Filed under: Audio/Video, Cell Phones, Cameras, Video Games, Gift NewsRemember the breakup when she (or he) got your gadget? Whether it was the flat screen TV, laptop computer or robot vacuum cleaner, original ownership is often a point of contention when it comes to divvying up the domestic gadgets during a breakup. Well, it's been awhile, but the British have saved the day. Online electronic retailer Pixmania and law firm Lloyd, Platt & Company have brought the prenuptial agreement into the 21st century with the "E-nup". While not legally binding, the E-nup is a document that gadget junkies will find extremely useful before deciding to live in sin. Picture waving it in the air as you channel Perry Mason: "It says right here in the E-nup that you signed that the Xbox 360 is mine!" And even though it won't make or break a case, the courts might smile upon some evidence of ownership, should it go that far. At worst, the E-nup is another sign that love means neverhaving to say, "Fine, that gadget is yours."From Shiny MediaRelated Links:The Switched Holiday Gift GuideRIAA Defendant Appeals $220K Fine Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: ComputersIt seems like every day brings the launch of a new YouTube knockoff that offers fancy integrated video players and the ability to upload user-created content. Few of these upstarts seem to have a chance compared to Google's juggernaut ... except for the porn-focused ones, of course, which seem to be doing quite well. Conversely, a Christian-focused alternative is also finding quite a bit of success by letting believers strut their faith for all the Web to see.GodTube was launched last January by Chris Wyatt, a former producer for CBS. It mostly offers user-generated Christian programming, like a number of parodies of popular songs re-written to include Christian overtones, (some funny, some not) and, of course, plenty of preaching. Much of the site's content is a little more controversial, however, including a number of videos attacking Mormonism and one in which an atheist holds a Christian at gunpoint and asks him to die for his faith.So, perhaps not everyone can appreciate the content, but surely everyone can appreciate the traffic. In August GodTube was the fastest growing Web site on the 'Net according to comScore, an Internet marketing company. GodTube tauts 1.6 million unique visitors a month, an impressive figure for an upstart, but not quite a threat to YouTube's stats yet, estimated to be somewhere around 50 million per month.From USA TodayRelated Links: How To Watch TV Online - For FreeHow To Watch TV Online - For Free Nokia Says Social Networks Will Replace TV Networks Is There Hope for the Apple TV?  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Cell Phones, Google, iPhoneGoogle aficionados who are lucky enough (or dumb enough, depending on your perspective) to own an iPhone can finally stop complaining about uneven functionality with that search giant's apps: In addition to releasing yesterday's Gmail upgrade, the company created an iPhone-specific version of its home page and related services. The new page offers easy-to-access tabs for many Google services, including calendar, Gmail, Docs, etc. -- all with interfaces specifically designed for use on the iPhone's smaller screen, of course.The search box even got an upgrade. Now, in an effort to save you some time trying to type out search terms on the cramped touch-screen keyboard, the Google search page will offer search suggestions as you type.From LifehackerRelated Links:Gmail Gets Major UpgradeApple Sued Over iPhone's Visual VoicemailNew Google Maps Mobile Finds Your Location With Out GPS Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Audio/Video, Editor's Picks, Gadget Head, Music Hound, Creative Type, Man / Woman Who Has Everything, $5000 and Under, Features, Reviews, Holiday Gift GuideHype Check: Gibson Robot GuitarOn December 7, guitar enthusiasts around the nation will be able to get their callused hands on the Gibson Robot Guitar, a first-of-its-kind, self-tuning instrument packed with a computer and motorized tuners. This special edition Les Paul will initially only be available in limited quantities -- 10 guitars for each of 400 retailers across the nation. What it does: The Robot Guitar has a built-in tuner, a CPU, and motorized tuners that turn to increase or decrease the pitch of each string individually until the whole guitar is in tune. The on board computer is also used to switch from standard tuning (EADGBe) to a host of alternate tunings and even set intonation.What we like: The preset alternate tunings such as DADGAD and Open D (DADF#AD) are great for the forgetful and impatient. The Robot Guitar switches to alternate tunings much quicker than a person could, and the user can even change the presets for custom tunings, in case your playing style is less Son House and more Sonic Youth. And the intonation mode is a real cash saver. The computer guides you through adjusting the string saddles until you have perfect intonation, which guarantees pitch-perfect playing along the entire neck of the guitar. (With standard guitars, this adjustment is performed by a professional in a repair shop, which means parting ways with your instrument for a period of time and coughing up about $50 for the service.)Then there is the paint job, a gorgeous coat of super glossy "silver burst" that goes from a subtle silver in the center to a beautiful, bright blue around the edges. This particular color was designed specifically for the Robot Guitar and is sadly not available on any other instrument from Gibson, but we hope thischanges soon. Most importantly, this ax maintains that classic Les Paul tone -- thick, buttery, and smooth. In fact, it sounds so good, it almost feels like cheating. Even a novice can sound like Jimmy Page with a Les Paul strapped on.What we don't: There isn't much to dislike about this thing. The tuner occasionally had trouble picking out the last string or two when tuning, which slowed down the process, and if the guitar is just slightly out of tune, it's actually faster to adjust by hand in most cases. Our biggest worry with the device is the construction. The guitar feels solid enough, but pulling out and pushing back the tuning knobs for manual adjustment made us a little nervous. Repairing the guitar is also bound to be an expensive proposition should the tuner, computer, or motors fail. You won't be able to take this to your local music shop for repairs. Does it live up to the hype: Surprisingly enough, yes. When we first heard about this thing we were skeptical -- a guitar that tunes itself comes off as a bit of an unnecessary novelty, but Gibson's newest innovation proved its usefulness to us. Not to mention that playing 'War Pigs' on any Les Paul is a wonderfully satisfying experience.Price and where to get it: $2,499 at select Gibson retailers across the nation. You can find the nearest one here.Related Links:Is the Amazon Kindle Really the iPod of Books?How to Get Rid of Killer Bacteria in FoodHype Check: Verizon VCAST Mobile TVWhat we don't: There isn't much to dislike about this thing. The tuner occasionally had trouble picking out the last string or two when tuning slowing down the process, and if the guitar is just slightly out of tune its actually faster to adjust by hand in most cases. Our biggest worry with the device is the construction. The guitar feels solid enough, but pulling out and pushing back in the tuning knobs for manual adjustment made us a little nervous. Repairing the guitar is also bound to be an expensive proposition should the tuner, computer, or motors fail. You won't be able to take this to your local music shop for repairs. Does it live up to the hype: Surprisingly enough yes. We'll be honest, when we first heard about this thing we were skeptical. A guitar that tunes itself sounds pretty lazy and comes off as a bit of a novelty, but Gibson's newest innovation proved its usefulness to us. Not to mention that playing 'War Pigs' on a Les Paul is a wonderfully satisfying experience.Price and where to get it: $2,499 at select Gibson retailers across the nation. You can find the nearest one here.Related links:Is the Amazon Kindle Really the iPod of Books?How to Get Rid of Killer Bacteria in FoodHype Check: Verizon VCAST Mobile TV Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Computers, MySpaceLet this be a lesson to you: Take breaking up a little more seriously and try not to embarrass your soon-to-be ex anywhere that others might see. This was learned the hard way by video blogger Sandra Soroka who ditched her beau via a Facebook status update.The real mistake was posting an image of the status update on Digg, where scorned, geeky, men decided that Sandra had gone too far. Her Flickr account was hacked, all her photos deleted and replaced with a 'lol cat.' Horrifying. We would just like to thank Sandra for putting her neck out there and confirming what any person with a sense of decency probably suspected -- breaking up via Facebook status update is a bad idea.From ValleywagRelated links:Facebook Under Fire for Spyware Ad SystemFacebook to Drop 'is' From Status UpdatesLosing Face on Facebook - Five True Stories Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Cell Phones, iPhoneToday, cell phone carrier AT&T announced subscribers' ability to use any phone they like with the company's network. This is a policy that the company has (quietly) had for years, but apparently never really talked about. However, with Verizon's announcement last about opening up its network in 2008, it seems AT&T felt the need to be a little more vocal about the option. Verizon itself was likely spurred on, at least in part, by Google's new mobile phone operating system announcement, Android. Google has always praised openness in everything it gets involved with, and there's no doubt the company will be exerting some pressure on wireless providers who use its software to open up their services. Verizon has signed on to be part of the Android party, while AT&T is still standing coyly at the side of the room.With this new move AT&T is calling itself "the most open wireless company in the industry," a claim we'd contest, since it's been rubbing the "if you want an iPhone you can only get it here" policy in our faces since May. Open up the iPhone, AT&T (and Apple), and we'll be a little more receptive. From USA TodayRelated Links: Verizon Wireless To Let You Use Any Phone On Its Network Google Announces gPhone? Not Quite. Coming Soon -- The Fully-Customizable Linux Phone  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Computers, Celebrities, Gift News, Holiday Gift GuideWe always thought there was something off about a fat, red-faced guy, who gave kids gifts for just "being good," and took to sitting the good boys and girls on his lap. This week some other people started realizing that maybe good ol' Saint Nick has a few screws loose -- including those who tried to speak to Santa via his northpole@live.com address on MSN Messenger. It seems the Microsoft run chat bot really loves talking to kids about fellatio and being high.The offending lines were prompted by seemingly innocent phrases. Merely typing in "pizza" would often lead to Santa saying "You want me to eat what?!? It's fun to talk about oral sex, but I want to chat about something else..." The UK site The Register, which received a reader tip and decided to see if the glitch was indeed for real, even got old Saint Nick to call one of its writers a "dirty bastard." All you have to do is say the word "cake" and the jolly fat guy gets all high and mighty, "You don't need drugs when you're high on life!" Preachy, preachy... and highly inappropriate when IM-loving minors are talking to someone they think is Santa Claus.Here's the full transcript from The Register's conversation of Dirty Rotten Santa:"El Reg says: pizza (pi)Santa says: Yum! What do you want for Christmas, El Reg?El Reg says: Maybe you shouldn't eat so much! You are quite large!Santa says: My elves will get right on that. And what else are you wishing for this year, El Reg?El Reg says: Maybe you shouldn't eat it?Santa says: See if you can get someone else to eat it!El Reg says: Eat itSanta says: No thank you. I don't eat things!El Reg says: Eat itSanta says: See if you can get someone else to eat it!El Reg says: Eat itSanta says: You want me to eat what?!? It's fun to talk about oral sex, but I want to chat about something else...El Reg says: You dirty bastard!Santa says: I think you're dirty bastard."Sadly, those of us who may want to check out this dirty rotten Santa bot ourselves are out of luck. Microsoft took away Santa's screen name and Live address, and issued an apology. The programmer who put the offending code in the bot is still at large, but he or she will surenly be out of a job if Microsoft ever gets wise about the whole thing.From the RegisterRelated links:Christmas Tree Powered By Electric EelChristmas-Carol-Singing-Robot Gets Knocked Out By Scrooge-BotDecorate Your Desk With the USB Christmas Tree Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Cell Phones, Computers, Video Games, Gadget Head, $50 and Under, Features, Holiday Gift Guide According to none other than Wired magazine, T-shirts have come into their own as a form of media, one that uniquely documents messages and stories, not to mention emergent technologies and companies changing the way we use the Internet. Here at Switched, we write a lot about these next-gen, "Web 2.0" companies and technologies, which include everyone from MySpace and Facebook to Twitter and even Google. Given that we're partial to t-shirts with nerdy, tech-infused jokes and terminology, we figured it was high time to find the best geek t-shirts specifically related to Web 2.0 speak (like the "Your Podcast is Lame" t-shirt, flickr user ericskiff, pictured above). So here, dear readers is our humble survey of the wild, cotton-meets-code world of Web 2.0 t-shirts. If anything, it'll give you something cool to talk about during your podcast. See the List >> Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Computers, Video Games, Interviews, Celebrities, iPod, BlackBerry, Gamer, Music Hound, Man / Woman Who Has Everything, $50 and Under, $100 and Under, Features, Holiday Gift GuideSlash is a busy guy. In fact, we're not sure he's had any down time since recording what may be the greatest debut album in the history of Rock 'n' Roll, the Guns n' Roses classic 'Appetite for Destruction.' After the disintegration of the band and the hijacking of the name by a corn-rowed Axl Rose and a band of impostors ( whose next album 'Chinese Democracy' should be out some time before Armageddon), Slash went on to form Slash's Snake Pit and play guitar on tracks for dozens of artists from Michael Jackson to Insane Clown Posse. And he just keeps adding to his repertoire. In addition to being the lead guitarist for Velvet Revolver, the top-hat-wearing axe slinger just co-authored a book (with Anthony Bozza) entitled 'Slash' and appeared as a boss character in 'Guitar Hero III.' The rock legend was kind enough to sit and talk with us a bit about the book, Guitar Hero, and of course whether he prefers PC or Mac.Switched: So what made you decide to write a book now?Slash: I put the book out to sort of set the record straight on a lot of the story having to do with why I quit Guns 'n' Roses, and the band reuniting, and a lot of other subjects having to do with that band. Basically that's what influenced my decision to write a book. Prior to that I had no interest in writing a book, even though people keep asking me. But after seeing all the attention that Guns 'n' Roses has garnered of late, all the misinformation that's available to people, and all of the other, you know, falsehoods that are going on about a lot of different things, I just figured probably the only way I'd be able to do myself and the story any justice is to write it myself.So it was less a thing of nostalgia and more, almost cathartic?Well, you know, cathartic in a way. I don't know how cathartic it was really, for myself, personally, but I think it'll put some people's minds at rest, especially people who are huge Guns 'n' Roses fans or who are fascinated by the phenomena that is Guns 'n' Roses.It's coming out just on the heels of the release of 'Guitar Hero III,' which you star in. Is the timing accidental?(Laughs) It's all accidental. I was working on the Velvet Revolver 'Libertad' record, when both these things... well, I started writing the book during the making of the record, and actually did the Guitar Hero thing a little bit prior to that. But they were all sort of done at the same time and they're all coming out at the same time.So how did you get involved with 'Guitar Hero III?'Activision [the game's publisher] came up with the idea to have somebody in the rock world represent the game and they chose me to be their rock legend guy, which I thought was really flattering. And I was really overwhelmed and excited about the prospect of doing it because I'm a huge fan of the game. So I met with them and we shot some ideas back and forth and we rolled with it and it came out great. I got to write some music for it, I put some guitar solos on it, and I got a caricature of myself in the game. It's way left-field for what I normally do, but at the same time it's very relevant, and I'm really honored to be on the box, so to speak.That sort of answers our next question, which is how much involvement was there really in making the game? It sounds as though it was more than just "walk in to the studio, get some pictures taken for the model, and go home."No, there were plenty t of hours spent outside my comfort zone to get this done properly. But, you know, it was an experience and it was fun as well. Obviously, you've played the game, you said you enjoyed it. Did you find it tough to transition from playing the real guitar to playing Guitar Hero?I'm not very good at it. I played it a little while ago this afternoon. And I played 'Guitar Hero 2' and I had a lot of time to sit with it and learn how to do it and I got pretty good at it until I beat the game. But I didn't beat it on expert -- I beat it on hard. And that took a lot of work. I think there's something innatelyawkward about being a guitar player trying to playing 'Guitar Hero.' I think you play it by ear more than you do so by sight, which is the way that normal people play it. There really is that correlation between your fingers and what you're looking at on screen, and I think for guitar players the way that you relate to it is really by ear and feel, which somehow doesn't make your fingers land at the right place at the right time.So what are you planning on getting the wife and kids for the holidays, gadget- or tech-wise this year?I've been so busy, and everybody on my side of the fence has been so busy, what with touring and all the other stuff that's going on right now. We haven't really gotten into Christmas. We just escaped Halloween with me traveling all over the place and what not. So we haven't really focused on Christmas yet.Don't even bring that up, you're scaring the shit out of me.(Laughs)Is there any gadget that'sgot you excited that you really want to get your hands on?I'm not a huge gadget guy. I just got a new BlackBerry, you know, and I'm happy with that. And I just got a new Xbox 360 not too long ago and we were looking at some new games the other day just to see what's out there. I got my new 'Guitar Hero' finally... I can't think of anything off the top of my head, outside of some recording gear that I'm really looking out for getting.Does the aversion to technology and gadgets extend to the music? Are you a Pro Tools guy?NO, no, I'm really simple, and I don't... I'm one of those people that if it's something you don't need, I can pretty much stay away from it. But as far as just toying around with technology for toying around's sake, I'm not like that. I'm basically all about the simplest approach possible. The fewer manuals I have to read, the better and if it ain't broke, don't fix it. So I use a lot of pretty much old gear and what not. The only thing I do need for recording is something simple that's efficient, sounds good, can be taken on the road -- that's what I'm starting to shop for at this point. And something small that I can carry.Is there anything that you carry with you, on tour or every day, like a BlackBerry or an iPod, that's just attached to you 24/7?Well the BlackBerry, as much as I hate to admit it, is an appendage for sure. And as far as the iPod goes... you know...I have an iPod and its got 1000 some-odd, if not more, songs on it. But I find that I like to just have, like, a handful of good CDs and use those. I haven't really graduated to the iPod school of thinking (laughs). I think it's too much of a song selection for me to figure out what I want to listen to.We often find that's true. You spend 15 minutes trying to decide what to listen to, and only five actually listening to anything.Exactly... that's my take on that.One last simple question. Mac or PC?Um.. I have both.I feel comfortable with both, I carry my Mac around and have a PC at home.OK, so Mac Book? Mac Pro?Mac Pro.... Oh wait, wait, wait. No, you know what, I take that back. It's a Mac Book. I almost got a Mac Pro, but I knew I wasn't gonna use it to its full potential. so...Related Links:Mo Rocca Talks About Baring It All, OnlineCyber Sunday WWE Diva Finalists Talk About Gadget LustEmmy Rossum: Actor, Singer, Mac Addict Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Gadget Head, Domestic God / Goddess, Creative Type, Man / Woman Who Has EverythingSentilla is a company that specializes in pervasive computing, which means it would like to find a way to make anything and everything smarter by attaching a computer to it... Apparently, even coasters are no exception. The folks at Sentilla boast that they have invented the world's first Smart Drink Coasters, which know when a drink has been placed or removed from them and provide "visual feedback" (i.e., flashing lights) to notify the barkeep that your drink is dangerously close to empty. The coasters can even communicate wirelessly to work the lights in tandem and bring back old school favorites like Simon - as a drinking game, of course.These three-inch squared gems are made using glass "picture frame" coasters from arts and crafts barn Michael's. Add some switches, rechargeable batteries and a tiny Sentilla computer, and you've got one of your own. Follow the directions from the Sentilla Web site and you will have coasters that will entertain everyone from the 'Girls Gone Wild' cast to the grandparents who'll have a hot toddy. From Sentilla (via Engadget)Related Links:"Smart" Closet Helps Geeks Avoid Fashion Faux PasNew "Smart" Suit Makes Emergency Workers Safer Smart Phones Kill Intelligent Keys Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Green Tech, Gift News, Holiday Gift GuideMarketing geniuses at Japan's Aqua Toto Gifu Aquarium have caught the attention of both the marine-life lovers and the media with a holiday display that uses a unique source of clean renewable energy -- an electric eel, otherwise known to us geeks here at Switched as Electrophorus Electricus.The aquarium placed its "E-Tree" next to tan electric eel in a tank. Inside the tank, copper wiring has been run, and every time the eel brushes against the conductive wire, the tree's ornaments light up, much to the pleasure of spectators.Tanks filled with electric eels and lots of copper wire aren't going to allow any of us to drop off the grid anytime soon, but still, it's a neat trick, no?According to Wikipedia, electric eels generate electricity using three organs -- the main organ, hunter's organ, and Sachs organ -- that take up four fifths of its body. These organs act in a manner similar to charged plates in a battery. The average electric eel can produce up to 500 volts and one ampere of current (500 watts). That's enough to hurt -- a lot.Oh, and electric eels aren't eels. They're more closely related to catfish.%Gallery-11360%From UbergizmoRelated Links:Decorate Your Desk With a USB Christmas TreeRockefeller Christmas Tree Goes Green Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Computers, GoogleIn case you haven't been paying very close attention to your Gmail, or for some bizarre reason don't use the Google Mail service, you may have missed that while staying almost exactly the same cosmetically, Gmail has undergone a complete overhaul during the last few months.Since late October Gmail has gained new features on an almost weekly basis. First they added IMAP, an E-Mail delivery protocol that allows you to sync several devices to your Gmail account. Then Gmail got a completely new code base that added some new keyboard shortcuts, faster load times, and an overhauled contacts manager. Then, earlier in the week, labels got color, and now the built-in chat client includes AIM support.As any user of of Gmail knows, Google Talk is integrated with your inbox, allowing you to chat with other Gmail and Google Talk users. Now, in the same contacts side bar under options, you should find a new entry that reads 'Sign in to AIM.' This has been a long time coming, but sadly the integration is not as tight as one would have hoped. The side bar simply allows you to sign in to your AIM account, and when you IM some one it still appears to them that you are using your AIM screen name. But Gmail will still keep logs of your AIM conversations if they're held within the Gmail client, just like it does with Google Talk. Currently,AIM is not available in the Google Chat desktop program or the gadget, but hopefully that will change soon.From BetaNewsRelated links:Users Reporting Deleted E-Mail from Gmail AccountsGmail Overhaul On the Way?Instant Upgrade: Better Gmail Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Audio/Video, Cell PhonesNokia is about to make a whole bunch of people very unhappy, but it doesn't matter since those people aren't consumers. Nokia is preparing to launch an unlimited music download service to pair with some of its multimedia-focused handsets like the 5300 seen above. Nokia's new service is a challenge to the pay-per-track model that has made Apple so much cash with its iTunes store. It will also take money straight out of the service providers' pockets, who often offer their own pay-per-track download service.The particularly threating thing about the new Nokia service is that not only can users download an unlimited amount of songs from a catalog of millions, but the tracks can be burned to CD and kept after the contract with Nokia expires or is terminated. Nokia has already enlisted Universal Music Group in the service and is talking with the other major record labels. Currently, mobile music downloads make up roughly 13 percent of music sales, and this may be a sign that record companies are finally accepting that listeners are not willing to pay the absurd prices normally demanded for music. It may also get them to realize that allowing consumers to download music for free (or nearly free) through legitimate channels is better than forcing them to turn to outlets such as Pirate Bay.From ReutersRelated links:Wal-Mart Tells Music Labels to Offer DRM-Free Music 'or Else'Gift Guide: Nokia N95 Multimedia DeviceAT&T Releases Samsung SLM with Napster Music Downloads Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Cell PhonesIn the U.K., cell phones and bars go together like -- alcohol and bars. Just a few weeks ago a few English pubs introduced the ability to order drinks via text message, and now a new service has shy British bar hoppers talking to each other, or at least making contact, via cell phone.The service, called Ice Brkr, lets you create an online persona with a picture. You then indicate which bar(s) you're in and when. Others who are in the same locations as you at the right time can look you up (by your picture) and send you creepy text messages like "I just love to watch you laugh." Like most dating schemes, creating a profile and putting your information online is free. It's only when you want to contact someone that you get billed. The first four messages are free, after that you can buy ten-packs of messages for £10 (about $20), or 25 messages for £20 (about $40). Not too bad if the thought of talking to a real girl gives you the willies. From textually.orgRelated Links: Text Message Your Drink Orders at British Pubs NYC Hopes to Launch Subway Text Message Alert System PlayerBlock Lets You Check Up On Your Date Via Cell Phone  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments