KERLI SONGS - TWO TRACKS

Here's one of my favorite alt-pop tracks off her album, have a listen. It's called "Bulletproof".

Below is "Hurt Me". 

APPLE iPHONE 3G ROCKS

The new iPhone rocks, despite all of the problems Apple has had today - with the Applications Store, I am sold. AOL Radio is fantastic, I can listen to local stations in any city as well as AOL Radio stations for any genre. Truly amazing.

Oh yeah, I ended up getting the 16GB white. Thanks to Jeff for making it happen.

LINK'S CROSSBOW: I'M ADDICTED TO YOU

Link's Crossbow, I wish I could quit you. 

 

$19.99 and probably my favorite Wii game thus far. 

NEWER, FASTER, CHEAPER iPHONE 3G

From the Wall Street Journal:

July 9, 2008

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.

WSJ's Walt Mossberg reviews the brand new 3G iPhone, weighing whether or not the latest features, including a faster Internet network, GPS and a lower entry price, can overshadow some of the drawbacks. (July 9)
On Friday, Apple is launching a second-generation iPhone, called the iPhone 3G, which addresses both of those problems, while retaining the look and feel of the first model's hardware and software.

The base version of the new iPhone costs $199 -- half the $399 price of its predecessor; the higher-capacity version is now $299, down from $499. Yet, this new iPhone is much, much faster at fetching data over cellphone networks because it uses a speedy cellular technology called 3G. And it now sports a GPS chip for better location sensing.

The company also is rolling out the second generation of its iPhone operating system, with some nice new features, including wireless synchronization with corporate email, calendars and address books. And there's a new online store for third-party iPhone programs that Apple hopes will make the device usable for a wider variety of tasks, including gaming and productivity applications. This new software and store will also be available on older iPhones, through a free upgrade.

I've been testing the iPhone 3G for a couple of weeks, and have found that it mostly keeps its promises. In particular, I found that doing email and surfing the Internet typically was between three and five times as fast using AT&T's 3G network as it was with the older AT&T network to which the first iPhone was limited.

Apple
Apple's new iPhone operating system includes an 'App store,' where you can browse for, and download, third-party software.
The iPhone 3G is hardly the first phone to run on 3G networks, and it still costs more than some of its competitors. But overall, I found it to be a more capable version of an already excellent device. And now that it's open to third-party programs, the iPhone has a chance to become a true computing platform with wide versatility.

There are two big hidden costs to the new iPhone's faster speed and lower price tag. First, in my tests, the iPhone 3G's battery was drained much more quickly in a typical day of use than the battery on the original iPhone, due to the higher power demands of 3G networks. This is an especially significant problem because, unlike most other smart phones, the iPhone has a sealed battery that can't be replaced with a spare.

Second, Apple's exclusive carrier in the U.S., AT&T Inc., has effectively negated the iPhone's up-front price cut by jacking up its monthly fee for unlimited data use by $10. Over the course of the two-year contract you must sign to get the lower hardware prices, that adds $240, overwhelming the $200 savings on the phone itself. If you want text messaging, the cost rises further. With the first iPhone, 200 text messages a month came free. Now, 200 messages will cost $5 a month, or another $120 over the two-year contract.

The iPhone 3G still has a couple of features that made the first version unpalatable to some potential buyers. It uses a virtual on-screen keyboard instead of a physical one. While I find the virtual keyboard easy and accurate, not everyone does. Also, in the U.S. and in many other countries, the iPhone is still tied to a single exclusive carrier, whose coverage or rate plans may be unacceptable to some.

Here is a rundown of the changes in the new model.

Design: The new iPhone looks almost exactly like the old one. It is the same length and width, has the same big, vivid screen, and has the same number and layout of buttons. The main difference is the back, which is now plastic instead of mostly metal and curved instead of flat. It's very slightly thicker in the middle, with tapered edges, and weighs a tiny bit less.

Apple
The new iPhone 3G (left) delivers much higher Internet download speeds over cellular networks than the original iPhone (right).
Like its predecessor, the iPhone 3G comes in two models distinguished only by storage capacity: 8 gigabytes and 16 gigabytes. The top model is available in black or white.

Apple has greatly improved the audio on the new iPhone. I found the speaker was much louder, for music and for the speakerphone. But the new phone produced an echo when used with the built-in Bluetooth system in my car. Also, the headphone jack is now flush with the case instead of recessed as on the first model, so it can accept any standard stereo earphones.

The camera, however, is still bare-bones. It can't record video and has a resolution of just two megapixels. The power adapter is now tiny, at least in the U.S., but Apple no longer includes a dock for charging, just a cable.

Software: The basic software is similar. The biggest addition for some users will be full compatibility with Microsoft's widely used Exchange ActiveSync service, which many corporations use. In my tests, I was able to connect the iPhone 3G to my company's Exchange servers in a few minutes, and my corporate email, calendar and contacts were replicated on the phone. Any changes I made on the iPhone were reflected almost instantly in Microsoft Outlook on my company PC, and vice versa. Email was pushed to the phone as soon as it was received on the company's servers.

One drawback: While you can have both personal and Exchange email accounts on the new iPhone, if you synchronize with Exchange calendars and contacts, your personal calendar and contacts are erased.

The new iPhone and upgraded older iPhones also will be able to use a new Apple consumer service, MobileMe, which offers synchronized push email, calendars, photos and contacts.

Apple's 3G iPhone: Complete Coverage
There are other improvements. You can now delete multiple emails at once, set parental controls and search your contacts. You can also save photos in emails or from Web sites. You can also now open Microsoft PowerPoint files sent as attachments, though I found in my tests that opening larger PowerPoint files crashed the phone.

Some software features missing from the first iPhone are still AWOL on the new one. There's no copy and paste function, no universal search, no instant messaging and no MMS for sending photos quickly between phones.

Network: Like the old iPhone, the new one can perform Internet tasks using either Wi-Fi wireless networking or the cellphone networks. But the addition of 3G cellular capability makes the new model more useful for Web surfing, email and other data tasks when you're not in Wi-Fi range. In my tests, in Washington and New York, I got data speeds mostly ranging between 200 and 500 kilobits per second. By comparison, the original iPhone, tested in the same spots at the same time, mostly got cellular data speeds between 70 and 150 kbps on AT&T's old EDGE network. The new iPhone typically was between three and five times as fast as the old one.

While AT&T now has 3G networks in 280 U.S. cities, and aims to be in 350 by year end, it is converting its cellphone towers gradually, so not all areas of included cities have 3G coverage. The new iPhone falls back to EDGE speeds when 3G isn't present.

One side benefit to 3G is that in some areas, voice coverage improves. At my neighborhood shopping center, where the first iPhone got little or no AT&T service, the iPhone 3G registered strong coverage. But I still found that calls regularly broke up on some major streets. In New York City, riding in a taxi along the Hudson, one important call was dropped three times on the new iPhone. Finally, I borrowed a cheap Verizon phone and got perfect reception.

Battery life: Apple claims that over 3G, the new iPhone can get five hours of talk time, or five hours of Internet use. Talk time is twice as long on the older EDGE network, and Internet time is an hour better with Wi-Fi.

I ran my own battery tests using the phone's 3G capability. Although I left the Wi-Fi function on, I didn't connect it to a network, so the phone had to rely on 3G. In my test of voice calling, I got 4 hours and 27 minutes, short of Apple's maximum claim and nearly three hours less than what I recorded in the same test last year on the original iPhone. In my test of Internet use over 3G, I got 5 hours and 49 minutes, better than Apple's claim, but far short of the nine hours I got using Wi-Fi in last year's tests.

More important, in daily use, I found the battery indicator on the new 3G model slipping below 20% by early afternoon or midafternoon on some days, and it entirely ran out of juice on one day. I overcame this problem by learning to use Wi-Fi instead of 3G whenever possible, turning down the screen brightness and even turning off 3G altogether, which the phone permits.

The iPhone 3G's battery life is comparable to, or better than, that of some other 3G competitors. But they have replaceable batteries. The iPhone doesn't.

Third-party software: If things go as Apple hopes, third-party software could be the biggest attraction to the new iPhone 3G, and to upgraded older iPhones. By some estimates, there will be hundreds of these programs, some free and some paid, almost immediately.

Apple didn't supply me with programs for testing, but I managed to try several on older devices upgraded to the new operating system. I tested a game that used the phone's motion sensors to control the action, and I tested several programs from America Online, including AOL Instant Messenger; AOL Radio, which streams music from the Internet; and AOL's Truveo video search engine. All worked very well.

Among the programs Apple has publicly previewed were a sales automation program from Salesforce.com, a game called Super Monkey Ball from Sega and a program for bidding on eBay. Also made public were a news reader from the Associated Press, a program for following live games from Major League Baseball and several programs for doctors, including the Epocrates drug reference.

Bottom line: If you've been waiting to buy an iPhone until it dropped in price, or ran on faster cell networks, you might want to take the plunge, if you can live with the higher service costs and the weaker battery life. The same goes for those with existing iPhones who love the device but crave faster cellular data speeds. But if you already own an iPhone, and can usually use Wi-Fi for data, you probably should hold off and get the free software upgrade before deciding whether it's worth getting the new hardware.

BLACKBERRY BOLD VS iPHONE 3G

I can't believe I am still messing with this subject! Anyway, over at PinStack, they put together this little guide with the side-by-side specs of each device, so have a look. 

Click on image to enlarge.

WHEN AN iPHONE MEETS A CAR TIRE

The bad: I need a new phone, which means mo' money. 

The good: I was able to retrieve all of the data off of it before activating the back-up phone, so while it looks mangled (and is), the insides remained in tact.

By the way, does anyone read palms? 

Listen To This: Kerli

I just picked up the CD (what do you call it now when it's digital?) early this morning and it is very alterna-pop, each song having a strong hook. To me, having an electric guitar pushing the songs (think Evanescence) into catchy as hell choruses is a perfect combo. There are a couple of throwaway tracks but overall, I'm impressed! Standout tracks so far: Love is Dead and Bulletproof. Give it a whirl, and here is some info on Kerli:

In 2006 Kerli signed a contract with Island Def Jam and her debut album, titled Love Is Dead, is set to be released on July 8, 2008. Kerli also has a self-titled EP that includes the songs "Walking on Air," "She's In Parties" and "Love Is Dead." The music video for "Love Is Dead" was released by Universal Music Group on February 29, 2008. The music video for "Walking on Air" premiered on MTV Overdrive on May 20, 2008.

iPHONE vs BLACKBERRY BOLD

COME TO PAPA VIA AT&T IN AUGUST!

The bold and the beautiful

As we just mentioned, the device gets its name from its screen. The BlackBerry Bold features a half-VGA (480x320 pixel resolution) and a 65,000-color display. During some initial product testing, research group participants repeatedly called the screen "bold" and "brilliant." The Brilliant moniker didn't really jibe with the company, thus the BlackBerry Bold was born.

So just how bold is it? Well, RIM stopped by our office late last week to show us the device, and let me just tell you, I was absolutely blown away. I can pretty much say I've never seen a better-looking display on a smartphone. Colors pop off the screen, and it's really amazing how sharp and crisp everything looks on the display.

We watched a couple of videos, and for the first time, we didn't notice any of the pixelation or blurriness that you typically get with phones. In addition, the menu interface has been revamped with a much more modern look and icons. Also, as you can see from the images, the BlackBerry Bold boasts a new design. It's more elegant than models past, with curvier edges and a silver trim that complements the black casing.

If you turn it over, you'll also notice that the back has a leatherette texture. No more slick plastic. RIM will sell replaceable backplates in different colors, including blue, gray, and red, if you want to individualize your phone a bit. The BlackBerry Bold measures 4.5 inches tall by 2.6 inches wide by half an inch deep, and it weighs 4.7 ounces.

Kevin Michaluk at Crackberry.com took a gamble, buying one on eBay, and posted a hands-on review. He made a good comparison of the device to the Motorola Q9h.

Finally, the BlackBerry Bold has a QWERTY keyboard that RIM likened to a modernized Curve keyboard, but I'm not really seeing it. Instead, it reminded me more of the BlackBerry 8830.

Now, I know some of you 8800 series users had issues with the keyboard, but I tried it out, and it's pretty easy to use--relatively large buttons with some spacing between the keys.

Wireless smorgasbord
There's a heaping of wireless options on the quad-band (GSM 850/900/1800/1900) BlackBerry Bold, but the most appetizing and notable item is the HSDPA/UMTS (850/1900/2100) support.

It's the first such equipped BlackBerry, and we all know that it's been a long time coming. RIM says the delay for bringing such a device to the market is that it wanted to make sure that battery life wouldn't be sacrificed at the expense of including the 3.5G technology. Hey, whatever the reason, we're just finally happy to have it.

You also get integrated Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g), Bluetooth 2.0 with full A2DP support, and built-in GPS (enhanced and assisted).

Horsepower
The RIM BlackBerry Bold is equipped with a 624MHz Intel PXA270 processor, whereas previous BlackBerrys had 312MHz processors, so technically, you should enjoy smoother and faster performance.

During our briefing, there were a few hiccups in performance, but we're going to keep our fingers crossed and chalk it up to the fact that it wasn't a final unit. There's also 128MB of flash memory and 1GB of onboard memory, which is all supplemented by the microSD/SDHC expansion slot (supports up to 16GB cards).

Multimedia, Web, and other good stuff
You still with me? I know this post is getting a bit lengthy, but there are just a few more highlights to note. First, the Bold includes an improved Web browser (thank goodness), with the option to view pages in a full desktop HTML style or a mobile version, and you can now more easily navigate pages with the trackball, which acts like a mouse cursor, and zoom in and out.

As for multimedia, the smartphone is equipped with a 2-megapixel camera with video-recording capabilities and up to 5x zoom. The media player also continues to support numerous audio and video formats, including MP3, WMA, AAC, DivX4, and WMV3 files, and the phone is equipped with a 3.5mm headphone jack. By the way, the Bold has some pretty powerful speakers--none of that weak, tinny junk.

Oh, and hey, what's this? It's makes calls, and sends and receives e-mails, you say? Yes, you'll still get all of the voice and messaging features of previous BlackBerrys, and the handset will also come preloaded with Dataviz's Documents to Go suite, for document viewing and editing.

(CNET)

MAKE A SLIDESHOW VIA ANIMOTO

Take your pics, add music, it creates a little movie for you. You might have a program at home, but this is super-simple for those little projects.

Click here to give it a whirl.

TOMORROW: TEST DRIVE OF THE SMART FOR TWO!

We'll be test driving the Smart Car at 1pm tomorrow, Sunday. I'll keep you posted!

THE FLIP MINO - COME TO DADDY!

Flip Video Mino Takes Aim at the Cool Set

When Pure Digital Technologies Inc. introduced its Flip point-and-shoot camcorder a year ago, it dramatically simplified video recording. The Flip measured the size of a small digital still camera, cost less than $150 and its videos could be emailed in one quick process. Consumers gobbled up the tiny, nonintimidating device.

But to the style-conscious set, the Flip looked like a clunky Fisher-Price toy — especially when compared with a sleek, new iPod or more-sophisticated digital cameras — and was too thick to comfortably slip into a pocket. Last fall, Pure Digital introduced an enhanced version: the Flip Video Ultra, but its biggest aesthetic difference was new orange, pink and green colors.

Today, the company will begin sales of its $180 Flip Video Mino (pronounced “minnow”), the hippest offering yet from Pure Digital. This 60-minute Flip includes many firsts for the company: rechargeable batteries; touch-sensitive buttons rather than old-school, push-down buttons; and a thinner build that measures 40% smaller, overall. The Flip Mino is also the first one in the family to enable publishing to MySpace (NWS); prior software limited Web-site sharing to YouTube (GOOG) and AOL (TWX) Video.

I’ve been using a glossy, black Flip Mino (it also comes in white) for the past two weeks and it looks much cooler than older models. Its newly positioned USB adapter pops up from the top of the camera like something from a Swiss Army Knife. The Mino offers features such as the ability to lock the delete button, so no one accidentally deletes your videos, and mute all camera sounds, so as to record silently during quiet moments like wedding ceremonies or speeches. Click here for the rest of the Wall Street Journal article. 

Mine, along with the action attachment so I can attach it to my bike, and the tripod, was shipped today, so stay tuned!

SEX AND THE CITY - MY REVIEW!

OK, I went and saw SATC this afternoon and I loved it. I was shocked at how well the actors and actresses inhabited their roles after 4 years away. You know how some TV shows start back in the fall and it seems to take them a little bit of time to get back into the nuances of their character? Not so much here, it was just like yesterday and isn't that how good friendships really are? I also have to say that if you're a fan, you will LOVE this. If you weren't a fan, you might still really like it - it is a good standalone piece, even if you haven't seen the series. It does help though if you have, definitely. 

Anyway, I won't spoil any major plot points but I can tell you that Charlotte is still very Charlotte but funnier here than I've seen her in quite some time, kudos to Kristin Davis on that point. She nearly stole the whole show with her quirkiness and neuroses, and I loved her for it. 

Miranda is still struggling with life and work, and I have to say, that Cynthia Nixon has never looked better, EVER. Stunning really. She's still the cynic of the group, with a soft core way down inside. She has one scene in particular with one line that just moved me, I could feel it in how she delivered it - it's outside of a dinner.

Samantha has been "neutered' a bit here, which was my only disappointment. What I mean is that she is much more fun when single and on the prowl, and I think most fans would agree with me on this point. Having said that, seeing a more toned down version does show depth of character. Kim Cattrall is just beautiful, well-preserved, and has balls of steel - she tells it like it is and without her in this movie, it wouldn't have been the same. Not even close.

Carrie, ah Carrie, she's such a romantic and I love that about her. She still borders the line of fashion icon and fashion victim, and I wouldn't have it any other way. There are a few scenes in which I saw a different Sarah Jessica Parker in a whole new light, with the emotions being very very raw. One scene in particular, involving flowers, was pretty riveting to me. Oh yeah, I wanted to say to all of those naysayers out there that say she's ugly, she is quite the contrary. And anything she lacks in "traditional" beauty she more than makes up with an inner glow you just can't buy.

So that's about it, I don't want to ruin the experience for anyone, nor do I want to build it up so high that you ultimately can't help but feel disappointed. But like they said on Oprah, it was created with the fans in mind and that truly couldn't be more true. It made me want to visit New York again and like always, it made me sad at the notion of never seeing these ladies again. After approximately $56 million at the box office this weekend, I hardly suspect this is the last time we'll see this wonderful bunch again. Tick tock, I'm counting the days.

2008 SMART CAR FORTWO

Check this video out, it's pretty interesting - I recently went and looked at Smart Cars, and I found them much better than I anticipated. I expected to feel like a total dork sitting one, as though I were in a toy car. However, it didn't feel that way at all and I'll let you know how the test drive is once I go on it at the beginning of June.

Here's a video of an actual test drive/review of the car. I was surprised. 

NEW MUSIC: CYNDI LAUPER, BRING YA TO THE BRINK

I just bought Cyndi Lauper's new CD and it's pretty amazing, it's definitely geared for the clubs or the gym - it's called Bring Ya to the Brink and I feel a huge sense of responsibility to support her because she has been so supportive of the GLBT community. Click the link above and give her your support. 

NEW MUSIC FOR MY EARS

If I find any music that's catchy and has interesting sounds, I'll buy it - I'm a music ho like that. High-art, low-art, what does it all mean anyway? 

Anyway, I went on a mini-buying spree on iTunes and here's what I bought:

1. The Veronicas, Hook Me Up
2. Death Cab for Cutie, Narrow Stairs
3. Good Charlotte, Good Morning Revival
4. Metro Station, Metro Station

The reviews and recommendations really do work sometimes, I've had a lot of good luck with it as of late. The love/hate affair with Apple continues, but music is my forever luvah!

BLACKBERRY BOLD 9000 - MUST HAVE!

I WANT THIS! BYE BYE APPLE.

SMART FOR-TWO GETS GOOD SAFETY MARKS

The ultra-tiny Smart ForTwo earned top marks in side and front crash tests, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety said Wednesday. The two-seat car did not earn the Institute's Top Safety Pick designation, however, because it didn't earn top marks for whiplash protection.

But even if the ForTwo improved its whiplash protection, it would not be named a Top Safety Pick, said IIHS spokesman Russ Rader. The institute does not have a specific size requirement, but the ForTwo is simply too small to be considered safe under all conditions, including highway driving, he said

Smart would not comment on the IIHS's decision regarding the car's eligibility to be a Top Safety Pick.

The ForTwo, which is about three feet shorter and 700 pounds lighter than a Mini Cooper, earned the best possible rating of "Good" for front and side impact protection in tests by the IIHS, a private group funded by insurance companies.

The ForTwo received an "Acceptable" rating, which is the second best possible, for whiplash protection in rear impacts. Technically, that would prevent it from getting a "Top Safety Pick" from the IIHS.

Click here for the rest of the article and go here if you are interested in learning more about the Smart Car ForTwo.

ETSY -PICTURE FRAMES

These picture frames from Etsy are made out of salvaged wood left from Hurricane Katrina, with the dimensions being: 

Inside: 4 1/2" x 8 1/4"
Outside: 14 1/4" x 16 1/2"

Beautiful frames with reusable materials, how can you get better than that? Well, I guess it could be better if part of the proceeds were to go to Katrina victims but at least this is something good. Beats Pottery Barn any day.

PORTLAND, OREGON DOES IT AGAIN

Check out this light from Eleek, Inc. It's made of 100% recycled cast aluminum, along with steel, art glass, and frosted borosilicate glass lens. 

A little bit about the company:

Eleek is a unique, sustainable design and manufacturing business specializing in beautiful, durable building parts crafted by hand using time tested processes and materials. In addition to its lighting, sinks, countertops, and hardware, Eleek offers custom design, manufacturing, and lighting restoration services.

While they are based out of Portland, you can click here to see where there is a showroom near you. For you Seattle peeps, you have a few options. 

Here is the Jester Sconce, made of 100% recycled cast aluminum, 90% recycled cast bronze, and glass globe.