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Trig is a new social-networking site based out of Sweden that's aiming to steal you away from MySpace with its devastatingly good looks and indie branding. Trig has a gorgeous welcome page. It first caught my eye when I saw it featured on The Museum of Modern Betas. It seemed to have everything MySpace did (and more), but with a unmistakable visual appeal. I was hoping the actual site would have a similar luster, but Web sites (like books) can't be judged on outside appearances alone, and Trig is unfortunately proof of this.

Trig is a work in … Read more

Anyone who has planned a party before knows that one of the hardest parts is making a cool invite and sorting through your contacts to figure out who's coming. A new party collaboration tool called MyPunchbowl launched this morning, aimed at making invitation creation and guest lists a little bit easier. It has Google Maps and directory services built in to help your guests find the party, and to help you find local stores to buy streamers, pirate hats, and silly string to your heart's content. Most important, it's just easier to use than Evite, the most … Read more

The one holdup with Flickr's otherwise extensive photo hosting service is the 2GB monthly limit imposed on Pro members that's stymied many actual pros from using Flickr as an archiving service for their super high-resolution shots. Today that limit has been lifted, along with bumping the upload limit for free users from 20 to 100MBs per month. They're also pushing printable gift certificates for Flickr Pro memberships with a code that will upgrade standard accounts. The certificates can be e-mailed or printed out in a foldable greeting card format. Our only question is why the change now? … Read more

Are you one of those people who needs a new digital camera but who's a little insecure about where to plonk down a few hundred bucks? Perhaps you should let the wisdom of crowds chart your course.

Flickr, Yahoo's popular photo-sharing site, provides a Camera Finder site that details what cameras are most popular among its users and which produce the most photos on the site. The company bases its figures on camera data that's embedded in about two-thirds of photos.

The answer, if you're curious: The Canon Rebel XT, a digital SLR, wins hands down, … Read more

So you've been meaning to waterproof your iPod but haven't gotten around to it. And now the rainy season has begun, and you're afraid of getting it wet.

Why not just watch your videos on the umbrella? That's what researchers at Tokyo's Keio University do, with their invention called the "Pileus": a system that projects photos and videos onto your open brolly. According to Plastic Bamboo, it can even stream Flickr photos and YouTube videos directly through a Wi-Fi connection.

We assume the university won't be held responsible for the sidewalk accidents … Read more

Just building a Web site is not enough for a blog or online community to thrive--Web site owners have to welcome the members, be diplomatic when disagreements arise and, above all, be honest and ethical, experts at the Web 2.0 Summit in San Francisco said on Tuesday.

The biggest no-no for a Web site or blog is to lie, said Lisa Stone, co-founder of women's blogging site BlogHer, at a session titled "BlogHer Presents: World Domination via Collaboration." Wal-Mart learned that hard lesson after the blogosphere criticized the chain for not revealing that the writers behind a travel blog … Read more

The story of our life: Just when we find a gadget we like--nay, need--it's already sold out. Such is the case with the eStarling Wi-Fi photo frame.

The new version of the live LCD device (whose predecessor also sold out last year) can carry custom RSS feeds from Flickr based on your tags. You can also e-mail your phone photos directly to an eStarling frame on the fly.

ThinkGeek is selling the screen for $250, but its soonest restocking date is estimated at December 10. Which means the chances of getting one for the holidays are probably as slim … Read more