An interesting article into the design mindset of the man behind Apple's every move- Steve Jobs.  He has an almost maniacal aversion to buttons on consumer electronics (hence the iPhone- with its single button design).

Hide the Button: Steve Jobs Has His Finger on It - WSJ.com

From the New York Times:

In a match of wits between man and machine this week, a software program running on an ordinary laptop computer fought a close match, but lost to two well-known professional human poker players.

In Poker Match Against a Machine, Humans Are Better Bluffers - New York Times

If you missed the Democratic debate a few days ago, you can watch it online at CNN.com.  Videotaped questions were submitted via the Internet by people all across the nation, and it turned out to be one of the most interesting debates of recent memory.  It's refreshing to hear frank, hard-hitting questions from real people.  Follow the link below to watch for yourself:

CNN/YouTube Democratic debate: Complete video - CNN.com

From TechCrunch:

BOOMj.com is a "lifestyle and social network" for Baby Boomers. According to BOOMj, Baby Boomers make up the Web's largest constituency, accounting for one-third of the 195.3 million Web users in the United States.BOOMj.com offers the usual variety of social networking features including blogs, video, friends, relationships etc, as well as travel deals, financial information, health and wellness and celebrity gossip. By their own description BOOMj.com is MySpace meets Amazon.com for the over 40's.

BOOMj.com: Social Networking For Baby Boomers

A new startup called Ooma (which apparently boasts TV's Ashton Kutcher as its "Creative Director"), is bringing a new model to phone service:

Companies such as Vonage had better look to their laurels, as new kid on the block Ooma is looking to steal their thunder with a product that offers VOIP calls - but with a twist. From September, you will be able to get your hands on the Ooma, a hub that combines VOIP with regular landlines. But you have to shell out a lot of dosh first…And that's $400 - or $399, to be exact. This is what happens. You buy your Ooma Hub and connect it. It gives you free internet calls, but also works with your existing landline. If you have to dial 911 it does so on your landline (VOIP apparently can have problems connecting to the emergency number). International calls are automatically routed through the internet - which means they are gratis.

Cheap Calls: $400 Ooma Gives You Free VOIP and Landline Calls for Life - Gizmodo

From the New York Times:

Frustrating perhaps the most elaborately orchestrated marketing machine ever mobilized for a book, photographs of what appeared to be every single page of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,"the breathlessly awaited seventh and final installment in the series by J. K. Rowling, were circulating on the Web yesterday.

New Potter Book May Have Made Its Way to Web - New York Times

From the New York Times:

Google plans to announce today a significant expansion of its Print Ads program, in which advertisers purchase ads in newspapers through the Web. The company introduced a limited test program last November in which 50 newspapers sold ads to 100 selected advertisers through Google's computer system.

Google to Expand Program, Giving Newspapers a Lift - New York Times

If you've never tried on a pair of noise-canceling headphones, you're missing out.  Even if you don't see yourself listening to music in noisy places, they do an amazing job blocking out all of the roar and clamor of airplane cabins.  See the times review of several pairs below for more info:

Until you try them, you won't believe what a difference such headphones can make. As tiny microphones monitor the mind-numbing roar around you, circuitry in the device creates a sound wave 180 degrees out of phase with the original sounds. Presto: the roar of the engines is magically subtracted from the sound that would otherwise have ground away at your well-being for six hours.

Headphones to Shut Out the World - New York Times

Along with the iPhone comes the iPhone accessory business, featuring products to protect, enhance and show off those $500 or $600 electronics investments.

First Comes the Hype, Then the Actual iPhone; Now, the Accessories - New York Times

Then here's a little video of an iPhone being put in a blender-