This week Saturday Night Live is celebrating the end of its’ 37th season on air (yes, you read that right) by pulling out the usual bags of tricks. That includes rock god Mick Jagger taking on hosting duties, while Arcade Fire and the Foo Fighters provide the marquee music interludes (plus there will be comedy sketches…at least I think they still do those).

But while the cast and crew will mostly be sticking to the traditional SNL formula for success, they are throwing one new variable into the mix for this monumental occasion. That comes in the form of a partnership with the Facebook app Color.

Some of you may remember Color as the app that allowed you to share your photos and short (about 30 seconds) live video clips with a network of your closest friends. More likely though, you remember the story of how the program managed to raise $41 million dollars for its launch, only to fade into obscurity sometimes after that. It’s not that the program didn’t work; it just didn’t manage to catch on in the ever growing app market.

But now, thanks to a new partnership with Verizon, Color is looking to make a big comeback. Not only will Verizon start making the app standard on all new Android phones, but Color has also beefed up its’ own services, particularly in the video area which now has a better broadcast quality, sound with your live feed (for Verizon customers), and the ability to notify your friends immediately for live broadcast.

To celebrate (and most importantly, to promote), Color will be teaming with SNL to have the actors, crew, and guests take backstage footage of the evening, and fill in the breaks and commercials with exclusive footage that will be broadcast to anyone who friends Verizon on Facebook.

Color certainly seems more focused this time around. It’s no wonder either considering the recent $1 billion Instagram acquisition by Facebook, and how Facebook itself is preparing for the richest public offering anyone has ever seen. But if you’re looking for the new Color’s greatest motivation…that may actually be Twitter. It’s a smart move to try to set up a service that could be similar to Twitter, but uses video instead since that would seem to be the logical progression of the medium.

If you’re interested in the footage,you just have to like Verizon on Facebook, and download the Color for Facebook app on your mobile device. While Verizon customers are the only ones that get sound with the feed, anyone can sign up for it.

It’s easy to see that the team behind Color believes in their product, and their dedication to getting their name out there shows that. If the SNL show is a success, it’s easy to imagine the public imagination taking hold of this app and making something unique out of it.

And , maybe Mick will even sing “Start Me Up” for them.

Hey, it worked for Windows.

Check out the new photos of Jennifer Aniston in a soon-to-be-released smartwater campaign. She looks fantastic as usual and we think smartwater was pretty smart to pick the winner of our TV Girlfriends contest!

Here Jennifer looks pretty sexy in that car.

See the next pic after the jump.

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In a prior article on the Instagram Camera, I said that the potential legions of fans that the prototype would draw should probably take to Kickstarter.com, in a mob like fashion, to make that invention a reality. I meant that somewhat jokingly. Well, in just a short time fund raising on that very site, tech developer Eric Migicovsky, along with his “dream team”, and their invention The Pebble Watch have pretty much guaranteed that no one will be making jokes about Kickstarter ever again.

The Pebble watch, which raised an almost unfathomable $2.5 million in just three days on Kickstarter, is a smart watch that works with iPhone and Android devices. It’s essentially an evolution of the inPulse smart watch, also designed by Eric Migicovsky and Co., which worked with Blackberry devices. The Pebble takes certain apps and functions of your smart phone, like controlling your music playlists or providing a heads up when you receive a text message or phone call, and transfers them to the face of the watch. It has an e-ink display, is waterproof, scratchproof, keeps its’ charge for seven days, and even functions with an app developer program.

I’ve got to confess. As nice as all of that sounded, I wasn’t  particularly impressed with the device at first. Or at least I didn’t understand how a “smart watch” could garner so much interest and cash in such a short time. But to truly appreciate the Pebble’s uses, you have to see the video that accompanies the product on Kickstarter.

 

No this isn’t a world changing device. That would be the smartphone. Instead this is a rare device that realizes that if you can’t beat the smartphone, you could do worse for yourself than to become its’ best friend. The Pebble is practically designed for joggers and bicyclists, as it allows you to do things like view your distance traveled, control your music, and manage incoming messages and calls without ever once having to break your motion. Even for pedestrians or drivers, the Pebble’s benefits of being able to access some of the most practical apps of your phone, without having to reach for it, actually brings your phone back  to being a convenience and not a burden. Not to mention this finally makes the modern watch more than just jewelry, and also brings us one step closer to the sci-fi staple all purpose “wrist computer” (think Fallout’s Pip Boy device).

But really, the Pebble itself isn’t the story here. That belongs to Kickstarter. The idea of a program that could essentially allow consumers to choose the products they really want, without designers having to wade through the machine of corporate funding or personal loans for a project, was merely a vague notion whose successes have been treated as exceptions and novelty stories. But the Pebble has managed to raise over $10 million so far through Kickstarter  (10,169% of  its original goal), which is such an absurd figure that the developers are now pleading with people to stop contributing money as they have too much of it and can no longer meet demand.

Whatever success the Pebble watch has from here on out will be tied directly to Kickstarter. As word of the sites potential spreads, only time will tell if its’ bazaar of ideas will change certain foundations of commerce. But considering many people will be telling that time on their new Pebble watches, my guess is it’s got a pretty good shot.

Click here to listen to Guns ‘n’ Roses’ Use Your Illusion on Spotify

So, you might have heard about this – Axl Rose is asking the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame to leave him out when it comes to inducting the band into the Hall in Cleveland Saturday night. And to be fair, we can see both sides of this. The Rock Hall wants to honor one of the most unique and ferocious rock bands to come from a very stale period in rock history (whatever you do, don’t call them hair metal, because they’re not), and they should. The problem is that as far as Axl is concerned, he has a band, and Slash, Duff, Steven and Izzy aren’t in it. Never mind simmering tensions between Rose and various former members of Guns ‘n’ Roses; to attend the ceremony would be akin to stepping out on his current band mates, which is the last thing Axl wants to do at this point. So bowing out in this manner makes sense.

Having said that, it’s silly for him to dismiss the fact that, naming rights aside (it’s my band, I decide who’s a member of Guns ‘n’ Roses, blah blah blah), it was the combination of those five guys that made history. Guns ‘n’ Roses is not, nor ever was, the Golden Palominos, where Axl can just pick and choose people with whom to collaborate from album to album. They were a band, and like it or not, they were at their best when Axl had Duff, Izzy and Slash flanking him. It’s great that he wants to continue to do great things as Guns ‘n’ Roses, but he’d be wise to remember what got him here.

Given the open hostility between Rose and some of his old mates, it seemed fitting to go with “Estranged” here, since he is just that. Happy Friday, everyone. Try to avoid ending up estranged from the people you love, if you can.

Does your special lady complain that after a few kisses, her upper lip feels like it’s been exfoliated thanks to your vintage 70s style moustache? Maybe it’s time for a clean shave, fella. With that in mind, check out the shave products from Grooming Lounge.

What’s remarkable about the Grooming Lounge shaving products is how they make you feel. And I don’t mean feelings in the nontangible sense, because men don’t have feelings, duh.

The two products I received were the Beard Master Shave Oil and the Beard Destroyer Shave Cream and I was amazed how my skin felt after I shaved… a day later. Even an hour or so after or shaving, I kept stroking my face and could immediately recognize how smooth and soft my skin was compared to normal, after shaving. It felt like velvet wrapped in butter, pressed lovingly against the heat of a young Neve Campbell’s neck, minutes after her epic love scene with Denise Richards in the movie “Wild Things.”

But what really made me fall in love with the product was how smooth and moisturized my skin still felt even two days later. Literally two full days later, I was sitting at my desk caressing my own face, longingly.

I followed the directions and used both products in concert, (i.e. I cocktailed them), and based on the ingredients of each, it was impossible to tell which product was responsible. The Shave Oil contained Meadowfoam Oil (lifts whiskers), Peppermint Oil (lubricates) and Avocado Oil (soothes). Not only did all these ingredients feel fantastic on my skin, but I would eat any one of them right now.

The Shave Cream contained Sandalwood Oil (cushions razor), Rosemary Oil (demands razor glide) and Eucalyptus (battles ingrowns). Also, these products from Grooming Lounge weren’t falling all over themselves to be touted as some natural or earthy alternative to other shaving products on the market. They were just really good; and when I looked at the ingredients afterwards, it made sense as to why my skin was so soft and smooth.

The shaving experience was equally as good as the product. The Shave Cream, described as “ultra-lubricating shaving lotion,” came off with one swipe of the blade, even in difficult areas like around your neck. And it only took a minimal amount of cream (combined with a small amount of water) to spread an adequate amount on my face. The scent of Minimalist Clove was also a nice, subtle touch.

The Shave Oil, or “pre-shave whisker lifter,” is a product you could use by itself on a day where your skin was perhaps a little dryer than usual. One dab of this potent little sucker could cover the entire side of your face and felt more like massage oil than a moisturizer thanks to the consistency and the way your skin absorbs it.

For the price (Shave Cream $16.20, Shave Oil $22.50) you can’t go wrong; you really do get what you pay for. But hey, if you don’t want to spend roughly $40 for the best shaving solution you’ve never tried, keep buying that bargain shave gel and feel good about the money you’re saving rather than the quality of the shave.

Check out the full line of Grooming Lounge products at their official site.

Michael Jordan was in his element, chewing on a cigar and hanging out with his celebrity pals on the stunning Shadow Creek golf course for the 11th Annual Michael Jordan Celebrity Invitational (MJCI). I was parked next the tee box on the 18th hole to get some photos as MJ and his entourage pulled up in their carts with music in the background. Everyone at the tournament was having a great time, but Jordan was top dog as usual.

I was in my element as well, enjoying a blowout weekend at the Aria Resort & Casino and hanging out on a beautiful day in the desert as I nursed a hangover from the previous night’s debauchery. As you can see from the slideshow above I had a great view as celebrities from Brandi Chastain, Aaron Rodgers, John Smoltz, Ken Griffey, Jr. and Roger Clemens blasted drives from the 18th tee. A good time was being had by all and the celebs happily mingled with the fans near the tee box.

Brandi Chastain and John Smoltz were in the lead following Saturday’s first round of the celeb-only scramble after shooting a six-under par 66. Hall of Fame broadcaster Ahmad Rashad, and teammate and former baseball all-star Roger Clemens, were two strokes back at 4-under. Clemons hit a monster drive on 18. The two-person, 36-hole celebrity-only scramble continues today with winners to be announced at 3 p.m. The winning celebs each will take home $20,000 for their designated charities.

Michael Jordan chews his cigar with the 18th hole of Shadow Creek in the background

The course at Shadow Creek was simply stunning, and it has to be on your list if you’re a golfer heading to Las Vegas. It’s amazing to pull up to this oasis in the middle of the Nevada desert. With the mountains in the background as you can see from the photo above, the beauty of this course ranks up there with some of the best I’ve seen.

Check back later this week for more details from my stay at Aria, where the restaurants, nightlife and amenities give you everything you’ll need for a Vegas getaway with your gal or your friends.

In the cult classic The Big Lebowski, Mr. Lebowski wonders aloud to The Dude, “What makes a man, Mr. Lebowski?”  

What is it? What makes a man, a man?

Is it scent? Is it responsibility? Is it clear, clean skin? Well, if it is indeed any of those things, the new product from Irish Spring has taken all the thinking out of it for you.

My daughter inspected the fresh bottle of Irish Spring before I did. She popped the top, took a whiff and said, “That smells like a man, dad.” The fragrant scent of citrus/orange definitely lent itself to manhood and all of its pitfalls.

When I saw that the new Irish Spring Clear & Fresh Skin Body Wash provided by Colgate was also the first mass male body wash to “treat and prevent” breakouts, I was intrigued. There are a ton of other body washes on the market and the majority of them do not begin to broach the subject of acne.

Rather, many of them load up on scents and perfumes but don’t really do anything in terms of preventive maintenance, especially strictly for acne. However, I was slightly hesitant because I have sensitive skin that dries out in no time, and generally, any acne fighting skin solution has the potential to really dry you out.

The texture of Irish Spring was something I liked the second I poured it into my hand; it wasn’t a thick, gloppy substance that was just going to coat your body. After the texture, the next thing I noticed was the scent. It had a nice refreshing kick to it and wasn’t laced with the smell of chemicals.

Irish Spring worked itself into a lather in no time; I literally had huge bubbles extending across my body almost immediately and I just felt clean. It wasn’t difficult to wash off either, and it didn’t leave a sticky film. But the most important part to me was that my skin didn’t feel dried out — it didn’t itch and I didn’t need to add an additional moisturizer or lotion after I stepped out of the shower.

Another facet of the Irish Spring product worth mentioning is the 8 HR Scent System. Sure, the scent was great when my daughter popped the bottle and after I used it, but that’s the easy part, friend! Roughly six hours after taking a shower and using the Irish Spring, a (female) friend at the local Mai Tai Lounge commented on how fresh I smelled. At this point, even I didn’t notice that I smelled like anything, let alone that I smelled good. So just imagine how many times you go out thinking you don’t smell like anything and you actually smell bad, buddy.

Try the Irish Spring Clear & Fresh Skin Body Wash for yourself and let it take the thinking out of body wash for you. Between your job, new old lady, ex-wife, mortgage and ’99 Mazda 626, don’t you have enough on your mind already? If you tried the original Irish Spring Body Wash in the past, be sure to try the new and improved version by heading to the official website.

Shaving has come a long way and it has gone even farther now with the new Schick Hydro Power Select Razor, which is the world’s first custom power wet shave razor! Bullz-Eye tested this new shaving system from Schick and came away impressed with a super close shave.

According to Schick, this custom power razor allows men to tailor their shave to power up and customize their morning grooming routine like never before. With 25 electronic parts, an interactive LED display on the handle, and blade cartridge technology featuring the Schick Hydro system that hydrates throughout each shave, the Schick Hydro Power Select allows men to interact with their razor in a brand new way. And from what we experienced, Schick is right on the money. With a switch, I was able to choose from three settings on a one-touch control button that allows users to adjust before or during a shave to see what works best for them. The easy to read LED screen communicates visually to clearly distinguish which vibration level is in use so you know exactly what fits your shaving needs.

Adding to the elements of the Schick Hydro Power Select is a unique water-activated hydrating gel reservoir and five Ultraglide blades with skindguards with flip trimmer for precision trimming. This cutting edge shaving technology is neatly packaged into a sleek design with an ergonomic handle that rounds out a strong new product for men today. The competition is tough out there in the men’s shaving world, but that’s part of the reason why we can purchase new and innovative products like the Schick Hydro Power Select; and my day starts out a little better now because of my superb shave! Head over to www.schickhydro.com to learn more.

I wasn’t very impressed with the products from Minus 417, which symbolized everything that’s wrong with a lot of supposed “high end” men’s skin care products that are on the market. Just because it contains a litany of exotic sounding ingredients and is high priced ($98.00 for the kit), it doesn’t mean it’s good.

Hyped as a product that was enriched with “dead-sea minerals” and “vitamin A, vitamin E, sweet-almond oil, carrot-seed oil and olive oil,” it quickly devolved into a cacophony of ingredients. The dizzying array of natural substances that comprised the line, from what I could tell, was all hype. I can’t tell the difference between a dead-Sea mineral and carrot-seed oil once it’s on my skin, but if it’s a moisturizer, make it refresh my skin and keep it moist for an extended period of time. If it’s a shaving cream, make it easy to apply to my skin, shave and rinse off my blade.

The first sample I used from the Body Care Kit for Men was the Mineral Shave Cream. I could tell from the moment I put it in my hand, just by the texture, that it wasn’t very good. I squeezed a large amount from the tube into my hand and rubbed them together, but when I did that, instead of having the product expand like most shaving creams, it gradually dissipated thanks to the friction in my hands. So, I squeezed out even more and did the same thing, this time applying some water, but it didn’t help either. After a third squeeze, I got enough out to apply on my face, but it immediately began to sting. Not only that, but it felt like I was putting lotion on my face rather than a shaving cream. It got to the point where I was literally glopping it on my face to cover the entire area.

I started dragging the razor across my face and it came up pretty easily; I didn’t have to go over the same area multiple times. But getting the cream out of my razor was a pain, and a thin layer of it coated my sink when I was done. It was not a pleasant experience.

After I washed my face, I applied the Active Moisturizer After Shave. In addition to the scent being completely overbearing, I could tell from the minute I applied it I would have to keep putting it on, over and over, because one application dries your skin out rather than moisturizing. After I put it on, my skin was dry and flakey, worse than if I hadn’t applied anything.

Finally, I used the Body & Hair Shampoo for Men. It was akin to the free shampoo you get from a hotel when you forget yours; it just wasn’t very good.

I was not impressed with any facet of the Minus 417 Body Care Kit for Men. It reminded me of a cheap substitute attempting to masquerade as a high end product. You can put a pig in a dress, but at the end of the day, it’s a pig wearing a dress.

Check out the company’s official website for more information.

Are you coming down to the wire with your holiday shopping?

One thing to always keep in mind, particularly for last minute gifts or gifts you can bring when visiting someone or going to a party, is gifts of food. Thing of stuff that’s unique and interesting that people will love but won’t necessarily buy for themselves.

As pointed out in our “For Her” gift guide, Macaroons are hot this year:

Move over, Cupcake! Make room for Macaroons!

Trendy and delicious, fancy and French macaroons are one of those little luxuries which are so hot right now. They also look like little works of art. Making them can be fun but receiving a beautiful box from Paris – even better! Fauchon macaroons are just one special way to give this diabolical treat! Saveurdujour, Danny Macaroons and Macaroncafe are also great places from which to order.

It’s obviously too late to order online, so you’ll have to rely on Google and find some in your area. But as you can see from the beautiful photo above, Macaroons look great, and most women appreciate beauty. They taste great as well, so this gift can compliment the other stuff you have in mind.