Bobas. Everything cool.

Apple MacBook Air

2008-01-25T14:00:00.000-08:00

How delicious looking is the new MacBook Air, omg. There are some reviews of it that don't exactly love some of the shortcomings, however. Battery life, hard to reach USB ports, and slowness are some of the major gripes about it. It's a tough sell right now, unless you fall right into that niche market that the Air is targeting. I am, unfortunately, not part of it. Boo.

Engagdet's Review

Apple iPhone Out June 29th

2007-06-04T13:28:00.001-07:00

I wasn't planning on wanting the Apple iPhone, but after viewing the ads I may have changed my mind a little bit. Or a lot.

Costco Reviews

2007-03-02T10:45:00.000-08:00

If you guys like Costco and the products they sell, check out Costco Reviews for product reviews. It's good, cause I wrote it.

A Man Who Loves MACs

2007-01-26T12:17:00.000-08:00

This dude has an modern-styled house with, well, a lot of Macs. It's too bad we don't have many basements here in Southern California.

{via engadget}

Widescreen iPod? Who cares, the Cowon A3 is coming

2007-01-05T09:20:00.000-08:00

I'm a huge Apple guy, but after waiting 64 years for a widescreen iPod, I finally gave in and got the Cowon A2 30 GB Portable Multimedia Player a few months ago. Here are the reasons why:

1) It's widescreen (4 inches)
2) It plays DivX/Xvid natively (iPods requires conversion unless bought straight from iTunes)
3) Loooong battery life (10 hours video playback!)

I used it a lot on the plane ride back from Cancun and watched three movies. It made the time fly(hehe, get it?). I purchased it almost a year after it was released, so I knew that a follow up would come soon. As I suspected, Cowon announced that they will be showing off the updated Cowon A3 at the CES next week. Hurray!

Via dapreview

Guitar Hero 2

2007-01-04T16:43:00.000-08:00

All we played over the Holidays was Guitar Hero 2. It was so addictive, even my wife wanted to play! I'm pretty sure the two hottest items over Christmas was the Wii and Guitar Hero 2. It's sold out almost anywhere, but you can get Guitar Hero 2 Bundle with Guitar from Amazon.com.

Failures of Friendster

2006-10-16T11:20:00.000-07:00

This story tells of how Friendster could have been sold to Google for 30 million dollars back in 2003, and because John Abrams turned it down, all the troubles they have encountered since.

Click here to read the story

Wii Preorders

2006-10-12T16:05:00.000-07:00

This is just a friendly remind that the Nintendo Wii will be available for preorder at Gamestop and Ebgames tomorrow, and should last just a couple of minutes. Good luck and may the force be wii you.

Google Calendar

2006-04-13T08:52:00.000-07:00

You know me and my obsession with all things Google. They just released their Calendar... not quite as good as 30 Boxes yet (30 Boxes has tags), but you know, I'm gonna switch anyway.

Google Calendar
30 Boxes

Video: Transformers

2006-02-10T11:15:00.000-08:00

Go!

MacBook Pro

2006-01-10T11:08:00.000-08:00

It's so hot. It's so hot. It's so hot. It's so hot. It's so hot. It's so hot. It's so hot. It's so hot. It's so hot. It's so hot. It's so hot.

Macworld 2006

2006-01-10T10:09:00.000-08:00

Anxiously awaiting announcements from MacWorld.

Top 10 Free Time Wasting Sites on the Net

2006-01-02T09:29:00.000-08:00

For those that are at work today, play these games to help recover from your hangover. Then you can get back to work.
http://freebies.about.com/od/710/tp/timewasting.htm

Definitely try the Falling Sand.

Flickr Printing

2005-12-29T14:33:00.000-08:00

I think Flickr slipped this in the last couple of weeks... but you can now select Print from a photo and pick it up at your local Target for 20 cents for a 4x6. That's pretty convenient for me. I was wondering a couple of weeks ago why Flickr didn't have the Target option while their owner Yahoo! Photos did... I guess they wondered the same thing and implemented it. Suh-weet!

Update: I just went to pick up my photos and they told me the first 10 you print are free! You don't even have to print all 10 at once. You can do 5 one time, and 5 another. Woot!

Play This!

2005-12-29T11:12:00.000-08:00

Must hear: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1491516901670441597 {thx Ivan}

Inside Xbox Headquarters

2005-12-12T12:22:00.000-08:00

Engadget was invited to take a tour of the Xbox headquarters in Seattle. It's pretty cool to see what it looks like inside... pretty much like your office, but with a lot more Xboxes.

Click here to see

Typo stock trade costs $225 million

2005-12-09T12:06:00.000-08:00

And I thought I made some mistakes in stock trading. A tard in Japan mistyped a trade and it ended up costing the firm 225 million buckeroos (27 billion yen).

The trouble began Thursday morning, when Mizuho Securities tried to sell 610,000 shares at 1 yen (less than a penny) apiece of a job recruiting firm called J-Com Co., which was having its public debut on the exchange.

It had actually intended to sell 1 share at 610,000 yen ($5,041).

Worse still, the number of shares in Mizuho’s order was 41 times the number of J-Com’s outstanding shares, but the Tokyo Stock Exchange processed the order anyway.

Read the whole story here

Hardware Pr0n

2005-12-09T11:57:00.000-08:00

Hot chicks with hardware. Doesn't really get better than that. It's kinda NSFW, just cause there are lots of scantily clad chicks. No nudity though.

Damon Jones: Air Li-Ning

2005-12-09T09:14:00.000-08:00

I saw on NBA.com that 3-point specialist Damon Jones of the Cleveland Cavaliers may be endorsing the Li-Ning athletic shoes. The casual fan wouldn't know who Damon Jones is, but I guess he thinks he could play more like Yao if he wore Li-Nings.

"They're an awesome company, and they've been great so far," Jones said. "It was a situation where I didn't have a shoe contract coming into the year, and I was searching around, and I felt that being different, as I am, I thought it would be a good move to market myself in a different light. They felt with my personality and my glamorous looks that I could bring a little pop to the brand," said Jones, who expects his own signature shoe by next season.

Xbox 360 Games Extracted

2005-12-09T07:07:00.000-08:00

Saw this over on digg. A group has already extracted the games and are welcoming people to take a look at the file system:

we even decided to release the source code, so that you can figure out the filesystem and make even nicer tools and clean up our horrible looking code, cause we are lazy and old!

Click here to view the website
No, they haven't yet figured out how to play backups on your Xbox 360. But it's a start.

Windows Live Local - A Bird's Eye View

2005-12-08T15:52:00.000-08:00

Using the Windows Live Local beta, you can see a bird's eye view of an area. You can see my house above, except for the fact that it wasn't built at the time the picture was taken, which must have been prior to 2001. A little outdated, to say the least. This is a lot like Google Earth, but you can do searches right on the website.

Got a Question? Yahoo! Answers!

2005-12-08T11:25:00.000-08:00

If you have a burning question that nobody can answer, try asking someone in the Yahoo community. Maybe they have an answer for you.

Yahoo! Answers is a place where people ask each other questions on any topic, and get answers by sharing facts, opinions, and personal experiences.

For example, one user asked, "How much wood could a wood chuck chuck?" To which one replied, "First, the woodchuck would need opposable thumbs to "chuck" or throw the wood. Woodchucks don't have thumbs, and are restricted to pushing the wood or gnawing on it, along with looking hopefully at people. So the answer is none."

Click here to go to Yahoo! Answers

Verizon RAZR V3c Available 12/7

2005-12-06T11:16:00.000-08:00

If you've been a Verizon Wireless user for a while, you'd appreciate that finally, an aesthetically pleasing phone is being released for VZW users. No longer do you have to be the laughing stock of your friends when you get a call from your girlfriend and you bring out your bulky non-bluetooth Verizon phone. Sure, the Motorola RAZR has been around for what seems like ages, but hey, it's still hot.

Official Verizon V3c Release Info on HowardForums

Video: SupamonkS

2005-12-02T09:41:00.000-08:00

This is one bad ass animation of a monk, er, defending himself. {from supermoine.com; found on Hedonistica}

Link to the mov.

Skype 2.0: Now with Cyber, er, Video

2005-12-01T14:55:00.000-08:00

It's still in beta, but if you want to skype your "long distance girlfriend" nude, you better go downloaad it.

Gmail Kills Viruses

2005-12-01T14:53:00.000-08:00

From their Help Center:

Each time you send and receive attachments, Gmail automatically scans them for viruses.

If a virus is found in an attachment you've received, our system will attempt to remove it, or clean the file, so you can still access the information it contains. If the virus can't be removed from the file, you won't be able to download it.

If a virus is found in an attachment you're trying to send, you won't be able to send the message until you remove the attachment.

Firefox 1.5

2005-11-30T17:59:00.000-08:00

Head on over to Mozilla to download it.

Windows Live

2005-11-30T13:01:00.000-08:00

I haven't even heard of this until today... go try the Windows Live portal for yourself.
Then check out their ideas.

Your online world gets better when everything works simply and effortlessly together. That's the basic idea behind Windows Live. So the things you care about - your friends, the latest information, your e-mails, powerful search, your PC files, everything – comes together in one place. This is a brand new Internet experience designed to put you in control. And this is just the beginning – you'll see many more new services in the coming months.

Can You Digg It?

2005-11-17T15:21:00.000-08:00

Since this is the buzz word today, here ya go. Digg. I see it as a medium between Slashdot and Google News, but this is how they describe themselves:

Digg is a technology news website that employs non-hierarchical editorial control. With digg, users submit stories for review, but rather than allowing an editor to decide which stories go on the homepage, the users do.

Xbox 360 + 24" Dell Widescreen LCD

2005-11-17T14:54:00.000-08:00

I want to say something, but I... I can't.

More pics here.

Engadget got theirs, and Anandtech gutted it for your viewing pleasure.

Here is the Fatwallet lowdown on securing an Xbox 360 for yourself. Hint: Sounds quite difficult.
Update: You can always have this guy camp out for you.

$100 Laptop

2005-11-17T14:32:00.000-08:00

Leave it to MIT to come up with a genius idea like the $100 laptop to "educate the world's children".

Why do children in developing nations need laptops?
Laptops are both a window and a tool: a window into the world and a tool with which to think. They are a wonderful way for all children to "learn learning" through independent interaction and exploration.

GoogleBase

2005-11-16T11:19:00.000-08:00

Another new feature from Google, the GoogleBase.

Google Base is a place where you can add all types of information that we'll host and make searchable online.

Wired looks at it as something that will compete with Craigslist and eBay, and methinks they're onto something.

An ambitious new Google service lets anyone upload most anything to a publicly searchable database, potentially laying the groundwork for a foray by the internet juggernaut into classified advertising.

Seeing is Believing

2005-11-05T01:36:00.000-08:00

Try this test: http://www.patmedia.net/marklevinson/cool/cool_illusion.html

Moral of the story? Don't always believe your eyes.

Yahoo! Maps Beta

2005-11-04T16:06:00.000-08:00

http://maps.yahoo.com/beta/

Reason? Live Traffic.. supposedly.

Don't Date Him, Girl

2005-10-12T13:35:00.000-07:00

This website looks pretty new, but if you want to warn others about a bastard ex of yours, or one who cheated on your friend, dontdatehimgirl.com appears to be the place to do it. Obviously, I'm only posting this because I don't see myself on there... yet.

This guy is Tom. We've been together for almost 8 years. I found his profile, using this photo that I took of him on our vacation 6 weeks ago, on a swingers website. He's also known to visit other assorted, less-than-desirable, dating websites. He markets himself as a warm and good person. BEWARE!

{thx iBonka}

i-Dog

2005-10-12T13:05:00.000-07:00

Sure, the video iPod was announced today, but it's nothing without its best friend, the i-Dog.

Now plug your MP3 player into I-DOG and hear your tunes through I-DOG's speaker! Toggle I-DOG's tail to turn off the speaker and listen to music via headphones.

I-DOG "feeds" on YOUR music. Your music helps form its personality by the type of music it hears, and its mood changes depending on how much music you share with I-DOG.

You can get your very own i-Dog for $29.99 here. {thx Kenny}

Update: Particle found it for $24.99 at Target.

New iPods 30g and 60g

2005-10-12T08:04:00.000-07:00

Ever wished you could watch the TV shows you just recorded with your TiVo or DVR at work or on the go? Well with the new iPod you can do just that.

Witness the evolution of the revolution. First it played songs. Then photos.
Then podcasts. Now iPod plays video, changing the way you experience your music
and more. Again. In lighter, thinner 30GB and 60GB models starting at $299, the
new iPod is music to your eyes.

Are You Feeling Lucky?

2005-10-11T14:32:00.000-07:00

If the answer is yes, then you'll probably want to adorn your car with this Google License Plate Frame that makes a statement, Google style. I haven't checked out their store in forever, but they have lots of other little cute toys with the Google logo.

{thx Kenny}

WSOP Main Event

2005-10-11T09:01:00.000-07:00

You know what tonight is? If you guessed Gilmore Girls, stop reading immediately. Just kidding, I love that show. But if you are into poker, ESPN begins airing the Main Event of the World Series of Poker at 5pm and 6pm, where the winner gets like ~~tens of millions of dollars~~ 7.5 million dollars. That's a lot, even for me. Unfortunately for me, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and Chicago White Sox game is on at the same time on the west coast. Doh!

Guinness Commercial

2005-10-11T08:30:00.000-07:00

This commercial {Hedonistica -> framestore-cfc, quicktime} shows a badass reverse chronological trip from now back to the beginnings of earth. If you like visual badassness, do check it out.

googleReader

2005-10-10T21:00:00.000-07:00

Google has come out yet again with a product that drives on an old concept, but with a new application. Google Reader allows you to aggregate all of your favorite RSS feeds like bobas, office humor, or your favorite poker site into one application. Then the super google beaker of fun keeps track of what you've read, and what you haven't.

For you convenience those spiffy web engineers have given you the standard google keyboard shortcuts found in the rest of their applications, along with a standard point and click interface. Additionally they've included their cool "Starred" so you can keep track of news you want to read later, etc.

Mind you, this is BETA, so there are it's quirks, but I've found it's EXTREMELY useful.

Office Humor

2005-10-10T20:32:00.000-07:00

The Office Clown has posted a new prank that should take less than 5 minutes to setup. I am one of those people that gets bored at work. If you are too, then check it out.

Office Humor

Home Poker League Stats

2005-09-19T08:24:00.000-07:00

I play poker. A lot. With my friends. We have our own "league". I found this site to keep track of it. It's free and easy to use. It comes with a complete league management system, and if your friends don't want to sign up, you can just give them the public view so they can still see your league stats.

Check it out here.

He also has some funny t-shirts... my favorite being this one that says, "online poker is for ugly people". So true, so true..

Google More Personalized

2005-07-26T11:29:00.000-07:00

As reported back in the day, the customizable Google portal page has finally upgraded their options, now including the ability to have additional RSS feeds, in addition to a bookmarking system. Although a great improvement, it still pales in comparison to My Yahoo!, which lets you create multiple pages so as to not clutter a single page, and categories for your bookmarks to be better orgainized. That being said, there is no harm in trying it out and giggling over it. What are you waiting for? GO!

The Konfabulator

2005-07-25T13:03:00.000-07:00

This is like, the coolest thing ever for a geek. The Konfabulator is now free because Yahoo! acquired them and made it so. Basically, this program lets you use lots of mini programs for your desktop that range from current weather and traffic to controlling your iTunes to viewing stock prices, all in hot graphics. Go try it now!

Nikon D50 Digital SLR

2005-06-22T14:55:00.000-07:00

The main rival of the Canon Rebel Xt, the Nikon D50, is in stock for as low as $845 shipped on eBay and under $900 in online stores. Someone on Flickr already took photos with his D50, and Digital Camera Resource Page has some photos as well.

Digital Photography Review has a thorough preview while LetsGoDigital has a review of it.

I am still undecided as to which digital SLR I will get, but I'm leaning towards the D50.

Funny Japanese Commercial

2005-06-05T22:34:00.000-07:00

This commercial has a town of hot Japanese chicks.

ObjectDock by StarDock

2005-06-02T09:00:00.000-07:00

ObjectDock {LifeHacker} This program makes your taskbar look like a MAC taskbar, you know, like way better. I like it.

Forget Me Not Panties

2005-06-01T15:21:00.000-07:00

Track the females in your life with these forget-me-not panties.

These "panties" can trace the exact location of your woman and send the information, via satellite, to your cell phone, PDA, and PC simultaneously! Use our patented mapping system, pantyMap®, to find the exact location of your loved one 24 hours a day.

Blogging Leads to Arrest

2005-05-20T09:51:00.000-07:00

Here's a chilling story:

First, read the latest entry on this Xanga site.

*Queue freaky music...

Now here's the news story a few days later.

Star Wars Leaked Copy

2005-05-20T09:00:00.000-07:00

Yeah, that leaked copy of Star Wars? Not so hot. I wouldn't want to spoil the experience that is Star Wars by watching it with a timer running on the top third of the screen with subpar video quality. So, if you're on the 32nd hour of downloading it off bittorrent, I suggest you use your bandwidth for something else... like porn (Bai Ling in Playboy, definitely NSFW!)

Other yummies this morning:
Anna Kournikova Sweaty Adidas Pictures
Scarlett Johansson Cannes Pictures

For you stock traders out there, Scottrade launched their new interface this morning. It's sleek and I like it!

Google Portal

2005-05-19T16:35:00.000-07:00

Why do I only feel the need to post when Google makes another update? I'm not quite sure, it's almost as if I'm owned by them, or something.

The portal is finally here, albeit in a very basic form. I'm sure that will be remedied soon enough.

Go now!

Lian-Li's Magical Desk of Wanting +1

2005-04-15T10:20:00.000-07:00

So a compatriot of mine let me know of this magical desk that does everything I could ever think of for a desk and then some. Here's some features to whet your appetite:

wire collection box on desk makes all cables invisible.

Leather plate on desk offers a comfortable working spa.

Place to store your keyboard.

Wire tank beneath for hiding power plug and necessary cables.

Unfortunately, upon searching for the ability to purchase this desk it came to my attention that it may well be ~$6,000. So if anyone is willing to better my den, please send all donations paypal to revoked42@hotmail.com.

Google Video

2005-04-14T15:32:00.000-07:00

So there's this big hoopla over Google's new Video Upload Program. You can upload your digital videos and promote them and even charge people for viewing them.

Is it just me or has Google just hooked themselves up with free pr0n for life? Imagine the employee incentives over there now. Finish a project early? We'll give you 50 gigabytes of voyeur bandwidth to access the video database at home.

Brilliant!

PS. Yes I know they say they won't allow pr0n on there, but c'mon, you think no one's gonna try?

360

2005-04-08T12:32:00.000-07:00

Just to clarify, the Yahoo! 360° and the Xbox 360 are not the same thing.

Yahoo! 360° is a Yahoo!'s new Orkut/Friendster/MySpace imitation website that semi-integrates in with other Yahoo! services.

The Xbox 360 is the next Xbox that Microsoft is unveiling on May 16th.

Now I can sleep tight.

Around the Web - Gmail Turns 1

2005-04-01T08:22:00.000-08:00

Gmail is giving more storage to every user, 2 gigabytes to be exact. Well, it's a running clock, starting from 1 gigabyate and increasing every second until it gets to 2. The good gets better.

Storage is an important part of email, but that doesn't mean you should have to worry about it. To celebrate our one-year birthday, we're giving everyone one more gigabyte. But why stop the party there? Our plan is to continue growing your storage beyond 2GBs by giving you more space as we are able. We know that email will only become more important in people's lives, and we want Gmail to keep up with our users and their needs. From Gmail, you can expect more.

Craiglist's Missed Connections - A Test of Fate

2005-03-11T18:15:00.000-08:00

In theory, missed connections, the website where you look for someone that you may have had a connection with in person but did not exchange contacts, is a cute idea that reminds me much of the movie Serendipity. It's romantic to think that you could have a second chance at that hottie you exchanged glances with at the mall, but were too shy to approach. But even I, formerly the cheesiest of the cheeseballs, will admit that it's practically impossible for anything meaningful to come out of this. First of all, there aren't enough people posting on there, so you're probably not going to see a post about you. But even if a lot of people started posting, you run into the problem of too many entries, and a person just isn't going to look through every single one. And who's to say that the person you're looking for has access to the Internet, let alone peruses the "missed connections" page? The logic behind the website is flawed, and it leaves you with only a minute possibilty to reunite with the one. However, for the rare few who happens to find that special person, albeit an mathematical anomaly, "missed connections" would have provided them the opportunity to reunite that they wouldn't otherwise have had before.

Syntax Olevia 26" LCD TV in April

2005-03-11T11:35:00.000-08:00

Syntax Olevia is gaining popularity as the best value LCD TV on the market, sporting good image quality for a low price. Reviews for their previous lineups have been quite favorable, so that's why I'm can't wait for their new $899 26", the LT26HVE, to come out. I got word straight from their sales rep that it will be available in retail channels in early April. I will be the first to pick one up. Unless I'm the second, in which case, I lied.

On Hiatus

2005-03-04T12:33:00.000-08:00

Hello all, our Ed. has experienced a disastrous car accident called "overtime" and "deadlines". However, don't fret, we'll be bringing you cool stuff soon.

Around the Web - Best Gadgets Ever

2005-02-19T12:21:00.000-08:00

The Top 100 Gadgets of All Time {via Gizmodo -> Mobile PC} It has a nice nostalgic feeling to it, and includes some of my favorites, such as the Zippo lighter at #81:

Since that time, the Zippo lighter has grown to superstar status, the favorite of firebugs and chain-smokers alike. The preponderance of cheap, disposable butane lighters can't touch the elegance and charm (and lighter tricks) that the Zippo affords. As a testament to its popularity, more than 400 million Zippos have been sold, and countless fan clubs have sprung up to celebrate this ingenious incendiary.

Around the Web - Bunny Ransom

2005-02-18T15:58:00.000-08:00

Pay or Toby Dies {via Metafilter} This freak is threatening to kill and eat this rabbit unless $50,000 has been paid to him by June 30th, 2005, four months and 12 days from now. I'll admit it's creative, but personally, I think it's a little insensitive.

I don't want to eat Toby, he is my friend, and he has always been the most loving, adorable pet. However, God as my witness, I will divour this little guy unless I receive 50,000$ USD into my account from donations or purchase of merchandise.

Around the Web - Bose SoundDock

2005-02-18T13:14:00.000-08:00

Updated: 2/18/05 1:14 PM

Bose SoundDock Review {The Register} They say the same thing others say, including me. Great sound, high price.

The Bose does what it says on the tin, albeit at a price. This model retails at around £250, and while the sound is as impressive as these things get, the iPod fitting, the lack of support for the iPod Photo and the rather bulky remote are disappointing.

If you can stretch to the price this is a great speaker system. But do you really want to pay more for the speakers than you did for player?

Maddox on Sideways {The Best Page In The Universe} He finally updates. It's not controversial, but at least it's an update.

Fired Over Gorilla Nipple Fetish {via Metailfter} 2 female employees were fired because they didn't want to expose their breasts to Koko the Gorilla when told by the president to do so.

Around the Web - Napster Cracked and New Canon Rebel Leaked

2005-02-17T09:14:00.000-08:00

Napster Cracked, Already {via slashdot} The subscription service started earlier this month. Being that this is the middle of the month, that was fast. Same thing will probably happen to the new DVD-copy protection.

Engadget.com said by installing the digital music programme Winamp and then adding a secondary programme to Winamp called Output Stacker, users could convert the digitally protected files from one format to another that can then be burned, unencumbered, onto CDs.

Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT {Engadget} Smaller and better than the super popular Canon Digital Rebel. This means that 1) the original Canon Rebel will be cheaper and 2) I will look into buying the new one. It's supposed to retail for under $1k according to Gizmodo.

The New Canon Rebel XT is an 8.0 Megapixel (APS-C CMOS sensor) DSLR with a 3 frames per second shooting rate (14 frame bursts) that Canon believes will take over from where previous Rebel releases have left off. It has the same DIGIC II image processor of found in the high end professional 'D-series' of DSLRs.

Around the Web - Best Dunk Contest Dunks 1984 ~ 2004

2005-02-16T13:14:00.000-08:00

All-Star is just around the corner, and I enjoyed the Slam-Dunk contests the most. So here are the best dunks during the Slam-Dunk contests for the last 20 years.

Best Dunk Contest Dunks {nba.com}

Sit back, fasten your seatbelt, relax, and enjoy the flight.

Around the Web - How to Be Happy

2005-02-16T11:12:00.000-08:00

Updated: 2/16/05 11:12 AM

The 100 Simple Secrets of Happy People {via PaikyPoo} I'll bet one of the secrets is to stop surfing stupid sites on the web... and only check Bobas daily.

This is at the end of Chapter 7 ("Turn off the TV") -- from a 1998 study by someone named Wu: "Watching too much TV can triple our hunger for more possessions, while reducing our personal contentment by about 5% for every hour a day we watch."

But who really cares about that study? It's just common sense. Chapter 7 opens with a much more interesting insight: "Television is a creamy filling that distracts us from the substance of our lives."

LG Shows Bluetooth Car Mirror at 3GSM {via Gizmodo} This will be badass for people that don't have bluetooth built into their cars already, aka 98% of us.

In addition to the caller ID information, you also get a speakerphone function for hands free use of the phone while driving. The mirror is powered off of the car, as you would expect, but also has a battery built in that will allow for 150 hours of standby or 7 hours of talk time.

BigBrother.CA wants your Mileage

2005-02-15T17:01:00.000-08:00

via slashDot
California is pissed that they're losing money due to "fuel efficient" cars and wants to find a way to track the mileage on each and every car in CA. Enter GPS tracking for every California registered vehicle. Researchers in Oregon have a car's mileage being tracked by GPS now, I guess no one in CA would fall for researching their own demise.

Homer's Strollers - 2005 Chrysler 300C SRT-8 & 2006 Lexus GS Sedans

2005-02-15T14:52:00.000-08:00

Have you dreamed of driving down your neighborhood on a sedan with 400+ ponies under the hood? Beat your next door neighbor and his Porsche in drag race while with three of your hottest girl-friends in the car? Don’t got enough dough for E-55 or M5? No Problemo! 2005 Chrysler 300C SRT-8 {Inside Line} is the ride for you. Powered by the legendary Hemi Engine, it is more than capable of doing all those above plus plenty more.

The new, more “passionate” 2006 Lexus GS {Msn Auto} has arrived. It will incorporate the latest technology Lexus has to offer. The new 6-speed sequential shift will be teamed up with the new Adaptive Variable Suspension which provides 4 different suspension settings.

Console/Handheld News

2005-02-15T13:18:00.000-08:00

XboxNext (rumorish):
According to Eurogamer MS will release XboxNext "a few weeks after the USA release" which would be in late October or early November for Euro and early/late October for USA.

Playstation3 (sony confirmed):
GameSpot has stated that Sony will preview the PS3 BEFORE e3 in March. (rev- hopefully with a release before the next new year).

Nintendo V-Pocket (rumor):
SPONG, a sort of shady site, posted earlier this week that Nintendo is releasing software licensed from PalmOS as a personal organizing assistant, to rival the PSP's own organizing software.

Adult Swim:
Midway will be publishing games for all our favorite Adult Swim shows for handheld, console, and PC.

Around the Web - Hot Celebs, Dell 24" Widescreen, and Macrovision Returns

2005-02-15T10:02:00.000-08:00

Scarlett, Keira, Eva, Jessica {jaredeng} Need I say more?

Dell UltraSharp 2405FPW Review {via Gizmodo -> ExtremeTech} It's a newly released badass 24" widescreen LCD that's gonna be oh-so-mine.

We were quite impressed with the Dell UltraSharp 2405FPW. Its combination of relatively low price, good performance, and ergonomic features will appeal to many. While $1,199 may not seem cheap, it considerably undercuts the competition. That may result in some price drops on other large displays in the future.

Macrovision Unveils New DVD Copy Protection {via slashdot} Oh boy. Hope you can still cancel that order of 1,000 blank DVD's.

Macrovision Corp. today plans to unveil technology that it claims can block 97% of the DVD-copying software that pirates use without interfering with a DVD's playability or picture quality.

2003 Nissan Murano For Sale

2005-02-15T08:00:00.000-08:00

Price: $24,000

Mileage: 35,500 Miles as of Jan 31, 2005

Model: SL
Exterior: Sheer Silver
Interior: Cafe Latte Leather

Drivetrain: 2WD

Packages and Options:
HID Headlamps w/Manual Levelizer
Memory System
SL Leather Package
- Leather Seating Surfaces
- 4-Way Power Front Passenger's Seat
- Silver Colored Lower Bumpers
Sunroof Package
- Sunroof
Premium Package
- Roof Rails
- Power Adjustable Pedals
- Radio: Bose Audio System w/In-Dash 6-Disc CD Chgr
- Cargo Net
- Cargo Coverda

Accessories:
Cargo Area Protector
Carpeted Floor Mats
Splash Guards

E-mail bobasblog@gmail.com if you are interested.

Exclusive! Jennifer Lopez 5 Years Later

2005-02-14T21:37:00.000-08:00

Bobas has attained the now infamous photo for Jennifer Lopez five years from now! Yes folks, that's a picture of her five years into the future. Surely a credit to this amazing medium calld the "Interweb".

Click here to see it {kinda NSFW, thx Sen)

Around the Web - That Pepsi Girl

2005-02-14T16:24:00.000-08:00

Updated: 2/14/05 4:24 PM

Mandy Fujiko Amano {via Gizmodo} One fascinating thing about the web is that it allows people to display their obsessions, er, affections towards anyone and let it be spread around the globe, fast. Mandy was in the Pepsi commercial during the Super Bowl and now she's fast becoming a web celeb. She's kinda cute, but I would never date her cause she shows 1/10th of a centimeter too much gum when she smiles. Therefore, I didn't return her call.

Debbie Gibson in Playboy {NSFW, sex and fun} My favorite source for news and commentary released a pictorial on the ageless Debbie. I get lost in her eyes. Yes, eyes.

Homer's Strollers - New 2006 BMW 330i, 2007 Infiniti Skyline, & 2007 Toyota Supra

2005-02-14T15:29:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the 1st edition of Homer's Strollers, anything related from baby strollers to $500,000 SLR McLaren (OK, maybe not the baby strollers).

Our first vehicle is the 2006 BMW 330i. The best-selling 3-Series finally got a much needed makeover. Facing stiff competition from it's Japanese counterparts, BMW delieverd a new redesigned 3-Series {Inside Line}.

Skyline, the dream car of most car ethusists is finally coming to the States. The new Skyline, which will be branded under the Infiniti will be availabe by '07. 2007 Infiniti GT-R {Inside Line} and Concept Car {Motor Trend}

Finally, my personal favorite, 2007 Toyota Supra {Inside Line} (Picture {AutoSpice}) is making it's way back since it's pre-mature death at 1998. Bolder, faster, and more powerful than before, coming to your local dealers @ 2007.

Stay tuned for more exciting previews.

1980 Caucasian For Sale

2005-02-14T12:19:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

Just a reminder, the ~~BMW is still for sale~~. But in case you don't want a BMW for Valentine's, Bobas is also selling a caucasian. Details below.

1980 Caucasian
$4.02

GREAT CONDITION, LOW MILES, PREMIUM PACKAGE, CLEAN & WELL KEPT

STANDARD FEATURES
-5'11
-190 lbs
-Dirty Blond
-Blue Eyes
-Medium/Athletic build

COMFORT AND CONVENIENCE FEATURES
-Self Cleaning
-Honest, sometimes brutally
-Owns a Condo
-Non-smoking

OPTIONS AND ADDITIONAL UPGRADES
-Glasses
-Software Engineer
-Great sense of humor

Premium Package
-Need I say more?

ADDITIONALS:
-Recently abandoned
-Used, but near mint condition

E-mail bobasblog@gmail.com if you're interested.

Update:
The 1980 Caucasian has been sold.

Eazy Money - Easy Money

2005-02-14T11:30:00.000-08:00

Eighty Freakin Four!
En fuego? Yes. Caliente? Certainly. Hotter than Britney Spears + Lindsay Lohan + Christina Aguilera? By a mile! I am simply running out of adjectives to describe my new baby, AAPL. At 8:00AM this morning, AAPL briefly scratched $84, prompting me to take some eazy profit by selling my Feb80 for $3.60. Remember, I rolled my Feb75 calls into the Feb80 calls on Friday. Had I not been a lazy bum and woke up 30 minutes earlier, I could've gotten $4.10 each. I promptly bought Mar90 calls for $1.40 to maintain some exposure to this hot mama.

It is now 11:30AM, and the stock has just broke $84!!! It took about 5 minutes for it to poke through $84. It is now sitting at a whopping $84.45, up $3.24! My Feb80 has gone up to $4.80 while Mar90 sits at $2. Needless to say, I would've done alot better had I kept the Feb80 calls.

Around the Web - Horny Spray and Mailman Retiring

2005-02-11T11:24:00.000-08:00

Spray Woman, Make Randy {via Wired -> BBC News} Spray boosts the female sex drive.

Researchers found a statistically significant rise in the number of satisfying experiences at the end of the fourth month for women taking the second highest dose of the spray... The only apparent side effect was a small increase in body hair among some of the participants.

So let me get this straight... she will finally have sex with you, but she will also look like Chewbacca.

Karl Malone Calls It Quits {espn} The man who likes to hunt little Mexican girls will not join the Spurs after all. Instead, he'll hunt full time. He'll be quite busy since there are a lot of Mexicans in LA.

Eazy Money - Split That Apple!

2005-02-11T08:30:00.000-08:00

Nice to split you
Took a little break yesterday. After the small crash the last two days, I wanted to re-evaluate my strategy. My conclusion? Don't be greedy and stick to the targets you set out to hit.

We just saw the most dramatic smack-down for weak AAPL holders. Since mid-day Wednesday, AAPL has gone from $82 to $77 on Thursday morning, and back to $81.50 today. The latest boost came on the announcment that there will be a 2-1 split happening on Feb18. Splits make the stock "appear" cheaper, which tends to draw alot of attention.

I finally took some actions today. I sold my Feb75 for $6.40 and bought Feb80 for $2.20. I wanted to maintain some exposure while keeping most of my profits. The high volatility and price should keep the premium on Feb80 from decaying rapidly into the expiration.

On an equally pleansant developement, INTC is up 45c today, closing in on $24. Being $4 in the money, the premium on my Apr20, at $3.90, was near zero. I rolled them into the Mar22.5 calls, for $1.70.

I also picked up some SBL Apr20 for 45c. This remains one of my favorite bet.
Updated 8:30AM

Around the Web - iPodlounge Photos and Yay-me

2005-02-10T14:33:00.000-08:00

Updated: 2/10/05 2:33 PM
iPodlounge Goes Bigtime {Wired} The article tells you how they have a lot of new members, yada yada, but who cares. I just wanted to show this photo from their user-submitted iPods Around the World(great idea!).

Yay-me {Slacker Manager} Since stocks are doing so bad these days, I'm all about the pick-me-ups.

The basic idea is simple: you just keep a file of good stuff you do... The yay-me file reminds you that you aren't always lame and that you make good decisions and you do good work... The idea here is just to help other people remember how great you are.

So I tried a couple games of NBA Street V3 last night and I agree with the reviews... it's badass. The graphics on the Xbox are tight and the controls are simpler this time around. I just don't have the time to learn the different combinations of buttons to press to do a psyche... now I can just nudge the right analog stick up-right and Kobe responds. Now I just need to earn enough points to buy me some new kicks.

A Job at Hand {thx Mark -> Flying Chair} I guess this is how hand-jobs are done in China... I guess.

1999 BMW 323i For Sale

2005-02-09T18:45:00.000-08:00

SOLD!!!

$16,000

1999 323i Steel Blue Gray Interior

GREAT CONDITION, LOW MILES, PREMIUM PACKAGE, BOUGHT NEW, CLEAN & WELL KEPT, UPGRADES and EXTRAS

STANDARD FEATURES
-2.5 Liter DOHC 24-Valve inline 6 cylinder engine
-Anti-lock brakes
-All Season Traction
-Front and Rear suspension and shock absorbers
-Dual Front and Front Side Airbags
- Head Protection System for front seats

COMFORT AND CONVENIENCE FEATURES
-Car & Key Memory
-Keyless Entry
-Automatic Climate Control
-Tilt/telescopic Steering Wheel
-Anti-theft audio system with 10 speakers
-6 Way adjustable front seats
-Fully finished trunk with reversible mat and tool kit

OPTIONS AND ADDITIONAL UPGRADES
-Steel Blue Metallic Paint
-Gray Leather
-Automatic Transmission
-Power Glass Moon roof
-AM/FM CD Player
-Myrtle Wood Trim
-Alarm System
-Floor Mats

Premium Package
-16x7 Star spoke Alloy Wheels
-Power front seats
-Front armrest
-Leather Multi-function steering wheel
-Cruise control
-On-board computer
-Full size spare tire

ADDITIONALS:
Changed all Tires and Rear Brakes 5,000 miles ago.

E-mail bobasblog@gmail.com if you're interested.

Around the Web - Another Naughty Teacher, Broken Hearts, and There's Always Tomorrow

2005-02-09T18:30:00.000-08:00

Teacher charged with having sex with student, 13 {CNN} My 7th grade teacher was old. And fat. More photos here. Of course, she's not even the first hot teacher charged this year.

Hearts Can Be Broken {CNN} I knew it!

Another Day Will Come {thx Wendy} If you are having one of those shitty days...

Fwd: Tourists

2005-02-09T13:20:00.000-08:00

Hehehe... {thx Dean}

Eazy Money - Napping

2005-02-09T13:05:00.000-08:00

Whatever!
Ugly finish for an ugly day. This is by far the worst day for me in 2005 and we've seen some REAL nasty days.
Updated 01:05PM

Slow News Day
There is nothing much to discuss today. Dow, Nazz, SP are all down. There isn't a whole lot of volume with the exception of HPQ and CSCO. Shares of HPQ jumped more than 6% on news that the company board fired its CEO, Carly Fiorina. CSCO shed 2% following yesterday's disappointing earning report.

Nothing else seems to be developing. AAPL is up again, gaining as much as $1.09 this morning. It has since settled around yesterday's high of $81.38. If we get a late rally, I may take some actions. Otherwise, chalk this up as a wasted trading day.
Updated 10:16AM

Around the Web - Hi-Def Camcorder, Diamond Planet, and Headset for iPod/Cell

2005-02-09T11:53:00.000-08:00

Updated: 2/9/05 11:53 AM

Sony's High Definition Camcorder Review {Tom's Hardware} I've been waiting for this one for a while now, so I'm going to buy it. Oh wait, I don't have $3,500. But can you imagine the quality of home-made porn with this? Paris Hilton, Pamela Anderson, and Chyna have never looked so good!

Tons of Diamonds on Planet {Wired} Scroll down to "Look out, De Beers".

High pressure inside the planet would force the graphite to turn into layers of diamonds many miles deep.

I'm gonna make a round trip there, and though I may be old when I come back, I'll finally be rich!

One Headset for Both iPod and Cell Phone {BetaNews} And now for the obligatory iPod news... Plantronics released a headset that plugs into both an iPod and a cell phone at the same time, so you can interrupt your music to pick up the phone and listen to your mom nag. Yessssssssssssss!

Baby Name Wizard: NameVoyager {via Lifehacker} The girlfriend likes to think of baby names, so I thought she'd like this interesting little java'let. "Jimmy" has been on the decline for a while... sigh.

Explore the sea of names, letter by letter...watch trends rise and fall, and dive in deeper to see your favorite name's place in the historical tides.

Around the Web - iPod shuffle Raid, WOW and Mardi Gras

2005-02-08T16:34:00.000-08:00

4 iPod shuffles in Raid {via Gizmodo} Otherwise known as, nothing better to do with your time.
World of Warcraft Review {firingsquad} I've lost many friends to this game.
BourboCam {via Metafilter -> NOLA} Live uncensored webcast from Mardi Gras. Good luck boobie hunting!

Eazy Money - Eazy Fired?

2005-02-08T16:30:00.000-08:00

CSCO who?
The much anticipated earnings update from CSCO was as exciting as the Lakers without Shaq. CSCO barely met estimates, and missed slightly on rev (6.06B vs. 6.13B). The stock is down 28c (1.54%) after hours.

AAPL finished the day at $80.90, off from its fresh new 52-week high of $81.38 set today. I will be rolling my Feb75 calls to Feb80 calls tomorrow. I think the stock still has alot of upside. There are still people who don't know about Mac Mini and Shuffle (they also never used the internet).
Updated 4:30PM

...I am sorry, I can't be, perfect...
Yes, I've been fired from the notorious B.I.G. (B.I.G. = Bobas Investment Group) for completely making the WRONG call on SINA. Not only did SINA miss estimates, it also lowered next quarter guidance EBAY/AMZN style. The opened at $20.80, down from $27.35, but recovered a bit to $23.65.

To my defense, AAPL has done quite well and finally poked through the $80 mark. It sits handsomely at $80.86, up $1.92, after flirting with $81.38 earlier this morning. I would like to roll my Feb75 AAPL calls into Feb80 calls sometime today to lock in some gains. Feb75 call now stands at $6.00, up a lot from where I bought it at $2.20.

Most of the tech stocks are doing well this morning, ahead of CSCO earnings today after market, and DELL's after Thursday's close. The weirdest thing this morning is that INTC is up more than 2%. Que paso mujer? Not that I am complaining, since I own a few shares of INTC calls & stocks. I still believe INTC should hit $27-$28 this year. I am betting on Q1 earning report to be outstanding.
Updated 10:15AM

Around the Web - Google Maps and More Legos

2005-02-08T09:00:00.000-08:00

Google Maps and Owns World {via Slashdot} Google plans next to launch residental units on Mars.
Lego iPod Guy {via Gizmodo} Sorry, I can't go one day without posting something about the iPod.

Around the Web - GT4, Nipple Piercing and Hypoallergenic Cats

2005-02-07T17:00:00.000-08:00

Updated: 2/7/05 5:00 PM
Gran Turismo 4 Review {firingsquad} Doesn't come out for another month, but it's OK to be excited now.
June850 Pierces Nipple and Lives to Tell About It {Xanga} Xangan chick describes her ordeal in detail.

My initial wants was just 1, but now that I know it looks permanently hard my other looks uneven. Its like ones winking at me and the other isn't.

Allergy-Free Kitties {via Wired -> Business Week} Then maybe now I won't be scared to play with a... nevermind.

A fluffy that doesn't set off sneezes and sniffles could one day be a reality.

Superbowl Commercials {thx Homer -> FoxSports} In case you missed them, FoxSports has all the new Superbowl commercials listed. Be sure to watch the Verizon Wireless one in the 3rd quarter, where the miniaturization craze went too far.
Lego Star Wars for PS2 {Gamespot} Coming out in April, the screenshots just make me laugh.

Eazy Money - Earnings Watch

2005-02-07T13:05:00.000-08:00

Do I Feel Lucky?
SOHU reported in-line for the past quarter, but the stock dropped -11% after it guided down for Q1. This is setting up nicely for SINA, who reports earnings after market close today. SINA is down nicely from its high of $39 in Dec to about $27. Last quarter, after SINA reported a blow out quarter, SOHU followed with a very disappointing quarter. I am going to bet on SINA to beat estimates. I am seriously considering buying the Feb30 calls for 90c each. If the stock moves up $3 or more, I could get a double-play. Keep in mind, SNDA also reported a blow out quarter and stock did surge $5 the morning after.

On a separate note, TASR is also reporting tomorrw morning. I am too chicken to bet on this one. I rather go to Vegas and bet on Black =)
Updated 12:05PM

Happy Monday!
It's good to be back, after a tiring weekend. We have a few interesting developments today. First, Credit Suisse First Boston says TMTA is "a good fit" for AMD, sending TMTA stock up +10%. I hope it happens, I want to make my quick $1k!

URBN is up $1.34 to $44.68 this morning on slightly above average volume. Looks like investors are beginning to pay notice to this ultra-hip retail again. The stock still trades below its 52-week high of $48.47. I am almost back to even-money on my Mar45 calls.

Elsewhere, AAPL is down 22c, after being down as much as $1.34 this morning! There seems to be alot of talk about NAPS and RNWK and their flat fee subscription service.
Updated 11:30AM

Around the Web - NBA Street V3 and 20% Off iPods

2005-02-07T09:21:00.000-08:00

NBA Street V3 {IGN} drops tomorrow. I've always loved the graphics of the Street series, even if I'm not into street ball as much as the NBA. You see, I'm an ol' school basketball fan; I'm into the 15-foot jumper, the pick and roll, and the layup. Just kidding. I want this game now!
CompUSA.com 20% Off MP3 Players {techbargains} Use coupon code BEADS2 to get 20% off all mp3 players except the iPod shuffle. It's not supposed to work with iPods, but it does as of right now. I'm sure it'll sell out fast, so you better hurry.

Review: iPod2Car Adapter

2005-02-07T06:44:00.000-08:00

A company called Peripheral Electronics is selling an adapter that allows you to play your iPod through your car stereo, making a straight connection to your factory unit so it outputs the highest sound quality possible. It's compatible with the major brands of cars such as Honda, Toyota, and many more. Is it worth $199.95 for the price of admission?

First, the highlights of the iPod2Car. Unlike the cheaper FM transmitters that you see in the stores, this makes a direct connection so you get CD quality sound. The FM transmitters definitely don't sound as good. The iPod2Car also charges the iPod while it's plugged in. One connection provides the sound and the power. One last thing about it is that you can control the iPod through the car radio buttons and your steering wheel. That was a big plus for me because I have the steering wheel control on my Honda.

And now for the not-so-highlights. First of all, it costs $199.95. You can buy a couple separate parts and put it together yourself minus the car radio controls for about $80, but you will need to do more fiddling. Also, you don't have full control over the iPod through the car radio, nor can you see the display. It's not advised to control the iPod unit while driving, so if you're driving by yourself, you have to wait til you get to a stop to find a specific song. There are newer converters coming out from Alpine and other brands that will provide both the display and full controls through the face unit.

All in all, I am quite happy with the iPod2Car adapter because I can listen to my iPod in the car with cd quality sound. I like to switch to the shuffle mode before I get on the road, and just let it choose random songs. It requires some work to get it plugged into the back of your factory car radio, but once that's done, it works as advertised. The iPod2Car earns 4 Bobas.

Movie Review with No Spoilers: The Wedding Date

2005-02-05T01:15:00.000-08:00

I know I'm gonna catch hell from my coworkers for watching The Wedding Date, let alone reviewing it. But the truth is, I enjoyed it and I think anyone who liked "My Best Friend's Wedding" would like it too because that's what Wedding Date reminded me of. I didn't expect much from it, and only went because the girlfriend wanted to see Dermot Mulroney. I have to admit, the guy's pretty suave. There were a few funny moments, but nothing like Best Friend's Wedding. Debra Messing and Dermot had convincing chemistry, and that's what kept me entertained... well, that and the crude jokes that only the British could make without shame. Gotta love them blokes. So I'm gonna go ahead and recommend this as a cute romantic movie that you can watch with your significant other or the person you wish to be your SO. 3.5 Bobas. Since I don't have an image to represent 3.5 Bobas yet, just picture in your mind three and a half cups filled with bobas, and one and a half cup empty. Good luck.

Gmail Giveaway

2005-02-05T00:22:00.000-08:00

For the 56 people in the entire universe that doesn't yet have Gmail and want one, we are going to give it to you! Yes, you lucky duck. Just E-mail me at ijimmy@gmail.com with the subject "Bobas rules! Gimme my damn Gmail!".

Around the Web - Japanese Sleeps Anywhere, Next Nintendo and Xbox Names

2005-02-04T13:51:00.000-08:00

Japanese Suits Sleep Everywhere {via Metafilter} I love how Japanese businessmen can just sleep anywhere in their suits. Why not?
Next Nintendo Called Revolution {via Gamespot} Probably. Yay.
Next Xbox Called 360 {via Engadget} Probably. Yay.

Eazy Quickie - AMZN: FEB 42.5 PUT

2005-02-03T15:32:00.000-08:00

Event: AMZN misses earning badly

Stock: AMZN
02/02 Price: $41.88
02/03 Price: $35.75
Option: Feb 42.5 Put
02/02 Price: $2.60
02/03 Price: $6.70
Equity % = 0.62/2.60 = 23.8%

Buy 6 contracts at 02/02 close for $1560.
Sell 6 contracts at 02/03 close for $4020.

Your profit = $2460.
Your ROI = 158%

20/20 hindsight ROCKS!

Buying only calls/puts that are "in the money" with budget of ~ $1500.
Assuming you make the RIGHT call. For more information on making the right call, please email GOD!

Eazy Money - In Denial

2005-02-03T14:44:00.000-08:00

2 for 2 BABY!
SNDA jumped $5. Could've doubled my money had I bought the Feb40. These Chinese keep proving their doubters wrong. I didn't buy it because I was concerned the potential upside has already been priced into the recent valuation.
ASKJ beat their estimates (35c vs. 32c) but the shares dropped $1.30. I hope its not because they missed their rev target (86.1M vs. 86.7M).
MXO went up 4% after posting some losses - although it is unknown why anyone would actually own this stock.
Updated 02:45PM

No...........
It was bound to happen -- AAPL finally went down!!! This must be a technical error!

As long as we don't go below Tuesday's close, I will be happy. The stock is currently down $1.70. Maybe investors are threatened by the Nap?

URBN is making some noise this morning. Stock is up $1.00 to $42.40, but it still sits below my strike price of $45. The 13% growth last month fell just shy of the estimated 13.7%.

AMZN is getting hammered (and rightfully so), down more than $7. I don't know how long they can last in the ultra competitive online retailing. They need some new ideas.

We got two exciting earnings tonight, one from the Chinese online gamer SNDA and Google's cousin, ASKJ. I would bet on both to beat their estimates.

I will be adding a new section called "Eazy Quickie" because, we can ALL use a quickie sometimes. In my case, I need it everyday!

This section will highlight one stock option that has doubled overnight. With a budget of $1500 (thanks Jimmy) we will try to double our money, with our excellent hindsight.
Updated 11:10AM

Around the Web - Firefox news, Sidekick Rip-offs abound

2005-02-03T13:48:00.000-08:00

Firefox 2 {Inquirer} to be publicly Beta'd in April, and completed by the end of '05. Am I the only one that gets excited, not just about new features, but about new GUI?

Sidekick Gets Competition from...T-Mobile? {The Register} Well, they're at their own throats now. It's clunky and uglier, but it's 3G which seems to be the distinguishing factor here. Also, they don't have a manufacturer contracted yet, but El Reg speculates that they might go with HTC out of...where? That's right, Taiwan. The Behemoth features 2 cameras(don't ask me), an intel XScale processor and will probably run Windows Mobile. Wait for the 3rd generation Sidekick from Danger, folks.

Around the Web - PSP Release, Wynn in Vegas and Cell Phone Help

2005-02-03T12:28:00.000-08:00

Sony PSP Out March 24th {via Slashdot -> Yahoo!}

For the first one million PSP Value Packs shipped, a special UMD video release of the feature film Spider-Man(TM) 2 from Sony Pictures Entertainment.

My inner geekness just had a geekgasm™(My word! Steal it and I'll sue).
Wynn Las Vegas Opens April 28 {Gridskipper}
Honey, what? Can't hear you, losing signal {via Lifehacker -> boingboing} For those times when you're trying to cheat on your girlfriend/spouse and they happen to call you, use the sound insertion services to generate a busy office environment. Really though, I'd just use it to get off the phone with the tons of hot girls that call me all day long. There's only so much of me to go around.

Around the Web - Mac Mini Hater, PSP vs DS, and Britney Nude

2005-02-03T08:00:00.000-08:00

Mac Mini Review: Not Good Value {via Metafilter, satire} A different point of view, someone who doesn't like the Mac Mini. But wait, why?

If you believe Apple’s marketing department, the new Mini is “smaller than most packs of gum” and weighs “less than four quarters”... Hold a Mini in one hand and four quarters in the other and tell me which one feels heavier.

I could get a Mac mini computer for $499... or I could grab an equally stylish, full-featured eMachine at the gas station with a bag of chips for less than half the Mini's price.

There is no Mac version of WeatherBug to check the temperature anywhere in the world. Nor is there a Mac version of helpful web and email enhancers like Hotbar. Or any equivalent of the DealHelper software I use to keep track of my passwords.

Sony PSP vs Nintendo DS: Pornability {via Way of the Rodent} This may be the first real important comparison between the two systems.
Britney Spears Nude on Balcony {via The Superficial, NSFW} As opposed to, naked inside her clothes.

Product Review: Logitech X-230

2005-02-02T14:28:00.000-08:00

Logitech X-230 2.1 Stereo Speaker system is, apparently, their answer to starving students et al. I purchased the system for my desk at the office, seeing as how I'm the unofficial "Aural Systems Administrator". Having had them plugged in for about 20 minutes I feel eminently qualified to give a review. They have a good output, about 30 watt RMS, 60watt total (including the sub(2.1)) and good sound quality. Listening to Carla Bruni was a little nicer than usual, as these speakers handle highs very well. They don't seem to be amazing as far as bass output, but the sub provides enough kick to make me feel good inside without annoying our neighbors in the office next door. I'd say the ROI is likely to be high. The speakers put a $50 dent in my wallet, and I already feel like I've gotten at least $.70 of enjoyment out of them, so in the long run I can see this turning a quite profitable return. If you bear in mind that these are economy units, you will not be dissatisfied with your purchase of them. Bobas? 4 of them. That's right. 4.

Eazy Money - Google Shines

2005-02-02T14:10:00.000-08:00

So much expecation, so little performance
AMZN missed its earnings pretty bad and the stock is paying for it after hours - down 13%. I was expecting it to miss a little, but it was worse than a Shaq free throw attempt (35c vs. 40c). Revenue actually beat the estimates (254B vs. 242B). I did check out the Feb40 puts, but decide against it. Would've been up at least 100%!

SBUX came out with a disappointing 7% increase in same store sales for Jan, which fell way short of expectiation (last Jan: 12%, avg monthly increase: 10.5%). This isn't the first time SBUX has failed to impress (8% last August). I'd be scared to own this stock at such high PE multiples. The stock is WAYYYY off from its 52 week high of $65.
Updated 02:10PM

What Fed meeting?
As expected, he Feds raised the short term rate another quarter point today. Market dropped a bit, pushing the SP and Nazz into the reds, before making a strong and encouraging comeback at close. The lack of action almost put me to sleep (it's definitely not my work)

AAPL continues to flirt with the $80 barrier, going as high as $79.90 before settling at around $79.55. I remained very bullish on AAPL and will wait for it to break $80 before making any moves. The Feb75 call is now up to $5.50! GOOG closed "only" up $14, after being up as much as $24.

WOW, AMZN really stunk it up AGAIN. Drop it like it's hot!
Updated 01:20PM

Google will now search... your garage???
Don't laugh, stranger things have happened.

the only thing that sucks about being right is not benefiting from being right

- some famous philosopher

Ok, you got me, that quote belongs to me. I was RIGHT on picking GOOG to beat estimates. I even went so far to say that I would buy the Feb 200 calls because I felt it was unlikely to see a +/- swing. My PROOF. I ended up not buying any since most of my money is in this other company named Apple.

Well as it turns out, we got the $20 swing, probably due to short squeezes and lots of upgrades. Here is a rundown on how the different calls fare:

Feb 200 call - $6.20 --> $15.20 -- HI = $20.00
Feb 210 call - $3.60 --> $8.70 -- HI = $13.50
Feb 220 call - $1.80 --> $4.00 -- HI = $7.80
Feb 230 call - $0.85 --> $1.70 -- HI = $4.40
Feb 240 call - $0.50 --> $0.65 -- HI = $2.55

At this point, Feb200 stands out as the best ROI with a 145% gain. However, if you had a crystal ball and sold at today's peak, the 230/240 calls would've yielded 400% compared to only 233% for Feb200.

Clearly, in order to maximize the ROI, you must be right on both the direction of the stock AND the amount of moment. Unfortunately, for most of us, the second part is irrelevant more often than we like.

The market is acting like a lazy gorilla. With the Fed's decision coming up at 11:15AM, we are unlikely to see any major movements. GOOG and YHOO have retreated a little bit since running up early morning. Google's world domination partner AAPL has joined the fun and is flirting with the $80 mark. If it breaks the $80 mark, I will sell my Feb75 calls to buy some Feb80 or Mar80 calls to maintain my exposure to AAPL.
Updated 09:30AM