x-factor

For Simon Cowell, there is no such thing as enough.

This would put him within a comforting cohort that includes William the Conqueror, Madonna and, of course, Mark Zuckerberg.

How fitting, then, that the latest spawn of Cowell's brain is reportedly a reality show that will discover the next great tech entrepreneur.

On all things Cowell, the Sun tends to have an inside presence, so I am grateful to it for revealing this marvelous development.

His partner in this very serious caper is Will.i.am, who is a remarkably good clothing designer.

The Sun quoted i.am as … Read more

If you've watched any "American Idol" the last couple of years, you've probably noticed a heavy dose of record impresario Jimmy Iovine's Beats headphones on the show -- from the hat that he always wears to the omnipresence of the product itself. It's awful in many ways, but that's what corporate sponsorship is all about. And it seems to be working as plenty of teenagers keep asking their parents for overpriced $300 headphones for their birthdays.

Well, Simon Cowell and Sony want in on the celebrity headphone action and have released the $299 … Read more

Twitter has gotten itself integrated everywhere from Internet-connected TVs to what could be considered the highest achievement so far: baked right into iOS 5. It's just short of being an all-knowing presence at this point.

Obviously, Twitter is aware of this, going so far as to boast that it has bumped the long-standing status of the office water cooler as the ultimate post-TV show discussion ground. Just look at reserved hashtags for shows like Dancing With The Stars (#DWTS) and The Big Bang Theory (#BigBangTheory).

I know that so many readers are huge fans of reality television, especially reality television in which previously unknown people attempt to sing.

So it pains me to bring news that might dull the world's enthusiasm for such pageants, perhaps permanently.

You see, there is a show called "X-Factor." Currently it runs in the U.K., but it is soon to debut in the U.S. It is one of the several shows which has, at its core, the celebrated critic and music mogul Simon Cowell, formerly of "American Idol."

Last Saturday, "X-Factor" … Read more

Verizon explains its early termination fee reasoning. It turns out it's just trying to help the poor. You see, when they charge these outrageous fees, it SAVES poor people money on their phones. At least as long as they don't mind being locked into a contract for years. We also rage against the Rage Against the Machine number-one non-Christmas song.

Barnes & Noble to compensate for late e-book Readers http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704786204574608100009605442.html http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/21/nook-1-1-update-hitting-now/… Read more

It's an odd tradition. Well, it is Britain, where they have a talent for clutching traditions like Posh Spice clutches many things with a D&G logo.

The particular tradition that fascinates at this time of year consists of really caring about which song is the best seller at Christmas.

Once upon a time, some of the greatest music ever composed was Britain's Christmas No. 1. Yes, Slade's "Merry Christmas Everybody," Mud's "Lonely This Christmas," and the slightly less melodic "Another Brick In The Wall (Part 2)" by Pink … Read more

If you're a company that makes equipment for a medium facing extinction, it's probably not a bad idea to keep trying something different with your wares. One way is unusual designs--and in that category, Shanling excels.

The Chinese company specializes in CD players that have unique looks, specs, and characteristics, as evidenced by its tube- amplifying "MC-30 Music Center" and other models. Its latest offering is no exception: The CD-T300 Pro has four amplification valves, two remote controls, and gold-plated tube legs. But the most striking thing about it is the way it looks.

Boasting what … Read more