Microsoft to offer Zune upgrade plan? [Rumor]

If you’re a Zune owner who isn’t looking forward to the now imminent and highly suspected update to come to the Zune line of players as it means you now get to pay to “upgrade” to the latest and greatest, rumors coming from Zune Scene paint a picture of update happiness. As the picture above shows, the discounts are by no means petty change and are actually a pretty sweet deal. I for one hope that Microsoft can in fact make something like these rumored price discounts materialize as it would be a much needed assurance to current users that Microsoft does in fact care. But is it enough?

AT&T to neuter Android devices by way of lockdown?

After the sweet surprise of news regarding Android crossing over to AT&T, many started dancing in the AT&T covered streets and shouting praises. If you happened to be one of those dancing fools, you might want to reel yourself in just a tad, sit back, take a breather, and look a little harder at the picture. AT&T loves to push their own in house crap that is often over priced, under developed, and just plain sucks all around. What effect does this methodology have on any potential future Android handsets?

Microsyntax.org to bring *some* order and understanding to Twitter/Tweets

Since text messaging and its use by the teenage population exploded not too many years ago, the English language has been getting constant revisions, getting chopped up into smaller and often increasingly cryptic phrases and terms that are at times becoming harder and harder to read. Fret no longer and finally understand what Tweeters are saying.

NoPoPo Water-Powered Flashlight – Water turned into energy!

Nature lovers and camping gurus who constantly find themselves toting around dying/dead flashlights in the wilderness as they aimlessly wonder through the earth’s various layers of environment will find the NoPoPo Water-Powered Flashlight a blessing from above. Wait a minute…a flashlight that runs on water!? We’ve seen hand cranked flashlights, shake activated flashlights, and even the old as dirt battery powered flashlights…but water? How?

Cereal + Spoon = Great USB Drive

I myself as well as many of you out there probably eat some sort of breakfast while using your laptop in the morning. If you are the type that is prone to periods absent mindedness and brief lapses of judgment, this next flash drive may not be for you as using it incorrectly could cause some hefty damage to your computer. The Cereal and Spoon USB Drive is a comical flash drive that at the same requires a clear head when used as intoxicated individuals could become confused, resulting in a trip to either the emergency room or geek squad central. This is one of the more clever, humorous flash drives I have seen in several weeks meaning I will probably be attempting to make my own. Speaking of, the creator, Rix69, used an actual spoon and even real cereal all covered in several layers of glue…yummmmm. Storage size isn’t listed so we’ll have to use our imaginations on that one. Are feeling crafty?

Source: Geeky-Gadgets, Craziest Gadgets, Geekologie, Gizmodo, Techeblog

The effects of no competition: Intel Core i5 chips to be delayed

Those of you looking forward to a July release for Intel’s Core i5 chips will sadly have to wait a tad bit longer. The reason for the delay according to DigiTimes is a stockpile of old inventory that Intel wants/needs to move before introducing any more new silicon into the market. Translation: “We don’t have anyone to compete with, so, we’ll squeeze every last dollar out of old product that we can…we’re not going anywhere.” Someone, whether it be AMD or some other processor manufacturer needs to put the pedal to the metal and start putting more pressure on Intel. Monopolies and lack of competition are never a good thing for us consumers. Agree?

Source: Engadget, PC Perspective, Image Source

Nokia N900 (Rover) looks to re-energize internet tablet market

Are you a distraught Nokia N810 tablet user who was disappointed, saddened, and felt overall lost in life when Nokia announced their discontinuation of the often highly regarded tablet? Thankfully Nokia has been working hard behind closed doors to recapture that particular part of the market that their now deceased N810 tablet once occupied with a new knight in shinning armor – the N900 (Rover). While smartphones are becoming increasingly more powerful and feature packed, the once lucrative tablet market while still alive, just doesn’t seem like it has a place in our hearts and minds any longer. Why carry around a big tablet when you can have a smartphone that can do pretty much the same exact thing as the table while occupying a much smaller space in your pocket? Still, some will cling to these larger sized gadgets and vehemently stand by their gadget of choice. So, what does the N900 bring to the table to entice you to upgrade from your old N810?