Gizmodo: not Nsfw

Gadget Deals of the Day

Kyle VanHemert — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 15:40:00 EST

Today's Dealzmodo is packed with deals that built up over the weekend; check out the savings on HP laptops, TVs, and games for all consoles. Most importantly, you can download Lady Gaga's "Christmas Tree" for free. And that is priceless.

Top Deals:
• 15.6" HP dv6t Quad Laptop for $979.99 plus free shipping (normally $1,199.99 - use coupon code SVMY478761).
• 10.1" LG X120 3G Embedded Netbook on AT&T for $49.99 with 2-year data contract (normally $179).
• Christmas Tree by Lady GaGa (MP3) for $0 (download here normally PRICELESS).

Hobomodo:
• 27 Free Songs via iTunes & Nylon Magazine for $0 (use this form).
• Black Eyed Peas "Boom Boom Pow" MP3 Download for $0 (use this form)
• Dark Raider S (iPhone) for $0 (normally $2.99).
• Christmas Tree by Lady GaGa (MP3) for $0 (download here normally PRICELESS).
• Free Rental at Blockbuster Express for $0 ( use coupon codes:G29TA1, GT11A, KIOSK and this form).
• One Free Redbox Rental for $0 ( use coupon codes:GANTS9 and this form).
• Free Surprise Gift for Walgreens Facebook Fans for $0 ( use this form).

If a deal looks too good to be true, investigate the store and see if it's a good, reputable place to buy. Safe shopping!

[Thanks TechDealDigger, Dealzon, Logic Buy, GamerHotline, Cheap College Gamers, CheapStingyBargains and TechBargains.]

First Video of Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo

Jesus Diaz — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 15:30:00 EST

Here you have SpaceShipTwo in video, from every single angle.

As a bonus: Enjoy Sir Richard Branson with his blonde wig—come on, nobody can have such a perfect hair, and be so dashing—and the legendary Burt Rutan and his even-more-legendary muttonchops. These guys, my friends, are making history right now. And I'm talking about taking humans to the stars, not hairstyle history. Sure, it's suborbital fight, but you have to start somewhere. And these people are pushing the envelope forward.

Check the still pictures here.

Forty Percent Of You Clowns Use a Case On Your Phones

Jason Chen — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 15:25:52 EST

Slate cites a survey back in July that showed 40% of cellphone users use a case for your phones. 40%!

Here's a brief history of cellphone cases. In the mid '90s, cases were bringing in a 45% profit margin for manufacturers, and were made of leather and worn either on a belt or hanging from a purse or wrist.

When clamshells became popular in the early to mid 2000s, cases became more-or-less obsolete, as the keys and screen were on the inside of the phone instead of the concrete-shock-absorbing outside. But iPhones and other touchscreen phones make the need for a case more relevant for people who tend to drop their phones.

I'm of two opinions on this. The first is that I have never dropped my phone, or dropped it so badly that it actually broke. But I do know a lot of people who do, so it's hard for me to say that cases aren't necessary for them. So while I may hate cases and think they cover up the nice industrial design of whatever your phone is with an ugly, rubberized finish, it's necessary for people who smear their hands in butter before they take a call. [Slate]

Get 'Em While They're Young

matt buchanan — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 15:18:19 EST

The iPod touch is growing faster than the iPhone now—making up 40 percent of 58 million iPhone OS devices—and what that means, says Flurry analytics, is that it's building the "next generation" of iPhone users. Oh boy. [AppleInsider]

Brutally Honest Ads: A More Honest Luke Wilson Shills for AT&T

Adam Frucci — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 15:00:00 EST

The original Luke Wilson AT&T ads always struck me as a bit sketchy, like they weren't really telling the whole truth. So I fixed that. Here's the original for reference if you're lucky enough to be unfamiliar.

Google's Real-Time Search Adds Streaming, Twitter to Results

Brian Barrett — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 14:28:16 EST

At an event today in San Fransisco, Google announced a new service that will offer streaming results for searches, incorporating real-time updates from web pages and social networking partners. It will be rolled out over the next couple of days.

The new search mode comes with partnerships Google announced today with Facebook and MySpace. Feeds from both sites, along with Twitter comments, blog postings, and other web sources will be rolled into Real Time results page for up-to-the-second updates. They've also added a "Hot Topics" section to Google Trends to show the most common topics people are writing about at any given moment.

Other news from today's event includes Google Goggles, which lets you search via any picture you take with your phone, and an automatic translator that lets you speak English into your phone and have it translated into Spanish in, again, real time. The translator should be available in 2010, and Goggles can be tried now in Google Labs.

Google's not exactly feeling Bing breathing down their necks, but it's nice to see competition driving some fast and furious innovation at the Googleplex. [Google via TechCrunch]

Yelp Hits Android Market Today

Brian Barrett — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 14:24:56 EST

The good news is that Android users finally have a Yelp app to call their own. The bad news is that it's relatively bare-bones.

The basics are all there: restaurant and business navigation, ratings and reviews, photos, and direct calling all work just fine. There's even a new feature that shows you directions from your current location to your destination in separate browser.

What's missing, though, are all the interactive nibblets that make Yelp such a fun guide to use. The Android version is read-only, meaning that for now you can look at other people's opinions but not share your own. Still, though, it's a nice free alternative to Zagat's ten dollar equivalent. [CNet]

Concept UNIK Phone Could Save Nokia From Its BudgetPhone Woes

Kat Hannaford — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 14:20:01 EST

In a Nokia-meets-LEGO fashion, French designer Clement Logereau has come up with a brilliant concept called "UNIK," which he's plastered with a Nokia logo to get attention. Look closer and you'll see it's comprised of 152 small, customizable squares.

The idea is that customers will buy the handset, but also buy into a lifestyle—and for a change, one that doesn't revolve around apps. Instead, owners of the UNIK would buy little colored squares made from various materials (metal, rubber and transparent beads are mentioned), which can then be stuck together to form covers for the slinky-looking handset.

It's a fun idea, and it reminds me of being a kid in the schoolyard, trading cards or marbles—though hopefully children wouldn't be trading these UNIK squares. They're a choking hazard, surely. [The Design Blog]

Can My iPod Make This Airplane Explode?

Joel Johnson — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 13:40:00 EST

Listening to an iPod or reading a Kindle during takeoff isn't dangerous. It's time the airlines stopped pretending that it is.

For years we've been told that gadgets produce EMI—electromagnetic interference—that cause glitches in an aircraft's avionics. A cellphone could interrupt communication between pilots and the tower for a crucial second, or a child's Game Boy could cause a light on a flight computer to go on the fritz.

We can't take excess liquids on a plane on only the slimmest evidence of any real threat. If gadgets were such a threat to safety, they'd be banned entirely.

Instead, an arbitrary set of rules established by the FAA and extended by the airlines prohibits iPods during takeoff, but explicitly allow electric shavers to be used during flight.

Hundreds of travelers at this very moment are using electronic gadgets during takeoff after the flight attendants have taken their jump seats. We're told it's dangerous. It isn't. Let's drop the pretense.*

The EMI Lie

In 1993, the International Association of Transport Aircraft (IATA) suggested that airlines prohibit the use of personal electronic devices during takeoff and landing, despite a lack of evidence that these gadgets had caused a single accident. The IATA's Terry Denny then said, "We haven't been able to trace an accident to the use of one of these devices...but we are convinced that this could happen."

In the intervening decades, gadgets became something more than a toy for the rich or nerdy, but an intrinsic sidekick for nearly everyone. Especially the iPod.

In 2006, the Federal Aviation Administration commissioned a study to see if "intentionally transmitting" gadgets like cellphones and Wi-Fi caused interference with avionics. The final report "said there is insufficient information to support a wholesale change in policies that restrict use of PEDs." ("PEDs" is FAA-speak for a gadget, or "Personal Electronic Device(s)"; a PED with a radio transmitter is a "T-PED".)

Which is to say, they couldn't find a reason to change their policy—but there hadn't been a whole lot of evidence to begin with.

Yet the FAA has approved in-flight Wi-Fi service for a variety of airlines. While the routers and systems must undergo an FAA certification, there's nothing magical about the onboard 2.4GHz signal broadcast that prevents it from interfering with the plane's avionics. The thousands of flights completed safely each day—a marvelous and commendable record, it should be noted—clearly indicate that having activated gadgets on board aircraft does nothing of negative consequence.

So your laptop's Wi-Fi won't mess up the planes avionics, but your Kindle might? How fragile are these planes?

"But it's about paying attention"

I've had conversations with pilots and other employees of airlines about this issue before, and after they realize the electromagnetic interference argument isn't going to fly, they invariably change tack to "safety". "Takeoff and landing are the most dangerous parts of the flight," they say. "And it's important that passengers be able to hear instructions from the crew in case something goes wrong."

That's a nice idea, but look around the cabin of an embarking aircraft. Parents are soothing cranky kids. People are asleep. Many passengers are drunk or medicated to help address anxiety.

If there were an accident, alerting an unaware person with headphones would take no more effort than nudging a sleeping person next to you. It's not prohibited to sleep during takeoff, just as it isn't prohibited to read a book or magazine or to be deaf. (This also presumes that a passenger could do anything to protect themselves or others during a takeoff accident, even though we all know that in a majority of incidents, there's little to do except pray.)

Ah, but what about gadgets flying around the cabin as missiles if there is turbulence? It could happen, sure, but is a Kindle appreciably more dangerous than a hardcover book? If a Nintendo DS could hurt someone during an unexpected loss of altitude, why are they ever allowed to be unstowed? The answer is simply that the likelihood of these things happening is far less than the likelihood that customers will go absolutely apoplectic if they aren't allowed some sort of inflight entertainment.

If the airlines are already able to make a judgement between ultimate safety and convenience, why not loosen up just a little more?

Little things matter

I have a lot of sympathy for flight attendants. Herding and soothing a few dozen passengers, many of whom are belligerent and rude, is a thankless job. Their jobs should be easier. They're the ones who have to explain to passengers why the pilots were too busy playing with their laptops to land the plane.

But every time a flight attendant perpetuates the lie that these harmless gadgets are somehow a threat to safety, it erodes the faith that they should be cultivating with their customers. How are we to trust someone telling us that reading a Kindle during takeoff is dangerous as we stare across a field of EMI-spewing LCD seat-back screens?

Here's a deal: I'll listen attentively to the flight safety demonstration, make doubly sure to note where the exit doors are and who I'll have to climb over to get to them—and you guys will let me listen to my iPod after the flight attendants are in their seats and I'm making peace with my god.

Trust me, I'll be a lot more apt to listen to flight attendants commands if they don't start the flight with a well-intentioned deception. And more likely to believe the FAA and the TSA when it comes to other security and safety concerns when some of their policies aren't demonstrable half-truths.

* I'm not talking about using Wi-Fi or cellphones during takeoff. I'm in complete support of "Airplane Mode" during takeoff, if not the entire flight. What anecdotal evidence there is about EMI from gadgets is almost exclusively suspected to be from radios and other transmitters.

@joeljohnson deals primarily with first-world problems, but hopes it does not interfere with your pursuit of fixing third-world ones. This isn't the last he's got to say about this issue.

In the Future, We All Will Be Google-Approved

Brian Barrett — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 13:39:00 EST

Furthering its advances into our physical realm, Google today announced a plan to display window decals in over 100,000 businesses that will designate them as the Google's "Favorite Places." More details, a demonstrational video and Big Brother fearmongering below.

The businesses were chosen based on search rankings in Google and Google Maps, and each will be given a decal with a QR code that can be scanned with your phone to access reviews and coupons. You'll need an app to do the scanning (for iPhone users Google is magnanimously offering today's first 40,000 downloads of QuickMark for free).

It seems convenient enough, although presumably people with access to a QR scanner on their phone will also have access to Yelp or Citysearch. The main point seems to be giving Google's brand ubiquity a boost, with a Google Favorite Place sign acting as an egalitarian counterpoint to "Zagat Rated" or "Michelin Starred." And eventually, when we all have our QR codes tattooed on our foreheads, Google will let us know everything about each other right away, which will at least save us a lot of time on first dates and job interviews. [Official Google Blog]

First Images of SpaceShipTwo, First Commercial Passenger Spacecraft in History

Jesus Diaz — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 13:36:00 EST

The official unveiling is tonight, but we have the first images of Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo now, attached to its mothership, Eve. SpaceShipTwo is the first commercial passenger spacecraft in history, and it is oh-so-beautiful.

Click on image to see it in full resolution

I can't wait for a whole fleet to be developed, and the SpacePort to be finished.

Ratings Scam Gets Almost 1% of App Store Pulled

Brian Barrett — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 13:35:07 EST

Molinker, creator of over a thousand iPhone apps, has been banned for juking the ratings system.

The report from iphoneography says many of the company's products had over 50 five-star reviews, mostly written in the same syntactically shaky style by reviewers who only wrote about about apps from Molinker. One customer complaint to Phil Schiller later, and all of Molinker's 1,011 apps are now gone from the App Store.

As far as scams go, this one seems pretty poorly thought out, although it does make clear that savvier developers should have no problem giving themselves an illicit ratings boost. [iphoneography via AppAdvice]

'Hulu for Magazines' to Be Announced Tomorrow

Adam Frucci — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 13:19:31 EST

According to this tweet by All Things D's Peter Kafka, a "Hulu for magazines" will be announced tomorrow—though unlike Hulu, it will probably have subscriptions from the start, and might actually make money. But eh, I doubt it.

It's Time To Make Phone OSes Work On Any Phone

John Herrman — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 13:00:10 EST

VMWare is making noise about smartphone virtualization again, claiming their new system will run two operating systems at once, sorta. It's a compelling idea! But even more, it's a reminder: Why the hell can't we choose our smartphone's OS, again?

When you buy a PC, the most important decision you make is selecting its OS. Do you want Windows 7, for a modern Windows machine-slash-media center? Are you a little more conservative, hanging back with Windows XP for a gaming machine? Do you want a lightweight Linux OS on your netbook, so you don't have to worry about viruses, or slowdown? Are you a Gentoo purist, building your OS flag by flag, penguin shirt moist from excitement? Or, god forbid, are you a hackintosher? Whatever choice you make, you're making a choice. You're choosing the interface with which you interact with your computer, and by extension, the entire digital world. This makes sense.

This just isn't how things work in the mobile world. If you want Windows Mobile, you need to buy a Windows Phone, complete with a dedicated Start button. If you want Google's Android, you've got a narrow selection of handsets from a handful of manufacturers, many of which, at least for now, don't even support the same version of the OS. If you think webOS looks cool, buy a Pre. If you like Symbian, import a Nokia or settle for a Samsung. And most predictably, if you like the App Store, Apple—and only Apple—is ready to process your credit card. Like the Touch HD2's obscenely hot hardware, but don't like Windows Mobile? Tough luck. Think the Droid is a perfect piece of hardware, but don't understand what all this Android hubbub is about? Shut up.

In the last half-decade, we've become acutely aware of what goes into our smartphones. New phones get a spec rundown that mirrors a PC's: Qualcomm processor X! RAM speed Y! Screen technology Z! It fosters a climate ripe for PC-style hardware wars, with new processor architectures competing head to head, an ongoing—and fruitful—resolution race, and each new phone edging out its predecessors with even more onboard storage, or support for a new input or output cable. It's fascinating to watch the competition unfold, but it's even more fascinating to see how tightly grouped development is. These are ARM-based phones, for the most part. They share memory types, display types, cameras, chipsets, processors and often, original device manufacturers. They're the same thing.

When you buy a smartphone, you're stuck with its OS. Your carrier might toss you a few software updates, and if you're particularly gutsy, you might install some custom-baked software of your own, though you're generally stuck with variations on your default OS, not a wholly new one. It's as if everyone in the mobile world is emulating what Apple does in the computer space, except worse: at least Macs have Boot Camp, for fuck's sake. (And before they did, they at least had the PowerPC excuse.)

I know something like this is miles over the horizon—you can't just will new hardware support into existence, and the entire industry is currently built around locked relationship between software and hardware—and that some hardware (guess which!) is probably doomed to live out its life in a hollow monogamous relationship, but it's time for handset manufacturers, along with Google, Microsoft, the Symbian Foundation, and Palm, maybe, to start setting goals. Or at minimum, it's time for us to start asking them to.

For the companies, this would mean working on driver support for common componentry, opening up to the enthusiast communities who already do so much amazing software work on their own, and agreeing on some kind of common bootloader, from which users can choose to install their operating system.

For users, this would mean freedom. Going into 2010, our smartphones are more central to our lives than ever, and it's time to acknowledge that. Consumers treats smartphones like computers, and more. The people who make them, though, treat them like dumbphones; prepackaged products, artificially limited, for no good reason—at least, no good reason to the people who buy them.

What Is This?

Jesus Diaz — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 12:33:00 EST

Hey Richard Dreyfuss, better hurry up to the Mojave Desert, because tonight the aliens are coming. Seriously:

I just saw SpaceShipTwo. It's very large and shiny. It's really impressive mounted to the mothership, makes Eve look right.

What you are seeing here is the rehearsal for the presentation of Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo, the first space airliner in history. It will happen tonight, so stay tuned for images of this new spectacular aircraft, hopefully the beginning of a long series yet to come.

UPDATE:

• Watch the photos of SpaceShipTwo here.
• Watch the video here.

[Flickr and Twitter via Hyperbola]

Fusion Garage's Joojoo Unveiling Liveblog

Jason Chen — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 12:20:00 EST

Fusion Garage, the engineering side that booted TechCrunch off of their own Crunchpad project, is about to be unveiled in a live webcast. We're going to be liveblogging it at 9:30 AM PT (12:30 PM ET). That's basically now.

9:22: The stream was active for a second—I got a screencap of it above—but it looks like they shut off the video.

9:23: In case you're not familiar with the story, hit up this link while the webcast is still preparing, and check it out. Basically, Fusion Garage, on behalf of their shareholders, decided that they wanted to cut TechCrunch out of any involvement (besides a crappy advisor role) after the two parties had developed the thing together. Think of it as if your wife one day told you that she'd be raising your kid by herself, and your involvement was no longer needed.

9:28: It's sad, really, since the CrunchPad was supposed to be one of the first (if not the first) cheap tablets that was designed just for web browsing and "consuming" content. The perfect bed/toilet computer, essentially.

9:29: I mean, even if it does end up being released under a different name by Fusion Garage without TechCrunch's involvement, would you buy it? Or would you be loyal, in principle, to TechCrunch, since they're the ones who actually came up with the idea?

9:30: It's a tough decision. Would most people care about petty stuff like this if the final product was good? Would most people even KNOW about it? Probably not.

9:31: Though, we'll get to hear FG's side of the story today. Who knows if TechCrunch's side was the entire truth. It'll probably end up being somewhere inbetween.

9:34: It's starting. Chandra is saying this webcast is a good way to address misconceptions introduced by Arrington's TC post.

9:36: "I'm a dreamer of big dreams." And he's a engineer.

9:36: Chandra is going over his past as an engineer. He's saying he's upset by all the posts on him from the last week.

9:37: "Fusion Garage is the only actual do-er in this story."

9:37: Since 2008, they tried to make a browser-based operating system that supported a "thin, tablet-like touchscreen device."

9:38: In his first meeting with Arrington, he explained what FG was developing, and how his OS would be the key to making the "vision a reality". Mike Arrington would introduce them to investors, secure funding and introduce them to hardware vendors. He would want to make a deal so TechCrunch could acquire the company so that Mike would have controlling interest. They had many talks about the acquisition, but nothing solid ever came out of it.

9:40: Mike was "unable to deliver", in February 2009. Without further development, including a finished prototype, nobody would provide funding to bring a product to market. He then takes a shot at the birthday cake photo.

9:40: "If the project was going to go forward, it would be up to Fusion Garage. It was clear that Michael was not able to deliver."

9:40: They finished their hardware prototype, and did all the engineering challenges by themselves—as you'd expect.

9:41: Chandra said that he secured funding through "his" network, instead of through Michael Arrington. It seems like this might be the thing that triggered the booting of Mike—the fact that TC couldn't deliver funding or connections.

9:42: Chandra is saying that there was no agreement for an acquisition by TC. There were talks, but no agreement. He's saying Fusion Garage owns all IP and proprietary rights for the production. The OS developed entirely by them. "TechCrunch didn't contribute a single line of code."

9:43: FG provided Arrington terms for being an advisor role, but was turned down.

9:44: The product will be introduced this week. And they call it Joojoo.

9:45: The reason why they call it Joojoo was because it's an "African term that stands for magical"

9:45: The device boots in 9 seconds.

9:46: All icons on the site are "web services", and the screen is really really green.

9:46: You can get online, to the internet, in 9 seconds.

9:46: It has a 12.1-inch capacitive touchscreen. "The largest screen of any device in its class on the market."

9:47: No physical buttons other than the on-off buttons.

9:47: Joojoo has no preloaded applications, Windows or menus. It will accept sliding and scrolling gestures with your fingers. And it can be used as a digital book. "The internet is the application", similar to Google's Chrome OS.

9:48: "Unfortunately Arrington's dream of $200 or $300 price for something like this was unrealistic. Nothing worthwhile can be delivered to market at that price." How are they pricing it?

9:48: The Joojoo is more than 3x the iPhone 3GS's screen. How about netbooks? Those have "noncapacitive touch and a poor web experience".

9:49: Joojoo "provides the best in class internet experience for everything we do." And it can "watch full HD videos," as well as read magazines and books. It weighs 1.1 kg.

9:50: It's going to be $499.

9:50: Preorders are available this friday on the Joojoo website. It'll be sold online only, without retail until the near future.

9:50: Q&A Section:

9:50: Q: "Please respond to Arrington's post."

9:51: A: "There is no legal case filed today. We are very confident in our position, and we believe we own all the IPs."

9:51: A: There are no contracts of any kind between us and TechCrunch.

9:51: Q: "What do you say to Michael saying you ambushing him out of the blue."

9:51: A: Chandra says, basically, Arrington failed on everything he promised he would do (funding, getting connections), so FG had to "move on on their own."

9:52: Q: "Other companies have tried to introduce tablets to the market and failed. Why is your device different?"

9:52: A: Tablets today run the full Windows operating system. They're expensive, and heavy, and it wasn't a form factor that could deliver the way you would like to use. "We believe we can make a big difference." Then he goes over the features like a 12.1-inch screen and the fact that they "don't boot to an operating system."

9:53: There have been verbal discussions about a possible acquisition, but "nothing was delivered on Michael's part." There weren't any verbal assurances, except for Michael saying that he wants to acquire the company.

9:54: Q: "What exactly was the offer you made to Michael that he refused?"

9:54: A: "Michael promised a lot of things, but he did not deliver. We offered the possibility to work with us, and be part of this. Despite us doing everything, software, hardware, funding. But Michael turned down the offer."

9:55: Q: "Can you comment on Google Chrome OS."

9:55: A: "They see things in relation to Netbooks, but we believe that Netbooks' use cases aren't what they should be for what you want to do."

9:56: Q: "What kind of offline capabilities does the machine have?"

9:56: A: You can use your Gmail, for example, using a local cache. You'll synchronize when connectivity is available.

9:56: Q: "Does this product have any real chance to succeed without TechCrunch's marketing?"

9:57: A: If you define marketing as doing a blog post, then no. Michael has been "talking about this for the longest while." He really wants to hammer home that Arrington didn't deliver on any kind of promises.

9:57: Q: "What are the specs?"

9:57: A: "It has a 12.1-inch screen, 4GB SSD, but most of the storage is stored in the cloud."

9:58: Q: "The screen was extremely green. Is that normal?"

9:58: A: "It's a trick of the camera. I'll show this in 1 to 1 demos, and the screen is fine, and the colors are fine."

9:58: Q: What is the battery life?

9:59: A: 5 hours. Wi-Fi only.

9:59: Q: Do you have any relationships with content providers?

9:59: A: No. We're in discussions with companies.

9:59: Q: Will there be any Joojoo accessories?

10:00: A: Yes, we'll announce them in the next couple weeks.

10:00: Q: Will we be showing complete demos in 1:1 meetings?

10:00: A: Yes.

10:00: There will be one color at the moment.

10:00: "We think there will be a lot of demand for this product."

10:01: Fusion Garage has raised 3 million to date since 2008.

10:01: "Thank you so much for your time today. I look forward to seeing many of you over the coming weeks."

10:01: That looks like the end. I'll be getting a hands on with this thing as soon as possible, so check back for that.

Harman Kardon Has the Balls to Charge $1,000 for 2.0 Computer Speakers

Brian Barrett — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 12:19:52 EST

These Harman Kardon GLA-55 speakers may look right at home in Superman's Fortress of Solitude, but for that kind of money they'd better also tap dance and do my laundry.

Look, it's nice and all that you've got Atlas woofers and CMMD tweeters and DSP equalization, but seriously, Harman Kardon? You're going to charge a thousand dollars for speakers with no subwoofer? To you I say good day, sir! [BusinessWire via Coolest Gadgets]

The Complete Guide to Avoiding Online Scams (for Your Less Savvy Friends and Relatives)

The How-To Geek — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 12:00:00 EST

Our readers are a savvy bunch who aren't likely to be taken in by an online scam—but we've all got those friends and relatives we worry about. Here's our definitive guide to helping them stay safe online.

Photo from Futurama.

When training your loved ones how to keep themselves safe online, you should remind them of the rule your parents probably taught you: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Using a little common sense goes a long way to realizing that you aren't going to suddenly win the Spanish National Lottery when you didn't even know you had a ticket. That said, here's a few tips that you should share with your less-than-savvy friends and family to help them avoid falling victim to an online scam.

Never, Ever Click a Link to Your Bank or Financial Institution From an Email

Legitimate banks or financial institutions like Paypal will never email you asking you to click a link to verify your information, reset your password, or login to view anything. You should simply create a browser bookmark to your bank, and when you receive an email, use the bookmark or type in the bank name manually into the address bar.

Combined with training your parents to look for the special lock icon in the address bar, this should prevent them from giving away their bank login.

Never Give Out Your Email Password

It's become a trend in "web 2.0" sites to ask people to invite your friends to join by entering your email address and password into their web site—but this is something you should always avoid. Not only will you most likely end up spamming all of your friends with invite requests, but some sites will keep that information and continue to spam your friends forever. Of course, that is secondary to the fact that all your password reset requests will go to your email address—so if the wrong people get your password, they can access your entire online life. You should simply never give that information out to anybody for any reason.

Use Strong Passwords (and Secret Questions)

If your password is as simple as your spouse's name, it won't even matter if you give your email password out, since it can be guessed easily by scammers or hackers trying to get in. You'll want to make sure to read our guide on how to choose and remember a strong password—but your security lesson doesn't stop there. The weak link in your email security is those secret questions and answers that most sites ask you to enter to help you reset your password. Even if your password is tough, often your secret question isn't—so you should make sure to protect your email account with strong secret questions.

Do Not Buy Anything from an Email You Didn't Ask For

The easiest way scammers get you is by dumping spam in your inbox for everything from cheap watches to fake male-enhancement products—which is not only going to be bogus but probably redundant. The easiest and simplest rule is to never buy anything from an email. Sure, you could probably make an exception for email newsletters from sites you trust, like Amazon, but remember—it's relatively easy for scammers to pretend they're Amazon, just like it's easy for them to pretend they're your bank. Just make sure that you aren't buying, or even clicking on, anything from an unsolicited email. (You can always go straight to Amazon and search for the product they're advertising.)

Watch Out for Job Postings That Look Too Good

If you're out of work or just looking for a way to make some extra cash on the side, you should be very careful about the jobs posted on online sites like Craigslist, because there are scammers lurking there as well. It's not that Craigslist isn't a great place to look for jobs, but you have to be careful. Those jobs that say you can "Make $25+ / hour working from home!" or "Mystery Shopper Needed!" and promise tons of money for almost no work—yeah, they are completely fake.

The biggest thing to avoid is anything involving Western Union, Moneygram, wire transfers, money orders, or dealings with any financial transaction. The scammers will ask you to deposit a check or money order and wire transfer the money back to them—and it's not until later that you find out it was a forgery. I personally know somebody who was scammed out of $12,000 this way.

Do Not Give Out Your Personal Info or Social Security Number

This should go without saying, but no legitimate site is going to ask you to enter your Social Security number unless you are applying for credit. You should be very careful not to divulge your personal information to anybody online. The same thing goes for sites that ask you to re-enter your personal information, even though in some cases, like your bank, they should already have that information.

Learn to Use a Modern Browser's Security Features

The latest versions of Firefox and Internet Explorer have enhanced support for checking certificates from trusted web sites—you can click on the lock icon to see all the information about the certificate.

In addition, the latest browser versions maintain a list of phishing and malware sites, and will warn you any time you try and access a known bad site. Internet Explorer makes checking the URL even easier by highlighting the root domain name so you can more easily detect a new phishing site.

Ignore Web Site Popups Saying You Have a Virus

Last Friday half of my day was wasted removing a malware called Advanced Virus Remover from somebody's PC because they clicked an ad that said they had a virus, and then installed the "recommended" software, which proceeded to hold their computer hostage. These "scareware" viruses are becoming commonplace, and there are so many different names that it's impossible to keep track of all of them.

The simple solution is to pick a single antivirus app for your loved ones and train them to know exactly which one they have installed. My mom's PC came pre-installed with Norton Antivirus, and I've trained her to ignore any other messages unless they come from Norton—and that if she isn't sure, she should click the X in the upper right-hand corner of the screen, or even just turn the PC off entirely and restart it. It's not a perfect solution, and I'd rather have her using Microsoft Security Essentials, but she's used to it now and it's a whole lot better than spending a day removing a scareware virus from her computer.

Aren't sure which antivirus to choose? You've chosen your five favorites, and we've explained the virtues of the free Microsoft Security Essentials, so the choice is up to you.

Now that you know how to help prevent your parents from scammers, you should sit down and cover these points with them—or at the very least share this article with them. Was there something we forgot to include? Let us know in the comments.

The How-To Geek is tired of dealing with scammers and wishes the government would crack down on them more. His geeky articles can be found daily here on Lifehacker, How-To Geek, and Twitter.

This Is How a Record Made of Ice Sound

Jesus Diaz — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 12:00:00 EST

As if we didn't have enough with frightening planetary sounds, artist Katie Paterson has recorded the chilling crackles of three Icelandic glaciers. Nothing special there... until you learn that she did it on 45rpm records made with actual ice.

Katie pressed the record against re-frozen ice plates instead of vinyl. Then she played them in two turntables until they melted over the course of two hours.

Update: Reader Wolfgang Oblasser wrote to say that Austrian artist Claudia Märzendorfer also uses ice for pressing records.

I know, pointless. And that's exactly why I love it. [Katie Paterson via I'm Revolting via Today and Tomorrow]

VMWare: Your Next Smartphone Might Run Two OSes At Once

Brian Barrett — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 11:53:31 EST

In an interview with Computerworld, VMWare's head of mobile phone virtualization has indicated that the company wants to move beyond dual-boot systems to allow phones to run a private and work operating system at the same time. They've already demonstrated the potential on a Nokia N800 running Windows CE and Android concurrently; now they're looking into multiple user interface scenarios for current generation smartphones. [Computerworld]

Play Pocket DJ With Touchtable Mixer

Brian Barrett — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 11:40:00 EST

Finally, a PMP for your inner Fatboy Slim.

Designed by Thomas Mascall, the Touchtable features a large controller wheel that lets you mix records on the fly or scratch samples over what you're listening to. I especially love that you can link up two of these bad boys wirelessly for the full (well, miniature) DJ experience. Hooked up to a computer, it also functions as a MIDI device. It's just a concept for now, but if it ever gets built this little guy will put you just a smoke machine and glowsticks away from turning your cramped studio into a cramped SuperClub9000. [Yanko Design via Engadget]

A Glorious Beginning

matt buchanan — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 11:00:00 EST

This moment, a phone call from Chicago, marked the beginning of the cellphone era according to the New York Times. It's just as epic as you had imagined. [NYT]

Fix a Loose Battery Cover on Your Droid

Kevin Purdy — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 11:00:00 EST

Verizon's Droid is a very capable smartphone, but a loose battery cover makes mobile life with some models less than ideal. A small screwdriver tweak, however, appears to repair the problem.

As demonstrated in the video above, the fix shouldn't take more than a minute, or a few minutes, if you're being very careful. It's basically just pushing in a bit on a small metal piece that, when too far out, makes it easy for your battery to slide right off. You'll want to be careful, of course, and especially with your SIM card so close by, but if you've had the unpleasant experience of a falling battery cover, this fix might just be what the (DIY) doctor ordered.

Found another fix for your Droid's battery cover slippage? Tell us about it in the comments.

Antique Chumby Clock Will Fool Your Granny and Impress Your Twitter Friends

Kat Hannaford — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 10:32:51 EST

Our commenters on the Chumby hollowed-out book are right: we need a Chumby guts Photoshop competition. But in the meantime check out this "Chumbaphone," which squeezes Chumby guts into a wooden clock, adding brass horns for that authentic Wi-Fi experience.

[Abraham Book via Make]

Pixel Qi Magic Screens Coming in Multitouch Tablets in 2010

Jesus Diaz — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 10:24:16 EST

Pixel Qi's ePaper-LCD hybrid screen 10-inch screens will invade the world in 2010. Or at least, some of it and parts of New Jersey. Their CEO says that the first units are going into "specialized multi-touch tablet devices." Hmmmm...

We can now announce that the first units are going into specialized tablet devices with multi-touch. Increasingly these screens will be super-slim, but some customers prefer the standard thickness.

Pixel Qi will be at CES in Las Vegas in early January supporting our customers. We can't yet announce with whom we will be showing but hope to shortly.

Oh noes. Your client will be at CES? And they may not be interested in super-slim screens? Then that's not you-know-who, the company whose obsession with thinness is inversely proportional to their interest in CES. Too bad, but I still have hope. [Pixel Qi via Netbook News via Slashgear]

Yahoo Will Divulge Pretty Much Anything for $60

Mark Wilson — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 10:20:00 EST

On one hand, it's reassuring to know that Yahoo will work with law enforcement to bust criminals, digging through their private messages to get the job done. On the other, $60 is a low price for our privacy.

(Click on the chart for a bigger version.)

For $20, Yahoo will give subpoena-wielding authorities your basic user ID information. For $30-$40, that jumps to the contents of subscriber accounts, including email. And for $60, police basically own the place. Full contents and logs of Yahoo Groups are at their disposal.

Of course, it's good that Yahoo keeps these prices in check, only charging authorities cost for retrieving records (meaning your taxes pay Yahoo less than they could). Then again, it's flat-out alarming to consider the data trail we all leave, its surprising permanence and the ease with which it can be accessed.

And if you really want to be freaked out, Cryptome is assembling these lawful spying policies by company. Their list already includes communication providers Cox, SBC, Sprint and AT&T.

What do you have to use this day and age to be dishonest? Snail mail and walkie talkies? [Cryptome via Slashdot via boingboing]

Read What Google CEO Eric Schmidt Eats for Breakfast (Besides Microsoft)

matt buchanan — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 10:14:40 EST

Google CEO Eric Schmidt is on Twitter. So far, he's thanked the WSJ for printing an editorial about newspapers and online news. That's all, really. [Twitter via TechCrunch]

If Frank Lloyd Wright Built Gingerbread Houses

Brian Barrett — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 10:05:21 EST

This lovely ranch-style double-wide may not have exposed brick or vaulted ceilings, but man is it delicious. And there are so, so many more.

It's the first year for Creative Room's annual Gingerbread Competition and Charity Auction, which means that not only can you admire these modernist takes on a holiday standby, you also can purchase them for eating or Godzilla-bashing at your discretion.

[Creative Room via Core 77]

Hark Back to the Good Ol' Days With the Portable N64

Kat Hannaford — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 09:54:39 EST

Forget the DSi XL, Nintendo should look to the past for its next handheld console. Or, just commission the modder-maestro Zenlock for a heap of portable N64s, so we can revisit The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time in style.

Purported to be one of the world's smallest portable N64 mods at 120 x 200 x 50mm, it's being sold on eBay now for $205 after 26 bids, with all buyers safe in the knowledge that the modder likes his food extra spicy. [eBay via Ben Heck Forums via Engadget]

These Prank Gift Boxes May Be Fake, But I Want a Griddle Alarm Clock

Adam Frucci — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 09:50:00 EST

OK, so the Noggin' Net fishing hat is totally ludicrous, but am I crazy to think that the risk of horrible burning and food poisoning is totally worth waking up to fresh eggs and pancakes on my bedside table?

If there's a better, cheaper way to see your friend's and family's true colors on Christmas, if but for a minute, I'm not aware of it. So great. And again, I may have low standards, but I would be pretty excited to open a BeerBeard on Christmas morning.

[PrankPack]

World's Largest LED Project: Come On, Guys

John Herrman — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 09:41:59 EST

The United Arab Emirates aren't booming like they used to, which is worrying. Judging from the latest, though, the UAE was only about three major architectural undertakings away from building an actual giant penis, so maybe it's for the best.

The Yas Hotel in Dubai's sister Emirate, Abu Dhabi, has earned the impressive (though weirdly categorized) title of the world's largest LED project, which, given that it's comprised of about 5,300 steel panels adorned with over 5000 lighting fixtures, I don't doubt it for a second. The lighting grid can change colors and display patterns, and, though it's a stretch, play low-res video.

Underneath this curvilinear shell is a typically extravagant 500-room hotel, which, bizarrely, is divided by a Formula 1 race track, meaning that this egregious phallic symbol is regularly entered and exited by other compensatory phallic symbols, raced in competition to win yet more phallic symbols, which is a bit too much for me to process, now or ever. [Inhabitat via Flavorwire]

Bolt 1.6 Lets You Ditch BlackBerry's Default Browser for Good

matt buchanan — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 09:34:17 EST

We like the Bolt browser for BlackBerry, and version 1.6 isn't just faster, but crucially, now lets you make it the default browser, so you don't have to go back to the standard one (even if it is much improved itself in BlackBerry OS 5.0). [Bolt via CrackBerry]

Mark the Spot iPhone App Tells AT&T Where They Suck

matt buchanan — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 09:29:21 EST

In NY, AT&T's "Mark the Spot" iPhone app is going to run constantly. It lets you pinpoint precisely where AT&T's network sucked, and how—dropped call, bad data, crappy voice—and send it to them. Prepare for a tsunami. [iTunes]

Which Places In the World Does Wikipedia Discuss Most?

Mark Wilson — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 08:40:00 EST

This ~~heat~~ cold map signifies the total number of Wikis tied to each country. The designer learned there are literally more articles written about Antarctica and even Middle Earth than many countries in Africa. [mark graham via boingboing]

New Canon EOS 5D Mark II Firmware to Pack 60fps HD

Mark Wilson — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 08:24:13 EST

Canon has already revealed that their EOS 5D Mark II would be getting 24fps 1080P, which is handy for transfers to film. But a new industry-focused meeting revealed the company would also add 60fps 720P support to the camera, which would be great for fast motion clips or half-speed slow motion. [Planet5D]