halloween

This week on the Digital City, we consider the PlayStation 3's awkward Netflix implementation; marvel over the super-thin Sony Vaio X laptop; debate the fate of FireWire in new MacBooks; and review some gamer-friendly Halloween costume ideas.

We also plug the first round of Windows 7 laptop and desktop reviews; mourn the death of Geocities; and find out why Julie and Dan have swapped seats for a week.

Plus -- take an early sneak peek at Dan's Halloween costume -- but it only makes sense if you're over, say, 30 and kind of a geek.

Related links: &… Read more

Halloween is just around the corner and Reko Rivera (left, below) and John Savio (right, below) are ready with the best Apple iPhone costumes we've seen.

Rivera and Bobby Hartman spawned this idea in 2007 by creating a wearable iPhone costume using a real 37 inch LCD TV and an iPod. The iPod looped videos of recorded iPhone screens.

Fast forward to 2009, and the costume uses an actual iPhone to generate what you see on the now-larger 42-inch LCD TVs. Unfortunately, the screens are not touch-sensitive, but otherwise, the costume is pretty amazing.

The costumes each have (probably … Read more

Even though I definitely messed up the title format and everything else for that matter, today's show is still "Where the cheese stands alone," because you get to witness the pain as I try to record a solo podcast. That's right, Jeff is out and Wilson called in sick, so I'm left to fend for myself with the generous help of a few friends along the way.

Disclaimer: Today's show is atypical. If this is your first time listening to The 404, note that this is definitely not the norm. The show is usually very random and tangential, but today's episode is a ONE MAN SHOW. That man is me, and for that I beg your forgiveness in advance. If you're able to get through the entire show, well then I tip my hat to you.

It's the first time I've operated the engineering board and camera switching by myself, so the production value ain't up to par with Jeff's expert skills...just keep that in mind as you struggle through this episode of random musings, behind the scenes scoops, upcoming guests, meet-up ideas, Halloween costumes, and the future of The 404!

As hard as it is to listen to me wing my way through 45 minutes of streaming video, it would have been far worse if not for my dear friends Dan Ackerman, Scott Stein, and Julie Rivera who all came in to put me out of my lonely misery. They're all part of CNET's own Digital City Podcast, so be sure to check them out.

Here's some exciting news to look forward to: our guest on Monday will be the band Family of the Year. After hearing that we chose them for our Beck's Beer Draft Pick, they agreed to come in for a live in-studio acoustic performance!

Jeff will certainly be back for that, but no guarantees for Wilson G. Tang, who may or may not have contracted the Avian Swine Flu, a rare form of H1N1 that only occurs when pigs fly.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Sure, Halloween brings on the spook, but no slime-covered zombie or ghoul with an ax through its skull can compare to the horror of tech nightmares. Just ask those unfortunate enough to have suffered Sidekick data losses in recent days. If it makes them feel any better (and we know it probably doesn't), they're not alone. Maybe they can take a small measure of comfort in knowing others have endured tech scares, too.

With that in mind, and with All Hallows Eve just around the bend, we want to hear your worst tech nightmares, readers--in gory detail. Did … Read more

Episode 53 of the Digital City, where we explore Netbook gaming, thanks to the Nivida Ion and HP's Mini 311; the thin-is-in designs of the new Dell Adamo and Sony X-series; T-Mobile and Microsoft's Sidekick problems; and Scott's Forza 3 obsession.

Plus, a quick sneak-peek of Rock Band for iPhone and -- just in time for Halloween -- tech celebrity jack-lantern carvings.

Related links: >>Netbook gaming arrives: HP's Mini 311 >>Dell teases with new Adamo shots >>Sony's pencil-thin X-series laptop >>Forza 3 hands-on: Never underestimate the power of a British accent &… Read more

Episode 52 of the Digital City, where we talk about the latest Apple tablet rumors, dissect Kindles on campus, bemoan the use of single-core CPUs in 13-inch laptops, and worry about NYC's growing rep as a surveillance state.

The 404's Jeff Bakalar pops by to fill the absent Joseph's seat, as we compare notes on Uncharted 2 and complain about how hard it is to actually get any content onto a PSPgo.

Related links: >>Newly revealed Apple patent application >>Do Kindles really work on campus? >>Hands on impressions: Is Uncharted 2 worth the wait? &… Read more

If you're already possessed by the Halloween spirit, you'll shriek with delight to find that Facebook's cauldron includes a measure of worthy apps.

Check 'em out.

HalloweenBuilder is one of those apps that you're unsure of beforehand. But once you start using it, you quickly become a fan.

The basic premise of HalloweenBuilder is simple: create the jack-o-lantern of your dreams. The app offers numerous designs for the eyes, nose, mouth, and other features. From there, simply pick the designs you want and arrange them how you see fit. The app automatically does the cutting for you.

I really enjoyed HalloweenBuilder. I made a few designs, and each was quite fun.

Halloween Pumpkins is another app that lets you carve a virtual pumpkin. The only difference between HalloweenBuilder and Halloween Pumpkins is that the latter requires you to carve your jack-o-lantern freehand. If you like your design, you can share it with other app users.

I enjoyed the app. Although its design wasn't overly impressive and the app did a great job of highlighting my lack of artistic ability, I had fun. And comparing my designs to those that were voted most popular by the users was interesting. Halloween Pumpkins is a great app to check out when you're bored.… Read more

Rather than hunting up your Halloween cookie cutters and rolling out a batch of cookie dough, this year you can bake Halloween cookies in Wilton's new Halloween cookie pan. Getting cookies shaped like ghosts, mummies, and spider webs is just a matter of rolling cookie dough into balls and placing it in each of the 12 cavities of of the cookie pan. As the cookies bake, they'll take on the shape of the Halloween designs. When you take the pan out of the oven, it's easy to remove the cookies: not only is the pan nonstick, but … Read more

No party is complete without ice cubes. To further that thought, no Halloween party is complete without pumpkins and spooky lights. Luckily, Halloween is the holiday with the best gadgets. Lawns are decorated with frightening images that scream at you when you walk by and costumes feature everything from glowing lights to voice-changing speakers. But it's the little things that make Halloween gadgets unique, and little details that make your get-together special.

The illuminated pumpkin ice cubes aren't necessarily very scary, but they certainly scream Halloween. Sold in a set of three, the battery-powered drink coolers are made … Read more