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The iPhone is here! Hallelujah! People are
standing in line for hours to get one and selling their spaces in line for hundreds of dollars. So, is it worth all the hype? Will it revolutionize mobile computing? Here’s a round up of what some of the top tech reviewers have to say:



Newsweek’s Steven Levy says:

Certainly all those people lining up to buy iPhones will find their investment worthwhile, if only for the delight they get from dazzling their friends. They will surely appreciate the iPhone’s features and the way they are intertwined to present a unified experience. But in the future-when the iPhone has more applications and offers more performance, with a lower price-buyers will find even more value. So smart consumers may well wait for that day. But meanwhile they can only look with envy as the person sitting next to them to them on the subway, or standing ahead of them in the Whole Foods line, is enjoying the phone that finally fulfills the promise of people-friendly palm-top communication and computing.

David Pogue of The New York Times says:

As it turns out, much of the hype and some of the criticisms are justified. The iPhone is revolutionary; it’s flawed. It’s substance; it’s style. It does things no phone has ever done before; it lacks features found even on the most basic phones.



The $500 and $600 models have 4 gigabytes and 8 gigabytes of storage, respectively — room for about 825 or 1,825 songs. (In each case, 700 megabytes is occupied by the phone’s software.) That’s a lot of money; then again, the price includes a cell phone, video iPod, e-mail terminal, Web browser, camera, alarm clock, Palm-type organizer and one heck of a status symbol.



The phone is so sleek and thin, it makes Treos and BlackBerrys look obese. The glass gets smudgy — a sleeve wipes it clean — but it doesn’t scratch easily.



But the bigger achievement is the software. It’s fast, beautiful, menu-free and dead-simple to operate. You can’t get lost, because the solitary physical button below the screen always opens the Home page, arrayed with icons for the iPhone’s 16 functions.

You can also watch a video by David Pogue about the iPhone here.



Walter Mossberg at the Wall Street Journal discovered he liked the iPhone’s keyboard free input after intial skepticism.

The iPhone’s most controversial feature, the omission of a physical keyboard in favor of a virtual keyboard on the screen, turned out in our tests to be a nonissue, despite our deep initial skepticism. After five days of use, Walt — who did most of the testing for this review — was able to type on it as quickly and accurately as he could on the Palm Treo he has used for years. This was partly because of smart software that corrects typing errors on the fly.

Ellen Lee of The San Francisco Chronicle

rhapsodizes:

The iPhone won’t stop global warming. It won’t bring peace to the Middle East. But if it lives up to even a portion of the hype, it does have the potential to change how people interact with their cell phones, computers and each other.



Apple Inc.’s iPhone, combining a mobile phone, iPod and Internet browser into one handheld gadget, could represent the closest consumers have come to carrying their life with them wherever they go.

But buzzkill Josh Quittner of Business 2.0 isn’t buying
into the hysteria.

Of course, what virtually none of our reviews says outright is this: Unless you’re rich or have gadget-compulsive disorder, you’d be out of your Steve Jobs-addled, Reality-Distortion-Field-infected mind to buy one of these phones right now. These are strictly Version 1.0 — and there’s a lot that needs to be improved.



Guaranteed, within a year — I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s actually closer to six months, and the holidays) Apple will replace the iPhone with one that works on AT&T’s 3G network, already in 160 cities, which delivers real broadband, rather than this “pokey” throughput. The phone that goes on sale Friday cannot be upgraded to 3G, which requires a wholly different on-board radio. Likewise, the phone Apple has been showing in ads holds 80 gigabytes, not 8. So resist the hype! I can. But maybe I’m just saying this because I didn’t get a review unit to play with.

Oh, and if all you’re thinking now is “What in the world is an iPhone and why is everyone so freaked out about it?” then please go see the explanatory video here. Otherwise, you are going to appear seriously uncool at whatever Fourth of July event you happen to be attending.



Posted in Technololgy



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Original post by ShoppingBlog.com

Legendary fashion designer and entrepreneur Liz Claiborne has died after a long battle with cancer. She was 78. She was the first woman to head a company that made the Fortune 500 and blazed a pathway in the design world with her many innovations and refusal to accept the traditional wisdom of the retail world of the 1970s.

Claiborne founded Liz Claiborne Inc. in 1976 along with her husband Art Ortenberg and Leonard Boxer. Their goal was to create a collection of outfits aimed at the growing number of women entering the work force.



The new approach to dressing revolutionized the department store industry, which had only focused on stocking pants in one department and skirts in another. Liz Claiborne executives were instrumental in working with department stores to present all the related pieces of a wardrobe in one department.



The clothes became an instant hit, and the company went public in 1981. By 1985, Liz Claiborne Inc. was the first company founded by a woman to be listed in the Fortune 500, according to the company’s Web site. The company, whose brands now include Ellen Tracy, Dana Buchman and Juicy Couture, generated sales of almost $5 billion last year.
Liz Claiborne retired from the day-to-day operations in 1989.



“In losing Liz Claiborne, we have not only lost the founder of our company, but an inspirational woman who revolutionized the fashion industry 30 years ago,” said Bill McComb, CEO of Liz Claiborne, in a statement. “Her commitment to style and design is ever present in our thinking and the way we work. We will remember Liz for her vision, her entrepreneurial spirit and her enduring compassion and generosity.”

Her company lives on, and she will be remembered for being a fashion pioneer and a role model for young women hoping to make their mark in the world.



Posted in Fashion



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Original post by ShoppingBlog.com

Cameron Diaz went to Peru to shoot a documentary and get a little tourism in at the ancient city of Machu Picchu. Unfortunately, she caused an
international incident when she wore this hideous green purse with a giant red star and a Chairman Mao slogan written in Chinese characters. The locals suffered horribly in a war against Maoist rebels and were outraged she would wear such a purse. She has apologized though.

The Shrek star visited the historical Machu Picchu site with a green bag which had a red star and the words “serve the people” printed in Chinese.
It evoked memories of a Peruvian war against Maoist rebels in the 1980s and ’90s, when up to 69,000 people died.
Diaz admitted she did not realise the slogan’s “potentially hurtful nature”.
“I sincerely apologise to anyone I may have inadvertently offended,” she said in a statement released to the Associated Press.



“The bag was a purchase I made as a tourist in China.”
She went on: “I’m sorry for any people’s pain and suffering, and it was certainly never my intention to reopen what I now know is a painful wound in this country’s history.”
Diaz wore the bag while sightseeing at the Incan city of Machu Picchu
And she spoke of Peruvians’ beauty and warmth, saying she wished “for their continued healing”.



Her appearance with the bag had drawn criticism from prominent local human rights activist Pablo Rojas.
“It alludes to a concept that did so much damage to Peru, that brought about so many victims,” he said on Friday.
“I don’t think she should have used that bag where the followers of that ideology did so much damage.”

The moral of this story is: don’t buy clothing or accessories that are plastered with slogans in foreign languages you don’t speak. Because you just never know what incredibly offensive statement you may be making. Although we don’t think Cameron did it intentionally, how ignorant do you have to be to not know what the national symbol of the Chinese Communist party is? Anyone who got through high school history class knows that a lot of people suffered because of Chairman Mao’s insane ideas and accompanying Orwellian slogans. Get a clue — and a new handbag.



(Source: AP/Yahoo News)



Posted in Handbags



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Original post by ShoppingBlog.com

Newsweek has an interesting article
about how to shop organic on a budget. It’s true that organic produce costs a lot more than non-organic, so it’s good to see that some consumer advocates are taking up the issue.

Craig Minowa, environmental scientist with the Organic Consumers Association, has these tips: First, learn to buy big. Many health-food stores have bulk sections, and if you fill a bag with, say, organic cereal, you may end up paying less for it than you would for the nonorganic variety, since you’re not paying for packaging costs. Second, form a buying club. If a bunch of people pool their grocery lists, they can often special-order directly with the store, he said, and that, in turn, can lead to much lower costs.



Another path to frugal but healthy shopping is to choose your battles carefully. If you can’t afford to fill your entire shopping cart with organic food, you can still feel good about what you buy. Sarah Bratnober, communications director at the Organic Valley Family of Farms, advises following the 80/20 rule-80 percent of the benefits come from 20 percent of the purchases. Think about what your family eats the most of, then go from there. For example, if you have a choice between organic milk and organic mayonnaise, and your kids go through a gallon of milk in a week but only two tablespoons of mayo, go for the milk. Fruits and vegetables are also good choices, especially the ones your family eats lots of. And if you have the option, get into community-supported agriculture, where you own shares in a farm and get a share of whatever it produces.

The article notes that most organic products have the same shelf life as regular products, but that organic breads and pastries don’t last as long because they don’t have any preservatives. That applies to any fresh-baked products, really. Just put a loaf of Wonder Bread next to a loaf of french sourdough bread from the local bakery and watch the sourdough deteriorate in a few days, while the Wonder Bread remains pristine and plastic-looking. Kind of scary, really.



Posted in Gourmet



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Original post by ShoppingBlog.com

A British car insurance company that is focused on women has decided that women wear the wrong shoes for driving and that leads to accidents. The company’s solution? Create a pair of shoes that morph from stilettos to flats in an instant.

A new footwear design concept that aims to make women safer and more comfortable behind the wheel, without compromising on their style, is launched today.



Sheilas’ Wheels has developed the Sheila Driving Heel which gives women the best of both worlds - a safe, flat driving shoe and a glamorous pair of heels in one - all interchangeable at a push of a button.
More than 11.5 million* women drivers in the UK are putting themselves and other drivers at risk by wearing the wrong footwear when behind the wheel, according to new research from Sheilas’ Wheels - the car insurer for women.



One in ten (10%) female motorists admit that they have had a car accident or a near-miss because of their shoes slipping off or getting stuck between, or under, the foot pedals whilst driving.



The Safe Shoes report shows that a massive 80% of female drivers wear inappropriate footwear when in control of a car - choosing style over safety. A third (33%) of all female drivers confess to wearing flip-flops, while 18% claim that they have worn no shoes at all when driving, which experts say can be extremely hazardous and is currently illegal in some parts of the UK**.



In fact, just under half (47%) of women drivers said they chose what shoes to wear when getting ready in the morning based on what went best with their outfit rather than being the safest for driving in.



Under a fifth (17%) of female drivers keep a spare pair of driving shoes in the car to change into, while nearly a quarter (23%) admit they can’t be bothered to change their shoes when behind the wheel even if they know they are not the safest for driving.



Jacky Brown, spokesperson for Sheilas’ Wheels, said: “It’s astonishing that so many women are putting themselves, their passengers and other drivers at risk by wearing the wrong shoe or no shoe at all whilst behind the wheel. Stilettos, sling-backs and strappy sandals aren’t the sensible choice when it comes to controlling a car.”



“Our Sheila Driving Heel design could provide safety-conscious female motorists with the ultimate driving shoe - allowing women to wear a safe flat shoe whilst driving, and a fashionable heel once they are out of the car.”



The report highlighted that 63% of women called for better guidelines to advise them on the correct form of footwear to wear when driving. A lack of understanding is clearly evident as over half (54%) of female motorists believed that sports trainers were the safest shoes to drive in - even though their thick soles and chunky design limit both movement between, and contact with, the pedals.



Dianne Ferreira, spokesperson for Brake the national road safety charity, added: “An alarming number of female drivers simply do not realise the danger they are putting themselves, and others, in by driving in inappropriate shoes. High heels, platforms and flip-flops can seriously hamper your ability to drive safely, and could have fatal consequences. It only takes a few seconds to change your shoes before each journey to help ensure you arrive safely.”

We’re all for safe driving, but could they design something that’s not just for Stripperella? And what happens if they collapse while you’re busting a move on the dance floor? Or while you’re walking down the street? We have some doubts about the engineering behind this invention. You can read more about the shoes
here.
Or you could just be sure to drive in appropriate shoes.



Posted in Shoes



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Original post by ShoppingBlog.com

Filed under: Gaming

California State University multimedia student Tommy Lothian has come up with quite the master’s thesis: a virtual flythrough of an imaginative Aztec world wherein players don 3D goggles and strap themselves into a harness that suspends them horizontally, enabling them to interact with objects and complete tasks, including stabbing a monster with a jade stone, scaling an active volcano, and, uh, not hallucinating over too much fermented agave juice. No word on what Tommy plans to do with the tech, but we bet that agave juice simulation would be a huge hit at parties.

 

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

Original post by Nilay Patel

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Looks like Summer Infant has a whole lot of explaining to do after one of its baby monitors has reportedly been able to “pick up black-and-white video from inside the space shuttle Atlantis.” A Chicago-based mother probably had uncomfortable flashbacks to Signs after her newly purchased monitoring system chose to broadcast video of the mission right on the screen, but a NASA spokeswoman has already deflated hope that it was somehow coming directly from the shuttle. Apparently, a live feed is also available on NASA’s website, which is leading investigators to focus on more earthly origins — the mom, however, will probably just cancel her cable and keep on watching intently “to see what happens next.”

[Thanks, Joe]

 

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: Transportation

The image of a backed-up highway leading away from the scene of a natural disaster may soon be history, if researcher Yi-Chang Chiu and his colleagues at the University of Arizona have their way. They’ve developed a traffic simulator that uses real-time traffic data along with detailed state and federal traffic statistics and behavior modeling to allow officials to simulate disaster evacuations in real time — or even predict the course of events as a disaster is happening. The software adjusts for such varied data as driver reactions to radio reports and wind dispersal of smoke and other pollutants; it even calculates the number of casualties and their effect. Chiu has been building the simulator since 1995, and he’s ready to start selling to state transportation and medical emergency agencies. Interestingly, Chiu says his real research focus is on calculating optimum “value-priced” toll rates — something we’re certain most state transportation departments regard as the real disaster.

 

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

Original post by Nilay Patel

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops

Microsoft’s announced a new partnership with Linspire that’ll see the two companies work together to ensure greater interoperability between the two operating systems, as well provide some all-important intellectual property assurance. Among other things, that’ll apparently see various measures put in place to increase document compatibility between Microsoft Office and OpenOffice, along with the inclusion of Windows Media 10 audio and video codecs in future releases of Linspire, increased compatibility between instant messaging clients, and the licensing of Microsoft TrueType fonts to Linspire. Linspire users will also soon find Windows Live Search as their default option. To round out the deal, Microsoft and Linspire have also worked together on a framework to provide so-called patent covenants from Microsoft, which customers will apparently be able to acquire for a little extra peace of mind, and no doubt a little extra cash.

 

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

Original post by Donald Melanson

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Wearables, Networking

We’ve seen plenty of ideas and even a patent related to the employment of human skin in the transport of data. We’ve also seen our fair share of bone conducting audio products come to market in the last few years. Now in a synthesis of the two, scientists at Rice University have developed a technique whereby rattles to the skeleton can transmit information to gadgets and medical devices strapped on (or inside of) your meat sack. Their approach has resulted in “amazingly few errors” even when using low-powered vibrations. Great, soon our handshakes will transfer both biological and software-related viruses? Oh boy.

[Thanks, Geetu]

 

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

Original post by Thomas Ricker