AltWeeklies Wire
2008: The Year of the Nerdnew

Barack Obama collects Spider-Man comics and knows how to communicate with Vulcans. But in a year when many a dashing high-school quarterback and perfect prom queen got wedgies from the freaks and geeks, its really no surprise he was elected.
Boston Phoenix |
Ryan Stewart |
12-29-2008 |
Commentary
Geeky Xmas Gifts 101new
A beginners' guide to buying things you don't completely understand.
Boston Phoenix |
Georgiana Cohen |
12-12-2008 |
Shopping
Clever Invention by Kodak Takes Aim at Fraudulent Goodsnew
Traceless uses a colorless, odorless powder infused in an ink. A covert security marker is deposited on each item through thermal transfer, a process commonly used to print barcode labels. Kodak's proprietary reader can then scan a product and determine if the ink has been applied, letting the retailer know if the product is authentic.
NOW Magazine |
David Silverberg |
12-12-2008 |
Tech
Mobile Gamers Make iPhone a New Messiahnew

It's clear that many people expect the iPhone to do everything from managing their hectic schedule to making them the coolest kid on the block. Although the device can't meet all of these expectations, it's proving to be a major contender in an unanticipated field: mobile gaming.
The Georgia Straight |
Christopher Poon |
12-09-2008 |
Tech
Wanna Be MySpace Music's CEO?new

Rupert Murdoch's toy is trying to go legit; mayhem may ensue, and success may not.
Dallas Observer |
Karla Starr |
12-08-2008 |
Music
People Love to Film Themselves Drunk ... The Rest of Us Love to Watch Themnew
Some people love to watch the drunks be drunk, and the drunks love to be watched, or so suggest the thousands of videos, blogs, pictures, forums and message boards devoted to drunks and drinking.
New Haven Advocate |
Brianna Snyder |
12-02-2008 |
Tech
Tags: Drugs, TV, YouTube, web culture, computers & technology, Intervention, A&E, Drunk History, drunks
From Russia, with Vlognew
Russia, a country not exactly renowned for its press freedoms, has prosecuted bloggers in the past, but last month, the country acquired a new uncensorable voice online -- President Dmitry Medvedev's. He joins other world leaders in the blogosphere.
Boston Phoenix |
Peter Piatetsky |
11-26-2008 |
Media
Pulse Pen Picks Up Sound and Scribblesnew
LiveScribe's user-friendly Pulse can record audio and upload notes directly to your Windows computer, making it an outright boon to students, reporters, and others.
The Georgia Straight |
Petti Fong |
11-24-2008 |
Tech
Shopping for a Gamer or a Tech-Toy Lover? Here are Some Ideasnew
It's that time of the year again: I've been tasked with putting together a gift guide for hard-to-please technophiles who are clamoring for video games and gadgets this holiday season.
Tucson Weekly |
Saxon Burns |
11-20-2008 |
Video Games
Like a Virgin? How Cops Pose as Kids to Catch Internet Pervsnew
Internet sex crimes, I was told, are like crack was in the '80s: unknown and ready to explode. So the first thing I ask Lieutenant Greg Jenkins, head of the Albemarle PD Investigative Division, is, why is all this internet sex stuff such a big deal?
C-Ville Weekly |
J. Tobias Beard |
11-19-2008 |
Crime & Justice
Mafiaboy Finally Writes About Being the World's Most Notorious Hackernew
In Mafiaboy: How I Cracked The Internet And Why It's Still Broken, Michael Calce and his writing buddy Craig Silverman have delivered a fun retrospective on the hacking underworld at the dawn of the new millennium.
NOW Magazine |
Howard Goldenthal |
11-10-2008 |
Nonfiction
New Website Replaces TV News Anchors with Virtual Avatarsnew
Sorry, news anchors -- you might soon have to share your job with avatars. A virtual news technology is turning heads by quickly creating news stories and commentary, no humans required.
NOW Magazine |
David Silverberg |
11-10-2008 |
Tech
Welcome to the Twitospherenew
You've heard it mentioned by mainstream media. Maybe you even signed up for an account. What the hell is this Twitter thing all about?
San Diego CityBeat |
Kinsee Morlan |
11-05-2008 |
Tech
High-Tech and the New Administrationnew
With technology playing an ever bigger role in our lives, the next president could be a hero to the "geekerati" ... or a guy who doesn’t email.
Boston Phoenix |
Mike Miliard |
10-30-2008 |
Commentary
How the Web is Changing Black Youth Culture, and Vice Versanew
Wayne Marshall, a writer, DJ, ethnomusicologist, and probably the only person on staff at Brandeis University who's been written up by the Fader talks Web 2.0 and black youth culture.
Chicago Reader |
Miles Raymer |
10-20-2008 |
Music