selfing

Now here's an innovation: "music on demand," in the truest sense of the meaning. Radiohead, the juggernauts of intelligentsia rock, announced that they will give away their new album "In Rainbows" as a download for whatever price consumers are willing to pay. The band is free to sell the new album directly from the official website because it is no longer tied to a record label. So far, the album is only available to pre-order, but it can be downloaded when released on October 10.

It's not the first time that an artist or … Read more

Self-driving vehicles, self-parking cars, self-repairing paint ... and now self-healing tires? Michelin says it has accomplished this feat by using manufacturing techniques that mold the tread of its XDA5 in three dimensions. What that means to us commuting plebs is that the tire features a tread that somehow regenerates itself as it wears off. It sort of acts like an onion: As the tire wears, the tread reveals new grooves and tread blocks within. Once again, technology aping nature.

Unfortunately, this isn't multi-layered, so you won't be getting treads that last forever. Just a touted 30 percent extension in … Read more

PeopleJam is a place for people looking to give and receive advice on health, relationships, spirituality and finances to connect with each other.

The site launched Monday and is in open beta right now. The founders have culled more than 150 "experts"--meaning writers, motivational speakers, counselors, finance experts and more--to blog on these lifestyle topics. There are also "lifecoaches" who also contribute content, both videos and text-based.

The idea is that PeopleJam will be the destination for people who have specific questions to create a profile, find answers to questions and add their own posts … Read more

So it's not just us after all. For the record, we allergy sufferers aren't the only ones who are fixated on cleaning technologies. Gizmag says a recent survey claims that 60 percent of respondents would buy a self-cleaning garbage can and 59 percent want a stove top that can do the same. Oh, and while they're at it, 47 percent wouldn't mind a dryer that also folded laundry.

We wish the research stopped there. Gizmag goes on to include some other frightening hygiene-related statistics that are enough to make our thrice-shampooed hair stand on end: "… Read more

On Monday, it becomes official. Blurb.com, which offers do-it-yourself bookmaking, and photo-sharing site Flickr are teaming up to help consumers jazz up their self-publishing efforts.

"Flickr got feedback from their members that they wanted to make books...We have already got a lot of feedback from Flickr's end users," said Eileen Gittins founder and CEO of Blurb.

Flickr community members have used the Blurb service for a couple of months now, and Flickr printed the community-contributed compilation "24 hours of Flickr" through San Francisco-based Blurb.

But starting Monday, a link to Blurb will appear … Read more

At this very moment, I'm utilizing breakthrough psychological software to make me feel happier and less stressed. Or at least that's supposedly what I'm doing, according to developer Ded Pyhto, the publisher of the self-improvement tool Subliminal Flash.

The concept is simple. You select as many of the 33 areas of self-improvement, such as Happiness, Self-Esteem, Improved Memory, or Better Skin, as you want the program to include, and the software will present you with subliminal affirmations that improve those areas of your life. Sounds crazy? From the company's press release: "According to Ded Pyhto'… Read more

Unveiled at the Web 2.0 Expo on Monday: InPowr, a service to help you achieve your life goals.

Don't laugh. I already did that for you, live from the event. I Twittered: "InPowr intro: WTF? 'It's fun, it's light,' Sure, just answer the 36 QUESTIONS. Argh."

At the moment the site is feels like an online Cosmo quiz. The first thing you do is answer 36 question about your state of mind. Then you get a little diagram showing you where you are, and are not, feeling content. After that, you get a grid … Read more

As amazing as it seems, the Swarovski is capable of putting its crystal-studded name on products that aren't totally disgusting. Even though its latest USB key is still a bit garish, the glass house co-produced some subtly designed earphones as part of its newly released "Active Crystals" products. (Perhaps it's the influence of Philips, which is co-branding the line.)

The four new sets--"Space," "Icon," "Amazone" and "Mirage"--come in polished silver and four crystal cuts, including navette and baguette. (Tiffany, eat your heart out.) Gadget Candy approves: &… Read more

A $28-million military research project could pay off for you at the Laundromat.

Researchers have developed a water-repellant coating using a polymer film (polyglycidyl methacrylate) mixed with silver nanoparticles that, when fixed to common clothing and soaked in a chemical solution, allows them to repel bacteria.

"The coating doesn't actually clean itself," said Dr. Phil Brown of Clemson University. "You will still need some water to rinse away dirt and stains, but cleaning will be quicker and less frequent."

That works for us, but how about socks? Originally developed to protect troops from biological warfare … Read more