Widget developer JS-Kit has joined with AOL’s Userplane in a widget cross-distribution partnership that should significantly increase the potential userbases for both companies.
Both companies produce popular sets of widgets that can be easily implemented with a minimal amount of code. Among Userplane’s offerings are a popular Webchat widget (which allows for full featured online chat), a media… → Read More
Canadian startup Smibs Inc has released its business social network dubbed SmibsNet in a semi-private beta. SmibsNet, which we originally covered in June, is similar to LinkedIn, but is focused on completing projects rather than acting as an online resume.
The network features an integrated application platform that includes Doorbell, a Highrise-like site that Smibs describes as “Sales… → Read More
Update: Friendfeed today released support for its Beta Real-Time feature. The API adds the ability to fetch realtime streams based on the Home, Room, and Friends List updates as they occur. While Friends Lists offer a way to port social graph data of your Twitter Follows to the Friendfeed platform, co-founder Bret Taylor said that was not yet available through the API “though we should add… → Read More
Who knew you could auction real diamonds much like you could sell your stamp collection on eBay?
Well, not really, but pretty close. DODAQ has launched a demo version of what appears to be the first ever online diamond exchange, enabling professional traders to buy, sell and hold certified polished diamonds like stocks. The company offers a two-way auction for traders and facilitates electronic… → Read More
If high-school education is failing in the U.S., maybe Web video can help. Founded last April, Brightstorm is a Web video site that brings bright, talented teachers together with students who need some extra help. Backed by Korea’s KTB Ventures, which invested the entire $6 million in the startup’s A round, Brightstorm is launching today to the public.
There are about 20 teachers on the site… → Read More
Lets face it: By and large, gaming on mobile handsets sucks. Sure, no one’s expecting (or even desiring, perhaps) an experience along the lines of a couch-camping session – but even the simplest of games are hindered by, amongst other things, the lack of intuitive input methods. While we’re able to quickly rewire our noggins to play Tetris on a number pad, it just never feels… → Read More
The HP Voice Messenger and the Data Messenger are two GSM fleet phones that look fairly staid. The Voice Messenger, show here: * Small and simple : Dial and type quickly with the simple and useful 20-key keypad. Text and email1,2 easily with intelligent predictive text that “learns” your words and style from messages and emails. * Smart and practical: Use email, phone, and Internet1,2 with… → Read More
Lets face it: By and large, gaming on mobile handsets sucks. Sure, no one’s expecting (or even desiring, perhaps) an experience along the lines of a couch-camping session – but even the simplest of games are hindered by, amongst other things, the lack of intuitive input methods. While we’re able to quickly rewire our noggins to play Tetris on a number pad, it just never feels… → Read More
Been putting off that Windows Mobile 6.0 upgrade for your HTC 8525? You’ve only got about 9 days left. HTC has announced that they will be removing all Windows Mobile 6.0 upgrades from their site. For our US readers, the only devices you need to worry about are the AT&T 8525 (HTC Hermes) and the T-Mobile Dash (S621). As PhoneNews points out, neither of these handsets have been given the… → Read More
Sun is releasing a new version of client-side Java insipidly called SE 6 Update 10 that sets the groundwork for JavaFX, a major overhaul of the runtime environment that’s set to debut before the year’s end and will challenge other RIA platforms such as AIR, Silverlight, and Google Gears. Update 10 comes with two major consumer-facing improvements: a smaller footprint and enhanced… → Read More
Eye-Fi cards are great, but if you’re rocking a CompactFlash setup like me, you’re kind of out of luck. And then a simple thing like this adapter comes to your attention and whole realms of possibility are opened to you. $28? Hell yes, I’m getting one of these things. → Read More
H-I-L-A-R-I-O-U-S!!! Can anyone make out the site? JWT via ibelieveinadv → Read More
Sun is releasing a new version of client-side Java insipidly called SE 6 Update 10 that sets the groundwork for JavaFX, a major overhaul of the runtime environment set to debut before the year’s end and challenge other RIA platforms such as AIR, Silverlight, and Google Gears.
Update 10 comes with two major consumer-facing improvements: a smaller footprint and enhanced speeds. Whereas the current… → Read More
What good is an endless jukebox in the sky if you can only listen to it while you are sitting in front of your computer? Imeem answers that with what is certainly the best Android app I’ve seen (or heard) so far. It’s called imeem Mobile, and it is the musically-oriented social network’s first foray into the mobile arena.
Imeem is one of the few music Websites with streaming licenses from all… → Read More
What won’t this country of maniacs think of? via Giz → Read More
After that sun-seeking planter robot, I figured you guys could use something a little drier. So without further ado: it seems that SanDisk and Toshiba are “reallocating” the output of a couple fabs (Fab 3 and Fab 4 if you must know). Essentially, it comes down to SanDisk selling off 30 percent of a joint venture in manufacturing flash memory to their partner, Toshiba. I don’t… → Read More
The Solo Tabletop RF-Armor from Revolabs is a high-end wireless microphone system using 1.92 to 1.93 GHz for its radio transmissions, with enhanced shielding which allows it “to operate cleanly even when in direct contact with all wireless electronic devices known to cause unwanted audio interference, such as GSM mobile phones, smart phones, etc.” The base station connects to your PC… → Read More
Call me a skeptic. When Lala came to our offices last week trying to convince me that music was heading to the cloud, and that they were going to help lead the transition, I wasn’t convinced at first. The company has floundered for years, moving from a CD swapping service to a failed music hub that shut down last summer. But now they’ve completely redesigned and are coming back with an… → Read More
A lot has already been said and written about the current economic crisis, and how the financial meltdown is and will keep on affecting startups in the US. VC’s and angel investors are telling their portfolio companies to say goodbye to the good times and batten down the hatches, and at the same time raising the bar for new financing rounds, while startup CEO’s are executing substantial lay-offs… → Read More
I have no words. This is the greatest thing I have ever seen. I get pretty diffuse light in my apartment, so this wouldn’t really be necessary — plus, my place is the size of a postage stamp and this thing would probably trip me up or crawl in bed with me at night. I guess that wouldn’t be so bad. I love everything about this little robot. Oh my god, how can you not? [via MAKE… → Read More
Just in case you wanna support the fine work done by the American Cancer Society to fight breast cancer, OmniMount has a pink Prism50 TV stand up on eBay for you. The stand was created in partnership with Karim Rashid – apparently some important, designer chick. The auction is running today through October 27, 2008 with all the proceeds be added to what Team OmniMount raises for a breast… → Read More
We’re an open-minded bunch at the Gear and we really wish folks would throw more events like Downshift Sessions’s 10th Anniversary party for Gran Turismo that celebrates the marriage between automotive design, art, gaming and music. Because gadgets aren’t drab little things anymore and we like that added touch of art to go with our gear. I do, at least. Last week at the Classic Car Club in… → Read More
Some genius stole more than 100 copies of Fable II and Gears of War 2 from a Tennessee warehouse, selling a number of them on the black market. The man, Technicolor employee Rodney Gray, was found with some 31 games on his person; police found several more copies of the games, as well as other DVDs, elsewhere. All told, police found more than $100,000 worth of stolen games and DVDs. Now, is this… → Read More
A little about me; I don’t like the word “buffering” to be quite honest with you. It’s not the word itself, it’s that I used to see that word all the time when I’d try to use my Xbox 360 to stream HD videos from my PC. As this is a review of a powerline networking product, I’m happy to report that said product – the Corinex GameNet – works really well. If you want to get the… → Read More
Can an e-commerce company scale like a web app? The answer, as we all know, is no. However, given that Amazon ‘scaled’ by creating a market for items which could fit through a letterbox, a UK company plans to do the same – this time with food, specifically healthy food like nuts and dried berries. Graze is a new UK startup created by Graham Bosher, ex of LoveFilm, who decided he… → Read More
Bloglines got a much needed band-aid this weekend that fixed the feed update problem that has plagued users for weeks and caused long-gone founder Mark Fletcher to write “Bloglines, please stop sucking. It’s been a couple weeks now. I don’t want to have to move to Google Reader. Sigh.”
In our continued testing we see all of our feeds now updating regularly on both the default and beta… → Read More
So you’re a public relations exec and you’re looking to promote the hell out of your top-draw title—what to do? Thank your lucky stars for Edge, which has just compiled a list of the top 10 things to do to promote your game. Some of the techniques include “carpet bombing,” which is getting your game featured in every magazine and online outlet possible; using celebrities to… → Read More
A Swedish clergyman is in a bit of hot water after it was discovered that he used the church’s computers to download an insane amount of pornography. I bring this up because A) it’s funny and B) it’s yet another reminder to compute responsibly. Surfing whatever it is that tickles your fancy in the privacy of your own home, and without dumb script kiddies eavesdropping on your… → Read More
Muslim social network Muxlim.com, live since late 2006, is planning to launch a Muslim-oriented virtual world not unlike Second Life. The idea is that something tailored to the Muslim world would be allowed through the IP-blocks of countries like United Arab Emirates which currently stops access to virtual worlds and online games considered unsuitable or offensive to Muslim culture. The virtual… → Read More
With the impending release of the first phone to feature Google’s Android platfrom, we’re beginning to see a few of the first apps that will be available through Google’s Android Market. Among these is SugarTrip, an application that takes an innovative approach to measuring street traffic by taking advantage of the GPS units that will be integrated into most Android phones.
As users drive their… → Read More
Seattle, WA
San Diego, CA
Menlo Park, CA
Boston, MA
Berlin, Germany
San Francisco
