• On MovieTome: The 10 worst movies of 2009 so far!

Crave

Read all 'Entertainment' posts in Crave
November 26, 2009 6:00 AM PST

Thanksgiving poll: What are you most grateful for?

by Matt Hickey
  • 12 comments

CNET News Poll

Giving thanks
What are you most grateful for this Thanksgiving?

Low HDTV prices--all football games at once
USB-powered everything, including motorized carving knife
Macy's parade streamed to your postage-stamp-size Razr screen
CNET's Black Friday coverage makes it easy to spend!
Showing off new Droid/iPhone 3GS/Cliq/Pixi to clueless relatives



View results

Parade on Razr

Modern technology, we're grateful to you!

(Credit: Matt Hickey)

So someone told me today is about being thankful. I, for one, am grateful for that baguette from the future that stopped the LHC from destroying the universe. Also, turning my digital camera on Mom's cat to make the best Lolcats EVAR and using Netflix Instant on my Xbox to share "Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus" with my siblings.

I can think of quite a few other things I'm thankful for, but my evil editors have made me pare my gratitude down. They're more interested in what you, the readers, think. Sure, you may be thankful for all of the things mentioned in our scientifically accurate poll--I know I am--but try to pick the one that fits best. This vote will be recorded for all time and entered into your permanent record.

Of course, there's always a chance we missed something (the importance of family, goodwill toward mankind, or Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2). If so, let us know in the comments section below.

November 25, 2009 3:02 PM PST

Passive-aggressive gifts for chronically late geeks

by Matt Buchanan
  • Post a comment

If I show up for something on time, it's probably an accident. Some of us just weren't born with internal clocks that sync up with the rest of the world--the gifts in the gallery below are for people who're late for everything.

I was late turning this in, so surely, there's something I missed--toss your own ideas in the comments.

This story originally appeared on Gizmodo.

November 24, 2009 3:47 PM PST

Out-of-this-world gifts for space fiends

by Jesus Diaz
  • Post a comment

Hey you, Ground Controls and Major Toms orbiting out there! If you're a space aficionado or know someone who'd like to blast into the cosmos, it's time to take your protein pills and click on the gallery below for a definitive go/no-go holiday gift list. It was complied by Gizmodo and reprinted with the site's permission.

See anything we missed? Be sure to let us know in the TalkBack section below.

November 24, 2009 12:20 PM PST

Gadgets you'll need to survive a zombie attack

by Ian Morris
  • 2 comments
Palm Pre and zombie

How will the Palm Pre help you in a zombie apocalypse? Click on the above image to find out.

(Credit: Crave UK)

Let's face it: we are, at best, a couple of years from the undead rising from their graves and running amok. It might not be years away, it could be mere weeks--and what would you do then? If you want to avoid having your tasty, tasty brains nommed out by a rotting corpse reanimated by some ghastly science experiment, you'd better listen up.

We've assembled a list of the very finest and most suitable technology to defend yourself--and your delicious, tender gray matter--from being consumed.

Read more of "How to survive a zombie attack using consumer electronics" at Crave UK.

November 23, 2009 3:16 PM PST

Digital City Podcast 59: Black Friday shopping tips, and a PS3 MAG beta invite giveaway

by Dan Ackerman
  • 16 comments

It's episode 59 of the Digital City, and if our cast looks a little different today, your eyes are not playing tricks on you. Joey, Julie, and Scott all called in sick, so we recruited some of our CNET colleagues to step in and offer their holiday shopping advice.

David Katzmaier, John Falcone, and Matt Fitzgerald weigh in on Black Friday tips for big-screen TVs, home theater equipment, and digital cameras, and we go over some of the best and worst laptop deals around.

Also discussed was the high-concept Tony Hawk: Ride skateboard video game, the surprise popularity of Assassin's Creed 2, and Dan showed off his new Forza-3-branded Pumas.

Added bonus: we've got a handful of beta invites for MAG, the massive 256-person PS3 shooter to give away. Ping me on Twitter , or e-mail us at digitalcity@cnet.com, and we'll hook the first five people up.

Related links:
>>Are these Apple's Black Friday laptop deals?
>>Rating Black Friday laptop doorbuster deals
>>Review: the ColcaSac hemp MacBook sleeve
>>Hands on with 15th-century Italy in Assassin's Creed II

>>Watch the Digital City live every Monday at 3pm EST on CNET Live!
>>Subscribe to Digital City on iTunes
>>Join the Digital City Facebook fan page
>>Need more? Follow Dan on Twitter!

Listen now: Download today's podcast
Subscribe now: iTunes (audio) | iTunes (video) | RSS (audio) | RSS (video)


Originally posted at Digital City Podcast
November 23, 2009 1:15 PM PST

Technology that's totally impossible

by Ian Morris
  • 5 comments
ADSL graphic

What makes ADSL so improbable is it's transmitting a huge amount of data over some very ancient copper. That's right, copper, the stuff that isn't anywhere near as interesting or valuable as gold.

(Credit: Crave UK)

Many things keep us awake at night. Simon Cowell's hair is one. The implausible success of anyone who appears in "Big Brother" is another. But the thing that really keeps us staring into the darkness is technology. How the hell does it work? Simple gadgets like TVs and mice leave us unperturbed. But there are some things that are just beyond reasoning.

Science fiction writer and all-round genius Arthur C. Clarke once said, "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." On this one issue, we think he might have been wrong--because it's quite obvious to us that some technology is magic. Or if not magic, at least utterly impossible and somehow a massive confidence trick.

We've ranked the most impossible technologies on the planet in order of their level of impossibility. If you've got all six things on this list, and haven't yet had breakfast, then as Douglas Adams said, you should consider dinner at Milliways, the restaurant at the end of the universe.

Read more of "Technology that's totally impossible" at Crave UK.

November 23, 2009 11:33 AM PST

Japan unveils remote that runs sans battery

by Philip Wong
  • 2 comments
battery-less remote (Credit: Tech On)

Don't you hate it when your TV remote runs out of juice? Or when your clicker gets totaled by a battery leak? NEC and Soundpower Corporations' new battery-less remote control may be the solution. This technology is based on three key components:

  • Vibration power generation that harnesses energy created by clicking a remote button
  • A microprocessor that transmits and receives data in varying bandwidths
  • A power supply controller that drives the electronics with minimal electricity

It will probably take some time for this technology to mature, but both companies are planning to promote its adoption in the consumer electronics market as early as 2011. That said, do we have to click such remotes furiously just to get them running fresh out-of-the-box?

(Source: Crave Asia via Tech On)

November 23, 2009 8:13 AM PST

Top 40 must-have Blu-ray Discs

by David Carnoy
  • 90 comments

Editors' note: Updated on November 23, 2009.

A few years ago, we used to do a feature highlighting some of the top DVDs that made your home theater really look and sound like one. Well, with Blu-ray in full swing, we thought it high time to come up with a similar roundup of our favorite Blu-ray Discs that will help show off your home theater in all its glory.

While my face is at the top of the column, the list was compiled with input from editors John Falcone, Matthew Moskovciak, and David Katzmaier, who look at a lot of content in their day-to-day testing of products. We also keep an eye on AVS Forum's Blu-ray picture- and audio-quality threads and have always appreciated the site's "tier" rating system.

This list is not set in stone, and we'll be adding and removing discs as new ones come out. As always, feel free to make comments and suggest your own personal favorites. They may get added to the list in the future.

Also: If you're someone who likes demoing your system and skipping around between scenes, you'll want a fast Blu-ray player. Right now, the fastest players we've tested are the LG BD390, Sony PlayStation 3, and the Samsung BD-P3600. Though not quite as fast as its step-up sibling, the Samsung BDP-1600 is among the fastest sub-$300 players we've tested. (See CNET's full list of best Blu-ray players.)

Click any of the images below to start the slideshow.

More:

  • Top 40 movies not out on Blu-ray
  • The decade's 25 biggest tech flops
  • Originally posted at Fully Equipped
    November 23, 2009 5:00 AM PST

    Acousticom revives the egg chair, adds 5.1 surround sound

    by Sharon Vaknin
    • Post a comment

    (Credit: Acousticom)

    Acousticom manufactures audio communication equipment utilized by the Department of Defense and leading aerospace companies. The company is well-known for its flight helmets, but it is coming to CES 2010 with something almost everyone can enjoy--the Sound Egg.

    The egg chair is back, but with a 5.1 Dolby Digital surround sound system and an intimate media experience not intended for sharing. The chair can be connected to a television or computer and its unique foam insulation means no more complaining from your significant other. Go ahead, play Call of Duty all you want--he or she won't hear a thing.

    The Sound Egg was initially manufactured as a demonstration tool for trade shows. Although this is still a marketed use, Acousticom is making it available as a consumer electronics item. The $1,450 seat is not for everyone, but audiophiles might call it an "investment."

    Originally posted at 30 Days of Innovation
    Sharon Vaknin is the CNET Labs' go-to intern. When she's not testing MP3 players, blogging, or making the lab look presentable, she can be found playing computer games. Sharon formerly worked for Best Buy and is currently studying journalism at San Francisco State University. E-mail Sharon.
    November 23, 2009 4:49 AM PST

    Roku adds Flickr, Facebook, Pandora, and more video channels

    by Erica Ogg
    • 14 comments

    Roku Channel Store

    The new Roku Channel Store now has 13 free content channels.

    (Credit: Roku)

    Aiming to expand beyond movies and baseball, set-top box maker Roku is adding 10 new content channels ranging from social networking to music and podcasts.

    Roku, which makes a small, wireless device that can stream content from the Web direct to any TV screen, is expanding from 3 channels to 13, as expected. Channels for Blip.tv, Facebook Photos, Flickr, FrameChannel, Mediafly, MobileTribe, Motionbox, Pandora, Revision3, and TWiT will join the current lineup of Netflix, Amazon Video On Demand, and, more recently, MLB.TV. All of them will be available in the newly christened Roku Channel Store.... Read more

    The following products mentioned are available.

    On Sale Now: $99.99
    View the latest prices for Roku HD Player (Netflix Player)

    On Sale Now: $79.99
    View the latest prices for Roku SD Player

    Originally posted at Circuit Breaker

    About Crave

    The name says it all. Crave is our blog about gorgeous gadgets and other crushworthy stuff. If you would like to contact Crave with a tip or comment, please write to: crave@cnet.com

    Add this feed to your online news reader

    Crave topics

    The browser battles go on and on

    roundup From Firefox to IE and from Chrome to Opera and Safari, there's no sitting still for browser makers looking to keep their products fresh and competitive.

    3G wireless still holds promise

    The next generation of 4G wireless may get all the headlines, but advanced 3G technology will likely dominate services for the next few years.

    Most Discussed

    Gadget Galleries

    Gift guide for space jockeys

    Looking for a perfect present for the space fiend in your life? Look no further.



    Robolamps light up our life

    Artist Robert Matysiak has come up with cute, quirky "Robolamps" made from plumbling supplies and colored lightbulbs.



    Chumby gets leaner, cheaper

    Take a closer look at the second generation of the small, Internet-connected widget host/Internet radio/alarm clock.



    Modern Warfare 2 arrives

    Game promises even more of the same thrilling storyline and captivating online multiplayer experience as its predecessor.



    Nikes for the geek set

    Humans have a nasty habit of producing garbage, but Gabriel Dishaw, a junk-metal genius, turns trash into artwork.



    Courier's interface in-depth

    A document published by Gizmodo explains Microsoft Courier's interface, gestures, and features more in-depth than ever before.



    Nintendo DSi gets bigger

    Nintendo has announced a supersize version of the DSi, the DSi XL (or LL in Japan).



    Meet Barnes & Noble's Nook

    Take a look at the new Nook, billed as the first Android-powered e-book reader.



    Apple media player headset?

    An Apple patent filing reveals designs for a wireless headset with integrated memory and music playback.



    Apple's new 27-inch iMac

    Apple updates its iMac line with larger, wide-screen displays, more powerful specs, and a few extras to sweeten the deal.



    Snuggle up with a space quilt

    Artist Jimmy McBride designs quilts with astronomy and sci-fi-movie themes. Perfect for the cold geek.



    Peek at Nokia Booklet 3G

    CNET checks out Nokia's Windows 7 Netbook at the CTIA Fall 2009 show.



    USB drives from automakers

    We've collected some of the wilder USB drive media kits we've received over the years.



    From online ad to art

    Illustrator Sophie Blackall has created whimsical drawings from online "Missed Connections" posts.



    Curious robot contraptions

    Artist Will Wagenaar scours yard sales and flea markets for discarded objects that he transforms into playful art.



    IFA through the years

    Historic photos from the German electronics show take us on a tour of tech trends.



    Nissan GT-R can fight fires

    What happens when you mix a fire engine with a 193 mph supercar co-designed by the makers of Gran Turismo?



    Rubik's cubers compete

    Puzzlers from around the world descend upon Stanford University for 18 mind-boggling events.



    Kicking off game season

    See Madden and other highly anticipated platform-agnostic games.



    Eyeing Zune HD browser

    Take a closer look at the mobile Web browser offered on Microsoft's Zune HD portable media player.



    Twitter on your TV

    The Twitter widget for Yahoo TV Widgets offers a well-designed, fully featured client that lets you post tweets from your TV.



    Sony Walkman turns 30

    CNET looks back at the last three decades of Sony Walkmans and the pop music that went with them.



    Best 10 digital DJ rigs

    CNET's Donald Bell rounds up his favorite digital DJ systems, including controllers and interfaces from Numark, Serato, Vestax, and Pioneer.



    Saying hi to HTC's Hero

    We take a close look at HTC's Hero, the company's third handset to sport the Google Android operating system.



    iPhone 3G S and OS 3.0

    CNET rounds up Apple's photos of the iPhone 3G S. Also, revisit iPhone OS 3.0 with screenshots from our iPhone 3G.



    Giant Gundam after dark

    Bandai has built a giant robot in Tokyo to mark the 30th anniversary of the "Mobile Suit Gundam" anime series.



    Cracking open the Palm Pre

    Tech Republic pries open the latest smartphone to create buzz and sees how it--and its insides--stack up against the iPhone.



    Microsoft shakes up gaming

    A recap of the motion-sensor system, games, and social-networking features Microsoft is bringing to the Xbox 360.



    E3's wackiest moments

    Getting ready to hit L.A. for the Electronic Entertainment Expo, we were inspired to peek back at photos taken at E3s past.



    Meet the Amazon Kindle DX

    Similar to the Kindle 2, the DX model's larger 9.7-inch screen is designed to better accommodate newspaper and magazine reading.



    2011: The year of the electric car

    Mass production of e-cars is coming faster than we would have thought. Nissan is out in front, but Mitsubishi and Ford aren't far behind.



    Moto Labs' multitouch display

    Updated sensing-screen concept uses--you guessed it--multitouch technology.



    Part insect, part timepiece

    Artist customizes real insect specimens with antique watch parts and other technological components.



    All-in-one Nettops

    Less expensive all-in-one desktop PCs with Atom processors are one of the few ways to buy Windows XP on a desktop these days.



    Cracking open the Dell Adamo

    TechRepublic disassembles the upscale, ultrathin laptop and even compares it with Apple's rival MacBook Air.



    Give your iPhone a make-under

    Embarrassed to be seen in public with your trendy iPhone? A zweiPhone sticker can make it look like an old clunker instead.



    Raising CB2, the child robot

    Japanese researchers are working on a bot that can mimic real kids' behavior to teach lessons about early development.



    Yahoo Messenger for iPhone

    Yahoo Messenger gets its own free app just for iPhones and iPod Touches. Take a look at the core features.



    The inner life of gadgets

    Artist Satre Stuelke uses a CT scan machine to offer a penetrating take on objects from the iPhone and iPod to a vacuum tube and a wind-up rabbit.



    Controlling bots with thoughts

    Honda has come up with a system that lets humans control a bot through thought alone. But don't start telepathing your Scooba yet.



    Rube Goldberg showdown

    Penn State held a contest for Rube Goldberg devices, which do a simple task in a complex way. The winner had a Super Mario theme.



    Hands-on with the Dell Adamo

    We've managed to get our hands on a preproduction version of one of the most buzzed-about new laptops of 2009.



    iPhone 3.0 new features

    Apple rolled out a host of new features with the iPhone OS 3.0. Check them out in our slideshow.



    Step-by-step to geek chic

    Former "Project Runway" contestant Diana Eng shares ideas for twinkling shoes, a music-filled hoodie, and more.



    Fitness gadgets of the future

    At health expo in San Francisco, "exergaming" makes a play, and a vibrating gadget moves your muscles for you.



    Terrafugia's flying car flies

    The Transition "roadable aircraft" makes its debut flight over upstate New York. It's still just a proof of concept, though, and another prototype is yet to come.



    Inside Dell's design labs

    The design staff has ballooned as the maker of PCs and servers aims to create a new look. Crave got a tour of two design labs at company headquarters.



    Top five Swarovski disasters

    Here's a look at the five crystal-clad abominations that have stood out most over the last few years. There are others, of course.



    Favorite iPhone photo apps

    Apple's App Store is loaded with really cool tools to make the most of the little camera that couldn't.



    Windows Mobile 6.5 hands-on

    We've just had a super-sneaky peak at the future of Windows Mobile--version 6.5--and got to demo the new operating system in all its glory.



    Gadgets that broke our hearts

    See which gadgets have broken Crave contributors' hearts--or at least made us question our undying love.



    To Timbuktu, in a flying car

    A bio-fueled flying vehicle called the Parajet Skycar is journeying from England to Mali via France, Spain, Morocco, and the Western Sahara.