Video

YouTube has launched a new format that lets people bypass ads or pick which ones they are willing to view.

In an attempt to benefit both consumers and advertisers, the new TrueView video ads will give viewers the option of skipping an ad after the first five seconds and will only charge advertisers if their ads play for their entirety or 30 seconds, whichever is shorter.

Further, viewers can select which ads they want to see, giving them the option to choose ones that might be more relevant to their interests. YouTube is promoting the format as a boon for … Read more

On today's show, NASA's announcement about training bacteria to exist on arsenic is super cool, and could lead to a great remake of "Toxic Avengers," but it's certainly not the little green men announcement we were hoping for. Plus, why the FTC's "Do Not Track" system is doomed to fail, we launch an angry Angry Birds take-down petition, and Donald "Downer" Bell buzzkills the entire show. --Molly

Samsung has hit an important milestone with the apps marketplace on its HDTVs.

According to the company, 1 million applications have been downloaded from its Samsung Apps since it launched in March. Samsung said that Hulu Plus, ESPN Next Level, CinemaNow, and Texas Holdem are among the "the most frequently downloaded applications" in its store. In addition, the company said that Samsung Apps now features 200 applications, including MLB.TV, Vudu, Netflix, and many others.

Currently, Samsung offers its marketplace on over half of its 2010 line of HDTVs. The company said that it expects TV vendors to … Read more

Verizon's launching its LTE network on Sunday, the FCC is proposing a plan for Net neutrality tomorrow, and Google is about to take over the world EVEN MORE with its e-book venture (we're sure the EU is going to love that). Also, that deafening silence you hear on Twitter is the sound of a bunch of celebrities playing dead to raise money for AIDS. New meme: celebrity zombie impersonator accounts! Get yours today! --Molly

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Wikileaks uncovers a treasure trove of diplomatic dish that could disrupt not only the political but social fabric of the world. Online spending finally takes off (again), and Homeland Security confirms it's planning to systematically dismantle the structure of the Internet at the behest of private companies. So, that's awesome. Also, the zombie apocalypse is nigh, led by a phalanx of terrifyingly young mice. --Molly

If you want to ask President George W. Bush a question, you'll have your chance.

Starting at 2 p.m. PT today, the former U.S. leader will be talking about his new book, "Decision Points," and fielding questions from Facebook users.

The event is shaping up to be a big one. Facebook's announcement yesterday of the event has been "liked" by over 7,000 people. The post also has over 2,600 comments, as of this writing. A similar announcement on the George W. Bush Facebook page has over 288 comments and more … Read more

Gobble Gobble! It's all about the tech turkey's of 2010. Companies want to target data packets to monitor your activity and serve you ads! Facebook trademarks your "Face" and the aroma of pumpkin spice puts guys in the giving mood.

Those of you planning to catch a film this holiday weekend may want to check out the latest changes at Bing Movies.

The search engine's movie site has updated its lineup with some new features to help you decide what you want to see.

Users can now more easily see all the local theaters showing a particular picture rather than bouncing from one venue's site to another. Just search for or click on a title like the latest Harry Potter movie, and Bing lists all the theaters in your area where it's playing along with their showtimes … Read more