I don't watch much TV but I've been complaining for years about why TVs just don't put a CPU and a WiFi radio inside and get connected like everything else we own. Why should we have to buy some off brand connector box so we can play media from DVRs, flash drives, or the internet? Well someone finally did it. Surprise, surprise, it's Sony. It's cutting edge right now and will be boring next year but so what. Even the advertisement is genuinely entertaining. Check it out!

Sony Internet TV

--Jack

I recently got a cell phone that for less than the cost of a normal voice plan will not only make phone calls but do "smartphone" type things. I used to avoid any extra service that nickel and dimed me to death (I'm looking at you T-Mobile). Now I can actually snap a photo and upload it with no hidden charges. This is cool. What's even better is that there are a solid handful of good photo sharing sites out there to choose from. My plan is to upload photos to these and do a comparison of features and usability in the coming weeks.

from The Frugal Yankee

• Flickr: The venerable workhorse now owned by Yahoo!
• Photobucket: Awful name but has been around for a long time. It's a solid contender now.
• Picasa: Where would we be without you Google?
• Windows Live: aka the old Hotmail. Now rejuvenated with a plethora of features and serious competition to Google's suite of apps.
• 23HQ: A relative newbie, offers solid features and a nice interface. Of all of these listed it has the most generous "free" plan.

I'm using the $25/month unlimited plan from Virgin Mobile and snapping photos with a very untrendy LG Rumor Touch phone. I don't have a contract, but I certainly have a plan on how to carry out these photo sharing tests.

Stay tuned for more to come as I explore cheap photo sharing and the free services of these 5 providers.

Ok, please don't take that too seriously. I have a phone already, it isn't an iPhone, but it does all the phone-like things I need my phone to do - as well as many other fun things too.

I just came across an article about a Best Buy employee, Brian Maupin, who made an animated video about people coming in to (a) store asking to buy an iPhone. Although the video does not mention Best Buy, they suspended Brian for denigrating a product that the store sells. The video is extremely NSFW and contains adult language. It might even offend you but it's hilarious if you can get past the crassness of the humor.

Again, this is NSFW! Close your office door and don't watch this if you work at Best Buy. View at your own risk: youtube.com/watch?v=FL7yD-0pqZg**

Now just how badly do you need an iPhone? How 'bout a white one? I hear Walgreens has 'em! If you ask there for one, just tell 'em Jack sent you.

--Jack


** People are already posting copies of this video under their own names. The original was posted by tinywatchproductions

I enjoy a good margarita as much as the next person. Margaritas also have a tremendous advantage in that they are flexible. We've covered margaritas before on our first Cocktail of the Week! as well as the cranberry margarita 11 cocktails later. Today we have a special treat brought about more by serendipity than anything else. Alice enjoys fruit and while I sometimes do also, I mostly tolerate it. My general feeling is that the work to enjoyment ratio is far too high. In particular I am speaking of the tangerine.

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Today is the Summer Solstice: Monday, June 21, specifically about half an hour ago. It's the day during each yearly cycle with the longest period of daylight. That means it's light when you woke up and it will be light when you sit down for dinner. It also means more daylight for Solstice parties! Woot!

*Please note that June 21 is only the Summer Solstice in the Northern hemisphere. You Southerners have to wait until December for your next 'longest day party'.