Whether you're willing to call yourself a nerd or not, you've likely perused the pages of Gizmodo, one of the internet's favorite gadget guides. Reporting techie playthings at the rate of around 60 posts per day, Gizmodo employees chase dorky developments with all the frenzy of paparazzi, sharing their wired finds with hoards of daily visitors.

Currently translated into nine different languages, readers of Gizmodo don't have to speak binary to learn about the newest toys. With a staff of writers gifted at making dock connectors sound sexy - and Apple products practically pornographic - the pages of Gizmodo are loved by software developers and day traders alike, and serve to keep those in search of wit, wisdom, and the next best conversation starter happily satiated.

Heading up the Gizmodo revolution is Brian Lam, a Wired expat, known for his trade show disguise tactics and nerdy know-how. Read on as we learn why the internet is the new magazine, the blog is the new suburbia, and why Engadget can, uh, just call itself Pepsi.

Joshspear.com: What enticed you to leave Wired for your current position at Gizmodo?

Brian Lam: I got a lot of my content from blogs. That didn’t feel great.

JS: You've been the editor of Gizmodo for almost two years now. How has the site progressed in that time?

BL: I’d say there’s a lot more teamwork going on, and that’s helped us pass a lot of operations that work as a set of lone wolves. (Read More…)

Often times, a person's life at both home and work is a direct reflection of their surroundings. Is your life dull, well then maybe your furniture is dull? Does that black mesh garbage can that you accidentally spilled coffee through onto the carpet make you feel like your life is falling through the cracks? Well maybe it's time you lightened up a bit. Maybe you should think about enlivening your digs by replacing your some of your furniture and household accessories with something say, a little more uplifting. Perhaps you need a little Jantze Brogård Asshoff in your life. The Swedish designer specializes in creating “sophisticated, useful products with a poetic soul and playful character” to inject an alluring aura and project purity into either your home or office environment. His creations that range from recycled plastic garbage cans to dynamite lighting, and even a sofa inspired by traditional Swedish folk costumes, manage to be authentic, exciting, and rather modest at the same time, a vibe that sounds welcome almost anywhere.

If you picked up the New York Times yesterday, chances are you’ve seen illustrator Brian Stauffer’s work. The Miami-based artist is front-and-center on the Home & Garden section of the paper, for an article titled “The Terrible Toll of Art Anxiety.” We’re big fans of his blend of digital imagrey, painting, and social message. You probably are too (though you may not have realized it). Stauffer has been featured in pubs like The Boston Globe, ESPN the Magazine, and Time. He was even tapped to create a 400 page tome, based on beer commercial. He created Unwritten Laws of Man for Miller Light’s ‘Men of the Square Table‘ campaign (yes, the one where Burt Reynolds and manly icons debate the rules of dudeliness). If you have a minute, check out his entire collection. We promise it’s not all about light beer.

If we know anything about you, it's that you're probably the type who's forever sworn off the notion of purchasing a tube top. What if we told you you're about to reconsider that notion? Would you think we're just plain crazy? Well call us whatever you want because you're about to see the light...and that light is emanating not from a skimpy club going outfit, but from our old friend, San Francisco-based lighting designer Pablo's new tube top color lamps. The minimalist light fixture's whose shades bear a resemblance to the popular going out gear were previously only available in glossy white and frosted shades, but now have been made available in an array of flashy new hues such as Green, Yellow, Dark Blue, Sky Blue, Ruby Red, and Hot Pink. If you should feel so compelled to brighten up your night with one of these gorgeous glowers, maybe you should get an outfit to match.

Okay, I admit it. I’ve been selfish. I’ve been shying away from live blogging this year at TED, and mostly been twittering overheards and interesting things throughout the conference– it’s a lot easier, and lets me truly focus on the brain safari that is the incredible TED experience.
If you’re dying for coverage as it happens (I certainly would be) here’s who is on the ball here:

Ethan Zuckerman has great coverage, as does Mark from BoingBoing– both are doing a fantastic job (yeah, disciplined bloggers!).

Still want more? Spend some time on the TED 2008 Flickr Stream, and of course, the official TED blog is always a good place to get involved…

Highlights from the conference so far that made me think:

Amy Tan talks about how, and more importantly why she writes.

Yves Behar speaks about the value of design from the inside out (go Jawbone contest, go!).

Irwin Redlener tells us how to survive a suitcase nuke in NYC, absolutely terrifying slideshow.

Robert Lang, the power (and mathematics) of Origami– and the real world applications. Check out his site and work, he was incredible!

More soon…

It's no secret that the stars at night are big and bright deep in the heart of Texas. Heck, everything's bigger in Texas, and better for that matter according to most Texans. Since most inhabitants of the Lone Star State enjoy bragging about as much, if not more than they enjoy high school football, it makes sense that the boastful nature of residents of the second largest state would shine through in their artwork. When Austin-based graphic designer DJ Stout was asked to create a map of the Southwest as part of a promotion for Sappi Fine paper that asked six designers from six different regions of the U.S to create maps of their respective regions, you can bet Stout let everyone know where he was coming from. Utilizing the familiar concept of the Texas Brag Map, Stout created a Texas Designer’s Map Of The World. His creation visually trumpets the importance of all things Texas, while jokingly denigrating all other regional also-rans and showcasing that brand of humor unique to Texas inhabitants.

While Black History Month never fails to recognize important African-Americans like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, and Rosa Parks, WRG? (What’s Really Good) Magazine celebrates February with icons that get little notice from the historical society: skateboarders. Pop quiz: Late ’80s pioneer. Rode for Powell Skateboards. No? What about the #23 of skateboarding? Give up? WRG? and Series skateboards have come up with a special crossword puzzle deck that you can fill in, take out, and scratch up. Go over to the website and take a crack at the Black History Month project online. Video clips attached to the clues make it easier, but this puzzle ain’t for the Saturday New York Times crowd. Will Shortz, we will always respect you, but this puzzle has soul.