toys

How to alleviate Hipstamatic envy

Before I had an iPhone, I did not experience iPhone envy. I liked my beat-up, old cell phone and its inability to text, take pictures, or access the Internet. It wasn't until these cool, retro-looking photos started popping up on my friends' Facebook pages that I started to think the iPhone might have some features worth the price of admission. Now, I didn't end up buying an iPhone because of Hipstamatic, but it was the one app that started to break down my antismartphone defenses. And it was among my first purchases in the App Store.

Feeling Hipstamatic envy? Fear not, I have a cure. Two, actually. Two desktop apps, ToyCamera Analogcolor and CameraBag Desktop, can give your photos Hipstamatic-like effects. They work with either a PC or a Mac and offer free trials.… Read more

OnStar For My Vehicle coming to Best Buy July 24

If you want the benefits of the OnStar system, such as emergency services and turn-by-turn navigation, but your car didn't come with OnStar hope is not lost. OnStar FMV (For My Vehicle) will be available this week.

Launching July 24, OnStar FMV will be available at Best Buy for $299.99, plus $75 for installation. Service plans for OnStar FMV will start at $18.95 a month, or $199 a year.

"The wait is over," OnStar President Linda Marshall said in a press release. "Since we announced OnStar FMV at the Consumer Electronics Show in January, … Read more

The 404 863: Where we're broadcasting live from outer space (podcast)

Anthony David Adams joins us on today's episode in hopes that one of our listeners has the next object that will allow him to trade his way into space. He started with a toy spaceship and five trades later, he already has a ticket for a One Zero G Space Flight, so hit him up if you want to make him an offer.

While he's trading his way up, Anthony's also looking to build space exploration kits replete with Space HD Video Exploration Modules for at least 100 school districts, so sign up your local school at the Students in Space Project Web site. If you'd like to donate to the SpaceKits Project, PayPal donations are accepted at donate@onetoyspaceship.com.

On top of all that, Anthony brings our listeners a chance to win a free Nook and a watch from Nooka, the company designing the packaging for the Students in Space kits! The contest is simple:

Like OneToySpaceship.com Leave a comment on this blog post that answers this question: I want to go to outer space because________ and I am willing to trade ____________. Send out a tweet linking to the contest, and that's it!

Thanks again to Anthony for coming in today, and be sure to listen to the full episode to hear how he got started with the space project, why it's necessary to make redundant backups of our intergalactic hard drive, and how he plans to be the first member of the Parsec High Club.

Episode 863 Subscribe in iTunes (audio) | Subscribe in iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

'Toy Story 3' desktop theme

Toy Story 3 Windows 7 Theme is a free theme pack with high-resolution images from the movie "Toy Story 3" as well as sounds. However, we were unable to hear the sounds on both 32-bit and 64-bit Windows 7 installations.

Like other free themes from Windows7Theme.net, Toy Story 3 Windows 7 Theme installs automatically when you decompress its download. We minimized our browser window and were pleased to see Woody's smiling face. The 10 still images from the movie are indeed very high-quality HD images in wide-screen format (1,920x1,200-pixel resolution). We opened the Windows … Read more

Keep your Angry Birds, we'll take something a bit more classy

Birds and weapons? Sounds like a certain smartphone-game-turned-cultural-touchstone, right? Well, don't worry; we know you've heard enough about that particular phenomenon to last a few lifetimes.

No, this little blog item is about something far less widespread than a popular iPhone app. In fact, the "gadgets" in question here--if one dare call them that--are truly rare. So rare that they're expected to draw $2.5 million to $5 million at a Hong Kong auction later this month.

And though they were created in the early 19th century, and are anything but digital, they still manage to impress with the obvious technical mastery of their makers. … Read more

Give digital photos a retro look with Lo-Fi

People take a lot of bad and/or boring photos (myself included). Do it with a smartphone, though, and you've got a bunch of apps, such as Hipstamatic for iPhone and Vignette for Android, to make things more interesting or cover up flaws. However, things are a little more complicated for people who still use a regular camera, and that's where Lo-Fi comes in.

The software--available for Mac and Windows--lets you do what those apps do by quickly applying different effects based on film types, flashes, and lenses. What's nice about using Lo-Fi is that it doesn'… Read more

Toys 'R' Us building massive rooftop solar project

Toys "R" Us announced today that it plans to cover 70 percent of the roof of its distribution center, located in the leafy suburb of Flanders, N.J., with a solar installation.

The 5.38-megawatt solar project is a massive undertaking for a rooftop installation. Toys "R" Us claims this will be the largest rooftop solar installation in North America.

The Flanders distribution center is the largest distribution facility in the U.S. for the toy and electronics retailer. Toys "R" Us estimates that the roof spans about 32 acres. More than 869,294 square feet (almost 20 acres) of that roof will be covered in solar panels, according to the company.… Read more

Buzz Out Loud 1450: Lick my 9Volt (Podcast)

Can you tell Brian Tong is back on the show? Actually, we're legitimately wondering whether a home-brew electroshock like battery licking could produce video game skill improvements like DARPA is seeing with their electroshock research. No, really. Also, Google shuts down Google Video, President Obama wants a universal login that's not Facebook Connect, and Match.com just got a whole lot more trustworthy. --Molly

iPad 2 scarce at Toys 'R' Us

Toys "R" Us store began selling the iPad 2 today, but only select stores have them.

The iPad 2 has been chronically selling out at stores everywhere so news that a new outlet will have the iPad 2 can potentially send shoppers scurrying to that location.

But don't expect to waltz into a Toys "R" Us today and get one. In the Los Angeles area, only select Toys "R" Us stores got a shipment of iPad 2s.

And a store in Tustin, Calif.--a Los Angeles suburb--had already sold out of the iPad … Read more

The 404 796: Where we're playing offense tonight (podcast)

If Wilson is the brains of The 404, and Jeff is the brawn, then what is Justin? Aside from answering that question, we're also thinking of new names for Jeff's hockey team and talking about Adobe's new software rental program, the iPad 2 coming to Toys "R" Us stores and Best Buy vaults, and the future of the Apple iPod Touch.

The 404 Digest for Episode 796

Adobe Creative Suite 5: Why buy when you can rent? Photoshop Touch SDK drives three Adobe iPad apps. Aviary.com puts light image edits in the cloud.

Episode 796 Subscribe in iTunes (audio) | Subscribe in iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more