BlogHer - Women, Feminism and the Internet

Courtesy of Press:Here

From "mommy blogs" to serious political discourse, American women have added their voice to the web. But should a writer's gender make a difference to readers online? BlogHer founder and CEO Lisa Stone discusses feminism in a digital world.

Kym McNicholas of Forbes and Jon Swartz of USA Today join NBC's Scott McGrew.

Nexus One vs. iPhone Matchup!

Courtesy of GadgetVideoReviews

Verizon Showdown: Voyager vs Glyde vs EnV2 (VIDEO)

In this video from PhoneDog.com, three of Verizon's VCAST messaging phones go head to head. Noah takes a look at the LG Voyager, Samsung Glyde, and LG EnV2. This second of two videos focuses on features and functionality.

Redbox gives in, agrees to 28-day window for new Warner Brothers DVDs

By Ben Patterson : Yahoo! Tech: "It looks like Redbox's crusade to stock its kiosks with the very latest movies has come to an end, with the buck-a-night kiosk company agreeing to a 28-day delay before renting new-release DVDs and Blu-rays from Warner Brothers.

In addition to inking a 'multi-year' deal with Warners, Redbox is also dropping its lawsuit against the Hollywood studio, which had refused to sell wholesale copies of its new releases to Redbox until 28 days after its latest discs had hit retail shelves.

In exchange for agreeing to the 28-day window, Redbox will be able to buy DVDs and Blu-rays from Warner Brothers (the studio behind 'The Blind Side,' 'Sherlock Holmes,' and the 'Harry Potter' and 'Batman' movies) 'at a reduced product cost, preserving value for our customers and increasing customer access to Warners titles at Redbox locations nationwide,' Redbox president Mitch Lowe said in a statement Tuesday afternoon.

The news comes about a month after Netflix stuck a similar deal with Warner Brothers, and I wouldn't be surprised if Redbox signs more deals with the likes of Universal and Fox, the two other studios that Redbox sued after they instructed their distributors not to sell brand-new reduced-priced discs to the kiosk company."

Barnes & Noble CEO: Nook Helped Boost Online Sales 67%

READ on Mashable.com: "According to Barron’s, Barnes & Noble CEO Steve Riggo told analysts in a conference call today that the bookseller’s recently launched Nook e-reader is its “single biggest-selling product.” He said that the Nook has boosted B&N’s online sales by 67% since it launched.

The Nook got a lot of press when it was first announced last year, but its launch was marred by supply shortages. Riggo said that the big boost in online sales would have been even bigger if it weren’t for the supply problems. However, the general consensus about the device among bloggers and reviewers was that it was neat but not quite finished.

Riggo was asked if the Nook was worth the substantial investment given that Apple’s iPad — which will try to compete directly with e-readers like the Nook and Amazon’s Kindle — is coming soon. His response: “Gee, that’s a great question.” He said that the Nook is “a very, very big component of our strategy” in that it will drive traffic from both in-person and online shoppers.

Unfortunately, he didn’t disclose exact sales figures about either the Nook or the e-books intended for it. Those figures probably won’t be public soon, but what really matters is how useful the device is. If you have a Nook and some insights about it, let us know in the comments."

The Facebook games that millions love (and hate)

READ on CNN.com: "Early each morning, millions of farmers around the world rise to toil in their fields. By night, gangs of mobsters scheme and legions of poker players shuffle up and deal.

Sure, none of it's real. But the overwhelming popularity of so-called social gaming -- simple games that let people play with their friends on networking sites such as Facebook -- is changing the face of video games, experts say.

And as the maker of popular titles like FarmVille and Mafia Wars, San Francisco, California-based Zynga has ridden the games' skyrocketing popularity to the top of that emerging market.

For Zynga founder Mark Pincus, the formula for gaming success on Facebook, MySpace and other sites was as simple as it might seem counterintuitive: create simple games that people like but can easily set aside.

'We built the games so they could be played in a tab on your browser while you're on a conference call,' said Pincus, a veteran Web entrepreneur who created Zynga in 2007.

Of course, they've been helped by the massive growth of Facebook, where the games are so popular they've spawned 'fan' pages devoted to complaining about having to watch friends play them.

Facebook, with its 400 million users, is where the vast majority of people play FarmVille and Mafia Wars along with other Zynga titles like FishVille, Vampires, Café World, YoVille and Zynga Poker.

In all, more than 65 million people play Zynga games every day, according to media tracking company Developer Analytics.

Zynga's top title, FarmVille, is played by an estimated 75 million people each month -- roughly equal to the number who have played the classic arcade and desktop game Tetris during its entire existence."

President Obama Wants YOU... to Twitter for Him

READ this article on Mashable.com

Think you’re such a social media expert that you could tweet for a living? Well, President Obama is looking for an official social networks manager, and you might be just the tech whiz for the job.

According to President Obama’s website, The Democratic National Committee and Organizing for America is in the market for a new hire. According to the Wall Street Journal, Mia Cambronero, who currently holds the position, said, “[I] will be stepping down from my infamous role as ‘Barack Obama’s twitterer… We’re looking for someone who is available to start immediately.”

And what exactly are they looking for over at the White House? According to the job posting:

“The Social Networks Manager is responsible for maintaining the Democratic Party and Organizing for America accounts on all social networks (such as Facebook (), Twitter () and MySpace () accounts, etc.) The Social Networks Manager works closely with the rest of the New Media department to execute grassroots campaigns to advance the President’s agenda for change.”

Said person must also be willing to work hard — “this isn’t a 9-5 job,” the posting said — and be “passionate about engaging millions of Americans in advancing President Obama’s agenda and changing the country.” Yeah, that’s not daunting at all.

Facebook Overtakes Yahoo: Now the Second Most Visited Site in U.S.

READ article on Mashable

New data released earlier today by web analytics firm Compete.com reveals that there has been a major shift at the top of the web charts: Facebook is now larger than Yahoo in the U.S.

Yahoo for years was the world’s most popular website — its ubiquitous portal has dominated the web since the 90s. Two years ago however, Google vaulted past Yahoo and became the Internet’s most popular destination. Last month, it became Facebook’s turn to knock Yahoo down another peg.

In December 2009, Yahoo garnered 133.45 million visitors in the U.S. Facebook wasn’t far behind with 132.13 million uniques. In the first month of 2010 though, there was a role reversal: Facebook’s traffic rose to 133.62 million visitors, while Yahoo shrunk down to 132.00 million.

Gadgets That Will Save You Money

Yahoo! Shopping: "Invest in these smart household gadgets to cut your monthly bills and they end up paying for themselves in no time.

Concoct your own cola

Spend a fortune on fizzy drinks? You're not alone. The average family of four consumes 2,400 sodas annually-totaling nearly $1,080. With a home fountain machine, you can save money and have fun making everything from soda water to diet root beer. After purchasing a startup kit, you buy refill canisters of CO2 and syrup. A liter of sparkling water is 21 cents, compared with $1.50 or more for the store-bought variety, and flavored soda costs roughly 25 cents per 12 ounces.

Save about $720 per year for a family of four (you'll also produce less household waste). SodaStream Fountain Jet starter kit, $100.

Get free HDTV

Since TV went digital, you no longer need cable to receive local broadcast network HDTV channels. For static-free reception, all that's required is a digital antenna (and a converter box if your TV is analog instead of digital). To find out which antenna will work for your location and which channels you'll receive, simply enter your address at antennaweb.org. Although you won't get paid cable channels anymore, you may be amazed at how many HDTV channels are free (the number varies based on your location).

Save the $700 or more a year you spend on cable.Antennaweb.org lists antennas ranging from $40 to $150. Or spend less by making your own for about $15 with the instructions at current.org.

Ditch your landline

With XLink, you can gab all you want-at home-without having to pay a monthly landline bill. Just route your cell phone calls to a regular phone through the Xlink console (via a Bluetooth signal). Your cell phone's caller ID and voice mail will transfer over, too, and you don't even need a landline for the console to work.

Save about $33 per month (depending on your phone usage). XLink, $80.

Lower grocery expenses

When ALL YOU asked readers for their favorite money-saving purchases, FoodSaver vacuums were a hit. Just put your food into one of the reusable bags, seal it with the vacuum, then store it in your pantry, refrigerator or freezer to extend freshness many times over.

Save the approximately $600 per year the average family loses each year on wasted food. FoodSaver vacuums starting at $100.

Get free home phone service

When you plug the MagicJack into a telephone and your computer's USB port, your calls (in the U.S. and Canada) are absolutely free, using your high-speed Internet connection. The service also comes with call waiting, voice mail and caller ID, at no extra charge.

Save from $30 to $100 per month, or however much you normally spend on your phone bill. MagicJack, $40."

Google hedges a $750 million bet on mobile Internet

By Press:Here

Google is so sure mobile internet is the future, it bought Admob for $750 million. Admob's Jason Spero explains whats ahead.

Windows Phone 7: Out with the old, in with the Zune

Ben Patterson : Yahoo! Tech: "Microsoft gets itself right back into the mobile game, tossing out its old, tricky-to-use Windows Mobile interface and starting fresh with a sleek, touchscreen UI modeled closely on that of the Zune HD. The new design looks great, with the first WP7 phones set to arrive during the holidays.

Microsoft unveiled Windows Phone 7 Series (that's the official name) at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona today, and as rumored, we're talking a complete revamp of Windows Mobile. Gone are the PC-like pull-down menus that required a stylus; instead, now there's a clean, elegant series of touchable 'tiles' that you can tap, swipe, and rearrange as you like, along with slick animated menus that'll be familiar to anyone who's ever tried the recent Zune HD.

During its presentation Monday, Microsoft reps demoed the new platform on prototype hardware, and no specific Windows Mobile 7 handsets were announced; that said, Microsoft says that phone manufacturers ranging from LG and Samsung to HTC and Sony Ericsson have jumped on the WM7 bandwagon—so no, that (ugly) 'Turtle' phone that got leaked over the weekend won't be the only handset running the Windows Mobile 7 OS.

Meanwhile, all four of the big U.S. carriers have 'committed' to offering WP7 handsets 'at launch,' Microsoft execs promised, with AT&T set to provide 'unique software and services' for the new phones.

But while we didn't get to see any actual, upcoming handsets Monday (we'll have to until the holiday season before the first Windows Phones devices arrive), we still got an eyeful with the WM7 interface, and yes, it's a quantum leap over Windows Mobile 6."

SHOW #87 - NerdBoyTV: Barnes & Noble Nook

In this President's Day episode of NerdBoyTV, Ryan Yee demos the Barnes & Noble Nook eReader with its color touchscreen and available designer accessories. It connects to the in-store WiFi automatically. Retails for $259.

Microsoft replays Zune design for phone comeback

CLICK to read full story

Apple Inc. rocked the wireless business by combining the functions of a phone and an iPod. Now, more than two years later, Microsoft Corp. has its comeback: phone software that works a lot like its own Zune media player.

The software, which was unveiled Monday at the Mobile World Congress, is a dramatic change from previous generations of the software that used to be called Windows Mobile. But Microsoft is, for now, sticking to its model of making the software and selling it to phone manufacturers, rather than making its own phones.

Microsoft's mobile system powered 13.1 percent of smart phones sold in the U.S. last year, according to research firm In-Stat. That made it No. 3 after Research In Motion Ltd.'s BlackBerry and the iPhone. But Microsoft has been losing market share while Apple and Google Inc.'s Android gained.

All the while, the market is becoming increasingly important. People are spending more and more time on their phones, and the devices steer people to potentially lucrative Web services and ads.

Phones with the new software will be on the market by the holidays, Microsoft said. All four major U.S. carriers will offer phones, just as they sell current Windows phones.

The new ones won't be called "Zune phones," as had been speculated. The software will be called "Windows Phone 7 series."

Forrester Research analyst Charles Golvin said the new software looked promising, but that it was also Microsoft's "final chance to get it right." He notes that those who have current Windows phones don't seem excited about the brand — many of them believe their phones are made by Apple or Nokia Corp., according to his firm's research.

What Your Gadget Really Costs

NerdBoyTV NOTE: Wow, this is very interesting. I'm surprised how much it costs to make these gadgets and then how much they sell them for (rather slim margins). Obviously, the contract "lock-in" for two years is where the REAL money is being made, huh? CLICK on the link to read the whole article.

Personal Finance News from Yahoo! Finance: "The cost to make an iPod, Xbox, and other electronics has big bottom-line implications at Apple, Microsoft, and their peers. Some companies are willing to swallow losses on some gadgets -- for instance, gaming consoles -- in hopes that they'll make up the difference, and then some, on sales of related gear, such as video game software. Other companies, including Apple, are able to sell many products for a healthy profit from the get-go.

Market research company iSuppli takes it upon itself to tear down popular gadgets to find out the price of the component parts and the vendors supplying those ingredients. A rundown of several recent iSuppli teardowns follows -- each slide lists the product, maker, release date, retail price on the release date, and iSuppli's estimate of the cost of materials."

10 digital photography downloads

PC World- msnbc.com: "Have a digital camera and plenty of photos? Want some help with editing and managing them all? We've rounded up 10 downloads that will let you take control of your photos. Whether you're looking for a top-of-the-line photo editor, a great photo manager, or nifty utilities to handle tasks such as finding duplicates, we have just the thing. And every program is free — not only to download but also to use.

Face it: Sometimes your pictures turn out less than perfect, and you have to adjust their color, remove red-eye, or alter the dimensions. Photo editors can do all of those things and more. Even if you're a professional photographer, your pictures still could use the occasional touch-up — and the following tools are certainly up to the task."

Turning to video to help you land a dream job

Careers- msnbc.com: "Louie Bernstein lost his job as a general manager for an Atlanta computer company on Feb. 2 and immediately decided an ordinary résumé wouldn’t cut it in this job market.

So Bernstein, 57, turned to YouTube. He created an eight-minute video of a mock interview using his camcorder. He wrote the script and had his son play the role of interviewer, and he now sends a link to the video along with his résumé when applying for jobs.

“My wife thought I was crazy spending time on this when I should be doing the traditional stuff like networking,” he said. “But I need to do something that stands out and separates me from the average bear.”

Videos can set some job hunters apart, especially in a tight labor market. And a growing number of employers are actually turning to video to interview far-flung candidates.

That means you may have to get your Fellini hat on, or at least start thinking about how videos can help your career.

While Bernstein hasn’t gotten an interview yet, his video has already been viewed more than 100 times.

But other job seekers have found success with videos.



Take Eric Romer. He heard about a marketing manager job at razor company HeadBlade via Twitter and decided to set up a blog called “Hire Me, HeadBlade,” where he included a YouTube video of himself shaving his head with the company’s product.

“I got a response within 24 hours, and the founder/CEO flew me out to interview less than a week later,” said Romer.

Todd Greene, HeadBlade’s CEO, said: “When I saw Eric's head shave video, I knew that he is, indeed, a HeadBlader.”

Romer started his new gig in Culver City, Calif., on Jan. 18.

While some hiring managers shun the often amateurish mini movies, others rave about them.

“It’s virtually impossible to get an impression of someone from a résumé, and videos have saved us so much time in the screening process,” said Heather Logrippo, owner of Distinctive Homes magazine.

So many people look great on paper, she said, but when they show up for an interview, they don’t match what they put down in their résumé and cover letter."

Your Cell Phone Company's Dirty Little Secret

Yahoo! Finance - Business Finance, Stock Market, Quotes, News: "Mobile phone companies have been lauded for slashing the cost of unlimited voice plans, but many wireless customers' monthly bills are actually going to get a bit more expensive.

Last month, both Verizon and AT&T lowered their unlimited voice plans by $30 to $70 per month. Sprint recently unveiled a plan that allows unlimited calls to any mobile device for $60 per month. That brought the three biggest mobile carriers' prices closer to rival T-Mobile, which offers a $60 per month unlimited plan, and in line with a slew of low-cost carriers that offer similar plans for about $40 per month.

But as the wireless giants go around touting their lower voice prices, data plan costs have been quietly moving higher for some non-smartphone customers.

It began with Verizon Wireless. Last month, that company began requiring certain non-smartphone customers to subscribe to a data plan that costs at least $10 per month. Mobile experts believe Verizon's move marks the first step in a larger trend to make up for carriers' lost revenue from voice.

'There's a big shift going on among mobile companies, in which there is a price reduction on voice and an increased emphasis on selling and requiring data services,' said Dan Hays, partner at PRTM. 'It is like a dirty little secret.'"

Don't let technology ruin your Valentine's Day

Love in the Digital Age - msnbc.com: "Valentine's Day, or more properly St. Valentine's Day if you please, was invented a bazillion years ago by Catholics, not Hallmark.

It wasn't fully conceived in its modern form with all the heart-shaped letters, and an economy of chocolates and diamonds for nooky and/or forgiveness. No, we can thank the French for coming up with poetry-filled cards and Chaucer (perhaps) for making it smutty with associations to romantic love.

Point is, Valentine's Day changes with the times, and even now you're probably already screwing it up with technology by texting and tweeting. Here are some dos and don'ts when combining technology with love."

iPad, Google Buzz, 3-D TV: ‘meh’?

Digital Home- msnbc.com: "Apple's iPad has generated a “meh” reaction by and large, although we’ll know for sure once it goes on sale in March. Google’s Buzz, in less than 24 hours, generated a lot of negative buzz, including some resistance to yet another social networking tool. 3-D TV is on the push list this year, but consumer interest is mixed at best.

Is 'tech fatigue' setting in? As in, 'If they announce one more change to Facebook...' 'Why are they coming out with another new kind of TV when I just bought an HDTV last year?' and 'I already have a (fill in the blank: netbook, laptop, smartphone) and don't need an iPad.' Or are tighter wallets to blame for lack of excitement about new products?

Those wallets have been strained mightily the past year or so. Still, sales of consumer technology for the last quarter of 2009 were a 'huge improvement' over the the fourth quarter of 2008, according to a recent report from the NPD Group.

While overall consumer technology revenue in 2009 was down by almost 5 percent from the year before, 'that should not be taken as a sign that consumers were not buying' the market research company said. The personal tech industry sold more than 1 billion 'devices, gadgets, and accessory products.'"

UCD Student Making Huge Splash On YouTube

UCD Student Making Huge Splash On YouTube - cbs13.com: "A UC Davis student has turned into an internet rock star and is paying his way through college by raking in tens of thousands of dollars through his YouTube comedy videos.



Kevin Wu's camcorder used to get him in trouble with his parents, but the 19-year-old sophomore said it has turned him into a surprise hit on the popular video sharing website.

'I got a little excited because it's like, wow, people are watching,' Kevin said.

For some of his fans, it has turned into an addiction. Kevin's YouTube channel, under the name 'kevjumba,' has more than 700,000 subscribers and has racked up 50 million hits on his videos on dorm drama.

His immigrant parents are frequently teased in his online videos.

'I don't like when you sing these rap songs,' Kevin's father said in a video titled 'What we hate about each other.' 'These ridiculous rap songs. Rap rap rap.'

Kevin's contagious comedy turned him into a top YouTuber and companies now pay him to run advertisements on his video clips, earning enough to pay for college and donate a hefty amount to charity -- $8,000 in just four months.

The hype has made him a pretty big deal on campus, but it only has been a moderate effect on his romantic life.

'I've never been really confident among women, even though I may portray it in my videos,' he laughed. 'I'm still kinda shy about females.'

Kevin is majoring in communications and wants to make movies when he graduates. He said his YouTube videos take up more time than he'd like to admit, but it doesn't prevent from completing his course work.

Most of the time, anyway."

Doritos Crash Super Bowl XLIV 2010 Commercial: House Rules (Kid slaps Man)

A man arrives at a beautiful woman's house for their "first date". He is then quickly introduced to her 4 year old son who waste no time explaining the house rules.

This is part of the 2010 Crash the Super Bowl ad campaign & can be featured in Super Bowl XLIV.

Super Bowl Commercial with David, Jay, & Oprah

This commercial was funny, unexpected...AND oh so "nerdy."

Top iPhone App Creator Talks iPad

PRESS:HERE (Episode 42): One of the top iPhone app creators, Dave Castelnuovo, talks about whether he will program for the new iPad.

Cafe owner asks patrons to log off, talk

Cafe owner asks patrons to log off, talk: "A North Oakland cafe is trying something revolutionary this weekend. It's not fat-free croissants or half-price lattes.

The owner is asking customers to leave their laptops at home and actually speak to each other.

'When we opened this place we wanted to create a community. Instead it's just been a room full of laptops,' said Sal Bednarz, who opened Actual Cafe six weeks ago on San Pablo Avenue. 'I don't have anything against technology, but it's not the same as looking someone in the eye and pressing the flesh.'

From 8 a.m. today through 8 p.m. Sunday, patrons who flip open their laptops will be asked to unplug, sign off and log out. They'll be encouraged to sit at communal tables and chat.

Customers, when pried away from their computer screens Friday afternoon, said they were thrilled at the idea. They said they're tired of their laptops, iPods and cell phones, too.

'When I get away from the computer, it's a relief,' said Genevieve Walker, a graphic designer who often spends two or three hours in cafes tapping away on her laptop.

Dan Beyer, the only person at the cafe not with a laptop Friday, said he was looking forward to meeting his fellow cafe denizens.

'Laptops cut people off,' said Beyer, an artist. 'I think it forms a social divide. Technology's great, but there's a serious social impact.'

Actual Cafe is not alone in its disenchantment with laptops. Up the street, Nomad Cafe - which when it opened seven years ago billed itself as an 'Internet cafe' - has reduced the number of electrical outlets to one."

Fusion Garage says JooJoo tablet is on track for Feb. launch

The Technology Chronicles : Fusion Garage says JooJoo tablet is on track for Feb. launch: "Back before the big Apple iPad frenzy began, Garage Fusion made waves late last year by introducing the JooJoo tablet and also parting company with TechCrunch's Michael Arrington, who was collaborating on a tablet with Fusion Garage.

Fusion Garage founder and CEO, Chandrasekar Rathakrishnan said last night the JooJoo tablet is in production and is on track to hit its launch window of late February.

The big deal for Fusion Garage is that they're not only scheduled to beat the iPad to market but they have also lined up a unique funding and partnership arrangement with CSL, a Maylasian hardware manufacturer.

CSL won't make the Joojoo, but it will front the cost of the tablet and will take a percentage of the sales. It's also becoming a strategic investor in Fusion Garage as part of its upcoming second round of funding.

'CSL will pick up the cost for manufacturing and get a percentage of the sales,' said Rathakrishnan. 'This basically eliminates all up front costs for us. They believe in this product and that it will ship in large volumes.'

The bigger question is how the $499 Joojoo will sell against Apple's iPad, which starts at $499 and will go on sale by the end of March. Rathakrishnan, for his part, is not scared.

He said Fusion Garage will beat Apple to market and will benefit from the awareness Apple brings with its iPad. Orders and inquiries, he said, have gone up since the Apple announcement.

Rathakrishnan said JooJoo will carve out its own audience with its bigger 12-inch screen, Flash support and full web experience.

'We're not worried,' he said. 'We're definitely providing better value for the money. There's no question, Apple will take a good chunk of market share but the market is big enough for a number of players.'"

Notebooks, Netbooks, Smartbooks: Which One Is Best For You?

Notebooks, Netbooks, Smartbooks: Which One Is Best For You? - Yahoo! News: "America is becoming a nation of booklovers. Notebooks, netbooks and smartbooks, that is, if you believe the computer manufacturers.

Unfortunately, the names and descriptions for these mobile computing devices have become somewhat interchangeable, generating a fair amount of consumer confusion. In terms of buzz, notebooks are yesterday's news. Last year the Next Big Thing was the netbook; this year it's the smartbook. What's the difference?"