RadioShack's Acer Netbook deal is a dud!

As I'm driving home recording this in the car, I'm thinking what a pity it is that the special $99 netbook deal from RadioShack (with $60/month Internet service for two years) turns out to be one disappointment now that I've found that I'm limited to 5 gigs of data transfer per month...YIKES!

I'm returning it tomorrow...bummer!

Cheap Ways to Watch TV

Cheap Ways to Watch TV - Yahoo! Shopping

"Wait! Don't toss out your beautiful flat panel display — even if there are a plethora of ways to enjoy your favorite shows without a TV. What you can kick is your $30 a month (or more) cable subscription and digital video recorders. With the tanking economy, why spend a minimum of $360 a year to access all those shows that are too bad to watch? It may not be perfect (or live), but it is now possible to survive solely off digitally delivered television. Any shows that are not available for free can be picked up piecemeal from a variety of vendors. So cozy up to your laptop or hook that old PC to your television set, because here are some ways you can access content via the Internet."

How to Spruce Up Your Home Videos - PC World

How to Spruce Up Your Home Videos - PC World

"You've got a slew of footage of family gatherings or dance recitals. Edit those clips into something you can put in a DVD or show at the next reunion. Follow PC Magazine's quick tips to show you the way."

Rounding up the latest Netbooks

Rounding up the latest Netbooks - CNET Reviews

"The last couple of months have seen pretty much every big player in the PC market jump into the Netbook game with both feet. While we used to talk about Asus and MSI as dominant brands, now it's Dell, HP, and Lenovo.

The category continues to grow; after all, for around $500 (or less) you can take advantage of Internet access, e-mail, word processing, music playback, and even online video streaming. Netbooks do all of these things fairly well. We've got a video version of this roundup available as well."

Name that tune by just singing or humming a snippet

Name that tune by just singing or humming a snippet: Christopher Null : Yahoo! Tech

"Scenario: You got a fat iTunes gift card for Christmas and you're loading up on music... but there's that one song that you're dying to download that you just can't remember the name of, or even who sings it, for that matter.

You can try searching for lyrics -- if you have 'em straight -- or you can let your voice do the searching. Check out Midomi, an ingenious website that lets you sing or hum a few bars of any song to figure out what it really is."

NerdBoyTV ALERT: Preparing Strategically for Black Friday Deals

Courtesy of ABC News: Due to the tough economic times, retailers are giving deep, deep price cuts for merchandise on the traditionally busy Black Friday sale day. NerdBoyTV is passing this videoclip along so you can plan your shopping "strategies" carefully...hehehe...good luck and GO get those deals!

10 Best Bets for Black Friday

10 Best Bets for Black Friday - Yahoo! Shopping

By Nick Mokey, Digital Trends

It takes some pretty spectacular deals to pry Americans out of their recliners late every Turkey Day and send them out into blistering cold parking lots to camp for hours, but retailers have it figured it out with Black Friday. And if you're looking to score a big-screen TV for half of what it normally runs for, get a printer bundled with your camera for free, or pick up an MP3 player for the cost of a cup of coffee, you'll be out there too. With the economy forcing consumers to pinch their pennies even more this year, and retailers trying even harder to open those cautiously held wallets, the deals are ripe for the picking. Here are a few of our favorite picks for this year."

Obama likely to be forced to surrender his BlackBerry

Obama likely to be forced to surrender his BlackBerry : Christopher Null : Yahoo! Tech

"And no, he's not getting an iPhone.

President-elect Barack Obama is rarely seen in public without his BlackBerry smart phone, but that's likely to change when he sits down at his desk in the Oval Office come January. And, says the New York Times, he's dreading that moment.

The first e-President is likely to become significantly less connected come January 20 for a variety of reasons. Naturally security is a concern, lest Obama be tricked into clicking on the wrong ad. But the bigger issue is now a legal one: As President, Obama's written correspondence will be subject to the Presidential Records Act, which will all ultimately become part of the official record and subject to review by the public."

Black Friday sales arrive early this year

Black Friday sales arrive early this year : Gina Hughes : Yahoo! Tech: "These are tough economic times, so retailers are launching their Black Friday specials weeks early to motivate budget-conscious buyers. You can normally find the latest Black Friday ads on sites like BlackFriday.info, Bargainist.com, DealTaker.com, BFads.net, and TheBlackfriday.com, so check those out before you go shopping this weekend, because it looks like retailers are slashing prices early this year.

Here's a list of sales happening right now, just to give you an idea."

SHOW #056 - NerdBoyTV INTERNET: Audible.com

In this episode of NerdBoyTV, Ryan Yee takes you to the Audible.com website where you can purchase and download audiobooks, newspapers, and magazines. For a very low fee per audiobook, you can have the world of books playing on your iPod or computer.

SHOW #055 - NerdBoyTV: National Voter Guide, Obama, McCain

In this episode of NerdBoyTV, Ryan Yee demos the National Voter Guide that people can use to evaluate the candidates and propositions for this coming election. To subscribe, go to http://www.nerdboytv.com/.

ThinkFree launches office suite for Netbooks

ThinkFree launches office suite for Netbooks Webware : Cool Web apps for everyone - CNET

"ThinkFree, a company that specializes in 'next-gen' office productivity solutions, announced Tuesday that it has launched its ThinkFree Netbook solution, which will deliver word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation applications for Netbooks running Intel's Atom chipsets, like the Asus Eee PC or the Acer Aspire One.

According to ThinkFree, its Netbook Edition offers a simplified user interface and compatibility with Microsoft Office 2007 files. Most importantly, the software is optimized for a small screen and features integration with ThinkFree's online service that allows users to collaborate with each other and synchronize documents on-the-go."

CBS video site launches "social viewing" rooms

CBS video site launches "social viewing" rooms : Ben Patterson : Yahoo! Tech

"What's the fun in watching 'Survivor' by yourself? Now you can tune in—online, of course—with your pals, hurl suggestions and insults at the screen via text chat, and even answer in-line trivia questions while you watch.

That's the idea behind CBS.com's new 'social viewing rooms,' which just went live this week. Just register an avatar or pick a guest name, click on a show (choices range from 'Survivor' and the 'CSI' shows to 'The Young and the Restless,' 'How I Met Your Mother,' 'The Unit,' and 'Worst Week'), and start typing."

RIM stock tanks as BlackBerry sales weaken

RIM stock tanks as BlackBerry sales weaken : Christopher Null : Yahoo! Tech

"Poor RIM can't catch a break these days. First the iPhone comes on the scene and grabs all the attention in the smart phone space, a market that had been dominated by RIM for the better part of a decade. Now come cuts in its sales and earnings forecasts, with analysts starting to worry that people just aren't buying BlackBerrys like they used to.

While one analyst at Pacific Crest Securities calls overall sales trends 'slightly disappointing,' signs point to some pretty troubling weaknesses in all of the company's new products: Sales of the BlackBerry Pearl Flip are being described as 'tepid at best,' and sales of both the standard Curve and new Bold are weak overseas (where the Bold is already on sale)."

Pioneer debuts XMp3 player with recording capabilities

Pioneer debuts XMp3 player with recording capabilities : Gina Hughes : Yahoo! Tech

"I don't know many people who listen to satellite radio on-the-go, but if you're among this group, you might enjoy Pioneer's XMp3 radio. This wearable XM radio also happens to be an MP3 player with an microSD card slot so you can store and listen to your own tunes, as well as record music from live music channels."

Little Big Planet (PlayStation 3)

Little Big Planet (PlayStation 3) PlayStation 3 Game reviews - CNET Reviews

"Although Little Big Planet could be described as a platforming game, its dedication to creativity in every area takes it far beyond the confines of the genre. Everything from your character to the environment is geared towards user creation and adaptation, via stickers and costumes right up to a full-blown level creator.

Each level of the story mode is an unforgettable trip through the wild imagination of the designers, and it would be difficult to find a game that's as much fun to play with friends co-operatively.

It's a little disheartening that the Story mode is over so quickly, and although there's some longevity to be had from finding all the hidden extras, you can still see everything the story has to offer in six hours.

Then there's the level creator--an astoundingly powerful toolset that theoretically allows you to recreate anything you see in the included levels and much more. However, it still requires a great deal of time and skill to develop something that people will actually want to play, and despite the best intentions of the developer, it's a feature that not everyone will be able to take full advantage of.

The overall result is a game that's incredibly fun while it lasts, and one that has the potential to be taken further by its community."

The week in tech layoffs

The week in tech layoffs Webware : Cool Web apps for everyone - CNET

"With financial troubles taking their toll on every sector of the economy, an increasing number of companies are laying off employees to stay afloat. And the technology industry is no different.

The long and growing list of tech companies planning staff cuts ranges from Pandora to Tesla Motors, leaving a slew of highly trained workers looking for new opportunities."

Why Is Jerry Yang Still In Charge?

Daniel Lyons: Why Is Jerry Yang Still In Charge? Newsweek Daniel Lyons Techtonic Shifts Newsweek.com

"Eight months ago, Yahoo!CEO Jerry Yang had a chance to sell his company to Microsoft for $43 billion. He refused. Now Yahoo's market value stands at $18 billion. This raises a question: Why is Jerry Yang still running this company?"

SHOW #054 - NerdBoyTV: Web 2.0 CBS YouTube T-Mobile G1 Google

In this episode of NerdBoyTV, Ryan Yee shares CNET's 11 Web 2.0 Companies that might go under during this recession, CBS now streams full-length videos on YouTube, and T-Mobile releases Google's G1 cellphone this week.



11 troubled Web companies: The next Kozmos?

YouTube offers full-length CBS shows

Full review: T-Mobile G1 - The New Google Cellphone!

Full review: T-Mobile G1 : Ben Patterson : Yahoo! Tech

"It's a bit raw, and the clunky hardware isn't too inspiring, but the Android-powered G1 is the first touchscreen handset I've seen that's a true iPhone competitor—and a good one.

While it lacks the iPhone's spit and polish, the G1 benefits from the peppy, easy-to-use Android OS, not to mention the open-source freedom that'll probably lead to a riot of inventive applications. Priced at just $179 and set to ship October 22 (you can pre-order it here), it's no wonder the G1 is already a hit."

Apple iPod Nano vs. Microsoft Zune

Apple iPod Nano vs. Microsoft Zune - CNET Prizefight - CNET Reviews

"You know it's going to be a heated MP3-player battle when you pit an iPod against its sworn enemy: the Zune. Apple and Microsoft have released very similar-looking products this season, which only fuels the need for this prizefight.

In one corner, we have the fourth-generation iPod Nano, with its curved design, built-in tilt sensor, and iTunes software. In the other corner, we have the flash-based Zune, packing Wi-Fi, subscription music, and a killer RDS FM radio. Still, despite some clear differences, both players share many things in common (including their prices).

Without wasting another second, let's toss these two tiny MP3 players into the ring and see who prevails after the five brutal rounds of our CNET Prizefight."

Listen up! Music is everywhere on the Web

Listen up! Music is everywhere on the Web - Music- msnbc.com

"OK, so the idea of paying for radio seemed a whole lot better back in the good old days, when phrases like “financial crisis” weren’t in every other news story. If the Sirius XM subscription doesn’t seem like such a good idea anymore, well, you’re not alone. According to the tech blog CrunchGear.com, the company CEO Mel Karmazin is apparently now dreaming up ways to get cash-strapped would-be listeners to subscribe."

Riding dinosaur, robot top hot holiday toy list - Retail - msnbc.com

Riding dinosaur, robot top hot holiday toy list - Retail - msnbc.com

"A lifelike baby Triceratops that children can ride on, a Wall-E robot that responds to your voice, a dancing game that eliminates wires and mats.

Toy makers are upping the 'Wow!'-factor in new products in an attempt to capture children's and parents' attention amid a holiday season likely overshadowed by a difficult economy and turmoil in the financial sector.

'There's a lot of innovation this year, we see technology being used in new ways,' said Wendy Smolen, editorial director of the trade magazine Toy Wishes, which unveiled its 'Hot Dozen' toy list on Tuesday. 'In the past, there have been a lot of copycats.'"

Updated Zunes, iPods make choice harder

Review: Updated Zunes, iPods make choice harder - Yahoo! News

"The Zune has a long way to go to become a threat to the iPod. But it is getting closer.

With updated Zunes and new iPods hitting the market in the past week, I spent some time with each: a black-on-black version of Microsoft Corp.'s music and video player and a bright red model of Apple Inc.'s iPod Nano. And it became clear that there are a few things Apple can learn from the Zune — though not surprisingly, Microsoft might want to take some notes as well."

Best Buy to acquire music-sharer Napster

Best Buy to acquire music-sharer Napster - Yahoo! News:

"Napster Inc., the online music community that rose from a dorm room project to became the scourge of the global recording industry, is being purchased by Best Buy Inc. for nearly $127 million as the electronics retailer tries to boost its digital music business.

The $2.65 per share all-cash deal announced Monday is nearly double the music network's Friday closing price but a small sum to pay for Best Buy, which gets access to Napster's 700,000 subscribers who pay a monthly fee to access digital music catalogs.

'It's not a huge investment, but it definitely has brand recognition,' said Morningstar analyst Brady Lemos, who said Best Buy also benefits from the acquisition of technical expertise about the digital music industry."

SHOW #053 - NerdBoyTV GADGETS: Dell & Asus Netbooks

The "netbook" is a new category of mini-laptop designed for easy portability that's primarily used for surfing the Internet and checking e-mail. In this episode, Ryan Yee shares C-NET product reviews on the Dell Inspiron Mini 9 and Asus Eee PC 900.

Without Wi-Fi, mini-computers not as magical

Without Wi-Fi, mini-computers not as magical - Yahoo! News

"As personal computers go, the new rash of ultra-mini laptops are full of geeky goodness. Light, portable and powerful, they are almost perfect. Almost.

But like a rowboat in your backyard or a flat-screen TV in a blackout, most of these new PCs suffer when removed from a critical element. Specifically -- when outside of high-speed Internet access range, they go from power-in-your-pocket to pricey-digital scratchpads.

The idea behind the resurgent 'netbook' niche is that consumers-on-the-go primarily use computers to email, write documents, manage spreadsheets and surf the Web. Once online, they can access critical files, chat with others, or use social sites like Facebook or music services like Pandora."

Review: Peek is e-mail on the go, and that's it

Review: Peek is e-mail on the go, and that's it - Yahoo! News

"It's hard to remember now, but the first BlackBerry devices weren't phones. They were two-way e-mail pagers that couldn't be used for calls.

Now a New York-based startup is betting it can fill the niche the BlackBerry abandoned. It has made a sleek, $100 e-mail pager called the Peek that hits Target Corp. stores Monday.

The goal of the Peek is to reach the people who don't already have e-mail on their phones and may be intimidated by today's feature-rich 'smart' phones, like BlackBerrys, BlackJacks and iPhones. The Peek does e-mail and nothing more: no phone calls, no Web surfing, no camera. The service fee is $20 a month, with no contract."

Marissa Mayer talks about Google at 10 -- and 20

NerdBoyTV NOTE: Here's an interesting interview with Google's very first female engineer...

Marissa Mayer talks about Google at 10 -- and 20 Technology Los Angeles Times

"She is not nearly as famous as celebrity founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin. But, in many ways, Marissa Mayer has become the public face of Google, which was incorporated 10 years ago today."

Hands-on Creative's Vado pocket cam

Hands-on Creative's Vado pocket cam : Gina Hughes : Yahoo! Tech

"Oprah might like the Ultra-Flip video camera, but that's because she hasn't laid her hands on the new Creative Vado. I got my hands on the Creative Vado this week, and compared to the other made for YouTube pocket camcorders, this one is by far the thinnest.

I recently reviewed RCA's Small Wonder, which I really like because it has a removable microSD card, and can be customized vinyl stickers, but the Creative Vado is simple, slim, and so easy to use.

The pocket video cam is as big as a cell phone but can hold 2GB of video. Video quality isn't the greatest at 640 x 480 but this will do when you're just uploading videos to video sharing sites.

My favorite feature is the zoom, since it's something I don't often see in small cameras like this one. It does have a built in speaker, microphone, and flip-out USB connector, which is all you need for your video sharing experience."

Apple event predictions: New Nano, Touch, price drops?

Apple event predictions: New Nano, Touch, price drops? : Ben Patterson : Yahoo! Tech

"A revamped Nano appears to be a lock, along with tweaks for the Touch and a new version of iTunes. We might have to wait on those rumored new MacBooks, however.

That's the word ahead of Tuesday morning's media event, which Apple finally confirmed earlier this week via a 'Let's Rock' invite decorated with that ubiquitous dancing iPod dude.

Of course, the rumors have been flying fast and furious in the past few days, and I've done my best to marshal them into some kind of order—starting with …"

Microsoft Gurus to take on Apple’s Genuises

Microsoft Gurus to take on Apple’s Genuises - U.S. business- msnbc.com

"NEW YORK - As part of its new $300 million marketing campaign and image makeover, Microsoft Corp. plans to deploy its own customer-service representatives at retailers like Best Buy and Circuit City to help people with their PC purchases.

The world's largest software company plans to have 155 'Microsoft Gurus' in U.S. stores by the end of the year, and expand based on the project's success, Microsoft's general manager of corporate communications, Tom Pilla, said Friday.

These gurus will be answering questions about PCs and Microsoft products, as well as giving demos of how the company's products work together — help designed to get them thinking Microsoft."

Google plans to launch Web browser TODAY!

Google plans to launch Web browser - Internet- msnbc.com: "Google is releasing its own Web browser in a long-anticipated move aimed at countering the dominance of Microsoft's Internet Explorer and ensuring easy access to its market-leading search engine."

SHOW #052 - NerdBoyTV INTERNET: YouTubeDownloader

If you've been looking for a way to get YouTube videoclips onto your iPod video, try YouTubeDownloader. In this episode of NerdBoyTV, Ryan Yee demos how to use this free program that you can download HERE.

SHOW #051 - NerdBoyTV INTERNET: SpamArrest

In this episode of NerdBoyTV, Ryan Yee talks about SpamArrest, an Internet service that does a terrific job of keeping pesky spam out of your email Inbox. Works GREAT! For more information, go to http://www.NerdBoyTV.com.

SHOW #050 - NerdBoyTV INTERNET: Animoto (Creating Photo Music Videos)

In this episode of NerdBoyTV, Ryan Yee demos how to turn your digital photos into a stunning music video using the online Internet service, Animoto. Includes a music video that Ryan put together using Animoto.

IT Admin Locks up San Francisco's Network

Report: IT Admin Locks up San Francisco's Network (PC World) by PC World: Yahoo! Tech: "A network administrator has locked up a multimillion dollar computer system for San Francisco that handles sensitive data and is refusing to give police the password, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Monday."

Console wars heat up for 2008: Sony impresses, Microsoft surprises, Nintendo disappoints

Console wars heat up for 2008: "In the two days leading up to the year's biggest video games trade show, E3, it's become something of a tradition that the competing console manufacturers face off in a series of lavish press conferences. Now that 2008's round of announcements, demonstrations, trailers, and posturing are over, which console came out on top?"

After Abandoning ITunes, NBC Shows up on Zune

PC World - Business Center: After Abandoning ITunes, NBC Shows up on Zune: "After a pricing spat with Apple led NBC to pull its video content from iTunes, the broadcaster has struck a deal with Microsoft's Zune online store.

On Tuesday, as part of an announcement about new Zune features, Microsoft planned to say that it will start selling television programs at the Zune store for viewing on its portable music player. NBC is among the broadcasters supplying videos for the service."

How to Sync iTunes with Your Non-iPod Player

PC World - How to Sync iTunes with Your Non-iPod Player: "So your iPod went to that electronics graveyard in the sky, and you replaced it with a non-Apple MP3 player. But your music library still sits inside iTunes, complete with painstakingly crafted playlists that you'd rather not lose. Here's how to sync your iTunes playlist data and music with a non-iPod player."

How to Spruce Up Your Home Videos

PC World - How to Spruce Up Your Home Videos: "You've got a slew of footage of family gatherings or dance recitals. Edit those clips into something you can put in a DVD or show at the next reunion. Follow our quick tips to show you the way."

Polaroids for the Digital Age

PC World - Polaroids for the Digital Age: "Polaroid introduces the PoGo printer, a device that can wirelessly print pics from cell phones, as well as from digital cameras. The PoGo is the first product to take advantage of the company's new 'Zink' ink technology that's incorporated into the paper. This nifty device is a little on the expensive side, but it's great fun printing pics from your phone at a party!"

SHOW #049 - NerdBoyTV GADGET: Motorola MOTOROKR S9 Bluetooth Wireless Headset

On this episode of NerdBoyTV, Ryan Yee introduces Motorola's MOTOROKR S9 Bluetooth Headset. Was recently on sale at T-Mobile for $39.99 (retails for $99)...a HOT buy!

What You Should Know Before you Switch from BlackBerry to iPhone

WebWorkerDaily � Archive What You Should Know Before you Switch from BlackBerry to iPhone �: "Last weekend, I was one of the 1 million who was crazy enough to wait on a 3 hour line to buy an iPhone 3G. Until last Thursday, I was quite content to be a BlackBerry user for the foreseeable future. I really liked my BlackBerry 8800. A lot.

So why the switch? Let’s face it…the iPhone 3G is a mighty fine web working smartphone."

Microsoft launches subscription version of Office

Microsoft launches subscription version of Office : Christopher Null : Yahoo! Tech: "Want Microsoft Office but not at the extreme prices it commands on retail shelves? Microsoft is bringing a subscription-based version of its Office application suite called Equipt to consumers, and sooner than predicted, at a price of $69.99 per year.

Microsoft has previous said the Equipt package will arrive starting in mid-July; rumor has it the official launch date is July 15."

Warner Home Video dropping prices on Blu-ray titles

Warner Home Video dropping prices on Blu-ray titles : Gina Hughes : Yahoo! Tech: "A report on Video Business says that Blu-ray sale may just be around the corner as Warner Home Video plans to launch an aggressive pricing initiative for the fourth quarter. According to the report, Warner sent a newsletter to retailers detailing its plans to launch a rebate program that will go into effect in September."

Hands-on my six favorite iPhone applications

Hands-on my six favorite iPhone applications : Gina Hughes : Yahoo! Tech: "I'm sure many of you are still browsing through the Apple Apps Store, looking for download-worthy applications to install on your phone. It's hard not to download all the freebies, but before you clutter your iPhone's screen, you should keep in mind that some of these applications are nothing but ways to get you sign up for extra services you probably don't need.

Click on the link to see the list of some of the more popular applications being downloaded right now. Some are great, some are not, but all of them deserve some screen space on your iPhone."

Rock Band 2 setlist revealed

Rock Band 2 setlist revealed : Christopher Null : Yahoo! Tech: "84 songs on disc (all master recordings; no cheap covers!). 20 additional, free, downloadable bonus tracks. Rock Band 2 is gonna be huge when it arrives later this year, in both sales and in content."

This is absolutely hilarious!

Those fools at Gizmodo have REALLY lost it this time...being a gadget guy myself, this video really got me to thinkin' (a dangerous thing, indeed). ;-)

Tech takes its place in the garden

Tech takes its place in the garden - DigiGirl- msnbc.com: "“When you look at the methods, container gardening seems to be big right now,” she said. “We sell something called the Earthbox ($65) that has made it extremely easy to grow fresh vegetables just about anywhere, a balcony, a small space on a deck."

Microsoft partners with Netflix on Xbox Live

Microsoft partners with Netflix on Xbox Live - On the Level- msnbc.com: "It’s official. Starting this fall, Xbox 360 owners can stream movies directly from Netflix.

The announcement, which came about midway through Microsoft’s press briefing at E3, an annual video and computer games trade show, confirmed a long-rumored partnership between the two companies."

Seven problems with the new iPhone

Seven problems with the new iPhone : Christopher Null : Yahoo! Tech: "The new iPhone just landed in stores, but already pundits are grumbling about the revised iPhone, based on demos and published specs, about what the new model has failed to fix since the first-gen device.

Yes, we get 3G and GPS, a way to connect to Exchange, and the new app store, but what about everything else? Forbes' Brian Caulfield outlines seven (actually eight) iPhone disappointments, and most of these observations are spot on."

SHOW #048 - NerdBoyTV GADGET: Motorola MOTOROKR S9 Bluetooth Wireless Headset

On this episode of NerdBoyTV, Ryan Yee introduces Motorola's MOTOROKR S9 Bluetooth Headset. Was recently on sale at T-Mobile for $39.99 (retails for $99)...a HOT buy!

Kindle booming at Amazon

Kindle booming at Amazon : Christopher Null : Yahoo! Tech: "Some may find this hard to believe, but the humble Amazon Kindle book reader appears to be a hit. After numerous gripes from early reviewers claiming it was not quite ready for prime time and problems with the Kindle being out of stock during the holiday season, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos says the Kindle now comprises a whopping 12 percent of book sales on the site (for books which are available in both print and electronic format).

What's even more phenomenal is that Amazon says that figure was 6 percent only two months ago, indicating an unprecedented doubling of sales in such a short amount of time. Amazon now has 130,000 titles available on the Kindle."

Software for new iPhone benefits current owners

Software for new iPhone benefits current owners - Digital Home- msnbc.com: "You won’t have to buy a new iPhone to get a new iPhone.

Millions of current iPhone owners can download the phone’s free 2.0 software Friday that will let them use Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync, as well as access Apple’s new App Store, which 'opened' Thursday, and could ultimately offer thousands of programs.

The App Store, available through Apple's iTunes Store, has more than 500 programs in tow, about 20 percent of them available for free. Many more programs are coming in the weeks and months ahead."

Roku Netflix Player upgrade in the works

Roku Netflix Player upgrade in the works : Christopher Null : Yahoo! Tech: "Has the battle to create a dream product to link online digital media to the TV quietly been won? Despite competition from just about everyone—Vudu, Apple, TiVo, Xbox, and more—humble Roku, which released its Netflix Player set-top box barely over a month ago (making it a distant latecomer to the game), sold out of its first shipment in three weeks. Demand is so strong that the company is air-freighting new units to the U.S. in order to keep up."

Time for a YouTube intervention

Time for a YouTube intervention - Netiquette- msnbc.com: "Last week a judge ordered YouTube to hand over records of every video you and everyone else ever watched on the video-sharing site, plus when you watched it and how many times. This is the latest in Viacom’s copyright battle with Google (of which YouTube is a subsidiary). Viacom wants to prove that the majority of us aren’t watching dramatic gopher remixes for kicks, but instead stealing peeks at blurry clips of Viacom properties such as “The Daily Show” and “Colbert,” helping YouTube get Internet rich on stolen content."

YouTube’s ad revenue short of expectations

YouTube’s ad revenue short of expectations - U.S. business- msnbc.com: "Advertising revenue from YouTube is likely to total about $200 million this year and thus fall short of parent company Google Inc’s expectations, The Wall Street Journal said on Tuesday, citing two sources familiar with the matter."

Newer, Faster, Cheaper iPhone 3G

Personal Technology - WSJ.com: "Apple Inc.'s iPhone has been the world's most influential smart phone since its debut a year ago, widely hailed for its beauty and functionality. It was a true hand-held computer that raised the bar for all its competitors. But that first iPhone had two big drawbacks: It was expensive, and it couldn't access the fastest cellular-phone networks."

SHOW #047 - NerdBoyTV GADGET: Samsung Helix XM Radio

In this episode of NerdBoyTV, Ryan Yee gives high marks to the Samsung Helix XM Radio Portable Player. This is one of the BEST gadgets that NerdBoyTV has reviewed with its easy-to-use features and seamless integration with XM Radio and Napster. Even compared to the ever-popular iPod, the Helix packs quite a lot of punch with over 170 channels and terrific one-button record capability. 5 stars, easy!

Photo tips for the 4th of July

Photo tips for the 4th of July : Christopher Null : Yahoo! Tech: "Friday is the day you get off work to grill meat and watch fireworks explode (oh, and celebrate Independence Day), and that means the camera shutters will be snapping like crazy.

But taking a good picture of your BBQ ribs or a girandole isn't quite as simple as just pointing your camera and pushing the button. Here are five sites full of tips for taking perfect pictures on the Fourth of July and throughout the summer."

Flash-based Ibiza Rhapsody: Is this the iPod nano killer?

Flash-based Ibiza Rhapsody: Is this the iPod nano killer? : Ben Patterson : Yahoo! Tech: "I was a big fan of last year's HDD-based, 30GB Ibiza Rhapsody Wi-Fi music player, and I'm happy to report that the new, 4GB and 8GB Flash versions manage to improve on what was already a good thing, and it looks like it might be giving the iPod nano a run for its money. Read on for my review.

The Ibiza Rhapsody players, which are compatible with Rhapsody's subscription music service, have been flying under the radar ever since they hit stores last fall."

The rising cost of texting

The rising cost of texting - Yahoo! News: "If you thought gas prices were rising too quickly, check out what's been happening to text messaging.

Since 2005, rates to send and receive text messages on all four major carrier networks have doubled from 10 cents to 20 cents per message. This percentage of increase is on par with similar price hikes at the gas pump as crude oil prices skyrocket. In 2005, Americans paid on average about $2.27 per gallon for gas compared with more than $4 a gallon today."

Rhapsody to challenge iTunes by embracing the iPod

Rhapsody to challenge iTunes by embracing the iPod (Reuters) by Reuters: Yahoo! Tech: "Digital music seller Rhapsody is launching a $50 million marketing assault on Apple's iTunes, offering songs online and via partners including Yahoo Inc and Verizon Wireless, Rhapsody said on Monday.

The songs will be sold in MP3 format, which means users of the Rhapsody service will be able to play them on iPods."

SHOW #046 - NerdBoyTV VIDEO GAME: Nick Arcade's Airport Mania

In this episode of NerdBoyTV, Ryan Yee demos the Nick Arcade video game, Airport Mania. He also discusses Bill Gates retirement from Microsoft and reminds his California audience that they need to wear hands-free headsets beginning July 1st when driving and talking on their cellphones. For more videos and links, go to http://www.nerdboytv.com/.

AT&T: Metered Net use is "inevitable"

AT&T: Metered Net use is "inevitable" : Ben Patterson : Yahoo! Tech: "First it was Time Warner Cable, then Comcast—and now, AT&T looks poised to jump on the bandwidth-cap bandwagon.

TheStreet.com just quoted an AT&T spokesman who says metered Net usage for its DSL customers sound like a pretty good idea."

Windows XPiration is at hand

Windows XPiration is at hand - Digital Home- msnbc.com: "Windows XP, R.I.P. — at least for most buyers of new PCs.

On Monday, Microsoft will stop selling copies of the operating system to retailers and computer manufacturers. There are exceptions: Until June 2010, manufacturers of limited and lower-cost computers can place Windows XP Home on the machines, and small businesses that custom-build PCs will be able to install XP on computers through Jan. 31, 2009."

Skype wants you to watch who you're calling

Skype wants you to watch who you're calling - Wireless- msnbc.com: "Web communications leader Skype begins public testing on Wednesday of a new version of its software for making free or low-cost phone calls that aims to make casual video chatting more common.

The Luxembourg-based unit of online auction leader eBay Inc said that public testing of Skype version 4.0 would begin making video a more integral part of the service.

The 4.0 test version invites users to post bigger photos of themselves, instead of just thumbnail images, to encourage callers to see and be seen."

Watch out '.com,' here comes '.disney'

Watch out '.com,' here comes '.disney' - Internet- msnbc.com: "The Internet's key oversight agency relaxed rules Thursday to permit the introduction of hundreds, perhaps thousands, of new Internet domain names to join '.com,' making the first sweeping changes in the network's 25-year-old address system."

Three new Bluetooth headsets reviewed

Three new Bluetooth headsets reviewed : Christopher Null : Yahoo! Tech: "With California's new hands-free law just days away from taking effect, more people than ever are looking to wireless products to ensure they don't miss a single second of telephone chit-chat. Here's how three newer model headsets compare."

SHOW #045 - NerdBoyTV REVIEW: Zune 4GB

In this episode of NerdBoyTV, Ryan Yee reviews Microsoft's Zune 4GB MP3 Player and compares it to Apple's comparable iPod Nano.

How the half-price iPhone 3G actually costs you more

How the half-price iPhone 3G actually costs you more : Christopher Null : Yahoo! Tech: "Not mentioned in today's you-can't-get-away-from-it iPhone 3G announcement: AT&T's service plan jumps $10 a month. What's this? Did Apple finally figure out what the rest of the retail world did: That when you give away the razor you can charge through the nose for the blades? Let's look at the math."

Father's Day Gift Guide for the "Tech-Savvy" Dad

Your Complete Father's Day Gift Guide - Dads and Grads by PC Magazine: "Through and through, this dad's a laptop-toting, home-automating, technology junkie. He's up on all the new gizmos, wants the top-of-the line techie tinker toys, and relishes all the bells and whistles that come with them."

Smartphones heeding the call of consumers

Smartphones heeding the call of consumers - Digital Home- msnbc.com: "At a time when sales of cell phones are slowing in the United States, there's one kind of mobile device that appears to be defying the trend: smartphones.

Whether you're an Apple fan or not, there's no question the company's iPhone, with a new model to be announced today, has helped contribute to the recent success of smartphones, devices that can handle e-mail and Web surfing, as well as other programs."

SHOW #044 - NerdBoyTV GADGET: VTech's Cordless Phone with Instant Messaging Capability

NerdBoy NOTE: This VTech cordless phone with IM capability looks pretty cool...too bad it isn't compatible with MY favorite IM service, Yahoo! But, lots of teens use AOL, so this still might be a keeper for YOUR household. Checkout the video ;-)

VTech's Cordless Phone with Instant Messaging Capability (IS6110) ($99.95). The Next generation of cordless phones is here.Introducing the IS6110; a state-of-the-art DECT 6.0 cordless phone providing you crystal clear, interference free calls. Even better, it's designed to enable you to IM/IV from anywhere in the home. Pretty cool.

This Wi-Fi-friendly phone lets you read messages and text friends through MSN Messenger, Windows Live Messenger, and AOL Instant Messenger. Simply connect the base unit to an open USB port on a PC, and she can instantly chat with friends. In addition, the IS6110 is both Energy Star–rated and RoHS-compliant, and features a high-resolution color LCD, full keypad, speakerphone, phonebook directory, and recordable ring tones.

Eight Handy Tools in Microsoft Word You Probably Don't Know About

Eight Handy Tools in Microsoft Word You Probably Don't Know About - Expert Help by PC Magazine: "Save time and energy by using these easy features in your Word documents. by Neil J. Rubenking

Microsoft Word is full of tools that can help you work faster and smarter—but only if you know about them. Here's a list to remind you of just what Word can do for you. You're probably familiar with some of these. Your neighbor knows a few, too, but not the same few. Time to learn something new!"

ClipTrak Pro: Keep Past Clips Present

ClipTrak Pro: Keep Past Clips Present - Downloads by PC Magazine: "Do you ever wish you could backtrack through the Windows clipboard to retrieve a recently copied item? Or wish you had the ability to quickly paste items that you use over and over again? ClipTrak Pro, an update to our great clipboard manager, enables you to do just that."

The Best Media Extenders

The Best Media Extenders - Reviews by PC Magazine: "These smart devices help get music, video, and photos from the Web and your PC to your TV easily. by Tim Gideon

Media Extenders are a large and varied category of devices that let you stream content to your home theater setup—from either your computer's music, video, and photo libraries, or from the Internet. The very first media extenders, from companies like Netgear and MediaGate, offered varying degrees of usefulness, but were generally a headache to set up. Apple TV changed the game somewhat; like all Apple products, it was easy to set up and made the complex task of streaming content from a computer to a TV and stereo simple—not to mention good-looking."

To-Go Television

To-Go Television - Reviews by PC Magazine: "Today's mobile devices offer plenty of ways to numb your brain on the go with eighteen seasons of Law & Order. by Sascha Segan

I love television. One of the wonderful things about it is that there's far more than I could ever possibly watch between the time my daughter goes to bed, and the time I have to turn in so I can get enough rest to write brilliant PC Magazine columns and reviews the next day.

Fortunately, I can take TV with me. You can, too. Today's cell phones and portable media players offer a number of different ways to keep you watching on the go. Not all mobile TV solutions are equal, though, so I've divided them into four categories."

SHOW #043 - NerdBoyTV DEMO: YouSentIt

In this episode, Ryan Yee shows you how to e-mail large files (like videoclips and audiofiles) using a free service called YouSendIt.

The $1,400 Phone Bill

What would you do if your T-Mobile cell bill arrived, and it was more than 200 pages long and totaled more than $1,400?


The $1,400 Phone Bill

Hot new gadgets for your gadgets

Gadgets on the go and gadgets for your gadgets are hitting stores near you. WFLA-TV's Victoria Lim shows us what's hot.


Hot new gadgets for your gadgets

First Aid for Your Hard Drive

First Aid for Your Hard Drive - Page1 -� MSN Tech & Gadgets - How To: "You're doing OK, right? Your computing life has settled down; your machine is stable; and you haven't even considered upgrading to Microsoft's Windows Vista.

Then--oops! You spill coffee on your notebook. (Oh, you don't think that's possible? Read Amber Bouman's 'Laptops and Liquids Don't Mix.') Or maybe there's a storm and a power surge fries your PC's hard drive.

One of our Windows experts, Scott Dunn, has marvelous advice on moving the folders that hold your data files off your Windows XP or Vista drive to simplify backups. You can read it in 'Keep Your Data Safe by Reorganizing Windows' Folders.'

I also have advice from PC World experts about what to do if your hard drive crashes--and you don't have a backup."

Tech goes from geek to chic

Tech goes from geek to chic - Page1 -� MSN Tech & Gadgets - GearDaddy: "Consumer electronics are no longer confined to boring black boxes as manufacturers begin to offer more gadgets with a bit of glamour.

In the past, only hard-core geeks could justifiably call a computer, mobile phone, television or other tech sleek and sexy — and then they were probably referring to the product’s performance rather than its appearance. But these days, more and more gadget makers are combining style with substance to set their products apart, and consumer are responding.

“People want technology that’s functional but also looks great,” remarks Heather Dale of the tech blog GeekSugar, which tracks trendy tech under the tagline “Geek is Chic.” “And they’ll pay extra for something that stands out, whether it’s a laptop that’s a unique color or a cell phone with some sort of bling.”"

New Apple iPhone expected next week

New Apple iPhone expected next week - Wireless- msnbc.com: "June has arrived and for Apple fans and investors that means just one thing — a new iPhone.

The encore to the original iPhone, which launched nearly a year ago amid unprecedented industry buzz, is widely expected to be the main attraction when Chief Executive Steve Jobs takes the stage at Apple's developers' conference next Monday."

Adobe launches new version of Acrobat with Flash

Adobe launches new version of Acrobat with Flash - Yahoo! News: "Adobe Systems Inc. is launching a new version of its document sharing software Acrobat on Monday, and this time it can package videos.

Acrobat allows users to package documents so they can be read across different hardware and operating systems."

SHOW #042 - NerdBoyTV Broadcast: May 31, 2008

In this episode, Ryan Yee (Host of NerdBoyTV) demos the Flip Video Ultra camcorder. This easy-to-use digital video camera is truly "point-and-click."

• Flip Video Ultra is a winner with its simple design and iPod-like colors.
• Extremely easy-to-use; just point-and-shoot.
• Connects directly to computer with built-in USB arm.
• Comes with ready-loaded software on the camera.
• Uploads to YouTube and other video share sites in a snap.
• Retails for $149, but I've seen them even cheaper.

Mysterious Flip Minos spotted

Mysterious Flip Minos spotted : Gina Hughes : Yahoo! Tech: "Inexpensive pocket video cameras have been such a hit that many companies, including Creative, have launched their own colorful pocket cams for the YouTube generation. Oprah even showcased the Ultra Flip Video camera on her program to show how easy it was to upload video to YouTube and to record behind-the-scenes footage for her YouTube channel."

RIM BlackBerry Curve 8330 (Verizon)

NERDBOY NOTE: This is NerdBoyTV's new "toy," the Blackberry Curve 8330. I've already used the Apple iPhone, the Helio Ocean, and T-Mobile Sidekick and I must say I'm liking this new Blackberry ;-)

RIM BlackBerry Curve 8330 (Verizon) - Reviews by PC Magazine: "The Curve 8330 gives BlackBerry buyers on Verizon an ideal balance of messaging, voice quality, and top-notch design."

Google: Viacom's YouTube suit threatens freedom

NERDBOY NOTE: Well, you KNEW this was coming...first Napster, now YouTube. It was only a matter of time before the sleeping media giants woke up (and then turned REALLY nasty)!

Google: Viacom's YouTube suit threatens freedom - Yahoo! News: "A $1 billion copyright infringement lawsuit challenging YouTube's ability to keep copyrighted material off its popular video-sharing site threatens how hundreds of millions of people exchange all kinds of information on the Internet, YouTube owner Google Inc. said.

Google's lawyers made the claim in papers filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan as the company responded to Viacom Inc.'s latest lawsuit alleging that the Internet has led to 'an explosion of copyright infringement' by YouTube and others."

Wii Ware: Is This Nintendo's First Blunder?

Wii Ware: Is This Nintendo's First Blunder? - Video Game Feature - Yahoo! Video Games: "Nintendo's Wii console unveiled its own slate of original, downloadable games this month, and the service promises to broaden this unique machine's appeal still further. With low distribution costs and little barrier to entry, it's a hit among smaller, risk-averse developers.

But after being bewildered by bizarre interfaces, confused by storage limits and inexplicably accosted by orange Marios, we're left wondering: could this be the Wii's first blunder?"

SHOW #041 - NerdBoyTV Broadcast: May 25, 2008 - Top Google Millionaires

In this episode of NerdBoyTV, Ryan Yee counts down Inc.com's Top 8 Google Millionaires (and in some cases, billionaires) who hit it big once the search engine giant acquired them. Also, NerdBoyTV's Gadget of the Week features the Porta2030 lifecasting backpack that streams video to the web.

Verizon tops in wireless survey, Sprint falls behind

Verizon tops in wireless survey, Sprint falls behind : Ben Patterson : Yahoo! Tech: "Chatters are growing happier with their overall wireless service, according to a new survey, with Verizon Wireless taking top honors and Sprint slipping into last place among the four big carriers. That said, overall scores for customer satisfaction fell somewhat short of the stratosphere.

The results come courtesy of the American Customer Satisfaction Index, which rates various industries and companies on a scale of 1 to 100 based on national phone surveys."

Making a Living on eBay

Economy: Making a Living on eBay Newsweek Voices - Daniel Gross Newsweek.com: "Certain numbers have an iconic status in America's business culture. One of them is the number of people who derive income selling goods on eBay: 1.3 million. The figure has been cited by eBay executives such as former CEO Meg Whitman, speaking on 60 Minutes in March; by companies that are part of the eBay economic ecosystem; and, in late April, by presidential candidate John McCain. 'Today, for example, 1.3 million people in the world make a living off eBay,' he proclaimed. 'Most of those are in the United States of America.'

Where does this number come from? And do more than 650,000 Americans really 'make a living' selling costume jewelry, baseball cards, and cameras in the world's largest swap meet?"

Solitaire: most popular game of all time - Video Game Feature - Yahoo! Video Games

Solitaire: most popular game of all time - Video Game Feature - Yahoo! Video Games: "What's the most popular video game ever made? Tetris? Pokemon? The Sims? Nope - according to a Slate article published this week, it's Solitaire. Included by default on every single Windows PC in the world, Solitaire has been a popular diversion for bored office workers for decades, even causing New York office worker Ed Greenwood to be fired when city mayor Michael Bloomberg spotted him playing it on the clock."

Netflix: New Set-Top Box Streams Video to TV | Newsweek Tech and Business | Newsweek.com

Netflix: New Set-Top Box Streams Video to TV Newsweek Tech and Business Newsweek.com: "How many little boxes do you have in your living room? A TiVo and a DVD player? Maybe a Wii or an Xbox? A wireless router in the corner? Netflix is betting that—if you're a happy subscriber and a PC user—you'll be eager to plunk down $99 for one more. The world's largest online movie rental service made good on a years-old rumor this week by announcing the release of the Netflix Player. The compact box is made in partnership with Roku, a privately held digital media company, and lets subscribers instantly stream movies and television shows from their account directly onto their television."

Napster rolls out all-MP3 download store - Yahoo! News

Napster rolls out all-MP3 download store - Yahoo! News: "Napster Inc. begins selling MP3s Tuesday, a move the online music service hopes will lure iPod users and turn around Napster's sliding fortunes.

The company is the latest to make the switch to the unrestricted file format, which makes it music tracks compatible with virtually any music player or other device."

ENTREPENEURS: Unlikely-Millionaires

unlikely-millionaires: Personal Finance News from Yahoo! Finance: "We all fantasize about coming up with a million-dollar idea, but who actually lives the dream? Here are some success stories, as well as a look at how great entrepreneurs manage to make their mark..."

Foneshow Makes Podcasts Available On-the-go

Foneshow is a new service that lets you listen to Podcasts on your cell phone. And you dont need a computer or a copy of iTunes to listen in. (May 14)

Using the Web to Save Gas Money

In Wisconsin, there is a growing population of people who are looking to save gas money by searching on the internet for someone to share the ride to work. (May 16)

The Daily News Online > Area News > Let's hear from you: Can you live without those gadgets?

The Daily News Online > Area News > <font color='red'>Let's hear from you:</font> Can you live without those gadgets?: "Can teenagers today break away from cell phones, laptops and iPods for a week?

How did young people track each other’s lives without Facebook and MySpace? Are young people today too dependent on technology?

The Daily News is looking for a group of tech-savvy teenagers to unplug their gadgets for one week and tell us what it’s like. If you are up for the challenge, contact reporter Leila Summers at (360) 577-2524 or lsummers@tdn.com."

RIM will launch touch-screen BlackBerry in Q3: report (Reuters) by Reuters: Yahoo! Tech

RIM will launch touch-screen BlackBerry in Q3: report (Reuters) by Reuters: Yahoo! Tech: "BlackBerry maker Research In Motion Ltd plans to launch a touch-screen version of the wireless e-mail device in the third quarter as an answer to Apple Inc's iPhone, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday.

The device, known as the Thunder, is to be sold exclusively through Verizon Wireless in the U.S. and Vodafone PLC abroad, the Journal reported on its Web site, citing people familiar with the matter."

A sling backpack for Lifecasters : Gina Hughes : Yahoo! Tech

A sling backpack for Lifecasters : Gina Hughes : Yahoo! Tech: "The Porta2030 is a backpack equipped with lots of gizmos inside to help you stream images and video to a website. Inside the yellow sling backpack rests a battery pack, a 1GB flash card, a hard drive, USB speaker, an LCD display unit, and a webcam that makes this the ideal mobile streaming unit in existence."

Here comes Wii Fit

Wii Fit Specs : Yahoo! Tech: "The hit combination of Wii Sports and the Wii Remote brought golf swings and tennis serves into people’s homes. Now Nintendo turns the living room into a fitness center for the whole family with Wii Fit and the Wii Balance Board. Family members will have fun getting a 'core' workout, and talking about and comparing their results and progress on a new channel on the Wii Menu."

Dollar-a-day pre-paid plans explained : Ben Patterson : Yahoo! Tech

Dollar-a-day pre-paid plans explained : Ben Patterson : Yahoo! Tech: "Boost and T-Mobile are touting their new dollar-a-day pre-paid plans, but the practice of charging daily access fees for cheaper pre-paid minutes has been around for years—and it's not for everyone."

SHOW #040 - NerdBoyTV Broadcast: May 17, 2008

In this episode, Ryan Yee introduces Jamba Juice's new "Chunky Strawberry" breakfast, the 7 biggest misuses of texting while dating, a Q&A for parents about MySpace, CBS's purchase of CNET for $1.75 billion, and Google's recent ranking as the most popular website in the land surpassing Yahoo!

The 7 Biggest Misuses of Texting to Avoid in Dating -- Yahoo! Personals

The 7 Biggest Misuses of Texting to Avoid in Dating -- Yahoo! Personals: "For those of you who use text messaging as a form of communication with someone you're dating, whether you have a BlackBerry or an Apple iPhone, text messaging is the most abused and misinterpreted form of communication out there."

Answering parents' MySpace questions - Internet- msnbc.com

Answering parents' MySpace questions - Internet- msnbc.com: "While some parents are creating their own MySpace pages to keep up with their kids, many don't understand the social-networking site and its allure for adolescents.

Stories such as today's 'Mom indicted in MySpace suicide case' and others that tie the site to sexual predators, cyberbullying and teen suicide can make this unfamiliar youth hangout all the more frightening for parents. Fortunately, psychologists say, most children don’t encounter trouble on social-networking sites. Many kids, they say, have beneficial experiences on MySpace, which can actually help children through the awkward stage that is adolescence."

CBS in $1.75B deal for online news site CNet - Yahoo! News

CBS in $1.75B deal for online news site CNet - Yahoo! News: "CBS Corp. agreed to buy online technology news and entertainment company CNet Networks Inc. for about $1.75 billion, expanding its access to the burgeoning Internet advertising market."

Google leads as most popular U.S. site - Internet- msnbc.com

Google leads as most popular U.S. site - Internet- msnbc.com: "Google has surpassed Yahoo to become the most popular Web site in the United States, according to comScore Inc.'s rankings by the number of unique monthly visitors."

Once shunned by academics, Wikipedia now a teaching tool (AFP) by AFP: Yahoo! Tech

Once shunned by academics, Wikipedia now a teaching tool (AFP) by AFP: Yahoo! Tech: "Wikipedia, the upstart Internet encyclopedia that most universities forbid students to use, has suddenly become a teaching tool for professors.

Recently, university teachers have swapped student term papers for assignments to write entries for the free online encyclopedia."

New BlackBerry doubles screen resolution - Wireless- msnbc.com

New BlackBerry doubles screen resolution - Wireless- msnbc.com: "Research In Motion on Monday introduced its first major new BlackBerry model in more than a year: the Bold, a high-end model that further demonstrates the company's desire to make tools for both work and play.

The Bold, or 9000, has twice the screen resolution of the current Curve model, making for a very sharp display. It matches the resolution, but not the size, of the screen on Apple's iPhone, which has emerged as a potent competitor in the 'smart phone' category."

Sennheiser MX75 Sport - Reviews by PC Magazine

Sennheiser MX75 Sport - Reviews by PC Magazine: "Frustrated with the fit of your MP3 player's stereo earbuds? I don't blame you. Some are notorious for popping out at the slightest provocation—particularly those made of hard plastic that don't come with foam covers. Others, including Apple's ubiquitous iPod earbuds, do come with the covers, but the foam tears easily and the pads are often lost."

How to Buy a Digital Photo Frame - Reviews by PC Magazine

How to Buy a Digital Photo Frame - Reviews by PC Magazine: "Plain old picture frames are so last century. After all, they don't do much more than show off one shot. Snore. Digital photo frames, on the other hand, let you create slide shows with cool transitions to display all of your vacation pics. Some of these handy devices integrate video, audio, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth , and a host of other features, too. The best part? LCD technology is finally becoming affordable enough for these frames to be had at reasonable prices."

Share your MySpace profile with everyone - Internet- msnbc.com

Share your MySpace profile with everyone - Internet- msnbc.com: "Social networking site MySpace said Thursday it will soon enable users to quickly share profile data with Web sites operated by Yahoo Inc., eBay Inc. and others."

Are bite-sized games the next big thing? - Games - msnbc.com

Are bite-sized games the next big thing? - Games - msnbc.com: "On Monday, Nintendo launches its new WiiWare service, which allows Wii owners to buy video games and download them directly to their machines. Unlike the games sold in retail outlets, these titles typically won't cost $60 or $40 or even $30. Instead, players can purchase games like 'Defend Your Castle' or 'TV Show King,' by Gameloft — games that are typically smaller in size and scope — for around the price of a ticket to a movie."

Next phase of working at home: Leaving home - CNN.com

Next phase of working at home: Leaving home - CNN.com: "More than a decade after the Internet allowed millions of people to work at home, the next phase of telecommuting involves, well, not working at home.

Organized 'coworking' -- the concept of working solo alongside like-minded independents -- has spread to dozens of cities.

The irony of coworking isn't lost on organizers, including Kevin Bachman, who set up a group north of Atlanta as part of an informal Web-based network called Jelly."

Gadgets for Graduates

Star-Telegram.com: 05/11/2008 Gadgets for Graduates: "A phone-book-size dictionary might have been a great graduation gift when Mom and Dad were kids, but today's grads are tech-savvy, and the gifts should be, too.

Odds are that they have a a personal digital assistant, preferably with an unlimited text-messaging plan, and an MP3 player, but there's plenty more to choose from. Here are some hot new items that could be great graduation gifts."

SHOW #039 - NerdBoyTV WIRED: YouTube Mobile on Helio

On this Mother's Day show, Ryan Yee shares a video demo by SlashGear, who show how the YouTube Mobile feature works on the Helio cellphone.

Visit www.NerdBoyTV.com for more gadgets and Internet services.

When Mom packs a gadget - Forbes.com- msnbc.com

When Mom packs a gadget - Forbes.com- msnbc.com: "So goes life for mommy geeks.

Blecherman is one of the founding members of the Silicon Valley Moms Group, a collective of mom bloggers who divulge the various travails of modern parenting. Blecherman considers that her full-time, although unpaid, job. These moms started blogging for the fun of it, but run their network like a business — the site has expanded to four other cities (with more planned) and has a blog dedicated to mothers over 50."

SHOW #038 - NerdBoyTV Broadcast: May 10, 2008

In this episode, Ryan Yee tells you how to find the cheapest gas in your area using a website he found, gives the link to Yahoo! News' Coolest May Gadgets, shares that Google plans to release products for YouTube, and that Papa John's Pizza surpassed $1 billion in online pizza sales (WOW!!). Also, CNET shares its Top 5 Must Have Gadgets.

Services-Help-Drivers-Find-Cheapest-Gas: Personal Finance News from Yahoo! Finance

Services-Help-Drivers-Find-Cheapest-Gas: Personal Finance News from Yahoo! Finance: "Web sites that compare gas prices at different stations have been around for years, but the offerings are becoming more sophisticated. In addition to gas prices delivered to cellphones, some Web sites now offer fuel consumption calculators, scout out sources of alternative fuels and even explore mass-transit options."

May's Coolest Gadgets - Yahoo! News

May's Coolest Gadgets - Yahoo! News: "If the new products we've seen in the last few weeks are anything to go by, we're in for a great year gadget-wise.

In the portable world we've got the first Centrino Atom-based computer and a smartphone from Sharp that will go on sale in Japan. Sanyo's new model of its waterproof Xacti digital still camera has even clearer video and includes the ability to follow your friends' faces underwater! A lot more bulky but equally exciting is NEC's Lui PC. It combines a PC and digital video recorder and makes the entire system accessible over a home network or Internet so you can log into the base PC and access recorded programs or the PC desktop."

Google sees YouTube products soon, warm on Yahoo - Yahoo! News

Google sees YouTube products soon, warm on Yahoo - Yahoo! News: "Google Inc expects to launch new products for its YouTube Web video service in the next few months and sees reason for closer cooperation with Yahoo Inc, Google Chief Executive Eric Schmidt said on Thursday."

The New Pocket PCs - Reviews by PC Magazine

The New Pocket PCs - Reviews by PC Magazine: "It's an exciting time to be buying a network-connected handheld computer, a pocket PC, a smartphone, or whatever we've decided to call it. Three well-established operating systems are fighting for dominance, and there are two new contenders waiting in the wings. You can choose between dozens of models, in a bevy of form factors."

Yahoo test revamped search with 'Glue Pages' | Tech news blog - CNET News.com

Yahoo test revamped search with 'Glue Pages' Tech news blog - CNET News.com: "Yahoo has begun testing a major new way to present search results called Glue Pages that caters to its strength as an Internet portal.

Glue Pages, which the company began offering in beta form to Yahoo search users in India, combine traditional search results with a wealth of other related information. Traditional search results appear in a strip on the left side of the page, while other modules appear that spotlight sponsored links, recipes, stock charts, Flickr images, news, and even Google blog search results."

Photoshop Express public beta adds Flickr support - Yahoo! News

Photoshop Express public beta adds Flickr support - Yahoo! News: "Photoshop Express leverages Web 2.0 technologies like Adobe's own Flash software to provide users with an online service to store, sort, edit and show off digital photos. It's compatible with Safari, Firefox, and other Web browsers. Adobe notes that more than 60,000 Web albums have been created using Photoshop Express during the first month of public operation. Users receive 2GB of online storage for free."

Academic says gadgets threaten Internet's future - Yahoo! News

Academic says gadgets threaten Internet's future - Yahoo! News: "The rise of gadgets like the iPhone, Blackberry and Xbox threatens to unravel the decades of innovation that helped to build the Internet, a leading academic has warned in a new book.

Professor Jonathan Zittrain says the latest must-have devices are sealed, 'sterile' boxes that stifle creativity and turn consumers into passive users of technology."

Papa John's surpasses $1 billion in online pizza sales - Yahoo! News

Papa John's surpasses $1 billion in online pizza sales - Yahoo! News: "Sometimes during peak hours, the phones are silent in Andy Freitas' pizza restaurants, yet the cooks are busy keeping pace with hungry customers. That's because orders are rolling in through the Internet."

Can HTC's touchscreen Diamond outshine the iPhone? : Ben Patterson : Yahoo! Tech

Can HTC's touchscreen Diamond outshine the iPhone? : Ben Patterson : Yahoo! Tech: "Just unveiled at a lavish event in London, HTC—maker of the sleek Touch for Sprint—has a new touchscreen gem on its hands, although the aptly-named Diamond arrives in the rough that we call Windows Mobile."

SHOW #037 - NerdBoyTV Broadcast: May 4, 2008

In this episode, Ryan Yee introduces articles including an interview of WordPress founder, Matt Mullenweg, iGoogle Themes, the addition of Karaoke on MySpace, Yahoo!'s outsourcing of its popular Yahoo! Messenger Phone Service to start-up Jajah, and Yahoo! passing on Microsoft's recent buyout offer.

NerdBoyTV joins Podcast Alley

My Podcast Alley feed! {pca-d7c3bfc39a0d05b9e2bec3a54b61f15b}

WordPress's Matt Mullenweg speaks with Kara Swisher

Courtesy for D: BoomTown with Kara Swisher.

WordPress's Matt Mullenweg Speaks.

While Ballmer and Yang Fiddle, Web 2.0 Hotties Burn… | Kara Swisher | BoomTown | AllThingsD

While Ballmer and Yang Fiddle, Web 2.0 Hotties Burn… Kara Swisher BoomTown AllThingsD: "Who’ll get Digg? (Odds-on favorite and sources tell me much sooner than later: Google.)

And who might make a bid for Slide, RockYou, LinkedIn, Meebo or imeem? (It might be smart for News Corp. [NWS] to double down in the social- networking space, if it can’t trade MySpace for a piece of Yahoo.)"

Almost 70 Artists Tapped to Create iGoogle Themes - AppScout

Almost 70 Artists Tapped to Create iGoogle Themes - AppScout: "Google today is launching a series of new themes for the iGoogle personalized homepage. The collection is the result of collaborations with nearly 70 different artists from across the globe. Google is commemorating the occasion with a 'Google doodle' on the search homepage designed by Jeff Koons."

MySpace unveils new karaoke feature - Yahoo! News

MySpace unveils new karaoke feature - Yahoo! News: "You're sitting at home online and suddenly you get an irresistible urge. You absolutely have to belt out R. Kelly's 'I Believe I Can Fly' and share it with the world.

You now have that ability, thanks to the new MySpace Karaoke, to be launched Tuesday by the social networking site."

Warner Bros. pushes shows online with 2 new Web sites - Yahoo! News

Warner Bros. pushes shows online with 2 new Web sites - Yahoo! News: "Warner Bros. is launching two Web sites to capture new ad revenue and a younger generation of viewers, the company said Monday.

KidsWB.com, geared for children, debuted Monday, featuring animated characters from the Warner Bros. library, which includes Bugs Bunny, Scooby Doo and DC Comics heroes like Batman."

Coldplay gives away single, reveals 3rd free show - Yahoo! News

Coldplay gives away single, reveals 3rd free show - Yahoo! News: "British rock band Coldplay gave away the first single from its upcoming album to fans over the Internet on Tuesday, and also revealed plans to play a third free show, this time in Barcelona.

The tune 'Violet Hill' -- which has a harder, more experimental sound than previous Coldplay releases -- was made available at the band's site (http://www.coldplay.com) just after midday U.K. time (7 a.m. EDT)."

CinemaNow to offer movie orders via cell phone - Yahoo! News

CinemaNow to offer movie orders via cell phone - Yahoo! News: "Privately held digital entertainment provider CinemaNow said on Tuesday that U.S. consumers would be able to use their cell phones to view movie trailers and order full-length movies to watch on their home television or computer through its mobile website.

The service, offered on Web-capable phones at http://mobile.cinemanow.com, would let U.S. consumers immediately buy or rent a movie when they hear about a new offering while they are out with friends."

Yahoo to outsource Messenger phone calls to Jajah - Yahoo! News

Yahoo to outsource Messenger phone calls to Jajah - Yahoo! News: "Yahoo Inc. is outsourcing the Internet telephone functions of its instant messaging program to the startup Jajah.

Jajah will connect the calls to and from users of Yahoo Messenger and handle billing and customer care, the startup said Tuesday. Terms of the deal where not announced. No employees are moving over to Jajah."

Helio Display: Air Video Screen

Courtesy of YouTube.

San Francisco Technology Reporter Gabriel Slate looks at this new way to display video on air. Very cool display in mid air. Remember when Princess Leia sent her image via R2D2 in Star Wars? Same thing...so cool! The inventor is from the local South San Francisco area, too!

Yahoo plans makeover with elements of social network - Yahoo! News

Yahoo plans makeover with elements of social network - Yahoo! News: "Yahoo Inc. plans to make its Web site a social hub by hosting applications from other online services, part of the Internet pioneer's effort to spawn more advertising opportunities.

'We are going to rewire the entire experience at Yahoo to make it social in every dimension,' Ari Balogh, Yahoo's chief technology officer, said Thursday at a 'Web 2.0' conference that drew a crowd of more than 1,000.

The more open platform copies a concept that already has been embraced by Internet search leader Google Inc. and a variety of online social hangouts, including Facebook Inc. and News Corp.'s MySpace.com."

SHOW #036 - NerdBoyTV Broadcast: Our 1-Year Broadcast! - April 26, 2008

Celebration time! NerdBoyTV is 1-year old! On this anniversary broadcast, Ryan Yee reviews some of the Internet services that NerdBoyTV has reviewed over this last year, including Flock, Photoshop Express, Blogger, Oprah's Webinar, Slide, and Hulu. Also, you can now purchase the complete 1st Season Collection that includes all NerdBoyTV broadcasts in "iPod-ready" video format.

12 Tech Tools to Clear Your Clutter - Reviews by PC Magazine

12 Tech Tools to Clear Your Clutter - Reviews by PC Magazine: "Clear the clutter and organize your digital life with these 12 capable devices and easy-to-use apps."

The Next Browser War - Reviews by PC Magazine

The Next Browser War - Reviews by PC Magazine: "A brand-new crop of browser betas gives us a glimpse of what Web surfing will be like when IE, Firefox, and Opera release new versions later this year."

Defend Your Virtual Life - Columns by PC Magazine

Defend Your Virtual Life - Columns by PC Magazine: "The E.U. has stricter laws regarding the collection and distribution of personal information, and they work better than ours. We need them, too."

School for Your Smartphone - Features by PC Magazine

School for Your Smartphone - Features by PC Magazine: "Fed up with your handset's limitations? We take a look at every major mobile platform and show you how to fix each one's worst shortcomings."

This MP3 player brings you M-i-c-k-e-y M-u-s-i-c : Gina Hughes : Yahoo! Tech

This MP3 player brings you M-i-c-k-e-y M-u-s-i-c : Gina Hughes : Yahoo! Tech: "I'm an iPod owner, and have been pretty happy with my purchase, but the next music player I buy is definitely going to be something different. Now I'm not saying I'm going to buy this Mickey Mouse MP3 player for myself, although I'm a huge Mickey Mouse fan, but I'm really thinking about getting one for my niece."

MySpace can bring shy kids out of their shells - Internet- msnbc.com

MySpace can bring shy kids out of their shells - Internet- msnbc.com: "In his recent parenting book “Me, MySpace and I,” Rosen says that parents’ MySpace anxiety likely arises from their lack of understanding of what teens actually do on the social-networking site. A third of parents have never glimpsed their teen’s MySpace page — and three-fourths do so less than once a month, according to his research.

And what parents might not know about MySpace is that it can actually help their kids. Bolstered by interviews of more than 1,000 parents and 2,500 teens, Rosen’s research shows that the oft-stigmatized site can foster adolescent pursuits of true identity, friendship — and validation."

Amazon helps 'Kindle' e-books - Gadgets- msnbc.com

Amazon helps 'Kindle' e-books - Gadgets- msnbc.com: "More than four months after Amazon.com released the Kindle, no one is sure whether the latest e-book reader is really hot — or not. But publishers believe that the Kindle has helped, if not revolutionized, the tiny electronic market."

Social networks bust out the music widgets - Internet- msnbc.com

Social networks bust out the music widgets - Internet- msnbc.com: "One of the biggest new-media sensations to emerge from last year were music-related widgets — mini-applications that allowed members of social networking services like MySpace or Facebook to customize their profiles with such music features as streamed playlists and tour calendars with links to ticket sales."

Jaxtr offers free international texting : Gina Hughes : Yahoo! Tech

Jaxtr offers free international texting : Gina Hughes : Yahoo! Tech: "People love to text, and Jaxtr is taking SMS to an whole new level by offering free text messaging between 38 countries. Jaxtr is a company that links mobile phones to the Web allowing users to bypass a carrier's international phone charges. The service is completely free, and once you've signed up, you can literally start calling or texting people living in Brazil, the UK, Germany, and many other countries."

Apple gets less pushy with Safari for Windows : Ben Patterson : Yahoo! Tech

Apple gets less pushy with Safari for Windows : Ben Patterson : Yahoo! Tech: "The Windows version of Apple's software update utility now makes it clear that it's about to install new software—such as the Safari Web browser—on your system, although the checkbox is still marked by default."

Is the CD dead?

So what do YOU think? Is the CD dead? I use to buy 4-6 CDs a month. I recently dumped three boxes of them at a garage sale. Now, I'm TOTALLY on Rhapsody, XM Radio, and iTunes, not to mention YouTube. I'm afraid CDs truly have a limited shelf-life.

Flickr now offers video sharing

NerdBoyTV is a longtime user of Yahoo!'s popular Flickr photo-sharing site. Now, Flickr has added a 90-second video-sharing capability for its paid subscribers. Check out this video from MSNBC.

Facebook asks users to translate for free - Internet- msnbc.com

Facebook asks users to translate for free - Internet- msnbc.com: "The three-year-old social networking phenomenon Facebook, worth more than $15 billion by many estimates, got a good deal on going global.

Its users around the world are translating Facebook's visible framework into nearly two dozen languages — for free — aiding the company's aggressive expansion to better serve the 60 percent of its 69 million users who live outside the United States."

The Best Cellular Broadband Devices - Reviews by PC Magazine

The Best Cellular Broadband Devices - Reviews by PC Magazine: "Cellular broadband is probably the business traveler's best-kept secret. Sure, it ain't cheap, but the freedom of being able to get online almost anywhere is worth it."

I Want My (Web) MTV | Newsweek Newsweek: Management | Newsweek.com

I Want My (Web) MTV Newsweek Newsweek: Management Newsweek.com: "Digital impresario Mika Salmi is transforming Viacom's MTV Networks into a new-media powerhouse, saving it from a fate worse than death: middle age."

MySpace, Facebook: Big not always better - CNN.com

MySpace, Facebook: Big not always better - CNN.com: "Forget Facebook, MySpace or any other online hangout that boasts tens or hundreds of millions of people.

For Teresa Munoz, Athlinks, population 34,000, is the place to be.

She uses the community devoted to competitive running, swimming and biking events to find training partners and get advice, including information about her first Ironman triathlon."

Next phase of working at home: Leaving home - CNN.com

Next phase of working at home: Leaving home - CNN.com: "More than a decade after the Internet allowed millions of people to work at home, the next phase of telecommuting involves, well, not working at home.

Organized 'coworking' -- the concept of working solo alongside like-minded independents -- has spread to dozens of cities."

Lifelines for home offices drowning in paper - CNN.com

Lifelines for home offices drowning in paper - CNN.com: "Remember the promise of the paperless office? Anyone in front of a monitor can testify to just the opposite having taken hold.

The ubiquity of the personal computer was supposed to have freed us from the sea of paperwork washing over our desks every day, and yet all it seems to have done is open the floodgates further."

The Sirius-XM Hangover: Endless, Growing Competition - Silicon Alley Insider

The Sirius-XM Hangover: Endless, Growing Competition - Silicon Alley Insider: "Congratulations, Sirius and XM! You're about to get your merger approved! The problem: You're still screwed."

Wireless tech creating a nation of "urban nomads" : Christopher Null : Yahoo! Tech

Wireless tech creating a nation of "urban nomads" : Christopher Null : Yahoo! Tech: "This week The Economist offers a typically thoughtful essay on what wireless technology, like Wi-Fi and cell phones, has done for us. Not from a computing standpoint, mind you, but from a social one. Has wireless tech turned us into a nation of neo-nomads, wanderers who work and play wherever they happen to find a signal? It certainly looks that way..."

Review: Avoid snarl of USB cables with Eye-Fi photo reader (AP) by AP: Yahoo! Tech

Review: Avoid snarl of USB cables with Eye-Fi photo reader (AP) by AP: Yahoo! Tech: "My home computer desk hosts a snarl of USB cables for the various cameras, MP3 players and other peripherals I've bought over the years.

All-in-one memory-card readers help me get around this tangled mess, but I've been longing for the day when my digital photos would just magically appear on my hard drive.

With the $99 Eye-Fi card, that day has finally arrived."

3G iPhone rumor roundup : Ben Patterson : Yahoo! Tech

3G iPhone rumor roundup : Ben Patterson : Yahoo! Tech: "The smoke surrounding the long-anticipated iPhone 2.0—this time with 3G—is finally starting to clear. Here’s a cheat sheet on the latest rumors."

Windows XP going off market in June: What it means : Christopher Null : Yahoo! Tech

Windows XP going off market in June: What it means : Christopher Null : Yahoo! Tech: "Microsoft originally announced over a year ago that Windows XP would be going off the market in January 2008. XP was later given a brief stay of execution, to June 30, 2008. That deadline is fast approaching, which has led to much panicking from people who aren't quite sure what XP's 'going off market' means, exactly."

Best Week Ever � Blog Archive � BWE PRESENTS: The Top 15 Sexiest Nerd Boys

NerdBoy NOTE: I'm sure NerdBoyTV will be nominated NEXT year LOL ;-)

Best Week Ever � Blog Archive � BWE PRESENTS: The Top 15 Sexiest Nerd Boys: "Today, the results from an extremely scientific poll were revealed, ranking the Top 10 Hottest Hunks here on Planet Earth."

Users fight to save Windows XP - Yahoo! News

Users fight to save Windows XP - Yahoo! News: "Microsoft Corp.'s operating systems run most personal computers around the globe and are a cash cow for the world's largest software maker. But you'd never confuse a Windows user with the passionate fans of Mac OS X or even the free Linux operating system. Unless it's someone running Windows XP, a version Microsoft wants to retire."