GeekSugar

Would You Buy A Fake iPod Shuffle?

GeekSugar — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 10:01:00 -0700

Uber Apple geek Pete Mortensen spotted these Shockingly Well Executed Counterfeit iPod Shuffles in San Francisco’s Chinatown and I had to agree with him: They're pretty close to the real thing. They are actually MANNDigital Mp3 players that have the very same look, size and even packaging of Apple’s teeny tiny iPod shuffles. While there are some differences - the volume and skip track buttons have switched places and it comes in black, which the real shuffle doesn't - the casual fan wouldn't know the difference. No word on the price, or if it's cheaper than the real shuffle (although I suspect it is). Would you buy a fake iPod shuffle?

Source: Cult of Mac

Love 2.0: Pete Mortensen and Kimra McPherson

GeekSugar — Tue, 13 Feb 2007 10:00:59 -0800

As part of our Geeks We Love series, I caught up with a few couples that, through the beauty of the internet and technology have influenced both our lives and each other.

If loving the internet, pop culture and Macs is wrong, Pete Mortensen and Kimra McPherson don’t want to be right. He’s an innovation strategy consultant, and renowned Cult of Mac blogger and she is an editor on the world famous BuzzSugar team. When the couple isn’t playing Wii sports or hiking Half Dome they can be found in their San Francisco apartment making messes while learning to cook, building up their netflix queue and keeping their two cats off their keyboards. And of course blogging, lots and lots of blogging. What geeky things do these two love about each other and life? read more

Geek-ground
Peter has spent the last two years covering Apple freelance for Wired and on the Cult of Mac blog. He also works for Jump Associates, a firm that helps clients unlock growth and create cultures of innovation. "I broke into blogging by sending Wired a blind cover letter with pitches," says Peter. "I’d been a Mac obsessive for about a decade before-hand, though, so I had a few things on my mind in advance." Kimra made her first Web site when she was 15 and has been on the Internet in various ways ever since, most recently as an editor for Buzzsugar.

Geeksugar: Let's start simple. What’s the geekiest thing about yourself:
He says: I was complaining just the other night that my experiment to learn twice as much on my morning train commute by listening to podcasts while reading books seemed to be failing, because I wasn’t retaining information from either source. Read that sentence again. Then get me some help.
She says: I’m currently chronicling the year between my 25th birthday and my 26th birthday by taking a photo every day and posting them all on flickr. If you ever wanted to know what the inside of my purse looked like on January 26, well, now you can.

Geeksugar: What’s the geekiest thing about your significant other:
He says: I think Kimra has actually got every personal blog on the internet as part of her RSS roll. I like to believe I get a pretty rich survey of everything the web has to offer, but then I see what she’s reading and recognize how small my world can be.
She says: The amount of information he knows about Apple is, frankly, a little scary. He might not remember shopping lists or flight departure times, but I’m sure he could tell you the names and personal histories of every key person who worked on the original Macintosh. He also “accidentally” impulse-bought a Nintendo Wii on eBay, so that’s a close second.

Geeksugar: How and when did you meet your significant other?
She says: We met in college, when he was my editor at our weekly campus magazine. We were also both college radio DJs, which is geeky enough in itself.
He says: This is 100 percent true. Though we didn’t start dating until well after we were both out of school.

Geeksugar: What are your top 5 favorite gadgets:
He says: My iPod shuffle (clip style, of course! I really want an orange one, now). My HDTV. Its picture is great, and it’s a Westinghouse, which makes me feel like it’s 1956 in the living room. My Nintendo DS Lite. My Powerbook G4 12”. His name is Malimikigio, which is Esperanto for “You are the enemy.” I got the name from liner notes of Radiohead’s “OK Computer.” Hmm… that might actually be the geekiest thing about me. Except that my iPod shuffle is named “L’il Malky.” That could be. Kimra’s dustbuster Scorpion with the extender nozzle. It almost makes cleaning up kitty litter fun. Almost.
She says: My 80 gig iPod, my iDog, my Blackberry Pearl, Pete’s Nintendo DS Lite (Brain Age has the best Sudoku game ever) and my iMic, for transferring my old high school mix tapes to mp3.

Geeksugar: What are the top 5 luxury gadgets you really want:
He says: The iPhone. Someone else can handle the service charges. A MacBook Pro, though I probably want the next generation of processors to roll through before that. If you’re paying, though, the current version’s fine. Noise-canceling headphones. Sennheiser makes some good ones. A Toyota Prius. Though what I really want is a hybrid Mini Cooper, if they’d ever get around to making it. A USB Missile Launcher. For attacks. Stealthy ones.
She says: Some really nice earphones, the iPhone, the Nike+iPod kit. I know the kit’s cheap, but I count it as a luxury because I don’t already have a Nano. I also don’t run, but that’s beside the point, right? Clocky! I can’t really justify spending $50 on an alarm clock that doesn’t also play music, except that it would run away from me when I hit snooze. A Nabaztag rabbit. Maybe my iDog’s lonely, OK?

Geeksugar: Your first computer was a…
He says: A Kaypro II. I swear I didn’t make that name up. It had a built-in green screen and couldn’t render graphics other than letters and numbers. We had an awesome fake Donkey Kong game called Ladder for it where you were a capital P that ran away from lower-case o’s and hopped over vertical carrot characters. My brother was way better at it than me. Thanks to the internet, I can play it again now. Check it out!
She says: An Apple IIe that my family kept many, many years past its prime.

Geeksugar: What are some of your favorite websites?
He says: yourmomsbasement.com, thevhive.com, daringfireball.net, core77.com, track50.com, crooksandliars.com, www.tenbyten.org/10x10.html
She says: televisionwithoutpity.com, shelterrific.com, flickr.com, 43things.com, tomatonation.com, track50.com, catsinsinks.com, postsecret.blogspot.com

Geeksugar: What is your Valentine’s Day plan?
He says: We’ve got a reservation at one of our favorite restaurants, Sauce. They’re doing a pretty amazing price-fixed four-course menu for the occasion. It’s awesome. It’s a Wednesday. Then, on a weekend not too much later, we’ll head down on Saturday to Big Sur – site of one of our earliest really significant dates, and an area we haven’t visited in almost two years.
She says: All of that is completely true.

Geeksugar: Who makes the final decision when it comes to gadgets for the home?
She says: We pretty much decide together while braving the piles of merchandise in Best Buy.
He says:Yep.

Geeksugar: Who solves tech problems at home?
She says: Oh, he does. Definitely. He networked everything and thus must deal with my phone calls asking inane questions about how to work the VCR.
He says: It’s cute that she calls the AV set-up a network. It’s not, but the fact that I could explain why it isn’t is way too geeky to even cover here.

Geeksugar: Are you going to buy an iPhone?
He says: If I start making a lot more money, I’d love one. HINT. I also would need to leave T-Mobile, which I’m not actually eager to do.
She says: If I can ever get out of my Sprint contract, I would; they own my soul for several more years.

Geeksugar: How do you feel about people calling you a “geek”?
He says: It’s fine. I think I bristle a little bit at nerd, though. I could be wrong. I have a close friend who thinks geek is more insulting than nerd. But then, he’s not really a geek. I think the only reason he uses a computer instead of a typewriter is that I tricked him into it.
She says: I definitely embrace it. Life just wouldn’t be the same without my Dashboard widgets and my Wired magazine subscription.

Geeksugar: What has been your better half's greatest contribution to the tech/blog industry – don’t be modest
He says: “She helped bring the BuzzReel into the world.”
She says: He, his Cult of Mac readers and Claire Danes raised $15,000 through Donors Choose so teachers could fund Mac-related classroom projects. He also put his body on the line to taste-test the Jones Soda Holiday Collection so we don’t have to.

Geeksugar: How many hours do you spend online a day?
He says: I’m not even sure how to measure this anymore. Even when I’m not online, I have GMail open, and I read each message as it comes in. Let’s call it a good 10 hours and not probe too much more.
She says: All of my working hours, and a large number of my leisure hours. Probably 12? Wow, I feel kind of dirty now.

Geeksugar: How many hours does your partner spend online a day?
He says: As much as I do. Possibly more. My day job sometimes requires me to put the computer down, which is both a blessing and a curse.
She says: He uses the computer as much as I do at home but slightly less at work. So 10 hours sounds about right, I suppose.

Geeksugar: What is one geeky habit you’re trying to quit?
He says: Hitting refresh on sites I like that are just not actually going to update in the next five seconds. I probably waste a good hour a day just revisiting sites and message boards I’ve already skimmed in hopes they’ll offer me something new. It’s sad.
She says: I’m way too easily distracted on the Internet. For example, I started answering this question 15 minutes ago, but then I decided I needed to go see if some of my old favorite Web sites that I hadn’t visited in a while had RSS feeds, and then I started following the links on their blogrolls, and suddenly I was reading the entire archives of a blog I’d never heard of before. So yeah, that.

Geeksugar: Are you the “Beauty” or the “Geek” in the relationship?
He says: I’m totally the geek. Kimra’s really beautiful, and, crucially, is nowhere near as dorky as I am when it comes to understanding how technology works, not just what it can do for her. Plus, I know the name of the woman who created all the icons for the original Mac. (Susan Kare! She’s great!) Um…yeah.
She says: Not that Pete’s not attractive, but I’m going to have to claim the title of Beauty here – I can only dream of someday reaching his level of Geekiness.

Cult Of Mac Speaks: Sprint’s Missing iPhone Rebuttal

GeekSugar — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 04:00:47 -0700

What do you do if you are a company like Sprint and your competitor is about the launch a product that has inspired shirtless camping efforts, tribute videos and lots and lots of talk? The devoted Mac heads over at Cult of Mac have put together a list of Sprint’s Top 5 Missing Talking Points About the iPhone following Sprint's response to the iPhone launch. The list, which was apparently compiled through "research technique we can only describe as 'a couple of beers with friends' and 'making stuff up,'" is nearly as entertaining as iPhone boy himself. Highlights include:

Phoning it in
Picture this: A curious but fairly clueless non-techy interested in the iPhone wanders into a Sprint store, and asks about the mystical device. The Sprint team springs into action! After all, Sprint’s strategy of trying to make any phone technically capable of playing music sound like the same thing as a multi-touch driven multiplayer like the iPhone.

Customer: Can I have an Apple Phone (sic), please?
Sprint Rep: Oh, so you’re interested in being able to place a call, eh? The iPhone is an impressive device, but do you really want to spend all that money? What you might not know is that Sprint offers lots of phones that are capable of making phone calls. Apple would have you believe that you need a $500 device to make a phone call. Nothing could be further from the truth!
Customer: I’m going home.
Sprint Rep: You just do that, little man.

For the full list, visit Cult of Mac.

Daily Tech: Sony Debuting Touchscreen Vaios This Fall

GeekSugar — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 12:50:59 -0700

To coincide with the launch of Windows 7 on Oct. 22. Sony plans to announce touchscreen Vaios - Gizmodo
US Airways aircrafts will start getting Gogo in-flight Internet service starting next year - Engadget
Purchase a Nintendo Wii from GameStop this month and you'll get a free video game - CrunchGear
Google Maps now has a feature that lets you include multiple searches in one search for directions - TechCrunch
Good gadget deals of the day - Cult of Mac
Log in for a chance to win a new Amazon Kindle - geeksugar

Daily Tech: Gmail Expands Emoticons

GeekSugar — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 12:31:00 -0700

If you're getting sick and tired of the limited selection of emoticons in Gmail, don't fret because Google just added a couple hundred more. - TechCrunch
The new Flip UltraHD ($200) gets a quick first-impressions review, and the best overall feature? The bigger, brighter screen. - Gizmodo
Good news. Palm is already whipping up a smaller device with its new WebOS operating system. Expect this chic little phone to make its debut in the next couple of months. - The Silicon Alley Insider
Now this is a great bargain. Check out 20 great Xbox 360 games that only cost $20 each. - Green Pixels
Could Apple's next device be a media pad that's something similar to this mockup? - Cult of Mac

Daily Tech: The T-Mobile G1 Is Now Down to $98

GeekSugar — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 12:06:33 -0700

If you head on over to Amazon, you can now pick up the T-Mobile G1 for only $98 with a two year contract.- CrunchGear
The controls being placed on the new iPod shuffle's headset cable may not have been a good idea for a variety of reasons. - Gizmodo
Rewind back to 2005, when the writers at Saturday Night Live envisioned a similar looking iPod shuffle (the iPod Micro) to the one that was announced today. - Cult of Mac
French designer Be.ez has created some stylish bags for all of your gadgets. - Boing Boing
Christian Siriano, winner of season four of Project Runway recently admitted that he loves Twitter and MySpace, but isn't a big "gadgety" person. - Techie Diva

Daily Tech: Every Camera Interface You Can Imagine

GeekSugar — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 12:23:45 -0800

Sometimes a camera's interface is just as important as all of the other features. That's why I am loving the fact that Gizmodo has created this huge gallery of interfaces from all of the major camera manufacturers. Compare as you dare! - Gizmodo
Former President Bill Clinton's signed 8GB iPod Nano, which includes 10 of his favorite songs preloaded, will be auctioned off for the Gibson Foundation for Music Rising. - Cult of Mac
The Samsung Memoir from T-Mobile has been taken for a test drive. The results? Because it won't replace your digital camera , it's really not worth the hefty price tag. - Gearfuse
The trailer for the new Star Trek is revealing all sorts of interesting things. - Boing Boing
MOR TV stands offer a simple and modern way to prop up your television set. And with 33 colors to choose from, you can get one that matches your decor perfectly. - Unplggd

Daily Tech: Is a New MacBook Pro Coming Out on Oct.14?

GeekSugar — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 12:03:47 -0700

An Apple employee is claiming to have snapped pics of the new MacBook Pros, which are said to be making their debut on the 14th. - Cult of Mac
Netflix will start streaming movies for Macs by the end of this year! Woohoo! - Gizmodo
Switched showcases the world's weirdest new phones for our viewing pleasure. - Switched
Nintendo just announced the new Nintendo DSi portable gaming device at a press conference in Tokyo. - Kotaku
Created by Australian designer, Brodie Neill, the 3D "@" chair includes back support and a widened seat to provide a comfortable sitting experience for the user. - Yanko Design
How does the call quality of T-Mobile's G1 compare to the iPhone 3G? Check out a full review to see how the G1 measures up. - Gadgetell

Daily Tech: Apple Product Announcements From the Past 10 Years

GeekSugar — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 11:35:56 -0700

Cult of Mac has whipped up a "One More Thing" timeline which showcases Apple product launches, including video clips of most of them. - Cult of Mac
Flickr user Balakov has taken some of the most classic photos from our time and re-created them with Lego blocks. Very impressive indeed. - Gizmodo
Runner-up Blake Lewis of Season 6 of American Idol talks to AOL's Switched about his gadgetry goods and how he loves his iPhone. - Switched
Could it be? Is Apple really coming out with a pink iPhone? Seeing is believing! - CrunchGear
Want to keep track of the whereabouts of your Facebook friends? A new cell phone-based tracking system called Sniff - Social Network Integrated Friend Finder will help you do just that (with their permission, of course). - Yahoo Tech

Steve Jobs' Face Appears In Latte?

GeekSugar — Mon, 07 May 2007 04:17:04 -0700

This isn't a cuppa Joe, it's a cuppa Jobs, son...well kinda. A cup with an ode to Jobs. My favorite Mac-ateers, the Cult of Mac were served up this amazing fix of caffeinated geek last week and I couldn't help sharing it with you. Apparently, a man ordered a medium latte at his local cafe and was shocked to discover the barista had, with his mastery of steamed milk, poured a face and the words “I Love Steve Jobs” into his latte. The face turned out to be that of the man who ordered the coffee, Luke Seeley, not Steve Jobs, but I say that's an uncanny resemblance...and a brilliant barista. Apparently, the MacBook Seeley works on in the cafe was a dead giveaway regarding his love for all things Mac. "Needless to say, we spend way too much time there," says Seeley.

In other, less caffeinated news Apple has announced that Steve Jobs, who in case you've been living in pure PC-World is Apple’s CEO, will also appear at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) with a keynote address beginning at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, June 11, 2007 at San Francisco’s Moscone West. Apple plans to show developers a feature complete version of Mac OS X Leopard and give them a beta copy to take home for final testing. Leopard is scheduled to ship in October. Of course, we are all still waiting on news of the official iPhone release date. read more

Here's more:

The five-day event, scheduled to run from June 11 to June 15, will deliver more than 150 sessions and labs aimed at getting the most out of Leopard. The conference will also include new content to serve a wide range of developers, including Mac OS X Immersion Monday, designed to quickly get developers who are new to the Mac up to speed; a content and media track that shows developers the best ways to integrate animation, motion graphics, video, rich-media and web-based content into their applications; and dozens of hands-on labs that offer a unique opportunity to work directly with Apple engineers.

Source