Switched's Holiday Gift Guide 2009 originally appeared on Switched on Sun, 22 Nov 2009 17:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• Tillman the Skateboarding Dog is a skating celeb, so it makes sense that he (or one of his bulldog buds) gets to try out the new Tony Hawk game, which comes with a digi-skateboard. Trust us, it's as cute as it sounds. [From: Urlesque]
• Nothing goes as well with Japanese minimalism than Lego, which is why this block set from Muji is amazingly cool. [From: High Snobiety]
• The debate is a bit more than seeing an ex pop up constantly on Facebook. Professor Viktor Mayer-Schonberger talks about how new media makes it difficult to forget, which is an important part of the human experience, (though one commenter points out the other side of the spectrum). [From: Reuters]
• Wired's list of '10 Geeky Things To Be Thankful For" really are geeky (terabytes? really?), but we admit, we are glad there is good sci-fi on TV, too. [From: Wired.com]

Best of the Rest: Skateboarding Dog Tries 'Tony Hawk,' Muji Meets Lego originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading The Daily Engadget: Holiday Gift Guide, Moto's Droid Learns to Autofocus

The Daily Engadget: Holiday Gift Guide, Moto's Droid Learns to Autofocus originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 09:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading The Daily Engadget: Apple Beats Poseur Psystar, Black Friday Deals

The Daily Engadget: Apple Beats Poseur Psystar, Black Friday Deals originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Love for Our Tweeps: People Answer 'What Is Twitter?' originally appeared on Switched on Sat, 14 Nov 2009 16:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading The Daily Engadget: Xbox 360 Tweets and Pokes, Google OS Hits Next Week?

The Daily Engadget: Xbox 360 Tweets and Pokes, Google OS Hits Next Week? originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 09:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading The Daily Engadget: MacBook Pro Explodes, SmartPill Gauges Your Insides

The Daily Engadget: MacBook Pro Explodes, SmartPill Gauges Your Insides originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

Pizza Hut iPhone App Bringing in the Dough, Google Offers Storage Discounts originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading The Daily Engadget: Project Natal Rumors, Laser-Guided Robot Wheelchairs

The Daily Engadget: Project Natal Rumors, Laser-Guided Robot Wheelchairs originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Tech Etiquette: Cell Phone Dos and Don'ts originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

Hilton Hotel iPhone Apps, Aerosmith Declares Breakup on Twitter? originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading The Daily Engadget: Google's Free Airport Wi-Fi, T-Mobile Ditches myFaves

The Daily Engadget: Google's Free Airport Wi-Fi, T-Mobile Ditches myFaves originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• New DROID photo enthusiasts can breathe a sigh of relief: Adobe just released a Photoshop.com mobile app for cropping, basic color filters, and zooming. [From: DownloadSquad]
• Get your meme fix for the day over at Urlesque, where our friends have compiled a hilarious gallery of old people playing 'Guitar Hero.' [From: Urlesque]
• Grooveshark just got a makeover, making the excellent music-streaming service much easier to use. [From: Lifehacker]
• For its fifth birthday, Mozilla's upcoming mobile Firefox browser gets a precious new logo. [From: DownloadSquad]

Best of the Rest: Photoshop Comes to Android, Elderly Shred on 'Guitar Hero' originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading What's the Best iMac for Basic Creative Tasks?

What's the Best iMac for Basic Creative Tasks? originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

Israel Developing SMS Rocket Alert System, Firefox Turns Five originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 11:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading The Daily Engadget: Nokia Recalls 14M Chargers, First iPhone Worm

The Daily Engadget: Nokia Recalls 14M Chargers, First iPhone Worm originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• Overreacting in its most dangerous form: a misfired text leads to a deadly shooting.
• In New York, we have to put up with annoying subway "improvements" in our commute, but that's so we don't have to deal with outdated computers crippling the area and sending traffic into chaos.
• Sitting at a cafe, enjoying your coffee, minding your own un-phished existence? That public Wi-Fi might not be as secure as you think.
• Since a 12-year-old has no real concept of posting bail, or using a license as a bond, when he does something bad, it's the video games he misses the most.

Best of the Week: Evil Baguettes, Mickey Mouse, and Baby Monitors originally appeared on Switched on Sun, 08 Nov 2009 17:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• If you've got our luck, you'll strike out for a holiday shopping extravaganza, get to the mall, and then realize you forgot to bring the coupons from the weekend paper. Fear not, good shoppers. Fortunately, there's a Black Friday app for your iPhone. [From: geeksugar]
• Design changes at Facebook usually rile up users, who, without fail, protest by creating groups on the site. Fortunately, some of those protesters are actually productive, creating solutions like 'Facebook Facelift,' a project re-imagining the ubiquitous social networking site's interface. [From: Likecool.com]
• Our friends over at Asylum rounded up the best video game trailers of all time. Some of our favorites. [From: Asylum]
• When compared to the stock velvet paintings of Hendrix and Pink Floyd that fill college dorms nationwide, these velvet images of sci-fi icons are modern-day masterpieces. [From: io9]

Best of the Rest: Black Friday iPhone App, Rethinking Facebook originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

'What Is Flickr?' Question Flummoxes Folks on the Street originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading 9 Banned Apps You'll Never See on the iPhone

9 Banned Apps You'll Never See on the iPhone originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.