Chicago Apple Store Has Express, Gift-Wrapped Line

The Apple Store in downtown Chicago, like every Apple Store, has a few ways to check out. You can flag down an employee, head to the checkout counter, or, in what seems new, you can head to the express line, which lets you buy non-customized Apple products quickly. Even better, that express line's products are pre-gift-wrapped. Pretty sweet! I bought my MacBook Pro from that exact store this summer, and I wish it had come gift-wrapped, even though it was all mine—there's just something about tearing open a gift-wrapped box, you know? [Business Insider]

YouTube Offers Shortened URL, Sort of

In these heady days of Twarter-domination, it's important to have a shortened URL to save precious characters. Seems like everyone's got one, and YouTube just joined in the fun—except, um, their shortened URL, Youtu.be, really isn't that much shorter. Example: youtubedotcom/watch?v=FdeioVndUhs would become http://youtu.be/FdeioVndUhs. You'll only have space for a few LOLOLOLs after that. [YouTube Blog]

BART Expands Wireless Access Under the San Francisco Bay (!!!)

This ends up gift-wrapped under the Remainders Tree of Sadness because it's local, but to SFBay residents like myself, it's great news. BART, the Bay Area's fantastic (compared to my native SEPTA, that is) regional rail system is now getting access to wireless signal while zooming under the San Francisco Bay over to Oakland, Berkeley and sites beyond. That means I'll never have to stop using data while on BART, which also means I've lost one last excuse for being out of touch with the Gizmodo monarchs, King Brian and King Jason. [BART]

Seriously You Guys, Just Buy a Kindle

Amazon really wants you to buy one. Remember that Dealzmodo from a few days back, when Amazon offered free two-day shipping on the Kindle? Now they're upping that to free overnight shipping if you buy it on December 23rd. It's in Remainders because honestly, updating this post feels like I'm advertising for Amazon, but the Kindle is still the reigning champ of ebook readers and you guys have a right to know. Now buy one. NOW. [Amazon]

iPod Touch Users Neglect OS 3.0 (Comparatively)

iPod Touch users, for whom the OS 3.0 upgrade costs $10, are upgrading in much lower numbers than iPhone users, for whom the upgrade was free. 95% of iPhone users have opted for 3.0, compared to only 55% of iPod Touch users. Frankly, I'm damned impressed that Apple managed to wrangle 10 bucks out of more than half of the huge numbers of iPod Touch users for a firmware upgrade. This could be painted as a failure, but I think it's exactly the opposite; I can't remember a single other PMP (or whatever the iPod Touch is) firmware upgrade that cost money (besides maybe those Archos add-ons, but that's not really firmware). Way to go for the Hamiltons, Apple. [iLounge]

Sure, having a swing in the aisle is probably pretty dangerous and bad for traffic flow, but come on. Every time the train stops and starts it gives you a push! It's the perfect place for a swing.

In a perfect world, there'd be special cars full of swings so everyone could get on board with this. [Laughing Squid via The Daily What]

The design is cool and we want one for our HQ so our offices can look arty and quirky, instead of messy and shambolic, like they usually do. The artwork was displayed at a recent event at the Showroom in NYC. The tour goes on across the country, if you are extra keen to get to see Bart in his metallic flesh, jump to the link and pester those lovely people at PlushPlay for a schedule of their tour. [PlushPlay]