DavesBlog

A study supposedly commissioned by the folks behind Doritos — yes, the triangular tortilla chip snack — brings us some tragic news about female gamers. Apparently a lot of ladies enjoy online games more than just about everything else — including bathing and having sex.

According to trade news site MCV, the study in question surveyed 2,052 people in order to analyze their gaming habits and preferences. Out of those individuals, 49 percent of women play online games (compared to the 50 percent of men who responded similarly).

It's once we focus on the women who acknowledged that they enjoy playing online games that things get slightly strange though:

Of these female online gamers, 84 percent said they enjoy their gaming sessions, compared to just 70 percent who enjoy sex. 62 percent enjoy working out, 71 percent enjoy shopping and 75 percent enjoy having a bath.

Are you seeing the pattern? Games consistently rank as being more enjoyable than other activities. Now, it's worth noting that just because an activity is deemed 'enjoyable' more frequently than another doesn't mean that it'd be chosen over it. Meaning, that while some of the women surveyed enjoy gaming more than they enjoy bathing, they don't necessarily choose to skip a bath to game. (Then again, they might. That's the tricky thing about these studies.)

It's also curious that we are not told which games are cited to qualify someone as a 'gamer.' Does FarmVille count? Is it a game that's played via Xbox Live? How about 'Bejeweled'?

We've reached out to Frito-Lay — the company behind Doritos — to see if we could get more details about this study.

Related stories:

Facebook users big on trust, close relationships: study

Study: Social media users really are nice people

Study: Women post Facebook photos to raise self-worth

Rosa Golijan writes about tech here and there. She's obsessed with Twitter and loves to be liked on Facebook. Oh, and she can be found on Google+, too.

2011-07-12T07:35:00.000-07:00

2011-07-02T18:48:00.000-07:00

iPad tip: Always buy or rent the SD versions of movies and TV shows

2011-02-28T14:09:00.000-08:00

iPad tip: Always buy or rent the SD versions of movies and TV shows: "If you're spending extra on HD, you're wasting money on pixels you really don't need. Of course, there's an exception to every rule...

Originally posted at iPad Atlas

Use Secure Password Creation Methods for More Private Security Questions [Passwords]

2011-02-23T07:21:00.000-08:00

Use Secure Password Creation Methods for More Private Security Questions [Passwords]: "

We've shared quite a few clever password creation tips with you over the years, and reader will_hopkins reminds us that they're just as useful, if not moreso, on your security questions. More »

iPhone Drops Down UK Handset Rankings

2011-02-23T07:15:00.000-08:00

iPhone Drops Down UK Handset Rankings

SO THIS IS WHAT FAMOUS COLLEGE STUDENTS DO THESE DAYS: Dan Aykroyd And Ron Perelman's Daughters Make Nasty Rap Video Called "Pussy Breath"

2011-02-22T07:56:00.000-08:00

SO THIS IS WHAT FAMOUS COLLEGE STUDENTS DO THESE DAYS: Dan Aykroyd And Ron Perelman's Daughters Make Nasty Rap Video Called "Pussy Breath": "

Amid the growing debate about whether college is just a huge waste of time and money, it's worth checking in on what college students are up to these days.

Especially elite college students. At expensive, prestigious universities like Harvard and Penn. The brilliant sons and daughters of the rich and famous. The best of the best.

Are today's elite college students cramming for exams? Prepping for job interviews? Figuring out how to make the world a better place?

Not exactly. At least not exclusively.

For Valentines Day, for example, a bunch of famous students at Harvard and other schools made a music video called "Pussy Breath."

It's about exactly what you might think it's about: "Pussy breath." It's funny, we guess.

And who knows, maybe the students are getting academic credit for it. You never know what schools like Harvard are teaching these days.

We posted the video last week, and a reader has since been kind enough to tell us the famous students who starred in it. We haven't completely confirmed this information, but the photographic evidence suggests the reader is right. We've embedded the video below, so you can be the judge.

According to our reader, the students who made and starred in the video included:

Ron Perelman's daughter, Sam, who goes to Penn

Dan Aykroyd's daughter, Danielle, who goes to Harvard

Daniel Libeskind's daughter, Rachael, who goes to Harvard

Ellen Barkin's niece, Lana, who appears to go to Bard

Here's the latest version of the video:

And here are the folks who appear to star in it:

For example, here's a picture of Dan Aykroyd's daughter, Danielle Aykroyd, a Harvard '12 student. The picture comes from when she was serving as a student moderator for a conversation with with Per Wästberg, chairman of the Nobel Prize for Literature, in 2008. Next to it, there's what might be her cameo in the video (watch it around 01:25 in the video).

And here's Ellen Barkin's (star of The Big Easy, Sea of Love) niece Lana Barkin, who made her cameo in the Pussy Breath video her facebook pic (watch it around 01:35). Lana appears to attend Bard, another elite college.

And here's Daniel Libeskind's (the architect of the new World Trade Center) daughter Rachel, a Harvard '11 student, in Venice in 2007. And here's what might be her cameo in the video (watch it around 02:03).

And here's the photo that Simon Kirke's (the drummer in the 80's band Bad Company) daughter Lola has on IMDB (because she's already starred in a few films). And there's what might be her dancing in the song around 02:40.

And here's Ron Perelman (a big guy in private equity, the chairman of Revlon) with his daughter Sam (who according to her Facebook profile, seems to be a Penn '12 student) in 2010, next to a screen shot of what we think is Sam's appearance in "Pussy Breath" (watch it around 00:47).

Sidenote: Ron Perelman was actually married to Ellen Barkin at one point (they divorced in 2006).

We're just thankful Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein's son JB Blankfein graduated from Harvard last year and didn't get a chance to participate in this production. The press would have a field day with Lloyd Blankfein's son starring in a music video about cunningulus stank, no matter how funny it is, because in the words of our editor, 'it's basically porn.'

FWIW, we don't personally think the video is that bad, and Harvard sanctions a real porn magazine, so we don't think the school will care, but we emailed them for a comment anyway. They haven't gotten back to us.

It's also worth mentioning that if you google these kids, you'll probably find that making a video called 'Pussy Breath' is not all they've accomplished in their lives. (Barkin and Libeskind, for example, are published photographers. Libeskind has also produced a number of Harvard plays.)

As for the students, we don't have their email addresses, but we emailed the creator of the video and asked him to put us in touch with them so we can get their comment too.

The lead singer in the video, MCMP, by the way, is a NYC comedian and actor who goes by the name of Matt Pavich.

If you know the who's who of everyone else, by the way, or have want to alert us to any mistakes, let us know.

Watch the video again by clicking below:

Join the conversation about this story »

Motorola to Sell Xoom Tablet on Feb. 24 at Verizon Wireless

2011-02-22T07:39:00.000-08:00

Motorola to Sell Xoom Tablet on Feb. 24 at Verizon Wireless

Little Black Box Powers Your Mobile Devices with AA Batteries [Stuff We Like]

2011-02-18T09:44:00.000-08:00

Little Black Box Powers Your Mobile Devices with AA Batteries [Stuff We Like]: "

We've shown you how to make your own battery-powered USB charger, but if you aren't up to the task, the Little Black Box will charge and power all your USB devices with a few AA batteries, and without taking up much space. More »

IntoNow for iPhone [Video]

2011-02-18T07:41:00.000-08:00

IntoNow for iPhone [Video]: "

Hot damn. It's like Shazam for your TV. More »

Google Buys Voice Messaging Application Developer SayNow

2011-01-25T11:40:00.000-08:00

Google Buys Voice Messaging Application Developer SayNow: "

Google has just acquired voice messaging startup SayNow, according to a blog post on SayNow’s homepage.

SayNow’s platform allows voice messaging, one-on-one conversations, and group calls to be integrated into Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Android, or iPhone applications. The startup has built a number of applications, which have over 15 million users, with this capabilities, including SayNow Phone, SayNow Broadcast, Big Call and Chit Chat.

Here’s the post:

We are thrilled to announce that we have been acquired by Google.

Since 2005, we’ve explored fun and entertaining ways for people to talk with each other. Through the web, smartphones, and even land lines, our products brought communities together through the power of voice. And as Google has some of the best voice products in the world, we believe combining forces with the Google Voice team will let us innovate in new and unexplored areas.

We have no specific product plans to announce at this time, but we’ll have more to say about our roadmap as we integrate with Google, so stay tuned. We couldn’t be more excited about what is yet to come.

UPDATING

Spending crunch ahead: Where our money is heading

2011-01-24T08:25:00.000-08:00

Spending crunch ahead: Where our money is heading: "In 2020, unless we make big changes, 92% of the United States' tax revenue could go to just 4 things -- leaving just a sliver to pay for everything else."

China's love affair with Apple

2011-01-22T06:20:00.000-08:00

China's love affair with Apple: ""

Google Offers: Taking Out Revenge Against Groupon?

2011-01-21T08:20:00.000-08:00

Google Offers: Taking Out Revenge Against Groupon?

Hit Escape to Clear Google Instant's Search Box [Video]

2011-01-21T06:11:00.000-08:00

Hit Escape to Clear Google Instant's Search Box [Video]: "

Say what you want about Google Instant, but it's got some pretty awesome keyboard shortcuts. Google-centric blog Google Operating System lets us know of one more: Just hit Escape to move back up to the search box and type a new query. More »

Apple reveals most downloaded iPhone, iPad apps of all time

2011-01-19T14:19:00.000-08:00

Apple reveals most downloaded iPhone, iPad apps of all time: "Apple has added a page to its iTunes Store that reveals the top iPhone and iPad app downloads since the App Store opened in mid-2008."

FreeFile Files Your Federal (and Maybe Your State) Taxes for Free [Video]

2011-01-19T08:45:00.000-08:00

FreeFile Files Your Federal (and Maybe Your State) Taxes for Free [Video]: "

If you made less than $58,000 in adjusted gross income in 2010, the IRS' FreeFile e-filing webapp is now open for filing non-itemized federal taxes, and through one of the major tax preparation software apps, if you'd prefer. You'll still need to file your state taxes, of course—but this year, 21 states are offering FreeFile options, too, so check to see if you can walk away this year with only the pain of having to find all your forms, not pay to fill them out. [IRS.gov via Consumer Reports] More »

SeamlessWeb Lets You Order Takeout From Anywhere with Your Smartphone [Downloads]

2011-01-19T06:10:00.000-08:00

SeamlessWeb Lets You Order Takeout From Anywhere with Your Smartphone [Downloads]: "

iPhone/Android/BlackBerry: While there isn't anything wrong with calling a restaurant on the phone to order takeout, it isn't exactly convenient. With free app SeamlessWeb, you can browse menus, read reviews, order food, and even get discounts on the evening's takeout. More »

Buying Starbucks coffee with your iPhone

2011-01-19T05:12:00.000-08:00

Buying Starbucks coffee with your iPhone: "Welcome to the dawn of mobile currency."

The Best Times to Buy Anything in 2011 [Buying Guide]

2011-01-18T09:10:00.000-08:00

The Best Times to Buy Anything in 2011 [Buying Guide]: "

Good things, and better prices, come to those who wait. Buy your furniture now, laptops in April, appliances in September, and make other better-timed purchases with our buying guide, and you'll save a few savvy bucks with off-season prices. More »

Kill Heartburn with Chewing Gum [Health]

2011-01-14T10:13:00.000-08:00

Kill Heartburn with Chewing Gum [Health]: "

Heartburn is unpleasant, and it can also be expensive to treat. If GERD is getting you down, chewing gum might just be the cure. More »

Global Unemployment Rates

2011-01-14T10:02:00.000-08:00

Global Unemployment Rates: " Hickey and Walters (Bespoke) submit:

Below is a chart showing the current unemployment rates for 36 countries. You might think that most countries around the world have unemployment rates as high as ours here in the U.S., at 9.4%. But the reality is that the U.S. ranks pretty poorly compared to the rest of the world. The Eurozone is at similar levels to the U.S., but when most of the countries that have a higher unemployment rate than the U.S. are collectively referred to as PIGS, it's not very encouraging.

Click to enlarge

Complete Story »"

OMG, Your Horoscope Sign May Have Just Changed!

2011-01-13T12:42:00.000-08:00

OMG, Your Horoscope Sign May Have Just Changed!: "

You're going to have to completely reinvent your personality to match your new sign.

Via MSNBC, astrologers have just discovered that an error in calculating the earth's rotation means the old system is off.

Here are the new months/signs:

Capricorn: Jan. 20-Feb. 16
Aquarius: Feb. 16-March 11
Pisces: March 11-April 18
Aries: April 18-May 13
Taurus: May 13-June 21
Gemini: June 21-July 20
Cancer: July 20-Aug. 10
Leo: Aug. 10-Sept. 16
Virgo: Sept. 16-Oct. 30
Libra: Oct. 30-Nov. 23
Scorpio: Nov. 23-29
Ophiuchus: Nov. 29-Dec. 17
Sagittarius: Dec. 17-Jan. 20

(The author has gone from Virgo to Leo.)

Join the conversation about this story »

More people applied for jobless aid last week

2011-01-13T05:44:00.000-08:00

More people applied for jobless aid last week: "[AP] - More people applied for unemployment benefits last week after retailers shed temporary holiday employees. The Labor Department says the number of people seeking benefits jumped by 35,000 to a seasonally adjusted 445,000 for the week ending Jan. 8."

Spell Checker for Gmail Search

2011-01-13T05:20:00.000-08:00

Spell Checker for Gmail Search: "Gmail added a feature that used to be available in the Apps Search experiment from Gmail Labs: a spell checker for your queries. For example, if you search for [anounced], Gmail will show a message above the results: 'did you mean announced'. Gmail doesn't have a special query spell checker, so it gets the suggestions from Google Search.

Gmail's search feature is a lot less sophisticated than Google's Web search engine, which replaces some of your words with synonyms or similar terms and sorts the results by relevance. Google could use the importance flags and other signals to find results that are likely to be important, the search engine could index attachments and it could become a module from a more comprehensive search engine that shows results from Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Docs, Google Reader, Google Maps, Google Buzz, Google Contacts and much more.

{ Thanks, Joel. }

Industry watcher: 'Perfect storm' of woes causing ships to flee California

2011-01-12T21:36:00.000-08:00

Industry watcher: 'Perfect storm' of woes causing ships to flee California: "Economic trouble, rising fuel costs and other woes are prompting lines to reduce capacity on the West Coast.

Now available: Google Places with Hotpot for iPhone

2011-01-12T09:13:00.000-08:00

Now available: Google Places with Hotpot for iPhone: "

(Cross-posted from the Google Mobile Blog, LatLong Blog and Places with Hotpot Blog)

We recently released Google Places with Hotpot in Google Maps for Android, and starting now, you can have that same great experience as an iPhone app. We realize the importance of finding places you’ll love while you’re out and about, no matter what mobile device you use. And Places with Hotpot not only helps you find places near where you are, it gives you the best places to go for you by personalizing your search results.

In case you aren’t familiar with Google Places, it lets you quickly search for places nearby and personalizes the results based on places you’ve rated. We get you started with a few popular search categories, but you can also tailor the list by adding your own favorite searches. This makes it fast and easy to find the best places for you with little fuss.

Use a default search category, save your own, or rate the nearest place quickly.

It can be pretty rewarding to discover a new place you love, but we also realize that there are some experiences you just can’t wait to share. So Places makes it super simple to rate a place with your iPhone while you’re there. Just fire up the app and hit “Rate now.” It will use your location to guess your current place and let you post a Hotpot review right from your phone. But it’s not just about getting to say what you think—the more you rate places, the more you’re sharing about your tastes and the more we can give you personally tailored recommendations.

Give your star rating and add optional details or a review so Hotpot knows your taste.

If you want to make things even tastier, just visit google.com/hotpot from your desktop computer. Here you can add friends to the mix and quickly rate all the places you already know. Once you’ve added friends, you’ll find your results seasoned not just with reviews from around the web and recommendations based on your own personal taste, but also with your friends’ opinions too.

Once you start rating and add friends, Places can give you personalized recommendations.

Get the Places app on your iPhone now by searching for Google Places in the App Store or going here.

This first version of Places is available for all iOS devices in English only. However, expect more features and improvements to roll out soon, including localization in many new languages. We’re hard at work to make Places with Hotpot more and more delicious.

Posted by Greg Blevins, Software Engineer, Google Hotpot team

Industry watcher: 'Perfect storm' of woes causing ships to flee California

2011-01-12T07:01:00.000-08:00

Industry watcher: 'Perfect storm' of woes causing ships to flee California: "Economic trouble, rising fuel costs and other woes are prompting lines to reduce capacity on the West Coast.

Governor to disconnect half the state’s cell phones

2011-01-11T16:49:00.000-08:00

Governor to disconnect half the state’s cell phones: "Gov. Jerry Brown is hanging up his state-issued cell phone, and he’s ordered half the state bureaucrats who have government-paid cell phones to do the same."

Verizon to Sell Apple IPad That Connects Directly to Its Network

2011-01-11T12:02:00.000-08:00

Verizon to Sell Apple IPad That Connects Directly to Its Network: "Verizon Wireless will sell a version of Apple Inc.’s iPad tablet computer that can connect directly to its network, posing another challenge to AT&T Inc. as the carrier’s exclusive hold on the iPhone draws to a close."

Verizon iPhone Can Act as a Wi-Fi Hotspot [IPhone]

2011-01-11T10:09:00.000-08:00

Verizon iPhone Can Act as a Wi-Fi Hotspot [IPhone]: "

The Verizon iPhone is finally here and it's got a little feature we hadn't seen on the AT&T version: Wi-Fi hotspot capabilities. This means that the device will be able to act as a hotspot for up to five gadgets. More »

It’s Official: The Verizon iPhone 4 Is Coming On February 10th

2011-01-11T08:41:00.000-08:00

It’s Official: The Verizon iPhone 4 Is Coming On February 10th: "

It’s over. Finally — after years and years of speculation, the Verizon iPhone is real. As Verizon president Lowell McAdam put it, “If the press writes something long enough, eventually it becomes true.”

The word comes fresh out of Verizon’s press conference in New York City, where the company has confirmed that they plan to offer the iPhone 4 early next month.

From what we know so far, the Verizon iPhone 4 appears to be identical to the AT&T iPhone 4 (save for the obvious radio chip differences). FaceTime support, 5 megapixel camera on the back, App Store, Retina Display, etc. More details as they come in.

Housing Market Slips Into Depression Territory

2011-01-11T08:17:00.000-08:00

Housing Market Slips Into Depression Territory: "[at CNBC] - While the broader economy starts to recover, the housing market is being left behind. The decline in home values is now officially worse than it was during the Depression."

The New Realities of Retirement

2011-01-11T08:12:00.000-08:00

The New Realities of Retirement

4 Roadblocks to Buying a Plug-In Car

2011-01-11T08:08:00.000-08:00

4 Roadblocks to Buying a Plug-In Car

Most dangerous possession? Your smartphone

2011-01-11T05:53:00.000-08:00

Most dangerous possession? Your smartphone: "Forget what's in your wallet -- beware your smartphone. It's becoming one of your most dangerous possessions."

YouTube Adds Drag-and-Drop Video Uploading [YouTube]

2011-01-10T06:22:00.000-08:00

YouTube Adds Drag-and-Drop Video Uploading [YouTube]: "

Yet another Google service frees its users from the tyranny of browse-and-select file picking. YouTube offers drag-and-drop video uploading on modern, HTML5-happy browsers like Chrome and Firefox. More »

Why Chinese Parents Are Better Than American Parents (And Why China Is Kicking Our Ass)

2011-01-09T06:41:00.000-08:00

Why Chinese Parents Are Better Than American Parents (And Why China Is Kicking Our Ass): "

An article in the Wall Street Journal called 'Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior' has American mothers (and others) in a furor.

It's written by Amy Chua, a Yale Law professor, whose daughters Louisa and Sophia are clearly, well, superior--presumably due to the parenting methods that Chua describes (methods that would appall many American parents).

Are Chinese mothers superior? Amy's article (excerpt below) and you be the judge.

If the goal is efficiency, excellence, and success, it would seem that this Chinese mother, at least, has most American mothers beat. And it's not hard to extrapolate that superiority toward a future world in which China wins and Americans dream of glory days when we were hungry, committed, and self-disciplined, too.

(Of course, Amy Chua is an American mother, and her kids are Americans, but leave that aside for a moment...)

A lot of people wonder how Chinese parents raise such stereotypically successful kids. They wonder what these parents do to produce so many math whizzes and music prodigies, what it's like inside the family, and whether they could do it too. Well, I can tell them, because I've done it. Here are some things my daughters, Sophia and Louisa, were never allowed to do:

• attend a sleepover

• have a playdate

• be in a school play

• complain about not being in a school play

• watch TV or play computer games

• choose their own extracurricular activities

• get any grade less than an A

• not be the No. 1 student in every subject except gym and drama

• play any instrument other than the piano or violin

• not play the piano or violin.

I'm using the term 'Chinese mother' loosely. I know some Korean, Indian, Jamaican, Irish and Ghanaian parents who qualify too. Conversely, I know some mothers of Chinese heritage, almost always born in the West, who are not Chinese mothers, by choice or otherwise. I'm also using the term 'Western parents' loosely. Western parents come in all varieties.

Read the whole thing here. And definitely read it. Because it goes on to show how unbelievably soft and flaky and indulgent most western parents are relative to their "Chinese" counterparts.

'Chinese mothers,' on the other hand, understand how hard it is to be good at something, how intense the competition is, and how--of course--a child doesn't WANT to put in the work necessary to truly excel.

Are 'Chinese mothers' just creating successful robots? Or a generation of extraordinarily talented and disciplined adults who know what it takes to succeed and, therefore, will inherit the earth?

Similarly, are 'western mothers' just coddling complacent, lazy kids, rearing a generation that will do nothing more than stick their hands out and wait to be rewarded for--well, for just being? Or do kids need their play time?

More broadly? Are America's best days behind it? Have we just gotten fat and lazy and un-disciplined? Are we an empire in decline?

Weigh in below...

But first, read Amy Chua's article here >

Join the conversation about this story »

See Also:

Motorola Xoom tablet crowned best CES gadget

2011-01-08T16:12:00.000-08:00

Motorola Xoom tablet crowned best CES gadget

Google dazzles CES with Android Honeycomb preview

2011-01-08T09:06:00.000-08:00

Google dazzles CES with Android Honeycomb preview

Google dazzles CES with Android Honeycomb for tablets

2011-01-06T12:39:00.000-08:00

Google dazzles CES with Android Honeycomb for tablets: "[at CNNMoney.com] - Google's upcoming tablet-focused Android promises to bring a 'desktop experience' to mobile browsing."

The Built-In Keyboard Shortcuts of Facebook [Facebook Tip]

2011-01-06T06:20:00.000-08:00

The Built-In Keyboard Shortcuts of Facebook [Facebook Tip]: "

If you see Facebook as a benevolent time-waster, why not waste your time more efficiently on the site? Hit Alt and your '1' key for the home page, Alt+? to search, Alt+M for a new message. The How-To Geek knows the others. More »

A Sneak Peek of Android 3.0, Honeycomb

2011-01-05T17:47:00.000-08:00

A Sneak Peek of Android 3.0, Honeycomb: "The past few weeks have been exciting ones for the Android team: we recently released Nexus S and Android 2.3, Gingerbread, and we’ve even had some of our most popular team members take a trip to space. But we haven’t stopped buzzing with excitement: today at the Consumer Electronic Show (CES) in Las Vegas, we previewed Android 3.0, Honeycomb.

Honeycomb is the next version of the Android platform, designed from the ground up for devices with larger screen sizes, particularly tablets. We’ve spent a lot of time refining the user experience in Honeycomb, and we’ve developed a brand new, truly virtual and holographic user interface. Many of Android’s existing features will really shine on Honeycomb: refined multi-tasking, elegant notifications, access to over 100,000 apps on Android Market, home screen customization with a new 3D experience and redesigned widgets that are richer and more interactive. We’ve also made some powerful upgrades to the web browser, including tabbed browsing, form auto-fill, syncing with your Google Chrome bookmarks, and incognito mode for private browsing.

Honeycomb also features the latest Google Mobile innovations including Google Maps 5 with 3D interactions and offline reliability, access to over 3 million Google eBooks, and Google Talk, which now allows you to video and voice chat with any other Google Talk enabled device (PC, tablet, etc).

Please stay tuned for more Honeycomb news from the Android team. For now, you can get a taste of Honeycomb by checking out this video.

Posted by Andy Rubin, VP of Engineering

Bottle Caps Talk M2M

2011-01-04T08:24:00.000-08:00

Bottle Caps Talk M2M: "

Pfizer collects about $10 billion a year from its cholesterol-lowering Lipitor, making the treatment one of the best-selling drugs ever. But if every patient took every Lipitor pill as prescribed, that number would leap to $17 billion. Enter GlowCap, a wireless, Internet-connected bottle cap, that uses light and sound to alert users and phones home if you forget.

Vitality GlowCaps from Vitality on Vimeo.

If the GlowCap remains unpopped after two hours, a patient will receive an automated call that asks a series of questions on why he or she missed the dose.

The GlowCap has an embedded computer chip that communicates with a cellular-connected nightlight, which sends information on bottle cap removal to Vitality, a connected health company, over AT&T’s 2G network. The nightlight’s low-frequency RF is activated when the unit is plugged into the wall. Patients can be notified via a glowing light, a tune, automated calls, text messages or e-mails. The reminders can be repeated for up to four doses a day.

Vitality and Varolii, developed the technology. The cap is embedded with a light that flashes orange when a user is supposed to take the medication. If a cap is not removed within an hour an alarm will sound that gradually escalates “from a three-note arpeggio to an 11-note arpeggio,” Vitality President Josh Wachman said.

Patients and their doctor can receive a weekly e-mail and monthly print out detailing the days in which a patient has remembered or neglected to take the medication. The small Telit GE864-QUAD chip make the GSM/GPRS module in the nightlight one of the smallest

The device, which can be bought on Amazon.com for $99, comes with the night light that connects wirelessly to AT&T’s cellular network, a bottle cap and a six-month subscription to the service. After six months, subscriptions cost $15 a month.

Connected Health is a term used to describe a model for healthcare delivery that uses technology to provide healthcare remotely. Machine to Machine (M2M) devices are expected to increase by 36 percent this year. Utilities, health care and securities industries are expected to lead the charge to a total of 2.1 billion “connected M2M devices” by 2020, according to research from Analysis Mason. Of the 2.1 billion connected devices in 2020, 1.3 billion will be in the utilities sector, 45 million will be from the security sector, and 28 million devices are expected in the automotive and transport sector.

A Google Mobile Payment Service?

2011-01-04T05:11:00.000-08:00

A Google Mobile Payment Service?: "'You'll be able to walk in a store and do commerce,' says Google's Eric Schmidt. 'You'd bump for everything and eventually replace credit cards'"

Blood test to spot cancer gets big boost from J&J

2011-01-02T21:16:00.000-08:00

Blood test to spot cancer gets big boost from J&J: "BOSTON (AP) -- A blood test so sensitive that it can spot a single cancer cell lurking among a billion healthy ones is moving one step closer to being available at your doctor's office...."

Quantitative Easing Explained

2011-01-02T20:47:00.000-08:00

2011-01-02T17:19:00.000-08:00

More than 1,000 dead birds fall from sky in Ark.

2011-01-02T06:44:00.000-08:00

More than 1,000 dead birds fall from sky in Ark.: "BEEBE, Ark. (AP) -- Wildlife officials are trying to determine what caused more than 1,000 blackbirds to die and fall from the sky over an Arkansas town...."

What 20 Minutes On Facebook Looks Like: 1M Shared Links, 2.7M Photos Uploaded, 10.2M Comments

2010-12-31T08:06:00.000-08:00

What 20 Minutes On Facebook Looks Like: 1M Shared Links, 2.7M Photos Uploaded, 10.2M Comments: "

Democracy UK, a UK-focused political campaigning initiative by Facebook, has just released a number of mind-blowing stats on the massive usage of the network by its 500-plus million members in 2010. Over the course of the year, Facebook reports that 43,869,800 members changed their status to single, 3,025,791 changed their status to “it’s complicated”, 28,460,516 changed their status to in a relationship, 5,974,574 changed their status to engaged and 36,774,801 changes their status to married.

While these numbers are impressive, Facebook’s stats on “what 20 minutes on Facebook looks like,” are even more staggering. According to Facebook, 1 million links are shared every 20 minutes on the network. Here are a few other stats listed:

Tagged photos: 1.3 million

Event invites sent out: 1.5 million

Wall Posts: 1.6 million

Status updates: 1.8 million

Friend requests accepted: 1.97 million

Photos uploaded: 2.7 million

Comments: 10.2 million

Messages: 4.6 million

The most “liked” celebrities in 2010 were Lady Gaga (24,712,169 likes), Eminem (23,729,700 likes), Megan Fox (19,575,080 likes), Vin Diesel (19,425,325 likes), Rihanna (18,903,844 likes), Barack Obama (17,229,885 likes).

Photo Credit/Flickr/fbouly

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The 19 Most Wired iPhone and iPad Apps of 2010

2010-12-31T05:30:00.000-08:00

The 19 Most Wired iPhone and iPad Apps of 2010: "Here are Wired's picks for the best iOS apps of 2010, including productivity apps, games and more.

Skype Video on Apple Devices

2010-12-30T05:53:00.000-08:00

Skype Video on Apple Devices: "The latest version of Skype's app lets users of the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch make video calls, which will expand mobile videoconferencing globally—and strain network capacities"

China's New Missile: A Game Changer? - Investors.com

2010-12-29T15:44:00.000-08:00

China's New Missile: A Game Changer? - Investors.com

All new first-class stamps to be 'Forever Stamps'

2010-12-29T07:40:00.000-08:00

All new first-class stamps to be 'Forever Stamps': "Good news for snail-mailers: No need to keep digging for one- and two-cent stamps because all new first-class stamps will be 'Forever Stamps' beginning next month."

Balloon takes Santa on wild Utah ride

2010-12-25T06:31:00.000-08:00

Balloon takes Santa on wild Utah ride: "MIDVALE, Utah (AP) -- If only Santa was as good with hot air balloons as with reindeer sleighs...."

Azio Wireless Bluetooth Keyboard hands-on

2010-12-20T14:45:00.000-08:00

Azio Wireless Bluetooth Keyboard hands-on: "Built for iPads (but also suitable for iPhones and Macs), this finger-friendly keyboard is a fine alternative to Apple's portrait-only Keyboard Dock."

New iPhone App Takes Augmented Reality To Next Level

2010-12-20T12:26:00.000-08:00

New iPhone App Takes Augmented Reality To Next Level

Google Adds Warnings About Hacked Sites

2010-12-20T08:38:00.000-08:00

Google Adds Warnings About Hacked Sites: "[at New York Times] - Google on Friday said it will now let users know when a Web site that comes up in its search engine has been hacked."

GM turning BP oil spill booms into Volt parts

2010-12-20T07:36:00.000-08:00

GM turning BP oil spill booms into Volt parts: "General Motors is collecting about 100 miles of plastic booms once used to contain the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, and will use recycled plastic from those booms to make Chevrolet Volt electric cars, the automaker announced Monday."

2010-12-18T15:04:00.000-08:00

Free iPhone App Wirelessly Syncs Photos to Computer

2010-12-14T15:29:00.000-08:00

Free iPhone App Wirelessly Syncs Photos to Computer: "Apple has been slow to deliver wireless syncing, but a free iPhone app called Cinq at least lets you sync your photos wirelessly.

Internet More Popular than TV

2010-12-14T06:31:00.000-08:00

Internet More Popular than TV: "

Americans are now spending as much time using the Internet as they are watching television, according to a new study by Forester Research (pdf).

While people younger than 30 years old have spent more time with the Internet than television for several years, Forrester’s survey shows that this is the first year that people in older age groups are also doing so.

The amount of time spent on the Internet for personal uses tails off among older groups, ranging from about 12 hours for adults under 30 to about eight hours for people over 66 years old.

Forrester’s survey shows a significant increase in the number of people using the Internet to watch streaming video; 33 percent of adults surveyed this year said they use the Internet to watch video, up from 18 percent in 2007.

Yet the amount of time people spend with their televisions remains relatively stable. By contrast, the survey found that people were spending significantly less time listening to the offline versions of radio and reading printed newspapers and magazines.

Kaiser Permanente gives frank sex education to Sweetwater High students

2010-12-12T19:01:00.000-08:00

Kaiser Permanente gives frank sex education to Sweetwater High students: "Some 700 ninth through twelfth-graders at Sweetwater High watched a live hourlong theatrical performance titled “What Goes Around,” aimed at debunking the myths and candidly revealing the realities of sexual behavior."

Next iPad to Add Five New Features including USB Port?

2010-12-08T20:45:00.000-08:00

Next iPad to Add Five New Features including USB Port?: "

Digitimes relays a report from Chinese-language Economy Daily News which claims that Apple's next generation iPad will add 5 distinct new features. The newspaper cites industry sources for the information.

The five new feature..."

Apple Shows Off iOS 4.2 in New 'iPad is Amazing' Commercial

2010-12-08T20:43:00.000-08:00

Apple Shows Off iOS 4.2 in New 'iPad is Amazing' Commercial: "

Apple yesterday released a new iPad commercial entitled 'iPad is Amazing', airing the ad on primetime television and posting it to the company's iPad site and YouTube page to show off a number of new features available in iOS 4.2.

<br ..."

2010-09-19T06:27:00.000-07:00

Dave in Sanibel,Fl

2010-09-18T11:42:00.000-07:00

5 Facebook Posts That Put You at Risk - Kiplinger

2010-09-16T12:22:00.000-07:00

5 Facebook Posts That Put You at Risk - Kiplinger

Google plans pay-per-view films (at Financial Times)

2010-08-29T14:52:00.000-07:00

Google plans pay-per-view films (at Financial Times): "Google GOOG's YouTube video site is in negotiations with Hollywood's leading movie studios to launch a global pay-per-view video service by the end of 2010, putting it head-to-head with Apple in the race to dominate the digital distribution of film and television content."

Cagney and Lacy

2010-08-28T10:42:00.000-07:00

Durable Goods Report: Mixed Signals from Tech

2010-08-26T08:48:00.000-07:00

Durable Goods Report: Mixed Signals from Tech: "Trade Radar Operator submits:

The advanced report for Durable Goods for July was released Wednesday and it was pretty dismal.

The fact that the market managed to advance in the face of this report almost makes me think that a rally is in the offing. This is the second instance of bad news leading to gains in stocks. The first was the homebuilders stocks rallying after the horrific existing home sales report on Tuesday. And today we have the overall market gaining even though this report clearly shows one of the green shoots of the economy showing signs of wilting.

Complete Story »"

Miss Universe: Odds, picks and of course bikini shots - 08-21-2010

2010-08-22T23:17:00.000-07:00

Miss Universe: Odds, picks and of course bikini shots - 08-21-2010

2010-08-22T17:22:00.000-07:00

Lunascape iPad browser is tab-happy

2010-08-18T08:59:00.000-07:00

Lunascape iPad browser is tab-happy: "The Japanese company is bringing its expertise in Web browsers to the Apple device. Will iLunascape, which incorporates tabbed browsing and bottom-of-screen controls, challenge Safari?

Originally posted at Software, Interrupted

Apple Releases New 'iPad is Delicious' Commercial

2010-08-18T07:53:00.000-07:00

Apple Releases New 'iPad is Delicious' Commercial: "

Apple yesterday released a new iPad commercial, airing it on primetime television and posting it to the company's iPad site and YouTube page.

The ad features a series of quick shots showing off various capabilities of the devic..."

Verizon FiOS Test Nears 1 Gigabit per Second

2010-08-17T06:59:00.000-07:00

Verizon FiOS Test Nears 1 Gigabit per Second: "Now that's fast. Verizon has completely a field trial on its fiber-optic FiOS network, in which it delivered bandwidth approaching 1 gigabit per second (Gbps) to business customer in Taunton, Massachusetts."

Take the quiz: Real or fake?

2010-08-15T17:56:00.000-07:00

Take the quiz: Real or fake?: "

Bankrupting America has a fun new man-on-the-street video from The Rebel Economist that asks passers-by to determine whether a described pork-barrel project is real — or fake? [...] Read the rest »

63% of Americans don't count on Social Security

2010-08-13T06:28:00.000-07:00

63% of Americans don't count on Social Security: ""

New ‘Sophisticated’ Trojan, Which Is Undetectable, Has Emptied Bank Accounts Worldwide

2010-08-11T09:50:00.000-07:00

New ‘Sophisticated’ Trojan, Which Is Undetectable, Has Emptied Bank Accounts Worldwide: "

Hold onto your hats. A new version of the Zeus trojan, called Zeus3, has wreaked havoc on thousands of bank accounts worldwide, stealing just over $1 million. The best part? There’s pretty much no way to detect the trojan if it’s on your system. Hooray for humanity, right?

Company job openings drop for 2nd straight month (AP)

2010-08-11T08:47:00.000-07:00

Company job openings drop for 2nd straight month (AP): "Company job openings fell for the second straight month in June, a sign that hiring isn't likely to pick up in the coming months."

Jet Blue Flight Attendant Gets a Hero's Welcome Online (at CNBC)

2010-08-10T11:49:00.000-07:00

Jet Blue Flight Attendant Gets a Hero's Welcome Online (at CNBC): "Move over Susan Boyle and David at Dentist, there's a new Internet sensation in town - Jet Blue Flight attendant Steven Slater!"

Lady Gaga Is Doing Something She's Never Done Before

2010-08-10T09:34:00.000-07:00

Lady Gaga Is Doing Something She's Never Done Before

Verizon unveils Droid 2, retires hot-selling Droid

2010-08-10T08:54:00.000-07:00

Verizon unveils Droid 2, retires hot-selling Droid: "Verizon Wireless on Tuesday unveiled the Motorola Droid 2, the successor to one of the company's most prominent and best-selling devices."

Chrome extension forces secure Google searches

2010-08-09T17:01:00.000-07:00

Chrome extension forces secure Google searches: "

Google now offers an extension for Chrome that automates the process of adding the secure Google search site as a search engine to the Chrome 6.x branch. Google SSL Web Search is an extension, still in beta, that works with Chrome 6.0.419.0 and later on Windows and Linux computers.

Google SSL Web Search adds encrypted Google search to Chrome's list of search engines.

(Credit:
Screenshot by Seth Rosenblatt/CNET)

First released in June 2010, installing the extension opens up a configuration window with a single button that will open Chrome's 'add search engine' window. Here, you can set a keyword to speed up your use of Google SSL Web search. There are also instructions on how to set the SSL Web search as your default search engine, which is a simple procedure. Right-click on the Omnibox, Google's name for its location bar, choose Edit search engines, find Google SSL Web search, and set it as your default engine.

Google notes on the extension's install page that it doesn't work on Macs because 'the Mac UI of Chrome for handling OSDD entries is not yet implemented.'

The extension is a simple way to streamline a task that's not particularly complicated to begin with--that of adding a search engine and making it your default. It would be more worthwhile if it did automatically make Google SSL your default search engine, yet it doesn't. The real utility of the extension is to highlight the fact that you can now search Google securely, something that you've been able to do since May 2010.

Disney cruise ship in Europe rescues 18 people lost at sea

2010-08-09T07:22:00.000-07:00

Disney cruise ship in Europe rescues 18 people lost at sea: "The 2,400-passenger Disney Magic plucked the stranded Algerians from a disabled boat in the Mediterranean.