Good morning! Let’s get right to the goods, shall we?

Today marks the opening day of the 2nd Annual Byte-Sized Holiday Giveaway! (Cheering…) And, the gift of the year is: The Rubik’s TouchCube!

This is exactly what it sounds like: Your favorite Rubik’s Cube – and my arch nemesis – with a techno slant that brings it up-to-date and really makes it slick! Touch the 6-sided game surface, drag your fingers to make the color rows move, and even query the cube for hints on what to do next!

Now, the Rubik’s TouchCube is no slouch – at $150 a pop, this is the most expensive giveaway we’ve ever featured on Byte-Sized, so enter early for this giveaway at bytesized@captivate.com.

I know what you’re thinking: Who in their right mind would pay $150 for a single game that doesn’t come with a video game console? But, I can assure, this really is everything you (and your kids, mother, brother, etc.) need for hours of intelligent fun!

(Not that video games aren’t intelligent – don’t get me wrong: I love video games, it’s just the Rubik’ Cube is my intellectual nemesis. So are first-person shooters – if I had those to give away, I would totally call out ‘Modern Warfare 2,’ too. BTW, check out Captivate’s Gamer’s Edge’s review of ‘MW2’ here.)

We’ll post a review in a few days, but for now, here is the deal:

Send us your name, address and contact info to bytesized@captivate.com anytime from now until midnight on Wednesday, Dec. 9. We’ll draw 3 winners Dec. 10 and announce them on this blog Friday, Dec. 11.

I’m not Santa or Amazon.com, so I can’t guarantee Christmas delivery, but I’ll have them in the mail by EOD… So as long as you’re not in Alaska or the Himalayas, it should be there in a week or so, which is perfect time to either take it and brag at your friend’s holiday party or give it away to a deserving, happy new home : )

Of course, if you want to bypass the giveaway and make sure you have one under the tree, visit http://www.rubiktstouchcube.com/.

So, let the balloting begin! Catch you on the flip side for more reviews, headlines and the Byte-Sized Gadget Gift Guide, starting next week!

Labels: Byte-Sized Holiday Giveaway, review, Rubik’s TouchCube

We’re back and H1N1-free here at Byte-Sized, and we’ve got a review in store for you today: The current Byte-Sized Pre-Thanksgiving Giveaway, Atomic GrungeBuds!

GrungeBuds
$39.99
Buy them now: http://www.grungebuds.com/

Your choice of techno-gadget says a lot about you these days – Are you a slick, colorful little iPod? A shiny new Zune HD? A constantly connected iPhone or a crackberry addict? Now, fashion is taking an even more prominent leap into the world of technology with your choice of earbuds so you can underline and accentuate your personality.

The Atomic9 GrungeBuds are sharp, sometimes-sparkly and always-punk accessories made to make you stand out among the throng yet, with their noise isolation technology, make you feel like you’re all alone dancing to a personal movie soundtrack.

GrungeBuds come in eight varieties sure to hold your interest: Pandas and monkeys for the animal lovers, skulls and dragons for the gamers, angel wings for the dramatics, and super-sparkly kittes that look a little more like chess pawns than they do felines. Each has the added style bonus and slight flair of embedded Swarovski crystals shining from inside the silver metallic sheen or painted characters.

Also, each comes with a few choices of bud sizes to make a tight, comfortable fit, and an added bonus: a built-in microphone.

Why a mic? Because these awesome little earbuds work with your iPhone and Blackberry as a bluetooth-esque handless headset. Simply click the buds into your phone and with a touch of the button, you can snug in the earbuds and call up your friends and family without having to hold a phone up for your face. Just be careful – you’re not technically allowed to listen to earphones while you drive.

Sound quality on the GrungeBuds is just as high quality as you’d expect. Music comes in loud, clear and booming, while phone calls are easy to understand – and sound kinda weird coming in both ears at once, but that’s just because I’m so used to one-ear conversations.

Overall, I say these buds are totally functional and really cute. Obviously the biggest ‘wow’ factors are the Swarovski crystals and the phone compatibility – I’d appreciate clear cords or maybe hooks for behind your ears so the buds look less like reverse anchors dangling from your ears (like all earphones) and more like awesome earrings or an otherwise unexpected accessory. It would also help if they weren’t as hard to wrap around my Blackberry between uses, but again, that’s a fault of the product category, not the product itself.

None of those reservations preclude me from recommending GrungeBuds for the discerning fashion punk or punktress in your life!

We’re currently holding a giveaway for four sets of Atomic9 GrungeBuds: Send me an email at bytesized@captivate.com to enter to win, or here to purchase them directly from Atomic9 without waiting until the winners are announced on Friday.

Have a happy Monday, and we’ll see you all back here for more techy headlines on Wednesday!

Labels: Atomic9, Grunge Buds Giveaway, review

This post was moved to the Captivate 'Out and About' blog -- click here to read the review in its entirety, and to follow Captivate's other ventures out of the elevator!

Labels: Capitalism: A Love Story, Michael Moore, review

The Geek Atlas:
28 Places Where Science and Technology Come Alive
By John Graham-Cumming, O’Reilly
May 2009
Pages: 542
ISBN 10: 0-596-52320-3 ISBN 13: 9780596523206



I don’t often review books on Byte-Sized, but this was one I just couldn’t resist!

Geek Atlas is a travel guide for the science fans, the space nuts, the technology nerds … in other words – you. With 128 destinations around the globe detailed for their scientific and technological discoveries, the Atlas is truly a literary journey.

All fun aside, the Geek Atlas is the best supplement to a (must have) Rick Steves’ travel guide that I’ve ever come across. You can, as advised, “travel to Munich to see the world's largest science museum, watch Foucault's pendulum swinging in Paris, or ponder a descendant of Newton's apple tree at Trinity College, Cambridge.” And that’s just a peek at the wealth of travel guidance this book supplies.

That’s not to say reading it for fun is out of the question. Breezing through the first two chapters alone, I gained a greater insight for obscure scientific discoveries. Some went over my head, but I was engrossed in the explanation and history of an area based solely on its claim to geek fame. And – this is not an exaggeration – I know understand the mechanics of LOST so much better just from reading a section on mechanical physics.

After I was done, I handed my copy to my dad (the master geek) and have yet to get it back – if that’s any indication of what a great read it is.

O’Reilly is always the most trusted name in technology book (at least in my house), and the publisher doesn’t disappoint with Geek Atlas. It’s a great gift idea for your favorite travelling geek, so check it out before you miss out on a prime sight-seeing opportunity!

The Geek Atlas, $29.99
Buy online at http://www.amazon.com/

Labels: geek atlas, o'reilly, review

Let’s face it – we love our gadgets. But, our semi-urban lifestyle doesn’t make it easy to carry a laptop, smartphone, mp3 player, lunch and your work around, especially when dodging taxis and pushing through the early morning crowds in the elevator banks.

For every problem there exists a solution: The Chrome Corsair.

The Corsair is light but extremely tough, with a shape that fits around your body with great ergonomics – surely the designers’ intent when developing the urban satchel. The strap is reminiscent of an airplane seatbelt, but with more cushion.

Color-wise, Chrome offers some great options. I am partial to the Olive, which is so rich and saturated I want to scoop it up with tortilla chips. Inside the flap, the interior is lined, leak-proof and not too roomy, which is a nice change from the other empty sacks on the market. Chrome understands you neither want nor need another canvas bag to tote around, so it’s streamlined the Corsair and the other bags in the arsenal to carry just what’s needed, with barely an inch to spare otherwise.

The Chrome series of bags are designed primarily for urban bicyclers who need a stylish, functional bag to keep their valuables safe and secure. Whether you are on two wheels or two heels, the Corsair is a great option for anyone.

Chrome Corsair, $80
http://www.chromebags.com/

Labels: chrome corsair, review