GeekSugar

Would You Start Paying For News Online After Getting It Free?

GeekSugar — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 09:01:16 -0800

On The Daily Show the other night, Jon Stewart chatted with Walter Isaacson of Time Magazine about how to save print newspapers and magazines in the face of so many recent closings. In this clip, Isaacson laments the same news being on the Internet for free, and Stewart says firmly, "Sir, the Internet is free, I think everybody knows that."

Isaacson even suggests an iTunes-like system for news - not a bad idea, Mr. Isaacson, except that you're charging people for something that was once free (as Stewart says, this is "backtracking"). Not to mention that the iTunes/music connection doesn't really make sense, since music on the Internet was never legally free.

I'm still shocked that some papers' online versions charge for subscriptions, and I don't think I would convert to a new system of payment. Still, when it's saving print newspapers, it's not insane. Considering that over 80 percent of you say you read news on the Internet, while almost the same percentage said you wouldn't pay to subscribe to the New York Times online, tell me; would you start paying for news online?

EXPOSED: PC Uses an iPhone!

GeekSugar — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 09:00:25 -0700

PC is so busted. If you caught The Daily Show Wednesday night, you would have seen John Hodgman (aka PC) "traveling through time" with an uber geeky time traveling "helmet", discussing the future of the economy. After being chased back to present times by Space Invaders, he was unable to reveal what lies ahead for us and our money. But he did reveal something very interesting: His iPhone. Yes, you heard me right - PC uses an iPhone!

I guess it was inevitable, since everyone and their mother is switching over to the Apple gem. And our very own Mayor here in SF refuses to part with his, even for a second. To check out the clip of John "PC" Hodgman whipping out his very own iPhone (so scandalous), just read more

See the full clip on The Daily Show website, labeled "Economic Future."

Source

Obama Shows You What the Weather Is Doing in Your City

GeekSugar — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 10:15:53 -0800

In San Francisco, the weather can be hmm . . . how do I say . . . so up and down that I really do depend on my daily cell phone weather forecast deliveries to know what the heck I should wear each day! I like Umbrella Today because it texts me whenever I need to take an umbrella to work with me, but I also like Sleeves, since it says if I need to wear a long-sleeved shirt, a t-shirt, or if I can go sleeveless!

Well I think I've found one that tops em' all. With Obama Weather, you just enter your zip, and there's our cute President Barack Obama showing you a full weather forecast, and the most appropriate attire to wear each day! I'm loving it!

Website of the Day: DailyBooth

GeekSugar — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 09:09:57 -0700

If you can't get enough social networking action (what, with your Twitter updates and Facebooking), add this service to your daily update list: DailyBooth.

DailyBooth is kinda like Twitter, where you post what you're doing and personal updates, but with the extra added feature of adding a photo to every post. Just activate your computer's on-board camera (or external camera) and snap away every day to show off your new haircut, or that shiner you got while playing volleyball with your pals.

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.

Tech Dating 101: He Quotes My Tweets, What Does That Mean?

GeekSugar — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 11:06:56 -0700

A gal pal recently divulged that she had a dinner date with a single male friend and when conversation turned to Twitter and the Internet, he proved to be a studied student in her tweets. In fact, he quoted a few of them verbatim. He presented the homage to her updates in a humorous way, ("so why didn't you tweet that?" "I think your exact Tweet was. . .") so she wasn't overwhelmed, but wondered what that could mean and what she should do. It wasn't an explicitly romantic date, but there were flirtatious undertones and his extensive knowledge of her updates make her wonder.

I've tackled a similar conundrum in my Tech Dating 101 series when we discussed people using Facebook to get to know one another. To see what my advice for this similar Twitter situation, just read more.

He's probably into you: He may not want to have babies and run off into the sunset, but Twitter is updated every millisecond and it is hard to keep up even when using a Twitter management system. It sounds like he is paying close attention to your activity because he wants to get to know you better, cares what you think, and likes you whether as a friend or girlfriend.
Are you into him? If so, Tweet back: If he is reading your updates close enough to quote them he is asking to be interacted with and trying to show you he's interested. If you want to explore where this real/tweetlationship might head, retweet his witty updates or reply back to him. Both will flatter him. If things get really flirty, take it to your direct message inbox. You don't want anyone else to be able to quote your interactions.
Just not that into him? Take heed!: If you decide you don't want to get too friendly with him, pay attention to your interactions and updates. Don't engage with him daily - that could be perceived as misleading. If he gets annoying and continues to parrot your tweets when you see him in person, block him or send him off-guard with tweets about your dates or crush.

It's a cruel Internet world out there, and it can be hard to decode people's intentions. Check out my Tech Dating 101 series, where I help disperse a double whammy of tech and relationship advice, for a little support.

Daily Tech: Leaked iPhone Pics Show Off Hardware

GeekSugar — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 12:00:25 -0700

Leaked photos show new iPhone hardware, autofocus, and compass. - Wired
Microsoft rolls out Bing early. - PC Mag
Lego Harry Potter: 1-4 takes flight in 2010. - Gamespot
Seven IMAX wonders of the world. - Gizmodo
Kindle DX shipping June 10. - Crave
An easy solution to storing your wires and extra geekery. - Unplggd
Eight rather weird GPS devices. - Switched
Guide to using Bing. - Lifehacker

Hit the Books: Facebook Makes Your Grades Drop

GeekSugar — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 07:33:27 -0700

Maybe it's time to sign off the social and start studying, hmm? A recent study examining the academic impact of Facebook has shown that people who use the site on a daily basis are more likely to earn lower grades than their peers - as much as whole letter grades!

The inevitable conclusion is that the site is a big time-waster (although I've noticed I spend less time on Facebook since its latest redesign, so thank you for that time back, FB), causing students to sacrifice the time they should have spent studying.

The Internet itself is an addictive place, but what is it about Facebook that sucks up our time so much? Are we just curious about other people, or are we all just narcissists? Either way, we could all use some Facebook breaks - after all, it'll all be there tomorrow.

Source

Daily Tech: The Nintendo DS Lite Is Now Only $89

GeekSugar — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 12:20:23 -0700

The Metallic Rose, Cobalt/Black, and Crimson/Black DS Lite is on sale for $89 at Target - CrunchGear
The new $400 Logitech Harmony One remote comes with a charging dock and RF to IR control adapters - Gizmodo
Ice-T decides to take a hammer to his old aluminum G4 laptop - Switched
Now that Facebook has scooped up FriendFeed, Facebook is already showing off some feature enhancements and changes - TechCrunch
Apple has just brought back the matte-finish screen option on the 15-inch MacBook Pro - Wired
Predictive texting is making kids more prone to impulsive and thoughtless behavior - DailyMail

Daily Tech: TiVo Shows Off a Redesigned Search Feature

GeekSugar — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 12:12:32 -0800

TiVo users everywhere will be happy to know that its trusty digital video recorder has just received a new search, which offers improved search results. It is expected to roll out in beta today. - Engadget
Without Steve Jobs, or huge product announcements, is Macworld 2009 really one of the worst Macworlds ever? - Wired
Expect the BlackBerry 8900 Curve to come to T-Mobile this February. - The Boy Genius Report
If you want to upgrade your current iTunes music and video library to be completely DRM free, expect to pay 30 cents per song and 60 cents per music video. - CrunchGear
This is kinda scary. A new study shows that most teenagers talk about sex and violence on MySpace. - Switched

Daily Tech: Show Off Your iPhone With a DIY Polariod Frame

GeekSugar — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 12:00:13 -0800

Another beautiful and slightly vintage geek way to display your iPhone - the DIY recycled iPhone Stand. - Unplggd
Google rolled out a feature that allows you to send SMS messages via Gchat, which means you can text without picking up your phone or using an extra, complicated website. - Gizmodo
So you don't like the idea of scratching your iPhone, but you may love the scratchin' app. - Crave
A restaurateur in Beijing has opened a World of Warcraft-themed eatery. Talk about a geek Mecca. - Switched
Have you ever thought about the real value of a virtual gift? - Wired
There's nothing better than getting a brand new functional and chic computer for the holidays, which is why we have teamed up with our friends at HP to give one lucky geeksugar reader a HP Mini! - geeksugar