Filed under: Audio/Video, Advice, Columns, Editor's Picks We're asked all the time what constitutes a great, but affordable home theater package. Unfortunately, 'affordable' can mean very different things to different people. So, we've put together two excellent home theater set-ups for two different budgets, both of which are still firmly planted in the realm of reality. In other words, you probably won't need a winning lottery ticket to afford the payments on them.For the budget-conscious buyer:VIZIO VX37L 37-inch LCD TVAt just $799 for a top-notch LCD, you really can't beat VIZIO. Though you might not be familiar with the name, the company has been making some noise lately for offering high-quality sets priced with real people in mind. On this LCD, you get two HDMI inputs for connecting video sources with just one cable for picture and sound -- a nice feature at such a low price. The resolution tops out at 720p, but at this size that's all you'll need for HDTV broadcasts, DVDs and gaming. (More on 720p versus 1080p here.)Panasonic SC-PT950 Wireless Home TheaterWhen putting together a home theater, hardcore audiophiles will tell you to handpick your components and speakers separately. But, that quickly gets expensive and time-consuming. All-in-one systems, or HTIBs (Home Theater In a Box), on the other hand, give you everything you need in one convenient package - like this Panasonic kit, which includes a receiver, amplifier, five-disc DVD changer and speakers. In addition to an included iPod dock and the ability to up-convert DVDs to true 1080p resolution, the $440 system also boasts the convenience and easy setup of a wireless back speaker.TOTAL: $1,240Next >> Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Cell Phones, Computers, GoogleThis isn't the first time we have reported about the coming onslaught of mobile advertisements, and we're sure it won't be the last. According to a recent article in the Economist, marketers are referring to mobile advertising as "the promised land."Currently, mobile advertising consists primarily of text messages and accounts for about $871 million in a $450 billion industry. But marketing mavens are heralding the coming generation of mobile ads as the next big thing, some saying it is bound to supplant the traditional marketing pillars of television, radio, print, and billboards.Advertisers are excited because they believe that pushing ads to mobile phones will help them save precious ad dollars. Mobile phones allow for carefully targeted advertising, much like online ad services from Google. With more than twice as many cell phones as PCs in the world, the audience is quite tempting to advertising professionals.From Textually.orgRelated links:Direct-to-Cell Phone Advertising ComingIs it Wrong to Block Web Site Ads?Gigantic Bird's-Eye Billboards Target Air Travelers Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Car TechWhy is it that the Japanese always get the coolest concept cars? Take a look at this follow up to Nissan's 2005 oddball concept car called Pivo. The ultra-compact vehicle can rotate its bubble-shaped cabin and wheels independently to facilitate squeezing into those hard to manage parking spots. It has a single front-access door while llithium ion batteries power motors in the wheels.Coolest of all is the so-called 'robotic agent' that looks vaguely like a disembodied robotic monkey head. The 'agent' assists with directions, takes verbal cues in both English and Japanese, and responds in a voice not unlike a 'Star Wars' droid.There will be a large public demonstration of the Pivo 2 on October 13 and 14 in Japan, so check back to see if any more interesting information comes to light, like commercial availability -- but don't get your hopes up. We certainly want one.From AutoBlogRelated links:Driverless Car Uses Lasers to Avoid ObstaclesNissan's All Electric Concept CarTwo Teens Invent Electric, Zero Emissions Unicycle  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: ComputersSome stories are just too good to make up. Such is the story of Ohio State Representative Matt Barrett. He was giving a Powerpoint presentation to a group of high schoolers when something unexpected showed up on the screen: porn. Yes, a whole directory of the naughty stuff was on the same thumb drive from which Barrett was showing the presentation. Somehow it was displayed on screen as he spoke to the students. Barrett initially claimed the stick was given to him as a gift and had no idea where the stuff came from. As of today, however, he is blaming his son for the transgression.Barrett has issued a statement calling this an "internal family matter" and asking that the media "respect for our privacy as we deal with this situation."We're all dying to hear what sort of father son talk this will create. From WKYC-TV and TechCrunchRelated Links: Nude Celebrity E-Mail Infects More Than Curiosity Students Taught Naughty Text Messaging as Homework How Presidential Candidates Are Using the 'Net  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Cell Phones, Editor's Picks, Interviews, Celebrities, BlackBerryR&B songstress Keyshia Cole made a big splash with her debut album 'The Way It Is' and songs like "Love" in 200. Now, after some appearances on songs by P.Diddy ("Last Night") and R. Kelly, Cole is back with a new album, 'Just Like You, which features collaborations with Missy Elliott and Lil' Kim, among others. Working with so many artists means keeping in close communication, which Cole does impressively well thanks to a fierce loyalty and dedication to her BlackBerry, as you'll learn in our latest Switched Questionnaire.What gadgets do you always bring with you to the set?My BlackBerry phone.What cell phone do you have right now and what do you love or hate about it?I have a BlackBerry and I love that you can go on the Internet and I love that the signal is adequate.Who's the last person you sent a text message to and what was it about?I sent a text message to Missy talking about an appearance on 106 and Park togetherWhere do you go pretty much every time you get online?KeyshiaCole.comName one thing you wish your iPod/cellphone/laptop (any gadget) could do that it doesn't do now?I wish my iPod had a tracking devise connect into the system so I could know where goes when it disappears.What upcoming gadget can you not wait to get your hands on?T-Moblie Pearl 8100 because it would cool to download songs and listening to my favorite tunes.You're stranded on a desert island: What gadget do you bring?My BlackBerry so I could communicate for assistance.What's the most-played song or artist on your iPod?"Voyage To Atlantis" by the Isley Brothers.Blackberry, Sidekick, or Treo? BlackBerry.Do you have an iPhone?No, but I'll probably get one soon.What's the longest time you've ever spent playing a video game in one sitting?One hour.Do you use/have a Mac or PC?I have a Mac.Related Links:Celebrity BlackBerry AddictsThe Switched Questionnaire: Jamie KennedyC'note's D'Lo Perez Loves His Sidekick Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Video GamesAfter a record-breaking opening of $170 million in just 24 hours, 'Halo 3' has racked up more than $300 million in sales in its first week of release. Master Chief's last stand to save mankind is not only one of the year's best-selling games, it's also responsible for doubling sales of the Xbox 360 console. According to Microsoft, the weekly average of 360 sales experienced a 200-percent increase in the week leading up to 'Halo.'This is good news for Microsoft, of course, which can use the proceeds of this success to throw water at some other fires that have erupted recently. Most recently, there was the faulty packaging that lead to scratched discs in the premium edition of 'Halo 3' -- Microsoft is replacing those for free. The company has also been forced into extending its warranty program for the 360 because of that nasty rash of defective systems (estimated at one point to be as high as 30 percent of all 360s sold). Outside of its gaming division, the Zune media player has still failed to capture the interest of the public while Windows Vista is being largely ignored or abandoned in favor of Windows XP.While there's no doubt that 'Halo' is a cash cow for Microsoft right now, the company may not be able to count on similar video game successes in the years ahead. Earlier this week, the Internet was awash with rumors that 'Halo'-creator Bungie is parting ways with Microsoft -- something that could definitely put a crack in the foundation of Gates Manor. From ReutersRelated Links:Is 'Halo'-Creator Bungie Leaving Microsoft?'Halo 3' Annihilates Sales RecordsIs Your Copy of 'Halo 3' Scratched, Too? Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: ComputersOk, this has simply gone too far. It's one thing to block access to certain sites or even kill new Internet cafes, but to prevent an entire nation of people from using a technology as wonderful as RSS is just plain cruel.Today, the Chinese government enacted a blanket ban on RSS feeds. We can only assume that this is because RSS feeds are quicker and easier to update. They can also be updated more often, making them much harder to censor than regular web site content.The iron fist of oppression can only win for so long, however. Resourceful users have several workarounds at their disposal like a Firefox (a popular web browser) extension Gladder and the anonymous web browsing tool Tor.All we know is that if someone took away our RSS, we'd be mighty pissed off.From TechCrunchRelated links:AT&T Admits Error in Censoring Pearl Jam SongChina Freezes New Internet CafesGovernments Increasingly Censoring the Web Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Audio/Video, ComputersYou're looking at the face of online music piracy. Jammie Thomas, a 32-year-old single mother of two accused by the RIAA of sharing 24 songs on peer-to-peer service Kazaa, has lost her protracted legal battle. Yesterday she was ordered to pay a whopping $222,000 in damages, which amounts to $9,250 for every song shared -- this despite the fact that the RIAA was never able to prove Thomas even had Kazaa installed on her machine. Thomas maintains her innocence. Though the RIAA has sent threatening letters to more than 26,000 people it believes are guilty of illegally sharing copyrighted music, Ms. Thomas is the first to actually fight the RIAA in court. Most others have either quietly settled for fines of a few thousand dollars or had their cases dismissed for lack of evidence, as did an Oklahoma mother last year who was targeted by the RIAA.We hate to play right into the RIAA's hand, but the Thomas verdict should serve as a warning to the rest of you file-sharers out there. This victory will certainly encourage the RIAA to get even cockier in its strong-arm tactics against accused sharers. So, if you are one of those 26,000 people who received a threatening letter from the RIAA, we hate to say it, but your options are looking pretty limited. From BBC NewsRelated Links: LimeWire Music Site Goes Legit Teen Faces Jail Time for 20-Second 'Transformers' Recording Illegal Russian Music Site Closes. Or Did it?  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Computers, GoogleIf you're like us, your e-mail inbox is so full you haven't seen its bottom for a long, long time. While it's easy to send a quick response, it's even easier to not send that response and put it off for later, resulting in a massive backlog. The answer? E-mail free Fridays! Employees at Intel and U.S. Cellular, along with a few others, have agreed to do everything they can to reduce their reliance on e-mail on Fridays, doing crazy and backward things like using the phone or (gasp) even walking over to the next row of cubicles!That might help to reduce the flow for a bit, but others are taking a more drastic measure: declaring e-mail bankruptcy. When their inboxes are buried in such a dismal state, they simply wipe the entire thing and start fresh. Bankruptcy has more liberating effect, but just like with real bankruptcy, if you don't start forcing yourself to be a bit more diligent you're just going to get in over your head again.If you can't make yourself do anything with all those mails, try signing up for Gmail, which assumes you leave everything in your inbox. You can then search for past e-mails rather than categorizing them. And with upwards of three gigabytes of storage, chances are you can put off deleting those old e-mails indefinitely.From USA TodayRelated Links: Nude Celebrity E-Mail Infects More Than Curiosity Don't Just Call Your Friends, Spam Them! Gmail Overhaul On the Way?  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Computers, iPhone, E-Mail AddictionPrivate medical practice is one of the few industries that hasn't been drastically changed by the advent of the Internet. But sometimes, all it takes is one resourceful individual to change how entire an industry utilizes the online space. That's why we'll be keeping a close eye on amateur photographer and Brooklyn, New York-based M.D. Jay Parkinson.Dr. Parkinson opened his own private practice in September with no waiting room, no exam room, and no receptionist. In fact, his entire practice is online. All his medical records are stored online at Life Record so that he has 24/7 access to them via his MacBook or iPhone. For a flat fee of $500 a year, each patient receives two house calls and an unlimited number of consultations via IM or e-mail, as long as they live in Brooklyn. Parkinson is out to serve the uninsured creative types in his neighborhood (which happens to be the hipster-haven of Wiliamsburg). And to that end, Parkinson has surveyed over 2,000 doctors to find the lowest prices available for scans, imaging, and tests.Parkinson plans to charge $150-$200 for additional house calls beyond the first two, but says "I'll probably make some exceptions or accept artwork for my services."From WiredRelated Links:Nintendo Wii Rehabilitates Injured Soldiers, Stroke VictimsCell Phones Interfere With Most Hospital Equipment, Study SaysAre You a Cyberchondriac? Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Audio/VideoFor those of us who really, really enjoy sleep but don't get enough of it, it feels like there's no price we wouldn't pay to make more with the sleepy, less with the wakey. According to its manufacturer, Zyken, the NightCove alarm clock uses a "world of sound and light whose sole purpose is to improve your sleep" to get you in the mood for slumber. It claims the NightCove helps you fall asleep and wake up more naturally by regulating melatonin production in your brain (no mean feat), and encourages the body's phases of light sleep, deep sleep, and the fan-favorite, REM sleep. Sounds like an awesome combination of ultimate human body/mind spiritual balance and Dark Side of the Moon night at the planetarium. Oh, and if you actually use it to stay awake, the NightCove can be integrated with your MP3 player, TV, computer...or whatever!For $2500 though? Sounds like we'll never get to experience it. From OhGizmoRelated Links:Alarm wakes according to body's sleep clockElectronics causing teenagers to get "junk sleep" Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: ComputersEvery year, Neiman Marcus offers outrageously expensive and exclusive gifts through its Christmas Book. In the past, the catalog has featured such one-of-a-kind items as a space flight on Virgin Galactic (currently scheduled for 2009), a Skycar even a private water park. This year, though, the high-end retailer has really outdone itself on the gadget front. The creepiest is easily the Swami Conversational Robot pictured above. It's an animitronic head entombed in a glass orb reminiscent of those old fortune telling machines (like the 'Zoltar' one featured in the Tom Hanks classic 'Big'). This marvel of artificial intelligence is able to recognize family members and carry on conversations. The $75,000 technological wonder is powered by an included laptop with unlisted specs.Also available is an eight- by three-foot Internet-connected multi-touch Media Wall designed by Jeff Han, a pioneer in multi-touch technology. Videos of Han's designs have been circulating on the Internet for a few years now, and without his work in the field, we can almost guarantee there would be no such thing as Microsoft Surface or Apple iPhone. This piece of technological history will set you back an even hundred grand.However if neither of those is really quite extravagant enough for you, consider the two truly over-the-top forms of transportation being offered this year. The first is an $80,000, 420-pound glider that was featured in the documentary, 'Papalotzin: The Flight of the Monarch.' In the movie, the Papalotzin Ultralight Journey carried documentarian Vico Gutierrez 3,000 miles over the course of 10 weeks as he migrated with the endangered Monarch Butterfly from Canada to Mexico. Or, if sea creatures are more your thing, snag the $1.4 million Gem Triton 1000 submarine. Neiman Marcus makes sure that this no ordinary personal sub, decking it out with posh leather seats, air conditioning and a high density acrylic bubble that allows for 360-degree views. It's certainly the most unique way to travel around under water (not counting Cousteau Jr.'s shark-shaped submarine).But, if you're considering one of these garish items, chances are you're the type who likes to own ... not do. And to that end, Neiman Marcus is offering perhaps the most outrageous gift of all: your very own Rocket Racing team. For a measly $2 million you can be part of the 2008 inaugural season of the Rocket Racing League. These bad boys plow through the air on a three-dimensional race track at 320miles-per-hour powered by liquid oxygen. This is as extreme as extreme sports gets, and now you can take part without risking your own life -- just the lives of your newly-acquired employees.From PR News WireRelated Links:Pictures of America's First SpaceportReal Life 'Star Wars' X-Wing to Launch Next WeekOwn a Mac Laptop Dipped in Gold Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Computers, YouTubeYouTube is kind of like Scrooge McDuck's safe full of gold coins, except the ocean of gold you're swimming in isn't legal tender -- it's transgender rants about Britney and cats facing off against ceiling fans. As the fourth biggest destination on the entire Web, it's no wonder the site has been accused of enabling global idiocy. But, believe it or not, there are some people out there trying to use the new boob tube to make us all smarter.UC Berkeley has formally announced a relationship with YouTube that will make more than 300 hours of the university'slectures available online by the end of the year. Unfortunately, that doesn't mean Berkeley undergrads will be able to forgo class, sleep until Miller Time and attend lectures on their own time from the comfort of their dirty sheets. None of the 86 full courses hitting YouTube will be able to be viewed for credit; they're simply there for educational purposes should you ever be interested in watching a 45 minute monologue on Integrative Biology. Incidentally, you wouldn't be alone - the first video in that series has logged more than 7,000 views in the last month.While there's no official degree in it for you, these videos are basically a way of scoring a free college education -- without any exams or term papers! This whole thing reeks of a modern day version of the 'Mr. Ed' episode in which the talkative horse trots off to a college every day and listens to lectures through an open window. Cue the hijinks!From SlashdotRelated Links:College Offers YouTube 101 CourseFriday YouTube Fix: Woman Taunts Polar BearHas YouTube Already Halted Video Ads? Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Cell PhonesWord out of Asia is that the LG KH1600 is the new must-have phone for the jet set...set. You can use the thing in over 120 countries, including previously tough-to-use-your-cell-phone-in Japan (who know there were so many countries out there?!), thanks to its WCDMA system (which is like 3G, with really good social skills and lots of frequent flyer miles). So far, all Akihabara News knows about the thing is that it should be selling for 300,000 Korean Won, which translates to about 232 green pieces of paper with George Washington's face on them. Unfortunately, you'll probably have to live in Korea to get one.The site does have some steamy pictures, though. From Akihabara NewsRelated Links:LG and Verizon Wireless Take on the iPhoneSoccer Stud David Beckham Gets Naked for the MotoRAZR2Verizon Gets a World BlackBerry Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments