Finally, it's time to get my gorgeous body back!
(Credit: Dong Ngo/CNET)So Christmas, as awesome as it has always been, is now over, and you're wondering what to do next. Well, I don't have an answer to that. However, if you already know what to do but just wonder how to best do it and you happen to own an Android-based phone, then I have something for you.
It's an app that can be used for basically anything, called eHow from Demand Media, the owner of the popular eHow Web site.
The app basically puts all the functions of the Web site and more in your palm. I tried it out over Christmas and really loved it. I was able to quickly find recipes and step-by-step instructions for dozen of cocktails and meat pies, and now I believe have mastered the way to make tuna steaks.
Best of all, I was even able to record the process of making the food with the phone. The app has a function called "I did this" that allows you to upload your experience of getting the job done via text, images, or video to the eHow Web site, or you can e-mail that to friends to show off, which I did. (I didn't upload anything to the site as I didn't want to risk my self-proclaimed level of steak mastery being questioned.)
Apart from food and thousands of other daily chores that you might need help with, the app also offers advice on serious issues, such as how to lose weight or find love. I didn't try any of these out (yet) but if you have and were successful, please share your experience in the comments below.
According to Demand Media, eHow is now home to more than 1 million articles and videos, and a vast community that shares its experiences and provides real-life advice. You don't need to be a member to get the advice but if you want to share yours, an account can be created for free. And now with the eHow app, you can do that when you're on the go, literally from anywhere in the world.
The app, however, does require an Internet connection. It doesn't have any content built-in; it's just a front-end application that accesses the data directly from the eHow's Web site each time you look for an advice. I tried it with Verizon's 3G connection and the performance was decent. Most text and image items loaded instantly, but the videos took a few seconds to buffer before playing, which was to be expected.
The app seems to be a perfect fit for Android phone users now that the new year is coming and you'll probably need help achieving your resolutions. The eHow app is available at the Android Market app store and can be downloaded for free.
The app is not available for the iPhone for now, which is a good thing in a way, because if you really already have "an app for everything," you might not need an app that has everything in it.
CNET News Poll
Concept art for an Apple touch-screen Netbook. Is this what you want to see?
(Credit: Gizmodo)We're nearing 2010, and that means it's time for bloggers like yours truly to stock up on champagne, put on our one necktie, and start making predictions. Instead, I thought it would be fun to talk about the tech I'd like to see in the new year. Then I thought it would be even more fun if we talked about the tech that you, the readers, would like to see.
To be fair, a few of our poll options are left over from my 2008 holiday wish list that didn't come to be in '09. Then I've added a few more that are 2010-specific. But it's not all about what I want. Which of these would you most like to see in 2010? Not which is the most likely, but which would be the coolest?
If we missed anything, be sure to let us know in the TalkBack section below. And happy holidays!
(Credit:
Entertainment Earth)
I am not really Batman, despite what I tell girls on dates, but if I had this badass Bat utility belt I could maybe convince them otherwise. I mean, it's only $279 and could easily hold all my portable gadgets, plus my wallet and a young lady's heart (not literally, of course).
The 38-inch-wide belt is made of faux leather and has eight pouches with Batman logo emblems on the snaps, as well as a gold-plated metal buckle with a Batman logo emblem. It'll be available in June of '10, but Entertainment Earth is taking preorders now. In addition, it's a licensed replica, so you won't have lawyers coming after you like the Joker's henchmen. But even if you did, you'd have the included smoke bombs and grappling hook to deal with them.
Well, OK, it doesn't come with weapons, but the Internet's a big place. I'm sure you could find something useful to fill the pouches with. Jelly, perhaps?
In this week's preholiday edition of the Digital City Podcast, we all get ready for our one long break of the year, accompanied by special guest smartphone guru (and new CNET East Coaster) Bonnie Cha.
Scott and Joe have seen James Cameron's "Avatar"; Bonnie and Julie haven't. We also discuss Intel's new Atom Netbooks, 3D Blu-ray on the PS3, holiday smartphones, and upcoming laptops and phones at CES 2010. Best of all, Scott gets a chance to show off his one and only Batjew T-shirt. Watch it on video or you'll miss it.
Plus, don't forget to enter a comment to win a 16GB Zune HD of your very own. Happy holidays!
Related links:
>>3D Blu-ray standard outlined, includes PS3
>>New Atom Netbooks: Strange timing for shoppers?
>>CES 2010 Preview: Cell phones
>>CES 2010 Preview: Desktops and laptops
>>Watch the Digital City live every Monday at 3 p.m. EST on CNET Live!
>>Subscribe to Digital City on iTunes
>>Join the Digital City Facebook fan page
>>Need more? Follow Dan on Twitter! And Scott!
Subscribe now: iTunes (audio) | iTunes (video) | RSS (audio) | RSS (video)
(Credit:
NYU)
I'm surprised something like the Swig & Jig hadn't been invented yet, but so glad someone finally got around to making a liquor cabinet that throws a party every time you take out a drink.
The cabinet, a creation of Alex Vessels and Katherine Keane for the winter show at the Interactive Telecommunications Program of NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, features several compartments to store your potables. Each of these is outfitted with a switch, so that when you remove a bottle, the Swig & Jig lights up and plays a song.
The best part: it's fully programmable, meaning that each drink gets its own unique accompaniment. That means, in this case, the Pogues for Jameson, Etta James for a bottle of white wine, MGMT for PBR, and so on.
It almost makes me sad, knowing that when I take my cheap drinkin' scotch off the shelf tonight, it could be playing the sad trombone I deserve.
Swig & Jig from Gizmodo on Vimeo.
This story originally appeared on Gizmodo.
Along with Beeker and Fozzie Bear, Animal ranks among my favorite Muppets characters. So it's great not only to see him starring in his own iPhone game, but to report that the game's a blast.
At first blush, The Muppets Animal Drummer from Disney looks like something out of Rock Band: you've got five drums that light up and change colors (and occasionally catch fire); combo bonuses and power-ups that appear as you progress; and Animal himself (itself?) banging away center-stage.
A little bit Rock Band, a little bit Simon, The Muppets Animal Drummer is all fun.
(Credit: Disney)However, the gameplay's a bit different: Animal bangs out a series of beats using different parts of the drum set and different intervals. Your job is to play back the lick (by tapping the drums) using the exact same phrasing.
It starts off pretty easy, but quickly gets challenging (especially for rhythm-deprived individuals like myself). Even so, I find this a lot more fun than, say, Tap Tap Revenge or Rock Band, both of which reach a level of "impossible" that makes me lose all interest.
Here, you can improve your performance with practice--no superhuman levels of dexterity required.
There's also a Free Play mode that lets you drum along with any of the game's handful of songs (some of which must be unlocked by doing well in Classic mode) or songs in your iPod library. Younger kids in particular will have lots of fun with this, as it's really just noise on top of noise.
Whatever mode you choose, you'll enjoy snippets of Animal's voice along the way--icing on the cake.
And sweet cake it is. Animal Drummer may have built-in kid appeal (assuming kids these days even know who the Muppets are), but it's also plenty of fun for older players who enjoy music- and rhythm-centric games. At $1.99, I can highly recommend it.
It's the last live episode of The 404...of 2009. Russ Frushtick, chief gamer at MTV Networks, joins the show today along with Mark Licea of The Green Show to discuss the tumultuous, but exciting year in videogames. Finally, we get to the winners of our "Hangover" contest.
(Credit:
Russ Frushtick)
Because of the Great Recession, many games this year have been pushed back to the next year, and we've seen developers folding left and right. Jeff counts down his list of the most anticipated games of 2010--many of which were suppose to be released this year. Some of the games include Dark Void and Bayonetta. We think the main character of Bayonetta looks a lot like Sarah Palin.
Russ tries to teach Snooki of "Jersey Shore" how to play Buck Hunter.
(Credit: Russ Frushtick)Some of Jeff's favorite games this year were Ghostbusters and, of course, Modern Warfare 2, which Russ actually says didn't make his top 5. Most of that he says has to do with the so-so single player mode and the glitches and cheats in the multiplayer mode of the game. Jeff and Wilson think that Ghostbusters was pretty entertaining, but they both agree that the gameplay itself was a little unappealing after 6 or 7 hours.
Finally, we had a contest to give away copies of "The Hangover" in Blu-ray and DVD. Most of our hangover stories were definitely NSFW, but a couple of them reminded us of our own horrible hangover stories from college and our adolescent days. On that note, please take care of yourself during the holidays. We will see you on the other side of New Year's. In the mean time, send us an e-mail at the404 [at] cnet [dot] com or leave a voice mail at 1-866-404-CNET (2638). There's no guarantee we will get to it during our break, but we will appreciate it. Be safe and have a blast!
EPISODE 490
Listen now: Download today's podcastSubscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video
... Read more
Never push the red button!
(Credit: Nickelodeon)Dong's back and he's on the attack! Unfortunately, he returns from Vietnam with swine flu or something, so if I sound like I'm mumbling during the show, it's because I'm trying to keep my mouth covered from his germy germs.
Dong lived on a boat for one whole day in Vietnam, swam in the bay, and tries to convince me to do the same. That conversation somehow leads to a discussion about the Seven Wonders of the World, which apparently now include the Internet. Pretty lame if you ask me.
Also, Dong attempts to uncover the real story concerning Facebook in Vietnam and its "technical problems."
Having trouble deciding on what presents to get loved ones for the holidays? Dong has a simple solution. It's all Dong, all the time!
To subscribe to this podcast, visit us at our main page and click the podcast link on the right. Don't forget to leave us voice mail at 1-800-947-6399 or e-mail us at insidecnetlabs@cnet.com.
Listen now:
Download today's podcast
Subscribe now: iTunes (audio) | RSS (audio)
(Credit:
zerozeros.com)
Things are certainly winding down here at the CNET New York offices as The 404 finishes up its last two live episodes for the year. In the studio with us today is Natali Del Conte along with her CBS producer Will--so it sounds like the show is about to get some Early Show love on Friday morning!
Today's show starts off on an unsettling note as we talk about word of U.S. drones being hacked in the skies of Iraq. Apparently, all that was needed was a cheap $26 program that allowed insurgents access to our unmanned aircrafts--how comforting!
Bonehead military security issues aside, it's about time the FCC addresses the all-too-common issue of blaring TV commercials. How many times have you blown an eardrum after an ad comes on that's 35 times louder than the program you were watching?
In our unintentional effort to destroy the green movement, we uncover the ridiculous side effect some new LED traffic lights are having involving their inability to melt snow. It's actually causing accidents, so maybe good-old-fashioned energy-sucking, heat-producing traffic lights were the way to go.
There's more 404 fun in today's show: Y2K memories, "Iron Man 2" talk, and the year's best YouTube videos!
EPISODE 489
Listen now: Download today's podcastSubscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video
... Read more
Sorry Vin, but Wheelman stunk.
(Credit: Gamespot)We've already shared our picks for the best games of 2009, so now it's time to check out the other end of the spectrum: the worst games of the year.
Before you jump over to the slideshow, we want to preface our list with a few important details. Our worst-of compilation doesn't include just games; it highlights some of the most disappointing hardware and trends that surfaced in 2009 as well.
So with that knowledge absorbed, we invite you to check out our picks for the worst that 2009 had to offer in the world of video games.
Don't see your most-despised game of 2009 on our list? Make sure to tell us in the comments section.
