.::REALITYRECALL::.

Contestants from 84 countries have descended on Grand Bahama Island to compete for the Miss Universe crown, to be decided August 23. Sunday was the swimsuit competition, entitled ‘Perfection in Motion.’

Once Google Reader added manual controls to its new “Send To” menu, you knew some delicious URL tweaks would follow. Some already have, including a “Save as PDF” trick from the Digital Inspiration blog.

If you want to save a Reader feed item as a PDF, email a full blog post to somebody when you only see a partial item, or work more intelligently with social services, Amit Agarwal has your hook-up. Head to Settings in Reader, click the “Send To” tab, then hit “Create Custom Link” at the bottom. You’ll be asked for a Send To link name, a URL with replacement codes, and an icon location. The link below has all three of those for its tweaks, including one that creatively uses the previously mentioned PDF Online converter.

We are, of course, open to your own suggestions and codes that extend Google Reader through this neat little open door. Share the links and URLs in the comments, and we’ll possibly pick them up for a meatier post down the line.

Earlier this week rumors surfaced that Steven Spielberg was quite interested in producing the film, but for now Microsoft says otherwise.

The Google Reader team’s been busy of late, adding social network sharing and friend following features, but also giving power users a (long-awaited) ability to mark items of a certain age as read.

Most noticeable, on an item-by-item basis, is the new “send to” menu. Head to Google Reader’s settings, click off the social networks you want to add access to (or manually add a URL, if you’re hack-friendly like that), and they’ll appear on the send to menu. Reader will also notify you when friends you’re following in Reader have web sites with feeds attached in their Google Profiles.

But the most important changes, for those using Reader to get their news reading done, are the Mark as Read tweaks. It’s not a custom search by date, exactly, but it does let you skip through a huge pile of unread items after, say, a long weekend, week’s vacation, or general absence from your feed reader. You get the ability to mark items older than one day, one week, or two weeks as read, which is a pretty good start.

A few other changes are in effect for mobile users and note sharing, so hit the link to learn about them, and share what you’re able to do now, or what you don’t really like about Reader’s changes, in the comments.

Canada is planning to reform its copyright law and if the entertainment industries have their way, the rights and privacy of consumers will be thrown overboard. It’s time for all Canadian BitTorrent users to stand up against the increasing power of the anti-piracy lobby, before it’s too late.

Looking for something in between a nettop and a full-fledged, sometimes HTPC? Then you might want to consider Lenovo’s recently announced Q700 system, which the company describes as the “perfect fit” for anywhere in your home. That’s apparently assuming you have some less-than-demanding computing needs, however, as the Q700 is currently only available with a Pentium Dual-Core E5200 processor, along with 4GB of RAM, a max 640GB hard drive, a built-in DVD burner, and the usual integrated Intel X4500 graphics. It does pack an HDMI out, TV tuner, and plenty of other media-friendly features, however, not to mention a starting price of just $499 and a form-factor that lets it be neatly tucked away in your home theater rack. Hit up the link below to get your order in, or a closer look if you’re still undecided.

[Thanks, David]

Filed under: Desktops, Media PCs

Lenovo debuts “fit anywhere” Q700 home entertainment PC originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 Aug 2009 17:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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I'll admit it—I'm jealous. Some of you have bad-ass home theaters. Maybe one day I will be able to step up to something like one of these 10 home entertainment gems.

The_Foxman:Here is the theater that I built in my basement. Front projection with 100 inch screen. 7.1 surround sound. Base shakers in the theater seating. Lots of fun.
By the way – the house is for sale in the northwest suburbs of Chicago 🙂
kev50027:61″ HD Plasma with 5.1 surround sound, PS3 and Xbox 360
rtkane: 104″ Carada Criterion Screen w/ brilliant white screen material
Panasonic projector (don’t remember model).
Onkyo stereo/speakers/sub
Boston Acoustics center channel
PS3
XBox w/ HD-DVD
Vudu
Tivo HD w/ Digital Cable
sbcale:1080p LCD Projector, 110″ Diagonal screen, 7.1 Surround Sound, 8 Berkline 090 Theater Seats, Xbox 360, PS3, HD DVR, OPPO DV-981HD 1080p High Definition Up-Converting DVD Player, Biometric Figerprint Door Lock.

Did all the work myself, minus the paint and carpet
TonySwank:Epson 6100 Projector
DIY 117″ Screen
Onkyo 805
Polk Speakers
PS3
360
Media Center through custom built desktop
ds10484: Pioneer Elite PRO-151FD 60-inch Kuro Plasma
Pioneer Elite VSX-94TXH AV Receiver
Panamax M5400-PM Line Conditioner
Definitive Technology Speakers:
– 2x Mythos ST
– 1x Mythos Ten
– 2x Mythos Gem XL with Gem Stands
Sony PS3 (Original 60GB with a swapped 500GB 7200RPM HDD)
Nintendo Wii
Motorola PVR
Logitech Harmony One
ShyamlataCynortas:Here is a project we did.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGhJNuSkGxE
Venomuss: Egyptian Tomb Home Theater. Screen size 8’X14′.
ara23: 110” Projection with the Panasonic AE2000U
selianth: Our home theater was just written up in Electronic House, actually.
Panasonic PT-AE3000 Projector, SmX Cinema Solutions 129-inch ProLine Screen (2.37:1)
Monitor Audio RS6 Front Speakers (2), Monitor Audio RSFX Rear Speakers (4), Monitor Audio RSLCR Center-Channel Speaker, SVSound PC-13 Ultra Subwoofer
AuraSound Aura Pro Bass Shakers (6), BASH Subwoofer Amplifier, Berkline 13175 Home Theater Seats (6)
Comcast HD DVR, Denon 3808ci Receiver, Nintendo Wii, Sony PlayStation 3
Logitech Harmony 680 Universal Remote, Logitech Harmony PS3 IR Adapter, X10 Powermid IR Repeater
Thecus N5200 1.5TB RAID5 NAS, Home Theater PC

Facebook has apparently embarked on its next step toward total social networking dominance as, according to Mashable, the site recently began recruiting beta testers for a “faster, simpler” Facebook ‘Lite.’ The new, simplified ‘Lite’ format, which would be similar to existing mobile versions of Facebook, will enable users “to make comments, accept Friend requests, write on people’s Walls, and look at photo and Status updates” more efficiently, according to TechCrunch.

The Facebook crew claims the changes are designed to simplify the site and ease the initiation process for new users, but judging from the screen shot, and the alterations, it seems more like a direct challenge to Twitter. Facebook’s evolution over the course of 2009 has included inbox upgrades, the enabling of wall post responses, and the addition of universal status updates — features reminiscent of those offered by the micro-blogging challenger to Facebook’s dominance.

Continue reading Facebook ‘Lite’ Promises Easier and Faster Time-Wasting

Filed under: Web

Facebook ‘Lite’ Promises Easier and Faster Time-Wasting originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 12 Aug 2009 14:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A merger between Bell and Telus, two of Canada’s largest phone and internet companies, is looking “very likely” within the next two years, according to a report from RBC Capital Markets.

On Tuesday, a judge ordered Microsoft to stop selling Word, its flagship word processing software and one of the main components of the Microsoft Office System – namely part of Word 2003 and Word 2007. This also now extends to Word 2010 which contains the same feature set. Judge Leonard Davis of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas issued a permanent injunction that “prohibits Microsoft from selling or importing to the United States any Microsoft Word products that have the capability of opening .XML, .DOCX or DOCM files (XML files) containing custom XML,” according to a statement released by attorneys for the plantiff, i4i, CNET reports. Microsoft stated that it planned to appeal the verdict.

Read full story…

Check out this wicked Astro Boy figurine recently spotted at Hong Kong’s Ani-Com show. I can’t wait for the big-screen CG reboot of everyone’s favorite Pinocchio-like android kid with arm canons. Speaking of which, new full-length trailer after the jump!

First created by Osamu Tezuka (the father of Manga) in 1952, Astro Boy played a big part in the rise of the anime aesthetic. Various Astro Boy comics and series have run over the years—influencing pop culture mainstays like teenage hairstyles, video games (Mega Man), and movies (Steven Spielberg's A.I.) along the way. Personally, it was the classic 80's series that got me hooked.

We’ll learn more about the availability of Hot Toys’ figurine closer to the movie’s October 23 release. Voices from Samuel L. Jackson, Charlize Theron and Donald Sutherland look solid; but let’s hope Nicolas Cage doesn’t inject his super-intense brand of fail. [Current and io9]

We’ve seen teasers before, but this full-length trailer debuted yesterday:

The average Canadian cellphone user is paying among the highest bills in the developed world, according to a new international study.

Those Microsoft rascals have scored a big one: The Xbox 360 is now the only game console that will get Netflix video streaming. No Sony PlayStation 3, no Nintendo Wii, no Atari 2600. That’s what the Xbox Update page says:

Netflix Partnership

This exclusive partnership offers you the ability to instantly stream movies and TV episodes from Netflix to the television via Xbox 360. Xbox 360 will be the only game console to offer this movie-watching experience, available to Xbox LIVE Gold members who are also Netflix unlimited plan subscribers**, at no additional cost.

From the Netflix Web site, simply add movies and TV episodes to your instant Queue, which will appear automatically on the TV screen via Xbox 360. Once selected, movies will begin playing in as little as 30 seconds. In addition to instantly streaming Netflix movies to the TV, Xbox LIVE Gold members can browse and rate movies, fast-forward, pause and rewind, all using either their Xbox 360 Controller or Universal remote.

Oh Sony, Sony. That has to hurt. A little. In the inside. [Xbox via Endgadget]

Google Map Element

Google have just released a new service called Web Elements which allow users to cut-and-paste Google applications into their websites or blogs. The elements include real-time news, calendars, presentations, spreadsheets, YouTube videos and a simple Google Map.

To use the Google Map element you just need to define a location, choose a size and map type and add a marker title. The map element is very simple to use and is a great way to create a very simple interactive map.

If you want to create a slightly more complicated map Google also have a Get Maps web page. This page shows you how to grab the embed code from the main Google Maps site, how to create a My Map and how to add driving directions to your business website.

Via: Official Google Blog: New tools for Google Services for Websites

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