Chatterbots are available in dog/cat, fairy godfather, and devil/angel models, and when connected to your computer via USB, are supposed to entertain you with "its unpredictable stream of jokes, dialog, and comments about your virtual life," according to the company. On top of that, it says random things while you're typing. Lame! Not to mention, the integrated speaker is located on the bottom of the Chatterbot, which makes it very difficult to hear what it's saying in the first place. (Which turned out to be a good thing, considering it's so annoying.)

Bonus View for you
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For the full-length, free-verse Panasonic DMP-BD30 Blu-ray Disc Player review check out PCMag.com.

Thankfully, the Destructor pad itself is definitely well thought out. Like just about everything else Razer sells, the Destructor was "co-designed, tested and validated" by professional gamers. And the company touts its "Fractal" textured surface, which they claim offers 25-37% better tracing with gaming-grade optical and laser mice. Sure, that's a whole lot of marketing babble, but the fact is the Razer Destructor is a fine piece of mouse pad.

Speaking of watching TV on your iPhone, Orb Networks claims to have "the world's first way to stream live TV to the iPhone and iPod Touch." The company designed OrbLive, an app created to work with jailbroken iPhones and iPod Touches.

Users install Orb's streaming app on a PC with a TV tuner and OrbLive on their iPhone or iPod Touch. Set the PC the live TV, and you can stream the content direct to your Wi-Fi enable Apple device. Okay, so it's not the most high-tech of solutions, but at least Orb can happy claim "first," right?

Said Orb's CEO, Joe Costello, "Although the iPhone provides users with a great way to experience the Web, it offers a ridiculously sub-par streaming video experience. When all the carriers' free phones can stream lots of things that my iPhone can't, something's seriously wrong. OrbLive finally brings the iPhone's streaming video experience up to par with other mobile phones."

Dag, Steve, are you gonna take that? ]]> http://www.gearlog.com/2008/05/orb_offers_first_live_tv_for_i.php http://www.gearlog.com/2008/05/orb_offers_first_live_tv_for_i.php Apple (Macintosh, iPod) Apple iPhone Apple iphone iPod Touch Thu, 08 May 2008 16:47:10 -0500

While Verizon and AT&T do battle over mobile TV, and Apple continues to give NBC the cold shoulder, the peacock has taken matters into its own hands by making full episodes of The Office and 30 Rock available for streaming on an iPhone and iPod Touch near you. The comedies will be available as QuickTime files, viewable without those pesky obligatory ads.

According to Gizmodo, however, the files are massive and need to be re-downloaded, should you exit out of Safari, so you're advised to stick to Wi-Fi for these. That is, until that much talked about speed bump up comes through... ]]> http://www.gearlog.com/2008/05/nbc_offers_commercialfree_30_r.php http://www.gearlog.com/2008/05/nbc_offers_commercialfree_30_r.php Apple (Macintosh, iPod) Apple iPhone Apple iPhone NBC Thu, 08 May 2008 16:35:19 -0500 Warmer weather means it's time to pack up for vacations, and the one thing us tech-savvy vacationers need is something to pass the time on the way to our destination. I think I have found a gadget to do just that: the Philips DCP951 docking entertainment system. ]]> http://www.gearlog.com/2008/05/philips_dcp951_philips_docking.php http://www.gearlog.com/2008/05/philips_dcp951_philips_docking.php Apple (Macintosh, iPod) HDTV & Home Theater Systems MP3 & Digital Audio DVD player iPod dock Philips photo viewer travel Thu, 08 May 2008 16:28:07 -0500 Good news, movie buffs--now that the dust has settled on the high-def DVD format wars, the first wave of Blu-Ray Criterion Collection discs are finally coming. And in a surprising--if welcome--move, the higher-def versions of the discs won't cost anymore than their standard-definition counterparts.

According to Gizmodo, the following 13 titles are set to be issued first:

The Third Man, Bottle Rocket, Chungking Express, The Man Who Fell to Earth, The Last Emperor, El Norte, The 400 Blows, Gimme Shelter, The Complete Monterey Pop, Contempt, Walkabout, For All Mankind, The Wages of Fear ]]> http://www.gearlog.com/2008/05/criterion_collection_getting_b.php http://www.gearlog.com/2008/05/criterion_collection_getting_b.php HDTV & Home Theater Systems Blu-ray Thu, 08 May 2008 15:47:58 -0500 Don't let the pic confuse you--you haven't wandered into a gardening blog within the last 5 seconds. In spite of the realistic looks, the three elements at the image above are actually loudspeakers by Niles Audio. Part of Niles Audio's GeoRealistic weatherproof rock loudspeaker line, they are as follows: the Niles RS6Si series (at the front), the PB6Si planter loudspeaker (back, left), and the PS6Si planter loudspeaker (back, right). All three were designed to withstand the harshest of weathers, making them perfect for those inclined to spend idle time in their lawns. If you're wondering whether you can actually use the planter box loudspeakers to house live plants, the answer would be yes. The rock-like RS6Si, on the other hand, comes in numerous colors and textures germane to rocks. It features an injection molded TCC 6-inch woofer and two one-inch Tetron tweeters, and is designed to have three modes to choose from: monaural, traditional two-speaker stereo input, and single speaker stereo input. The PB6Si and PS6Si planter box loudspeakers, however, feature a 6.5-inch dual voice coil woofer and a couple of 1-inch fluid-cooled Tetron tweeters. Personally, I'd really like to see a garden gnome loudspeaker, but I guess these have to do for now. All three models are now available through Niles Audio's authorized dealers. ]]> http://www.gearlog.com/2008/05/niles_audios_new_georealistic.php http://www.gearlog.com/2008/05/niles_audios_new_georealistic.php Gadgets & Gizmos speakers Thu, 08 May 2008 15:28:06 -0500

This is one sick-looking puppy. The USB Smart Dog Hub is a 4-port USB hub that literally loses its rectangular-shaped head. Detach its head from the hub, and you've got a portable radio with auto scan 88Mhz to 108MHz. And if you're a good dog owner, you'll return the head so that you can use it as a computer speaker.

Head on over to LatestBuy.com to buy this smart pup for $19.15.

The Apple iPhone continues its attempt to take over the world one step at a time by rolling out in more than a dozen Latin American countries, beginning later this year. The company inked a deal with Carlos Slim's America Movil SAB, the top mobile service provider in Latin America, which operates in 16 countries, including Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico.

"We're excited to be working with America Movil to bring the iPhone to Latin America later this year, and we can't wait to get this revolutionary phone in the hands of even more people around the world," Apple spokeswoman Natalie Kerris told the Associated Press.

Specific details of the plan, including carrier exclusivity, have yet to be announced. Apple recently signed a deal with a second carrier in Italy, raising some questions about the company's commitment to one carrier per country. ]]> http://www.gearlog.com/2008/05/iphone_set_to_roll_out_in_lati.php http://www.gearlog.com/2008/05/iphone_set_to_roll_out_in_lati.php Apple (Macintosh, iPod) Apple iPhone Cell Phones & Services Apple iPhone Thu, 08 May 2008 14:20:21 -0500 Among the array of phones presented by Samsung during Mobile World Congress 2008 is the Samsung i200 candybar smartphone. More than a couple of months later, the company announced the official launch of the i200 and I was considerably...underwhelmed. Based on the official press release, it seems that Samsung is banking on the smartphone's slim form--after all, an 11.8mm thickness is rarely seen on its peers. Another notable feature would be its HSDPA 3.6 Mbps connection. For its display, the Samsung i200 has a 2.3-inch QVGA TFT screen with glossy finish (a characteristic observed on most of Samsung's handsets presented during MWC). It runs on Windows Mobile 6.1 OS and can operate MS Office programs. Other specs include Bluetooth and USB connectivity, music player, 25MB internal memory, and a micro SD card slot. Aside from its mundane aesthetics, camera specs also disappoint at only 2-megapixels. The Samsung i200 will first be released in Europe on June, and will roll out in other markets a month afterwards. ]]> http://www.gearlog.com/2008/05/samsung_i200_candybar.php http://www.gearlog.com/2008/05/samsung_i200_candybar.php Cell Phones & Services Samsung smartphone Thu, 08 May 2008 13:12:47 -0500 How's this for a promotion: Sign up for a broadband package and get a free computer. Scottish carrier and IT retailer powerupmobile.com is giving user exactly that. When customers use the Edinburgh-based company to sign up for T-Mobile's Web 'n Walk mobile broadband service, they'll get a free Asus Eee PC.

Says powerupmobile.com's CEO of the portable notebook, which has recently become his company's best-selling item: "The best thing is you can connect it to the internet from anywhere using the USB modem and T-Mobile Web n Walk service. You don't need Wifi or a hot spot or anything, plug in the USB modem anywhere and you get internet access."

The package, which also includes a T-Mobile USB modem is £35 a month, for 24 months. ]]> http://www.gearlog.com/2008/05/scotland_only_sign_up_for_tmob.php http://www.gearlog.com/2008/05/scotland_only_sign_up_for_tmob.php Cell Phones & Services Desktops & Laptops Asus Eee PC tmobile Thu, 08 May 2008 12:20:38 -0500

Best Buy is heading across the pond to form a new company with British consumer electronics leader, Carphone Warehouse. Best Buy will purchase 50 percent of Carphone Warehouse's retail business for $2.1 billion, and the two companies will launch a completely new venture. (The U.K.-based company operates more than 2,400 stores in nine European countries, but those of us in the U.S. might know Carphone Warehouse from HBO's "Extras" as the place of employment for Andy's inept agent, Darren.) ]]> http://www.gearlog.com/2008/05/best_buy_inks_21b_deal_with_uk.php http://www.gearlog.com/2008/05/best_buy_inks_21b_deal_with_uk.php Cell Phones & Services Best Buy Carphone Warehouse Thu, 08 May 2008 12:12:29 -0500