GeekSugar

Website Of The Day: I'm In Like With You

GeekSugar — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 10:53:54 -0700

If Jim Halpert and Pam Beesley, aka the cute "couple that should be" from The Office, went on a dating website it would probably be I'm in like with you. The site is a free flirting game, which you can play on the web and your phone, and it's unlike any other dating site I've ever seen because it caters to a very simple truth: Everyone likes to flirt. The rest (as in the meeting, having a drink, having your first kiss) is all up to you. Created by two young guys, it caters to the 18-35 crowd and allows you to electronically tease and tempt people across the web and in your area. Personally, I'm shocked by how attractive, hip and fun everyone in the community seems.

The idea is based on the fact that "guys act badly in real life, and even worse on the web - think about all the creeps on myspace, match.com, and of course craigslist," says Dan, one of the creators. You play by initiating a game with a question (such as "drinks after work?") then users bid to win your affection with points, winks and little messages. When the set game time is over, you select a winner from the top 5 bidders and can communicate freely through email, sms, and even call that person without revealing his or her email addresses or phone numbers. In essence it's a safe way to flirt with someone online before committing to the actual drink date.

Not sure what you think of internet dating? Our resident charmer PartySugar was skeptical about it too. In fact, when she was introduced to the site she said - in her sassy and quick-witted voice - "I go out to meet guys!" Little did she know, two weeks later she would be stepping into the online dating pond. For instructions on how to use the site - including a special Sugar code that will get you in for free- and details from PartySugar's date, read more

Following her date last night, PartySugar sent me this message:

Last night I got to John Collins thinking that my date started at 8 only to realize a half an hour later when he showed up that it actually started at 830. Besides that things went very smoothly. Good conversation: his favorite color blue and his favorite drink is a screwdriver and apparently he's really into wine. He's quite cute. I'm totally in like!

Okay, so maybe we won't all be so lucky, but it's worth a try! The site is currently in beta, but you can test it out by clicking here. If you get stuck, just go to the homepage and put in the code: SUGAR.

How exactly does it work?

Each person starts with points - You can earn points in many different ways. First, you get a bunch just for signing up. Then you can get points for adding to your profiles, uploading photos and videos, and checking out the site each day.
A game is a short competition where the competitors submit their profiles and bid a certain number of points to get the game host's attention. Each person must bid higher than the current bid. This means that after a little while, only the people who are most interested in the game host will rise to the top.
When your game's time is up, you can choose one of the top 5 bidders as the winner, and the winner's points are deducted. If you don't like them, you can dump them all.

After the game, the host and the winner can communicate freely through email, sms, and even call each other without revealing his or her email addresses or phone numbers.

Geotagging For Twitter Is Here

GeekSugar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:26:36 -0800

People have been buzzing about Twitter's upcoming geotagging feature for a while, and now the feature is finally here. The function is available through the API only, which means geotagging will not be available through Twitter.com. Although it will be available through Twitter clients like Birdfeed for the iPhone, Seesmic Web for your desktop, and Twidroid for Android phones, which are already supporting the new feature.

If you use one of the clients that supports geotagging, your location will be revealed with your tweets - exciting functionality for reporting breaking news, finding out what's going on near you, or just adding context to tweets from friends. Because it's an API, the functionality is only limited to developers' imaginations, so it'll be exciting to see what they come up with!

One final note (since I'm generally wary of programs that disclose my location), you have to turn on geotagging functionality when using any of these programs, so there's no chance of accidentally disclosing information you don't want anyone to see.

AT&T vs. Verizon: Who Will Back Down First?

GeekSugar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:35:33 -0800

AT&T and Verizon clearly don't get along - after several commercials and one lawsuit, the feud doesn't look like it's ending anytime soon. Today in AT&T vs. Verizon drama: a new AT&T commercial features a checklist of reasons AT&T is better than Verizon, and why you, too, should believe that AT&T is the best wireless network in America.

Verizon's response:

"AT&T did not file this lawsuit because Verizon's 'There’s a map for that' advertisements are untrue; AT&T sued because Verizon’s ads are true, and the truth hurts."

I'm curious if Verizon will launch another counterattack, but at some point, one of these companies will have to give it a rest.

Google Introduces Tasty iGoogle Themes

GeekSugar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:43:00 -0800

Just in time for the holidays, Google has rolled out some food-inspired Gourmet themes and gadgets that are sure to tantalize your taste buds. There's already a wide selection of iGoogle Themes to choose from, but now you can spruce up your iGoogle page with a mouthwatering Paula Deen theme, a Jamie Oliver theme, a Crumbs Bake Shop theme, an Emeril Lagasse theme, and more.

And I'm sure YumSugar will be hear about the long list of iGoogle cooking gadgets that are sure to come in handy this holiday season. Gadgets like MyRecipes, The Food Network Dish, and Foodzie, can all be added to your personal iGoogle pages.

Website of the Day: More Cloth

GeekSugar — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:15:30 -0800

I'm a total DIY freak, and appreciate websites that help me reach my crafting goals. Take my last DIY project: the charging station I made from an Ikea shelving unit. Now if I wanted to take that a step further, I could add some decorative fabric to the back panels and really make the shelf pop. But how do I find the right fabric? I could browse racks of fabric at my local craft store, or I could do it the easy way (without leaving the warmth of my computer) and hit up More Cloth.

This site works seamlessly with Etsy to lead you to your perfect fabric. First it offers up a ton of color schemes to choose from (like in the photo to the right), and then directs you to the exact fabric patterns that contain those colors. Finally, More Cloth shoots you over to the Etsy page where you can add your chosen fabric to your cart, and prep your craft room accordingly - just sit back and wait for your fabric to arrive!

Have an interesting website you want to share? To learn how to post your favorite websites to our Website of the Day group, read more.

First of all, join the Website of the Day group.
Click "New Post" under the website of the day tab at the top of the page.
Give your story a "Title."
Fill in the "Body" with a link to your favorite website and the reasons why you love it.
Type "Technology and Gadgets" in the Categories box
Add keyword(s) in the tag field with relevant tags (for example mine for this story was "Website of the Day").
Choose whether you want the post to be private or public.
Click "Create Post" to submit content.

Would You Pay $34 For Gloves With Missing Fingers?

GeekSugar — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:30:00 -0800

The price seems a little steep, but at $34, these Etre Touchy Gloves do solve a basic problem: using your iPhone, iPod, computer, or other touch-screen device while wearing gloves. Most gadgets won't respond to a woolly glove, only bare skin. In theory, I like these. And on days that the temperature doesn't dip too low, I guess they're practical - but I still think they're a bit silly-looking.

For the record, I'm still torn on these fingerless gloves, though most of you find them totally geek chic.

View 5 Photos ›

Are You Disappointed the President Doesn't Write His Tweets?

GeekSugar — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 07:33:41 -0800

While traveling in China, President Obama spoke to a group of students in Shanghai, where one of the students asked if he believed people in China should have access to Twitter. (The service has been blocked in China since July). He responded,

"I have never used Twitter but I'm an advocate of technology and not restricting internet access."

With over 2.5 million followers and counting, President Obama is one of the most popular users. New tweets are posted nearly every day, with multiple posts added during important events like House votes or special initiatives. Although the President admitted he doesn't write the tweets himself, he presumably has someone on his staff updating his feed with regularity. With a major to-do list and one of the most high-profile jobs in the world, I'm not surprised the president isn't using Twitter on his own (though I'm sure he could add a Twitter app to his much-loved BlackBerry). What about you?

Keep Up With Black Friday Deals Online

GeekSugar — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 09:05:52 -0800

As I'm sure you're aware, Black Friday is coming. If you're still having nightmares from last year's crowd-checking events the day after Thanksgiving, then you always have Cyber Monday to look forward to! But before we get into that, I'd first like to introduce you to a few websites: iBlack Friday, BlackFriday.net, and TheBlackFriday.com.

All of these guys will hook you up with the latest deal news from the Black Friday shopping front with up-to-the minute news on leaked deals, ads, and details to help you plan your shopping strategy. If you don't already have the iPhone app, jump on that too, so you'll have all your bases covered for the big (shopping) day!

Sgt. Pepper Headed to the Rock Band Music Store Tomorrow

GeekSugar — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 03:50:21 -0800

September was a big month for The Beatles in the gaming world when The Beatles Rock Band hit the market. I went crazy over it during a sneak peek at E3, and was not disappointed when I got my own copy. Although The Beatles have not always been so chummy with tech, times are a-changing as Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band makes its way to The Beatles: Rock Band music store tomorrow for your Xbox 360 and Wii systems, and will be available on your PS3 on Nov. 19!

Although I'd love to, I can't really throw down for their special edition digital collection, so I'm stoked at least to get to play along on one of my favorite games. To see how much each track from the album will set you back, just read more.

Individual singles from the record like "When I'm Sixty-Four" and "Lovely Rita" can be purchased for $1.99 each (or 160 Microsoft Points on your Xbox), while the entire album can be downloaded for $13.50 (1080 Microsoft Points). Wii owners can rock out with The Beatles tomorrow as well, but you'll be paying $2 a pop or 200 Wii Points for the tracks.

Facebook Status Message Proves Teen's Innocence

GeekSugar — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 01:43:52 -0800

While some may consider frivolous Facebook status updates annoying, there's definitely one New York City teen who probably doesn't agree. He was recently arrested and charged with robbery, but charges were dropped once he was able to prove his alibi - via a Facebook status message. The teen claimed he was miles from the scene of the crime as it happened, but no one could corroborate the story. . .until his lawyer mentioned the Facebook status update, posted at the time of the robbery.

The district attorney subpoenaed Facebook to verify the computer's location at the time of the status update. When his IP address was revealed proving he was indeed miles away, the charges were dropped. With the increasing popularity of sharing (and oversharing) on social networking sites, I imagine we'll be hearing more and more stories like this. According to the article:

"'This is the first case that I’m aware of in which a Facebook update has been used as alibi evidence,' said John G. Browning, a lawyer in Dallas who studies social networking and the law. 'We are going to see more of that because of how prevalent social networking has become.'"

To keep reading my thoughts about this story, just read more.

So, add "proof of innocence" to the list of things Facebook can do for you. Though I can't help but be reminded of this story from a few months ago, when a Facebook poke landed a woman in jail. And how many times have we heard of a cheating spouse or partner getting busted via Facebook? It's about time someone's Facebook use proves their innocence!