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Daily Tech: Songs on iTunes Are Now DRM Free

geeksugar — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 12:05:32 -0800

At Macworld this morning, Apple announced that iTunes songs are now DRM free. Song pricing will also be offered in three tiers instead of just one, $0.99 cents, $0.69 cents, and $1.29. — Gizmodo
Keep the free classified provider Craigslist, right at your fingertips with a new iPhone application called Craigsphone. — Unplggd
It's rumored that Samsung is planning on debuting a 12-inch netbook. — CrunchGear
Best Buy is now selling refurbished Apple 3G iPhones at 350 of its retail stores and will offer them at all Best Buy stores by the end of January. — USA Today
A new Firefox add-on called Flickr Gallery Plus can take your picture sets and transform them into slideshows that fade between pics. — Lifehacker

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Daily Tech: Google Reader Gets a Mini Makeover

geeksugar — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 12:01:23 -0800

Yay! Google Reader received a much needed facelift which includes a much cleaner, softer interface with more space and a collapsible navigation. — Lifehacker
Apple's new $79 in-ear headphones get taken for a test drive. See how well they did when put to the sound test. — CNET Crave
For the past few years, cell phone text numbers were noted to be higher in Europe than the US. Well now my friends, the US has finally surpassed Europe in texting. — Switched
Flickr has just unveiled their new mobile site which offers features like video playback, the ability to add new contacts, and favorite images. — Mashable
Last Day! It's giveaway time on geeksugar! Be sure to log in and enter our laptop giveaway for your chances to win a Windows Vista powered Sony VAIO CS laptop or a Windows Vista powered Acer Aspire Gemstone Blue Notebook. — geeksugar

Flickr Gets Cell Phone Friendly

geeksugar — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 10:02:26 -0700

For those who store life's precious moments on the photo sharing site Flickr and wish they could access their account while on-the-go, Flickr has just launched an iPhone-friendly version of their site.

With the iPhone-ready Flickr site, you can view photos, use the "Explore" mode, and check out all the latest comments. To use, just go to m.flickr.com on your iPhone!

Obsessed With Flickr: Cool Ways to Search and Share

geeksugar — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 11:00:11 -0700

I heart my Flickr account. Whether I'm cruising around peeping at other people's photos, or writing some witty captions on my own pics, I spend a pretty good chunk of time on the site. I've learned how to make the most of my photography skills, and have found that organizing, editing, and tagging the pics in post production is almost as fun as taking them! Check out some cool ways to share your special photos and search for new and inspiring images with this Flickr-obsessed slideshow!

Souvenirs Inspires Travel, Creativity in Photography

geeksugar — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 09:00:17 -0700

Flickr is a dreamland — but while you get to be exposed to a wide variety of photography, amateur and professional, it's overwhelming and sometimes difficult to find new streams that move you. That is, until you find something like photographer Michael Hughes's set of images, called souvenirs.

Hughes's cheeky photos consist of images where he holds the miniature version of a landmark up to the actual landmark that inspired it, like the Eiffel Tower or the Brandenburg Gate.

I'm not usually amped up to take a ton of photos of an iconic monument, but Hughes's work encourages me to see the "same old things" with different eyes — or lens, ahem. Check out the whole set and see if you don't get the same feeling!

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Website of the Day: Multicolr Search Lab

geeksugar — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 14:03:34 -0700

I've been getting an urge to repaint my kitchen a bright color since Summer hit, but I'm having a hard time deciding on what colors to use. Casa suggested that I start browsing through photos to help me decide on a color palette, but I quickly found out how time consuming that can be. Thankfully, I found the Multicolr Search Lab by Indee, Inc., and in one search, I had decided on my colors, and got to see some really interesting photographs that I may not have seen otherwise.

Similar to ColourLovers but with photos, Multicolr Search sifts through over three million "interesting" Flickr photos, and zeroes in on up to 10 colors of your choice. You want to see photos with purple and brown? Then select those colors from the Multicolr palette, and the Search Lab will bring you 30 photos at a time to drool over. Now all I have to do is carve out some time to actually paint my kitchen!

Mario Kart Wedding Cake Pwns

geeksugar — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 09:00:17 -0700

I literally did a huge geek gasp when I saw this exquisite Mario Kart Cake on Flickr the other day. Stop me if you've heard this before but, this one has to beat all the other yummy geek cakes I've ever seen!

This chocolate decadent cake, filled with chocolate cake, chocolate mousse, ganache, and buttercream, was made to celebrate the bride and groom — and their love of Mario Kart! Flickr user M.A.L. tells us how they came up with the idea:

We were looking for ideas to make our wedding different and our own, a unique wedding cake was one of the things we came up with. My wife suggested the idea of having a video game cake after we saw one online. We wanted a game that we both enjoyed and decided on the game series we have spent the most time playing together. Coincidentally, the latest Mario Kart game was released on the same weekend of our wedding.

How sweet — a celebration of love and gaming! Who could ask for a lovelier day? Check out more pics of the amazing Mario Kart cake, complete with a Rainbow Road, triple mushrooms, snowy mountains, and Yoshi's Mach Bike when you

Tag Galaxy Is Out of This World

geeksugar — Fri, 23 May 2008 11:40:58 -0700

For some visual Friday fun, head on over to Tag Galaxy, where you can browse through Flickr photos in 3D. Just enter a tag, click on the planets with the tag you want to see and click "view photos" and let the site work its magic. Tag Galaxy requires the newer version of the Adobe Flash Player to work and requires some RAM and a good Internet connection, so be patient while the images load. Isn't it glorious?

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Download of the Day: FotoFox

geeksugar — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 15:01:04 -0700

After coming back from a short and sweet vacation last weekend, I had a ton of cool photos to upload to my Flickr account. Unfortunately, if you are uploading pics the classic way in Flickr — without a bulk uploader – I quickly found that it could become a long and time-consuming process! So I went on the hunt for a fast and easy Flickr uploader that I could use right from my browser. Very similar to Flock's awesome built-in Flickr Uploader, Firefox now has a version of its own called FotoFox.

A fast installation, and a simple login process allows you to upload photos on your desktop to a sidebar on your Firefox browser. It's compatible with Flickr, Tabblo, 23hq, Smugmug, Marela, and Kodak EasyShare Gallery, and even allows you to tag your pics in bulk to save you some time. It's free and totally fast to boot — what more can you ask for?

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Flickr Caved in to Protesters Donut Demands

geeksugar — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 03:00:22 -0700

Here's the lowdown: recently, Flickr rolled out a new video feature that allows pro members to upload 90 second videos to their pages. This move sparked a heap of "No Video on Flickr" protest groups demanding that Flickr disassemble the feature in fear that the beloved site would become a Jr. YouTube. But knowing nerds all too well, where there are protestors, there will be mockery.

Flash forward: a "non-protest," protest group calling themselves "We Demand Donuts" isn't interested in taking Flickr video hostage, they just want free donuts. Insisting that Flickr buy them all free doughnuts – and subsequently making a mockery of the video protest groups – if they get 20,000 members to join hands for their donut demands. And surprisingly enough, Flickr obliged:

"While you have not yet reached your goal of 20K members, we at FlickrHQ have heard of your noble efforts and seek to answer your cries for justice."

Unfortunately, it seems that not everyone got the free donut goodness, since the "Donut Day" festivities took place yesterday in San Francisco only. So I'm curious, did anyone from SF get his or her free donut on yesterday?

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Website of the Day: Flickr Vision

geeksugar — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 13:10:10 -0700

I spend a ton of time on Flickr, browsing the millions of photos for inspiration for my own photography outings. I swear, I'm only a few clicks away from being a Flickr superstar, I can feel it! Although clicking through tags can only get you so far, so you're bound to miss something spectacular. One way to keep up with all the new and interesting snapshots is to hang out on Flickr Vision.

To learn why I absolutely love this site,

Website of the Day: Phreetings

geeksugar — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 13:20:42 -0800

I find many e-card sites to be so blah. After awhile they all look the same, with the exception of someecards, of course. Phreetings is an easy-to-use, fun site that helps you create your own photo e-cards using images from Flickr. Featured on Trendhunter, this website is great because all you have to do is type in the subject area of images you want to find and all the pics tagged with that word pop up. Just slide the image over to the picture box, choose a color scheme, and ad text and you're good to go. Either screen cap the card or send the URL to your friend . . . Just like that.

To learn how to post your favorite websites to our Website of the Day group,

Easily Print Batches of Photos on Flickr

geeksugar — Sun, 11 Nov 2007 07:28:37 -0800

Flickr has just made it easier to print your beautiful collection of pics. When you are signed into your Flickr account, click on the 'Organizr' tab at the top of the page. You will then be able to drag and drop your images into a giant batch to edit or print them, rather than having to print them one by one. Click on the new 'order prints' button and from there you'll be able to order as many photos as you'd like. According to Crave, this new method is way easier then before!

Comment to Win 1 of 100 Packs of Personalized MOO Postcards

geeksugar — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 08:00:24 -0700

The MOO Postcard giveaway is officially now over. One hundred winners have randomly been selected and will be announced on Tuesday, November 6th, 2007. Thanks to everyone who participated!

GeekSugar

Remember when I showed you the unique and creative MOO business cards and stickers? Well now there are MOO postcards, which are a fun way for you to design your very own pack of postcards. All you have to do is choose a different image or design for each of the twenty ready-to-send postcards. You can select images from your own collection or from MOO's design studio; choose back templates, different fonts and colors to totally customize your own set of beautiful postcards. Each postcard measures 105mm x 146mm (4.1“ x 5.8“). Thanks to MOO, geeksugar will be giving away 100 packs of MOO postcards to 100 TeamSugar members. All you have to do is leave a comment below briefly explaining what you would want on your MOO postcards!Click here for Official Rules. One entry per person - all repeat comments will be ignored. Also, you must be a TeamSugar member to comment, so if you're not a member, please register here for an account.

All you have to do to enter is leave a comment below and I'll randomly select the 100 winners on Friday, November 2 at 5:00 pm, Pacific Time! Don't forget to email this to friends and family who may be interested in winning.

Good luck!

Geek Tip: Get Flickr Email Notifications

geeksugar — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 14:00:14 -0700

Having a flickr account is kinda like having an email account—you always have to check it for new messages, which can get very tedious. Thankfully flickr is now offering to send email notifications via email when people comment on your photos or when your contacts upload new photo—so you don't have to keep checking it. According to Lifehacker, this isn't a brand new feature, just something that has gone unnoticed by many! To change your account settings to receive notifications, sign into your flickr account, click on my account, then email and edit notifications. You will then see the screen below. Do you know a great shortcut or tip you think geeksugar readers should know? Share it in our 'How To' Help - Guide To All Things Geeky group,

Make The Best Of Your Digital Photos

geeksugar — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 13:00:04 -0700

Despite the bajillions of online photo management and sharing sites that allow users to upload photos and create online archives, Flickr is still one of our favorites. The site is clean, easy to use and so long as you pay the yearly subscription fee of $25, offers fool proof options for organizing, geotagging and enjoying your photography.

The trouble is, the joy of trolling through your own photo archives and even your friends' collections can wear off pretty quickly. When you do get bored of leaving comments on your friend's bizarre outfits and goofy post bar night photo shoots, check out some of our favorite second party tools and applications that add a new element of fun and artistry to your digital photo browsing,

The selection is near endless: From Flickrvision (pictured at right), which is a mashup site that displays the pictures people across the world are posting on Flickr on a map, to the Flicker Related Tag Browser, which offers a beautiful display of images and image tags related to your search.

Check out the widget below to see some of our favorites.

Geek Tip: Search Flickr With Fun Tag Browser

geeksugar — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 14:00:21 -0700

One of my favorite things about using Flickr is playing with all the fun applications and alternative ways to view archived photos. If you've already checked out retrievr, Spell With Flickr and Depictr, you should check out the Flicker Related Tag Browser, which offers a beautiful display of images and image tags related to your search.

For example, My "cookies" search turned up a ring of tags like "chocolate," "mint," "food," "dough," "foodporn" and "baking." When I clicked on "chocolate chips" I was treated to a drool-worthy matrix of chocolate chip pictures people have uploaded to Flickr.

Geek Tip: Browse Flickr Photos With Style

geeksugar — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 10:00:19 -0700

Trolling through photo archives on Flickr is always entertaining, whether the photographer is your aunt Betty or a stranger who lives in Kazakhstan, but it can start to feel a little linear and boring after any good online photography cruise. If you are interested in spicing up your digital photo browsing, check out Masable's 11 Craziest Ways To Browse Flickr Photos list. My favorites on the list include:

retrievr: Allows you to try and find a photo on Flickr by drawing it. It's a combination of Pictonary and third grade sketches - and it's always entertaining.
Spell With Flicker: A favorite on TeamSugar and geek, this app allows you to spell out your name or favorite word in Flickr letters.
Depictr: If it's music that you love, you can type in your favorite song lyrics and get nine Flickr images that somehow correspond to the lyrics. (The picture above came from the search of "Lucy in the sky with diamonds.")

Geek Tip: Share Your Flickr Photos With Invitr

geeksugar — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 11:00:30 -0700

If you're a Flickr user you probably know it can get tricky sharing photos with non-Flickr members if you want to keep your photos set on "private." One simple way to share your pics without changing the privacy levels on your account and albums is to use Invitr. The tool allows you to specify one (or more) private pictures, which you then share with whoever you want by sending them an e-mail. This allows you to extend the usual Flickr statuses (such as private, public, friends and family).

How does it work? You log on to your Flickr account, select the photos you want to share and fill out the email address field. Set the expiry date and the person you specified will receive an email with a unique link to view the selected photos.

Geek Tip: Spell Your Name In Flickr Letters

geeksugar — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 11:00:05 -0700

A guy named Erik Kastner has created a fun application with PHP and javascript that allows you to enter the letters of your name (it can be your name or any word you happen to like) and get a fun graphic made of flickr letters. Once you have submitted your name you are actually given an embed code, which you can put on your website or profile. If you do not have a website of TeamSugar profile, I suggest taking a screen shot of the image and saving it in your files. Try it out here.

Special thanks to WhiplashGirlchild for sharing this great tip! You can check out other examples from her blog.

Use Geotagging To Plan Your Vacation

geeksugar — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 14:00:30 -0700

Geotagging, or adding geographical identification to images (usually latitude and longitude coordinates or place names) was once a feature reserved to the most extreme Flickr and online photo community addicts, but it turns out it's proving helpful to even the average geek. This weekend's New York Times travel feature "Snapshots That Do More Than Bore Friends" looked at how through geotagging, users can add G.P.S. data to their pictures, which can then be plotted on a digital map and actually aid friends and even strangers in planning their own vacations. Here's more:

For example, people planning a trip to Cancún can use Google Earth, a free mapping software, to zoom in on Cancún’s crowded hotel zone and click on dozens of candid photographs, from the lounge chairs at the Fiesta Americana Grand Coral Beach hotel and the pool at the Omni Hotel & Villas, to snapshots of less-crowded beaches and the nearest mall.

If you are feeling adventurous and don't use Flickr or a site like SmugMug.com, the Times notes you can use sites like Everytrail.com, a GPS travel community that lets users upload geocoded photos from their favorite hiking trails, biking routes and sailing trips. I hadn't ventured outside of flickr's geotagging until last night, but when I checked out the images from a Maui North Shore Scooter Expedition I was hooked.

Website Of The Day: Flickrvision

geeksugar — Wed, 23 May 2007 08:30:10 -0700

One of the greatest things about the availability of digital cameras, photo archiving and sharing services like flickr is the fact that we can explore the unexpected treasures our friends family and even strangers have taken. Taking mini virtual vacations via someone else's photo library always quenches my voyeuristic and nosy side but it can get a little labor intensive - You know you always get stuck looking at three nearly identical photos your Aunt Betty took of her plants.

Enter Flickrvision, a mashup site that displays the pictures people across the world are posting on Flickr on a map. The collection is brilliant - ever changing, random and inspiring.

The creator has also released Twittervision, which keeps folks updated as to what people on the popular Twitter community are doing in real time.

I find Flickervision to be far more exciting and beautiful, but that's only because I'd rather see Rebecca in Myanmar enjoy a café au lait at her favorite cafe rather than read an update about it.

To learn how to post your favorite sites to the Website of the Day group,

Yahoo! Photos Is Closing - Move Your Photos Stat!

geeksugar — Tue, 15 May 2007 14:02:35 -0700

In case you haven't logged into your account recently, I just wanted to let you know that it's official: Yahoo Photos will begin closing later this summer and will completely close this fall. After it closes, Yahoo will delete all photos that you haven't moved somewhere else, so I highly suggest moving your albums and archives to another service, downloading your photos, or buying an archive CD (the last option is apparently only available to users of the New Yahoo Photos service).

Yahoo has been managing both Yahoo Photos and Flickr for some time now, but they have apparently decided to focus all their efforts on Flickr. For tips on dealing with this,

Put Your Flickr Image On Your Wall With Wallpeppr

geeksugar — Fri, 11 May 2007 10:30:04 -0700

Have you ever taken a photo you loved so much you wanted to blow it up, frame it and put it on your wall? Designer Carlo Jorges has thought up a less traditional way to put your photo on the wall - as in literally pasting them there as wallpaper.
Jorges' creation, a roller called Wallpeppr, is capable of coating various surfaces with images downloaded from the flickr online image community. It is connected to the computer via a network cable (we hear a wireless version is also in the works). The driver-software plugs into the flickr web-interface which holds controls for the output size of the image. A simple click on the go button sends the image to a roller where it is printed with the help of inkjet-technology.

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Mii Madness: The Office Cast

geeksugar — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 11:33:04 -0800

My new favorite flickr user has created a hilarious collection of "Celebrimiis" of the cast of NBC's The Office. For those of you that have not been initiated into the Nintendo Wii world yet, Miis are customizable player characters that you can dress and model after yourself, the girl next door and in this case, the cast of The Office. You then play the Wii games as the character and great fun ensues.

The whole collection of The Office cast Miis are genius, and I give kudos to the fact that they were able to maintain the full integrity of Jim's hotness in Mii form, to see what I'm talking about and check out the full cast,