Video: Girl happily hula-hoops to a happy Geggy Tah track.

If the video above doesn't mellow you out, nothing will. Maddy says, "Geggy Tah has been in the news recently with a challenge over Pharrell's appropriation of their classic '90s gem 'Whoever You Are,' but this is a cute video of a gal doing a hula-hoop routine to one of their less known songs." Hooping to Geggy Tah's Holly Oak Tree.

More about charges that Clipse/Pharrell ripped off Geggy Tah's work (and the resulting lawsuit): Stereogum, Daily Swarm, TMZ, Prefix, Velvet Rope. (Thanks, Doug!)

Fighting Disease Atom By Atom

California's Horned Lizard Is 3 Species

Gadgetell Guide: Porting a number to a new phone

Section: Communications, Cellphones, Smartphones, Features, How To

With the recent advent of the iPhone 3GS and Palm Pre, along with the BlackBerry Tour and the slew of upcoming BlackBerrys, Android handsets and cool not-so-dumb-phones (the upcoming LG Chocolate stands out) there’s a chance you might be looking into buying a new cell phone in the near future.  Sure, there’s the contract terminations and fees to worry about with getting a new phone, but there’s also another issue for some people: porting their cell phone number.

Switching carriers

The easy answer to the issue would be to rely on the new carrier to port your number over, but that can only work when transferring from one cell carrier to another one.  Perhaps you want to transfer a phone number you have on a landline to your new smartphone, or even from a cell phone to a landline. 

Park your number

Here’s where the service NumberGarage can come in handy.  With NumberGarage, and other services like it, you can transfer, or port, your number to their service to hold for you until you want to use it again.  The number can then be ported to any service you would want to port it to.  Or, perhaps you don’t want to put it onto your new phone, you can always pay NumberGarage to forward your calls to your new phone.  The only downfall being that it has a monthly fee behind it.

One number to rule them all

Maybe you don’t mind having a new number, but would prefer a number you can use for the foreseeable future.  For that, you can always choose to sign-up for and then wait for an invitation to Google Voice.  With Google Voice you can sign up for a phone number in nearly any area code you would want to, and have the calls to that number forwarded to any phone you want. 

The service does require a new number, but you can choose that number yourself, with Google allowing you to try and find a vanity number when you sign up.  If you don’t like that number later on, you can always change it for $10.  So while there is a new number that you will have to tell all of your contacts, you can stick with one number for just about any phone you want to use for the foreseeable future.

Full Story » | Written by Shawn Ingram for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

Review Provides New Insights Into The Causes Of Anorexia

Roku Set-Top Box Gets A/V Aggregation Service

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Classic video games reimagined as backyard "off your butt" games

Here, mostly for my amusement, is a collection of games meant to be enjoyed outdoors. I've taken some of my favorite video games and tried to turn them into the sorts of games you play with friends on the lawn, in a park or anywhere there's space.

Included are homages to Katamari Damacy, Super Mario Bros. Pac-Man, Space Invaders, Frogger, and Metal Gear Solid. Enjoy, but don't blame me if you break something... even a sweat.

A new HTC Android phone surfaces on the rumornets

We know that there are going to be dozens of Android handsets out there within a year, so why shouldn’t they start popping up all over the place? Unfortunately, it’s unlikely that many of these phones will be as exciting as the Hero or Rachel, as this rumored HTC handset shows. It was natural with the G1, myTouch, and others that Android should start in the high end and work its way down — we early adopters were the guinea pigs, as usual.

Now that Android’s first growing pains are over, people can start stuffing it into less-than-stellar handsets and selling it to the unwashed masses.

The mystery HTC handset, supposedly called the HTC Click, will be an entry-level handset that will compete directly with featurephones and cheaper touchscreen units. Good, good, it builds the Android community, but you’ll have to excuse me for being a handset snob and avoiding these ugly things if possible.

[via Gizmodo]

Crunch Network: CrunchGear drool over the sexiest new gadgets and hardware.

All Eyepieces on Jupiter After a Big Impact - New York Times

BBC News

All Eyepieces on Jupiter After a Big Impact New York Times Astronomers were scrambling to get big telescopes turned to Jupiter on Tuesday to observe the remains of what looks like the biggest smashup in the solar system since fragments of the Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 crashed into the planet in ... Astronomers study 'gargantuan' Jupiter impactCNET News 'Incredible' new scar is spreading on JupiterLos Angeles Times PHOTO: Jupiter Impact Creates Huge New SpotNational Geographic The Associated Press -Philadelphia Inquirer -ABC News all 482 news articles »

Ancient Humans Left Evidence From Ancient Feast

Clearwire WiMax Driver for Mac Due Next Month - PC World

CNET News

Clearwire WiMax Driver for Mac Due Next Month PC World Clearwire next month will finally introduce client software for linking Apple Macintosh laptops directly to its WiMax service, as well as introducing a dual-mode USB modem for WiMax and Sprint Nextel's 3G network. The would-be national WiMax carrier ... Sprint to offer 4G network to Vegas residentsCNET News Samsung Mondi To Have WiMax ModemInformationWeek Unstrung News Analysis Clear to Roam Beyond VegasUnstrung PC Magazine -Kansas City Star -Rethink Wireless all 168 news articles »

Geoengineering Climate Requires More Research

Israeli company develops bee vaccine

Genetic Tests Advertised Directly To The Consumer

Motor Molecules Use Random Walks To Make Deliveries In Living Cells

Corn Yield Stability Varies With Rotations, Fertility

Solar powered Bluetooth speakers from Devotec

Section: Audio, Portable Audio, Speakers, Gadgets / Other, Green

Solar powered speakers are nice, but they can be better.  Devotec’s idea: let’s put Bluetooth in it!  So here we are, the “Solar Sound” is a solar powered set of speakers that includes Bluetooth.  Since the folks at Devotec Industries are a smart lot, they also included an internal rechargeable battery that can be charged using AC or DC. 

The design is simple and elegant with touchscreen controls.  The speakers are only 2W, so don’t expect to be blasting music in large spaces.  They even threw in a built in mic so you can pair it to your Bluetooth enabled phone and use it as a speaker phone.  Also, the unit can be used as a pair of wired speakers using an included cable.  The Solar Sound is available today for $99.99.

Product Page: [Solar Sound]

Full Story » | Written by Iyaz Akhtar for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

BlackBerry Storm 2, now with less suck

Crackberry has some hot video of the Storm 2, RIM’s follow-up to the abysmal Storm. This new model has a less clicky screen with better keyboard and it’s slightly thinner. It also has dedicated call buttons. No word on Wi-Fi, though.

via Giz

Crunch Network: CrunchBoard because it’s time for you to find a new Job2.0

Medieval UK Battle Records Released Online

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Apollo 11's 40th anniversary goes anything but unnoticed - Ars Technica

ABC News

Apollo 11's 40th anniversary goes anything but unnoticed Ars Technica During the period in July that marks the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission, several parties have stepped up to commemorate the event. By Casey Johnston | Last updated July 21, 2009 6:11 PM CT Several websites and news sources have been ... 10 Reasons Why Apollo 11 Moon Landing Was AwesomeWired News Armstrong on Apollo: 'It was a good thing to do'CNET News Apollo 11: 5 Little-Known Facts About the Moon LandingNational Geographic Wall Street Journal -Arizona Daily Wildcat -San Jose Mercury News all 5,268 news articles »

Sub-$1000 1080p projector from Vivitek around the corner

Section: Video, HDTV, Peripherals, Displays/Projectors

Sure, you can get a LCD or plasma HDTV for $1000.  However, then you’re stuck with a fixed screen size.  This August, Vivitek is planning to ship the H1080FD 1080p DLP projector at $999 (retail price).  Just think about watching anything at over 100-inches. 

The H1080FD has some modest specs - only two HDMI inputs and a 5,000:1 contrast ratio.  For less than a grand, it’s hard to complain, though.  Just grab a HDMI switcher and some blackout curtains while you’re getting the H1080FD.  The projector also has component video inputs as well as S-video and composite.  I doubt many will be taking advantage of the S-video and composite inputs since the real reason to get this projector is its 1080p HD capability. 

If you’re curious about that fellow in the picture, he is the Sr. Product Manager at Vivitek, Christopher Yang. 

Read: [TWICE]

Full Story » | Written by Iyaz Akhtar for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

Contact High: Lenses That Deliver Drugs

40 Million Identities Up For Sale On the Web

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Yahoo launches new home page, now with more Boing Boing!

We are delighted to see that the new Yahoo front door design (previously code-named Metro) has gone live today, with Boing Boing as one of the featured content partners. You can add Boing Boing, Boing Boing Gadgets, BB Video, and Offworld feeds to your My Yahoo home page with a couple of easy clicks. Woohoo, Yahoo! (Special thanks to the Yahoo team who added Boing Boing to the revamped mix.)

Shields Up!: Botnets

Section: Computers, Security, Features, Originals

Today let’s take a look at botnets.  This is the tool of choice for spammers everywhere.  A botnet is a collection of computers, known as zombies, that have been infected by malware.  The malware enables the criminal in charge of the group, also known as the bot master, to control all the infected computers remotely.  Botnets are used to send spam, conduct DDoS attacks and distribute even more malware.  They range in size from tens of thousands to millions of zombies.

A botnet begins its life as a single or group of servers sending out malware.  As more and more computers become infected with the malicious software, the botnet grows.  Large botnets are capable of sending out billions of spam messages a day.  Most advertise fake pharmaceuticals or porn sites.  The infected computers are programmed to contact the control server at specific times to receive updates or new instructions.

Botnets are big business.  They can generate huge profits through even a tiny response rate to the spam they send out.  Another way criminals make money from botnets is to rent them out to other criminals, usually spammers.  Botnets also compete with each other and it’s not unusual for botnets to steal zombies from each others.

Here’s a look at some of the most well known botnets, how large they are, and how much spam they are capable of sending per day:

When the black hat ISP McColo was shut down late last year, spam plummeted because many major botnets such as Srizbi and Rustock had been hosted there and were knocked off line.  Unfortunately the good times didn’t last - the bot masters found new homes fairly quickly in places like Romania and Estonia.

Your computer could be part of a botnet and you’d never even know it, that is, unless you had the misfortune of being infected by the botnet behind the recent DDoS attacks here in the U.S. and in South Korea.  The malware used by that botnet is programmed to encrypt or erase all the data on the systems it infects.  It’s a new twist to an old crime.

To protect yourself, click wisely.  Be careful about clicking masked URLs, banner ads, and pop ups.  Avoid any that try and tell you you’ve won a hot electronic item or laptop and ones that claim your computer is infected or has registry issues.  Don’t click links you get in emails from strangers claiming to have exclusive footage of recent headlines or celebrity scandals. 

If you’re into social networking, be careful what apps you install on your MySpace and Facebook profiles and don’t automatically follow people who follow you on Twitter.  If you find yourself on an unfamiliar site that wants you to download a codec, video player, “software update” or any other kind of program, shut down your browser.  Remember, common sense is a scammers worst enemy!

Full Story » | Written by Sue Walsh for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

Mammoth Telescope to Be Built in Hawaii

Best Tools For Network Inventory Management?

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Molten Mars Too Hot to Handle Life

Nothing Unusual in Palm Pre Return Rates, Say Analysts

Last week, Matt Knopp returned his Palm Pre after trying it out for nearly a month. Knopp, a software developer, was unhappy with the Google Maps feature on the Pre and the phone’s inability to sync with his work e-mail.

“It wasn’t just one big thing about the Pre that I didn’t like,” says Knopp. “There were a lot of short-term deal breakers.”

Knopp’s not the only one. More than a month after its much-hyped June 7 debut, the Pre’s return rate could be as high as 40 percent, claims Kevin Dede, an analyst at Jessup and Lamont.

Palm launched the much-anticipated Pre smartphone on June 7 exclusively on Sprint’s wireless network. The Pre received largely favorable reviews but many users and reviewers have complained about the device’s poor battery life. In addition, some report problems with the hardware, such as easily cracked screens.

For Knopp, the phone just couldn’t hold up to his constant comparisons with the iPhone 3GS. “The iPhone 3GS is the same price and has better features,” he says.

However, Dede’s claim of a 40 percent return rate may be highly exaggerated, say four analysts polled by Wired.com.

“I would suspect that the Pre return rates would be in line or a little lower than the average smartphone,” says Michael Gartenberg, vice president of strategy for research firm Interpret. “Most consumers who bought the Pre were early adopters who were waiting for the phone and knew what they are buying into at this point.” Palm did not respond to a request for comment.

For his analysis, Dede ran a poll on the Pre Central website forum asking readers how many times they have exchanged their Pres. He also did some “impromptu questioning” of managers at some Sprint, Best Buy and Radio Shack stores.

The results that stem from that kind of unscientific data gathering could be rather flawed, says Carlo Longino, an independent mobile analyst. “The methodology here is a little suspect,” he says. “It’s hard to put too much stock into data that comes from running an anonymous poll in an online message board.”

Charles Golvin, a mobile analyst at Forrester agrees. “It strikes me as highly speculative and not based on a reliable data source,” he says. “I personally have not heard anything to indicate such a high return rate.”

That’s not to say the Pre isn’t without its problems. The Pre’s weak battery life has been a sore point among users. Wired.com’s Pre review showed that the charge on the phone lasted less than 12 hours because of the device’s multi-tasking capabilities and fast processor. Twitter and Palm’s own message boards sport complaints from users who say they have seen the battery on their Pre die with just few hours of use.

Palm has been trying to fix some of the bugs that have led to power drain through over-the-air software updates for the Pre.

Meanwhile, some users have also complained about dead pixels on their screen and cracked screens. Still the poor battery life or display related issues are unlikely to account for high return rates, says Gartenberg.

“These are a few anecdotal problems similar to what we saw happen with the iPhone,” says Gartenberg. “One iPhone user saw some discoloration with their device and that turned into a story about many iPhones heating and melting. Palm is seeing stories go that way now with the Pre.”

For now, there is no way to accurately forecast the the Pre return rates. Analysts and consumers will have a clear picture of the Pre’s performance when Palm opens its books as part of its quarterly earnings report in about two months.

As for Knopp? Despite his disappointment, he hasn’t given up on the Pre forever. “I liked the phone and the way it sat in my hand,” says Knopp. “Maybe in a year when the Pre gets better I would be willing to give it a shot again.”

So what do you think, Pre users? If you bought a Pre, take our poll and let us know if you are keeping your Pre or giving up on it.

See Also:

• Palm Pre App Catalog Makes a Slow Start
• 6 Reasons Why the Palm Pre Is Special
• Palm Unveils Its Long-Awaited Smartphone, the Pre
• Sync Your Palm Pre with iTunes. Again

Photo: Palm Pre (Patrick Moorhead/Flickr)

Nothing Unusual in Palm Pre Return Rates, Analysts Say

Nothing Unusual in Palm Pre Return Rates, Analysts Say

Applying a Music Business Model To a Blog

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Rescue Me: 4 Hybrid Golf Clubs Tested and Rated

Rescue Me: 4 Hybrid Golf Clubs Tested and Rated

An Evening With 'Final Fantasy' Music Man Nobuo Uematsu

Apple sold 5.2 million iPhones last quarter

Haters be damned: like it or not, the iPhone just won’t stop selling. This quarter’s results, boosted by the release of the iPhone 3GS, absolutely demolished results of quarter’s past (well, except for Q4 of last year). Fresh off today’s Apple’s earnings call for the third fiscal quarter of 2009: Apple pushed 5.2 million iPhones between April 1st and June 30th, 2009. That’s a 626 percent growth from fiscal quarter 3 of last year (during which 717,000 units were sold), and a significant burst from last quarter’s 3.7 million units.

Apple sold 2.6 million Macintosh® computers during the quarter, representing a four percent unit increase over the year-ago quarter. The Company sold 10.2 million iPods during the quarter, representing a seven percent unit decline from the year-ago quarter. Quarterly iPhones sold were 5.2 million, representing 626 percent unit growth over the year-ago quarter.

“We’re making our most innovative products ever and our customers are responding,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “We’re thrilled to have sold over 5.2 million iPhones during the quarter and users have downloaded more than 1.5 billion applications from our App Store in its first year.”

Crunch Network: TechCrunch obsessively profiling and reviewing new Internet products and companies

Open Plea: Sony, please drop the PS3’s price, the industry needs it

FROM GAMERTELL - Sony, the game industry is struggling here.  A price cut would surely do us all some good.
MORE »

Full Story » | Written by NEWS for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

First New Nuclear Reactor In a Decade On Track

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Intel launches new 34nm SSD the X25-M

Section: Computers, Hardware, Laptops, Netbooks

Intel recently launched the new successor to the 50nm SSD, the X25-M 34nm.  The main differences between the two small SSDs is the fact that the 34nm is more efficient and affordable, which makes it a more attractive option for laptop and computer manufacturers. 

The X25-M is set to be available in two different models, an 80GB as well as a 160GB model.  It also offers a 25% reduction in latency, which basically means it can access the information and data stored on it faster than the previous model.  In terms of pricing, the 80GB model will be available for $225, which is 60% cheaper than the previous 50nm model which sold for $595.  The 160GB model is set to sell for $440, which is a lot cheaper than the $945 the older model sold for.  As the model name indicates, it will be available in a 2.5 inch form factor.  However, Intel plans to release a 1.8 inch form factor within the quarter. 

Randy Wilhelm, Vice President and General Manager of Intel, had this to say about their latest SSD:

“Our goal was to not only be first to achieve 34nm NAND flash memory lithography, but to do so with the same or better performance than our 50nm version. We made quite an impact with our breakthrough SSDs last year, and by delivering the same or even better performance with today’s new products, our customers, both consumers and manufacturers, can now enjoy them at a fraction of the cost.”

Furthermore, it is compatible with all operating systems, which does include Windows 7. 

Read [Intel Press Release]

Full Story » | Written by Natesh Sood for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

BlackBerry Curve 8520 set to launch on August 5th

Dying to get your hands on some optical-trackpad BlackBerry goodness? Looks like you won’t be waiting too much longer.

After 3 long months of having the Blackberry Curve 8520 dangled in front of our face leak after leak, a release date has finally slipped out. According to the slide above, obtained by BlackBerryRocks, this thing ought to hit the shelves at all of the regular T-Mobile spots on August 5th. 15 days left, folks!

Alas, we’ve got no idea just yet on how much you’ll need to put aside; we’ll update you if we get wind of pricing.

Crunch Network: CrunchBase the free database of technology companies, people, and investors

Chinese Employee Loses iPhone Prototype, Kills Self

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Bug With Hacked iPhones Is Broadcasting IMs to Random Recipients

Have a jailbroken (hacked) iPhone? Be careful what you instant message. An iPhone developer has discovered what may be a privacy leak that broadcasts your IMs to random, unintended recipients.

The issue is occurring in push IMs, which appear as alerts — a function enabled by Apple’s new push-notification feature in the latest iPhone 3.0 operating system, according to Till Schadde, founder of development company Equinux. Schadde said he discovered the error while testing push IMing in the AIM application. Schadde claims he sent an IM from his desktop to his jailbroken iPhone and received a reply from a random recipient.

The problem is likely tied to Apple’s push-notification server, which hosts messages from each iPhone based on its identifier. The theory, then, is jailbreaking the iPhones may be confusing the server, crossing over some IDs.

AOL is currently investigating the issue, according to Schadde.

Any jailbroken iPhone users out there experiencing this problem? Let us know in the comments below.

iPhone Push problem broadcasts your AIMs to random recipients, could affect jailbroken/unlocked phones [CrunchGear]

See Also:

• Battery Tests Confirm iPhone 3GS Improvements, But Complaints …
• Slow, Unreliable Wi-Fi Plaguing Some iPhone 3GS Units?
• You're Always Online With Push IM for iPhone
• Apple Debuts Aggressively Priced iPhone 3GS, MacBooks

Free the Patents and Laws, Activist Tells Feds

Namco jumps into the crowded sea of iPhone game developers

How many different ways can the iPhone pie be split? Namco just joined the leagues of gaming developers with iPhone-exclusive gaming shops. Touch Arcade reports that Namco is creating an “Apple Games” division, and will kick off the venture with a new version of the classic arcade franchise, Pac-Man, with Pac-Man Remix. The new division’s General Manager will be former I-Play Mobile Gaming producer and designer Jonathan Kromrey. Pac-Man Remix will play similarly to the original Pac-Man, but with some added power-ups that will allow your Pac-Man to jump over walls or move faster, for example. Of course, it’s not like Namco hasn’t already made games for the iPhone, but this is their way of saying: we just made a new game and want to promote it so we’ll create a new division and you will write about it. And write about it we did.

Crunch Network: CrunchGear drool over the sexiest new gadgets and hardware.

App Store additions include medical marijuana, e-books, call recording - Apple Insider

Brisbane Times

App Store additions include medical marijuana, e-books, call recording Apple Insider By Slash Lane New software recently released on Apple's App Store could help iPhone users legally obtain doctor-prescribed marijuana, read electronic copies of books on the go, or easily record telephone conversations. Released by AJNAG (Activists ... New iPhone App Helps You Buy PotFOXNews New iPhone App Finds (Medical) MarijuanaPC Magazine Looking to Score Legal Marijuana? Check Your iPhoneABC News Brandon News and Tribune -Wired News -PC World all 393 news articles »

Rural Cellular Association agrees: Verizon’s new exclusivity deal sucks

Just a few days ago, Verizon announced a change to the way they’d handle exclusive handset deals: rather than holding on to all of their exclusive handsets for years and years, they’d let any small carrier (defined as any carrier with under 500,000 customers) offer the same phones after a 6-month absolute exclusivity period. It was a move in the right direction, but it was still pretty terrible. Why? Go ahead. Name 3 carriers with under 500,000 subscribers. Now name one person you know on each of them. Can’t? That’s because the new deal helps pretty much nobody.

Looks like we’re not alone in our thinking. This morning, the Rural Cellular Association, a group of roughly 100 small/medium-sized carriers, expressed their opinion on the matter:

“”While RCA is encouraged by Verizon Wireless’ most recent exclusive handset proposal, RCA will continue to pursue modifications to the policy… The commitment does not go far enough to rectify the consumer and competitive harms caused by these agreements,” the group said. “More than 180 million of the nation’s wireless customers are unable to benefit from the new policy.”

Hear, hear, RCA.

[Reuters via Phonescoop]

Crunch Network: CrunchBoard because it’s time for you to find a new Job2.0

So you think you can text while driving?  A new game tests your abilities

Section: Communications, Cellphones, Mobile, Gadgets / Other, Lifestyle

We see people doing it all the time.  Texting or talking on the phone while driving in their car.  The reality is, this is a very dangerous combination.

The New York Times is running a story showing how cell phone use - either talking or texting - is obviously dangerous.  They also talk about the fact that many lawmakers are reluctant to ban phone use and that one of the reasons is that the lawmakers as well as their constituents find chatting in the car both productive and convenient.  Not so productive when you’re wrapped around a pole though.

However, most people feel that regardless of an individual’s stance of talking on a phone while driving, texting is another matter entirely.  It is simply way too distracting and should be against the law.

Part of what the Times did to demonstrate their point of just how difficult it is to text and drive, is to create a game having you do just that.  When you play the game, you have to quickly navigate in between six toll booths by using your number keys, while at the same time occasionally responding to text messages.  The whole game is obviously played using your computer and mouse; they aren’t having you go out there and actually do it and check in with your results.

I tried it.  I was doing just fine with the navigating between toll booths part, until my first message appeared.  Let’s just say my car insurance company would have been getting a phone call.  I didn’t make it past the first message.

Granted, this isn’t an exact simulation of what it is like while driving and texting, but it does give you an idea of the multi-tasking involved, especially in a quick moving scenario.  How often do we hear horror stories of accidents happening when the driver just looked away from the road for a second? 

”>

Try it out and let us know how you did. 

Read: [NYTimes]

Full Story » | Written by Jodie Andrefski for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

Motorola Morrison gets pictured, Android and all

While this is by no means the first time Motorola’s up-and-coming QWERTY-slidin’ Morrison handset has been caught on camera, it is the first time it’s been caught with Android on the screen. All past rumors had indicated that this one was headed for T-Mobile and was rockin’ the Droid - both of which are more or less completely confirmed at this point.

The black and blue color scheme isn’t our favorite - but if that QWERTY keyboard is as finger-friendly as it looks, we can forgive motorola for their palette picks. Good job diggin’ up this shot, Phandroid.

Crunch Network: TechCrunch obsessively profiling and reviewing new Internet products and companies

Review: Worms for the iPhone will disappoint even the series’ biggest fans

Team17 completely blew it with Worms for the iPhone (iTunes link). I was running around the house screaming my head off like my team had just won the Super Bowl when I found out Worms was coming to this handset. When I finally got to playing it, it was as though the clock was reset to 0:10 left and the opposing team just hit a last-minute field goal, crushing my hopes and dreams. That’s not to say the game didn’t have its pluses - it’s still Worms after all. But I will say that the game was riddled with various performance issues, drawbacks and inconsistencies that will undoubtedly infuriate any Worms fan. Those who never enjoyed the classic turn-by-turn strategy series known as Worms: stay away from the iPhone version. Stay far, far away. For people like me, who long to relive on the iPhone their childhood love affair with the eccentric, class-less, and addictive Worms franchise: approach with caution. You may still find yourself enjoying Worms, but will constantly find yourself frustrated by its shortcomings.

I tried Worms on the iPhone 3G, which is no doubt still the predominant platform for iDevice owners. As soon as I opened up Worms, I immediately noticed a severe lag. I reset my phone, and though there was a marked improvement, the lag never really subsided enough for a seamless gaming experience. The Team17 Facebook forum is abuzz about these issues as well, so I’m not the only one with the problem. The issue really affects specific parts of the game, which require speed and are adversely affected by the lag.

For those of you who don’t know Worms: it is a turn-based strategy game in which you are a squadron of cartoon earthworms and your goal is to use an arsenal of guns, bombs, artillery and special weapons to destroy the opposing squad(s) of Worms. You and the enemy’s worms are dispersed throughout the 2-D battlefield (usually at random) and you take turns trying to destroy each other. Each turn, you control one worm and you have a limited amount of time to inflict maximum damage. Firing a weapon or getting hurt (by falling too far) also end your turn. In the iPhone version, you touch the sides of the screen to move (left or right) and tap the bulls-eye button to shoot/use a weapon. You tap on the worm to jump, double-tap to backflip, slide the crosshair to aim, and click on the ammo button on the bottom-left to change your weapon. Worms is well-known for its special weapons, such as explosive sheep, ninja ropes to scale walls, jetpacks to fly and air strikes to kill your enemies from afar. You control the power of your shot (or throw, if it’s a bomb) by holding on the fire button. By taking into account the wind, trajectory and power, you can carefully fire your bazookas or bombs so that they blow the enemy worm to bits. It is an endless ride of destructive delight, and the Worms franchise has become a household name amongst most gamers.

The hallmark of the PC version of Worms is, without a doubt, the online multiplayer functionality. And that is exactly what the iPhone version lacks. There is no online, WiFi or bluetooth multiplayer (though online is what we really care about). The only multiplayer is local, and it isn’t really that good anyways. Unlike the traditional PC multiplayer, the iPhone version doesn’t afford the users a lot of choice: you don’t have the option to keep certain weapons and eliminate others; you can choose sets of weapons such as “guns only,” but there is no item-by-item customization. You also can’t place your worms (they are placed for you randomly).

Though the lack of multiplayer was a MAJOR sticking point, the worst of all was the aforementioned performance issues. The lag affected everything: I couldn’t backflip unless I tapped the screen four times (instead of two). It took forever to load, and the music/graphics were extremely sluggish. Most importantly, I found it difficult to move the crosshair to the exact position I wanted: this is where real-time matters most, because if the crosshair doesn’t move as my finger does, then I don’t know whether I’ve gone too far or too short. Whether it was just a simple bazooka shot or a long-distance air strike, I lost countless easy kills because I couldn’t aim my crosshair before the time ran out. Though not a performance issue per se, the controls were also wonky. The ninja rope was useless for climbing over things (usually, if you do it right, you can use the ninja rope not just to go to higher ground but also to get on the other side of tall objects). The jetpack controls were subpar as well–I just didn’t have the same handle on the iPhone Worms as I did on the computer. And that isn’t becaues there was no mouse: I’ve played enough games on the iPhone that effectively use on-screen controls and the touchscreen to accomplish similar tasks to the ninja rope or jetpack. Zoom was also affected by lag: sometimes I spent a full 30 seconds just trying to position my screen so I could see my target and the worm I was controlling.

OK, now for a positive. Admittedly, the single player mode is pretty fun, and extremely deep. With 50 levels, I could spend days trying to beat them all. As long as you have a 3GS (assuming it works better on one; I didn’t test that), the game’s $5 price tag is totally worth it just for the single player. The AI acts like it’s taken a few drugs: even in the most difficult levels, the worms occasionally fire into the middle of nowhere or even shoot themselves if put in a tough spot. That criticism aside, you’ll get addicted to the levels: there are SO many and after the first 15 (which are way too easy), they start getting awfully challenging.

The graphics, screen text and sound effects are all classic worms (with less variety, of course). Solid graphics with a good number of diverse maps–each with four options: fully-enclosed (the worms are surrounded on all four sides with land), ceiling (land above and below but not on the sides), open with multiple islands, open with one large island. The game is full of quips like “Jiffy is off in search of Atlantis” or “Glibb went swimming with the fishies” and a variety of character voices (English, Rastafarian, Angry Scots, Alien, Guerilla Warfare, etc.). Again, all of this is more limited than other versions of Worms, but there is still enough to supplement the gameplay with a welcome dose of light humor.

But you can’t make any excuses for a venerable game developer like Team17. To the developers: you have a name to live up to, and your iPhone port just plain missed the mark. No online multiplayer? The worst performance on a game I’ve seen to date? No full customization of weapons, team size, and worm placement in the multiplayer mode? Worms for the iPhone was just a complete and utter disappointment; there’s no doubt about that. For $5, on a 3GS, we understand if you can’t help but try it yourself. As for us, we’ll wait until they fix the performance issues and add some online multiplayer before we can stand behind Worms.

What we like:

• Worms. At least they bucked up and made the game for the iPhone? I guess that’s worth some kudos.
• Deep single player. This game’s single player is LONG and challenging. So, if you need something to pass the time this summer, it might be worth a look.
• Classic worms weapons. Just like any other Worms game, this one afforded us the sick pleasure of sending earthworms to their doom with banana bombs, exploding sheep, blow torches, dynamite, fire punches, air strikes, homing missiles and holy hand grenades.

What we don’t like:

• Performance on 3G. If it isn’t crystal clear already, the performance on my iPhone 3G sucked. How do real-time action games like Doom: Resurrection work so well but a turn-based strategy game like Worms doesn’t? We’re convinced it’s not the fault of the 3G.
• Lack of online multiplayer. How could you NOT have this? After the wild success of online multiplayer on the PC franchise, it was a must-have for the iPhone version.
• No customization of local multiplayer. Can’t change the time per turn or the weapons. Can’t place your worms or edit the landscape. You basically gave us the most stripped down version of Worms possible, and we’re not having it.

Crunch Network: CrunchBoard because it’s time for you to find a new Job2.0

Appletell reviews GeoTweeter for iPhone/iPod touch

FROM APPLETELL - GeoTweeter is a Twitter client that allows you to post tweets with a map link embedded. Think of it as your own personal Zagat guide.
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Hands on: Barnes & Noble playing catchup with new e-books - Ars Technica

Telegraph.co.uk

Hands on: Barnes & Noble playing catchup with new e-books Ars Technica Barnes & Noble has jumped into the e-book market in a big way, offering users a library of over 700000 books. It got the jump on Amazon by partnering with Google to provide users free access to public domain books that have been scanned by the search ... E-Readers: The End of Bookstores?PC Magazine Barnes & Noble: Please Avoid These Kindle MistakesPC World Amazon's Next Kindle Headache: Barnes & Noble's eBookstoreChannelWeb msnbc.com -The Associated Press -BetaNews all 771 news articles »

Report: Missing iPhone Prototype Pressured Chinese Worker to Commit Suicide

Updated 11:50 a.m. PDT: Apple has confirmed the Foxconn employee’s death.

We’ve heard plenty of stories about Apple employees getting fired for leaking secrets, but imagine how much pressure is on the company’s partners to keep products hush hush. A Chinese publication reports that a 25-year-old employee of Foxconn, who manufactures Apple’s iPhones in Taiwan, committed suicide after losing a prototype of the fourth-generation iPhone.

Foxconn worker Sun Danyong was handling a shipment of 16 iPhone prototypes, and one of them went missing, according to ND Daily [Google translation]. Then, Foxconn unleashed its central security division to investigate Sun. Unable to take the “unbearable interrogation techniques,” Sun jumped from a 12-story building on July 16, according to the report.

Foxconn has issued a statement [Google translation] apologizing for the incident. The letter admits that the chief of Foxconn’s central security division, surnamed Gu, may have used “inappropriate interrogation methods,” including possible beatings, searching Sun’s house and holding Sun in solitary confinement. Gu is on suspension and under internal investigation, according to Foxconn.

In a statement provided to CNET, Apple confirmed Sun’s death.

“We are saddened by the tragic loss of this young employee, and we are awaiting results of the investigations into his death,” an Apple spokeswoman said. “We require our suppliers to treat all workers with dignity and respect.”

Apple is infamous for operating with a level of secrecy comparable to the Central Intelligence Agency. However, as Apple’s product line expands and accrues more partners, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for the corporation to guard its secrets. In the case of Foxconn, it’s clear why the company would exert so much pressure on its employees to protect Apple’s secrets: The manufacturer would not wish to lose this valuable partnership.

Foxconn employee committed suicide over iPhone leak interrogations? [Shanghaiist]

See Also:

• After a Decade of Secrecy, Apple Reluctantly Tries Out …
• Apple Kills Think Secret: Publisher Nick Ciarelli Talks …
• How Apple Got Everything Right By Doing Everything Wrong

Photo: MacRonin47/Flickr

BlackBerry Storm pricing continues to drop, BlackBerry Storm 2 release seems imminent

Section: Communications, Cellphones, Cellular Providers, Smartphones, Mobile

If you are still considering the purchase of a BlackBerry Storm and can also say that you will not be upset when the BlackBerry Storm 2 is released shortly after your purchase, then this may be a good time to move forward.  A few online retailers have recently been lowering the price on the BlackBerry Storm and it can now be found online for as low as $29.99.  To begin with, we had already seen Verizon lower the price to $99 a few days back, but that aside there is also a nice price at AmazonWireless and an even nicer price at Wirefly.

The AmazonWireless price is $49.99 which comes with free two day shipping and does not require you to suffer with any mail-in-rebates.  As far as the Wirefly pricing, they have the Storm for $29.99 which also comes with free shipping and instant rebates.  Of course, both deals do require you to agree to a two-year commitment with Verizon Wireless.

Product [AmazonWireless and Wirefly] Via [RIMarkable]

Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

Babies Detect Different Emotions in Dogs, Music

Solar Eclipse Draws in Thousands

City of the Dead Logos

Kindle deletions pave way for digital book banning

If publishers can give Amazon orders, why not the courts? Why not government? The very existence of Amazon's book-deleting system could be used to enforce libel judgments, execute injuctions, or simply to ban books at the state's behest.

Farhad Manjoo plots out this depressing vision of 2024, at Slate.

Photo: n8agrin

Why 2024 Will Be Like Nineteen Eighty-Four [Slate]

Recently on Offworld: 8-bit Weezer, more ASCII Portal, first person Zelda

Recently on Offworld, One More Go columnist Margaret Robertson reflects on why Final Fantasy XII is a game she can't help but return to, for its ability to let you "get closer to the ultimate goal of being a perpetual killing machine, a super-efficient, zero-emission, friction-free engine of domination" -- a loop of "preparing, witnessing and fixing" that's "one of the most compelling I've encountered in games."

Elsewhere we listened to (on repeat, all day) Pterodactyl Squad's 8-bit Weezer cover compilation, which is already being heralded as one of the best chiptune introduction and gateway collections ever assembled, and watched the first video of the iPhone's retro-future shooter Space Invaders Infinity Gene.

We also saw 10 more minutes of Cymon's ASCII Portal, every bit as mind-warping as the last, found new images of Björn Hurri's pixel-catburglar that we even moreso hope ends up a game, saw IGF winning backward-shooting rhythm game Retro/Grade coming to the PS3 with Rock Band guitar support, and dug further into one of the artists behind Uniqlo and Namco's awesomely designed Pac-Man 30th anniversary T-shirts.

Finally, our 'one shot's: the original Legend of Zelda goes first person, falling in love with the majesty of colors from the cthulu-an perspective, pen-marker-magic sketches of BioShock, and gorgeously quick-sketched views from the world of Shadow of the Colossus.

Raindrops Burst While in Mid-Fall

Ancient Theater Masks Rediscovered in Pompeii

Amazon refuses to say when it will delete customers' books from Kindles

Even the Wall Street Journal can't get a straight answer from the company, whose deletion policy remains a secret. Peter Kafka writes:

I've repeatedly asked Amazon PR folks to mollify me, or at least spell out the circumstances in which they would delete a book again, and I haven't gotten any response. So I'm fearing the worst: Amazon reserves the right to yank books out of your Kindle, but won't tell you why or when until it happens.

This month, Wired magazine ran an article telling people to pirate stuff, as a transgressive act to destroy the content cartel. This morning, The Consumerist offered nudge-nudge-wink-wink advice on "doing something illegal" should Amazon screw you again.

Perhaps you're the sort of person who despairs at what seems to be the normalization of theft. If so, you have to look no further than Amazon's destruction of its own customers' property to see why the public doesn't give a damn about your opinion.

What Book Will Amazon Delete Next? [WSJ]

Behold! An alarm clock with a pen holder

Twenty-five bucks gets you natural sounds to wake up to, pictures of snowflakes on the black acrylic ffacing, and two USB ports to "supply energy."

Product page via CrunchGear.

Broomba

Flip-Flops Double as Drinks Trays

I love flip-flops. My Havaianas hardly leave my feet from May through October. They’re comfortable, good for you, and cost almost nothing. So I’m quite interested in Tommaso Colia’s fLIP fLOP Aperitivi, a pair of slaps which double up as a seaside drink-holder.

The custom flip-flops have a small, recessed flat circle under the heel in which you can place your beverage. The problem, as you have no doubt already spotted, is that a flip-flop is already flat, and perfect for this beer-balancing trick unaided. That Colia’s concept has a sole woven from reeds is surely justification for a single flat patch, the edge of which may also be rather uncomfortable.

So, if this makes it to market, it probably isn’t worth buying. But look on the bright side: At least now you’ll remember that your own flip-flops are the ideal drinks tray.

Product page [Tommaso Colia via Book of Joe]

Clic Clac Clock

Asprey's Clic Clac Clock is a stupid-hunting £750, at least one zero more than it should be. But the old-school design and satisfying sliding mechanism still delights. [via Born Rich]

WATCH: Dogs Read Gestures Like Toddlers

Muji Stealth Shower Radio

Does anyone actually use a shower radio? If you do, you could do worse than this imitation shampoo bottle from Muji, which houses a radio in a splash-proof PET housing. The volume and power are controlled by twiddling the lid, and AM/FM selection and tuning take place underneath. There’s even a little suction-cup to stick the antenna to the cubicle wall.

For the ultimate in disguise, though, you should pick up some of Muji’s refillable soap dispensers which perfectly match the radio. Only available in Japan, ¥3,500 ($37).

Product page [Muji via Yanko]

BLOG: Car Alarms to Be Tapped for Emergencies

Make It: The $10 Bicycle Saddlebag

Get ready. Saddlebags are about to become the next big bike fashion. Think about it. What other bag will fix to a fixed-gear but still keep the clean-lined aesthetic intact? What other style of bag has a retro-appeal, an English Gentleman vibe which fits so perfectly with the Brooks saddle obsession of the hipster? They hook straight to the seat, they look great, and in summer, they won’t give you a sweaty back. In short, the saddlebag is perfect. Or is it?

After some extensive research, it turns out that bike saddlebags are either expensive, ugly, or not available in my hometown. So of course I decided to make one, and it turned out to be surprisingly easy.

First, the seat. You’ll need to either buy or find a saddle with hoops for mounting bags. All Brooks seats have them, and if not you can use some carabiners to rig your own. I have Brooks saddles on both my bikes, so I was ready to go.

Here’s what you’ll need. A suitable bag, some wood (dowel is the preferred choice. I used a chopstick), a craft knife, some toe-straps, available from your local bicycle emporium, and a beer (I chose local favorite Estrella). Here’s the bag:

It cost €5 from the local army surplus store, and at one point in its life it housed a gas mask. The canvas is pretty stiff, and there are lots of pockets both inside and out. Bonus: it has a thin shoulder strap which can be used away from the bike but also easily tucked inside. It’s also important to check that the bag is small enough not to touch the back tire when mounted.

First, measure the distance between the hooks on the saddle. Then use the knife (with a piece of wood underneath to protect the floor or the table) to cut slits the width of the straps. I cut them into the reinforced part of the bag flap for extra strength.

Here it is with the straps threaded. You will need to double them around inside the bag, looping them around the chopstick:

The stick, or dowel, takes the weight of the loaded bag and spreads it over the entire width. It also stops the bag from sagging in the middle. And a chopstick weighs almost nothing. The strap, by the way, cost a few Euros, so the entire cost of this project was less than €10 ($15).

Here are the straps, threaded as if hanging from the seat. Strictly, the buckles should be inside the bag so as to be able to tighten the bag right up against the seat, but I opted for the slightly wobblier outside option as it makes the bag quick release: Just squeeze a clip in each hand and pull.

Next, cut the dowel (or chopstick, or carbon-fiber rod) to length with the knife. I then hooked a couple of cable-ties around to stop the stick from slipping. These could be cut, too, but I just hid the tails inside the handy flap. A spot of superglue should make this perfect. That’s it! Now, outside into the sun for some testing.

There is actually a good clearance between bag and wheel — a couple of inches at least — but the angle of the photo is tricky. There’s also room for my D-lock (the ugly bracket is on the seat-post, and the lock is still there in the picture at the top of the post). I’m going to trim the straps down to stop them flapping so wildly, but otherwise it works great. The toe-straps are perfect, designed to be strong, hold fast and yet quick to adjust and remove. The bag itself is also a good find, both size wise and because it easily fits all the tools (pump, multi-tool, spare tube) you need as well as a snack, another lock, some water or a camera. And if things start to swing around too much, there’s another canvas loop on the back which could hold a strap to wrap around the seat-post.

Get making, hipster bikers! And make sure you post the results in the Gadget Lab Flickr Pool.

Jupiter Smashed, Scar Shows