Scrabulous OUT, Wordscraper IN

The well-loved application Scrabulous is no more. In fact, the application has been entirely removed from facebook, not just disabled temporarily. Poor facebookers wanting a word game, what will they do now? Those hours and hours of non-productivity will now be transitioned into playing spider solitaire or mahjong in windows.

STOP! No need for that! Halt the pity party..... in comes Wordscraper. Yeah!

The same folks that so beautifully designed Scrabulous are on the ball! The release of Wordscraper is a true life saver. The look and feel of scrabulous is gone and new rules abound. While you may notice some similarities (I'll mention in a second), the game is new, and hopefully different enough that Hasbro can shove it once and for all.

Once you've gone and had a sip of the Wordscraper koolaid, I'm sure you'll be happy as you ever were with Scrabulous. In fact, there are several features that are quite similar:

Try clicking on the question mark for help,
- Their contact email... what is this? fb.scrabulous@gmail.com... interesting!
- For information about rules...where are you directed? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scrabble also, interesting!
- And of course, when choosing a language and dictionary to use, you're given the option between TWL and SOWPODS. These are Scrabble specifict terms and I'm hoping they come up with some new name to distance themselves from the Hasbro Goons even further.

In fact, changing up the links in the entire "Help" section may help them get further from scrabulous and keep us word-puzzlers happy.

I'll keep my fingers crossed that this facebook app sticks.

Eee PC 1000H

Just in from engadget, the ASUS ultraportable Eee PC 1000H is going on sale in Taiwan. I love these really small laptops. They aren't quite up to par with speed/performance of those larger notebooks, but this thing sure can pack a punch, for just around $625. I can't wait for this one to hit the US. Read more: http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/11/asus-eee-pc-1000h-goes-on-sale-in-taiwan/

New Nikon D10?

I think it looks like a fake, but you be the judge! Check out the link: http://nikonrumors.com/2008/06/06/nikon-d10.aspx

Facebook...your own self-imposed paparazzi!

Some of us really love our privacy. We even go to such lengths as posting "keep off my lawn" signs right next to the pink flamingos. For the rest of the planet, sharing information on a regular basis is the next best thing since sliced bread, when it comes to networking and staying updated within social circles.

The highschool reunion is happening every single day for the 20-somethings that are now logging into facebook on a regular basis. They can keep tabs on who has what job, who's gotten married, and who's started popping out babies, among other things.

You might be asking, "Should you throw in the towel and get signed up for Facebook?" If you haven't already created an account, you really should, like... right now. Here is the link: http://www.facebook.com/.

Okay, throwing in a link might not convince you so easily. Here is why you should get an account:

1. All your friends are doing it. Okay, so it sounds a little bit like high school peer pressure, but when folks realized the wheel was a great idea (way way way long ago), pretty much everyone eventually agreed the wheel was pretty fantastic and started taking advantage of how it could help them everyday, right? Facebook is by no means the new wheel, but it does have some features that provide the potential to give its users to get a leg-up in the world. "Leg up?" you may ask, here is what I mean:
• Networking features (you can recruit new employees, place classified listings, find colleagues, find old classmates, find current classmates, etc.)
• Advertising features (use the marketplace, advertise your company through a profile or page, share artwork in albums, list your website in a profile or page)
• News and Updates (with everyone updating their pages fairly regularly, you can quickly and easily stay on top of current events in the lives of your Facebook friends)
2. Do you have a cell phone? (If no, stop reading and immediately head for the nearest store and purchase a mobile telephone- and hey, while you're at it, why don't you go ahead and get a color television, too) If yes, why do you have a mobile phone? If your answer is anything having to do with the ability to communicate/network/socialize with people and to stay in touch with them, you'll be able to appreciate Facebook.

Hopefully, you will now feel more compelled to get that account going.

Where am I going? Your Garmin Forerunner 305 could tell you!

Problem: I want to go running outside and typically can't find my way out of a paper bag... is there any hope for me? I don't want to get stuck running on treadmills my entire life!

Solution: Get a personal GPS watch like the Garmin Forerunner 305!

This gadget, aside from acting as a personal trainer, will give you a detailed map (accurate to 20 feet) of where you've been and where you're headed. If you're sticking to an out and back run, you can make sure you don't miss any turns as you follow your etch-a-sketch like (the maps on the watch aren't super detailed but they will definitely get the job done) route back to your starting point.

Hiking? You can even download hiking routes ahead of time. All along the trail, you can track your progress and even use a nifty function that tells you approximately how much longer you should expect to spend on the trail, based on your current pace and the remaining distance. A great way to avoid worries about getting lost or back before dark!

Skiing? You may have heard of devices like the one described at http://www.flaik.com/. Yeah, sure, it's great to jack up your phone bill with text messaging charges so you can see how fast you're skiing, after you wait for the text to arrive. Or, you could be wearing a Garmin Forerunner GPS (sumbersible for up to 30 mins in shallow water without worrying about it flooding), and check your speed constantly during the entire day on the slopes. You can then download your entire day (data collected as fast as every 15 seconds) onto your computer to get graphs and maps logging your activity.

Scrabulous too much like Scrabble?

Time for some not-so-fabulous news...

Alright- everyone loves playing games on their computers, especially if they are the digital version of a very time consuming board game with tons of pieces that are just...well...too conspicuous if you were to play on a work desk. Case in point, the time-honored game of Scrabble. The board is quite sizeable and there are MANY pieces that could easily get lost in anyone's printer stand or spare filing cabinet in a hurry to hide from the boss. So, many folks have resorted to getting their word-fixes by playing "Scrabulous" online, in a spare window somewhere in the not-so-far reaches of their desktops.

Now, it turns out, that Scrabulous is a bit too much like Scrabble. I thought that was the whole point... Apparently, Hasbro, the maker of Scrabble, isn't too happy about the 99.99% similarity between the two games and has decided to shut down Scrabulous for infringing upon the Scrabble trademark. Bummer!

Lesson here: watch out for other electronic versions of decade-old board games- before you get hooked, it may be wise to check for trademark infringement...

Read more on Techdirt.com

Digital camera for the adventure junkie?

It's called the Olympus Stylus 1030 SW.

The newest addition to the Stylus family is impressive, to say the least. Beefing up the older version (770 SW) and ramping up the quality to 10.1 pixels, brings an amazing camera in a small package, easily able to fit in your pocket for your next adventure or outing.

Formerly on iGadgetGirl's wishlist for a would-be stocking stuffer, was the Stylus 770SW. It packs a punch:

• Shockproof- drop it from 5 ft.
• Waterproof- to 33 ft.
• Freezeproof- -10°C/14°F
• Crushproof- up to 220lbf

Other features worth bragging about:

• Screen- 2.5" Hypercrystal LCD
• Shooting Modes- 27 Modes, including movie with sound

Now, a must have gadget that is sure to bring it to the plate on any adventure, the Stylus 1030SW:

• Shockproof- drop it from 6.6 ft. (a necessary gain of 1.1ft. for anyone really tall dropping it from eye-level)
• Waterproof- to 33 ft. (no increase here, but likely some improvements have been made in the waterproof seals and gaskets)
• Freezeproof- -10°C/14°F (no improvements over the last model here, but I'm okay with that- I can't wait to go skiing, drop this thing in a pile of snow, glide over it with a ski, pick it up, and in below freezing temps, have it still take more photos)
• Crushproof- up to 220lbf (no improvements over the last model, but who needs more crushproofiness?)

Other features worth bragging about:

• Lens- NEW- 3.6x Wide-Angle Zoom Lens- great feature here!
• Screen- 2.7" Hypercrystal II LCD (.2" more than the previous model- and when you're looking at that fancy LCD, every tenth of an inch counts, seriously!)
• Shooting Modes- 29 Modes (2 more!), including movie with sound, plus an underwater shooting mode for making great movies next time you're in the pool or snorkeling in the caribbean!

I can't wait to get my hands on this one! It is set to release in March 2008. I might pre-order mine online before the week is out.

Olympus Site

What's the most expensive starbucks drink?

For all of the caffeine junkies out there, the question may sometimes flutter into your head as you think of ways to stay awake through an all-nighter, and decide to bust your wallet to make all that caffeine taste good, with a trip to Starbucks. You get to the nearest neighborhood Starbucks and see their prices and it's not long before you ask the question, "What's the most expensive Starbucks drink?"

Some folks on energyfiend.com have added their comments about the neverending pursuit of how to max out your credit card with one beverage. Following suit, I've added my two cents. While my post doesn't give an example of mega-pricey beverage, it highlights an experience I had while working for Starbucks.

For your information, one way to guarantee your drink total reaches well into the double digits:
Order a Venti Syrup Creme Frappuccino, add 10 shots (you could order more, but they wouldn't really fit in the cup all that well). If that doesn't disgust you heavily enough after the total shows up, add every modifier possible. By adding every modifier extra, I mean make sure your barista/cashier punches all of the "extras" on the menu that you can see, and also ask them to add at least one serving of each of the 10+ available syrups. I do mean every possible syrup and/or extra: Vanilla, Sugar-Free Vanilla, Hazlenut, Sugar-Free Hazelnut, Almond, Toffee Nut, Raspberry, White Chocolate Mocha, Mocha, Pumpkin Spice, Gingerbread, Dulce de Leche, Cinnamon, Cinnamon Dolce, Sugar-Free Cinnamon Dolce, Caramel, Carmel Sauce, Peppermint, Blueberry, Strawberry, Tazo Chai, Vanilla Bean, Tazo Matcha, and Chocolate Chips. That's a great place to start. After each of those add-on's you should be well on your way into heavy price tags and an equally disgusting drink.

Something that might be helpful to point out if you'd like to ensure you get charged the most possible, each individual syrup modifier ought to be charged seperately, as long as the syrup is not included in the recipe already.
See it here: Energyfiend.com

Printing Pictures from an E-mail

Well, folks- it ought to be pretty easy! But sometimes it's not!

So, let's say you go on a nice vacation somewhere tropical and you and your friends take tons of pictures with your new, fancy, digital cameras! Once you're back in the office and far away from the sandy beaches and pina coladas, but you want to remember the trip with a nice photograph from your digital camera and stick it on your desk or cubicle wall.

So, let's say your friend takes lots of really great pictures of the sunset one night during the vacation and now he's emailing them to you and you'd like to print off the pictures using your photo printer.

The problem:

The pictures are really small in the e-mail he sent and you're having trouble making them bigger so you can print them off and get them to fit in your 8x10 inch photo frame you got whilie you were on vacation.

The Solution:

To get them to the right size so you can put them in the picture frame, you're going to need to make them bigger- but to do that you'll want the original copies- that have more pixels.

To see how many pixels they are right now:
If you right click on the images, chose properties, and under Dimensions, you'll see "480x320 pixels". That's the resolution your friend has used used to e-mailed them.

Fewer pixels makes it really easy to e-mail, but really sucky to print off and look at, unless you want them to stay 2x3 inches in size.
To get more pixels (4800x3200, for example) so you could actually blow it up and print an 8x10 inch picture, get the original pictures from your friend- with more pixels, and a higher resolution.

There's a possibility that your friend won't have copies of the pictures with better resolutions (If they're not photo-savvy and took the pictures at low resolution with hardly any pixels). In that case, you can't really blow up the pictures without making them look all blurred and crappy looking. You can yell at your friend and tell them to change their settings on the camera to "super fine" and "higest quality" so that the next time around, people can actually enjoy the pictures- and even frame them up in their house or office!

If you friend does have the better quality, higher resolution (more pixels) copies- ask them to e-mail them to you one at a time (they'll probably be 3-6 MB each- and more than 1 at a time will slow down your e-mail A LOT).

Consumer Electronics Show and MacWorld 2008

The 2008 Consumer Electronics Show was recently held in Las Vegas, Nevada. The destination was beyond the limits of my personal pocketbook and I'm holding out for attending next year's show.

Next year's show will be held Jan. 8-11, 2009 (Thursday-Sunday). iGadgetGirl will attend and get back to you on what new technology emerges and how to take advantage of it.

ABC's Business Gadget Guide