Palm axes an undisclosed amount of employees, sort of blames itself

My, my -- how's this for truth in advertising? Palm InfoCenter has confirmed with a Palm spokesperson that the flagging outfit will be laying off an undisclosed amount of employees as the economy worsens and the firm attempts to keep that final nail from being slammed down on its coffin. According to the spokesperson, the company will undergo a certain amount of restructuring (sound familiar?) that will "result in company reductions in the US and internationally." Incredulously, the statement also included this gem: "The global economic downturn continues to dampen demand for consumer goods around the world, and the impact on the economic environment is worsened by our maturing Centro line and the length of time it is taking to ramp our new Windows Mobile products." We won't say for sure that it's actually taking some of the blame here, but it sure sounds like it. Now, if only it would take charge of its future...

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Big 12 BCS Barn Burner

Gosh, I love alliteration.With the final weeks of college football upon us, excessive dissection and misguided predictions have troubled many fans. I blame it on the pick ‘em. I’m running through my picks last night with one of my friends. Since I’ve racked up a 65%+ success rate the last 5 or 6 weeks against SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Big 12 BCS Barn Burner", url: "http://www.derrich.com/2008/11/21/big-12-bcs-barn-burner/" });Gosh, I love alliteration.

With the final weeks of college football upon us, excessive dissection and misguided predictions have troubled many fans. I blame it on the pick ‘em. I’m running through my picks last night with one of my friends. Since I’ve racked up a 65%+ success rate the last 5 or 6 weeks against the spread, all of a sudden I’m the guru. (Excuse me a sec…I’m gonna finish eating my piece of humble pie).

As I explained each of my picks for this weekend (where in the hell did Georgia Tech come from, BTW), the gerbils in my head started running at alarming speeds.

Could there be an all-Big 12 BCS Championship Game?

Yeah. I was sure of it. Let’s assume OU ruins Texas Tech’s spotless season…or they don’t…whatever. If the Big 12 Champion is OU, Texas, or Tech with a 12-1 record (OU still has to play Oklahoma State) and Florida loses to FSU but beats Alabama, the National Championship game could be all Big 12, right? Lest we forget LSU made it in last year with 2 losses. So, who’s to say the computers won’t like Florida enough to leapfrog one of these Big 12 teams for a shot at the title?

I’ve been arguing with my friends about the possibility of an all-Big 12 BCS Championship game. Forget it’s improbability. I’m just asking “is it possible”. Sure. But the explanation above wasn’t good enough for them especially with the two-loss Florida caveat. So this guru decided to consult the real BCS guru: Chris Dufresne of the Los Angeles Times.

I won’t take the time to qualify the guy. I mean he writes for the L.A. Times, trust me, or read this BCS article. I shot Chris a quick email to get his take. His scenario is this:

A three-way tie at 11-1 in the Big 12 South — which means OU beating Texas Tech and then all three teams winning their last games — could do it. Let’s say OU goes to the Big 12 title game versus Mizzou based on highest BCS ranking. Now you have Texas and Texas Tech each at 11-1 waiting in the wings. Missouri with two losses beats Oklahoma in Big 12 game.

Meanwhile in the SEC, Florida loses to FSU next week but beats Alabama in SEC title game. Now, the likely title game is Texas vs. Texas Tech…second and third in Big 12 South.

Chris also added that “the big thing is that since the BCS just altered its own rule that prohibits three teams from one conference playing in the BCS, in my scenario Missouri, Texas, and Texas Tech can all be in BCS games. Mizzou would go to the Fiesta Bowl as auto qualifier.”

Wow. I think my gerbils are dead…resting maybe. Seriously, though…that is a much better explanation. We’ll find out if any of this analysis is worth anything starting tomorrow. Parity is a bitch.

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Eco-Tools Makeup Brushes for Your Eco-Friendly Makeup

Image source: Eco-ToolsNow that you've slowly updated your makeup stock to include eco-friendly and lead-free makeup, why not also update your brushes with ones made from sustainable and recycled materials by Eco-Tools. We've railed against the untested and toxic chemicals found in common makeup, but the brushes used to apply the gunk are rarely discussed. The brushes by Eco-Tools are available in drugstores across the US and are priced to not break the bank. A great gift idea for...

Scosche Passport FireWire-to-USB iPod adapter gets reviewed

Okay, so this adapter doesn't directly convert a FireWire 400 socket into a USB port, but for all intents and purposes here, it does as much. You see, Scosche's Passport was designed to channel the energy from older FireWire-based iPod charging gear into the USB prongs that the newer iPhone / iPods only accept. Macworld was able to get ahold of one for review, and in testing, it found that everything worked well when toying with new iPods, and while it was designed specifically for in-car applications, critics found that it even worked (albeit inelegantly) with dock-cradle accessories. Was it worth $30? Absolutely, so long as you'd rather burn $30 than replace that mess of wires you've got behind the dashboard (and you would).Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Bartenders Play With Fire, With Varying Results

Samsung Omnia makes official Verizon appearance

Not that we've any reason to be shocked here, but Samsung's Omnia is indeed coming to Verizon Wireless. 'Course, most everyone with any remote affiliation to Big Red is frenzied over that other phone today, but those with a soft spot for Windows Mobile 6.1 may want to give this one a bit of attention. You know the highlight specs by now -- a 5-megapixel camera / camcorder, full HTML browser and an expansive touchscreen -- but the nitty-gritty details are still being withheld. As of now, the link on Samsung's website tunnels straight to an error page, forcing us to be content with the knowledge that somehow, someday, this phone is destined for a life on VZW's shelves. Enlarged screengrab is after the jump.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Random Geekery

(by GEARFUSE) (Kupy shows why girls should fall for designers)(The Obamafy Photo Booth plug-in)($0.10 for every 10 minutes of charging)And of course… no more Lively.Tags: flips off IBM, Steve JobsShare This

(by GEARFUSE)



(Kupy shows why girls should fall for designers)



(The Obamafy Photo Booth plug-in)



($0.10 for every 10 minutes of charging)

And of course… no more Lively.

Tags: flips off IBM, Steve JobsShare This

Fujifilm's 3D camera gets the hands-on treatment

It's been a few months since Fujifilm showed off a prototype 3D shooter at the Photokina show in Cologne, and CNET Asia has now managed to spend a little time with the chunky bronze and gunmetal box. Unlike other tech we've seen that does 3D in one shot, this one sports a pair of lenses and sensors to capture light in stereo, while on the back a 2.8-inch LCD alternates between the two images at 60 fps to give an apparently convincing 3D effect. Better, though, should be the 8.4-inch 3D photo frame under development, and Fuji's Frontier photo labs are also being upgraded to produce lenticular prints (the sort you can tilt left and right to see different things) that are said be "really good." The camera itself is scheduled to drop around September of 2009, but since even looking at the results of your work is going to be a bit of a challenge at first we're not entirely sure how popular the thing will be. Regardless, we're glad someone is paving the way.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Life of a Swedish 'Climate Smart' Chicken: Nasty, Brutish, Short?

photo chaps1 at flickrThe 'kycklingdebat' or chicken debate is hot in Swedes' minds since Svenska Dagbladet (SvD), on of the country's two main dailies, published a long report on the short lives of the 74 million chickens annually born and bred here.Swedes are eating more and more chicken meat and have been encouraged by both pundits and industry to do so, as chickens are supposedly more climate friendly than either pigs or beef cattle, notorious consumers of food and water. But SvD's report may chill some hearts, as the findings point to ...

Fetus Flash Drive Offends Everyone [Storage]

You know, all of the jokes that come to mind about this fetus USB flash drive—complete with a detailed how-to process to make your own—I really can't make them. But I'm pretty sure that...