Tablets

Do not attempt to adjust your picture- today's guest on The 404 Podcast prefers to remain anonymous, even using the pseudonym "Eklund" to protect his sources. Still, there's no way to hide to the giant grin on Jeff's face because Eklund grants us the favor of his first ever video interview, and it's an insider's look at sports blogging and how technology is shaping the future of media.

There's no doubt that he's the expert, either-- Eklund is the founder and CEO of Hockeybuzz.com, a hockey fan's best friend for news, season predictions, game day updates, and more!

But none of us seem to mind that Eklund hides his face on camera, because he brought over his GTR Pedal board that he brings to every game- it's basically a portable broadcast center that allows him to maintain his Twitter page and blog posts, and there's no other way to describe it than straight up NERD PORN (<---click that).

The beautiful spread includes four Apple iPod Touches, an HTC Evo 4G for tethering and Qwik live broadcasts, a Toshiba dual-screen Libretta, an iPad with an AIDA case that has a built-in BT keyboard, a Pico mini projector, a Palm Pre, a Clear Wi-Max modem and router, a Windows tablet PC, and a Snowball mic for podcasting on the run! Our number one recommendation for his next purchase? A full-time bodyguard.

Eklund is truly on the bleeding edge of hockey blogging, and as he tells us stories from the Olympics we begin to understand how the future of media is tenderly shaped by his near-bionic hand. Apparently security at the Olympics weren't thrilled with Eklund broadcasting footage (firsties!) using just his Evo 4G and Qik, the provider for the Evo's video chat application, but Eklund imagines a world where every fan will have the technological ability and the NHL's sanction to record live events from alternate angles, providing a unique perspective on the game play.

There's plenty more we talk about with Eklund, but you'll have to listen to the entire episode to hear the rest of his insights...or, if you're in the New York area, drop by our Fall Meetup tonight to meet Eklund in person--he'll be the guy wearing a full-body radiation suit. We'll all be hanging out at 7:30 p.m. at the Frying Pan bar at the Chelsea Piers. See our 404 Meetup.com page for more details, and don't forget to RSVP!

Staples will start selling the Amazon Kindle at its stores starting this Sunday, the office supplies company announced today.

Staples said that its stores will have the Kindle and Kindle 3G for $139 and $189, respectively. The company will be selling the 9.7-inch Kindle DX for $379 starting in mid-November. In addition, Staples will be selling a variety of Kindle accessories, but it didn't say exactly what would be available.

Staples is joining a growing number of brick-and-mortar retailers selling Amazon's Kindle, including Best Buy and Target.

Amazon's e-reader continues to enjoy success. The Kindle is … Read more

Toshiba plans to launch a number of tablet computers in the U.S., Japan, and other countries next year, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Toshiba engineer Hideo Kasuya told the Journal at the Ceatec 2010 tech show in Japan this week that the tablets are expected to run Google's Android operating system. He did not elaborate more about the devices.

Toshiba has been showing off a prototype Android tablet at Ceatec with a 10.1-inch touch screen.

Last month, Toshiba unveiled the Folio 100 tablet. That device, which runs Android 2.2, is scheduled for release before year's … Read more

Speaking in London today, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer again mentioned that there would be Windows 7-based tablet computers in time for the holidays. However, there's a big difference between a tablet running Windows 7 and something that truly can rival Apple's iPad.

There will be a lot of Windows 7 PCs this holiday, including some in new shapes and sizes. But, Ballmer has been saying that for months now.

What makes the iPad unique isn't its shape or small size. Microsoft has had tablets for nearly a decade, including some that are pretty small and light.

And Steve Ballmer knows that, which explains why he has been careful in his comments. Addressing the topic at July's financial analyst meeting this summer, he said that Microsoft has work to do on the software front and some of that effort will take time to bear fruit.

"They'll be shipping as soon as they are ready," Ballmer said at that gathering, offering few details on the products, which he said will come from partners, not Microsoft itself. "It is job one urgency. No one is sleeping at the switch." … Read more

A slew of upcoming iPad competitors won't be able to match Apple's tablet anytime soon, Deutsche Bank analyst Chris Whitmore said in a recent note to investors.

"We believe Apple's lead in the tablet market will prove difficult to close by the onslaught of competing products coming over the next several quarters," Whitmore said Monday in a research note obtained by Fortune. "Ultimately, we expect the slew of upcoming competition to fall flat from a user-experience standpoint while struggling to materially undercut the iPad on price."

Apple's lead is quite substantial, Whitmore … Read more

CHIBA, Japan--A handful of tablets are on display at Ceatec 2010, though most of them are still firmly in the idea stage.

Of the major consumer electronics manufacturers here showing touch-screen tablet devices, only Sharp's Galapagos seems close to being a real product. Fujitsu's was kept under glass and clearly labeled "prototype," and Toshiba's had few details beyond its use of Android as the OS.

Samsung's Galaxy Tab is here, though it is part of wireless carrier NTT DoCoMo's booth because Samsung does not display at Ceatec. Even without the manufacturer's presence, … Read more

LG has decided to ditch its plans for a tablet until Google delivers a better version of its Android operating system, news services are reporting.

Citing an unnamed LG official, Reuters reported Monday that LG will hold off on releasing its tablet until the "most reliable Android version" is made available for the tablet. The person said that Android 2.2, code-named "Froyo," is not "the most suitable version for our tablet."

Bloomberg--also citing an unnamed LG official--said that the company's hardware is complete and that it's now just waiting on software … Read more

Jeff's back to complete a week of episodes, and although we don't normally condone eating on the air (because it's gross), we'll make an exception for Wilson's favorite treat--Lotte Koala chocolate cookies! Anyone else see the resemblance? On today's episode of The 404 Podcast, we're delving into the bizarre world of Kindlerotica, aka e-reader pR0n; Groupon is offering $60,000 scholarships to any baby parented by a couple that used a Groupon on their first date; Google's new URL shortener Goo.gl; and a blacklist of words that Google considers too nasty to include in its Instant search feature.

Online coupon distributor Groupon just debuted the most ridiculous PR campaign we've seen in awhile--it's offering $60,000 college scholarships to Groupon babies, and here's how it works. To participate, two people must meet through Groupon's dating Web site Grouspawn, agree to go on a date at a restaurant that accepts Groupon coupons, and see what happens from there.

A Groupon baby is only eligible for the $60,000 scholarship prize if it was conceived on the first date, and proof must be obtained in the form of photographic evidence, credit card receipts, or waiter testimonials. Make sense? There are already 166 members on the Grouspawn Date Assistant, so get on it!

As of Wednesday of this week, the most downloaded novel on the Amazon Kindle Webstore was "Compromising Positions" by Jenna Bayley Burke. As you might not have guessed from the subtle wit in its name, "Compromising Positions" is an adult-rated novel that represents the latest trend in Kindlerotica, or e-porn.

Whereas classic romance novels are traditionally targeted at women, this latest genre is definitely written for men and most of the titles read like text out of Penhouse Forum letters. It's disturbing to think that people are actually reading these stories in public, but the problem may be that Amazon is distributing these stories for free, which explains why they keep popping up on the best-seller list.

None of us really get the appeal, and Jeff puts it best when he describes his visual affinity toward the subject matter. In either case, if you want to check it out, another novel called "Office Slave" seems to be a good place to start....but do everyone a favor and stay out of the subway when you read it, OK?

Speaking of dirty birdies, the 2600 just published the Google Blacklist--Words that Google Instant Doesn't Like, and there are a ton of submissions. Google Instant is a new search feature that shows results in real time as you type. It also relies on predictive results that could potentially save you two to five seconds per search, but that opens up the floodgates on certain words that Google deems universally offensive.

So alongside the standard four-letter cusswords and NSFW terms, there's also a heap of ambiguously dirty words like "golden," "lemon," "teen," and an entire section dedicated to variations on the word "dog." Use your imagination, or just check out the entire list, at your own discretion--this is your official NSFW warning!

Oh, Google also unveiled its own URL shortener called Goo.gl. FYI, we spend less time talking about that than it took for you to read the previous sentence.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Medical records software developer ClearPractice has been working directly with Apple to develop Nimble, the electronic medical records (EMR) app it released this week that the company says is the first to run natively in iOS on the iPad.

Nimble incorporates throwback features from ClearPractice's software-as-a-service EMR software, which has been around since 2006 and includes scheduling, tracking inpatient rounds, prescribing meds, and reviewing/ordering lab results. But it is updated with not only an iPad-specific user interface, but a series of additional fields, such as Name, Location, Admit Date, Floor, Bed, Admission Status, and Claim Status.

To comply … Read more