Hello Kitty，so cute

Hello Kitty Flip Mino can't stop recording self in mirror

by Ross Miller, posted Dec 15th 2008 at 12:51PM

Pure Digital Technologies' Flip Video lineup is getting Hello Kitty-fied with the Mino and MinoHD. Like their not-as-adorable kin, the camcorders sport one-touch video recording, a built-in USB port, and are able to record 60 minutes of video with a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. Most importantly -- and sure to tip the scales in Flip's favor over the Vado HD 720p Pocket -- the camcorders come in eleven different Hello Kitty designs. Far East Gizmos says the price will be $179.99 for Mino and $229.99 for MinoHD, which is the same price as the respective models without these adorable skins. Between this and last month's C1 netbook, we hope this is a sign of an uptick in lip-bitingly cute Hello Kitty-branded tech gear

Hello Kitty gets her own automatic toilet paper dispenser

by Darren Murph, posted Nov 25th 2007 at 7:48PM

Sadly, automatic toilet paper dispensers are nothing new to this gadget-crazed world, but the latest from Sanrio puts a bizarre twist on an already zany contraption. The Hello Kitty TP dispenser is gushing with obligatory cuteness and can be programmed to dole out exactly the right amount of paper with each button press; of course, there really should be a couple of buttons to satisfy the whole family, but we digress. The unit reportedly rings up at around $220, which sounds about two bills too high unless you're already devoted to collecting all things adorned with Ms. Kitty. Ah well, at least your Hello Kitty toilet paper won't seem so out of place now, right?

Okwap's C150T gets mauled by Hello Kitty

by Darren Murph, posted Oct 12th 2007 at 1:03PM

Hello Kitty has certainly claimed her fair share of cellphones in the past, but she's going totally diva on the Okwap C150T. From top to bottom, side to side, this GSM handset is smothered in cuteness, and reportedly, it boasts a built-in media player, a two-megapixel camera, and a myriad Hello Kitty themes / backgrounds. Regrettably, there's no word on a price just yet, and it's doubtful you'll find this thing anywhere in America, but go on and click through for shots of the interface if you just can't get enough

Blazers getting defensive

Nate McMillan is a defensive minded coach. Always has been, always will be. He wants his teams to play 48 minutes of defense and let that defense fuel the offense.

Despite this inclination for strong team defense, McMillan hasn't always had the personnel necessary to carry out the task. Zach Randolph, Darius Miles, Sebastian Telfair, Jarrett Jack, Dan Dickau, Juan Dixon, Voshon Leonard, Charles Smith, etc. None of those names listed ever earned any type of post-season defensive honors. But now, the Blazers have some players who compete with that "defense first" mind state. Greg Oden, Nicolas Batum, Joel Przybilla and now other players who are developing an appreciation for defense.

Throughout this preseason and training camp, McMillan has instilled in his team defense first. We heard it from players across the board, from LaMarcus Aldridge to Brandon Roy and Greg Oden, preaching about the increased defensive effort we'd see this season.

"We feel like if we put defense first, we can do anything," Aldridge said during Blazers media day interviews.

This was something Aldridge and Roy repeated throughout post-practice interviews during training camp. The increased focus on defense by the players came from the added attention, and new concepts injected by McMillan and his staff. And as Jason Quick wrote back in October, it started with Roy and Aldridge:

The Blazers, it appears, really are serious about this defending stuff.

The first hour of each Blazers practice has been spent on defensive drills; the next hour in executing the concepts. The last half hour is usually spent scrimmaging.

"We drill it, we drill it, we drill it, we drill it, we drill it," coach Nate McMillan said. "Then we talk about it, we drill it, we talk about it, we drill it."

McMillan, who considers himself a defensive-minded coach, said he didn't coach-up his players to talk about defense to the media. And he said he hasn't harped on them so much that it has seeped into their mindset.

Rather, the team's top two players - Aldridge and Roy - both came to their own conclusions at the end of last season, after the Blazers finished among the league's worst at forcing turnovers and grabbing defensive rebounds. McMillan said he asked his two stars what needed to improve next season for the team to succeed, and he said both emphatically pointed to defense.

Now, for all this talk and practice on containment and "overloading," the Blazers were not a very good defensive team to start the season. Through the first eight games, Portland was allowing an average of 99 points per game, which ranked near the bottom. That includes Greg Oden's return against Miami on Nov. 12 (the eighth game). During those first eight, the Blazers also faced some very stiff competition in the Los Angeles Lakers (first in the league in scoring at 107.8 ppg), Phoenix Suns (100.6 ppg), Utah Jazz (99.9 ppg) and Orlando Magic (100.4 ppg).

But over the last 10 games, the number of points allowed by Portland has dropped significantly, from 99 per to 88.2. And over the total of 18 games, the Blazers are now near the bottom of the NBA in points allowed, at 93 per, along with defensive-minded squads such as Boston (90.1), Houston (90.9), Cleveland (92.6), San Antonio (93.0) and New Orleans (93.0). It's a fairly rapid change for a team that struggled to get stops early on.

So what's the reason for this sudden uptick in defense? Well, it seems to boil down to a number of things. As this team came into the season, there were a number of new faces on the roster, with a handful becoming major contributors early (Oden, Nicolas Batum, Rudy Fernandez). With so much fluctuation from one season to the next, there was obviously a lack of familiarity among some of the players. A lot of these guys were not yet used to playing with each other and didn't know how to play off each other. That help-and-containment defense McMillan was harping on during the training camp wasn't there yet because a bulk of the roster was still figuring out how to play with one another. And while no one on this team is (yet) an elite individual defender, there are enough pieces to make the team a good defensive unit.

Add to the unfamiliarity the fact that Martell Webster (a starter) went down in the preseason and Greg Oden (also a starter) suffered a minor injury in the first game of the season, and there was even more change. Batum has done an outstanding job of stepping into the starting small forward role and becoming one of the team's better defenders in a very short period, routinely drawing the other team's best offensive weapon. Joel Przybilla (averaging eight rebounds and just over a block per game in 23 minutes), another of the better Blazer defenders, has gone from starting the season on the bench, back to starting, and now back to the second unit.

With the return of Oden and new familiarity of the team, opponents are having an even harder time getting points in the paint (the Blazers average 5.6 blocks per game) and second-chance points (the Blazers lead the league limiting opponents rebounds) and the Blazers are in the top 10 statistically in limiting opponents' assists. *Clarification from Casey Holdahl, of trailblazers.com: "Blazers play at the slowest pace in the NBA at 88.9 possessions per game, which is why our opponents don't get as many assists or rebounds." For more on the numbers game, check this post.

But what seems to be the main reason for the improvement is that this team's comfort level is extremely high right now. The Blazers are comfortable with how they are playing on both ends of the floor. There's finally some continuity in the rotation and guys are getting used to each other. Comfort and confidence. There's always room for improvement, more steals, creating more turnovers, but such a quick improvement defensively is encouraging.

Stan Van Gundy high on Kevin Durant

What will Kevin Durant be like when he grows into his body?

Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy predicts Durant, who faces Van Gundy and the Magic tonight at Amway Arena, will be a nightmare.

"The key to being great in this league is you have a defined game of what you do well and continue to do it better and better,” Van Gundy said. "Will he become a better post-up player? Yeah. But if he’s spending all his time trying to become a low-post guy, honestly, I think he’s spending his time the wrong way.”

Van Gundy agrees Durant must improve weaknesses to reach All-Star status. But Van Gundy’s witnessed a similar transformation with his center, Dwight Howard, a beast inside who critics said needed to expand his shooting range.

Now in his fifth year in the NBA, Howard’s steady improvement earned him a spot on Team USA. He is an MVP candidate. But Howard’s forte is, and always will be, a dominant inside presence. Get Howard 15-feet away from the goal too often, and Van Gundy says you’re not playing to his strengths.

Same goes for Durant, who needs to improve his inside game, defense and rebounding. But Van Gundy is such a huge Durant fan that he’s puzzled why critics are quick to pick apart the 20-year-old small forward.

"He’s unique,” Van Gundy said. "I don’t think we’ve ever had anybody in the league that size playing the perimeter. He’s as big as most people’s 4’s (power forwards) and 5’s (centers) but plays on the perimeter. And he is so talented with the ball.

"With his size he can get a good shot almost every time, and there’s not a whole lot you can do. You try the best you can to take away easy baskets. You try to get back in transition and try not to foul him too much and send him to the line. Then you hope he doesn’t make seven or eight jump shots in a row.”

Van Gundy said Atlanta’s Joe Johnson is the closest to Durant’s physical attributes, but Johnson is two inches shorter.

"And Joe Johnson doesn’t have the wing span Durant has, someone who height-wise is a legitimate-sized NBA center,” Van Gundy said. "Not bulk-wise but his wing span. (Durant) will continue to get stronger. But his body is never going to look like LeBron James.”

When Scott Brooks took over as interim coach, his first move was to move Durant to small forward, in large part to help him defensively.

During Brooks’ six-game tenure, Durant has averaged 24.7 points. Under P.J. Carlesimo, Durant was averaging 21.1 after scoring 20.3 to earn Rookie of the Year honors.

"That’s what I don’t understand,” Van Gundy said. "This is a guy who already is averaging more than 20 points, has all kinds of skills and size and everybody tries to keep finding things he can’t do. His size on the perimeter is unheard of. There’s no telling how good he could be.”

Original Source

Top 10 Photos of 2008

1. Campaign Reflections

The long hard-fought Presidential campaigns were marked by vast stretches of downtime, like this moment of respite enjoyed by Cindy McCain in a hotel room in Dallas, Texas. As her husband John worked on a speech, TIME photographer Christopher Morris grabbed this shot of her enjoying a glass of white wine.

2. The Phelps Surge

At the Summer Olympics in Beijing, U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps held the spotlight, as he pursued a record for gold medals at the Games. On Day 8, he hit the water in search of his seventh win, in the 100M Butterfly. Trailing Serbian Milorad Cavic for most of the race, Phelps (left) caught up with him in the last few meters, miraculously beating him to the wall by .01 second.

3. The Children of Zion

In April, Texas authorities raided the The Yearning for Zion Ranch, home to several hundred members of a breakaway group of polygamist Mormons, the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The state, which had received a "tip" that suggested that some of the children living on the compound were the victims of sexual abuse, proceeded to remove hundreds of kids from the Ranch. In June, photographer Stephanie Sinclair was given a rare opportunity to document the daily lives of the sect. In this frame, Teresa Jeffs, 16, a daughter of FLDS founder Warren Jeffs, shows off some of her best trampoline moves in a house they had moved into in New Braunfels, Texas, while the courts sorted through the complex legal issues presented by the case.

4. Line in the Sand

After years of discussion, construction of the $1.2 billion fence on the border of the U.S. and Mexico began in earnest. Engineers projected that 650 miiles of the wall, about one-third the length of the entire border, would be completed by the end of 2008. This section, watched over by agents of the U.S. Border Patrol stretches across the desert near San Luis, Arizona.

5. Washed Away

Iowa was ravaged by floods in June. The rising waters carried these boat houses downstream until they collided with a railroad bridge in Cedar Rapids.

6. Pancaked

Earthquakes in China's Sichuan Province claimed the lives of more than 87,000 people. For several days, emergency workers labored to find survivors in the rubble. This team of rescuers carried a wounded man out of a collapsed building in Mianyang.

7. Untended

Ethnic and nationalist tensions boiled over in South Ossetia in August, as Russia and Georgia fought for control of the separatist enclave. These coffins, containing the bodies of Georgian soldiers killed in the fighting, remained unburied for five days. When TIME photographer Yuri Kozyrev asked a local official why the coffins had not been interred, he was told that no digging equipment was available. Later in the day, he watched backhoes destroy homes that he was told belonged to ethnic Georgians.

8. Masked Man

Fighting returned to the Democratic Republic of Congo in the fall. Rebels battled government soldiers, above, all across the eastern portion of the country, forcing the relocation of tens of thousands of civilians.

9. Handshake

The United States and Iraq negotiated a new security agreement that foresees the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq by the end of 2011. In September, Defense Secretary Robert Gates, center, met with reporters at Camp Victory in Baghdad, while a sandstorm swept across the city.

10. Mother and Child

Siamoy, an Afghan woman from remote Badakhshan province in Afghanistan, feeds her one-month old baby. The remote, mountain region has the highest maternity mortality rate in the world.

European Roundup: Jennings Managing Expectations

In this week's European roundup we take an extended look at the most intriguing storyline in this year's NBA Draft with Rome's Brandon Jennings. Also, the play of 7-3 Mirza Begic, arguably the top center in the Euroleague thus far. The latest African prospect to emerge in Spain is Joventut's Christian Eyenga. Emil Prelzdic and Sergio Llull continue to provide their team with late-game heroics in the Euroleague. Omri Casspi snaps out of his funk. Adriatic League prospects Vladimir Dasic, Nemanja Gordic and Dragan Labovic all love playing in the EuroCup.

Player of the Week: Brandon Jennings

Brandon Jennings seems to be settling into his role in European basketball thus far, to the point that it seems safe to begin preliminarily analyzing how he’s playing. With nine games underneath his belt (five in the Italian league, where Rome is 4-1, and four in the Euroleague, where they stand 3-1), Jennings is averaging 18.5 minutes per game, scoring 8 points on 35% shooting from the field and 31% from beyond the arc, pulling down under 2 rebounds and dishing out 2.35 assists compared with 1.35 turnovers. Not really the stuff legends are made out of, but fairly impressive nonetheless considering what he’s going up against at his age. Numbers are typically not the best way to evaluate players in Europe, and this definitely holds true in this case.

VirtusRoma.it

To fully understand Jennings’ role on his team, you must look at the players that are around him, particularly in the team’s backcourt. Former Ivy League player of the year Ibrahim Jaaber (an athletic, defensive minded player) is the starting point guard for all intents and purposes, while former Villanova and Boston Celtic Allan Ray sees over 20 minutes per game as a combo guard.

The most important backcourt player is clearly Slovenian Sani Becirovic, though, a very aggressive and extremely skilled combo guard who is having easily his best season ever as a pro. Becirovic is averaging 15.5 points per game in just 23 minutes per, shooting outrageous percentages, getting to the line at an amazing rate, playing almost no defense (as usual), and doing a fair amount of ball-handling in most minutes he’s on the floor. He has the green light to do basically whatever he pleases on this team, and he can seemingly do no wrong this season thus far.

Alongside them we find the 19-year old rookie Jennings, sometimes coming off the bench (typically for the 2nd and 3rd quarters), at times getting the starting nod, but rarely a major focal point in the offense. This is quite normal considering the quality of players around him (big men Andre Hutson and Primoz Brezec are both major back to the basket threats) and the level of competition Rome competes at. As Jennings gains more experience and earns the trust of the very patient coaching staff led by Croatian Jasmin Repesa, he may feel more comfortable showing his full array of talent.

Right now, Jennings appears to be at his best receiving outlet passes and pushing the ball up the floor in transition. His outstanding combination of speed and ball-handling skills make him absolutely impossible to contain in the open floor, and he is able to change the tempo of the game immediately by turning a defensive rebound into an easy basket.

Another positive impact Jennings is making is with his shooting stroke, which appears to have major potential down the road. He does a very good job spotting up on the wing in catch and shoot situations, looking quite reliable with his feet set, while he can also make some shots off the dribble as well, although his accuracy drops significantly in the process.

As Jennings earns more trust from Repesa, we see the coach letting him get more involved in pick and roll situations in half-court sets. Jennings has great potential here too, as he turns the corner on screens with a tremendous burst of speed, and has the court vision to find the open man rolling to the basket with terrific flair and creativity. He’s shown some terrific sparks of talent with his passing ability at times, having the added benefit of being left-handed, and already being featured on some highlight reels thanks to the flashy assists he can dish out.

Where Jennings has struggled at times is in his ability to get to the basket and finish strong against contact in half-court situations. His lack of strength hurts him here, as he is not the toughest or most physical player around and seems to have trouble operating in the very crowded paint that Europe is famous for, not getting much love from the referees in the process.

He seems to be settling way too much for perimeter jumpers in turn, which helps explain the very poor percentages he’s shooting from the field (35%) and beyond the arc (31%). He has a tendency to pull-up off the dribble early in the shot-clock while fading-away awkwardly for no particular reason, adding a significant degree of difficulty to an already difficult shot. He can certainly make shots of this nature, but not at a high enough percentage to justify taking them.

Jennings’ shot-selection and overall decision making are still a work in progress in general, which is not a surprise considering his age, even if the talent he displays is undeniable. He needs to do a better job of valuing possessions and not getting careless with the ball, as he doesn’t always read what the defense gives him and tends to struggle with things like managing the shot-clock and controlling tempo. Occasionally you’ll still catch him looking more concerned with making a flashy play over a more simple one, but for the most part he looks very focused and willing to learn, and is definitely making strides from week to week.

VirtusRoma.it

Defensively, Jennings is making noticeable strides, but still has room to improve. On one hand, he seems to be putting a pretty good effort into his man to man defense, showing really nice lateral quickness staying in front of his man and better fundamentals than we saw in the past. On the other hand, he lacks significant strength and seems to get pushed off the ball far too easily, having a difficult time getting around screens as well. His team defense is definitely a work in progress, as he looks a bit lackadaisical staying aware of where the ball is on the floor, and is not showing the greatest hustle going after loose balls or trying to help out on the glass.

Even though Jennings has been fairly up and down early in the season thus far (particularly in the Italian league, where he has struggled badly at times), its hard not to come away impressed by how he’s fared, all things considered. He walked into a very difficult situation and seems to be making the best of it thus far, holding his own against hostile crowds and tough gyms in places like Vitoria, Berlin and Ljubljana. There is absolutely no question that he will become a significantly better player from the experience he’s gaining every day, as he’s competing at an incredibly high level under an outstanding coach and is being allowed to latitude to learn from his mistakes.

Jennings looks to have the makings of a very high draft pick at the moment, even if it is very early in the season. We will have to wait and see how he progresses over the next few months, but the early returns look pretty promising.

Follow Brandon Jennings’ advanced stats throughout the season in both the Euroleague and Italian League on his DX stat page.

Looking Beyond the Draft

Begic Blossoming for Olimpija

One of the most pleasant surprises and notable performers thus far in the Euroleague is Slovenian center Mirza Begic. Not long ago a marginal draft prospect -he actually went undrafted in 2007- he’s developing into an extremely productive big man (averaging 16 points, 7 rebounds and 3 blocks in 23 minutes in the Euroleague), showcasing the kind of back-to-the-basket skills that are so rare to find nowadays among big men.

There’s no wonder that Begic’s most intriguing abilities revolve around his low-post game. Begic takes advantage of his superb length, showing solid footwork, body control and consistently connecting on his hook shots (preferably with his right hand). Certainly not a hustler or a banger, he doesn’t avoid contact down low, showing good hands to catch the ball, a good feel for the game, and decent quickness executing his moves. When you package all these abilities in a 7-3 body, you know he’s going to do some serious damage.

Still fairly skinny, much of the progress he has enjoyed as of late is consequence of his body development, as he looks now visibly stronger, which allows him to take contact and operate much more comfortably around the basket. Besides, despite his great size he can get off the floor or run the court reasonably well, even if his limited quickness emerges as one of his shortcomings on the defensive end (the biggest one might be a certain degree of softness). Anyway, he’s a solid rebounder, a fairly intimidating presence on the paint thanks to his length.

We’ll see how the season unfolds for Begic. Despite his Euroleague achievements, his performance at the Adriatic League appears to be significantly less consistent. He’s always carried a rep for being somewhat of an underachiever throughout his career, as he reportedly is not the most enthusiastic worker around, so it will be interesting to see if he can maintain his extremely hot start. Anyway, if he shows some solidity in his outings, chances are he won’t be playing for Olimpija next season, as someone will throw significant money his way in the search for quality size on the paint. In fact, considering that his contract is up this summer, there is some talk that he may be bought out by a rich team in Spain or Russia this season already. And if he keeps developing, the NBA is not out of the question.

Quick Hitters

-The African Wave stays alive in Spain. One of the last imports made his debut in the Euroleague this past week, and answers by the name of Christian Eyenga. He only stayed on the court for a few minutes, but he plays regularly for Joventut’s related LEB Silver team Prat, where we had the chance to watch him. Unlike most of his continent mates crossing the Mediterranean, Eyenga is not an inside player, but a small forward. Born in 1989, he’s a very athletic guy, listed at 6-5, even if he looks more like 6-6. He enjoys a nice wingspan, shows a nicely built body, not bulky, but ripped and pretty strong, good enough to clash against the veterans he faces on a weekly basis in the Spanish third division (LEB Silver).

Eyenga doesn’t particularly stand out for his skills or basketball IQ. Still, he can knock down three-pointers, even if his high-released jumper is pretty inconsistent (he struggles finding balance in the air to ignite a fluid release). He also shows a very nice first step to beat his opponents off the dribble -although he lacks the ball-handling skills to change directions reliably- and he shows decent criteria passing the ball. At least, he seems aware of what he can do on the court. Defensively, he’s pretty intimidating, and regularly collects spectacular blocks. Still, he sometimes relies too much on his athleticism while defending, not properly doing his job on the ground.

Not likely to develop into a big-time prospect, Eyenga’s athleticism makes him moderately intriguing as a defensive-oriented small forward (who plays bigger than his size) with –hopefully- a decent outside stroke.

-For the second straight week, it was Slovenian forward Emil Prelzdic the one making huge plays for Fenerbahce Ulker in a dramatic winning effort. The 21 year-old had another big outing, coming up with 18 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists in a double-overtime victory over Olimpija Ljubljana. The 6-9 Prelzdic is impressing with his ability to handle the ball, make plays for himself and others, and play multiple positions in Fenerbahce’s offense. His shooting stroke remains streaky and he really didn’t look like much of a defender in certain possessions today, but there is no question that he is deserving of an extensive look sometime soon.

-Another young hero in the Euroleague today was Sergio Llull, who sparked his team back from a 5-point deficit with a minute to go to help Real Madrid defeat Armani Jeans Milano. Llull’s energy, defense and aggressiveness were huge keys. With Raul Lopez again on the shelf, Llull had 11 points and 4 assists in 24 minutes.

-After three disappointing outings in which he was basically a non-factor, Omri Casspi finally had his first good Euroleague game of the season today in a blowout loss against Olympiakos, scoring 16 points in 18 minutes after getting the nod to open in the starting five. Casspi has received little to no credit from new Maccabi Tel Aviv coach Effi Birenboim in the Euroleague thus far, but a shakeup was probably in order considering how poorly his team has performed in virtually every match they’ve played this season. This was supposed to be Casspi’s coming out party this season, after removing his name from the draft last June while despite being considered a borderline first round pick. This week started off well for him with a solid 19-point in 22 minute performance in the Israeli league against Nahariya, and he will attempt to build off his first good Euroleague game next week at home against Unicaja Malaga.

-Following up on last week’s post about Vladimir Dasic, Nemanja Gordic and Buducnost’s surprising result against Turkish power Galatasaray in Istanbul, we should mention that the return game of the EuroCup qualifier was barely a contest, as Buducnost embarrassed Galatasaray 93-62 at home in Montenegro. Gordic and Dasic both scored 16 points each. That win puts Buducnost in the Group stage of the EuroCup now, alongside Czech club Nymburk, Serbian club Hemofarm and Spanish side Bilbao, which is quite a manageable draw. Gordic and Dasic will now enjoy the exposure of competing twice a week in both the Adriatic League and EuroCup, which is a nice bonus for them. They are both overdue for write-ups on this site, which is likely to happen within the next few weeks as we continue to evaluate them.

-Also qualifying for the group stage of the EuroCup is Serbian club FMP Zeleznik, who managed to knock off Ural Great from Russia in the second qualifying stage, after disposing of MyGuide Amsterdam in the first. The star of the team thus far has clearly been 6-9 power forward Dragan Labovic, who is averaging 21 points per game in their four EuroCup games this season. Labovic has been scoring right around 20 points per game in the Adriatic league as well, which qualifies him as the league’s #1 overall scorer. Even though he doesn’t enjoy the same potential as some of his International counterparts, it’s hard to ignore the production he’s delivering on a weekly basis.


Original Source : DraftExpress

Top 10 Gadgets Of 2008

1. Optoma Pico PK-101

Of all the gadgets on this list, this is the one that James Bond is most likely to carry. That is, it's the coolest gadget of the year. It's a pocket projector — meaning you plug the 4.1-inch gizmo into your iPod or iPhone, and it projects your movies on a wall, or even on the seat back in front of you on the plane. It displays images crisply on a surface as close as 8 inches away and as distant as 8 feet away, even in daylight. The super-bright Pico weighs 4 ounces and is smaller than many cell phones. Two cautionary notes: The sound output is dinky, so you'll want to use it with headphones, which makes it less fun for the whole family, or an external speaker, which makes it bulky. (Or, see the FoxL Bluetooth Speaker, at No. 5 on this list). And the rechargeable battery lasts 1.5 hours. Luckily, it ships with two. Price: $399

2. Mitsubishi LaserVue 65-inch HDTV

If you've got several thousand dollars to blow on a TV, chances are you've also got all kinds of other ways to entertain yourself. But this is, quite simply, the best TV money can buy. The first HDTV to use lasers for its display, the LaserVue has a wider gamut of color than any TV on the market — a palette that rivals films in movie theaters — and consumes two-thirds less electricity than similar-sized LCD and Plasma HDTVs. Price: $7,000

3. Apple iPhone 3G

It doesn't handle email as well as the cheapest BlackBerry, and as a telephone, it's no better than most cell phones. But this is the gadget that launched the era of mobile computing, and what an epoch that promises to be! With 10,000 free and paid applications, tethered to on-board GPS and utilizing an array of sensors that include a motion-sensing accelerometer, what can't the iPhone do? Price: $199

4. Nikon D90

It's a single-lens reflex camera! It's a single-lens HD video camera! It's two digital cameras in one, and that's what makes this the first camera you should consider if you're ready for a hefty upgrade. With a set of features that will please the most demanding of photo prosumers, the D90 does it all. Price: $1,200

5. FoxL Bluetooth Speaker

It's a pocket-sized Bluetooth speaker for your MP3 player and a hands-free communication system for your car. Critics love the FoxL speaker, which, though no bigger than an eyeglasses case, transmits sound that's rich enough to please a cranky audiophile. Wirelessly tether it to your cell phone, take it along in the car, and a built-in microphone allows you to handle phone calls on the road. (Note: The Bluetooth streaming feature works on any A2DP-compatible device; Apple has not turned on the protocol for the iPhone so you need to use a standard audio cable.) Price: $249

6. Sennheiser MX W1 Wireless Headphones

Five hundred shekels is a lot to lay out for headphones. But these babies are worth it. The ear buds deliver Kleer Corporation's patented, uncompressed sound, wirelessly. (You attach a transmitter, smaller than a deck of cards, to your sound source — an iPod, TV, stereo or anything else with an out jack — then synch the earbuds.) The earbuds and transmitter come in a pocket-sized case that will recharge the unit three times when you're on the road. Price: $499

7. Flip MinoHD

This iPod-sized camcorder shoots high-definition video. That means you get an image crisp enough to view on your HDTV, which is a pretty cool feat in such a small, easy-to-use package. Mino's product line stresses one-button simplicity, and the MinoHD comes with its own editing software on board. The first time you connect it to your Mac or PC — via a flip-out USB plug — you install the software, which automatically lets you post your videos to YouTube and other places. The bitty viddy has 4 GB of internal memory, or enough for about an hour of video, and an internal rechargeable battery that provides two hours of shooting time. Price: $230

8. Kindle

Amazon unveiled its digital-book reading device at the end of 2007, but in such small quantities that you couldn't really get one until 2008. While it definitely takes some getting used to — the awkward placement of the page-forward and page-back buttons makes it easy for newbies to lose their place — this is simply a terrific tool for people who love to read books. Travelers will especially enjoy the luxury of taking a veritable library on the road, and the Kindle can connect to a high-speed cellular network that delivers books ($9.99, even for new titles) on demand. Price: $359

9. Roku Netflix Box

If you've got a Netflix account, the decision to buy this is a no-brainer. Connect the Roku box to your TV and it automatically finds your home's Wi-Fi network and you're good to go. It streams 12,000 movies and TV shows for free and you can hold on to them as long as you want. Netflix is constantly adding more programming. One day, video-on-demand streaming through devices like the Roku box will completely replace DVDs. Price: $99, plus Netflix subscription

10. Sony Playstation "Home" for PS3

After a number of launch delays, Sony's virtual world, "Home," gives folks one more reason to buy its pricey PS3 video game console. Users create their own human-looking avatar and get a virtual apartment near the "town square," a base of operations from which to socialize, play games and purchase an endless variety of Sony goods and services (think games, movies, music and more.) A cross between Second Life and the Sims, the service shows the promise of a commercial Metaverse. Price: free

Original Source: TIME

Looking for a commitment? Try these Blazers

The Portland Trail Blazers are about to put one of the world's oldest quandaries into play: should you value looks or personality?

Uncommitted basketball fans who fell in love with the dazzling Phoenix Suns and Golden State Warriors are single again. Those squads aren't the way they used to be. The Suns are now Shaquille O'Neal in the low post, not Mike D'Antoni on the sideline, frantically waving them down court. Steve Nash is another year older and gone are the days when they averaged 111 points per game.

Golden State lost Baron Davis, is missing Monta Ellis and added Corey Maggette, whose weapon of choice is the free throw.

And there are the Blazers, sitting alone at the bar, inviting your attention. They're young and don't have any baggage. They flirted with you last year, when they won 13 consecutive games in December and looked like playoff material before fading in the second half of the season. Now they have a little more experience and a lot more talent with Greg Oden and Rudy Fernandez -- their two main acquisitions from the summer of 2007 -- finally in uniform.

But they won't be running nonstop into your heart. They'd rather take it a little more slowly.

Their best player and leader, Brandon Roy, admits that he plays an old man game and their coach says he wants the emphasis this season to be on defense. They're not trying to give the scoreboard operators carpal tunnel syndrome. They won't do anything wild and crazy to get attention. This isn't "Flavor of Love" or "I Love New York."

"We're not going to really woo you," Roy says. "But we're going to be a little bit more exciting this year. We're young, and people kind of want to cheer for the young team."

Not just the young team, the nice team. People crave good guys, athletes you can root for without explanation or apology. After too many headlines dominated by Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Pacman Jones, isn't it time for a squad like the Trail Blazers?

You won't find so much as a scowl in their locker room. They play ping-pong together and take group trips to the movies. They're involved in the community, not a threat to it.

And if any city in America deserved this crop of kids, it's Portland. This is the city that suffered through Isaiah Rider, Gary Trent, Zach Randolph and the worst of Rasheed Wallace. (The low point was captured in this 2001 Sports Illustrated article, which was accompanied by a photo of disinterested Portland players ignoring kids and talking on their cell phones during a community outreach event.)

Blazers fan Arri Maskell said he used to check The Oregonian's Web site every day for news of the team, telling himself, "I hope nobody got arrested today."

General manager Kevin Pritchard has purged all of the bad guys and in the process assembled one of the most talented rosters in the NBA.

It's already won over the locals. The night before the limited amount of single-game tickets available (about 500 per game) went on sale, Fans camped out, Krzyzewskiville-style. They bought about 6,000 tickets in the first day.

Fans in line struck up impromptu conversations and couldn't contain their excitement.

"God, I'm so excited for our team," one fan told a stranger standing next to him. "We're coming back. We're coming back with a bang."

Army private Nathan Emery was back in town from Iraq for 21 nights. He bought tickets to spend two of those nights at the Rose Garden watching Blazers exhibition games.

"To me, it's remembering the good old days," Emery said. "I'm 29 now, so I remember Terry Porter and Clyde Drexler and all that. Seeing these young guys get up, they're really trying now. It's nice to see them back in it."

In a place as small as Portland, there's no way for the players to escape the fan frenzy. They're the biggest names in town.

"It's crazy," Roy said. "I never felt excitement like this for a season. We had our fan fest, there were like 12,000 people in there. Not just how many people, it was the energy."

The fans are already acting like it's the playoffs. True story: They were chanting "De-fense" in the second quarter of the first exhibition game.

That's the same message coach Nate McMillan is trying to sell to his team.

"Our attitude, the focus is on the defensive end of the floor," he said. "Getting better defensively, and offensively trying to establish a post game. We want to go inside. We're going to take advantage of that. That was one of the things we didn't do last year, was get points in the paint.

"We're not going to walk the ball up the floor, but we're not going to run-and-gun. We want to run, and if there's nothing there, we want to execute a half-court offense establishing a low-post presence. We feel we have that this year. It's fundamental basketball."

Fundamental basketball is for the people who would rather read the book than watch the movie adaptation. And if you like the fundamentals, you'll like this team. It plays intelligently and unselfishly. No one's obsessed with touches or shots. The focus is on making the best play every time down the court, a tone set by Roy.

They have just about every component you could ask for: low-post defenders in Oden and backup Joel Przybilla. An up-and-coming power forward in LaMarcus Aldridge, who could be even more effective now that Oden's around to handle the big-boy work. Fernandez provides the fun factor, whether he's making slick passes or throwing down alley-oops from Sergio Rodriguez.

The Blazers improved by an average of 10 victories per season in McMillan's second and third seasons. Another 10 W's in Season 4 would get them to 51, which would have enabled them to sneak into the playoffs with the eighth spot in last season's ultra-competitive Western Conference.

They won't be sneaking around on anyone this season, not with everybody talking about them as the league's up-and-coming team. It's a dangerous combination of inexperience and expectations -- people expect them to make the playoffs, even though only two of their top players (Przyzbilla and Steve Blake) have ever played in the playoffs.

"We have some young talented players with potential," McMillan said. "But right now it's potential. What we have to do is put them out there and allow them to grow, allow them to blossom and build with this group."

In other words, the Blazers might not make your jaw drop right away. Give them time. This could turn into a long-term relationship.

Peugeot HYmotion3 Compressor Concept combines C1, MP3 and Prius tech to create most advanced scooter ever

The BMW C1's safety cage brought it an unprecedented level of crash safety. The Piaggio MP3's two front wheels bring it unprecedented levels of stability. The Toyota Prius's hybrid powertrain brings it unprecedented levels of fuel economy and low emissions. The new Peugeot Hymotion3 Compressor Concept -- presented today at the Paris Motor Show -- improves on the technology of all three to create the most stupefyingly high-tech scooter of all time. Of course, it does more than just adapt other people's innovations. Did we mention it has three-wheel drive?

On the C1, riders were kept safe and dry inside a steel safety cage, but the passenger was left out in the cold -- literally, the rider had heat vents -- forced to ride behind the cage on a little jump seat. The HYmotion3 makes room for a passenger inside its safety cell; even incorporating natty grab handles into the integrated roll bars.

The Toyota Prius (and the Honda Insight before it) uses an electric/gasoline hybrid powertrain. The HYmotion3 does the same. Although here it's only regenerative braking and not the engine, that recharges the batteries. It can still run in electric only mode at low speeds, just like the Prius, but unlike the Toyota, the Peugeot locates its electric motors inside the front wheels, meaning there are no packaging compromises.

Those in-wheel electric motors, each capable of producing 4bhp, power the front wheels independently of each other and the gasoline driven rear wheel. Everything is kept in check by the ride-by-wire system. Where the MP3's front wheels merely serve to eliminate the possibility of front-end washout and to improve braking distances, the HYmotion3 uses its to increase performance, allowing more power to be delivered to the road earlier in corners through all three wheels being driven simultaneously.

The main source of motivation is a supercharged 125cc engine with 20bhp (that's a lot for a four-stroke 125). Combined with the electric motors, that means there's a maximum of 29bhp on tap. This means the HYmotion3 has equivalent performance to 400cc rivals. Combine that with a stop/start engine that turns itself off when stationary and fires up instantaneously when it's time to pull away and you have a machine that's not only capable of out-cornering a traditional two-wheeled scooter in any weather while carrying two occupants in car-like safety, but one that's able to do all of the above while delivering 118mpg.

Right now the HYmotion3 is just a concept, but Peugeot is one of the biggest scooter makers in the world. Selling most of its machines in the European market, where there's high demand for large, practical scooters and other fuel-efficient vehicles, the company is uniquely placed to bring a machine with the HYmotion3's capability to production. Let's hope it does so.

One Day in the Life of Isiah Thomas

Gone, but nowhere near forgotten, Isiah Thomas still occupies our hearts and minds, if not an MSG office. Russ Bengtson imagines Zeke’s post-Knicks life.

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By Russ Bengtson
Special guest appearance by Jake Appleman*.

Last week, Russian author Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn passed away at the age of 89. His most well-known works, The Gulag Archipelago and One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, exposed many to the grim life of inmates in mid-20th century Soviet labor camps. For a time, Solzhenitsyn was one of them.

While I have never spent any time in a Soviet labor camp (and given the dissolution of the Soviet Union I never will—score!), I did attend a preposterous number of Knicks games during the Isiah Thomas era. Like Mr. Solzhenitsyn, I endured my share of suffering. And like Mr. Solzhenitsyn, I choose to purge those memories through writing.

Isiah has been out of the news lately, deposed but not forgotten. We can merely speculate—or in this case fantasize—about his day-to-day activities. So with apologies to the late Mr. Solzhenitsyn, I present One Day in the Life of Isiah Thomas:

9:14 a.m. Alarm goes off.

9:17 a.m. Hits snooze.

9:27 a.m. Alarm goes off.

9:29 a.m. Gets up.

9:33 a.m. Places blocked call to Marbury residence. Gets machine. Adopts high-pitched voice. “Hey Steph, nice head tattoo. Is that your IQ?” Hangs up. Giggles.

9:36 a.m. Takes shower.

9:43 a.m. Makes breakfast.

9:44 a.m. Ruins breakfast.

9:45 a.m. Sexually harasses toaster.

10:06 a.m. Falls asleep on couch.

10:27 a.m. Dreams of trading Eddy Curry, David Lee, Wilson Chandler and eight first-round picks for Shaquille O’Neal, Boris Diaw and Steve Nash. Phone hand twitches.

10:49 a.m. Dreams of f*cking a marketing executive b*tch.

11:46 a.m. Wakes up in cold sweat screaming “DON’T EAT HIM, JEROME, HE’S GOT A GUARANTEED CONTRACT!”

12:01 p.m. Sexually harasses television.

12:14 p.m. Heads into city for lunch.

1:38 p.m. Spends entire midlevel exception on meal. Calls Jim Dolan (“the whiskered one”) to officially make it a business lunch. No one picks up—of course, it’s before 7 p.m. Bills Knicks anyway.

1:52 p.m. Drives by Madison Square Garden. Yells “FIRE ISIAH” out window just to see if anyone notices. They don’t.

2:27 p.m. Runs out of gas three miles from house.

2:36 p.m. Arrives home.

2:43 p.m. Makes popcorn.

2:44 p.m. Burns popcorn.

2:45 p.m. Sexually harasses popcorn maker.

3:13 p.m. Puts in highlight DVD of Knicks tenure.

3:17 p.m. Finishes watching entire DVD.

3:24 p.m. Hires 12-year-old neighborhood kid to mow lawn for next three summers. Agrees to pay him $3.2 million.

*3:27 p.m.: Sends Marbury text message that reads, “the D in Duhon stands for Defense.”

3:37 p.m. Stands and watches with lips pursed as kid mows over flowers, newspaper, cat. Gets rid of him after paying him the full amount. Since the newspaper still contained the sports section, this is a business expense. Bills Knicks.

3:46 p.m. Receives response from Marbury: “What the f*ck is a Chris Duhon?”

3:58 p.m. Edits Wikipedia entry on “bitch.”

4:02 p.m. Flips past Brazilian soccer match on Fox Soccer. Satisfies international scouting duty for week.

4:04 p.m. Sexually harasses couch.

4:14 p.m. Calls Joe Dumars. No answer.

4:16 p.m. Calls Rick Mahorn. No answer.

4:18 p.m. Calls Bill Laimbeer. No answer.

4:20 p.m. Calls John Salley. No answer.

4:22 p.m. Calls Vinnie Johnson. No answer.

4:24 p.m. Calls Chuck Nevitt. Hangs up after one ring.

4:26 p.m. Picks up Coach Wooden’s Pyramid of Success

4:27 p.m. Puts down Coach Wooden’s Pyramid of Success

4:28 p.m. Picks up dictionary, looks up “pyramid”.

4:36 p.m. Drives to Costco.

4:48 p.m. Looks in vain for “Bulk Max Contracts.”

4:52 p.m. Sexually harasses shopping cart.

5:06 p.m. Buys 67-inch flatscreen, Playstation 3, NBA Live 2009, case of Cool Ranch Doritos.

5:47 p.m. Hooks up PS3. Undoes Renaldo Balkman trade, swaps Gallinari for D.J. White, trades Marbury for Jermaine O’Neal. Plays game against Celtics, loses 168-3. Blames Sony.

*6:12 p.m. Forges letter to David Lee, in which he, as Donnie Walsh, threatens to make Lee a “space year compensation” player and blast him into orbit.

6:36 p.m. Updates resume. Submits to Monster.

7:10 p.m. Heads back to city for dinner.

8:12 p.m. Goes to Waverly Inn, gets booed.

9:33 p.m. Drives to practice facility by mistake.

10:17 p.m. Arrives home.

10:42 p.m. Attempts to prank call Michael Jordan. Realizes Jordan gave him wrong number. Hangs up.

10:44 p.m. Looks at own Basketball Reference page.

10:46 p.m. Sexually harasses computer.

11:13 p.m. Pours glass of water.

11:14 p.m. Spills glass of water.

11:15 p.m. Blames someone else.

11:26 p.m. Brushes teeth.

11:30 p.m. Checks smile in mirror.

11:33 p.m. Sexually harasses self.

11:34 p.m. Breaks gaze away.

11:35 p.m. Looks back.

11:48 p.m. Picks out suit for next day.

11:52 p.m. Realizes he doesn’t need to wear suit anymore.

12:06 a.m. Turns on Home Shopping Network.

12:12 a.m. Orders $36,000 worth of Bad Boys Pistons memorabilia. Bills Knicks.

12:21 a.m. Calls Spike Lee to pitch movie on Knicks tenure.. No answer.

12:23 a.m. Calls Woody Allen to pitch movie on Knicks tenure. Allen agrees only if he can cast Scarlett Johannson as Anucha Browne Sanders. Thomas agrees only if he can be cast as himself. Allen hangs up.

12:31 a.m. Calls Michael Bay to pitch movie on Knicks tenure. Makes multi-million dollar deal.

12:33 a.m. Calls Fred Jones. Signs him to multi-million dollar personal service contract.

12:37 a.m. Goes to sleep fully content. He’d had many strokes of luck that day.

Original article : [SlamOnline]

Dramatic Draping at Salvatore Ferragamo Spring 2009

A model walks the runway during the Salvatore Ferragamo fashion show at Milan Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2009 on September 23, 2008 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images Europe)
The Salvatore Ferragamo Spring 2009 exhibition at the Milan Fashion Week was marked by dramatic elegance. Models swathed in expertly cinched and pleated fabrics swept the stage, some of their bodies completely concealed beneath yards of luxurious fabrics in the season's hottest colors--fuschia, as above, and lime green.
Most of the designs in the collection are asymmetrical and elegantly draped, emphasizing the wearer's shape by the way the fabric falls.


original

French Fried

The Frederic Weis Story.

by Matt Caputo

When all was said and done, the New York Knicks needed nine years and a guy named Patrick Ewing to rid their organization of Frederic Weis. But when they acquired the son of their former franchise player yesterday for the rights to Weis, who never played a day in the NBA, the team took it’s biggest step toward erasing a draft choice that some New Yorkers still believe might have cursed their troubled NBA squad. Without ever suiting-up, Weis became one of the most talked about draft picks in Knicks history because of who the team didn’t select in his place.

At 7-foot-2, Weis’ game was only beginning to grow into his massive frame when the Knicks took him with the 15th pick in the 1999 draft. He’d played well in the top professional league in France, his native country, the year before he was picked. Weis averaged 13 plus points and 7 plus rebounds in the 98-99 season. Although he’d sustained a back injury at the end of the season, Weis appeared to be making the right progress toward being in the NBA.

The Knicks were coming off a run to the championship in the labor dispute shortened season. After 50 games and a record of 27-23, the Knicks hung around the playoffs long enough to be beaten by the Spurs in the Finals. The series gave David Robinson his first title and kept Patrick Ewing Sr. that much further away from the chip that had eluded him his entire career. Although it was a short season, the Knicks were on a high and their position in the draft was only going to help them.

1999 was a solid draft that did birth a few stars. Elton Brand, Baron Davis, Lamar Odom, Jason Terry, Shawn Marion and Richard Hamilton are among some of the top players to come from via the ‘99 draft. However that same draft class included William Avery, Leon Smith, Trajan Langdon and Aleksandar Radojevic, who are numbered among several others who didn’t pan out in the League.

When it came to the 15th pick, the Knicks still had options. The typical objection of Knick fans was that the team didn’t take local beast Ron Artest. However, James Posey, Devean George, Andrei Kirilenko and Manu Ginobili, who was not selected until second to very last pick, were all still in the player pool waiting to hear their names called.

At the time, the Knicks were so high on Weis they felt he was too good to be floating around Europe another year. Even Weis himself wasn’t sure he was ready. He didn’t play well in Summer League and earned the nickname “French Toast” in the process.

Weis was a no-show at Summer League in 2000. He chose instead to be forever posterized in the hearts and minds of hoop fans everywhere at the Sydney Olympics. Vince Carter didn’t so much as dunk on the Frenchman as he did totally leap over him with a blatant disregard. It was like Weis wasn’t even there.

After the 1999 NBA Summer League, Weis went home and played in the French ProA league, but his numbers dropped a bunch. He signed a two-year contract worth $1.3 million to play in Greece in 2000, but left after only five games. He has played the majority of his career in Spain having never averaged 10 points or 10 rebounds in a season since being drafted by the Knicks.

Weis made an unexpected return to the French National Team in 2007 to help them through EuroBasket’07. Although the French finished 8th, he did play alongside Tony Park, Ronnie Turiaf and Boris Diaw, providing tough post defense. Aside for being totally humiliated by Vince Carter, he helped France to a Silver Medal finish at the 2000 Olympics. So, in all fairness, Weis has played fairly well in International competition and his strong defense and massive post presence might not always show up in stats.

Ewing Jr., 6-8, 240-pounds, was taken by Sacramento with the 43rd pick in the 2008 draft. He was traded to the Rockets on Aug. 14 as part of a multi-player deal. A 24-year-old Boston native, Ewing Jr. played his first two collegiate seasons at Indiana University before transferring to Georgetown. As a senior, Ewing averaged 6.1 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 34 games, winning the Big East Sixth Man of the Year award.

The Knicks acquisition of “Young Ewing” probably won’t make or break their playoff chances. But if the kid makes the team it might be another reason to leave the game on this season, seeing as going to a Knicks game is out of the question. As it is likely that Ewing Jr. knows he’s got some work to do before he fills his father’s uniform, especially considering he’s a bit shorter than his dad, Knicks rookie Danilo Gallinari, an Italian import via first round draft pick, can take a lesson from this trade. The last thing the Knicks need right now is another Frederic Weis.

the original source:
slamonline.com/online/2008/08/french-fried/

North Carolina's talented class leads the way

The fall signing period for college basketball, Nov. 12-19, is about three months away, and we are on the brink of college coaches' fall contact period, which begins Sept. 9 and extends through Oct. 5. So players' verbal commitments could really start multiplying.

Already, 60 players in the 2009 ESPNU 100 have chosen their future college. Of those players who have made their decisions, 14 of them are ranked in the top 30 and 27 are in the top 50.

Only three of the top 15 prospects, however, have decided where they'll attend college. These highly rated and still-undecided players, including the top two prospects, 6-6 G/F Xavier Henry, and 6-9 PF Derrick Favors, could significantly impact the final positioning of the 2009 fall recruiting classes.

Although these current recruiting rankings undoubtedly will change during the coming months, we thought it timely to revise and update the pre-summer recruiting list from May. North Carolina, with commitments from five players in the ESPNU top 50, retains the No. 1 spot.

Villanova, with a recent commitment from one of the nation's top sleepers, No. 27 6-9 C/F Mouphtaou Yarou (Woodstock, Va./Massanutten Military Academy), vaulted to No. 2. Three of its recruits are ranked in the top 35. Georgetown, Texas A&M and Marquette complete the top five current classes.

ESPN.com's top 10 recruiting classes

Chris Johnson/Reebok

John Henson is the No. 3 prospect in the ESPNU 150.

1. North Carolina, five verbal commitments

The Tar Heels struck early and assembled a highly talented class with five top 50 players who could make up a formidable team. This group is headed by No. 3 prospect power forward John Henson, who recently moved with his family to Tampa, Fla. He will play his senior year at Sickles High School. Henson had a tremendous summer, after which he made a considerable jump in the player rankings, and he has unlimited potential as he adds strength and weight. Other top newcomers for coach Roy Williams are No. 19 prospect Dexter Strickland (Elizabeth, N.J./ St. Patrick), a 6-3 combo guard; No. 25, 6-5 guard Leslie McDonald (Eads, Tenn./ Briarcrest Christian); and the highly skilled Wear twins, No. 49 David Wear and No. 50 Travis Wear (Santa Ana, Calif./ Mater Dei). The Tar Heels could lock up the top recruiting ranking if they can get No. 12 prospect, 6-9 forward Ryan Kelly (Raleigh, N.C./ Ravenscroft).

2. Villanova, three verbal commits

Coach Jay Wright's Wildcats ascended to No. 2 by securing commitments from three players among the top 35, led by No. 22 Maalik Wayns (Philadelphia/ Roman Catholic). The 6-footer projects as the consummate future floor leader at Villanova. The Wildcats also have Yarou, a native of of Benin, Africa, who emerged as one of the nation's best power players this summer; and No. 31 Isaiah Armwood (Rockville, Md./ Montrose Christian), a versatile 6-8 P/WF. Villanova could challenge North Carolina for top honors if it lands No. 11 Dominic Cheek (Jersey City, N.J./ St. Anthony) -- a sweet-shooting, 6-6 guard -- and No. 33, 6-10 C Aaric Murray (Concordville, Pa./ Glen Mills).

3. Georgetown, three verbal commits

Coach John Thompson III and the Hoyas have a strong three-member class of two ESPNU 100 players and one of the nation's top prep school talents. Six-foot-8 PF Chris Braswell (Chatham, Va./ Hargrave Military Academy) was a 2008 Hoyas signee, but he did not achieve the academic requirements to enroll at Georgetown this fall and will spend next year as a postgraduate player at Hargrave Military. Braswell, a force inside, will be one of the top-rated prep school players. The Hoyas also have No. 32 DaShonte Riley (Beverly Hills, Mich./ Detroit Country Day), a talented but inconsistent 6-10 C/F, and No. 75, gifted 6-7 WF Hollis Thompson (Los Angeles, Calif./ Loyola). Several highly ranked prospects are considering Georgetown, so it could advance in the final rankings.

[+] Enlarge

Les Bentley for ESPN.com

Is Dashonte Riley going to be Georgetown's next great center?

4. Texas A&M, three verbal commits

Coach Mark Turgeon and his hard-working staff continued their outstanding recruiting success for the Aggies; Texas A&M has received commitments from three ESPNU 100 players. They are No. 59 Naji Hibbert (Hyattsville, Md./ DeMatha), a multitalented 6-5 2G, No. 64 Khris Middleton (Charleston, S.C./ Porter Gaud), a high-scoring 6-6 WF, and No. 87Kourtney Roberson (Acadia, La.), a powerful inside operative.

5. Marquette, three verbal commits

New head coach Buzz Williams has recruited well since replacing Tom Crean at Marquette. The Golden Eagles already have three ESPNU 100 recruits and are looking to add more. Marquette's class is headlined by Junior Cadougan (originally from Toronto, but attending classes at the Christian Life Center in Humble, Texas). The 6-1 Cadougan was one of the top point guards on the summer circuit. No. 76 Jeronne Maymon (Madison, Wis./ Madison Memorial), a 6-7 power forward, is the state's second-best player. Six-foot-7 WF Erik Williams (Cypress, Texas/ Cypress Springs) is ranked No. 97.

6. N.C. State, three verbal commitments

Coach Sidney Lowe has again landed recruits from the talent-rich state of Georgia; among them are two ESPNU 100 players. Lorenzo Brown (Roswell, Ga./ Centennial), No. 48, can play both backcourt positions, and 6-8 PF Richard Howell (Marietta, Ga./ Wheeler), rated No. 58, will join him in North Carolina. Howell played on the same travel team as N.C. State's freshman standout of last year, J. J. Hickson, who was drafted by the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers. Howell has the potential to make an impact comparable to that of Hickson for the Wolfpack next year. Coach Lowe also has a commitment from one of the nation's best perimeter shooters, potential ESPNU 100 prospect 6-5 2G Scott Wood (Marion, Ind.). Although the Wolfpack now have players for all three of their available scholarships, they are still involved in talks with No. 81, 6-5 G/F Garrius Adams (Apex, N.C./ Middle Creek).

7. Connecticut, two verbal commits

Coach Jim Calhoun and the Huskies have received commitments from two players in the top 40. One of the top big men of the summer, No. 20 6-8 PF Alex Oriakhi (Tilton, N.H./ The Tilton School), is headed to Storrs. Joining him will be his high school teammate, No. 38 Jamal Coombs-McDaniel, who's a versatile, high-scoring wing. UConn will move up if the Huskies can close on any of the highly rated targets they are pursuing.

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Kelly Kline for ESPN.com

Erik Murphy is athletic enough to play in Florida's up-tempo system.

8. Florida, two verbal commits

You can always count on coach Billy Donovan to have a nationally ranked recruiting class, and this year is no exception. The Gators now have commitments from No. 24, 6-10 PF Erik Murphy (Southborough, Mass./ St. Mark's School) and No. 36, 6-10 C/F DeShawn Painter (Chatham, Va./ Hargrave Military Academy). Murphy is one of the most talented all-around big men in the nation. He is a perfect fit for Donovan's playing style. Painter is a superb athlete, but he must get stronger. If the Gators can grab shooting star 6-3 2G Kenny Boynton (Plantation, Fla./ American Heritage), who is ranked No. 13, their class could move up to No. 2.

9. Georgia Tech, four commits

Coach Paul Hewitt and his staff have gotten four talented recruits, including two ESPNU 100 players. The group is led by No. 41 Kammeon Holsey (Sparta, Ga./ Hancock Central), a versatile 6-8 forward, and No. 47 Mfon Udofia (Lithonia, Ga./ Miller Grove), a hard-nosed, 6-3 combo guard. The Yellow Jackets also have commitments from two other nationally ranked players, 6-5 G/F Glen Rice Jr. (Marietta, Ga./ Walton) and hot-shooting 6-6 WF Brian Oliver (New Castle, Del./ William Penn). Georgia Tech appears to be one of the top schools for No. 2 prospect Derrick Favors (Atlanta, Ga./ South Atlanta). The Yellow Jackets could challenge for top honors if they add Favors.

10. Illinois, four verbal commits

Based on our revised ESPNU 100, the Illini fell from the No. 2 spot to No. 10. Coach Bruce Weber now has two ESPNU 100 commitments -- No. 56, guard D.J. Richardson, who will attend Henderson, Nev./Findlay Prep for his senior year and No. 69, 6-9 PF Tyler Griffey (Wildwood, Mo./ Lafayette). Both Richardson and Griffey had outstanding performances in July and could elevate in the final player ratings. Illinois signed two other highly regarded backcourt players, 6-4 Brandon Paul (Gurnee, Ill./ Warren), who could turn out to be the Illini's top recruit next year, and 6-3 combo guard Joe Bertrand (Sterling, Ill.).

Honorable mentions

Louisville, three verbal commits

Once again, coach Rick Pitino and his Cardinals will have a highly ranked recruiting class. Louisville now has two ESPNU 100 players. No. 28 Peyton Siva (Seattle/ Franklin) is a tough, talented point guard. Athletic big man Rakeem Buckles (Opa-Locka, Fla./ Monsignor Pace), ranked No. 74, is well-suited for the team's style of play. The Cardinals also have gotten unranked sharpshooter, 6-5 2G Mike Marra (Northfield, Mass./ Northfield-Mount Hermon). Do not be surprised if Coach Pitino adds more talent to this class.

Oklahoma, three verbal commitments

Coach Jeff Capel's Sooners have three commitments, including two ESPNU 100 players. No. 37, point guard Tommy Mason-Griffin (Mouth of Wilson, Va./ Oak Hill Academy) is the Sooners' top recruit. He is joined by No. 92, 6-5 G/F Steven Pledger (Chesapeake, Va./ Atlantic Shores Christian); and unranked, but productive, 6-9 PF/C Kyle Hardrick (Norman, Okla.). Mason-Griffin is a strong, compact, spark plug lead guard who stood out against the nation's top point guards in July. He will be an outstanding future floor leader for the Sooners.

Other programs that could rank in the top 25:

Arizona (3 verbals), Arizona State (2), Auburn (2), Baylor (2), Clemson (3), Duke (1), Indiana (4), Iowa (2), Kansas State (2), Kentucky (2), Memphis (2), Michigan (2), Michigan State (2), New Mexico (3), Oklahoma State (3), Pittsburgh (2), Purdue (4), Southern California (2), UAB (2), UCLA (2), UNLV (4), Virginia (2), Virginia Tech (4), West Virginia (3), Wisconsin (2) Rutgers (2) and St. John's (2)