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Get an Ooma Telo home phone system for $99.99

This is an update of a deal I wrote about last year.

Landline? What's a landline? In my house, phone service arrives via the Interwebs. Over the years I've used a handful of voice-over-IP services (some good, some bad), eventually settling on Ooma and saving literally thousands of dollars in the process.

Want to do likewise? Today only, and while supplies last, Sellout.Woot has the refurbished Ooma Telo home phone system for $99.99, plus $5 for shipping. The last time I wrote about it, it was $10 more -- but that was after waiting on a $… Read more

Intel testing TV service with employees in three markets

Intel employees will be the first users to test the company's new TV service, as the semiconductor giant preps for a rollout later this year.

Eric Free, vice president and general manager for content and services at Intel Media, told CNET today that Intel is conducting closed trials of its product with Intel employees in three West Coast markets.

He didn't provide many other details but predicted that 2013 will be the breakout year for OTT, or over-the-top, video -- services such as Hulu that deliver video over the Internet, eschewing cable providers and satellite services.

"There … Read more

Operate Windows programs on Mac with CrossOver for Mac

Those who recently switched from Windows to Mac may have a collection of software that they can no longer use. For those unable or unwilling to purchase a separate Windows operating system license, CrossOver for Mac will run a limited number of popular applications well.

CrossOver for Mac is available as a free trial with a 14-day use limit, and the full version may be purchased for $20. The program downloads and installs quickly and there is access to technical support via e-mail, the responsiveness of which was not tested. The program did not have any instructions easily accessible, which … Read more

The 404 1,225: Where the first issue is a gateway drug (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- Baauer of "Harlem Shake" sued over unauthorized samples.

- Surprise hit "Harlem Shake" was a shock for artists heard on it.

- "Sweet Brown" sues Apple and radio stations for unauthorized interview.

- SXSW: Marvel to give away 700 first-issue digital comics.

- Marvel giveaway crashes Comixology's servers.… Read more

Viber CEO takes on carriers' over-the-top attack

BARCELONA, Spain--Carriers love to bash companies like Skype and WhatsApp that provide services on top of their mobile networks at the Mobile World Congress trade show. But one thing was different this year: Viber Media founder and Chief Executive Talmon Marco entered the lion's den to defend the idea.

Viber's free messaging service, which competes directly with carriers' own high-profit services for text- and multimedia-messaging services, is a prime example of the despised over-the-top (OTT) approach. Marco showed no remorse for sapping telco revenues and argued that users are just moving to where the innovative, useful services are … Read more

Get free Google Voice home-phone service with $40 adapter

The other day, in my post listing the best money-saving tips of 2012, I suggested ditching your landline in favor of a voice-over-IP option like MagicJack or Ooma.

But there's another option, one that lets you embrace the goodness that is Google Voice: Obihai's OBi100 VoIP phone adapter, which Amazon has for $39.24 shipped. It's been that price for a while now, but Google's recent announcement that free calling would continue through 2013 makes this worth another look.

The OBi100 works much like an Ooma or MagicJack Plus: You plug your existing cordless phone system … Read more

New York A.G. removes 2,100 sex offenders from online games

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has been able to remove more than 2,100 registered sex offenders from popular online games, his office announced today.

The registered sex offenders have been kicked out of a host of games from developers Gaia Online, NCSoft, and THQ, among others, as part of the attorney general's Operation: Game Over, an initiative designed to remove registered sex offenders from video games that might have children playing them.

"The Internet is the crime scene of the 21st century, and we must ensure that online video game platforms do not become a digital … Read more

'Gangnam Style,' Grumpy Cat top 2012 meme list

Whether you love them or hate them, memes -- culturally relevant multimedia often enhanced with a witty caption -- are here to stay.

In an attempt to crown the king of all that is viral, the meme maniacs at the site Know Your Meme analyzed internal page views, search interest on Google Trends, covers, and even parodies to suss out the top memes of 2012. … Read more

What's up with the Meze 88 Classics headphones?

Lucky me -- I get to play with lots of headphones, but I sometimes wonder if they're all made in the same factory, and their mostly plastic construction, similar features, and designs feel interchangeable. So when CNET's David Carnoy put the Meze 88 Classics in my hands I was intrigued. The beautifully finished, hand-carved ebony wood ear cups gave a high-end sheen to the design, and a quick audition proved the 88 Classics' beauty was more than skin deep.

Build quality is a step up from what you get with Beats by Dr. Dre 'phones, and I liked … Read more

Best TV deals for Black Friday and beyond

The shopping phenomenon known as Black Friday, with its "insane" doorbuster deals, comes around only once a year. While there are a couple of nuggets hidden in there, it's also an excuse to clear stock of items people aren't that interested in anyway.

If you see any of the following TVs for sale on the day, grab them! For our picks of the best door-buster deals, try here. But if you miss out, know that the TVs listed below are already available for affordable prices, and you don't have to line up in the cold … Read more