Expert Labs is offering a new iPad 2 (16GB, Wi-Fi only) to a community member who makes a significant contribution in the next month and a half. Here's how it will work:

• Developers get 4 weeks to issue a GitHub pull request for a new ThinkUp feature or fix of their choice (by April 6th); plus another 2 weeks (April 20) to get that code reviewed, accepted and merged into master. As always, tests must be included in your patch submissions, and all code must comply with our style guide.
• After all the submissions are in, the developer will post screenshots or a screencast plus an explanation of what the new feature/fix adds to the project on the mailing list. The community will then vote on what their favorite new feature or fix is. With the community's help, Expert Labs' employees (Gina, Anil, and Andy) will determine the iPad winner. 
• The developer who has the feature which was both merged and deemed most useful gets a brand spanking new iPad 2. Expert Labs will cover international shipping, and we'll do our best to order the iPad in your local Apple Store; if not, we'll ship you a U.S., WiFi-only version from the States.

What should you build? Here are a few ideas:

• Create a new new data visualization that displays post statistics, analysis, or information in a useful way
• Create a JSON API for ThinkUp post replies (Issue #565)
• Improve the ThinkUp Facebook plugin so it offers the same features as the Twitter plugin does
• Create a mobile CSS stylesheet to make ThinkUp easy to use on an iPhone or other smartphone
• Create a Bit.ly plugin which stores click count statistics in ThinkUp's link database, and add a list of most-clicked links for a ThinkUp account (Issue #354)
• Create an email invitation system so it's easy to invite people to register on a TU install without having to open registration to all (Issue #42)
• Redesign ThinkUp's user page to use the standard dashboard/post page template (Issue #256)
• Add the ability to see replies from multiple posts in one view (Issue #407)

These are just a few ideas. If there's something else you're inspired to work on, go with it. But remember, to win the iPad you've got to wow the community with your work and be able to sell use cases when you post your submission to the list.

Not a developer? Here are some ways you can get yourself that iPad:

• Make a killer screencast of ThinkUp features or use cases
• Draft new documentation or improve existing pages on the ThinkUp wiki with complete, well-annotated screenshots and clear, step-by-step instructions
• Mock up a new and improved thinkupapp.com which sells ThinkUp and makes it easier for visitors to understand and get started using
• Mock up a new visualization of ThinkUp data

This is our first time doing a bounty like this, so let us know if you have any questions on the ThinkUp mailing list. Can't wait to see April's submissions. Good luck!

Cross-posted to the Expert Labs blog

I had a strange realization that time passes whether you’re doing something with it or not. It would be easy to let every day go by easily with no risk and then, at the end of the day (my life), I would look back and realize that fear ruled me: At that point there would be nothing I could do about it. So, I got off my butt! It wasn’t easy and I had a lot of lapses (I still do) but the experience of being ruthless with myself was an amazing lesson to learn.

The Guild is in season 2 right now, and a new episode comes out every Tuesday on Xbox Live, and then on MSN Video. Even though the webisodes are only around 10 minutes or less, I look forward to them as much as I look forward to a new episode of 30 Rock. See also my starstruck interview with Felicia over at Lifehacker published a few months back, or her full blog post: How I Started Writing.