Switched http://www.switched.com Switched http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.switched.com/media/feedlogo.gif Switched http://www.switched.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Winning Digital Designs Took Only 15 Minutes to Create]]>http://www.switched.com/2009/10/26/winning-digital-designs-took-only-15-minutes-to-create/http://www.switched.com/2009/10/26/winning-digital-designs-took-only-15-minutes-to-create/http://www.switched.com/2009/10/26/winning-digital-designs-took-only-15-minutes-to-create/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Earlier this month, New York City hosted the Cut & Paste Global Championship, the culmination of a series of digital design competitions held around the world. Designers from 16 cities contended for the grand prizes in 2-D, 3-D, and motion design, in 15-minute battles pitting their creativity and skill against the clock. Switched photographer Matthew McMullen Smith was there, and managed to capture the frenzy of the event with his lens.

Los Angeles-based illustrator Janee Meadows took home the gold in 2-D design, as well as the opportunity to create a t-shirt exclusively for the 55DSL clothing line. Gabriel Smetzer, a motion designer from San Francisco, finished first in the 3-D competition. Though it didn't win, Jake Guttormsson's winning whimsical robot animation is a must-see, in the motion design category. They're all available for you to see in the slideshow below.

Gallery: Cut & Paste 2009

SwitchedWinning Digital Designs Took Only 15 Minutes to Create originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 10:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dartcreativecut and paste 2009CutAndPaste2009eventsfeaturesgraphic designGraphicDesignmotion designMotionDesigntopMon, 26 Oct 2009 10:12:00 EST<![CDATA[Classic Computer Keyboards Revisited]]>http://www.switched.com/2009/09/29/classic-computer-keyboards-revisited/http://www.switched.com/2009/09/29/classic-computer-keyboards-revisited/http://www.switched.com/2009/09/29/classic-computer-keyboards-revisited/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Okay, this is our last post from that Vintage Computer Festival, we promise, but we thought there was something kind of beautiful about all those retro keyboards we saw, especially after seeing them through the lens of Matthew McMullen Smith's camera. Take a look at the gallery below and let us know if you agree. (We call first dibs on the all-turquoise and PET computer keyboards!)

Gallery: Vintage Keyboards

SwitchedClassic Computer Keyboards Revisited originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 29 Sep 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>computeraccessorieseventsfeatureskeyboardsretroretrotechtopvcfvcf2009vintageTue, 29 Sep 2009 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Retro Logos From the Early Days of Computing]]>http://www.switched.com/2009/09/28/retro-logos-from-the-early-days-of-computing/http://www.switched.com/2009/09/28/retro-logos-from-the-early-days-of-computing/http://www.switched.com/2009/09/28/retro-logos-from-the-early-days-of-computing/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



Last week, we showed you the biggest exhibitions we saw at the Vintage Computer Festival East 2009. Still, we also became mildly obsessed with all the logos we saw on those retro PCs. So, we asked our photographer, Matthew McMullen Smith, to shoot some close-ups of as many retro logos (and vintage fonts) as he could find on the various restored computers that were on display.

If you're a retro PC or design enthusiast, or are just feeling nostalgic, then take a look at these bygone beauties -- from the '60s to the early '80s.

Gallery: Retro Computer Logos

SwitchedRetro Logos From the Early Days of Computing originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 28 Sep 2009 13:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>designeventsfeaturesretroretrotechtopvcfvcf2009vcfeast2009vintagevintagecomputersMon, 28 Sep 2009 13:19:00 EST<![CDATA[Vintage Computers Get the 'Classic Car' Treatment at VCF East 6.0]]>http://www.switched.com/2009/09/24/vintage-computers-get-the-classic-car-treatment-at-vcf-east-6/http://www.switched.com/2009/09/24/vintage-computers-get-the-classic-car-treatment-at-vcf-east-6/http://www.switched.com/2009/09/24/vintage-computers-get-the-classic-car-treatment-at-vcf-east-6/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


We trekked down to the New Jersey shore a couple of weeks ago to attend the Vintage Computer Festival East 6.0, an annual gathering of serious computer enthusiasts who prepare and exhibit working, restored computers from '50s, '60s, '70s and very early '80s ("essentially nothing later than a 186," says festival organizer Evan Koblentz). The festival is run by the Mid-Atlantic Retro Computing Hobbyists (MARCH) and took place at the InfoAge Science Center, a former secret military wireless radio and radar research center in Wall Township, New Jersey. Nowadays, the site houses many museums, including the MARCH Computer Museum, which is open every Sunday from 1-4pm.

As for the festival itself, it was a friendly cross between a classic cars festival and a science fair, with amateur computer restorers blowing our minds with working examples from computing history's hall of fame. Check out our slide show below with some of our favorite highlights, and be sure to check back for a couple of other slide shows featuring these same computers, from slightly different angles -- there was just so much to see!

Gallery: Vintage Computer Festival

Sony SMC-70Altair 8800bMITS 1440 Electronic CalculatorMITS 1440Tape Delay Machine


Related Links:

Classic Computer Keyboards Revisited
Retro Logos From the Early Days of Computing

SwitchedVintage Computers Get the 'Classic Car' Treatment at VCF East 6.0 originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 24 Sep 2009 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eventsfeaturesretroretrocomputingretrotechtopvcfvintagevintagecomputersThu, 24 Sep 2009 16:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Phone Booths of the World, Past and Present]]>http://www.switched.com/2009/06/30/phone-booths-of-the-world-past-and-present/http://www.switched.com/2009/06/30/phone-booths-of-the-world-past-and-present/http://www.switched.com/2009/06/30/phone-booths-of-the-world-past-and-present/#commentsFiled under: ,

In this era of mobile phones, super-light netbooks, Twitter, and Skype, the reliable old phone booth has really gone the way of the dodo (or at least seems as though it's about to). When was the last time you actually used (or found) a working public phone, for example? Well, some of us have been around long enough to remember the days when we all really did rely on public phones to make our away-from-home calls.

As with the many national airlines that once existed, public phone booths were once a source of pride for a lot of countries. As a result, every country's (once) state-run national phone company created distinctive designs for its particular brand of phone booth.

Some of those designs remains today, but maybe not for long, which is why we've compiled the "Phone Booths of the World" slideshow below. Take a look, because many of these relics may not be around much longer.

Gallery: Public Phones and Phone Booths of the World

SwitchedPhone Booths of the World, Past and Present originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>featuresphoneboothtopTue, 30 Jun 2009 14:35:00 EST<![CDATA[Switched Splurge: McIntosh 60th Anniversary Audio System]]>http://www.switched.com/2009/06/17/switched-splurge-mcintosh-60th-anniversary-audio-system/http://www.switched.com/2009/06/17/switched-splurge-mcintosh-60th-anniversary-audio-system/http://www.switched.com/2009/06/17/switched-splurge-mcintosh-60th-anniversary-audio-system/#commentsFiled under: , ,


At the risk of sounding like a crabby old man, let's just say that you kids -- with your little white iPod headphones and cheapie home theater systems -- have no idea what you're missing. And as for MP3s, oh, don't even get us started mister (or missie).

Okay, you can find top-notch audio gear with some amazing new capabilities these days. Yet even over forty years ago, audio engineers had already figured out how to make premium sound -- albeit with tubes instead of chips -- that is as impressive today as it was then. High-end audio maker McIntosh revived one of those classic systems with a limited re-issue of its C22 Tube Preamplifier and MC75 Power Amplifier. Yes, you needed three pieces of gear to do what a little receiver does now, and that's just for stereo. They are bundled together into what the company calls its 60th Anniversary System -- though that's the anniversary of the company, not the gear.

Continue reading Switched Splurge: McIntosh 60th Anniversary Audio System

SwitchedSwitched Splurge: McIntosh 60th Anniversary Audio System originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 17 Jun 2009 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>featuresswitchedsplurgetopWed, 17 Jun 2009 16:15:00 EST<![CDATA[10 'Green' Gadgets We Like]]>http://www.switched.com/2009/04/22/10-green-gadgets-we-like/http://www.switched.com/2009/04/22/10-green-gadgets-we-like/http://www.switched.com/2009/04/22/10-green-gadgets-we-like/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Well, it's Earth Day again today and the whole globe seems to be a little more eco-conscious this year. (We think it might have something to do with last year's spike in energy prices, so let's hope it lasts.) Of course, the gadget world is well aware of its dependence on electricity (and the sometimes toxic materials that end up at the dump when this stuff gets tossed), which is why the stream of eco-friendly gadgets just keeps growing. We picked ten of our current favorites, from whimsical solar lights for your garden and energy monitors for your home to laptops that use up less energy. For pictures and details, take a look at the gallery below.

Bill Gates at Microsoft -- a Look Back

    Posing for Teen Beat Magazine Back in 1983

    Getty Images

    At the launch of Windows 95

    Getty Images

    Introducing Windows 98 in 1998

    Getty Images

    Pie in the face in 1998

    Getty Images

    Unveiling Windows XP in 2001

    Getty Images

    At the World Economic Forum in 2008

    Getty Images


Switched10 'Green' Gadgets We Like originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 22 Apr 2009 11:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>earth dayEarthDaygreengreen gadgetsGreenGadgetsWed, 22 Apr 2009 11:08:00 EST<![CDATA[21 Places to Go When You're Sick of Facebook]]>http://www.switched.com/2009/02/27/21-places-to-go-when-youre-sick-of-facebook/http://www.switched.com/2009/02/27/21-places-to-go-when-youre-sick-of-facebook/http://www.switched.com/2009/02/27/21-places-to-go-when-youre-sick-of-facebook/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



Remember the days before MySpace, Facebook, and the like, when online social networking was considered kind of odd? Now that everyone from kindergartners to grandmas have online profiles, these Web sites are officially part of our reality. Obviously, MySpace and Facebook aren't for everyone, so where can you go for your online mingling? As it turns out, there are Web communities that cater to almost every imaginable interest, from film to pets to knitting and so on. We've collected a whole world of options for those of you looking for a place want to meet people that are more like you, and not like the weirdos you'll find on Hoffspace. Click through to see our full list.

Switched21 Places to Go When You're Sick of Facebook originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 27 Feb 2009 23:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>facebookfeaturedfeaturesmyspacesocial networksocial networkingsocial-networkingSocialNetworksocialnetworkingwebFri, 27 Feb 2009 23:45:00 EST<![CDATA['Street Fighter IV' Launch Party Celebrate's Games 20th Anniversary]]>http://www.switched.com/2009/02/16/street-fighter-iv-launch-party-in-los-angeles/http://www.switched.com/2009/02/16/street-fighter-iv-launch-party-in-los-angeles/http://www.switched.com/2009/02/16/street-fighter-iv-launch-party-in-los-angeles/#commentsFiled under: ,



The launch of a new 'Street Fighter' game is no small occurrence. 'Street Fighter 2' is arguably the single most beloved video game of all time, and yet sequels have been a very rare thing, appearing only about once a decade (the last one, 'Street Fighter 3,' came out in 1997). The fourth game has finally hit the streets, and represents the first time the franchise has hit the third dimension, bringing gloriously detailed 3-D graphics and silky-smooth animation to the series for the first time.

To celebrate the rather momentous occasion (which happens to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the franchise), Capcom saw fit to rent out the entire Museum Of Contemporary Art in downtown Los Angeles (MOCA) last week, and throw the biggest 'Street Fighter' bash on record. And it was packed; with the event open to the public, some 4000 people showed up for the festivities, with some overanxious fans started lining up from as early as 7am. About an hour after things got underway, the fire marshal showed up and prevented a good thousand people from getting inside on what was a surprisingly blustery LA night. Which, it should be said, was a bummer.

Once inside, however, you could see why the superfan wouldn't miss it: classic art from seemingly every version of 'Street Fighter' in existence was strewn about the walls, while customized 'Street Fighter' arcade units from the likes of Guerilla Union, Crooks and Castles, Mear One were on display (these were later auctioned off for charity).

Continue reading 'Street Fighter IV' Launch Party Celebrate's Games 20th Anniversary

Switched'Street Fighter IV' Launch Party Celebrate's Games 20th Anniversary originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 16 Feb 2009 17:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anniversariescapcomlaunch partiesLaunchPartiespartiesstreet fighter 4street fighter ivStreetFighter4StreetFighterIvMon, 16 Feb 2009 17:06:00 EST<![CDATA[Creepiest Ads on the Web]]>http://www.switched.com/2009/02/05/creepiest-ads-on-the-web/http://www.switched.com/2009/02/05/creepiest-ads-on-the-web/http://www.switched.com/2009/02/05/creepiest-ads-on-the-web/#commentsFiled under: ,


There's a scene in 'Minority Report' in which Tom Cruise's character enters a mall and the ads personalize themselves to him as he walks by. What was then only science fiction is now closer to reality, says a recent AP story, as a growing number of display screens are being equipped with small cameras and face recognition technology (the same kind used increasingly in handheld digicams), providing demographic data about who looked at the ad and for how long. The technology can already recognize gender and age and, while it's currently being used for audience research, it isn't impossible to make the leap to custom, targeted ads.

The unsettling facial recognition raises a privacy debate since the public isn't told they are being "recognized," but the companies providing the service (currently at malls in Winston-Salem, NC, St. Louis, and Pittsburgh), assert that the information is not recorded or stored and that individuals can't be recognized (just gender and age). Still, this seems a lot like the Big Brother of '1984' and prompted us to think a little more about disturbing and creepy ads and practices, which is why we've collected a bunch of other ads that are unsettling in the broadest sense of the term, which you'll find in the following pages (click on "Next" below to get started) .


SwitchedCreepiest Ads on the Web originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 05 Feb 2009 15:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>advertisingcreepyfeaturedfeatureswebweirdThu, 05 Feb 2009 15:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Is Microsoft Killing Off 'Flight Simulator?']]>http://www.switched.com/2009/01/23/is-microsoft-killing-off-flight-simulator/http://www.switched.com/2009/01/23/is-microsoft-killing-off-flight-simulator/http://www.switched.com/2009/01/23/is-microsoft-killing-off-flight-simulator/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Rumor has it that one of the victims of Microsoft's first major layoffs will be the company's long running 'Microsoft Flight Simulator' series.

The venerable flight sim has been in constant development since 1982, making it Microsoft's oldest property. But word from gaming site Gamasutra is that many of the jobs being cut are at the ACES game studio, home of the flight simulation series.

We're not sure how 'Flight Simulator' does as far as bringing in cold hard cash, but with the series being one of the oldest and most popular flight sims on the market, this news can't bode well for the category of flight sim games in general.

Check out the gallery below for our retrospective of 'Microsoft's Flight Simulator' through the ages. [From: Random Thoughts and Gamasutra]

Gallery: Microsoft Flight Simulator

Flight Simulator 1.0Flight Simulator IIFlight Simulator 3.0Flight Simulator 4.0Flight Simulator 5.0


Related Links:

SwitchedIs Microsoft Killing Off 'Flight Simulator?' originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 23 Jan 2009 19:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aceseconomyflight simulatorFlightSimulatorlayofflayoffsmicrosoftmicrosoft flight simulatorMicrosoftFlightSimulatortopFri, 23 Jan 2009 19:02:00 EST<![CDATA[25 Rules of Tech Etiquette]]>http://www.switched.com/2009/01/06/25-rules-of-tech-etiquette/http://www.switched.com/2009/01/06/25-rules-of-tech-etiquette/http://www.switched.com/2009/01/06/25-rules-of-tech-etiquette/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



A solid 10-plus years into the mainstream use of cellphones, e-mail, texting and IM, and a half-decade into the phenomena of social-networking sites, we're still astounded on a daily basis at the unbelievably clumsy way some people communicate. While most of us have a pretty good idea how to behave in a civilized way in public, when it comes to electronic means of communication, an astounding number of us continue to act like the digital equivalent of cavemen (with no offense intended to the Geico fellas, naturally).

Certainly every new technology brings about uncertainty and a rough period, but honestly, folks, enough's enough. To help us all get along a little better, and prevent future heartache, we ask you to take a look at these 25 rules for electronic life, and then take a look in the mirror and tell that person to change his ways. And help us all out and pass these on to those who offend. By all means hit up the comments with any additions we missed.

Switched25 Rules of Tech Etiquette originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 06 Jan 2009 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ces-2009-featuresces-2009-topfeaturesTue, 06 Jan 2009 00:01:00 EST<![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/#commentsFiled under:



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!

Switched25 Coolest Laptop Covers originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 19 Dec 2008 23:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ces-2009-slideshowsces-2009-slideshows-topfeaturesFri, 19 Dec 2008 23:58:00 EST<![CDATA[Top Holiday eCards for Last-Minute Greetings]]>http://www.switched.com/2008/12/18/top-holiday-ecards-for-last-minute-greetings/http://www.switched.com/2008/12/18/top-holiday-ecards-for-last-minute-greetings/http://www.switched.com/2008/12/18/top-holiday-ecards-for-last-minute-greetings/#commentsFiled under: ,



If you're one of those holiday-card-sending types and you haven't sent anything out yet, you'd better hurry. Luckily, you no longer have to worry about the U.S. Postal Service actually delivering your mail on time, since plenty of instantly sendable, online e-cards are now available for you to choose from. Click through the gallery below to see the 12 we liked best: Some are humorous, some are religious, some are sentimental, but all of them are free or dirt-cheap and can get to their recipients in as much time as it takes to send an e-mail. If you don't find what you're looking for, take a look at our previous e-card favorites.

Top eCards of the Season

    Interactive Advent Calendar
    Lest we forget what Christmas is really about, the folks at Cross Daily present the Interactive Advent Calendar e-card. Each week in December, when clicked, offers up a Christmas-oriented reading from scripture.

    Lee Bains

    Christmas Story Memories
    If you're like us, you know the Holidays have really started once 'A Christmas Story' begins to dominate the cable airwaves. And, if you're like us, this e-card's clips from that classic movie will really put you in the spirit of the season.

    Lee Bains

    Santa's Map Game
    Show us somebody that doesn't like Santa and doesn't like games, and we'll be sure they get a lump of coal in their stocking. Putting Santa's destroyed map back together in a mere three minutes is tougher than expected.

    Lee Bains

    Can't Wrap This
    Probably the pride and joy of this year's collection, this e-card features a full-length Christmas parody of MC Hammer's 'Can't Touch This.' Timely? No. Brilliant? Yes.

    Lee Bains

    Make Yer Own Cards!
    If you're more of the creative type, and don't want to be boxed in when it comes to your e-card ideas, use these 'e-card toys' to draw your own e-card graphic or manipulate your favorite Holiday photos.

    Lee Bains

    Hipster E-Cards
    Are you, between your yoga classes and latte drinking, too busy to go and buy a regular greeting card? Then slide your hipster self over to this site, where you can design your own snarky e-card, or -- if you're a real slacker -- pick a ready-made one.

    Lee Bains

    Three Wise Guys (AOL)
    Call us slow, but, back when we read St. Matthew's account of the three wise men from the East, we never thought he was referring to east Jersey.

    Lee Bains

    Hallelujah Chorus
    Although this e-card isn't free, it does feature poignant photographs of Christmas landscapes and, most importantly, a glorious rendition of Handel's Hallelujah Chorus.

    Lee Bains

    Clip from 'A Cosmic Christmas'
    Okay, so we know it's not an e-card, but, just in case you're not into the whole greeting card thing (and happen to appreciate the 70s' finest pop culture psychedelia), this clip from the classic Christmas special should be right up your alley. Peep the Christmas aliens and the gingerbread man sprouting out of Paw's pipe.

    Lee Bains

    Colbert Christmas Yule Log
    This isn't an e-card either, but it is, as are most of Stephen Colbert's offerings, hilarious. Cozy up to the hearth and marvel at that strange-looking piece of firewood.

    Lee Bains



SwitchedTop Holiday eCards for Last-Minute Greetings originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 18 Dec 2008 12:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>e-cardse-mailexpire-images2009-12-18featureshggfeaturesholidayholiday e-cardsHolidayE-cardssllideshowtopwebThu, 18 Dec 2008 12:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Five Things to Consider Before Buying an HDTV]]>http://www.switched.com/2008/11/25/five-things-to-consider-before-buying-an-hdtv/http://www.switched.com/2008/11/25/five-things-to-consider-before-buying-an-hdtv/http://www.switched.com/2008/11/25/five-things-to-consider-before-buying-an-hdtv/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,



So you want to buy an HDTV? Well, if you're lucky enough to have the cash, then we have some good news. Faced with a glut of unsold televisions, manufacturers and retailers are slashing prices of TVs to previously unheard of levels. This means you can get a perfectly decent flat-panel -- that's right, the sexy thin kind -- for less than $1,000. Of course, more money will still get you thinner, bigger, and better models, but for the first time ever, flat-panel HDTVs are within reach of most folks. The best part is, no matter how much you pay for your new HDTV, you can rest assured that it will be compatible with the digital TV signals that are going to be the norm once the FCC-mandated analog-to-digital switchover takes place early next year. Nevertheless, you'll need to consider a few things before you shell out any cash for a new TV, so take a look at our Five Things to Consider Before Buying an HDTV, which starts by clicking Next below.


SwitchedFive Things to Consider Before Buying an HDTV originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 25 Nov 2008 23:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>5 things to consider5ThingsToConsiderbuying guidesBuyingGuidesfeaturesfive things to considerFiveThingsToConsiderhggfeaturesTue, 25 Nov 2008 23:37:00 EST<![CDATA[12 Classic Gadgets You Can Still Buy]]>http://www.switched.com/2008/11/11/12-classic-gadgets-you-can-still-buy/http://www.switched.com/2008/11/11/12-classic-gadgets-you-can-still-buy/http://www.switched.com/2008/11/11/12-classic-gadgets-you-can-still-buy/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


In an era when fanboys start throwing tantrums if the iPod hasn't been updated in a couple months, and new cellphone models hit the store every week, we find comfort in tech that is made to last long enough to get a little dusty. Granted, that's increasingly harder to do, what with the explosion of new digital technologies in the past few decades and that pesky Moore's Law breathing down engineers' collective necks. But it's still possible. We've collected the dozen greatest gadgets of the ages that were built right the first time and therefore continue to stand the test of time. All of them are still available for purchase as new products today, most completely unchanged or only minimally so since when they were first introduced -- and the oldest one is over 100 years old. Hit the comments section up with any others you think we missed!

Switched12 Classic Gadgets You Can Still Buy originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 11 Nov 2008 19:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>classicsfeatureshgghggfeaturestopTue, 11 Nov 2008 19:18:00 EST<![CDATA[Time Unveils Its Best Inventions of 2008 List]]>http://www.switched.com/2008/10/31/time-unveils-its-best-inventions-of-2008-list/http://www.switched.com/2008/10/31/time-unveils-its-best-inventions-of-2008-list/http://www.switched.com/2008/10/31/time-unveils-its-best-inventions-of-2008-list/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Best Inventions of 2008
Every year Time Magazine wraps up the year in science and technology with its list of the top inventions of the year. Last year it was the iPhone that topped the list, beating out host of more useful and, arguably, more important innovations.

This year, the Retail DNA Test (pictured above) beat out several electric cars (the Tesla Roadster, Chevy Volt, and Aptera Electric Car) as well as many other inventions we've cover here on this very site. Including the spy-centric social networking site, the Obama campaign, and space-based Internet.

The strangest entry however is clearly Dimitrij Ovtcharov and his odd-ball ping-pong serve on display at this year's Olympics.

You can check out the full list at Time's Web site, but we've created a little gallery below with some of our favorite tech-specific items on the list. [From: Time]

Gallery: Time's Best Inventions List of 2008

Svalbard Global Seed VaultThe Tesla RoadsterBaseball Instant ReplayDynamic TowerThe Large Hadron Collider (LHC)

SwitchedTime Unveils Its Best Inventions of 2008 List originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 31 Oct 2008 15:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bestbest of 2008BestOf2008breaking newsBreakingNewshggnewsinventioninvention of the yearInventionOfTheYearinventionssciencetime magazineTimeMagazineFri, 31 Oct 2008 15:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Most Famous Animals on the Web]]>http://www.switched.com/2008/10/29/most-famous-animals-on-the-web/http://www.switched.com/2008/10/29/most-famous-animals-on-the-web/http://www.switched.com/2008/10/29/most-famous-animals-on-the-web/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Used to be, animal lovers who were stuck at their office desks all day would express their admiration of critters by festooning their cubicles with bobble-head puppy dogs and that one ubiquitous poster of a kitten dangling from a limb with the caption: "Hang in there!" Thankfully, those days are over. Now, devotees of animals have the Internet and, thus, innumerable pictures and videos of animals at their disposal, which has been giving some of these four-legged folks their 15 minutes of fame. Without further ado, we now present -- in their funniest, freakiest and downright cutest forms -- the Internet's most popular animals.

SwitchedMost Famous Animals on the Web originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 29 Oct 2008 23:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>featureshumorpetsvideoweb videoWebVideoyoutubeWed, 29 Oct 2008 23:53:00 EST<![CDATA[Early Warning: Stuff We Want for the Holidays]]>http://www.switched.com/2008/09/30/early-warning-stuff-we-want-for-the-holidays/http://www.switched.com/2008/09/30/early-warning-stuff-we-want-for-the-holidays/http://www.switched.com/2008/09/30/early-warning-stuff-we-want-for-the-holidays/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Over the past couple of weeks, we've been attending showcase after showcase of cool new products that are either out now, or coming out in time for the holidays. We drooled at quite of a bit of new items, from compact, wood-covered laptops and sexy computer keyboards to mini-digital-SLR cameras and noise-cancelling headphones. Still, we had to narrow down the list -- it's not as if anyone has any money (or credit) left to buy us this stuff this year -- so take a look at our wish list as it stands now (subject to change, of course).

Gallery: Holiday Preview

Denon's AH-NC732 Noise Canceling HeadphonesiCarly Digital Video CameraPanasonic's Lumix G1: The Micro Four Thirds CameraASUS Bamboo LaptopHP Touchsmart IQ816

SwitchedEarly Warning: Stuff We Want for the Holidays originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 30 Sep 2008 12:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>featuresgiftshgghgg-featuresholiday gift guide 2009HolidayGiftGuide2009previewsTue, 30 Sep 2008 12:16:00 EST<![CDATA[Top 25 Optical Illusions on the Web]]>http://www.switched.com/2008/09/17/top-25-optical-illusions-on-the-web/http://www.switched.com/2008/09/17/top-25-optical-illusions-on-the-web/http://www.switched.com/2008/09/17/top-25-optical-illusions-on-the-web/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Most of you have looked and/or fretted over optical illusions at some point in your life. A select few have even had a sleepless night over particularly difficult ones. They come in all shapes and sizes and colors. Double meanings, motion-induced blindness, and mind bending perspective distortion just to name a few. Here, we have compiled a list of some of our favorite illusions on the Web. Some are simple and thought provoking. Others, well, they just make you thankful that you are sitting down. Now take a break and blow your mind.

SwitchedTop 25 Optical Illusions on the Web originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 17 Sep 2008 19:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>braincreativefeaturesillusionsoptical illusionsOpticalIllusionstime wastersTimeWasterswebWed, 17 Sep 2008 19:25:00 EST