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Denise Richards: "One Day I Will Spill My Guts About EVERYTHING"

12/30/2009 03:58:00 PM kenmouse , Posted in , , , 0 Comments



Yesterday Denise Richards took the two daughters she shares with Charlie Sheen out to the park for some swinging and paparazzi photos. Totally normal day for this family. But some jerks on the Internet had to go and accuse her of staging a photo op (gasp!—she would never!) to show how well she's doing in comparison to Charlie's new family, and Denise is just so offended.

Good thing she has a Twitter! Usually, she uses the microblogging platform to document what a good mom she is, but it's also the perfect place to clear up this misunderstanding.

"for all the negative nellies out there, I DID not have a f..ing photo op with my kids at a park when there is drama u get followed more," she angrily tweeted.

And that's not all she has to say:



"I genuinely love to be with my girls and don't have a nanny raising them. They are my #1 priority and always will be."

But that doesn't mean that one day when Sam and Lola are old enough they won't know all the dirty details of their mother's tumultuous relationship with fame.

"sorry had to vent s*** pisses me off sometimes..one day..I will spill my guts about EVERYTHING," she promises.

Any bets when that will be?

The Apparent Cost Of Nexus One Freedom: $530. Why It Still Matters.

12/30/2009 03:57:00 PM kenmouse , Posted in , , , 0 Comments

After our earlier post on the Nexus One, there was a lot of debate surrounding how much the thing would cost. It appears that this information is out there now. According to some leaked documents sent to Gizmodo, the Nexus One will be $529.99 unlocked and $179.99 if you sign up for a two-year T-Mobile contract (which runs $79.99 a month). This information is not 100% confirmed, but it seems in line with earlier reports and common sense.


So what does this mean? Well, at first glance, it’s pretty standard, really. For example, you can buy an iPhone without having to sign up for a contract, but it will cost you $599 or $699 depending on the storage size of the device. With a contract, those models run $199 and $299, respectively. The difference is that those phones, and many of the others you can buy without a contract, are still carrier-locked. That means that even if you buy them without a monthly contract, you will eventually have to sign-up for some kind of plan through that carrier, if you plan to use that device. That is, unless you plan to manually unlock it, something which in most cases voids the warranty — if it works at all.

But Google is supposedly selling this $530 Nexus One completely unlocked. That means that you can use it with any carrier — provided that carrier is running a compatible GSM network, which the Nexus One is built to run on. In the U.S., that basically means the device will be able to run on T-Mobile or AT&T. Though given earlier leaked specs, it would seem that if you do run it on AT&T, it may only work with EDGE data, and not the faster 3G variety. In other words, the thing still is rather locked down. In order to use it to its full potential in the U.S., you’ll likely want to be using it with T-Mobile anyway. But that’s not so bad since T-Mobile offers pay-as-you go SIM cards, though they are not a great deal.

Still, the fact remains that this in an important moment in the mobile industry in the U.S. While unlocked phones are common abroad, they’re almost unheard of here where the carriers rule with an iron fist. The iPhone was able to break this domination somewhat, but they’re still only tied to one carrier (AT&T). Google directly selling an unlocked phone, even if it’s limited, is a big step in the right direction. As we noted earlier, the next step for them is to sell an unlocked device that is compatible with both GSM and CDMA networks, then things will really start to get interesting. And even if they don’t do that, in the next couple of years, the next generation LTE networks will come into play, and those promise a more unified mobile experience from a hardware perspective.

So yes, while it’s true that Google is unlikely to be selling a $530 phone in droves, its existence means something. It points to a future where the carriers don’t dominate the mobile scene with their ridiculous contracts and lock-in policies. And that’s a good thing.


It's not easy being Jay Chou's girlfriend

12/30/2009 03:57:00 PM kenmouse , Posted in , , 0 Comments

A word of caution to all you hopeful girls out there dying to fill the currently empty position: Being Taiwanese superstar Jay Chou's girlfriend is pretty difficult.

"If you were my girlfriend, it's very hard," the 30-year-old pop star said recently at an interview in the Raffles Convention Centre.

In town last week to promote his latest action-adventure flick "The Treasure Hunter", Chou amiably talked about how many starlets are afraid to be photographed with - and thus inevitably linked to - him.

"If we get shot by the paparazzi, people will at once assume that she (the girl he's with) is my girlfriend. It is unfair for the girls," he shared thoughtfully. Awww, how sweet.

So with the welfare and image of the ladies seemingly first and foremost for this man, one starts to wonder how similar he is to his character in his latest flick, Qiao Fei, an aloof smouldering Asian wandering cowboy with quick-fire abilities, some martial arts skills and a hidden romantic chivalrous side.

"Oh, Qiao Fei is more definitely 'man' in the film. I am not as romantic as the director might make me out to be," he answered with a smile. "I guess I do come across more romantic in music and through my songs, but it's not always sweetness and love."

He confessed: "I do like danger. I was quite crazy when I was younger during my student days, doing crazy stunts and letting off steam. But not anymore. You cannot do such things in Singapore right?"

"Anyway I think filming is quite a dangerous thing already!" he quipped.

But filming seems to be the way forward for the 2005 Golden Horse Awardee for "Initial D". He has, after all, landed the coveted role of Kato in Hollywood's "The Green Hornet" alongside Seth Rogen and Cameron Diaz.

"I had to do it. It's a role that Bruce Lee once played, plus it's a positive Asian role which is rare in Hollywood," he said, alluding to how most Chinese actors play baddies in Hollywood.

"Over there, I'm a newbie. There is a lot of waiting around before my scenes and I cannot speak too loudly. I have to be well-behaved. But overall, it was fun, and a good but different experience. Anyway, I went to Hollywood not just to make it big and develop my film career. I went there to also introduce my music to the Americans. So that they will notice me."

"The Treasure Hunter" opens in Singapore cinemas on December 31.

Divorce 'Definitely' Possible For Charlie Sheen

12/30/2009 03:56:00 PM kenmouse , Posted in , , 0 Comments

After a violent Christmas day encounter in Aspen, Charlie Sheen and Brooke Mueller have been spending time apart. Sources now tell PEOPLE that the separation could be permanent. "Brooke and Charlie still love each other, but they are very different," says the source. "[They] will make their best effort at counseling but divorce is definitely a possibility."

On Christmas morning, Sheen was taken into police custody on suspicion of assaulting his wife. The actor hasn't been charged and was released Friday after posting an $8,500 bond. Prosecutors will determine whether to file charges.

Mueller and Sheen had their first children together -- twin boys Bob and Max -- earlier this year. The source tells PEOPLE, "For the good of the children they definitely want to see if counseling will help before anything further is decided."

The source claims that talk of a divorce was the catalyst that led to the altercation. "Brooke asked Charlie for a separation and divorce. This caused his temper to flair resulting in the incident that landed him in jail."

Mueller obtained a restraining order against her husband as a result of the violent domestic dispute. RadarOnline reports that the protection order was granted by the same judge who heard Sheen's case and allowed the actor's release from jail Friday night.

More attacks expected on Facebook, Twitter in 2010

12/30/2009 03:56:00 PM kenmouse , Posted in , , , 0 Comments

Social-networking sites like Facebook and Twitter can expect more attention from cybercriminals in 2010, according to a new report (PDF) released Tuesday by McAfee Labs. Also at risk are users of Adobe Systems products including Acrobat Reader and Flash. And move over Microsoft; the security firm predicts that Google's Chrome OS will "create another opportunity for malware writers to prey on users."

The company also anticipates smarter and more dangerous Trojans that "follow the money," as well as a "significant trend toward a more distributed and resilient botnet infrastructure that relies much more on peer-to-peer technologies."

In a recorded interview (scroll down for audio) David Marcus, McAfee Labs' director of security research and communications, said that he expects "an explosion of Facebook and other services targeted by cybercriminals." In addition to malware like Koobface that spreads among Facebook users' friends list, Marcus expects an increase in rogue Facebook applications.

"When you click yes to 'do you want to allow this application to access your Facebook account,' you're giving that application access to all the data in your Facebook account," he said. Facebook vets the third-party applications that it distributes, but rouge developers are finding other ways to get people to install unauthorized apps.

"A lot of the spammers and scammers will send fake Facebook application requests to users' inboxes," he said. Marcus recommends that you only install apps from within Facebook by clicking "browse more applications" in the Facebook application installer."

Twitter vulnerabilities

According to McAfee, Twitter is vulnerable mostly because of URL-shortening services like bit.ly and tinyurl.com. There's nothing wrong with Twitter or these services, but when you click on a shortened URL you have no idea where you're going until after you get there. I would like to see a URL-shortening service that vets each URL for security and rejects those that are potentially dangerous. Twitter, according to the McAfee report is "also serving as a control vehicle for botnets."

Criminals are now being more surgical in their attacks, singling out individuals and corporations as targets. The report points to the 10-month investigation of "GhostNet," which McAfee Labs describes as a "network of at least 1,295 compromised computers in 103 countries" that "primarily belonged to government, aid groups, and activists." The malicious code was delivered by e-mail with subject headings related to the Dali Lama and Tibet, according to the report.

The report also sites "a very targeted wave of attacks against the management of major companies," as well as attacks carried out against "journalists from various media organizations, including Agence France Press, Dow Jose and Reuters based in China."

Adobe products and Google Chrome vulnerable

Adobe products, especially its Acrobat Reader and Flash, are likely to replace Microsoft Office as the No. 1 software target, according to McAfee. It's nothing they've (Adobe) done wrong," Marcus said. "The bad guys go where the masses go" and because of the increasingly widespread use of Adobe products, "that tends to be what the bad buys will start looking to exploit. It really is nothing more sophisticated than that."

Criminals are infecting PDF files and leveraging exploits in the opening of PDF documents, according to Marcus.

"Instead of viewing a PDF you're actually taken to a website that downloads some type of malware to your machine." Adobe plans to patch a critical hole in Reader and Acrobat on January 12.

There is also concern about Google's Chrome operating system, which is expected to be officially released in 2010. Chrome, which will run Web-based applications, is likely to be vulnerable to attacks in HTML 5--the newest version of the hyper-text markup language that, says the report, "holds all the promises that today's Web community seeks--primarily blurring and removing the lines between a Web application and a desktop application."

McAfee also warned of banking Trojans with "new tactics that went well beyond the rather simple keylogging-with-screenshots" that were used earlier. Trojans now use rootkit techniques to hide on a victim's system to disable antivirus software.

"Often the victim's computer becomes part of a botnet and receives malware configuration updates," the report said.

Cause for optimism

The report did end with some optimism, calling 2009 a good year for law enforcement. In November 2009, the U.S. Department of Justice indicted nine individuals "from Russia, Moldova, and Estonia who were allegedly responsible for $9 million in customer payroll data compromises at RBS WorldPay."

The year also "saw the conviction of the infamous "Godfather of Spam," Alan Ralsky of Michigan, and his criminal syndicate, which was responsible for generating a significant portion of the world's unsolicited e-mail," McAfee said.

"You started to see that not a lot of resiliency was built into some of those botnets, they were taken down, and poof they disappeared for very long periods of time," Marcus said. He said he thinks "the bad guys will learn from that and build in some redundancy," but he remains optimistic. "The good guys and regular users are getting tired of getting exploited and we're finally starting to see more offensive and aggressive take downs of botnets...we're starting to see people wanting to take back the Internet."

G-Dragon and CL get criticized

12/30/2009 03:55:00 PM kenmouse , Posted in , , , , 0 Comments

2NE1's baddest female CL drew attention with her revealing outfit at the 2009 SBS Gayo Daejun. The outfit was a bit like the other sexy black one she wore for G-Dragon's solo concert.


While performing The Leaders, she wore a black leotard/body suit outfit that showed her stomach and bra. It was bound to draw bad and good feedback from fans.



Some netizens are mad about how she wore that when she's still underaged. Reminds me of Hyuna's situation with her short dresses.

Netizens commented, "She might as well have worn underwear," "I can't believe they made an underaged girl wear that." But other liked the risky choice in style, "It's been a while since I've seen such a good stage," "The energy is amazing."

G-Dragon also wore clothes that made people speechless, in a bad way. I can't think of another word than just plain "weird." His gelled down hair and checker capris made people second guess this "fashionista."

If someone says they liked his outfit, they are a true fan. The jacket was beyond bizarre and none of clothing added up. The leggings pants made me a bit dizzy.

People were definitely disappointed with the fashion choices YG made this time even though the rest of the YG family looked good.

Wang Lee-hom not first choice for role in 'Little Big Soldier'?

12/30/2009 03:55:00 PM kenmouse , Posted in , , , 0 Comments

Playing a high-ranking general in "Little Big Soldier", a film written and produced by kung fu star Jackie Chan, was a role that Taiwanese singer Wang Lee-hom could not refuse.

But according to Chinese media reports, Taiwanese star Jay Chou was actually the first choice for the role.

"Little Big Soldier", a comedy-action film set during the warring states period in China, also stars Korean actor Yoo Seung-jun and Chan who plays a foot soldier that played dead and survived a great battle.

Chan's character takes the opposing army's general (played by Wang), who was injured during the battle, as his prisoner and tries to turn in the general to his own leader for a reward.

Jay Chou was said to have been the original pick for the general's role but Chan's wife, Lin Feng-Jiao, advised against it.

Lin said both Chan and Chou had a steely gaze so the latter would not be able to bring out the contrasting personalities of the characters they played.

She then suggested Wang, whom she said had a softer, refined look that contrasted well against Chan's rough and tumble film persona.

When Wang was offered the role, he jumped at the chance as he was attracted by the film's plot, though he knew that shooting it would be a gruelling process.

His features were perpetually obscured by mud and 'bloodstains' while playing the prisoner of Chan's character, but Wang says he did not mind.

"This is a very challenging role and it really tests my acting ability. I learned a lot and walked away with a lot of experiences so I don't find it difficult at all," he said.

Is Microsoft Bing one of the worst logos ever?

12/30/2009 03:54:00 PM kenmouse , Posted in , , , 0 Comments

Microsoft has justly drawn acclaim for the revamp and re-launch of its search engine, Bing. But according to a well-known design blog, there's one serious problem with Bing: It features the worst logo of 2009.

Fast Company notes that the blog Brand New, an influential blog about branding and design, polled its readers to find which were the best and designed logos of 2009. Bing had the dubious honor of being the worst. Brand New writes this:

There are plenty of other blogs and sources critiquing the functionality and efficacy of Bing, so what truly brings us all here today is the sad, awful, unforgivable mutilation that has been done to these four poor letters of the Latin alphabet...I can’t even imagine how someone arrives at a design solution like this...There is bad taste and then there is this....Microsoft has never been a paragon of good design, or even decent design. But this is rubbing it in design's face.

Brand New may well be right, but Microsoft got almost everything else right about Bing. As for me, I don't particularly care about logos. I do care about features and speed, and in both cases Bing is a winner.

f(x)‘s Victoria transforms into a party girl

12/30/2009 03:54:00 PM kenmouse , Posted in , , , 0 Comments

Victoria, leader of girl group f(x) has made a surprising transformation into a elegant party girl.


She modeled for jacket photos of a compilation album called Groovy Honey House Vol. 1, which showed a different side of her. This is a debut album for a new label called Groovy Honey, which launched on the 10th of December. Their style of music is house, electronic, round, and jazz.

The album consists of several American artists, and is not Korean in anyway, except for Victoria's face on the album cover.

Maybe they thought the face of a girl group member would raise the sales of the album. I'm not sure about that, but it certainly gained some attention.

Who's behind the Zhang Ziyi 'black paint incident'?

12/30/2009 03:54:00 PM kenmouse , Posted in , , 0 Comments

Well known Chinese publisher and blogger Hong Huang has dismissed speculation that Wendi Murdoch, wife of media mogul Rupert Murdoch, is behind the 'black paint incident' targeted at Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi.

The 'black paint incident' referred to an incident on the night of December 23 when a group of men barged into the Park Hyatt Beijing where Zhang is rumoured to own an apartment and created a scene, claiming that Zhang had "cheated people of their money" and seduced a married man.

Another group of men returned later that same night and splashed black paint on a window advertisement featuring Zhang at a store near the hotel.

The incident sparked speculation that a disgruntled business partner had ordered thugs to carry out the deed.

Zhang is co-producing the English language movie "Snow Flower and Secret Fan" with Wendi Murdoch and will also star in the production. This led to rumours that Murdoch is the business partner in question and was behind the incident.

Hong said in her blog update that people who think Murdoch orchestrated the whole thing are completely mistaken.

"As far as I know, the mastermind behind this incident does not have a husband. She is someone's second mistress. But for a second mistress to be so brazen, she must be somebody. I suggest that entertainment reporters focus on finding out who she is," Hong said in her update.

She also told Chinese reporters in a phone interview that any logical person would know Murdoch is completely innocent.

"She holds an eminent position in society. Why would she resort to these unsavoury methods?" Hong said. She also urged netizens to stop speculating and find out who was responsible for the incident.

Zhang's blog entry on December 22, the day before the 'black paint incident' seems to support Hong's view. Zhang posted a picture of herself with Wendi Murdoch and her children in New York that day, indirectly proving that there was no bad blood between Murdoch and herself.

Bradley Cooper Renee Zellweger Purchase $4 Million Mansion

12/30/2009 03:53:00 PM kenmouse , Posted in , , , 0 Comments

Clandestine couple Bradley Cooper and Renee Zellweger will start the New Year with a new house. The screen stars have only been dating for a few months, but they’ve already forked over $4 million for new digs in the Pacific Palisades section of Los Angeles.

Bradley and Renee were proud to be sharing their new house with his parents. They looked happy together and very much in love,” a spy close to The Hangover actor spills in the Jan. 11 issue of Star Magazine.

The couple gave Bradley’s parents a small tour of the four bedroom estate while they visited California for Christmas but are making a few changes of their own to the property before moving in.

“They have already lots of plans for the renovations. They’re both homebodies, and they can’t wait to have a place to entertain friends and just be together,” the insider adds.

LG Rumored to Join Nokia, Not Show Up to MWC 2010

12/30/2009 03:52:00 PM kenmouse , Posted in , , , , 0 Comments

When we first broke the news that Nokia would not be exhibiting at Mobile World Congress 2010 this upcoming February, I’m sure there were a lot of shocked people out there. Brace for another shocker, because if rumors are correct it would mean that another big name, LG Electronics, will be following in Nokia’s footsteps (the footsteps leading straight out the door).

Rumblings around the net indicate that LG is not planning on setting up a booth or showing anything at MWC 2010 due to the high costs of securing a pavilion at the show. According to the Dutch division of LG Mobile, whom AllAboutPhones contacted for information, it is true that they won’t be exhibiting, but just like Nokia will be in Barcelona for the show and putting on events in a separate location.

Since LG will still be there, it’s likely that the company will still have several new products available on showcase.

Reasons to GDragon’s tears during 2009 Gayo DaeJun solo performance?

12/30/2009 03:52:00 PM kenmouse , Posted in , , 0 Comments

Big Bang GDragon’s tears flowing down his cheek during his performance has roused much curiosity amongst netizens.


During his performance of ‘Heartbreaker’ on 29th December for 2009 SBS Gayo DaeJun, he was seen in tears when performing, and had many fans and viewers curious and surprised.

With that, many fans and netizens have attributed that to the plagiarism issues brought up against him for his 1st solo album ‘Heartbreaker’ in August, and then all the criticisms against him once more for some scenes said to be inappropriate for youths during his 1st solo concert recently.

Some fans also went up to GDragon’s me2day page and wrote messages like “Close your 2 eyes and block your 2 ears, we will protect you”, “It hurts my heart to see you in tears. Please don’t cry. Have strength” etc.

HyunA the first 4Minute member to have solo debut coming January

12/30/2009 03:52:00 PM kenmouse , Posted in , , , 0 Comments

One of the groups which received much attention amidst the ‘girlgroup craze’ this year 4Minute member HyunA will be the first member to have her solo debut.


It is revealed that HyunA will release her first solo album coming January 2010. Early this month, it was announced that HyunA and JiYoon were preparing for their solo singer debut and has attracted much interests from fans.

Much anticipation is for HyunA’s solo debut since she has received much acknowledgement for her performance and dance capabilities even before her debut as part of 4Minute.

Meanwhile, HyunA is currently doing the recording works for her solo album. She will also be doing promotions after the album release.

15 Sexiest Female Musicians (That Don’t Suck)

12/30/2009 09:08:00 AM kenmouse , Posted in , , , 0 Comments



These days, we’re inundated with overly-airbrushed female musicians supported only by their underwires and overproduction. While many lesser-known artists are slowly being recognized by larger audiences, we’d still like to see many more female musicians in the spotlight who have raw talent — with whatever instrument it may be. Here are 15 incredibly sexy female musicians — that don’t suck.

Jenny Lewis


Jenny Lewis is the primary vocalist of the indie rock band Rilo Kiley, and is one hot ginger. She’s since released two solo albums, and dabbles in indie folk, rock and alternative country. Her vocals ooze raw emotion, and her songwriting is tops, too. It doesn’t hurt that she wears cute little numbers up on stage, either.

Sara Bareilles



Singer-songwriter and noted pianist Sara Bareilles gained mainstream popularity in 2007 with her hit single, Love Song, and we haven’t been able to keep our eyes, or ears, off of her since. This sultry beauty dabbles in pop, pop rock, and soul. A nice plus that you’ll see a lot with the girls on this list — her voice is amazingly versatile and flawless live.

Amy Lee



Amy Lee not only catches the public eye for fronting the rock band Evanescence, but for her stunning looks as well. She often sports corsets and fishnets on stage, but she’s the classiest broad you’ll ever see wearing them. She’s a classically trained pianist, and can also play the harp, organ and guitar. Besides all that, her vocal range is unbelievable — without the help of Autotune.

Sarah Brightman



The word opera doesn’t conjure an alluring image to many in this day and age, but Sarah Brightman definitely changes that for all who experience her music. A British crossover soprano, Brightman is known best for her role as Christine Daae in the original The Phantom of the Opera, a part that was written for her voice. She has a staggering 160 Gold and Platinum awards in 34 countries and a three-octave voice of an angel — with looks to match.

Neko Case



Neko Case, singer-songwriter extraordinaire, is best known for her solo work and contributing work with Canadian indie rock group The New Pornographers. With looks to kill and a voice to match, she’s nabbed a Grammy nomination and remains a champion among women in rock music with a style distinctly her own.

Emilie Simon



Emilie Simon is a beautiful singer-songwriter from France. She brings electronic and experimental influences to the table — along with a light, whispy voice and sexy accompanying accent. Though her musical journey only started in 2003, she has since moved to New York City to take on the rest of the world and shows no sign of stopping any time soon.

KT Tunstall



KT Tunstall, a singer-songwriter and guitarist from Scotland, shot into the mainstream after her stellar performance on the British music television show Later… with Jools Holland. She’s since picked up a Grammy nomination and BRIT Award — along with an engagement ring. We know she’s spoken for, but we can still look.

Hayley Williams



An American singer and songwriter, Hayley Williams fronts the rock band Paramore — best known for singles Misery Business and Decode. The band truly shot into stardom when Decode was featured in Twilight, but Williams truly has a voice that carries it’s own. Hottness doesn’t hurt in the business either — she won Sexiest Female at the Shockwaves NME Awards 2009.

Cat Power



Chan Marshall, AKA Cat Power, is a singer-songwriter known for her amazing, breathy voice, minimalist style, and home-grown beauty. In 2007 she became the first female solo act to win the Shortlist Music Prize when her album, The Greatest, was voted album of the year.

Rachael Yamagata



Japanese-American beauty Rachael Yamagata is a singer-songwriter that has seen great success in her 32 years. Her music is considered blues rock and alternative — and it’s has been featured in shows like Nip/Tuck, Grey’s Anatomy, and How I Met Your Mother. Her looks are classic, and she has a twin, but to our disappointment we found out it’s a guy.

Feist



Leslie Feist, who performs under the name Feist, is a Canadian singer-songwriter known for her solo work, but is also a member of the indie rock group Broken Social Scene. She dabbles in anti-folk and baroque pop — and gained a reputation for putting out some catchy beats. We’d like this Grammy-nominated musician to get feisty with us.

Taylor Swift



Taylor Swift was thrust into the spotlight earlier this year when Kanye West interrupted her at the VMAs while she was accepting her award for Best Female Video. Her voice is solid and her songs are highly autobiographical — that night she became the first country singer to ever win a VMA, and solidified her place in our hearts — and pants.

Emily Haines



Emily Haines is best known for her role as vocalist for indie rock band Metric, but has maintained a strong solo career as Emily Haines & the Soft Skeleton. Compared to Metric, her solo work is more mellow and piano-based — which suits her haunting voice perfectly. Born in New Delhi, India and raised in Canada, this musician is worldly, talented, and hot.

Angel Deradoorian



Twenty-two year-old multi-instrumentalist Angel Deradoorian is best known as bass player/vocals for Brooklyn-based experimental rock band Dirty Projectors. This Armenian stunner released her promising solo debut this past May, and proved her musical proficiency — whether it be with vocals, on bass flute or guitar.

Ingrid Michaelson



Cute-as-a-button Ingrid Michaelson is an American singer-songwriter best known for her single The Way I Am, which was featured in Grey’s Anatomy, Scrubs, and the Fall 2007 Old Navy commercial campaign — all of which gave her huge exposure. She picked up piano at age four and hasn’t stopped performing since. We’d like to see her do another duet with Sara Bareilles, actually.

Apple to release 8GB iPhone 3GS?

12/30/2009 09:07:00 AM kenmouse , Posted in , , , , 0 Comments

Is the iPhone 3G on borrowed time? Well. according to a user on Germany’s apfeltalk forums it is. He recently ordered an 8GB 3G and while the item itself was what he was expecting the packaging was not. It was labeled as a 3GS. Was this a typo or did Apple mistakenly use the wrong label?



This isn’t the first time we have come across rumors of an 8GB 3GS, and really when you think about it seems like a natural progression of the line, either that or the 8GB gets killed all together, which I am glad to say probably isn’t going to happen. Its the only budget friendly entrance into the iPhone game.

In early November there were rumors of a Christmas launch which as we all know now, didn’t happen. Apple will be releasing the fourth incarnation of the iPhone in June. If the 8gb 3GS is going to be released I am sure we will hear about it at Apple’s upcoming January 26th event.

Google Phone press conference January 5!

12/30/2009 09:07:00 AM kenmouse , Posted in , , , , 0 Comments

Looks like the Google Nexus One speculation is drawing to a close, with the news that Google are hosting an exclusive “Android press gathering” on January 5th. While the Nexus One is not specifically mentioned in the invitation, it seems likely to be the main focus at the event.



“With the launch of the first Android-powered device just over a year ago,” Google’s invite reads, “we’ve seen how a powerful, open platform can spur mobile product innovation. And this is just the beginning of what’s possible.” The all-morning event kicks off with a press conference and presentation, before an opportunity to try out the new device.

We’ve already heard from earlier on today that T-Mobile USA are preparing to support the Nexus One – aka the Google Phone – as the US carrier, though the hardware itself will be supported by Google and HTC. The search giant are expected to sell the Nexus One exclusively through their site online.

Unibody MacBook dips to $728 educational pricing

12/30/2009 09:07:00 AM kenmouse , Posted in , , , 0 Comments



As you may recall, we weren't exactly overflowing with praise for Apple's new polycarbonate unibody MacBook in our review a couple of months back. It's not that it's a bad laptop (though it does certainly have some shortcomings), it's just that it didn't quite feel like $999 of laptop. But $728? Now that's a bit more like it. While it's unfortunately not a permanent price drop, or even a sale that's available to everyone, that is the price that at least some students and educators can now snag the entry-level MacBook for. It's not clear how long that price will last though, as the regular educational pricing for the laptop is now apparently $899.

Update: From the looks of it, this "deal" is limited to the University of Maryland, College Park. Go Terps!

Release of "Fututure X Cops" 's 90 seconds trailer ; Andy Lau and DaS hot kiss ! (trailer included)

12/30/2009 09:06:00 AM kenmouse , Posted in , , , , 0 Comments



SF big production "Fututure X Cops" 3 minutes bts(behind the scene) got revealed last week, and they recently released a 90 seconds exciting trailer, the video showed great setting and it totally won over the last video they revealed, and it even showed off Andy and DaS romantic kiss for the first time.

This one minute and a half trailer showed off once again "Future X Cops" special effects skills, the future city's setting looking even more great, the very cool looking costumes and every special effect making them look even more realistic and amazing. Ohter than that, the plot is beginning to take shape, moving between an explosive battle between good and evil and romantic love.


Andy Lau and fashionable star DaS romantic hot kiss


This 90 sec trailer is the premiere of forever Idol Andy Lau and Fashionable star DaS's romantic kiss scene. The 2 will share a very moving and unforgettable love that goes beyond time and space. The movie's action director, Siu Tung Ching once stated that all the other SF movies were cold and harsh having not enough emotional parts, but "Fututre X cops" is a warm, romantic, and moving chinese Science fiction big production. Andy and DaS romance is what will move the audience, So it's expected that "Future X Cops" is a warm romantic SF movie.

Rainie Yang Suspected of Having a Secret Crush on Show Luo

12/30/2009 09:05:00 AM kenmouse , Posted in , , , 0 Comments

Yesterday, Rainie Yang held a press conference for her new album, announcing that in January of next year she will release her “Ai Mei” single (mini album) in Japan. Her good friend Vivian Hsu congratulated her through a video clip that was recorded earlier. While doing so, she also broke the secret of Rainie’s love and appreciation for V6. Rainie admitted with a blushing face, saying that she loved V6 since she was young; she will record their shows and continuously replay them nonstop. She directly said, “I also once dreamt that I was at their management company as a custodian, helping them clean their offices. If I can see V6 again, I will kneel down and cry.”

Earlier Rainie Yang broke the news herself saying that she now has a secret crush on someone. Yesterday when she was asked about it again, she will not speak about that person’s background, but only said that he’s very filial, which makes people think of her partner, Show Luo (Xiao Zhu). Rainie only said, “It doesn’t matter if he’s in the showbiz or not, it’s just an anonymous good friend.”

Taylor Swift, Taylor Lautner Split!

12/30/2009 01:43:00 AM kenmouse , Posted in , , , 0 Comments

So much for the two Taylors finding love.

After three months of dating, country singer Taylor Swift and New Moon star Taylor Lautner have split, UsMagazine.com has learned.

"It wasn't really developing into anything, and wasn't going to, so they decided they were better as friends," a source close to Swift, 20, tells Us. "There was no chemistry."

The pair -- who met on the set of the romantic comedy Valentine's Day -- first sparked rumors of a romance when she hugged him at her October 9 concert in Rosemont, Illinois. They have since been spotted on several wholesome dates -- like their frozen yogurt date at Menchie's alongside Swift's mom earlier this month -- and have each coyly alluded to their relationship on separate Saturday Night Live hosting gigs.

Find out what an expert predicted about Taylor Swift and Taylor Lautner!

However, the relationship officially fizzled when Lautner, 17, flew to Nashville for Swift's birthday party on Dec. 13, a friend of the singer reveals.

"He liked her more than she liked him," the source tells Us. "He went everywhere he could to see her, but she didn't travel much to see him."

Lucky for Lautner, the split won't inspire angry songs like those written about ex Joe Jonas -- who dumped Swift during a 27-second phone call in 2008.

"They plan to stay friends," the source says.

In fact, Swift -- whose friend says she is a "hopeless romantic" who "wants everything she writes about" in her songs -- will likely reunite with the Twilight hunk when they begin promoting Valentine's Day, out Feb. 12.

Swift's rep had no comment. Lautner's rep could not be reached.

Megan Fox Voted “Worst Actress Of 2009″

12/30/2009 01:43:00 AM kenmouse , Posted in , , , 0 Comments

Megan Fox may Hollywood’s hottest “It Girl,” but the brunette stunner is also the silver screen’s worst actress.

The silver screen stinker outfoxed lackluster entertainers like Bandslam’s Vanessa Hudgens for the title of “Worst Actress of 2009,” according to a new year-end poll from AOL’s Moviefone.com.

The bombshell gave the worst performance of the year in the blockbuster summer sequel Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen — a film that earned the titles of Best Action Film of 2009 and Worst Film of the Year in this week’s poll. (Sidebar: Recession-era drama Up In The Air was named “Best Film.”)

Even the famously straight-forward Megan was critical of her performance in the first installment of the series in 2007, branding her now critically-certified bad acting “terrible.”

“I’m terrible in it,” the star told Entertainment Weekly last June. “It’s my first real movie, and it’s not honest and not realistic. The movie wasn’t bad; I just wasn’t proud about what I did.”

Perhaps not surprisingly, Megan also nabbed the title of the year’s “Sexiest Female.”

Susan Boyle Sets Sales Record Down Under

12/30/2009 01:42:00 AM kenmouse , Posted in , , 0 Comments

Scottish songbird Susan Boyle has stormed the music scene in Australia after her debut album earned the highest seven-day sales ever seen in the country upon its release there last week.

The Britain’s Got Talent star-turned-global singing sensation sold almost 165,000 copies of her platinum-certified CD I Dreamed A Dream last week, breaking the record of Guy Sebastian’s 163,000 sales at Christmas 2004.

Boyle set another Australian chart milestone – she is the only act to sell over 100,000 albums in two consecutive weeks.

Google Nexus One sold directly and only by Google, officially supported by T-Mobile

12/30/2009 01:42:00 AM kenmouse , Posted in , , , , 0 Comments

Interesting. It looks like Google won’t be entirely shaking up any wireless industries at the present time, but it will be pushing forward with its own “flagship” device by selling it directly to consumers. While our connect’s internal T-Mobile photo is rather small, we’ve broken down the text for you:

Google, with support from T-Mobile, is scheduled to launch a new Android device in early January. The Google Android phone will be sold directly by Google via the Web.

Support for the device including troubleshooting and exchanges will be managed by Google and HTC. T-Mobile will offer service support including billing, coverage, features, and rate plans. Additional details Streamline content regarding the launch of Google’s Android phone will be coming in early January.

So… Google is simply selling the phone directly for now, as rumored, and T-Mobile will “officially” support it, even though they practically do the same for any unlocked handset on their network. Google and HTC will be fielding support calls from users, and I’m not quite sure how I feel about that. Unless this is only the Android Development 3 phone. But it’s not just that. And T-Mobile could possibly subsidize it in or around March. Ok, bye.

Why Apple Tablet may not be the gadget of the future

12/30/2009 01:41:00 AM kenmouse , Posted in , , , 0 Comments

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.

Tablet computers are hardly a new concept. In fact, Apple already brought a tablet device to the market in 1993 in the form of the Newton MessagePad. Despite a ton of hype, Apple only sold a few hundred thousand Newtons in the five short years it was on the market.

Other tablet-like devices have also fizzled. The Compaq iPAQ and the Palm Pilot were quickly replaced by smart phones. Consumers can find some modern-day "tablets" in the form of notebook computers with swiveling monitors, but they're clunky, expensive and haven't taken off.

The problem with handheld tablets is that they're middle-of-the-road devices. They have better functionality than smaller gadgets but don't have enough functionality to replace your PC.

Though Apple hasn't released any details about its tablet, analysts who have been briefed on the device say it will run apps like the iPhone and iPod Touch do, but the tablet will be better suited for watching movies and reading. According to a New York Times report, Apple will unveil a tablet on Jan. 26.

"The Apple tablet will have a beautiful user interface, it will have a pleasing aesthetic and will be marketed well," said Chris Collins, senior consumer research analyst at Yankee Group. "But at the end of the day, we're still talking about a smart phone with a bigger screen."

Collins anticipates the tablet will initially take off with lots of excitement, but ultimately he expects it will help accelerate innovation in smaller gadgets, like smartphones, and bring down prices for PCs.

Such was the fate of netbooks. Shipments of the mini, ultra-portable notebook computers soared in 2008 and earlier this year. However, sales have cooled off as full-sized notebook prices dropped, and smart phone performance grew, according to John Jacobs, NPD Group's director of notebook market research. As a result, NPD expects netbook shipments to grow just 19% in 2010.

"Netbooks won the battle but lost the war," said Collins. "Eventually, people either went to a smartphone or a notebook. Tablets will also generate a lot of interest initially, but they will ultimately suffer a similar fate."

Too pricey?

Tablet technology doesn't come cheap. Creating screens that allow users to write on them is a costly endeavor, and swivel-monitor notebooks tend to run several hundred dollars more than non-tablet peers.

Apple will likely need to charge around $800 for the device, analysts say, which could relegate the tablet to "niche" status. That $800 price point could be too rich for some and others may opt to spend just a little more for a full-function laptop computer.

Brehm and Collins argued that the there will be some compelling uses for the tablet, including note-taking for students or examining electronic health records for physicians. Apple fans will also bite because, well, it's an Apple product, and it's bound to be really cool.

"The market will be there, but this will definitely be more of a niche product," said Brehm, who was Gateway's tablet product manager a decade ago.

Apple may pull it off

The tablet will have to offer more than the iPhone or iPod Touch to be successful, say analysts.

"They have to trump themselves," said Laura DiDio, principal analyst at ITIC. "That will be difficult, but the tablet shouldn't only be an iPhone with a bigger screen. It's going to have to bring something new to the table to be successful."

DiDio said the tablet will have a 10-inch to 12-inch screen and a high-end graphics card that will enable stunning resolution -- even more so than the iPhone and iPod Touch. She said the device will come in several different models that offer varieties of Internet connections, such as Wi-Fi or 3G, perhaps through a contract with AT&T. A Web cam will also be available for video conferencing.

Is that enough to change the gadget game? Maybe. Analysts counted out Apple before the iPod changed the music player and before the iPhone re-imagined the smartphone.

Likewise, it may be too soon to count out the long-awaited tablet. Even tablet detractors know better than to dismiss a Steve Jobs creation too quickly.

"There have been tablets before, and they did not take off," said Brehm. "There had been MP3 players before 2001 too, but we hadn't seen anything like the iPod before."

Rihanna Respects Lady GaGa

12/30/2009 01:39:00 AM kenmouse , Posted in , , , 0 Comments

RIHANNA’s favorite artist of 2009 is Lady Gaga.

The Russian Roulette singer — who endured a turbulent year after being assaulted by her now ex-boyfriend Chris Brown in February — was amazed by the Poker Face hitmaker’s continuous stream of chart-topping tunes over the year.

“Lady Gaga has a very bold, fearless image and, I have to say, I have so much respect for original artists who aren’t afraid to do what they do,” Rihanna said. “That’s what I respect the most. She’s awesome.”

The 21-year-old singer recently admitted 2009 had been the toughest year of her life because of the attack, which left her with cuts and bruises and emotionally traumatized.

But Rihanna hoped one good thing to come out of the incident was that her fans would be able to see that no one’s life is perfect.

“Before, young girls thought my life was perfect,” she said. “Now they realize it’s not. Nobody’s perfect. I’m living the same human life that they are, just with a more public career.

“The assault came at the end of an incredible year for me, career-wise. Now I kind of look back on it as the beginning of a new era, almost like it was a wake-up call for me. It was a massive turning point for me in my life.”

Robert Pattinson Spotted in London — Without Kristen Stewart!

12/30/2009 01:38:00 AM kenmouse , Posted in , , , 0 Comments

ROBERT Pattinson has been seen strolling around South-West London with his sister Lizzy.

Sporting a good chunk of facial fuzz, the hunky Twilight star was photographed walking the streets of Barnes with his leggy blonde sibling.

Pattinson, 23, has previously admitted that until he was 12 his sis used to dress him up as a girl and introduce him to pals as Claudia.

“Twelve was a turning point as I moved to a mixed school and then I became cool and discovered hair gel,” he said.

It was recently reported that Pattinson had come to blows with girlfriend Kristen Stewart over where the couple would spend Christmas.

“Rob and Kristen can’t decide where to spend the holidays,” a source said earlier this month. “Kristen is keen for Rob to join her in Los Angeles, but he wants to spend Christmas in London — with his family.

“Rob wants things to be as normal as possible after a crazy 12-months.

“Kristen is not amused.”

Android and iPhone users not so different after all

12/30/2009 01:37:00 AM kenmouse , Posted in , , , 0 Comments

New data shows that the iPhone may finally have a true competitor in the Android operating system with user profiles appearing very much alike.

According to eMarketer.com, marketing intelligence firm comScore found that 37 percent of U.S. mobile users had heard of Android in November 2009, up from 22 percent in August, "likely due to the Verizon Droid ad campaign." More interestingly, "17 percent of mobile users in the market for a new smartphone in the next three months planned to buy an Android phone, compared with 20 percent who would pick up an iPhone."

The data also showed that usage patterns for Android and iPhone owners were very similar in terms of media consumption, browser and application usage, but e-mail oddly tracked behind on Android devices. This is likely due to the immaturity of the mail application that ships with Android and not a change in use patterns.

This news obviously keeps the iPhone in the dominant position but shows that other smartphones finally present a real challenge. It's notable because BlackBerry and iPhone users have always seemed worlds apart, whereas Android users seem to be using their devices at parity with the iPhone crowd.

The fact that the Droid runs on Verizon instead of AT&T no doubt helps, though only time will tell if Verizon can handle the traffic, or if T-mobile could handle the pressure of a huge influx of new Google Nexus One phones running Android.

As of November 2009, it was estimated that Verizon sold between 700k-800k Droid smartphones and as the software gets better and more applications become available it appears to be the best contender in the short term.

But the Droid is not without its flaws, such as a lack of support for Bluetooth voice dialing or commands. For that matter, the iPhone is no poster child for stability, especially considering the fact that it's the No. 1 seller in the U.S. From dropped calls to miserable battery life to random crashing, it's the best device in a category so new that we really don't know what could be better.

I've been using the iPhone 3GS since it launched and while it remains a fantastic little mobile computer, it remains a mediocre phone. I've experienced more dropped calls, missed connections, and other sundry issues since I switched to the iPhone six months ago than I did with Verizon over several years.

That said, there hasn't been a high-quality alternative that offers the full range of software and hardware that the iPhone does until the Droid came along. I experimented with the Droid and found the keyboard a bit odd but otherwise felt like I could make the switch provided that I could get similar or better applications.

The applications (as we recently learned) are where the iPhone stands out and despite Apple's occasionally Draconian approval practices has been one of the driving forces behind adoption of not just the iPhone but also the iPod Touch. Comparatively, the Android marketplace has nowhere near the number of applications, but it could easily grow with a bit of marketing to developers.

The Apple Tablet: Will It Be Called iSlate, iGuide, Or Something Else?

12/30/2009 01:36:00 AM kenmouse , Posted in , , , , 0 Comments

After discovering that Apple had registered iSlate.com in late 2006 (we dug a little deeper and found trademarks had been filed for ‘ISLATE’ in both the United States and Europe by a company that was most likely a dummy corporation set up by Apple), MacRumors has now discovered another possible name for the upcoming Apple tablet.

MacRumors bases its report on the filing for a US trademark for ‘IGUIDE’ by another Delaware-registered company called iGuide Media LLC, which can be linked to Cupertino by means of signatures on the documents coming from Apple’s Senior Trademark Specialist, Regina Porter.

Let’s dig a little deeper, once again.

Domain names

There’s no indication that Apple owns any domain name that contains the term ‘iguide’. The identity if iguide.com is shielded from public WHOIS records, but not by Mark Monitor, the brand protection firm Apple usually works with. The domain name iguide.net belongs to a company called iGuide Media, a marketing and design firm started by Jon Warren back in 1997 and led by a Brian Noon from 2002 to 2006, when the company was sold.

I checked a couple of other TLDs (.ca, .fr, and more) and found no indication that Apple owns any of those.

Trademarks

Two trademarks were filed for ‘IGUIDE’ by iGuide Media LLC (through a James Johnston) in the United States: a principal and a service mark, both on 18 December 2007. The description of goods and services given to iGuide Media is very similar to the one given to Slate Computing, the supposed shell company set up by Apple used to register the trademark for ‘ISLATE’, although it leans a bit more to a focus on software and services than hardware.

On the exact same day, iGuide Media LLC filed for a trademark in Europe as well: search OHIM for ‘iguide’ and you find a trademark filing that has all the Apple marks on it: the legal representative is ‘EDWARDS ANGELL PALMER & DODGE UK LLP’ (the same as for ‘ISLATE’ and ‘MACBOOK’, among others), and the priority country is Trinidad & Tobago, the same as when Apple filed for the ‘iphone’ trademark in Europe.

Noteworthy: the status history suggests that the community trademark application was registered (not filed) in February 2009, and that the full examination of the CTM application has been completed very recently, on the 18th of December 2009 to be exact.

Final thoughts

If I were betting man, I’d still be putting my money on the name iSlate for the tablet, Magic Slate for a possible peripheral, and iGuide for a service linked to the hardware device(s).

Here’s why:

- Apple doesn’t seem to own, directly nor indirectly, any ‘iguide’ domain names
- The ‘ISLATE’ and ‘MAGIC SLATE’ US trademarks were not filed for separately as a service trademark, unlike ‘IGUIDE’
- The ‘ISLATE’ US trademark was filed earlier than ‘IGUIDE’, by a different shell corporation (and the same as ‘MAGIC SLATE’)
- NYTimes editor Bill Keller’s mention of an ‘Apple slate’ device in a past speech
- According to Trademarkia, the ‘ISLATE’ trademark application was extended a second time last September, to show use in commerce
- The slightly different description for ‘goods and services’ for both Slate Computing and iGuide Media

Or, of course, we’re all wrong, and none of these names will ever be actually used by Apple. I would deem that unlikely, but we can’t know for sure.

Besides, has Apple announced that it’ll be selling a tablet computer yet?

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