With stories like the closing GM factory in Dayton, Ohio basically spelling doom for that city in a state that’s seen more than it’s share of lost jobs these last 8 years causes concern about the people involved; however stories like Mitt Romney telling the New York Times “Let Detroit go bankrupt…” might get a person angry at the CEO’s for letting the situation get that bad in Detroit. There’s always two sides to a story.

And GM wants to share the facts and myths about how things have gotten to this level and how America would truly suffer if the “Big Three” were to go down tomorrow.

One out of every 10 people in America is employed in a service that is related to the U.S. auto industry.
More than 239,000 Americans are directly employed by the Big Three.
If GM were to discontinue operations, the cost to local, state, and federal governments could reach $156.4 billion over three years in lost taxes, and unemployment and health care assistance.

Read more about the Myths and Facts about this looming auto crisis.

And always remember… Chrysler and Lee Iaccoca got federal assistance once; however he paid his loan back in record time. So this isn’t something that’s never happened before.

I went. I voted. I did my American civil duty.

And for the very first time in my life, I actually feel special about having some little sticker announce to the world that I cared enough to fulfill my civil duty as an American. This moment, I’ll share with my son who will grow up now knowing there are no artificial ceilings for him… he can achieve the absolute highest position in the US. It’s been done before. No excuses for anybody… race. Now gender needs to fall next. As well as religion.

America. I salute you.

A quick collected list of gadget rumors going on over the weekend and morning:

• iTunes 8.0 and iPhone 2.1 on September 9th?
• Nokia to release the 5800 “Tube” on October 8th?
• New Zune features leaked
• GM Volt EPA rating could be cut by new standards
• Joost to go from the desktop to browser only? Screenshots!
• Adobe CS4 is nearing the door?

More news, reviews - I have my reviews of the Mint 220 and my first year with MagicJack - and gadget stuff upcoming.

Say whatever you want about Steve Jobs… but the man can be curt sometimes.

“This is a known iPhone bug that is being fixed in the next software update in September,” reads the one-line message from the Apple co-founder.

Anyway, it seems like a ton of users, myself included, are still having problems with their iPhone 3G reception as well as other anomalies regarding 3rd party applications starting up and then closing down.

The email provides an end date to problems that have become increasingly apparent in Apple’s support forums and elsewhere. Many report the iPhone 2.0 firmware suddenly failing to load non-default apps regardless of their nature, briefly loading them before abruptly jumping back to the home screen.

The bug occurs both with freshly downloaded software and with updates, but is reported as never having a definite fix; although some report successfully deleting and re-downloading apps to regain access, others find the solution either having no effect or gradually decaying over time to where the apps again fail to run. Restoring the iPhone also seldom works.

Head over to AppleInsider for more news about the e-mail heard ’round the world…

Just fix my iPhone 3G… September is right around the corner

“We’re approaching a pull-the-plug kind of decision,” said Tim Westergren, who founded Pandora. “This is like a last stand for webcasting.”

I’m not one to normally editorialize much; however it seems like something that actually made sense, will probably be looking at closing it’s doors due to licensing fees. The idea… Pandora Music Genome® Project. Sign up, tell the site what music and musicians you happen to like, and it’ll find music and match from other offerings in it’s catalog that you just may like as well.

I’ve had an account for years. And won’t even lie… it’s shaped my taste in music in so many genres where I thought I’d like only one or two in a particular genre. Next thing I know, I have like twenty favorites. And armed with that information, I’d open up iTunes, buy the music that I found on Pandora and go about my day. Even share that knowledge with people around the water cooler, online, et al.

Enter the bad guy(s). Normally I’d just go straight at the fact that the RIAA had created SoundExchange merely to collect royalties from music that’s played on satellite and internet radio. Mind you, there’s no model for collecting royalties for music played over the normal radio at all. And if you were to think about it… it’s the most backwards way of thinking. Internet entities that are willing to work with the RIAA and each of it’s arms - I can’t even keep up, so I’ll just use the RIAA as common term from hereon - that the RIAA possess, it seems like people are getting penalized for having genuinely good ideas and all the RIAA wants to do is capitalize for as long as they can, then shut them down.

Yet… Pandora opened up the doors for new musicians that most people had never heard of. Which in most simple terms… would mean that more sales for those lesser known artists, the ones that the labels don’t exactly allocate advertising to and thus garner less sales might have yet another avenue to be seen and heard.

But no. The RIAA wants it’s money. The same money that the RIAA has collected and yet they “cannot find the artists” to give them the money they owe. Or this is the same RIAA that basically gives the artists about $2.00 out of $20.00 - and the RIAA didn’t create anything. And don’t forget… this is the same RIAA that had about 700mb of e-mails leaked out that detailed on how it would create fake torrents and trackers all to disrupt p2p traffic.

Simply put… RIAA is clearly a dirty organization that has yet to catch up with the fact that it’s poor sales are clearly attributed to the death of the CD single - face it, only one to two good songs are on each music CD released, to find more, it’s rare - and the fact that the distribution model shifted from in-store to online quicker than they were willing to change to… and no DRM will last forever. It’ll be overcome in mere minutes. And here is a pretty legitimate unique idea that for once broadened my personal music tastes instead of hampered it with playing music over and over from artists that a certain label thought should sell well.

Here’s to hoping that Pandora finds a way to continue to exist.

Read more about this situation in a more informational manner over at the Washington Post.

We’re not sure how this one got past Apple’s App Store censors, but the clever kids at Nullriver have released what appears to be the first tethering solution for the iPhone. The $10 NetShare app is just a SOCKS proxy that links an ad-hoc WiFi network to the iPhone’s 3G or EDGE connection — and if we could get it to work, we’d probably think it was a fine, if hacky, solution to a major limitation of Steve’s baby. As it stands, though, the instructions are pretty sparse, and while we can get the app to recognize a connection, we’re not able to actually load anything. We’re not sure how long this one’s going to last — anyone else willing to give it a shot before it gets yanked?

As an iPhone owner, I noticed the above story over at Engadget while at work yesterday. I just put it in the back of my mind as something I’d do a little later in the day, spend the $10 bucks on the Nullriver app that allows my iPhone 3G to do something I’ve been wanting to since I’ve had the thing… connect to it wirelessly via my Nokia N810 or laptop while mobile.

That is until Apple, who had previously allowed and authorized the useful app into their coveted App Store, adding a functionality that’s on most smartphones worth more than 2 cents, as well as jailbroken iPhones as well. For free.

So at the end of the day, what happens? Apple pulls the app. Now who do the geeks with an iPhone that’s honestly lacking a few areas of functionality that other users have had for years get mad at? AT&T or Apple?

Can’t say that I’m surprised though.

Update: It’s back in the Apple App Store. I couldn’t even begin to tell you what’s going on with this; but if you really wanted it, go get it now before they change their mind… again.

Update: And it’s gone again.

I exercised my God given American right to justify using this weekend to get as close to as many explosives fireworks as I possibly could without triggering Homeland Security alarms.

Hope that you guys had as much mayhem fun as I had… gadget previews and updates will resume shortly; including a review on the Dymo DiscPainter.

yee-haaaw!

Something I’ve been honestly holding off on… updating the look and feel of the blog, updating the method that stories appeared on the site, and above all, update the underpinnings to the site.

With that said, updates have been a bit weird the last couple of days - thanks to all for the e-mails telling me that my site wasn’t showing stories properly - and those will be solved shortly. Promise.

There’s will be no shortage of updates… and in fact I have a few upcoming reviews coming up that will all be posted after the aforementioned updates happen. But for now, pardon the dust… thanks in advance.

Remember how I was trying to raise awareness in this post about “Disaster Fatigue”? Enter Rebtel…

People are in desperate need of help in China and Myanmar (Burma). Rebtel wants to help. We make this offer with no strings attached. Until May 28 you may use Rebtel completely free of charge to contact your friends, family and colleagues in China and Myanmar to make sure they’re okay and offer your help

What:
Free calls to China and Myanmar

When:
Through May 28, 2008

How:
1. Sign up at http://www.rebtel.com/callforhelp
2. Enter your mobile number and your friend’s mobile number in China or Myanmar
3. Rebtel will give you a local number where you live to reach your friend
4. Dial the local phone number to speak with your friend in China or Myanmar

Who:
Available to anyone in 47 countries
http://www.rebtel.com/en/Rates/Rebtel-countries/

I’ve actually used Rebtel in the past when I was looking for a suitable VoIP complement to whenever I was traveling and wanted to call back to the US or allow others in the US to call me. The directions on how to do so aren’t hard at all, and I kept a balance with them for almost a year or so. To me, they had provided a good service… and now they’ve proven themselves to be good people as well.

If your company and/or service is also offering ways to allow others to contact friends, families and colleagues in those countries, feel free to contact me directly: removethelabels [at] gmail [dot] com.

This article from The Associated Press came across and sorta hit home. Per each disaster from Hurricane Katrina, to the Tsunami in Indonesia, to the Cyclone in Myanmar and now the Earthquake in Chengdu, China… we’ve experienced a series of tragic events that have perhaps contributed to what some people call “Disaster Fatigue” mainly because each disaster has been met with less and less funding with the Myanmar disaster being at risk of receiving too little funding.

The numbers are almost too large to fathom, so many Americans stop trying. As bodies pile up in disaster after global disaster, even the most sympathetic souls can turn away.

Charities know this as “donor fatigue,” but it might be more accurately described as disaster fatigue — the sense that these events are never-ending, uncontrollable and overwhelming. Experts say it is one reason Americans have contributed relatively little so far to victims of the Myanmar cyclone and China’s earthquake.

Ironically, the more bad news there is, the less likely people may be to give.

“Hearing about too many disasters makes some people not give at all, when they would have if it had been just one disaster,” says Michal Ann Strahilevitz, who teaches marketing at Golden Gate University and specializes in the factors at play in charitable giving.

Compared with disasters like the Asian tsunami and Hurricane Katrina, those in China and Myanmar have generated just a trickle of aid. As of Friday, Americans had given about $12.1 million to charities for Myanmar, according to the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University. The group said on Monday that it was too soon to count contributions to China.

A number of factors may be at play in the slow American response, including a lack of sympathy for the repressive governments involved, doubts about whether aid will get through, and an inclination to save pennies because of shaky economic times at home.

But Americans may have also been influenced by the quick succession of monumental catastrophes in two distant lands. At least 130,000 people are dead or missing in the Myanmar cyclone, and more than 34,000 in China’s earthquake.

“For the vast number of Americans, if they just gave to some disaster far away and then another disaster happens, in their mind that’s clumped as `faraway disaster,’” Strahilevitz says. “So they will feel, ‘I just gave to a faraway disaster.’”

This problem came up after the 2004 Asian tsunami, an event that brought an avalanche of $1.92 billion in charity from the United States, according to the Giving USA Foundation. Hurricane Katrina eight months later generated even more, $5.3 billion.

But then fatigue seemed to set in. The earthquake in Pakistan that killed nearly 80,000 people generated just $150 million from Americans. And the Guatemala mudslide shortly thereafter that killed at least 800 was virtually forgotten.

If one disaster can be galvanizing, several in a row can be paralyzing.

Just raising some awareness. Give where you can give. Give to the lesser fortunate.

I’m a horrible person. I truly am. I have about 10 (if not more) stories that I have yet to publish on stuff ranging from SMC at Interop in Las Vegas to upcoming releases by Sonance, Sennheiser, Via, Dell, Asus, among others.

But for the last two weeks, I’ve been traveling for business without a laptop and posting via the iPhone is definitely not fun.

Updates and more regular gadget news is upcoming. I promise

Tax time. I hate it, usually each and every year I file for an extension. Not because I have a ton of money to figure out, it’s mainly because I’m a horrific procrastinator.

Seems like I’m not alone.

TurboTax Releases Its Seventh Annual List Of Top 10 Tax Procrastinating Cities; Chicago Takes The Top Spot For The First Time Ever

With the tax deadline of April 15 right around the corner, Intuit (NASDAQ: INTU), the maker of TurboTax products, again tallied last-minute online tax filings to find out which American cities are the biggest procrastinators when it comes to filing federal income tax returns.

The following list includes the TOP 10 TAX PROCRASTINATING CITIES IN AMERICA determined by the number of tax returns electronically filed online via the TurboTax Online service from April 14-April 17, 2007 (previous year ranking in parenthesis):

-Chicago, Ill. – (#2) - Chicago is the “Second City” no more as it takes the top spot for the first time in the seven years the list has been compiled.
-New York, N.Y. – (#5) – After procrastinating less last year, the hustle and bustle of the Big Apple takes its toll on taxpayers as NYC climbs back up the list to rank at Number 2. The Giants may be number one in pro football, but New York is second on our list of late filers.
-Houston, Texas – (#1) - Houstonians have topped our list more than any other city (three times) but must have tired of being the top procrastinators. Progress is progress and Houstonians drop two spots this year.
-Austin, Texas – (#4) Austin continues to procrastinate as they lock up the fourth spot for the second straight year. One of the fastest growing cities in America, Austin may be too busy to worry about taxes until the deadline forces them to.
-San Francisco, Calif. – (#5) –The City by the Bay held steady in the fifth slot for the second straight year. In a year that saw the home run record fall to Barry Bonds, taxpayers in San Francisco waited until they had a full count to take a swing at doing their taxes.
-San Diego, Calif. – (#6) – The home of the 2008 U.S. Open, and home to TurboTax, San Diego dropped to sixth last year and is there yet again. After topping the list two years ago, San Diegans are relaxed in the sixth place.
-Seattle, Wash. – (#8) Grunge may have gone the way of disco, but Seattle residents continue to live a laid back lifestyle and are still late with filing their tax returns. The Emerald City jumps one spot this year.
-Las Vegas, Nev. – (#11) – Making its return to the list after a two-year absence is the jewel of southern Nevada, Las Vegas.
-San Antonio, Texas – (#7) – Settled first in 1731, San Antonio ranks as one of America’s oldest cities. Despite its age, the home of the Alamo is steeped in today as its residents use the power of online tax prep to file at the last minute.
-Los Angeles, Calif. – (#12) – Apparently Los Angelinos were busy chasing Britney Spears all over town and waited until the deadline to file their taxes. At least they didn’t let the forlorn Britney file their taxes for them.

Dropped Out: San Jose, Calif.; Phoenix, Ariz.

Surprised that my city isn’t on the list; I thought my procrastination was at least state-wide affecting. Anyway, read more about tax procrastination here.

I won’t be scientific, post up a bunch of numbers that mean a lot to a few esoteric people; nor even give you anything more than just one simple opinion… Microsoft Vista SP1 is not harmful, but it doesn’t make things any better. Well, maybe 0.1% better than the original install.

It doesn’t really add any new features that I can immediately tell. It doesn’t reduce the memory usage. It doesn’t even make my Vista experience on an AMD 6400+ Black edition processor with SATAII drives, 2GB of Corsair memory and an ATi HD 2600XT with 512mb GDDR3 memory seem any faster.

In fact, it really didn’t make anything break, slower or worse.

And that’s a good thing. Microsoft didn’t break anything. My anti-virus software still works. As does my NetLimiter Pro firewall. As does my MagicJack, Skype, Pidgin, Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and Flash. I still have to clean up crap with CCleaner occasionally, and above all it didn’t stop VLC from working…

It didn’t make anything seem faster, but it didn’t make anything seem slower. So… job well done Microsoft. You had the chance to make Vista seem better… and you didn’t capitalize.

If it makes you feel better, I feel like Leopard, before Apple OS X 10.5.2 that is, had slowed down on superior software. Running Windows XP on this same machine is like moving at mach speed. Running OS X 10.4.11 on the same hardware seems to make 10.5/10.5.1 seem slow as well. At least 10.5.2 made things better, at least on the machines that I use.

Here’s to hoping that SP2 make Vista better; SP1 did not.

Working the bugs out… so if you see no pictures or the updates seem to be a bit “off”, blame it on my bad coding the interweb gremlins.

Yeah, gremlins.

What has basically been one of the busiest starts of any year for me has meant that I’ve not updated the site like I normally would have. I have a review for a few items from Insignia, Rocketfish, Nokia, MagicJack, and even Skype and Gizmo Project. And amazingly enough, I’ve even somehow avoided the 2008 CES and Apple MacWorld web traffic hype too

And this year, I’ll have some other promotions going on, such as the ones from Senseo and a few others.

And yes… there’s going to be an even newer look for RTL (removethelabels) as well… just hope you’ve all caught up with your reading here. And per usual, if you have any questions and/or stories, I’ll gladly post ‘em here.

Thanks for your patience.