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HDTV Listings for August 29, 2008

by Richard Lawler, posted Aug 29th 2008 at 6:15PM

What we're watching tonight:
  • USA (1080i) continues U.S. Open coverage at 7 p.m.
  • CW (1080i) has 'WWE Smackdown!' at 8 p.m.
  • Discovery (1080i) has 'Project Earth' at 9 & 10 p.m.
  • CBS (1080i) brings 'Swingtown' at 10 p.m.
  • TLC (1080i) drops in 'Who are You Wearing?' at 7 p.m., 'Say Yes to the Dress' at 10 p.m. and 'Rock the Reception' at 10:30 p.m.
  • ESPN HD (720p) has college football with SMU/Rice at 8 p.m.
  • ESPN2 HD (720p) has Friday Night Fights at 9 p.m.
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LED Wallpaper Brightens Up Your Room

by Peter Mychalcewycz, posted Aug 29th 2008 at 5:18PM



Sick and tired of your old, boring, stupid, floral wallpaper? Well, so are we, so why don't you do something about it.

Designer Jonas Samson has the cure of all cures for your brutally uncool interior design. He has designed an LED wallpaper that turns on and off with the ease of a regular light. The design, well, the design is left up to your imagination. He actually takes phone orders for customized LED wallpaper designs, so go nuts.

You will have to call him to price this luxurious design option, but if you can afford it, get it. It looks amazing.

By the way, the phone number to call is (+31 6190 84445). [From: Unplggd]
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Internet Explorer 8 Beta 2 Released to Public (Hands-On)

by Tim Stevens, posted Aug 29th 2008 at 4:10PM

Internet Explorer Beta 2 Released to Public
Have you been itching to get your hands on the latest flavor of Internet Explorer? Yeah, we can't say we really have been either, but just the same, Microsoft has released the second beta version of Internet Explorer 8 for public consumption, and you can download it now and check it out if you like.

The first beta was only for developers, but after a number of updates and fixes, Microsoft is opening this new version to anyone. To save you the trouble, we threw caution to the wind and installed it. So far it's looking quite good; stable and noticeably faster in many tasks than IE7, which is looking more than a little dated compared to the recently released Firefox 3.0. At first glance, IE8 doesn't look that much different, but does include a number of tweaks and updates, including:
  • Private Browsing - Curious about the darker sides of the 'Net? Don't worry, most of us are, and IE8 is the first browser to realize this, giving you a mode called "InPrivate" that doesn't track where you go in your history, doesn't keep cookies, and doesn't store auto-complete information.
  • Accelerators - Highlight a word, and IE8 will display a button that will let you define it through Encarta. Highlight a street address, and you'll see an option to display the address on a map. Highlight words in a foreign language, and you can see a quick translation. There are lots of little context options like this, called accelerators, because they speed up the process of copying a line of text, opening a new browser window, and pasting it in somewhere to look it up.
  • Visual Search - This is another area where sites will be able to insert themselves into your browser. Here you can define visual searches for things like eBay, enabling you to start typing your search into the IE8 search box and immediately get results and pictures from listings right through the browser. You can then click directly on what you want. There are visual searches available for other sites like Wikipedia, YouTube, and naturally, Google.
There are dozens of other updates, including stability and compatibility, which should make IE8 an excellent choice for someone looking for an alternative to Firefox. So far, we've found the browser to be very stable, so we'd rate this low on the danger meter, but as always, install betas at your own risk! [Source: IEBlog]
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Weight Watchers, the Video Game

by Evan Shamoon, posted Aug 29th 2008 at 3:21PM



In what can only be a good thing for gamers, technology writer Clive Thompson has made an interesting connection: namely, that the Weight Watchers online tool has essentially turned into the equivalent of a Dungeons 'n' Dragons-style role-playing game (RPG).

Users roll a virtual character, manage their inventory and resources, and try to achieve a goal. Says Thompson: "Weight Watchers' points function precisely like hit points; each bite of food does damage until you've used up your daily amount, so you sleep and start all over again. Play well and you level up -- by losing weight! And the more you play it, the more you discover interesting combinations of the rules that aren't apparent at first. Hey, if I eat a fruit-granola breakfast and an egg-and-romaine lunch, I'll have enough points to survive a greasy hamburger dinner for a treat!"

He goes on to point out how the Weight Watchers Web application is totally gamelike, ripe for experimentation. Want to see what happens when you add a candy bar or a bag of chips to your meal plan? Do it, and see what the ripple effects are. Oh, and you get an 35 extra points you get every week -- like a last-minute save when you're on the snacking ropes.

Think small: save your waistline, not the world.

[From: boingboing]
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Coca-Cola Readying 100-Flavor Soda Fountains

by Tim Stevens, posted Aug 29th 2008 at 2:02PM


Your typical soda fountain in a fast-food joint features eight boring choices, usually offering nothing more exotic than "Orange." It's been that way for decades, but one of the oldest players in the market is finally shattering that paradigm. Coca-Cola is introducing a machine that can pour 100 different flavors.

Early prototypes underwent testing earlier this summer and second-gen units are headed for limited markets early next year -- the same thing they said about those self-cooling bottles last year. Assuming they do come to market, swapping out the highly-concentrated flavors is likened to changing a print cartridge, meaning new choices can come and go quickly depending on popularity. It all sounds refreshing, but we're not looking forward to the lines as the thirsty yet indecisive ponder 15 different flavors of Diet Coke. [From: ajc.com]
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Denver's Craigslist Flooded With Sex-Ads During Democratic Convention

by Dan Reilly, posted Aug 29th 2008 at 12:52PM



Thanks to the magic of Craigslist, Democrats in Denver this week no longer had to hit up their hotel bars if they were looking for a little convention action. The number of ads in the Casual Encounters section – like we need to explain what that is – rose 70 to 80-percent (when compared to earlier weeks in August).

As thousands of people flocked to Colorado's capital last weekend, over 700 encounter ads were posted on the site. The postings generally displayed the expected subtlety with titles such as "Here 4 DNC? Come get sexual with me" and "Looking to service a young Democrat."

Unfortunately, we have no way of knowing if these posts were from hookers and how many of our nation's leaders partook in their services. Either way, it seems there was a lot more to do at the DNC than watch speeches. Next stop, Minneapolis. [From: CNET]


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Lindsay Lohan Trashes Dad Online

by Terrence O'Brien, posted Aug 29th 2008 at 12:10PMBreaking News



Lindsay Lohan did a little venting on her MySpace blog, taking on her father and his spotlight-seeking ways. Lohan's incensed blog post came after her father, Michael, gave an interview to E! in which he claimed that Lindsay's gal-pal Samantha Ronson (pictured, above left) was using Lohan.

In the post Lohan called her father a "bully," a "public embarrassment," and a "coward." The star goes on to say, "He has no idea what is going on in my life because I have chosen not to involve him in it -- His recent attack on my life and my loved ones is simply for an ADDICTION THAT HE HAS -- FAME."

This is far from the first public clash between Lohan and her father, a former Wall Street broker and ex-con. Lohan also claims in the blog to have tried to salvage her relationship with her father, against the advice of her family, but that she can no longer stand by his side or defend him.

We know that venting via-MySpace blogs is all the rage these days with 13 year old girls, but couldn't the 22 year old actress and her mess of a father could find someplace else to act out their psycho-drama? [From: Yahoo! News]

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Apple Acknowledges iPhone Security Hole, Promises Fix Next Month

by Chris Ziegler, posted Aug 29th 2008 at 11:29AMBreaking News

Apple's taking a pretty lackadaisical attitude toward one of the most easily avoided security flaws in recent memory, calling the iPhone's passcode lock bypass a "minor iPhone security issue" and saying that a fix will be rolled out in September. Thanks, Apple; we suppose it'd be a little too much trouble to ask for a fix sooner, even though you already fixed it once in 1.1.4.

For what it's worth, a company spokeswoman is quick to point out that the flaw can easily be hidden by changing the home button double-click functionality to take you to the home screen, but most users don't know that, now do they? Way to show some hustle, guys -- cookies and gold stars all around. [From: Computerworld]
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Heated Car Seats Lowers Sperm Count, Researchers Confirm

by Terrence O'Brien, posted Aug 29th 2008 at 10:40AMBreaking News

Heated Car Seats Lower Sperm Count
Fresh from the "well wasn't that obvious" file, new research shows that heated car seats could lower sperm count. Turns out the electric heat generated by heated car seats raises body temperature, which interferes with sperm production. The ideal temperature for making sperm is a few degrees cooler that the average body temperature of 98.6 degrees, which is why tight pants and underwear (both of which raise body temperature) can also decrease sperm count.

The Daily Mail reports that researchers at the University of Giessen, Germany, tested the effects of seat warmers by monitoring the core temperature of 30 volunteers while they sat on heated seats for 90 minutes. As expected, the temperature 'down there' of all the volunteers rose quickly, with one man topping out just over 103 degrees.

Researchers didn't test sperm levels, but they do know that simply sitting for a prolonged period of time can reduce sperm count, so a heated seat only exacerbates the problem. [From: Daily Mail]
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Japanese Firms to Propel Cargo Ship Via Solar Panels

by Darren Murph, posted Aug 29th 2008 at 9:56AM

First things first -- when we say "partially" propel, we mean partially. Nippon Yusen and energy distributor Nippon Oil are teaming up to spend around $1.37 million in order to equip a car-hauling cargo ship with 328 solar panels. Rather than just provide energy for the crew's on board entertainment system, it will be the first solar installation to actually produce a smidgen of power for the boat's engine.

If successful, the panels would provide 0.2% of the ship's energy consumption for propulsion, and they're hoping to raise that to a whopping 1% by 2010. Gives a whole new meaning to "baby steps," huh? [From: PhysOrg]
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GPS Is the Latest Tool for Prosecutors

by Tim Stevens, posted Aug 29th 2008 at 9:14AM

GPS is the Latest Tool for Prosecutors
Everyone knows that GPS is really handy for getting you to your Aunt Edna's house way up in the hills, where the roads look alike and the street signs have all been stolen or shot up by the locals. We've also seen how some convicted offenders have been given GPS-equipped tracking devices to monitor their whereabouts. Now, though, GPS devices are starting to be used more and more frequently to convict those offenders, becoming another vital piece of evidence in court.

Prosecutors are issuing subpoenas for defendant's GPS-enabled devices, whether they be in-car nav systems or cell phones. This information is being used in court to show the defendant's whereabouts during the crime. In one case, a man was shown to have been parked near his house when it burned to the ground, which didn't do much for his insurance claim. In another case, a man changed his plea to guilty in a rape case as soon as information from his nav system was entered into evidence.

As of now, the use of GPS information in court is somewhat intermittent. However, with more and more people unwittingly tracking their own locations with their cell phones (or navigation devices) at every moment every day, GPS will only become an even greater tool for prosecutors. That's a trend privacy advocates are sure to love. [From: PhysOrg.com]
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12 Things You Should Never Do Online

by Dan Reilly, posted Aug 28th 2008 at 11:45PMFeatured Story



Whenever you're on the Web, chances are there's someone looking to take advantage of you. We know it and you know it. Still, many people browse the Internet as if there are no threats to their security, blissfully ignorant of the many ways they leave themselves vulnerable -- especially to crimes such as ID theft or financial theft. Since we at Switched have your back, we've compiled a list of common mistakes people make online and solutions to correct them.
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Accidental iPhone Photos Turn China Factory Worker Into Celebrity

by Evan Shamoon, posted Aug 28th 2008 at 11:35PMBreaking News



In a story that seems ripe to be translated into a modern-day cinematic update of 'Annie,' a Chinese woman has gone from factory worker to national celebrity after her photo was accidentally loaded onto an Apple iPhone -- and into the hands on an unsuspecting new owner.

According to company spokesperson Liu Kun, the woman was snapped by her coworker, an iPhone quality tester in manufacturer Foxconn's factory in Shenzhen. She smiled and made a peace sign for the camera, and her colleague apparently forgot to delete the photo from the phone. It was sold in Britain shortly thereafter, and the owner immediately posted the images on the Web.

According to Liu, the woman was "unsettled" by the sudden fame, after her photo graced Web sites and newspapers around the world. Fortunately, her bosses have assured her that her job was safe, and that the company wouldn't release her personal information to the public.

"Even passers-by recognize her face and can't help noticing her," Liu said. "She is quite nervous right now because she never experienced this much attention." It's not the first time such a thing has happened, but Kun insists that his company is working with Apple to prevent such accidents in the future.

"Small mistakes are unavoidable," he said. "I would call this a beautiful mistake."

Looks like our little movie has a title, folks. [From: AOL Money & FInance]



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HDTV Listings for August 28, 2008

by Richard Lawler, posted Aug 28th 2008 at 5:35PM

What we're watching tonight:
  • ESPNU HD (720p) premieres HD with Vanderbilt/Miami (OH) at 7 p.m.
  • NBC (1080i) brings NFL with Jaguars/Redskins at 7 p.m.
  • ESPN HD (720p) kicks off the college football season with North Carolina State/South Carolina at 7 p.m.
  • USA (1080i) has U.S. Open Tennis at 7 p.m.
  • Discovery (1080i) lines up 'Some Assembly Required' at 8 & 8:30 p.m., followed by 'Destroyed in Seconds' at 10 p.m.
  • ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC & PBS has the Democratic National Convention at 10 p.m.
  • History (1080i) brings 'The Works' at 10 p.m.
  • A&E (720p) has 'Jacked: Auto Theft Task Force' at 10:30 p.m.
  • ESPN2 HD (720p) brings college football with Oregon State/Stanford at 9 p.m.
  • FSN (720p) has college football with Wake Forest/Baylor at 8 p.m.
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OMG, US Txtng Brks Rcrd

by Chris Ziegler, posted Aug 28th 2008 at 2:45PM

Ready for some truly staggering figures? VeriSign has reported that it delivered some 95.4 billion text messages between US carriers in the first six months of the year, setting a new record. Single-day and single-hour records were also set in the same period -- 648 million and 42 million, respectively -- proving that Americans are finally warming up en masse to text messaging as a totally valid means of communicating, probably thanks in no small part to the proliferation of devices like the enV2, Rumor, and Blitz. If you can call the complete bastardization of the English language used during texting "communicating," that is. [From: RCR Wireless News]
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