Got an “old” ereader you want to “upgrade?” Get yourself a Nook and B&N will throw in $315 worth of free books, 30 titles in all, including “Glory in the Fall: The Greatest Moments in World Series History, 21st Century Crossword Puzzle Dictionary, My Boyfriend Wrote a Book About Me” along with some public domain titles. There are some cook books in there and a few other interesting titles but it’s not like you’re going to score a complete Stephen King library or anything.
Beginning Friday, while supplies last, customers will receive a free, 2GB microSD card loaded with 30 NOOK Books – from cooking and lifestyle to classics and reference –when they show a bookseller their old device and purchase the NOOK reader that best suits them.
When the nun Chiyono studied Zen under Bukko of Engaku she was unable to attain the fruits of meditation for a long time.
At last one moonlit night she put a single blue button into an aluminum case and connected it to a simple USB controller. When she pressed the button Chiyono was set free! → Read More
Here we are again. Another high profile device just launched, which means someone has to tear it apart. This time it’s TechRepublic tearing down the brand-new HP TouchPad who found just a few screws hold the whole thing together. In fact they state it’s built more like a PC than a tablet. Anyway, click through if you want to spend two minutes of your life looking at teardown pics. → Read More
President Obama has held town halls on both Facebook and YouTube, and to round things out a bit, the White House has announced that the President will be holding his first town hall on Twitter next week.
The President’s town hall, which will take place July 6 at 2 pm ET, will focus on the economy and job creation. People will be able to participate by Tweeting questions with the hashtag #AskObama, and can follow @Townhall for updates. Via a Twitter-hosted site, you can also watch President Obama respond live via webcast. Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey will moderate the meeting. → Read More
The netbook is back, baby! And it’s happy! Acer just announced the multicolored Aspire One Happy 2 netbook that’s actually headed to the US market. Strangely though, even in 2011, the hardware specs are ripped right out of the history books. The netbook might not be dead, but it should be. → Read More
So you still haven’t gotten into the Google+ field trial, not even after Google allowed early users who did send invites for a while, and not even while there are loopholes abound?
Desperate times call for desperate measures: break out your wallet and head on over to eBay, where Google+ invites are being sold for up to $75.
What do you mean you’re not insane? → Read More
The Nokia E6 saw a $7 price-cut as it became available today on Amazon’s site, listed at $439 instead of its pre-order price of $446. The unlocked, SIM-free phone is available and in-stock, and shipping is free from Amazon.
The unbranded Nokia E6 will work with both AT&T and T-Mobile’s networks, and with a pentaband 3G radio on board, the E6 can get 4G support, too. → Read More
We’re trying something new this week by bringing you some of the top tech stories in video format. Time is short, and so is this video. We realize it is a bit rough around the edges but hopefully the quick dose of news can get you caught up while on the run. Check it out and tell us what you think. In the meantime we’ll be iterating on TechCrunched. Below are the links to the stories mentioned in the video: → Read More
Robert Morris, a security expert and father of Robert Tappan Morris, the creator of the Morris Worm, died near his home in Lebanon, N.H. of complications due to dementia.
Morris spent almost a decade as chief scientist for the National Security Agency and was instrumental in the first cyberattack against Saddam Hussein’s Iraqi Army in 1991. Morris was also worked at building tools and systems for Unix research group at Bell Laboratories and laying the groundwork for the Internet as we know it. → Read More
Thanks to an update of Skype’s Android application, you can now make one-to-one video calls over both WiFi and 3G connections. You can download the Skype app from the Android Market or point your browser to Skype.com/m from your phone.
Note that your smartphone needs to be running Android Version 2.3 (and above) and have a front-facing camera. Supported handsets include the HTC Desire S, Sony Ericsson Xperia neo, Sony Ericsson Xperia pro and the Google Nexus S. → Read More
Google just announced that it is teaming up with Virgin America to allow passengers to “test-fly” the search giant’s new Chromebook computers for free. Virgin passengers will be able to use the computers onboard their flight and at select airport gates from July 1 through September 30, 2011.
As an incentive, flyers who check out a Chromebook will receive a free WiFi session onboard Virgin America. Virgin says that at airport gates in San Francisco, Chicago O’Hare, Boston and in Dallas-Fort Worth will include Google “Chrome Zone” lounges starting this week, where passengers can learn more about the Chromebook and check one out for their flight. Google is also partnering with the Ace Hotel in New York to offer Chromebooks in hotel guests’ rooms. → Read More
Social news viewing app An update to social news viewing app Flipboard goes live in the app store today, with a new souped up 1.5 version that optimizes the reader experience even further. Earlier this week we had the chance to sit down with Flipboard CEO Mike McCue and did a demo of the new features, above.
McCue tells me that the redesign focused on three core points.
1. People can now navigate to an infinite number of feeds.
2. Navigation through content is much more efficient via a Content Guide.
3. Users can follow their LinkedIn graph through added LinkedIn integration. → Read More
Do you like your beverages cool in the summer and warm in the winter? Are you one of those computer users who think it’s too cumbersome to walk to the fridge whenever you’re in need for a drink? Then the so-called USB Hot Cool Box [JP] from Thanko might be the right thing for you. → Read More
This wild Game Gear and Master System-playing mod uses the guts of a Game Gear, a PS One screen, and the original buttons from the original device to offer a fairly massive package full of retro fun.
Made by loveablechevy, it includes a rechargable battery and, as mentioned before, weighs more than a Motorola Xoom. → Read More
There are plenty of apps that provide a social ‘second screen’ experience to watching TV, allowing users to check-in to TV shows, share commentary with friends, earn badges and more. But these apps don’t actually combine their social functionality with your TV guide or remote control. Enter BlinQ, a new mobile iOS app that reorders the channel lineup on your cable system into most to least popular by your location.
The app, which was developed by Ryz Media, basically reorders your channel guide from numbers to what are the most popular shows on. You can click the channel on the phone and change channel immediately from the app itself. Ryz previously launched My TV Remote, which was a earlier iteration of BlinQ. → Read More
Citrix today announced two investments. The company is backing Graymatics, a stealth startup that is building a cloud platform for content-based analysis of video and other digital media, and Gizmox, the developer of the Visual WebGui web, cloud and mobile delivery platform.
The Graymatics investment marks the fourth funding commitment for the Citrix Startup Accelerator, the company’s Silicon Valley-based seed investment initiative, which launched in December 2010. The Gizmox investment is of greater strategic importance to Citrix. → Read More
Calling all closet Henri Cartier-Bressons: buy you a PEN E-P3, a packet of Gauloises and start shooting people kissing in the street. This new camera, part of Olympus‘ extended PEN line, is probably one of the most solid and capable micro 4/3s cameras I’ve used and with a solid alloy 12mm lens and a Gallic sensibility you can grab some excellent shots. → Read More
Olympus just announced the new PEN E-P3, PEN E-PL3, and PEN E-PM1. Why so many, you ask? Well, this is a full range of M4/3s cameras in various sizes – the granddaddy P, the “light” PL, and the mini PM. The E-P3 costs $899 with 12.3-megapixel Live MOS Image Sensor and 14-42mm lens. Only the E-P3 has been priced but here are some specs on the other, smaller cameras. In all, we’re looking at a fairly complete family of M4/3s cameras with big boy chops. The question? Will someone pick this up over an entry-level DSLR. → Read More
