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[Zoo Replaces Dead Polar Bears With Animatronic Ones, Shatters Dreams]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/17/zoo-replaces-dead-polar-bears-with-animatronic-ones-shatters-dr/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/17/zoo-replaces-dead-polar-bears-with-animatronic-ones-shatters-dr/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/17/zoo-replaces-dead-polar-bears-with-animatronic-ones-shatters-dr/#comments What's the story, Missouri? All the rest of the states enjoy technology. We surf on the Facebook, and send the textings, and play 'The World of the Warcraft,' and so forth. And you know what? We have fun with it. But you -- you, Missouri -- you have to go and pee on our parade, don't you? You have to take technology and make it evil.

Well, Mizzou, we've had enough. We don't know what's more disturbing: the Post-Dispatch's report that the St. Louis Zoo has replaced its deceased polar bears with animatronic ones, or that the paper didn't deem it worthy of any further mention than the above photograph and caption. Or, rather, the above photograph and half-caption: "James Williams positions an electronic polar bear Thursday at the St. Louis Zoo. James Trogolo Co. sells holiday decorations." Allow us to offer this as an alternative: "James Williams installs an electronic polar bear at the St. Louis Zoo, disinstalls magic from children's lives, ruins Christmas and holidays for all of St. Louis." In the spirit of the great Abraham J. Simpson, may we say: for shame, Missouri. For shame. [From: St. Louis Post-Dispatch, via: Riverfront Times]

Zoo Replaces Dead Polar Bears With Animatronic Ones, Shatters Dreams originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 08:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> animalsanimatronicholidaypolar bearsPolarBearstopweirdzoo switchedtips@gmail.com (Lee Bains) Tue, 17 Nov 2009 08:25:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Phoneride the Whip: Drive Your Car With Your iPhone]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/11/phoneride-the-whip-drive-your-car-with-your-iphone/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/11/phoneride-the-whip-drive-your-car-with-your-iphone/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/11/phoneride-the-whip-drive-your-car-with-your-iphone/#comments
Anybody who's anybody familiar with Bay Area rap or viral video has long known about ghost-riding the whip. If you aren't among those music or Internet dorks, though, the idea of prancing around on the hood of an unmanned car, with the shifter in drive and brakes disengaged, might strike you as dangerous, or just dumb. We know. It's because it has nothing to do with your radical new iPhone, right?

Well, lucky for you, the team at National Instruments' Waterloo Labs can show you how to whip that ghost-ride into submission, smartphone-style. In the amazingly brief video (after the break), these fine young engineers explain how to transform your hooptie into a wirelessly controlled awesome-mobile. With little more than National Instruments' LabVIEW software, a Compact RIO, a couple small motors, one wireless router, and two open-end wrenches, these young Texans cruise Austin's roadways from the roof of their Oldsmobile Delta 88 -- accelerating, braking, and steering via an iPhone.

Continue reading Phoneride the Whip: Drive Your Car With Your iPhone

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Phoneride the Whip: Drive Your Car With Your iPhone originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> cardiyfunnyiphonetopwaterloo labsWaterlooLabswireless switchedtips@gmail.com (Lee Bains) Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:40:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[The Daily Engadget: Google's Free Airport Wi-Fi, T-Mobile Ditches myFaves]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/10/the-daily-engadget-googles-free-airport-wi-fi-t-mobile-ditche/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/10/the-daily-engadget-googles-free-airport-wi-fi-t-mobile-ditche/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/10/the-daily-engadget-googles-free-airport-wi-fi-t-mobile-ditche/#comments
Our friends over at Engadget obsessively cover everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics, which is why we compile this daily roundup of their top stuff (or, at least, what we think is tops). For more details on any of these stories, click on the Engadget links in each story below.

Google Gifts Wi-Fi For Christmas Travelers
There are few public spaces in this great land more depressing, irritating, and stressful than the airport. The holidays only make those terminals more terminal, with overbooked flights and delays due to wintry weather. Thankfully, Google is giving us all a big, fat Christmas gift: free Wi-Fi in many of the nation's major airports.

T-Mobile Set to Replace myFaves With Free Calling
Thanks to its advertising campaigns, even those of us without T-Mobile are aware of the carrier's myFaves service. The cell bigwig has bid farewell to that friendly function, though, announcing the new Even More plan, which will offer its subscribers unlimited voice minutes. Sounds good to us, as we each have more than five friends. (Like, at least, seven.) [From: Engadget]

Continue reading The Daily Engadget: Google's Free Airport Wi-Fi, T-Mobile Ditches myFaves

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The Daily Engadget: Google's Free Airport Wi-Fi, T-Mobile Ditches myFaves originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> thedailyengadgettop switchedtips@gmail.com (Lee Bains) Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:16:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[No Doubt Sues Activision Over Stefani's 'Band Hero' Avatar]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/06/no-doubt-sues-activision-over-stefanis-band-hero-avatar/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/06/no-doubt-sues-activision-over-stefanis-band-hero-avatar/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/06/no-doubt-sues-activision-over-stefanis-band-hero-avatar/#comments Yesteryear's teen ska sensations No Doubt have filed suit against Activision Blizzard, Inc. over a depiction of frontwoman Gwen Stefani in the new game 'Band Hero.' Although No Doubt signed a contract allowing Activision to use the band's music and likenesses, the lawsuit maintains that the contract did not give Activision clearance to feature Stefani's avatar lip-synching to the Rolling Stones' 'Honky Tonk Women,' as the company has apparently done. This lawsuit follows a similar one threatened by Courtney Love in September. The widow of Kurt Cobain, Love claims that she did not expressly authorize the company to defile use her departed husband's likeness in a 'Guitar Hero 5' rendition of a Bon Jovi tune.

According to Reuters, the band objects, in the lawsuit, to the idea of "the Stefani avatar in a male voice boasting about having sex with prostitutes." Why, No Doubt? Because the Stones write songs that have some kind of substance or grit to them? Because Stefani is a woman? Because to do so would be totally f'in punk rock? Listen, Gwen, we've seen Sleater-Kinney's Corin Tucker sing the hell out of Danzig's immortally gross words: "Father, gonna take your daughter out tonight/Gonna show her my world ... If you wanna find Hell with me/I can show you what it's like/Till your bleeding," and it was nothing short of rock'n'roll genius. We recommend you familiarize yourself, via this video, and start taking notes. [From: Reuters, via Pocket Link]

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No Doubt Sues Activision Over Stefani's 'Band Hero' Avatar originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 07:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> band heroBandHeroguitar heroGuitarHerogwen stefaniGwenStefanilawsuitmusicno doubtNoDoubtvideogames switchedtips@gmail.com (Lee Bains) Fri, 06 Nov 2009 07:30:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Dorky Don Juan Proposes During 'Super Mario World' Session]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/10/20/dorky-don-juan-proposes-during-super-mario-world-session/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/20/dorky-don-juan-proposes-during-super-mario-world-session/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/20/dorky-don-juan-proposes-during-super-mario-world-session/#comments When we finished watching this video (after the break) on Geek Sugar, we were a little surprised by our reactions. Sure, it's easy to make fun of this dude for: one, proposing to his girl in front of the living room TV (while she's playing 'Super Mario World,' no less); two, setting up a video camera to capture it; and, three, posting said video to YouTube. But the look in his eye, her immediate "Yes!," their embrace, and that little dog jumping up and down illustrates domestic bliss so idyllic that it's downright Rockwellian. Call us hopeless, but we think this pair of players is bound for some high scores. [From: Geek Sugar]

Continue reading Dorky Don Juan Proposes During 'Super Mario World' Session

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Dorky Don Juan Proposes During 'Super Mario World' Session originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 08:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> funnygeekmariomarriageproposaltopvideo gamesVideoGames switchedtips@gmail.com (Lee Bains) Tue, 20 Oct 2009 08:29:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Plastic Logic's Que Prepares to Take on the Kindle]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/10/19/plastic-logics-que-prepares-to-take-on-the-kindle/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/19/plastic-logics-que-prepares-to-take-on-the-kindle/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/19/plastic-logics-que-prepares-to-take-on-the-kindle/#comments With Google's recent announcement that it will be hopping into the e-book market, the door's been flung wide open for e-readers that might not have otherwise had a chance against Amazon's dominant Kindle. Among those contenders is a forthcoming device developed by Plastic Logic.

Set to debut at January's CES, the Que was briefly detailed in a statement released today by Plastic Logic. Aimed squarely at the business community, the Que builds on Plastic Logic's eReader model by supporting such biz-related files as Word, PowerPoint, and Excel documents, as well as PDFs. The Que's stylishly black, lightweight, 8.5-by-11-by-0.33-inch frame sure looks cool in the press photos, but we'll have to wait till January to see what it can really do. [From: All Things Digital, via Engadget]

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Plastic Logic's Que Prepares to Take on the Kindle originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> e-booke-readerplastic logicPlasticLogicquetop switchedtips@gmail.com (Lee Bains) Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:51:00 EST Switched <![CDATA['Glo' Bible Takes the Good Book Digital]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/10/17/glo-takes-the-good-book-digital/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/17/glo-takes-the-good-book-digital/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/17/glo-takes-the-good-book-digital/#comments
Like it or not, the face of the Church is rapidly changing. U2-esque guitars are increasingly taking the place of organs, praise songs the place of hymns and gospel favorites, and the New International Version (NIV) the place of the old King James. Some churches are even tweeting about it all. In keeping with those changes, one transatlantic pair of entrepreneurial believers is carrying the Good Book, itself, into the digital age.

According to Newsweek, Brazil's Nelson Saba, a former Citibank vice president, and Taiwanese businessman Phil Chen first met to discuss such a project three years ago. Friday, they launched Glo, a massive piece of Web-enabled software that aims to expound the NIV translation of the Holy Word with maps, images, and video from the Holy Land, along with encyclopedia articles and social-networking capabilities. On sale for $90 at the company's Web site and various retailers, the 18-gigabyte, Windows-compatible program boasts far too many features to be adequately summarized.

Continue reading 'Glo' Bible Takes the Good Book Digital

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'Glo' Bible Takes the Good Book Digital originally appeared on Switched on Sat, 17 Oct 2009 12:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> biblee-bookgloreligiontop switchedtips@gmail.com (Lee Bains) Sat, 17 Oct 2009 12:15:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[The Fray's Dave Welsh Is a Mac Man All the Way]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/10/15/the-frays-dave-welsh-is-a-mac-man-all-the-way/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/15/the-frays-dave-welsh-is-a-mac-man-all-the-way/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/15/the-frays-dave-welsh-is-a-mac-man-all-the-way/#comments

If you've glanced at the Billboard charts, Rolling Stone magazine, or your little sister's iPod over the past few years, you're bound to have seen the name: The Fray. Fronted by the piano-caressing crooner Isaac Slade, this Denver, Colorado four-piece has brought the mellow sounds of Coldplay and U2 back across the pond to great popular acclaim; since its debut in February, the band's most recent and eponymous album has already reached Billboard's number one spot and been certified gold. Unsurprisingly for a band whose songs are so indebted to effect-heavy soundscapes, the boys of The Fray are as hooked on gadgets as they are guitar pedals. Here, in our latest Switched Questionnaire, Fray guitarist Dave Welsh tells us about his (and the band's) techno-lust.

Continue reading The Fray's Dave Welsh Is a Mac Man All the Way

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The Fray's Dave Welsh Is a Mac Man All the Way originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 13:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> featuresmusicswitchedquestionnaireThe FrayTheFraytop switchedtips@gmail.com (Lee Bains) Thu, 15 Oct 2009 13:23:00 EST Switched <![CDATA['Brady Bunch' Star Launches Tech Support Hotline for Baby Boomers]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/10/13/brady-bunch-star-launches-tech-support-hotline-for-baby-boomer/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/13/brady-bunch-star-launches-tech-support-hotline-for-baby-boomer/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/13/brady-bunch-star-launches-tech-support-hotline-for-baby-boomer/#comments
In her role as the gentle matriarch of 'The Brady Bunch,' Florence Henderson served as a model for parents in the Baby Boomer generation, the first in American history to deal extensively with divorce, remarriage, and stepchildren. Bringing old-fashioned values to bear on the changing social landscape of the '70s, Henderson did a lot more as Carol Brady than to simply provide corny jokes and re-run fodder. Now, according to the New York Times, she's aiming to bring that same generation into the 21st century with her FloH Club.

"I didn't grow up with technology," Henderson explained to the Times. "It's like learning a new language." And learned a new language she has; Ms. Brady is now an active user of text messaging, Facebook, and Skype. Knowing firsthand the hurdles standing between the Baby Boom and the Tech Boom, she decided to start the FloH Club -- a tech support service aimed squarely at adults. "It's like roadside assistance for computers," she further explains. Staffed by professionals who are screened for their patience and ability to speak plain English, the FloH Club's telephone hotline is up and running seven days a week, from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. Eastern time. For $25 a month, or $250 a year, members can get guidance on anything from HDMI cables to HTML code.

Continue reading 'Brady Bunch' Star Launches Tech Support Hotline for Baby Boomers

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'Brady Bunch' Star Launches Tech Support Hotline for Baby Boomers originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 18:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> baby boomersBabyBoomerscelebrityexpire-images:2010-10-12floh clubFlohClubflorence hendersonFlorenceHendersontech supportTechSupporttop switchedtips@gmail.com (Lee Bains) Tue, 13 Oct 2009 18:06:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[USB Prank Device Will Make Your Office Mates Hate You]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/10/13/usb-computer-prankster-will-make-everyone-in-the-office-hate-you/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/13/usb-computer-prankster-will-make-everyone-in-the-office-hate-you/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/13/usb-computer-prankster-will-make-everyone-in-the-office-hate-you/#comments We're hesitant to tell anybody about the USB Computer Prankster, but since most of us work from home here [Ed. Note: Thanks, Lee], and thus aren't afraid of this thing being used on us, we'll just selfishly throw the rest of you to the wolves. While this little doohickey might appear to be a run-of-the-mill USB drive, it's far more insidious. Those little switches on the side don't merely engage the Caps Lock function, keyboard, or mouse, but rather make them go totally haywire.

A cyber saboteur can sneak to your cubicle, plug this sucker in an out-of-the-way USB port, roll back the time delay, engage the switches, and escape -- by the time you're back at your desk with a fresh cup of coffee. Moments later, you're dragging a very important document into a very important folder, and your mouse cursor will lose control and bounce around the screen like a chihuahua on a meth binge.

Continue reading USB Prank Device Will Make Your Office Mates Hate You

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USB Prank Device Will Make Your Office Mates Hate You originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> funnynoveltyofficepranktopusb switchedtips@gmail.com (Lee Bains) Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:18:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Conan Asks USB Co-Inventor What He Has Against Firewire]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/10/12/conan-asks-usb-co-inventor-about-vendetta-against-firewire-creat/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/12/conan-asks-usb-co-inventor-about-vendetta-against-firewire-creat/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/12/conan-asks-usb-co-inventor-about-vendetta-against-firewire-creat/#comments
For a recent episode of 'The Tonight Show,' hilarious troublemaker Conan O'Brien sat down with Intel's Ajay Bhatt, the co-inventor of the USB port (video after the break). As befits the man who indirectly brought us data-storing neckties and heated mousepads, the ensuing interview was -- in a word -- ridiculous. Watch as O'Brien asks Bhatt the tough questions. Does he hate the inventor of Firewire? Would he bring up the USB in general conversation in order to score chicks?

We do find it somewhat ironic that this interview -- with somebody not in the entertainment biz -- is far more entertaining than most of Conan's interviews with those who are. Might we be so bold to propose a regular segment called: 'Get to Know Your Middle-School Science Teacher.' [From: Engadget]

Continue reading Conan Asks USB Co-Inventor What He Has Against Firewire

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Conan Asks USB Co-Inventor What He Has Against Firewire originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 12 Oct 2009 20:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> ajay bhattAjayBhattconan obrienConanObrienfunnyinteltonight showTonightShowtvusbusb driveUsbDrive switchedtips@gmail.com (Lee Bains) Mon, 12 Oct 2009 20:05:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Drew Carey Ups Twitter Name Bid to $1 Million]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/10/08/drew-carey-ups-twitter-name-bid-to-1m/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/08/drew-carey-ups-twitter-name-bid-to-1m/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/08/drew-carey-ups-twitter-name-bid-to-1m/#comments
Earlier in the week we told of Drew Carey's promise to put $100,000 towards the LiveStrong Foundation in exchange for the Twitter name @Drew, if he were to amass 100,000 followers by November 9th. The Twitter handle in question is owned by one Drew Olanoff, who was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year and has effectively donated his user name to Lance Armstrong's cancer-fighting fund. Well, according to Mashable, Armstrong, Olanoff, and cancer-haters everywhere will be pleased to learn that Carey has thrown yet more money into the pot.

In a conversation with CBS News yesterday (video after the break), Carey promised that, if his current account (@DrewFromTV) were to boast 1 million followers by midnight, December 31st, 2009, he would donate a staggering $1 million to the Livestrong Foundation. (We don't really understand why he's trying to attract followers to a Twitter name he presumably plans on ditching, but we'll hold our tongues.) After all, it is one million dollars. He also explained that he would donate gradated amounts; for instance, if he were to reach 500,000 followers, he'd donate $500,000. Are you still reading this? Will you follow the dude already?! [From: CBS News, via Mashable]

Continue reading Drew Carey Ups Twitter Name Bid to $1 Million

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Drew Carey Ups Twitter Name Bid to $1 Million originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 07:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> celebritycharitydrew careyDrewCareylivestrongtoptwitter switchedtips@gmail.com (Lee Bains) Thu, 08 Oct 2009 07:36:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Flight Attendant Hits on Teen Girl via Facebook]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/10/07/flight-attendant-hits-on-teen-girl-via-facebook-airline-apologi/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/07/flight-attendant-hits-on-teen-girl-via-facebook-airline-apologi/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/07/flight-attendant-hits-on-teen-girl-via-facebook-airline-apologi/#comments
Perhaps Australian airline Jetstar should look across the Pacific a little more often. If it were to have done so, it would have noticed stateside corporations' prevalent bans of social networking sites, and potentially saved themselves from some considerable embarrassment.

According to News.com.au, a woman identified only as Elizabeth has complained to the airline of a male flight attendant who, she claims, harassed her 15-year-old daughter after spotting her on a flight. According to Elizabeth, neither she nor her two daughters gave their names to the man during the flight last month. Regardless, the 15 year old got home, checked her Facebook, and found a friend request from the guy. After she denied the request, he continued to pester the girl with messages, her mother says.

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Flight Attendant Hits on Teen Girl via Facebook originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 07 Oct 2009 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> airlinesautraliafacebookfacebook face lossFacebookFaceLossjetstartopwork switchedtips@gmail.com (Lee Bains) Wed, 07 Oct 2009 18:01:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Stewart Copeland Double-Fists the BlackBerry and the iPhone]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/10/06/stewart-copeland-double-fists-the-blackberry-and-the-iphone/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/06/stewart-copeland-double-fists-the-blackberry-and-the-iphone/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/06/stewart-copeland-double-fists-the-blackberry-and-the-iphone/#comments Forever known for his role as the steady hand driving the Police's white-boy reggae (and the lanky American whose surfer-dude demeanor buoyed Sting's British flamboyance), Stewart Copeland has earned his place in the pantheon of pop music. Since those halcyon days, he hasn't exactly retired to the couch, having shared the stage with artists ranging from neo-proggers Oysterhead to alt. rock stalwarts the Foo Fighters. Now, the lauded drummer has added the vocation of author to his resume. This month, HarperStudio will publish his autobiography 'Strange Things Happen,' wherein he chronicles his life, from his beginnings as a CIA brat to his place on the drum throne with the Police's reunion tour. Finding time between his myriad projects, he found time last month to sit down with us and talk gadgetry.

Continue reading Stewart Copeland Double-Fists the BlackBerry and the iPhone

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Stewart Copeland Double-Fists the BlackBerry and the iPhone originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 06 Oct 2009 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> booksfeaturesstewartcopelandswitchedquestionnairethepolicetop switchedtips@gmail.com (Lee Bains) Tue, 06 Oct 2009 12:45:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[If You're Happy and You Know It... Facebook Knows It, Too]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/10/06/if-youre-happy-and-you-know-it-facebook-knows-it-too/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/06/if-youre-happy-and-you-know-it-facebook-knows-it-too/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/06/if-youre-happy-and-you-know-it-facebook-knows-it-too/#comments At this point, we're all aware that Facebook knows far too much about us. It can apparently be used to detect our sexual orientations and, well, just about anything else about us, really. Today, though, the reigning champion of social networking has begun peering not only into our lives, but into our very hearts.

Under the title 'How Happy Are We?,' Facebook intern and Ph.D. student Adam Kramer today unveiled the 'Gross National Happiness Index' in the Facebook Blog. Having tracked key words in U.S. users' status updates over the past two years, Facebook analysts have determined Facebookers' collectively happiest and saddest days. Far and away, the four happiest days were the Thanksgivings and Christmases of both years, while the fifth happiest was Easter of 2008, seeing a happiness rating of 12. Interestingly, that's a significant leap from the prior Easter, which only saw a rating of 4. Could it be that the day celebrating Jesus's victory over death more fully resonated with believers in what was, for many, a time of financial fear and strife?

Continue reading If You're Happy and You Know It... Facebook Knows It, Too

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If You're Happy and You Know It... Facebook Knows It, Too originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 06 Oct 2009 07:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> facebookgross national happiness indexGrossNationalHappinessIndexhappypsychologysadsocial networkingSocialNetworkingtop switchedtips@gmail.com (Lee Bains) Tue, 06 Oct 2009 07:30:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Scammers Expose Thousands of Hotmail Passwords, Microsoft Confirms]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/10/05/scammers-expose-thousands-of-hotmail-passwords-microsoft-confir/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/05/scammers-expose-thousands-of-hotmail-passwords-microsoft-confir/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/05/scammers-expose-thousands-of-hotmail-passwords-microsoft-confir/#comments Just today, news broke that an anonymous user of PasteBin.com, a legitimate site marketed to software developers, posted more than 10,000 Hotmail addresses and passwords to the site last Thursday. According to NeoWin, most of the addresses appear to belong to European users, and all seem to be authentic. As shocking as it may be to find out that a benign site like PasteBin could host (albeit unwittingly -- reports have come in suggesting that the PasteBin user account was hacked) such grossly illegal content, TheNextWeb tells us we shouldn't be particularly surprised. A recent blog post on the site reports that a quick Google search will yield several PasteBin posts containing the passwords for thousands of Hotmail, Yahoo!, and even Gmail accounts.

NeoWin has alerted Microsoft to the problem and PasteBin has taken down the original Hotmail posting. Still, we should all stay on our toes. Today would be a good day to change that e-mail password. It'll only take a couple minutes, and might save you a lot of grief. [From: NeoWin, via TheNextWeb]

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Scammers Expose Thousands of Hotmail Passwords, Microsoft Confirms originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 05 Oct 2009 17:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> emailgmailhackhotmailsecuritytopYahooMail switchedtips@gmail.com (Lee Bains) Mon, 05 Oct 2009 17:12:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Woman Finds Bank Account Hacked, With $27k Extra]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/10/05/woman-reports-illegal-27k-deposit-account-is-closed-for-her-tr/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/05/woman-reports-illegal-27k-deposit-account-is-closed-for-her-tr/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/05/woman-reports-illegal-27k-deposit-account-is-closed-for-her-tr/#comments In a strange twist on a now familiar story, an English woman last May found that her bank account had been accessed by criminals and that the money therein had increased. Amanda Fothergill, 40, of Darlington, received a phone call from a stranger who claimed to have deposited a substantial amount of money in her account. Shocked, Fothergill checked her balance only to discover a brand new deposit of £17,200 (around $27,500). The crook, who would call in ensuing weeks as frequently as once a day, tried to convince Fothergill to transfer £14,000 to another account, leaving her with £3,000 for her trouble. For her part, Fothergill wasted no time in notifying both the police and her bank, Abbey. Sadly enough, her prompt honesty was not exactly rewarded.

Continue reading Woman Finds Bank Account Hacked, With $27k Extra

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Woman Finds Bank Account Hacked, With $27k Extra originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 05 Oct 2009 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> bankshackidentity theftIdentityTheftsecuritytop switchedtips@gmail.com (Lee Bains) Mon, 05 Oct 2009 13:29:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[How Your Germ-Filled Office Can Get You Sick]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/10/04/watch-out-for-these-germ-filled-office-hot-spots/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/04/watch-out-for-these-germ-filled-office-hot-spots/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/04/watch-out-for-these-germ-filled-office-hot-spots/#comments
We know it. You're sick. Everybody you know is sick. Hell, we're so sick, we've replaced our coffee breaks with coughing breaks. Whether the swine flu, allergies, or the mysterious 'crud,' maladies are first and foremost in the public consciousness these days, and the raging debate over health care isn't doing much to allay concerns. With that in mind, the Wall Street Journal has launched its own investigation to identify the "germiest" places we encounter on a daily basis. Near the top of the list? Brace yourselves, brave workers.

The office building or *shudder* complex is likely the most rampant germ-hole through which you trudge in your everyday escapades. Charles Gerba, a microbiologist at the University of Arizona's Department of Soil, Water and Environmental Science, told the Journal, "The biggest risks are in areas of high contact -- like the hundreds of people who have touched that escalator rail before you did." Gerba also noted that, due to frequent contact with food and grimy hands, and due to the fact that they're rarely disinfected, office desks host, on average, 400 times as many germs as do toilet seats. Women's offices are apparently twice as germ-filled as men's, largely due to the mold and yeast produced by improperly stored food.

Continue reading How Your Germ-Filled Office Can Get You Sick

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How Your Germ-Filled Office Can Get You Sick originally appeared on Switched on Sun, 04 Oct 2009 12:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> germshealthofficetopworkworkplace switchedtips@gmail.com (Lee Bains) Sun, 04 Oct 2009 12:15:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Geeks Bring Vehicular Dorkery to License Plates]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/10/04/geeks-bring-vehicular-dorkery-to-license-plates/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/04/geeks-bring-vehicular-dorkery-to-license-plates/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/04/geeks-bring-vehicular-dorkery-to-license-plates/#comments
Computer geeks aren't too often regarded as vain. In fact, it has been scientifically proven that most bloggers, for instance, every morning, squeeze their disheveled, unshorn heads through the necks of their coffee-stained T-shirts, drape themselves in their unwashed, ill fitting sweat pants, plop down on the couch, and proceed to dust their keyboards with the remains of white powdered donuts.

Apparently, though, geeks' lack of private, physical vanity does not cross over into the public, automotive realm. Nerds who are into technology, it seems, are just as likely to festoon their cars with vanity tags as nerds who aren't into technology. (Because, really, if you have a vanity tag, aren't you really just a nerd?) Behold the vehicular dorkery at Interbent's 'Cool License Plates for Internet Geeks.' At the very least, they'll make you feel better about yourself. [From: Interbent]

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Geeks Bring Vehicular Dorkery to License Plates originally appeared on Switched on Sun, 04 Oct 2009 10:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> carfunnygeek chicGeekChictopvanity platesVanityPlates switchedtips@gmail.com (Lee Bains) Sun, 04 Oct 2009 10:12:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Airlines Offer Green, Conscience-Soothing Carbon Offset Packages]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/09/30/airlines-offer-green-conscience-soothing-carbon-offset-packages/ http://www.switched.com/2009/09/30/airlines-offer-green-conscience-soothing-carbon-offset-packages/ http://www.switched.com/2009/09/30/airlines-offer-green-conscience-soothing-carbon-offset-packages/#comments The business of guilt removal has been around for a lot longer than Sally Struthers's quavering-voiced pleas for the children and Jim Bakker's patronizing smiles. Now, the San Francisco International Airport has joined those ranks with its three brand new Climate Passport kiosks. In exchange for good old U.S. greenbacks, these ATMs of environmental righteousness grant a passenger-patron a certificate indicating that his or her money has been earmarked for preservation efforts at the Garcia River forest in Mendocino County, California.

The price of an eco-indulgence depends on the length of a passenger's trip; to offset the contaminants of a shuttle flight costs a few bucks, ranging to $70 for an international voyage. Ari Zeskoe, the first passenger to thus purchase self-satisfaction, wasn't entirely, well, satisfied. Noting that his certificate did mention the Garcia River efforts, he told NPR, "I suppose that's what it goes to, but I'm not entirely sure."

Continue reading Airlines Offer Green, Conscience-Soothing Carbon Offset Packages

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Airlines Offer Green, Conscience-Soothing Carbon Offset Packages originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 17:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> airportcarboncarbon footprintCarbonFootprintgreentop switchedtips@gmail.com (Lee Bains) Wed, 30 Sep 2009 17:02:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Louisville Slugger-Approved Wii Bat Lets You Strike Out in Style]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/09/29/louisville-slugger-approved-wii-bat-lets-you-strike-out-in-style/ http://www.switched.com/2009/09/29/louisville-slugger-approved-wii-bat-lets-you-strike-out-in-style/ http://www.switched.com/2009/09/29/louisville-slugger-approved-wii-bat-lets-you-strike-out-in-style/#comments
We've seen our fair share of appropriately shaped, if absurd, Wii remotes: the Wii bowling ball, the Wii spray paint can, and the Wii maracas. Now, for enthusiasts of 'Wii Sports' and other baseball titles, Solutions 2 Go brings the officially licensed Louisville Slugger bat attachment to your Wii-mote. It's made of foam, costs $15 at Toys R Us, and snaps onto your separately sold Wii remote. If the developers were looking to make truckloads of money from a thimble full of investments, we figure they just knocked the ball out of the park. [From: Toys R Us, via Dvice]

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Louisville Slugger-Approved Wii Bat Lets You Strike Out in Style originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 29 Sep 2009 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> nintendonoveltytopwiiwii sportswiimoteWiiSports switchedtips@gmail.com (Lee Bains) Tue, 29 Sep 2009 17:15:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Honda U3-X Suggests Future Mobility Involves Unicycle Segways]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/09/24/honda-u3-x-suggests-future-mobility-involves-unicycle-segways/ http://www.switched.com/2009/09/24/honda-u3-x-suggests-future-mobility-involves-unicycle-segways/ http://www.switched.com/2009/09/24/honda-u3-x-suggests-future-mobility-involves-unicycle-segways/#comments
Imagine our surprise when we saw, early this morning, that Engadget had posted evidence of this extreme transportational weirdness. Just when we thought that the world at large had come to some sort of consensus -- a peace accord, if you will -- and decided, once and for all, that the Segway was the most ridiculous, least useful, and dorkiest transportive innovation since the unicycle, Honda had to go and bring back the Segway -- in the form of a unicycle. (Now we know what the human race felt like when the gremlins came back in 'Gremlins 2.')

Dubbed the U3-X, this nerd-mobile will make its debut at the Tokyo Motor Show next month. Fortunately, as of right now, Honda has not reported any definite plans to introduce it to the marketplace. [From: Engadget]

Continue reading Honda U3-X Suggests Future Mobility Involves Unicycle Segways

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Honda U3-X Suggests Future Mobility Involves Unicycle Segways originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 24 Sep 2009 13:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> hondajapanscootersegwaytopu3-xunicycleweird switchedtips@gmail.com (Lee Bains) Thu, 24 Sep 2009 13:21:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Deputies Take Down Escaped Emu With Taser, Handcuffs]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/09/23/deputies-take-down-escaped-emu-with-taser-handcuffs/ http://www.switched.com/2009/09/23/deputies-take-down-escaped-emu-with-taser-handcuffs/ http://www.switched.com/2009/09/23/deputies-take-down-escaped-emu-with-taser-handcuffs/#comments
Last Friday, sheriff's deputies in Scott County, Mississippi began hearing reports of two escaped emus terrorizing (okay, maybe not terrorizing) the area around the small city of Forest. Unable to find the flightless felons, deputies continued to field calls over the weekend, until finally this past Sunday, they located one of the winged renegades where it was weaving through traffic on Interstate 20. Seeing as it's safe to assume the bird-brained critter wasn't hearing any sense, officers were forced to use a Taser, later slapping handcuffs on the fallen fowl. (Be sure to check out the UPI link's Related Stories section, which provides a glimpse into the world of Deep South emu escapades.)

While trying to locate the emus' owner and the other emu, officials will be keeping the incarcerated bird at the Scott County Forest Coliseum. Since a quick Google search yields links to only two Mississippi emu farms, and since one of them lies only 40-odd miles east of Forest, in Meridian, we think we just might have their answer. You can send the reward to Switched, officers. [From: UPI]

Deputies Take Down Escaped Emu With Taser, Handcuffs originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 23 Sep 2009 18:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> animalsemufunnypolicestun gunStunGuntasertop switchedtips@gmail.com (Lee Bains) Wed, 23 Sep 2009 18:24:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[How to Use T-Pain's Auto-Tune in GarageBand]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/09/21/bring-the-t-pain-with-garagebands-auto-tune/ http://www.switched.com/2009/09/21/bring-the-t-pain-with-garagebands-auto-tune/ http://www.switched.com/2009/09/21/bring-the-t-pain-with-garagebands-auto-tune/#comments
You've probably never before heard this from your grandparents, parents, uncle, older sibling, the burnout dude at the record store, or that guy with the Prince Valiant/Johnny Ramone haircut hanging out in the corner of your favorite dive bar, but -- over the years -- music has changed. Even more than musical styles, themselves, the processes and equipment associated with recording music, particularly at home, have evolved. When we were kids, we'd record to boomboxes. Later, we graduated to four-tracks. Eventually, once Macs entered the mainstream, we moved along to the program GarageBand, which proved easy to use, even for lo-fi luddites.

Just as a four-track enabled Beck to hit the big time, some home-recording savant might soon have a career of T-Pain proportions, thanks to Download Squad's instructions for using Auto-Tune in GarageBand. As typical of Garageband, the four steps are remarkably intuitive. As for hipping you to this undeniably awesome how-to, don't mention it. Just be sure to thank Switched when you're accepting your Grammy for 'Euro-Trash Dance Single of the Year.' [From: Download Squad]

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How to Use T-Pain's Auto-Tune in GarageBand originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 21 Sep 2009 08:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> auto tuneAutoTunediygaragebandhome recordingHomeRecordingmacmusicrecordingtop switchedtips@gmail.com (Lee Bains) Mon, 21 Sep 2009 08:31:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Rube Goldberg-esque Video Shows Off Non-Touch Tech]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/09/16/rube-goldberg-esque-video-shows-off-non-touch-tech/ http://www.switched.com/2009/09/16/rube-goldberg-esque-video-shows-off-non-touch-tech/ http://www.switched.com/2009/09/16/rube-goldberg-esque-video-shows-off-non-touch-tech/#comments


For quite some time now, we have been able to engage computer systems by simply touching an interface, whether it be with a credit card or a bare finger. Increasingly, though, such systems are becoming antiquated. Why bother touching something when you can just almost touch something? The folks at NearField.org, in conjunction with design consultancy BERG, designed the Rube Goldberg-like machine above in order to illustrate the efficacy and overall coolness of proximity-based interaction. Our take? Pretty dang cool. [From: NearField.org and BERG, via Speedbird]

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Rube Goldberg-esque Video Shows Off Non-Touch Tech originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 16 Sep 2009 07:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> cooldesignproximitytoptouch screenTouchScreenvideo switchedtips@gmail.com (Lee Bains) Wed, 16 Sep 2009 07:31:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Airline Mistakenly Announces Emergency, Facebook: @Twitter, Eat This!]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/09/15/airline-mistakenly-announces-emergency-facebook-twitter-eat/ http://www.switched.com/2009/09/15/airline-mistakenly-announces-emergency-facebook-twitter-eat/ http://www.switched.com/2009/09/15/airline-mistakenly-announces-emergency-facebook-twitter-eat/#comments

Highlights from this morning's other big tech headlines...
  • The crew on an Aer Lingus flight between Dublin and Paris accidentally played the wrong French-language public announcement, and thus mistakenly warned French-speaking passengers of an emergency landing. One English-speaking passenger was quoted as saying, "All the French totally freaked out." [From: Telegraph]
  • Back in olden times (the 1990s, to be exact), parents would follow the long, winding telephone cord from the kitchen to where it disappeared under a closet door. Inside, their pre-teen girl would be on the phone with the pre-recorded voice of her teen idol. That tactic has returned with the SayNow service, with more contemporary celebrities like Miley Cyrus. Watch those phone bills, parents. [From: New York Times]
  • Today, the French National Assembly will vote on legislation that could potentially sever illegal downloaders' Internet access. Based on a 'three-strike' policy, the proposed law -- if passed -- would almost certainly have global effects. [From: BBC News]
  • Eighteen million adults are now expected to use Twitter at least once a month over the course of 2009. In related news, people are more boring than ever. [From: eMarketer]
  • Facebook has successfully landed its latest volley against Twitter with the implementation of tags in status updates. Infringing on tweeters' most beloved territory, Facebook users can now, too, pester specific friends with their inane ramblings. [From: DigitalBeat]
  • Fashion designer Vivienne Tam has broken with tradition by offering a high-tech, presumably plugged-in purse. In keeping with tradition, it's sure to be way too weird and expensive for anybody we know. [From: Engadget]
  • The same company that brought voice chat to Second Life is bringing gabbing to Facebook. Boston's Vivox will, in the next few weeks, enable Facebook users to sync up and speak to each other. Like, with their voices! [CNET]

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Airline Mistakenly Announces Emergency, Facebook: @Twitter, Eat This! originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 15 Sep 2009 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> morningxtratop switchedtips@gmail.com (Lee Bains) Tue, 15 Sep 2009 11:29:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[More Folks Listening to Net Radio on Their Phones]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/09/13/internet-radio-taking-leap-from-the-desktop-to-the-pocket/ http://www.switched.com/2009/09/13/internet-radio-taking-leap-from-the-desktop-to-the-pocket/ http://www.switched.com/2009/09/13/internet-radio-taking-leap-from-the-desktop-to-the-pocket/#comments At this point, free Internet radio stations abound, but one of our perennial favorites has been Pandora.com. (Go on and sign up; you'll see.) Based on an admirably well researched database called The Music Genome Project, Pandora automatically generates a customizable playlist based on whatever song or artist you choose, explaining exactly why each song has been selected in remarkably musical terms. Many a late night at work has been made infinitely more bearable thanks to its intuitive and automatic operation.

Now, according to the New York Times's Bits Blog, the radio station is taking an almost unwitting leap from laptops to smartphones. (Pandora now offers apps for Android, iPhone, BlackBerry and Palm Pre.) While each day sees 65,000 music lovers sign up for Pandora's free service, a full 45,000 of them are registering not on their computers, but on their phones.

Continue reading More Folks Listening to Net Radio on Their Phones

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More Folks Listening to Net Radio on Their Phones originally appeared on Switched on Sun, 13 Sep 2009 13:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> androidappsblackberryinternet radioInternetRadioiphonepalm prePalmPrepandoraradiosmartphonetop switchedtips@gmail.com (Lee Bains) Sun, 13 Sep 2009 13:45:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Courtney Love to Sue 'Guitar Hero' Maker Over Lame Cobain Avatar]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/09/11/courtney-love-to-sue-guitar-hero-maker-over-lame-cobain-avatar/ http://www.switched.com/2009/09/11/courtney-love-to-sue-guitar-hero-maker-over-lame-cobain-avatar/ http://www.switched.com/2009/09/11/courtney-love-to-sue-guitar-hero-maker-over-lame-cobain-avatar/#comments

As unbelievable as it may sound, some of the Switched office's 20- and 30-somethings aren't, and never have been, Nirvana fans. Even the ambivalent among us, though, find the above video -- an excerpt from 'Guitar Hero 5' -- to be cringe-inducing, if not flat-out wrong. You're right; that's Kurt Cobain, the iconic (hair in the) face of Gen X and Y's disaffection. And, right again, he's mimicking Flavor Flav, throwing open the Creed arms, and prancing about while singing Bon Jovi. In a word, that ain't right.

Since 'Guitar Hero 5' debuted early this month, all the heavyweights have leapt into the ring over Cobain's avatar, Rolling Stone reports. Former bandmates Dave Grohl and Krist Novaselic (who together own two-thirds of Nirvana's music) said in a statement yesterday: "We want people to know that we are dismayed and very disappointed in the way a facsimile of Kurt is used in the Guitar Hero game. The name and likeness of Kurt Cobain are the sole property of his estate [Ed. - Read: Courtney Love] -- we have no control whatsoever in that area."

Continue reading Courtney Love to Sue 'Guitar Hero' Maker Over Lame Cobain Avatar

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Courtney Love to Sue 'Guitar Hero' Maker Over Lame Cobain Avatar originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 11 Sep 2009 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> courtney loveCourtneyLoveguitar heroguitar hero 5GuitarHeroGuitarHero5kurt cobainKurtCobainnirvanatop switchedtips@gmail.com (Lee Bains) Fri, 11 Sep 2009 12:45:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[NASA Levitates Mice With Magnetic Fields]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/09/11/nasa-levitates-mice-with-magnetic-fields/ http://www.switched.com/2009/09/11/nasa-levitates-mice-with-magnetic-fields/ http://www.switched.com/2009/09/11/nasa-levitates-mice-with-magnetic-fields/#comments
We could tell you all the scientific stuff right out of the box, but first things first, good readers. Mice are now capable of flight. Or, at least, float, thanks to the efforts of NASA scientists.

Apparently not content with pigeons, researchers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California have successfully used magnetic fields to introduce yet another species of filthy vermin to our skies. According to LiveScience, the secret lies in a superconducting magnet that so strongly attracts a living body's water content that the body itself will actually float. The mice apparently levitate in comfy, climate-controlled cages. In time, the mice grow accustomed to the microgravity -- eating, drinking and being filthy just as they normally would. The study is intended to give scientists a better understanding of bone loss in astronauts.

Continue reading NASA Levitates Mice With Magnetic Fields

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NASA Levitates Mice With Magnetic Fields originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 11 Sep 2009 08:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> astronautgravitymicrogravitynasaspacetop switchedtips@gmail.com (Lee Bains) Fri, 11 Sep 2009 08:29:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[President Obama Warns Kids About Dumb Facebooking]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/09/09/president-obama-warns-kids-about-dumb-facebooking/ http://www.switched.com/2009/09/09/president-obama-warns-kids-about-dumb-facebooking/ http://www.switched.com/2009/09/09/president-obama-warns-kids-about-dumb-facebooking/#comments Listen, children, we've warned you about posting your youthful indiscretions on Facebook and the likely ramifications. We've told you to be wary of what you post, as employers -- actual or potential -- will almost certainly scrutinize your profile, possibly firing or declining to hire you if they don't like what they see. We've given you example after example after example. So, what do you do? You post incriminating comments on Facebook and get yourselves fired. Oh, we know. Nobody wants to listen to those dumb old dweebs at Switched. Well, would you maybe listen to the President of the United States?

During President Obama's address to the nation's youth yesterday, one student asked how a youngster might become president. "Well, let me give you some very practical tips," the President answered. "First of all, I want everybody here to be careful about what you post on Facebook, because in the YouTube age, whatever you do, it will be pulled up again later somewhere in your life." Check out the video after the break (Obama's answer starts around 2:00).

Continue reading President Obama Warns Kids About Dumb Facebooking

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President Obama Warns Kids About Dumb Facebooking originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 09 Sep 2009 14:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> barack obamaBarackObamaemploymentfacebookfacebook face lossFacebookFaceLosskidssocial networkingSocialNetworking switchedtips@gmail.com (Lee Bains) Wed, 09 Sep 2009 14:25:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Man Spies on New Owner of Stolen Computer via Apple's MobileMe]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/08/31/man-tracks-down-stolen-laptop-with-apples-mobileme/ http://www.switched.com/2009/08/31/man-tracks-down-stolen-laptop-with-apples-mobileme/ http://www.switched.com/2009/08/31/man-tracks-down-stolen-laptop-with-apples-mobileme/#comments
Earlier, we reported the story of a robbery victim who used his stolen iPhone's GPS application to track down his purloined phone and, thus, the suspected thieves. In other crime-fighting Mac news, The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) reports that an anonymous contributor dubbed 'Jim' has gotten a tip on the location of his stolen laptop -- thanks to Apple's MobileMe, a program that enables users to sync several computers.

Since police are currently investigating, the report is intentionally vague, but what is apparent is the Apple program's role in the potential capture of these suspected ne'er-do-wells. After Jim's home was invaded, and his two Macs and one PC stolen, he glumly forked over the cash for a new MacBook Pro. Smartly, Jim had backed up his former computers' files to a Time Machine drive, so he went about restoring the files. In doing so, he opened up MobileMe to discover one of his former computers listed as being synced to the new MacBook. Enabling the screen-sharing function, Jim was able to bring up the other computer's screen and watched as somebody searched for winning lottery numbers. Although MobileMe allows the option of taking control of a synced computer, Jim, again smartly, resisted. Instead, once its screen fell motionless, he snuck in, acquired an IP address, and took a screenshot. This morning, according to the report, Jim spied the phantom user applying for a job online. Just as easy as pie, Jim was able to snag a Social Security Number, address, and phone number straight off the form. (Ouch.)

Although the investigation is still very much underway, we think it's safe to say that Jim's computer will be restored to him, and that the glowing Apple logo will continue to scare away potential thieves. [From: TUAW]

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Man Spies on New Owner of Stolen Computer via Apple's MobileMe originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 31 Aug 2009 18:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> applecrimedumbdumb criminalDumbCriminalmacmobilemerobberytop switchedtips@gmail.com (Lee Bains) Mon, 31 Aug 2009 18:50:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Mouse 'Hotel' in Space Receives First Rodent Guests]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/08/31/mouse-hotel-in-space-receives-first-rodent-guests/ http://www.switched.com/2009/08/31/mouse-hotel-in-space-receives-first-rodent-guests/ http://www.switched.com/2009/08/31/mouse-hotel-in-space-receives-first-rodent-guests/#comments

Yesterday, six mice boarded the International Space Station to boldly participate in an Italian Space Agency-sponsored study of bone degeneration, Space.com reports. These six will be the first rodents to spend an extended period of time on the space station, where they will be housed and studied until November.

Three of those space varmints bear a gene that, scientists believe, fights osteoporosis, while the other three are just plain old everyday mice. While those six careen through space, a similarly outfitted group of six will be studied here on Earth as a control group. Staying in a drawer designed to offer a comfortable habitat in spite of the zero gravity, the space vermin are expected to calmly roam around (the sides and ceilings of) their cages, eating, drinking, and sleeping just as they would back home. "Basically, it's a little hotel," Joe Delia, of the shuttle Discovery, told Space.com. "They have a room and a place to eat and sleep."

After long periods of exposure to microgravity, many astronauts' bones and muscles atrophy, previous studies have found. With that in mind, scientists hope this experiment will help to diagnose and treat cases of osteoporosis in humans, both in space and on Earth. That all sounds well and good, but if scientists are all that concerned with astronauts and their bones, shouldn't they ditch the mice and get cows, instead? [From: Space.com]

Mouse 'Hotel' in Space Receives First Rodent Guests originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 31 Aug 2009 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> healthinternational space stationInternationalSpaceStationmiceosteoporosissciencespacetopzero gravityZeroGravity switchedtips@gmail.com (Lee Bains) Mon, 31 Aug 2009 10:59:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Chipotle Makes Lunch Lazier With iPhone App]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/08/29/chipotle-makes-lunch-lazier-with-iphone-app/ http://www.switched.com/2009/08/29/chipotle-makes-lunch-lazier-with-iphone-app/ http://www.switched.com/2009/08/29/chipotle-makes-lunch-lazier-with-iphone-app/#comments

We told you about the Dunkin' Donuts iPhone app. QSR told us about the Burger King app, and TechCrunch told us about the Pizza Hut app. Well, we've now gotten word from Gizmodo that Chipotle -- the Nick Nolte to Taco Bell's Gary Busey -- has an app of its own, as well.

With the app (which can, of course, be gotten at Apple's App Store), anybody with an iPhone or iPod touch can locate the closest Chipotle branch, order up their favorite fancy-pants burrito, save the order (in case they're a regular), and pay for it -- all from the comfort of their... well, wherever, really. Never let that three minute wait at the register come between you and your guacamole again. [From: Gizmodo]

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Chipotle Makes Lunch Lazier With iPhone App originally appeared on Switched on Sat, 29 Aug 2009 16:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> app storeappleAppStorechipotlefoodiphoneiphone appsIphoneAppsipod touchIpodTouchtop switchedtips@gmail.com (Lee Bains) Sat, 29 Aug 2009 16:41:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Feds Promise Faster Action, Transparency in Laptop Searches]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/08/29/feds-promise-faster-action-transparency-in-laptop-searches/ http://www.switched.com/2009/08/29/feds-promise-faster-action-transparency-in-laptop-searches/ http://www.switched.com/2009/08/29/feds-promise-faster-action-transparency-in-laptop-searches/#comments Yesterday, the Department of Homeland Security promised to introduce reforms to its practice of searching laptops at U.S. Customs checkpoints, reports the Wall Street Journal. At present, policy allows checkpoint agents to randomly search the electronic devices of anyone passing through customs -- U.S. citizen or no -- without probable cause, or the traveler's permission.

Powerful entities like Wisconsin's Democratic Senator Russell Feingold and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) have both voiced concerns with the policy, pushing for measures that would better protect civil liberties and ensure government accountability. Of the changes in policy, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano told the Wall Street Journal that the government would begin to better document gadget searches and seizures, and return said gadgets more quickly to travelers. According to the policy changes, border agents will be able to hold devices for five days, while Immigration and Customs Enforcement employees will be able to do so for up to 30. Still, investigating agents will require neither a traveler's permission nor probable cause.

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Feds Promise Faster Action, Transparency in Laptop Searches originally appeared on Switched on Sat, 29 Aug 2009 11:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> aclucustomsgovernmenthomeland securityHomelandSecuritylaptopprivacytop switchedtips@gmail.com (Lee Bains) Sat, 29 Aug 2009 11:43:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Another iPhone Explodes in Europe]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/08/28/yet-another-european-iphone-explosion/ http://www.switched.com/2009/08/28/yet-another-european-iphone-explosion/ http://www.switched.com/2009/08/28/yet-another-european-iphone-explosion/#comments There's something about iPhones and Europeans. Call us suspicious, but it seems that every time one of Apple's highly popular smartphones gets near a European, it self-destructs in some sort of robo-kamikaze explosion. Just in the past month, we've reported on that one kid in France whose eye caught a flying shard of iPhone screen, and that other guy in England whose iPod touch burst into flames and leaped ten feet into the air. If you'll recall, prior to exploding, both gadgets started hissing like cornered copperheads.

Tech Crunch UK is today reporting yet another Euro-'splosion; a 15-year-old Belgian boy is apparently the latest victim. According to the reports, which are hazy, young Salvatore was holding his iPhone when, according to local news reports, it "imploded." Aside from having a headache for two days, Salvatore is apparently fine, and Apple has promised him a free replacement. In conversations with the European Commission, which has been investigating the explosions, Apple said earlier this month that it looks upon each incident as isolated, no general problems having been identified.

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Another iPhone Explodes in Europe originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 28 Aug 2009 11:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> appleexploding batteryexploding iphoneexploding ipodExplodingBatteryExplodingIphoneExplodingIpodiphonetop switchedtips@gmail.com (Lee Bains) Fri, 28 Aug 2009 11:53:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[How to Backup Your Media and Ditch Discs Forever]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/08/28/how-to-backup-your-media-and-ditch-discs-forever/ http://www.switched.com/2009/08/28/how-to-backup-your-media-and-ditch-discs-forever/ http://www.switched.com/2009/08/28/how-to-backup-your-media-and-ditch-discs-forever/#comments
As a motley group of music snobs, avid gamers, and movie buffs, we hate to admit this. Really, we do. But the vast majority of our listening, playing, and viewing takes place not in an acoustically treated home-entertainment fortress, but on a couch in front of a laptop. Seeing as that's the case, we really don't need all those fragile, easily smudged discs lying around as we once did. And even those of us who do prefer hi-fi adventures worry about the safety of the delicate plastic circles we've spent so much time and money accumulating. Fortunately, Lifehacker's Kevin Purdy has come up with a comprehensive guide for going disc-less -- whether your motivation be efficiency or security.

His piece has it all -- from preferred bitrates and free conversion software, to the best places (online and real-world) to sell used discs. Do yourself a favor and check it out. Your teetering towers of bare naked, upside-down CDs perched on the coffee table will thank you for it. [From: Lifehacker]

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How to Backup Your Media and Ditch Discs Forever originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 28 Aug 2009 06:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> backupblu-raycddiscsdvdtopvideo gamesVideoGames switchedtips@gmail.com (Lee Bains) Fri, 28 Aug 2009 06:33:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[ACLU to Facebook: Get Quiz Apps Out of Users' Business]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/08/27/aclu-to-facebook-get-quiz-apps-out-of-users-business/ http://www.switched.com/2009/08/27/aclu-to-facebook-get-quiz-apps-out-of-users-business/ http://www.switched.com/2009/08/27/aclu-to-facebook-get-quiz-apps-out-of-users-business/#comments Update: In response to Canada's Office of the Privacy Commisioner's yearlong investigation of Facebook's privacy policies, Facebook has announced that it will improve privacy controls for users. More after the break.

In a surprising bit of news from CNET, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has taken issue with Facebook's treatment of its users' privacy.

As anybody who's spent time on Facebook can attest, third-party quiz applications run rampant. A quick glance at your 'friends feed' will yield a barrage of quizzes wondering, "What kind of kisser are you?" or "What state should you live in?" What you may not know, according to the ACLU, is that -- by taking one of those quizzes -- you are volunteering your personal profile information (your religious beliefs, political views, sexual orientation, photographs, Wall posts) for the quiz creators to use in whatever way they see fit. Even if a participating user's profile is set to 'private', a third party can access said information. Most startlingly, if a friend takes a quiz, most of your visible profile information is, by default, made available to the creator of that quiz -- even if you don't take it yourself. In order to raise awareness of this fact, the ACLU has -- funnily enough -- put together a Facebook quiz asking users how much they know about Facebook quizzes.

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ACLU to Facebook: Get Quiz Apps Out of Users' Business originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 27 Aug 2009 17:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> aclufacebookfacebook appsFacebookAppsprivacysocial networkingSocialNetworkingtop switchedtips@gmail.com (Lee Bains) Thu, 27 Aug 2009 17:10:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Is Phishing Finally on the Decline?]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/08/27/is-phishing-finally-on-the-decline/ http://www.switched.com/2009/08/27/is-phishing-finally-on-the-decline/ http://www.switched.com/2009/08/27/is-phishing-finally-on-the-decline/#comments It's about time. The Associated Press writes today that mercifully, IBM reports that phishing attacks are on the decline.

Phishing, for the uninitiated, has nothing to do with Vermont hippies. Phishing scams are typically comprised of a sketchy e-mail that links the recipient to a malicious Web page (often disguised as the log-in page of a bank or social networking site). There, the duped Web-surfer is asked for personal information -- an e-mail address, password, account number, or goodness knows what else. If you've ever read Switched, you've read plenty about them and have, hopefully, learned how to steer clear of them.

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Is Phishing Finally on the Decline? originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 27 Aug 2009 06:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> ibmidentity theftIdentityTheftphishingscamsecurityspamtop switchedtips@gmail.com (Lee Bains) Thu, 27 Aug 2009 06:36:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Uber-Geek Gets Ultimate 'Tetris' Hairdo]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/08/26/uber-geek-gets-hair-did-with-tetris-theme/ http://www.switched.com/2009/08/26/uber-geek-gets-hair-did-with-tetris-theme/ http://www.switched.com/2009/08/26/uber-geek-gets-hair-did-with-tetris-theme/#comments Don't you remember how, in the day, super-cool guys with super-cool fades would shave their super-cool nickname or jersey number on the sides or backs of their heads? Of course, they'd also have that single stud earring in their left ear, 'Tay' or '32' or the Nike swoosh emblazoned on their domes, and a pair of the newest Air Jordans. You know, those kids that would have beat the living tar out of the retro-game-loving dude above. Goodness, how times have changed. [From: Wip-Hairport, via Walyou]

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Uber-Geek Gets Ultimate 'Tetris' Hairdo originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 26 Aug 2009 17:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> funnygeek chicGeekChichairtetristopvideo gamesVideoGamesweird switchedtips@gmail.com (Lee Bains) Wed, 26 Aug 2009 17:06:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Paralyzed Graffiti Writer Tags Again With 'EyeWriter' Design]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/08/26/paralyzed-graffiti-writer-tags-again-with-eyewriter-design/ http://www.switched.com/2009/08/26/paralyzed-graffiti-writer-tags-again-with-eyewriter-design/ http://www.switched.com/2009/08/26/paralyzed-graffiti-writer-tags-again-with-eyewriter-design/#comments

It must be nice to have friends as kind and brilliant as those of Los Angeles graffiti artist Tony Quan. And Quan must be a great guy (and artist), to boot. Since 2003, Quan has had Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a disorder that renders its sufferers largely paralyzed, while allowing them full use of their minds and eyes. As they hated to see their comrade incapable of any longer writing his tag, TEMPTONE, they gathered in Southern California this month to come up with a solution. Well, they did. And, though we don't pretend to understand exactly how it works, if you're so inclined, you can read it yourself. Behold, dear friends, the EyeWriter. [From: F.A.T., via BoingBoing]



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Paralyzed Graffiti Writer Tags Again With 'EyeWriter' Design originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 26 Aug 2009 08:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> accessibilityalsartdisabledeyeseyewritergraffititop switchedtips@gmail.com (Lee Bains) Wed, 26 Aug 2009 08:25:00 EST Switched