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Jewelry or speculum? CBS smears the debate.

November 30, 2009

Last night, I was partaking in my usual Sunday night ritual of watching 60 Minutes. Somewhere between the stories on the gold trade in the Congo and Robert Ballard, the guy who found the Titantic, this ad appeared.

Now, I appreciate CBS trying to raise awareness for an important medical checkup. Pap smears can help diagnose cervical cancer, but I'm sure most women don't appreciate being reminded of the annual trip to the doctor's office while eating dinner or enjoying an evening of television.

And we women really don't want the disturbing image this ad tends to bring forth. "The gift even Santa can't deliver." Really? With jingle bells in the background? And the Hanukkah version is equally creepy.

Guys, we want to know you care about us this holiday season. But please, we beg of you, don't go with the GYN exam. Just about anything else would be better... much better.

I still have 17 minutes of free time in my day... what should I do?

November 25, 2009

We spend endless hours on Facebook and Twitter. We sit in the Starbucks line Tweeting, and our breaks consist of looking at recently posted pictures of friends. But is there a new site that will sweep us off our feet? Has Foursquare crossed your path?

This site – which you can get on your mobile, of course – allows you to tell people where you are by "checking in." By checking-in, your friends can find you, and you'll receive recommendations on the hotspots nearby – bars, restaurants, coffee shops, shops, etc.

Do you have a list of favorite places or know the best thing on the menu? Foursquare helps you keep track of your to-do lists, and it'll even suggest new places to check-in to. These lists can be seen by other users so a wealth of knowledge and secret discoveries are waiting to be uncovered.

You also earn badges. The more you check-in, the more people you hang out with, and the more interesting places you go, the more badges you'll earn. You may eventually achieve the "mayor" title for being the most loyal "regular" to attend a local hangout – and even earn freebies from the place!

Want more? Check out this CNN article written by Pete Cashmore, founder and CEO of Mashable.

Facebook and Twitter go… gamer?

November 20, 2009

Updating your Facebook status and Tweeting via phone and (yawn) computer is becoming so tedious and outdated. Now, Facebook and Twitter will soon be integrated into Xbox Live making it possible for users to Tweet and update their status (and more!) on their TVs according to this article. Users can also link their Facebook profile to their Xbox Gamertag to connect with friends on Xbox Live.

Can't live without other sites either? This Xbox Live update also includes Zune and Last.fm. Zune allows users to watch HD TV and videos with up to seven friends and Last.fm offers customized streaming music.

Where can we expect these social media sites next? The car? The treadmills at the gym? Hmmm. There's no stopping it.

The legacy of digital life

November 17, 2009

E-mail, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Gmail – usernames and passwords galore. What happens to these accounts when the owner dies? According to a recent list on Time, here are your answers:

Hotmail and Gmail allow relatives to order a CD with the deceased user's messages if they can provide a death certificate and proof of power of attorney.

Facebook will take down the deceased user's profile or keep it in "memorial state."

Flickr keeps the account up, but if the user had any private photos, the site won't let family or friends access to them.

Legacy Locker, and other similar companies, can store passwords and other account information for designated individuals after the user dies.

Should we start accounting for our online life in our wills?

Reviving your chicken

November 5, 2009

Bisquick's, "Keep your leftovers alive," commercial had me thinking "stupid, stupid, stupid," but it finally started to grow on me. To secure the deal, Bisquick's "Behind the Scenes" clips, #1, #2, and #3, roped me in with their hilarious chicken tragedies.

The battle of the sexes gets trivial

November 4, 2009

We admit it. We're addicted to the Trivial Pursuit Experiment. It's incredibly entertaining, a great way to bring Trivial Pursuit into today's culture, and a clever use of the best slapstick videos available online.

It doesn't even matter if you're right or wrong. The rewards are priceless.

After the hours of entertainment it provided, we'll even forgive Trivial Pursuit for the grammatical mistake in the title of the promotional video.