Switched http://www.switched.com Switched http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.switched.com/media/feedlogo.gif Switched http://www.switched.com prods@weblogsinc.com (Weblogs, Inc. Producers) support@weblogsinc.com (Weblogs, Inc. Web Support) en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. View our terms of service here: http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/ Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/ <![CDATA[25 Coolest Laptop Covers]]> http://www.switched.com/2008/12/19/25-coolest-laptop-covers/ http://www.switched.com/2008/12/19/25-coolest-laptop-covers/ http://www.switched.com/2008/12/19/25-coolest-laptop-covers/#comments

These days, laptops have become much like cars -- we take them everywhere, and if you have the same model as someone else, it's hard to tell them apart without looking inside. As a result, we all know that special someone whose solution is customizing their laptop with bumper stickers. Maybe it's an Obama sticker placed over the Apple logo on their MacBook, or maybe the top of their Dell looks as though their eight-year-old daughter decorated it with her sticker collection.

Well, if you or someone on your shopping list for this holiday season has a slightly more refined sense of personal decor, you might want to check out our top 25 picks for the best laptop sticker designs selected from the Web sites gelaskins and infectious. These sites offer stickers perfectly sized for the top of your Mac or PC laptop, as well as decals for your car, iPhone, iPod and wall, or anywhere else you care to stick these latex masterpieces.

25 Coolest Laptop Covers

    JP33 - This laptop design is hip like an MTV commercial. It makes us think we're looking at Manhattan from the rosy glow of a rainbow filled forest, located somewhere on a mountaintop in northern New Jersey. If anyone finds this vantage point let us know.

    Andy J. Miller - Andy's laptop design is titled "Happy Hippy Clouds", and if there's someone on your list who likes psychedelic owls perhaps this is the design for them.

    Beared Fish - Bearded fish is an anonymous art collective based in San Francisco, and they love Nacho Libre. We love their laptop sticker, by the way it translates as "Wings of Faith versus The Rainbow."

    Dalek - Dalek is well known in the world of commercial and fine art collecting, and he has emblazoned numerous toys and other products with his signature style combining Takashi Murakami's superflat(his former boss) with a graffiti sensibility. Now he's done a laptop design for infectious, and its necessary for you to add it to your Dalek collection.

    Dennis McNulty - This design is called Urban Wallpaper and we think the clean vector graphics and bizarre mix of farmers, weapons, mopeds and animals is pretty swell. Dennis also has two other designs, (a rooster and a piece entitled squarecrows) that are similar in style to his paintings on gas cans and other found objects, which gives you the chance to turn your computer into one of his sculptural paintings.

    Devin Lawson - Here's a laptop design for that Burlesque fan on your list the Dita Von Teese inspired Car-tini by Austin based Devin Lawson.

    Etsu Meusy - Etsu Meusy's wonderland is a beautiful candy colored retro dreamscape that will look great on the back of your daughter or your wife's laptop.

    Andy Harling - Most of the laptop designs being produced right now are targeted toward the kind of audience that likes to cover things with stickers. Andy Harding's cool abstractions combine wood grain and retro Eaames-esque patterns and designs that speak to those with a slightly more refined taste.

    Jeremy Evans - Jeremy only has one laptop design on Infectious but the colorful forest shapes have us mesmerized.

    Junko Mizuno - Junko is an incredibly popular and prolific graphic novelist whose work adapts western fairy tales to her twisted anime sensibility. Her "Zodiac Girls" laptop designs might be the perfect gift for your astrologically minded anime fan friend!

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25 Coolest Laptop Covers originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 19 Dec 2008 23:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> ces-2009-slideshowsces-2009-slideshows-topfeatures switchedtips@gmail.com (Blake Besharian) Fri, 19 Dec 2008 23:58:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[iBeer Game Creator Sues Molson for Copyright Infringement]]> http://www.switched.com/2008/10/20/ibeer-game-creator-sues-molson-for-copyright-infringement/ http://www.switched.com/2008/10/20/ibeer-game-creator-sues-molson-for-copyright-infringement/ http://www.switched.com/2008/10/20/ibeer-game-creator-sues-molson-for-copyright-infringement/#comments

You might think that an application that makes it look as though you're drinking beer out of your iPhone is not a serious business. But for Steve Sheraton and his company Hottrix, it's a high stakes game. Hottrix is currently involved in a $12.5 million lawsuit with Molson Coors Brewing Company for copyright infringement regarding a beer-themed iPhone application.

Earlier this year, Steve and his company developed their iBeer iPhone app. In May 2008, they copyrighted and released the app before the iPhone was even opened up to developers. Apple opened up the iPhone to developers in July, which is when Molson Coors Brewing Group contacted Hottrix about using the app to promote its Carling beer. Steve said no. Undeterred, Molson contracted a Swedish company to make a remarkably similar app called iPint with the Carling beer logo on it, and a little game attached. Then it posted the new game as a free download from the iTunes store, right next to the $3 iBeer app.

A cease and desist order has removed iPint from the U.S. iTunes store, but it's still available in Europe. Meanwhile, if you're in the mood for a novelty iPhone app that you'll almost certainly never use after a week, then you can help Steve with his lawyers fees and download iBeer (or the kid-friendly iMilk app) today. [From: The Register]

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iBeer Game Creator Sues Molson for Copyright Infringement originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 20 Oct 2008 10:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> beerbrewiphone appIphoneApp switchedtips@gmail.com (Blake Besharian) Mon, 20 Oct 2008 10:53:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[10 Funny Pet Web Sites]]> http://www.switched.com/2008/10/19/10-funny-pet-web-sites/ http://www.switched.com/2008/10/19/10-funny-pet-web-sites/ http://www.switched.com/2008/10/19/10-funny-pet-web-sites/#comments
Perhaps one of the most popular things to do on the Internet is upload and broadcast pictures of your beloved animals. Everything from pictures and videos to podcasts of pet shenanigans have found ample homes online. Unfortunately, the vast majority of pet sites are of the nausea-inducing "cute" variety. Since pets can induce hours of laughter (regardless of whether they're wearing Groucho glasses or ladies' hats or not), we here at Switched decided to scour the Web for funny pet sites, and we found quite a few. What follows is a sampling of our favorite funny pet sites, some old, some new. Funny, of course, depends on the mind of the beholder, but we'd be lying if we didn't admit that we pretty much guffawed at every last site on this list. Check them out....




1. Lolcats
Lolcats are funny pictures of cats doing dumb things with broken, misspelled English captions placed over them. The result is often hilarious, such as a cat jumping out of a toilet with the following caption: "I'M IN UR TOILET USIN' UR FACILITIES." The central hub for all things lolcat, icanhascheezburger.com, is currently enjoying a resurgence of popularity after a few months of hype-trend-overload. The site has been online for two years and now includes a constellation of sites for lolcats, loldogs and political lolz -- the same thing, but for dogs and politicians.
If you're wondering how to make your own Lolcat, which is as simple as taking a goofy picture of your cat, adding a caption, and uploading it here, then check out the site's "wiki" tutorial designed to help people learn lolspeak, the broken English used on the site. The site also has a "lolz builder," which allows you to create your own lol-based-image with minimal effort and no software (they even supply pictures for you to caption). This means that there are new lolz posted all the time, which makes Lolcats the ultimate place to go for hilarious cat humor.

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10 Funny Pet Web Sites originally appeared on Switched on Sun, 19 Oct 2008 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> catdogfaildoghumorlolcatpetpets switchedtips@gmail.com (Blake Besharian) Sun, 19 Oct 2008 00:01:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Sega Releases Plant That Nods to Your Voice]]> http://www.switched.com/2008/10/09/sega-releases-plant-that-nods-to-your-voice/ http://www.switched.com/2008/10/09/sega-releases-plant-that-nods-to-your-voice/ http://www.switched.com/2008/10/09/sega-releases-plant-that-nods-to-your-voice/#comments

Move over Aibo, take a seat, creepy humanoid robot doll, Pekoppa has arrived! Sega's eagerly anticipated nodding robotic plant is finally here, at least in Japan, though we expect that it will soon be turning up in children's bedrooms and on the window sills of retirement homes stateside, delighting the immature and the elderly with its fantastic capacity to acknowledge that it is listening/ Garden-variety sound sensors, presumably, enable the doodad to move its leaves as you sing or speak to it.

Only in the high pressure society of Japan, where 1 in 5 people have considered suicide, would a robotic plant that nods be billed as a good listener (we're basing this claim on a translation of the promo song in this video). In fact, we'd like to say that if you're talking to a robotic plant because that's the only thing that will listen to your problems, you might need to seek more professional help. [From OhGizmo!]

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Sega Releases Plant That Nods to Your Voice originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 09 Oct 2008 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> big in japanBigInJapanfunjapankidsplantrobotsegatoyweird switchedtips@gmail.com (Blake Besharian) Thu, 09 Oct 2008 09:30:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Project Runway's Christian Siriano Designs Scarf for LG Lotus Phone]]> http://www.switched.com/2008/10/01/project-runways-christian-siriano-designs-scarf-for-lg-lotus-ph/ http://www.switched.com/2008/10/01/project-runways-christian-siriano-designs-scarf-for-lg-lotus-ph/ http://www.switched.com/2008/10/01/project-runways-christian-siriano-designs-scarf-for-lg-lotus-ph/#comments
Christian Siriano is best known for winning the fourth season of pravo TV hit 'Project Runway' and teaching fans everywhere how to discern between those that are "fierce" and a "hot tranny mess" (his catch phrases on the show). Now, Christian has designed a new scarf for the new LG Lotus mobile phone.

The Lotus is a small square phone explicitly marketed to a fashion forward crowd, and Mr Siriano's wool knit scarf follows suit. Featuring an "understated plaid" pattern (apparently the latest trend for winter), the scarf has a subtle and seamless pocket designed to snugly fit the phone, and hold onto it, while you wear the scarf casually draped across one shoulder.

We love the blend of tech and fashion. Who knows, maybe the scarf pocket is going to replace the pants pocket as the way to carry around your phone this winter.

We just hope Christian designed a button for that pocket, because it's hard to look "fierce" when your phone keeps falling out of your scarf. [From LG]

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Project Runway's Christian Siriano Designs Scarf for LG Lotus Phone originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 01 Oct 2008 13:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> fashionlgproject runwayProjectRunwaystyletech fashionTechFashion switchedtips@gmail.com (Blake Besharian) Wed, 01 Oct 2008 13:45:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Starbucks Installing $11,000 'Clover' Coffee Machine in Select Shops]]> http://www.switched.com/2008/07/26/starbucks-buys-elite-coffee-machine-company-reaffirms-bullying/ http://www.switched.com/2008/07/26/starbucks-buys-elite-coffee-machine-company-reaffirms-bullying/ http://www.switched.com/2008/07/26/starbucks-buys-elite-coffee-machine-company-reaffirms-bullying/#comments
In an effort to ruin everything good about coffee, Starbucks has bought out what many consider to be the greatest evolution in coffee since espresso, The Clover. "What's a Clover?" you might ask. Well, it's an $11,000 coffee brewing machine that controls the precise time, temperature, and amount of beans that go into an individually brewed cup of Joe. This machine's unique ability to replicate the exact same conditions that produced that last perfect cup of coffee mean that coffee aficionados can finally unlock the true potential of a bean, bringing out its fruit-like flavors and other subtle characteristics.

This machine has elevated coffee drinking (and price, which usually starts around $3 a cup) to the level of a wine tasting, and, until recently, it was only available in independent coffee shops. Now, Starbucks has bought The Coffee Equipment Company, and begun installing The Clover in select stores while refusing to sell any more machines to independent shops. It has also shutdown CloverNet, which is an online service setup by the company that allowed fans to track their favorite brews and find shops with a Clover machine.

Sadly, not even an $11,000 machine can make bad coffee taste better, but clearly Starbucks is desperate. This summer, it is closing 5-percent of its stores (just over 600) and is making an effort to focus less on music and high calorie milkshakes and more on coffee. You can bet that the original fans of The Clover won't be lining up at Starbucks anytime soon. But Starbucks is betting that the same people that order a white chocolate mocha with half skim and half soy will soon be ordering 35 grams of ethiopian sidamo at 210 degrees for 45 seconds, and paying a dollar more for it. [Source: Wired]

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Starbucks Installing $11,000 'Clover' Coffee Machine in Select Shops originally appeared on Switched on Sat, 26 Jul 2008 09:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> appliancesbtsnewscoffeecoffee machinesCoffeeMachinesfoodfood and drinkFoodAndDrinkshoppingstarbucks switchedtips@gmail.com (Blake Besharian) Sat, 26 Jul 2008 09:20:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[UK Cell Carrier Suspends Web Based Picture Message Service]]> http://www.switched.com/2008/07/23/uk-cell-carrier-suspends-web-based-picture-message-service/ http://www.switched.com/2008/07/23/uk-cell-carrier-suspends-web-based-picture-message-service/ http://www.switched.com/2008/07/23/uk-cell-carrier-suspends-web-based-picture-message-service/#comments
Some British cell phone users were surprised earlier this week to find that their personal picture messages were made available to all of 02's users through an easily exploited loophole. The blog Mail Channels was the first to uncover this, and the carrier O2 has suspended this service as a result.

The service allows O2 users to receive their picture messages online without a login or password, so anyone who received an invitation to view a picture message could potentially look at anyone else's, a big problem if you're sending raunchy picture messages to your significant other. The service is mostly used by those with low end cell phone models and uh, iPhone users.

In the grand scheme of privacy invasions, this isn't too bad, but you have to ask why you would set up a service like this (without so much as a login or password) in the first place. Now we're curious how many other services are susceptible to this kind of snooping here in the U.S., which might make us think twice the next time we send a lewd picture message to that friend with the budget cellphone. [Source: Textually.org]

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UK Cell Carrier Suspends Web Based Picture Message Service originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 23 Jul 2008 19:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> switchedtips@gmail.com (Blake Besharian) Wed, 23 Jul 2008 19:03:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Artists Attempt At 'Zero Gravity Art' Ends in Nausea]]> http://www.switched.com/2008/07/20/artists-attempt-at-zero-gravity-art-ends-in-nausea/ http://www.switched.com/2008/07/20/artists-attempt-at-zero-gravity-art-ends-in-nausea/ http://www.switched.com/2008/07/20/artists-attempt-at-zero-gravity-art-ends-in-nausea/#comments

Three British artists, a black cat, and a mouse spent Tuesday aboard a Russian aircraft nicknamed the "vomit Comet" in pursuit of Dalí-esque "zero gravity" art. The plane is usually used to train astronauts, and simulates weightlessness by doing steep ascents and dives, something akin to a giant roller coaster ride.

Apparently only one artist, Nasser Azam, escaped debilitating nausea, and he finished Francis Bacon-inspired paintings with oil pastels. The cat and mouse were supposed to chase each other in zero gravity while one of the artists filmed them. However, both the cat and the artist became ill after about 3 'loops' and had to be secured to the plane for the remainder of the flight. In summary, Nasser Azam, the only artist not to become ill said, "Quite frankly it was euphoric, there were instances when I was painting upside down. We'll go and have a few vodkas - a few stiff ones..."

The flight, which was provided to the artists free of charge, was a unique cultural exchange between the two countries, which have had strained relations since the 2006 poisoning of a prominent Kremlin critic on British soil, and the forced closing of two British council offices in Russia earlier this year. [Source: USA Today]

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Artists Attempt At 'Zero Gravity Art' Ends in Nausea originally appeared on Switched on Sun, 20 Jul 2008 15:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> artexpire-images2009-7-9flightspace switchedtips@gmail.com (Blake Besharian) Sun, 20 Jul 2008 15:06:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[12,000 Laptops Lost Each Week at US Airports]]> http://www.switched.com/2008/07/01/12-000-laptops-lost-each-week-at-us-airports/ http://www.switched.com/2008/07/01/12-000-laptops-lost-each-week-at-us-airports/ http://www.switched.com/2008/07/01/12-000-laptops-lost-each-week-at-us-airports/#comments
travelers carry laptops with secret information

In these digital times, it seems as though everything about us these days is reduced to bits and bytes and stored on computers -- so it's only fair to ask that those computers be secure. Well, according to a new study by the Ponemon Institute, half of all the business travelers surveyed said they fly regularly with important information on their laptops. Most of them -- more than two thirds -- don't use any type of security system in the event that laptops are lost or stolen.

Clearly, this is bad news, especially since the study also estimates that about 12,000 laptops are lost every week (based on interviews with officials at 106 American airports). This means business travelers are losing several laptops a week. Eventually, one of those laptops is going to be loaded with our Social Security numbers and names.

So for all you mobile workers out there, read this: We know you're not going to stop traveling with this kind of information on your computers, but please use any encryption software that came with your computer to lock that stuff up. Even just setting your computer to require a password to get on will keep your information secure from garden variety thieves.

If you're willing to spend some cash, may we recommend PGP's encryption software for company's or SecuriKey's combination of hardware and software authentication. And, for the the cash strapped but wary, TrueCrypt offers free encryption software for all operating systems. [Source: The Statesman]


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12,000 Laptops Lost Each Week at US Airports originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 01 Jul 2008 15:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> encryptionexpire-images2009-6-30securitysummernewstravel switchedtips@gmail.com (Blake Besharian) Tue, 01 Jul 2008 15:05:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Prince Sues Devoted Norwegian Fans Who Made Cover Album]]> http://www.switched.com/2008/06/26/prince-sues-devoted-norwegian-fans-who-made-cover-album/ http://www.switched.com/2008/06/26/prince-sues-devoted-norwegian-fans-who-made-cover-album/ http://www.switched.com/2008/06/26/prince-sues-devoted-norwegian-fans-who-made-cover-album/#comments



On June 7th, the artist and sex symbol formerly known as Prince officially turned 50 and apparently someone brought hime the wrong gift. It was a copy of a new five-disc Prince tribute album, which consists of 81 cover songs by Norwegian musicians of every genre including that country's National Symphony Orchestra.

Soon after receiving "Shockadelica-50th Anniversary Tribute to The Artist Known As Prince," the Artist sued C+C Records, the Norwegian music label that put the tribute together. The suit demanded that all copies of the album -- which has been critically acclaimed and peaked at no. 8 on the Norwegian charts -- be destroyed. The label's owner, Christer Falck, is also a well known television actor and a huge Prince fan. Since no one was paid for their participation, Falck didn't think he owed Prince anything more than a free copy of the disc. Especially since the description on the label's Web site features this loving statement:

"This is more than just a Prince-tribute album. This is actually EVERYTHING the Norwegian musical scene has to offer 2008. All is made with love to the world's greatest artist ever, Prince."

Actually, Falck shouldn't be surprised that he was sued, as this isn't the first time Prince has censured his fans. In 2007, he gave legal notice to YouTube, eBay and The Pirate Bay to take down all of his copyrighted content. Then, last October, Prince's record company, Universal, demanded that YouTube remove this home video of a toddler dancing to a barely audible clip of "Lets Go Crazy." Even this past spring, Prince demanded that YouTube remove a fan-recorded video of his cover of Radiohead's "Creep" at Coachella.

The C+C Records page and the "Shockadelica" MySpace page have free samples of the limited edition album. It's sure to be a collectors item. [Source: Wired]

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Prince Sues Devoted Norwegian Fans Who Made Cover Album originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 26 Jun 2008 19:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> fanslawlawsuitsmusicNorwayprince switchedtips@gmail.com (Blake Besharian) Thu, 26 Jun 2008 19:05:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Charter Drops Plans to Monitor And Sell Records of User's Surfing]]> http://www.switched.com/2008/06/25/charter-drops-plans-to-monitor-and-sell-records-of-users-surfin/ http://www.switched.com/2008/06/25/charter-drops-plans-to-monitor-and-sell-records-of-users-surfin/ http://www.switched.com/2008/06/25/charter-drops-plans-to-monitor-and-sell-records-of-users-surfin/#comments
If you thought the government's secret domestic surveillance program was creepy, you're gonna love this news! In mid May, Charter, the fourth largest cable distributor in the United States, announced that it would start tracking every Web site that its users visited and sell the information to NebuAd in order to provide individually targeted advertising. Understandably, this freaked a lot of people out, especially the people living in the four markets where Charter announced it would start pilot programs of the 'service': Fort Worth, TX., San Luis Obispo, CA., Oxford, MA., and Newtown, CT.

Even though Charter said it would allow its users to opt out of the program, customers immediately began writing letters of protest, including the Attorney General of Connecticut, Richard Blumenthal. He released a letter to the press Tuesday telling Charter to cancel its plans, and while Charter says it wasn't reacting to his letter, it announced it was dropping the pilot program the same day, over customer objections.

Score one for consumer privacy in America! Perhaps this will deter the other two cable companies that are still planning on working with NebuAd, Embarq and Wide Open West, but no word from them yet. We wonder if this consumer revolt will have any effect on the cable providers who are trying out things like metered broadband access... [Source: New York Times]

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Charter Drops Plans to Monitor And Sell Records of User's Surfing originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 25 Jun 2008 20:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> charter switchedtips@gmail.com (Blake Besharian) Wed, 25 Jun 2008 20:44:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Artist Exhibits Photos of All 189 Secret U.S. Spy Satellites]]> http://www.switched.com/2008/06/23/artist-exhibits-photos-of-all-189-secret-u-s-spy-satellites/ http://www.switched.com/2008/06/23/artist-exhibits-photos-of-all-189-secret-u-s-spy-satellites/ http://www.switched.com/2008/06/23/artist-exhibits-photos-of-all-189-secret-u-s-spy-satellites/#comments




We all know the government is hiding things from us. Whether it's aliens in the Nevada desert or prisoners detained at FBI black sites around the world, the complexity of the plot depends on how steeped in conspiracy theory, and reality, you are.

For Trevor Paglen, the government's secrets are good art subjects and his latest project is on display at the UC Berkeley Museum. This selection of photographs is from a series that documents all 189 U.S. spy satellites that officially don't exist. This is only the latest project in a body of work that documents our government's secret programs in an indirect fashion. The images themselves are stunning photographs of the sky with a single white streak, the spy or "black" satellite. Paglen has used photography to document the government's secret military bases in Nevada, planes used to kidnap terror suspects, and the badges of military personnel involved in secret programs. With this latest project, Paglen is trying to draw a line between himself and Galileo, the astronomer who challenged the Catholic church's conception of the universe in 15th century:

"What would it mean to find these secret moons in orbit around the Earth in the same way that Galileo found these moons that shouldn't exist in orbit around Jupiter?" he asks.


From Wired

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Artist Exhibits Photos of All 189 Secret U.S. Spy Satellites originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 23 Jun 2008 16:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> expire-images2009-6-23 switchedtips@gmail.com (Blake Besharian) Mon, 23 Jun 2008 16:42:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Microsoft Reunion Photos, Still Geeky After All These Years]]> http://www.switched.com/2008/06/23/microsoft-reunion-photos-still-geeky-after-all-these-years/ http://www.switched.com/2008/06/23/microsoft-reunion-photos-still-geeky-after-all-these-years/ http://www.switched.com/2008/06/23/microsoft-reunion-photos-still-geeky-after-all-these-years/#comments


You've probably seen the original photo of the founders of Microsoft (above right), nine geeky looking guys and two girls, awkwardly arranged for a mall photo portrait. But have you seen the reunion photo? Thirty years after the original was taken, the old crew has gotten back together again, this time minus the '70s apparel and facial hair.

With Steve Jobs retiring at the end of this week, it seems he's gathered the crew together for another photo op, and this time the results a little more flattering. All of the founders returned for the photo, with the exception of Bob Wallace (top row center in the original) who passed away in 2002, and the addition of Miriam Lubow (front and center in the new photo), who missed the original photo op. Those gathered for the reunion had some words to say about participating in the founding of Microsoft: "I could have had an office and a title from a respectable company-but I thought this would take off," said programmer Gordon Letwin (second row, right).

Well, that gamble seems to have paid off for some, but you have to wonder if anyone was eating sour grapes, while posing for a photo with the third richest man in the world. [Source: Newsweek]

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Microsoft Reunion Photos, Still Geeky After All These Years originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 23 Jun 2008 15:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> microsoft switchedtips@gmail.com (Blake Besharian) Mon, 23 Jun 2008 15:34:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[This Computer Keyboard Tells You When It Needs to be Cleaned]]> http://www.switched.com/2008/06/18/this-keyboard-tells-you-when-it-needs-to-be-cleaned/ http://www.switched.com/2008/06/18/this-keyboard-tells-you-when-it-needs-to-be-cleaned/ http://www.switched.com/2008/06/18/this-keyboard-tells-you-when-it-needs-to-be-cleaned/#comments


We've written about the microscopic horrors infesting your keyboard before -- bacteria can grow at levels five times worst than found on a toilet seat -- and researchers in the UK have developed a new keyboard that they hope will cut down on deadly drug-resistant staph infections among patients.

On average, more than 8,000 people die each year from methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) that was contracted while being treated for something else in a hospital. Along with taking other measures to clean up the hospital environment to fight infection, British researchers at the University College London Hospital have created the Medigenic keyboard, an easy-to-clean, flat silicone keyboard that will tell you when it needs to be cleaned (usually at 12 hour intervals).

Why spend time and money developing a new keyboard? Doctors and nurses already wash their hands between touching patients, but keyboards are shared by many people and are actually a big source of cross-contamination. Researchers found that many of the hospital's keyboards contained more than 150 times the recommended safe level of bacteria. Most people only clean their keyboards with compressed air -- if at all -- which won't kill the bacteria the dirty keys are harboring.

No word yet on a price, but the Medigenic Keyboard is manufactured by Advanced Input Systems, and the clean device sounds like the perfect gift for germaphobe friends, preschool teachers, and OCD sufferers alike. [Source: Daily Mail]

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This Computer Keyboard Tells You When It Needs to be Cleaned originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 18 Jun 2008 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> healthkeyboards switchedtips@gmail.com (Blake Besharian) Wed, 18 Jun 2008 16:01:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[British LG Ad May Have Broken Laws]]> http://www.switched.com/2008/06/04/british-lg-ad-may-have-broken-laws/ http://www.switched.com/2008/06/04/british-lg-ad-may-have-broken-laws/ http://www.switched.com/2008/06/04/british-lg-ad-may-have-broken-laws/#comments
The ad in question shows a woman stuck in traffic, then zooms in to a close up of her phone, and her finger touching the bottom of the screen on the handset. When the ad cuts to a wider shot of the woman in her car, there is a touch point at the bottom of the ad, the image rotates to show the same woman in a motor boat. The woman is shown in several other scenes while text and a voiceover say," Moodswing? Modeswing!"

For its part, LG claims that the woman was only imagining what she could have been doing on her phone, instead of being stuck in traffic. The complaints allege that the ad will encourage people to use their cell phones while driving. Siding with the complaints, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) also claimed that the advertisement implied that the woman was using her cell phone while in the driver's seat of her car. The ASA said that the ad must not be shown again in its current form, because it may condone the use of cell phones while driving, which is a breach of a health and safety clause in the organizations laws. [Source: Vnunet.com]

British LG Ad May Have Broken Laws originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 04 Jun 2008 19:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> switchedtips@gmail.com (Blake Besharian) Wed, 04 Jun 2008 19:54:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[GPS Gadgets Can Be Used For More Than Just Tracking Your Location]]> http://www.switched.com/2008/06/04/gps-gadgets-can-be-used-for-more-than-just-tracking-your-locatio/ http://www.switched.com/2008/06/04/gps-gadgets-can-be-used-for-more-than-just-tracking-your-locatio/ http://www.switched.com/2008/06/04/gps-gadgets-can-be-used-for-more-than-just-tracking-your-locatio/#comments
Chinese Scientists working for Microsoft are working on ways to glean more information about you from your GPS device. Using these devices to track the location and speed of the device's user, they have established patterns and statistical methods to identify what mode of transport the user is taking. Speed is alone is not enough to distinguish between, walking, driving or biking. For instance if a person starts a trip at a speed above say, 30 mph, it is assumed they are in a car, even if due to traffic they slow down to around 9 mph which is the average speed of a bicycle as well the average speed of a car in London. If you travel by bus or train, they can tell by the intermittent jumps in speed that you experience when switching from walking to riding.

All of this seems good and well, but Microsoft aims to take this research further, incorporating it into their Geolife Web Platform. This will allow users to relive their trips online, look at photos and routes, and even map out their patterns of personal traffic congestion hotspots. All of this may lead to more concerns over privacy and who has access to these travel records.

While utilizing this data for personal reasons is very innocent, there is some concern as to when having this sort of information about someone becomes creepy. Allowing massive corporations like Microsoft to have access to it, in addition to posting it on the net, raises obvious privacy concerns, which hopefully Microsoft will address when it launches the Geolife Web Platform. However, we could also see this becoming part of our less private future, with updates on your Facebook and Myspace pages telling others about your current location, speed, and mode of transport. Who knew GPS devices could be used for such creepy applications.

From New Scientist

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GPS Gadgets Can Be Used For More Than Just Tracking Your Location originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 04 Jun 2008 19:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> switchedtips@gmail.com (Blake Besharian) Wed, 04 Jun 2008 19:21:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Debate Over Cellphones and Cancer Is Reignited]]> http://www.switched.com/2008/06/04/debate-over-cellphones-and-cancer-is-reignited/ http://www.switched.com/2008/06/04/debate-over-cellphones-and-cancer-is-reignited/ http://www.switched.com/2008/06/04/debate-over-cellphones-and-cancer-is-reignited/#comments Last week, on Larry King Live, three different neurosurgeons reignited the public debate over the link between cellphones and certain kinds of brain cancer. Each of the neurosurgeons told Larry that they did not put cellphones directly next to their ear -- instead they used hands free earpieces, or speakerphones, in order to minimize their exposure to the non-ionizing radiation produced by their phones. According to F.D.A. studies the radiation produced by phones is is too weak to damage DNA or break chemical bonds which can cause cancer. However critics of the F.D.A say that these studies, which only followed cell phone users for three years, are not long term enough to establish a link between cell phone use and cancer.

These critics point to recent studies that show a correlation between the appearance of tumors on the same side of the head or neck that the user usually talks on. These same studies suggest a link between cell phone use and three types of cancer: acoustic neuroma, a tumor that forms in the area where the ear meets the brain; cancer that forms on the salivary gland close to the ear, the parotid; and Glioma, a type of brain cancer, which is what senator Kennedy was diagnosed with.

While all of these cancers are very rare, so that the risk is very minimal, studies from Europe and Israel have shown that the risk essentially doubles with prolonged cell phone use. The real concern seems to lie in the use of cellphones by younger and younger children, who will face a lifetime of exposure, including during the time their brain is still growing and their skull is thinner than an adults.

Louis Slesin, editor of Microwave News, an industry publication that tracks the research says "What we're seeing is suggestions in epidemiological studies that have looked at people using phones for 10 or more years... There are some very disconcerting findings that suggest a problem, although it's much too early to reach a conclusive view."

The solution to all of this worry is simple, get a headset, maybe not a bluetooth headset, as doctors have raised concerns about the risks of putting a bluetooth transmitter inside your ear, but perhaps some headphones, or a boom headset. That's easy enough, and most people find it a lot more comfortable than squeezing their phone between their ear and shoulder while driving.

From the New York Times


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Debate Over Cellphones and Cancer Is Reignited originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 04 Jun 2008 18:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> switchedtips@gmail.com (Blake Besharian) Wed, 04 Jun 2008 18:18:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Spies to Use Skype to Send Secret Messages?]]> http://www.switched.com/2008/06/03/spies-to-use-skype-to-send-secret-messages/ http://www.switched.com/2008/06/03/spies-to-use-skype-to-send-secret-messages/ http://www.switched.com/2008/06/03/spies-to-use-skype-to-send-secret-messages/#comments

Not to make you paranoid, but the next time you hear some static during an Internet phone conversation, it might not be a bad connection. In fact, it could be spies trying to send you packets of encoded information along with the data that is delivering your friend's voice. Well, probably not, but researchers in Poland have at least announced that it's actually possible.

Information scientists at the Institute of Telecommunications in Warsaw, Poland, have published an article in New Scientist magazine about a program they have created, which hides secret messages in Internet (VoIP) phone calls (aka Skype, Vonage, etc). The program inserts packets of information that are delivered along with the rest of the information for the call. This packet is deciphered by a program on the other end of the call. Right now, the program causes a bit of audio distortion, but the researchers are working to remove any perceptible sound distortions, which could giveaway the presence of a secret message.

Tyler Moore, a computer security engineer at the University of Cambridge says "It's an interesting proposal: it makes sense to hide data in a VoIP payload," but, he adds, the identities of the two callers are not hidden like the data, and often that is more important than the message. Because of this, the technology doesn't have many practical applications yet, and it may be a while yet before we see James Bond-types using Skype to transmit secret messages. [Source: New Scientist]

Spies to Use Skype to Send Secret Messages? originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 03 Jun 2008 16:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> breaking newsBreakingNewsspy techSpyTechvoip switchedtips@gmail.com (Blake Besharian) Tue, 03 Jun 2008 16:19:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Christie's Using Text Messaging to Send Auction Alerts]]> http://www.switched.com/2008/06/01/christies-using-text-messaging-to-send-auction-alerts/ http://www.switched.com/2008/06/01/christies-using-text-messaging-to-send-auction-alerts/ http://www.switched.com/2008/06/01/christies-using-text-messaging-to-send-auction-alerts/#comments

Christie's auction house is stepping into the 21st century. The auction house is using text messages to alert its clients to the impending auctions of items they may be interested in, as well as giving pricing updates before and during the bidding. Customers can use the service to track certain items and then choose to receive alerts by email and/or text.

The idea is to let clients go about their daily lives while still participating in auctions. "By providing text alerts, we are giving our customers instant access to auction and price updates anywhere, anytime - allowing them to be the first to know of unique or rare listings," said Andrew Seltzer, Assistant Vice President, Global Operations Project Manager for Christie's.

The service is free to all Christie's customers who enroll through a simple registration process. Clients will then receive alerts anytime, anywhere in the world. This is a big step for the auction house and reflects a willingness on Christie's part to learn from other businesses that offer similar SMS services. Who says you can't teach an old auctioneer new tricks? [Source: 160 Characters]

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Christie's Using Text Messaging to Send Auction Alerts originally appeared on Switched on Sun, 01 Jun 2008 12:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> breaking newsBreakingNewssms switchedtips@gmail.com (Blake Besharian) Sun, 01 Jun 2008 12:11:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[FCC Considering Plan for Free Nationwide Wi-Fi]]> http://www.switched.com/2008/05/31/fcc-considers-auctioning-off-piece-of-the-airwaves-to-free-wirel/ http://www.switched.com/2008/05/31/fcc-considers-auctioning-off-piece-of-the-airwaves-to-free-wirel/ http://www.switched.com/2008/05/31/fcc-considers-auctioning-off-piece-of-the-airwaves-to-free-wirel/#comments
As the FCC auctions off an unused spectrum of airwaves, the winner may be forced to provide free wireless internet for most of the country. No date or terms for the auction have been set, but the government's deal requires that free service on the 25 MHz spectrum reaches at least half the in five years and 95 percent within ten years. The agreement, proposed by FCC chairman Kevin Martin, also stipulates that the bidder must filter out obscene content for allowing the winner to use the remaining portion of the spectrum for commercial purposes.


"We're hoping there will be increased interest in the proposal; and because this will provide wireless broadband services to more Americans, it is certainly something we want to see," said FCC spokesman Rob Kenny.

CTIA, the principal trade group for wireless companies, is unenthusiastic about the proposal, taking issue with the provision that the service must be free. Prior to this proposal, there has been little interest in this portion of the spectrum, as wireless carriers preferred the 700MHz airwaves auctioned a few months ago.

A startup company called M2Z previously asked to use the airwaves for free, providing free wireless with a content filter and garnering revenue from advertising that would be shared with the government. The FCC turned M2Z down, saying the company needed to bid against other carriers, but Martin's proposal is very similar. The next step is a June 12th meeting where more details are expected to be hammered out. [Source: AP Business and Yahoo! News]

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FCC Considering Plan for Free Nationwide Wi-Fi originally appeared on Switched on Sat, 31 May 2008 10:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> breaking newsBreakingNewsfcc switchedtips@gmail.com (Blake Besharian) Sat, 31 May 2008 10:10:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Hackers Vandalize Comcast Portal]]> http://www.switched.com/2008/05/29/hackers-vandalize-comcast-portal/ http://www.switched.com/2008/05/29/hackers-vandalize-comcast-portal/ http://www.switched.com/2008/05/29/hackers-vandalize-comcast-portal/#comments

Hackers took over the Comcast Web site that customers use for their e-mail, news and technical support. For several hours Wednesday night, starting at 11pm EDT, a message reading "KRYYOGENIKS Defiant and EBK RoXed COMCAST sHouTz To VIRUS Warlock elul21 coll1er seven" replaced Comcast's home page until it was fixed late Thursday morning. The slang term "RoXed" is used in gamer circles to refer to someone or something that has been painfully or demeaningly defeated.

Some users complained that they were still unable to access their Web mail and Comcast.net, but Comcast says that no personal information was compromised by the vandals. The site was redirected to a different Web page displaying the above message after the hackers seized control of the domain name from its registrar, Network Solutions. Company spokeswoman Jennifer Khoury, said that Comcast is working with law enforcement to get to the bottom of the incident. [Source: The Register and Yahoo! News]

Hackers Vandalize Comcast Portal originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 29 May 2008 17:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> switchedtips@gmail.com (Blake Besharian) Thu, 29 May 2008 17:23:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[T-Mobile's Parent Company In Trouble for Spying]]> http://www.switched.com/2008/05/28/t-mobiles-parent-company-in-trouble-for-spying/ http://www.switched.com/2008/05/28/t-mobiles-parent-company-in-trouble-for-spying/ http://www.switched.com/2008/05/28/t-mobiles-parent-company-in-trouble-for-spying/#comments

Deutsche Telekom -- the massive German telcommunications company that owns T-Mobile -- is in the hot seat over allegations that its security department hired a private company to track phone conversations between member of its supervisory board and reporters, in an effort to uncover internal media leaks. This was during a dark period for the company -- during 2005 and 2006 -- when Deutsche Telekom was experiencing massive layoffs.

These revelations, first published in German newsweekly 'Der Spiegel,' recall similar events at Hewlett-Packard, which involved the company hiring investigators to obtain the personal phone records of journalists covering the company.

Privacy is still a hot button issue in Germany since the days of state sanctioned spying under the Communist and Nazi regimes. For its part, the German government, which owns a controlling 32 percent stake in the company, has called the operation a " serious breach of trust."

Deutsche Telekom has willingly turned the case over to prosecutors."By handing over information to the prosecutor, we're using the sharpest knife we have to solve the problem," says company spokesman Mark Nierwetberg. "We're not in any way trying to hide anything."

This case comes at the same time as several other European privacy breaches, such as the posting of 38 million Italian citizens' tax records, and the loss of two computer disks by British tax authorities that contained the financial records of approximately 25 million citizens.

And you thought only Americans spied on their own citizens and customers! [Source: The New York Times]



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T-Mobile's Parent Company In Trouble for Spying originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 28 May 2008 14:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> breaking newsBreakingNewscrimedeutsche telekomDeutscheTelekomt-mobile switchedtips@gmail.com (Blake Besharian) Wed, 28 May 2008 14:11:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Worlds First OLED Lamp For Sale -- and No You Can't Afford It]]> http://www.switched.com/2008/05/25/worlds-first-oled-lamp-for-sale-and-no-you-cant-afford-it/ http://www.switched.com/2008/05/25/worlds-first-oled-lamp-for-sale-and-no-you-cant-afford-it/ http://www.switched.com/2008/05/25/worlds-first-oled-lamp-for-sale-and-no-you-cant-afford-it/#comments

OLED's, Organic Light Emitting Diodes, have been around since researchers first produced electroluminescence, by running electrical currents through organic compounds in the 1950s. However OLEDs have found few applications so far due to their expense and short life span, usually about a quarter of the lifespan of a regular LED.

Sony showed 11-inch OLED HDTVs at the January 2008 Consumer Electronics Show, but they came with a hefty price tag of $2,499. This past week German designer Ingo Maurer displayed the first OLED lamp that you could theoretically buy, meaning the price tag was in the "if you need to ask, you can't afford it" category.

The lamp, pictured above, resembles a tree with glowing leaves, and is the first lamp to utilize OLED technology. While its exciting that Ingo Maurer would use OLED's for a lamp, the lamp doesn't really show off OLED's capabilities. OLED can potentially be applied to flexible or hard surfaces using an inkjet printer or even a screen printing process. Potential applications could include, OLED fabrics for clothing or OLED windows that become light sources after dark, but remain transparent during the day, and of course OLED HDTV's like Sony's that can show true blacks and have a contrast ratio of 1 million to 1. Sony has already decided that OLED's are the future and is sinking huge amounts of money into the R&D. OLED's still have a long way to go in terms of price and lifespan, but we hope they get there soon.

From USAToday

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Worlds First OLED Lamp For Sale -- and No You Can't Afford It originally appeared on Switched on Sun, 25 May 2008 19:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> switchedtips@gmail.com (Blake Besharian) Sun, 25 May 2008 19:25:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Microsoft Will Pay You to Use Its Search Engine]]> http://www.switched.com/2008/05/25/microsoft-will-pay-you-to-use-its-search-engine/ http://www.switched.com/2008/05/25/microsoft-will-pay-you-to-use-its-search-engine/ http://www.switched.com/2008/05/25/microsoft-will-pay-you-to-use-its-search-engine/#comments

Microsoft unveiled its latest attempt to grab some of search engine advertising market currently dominated by Google, and it is by far its most desperate move yet. After failing to buyout Yahoo!, Microsoft has announced plans to pay users of its search engine in the form of rebates on products bought through Live.com. The bribe will constitute a certain percentage of the item bought and will be paid via a "cashback account", which will credit the user with a rebate 60 days after the purchase.

While Microsoft is obviously trying to grab a share of the search engine advertising market, it is also attempting "to differentiate in vertical experiences and to disrupt the current model," according to an internal memo. In English, this means that it knows it isn't going to take over the market, but instead is making a lame attempt to distract Yahoo and Google's users with yet another option for shopping online.

In addition, by having its users create online accounts, Microsoft will have records of their users spending, valuable information in the world of targeted online advertising.

All of this depends on whether or not people like this service, and judging from the look of it, that's not very likely. The plain-Jane user interface and the complicated rebate system probably won't be dragging Google's customers away in droves, and the product prices aren't that competitive, even with a rebate.

Microsoft's bid just strikes us as an ill conceived and thinly veiled attempt at retribution for Yahoo!'s refusal to be bought out, and it will probably fail at that, too. [Source: Wired]

Microsoft Will Pay You to Use Its Search Engine originally appeared on Switched on Sun, 25 May 2008 17:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> switchedtips@gmail.com (Blake Besharian) Sun, 25 May 2008 17:54:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Actors and Studios Still Fighting Over Internet Clips]]> http://www.switched.com/2008/05/19/actors-and-studios-still-fighting-over-internet-clips/ http://www.switched.com/2008/05/19/actors-and-studios-still-fighting-over-internet-clips/ http://www.switched.com/2008/05/19/actors-and-studios-still-fighting-over-internet-clips/#comments



The contract negotiations between the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers have been at a standstill since last week. Under the current system, the studios don't have to get actors' permission to stream the clips, and they pay them a flat fee instead of negotiating a price with each actor. The contract clauses that are currently applied were written 50 years ago, and are meant to deal with the use of clips in promotional materials, like trailers. However when these same clips are used for entertainment purposes (like excerpts that are inserted into other television shows), the studios must get consent from (and negotiate pay with) each actor individually.

"What they're asking us to do is erase 50 years of our customs and practice," SAG President Alan Rosenberg said in a recent interview.

As studios cautiously step into the digital 21st century and try to figure out how to capture their potentially massive Internet audiences, they are claiming that their old rules and contracts are inconvenient, and must be changed so that the studios can battle the Internet pirates. These are the same issues that the writers very publicly protested with their strike earlier this year. Apparently, studios still haven't got the message. [Source: Reuters]

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Actors and Studios Still Fighting Over Internet Clips originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 19 May 2008 07:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> expire-images2008-5-26hollywood switchedtips@gmail.com (Blake Besharian) Mon, 19 May 2008 07:16:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Rock Band Films Latest Video With Security Cameras]]> http://www.switched.com/2008/05/14/rock-band-films-latest-video-with-security-cameras/ http://www.switched.com/2008/05/14/rock-band-films-latest-video-with-security-cameras/ http://www.switched.com/2008/05/14/rock-band-films-latest-video-with-security-cameras/#comments band uses cctv to film music video

The Get Out Clause -- an unsigned band from Manchester, England -- has used the eyes of the surveillance state to produce its own music video. While Britain currently has an estimated 13-million closed-circuit TV cameras (CCTV), the band only played to 80 of them around the city of Manchester. After playing its song for the CCTV cameras (and anyone else who happened to be around), the band requested the footage from the organizations that own the cameras, under the UK's Freedom of Information Act. While only about 20 of the locations eventually turned over the footage, they had more than enough footage to make a pretty solid music video.

"We wanted to produce something that looked good and that wasn't too expensive to do," guitarist Tony Churnside told Sky News.

Seems the Freedom of Information act could have saved Kevin Smith a bunch of money when he made 'Clerks.' We really wonder if this is the last time we'll see this tricky way of filming (actually, it's not, as Adam Rifkin's recent 'Look' proved). [Source: The Telegraph]


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Rock Band Films Latest Video With Security Cameras originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 14 May 2008 12:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> cctvmusicsecurityvideo switchedtips@gmail.com (Blake Besharian) Wed, 14 May 2008 12:35:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Amputee Vets Riding On Modified Segways Courtesy of Nonprofit]]> http://www.switched.com/2008/05/11/amputee-vets-riding-on-modified-segways-courtesy-of-nonprofit/ http://www.switched.com/2008/05/11/amputee-vets-riding-on-modified-segways-courtesy-of-nonprofit/ http://www.switched.com/2008/05/11/amputee-vets-riding-on-modified-segways-courtesy-of-nonprofit/#comments
30 Segways replaced the wheelchairs of 30 more Iraq war veterans last week. A nonprofit group, Disability Rights Advocates for Technology(DRAFT), has donated more than 150 of these Segways, which have been modified specifically for the veterans disabilities.

"[The Segways] provide them with another mobility option that will increase their distance, and will give them a way to communicate with the world standing up," Leonard Timm founder of DRAFT said.

For U.S. Army Sgt. Jacque Keeslar, a veteran who lost both of his legs in Iraq, having a Segway is just that.
"If I have to do a half mile or mile of walking, it just exhausts me," Keeslar said.
Before last week he relied on a wheelchair and a pair of artificial legs, that helped him to walk in short bursts.

The modified machines are about $6,000 each and while Segway inc. is not directly involved with the campaign, but provides DRAFT with their products at a discount. In addition they are quick to point out that their machines are not ceritfied as medical devices by the FDA, even though according to DRAFT they are used by some 4,000 to 7,000 disabled persons.

The inventor of the segway, Dean Kamen once said " [the segway] will be to the car what the car was to the horse and buggy." While the segway has yet to replace the car, for these lucky veterans it has at least replaced the wheelchair.


From CNN

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Amputee Vets Riding On Modified Segways Courtesy of Nonprofit originally appeared on Switched on Sun, 11 May 2008 21:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> switchedtips@gmail.com (Blake Besharian) Sun, 11 May 2008 21:16:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Robot Spiders, Dragonflies, Snakes to Aid Soldiers in War Zones]]> http://www.switched.com/2008/05/10/robot-spiders-dragonflies-snakes-to-aid-soldiers-in-war-zones/ http://www.switched.com/2008/05/10/robot-spiders-dragonflies-snakes-to-aid-soldiers-in-war-zones/ http://www.switched.com/2008/05/10/robot-spiders-dragonflies-snakes-to-aid-soldiers-in-war-zones/#comments

As if warfare weren't already creepy enough, BAE Systems, a British defense company, has released a promotional video of robotic spiders, dragonflies and snakes it is developing to aid soldiers in combat zones. The robotic creatures are being funded by a $38 million contract with the U.S. Army that is part of a massive, and costly, effort to modernize the weaponry of the armed forces. The robots will slither and crawl around corners, into caves, and through booby-trapped streets, sending images back to screens in a command center or to a screen mounted on a soldiers wrist.

The purpose is to "extend the warfighter's senses and reach, providing operational capabilities that would otherwise be costly, impossible, or deadly to achieve," says Joseph Mait, MAST cooperative agreement manager for the Army Research Laboratory.

Other remote controlled devices are in the works as well, such as the unmanned drones that are currently used for bombing raids and reconnaissance. The hope is that using these robots will cut down on the number of casualties suffered by U.S. forces, and possibly civilians, while improving the accuracy of missile attacks and raids. However the potential for misuse of these robots, such as spying on citizens or other governments, is straight out of some sci-fi movie.

In any case we hope we never see one of these little creatures on our windowsill. [Source: Daily Mail UK]

Robot Spiders, Dragonflies, Snakes to Aid Soldiers in War Zones originally appeared on Switched on Sat, 10 May 2008 08:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> military switchedtips@gmail.com (Blake Besharian) Sat, 10 May 2008 08:52:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[House Passes Bill With Harsher Penalties For Copyright Infringement]]> http://www.switched.com/2008/05/09/house-passes-bill-with-harsher-penalties-for-copyright-infringem/ http://www.switched.com/2008/05/09/house-passes-bill-with-harsher-penalties-for-copyright-infringem/ http://www.switched.com/2008/05/09/house-passes-bill-with-harsher-penalties-for-copyright-infringem/#comments
Yesterday the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a controversial bill called the PRO IP act, which will provide much stricter penalties for copyright infringement. The bill will create a new federal copyright enforcement czar, appointed by the president, whose job will be to coordinate efforts domestically and abroad to prosecute copyright infringement.

Spending more tax dollars to create a new bureaucracy solely to protect companies that are already throwing tons of money at this problem seems a little unnecessary. Fortunately, one of the most controversial parts of the bill, an increase in the maximum fine for each song of an album,( which would've changed a $30,000 penalty for a pirated album to $360,000) was removed due to widespread criticism. However, the bill does include a provision that allows the government to confiscate any technology associated with copyright infringement.

So next time you download a pirated movie, or album, think twice, since the copyright czar will soon be there to fine you several hundred thousand dollars and take away your computer. [Source: ArsTechnica]

House Passes Bill With Harsher Penalties For Copyright Infringement originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 09 May 2008 12:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> switchedtips@gmail.com (Blake Besharian) Fri, 09 May 2008 12:34:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Adobe Media Player Launches]]> http://www.switched.com/2008/05/01/adobe-media-player-launches/ http://www.switched.com/2008/05/01/adobe-media-player-launches/ http://www.switched.com/2008/05/01/adobe-media-player-launches/#comments



This Tuesday Adobe announced the debut of their entry into the web tv market, Adobe Media Player. The player launched with a few channels of content from MTV Networks, CBS, Universal Music Group, PBS, Conde Net and Scripps Networks. While complete episodes of the Hills and CSI New York are available for immediate viewing most of the other content is short bits of old shows or short form original content created by magazines or cable networks. For instance, MTV Networks has 5 minute clips of Cribs episodes in addtion to one minute segments of yo mtv raps, and MTV news. Not exactly TV on the Web, but then these things take time.

While the content available on Adobe's player is not yet very impressive, the deals made with these networks hopefully precipitate good things to come. The player and its compact adobe flash format, seem to perform well and the player comes with the option to adjust your preferred bitrate. Adobe says that shows have the ability to broadcast in 480i, 720p or 1080p and the viewer can set his/her own software to accomodate the hardware they are running the media player on. This feature definitely works better for scaling videos to full screen than most internet video players. Our broadband connection handled the highest bitrate setting scaled to full screen with less than a second or two of load time, and made CSI New York look pretty good for internet streaming video.

CSI New York is also the only show with commercial breaks that we saw offered, which is odd because the Adobe Media Player seems to be an advertisers dream. For the duration of the ad the player locks up and won't allow you to pause, fast forward or rewind, effectively forcing you to watch. In addtion, the media player has a feature that allows the networks involved to measure the total viewing time that their shows garner, effectively creating a nielsen ratings system for the player. While you can turn this feature off, some content can only be watched with the measurement feature enabled. Also publishers can set passwords for content, leaving open the possibility of content subscription services. All of this means the adobe media player is one advertising savvy media player, which may be why its so appealing to the major networks that already have deals with adobe.

Every media player wants to be the one that finally delivers on the dream of software that brings television to the web, complete with channels advertisements and on demand programming. It seems like that is going to be the TV of the future. Adobe Media Player may not be that software, but it has a lot of the things that such a player will need: nearly instantaneous download times, lots of free content(hopefully coming soon), an attractive interface and a stable company that has contracts with several large networks. The Adobe Media Player looks promising, but it's going to take a bit more than a few episodes of the hills and CSI to really launch this player.

From Adobe

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Adobe Media Player Launches originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 01 May 2008 23:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> switchedtips@gmail.com (Blake Besharian) Thu, 01 May 2008 23:18:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Live Madonna Concert Streamed Online for Free Tonight]]> http://www.switched.com/2008/04/30/live-madonna-concert-streamed-online-for-free-tonight/ http://www.switched.com/2008/04/30/live-madonna-concert-streamed-online-for-free-tonight/ http://www.switched.com/2008/04/30/live-madonna-concert-streamed-online-for-free-tonight/#comments

Couldn't get tickets to see the Madonna concert at NYC's Roseland Ballroom tonight? Well, now you don't even have to be in New York for one of the biggest concerts of the year, since MSN.com is streaming the entire show live tonight on its "MSN in Concert" Web site. Unfortunately, the show will only be available live for the Material Girl's U.S. fans, so the rest of the planet has to wait for a free on-demand version coming May 15th. So what will they be missing? In addition to the entire live performance and the debut of her single "Four Minutes", the show will include rehearsal footage, and a pre-recorded interview with Madge.

The show will be filmed by Control Room, the company that filmed the Live Earth concert series. If you're worried about quality, rest assured because 8-10 HD(1080p) cameras will be filming the show and the sound will be Dolby 5.1 surround.

So, if you messed up and forgot to get your significant other tickets, or you just want to watch the concert for free, tonight's your chance. Order some takeout, hook the laptop up to the TV, and make sure you're parked on the couch with that special someone tonight at 10 PM EST.

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Live Madonna Concert Streamed Online for Free Tonight originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 30 Apr 2008 20:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> breaking newsBreakingNewsexpire-images2009-4-30freemadonnamusic switchedtips@gmail.com (Blake Besharian) Wed, 30 Apr 2008 20:09:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Electric Cars From Norway Coming to a City Near You]]> http://www.switched.com/2008/04/29/electric-cars-from-norway-coming-to-a-city-near-you/ http://www.switched.com/2008/04/29/electric-cars-from-norway-coming-to-a-city-near-you/ http://www.switched.com/2008/04/29/electric-cars-from-norway-coming-to-a-city-near-you/#comments


Think Global an electric car company based in Norway, announced last week that it will ship 50,000 of its electric cars to the U.S. The new Think vehicles are plug-in electrics that look like a cross between a Smart Car and a VW Cabriolet. The electric cars are shorter than the Smart car, but taller. In addition to the convertible pictured above, Think Global will release a two seater coup model.

The cars top out around 65 miles-per-hour and get about 110 miles to the charge, which is perfect for getting around the city, but good luck taking them on a roadtrip. The Think will set you back something like $17,000 in the U.S. and, curiously, the batteries will be leased separately for about $100 or $200 each, and may even include wireless and insurance. This is significantly less than other electric cars out there, like the Tesla, which costs more than $100,000, and will hopefully bring the electric car within reach for the average man/woman.

Think Global was launched in Oslo in 1991 and bought by Ford in 1999. Ford stopped leasing the cars in 2003, when California stopped requiring auto makers to produce zero-emissions vehicles. Now, Think is owned by Inspire, and its tech savvy investors hooked up with Google in 2006 to figure out what it means to be a 21st-century car company. The result is expected to hit the road by the end of the year, so pretty soon you can start spending all your gas money on your hefty electric bill. [Source: ValleyWag]

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Electric Cars From Norway Coming to a City Near You originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 29 Apr 2008 07:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> breaking newsBreakingNewselectric carsElectricCars switchedtips@gmail.com (Blake Besharian) Tue, 29 Apr 2008 07:02:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Parents More Concerned About Sex Than Violence In Video Games]]> http://www.switched.com/2008/04/25/parents-more-offended-by-gay-kissing-than-violence-in-video-game/ http://www.switched.com/2008/04/25/parents-more-offended-by-gay-kissing-than-violence-in-video-game/ http://www.switched.com/2008/04/25/parents-more-offended-by-gay-kissing-than-violence-in-video-game/#comments
In a recent survey the gaming site, WhatTheyPlay.Com, asked its visitors, who are mostly the parents, to rate what they found most offensive in video games. The site is an online resource for parents, filled with information about the video games their children might be playing, as well as ratings by the Entertainment Software Association(formerly the ESRB) and ratings voted upon by users. The results of the poll showed that 37 percent of US parents thought a man and a woman having sex was the most offensive act, while two men kissing was deemed slightly more offensive than a severed head, with 27 percent and 26 percent of the vote, respectively.

These results sugggest that American parents have largely given up on their crusade against violence in video games and are now more concerned with sex. It's not the same around the world, though: A Norwegian gaming site ran the same poll with nearly the opposite results -- the severed head won 65.8% of the vote! We remember the days when you couldn't change the channel without hearing some pundit ranting about violence in mortal combat, and the demoralizing effect it has on children.

What could possibly be gained by keeping our kids from seeing pixelated versions of human sexuality, we may never know, but apparently American parents still think it's a worthwhile pursuit. So does the ESA. Of the 23 games it has rated Adults-Only, only two were given the rating for reasons other than sexual content, and one of those was an online gambling game. [Source Gaming Today]

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Parents More Concerned About Sex Than Violence In Video Games originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 25 Apr 2008 14:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> surveys switchedtips@gmail.com (Blake Besharian) Fri, 25 Apr 2008 14:43:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Google Street View Catches Kid Crashing on Bike]]> http://www.switched.com/2008/04/24/google-street-view-catches-kid-crashing-on-bike/ http://www.switched.com/2008/04/24/google-street-view-catches-kid-crashing-on-bike/ http://www.switched.com/2008/04/24/google-street-view-catches-kid-crashing-on-bike/#comments

The list of embarrassing things that Google has caught with its street view feature got a little bit longer recently. This poor kid in Cleveland was caught wrecking his bike on the sidewalk while a woman looked on from her porch. The kid's ill fated ride is now memorialized forever in the Google Street View of 90th street, and we suspect his pride may have sustained more injuries than his body. Hope he's enjoying his fifteen minutes of fame somewhere.

Google Street View Catches Kid Crashing on Bike originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 24 Apr 2008 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> switchedtips@gmail.com (Blake Besharian) Thu, 24 Apr 2008 13:30:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Sales of Wii Games Lagging Due to Untraditional Fan Base]]> http://www.switched.com/2008/04/22/sales-of-wii-games-lagging-due-to-untraditional-fan-base/ http://www.switched.com/2008/04/22/sales-of-wii-games-lagging-due-to-untraditional-fan-base/ http://www.switched.com/2008/04/22/sales-of-wii-games-lagging-due-to-untraditional-fan-base/#comments
Despite being the most popular gaming console, the sales of Wii games lag far behind the sales of competitors. This is probably due to it's fan base, which includes a large number of women, older consumers and young children. Unlike the traditional fan base of young males, these consumers are more likely to stick with the games that came with the system or its various add ons. So while the Wii might be situated in your grandparents living room, there's a good chance that grandpa doesn't play anything other than Wii sports.

A Wedbush Morgan analyst, Michael Pachter, quoted by the New York Times says "It reflects the broadening of the demographic, Nintendo's market doesn't feel the same sense of urgency to buy every game that's coming out."

In addition the usual advertising channels that video game companies use to reach their consumers, fail to reach the Wii's nontraditional fan base. The result is critically acclaimed games, like Zach and Wiki have been flops, while Wii Play, a game that comes free with an additional controller, is the second highest seller on NPD groups top selling games list.

This could mean trouble for games targeted at the so called "hard core gamers", but other games like the soon to be released Mario Kart, or Wii Fit will hopefully be more popular with these nontraditional gamers. In fact Nintendo is betting on Mario Kart being a bridge game that will reinvigorate Wii users, and convince them to spend more on wii games. In the meantime we hope your grandpa doesn't get Wii-itis from too much Wii bowling. [Source: The New York Times]

Sales of Wii Games Lagging Due to Untraditional Fan Base originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 22 Apr 2008 16:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> switchedtips@gmail.com (Blake Besharian) Tue, 22 Apr 2008 16:26:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Darwin's Complete Works Now Available for Free Online]]> http://www.switched.com/2008/04/22/darwins-complete-works-now-available-for-free-online/ http://www.switched.com/2008/04/22/darwins-complete-works-now-available-for-free-online/ http://www.switched.com/2008/04/22/darwins-complete-works-now-available-for-free-online/#comments
darwin online

Thanks to the U.K.'s Cambridge University, Charles Darwin's complete works are now available for free online at the Web site Darwin-Online.org.uk. The venerable institution has digitized more than 50,000 pages of text and 40,000 images by Darwin, and made them all searchable. Only about 50% of the materials that will ultimately be available in 2009 -- the bicentennial of Darwins' birth -- are currently online.

Some of the materials on the site have never been published or transcribed before, such as Darwin's field notebook from his voyage to the Galapagos. The original notebook was stolen in the 1980s, and the version online has been transcribed from microfilm. Other works first published by the site include the 'Journal Of Researches' (1839), 'The Descent Of Man' (1871), 'The Zoology Of The Voyage Of HMS Beagle' (1838-43) and the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th editions of the groundbreaking 'Origin Of Species.' In addition to Darwin's own writings, the online catalog will feature supplementary texts about Darwin, including contemporary views, references, obituaries and recollections of his life.

All of this is impressive and points toward the future of digital libraries and digitized resources. However, we hope that online resources of the future won't look like a public library homepage circa 1995. While we don't judge a book by its cover or anything, we think such a monumental undertaking deserves a bit more flash, and we mean that in every possible sense. [Source: Darwin Online, via BBC]

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Darwin's Complete Works Now Available for Free Online originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 22 Apr 2008 11:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> e-bookseducationexpire-images2008-5-18 switchedtips@gmail.com (Blake Besharian) Tue, 22 Apr 2008 11:12:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Illegal File Search Site YouTorrent Says It's Going Legit]]> http://www.switched.com/2008/04/21/illegal-file-search-site-youtorrent-says-its-going-legit/ http://www.switched.com/2008/04/21/illegal-file-search-site-youtorrent-says-its-going-legit/ http://www.switched.com/2008/04/21/illegal-file-search-site-youtorrent-says-its-going-legit/#comments



The popular torrent search site YouTorrent, has announced that it is going legit, and is offering itself up for sale, after only four months of leading people to places they could get illegally copied movies, tv shows, and music on the Web (YouTorrent is a meta search engine that indexes other major torrent sites.) In the last four months, the site has become one of the most popular torrent search engines on the 'net, partly due to its slick design and ad free policy. The other reason -- as previously mentioned -- was the massive amounts of illegal material that it linked to.

Last week, though, YouTorrent stopped indexing sites that do not claim to hold the copyrights to the material posted on them. This change is sure to disperse its visitors to the multitude of other sites that offer the same service, but YouTorrent's owner, a mysterious 22-year-old computer science whiz who calls himself 'Jon,' has another trick up his sleave.

In an interview with businessweek in London, 'Jon', whose anonymity was part of the agreement to do the interview, said:

"My goal is to be in the top 100 most-visited sites on the Internet in two years," and "If I can corner the torrent market, everyone would rely on the site for profits, just as people look to Google for search-based advertising revenue."

Patrick, a YouTorrent representative, told torrentfreak.com, that "The YouTorrent project has grown very quickly and unfortunately is not in line with the owning company's core business."

Going legit might be this entrepeneur's attempt to make the site palatable for buyers, or it could have been part of the plan from the start. Either way, it will be interesting to see if anyone buys before YouTorrent sinks into irrelevance. [Source: BetaNews]

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Illegal File Search Site YouTorrent Says It's Going Legit originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 21 Apr 2008 07:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> expire-images2008-5-21illegal downloadsIllegalDownloadspiracytorrent switchedtips@gmail.com (Blake Besharian) Mon, 21 Apr 2008 07:33:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[British Village Attacked By Wikipedia Vandals]]> http://www.switched.com/2008/04/17/small-british-village-attacked-by-wikipedia-vandals/ http://www.switched.com/2008/04/17/small-british-village-attacked-by-wikipedia-vandals/ http://www.switched.com/2008/04/17/small-british-village-attacked-by-wikipedia-vandals/#comments


The Wikipedia entry on the tiny town of Denshaw says that it's a small village in the northwestern corner of England consisting of a few farmhouses, an inn, six pubs, and a two-classroom schoolhouse. Until recently though, Wikipedia also said it was home to a population infested with tapeworms and an inn filled with prostitutes. Sounds like an exciting place -- well, it would be, if any of that were true.

Recently, Denshaw has been the subject of some nasty Wikipedia hoaxes. Anonymous users have posted that the village consists of four obese and malnourished residents, who suffer because the hills block out all but a few hours of sunlight daily. Other attacks have included a post that "none of the girls there are fit" and that the local brass band competition is celebrated by "cow shooting, rock rolling, and sheep hurling".

The residents of Denshaw have a surprisingly lighthearted take on the whole thing. "I think it's absolutely hilarious," says local parish councillor Ken Hulme, who originally discovered the Wikipedia spoofs. "The BBC could do with finding out who's responsible and giving them a job as a scriptwriter."

Looks like John Siegenthaler could take a page from their book. [Source: The Daily Mail]

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British Village Attacked By Wikipedia Vandals originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 17 Apr 2008 21:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> breaking newsBreakingNewsexpire-images2008-5-17online hoaxesOnlineHoaxeswikipedia switchedtips@gmail.com (Blake Besharian) Thu, 17 Apr 2008 21:12:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Remote-Control Car Plays Super Mario Theme On Water Bottles (Video)]]> http://www.switched.com/2008/04/16/remote-control-car-plays-super-mario-theme-on-water-bottles-vid/ http://www.switched.com/2008/04/16/remote-control-car-plays-super-mario-theme-on-water-bottles-vid/ http://www.switched.com/2008/04/16/remote-control-car-plays-super-mario-theme-on-water-bottles-vid/#comments

This video made us so nostalgic for the '80s that we just had to share. In the clip, an anonymous Chinese man has arranged a row of bottles filled with varying levels of liquid in a parking garage. Each of the bottles is filled with the right amount of water to play specific notes in the Super Mario Bros video game theme. The bottles are lined up in the right order so that when a remote-control (RC) car runs along the row with a piece of metal strapped to it, the Mario theme plays.

While a man named Michel Lauzière has done similar things with roller skates and a Mozart theme, we gotta admit that this 'Mario Bros' trick is a little bit cooler. Besides, the look on that parking lot security guard's face is priceless. Nice one, random Chinese guy! [Source: Break.com, via Autoblog]

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Remote-Control Car Plays Super Mario Theme On Water Bottles (Video) originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 16 Apr 2008 16:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> marioweird switchedtips@gmail.com (Blake Besharian) Wed, 16 Apr 2008 16:19:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Secret Scientology Materials Available On Wikileaks]]> http://www.switched.com/2008/04/15/secret-scientology-materials-available-on-wikileaks/ http://www.switched.com/2008/04/15/secret-scientology-materials-available-on-wikileaks/ http://www.switched.com/2008/04/15/secret-scientology-materials-available-on-wikileaks/#comments



The Church of Scientology is mad at Wikileaks for posting several of their internal documents. The documents include e-mails and an entire part of their so called "OT levels", a piece of their secret bible. In response to the CoS's threats of retribution, Wikileaks says it will be releasing several thousand more documents next week.

We took a look at the stuff already posted on Wikileaks, specifically the document on "OT levels" and, while it's mostly unintelligible, there are some creepy bits that struck our fancy .

The "OT drills" are written in an unidentified scrawl and tell you to

"seat yourself unobtrusively where you can observe a number of people. Spot things and people you can have. Do to cognition. Note it."

Another tells you to

"Note some physical thing about yourself you don't like. Observing people, in them note that body part. Do to some change. Note it down."

It's not hard to imagine Tom and Katie doing this all day. In fact, the emphasis on observation would seem to make Scientology the perfect religion for an actor. It makes you wonder, though, if Scientology were real, and if that aforementioned drill worked, don't you think Tom would have used it to make himself taller by now?

From Fark

Secret Scientology Materials Available On Wikileaks originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 15 Apr 2008 12:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> switchedtips@gmail.com (Blake Besharian) Tue, 15 Apr 2008 12:06:00 EST Switched