Good Friday afternoon, everyone! I've been dreadful about updating lately -- as was so nicely pointed out to me last night by a fan over a steak dinner -- so here's a fresh set of headlines for you all to look at while waiting for the weekend to begin!

** Before we get started, though, I had the pleasure of working off-site on assignment today covering the Ted Kennedy memorial service and public viewing in downtown Boston at the JFK Library. For a photo gallery of the Captivate screens on the event that we've been covering all day, visit us on Facebook! The album should be up soon ... And, I also tweeted the event while I was walking and talking, so follow us on Twitter to read the details!

On, now back to your regularly scheduled programming ...

- The folks at Twitter tried to have the word 'tweet' trademarked, but were turned down by the patent department because it could confusion with other usages. Yeah, I'm sure all those birds would have been *so* upset.

- People sure do idolize Apple -- so what's really hiding in the gadget-maker's closet? Here is a list of Apple's worst products that just makes me smile. :) See?

- Looking for a time-waster and want to expand your horizons? Then check out this list of the world's most unique gadgets!

- OK, the headline on this story made me pause to take a look ... but now that I did, I'm not sure I like the idea of hacking elevators to go faster. Aside from the business aspect of it sort-a being what Captivate does, isn't that dangerous to mess with an elevator? Uhh ...

- It's that time of the year again -- so check here for all the tools CNET says you'll need to get the most out of your fantasy football season!

- I've felt so good about my Kindle since I got it back in April, and now I feel even better environmentally for it, too! Claims suggesting the Kindle is better for the Earth than paper books are true! So, what are you still waiting for?

-In political news, a new bill is being considered that will give the president special powers in the the event of a cyber security emergency. I'm sure that bill means that it will give the president's white-hat-hackers and/or the White House's computer guy (think back to the SNL skit for a visual) -- because what the heck could Obama do in a cyber-emergency?

OK, be sure to check back here Monday for a new post and some new headlines! Have a great weekend!

Labels: Amazon.com's Kindle 2, Apple's worst gadgets, elevators, facebook, hacks, Ten Kennedy memorial, Twitter

Happy Friday! I spent last night out cracking some ice monsters in DnD, so I'm up for anything today! Some headlines, if you please?

Rumors are flying that Google is looking to buy Twitter. Hm, then I may actually use without being tasked to by corporate. :-) Oh, and while you're at it, check out this list of 8 things that will get you un-followed on Twitter.

Pres. Obama brought the Queen of England a video iPod pre-loaded with videos of her state visit a few years back and, surprisingly, an impressive collection of showtunes. Apparently Her Majesty is a fan. Who knew? On a side note, I love the British monarchy so much! I am fascinated by the pomp and circumstance ... and I think it is absolutely adorable how much Elizabeth loves Michelle Obama!

Good news, slackers! A new study from Down Under shows workers who use the internet for personal use while on the job are actually 9% more productive than their non-online counterparts! So, surf away, and feel free to tell you boss that it is *for the good of the company* that you update your Facebook page a few times a day, and that Perez Hilton is making you a better worker! I certainly do!

Microsoft may be readying a Zune phone that offers free music.

My favorite magazine is making some cuts: Wired.com is laying off 12% of its online staff due to current economic conditions. So sad!

And just so we don't end on the day on a bad note, here is a link to my favorite video game blog, Game Hunters on USAToday.com!

See you all Monday!

Labels: barack obama, Game Hunters, Google, Queen Elizabeth II, Twitter, Wired.com, worker productivity, Zune phone

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