'Oh Monday -- What have I ever done to you?'

Well, here's a Monday treat: Enter now to win the third (of five) Hello Kitty USB flash drive! This one is bright red, and looks like Miss Kitty is wearing an apple costume -- pure and simple in design, it packs 2 gigabytes of storage into a drive smaller than a lighter and infinitely cuter!

Email me at ByteSized@Captivate.com if you haven't already entered your name to win! If you have, well, I always like getting fun emails, but it won't up your chances! Click HERE for the official rules, in case you're interested ...

And remember: If you want to bypass the whole giveaway, head straight over to http://www.mimoco.com/ to by your own before they're sold out! At $24,99 each, how can you resist, really?

Now, onto bigger things ... I'd like to talk to you all about TiVo.

We all know how much I love my TiVo. If I had to ditch my satellite TV and go back to bunny ears (or their now-digital equivalent), I'd still save enough money to keep this service running -- that's how much I love it. And, I don't mean DVRs in general -- the competitors made by DirecTV and Comcast are laughable in comparison. Terrible GUIs and databases, and brand recognition is embarrassing.

Anyway, so why am I ranting on TiVo? Well, the company recently announced they are pursuing a lawsuit against AT&T for patent infringement. Fine, they aren't paying you for taking a portion of your technology that, really, you never had 100% claim to (more on that in a sec). But, in response to TiVo's suit, now *Microsoft* has filed a counter suit on TiVo as a way to back up AT&T, one of their big-time sponsor companies.

So, Microsoft is suing Tivo because TiVo is suing AT&T. Got it?

Now, how this will all play out legally really doesn't matter to me. I just want to take a moment to recognize two separate camps in the battle: the TiVo engineers and the TiVo management.

Tivo engineers: You guys are awesome. Thank you so much for making an amazing product that I adore and that has changed the way I watch TV forever. You guys totally rock, and I'm so sorry that your management is being retarded and not giving your product enough exposure and, honestly, making your job go unnoticed. They are *actively trying* to put you all out of business. Totally sucks.

TiVo Management, meet me at Camera Three: Are you all completely out of your ever-loving minds? Your engineers and software guys gift-wrap for you the best, highest quality DVR on the market, and it's like you're in a sick competition to see how horrendously you can eff it up. First, you screw up deals with Comcast AND DirecTV separately, both of whom made absolute crap products to try to duplicate your DVR and failed. Then you miraculously get back in their good graces long enough to pick a fight with *Microsoft*, a company who could buy and sell you twice in its sleep? Seriously??!!

Look, guys, I'm sorry you have brand management issues with your product being verb-ified and losing its cache -- 'I have to TiVo the game,' in the same way 'I need a Kleenex,' and 'Let's FedEx that package' -- but please fire *every single person* giving you such terrible business advice and hire intelligent people to manage your business! Geez!!

For more on this story (but without any commentary from yours truly) DOW JONES has a wrap on it.

See you all back here Wednesday, when I announced this week's Hello Kitty Winner!!

Labels: ATT, Hello Kitty Giveaway, Microsoft, TiVo

Good afternoon! It's gloriously gloomy up here in Boston, but I've got some special things cooking for the coming weeks on Byte-Sized!

Let's get a check of the headlines of the day, shall we?

-Microsoft has decided not to sponsor a Family Guy creators' comedy special on Fox because Redmond didn't like the content. I'm in the vast minority, but I've never seen Family Guy before, so I really can't comment. Must have been bad, though (read: hilarious) since Microsoft has been blitzing the public with news of its Windows 7. Obviously they didn't want to be associated with something so edgy, which, in turn, means you're all gunna think the special is the funniest thing of the year. Be sure to tune it!

-Interested in Facebook, The Movie? Rumor has it that the creators have enlisted Harvard's famous crew team to help with filming a few scenes. Uh, yum. And, this is not a joke: The movie is called The Social Network, and I'm SO not making it up.

-Looking for a last-minute costume for the adorable pet in your life? There's never a need to go farther than The Martha Stewart Show for all the whimsy you'd expect from the daytime craft queen. This week, in honor of All Hallow's Eve, Martha et. all. shows us all a tech-heavy costume (with batteries) to change your poodle into a dandelion, or your pug into a porcupine. The secret? Strands of fiber optics and doggie treats.

Got any awesome techy Halloween costumes you want to share? Send in your pics to bytesized@captivate.com and I'll share them on the site!

Labels: Halloween, Martha Stewart, Microsoft

It's been a while since we've taken a look at headlines! So, without further ado, here are your top sci-tech headlines of the week!

- A Texas judge has ordered Microsoft to stop selling its Word 2003 and 2007 products after ruling they infringe on a patent from Canadian firm i4i. It has something to do with a way Word formats files -- why's everyone gotta hate on Redmond?

- PayPal has set up a 'debit' service aimed at kids and parents under the guise of keeping everyone safe from online fraud. Parents can put money in an 'account' for their kids, then are alerted with an email everytime an online purchase is made. Please, PayPal -- call it what it is: a way for overbearing parents who can't cut the cord to keep track of Junior off at college so he isn't wasting his money. College kids: beware this 'great' new idea...

-Rumor has it Steven Spielberg is considering taking up the helm of the Halo movie in the wake of Peter Jackson's public fallout with the Master Chief.

- Google is giving it's newest search engine a *jolt*, garnering it some serious *buzz* and making the masses all *jittery*...

- Whoa. Nintendo is on the cutting edge of gaming right now, but what the hell is this?

- It's the ultimate knife in your heart -- seeing your significant other's Facebook status change from 'in a relationship' to 'single.' Thankfully, scientists have taken on this phenomenon in the paper, "More Information Than You Ever Wanted: Does Facebook Bring Out the Green-Eyed Monster of Jealousy?". Read it for a peek into your own psychosis.

In blog news, I've got some cool stuff in the works for you all in the coming weeks, including a beverage face-off -- caffeinated vs. its antithesis -- plus some more product reviews on alarm clocks, home soda dispensers and the newest MIMOBOT designs!

Until then!

Labels: drank, Google interview, Halo movie, Microsoft, MIMOBOT USB Flash Drive

... either way, Google, you'd better watch out! The big, bad, 500-lb. gorilla is coming to get you!

In case you just emerged from your rock at the bottom of the sea, all anyone can talk about today is the finalization of Microsoft's 10-year deal to team with Yahoo. As one combined entity, Micro-hoo (or choose any of the above-mentioned combinations there of) will take on Google's 88% market share i nthe search space. I've been pitching for weeks that Bing is the way to go these days when you're looking to Goog-- um, I mean, search for something online. Damn, hard habit to break.

So, the heat is on, and Microsoft's is pan set to 'boil' while Google sits at a comfy 'simmer.' Who's gunna come out on top??

In other sci-tech news that most people seem to be overlooking this week ...

- Our astronauts a gazillion miles above Earth have undocked from the Space Station en route home. It's been 11 days of space walks, installations, and freeze-dried food -- not to mantion the whole floating-above-earth-in-a-deadly-vacuum thing. We're ready to welcome you home.

- Hopefully this wasn't the summer you would finally take your family on that beach vacation. Because the beaches are still pretty gross from the last four years of raw sewage, garbage and other pollutants washing up on shore. Ew. Let's get it together, people, so I don't have to show my kids pictures of what beaches used to look like when I was a kid! (For more on the state of our environment, visit Captivate editor Kyle Scribner's Green Among Gray Blog.)

- You know those people-mover-conveyor-belts at the airports? Turns out, they're not really getting us to the gate any faster.

- Chrome, the company that makes those great bags I reviewed last week, is holding an online raffle for one of it's signature bags! The special messenger comes with a Pabst Blue Ribbon logo on the exterior flap. I guess the beer company and the bag company have a nice relationship, though I wouldn't advise mixing the two!

Labels: airports, astronauts, chrome corsair, dirty beaches, Microsoft, Yahoo

Morning, faithful readers. If I could make you all a pair of alapaca mittens for frigid days like today's up in Boston, I totally would. As a replacement, wrap your hands around a scalding cup of black coffee and sip away your shivers...

I'm not believing it, but venture capitalists have reportedly valued Twitter -- the 140-character miniblog -- at $250 M. That's a lot of money. I've never tried it, so I won't give you my opinion. If you have, please inform me: Do you think that's fair or ridiculous?

Still looking to get your tech fingers on Microsoft's new OS that it debuted at CES? According to the company's blog, the Windows 7 beta will be available for download until Feb. 10.

Best Buy will expand it's electronic recycling program nationwide on Feb. 15. For $10, you can bring in a small gadget and turn it in, but be aware of this hitch: Anything with a screen, Best Buy will charge you $10 to recycle. Of course, you get a $10 Best Buy giftcard at the same time, so the cost -- as long as you frequently shop at Best Buy -- is a wash. Well, I should say (being a former employee and well aware of that store's insane mark-ups), it's a wash for the consumer. But, they are trying.

So, June 12 is likely the new date for the digital TV conversion. Sigh. Unless someone decides that isn't enough time, in which case it'll keep getting pushed out and the hillbillies of the world who are resisting what I used to be able to call 'the inevitable changeover' keep getting extra chances.

... Let's take a break from our headlines to talk about this a little. As I've already posted on this ad nauseum, why waste more words when previous ones will do? Here is a re-broadcast of one of my previous post on the matter. I hope this helps clear up any confusion and the debacle...

My dear grandma has had the same TV for at least the past 25 years -- as long ago as I can remember -- and it is so blurry that it hurts my eyes to look at it. She tapes her soaps everyday on a VCR, and scoffs at the idea of a new TV and a Tivo. She rarely uses her cell phone, which she has only for emergencies, and doesn't know how to change the ringtone (which I used to my great amusement a few years back by uploading 'SexyBack' by JT onto it).

She, I suppose, is the target audience for the federal govt's $1.5B campaign letting folks know their TVs won't work as of Feb. 2009 unless they upgrade to a new TV (gasp) or buy a fancy new converter box for good ol' bunny ears due to the switch from analog to digital TV signals.

Leave it to the gov't to waste billions of dollars overcomplicating a simple idea. I mean, perhaps it's that I don't fully understand the technical concept that, much like the switch from black-and-white to color programming nearly 50 years ago, older TVs that use an antenna to pull down and translate TV signals will no longer function when that over-air method of transmitting the signals is turned off and replaced by a wired digital signal that more efficiently transmits the same information using 1s and 0s to streamline the industry and improve picture clarity and viewer experience.

No... no, I think I understand the concept fine. It's the idea that $1.5 B needs to be spent to inform the public of the switch. Now, granted, some of that money is going into a discount program in the form of gov't issued coupons to help these analog folks buy a special converter to plug into the ol' TV boxes so they can still tune into Nick at Nite.

But that still seems like a lot of money, doesn't it, to simply tell people, 'Hey, before you get your bunny ears in a twist, better upgrade the TV, k?' So, in the interest of saving the gov't a bit of money, let's all do the feds a favor and inform everyone we know with analog TVs older than dust of the Feb. 2009 switch -- it's your duty as a geek to help out the technologically impaired.

I'll take the first step and ring up my grams... 'I'm bringing sexy back... you other boys don't know how to act... '

Labels: Best Buy recycling, Digital TV conversion, Microsoft, Twitter, Windows 7 beta

Morning everyone! Thanks for tuning in to your tri-weekly dose of Byte-Sized!

(After a discussion between editors, we have determined that tri-weekly denotes 3 times a week, not once every three weeks -- just wanted you all to know that there was rhetoric.)

Before we get to it -- let me make a bold preface: I've been awake since 3:45 a.m. scraping 2+ feet of snow off my hybrid after waking up to a 2.5-year-old who walked up 2 flights of stairs at 2 a.m. to stand right next to my sleeping face and announce to the room that he pooped, which, upon inspection, he did not.

Thus, I'm a bit tired and in a mood not even hot coffee can fix. Please take this into consideration when reading more...

Are they ever going to let this go? Gah... Microsoft has been brought up on anti-trust charges by the EU for bundling its IE browser with its operating system. Could someone please call the EU and explain to them what year it is and what the current state of technology is? With companies giving away browsers for free online, like Firefox and Chrome, people certainly have a choice whether to adopt IE. Give it an effing rest and let the top be the top. Seriously.

A couple months back, we talked here about invisibility cloaks getting closer to reality -- well, they're even closer. No wait, don't whip our your HP spellbooks looking for a deathly hallow -- 'Researchers at Duke University, who developed a material that can "cloak" an item from detection by microwaves, report that they have expanded the number of wavelengths they can block.' See? pretty cool technology from some incredibly brilliant minds. Seriously.

Trouble on the fruity front: Reports are suggesting that Apple shareholders may bring up lawsuits over loss money in the wake of CEO Steve Jobs announcing his leave of absence. Apparently, people are kinda pissed that he went public a week before assuring them that he was fine, nary a problem save for a hormone imbalance, just to u-turn. Why can't people just tell the truth anymore? Seriously.

And, now there are reports that Jobs is considering a liver transplant as part of his treatment for pancreatic cancer, which the CEO suffered in 2004. Says Jobs to reporters questioning him on the rumor: "Why don't you guys leave me alone -- why is this important?"

Hey Steve, when your high-profile company is on the tongues of every world citizen ages 5 through 100, plus you've been lying to your shareholders (see above) about an illness that will affect their stock prices and nest eggs, it's important. Welcome to celebrity -- or do you not want your big paycheck or sucessful business anymore? I am pulling for you, bud, but please -- don't be dumb.

I humbly apologize for my ranting today. But, apparently Congress has proposed giving *more* money to the digital TV crossover fund! Excuse me? This has to be the biggest... I mean, what a waste... Such a debacle... I have not other words for this.

OK, more coffe. And maybe some chocolate. yeah, that'll help make this snowy holiday that I'm working on a bit more comfortable. See you all on Wednesday!

Labels: Digital TV conversion, EU, invisibility, liver transplant, Microsoft, Steve Jobs

Thoughts from inside a packed ballroom at the gorgeous Venetian ballroom with about 3,000 of my closet tech-loving friends listening to Microsoft’s Steve Ballmer & friends deliver the pre-CES keynote:

-Wow! Microsoft has fans! Genuine fans! There was actual cheering when various products were announced! That shocked me. I thought only Apple had a rabid fan base like that. Way to go Redmond! [Amber's note: I've always loved Microsoft....]

-Windows 7 can be downloaded in beta form on Friday by everyone. Wow again! Pricing, trial length, or anything like that (read: details) was not mentioned, but still, that’s soon! All of a sudden I don’t care as much about my ongoing battle with Vista on my 8 month old laptop. Bring on Windows 7!

-They demoed some pretty cool features of Windows 7, combined with Windows Live, but I couldn’t help thinking- I’ve seen a lot of those features before! Oh yea, on a Mac, an iPhone, in Firefox, etc.

-There was a Microsoft mapping type program that was eerily reminiscent of Google Earth. You start in the stratosphere, then zoom, zoom, zoom, until you see the buildings in Manhattan. Been there, done that. But wait, then you drag your finger and move from an overhead camera angle to a street level view . Very cool. Advantage Microsoft.

-None of Windows 7 will mean a thing if it takes 3 minutes to boot like Vista does.

-One of the key points was how seamlessly all their products tie in together. And they showed an example using Hotmail, Windows Messenger, Internet Explorer 8, Windows Mobile & Windows Live. But all I could think was, hmm, I don’t use any of those products now, and nothing they just showed me has swayed me from Google, Gmail, GChat and BlackBerry. Points for effort, but nothing wowed me to the point where I’m thinking “when does that come out?!”

-You gotta hand it to Microsoft- they play the 3 million pound gorilla quite well. If you don’t like their products, they’ll be sure to remind you that:
---1 billion people have PCs
---20 million phones have been sold with Windows Mobile on them
---10 million people each month use Windows Media Center
---28 million Xbox consoles have been sold
---17 million people use Xbox live
---25 million units of Halo have been sold
---60 million music downloads have stemmed from bands working with 3 Xbox games (Lips, Guitar Hero & Rock Band- and fascinatingly, 80% of those are from Rock Band)
---45 movie studios and content partners are involved with Xbox Live

I just kept thinking, man, they’ll club you over the head with their sheer size! And don’t you forget it! (Those were all stats mentioned during the 90 minutes keynote.)

-They demoed a display that was the size & depth of a placemat- but had a full image on it. Amazing.

-Microsoft mentioned a number of new partnerships, but I sensed a continuing undertone from the companies who weren’t part of their new partnerships. It’s setting up to be a fascinating few years in the Microsoft vs Google vs Apple battle.

-My overall feeling walking away, though, was still one of awe. That one company can be so involved with our lives.

On to the expo floor!

-- Peter Szabo

Labels: CES, Microsoft, Steve Ballner keynote

There I was, at the gym, pumping my arms on the elliptical machine and listening (again) to Bella banter with Jacob while pining for Edward, when my Zune kicks off mid-stride. I stop, nearly falling on my face as my legs continue to swing wildly and the machine struggles to slow down. I grab up my little brown and green companion resting on the plastic holder and turn it on. Nothing.

Hmm, I think, must be out of battery. Little did I know that I was already in the midst of ZuneBug '08 -- a fitting end to a year full of bad news.

What happened? Well, some stupid programmers at Microsoft (yeah, you read me right) didn't account for a leap year on a driver in the 30G Zune. The digital crash, and my near-physical crash, were the result of the driver suddenly realizing that the year hadn't switched to 2009 like it was supposed to. So, with a lack of programming to tell it what to do, it seized up.

Now, in their defense ... it's not as if a leap year is common knowledge. It's not like every school-aged child since 1950 has learned the little rhyme of how many days are in month ... it only happen once every four years, and it's not like anybody was looking to use their Zune to play music during, say, a New Year's Eve party ... right? Software knows when things aren't normal and corrects for it, right? C'mon guys, right??

Yeah, not so much.

Alas, all is apparently better in Zune-land -- once the real 2009 started, the date was recognized by the driver's memory and the error went away on its own.

Users still afflicted by an error message: Let your Zune run out of battery, then hook it up to a charger and reboot. Voila, the problem will be magically fixed.

Here is the official statement form Microsoft:
"Early this morning we were alerted by our customers that there was a widespread issue affecting our 2006 model Zune 30GB devices (a large number of which are still actively being used). The technical team jumped on the problem immediately and isolated the issue: a bug in the internal clock driver related to the way the device handles a leap year. That being the case, the issue should be resolved over the next 24 hours as the time change moves to January 1, 2009. We expect the internal clock on the Zune 30GB devices will automatically reset tomorrow (noon, GMT). By tomorrow you should allow the battery to fully run out of power before the unit can restart successfully then simply ensure that your device is recharged, then turn it back on. If you're a Zune Pass subscriber, you may need to sync your device with your PC to refresh the rights to the subscription content you have downloaded to your device."

Perhaps it may be time to upgrade to a new model Zune. I still love them, like you love your annoying little brother who just looks so adorable when he's sleeping. Hey Microsoft, can I please have a new 4G Zune in green to store all of my books-on-tape? Pretty please? :)

Labels: Microsoft, Zune error, Zune fix

It is now officially the holiday season, and time for the first annual holiday Byte-Sized Holiday Gift Guide! Few things ever live up to the hype, but I guarantee my list of the holidays' best gadget gifts will top expectations and earn you some serious kudos. I'll be revealing *3* every Monday from now until the big holiday week ... so let's get started!




Microsoft Zune 4G
Price: $99
Buy it online at Amazon.com, BestBuy.com and Target.com

Looking for a great mp3 player but don't even know where to start? I can tell you where -- and here's a big hint: It's the same place you should finish. Get your special someone (and that could be yourself) a Microsoft Zune 4GB.

As I reviewed a few months back, it's a fantastic buy and features all the goodness of Microsoft, plus all the goodness of the iPod -- only better. I hiz-ate the magnetic earbuds, but who uses the proprietary phones anyway? Totally should top your list -- perfect for the audiophile and audiophobes.

The 4 gig version will hold just about everything you could want, especially for a fun gym run, and it comes in 4 popping colors, including the ultra-girly pink that makes teens and twenties squeal. If you've got a ton of music, try to 8G for $149-ish, or if you are crazy (like me), go for the 120G for $250...

Nintendo Wii
Price: $399
Buy it online at Amazon.com and Target.com

Unfortunately, if you don't already have my next gift, you might not have it at all -- Nintendo's mega-hit gaming console Wii blasted off the planet when it debuted last year and has yet to hit re-entry. As far as games, get yourself a copy of the mind-bending Super Mario Galaxy and, if you can find it, the Wii Fit for some great, gadget-y fun. Wii Music will also be a big hit -- when in doubt, buy it! Your best bet here is to buy it from a vendor on Amazon.com...

Amazon.com Kindle
Price: $359
Buy it online only at Amazon.com

As if this mega-cool gadget needs an introduction -- unfortunately, it's in the same boat as the Wii: If you don't have one, don't get your hopes up. Amazon.com has reported the Kindle is sold out and has issued a waiting list for those clamouring for some hot yuletide reading with the h-o-t-t-e-s-t gadget in town. I warned you about this one, so I will refrain from the 'I told you so's.

But -- in the interest of full disclosure -- this may be a 'wait until next year' gift too, especially with news out today that rumors have pitted the Kindle 2.0 -- which looks amazing -- to debut early next quarter. Hmmm..... interesting..... Definitely weigh that news when deciding to get your book-lovin' sweetie a new e-reader. I def. will ... and I'll wait for 2.0 fo' sho'.

*** See you back here in a few days for some big tech headlines, and next Monday I'll add three more top tech gadgets to the Byte-Sized Holiday Gift Guide!

Labels: Amazon.com, Kindle, Microsoft, Nintendo Wii, Zune 4G

Good morning to you all! Hope you hump day goes by as quickly as mine -- does anyone else feel like it should be Thursday? On to the headlines!

- National Geographic announced that, in addition to its magazine, TV network and awesome documentaries, it will venture into the world of video games. No word yet on new titles or subjects, but this seems an odd fit to me. Does anyone not want to hop on the gaming train?

- Speaking of games, fiction is about to become reality for thousands of Korean troops after the gov't announced a 2-phase development of military gear that looks jaw-droppingly like the Master Chief's garb in Halo, complete with the reflective helmet.

- Google and Life magazine have teamed up to make Life's extensive catalogue of images available and searchable online. Does anyone not want to partner with Google?

- With Yang stepping down at Yahoo, the search is on for a new CEO willing to get down on his knees and beg Microsoft to put another offer on the table -- whoops, did I say that? Our friends at CNET.com have complete coverage of 'Yahoo in Transition.'

- Microsoft announced plans to drop its subscription-based antivirus software and instead offer a free program to help people protect their PCs.

See you all on Friday!

Labels: free AV software, Google, Halo military gear, Jerry Yang, Life magazine puctures, Microsoft, National Geographic video games, Yahoo

This week's news was far too interesting to hang on to it all until Friday, and who wants to read stale bytes after the fact? So, here is a special mid-week update on the top tech news of the week!

Oprah has officially announced Amazon.com's Kindle is her new favorite gadget -- even going so far to call it 'life-changing.' It's possible this daytime dynamo's endorsement is all it will take for Kindle to become a household name -- let's hope she doesn't give it the Frey treatment later on while trying to boost her sagging ratings...

My favorite bookseller, Barnes and Noble (due to the uncanny ability of my local library-ish store never to feel full or overcrowded, even on Harry Potter release nights), has launched a social network that allows users to post up lists of their favorite books, lists of the books they want, and comments/reviews of new releases. And, it links with Facebook accounts, so you can keep your friends updated on your literary preferences, as well. Booksellers are getting desperate in these tough times to keep people reading -- and with Harry Potter and now the Twilight saga done, they are moving to the cloud. Methinks they should take a look at the blurb above on what their next digital move should be. Can anyone say, "Amazon.com partnership"?

This article on gaming consoles and their broken promises is a great read and brings back memories of previous claims of backwards compatibility and revolutionary technologies. Take a minute with your cup of coffee and give it a read. (Don't mind the creepy-looking gamer dude -- I'm sure it's just a bad picture...)

Netflix is rolling out a steaming-media player based on Microsoft's Silverlight technology, which, for the first time, is available for use on Macs with an Intel core. Am the only person who hears Livingston Taylor's "City LiiIIiights ... shining in your eyes..." when I read that name? I like it!

Labels: Barnes and Nobles, gaming consoles, Kindle, Microsoft, Netflix, Oprah, Silverlight, Social Network

Hello out there! This was a great week for tech news, so let's get to it...

A new Ipsos poll shows what you and I have known for years: The world's view of gamers is vastly different from reality. According to the poll, the average gamer is over 30 and nearly twice as likely than a non-gamer to get out of the house and go on dates. They are also 11% more likely to play sports and 13% more likely to go to a local theater to catch a flick. Also not surprising to me, at least: Gamers also tend to earn more money than non-gamers, to the tune of an average $79,000 to $54,000. So mommas, maybe you *should* let your babies grow up to be gamers!

For all you voters unsure of where to cast your ballot -- never fear, Google is here! The search giant has added a new layer to its Google Maps application to point out voting locations around the U.S. Get out there and make a difference!

Organizers have announces that the E3 video game expo, set to hit L.A. June 2-4, 2009, will be
back to its old form as "main event of the video game industry, must like San Francisco
Macworld Expo for the Apple community, or January's Las Vegas CES show for almost the entire media and consumer electronics industry," according to Digital Trends. Gaming CEOs are psyched about the new format -- its turn back to glizty fanfare -- as are all of us here at Byte-Sized!

In other gaming news, Microsoft has posted the song list for its upcoming karaoke game Lips -- and I have to say that the songs are ridiculous! Whatever happened to Paradise by the Dashboard Light and other favorites??? Hopefully there will be an option to download other tracks, like with Rock Band. Otherwise, why not just crank up the mp3 player and sing along with your real faves? Or, even better, pop on down to the local Asian restaurant on Karaoke Night with a bunch of
friends?

Users of Google's Gmail service can now send auto-responses to contacts who send them emails while they are away. Not quite as fun a feature as the Google Goggles, but still useful for those few people who feel guilty when an email goes unanswered for more than 2 days. Thinking about it more, the only people who'd use this feature are the ones who check their email while on vacation anyway. Hmph.

See you all next week!

Labels: auto-responses, election, gamers poll, gmail, google maps, karaoke, Lips, Microsoft, voting locations

As Google's Android operating system hits shelves on the T-Mobile G1 today for $179 with a 2-year service contract, Google has posted, as promised, the source code to Android in at effort to further the technology and boost its acceptance into the mobile field in a way Apple's iPhone hasn't allowed.

(Side note: The iPhone, in a 'stunning' move, says Steve Jobs, now makes up 40% of Apple's revenue -- which could only be surprising if the thing didn't start off costing $400 before Apple chopped the price in half.)

What does this mean? Source code is the actual bits-and-bytes language written by developers that tells a particular computer program what to do. Some companies keep a very tight hold on their source code, rarely letting anyone save for internal developers working it to actually see it, and even then they are only allowed to see parts. Think of it like a famous recipe for Kentucky Fried Chicken or the formula for Coke -- it makes the product special and unique.

These companies feel the code is proprietary and a direct source of their income and revenue -- and they're right. Most notable for it's iron grip is Microsoft, which is constantly attacked for its stance on its source code by open-source developers (who, in my humble opinion, wish they were getting a chunk of the Redmond paycheck). But, that's beside the point.

Anyway, Apple has come under fire recently for not allowing developers to tinker with its source code, and -- in a rare case of me sticking up for Apple -- I think its right to keep a lid on it. Google is taking the open-source approach only because no one else in the large smartphone market has allowed it.

It'll be a tough uphill battle for Google even without giving millions of developers access to Android, and it'll be interesting to see how it plays out for them and affects the Android market share, which, despite widespread reports that the phone is sold out around the U.S., will need more than a good buzz to boost it above RIM's Blackberry and Apple's iPhone in terms of overall sales, staying power and, of course, popularity.

Labels: Android, Apple, Google, iPhone, Microsoft, Open Source, Source Code, T-Mobile G-1

Labels: cell-phone allergies, Flip Mino, Mac, Microsoft, Prada fairy bag, Windows PC

With Microsoft's Zune 3.0 debuting on shelves tomorrow, I took some time to check out the 4G model for those interested in either making the switch from their iPod or getting into the MP3 space all together.

Here are my thoughts:

Packaging:
Who ever is doing Microsoft’s new branding deserves a raise. The packaging of the Zune was smart and sleek, and it looks like Redmond is trying to make the Zune’s associated color that gorgeous chocolate brown, with pops of pinks and oranges – as opposed to Apple’s white-branded iPod.

Software Install:
The 2.5 version of the Zune software took a while to load the first time – I clocked an upwards of 30 minutes before I rebooted. On second try, the software installed in less than 3 minutes, much more in line with Microsoft’s ‘up and running in minutes’ claim. 3.0 is due out tomorrow, and all signs point toward a much easier install and workability.

Gadget:
The Zune 4G looks like great fun. Its tiny frame – 3.5”x1.5” – fits easily in your palm, and, with a width of .25”-.50”, it’s small enough to fit into your back pocket. The interface is simple to navigate, and the screen is huge for such a tiny gadget. Sound quality is exactly what you would expect – not breaking any barriers but the earbuds work perfectly fine.

Bottom line:
Try it – and not only as an alternative to the iPod. Microsoft is a leader in the field for a reason, and this little Zune is proof why.

Labels: iPod, Microsoft, Zune 4G

And the browser wars rage on...

Google has cheekily announced (via a leaked comic book ad) that it's new 'Chrome' web browser is poised to take on Microsoft's ubiquitous IE.

'Chrome' is open-source, free and available to most OSes, including Apple and Linux.

What does this mean to you? Not too much just yet. Microsoft currently has 75% market share in web browsers, despite Mozilla's attempts to propel users toward Firefox. Google's new attempt to overthrow Redmond has a better chance of success than Firefox, but is, as yet, unproven.

Google's other attempts to challenge Microsoft with products to replace the Office suite have so far been pretty feeble -- sorry -- but I wouldn't cut Sergi out of the hunt all together. Chrome will have to prove much better, easier and safer than IE, and I'm not convinced that it can.

The real question is not whether Google can finally eclipse Microsoft, but whether Google would be better off sticking to what it knows. Both companies employ the best and brightest minds in the sci-tech field, so it'll be an interesting race to watch. Go, Team Redmond!

Labels: chrome, Google, internet explorer, Microsoft

What do you do if you don't want to Google? Until recently, not much.

You could have visited Live.com, a Microsoft-powered search engine that, while fine, isn't as top-of-mind for your company's SEO and doesn't spit back results in quite the same way.

In the end, you sucked it up and Googled anyway, knowing that it's minimal interface was the tipsiest top of a huge iceberg of info that you knew heralded its best-in-class search capabilities.

But is that still true? Launching today is a new competitor search site, Cuil.com, that promises more than 120 billion pages indexed, blowing Google's 40 billion pages out of the 'net's water. According to CNet.com: "... it's pitched as bigger, faster, and better than Google's flagship search engine in pretty much every way."

Let's take a superficial look, shall we? First, I don't care for the name -- it's doesn't roll off the tongue in the same way Google does, especially since I don't know how to pronounce 'Cuil.' Kweel? Anyway, it has the same minimalistic homepage design, but no options for photos or news feeds. Search results are organized very nicely, but in a quick search for 'byte-sized blog,' I show up as No. 7 on Google -- not too shabby -- but I'm not on the first 7 pages of Cuil.

Variety is the spice of life, and it's good to have options for your searching needs. Go check out Cuil.com. You may find you like it more. Me? I'll stick to Google. That toolbar menu in my browser is far too convenient and I love their logo caricatures on holidays. Simple pleasures, my friends.

Labels: Byte-Sized, Cnet.com, Cuil, Google, Live.com, Microsoft, search engines

We've all laughed at the commercials. Giggled at cuteness of Justin Long. Begrudgingly admitted that Mac had the leg up on PC as a marketing tool.

But no more. Microsoft is biting back, and it's biting back hard. Redmond is launching a new ad campaign aimed not at disparaging its competitor's products, like Apple does, but at reminding people that, while Apple's white branding and spokespeople are alluring, they are still the little fish in a great big pond.

By thanking its current Vista customers -- who number in the hundreds of millions, going on licences alone -- for giving their business to what is clearly the best OS in the wild right now, Microsoft will quietly bully its way to the front of consumers' minds once again, where it belongs.

You see, the commercials are right -- you're either a Mac person or a PC person (and by PC, I, like Apple, mean Microsoft), and I am a fairly outspoken PC person. I have purposely ignored the iPod, the iPhone and the candy-colored bubbles Apple calls computers. I love my Zune and my Dell as much as I love my right-click button.

I hope Microsoft continues to wake up from its marketing stupor and bites the head off Mac, forcing it into a gadget-only niche market reserved for GPS devices and cellphone manufacturers.

Never tickle a sleeping dragon, lest the dragon remind you why it's a dragon in the first place.

Labels: Apple, iPhone 3g, iPod, Mac, Microsoft, PC, Zune

With tomorrow's highly anticipated release of the iPhone 3G, that well-reviewed sleek sequel of Apple's ingenious smartphone will as surely fly off the shelves as I will skip it. Not that it isn't enticing -- the web at your command, always being connected, one step shy of a wire in your brain -- but I'm waiting to spend my cash on a Microsoft version.

'Gasp!' you cry, 'but surely every tech blogger must be an open-source-loving, Redmond-hating nonconformist!'

Nah. Not that I really have a strong opinion either way -- if it works, why break it? -- but, I just haven't had the horrifically overblown problems with my Microsoft toys that others report:

My Vista has never crashed. My Zune is 1,000x better than an iPod, if only because I don't have to suffer those stupid white headphone wires. My original Xbox (which I camped out overnight in the freezing cold to buy) still works, and my Xbox 360 -- complete with HD-DVD player -- is bar-none the best game system I've ever bought.

So yes, I like Microsoft more than Apple. There I said it. Though the Mac/PC commercials are pretty funny.

But, if you are one of the many technogeeks -- and there are many -- already camped outside the flagship Apple Store in Times Square, waiting anxiously on lawn chairs or the hot pavement for your new Apple iPhone 3G, good luck! Snap a pic with your 1st-gen model and send it to me :)

Labels: iPhone 3g, iPod, Microsoft, Reviews, XBox, Zune