Filed under: Computers, Creative TypeIs it us, or has Apple truly cultivated a cozy, nice-guy image in the consumer's world of technology? That funny commercial with the uptight PC nerd versus the laid-back Apple innovator type aside, it seems as if Apple's trying to live up to the image. Get this: A model actually wrote her memoir in New York's SoHo Apple Store over a period of three months. Isobella Jade, a diminutive catwalker, wrote Almost 5'4" in late-2005, early-2006 using the Apple Store's computers, saving the new material she wrote each day by e-mailing herself. The book details her adventures as a vertically-challenged model trying to break into the business in the big city. Upon completion, Jade presented a reading of her memoirs at the same Apple Store. The rights to the work have been sold to the U.K.'s The Friday Project, which plans a commercial release in 2009.Although we can just look at this story as one of those kooky, warm fuzzies delivered to you by Apple, we think Jade's actions may signal something far more significant. This episode might be a harbinger of a trend to come: an e-publishing phenomenon in which people use public computers in the public sphere to produce something accessible to the general public, from the novel they've always wanted to write to their gentle treatise on the Nice Guy. From Digg Via Mental_FlossRelated Links:Amazon Kindle Hacked, Leading to More E-Books for ReadersDon't Snub the Sony E-Reader -- We Actually Like ItNew Apple Patent Promises Wireless Restaurant Orders Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Audio/Video, Computers, Home AudioIf one of your New Year's resolutions is to cut down on the number of wires cluttering your home, then the i2i Stream Digital Music Broadcaster may be for you. The purpose of this product, available in March, is to turn any of your traditional music players at home (such as CD players, DVD players, iPods, and even computers) into wireless music sources. Multiple listeners can enjoy the music on their own sets of earphones or you can have the music stream through regular speakers so everyone can listen together.Hiding or eliminating wires in the home has been the goal of many companies, whether by streaming content through existing powerlines or broadcasting the music using Wi-Fi. Now i2i maker Aerielle Inc. has thrown its hat into the mix -- with CEO Art Cohen touting the "one-to-many" quality of his product."We've created a way for friends to listen to music content without the hassle of sharing ear buds or swapping MP3 devices," Cohen said in today's pre-CES press release announcing the device (hey, we tried to call him, but we never heard back). The device can stream to "hundreds of other i2i Stream users from a single channel."The i2i comes in a two pack. One of the units works as a broadcast device while the other receives. The system works by plugging one i2i device into the audio source to create the "audio stream," which broadcasts up to 30 feet. You then plug your listening device -- a pair of earbuds, for example -- into the second i2i device. The internal battery charge lasts up to seven hours.Besides using i2i at home you can also take it with you on the road. So, for example, two people can listen to music from one MP3 player. One of the listeners carries the player and one of the i2i devices. The other listener carries just the other i2i device and plugs his or her earphones in to the appropriate jack.The initial price for the two-pack is $129.95 and additional transceivers will cost $69.95 -- perhaps a tad pricey considering the limited range. An extra charger will go for $14.95. Related links:Apple Adds Wi-Fi and Ringtones to iTunesWireless Electricity = WiTricityJust Tell Me What to Get: Home Network Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Computers, iPodDigital music may be getting more "meta" this year, an advance that could make downloaded songs and albums more appealing to consumers who have turned to less-than-legal manners of getting their music. A common complaint concerning MP3s is their lack of interesting extras - the types of things you typically find inside the cases of compact discs, such as lyrics, liner notes, images and even keepsakes. That may change this year, as competition among the digital music purveyors heats up and third-party creators tap into the interest of music fans for more information. Disney has already created something called a "Digital Magazine," although this is intended for use with CDs. Still, this isn't too far from adaptation to an all digital experience. Apple's iTunes and iPod are capable of handling more types of information than just music, as is Microsoft's Zune. In the case of iTunes, some albums come with exclusive tracks, "making of" videos, and videos of the album's singles -- none of which are available on their store-bought CD brethren. Gracenote has been compiling tons of data about artists, albums and songs for years. (Whenever you drop a new CD into your computer to transfer songs to your hard drive, it's likely Gracenote that provides the information that automatically fills in the album name, track numbers, song and artist information, plus album artwork, as well.) It seems that's just scratching the surface. From Reuters/Billboard.Related links:Warner Offers Music on Amazon Without Copy ProtectionHands-On Review: The Return of WinampUpdate Your Old Zune or Engrave Your New One Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Audio/Video, Computers, TV, DownloadsAfter leaving Blockbuster in its dust, Netflix is looking to expand its reach beyond the decidedly low-tech DVD rental business. Sure, Netflix.com has its Watch Instantly feature, but that still requires a PC to stream digital content in questionable quality. Cutting out the computer is animportant step in seamlessly integrating your digital content and your home theater. To that end Netflix is teaming up with LG to stream movies and TV shows straight to LG's upcoming line of Internet-connected HDTVs and combination Blu-ray / HD DVD players.The Netflix deal is looking to one-up Amazon's deal with TiVo to stream films from its Unbox service to TiVo set top boxes. Netflix's likely hope is that it can ultimately ditch those costly red envelopes.From the New York TimesRelated links:Netflix Seeing Four Times as Much Traffic as BlockbusterTiVo Adding Rhapsody Music ServiceNetflix "View It Now" Service Hacked - Users Downloading Movies Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: ComputersIf you've signed up to receive e-mails from Sears, and then clicked on to join the retailer's "My SHC Community," it's likely you've been providing more information to more people than you thought. Even more troubling, it turns out that you're not just sharing information with Sears, but also with a company called comScore, which tracks and aggregates Internet browsing habits.Installing the software from Sears results in the installation of software called VoiceFive, which provides data to comScore. It's essentially spyware. comScore is the company behind the (disputed) numbers that indicated more people were stealing Radiohead's latest album than downloading it legally, as well as the statistics that showed GodTube was the fasted growing site last August. These sorts of stats come from monitoring and compiling the habits of millions Web surfers who often unknowingly running the comScore software. Likewise, those who have installed the software through links from Sears may not actually know what they're participating in. Buried deep in the privacy statement users must agree to before signing up for SHC is this frightening statement: Once you install our application, it monitors all of the Internet behavior that occurs on the computer on which you install the application, including both your normal web browsing and the activity that you undertake during secure sessions, such as filling a shopping basket, completing an application form or checking your online accounts, which may include personal financial or health information.Sounds scary, especially the part about monitoring "both your normal web browsing and the activity that you undertake during secure sessions, such as...checking your online accounts." The bit about "personal financial or health information" is scary, too. The above wording would certainly ward off anyone who actually reads these sorts of things, but we're guessing that the average Sears shopper isn't thoroughly scanning through the privacy statement. According to BetaNews, the disclosure may be a little too well hidden to meet the intents of FTC regulations that require companies to make such spyware inclusion very clearly apparent. Many would agree that burying it in the middle of a multi-page privacy statement doesn't do much for clarity.From BetaNewsRelated Links: Most People Downloading Radiohead's New Album for Free Download Stats Are Wrong, Says Radiohead Christian YouTube Is the Fastest-Growing Site on the 'Net  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: ComputersBy the sounds of our headline, you might think that the U.S. Air Force is extending an olive branch to those workers made of silicon and steel (a.k.a. robots) by promoting its first cyborg general. The truth, however, is slightly less exciting. Lt. Gen. Robert Elder Jr., the new Cyber General, is flesh and blood like the rest of us, and earns that sinister-sounding title by taking command of the new Air Force Cyber Command, a branch of the military forces dedicated entirely to cyber warfare.The AFCYBER force will include a suite of electronics-monitoring-and-jamming aircraft and over 20,000 personnel. At this point, we don't have too many specifics on the new force's specific role, which seems to range from electronics espionage to possibly engaging in specific acts of cyber warfare (such as those perpetrated against Estonia this past summer -- though hopefully we'll be a little more selective about whose servers we start knocking offline.)From Defense TechRelated Links: Cyber Attacks in Eastern Europe Hackers Strike Starbucks Wi-Fi Hotspots Kremlin Hackers Squashing Free Speech?  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Audio/Video, iPod, iPhoneWith MacWorld quickly approaching, it's time to let those Apple rumors fly. This one is a little more interesting than your standard ultra-portable MacBooks and new iPod rumors. The newest bit of hearsay is that Apple may be partnering with none other than Mr. Sean Carter himself, J-Hova, or as he's more commonly known, Jay-Z, to start a record label.Fresh off his mixed success as president of Def Jam, the Jigga-man has been snagged by Apple (according to sources) to head up a label that cuts out the middle man (a.k.a. the major record label). Having an in-house label would likely boost Apple's profits from sales of digital content. That digital content, of course, sells iPods, iPhones, and (fictionally) iTVs. GIven all that, this rumor is as sensible as it is odd.Lets just hope the announcement is made via a performance of 'Takeover' featuring Steve Jobs.From EngadgetRelated links:Is This the Ultra-Portable MacBook? Nah.New Apple Patent Promises Wireless Restaurant OrdersFuture iPods Will Shutdown if You've Been Listening too Long Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Cell Phones, iPhoneWe've posted many, many stories about the iPhone that have likely inspired much technolust in all of you Apple fans out there. That said, we've also posted a number of stories about people killed by their phones, and we're planning on posting more, 'cause they just keep coming. The latest killer-mobile story involves a man who lost his life while trying to retrieve a dropped iPhone. Bijan Rezvani apparently has only been reading the former type of story, and none of the latter, as he risked hislife by jumping onto a live NYC subway track to retrieve a dropped iPhone. That's right, Rezvani, a tourist visiting NYC, apparently dropped his iPhone onto the tracks while snapping some pictures. Rezvani leapt onto the rails and retrieved his iPhone. He somehow managed to get back up onto the subway platform before either he or his iPhone were crushed. This is the exact same stunt a woman attempted in 2004, but with far more tragic results.Such stupidity/bravery, of course, inspires thoughts of just what any of us might jump onto train tracks for. In a quick poll among Switched bloggers we came up with a few things we'd think about making the leap for, including a wayward puppy, a passport and cash. [Laptop magazine, which published an interview with Rezvani, also offers up this longer list of jump-worthy gadgets.] Notably, none of those things was a gadget of any sort.From Gothamist and Laptop.Related Links: New Apple Patent Promises Wireless Restaurant Orders iPhone and AppleTV to Unite in January in New Apple Product? Kid Drowns In Lake After Cell Phone Sinks  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: ComputersHonestly we're a bit shocked it took as long as it did for someone to post a "photo" of the alleged, but unconfirmed, ultra-portable MacBook. The inclusion of a wide rumored "multi-touch" touch-pad is also a nice inclusion in this likely digitally-altered image.There is little evidence to substantiate the photo's validity. It was posted on a MacRumor message board, by a first-time poster with no explanation, and no follow-up images or comments to questions about his post. This is all part of the ritual leading up to the MacWorld conference on January 14th, when Apple announces its new products for the first half of the year.From EngadgetRelated links:Are the Rumored Upcoming MacBooks Getting a New Color?AT&T CEO Says High-Speed 3G iPhone Coming Next YearMcCartney Says Beatles Coming to iTunes Finally Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Cell PhonesWhat would you do if you had to part with your cell phone -- even for just a few weeks?A New York-based comedienne and self-proclaimed "first advocate for moderation in cell phone use" has made this choice willingly, giving up her cell phone for 60 days -- a New Year's resolution.Amy Borkowsky stopped using her cell phone cold turkey at the stroke of midnight New Year's Eve. According to her Web site, reasons for the mobile fast range from the immediate and social -- such as talking on her phone while out to dinner with a friend -- to the societal. Borkowsky cites recent studies linking cell phone use to cancer, memory impairment and hearing loss.She's also allotted herself an emergency roll of quarters for making phone calls from pay phones.So anybody else out there want to follow Amy's lead? What would you do without your cell phone?From Textually.org. Related links: Free Tools Help You Fulfill Your New Year's ResolutionsRingtones To Help Keep Your New Year's Resolutions Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Cell Phones, Advice, Editor's Picks, Top Lists Still wondering what to get the lady in your life for the holidays? Well, you certainly waited until the last moment. Not to worry, we're here with some of the best cell phone picks for ladies -- and you're sure to find one that's right for her.There's no mistaking it these days: Many cell phones are made with the female form in mind. Gone are the clunky, unattractive phones that took up way too much purse space -- replaced instead by sleek, stylish, colorful phones that are easy to use and tote around. But before you buy your lady a new mobile for the holidays, take a look at our feminine faves.Of course, if that special someone is locked in a contract, you might want to take a look at Amazon.com, which has an array of unlocked cell phones. These phones provide service by allowing you to insert any SIM card from any compatible carrier. Nice and easy. Sanyo Katana A little longer and boxier than the groundbreaking RAZR, the Sanyo Katana powered by Sprint, is a pretty flip phone with a VGA camera peeking out over a small color screen. Its Cherry Blossom Pink color attracts the fairer sex and its Web browsing functions, four-hour talk time and wireless Bluetooth keeps them coming back for more.Next >> Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Video Games, ReviewsNintendo's Wii is one of those video game consoles that you definitely want to take with you when you go to a party at a friend's house -- assuming of course they don't already have one of their own. And, given the size of the little white box, the Wii seems like it would be the perfect thing to throw in a bag and take a long. However, that long and fragile looking sensor bar stuck to the top of your TV with double-sided tape doesn't exactly lend itself to easy portability. Enter the Sensor Wiire, a third-party accessory that replaces the stock sensor bar with something that's a lot easier to take along. Instead of a solid bar, the Sensor Wire has two small boxes that clip together. Held end-to-end they are about the size of a pack of gum, and combined with a retractable cord, the whole package hardly takes up any room at all.It uses a similar design found in many wired portable mice, with a small spring-loaded wheel winding the cable up to keep things neat while traveling. However, that wheel leads to the one and only drawback of the thing -- it's not long enough. The sensor wire is only two feet long, very short compared to the ten feet of wire attached to the stock sensor bar. That's not enough to even reach the top of most HDTVs. So, while you're a little restricted in how you setup your Wii when using this, installation is otherwise a breeze. Just plug it into the same stock bar port on the back of your Wii, extend the cable, set the sensors down in front of the television, and you're ready to play. It works well. For those who are constantly taking their Wiis on-the-go and would rather avoid tangle-prone cords, the Sensor Bar may be a worthwhile purchase, but everyone else will find the two-feet of cable somewhat useless and certainly no replacement for the stock bar.%Gallery-12503%Related Links: Kid, Expecting PlayStation 3, Finds Phonebook in Box on Christmas 'Napoleon Dynamite' Video Game is Portable, Sweet, but Tart Playing Wii is Not Exercise, Say Scientists  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Audio/Video, TV, Green TechSamsung will be using the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas next week to show off a prototype OLED-TV set, a technology that promises less power-hungry display screens than what you find now in LCD panels.What is OLED, you ask? The folks at Kodak have a nice summary of the technology to help you get started.Production is expected to start later this year.While OLED screens will start out with price tags much higher than LCD -- likely more than $3,000 for the 14-inch Samsung model -- the benefit is in power conservation. At first glance, saving energy may have you thinking of good "green" products, but in this case the benefit is for small, portable devices such as mobile phones and laptop computers rather than bigger televisions since the biggest drain on a small device is often the display. (The challenge for consumer electronics makers is always to make small devices that don't need big, heavy batteries to provide power.) Think about all the times your digital camera has run out of juice before you were done snapping all the pictures you wanted or your MP3 player made it only halfway though a cross-country flight. A low-power OLED screen would have helped you there.Portability and low-power consumption go hand in hand.Small screens are not the only use, however, and both Samsung and Sony hope to use the technology in TVs. Sony, in fact, will be introducing a 3-millimeter thick TV to the U.S. market later this year.Samsung's prototype will be thicker than its production model the 14-inch screen will be sure to impress.From BetaNews.Related items:Samsung One-Ups Sony With 31-Inch OLED TV Sony's Almost-Paper-Thin OLED-TV Coming to U.S.The World's Thinnest TVs  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Audio/Video, Computers, Top Lists, TV, DownloadsWe all know by now that piracy is rampant on the Internet, especially since the advent of super-fast broadband connections and BitTorrent, the current file-sharing method of choice. But do you ever wonder what exactly people are pirating? If so, you're in luck, since the TorentFreak blog has crunched data from the popular Mininova torrent site and found the 10 most downloaded movies and TV shows from 2007. Take a gander, and before you judge the questionable taste of the online masses exposed in this list, remember this: At least they're not paying for it.Movies'Transformers''Knocked Up''Shooter''Pirates Of The.Caribbean At World's End''Ratatouille''300''Next''Hot Fuzz''The Bourne Ultimatum''Zodiac' TV-Shows'Heroes''Top Gear''Battlestar Galactica''Lost''Prison Break''Desperate Housewives''24''Family Guy''Dexter''Scrubs'From TorrentFreakRelated links:50 Cents Says It's Okay for Kids to Steal MusicSoftware Pirates Could Get Up to 10 Years in PrisonTwo More Pirate Sites Shutdown -- For Now Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments