3/30/2007
Latest Gadgets on CG
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3/29/2007
The Real Wedding Crashers
Like pulling pranks on your friends? What about at your own wedding? American broadcast network, NBC, has a new reality TV series called The Real Wedding Crashers. Here's a clip of the show.Inspired by the feature film Wedding Crashers (Owen Wilson, Vince Vaughn, Christopher Walken), the premise of the show is simple. Wedding couples team up with five crashers to create the most awkward and uncomfortable wedding weekend possible.
The crash team consists of five improvisational performers who pretend to be various people in the wedding such as the pastor, the wedding planner, a waiter, a long lost friend, a tailor, and even an exterminator. The bride and groom are in on the fun as they assist the crashers in pulling pranks on their guests. Why would they do such a thing? Attended enough weddings in your lifetime and they all will start to blend together. Hopefully a "crashed" wedding will be one you will always remember.I'm actually pretty excited to see this show. It premieres sometime in April (2007) on NBC.
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Labels: video
3/28/2007
Vinyl Junkies Help Rescue Music
In the age of the iTunes Music Store and iPods, why should we even care about vinyl records? In fact, many kids under 20 haven't even seen a turntable before. The truth is there's a lot of music that doesn't exist in digital form or even on CD.The people who collect records don't just buy music, they rescue it from obscurity. These vinyl junkies go 'elbow deep' into discount bins and scour garage sales for rare record finds. It may be unintentional on their part, but their efforts to spin the black circle are keeping discontinued recordings from becoming extinct.
Guardian reporter Dorian Lynskey delves into the dusty underground world of the 'vinyl diggers.'
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Labels: music
3/26/2007
Sony Adds TV Shows to iTunes
Last week Sony Pictures Television made its programming available for the first time in Apple's iTunes Store (US).Episodes from current shows "'Til Death" and "Rules of Engagement" as well as from classic series including "Starsky & Hutch," "Charlie's Angels," and "NewsRadio" were added to iTunes' offerings for $1.99 each.
Season 1 from Spiderman, the animated series, was also added to iTunes. The series features Neil Patrick Harris (Starship Troopers, Doogie Howser), Ian Ziering (Beverly Hills 90210) and singer-songwriter Lisa Loeb.
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Labels: itunes
3/22/2007
Apple TV Unpacking Photos
Guess what showed up in the mail today? You can see more Apple TV unpacking photos here.
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Labels: apple tv
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3/21/2007
Retro Games In Stop Motion
Pes from EatPES.com frequently makes stop motion short films and commercials, but their latest work titled "Game Over" is a masterpiece.
"Game Over" is a medley of several 1980s arcade games including a stop motion version of Centipede done with cup cakes and a pizza and pillow case version of Pac-Man. Seriously, it's great stuff and will be one of the easiest 5 star ratings you've ever given to a YouTube video.
If you get a chance, head over to Pes' site and watch some of the other stuff. I recommend the Bacardi commercial. Amazing work.
In case all this Pac-Man talk makes you feel like gobbling up some ghosts, here's a web browser based version of Pac-Mac.
methodshop
"Game Over" is a medley of several 1980s arcade games including a stop motion version of Centipede done with cup cakes and a pizza and pillow case version of Pac-Man. Seriously, it's great stuff and will be one of the easiest 5 star ratings you've ever given to a YouTube video.
If you get a chance, head over to Pes' site and watch some of the other stuff. I recommend the Bacardi commercial. Amazing work.
In case all this Pac-Man talk makes you feel like gobbling up some ghosts, here's a web browser based version of Pac-Mac.
methodshop
3/20/2007
Apple TV Shipping
I got an email from Apple this morning at 4 A.M.. Guess my Apple TV is on its way. And it looks like they gave me a discount. I only got charged $281. It's listed for $299 on Apple.com. I pre-ordered my Apple TV the day it was announced. Maybe I got the discount because it got delayed a month? Let's hope the Apple TV 1.0 software is bug free.
flickr | methodshop
flickr | methodshop
Sony Cybershot DSC-T100
When I'm on vacation there are several items that are on the "must bring" list. This includes clean underwear, Tylenol, and a camera. Everything else can be dealt with on an as needed basis. But some funny, unplanned moment will not repeat itself while you go buy a throw away camera. 
1) I suck at taking pictures. The simpler, the better. Point and shoot.
2) I'm not always real steady. Having a built in steady shot is a must. The Sony Cybershot DSC-T100 has an excellent one.
3) Size does matter. A camera should not require a camera crew to lugg it along. It should fit in my pocket or in a small carrying case. End of story. The Sony Cybershot DSC-T100 is 3.5 x 2.5 inches and weighs only 5 ounces.
That being said, here's what I went for. The Sony Cybershot DSC-T100 is an awesome camera. It has a great digital zoom and 8.1 megapixels. In non-geek terms this means you can make out nipple detail in a bikini from really far away. It also has cool extras like a waterproof camera housing for underwater photos, and a host of other goodies. So there, that's it. Don't get caught on vacation with your pants down when something funny happens. Leave that to someone else and take the picture.
BeSocial: digg it whatshouldibring
1) I suck at taking pictures. The simpler, the better. Point and shoot.
2) I'm not always real steady. Having a built in steady shot is a must. The Sony Cybershot DSC-T100 has an excellent one.
3) Size does matter. A camera should not require a camera crew to lugg it along. It should fit in my pocket or in a small carrying case. End of story. The Sony Cybershot DSC-T100 is 3.5 x 2.5 inches and weighs only 5 ounces.
That being said, here's what I went for. The Sony Cybershot DSC-T100 is an awesome camera. It has a great digital zoom and 8.1 megapixels. In non-geek terms this means you can make out nipple detail in a bikini from really far away. It also has cool extras like a waterproof camera housing for underwater photos, and a host of other goodies. So there, that's it. Don't get caught on vacation with your pants down when something funny happens. Leave that to someone else and take the picture.
BeSocial: digg it whatshouldibring
3/15/2007
NBC Remixes The Office
Get ready for the television "newpeat." In an unusual experiment aimed at improving ratings for reruns, tonight American broadcast network NBC plans to air two previously seen half-hour episodes of The Office that have been re-edited into a new hour-long show.Some scenes will be cut so producers can weave in unaired footage that introduces a new storyline into the older episodes. NBC, a unit of General Electric Co., won't film new footage but is instead relying on snippets that have been cut from previous tapings, a spokeswoman says. The "newpeats," as NBC is calling the episodes, will air tonight at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
In an age where old TV episodes are widely distributed online -- in some cases just hours after they air - networks are struggling to attract audiences to the repeats on their schedules. The Big Four American networks in decades past could count on a significant audience to turn up for reruns because there wasn't that much competition. But with video games, the Internet, DVDs sporting extras and the continued proliferation of cable all competing for their time, audiences expect something more.
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Labels: tv
3/14/2007
TiVo CEO Promises Cheap HD TiVo
Think paying $800 for a Series3 HD TiVo box without service is insane? You are not alone. Consumers weren't exactly excited about coughing up that much $$$ for the Series3 and TiVo sales have slumped. In fact, TiVo just reported a Q4 net loss of $18.7 million.With products like Apple TV and a Windows Vista CableCARD coming out soon, TiVo has to do something before they are quickly phased out of the digital living room.
So what's their solution? Just make it cheaper I guess. TiVo CEO Tom Rogers had this to say in his quarter results commentary: "We will be highly focused this year on launching a lower-priced, mass appeal High Definition product."
That vague quote doesn't exactly guarantee a cheap HD TiVo during 2007, but hopefully they can come up with something during the next 9 months. Whatever they are going to do, they better do it quick. I already pre-ordered an Apple TV and if it lives up to expectations, my Series2 TiVo will be making a brief cameo on eBay before it leaves my living room.
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Labels: HDTV
3/12/2007
Gyroflex Pro Review
Spend a lot of time on the computer? Who doesn't these days. After awhile you'll probably develop wrist pains. A quick and easy way to exercise your hands and fingers everyday is to spend a few minutes with the Gyroflex Pro.
The Gyroflex Pro uses gyroscopic inertia (centrifugal force's younger cousin) to increase strength and coordination in your hand, wrist, arm and shoulder. It also aids in the prevention and rehab of certain injuries, helps with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and reduces stress.
To use the Gyroflex Pro, just pull the starter cord and hold on tight. After a few sessions you'll improve your coordination, strengthen your grip, build your forearms, and really exercise your hands and fingers.
Specs & Features:
I know a graphic artist who wears a rollerblading wrist guard because he has Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Honestly, it looks a little dorky. Walking around your office while wearing a rollerblading wrist guard isn't exactly the best way to meet girls. Maybe I'll buy him a Gyroflex Pro and try to save his nightlife from social destitute.
Besides graphic artists, anyone who has to do repetitive hand motions all day like secretaries, computer analysts, porn movie fluffers and athletes, can benefit from this little ball.
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The Gyroflex Pro uses gyroscopic inertia (centrifugal force's younger cousin) to increase strength and coordination in your hand, wrist, arm and shoulder. It also aids in the prevention and rehab of certain injuries, helps with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and reduces stress.
To use the Gyroflex Pro, just pull the starter cord and hold on tight. After a few sessions you'll improve your coordination, strengthen your grip, build your forearms, and really exercise your hands and fingers.
Specs & Features:
- Measures: 4" x 1.375"
- Weighs: 10 oz.
- Build strength while improving coordination
- New easy grip outer sphere for better control and prolonged usage.
- Generates up to 32lbs of pressure when maximum RPM's is reached
- Exclusive new design for ease of starting.
- Increases total arm strength
- Improves coordination
- Aids in prevention of carpal tunnel syndrome
- Reduces stress
I know a graphic artist who wears a rollerblading wrist guard because he has Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Honestly, it looks a little dorky. Walking around your office while wearing a rollerblading wrist guard isn't exactly the best way to meet girls. Maybe I'll buy him a Gyroflex Pro and try to save his nightlife from social destitute.
Besides graphic artists, anyone who has to do repetitive hand motions all day like secretaries, computer analysts, porn movie fluffers and athletes, can benefit from this little ball.
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Labels: review
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3/10/2007
Logitech Harmony H-659
From our friends at Woot.
Imagine for a moment that you have one week to live. What would you do with your time? At any other site, the answers would probably be “try to finish my symphony” or “devote my resources to doing as much as I could to help others in my final hours”. Here at Woot, though, we know that we would hear nothing but “HOLY CRAP I HAVE TO GET HOME AND START WATCHING MY IMPORTED STAR BLAZERS LASERDISCS FROM THE BEGINNING” or “MAN I CAN’T BELIEVE THAT CARTOON NETWORK IS SHOWING 168 HOURS OF VOLTRON HOW LUCKY AM I TO BE DYING THIS WEEK”
And it is for you, our all-caps warriors of Cybernia, that we offer the Logitech Harmony H-659 Advanced Universal Remote Control. This remote could run anything. Anything. Look at those 51 buttons! And underneath those you will find 2MB of flash memory and 4 AAA batteries. That’s pretty much more than you needed to run Windows 3.1 back in the day.
The Logitech Harmony H-659 Advanced Universal Remote Control comes with a USB cable which can be used to transfer important programming details into the remote, through the clever use of your PC or your OS X Mac. Logitech calls it Smart State Technology, possibly because someone else owned the patent on “The Awesome Button”, but either way it means you don’t need to push a whole bunch of buttons just to try and look up Sailor Moon’s skirt during the opening credits.
The Logitech Harmony H-659 Advanced Universal Remote Control is so smart that it has a built in Help button. It can probably even bake you cookies from scratch* if you find the right button combination. Try to throw a fireball first, that always does something. But do not waste any more of your last week on earth reading about the Logitech Harmony H-659 Advanced Universal Remote Control. Click through! Click through!
*remote will not bake cookies from scratch
Warranty: 90 days
Features:
read more | digg story | treblemaker.com
Imagine for a moment that you have one week to live. What would you do with your time? At any other site, the answers would probably be “try to finish my symphony” or “devote my resources to doing as much as I could to help others in my final hours”. Here at Woot, though, we know that we would hear nothing but “HOLY CRAP I HAVE TO GET HOME AND START WATCHING MY IMPORTED STAR BLAZERS LASERDISCS FROM THE BEGINNING” or “MAN I CAN’T BELIEVE THAT CARTOON NETWORK IS SHOWING 168 HOURS OF VOLTRON HOW LUCKY AM I TO BE DYING THIS WEEK”And it is for you, our all-caps warriors of Cybernia, that we offer the Logitech Harmony H-659 Advanced Universal Remote Control. This remote could run anything. Anything. Look at those 51 buttons! And underneath those you will find 2MB of flash memory and 4 AAA batteries. That’s pretty much more than you needed to run Windows 3.1 back in the day.
The Logitech Harmony H-659 Advanced Universal Remote Control comes with a USB cable which can be used to transfer important programming details into the remote, through the clever use of your PC or your OS X Mac. Logitech calls it Smart State Technology, possibly because someone else owned the patent on “The Awesome Button”, but either way it means you don’t need to push a whole bunch of buttons just to try and look up Sailor Moon’s skirt during the opening credits.
The Logitech Harmony H-659 Advanced Universal Remote Control is so smart that it has a built in Help button. It can probably even bake you cookies from scratch* if you find the right button combination. Try to throw a fireball first, that always does something. But do not waste any more of your last week on earth reading about the Logitech Harmony H-659 Advanced Universal Remote Control. Click through! Click through!
*remote will not bake cookies from scratch
Warranty: 90 days
Features:
- Easy to use, easy to set-up
- Full control of any component
- 3 one-touch activity buttons
- Ideal for satellite and digital cable
- LCD screen: The compact, always-on LCD displays menus, commands and built-in media guides. Six buttons surrounding the LCD correspond to various options and commands presented on the screen.
- Hard buttons: A total of 51 hard buttons are included on the H-659, providing full control over your devices with separate menu, transport, keypad and volume/channel sections.
- Full backlighting: Both the LCD screen and all hard buttons are backlit with a blue electroluminescent (EL) panel. The backlight can be configured for a 5 or 10 second timeout.
- Soft-labelled buttons: The LCD screen can show multiple pages of device functions with customized text labels for both activities and devices.
- More memory: The H-659 includes double the amount of memory as on the SST-748 or SST-745 for more TV guide data.
- Internet programmable: All remote configuration is completed through the internet. Very little software to download, and it’s compatible with Windows and Mac computers
- Simplified activity based concept: The Harmony was designed with quick “activity” control in mind. Instead of operating your components one by one, the Harmony blends the most commonly used functions from each device into activities such as “Watch a Movie” or “Watch TV”. Numerous options allow each activity to be customized to your particular home theater.
- Automatically configured macros: The Harmony will automatically create macros to control your equipment’s input and power status. If a device does not use discrete codes, the Harmony’s patented “Smart State Technology” uses internal variables to remember what state a device is in.
- Preset components: The Harmony website now features over 30,000 unique components that have been configured characterized for proper operation by other Harmony owners.
- Code learning: If the Harmony website is unable to determine the type of device you are using, all codes can be manually learned via the learning eye located on the bottom of the remote.
- Separate device control: When direct access to a specific function is needed, the H-659’s [Device] button grants quick access to every command supported by your model.
- Sound and picture modes: Each activity and device can have two supplementary modes, each with uniquely configured buttons.
- Built-in help: The remote’s [Help] button will assist users in correcting any power or audio/video synchronization issues.
- Import Pronto hex codes: If a command is not already in the Harmony’s component database, raw Pronto hex codes may be imported.
- Simulator: A full-featured simulator can be used to test the remote’s configuration on your computer, without actually downloading a file to the remote.
- Mini USB connection: Provides quick communications with your PC and uses a standard cable type and default drivers.
- 2MB non-volatile flash memory
- LCD Screen (WxH): 1.25" x 0.75" , 1.35" diagonal
- LCD Resolution: 84x48
- Backlight: Blue electroluminescent panel (LCD & buttons)
- 51 top-mounted hard buttons
- Smart State Technology inside
- Infrared (IR): 3 wide-dispersion high-power LEDs (range >40 ft, sending frequency >60 kHz, sensing frequency >60 kHz.)
- Power: While connected: USB power from PC, when not connected: 4 AAA 1.5V batteries (not included)
- Dimensions: 8.1x 2.3 x 1.3 inches
- Weight: 5.8 oz
- PC with Windows 98SE/Me/2000/XP or Mac OS X with Safari 1.0
- Internet access
- USB port
read more | digg story | treblemaker.com
3/09/2007
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3/08/2007
Blockbuster Online Denies Problems
According to bloggers and a flood of angry comments on the Internet, operations at American DVD rental service, Blockbuster Online, have come to a screeching halt. Angry customers are reporting that they have not received movies from their queues for weeks. According to one customer, repeated calls to Blockbuster customer service were fruitless and when he finally did get through, a customer service rep told him that their mail rental system was shut down.However an official spokesperson for Blockbuster denied the existance of any problems when contacted by Ars Technica.com. "We've been continually shipping product. If a customer feels like they are not getting a movie, they should follow up with our customer service. But in terms of product being allocated and shipped, there has been no interruption."
Despite what the spokesperson says, sites like DVDRR.com have been flooded with negative comments like this one from a Blockbuster Online user named Cat: "No dvds have been shipped for over a week despite 3 open slots and 26 available titles in my queue. Emails and phone calls to customer support have not succeeded in getting this resolved, just promises that are not kept. I will be canceling and switching to Netflix."
Is it just a random coincidence that Blockbuster Online users didn't receive any DVDs last month? Or is Blockbuster being less than truthful about possible problems with their rental service? Blockbuster is engaged a tough battle against Netflix, the market leader in online rentals. Admitting to significant service interruptions might persuade users to switch to Netflix.
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Labels: dvd
Air Guitarist Bjorn Turoque
In this clip from Late Night with Conan O'Brien, "professional air guitarist" Bjorn Turoque (pronounced "b-yorn too-RAWK") talks about his book To Air is Human and shows off some of his trademark moves. But being a professional air guitarist isn't all fortune and fame. Before you rush off and join Bjorn on the air guitar pro circuit, keep in mind that Bjorn's air guitar career has ruined friendships and prevents him from having a girlfriend.BeSocial: digg story | vmix | methodshop
Labels: video
iPod Alarm Clock Tutorial
The iPod’s Alarm Clock is nestled among other features like Calendar and Notes under the iPod’s Extras menu. While you may already be familiar with many of the iPod Extras (especially Games), the Alarm Clock is largely an under appreciated feature.Whether you prefer to be woken by the scream of a rock star or the French horn in a classical symphony, the iPod’s Alarm Clock can help you open your eyes every morning with style!
Tutorial: Waking Up to the iPod Alarm Clock
methodshop.com
3/07/2007
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3/06/2007
Geekiest Tattoo Ever
The tricky thing about tattoos is that they are for life. Permanent. Forever inked into your body. People always talk about getting a silly tattoo, but usually that's all just talk. Then once in awhile you hear about someone getting a really bad tattoo. My favorite bad tattoo example is either an 8-ball or a donkey on a surfboard smoking a joint. But now I guess I need to add room to that list.This guy (see image) decided to not only get a bad tattoo, but he added a super nerdy twist to it. In case you don't know what his head/body tattoo means, it's a piece of HTML code currently used when making web pages. Like I said, very, very nerdy. What makes it worse is that this tattoo is on his neck. Imagine having to explain your HTML head/body tattoo to everyone over-and-over again the next time you are at a wedding or social event.
Plus think about this. Sure, today HTML is currently a commonly used computer language. But the Internet is evolving fast. I wouldn't expect HTML to still be that relevant in the next 10 - 20 years. Hopefully techniques in laser tattoo removal will make significant some strides during the next couple decades.
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Labels: geek
3/05/2007
Perfect iTunes EQ Settings
We've all seen the EQ setting in iTunes, but not many of us know exactly how to use it to its full potential. In this article, Rich Tozzoli, Senior Editor of Surround Professional Magazine breaks each EQ slider down and helps you get the most out of your music.
Tutorial: Demystifing the EQ sliders in iTunes
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Tutorial: Demystifing the EQ sliders in iTunes
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3/04/2007
Sync iCal and Google Calendar BiDirectionally!
I really want to be able to sync both iCal and Google Calendar with my iPod Nano. It's no secret that you can get Google Calendar to sync with iCal. But about what syncing in the opposite direction (iCal to Google)? Since Google Calendar's inception, there was no bidirectional solution. But thanks to the makers of SpanningSync, there is now...
SpanningSync has made a Mac OS X System Preference that allows you to sync all your info to and from both iCal and Google Calendar. But is it ready for prime time?
Right from the start I did have an issue with SpanningSync. When I tried installing it, the installer told me I already had the SpanningSync System Preference pane installed - which I did not. So I reinstalled SpanningSync and it loaded fine. Another issue I had was with the Birthdays Calendar from iCal. When I tried syncing the automatically generated Birthday Calendar from iCal, I constantly received an "error" message. The makers of the program claim a fix has been made, but as of the latest version of the BETA, it has not.
Despite these two setbacks, all of my other calendars sync with no problems. The convenient menu bar icon, easy-to-use interface, and strong customer support have allowed me to appreciate this tiny app that does big things. And remember, it's still in beta and getting better all the time.
BeSocial: digg story | methodshop
SpanningSync has made a Mac OS X System Preference that allows you to sync all your info to and from both iCal and Google Calendar. But is it ready for prime time?
Right from the start I did have an issue with SpanningSync. When I tried installing it, the installer told me I already had the SpanningSync System Preference pane installed - which I did not. So I reinstalled SpanningSync and it loaded fine. Another issue I had was with the Birthdays Calendar from iCal. When I tried syncing the automatically generated Birthday Calendar from iCal, I constantly received an "error" message. The makers of the program claim a fix has been made, but as of the latest version of the BETA, it has not.
Despite these two setbacks, all of my other calendars sync with no problems. The convenient menu bar icon, easy-to-use interface, and strong customer support have allowed me to appreciate this tiny app that does big things. And remember, it's still in beta and getting better all the time.
BeSocial: digg story | methodshop
Labels: os x
3/01/2007
Making Web 2.0 Logos in Photoshop
Ever wonder how graphic designers make all those Web 2.0 Logos? If you know basic Photoshop it's not that hard. But sometimes its nice to learn from others, build up a basic skill set and let your creativity grow from there.
Here's a Photoshop tutorial (alt link) that reveals how some of those nice Web 2.0 logos were made in Adobe Photoshop.
BeSocial: flickr | methodshop | digg story
Here's a Photoshop tutorial (alt link) that reveals how some of those nice Web 2.0 logos were made in Adobe Photoshop.
BeSocial: flickr | methodshop | digg story
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Turkey Bowl is a 3D perspective target game where you celebrate the fall harvest by knocking over turkeys with bowling apples. Here's a hint, the turkeys further away are worth more points. Happy Thanksgiving!!!
Has a virus or hard
drive crash wiped out your entire music collection on your computer? No
problem. Here's how to copy music off your iPod or iPhone and back onto your computer.
Bugs tend to freak us out. Mosquitoes, spiders, wasps, centipedes... you name it. If it crawls, bites or buzzes anywhere near our faces, then we squirm, swat and run. But what's worse than a little bug crawling on or biting you? How about a really, really big one? Here are some of the biggest bugs on Earth. Enjoy!. 
Need
something to watch on your iPod or iPhone? Here's a tutorial that
explains how to use a program called Handbrake to rip DVD's
into iPod compatible MPEG-4 video files.
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