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Apple and AT&T Discussing Official Tethering Option for iPhone?
Mac Rumors - Gizmodo reports on an alleged email Steve Jobs sent to one of their readers. The email was in response to a complaint that AT&T is not offering a tethering option for the iPhone, even though it is offered on other smartphones as a $30/month add-on. The response acknowledged Apple and AT&T were discussing the option:
Why I Hate Netbooks
Gizmodo - The other day I walked into a coffee shop where I witnessed a man—a grown man—hunched over a tiny laptop. He wiggled with cautious, uncertain movements like a fat guy squeezing his way into an old pair of pants. His hands, too wide for the keyboard, made him look clutsy and a bit stupid. His face, in almost erotic proximity to the tiny screen, squinted to either see more clearly or repress the eyestrain. And to top off this scene of sleek convenience, a long, mismatching wire complete with power brick connected the computer to a nearby outlet. After all, such a small machine could never be expected to run off battery power alone!
Why I Love Netbooks
Gizmodo - Just because I’m a fat American doesn’t mean I’ve always wanted a fat American computer. Over the years I have grown to hate so-called performance laptops from Dell and HP. They were big, ugly and heavy enough to rip your shoulder out of your socket, and getting bigger, uglier and heavier all the time. Why didn’t we get those little laptops, you know, the ones made for Japan and available only on Dynamism? Like the lady who buys shoes a few sizes too small, I sought a computer that could be used for emails and surfing and not require steroid supplements to transport. Oh, and could it be cheap, too? I spend all my money on fast food.
Video: TrekStor's Wireless SoundBox is Wireless Sound in a Box
Engadget - TrekStor has this interesting piece of kit on display at IFA, the Wireless SoundBox. It all starts with a USB stick attached to the computer. From there, your music is streamed wirelessly at a distance up to 25-meters to up to 20 of the boxy, 2.4GHz speakers. The 4x battery (AA, presumably) speakers feature a nice to touch, "softtouch" coating, individual volume controls, and line-in for connecting audio sources directly.
Safeguarding Your Virtual Goods: MMORPG Security a Mixed Bag
ars technica - Worried about a thief stealing your bank password? You might want to check your WoW account, instead. Virtual world "stuff" is increasingly valuable these days, and McAfee suggests we need to pay more attention to how these goods are safeguarded.
Lexmark Trying To Help Users Print Less When They Print The Web
Techdirt - Last year, HP announced a special button that could be put on blogs to let users more easily print blog posts, without all the extraneous stuff on the website. At the time, we didn't see the value at all, but plenty of folks responded in the comments that it seemed like a good idea. It wasn't long before the folks at HP contacted us about trying the button out ourselves, so we put it on the page. It gets some use, though not an overwhelming amount. It appears that some people do actually print stuff out -- and they appreciate the simpler version.
