Source: Gizmodo | 24 Jul 2009 | 11:00 pm

Researchers create 'bacteria computers'

Researchers report creating what they call bacterial computers which potentially can solve complicated human mathematical problems. The findings of the research, published in BioMed Central's Journal of Biological Engineering, demonstrate computing in living cells is feasible and can
Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 24 Jul 2009 | 11:00 pm

Goodbye, entire rest of the summer — King’s Quest and Space Quest collections now available on Steam

Be still, my beating heart. I’ve been this excited before, but I can’t remember when.

Some of the greatest games in the history of personal computing are now available on Steam. I’m talking, of course, about Sierra’s King’s Quest and Space Quest collections. This can only mean that additional Sierra games will be made available in the future. Please, please, please, make it so.

The King’s Quest Collection (7 games) and Space Quest Collection (6 games) are both available for $15 per collection until July 30th. After that, they’ll cost $20 per collection. Both are an instant purchase at either price, if you ask me. Childhood, here I come!

Now all I need is my old IBM PC Jr., my Apple ][c before that, some shag carpet in an old Minnesota basement, and a quick trip to Egghead Software to buy those old hint books where you uncover the answers with a magic marker.

[via Kotaku]

Source: CrunchGear | 24 Jul 2009 | 10:40 pm

Are Bing Users Twice As Likely To Click On An Ad Than Google Users?

Are people who search on Bing more commercial than Google searchers? According to a study by search-advertising network Chitika, visitors who arrive at sites from organic search results on Bing are 55 percent more likely to click on an ad than if they arrived from Google.

Chitika looked at the clickthrough rates from 32 million ad impressions across its network of more than 50,000 sites in a week in July. Visitors from Bing clicked on an ad 1.5 percent of the time on average, versus a 0.97 percent clickthrough rate for Google visitors and a 1.24 percent clickthrough rate for Yahoo.

One reading of this data is might be that Bing users are more susceptible to ads, and in fact may have used Bing in the first place because of the Bing ads Microsoft is plastering all over the place. (Kinda makes you wonder what will happen when that ad budget goes away).

But a more likely explanation is that Google represents the vast bulk of the traffic, 83 percent to be exact. Bing only represents 8 percent. There is a law of large numbers at work here. The more traffic that comes from any one source (i.e., Google), the lower the clickthrough rate is likely to trend. If the market share was reversed, Bing would undoubtedly have a lower clickthrough rate.

But that still leaves the question of just who are those people on Bing?

	impressions	clicks	CTR	% more clicks (Bing)
google	26,929,367	260,518	0.97%	55.11%
yahoo	3,157,648	39,008	1.24%	21.47%
bing	2,236,366	33,558	1.50%
total	32,323,381	333,084	1.03%

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

Source: TechCrunch | 24 Jul 2009 | 10:35 pm

Pre Sales May Be Slowing. Yes? Nooooooooo! [Digital Daily]

Now this is just getting silly.

Pali Research says sales of the Palm Pre are slowing. RBC’s Mike Abramsky says they aren’t and claims 325,000 to 375,000 have been sold to date, ahead of his expectations.

Citing some decidedly unscientific poll data, Jesup and Lamont analyst Kevin Dede suggests the device is plagued by build-quality issues and a high exchange/return rate, potentially 40 percent. Abramsky says it’s between two and three percent and calls BS on the build-quality issue.

“Most buyers appear delighted with their new Pre user experience,” Abramsky said in a research note Friday. “Pre satisfaction appears higher than legacy Palm devices (e.g., Treo), affirming improved execution from the ‘New’ Palm, including engineering, manufacturing, quality and process improvements.”

So, Pre sales are slowing. Or, they’re not.

And exchange/return rates are high.

Unless they’re not.

And these analysts are on point.

Unless, of course, they’re not. Too bad it’s impossible to tell without official numbers from Palm (PALM) or Sprint (S).

Source: All Things Digital | 24 Jul 2009 | 10:23 pm

Apple's new Final Cut Studio is out (short version: I am impressed).

I sat down with Apple's Final Cut Studio team and some fellow videobloggers and web video editors/producers in a Los Angeles hotel yesterday, and checked out the new version of the popular video editing suite.

Bottom line: normally I wouldn't be so jazzed about an application update, but as someone who's spent the better part of the last two years working on web video production, this struck me and other web video grunts in the room as "workflow-changing" (some said "life-changing!") and a nice big leap forward.

One of the editor/producer/shooters in the room said he could see these improvements shaving "a total of three months" off of every work-year, in saved man-hours. That's one way to look at it, and another, from a somewhat more workaholic person in the room: "We'll be able to get so much more video produced."

A quick recap of significant feature changes, after the jump.

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On Thursday, July 24, Apple announced the release of Final Cut Studio 3 which includes the following components: Final Cut Pro 7, Motion 4, Soundtrack Pro 3, Color 1.5 and Compressor 3.5. Here's what I found most significant during the demo:

FINAL CUT PRO 7

* Exporting the finished product is much easier. You no longer have to output from FCP, then open and output again in Compressor before uploading to YouTube, Vimeo, or whatever web video hosting service you use (in Boing Boing Video's case, Episodic). A new "share" option within FCP includes pre-set export options for YouTube, Mobile Me, and iPods and iPhones, and you can easily add your own pre-sets from Compressor. You can even publish right to the web from FCP now. And...

* This is huge! While you're exporting, you can KEEP ON EDITING. Editors: say goodbye to those excuses for long smoking breaks during export.

* This is huge, too! iChat Theater support. So, let's say you've finished editing a rough cut of an episode, and you need to preview that with your supervising producer on the other side of the country, to get notes. Fire up iChat, and send your FCP video to iChat Theater, and you'll be able to watch the video with your two-way, person-to-person video chat inset in a small window in the lower right. I'm not sure what the limit on participant number is, but theoretically, you should be able to do this with up to 4 people iChatting in, if memory serves (and you have enough bandwidth).

* New versions of Apple's "ProRes" codec are offered, including one intended for higher-res digital motion picture output, and two at the lower end of the spectrum which could be particularly helpful for folks editing for broadcast or web on MacBook pros.

* You can color-code markers now. This is neat, and helpful if lots of different editors are touching a given project and you want to keep track of everyone's individual edits.

* There's a new floating, resizable timecode window. So if you're the editor, and you need to have a preview session with a client or producer or whatever, they can easily see the timecode progress while you preview a rough cut together.

* Multi-touch gesture support, which is nice if you're editing on a late-model MBP.

SOUNDTRACK PRO

* The feature that elicited the most "OMGs" in the room was a new dialogue level matching option. Allows you to quickly, automatically, intelligently match levels on separate snippets of dialogue, without increasing the levels of noise or non-dialogue sound sources. You can save levels and use them as standards in future projects. This saves a TON of time on a frequent issue that crops up for low-budget web productions that can't afford to hire sound guys for every field shoot. This was a big deal for a lot of us.

* Cool new visual editing interface for fine-tuning audio.

* Helpful new improvements to the time-stretching abilities in Soundtrack Pro.

MOTION, COLOR, DVD STUDIO, COMPRESSOR

* We don't use these tools as heavily every day on Boing Boing Video as we do the aforementioned Final Cut Pro and Soundtrack Pro. But the bullet points from these demos that struck me as significant: powerful, less-intimidating 3D tools in Motion that allow you to create motion, shadow, and light effects; the ability to dump text files and create credit and title sequences more easily (I hate the old text editor!). And DVD Compressor now allows you to author blu-ray equivalent discs using the standard red-laser burners that come standard issue, and cheap standard 99-cent-per-blank-disc DVDs. Compressor includes a number of iterative improvements, but the thing I was most excited about was not having to actually open this damned app every day anymore.

More on all the features at Apple's Final Cut Studio website.


Source: Boing Boing | 24 Jul 2009 | 10:19 pm

EFF Urges Pressure On Google Over Book Search

angry tapir writes "The Electronic Frontier Foundation is urging its supporters to pressure Google to build significant privacy protections into its Book Search service. The EFF suggests that the service gives Google access to new personal information: what people are searching for in out-of-print and out-of-copyright books. The EFF posted its concerns with Google Book Search on its blog, with EFF designer/activist Hugh D'Andrade saying the search product could infringe on 'privacy of thought.' Google, in a responding blog post, said it will protect user privacy, though it can't yet say how — the service hasn't been designed yet, nor approved."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Source: Slashdot | 24 Jul 2009 | 10:16 pm

Webcast Alert: tw telecom Invites You to Join Its Conference Call on the Web

DENVER, July 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- In conjunction with tw telecom's Second Quarter 2009 Earnings Release, you are invited to listen to its conference call that will be broadcast live over the Internet on Tuesday, August 11, 2009 at 9:00 a.m. MDT/11:00 a.m.
Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 24 Jul 2009 | 10:15 pm

Microsoft’s master plan for retail stores laid bare in leaked presentation

Someone’s probably going to get fired over this. A whole PowerPoint presentation has been leaked from Microsoft, showing their plans for the upcoming Microsoft Stores. With space for 7, Project Natal, Windows Mobile, Surface, regular PCs, netbooks, and pretty much everything Microsoft has its hand in, it’s going to be pretty packed. They’re taking a lot of cues from the Apple Store, though — a lot of cues — and it may work out all right. They’re biting on Apple pretty hard though, if you’ll excuse the expression.

They’ll have to make sure they’re not just completely aping Apple. “Answer Bar”? Come on, you can do better than that. You had to call it a bar? Why not Answer Station, or Answertown, or Micropals?

Here are a few selections, but to check out the whole thing, head over to Gizmodo. I notice that little Windows 7 logo is prominent. I don’t like it, but hey, it’s better than a penguin. Sweet flare!

It occurs to me that this could be a mere leaked pitch to Microsoft, though the depth of the presentation suggests it’s heavier than that. Still, if you’re pitching Microsoft for the contract to design their retail stores, you go in heavy.
They’ve been confirmed as real by Microsoft, though they are early plans and nothing in them is guaranteed to be in the real stores.

Source: CrunchGear | 24 Jul 2009 | 10:12 pm

Apple's latest Final Cut Studio reviewed by Xeni

Xeni got a look at the latest edition of Apple's Final Cut Studio, and takes it for a spin. It's impressive stuff:

Bottom line: normally I wouldn't be so jazzed about an application update, but as someone who's spent the better part of the last two years working on web video production, this struck me and others in the room as "workflow-changing" (some said "life-changing!") and a nice big leap forward.

Apple's New Final Cut [BB]

Source: Boing Boing Gadgets | 24 Jul 2009 | 10:07 pm

Palm Pre Is the Most Open Mobile Platform on the Market - PC World

Washington Post

Palm Pre Is the Most Open Mobile Platform on the Market PC World Analysis: But why did Palm want to keep the SDK out of power users' and developers' hands when the WebOS platform was all about the ease with which new apps could be created in JavaScript? You're lucky that you missed the review I had written of Palm's ... Palm Pre reconnects with estranged iTunesThe Associated Press Food fight! Palm and Apple out of sync!Computerworld Palm Digs a New Tunnel Into iTunesTechNewsWorld VentureBeat -New York Times -InformationWeek all 534 news articles »

Source: Sci/Tech - Google News | 24 Jul 2009 | 9:54 pm

Astronauts Complete Fourth Spacewalk

The Endeavour crew completed their spacewalk, avoiding repeat suit troubles.
Source: Discovery News Top Stories : Discovery Channel | 24 Jul 2009 | 9:40 pm

Apple's iPhone Dialing In More Overseas Growth >AAPL - Wall Street Journal

Mobiletor.com

Apple's iPhone Dialing In More Overseas Growth >AAPL Wall Street Journal SAN FRANCISCO (Dow Jones)--Apple Inc.'s (AAPL) iPhone, a hit in the US, may be on the verge of replicating its success overseas. IPhone usage in the US fell to 54% of the global total in June, from 61% in January, ... New iPhone hardware encryption not even close to hack proofArs Technica iPhone 3GS 'encryption' is laughableAfterdawn.com iPhone Security: Not Beefy Enough for Businesses?PC World Christian Science Monitor -ChannelWeb -InternetNews.com all 55 news articles »

Source: Sci/Tech - Google News | 24 Jul 2009 | 9:39 pm

FriendFeed Follows For A Change With “Recommend Friends” Feature

For many features and innovations, FriendFeed has been ahead of Facebook, and even Twitter. It’s usually Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites catching up to FriendFeed, not the other way around. Today, FriendFeed added a Recommend Friends feature, that allows you to recommend subscriptions of friend’s feeds to anyone who subscribes to your feed. The friend suggestions feature was originally born out of LinkedIn and Facebook added the suggestion feature early last year.

When you send friend recommendations, your friend will get an email with all of your recommendations, including a link to subscribe to all your recommendations with a single click, which is actually pretty useful. Especially if you are a new user, it’s nice to have the option of having a friend do all the work for you when it comes to finding people to follow.

And whenever you hover over a friend’s name, you will see a “recommend friends” link in the popup image. You will also see the link on the profile pages of your friends who have joined the site recently and may need some help in finding friends to link up to.

FriendFeed continues to roll out features and tools at an impressive pace, adding real-time search, unveiling a new API, and the ability to disable comments in July alone.

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

Source: TechCrunch | 24 Jul 2009 | 9:38 pm

SpinVox Responds to Voicemail-Privacy Accusations [Voices]

By Marisa Taylor, Tech Reporter, The Wall Street Journal

SpinVox criticized reports that its voicemail-transcription service is done by humans, saying that workers don’t touch messages unless the technology can’t recognize a word.

“This information is wrong and dated,” said Christina Domecq, SpinVox’s chief executive, of the BBC’s article. The report, which was published Thursday, accuses the British firm of using call-center employees–not the speech-recognition technology that it markets–to transcribe voicemail recordings.

Read the rest of this post on the original site

Source: All Things Digital | 24 Jul 2009 | 9:31 pm

The Battle Between Purists and Pragmatists

Glyn Moody has a thoughtful piece taking a long look at the never-ending battle between pragmatists and purists in free and open software. "While debates rage around whether Mono is good or bad for free software, and about 'fauxpen source' and 'Faux FLOSS Fundamentalists,' people are overlooking the fact that these are just the latest in a series of such arguments about whether the end justifies the means. There was the same discussion when KDE was launched using the Qt toolkit, which was proprietary at the time, and when GNOME was set up as a completely free alternative. But could it be that this battle between the 'purists' and the 'pragmatists' is actually good for free software — a sign that people care passionately about this stuff — and a major reason for its success?"

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Source: Slashdot | 24 Jul 2009 | 9:29 pm

Mixx Turns To Twitter To Start Surfacing Hot Links, Launches TweetMixx (Invites)

Mixx, the Digg-like site that got a total makeover earlier this year, is launching a new site today that takes a different approach to surfacing hot links: Twitter. The site is fittingly called TweetMixx , and it’s currently in private beta. TechCrunch readers can grab one of 1000 invites by going here and using the following credentials: username=techcrunch, password=tweetmixx_beta.

TweetMixx works by skimming through tweets and looking for links. The more times a given link appears on Twitter, the higher placement it gets on TweetMixx. Likewise, you can log-in using your Twitter credentials and receive a personalized hotlist of tweets based only on the Twitter users you follow.

If this sounds familiar, it’s because the idea isn’t a novel one. TweetMixx is facing off with plenty of competition — Tweetmeme has become quite popular, and sites like twitrollr and tweetlinx do very similar things (and we just saw TuneIn launch this month at our RealTime CrunchUp).

But CEO Chris McGill says that there are a few differences that help set TweetMixx apart. For one, the site will figure out the name of the article being linked to, so rather than seeing something like http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/07/24/adwords-gets-more-local/, you’d see the article’s title, “AdWords Gets More Local”. One other feature offered by TweetMixx is a much-improved version of Twitter Search. Using the standard engine offered by Twitter, you can only search through the text of tweets, but not the articles they’re linking to — if someone fails to explain what a link is in their tweet, then it won’t show up in results. Using TweetMixx, you can search through both standard tweet text and the names of the articles that are being linked to, which can turn up many more relevant results.

Mixx’s decision to launch TweetMixx is yet another display of how powerful Twitter can be when it comes to surfacing new content, as it’s often much faster than a Digg-like voting system. The biggest clash is yet to come, though: pretty soon bit.ly, the very popular URL shortener, is going to be launching its own Digg competitor, which is going to have a huge volume of metadata to draw from.

Crunch Network: MobileCrunch Mobile Gadgets and Applications, Delivered Daily.

Source: TechCrunch | 24 Jul 2009 | 9:28 pm

5 Questions with Bug Lab’s Alicia Gibb

Section: Audio, Portable Audio, Video, Portable Video, Computers, Hardware, Peripherals, Features, Interviews

1. Who are you?
I am a researcher and rapid prototyper.  When I’m not doing research on the crossroads of technology and art, I’m prototyping artwork that blinks, twitches, and might even be tasty to eat.  I have a master’s degree in information science and am close to finishing up my second master’s in art history.  As Bug Lab’s chief laboratory technician, I administer a workshop for exploring the instant innovation available with modular technology components.

2. Facebook, Twitter, or something else and why?
Real life. I find it easier to collectively build hardware face to face.

3. Gadget you couldn’t live without (and why)?
BUG from Bug Labs of course!  Open source hardware and software so I can mod it any way I like.

4. Most regrettable piece of tech you own
The horseless carriage, so much wasted fossil fuels and pollution.  We can do better.

5. If you could wish a gadget into existence, what would it be?
I don’t have to wish, I can build it with my BUG.  It is the age of making and doing!

Company Site: [Bug Labs]

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

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Source: Gadgetell | 24 Jul 2009 | 9:09 pm

Artist Heidi Cody and her grocery store mascot mutiny

Artist Heidi Cody makes all kinds of crazy work using corporate mascots and scenes of nature as portrayed on grocery store packaging. With collaborator Pete Beeman, she currently has this large kinetic sculpture (below) showing at the LAB Gallery in New York (47th & Lexington) through July 31.

In Ad Nauseam, I wrote about how her work illustrates the extent to which consumer culture has become our natural environment. We can identify corporate logos by the tiniest fragment, but can barely name a single plant or tree native to our neighborhoods.

Source: Boing Boing | 24 Jul 2009 | 9:05 pm

Palm Pre reconnects with estranged iTunes (AP)

AP - Palm's Pre smart phone just can't stay away from Apple's iTunes software.

Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 24 Jul 2009 | 9:03 pm

Dead Goat Polo Arcade Game

Jason Torchinsky is a guest blogger on Boing Boing. Jason has a book out now, Ad Nauseam: A Survivor's Guide to American Consumer Culture. He lives in Los Angeles, where he is a tinkerer and artist and writes for the Onion News Network. He lives with a common-law wife, five animals, too many old cars, and a shed full of crap.



Some of you may have seen the amazing Soviet Arcade Machines Museum; this is up that same socialist alley: I started out trying to import a Polski Fiat from Poland, and somehow ended up with this: an old, beaten Ulak-Tartysh video game.

Ulak-Tartysh, for those of you not familiar with carcass-based sports, is essentially polo played with the headless body of a dead goat. It's popular in Central Asia, and especially in Kyrgyzstan, which is where this fascinating game hails from. This one appears to have been built in 1983, at some state-run electronics factory in the city of Mailuu-Suu. The coin slots say "15 Kopeks," but I think at that time all the USSR satellite states used that denomination.

I'm a big fan of 8-bit era games, and this sample from behind the Iron Curtain is especially fascinating. It's based on what appears to be a KR1858VM1 chip, which was a copy of the Z80. Most of the other chips are TTL logic ones, with very little large-scale integration. The video seems to be about 148x116 (?) with what I think are 8 colors. The graphics have that really satisfying gigantic-pixel look, but I think are pretty nicely rendered, considering.



I got it here as a strange sort of compensation when a warehouse owner in Poland was unable to ship the Fiat like we had agreed; apparently, this machine was just sitting, forgotten, in a corner of the warehouse. To restore it, I cleaned up the case, and replaced the power supply system with a cobbled-together 110V unit, from the 220V it originally had. I've made repairs, and had to replace the screen/CRT, but beyond that it's as I got it. I left the case in its battered state, but the marquee cleaned up surprisingly well. I'm not sure of what all the words mean, but via an online Kyrgz dictionary, it seems the TAPT button means "grab" or something similar, and I think it says "GOOD!" (pronounced "Djackshi?) when you get a goal.



It was on display at the last i am 8 bit art show here in LA, and it proved itself to be a playable, if not too exciting, game. MyTarpit posted a bit more about it here, and, more excitingly, there should be a BoingBoingVideo segment featuring it on its way soon.




Source: Boing Boing | 24 Jul 2009 | 8:52 pm

Gadget Lab Comment of the Week

For each of the next four weeks, I’m awarding one Leatherman Freestyle CX to the Gadget Lab reader whose comment best contributes to this site.

The Freestyle CX (right) is one of the smallest tools Leatherman makes. It’s got a pair of pliers and a hard, 154CM stainless steel blade, and that’s about it. It fits nicely in your pocket, feels good in your hand and looks cool.

This week’s winner: Shlepzig, whose advice on fixed-gear and freewheel bikes is helpful, informed, nondogmatic and practical. It’s also long — longer even than the post, by Charlie Sorrel, to which it’s attached. Thanks, Shlepzig, for taking the time to share your knowledge with Gadget Lab’s readers! Special note to Shlepzig: If you read this note, send me an email at dtweney@wired.com so I can get the prize to you.

Now, here’s some background: We’ve been working hard behind the scenes to raise the level of discussion here, by deleting comments when they are spammy, excessively profane, or add nothing to the conversation. It’s been helping. For instance, the discussion on Brian X. Chen’s post about iPhone 3GS encryption is helpful and interesting.

But besides merely deleting comments, I also want to encourage the good comments. So when the Leatherman company donated four Freestyles for us to give away to Wired.com readers, I figured this was the way to do it.

What makes a good comment? It’s interesting. It adds something to the conversation. It’s on topic. It doesn’t have to be long, nor must it agree with the views of Gadget Lab.  It doesn’t even have to be particularly polite, so long as it’s on topic.

If you see a comment on Gadget Lab that deserves recognition, let me know at dtweney [at] wired [dot] com. And in the meantime, keep those comments coming.

See Also: Gadget Lab’s Comment Policy

Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 24 Jul 2009 | 8:50 pm

Beetles Offer Blueprint For Light-Reflecting Materials

Image 1: Scientists at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta recently discovered jewel beetles, Chrysina gloriosa, change color because of the light-reflecting properties of the cells that make up their external skeletons, not because of unique, light-absorbing properties in their pigment. Credit: Georgia Tech, Gary W. MeekImage 2: Research suggests jewel beetle cells come from spontaneous arrangement of glucose-like particles called chitin molecules that form as cones. When these cones solidify, they preserve their structures and produce different colors as light hits them from different angles. Credit: Zina Deretsky, National Science Foundation
Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 24 Jul 2009 | 8:50 pm

Bars' Scanning of ID Violates BC Privacy Laws

AnonymousIslander writes "The Information and Privacy Commissioner for the Province of British Columbia has ruled that electronic scanning of driver's licenses (and similar forms of ID) as a condition of entering a bar or nightclub is a violation of BC's Personal Information Privacy Act. The decision (PDF), while dealing with one specific club, will still have ramifications across the entire province. It is not known if the nightclub in question will attempt to appeal the decision in court. A similar decision was reached last year in Alberta. The system in question is known as BarWatch, and has been the target of criticism by many for a number of years. Despite this, a number of bars/nightclubs and restaurants in communities across Canada have installed similar systems, and just days before this decision came down there were calls for the expansion of BarWatch in Victoria to cover restaurants and other establishments serving the post-bar crowds." Similar systems are in use across the US, as we have discussed.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Source: Slashdot | 24 Jul 2009 | 8:46 pm

Source: Verizon Hurrying To Launch LTE By Early 2010, Perhaps For Apple

So, it’s looking more and more likely that a large form iPod touch, which we first reported on last December, is coming sometime in the next 6 months. But there are still a lot of unknown variables and question marks. One is the rumored deal Apple is working on with Verizon for such a device. We’ve just spoken with a source who had some more interesting details that may relate to such a deal. The source, which has been knowledgeable about such things in the past, says that Verizon is racing to have its LTE service ready to go in a bunch of markets for Q1 2010.

While it has been known for a while that LTE will be rolling out in select markets at some point next year. The most recent roadmap has 20-30 markets as a target for the second half of 2010. But our source says that Verizon is putting just about everything it has in to moving many of these markets up to Q1 2010 — which is the same timeframe for this supposed new Apple device. While the source had no information to specifically tie Apple to this move by Verizon, they did note that there was talk of at least one non-dongle (wireless card) product that this LTE launch was being specifically geared towards.

Verizon is actually already doing limited tests of its LTE network in select markets. And the results have been very impressive — up to 60 Mbps. LTE stands for “Long Term Evolution”, but an easier way for many people to think of it may be as “4G”. It’s the next generation of wireless network after the 3G that many of us currently use. And there’s another reason that Verizon may want to hurry LTE along as it relates to Apple: The iPhone.

Apple’s exclusive deal with AT&T to be the iPhone’s carrier in the U.S. is set to end sometime in 2010. While everyone (including me) is quick to dream about Apple offering a Verizon iPhone, currently, Verizon runs a CDMA network which is different from the GSM network that the current iPhone is constructed for. This would mean Apple would need to make a new version of the iPhone for Verizon. And that’s fine, except that CDMA will be replaced by LTE, so it doesn’t make a lot of sense to spend time building a version of the phone that will quickly be obsolete. And AT&T is also expected to roll out an LTE network (though not likely until 2011), so this new version of the iPhone could work on both Verizon and AT&T.

Of course, if you’re in a place where LTE isn’t available, what the phone running on Verizon’s network would fall back to is still a question mark. But that’s all just speculation about a Verizon iPhone, let’s get back to the Apple tablet.

Our source believes there is definitely some credibility to this Apple/Verizon tablet talk, because such a partnership could work while the Apple/AT&T exclusive iPhone pact is still in place — which it seemingly will be in Q1 2010. The reason is that this tablet will apparently not have a microphone, so in other words, it cannot do voice calls, which puts it outside of the Apple/AT&T agreement. Such a Apple/Verizon deal would then only include data transfer, with is also interesting in what it could mean for the pricing.

Our source doubts that Apple would want to sell the device with a subsidy, locking customers into another contract, but believes that Apple could either try to bake the cost of the network into the device (which would work like Amazon’s Kindle). Or, more likely, customers could sign up for a month-to-month data-only plan for the new device. And because it’s data only, the price would be significantly cheaper than current cellular bills we’re used to.

Current data plans on top of regular cellular bills run about $30 a month, but data-only plans offered through wireless cards usually run about $60 a month. Perhaps if Apple could bake part of that cost into the device and get the monthly fee closer to the $30 a month, some users might be willing to pay for that. Or maybe, since the device would presumably have Wi-Fi, perhaps Apple and Verizon would offer variable rates based on your usage.

Obviously, there are still a lot of question marks with regards to pricing, but thought of having an Apple tablet that can access data at speeds approaching 60 Mbps is obviously going to be appealing to a lot of people.

Our source went on to note that Apple and Verizon doing some kind of business seems inevitable. They reiterated claims — which we’ve heard from several other sources — that the folks inside Apple are not happy with AT&T at all right now given the spotty service, and seeming inability to handle the iPhone’s rapid growth. That will be music to a lot of people’s ears.

[photo: flickr/woodleywonderworks]

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

Source: TechCrunch | 24 Jul 2009 | 8:45 pm

SureWest to Participate In 3rd Annual Capstone Investments Small Cap Investor Conference

ROSEVILLE, Calif., July 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Leading independent communications holding company SureWest Communications (Nasdaq: SURW) will participate in the 2009 Capstone Investments Small Cap Investor Conference in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Thursday, July 30, 2009.
Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 24 Jul 2009 | 8:43 pm

Hubble Snaps Sharpest Image Yet of Jupiter Impact

The Hubble Space Telescope captures an image of Jupiter's new impact scar.

Source: Wired Top Stories | 24 Jul 2009 | 8:30 pm

Protein That Promotes Cancer Cell Growth Identified

Scientists at Burnham Institute for Medical Research (Burnham) have found that the Caspase-8 protein, long known to play a major role in promoting programmed cell death (apoptosis), helps relay signals that can cause cancer cells to proliferate, migrate and invade surrounding tissues.
Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 24 Jul 2009 | 8:30 pm

Tumbling Profits For Microsoft

Shares of Microsoft Corp.
Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 24 Jul 2009 | 8:25 pm

Review: A week with the Sumosac Gigantor

The Sumo XXL Gigantor is a comfy bag that spreads out to cover about 40 square feet. I have been lounging on it and my conclusions follow.

• It's enormous, adequately constructed and significantly cheaper than the equivalent Love Sac. These are the three main points that you're probably looking for. Voila.

• The covers, available in four colors, are a basic faux-suede. Not as fancy as the Love Sac options.

• Getting the cover on is an an epic task. It's like putting a condom on a melon: not impossible, but you wouldn't want to have to do it for money. You'll need at least two people, so don't buy one if you have no friends.

• It's delivered in a relatively small container, and expands to full size when you take it out. I should have realized this when the exploded cardboard box it came in was clearly held together solely by its nylon straps. So don't take it out in the entry way, folks, if you plan on taking it to the third floor, unless you like dragging massive styrofoam Shoggoths up stairs.

• The shredded foam inside is surprisingly, but not amazingly, comfortable. It holds its form much better than oldschool beanbags. It's a bit lumpy, but it didn't bother me.

• I tried sleeping on it, because it was so big. I woke up a few hours later, after having a nightmare in which I had to escape my house, but there were snipers outside. My dogs had joined me on it at some point during the night. I went to bed.

• Don't get it in black if you have dogs and their hair is not black.

• This item is haunted by the same problems as other giant beanbag-like items: the lack of horizontal surfaces means that books, keyboards, scotch, etc., don't stay put, but the sheer size means that exterior reality is always beyond arm's reach.

• Unless you have a big room to put it in, don't.

The Sumo Gigantor is $400, shipped.

Product Page [Sumosac]

Source: Boing Boing Gadgets | 24 Jul 2009 | 8:22 pm

Microsoft Agrees To EU Browser Ballot Screen

An anonymous reader sends in coverage from Ars Technica of Microsoft's capitulation to the EU, after European regulators requested that Redmond bundle multiple browsers on new PCs. "Microsoft has decided that the last thing it needs in this economy is some combination of the following: fines, legal bills, and a delay of Windows 7. It has offered to adopt the European Union's preferred solution for browser competition: a browser selector screen at startup."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Source: Slashdot | 24 Jul 2009 | 8:01 pm

FARO Invites You to Join Its Second Quarter 2009 Conference Call on the Web

What: FARO Technologies Second Quarter 2009 Earnings Release Conference CallWhen: Thursday, July 30, 2009 at 11:00 a.m. ETHow:
Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 24 Jul 2009 | 8:00 pm

Video: Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs Directors Make it Rain Cheeseburgers

Co-Directors of Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs Chris Miller and Phil Lord stop by the Wired Cafe at Comic-Con. Want to know how they make jello, cheeseburgers and pickles fall from the sky in 3-D?

Source: Wired Top Stories | 24 Jul 2009 | 8:00 pm

Shiny Unhappy People - UK’s Shiny Media Blog Network Engulfed In Chaos

[Additional reporting by Paul Carr]. Back in the heady days of 2007, flush with what was officially announced as $4.5m in funding from incubator Brightstation Ventures, UK Blog network Shiny Media held an event for advertising agencies to come and see how the new world of blogs would change their entire business strategy.

But in a scene straight from The Office, the company’s commercial manager stood up and dismissively told the assembled media luminaries that they were “all sheep [who] should stop following the big media herd and advertise with Shiny… the new wave of blogs”.  “Bah!” said the sheep from major media agency Carat, and promptly walked out in disgust. Since then Shiny Media has been, many times over, lauded as the UK’s great new hope of blog publishing. But the shiny exterior of the operation appears to have been quite different to the reality.

Founded in 2004 by journalists Ashley Norris, Chris Price and Katie Lee, Shiny followed the Gawker/Weblogs Inc “blog network” model so fashionable at the time. The company was best known for its Shiny Shiny (girly gadgets), Tech Digest (technology) and Shoewawa (footwear) blogs. It had also expanded into other vertical titles, but attempts to break into the US market had been limited. Many have remarked that despite their efforts, Shiny Blogs had few stand-out publishing brands, that the blog designs had lurched from middling to worse, and that despite a few bright spots the company rarely attracted sufficient raw writing talent. Their passion for .tv domains also didn’t help.

Around the same time other UK entrepreneurs were trying their hands with blog networks like Mink Media and MessyMedia but none lasted - most citing the inability to scale to large traffic numbers in the UK. Shiny apparently thought they could buck the trend.

Sure enough, in January 2007 Shiny won its “$4.5 million” from Brightstation - headed by long-time UK entrepreneur Dan Wagner - for a 50pc stake. Or at least that’s what was said by the company at the time and consistently since. It appeared to be doing well; according to sources close to Brightstation, by November 2007 traffic to Shiny media was 3.5 millions uniques and revenues were in the hundreds of thousands of pounds per annum.

And yet, fast forward to 2009 and Shiny was limping. The company laid off half of its 17 staff in February, citing a tech advertising downturn. Norris, the original CEO, had departed in August 2008 to start experimenting in online video publishing and had become CEO of online men’s publisher Anorak Media. Katie Lee left in February 2008, at the same time as Shiny’s period of layoffs and cutbacks.

Recently, Anorak, under Norris, acquired a blog he founded, WhoAteAllThePies from Shiny, which then mothballed the title. Norris resumed blogging with Shiny.

Then on July 21, TechCrunch Europe folllowed up on a story broken by a former employee, that Shiny Media had gone into administration. Unknown to us at the time - but subsequently leaked - the day before, co-founder and director Chris Price had sent this email to all employees and freelancers.

From: Chris Price
Date: Mon, Jul 20, 2009 at 7:33 PM
Subject: Shiny Media

Hi Guys,

I am very sorry for the events of the last 24 hours. Unfortunately
Shiny Media has been unable to continue trading because of mounting
debts in the business and a decision was taken at a board meeting on
Friday afternoon to put the company into administration.

Although the business received a cash injection of 80K through the
sale of Bag Lady and Shoewawa, the bank was unwilling to renew the
existing overdraft without imposing much more punitive terms on Ashley
and myself (including higher interest rates and our houses as
collateral) and general trading continued to be difficult.

At the same time as the company went into administration on Friday the
assets of Shiny Media were sold to a new company, comprising the
majority shareholders of Brightstation Ventures and the founders of
Shiny Media.

Unfortunately one of the former directors of Shiny Media who is a
small stakeholder in the business has taken it upon himself to indulge
in criminal activity including breaking and entering into the
premises, changing the locks without the landlord’s authority,
accessing emails and other passwords, deleting email accounts
(including mine), deleting users from the Movable Type network, moving
over Domain Names into his own name and switching off business mobile
phone numbers.

Not only is this damaging any future for the business, it also reduces
any amount of money left for Shiny Media’s creditors - including
freelance journalists, some of whom are yet to be paid. I also
understand he has been intimidating staff.

He has now received a letter from our lawyers in which we have asked
him to stop his disruptive and illegal behaviour and allow us access
to the building for which we have a licence to occupy. I am hoping he
will come to his senses tomorrow before we are forced to contact the
police, but unfortunately we have seen this irrational behaviour
before with other businesses he has been involved with.

Once again please accept my apologies - I was hoping to get in touch
with everyone at 12pm today. I will now update you all with more
details tomorrow.

Cheers, Chris

What publicly emerged, uncovered by TechCrunch Europe and sites like PaidContent UK, was that Shiny had indeed gone into administration the previous Friday, allegedly due to growing debts. Shortly afterward, the assets - including all websites with the exception of Bag Lady and Shoewawa - were bought by a new company, Shiny Digital. According to the Companies House registry in the UK, the equal shareholders in this new company were Shiny Trends (incorporated by Shiny co-founders Chris Price, Ashley Norris and Katie Lee last year) and Cansas Digital Ventures (a new registered name for Shiny Media’s venture funder Brightstation since August 2007).

Clearly there was something going on. Why had Price’s email and mobile been “switched off by one of the minority shareholders in the business”? Was there a disagreement going on at board level about the new structure? At any rate, an administrator had been brought in and many Shiny blogs had stopped updating.

That same day co-founder Katie Lee (who had left Shiny in February but remained a shareholder) confirmed the story on Twitter, saying in a tweet that “Looks like everyone knows Shiny Media has gone into administration. Still not entirely sure what’s going on tbh. Sorry for all writers.”

Lee also Twittered: “Just to clarify, because it’s always bugged me, Bright Station did not put $4.5m into Shiny Media.” She went on: “It was incorrectly reported in the press and we were told to stick with the story. Was mortified.”

Of course, this itself wasn’t quite correct. The press had simply reported what Shiny had told them. For years. And what it was still saying on their corporate blog, i.e. “How to spend $4.5 million.” It also appears that Brightstation itself never attempted to correct the record. Bright Station’s founders were interviewed in The Times in January 2007, again mentioning the $4.5 million figure.

A day later on July 22, co-founder Chris Price gave a more accurate picture of the company’s investment to The Guardian, saying Shiny had received “under a million pounds”. Sources close to the deal have confirmed this to us.

Lee continued to Tweet on the matter. She said the status of Shiny was up in the air and that “[I] Don’t know who administrators were. All presented as fait accompli”.

She also said “As far as I know, Shiny Media has already been bought [before I even knew it had gone into administration]. So hopefully some jobs OK.”

This suggested that the company had been put into administration and then bought almost immediately in what is normally referred to as a Pre-packaged sale. In a nutshell, this means that a buyer is lined-up - often the company is selling to another company where the directors are similar, if not the same - and a sale is made almost immediately after administration. However, a legal requirement is that the company for sale is advertised somewhere (and we’re not talking in some disused basement here, we’re talking somewhere public and online).

So was Shiny Media advertised for sale? If it was we can’t find any evidence of this to date.

Moving on…

On July 22, The Daily Telegraph followed up. Dan Wagner, CEO of Brightstation told the newspaper he was disputing the administration order for Shiny Media, the UK blog publishing house. He said the company was performing well and the administration was not necessary.

He said: “Shaa Wasmund and I, as directors of Shiny Media Limited and representing over 50pc of the shareholding in the company, are currently contesting the appointment of the administrator and the alleged subsequent sale of the assets. We are firmly of the view that Shiny Media was a solvent company on Friday July 17, in good shape and trading well.”

However, the company appointed to the administration told a different story. Wilson Field in Sheffield said Shiny Media had been left with no option but administration and said “Legal advice shows the appointment is valid.” A spokesperson said “We are satisfied that the company was insolvent as defined by Section 123 of the Insolvency Act 1986, as it was unable to pay its debts as and when they fell due. HM Revenue and Customs had threatened… proceedings. The administrators are currently considering taking legal remedies against Dan Wagner.” Shiny Media refused to comment at that time.

That day Price posted an early comment on PaidContent UK, reasserting his view that the company had gone into administration, saying “Every effort was made to continue trading, including selling of assets, redundancies, downsizing offices and, in the case of the directors, substantial pay cuts.”

The Guardian newspaper also reported that Price had emailed them, saying, again, that most of the assets of Shiny Media had been bought by a new venture, Shiny Digital. Again, this had shareholders including Norris and Lee, and Cansas Digital Ventures, the new vehicle for Brightstation.

In other words, it seems that Dan Wagner is contesting the fact that Shiny Media is not in administration, when a company he owns, Cansas Digital Ventures, is now part owner of all the old Shiny Media assets. Curiouser and curiouser.

The next day, July 23, Paidcontent reported that Ashley Norris had telephoned them to say “I’m completely heartbroken with the way it’s turned out. I’m disappointed we’re having to maintain radio silence and not comment - but it’s for legal reasons - we hope to be much more candid in the next few days.”

That day also, Katie Lee came out fighting. In a very long blog post (almost as long as this one) on The Daily Telegraph she said a number of things, including that the sale of the Shiny Media company’s assets to Shiny Digital had left her with less equity and some other early writers with none.

However, the most interesting part was this: “The pre-pack has certainly left a bad taste in my mouth and having any shares at all is making me uncomfortable.”

In other words she confirmed that this was a pre-packaged sale. Again, was it advertised in accordance with UK law?  A UK government report has found that in 35% of pre-packed sales, the administrators breached the rules.

In addition, further information has been passed to us about what happened at Shiny.

TechCrunch has been told by inside sources that Price and Norris “voted another person onto the board” in order to pass through a motion of insolvency. This prompted the “shareholder”, referred to in Price’s email to employees, to start locking down the company offices. This shareholder is believed to be Brightstation.

In fact, our sources say staff turned up on Monday and were confronted by some angry representatives from Brightstation. We also understand one freelancer was given the phone number of Brightstation by someone at Shiny, only to be told by Brightstation that it would be bringing to bear “all the legal might they could muster”.

We’ve also been told that Brightstation told in-house Shiny staff to go to the offices, and take whatever make-up (they had blogs about fashion and beauty), gadgets and fashion samples they could get their hands on. Comedic scenes apparently ensued when Price and Norris appeared with two “big guys” for protection and police were called thinking there was some kind of break-in going on.

The questions that arise from this affair are innumerable.

Why does Dan Wagner of Brightstation call this an “alleged sale” if Brightstation already owns part of the company that the assets were sold to. Wagner has declined to comment further.

Was Brightstation given the option to buy the assets or to invest further money by Shiny Media prior to is pre-pack sale to Shiny Digital?

How much were the assets sold for?

What attempts were made by the administrators to find another buyer for the assets? Was there any advertising? We’ve called the administrators but they have not returned our calls.

Some freelance Shiny writers say they were still waiting for payments owed prior to Shiny entering administration. Some are owed at least £4,000. This could substantiate the administrator’s view that Shiny Media “was unable to pay its debts”. At least Lee can console herself in a woodland she bought in 2008, and Norris his beach home, acquired since founding Shiny.

Who is this mystery additional shareholder that voted for administration?

Was Brightstation aware of the whole process?

We’ve spoken to Ashley Norris. He told us “We can’t speak because of various ongoing legal situations.” But he did say the administrators had been happy with the process to date and will be issuing a press release in due course.

We have another, well placed source that suggests a further twist. They tell us that Brightstation themselves didn’t put the money into Shiny Media, but in fact acted as a middleman between Shiny and another company (as yet unnamed) which provided the money to power Brightstation. That company made most of its money from sub-prime mortgages so when the market tanked last year, so did their financial muscle. As a result they weren’t able to give Shiny Media all the money they were promised, which may have further exacerbated the company’s woes.

The source suggests that it was these financial problems which caused a breakdown in relations and communication between all parties, leading to the chaos we’ve witnessed this week.

Finally, it is worth recalling who Dan Wagner is. This is a tough entrepreneur and investor who is best known for running the Maid online information business in the 1990s, and turning down an opportunity to invest $1m (£510,000) for 30% of the fledgling Ebay — a stake that would now be worth many billions. He also bought the assets of Boo.com for a reported $375,000 back during the dotcom crash and turned it into the successful ecommerce player Venda. And his Wikipedia page suggests that he is not one to take things lying down.

Perhaps it would be generous however to end on a lighter note. The shiny, flock wallpaper in Shiny’s Central London office (which they shared with fellow-Brightstation-backed OSOYOU) cost £80 a sheet. Isn’t it shiny?

Picture of Shiny founders: The Guardian

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

Source: TechCrunch | 24 Jul 2009 | 7:54 pm

Animals survive by changing looks

Animals of the same species who look different from each other may have evolved that way to deter predators, British scientists said. Distinctly different looking animals within the same species -- known as exuberant polymorphisms -- can reach double figures within a single animal population, biologist Geoff Oxford of the University of York said in a release Thursday.
Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 24 Jul 2009 | 7:52 pm

Benchmark Is Optimistic About IPOs [Voices]

By Pui-Wing Tam, Reporter, The Wall Street Journal

Silicon Valley venture capitalists–who invest in startups with the aim of profiting later when those companies go public or are sold–have found it tough to produce returns recently. Not only have the markets been largely devoid of public offerings and M&A of their startup companies, many private company CEOs also are more reluctant to take their firms public given concerns over the cost and hassle of an IPO.

Now some venture-capital firms are trying to tamp down the anxiety levels over taking a company public.

Read the rest of this post on the original site

Source: All Things Digital | 24 Jul 2009 | 7:49 pm

Living things glow with visible light

Japanese scientist have shown how the human body glows with visible light. The quantity of light emitted is 1000 times too dim for our eyes to see, but the researchers imaged the glow with special cameras. The light is tied to metabolism, suggesting that measuring it could have medical applications, says Tohoku Institute of Technology scientist Masaki Kobayashi. Meanwhile, New Age aura-seers everywhere scream with "vindication." From LiveScience:

In fact, virtually all living creatures emit very weak light, which is thought to be a byproduct of biochemical reactions involving free radicals.

(This visible light differs from the infrared radiation -- an invisible form of light -- that comes from body heat.)

To learn more about this faint visible light, scientists in Japan employed extraordinarily sensitive cameras capable of detecting single photons. Five healthy male volunteers in their 20s were placed bare-chested in front of the cameras in complete darkness in light-tight rooms for 20 minutes every three hours from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. for three days.

The researchers found the body glow rose and fell over the day, with its lowest point at 10 a.m. and its peak at 4 p.m., dropping gradually after that. These findings suggest there is light emission linked to our body clocks, most likely due to how our metabolic rhythms fluctuate over the course of the day.

"Strange! Humans Glow in Visible Light" (Thanks, Marina Gorbis!)


Source: Boing Boing | 24 Jul 2009 | 7:44 pm

2009 Gathering Of The Juggalos Infomercial

Irwin Chusid called this promo video for fans of Insane Clown Posse and other bands of its ilk, "14 minutes of the world's worst fonts."


Source: Boing Boing | 24 Jul 2009 | 7:39 pm

10 Gadgets We’d Like to Throw Into a Black Hole

We love gadgets — we really do. And that’s why, when a gadget fails to measure up to its promise, doesn’t work as you’d expect, is locked down with DRM or crippled with a terrible user interface or hobbled by a stanky-ass design, we get angry. We speak with the disappointed, crushed hearts of the gadget idealists we are: Why does this thing suck so bad?

Well, we’ve had it with crappy gadgets. Like our friends at Underwire, Autopia and Wired Science, we’re recruiting the help of a black hole to crush the worst gadgets into nothingness. Here’s a list of 10 gadgets — plus one bonus “gadget” — that deserve to be thrown beyond the event horizon, never to return.

We’ve probably only scratched the surface here, so feel free to nominate (below) your own candidates for gadgets that should be thrown out of normal spacetime.

1. iPod/iPhone earbuds
The crummy earbuds included with every iPod or iPhone are ugly, don’t fit well and deliver terrible sound. They’re a beacon for burglars: Hello! I’ve got an iPod in my pocket, and it’s right here! And they don’t even last very long: Within months of normal use, they often start developing painful buzzes.

2. CueCat
The most amazing thing about this infrared barcode reader, which did nothing but read special codes printed in magazines and then take you to a website, is that the company convinced so many publishers to distribute them. During the height of the CueCat craze, hundreds of thousands were shipped to customers around the U.S. — including a half-million subscribers to Wired — whether they wanted them or not. They were ugly and almost totally useless, and most probably wound up in landfills within the year.

3. Sony MiniDisc
Sony’s come up with many annoying and proprietary formats in an ill-advised attempt to control its customers, but this was one of the worst. It combined a new physical media format with Sony’s annoying ATRAC file format, and of course had ridiculous restrictions on copying files. While MiniDiscs achieved some popularity with musicians for their ease of recording and editing live performances, most people gave this horrible format a justifiable pass.

4. Motorola RAZR
Everyone had this phone, and everybody hated it. So sexy, yet so crappy with everything it did: poor call quality, cheap buttons, bad software on every carrier.

5. Sony Vaio Series P Lifestyle PC
Screw this thing. Sure, it looks beautiful, and it’s meant for fashion-conscious people who want a stylish, amazingly portable PC. But its crummy keyboard, short (two-hour) battery life, squint-inducing 8.9-inch screen and high price tag make it the perfect device for — well, we don’t know anyone we would wish the Vaio Series P on.

6. HiPhone
There are a lot of crummy Chinese knockoffs of the iPhone. We bought this, called the HiPhone, for $118 plus $42 shipping, to see if it might be a budget-conscious consumer’s alternative to a pricey Apple handset. We were almost instantly sorry.

7. Apple’s Hockey-Puck Mouse
Everybody makes mistakes, and Apple, the king of industrial design, really screwed up on this one. The hockey-puck mouse, which Apple shipped with its tooty-fruity iMacs, was an ergonomic atrocity. You never knew if it was pointed the right way until the pointer started moving diagonally on your screen instead of straight across like you intended. And who could possibly find a circular mouse comfortable? Perfect peripheral for Cookie Monster, we suppose.

8. BlackBerry Storm

When RIM announced it was going to make a touchscreen phone, lots of Crackberry addicts were excited. Finally, they’d have a chance to use a BlackBerry with a touchscreen! Um, not so fast: The BlackBerry Storm has an oddball interface, with a touchscreen that “clicks” down (the whole thing physically moves) every time you press a button. It’s supposed to make the touchscreen experience more accurate and more tactile, but it just winds up slowing you down. And it feels weird besides.

9. Asus S101 Netbook
Yeah, yeah, we’ve seen the numbers about how many millions of netbooks people are buying. But seriously, how much junk are people willing to put up with? With a crummy trackpad, substandard keys and horrible build quality, this netbook disappointed us more than most. While Asus may have lead the netbook revolution, this is one product that needs some serious work.

10. Simon
Did you ever have to play this game? That was one annoying gadget.

BONUS: AT&T Wireless
While not technically a gadget, it’s the network that supports one of our favorite gizmos, the iPhone. But good gravy, have you ever seen a carrier that was so good at providing service so badly? It’s infuriating enough 3G data speeds are slower than a stunned yak, but AT&T seems to revel in giving its customers less than everyone else. Between crippling some features that became standard on other devices years ago (MMS and tethering) and having notoriously spotty coverage — even in metropolitan areas — it’s a wonder why people would volunteer to sign away two years of their lives on service that borders on barely functional. We don’t want to destroy the network that powers our iDevices. But unless AT&T shapes up soon, we’ll have no choice but to crush it into a state of infinite mass and density for its own good. Think of it as the cellular equivalent of the ending of Old Yeller.

Top image: Artist’s rendering of a black hole. Courtesy NASA
.

What gadgets would you throw into a black hole? Enter your nominations below, and vote on other readers’ suggestions right here. We’ve primed the pump with a few gadgets that didn’t make it into our top 10 list, mostly because the G-Lab crew didn’t all agree that they sucked. NOTE: Voting “up” means that yes, you agree it is a gadget and should be thrown into a black hole.

Show gadgets that are: hot | new | top-rated or submit your own prediction

Submit a gadget

While you can submit as many gadgets as you want, you can only submit one every 30 minutes. No HTML allowed.

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Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 24 Jul 2009 | 7:36 pm

Rare pink katydid found in Ohio

A woman from Mansfield, Ohio, says she came across a rare pink katydid while trekking through the Killdeer Plains Wildlife Area.Mansfield resident Jan Kennedy said finding the pink cricket-like creature, which are typically green, in Wyandot County, Ohio, was a unique treat, The Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch said Friday.It was like finding a new toy, Kennedy said of the katydid, which she affectionately named Pinky.
Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 24 Jul 2009 | 7:35 pm

Top Online Replacement Parts Provider Reaches New Sales Benchmark; Partsearch Technologies Sells 5 Millionth Part

NEW YORK, July 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Partsearch Technologies, the nation's leading Internet retailer of replacement parts for consumer electronics, appliances, computers and other household products, announces the sale of its 5 millionth replacement part.
Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 24 Jul 2009 | 7:33 pm

10 Gadgets We'd Like to Throw Into a Black Hole

Some gadgets are so bad, so infuriating and so poorly designed, there's no better fate for them than throwing them into the infinite density of a black hole. Wired.com lists 10 gadgets we'd send beyond the event horizon ... and invites your nominations.

Source: Wired: Gadgets | 24 Jul 2009 | 7:30 pm

WATCH: Why Do We Get Sunburns?

Before heading to the beach this weekend, find out why we get sunburns.
Source: Discovery News Top Stories : Discovery Channel | 24 Jul 2009 | 7:30 pm

SLIDE SHOW: This Week's Top Stories

Take a look at this week's top stories in the Discovery News Flashback Slide Show.
Source: Discovery News Top Stories : Discovery Channel | 24 Jul 2009 | 7:30 pm

10 Gadgets We'd Like to Throw Into a Black Hole

Some gadgets are so bad, so infuriating and so poorly designed, there's no better fate for them than throwing them into the infinite density of a black hole. Wired.com lists 10 gadgets we'd send beyond the event horizon ... and invites your nominations.

Source: Wired Top Stories | 24 Jul 2009 | 7:30 pm

Motorola launches MOTODEV studio for Android developers

Motorola really wants you to develop for Android handsets. More specifically, they really want you to develop for Motorola-made Android handsets. That’s why they’ve launched MOTODEV, an Android development resource for crackin’ out apps purposed for Motorola handsets.

It’s a two-part initiative, one seemingly a bit more exclusive than the other. If you can get into Motorola’s “App Accelerator Program”, they’ll set you up with early access to the tools and specs, pre-release handsets (for testing purposes), direct private access to Motorola’s Android crew, and some level of assistance in marketing your app. You’ll presumably have to prove you’re up to snuff - and, unless Moto is feelin’ lucky, sign an NDA.

The other, more accessible half of the program is the release of MOTODEV Studio, a development environment specifically tuned for development on Moto Android handsets.

Of course, this is all a bit null until Motorola actually releases an Android handset - but headstarts are always welcome. Plus, it gave Motorola a reason to draw a bunch of sweet-ass Android graphics like the ones above, not to mention this next one:

For more information on anything related to Motorola/Android dev, check out http://developer.motorola.com/

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

Source: MobileCrunch | 24 Jul 2009 | 7:28 pm

Creating Wikis for the Classroom

Online sessions help teachers infuse learning with technologyRESTON, Va., July 24 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Every day, more teachers discover that using technology can stimulate students' thinking and help them grasp complicated subjects. One of the most flexible and capable tools is the wiki, a technology that makes it easy to create online multimedia collaborations among teachers and students. (The wiki best known to the general public is probably Wikipedia, the encyclopedia created by user input, but wikis are used for many other purposes.)On July 28 and 30, a two-part online event will help teachers learn how to create and use wikis in their classrooms. The "Guided Wiki Walk" will be an interactive exploration of existing educational wikis, along with hands-on practice in making customized wikis for participants' own classes. The Wiki Walk is the next in the OK2Ask series of professional development "snack sessions" provided at no cost to teachers by nonprofit TeachersFirst.com. See an FAQ for OK2Ask at http://www.teachersfirst.com/ok2ask.cfm. The Wiki Walk will happen in two parts so teachers can use the intervening time to practice their wiki skills. Information on the Wiki Walk and other OK2Ask events is available -- in a wiki, of course -- at http://teachersfirst.wikispaces.com/OK2Ask. Because attendance at the "live" sessions is limited by technical considerations, teachers who do not participate live can view recorded versions of the sessions, available from the same web page shortly after the conclusion of each live event. Innovative exampleA number of teachers are already taking advantage of wikis' power and ease of use. One example: Louise Maine is a high school biology teacher who has made a novel wiki the hub for her classes. Like a standard web page, it contains administrative, scheduling, and resource information, but there's much more. On http://mrsmaineswiki.wikispaces.com/Cells Ms. Maine has created "Cell-vivor," a game based on the TV reality show. In the game, students advocate for one portion of a cell's structure, each using a video recording to present reasons why his or her part is so important it shouldn't be "voted off the island." The result is an involving, intriguing way to learn the basics of cell biology. Ms. Maine will lend her experience to the OK2Ask session as co-moderator.It IS okay to ask
Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 24 Jul 2009 | 7:12 pm

Nokia Buys Assets of Social Startup Cellity (PC World)

PC World - Nokia has agreed to acquire certain assets of Cellity, a 14-person German startup with a mobile social-networking service that will now be shut down at the end of September.
Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 24 Jul 2009 | 7:10 pm

Are Ants More Rational Than Humans?

University researchers suggest that ants can accomplish a task more rationally than humans.However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that people are "stupider" than ants, according to the research teams from Arizona State University and Princeton University.Study leaders Stephen Pratt and Susan Edwards say that humans and animals simply often make irrational choices when faced with very challenging decisions.Pratt wrote in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society: Biological Sciences that this paradoxical outcome is based on apparent constraint, as most individual ants know of only a single option, and the colony's collective choice self-organizes from interactions among many poorly-informed ants.The researchers studied the process of nest selection in the ant, Temnothorax curvispinosus – a type of ant that establishes colonies in cavities as small as an acorn and are skillful in finding new places to roost.
Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 24 Jul 2009 | 7:03 pm

Jewelry that spells out its function, literally

Jewelry for people who don't know their cufflinks from their earrings.

Chao & Eero [via Moco Loco]

Source: Boing Boing Gadgets | 24 Jul 2009 | 7:03 pm

Get Me Rewrite: Microsoft Alters Laptop Hunter Ads - PC World

GadgetCrave.com

Get Me Rewrite: Microsoft Alters Laptop Hunter Ads PC World Microsoft Chief Operating Officer Kevin Turner may have done "cartwheels down the hallway" when Apple called him to complain about the Redmond, Wash.-based company's "Laptop Hunters" campaign. But he must have cartwheeled past Microsoft's legal ... Apple Grabs 91% Share of PCs Costing $1000 or MoreThe Mac Observer Microsoft airbrushes anti-Apple adRegister Ad Flap: Apple Freaks, Microsoft TweaksWall Street Journal ZDNet Blogs -Tom's Hardware Guide -CNET News all 112 news articles »

Source: Sci/Tech - Google News | 24 Jul 2009 | 7:02 pm

Morrisey Associates: Patent Claim Has No Merit

CHICAGO, July 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Morrisey Associates, the company that has been a leader in credentialing software since 1993, is preparing a response to a federal court claim that it is infringing a patent with its widely utilized MSOW(TM) product."We believe there is no patent infringement and this claim has no merit.
Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 24 Jul 2009 | 7:02 pm

Gadgetell Guide: How to save time by paying your bills online

Section: Web, Websites, Features, How To

With today’s hectic schedules, there is less and less time for us to do the important things and still have time for fun.  Most of us are also trying to fit more stuff into less space.  One way to get back some time for yourself and eliminate piles of papers is to start paying your bills online.  You’ll have less paper to handle and you won’t have to worry about writing checks, addressing envelopes, or having enough stamps.  So, how do you begin?

Step 1: Assess your bills

First, you should make an assessment of the bills you currently receive and pay.  Once you have a picture of who your service providers and companies are, you should check out their websites to see if any of them offer a recurring or autopayment option.  In the alternative, you can go to your bank’s website and see if they have a bill pay feature.  Nowadays, most banks have such a service, though some do charge a fee for it.  Some banks make use of an eBill (electronic bill) system, which sends an electronic version of your full bill to your bank, thereby eliminating your paper bills. 

Step 2: Set reminders

After setting up your recurring payments and/or bank bill pay, go ahead and set reminders in your calendar to check that your payments are going through and to look over your statements for any unusual fees or charges. 

Step 3: Belt and suspenders

If you like having records of your bills offline, you can usually download your eBill or your statements from your service provider or company or to your computer.  Simply set up a folder for each provider and company, just like you would in a paper-based file cabinet.  This step is not for everyone, but it’s good for those who like the belt and suspenders approach.

Bonus tip: Pay for necessities and get rewards

When looking at your options for online payments via a specific provider or company’s website, you should assess the rewards program for each of your credit cards - you may be able to rack up those points, miles, or cash back just by paying your monthly bills.  As an example, my heating oil company has a credit card payment option at its website, so, I used my Discover Card each time I had to pay for an oil delivery.  By doing so, I kept the funds in my interest-bearing checking account an extra month, while also quickly increasing my Discover cashback bonus.

The bottom line

If you are still unsure whether you want to make the switch, whether your bank offers bill pay, or just how much time you’ll save - check out eBillPlace.com, which has savings calculators, bill pay demos, and a bank bill pay service search.  Remember, if you’re just starting to switch to online bill payments, your initial setup time may be at least an hour or more, but once you’ve got the system going, the time you spend each month paying bills will be dramatically reduced - in other words, you’ll have more time to enjoy life.

See: [eBill Place]

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

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Source: Gadgetell | 24 Jul 2009 | 7:00 pm

'Wii Sports Resort' -- Master of the Minigame

Game|Life reviews Wii Sports Resort, Nintendo’s fun new collection of motion-controlled sports games for Wii.

Source: Wired Top Stories | 24 Jul 2009 | 7:00 pm

Keni Lee Burgess plays ""Judge Harsh Blues" on cigar box guitar

Keni Lee Burgess plays Furry Lewis' "Judge Harsh Blues" on his 3-string cigar box guitar.


Source: Boing Boing | 24 Jul 2009 | 6:51 pm

Coffee table with a built-in firepit

Planika, a European furniture company that specializes in fancy fire pits, sells coffee tables that have built-in fire pits, so you can sit around a cozy flame without being out in the cold. You could also think of it as a fireplace alternative. This one's called Groundfloor, and there's no price listed on the product page, but I'm assuming it's probably pretty expensive.

Planika [via NotCot]

Source: Boing Boing Gadgets | 24 Jul 2009 | 6:41 pm

Court Approves Ritz Camera CEO's Purchase of Company Assets

BELTSVILLE, Md., July 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Ritz Camera announced today that the bankruptcy court has approved CEO David Ritz's purchase of the assets of Ritz Camera Centers from the bankruptcy estate.
Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 24 Jul 2009 | 6:39 pm

Rumor: 10-Inch Apple Tablet Landing in Early 2010

Yet another rumor about Apple’s fabled touchscreen tablet has emerged, with sources claiming the product will hit stores in early 2010.

In its report, AppleInsider cites “people well-respected … for their striking accuracy in Apple’s internal affairs,” who claim a 10-inch, 3G-enabled tablet will turn up between January and March.

AppleInsider’s article conflicts with a rumor report posted by TheStreet’s Scott Moritz earlier this week, which stated an Apple tablet was due as soon as October this year. Moritz’s report also said the tablet would be subsidized by Verizon.

Wired.com has more faith in AppleInsider’s report, because a 2010 launch of this product would be more realistic. It’s unlikely Apple would release a tablet in October 2009, because it would cannibalize sales of MacBooks during back-to-school season — when MacBooks tend to sell very well. Plus, Apple recently slashed MacBook prices, and the company would aim to capitalize on the move during back-to-school season without introducing a competitor into its own product line. Third, many rumor reports suggest a new iPod Touch is due in stores fall, and a tablet would likely cannibalize on sales of this product, too.

A January to March time frame would be a much wiser move for Apple. That’s because the Consumer Electronics Show — the largest technology convention in the United States — takes place January. Apple does not plan to attend the Macworld Expo trade show, also in January, nor does it plan to attend CES. So a tablet timed for a January announcement would be the perfect way for Apple to steal thunder from other tech companies showing off new gear at CES.

Also, Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster laid out strong reasoning to believe an Apple tablet is arriving 2010:

“Between indications from our component contacts in Asia, recent patents relating to multi-touch sensitivity for more complex computing devices, comments from [chief operating officer] Tim Cook on the April 22 conference call, and Apple’s acquisition of PA Semi along with other recent chip-related hires, it is increasingly clear that Apple is investing more in its mobile-computing franchise,” Munster said in a research statement issued to clients in May.

Lastly, we’re more skeptical about TheStreet’s October prediction given Moritz’s track record, which is notoriously spotty when it comes to Apple rumors. For example, in May, Moritz wrote a story titled “Tech Rumor of the Day: Apple,” which quoted an analyst who predicted AT&T would reduce prices for the iPhone’s monthly service plan. Not only did that not turn out to be true; it wasn’t a rumor at all — just a prediction from an analyst.

Regardless, given the number of rumors floating around, and reports that Apple’s component suppliers in China are receiving orders for parts to build a tablet, an Apple tablet almost seems inevitable. With AppleInsider’s report, we’re placing more chips in the betting circle for a 2010 launch of this device.

See Also:

• Rumor: $800 Apple Tablet Coming in October
• Analyst Predicts Apple Will Unleash Touchscreen Tablet Next Year …
• Large-Screen Kindle Won’t Mean Squat if Apple Tablet Arrives …
• Rumor: Mac Tablet Coming Fall 2009
• Apple COO Reveals Plans for Touch Tablet — Kinda
• Rumor: Apple to Launch MacBook Touch?

Parody, mock-up illustration of an Apple tablet: Andy on Flickr/Flickr

Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 24 Jul 2009 | 6:38 pm

Efficient Electric Bikes Turn Heads In Japan

Industry members in Japan are seeking to capitalize on Japan’s green craze with electric bicycles.Motorcycle makers have seen sales of motor-assisted bicycles increase drastically in recent years.
Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 24 Jul 2009 | 6:31 pm

Study: Iberian Peninsula rainfall to drop

Decades of study suggest a significant decline in rainfall over the Iberian Peninsula in coming years, especially in spring and summer, Spanish scientists said. Researchers from the Pyrenean Institute of Ecology, Saragossa, Spain, based their climate projections on rainfall data taken from 1950 to 2006 and climate change models for the years 2040 to 2060. The data suggests less rainfall over the peninsula, which includes Spain, Portugal, Andorra, Gibraltar and a small area of France, with precipitation more frequent in winter than in spring or summer, Juan Ignacio Lopez-Moreno, the author's study, said in a release Thursday. The research, published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, showed that precipitation in March on the peninsula fell by 8 percent from 1950 to 2002, and increased by 3 percent in April and May during the same period.
Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 24 Jul 2009 | 6:29 pm

CCHS Announces New Digital, On-Demand Fulfillment Process to Eliminate Pre-Printed Inventory and Produce Highly-Targeted Client Materials

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., July 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Cross Country Home Services, Inc.
Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 24 Jul 2009 | 6:29 pm

Samsung confirms it’s working on a Tegra phone

We’ve gotta admit it: we’re pretty dang excited about Nvidia’s Tegra chipset. 720p video pumped out of our handsets? Yes please. Gorgeous graphics on the go? Hardware accelerated Flash? Android support? Yes, yes, and yes. All of this, and the battery requirements are better than what’s in most phones? Oh, hells yes. If Nvidia manages to meet all their promises, mobile handsets are about to get straight ridiculous.

Of course, the best chipset in the world is nothing without handsets built around it. When we interviewed Nvidia last month, they confirmed that a Tegra phone was on the way by the fourth quarter of 2009. While they did offer up a possible price point ($199), they wouldn’t shine any light on who might be making it. Fortunately, someone else has spoken up.

Earlier today, a Samsung representative confirmed to LAPTOP Magazine that the company was cracking away at a Tegra device. While no one can say for sure that Samsung will be the hands behind the aforementioned $200 Tegra phone, it’s a pretty safe bet. Samsung pushes out an estimated 78 billion different handset models each year - if anyone can work with a new chipset on the cheap, it’s them.

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

Source: MobileCrunch | 24 Jul 2009 | 6:21 pm

Ellie Frazetta, R.I.P.

Sad news: Ellie Frazetta, the wife, muse, and model for Frank Frazetta, recently passed away.

The following comment at Golden Age Comic Book Stories is amazing:

On Saturday the 18th, me, my wife and my mother-in-law were in East Stroudsburg, PA, on vacation from San Diego, CA for the purpose of visiting the Frazetta Museum. When we got there, we met another couple also there for that purpose, who broke the terrible news to us. While standing there talking, Frank Frazetta himself came out of his house, and insisted on showing us the museum, while waving away our condolences. However, he could not find the key, so he then invited us into his home! We were in Frazetta's livingroom/studio, talking to The Master, and to his son, for more than an hour or so. It is a very good thing to know that someone who's been your hero for all your life is truly a gracious, down to earth, humble and generous person in real life. Our hearts, thoughts and prayers go out to him, his family and friends. Thanks also to you for the posting of so much of his work, and this post in particular, of his beloved and beautiful wife, Ellie.

Ellie Frazetta, R.I.P.

Source: Boing Boing | 24 Jul 2009 | 6:20 pm

Microsoft Announces Windows 7 Neelie Kroes Edition [Digital Daily]

Despite all its threats and protestations, Microsoft has finally capitulated to the European Commission’s demand that it bundle rival Web browsers along with Internet Explorer in Windows 7.

“Microsoft has proposed a consumer ballot screen as a solution to the pending antitrust case,” the Commission said in a press release. “The proposal recognizes the principle that consumers should be given a free and effective choice of Web browser, and sets out a means–the ballot screen–by which Microsoft believes that can be achieved.”

Microsoft (MSFT), for its part, described the move as “a big step forward in addressing a decade of legal issues and would be good news for European consumers and our partners in the industry.”

Below, the EC’s statement in full.

PREVIOUSLY:

• Brussels Palace of Justice Apparently Has Only Single Courtroom
• Great Move, EC. Now We Have to Download IE Ourselves…
• If Windows Didn’t Ship With IE, How Would You Download Firefox?
• Microsoft’s Browser Move to Make Windows Even More Annoying
• European Commission Announces Microsoft Antitrust Fine Ultimate Edition™

MEMO/09/352

Brussels, 24th July 2009

Antitrust: Commission welcomes new Microsoft proposals on Microsoft Internet Explorer and Interoperability

The European Commission can confirm that Microsoft has proposed a consumer ballot screen as a solution to the pending antitrust case about the tying of Microsoft Internet Explorer web browser with Windows. This followed extensive discussions with the Commission which centred on a remedy outlined in the January 2009 Statement of Objections (see MEMO/09/15) whereby consumers would be shown a “ballot screen” from which they could–if they wished–easily install competing web browsers, set one of those browsers as a default, and disable Internet Explorer. Under the proposal, Windows 7 would include Internet Explorer, but the proposal recognises the principle that consumers should be given a free and effective choice of web browser, and sets out a means–the ballot screen–by which Microsoft believes that can be achieved. In addition OEMs would be able to install competing web browsers, set those as default and disable Internet Explorer should they so wish. The Commission welcomes this proposal, and will now investigate its practical effectiveness in terms of ensuring genuine consumer choice.

As the Commission indicated in June (see MEMO/09/272 ), the Commission was concerned that, should Microsoft’s conduct prove to have been abusive, Microsoft’s intention to separate Internet Explorer from Windows, without measures such as a ballot screen, would not necessarily have achieved greater consumer choice in practice and would not have been an effective remedy.

Microsoft has also made proposals in relation to disclosures of interoperability information that would improve the interoperability between third party products and Windows and Windows Server. Again, these proposals require further investigation before the Commission reaches any conclusion as to the next steps.

Microsoft’s proposals will be published in full on its website.

The Commission has no further comment at this stage.

Source: All Things Digital | 24 Jul 2009 | 6:14 pm

First Giant Panda Born From Frozen Sperm In China

Chinese officials announced on Friday the first successful birth of a panda cub from artificial insemination using frozen sperm, The Associated Press reported.Experts say the birth may provide a new option for the endangered species, which is known to have fertility difficulties.The Wolong Giant Panda Research Center in southwestern Sichuan celebrated the birth of 11-year-old You You’s (pronounced Yo Yo) third cub on Thursday morning.
Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 24 Jul 2009 | 6:05 pm

Glass Lewis Recommends Tollgrade Shareholders Vote the White Proxy Card in Support of All Tollgrade Board Nominees

Excerpts of Glass Lewis' Proxy AnalysisOn Ramius' claims that the Tollgrade Board needs additional changes:". . . [W]e do not believe that the dissident has successfully shown that the Board requires new outside representation at this time."On the Tollgrade Board's proactive moves to reposition the Company:". . . [W]e believe that the Tollgrade Board of Directors has acted proactively to help turn around the Company over the past two years. The Board has appointed new executive leadership and conducted a thorough strategic review process which resulted in the existing standalone operating strategy." On the Tollgrade Board's appointment of distinguished telecom industry veterans Charles E. Hoffman and Edward H. Kennedy to serve as its newest independent directors:". . . [t]he Board will likely benefit from the participation of the Company's nominees given their industry experience."On Tollgrade's stock price performance:". . . [T]hough Tollgrade's share price has declined it would be difficult to conclude that the Company's share price has significantly underperformed.""We note that the Company's share price has performed well since the appointment of Mr. Ferrara as CEO in 2007 and since the announcement of the Company's strategic review and new business strategy.""Notably, Tollgrade's share price has outperformed its peer indices under the tenure of Mr. Ferrara.""Further, from the time of the announcement of the Company's new strategic plan in October 2008 through July 17, 2009, Tollgrade's stock has increased 45.7% while the Company peer index increased just 4.1%.""We are very pleased that a well-respected, independent third party such as Glass Lewis has carefully reviewed the voting alternatives and recommends that shareholders vote for all of Tollgrade's director nominees," said Joseph A. Ferrara, Tollgrade's Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President. "We are also gratified that Glass Lewis recognizes how proactive the Tollgrade Board has been in repositioning and transforming the Company. Given the substantial progress that Tollgrade has been achieving in effecting its transformation, it is unfortunate that Ramius seems steadfastly committed to continuing a distracting, disruptive and costly proxy contest that only serves to interfere with the progress we are making."Tollgrade urges all shareholders vote for their Board's highly qualified nominees on the WHITE proxy card TODAY -- by telephone, Internet, or by signing, dating and returning the WHITE proxy card. Shareholders that need assistance in voting their shares or have any questions are urged to call the company's proxy solicitor, The Altman Group, Inc., Toll-Free at (866) 340-6685 or (201) 806-7300.Important InformationIn connection with the solicitation of proxies, Tollgrade Communications, Inc. has filed with the SEC and mailed to shareholders on or about June 22, 2009 a definitive proxy statement in connection with its 2009 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. A supplement to this proxy statement was filed with the SEC and mailed to shareholders on or about July 7, 2009 and it amends, supplements and, to the extent inconsistent, supersedes the corresponding information previously sent to the shareholders of Tollgrade. Tollgrade, its directors, nominees for director and certain officers, employees and other persons are deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from shareholders in connection with the 2009 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. Information regarding the interests of such participants is included in the definitive proxy statement, the supplement thereto and other relevant documents filed and to be filed by Tollgrade with the SEC in connection with the proxy solicitation. WE URGE INVESTORS TO READ THE DEFINITIVE PROXY STATEMENT (INCLUDING ANY SUPPLEMENTS THERETO) AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS THAT TOLLGRADE WILL FILE WITH THE SEC WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. Shareholders will be able to obtain, free of charge, copies of the definitive proxy statement, the supplement thereto and any other documents filed by Tollgrade with the SEC in connection with the proxy solicitation at the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov and Tollgrade's website at http://www.tollgrade.com.About TollgradeTollgrade Communications, Inc. is a leading provider of network service assurance products and services for centralized test systems around the world. Tollgrade designs, engineers, markets and supports centralized test systems, test access and next generation network assurance technologies. Tollgrade's customers range from the top telecom providers, to numerous independent telecom and broadband providers around the world. Tollgrade's network testing, measurement and monitoring solutions support the infrastructure of telecom companies, as well as for power distribution companies. For more information, visit Tollgrade's web site at www.tollgrade.com.Forward-Looking Statements
Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 24 Jul 2009 | 6:04 pm

Microsoft Tweaks Laptop Hunter Ads [Digital Daily]

Source: All Things Digital | 24 Jul 2009 | 6:00 pm

Strange Science? There's an App for That

Wired Science shares its collection of especially weird iPhone science apps.

Source: Wired: Gadgets | 24 Jul 2009 | 6:00 pm

Hybrid Meets Hypermiling in Impressive Ford Fusion

Ford's newest hybrid sedan gets good gas mileage without compromising too much on driveability. As a bonus, its panoply of gadgets makes hypermiling fun.

Source: Wired: Gadgets | 24 Jul 2009 | 6:00 pm

Strange Science? There's an App for That

Wired Science shares its collection of especially weird iPhone science apps.

Source: Wired Top Stories | 24 Jul 2009 | 6:00 pm

Reinvent Yourself Online!

Want to leave that hard-partying persona behind and promote a more professional image? Wired's How-to Wiki shows you how to reinvent yourself online.

Source: Wired Top Stories | 24 Jul 2009 | 6:00 pm

BLOG: Six Animals That Could Save Your Life

These six animals can help control disease-transmitting insects.
Source: Discovery News Top Stories : Discovery Channel | 24 Jul 2009 | 6:00 pm

Samsung T659 gets shot

In the weeks after that big ol’ T-Mobile launch list leaked back in April, details and photos emerged of just about every handset mentioned. One, however managed to stay off the radar: the Samsung T659, otherwise known as “Scarlet”. Of course, we’re talking about Samsung here, and Samsung phones just don’t get announced without leaking first, and the Scarlet is no exception.

CellPhoneSignal has unearthed a pair of pictures of this seemingly blasé bit of kit. It’s about as smart as dumpphones get, but don’t expect much outside of the basics (3G, 2MP Camera, microSD, and Bluetooth with EDR).

One more shot after the jump.

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

Source: MobileCrunch | 24 Jul 2009 | 5:50 pm

Netflix: Defenders Rush in After Disappointing Forecast [Voices]

By Tiernan Ray, Blogger, Barron’s, Tech Trader Daily

Netflix (NFLX) shares are plunging this morning after the company last night reported Q2 revenue in line with estimates and profit per share better-than-expected, and forecast the rest of the year to be about in line with estimates.

Apparently, just meeting estimates is not good enough with a stock that was trading at a multiple of 26 times this year’s earnings at last night’s close.

Sales rose 21 percent in Q2, Netflix said, to $408.5 million, up four percent from the prior quarter, and profit per share rose to 54 cents. That compares to estimates of $409.72 and 50 cents.

Read the rest of this post on the original site

Source: All Things Digital | 24 Jul 2009 | 5:50 pm

Palm Pre Customers Apparently as Constrained as Palm Pre Supply [Updated] [Digital Daily]

“We still have a backlog of subscribers but it’s not unmanageable and we get shipments every week. We’ll be short for a while but we’re catching up.”

– Sprint Nextel CFO Bob Brust, June 24, 2009

[This post was updated at 12:36 with comment from Sprint.]

Sprint best step up its marketing efforts for the Pre because according to Pali Research, demand for Palm’s new device is slowing, and quickly.

During the week ending June 26, Pali estimates that Sprint sold 50,000-60,000 Pre handsets. In the weeks that followed, Sprint sold “less than 40,000,” and then, “over 30,000”–again, according to Pali. Now the research outfit says Pre sales have declined by another 5,000 units.

“We really aren’t sure what Sprint is waiting for in stepping up the ad campaign but Palm Pre sales have continued to slow over the past two weeks and we believe Sprint is currently selling roughly 25,000 per week, down from over 30,000 two weeks ago and over 50,000 in late June,” Pali analyst Walter Piecyk said in a research note this morning. “Advertising could increase in the coming weeks but we are headed into August and there is a new BlackBerry now vying for the attention of wireless customers.”

And don’t forget that $99 Apple iPhone 3G.

Piecyk concludes by suggesting that Sprint (S), by failing to market the hell out of the Pre, is fumbling the best opportunity to come its way in a while.

“Slowing sales cannot be helping CEO Dan Hesse’s ability to extend the exclusive period for the Pre as Palm (PALM) likely views a Verizon launch as something that could materially stimulate sales,” Piecyk said.

“Hesse has never been one to resort to price cuts but we wonder if dropping the Pre to $99 could reignite sales,” the analyst continued. “…Sprint’s future is certainly not tied to the Pre but this is a great product that could highlight their data network. We believe they are squandering this opportunity over the past few weeks. Sprint is still not in a strong enough position to let good opportunities pass them by.”

And what does Sprint think of that assessment? Not much. Reached for comment, a spokesperson told me: “we are very pleased with the performance of the Pre and the excitement it’s drawn; we are selling all the quantities that are being delivered to us and we are ramping up advertising this month — did you see the full-page ads this week comparing the value and performance of the Pre to the iPhone? — and we are expanding availability of the handset at Best Buy, Radio Shack and online, with future expansion of availability planned. As Dan Hesse noted in California today, it takes a number of months — through a whole ramped-up sales cycle — to determine the real performance of a handset in the marketplace. Folks like to speculate and toss around ideas on the internet all the time, but the truth is Sprint is very happy with how the Pre is doing.”

Source: All Things Digital | 24 Jul 2009 | 5:40 pm

Did You Lose Followers Today? [Voices]

By Andrew LaVallee, Reporter, The Wall Street Journal

Twitter said Thursday that changes it is making to reduce spam accounts and resolve “data inconsistencies” will decrease follower numbers for some users.

“No legitimate followings should be affected,” it said in a post on its status account.

Hardcore Twitter users pay close attention to their follower counts. Some say it matters–others don’t.

The news has lots of people talking on the microblogging service, as the phrase “spammers perish” and “how many followers” ascend the trends ranking.

Read the rest of this post on the original site

Source: All Things Digital | 24 Jul 2009 | 5:32 pm

Google Launches Latitude Web App for iPhone

The new Google Maps feature Latitude, which debuted six months ago for several smartphones, has arrived for the iPhone. Well, sort of. It’s a web application made to work with the handset, rather than a downloadable, native app.

Wired.com covered Latitude in February, but here’s a quick recap of how it works: Google users have to opt in to use the Latitude feature and invite friends to join. Then, you and your Latitude-connected buddies can view each other’s locations on a map, denoted by personalized icons. That way, you can spot buddies nearby and send them a text, e-mail or IM to meet up.

Because Latitude is a web app, iPhone users must access the feature by visiting http://google.com/latitude in their Safari browsers. From there, they can create a shortcut to the web app on their Home screen by tapping the + icon, then selecting “Add to Home Screen” and “Add.”

The downside of Latitude for iPhone: It can’t run in the background. So each time you close the Safari app to open your e-mail, for example, you lose connection to the service. So much for real-time stalking your exes.

Google Latitude. Now for iPhone. [The Official Google Mobile Blog]

See Also:

• Google Latitude Broadcasts Your Location
• Google Latitude to Cops: ‘I Don’t Remember’
• Google Latitude Makes It Easy To Stalk Friends

Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 24 Jul 2009 | 5:24 pm

Five Roman-Era Shipwrecks Found Off Italy

A graveyard of five ancient Roman shipwrecks are discovered off Italy's coast.
Source: Discovery News Top Stories : Discovery Channel | 24 Jul 2009 | 5:20 pm

Latest trailer and screenshots of the Dexter iPhone game

I’m beginning to think that this game won’t ever come out. I mean, it’s been more than a year since it was first announced. Anyhoots, here are the latest screenshots and trailer for the upcoming iPhone game from Marc Ecko Entertainment. It’s slated for a late summer release with three additional episodes to follow shortly after. Oh, and there’s an official Dexter iPhone case coming from Speck, too.

Story
Dexter is the killer 3D iPhone game based on the hit Showtime original series. Dexter Morgan, a charming blood spatter analyst for the Miami Metro Police Department, is leading a double life. While helping the Homicide division solve murders, he has a tendency to take the justice system into his own hands: stalking and murdering the guilty.

In the game, help Dexter serve justice and protect his identity while testing your investigative skills. Use stealth tactics to trap your prey, analyze crime scenes, uncover evidence, and choose which brand of justice best suits the situation: the courts or the Dark Passenger. The outcome of every choice and action revolves around the Code of Harry: only kill the guilty, maintain the Mask, and, above all, don’t get caught!

Features
• Based on the first season of the Showtime Emmy Award-winning TV series, Dexter
• Move Dexter in a variety of ways: tilting the iPhone or use the on screen virtual joystick(s)
• Gather evidence, dig up fresh graves, and use Dexter’s forensic expertise with on-screen touch buttons to determine the guilt of his targets
• Interact with other characters and choose Dexter’s responses to their dialogue while maintaining his cover as displayed by the “Mask” meter
• Call the shots as Dexter to decide how to punish criminals: the courts or the “Dark Passenger’
• “Slash” by following the “cut” directions on screen to deliver the final blow to Dexter’s victims
• A variety of forensic-style mini games, including “blood splatter” puzzles
• First cutting edge “PSP-caliber” graphics of its kind to be seen on an iPhone
• Scripted by one of the show’s writers, Timothy Schlattmann
• Voiced by Michael C. Hall himself, the star of Dexter

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

Source: MobileCrunch | 24 Jul 2009 | 5:03 pm

Who’s on Crack in Tech: 7.24.09

Section: Apple, Audio, Portable Audio, Communications, Cellular Providers, Computers, Features, Originals, Columns, Who's On Crack

Another week, another round up of ideas that could use some time in a facility upstate.  This week, we’ll look at the craziness brought about thanks to: RadioShack, Barnes & Noble, Apple forces Google to go web app, and MS up APPL down.

RadioShack dreams big

RadioShack just announced that T-Mobile will be added to their stable of phone carriers they “handle”.  Our Iyaz wrote:
“Radio Shack has already stocked Alltell, AT&T, Nextel, and Sprint phones.  That only leaves Verizon out as the last major player not to be at Radio Shack.  Both T-Mobile and Radio Shack are promoting this deal saying that they will offer phones like the new myTouch 3G with Google and their ‘hottest exclusive T-Mobile handsets’ so don’t expect old clunkers at Radio Shack.”

Couple this news with the bit that leaked out yesterday from the Tour de France, RadioShack will sponsor Lance Armstrong’s team in 2010 and you get an interesting picture of what RadioShack thinks about themselves.  They are swinging big here and they’ve got over 4,000 stores in the US and PR.  But does their image of themselves match what we see?

From the far-too-loud ding-dong that I trip walking into the store, I feel like I am being assaulted.  Our local Shack is rather narrow, so there is nowhere to hide.  Browsing feels frowned upon, as if you need a reason to come and gaze at some connectors or power adapters.  Instead of a shopping experience, I get to feel how a deer feels in a big, wide open field.  Maybe the Shack, in their quest to become the mini-Best Buy, is going to change some of that, too?

Just how big is the ebook market?

That is the question Barnes and Noble looks to answer with their partnership with Plastic Logic on their new eReader.  With the Kindle fully in their sights, Barnes and Noble (B&N) hopes to leverage their billion or so (it seems) brick and mortar stores into a stab for eReaders.  Expected at a lower price, it could mean trouble for the Kindle.

Could the masses latch onto ebooks in a way the Kindle might have if it were priced $200 less?  Could a $99 price point start something big for ebooks?  Or is this niche only getting smaller thanks to both Amazon and B&N offering their ebooks on an ever-increasing number of mobile devices? 

Apple- “Sit Google.  Shake Google, Play dead Google.”

Like many of you, I’ve been waiting for Google’s Latitude to show up for the iPhone.  Yesterday, Google said “here you go: here is what Apple let us do.”  Say what?  Web app?  Apple’s wildly popular App Store says this is a bad move.  What is up with that?

Is Apple fending off a better and better Google Android by snubbing Google here?  Do we iPhone users have to suffer the slings and arrows of Apple’s sour grapes?  Seriously, without constant or even periodic updating Latitude on the iPhone is as helpful as herpes, or so I’ve heard.  Is Apple going to pitch a similar service for MobileMe or include this later in Google Maps (which Apple made)?

I don’t know but it is lame.  I’d like to slide-tackle someone at Apple over this, and I am a damn fine slide-tackler if I do say so myself.

Microsoft down, Apple up.  Simple: Blame the Mac and PC ads.

Mighty Microsoft dropped $3 billion or so, Apple reported their best non-holiday quarter ever (because deep down inside, you know nothing beats a holiday).  A tale of two economies?  Two diverging strategies? Zune vs. iPod?  Surface vs. um, iPod?  Nope.  Mac vs. PC.

That’s right, behold the power of John Hodgeman to at once mock the stodgy Microsoft but also make Justin Long look almost cool.  PC never says he is outmoded and outdated but the message is heard by all.  Why did this resonate with the companies performance?

Simple: HDTV.  TV is only viewed today in high-def on 42” TVs.  Everyone with less fire-power has given up on electronics and they know it.  So, the only TV viewers are affluent folks who get programmed to buy Macs, because nobody wants to be John Hodgeman.  In fact, according to NPD, $9 out of every $10 spent on computers above $1000 are spent on Macs.  Holy cow!  That is a lot of desire not to be John Hodgeman.  Sorry John.

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

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Source: Gadgetell | 24 Jul 2009 | 5:00 pm

Bicycle-mounted mobile phone chargers actually improve Kenyan lives

Two dollars is a princely sum in Kenya. But that’s what people there have to pay to charge their mobile phone at a charging station—sometimes just an old car battery on the side of the road. So, in yet another example of technology actually improving people’s lives (rather than just giving hipsters an opportunity to bump into other hipsters), two students have developed a bicycle-mounted charger. The idea, obviously, is that, as you peddle the bicycle around, your mobile phone’s battery charges.

It takes approximately one hour of peddling to fully charge a mobile phone’s battery. (It usually takes an hour to charge said battery using the side-of-the-road stand, too.) And because it costs nothing to charge, outside of the initial purchase, it should bring the convenience of mobile phone ownership to many more Kenyans.

Not that they need help. In the year 2000, there were 200,000 mobile phones in the country. Today, there’s 17.5 million mobile phones out there, out of a population of 38.5 million.

This device works because bicycles in Kenya are often sold with an attached generator, usually used to power headlights. Rearrange some odds and ends, and the generator then powers the mobile phone battery charger.

So far, only two have been made, but an NGO has put in an order for 15 of them, to see how well they’ll catch on in rural locations.

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

Source: MobileCrunch | 24 Jul 2009 | 4:00 pm

What Happened to the New York Times’s Web Ads? [MediaMemo]

What happened to the New York Times’s Web ads?

Yesterday, the publisher said that overall ad revenue had dropped 30 percent in the last quarter, which wasn’t surprising. But Internet ad revenue dropped 15.5 percent, which was a surprise, since it’s an acceleration from the previous quarter’s loss. What gives?

Times officials have multiple explanations:

1. A lot of the loss comes from our classified ads, which have been vaporized.
2. This year’s numbers don’t look good because last year’s numbers were so great.
3. At least we’re not Yahoo (YHOO)!

Check out this exchange from yesterday’s earnings call between analyst John Janedis, New York Times (NYT) digital boss Martin Nisenholtz and ad boss Denise Warren. Seeking Alpha:

John Janedis–Wells Fargo Securities: Martin, can you just talk a bit more about where you’re seeing on the display side with the news media, did any major customers pull out? And do you think you’re losing share relative to the total industry?

Martin A. Nisenholtz: No, I mean I’ll ask Denise to comment on this specific to The New York Times, but I don’t think we can point to any major losses. I think that her comments about overall volume on the side, on the businesses, is true of the digital side as well. I would point out that, to point to Janet’s [Robinson, NYT CEO] comment about most of the hit, a disproportion of the hit coming in the classifieds area.

Denise Warren: Can I just jump in and remind you again that we had a really, really, really robust quarter overall for nytimes.com last year, but really in the display area? So we are up against really significant comps. That’s just some context that I think is important that you have.

And just based upon what we’ve been seeing in the marketplace comparing to other sites there, we do believe we are taking share in the display marketplace, and we do believe we are performing better than most of our competitors in the display marketplace.

Martin A. Nisenholtz: I mean Yahoo just announced a 14% decline in display. I think, while we’re not breaking out the numbers, I think our display performance overall at nytimes.com and across the News Media Groups was better than that.

All of this sounds right to me (for the record, last year the Times’s Web ads grew 18.3 percent in Q2). But if the Times wants to keep investors optimistic about the company’s prospects, it’s going to need a better pitch than “we’re doing better than Yahoo.”

UPDATE: For a pretty good roadmap of where the Times is headed–more dollars from customers, fewer from advertisers–check out this smart piece from the Columbia Journalism Review. It notes, for instance, that the Times is now making nearly as much from subscribers as from advertisers.

Source: All Things Digital | 24 Jul 2009 | 3:29 pm

ComiCon: Day 1 [Verdict: Nerdywood!]

I've tagged along with Wired for this year's ComicCon. It's my first time. So far so good.

Coming Up: a collection of cosplay interviews...

Source: Boing Boing Gadgets | 24 Jul 2009 | 3:26 pm

Recently on Offworld: Left 4 Dead again, Catan on iPhone, One Man Rock Band

Recently on Offworld we saw a bit more news trickle out of the ongoing Comic-Con, most notably new media and information on Left 4 Dead 2, with a gallery of new screenshots, on-the-floor video of its bayou-terror in action, and a new boss monster, whose get-up serves as a strict warning to everyone: when you dress yourself in the morning, please take note that this outfit could possibly be the one in which you spend eternity as a reanimated corpse. (Note: new star Rochelle understands this, as she shows up in style donning the electroclash Depeche Mode T-shirt above.)

We also saw newly revealed features coming to Q-Games' decidedly old-school inspired PixelJunk Shooter, and a demonstration of its fluid- and thermo-dynamics, and discovered that -- finally! -- an official version of gold star board game Settlers of Catan is being developed for the iPhone.

Finally, we saw Plants Vs. Zombies confirmed for the Xbox 360, Katamari Damacy's King of All Cosmos bringing his aloof and royally pluralized inanity to Twitter (and with it, a fantastic repurpose-able desktop background), and watched what happens when you try to play all four instruments at once as a One Man Rock Band.

And our 'one shot's for the day: gorgeously illustrated Mario deaths, and retro-future Pac-Man/Space Invaders in automotive form.

Source: Boing Boing Gadgets | 24 Jul 2009 | 3:18 pm

comiXology launches Comics app at Comic-Con

Here’s a nifty new app from comiXology for all the comic book geeks to try out on their iPhone. The aptly named Comics app is a digital comic book shop, library and reader for your iPhone and iPod Touch. The following publishers along with Robert Kirkman are onboard:

• AdHouse Books
• Arcana Comics
• Asylum Press
• Bluewater Comics
• Com.X
• Creative Impulse Entertainment
• Digital Webbing
• eigoMANGA
• Evil Twin Comics
• First Salvo
• Image Comics (Active Images, Allred, Kirkman, Wagner, Brunswick, Revel and more)
• Markosia
• Moonstone
• Red 5
• Slave Labor Graphics
• Th3rd World Studios
• Zenescope

Comics is available now for $0.99 from the App Store.

San Diego, CA – July 23, 2009 – Today at Comic-Con International, Iconology Inc. announced the launch of its Comics by comiXology App on the App Store. The Comics by comiXology App is a digital comic store, library and reader for iPhone and iPod touch that is launching with over 100 titles available from twenty popular comic publishers and many independent comic writers.
“The stunning display and innovative multi-touch user interface of iPhone and iPod touch have finally made comics appealing in a digital format,” said David Steinberger, CEO of Iconology, Inc. “By combining great comics with iPhone OS 3.0’s In-App Purchasing and location awareness features we are creating a revolution in the way comics are sold and read which could only happen with iPhone and iPod touch.”
The Comics by comiXology App heralds an entirely new comic book publishing and connected commerce model. With the Comics by comiXology app, comic book enthusiasts can not only read their comics in a format designed to preserve the comic book experience on an iPhone or iPod touch, but also locate and connect with local retailers to purchase the printed version of the titles. Through relationships with comic book retailers, Comics by comiXology will increase both digital and print sales of comics and deliver a powerful mobile marketing tool for comic book publishers and retailers.
Comics by comiXology offers a “guided view” that keeps the entire page of a comic intact, unlike other solutions where the page is cut into individual pictures the user browses like a photo application. Comics by comiXology is a reader app that contains all a user’s comics and offers its own digital comics store that supports multiple publishers.
Among the twenty publishers that have already signed up to deliver their titles through Comics by comiXology are many well-known industry icons including:
• AdHouse Books
• Arcana Comics
• Asylum Press
• Bluewater Comics
• Com.X
• Creative Impulse Entertainment
• Digital Webbing
• eigoMANGA
• Evil Twin Comics
• First Salvo
• Image Comics (Active Images, Allred, Kirkman, Wagner, Brunswick, Revel and more)
• Markosia
• Moonstone
• Red 5
• Slave Labor Graphics
• Th3rd World Studios
• Zenescope
Additionally, popular comics writer Robert Kirkman has agreed to deliver his titles exclusively through Comics by comiXology making it the only place to get “Walking Dead” and “Invincible” for iPhone and iPod touch.

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

Source: MobileCrunch | 24 Jul 2009 | 3:15 pm

Pittsburgh Dpt. of Zombie Disposal

Source: Boing Boing Gadgets | 24 Jul 2009 | 3:12 pm

RIM shut out of Nortel Network wireless auction

Section: Business News, Communications, Cellular Providers

Today, July 24, 2009, is the auction day in New York for Nortel Network’s wireless unit.  Nokia Siemens Networks, Ericsson, and private equity firm MatlinPatterson Global Advisers, are all bidding for Nortel’s wireless assets.  Research in Motion (RIM) had hoped to be part of the auction, but Nortel blocked its $1.1 billion offer based on bid conditions set for all bidders.  By comparison, the bids submitted by the others range from $650 to $730 million.  So, why did RIM’s proposed bid, which is considerably higher than the others, get blocked?

In particular, Nortel said that RIM failed to sign non-disclosure agreements intended to protect Nortel’s wireless intellectual property.  RIM claimed the agreements would have barred it from bidding on other Nortel units for a year, but Nortel has said that RIM could have still made such bids under Nortel’s consent.  RIM is still looking for way to acquire the wireless unit and may voice its objections to the auction process at a hearing on July 28.

Read: [National Post] [Vancouver Sun] and [Reuters]

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

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Source: Gadgetell | 24 Jul 2009 | 3:05 pm

BLOG: Do Clouds Play a Role in Warming?

Clouds have mostly been excluded from climate change models -- until now.
Source: Discovery News Top Stories : Discovery Channel | 24 Jul 2009 | 3:05 pm

First Panda Born From Frozen Sperm

The first panda is born from artificial insemination using frozen sperm.
Source: Discovery News Top Stories : Discovery Channel | 24 Jul 2009 | 3:00 pm

Netbook hackintosh chart updated

New for July: Vostro A90, Toshiba NB200, Asus 1008HA, and updates throughout!

OSX Netbook compatibility chart

Source: Boing Boing Gadgets | 24 Jul 2009 | 2:53 pm

Nokia Buys Social Addressbook Startup Cellity For The Team

German mobile startup Cellity is getting acquired by Nokia. The sale price was not disclosed, but it is not likely to be more than $10 million to $20 million. About a year ago, Vodafone bought Cellity's competitor Zyb for 31.5 million Euros. Nokia didn't actually buy the whole company, only "certain assets" and the team, which is usually code for a fire sale. Cellity had a Series A round of funding in 2007, led by Mangrove Capital Partners.

Source: MobileCrunch | 24 Jul 2009 | 2:15 pm

Messenger Mirror: Head-Mounted Rear-View for Cyclists

The Messenger Mirror is as about as simple as a gadget can get. It’s a small, half-inch glass mirror hanging on the end of a six and a half inch wire. You attach it to your specs or shades and you have instant rear-view, wherever your head might be pointing, at the flick of an eye.

It’s cheap, too, an important part of the design. Bruce, who makes them, came up with the mirror in response to the rather expensive solutions already out there. We like it, especially the simple homemade vibe it gives off. In crazy traffic when you’re speeding between lanes, it’s very handy to know what’s behind you, but not always so safe to turn your head. And bar-end mirrors just look dorky, so the head-mount is certainly our favorite way to go. US only, available now.

Product page [Messenger Mirror via Cyclelicious]

Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 24 Jul 2009 | 2:08 pm

Crippled Google Latitude Web App Spotlights iPhone Fault - PC World

Mobiletor.com

Crippled Google Latitude Web App Spotlights iPhone Fault PC World Google's new Latitude Web app for iPhone is so hamstrung that Apple customers may be wishing they had a BlackBerry or Android handset instead. Why? Because lacking multitasking, Latitude really isn't Latitude. Here's what the free Google Latitude ... Google Launches Latitude Web App for iPhoneWired News Google Latitude for iPhone available to someCNET News Latitude for iPhone shows off iPhone deficiencyZDNet Blogs Mobile Burn -ZDNet -Apple Insider all 109 news articles »

Source: Sci/Tech - Google News | 24 Jul 2009 | 1:57 pm

Garmin nuvifone finally about to ship out (to Taiwan)

Do you remember where you were back on January 30th of 2008? CrunchGear was at a Garmin event in New York City watching the GPS company announce its very own smartphone. Fast forward to today, and the device is finally about to ship. Two devices, actually — the Linux-based nuvifone G60 and the nuvifone M20, which runs Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional.

Don’t bother trying to pick either of the phones up here in the US, though, as they’re just shipping in Asia. The G60 will go on sale in Taiwan on July 27, while the M20 will be available in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia sometime in August.

And what, praytell, does a year and a half of waiting get you?

“The Garmin-Asus nüvifone series is a breakthrough product line that integrates navigation and location based services (LBS) like no other phone in the market today. It is ideal for those seeking an all-in-one, LBS-centric touchscreen phone, mobile web-browser and personal navigator. The nüvifone G60 and M20 have touchscreen displays that feature three primary icons – “Call,” “Search” and “View Map.” Customers can easily scroll through the other icons by swiping their finger across the displays, and a built-in accelerometer allows every screen to be viewed in either portrait or landscape orientation.”

So it’s a cell phone with a web browser, GPS with turn-by-turn directions, and an accelerometer. There’s also a built-in camera that geotags photos.

I’m sure the navigation stuff is top notch and the device itself still does look pretty nice even a year and a half later, but I’m forecasting that Garmin’s going to have a hell of a time selling a ton of these given the amount of similarly-equipped devices on the market. It may be able to find a niche with delivery people and other segments that rely heavily on GPS features, though.

No firm word on pricing yet or when it’ll be coming to the States aside from “the second half of 2009.” Hey, that’s almost now! Or it could be Christmas time. Either one. The G60 will be available here and in Europe, while the M20 will be available just in Europe.

Garmin-Asus nuvifone Available for Purchase in Asia [Press Release]

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

Source: MobileCrunch | 24 Jul 2009 | 1:44 pm

Wake Up! Five Great iPhone Alarm Clocks

The iPhone and iPod Touch, as previously noted, make great alarm clocks. Easy to set with the wheel-driven interface, a range of pleasant or downright nasty sounds and 100% reliability (as long as you haven’t turned the volume down). Just set, toss under your pillow and forget. You can even leave a romantic little note for your better half to read when he or she wakes up.

But like many of Apple’s built-in iPhone applications, it might be too simple. That’s where third party developers step in, adding music, nightstand clocks and more. Here are five of the best.

AlarmTunes

Like all the alarm apps, AlarmTunes (pictured above) needs to be left running to work. You can sleep the display but, unlike Apple’s own app, it can’t run in the background. Once you remember this, AlarmTunes gives all sorts of features. The main one is the setting of music to wake you, like clock-radios of old. You can pick anything from your existing playlists, including podcasts (who wouldn’t want to wake up next to Danny Dumas and the Gadget Lab podcast crew?)

There’s also a sleep mode which will fade out the music, multiple alarms and shake to snooze (a fantastic idea). The only problem is that it is ugly, and in the nightstand mode the screen is a little busy. Still, you’ll hopefully be asleep most of the time so this isn’t a big problem, and it costs just $1.

Product page [iTunes]

Playlist Alarm Clock

Playlist Alarm Clock, another $1 application, goes in the opposite direction: It looks gorgeous but the interface is somewhat clunky, not what you want from an app you use when half asleep at either end of the day.

The retro-digital readout gives the time and tells you what music you are listening to, but when you come to change the settings things get confusing. Again, you can add any playlist or sing from the iPod library, but the options are layed out in a way only an accountant (a wide-awake, caffeine-charged accountant) could love, with buttons all over the place. Also, right now there is no screen dimming and no nightstand mode.

Product page [iTunes]

EasyWakeup

EasyWakeup has two distinguishing features. Its high price ($15) and its auto-detection. You set the tune you want to hear and the target time for waking up and then put the iPhone down on the mattress next to you. As you toss and turn or lay still, the app uses data from the accelerometer to track your sleep phases.

It then uses some algorithms (read: special sauce) to work out the best time to wake you. If the testimonials on the site are anything to go by, you’ll be getting up earlier, more refreshed and will be able to break your intimate relationship with the snooze button.

There are cheaper version which offer a bewildering range of subsets of the main app’s functions, but it’ll send you to sleep studying them. Stick with the pro, or go elsewhere.

Product page [iTunes]

MusicAlarm

The simplest and cheapest of the bunch (it’s free), MusicAlarm lets you choose a track from your library to use as an alarm. That’s it. It looks a lot like Apple’s own alarm application, only instead of the built-in alarm tones you get a list of songs to choose from. You’ll need to leave the app on (although sleeping the screen is fine), but apart from that it should just work. And did we mention it’s free? Download it today.

Product page [iTunes]

Music Alarm Clock

Yet another $1 clock, this one is probably the best looking of the bunch thanks to its lovely digital display an option to put the album artwork in the background. It’s also dead simple to use: set the alarm, choose the song, done.

Product page [iTunes]

Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 24 Jul 2009 | 1:32 pm

Altar to Mysterious Deity Found at Roman Fort

An altar to a cult deity is found during excavations of a Roman fort in England.
Source: Discovery News Top Stories : Discovery Channel | 24 Jul 2009 | 1:30 pm

Vonage admits to working on smartphone apps, but only offers little detail

Section: Communications, Cellphones, Smartphones, VoIP, Mobile

It would seem as if Vonage is preparing to release an app for one or possibly multiple smartphones.  However, unfortunately at this time, the details are pretty much non-existent.  That said, here is what we know so far.  It started with a simple request on Twitter.

“@Vonage_Voice I would LOVE to have a Vonage SIP client for my iPhone.”

As a Vonage user myself, it is something that I had hoped for, but until yesterday I was not even aware that Vonage had an officia’ presence on Twitter.  Nonetheless, Vonage_Voice, which is actually Michael from Vonage replied back with the good, but very limited news.

“Hey @thatchman1. We plan to offer mobile applications that will allow customers to use Vonage on their mobile smartphones. Stay tuned.”

Of course, as you would imagine, that response led to a flurry or questions back asking about details and such, but little other details were revealed aside from mentioning that the “first app will allow seamless dialing to international numbers at low rates using either cellular or Wi-Fi networks.”

Now it brings up the question as to which “mobile smartphones” will be included?  It sounds logical that we will see one for the iPhone, but hopefully we will also see something for Android, webOS, Windows Mobile and more.

Read [Twitter] [Twitter] [Twitter]

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

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Source: Gadgetell | 24 Jul 2009 | 12:54 pm

Toothpaste Squeezer for the OCD Miser

Are you one of those people who flies into a frothing rage if a guest (gasp!) squeezes the toothpaste in the middle? Do you lay the almost empty tube on the side of the sink and gently push the last of the minty gloop towards the opening, or even slice the tube open and scrub your toothbrush onto the newly-bared interior to mop up the last of the precious fluids?

Then you need to get out more. You also need the Toothpaste Squeezer, a $6 roller which both hangs the tube from your mirror with and in-built suction cup and at the same time uses a roller to gently compress the tube as you go, extracting the maximum value.

The hanging part actually looks more useful than the roller, which is destined to break soon enough. A better solution might be the slotted, key-shaped stick used to squeeze the last drop of oil-paint from a tube. They’re so cheap as to be almost free, even in overpriced art supply stores, and they work. Just don’t double-up, or you’ll have cadmium yellow teeth and breath that smells of linseed oil.

Product page [Gadget4all via Noquedan]

Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 24 Jul 2009 | 12:31 pm

ILuv Remote Adapter Turns Any Headphones into iPod Remotes

ILuv’s new headphone connector comes to the rescue of iPod owners who actually like music. If you want to use the remote control and VoiceOver features of the newer iPods, you need to buy Apple’s earbuds, either the $30 remote ‘buds with a mic, or the $80 in-ear headphones. Which would be fine, if Apple’s earbuds didn’t fall apart after a few months of use.

The iLuv iEA15 is a simple 3.5” jack extension cable into which you can plug any headphones. In the middle of the wire is a plastic switch which performs all the functions of Apple’s own devices, including volume, track navigations and activation of VoiceOver. The adapter actually contains the Apple-provided chip which makes it all work.

The price and release date are still up in the air, but if it means I can use my Koss Porta Pros with the remote, I’m in. And yes, I’ll probably have to shorten the cable first, but so what?

Product page [iLuv]

See Also:

• Tinfoil Hat Report: iPod Shuffle Earbuds Contain DRM Chip
• iPod Shuffle Earbuds Contain Special Chip; It’s Not a Big Deal …

Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 24 Jul 2009 | 12:28 pm

First Flapping, Two-Winged Aircraft Takes Flight

The first flapping, rudderless, two-winged aircraft may have military applications.
Source: Discovery News Top Stories : Discovery Channel | 24 Jul 2009 | 12:00 pm

Google launches Latitude for iPhone…as web app

FROM APPLETELL - Google has announced an iPhone compatible version of their Latitude mobile app.  Curiously, Latitude has been released as a web app for the iPhone, as the iPhone OS 3.0 enables Mobile Safari to determine the location of your device.
MORE »

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

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Source: Gadgetell | 24 Jul 2009 | 11:38 am

Dell brings back the once EOL’d Mini 9 netbook for a limited time, priced from $199

Section: Computers, Mobile Computers, Laptops, Netbooks

Sure, Dell has already officially killed off the Mini 9, but that does not seem to be stopping them from bringing it back for a short encore.  Basically, the Mini 9 will be available for just four days, which means if you have been wishing you hit the buy button before it went away last time you need to react quickly.

Anyway, the Mini 9 is back and priced from $199.  Of course, that is the lower end model and will be available in either Alpine White or Obsidian Black.  Other features included in the $199 price tag includes an 8.9-inch (1024 x 600) display, a 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270 processor, 1GB of RAM, 4GB SSD, a built-in 0.3-megapixel webcam, a 4-cell battery and Ubuntu 8.04.1 as the operating system.  Additionally, the hard drive can be upgraded to either an 8GB SSD (for $35) or a 16GB SSD (for $75).

If Ubuntu is not your thing, Dell is also offering the Mini 9 with Windows XP, however that model is starting at $269.

Product [Dell] Read [Direct2Dell]

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

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Source: Gadgetell | 24 Jul 2009 | 10:49 am