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valentine's

Sony hearts its 'Red Collection' notebook

Just after Dell and Microsoft introduced a line of crimson PCs for (Product) Red, Sony is using the same color for its own limited-edition laptops--but for Valentine's Day instead.

Despite the unfortunate juxtaposition of the two campaigns, Sony can hardly be singled out for the superficial marketing ploy of its "Red Collection." February is barely a week away, and companies will be coming out in droves to peddle their wares as Valentine gifts. (Apple announced its own entry with a new Nano, albeit pink instead of red.)

Sony's offering is a $1,000 package that comprises … Read more

Nano goes pink for Valentine's Day

Now that CES and Macworld are over, gadget makers are turning their attention to--what else?--Valentine's Day marketing. And that means pink is back, as if it had ever left.

Apple's suggested sweetheart offering is its brand-new pink 8GB Nano "perfect for people who are searching for a special Valentine's Day gift," which follows the pink Shuffle that was released in September as part of an industry-wide campaign against breast cancer. Unlike the special-edition Shuffle, however, the pink Nano appears to be a permanent addition.

Red Zunes

Sammy Hagar must be smiling: Microsoft is adding red to its line-up of 80GB hard-drive Zune players. They're marketing it as a tie-in to Valentine's Day, complete with Valentine-themed playlists, including one that features all Barry White songs with spoken intros. 20 new engraved designs are also available from ZuneOriginals.net.

I said it before, I'll say it again: great device, poor software. Seriously, Microsoft, can you imagine this kind of post appearing on an iPod fan forum? Here's hoping Microsoft sends Zune users a Valentine in the form of a software update.

Zune tries to send a Valentine

With Emperor Jobs holding court once again today, it's easy to forget that there are actually some products not made by Apple--especially the Zune. But the player continues to chug along, trying its best to stay relevant however it can.

Enter the red Valentine's Day edition, an 80GB model that can be custom-designed with laser engravings and personal messages. Hearts, flowers, butterflies--you know the drill. Something tells us that there won't be any Valentines sent from Redmond to Cupertino, however.

Designer Ettore Sottsass dies at 90

The design world lost a giant on Monday: Ettore Sottsass died at age 90. You may not be that familiar with his work, but I can bet you that he has influenced just about every designer who makes the stuff you buy today.

As is typical of Italian designers, where the fields of architecture and product design are not separated educationally or professionally, Sotssas worked across the domains of office products, ceramics, furniture, tableware, glass, sculpture, and interiors. He was one of the founders of the avant garde Milan-based design group Memphis, who's work still startles twenty years later. … Read more

Seeing pink?

If giving your girlfriend roses, teddy bears or chocolate isn't your thing, may we suggest these cool gadgets in pink? Choose from a list of cool pink MP3 players, adorable pink cell phones, pretty pink digital cameras to capture the moment or challenge her to a few games of Super Mario on the pink DS Lite. Whatever you choose, I don't think you can go wrong with pink on Valentine's day.

Love is in the Webware

Happy Valentine's Day from Webware. We don't have chocolate, flowers, or cheesy cards for you, but we do have a roundup of Valentine's Day-related Web services and specials for you to get in touch with that special someone.

>> YouTube is offering video valentines. You've got six kitschy and humorous videos to choose from, featuring a slightly overweight cupid who causes more harm than good. For quick and easy personalized Webcam videos to your sweetheart, try out Viddler or Gabmail.

>> If your honey is stuck in the office all day, cheer him or … Read more

Show off your valentine

If you are looking for something cute and not too pricey for your valentine this year, this mini heart-shaped digital photo frame is a perfect choice. This cute geeky gadget can be doubled as either a keychain or a pendant and it stores up to 56 pictures. Plus, at less than $60, it definitely lasts longer than roses which will cost you a fortune more.

How to warm up your Valentine

It's one more day closer to Feb. 14, which means another day for companies to pawn off their wares as a special Valentine's gift. The latest is the "truly romantic" Sanyo "Eneloop Kairo" (who could resist such a sexy name?), a palm-sized heater presumably meant to warm one's hands, if not the heart. It's available only in Japan--we had no idea that Valentine's Day was so big there--but fear not, Romeo. You can always spring for a pair of Brando's heated USB gloves. Classy.