• Can Zong Go From Facebook Wannabe to PayPal Competitor? – "Former PayPal executive leads the charge against his former company. Dana Stalder joined PayPal in 2003, just after the 2002 eBay acquisition. Working as SVP of product sales, marketing, and technology he helped guide PayPal in a campaign of market domination. EBay won big as PayPal became its most profitable unit, by far. And Stalder was handsomely compensated with millions in rewards."
• Blippy Apologizes, Says It Will Fix Privacy Glitches | News & Opinion | PCMag.com – Social networking site Blippy on Monday issued a mea culpa for a recent privacy snafu, explained how it accidentally exposed members' personal information, and promised that all offending data has been wiped from the Web. The company also pledged to hire a chief security officer and invest in more security.
• Google Acquires App Publisher Labpixies | News & Opinion | PCMag.com – Google on Tuesday added to its acquisition roster with the purchase of Labpixies, which publishes Web and mobile applications.
• Senators Seek FTC Rules For Social Networking — InformationWeek – Four Senate Democrats have asked the Federal Trade Commission to develop guidelines governing the way social networking sites can use information submitted by users.
• Supreme Court Will Take on Violent Video Games, Finally – PCWorld – "It's about time the U.S. Supreme Court stepped in on the matter of violent video games. The justices agreed on Monday to rule on whether the government should ban the sale of violent games to minors and fine stores $1,000 each time they fail to comply. At issue is a California law, passed in 2005 but struck down by lower courts, that defines violent games as works that depict "killing, maiming, dismembering, or sexually assaulting an image of a human being," in a way that's offensive, appeals to morbid interests, and otherwise lacks artistic merit."
• Sen. Chuck Schumer’s letter to Mark Zuckerberg on Facebook privacy | VentureBeat – "Facebook is feeling some political heat for its moves last week, after launching a program that “instantly personalizes” websites for visitors by automatically sharing user data with the site owner. Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) wrote a letter to chief executive Mark Zuckerberg asking him and the company to revisit their decision on the program and move to an “opt in” default rather than an “opt out” one."
• Gizmodo Staff May Face Felony Over Lost iPhone, EFF Says Raid Was Illegal – "The battle over the lost iPhone prototype is heating up. After Gizmodo broke Apple's veil of secrecy, spilling the beans on their upcoming summer fourth-generation iPhone in a super-scoop, Apple demanded the iPhone be returned. Gizmodo complied, but the case isn't over."

• High Court to Hear Videogame Case – WSJ.com – The U.S. Supreme Court agreed Monday to decide the constitutionality of a California law that seeks to ban the sale of violent videogames to minors. Two lower courts struck down the law as an unconstitutional restriction on the freedom of speech. California appealed to the Supreme Court, arguing that lawmakers should be able to restrict sales of violent videogames to those under 18 just as they can restrict the sale of sexual material to minors. The high court said in a one-line order that it will hear the state's appeal.
• South Korean Official’s iPad Causes a Stir – Digits – WSJ – "South Korea’s culture minister, Yu In-chon, strode into a government briefing room Monday for what seemed to be a routine photo-op as his ministry announced a $50 million program to help develop the country’s budding electronic-books industry. But trouble came when Mr. Yu pulled out an Apple iPad, held it up and remarked about how nicely it displays electronic books. The problem is, South Korea’s communications regulators haven’t approved the device for wireless networking in the country."
• Sony Announces the Death of the Floppy Disk | Wired.com – "Fully 12 years after the original G3 iMac dropped support for the 3.5-inch floppy disk, Sony has finally decided to stop making them. The reason is a lack of demand. The surprise is that it took so long."
• Shopper network blippy fails at credit card security – The Inquirer – "IT'S BEEN a bad few days at the offices of the social shopping network Blippy, with ignorance of how its own security worked resulting in credit card numbers of some members being freely available on Google for three months. The incident is particularly serious as the whole model behind Blippy, created by web entrepreneur Philip Kaplan, is for people to share their credit card purchases with a network of friends and strangers. It might sound strange, but people use this service to locate each other and ‘like’ what each other are buying, Facebook style."
• Gizmodo faces visit from cops over ‘found’ iPhone • The Register – "A tech blog that paid five grand to the finder of a prototype iPhone is under police investigation, as it seems buying found property is against the law."
• How to Restore Your Privacy on Facebook – Gawker – "Since posting about Facebook's latest privacy rollback, we've received emails asking how users can protect themselves, and for clarification about what happened. Here, then, is a quick guide to locking down the new Facebook."

• EBay: holiday cell phone shopping up threefold – "EBay shoppers used cell phones to make more purchases this holiday season than in past years. And it was not just to buy the hot toy du jour, Zhu Zhu Pets.

  The online marketplace operator said Monday that people used cell phones to buy 1.5 million products in the past several weeks _ three times the number for the same period last year, which ran from the day after Thanksgiving until Christmas Eve."

• San Jose Police Mount Cameras on Officers’ Heads – "Grainy cell phone images are often used against cops accused of using excessive violence. Now, officers are being armed with their own cameras.

  The so-called head cameras are the latest technology to come from TASER International, Inc., makers of the stun guns popular with law enforcement."

• Tablet mania: Not so fast – "Gadget lovers are waiting with bated breath for the much-anticipated unveiling of the Apple tablet, but don't expect it to take the world by storm the way the iPod and iPhone did.

  "There will be a strong interest in it, but it won't be the wave of the future," said James Brehm, analyst at Frost & Sullivan."

• Firefox 3.6 hits ice – won’t show up till Spring – "Mozilla has delayed the release of Firefox 3.6 until the first quarter of 2010.

  The outfit had been promising to deliver the next iteration of its celebrated browser before the decade was out.

  However, despite spinning out no less than five betas of Firefox 3.6, the final version of the browser won't ship until next year."

• GPS Leads Nevada Couple Astray and Stranded in Snow for 3 Days – "A Nevada couple who was rescued after three days stuck in their car on an unplowed road said it was GPS directions that led them deep into an Oregon forest."
• AT&T Resumes NY iPhone Sales – AT&T on Monday resumed selling iPhones to New York City residents through its Web site, but the reason the company temporarily stopped offering the popular Apple smartphone to New Yorkers remained a mystery.

  People who entered a New York zip code over the Christmas weekend while trying to buy an iPhone from AT&T received a message saying the device wasn't available in their area. The device, however, was still available to New Yorkers through Apple or AT&T stores.

• Yelp Turns Down Google, for Now – "Yelp backed out of acquisition talks with Google over the weekend, according to two people briefed on the discussions.

  As we reported last week, Google was close to buying Yelp, the Web site with directories and reviews of local businesses, for more than $500 million. No agreement had been signed, and we raised the possibility that the deal could fall apart if other suitors, such as Microsoft, AOL, Yahoo or IAC/InterActiveCorp, made a bid."

• Big Facebook privacy void: Controls on Connect – "Facebook Connect apps that publish content back to Facebook profiles (which have additional permissions from those that simply let you log in with your Facebook ID) are grouped alongside the original variety of platform apps in Facebook's "Application Settings" privacy controls section. But the Connect apps don't have a "Profile" tab in their settings, because there isn't an embedded "box" for the app–just what shows up in your News Feed."
• The year in Google Doodles – "Google on Monday unveiled its latest Google Doodle, a festive tropical Christmas postcard that overlays the company's logo on its main search page. The company will be rolling out a series of additional Christmas Doodles between now and the holiday, and is archiving them at this web page."
• Ford Adds Second-Gen WiFi to Turn Vehicles Into Mobile Hot Spots – "Ford announced that it would introduce the second generation of its Sync in-car connectivity system, which turns a vehicle into a WiFi hotspot, at an undisclosed time on an undisclosed number of models in 2010. The first generation of the Sync is currently offered on 13 Ford models. WiFi technology has been increasingly integrated into vehicles from a variety of manufacturers, perhaps building on consumer demand for constant connectivity."
• Some Nook Buyers Getting $100 Gift Certificates – "Barnes & Noble, which has struggled to meet demand for its Nook device, said Monday that some pre-holiday buyers of the e-book reader will receive $100 gift certificates.

  Those people who were promised delivery on or before Dec. 24, but won't receive the device until after that date will receive the voucher for use on the bookseller's retail Web site. Barnes & Noble insists only a "very small percentage" of Nook buyers promised the device by the holiday won't receive it on time."

Earlier in the year I wrote about Cozi and gushed about how fabulous I though the site was for creating lists. I’ve long been a fan of their clean, simple design and layout, their useful and relevant ideas and “how-did-I-live-without-that” tips.

Amazingly, the site just keeps getting better. They have added more content, including an online magazine (Live Simply) and menu planning (Nourish), but have still managed to do so in a way that is easy to navigate.

Two other new features:

• If you have a smartphone, you can now take Cozi with you, as they have launched (beta) Cozi Mobile Access.
• Print your family journal to save as a keepsake or memento.

Still not convinced if you should try it?

From the site:

Wish you had some help organizing your busy family life? Cozi is a FREE online family organizer that helps you manage the family calendar, organize your shopping list and to do list, share favorite memories in a family journal, and enjoy family photos—all in one spot. With Cozi’s mobile access, your information is not only available from any computer with an Internet connection, but also from any mobile phone. All you need to get started is a Cozi account and signing up is quick and easy with no downloads required.

Using Cozi has really helped me stay organized and keep track of my children’s busy schedules. Having it all in one place, without the mess of scratch paper, crumpled notes shoved in my purse has saved my sanity many times.

Let me know if you’ve used Cozi and how it’s changed how you organize your time and family.

photo credit

• Next Gen iPhone Is On The Horizon – "Apple is set to up the ante in the intensely competitive smartphone wars with a souped-up next generation iPhone.

  The website MacRumors.com is reporting that iPhone developer Pandav has the next generation iPhone, referred to as iPhone 3.1, on their app analytics radar screen."

• PayPal says mobile payments exploded on Black Friday – "Mobile phone-based purchases surged on Black Friday 2009 according to industry data reviewed by Dow Jones. Mobile online payments through PayPal were up nearly 650 percent year-over-year, the eBay-owned payment solutions provider said, crediting retailer efforts to make it easier to shop and complete purchases via mobile devices as well as the growing proliferation of smartphones."
• Amazon’s Kindle Breaks Amazon’s Sales Record – "November isn't even technically over yet, but Amazon's Kindle has already hit a new monthly sales record.

  The retailer issued a statement today to that effect, but didn't actually release any specific sales number. It did add, however that the e-book reader is, "the most wished for, the most gifted, and the number one bestselling product across all product categories on Amazon."

• Nook e-book reader cooks in a week – "Barnes & Noble has apparently miscalculated demand for its Nook e-reader and now will delay its arrival into its stores by one week.

  The slated date for the company to satisfy its pre-orders is now December 7 – it already said it won't be able to fulfil new orders until January 4."

• Porn App Store Lands on Android Phones – Where there is no app for that on the iPhone, there now is for porn on the competing Android mobile operating system. A Seattle-based company named MiKandi (pronounced "my candy") has released an app store specifically geared towards porn. The application attempts to create a red light district for adult Android apps allowing adult content providers to set up shop within a MiKandi app.
• 20 Hot Cyber Monday Deals – "Just when you thought it was safe to put away that credit card, the National Retail Federation presents its annual Cyber Monday event. If you decided to forgo the maddening crowds on Black Friday, you can still snap up some great deals today from the comfort of your cubicle, home office, or kitchen table."

• App rejects of the world unite – "A WEBSITE has sprung up offering those Iphone developers who have been refused a place on the Apple App store an outlet for their frustrations.

  According to Adam White, who runs a British app developing company and set up the site, apprejections was set up as a place for disgruntled developers to gather together and whinge about Apple's apparent agenda in keeping them out."

• Black Friday deals from Amazon – "Why wait in line on Black Friday when you can click, buy, and ship at deep discounts on Amazon?

  Amazon's Black Friday page is the central point to find thousands of deals on products that are on sale for a limited time only."

• GoldStriker Makes World’s Most Expensive iPhone – "GoldStriker International, the manufacturer of highly exclusive (read: expensive) handsets, has managed to create the most expensive phone ever earlier this week. The modified iPhone 3G that they have managed to create will set you back by a cool 1.92 million pounds!"
• Dell Releases Customized Version of Chrome OS – "Dell has just released a customized version of Chromium OS, the open source code behind Google's new operating system called Chrome, in a build designed specifically for Dell Mini computers. According to a blog post on the Dell Community site, several company employees were inspired create this custom version after seeing Engadget's video showing Chrome OS running on a Vostro A860 netbook. After tinkering around with the code, they were able to create their own version of Chromium OS, complete with functional Wi-Fi drivers, and have made the build available for download as a USB key image file from the Direct2Dell blog."
• Black Friday Tech Deals: Latest and Greatest – "It's game on for bargain hunters. Black Friday is here, and so are the super sales. If you're wondering what the latest tech deals are Friday, you're in luck. While you've been sleeping off that food hangover, I've scoured the Web for the best and freshest deals."

• Assassin’s Creed II Stabs Its Way to Success With 1.6 Million Units Sold – "It may be no Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, but Assassin's Creed II's better than expected sales is music to Ubisoft's ears"
• Microsoft window display gets hijacked by macheads – "…the Internet is full of stories about Apple fans who apparently have hijacked #holidaywindows and are sending tweets such as "Get a Mac" and "Windows is lame."

  But while the smug tweets are appearing on Twitter and being joked about on the world wide web, the Apple fanboys actually have been largely wasting their time."

• Dissecting a Black Friday Doorbuster: Is That $197 HP Laptop Any Good? – "Black Friday doorbusters are loss leaders designed to whip up consumerist lust and draw shoppers to stores. Retailers typically lose money on these giveaways, but hope that while you're online or in store, you'll grab a few high-markup items too."
• Google Movie Search Goes Mobile For iPhone, Android – "Google this week extended its new movie search capabilities to Apple's iPhone, Android-based devices such as the myTouch 3G, Motorola Droid or HTC Eris, and Palm WebOS smartphones."
• Ikee worm author gets developer job – "The author of the first iPhone worm has been given a job with Australian iPhone app developer Mogeneration, much to the disgust of security experts."

• 10 Things We Want to See in Internet Explorer 9 – "Although its work started just a few weeks ago, Microsoft unveiled some new ideas it's bringing to Internet Explorer 9 this week. The company said that it plans to make the browser more Web- and developer-friendly, while still maintaining the familiar Internet Explorer identity. That sounds nice, but in the end, Microsoft said very little about what it plans to offer in Internet Explorer 9."
• YouTube automatic captioning: one more reason GOOG’s not evil – "Google has introduced some more useful YouTube technology: automatic captioning."
• Sony planning new online store – "Sony is planning a new online store a la Apple's iTunes, but with a few twists.

  Announced at a strategy meeting in Tokyo on Thursday, the new service will hawk music, movies, books, and other downloadable content geared for its various electronics, including TVs, mobile phones, music players, and computers."

• Nook sold out for the holidays – "If you were interested in buying the Barnes & Noble Nook as a holiday gift, strike it off your list. The e-reader is now officially sold out through 2009, according to the B&N Web site."
• Why Google Should Cool It With Chrome OS – "Sometimes you have to take a step down to step up. That’s what Google should’ve done with its open-source PC operating system Chrome OS, which the corporation demonstrated Thursday.

  Instead, Google is positioning Google Chrome OS against Microsoft with a lightweight OS shipping with netbooks next year. Chrome OS will function as a modified browser, enabling netbooks to handle everyday computing with web-based applications. That’s right: No native software, just the web."

photo credit

Homemade gifts are always hit. There are a million and one different ideas for what to make, but really, unless you started making them last March, do you really want the stress that goes into making a bunch of last minute holiday gifts?

There are several sites that have taken the stress out of it all by allowing you to just upload photos, create a calendar and VOILA! Instant gift giving! And don’t you even dare think that these are cheesy ideas. What family member WOULDN’T love receiving a calendar full of your smiling family?

Here are some of the good ones:

Big Huge Labs: great prices; order before December 14th for Christmas delivery.

Vista Prints: BIG variety of styles – from posters, to desk calendars to magnet calendars. They have 3-day rush shipping for any procrastinators.

Create Photo Calendars: they also offers fundraising calendars. $5 flat shipping fee.

Kodak: You know that the original photo paper people will have these. They offer volume ordering as well.

Shutterfly: lots of cute layouts; currently offering 20% discounts.

Snapfish: you receive 20 free prints when you start your account to create your calendars.

If you are feeling really brave and organized, create some at home on a word processing program, save to a flash drive and take them to Kinkos/Staples/OfficeMax etc for printing.