Ever wondered how technology and the Web really work? CNET's Tom Merritt and Rafe Needleman give you the Real Deal on computers, cell phones, Twitter, Pownce, free games, Microsoft office replacements and more. Send Tom and Rafe e-mail at realdeal@cnet.com or call them at 1-877-600-2638 (CNET). Visit the blog at http://realdeal.cnet.com. (201 shows, last show 02/04/2010)

CNet Editor Rafe Needleman on a new search engine called, "Wolfram Alpha," which could be Google's next major competition. (5/11; 3:46)

The monkeys are running the zoo: Rafe Needleman, Brian Cooley, and Brian Tong, with producer Lynn Fu, cover the iPhone finally getting MMS, Google's patent on its home page, Amazon re-delivering 1984 to Kindle, and the closure of the Oakland side of the Bay Bridge. loadUniversalPlayer({playerType: 'small',lumiereQueryType: 'id',lumiereQueryValue: '50076391',useCurrentPageUrl: true,relatedVideo: false,preRollAd: true,hideLeftTab:true,wrapperFloat:'left'}); --> Listen now: Download today's podcast S...

OK, so, IBM files an application for the ultimate patent--the one that crushes all other patent wannabes, including trolls and, OK, anyone with a patentable idea. We feel a little dirty for wondering...would that be any worse than the current system? Guest host: Rafe Needleman.

Rafe Needleman joins us today for a rant on the MPAA, an explanation of basic economics, musings on mergers in the videogame industry, and managing write times for solid-state hard drives. Jason and I sit back and bask.

It's an "in the wild" sort of show today: love on the bus, Zune-style, a Tesla in the wild, an anecdotal Netbook in the wild, and wild assumptions and paranoia about Internet tracking ensue as Rafe Needleman returns to BOL. Also, the birdman flies over... ...

Anything that nerdy had to come from Tom. And it did. Rafe Needleman joins the cast today to discuss waiting for Windows 7 (Steve Ballmer says it's OK), the fury over FireWire being omitted from the MacBooks reaches a fever pitch--so much so that Steve... ...

In today's show, horrible ship-related pun-crimes are perpetrated and we learn that in Russia, emoticons wink at you and try to charge you for them. Also, we bash a ton of gadgets, like the still-overpriced Sony PlayStation 3, the $99-with-contract Acer Aspire, and the Android phones running apps that turn on roaming and data use without your knowledge. Then we bring it on home with puppies. Listen now: Download today's podcast Episode 871 Chrome breaks outta beta http://news.cnet.com/8301-17...

Our resident nasal storage expert Rafe Needleman is on the show to explain some quantum physics to you. Rafe also schools me in why latency doesn't matter to bandwidth but he still won't admit that he need 60 Gbps. And we realize that the only way to save the world is by drinking more whiskey. Time to get to it. Listen now: Download today's podcast EPISODE 901 Charter gets bragging rights with new 60Mbps broadband tier http://arstechnica.com/telecom/news/2009/01/charter-gets-bragging-r...

If you look closely at the Apple TV box, apparently there is a shout out to the National Nuclear Security Agency. Is the little streaming video box powered by the atom? Or is it just an unfortunate side effect of using images from CBS's Jericho. And is "CBS broadcasting" redundant when the 'B' in CBS used to stand for broadcasting? These and other deep thoughts, as Rafe Needleman guest hosts on today's show.

CNET News intern Mats Lewan checks in with editor Rafe Needleman, who recently tested out a whole bunch of tools for getting information in real time and came up with some favorites. Plus, Carol Bartz's first shareholder meeting as Yahoo CEO,... ...

At a press conference Thursday morning, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the company is taking steps to improve terms of service and its overall policies. Central to that move is involving users in decision-making. Webware editor Rafe Needleman... ...

Angel investor Ron Conway is warning his startups to start saving up cash and reducing costs quickly. He's not the only one who says the current economic crisis is similar and perhaps worse than the dot-com bust of 2000-2001. CNET's Rafe Needleman,... ...

A new browser plug-in from Mozilla allows anyone to slice and dice the Web in almost anyway they want. It's a command-line interface called Ubiquity, and Webware.com's Rafe Needleman stops by to explain what this and similar applications like it... ...

In today's headlines, the economy worsens and tech companies try to cope. For some that means laying off employees. Rafe Needleman, editor of Webware.com, talks with CNET News' Charlie Cooper about what's in store for Web 2.0 in the face of a... ...

It seems like everyone has an opinion about how Twitter should try to make money (by the way, there is no official business plan yet, at least one that's public). Webware editor Rafe Needleman stops by to explain why there's plenty of time for the... ...

In Monday's podcast, CNET editor Rafe Needleman interviews CNET News reporter Tom Krazit, who covered Apple for several years, on Steve Jobs' liver transplant and the strange way Apple told the world about it. Listen now: Download today's... ...

Webware editor Rafe Needleman talks about what a $200 million investment from Digital Sky means for Facebook, its place in a global market, and financial productivity. Also in this podcast: Apple's lawsuit against Psystar will be delayed after the... ...

Tech startups are at high risk during this financial crisis since they can't get credit and venture capital money is drying up. Webware.com editor, Rafe Needleman, offers some words of encouragement and advice for staying afloat during these rough... ...

Sarah Needleman, a reporter for Career Journal talks about life as a reporter, her own career path and offers her advice for aspiring reporters. MP3 File Share This

Digg has raised another round of funding - no mean feat in this economy. But is not everyone in the Web 2.0 crowd has had such luck. Webware editor-in-chief Rafe Needleman explains why there are new clouds hovering over a market that has enjoyed a... ...

Guantanamo Taking a step to fulfill one of his major campaign promises, President Barack Obama issued an executive order today to close the Guantanamo Bay Detention Center within a year. However, the plan faces significant hurdles. Scott Silliman, professor of law at Duke University, joins us to discuss them. Stories of an Abortion Doctor On the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, we rebroadcast our conversation with Dr. Susan Wicklund. She has written about her life as an abortion provider in the book, This Com...

Like a lot of office workers, Rafe Needleman coveted a Macintosh but his various work assignments forced him to spend 20 years banging away on a PC. But that was then and this is now. Rafe finally got his wish--but that didn't mean he had to dump... ...

“Getting laid off is rarely something you can control. But what you can control is how you leave a company — and, most importantly, the size and terms of your severance package.” Kirk Nemer Kirk Nemer, J.D., SPHR Severance Plans Face Squeeze Amid Scramble to Preserve Cash is the title of a recent Wall Street Journal article by Sarah Needleman: "Some 20% of companies polled in December by Hewitt Associates Inc., said they plan to change severance policies and 31% are considering such a move," she writes. "...

Sarah Needleman, a reporter for CareerJournal.com talks about life as a reporter, her own career path and offers her advice for aspiring journalists.

Netflix opens up its massive MP3 library; why Google Health gives Rafe Needleman a serious case of the willies; and can cable companies succeed in the wireless market?

Webware.com's Rafe Needleman says rich-Internet apps are going to be the big story at the Web 2.0 Expo; Microsoft finishes its Service Pack 3 update to XP; and are e-voting paper trails a bad idea?

Rafe Needleman joins Tom to talk about online apps. They get a few minutes in before the use the term Web 2.0. Not bad.

Tom Merritt and Rafe Needleman discuss the cool do-it-yourself projects from Maker Faire 2006.

Rafe Needleman reports on the latest product pitches from the Demo 2007 conference in Arizona.

Tom Merritt and Rafe Needleman talk about living with the Apple TV, Pleo, Chumy, Amazon Kindle, Logitech Harmony and more.

Tom and Rafe talk about the gadgets they've been using like Windows Home Server, a Canon printer and the PS3 as a Blu-ray player. loadUniversalPlayer({playerType: 'small',lumiereQueryType: 'id',lumiereQueryValue: '#######',useCurrentPageUrl: true,relatedVideo: false,preRollAd: true,hideLeftTab:true,wrapperFloat:'left'}); --> Listen now: Download today's podcast Subscribe with iTunes (audio)Subscribe with iTunes (video)Subscribe with RSS (audio)Subscribe with RSS (video) Episode 189 Rafe- Kindle...

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Don Tapscott, Gina Trapani, Jeff Jarvis, and Jake Jarvis. Newspaper collusion, real-time Web, Bing, Google Wave, transforming education, and more. Bar Camp San Diego Norbert Wiener and Cybernetics Collusion Course: Does today's hush-hush meeting of newspaper executives violate antitrust law? Clay Shirky: Newspapers and Thinking the Unthinkabler Geffen Made Offer to Buy Stake in New York Times Rahaf Harfoush FriendFeed Huff Post Hires 'Wash Post' Editor to Head New Investiga...

Get green! Rafe Needleman talks with Andrew Beebe, president of Energy Innovations, about personal carbon credit trading.

Rafe Needleman discusses the many ways to maximize the value of your tech dollar. Listen now: Download today's podcast TODAY'S TOPIC - Getting value from your tech dollar In these trying and uncertain times [ha ha], I'm sure there are... ...

Rafe Needleman and Brian Cooley (a.k.a. the Cat Master) discuss the best hardware and software for monitoring your home when you're not there. Plus, your questions answered! Listen now: Download today's podcast Subscribe now: iTunes (audio)... ...

Rafe Needleman and Brian Cooley talk monitor tech and advice with special guest Eric Franklin from CNET Labs. loadUniversalPlayer({playerType: 'small',lumiereQueryType: 'id',lumiereQueryValue: '50077387',useCurrentPageUrl: true,relatedVideo:... ...

As the Web 2.0 conference concludes today in San Francisco, Webware's editor, Rafe Needleman, takes stock of the latest turn in the fast-changing chronicle of Web-based startups. Also, he tells you how to vote for your favorites in the annual... ...

Today, tech writers MG Siegler, Nicholas Carr and Rafe Needleman weigh in on Google's new browser, Chrome.