A 2nd-grader managed to rack up a $1,400 bill for her parents over break while playing the “Smurfs Village”, a Farmville-esque iPad game, reports the Washington Post. Like many of these app-based games, the game is free but you can purchase in-app upgrades, with real money, to speed your progress. In this case, you can get a “bucket of snowflakes” for $19 or a “wagon of smurfberries” for $99. Needless to say, her mother became quite blue in the face. [More]
BLOGS
Sony's "Kevin Butler" Retweets PS3 Jailbreak Code
By 2.9.11
“Kevin Butler” is the fictional Sony VP who is the face of its recent PlayStation ads, so of course he has a Twitter account. It looks like whoever is running the account hasn’t been reading the news much. When a Twitter user tweeted at him the code used to jailbreak PS3’s, the entity misinterpreted the series of letters and numbers and made a Battleship joke, retweeting the code in the process, reports Engadget. This is ironic because Sony has been cracking down with legal threats and attacks on anyone they can find disseminating the jailbreak information. I wonder if Kevin Butler will be getting one of these C&D’s… [More]
Duracell Battery Pack Comes With Free Glue Stick. But Why?
By 2.8.11
Here’s an interesting cross-promo. Reader Ally spotted a pack of Duracells at her lokcal Hannaford that came with a FREE glue stick. It wasn’t something that the store had shrinkwrapped together, but the glue stick was actually in the package itself. What’s the marketing strategy here? Maybe because they’re both supplies you put in your desk drawer. Maybe the glue makes the electrons stick together better. Inquiring minds want to know. [More]
21 Super Bowl Ad Previews
By 2.4.11
For some (me), the best part of the show on Sunday will be the ads. But now I don’t even need to suffer through a sport that stole its name from an already established and much better game, which you know as soccer, because Adfreak has got the goods on the Super Bowl ad spots, with 21 teasers and full ads. Darth Volkswagen is already an early contender for best of the night, and first place in my heart: [More]
Consumer Reports Warns Against Top 5 Super Bowl Party Fouls
By 2.2.11
Publishing pal Consumer Reports has got their list of top 5 Super Bowl party fouls to watch out for this Sunday. We’re not just talking double-dipping or seat stealing, but some important ways to make sure your party is safe and fun. For instance, you don’t want to get flagged for a “false start” by undercooking your meats! [More]
USDA's New Guidelines Finally Listen To Tyler
By 2.1.11
“If you read the document it really is what I’ve been saying for over 2+ years. The government realized, “What’s the point in recommending all this ultra-healthy Whole Foods type of food if NOBODY listens to us? Let’s just simplify it and listen to Tyler and what he’s been saying for two years: eat less of ANY food you’d like to start off with (and learn about nutrition as you go) and just move around.” – A tongue-in-cheek email about the USDA’s new dietary recommendations from Tyler Weeks who documented his weight-loss journey to less than 200 lbs on 344pounds.com. [More]
Get The Stuff On This Checklist Before The Winter Storm Slams Your House
By 1.31.11
Before the storm hits, get equipped. If you’re one of 100,000,000 Americans who is about to get smashed with this frozen blast, here’s a list of supplies you should have on hand before you get snowed in. [More]
9 Things We Wished We Did Before Our House Burned Down
By 1.28.11
This pictures is of Melanie’s house as it burns to the ground within 60 minutes. It was a fixer-upper she and her husband had poured their savings and souls into with all sorts of DIY projects, and they and their two-and-half year-old son escaped it becoming their pyre by only minutes and with only the clothes on their backs. These are 9 things she wished beforehand, now that she is wrestling with insurance and filing claims: [More]
The Blueberries In Your Food Could Be Fake
By 1.21.11
Here’s something to choke on. The “blueberries” inside that muffin or cereal you love so much might not actually have ever been blueberries. Instead, they are a composite of sugars and starches that have been dyed blue. Check the label. If it says “blueberry flavored chrunchlets,” for instance, those are actually sugars, soybean oil, red #40 and blue #2. Reached for comment, Kellogg’s told NPR that the stuff is “labeled in compliance with applicable laws and regulations.” Well that takes care of that. If it’s not illegal and is profitable, do it. [More]
Will The Pentalobe Screw Apple?
By 1.21.11
Apple’s new screws for the iPhone that are hard to find a screwdriver for reminded Treehugger of another situation where the leverages of big business put the screws to the little guy. It’s the story of the “Robertson screw,” a screw with a square-shaped socket developed in the early 1900’s. Despite it being a superior screw that you drive in with one hand, was self-centering, sped up production and reduced damage, you probably haven’t heard of it (unless you’re in Canada, where they’re ubiquitous), thanks to a deal Henry Ford wasn’t able to seal. [More]
Protected By Cops, Emergency Locksmith Rips Woman Off For $613
By 1.19.11
A woman blogs that she found herself locked out of her apartment because her keys were getting stuck and the lock wasn’t working. So she called an emergency locksmith who arrived 15 minutes later, drilled off the cylinder, replaced it, and presented her with a bill for $613. When she refused to pay, the locksmith called (what were presumably) the cops. When they arrived the said, “Pay the man now or you’re under arrest.” [More]
Southwest Pilot Holds Plane For Murdered Child's Family
By 1.12.11
Elliott.org has the incredible story of a grandfather who was trying to race through the airport to get to the hospital to say goodbye to his 3-year old grandson who being taken off life support after being body-slammed by his daughter’s live-in boyfriend. Despite getting to the airport early, long lines were going to make him late for the plane and all the TSA drones couldn’t give a damn. Finally through security, he ran through the airport in his socks, clutching his shoes, before arriving, gasping at the Southwest gate—12 minutes late. [More]
Arianna Huffington Escorted Off Plane For Crackberry Abuse
By 1.11.11
Arianna Huffington, who runs the news aggregation site bearing her last name, was hustled off a plane over the weekend after she continued to tap at her Blackberry after the flight was airborne. The New York Post, following up on a Valleywag story, reports that a guy from Long Island a few rows behind her got really huffy and started yelling at her and the flight attendants. [More]
Verizon iPhone Rumor Roundup
By 1.10.11
Signs point to Verizon announcing tomorrow that it’s getting the iPhone. But that’s not all that’s in store. Here’s a quickie roundup of the latest Verizon iPhone rumors to get you up-to-date: [More]
Delta Auctions Off Flight Bumps To Lowest Bidders
By 1.5.11
A reader over at Marginal Revolution spotted Delta’s new system where when you check in at the kiosk it asks you to bid on what it would cost to get you to volunteer your seat. Below the entry box it says, “Delta accepts lower bids first.” Genius! [More]
Pack A Suit Coat Without Wrinkles
By 1.3.11
Here’s how to perform that heretofore impossible trick of packing a suit coat without a garment bag or putting up with wrinkles. This soundless video shows how you turn the coat inside out and perform the necessary suit origami so you can pack light and not look like a schlump. Just pay more attention to the moves than to the actor’s shirt. [More]
Guy Tries To Give Up Cable, Wimps Out In Under A Month
By 12.29.10
A Cnet editor and his wife tried to “cut the cord” and ditch his pricey FiOs cable bundle, and either get their content free or through online downloads. Less than a month later, he’s back on the sauce. What a milksop! [More]
TRON Preview Screening Marred By Line-Jumpers, Mean Staff
By 12.15.10
Tavie shares her first-person experience of waiting for hours in 20 degree weather to see the new TRON screening, and her run-ins with the professional line-jumpers and surly event staff. [More]
