Are you looking for a unique holiday gift for the musician in your life? Well, we’ve found it. It’s a gift that blends technology with fashion, for the DJ or rising star on the go. But you won’t find this t-shirt on the rack at Target…

Make beats while on the go using your iPad – or this even cooler Drum Machine t-shirt.

The wearable and washable Drum Machine T-shirt thumps out the bass. It’s a real, working and functioning drum machine – that you can wear. We found the awesome t-shirt online at one of our favorite online shopping spots, ThinkGeek. The Drum Machine t-shirt features 9 different drum kits and allows the wearer to record beats,  loop those drum patterns and layer beats for virtually unlimited tracks.

Check out all these great features:

• Real Working Wearable Drum Machine & Looper
• 9 Different Drum Kits: Rock, Retro 808, Discotek, Techno Punk, Bass Invader, Chiptune, Zapf Dingbats & Scratchy
• Create and record a beat loop (up to 3 minutes long)
• Create a loop, then build and layer beats on top with unlimited tracks
• 7-voices (you can play all 7 drum pads at once)
• Mix and match sounds from the different built-in drum kits in one loop
• Working mini amp clips on your belt and goes to 11
• Built-in analog audio output jack
• Exclusive product invented and designed by ThinkGeek (Patent Pending)
• Fully washable, electronics and drum pads easily remove from shirt
• Requires 4 x AA Batteries (not included)

Making Beats on the Go
How do guys like Jay-Z and Kayne West do it? Music and beat production done right is using state-of-the-art hardware and software like Apple’s Logic. Looking to learn how to make your own music? Why not attend a digital media academy, a music and beat production class could be just the thing to inspire the Elton John in you.

Just getting into making beats? Start your music adventure with a t-shirt! One more great thing about the Drum Machine T-shirt? It even comes with a small portable amp that clips to your belt. Check out the video below top see the shirt in action:

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Even though the cheapest iPad is $499, the iPad is still one of the most popular device on the market today and sets the standard for tablet computers. And while new devices like the Kindle Fire have sparked consumer interest, folks are still flocking to the iPad.

The iPad tops the list of the hottest gifts this season. 

The iPad easily tops the list as the must-have holiday gift of 2011 and based on industry analyst research, Apple will sell 13.5 million iPads in December alone. That’s more than an 84% increase over the same time last year and bring $8.26 billion in revenue to Apple.

iPad 3 Release Date
The iPad runs toe-to-toe with the iPhone as the most sought after Apple product. According to Gene Munster senior research analyst at Piper Jaffray, “the iPad is appealing to more price-sensitive buyers, while the Mac has retained a premium appeal.”

Recent reports indicate a new iPad (what’s being called iPad 3) may hit the market as soon as February, but don’t hold your breath. The original iPad was released April 2010, and the iPad 2 was just released this past March 2011. Analyst say Apple would want to give the iPad 2 at least a year on the market.

iPad 3 Features
These are rumored features, keep in mind, Apple hasn’t announced anything officially:

• A high-resolution retina display like the the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S. Basically, the iPad 3 will double the screen resolution at 2048 x 1536
• Thinner, sleeker, losing 20 percent of the device’s current mass
• A better 5MP camera (maybe even a flash)
• Improved battery life
• Wireless charging technology
• A new A6 processor

 
Must-Have iPad
You shouldn’t let this put you off from buying an iPad 2 though. The iPad 2 is an incredible device, it features a front and rear facing camera and app development for the iPad is a booming business. More apps are available in the App Store than on Google’s Android, and they’re optimized for the iPad’s HD display.

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The SOPA bill or Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) would punish anyone, including search engines like Google that link to websites dedicated to online piracy. The bill is currently circulating around Capitol Hill and could mean a drastic change in how the internet works.

No one’s happy about the SOPA bill, including Google Chairman,Eric Schmidt.

Google chairman, Eric Schmidt said the bill would ”criminalize linking and the fundamental structure of the Internet itself.” Google has been leading a pack of tech companies including Microsoft and Apple, who also say the bill is fundamentally wrong.

Policing the Internet
“It’s not a good thing. I understand the goal of what SOPA and PIPA are trying to do,” the Chairman said of the Senate counterpart bill, the Protect IP Act. “Their goal is reasonable, but the mechanism is terrible. They should not criminalize the intermediaries. They should go after the people that are violating the law.”

There’s another bill called the OPEN Act that is an alternative to those piracy bills, but the Google CEO said he didn’t know enough about it to comment on it. The OPEN Act would depend on the International Trade Commission (ITC) to handle online copyright claims. It would “follow the money” (an approach Google’s Schmidt has promoted in the past) – which would ideally force sites to end their relationships with sites that promote piracy.

SOPA also targets the Domain Name System, which experts warned will undermine the security of the World Wide Web. Schmidt also commented on that saying, “What they’re essentially doing is whacking away at the DNS system and that’s a mistake. It’s a bad way to go about solving the problem.” One major supporter of the SOPA bill? The Motion Picture and music industries.

Building – and Breaking the Internet
One thing’s is for sure, web development has gotten more advanced and so have online criminals. In the next few years expect the laws to become stronger and the penalties harsher for those that break them.

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Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones are the secret agents of M.I.B. who keep intergalactic scoundrels in check. And they’re back in black – thanks to Sony Studios who revealed the first trailer for M.I.B. 3.

Suited up ready for duty, Agent J and Agent K are back on the case in M.I.B. 3. 

Time Travel & Alien Encounters
The film had been tangled up in script development, but Sony pushed hard to get the film back on track and get the commitment of key stars – mainly Tommy Lee Jones.

In M.I.B. 3, Smith returns to the role of Agent J, J must go back in time to 1969 and save his partner Agent K – who J is told, died 40 years ago. Men in Black 3 marks Will Smith’s first appearance on the big screen since 2008, when he starred in Seven Pounds. The film also stars Josh Brolin as a young Agent K, and Saturday Night Live alumni Bill Hader as Andy Warhol.

It’s an interesting premise, as Tommy Lee Jones has previously commented that he felt too old to return to the role of Agent K. And while Tommy Lee Jones may be getting on in years, M.I.B. as a film franchise (which first hit the screen in 1997) isn’t showing it’s age too bad, just take a look at the trailer:

Will Smith goes back in time in the latest M.I.B. movie.

Men in Black is one of the most anticipated movies of 2012 and promises both eye-popping computer generated visual effects as well as traditional costume effects by makeup legend Rick Baker.

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Richard Jarvis was at a Christmas party in Newbury England when he looked down at his phone on December 3, 1992 and got a message of holiday cheer – “Merry Christmas” the text read.

It’s much easier to send texts today…But don’t forget – text and data charges may apply!

It was a simple message, and the world’s first text. Sent from the computer of Neil Papworth, (then a 22-year-old test engineer for Sema Group) the “Merry Christmas” message was almost as simple as “Mr. Watson, come here,” the very first words spoken on the telephone. At that time, cell phones weren’t able to type out text, so the message had to come from Papworth’s computer – not like today’s iPhone.

160 Characters
After the first text message was sent it took another few years to formalize a business model. But the concept of texting happened years before. Friedhelm Hillebrand was a communications researcher from Bonn, Germany, he came up the 160 character length after typing out random sentences and questions on a piece of paper in 1985.

A year later Hillebrand would be the chairman of the non-voice services committee for the Global System for Mobile Communications. GSM would establish standards for most of the global mobile market, Hillebrand and the group set the requirement that all cellular carriers and mobile phones, support short messaging service (SMS).

They arrived at 160 characters based on two “convincing arguments,” Hillebrand would later tell. Postcards contained fewer than 150 characters and after analyzing messages sent through Telex, a then popular business network that used short telegraph-like messages, Hillebrand and his group found those messages were about the same length as postcards. The rest as they say, is history…

This guy is the reason your texts are 160 characters…

Mobile Development
Text messaging has evolved a long way, as a generation of texters, we’ve created our own language, LOL’ing and TMI’ing our thoughts to everyone. The next generation of mobile device programming wizards will be deciding how smartphones will evolve and write their own history.

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He’s the creator of some of the greatest video games of all time – maybe Super Mario Bros., Donkey Kong and The Legend of Zelda ring a bell? His name is Shigeru Miyamoto and he’s been a Nintendo video game designer since 1980 – and rumors are he is retiring.

Video game royalty: Shigeru Miyamoto is the creator of Mario, Donkey Kong and The Legend of Zelda. 

In an interview yesterday when Miyamoto visited Wired offices in San-Francisco, the 59-year-old head of Nintendo’s game design department said through an interpreter, ”I’m going to retire, I’m not saying that I’m going to retire from game development altogether. What I mean by retiring is, retiring from my current position. What I really want to do is be in the forefront of game development once again myself. Probably working on a smaller project with even younger developers. Or I might be interested in making something that I can make myself, by myself. Something really small.”

Whew. The excerpt of the interview which will be published next week caused an uproar and Nintendo quickly responding to clarify he was just retiring from his current position.

Creating Character
Shigeru Miyamoto is probably best known for Mario, the plucky little plumber that re-launched the game industry after Atari’s fall in the early 1980′s. But Mario was not Miyamoto’s first big game. That was the 1981 video game classic, Donkey Kong. In the game, a carpenter climbed a series of platforms to save his best girl as a gorilla hurled barrels at him.

The evolution of Mario (click the graphic above for a larger image). 

That carpenter, originally called Jumpman, inspired Super Mario Bros. Miyamoto was trying to create a game that featured Popeye characters but was unable to secure the license. “Mr. Video” as he was called became Mario when Nintendo of America’s warehouse employees needed to pacify their landlord Mario Segale for back rent.

Mario got his trademark mustache because in his 8-bit pixelated design, his mouth looked like a mustache.

Focus on Game Development
Miyamoto, is generally respected as the world’s most influential and creative video game designer. And while the man who is responsible for the Wii Fit as well as many of the cutting-edge Wii features, he’s seems more than eager to work on new ideas with a smaller and younger staff.

A career in game development can be very lucrative. Many young people are focusing on game and character design as viable career – and follow in Miyamoto’s footsteps. Yes, playing and making video games can pay your bills – Miyamoto’s net worth is estimated at around $40 million.

Wired.com’s full interview with Miyamoto, including his thoughts on 3-D & mobile gaming, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword and developing Mario Kart 7 using a Western development will be published by Wired next week.

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Earlier this week Microsoft rolled out an Xbox LIVE update that as Microsoft puts it, will “transform every Xbox 360 into an all-in-one device to enjoy your entertainment.” It’s an amazing step by the Xbox maker to dominate not only the video game space but the future of TV too.

The future is here: Now you can control your television with your voice or a flick of the wrist.

Smart TV
Smart or Interactive TV’s are the future of home entertainment. Retailers already sell televisions that have Netflix, Pandora and other services built right in. Microsoft is taking that concept a step further for Xbox owners. With Xbox LIVE and a Kinect system the new update allows users to find television shows, channels or games simply by asking the Xbox for it. Microsoft uses the Bing search engine to find your content – think of as Siri for your television.

It shouldn’t surprise anyone that Microsoft is leading the way with Interactive TV, the Xbox was the first video game machine to offer Netflix. Since then Microsoft has added other apps like last.fm, Hulu Plus, ESPN and AT&T U-verse.

The Kinect system enables the user interface, and while it was initially introduced as a gaming device – Kinect has proven itself to be much more than a game accessory. How does it work? The Kinect uses a 3D video camera and voice recognition to enable users to play games – and all without a controller. See how it works with the new update in the video below:

Killer Content Provider 
Are you ready to design and build a next-generation game for the Xbox 360 yet? The Xbox platform is where it’s at. What others like Google and Apple aspire to do, Microsoft has already delivered – a single set top box that brings ALL your content together on one device, and allow you to access it naturally, with your voice. As one industry analyst put it, “This is the benchmark against which all other living room initiatives will be compared.”

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This holiday season tablets are dominating shopping lists – but which tablet should you buy? One tablet that has been getting a lot attention lately is Amazon’s Kindle Fire. But for $200, is it a worthy tablet? Well, we brought one and tested it, here’s our review:

Like the iPad and other tablets, you can watch movies, reads books – and play games on the Kindle Fire. 

Kindle Fire
Cost: $199.99
Rating: 3 1/2 out of 5

We ordered our tablet like you will – through Amazon. Shipping was free for the $10 Gift Card (we bought it to buy apps and not have to give Amazon a credit card, more on that later), and the standard free shipping took the five days Amazon promised. The Kindle Fire arrived in Amazon’s plain cardboard box, but the inner carton, containing the Amazon Kindle was equally bland.

Amazon is actually losing money on the Kindle Fire (industry insiders say it costs around $219 to make each Kindle Fire), so it shouldn’t be a surprise that they spent absolutely no money on packaging.

After opening the box, we removed the tiny tablet from the protective plastic sleeve and plugged the device in per the instructions (which were also almost non-existent) with the included charging cable. The cable, is longer than the iPad’s, but it’s still extremely short. There was also a flash card sized instruction card – which basically told us to plug the device in and where the power button was – beyond that, not much else was in the box.

Amazon’s package is simple and clean – but may disappoint those that want to wow the gift getter on Christmas morning.

With your purchase of the Kindle Fire, buyers also receive a free one-month trial for Amazon Prime (a $79 annual fee), Amazon’s streaming video service and free shipping on Amazon orders. If you’re already an Amazon customer or have considered becoming one, it’s a great way to test drive Prime.

The Hardware

For $200 the Kindle Fire stacks up pretty well against the iPad. Amazon’s 7.5 inch tablet full color tablet has full touch screen functionality – but there’s no camera or microphone. At 414 grams, it’s one of the lightest tablets out there, but still feels good in your hand. Pressing the power button on the end started the Kindle Fire up almost instantly.

The screen resolution is crisp and vibrant – that is when you’re reading books or viewing media in the HD format. The case has a black rubbery back (with the Kindle logo on it) and is both comfortable and easy to hold. The device has two speaker ports on the top for stereo sound, a micro USB port and a 3.5 mm audio jack too, but the device doesn’t come with headphones.

Overall it feels pretty substantial for such a small tablet – and that’s one of the problems. The Kindle Fire gets a bit heavy after using it for it while.

The OS & Web Browser
Amazon’s dual core processor makes accessing apps quick and easy. Even after loading it with apps the device was still responsive although doesn’t scroll as gracefully through the apps as Apple’s iPad. When the device changes screen orientation it just snaps to the new orientation, again without the animation or grace Apple’s iPad has. Web browsing is klunky – as other reviewers have also noted. When the Kindle Fire versus the iPad in these regards the Kindle Fire falls short.

In almost every case, games, books or movies, the display was better and more enjoyable when oriented vertically. Movies stream quickly from Amazon’s cloud and using Amazon’s proprietary Silk web browser – surfing the internet was ok, although the screen size makes web browsing incredibly difficult in the vertical orientation.

Apps are just 1 click away…Or are they?

Setting up the Kindle Fire 
Before you do anything, you’ll also have to set up a Amazon account, which is free. Remember, we bought a gift card so we could buy apps without giving Amazon a credit card. Unfortunately, Amazon REQUIRES you provide a credit card to access their digital content – even the free stuff. This is a huge fail for Amazon who are trying to go toe-to-toe with Apple. If you buy an iPad and an iTunes Gift Card you can use the gift card instantly – and without giving Apple a credit card.

Calls to Amazon’s customer service indicated that they’ve heard this complaint more than once, but the customer service experience was also laborious and time-consuming, not to mention just bad – and this issue was so annoying – we seriously considered returning the device. Equally frustrating and disappointing was that we couldn’t activate the gift card we bought (at the same time we purchased the Kindle Fire) through the device.

The Bottomline
For $200 the tablet is a great deal, especially when you factor in Amazon’s store, the incredible amount of content it offers and cloud support. We should also note, while Google Android Game Development has become more popular, there are very few HD Android apps, the regular Android apps work fine on the Kindle Fire, but even the best Kindle Fire apps like Monkey Preshool Lunchbox look blurry on the Kindle Fire screen.

It’s no iPad, not by a long shot, but it is a cheap, capable and study little tablet – if your gift getter hasn’t seen an iPad they won’t be disappointed.

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The iPad ranks at the top of almost everyone’s holiday shopping list as the must-have gadget of the season. The iPad is not only great for Mom & Dad, but for the whole family. And new accessories for the iPad make the device even more family friendly.

All kids want for Christmas are Apples – Apple products like the iPad, iPhone and iPod.

iWant – The Must Have Holiday Gift
According to a recent survey by Nielsen Research, the iPad and iPhone are the most sought after gadgets among kids. Nielsen surveyed 6 – 12 year olds, 44% of them want an iPad, 30% of them want an iPod touch and 27% want an iPhone. Parents can speak first hand to the demand, especially since kids (of all age) at some point eventually highjack mom or dad’s iPad.

And kids start playing with tech gadgets early – according to Common Sense Media, today 40% of 2 – 4 year olds have used a smartphone, tablet or portable multimedia device. The percentage raises considerable for 5 – 8 year olds, more than 50% of those kids have used those devices. More surprising? 10% of infants have used one of those devices prior to their first birthday.

Must Have Kids Accessories
It’s a do everything device with a big cool factor, so no wonder kids want to get their hands on it. Learning to build apps for Apple’s iPhone, iPad or iPod is a Christmas gift that will keep giving for a long time, until then you can certainly get by on these great accessories that make the iPad even cooler:

ion’s iCade turns your iPad into a retro arcade game machine.

iCade $99.99
Slip the iPad into the iCade and you’ve got a tabletop retro arcade. The joystick and buttons are quick and responsive and it’s solidly built. There’s another Atari-licensed arcade accessory but it isn’t built like the iCade, which features a hardwood cabinet like the old-school standup coin-op machines. There’s even a faux coin slot for collecting quarters. For fans of old school arcade machines (who don’t want to hunt down or pay for an antique machine), this is the perfect gift.

Disney Spotlight Microphone $99.99
Do you have a closet Selena Gomez or Miley Cyrus at home? Make them a star with Disney’s Spotlight Microphone – the wireless mic turns the iPad into a karaoke machine. Record your own music video while performing, plus the Karaoke app allows you to polish your performance with reverb, echo and provides vocal warm-ups too.

Keep the kids entertained while on the go with the Crayola iMarker. 

Crayola iMarker – ColorStudioHD $29.99
Turn your iPad into a coloring book – but without marking up your iPad’s screen with crayons. Using the iMarker stylus (which looks like an oversized crayon), kids can freely doodle or color pre-drawn pages using the ColorStudioHD app which is available free with the iMarker. Drawings come to life with animations and based on initial testing it looks like every color in the Crayola box has been included too!

Cars 2 Appmates $12.99 – $14.99
Disney teamed up Spin Master toys for Appmates, a toy that interacts with the iPad, with the first set of Appmates toys based on the Cars 2 movie. All parents have to do is download the free app and buy the car packs, kids then can “drive” on different courses using the Appmates car. The Cars license, fun mini-games and Disney quality animations set the Appmates apart from accessories pack.

Griffin’s HELO Touch lets you control a helicopter using your iPad or iPhone. 

HELO TC (Touch-Controller) RC Helicopter  $49.99
For older kids, Griffin’s remote-controlled toy helicopter is just the ticket. The app is free and turns your iPad touchscreen into a helicopter controller. The helicopter fits in the palm of your hand and can do the same tricks as models costing three times more. RC helicopters like this eventually crash, but thankfully for parents Griffin offers replacement parts like propellor blades and more at their website, so you can keep your copter flying without buying another one.

Apps (and Apples) for the Holidays 
Apple’s iPad and iPhones are more popular than ever, so it’s no surprise they’ve found their way into the $22 billion toy market. According to Gartner Research, Apple expects to double the number of iPhones sold this year, bringing the total to 90.6 million worldwide – the number of iPads is expected to triple, topping 46.7 million. What do those numbers mean? Most likely you’ll be filling a stocking or placing an Apple product on your gift giving list this holiday season too.

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They’re just puppets right? How hard can it be to make a movie with them? Harder than you think. Check out this behind-the-scenes look from the latest muppet movie:

The muppet known as Walter is puppeteered by not two – but three virtual actors. Blue screen or green are used to insert visual effects.  

Making the Muppets
The Muppets were the brainchild of the late Jim Henson, the term comes from the combination of the words ”marionette” and “puppet,” Henson began using the term during a interview back in 1956 and it stuck.

To create a muppet, an artist uses a variety of materials, first craving the shape out of foam – then adding a skin for texture, for example a muppet may be covered with fleece, felt or even yak hair. Performers are hidden while puppeteering the character, although in the case of larger muppets, like Big Bird, a puppeteer could be inside a costume. The muppets are low-tech Hollywood visual effects that have been refined over time.

Muppets creator Jim Henson (middle) played Ernie and Frank Oz (right, the voice of Stars Wars’ Yoda) played Bert on the classic Sesame Street. 

Muppets develop their character over time, or “organically,” according to writer Michael Davis. Puppeteers may pass a character around, sharing and exchanging ideas for characters with others in the Henson puppeteering troupe, said Davis, the muppet is ”test-driven, passed around from one member to another in the hope of finding the perfect human-Muppet match.”

In 2004, The Walt Disney Company bought the Muppets (they do not however own the Sesame Street characters), and The Muppets Studio. And thanks to that purchase, The Muppets (who were a television staple in the 1980′s), are making a comeback – a recent big-screen production led by Jason Segal (How I Met Your Mother) was a hit with fans and critics.

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