According to a study of over 15,000 Palm, RIM and iPhone devices by Square Trade (link to PDF copy of study) the iPhone was least likely to have a hardware failure. While this may be surprising to some, the iPhone’s first year failure rate according to the study was 5.6% while the Research In Motion BlackBerry devices reached up to 11.9% and Palm topped out at 16.2%. The study primarily focussed on hardware issues didn’t take into account problems fixed by software patches or firmware updates. The most problematic area? Touchpad/Screen/Keypad.

CNET

Do you have a special guy in your life who just hates to throw out old underwear. These guys found that a little bleach helped them heed mom’s advice to always “wear clean underwear”. But what happens to those rips and tears. When you suddenly have three leg holes - it’s time for an emergency repair. Luckily Stupid.com has this Men’s Underwear Repair Kit that includes needle & thread, iron on hole patches, safety pins, elastic waste-band cincher, duct tape and for those unfortunate moments — underwear white out. Why buy new when used will more than do?

Men’s underwear repair kit - $8.99

The BlackBerry Storm has just made a cameo appearance on the official Verizon web site. If the site is accurate (and it may not yet be as much of the product description relates to the 8830 - so it’s possible this is going to be further updated - including the price) expect to pay:

$ 219 - 2 Year contract
$ 289 - 1 Year contract
$ 519 - No contract

No word on the formal release date for this device, though a few folks are actively meeting with Verizon representative who are showing off the first keyboardless BlackBerry and claiming a September 23 release date. Given the history with RIM and release dates it’s anyones guess when this actually appears.

Verizon via BGR

Facebook for Blackberry received an upgrade to version 1.3 and it’s still every bit the embarrassment version 1.2 was. My Facebook status updates (still) don’t work properly - showing that I’m sitting in Bradley Airport (despite my having issued a good half dozen meaningless updates since yesterday). The interface of Blackberry’s Facebook application has a dated version 1.0 feel to it. I can’t view my Facebook profile without exiting to a mobile site which requires me to log in again, can’t post photos to friends’ profiles (though I can poke them (worthless) and write on their wall), and there’s no support for chat?! The iPhone has been out for a far shorter time yet the Facebook application for that platform lets me do all of the things I just mentioned the Blackberry version doesn’t. If you are on the fence about buying a Blackberry vs an iPhone - Facebook for Blackberry illustrates what is right about iPhone and wrong about Blackberry.

Facebook for BlackBerry v1.3 via BlackberryCool

This 4 port USB hub is for anyone tired of crawling beneath their dusty desk to fumble in the darkness and access their USB ports. With this mousepad seated shotgun with your keyboard, you’ll have eye-level access to 4 USB ports (1.1 and 2.0 compliant), speakers, and microphone. For those moments of office boredom there’s also a flashing blue light or seven colored lights around the mousepad. Price is $36.99 - start your office Secret Santa shopping now!

Music Mouse Pad with USB 4 Port Hub

This ordinary looking traffic cone is special in several ways. First, it collapses so it will fit into the trunk of your car. Second, it’s illuminated by reflectors and an internal set of RED LEDs. Lastly, the illuminated LEDS are recharged by a solar panel that’s in the base of the device. Unfortunately the traffic cone is a bit pricey at $55. And though the manufacturer recommends you store it in your car trunk I wonder how the base would ever re-charge any power source while hidden in the darkness of a trunk.

Solar Retractable Traffic Cone - $55 via RFJ and CoolestGadgets

In what certainly must have been the end of a very slow press release brainstorming session a very tough decision, the Strong National Museums of Play in Rochester NY announced that Baby Doll, Skateboard and — the Stick! have been inducted into their National Toy Hall of Fame at Strong National Museum of Play. Lest you think I’m joking, here’s some of the information from their press release:

the Stick!—has now taken its honored place in the hall. Found in all sizes in nature, sticks inspire spontaneous, unstructured play and can be used in unendingly imaginative ways—to draw in the sand on a beach, or to use as a magic wand, slingshot, light saber, fishing rod, or walking stick; not to mention playing stickball, toasting marshmallows, or playing “fetch” with your dog. Sticks are the original construction toys: children make toy buildings out of sticks and design toy boats with leaves for sails. Many an adult has picked up a driftwood souvenir from the beach, and artists and crafters use sticks in wreaths, chairs, and sculptures. The stick now keeps proud company with another untraditional “toy”—the Cardboard Box—inducted into the hall in 2005. After all, the best toy is often a plaything that’s free, easy to get, and a source of endless creativity.

To date 41 toys have made it into the National Toy Hall of Fame. Stick joins the Hall in the good company of toys such as Alphabet Blocks, Atari® 2600 Game System, Barbie®, Baby Doll, Bicycle, Candy Land®, Cardboard Box, Checkers, Crayola® Crayons, Duncan® Yo-Yo, Easy-Bake® Oven, Erector® Set, Etch A Sketch®, Frisbee®, G.I. Joe™, Hula Hoop®, Jack-in-the-Box, Jacks, Jigsaw Puzzle, Jump Rope, Kite, LEGO®, Lincoln Logs®, Lionel® Trains, Marbles, Monopoly®, Mr. Potato Head®, Play-Doh®, Radio Flyer® Wagon, Raggedy Ann & Andy™, Rocking Horse, Roller Skates, Scrabble®, Silly Putty®, Skateboard, Slinky®, Stick, Teddy Bear, Tinkertoy®, Tonka® Trucks, and View-Master®.

Strong National Museum of Play
image courtesy Courtesy Strong National Museum of Play®, Rochester, New York.

Twuffer is a web site currently in beta that allows you to schedule Twitter messages (tweets) for delivery at a future date. At present you can only schedule delivery up to 24 hours into the future (the limit appears to be 11pm on the day you are entering in the Tweet). This service is useful for people who are heavy Twitter users wanting to create the impression that they never sleep. Then again, heavy Twitter users probably never do sleep! There’s no registration required. Sign in with your Twitter user name and password and start tweeting while sleeping.

Twuffer

Are you a small business (or know someone who is) looking for an affordable voicemail / PBX system? When I first started Schulz Consulting a good 15 years ago I spent a LOT of time trying to find the perfect voicemail system. Since I am out of the office most of the time I needed something that was flexible and allowed me to remotely call forward incoming callers to my off-site location (usually my cell phone).

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Here’s a fun keyboard for the blonde (or non-blonde) in your life. This fully functioning keyboard is all pink with tongue-in-cheek key labels such as “The Big One: I Need My Space Key” (space bar), “Oops” (backspace), “NO!” (escape). The dedicated 10 key number pad uses dice to depict numbers. Very cool, quirky and affordable at $49. This will make the blonde in your life the talk of her office!

Keyboard for Blondes via The Inquisitr