Harvey Johnson

Google Search for iPad Receives an Interface Overhaul, Instant Search, and More [Video]

2011-11-21T15:11:00.000-05:00

Google Search for iPad Receives an Interface Overhaul, Instant Search, and More [Video]:
! Google's Search app just received a nice update for iPad, bringing some nice interface enhancements. This includes Google Instant, which is better late than never, but you'll probably find the other stuff more exciting. For example, you can load a web page in a side tab after you search and then swipe back to your search results to look for other pages while that side tab is loading. The app also features a pretty slick image viewer that's in a similar style to Apple's cover flow but a bit more practical. If you want to look up any of your past searches you can with a visual search history browser. You also get easier access to existing search tools and other Google Apps. More »

How to Get the Most Out of Using Google Music [Google Music]

2011-11-21T10:29:00.000-05:00

How to Get the Most Out of Using Google Music [Google Music]:
Now that Google Music is available to everyone (in the US), you have it set up and you're bobbing your head to music wherever you are, it's time to accent those experiences with better listening tips. More »

How to Load Up Your Ereader with Ebooks For Free [Ebooks]

2011-11-07T19:10:00.000-05:00

How to Load Up Your Ereader with Ebooks For Free [Ebooks]:
Amazon unveiled their Kindle Lending Library for Amazon Prime members last week, but even if you're a Prime member, the new Lending Library only offers you a single book per Prime account, and if you use a Kindle app or another ereader, you're out of luck. Put that Kindle-or any ereader for that matter—to better use in a closer place than you might expect: your local library. More »

The 400 Richest Americans Pay Only 18% Tax Rate

2011-07-25T21:07:00.000-04:00

The 400 Richest Americans Pay Only 18% Tax Rate: "The 400 richest Americans used to pay 30% of their income on the average to Uncle Sam. Today, they pay 18% on the average, according to Steve Rattner, a Wall Street financier."

PlanetInAction.com - Ships

2010-07-31T13:32:00.000-04:00

PlanetInAction.com - Ships

A very cool ship simulation game that uses the google earth plug-in and your browser.

Wi-Fi Coming to New York City Subways

2010-07-30T17:34:00.000-04:00

Wi-Fi Coming to New York City Subways: "

Good news for any New Yorker who hates interacting with others during their daily commute (read: all New Yorkers): Wi-Fi and mobile service are coming to a subway near you. Yup, now even the Mole People won’t be able to escape the outside world.

According to Bloomberg, after three years of stalled progress, Transit Wireless LLC — a conglomerate of wireless and construction companies that was awarded a contract to undergo this project with New York Transit — has finally found the money to move forward. Broadcast Australia has footed the bill, which will bring NYC up to speed with Singapore, Berlin and Tokyo — all of which currently have Wi-Fi in the tubes.

Back in 2007, Transit Wireless LLC had promised to get the job done in 10 years, now it has two years to outfit six stations near New York’s Union Square, and then four more years for the other 271 platforms. The Wi-Fi comes in the form of smoke detector-size antennas, and will afford passengers access on platforms, mezzanines and in sections of the tunnels (not the whole tunnel). Overall, the whole deal will cost $200 million dollars — which begs the question: If the city’s willing to go to the trouble to go wireless, why do I have to take a shuttle nine weekends out of 10 because they’re “doing repairs on the tracks”? But I digress…

Pretty soon, it seems, a goodly portion of NYC will be Wi-Fi ready; AT&T outfitted Times Square with free wireless two months ago and ubiquitous coffee chain Starbucks offers pro bono access as well. Just think, that whole “I was stuck in a tunnel” excuse is never going to be the same…

Amazon unveils new generation of Kindles

2010-07-29T00:12:00.000-04:00

From CNet.com: you cannot beat these as a standalone book reader. 12% smaller and lighter makes it even easier to hold while reading!

Amazon unveils new generation of Kindles: "The online retailer will ship a smaller, lighter $189 Kindle with new features on August 27. A Wi-Fi-only version will cost only $139."

Afghanistan War Illustrated In Depressing Visual Simplicity [War]

2010-07-26T11:17:00.000-04:00

From www.guardian.co.uk: Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it....

Afghanistan War Illustrated In Depressing Visual Simplicity [War]: "

The big news in the grown-up media today is the latest WikiLeaks disclosure, which has seen 90,000 documents on the war in Afghanistan released to the press. The Guardian has created this grim mash-up illustrating key events. [The Guardian] More »

The poor also need protection.

2010-07-26T11:02:00.000-04:00

From Newsweek.com:

The poor also need protection.: "“To me, it was so counterintuitive,” Rivlin says. “People with no money in their pockets is good for business?” But they were profitable. By 1996, there were more payday lenders than all the McDonald’s and Burger Kings in the land combined."

Who Cooked The Planet?

2010-07-26T10:20:00.000-04:00

Who Cooked The Planet?: "Why didn’t climate-change legislation get through the Senate? The triumph of greed and cowardice.

Nine Thoughts on Personal Finance from America’s Founding Fathers

2010-07-04T20:44:00.000-04:00

Nine Thoughts on Personal Finance from America’s Founding Fathers: "

Let’s celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence by celebrating some of America’s founding father’s thoughts on personal finance.

An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.

- Benjamin Franklin

One thing that I feel is never wasted is money and time spent on purposeful education. If you’re genuinely engaged in learning about a topic and growing as a person, the time and money spent learning and growing is among the most valuable you can spend. It increases your body of knowledge, allows you to understand and solve problems of a new variety, and gives you new skills to share with the world (and with potential employers).

There are two educations. One should teach us how to make a living and the other how to live.

- John Adams

At the same time, if you do nothing but learning and do not share it, you’re missing out on the flip side of life. Learning is a lifelong journey, but it’s one taken hand in hand with making our way in the world with the tools we have right now.

We must make our election between economy and liberty or profusion and servitude.

- Thomas Jefferson

In other words, we have a choice between financial independence and financial dependence. If we spend less, we are in control of our own money. We don’t owe others. We have the freedom to change our employment if we so wish. If we spend outside of our means, we are no longer in control of our money. We owe others and we don’t have the freedom to change our employment other than to chase the dollar regardless of how oppressive or soul-sucking the work is. What do you choose?

We cannot make events. Our business is wisely to improve them.

- Samuel Adams

Life happens. Good events happen. Bad events happen. We can’t foresee most of them. The people who achieve their dreams are the ones that hop on board with the good events (and have the resources to do so) and are also able to roll through the bad events. How do you do that? You do that by not spending everything you earn and keeping some of those earnings for yourself, to deal with the bad and take advantage of the good.

That which we obtain too easily, we esteem too lightly.

- Thomas Paine

Often, the most valuable things in our lives are the things that seem like they’re constantly there. Our homes. Our families. Our closest friends. That’s where the real value is. What’s genuinely more important to you: your best friend or whatever material item you dream about owning?

Associate yourself with men of good quality if you esteem your own reputation. It is better be alone than in bad company.

- George Washington

You are impacted over and over again by the people you associate with. Their opinions and attitudes and reputations rub off on you. If you want to fail, surround yourself with negative people with a history of failure. If you want to succeed, surround yourself with people committed to succeeding.

Commercial shackles are generally unjust, oppressive, and impolitic.

- James Madison

Debt is a very painful game to play. The word “shackles” is actually pretty descrpitive, as is the word “oppressive.” You’re stuck when you’re in debt. You can’t make the choices you might want to make in your life – switching jobs, being a stay at home parent, starting your own business. Debt eats those opportunities – and for what?

In the general course of human nature, A power over a man’s subsistence amounts to a power over his will.

- Alexander Hamilton

If you allow yourself to be in a position where you don’t have any money in reserve for yourself, you’re completely at the mercy of the people who pay you. You will jump when they say jump. You’ll work neverending hours and subject yourself to countless unenjoyable events. Why? You’ve given your employers all of the power.

The greatest ability in business is to get along with others and to influence their actions.

- John Hancock

The ability to communicate with others, state your positions, and convince others to go along with you is one that will serve you well for success no matter what path in life you choose.

Use Microsoft Office for Free with Microsoft Web Apps

2010-07-04T20:38:00.000-04:00

Use Microsoft Office for Free with Microsoft Web Apps: "

Google Documents has its problems. Its features are not comprehensive enough for truly serious office work, and it can be a bit slow and finicky when compared to a traditional office program. Still, Google Documents has started a revolution. The ability to access a document from any computer and share it with co-workers is immensely useful

Microsoft knows this. It has been flat-footed so far, as the company’s investments in the mighty Microsoft Office Suite can’t be turned on (or with) a dime. They are not blind to the situation and to respond, Microsoft has released Microsoft Web Apps, a set of free applications which emulate the functions of Google Documents.

There Is Some Office In My Firefox

Microsoft’s new Web Apps platform is accessed through Windows Live. If you have a Windows Live account you just need to log into it and you’re good to go. If you don’t have a Windows Live account you will need to create one before you gain access.

Once you log in, you will be greeted by what Microsoft calls Skydrive. The Skydrive is simply your online storage. It works a lot like a normal hard drive, although of course, you have to access it through your web browser. You can create new folders for storing and sharing documents and you can move documents from folder to folder. The interface is different from Google Documents, but not quite as robust in functionality. You can’t view documents as thumbnails, for example.

What Can You Buy For Free?

As you might expect, the functionality of Microsoft Web Apps is limited compared to the complete Microsoft Office suite. You will only be able to use web-based versions of Word, Excel, Powerpoint and OneNote. The functionality of each Web App is limited when compared to the full version, as well. The Word Web App, for example, is only really suitable for basic text editing. You an also add photos and links, but that is about it. You can’t add comments, create annotations or edit footers.

If you already own the Microsoft Office suite, however, you’ll be able to open any Web App document in the full version of Microsoft Office. The value of this feature can’t be overstated. While browser-based office suites are interesting, they are never as smooth or as functional as a office suite installed on your local machine. By integrating the ability to open a Web App document with just one click Microsoft gives Office users the best of both worlds.

The interface of Microsoft’s Web App’s will be immediately familiar if you use Microsoft Office. This means that is better than other popular free suites, like Google Documents and Zoho. Rather than relying on old-fashion drop-down menus, Microsoft Web Apps follows a more modern tabbed design aesthetics. Icons are large and intuitive, and the most frequently needed functions are represented by large buttons which are easy to find. I was able to start using Microsoft Web Apps in no time at all.

A Real Alternative to Google Documents?

It is easy to pigeon-hole Microsoft as the senile old curmudgeon of the tech world, slowly dying as it makes desperate attempts to keep with the times. This portrayal is common (those lovely “I’m a Mac” ads didn’t help) but it is starting to seem inaccurate.

Microsoft’s Web Apps is an extremely solid platform. Its interface is actually better than that of Google Documents in many respects. Microsoft’s Web Apps also feels even quicker than Google Documents, which is by no means a slouch when it comes to speed. I noticed this somewhat when I was using Word, but the biggest speed difference seemed to come in the presentation apps. Microsoft’s Powerpoint Web App felt a lot smoother than Google’s implementation.

It is the integration with the paid version of Office that is killer, however. As an dedicated OpenOffice user, I’m now considering actually purchasing Microsoft Office 2010 just to gain access one-click integration with Microsoft’s Web Apps. If any OpenOffice users out there know a way to enable similar functionality for OpenOffice I’d love to hear it.

NEW: Download MakeUseOf iPhone App. FREE!

Low Tax Burden Through 2010

2010-05-12T00:29:00.000-04:00

Low Tax Burden Through 2010: "The tax rate paid by Americans has fallen 26% since the recession began in 2007. That means a $3,400 annual tax savings for a household paying the average national rate and earning the average national household income of $102,000. The lower tax burden should last at least through 2010 according to the Tax Policy Center.

Tips and Tricks for Ubuntu 10.04 after Installation

2010-05-12T00:24:00.000-04:00

Tips and Tricks for Ubuntu 10.04 after Installation: "The latest 'Lucid Lynx' release of Ubuntu with its improved appearance and enhanced features is causing quite a stir. If you intend trying it out we strongly recommend you tweak your installation with this impressive set of enhancements put together by editor Jojo Yee. It will save you are lot of work and a lor of grief

Android-Based Google Tablet Coming to Verizon [Tablets]

2010-05-12T00:02:00.000-04:00

Android-Based Google Tablet Coming to Verizon [Tablets]: "

Google is working with Verizon to launch a Google tablet, according to the Wall Street Journal. News site Bloomberg confirms, and also says the device will be based on Google's Android operating system. We already have an idea what a Chrome OS tablet might look like (see video above), and as TechCrunch points out, it's reasonable to think some of the same ideas could make their way to an Android-based Google Tablet. Google users eager to jump to a tablet world who aren't so keen on the iPad should be excited to see how this pans out. [WSJ, Bloomberg via Gizmodo] More »

New release: Master of Orion 3

2010-05-05T20:25:00.000-04:00

New release: Master of Orion 3: "The third and, to date, last installment of the Master of Orion series has just landed on GOG.com.

Master of Orion 3 is a 4X turn-based strategy game with RTS elements. Compared to its predecessors, MOO3 is almost an entirely different game. Aside from the improved graphics, the most noticeable difference is that micromanagement is all but replaced by macromanagement, which offers a more life-like approach to ruling an empire. You're no longer the dictator who deals with every single, tiny decision. You're more like the invisible hand guiding your species in a direction you believe is best, and let your people do the mundane stuff for you. Long story short, it may not be the best title if you're looking for a MOO1+2 clone, but a good, complex game in its own right."

Two-Way Gmail Syncing Goes Live on BlackBerry Services [BlackBerry]

2010-05-04T01:19:00.000-04:00

Two-Way Gmail Syncing Goes Live on BlackBerry Services [BlackBerry]: "

BlackBerry phones have had a Gmail sync solution for some time, but a message's read/unread status, along with sent mail, wasn't instantly synced to phones. Overnight, it seems, BlackBerry started offering two-way Gmail sync through its BlackBerry Internet Service 3.0. Not all carriers are supporting BIS 3.0 for all models, thought, so your fully-synced Gmail abilities may still be on their way. [Boy Genius Report via Gizmodo] More »

MechWarrior 4 is now free ... if you can get it

2010-05-02T20:41:00.001-04:00

MechWarrior 4 is now free ... if you can get it: "

So here's the thing -- we were all set to tell you about how MechWarrior 4 has been released as free for all to play, but apparently some people found out before we could tell you and now, well, now the servers are down. Bigtime. As in, it might be a few minutes before they're back up. According to several tipsters, the 1.7GB file became available for download last night, but as of right now, MekTek (the game's host) is still suffering an outage.

That said ... hey! MechWarrior 4 has been released to the general public for precisely zero of your hard-earned C-Bills! If you managed to snag the file last night, we're hearing reports that MekTek has recovered the game's multiplayer servers. We'll let you know when we hear that the servers are back up.

Top 10 Things You Didn't Know Google Maps Could Do [Lifehacker Top 10]

2010-05-02T20:29:00.000-04:00

Top 10 Things You Didn't Know Google Maps Could Do [Lifehacker Top 10]: "

There's more to Google Maps than a place you double-check your directions. Google's data-stuffed site offers a lot of helpful tools for vacationers, spreadsheet nerds, bikers, and others. Today we're digging into Google's data-rich geo-tool and pulling out some helpful lesser-known features. More »

PC | Xbox 360 USB memory support coming April 6

2010-03-27T02:05:00.000-04:00

PC | Xbox 360 USB memory support coming April 6: "

Microsoft dates, details upcoming system update allowing the use of third-party storage devices.

Last week, rumors surfaced that Microsoft was planning to introduce USB memory device support for the Xbox 360 through a firmware update this year. Not only has that rumor proven true, but gamers won't have to wait long to check out the new functionality. Xbox Live director of programming Larry Hryb announced today through his official blog that a system update allowing the use of third-party USB storage devices with the Xbox 360 is scheduled to arrive on April 6.

Xbox Live just picked up a few more menus.

With the update, users will be able to store up to 16GB of Xbox 360-related content on a third-party storage device. Any remaining space on the USB drive, which must have a minimum capacity of 1GB, can be allocated for use with a PC or Mac. Two 16GB storage units can be used concurrently, allowing for up to 32GB of external memory.

Hryb went on to note that while USB hard disk drives are compatible with the update, flash drives should perform better and are thus recommended. Users will be able to use their devices to store profiles, game saves, demos, and other information. The update will also tweak memory management functions to allow better control of what the user wants to copy or move between devices.

Until now, users wishing to increase the memory capacity of their Xbox 360s were limited to Microsoft's own memory cards and hard drives. Attempts to circumvent this have led to system updates locking out unauthorised storage devices. Late last year, Datel, a manufacturer of storage devices, responded by taking legal action against Microsoft and accused the software giant of antitrust violations.

Hryb also revealed a partnership with SanDisk to release an Xbox 360-branded flash drive preconfigured for use with the console in May. Earlier this week, Microsoft announced that its 250GB hard drives for the Xbox 360 are now available separately for $129.99 in North America.

PDFmyURL.com - Convert and save pdf from any webpage for free

2010-02-06T13:26:00.000-05:00

PDFmyURL.com - Convert and save pdf from any webpage for free

Google Dashboard Provides a Top-Down Look at Your Google Use [Google]

2009-11-07T11:45:00.000-05:00

Google Dashboard Provides a Top-Down Look at Your Google Use [Google]:

Ever wanted to take a step back and look at all the Google apps and data you're hooked into? Google's offering that top-down view with Google Dashboard, a central clearinghouse for app settings, privacy information, and use statistics.

The main value to the average user at the Dashboard, reachable at google.com/dashboard when signed into a Google account, is a peek at all the services you use, the data Google's acquired from you, and quick links to each app's settings. You also get direct links to your Google calendars, your most recent Gmail messages and Google Docs documents, and secondary settings, like changing your personal information in apps that use that data. Those with privacy concerns also get quick links to the policies of every app they're using.

Facebook addicts spend more than a week per year on the site

2009-11-07T11:36:00.000-05:00

Facebook addicts spend more than a week per year on the site: "The average person who used Facebook in each of the last 12 months has spent 70 hours 26 minutes on the site during that period, according to a spokesman from Nielsen Online, the company which conducted the research. They also calculated that the most addicted users have spent over 125 hours on the site during the last year.

Will your device get an upgrade to OS 5.0?

2009-10-27T01:56:00.000-04:00

Will your device get an upgrade to OS 5.0?: "

The launch of OS 5.0 appears to be nearing, so you might be wondering if your device is eligible for an upgrade. RIM won’t release the OS for every device, but it will offer upgrades for all of its latest generation handsets, plus one older model — and for that one I’m grateful. After the jump, a list of the eligible devices, plus a hint of when we can expect OS 5.0 to become officially available.

The list:

BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8200 series

BlackBerry Curve 8330 (yay!)

BlackBerry Curve 8350i

BlackBerry Curve 8900

BlackBerry Bold 9000

BlackBerry Storm 9500 series

BlackBerry Tour 9630

The cut-off, it appears, is for devices with more than 64MB of internal memory. That would exclude the original generation Curve devices, plus the Pearl 8100 series and the 88xx series.

Good news: the Verizon Storm 9530 update is live now. So does this mean that other OS 5.0 releases will be coming shortly? We’ll keep this updated, and also make sure to check out the Twitter feed for the latest on OS 5.0.

This post originated at BBGeeks.com - home to all things Blackberry! Also a great source of info about AT&T BlackBerry.

FROM GOOGLE VOICE BLOG: Google Voice Offers Voicemail Without a New Number [Google Voice]

2009-10-27T01:46:00.001-04:00

Google Voice Offers Voicemail Without a New Number [Google Voice]: "
Want in on Google Voice's web-based, transcribed, custom-greeted voicemail, but you're not quite ready to adopt a new number? Starting tonight, Voice users can choose to keep their number and still get Google's upgraded voicemail features.
You'll still need a Google Voice invitation to get started, which you can request for yourself or beg a friend for. Once you're in, you can choose to either pick up a new number for the full Voice service—voicemail, SMS, selective call forwarding, and more—or keep your number and walk through Google's forwarding setup for your cellphone, in what the search giant is branding as "Google Voicemail."
Your voicemail will be routed to Google's servers, transcribed and sent to you by SMS or email, if you'd like, and accessible from your Voice web page (or playable in Gmail). It's a similar offering to what services like YouMail have been offering for some time for phones of all kinds, but with seemingly unlimited transcription and storage space. You'll also be able to set up custom greetings for each caller to your voicemail.

Google Voice with your existing number [Google Voice Blog]

The Stock Market Is Rebounding Big Time – Should I Care?

2009-10-09T10:24:00.000-04:00

A good article from a great website (www.thesimpledollar.com)

The Stock Market Is Rebounding Big Time – Should I Care?: "

Since mid-March, the S&P 500 is up almost 58% and the Dow Jones Industrial Average is up almost as much. If you opened your retirement savings at the end of the first quarter this year and looked at the numbers with a cringe, it’s likely that if you looked at the numbers right now, you’d feel significantly better.

Continue to the full story here

Obama wins 2009 Nobel Peace Prize

2009-10-09T10:08:00.000-04:00

Controversial to say the least. I think the committee may be trying to influence policy decisions in Afghanistan...

Obama wins 2009 Nobel Peace Prize: "US President Barack Obama is announced as the winner of the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize.

The Uneducated American

2009-10-09T10:05:00.000-04:00

The Uneducated American: "Education in America, suffering for years, is about to get much worse thanks to cuts caused by the financial crisis."

Why Life Without Cable or Satellite May Be Easier than You Think [Television]

2009-10-07T01:35:00.000-04:00

Why Life Without Cable or Satellite May Be Easier than You Think [Television]: "

If you're interested in dropping your overpriced monthly cable bill but aren't sure how you'd survive without your TV favorites, the gadget gurus at Gizmodo turn an eye toward their pocketbooks and discover life without cable isn't as hard as you'd think.

Back in January Kevin detailed how he cut the cable for good with Boxee and Apple TV. Gizmodo's Sean Fallon takes a similar approach, but opts for a small Windows box over Apple TV so he's got more options to easily try out different media center software as it comes out. After ditching his cable package for a month for media he could stream for free with services like Hulu or Netflix, how did he feel?

When all was said and done, I found my experience without standard cable television to be more liberating than anything else. Sure, streaming video isn't always HD quality, not all of my favorite shows are readily available, and I have to search around a bit more for the things I want to watch—but I didn't suffer and I didn't feel like I was missing out. The added expense [of cable] was not justifiable—especially when I was paying for a bunch of things I never watched. The best part is that I was able to get pretty much everything I needed with a basic set of tools that anyone with a computer can take advantage of right away.

It's worth noting that Fallon didn't even 'cheat' and use BitTorrent, so all the content he was accessing was freely and legitimately available on the internet.

Have we got any ex-cable or -satellite subscribers who've made the transition away from their bloated subscription packages? Let's hear more about your experience in the comments.

Life Without Cable or Satellite TV Is Easier Than You Think [Gizmodo]

High Definition War Footage Taken with Canon 5D Mark II [Digital Cameras]

2009-10-04T04:30:00.000-04:00

High Definition War Footage Taken with Canon 5D Mark II [Digital Cameras]: "

I'm amazed by the cinematic qualities of this high definition footage from Frontline's documentary Obama's War. The color, the depth, the texture, it all screams film to me. Except it's just a Canon 5D Mark II rigged by Danfung Dennis.

Danfung got his Canon 5D Mark II in a steady-cam type rig, complete with a shotgun microphone. The results look straight from a good war movie. [Frontline via Lightstalkers]

Giz Explains: Why You Can't Get Decent Earphones for Less Than $100 [Giz Explains]

2009-10-04T04:24:00.000-04:00

Giz Explains: Why You Can't Get Decent Earphones for Less Than $100 [Giz Explains]: "

Crappy earbuds are killing music. It's true. The problem is that good earbuds, like speakers, aren't cheap.

We're gonna be talking in-ear earbuds—canalphones, really, or in-ear monitors, if you're snooty—since all the good stuff goes deep into your precious earholes. We aren't talking about headphones because great headphones aren't the most discreet things around—can't defeat physics, children. Unless you derive some sick pleasure from jogging with a pair of giant cans bolted to your head, earbuds are the way to go.

It's All About the Drivers—No, Not Those Kind

Whether you're talking about headphones or earbuds, they work a lot like loudspeakers, just miniaturized. The key element in both are drivers, though earphone drivers are a lot smaller, and do a lot less work to make the same music.

There are two main types of drivers: The a dynamic driver works just like a traditional one in big ol' speaker. The benefit of the dynamic driver is that it produces a nice bass response, though it can be hard to miniaturize.

A balanced armature driver is pretty common in serious in-ear monitors, since it's easy to shrink down. Originally found in hearing aids, it houses a magnetic armature that moves when an electric current runs through the coil, putting pressure on the diaphragm, creating sound. It can be, and often is, paired with a dynamic driver.

Most earbuds just have the one driver, though more and more have multiple drivers. That costs more 'cause it's harder to cram more than one into a tiny casing meant to rest gravity-free in your ear. With multiple drivers also comes a "crossover network," circuitry meant to divide music into different frequencies and route them to the appropriate drivers, an additional payload to stuff into that tight space. Once all that is crammed in, however, multi-driver earbuds typically sound better than single-driver ones, because the woofer, tweeter and mid-range horn are more innately equipped to handle their own domains of sound—from boomy bass to sizzly treble.

Among the least expensive multiple-driver earbuds are Apple's fancier $80 in-ear earbuds, which use two drivers, a tweeter for highs, and another for everything else. It gets more expensive as you creep up. Shure's three-driver SE530 lists for $500 (but can be found for much less). Ultimate Ears' UE-11 Pro, which will run you a ridiculous $1150, come with a correspondingly ridiculous four drivers. That's one for mid-range and one for highs and two for bass.

Some companies opt for a single driver because they think it's better, since there aren't complications with crossover networks, trying to get all the drivers to work together to produce seamless sound. On the other hand, with a single driver, you're asking one driver to do everything: highs, lows and mid-range, says Stereophile senior contributing editor Michael Fremer Fremer. (Yes, that Michael Fremer.) That's why , FutureSonics, for instance, makers of pro monitoring gear, charges so much for their single-driver earbuds. 'A really good single-driver can sound really good,' says Fremer.

What It's Made Of, How It's Made

Besides more drivers, what you get in pricier earbuds is (surprise, surprise) better materials, finer build quality and a more focused design. Michael Johns, headphones manager for Shure—known for earbuds with MSRP ranging from $100 to $500 but rarely double digits—told me that most of the really cheap ($20) headphones on the market are basically rebranded crap from no-name factories, and that when you buy those with suggested retail pricing between $50 and $100, you're mostly paying for style, not sound. The top-tier brands, of which there are many, tend to design and engineer their own headphones. The expense of that is, unfortunately, passed on to you.

The cost of raw ingredients is also passed to you—the cable material, the magnet behind the diaphragm, the diaphragm material itself, the overall quality of the driver, and the enclosure. (Again, all of the stuff that jacks up the price of higher quality loudspeakers too.) None of that stuff, when it's well made, is cheap. Fremer says, for instance, that better headphones actually use stronger magnets than cheaper headphones. As you might guess, the more powerful the magnet, the higher the cost.

The Fit

With legit in-ear buds, fit matters a lot, because the seal is critical. Not only does a good seal mean less ambient noise infiltrates your ears—allowing you to keep your volume low while still catching the full dynamic range—but an airtight seal is how you get decent bass response. And you want something shoved deep down inside your ear to be comfortable, as well as fit, so there's a lot of different kinds of tips earbud makers have come up with. Besides the standard rubber bulb, there's squishy foam, and the Christmas tree-lookin' triple-flange sleeves. What works best often comes down to your own ears and personal preference, which is why better earbuds come with a ton of tips.

What Do I Buy?

So, uh, what's the sweet spot price for great headphones? If Shure and Fremer had their way, everybody would spend upwards of $200 on their earbuds, but if you twist their arm, they'll agree that $100 is where buds start getting decent. The real trick, according to Fremer, is just getting people to 'spend that first hundred bucks.'

The law of diminishing returns tends to kick in above that point: The difference between $300 set of buds and a $400 pair is nowhere near the jump from $20 to $100. Even smaller is the difference in models between generations. The best value on the market might be a previous-gen version of Shure's 500 series buds at a cut rate ($290), but if you can find $100 earbuds for 70 bucks, it's even better.

Interestingly, Fremer says what you're looking for in great earbuds is 'a relatively flat frequency response so no frequency is accentuated above another,' so 'the product that sounds the best is usually the one that impresses you the least at first.' Buds that tout big bass, for instance, don't actually have better bass, just more of it. (You can always adjust the EQ if you want more bass.)

Whatever you do, for Christ's sake—and yours—ditch the iPod earbuds.

Still something you wanna know? Send questions about buds, tips or hot waitresses who deserve big tips to tips@gizmodo.com, with 'Giz Explains' in the subject line.

Dropbox Comes to the iPhone and iPod touch [Downloads]

2009-09-30T01:34:00.000-04:00

Dropbox Comes to the iPhone and iPod touch [Downloads]: "

iPhone/iPod touch only: Dropbox, one of our favorite cross-platform file-syncing tools, has now made its way to the iPhone and iPod touch, complete with offline file viewing.

Once installed on your device, Dropbox for iPhone provides access to all your Dropbox files, allows you to view any file supported by your iPhone (including documents, photos, music, and video), uploads any photo or video you've taken on your device to your Dropbox account, and lets you save any file as a favorite for offline viewing. If you want to share a file in your Dropbox with someone else, the application can generate an email with a link directly to the file.

I first saw a demo of Dropbox for the iPhone way back at SXSW in March, so it's great to see this app finally make its way to the App Store. In short: If you're already a fan of Dropbox and you've got an iPhone or iPod touch, you'll want to download this app. Like the Windows, Mac, and Linux versions, Dropbox for the iPhone is freeware and requires only a Dropbox account.

Dropbox [iTunes App Store]

Upgrading to Windows 7 the Easy Way

2009-09-28T17:07:00.001-04:00

Upgrading to Windows 7 the Easy Way

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RIM Working on New Touch BlackBerry/QWERTY Keyboard Combo

2009-09-27T22:14:00.000-04:00

RIM Working on New Touch BlackBerry/QWERTY Keyboard Combo: "We knew it was only a matter of time before we saw the first touchscreen BlackBerry with a QWERTY slider keyboard. With the Storm 2 set to be released in early October rumors of a new type of BlackBerry phone could overshadow the launch. Codenamed 'Mr. T' and no that is not a typo, this new model BlackBerry is something RIM has never done before."

Apple Releases iTunes 9.0.1 Update [Updates]

2009-09-23T17:43:00.000-04:00

Apple Releases iTunes 9.0.1 Update [Updates]: "

Two weeks after releasing iTunes 9, Apple has pushed out a small update to the popular music player in the form of iTunes 9.0.1. The update addresses several bugs and improvements, but doesn't offer any significant updates (not surprising considering iTunes 9 just came out). Fixes include:

Resolves issues browsing the iTunes Store.

Addresses a performance issue where iTunes may become unresponsive.

Fixes a problem where iTunes may unexpectedly quit.

Fixes a problem syncing Podcasts in playlists to iPod or iPhone.

Fixes a problem sorting albums with multiple discs.

Addresses an issue with the Zoom button not switching to Mini Player.

Improves application syncing for iPod touch and iPhone.

Genius is now automatically updated to show Genius Mixes.

So while the update doesn't address any of the items in our iTunes wishlist, if you're an iTunes user you should definitely grab it when you get the chance. [iTunes]

LIFE magazine now available on Google Books

2009-09-23T14:03:00.000-04:00

LIFE magazine now available on Google Books: "Posted by Brandon Badger, Product Manager

When I was a kid I used to enjoy thumbing through a collection of older magazines that my grandfather had at his house. I remember flipping through the pages and feeling as though I was peeking through a window into life from decades past. Unfortunately, we lost my grandfather's magazines some time ago, and we've never quite managed to recreate his collection. But I know that if we could, those magazines would be just as fascinating today as they were years ago, which is why we've been partnering with publishers to digitize magazines and bring them online.

I'm excited to announce that starting today, visitors to Google Books will be able to search and browse even more magazines on Google Books. We've partnered with Life Inc. to digitize LIFE Magazine's entire run as a weekly: over 1,860 issues, covering the years from 1936 to 1972. Most of us are familiar with the term 'American Century,' but chances are few of us have been able to read Henry Luce's defining editorial in its original context, a 1941 issue of LIFE. You'll be able to find and read Leonard McCombe’s iconic cover and photo essay on a Texas Cowboy and Richard Meryman's famous last interview with Marilyn Monroe. You can find a 1968 cover story on Georgia O'Keeffe (which you may want to read if you're visiting the Whitney Museum anytime soon).

There Are More Slaves Today Than Any Time in Human History

2009-09-23T09:58:00.000-04:00

I think we have failed as a planet. Time to start over and see what comes back in another 2 million years or so.

There Are More Slaves Today Than Any Time in Human History: "The world suffers global recession, enormous inequity, hunger, deforestation, pollution, climate change, nuclear weapons, terrorism, etc. 60 years after Article 4 of the U.N.'s Universal Declaration of Human Rights banned slavery and the slave trade worldwide, there are more slaves than at any time in human history -- 27 million.

Google Sync Updates with Push Gmail Support [Google Sync]

2009-09-22T12:34:00.000-04:00

Google Sync Updates with Push Gmail Support [Google Sync]: "

Google Sync, released earlier this year, keeps your calendar and contacts synced between your mobile phone and Google account. Now they've added that great, final bit of ultimate sync support by pushing Gmail to your phone.

If you're sporting an iPhone/iPod Touch, Windows Mobile phone, or Nokia S60 phone, you can now set up Google Sync to actively push your email to your device, ensuring you're never stuck waiting around for an update to see what's new or wondering if various work-around alternatives will follow through. From the Official Google Mobile Blog:

Sync works with your phone's native email application, so there's no additional software needed. Only interested in syncing your Gmail, but not your Calendar? Google Sync allows you to sync just your Contacts, Calendar, or Gmail, or any combination of the three.

Check out the full post at the link below to see how to get Google Sync if you're not already a user and how to enable Gmail syncing if you've already got a Google Sync account.

Google Sync: Now with push Gmail support

David Hasslehoff Rushed To Hospital With Alcohol Poisoning

2009-09-21T10:49:00.000-04:00

David Hasslehoff Rushed To Hospital With Alcohol Poisoning: "David Hasslehoff was taken by ambulance to a hospital because he again has alcohol poisoning.

YOU LIE!!!

2009-09-20T14:04:00.000-04:00

Even Glenn Beck Is Right Twice a Day

2009-09-20T13:59:00.000-04:00

Even Glenn Beck Is Right Twice a Day: "President Obama and our political system are being tested by a populist rage that is no less real for being shouted by a demagogue from Fox."

Fox News Producer Caught Rallying 9/12 Protest Crowd

2009-09-20T13:46:00.000-04:00

Once again I am shocked. Shocked I tell you.

Fox News Producer Caught Rallying 9/12 Protest Crowd: "A Fox News Channel producer has been caught in a behind-the-scenes video rallying the crowd during last weekend's 9/12 protest in Washington. The Huffington Post has confirmed that the woman in the below video — seen raising her arms to rally the crowd behind Griff Jenkins, who was reporting from the scene for Fox News.

Two-way sync coming for Gmail and BlackBerry

2009-09-19T09:38:00.000-04:00

Two-way sync coming for Gmail and BlackBerry: "

It’s the headline we’ve all been waiting for. Caught this on Berry Review, and they found it in the BlackBerry Connection Newsletter (lots of good stuff in there). In talking about the Enhanced Gmail plugin, they dropped the bomb: “two-way synchronization is expected to be implemented in the near future.” With the two-way sync and the enhanced plugin running, the debate between the Gmail plugin and IMAP/POP retrieval. I encourage woo-hoos in the comments.

This post originated at BBGeeks.com - home to all things Blackberry! Also a great source of info about Verizon BlackBerry.

A NASCAR double-header at Indianapolis next summer? Now, can NASCAR find a car for Danica? | MikeMulhern.net

2009-09-19T09:27:00.001-04:00

A NASCAR double-header at Indianapolis next summer? Now, can NASCAR find a car for Danica? | MikeMulhern.net

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NERD ALERT: 360 802.11n adapter spotted in GOW2 GOTY box

2009-09-19T09:24:00.000-04:00

Rumor: 360 802.11n adapter spotted in GOW2 GOTY box: "

To be more specific -- and much less acronymic -- it appears that the super speedy Xbox 360 802.11n Wi-Fi adapter has been spotted on a promotional flier inside the Italian version of the Gears of War 2 Game of the Year edition. Italian gaming site Mondobox.com (translation) posted an image of the leaflet, which you can see above. Assuming it's authentic, it seems to indicate that both the original 802.11a/b/g and 802.11n adapter will continue to exist in the same market. And that, hopefully, indicates a price drop on the ridiculously overpriced original adapter.

How Long Windows 7 Upgrades Will Take [Upgrades]

2009-09-14T11:45:00.000-04:00

How Long Windows 7 Upgrades Will Take [Upgrades]: "

If you're a casual Windows Vista user with just a few documents tidily stashed away, upgrading to Windows 7 should take less than an hour. More likely, though, is a three-hour upgrade for heavy users with lots of stashed stuff.

Chris Hernandez at the TechNet blogs ran three types of computers—low-end, mid-range, and high-end—through a Windows 7 upgrade with four different configurations each, reflecting the file and application loads of a "clean user" all the way through "super user." A clean user profile on high-end hardware was able to upgrade in about 35 minutes, while a super user on mid-range gear would need about 20 hours to upgrade.

Actual users' experiences will vary, of course, but it's worth checking out your upgrade time estimates to have enough time set aside for an upgrade, or at least consider a clean install. In one Lifehacker editor's experience, a very clean and tidy laptop took about an hour to upgrade from Vista to Windows 7, while a laptop with "an obscene amount of stuff installed" took a good eight hours or so to run through—though both upgraded successfully.

Note also that the timed results were withing 5 percent of the upgrade times for Vista SP1, so it's not exactly breaking news that Microsoft upgrades can take quite some time. But we're guessing quite a few more systems might see Windows 7 discs slipped inside than Vista, so hopefully more users will be prepared.

Windows 7 Upgrade Performance [Chris Hernandez's Blog via Ars Technica]

BREAKING: MMS For iPhone Rollout Has Begun

2009-09-14T11:41:00.000-04:00

BREAKING: MMS For iPhone Rollout Has Begun: "It's two weeks early, but many US iPhone users are reporting that their phones now have the ability to send and receive MMS messages.

Federal News Radio 1500 AM: NASA, OMB to make cloud announcement next week

2009-09-14T09:35:00.001-04:00

Federal News Radio 1500 AM: NASA, OMB to make cloud announcement next week

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New iPod Touch packs Wi-Fi 'n,' FM hardware

2009-09-13T21:35:00.000-04:00

New iPod Touch packs Wi-Fi 'n,' FM hardware: "An iFixit teardown reveals that Apple's new touch-screen iPod packs 802.11n wireless connectivity and FM radio transmission hardware. But 'a lot of ifs' remain."

Play Monopoly With Real World Streets – Monopoly City Streets, Google Maps Style

2009-09-13T21:26:00.000-04:00

Play Monopoly With Real World Streets – Monopoly City Streets, Google Maps Style: "

Remember playing the Monopoly Board Game when you were a child? Then when it came out on PS2, that was just like WOW! (well, maybe not). Now it has hit the internet, and the entire world is playing. Yes, this is Monopoly using Google Maps.

The game is called Monopoly City Streets and the objective of the game is to buy streets around the world, make some money through rent and sabotage other users’ properties and streets.

Before I get started on how to play the game, let me give you some background information. It has been live since the 9th of September. It is an online game that loads entirely in your browser. There is nothing to download and you only need to register in order to play it. However, on the 11th of September, the Monopoly City Streets Blog announced that they will be restarting the game in about a week’s time. This is to ensure that every knows what they are doing and how to use it. So it is best to join, get the feel of the game, and then when it goes live, you can rule a suburb, city or a country. Also, the game will only be active until 31st January 2010, but they don’t know what they will do to the game afterwards. So get your hands on it while you still can!

Denny Hamlin wins the Richmond 400; Brian Vickers makes the chase, but Matt Kenseth and Kyle Busch miss

2009-09-13T17:12:00.000-04:00

Denny Hamlin wins the Richmond 400; Brian Vickers makes the chase, but Matt Kenseth and Kyle Busch miss

Kyle Busch I would like you to meet karma. Its been waiting for this moment:))

Upgrade to iPod touch 3.1 for $5 [Deals]

2009-09-13T17:06:00.000-04:00

I recommend this upgrade. If you ever were frustrated trying to re-organize your app icons on your I-Phone or I-Touch this upgrade lets you do that within I-Tunes.

Upgrade to iPod touch 3.1 for $5 [Deals]: "

According to Apple site 9 to 5 Mac, only 1% of iPod touch users have upgraded to the 3.0 firmware. Their guess at why: maybe because Apple was forcing iPod touch users to pay $10 for the upgrade. If you're an iPod touch user who held out, you can now upgrade to iPod touch 3.1 (released earlier this week) from whatever you're using for $5. It's still not the same as the free upgrades afforded to iPhone users, but half-price is better than full. [9 to 5 Mac via Gizmodo]

Un-Supersize Google Search with a User Script [Google]

2009-09-13T17:03:00.000-04:00

I kind of liked it, but for those of you who hate change....

Un-Supersize Google Search with a User Script [Google]: "

Yesterday Google supersized the search box for their home page, and many of you were not amused. If you can't get used to the larger font, you can easily install a user script that puts it back to normal. Once you've installed the user script and reloaded the page, the Google search page text size and width should immediately change back to the size it used to be. [Google Operating System]

FiveThirtyEight: Size Matters; So Do Lies

2009-09-13T16:45:00.000-04:00

FiveThirtyEight: Size Matters; So Do Lies: "yesterday, someone told a real whopper. ABC News, citing the DC fire department, reported that between 60,000 and 70,000 people had attended the tea party rally at the Capitol. By the time this figure reached Michelle Malkin, however, it had been blown up to 2,000,000."

Madden curse strikes back, Polamalu suffers knee injury in season opener

2009-09-11T14:44:00.000-04:00

Madden curse strikes back, Polamalu suffers knee injury in season opener: "

Steelers fans witnessed a horrifying scene during last night's season-opening matchup against the Tennessee Titans -- while trying to recover a blocked field goal in the first half, Steelers safety Troy Polamalu sustained an injury to his left knee, preventing him from playing out the rest of the game. If that name sounds familiar, it's because Polamalu was featured on the cover of Madden 10 -- a promotion that has proven to be troubling for NFL players due to the titular 'Madden curse.'

Polamalu is expected to be out for 3 - 6 weeks, making this one of the least severe examples of cosmic retribution dished out by the curse to date. However, that could just be because said retribution has to be shared between two players this year. For the sake of our fantasy football standings, we urge Larry Fitzgerald to take every safety precaution imaginable during these trying times.

Kick off the NFL season with Yahoo! Fantasy Football

2009-09-11T00:45:00.001-04:00

Kick off the NFL season with Yahoo! Fantasy Football: "

At 8:30 EDT this evening, the Tennessee Titans and the Pittsburgh Steelers will face off in the inaugural game of the 2009 National Football League season. It should prove to be a much-watched event, as is every NFL season opener, and really every NFL Sunday. While in the past the game might have only interested Titans and Steelers fans, plus a few NFL die-hards, millions of fans of other teams will tune into this one. They have been for years because of fantasy football. You might even have a team or six yourself. Since the most popular fantasy football outlet is Yahoo! Sports, it seems all too appropriate to feature their BlackBerry fantasy football application today. It’s a free download that will let you track every Ben Roethlisberger throw and every Chris Johnson run.

Not only does the Yahoo! Fantasy Football ‘09 application give you the basics, but it adds a number of premium features. Since the download is free, I’d say that’s a pretty damn good deal. These features include:

Live scoring. This is an essential part of the app. Even when you’re away from your TV or computer, you can check how your team is doing, while they’re doing it.

Roster management. Without this, the app would be useless. Make changes on the fly. Yahoo! usually closes changes about 20 minutes before kickoff, so this can be an essential tool, enabling you to act on late information.

Add and drop players. If Anquan Boldin goes down with an injury, you can find his replacement quick and easy, right from the app.

Matchups. Check out how you look head to head with your next week’s opponent. Roster management and add/drop play into this well.

Again, the app is free, and you can download it at App World. There are some complaints in the comments about an inability to log in. We can only hope that Yahoo! has already addressed this issue.

On a parting note: J-E-T-S JETS JETS JETS!

This post originated at BBGeeks.com - home to all things Blackberry! Also a great source of info about Verizon BlackBerry.

KYLE BUSCH NOS BOTTLE MYSTERY

2009-09-11T00:38:00.000-04:00

KYLE BUSCH NOS BOTTLE MYSTERY: "

Kyle Busch, it would appear that someone is pouring a foreign liquid into that NOS energy drink bottle. Hmmmm. What, exactly, is going on here? Why would anyone refill an empty energy drink bottle? I wonder, I wonder. Video below.

Limbaugh: Paying Out Of Pocket Is Better Than Insurance

2009-09-10T17:03:00.000-04:00

So says the man with millions of dollars laying around.....

Limbaugh: Paying Out Of Pocket Is Better Than Insurance: "During his radio show today, Rush Limbaugh made a very blunt case we don't hear stated so clearly by Republicans -- that paying directly for healthcare is better than having health insurance. I wonder what Rush thinks happens to people who get seriously ill."

Obama speech disrupter a health industry darling: $240k

2009-09-10T16:57:00.000-04:00

Obama speech disrupter a health industry darling: $240k: "In fact, over his entire congressional career, health professionals represent Wilson’s top industry contributors, donating a total of $244,196 to his campaign, according to the Center for Responsive Politics OpenSecrets.org database. He received another $86,150 from pharmaceutical companies, $73,050 from insurance firms and $68,000 from hospitals."

Apple's iPod refresh: What you need to know

2009-09-09T16:40:00.000-04:00

Apple's iPod refresh: What you need to know: "Apple unveils a slightly tweaked lineup of iPods, but the real star is the new software that makes it easier to manage music and applications."

Mint Map: Global Wealth Distribution

2009-09-09T12:44:00.000-04:00

Mint Map: Global Wealth Distribution: "

The way that wealth is distributed in a country is indicative not only of the health of its economy, but also the well being and standard of living of its citizens. Here we show how distribution of income looks across the globe, with notations for the countries living in extreme poverty.

Embed the above image on your site

Check out Twitterlerts for quick Twitter searches on your Berry

2009-09-09T12:39:00.000-04:00

Check out Twitterlerts for quick Twitter searches on your Berry: "

Is there anything left to say about Twitter that hasn’t been said? The microblogging service has grown enormously over the past few years, in part because of how well it works with mobile platforms. We’ve reviewed a ton of them for BlackBerry, and plan to round them up soon enough. Today we’ll take a quick look at Twitterlerts, the latest from Electric Pocket. It has a purpose different than most BlackBerry Twitter clients. While they’re more about using Twitter to set your status and reply to others, Twitterlerts is more about keeping up with news and other items while you’re on the go. In fact, you don’t even need a Twitter account to use Twitterlerts.

There is a lot of relevant information on Twitter if you can cut through the noise, and Twitterlerts is a program that can help you do just that. While most BlackBerry Twitter apps offer a search function, Twitterlerts is based around search.

You can easily search for keywords, and save searches if it’s a subject you browse frequently. The neatest part is that you can set up the application to send updates to your inbox. You can then set up a certain alert — a ring, vibration, and/or LED notification — so you’ll know when new Twitter updates arrive.

If you do have a Twitter account, you can update your status, reply, and add followers based on your search. So it’s basic Twitter functionality with an enhanced search mechanism. That’s not going to pique everyone’s interest, but it sounds like a useful application if you use Twitter as more than a way to send brief updates to friends.

You can get Twitterlerts for $5 from the BBGeeks Store. If you want to give it a try first, you can get a free trial from App World.

This post originated at BBGeeks.com - home to all things Blackberry! Also a great source of info about Verizon BlackBerry.

New iPods, prices revealed early?

2009-09-09T12:31:00.000-04:00

New iPods, prices revealed early?: "CNET Australia spots an array of photos on the Web site of accessories maker Cygnett ahead of Apple's rock 'n' roll event Wednesday."

Obama tells kids to be wary of Facebook

2009-09-09T12:28:00.000-04:00

I guess this goes for my blog as well:(

Obama tells kids to be wary of Facebook: "Speaking to around 40 high school students in Virginia, the president suggests children should be very careful about what they post on the social networking site."

Google Voice Adds Email Forwarding and Replies to SMS [SMS]

2009-09-09T12:25:00.000-04:00

Google Voice Adds Email Forwarding and Replies to SMS [SMS]: "

Google Voice's web-based SMS inbox is convenient for frequent texters, but it is, after all, another inbox to tend to. Now, however, you can receive, and even reply to, SMS messages through your email address.

That's convenient on a few different levels. The most obvious is that keeping a Google Voice tab open to track your voice and SMS messages during browsing hours is no longer necessary, as Voice can forward you transcribed voicemail messages with audio attachments and, as of late last night, also forward your SMS messages. If you head into your Google Voice "Voicemail & SMS" settings and turn on email forwarding, the messages arrive from a randomized address at txt.voice.google.com, which makes it nice and easy to set up a new label and filter in Gmail and other mail clients to funnel all your SMS into.

The best part of the SMS emails is that you can reply to them from your email inbox, and they'll appear just as if you'd replied to them from your Google Voice phone number. In Gmail and some other clients, too, that means back-and-forth text messages are wrapped into neat threads, just as they would be on the Google Voice inbox. If you're serious about a single inbox and have regular email access, you could turn off SMS forwarding to your phone and lower, or eliminate, your unlimited texting plan needs.

The one drawback, at least for neatniks, is that the will still sit unarchived in the Google Voice inbox, but if you're devoted to moving your phone messaging life into one inbox, an occasional Select All, Archive isn't too much to ask.

Share some of your clever uses of Voice's SMS-to-email service, or your wishlist for future features (besides, of course, more invites going out) in the comments.

Receive and reply to SMS messages by email [Google Voice Blog]

Yahoo intros new iPhone and BlackBerry apps

2009-09-09T01:46:00.000-04:00

Yahoo intros new iPhone and BlackBerry apps: "Internet company is focusing more on developing specific applications for devices, such as the iPhone, as it shifts its mobile strategy."

4 Websites With LOTS Of Completely Free Ebooks That Don’t Suck

2009-09-08T15:14:00.001-04:00

4 Websites With LOTS Of Completely Free Ebooks That Don’t Suck: "

If you’re a fervent reader and nerd like I am, you’ve probably encountered quite a lot of writing online. However, most of them are either absolute garbage or entirely illegal.

It’s hard to find good, legal reads online – unless you know where to look. There are several sites that offer classic out-of-copyright writing, or publishes new e-books online as promotions.

If you know where to look, you can feast on these completely free Ebooks for all the time you’ve got, and today is the day we’ll show you where to look.

Planet eBook

Planet eBook is a classy site that offers classic literature for free. These books, because they’re out-of-copyright, can be offered to you in an entirely legal fashion. However, Planet eBook doesn’t just give you any piece of ‘free literature’. Right now, they offer about 60 books to their readers, all of which have been carefully selected. True, you won’t have the buffet of thousands that you’ll find on other sites, but you can be assured that each and every piece of writing on Planet eBook is of outstanding quality. Furthermore, if you feel like a book is ‘missing’ from it’s collection, you put it up as a suggestion.

All books on Planet eBook can be read on the site, but can also be downloaded as a PDF, both in a 1-page and 2-page version.

ManyBooks

ManyBooks works in the same way as Planet eBook, they offer pieces of classic literature for free that are out-of-copyright. However, where Planet eBook presents a carefully selected array of literature, ManyBooks handles in bulk (as the name truthfully implies).

At the time of writing, there are 24,741 completely free eBooks available and although it might be true that not all of them will read your socks off, I’m sure you can find some good reads in the better part of them. To select a book, you can browse by author, title, category or language, or you can browse through the site’s recommendations. Not only does the site offer an amazing number of books, it does so in an incredible number of formats. Although you might not be able to read it directly on the site, you can check out one of the mirrors or choose between a dazzling 25 different filetypes to read it on your desktop, mobile, or eBook device.

Classic Reader

Classic Reader takes a conceptual place in between Planet eBook and ManyBooks. It offers noticably more books than Planet eBook (3,629 titles at the time of writing), its material is still more selected (by a 1-man Canadian company) and controlled.

Perhaps the major distinction with the two previously mentioned sites is that there are no eBooks available for download. Alas no PDFs, ZIPs, or anythings — the eBooks are all meant to read online, on the site. You can browse the author or title list, or filter content out by looking into a specific genre: fiction, non-fiction, young readers, poetry, short stories, drama or classical.

PublicBookshelf

Contrary to the three previously mentioned sites, PublicBookshelf is NOT filled with works of classic literature. Instead, PublicBookshelf relies completely on new, promising authors who publish online as a means of promoting their printed books. As such, you won’t be able to download the books, but will often find an Amazon link to support the author (who – with the books on this site – is often still alive).

PublicBookshelf – focusing entirely on romance novels – is a great site to sample the writing if you’re looking for something fresh, but it’s also a great site if you’re looking for a good read. Check out their top novels for reading directions, or venture off into the depths of the site and discover treasures of writing yourself. I hope you’ve got 4 fresh bookmarks for completely free ebooks that will be able to satisfy the literacy-vampire that’s inside of you. If they are not enough, check out where to get more romance e-books, 6 more e-book sites, where and how to read comic e-books, and how to make your own e-books from Wikipedia.

Is The Frugal Life Here to Stay?

2009-09-05T12:29:00.000-04:00

Is The Frugal Life Here to Stay?: "

For an increasing number of people, frugality is a chosen way of life by necessity. The Great Recession — a phrase I’ve been seeing more of recently to refer to the past year or so — has left many Americans without jobs for a long period of time. Without the income, and with less access to credit, many are choosing to live their lives in a more frugal manner. And perhaps in some cases it seems like the choice to live this way has been made for them.

Credit: dawnzy

Economic events have pushed entire generations to adopt a certain way of life. While it is just a generalization, those who lived through the Great Depression have a different attitude towards money than the Baby Boomers have. Young workers who experienced the economic decline in the 1930s came of age with an attitude towards making the most of every cent, appreciating work, and getting by with just the basic needs.

The attitudes Baby Boomers, who benefited from the post-World War II economic boom, have are more defined by access to credit. Mortgages and credit cards, as well as higher salaries, helped those in this generational segment spend more, live in better conditions, and experience more luxuries than their parents.

The tail end of Generation Y is entering the workforce now, and they are doing so in economic turmoil. And they are adapting to the recent reality of high unemployment and tighter access to credit. As a result, a very large and important demographic has been saving more and spending less than they earn. These are great qualities, recommended for anyone regardless of level of wealth or broader economic condition, but now many people are wondering if this generation will come to be defined by a return to more conservative spending values.

I don’t think these attitudes will last long, but I would not call this new frugality a “fad.”

Spending less than you earn is not cool, like a stylish shirt pattern that catches on for a year and then fades out of existence. People don’t become wiser about their finances because they read an article in a magazine about celebrities spending smart and then wish to emulate these role models. Americans don’t watch the latest episode of “Cribs,” now featuring small one-bedroom apartments near train stations and decide they want to downsize their home.

The fact that frugality isn’t a fad does not mean that it is here to stay. Although it may be sad for those of us who like to see sensible financial behavior, Generation Y and Millennials will not be defined by the Great Recession. Life moves faster in the twenty-first century. Economic cycles move faster. In the last ten years, we experienced a bubble and a burst in tech stocks, a bubble and a burst in the real estate market, a bubble and a burst in the broader stock market, and a bubble and a burst in the credit market. In previous generations, these cycles would have been spread out more.

With economic events occurring more frequently, it would be difficult for one generation to be defined by any one particular spending philosophy like frugality. Some people who have been hit hard lately may alter their behavior for the rest of their lives, but it is more likely that in general, the adaptable younger generations will return to extensive use and misuse of credit and a desire to live above their means as economic sentiment improves.

Flexo is a finance blogger and podcaster at Consumerism Commentary. You can find him on Twitter @flexo or @consumerismcommentary.

Bachmann: Dems Are Sabotaging Me Because I Might Become Prez

2009-09-05T11:15:00.000-04:00

Stop please, your killing me...

Bachmann: Dems Are Sabotaging Me Because I Might Become Prez: "Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) finally explained yesterday why Democrats don't want her in office: They're scared she'll become the first female president. 'They want to make sure no women, no woman becomes president before a Democrat woman' Bachmann said."

Vote Markakis for Man of the Year

2009-09-05T11:13:00.000-04:00

Vote Markakis for Man of the Year

Vote for Nick!!!!

Monticello, VA

2009-09-05T04:31:00.001-04:00

Some shots taken at Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson, near Charlottesville, VA

YouTube wants to offer film rentals

2009-09-03T01:18:00.000-04:00

YouTube wants to offer film rentals: "This would be a natural progression for YouTube, a company that has for the past year attempted to become a hub for feature films, but no deals are done yet."

Xbox 360's Most Wanted

2009-09-03T01:17:00.000-04:00

Xbox 360's Most Wanted: "FEATURE: McKinley unleashes his hit list of 10 new Xbox 360 video games you can't go without."

BREAKING: eBay to Announce Deal to Sell Skype

2009-09-01T11:50:00.000-04:00

BREAKING: eBay to Announce Deal to Sell Skype: "The fate of eBay-owned Skype (Skype) has been in question for months now. Back in April, it looked as if eBay was going to spin-off the VoIP service as a publicly traded company. Now we’ve learned that Skype will be sold to private investors.

Iraqi Shoe Thrower to be Released Early for Good Behavior

2009-08-30T14:35:00.000-04:00

Iraqi Shoe Thrower to be Released Early for Good Behavior: "The journalist had thrown his shoes at Bush in a press conference. Bush was forced to duck for cover as the journalist shouted in Arabic: 'This is your farewell kiss, you dog! This is from the widows, the orphans and those who were killed in Iraq.'

Facebook's iPhone update paves the way for apps

2009-08-29T14:16:00.000-04:00

Facebook's iPhone update paves the way for apps: "The social network's latest iPhone application update sure does make it feel like an app launcher of its own. Are Facebook apps making their way to the popular handset?"

Gimp 2.7 Beta Improves Text Editing, Streamlines Saving [Beta Beat]

2009-08-28T17:11:00.000-04:00

Gimp 2.7 Beta Improves Text Editing, Streamlines Saving [Beta Beat]: "

Windows/Linux: Look ahead to what's being baked into open-source image editor GIMP's 2.7 with an early beta release. The developers tell you right in the installation process that it's 'unstable,' and even make you promise with a checkbox not to bug them if things go wrong. Still, if you're eager to see smoother, intuitive text editing, a streamlined saving and exporting process (no more warnings about 'flattened' JPEGs!), and other improvements and small features, you can grab a Windows installer from FileHippo or grab source code for Linux building at GIMP's FTP servers. [via Download Squad]

Head to head: Snow Leopard vs Windows 7

2009-08-28T15:23:00.000-04:00

Head to head: Snow Leopard vs Windows 7: "Head to head: Snow Leopard vs Windows 7 Our definitive verdict - should you be upgrading your OS?

5 Most Popular iPhone Navigation Apps Compared Head-to-Head

2009-08-28T01:43:00.001-04:00

http://www.ismashphone.com/images/5-most-popular-iphone-turn-by-turn-navigation-apps-review.png

A handy chart that compares the five most popular apps for the IPhone for turn by turn navigation. Any real user feedback, please post replies.

MIKE REMEMBERS TED KENNEDY FOR THE NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

2009-08-27T21:57:00.001-04:00

Ted Kennedy failed to match brothers’ legacies, but forged own flawed future

BY MIKE BARNICLE

Wednesday, August 26th 2009, 6:30 PM

He died on a soft summer night, at home in Hyannis Port, a few days after a storm, the edge of another hurricane, ripped the waters of Nantucket Sound, turning the sky an angry gray.

But now, on the day after he died, the air was clear and there was only the heat of the August sun beating down on the boat, the Mya, that Ted Kennedy so often took to sea, seeking comfort from the past and refuge from the illness now ravaging his system.

Some months before he died, he sat on the porch of the big, white clapboard house he shared with his wife, Vicki, his dogs and his memories - the Hyannis Port house both a home and a museum containing the story of seven decades in the life of one man and a single country.

“When you’re out on the ocean,” I asked, “do you ever see your brothers?”

“Sure, all the time, all the time,” he answered, his voice a whisper. “There’s not a day I don’t think of them. This is where we all grew up.”

And this is where it came to an end, the long dynastic thread woven through world wars, politics, scandal and redemption.

At 77, Edward Moore Kennedy was a man who learned to live with his flaws, his failures and a prematurely ordained future that never was and, after 1969, could never be.

He was the most Irish of four brothers, had the loudest laugh and the biggest voice. He was familiar with pain, emotional and physical. He was sentimental, given to song, poetry and painting. His own hand-painted watercolors adorn the walls of his house.

He suffered greatly from self-inflicted wounds - Chappaquiddick, an affinity for alcohol - as well as the weight of constant expectation that he would, could, might rise and eventually take the White House.

But disruptions caused by the hand of two different gunmen in two different American cities altered him forever, detoured him from the family dream, pushed him to live without a calendar, measuring his days and hours by the whim of a fate he knew he could never truly control.

He became, Kennedy did, a religious man, often attending early Mass with his wife at Our Lady of Victory in Centerville on Cape Cod, knowing that his Catholic faith was rooted in forgiveness.

It is easy to consider how Ted Kennedy might have approached the Lord:

“Bless me Father for I have sinned. It has been - What? - Three weeks? Three years? Three decades? - since my last confession.”

And his penance, if you will, was to serve as a surrogate for three dead brothers and the cargo of lost and wounded children left in the wake of war and assassination; to lose and immerse himself in the freedom of being a legislator rather than be shackled by a myth or become a political vessel for others driven by dreams of dynasty.

He carried his Cross through all the decades, carried it with honor and nobility. He heard every slur, each slander, lost his only quest for the Oval Office and emerged from defeat with a deeper knowledge of who he was and what was meant to be: a life lived in the United States Senate, to negotiate, deal and fight for laws that simply changed how we lived.

Now, the house by the sea, a place once filled with high hopes and even higher ambition, is quiet. And last night’s dusk arrived with a brutal truth: This man who came through the fire of life, scarred but whole, is silent forever, while the fog of memory, seven decades deep, becomes legend on the summer wind.

PS3 Slims selling early, selling out quickly

2009-08-27T21:51:00.000-04:00

PS3 Slims selling early, selling out quickly: "Even though the system isn't supposed to start selling to customers until the first week of September, many retail outlets are already putting the PS3 Slim on store shelves."

Xbox 360 Elite drops to $299, loses HD cables

2009-08-27T21:50:00.000-04:00

Xbox 360 Elite drops to $299, loses HD cables: "After weeks of rumors, Microsoft's finally confirmed it--the Xbox 360 Elite is dropping to $299. But that's not all that's getting dropped..."

Facebook 3.0 for iPhone pours on the features

2009-08-27T21:36:00.000-04:00

Facebook 3.0 for iPhone pours on the features: "The third major edition of Facebook for iPhone pours on a heap of new features, many of them focused on friends and photos. Get a glance of what's in store."

Xbox Live's Twitter and Facebook free for Gold, for trial by Silver members

2009-08-27T21:34:00.000-04:00

Xbox Live's Twitter and Facebook free for Gold, for trial by Silver members: "

Always read the fine print. Part of a footnote from this morning's Xbox 360 price cut press release bore this little oh-by-the-way: 'Xbox Live Gold Membership will be required for Twitter and Facebook when they are available.' When MCV followed up on the tucked-away tidbit, a Microsoft spokesperson suggested that the press release's statement was 'inaccurate' and that the company was 'still formulating its plans' for integrating the social networking services into Xbox Live. A few short hours later, those plans appear to be formulated.

A Microsoft representative has clarified to Joystiq, 'Facebook and Twitter on Xbox Live will be free to Gold members, with a free trial period also available for Silver members.' Specific details on what's included in the trial are not currently available, but clearly Microsoft is continuing its policy to reward Gold subscribers for their, well, subscriptions, despite what must be a tempting motivation to make Twitter and Facebook free-for-all features. Social networking's the killer app, after all -- and Microsoft could use some new ammo in the console war.

Gallery: Facebook / Twitter on Xbox 360

Xbox Live's Twitter and Facebook free for Gold, for trial by Silver members originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 27 Aug 2009 18:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments"

North American PS3 Slim ad campaign 'Does Everything'

2009-08-27T13:34:00.000-04:00

North American PS3 Slim ad campaign 'Does Everything': "While definitely not as unsettling as the Japanese 'Play Face' advertising campaign, or as costly as the £82 million European marketing push, the recently revealed PS3 Slim ad campaign for North America possesses something unique for the world of video game promotion -- actual humor. PlayStation.Blog revealed the first two television spots for the western hemisphere's 'It Only Does Everything' campaign. The first, featuring a startling Jonah Hill lookalike, is posted above. The second is embedded after the jump.

We'd like to extend a big round of applause to Sony's marketing team. Congrats guys! You've finally managed to market Sony's gaming hardware in a manner that makes a freaking lick of sense.

Continue reading North American PS3 Slim ad campaign 'Does Everything'

Top 10 Cat Quirks: Animal Planet

2009-08-26T14:56:00.000-04:00

Top 10 Cat Quirks: Animal Planet: "Cats are loving and intelligent pets that can display some strange behaviors. Check out the top 10 cat quirks to see if your kitty's weird behavior is actually normal!

Is Craigslist really a mess?

2009-08-25T18:03:00.000-04:00

Is Craigslist really a mess?: "An excoriation of Craigslist and its principles by Wired suggests the site is some weird cultish embarrassment. However, what does the fact that it is so successful say about us?"

UPS drops ALL Fox advertising, Not Just Glenn Beck!! Updated

2009-08-25T13:00:00.000-04:00

UPS drops ALL Fox advertising, Not Just Glenn Beck!! Updated: "Rich Hallabran, spokesman for UPS Stores, said today he has not only temporarily halted buying ads on the Glenn Beck Show but also on the Fox News Channel altogether as reported by AP Television writer David Bauder"

Start Saving Now. Its Not Going To Be Cheap

2009-08-23T09:08:00.000-04:00

Analyst Predicts Apple Will Offer Television Set by 2011: "'A senior analyst at Piper Jaffray predicts that the company will enter the television market by the year 2011 with “an Apple-branded television set with digital video recording and home media functions (music, movies, games, interactive TV) built-in.” "

10 Firefox Add-ons To Find Friends On Social Networks

2009-08-22T21:20:00.000-04:00

10 Firefox Add-ons To Find Friends On Social Networks: "

It is a strange irony that a wall message, a tweet or a scrap sounds sweeter than a chime of a doorbell. Call it the social networking phenomenon. We have all been touched by it and for me, at least personally, social networking has proved to be a succor (not sucker!) in trying times. And in happy times too as I have managed to reach out and connect with long lost friends and make new ones across the globe.

If you take stock of your own friends list you will surely find that at least half of them have come through the lost and found power of social networks. And if you take stock again, you will find that our online habitat is mostly a few of these social networking sites and of course, the omnipresent browser.

What I would do without the browser and those little byte sized Firefox add-ons which make it a whole lot richer. Using Firefox outfitted with the right “find friends” add-ons, I can home in any of the social networking sites and hobnob with fellow groupies.

So let’s head over to the Mozilla Add-ons gallery and see what’s in store for us who like to schmooze over bandwidths.

Firefox Super Search

It’s like a master list…a who’s who of search engines. The add-on installs as a toolbar. There are 160 of them with almost 70 that can be used from the toolbar itself. The layout is categorized into different types of searches. So after using it a few times one shouldn’t have a problem dropping down to the right search engine.

Though not specifically for ‘searching friends’, there are a lots of them which help you hunt for them over the net. There are basically two ways to search – blue icons mark the ones you can use directly from the toolbar; green icons are the directory lists for which the shortcut is given in the add-on.

The list of searches is long and varied – reverse lookups, social search, people search, public records search et al. apart from generic web searches.

BuddyFetch

Buddyfetch is an experimental “find friends” Firefox add-on that searches across many social networks IMs and dating sites. It gets added as an additional search engine in the search engine bar. You can search for buddies based on common interests, gender, age, language or location. Use the filters and single or combination keywords to find people after your own heart.

This one is for the serious guy, not for the tween, the teen or the tweet. LinkedIn is the world’s most popular social network for the professional. If you are one among the 45 million members from a cross-section of 150 industries then you are sure to find a likeminded friend or contact here. The Firefox search add-on makes the job a tad easier by adding a search engine to the Firefox search bar. Not very impressive but its simple functionality lets you search from the bar.

You can also keep an eye open for the updated version of the LinkedIn Companion for Firefox which doesn’t seem to be working for Firefox 3.5x yet.

Facebook Toolbar

The Facebook toolbar brings the social networking site and your circle of friends to your browser. The toolbar lets you do your thing like search and connect with friends, receive notifications and share content. You can set your status via the toolbar and get the same of your friends. Upload photos and quick link to all areas of Facebook. If you spend most of your time poking and defacing your friends walls then this one is for you.

Friendbar

This add-on is less about finding a friend but more about keeping them. Though the add-on installs at a slightly hefty 1MB, it offers real time benefits for the Facebook and Twitter buffs. The interface almost resembles a media player with streaming real time updates (photo and text) of activities in the two social sites.

To complete the effect there’s a play-pause button too. You can post, tweet and reply from the toolbar. Instant TinyURLs makes sending interesting links easy as a tweet. The settings panel lets you configure the Twitter update frequency and other sundries like the look and the scrolling style.

FireStatus

This very unobtrusive experimental add-on lets you send status updates, notes and URL links synchronously to multiple social networks and services, like Twitter, FriendFeed, Facebook, Delicious and identi.ca. It also displays updates from them in notification pop-ups, for real-time communication with friends. It installs near the status bar and a right click on the icon opens up all its features.

PeekYou Status Bar

Yes, this one is almost the web equivalent from the peek-a-boo game we have all played as kids. This is a search engine enhancement as it shows the people behind the search results. That is the guy who is associated with the site.

According to the developers it works with most of the search engines like Google, Bing, Yahoo, Live.com, Ask.com, and Clutsy.com. The add-on installs as a status bar and updates the info with each site that’s loaded on that page. Clicking on the small profile pics next to the search results or the bar takes it to another detailed info page.

It looks like a work in progress as numerous well known blogging names were not displayed. You can also check out profile listings from the homepage of PeekYou where you can search by name, location and tag.

Identify

This add-on also does a similar ‘unmasking’ job as the last one. Identify though goes one step ahead and collates together available profile info on the man behind a website or blog from many different sources and lists the other social sites where he can be found. All it takes are two keystrokes once a page loads – On Windows it’s Alt – i. Of course, expect hits and misses so do double check the info always.

Kutano

If friendships are forged around common interests then a browser add-on like Kutano is a big help. Kutano basically connects the webpage you are browsing to the comments it’s generating in Twitter-space. This add-on won’t get your old friends but will certainly help make a few new ones. Kutano opens up on a sidebar and lists all tweets and discussions on related to that site/page…whether it’s good or bad. Kutano lets you respond and start discussions yourself. You can share the discussions in Facebook and MySpace with a click.

Yoono

I won’t say too much about Yoono as Wez has shown in detail how to Stay Socially Connected Online With Yoono . Suffice to say that this add-on acts like a central command center for social connectedness. Connect with your buddies on social networks and on IMs like Google Talk Yahoo, MSN or AIM. After log-in you can start searching for friends who are on Yoono by using an address book of Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoo! Mail or AOL, or simply by their Yoono username.

These ten Firefox add-ons are not only about searching for friends old and new using the power of social networking. They are also add-ons which make social networking more seamless by bringing together the different services under a common umbrella. They also underscore the one universal fact – it’s easier to make friends than it is to keep them. Let’s hope these add-ons add to the heart that beats for a friend.

Has your social connectedness hinged around any of these add-ons?

Image Credit: Striatic

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Get the facts about the stability and security you get from health insurance reform | Health Insurance Reform Reality Check

2009-08-10T17:54:00.001-04:00

Get the facts about the stability and security you get from health insurance reform | Health Insurance Reform Reality Check

Shared via AddThis

New Rule from Bill M

2009-08-10T14:13:00.004-04:00

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bill-maher/new-rule-smart-president_b_253996.html

1st Football Game In Cowboy Stadium on Largest HDTV Screen

2009-08-10T12:24:00.001-04:00

http://gizmodo.com/5333374/first-football-game-in-cowboys-stadium-played-on-worlds-largest-hdtv

How bout them HI-DEF Cowboys!

Philips VOIP151 Skype Travel Phone

2009-04-23T01:31:00.000-04:00

This is the Philips VOIP151 Skype Travel Phone. Having recently loaded Skype again, I decided it was worth a try to buy one of the recommended handsets from the Skype accessories page. The VOIP151 is a relatively low cost option, but it should be noted this phone truly is a travel model. Its small size and travel case make it ideal to take with you and use with a laptop while traveling on the go. The unit runs roughly $25 on Amazon.com. One of the nicest features is the integrated Skype controls, which allow you to make calls easily to your saved Skype contacts. There is an excellent USB cord management system with this phone. The generous length USB cord stores around the handset its self.

You will want to make sure that you download any updates to Skype as well as the Phillips software right after installation. My first attempt at using the phone did not work, until I did these updates. So far my impressions are good. Sound quality is fine, as least as good as any standard land line phone you would use. I made one call to my work voicemail as a test. I have to admit that this one call did sound a bit distorted on the other end. I am going to continue to use the phone a bit more for some regular calls and should have some more feedback later.

I would recommend this phone to anyone who plans on being an active Skype user. Low price, ease of installation, and its incredibly compact style make it an ideal extra phone to take on the go. It probably wont be your primary solution, but it serves the role it was designed for very effectively.

My First Attempt Using the Flip Video

2009-03-22T22:27:00.000-04:00

This quick video was developed using the flipshare software that comes with the Flip Video Recorder. This was shot with the Flip Mino HD. The shots were taken on a day trip to New York City. Most shots are taken in the village, down by the South Ferry, Wall Street and the Park. Enjoy the video!

Check Out My First Youtube Video!

2009-03-19T02:44:00.000-04:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRGlr72DN-k