With the announcement of the (unfortunately named) iPad this month, the e-reader competition just got more heated. And you know with Apple in the mix, plus opening the iTunes-ish iBookstore, the e-books, e-mags, and e-newspapers Availability Fuse just got lit.
So now that Words Printed on Actual Paper is starting its slide towards the same archaic junk pile that includes mobile phones that do nothing but take calls; MP3 players without video and WiFi; and VCRs, it might be time to start thinking about buying the device that lets you hold an entire library in your hands.
But with 4 or 5 major players in the market... and more to come... how do you know which is for you, before you drop the requisite few hundred bucks to own one?
Check out this comparison chart put together - and regularly updated - by the writers at
PaidContent.org. It lists the features of the six most popular readers, so even the technically challenged can find the perfect fit. (
Click here for full chart.)
A few highlights: Even though the
iPad is designed to do a lot more than be an e-reader, it still may not hold up against some of the competition. At 1.5 lbs, it is by far the heavyweight of the group, more than twice as heavy as the
Amazon Kindle 2. But it is also the only one with a full color screen, and along with the Kindle 2, is the only one with a web browser. And the iPad is also the only one open to third party developers for those slick apps we've all become addicted to.
But as an iPhone owner, that may not be enough to get me to part with close to a grand for the 3G/WiFi version, just to be able to read the Sunday paper without getting ink on my hands. I'd rather save a few hundred and go with the
Nook.
GUY GUIDES
February 08, 2010
Who says you can't enjoy chicks in bikinis during the worst winter storm in decades?
Not the guys at
EgoTV. They took six willing, warm-blooded women and pitted them against each other in a 3-on-3 snowball fight... for no other good reason than our personal enjoyment.
I smell a new league forming. If they can play football in lingerie, snowball fighting in bikinis is perfectly legit. And I'd like to officially submit my name for Commissioner.
Between the chicken wings, the beer, and the Saints come-from-behind win to keep the Brothers Manning from winning a 3rd ring in 4 years, was the mini film festival known as the Super Bowl Commercials.
Like in previous years, there were a lot of hits, and a bunch of misses. Along with a couple of apparent new trends in advertising: Head slapping and (disturbingly) men without pants.
And in case you were at the cooler and missed a few, you can use this widget from Hulu to watch all 91 ads that aired:
My personal favorite was the Doritos: House Rules spot, where a kid sets his mama's new boyfriend straight about what he should keep his hands off of. Instant classic.
Rounding out my Top 5 are:
NCIS Head Slap - A promo for CBS's show where they replace the handshake with a head slap. Something I wouldn't mind trying for a few months.
Career Builder: Casual Friday - Some poor bastard works in an office where everyone prefers working in their tightie-whities. Not pretty.
Snickers: Betty White - Watching the great Betty White get her ass handed to her during a pickup football game is worth watching over and over.
Bud Light: Voice Box - Everyone drinking Bud Light gets the T-Pain/AutoTune treatment... funnier than it sounds.
Honorable Mention: The
E*Trade: Girlfriend spot was good, but i can't get used to the new kid.
The weirdest spot of the night has to go to the
"TruTV with Punxsutawney Polamalu" ad. Won't spoil it for you, use the widget above to check it out... but let's just say it was the most surreal ad I've seen in a while.
The biggest misses? Gotta go to the
Boost Shuffle spot. They brought back the Bears for a parody of their classic Super Bowl Shuffle... and it was about as anticlimactic as the ending of
Avatar. And less funny.
And the
GoDaddy ads were a huge disappointment. Yes Danica is hot... but I've seen sexier shampoo commercials. Daddy needs to Go back to the originals.
ENTERTAINMENT
February 08, 2010
Dane Cook (the Dane Cook of comedians), is performing live tonight and you can catch the stream right here below.
And if you want to buy in for 5 hours of exclusive live coverage,
just click here.
To make it more interesting, every time Dane laughs at one of his own jokes, take a drink. I guarantee complete intoxication 12 minutes into the show.
ENTERTAINMENT
February 06, 2010
Want to take your tailgate upscale this weekend? Add a little wine.
Not that I want you to ditch your usual bottle of brew and wander the party holding a stem glass with your pinkie in the air... I want you to use the wine when you're grilling.
Steve Raichlen, author of The Barbecue Bible, host of "Primal Grill" and a longtime friend, worked with Redwood Creek Wine to come up with a couple of tailgate recipes to take your party up a couple of notches.
He's created a Grilled Skirt Steak with Cabernet Sauvignon Sauce that just explodes with flavor, and a Rosemary Grilled Shrimp sprayed with Sauvignon Blanc as it grills, to keep 'em juicy and add a ton o' taste. (And the Redwook Creek only runs about $8 per bottle, so you're not watching your money go up in flames.)
So fire up the grill, pop a few corks, and enjoy...
Grilled Skirt Steak with Cabernet Sauvignon Sauce
3 cups Redwood Creek Cabernet Sauvignon
1 cup beef stock (preferably homemade)
2 shallots, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
2 tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature
3 tablespoons fresh
...There's more
GRILLING
February 05, 2010
If you thought last year's
24,000+ calorie snack stadium was a heart attack waiting to happen, you'd better get the defibrillator ready... This year's version tops out at a mind-blowing, gut-busting, artery-clogging, 110,248 calories. Enough to feed an entire offensive line. And defensive line. With leftovers.
The guys at
Break.com decided to film this year's construction, so you can watch them transform a truckload of junk food... along with a few healthy items like baby carrots, olives and granola bars... into a table top munchie monstrosity fit for the true football party fanatic.
And if you want to know exactly what went into the construction of this "offering to the gods of Meaningless Internet Spectacle,"
click here. And keep in mind, this is not a shopping list.
The Big Game Snack Food Stadium - Watch more Big Game Bonanza
FOOD | SPORTS
February 05, 2010
Question: What would be the worst possible time to check out porn when at work?
When the harassment-suit happy receptionist is behind you? Or how 'bout when the boss is angrily wandering the cube farm looking for asses to take home in his briefcase?
Nope.
The worst time would be when your co-worker is being interviewed on the news over your shoulder. Live. And your predilection for racy Miranda Kerr pics is simultaneously broadcast to the entire country.
That's what happened to Australian stockbroker, David Kiely, recently. Seems he figured the 2 or 3 minutes Seven Network was interviewing one of his co-workers would be the ideal time to check out the sexy pics of Kerr's GQ spread. (I know. Not exactly "porn" but it made for a good headline.) Still employed at the time of this post, Kiely's become an overnight Aussie star. (If he lived here in the US, he'd be doing personal appearances and have his own reality show by now. Get on it Australia.)
Watch Keily's screen on the left, next to the talking head's ear at about the 1:00 mark. Then you can head over to
WarmingGlow.com and see the pics he was looking at. But I'd recommend checking for the MSNBC cams first.
[Via
WarmingGlow.com]
GUY GUIDES
February 05, 2010
If you're a regular reader, you know I take my grilling seriously. Give me a flame and I'll throw just about anything edible on it. And you also know the two guys in the picture with me (which, our friends over at
TheManRegistry rightfully pointed out is definitely not a Nutrisystem ad...), take their grilling seriously too.
On the left, in that stylish red and white shirt, is Chris Lilly, World Barbecue Champion and the Pitmaster for Kingsford Charcoal. Also the guy who schooled me in grillin' last November in Sonoma.
On the right is former NFL great and current ESPN analyst, Mike Golic. And when he's not on the radio with The Other Mike, or analyzing a game, he's putting meat to the flame.
I got a chance to hang out the Golic and Lilly yesterday down on South Beach, and I picked up these recipes they've put together for the Big Game. And forget party supplies... everything here is meant to be eaten like men intended: with your hands.
The Grilled Steak Pizza combines two great tastes that taste great together, The BBQ Blitz chicken Wraps have the bold taste of barbecue, and enough veggies to appeal to the ladies present, and the Orange Pineapple Sweet Ribs use both a dry rub and a marinade for a combo that'll make you want to slap your grandmama down.
Grilled Steak Pizza
[Expert's note: It’s not the pizza but the toppings which tie this dish to the great state of Oklahoma. Grain-fed steak, tomatoes, onions and cheese highlight the toppings on this pizza which is grilled outdoors over a bed of Kingsford® Charcoal. The rich homemade tomato sauce is intensified with KC Masterpiece® barbecue sauce.
Makes: 4 servings (8 slices per pizza)
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 7 minutes
Ingredients:
16 ounces homemade pizza dough or frozen dough
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
6 ounces steak fillet cut into 6 1/8” thick slices
...There's more
The Super Bowl and parties go together like baseball and performance enhancers. Sure, you can have one without the other, but it's a helluva lot more interesting when you combine them.
And for this year's Big Game, some of the top spirits companies have whipped together some cocktails you can use to take the edge off the pressure of having bet next month's salary on the over under.
From
1800 Tequila, we've got the Manning Margarita, the Who Dat Nation Lemonade, and the Sun Life Stadium Sunrise. (Too bad. I would have liked to see what they'd have come up with had it stayed "Land Shark" Stadium for another month.)
Rooting for the Colts to give Manning another ring? Mix up a Blue Stampede from
Tequila Herradura. Multiply the recipe by 8 for a perfect punch to use for the Manning drinking game. Every time one of Peyton's commercials or Eli's blank stare are shown... or either is referred to as "One of Archie's Boys," take a drink. Guaranteed you'll be passed out by halftime.
If you're cheering on the black and gold to bring the Lombardi Trophy to the Big Easy, celebrate with a Who Dat? Hurricane from Southern Comfort. And you can send fellow Saints fans a clip of the "Black & Gold Who Dat?" anthem by going to
SouthernComfort.com/neworleans. Which is much funnier the more Hurricanes you've consumed.
Manning Margarita
2 oz. 1800 Silver Tequila
1 oz. Grand Marnier
1 oz. fresh lime juice
Shake over ice or blend, garnish with a lime
Who Dat Nation Lemonade
2 oz 1800 Silver Tequila
1 oz Triple
...There's more
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