Filed under: Top Lists, Google, YouTubeIt's no secret that the Web's heavy hitters like to show their seasonal spirit with mods of the subtle and not-so-subtle variety to their brand identities. Google's logo has become especially known for its Google Doodles, and this year's full-on ghoulish painting logo continue that fine, quirky tradition.The search giant has even dressed up its significant new addition to the family in some festive holiday threads (though if our TV became a pumpkin we'd be a little upset). BooTube, anyone?Our last spooky Google shoutout comes via our friends at Geeksugar - we've been flying a witch through Google Street View all day! Head over and give it a try - a little rehearsal of the trick or treating route through your neighborhood for the evening can't hurt!Google's not the only one having fun with logo ornamentation, though. In fact, our research indicates that Halloween logo competition may be just as fierce as competition for your search queries. Yahoo, for one, has made their logo the center of an entire bone-rattling animation. We only have a still to show you here, so check out its homepage for the show!However, we think that Ask has won our haunted hearts by placing its entire homepage in a Jack-O-Lantern lit night. Can you think of a better setting for your last minute costume questions?Until next year (or Thanksgiving, at least), thanks for indulging our logo lust, and stay safe out there tonight!Related Links:How to Print Your Own Halloween Mask Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Computers, Top ListsThere's plenty to love about the Internet. But there is also plenty to loathe. Ridiculous banner ads, the crappy quality of the vast majority of Web video, and complex Web 2.0 services without any support.PC World surveyed its readers and found out what they think the Top 10 Web Annoyances are. From Ticket Master to trolls (those people who post annoying, nonstop comments on forums), there's plenty of annoying stuff you'll recognize in this piece.Online forms -- a pet peeve of ours -- makes the list. These overly complex forms that ask for a head scratching amount of personal information just to read an article or post on a forum are, to put it lightly, a bit pain in the ___. We can't count the number of times we've spent five minutes filling out a form, only to have missed a "required field" that wasn't marked clearly. Or the instances where we've input an answer in an unsuitable format that had no instructions, only to have the form clear itself completely and tell us we messed something up (but not tell us what!).For all the convenience it has brought us, the Internet sure is annoying.How about you? What do you think is the most annoying stuff on the Internet?From PC WorldRelated Links:Top 11 Celebrity Messes Online Top 11 Geek T-Shirts Best Gadgets for New Moms  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: ComputersSo you may be able to earn college credit learning to speak Klingon, and you can order yourself replicas of many bits of Klingon weaponry. But even though you may wish it otherwise, you have to face facts: Klingons are not real. That other bane of the Starfleet's existence, the cloaking shield, isn't real either. That said, it seems we may be getting closer to invisibility becoming a reality, at least if results from a recent British test are to believed. According the Daily Mail, British forces recently demo'd technology that can "make a vehicle seem to completely disappear."Unlike the Klingon technology, which is said to form a field that bends light around the ship, the British cloaking technology relies on cameras and projectors to actually project a picture of what's behind the vehicle onto the vehicle itself. The tanks, such as the ones pictured above, are said to have been painted in a highly reflective paint that effectively turns them into big, rumbling movie screens. In true science-project style, the technology is loosely demonstrated with what looks like a small volleyball in this random video from Japan.The system is being developed by QnetiQ, which has worked on other random cool tech projects that range from a long-distance solar powered aircraft to a machine that can measure your feet in 3-D. Cloaking apparently is just the company's latest experiment ... at least the latest one that we've been allowed to hear about.From Daily Mail (via Engadget)Related Links: Video Game Trains Airport Security Guards Gay Bomb Makes Love, Not War The Defense Department's New Robot Dogs  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Video Games'The Simpsons' game has finally touched down at retai (well, tomorrow, anywayl, and the reviews, such as GameDaily's, are starting to trickle in. Meanwhile, IGN says it's got "a sense of humor that can only be described as equal to Simpsons episodes of old," and 1up notes that "while the action can be uneven -- though never bad -- creativity and charm carry the game to a higher level."Our hands-on take? It's easily the best Simpsons game since the original arcade rendition Konami put out in 1991; Simpsons fans will find tons to love, as the game is peppered with an amazing number of characters, references, and in-jokes from the show. Those simply looking for a great action game may have some better options, though; The combat is a bit simplistic, and there are quite a few obtuse puzzles that will slow your progress (read: frustrate the living daylights out of you).Definitely worth a rental for casual fans, and if you're a Simpsons junkie, go ahead and spend the sixty bucks. Related Links:'The Simpsons' On Your Cell Phone 'CSI' and 'The Office' Coming to Second Life 'Guitar Hero III' Is Ready to Rock, Say Reviews  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Audio/Video, Cell Phones, Computers, TV, Green Tech You may not know it, but your electronics use electricity even when they're "off." Most home electronics, including your microwave, TV, and DVD player, continue to consume small amounts of power even after you're done using them. Why? Because rather than switch off all electronic circuits, gadgets and devices often switch into "standby" mode.This small amount of power adds up over time. It's estimated that five percent of all electricity in the United States is wasted powering devices that are not in use, and that figure could rise to 20 percent by 2010, according to the Department of Energy.California, which is usually at the forefront of conservation efforts, passed the Vampire Slayers Act last year, which requires that electronics have a tag detailing the amount of energy used not only during normal use, but also in standby mode, as well as when turned off.Even chargers, such as those for cell phones, are a major drain on the system. They use up a trickle of energy after the phone is completely charged, or even if the phone is disconnected.You can avoid adding to the problem with some simple tips:Unplug any devices you can when not in use. If you're done charging your phone, don't simply disconnect the phone, but unplug the charger completely. The same goes for laptops, electric razors and toothbrushes. When you're done watching TV, unplug the set from the wall. Utilize power strips. Plug your home entertainment system, as well as your computer, monitor and other peripherals into power strips or surge protectors so that you can easily shut off the whole set up when you're done. You can try "Smart" power strips, which shut off automatically if a device isn't on for a certain period of time, as well as shut off, say, all your peripherals if you turn off your computer. (That said, make sure to keep your cable box plugged in to a separate, always-on power strip, since the cable box often de-authorizes itself if left unplugged for too long.)Look for the Energy Star logo. The government backed program rates electronics on energy efficiency. Looking for electronics with the highest Energy Star rating possible will guarantee you waste as little electricity as possible. Vampire electronics not only drive up your electricity bill, but also drive up the price of energy in general and pollute our environment. These tips along with switching your light bulbs to compact fluorescent bulbs will make sure you contribute as little as possible to global warming.From AOL News (AP)Related Links:Earth-Friendly TechEarth-Friendly Tech TipsiPhone Bad for Environment, Says Greenpeace Internet Eats Up Nearly 10% of US Electricity Ford Developing 100 MPG Escort Hybrid  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: CamerasYou've probably seen dust devils swirling about on a windy day. They're basically mini-tornadoes that form when turbulent air sucks up some dust or snow or other debris into a column. Usually they're only a few feet high, but sometimes they can be much, much larger. On Mars, apparently, they can apparently be several kilometers high, as attested by the above image captured by Spirit, one of the Mars Rovers. The animation (based on a series of pictures and available in a larger version here) shows a dust devil travelling from left to right across the Martian landscape. The surface there is so dusty that these columns of air are particularly noticeable, even from sattelite images as shown in this NASA article on the subject.This is a graphic display that Mars does indeed have an atmosphere, and a strong one at that, despite having less than one percent of the pressure of our atmosphere here on earth. The footage is a few months old, but we're huge Mars nuts and haven't seen it yet. If anybody's got any other similar clips or links to similar videos, let us know below.From NASARelated Links: William Shatner to Appear In Next 'Star Trek' Movie X-Wing Rocket Succumbs to The Force (Of Gravity) Real-Life 'Star Wars' X-Wing To Launch Next Week  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Editor's Picks, Interviews, Celebrities, MySpace, Switched Video For a professional blogger, how much is too much when it comes to sharing the private details of your life? Where do you draw the line between what you share with the world and what you keep to yourself? How much does it cost to show some skin? What does the future hold for social networks? For vacuums? What should you do if your boss finds the naked pictures on your Facebook page? Will it ever be possible to truly love a Roomba? These are the burning questions, and Mo Rocca has the burning answers...Related Links:Mo Rocca Invades the iPhone Line Top 11 Celebrity Messes Online Facebook Employees Know Whose Profiles You Look At  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: ComputersApple's new version of Mac OS X, version 10.5, a.k.a. "Leopard," launched last week to a good bit of fanfare ... and a strong dose of piracy, too. It's already sold more than two million copies.That said, things aren't entirely going well for the new cat. Many users are suffering from a wide range of problems when installing and configuring the new operating system (OS), ranging from random errors about Swedish language packs (oh ja?!?) all the way up to lost profiles. According to reports, the problems are generally non-terminal, as in you probably won't wind up permanently losing any data, but some are complaining that their existing user profiles, along with all their preferences, are not being imported by Leopard. (So, starting up the new OS for the first time users are frighteningly asked to create a new account!) All the profile information is still there and data can be copied over to the new account, but that's a bit more work than you'd expect from an OS that prides itself on being extremely user-friendly.Part of the problem apparently surrounds a program called the Usanity Application Launcher, or APE, which is somehow causing issues with the upgrade. If you use the program on your Mac (which apparently installs itself along with a number of Logitech devices), you're advised to uninstall it or upgrade that to a new, Leopard-friendly version before doing the full Leopard upgrade. Or, you could maybe wait for the next update, which hopefully won't be quite so problematic.From ars technicaRelated Links: Apple's New Leopard Hits Illegal Download Sites Fastest PC Notebook...Is a Mac? Apple Founder Steve Wozniak Calls For Open iPhone  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Audio/VideoIt's not home theater unless it's gilded with 24-karat gold. At least that's what a Texas video/audiophile thought when he spent five years and $3.4 million on his version of the home box office, which won the 2007 Robb Report's Home Entertainment Installation of the Year award. Centered within a gothic-cathedral-and-castle-inspired-house in Texas, the theater boasts a Runco Reflection MBX-1 commercial grade projector capable of throwing a forty-one foot screen at 1280 x 1024 resolution, CAT MBX speakers that hide behind fabric panels, twenty-four 12-inch subwoofers (not including the not-less-than-$2,000-a-piece speakers that fill out the 38 audio zones).It's an impressive system that no doubt would blow anyone away, though what the difference between a $3.4 million system and a $1.1 million system is anyone's guess. When it comes to systems in this price range, only dogs -- with their ultra-sensitive ears -- know the truth.No doubt some of the cost is going into the semi-gaudy look of the thing, which features plush seats and gilding made of 24-karat gold (hey, maybe it's good for the room's acoustics).Looks aside, we are certainly impressed with the Crestron touch display screens and remotes that control almost every aspect of the house.If you're wondering what we mean, take a look at what Texas Integrated Systems's Kyle Griffith, who installed the system, had to say about the remotes: "Of course, you can control the sound and the video with these, but you can also control all the lights in the House -- it's the equivalent of having 285 light switches in one panel, but a lot easier to use. And you can control the six garage doors. And the six humidifiers that maintain the right environment for the woodwork. And you can control the temperature of the swimming pool and the 30-person spa. You can also access 16 security cameras, and whenever someone drives up, their picture appears on the touchscreens. We even set it up so that the client can redo the TV channels on the touchscreens -- even to the point of changing the logos -- as his tastes or the channel offerings change."Although the theater only has eleven seats (for optimal viewing, we're sure), it's kinda sad that the other nineteen people in the spa have to wait their turn.From Robb Report Related Links:This 17,000-Watt Stereo Turns SUV Into Jell-O What's Sexier: a Person or the iPhone? Robot Heads, Private Subs, and Other Crazy Gadgets from Neiman-Marcus  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: ComputersApple fanboys get your iBlowhorns out, maybe even an iMarchingBand or two: PC World has put together its "Notable Notebooks of 2007" roundup, and it's declared Apple's MacBook Pro the fastest Windows Vista notebook it tested this year. Besting PCs from the likes of Alienware and Toshiba, the MacBook Pro didn't win every category (there are certainly smaller, lighter, and more battery-friendly notebooks out there), but it won the race to the finish. "The $2419 (plus the price of a copy of Windows Vista, of course) MacBook Pro's PC WorldBench 6 Beta 2 score of 88 beats Gateway's E-265M by a single point, but the MacBook's score is far more impressive simply because Apple couldn't care less whether you run Windows." Of course, you'll also need a copy of Leopard (which comes with Apple's BootCamp software) for the full Windoze experience.We have a feeling they'll be talking about this victory for awhile.From PC WorldRelated Links:MacBook Pro dipped in gold World's tackiest custom PCs  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Computers, AdviceIf you're like us -- busy as blogging beavers can be -- then you might have totally forgotten that it's Halloween this Wednesday, which means you've got to get a costume ready pronto, if only to keep those Halloween revelers off your back for not coming to the party (or work) prepared.If you're got a decent color printer, you're in luck, because Microsoft has posted some nifty directions on printing and making your own mask-on-a-balsa-wood-stick, though we think the first line of the how-to is Halloween-SCARY: "Imagine the perplexed looks of the neighborhood children when they come to the door and see you wearing a mask of your child's face."(Totally off the wall, in a good way! You're totally weird, Microsoft, and we love it!)The site goes on to suggest possibly going as your pet or spouse -- also kind of creepy/hilarious -- but we think most peoplewill probably go as something more traditional, like, say, R2-D2? If so, check out the various 'Star Wars' character templates, which you can print out and use as masks, on the Lego site.Got any other ideas for printable masks? If so, share 'em down below, 'cause I'm sure we're not the only people still trying to figure out who or what to dress up as on Halloween night.From Microsoft and Lego (via GeekSugar).Related Links:Just Tell Me What to Get: Vacation Camera How to Back Up Your Hard Drive Online How to Clean a Keyboard Spill  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Cell Phones, Computers, Interviews, iPhoneIn a recent interview with Laptop Magazine, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak joins the legions clamoring for a more open policy regarding the iPhone. "I'm really for the unlockers, the rebels trying to make it free," Woz declares, throwing down the gauntlet with the camp opposing his old buddy and Apple evangelist Steve Jobs. Woz complains about how Apple is treating the iPhone less as as though it were a computing platform (which it is) and more as though it were an appliance.He even complains about the just-released Leopard and other operating systems, which Woz says are little more than gradual improvements and not the march towards brain dead user interfaces that even the least computer literate could use.Why does Woz care, anyway -- he's got a new book out and is on his way to ending up on a reality show if he does indeed end up marrying Kathy Griffin (assuming those rumors are true).From EngadgetRelated Links:Apple Founders Immortalized in Toy FormiPhone Officially Open to Third-Party DevelopersThird-Party Apps Coming to the iPhone Finally? Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Video Games, TVDon't ever let anybody tell you playing video games all day won't get you anywhere... at least not if you live in Japan. Game Center CX is popular Japanese reality TV show staring Shinya Arino, who, clad in a light blue workman's suit, plays through classic, and mind bogglingly difficult video games.Arino has played everything from well know titles like 'Super Mario Bros.' and 'Galaga' to obscure Japanese-only releases like 'Totsugeki! Fuuun Takeshi Shiro.' Arino sits at a plain, if messy, work desk and attempts to beat the games in one sitting. Arino is promoted or demoted at the fictional 'Game Center CX' company based on his performance.The show has even spawned a wide variety of licensed products, from coffee mugs to wonderfully ironic "action" figures, and even a deliciously meta video game about a guy who plays video games. The latter is for the Nintendo DS, and sadly as is usual with these quirky titles will probably never see a US release.From Boing Boing and WiredRelated Links:Church Forgives Sony Over Violent PlayStation 3 Game Microsoft Makes New Xbox 360 Arcade Official MySpace Games Launching in January  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Cell Phones, Computers, BlackBerry, Green TechDon't forget that this coming Sunday, Daylight Savings Time ends. Hopefully, you got your software fixes back in February or March before the clocks changed last Spring. Some predicted the Daylight Savings changes signed into law in 2005 by President Bush would result in a mini-Y2K. And they were right, just as when the the year changed from 1999 to 2000, nothing of much note occurred. There was some anecdotal evidence of issues with BlackBerrys, and one kid went to jail for 12 days due to a computer glitch, but otherwise the clock change went without notice among the gadget owning public.That said, some owners of older gadgets and cell phones, as well as people who just forgot to manually install updates (and some parking meters in Baltimore), have already experienced an early time change that messed with their schedules. In case you were caught last time with your electronic pants down, here's a quick run down of how to make sure you're prepared this time around. Sadly, there's no simple fix for your confused biological clock.Windows Mobile 5 Smart Phones: Microsoft released the update for Windows Mobile 5 in February that fixes the Daylight Savings issue. If your handset runs WinMo 6 then you're already set. BlackBerrys: RIM also released the necessary update for the Blackberry software in February. Simply download and install and you're good to go. Palm OS Treos: Palm was a little behind others but still had its fix out in time for March's clock change.Microsoft Windows, TiVo, and Mac OS X all had their patches pushed to them automatically in February,so you should be set.If you've got a cell phone that's older than four years, you might consider calling the manufacturer to make sure you're set for the time change.From USA TodayRelated Links:IPTV Coming to the Xbox 360 With Fall Update? iPhone Version 1.1.1 Unlocked Blackberry Suffer Yet Another Outage  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments