connect

Digg (finally) gets Facebook Connect integration

After 10 months of promising that it was on the way, Digg is finally implementing Facebook Connect. In the next few hours Facebook users will be able to log into Digg with their Facebook credentials and use the site as if they had spent the time registering. It will also push their activity back to Facebook so their friends can see what they've been digging, and let them find other Facebook users who are using Digg too.

Digg is one of largest sites to implement Facebook Connect thus far. Second after that is likely CNN and CitySearch, both of which implemented Connect late last year.

This move is definitely a win-win for both parties. Users of both sites have long been able to post stories they've dugg to their Facebook profiles through various third party Facebook apps. The real magic here is that Digg will have an alternate way for newcomers to use the site in a way where long-term usage can be tracked and promoted back over to Facebook users who have not yet registered with Digg (and no longer need to).

Still missing from Digg's log-in options, and what was originally unveiled when Facebook Connect was announced, is support for OpenID. Like with Facebook Connect, this would let OpenID users log in with their OpenID credentials. However, it's likely taken the backseat to the implementation of Facebook Connect since there are fewer ways to resyndicate that segment of user activity.

Digg: Facebook Connect Demo from Digg Meetups on Vimeo.

Update: I just tried this out on my account, and what's nice is that if you're already a registered Digg user it simply links up your two accounts and finds your Facebook friends who are also Digg users. You can also choose which actions on Digg you want syndicated over to your news feed back on Facebook. You might want to double check these settings if you're the kind of person who leaves, creepy or otherwise not-safe-for-Facebook comments on Digg. Screenshot after the break.… Read more

Constant nag screen

Connection Meter uses its tiny, unobtrusive user interface to give you quick, at-a-glance system usage information. We were a little perturbed to find that some of its features were unavailable with the unregistered version, and we could have done without the constant timed nag screens.

Novice users might be a little overwhelmed by some of the initial configurations, but if you stick with the default settings, you're probably good to go. The program installs a taskbar icon, and a tiny, movable window appears in the far right corner that gives you a live account of your CPU usage, connection … Read more

Netgear media extender never met a file type it didn't like

We've seen plenty of network-connected streamers over the last few months, most of which rely in some degree on Windows Media Center for content. This wouldn't be such an issue if Media Center would just play nicely with third-party devices.

These "extenders," like the Linksys DMA2200, gave us an inconsistent stream with unreliable picture quality regardless of our connection strength. On the other hand, the Seagate FreeAgent Theater HD wasn't able to play as many file types as we would have liked.

It is with the Digital Entertainer Elite that we've found the best … Read more

The 404 326: Where we have a casual encounter with Jasmine France

Jasmine France joins The 404 today. Just a little warning: she had just flown into New York City on the red-eye from San Francisco and is pretty loopy for part of the show. But she does give us the 411 on the best MP3 player and headphones to get.

Jasmine dishes the dirt on Justin as an intern years ago. Let's just say dry cleaning, coffee, foot rubs, and walking her dog were part of his daily routine. Oh, how far he has come.

We talk a bit about how popular "casual encounters" has become on Craigslist. It's even bigger than Match.com, eHarmony, or even Yahoo! Personals. Jasmine tells us about her "missed connections" story. It gets juicy. Find your subway crush here.

Also, we discuss a bit 'bout how piracy is ruining the PSP. Justin doesn't really care; Jeff gets upset; and Wilson's fourth cousin is selling pirated games back home in Zhong Guo. Speaking of China, for about five minutes too long, Wilson exposés on Jackie Chan's recent comments in the press. This is why we don't discuss anything with any seriousness.

Finally, it's "Earf Day"...we think that's how it's spelled. Anyway, as part of our effort to be friendly to the environment, CNET TV is launching The Green Show, starring Mark Licea. That's right! MTI has his own show now. Check it out and send us your comments at greenshow [at] cnet [dot] com.

Episode 325 Download today's podcast |  Subscribe in iTunes |  Subscribe in RSS… Read more

Amazon.com has the Dash Express Two-Way Internet-Connected Portable GPS Navigator for $152.37, after $147.62 savings.

Save $147.62 on the Dash Express Two-Way Internet-Connected Portable GPS Navigator from Amazon.com >> Regular price is $299.99 >> Sale price is $152.37 >> Savings $147.62 (49.21%) >> Click here for deal

Feds take health care open source

President Obama has made transparency a hallmark of his presidency, with open source an integral part of this pledge. Obama has also expressed a desire to overhaul the U.S. health care system.

This week those two goals came together this week in Connect, "a(n open-source) gateway between multiple federal organizations and the proposed national health information network," according to Modern Healthcare.

The goal is to reduce the cost and complexity of tying into the U.S. national health information network, with three of the largest federal health care provider organizations, Defense and Veterans Affairs departments, plus … Read more

Aussie govt. goes public-private on fiber to home

The Australian government has terminated the National Broadband Network tender process with no winner, instead flagging plans to invest billions of dollars in building its own fiber-to-the-home network to 90 percent of Australians over the next eight years.

Citing "deterioration of the economy," Communications Minister Stephen Conroy and Treasurer Wayne Swan, along with Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, said at a Canberra press conference on Tuesday morning that the government had not found any of the NBN bids, by players such as Acacia, Optus, Axia Netmedia, satisfactory.

Instead of accepting an NBN bid, Rudd said, the federal government would … Read more

Ford reveals Transit Connect Family One details

Young moms want to look cool, keep their children safe, and save money, according to Ford Motors. The company recently unveiled the latest sporty (yet green), spacious (yet compact) vehicle set for release this summer.

The two-toned box-on-wheels will start at $21,475, including destination charge, and it's rated at 22 miles per gallon city, 25 highway mpg.

The Family One concept is based on the Transit Connect, a global Ford platform adaptable to a variety of applications for family and business needs. This concept vehicle represents Ford's first effort in showcasing the versatile Transit Connect for personal … Read more

Digg launches pervasive, software-free toolbar

Digg.com has just launched a brand new feature called the DiggBar, which as mentioned in a previous post, lets users make use of Digg's voting and community while viewing a source article via a Digg URL. According to a post on the official Digg blog, users will also soon be able to create their own shortened URLs right through Digg and third-party microblogging services like Twhirl.

What's neat about the DiggBar is that it accomplishes most of what traditional software toolbars are able to do. You can see and interact with user comments, view related stories, and … Read more