monopoly

Most of the time, you get everything BUT the kitchen sink. But being that we're the Gadgettes, we've decided you deserve a little something extra. So we decided to give you a kitchen sink too.

Misting kitchen sink

Water Lounge Offers Relaxing Stink Control

Gorenje unveils new generation of kitchen appliances at IFA 2009 (thanks Karl!)

Rhapsody approved for iphone

USB Posture Alert Reminder will set you on the straight and narrow

Fug Hoof shoes (thanks Sparkman!)

Why Didn’t … Read more

Plenty of news to talk about, but first we recap our weekends. We all used the holiday weekend differently: Jeff sailed a boat (in the sun!) on the Potomac river; Wilson became the only Asian Agent Double Oh Nothing for Her Majesty's Secret Service, and I had the unfortunate experience of actually laboring at work on Labor Day. Hear all the juicy details on the first half of the show.

Next up, we talk about Google's latest product, a version of the popular Monopoly real estate game that uses Google Maps as a giant playing board! Turns out that this isn't the first role-playing game to incorporate the popular online mapping Web site: users found a way to play RISK using Google Maps when it first debuted in 2005!

Speaking of things to come, we always like taking a look into the future, so this week in time travel, we bring you Boondock Saints 2! Every male born after the year 1970 should be well aware of the original Boondock Saints, which featured two brothers on a mission to cleanse their city of scumbags--classic story, but something about the theatrical gunfights and archetypal characters made it into a cult classic. We're excited about the new one, even though it doesn't feature Willem Dafoe.

Finally, in typical Monday show fashion, we delve off into a trip down memory lane and rediscover our love for Beavis and Butthead, who recently made a short comeback to promote Mike Judge's latest film "Extract." Surprise! Wilson hates it. All that and more on today's episode of The 404!

Interesting article by Diane Mermigas at Seeking Alpha about the challenges Google is facing as it diversifies into more and more areas, and it rumbles over the line dividing plucky upstart to hated giant monopolist:

Like past monoliths of new growth industries, Google appears to be invincible. But Google is vulnerable just because it is thinly spread in a rapidly changing marketplace where rivals are eating away at the edges and fighting for turf. A major shift in technology or consumer behavior could alter the playing field, just as it once did for broadcast TV networks, music companies, telephone companies, … Read more

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer probably wishes his prediction of a "fundamental economic reset" wouldn't have proved so prophetic as the company Thursday reported "disappointing" earnings, with net income plummeting 17 percent, online ad sales down 14 percent, and overall sales for the year down 3 percent.

Disappointing? That's generous. The results are traumatic and point to the need for a "fundamental reset" in how Microsoft does business. Fortunately for the company, its SharePoint business offers some clues as to how it can revive its fortunes.

Despite the occasional base hit in its … Read more

What's one possible gift for a photographer who likes to play Monopoly? Photojojo has an interesting twist on the original real estate game--instead of the names of places, you replace them with your favorite snaps.

Bundled in the $30 package are the game board, player pieces, property deeds and pieces, a photo-cutting guide, a stick of glue, and even a marker pen to doodle on the board. The rules of Photo-opoly are similar to those of Monopoly, although Photojojo encourages you to come up with your own to make the game more fun.

So, how much is the picture … Read more

Wi-Fi paint? Bust warmer? Face slimming mask? Bandai telling women how to understand men? Why, that's just crazy talk! The Gadgettes are back in the saddle again, and this time, they ain't going anywhere anytime soon.

Listen now: Download today's podcast

Bandai helps women understand men

Japanese face slimmer will definitely not work as advertised… Read more

Recently, Google made a series of changes to its Chrome end-user license agreement, including the removal of language that describes how users can terminate their relationship with Google, as ReadWriteWeb discovered. Evil? Nah. That's likely just lawyers talking.

Or what about Google's efforts to get special treatment with broadband operators, paving a Google-centric "fast lane" on the Web?

Today's news from Computerworld, however, has Google looking more like the old Microsoft monopoly it replaces.

While Google's one-download assortment of Google code and third-party applications--the Google Pack--used to install the Mozilla Firefox browser by … Read more

Electronic Arts announced Wednesday three games for Google's Android mobile phone platform.

The publisher said that Tetris will be available immediately and that two other games, the monster hit Bejeweled and Monopoly Here & Now, will be launched in November.

EA has already released at least five games for Apple's iPhone, including Tetris, Spore Origins, and Scrabble.

The move to bring games to Android is sure to be a boost for the platform, given EA's size and influence and the fact that on the iPhone, games have become some of the most popular apps of all. However, … Read more

In doing some blog research this morning (it happens), I came across this gem of an article from Wired back in 2002. The article traces Microsoft's antitrust feud with state regulators, and features cross-examination of Red Hat's Michael Tiemann by Microsoft attorney Stephanie Wheeler.

Microsoft's complaint? Red Hat wasn't a good enough competitor and hadn't done enough to make Linux popular:

Cross-examining Red Hat Chief Technology Officer Michael Tiemann, Microsoft attorney Stephanie Wheeler said Red Hat had spent little money on research and development, and dedicated few of its employees to winning over software developers … Read more