When all the work for the day is done and I have nothing else better to do, what I do to amuse myself sometimes is travel through the blogosphere. That seems to be a common pastime for bloggers and non-bloggers alike nowadays, and after some time, I have come to call some of the blogs out there as my favorites. I go visit them on a regular basis.

Among the blogs that I consider to be my current favorites are:

TechCrunch. It is hardly surprising that I list this as one of my favorite blogs, given my bent for gadgets, technology stuff and just about anything related to the Internet. According to the blog’s profile itself, TechCrunch is a weblog dedicated to obsessively profiling and reviewing new Internet products and companies. They also post profiles of companies that are making a significant cultural and/or commercial impact on the Internet. TechCrunch is considered by Technorati, CNet, CBS and many other news organizations to be one of the most important blogs existing in cyberspace.

The blog is edited by Michael Arrington, whose background is in corporate law and who is also the author of the TechCrunch companion blog, CrunchNotes. Forbes Magazine and PC World, to mention a few, have named Mr. Arrington among the most important people on the Internet today.

Mashable. Mashable touts itself to be the largest blog on the Internet that is focused solely on anything that has to do with social networking. They claim that they register approximately 4.5 million page views every month. Anything that has to do with the popular social networking websites, particularly MySpace, Facebook, Xanga and YouTube, are covered by Mashable. Mashable also has community pages where members can interact with each other as well as post photos and videos. Members can also avail of free codes that they can use on their blogs and social networking accounts.

Aside from fresh news on the world of social networking that are updated regularely, Mashable also provides tools, resources and consulting services for anything concerning social networking and related software, the new media, blogging, podcasting and other relevant technologies in partnership with Advantage Consulting Services, Inc.

The Museum of Modern Betas (MoMB). This is basic vocabulary for any geek and techie, but not all laymen would know that beta in techspeak refers to a version of an application, website or gadget. As Wikipedia defines it: A beta version is the first version released outside the organization or community that develops the software, for the purpose of evaluation or real-world black/grey-box testing.

The Museum of Modern Betas is a photo-blog that lists websites and applications based on the Internet that are currently in the beta stages. MoMB also tracks the progress of these websites and applications until they graduate from and move beyond the beta stage. Ironically, the author of the blog claims that MoMB itself is in its alpha stages (meaning that it is still in its earliest stages of development), and he still has a lot of work to do on the blog.

Any self-confessed geek or gadget freak who is worth his salt will not bother denying that he is always on the lookout for new toys to play with. I am a gadget freak myself, and I admit that there are some new devices out there that I certainly would like to lay my hands on, if only to look cool. So count on me to spot some new items online and covet them if they look snazzy enough.

Here are a few stuff that I found neat while browsing Engadget.com:

• Gibson external storage. If you thought Gibson only sold guitars that are often found cradled, caressed and alternately bashed by rock stars and pop stars alike, think again. Early this year, they have launched their own USB 2.0 line of flash drives, aptly named Gibson Signature Series Les Paul. It has a capacity of 1GB and looks like a 1959 Les Paul Standard. Neat, huh? That does not stop there, though. Gibson also released a 500GB external HD with a Gibson logo on its side that glows quite nicely.
• Keyspan’s newly revamped TuneView remote. I love my music and I love it playing on my PC. But I sure as heck hate having to run to my PC just to adjust the volume or to tweak my playlist. Thankfully, the people at Keyspan probably got just as frustrated with the whole deal and came up with the TuneView remote. This baby can let you play with your PC or iPod within a 150-foot range and can be used with both the PC and the Mac.
• ASKA’s HD32F PCMCIA hard drive. We all need a good external hard drive to for us to tote along our files without any hassles whenever we need to go mobile. Some people may be wary about using PCMCIA slots, but they can still be handy if you give them a chance. ASKA released a pretty external hard drive that comes in either 20GB or 40GB that comes with a USB adaptor for those who really do not like PCMCIA slots. There is a catch, though: you have to order this gadget from Japan.
• Logitech’s Wave keyboard. You have got to admit that curves are always delicious, and the curves of Logitech’s newest Wave keyboard are indeed delectable. This keyboard comes in both the corded and the cordless variety, and it can be used with both the PC and the Mac. Another thing that makes this Wave keyboard special is that cushioned palm rest that lets your fingers pound the keyboard in full comfort. The keyboard also comes with a neat set of hotkeys that will allow loading of applications with a single press.
• The new iMac keyboard. No one is really sure if it is the real deal, but hey, if it exists or if it is a forthcoming product of Apple, I want it. I just love my gadgets as slim as they can get, and that new iMac keyboard is as slim as they come.

Not everyone feels this way of course, but somehow, all news about the newest cell phones in the market have been overshadowed by the long-awaited release of the Apple iPhone and the rumors of the iPhone Nano. But then again, someone is bound to hate the iPhone and if that someone is looking for a new phone, he will be checking out other models.

Here are the latest upcoming offerings in the cell phone market today.

• Samsung SGH-A117. Small and lightweight, this new clamshell phone from Samsung is very simple in design and pretty easy to use. It has all the features that you can expect from a phone of its kind, with its external display, WAP browser and speakerphone. It is not that fancy, however, and it does not even have a camera or EDGE. So if you are looking for a phone that is jam packed with features, this may not be the best phone for you.
• Sony Ericsson K850. Coming out by the fourth quarter of this year is Sony Ericsson K850. If you loved the look and feel of this model’s predecessor, which is the SE K800, as well as the SE W810, you might grow to love this one. The SE K850 will be sporting HSDPA 3G, a touch strip at the bottom of the display and an orientation sensor. (An influence of the iPhone, perhaps?) Sony Ericsson also added a 5-megapixel auto-focus camera on this gadget, with a xenon flash and image stabilization.
• Nokia E90. The Nokia E90 is a Communicator that has lost weight and became sexier and running on an S60 platform. The latest generation in Nokia’s 9000 series has upgraded and updated the features it has inherited from its grandparents, with a few new extra features like GPS location, voice dialing and a 3-megapixel auto-focus camera. It also includes WiFi and an FM radio. You can grab one of these beauties now, as it has been available in the market since February 2007.
• Sanyo Katana DLX. The latest flip phone from Sanyo is an installment in its Katana series. Thin, lightweight and fits snugly in the hand, this model has retained what is good in the 8400 model of this series and adding a few updates like stereo Bluetooth, an internal antenna and a bigger outer display. The interface is customizable and you can play with it to your heart’s content. If you are looking for a flashy design, however, you may find the Sanyo Katana DLX a tad drab and boring.
• Motorola RAZR2 V9. This phone is not out yet, but from all reports, it promises to be a slim and sexy baby, as to be expected from the RAZR series, and so we are looking forward to its release. It has all the cool stuff that you would want from a phone, like video calling, a 2-megapixel camera, stereo Bluetooth connectivity, an Opera browser, and all that good stuff. When is this phone coming out, we have yet to know.

Are you looking to buy a new digital camera, or perhaps to replace your old one? If you are, then here are some exciting new cameras out in the market today that you may want to check out.

• Canon Powershot S5is. Because of the big zoom capability of its Powershot S series, Canon remains in stiff competition with the likes of Sony and Panasonic. The Canon Powershot S5is is a welcome upgrade to its predecessors, and while the changes in design between S5is and S3is is only very minimal, the S5is is definitely more powerful and functional. Besides the higher resolution sensor and the larger LCD screen, the S5is also boasts of new features, such as the hot shoe flash connector, the red eye removal tool and face detection.
• Canon Powershot A460. The A460 is not exactly a new release, but it is still quite a fresh choice. It is slim and compact and fits easily in your pocket, suitable for mobility, especially for traveling. Its features are simple enough for the use of a person uninitiated into photography, and yet interesting enough so as not to insult a pro photographer. The A460 sports a 5 megapixel sensor, a 4x optical zoom, both automatic and manual modes and a 2.0 inch LCD. Not bad at all. Most of all, at less than US$150, it is quite cheap.
• Casio Exilim Z1050. If you are looking for really compact digital cameras that do not sacrifice usability for size and style, get yourself a Casio Exilim Z1050. Ultra-compact and stylishness are the two major trait that the Exilim series is known for, and just like its predecessors, the Z1050 abides by the set standard. And yet, you will not go wrong with its 10.1 megapixel sensor, 4x digital zoom and 2.6 LCD screen. It is highly suggested, however, that you buy an external storage for this baby, as it only has a 15 MB memory.
• Olympus Stylus 550UZ. Photographers who are fond of taking long shots without losing in detail will love the Olympus Stylus 550UZ. Its 18X optical zoom super telephoto lens is currently the highest optical zoom in the market today. Another feature of the Stylus 550UZ that you might love is the built-in sensor shift and digital image stabilizer that keeps your shots ordered. Also, because it has ISO settings up to 5000, it is great for fast and moving shots.
• Sony Cybershot DSC H9. The Sony Cybershot DSC H9 is a welcome upgrade in its series. It is also quite interesting, as it compares to Olympus Stylus 550UZ in the utilization of super telephoto lenses. The lens on the DSC H9 is 15X optical zoom, just a little short of the Stylus 550UZ. What is more interesting is this added feature called the Night Shot mode, an infrared mode that is a staple on camcorders, which allows shots to be taken in complete darkness. The DSC H9 seems a promising new toy for photographers to play with.

In a previous post, we told you the reasons why we love our iPhone. To recap, the iPhone’s display is mouthwatering eye candy with its sharp rendering of graphics. The touch screen is sensitive and nearly all commands can be made with just a touch of the fingertips. And of course, the iPod functions of the iPhone are simply awesome. These are the reasons why we love our iPhone.

Now, here are the reasons why we hate the iPhone.

1. Making phone calls on the iPhone is way too complicated. You press the power switch, swipe a finger across the screen to unlock it, go to the phone menu and then find the contact number of the person you want to call in your favorites folder. If you have the misfortune of not adding the number in your favorites folder, finding the said number in the address book just adds more clicks to the already complicated process.
2. The iPhone does not have a voice dialing feature. Woe to you if you have become used to dialing without using your fingers, just speaking out the name of the person you are calling and expecting your phone to simply dial the number in response.
3. The quality of the calls made on the iPhone is simply horrible. Many times it is nearly impossible to connect to another person who is not using an iPhone. Instead, what you get is a drop call. If your call does connect, the transmission is garbled and full of static. The thing does have a speakerphone, but the speakerphone is too muffled. If you want a headset for your iPhone, take note that the outlet is far too recessed and some headsets need adaptors.
4. Customization is very limited. Sure, you can assign icons to the people on your contact list, but you can only choose a ringtone among the 25 built-in tunes in your iPhone. If you think you can assign an mp3 track as a ringtone, download a ringtone or compose your own ringtone on your iPhone, think again. You can’t.
5. For now, the iPhone is exclusive to AT&T subscribers only, and the subscription contract lasts for two years. The SIM card can be removed from the iPhone itself, but it cannot be used on another phone unit. Woe to you if you are the type of person who has different phones and loves changing phones to match your outfit and whatnot.
6. The iPhone is a quad-band phone, which means it can be used anywhere in the world. However, this is an almost useless fact, given that the iPhone is exclusive for now to AT&T subscribers and the roaming fees of AT&T are prohibitive.
7. The camera installed on the iPhone is a 2 megapixel thing, capable of taking clear and sharp images, but it has absolutely no controls. Just point it and click.
8. The iPhone cannot shoot videos. A disappointment for those who want to pretend they are film directors.

In summary, the iPhone at this point is nothing more than an iPod smacked with a phone. As an iPod, it is an awesome gadget. But as a phone, it leaves a lot to be desired.

So, after all the media hype and all that feverish frenzy that Steve Jobs’ announcement early this year put the blogosphere in, we finally get a taste of what the iPhone is really like. Nay, we now get to have more than just a taste of the iPhone; we can swallow it, digest it, and savor or puke it as we please. We got reports that the iPhone is an instant hit on its first day. People actually lined up at the Apple store on the iPhone’s date of release, and on the first day alone, Apple sold nearly 700,000 units.

Is the iPhone all it was hyped out to be? The answer is both a yes and a no. There are a number of things about the iPhone that makes it so lovable, but there are also one or two (big) things that we hate about it. Let us go for the good stuff first.

We all know how Apple revolutionized the music scene with its now ubiquitous iPod. The iPod in the iPhone is the biggest reason why we love the iPhone so much. Even with its disappointingly low capacity of either 4 gigabytes or 8 gigabytes, the iPhone delivers with its multimedia capabilities. You can certainly have everything you enjoyed with your iPod on your iPhone. The iPhone also allows you to relive the visual experience of physically browsing through your CDs as you shuffle through the tracks stored in your iPhone.

The iPhone’s display is also absolutely gorgeous. Without a doubt, the 3.5-inch, 480 x 320 pixel display panel that the iPhone sports is true eye candy. Apple packed 160 dpi in that display panel to make sure that the images and graphics come out sharp and detailed. Even more gorgeous is the fact that it is a touch screen phone, with all the commands possible at a mere touch of the fingertips. The display panel is glass, though, so you should get used to wiping facial oil and smudges with the accompanying chamois cloth.

A strong trait of the iPhone is its intuitiveness. There is an undeniable interconnectivity of its phone functions, its email and Internet capabilities, its Google maps, and the multimedia capacity of the iPod in the iPhone. It is just awesome how the iPhone fades out the music that you are playing if ever you receive a call. The music remains paused as you choose whether or not to take the call, and then resumes the music playing at the exact point where it is paused. The same goes for video playback.

The Safari browser installed in the iPhone is the best mobile browser found in smartphones at the level of the iPhone as yet. It can easily display web pages in HTML, although it is not capable of Java and other plugins. Whenever you turn on its Internet function, the iPhone automatically searches for Internet hotspots.

So, that is what we love about the iPhone, the fact that it is an iPod jammed with other functions. We will tell you later why we hate the iPhone.

Well, no. Not really. There is no way that the Internet could eat my lunch. All that it could eat, in my thinking, is my time.

And golly gee, there are just so many time wasters on the Internet. Hours and hours of idling on what could be pointless entertainment is truly guaranteed. It is impossible to be bored while you are online, if only you knew where to look.

Never fear then. If you do not know where to look, here are a few of the best time wasters ever developed on the Internet that you can certainly try out. Just do not say that the Internet ate your lunch when it can only eat your time.

• Sudoku. If you cannot have enough of that numbers game thing, you will certainly love Number Logic. They have loads and loads of Sudoku puzzles that you can ponder over to your heart’s content, either alone or with other registered members.
• Kittens. Feeling down and out? Did the boss just chew you up and spit you out for wasting time? Just go to Cute Overload and let the pictures of cuddly kittens cheer you up. Be prepared to puke if you cannot stomach too much cuteness.
• Shockwave games. Ah, bliss, your name is Shockwave. Lots and lots of games to play or be frustrated at in this website. You can go solo or multiplayer in this website. Just don’t let the boss catch you playing.
• Painting. Fancy yourself to be a genius abstract expressionist in hiding? Or do you just feel like going vandal and splash virtual paint on a virtual canvas? Unleash your hidden artistic talent in the Jackson Pollock website.
• Gadgets. If there ever is heaven for geeks and nerds, its location could only be shared by Gizmodo and Engadget. True techies get to compare notes with the coolest gadgets blogged there, while techie wannabes get to salivate.
• Movie trailers. Raring to know what shall be the next hot blockbuster to hit the theaters soon? Do you need to know which movie you should take your girlfriend two Fridays from now? Find out all about it in Comingsoon.net. You get to watch the trailers too.
• Random browsing. Do you feel like putting your point-and-click skills to the test? Do you want to just pointlessly wander through cyberspace for a few hours? Visit Stumble Upon and stumble through completely random websites.
• Hollywood stars, Japanese ads. It is a known fact, a fact so blatantly dramatized in Lost in Translation, that Hollywood stars, even the A-list ones, fly to Japan to lend their images to various ads. Watch them all here in Japander.
• Solitaire. Nothing beats the classic time waster, the greatest of them all. And of course I am talking about Solitaire. In Solitaire Craving, indulge your craving to your heart’s content.

These are probably the best time wasters that the Internet has to offer… so far. Just do not do any of them when the boss is watching you.

Lists – we either love them or hate them. Housewives who fancy themselves as careful shoppers adore pouring over grocery lists, while some just do not bother. Many efficiency gurus advocate the creation of to-do lists, but for some people, to-do lists just do not work. Many people simply enjoy lists while others find it boring as hell.

Top lists, however, can hardly be called boring. Not only do they pique your interest, but they also make you have this “Huh?” moment. It is funny how some stuff we do not really pay much attention to actually ends up in someone’s best list, and there is no doubt that you have probably agreed to or riled at someone’s worst list.

Here are the ten top lists on the Internet that we find quite interesting.

1. The 2006 Engadget Awards. Engadget has always been the Mecca of technophiles, and to read through their list of the previous year’s best gadgets is like going over a must-have list. We still want our Wii’s.
2. Tech Digest’s top 10 retro gadgets. Having (or coveting) the latest in technology does not have to be a sacrifice of style. Tech Digest’s list of top ten retro gadgets tells us just how Grandma can appreciate the iPod.
3. Luxist’s list of most expensive phones. A cellphone that costs US$1.3 million? Get out of here! No… there really is one? Casing made out of solid platinum and navigation keys of 18K rose gold? With 25 carat blue and white diamonds? Uh, okay.
4. Playlist’s best iPod accessories. How much do you love your iPod? How much time and resources do you devote on your iPod? Go and read up this list to see if you are doing your iPod loving right.
5. Worthplaying’s top games of 2006. Gears of War snagged the top spot on their list, but the rest that made it are quite impressive as well. Check out this list and load these games on your PC or console of choice.
6. MacWorld’s game hall of fame. Hey, whoever said that Mac computers totally suck for gamers? The cool games do not always have to be PC games. Mac has its share of goodies too.
7. Toy Safety’s worst toys list. Just because it is marketed as a kid’s toy does not mean it is safe. Before giving your kid or your baby sister/brother any toy, better check this list out first.
8. Time Magazine’s 25 top ten list. It covers just about everything you need to know, from Hollywood to Bollywood, politics, videogames, scandals, breakups, make-ups, podcasts, DVD releases, movies, games, et cetera, et cetera.
9. Art Fag City’s worst of the web. The bad, the mad and the just plain “Huh?” that happened last year in cyberspace. Feel like wasting time in unproductive ways? Go ahead and visit the websites on their list.
10. The Fimoculous list. This is the motherlode of all lists. If you want to drown in lists, this is the only place where you should go. Enough said.

This is not exactly top ten material but if you want to have a good bash at the worst of humanity, visit The Beast’s list of most loathsome people in America for 2006.

Apparently, the blogosphere is full of rumors lately about Apple’s top secret plan of launching a new line of iPhones by the fourth quarter of this year. These new iPhones will supposedly be a lower-end and less expensive line, smaller and possessing of a circular touchpad control that is so alike Apple’s other bestselling gadget, the iPod Nano. And so the new iPhones were dubbed iPhone Nano.

Is this rumor about the so-called iPhone Nano Apple’s next, top-secret move to dominate the market that has been leaked so precipitously? Or is this rumor just a load of balderdash?

The source of this rumor, according to this Reuters report, is an analyst from JP Morgan in Taiwan named Kevin Chang. He said that he heard people on the supply channel of Apple talking about their company being busy with building on this new project, supposedly a side development from the iPhone. Chang also stated that according to these people, the project is scheduled for release late this year. Moreover, according to Chang, there is a patent application filed by Apple at the U.S. Patent and Trademark office for such a device.

If this rumor is true, then Apple will be making an entire sector of the population of gadget freaks jumping for joy. But on the other hand, Apple’s competitors in the market, namely the longtime players in the cellphone market such as Nokia, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, and Motorola, will be very, very unhappy. The iPod took the music world by storm and the iPhone is promising to do just as well, with around 700,000 units sold right on the first day of its release alone. And now, here comes the iPhone Nano. The cellphone giants ought to be shaking on their knees right now.

That is, the cellphone giants ought to be shaking on their knees right now if the rumors are true. As it is, reports of the iPhone Nano could just as well be a hoax. Apple is keeping its mouth shut over the entire matter and would not even comment. The source of the rumor, Kevin Chang – along with JP Morgan – is now distancing himself as far away from the story altogether as possible. After all, there is no proof that Apple is indeed hard at work on this new project of theirs. A few chats and a patent application are not really enough to make for a solid story; that is why all we have now are rumors.

But could this rumor be Apple’s roundabout way of seeking publicity for what could be the newest hot gadget to watch out for in the coming yearend? That is not impossible. In fact, it is a very interesting thought to entertain in one’s mind. The cost of the full-featured iPhone is far from being cheap, but that did not stop people from flocking to the Apple store and line up for their own unit. Selling 700,000 units on the first day of release is no joke.

And so we wait with bated breath for any inkling of truth to this rumor. Of course, nothing will ever beat an official announcement from Apple itself. Until then, we shall just be swallowing our saliva and wait for further news on the so-called iPhone Nano.