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Stacks of wax from the backs of the racks

My brother and I used to walk up to our local drug store and buy LP records from a rack next to the candy bars. One day he bought Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon and I bought the live Rush album Exit Stage Left. When we opened them, I became jealous of the stickers and posters in Dark Side, so we arranged a trade, which seemed fair because the Rush record had two LPs in it. He became a Rush fan, I became a Floyd fan, and the rest of our lives followed from that fateful decision. (… Read more

Buzz Out Loud 736: Plurk that Plurkin' Facebook

Facebook comes under attack by Canadian privacy groups, but everyone's already moved on to Plurk. Er...maybe. Also: self-destructing DVDs are back! Yay! They were such a good idea the first time around, we're betting they'll be a monster hit, what with their wasteful, throwaway nature and ridiculous pricing and all. Listen now: Download today's podcast EPISODE 736

Mars lander’s robotic arm makes contact http://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-9956964-7.html

U.S. town tells Street View to push off http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/06/02/north_oaks_street_view/ http://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-9956753-7.html

Motley … Read more

Best Buy to recycle electronics for free

If you live near one of 117 Best Buy stores and are desperately in need of unloading your rusty, broken-down gadgets, you're in luck.

Beginning Sunday, Best Buy began allowing customers to bring two items per household per day into some stores in Baltimore, San Francisco, and Minnesota for free. But if you're looking to unload that mammoth front-projection TV--not so fast, there are some restrictions.

Best Buy says they will take computers, phones, cameras, PC peripherals, and more, but only TVs and monitors smaller than 32 inches diagonal. TVs larger than that, as well as air conditioners, … Read more

Gadgettes 92: The Summer Weekend Entertainment Extravaganza Episode

Summer happens but once a year. Enjoy it. Here...we'll get you started on your path to summer fulfillment. Listen now: Download today's podcast EPISODE 92

A TV phone that Spongebob would appreciate http://crave.cnet.com/8301-1_105-9954140-1.html

Take to the seas, it’s barbecue time! http://crave.cnet.com/8301-1_105-9954596-1.html

Baja BBQ http://www.core77.com/blog/events/baja_bbq_9953.asp

Always be ready for battle with a squirt-gun coffee table http://dvice.com/archives/2008/05/always_be_ready.php

Dutch claim world’s first solar speedboat http://crave.cnet.com/8301-1_105-9951260-1.html

The Dough-nu-matic: Homer Simpson … Read more

Best Buy's Geek Squad jumps on 'Sex' fever

The movie spinoff of Sex and the City hits theaters Friday, and if the estrogen-fueled near-rioting at its New York premiere is any indicator, it'll be a cinematic event of such shriekingly girly proportions that the average straight man is bound to run and hide.

But Geek Squad, the electronics help service owned by Best Buy, saw it as a potential marketing opportunity. I got an e-mail pitch in my inbox on Thursday explaining a gimmick that the company's pulling in a few cities geared toward men who have been dragged to the theaters for Sex and the … Read more

HTC Touch Dual in Best Buy stores this weekend

While you're out buying goods for your Memorial Day barbecue, why not swing by Best Buy and pick up a HTC Touch Dual? Yes, the Touch Dual will be available in stores and online starting this weekend for a nice chunk of change--$549 to be exact. First announced at CTIA 2008, the Touch Dual alleviates some of the text entry pains of the original HTC Touch by providing a slide-out SureType-like keypad. It will also be the first Windows Mobile 6.1 device available in the United States, and also features support for U.S. 3G bands (HSDPA … Read more

Best Buy challenges FCC over analog TV sales penalty

The Federal Communications Commission says Best Buy and other retailers must pay more than $3 million in fines for selling analog TVs without labels that explain the sets won't work after the digital TV switchover next February.

In a 41-page legal document filed last week (and dug up by Ars Technica), Best Buy essentially says, "Oh yeah? Make us."

There have been many bumps along the way to the February 2009 switch to all-digital TV in the U.S. The FCC is spearheading the transition and has established deadlines to help it along. Best Buy alone was … Read more

Buzz Out Loud 727: Microsoft to Yahoo: Let's take it slow

Actual tech news today! For example, Microsoft is re-wooing Yahoo, Nintendo is stomping through the console market like Godzilla in Mario's Kart, the first public Firefox 3 candidate is now available, and Apple is trying to win direct downloads for the new iPhone. Oh, and if our caller from UPS is to be believed, those iPhones might be starting to arrive in stores right now! (Dear CBS: Send pie!) Listen now: Download today's podcast EPISODE 727

Microsoft, Yahoo forced into each others’ arms http://www.news.com/8301-13860_3-9947185-56.html http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/technology/AP-Microsoft-Yahoo.html http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7407585.stm… Read more

Best Buy invests $2.1 billion in European phone retailer

Best Buy, the largest consumer electronics retailer in the U.S., is getting into the European cell phone market by taking a stake in retailer Carphone Warehouse.

Best Buy, which operates 900 stores across the U.S., will pay $2.1 billion for half interest in Carphone Warehouse, the largest cell phone retailer in Europe.

Carphone Warehouse's 2,400 U.S. and European stores will be included in the new joint venture. Also included in the deal are Carphone Warehouse's Web, insurance, and airtime reselling businesses. But the company will retain full ownership of its traditional landline phone … Read more