Filed under: Advice, Editor's Picks, Top Lists, Holiday Gift Guide Who doesn't love gadgets? We here at Switched pretty much think everyone does, though we're sure there are a few stragglers out there who haven't hopped on the gizmo bus yet. Regardless, as far as we're concerned, gadgets are the perfect gift for the holidays, which is why we've scoured the piles and piles of cool items we've had a chance to check out hands-on over the past few months and compiled a list of 60 perfect presents for various different types of people. From gadget heads and video-gamers to homebodies and style mavens, no gift recipient on your holiday list will be disappointed with the suggestions we've gathered for you.To make it easy, we've divided the initial set of 60 recommendations into ten different gift recipient types and six different price ranges. Just click on "Find by Price" or "Find by Recipient" at the top of any Holiday Gift Guide page to find the perfect present. Wherever possible, we've also linked our gift picks to online retailers that carry them.Be sure to check back daily, as we'll be adding breaking news on the latest sales and deals and just-released products, as well as even more gift roundups, shopping tips, how-tos (so you can set up those new gadgets), and other features. All new additions to the gift guide will also show up in a special holiday blog, which you can access by clicking on the Holiday Gift Guide link here or on the Switched main page.Happy browsing and shopping!Visit the 2007 Switched Holiday Gift Guide. From whether you've got to get holiday gifts for early-adopting, video-game-playing gadget heads or for aesthetically-minded style mavens that couldn't give two cents for some ugly-but-powerful new doodad,  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Holiday Gift Guide, Features, Gift News Well, Black Friday is upon us and that means hundreds of amazing deals on electronics and other digital doodads, not to mention insanely long lines. We don't really think all the fuss is worth it, particularly since two weeks ago, we bought a Panasonic 42-inch plasma HDTV for about $1,100. In fact, we're confident that deals will persist for the next five weeks of holiday shopping. And let's not forget that many of these Black Friday sales are also available online. But if you're in the mood to shop today, and sometimes that's enough of a reason to deal with the crowds, here are some sites you should check out before you god. DealNews: This site lists the latest deals on all sorts of merchandise, including, of courses, deals on electronics. Sales are listed by retailers (Apple Store, Sears, Amazon.com), as well as by specific item (such as LG's 42-inch plasma HDTV for $899). You can also print out coupons here.Gadget blogs and sites: Both Engadget and Gizmodo have exhaustive lists of all the deals that are to be had today. Or, if you don't have time to browse through each and every deal and link, you can check out the top ten Black Friday deals that Laptop magazine has compiled.Retrevo: This newly launched site lists the latest deals, and, unlike a lot of other sales listing sites, even tells you what it thinks is a good discount versus just a discount. but also offers a nifty new shopping tool that lets narrow down gadgets by price range, brand, feature list, then scours the Web for online deals, user and blog/Web site reviews, and images and gives you a customized breakdown of price and quality on whatever you're looking for. BlackFridayInfo: This site comes alive today with pretty much every Black Friday deal that any major retailer might have, and offers links to online deals right on the main page, so you'll never have to leave your desk!Assorted tips: If you know what you want, but just don't have a strategy for beating lines or traffic, you're in luck, because everyone in the gadget and product review business usually has its own Black Friday guide. Just do a search for "Black Friday tips" and you'll likely find a full list of stories such as this one.For more ideas on what to buy this holiday season, check out the Switched Holiday Gift Guide. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Advice, Reviews, Holiday Gift Guide, FeaturesIs the world's first ultrasound toothbrush all that? Read this to find out:What it is: Ultreo claims the Ultrasound is the first major innovation in electric-toothbrush technology since Sonicare came out roughly 15 years ago. It uses -- appropriately enough -- ultrasound technology to clean your teeth (a super high-pitched form of sound pressure, and yes, that's the same technology used to check out the sex of your unborn baby).Why it's different: The Ultreo uses roughly four million cycles of ultrasound energy to create bubbles that expand and contract -- this movement, combined with regular bristle-action, helps remove the tiny chunks of Swedish fish and/or meatballs that get stuck in those hidden spots between your teeth. Where you can get it: Atthe moment, Ultreo is available online from Ultreo's website -- it'll eventually make its way to retail stores and dentist's offices, making it kind of a rarefied gift for someone who loves their teeth.Price: Ultreo will set you back $149.99, but snag a discount code from your dentist to save a few bucks.What we like: Immediately after you finish brushing, a distinct feeling of (quite literal) squeaky-clean sets in; your teeth actually feel as if they've been buffed and polished, and the squeak when you rub your finger across them is actually audible (though not visible). The unit itself feels solid and well-built, and the brush-head seems seems more durable than those of other premium toothbrushes.What we don't like: Hard to find anything, other than the high price. While it's not necessarily a bad thing, per se, the Ultreo doesn't produce quite as much friction as other high-end electric toothbrushes. This may come as something of a shock to those used to, say, the Sonicare's full-on tooth-and-gum massage. The Ultreo's lighter touch is a result of cleaning being accomplished through ultrasound waves, which you don't actually feel.Does it live up to the hype? While it will be tough to say how well the Ultreo actually works until our next dentist appointment, initial impressions are definitely positive. It feels like a great way to clean those pearlies, and the lack of friction is likely to be easy on the gums, for those who tend to otherwise brush too hard.Related Links:Hype Check: Sansa Connect Hype Check: Verizon VCAST Mobile TV How to Clean Your Flat-Panel TV  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Audio/Video, Computers, TV, YouTubeIn its testing phase right now, SyncTV is pioneering some new ground with pay-for-what-you-want television and media programming. Initially, the service will be computer-based only, allowing users to download their favorite show or whole seasons of television programs by subscribing to their favorite channels for $2-$4 a pop per month. The service works with to any Windows-, Linux-, or Mac-based computer and is said to deliver DVD-like quality and 5.1 Dolby Digital Plus Surround Sound. This is some scary ground for the established cable companies that have been toying with versions of this (On Demand, etc.), but not within the same framework of an approach, i.e. customers just paying for the channels they want to watch.SyncTV plans to rollout portable media player devices that can play its content (which utilizes the open-standard Marlin digital rights management technology), as well asallow for playback on televisions in the future. The platform that SyncTV is based on is also an open platform that will allow independent software developers to create, in essence, widgets for your TV.It's an intruiguing proposition that you can actually check out. If you're interested in joining the beta testing program, you can sign up at synctv.com Related Links:National Lampoon Gets OnlineThe Switched Show, To GoMo Rocca Talks About Baring It All, Online  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Cell Phones, Video GamesNintendo has long tauted its 'Brain Age' series of games as not only fun, but also as being beneficial to your noggin. The say the games can even make you smarter. A new study verifies those claims, at least in seniors. According to the study, seniors were able to perform mentally as well as they did in their thirties after spending just 40 hours with brain training software. The study, created by a company called Posit, which markets its own (substantially more expensive) software that competes with Nintendo's, showed that seniors who trained using its computer games performed better than those who used more traditional educational techniques. The company's $400 software, like Nintendo's, provides "mental exercise" for those who play, challenging them to remember series of numbers and perform other tasks that test their noodles.While your grandparents may already be having Wii tournaments with their friends, it may be time to set them up with a Nintendo DS and copy of 'Brain Age.' We're guessing that spending time with it will be just as beneficial as the more expensive stuff, plus most people find using aDS to be a lot easier than a PC.From Daily MailRelated Links: Senior Citizens Going Nuts for Nintendo Wii AARP Offers Video Game Training for Senior Citizens Nintendo Targets Women & Grandparents  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Computers, MySpaceFacebook's status updates are fun and interesting, but the inclusion of the word 'is' rubs some people the wrong way. Trying to form proper English sentences with the phrase "so-and-so is" is limiting and sometimes difficult. Regardless, some have simply chosen to ignore it, leading to clunkers like "Devika is what me worry" that make us shudder...Others have taken a more proactive approach, forming a very popular group on Facebook whose sole purpose is to convince the developers to pull the offending "is." Facebook has heard your calls and is banishing "is" from the status updates. The code is in place and application developers (like Twitter) can already choose to remove "is" from the status update, and will be removing it completely for all users in the near future. This means you'll be able to use the verb of your choice when drafting your status update. Other updates coming down the pipe to please the Facebook faithful include e-mail opt-outs for applications. Not everyone wants to get an e-mail every time some jack ass "bites" you with the Vampire application, so banish this acceptable form of what is essentially spam from your in-box by simply unchecking a box.All of this said, some of us might actually miss that "is" from our status updates. Constrictions in terms of word count or word choice force us to come up with innovative solutions when writing. That "is" led to some pretty amusing and clever updates, but using our own verbs will probably achieve the same outcome.What do you think? Will you miss the "is" in Facebook status updates?From Read/Write Web and Venture BeatRelated Links:MySpace to Get a Face LiftLosing Face on Facebook - Five True StoriesBest Facebook Apps for the Office Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Audio/Video, Computers, Video Games, Celebrities, TVEveryone figured World of Warcraft (WoW) would be successful in its own right, but no one could have imagined it would be come the cultural powerhouse that it is. The massively multiplayer online game's runaway success has lined Blizzard's (the company behind Wow, Warcraft, Starcraft, and Diablo) pockets with boat loads of cash. So what is Blizzard doing with this deluge of income? Marketing, of course! WoW may be popular, but it is far from reaching the saturation point. South Park episodes alone can not sell a game.So Blizzard has wrangled some celebrities to help hock its 'wares on the TV. Namely, William Shatner and Mr. T. The commercials have the painfully self-aware and ironic celebs talking about their WoW characters -- Shatner as a Shaman, and Mr. T as a night elf "mohawk," or, more accurately, warrior.Check out the Mr. T Commercial above and the Shatner clip below. Both are also available for download on the WoW site. From JoystiqRelated Links:More American World of Warcraft Players than Farmers, Stats SayToyota Ad Spoofs Video Game, Viral VideoOnline Game More Populous than NYC Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Cell Phones, iPhoneApple struck an exclusive deal with T-Mobile Germany to sell and support the iPhone, similar to the agreement it has with AT&T here in the states. However, locked handsets and exclusive arrangements aren't as easily accepted in the EU. The German branch of competitor Vodafone obtained a court injunction against the deal, claiming that the exclusive arrangement wasn't acceptable under German law.T-Mobile has responded by deciding to sell the phone unlocked for €999, roughly $1,478. It is the first officially sanctioned unlocked iPhone available, but at such an absurd price, it won't be flying off the shelves (we don't think). T-Mobile's disingenuous attempt to appease Vodafone and the German government sure isn't going to win any fans. Don't be shocked if this tale gets even uglier.From EngadgetRelated Links:iPhone Named Invention of the YearGerman Apple Store Overrun by iPhone FansApple Founder Steve Wozniak Calls for Open iPhone Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Computers, iPod, Gift NewsAmazon.com has found great success with its Marketplace, a sort of better-structured eBay enabling users to post their own used goods for sale on the site. Now it seems Target wants to get in on the action, but it won't allow just anyone to sell their wares on its site, Target.com. The company is posting so-called pre-owned electronics to the site, but it will only be re-selling those electronics items returned to their brick and mortar stores.The company claims that many of the electronics returned by customers are in "perfect working order" and simply need to be re-packaged for sale again. However, once opened, those items are technically used and can't be re-sold as new. So, add a new section to your website and, hey -- presto, cleared inventory. Right now, the selection is fairly limited, including just iPods, video game consoles, and televisions. You can get yourself a 30 gig iPod Video for $180, compared to $250 for the cheapest iPod Classic, the 80 gigabyte version. If you're a fan of the taller, thinner iPod Nano, a pre-owned eight gigabyte version is $170, compared to $200 for a new one from Apple, or $180 from Amazon.Not exactly a huge savings by any means, but if Target is your Vendor of choice and you like to save a few bucks, this could be the used gadget vendor you've been looking for.From Extreme TechRelated Links: Gary Coleman's GameCube Auctioned Off on eBay Pennsylvania Law Forces eBay Auctioneers to Get a License American Internet Access Destined for Meltdown?  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: ComputersAutism, like nearly every other modern disease, has been on the rise of late, with far more children being called autistic today than 10 or 20 years ago. Some believe that it's simply being diagnosed more by doctors than before, but others are looking for environmental causes. The case of that latter group has some new backing with a study finding a link between autism and Wi-Fi.The study, published in 'Australasian Journal of Clinical Environmental Medicine,' claims that the radiofrequency waves emitted by Wi-Fi routers isolate and trap metals in brain cells. These metals, according to the study, are the cause of the drastic increase in autism. This isn't the first time we've heard these claims, and in fact this isn't the first tech device that has been linked to autism (earlier this year it was electromagnetic radiation from cell phones), while vaccines have also been fingered. It's natural for parents of autistic children to be looking for answers, but with all these findings indicating various causes, many getting summarily debunked, it's hard to feel too confident in the findings of this latest one without some further backing. The only fact we know is that the exact cause of autism is still unknown.What do you think? Does being in the proximity of Wi-Fi make you nervous for your health or the health of your children?From CrunchGearRelated Links: Health Fears Surrounding Wi-Fi Unfounded Are Wi-Fi Laptops Dangerous for Kids? Do Cell Phones Cause Autism?  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Audio/Video, Columns, Reviews, Editor's Picks, Interviews, Slideshows, Traveler, $100 and Under, $250 and Under, Holiday Gift Guide, Features It's the holiday season and we're all eating a bit more. Unfortunately, going to the gym is such a drag that the only way to make time pass (and exercise more bearable) is to blast some tunes while we work out. Unfortunately, many of the headphones we like to wear on the street (because they're stylish), at home (because they're audiophile-quality), or while we travel (because they block out airplane cabin noise) just don't cut it on the treadmill. Headphones have a tendency to fall off our heads while we jog, for example, or just hurt out ears. But have no fear: We put five highly-touted, gym-friendly headphones to the test by taking them with us on some recent workouts. Here's what we found.H2O Sport HeadphonesThe only over-the-ear pair of headphones we tested, the H2O Sport is a pretty good option for budget-conscious athletes: For 30 bucks, these things actually provide decent bass response and get plenty loud. The neckwrap helps keep the headphones in place while you get your sweat on, and the coiled cord conveniently retracts to three feet (six feet when extended). That said, the plastic construction is a bit chintzy, and the cord feels like it might rip if you tug it too hard. The phones are a bit bulky and feel like they may give out after a year or so, but until then, they'll definitely get the job done whle you work out.Next >> Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Audio/Video, ComputersRenee Holly spent the beginning of her life walking the streets, selling her body, and becoming addicted to drugs. But as she approaches 50, her tale has taken a surprising, technologically fueled and somewhat happy turn.After going sober about a year ago, Holly stumbled across Craigslist and listed an advertisement under its Erotic Services section. The response her ad received was immense. Renee stopped walking the streets and now uses the Internet to find "johns" (customers), which makes her feel safer. Now, she is trying to go legit. She blogs, has a Web site, and gives private webcam shows for $6 a minute.Renee hasn't stopped selling herself just yet. But she has started amassing a small stock of cash in a business account from her webcam income. She only makes about $1.50 out of every $6 that customers pay for her webcam shows, but it's the start on the road to the safer life Renee so craves.From St. Petersburg TimesRelated links:Police Crack Down on Craigslist Sex IndustryOne Third of Women Who Meet People Online Have Sex on the First DateSingapore Bans Video Game With Interplanetary Lesbian Sex Scene Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Computers, eBayYou know those people -- maybe even you -- who sell other people's stuff on eBay? Well, apparently you or they will need to get an auctioneer's license from now on, at least in Pennsyslvania. The law has actually been on the books for a while, but is garnering attention because it is only now being enforced. Two people who run online auctions for others are under investigation by the state government and face up to $1,000 in fines.But some eBay auctioneers are speaking out. Pennsylvania-based Auction Inn, a small online eBay auction company, is speaking out against the law, though it is not oneof the two cited by law enforcement. Auction Inn believes the law is unfair since eBay auctioneers don't perform the same function or duty as traditional auctioneers. Presumably, this means they don't have gavels or talk in sped-up-auction-selling-speak, since all they do is write nice descriptions, take pretty photos, and make sure the stuff gets to the buyer on time. Getting an auctioneer's license can take six to eight months which would shut Auction Inn down for the better part of a year, essentially forcing the business to shutter.State lawmakers are proposing bills to deal with the issue, one of which makes eBay sellers exempt from the auctioneer's law, but still requires them to register with the government.You can already feel the garages, basements, and attics of Pennsylvania start to fill up with all the crap the won't get sold until this hubbub is sorted out.What do you think? Is this law too much or do you think eBay auctioneers should have a license? From WGAL NewsRelated Links:Gary Coleman's GameCube Auctioned Off on eBay30 Years of Video Games Up for SaleeBay Accounts Hijacked and Used to Scam Buyers Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Cell PhonesOperators at the Black Hawk County Consolidated Communications Center in Iowa are starting to freak out, as a cell phone has been repeatedly calling in to the center's 911 emergency help line. Almost 400 times last week the phone called in, with no one on the other side. Attempts to call the phone back have been fruitless.After some investigating they found that the phone number had been deactivated and is not currently associated with any cell phone carrier. Cell phones, even after being disconnected, can still place emergency calls, as required by law.Investigators haven't thrown in the towel yet, but they are throwing up their hands. "We are pretty helpless," said Judy Flores, a supervisor at the center. We're just wondering if this is another mother passing off her old cell phone on her gadget-obsessed child.From CNNRelated links:Cell Phones in Subways, Not for 911Cell Providers Face Fines for Not Living Up to 911 RequirementsToddler Dials 911 From Cell Phone 287 Times Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments