Update [8/21/13]: Back at work, at last. Here’s a few more details on what happened.

Hello all! Just wanted to let you know that I’ll be taking a (much-needed) break this week. I’ll be back with more tech tips and tricks after the holiday.

Thanks again for reading, and have a wonderful July 4th.

See you next week!

The post Happy Fourth of July from “here’s the thing”; see you next week! appeared first on here's the thing.

We’ve come up with nine nifty gifts for your favorite tech addict, from a heart-shaped, USB-powered mug warmer to a “Star Wars” lightsaber candlestick. In the mood yet?

Click a thumbnail to start the slideshow…

The post Isn’t it romantic: 9 tech-minded Valentine’s Day goodies appeared first on here's the thing.

Also, just a quick note: I’ll be taking a brief break for the holiday, but I’ll be back Tuesday, January 3, with more tips, advice, how-tos and podcasts about the gadgets you use every day.

See you next year!

The post Happy New Year from <i>here’s the thing</i>! appeared first on here's the thing.

Also this week: my review of the new Samsung Galaxy Nexus and its eye-popping 4.65-inch touchscreen; 10 classic, must-have Blu-ray movies; and 7 upcoming gadgets to keep an eye on next year.

Holiday Gift Guide: 4 tips for last-minute shoppers
There’s still time to leave something under the tree—a digital something, anyway—even if you’ve waited until the last yawning moment. Read more…

Hands-on review: the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, powered by “Ice Cream Sandwich”
With its jumbo HD screen and button-less face, the “Ice Cream Sandwich”-powered Samsung Galaxy Nexus is scene-stealer, but is it worth the hefty $299 price tag? Read more…

The 5 best YouTube Yule logs
Stuck without a fireplace this holiday season? No problem. Just crack open your laptop, fire up YouTube, and warm up with one of these cozy digital Yule logs. Read more…

Holiday Gift Guide: 10 classic, must-have Blu-ray movies
Putting a Blu-ray player under the tree for your favorite movie buff? Consider throwing in a classic Blu-ray movie, like “Ben-Hur” or “Gone With the Wind.” Read more…

7 gadgets and tech products to watch in 2012
Coming in 2012: a spiffy new iPad, a camera that you’ll never have to focus, data plans for families, two game consoles your kids will be longing for, and more. Read more…

Year in tech: The 5 “improvements” you hated the most
From the redesigned Gmail to Newsstand on the iPhone, here’s 5 new and “improved” features on your favorite products that you wanted undone, pronto. Read more…

Holiday Gift Guide: 6 super smartphone accessories
From a stylish Bluetooth headset to a roll-up keyboard, we’ve got six great gifts for your favorite iPhone-, Android-, or BlackBerry-toting road warrior. Read more…

How to set a hard data limit for your Android phone
The new “Ice Cream Sandwich” version of Android boasts a data-usage monitor that warns you if you’re approaching your monthly data limit. Here’s how to do it. Read more…

Podcast 008: Gadgets to watch next year; last-minute shopping tips
This week: the so-called tech “improvements” that readers absolutely, positively hated. Also: gadgets to watch in 2012, and (very) last-minute shopping tips. Read more…

How to unlock the Galaxy Nexus Android phone with your face
Can’t be bothered to tap in a PIN to unlock your phone? Here’s a novel solution: a camera that unlocks your handset the instant it recognizes your face. Read more…

Happy Holidays from here’s the thing!
I wanted to take time out and wish you and your families all the best in this Holiday Season. I’m looking forward to an amazing 2012! Read more…

The post Last-minute shopping tips; Samsung Galaxy Nexus reviewed; gadgets to watch in 2012 (week in review) appeared first on here's the thing.

I wanted to take time out and wish you and your families all the best in this holiday season. I’m looking forward to an amazing 2012!

I also wanted to take a moment and thank everyone for your support, encouragement and (most importantly) enthusiasm for the launch of here’s the thing. I’ve appreciated each and every one of your visits, not to mention the tweets, “likes,” word of mouth, ideas, emails, user groups, and advice.

It’s hard to believe here’s the thing is just six months old. Since we started back in June 2011, we’ve published 500+ articles, launched a podcast, added a guest writer, answered hundreds of questions, filed an application for a key trademark (take that, Alec Baldwin), and launched our first major holiday gift guide. Best of all, we’ve developed a following—and our audience is steadily growing.

I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished, and we couldn’t have done it without you—seriously. Thank you.

So, what’s next for 2012? Look for a major redesign (to launch next month, fingers crossed), full coverage of the Consumer Electronics Show, live from Las Vegas (also next month), more podcasts, new and exciting videos—and, of course, more practical tips and advice about the gadgets you use every day.

Thank you again and Happy Holidays!

Cheers,
Ben Patterson, Founding Editor, here’s the thing

Note: We’ll be taking Monday, December 26 off, but we’ll return Tuesday for a light week of posting before New Year’s Day.

The post Happy Holidays from <i>here’s the thing</i>! appeared first on here's the thing.

Read on for five of my favorites, from the original WPIX Yule log to one with its own audio commentary.

2 Hour Yule Log!

Length: One hour, 49 minutes
Video quality: 480p
Annoying ads or captions? A few at the beginning, but you can click them off
What you’ll hear: Some nice crackles and pops
Overall: The logs in this fireplace look more like the ones you’d find in a big-city deli than out in the wilderness. That said, the no-nonsense, rock-solid camera work is priceless—and hey, we’re talking nearly two hours of yule log action here. (There’s also a one-hour, 1080p HD version available.)

Yule Log (Director’s Commentary)

Length: 1 minute, 48 seconds
Video quality: 240p, kinda muddy-looking
Annoying ads or captions: Just a title card at the beginning
What you’ll hear: A spot-on parody of those self-serious commentary tracks you hear too often on DVDs.
Overall: Short, but funny.

Yule Log

Length: 2 hours
Video quality: 360p (not quite SD-quality)
Annoying ads or captions? Nope
What you’ll hear: A series of holiday songs and carols sung by independent (and pretty good) artists
Overall: The video quality isn’t amazing, but I love the Santa’s cap and guitar that flank the warm fireplace—and nice-looking logs, by the way.

Beautiful Wood-burning Fireplace Yule Log Video

Length: 20 minutes
Video quality: 720p HD
Annoying ads? Yes, but you can click them off
What you’ll hear: A soothing, steady crackle
Overall: The best-looking fire of the bunch, with logs that look like they came straight from the wood pile an and a strong, steady flame—and in HD, no less. If only the video clip were a wee bit longer…

WPIX Yule Log

Length: 8 minutes
Video quality: 480p, but it looks like a screen capture of a VHS tape
What you’ll hear: Traditional holiday instrumentals
Overall: Short, and iffy video quality, but c’mon—this is the original yule log video. A piece of television history, no doubt.

Happy holidays, everyone—and if you have a favorite YouTube Yule log, post it below!

The post The 5 best YouTube Yule logs appeared first on here's the thing.

Well, good news: there’s still time to leave something under the tree—a digital something, anyway—even if you’ve waited until the last yawning moment.

1. Send a gift card
What is it about unwrapping an iTunes gift card that’s more fun than just getting a $20 bill? Good question. Anyway, e-tailers from Apple and Amazon to Target and Walmart offer digital gift cards that you can personalize and print out, send via email, or even post on a lucky someone’s Facebook wall. Check out my list of 10-tech minded gift card ideas.

2. Gift a smartphone app
Got an iPhone or Android fanatic on your list? Why not gift them an app or two. Sending an iPhone or iPad app as a gift is easy on iTunes, and while you can’t gift apps from Google’s Android Market, you can always email a gift certificate for Amazon’s Android appstore. Click here for the details.

3. Gift a game
If you’re shopping for a video gamer, you’re in luck. You can instantly send a purchased game as a gift through Steam, an online storefront that specializes in downloadable games for PCs and Macs. Another nifty option is OnLive, an innovative new service that streams high-end PC games to just about any desktop or laptop (and even some tablets) over a small software client. Or, how about this: a gift certificate for GameFly, a Netflix-like service that rents game discs for Xbox 360, PS3, and other video game consoles through the mail.

4. Give some music
You can gift individual songs, albums, or even entire box sets though iTunes or Amazon’s MP3 store for instant digital delivery. Just find the tracks you want to give, and select “Gift This Album” or “Gift This Song” from the drop-down menu in the case of iTunes, or click the “Give album or song as gift” button on Amazon.

The post Holiday Gift Guide: 4 tips for last-minute shoppers appeared first on here's the thing.

Mophie Juice Pack Reserve for iPhone ($35)

About the size of a Zippo lighter, the Juice Pack fits on your key ring and boasts a 30-pin connector for your iPhone or iPod Touch; just flip open the top and connect your iDevice for a quick charge in a pinch. Using an Android phone or a BlackBerry instead of an iPhone? If so, give Kensington’s $39 Pocket Battery a look.

Jawbone Icon HD ($99)

This beautiful, ultra-stylish Bluetooth headset boasts military-grade noise cancellation technology (yes, really), a 10-millimeter “wideband” speaker for high-quality sound, and an Android app that’ll dial you in to a conference call at the touch of a button.

Bose SoundLike wireless mobile speaker ($300)

No, it’s not cheap, but the three-pound Bose SoundLink speaker promises eight hours of crystal-clear sound on a single charge, and it works with any Bluetooth-enabled smartphone.

Kensington Virtuoso Touch Screen Stylus & Pen ($25)

Perfect for tapping on a touchscreen with your winter gloves on—or if you’d simply rather not swipe with your fingers—Kensington’s high-end Virtuoso smartphone stylus doubles as a good old-fashioned ballpoint pen.

Maxell AirStash A02 wireless thumbdrive ($149)

Think of the AirStash as a pocket-sized, flyweight portable media drive, complete with its own built-in Wi-Fi network. Toss some movies, music, or photos onto any SD memory card, plug the card into the AirStash, then connect your iPhone or Android phone to the AirStash’s Wi-Fi signal to start streaming video, music, or images. (Read my hands-on review.)

Scosche freeKey Bluetooth keyboard ($60)

Here’s a wireless keyboard for iPhone and Android with a difference: it’s flexible, meaning you can roll it up and tuck it into your purse or briefcase. (Of course, it also means you’ll need a hard, flat surface for typing; otherwise, the rubbery freeKey will simply dribble into your lap.) Expect to get 60 hours of typing out of this rechargable keyboard.

The post Holiday Gift Guide: 6 super smartphone accessories appeared first on here's the thing.

1. Citizen Kane ($32)
Widely considered one of the best (if not the best) movies ever made, Orson Welles’ 1941 masterpiece continues to dazzle audiences and inspire filmmakers, and it gets a welcome Blu-ray makeover in this handsome box set. Included in the package: audio commentary by director Peter Bogdanovich and critic Roger Ebert, plus a full-length documentary about the efforts of media titan William Randolph Hearts to suppress the picture.

Related: Top 5 reasons to buy a Blu-ray player

"We're off to see the wizard..."

2. The Wizard of Oz ($94 for the box set, or $13 for the standard version)
I’d actually never seen “The Wizard of Oz” all the way though until I saw the newly-restored Blu-ray, and I have to say—I’m glad I waited. You’ll see every brick in the Yellow Brick Road on this 70th-anniversary Blu-ray edition, which makes the classic trip to Oz look like it was filmed yesterday. The pricier box set comes with a 52-page commemorative book, four hours of “extras,” and even a “limited-edition” Oz-themed watch.

3. Ben-Hur ($65 for box set, or $39 for the standard version)
See the epic chariot race in all its widescreen glory, complete with a restored Dobly Digital soundtrack, a full-length “making-of” documentary starring Charlton Heston himself, vintage screen tests, and more.

4. The Sound of Music ($17)
This three-disc set boasts an interactive “back-lot” tour of Robert Wise’s beloved musical (just wait ’til you see the sweeping opening shot on Blu-ray), along with an audio commentary with Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer. And yes, there’s a “sing-along” version included, too.

5. The Bridge on the River Kwai ($17)
David Lean’s harrowing, widescreen war epic gets the Blu-ray treatment, complete with a 35-page book detailing the production, replicas of the original lobby cards, a squad of documentaries, interviews with William Holden and Alec Guiness, and more. Still missing in action, sadly: a Blu-ray version of Lean’s masterpiece, “Lawrence of Arabia.”

"I'll never be hungry again!"

6. Gone With the Wind ($47)
They don’t make ’em like they used to, and there’s no finer example than this soaring Civil War melodrama. Released in 1939, the same year as “Wizard of Oz” (what a year that must have been), “Gone With the Wind” probably looks better now than it did during its original theatrical run. And on Blu-ray, the devastating shot of the wounded soldiers in the aftermath of the Battle of Atlanta is truly draw-dropping.

7. West Side Story ($20)
Another great musical—except this time, it’s set in the mean streets of Manhattan rather than the mountains of Austria. Leonard Bernstein’s score is remastered in luscious 7.1 DTS-HD audio, and 50’s-era New York looks superb (and appropriately grimy) in widescreen 1080p HD.

8. North by Northwest ($14)
“Vertigo” may be considered Hitchcock’s greatest movie, but for my money, you can’t beat the thrilling “North by Northwest,” featuring Cary Grant at his suavest—even as he was dodging that infamous cropduster. “Vertigo,” by the way, isn’t on Blu-ray yet, although another Hitchcock classic—the still-terrifying “Psycho”—is.

"Dave, my mind is going. I can feel it."

9. Stanley Kurbick: Limited Edition Collection ($95)
This massive 10-disc Blu-ray set boasts nine of Stanley Kubrick’s greatest movies, including probably my favorite film of all time: “2001: A Space Odyssey.” Also included: “Spartacus,” “Lolita,” “Dr. Strangelove,” “A Clockwork Orange,” “Barry Lyndon,” “The Shining,” “Full Metal Jacket,” and “Eyes Wide Shut.”

10. The Godfather trilogy ($68)
I had no idea how badly the “Godfather” movies needed a makeover until I watched the new Blu-ray versions recently; in particular, the opening, now fully-restored wedding sequence from “The Godfather” is a revelation.

11. The “Star Wars” saga ($87)
Hey, weren’t there only supposed to be 10 movies in this holiday Blu-ray countdown? Well, yes, but I can’t let this list go by without mentioning “Star Wars,” which finally landed on Blu-ray this past fall. The box set includes all six movies, complete with razor-sharp 1080p HD visuals and restored digital soundtracks; check out my eyes- and ears-on impressions right here.

The post Holiday Gift Guide: 10 classic, must-have Blu-ray movies appeared first on here's the thing.

You didn’t think the year would end without one more big change on Facebook, did you?

Meet Timeline, which (like it or not) turns your old Facebook wall into a visual representation of your life, complete with all your posts and literally starting from the day you were born. Find out what you need to know about Timeline, along with 5 key privacy tips.

Also this week: Check out our 2011 holiday shopping guide, featuring everything from iPads and Roombas to digital photo frames and pocket-sized video projectors. We’ve also got apps and online services for keeping you organized during the holiday rush, as well as bargain gift picks and 10 tech-minded gift card ideas.

Facebook’s new Timeline feature: 7 things you need to know
Get the scoop on “Timeline,” the new Facebook feature that weaves your Facebook posts, photos, and other “life events” into a linear, visual, and public story. Read more…

2011 Holiday Gift Guide: gadgets, tech gear, apps, and more
From iPads and Roombas to flying alarm clocks and voice-recording smartpens, we’ve got the perfect gadget for the loved ones on your holiday shopping list. Read more…

10 must-have apps for the iPad
Got a new iPad? Here are 10 apps you should download now, ranging from news and video apps to virtual fashion catalogs and video chat courtesy of Skype. Read more…

5 privacy tips for locking down your Timeline on Facebook
Read on for three ways to wipe—or at least hide—updates, photos, activity from your apps (like Spotify), or any other less-than-flattering Timeline posts. Read more…

Holiday Gift Guide: Home theater gear for the living room and beyond
Among our picks: a pair of streaming TV set-top boxes (can you say Apple TV?); one remote control to rule them all; and a pocket-sized HD projector. Read more…

Podcast 007: Facebook’s new Timeline feature; last-minute holiday shopping tips
This week, we take on Timeline, the new Facebook feature that weaves your posts into a visual timeline of your life. Also: last-minute holiday shopping tips. Read more…

5 must-have organizational apps for the holidays
We’ve rounded up a few apps and web sites that’ll help organize your gift lists, find the lowest prices for your picks, and manage your holiday get-together. Read more…

Holiday Gift Guide: 10 tech gifts under $20
From a tiny mobile speaker and a Kindle reading light to an iPhone armband case and MP3-playing sunglasses, we’ve got 10 tech gifts that won’t break the bank. Read more…

How to create an iPhone calendar event or contact directly from email
Get an invitation to a can’t-miss event in your iPhone’s email inbox? If so, you’re just a few taps away from marking the date in your mobile calendar. Read more…

Holiday Gift Guide: 10 tech-minded gift card ideas
So, don’t have a clue what to give your favorite gadget hound for the holidays, or are you simply pressed for time? Here’s a simple solution: a gift card. Read more…

The post What you need to know about Facebook’s new Timeline; 2011 Holiday Gift Guide (week in review) appeared first on here's the thing.