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TV Guide and mobile content provider Helio introduced a new service offering TV show information, program listings, search functions and daily recommendations to Helio users.



Text-based program alerts can be set to remind yourself and friends of what's coming on the tube. TV Guide Mobile is available to Helio subscribers for $2.99/month, in addition to carrier data charges.


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Labels: tech news

TV Guide and mobile content provider Helio introduced a new service offering TV show information, program listings, search functions and daily recommendations to Helio users.



Text-based program alerts can be set to remind yourself and friends of what's coming on the tube. TV Guide Mobile is available to Helio subscribers for $2.99/month, in addition to carrier data charges.


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Labels: gadgets

Ever heard the F-word used in a Disney family movie before? Have you seen Disney’s latest film, Enchanted?



There's a scene with an angry bus driver. She exits her bus in the middle of Times Square traffic and starts yelling at someone on the roof. Then bystander with a New York accent appears to shout "Get the F*** out of here!" But did they yell something else?

You can watch a video of the clip in question on slashfilm.com and decide for yourself.


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Labels: video

Mom always said don’t play ball in the house, but no one ever seems to say much about a good paper airplane. In fact, our story on how to to build the best paper airplane in the world, was one of the most popular items on RealTechNews.

Today, we have one for those who want to move beyond paper folding and get serious. It’s called “The Butterfly” and it is billed as “The Living Room Flier” a full radio controlled mini plane you can indeed fly around your living room. The only catch: it’s $239. Don’t step on it!

“The Dream of an R/C airplane that can be piloted in the living room has been realized. This is the world’s lightest and smallest ready to fly R/C Model Fly “missions” during TV Commercials, Indoors, In ANY WEATHER!

“Full Proportional radio control enables you to fly with precision in any room 12′ X 16′. Just add 4-AA batteries to the combination transmitter/charger and you’ll be ready for action anytime Take the Butterfly with you ANYWHERE in it’s own protective aluminum briefcase (included!) You can safely take your Butterfly with you to work, school, holidays - anywhere.”

Source: RealTechNews


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Labels: gadgets, review

Have a habit of getting yourself in to a jam when cooking Thanksgiving dinner (USA)?

When things go wrong in the kitchen, sometimes you probably feel like running down to the closest restaurant and asking for some professional advice. Actually physically busting into a restaurant kitchen may be a little extreme, but thanks to a few websites like ChefsLine.com and Chefs.com, experienced chefs are connecting with home cooks via email and instant-messaging.

This hi-tech cooking assistance fills a growing need that has boomed recently due to the popularity of hobby cooking. Food TV shows, podcasts like Stump The Chef, and web sites are inspiring more and more people to try their hand in the kitchen. The only problem is... the average person doesn't really know how to cook anymore.

So the next time you are wondering how to cook a frozen turkey in one afternoon or why your flourless cake never cooked all the way through, professional help might be just one IM or email away. But before you start chatting with chefs online, you might want to brush up on your chatroom and IM lingo. Think I'm overreacting? Well, ROTFL TAFN NRN L8R! AAB!


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Labels: holiday

If you’re reading this from a computer somewhere inside the US, you’re likely either already stuffed with Turkey or drooling in anticipation. If you’re outside the US, you’re probably wondering why half the blogs you read have gone to sleep–it’s the effects of the Turkey!

For Americans, cooking Thanksgiving dinner is a way to celebrate our freedom from the British. But anytime you are cooking a big meal for lots of people... unfortunately something is bound to get messed up.

When things go wrong in the kitchen, sometimes you probably feel like running down to the closest restaurant and asking for some professional advice. Actually physically busting into a restaurant kitchen may be a little extreme, but thanks to a few websites like ChefsLine.com and Chefs.com, experienced chefs are connecting with home cooks via email and instant-messaging.

This hi-tech cooking assistance fills a growing need that has boomed recently due to the popularity of hobby cooking. Food TV shows, podcasts like Stump The Chef, and web sites are inspiring more and more people to try their hand in the kitchen. The only problem is... the average person doesn't really know how to cook anymore.

So the next time you are wondering how to cook a frozen turkey in one afternoon or why your flourless cake never cooked all the way through, professional help might be just one IM or email away. But before you start chatting with chefs online, you might want to brush up on your chatroom and IM lingo. Think I'm overreacting? Well, ROTFL TAFN NRN L8R! AAB!


methodshop

Labels: holiday, internet

If you are new to the Mac OS and just purchased a laptop, then you might have noticed the lack of a "Delete Forward" button. Sure, you can hit the delete key on your MacBook or MacBook Pro and delete characters behind the cursor, but did you know that you can use that same delete key to delete characters in front of the cursor?



To Delete Forward, just press the "Function" key + "Delete."


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Labels: mac, tutorial

According to BuisinessWeek, the user-generated video phenomenon may finally be giving way to professionally produced content.

"Amateur filmmakers hoping to win fame for amusing moments captured on camcorder ought to stick to TV's long-running America's Funniest Home Videos. These days they're not getting much love on the Web.

One after another, online video sites that have long showcased such fare as skateboarding dogs and beer-drenched parties are scaling back their focus on user-generated clips, often in favor of professionally produced programming."

Signs of the genre's demise include Bebo's move to open its platform to traditional media providers, ManiaTV's decision to get rid of its user-generated channels and Sony's decision to relaunch Grouper as a site only for professionally made content.



Oh well. I was sick of watching Brookers throw a ball in a bucket anyway. But I'll always watch Adam Wade take a girl on an Italian tuna date.


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Labels: tech news, video

Bebo has its sights set on UK television producers. Hit BBC shows such as Strictly Come Dancing and The Mighty Boosh and content based on BBC Worldwide and Greenlight Media's Earth natural history feature will be made available on social networking site Bebo.



Other broadcasters offering up free footage for viewing to subscribers are Channel 4, BSkyB, MTV, and smaller television producers such as Sumo.TV and Kontraband. Each broadcaster adds footage to its own Bebo page, retaining copyright.



Bebo has 40 million members worldwide including 10.7 million in the U.K., mainly in the A13-24 range.



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UPDATE: YouTube has reworked their site again in response to this article. They absolutely hate us. If you get an error when trying to download a YouTube video, please try some of the plug-ins and scripts listed in step #3.

YouTube.com is a great resource. Not many sites allows users to freely upload, view, and share video clips like YouTube does. YouTube even lets users easily post videos on their blogs and personal web sites. But because anyone can upload a video clip on YouTube, copyright violations are rampant.

In an effort to prevent the widespread distribution of illegal copied video files, YouTube encodes its video files in the Adobe Flash format, which prevents viewers from downloading files and making digital copies.

Here's a step-by-step tutorial on how to rip video files off YouTube.com and convert them for Apple TV, iPod Video, iTunes and iPhone. This trick will work on Mac or PC using Firefox or Internet Explorer.

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Labels: apple tv, iphone, ipod, itunes, tutorial

It looks as though Quarterlife creators Marshall Herskovitz and Edward Zwick have managed to get their show on the air after all.

NBC picked up the rights to broadcast, sell on DVD and stream the show in the U.S. and internationally, planning to premier it on air sometime in February or March after it completes its initial 36 webisode run on Yahoo TV.



The deal breaks mold in various ways. It is the first primetime show to debut online then secure a network spot. (Herskovitz and Zwick first pitched Quarterlife to ABC 3 years ago, but the network ultimately passed on it.)

Although NBC will contribute to production and development costs, the two producers will retain ownership and creative control of the show, according to reports.

Finally, the show may be strike proof as it's primarily an independently-financed online venture not subject to the strike embargo.

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Labels: tech news, TV, video

This morning The Wall Street Journal announced a new program that will enable its users to submit WSJ.com articles to Digg.com. This will also allow Digg users to view content previously only available to WSJ.com subscribers. Coincidentally, this news comes around the same time Rupert Murdoch suggested that he might take down the Wall Street Journal’s online subscription pay wall.

"The Wall Street Journal Online provides in-depth reporting, commentary and analysis on the most important economic and political issues of the day, and Digg users are enthusiastic consumers of news and information," said Daniel Bernard, general manager of The Wall Street Journal Online. "We're excited to partner with Digg to offer our users a way to share Journal articles directly from our site, as well as expose new audiences to our content on Digg."

So what does this mean? Every article on The Wall Street Journal Online will now include a "Digg This" icon that enables users to Digg the article. Once someone Diggs a WSJ.com article, it will then be accessible to Digg.com users.



With approximately 25 million visitors a month, Digg has become the leading destination for people to discover and share the best content on the Web. From the largest online destinations to the most obscure blog, Digg surfaces the best content as voted on by the community.

Perhaps you'll want to Digg this?

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Labels: tech news

This morning The Wall Street Journal announced a new program that will enable its users to submit WSJ.com articles to Digg.com. This will also allow Digg users to view content previously only available to WSJ.com subscribers. Coincidentally, this news comes around the same time Rupert Murdoch suggested that he might take down the Wall Street Journal’s online subscription pay wall.

"The Wall Street Journal Online provides in-depth reporting, commentary and analysis on the most important economic and political issues of the day, and Digg users are enthusiastic consumers of news and information," said Daniel Bernard, general manager of The Wall Street Journal Online. "We're excited to partner with Digg to offer our users a way to share Journal articles directly from our site, as well as expose new audiences to our content on Digg."

So what does this mean? Every article on The Wall Street Journal Online will now include a "Digg This" icon that enables users to Digg the article. Once someone Diggs a WSJ.com article, it will then be accessible to Digg.com users.



With approximately 25 million visitors a month, Digg has become the leading destination for people to discover and share the best content on the Web. From the largest online destinations to the most obscure blog, Digg surfaces the best content as voted on by the community.

Perhaps you'll want to Digg this?

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Labels: tech news

Bebo is offering programmers yet another way to reach young audiences. The company launched an ambitious Open Media platform with 22 major content partners and promised to create more interactive programming following the success of Kate Modern.



Programmers such as CBS, ESPN, MTV, Next New Networks and Turner Broadcasting can publish content to Bebo's 40 million users, who can freely collect and share it via "Personal Video Profiles." The system will also carry advertising, revenue from which broadcasters won't have to share with Bebo.

The social networking site is second only to MySpace and Facebook in terms of unique users, who spend an average of 40 minutes per day on the site.

If you are on Facebook, you might want to join the MethodShop.com Facebook Fan Page.


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Labels: internet, social networking

U2 used iLike.com to post a video of Bono singing "Wave of Sorrow" while sitting on a couch. It's a track that U2 demoed during sessions for The Joshua Tree in 1987. Just recently Bono laid down vocals for the song and it will be released for the first time next week on the remastered release of The Joshua Tree.

As Bono plays the track, he sings over it and talks listeners through the story of the song and explains the lyrics.

"Wave of Sorrow" is one of several rare and previously unreleased cuts which are featured on the bonus audio CD of the remastered deluxe and super deluxe versions of the remastered release of The Joshua Tree.





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Labels: music

U2 used iLike.com to post a video of Bono singing "Wave of Sorrow" while sitting on a couch. It's a track that U2 demoed during sessions for The Joshua Tree in 1987. Just recently Bono laid down vocals for the song and it will be released for the first time next week on the remastered release of The Joshua Tree.

As Bono plays the track, he sings over it and talks listeners through the story of the song and explains the lyrics.

"Wave of Sorrow" is one of several rare and previously unreleased cuts which are featured on the bonus audio CD of the remastered deluxe and super deluxe versions of the remastered release of The Joshua Tree.





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Labels: music

I was at my local bar the other night and someone asked me if I were ever to be stranded on a desert island and could only bring 5 Bob Dylan albums, which ones would I bring?

I couldn't answer him right away, and not because I had already had a good buzz after drinking four bottles of Miller Lite (note: I'm a lightweight), I had to think about that for a while because I love Bob Dylan. Wait, let me rephrase that, I REALLY LOVE BOB DYLAN!

For anyone even remotely aware of American pop culture over the past 40 years, it would be tough to miss the direct impact and lasting influence of Dylan's songs. I needed time to get back in touch with ALL things B-O-B!

After spending a WHOLE week revisiting all my Dylan CDs I compiled these 5 as the very ones I'd like to have with me if I were stranded on a desert island. And with this list I hope I can introduce the genius of Dylan to people walking around now who've never heard of the guy, or have no awareness of him beyond simple name recognition.

So if I was stranded on a desert island and could only have 5 Bob Dylan albums, which ones would I bring? Here's my list: Bob Dylan's 5 Best Albums.


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Labels: music

I was at my local bar the other night and someone asked me if I were ever to be stranded on a desert island and could only bring 5 Bob Dylan albums, which ones would I bring?

I couldn't answer him right away, and not because I had already had a good buzz after drinking four bottles of Miller Lite (note: I'm a lightweight), I had to think about that for a while because I love Bob Dylan. Wait, let me rephrase that, I REALLY LOVE BOB DYLAN!

For anyone even remotely aware of American pop culture over the past 40 years, it would be tough to miss the direct impact and lasting influence of Dylan's songs. I needed time to get back in touch with ALL things B-O-B!

After spending a WHOLE week revisiting all my Dylan CDs I compiled these 5 as the very ones I'd like to have with me if I were stranded on a desert island. And with this list I hope I can introduce the genius of Dylan to people walking around now who've never heard of the guy, or have no awareness of him beyond simple name recognition.

So if I was stranded on a desert island and could only have 5 Bob Dylan albums, which ones would I bring? Here's my list: Bob Dylan's 5 Best Albums.


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Labels: music

Google is getting ready to start beta testing a new in-game advertising system involving pre-roll and mid-roll inserts placed within Bunchball Games releases, reports GigaOM. Later in December Google will also begin to embed video-type ads in the cult game Psychonauts, available for PC, Xbox and PS2.



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Labels: games

PBS is getting serious about web 2.0 distribution. The public broadcaster made a selection of programming including History Detectives, Nova, Scientific American and Teletubbies available on BitTorrent's P2P distribution platform and struck a deal with HD-compatible video site Vuze.com to offer similar titles for sale on a download-to-own basis.

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Labels: tech news

As part of TODAY’s historic broadcast from the “Ends of the Earth,” exploring the extraordinary diversity of life on the planet and the limits of human exploration, anchor Ann Curry traveled to the very bottom of the globe, Antarctica, broadcasting from such extreme locations as the McMurdo Research Station. Her team's ultimate goal: the South Pole.

Twelve thousand miles away from Matt Lauer, who was reporting live from the North Pole Monday, Curry proudly announced it was the first time NBC News was reporting live from Antarctica, calling it a stunningly beautiful continent.

Antarctica, which is one and a half times the size of the U.S. is often called the coldest, driest, windiest place on earth. With 90 percent of the world's ice, it is the planet's cooling system regulating temperatures worldwide. The coldest temperature ever recorded on earth was in Antarctica at minus 128 degrees Fahrenheit.

Read On:TodayShow.com
Click Here to Check out Ann's Photos!!

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Labels: environment, TV

After spending most of last Saturday criticizing Hillary and Bill Clinton, US Presidential candidate, Barack Obama [see widget], took the stage with two impersonators - Amy Poehler and Darrell Hammond - on "Saturday Night Live."

The opening sketch of Saturday's broadcast featured Poehler and Hammond, as the Clintons, hosting a Halloween party. Toward the end of the sketch a man walked in wearing an Obama mask - which he removed to reveal he was, indeed, Obama.

"I have nothing to hide," Obama said. "I enjoy being myself. I’m not going to change who I am just because it’s Halloween."



Campaigning in South Carolina earlier, Obama accused Hillary Clinton of giving voters "vague, calculated answers to suit the politics of the moment instead of clear, consistent principles about how you would lead America." And he subtly swiped at former President Bill Clinton by listing problems that "existed long before George Bush took office."

Obama wrapped up his brief late-night comedy stint with the show's signature line: "Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night."

[Via MSNBC.com]

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Labels: TV

The host of a Romanian talk show has 2 guests on that decide at the last minute not to talk. So like any good talk show host he kicks the crap out of both of them.

One guy gets punched and flips over a railing and his friend gets kicked down a flight of stairs backwards. Ouch! Only in Romania.


http://view.break.com/158598 - Watch more free videos


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Labels: video

By Thilak Raj Rao, tech-buzz.net

Leaving our computers on overnight uses energy. We all know this. Some of us shut our computers down or put them to sleep, but a lot of us just leave them on... all the time.

If you need a little convincing or motivation on why you should turn off your computer at night, then check out LocalCooling.com. It's a free application (Windows XP only) that will automatically optimize your PC's power consumption. It will also show you real-time savings in environmental terms such as how many trees and gallons of oil you've saved.




Local Cooling roughly calculates your PC's power consumption based on your hardware configuration such as monitor size and CPU's power consumption. You can also share your savings stats with the world. Local Cooling's homepage lists top-saving companies, teams and individuals based on any stats that have been shared with them.

At the time I wrote this post, the Local Cooling community had saved 1,753,470.0 KWh which is approximately equal to 841,665.6 gallons of oil and 92,933.91 trees.

While we're on the subject, here are a few more power saving tips for your computer:

• Set your computer's power saving scheme so your monitor turns off after a short period of inactivity. Running a screen saver won't do any good. As long as your monitor is on, it's still consuming power.


• Try to buy TFT flat screen monitors, not CRT. TFTs generally consume less power.


• Try saving your notebook’s battery by lowering your screen’s brightness. If you use Vista, then check out this application.


• If you want to keep your applications open, and save power at the same time, then use hibernation instead of sleep mode. Hibernation will save all your open application data. You can learn more about hibernation mode here.

Be efficient and smart with your PCs power consumption. Save power and our planet.


[Via GreenIsUniversal.com]

Labels: tech news

When Ryan Ferguson, singer of the band No Knife, strutted up to the stage to accept a 1999 San Diego Music Award for Best Punk Album, he chided, "Well tonight we officially found out we're a punk band now."

Anyone who knows Ryan's accomplishments can understand the humor in this. Two years prior, No Knife won an award for Best Rock Album. Then in 2003, they won again, but this time it was for Best Alternative Album. Ryan has since then gone solo, but hasn't lost any of his momentum. He even won the San Diego Award for Best Pop Album in 2005.

His versatility makes one's head spin, but Ryan doesn't place much importance on classifying himself, and maybe we shouldn't try to either.

Our interview with Ryan was just like his lyrics, honest and articulate. Ryan was very forthcoming and spoke openly about everything from his break with No Knife to his busty friend Candace on MySpace and his freaky cats. Enjoy!

Interview: Ryan Ferguson



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Labels: music

On the week of November 5th NBC Nightly News is airing a series profiling recipients of the Medal of Honor including Sammt Davis, the man the movie Forest Gump is based on.

The recipients are from the most difficult and recent conflicts the US has faced—from WW2, Korea, Vietnam, and Iraq—and each branch of service. Sammy Davis is the real Forest Gump. He’s receiving this award for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life and beyond the call of duty. Similarly, Jason Dunham is receiving his medal of honor for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as Rifle Squad Leader, 4th Platoon, Company K, Third Battalion, Seventh Marines (Reinforced), Regimental Combat Team 7, First Marine Division (Reinforced), on 14 April 2004.

There’s also Vernon Baker who already received this medal while serving as a POW, and was the only African American still alive when Medals were presented to blacks from WWII. And Tibor "Ted" Rubin (Army - Korea - Medal for action in Korea from 1950-1953) who distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism by serving as a rifleman with Company I, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division in the Republic of Korea.

The program is outlining their stories by collecting interviews with them, their families, and comrades. Their stories will also be complimented by the interviews with personal photographs, newsreel and archival footage and stills.

Source: The Daily Nightly


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Labels: games, TV

Looking for an extreme vacation? How about Antarctica? In addition to being one of the coldest, driest and windiest places on earth (average temp is -56º F), it’s also one of the most difficult to get to.

The first step is to reach Christchurch, New Zealand. Christchurch is one of the the closest airstrips and only a 5 hour flight to McMurdo Station in Antarctica. But just because you’ve booked a flight to Antarctica, it doesn’t actually mean your plane will actually land. Due to the extreme weather conditions, it takes several attempts before pulling off a successful landing. That means, if your pilot doesn’t feel comfortable with the weather conditions, you have to fly back to Christchurch and try again another day. 10-12 hours down the drain. They call this the “Antarctica Boomerang.”

I was watching the Today Show the other day and they are trying to send Ann Curry to Antarctica for a segment called The Ends of the Earth. She’s currently at Christchurch in queue for the “Boomerang.” The Ends of the Earth airs on the Today Show Nov. 5th and 6th, but who knows if Ann will actually make it to Antarctica in time for the broadcast. And if she does make it, Ann doesn't know when she can leave.

Ann nervously put it, “The record number of boomerangs is 7 for a single flight... we don’t know when we’re gonna get there and we’re not actually sure when we’re gonna be able to broadcast live, and we’re not sure when we’re gonna get back.”




The most practical way for the average person to see Antarctica is by taking an Antarctic icebreaker cruise around the ice-free coastal areas. Some of these icebreakers are large enough to have their own helipads and have helicopters that can transport passengers to research stations on the mainland.

But once you successfully reach Antarctica, you can hangout with 1000+ scientists and support personnel, and even do some eco sightseeing. Several cold-adapted plants and animals call the South Pole home including fur seals, penguins, whales, mosses, lichen, and many types of algae. Plus the Antarctic Treaty protects the continent's natural ecozone and prohibits military activities and mining. And believe it or not, there are also 31 volcanoes in Antarctica. But don't get too excited. Only 4 of them have erupted in the last 25 years including Mount Erebus in 2007.

Personally, I may never make it to Antarctica, but it will be interesting to watch Ann Curry try. You can track her progress online here: http://msnbc.msn.com/id/21487444

Brrrr voyage Ann!

[Via CaptClicker.com]

Labels: TV