My Mashable.com Top 5

I love lists and compilations. That's why I totally get Mashable.com. I could probably spend all day reading and just absorbing post after Mashable post. Although I haven't done that yet, I have already compiled a personal Mashable Top 5. These aren't in any particular order and subject to change at any time (haha)... enjoy.

1. 80+ Free 2-Column Website Templates - I'm a web designer and this is a great source for inspiration. Yup, I admit it, I've been to the point where I just can't get a move on a project due to the lack of a mind spark. Scrolling through this post gets my creative juices flowing in no time.

2. Download YouTube Videos - Let's face it, YouTube rocks. It's not just a repository of corny home videos and hilarious Japanese tv shows. Everyone is using it nowadays and it's virtually an unlimited resource for informative videos including gadget reviews, tutorials, even podcasts. However, it's biggest limitation for me is the lack of a built-in download feature. To the rescue are more than a handful of third party apps that do just that. Stan Schroeder from Mashable has made things easier for us by compiling a list of YouTube downloaders. Handy.

3. 50 Great Widgets For Your Blog - These are all great widgets for your blog. Keep it in mind though, it's great to have a few widgets on your blog, but don't overdo it. Choose the most relevant ones for your sites content and practice moderation.

4. 30+ Tools to Turn Wordpress into a Personal Hub - Although I'm using Blogger, I won't deny that Wordpress is a great blogging platform. It's very flexible and easy to use. These tools allow you to make your Wordpress blog into a virtual souped-up social network profile page. In this case, contrary to my advice for #3, I'd say go all out with the add-ons and have fun.

5. TWITTER TOOLBOX: 60+ Twitter Tools - By itself, Twitter is a simple microblogging tool. With these add-ons and tools however, Twitter becomes a messenging powerhouse. I personally didn't get Twitter when it first came out but as these tools slowly trickled out I realized that you control how powerful it can become.

GadgetMuse Has A New look!

As some of you might have noticed, GadgetMuse has a new look! I've decided to change the look of this site mainly because I wanted to be able to feature the new iPod Touch blog as a part of GadgetMuse.com. Before, it looked like a link to another site. This new design integrates the two blogs in a better way. Plus as an added bonus, I love this color scheme and layout so much more.

Stuff I love about this new design:

• The lovely pink rollovers
• The built-in search box
• The site menu
• The merged upper side-bar

Enjoy the site!

New iPod Line Bogged Down With Flaws

Well well well, looks like quality control over at Apple is down lately. Have you gotten your new iPods? If so I hope you're not one of the unlucky ones who have recieved flawed items. They're not exactly defective, they're just less than perfect. And I know a lot of people expect perfection from Apple.

For instance, several iPod Nanos have been reported to have tilted screens. Of course these are just physical defects, but a lot of people can be nitpicky about their gadgets. My cousin got her Nano and I noticed it was slightly tilted. The bottom right side was about a millimeter higher than the bottom left side. I told her about it and she basically said she didn't care.

Good for her! I would have gone totally crazy and demanded a replacement from the Apple store. Unfortunately for Apple, there are a lot more people like me... check out this thread from the Apple support forums and this thread from MacRumors. Fortunately however, Apple is taking responsibility and replacing the units with tilted screens. The problem is, it seems like there are more units with tilted screens than ones with straight screens.

To add to that, the iPod Touch isn't even supposed to be out yet but people are already complaining about the poor lcd screen quality. I'm talking about the "negative black effect." To non geeks, it simply means that videos with dark scenes (like Buffy the Vampire Slayer perhaps... hey, I loved that show) will look like crap on your iPod Touch. And considering the fact that this iPod model was designed to play videos, it should have a damned great lcd screen.

And in a shocking twist, a few new iPhone owners are now complaining that their new iPhones are dispalying the same problem as the iPod Touch's screens. Go figure. Maybe they were cutting corners at the Apple factory? One thing's for sure though, if Apple keeps this up, it looks like they're going to be making more enemies than friends.

iPod Touch Goodness

I am officially crazy about the iPod Touch. I just love it. That's why I'm creating a new blog all about the iPod Touch. Yup, it's iPod Touch goodness all in one place! So if you're as crazy about it as me, bookmark this... [ipodtouch.gadgetmuse.com] and get your dose of iPod Touch news and reviews all in one place. See you there!

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Looking Back: The iPod Archives

Earlier today, I was looking for a discussion thread about the latest Steve Jobs Keynote. I've already read a lot of the comments at Engadget but I guess I'm not over it yet. Reading everyone's posts always makes my day. You can't get any more attacks and arguments anywhere else. Everyone has their own opinion, everyone thinks they're right and everyone wants to be heard.

After searching "ipod forums" in Google, I found a thread in the Macrumors.com forums. It was titled "Apple's New Thing (iPod)". I thought the title was a bit weird. I mean, it makes it sound as if the iPod was a newly launched product. After reading a couple of posts, lo and behold, I realize I was reading an archived thread started when the original iPod was announced almost 6 years ago! A lot of the posts amused me, they ranged from disappointed to delusional. A lot of the posters actually hated the iPod back then! Here are a rundown of my fave posts (my comments are in green)...

• WeezerX80 wrote: "I still can't believe this! All this hype for something so ridiculous! Who cares about an MP3 player? I want something new! I want them to think differently! Why oh why would they do this?! It's so wrong! It's so stupid!" [Perhaps he was expecting a jetpack backpack?]
  

• elitemacor wrote: "It's now at the online Apple Store! $400 for an Mp3 Player! I'd call it the Cube 2.0 as it wont sell, and be killed off in a short time...and it's not really functional. Uuhh Steve, can I have a PDA now?" [6 years later, MP3 players, particularly iPods, are one of the fastest selling gadgets around and PDAs are the ones practically extinct...]
  

• Guest wrote: "I have no use for an Mp3 player. My house has a CD player. My car has a CD player. My Mac has a CD player. I don't use headphones. The iPod requires me to change my lifestyle to meet it's needs... I need round holes, not square holes. For $99 I might buy the toy, for $399? Why? Doesn't a Mac with a CDR undermine the need for most of this? All that's left is the number of songs you can play and the ability to listen to all of them with headphones anywhere. Do I really need ALL my songs ALL the time?uhm, no. Won't last. Another Cube." [Of course I need all my songs all the time! I need all my podcasts and movies and tv shows with me everywhere I go as well! And Mr. Guest, no one is asking you to change your lifestyle. You can have your CDs if you love them so much. LOL.]
  

• Smelt wrote: "Lots of hype. Now I gripe. 400 bucks! Is Steve nuts? Digital hub??? What a flub! Stupid name. Who to blame? Come on folks-no more jokes..." [Uhm, your rhymes aren't great, you won't get paid... Ok, mine was worse... next...]
  

• myassmuh wrote: "i'm not expecting a $200 time machine, but damn, why can't i have a $200 ipod. or even better a $50 or $100 dollar product that can expand userbase and introduce people to the apple product line. want people in the stores? try offering a deal, steve." [Uh, he just did... and now people hate him...]

It just proves that techies are whiners through and through. Haha, I've whined a couple of times myself. Anyway, here's the link to the thread if you want to check it out yourself... [thread]. Enjoy!

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I'm a PS3... I'm a Wii

You've all probably seen the Mac vs. PC ads (I'm a Mac... I'm a PC...) by Apple. They're hillarious. (Just so you know, "I'm a PC" but I still get the humor of it all.)

Anyway, here's the PS3 vs. Wii version. Are you a PS3 or are you a Wii?

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Stop the iPhone Price-drop Drama

Obviously I'm not the only one tired of all the complaints iPhone owners have been voicing out these past few days since iPhone's price-cut. I can see a pattern with the arguments. There's the early adopters group that's so pissed off they're seeing red, the non-owners who are laughing in the face of the early adopters, and the people who are totally on Apple's side.

Everyone's taking it so personally that it's becoming such a bitter drama in my opinion. This article by Steven Pearlstein from WashingtonPost.com is brilliant. I love it so much that I'm quoting the article almost completely...

A bit of advice for all those who rushed out to be the first on their block with a new iPhone and are now bellyaching because Apple reduced the price:

Get a life.

What rock have you folks been living under? Have you bought an airline ticket recently? Or have you ever haggled with a rug salesman? Or bought a case of wine on sale at the local liquor store that sold for 20 percent more the week before?

As the generation that has grown up on eBay, Priceline and day-trading on Nasdaq, ou should have developed at least a rudimentary understanding of markets -- willing uyers and willing sellers and all that.

And fairness -- what's that have to do with anything? If Apple suddenly discovered that it was losing money on the new iPhones and suddenly raised the price, would you have volunteered to send a check?

I've got some news for you: Steve Jobs is not your friend. The reason he's a billionaire and you're not is that he's brilliant at selling you gadgets that make you feel so cool you're willing to pay way more than it costs to make them. His only mistake last week was letting you in on his little secret.

Credits: Steven Pearlstein

Very well said! Thanks Mr. Pearlstein for giving it to us (and the iPhone whiners) straight. You are very blunt but I couldn't agree with you more.

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Reviews on the iPod Nano (3G)

The moment the new iPod Nano was announced Apple lovers rushed to their nearest Apple stores and bought themselves their very own "nano fatty". And despite the uncertainty over it's new look when it was first leaked (read the replies), based on the numerous reviews just released, people are now loving it's squat look. I'm starting to think that everything Steve Jobs touches turnes to gold. I'd have to admit that even though I have no intentions to buy one myself (I've got my heart set on the iPod Touch), it looks pretty good to me.

But the Nano Fatty isn't just great in the looks department. The reviews are in and the new iPod Nano is officially a hit. Reviewers are raving about it's long battery life, relatively cheap price, and it's sharp screen. Here's a round-up of reviews from only the most trusted sources, brought to us by Engadget.

Read - PC Mag
Read - CNET
Read - ZDNet Australia
Read - iLounge

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The New iPod Touch

Ever since the iPhone was introduced to the public, I've secretly hoped for something exactly like it minus the phone part. The iPhone just wasn't practical for me. I don't want to have my music and video player in my phone, I'd much rather have a separate phone with less bells and whistles.

My hopes were answered by none other than Steve Jobs yesterday, with the introduction of the new iPod Touch. And let me just say, I have never wanted a gadget as much as I want this right now. I have the 5th gen iPod and I could say with confidence that I've used it to watch videos (mostly podcasts) more than I've used it to listen to songs. With the iPod Touch, I could watch my videos in widescreen glory. Here's a rundown of it's other features...

• Music, Video and Photos - Duh!

• Comes with 8 GB or 16 GB flash memory - 16 GB here I come!

• Built-in Wi-fi - Finally, a Wi-fi iPod!

• Built-in Safari and YouTube - This definitely adds plus points for me since I've been looking for a better way to read my RSS feeds than on my phone's puny screen.

• Built-in rechargeable, non-removable battery with up to 5 hours of video playback, and up to 22 hours of audio playback - The iPhone ran into a lot of problems with it's battery; I just hope the iPod Touch will be different.

So all in all, I can't wait to get my hands on one! I just can't!

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Steve Jobs Keynote

Whew, Steve Jobs latest keynote address surely gave me a lot of material to write about! But before anything else, I think it's best if you watch the actual address first. He talks about really exciting stuff like iTunes upgrades and of course new iPods! Go ahead, watch it from start to finish. If you're an Apple lover like me you'll probably end up drooling. No wonder he looks so smug in the picture. Here's the link to the stream, enjoy!

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