Nice Looking Sleeve...

This is probably the neatest looking laptop sleeve... it looks just like a book!

http://www.techeblog.com/index.php/tech-gadget/bookbook-case-turns-your-macbook-into-leather-bound-book

New Ipod Shuffle: To Purchase Or Not to Purchase

The new iPod Shuffle's capacity has been doubled to 4GB, and now the minuscule music player doesn't have a control wheel. But how will you ever reign over your music? Simple -- with controls on the earbud cord. WHEE! The new design keeps the clip and adds "VoiceOver" -- a new feature that gets around the lack of display by telling you which song is playing and who performs it at the touch of a button on the earbud cable. It'll also call out your playlists and let you navigate to others. Available in black or silver for $80 and your claim to what Apple calls the "world's smallest music player."

World's smallest music player my ass. I happen to own the world's smallest music player. It's a violin. *rubbing fingers together* Can you hear that? It's the REAL world's smallest music player playing "All Night Long" by Lionel Ritchie. Bitchin'!

Google: Now Preventing Drunk E-Mailing...

Google recently unveiled a Gmail application, cleverly named "Mail Goggles", that may help prevent drunk emailing. When in use, the program requires a potential emailer to solve a few mathematical problems before the message can be sent. The service is set by default to kick in only on weekend nights, but you can change the settings to apply whenever. (Again, geniuses over there at Google). Pretty clever, now make something similar for cell phones and we'll be set... I must say- I've never drunk mailed, but drunk dial or text... another story. Google- just changing the world...

Just What I Need...Another Reason To Lose My Current Camera

Was just on the Sony Style site... love the new DSC-T700 camera. Has all the usual features their latest Cyber-shot cameras have (large touch screen, internal memory, etc...). But this is actually going to be thinner than ever! Comes out in September, but be ready to shell out around $400.

http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&productId=8198552921665491098

Oh, Those Crazy Japanese People Strike Again...

The iPhone 3G in Japan has a special feature unique to that country: The camera always makes a conspicuous “shutter” sound when a picture is taken, even when the phone is set to “silent” mode. Why would they need that you say?

Apparently, the loud shutter sound is supposed to deter voyeurs from taking sneaky pictures up women’s’ skirts — or down their tops. In Japan, upskirt and downblouse shots have become increasingly popular with the advent of high-resolution camera phones. As a result, all cell phones sold in Japan make a conspicuous shutter sound, or say the word “cheese” when a snap is taken, according to Nobuyuki Hayashi, a tech reporter based in Tokyo. On almost all new cell phones, the camera shutter sound can not be muted, Hayashi says. In fact, “Some manufacturers have even put louder shutter sound,” he reports.

The shutter on the first iPhone sold in Japan could be muted in silent mode; an anomaly that many wondered whether Apple would correct in the iPhone 3G, Hayashi says. Apple did: The shutter sound cannot be turned off, even in silent mode in the iPhone 3G, Hayashi says.

http://cultofmac.com/to-prevent-upskirts-japanese-iphone-3g-always-alerts-when-taking-photos/2356

Does Your Wine Need 25% of Your Fridge Space?

Side-by-side refrigerators are not a new phenomenon.... but adding a third section just for wine? The AEG-Electrolux Santo 75 598 KG offers this with a sleek design with glassed in sections and offers individual temperature controls. There is even an alarm to alert you to temperatures moving outside the desired range per section. But is this really all necessary? 25% of your space is just an OBSCENE amount to dedicate to just wine.

Blackberry Thunder...

For all of your Blackberry addicts, Blackberry's first touch screen phone is coming out in September! Coming out as a "competitor" to the iPhone, I think Blackberry finally realized that it too much succumb to the "good looking" phone design. However, is it too little too late? By the time Thunder comes out, it will be two generations behind the iPhone. I don't think it's too little, too late though... there are just too many Blackberry addicts out there.

This won't change any plans for the Blackberry Bold, which is still slated to come out in August.

http://crackberry.com/exclusive-first-live-pics-blackberry-thunder

Mine Is White

There was a piece on NPR today about marketing gadgets to women. Molly Wood, host of the CNET podcast "The Gadgettes," is one of the interviewees, and she tells NPR that one of her favorite gadgets marketed towards women is the Nintendo DS Lite. Wood describes it as not specifically designed for women, though it is "cute and small and portable." In addition, the games are "fun without being hardcore or alienating." I can agree to that, but I've been a long time gamer. I frankly think marketing the DS with rhinestones all over it just for women AND the fact that it's pink is just insulting. I purposely don't buy pink gadget items, just because I think they look juvenile. Another example- my camera comes in black, silver and PINK. Does the fact that I look like a female not enough that I need ALL of my accessories to be pink, so I can announce my femininity?

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91316773&ft=1&f=1018/

I Might Have To Bite the Forbidden Apple

Apple just annouced that the second generation iPhone will be twice as fast and basically half the price and half the size. The new specs: $199 for the 8 GB phone, $299 for the 16GB, 3G (much faster networking), GPS, thinner, black plastic back (also available in white), flush headphone jack, improved battery life. Plus: Lots of new applications (games, blogging, news) are now available at the Apps store. Set your calendars...the release date is July 11.

http://www.apple.com/iphone/

Tiffany & Co. Cell Phone: $100G

Tiffany & Co. Inc. is in the process of launching its new cell phone encrusted with more than 400 diamonds totaling 20+ carats and will cost about approximately $94,000. I guess it's pretty.. but seriously, who is buying and using this phone? Would you rather have a condo or a cell phone.... let me think about that one.

http://www.luxist.com/2008/02/14/tiffany-and-co-diamond-cell-phone/

Stank Breath Confirmation

For $10 you can pick up a Halitosis Detector that lets you know if you have funk breath or not. Because you can't always trust the 'breathe into your hand and sniff' method. The unit has a little LCD face that changes based on the severity of your breath. If the little guy screams "oh shit!" and the device catches fire it's time for a whole tin of Altoids.

Does this look like a phone to anyone else? Maybe Apple can somehow incorporate this feature into their phone and make this world more hygenic one person at a time.

http://www.geekologie.com/2008/02/stink_breath_detector_gives_it.php

Bling, Bling: World's Most Expensive Cell Phone

The most sure-fire way to get the attention of is to declare your gadget "the most ____ ____ ever" or "the smallest _____ ever," even if the claim is questionable at best. But if you can get your claim verified by the 'Guinness Book of World Records,' you're likely to get a bit less cynicism about your product. So a tip of the hat to GoldVish, a Swiss company that has designed the Guinness-certified most expensive cell phone in the world.

The $1.2 million 'LeMillion' cell phone is cast in 18k white gold and encrusted with 120 carats of diamonds. Otherwise, the 'LeMillion' is a perfectly unexceptional feature phone. Bluetooth, 2-gigabytes of storage, MP3 playback, an FM radio, and, of course, a digital camera.

http://www.switched.com/2008/01/29/guinness-names-worlds-most-expensive-cell-phone/

I Love Dell's New Crystal Monitor

Talk about ultra thin... Look at this gorgeous monitor with built in speakers and web camera... is this a preview of TVs to come? It's going to be "limited edition" - which means they're all gone for us normal folk...

http://www.dell.com/content/topics/topic.aspx/global/products/monitors/topics/en/monitor_22crystalfp_landing?c=

Obsessing With The New Camera

My new camera has this function where you can write on the photos and add little "stamps" around people/places/things... Of course, I used it and put little hearts around the Ling. For those who don't know, I am obsessed with my dog. More importantly, I am obsessed with the new camera - it's a Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-T70 and it features a large touch screen... 8.1 megapixels. You can purchase it at: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8440234&type=product&id=1183160354020

Ideeli Speaking... I Would Love Some Free Valentino!

http://www.ideeli.com/ is just another new website that I wish I thought of... it offers deep discounts on luxury goods for women is creating a big stir and they haven't even officially opened yet! The company, which deals in purses, jewelry and other designer goods will operate like similar sites we have seen for gadgets and for which a product is offered for a limited amount of time and once it is gone, it's gone.

Ideeli will operate on a "membership only" basis with invitations coming either from the company or existing members. They will sell just three or four specific items each week. Shoppers who want a VIP upgrade can pay can pay $8 monthly to shop an hour ahead of the general membership. Ideeli just received $3.8 million dollars in venture capital investments to fund this shopping spree...

If you want to join, just e-mail me and I'll forward you a subscription code....

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/17/technology/17ecom.html?_r=2&oref=login&oref=slogin

Will Your Cell Phone Be Your New Boarding Pass?

So the paper ticket is clearly dead, and a new move by Continental Airlines could mean that even paper boarding pass may be the next to go. The airline is currently testing out digital boarding passes that lets you use your cell phone as a ticket. Contintental's new system, which is being tested in Houston for the next three months, sends you a digital two-dimensional bar code, a square of pixels that represents your boarding info. Just display that bar code on your cell phone's screen, then pass the phone screen under the scanner and voila, you're ready to board.

http://www.switched.com/2007/12/05/continental-letting-flyers-use-cell-phones-as-plane-tickets/

Diamond iPhone

Who is going to use and buy this item? A person with a lot of personality I'm sure...

Amosu has come out with what it calls "the first diamond Apple iPhone." In classically over-the-top fashion, the U.K. purveyor has adorned this limited edition with 420 diamonds totaling 5.65 carats set in 18k white or yellow gold, with a choice of white, black or pink. Decisions, decisions, decisions. Should be available in November 2008.

Now seriously- don't drop this one in the toilet or better yet, don't leave it at a club.

http://crave.cnet.com/8301-1_105-9806911-1.html?part=rss&tag=feed&subj=Crave

Bling It On

I love it , I love it and I want more of it! Crystal Icing has a new Signature Limited Edition LUX Sidekick which is covered in amber, 24K gold and dipped swarovski crystals all for a mere $1,700. It definitely makes a statement. If you prefer a less expensive version (and no one ever "prefers" the less expensive version to my knowledge), different colors, or want to crystallize your ipod, laptop or other device the options are endless. Check out their gallery...

So make your phone a work of art -- just don't accidentally drop it in the toilet.

http://www.crystalicing.com/proddetail.asp?prod=7777

How Google Came To Be...

Stanford student Sean Anderson was the guy who gave Larry Page (co-founder of Google), the name of his search engine and company

"Sean and Larry were in their office, trying to think up a good name -- something that related to the indexing of an immense amount of data. Sean verbally suggested the word "googolplex," and Larry responded verbally with the shortened form, "googol." Sean was seated at his computer terminal, so he executed a search of the Internet domain name registry database to see if the newly suggested name was still available for registration and use. Sean is not an infallible speller, and he made the mistake of searching for the name spelled as "google.com," which he found to be available.

http://valleywag.com/tech/genius-at-work/the-160-billion-typo-315279.php#

For the Girl Who Has Everything...

Well, for the girl who has everything AND has a gadget fetish... Philips and Swarovski have joined together with Swarovski for the "Active Crystals" collection. There will be heart shaped and locket shaped USB drives, headphones and mouses. The full Philips and Swarovski Active Crystals range will be commercially available in department stores, consumer electronics retail and Swarovski stores in August 2007... of course just in time for the holidays.

http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/exclusive/philips-and-swarovski-launch-active-crystals-luxury-electronics-in-us-267972.php