Nokia N8 first unboxing


"Nokia said Q3, Nokia has delivered Q3. Just. The long-awaited first shipments of the Finnish market leader's N8 handset are today finally going out, and we've gotten our hands on one of the very first retail units out there. Gaze upon the gallery below to see what you'll be getting inside the box alongside your multimedia powerhouse, and do make full use of our comments section too -- we want to hear any questions you may have about the N8 and will try to answer them in full, both here and in our full review, which is naturally coming up soon!

Paris Hilton Will Star in New Reality Show

Paris Hilton will star in a new reality series on Oxygen, the New York Post reports.

A source tells the newspaper, "This isn't 'The Simple Life,' where she played a campy version of herself. This show will give viewers a glimpse of the real Paris and her life, which is sometimes quite amazing."

While there are no details of the series thus far, the Post writes Paris' new gig will "show the world she's not a dizzy blonde, as she's been portrayed."

At the time of Hilton's Las Vegas arrest for cocaine in August, there didn't seem to be a camera crew following her, making it unclear when filming began or will begin. No date is set for the series to air.

Hilton pleaded guilty Sept. 20 to two misdemeanor charges stemming from her arrest for drug possession last month at a Las Vegas hotel-casino. She will serve a year of probation and avoid a felony charge under the terms of a plea deal worked out with prosecutors after the 29-year-old celebrity heiress pleaded guilty Monday to drug possession and obstructing an officer.

Samsung Omnia 7 to be among the first available WP7 handsets?

Almost all Samsung Omnia phones launched until now are Windows Mobile-based (the only exception is the Omnia HD i8910, which runs Symbian). So it should come as no surprise the fact that Samsung is apparently readying an Omnia with Windows Phone 7 on-board.


According to Thomas Husson (who writes for Forbes), the Samsung Omnia 7 will be out in October, being part of the first batch of Windows Phone 7 handsets – alongside the LG Optimus 7, HTC Mozart 7 (which seems to be made for Orange), and probably other devices.

Unfortunately, we don’t know what the Omnia 7 looks like. Could it be the Samsung i8700 (pictured below, on the right)? We’ll see.

Another Windows Phone 7 handset from Samsung is the Cetus. It looks like the Cetus is destined for North America, while the Omnia 7 could be released only in Europe – but, of course, we can’t be sure of that yet.

Via WMPowerUser

Shakira shows off her killer abs in new video Loca


Shakira is back to what she does best in her new music video.

The Colombian singer squeezes into a gold bikini top and sequinned trousers, showing off her killer abs as she shakes those famous hips.

Shot on a stunning Barcelona beach, Shakira, 33, duets with British rapper Dizzee Rascal for her latest offering, Loca.

It is the first single from her upcoming album, The Sun Comes Out (Sale el Sol), which is due out on October 19.

iPhone 5 and iPad 2 to switch to Qualcomm baseband tips report

Intel might not have long as supplier of the 3G chipsets for the iPhone and iPad, with reports in China surfacing that claim Apple is planning to switch its baseband allegiance to Qualcomm for the fifth-generation iPhone and second-gen iPad. The move, AppleInsider suggests, does not necessarily confirm the ongoing rumors of a CDMA iPhone – despite the apparent public demand for a Verizon iPhone option – but given Qualcomm’s dual-mode wireless chips would at least make that a greater possibility.

Those chips, Qualcomm says, would allow handsets to use both UMTS/HSPA and CDMA/EVDO networks, meaning devices could be used with Verizon and AT&T in the US. Infineon has no such technology; the company was acquired by Intel back in August, with the company saying its focus was on leveraging WiMAX and LTE.

The Chinese Economic Daily News report also claimed to have pinned down Apple’s other suppliers for the iPhone 5 and iPad 2, with a list that in many places is unchanged from the current models. For instance, a Samsung processor and Marvell WiFi is suggested, along with a Broadcom touchscreen controller, National Semiconductor/Infineon video display tech, and CSR Bluetooth. Finally Intel are tipped to supply the flash storage, and Texas Instruments the all-important power management technology.

Nokia N8 shipments begin, ushers in Symbian^3 era


Nokia's N8 is now shipping to those of you who pre-ordered. It may not be the device that'll make you leave your beloved BlackBerry, iPhone, or Android phone but Nokia's N8 with its significantly enhanced Symbian^3 OS is without a doubt the best you can do if you're one of the millions of Symbian users looking for a smartphone upgrade. Having said that, fans of cameraphones on any platform might be swayed by the N8's 12 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss lens, extra large image sensor, and HDMI out. Nokia says that availability will vary by country and operator and should be everywhere within the coming weeks.

Could We See BlackBerry Phones Running the PlayBook Tablet OS?


RIM's said we might just see phones running the PlayBook's QNX software over their BlackBerry OS in the future. Considering it's a true multitasker, and supports OpenGL ES 2.0 for awesome gaming potential, this is great news.

It could even be used as the next large step in the BlackBerry OS race—swapped in at the OS 7.0 stage, surprising everyone with its fresh new UI and multitasking.

Avex dropped JYJ because of SNSD?


On September 27th, a news article by Japan’s Asahi News, titled, “DBSK’s comeback potential“, speculated that Avex dropped promotional activities with JYJ because their contract with JYJ hindered Avex’s recruitment of other Korean stars. The article specified that Avex supported JYJ, but this caused a breakdown in relations between Avex and SM Entertainment to the point where the latter signed SNSD with Universal.

In summary, Aera, the author of the article, postulates that Avex split with JYJ as an act of submission to SM Entertainment and other Korean entertainment corporations.

Joey Yung gets a new lowest weight, skinniness is her selling point

Just yesterday, it was Joey Yung's 11th Anniversary since she entered the industry. For the good day, she announced the good news of adding more nights to her upcoming concert and that her latest EP (Airport) has reached platinum disc sales. 3 nights are added to her concert, making it a total of 8 nights. Joey expressed that if there is good response, then she wouldn't mind to add more, she can definitely handle it physically. Also EEG executive (Ng Yue) joked that Joey already married to Hong Kong Coliseum, so today they are celebrating the good news. Because Joey basically grew up in HK Coliseum, she laughed: "My mom hearing that I married to Hong Kong Coliseum, she'll be unhappy!"

Yesterday Joey seem to have gotten thinner again, she expressed that she's been working hard, currently only weighs 50kg (110 pounds) and that's her new low weight. However, she still hasn't started rehearsing for the concert yet, she believes that when the time comes she'll lose even more weight. Joey said that now she can see her cheeks have gotten thinner, her mom was so worried that she's making soup nonstop, afraid that she's too busy losing weight and not eating. Joey reveals that she'll be wearing sexy concert clothing this time. She expressed that her selling point is only her thin body shape and that she's happy to have thinner legs.

Earlier her Disfigured MV was accused to have frightened people? She felt that it's just to accommodate he atmosphere. At the same time, there also many praises, so this time it proves that every time something is done, it's hard to satisfy the whole world.

Stephen Chow trying to get Maggie Cheung to be in new Journey to the West film


Stephen Chow's 1995 A Chinese Odyssey (西遊記) film series have been greatly applauded and the "love you a thousand years" has become the golden classic line. Two years ago, it was rumored that Stephen will make another film based on the "Journey to the West" theme. Unfortunately, it that was only a rumor.

Until today, as the executive director of Bingo Group Limited, Stephen can finally start shooting the all new version (新大話西遊). Bingo Group will invest in the film production, and the film will premiere February 2011. Whether if Stephen will take part in the acting, it has not been confirmed, but it was said that he sees this film as a great importance, often looking for high class actors. In August, Stephen personally went to Beijing to ask popular international actress Maggie Cheung Man Yuk to take on the role as [Queen Mother of the West - "Wong Mo Leung Leung"]. Because Stephen showed so much sincerity and plus Maggie wants to do a comedy flick, so there is a high possibility that she'll be in it. Besides this film, Stephen also mentioned that he'll tailor a woman's film for Maggie with lots of room to develop, giving Maggie a chance to satisfy her 'acting addiction'.

From show choir saint to sultry seductress: Lea Michele shakes off her geeky Glee image with a semi-naked photo shoot

It's enough to make her alter ego run prudishly screaming back to the rehearsal room.

In what is probably her sexiest photo shoot to date, actress Lea Michele gazes seductively at the camera as she poses in nothing more than black pants and calf-high lace-up boots.


It's certainly a far cry from the knee-high socks, knitted motif jumpers and sensible shoes that have made her Glee character Rachel Berry a household name all over the world.

And as ironies go, Lea, 24, said life has imitated art for her by landing the role and she is actually a lot more like her character than some people would think.

The Broadway star stripped off down to her pants, hiding her modesty behind a black tutu as she teetered on lace-up high heeled boots for the sexy photo shoot for Marie Claire.

'I'm controversial. I'm a challenge': Naomi Campbell talks about her 25 years as a supermodel as she poses for a gory Saw-style photo shoot

It's definitely not the first time a man has fallen at Naomi Campbell's feet.

But most of them probably aren't sporting a ghostly white complexion and covered in blood and symbolic tattoos.

Clad in black leather, the supermodel posed for a gory, yet, some might say, kinky photo shoot, the male model appearing lifeless at her stilettoed heels.



And it looked like the 40-year-old Londoner had walked on to the set of a Saw film, the tiled walls and blood-stained floors reminiscent of the first instalment of the horror franchise.

Naomi posed for the photo shoot for Interview and a chat with New York art gallery owner Tony Shafrazi for the U.S. publication and spoke to him about her illustrious career on the catwalk.

Naomi was discovered while out shopping in London at the age of 15 and appeared on the cover of Elle the following year.

Google Phone Gallery Helps You Compare Android Devices



We've shown you how to pick an Android smartphone, but now Google's ready to help too. The company's new Google Phone Gallery is a showcase of available Android devices—complete with a comparison feature.

[Google Phone Gallery via GoogleMobile]

HTC Mondrian poses for press shots?


German site BestBoyZ has delivered a string of HTC leaks in recent weeks, and the latest is a fairly legit-looking handful of alleged press shots of the Mondrian. As a refresher, the Mondrian seems to be one of the many code and commercial names floating around for Windows Phone 7-based devices HTC is looking to ship at or very near to the platform's retail launch, a higher-end unit (possibly equipped with a 1.3GHz Snapdragon) that would probably hang in the same space as the rumored HD7 and Trophy. Interestingly, the shots -- which show a unit with a German ROM -- have HTC Hub listed on the home screen, despite some recent talk by CEO Peter Chou that his company's first-gen WinPho 7 products would lack serious software customization. Whether that's a good thing or a bad thing depends on how much you appreciate HTC's design team, we suppose.

B2ST reveals “SOOM” MV


Teasing fans left, right, and center this past week, Cube Entertainment has finally released the long-awaited gem of B2ST’s comeback, their “SOOM” MV.

With their brand new image and song, B2ST certainly hopes to grab your attention and leave you breathless. Stay tuned for their upcoming music show performances!

SHINee releases MV teaser & full audio single album “Hello”


SHINee has released a 30-second teaser for their repackaged album’s title song, “Hello“!

“Hello” is described as a modern pop song with a R&B twist. The teaser unveils the members of SHINee as romantics getting ready to confess their feelings to their crush. Viewers are noting how “Hello” is quite the contrast from “Lucifer“, as “Hello” shows the members in a more softer light.

Samsung Transform pictured in Sprint document, alongside Kyocera... err, Sanyo Zio?or press shots?


Well, dear reader, we've got a pair of minor revelations for you, assuming this picture is real. First, that mid-range Android slatephone the Kyocera Zio is headed to Sprint, with the familiar Sanyo branding. Second, and perhaps more importantly, the elusive Samsung Transform has finally shown its face. Since that mug looks just like the Epic 4G, however, you can color us a bit confused -- Sprint's the only carrier without a keyboard-less Galaxy S, so that might make sense, but then why would they call it the Transform? As far as we can tell, it hasn't been tested for WiMAX, so perhaps it's an Epic without the 4G, plus a new form factor of some sort? Odds are we'll find out soon, given the company it's keeping: that BlackBerry Curve 3G 9330 got shipped off to Sprint just this last week.

"Mechanical arm" Leehom signs ten thousand albums at autographing event

Leehom Wang was holding an autographing and concert event at Beijing on the 28th for his latest album, "18 Martial Arts", attracting ten thousand fans. He was signing albums from 7pm all the way till 1am; He indeed broke his personal best by signing ten thousand albums in six hours. He laughed, “I’ve signed so much that my arm has become like a robot’s (mechanical) arm. (It) feels like it’s going to be dislocated soon.” It has been two years since Leehom has held an autographing session in Beijing, thus, many fans from all parts of Mainland China went to support the singer. Some fans even waited for one day and night. The mechanical arm man was so touched that he extended the original two-hour signing session and insisted on signing until the very last album! He didn’t even go to the washroom in order to save time – which is truly incredible.

Interestingly, Leehom has recently fallen in love with telling “cold” (lame) jokes that are not very funny, so his fans have started calling him, “王囧囧” (Wang Jiong Jiong, the character depicts a face of sadness / helplessness / embarrassment). He felt that it was pretty neat and even signed the albums with the character “囧”.

Leehom will be returning to Taiwan on Saturday to continue his autographing and concert events.

Lindsay Lohan's Brother: My Sister Was 'Surrounded by Leeches'

Michael Lohan Jr. isn't making excuses for his troubled sibling, Lindsay Lohan, but offers his unconditional love and understanding.

"I think that in the past, her vision had been blurred," Michael, 22, tells PEOPLE in an exclusive statement of his sister, who voluntarily entered a rehab facility this week.

While admitting that his sister has made bad choices, Michael also says Lindsay's recovery has been hampered by her social circle.

"People she was surrounded by – enablers, leeches, whatever you'd like to call it – made things very difficult," he says. "It's quite strenuous to right your wrongs when the people around you help justify your actions. Therefore, cloudy judgment made it easy for her to neglect those trying to guide her."

Earlier this month, Lindsay, 24, Tweeted that she's "working hard to overcome" substance abuse problems, which are tough to overcome.

Listen Miley Cyrus's new single "See You in Another Life"

For the second time in a couple weeks, a new Miley Cyrus single has leaked online. Well, an old Miley Cyrus single, really.

First, we played "Giving You Up" for readers, a song recorded for the 2008 album "Breakout," but one that never made it on to the CD.



Now, we're excited to presented "See You in Another Life," a tune that suffered the same fate. Did it deserve a spot on that album? Should Miley make a music video for it? Listen and sound off now.

How to Pick an Android Smartphone - September 2010


The last few months have been phenomenal for Android fans, with Samsung's Galaxy line hitting all four carriers and Verizon getting a few, new, better Droids for their customers. But which should you pick? It's actually an easy decision.

Kristen Chills in L.A. Heat, While Rob Flies Home

While Robert Pattinson made his way back from London to LAX last night, Kristen Stewart may have already been back in Los Angeles braving the heat like only a real cool chick could do.

After finishing up duties for On the Road in Arizona, K.Stew was spotted at Peet's Coffee yesterday in Studio City by a reliable star-hanger who "swears" it was the fab chick. K-doll wore a black tee, black jeans, flip flops, no makeup and no sunglasses.

God love this girl! No shades? Hollywood take note, this is the real attitude of a star:

Our spy was standing behind the tiny babe in line where she ordered a large ice tea to go by herself. As soon as our source got to the counter he looked at the dude behind it and said, "You know who that was, don't you?"

"Who?" replied the guy who took Stewart's order.

"The girl from Twilight."

"I don't go for that vampire crap," said the guy, rather matter-of-factly.

In fact we're told "no one" recognized Kristen, or at least, no one went up and harassed her.

Too funny!

Sprint to release Epic 4G software update tomorrow to address data speed issues


According to an administrator on Sprint’s official forums, the company will be releasing a software update for the Epic 4G to address issues with data speeds being capped. The thread, titled “3G Upload Capped,” has well over 500 replies. The administrator’s response is as follows:

Good news – an update will be released tomorrow 9/30. It will be rolled out over a 4 day period so not everyone will get it on day 1.

I will have the standard MR information (fixes included, rollout schedule, etc) available tomorrow morning and will post it in a new featured thread.

Hopefully this will squash he data speed issue that Epic 4G users have been reporting.

Tohoshinki / TVXQ takes over the Oricon DVD Charts


The boys of TVXQ / Tohoshinki haven’t released anything in Japan as a group for some time but their popularity in the land of the rising sun is still very high. This was very apparent on the release of today’s Oricon DVD rankings.

Today’s Oricon DVD ranking show that TVXQ has 6 DVD’s placed in the top 10! DVD’s dating as far back as 2006 were on the list along with their newest DVD release, “TOHOSHINKI History in JAPAN SPECIAL”.

New 'Harry Potter' posters aren't playing around


I don’t know if I’ve ever been as invested in a movie as I am Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I. I’ve already teared up reading about the cast talking about how it looks like a war film with the massive destruction done to Hogwarts. The new posters, featuring Harry, Hermione, and Ron on the run with their wands drawn and the tagline “Nowhere is safe,” preys upon that intense reaction (which was echoed by more than one reader). They’re dirty and bruised and looking over their shoulders in a way no teen should ever have to. We’ve built such a relationship with those characters over seven thick books and six films that I almost feel like this will be a new 3-D experience. An emotional one. We’ll have the urge to reach out to help them — or run. Check out Harry’s and Ron’s posters below. Effective marketing?

Samsung Omnia 7 Packs Windows Phone 7, Poses for Photo

By now, Samsung’s early devotion to Microsoft’s upcoming mobile Operating System, Windows Phone 7, is pretty apparent. This time around, we’ve got the Omnia 7 posing for a photo, showcasing the calendar view within Windows Phone 7. Unfortunately, there’s not a lot of information on the device in question, and there are some people who believe that it could be the Samsung GT-i8700 that recently broke cover, posing for another round of photos.



However, upon closer inspection of this device, reportedly known as the Omnia 7 (the Omnia series is only at “2″ at the moment, but it looks like Samsung is making an exception for the launch of WP7), looks a bit different than the i8700 that broke cover not too long ago. This new device has a curved top, and the display seems to be wider than the one we saw on the i8700. The buttons below the display, the Windows key, Back, and Search are the same, but considering the rules set in place by Microsoft, that’s no surprise.

Lindsay Lohan Not Out of Porn-Star Biz Yet


Despite all her recent troubles, Lindsay Lohan's Inferno gig is not going up in flames.

Matthew Wilder, the director for the Linda Lovelace biopic, tells E! News that while he was "furious" upon hearing that his star had relapsed, he has no intention of bringing someone else in to play the late adult film actress.

"We are not replacing her," Wilder insists.

In fact, he has already made arrangements to accommodate Lohan…

Mariah Carey's Diva Heels Land Her in a Wheelchair

Mariah Carey's tumble on stage seems to have taken a toll.

The singer, 40, who fell while performing Sunday at a concert in Singapore, was spotted rolling through Los Angeles International Airport in a wheelchair after arriving back in the States.

"Mariah twisted her ankle in Singapore and should have packed more sensible shoes, but she doesn't have any," her rep, Cindi Berger, tells E! News about why the pop singer wasn't walking. "I'm sending her a pair of flats today."

Carey also managed to laugh off the fall.

"TY SO much to my fans in Singapore!!! Yeah, several hectic moments, (lol!) but I tried to swirl them into festive!" she Tweeted that same day.

What Does Madonna Look Like Unretouched?


Security is seriously lacking over at Dolce & Gabbana headquarters.

For the umpteenth time, another set of unretouched photos from the brand's spring/summer ad campaign with Madonna was leaked online.

And it's not pretty...

Seal & Heidi Klum Naked For “Secret” Music VIDEO


Impossibly hot parents Seal and Heidi Klum decided to remind the world of their intense photogenic power recently – by getting nude and touchy-feely for Seal’s latest music video, “Secret.”

The pair have been married since 2005 and have three kids together – with Seal also playing dad to Heidi’s daughter from a previous relationship.

The new promo, released on Wednesday, sees the pair frolic in bed to produce a steamy love scene.

“Big Bang Theory” Co-Stars Kaley Cuoco Johnny Galecki Secretly Dated

Who would have thunk that the stars of one of Thursday night’s most-watched comedies were once secret lovers? Kaley Cuoco has stunned celeb gawkers by revealing that she and her Big Bang Theory co-star Johnny Galecki secretly dated for two years before calling time on their romance “around the holidays.”


The TV stars fell in love when they started shooting the hit comedy and managed to keep the romance under wraps by never going out in public together, Cuoco tells Watch Magazine’s October issue.

“It was such a huge part of my life and no one knew about it. It was a wonderful relationship but we never spoke a word about it and never went anywhere together. We were so protective of ourselves and the show and didn’t want anything to ruin that. But that also made it sad, too. That’s not the kind of relationship I want — I don’t want to be hiding.”

Jen Aniston Rejected by Cougar Town's Josh Hopkins

Jennifer Aniston wanted to take it to the next level -- but actor Josh Hopkins didn't!

A source tells the new Us Weekly (out now) that Aniston, 41, and the Cougar Town star, 40, began casually dating in May after meeting through Courteney Cox, her BFF and his costar on the ABC comedy. Before long, Aniston "wanted a relationship. And he was like, 'No, thank you,'" the source says.

Hopkins is "a player and is into meeting younger girls," the insider adds. "He definitely lies to girls."

The actor (who romances Cox on the series) even has a raunchy nickname for Aniston, with whom he was spotted sharing a flirty meal at West Hollywood's Madeo Sept. 2. "Josh calls Jennifer his 'sport f--k,'" a Hopkins pal tells Us, adding that the duo were simply "friends with benefits."

Hopkins has been careful to publicly deny a romance with Brad Pitt's ex-wife. Asked about his dinner at Madeo with Aniston, he told Us, "We were just friends having dinner." (That talked-about meal turned out to be their "final date," the source adds.)

Aniston, who famously dated John Mayer, isn't crying.

She "likes her life the way it is," a source tells Us. Her type? "Really good-looking a--holes."

HP PalmPad confirmed, will be out early next year and run WebOS

HP clearly wants to be a big player in the tablet space that was remodeled by the Apple iPad. They’ve said as much with every opportunity they got. They bought Palm primarily for WebOS, their mobile operating system. HP’s intentions for WebOS have been pretty clear since then: some smartphones, but mostly tablets and even other devices (WebOS printers?).


Rumor had it that HP’s WebOS-powered tablet would come out sometime next year, and may be called PalmPad.

Both of those things have now been confirmed by none other than Todd Bradley, HP’s personal device division chief.

The PalmPad will be available in stores early next year.

Bradley wants HP to hold 17% of the tablet market by 2013 and has said that he expects said market to grow to about $40 billion “in a few years”. Clearly, HP saw that there’s money to be made there.

Apple TV review (2010)


You've been waiting, and it's finally here: the Apple TV review. Months before Steve Jobs announced the new set top box at Apple's annual fall event, we had been reporting on news that the company would strike out again into the TV market, offering a small, low-cost box that had more in common with the iPhone than the iMac. When those rumors came to fruition, we were presented with the completely revamped Apple TV -- a tiny black puck of a device priced at a staggering $99, and centered around a handful of completely new ideas (for the folks in Cupertino at least) about getting content onto your TV screen. The first is a new rental system which allows you to nab brand new TV shows at $0.99 a rental, and HD movies for $4.99 a go (or $3.99 for older titles). And that includes new releases the same day DVDs hit shelves (or Netflix distribution centers). Speaking of Netflix, the new Apple TV also features the rental service's "Watch Instantly" as a wholly integrated component of its offerings, alongside a new function the company calls AirPlay which will allow you to "push" video and audio content from your iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch with the tap of a button. On top of that, the new ATV streamlines sharing from your home computers or laptops, making getting content you own onto your TV dead simple. So, has Apple finally solved the "second box" problem, or are they still struggling to turn this hobby into a real business? Follow along after the break for those answers (and more) in our full review of the Apple TV!

Wu Chun to star in “Absolute Boyfriend” remake with Goo Hye Sun?


Over a year ago, netizens were tricked by fake news originating from a Chinese online discussion board regarding a Taiwanese remake of “Absolute Boyfriend”, where the rumor spread the news that it would star Fahrenheit’s boy band member Wu Chun and Taiwanese singer Jolin Tsai. This false report came shortly after the success of the Japanese live-action drama of the same name, which was itself based on the manga of the same name. Fast forward to now, and news is circulating once again that Taiwanese broadcast station GTV will remake the hugely popular Japanese drama. The male lead attached to this Taiwanese remake? None other than Wu Chun himself.

News of a Taiwanese remake appear to be more substantiated this time around, as Taiwanese media and not bored netizens from a Chinese discussion board are reporting this news. Unlike previous false reports that imaginatively paired up Wu Chun with Jolin, the supposed remake will instead pair the Fahrenheit stud with Korean actress Goo Hye Sun of Korean drama “Boys Over Flowers” fame.

Zac Brown Band Bows At No. 1 on Billboard 200


Zac Brown Band nets its first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 chart, as "You Get What You Give" bows atop the list with 153,000 sold, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The country act's major label debut, "The Foundation," peaked at No. 9 in May.

"Give" also grants Zac Brown Band its best sales week, previously earned when "Foundation" shifted 62,000 over Christmas in 2009.

Maroon 5's third studio set, "Hands All Over," enters in the runner-up slot with 142,000. The band's last effort, 2007's "It Won't Be Soon Before Long," debuted at No. 1 with 429,000 in its first week. "Hands" is Maroon 5's third top 10 set following "Won't" and its premiere effort, 2003's "Songs About Jane," which reached No. 6.

Xbox LIVE Preview goes, well, LIVE

Microsoft’s Xbox LIVE Preview has gone live, with “tens of thousands” of Xbox 360 owners getting early access today to the functionality the company expects to roll out generally later in the fall. Among the changes are the promise of 3,500 live and on-demand sporting events per year, voice chat for groups of up to eight people during ESPN games, Zune Pass music streaming for users in the US, UK, France, Italy and Spain, and Netflix for Canadian LIVE users.



There’s also a refreshed Xbox LIVE dashboard and updated Xbox LIVE Family Settings. However, once Kinect units start arriving, owners will be able to use them to navigate ESPN, Zune, Sky Player, and Last.fm on Xbox LIVE using voice and gestures, and Video Kinect will integrate with Windows Live Messenger.

Unfortunately, if you didn’t get your name down it doesn’t look like you’ll have a chance to try out the updated Xbox LIVE. According to spokesperson Major Nelson, Microsoft is no longer accepting sign-ups.

Steve Ballmer: Kin 'defocused activity from Windows Phone'


Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has been willing to admit some of the company's missteps in the past, and he's just done so again in addressing the now infamous Kin. Speaking with The Seattle Times, Ballmer said that the "No. 1 message from Kin is a message of focus," and that ultimately, "it just defocused activity from Windows Phone." Not exactly a huge surprise by any means, but it's still pretty notable to hear straight from the top, especially considering how much it cost Microsoft to learn that message. As for the rest of the interview, Ballmer didn't make a ton of news, but he did say that we'll be seeing additional Windows 7 tablet form factors starting this Christmas, and he revealed that he does in fact have a Facebook page, but he won't say which of the many Steve Ballmer pages is the real one. Hit up the source link below to read the whole thing.

First Look: Jennifer Lopez Behind the American Idol Judging Table!

Looks like Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler are settling into their American Idol judging seats quite nicely.

Auditions kicked off Tuesday in New Jersey.


On his Twitter page, executive producer Nigel Lythgoe posted a photo of the two new judges -- along with returning judge Randy Jackson.

"It's great to be back on American Idol," he wrote. "The judges were great."

When she announced her new gig earlier this month, the 40-year-old Lopez -- who is earning a cool $12 million -- said: "I'm looking for the next Michael Jackson."

Said Tyler, 62: "We're sure going to send some people home with broken hearts. But with all that we've been through in our careers, living vicariously through the young talent out there, it's going to be hard. But it's also going to be fun, because they're stepping up to the plate, and so are we."

The 10th season debuts in January.

First Look: Emily Deschanel and David Hornsby's Wedding Photo

It's their wedded bliss, caught on camera.

After becoming man and wife in a quiet evening ceremony Saturday, actress Emily Deschanel and writer-actor David Hornsby mingled with family and friends, including her Bones costar David Boreanaz, at their wedding in the Pacific Palisades.

The bride is wearing 10-carat diamond drop earrings and two platinum-and-diamond scroll hairpins by Neil Lane.

Google makes Gmail threading a choice


Google is addressing one of the biggest complaints new Gmail users have about the service: it's giving users a way to turn off threaded messages.

The company plans to start letting users toggle between Gmail's threaded "conversation" view--which groups messages with the same subject in the in-box--and an old-school in-box style in which incoming e-mails are displayed in the order they were received. The option will be provided to both regular Gmail users and corporate Google Apps users, the company plans to announce today.

Facebook, Skype planning deep integration

You didn't think Facebook would integrate with Google Voice, did you?

Actually, according to sources close to the situation, Facebook and Skype are poised to announce a significant and wide-ranging partnership that will include integration of SMS, voice chat, and Facebook Connect.


The move by the pair--which have tested small contact importer integrations before--is a natural one for the social-networking giant, which is aiming to be the central communications and messaging platform for its users, across a range of media.

Facebook's goal, according to sources: to mesh communications and community more tightly together and add more tools to allow people to do so.

Since it was not going to create an Internet telephony service of its own--kind of like not creating a mobile operating system--Facebook has apparently turned to the Web's Internet telephony leader.

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