real issues of the moment in favor of bogeymen propped up by faulty intelligence.

Considering the degree to which the public eventually turned against the war — and largely for the very reasons Shyamalan alludes to in The Village — the film ends up feeling prescient. The "twist," then, isn't a twist. It doesn't change everything in the story. In fact, it doesn't change a thing. It just allows the audience to see how things really are, both for the characters and for ourselves.
This is one beautiful film
Touchstone

Everything about this movie looks great.

Set aside politics, however, and the film still shines. This is probably the most beautiful film Shyamalan has made, and one of the most technically precise of its era. The film's period trappings can feel a bit strange when the characters speak in a kind of forced 1800s patois, but that's made up for in the costume and set design, all of which feel exactly like what you might do if you were using modern technology to create a faux paradise of the past.

The moody, autumnal look of the film is hugely enhanced by the atmospheric cinematography of the great Roger Deakins, who imbues every single misty roll-in of fog with a kind of supernatural ominousness that adds a creepiness the film never precisely earns. Similarly, Christopher Tellefsen's editing creates a beautifully stately pace, one that never increases but eventually becomes relentless.

It all comes together (with James Newton Howard's violin-heavy, ruminative score) in perhaps the greatest sequence Shyamalan has ever filmed. The characters, hiding from the monsters, wait for Phoenix's character to come hide with them. But he doesn't arrive and doesn't arrive. Howard's character, in love with him and unable to see the beast that's creeping closer and closer to her, stands at the threshold of the house, waiting for her would-be lover to arrive.

When he does, everything in the film comes together in a glorious mesh of image, music, and movement. It's easily the single best thing Shyamalan has committed to film, and even if it were the only good moment in the film (it's not), it would recommend the movie almost on its own.

This is a story that longs for an imagined past but understands it's not a place anyone can live for any length of time. Sooner or later, the world finds you. Sooner or later, the danger comes to your door.

23:27
Tumblr now has its own clothing line designed by some of its biggest bloggers
» ‎ The Verge - All Posts

Tags: [edit]

Tumblr is partnering with Print All Over Me — a website that lets designers add custom prints to a cycling selection of basic clothing silhouettes and collect a portion of the profits — to release its first ever clothing line. The project, in honor of Tumblr's 10th year of involvement with New York Fashion Week, spotlights young designers with large Tumblr followings.

The project is interesting not just because of the crazy cool clothes (ranging in price from $30 to $250) but because this is one of the very few times in which establishing a large Tumblr following has paid off in the real world. Tumblr has always felt like an incredibly insular place: it doesn't reward personalities nearly as much as it rewards the value of individual posts and very rarely draws the eye of the mainstream internet.

Tumblr has always felt like an incredibly insular world

There is no clean way to share Tumblr content on other social media platforms, no easy way to search it for anything less specific than GIF sets and song lyrics, and its anonymous anarchy means that many users relish it as a space specifically for going unnoticed. Some Tumblr users even expressly discourage others from "reblogging" or sharing their work, and unless a user attaches their real name to their blog or you happen to know their email address, you won't find them.

Therefore it seems unlikely that sourcing Tumblr for promising creative talent will become a new norm anytime soon, considering the platforms unique opaqueness, but stranger things have happened.

In classic Tumblr style, the designers are advertising their wares with GIFs:

John Karel

John McLaughlin

Lauren Pelc-McArthur

Monica Tramos

Tumblr's Valentine Uhovski told The New York Times, "We wanted every look to feel like a Tumblr post. When you enter the pop-up shop, you'll feel like you're inside of a Tumblr dashboard."

The clothes will be available for purchase at a pop-up shop at 339 West 38th street in New York City from 10AM to 5PM today through Sunday, and online through Print All Over Me starting Monday.
23:27
Tumblr now has its own clothing line designed by some of its biggest bloggers
» ‎ The Verge - All Posts

Tags: [edit]

Tumblr is partnering with Print All Over Me — a website that lets designers add custom prints to a cycling selection of basic clothing silhouettes and collect a portion of the profits — to release its first ever clothing line. The project, in honor of Tumblr's 10th year of involvement with New York Fashion Week, spotlights young designers with large Tumblr followings.

The project is interesting not just because of the crazy cool clothes (ranging in price from $30 to $250) but because this is one of the very few times in which establishing a large Tumblr following has paid off in the real world. Tumblr has always felt like an incredibly insular place: it doesn't reward personalities nearly as much as it rewards the value of individual posts and very rarely draws the eye of the mainstream internet.

Tumblr has always felt like an incredibly insular world

There is no clean way to share Tumblr content on other social media platforms, no easy way to search it for anything less specific than GIF sets and song lyrics, and its anonymous anarchy means that many users relish it as a space specifically for going unnoticed. Some Tumblr users even expressly discourage others from "reblogging" or sharing their work, and unless a user attaches their real name to their blog or you happen to know their email address, you won't find them.

Therefore it seems unlikely that sourcing Tumblr for promising creative talent will become a new norm anytime soon, considering the platforms unique opaqueness, but stranger things have happened.

In classic Tumblr style, the designers are advertising their wares with GIFs:

John Karel

John McLaughlin

Lauren Pelc-McArthur

Monica Tramos

Tumblr's Valentine Uhovski told The New York Times, "We wanted every look to feel like a Tumblr post. When you enter the pop-up shop, you'll feel like you're inside of a Tumblr dashboard."

The clothes will be available for purchase at a pop-up shop at 339 West 38th street in New York City from 10AM to 5PM today through Sunday, and online through Print All Over Me starting Monday.

23:25
Lars Kriss: Välkomna flyktingar norrut
» ‎ Västerbottens-Kuriren

Tags: [edit]

”Europa är hopp. Europa är tiggaren på Kos som skänker pengar. Det är studenten i München som välkomnar flyktingar. Att tända eld på flyktingläger, att mota bort båtar. Det är inte Europa.” Vädjande om medmänsklighet och beslutsamhet höll EU-kommissionens ordförande Jean-Claude Juncker på onsdagen sitt politiska livs viktigaste tal. Mer överstatlighet, trots att många länder […]

23:25
Fiona Bruce hits out at plan for block of flats at the bottom of her garden
» ‎ Home | Mail Online

Tags: [edit]

The broadcaster, who lives in a leafy area of north London with her husband and two children, has written letters urging the council to refuse the planning application for the luxury flats.

23:24
Who Is Jessica Jones? A Brief Guide to the Star of Marvel’s New Series for Netflix.
» ‎ Stories from Slate

Tags: [edit]

Following the massive ratings success of Daredevil last April, Marvel has announced its second TV series for Netflix, Jessica Jones, which will premiere on Nov. 20. By way of announcing the premiere, on Thursday they released a cryptic teaser for the series, starring Krysten Ritter, which shows a few purple paint splatters and some disembodied voices saying, “Jessica.” If you didn’t know the character before watching the teaser, it wouldn’t be of much help.

So who is “Jessica”? The air of mystery befits Jones’ character—unlike Iron Man, Hulk, Captain America, or even Daredevil, hers has never been a household name. In many ways she’s an afterthought; Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Gaydos created Jones in 2001 to star in a detective series called Alias. Bendis’ original idea was to use Jessica Drew (Spider-Woman) in the series, but the continuity was a bit awkward. Enter second Jessica.

Because they were working backward, Bendis and Gaydos interwove Jessica Jones’ origin story with the stories of other Marvel superheroes. For instance, Jones went to high school with Peter Parker and even developed a crush on him, but just as she was about to reveal her feelings, he was bitten by a radioactive spider—go figure.

In a separate and more crucial bit of backstory, Jones’ father’s boss (one Tony Stark) gives him tickets to Disney World, but while the Jones family is on holiday, their car collides with a military convoy carrying radioactive chemicals. Jessica is left in a coma, and her family is killed.

When she recovers she realizes that (predictably) she has superpowers. These include that she’s pretty much weapon-proof, has superhuman strength, and can fly. She does a brief stint as a white-body-suited superhero named Jewel, but a villain called Purple Man brainwashes her and forces her to attack the Avengers; once she snaps out of it and realizes what she’s done, she gives up Jewel’s identity for good.

After the whole Jewel disaster, Jessica tries to reinvent herself as Knightress, a lone-wolf vigilante who keeps tabs on supervillains. It’s as Knightress that she first meets Luke Cage, the superhero who is expected to be the star of Marvel’s third series for Netflix—the two fall in love, eventually marry, and have a daughter named Danielle (they have their pick of superhero nannies). She develops friendships with both Carol Danvers (Ms. Marvel) and Patricia Walker (also known as “Trish,” “Patsy,” and Hellcat).

The Netflix series—which appears to be based on Alias—picks up after Jessica trades her spandex for a detective’s badge and opens her own private investigation firm, Alias Investigations, specializing in superhero activity. Her work brings her into contact with characters like Daredevil, Scott Lang (a.k.a. the Marvel movies’ Ant-Man), and Black Widow. Beyond the Alias series, Jessica appears in Secret War, Young Avengers, New Avengers, and dozens of other titles.

As is typical of Marvel, Jessica's Netflix series is part of a master plan. Marvel will bring her, Luke Cage, Daredevil, and another superhero called Iron Fist together for a crossover series called The Defenders based on, you guessed it, another comics series. Cage and Iron Fist will reportedly get their own series in 2016, but at present there's no set date for The Defenders.

Given her strong relationships with other heroes, her crime-fighting savvy, and her rich history in the Marvel universe, the show’s creators should have plenty to draw from when it comes to the Jessica Jones series—not to mention plenty of opportunities for tie-ins with Marvel’s other movies and TV shows in its Cinematic Universe. Jones’ name might be generic, but her story isn’t.

23:23
Alans pappa anklagas för människosmuggling
» ‎ Aftonbladet: Sveriges nyhetskälla och mötesplats

Tags: [edit]

23:21
VF-TV: ”Besviken med insatsen”
» ‎ Värmlands Folkblad

Tags: [edit]
23:21
VF-TV: ”Besviken med insatsen”
» ‎ Värmlands Folkblad

Tags: [edit]

23:20
Misär och våld vid gränsen Grekland-Makedonien
» ‎ GP

Tags: [edit]

Det kraftiga regnandet över sydöstra Europa har skapat leriga infernon. Samtidigt rapporteras det om gränspolis som hotar och slår flyktingarna.

23:19
Z2 död efter natt på laddning
» ‎ Swedroid forum - Nordens största Android-community

Tags: [edit]

Hej gurus! Min Z2a överraskade mig imorse med att vara helt död. Har hänt förrut att laddaren glappat till under natten så tänkte bara sätta den på laddning som vanligt men den reagerar inte. Försöker starta men den reagerar inte alls, i vanliga fall får man iallafall indikation på att batteriet är slut men inte nu. Försöker starta om med power + volup men ingen respons. Trycker in den röda knappen vid simkortet och provar att starta igen. Ingen reaktion. Testade att ladda igen, den tänder...

Z2 död efter natt på laddning
23:19
Z2 död efter natt på laddning
» ‎ Swedroid forum - Nordens största Android-community

Tags: [edit]

Hej gurus! Min Z2a överraskade mig imorse med att vara helt död. Har hänt förrut att laddaren glappat till under natten så tänkte bara sätta den på laddning som vanligt men den reagerar inte. Försöker starta men den reagerar inte alls, i vanliga fall får man iallafall indikation på att batteriet är slut men inte nu. Försöker starta om med power + volup men ingen respons. Trycker in den röda knappen vid simkortet och provar att starta igen. Ingen reaktion. Testade att ladda igen, den tänder...

Z2 död efter natt på laddning

23:19
Digitalt bygge pågår
» ‎ Lärarnas Nyheter

Tags: [edit]

Barn lär på olika vis. För de flesta av dem är den digitala världen vardag. Därför ska man blanda digital och analog teknik i förskolan, tycker Karin Sönnerås.
Karin Sönnerås är förskollärare och IKT-pedagog på Strannegårdens förskola i Kungsbacka. Kommunen har gjort en storsatsning på digitala verktyg och bland annat försett alla förskolor med fyra digitala verktyg per avdelning för ett par år sedan.
På Karin Sönnerås förskola har det inneburit en resa från filmande, QR-koder, digitala lekar och utforskande ute och inne, där de vuxna och barnen möts på samma nivå på ett helt annat sätt än tidigare. Även de allra yngsta är delaktiga.

– Vår verksamhet har utvecklats jättemycket. I förskolans värld slänger man sig ofta med fina ord som att vi ska vara medforskande med barnen, trots att vi nästan alltid sitter inne med svaren. Nu har vi blivit medforskande på riktigt, säger hon.

På Strannegårdens förskola har arbetet med paddorna ingen särställning utan ingår som en del i allt annat de gör. En stunds programmering i Light Bot, där man styr en robot över olika banor (läs mer i artikeln Växer med variatonen) landar plötsligt i att de bygger en bana i lekhallen eller gör gångar i snön på gården där barnen leker robotar och styr varandra.

– Det är det absolut viktigaste, att man kopplar ihop analogt och digitalt. Om vi har tänkt ägna 1,5 timme åt programmering sitter barnen kanske sammanlagt i tio minuter vid paddan och ägnar resten av tiden åt att bygga med Lego eller något annat material. I de stunderna blir det jättetydligt att alla lär på olika sätt när man anfaller från olika håll samtidigt.

Ofta ses digitala verktyg som något vid sidan av det andra som ska göras i förskolan och som värderas högre – eller lägre.

En vanlig missuppfattning är att paddor och appar bara handlar om att sitta och spela, berättar Karin Sönnerås. Det finns också en uppfattning om att skärmarna gör barnen mindre sociala.

– Men det beror ju på hur man gör när man jobbar med den, säger hon.

När forskaren Susanne Kjällander vid Stockholms universitet under ett år följde tre förskolor i Tumba, som arbetade med paddor i det dagliga arbetet, såg hon att det tvärtom stärkte samarbetet mellan barnen. Dessutom främjade det deras kreativitet.

För övrigt är det brist på forskning som fokuserar på för- och nackdelar med att använda just digital teknik. Karin Sönnerås tror att man i stället får luta sig mot erfarenheten av att det är viktigt att få lära på många olika sätt, med olika redskap och material, för att nå målen. Och om själva innehållet i det man gör i förskolan, som är kärnan, finns det gott om relevant forskning.

– Utvecklingen går så snabbt att resultaten från en forskningsrapport som fokuserar på hur man arbetar med viss digital teknik inte längre är aktuell när den hunnit bli klar.

Många förskollärare som Karin Sönnerås möter är rädda för vad föräldrarna ska tycka och funderar över hur lång tid barnen kan sitta framför datorer och paddor i förskolan.

– När jag föreläser brukar jag säga att ingen sätter äggklockan när det byggs med Lego eller leks med dockor. Grejen är att vi måste se till att barnen gör det som vi vill att de ska jobba med. Rensa bort det andra och ha det innehåll i paddorna som är aktuellt för det prioriterade. Som att bygga och konstruera, till exempel. Är det öppet och barnen får använda dem när de vill utan särskilda regler så blir det inget märkvärdigt.

Skolverkets undersökningar visar att förskollärare är mer kritiska till att införa IKT i verksamheten jämfört med andra lärargrupper. Även de som har en i grunden positiv inställning till tekniken. Vissa förskolor har kommit ganska långt medan andra knappt har startat. Berit Östlund, lektor vid Umeå universitet, funderade över hur det kommer sig att skillnaderna är så stora. Något som hon försökte få svar på i en färsk kvalitativ studie, som bygger på intervjuer med tio förskollärare, om deras syn på digitala verktyg i verksamheten. Några arbetade på förskolor med god tillgång till digitala verktyg och där IKT lyftes fram på förskolans hemsida. Andra på förskolor där det knappt fanns några digitala verktyg alls. Alla hade samma förutsättningar att söka pengar för att köpa in teknik, men vissa menade att det krävdes ”eldsjälar” på arbetsplatsen för att det skulle bli av.

Den gemensamma bilden som växte fram genom intervjuerna var att tekniken framför allt sågs som ett redskap för lärarna – inte för barnen. En del av barnen fick begränsad tillgång till datorer och paddor eftersom de framför allt används av personalen på barnfri tid. När barnen fick använda dem var personalen noggrann med att poängtera att det inte handlade om lek utan om lärande. Till exempel fick de äldre barnen arbeta med matematik eller svenska med hjälp av olika appar på ett ganska skollikt sätt, under en avsatt tid.

Alla förskollärarna, unga som gamla, tyckte att skärmtiden var något som skulle begränsas eftersom det stjäl tid från det som de ansåg är viktigast för barnen, att skapa med händerna, röra sig, göra saker i grupp tillsammans och allra helst utomhus.

– Tekniken sågs som en konkurrent till det och i viss mån som kontraproduktivt för att den passiviserar barnen och skapar onödiga konflikter, säger Berit Östlund.

– Jag själv är varken för eller emot IKT i sig. Tekniken är inte allena saliggörande men den finns och väljer man att avstå kan barn gå miste om alternativa sätt att lära. Det finns också en demokratisk aspekt i det eftersom inte alla har tillgång till datorer och paddor hemma.

Karin Sönnerås tycker att det är en skyldighet för förskolan att vara med på det digitala tåget när verkligheten ser ut som den gör. Att ge barnen inblick i att paddor inte bara är spelkonsoler utan kan användas till så mycket mer. En annan dimension är att ge barnen förståelsen för att de kan vara producenter och inte bara konsumenter och att det är människor som skapat appar och program.

– Det blir ofta en aha-upplevelse för dem när de förstår att tekniken inte har en egen hjärna utan att den får liv genom oss. Det handlar inte i första hand om att de ska lära sig allt om teknik utan om att väcka nyfikenhet, lust och en förförståelse när de ska gå vidare sedan.

I din kommun har det satsats på IKT, men så ser det inte ut för alla. Hur gör man när det saknas pengar?

– Då får man nog helt enkelt ta det beslutet själv. Alla brukar få en viss summa pengar till att köpa in material och leksaker. Man kanske kan avstå från att köpa in en ny cykel. Det behöver inte vara särskilt kostsamt. En padda kan räcka som start.

Har du några bra tips på hur man kommer igång med att få in den digitala delen i arbetet för den som ännu inte har gjort det?

– Det första jag brukar säga är att paddor och datorer sällan exploderar. Våga prova dig fram tillsammans med barnen. Själv tycker jag att det är otroligt roligt, men den största vinsten är att barnen blir mer delaktiga.

– Numera finns det massor av tips att få genom det utökade kollegiet på nätet. Som Facebookgrupper och Youtubeklipp. Men diskutera med kollegorna vad det är ni vill använda tekniken till innan ni drar i gång.
Maria Nöjd
23:19
Digitalt bygge pågår
» ‎ Lärarnas Nyheter

Tags: [edit]

Barn lär på olika vis. För de flesta av dem är den digitala världen vardag. Därför ska man blanda digital och analog teknik i förskolan, tycker Karin Sönnerås.
Karin Sönnerås är förskollärare och IKT-pedagog på Strannegårdens förskola i Kungsbacka. Kommunen har gjort en storsatsning på digitala verktyg och bland annat försett alla förskolor med fyra digitala verktyg per avdelning för ett par år sedan.
På Karin Sönnerås förskola har det inneburit en resa från filmande, QR-koder, digitala lekar och utforskande ute och inne, där de vuxna och barnen möts på samma nivå på ett helt annat sätt än tidigare. Även de allra yngsta är delaktiga.

– Vår verksamhet har utvecklats jättemycket. I förskolans värld slänger man sig ofta med fina ord som att vi ska vara medforskande med barnen, trots att vi nästan alltid sitter inne med svaren. Nu har vi blivit medforskande på riktigt, säger hon.

På Strannegårdens förskola har arbetet med paddorna ingen särställning utan ingår som en del i allt annat de gör. En stunds programmering i Light Bot, där man styr en robot över olika banor (läs mer i artikeln Växer med variatonen) landar plötsligt i att de bygger en bana i lekhallen eller gör gångar i snön på gården där barnen leker robotar och styr varandra.

– Det är det absolut viktigaste, att man kopplar ihop analogt och digitalt. Om vi har tänkt ägna 1,5 timme åt programmering sitter barnen kanske sammanlagt i tio minuter vid paddan och ägnar resten av tiden åt att bygga med Lego eller något annat material. I de stunderna blir det jättetydligt att alla lär på olika sätt när man anfaller från olika håll samtidigt.

Ofta ses digitala verktyg som något vid sidan av det andra som ska göras i förskolan och som värderas högre – eller lägre.

En vanlig missuppfattning är att paddor och appar bara handlar om att sitta och spela, berättar Karin Sönnerås. Det finns också en uppfattning om att skärmarna gör barnen mindre sociala.

– Men det beror ju på hur man gör när man jobbar med den, säger hon.

När forskaren Susanne Kjällander vid Stockholms universitet under ett år följde tre förskolor i Tumba, som arbetade med paddor i det dagliga arbetet, såg hon att det tvärtom stärkte samarbetet mellan barnen. Dessutom främjade det deras kreativitet.

För övrigt är det brist på forskning som fokuserar på för- och nackdelar med att använda just digital teknik. Karin Sönnerås tror att man i stället får luta sig mot erfarenheten av att det är viktigt att få lära på många olika sätt, med olika redskap och material, för att nå målen. Och om själva innehållet i det man gör i förskolan, som är kärnan, finns det gott om relevant forskning.

– Utvecklingen går så snabbt att resultaten från en forskningsrapport som fokuserar på hur man arbetar med viss digital teknik inte längre är aktuell när den hunnit bli klar.

Många förskollärare som Karin Sönnerås möter är rädda för vad föräldrarna ska tycka och funderar över hur lång tid barnen kan sitta framför datorer och paddor i förskolan.

– När jag föreläser brukar jag säga att ingen sätter äggklockan när det byggs med Lego eller leks med dockor. Grejen är att vi måste se till att barnen gör det som vi vill att de ska jobba med. Rensa bort det andra och ha det innehåll i paddorna som är aktuellt för det prioriterade. Som att bygga och konstruera, till exempel. Är det öppet och barnen får använda dem när de vill utan särskilda regler så blir det inget märkvärdigt.

Skolverkets undersökningar visar att förskollärare är mer kritiska till att införa IKT i verksamheten jämfört med andra lärargrupper. Även de som har en i grunden positiv inställning till tekniken. Vissa förskolor har kommit ganska långt medan andra knappt har startat. Berit Östlund, lektor vid Umeå universitet, funderade över hur det kommer sig att skillnaderna är så stora. Något som hon försökte få svar på i en färsk kvalitativ studie, som bygger på intervjuer med tio förskollärare, om deras syn på digitala verktyg i verksamheten. Några arbetade på förskolor med god tillgång till digitala verktyg och där IKT lyftes fram på förskolans hemsida. Andra på förskolor där det knappt fanns några digitala verktyg alls. Alla hade samma förutsättningar att söka pengar för att köpa in teknik, men vissa menade att det krävdes ”eldsjälar” på arbetsplatsen för att det skulle bli av.

Den gemensamma bilden som växte fram genom intervjuerna var att tekniken framför allt sågs som ett redskap för lärarna – inte för barnen. En del av barnen fick begränsad tillgång till datorer och paddor eftersom de framför allt används av personalen på barnfri tid. När barnen fick använda dem var personalen noggrann med att poängtera att det inte handlade om lek utan om lärande. Till exempel fick de äldre barnen arbeta med matematik eller svenska med hjälp av olika appar på ett ganska skollikt sätt, under en avsatt tid.

Alla förskollärarna, unga som gamla, tyckte att skärmtiden var något som skulle begränsas eftersom det stjäl tid från det som de ansåg är viktigast för barnen, att skapa med händerna, röra sig, göra saker i grupp tillsammans och allra helst utomhus.

– Tekniken sågs som en konkurrent till det och i viss mån som kontraproduktivt för att den passiviserar barnen och skapar onödiga konflikter, säger Berit Östlund.

– Jag själv är varken för eller emot IKT i sig. Tekniken är inte allena saliggörande men den finns och väljer man att avstå kan barn gå miste om alternativa sätt att lära. Det finns också en demokratisk aspekt i det eftersom inte alla har tillgång till datorer och paddor hemma.

Karin Sönnerås tycker att det är en skyldighet för förskolan att vara med på det digitala tåget när verkligheten ser ut som den gör. Att ge barnen inblick i att paddor inte bara är spelkonsoler utan kan användas till så mycket mer. En annan dimension är att ge barnen förståelsen för att de kan vara producenter och inte bara konsumenter och att det är människor som skapat appar och program.

– Det blir ofta en aha-upplevelse för dem när de förstår att tekniken inte har en egen hjärna utan att den får liv genom oss. Det handlar inte i första hand om att de ska lära sig allt om teknik utan om att väcka nyfikenhet, lust och en förförståelse när de ska gå vidare sedan.

I din kommun har det satsats på IKT, men så ser det inte ut för alla. Hur gör man när det saknas pengar?

– Då får man nog helt enkelt ta det beslutet själv. Alla brukar få en viss summa pengar till att köpa in material och leksaker. Man kanske kan avstå från att köpa in en ny cykel. Det behöver inte vara särskilt kostsamt. En padda kan räcka som start.

Har du några bra tips på hur man kommer igång med att få in den digitala delen i arbetet för den som ännu inte har gjort det?

– Det första jag brukar säga är att paddor och datorer sällan exploderar. Våga prova dig fram tillsammans med barnen. Själv tycker jag att det är otroligt roligt, men den största vinsten är att barnen blir mer delaktiga.

– Numera finns det massor av tips att få genom det utökade kollegiet på nätet. Som Facebookgrupper och Youtubeklipp. Men diskutera med kollegorna vad det är ni vill använda tekniken till innan ni drar i gång.
Maria Nöjd

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