10 Things You Should Never Say to Your Boyfriend

10 Things You Should Never Say to Your Boyfriend -- You pride yourself on your open, honest relationship. But that doesn't mean you should blurt out any thought that comes to mind.

Sometimes, a comment that seems perfectly harmless to you might be hurtful, awkward or just plain irritating to your boyfriend.

Excelle has identified 10 such comments.
Ignore us at your own risk!

1) "My ex did the exact same thing!"


Whether it's a desirable resemblance (they both always hold the door open) or a less desirable one (neither one showers often enough), your boyfriend never wants to hear that he's anything like your ex. Ever.

You don’t want him to feel like you're always comparing the two of them, do you? Think about it: Do you really want him to imagine that he does other things just like your ex? Doubtful. Plus, he might think you're still hung up on your former flame.

Either way, a comment like this won’t do much for his self-esteem. So the next time you experience boyfriend deja-vu, keep it to yourself.

2) "Helen's pregnant ... Shhhh"

Remember on Sex and the City when Carrie tells Aidan that Miranda's pregnant but that he can't tell Steve? Remember how upset Aidan was to hear the incriminating news? Your boyfriend doesn't want to hear information that could get him into trouble. And even if he does want to hear it, he really shouldn't.

Don't burden him with someone else’s secret. And besides, if he does spill the beans, your friend is going to be mad at you, not him.

Along the same lines, he doesn't want to hear about your friend’s yeast infections, her irregular periods or her IBS. It's bad enough he has to hear about yours.

3) "When we're married/have kids..."

It's natural to fantasize about wedded bliss and the three kids you and your beau will one day spawn — you’re only human. And sometimes you might even entertain this fantasy very early on in a relationship. But unless you want to scare him away permanently, keep thoughts like these in your head where they belong.

Even if he himself has thought about your happily-ever-after future, he probably doesn't want to hear it described out loud just yet. Wait until you're sure you're on the same page regarding marriage, kids, and the future of your relationship before you start prophesizing. A gut feeling probably isn’t good enough.

4) "Do You Think She's Pretty?"

When you ask a question like this, your boyfriend knows he can’t win.

If he says “yes,” you’ll probably get jealous and upset. You might even follow up with “Is she prettier than me?” Talk about a loaded question!

Of course, if he says “no” (and she clearly is pretty), you’ll accuse him of being a liar. You’ll wonder what else he’s lying about, even as you assure him you don’t mind if he says “yes.” Pfff…as if you’re that insecure!

Has he managed to convince you that he genuinely doesn’t find her attractive at all? You’ll wonder what his bad taste says about you.

See?


5) "I'm fine" or "Never mind"
Your face says it all. So does the fact that you haven't said a word in the past hour. And the way you snapped over the misplaced remote control isn't hiding anything either. But when he asks if you’re okay, you say you're fine. At this point, your boyfriend wants to tear his hair out.

Passive-aggressive behavior doesn't help anyone. First, you miss an opportunity to actually address what’s bothering you. You also bottle up your frustrations and create new problems. By the time you actually try to tackle what’s really bothering you, you’re both too upset about too many things to have a constructive discussion.

6) "I just let one go" In a man's mind, women only use the bathroom to re-apply their lipstick (or, at the very worst, pee). They know they're kidding themselves, but they really don't want any physical, verbal, or olfactory indication of the contrary.

Announcing your bodily function means he can no longer blame the dog. Suddenly, you're one of the guys, and not in a sexy, "I watch football and drink beer but I'm still a girlie-girl" kind of way.

Sure, he'll get over it. He may even laugh about it from time to time. But he'd still prefer that it never happened. So depending on how squeamish your guy is, you might want to wait till you're married to be disgusting.


7) “I’ll try anything once!”

Because unless you really, really, really mean it, don’t get his hopes up.


8) “Are you sure you're okay?"
(Repeatedly. Even after he’s told you he really is okay.)

Sometimes we’re thrown off guard when our guy is uncharacteristically quiet. We’ll prod and probe, hoping to get to the bottom of their issue (and too often, we're absolutely sure it’s something we’ve done). When in reality, there may not be a concrete reason at all.

Men have bad days too — they can be moody, tired, or just generally not feel like talking. They’re only human! As hard as it can be, don’t read into it too much. Give him his space and keep yourself busy until he snaps out of it.

Ask him what’s bothering him over and over again and the only honest answer will be “You.”

9) “I hate my thighs”
If he didn’t find you attractive, he wouldn’t be with you in the first place. Period, end of story.

Putting yourself down in front of him makes you look insecure, and just in case you didn’t know, men really hate that (see #6). Just like women, they’re usually attracted to self-confidence and put off by its opposite.

Think about it. Would you want to be with a man who constantly talked about how much he hated his calves or how he felt like a failure in his career? Uh, no way.

In addition, you’ll draw attention to flaws that he probably never even noticed before. No one else looks as closely at your body as you do. In all likelihood, you are your own worst critic. Don’t recruit him.

10) "I hate your mom"
Likewise for his friends, his siblings, his dad … even his dog.

If he really loves someone or something, don’t hate on ‘em. You may not get along perfectly with everyone in his life, but try your hardest to be diplomatic in your relationships with people he really cares about. Be open-minded about what he sees in them (things that may not be immediately obvious to you).

Maybe Deadbeat Dave is his oldest friend — the person he survived middle school with; the only person who stood by him when he lost his job a couple years back. Maybe despite his lack of attention to hygiene, he’s got a heart of gold.

If you love your man, you’ll trust his judgment.

And whatever you do, don’t ever make him pick a side. If it’s between you and his mom, you’ll lose every time

shine.yahoo.com
Jan 7, 2010

12 Things You Don't Know About Women

12 Things You Don't Know About Women--Check out the relationship and dating advice you can use from these otherwise distracting celebrity ladies. Now stop staring and go be a better man.
1. Christina Applegate
"Call us back right away. That 'three day' business does not apply. We're getting older, and we don't have time to screw around. Wait too long and we'll lose interest. Trust me on this one."
2. Courtney Cox
"We pay closer attention to your hands than you think. It's bad enough if you don't have manly hands, but if your nails are longer than ours, forget it."
3. Padma Lakshmi
"Some of us prefer boxing to yoga. None of us actually likes Pilates."
4. Alyssa Milano
"Women are innately self-conscious. This is not a choice; it's a genderwide condition. On a bad day, I look in the mirror and see my ten-pound-heavier alter ego. Her name is Bertha. On a really bad day, Bertha sees her two-hundred-pound-heavier alter ego. Her name is Brian Dennehy."
5. Poppy Montgomery
"When considering whether or not to ask out the girl you're afraid to talk to, keep this in mind: No matter who you are or what you look like, it's always flattering when you hit on us. Always."
6. Tea Leoni
"Supersecret: Unless we're blind or have no night-light in the bathroom, the whole toilet-seat thing is exaggerated and meant to control you."
7. Mariska Hargitay
"We love the fact that it takes you only twelve minutes to get ready for anything, be it a black tie [event] or a basketball game. When it takes longer than that... what are you doing in there?"
"We are all about our necks. Feel free to spend as much time there as you wish."
8. Emily Deschanel
"Even if we've only been dating a few weeks, don't introduce us as your 'lady friend' -- or that's exactly what we'll become."
9. Jenna Fischer
"If we run into your ex-girlfriend in public, the first thing you should do is put your arm around us. And if we have to introduce ourselves, you are in big trouble."
10. Julie Delpy
"We need you to be reachable at all times, but we don't always pick up our phones when you call. We realize this seems like a double standard; if you'd like to discuss it further, just leave a message."
11. Maria Bello
"We're afraid of commitment, too. You may think we spend our time scheming ways to trap you into marriage, but many of us are quite happy being independent and autonomous. Besides, we're not in any rush to quit lusting after young Calvin Klein models."
12. Kyra Sedgwick
"Our friends are not your enemies, and our enemies better not be your friends."

By Esquire.com
Photos: Wire Images*
Updated: Dec 17, 2009

What Do Men Find Romantic?

Dating 101: What Do Men Find Romantic?
Guys reveal what's overrated vs. what's underrated

It's not that guys don't enjoy the romantic aspects of a relationship. It's just that they enjoy some more than others and you may be surprised by what they prefer.

Overrated: Love letters
Underrated: Romantic texts
If a guy sits down to write you an actual love letter, he's doing it to impress you. If he sends you a text out of nowhere telling you he's thinking about you, he's doing it because he can't help himself


Overrated: Picnics
Underrated: Cookouts
Eating outside is great. But when given a choice between obtaining their food from an adorable basket or from a flaming grill, guys will always pick the grill.

Overrated: The smell of your perfume
Underrated: The smell of your hair
There's nothing wrong with the subtle application of the right perfume, but catching a whiff of that clean-yet-flowery girl-hair smell beats any fragrance.

Overrated: Humoring him by watching the game
Underrated: Doing your own thing while he watches the game
If you truly enjoy gorging on hot dogs while watching sports, that's great. But if you're doing it solely for his sake, there's no need to bother -- he knows that you're a girl. And he likes that.

Overrated: Ballroom-dancing lessons
Underrated: Surfing lessons
Most any guy would love being active and learning new things with you. But if he has to worry about his footwork and balance, he'd rather not have to be wearing shimmery shirts while doing it.

Overrated: Bed and breakfasts
Underrated: Any other means of lodging
Breakfast is served from 6:30am to 6:45am, and we get to sit at a communal table with chatty 70-year-olds? How romantic!

Overrated: Valentine's Day roses
Underrated: Flowers on a random day
V-Day roses require less than no imagination. But surprising you with flowers on a meaningless Tuesday is a sign that he doesn't need greeting-card companies to tell him when to show you how much he cares.

Overrated: Make-up physical intimacy
Underrated: Not fighting in the first place
He hates arguing with you almost as much as he loves physical intimacy with you. So the make-up isn't even close to being worth the excruciating pain of the fight that precedes it.

Overrated: Discussing your future house
Underrated: Discussing your future vacation
Contrary to popular belief, single men aren't afraid to discuss or envision a future together. It's just that they prefer to focus on certain aspects (relaxing on a beach) rather than others (grouting bathroom tile).

Overrated: Double dates
Underrated: Going to parties together
Double dates are often a little awkward. Seeing an entire party's worth of guys look jealous when he walks in with you is always totally awesome.

By dating editor Ky Henderson for Cosmopolitan
Photo: Asha Fuller
www.cosmopolitan.com
Jan 13, 2010

5 Ways To Use A Blog To Develop Content For Your eBook

5 Ways To Use A Blog To Develop Content For Your eBook - Writing your own ebook has become very popular because every blogger wants to stand out from the rest.Here is 5 different ways you can develop content for your ebook with a blog.

1. Visit other blogs in your niche and comment on them.By participating actively in the blogosphere you will build your own blogs readership.What are other bloggers in your niche writing about? Are there any major challenges that no one has written about yet? The easiest way to find blogs in your field is to use Google´s blogsearch (http://blogsearch.google.com).If you have competition, check out their sites.You will most likely get ideas and inspiration for your own ebook.Many blogs offer a free newsletter you can sign up for.This is a great way of getting tips for your ebook.

2.Every time you write a new post on your blog, simply ask your visitors to comment on it.It is good to know that while most people know how to leave a comment, there are those who need to be educated in it.You could say something like “Please leave a comment by filling out the form under this post”.The easier you make things for people, the more comments you will get.You can use their replies in your ebook if you get the permission to do so.

3.Address the concerns of your readers by setting up a survey on your blog.Do a mini-study on their experiences or preferences.An informal survey will give you more ideas for your ebook.

4.Run a contest on your blog.Tell you readers that you are holding a contest for the best idea for a ebook.Many people jump at the chance to be included in a ebook. People often like to share their experiences and love to rant.Just ask!

5.Find out from your stats which are the most popular articles on your blog.When you know which articles get the most traffic, you have reliable information on which topic and subtopics capture the interests of readers.

Here are more useful tips I found on the internet:

Take your time when deciding on an ebook idea. Collect lots of ideas, and test them. You’ll spend a lot of time in writing your ebook, and later in selling it, so the time you spend on research will ensure that your ebook is a success….

It can be very exciting to be an ebook author and you’ve already done much of the work by writing your own original articles. Why not use your articles to write and sell an ebook to enhance your online writing income?….

What do you think? Leave a comment.

January 11, 2010 www.tlmarketing.net

Simon Cowell's Greatest 'American Idol' Critiques

Over the past eight seasons of "American Idol," Simon Cowell has been an endless fount of witticisms, put-downs and downright bizarre metaphors (to ginger-haired troubadour John Stevens, in season three: "You and Latin music go together like chocolate ice cream and an onion"). He's crushed dreams, broken egos and — in at least one instance that we can remember — suggested a contestant get a job hooking down on the docks.

Needless to say, we've enjoyed every minute of it. Charming, delightfully cheeky, alarmingly spiteful but always honest in his assessments, Cowell was the gift that just kept on giving. Now, as he embarks on his ninth — and, sadly, last — season behind the judges' table, we decided it was time to say, "Thanks for the memories." So we've compiled a list of his finest "Idol" moments: his meanest critiques, his most nonsensical assessments and his most hilarious put-downs.

And, to be honest, we're sure there are a few amazing moments we've forgotten, so let us know any we've missed in the comments below. On with the acrimony!

To season-three semifinalist Ashley Thomas: "What that reminded me of when I was sitting here was, like, instead of being on the stage of 'American Idol,' you're at a local rodeo, you've just been crowned the prom queen, and it was like the song before you lasso a bull. I'm being serious."

To season-six wannabe Kenneth Swale: "You look a little odd, your dancing is terrible, the singing was horrendous, and you look like one of those creatures hat live in the jungle with the massive eyes. What are they called? Bush babies."

To season-six semifinalist Haley Scarnato: "Can I tell you the problem? Do you know what I said to Paula halfway through the song? I don't know your name."

To season-five semifinalist Bobby Bennett: "If you hear a scream from a hotel room in Las Vegas, that's where Barry Manilow's watching this show. ... Horror films entertain me. You know, it's a different kind of entertainment."

To season-seven auditioner Ashley Lawing: "I'm going to steal your dog."

To season-four contestant Constantine Maroulis: "It would be rather like ordering a guard dog for your home and getting delivered a poodle in a leather jacket. It's not the real thing."

To season-six auditioner Jennifer Chapton: "Why don't you get a job down in the port?"

Did we miss any of Simon's best moments? Let us know below, or upload a video to Your.MTV.com!

Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

Sex robot Roxxxy looking for action

She may have all the charm of flesh-colored silicone, but a negligee-clad rubber doll named Roxxxy is being billed as the first of a legion of sex robots poised to become man's new best friend.

Unveiled at the Adult Entertainment Expo in Las Vegas over the weekend, Roxxxy was developed by New Jersey-based True Companion and engineer Douglas Hines, and she's way more than a blow-up doll. She's basically an anatomically correct bot engineered to interact with users by responding to simple conversation through an internal speaker. All responses, though, are prerecorded.

Depending on the personality you choose--"Wild Wendy" or "Frigid Farrah" for instance--Roxxxy may purr a metallic, "That gets me hot!" after you introduce a topic like soccer.

Getting excited yet? Well, get this. Roxxxy is so soccer-savvy she can even discuss Manchester United. Apparently, she also snores.

Another possible detraction--some of her voices sound more like Stephen Hawking's vocal synthesizer than that of a hot human female. Roxxxy also has sensors on various parts of her 5-foot, 7-inch, 120-pound body and can tell when she's being touched. No word yet on whether nibbling her ear drives the machine wild.

Hines apparently wants to charge $7,000 to $9,000 for Roxxxy and an attached laptop running its software.

He believes, like David Levy, author of "Love and Sex With Robots," that robots can become genuine companions for people by providing intimacy and pleasure.

Roxxxy may be just a stiff chatterbox for now. But who knows what a few actuators and makeup would do?

January 11, 2010 3:44 PM PST news.cnet.com

What they're saying about Simon Cowell's exit

What they're saying about Simon Cowell's exit - Jim Cantiello, MTV News: "Fox should cancel 'American Idol.' Put it down like a sick dog. Yank it off the air like an Adam Lambert morning show appearance. Make it disappear like Ejay Day. ... Americans have abandoned TV shows for far less. (Two words: Felicity haircut.)"

Richard Rushfield, The Daily Beast: "This coming season will likely either mark a rejuvenation of a titan, or the first great lurch toward a death that even America's one entertainment giant cannot avoid forever." Richard also touches on what I think is a bigger problem for the show than replacing Simon: "If it ever seems that the show is no longer reliably creating mega-stars, Idol could collapse quicker than an overcooked souffle."

James Poniewozik, Time: "He's getting out while he's ahead, wants to create a show he owns (and thus be super megaridiculous rich instead of just megaridiculous rich), etc."

Lisa de Moraes, Washington Post: "'It's like having a good player on a good football team,' Cowell said of his departure. 'When the player retires, the team continues to be successful.' But it's nothing like that, skeptics might say. It's more like NBC trying to continue 'Seinfeld' after losing Jerry after losing Elaine."

Former network programming head Fred Silverman, to the New York Times: "He's the voice everybody wants to hear. It doesn't mean the show will fail without him. But it will be nowhere near as successful as it was in its heyday."

TMZ reports that Simon's negotiations with Fox continued even as he was driving to yesterday's Television Critics Association press conference, something that Simon confirmed during his Tuesday radio interview with Ryan Seacrest.

'Spider-Man' reboot: Who should play Peter Parker?

'Spider-Man' reboot: Who should play Peter Parker? As anyone who reads The Daily Bugle knows by now, Tobey Maguire will not be back for Spider-Man 4. Neither will Sam Raimi, the director who kick-started the superhero saga back in 2002. And since Sony, the studio behind the Web-slinger franchise, has no intention of letting their cash cow dry up, it’s currently in the process of rebooting Spidey in a younger, more contemporary direction with a (presumably) younger, less-expensive actor as Peter Parker.

So we’re wondering, which of Hollywood’s hot teens and twentysomethings should be considered to don the Spidey suit? Here are a few possibilities. Afterwards, let us know who your candidates are.

Zac Efron Age: 22 Why our Spidey sense is tingling: He’s already proven that he can put teenage butts in seats thanks to High School Musical, and he ’s familiar with bizarre, supernatural bodily transformations thanks to 17 Again. He can sing, he can dance, he can smolder and brood (but not too threateningly, mind you). Heck, he can even convincingly shoot hoops! What can’t this guy do? Compared to belting out pop songs in the cafeteria, swinging from a web and tangling with Green Goblin should be a cakewalk.

Robert Pattinson Age: 23 Why our Spidey sense is tingling: Okay, he’s British, pasty, and he’s got a pretty busy schedule, what with all these Twilight movies you may have heard about. But if I were a Sony bean counter, I’d be stuffing the ballot box for this guy. After all, this could be the ultimate parasite blockbuster. Think about it: First, you cast Kristen Stewart as Mary Jane Watson, then you cast Taylor Lautner as Harry Osborn (i.e., James Franco’s role), then boom!…just sit back and watch the greenbacks pile up. If I ran Sony and wanted to retire to a private island, this would be my choice.

Daniel Radcliffe Age: 20 Why our Spidey sense is tingling: Because he’s about to have a whole lot of time on his hands. With the Potter films finally kaput, Radcliffe no doubt wants to show folks he’s more than just Hogwarts’ resident boy wizard — he’s a serious actor. What better way than to play a character whose great power brings great responsibility? Plus, we love the idea of Michael Gambon as a Dumbledore-ish Uncle Ben.

Shia LaBeouf Age: 23 Why our Spidey sense is tingling: First of all, he seems like the kind of guy who might actually read comic books. That’s a plus. Second, he won’t freak out when this thing blows up and becomes a monster hit since he’s already a franchise veteran (Transformers, Indiana Jones). Third, unlike a lot of teen-steam heartthrobs, he doesn’t seem like…well, a wuss. There, I said it. This can’t be emphasized enough. Please, if you insist on casting a new Peter Parker, do not cast a wuss.

Jaden Smith Age: 11 Why our Spidey sense is tingling: The star of the new Karate Kid’s dad, Will Smith, has made a ton of money for Sony over the years. So I’m guessing all he’d have to do is have pops pick up the phone and dial Amy Pascal’s digits and this things a done deal. Actually, the kid’s a good actor, too. But the Kryptonite-like power of nepotism is never to be underestimated.

Okay, now tell us who you want to see as Peter Parker…

Jan 12 2010 03:42 PM ET popwatch.ew.com

IQ Test How It Works and Why It’s Used

Check Iq Simulation ... just try it to know your IQ


Motivation Tips-By:Bob Benson
The IQ test is the common name for Intelligence Quotient. An IQ test is a way to measure the relative intelligence of a person, but the answers derived from an IQ test aren’t based on the amount of knowledge a person has.
To fully understand how an IQ test works and why it’s useful, take a look at some facts (and myths) about IQ tests and testing methods.

An IQ test is not like a test that a student would take at the end of a particular class at school. If that were the case, the test would be fairly useless as a method of determining overall intelligence. At the end of a class, students have studied for those particular questions. Those who take an IQ test aren’t given a time to prepare for the test. Besides, that would merely be a test of a person’s ability to prepare for a test.

The idea behind IQ testing was to find a way to assign a number to a person’s intelligence. The IQ tests used to do this are a series of generic questions designed to test general understanding, comprehension and abilities as opposed to specific knowledge. To that end, questions such as “What year was the United States Constitution ratified” would not be part of an IQ test. That question tests a specific piece of information and it’s quite possible that even an intelligent person wouldn’t know the answer.

Instead, IQ tests require that the subject answer questions and perform simple tasks that anyone of their particular age level should be able to successfully complete.

There are many purposes for IQ testing. Children are often tested to help determine placement in particular classes. Deciding whether a child is in need of special education opportunities can be determined by using IQ tests. Developmentally delayed youngsters and adults can be monitored and placed based on IQ test results.

The results of an IQ test can be a signal of how adults will function in particular positions and situations. Employers sometimes use IQ test results to aid them in placement.

The use of IQ tests came under fire in recent years when opponents of this scale claimed that results were skewed for some subjects. Race, ethnicity and environment made some candidates score poorly on the test, despite their obvious intelligence, opponents said. There have been some efforts to correct those issues, but the fact is there’s no way to make a test that will be applicable for every subject.

Bob Benson

Coupe Hybrid Concept from Volkswagen Gets Style Points

Volkswagen’s contribution to the slew of green car news on the first day of the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) is a concept coupe hybrid the hip auto manufacturer says is “extremely fast and yet futuristic in its fuel economy.” It is known as the New Compact Coupe (NCC) and, according to Volkswagen, with have a fuel economy of 45 mpg.

Volkswagen’s New Compact Coupe will reportedly have a top speed of 141 miles per hour while hitting 60 miles per hour in just 8.6 seconds. The tech under the hood? A TSI engine (gasoline powered with 110 kW / 150 PS), an electric motor (20 kW / 27 PS), and a 7-speed Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG). Volkswagen says the NCC will be “positioned between the Europe’s bestselling sports car, the Scirocco, and the internationally successful CC.”

The NCC, like other sleek Volkswagens before it, will have plenty of sporty looks that would make it stand out from other hybrids on the road. Dimensions are set at 178.5 inches long and 70.1 inches wide, with a body height of 55.6 inches and a wheelbase of 104.4 inches. It would also include “newly designed controls for the automatic climate control system (Climatronic) an 8-inch touchscreen radio-navigation system” as well, among many other features.

Nino Marchetti, January 11th, 2010 www.earthtechling.com

Has Lady Gaga influenced Rihanna's style ?

A couple of years back, I wrote a story in The Times about how tame style had become in the music industry. Fast forward two years to Lady Gaga's blood-streaked torso and human-hair hats.

Though there are still plenty of pop stars playing it safe in the style department, Gaga's wacky style has brought total freakdom back into the music arena (finally!) -- and has opened the door for other female artists to cultivate their own deviant looks.

Rihanna, in fact, didn't start flirting with S&M gear until Gaga started making the scene. At the 2008 Grammys, the pretty ingenue wore a flirty purple cocktail dress by Zac Posen, her newly shorn hair the only subversive thing about her look.

Since then, she's gone from tame to totally outlandish - rocking such oddities as lace blindfolds, jumpsuits composed of mere strips of fabric, jackets and dresses with huge metal spikes mounted on the shoulders and leather bustiers dripping with metal chains.

Is Rihanna trying to out-freak Lady G.? From the get-go, the polished pop tart was fashion-forward. Her enviable figure and adorable face meant designers were always going to be throwing themselves at her feet. But somewhere along the way -- post-Gaga -- she (or her notoriously protective team of handlers) made the decision to take her look several steps beyond red-carpet pretty.

The first real indication that she was finding her way in more costume-y waters was back in May 2009, when she donned that crazy tuxedo featuring clown-sized puffed sleeves for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute Gala. That outfit -- in all its loopy weirdness -- seems downright demure compared to the bondage-like ensembles she's been rocking lately.

Do you think Lady Gaga's loco style has (consciously or subconsciously) spurred Rihanna into new feats of freaky fashion? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

January 11, 2010 | 9:00 am Emili Vesilind latimesblogs.latimes.com

Hot gadgets at show: Wireless charging, iPhone TV

At the International Consumer Electronics Show last week, 3-D television, electronic readers and little laptops captured much of the attention.

There were plenty of other interesting ideas on display, too, from 3-D printing to a wireless cell phone tether. Here are some of the gadgets most worth keeping an eye out for this year, and some that best deserve an arched eyebrow of amusement:

TV on the iPhone - Qualcomm Inc.'s FLO TV service has been limited by the fact that only a few AT&T Inc. and Verizon Wireless cell phones can receive the signals, which carry about 15 news, sports and entertainment channels. Now, Qualcomm has teamed up with phone accessories maker Mophie to create an external battery pack for the iPhone that doubles as a FLO TV receiver. It's expected in the first half of the year. No price for the pack was announced; FLO TV service costs $15 per month. Separately, TV stations are also rolling out their own broadcasts for mobile devices. Another device at the show, the Tivit, is designed to take those signals and send them to an iPhone or BlackBerry over Wi-Fi. It should be available this spring for about $120, and the broadcasts are free.

Game-controller glove - Iron Will Innovations demonstrated a futuristic-looking black-and-silver glove that replaces a keyboard and lets users control games by touching their fingers together instead. Called the Peregrine, the glove includes five sensors on each finger that replace different keystrokes when touched to the glove's thumb. The glove and plugs into a computer's USB port. The Peregrine should be in stores for $150 by the summer, though the company is taking pre-orders online for $20 less.

Wireless charging - Last year, Powermat USA showed off a mat that charged gadgets that were placed on top of it - as long as the gadgets were equipped with special covers. This year, Powermat took that a step further by unveiling the Powerpack, a battery that replaces the one that comes with your cell phone and lets you charge your handset by placing it on the mat -- no other attachments needed. Powerpacks that are compatible with dozens of handsets are expected to be available for $40 in May.

Polaroid Instant Cameras - Polaroid stopped making instant film two years ago, but a brave group of enthusiasts and former employees bought one of Polaroid's factories in Netherlands and reinvented the film. Their film is expected on the market later this year, and to go along with it, Polaroid announced at the show that it will be bringing back instant film cameras. It didn't announce a price. In the past few years, the Polaroid brand has been used for a new type of battery-powered portable digital printer, which produces photos reminiscent of the old film.

Cell-phone tether - Losing your cell phone is a drag, and a company called Zomm believes it can make it a thing of the past. It has a small device, also called Zomm, that connects wirelessly with your phone through Bluetooth and sets off an alarm if you walk away from it. The Oreo-sized gadget also has a personal alarm and a button that you can use to call emergency services on your phone. It acts as a speakerphone and lets users know of incoming calls, too. Zomm is expected to be available this summer for $80.

3-D camera - The big push from TV makers this year is for sets that show 3-D in the home. Fujifilm, betting that people will want to shoot their own 3-D movies and photos as well, is also selling a digital camera with two lenses, set apart as if they are human eyes. The screen on the back of the Finepix Real 3D W1 presents, if you squint a little bit, a 3-D image using a glasses-free technology similar to the old 3-D postcards. The 3-D camera is available now for $599, and a 3-D photo frame sells separately for $499.

3-D filter - What if you want 3-D viewing, but you don't want to get a new TV and a 3-D Blu-ray player? Realview Innovations Ltd. has it all worked out for you. The Irish company has developed a film that can be placed over a set to make it look like the flat surface of the screen bulges inwards. Sort of like 3-D, but the effect doesn't vary from scene to scene. The film will cost $150 for a 22-inch set and $500 for a 42-inch set when it's released in May.

3-D color printing - Shapeways has been offering 3-D printing for a few years, taking data files and turning them into sculptures with the help of a machine that lays down successive layers of a plaster-like material. At the show, the Dutch company announced that they're now offering sculptures in full color. The dyes are impregnated into the material as it's being built up. The cost: $16.22 per cubic inch.

Mopping robot - It's the battle of the cleaning robots! The vacuuming Roomba robots will get competition this September from the Mint, a square robot that has a pad for a dry or wet Swiffer-type cleaning cloth. Guided by a beacon that projects an infrared light on the ceiling (think Batman signal), the Mint will methodically sweep one room at time. Then you have to move the beacon, and the robot, to the next room. And if you care about cleanliness, you probably want to change that cloth, too. Evolution Robotics Inc. says the price will be around $200 to $250.

LAS VEGAS (AP) Monday, January 11, 2010 www.technologyreview.com

Technology : USB 3.0 speeds data

Hundreds if not thousands of new gadgets made their debut at the Las Vegas CES last week, including some that will have little or no impact on the CE market. In contrast, the arrival of the latest version of the USB data transfer standard - dubbed SuperSpeed USB 3.0 – was largely overlooked although it is likely to have a big impact on the consumer electronics industry.

It is five years since the USB 2.0 standard was rolled out, providing a common high speed data transfer protocol for a swath of CE devices ranging from external hard drives to smartphones. Since then however, read/write speeds have continued to climb and USB 2.0, which has a maximum theoretical throughput of 480Mbps, has become something of a data transfer bottleneck.

USB 3.0, which can theoretically handle up to 5Gbps is designed to eliminate this bottleneck delivering transfer speeds up to 10 times faster than USB 2.0 devices. To put that in perspective, USB 3.0 is fast enough to download 8Gb of photos from a digital camera in just 20 seconds or download a 27Gb HD movie is just over 1 minute.

A Total of 17 USB 3.0-certified products were unveiled at CES including a hard drive from Western Digital which was showing off MyBook 3.0, the first USB 3.0-certified external hard drive. Seagate, LaCie and Iomega are promising traditional portable drives based on the USB 3.0 standard while several manufacturers are also expected to bring USB 3.0 SSDs (Solid State Drives) to market.

USB 3.0 not only provides a much needed speed boost, it is also backward compatible with USB 2.0 and uses one-third the power of USB 2.0.

Google Wave, iPhone and Android will be heavily attacked in 2010

From the crystal ball of Roel Schouwenberg: Google Wave, the iPhone and Android mobile phones will come under heavy cyber attacks in 2010.

Schouwenberg, a senior malware researcher at Kaspersky Lab Americas, predicts Google Wave will grab headlines in coming months -- but not necessarily for emerging as the next killer online networking app. Instead, he says, Google Wave is likely to become a top target of cyber criminals.

"Attacks on this new Google service will no doubt follow the usual pattern," Schouwenberg soothsays. "First, the sending of spam, followed by phishing attacks, then the exploiting of vulnerabilities and the spreading of malware."

Schouwenberg also anticipates a sharp rise in attacks on the iPhone and Android mobile platforms, following the successful probe attacks of 2009. "The first malicious programs for these mobile platforms appeared in 2009, a sure sign that they have aroused the interest of cybercriminals," he says.

Android users, in particular, seem ripe for plundering. "The increasing popularity of mobile phones running the Android operating system, combined with a lack of effective checks to ensure third-party software applications are secure, will lead to a number of high-profile malware outbreaks," he says.

Schowenberg's prescient orb also tells him that the overheated race between Google, Microsoft Bing, and Yahoo Search to incorporate Facebook and Twitter posts in search results -- in real time -- is destined to aid and abet cyber criminals' deployment of phishing scams, banking Trojans and cutting-edge intrusions. "Malware will continue to further its sophistication in 2010," he says.

By Byron Acohido
Dec 29, 2009
www.content.usatoday.com

The people have chosen The Twilight Saga

From Los Angeles, The people have chosen vampires - 7th January 2010. "The Twilight Saga," "True Blood" and "The Vampire Diaries" all sucked up trophies Wednesday at the 36th annual People's Choice Awards. "Twilight" won four trophies, including favourite movie, franchise and on-screen team for the dreamy trio of Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner, who also picked up the breakout male actor award.
The undead HBO fable "True Blood" and the soapy supernatural CW series "The Vampire Diaries" were respectively selected as favourite TV obsession and favourite new TV drama. Other winners in categories spanning movies, TV and music included "Inglourious Basterds" as favourite independent movie and Lady Gaga as favourite pop and breakout music artist.
Queen Latifah, who returned as host of the fan-favourite ceremony for the fourth consecutive year, kicked off the show at the Nokia Theatre with a jazzy name-dropping number.
Stars such as Hugh Jackman, Mariah Carey, Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, Ashton Kutcher, Taylor Swift and Ellen DeGeneres were on hand to accept their awards selected by Internet votes.

"One for each of Sandra Bullock's toes," joked 11-time People's Choice Awards champion DeGeneres.

Other TV winners included "American Idol" as favourite competition show, "Glee" as favourite new TV comedy, Steve Carell as favourite TV comedy actor, Alyson Hannigan as favourite TV comedy actress, "The Big Bang Theory" as favourite TV comedy, "House" as favourite TV drama, Hugh Laurie as favourite TV drama actor and "Supernatural" as favourite fantasy TV show.
Winners in the movie categories included Bullock as favourite movie actress, Jackman as favourite action star, "The Proposal" as favourite comedy movie and "Up" for favourite family movie. Sacha Baron Cohen, appearing as himself and not as his alter-egos Borat or Bruno, presented Johnny Depp with a special award as favourite movie actor of the decade.

"The only reason that any of us are up here is because of you," Depp told the audience.

Throughout the show, Latifah appeared in spoofs of "Twilight" and "Paranormal Activity," which featured a cameo by Cloris Leachman clad in a sexy leather ensemble. The show also featured performances by Mary J. Blige, Cobra Starship and Nicole Scherzinger, as well as debut footage from "Clash of the Titans," "Robin Hood" and "Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains."

Winners at the 36th annual People's Choice Awards:
  • Favorite Movie: "Twilight."
  • Favorite On-Screen Team: "The Twilight Saga."
  • Favorite Franchise: "The Twilight Saga."
  • Favorite Breakout Movie Actor: Taylor Lautner.
  • Favorite Movie Actress: Sandra Bullock.
  • Favorite Comedy Movie: "The Proposal."
  • Favorite Independent Movie: "Inglourious Basterds."
  • Favorite Action Star: Hugh Jackman.
  • Favorite Comedic Star: Jim Carrey.
  • Favorite Breakout Movie Actress: Miley Cyrus.
  • Favorite Movie Actor: Johnny Depp.
  • Favorite Family Movie: "Up."
  • Favorite TV Drama Actor: Hugh Laurie.
  • Favorite TV Drama: "House."
  • Favorite TV Comedy: "The Big Bang Theory."
  • Favorite TV Drama Actress: Katherine Heigl.
  • Favorite TV Comedy Actor: Steve Carell.
  • Favorite TV Comedy Actress: Alyson Hannigan.
  • Favorite TV Obsession: "True Blood."
  • Favorite Talk Show: "The Ellen DeGeneres Show."
  • Favorite Sci-Fi/Fantasy TV Show: "Supernatural."
  • Favorite Competition Show: "American Idol."
  • Favorite Animal Show: "Dog Whisperer."
  • Favorite New TV Drama: "The Vampire Diaries."
  • Favorite New TV Comedy: "Glee."
  • Favorite Female Artist: Taylor Swift.
  • Favorite Country Artist: Carrie Underwood.
  • Favorite Male Artist: Keith Urban.
  • Favorite Breakout Music Artist: Lady Gaga.
  • Favorite Hip-Hop Artist: Eminem.
  • Favorite Rock Band: Paramore.
  • Favorite Music Collaboration: "Run This Town," Jay-Z featuring Rihanna and Kanye West.
  • Favorite R&B Artist: Mariah Carey.
  • Favorite Pop Artist: Lady Gaga.
  • Favorite Web Celeb: Ashton Kutcher.
www.torontosun.com

Google's Nexus - Android based smartphone

January 5, 2010 is the day when Google would be holding a special press meet at its Mountain View Campus - mostly believed to be the launching platform for the Nexus One, Google's own Android based smartphone.
While we are yet to receive any correspondence from Google regarding the nature of the conference today, most have largely assumed this to be the official announcement of the Nexus One and Google's future plans with the device. While it would be most welcome from Google if it uses this opportunity to announce something other than this, we won't complain - as long as it is something really kick ass. (Ahem: Remember Google Wave?)

Having said that, let's get back to the Nexus One, the specs of which was revealed a week ago. The phone, which is the first ever "GooglePhone", sports a 3.7-inch gargantuan display and has even been termed by some to be the best Android device yet. Other specs include:
  • Android 2.1
  • HSDPA 7.2Mbps, HSUPA 2Mbps
  • Qualcomm Snapdragon (QSD 8250) processor at 1GHz
  • 4 illuminated softkeys (Back, Menu, Home, Search)
  • Tri-color charging and notification LED
  • Haptic feedback
  • Accelerometer
  • Light sensor
  • Proximity sensor
  • A-GPS
  • Digital compass
  • Wi-Fi
  • 3.5mm headset jack
  • Active noise cancellation
  • 5MP camera with autofocus, LED flash, geotagging and 2x digital zoom
  • Stereo Bluetooth 2.1 (A2DP, EDR)
  • 512MB Flash memory
  • 512MB RAM
  • 4GB MicroSD card included (supports cards up to 32GB)
  • MicroUSB
  • Weight: 130 grams (1400 mAh battery included)
www.techtree.com

Google Wave's Works

Here's how it works: In Google Wave you create a wave and add people to it. Everyone on your wave can use richly formatted text, photos, gadgets, and even feeds from other sources on the web. They can insert a reply or edit the wave directly. It's concurrent rich-text editing, where you see on your screen nearly instantly what your fellow collaborators are typing in your wave. That means Google Wave is just as well suited for quick messages as for persistent content — it allows for both collaboration and communication. You can also use "playback" to rewind the wave and see how it evolved.As with Android, Google Chrome, and many other Google efforts, we plan to make the code open source as a way to encourage the developer community to get involved. Google Wave is very open and extensible, and we're inviting developers to add all kinds of cool stuff before our public launch. Google Wave has three layers: the product, the platform, and the protocol:
  • The Google Wave product (available as a developer preview) is the web application people will use to access and edit waves. It's an HTML 5 app, built on Google Web Toolkit. It includes a rich text editor and other functions like desktop drag-and-drop (which, for example, lets you drag a set of photos right into a wave).
  • Google Wave can also be considered a platform with a rich set of open APIs that allow developers to embed waves in other web services, and to build new extensions that work inside waves.
  • The Google Wave protocol is the underlying format for storing and the means of sharing waves, and includes the "live" concurrency control, which allows edits to be reflected instantly across users and services. The protocol is designed for open federation, such that anyone's Wave services can interoperate with each other and with the Google Wave service. To encourage adoption of the protocol, Google intend to open source the code behind Google Wave.