Life Scoop

5 Apps to Make Your iPhone Smarter

2012-02-07T11:00:00Z

If you're one of the millions of people all over the world with a smartphone in their hands, chances are you're used to your gadget friend being pretty useful in a huge variety of situations. But let's face it: how often do you really go out of your way to beef up your incredible piece of pocket technology with fantastic new apps and functionality? If your answer to that question is a resoundingly enthusiastic "All the time!" then you can pat yourself on the back and rest easy. On the other hand, if you're one of the majority of users who are content to limit their iPhone to only its most default capabilities (a music player, calculator, internet browser and/or map searcher) then it may be time to step out of the 1990's and officially get in the game.
]]> Thankfully Dr. Trend Hunter is here with a fresh prescription of five great apps that will set you on the path of revolutionizing the way you use your phone. From serious software with serious benefits like the Energy Saver App to curiosity driven programs like the White Shark Expedition app which are designed to fill your daily life with interesting knowledge, this list is here to help you say goodbye to living in the past like an antiquated dinosaur. It's a brave new world of technology out there so go seize it!

SpotMe
Who among us can honestly say that they don't have that one friend who always seems to be borrowing money? You know the person: the one who seems to perpetually forget their wallet at meals our outings until eventually it's hard to tell exactly how much they owe or when/if they have paid you back (think Kramer from Seinfeld). If you can't think of anyone who matches this description, chances are that this person in your social circle is you. But fear not, because no matter which side you are on the SpotMe app takes takes all of the awkwardness and insecurity of loans between friends out of the equation. Featuring completely automated (and impersonal) emails and messages, SpotMe ensures you don't have to worry about uncomfortable face-to-face conversations and reminders about IOU's ever again. Best of all, it's set to be integrated with Paypal and ZipPay to make settling outstanding loans easy and painless to handle. What more could you ask for?!
Free

EcoSpeed App
Sure modern living is fast-paced and can be hectic at times, but the EcoSpeed app doesn't let you use that as an excuse for neglecting your environment-protecting duties. Designed to help users maximize their fuel efficiency in a world where fuel prices seem to permanently reside in the realm of absurd exorbitance, the EcoSpeed helps ensure that you're always driving in the most environmentally friendly way possible. But how does it do that exactly? Easy! It simply calculates your speed, the distance to your destination, the make and model of your car and the available routes at your disposal in order to calculate the greenest course to your desired location. It even tells you what your optimal speed would be to maximize fuel efficiency.

The best thing about this app is that, even if you're not big on the whole "saving the environment" thing, using it still has serious money-saving applications - particularity if you drive frequently and can't help but wince every time you get your wallet cleaned out at a gas station.

Free

The iTunes U App
These days, "higher education" and "cheap" aren't exactly two words that you see cozying up to each other in the same sentence too frequently. With the iTunes U App however, this long drawn-out standoff seems to be slowly moving towards a happy relationship. Available in iTunes, the iTunes U App lets people from all over the world connect with a huge number of academic institutions from the comfort of their homes. They can then choose from a wide range of courses that include everything from history to molecular biology and almost anything in-between. Best of all, it's a surprisingly modest priced service. While certainly not a substitute for a full-fledged degree (we wouldn't recommend "I graduated from iTunes U" as a go-to line for job interviews), there's no doubt this handy app would be a fantastic companion for knowledge-loving smartphone users looking to learn while on the go.

Free

The White Shark Expedition App
Public opinion on Sharks hasn't exactly been riding high in the polls ever since the movie Jaws came out, but if there's one thing the Discovery Channel can attest to it's that the new dominant maxim of modern media is quickly becoming "Sharks Sell". This is no truer than in the case of White Sharks, and it is insatiable curiosity about these captivatingly carnivorous creatures that is the impetus behind the White Shark Expedition app. In the spirit of Sun Tzu's famous advice "know thy enemy", this informative tool by the Marine Conservation Science Institute tracks every single White shark that the organization has ever tagged via an orbiting satellite. You can also access the names, story and background information on each animal with ease. If you want to know more about White Sharks in general, or if you just want to know where not to swim on your next coastal vacation, this is a great app to have. Given the alarmingly drastic rate at which Sharks are disappearing from our oceans, hopefully apps like this will help turn the tide of public opinion away from fear and back to healthy admiration.
$3.99

The BreathalEyes App
Sometimes the best thing an app can do for you is keep you from making a tremendously poor decision - in this case, getting behind the wheel of a car when you certainly shouldn't. With that in mind, enter the Brethaleyes App. Using a retina scanning methodology, this app measures impulsive eye movements to estimate the user's blood alcohol level. Although not 100% accurate, the app uses strategies that are similar to those used by law enforcement so it has merit. Needless to say, if you're at the stage where you need to use this app to make a driving decision it's probably better to err on the side of caution. Outside of that more serious circumstance, however, it could also make for a fantastic party trick or conversation piece.

$0.99

Which iPhone app makes you smarter? Let us know in the comments below.

See More From TrendHunter.com:

TrendHunter.com's Top 5 Gadgets for 2012

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Jaime Neely has been part of the Trend Hunter family for 10 months and is a full-time member of our team. TrendHunter.com is the world's most updated, largest collection of cutting edge ideas, fueled by 80,000 Trend Hunters. By tracking the evolution of cool, contributing Trend Hunters generate ideas, stimulate creativity, and ultimately help fuel innovation. TrendHunter.com's most popular ideas are grouped into clusters of inspiration that are accessible via our custom trend platform to our brand customers wishing to supercharge innovation.

5 Apps + Gadgets for Natural Disasters

2012-02-06T11:05:00Z

Within the last few years, we've witnessed many devastating natural disasters leave a trail of destruction across the world. Whenever I see the aftermath of these catastrophes on the news, I'm always left pondering, "Am I ready for when disaster strikes?"
]]> The most essential component of disaster prep is having the skills and knowhow to deal with whatever arises. And keeping things at the ready like a well-stocked bug out bag filled with gear like water filters, fire starters, and MREs can help you survive as well.

So can technology play any role in natural disaster survival? While it obviously can't be something you're completely reliant upon--a lot of technology will be rendered useless in the case of complete catastrophe--it can be a useful supplement to your essential supplies and knowledge.

With that in mind, here are some apps and gadgets that can make preparing for and managing a natural disaster a bit easier. Below we highlight five of them.

Eton Voice Link Radio
Growing up in Oklahoma, I've seen my fair share of tornadoes. The scariest part was when the power went out and you no longer had legendary KWTV 9 weatherman Gary England giving you constant updates on the storm from the TV. When we no longer had power, my parents would bring out the emergency battery-powered radio so we could listen to the robot voice from the National Weather Service. It was a simple device, but it got the job done.

Emergency radios sure have come a long way since my childhood. Case-in-point: the Eton Voice Link Radio. It's a hand-crank-powered AM/FM radio that also acts as a flashlight, cellphone charger, and two-way radio. With this little handheld device, you can turn the rubble that was your house into a natural disaster command center.

$75

Weather Channel Alerts
The best way to survive a natural disaster is to get out of harm's way if you can. Sign up for the Weather Channel's Alerts, and they'll send you an email or text message to warn you about possible tornados, floods, hurricanes, and blizzards, so you can head to safety. A lot of local news channels offer similar alerts as well.

FREE

Emergency Radio App
One of the best ways to stay on top of the latest developments during a natural disaster is to listen to local police, fire, and EMS radio frequencies. It used to be that you'd have to buy a special radio scanner so you could tune into these frequencies. Today many emergency service providers actually broadcast their frequencies on the web. The Emergency Radio App helps you to find and listen into the nearest emergency radio frequency right on your iPhone.

The app uses your iPhone's built-in GPS to find the nearest police, fire, and EMS frequencies. Now, whenever disaster descends on your community, you'll be among the first to know what's going on.

$1.99

Solio Bolt Solar Charger
Today, most of us rely on our cellphones for staying connected. But when you lose power to your home (like say, during a natural disaster), you lose the ability to charge your mobile devices, which means your iPhone will eventually turn into a sleek looking $500 glass doorstop.

To ensure that you constantly have a fully charged cellphone, invest in the Solio Bolt Solar Charger. The Bolt consists of an internal, rechargeable battery that you charge with the power of the sun. Just open the Bolt's solar panels and let it sit in the sun for a full day to completely recharge the battery. Once the Bolt's battery is fully charged, you'll be able to give your smartphone two full recharges. In case you want to play some Angry Birds while you're waiting for the search and rescue to airlift you off the roof of your house, you can also use the Bolt to charge your Kindle or iPad.

$60

StopDisaster App
While ideally you want to study and practice survival skills before a disaster strikes, if a catastrophe catches you unaware, use the StopDisaster App to figure out what to do. You can select from 16 different disaster scenarios, and StopDisaster will provide you with a list of things you need and actions to take so you and yours can survive.

You can also use StopDisaster to create and manage your emergency prep kit. It tells you what to include and gives you reminders when you should replace items to ensure your kit is always up-to-date and ready.

And when Mother Nature decides to get ugly, get in touch with the people you care about quickly with your emergency contacts and meeting point list.

$1.99

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Founded in January 2008, The Art of Manliness is a blog focused on reviving the lost art of manliness. With over 7 million monthly page views, The Art of Manliness represents a new kind of magazine for men, one that focuses on helping men become better citizens, fathers, husbands, friends, and simply all around better men. Husband and wife team, Brett and Kate McKay head up the up the blog. They live in Tulsa, OK.

Headphone Wars: Beats vs. Bose

2012-02-06T11:00:00Z

Headphones Wars features two popular models of headphones being compared side-by-side with a set of controlled elements. We picked ten songs, all streaming at 320kbps from Spotify, from a variety of genres and decades, and spent some time listening with both devices. Feel free to conduct your own trials with these tracks, great for testing any audio component. Today we're comparing the popular Beats Solo HD with the more modest (and more modestly priced) Bose Around-Ear basic model. Let's meet our test tracks!
]]>

Ten Tracks For Testing

Hector Berlioz - Symphonie Fantastique, Op. 14: IV. Marche Au Supplice: Allegretto Non Troppo

The Police - Every Breath You Take - 2003 Stereo Remastered Version

The Roots - How I Got Over

Coldplay - Don't Panic

Miles Davis - So What

The Strokes - Someday

Katy Perry - Teenage Dream

Destiny's Child - Say My Name

Nirvana - Scentless Apprentice

D'Angelo - Brown Sugar

Beats Solo HD ($199.99)

Key Features: Power, Style

The main problem with Beats is the inability to shake the feeling you are listening to a really stellar pair of headphones underwater. The bass frequencies are noticeably boosted and this makes listening to vocal and guitar heavy rock feel kind of washed out, especially when compared to any other set of phones sporting a better balance. The Strokes especially tune sounds pretty bad and off kilter. Nirvana sounded like it had a constantly garbled rumble in the background. But just using the Beats for an extended listening session, you tend to forget this flaw, especially in the older recordings.

Beats can get very loud and very soft while maintaining a good balance of frequencies (minus that one gaping flaw). They actually tend to sound more balanced when cranked up to 11, especially with more recent recordings.

Beats perform surprisingly well with the softer genres like jazz and classical, where feeling the timbre of the instruments is paramount to the perception of quality. You can taste the trumpet like you're the one blowing the notes. But the imbalanced frequencies makes this another losing category.

They look very, very cool, even if they aren't the most comfortable over-the-ear set in the world. The aesthetic is clearly branded and chic. You've probably seen them everywhere from public transportation to that music video you just watched. With a colorful red wire, super portability, and an extra cable for talking on your phone (think Apple's earbud/mic combo), Beats definitely fit well into your life if you're using your phone to listen to music while traveling/commuting.

Beats were built for pop, that much is clear. Nothing sounded as good, or as punchy, or as loud as the Katy Perry tune, with all the close seconds being older pop numbers like Destiny's Child and D'Angelo. If you're religiously top 40 or anything hip-hop/R&B, these might be the phones for you.

Range: 5 Levels: 9 Balance: 7 Comfort:6 Aesthetic: 9 Musical Versatility: 3

Bose Around-Ear ($94.88)

Key features: Balance, Comfort

The Bose headphones achieve a much more pronounced balance of high and low frequency, making for a better instrumental blend. Although Bose can't maintain the punch of the Beats bass when turned low, do you really need them to?

Bose maintains most of the punch of Beats, but in a much more balanced fashion. You feel the kick, but there is no annoying rumble on distortion heavy tracks like The Strokes and Nirvana. We do have to admit, the trumpet on the Miles Davis track doesn't feel as crisp and organic for some reason. And the Bose phones may not be able to get quite as loud as Beats, but there aren't many situations where you need your headphones to get to near-deafening loudness.

The Bose phones aren't as portable or slick looking as Beats, but they feel more tenuous on your head (they don't push in as much). The cushions sit around your ears instead of on them, which is much more pleasant, and although they aren't the sports car of headphones, they still look pretty sleek.

For anything with distortion and plenty of crash cymbal, you'll be very sorry you went with Beats over Bose. But for certain aspects of pop tunes, especially heavily compressed ones, Beats definitely have a power edge.

Range: 8 Levels: 6 Balance: 9 Comfort: 7 Aesthetic: 4 Musical Versatility: 9

Bose wins on points, but perhaps you feel differently. Let us know how you feel if you own a pair, or which other headphones you'd like to see stacked up next to each other, in the comments.

[Top Photo from Urbanears]

See more from Baeblemusic:

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Joe Puglisi is an NYU grad and the Managing Editor of Baeblemusic. You can email him at joep (at) baeblemusic.com if you want him to listen to your music, go to your show, or write nice things about you. In his spare time he enjoys haunting New York's rock clubs, a nice whiskey, and tweeting. Baeblemusic brings to its growing audience exclusive video and editorial programming focused on highlighting the most interesting music acts of today across the country. Their voice is positive -- they are fans -- here to bring a curated and exclusive selection of artists and editorial to their devoted audience.

Thoughtfulness Automated

2012-02-06T10:55:00Z

You'd like to be a person who marks birthdays with timely cards or sends unexpected gifts, but seriously? You have stuff to do. So much stuff. Instead of setting countless reminders on your calendars and phone, consider developing a system to help with the small gestures that show loved ones you care.
]]> Here are some easy ways to automate thoughtfulness:

Finish your birthday cards for the year.

Tiny Prints lets you upload photos, add the name of the recipient, and customize text on their card designs. You can also add an iTunes, Amazon, or Target gift card. You set the date, and they mail it for the price of the stamp. Jack Cards offers similar services.

Send custom gift cards automatically.

If you want your recipient to have more flexibility with their gift card purchases, GiftCards.com lets you purchase pre-paid Visa and Mastercards. You can upload a photo to customize the card, then set the date you'd like them to send it.

Mark birthdays and anniversaries with recurring gifts.

7P Gifts lets you send gifts at any time in the future. You can select from their online options, but they'll also store and deliver pre-written letters and personal gifts you ship to them. If you specify "generic gift" the service selects from best selling items at shops like Red Envelope and Best Buy. You pay when they ship the gift.

Use a reminder service.

The Occasions iPhone app uses push notifications to remind you that big events are coming up. The badge has an event count on the app's icon that reminds you to check in, and you decide how far in advance you'd like to be alerted. It syncs with your contacts list, so you can call and email directly from the app.

[Top image courtesy: Magnolia Press for Tiny Prints]

How do you automate thoughtfulness? Leave your advice in comments.

Read more by Maggie Mason:

Get Happy: Online Resources for Improving Your Life

Top 10 Sites or Apps for Keeping New Years Resolutions

4 Tips for Creating an Inspiring Office

See all posts from Maggie Mason.

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Maggie Mason is the author of No One Cares What You Had for Lunch: 100 Ideas for Your Blog, publisher of Mighty Mighty Media, and a Twitter power user (@Maggie). Her personal blog, Mighty Girl was recently nominated for a SxSW Lifetime Achievement Award, and she was named one of Silicon Valley's Top 50 Influencers by Now Public.

The Best Android Phones of 2012

2012-02-03T11:00:00Z

The Android phone scene is bursting with great devices to suit all kinds of different budgets and requirements, but here at Tecca, we know that too much choice can sometimes be a bewildering thing. We've put together a guide pointing out a small selection of phones from each of the four main carriers that we think are worth a look -- from beginning semi-smartphones to a power user's dream device. So without further ado, let's dive right in!
]]> AT&T 1. HTC Status
Price: $19.99 with two-year contract (free for the mauve color option)

Often known as the Facebook phone, this phone integrates the social networking behemoth at all levels of the user experience. The form factor should be familiar to anyone who has ever used a BlackBerry device, and HTC has given the phone a good screen, solid battery life and a nifty 5-megapixel camera to go along with the physical keyboard. The screen isn't huge, but it has good pixel density, which should make text and images appear clear and easy to read. The most unusual feature of this phone is the Facebook Share button that allows you to post pictures, videos, links, and thoughts directly to your profile (or your friends' walls) with just a few button presses.

Great for: Social networkers -- people who like to stay connected and use Facebook as their primary means of keeping in touch with friends.

2. Samsung Captivate Glide
Price: $149.99 with two-year contract

Despite the huge array of Android phones available right now, there are comparatively few high-end phones that have a physical keyboard. This one has a full slide-out keyboard with a comfortable, spacious design to help you send those emails even faster. This phone is based on the first incarnation of the Samsung Galaxy S series, but it's been updated with a dual core, 1GHz processor and an 8-megapixel camera. It's 4G-capable and light enough that it won't feel like brick in your pocket or your bag.

Great for: Anyone who wants a full-size physical keyboard alongside a great screen and good-quality internal features.

3. Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket
Price: $199.99 with two-year contract

The Skyrocket is AT&T's customized version of the already excellent Samsung Galaxy S II. The Skyrocket boasts Samsung's spectacular Super Amoled Plus screen, a 1.5GHz dual core processor for lightning-fast responses, and an 8-megapixel camera with an LED flash.

Great for: Power users who want a phone that can keep up with all of their demands, from social networking to photography, gaming, and editing documents as well as calling and texting.

Sprint
1. LG Marquee
Price: Free with two-year contract

This is a really great little phone with a price that's hard to argue with. LG make some of the most stylish and sleek phones on the market, and the Marquee continues that trend. The LG Marquee has a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera and a 2-megapixel front-facing camera -- that's a higher quality front-facing camera than you'll find in a lot of the top-end phones on the market! The 4.0" display is crisp, and the 1GHz processor should be able to handle almost anything you throw at it.

Great for: Anyone looking for a solid Android experience without blowing their budget; people who use video calling frequently

2. Samsung Replenish
Price: Free with two-year contract

This is an interesting offering from Samsung -- a phone designed to be eco-friendly and yet still capable of offering users a quality Android experience. The phone is made from eco-friendly materials and comes with an app that lets you assess your green credentials (Green ID). The phone is only running Froyo (Android 2.2), but has a good, four-row physical keyboard and a large 2.8" screen. This is a good, basic Android smartphone that will increase your green credentials.

Great for: People who try to live green lifestyles.

3. Samsung Nexus S
Price: $99.99 with two-year contract

This phone is a fusion of Samsung's hardware design expertise and a pure Google experience. The Android software that ships with this phone has not been touched by Samsung; it is fresh and quickly updated, just as Google intended. The phone has a 1GHz processor, 16GB of memory, a 5-megapixel camera and a truly beautiful screen. However, if you're tempted by this phone and your budget stretches a little further, it might be worth waiting a month or two for Sprint's new flagship Nexus phone, the Galaxy Nexus, promised in the first half of 2012 (also available on Verizon).

Great for: Anyone who wants an Android experience that's lightning fast, straight from Google, without any carrier bloat.

T-Mobile

1. HTC Wildfire S
Price: Free with two-year contract

This handset, based on the earlier HTC Wildfire, manages to pack a lot of high-quality features into a very slim package. The HTC Wildfire S has a solid screen and camera as well as HTC's Sense UI, its highly customizable Android overlay. Although this phone is small, most of that size is taken up with the screen, so text entry or gaming won't feel too cramped. This is a great handset for people who like their phones small and speedy!

Great for: People who don't want a massive phone yet still want a smartphone that can keep up with them.

2. T-Mobile myTouch 4G
Price: $79.99 with two-year contract

This phone has been developed by LG in partnership with T-Mobile and as such, you get LG's superior design skills on a good-quality handset but at a lower price than you might normally find. T-Mobile has added its own customizations -- most intriguingly, a "Genius Button" they say lets you "call, send messages, search the web, or find things nearby with a simple voice command." The phone has a 5-megapixel camera and is 4G-capable if you're lucky enough to live in an area that has access to 4G speeds. There's also a version of this handset with a physical keyboard, the myTouch Slide ($79.99), which also boasts an 8-megapixel camera and a much faster processor. The myTouch Slide is available in black, gray, white, and violet, giving you some personalization options as well.

Great for: People who want a stylish and speedy phone without paying a fortune.

3. HTC Amaze
Price: $229.99 with two-year contract

The HTC Amaze may have a name that smacks of hyperbole, but in this case it does actually live up to the hype! The screen is a beautiful 4.3" slab of some of the best display technology available (it could give Apple's retina display and Samsung's Super AMOLED Plus some healthy competition). The Amaze is 4G-capable and boasts 1GB of RAM, an 8-megapixel camera and a super-fast processor. HTC has put a lot of effort into the camera hardware and software on this phone; while it might not replace your DSLR, it should produce photos at a high enough quality to replace most point-and-shoots. This is a top-end Android handset with an excellent set of features that should cope with whatever you throw at it.

Great for: People who love taking photos and want a top-end set of smartphone features alongside a great camera.

Verizon
1. Xperia Play
Price: $49.99 with two-year contract

This is a rather unusual phone, even for Android. Sony has brought its handheld gaming expertise to the Xperia line of phones to produce a device that looks like a touchscreen smartphone, but doubles as a solid gaming device with slide-out gaming controls. As you'd expect, the device has a beautiful screen and a fast processor to make those games look just as sharp and vibrant as you remember them. What's impressive here is that both parts of the handset's dual personality are high quality and work together; it's a great-quality smartphone and a slice of the PlayStation ecosystem we all know and love.

Great for: People who want their PlayStation games with them all the time, plus the ability to make calls and texts.

2. HTC Rezound
Price: $199.99 with two-year contract

HTC has a really great lineup of phones right now, and the Rezound is a part of that impressive stable. The Rezound has a 4.3" screen that lives up to HTC's reputation for quality, as well as a fast processor -- meaning that your apps will run like lightning! The phone has a lot of on-board storage to store your music and pictures; that should come in handy, as the Rezound is equipped with great audio software and an 8-megapixel camera. The audio software is worth a second look, as HTC has designed the Rezound for music lovers. The Rezound comes with HTC's Beats Audio technology and a pair of Beats headphones, which combined will supposedly make your music collection sound the best it possibly can.

Great for: People who love to listen to music on the go and don't want to compromise on quality or bring a specialized MP3 player with them.

3. Droid Razr

Price: $199.99 with two-year contract

You may remember the Razr name from a few years ago. Back then, it was an impressively thin clamshell phone. Motorola's so proud of the Razr brand that it's resurrected the name for its newest flagship smartphone. This is one of the best Android phones available right now, with a 4.3" Super AMOLED display encased in Gorilla Glass, an 8-megapixel camera and a dual core processor -- all of that and it's still only 7.1mm thick.

Great for: Anyone who wants to be at the cutting edge of the Android revolution.

4. Samsung Galaxy Nexus
Price: $299.99 with two-year contract

Okay, so we were going to try and keep this round up to three phones per carrier -- but Verizon is absolutely bursting at the seams with brilliant Android phones right now. We saved the best until last. The Galaxy Nexus is the latest and greatest pure Android offering. The Galaxy Nexus has a 4.65" contoured Super AMOLED Plus display, a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, and 1GB of RAM running Ice Cream Sandwich, the best iteration of Android to date. This phone is fast, powerful, and an absolutely brilliant fusion of great hardware and great software.

Great for: People who want their phone straight from Google, super-fast and seamlessly beautiful.

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Sarah Gilbert is a columnist for Tecca. She has been playing with technology since a young age and learned reboot and repair Apple Mac computers via the command line at the age of 7 (thanks Dad!) She has a passion for dead languages and spends rather a lot of time writing about medieval theology, science and medicine. She believes in the good use of statistics and always remembers to carry a towel. Sarah loves working for Tecca as she gets to combine her enthusiasm for the Android operating system with her belief in making useful information as accessible as possible. You can follow her @sarahxgilbert. Tecca is a next-generation personal electronics information and shopping service. We bring together the web's leading content, commerce, and community features to provide comprehensive solutions for consumers' ever-growing technology needs. Think of us as that tech savvy friend who helps you when you have questions about what to buy, what to pay, how to make the most of you already have, and when it's time to upgrade. Get to know us on YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook.

Upgrade Your Photos: 10 Photoshop Tips & Tricks

2012-02-02T11:00:00Z

From graphic design to digital painting, Photoshop has so many practical uses that it's almost easy to forget that it was originally designed just for photo editing. And even when you focus strictly on its photo editing capabilities, the possibilities seem endless. You can make a regular landscape look like a fake miniature set, turn a boring shot into a dramatic portrait, or simply fix your mistakes. But because it is such a robust program, there's a pretty steep learning curve. Luckily some talented and knowledgeable photographers have shared some of their Photoshop tips and tricks with the rest of us.

]]> 1. Tilt Shift Photoshop Tutorial: How to Make Fake Miniature Scenes
Normally for a real landscape photograph to come out looking like a miniature scene the photographer has to use a tilt shift lens. A tilt shift lens blurs part of the surrounding area to create the optical illusion of a miniature scene. (This occurs because we're used to seeing a shallow depth of field in close up shots.) However this effect can also be achieved with a reflected gradient in quick mask mode and a Gaussian Blur.

2. How To Make Digital Photos Look Like Lomo Photography
Lomo photography owes its style to a mediocre camera called the Lomo LC-A that takes flawed photographs. But because of their flaws, the photos have a lot of character and the style has gained a cult following. And thanks to Photoshop you don't have to track down a Lomo LC-A camera to get the Lomo look.

3. Make Your Amateur Photos More Professional
Simply owning a decent digital camera doesn't make you a pro, but there are some things you can do to make your amateur shots seem more professional. This tutorial runs through all of the steps you can take to make your point-and-shoot photo look much better. It's a great place to start if you want to learn some Photoshop basics like adjusting levels, saturation, and sharpness. It also illustrates how a blurred background can make your subject stand out.

4. HDR Photoshop Tutorial
If you're interested in HDR photography, but not in all the work involved--like taking differently exposed photos and shooting in RAW--then you'll be happy to learn that you can fake it in Photoshop. And you'll be even happier to learn that it's a pretty simple process than can be saved as a Photoshop Action.

5. How to Turn Humdrum Photos Into Cinematic Portraits
Changing the mood of a photograph is tricky, but it can be done if you know what you're doing. By using a curves adjustment layer you can bring out deeper shadows and brighter highlights in a photo to create a much more dramatic effect. These techniques are a bit advanced, but the tutorial includes a video that's easy to follow.

6. Super Fast and Easy Facial Retouching
There are a million tutorials on the subject of retouching, but only a small handful are worth reading. This is not only one of the better ones, but one of the shorter ones. It demonstrates how to touch up a portrait in 6 easy steps.

7. How To Turn Your Photo Into Movie-Like Effect Using Photoshop
A quick shot snapped while walking down the street suddenly becomes an intense scene from a movie with a few easy steps. This tutorial will teach you how to effectively make color adjustments and use a depth of field effect that will give your photos a cinematic flair.

8. Removing Flash Hot Spots
While you could use the healing brush tool to remove flash hot spots completely and call it a day, you would lose some of the highlights that add depth to the face. This tutorial takes it a few steps further and shows you how to keep the highlights you want and soften the ones you don't.

9. Use Lens Correction To Straighten An Image
The Lens Correction filter lets you fix all kinds of distortions in a photo, such as bulge created by a wide-angle lens. It also lets you correct the perspective of a photo taken at an odd angle. This tutorial walks you through all of the settings the filter has to offer.

10. Handy Techniques for Cutting Out Hair in Photoshop
Clipping hair or fur out of a photo can be extremely difficult and tedious. However this tutorial offers some great tips that make the process a little bit less painless. It contains techniques for images with plain backgrounds and as well as photos with complex varied background tones.

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Cool Material, is a hobby-turned-profession for online publisher, Tim Jacobsen. After starting a top 300 Internet retailer and holding a couple of SVP positions, his passion for social media, online marketing, and entrepreneurship drove him to branch out on his own. Started in 2008, the men's lifestyle blog covers everything from entertainment and technology, to art and style. Cool Material reaches out to over 600,000 readers each month, but the site's hip, of-the-moment content and honest reviews continues to grow that number daily. Outside of his Internet world, Tim enjoys bicycling, poker, and traveling with his family.

Top 7 iPhone Apps for the Art Lover

2012-02-01T11:00:00Z

It's an exciting time for art. No longer do we have to visit museums to see incredible artworks, we can now view them in the palm of our hands. Lucky for us, iPhone apps have been developed that will educate us on everything from fine art to modern art, presenting us with classic works we're already familiar with or introducing us to new works we've never seen. Today, we've brought together a list of iPhone apps that we believe every art enthusiast should have. From companion museum apps to a creative painting app, these seven have been carefully chosen with you, the art lover, in mind.
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1. Art

Simply called Art, this is the best selling art app on the iPhone. It currently features 204 artists (with more added on an ongoing basis) with full biographies from Wikipedia and over 6,000 images. To learn more about each artist, simply search by artist name or birth, and then view their works or read their biographies. This app even has a quiz section where you can test your art history knowledge in a fun, interactive game. (The app shows you a piece of art and then asks you to name the artist.) There's even a "most expensive art" section where you can view some highly regarded works by world famous artists like Gustav Klimt and Vincent van Gogh. For those interested in learning more about fine art, this is the best app you'll find.

2. Art Authority

If you'd like a comprehensive overview of art, check out Art Authority. Here you'll find works by over 1,000 of the western world's most prolific artists. This app has over 40,000 paintings and sculptures displayed chronologically for each artist. When you first launch this app, you'll notice that you can look through all the artists or view them by time period. Let's say you're interested in Impressionism - click on that section to see a choice of an Overview, all artists or to check out each subgroup, in this case American, French, Neo-Impressionists or Post-Impressionists. Once in Overview, you can always click "about This topic" to be launched into Wikipedia where you can learn about that particular art movement. This app is easy to navigate and very well organized, particularly if you're looking to educate yourself on a specific artist or genre of art.

3. Behance Network: Creative Portfolios & Galleries

Behance recently released an iPhone app that lets you sort through millions of projects by today's most exciting artists and designers. Click "explore the network" to browse by feature, most recent, most viewed, most discussed or most appreciated, or click on their curated galleries section to be launched into a special area where you can explore everything from typography and illustration to fashion and photography. As a great compliment to their popular website, this app also allows creatives to manage their account by letting them access their statistics or display their projects on their phone without an Internet connection. Just like that, you can now have your portfolio in your pocket!

4. Brushes

If there's one app you'll want on your iPhone when you're struck with a bolt of creative inspiration, it's Brushes. This painting application was designed specifically for the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad and comes with a multitude of features that lets you become the modern-day painter. As the name suggests, Brushes allows you to paint right on your screen using the tip of your fingers. Great for both beginners or more seasoned artists, Brushes became well-known after a New Yorker Magazine cover was created using this $4.99 app. The artist behind it, Jorge Colombo, told The New York Times he loves the app because it "made it easy for me to sketch without having to carry all my pens and brushes and notepads with me, and I like the fact that I am drawing with a set of tools that anybody can have easily in their pocket."

5. New York Art Beat

Headed to the Big Apple? If your idea of fun is checking out the art and culture in the big city, make sure you download the highly useful app New York Art Beat. This app lets you browse through hundreds of current exhibitions happening in New York, giving you nearby maps to find events within walking distance and showing you which exhibits are the most popular right now. Always be in the know by browsing through a "smart list" that shows you which exhibits are starting soon, opening that day, or have just started. With maps, directions, price and hours, you'll have all the information you need to plan out your day that's dedicated to art.

6. MoMA

The MoMA iPhone app is not only great for those visiting the MoMA museum, with information on current exhibitions, an events calendar, audio tours and more, it's also a fantastic resource. It allows its users access to 32,000 works of art, and includes a dictionary of art terms and a database of artist bios. Users are even encouraged to take photos of themselves inside the museum and send them as postcards. Designed in-house, this beautifully organized app is free to download and will serve as the perfect companion to those visiting the MoMA or those just interested in learning more about contempory and modern artists.

7. Flipboard

The social magazine app company Flipboard, who first became popular with their award-winning iPad app, released their iPhone app this past December and, in just its first week, it was downloaded more than one million times. Head to their section: Photos and Design to see a full list of art-related publishers you can follow. Flipboard even has a personally curated art feed called The Art World that will keep you up-to-date on the latest news, exhibitions or auctions. Short on time? Make sure to flip through Cover Stories to see the articles Flipboard recommends, which are based on the Flipboard tiles you've chosen and dependent on what you've shared. As you add more sources to your Flipboard, you'll see more posts from that site appear.

Which of these iPhone apps do you use?

See more My Modern Met posts:

10 Great Gifts for the Art + Design Lover Top 6 Apps for the Foodie
Top 6 Apps To Improve Your Overall Health
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Top 6 Fashion Inspiration Sites
Top 6 Art & Culture News Sites
Top 6 Sites That Inspire + Educate
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Top Apps to Make Your Photos Pop
10 Apps to Enhance Your Offline Experience
Top 10 Sites to Help You Develop Your Creative Side
Top Ten Apps to Make Your Photos Pop!

See all from My Modern Met.

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Alice Yoo is the founder and editor in chief of My Modern Metropolis, a place where trendspotters and art enthusiasts come to connect over creative ideas. After graduating from UCLA with a Bachelor's in Economics, Alice received her MBA, worked in advertising for MTV and then started My Modern Met in 2008. With over 3.2 million page views per month, My Modern Met is one of the leading art and culture destinations on the web.

Great Gifts & Gadgets for Your Valentine

2012-01-31T11:00:00Z

Oh, Valentine's Day. When it comes to this emotionally loaded holiday, everyone has a different opinion. I've made peace with the chocolate, red, perfumed, floral explosion that bombards me at every shop I visit leading up to the holiday. I've eased up on the self-inflicted pressure to prepare a spectacular romantic gesture each year, and I've dropped the expectations of receiving something of similar grandeur in return. Honestly, the best part of the day is the reminder that love of any kind is awesome. I enjoy the opportunity to surprise my loved ones with a little token of my affection, and the chance to indulge in the incredible color combination of hot pink and red is pretty great, too.
]]> It is in this spirit that I decided to round up some of my favorite gifts and gadgets for Valentine's Day. Nothing too grand or luxurious here; just some great-looking, useful, sometimes silly products that I think your friends and loved ones would appreciate. With this great selection of gifts big and small, you can easily find a little something to send to your loved one, best friend, sister, brother--maybe even a secret crush perhaps? Give a little extra love this Valentine's Day, and I guarantee it will make you feel the love in return. Enjoy!

There's still time to plan, and I'd love to get inspiration from fellow romantics out there. Have any special Valentine's Day plans or gift ideas? Let's hear 'em!

1. Marc by Marc Jacobs Wild Hearts iPhone 4 case, $34
2. Marc by Marc Jacobs Amy crystal bracelet watch, $175
3. Poketo envelope iPad case in red, $48
4. Society6 Love Wins iPhone case by Marianne LoMonaco, $35
5. Mary & Matt Valentine Edition chocolate bars, $6 each
6. Vintage Love DODOCase for iPad 2, $80
7. Urbanears Plattan headphones in raspberry, $60
8. Customized embroidered heart from MiniatureRhino, $40
9. Diane von Furstenberg chain link earbuds, $25
10. Kate Spade "Live Colorfully" Blackberry case, $25
11. Tear drop ceramic bank in white, $44
12. 2GB usb key thumb drive, $35
13. Punkt. alarm clock by Jasper Morrison in red, $125

1. 4GB Red Zip Zip drive, $25
2. Drink Clip in orange, $5
3. Mophie Air juice pack for iPhone 4 in red, $80
4. Cross My Heart wooden yo-yo, $12
5. Mountain notebook by LittleAlexander, $12
6. DANNIJO Stache iPhone 4 case, $98
7. 16GB Victorinox USB drive, $80
8. Rope bottle openers, $28
9. Jawbone Jambox speaker in red dot, $200
10. Society6 I Like You case by Gemma Corell, $35
11. Herschel Supply two-tone varsity backpack, $75
12. Leather iPad2 case (monogram available), $98
13. Rifle Paper Co. "You're a Fox" card, $4

1. Crosley Retro Spinnerette portable USB turntable, $170
2. PostcupTM from Bailey Doesn't Bark, $52
3. Mini robot vacuum, $26
4. Rebecca Minkoff set of two Best Friends iPhone cases, $68
5. Native Union Pop phone set in red, $35
6. Face mug, $18
7. Gummy Bears earbud headphones, $12
8. Dancing Lion speaker, $70
9. Tunes for 2 heart-shaped headphone splitter, $18
10. Personalized "Smitten" snuggle mitten for two, $23

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See all articles from Design*Sponge

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Kate Pruitt is a senior editor for D*S. After working as a retail display artist for several years, she joined the D*S team as a weekly DIY contributor in 2009. Her work has been featured in various print publications, including ReadyMade, New York Magazine, Country Living and The San Francisco Chronicle. She currently resides in California with her boyfriend and their inadvertently diabolical cat, JFK. Design*Sponge is a daily blog dedicated to the creative life. Since its founding in 2004, Design*Sponge has grown to cover a wide range of topics. In addition to hosting a yearly scholarship for student designers, artists, Design*Sponge published both its first newspaper and book this year, Design*Sponge at Home, which ended with a 30-city book tour that raised money for local arts charities across the country. The website currently has over 75k daily readers and 370k Twitter followers.

Top 10 Toddler Apps

2012-01-30T23:11:05Z

If you live in a tech lovin' household, your toddler probably loves flinging Angry Birds just as much playing with his Legos. And sometimes, letting your tot take control of your tech gadgets can be a lifesaver, like when you're on line at the bank, waiting for a table at the burger joint, or in desperate need of 10 minutes to jump in the shower. The good news is they'll have lots of fun, work their fine motor skills, and maybe even learn a little something. Here are our top 10 best apps for toddlers...
]]> Monkey Preschool Lunchbox
According to iTunes, this is the number one preschool app in the store. And no wonder - the little ones just love packing up some treats for the adorable monkeys. With different games that teach colors, shapes, and matching skills, among others, this one will keep them tapping for a while. Bonus: They win animated stickers when they complete a game.

(99 cents for iPad, iPhone; $1.99 for Android)

Doodle Buddy

Your busy little bee can doodle with his or her fingers, use stamps, paint, and scribble - all without making a mess on your kitchen walls!

(Free for iPhone)

Elmo Loves ABCs

OK, so this app is geared for 4+, but have you ever met a toddler who didn't love Elmo? Plus, there's a variety of functions to choose from for your pre-readers, from coloring to video and music content. And parents, you can add your child's photo into the app for some interactive fun.

($4.99 for iPad)

PBS Kids Videos

Stuck in traffic with a whining kid? Pass your iPad into the backseat and let her flip through over 1,000 videos from her favorite PBS Kids shows including SUPER WHY!,Curious George, The Cat in the Hat, and others.

(Free on iPhone or iPad)

Toddler Teasers: Complete Toddler Preschool

While you can buy individual apps from this developer for 99 cents each, for an extra couple of bucks, you'll get more educationally-focused fun for your money. From shapes to bugs, musical instruments to symbols, the app boasts simple navigation, bright colors, and even a fun quiz mode.

($2.99 for iPhone and iPad)

Kidzongs
Perfect for your future American Idol, this app is simply fun for kids who love to sing along. Six favorite kids tunes, including Incy Wincy Spider and Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, come both with and without vocals.
(99 Cents for iPhone)

Peekaboo Barn
Watch your little guy smile as the cute farm animals pop out after he taps on the barn doors. Fun and easy enough for little fingers, plus he'll learn how to identify 10 animals in English and Spanish.

($1.99 for iPhone and Android)

Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed
Completely tired of reading this toddler favorite? Download an app to do it for you! This classic book lets kids choose a "read to me" mode, while they get used to flipping through to see what happens once mama calls the doctor.

($1.99 for Android)

My Very First App
Who doesn't love Eric Carle? This game app, using illustrations from the famed author of loved books like The Very Hungry Caterpillar, has three levels for your growing child. Easy mode is geared toward ages 1-3, and lets them match colors with objects, and other activities.

($1.99 for iPhone and iPad)

Fish School HD

Garnering rave reviews from parenting associations and tech blogs alike, this app takes learning the alphabet and counting under the sea. What child doesn't love looking at fishies?

($1.99 for iPad)

These apps are sure to keep your techie tot engaged, and out of your hair for a few precious minutes. Start your downloading engines...

Dawn Papandrea is a Staten Island, NY-based freelance writer and blogger, and mom of two boys who love to steal her tech gadgets.

Top 10 Cooking Blogs

2012-01-30T22:32:07Z

Whether you're an accomplished chef or attempting to make your very first meal in the kitchen, the Web is chock full of inspiration to fuel your culinary creations. Here's a list of the 10 Best Cooking Blogs to help you on your gastronomic journey.
]]>

1. Devour, The Blog

By now, you've probably heard of Cooking Channel, the sister channel to Food Network, which features fan favorites Giada DeLaurentiis, Emeril Lagasse and Paula Deen, as well as newcomers Chuck Hughes and Nadia G -- just to name a few. The network's blog makes featured recipes easy to find, categorizing them by interest. If your top goal this year is to lose weight, check out the Lighten Up section.

2. The Italian Dish
Do you enjoy home cooked meals? (Who doesn't?!) Then, head over to The Italian Dish, which showcases kitchen adventures in delicious Italian food. The recipes are easy to follow and accompanied by beautiful, mouthwatering photographs. A tried and tested dish perfect for the cold winter months: Spaghetti with Roasted Tomatoes, Garlic and Pancetta.

3. Lemons & Anchovies
Don't be misled, Lemons & Anchovies is so much more than its name suggests. A top Foodbuzz publisher, this blog regales readers with interesting travel tales while cooking up healthy, rustic comfort food. This Roasted Tomato Soup will keep you warm all winter and, no, it doesn't contain any lemon or anchovies.

4. Ezra Poundcake
If it's down-home goodness you're after, check out the musings of Ezra Poundcake. Not only is the name super clever, the recipes are of equal brilliance and will leave you begging for more. From decadent desserts to Meatless Monday to reviews of kitchen gadgets and products in "Things We Love," this one's got it all. For a can't-miss dessert, try the Chocolate Pecan Bourbon Bars.

5. 101 Cookbooks
As its name suggests, blogger Heidi Swanson not only whips up recipes from her 101 cookbooks, she's also got a couple of her own -- Super Natural Cooking and Super Natural Every Day. The blog 101 Cookbooks, her "recipe journal," features healthy, good-for-you dishes made from natural ingredients that are illustrated with original, imaginative photography. Need proof? Here's a Mac and Cheese recipe (infused with broccoli and basil) you can feel not so guilty about eating.

6. Smitten Kitchen
Smitten Kitchen just had to be featured among the best cooking blogs for its fun, fresh, seasonal recipes, tongue-in-cheek writing and luscious photography -- all cooked up in a tiny Manhattan apartment kitchen. Seriously, who wouldn't want to warm up on a cold winter's day with these Mini Key Lime Tarts?

7. Pinch My Salt

Trying to cook your own meals, eat healthy and save money? Then, check out Pinch My Salt, a blog that offers fun recipes featuring fresh ingredients. This Butternut Squash Hash with Mexican Chorizo and Eggs looks like the perfect Sunday brunch dish for a cold winter day.

8. Brown Eyed Baker
There's a popular notion that if you're a great cook, you're probably not a great baker -- and vice versa. This blog proves you can be both! Written by a self-proclaimed foodie, recipes are presented with step-by-step instructions and scrumptious photos. Don't miss these delightful (and easy) Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Maple-Cream Cheese Frosting -- the most e-mailed recipe on the site.

9. The FN Dish (Food Network)
A list of cooking blogs would not be complete without Food Network's FN Dish. After all, Food Network is, arguably, the source for all things food. At FN Dish, you'll find the best of the best - cooking heavyweights Bobby Flay, Guy Fieri, Rachel Ray, among others -- as well as recipes featured in Food Network Magazine. Go ahead, take one last look back at the 10 Best Comfort Food Recipes of 2011.

10. The Pioneer Woman Cooks
Ever wondered what life would be like on the frontier? Ree Drummond's The Pioneer Woman Cooks is an intriguing -- and downright delectable -- glimpse into life on a ranch. From the simple, comforting recipes to the instructive, yet artful photos, it's easy to fall for this one. She'll have you at Twice Baked Potatoes.

From appetizers to desserts, these 10 blogs are great sources of inspiration for all of your kitchen adventures. Do you have a favorite?

Lisa Camerlengo is The Rescue Baker (@TheRescueBaker), a blogger on a mission to "rescue" non-bakers one at a time, and make baking easy and fun again.

Pop Music's Best and Worst Tweeters

2012-01-30T11:00:00Z

Thanks to social media services like Twitter, we know more about our favorite pop artists--their personalities, their personal lives, and so on--then ever before. Of course, this can be both a good thing and a bad thing. Sometimes, these artists reveal themselves to be personable, funny, occasionally even insightful, and other times, they reveal themselves to be sleazy, unintelligible, and/or disturbingly short-tempered individuals. So with a friendly reminder that tweeting isn't a right, it's a privilege--especially when your followers rank in the six to eight digits--here is the Popdust list of the the best and worst tweeters from all of popular music, awarded categorically to specify just what makes them so follow or unfollow-worthy.
]]> BEST ALL-AROUND TWEETER: ?UESTLOVE OF THE ROOTS (@questlove)
Cool music recommendations, interesting links to subjects relating to everything from politics to Parks and Recreation, and some funny (and occasionally controversial) previews of upcoming fare on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, where he and The Roots serve as the in-house band. Besides, nobody's Twitter account is more timely--how many other musicians can see they warned Occupy Wall Street protesters about the surprise raid on Zuccoti Park before it happened?

BEST "SONG OF THE DAY" TWEETER: ROB THOMAS (@ThisisRobThomas)
You might not expect the singer of Matchbox 20, one of the definitive Adult Alternative bands of the last 20 years to have the most interesting taste in music, but Thomas' Song of the Day recommendations are almost always on the money--recs from the last seven days include underrated classic rock jams (The Kinks' "Celluloid Heroes"), riot grrrrl punk anthems (Bikini Kill's "Rebel Girl") and modern under-the-radar pop nuggets (Butch Walker's "Synthesizers"). Plus, he actually updates it every day--a level of discipline rarely seen on the Bluebird.

BEST SUBTLE AND ACERBIC TWITTER: OWL CITY (@owlcity)
Most pop musicians aren't exactly known for their dry wit, especially over a service with such potential for self-indulgence as Twitter, but "Fireflies" chart-topper Owl City (real name: Adam Young) is that all-too-rare musician feed that can actually make you think a little with its brand of humor. (Recent examples include tweets like "Nothing kills time like ripping open the fabric of existence" and "Lemmings. They'll follow anyone.") And guaranteed, no pop musician has ever gotten more mileage out of the perennial "That Awkward Moment" hashtag--so much so that he doesn't even include the tag anymore when posting them.

BEST FAN-INTERACTIVE TWEETER: RIHANNA (@rihanna)
Few pop artists have as many followers as Rihanna's 12-and-a-half-million strong Navy, but fewer still take care of their own better than the Barbadian megastar. On a good day, Rihanna will go on a tear of re-tweeting and responding to a dozen or so fans at a time, thanking them for their kind words with an encouraging message like "Yall R SO MAJAH" or "My fans run dis world!" or just "#approved."

BEST STREAKY TWEETER: KANYE WEST (@kanyewest)
If you were to take bets on who would be the first pop musician to compose an entire novel over Twitter, Kanye would have to be the prohibitive favorite. Once 'Yeezy gets going, there's no telling when he's going to stop--he might spend an entire night ranting about Steve Jobs, Spike Jonze, and his new proposal for an international think tank named after his dead mother before all is said and done. The flipside to this, of course, is that he also might go weeks at a time without tweeting at all--as of writing, his feed hasn't been updated since Jan. 7th ("The world is our office"). But once you see him get off a couple in a few minutes' time, stay tuned to your computer--it's guaranteed to be some riveting stuff.

WORST CAPITALIZE-EVERY-WORD TWEETER: WIZ KHALIFA (@realwizkhalifa)
Some artists Capitalize The First Letter In Every Word of their tweets, likely due to a text-compositional quirk in the phones they tweet from. In Tyler's case, it just makes each of his tweets come off funnier and more surreal, but in the case of a significantly less interesting artist like Wiz Khalifa, it just highlights how little they have to say. Most of Wiz's tweets are meaningless few-word phrases like "Self Love," "Can't Hate" or "Im In Space," with no elaboration or follow-up, like inside jokes that even Wiz himself might not be in on. Maybe he should go ALL CAPS in the future--at least then he wouldn't sound quite so lazy.

WORST SHADY TWEETER: 50 CENT (@50cent)
50 Cent may be just as fan-interactive a tweeter as Rihanna, but in a significantly less admirable way. Many of Fiddy's fan tweets are from females offering some variety of their services to him, or just complimenting him on (and/or begging him to show more of) his physique--including one fan who recently offered him an I'll Show You Mine vs. You Show Me Yours bet over the Giants winning the Super Bowl. (He accepted, natch.) Throw in some ill-conceived tsunami jokes and....yeah. Not a good follow.

WORST SHORT-TEMPERED TWEETER: CHRIS BROWN (@chrisbrown)
Twitter isn't often the best venue for people who don't respond well to criticism--especially for those criticized as often as embattled pop star Chris Brown. He's feuded with artists like Frank Ocean and Raz B, hurling homophobic epithets at the ex-B2K member, and has gone off on fans who want to take too close a look at his relationship with ex-girlfriend Rihanna. Possibly for the best, the latter incident inspired Brown to delete his timeline, but he's recently started up again, tweeting a dozen different links to the same picture (a coded image of his new album title, Fortune) at 2:00 in the morning a few nights ago. Where he goes from here is anyone's guess, and we're not all that excited to find out.

WORST ABSENT TWEETER: BEYONCE (@beyonce)
2,949,308 followers, 0 tweets. Nothing much to say here, except step it up, Bey. The Internet demands it.

Got a favorite tweeter you love or love to hate? Let us know in the comments below.

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Andrew Unterberger is a staff writer for Popdust, an online site voraciously covering the world of pop music. Unterberger lives in Astoria, New York, prefers Coke to Pepsi and casts a voodoo curse on LeBron James every NBA post-season. Popdust is the world's foremost authority on pop music. Founded in February 2011, Popdust super-serves fans with a vibrant, irreverent, 24/7 mix of news, opinion, interviews, reviews, music premieres, and original video and content features on today's biggest and brightest pop, hip-hop, R&B and country stars. Pop music has never been more commercially dominant or more creatively fertile-think Lady Gaga, Kanye West, Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, and on and on-and yet its artists have never been afforded the kind of expert, passionate online coverage so often lavished on lesser, and lesser-selling, rock artists. Part music-nerd watering hole, part tart gossip outlet, Popdust is laser-focused on the never-ever-boring creative and personal lives of this generation's most compelling entertainers.

Ultrabooks: 5 Insanely Thin and Light Laptops

2012-01-27T11:00:00Z

There's a whole new wave of gadgets right around the corner that you might not have even known you needed -- until now, of course. Meet the ultrabook, a class of super-slim, considerably powerful notebook computers that are cut from the same cloth as Apple's MacBook Air. "Ultrabook" might not be a word you've heard before, but the idea is meant to inspire a category of laptop that is nearly as mobile as a tablet, but that doesn't sacrifice power for portability -- the ultimate pitfall of the netbook. ]]>
Ultrabooks are on the way, but choosing between them won't be easy. Assuming you don't take the Mac route and opt for Apple's own offering, the members of this tidal wave of featherweight computers running Windows will share most of their features in common by definition. In fact, the term "ultrabook" is a trademarked term, owned by Intel. To qualify as an ultrabook, a notebook computer should hover around the $1,000 mark, be no more than .8" thick, weigh less than 3.1 lb., and boast a respectable battery life and an efficient solid-state drive (SSD) rather than a traditional mechanical hard drive.

As you'll see, these rules were meant to be broken, but even some of the notebooks that stray a little from the mold are interesting enough to keep an eye out for. Here are five favorite ultrabooks, some available now and some on the way soon, and what sets them each apart from the pack.

Dell's value-minded XPS 13 balances features with a friendly price tag
As Dell's budget-minded follow-up to its head-turning notebook the Adamo, the XPS 13 is no slouch. The XPS doesn't reinvent the wheel, but starting at $999, it really doesn't need to. The XPS 13 is comfortably rounded off (unlike the razor-sharp design of the Asus Zenbook), with a solid build, and a comfortable backlit keyboard. Notably, the XPS 13 crams more screen real estate into dimensions usually reserved for its 11" peers, thanks to a super-slim bezel around the Gorilla Glass screen and a thoughtful design.

At 3 lb. even, this light 13.3" laptop can clock in 8 hours of battery life, and it predictably packs a Core i5 processor and 4GB of RAM, and a 128GB harddrive in its starting configuration, much like its peers. The XPS 13 will be available in February, and offers a very nice blend of features for its reasonable price.

The HP Envy 14 Spectre may be a bit thick, but we loved its stylish glass exterior
The HP Envy 14 Spectre has a design, feature set, and price that put it in line with premium ultrabooks like the Samsung Series 9. The Envy 14 Spectre sports a mirror-like black Gorrila Glass lid, integrated support for NFC, and a 1600 x 900, ultra-sharp 14" Gorilla Glass screen. At .78" and 3.79 lb., the flashy notebook might not be as "ultra-portable" as many of its peers, but you're getting some seriously tough (and seriously good-looking) glass in the trade-off, not to mention Beats audio, and a reported 9-hour battery life. Like the majority of notebooks in its class, the ultrabook includes a mini-HDMI port, dual USB ports, and an SD card slot. HP's Envy 14 Spectre goes on sale February 8, and starts at $1,399 for a basic configuration with a Core i5 processor, 128GB SSD, and 4GB of RAM.

Asus Zenbook UX31 features an eye-catching, razor-sharp design
We found Asus's ultrabook somewhat ironically named. With its combo brushed/polished aluminum frame and jagged edges, the 13" Zenbook was striking for the severity of its design. While the Zenbook's angular look will boil down to a matter of preference, its insides stack up with the competition: the notebook packs a Core i5 processor, 4GB of RAM, one USB 2.0 port and a USB 3.0 port in the mix as well. Though the Zenbook has been knocked for its less-than-stellar trackpad, it does sport Bang & Olufsen speakers, which could set it apart from the pack if you like to rock out on the go via your ultraportable computer. The 13" Asus Zenbook is available now for $1,099.

Lenovo's U300s ultrabook offers a comfy keyboard paired with solid value
At under 3 lb. and just .58" thick across the board, the Lenovo IdeaPad U300s is in many ways a prototype of the ultrabook class. Lenovo put plenty of thought into the design of the little notebook's keyboard, and the pleasantly rounded keys don't have the same uncomfortably shallow feel to them as many of its peers that cut corners to shave off inches.
Beyond its thoughtful design, the IdeaPad U300s felt solid, and it offers the standard i5 processor, 4GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, all in a sub 3 lb. shell. While it doesn't sport an SD card slot, Lenovo's ultrabook is a solid choice in an 13" ultraportable, and it's available now for $1,199. Did we mention that it comes in orange?

Samsung Series 9 is a handsome, high-end choice
The new Samsung Series 9 is a shoo-in. Last year's Series 9 ultralight was already ahead of the curve -- in fact, it made a point of asserting itself as the lightest notebook on the market. Samsung has had a year to refine its ultra-portable model, and the new Series 9 is as polished and good-looking as it is powerful.

The Series 9 offers a surprisingly sharp, matte 1600 x 900 13" display, an SD card slot, Core i5 processor, and a 7-hour battery life. Of course, you'll pay $1,399 for the feature set, which is considerably more than the $1,000 target price point. If you have the cash and are taken (like we were) with the notebook's striking black alumninum, watch for the Series 9 from Samsung in February.

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Taylor Hatmaker is a senior editor at Tecca. She graduated from New York University and hails from the South, but these days she can be found on the leftmost coast. You can read more of her writing on Autostraddle, or catch up with her micro-thoughts on Twitter. Tecca is a next-generation personal electronics information and shopping service. We bring together the web's leading content, commerce, and community features to provide comprehensive solutions for consumers' ever-growing technology needs. Think of us as that tech savvy friend who helps you when you have questions about what to buy, what to pay, how to make the most of you already have, and when it's time to upgrade. Get to know us on YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook.

10 Great Gifts for the Art + Design Lover

2012-01-26T11:00:00Z

Whether you have a valentine or not, it's never too soon to start planning for that next special occasion when you'll need to pick out the perfect gift. If you have a friend who has a passion for art and design, what exactly do you get him or her? Today, we've picked out ten items that are almost guaranteed to be a sure fire hit. From incredible coffee table books to the newest tech toy, these are gifts you'll love so much, you might even end up buying one for yourself!
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1. Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty

Published to coincide with the exhibition at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty is a must-have coffee table book that goes well beyond fashion. It examines the full breadth of the designer's career, showing us how McQueen became one of the most influential and imaginative designers of our generation. Inside the 240-page book, you'll find an interview with Sarah Burton, creative director of the house of Alexander McQueen, quotes from the late designer himself and provocative photography by world-renowned photographer Sølve Sundsbø. If all that's not convincing enough, in their recent gift guide, The Wall Street Journal named it one of the Best Art Books.

2. Lytro Camera

This small and beautifully designed camera is revolutionary because, unlike conventional cameras, the Lytro captures an entire light field. What does that mean exactly? You can focus and re-focus on the picture after you've taken it. Though the technology isn't new, and the very first light fields were captured at Stanford University over 15 years ago, it is the first time this type of camera is available to the mass public. Look to the Lytro if your friend is interested in taking more than just a pretty picture.

3. Wacom Inkling Digital Sketch Pen

The Wacom Inkling Digital Sketch Pen was designed for artists and practically anyone else who's into creative brainstorming. The ballpoint pen uses Wacom pressure-sensing technology to detect how hard the pen is being pressed onto the paper, which will show in the digital version of the drawing. You can use any sheet of paper to draw on, and then, once the digital drawing is in the computer, you can further refine your sketch. Coolest part? You can export your work directly into Adobe Photoshop or Adobe Illustrator as vectors.

4. Aurora Display Case

The Aurora Display Case shows off the beauty of colored pencils right on your wall. The clear, acrylic cases organize and hold pencils while saving space and creating a rainbow effect. Stack five cases, one of top of another, and you'll be able to hold 500 pencils in a wide range of colors. This gift is perfect for the aspiring artists or for those who have bare white walls!

5. The Holstee Manifesto

You don't have to be an artist to love all the words on the Holstee Manifesto. A poster created by two brothers back in May 2009, it's full of wise advice that quite possibly anyone could appreciate. Viewed over 50 million times, the Manifesto is a typographic print printed on 100% recycled paper that has inspiring sentences like "Travel Often," "Start Doing Things You Love," and "When You Eat, Appreciate Every Last Bite." If you'd like to make a custom one as a gift, you can even ask graphic designer Aileen Bennett to create one for you.

6. 20x200 Art Print

Who doesn't love a limited edition art print? Search through 20x200 to find affordable art for your friend. Jen Bekman curates this shop which has everything from funny, typographic prints to animal and architecture photography. Because each print only starts at around $20, you'll be able to quickly and cheaply pick something out without breaking the bank. Recently, 20x200 collaborated with West Elm to offer a line of gallery frames designed to fit artwork sold on that site.

7. Gift Certificate to Fab.com

Can't decide on what to get your friend but know that they love modern design? Get them a gift certificate at Fab.com and let them pick out their own! Launched in April 2010, Fab.com has quickly grown to become one of the best places to find lighting, jewelry, art posters, books and more. With prices that are up to 70% off retail, Fab.com is a great one-stop-shop to find beautiful, hand-curated goods.

8. Lunatik Lynk Watch

While the story about how founder Scott Wilson brought the Lunatiks products to life is inspiring enough, the watch conversion kits can stand for themselves as fantastic products. The new Lynk version has the same aerospace grade aluminum frame as the original, but has been upgraded with an anodized aluminum band and full butterfly clasp. Gorgeous, sharp-looking and lightweight, you just have to pop in your iPod Nano to take it from a music player to a wonderfully classic timepiece.

9. Moleskin Products

A classic moleskin notebook will always be the perfect gift, but now you can give something a little more special. The Moleskin Writing Set Gift Box features a case that opens up and holds the pocket-sized ruled notebook and a roller pen. Of course, if you want to pick up a gift with a little more flair, you can get a limited edition Star Wars moleskin, or a Pac-Man daily planner.

10. Sky Umbrella

Still can't decide on what to get your friend who has everything? Why not pick up a best-selling item at the MoMA Store, the Tibor Kalman Sky Umbrella? This full-sized umbrella has a cheerful blue sky pattern underneath the classic black exterior that's sure to brighten up any day. With a durable wood handle and a manual open/close mechanism, this walking art piece is also a fully functional umbrella.

Which of these products do you love?

See more My Modern Met posts:
Top 6 Apps for the Foodie
Top 6 Apps To Improve Your Overall Health
Top 6 Sites for the Modern Architecture Enthusiast
Top 6 Fashion Inspiration Sites
Top 6 Art & Culture News Sites
Top 6 Sites That Inspire + Educate
Top 6 Sites To Stay Current on Art + Culture
Top Tech Tools to Save You Time and Money
Top Apps to Make Your Photos Pop
10 Apps to Enhance Your Offline Experience
Top 10 Sites to Help You Develop Your Creative Side
Top Ten Apps to Make Your Photos Pop!

See all from My Modern Met.

TrendHunter.com's Top 5 Gadgets For 2012

2012-01-25T11:00:00Z

Tech enthusiasts on the cutting-edge of cool will find a lot to be excited about in the gadget world in 2012. While it's true that today's modern gadget-user has more demands on their time than ever, worrying about staying up-to-date on what's cool and essential is a concern of the past because TrendHunter.com has got it covered. In order to arm you with the info you need to navigate the latest and greatest tools that are about to hit the market, we've scoured our stockpile of tech innovations to bring you five gadgets you'll definitely want to keep an eye on this year.
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If you're one of the millions of people who vowed to start eating healthier and exercising more regularly on New Year's Eve, then you might want to consider the Nike+ FuelBand. This bracelet enables its wearer to set and track daily fitness goals. Featuring a built-in three-axis accelerometer, the Nike+ FuelBand tracks movement - be it running to catch the bus, walking to get a coffee or dancing at a nightclub - and monitors your progress based on the goals you've set on the NikeFuel website. With LEDs that change from red to green along the wristband, tracking your progress is easy, convenient and a little bit fun.

Car Compass
2012 has the potential to be the year that your absentmindedness goes unnoticed to others in that crowded parking lot thanks to the inconspicuous car-locating capabilities of the Car Compass by AHHAPROJECT. Designed to help users save time and embarrassment, this discrete but enormously useful gadget uses pointers and arrows to help you find your car with the simple touch of a button. If spending large chunks of your time trying to figure out where you parked your car is a typical component of your average trip to the mall or grocery store, this may just be the gadget you've been waiting for.

Innergie PocketCell
Let's face it, smartphones are increasingly becoming an essential component of the modern life. But what happens when you can't find the opportunity to charge them up? For the smartphone user who sometimes finds it difficult to keep their handy gadget companion well-charged, the Innergie PocketCell should come as welcome relief. This handy gadget features a built-in 2.1 Amp rechargeable battery, making it easy to ensure your handheld devices can get the juice they need - even when far away from an outlet or a computer. Just charge it up before leaving the house or office and it can be used as a revival tool on the go.

Verizon Jetpack
When on the road or away from your computer (and without a data plan for your phone), it can be pretty stressful living with the thought that you can't check your emails as easily as easily as you'd like. Enter the Verizon Jetpack 4g. This device quickly connects a variety of electronics to the Internet in 205 countries worldwide, offering 3G speeds in over 125 destinations. This convenient gadget enables you to connect your smartphone, laptop and other electronics to the Internet with a strong and reliable signal. While you may have to foot the bill for roaming charges on the Verizon Jetpack 4G LTE, you can rely on never missing an important email again.

Polaroid SC1630
If you're someone who is constantly hassled by friends or family for failing to upload pictures to Facebook or Flickr in a timely manner, you might want to consider adding the Polaroid SC1630 Smart Camera to your collection of gadgets this year. The Polaroid SC1630 Smart Camera, which boasts all the desirable features of a digital camera including 3x optical zoom and the capacity to take 16MP photographs, also operates like an Android smartphone to enable users to access the Internet through a Wi-Fi network. Pictures and videos can be uploaded to social network sites like Facebook and Twitter within seconds after they are captured, enabling friends and family to stay connected around the clock.

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Jaime Neely has been part of the Trend Hunter family for 10 months and is a full-time member of our team. TrendHunter.com is the world's most updated, largest collection of cutting edge ideas, fueled by 80,000 Trend Hunters. By tracking the evolution of cool, contributing Trend Hunters generate ideas, stimulate creativity, and ultimately help fuel innovation. TrendHunter.com's most popular ideas are grouped into clusters of inspiration that are accessible via our custom trend platform to our brand customers wishing to supercharge innovation.

Reel Life: Free Documentaries Online

2012-01-24T11:00:00Z

I have an insatiable appetite for the strange, hidden, and wondrous stories of our world. I became a journalist because I wanted to follow my curiosity wherever it took me. It's no surprise then that my favorite films to view are documentaries, factual films that according to pioneering filmmaker Dziga Vertov present "life as it is." Of course, documentary films are often the antithesis of Hollywood blockbusters. That's why if they make it to theaters at all, it's often art houses where runs are very limited. So historically, documentaries have been relegated to the small screen via public television networks or niche cable channels. These days though, the Web is an ideal portal for documentary film fans seeking "life as it is," or at least glimpses of it through the eyes of an endless number of filmmakers. Of course, there's YouTube. But there are several choice cinematheques to find everything from cinéma-vérité to political propaganda to powerful shockumentaries:
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* Prelinger Archive:

Founded in 1983 by Rick Prelinger, the Prelinger Archive is a collection of more than 60,000 vintage films that run the gamut from old newsreels to educational science clips to amateur travelogues. Several thousand films from the Prelinger Archive are viewable at the incredible Internet Archive.

* PBS Video:

The old master is doing well moving into new media. Along with tons of content supporting their TV programming, the PBS site is where you'll find dozens of full episodes of shows that you've really been meaning to watch. FRONTLINE, NOVA, and American Masters will keep you infotained for days.

* VICE Video:

Vice Media creates some of the most hardcore, provocative, and unsettling "new journalism" online (and in print) today. Their Vice News visits to places like the Congo, Libya, and North Korean Labor Camps are revealing, informing, and sometimes disturbing tours of places most of us will never go (thankfully, in some cases).

* The Documentary Blog:

This news and reviews site is great entry-point into documentary films online and off. From festival coverage to curated links to terrific free docs online, visiting this site is like talking to the archetypal film geeks in a video store who are more than happy to turn you on to your first Herzog or Pennebaker.

What's your favorite source for documentaries? Let us know in the comments below.

See all posts from Boing Boing

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Boing Boing is a pioneering blog that offers an eclectic blend of of tech culture, gadgets, entertainment, business, and more -- a "geek's eye view" on the world. Original feature reporting from some of the most-respected technology writers today and original Boing Boing Video episodes have made Boing Boing an Internet mainstay. As co-editor of Boing Boing, David Pescovitz is a collector of online anomalies, esoterica, and curiosities. He is also a research director at Institute for the Future.