GeekSugar

Geeks We Love: Thomas Houston and Leila Brillson From Switched

GeekSugar — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 11:30:03 PST

It's almost Valentine's Day and our Geeks We Love series is going strong! Next up: Thomas Houston and Leila Brillson, Editor-in-Chief and Managing Editor (respectively) of Switched, a blog covering technology and its relation to all of our other favorite things - fashion, art, and gadgets. Here's what they have to say about their favorite gadgets, their plans for Valentine's Day, and the blog they're thinking of starting together one day (we think it's a great idea, too!).

We know you from Switched - are there any other projects you’re working on now?
LB: I also write for InterviewMagazine, so I am gearing up for some Fashion Week coverage. When I'm not at Switched, I'm an editor for Rundown, which is this awesome NY-oriented men's site that kind of covers happenings in the city. Lastly, but certainly not leastly, I have my own often-neglected blog, Battledroid, which is kind of a fusion of geekery and fashion, my two favorite things.
TH: Switched has kept me extremely busy lately, but I've got some new blog ideas for 2010.
LB: Thomas has been threatening to get us to start a site that's a cross between FU Penguin and the Sartorialist for New York City pets. I think its a grand idea.

Do you think technology is becoming too much of a distraction in our daily lives? Alternatively, how do you use tech to your advantage?

LB: I think anything that makes life easier can be a distraction in our daily lives. However, tech, you know, makes life easier in a lot of ways. Technology is a double-edged sword: total interconnectedness leads to collaboration and an easy way to share info, but it also leads to confusion and being overwhelmed by constant status updates/news feeds/product launches. Which may explain Thomas's fear of Facebook.
TH: It's not a fear so much as a self-imposed protection mechanism protecting me against the flood of things old friends and acquaintances post. Technology can be an enormous distraction and staying focused is increasingly difficult in the face of the growing torrent of news, e-mails, IMs, and everything else. That said, it's really exciting to be covering the cutting edge of tech, art, and design, and it enables us to have a team working together around the world.

To find out their favorite tech trends, V-day plans, and how they spent their recent snow day,

read more. What gadget can’t you live without? Why? LB: My iPod, because living in New York City, if I had to listen to all the street craziness all the time, I would go bonkers. Laptop and BlackBerry are kind of a given too: I guess it's the modern holy trinity. TH: Though smartphones are undeniably useful for managing things on the go, the title of "gadget I can't live without" goes to my MacBook Pro. It's essential for everything from blogging and editing to staying in touch with family and friends and designing. What are some of your favorite - and least favorite - tech trends? TH: The growth of the cloud for data storage has been enormously useful (though Spotify still hasn't come to the states). Perhaps not a trend, but I'd like to see more discussion of technology's impact on everyday life, and how to deal with the explosion of data that connected mobile devices enables. LB: I don't own, or understand, e-readers. I love books too much, and I came from magazines, so a part of me is very loyal to the paper. However, I think that once higher resolution readers are adopted and more affordable, I could understand receiving my morning paper in its e-form. But I will never pass up the opportunity to flip through a glossy mag. I'm also super excited about these random, self-aware interactions technology has afforded global citizens, like Chatroulette and flash mobs. We are interacting with each other more than ever, and some of us have come up with some rather clever stunts and projects that are based on democratic ideas like crowd-sourcing or group participation. Do you have a favorite Valentine’s Day memory? Are you celebrating this year? LB: Hands down, my sophomore year of high school when I came home on the night of V-Day and my mom had festively decorated and cleaned my disaster area of a room (an unlikely occurrence). I actually have a box from her, she's been my best Valentine. This holiday is incredibly jinxed for me, so I'm keeping my plans under wraps so I don't jinx myself. But I assure you, they are cute. TH: A permanently jinxed holiday here, but I still somehow haven't seen Avatar, though that probably isn't helping things. LB: Ladies? Anyone want to see Avatar? Which is your favorite way to communicate - talk, text or tweet? LB: Totally talking. Face time with someone will never devalue. However, I do enjoy a finely crafted tweet, now and again. TH: Definitely talking. Tweets and texts can be fun, but there's nothing like talking face to face. New York just got slammed by a huge blizzard. What did you do on your snow day (besides this interview)? LB: I, for one, have a paranoid fear my carbon monoxide detector is on the fritz, so I aired out my apartment and finally got around to building a desk to keep myself warm. It's gorgeous here . . . as long as I only have to watch it from my window. TH: There's one thing that's a pain about technology! Unless power goes out, "snow days" are a quaint memory from the 20th century.

Ashlee Simpson's Guilty Tech Pleasures: Her BlackBerry and Electric Toothbrush

GeekSugar — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 09:02:53 PST

Pop rock singer Ashlee Simpson recently caught up with AOL's Switched to talk about all things tech. . . Including her love for her BlackBerry Curve and how she can't wait to get an iPod touch- If Mayer can get an Air, Simpson can surely get a Touch! Here are some of the highlights from the interview:

On what gadgets she takes with her during her down time (tapings, appearances, etc): "My iPod, knitting needles, and yarn."
The cell phone she has right now and what she loves or hates about it: "The BlackBerry Curve - I love the camera feature."
The longest time she had ever spent playing a video game in one sitting and what it was: "I played Tony Hawk for 75 hours."
On whether she's a Mac or a PC girl and why: "Mac - it's more user-friendly."

Source

Rosie O'Donnell Loves Her iPhone

GeekSugar — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 10:00:27 PST

When Rosie O'Donnell is chillin' out on set, her gadget "must haves" include her Nextel cellphone and her iPhone. I always knew Rosie was crafty, but until she started her own blog, I had no idea she was so tech savvy! AOL's Switched recently chatted with Rosie and her partner Kelli about their favorite websites, texting, and yes, the iPhone. Here are some of the highlights from the interview:

On what cell phone they have right now and what they love/hate about it: Rosie: "We have a Nextel phone because we love using the two-way radio service with the family. It's easy for the kids to use, plus it seems to work many times when regular cell service does not."
The sites they go to pretty much every time they get online: Rosie: "We frequently go to The Drudge Report and the Huffington Post almost every time we're online."
On what gadget they would want to have with them on a stranded island: Rosie/Kelli: "I would bring my iPhone. You can do just about anything-from e-mailing and surfing the net to listening to music, watching movies, and taking photos on it.

Source

Ruben Studdard Discusses His Tech-Obsessed Life

GeekSugar — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 11:20:30 PST

Recently, AOL's Switched had the pleasure of talking with American Idol Season 2 winner Ruben Studdard about his love for his BlackBerry, how he still wants to get an iPhone, and his annoyance with the short battery life on his iPod, phone, and laptop. Here are some of the highlights from the interview:

On what was the longest time he's ever spent playing a video game in one sitting and what game it was: "About three hours. It was NCAA college football from EA Sports. I played against my brother and my friends and I came out the tournament victorious."
Discussing whether he's a Mac or PC kinda guy: "I have a Mac but I really don't know why. . . . I just love it. I guess since all of my other artist friends had one, and it's the industry standard in every major recording studio I have been in, it just seemed like a really good move. Peer pressure is still alive and well."
On what gadget he would want to have with him on a stranded island: "If I was on a desert island I would need a battery-operated refrigerator with an automatic fire starter and a GPS tracking device on the side."

Source

Top 10 Most E-Mail Addicted Cities In The US

GeekSugar — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 11:00:34 PDT

The folks over at Switched inform me that AOL just completed a massive survey on e-mail usage throughout the United States, which polled residents of the country's top 20 markets. The results? While teens may think e-mail is so 1999, there are many adults (and teens) who are in need of a little e-mail detox. America's top 10 e-mail addicted cities are:

Washington DC - This year, our nation's capital was the most e-mail addicted city in the country. More than eight in ten Washington users (82 percent) have multiple e-mail accounts and four in 10 DC residents say they keep a PDA by their pillow when sleeping to listen for late-night emails, while 58 percent of city residents fessed up to checking e-mail with a portable device while sitting on the toilet.
Atlanta - Atlanta ranks as the second most e-mail addicted city in the survey, making a dramatic jump from 12th place last year.
New York - The number of New Yorkers who check their work e-mail over a typical weekend rose to more than 70 percent this year, while 24 pecent of New Yorkers think they are addicted to e-mail.
San Francisco - San Francisco won the top spot in last year's email addiction survey, but this year slipped to number four.
Houston - For the third year in a row, Houston has made the top five. Residents are checking their PDAs in some pretty interesting places too. 53 percent admit to checking their email in the bathroom.

The rest of the list is Los Angele, Seattle, Orlando, Denver and Miami. Do you agree with the list?

Source

Do You Sleep With Your Cell Phone?

GeekSugar — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 07:00:09 PDT

Turns out our addictions to our smartphones and laptops aren't just affecting our love lives and vacation time.

According to AOL's E-Mail Addiction study for 2007, 40 percent of e-mail users have checked their e-mail in the middle of the night. Which means, people are sleeping with their laptops, smartphones (ie BlackBerries, iPhones and Treos) right at their bed side.

Apparently men are more likely to check their e-mail in the middle of the night, with 44 percent saying they've checked vs. 36 percent of women.

I can't say I've ever woken up to check e-mail on my computer, but whenever I see the red light blinking on my BlackBerry I do reach over and sleepily check my messages. Are you guilty of checking your mail in the night?
Source

iPhone Obsessed? Is it A Mental Disorder?

GeekSugar — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 13:30:35 PDT

With the week of iPhone madness almost over it's time to sit back, relax and consider what it is we've all been through. The folks over at Switched have put together a hilarious and thoughtful video looking at America's "iPhone hysteria," i.e. i-Sanity, which has had its grips on millions of us since Macworld. Are iPhone fans crazy or are we being controlled by marketing genius? Is Greg Parker, the shirtless man who has been lined up at the 5th Avenue Apple Store in NYC since Monday a nut, or can he just not help himself? Important questions all around.

Carrie, Rihanna, Katy, Fergie, and More Get Sexy on the Grammys Red Carpet

Lauren Turner — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 22:12:26 PST

Music's leading ladies and more famous faces brought their best looks to the Grammys red carpet in LA tonight. Julianne Hough posed in a strapless Kaufman Franco gown while Alicia Keys chose a simple black dress and arrived on the arm of husband Swizz Beatz. Adele, who is nominated for six awards, wore a custom Giorgio Armani gown. She's taking the stage at this evening's show to perform for the first time since undergoing surgery to repair damaged vocal cords late last year. Fellow performer, Rihanna, brought the sexiness in a backless Armani number, which she helped design.

Neutrals were a big trend on the carpet with Kate Beckinsale stepping out in a cream Zuhair Murad mini and country star Miranda Lambert in a similarly hued lace Pivoni gown. Miranda joined her husband, Blake Shelton, on the carpet. Kelly Osbourne sparkled in Tony Ward with her light purple hair. Best country song and best country solo performance winner Taylor Swift rocked a high-neck Zuhair Murad as she awaits the news on her third nomination.

Nominee Carrie Underwood kept the sparkle coming in a long sleeve white gown by Gomez-Gracia. She'll hit the stage for a duet with Tony Bennett at tonight's show. Katy Perry, who is nominated for two Grammys, switched up her usually edgy appearance with a subtle blue Elie Saab that matched her bright hair, while Fergie showed skin in a hot orange lace Jean Paul Gaultier that revealed her black undergarments. Lady Antebellum's Hillary Scott brought a touch of color with her purple Monique Lhuillier gown.

There were more fashionable moments with Nicki Minaj stepping out in a dramatic Versace cape, and Malin Akerman wearing white, among others, so be sure to click through to see all the looks and make sure to vote on Fab and Bella's red carpet polls!

See ALL the Grammys red carpet ladies when you read more!

Grammy Awards: Katy Perry

BellaSugar — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 16:24:07 PST

Katy Perry's been switching her hair color up all the time lately, but right now she appears to be enjoying this faded blue shade. With such an attention-grabbing hue, she wisely kept her lipstick and eye makeup simple: just her standard winged liner and bubblegum pink lip color. Her voluminous updo looks like a good faith attempt to minimize her edgy color as well, but with her exceptional hue, do you think such a traditional hairstyle works?Vote on all of our Grammy Awards polls here!

Naomi Watts and Robin Wright Show Off Their Beach Bodies For the Cameras

Lauren Turner — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:06:00 PST

Naomi Watts and Robin Wright lounged atop the sand on the set of The Grandmothers in Sydney yesterday. Robin wore a bikini for the scene while Naomi covered up in a one-piece swimsuit. Naomi traveled to her native Australia with her family last month. She went to Bronte Beach with partner Liev Schreiber and sons Sasha and Samuel, made an appearance at Centennial Park, and was spotted jogging with Liev earlier this week. Naomi's since switched gears to work and has spent the last few days filming with Robin. The Grandmothers is one of Naomi's many projects, since she also recently signed on to portray Princess Diana, saying, "It is such an honor to be able to play this iconic role."