Notable Mobile Apps of the Week

Google Goggles (Android) Earlier this week Google Goggles launched to great fanfare. Yet I’m not so sure it’s currently “a huge leap forward in the field of visual search.” Basically, you snap a pic with your Android (1.6 or greater) device and Google does it’s best to identify it. Whatever it may be. However, in … Read more

Stop Paying Too Much For Cables

With the holidays upon us, I’m reposting this PSA – which was originally published way back in July, 2006. (RIP Tweeter and Circuit City.) Stop it! Seriously. It sickens me when friends and family tell me how much they’re paying for cables at retail. Best Buy, Circuit City, and even Radio Shack are sticking it … Read more

The Boxee Box Cometh

Earlier this evening Boxee unveiled a beta software update with refreshed UI (screengrab below) and, more impressively, their first hardware partner. D-Link will be taking the Boxee Box (DSM-380) into production during the second quarter of 2010, for about $200. And those of us attending CES will get to see the device in action. While … Read more

Shooting 720p Video with the Sony DSC-WX1

As previously mentioned, Sony has provided a DSC-WX1 digital camera ($350) to participate in an upcoming blogger panorama photo contest. Of course, the WX1 also happens to take traditional digital still pictures (which we’ll get to). And shoot 720p HD video. Any multipurpose device like this would have a hard time competing with a higher-end … Read more

The B&N Nook Reader Review Roundup

In theory, Barnes & Noble’s Nook digital reader ($260) begins shipping today (and possibly also making appearances at select brick and mortar retail locations). As such, the first reviews have hit the blogosphere. B&N’s Kindle ($260) competitor appears to have a promising future featuring solid hardware, which consists of the requisite eInk display and a … Read more

Update Bricks WDTV Live Media Players

If you own a Western Digital WD TV Live Media Player, do NOT perform a firmware update to 1.01.12. Which apparently bricks units and there isn’t yet a fix. In fact, Western Digital tells those who have experienced this to RMA their box! Here’s the official Western Digital notice: A small percentage of our users … Read more

Apple Acquires Music Streaming Service Lala

The New York Times reports that Apple has acquired music streaming service Lala. However, I didn’t find the original “in talks to acquire” story very compelling, as my previous four employers were all engaged in dialogs with various suitors at various times before ultimately being purchased. (There can be only one.) But now that this … Read more

Three Apps Coming from Comcast, Including… Xfinity?

With the NBCU news drowning out other Comcast conversation, I thought I’d take this moment to tally up the gifts the MSO has promised to all the good little subscriber girls and boys this year. First and most important, TV Everywhere, er, On Demand Online, um, Xfinity is scheduled to roll out before the start … Read more