talks

Latest update: 8:57 a.m. PT

Google Talk went down hard this morning, but is getting back up and running.

"The problem with Google Talk should be resolved," Google wrote on its App Status dashboard at 8:25 a.m. PT. "We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your patience and continued support. Please rest assured that system reliability is a top priority at Google, and we are making continuous improvements to make our systems better."

The Google Talk service, which works across Windows, OS X, and Linux, allows users to hold text, … Read more

The Sleep Doctor Michael Breus is back in the studio to solve all our snooze-related questions, and he also brings us a new toy! He's showing off the Renew SleepClock by Gear4, a sleep management tool that knows when you're sleeping and takes careful measurements to record your sleep patterns.

It also works as a tailored alarm clock that wakes you up at the lightest moment in your sleep cycle, so you'll arise super refreshed. Dr. Breus also gave us one to give away on a future show, so be sure to tune in to find out how to win.

As usual, the Doctor also answers questions from our listeners. Today he'll respond to inquiries about the correlation between memory and sleep, and whether or not we can learn things like languages and facts just by sleeping.… Read more

If you're looking for one less thing to clutter up your Gmail space, GTalk can be one of your bigger offenders if you're using it to communicate often with friends or colleagues. Just taking a look at my own personal Gmail account, I'm kind of shocked how many threads there are for conversations I've had in the past year. On my work account I like to keep logs in case I need to reference instructions, facts, or quotes from people I've talked to. However, on my personal account I don't need to keep track … Read more

Michigan State Police have deputized a new sort of law enforcement officer in the fight against drunk driving. Talking urinal cakes are now in residence in bars and restaurants around the state.

The cakes have a motion-activated audio track where a lady tells the restroom user, "Hey! Listen up. That's right. I'm talking to you. Had a few drinks? Maybe a few too many. Then do yourself and everyone else a favor. Call a sober friend or a cab. Oh, and don't forget. Wash your hands."

"Not only do we want to turn some heads and get people talking, we hope everyone takes the message to heart," said Michael L. Prince, director of the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning, in a statement about the project.… Read more

It's no secret that Instagram is a fantastic photo-sharing app. One thing it doesn't do, however, is let you converse privately with user Instagram users. If you have friends on Instagram you'd like trade comments with that won't be seen by the rest of the Instagram community, give iPhone app InstaTalks a whirl.

… Read more

When the smartphone craze first started, the thought of being able to stream a movie or TV show while commuting into work or waiting at the airport was simply a dream. Screens were small, coverage was spotty, and it was hard to find shows you actually wanted to see. Fast forward to today, and streaming content on the go is genuinely good.

We rounded up seven apps that provide a great streaming experience on your Android device, whether you're sitting on the couch with solid Wi-Fi or out and about with a 3G or 4G connection. Here they are. … Read more

TalkTalk closed off access to file-sharing Web site The Pirate Bay yesterday, after being told to do so by a High Court in April.

"TalkTalk can confirm that it is blocking access to The Pirate Bay (TPB) following a court order to do so," the company said in a statement today.

The move makes TalkTalk the penultimate company from April's court order to block the file-sharing Web site. BT will be the last company to put the block in place, expected imminently. Sky, Everything Everywhere, O2, Be Broadband and Virgin Media have already put blocks in place … Read more

I don't mean to be a hater, but if the National Geographic Talk Abroad Lite weren't attached to the Talk Abroad international cell phone SIM card, I'd have to wind caution tape all around my review.

So why wouldn't you run from this handset, given my less-than-glowing recommendation? Its two saving graces are the travel plan that gives you a U.S. and U.K. number, so friends and family can always reach you while abroad, and the fact that for an unlocked phone, its $59.99 price tag is extremely affordable.

Let's face it, … Read more

The lady who fell into Lake Michigan while texting pales into deep insignificance in comparison to this.

Mr. Bean is but a mere construct of fiction when compared to this.

For here we have a Chinese girl, deeply committed to her cell phone conversation, when suddenly she disappears without even, it appears, a scream.

Yes, push didn't even need to come to shove here. One minute she was chatting away merrily. The next, she was headed toward Atlantis.

Of course, we wouldn't be smiling at her expense if she had been seriously hurt. The Telegraph reports that, after … Read more