Watches

Gadgettes 147: The It's About Time Episode

Jasmine France joins us as we cover a slew of unreadable watches, clocks and bulletproof watch winding safes. She also shows off her insane ability to read the faces of watches that no one else can decipher.

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EPISODE 147 Samsung claims its watch is world's slimmest

LG Watch Phone clears FCC

Turning a Power Mac G3 into a wall clock (Thanks, Nicholas!)

Pong clock (Thanks, Jon!)

Continue Time clock

Digital black-and-white clock is a milestone in minimalism

The Twilight Watch… Read more

Samsung claims watch phone is world's slimmest

Look, LG, Samsung just totally pwned you with the S9110--supposedly the world's slimmest watch phone at 11.98 millimeters--by announcing that the wristwatch will be out this month in France for about $640. The LG GD910 which measures 13.9 millimeters, on the other hand, is due out in the U.K. only in August.

We're sure Samsung doesn't want us to miss out on the dual-band (900/1800MHz) wristwatch with a 1.76-inch 176x220-pixel touch screen and wireless e-mail syncing capability via Microsoft Outlook.

The S9110 also supports Bluetooth 2.1 and will have 40MB of … Read more

Interactive gaming screensaver

ScreenPlay Pong performs double duty as a screensaver and a video game. Users with a nostalgic streak for long-forgotten video technology will love this primitive combination.

The program's interface is thankfully just as bare bones as the actual imagery onscreen. Users set up their screensaver much like any other, by navigating a small bank of radio buttons that control timing and color. We did not see a Help file, but this program is so basic, it didn't concern us. When working, the screensaver looks like the old video game Pong. A simple ball bounces among the screen's … Read more

The 404 384: Where we're not spastic, we're just passionate

We have an especially fun episode for y'all today, with a comparison between Transformers 2 and GI Joe, a brief rundown of old video game movies, the decade's biggest tech flops, and OF COURSE: The 404 Semi-Weekly Audio Draft Sponsored by Beck's Beer in conjunction with Last.FM, a subsidiary of CBS Interactive and CNET News and Reviews 5000!

Man, the preshow this morning got HEATED! In a joking way, of course. You really have to be there for Friday morning preshows in the live chatroom. The buzz this morning was about Jeff seeing "Bruno," and actually LIKING IT! This is, of course, in contrast to Wilson totally despising the flick, blaming the overuse of phallic objects used only to make the audience feel uncomfortable. If you saw that movie and have an opinion, leave a comment on here and help us settle this argument!

That conversation in the preshow leads us to talk about the latest from AintitCool News, who claim that "GI Joe" is a better movie than "Transformers 2"! This is actually pretty surprising to us because we saw the trailer for "GI Joe," and it seriously looked awful, although it'd be hard to make a worse movie than "Transformers 2." I guess it's a "lesser of two evils" sort of thing. Early reviews coming in claim that the "GI Joe" movie should be taken with a large grain of salt, since the tone is similar to that of the original "Street Fighter" movie.

After talking about video game movies for awhile, we finally get to our favorite segment, the OFFICIAL 404 Semi-Weekly Audio Draft Sponsored by Beck's Beer in conjunction with Last.FM, a subsidiary of CBS Interactive and CNET News and Reviews 5000! Today's pick is Mayer Hawthorne, a 29-year-old music junkie from Ann Arbor, Michigan, who makes retro-sounding soul music in the vein of such artists as Isaac Hayes, Leroy Hudson, and Barry White. His music tips its hat to the old Motown days between 1966 and 1974, when scratchy instruments and smooth falsettos dominated the waves. Hawthorne definitely draws inspiration from those artists, but also layers his own style into the mix with breakbeat production and a gallery of horn instruments that every generation can get into. He's currently on the popular hip-hop label Stones Throw and has a few singles out, but his new album, "A Strange Arrangement," is due out in the fall. For now, check out his page and today's track, "Just Ain't Gonna Work Out," and let us know what you think!

EPISODE 384 Download today's podcast Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

The return of the watch, or how Casio ended up back on my wrist

Here's a retro tale for you: I wear a watch again. To be more specific, I wear a Casio digital watch, the A158W. Sporting an aluminum wristband, beeping buttons that can't be deactivated, a chronometer, and a cheesy green microlight--no fancy backlighting for you--it's a carbon copy of '80s wrist fashion. I got it at Duane Reade on my street corner for $20.

For a while, I tried to go without a watch. It's been commonly written lately that watches are passe, having been replaced entirely by cell phones. After my last watch's wristband broke, … Read more

Nintendo DSiWare gives us what we want
(in Japan): Electroplankton, Game and Watch

Nintendo's DSiWare service, like its WiiWare platform, are temptations and teases for the lovers of the independent and obscure. Because no boxes or cartridges/discs need be sold, the ability for much-loved indie titles to be finally unleashed or re-released seems to be too good to be true.

Making good on part of that promise, Nintendo has had a busy week announcing both downloadable versions of their retro Game & Watch series, as well as their cult-classic music/art title, Electroplankton.

For the uninitiated, Game & Watch was Nintendo's first electronic gaming platform, dating to the very early … Read more

Gadgettes 145: The unreality episode

We take a walk on the virtual side in today's Gadgettes. Virtual reality museums, robotic kittens, and fusion in your pocket!

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EPISODE 145 Household gadgets we’d like to see

Canon launches virtual-reality dinosaur exhibit in Japan

Robo-Kitty: Sega Toys unveils the Dream Cat Venus

Handheld fusion reactor on the way?

“Design your own clock” clock

A propos (of) nothing Vroom: Surf the Web with a Ford GT

It's About Time Eris Planetary Sphere watch goes anywhere but the wrist

Pink Watch Juicy Couture goes geeky

Tool Time Ript Fusion body-shaping undershirt (thanks, Sam!)

Reverse Gender Gap Ostrich three in one chair for sunbathing bookworms

BlingRX Russel Hobbs RHG2TSW crystal encrusted bling toaster (thanks, Colleen!)

Kill Me Fantasy coach bed for the budding superiority complex… Read more

The 404 378: Where Jill Schlesinger eats Wilson's Asian pear

Asian pears are delicious, which is why Jill Schlesinger--The 404's very own financial expert from CBS MoneyWatch--likes them so much! After getting through some munching and slurping noises in the first minute by Wilson, Jill explains to us what is going on with the economy and why we need to fear the End of Days. Just kidding...mostly.

Not being financial experts by any means, Jill explains some basic terms to us so we know what the heck is going on. Like what is the difference between the unemployment rate and weekly jobless claims? Plus, she goes on to say that she thinks that everybody should have at least six months of living expenses saved up, given that the average person is jobless for 22 weeks now. And maybe we should start spending money again if we know that we're not about to lose our job. It would help the economy out. We know it sounds very different than most of our inane topics to most of our audience, but money is something we all need to know and understand. Plus, we love how Jill lays it on us with financial straight talk.

On the second half of the show, Jill tells us about her CBS Evening News appearance and her lady crush on our very own Katie Couric. Jill comments about the growing political discourse about a possible second stimulus package. Check out the segment. We've embedded it into this blog post.

Come back tomorrow, where we've got Steve Guttenberg. Of course, we're got the doors barricaded, just in case HR comes running in. And! We've got Wilson's Audio Draft. (Editor's note: I promise I listen to music. Whale sounds anybody?)

UPDATED: Before we forget, download the new 404 artwork for your desktop background.Desktop Backgrounds: 4 x 3, 16 x 9 and 16 x10, iPhone.

Full Disclosure: CNET, The 404, MoneyWatch and the CBS Evening News all are properties of CBS.

EPISODE 378 Download today's podcast Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

Buzz Out Loud 1013: 21st century episode for the 21st century listener

Just like the LG Watch, we are a 21st century product for the 21st century consumer. Which means we exist now for people who exist now. Sigh. Ryan Block of Gdgt joins us to talk about an algorithm to steal your Social Security number and how Gmail finally came outta beta! Yay! Bad times and good times all in one. Now if only we could get those implants for cell phones. In our neck people, in our neck!

Listen now: Download today's podcast Subscribe now: iTunes (audio) | iTunes (video) | RSS (audio) | RSS (video) EPISODE 1013

Gdgt http://www.gdgt.com/… Read more