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

• With the constant ads for beer, erectile dysfunction cures, and bladder pills, it's glaringly obvious who advertising firms target during the Super Bowl. Motorola tapped into that testosterone well yesterday with its new spot for the Devour with "motoblur." The company has also released "bonus footage" from the commercial, which featured a seemingly nude Megan Fox taking pictures of herself in the bathtub. [From: Engadget]
• Vizio also debuted an ad during the Super Bowl, and, shockingly, didn't even resort to gratuitous nudity or flatulence jokes. To market its new Internet Apps program, which aims to bring "the best of the Internet" to television screens, Vizio compiled a montage of the Web's top memes. We could have done with a little less 'Chocolate Rain,' and a little more Keyboard Cat. [From: Engadget HD]
• 4chan is often characterized as the Mos Eisley of the Internet, a "wretched hive of scum and villainy," but it may in fact represent the last bastion of true freedom on the Web. Verizon has blocked the site from its network but has yet to offer a statement why. The company should probably provide some sort of official reason soon, because if there's one Web community you don't want to cross, it's the folks at 4chan. [From: Read Write Web]
• Hacking has developed into a serious conflict in China, with perpetrators acting both on behalf of the government and against it. The nation claimed a significant "victory" in its campaign against Web dissidents, as it shut down a hacker training Web site known as the Black Hawk Safety Net. The clandestine online organization had attracted over 12,000 paying subscribers and another 170,000 free members. [From: The BBC]
• Popular legend holds that all human races once shared a common language until the construction of a so-called Tower of Babel. Google is apparently trying to dismantle that figurative tower with the creation of voice recognition software that could immediately, and accurately, translate spoken language into text. Developer Franz Och said that the service will hopefully be functional and ready for release "in a few years' time." [From: The Next Web]

A reader writes: These Android smartphones look pretty hot. It seems they can do everything the iPhone does, but they come in more flavors, from more companies. So what's the best one to get?

Dear Reader: The Android operating system may be the first serious competitor to the iPhone platform -- with a slick interface and tons of cool applications. Unlike Apple's tightly policed Apps Store, Google's Android Market lets you download any program written by any developer.

Hey! It's 2010 and we have advanced so rapidly in terms of culture and society that the old gender paradigms seem like a dusty joke. Oh, wait: Verizon has decided to fall back on a history of sexist advertising by separately targeting its cell phones to men and women. After the cryptic, sci-fi-inspired spots for Droid -- which clearly lacked any "feminine" softness -- Verizon chose to market the Palm Pre Plus to the fairer sex. In both spots, we see put-together ladies from the '50s and the '80s, symbolizing those silly old domestic roles. Flash forward to 2010, where the most modern of moms use Facebook on their smartphones. Hooray for progress!

The irony of these commercials (after the jump), of course, is that the retro gender-targeted advertising that Verizon lampoons is simply updated in the second half of the commercial. Mom may not look like she's stepped out of Carole Jackson's 'Color Me Beautiful' book anymore, but her domestic responsibilities and social expectations haven't changed. She's still picking up Timmy from baseball practice and sifting through recipes to cook for the family -- all while Dad is off playing with his macho Droid and doing whatever dudes do. Way to break down cultural norms, Verizon. You've come a long way, baby. [From: Engadget]

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

• Man, free-market competition is awesome. Verizon has already made some smartphone noise with its announcement that it would offer Google Maps navigation as a free, default service on the Droid phone. Nokia is following that lead and will also be providing a free, global navigation system with all of its smartphones. [From: Engadget]
• It can be easy to dismiss the negative effects of music piracy because of the exorbitant wealth of those in the music industry. Illegal downloads don't just hurt financially successful and wildly popular artists, though. Members of the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry are claiming that illegal file sharing in Spain has indirectly been responsible for a 65-percent drop in local music sales. [From: The BBC]
• Just last month, StatCounter announced that Mozilla's Firefox 3.5 had become the world's most-used browser. Mozilla isn't spending too much time exulting in that success though, as a Firefox 3.6 "sneak peek" preview is officially debuting today. [From: Download Squad]
• Concerned citizens have impressively contributed millions to the Haitian relief effort, but aid organizations still need help getting supplies to the island. One Laptop Per Child is currently seeking interested groups to help distribute specialized, rugged laptops to relief workers. [From: Media Bistro]
• A Massachusetts court ruled last summer that university student Joel Tenenbaum had to pay $675,000 in damages for illegally downloading 30 songs. Demonstrating that not much has really changed between administrations, the federal government has officially backed the original, ridiculous ruling. [From: Boing Boing]
• Verizon seems to grasp the absurdity of astronomical fines and penalties for illegal file-sharers. The company is reportedly implementing a plan to terminate the service of repeat offenders, and, according to spokeswoman Bobbi Henson, has already "cut some people off." That sounds significantly more effective that levying insanely high fines on broke college students. [From: CNET]

With President Bush forever out of office, and the hook from "Paper Planes" permanently etched in our minds, Sri Lankan musician-political activist-new mommy M.I.A. found herself in need of new inspiration for her next album. After spanning the globe and singing about heavy things like school-aged Liberian soldiers on 2007's "Kala," she's reportedly gone back to something just a tad more mundane for one of her upcoming singles -- wireless connection issues.

According to Rolling Stone, the still untitled album features a song titled "I'm Down Like Your Internet Connection," a track inspired by the trials and tribulations she endured while trying to get a broadband connection up and running at her own home. After spending three hours on the phone with Verizon tech support, the light bulb went off, and a song was born. The artist came up with a chorus, asked the Filipino tech support workers to sing it back to her on the phone, and has apparently used their vocals in the single. As she says, "Ten phone calls later, I have Internet that sticks and a song."

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

• The Nexus One, Google's entry into the cell phone market, is rumored to debut sometime in January. Those rumors are now significantly heating up with Google's announcement of a January 5th press conference. The event could include verification of the gadget's recently speculated price, which is expected to be $530 unlocked. [From: Engadget and Wired and Gizmodo]
• The McAfee Labs security experts have issued a warning about the upcoming Web scams of 2010, and the prognostication includes some familiar sites. Both Facebook and Twitter are again expected to host multiple threats, as are Adobe products and Google Chrome. [From: CNET]
• A whopping 600,000 Palm Pixis have apparently been ordered for Verizon's venture into webOS, and the delivery of the handhelds should occur during the first quarter of 2010. The number was reportedly whittled down from 800,000 because of Verizon's stringent certification process. [From: Engadget]
• Two New Jersey state senators are crossing party lines in hopes of establishing stiff penalties against the distribution of unsolicited spam text messages. Of course, if the lawmakers were to just lock up spammers in that barbarous 'Jersey Shore' house, the annoying phenomenon would undoubtedly stop. [From: ABC News]
• The story almost seems like a Hollywood movie script, but the Albert Gonzalez case is drawing to a close. The uber-hacker and identity thief has plead guilty to conspiracy charges for his role in attacks on Heartland Payment Systems, 7-11, and two other unnamed major corporations. Sentencing is expected to occur March 19th. [From: Wired]
• Apple is offering a sweet new deal for students and teachers that is coinciding perfectly with the beginning of the spring semester. Unibody MacBooks, which typically fetch $899 from school folks, have been temporarily marked down to an attractive $729. [From: Engadget]
• Christmas Day was noticeably absent from the holiday football bowl schedule, so folks had to find other methods of gorge-recovery than merely vegging out in front of the tube. Apparently, everybody logged in to Facebook instead, as it was the Web's most popular site for the day. [From: The Business Insider]

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

• It looks like we might actually be spared from that stupid 3G map battle currently being waged between AT&T and Verizon. Apparently the two companies have realized that we're not all complete morons, so they've both dropped several ongoing law suits related to who can claim the "most reliable" network. [From: Engadget]
• Numerous reports suggest that a new set of Windows security updates can cause a paralyzing Black Screen of Death (BSOD) for Windows 7, XP, and Vista users. Microsoft, though, now claims to have found no evidence linking the BSOD to the updates, saying that they determined the "reports to be inaccurate." These aren't the droids you're looking for. Move along. [From: FOX News]
• Twitter has already become ingrained in pop culture, as the site has inspired countless references in televisions shows and other mediums. Hip-hop performer Sean Kingston has actually now penned an entire homage to the site, titled "Twitter SONG (Follow Me)." Thankfully, the song mirrors tweets in one aspect: It's incredibly brief. [From: Mashable]
• Bing, Microsoft's fledgling search engine, has so far garnered solid traffic and good reviews. Its Maps feature, which was already impressive, is set to receive some significant upgrades, including a variety of apps and a new eye-level view. [From: The Huffington Post]
• Big cable can basically do, and charge, whatever it wants, since people will never willingly give up television. But, the National Cable and Telecommunications Association is actually going to give back, and meaningfully contribute to society by offering half-price broadband and discounted computers to millions of disadvantaged children. [From: Ars Technica]
• The beleaguered Large Hadron Collider was temporarily crippled again as a power failure disabled the megalithic machine yesterday. But, at least the culprit wasn't something as inane as bird droppings. [From: Engadget]

In case you haven't noticed, the two major cell phone service providers have spent the past few weeks trying to prove their mettle in a 3G network-wagging contest. It started with Verizon's "There's a Map For That" commercial, which debuted in October and was a direct dig at the iPhone (which just so happens to be carried exclusively by AT&T). The latter company filed a lawsuit against Verizon Wireless, claiming that the commercial led consumers to believe AT&T doesn't offer any wireless service outside a 3G network.

After losing a request for an injunction this week, AT&T decided to fire back with an advertisement of its own. According to Engadget, AT&T's new 30-second spot, which features actor Luke Wilson, makes the Great Smartphone War official (video after the break). In the commercial, Wilson places magnets on a board according to which company offers a certain feature. To no surprise, Wilson and his magnets claim that AT&T kicks Verizon's butt when it comes to the fastest 3G network, and that it has the most popular smartphones as well.

Let's assume that AT&T thought some star power would make people forget about Verizon's witty spot. Well, it didn't. This is an epic fail, folks. If AT&T had to go this route, couldn't it at least have snagged the funny Wilson brother? [From: Engadget]

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.

Verizon vs. AT&T Battle Continues
Hoo boy, AT&T is suing the tar out of Verizon for false advertising, but Verizon isn't taking it sitting down. In response to charges that it had falsely characterized AT&T in commercials, Verizon's legal staff came back with fighting words, saying: "The truth hurts."

Sony Reader Conquers Canadian Academy
In Canada, it seems folks are getting tired of lugging around big, heavy textbooks, with one high school switching entirely to Sony Readers. We can only assume that our neighbors in the Frozen North decided to implement the switch because: one, winter's coming; two, energy prices continue to rise; and three, old books make warm fires.

Cell phone plans are complex creatures. With all those options for minutes, text messaging, and Internet, it's impossible to figure out exactly what you're paying for. The result? Thoroughly confused, many customers just play it safe and purchase the most expensive packages.

Barry Nalebuff, economics professor at the Yale School of Management, told the New York Times, "The whole pricing thing is weird. You pay $60 to make your first phone call. Your next 1,000 minutes are free. Then the minute after that costs 35 cents." It's all clear as mud, right? Basically, phone companies want to squeeze as much money as they can out of each customer. Unfortunately, the need to keep investors happy can become more important than the consumer's best interest.

Verizon has some powerful new ammunition for its anti-iPhone attack campaign. Considering a public statement made today by Google, Verizon's newest anti-Apple ad will likely read, "iDon't have free, default GPS." That's right, the rumored Google Maps Navigation service is officially for real, and Android 2.0 software will debut first on Verizon's Motorola DROID.

According to Google's statement, the free Navigator service (video after the break) will provide unparalleled services, including voice search (It does have a car dock mode.), up-to-the-minute traffic view, a "search along route" function, actual photographs of destination points so you know exactly where you're going, and several other exclusive features. Judging from the demonstration video (above), Navigator definitely passes the eye test. The alluring route search function, in particular, looks perfect for finding pit stops during a road trip.

We've heard the rumors before that the iPhone might be heading to AT&T's biggest competitor -- Verizon. One research analyst (fancy way of saying "good guesser") at Piper Jaffray told investors that Apple will open the iPhone up to other carriers in the U.S. in the summer of 2010.

Of course, there is little more evidence of this than there was in April when we first reported this rumor. Such a move would make sense, however. Apple has managed to successfully increase its market share in France after switching to a multi-carrier model. Additionally, polls have shown that while consumers are satisfied with the iPhone, they are less than happy with AT&T's service, especially in major metropolitan areas like New York.

Verizon plans to launch its 4G data network, called LTE, next year. Some believe the company may be hustling its premier for early 2010 in order to allow time for testing and expansion -- in advance of a possible Apple product debut.

Of course, all of this is just hearsay and conjecture. But in the grand scheme of Apple rumors, we'd still rate this one far more plausible than the Apple Tablet. [From: Apple Insider]

International travelers frequently get slammed with unexpected and exorbitant cell phone fees, particularly for services like checking e-mail and sending text messages. According to CNN, California's P. Morgan Brown and his wife almost missed a mortgage payment recently because Verizon (with whom they had signed up for auto-draft billing) dropped an $8,000 tab on the couple after Ms. Brown used her phone during a visit to Indonesia.

Verizon reportedly charged the Browns $2.50 per text message home, and $1.75 per minute for calls home. While the European Union has implemented regulations to reduce roaming charges and cap text-messaging fees, U.S. carriers seem content to gouge their unwitting customers. Writing for Tribune Media Services, Christopher Elliott gives some tips on how to cut down, and avoid, those ridiculous charges.

David Pogue, New York Times tech writer extraordinaire, took to the Web two weeks ago in a campaign to force cell phone carriers to delete time-wasting, pre-voicemail instructions. Pogue writes that over 28,032 blogs have rallied behind the Take Back the Beep campaign, and "thousands and thousands" of complaints have been sent to Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint. So, two weeks in, how have the cellular giants responded?

Sprint confirmed that it's possible to remove those instructions from its service, Verizon's mum on the whole subject, and T-Mobile responded to Pogue with a typically vague corporate statement: "We appreciate the feedback we've received from our customers, and these comments are being taken into consideration in our planning." AT&T said it would make some changes, and suggested it would "make Visual Voice Mail available on other devices."

If you haven't taken to the digital streets yet, or if you just want to reaffirm your commitment to the cause, Pogue's got instructions and contacts for making your voice heard. If this succeeds, maybe the momentum can be used to cut down on those absurd text-messaging rates. [From: New York Times via Engadget]