Gadgets & Services
Wired Hotel Alert: Broadband Meets the B-52s
Hoping to find a love shack with kitschy decor and a high-speed Internet connection in New York's Catskill Mountains? Your peculiar wish has been granted, thanks to Kate Pierson, a singer with the loopy, lovable rock band, the B-52s ("Love Shack," "Rock Lobster"), and owner of Kate's Lazy Meadow Motel. Located near Woodstock, New York, the rustic motel's cabins feature "mind-blowing mid-century modern/space age/rocket-your-socks-off decor," 50s-style kitchens, and broadband Internet access, the singer writes on the motel's Web site. But be sure to bring your own ethernet cable, Pierson adds. Rates are $150 to $275, and there's a two-night minimum.
Have other nominees for cool hotspots? Send them to me.
News: Napster To Go Beta Available
Napster continues to make nice with its onetime foe, the music industry. Now the company has released a beta service, Napster To Go, that lets subscribers listen to tunes on the Samsung Portable Media Center or Creative Zen Portable Media Center. You must pay a monthly fee (currently $15) for the privilege, however; stop paying and the music stops. The final version of Napster To Go is expected to be available this fall.
First Look: Rio's Sleek New MP3 Player
PC World's Tom Mainelli spent some quality time with Rio's new Carbon and deemed it "the sleekest MP3 player I've laid eyes on." Tom was enamored of the Carbon's easy-to-use interface, long battery life, and slim and trim design. The Carbon is an obvious competitor to Apple's IPod Mini. While both cost $249, Rio's player offers 5GB of storage--1GB more than the Apple model.
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