TechBytes: The End of Landlines?

Dec. 31, 2009— -- AT&T has told the Federal Communications Commission that it wants to begin phasing out older telephone networks. Calling the old technology "relics of a by-gone era," AT&T says that the phase-out would free up resources to make high-speed Internet access available across the country. Many Americans are already dropping landlines in favor of cell phones and Internet phone services.

For those whose New Year's resolution is to get in shape, we asked two of our favorite reviewers, CNET's Dan Ackerman and GameDaily's Libe Goad, to tell us about a couple of gadgets that can make exercising a bit more fun.

Ackerman liked the Nintendo Wii accessory dubbed the riiflex. "They've taken the basic Wii controller that you already have, that Wii remote and the nunchuck and they added a 2-pound dumbbell that just slides on top of the controls," he said. "You take your existing controls, slide them into these little dumbbells and then when you're using a game like EA Sports active or Wii Fit, where you're doing arm movements you, get an actual extra workout from that."

Goad looked into the C25K iPhone app. "It works in conjunction with the music that you have on your iPhone or iPod touch," he said. "And you can actually create a playlist so while your favorite music that you like to run to plays in the background it has a voice that will kind of tell you when to run, when to walk, and then of course, the best part, when the workout's over. "

There is a new app for anyone who thinks they might do a little too much celebrating tonight. RU Buzzed is a free program that can help you figure out if you've reached your legal limit. It's not exact, but it roughly determines your blood alcohol level by measuring your weight, the number of drinks you've consumed, and the amount of time you've been drinking. Of course, the best decision is to have a designated driver if you're planning to drink.