• This has been a big year for science and tech, but with the media focusing on political squabbling and celebrity fluff, the significant advancements of the past year aren't on everyone's radar. Popular Science, though, has compiled an exhaustive list of 2009's 'Greatest Innovations,' including an electromagnetic helmet that may help cure depression. [From: Popular Science]
• The Gartner mobile phone statistics are in for the third quarter of 2009, and, no surprise here, the iPhone continued its steady climb up the smartphone rankings. It experienced a 4-percent increase over the previous quarter, giving it an overall 17-percent share of the smartphone market. [From: Gartner]
• YouTube has announced that it will be stepping up from 720p to 1080p next week, so you'll be able to see crazy teens pulling stupid stunts in highly defined, acne-covered pubescent glory. [From: Engadget]
• A Johns Hopkins University student photographer snapped some shots during filming of the upcoming Mark Zuckerberg biopic, and the clandestine pics reveal some monotonous details about the Facebook founder's collegiate wardrobe. He apparently admired the fashion sense of Patriots coach Bill Belichick, because the social networking pioneer is portrayed sporting numerous plain, gray hoodies. [From: Gawker]
• Add another malady to the growing list of texting disorders: At least one researcher believes that extensive texting can cause neck and shoulder pain, so expect an entire generation of hunched, illiterate terrible drivers with gnarled fingers. [From: Science Daily]
• CNN's foray into live Web newscasts came to an unceremonious end yesterday, as the news organization fired its four Web anchors, as well as an unknown number of production crew. CNN said it will instead focus on on-demand video services. [From: Boing Boing and The New York Times]
• Rumors swirled earlier this week that Google was set to purchase VoIP service Gizmo5, and the news is now official. While specific details haven't been released, the buy will enable the site to provide PC-to-phone calls through the Google Voice feature. [From: Download Squad]

• Joe Hewitt, the software engineer responsible for developing Facebook's popular iPhone app, has quit the project over Apple's tyrannical App Store review process. Refusing to be encumbered by the company's stifling and intrusive policies, Hewitt plans to return to Web development, saying that at least the Net is still "unrestricted and free." [From: Tech Crunch]
• Microsoft is already testing a social networking function for the Xbox, and, if the leaked screen shots are accurate, Sony is doing the same thing with Facebook for the PS3. Nintendo needs to step it up soon. Motion controls may not provide enough ammunition against Blu-ray, Facebook, and the other features its competitors offer. [From: Mashable]
• Searching for authorized, high-quality videos or television shows online typically involves visiting two or three well-known sites -- which may start charging for content soon. Finding other, free options can be difficult. Clicker, which launches today, is the self-proclaimed 'TV Guide of the Web' and aims to ease that hunt by acting as an up-to-the-minute portal for online video content. For a full, hands-on review, check back with us later. [From: Clicker, via: CNET and The New York Times]
• Amid the intense ad battle between the Droid and the iPhone, Palm's products have been lost in the smartphone shuffle. The company is stealthily returning to the fracas, though, with its new Pixi handheld, but initial reviews aren't too glowing. [From: Engadget]
• Beginning today, the FDA and pharmaceutical companies will engage in discussions about Internet drug marketing. Great. Just what we need: yet more online reminders that, in a few years, we'll be sexually dysfunctional and constantly peeing. [From: Huffington Post]
• Although other companies offer numerous smartphone options, and Apple only holds a 2.5-percent mobile phone market share, it still leads the way in generating revenue. Apple and its iPhone brought in more than $1.5 billion in just the third quarter of 2009, displacing Nokia as the most profitable mobile manufacturer. [From: TUAW]

• Pizza Hut's annoying, spamming Facebook app earned the company some criticism last year, but the response to its three-month-old iPhone app has been somewhat different. So far, the mobile ordering system has reportedly brought in over $1 million in revenue. [From: Textually]
• Since the onset of the recession, many folks have considered the video game marketplace to be immune from the economic downturn. EA, one of the industry's biggest and most enduring names, has suffered significant losses over the last year, though, and is being forced to completely shutter some facilities. The closings will unfortunately result in the termination of 1,500 employees by April of next year. [From: TUAW]
• Although the holidays are supposed to be a time of cheer and goodwill, the economy is instead creating turmoil, hardship, and worry. After firing 600 employees last December (Seriously? Are you just trying to avoid giving out holiday bonuses?), Adobe is prepared to lay off another 680 this year -- approximately nine-percent of the company's workforce. Where's Cousin Eddie when you need him? [From: TUAW]
• Thankfully, some companies know how to act appropriately during the season of giving. Google is now offering significant discounts on additional storage for GMail and Picasa Web users, including a $5 deal for 20 additional gigabytes. [From: Download Squad]
• A recent Razorfish consumer survey revealed that 25-percent of Twitter users follow corporate brands, while 40-percent of Facebook and MySpace members have done so. The study also determined that social networkers are a thrifty bunch; approximately 40-percent of each group follow the companies for the sake of exclusive deals and discounts. [From: Read Write Web]
• Mac OS X 10.6.2 is officially available, and the update reportedly provides numerous fixes and corrections. It will not, however, run on consoles with ATOM CPUs. [From: Download Squad]
• Photo tagging provides a much needed security blanket for Facebook members -- particularly those who need alerts so potentially incriminating tagged photos from those Delta house days don't appear on any in-laws' pages. Beginning today, Face.com will apparently be offering a new, free app that uses facial recognition software to identify likenesses, even on photos that have not been tagged. That was just a huge sigh of relief you heard. [From: Tech Crunch]

• Conrad Hilton revolutionized the hotel business in the early 20th century, and his namesake chain is aiming to do the same in the '00s with promises of technological evolution. Yesterday, Hilton Worldwide announced the release of iPhone and iPod touch apps that will enable guests to remotely check in, choose beds, and order food. [From: USA Today]
• Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry apparently first learned of lead singer Steven Tyler's plans to go solo by reading it on the Web, so he has angrily responded and spread the news via Twitter. (We're pretty sure, anyway. Let's keep in mind that the account is not verified). It's a shame to watch a legendary band squabble after so many years. Maybe, to prevent such turmoil and pain, they should have handled this by fax -- about 15 years ago. [From: The Daily Beast]
• The hilarious, humbling, and vulgar Twitter sensation 'Sh*t My Dad Says' has scored a TV gig with CBS, joining 'Texts From Last Night' and 'Awkward Family Photos' in the ranks of sites and Twitter pages that are hitting the big time. But, don't expect a screen or book version of 'People of Walmart,' because someone has already made it. It's called 'Deliverance.' [From: THR Live Feed]
• Engaged in a battle with Apple to corner the market on everything, Google has reportedly purchased Gizmo5, a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service. The move will put the "world's biggest brand" in direct competition with the world's largest international call provider, Skype, which also recently considered purchasing Gizmo5. [From: Engadget and Tech Crunch]
• Hawaii is celebrating 50 years of statehood this year, and the newest member of the U.S.A. is once again the 50th in line for another honor: Street View on Google Maps. The maps of Oahu and Maui will feature well known landmarks and beaches, including Waimea Bay, Iolani Palace, and the favorite hotspots of local hero President Obama. [From: Google Blog]
• Coca-Cola has received a formal warning from the Australian Communications and Media Authority for spamming mobile phones with 100,000 unsolicited text messages. Sadly, the company won't have to pay a fine for the annoying stunt, which was probably just the latest salvo in the tumultuous and devastating war between Coke Classic and Coke Zero. [From: News.com.au]

• Israel is currently developing a missile alert system that would identify the destinations of incoming rockets and notify residents in the impact zones via cell phone. University campuses in the States already use such services for emergency situations, but an organized system of public warnings definitely warrants investigation. [From: Breitbart, via Huffington Post]
• Just five years ago, Mozilla launched Firefox 1.0, and the fan-friendly company is urging folks to 'Light the World' and celebrate. The browser may not have eclipsed Internet Explorer in sheer numbers yet, but with one billion downloads already, it might not take another five years. [From: Mashable]
• While overall numbers aren't being broadcasted, Barnes & Noble says demand for its soon-to-be-released Nook e-reader is so high that the company is being forced to push back shipping dates. Of course, Apple will probably release its rumored Tablet right after the holidays -- just to make all those other freshly purchased e-readers obsolete. [From: The Wall Street Journal]
• '60 Minutes' has been airing hard-hitting investigative pieces for over 40 years, but the cast, which looks more and more like an AARP gathering, hasn't exactly developed a reputation for tech acumen. Citing anonymous sources, last night's episode included a segment that claimed that massive power outages in Brazil during 2005 and 2007 were the result of orchestrated cyber attacks. The Brazilian government, the Brazilian power company, and the Brazilian homeland security office all deny the allegations. [From: Wired]
• Even though it has been dubbed the "world's biggest brand," Google sites still lag behind Microsoft sites in terms of usage. A global comScore study has revealed that people spent 3.9 billion hours on Microsoft sites during September -- primarily Live Messenger -- compared to the 2.5 billion on Google sites and 1.2 billion on YouTube. Facebook was, of course, the fastest riser, as it experienced an impressive 200-percent increase. [From: Download Squad and Seattle PI]
• Facebook membership hit the 300 million mark earlier this fall, and the interest and infatuation continue to climb. The site now claims that it's attracting 500,000 new users every day. And they all want you to join their 'Mafia Wars' crew. [From: Mashable]

• Fortune magazine has named Apple's Steve Jobs its 'CEO of the Decade,' due to the company's overwhelming success with iTunes, OS X, Pixar, and, of course, the iPhone. Jobs even persevered through serious health problems while Apple's worth skyrocketed -- from $5 billion to $170 billion in less than 10 years. [From: Cult of Mac and TUAW]
• Over the summer, a Chinese teenager tragically died after being severely beaten at a boot camp that aims to curb Internet addiction while teaching kids how to use the Web "in a healthy way." Yeah, sounds really healthy. Chinese officials are now seeking to ban the violent practice at such facilities. Apparently, it's too easy to take away the kids' computers and consoles for a little while. [From: The BBC]
• The Catalyst Group recently conducted a consumer survey about the live video streaming services offered by Amazon and Netflix. The group said that most people actually expressed shock, because they'd never even heard of video streaming (even though Catalyst only approached 11 people). [From: Fast Company]
• The Onion, 'America's Finest News Source,' is apparently developing a Comedy Central pilot that will focus solely on sports. The fake news outlet already creates its own hilarious podcasts, so come on, Comedy Central. Go ahead and sign The Onion up for at least one season. The show will immediately be better than most of your programming. [From: Variety]
• The DROID has officially dropped, and, at first glance, at least one of the free 'Market' apps looks and sounds pretty sweet. Slacker Radio, which is similar to other music-discovery services like Pandora, will allow users to stream live with the aid of preferences and selectable stations. [From: CNET]
• Authorities are moving quickly in the Bluebeat-Beatles battle, as a judge has ordered the site to immediately halt its sale of $0.25 Beatles songs. Bluebeat, quit cruelly and mercilessly taking money from the mouths of destitute and impoverished musicians. [From: Epicenter]
• 'LEGO Rock Band' hits the stores this week, and the development team has revealed that about half the staff was actually against the game's creation. But, hey, if Ziggy Stardust and the original Stooge are on board, it can't be all that bad. [From: Joystiq]

• Whippersnapper Firefox recently eclipsed the 1 billion download mark, and that monumental success seems to have helped the browser surpass the crotchety old Internet Explorer 6. (Seriously, people. It's time to upgrade.) Firefox is expected to celebrate tonight by T.P.'ing IE6's house and then leaving a flaming bag of poo on its doorstep. [From: Download Squad]
• Despite the spectacular cosmic arrays of color displayed in Hubble photographs, a group of scientists has determined that the average color of the universe is actually just a boring shade of beige. Proving that scientists do indeed have a sense of humor, some proposed names for the new space brown are "cosmic latte," "skyvory," and "univeige." [From: The Daily Mail]
• Forty years ago yesterday, Big Bird, Oscar, and Cookie Monster began entertaining (and creeping out) kids everywhere, so Google honored the 'Sesame Street' birthday on its home page. The site also celebrated the 20th anniversary of the claymation series 'Wallace and Gromit' with homepage caricatures. Man, Google. You're just trying to make us feel old. [From: The Independent and The Independent]
• Despite the rough economy, Google increased its lobbying expenditures last quarter, as it shelled out over $1 million for lobbyists to influence law and policy makers. Sounds like a pretty sweet gig to us, but how exactly does one become a lobbyist, anyway? Other than selling your soul to the highest bidder, of course. [From: The Independent]
• The Web site Bluebeat has been selling Beatles downloads online for $0.25 per song, leading many people to question the legality of the practice. Record giant EMI now wants a judge to decide, so it's filing suit against Bluebeat (owned by Media Rights Technologies) for copyright infringement. [From: The Independent]
• The fledgling, yet burgeoning, Pirate Party recently gained its second seat in the European Parliament. The party focuses on copyright and patent reform, the rights to personal and Web privacy, and government transparency. With the constant childish bickering going on between the two dominant U.S. political parties, that sounds like change we can believe in. [From: Torrent Freak]

• The Winter Olympics are right around the corner, and NBC is adding some significant upgrades to its NBCOlympics site, including the incorporation of social networking via Facebook Connect. The HD video player will also now allow users to save their favorite moments from the games. [From: Tech Crunch]
• Who'd have thought 40 years ago that school kids would be allowed to access an infinite supply of knowledge and information during final exams? Probably no one, but 14 colleges in Denmark are experimenting with a new program that allows test takers to troll the Web, with only an honor code preventing them from e-mailing or IMing each other the answers. [From: The BBC]
• Despite its well known and wide-ranging benefits, CNET is asserting that the iPhone is 'The Worst Phone in the World,' and the writer provides some pretty compelling arguments to back up the premise. And, if you don't believe CNET, just ask an Apple owner living in New York. [From: CNET]
• Wii owners and 'Zelda' lovers have been waiting (sometimes) patiently for almost four years for a follow up to 'Twilight Princess,' and details about the next episode in the franchise, announced at E3 2009, are finally starting to emerge. Miyamoto, the resident ruler of Hyrule, recently revealed that with the incorporation of Motion Plus technology, swordplay will be much more realistic and precise so you're not just wildly flailing your arms. [From: Joystiq]
• We've been giving Microsoft a pretty hard time over its decision to lamely bail on a commitment to sponsor a 'Family Guy' special, but the company just redeemed itself (to dog lovers, at least). The company decided to reimburse an Xbox owner whose dog charged over $60 to his Live account while mangling a controller. The company even cutely created a gamertag for the canine. [From: The Consumerist]
• Apple Stores are integrating iPod Touches into the checkout process, so employees no longer have to lug around bulky Windows-based handheld computers. The first Apple Store opened in 2001, so it only took eight years to wean the shops of Microsoft technology. Nice. [From: Wired]

• Yesterday, Hulu debuted its new Coming Soon feature, which lists upcoming episodes and sends e-mail alerts when new shows are released. Real cool, Hulu. Get us hooked with awesome new features right before you make us pay for them. [From: CNET]
• Nielsen numbers indicate that while Blu-ray sales continue to steadily and significantly climb, the overall numbers still pale in comparison to those of regular DVDs. Some major players, including Best Buy, LG, and Samsung, will be providing an alluring and competitive new feature with their devices, though, by enabling live video streaming from online rental services. [From: The Wall Street Journal]
• Politics Online is seeking a few heavyweights, including President Obama and Bill Gates, to back a proposed new Web site called Hope Plus that would be a "global eBay for caring" by offering super deals on sunbeams, rainbows, and unicorns. Seriously, though, the networking site would attempt to bring people together in order to perform needed social services, like building homes and cleaning the environment. [From: BBC]
• The Department of Justice recently disagreed with the American Booksellers Association's contention that online price wars involving major retailers are "anticompetitive," but Simon & Schuster is offering some new competitive deals of its own. The publisher has decided to release individual chapters of the Dr. Oz (of Oprah fame) 'You' series starting at $2. [From: Fast Company]
• Last week, after being oblivious to the true nature of the show, Microsoft bailed on its obligation to sponsor an upcoming 'Family Guy' special because of the episode's typically raunchy material. Proving that Warner Bros. is infinitely cooler than Microsoft, the special will now be sponsored by the studio's upcoming film, 'Sherlock Holmes,' starring Robert Downey Jr. [From: Seattle PI]
• Twitter rolled out its new Lists for (almost) everyone last week making it much easer for folks to follow different genres and groups of people. The site is also reportedly set to make the feature even better by creating Twitter list widgets, which you can embed anywhere for quick and east access to your favorite posters. [From: Download Squad]
• Jailbreaking an iPhone lets a user customize features and add capabilities, but it also makes the device vulnerable to hackers. One Dutch hacker recently targeted jailbroken iPhones, commandeered them, and then charged the owners ransom. The hacker charged almost $10 per gadget, which given the fanatical devotion of Apple owners, seems a little amateurish. [From: Ars Tecnica]

• Engaged in heated online price wars with Best Buy and Walmart, Amazon significantly bolstered its arsenal today with the official purchase of online retailer Zappos. Zappos, which was ranked by Forbes as one of the '100 Best Companies to Work For' in 2009, will continue to operate independently, from its own Las Vegas headquarters. [From: Business Wire]
• This month marks the first anniversary of the arrival of the Conficker virus. Although the rampant media discussion has abated and the creators still remain hidden, the virus continues to spread and now affects over 7 million computers. [From: Network World]
• To promote green transportation and healthy living, France installed a cheap bike rental program using over 20,000 $3,000 bicycles. Predictably, 80-percent of those bikes are now missing or damaged. Hippy towns in the United States have been experimenting with free bike-sharing programs for decades, but they actually use recovered, unclaimed, and donated bikes. Duh. [From: The New York Times]
• The iPhone continues to climb the smartphone charts as it now claims a 30-percent market share, just 10 percentage points shy of its primary competitor, the BlackBerry. The trend is prompting some market analysts to predict that Apple will soon be the most popular smartphone purveyor, but the DROID and its highly desirable features might have something to say about that. [From: The New York Times]
• Nokia is eliminating its N-Gage video game service next September, but already-purchased titles will continue to work. Instead, it will focus on Ovi, its version of Apple's App Store, as well as the development of other devices like netbooks. [From: The Wall Street Journal]
• It seems that everyone has been creating some form of e-reader recently, but many consumers may already have one and not realize it. New data indicates that more people are now downloading books for their iPhones than they are games. Maybe this is why Apple has been so slow to release its own rumored Tablet. [From: Gigaom]
• The British Crown Court sentenced 22-year-old Phillipa Curtis to 21 months in a high security prison on a "death by dangerous driving charge," because she'd caused a fatal accident by texting while driving. Time for the United States to adopt a similar stance. [From: The New York Times]

• November 9th marks the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, and now, after 40 years of division, another barrier is coming down. ICANN, the Web address regulatory organization, is set to finally allow non-Latin alphabet characters in domain names, meaning that addresses can appear in languages like Russian and Chinese. [From: Tech Crunch]
• It may seem a little late to the dance, but the Republican Party is apparently, finally, ready to embrace technology and those Internets tubes things. Republicans have recently complained about Twitter, launched a new Web site, and have even introduced a BlackBerry App. Where was all this two years ago? [From: Yahoo! Tech]
• Facebook members are some of the most ornery and overzealous people on the Web, prone to instantly revolt against any proposed changes to the site. Yesterday, Facebook announced new alterations to the site's privacy practices, but, shockingly, everyone seems to support these changes, which include the ability to completely remove an outdated, unwanted profile from the site's servers. [From: Facebook Blog via Mashable]
• The Foo Fighters are putting on a rock show tonight in their Los Angeles studio, and the performance will be streamed live on Facebook starting at 10 p.m. EST. It has already been a significant music week on the Web, as U2's live YouTube broadcast attracted 10 million viewers, and Jacko's red carpet event attracted almost 2 million. [From: Tech Crunch]
• The Palm Pre rollercoaster ride with Apple continues. The Pre-to-iTunes sync, which was killed over the summer and then revived last month, once again fell at the hands of Apple, this time after the iTunes 9.0.2 update. [From: Pre Central]
• The 130,000 employees of France's General Directorate of Public Finance have been using both Lotus Notes and Microsoft Outlook on their office computers for some time, but the Department recently decided to go with just one service. It has now completely switched to Thunderbird, which is based on Mozilla code, adding even more impressive numbers to the company's already bloated stats. [From: Download Squad]
• Yesterday morning, 1,000 people waited in line to experience the grand opening of the Mission Viejo, California location of the Microsoft Store. One woman sat around for over 16 hours. That may seem ridiculous, but the store's wall-to-wall video screens do sound pretty sweet (as long as you can, in good conscience, ignore the ominous 'Fahrenheit 451' parallels.) [From: The Orange County Register]

• Wah. Will the petty, childish bickering between the Dems and Pubs ever end? Some California Republicans' complaints that they are underrepresented on Twitter's "suggested user" list have prompted the creation of a state committee to investigate social media and campaign practices. Of the 500 people on Twitter's hot list, though, are several notable California Republicans, including Governor Arnold. [From: The Huffington Post]
• Because of deteriorating insulation, Sony is recalling 69,000 Vaio AC adapters. So far, reports indicate that there have been at least four known instances of short-circuiting, electrifying adapters, but with no reported injuries. If you have a Vaio, you can enter the adapter's serial number at Sony's Web site to determine if it's the faulty model.
• U2 has consistently celebrated burgeoning technology, most notably in the ahead-of-its-time 1993 'Zoo TV' multimedia concert tour. It should be no surprise, then, that the band's Rose Bowl concert, which was streamed live on YouTube, impressively attracted over 10 million viewers. [From: All Things Digital]
• Apple will open its first French store November 7th, and it definitely scored a prime, sweet location with a two-story spot close to the Louvre. The store sounds pretty magical, too, with rumors of free Starbucks coffee for the folks stuck in line. Vive le Pomme! [From: Apple Insider]
• The red carpet premiere of Michael Jackson's posthumous film 'This is It!' attracted 1.8 million live viewers on Ustream. That may seem paltry compared to U2's 10 million YouTube viewers, but sitting through Jacko's stream was basically like watching E! for a couple of hours. [From: Mashable]
• An affluent California estate community recently won a court case against Sprint and its proposed construction of a nearby cell tower. For those wanting to scream accusations of upper-class favoritism and monetary influence, courts have previously sided with blue-collar, hard-working folks, too (even though this one lives in Canada). [From: Newser]
• Dozens of YouTube videos depicting the "the world's fastest nudist" as he bounced down New York City streets turned out to be nothing other than a viral campaign started by online retailer Zappos. The hoax, which managed to dupe a few folks in the media, eventually made its way to CNN's Anderson Cooper show. Welcome to the big time, viral video. [From: The New York Times]
• YouTube and Google are creating some log-in confusion for members of both sites, as people who sign in to YouTube will now need to enter their Google password. The change only affects people who have already linked their Google and YouTube accounts, though. [From: Read Write Web]

Highlights from the morning's other big tech headlines....

• Unless you've forsaken television, you've probably seen the ambiguous iPhone-hating iDon't ads. Well, Verizon reportedly just announced that the anti-iPhone Motorola DROID will be released November 6th. But, if Verizon keeps running those annoying ads, people might just be inspired to say, "iWon't buy it." [From: Boy Genius Report and Engadget]
• The U.N. has announced that 1,000 Iraqi refugees living in Syria (There are currently 130,000 receiving U.N. assistance.) will receive "virtual vouchers" for various food necessities via SMS. Some folks may lambaste the program with archaic accusations that starving refugees won't have cell phones, but mobiles aren't exactly tough to grab as you're fleeing your home in the face of imminent disaster. [From: The Wall Street Journal]
• The classic board game 'Settlers of Catan' is taking root on the iPhone with a new look and a new name. 'Catan: The First Island' costs $4.99, and is a welcome addition to other apps inspired by quintessential games. Hopefully, someone will soon follow suit and develop an app for quite possibly the greatest board game ever -- 'Rail Baron.' [From: CNET]
• Electronic voting machine developer Sequoia Voting Systems has decided to reveal its source code for a new "optical-scan" voting system, an atypical move by the secretive company. The decision is probably a wise one, though, given the harsh criticism previously bestowed upon the beleaguered manufacturer. [From: Wired]
• Last.fm looks to continue its diversification, as its recent move to HD is reportedly being followed by the launch of Last.TV, a music video service. Combined with MySpace's recent music video move, the options just keep getting better. [From: Mashable]
• People have already downloaded Mozilla's Firefox over a billion times, and now the company is claiming 330 million users, officially eclipsing the population of the United States. Are we really going to take that? Come on, America! Let's all get to work for the greater good and boost those population numbers! [From: Download Squad]

• President Obama announced yesterday that the government will be distributing a total of $3.4 billion to 100 different projects in order to modernize the nation's power grid. One of the objectives is to install 40 million "smart" meters in U.S. homes, a move which will assuredly prompt some fear mongers to wail about too much government interference and control. [From: The New York Daily News]
• A recent study by the Nielsen number gurus determined that kids, ages 2 to 5, watch almost five hours of TV every day, a total of 32 hours per week. Let's give parents and kids credit, though. Maybe the folks were just plopping the young ones down in front of the new Ken Burns PBS documentaries everyday, and not those disturbingly bizarre kids shows. [From: The New York Post and The Los Angeles Times]
• Prices for electronic devices have plunged recently, and some items, like $99 Blu-ray players, now cost less than ever before. With the significant price cuts, and leaked Black Friday discount info, if you don't like frenzied, harried shopping chaos, you might want to stay home the day after Thanksgiving. [From: The Wall Street Journal]
• Despite its 700 locations and welcoming atmosphere for walk-in customers, Barnes & Noble will apparently not make its Nook e-reader available in all stores during the launch of the device. Wired reports that most locations should have the e-readers in stock by early 2010. It seems the Nook might be further alienating loyal B&N shoppers because member discounts will not apply to digital content. [From: Paid Content]
• Microsoft has reportedly bailed on its obligation to sponsor an upcoming 'Family Guy' special, expressing shock and dismay that the show would actually feature "riffs on deaf people, the Holocaust, feminine hygiene and incest." Seriously? Maybe they should have actually watched an episode before they agreed to become a sponsor. [From: The Raw Feed]
• Verizon Wireless executive Ivan Seidenberg has announced that the wireless carrier is just waiting on Apple when it comes to sharing the iPhone. In perhaps the understatement of the year, Seidenberg said, "What they have done has been successful, so we have to sit back and give them credit for that." You think? [From: The Wall Street Journal]

• Although Apple has yet to officially confirm the development of a so-called Tablet, Bill Keller, the Executive Editor of the New York Times, may have accidentally revealed knowledge of the e-reader's existence. His apparent admission, which took place during an internal Times presentation, was caught on video and quickly distributed to various media outlets, proving that not much is "off-the-record" these days. [From: Gizmodo]
• Pixcetera, astronauts on Twitter, and the NASA Web site provide space nerds with thousands of incredible and awe-inspiring photographs. NASA has now eliminated the need to explore those various sites, though, with an awesome new iPhone app that can feed your cosmos fix with photos, videos, mission updates, and billions and billions (well, maybe not billions) of other options. [From: Wired]
• Hip-hop star Flo Rida will soon debut the video for his song 'Touch Me' on a wholly appropriate Web site, even though the site is definitely not known for sharing music. The video will be released on the Penthouse-owned AdultFriendFinder.com, the "world's largest adult sex and swinger site." [From: The Wall Street Journal]
• Thanks to the Information Age, hungry consumers no longer have to wait until four in the morning on Black Friday to discover the day's best shopping deals. They just have to monitor the Web for leaked documents, like the one last week which prompted Office Depot to distribute Cease and Desist letters. [From: Reuters and Mashable]
• Amazon announced its free 'Kindle for PC' app last week, and now rumors are circulating that an app will also be created for Macs. If Apple will ever actually release its own heavily rumored, and previously mentioned, Tablet, a seriously entertaining corporate battle should unfold. [From: TUAW]