Amazon.com To Start Selling Fan Fiction Via New 'Kindle Worlds' Program

May 24th, 2013 4:27pm EDT
The Vampire Diaries
Fans who can't get enough of their favorite Vampire Diaries, Pretty Little Liars and Gossip Girl characters have reason to rejoice.

Amazon.com recently announced a new program for its Kindle e-reader: Kindle Worlds, which focuses on publishing fan fiction to the platform, and the three hit shows are the first properties to be licensed to the new service.

Kindle Worlds will allow writers of fan fiction to cash in on their stories and earn a little money for their stories. Fan fiction prices will range from $0.99 to $3.99 per story, and authors will receive a 20 percent revenue for stories ...
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Arnette Squaresville Sunglasses [REVIEW]: Customizable, Stylish Glasses Perfect for the Summer

May 15th, 2013 1:00pm EDT
Arnette Squaresville
Sunglasses are something I almost never spend money on. With good reason—I tend to lose them very, very quickly. But a new pair from Arnette caught my attention because of the ability to customize them.

The Squaresville line from Arnette is the latest addition to the Arnette Creative Exchange System (ACES). Each pair of glasses comes with an extra set of interchangeable arms that are compatible with other A.C.E.S frames. An included tool allows you to press into a hole on the side of each arm and then slowly slide the arms off so you can insert a different set.

The arms felt secure in pla...
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Aereo Unveils New Pricing Structure and A Future Launch in Atlanta

May 15th, 2013 12:30pm EDT
Aereo
Aereo, the cloud-based antenna/DVR technology, announced a slew of new announcements this week including a new pricing structure and launch in Atlanta.

Starting at $8 per month, consumers get their one remote antenna for watching and recording live over-the-air TV, as well as 20 hours of cloud-based DVR storage. For an additional $4 dollars a month, they can upgrade their membership and get 60 hours of DVR storage, plus an additional remote antenna.

In addition, new Aereo consumers will receive their first month of membership free. The new pricing plan goes into effect on May 15.

For cur...
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Make Your Own Soda at Home with the SPRiZZi Drink Machine

May 15th, 2013 10:30am EDT
SPRizzI Drink Machine
Recently, I’ve learned the benefits of making your own flavor-infused vodka. (Vodka has been my liquor of choice for years.) It’s cheaper than it is in stores and it tastes so, so much better whether it’s strawberry and chocolate-flavored or green apple and caramel-flavored.

Since I’m also a huge soda drinker, the SPRiZZi machine on Kickstarter recently caught my eye. While I’ve tried to cut back on the amount of Kickstarter-backed projects I cover here on Starpulse, this at home soda machine – think a Keurig for soda – caught my eye.

The SPRiZZi Drink Machine chills water below 40 degree...
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Interview with 17 Year Old Programmer Who Created Browser Plug-in To Block TV Spoilers

May 14th, 2013 10:30am EDT
Jen Lamere
If I start Game of Thrones late on a Sunday night, I make sure I stay far, far away from Twitter and Facebook. I’ve read too many spoilers on the social media platforms over the years that I know I need to stay off if I’m not watching live.

Jen Lamere, a 17-year old programmer, decided to do something about it for the recent TVnext event in Boston last month. She created a Google Chrome plug-in that allows you to block certain TV spoilers if you happen to visit Twitter before you’ve watched your favorite show. Lamere even won the Grand Prize for her creation.

I recently spoke with Lamere ...
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Penclic Mini Keyboard [REVIEW]: Small, But Mighty—Best Used for ‘TV Computers’

May 13th, 2013 3:30pm EDT
Penclic Mini Keyboard
As a writer, I live and die by my keyboard. When I get a new computer, one of the first things I do is buy a decent keyboard—usually from Logitech. (That’s what I’m typing on right now.)

So I was nervous when I was offered the chance to try a new keyboard. It’s not just a matter of getting used to where the Home, End and Page Up/Down keys are, but it’s getting used to a new “feel.” But the Penclic Mini Keyboard looked like an interesting device and I wound up trying it out over the last few days.

The Penclic Mini Keyboard is, as advertised very small, but the keys are full size and have j...
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4 Of The Worst Celebrity Social Media Blunders

April 27th, 2013 12:07pm EDT
Anthony Weiner
Social media sites like Twitter and Facebook seem innocent enough at first glance, but many major celebrities have quickly learned about their dangerous side. Posts go viral in seconds and once said, no amount of deleting will take care of the screen shot that someone surely got of your blunder. Here are some top celeb mistakes along with the valuable lessons you can learn from them.

Anthony Weiner's Twitter Expose

Anthony Weiner accidentally posted a revealing photo of his boxers on Twitter that ultimately cost him his career. The mistake occurred when Weiner was attempting to send the p...
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Soundfreaq Sound Kick [REVIEW]: It’s Another Bluetooth Speaker, But That’s Not Why I Love It

April 5th, 2013 10:30am EDT
Soundfreaq Sound Kick
It’s getting harder and harder to review Bluetooth speakers. If it works well… what else is there to say?

I’m definitely not enough of an audio nut to be able to do really strong benchmarking and as long as the battery lasts more than five hours, I’ll be pretty satisfied.

But recently, I turned to a Bluetooth speaker I had in my apartment for review for a precisely unintended purpose.

I decided to take an old computer monitor I had and set it up on the back part of my kitchen counter. I hooked up a Roku box so I could watch old movies and TV shows I enjoy while cooking. I typically used ...
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Sonic-connect 2 [REVIEW]: A Desk Gadget Alert System for New E-mails and IMs

April 4th, 2013 10:30am EDT
Sonic-connect 2
Like many people, my iPhone lives on my bed when I’m watching TV. In other words, when I’m away from my desk and not checking emails. It’ll vibrate and light up immediately when I get an email.

But not everyone is glued to their smartphone the way I am. Or perhaps you have multiple computers with multiple accounts in the house. That’s why the Sonic-connect 2 might be an intriguing alert system for you—it’s just not for my lifestyle.

Once hooked up to your computer via USB, you can use the downloadable software to customize it so the device vibrates, beeps and/or flashes (you pick) when yo...
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RHA MA450i In-ear Headphones [REVIEW]: You’ll Be Surprised How Important a Wire’s Fabric Can Be

April 2nd, 2013 10:30am EDT
RHA MA450i
Headphones never last longer than a month with me. They’re like sunglasses—I know I’m going to beat them up over the course of the day and I’d rather not spend good money on a really good pair.

At the same point, I really, really rely on my headphones. I play games and watch shows from my TiVo regularly on my iPhone, so I need a good set. (That lasts at least a month.) I tend to buy headphones based on price, knowing that I’ll have to throw them out within a month or so after one of the ears goes dead from the insane wear and tear I put them through.

But recently, I had a chance to test t...
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