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Were the Brangelina Baby Pics Photoshopped?

by Christine Whitney, posted Aug 5th 2008 at 4:11PMBreaking News



We are so over two things right now. One is the discussion of how much People Magazine paid for the Pitt-Jolie-clan cover shot (more than $14 mil, in case you managed not to hear). The other is the constant analysis of Photoshop intervention in magazine covers. Now a few articles that cover our two least favorite things are making the rounds of the Web. Said articles speculate that MAYBE the babies aren't as cute as they seem on the cover.

Did People's Photoshoppers PASTE ON baby Vivienne's smile? Maybe they did, if the evidence involving a citation from Parenting mag, which alleges that "babies don't smile from external stimulation until 2-4 months," is enough to prove the point. The articles also speculate that maybe the babies were just born weeks ago, which is why they're able to smile, and that Brangelina just didn't tell us. Either way, the celebrity couple is lying, it would seem.

Well maybe the li'l ones were burping. Or maybe the photographers were just really patient. Whatev. In short, we are way more interested in this picture, which makes for a far more interesting debate. [Source: New York via Style Dash]

'Generation Kill' Dreamboat Kellan Lutz Talks Cell Phones

by Christine Whitney, posted Aug 5th 2008 at 12:04PMFeatured Story



Kellan Lutz, object of adolescent girls' desire and actor in multiple teen moo-vies, is about to get some street cred. The 19-year-old North Dakota native can be seen on the awesome HBO miniseries 'Generation Kill,' the latest project by the creators of our longtime addiction 'The Wire.' Boy's been busy breaking the hearts of middle American youths and shooting the CW's new 90210, but he still found time for a tell-all interview with Switched. Read on, as Kellan reveals the identities of his favorite gadgets, his Wii habits, and his most embarrassing cell-phone debacle.

What gadgets do you always bring with you to the set?

I really do love having my toys to occupy my time between scenes. I usually will bring my Playstation PSP to play EA sports games and other adventure games. I'm playing the new 'God of War' which has the right amount of action to get lost in. I also have a video mp3 player which I use to watch 'South Park' episodes, and movies as well as listen to music.


What cell phone do you have right now and what do you love/hate about it?

I just recently gave up my favorite phone the Palm Treo for a Samsung Instinct. I love touch screen phones as it gives me the right amount of control over a simple phone. I use my phone for everything from scheduling my life to listening to music, so it's more than just a phone. My new Instinct is cool because it has GPS, a full touch screen, and I can check my email when on set, but I would love to see how it stacks up to the new iPhone 3G. So I might just have to get one of those and pick the better of the two to keep. I really do miss the Treo's keyboard though. I got so good using the keyboard while driving to the point where I could text paragraphs without ever looking down. I loved being able to feel the keys. Also I just found out that the Instinct does not have PDF capability so I cannot read my scripts and sides on my phone anymore but it's worth everything--my "Instinct" is to keep it.


Who's the last person you sent a text message to and what was it about?

I sent a text to my brother, we talk all day long. I think I texted him asking him to buy tickets to see 'The Dark Knight' in IMAX. I can't wait to see this movie; I hear Heath Ledger could be up for an Oscar for his role as the Joker...I think it's going to be that good!

Continue reading 'Generation Kill' Dreamboat Kellan Lutz Talks Cell Phones

Pineapple Express' Gary Cole Has Simple Tastes, and a Drum Kit

by Christine Whitney, posted Aug 4th 2008 at 12:25PMFeatured Story



Gary Cole's been in a bazillion movies and TV shows and has played all kinda roles. Lately he's busied himself with the much-anticipated stoner comedy 'Pineapple Express', which opens this Wednesday nationwide. Though we remember him best as Katherine's creepy ex on 'Desperate Housewives', we just interviewed him about his gadget-usage and he seems like a really nice guy! He even gave his old drum kit to the kid next door! Cole is unpretentious about gadgetry, reserving his tech-splurges for HDTV and his latest drums. Read on for the deets.

What gadgets do you always bring with you to the set?

Just a phone, to take care of business and household-related things, but nothing more "tech-y" than an occasional DVD. I enjoy my quiet time while on set!


What cell phone do you have right now and what do you love/hate about it?

I just got a new LG phone from Verizon. I love this one because it works, unlike my last one (an archaic Nokia), but at the end of the day it's just a phone – I have no romantic attachment to it.


Who's the last person you sent a text message to and what was it about?

I have never sent a text message before. At least, not on purpose. If I need to speak to someone, I'll call them.


Where do you go pretty much every time you get online?

Teddi and I share an AOL e-mail account, but other than that I'm pretty old-fashioned and read the paper for my news and gossip!


What annoys you most about your iPod, cell phone, or laptop?

The standard gripes – losing power, no reception, dropped calls. I literally just got this new phone so I have no complaints...yet.



Continue reading Pineapple Express' Gary Cole Has Simple Tastes, and a Drum Kit

Switched Questionnaire: Robert Englund (aka Freddy Krueger)

by Christine Whitney, posted Aug 2nd 2008 at 12:28PMFeatured Story



We know Robert Englund mostly as the scary guy that traumatized us throughout early childhood in the legendary Freddy Krueger movies. Dude usually gets typecast in creepy horror flicks (keep an eye out for 'Zombie Strippers', coming soon to your mall cineplex!) but he's about to expand his repertoire in 'Red,' a serious small-town drama about a misanthropic war vet whose dog is killed by local delinquents. [Spoiler: Englund does NOT play the war vet, or the delinquents]. Directed by Trygve Allister Diessen and Lucky McKee, 'Red' opens August 8th at artsy theaters in New York and DC.

Switched caught up with Freddy Robert between zombies and dogs and strippers to ask him how he feels about iPods and gadgets and stuff. And like our favorite 80's horror films, he's endearingly old-school and lo-fi. Read more below!


What gadgets do you always bring with you to the set for down-time?

A highlighter pen and Bayer aspirin


What cell phone do you have right now and what do you love/hate about it?

A black colored LG that my wife got me. I am too old and too blind to do more than make calls. I can't read the screen with the sun behind me.


Who's the last person you sent a text message to and what was it about?

I emailed my producer in Italy about the movie I will be directing there this fall.


Where do you go pretty much every time you get online?

RobertEnglund.com, naturally. And IMDB.


What annoys you most about your iPod, cell phone, or laptop?

Hard to read outside when there is glare.


Name one thing you wish your iPod/cellphone/laptop could do that it doesn't do now?

Voice recognition. I am all thumbs.


What upcoming gadget can you not wait to get your hands on?

LG Scarlet flatscreen


You're stranded on a desert island: What gadget do you bring?

Swiss Army knife and Bear Grylls



What's the most-played song or artist on your iPod?

Don't have or want an iPod


BlackBerry, Sidekick, or Treo?

Blueberries are excellent on salads, and full of antioxidants.


Are you getting an iPhone? If so, why?

[Yes, since it has] GPS and is useful internationally. [It's] much smaller than our laptop.


What's the longest time you've ever spent playing a video game in one sitting and what game was it?

I played Galaxian for two hours in the late 1980s.


Mac or PC?

Mac. They are cooler and easier to use for us techno-weenies.

Whaaa? Freddy Krueger Is a Mac & LG Kind of Man

by Christine Whitney, posted Jul 31st 2008 at 7:01PMFeatured Story



We know Robert Englund mostly as the scary guy that traumatized us throughout early childhood in the legendary Freddy Krueger movies. Dude usually gets typecast in creepy horror flicks (keep an eye out for 'Zombie Strippers', coming soon to your mall cineplex!) but he's about to expand his repertoire in 'Red,' a serious small-town drama about a misanthropic war vet whose dog is killed by local delinquents. [Spoiler: Englund does NOT play the war vet, or the delinquents]. Directed by Trygve Allister Diessen and Lucky McKee, 'Red' opens August 8th at artsy theaters in New York and DC.

Switched caught up with Freddy Robert between zombies and dogs and strippers to ask him how he feels about iPods and gadgets and stuff. And like our favorite 80's horror films, he's endearingly old-school and lo-fi. Read more below!


What gadgets do you always bring with you to the set for down-time?

A highlighter pen and Bayer aspirin


What cell phone do you have right now and what do you love/hate about it?

A black colored LG that my wife got me. I am too old and too blind to do more than make calls. I can't read the screen with the sun behind me.


Who's the last person you sent a text message to and what was it about?

I emailed my producer in Italy about the movie I will be directing there this fall.


Where do you go pretty much every time you get online?

RobertEnglund.com, naturally. And IMDB.


What annoys you most about your iPod, cell phone, or laptop?

Hard to read outside when there is glare.


Name one thing you wish your iPod/cellphone/laptop could do that it doesn't do now?

Voice recognition. I am all thumbs.


What upcoming gadget can you not wait to get your hands on?

LG Scarlet flatscreen


You're stranded on a desert island: What gadget do you bring?

Swiss Army knife and Bear Grylls



What's the most-played song or artist on your iPod?

Don't have or want an iPod


BlackBerry, Sidekick, or Treo?

Blueberries are excellent on salads, and full of antioxidants.


Are you getting an iPhone? If so, why?

[Yes, since it has] GPS and is useful internationally. [It's] much smaller than our laptop.


What's the longest time you've ever spent playing a video game in one sitting and what game was it?

I played Galaxian for two hours in the late 1980s.


Mac or PC?

Mac. They are cooler and easier to use for us techno-weenies.

There's Still No Modern Romance, Even for Subway Dreamgirl

by Christine Whitney, posted Jul 29th 2008 at 7:02PM



Sigh. Remember Patrick Moberg, that Vimeo employee from Brooklyn who saw the "girl of his dreams" (yeah, he really said it) on the subway and waged an online campaign to find her. www.nygirlofmydreams was a sort of grand-scale "missed connections," wherein Pat drew a nice picture of the girl and put out an appeal to his New York neighbors to help him find her.

People love that sort of stuff, it's like 'Desperately Seeking Susan' for the Internet era. And so New Yorkers helped Patrick hurtle along towards a doomed romance, locating the mystery girl within 48 hours.

Dreamgirl was actually one Camille Hayton, a Blackbook intern from Australia. She dated Moberg for two months in the wake of great media fanfare, and then, it was over.

In a recent interview, Hayton told the The Sunday Telegraph about the breakup and about her cameos in 'As the World Turns' and the 'Sex and the City' movie.

"...We dated for a while but now we're just friends," said Hayton, "It's really nice that people embraced the story. It is part of my life now." Moberg, however, refused to comment, telling Reuters via e-mail "We've decided not to do any more press." Hmmm...miscommunication, kiddos? [Source: Reuters]

Movie Make-Outs Could Be Filmed By Cinematic Spy Cams

by Christine Whitney, posted Jul 25th 2008 at 3:25PM

One of our most awkward childhood memories was going to see 'Muppet Treasure Island' at the AMC with mom and lil' bro. There was this couple in the back totally necking (actually, they'd probably crossed over into heavy petting, though we didn't know what that was at the time).

Not that we all haven't made out in the cinema a time or two ourselves, but puh-leaze! It's the MUPPETS.

Count on the British to put a stop to this sort of behavior -- Odeon, the UK's largest theater chain, has taken to installing security cameras inside movie theaters. So while you're sitting around watching 'The Dark Knight', someone might be watching you! It's so meta.

Odeon execs claim that the cameras are intended to ensure the safety of moviegoers, and have already cut down on "disruptive incidents." But young Brits and human rights groups are sketched out. It's Big-Brotherly, they worry, and takes all the fun out of an old fashioned makeout sesh at the movies. [Source: Telegraph UK]

German 'Fakebook' Site Feels Facebook's Wrath

by Christine Whitney, posted Jul 25th 2008 at 2:39PM



Ooohhh, it's the Germans! The EU's paragon of efficiency has done another efficient thing -- created a no-nonsense, less-fun version of Facebook.

Entrepreneur Ehssan Dariani, after failing at his male cosmetics line, decided to turn his attention to social networking. And network he did. His site, studiDV launched in 2005, and became the largest social networking site in Europe within a few short months.

Save a few hacking debacles and one incident of mass stalking, studiDV, or 'Fakebook,' as the kleines deutsche have taken to calling it, has been humming along and growing by the minute.

But now Facebook is T.O.'d. Execs claim that Dariani ripped off their steez, and now Facebook is suing Fakebook. Face-off!

Dariani admits drawing inspiration from Facebook in the creation of his site. But until this March, there was no German language version of Facebook. What were the kids to do? [Source: Reuters]

6 Tips for Better Camera Phone Pics

by Christine Whitney, posted Jul 23rd 2008 at 7:15PM



We've noticed that when people take our photos on their camera phones, the results are usually kinda unflattering. Somehow the phones always seem to make us (and our friends) look squirrelly and out of it. Then these unfortunate pictures appear time and time again every time we or said friends call.

In the interest of being service-y, we scoured the Internet for advice on how to improve camera phone photography. Here are some of the best tips from the Digital Photography School.

1. Get A Little Bit Closer Now

Far off shots are one of the biggest faux pas in the camera phone world. Get as close to your subject as you possibly can without getting all up in his or her face, then take the picture. Avoid using the zoom at all costs. Most camera phones are still pretty low-res, so zooming in after the fact to crop your photos will reduce quality even more.

2. Lighting is Everything

Make sure there's enough light. Shooting outside in daylight is ideal. Indoors, try turning a bunch of lights on, but be aware that they might eff up your color balance.

3. Play with White Balance

Many phones have adjustable white balance (a feature that allows you to mess around with color balance in accord with the shooting conditions). Experimenting with white balance can provide your shots with richer hues, improved contrast, etc. More will be revealed in your instruction manual, if you can be bothered to read it.

4. Clean Your Lens, Son!

From spending time in purses, bags, and pockets, camera phones' lenses can get nasty. Sand, lipstick, lint, and fingerprints blight the lens from time to time. DPS suggests cleaning the lens with a sunglass cloth or something similar. We hear Oxypads are good for getting sand out of the phone and lens.

5. Go High-Res

Many phones allow you to change the resolution settings, much like a digital camera. If you can opt for better quality, your shots will be clearer, obvi. They will, however, take up more space on your phone and take longer to send.

6. Don't Perv on Your Neighbors

DPS reminds us that camera phones should be used responsibly. Secret crotch shots are frowned upon. If you're in high school, it's probably a bad idea to take compromising pictures of yourself, or let your boyfriend take them. They could easily end up forwarded to everyone on the phone book. But then, you already knew that... [Source: DPS]

Rampant Fungus Destroying Old VHS Video Tapes

by Christine Whitney, posted Jul 23rd 2008 at 4:43PM


Oh, gross! This story sounds like it came from The Onion, but be afraid: The UK Guardian's Observer newspaper said it, and so it must be true. Turns out a devastating virus, or "Tape Mould" as the Brits are calling it, is ravaging VHS tapes from the '80s and '90s all over the United Kingdom. ('Girls Just Wanna Have Fun'! 'Desperately Seeking Susan'! 'Degrassi Jr. High'! -- all gone!)

More troublesome than the destruction of our fave '80s hits, which are mostly available on DVD anyway, is the mold's desecration of families' precious memories and historical footage. Families with infected tapes may sit down with their popcorn to watch a recording of little Stevie's bar mitzvah or the funny one where Fluffy falls in the bathtub, only to find them unwatchable.

Unusually high humidity has meant that the mold has already scourged thousands of miles of AV tape throughout the UK, not counting tons of tape that are probably rotting in storage. And it's spreading, says the Observer,"at an alarming rate."

If you have the mold, which looks like " a fine white dust," then quarantine the infected tape ASAP. Spores will spread like the bubonic plague, and one moldy tape can ruin your whole archive.

So far, the problem doesn't seem to be too epidemic here in the States, but in case you're worried, you should take a look at this bit of advice from the British Library Sound Archive, which advises that tapes should be kept in the dark, away from heat sources. Moisture is also an enemy of tapes and breeds mold, so keeping tapes in a dry place is advised. [Source: The Guardian]

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