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Matt Gemmell gives us the tools he uses to write. I especially like “something to throw.”

Om Malik is at the event if you’re interested in what’s going on.

Take that! […]

Kyle Baxter:

With the proliferation of powerful and cheap microprocessors and sensors for mobile devices, along with wireless technologies and the web, we have the potential to completely re-create what a computer is. Let’s do so in such a way that makes our lives better, and not just filled with more glowing screens.

Some interesting thoughts.

CNET News:

…we were told that we must use the official statement and that we must follow corporate policy to defer all press requests to corporate communications.

We were in an impossible situation as journalists. I could have quit right then. Maybe I should have. I decided that the best thing for my team was to get through the day as best we could and to fight the fight from the other side.

Going forward, I will do everything within my power to prevent this situation from happening again.

Anyone else want to join me in calling bullshit on her statement? She didn’t do “everything within my power” to stop it this time. What makes us believe that she will next time?

VL Automotive is making a version of the Fisker Karma hybrid luxury car with the engine from a Corvette instead.

I must admit there is a lot going on there. Maybe FIFA should back off of the requirements and let the artists be artists.

Only Merlin Mann could find this.

He quit over the whole CBS interfering in CNet editorial decisions with the CES awards. At least there is one honest person at CNet — too bad he’s gone.

Have you ever forgotten a password? We all have. That’s why AgileBits built 1Password to keep your website logins, identity, credit cards, and other sensitive information safe but useful on-the-go.

From the new, full-featured Web Mode browser with AutoFill to Favorites and iCloud sync, 1Password 4 for iOS is a top-to-bottom rebuild that puts more security and convenience than ever before in the palm of your hand. Start using strong passwords with 1Password, available now for iPhone and iPad in the App Store.

I use 1Password on my Mac and iOS devices. It’s a must-have utility.

Emily Willingham looks at the danger of sensationalistic reporting in science journalism. Lessons apply to tech journalism too.

Ever thought that a particularly nasty comment trolls can “poison the well” for an otherwise good article? There’s now science to reinforce that opinion.

Jason Fried:

The only answers that matter are dollars spent. People answer when they pay for something. That’s the only answer that really matters.

So true.

It shouldn’t be about stealing someone else’s content or blindly reposting a rumor. Think about what you are writing. Your readers will appreciate the effort.

The New Yorker: In the January 7th issue of the magazine, Adam Green profiles the pickpocket Apollo Robbins. In this video, Apollo demonstrates some of his tricks and techniques, using Green as his victim. Amazing to see Robbins work. You … Continued

io9:

Since June 2010, Jonason Pauley and Jesse Perrotta have been filming a shot-for-shot live-action remake of Pixar’s Toy Story, using human actors as the human characters and real toys for Woody and the gang (and the original Toy Story audio track). The toys move with a combination of stop-motion photography and good old-fashioned puppet strings and wires.

Do yo have far too much time on your hands? Then you might want to do what these guys did!

The southern grasshopper mouse eats scorpions and tarantulas, then howls at the moon in a bload-soaked frenzy afterwards.

Great photos.

Fortune: Two years ago, Brown attempted to teach Watson the Urban Dictionary. The popular website contains definitions for terms ranging from Internet abbreviations like OMG, short for “Oh, my God,” to slang such as “hot mess.” But Watson couldn’t distinguish … Continued

Aaron Swartz, an influential computer programmer who worked on the RSS 1.0 spec and the site Reddit, committed suicide on Friday at age 26.

Many thanks to Bold Poker for sponsoring The Loop’s RSS feed this week.

Bold Poker replaces your deck of cards with iPhones and has been praised by The Loop, Daring Fireball, and Mashable.

Try out Bold Poker at your next poker game. They’ll buy you a Heineken (i.e. give you a full refund) if the app doesn’t change your Texas hold’em home game for the better.

Apple’s design influence on the consumer electronics industry is obvious to attendees of CES.

Petitions.whitehouse.gov is an official way that anyone with a grievance can try to lobby public support for their cause directly with the White House, and if they garner enough signatures, the administration will find the right person to consider the … Continued

Om Malik talks about why he likes some products over others.

Mike Abary, the head of Samsung’s PC and tablet business in the U.S., tells CNET that the company will not be releasing its Windows RT device in the U.S. because retail partners don’t see strong demand and because the value proposition for Windows RT isn’t clear to consumers.

Ouch.

Ars takes a look at a $17,000 hunting rifle that uses a Linux-powered scope to help aim bullets.

Mikko Hypponen’s Windows phone error message makes us happy we’re using iPhones.

John Herman at Buzzfeed breaks down the recent CNET kerfuffle over a rescinded CES award.

Eight Wirecutter writers and I convened at the Consumer Electronics show this week. You know, CES–The big gadget trade thing that serves as a sneak peek into the future of hardware. Instead of soaking your news feed with hundreds of posts, we spent most of our time filtering 99.99% of the stuff out. This is what’s left.

Thanks Brian and crew for filtering it down for us.

The Dish Hopper with Sling was removed from consideration due to active litigation involving our parent company CBS Corp. We will no longer be reviewing products manufactured by companies with which we are in litigation with respect to such product.

CNET is supposed to be a news organization. News should be free from such bullshit.