transformers

Meaning-driven brands: A list of visionaries/sensemakers/disruptors/game changers/contrarians

As the world slowly emerges from the economic gloom, and the “hyper-social real-time Web” requires new organizational designs, it’s clear that business as usual will not be so usual anymore. Yet fundamental concerns remain, both for business leaders, who face the challenge of innovating in a hyper-transparent and always-on environment, and for consumers, who are increasingly searching for noneconomic values amid the shattered trust in business and the information overload. Smart companies recognize the historic opportunity to transform the way they do business and provide customers with more value-rich, sustainable, and meaningful products, services, and business models. From “un-entitlement” … Read more

T-Mobile injects some fun into the HTC HD2

BARCELONA, Spain--During its press conference on Tuesday morning, T-Mobile revealed that it will ship the upcoming HTC HD2 with an array of entertainment applications to really take advantage of the smartphone's 4.3-inch WVGA multitouch screen and 1GHz Snapdragon processor, and to provide users with a robust multimedia experience.

To start, the HD2 will be the first handset to support Blockbuster's On Demand video download application, which lets you preview and download movies on the go. Once purchased, you can watch the video on another other connected device, such as a TV, a Blu-Ray Disc player, or a … Read more

Transformers memory sticks, mice--so corny they're cool

Of course, CES is full of oddball, goofball, and just plain cheesy products; but amid the sea of plastic this year a little tidbit caught my eye from a Toshiba booth, of all places. After eyeballing a variety of Satellite laptops, a Toshiba representative insisted I take a look at a corner of the table that I had ignored, because I thought the little plastic tchotchkes were party favors.

Official Transformers-brand USB memory sticks and mice, which on closer inspection completely mirrored the type of toys I used to obsessively collect in my childhood, are coming soon. If they're … Read more

The 404 Yuletide Mini-sode: Where we recap the movies of 2009

Welcome back to another Yuletide Mini-sode of CNET's The 404 Podcast. We'll be keeping you company all season with fresh episodes, year-end wrap-ups, CES 2010 previews, and much more!

We're all a little torn up about the top 50 highest grossing movies of 2009. Films like Watchmen, Bruno, and Star Trek blew us away and easily lived up to the hype; it's too bad that flops like Hotel For Dogs and Paranormal Activity had to ruin it for the rest!

In typical 404 fashion, we run down the list and pick out the movies that we love, and of course the movies that we love to hate.

Enjoy, and have a fun (and safe!) New Year!

Yuletide Mini-sode - Top Movies of 2009 Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

From raster to vector

Vextractor converts raster images to vector files by drawing center lines and outlines that can be manipulated in AutoCAD, Adobe Illustrator, and other popular graphics, engineering, and design programs. You can scan images or diagrams into Vextractor and it will covert them into vector files that you can use with other design and graphics tools. It has several options for converting images, including Line Art and Map. You can also fully manipulate the vector drawings that Vextractor creates.

Vextractor's interface is attractive and easy to navigate. The program's built-in Wizard guides you through the various functions; for instance, … Read more

GM Corvette Stingray on the street

Here's a brief look at the Corvette Stingray concept. The car has a conceptual hybrid power train and iPhone app-like downloads. Watching the doors and hood open is very reminiscent of this summer's movie "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen."

128: 'Cash for Guzzlers' details emerge

Details emerge on cash for guzzlers--and some of it's ugly! It's a bad, bad week for TomTom. Our hybrid car tech Prizefight divides the CNET car community. And a ride in the best fun car you can get less than $30,000.

SHOW NOTES

• The full details of the guzzlers program (PDF)

• CNET Prizefight: Insight vs. Prius

• First look at the real version of the Acura ZDX

• We just keep lovin' the MX-5 Miata

• Check out Wozniak as a body shop pitchman!

Transformers Camaro fails to actually transform

Capitalizing on the new Transformers film, GM has announced a Transformers Edition Camaro to coincide with this year's San Diego Comic-Con.

As an appearance package that can be added to the Camaro LT or SS model, the Transformers Edition kit adds black rally stripes, Transformers logo door sills, and Autobot badges on the front fenders, wheel center caps, and stitched into the leather of the center console. The kit doesn't interfere with the RS package accessories.

The idea is that owners can pretend to be Shia LaBeouf by riding around in Bumblebee from the Transformers movies while shouting, &… Read more

BOL 1025: Amazon's new kicks

Zappos has been acquired by Amazon, meaning Amazon will have even more shoes to sell, but also a new corporate culture to integrate with. Windows 7 gets released to manufacturing, meaning it's on its way to you. And Microsoft and UBIsoft are getting into the movie business. Is that a good thing?

Subscribe now: iTunes (audio) | iTunes (video) | RSS (audio) | RSS (video) EPISODE 1025 Amazon to acquire retailer Zappos http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10293262-93.html

Windows 7 Has Been Released to Manufacturing http://windowsteamblog.com/blogs/windows7/archive/2009/07/22/windows-7-has-been-released-to-manufacturing.aspx

Fiber to the home deployments will grow 30% CAGR to 130M installed by 2013 http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/fiber-to-the-home-deployments-to-grow-more,902195.shtml

Open Source gets it's own lobbying organization http://arstechnica.com/open-source/news/2009/07/new-advocacy-group-pushes-oss-for-the-usa.ars

ATandT activates 2.4 million iPhones; Second quarter tops estimates http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=21579

Microsoft and Ubisoft get into the film business http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ct-videogames23-2009jul23,0,5232624.story

Instant search comes to Splashtop http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10293479-1.html

Major League Baseball Beans Jon Stewart, and Obama's Pitch Vanishes http://mediamemo.allthingsd.com/20090722/major-league-baseball-beans-jon-stewart-and-obamas-pitch-vanishes/

Artificial brain '10 years away' http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8164060.stm

Camaro Transformers Edition http://www.autoweek.com/article/20090722/CARNEWS/907229993

… Read more