Spotted in the heart of Lincoln Park ... is no neighborhood safe from the hipster invasion?! To be fair, it was spotted by the Apple store, so that might explain this vehicle straying so far from its natural habitat. more ›

We'll slip on our "54" jerseys. We'll cheer on his interceptions and tackles, especially when he pounds Michael Vick into the ground. But do we also want him in your pocket at all times, on our iPhones? more ›

The legendary innovator changed our world forever. more ›

Apple Fest: the most straightforward festival ever? No surprises here folks, this fest we told you about last week was all about those fruits of fall. more ›

File this under "strange packaged food facts." Consumerist informed us last Wednesday that the ingredients list for Snapple Apple Juice Drink does not include any apple at all! We've enjoyed the drink in the past, so we were a bit flummoxed to realize that the only juice in it was pear juice, and that at only 10%! When confronted, the company responded with a very terse letter which included the line "If you have a concern regarding the intake of this product, we suggest that you contact your health care provider." Whoa. more ›

Recently, Numero Group wrote a blog post explaining why they decided not to participate in Apple's newly unveiled iCloud service. Will other labels follow their lead? more ›

Nuts about nuts? What a tramp. But really, if you enjoy pecans, try making our Pecan Apple Chicken recipe this week. The pecan coating has more protein than traditional breading, and it's baked so you can avoid oil splatters all over that nice, clean stovetop of yours. The sweet cubes of apple pair well with the crispy pecans, and it's all done in one pan for easy cleanup. This recipe is easy enough for any night of the week - it was designed with the novice home cook in mind. Give 'er a try and let us know what you think. more ›

Last month we reported on the debut of a cocktail app optimized to run on Mac computers. As far as we can tell, the "Cocktails for Mac" program ($4.99) remains the first and only one of its kind. At the time, it was still too new to review; we've been messing around with CfM long enough now to rate it a resounding "meh." more ›

Pocket Cocktails launched a new app for Mac computers this week that aims to school the home bartender. It's not just a bunch of recipes, but also a primer on how to mix drinks with skill, illustrating techniques like layering and garnishing. The Toronto-based company has developed cocktail-centric apps for the iPhone before, most notably its eponymous "Pocket Cocktails" app; now that Apple has launched its Mac App Store, which sells programs for use on Mac computers like the iMac and Macbook, app developers like Pocket Cocktails are refitting and expanding on their iPhone apps for Macs. more ›

Remember last month when the Chicago transit Authority, beaming at the results of the North/Clybourn station renovation, said that they would open up naming rights to anything they owned to the highest bidder? more ›

Flush with pride from the beautiful renovation of the North/Clybourn Red Line Station, thanks in part to a $3.9 million deal with Apple that includes future naming rights, CTA President Richard Rodriguez announced yesterday that the Authority will soon look for other sponsors to buy naming rights for anything CTA owns that has some value and can provide exposure to a sponsor. more ›

After a seemingly endless construction, the new 18,000 square-foot Lincoln Park Apple Store at North and Clybourn is slated to open 10 a.m. tomorrow, undoubtedly adding even more traffic to an already over-congested area of the city.Red Eye's Scott Kleinberg has a nice sneak peek of the store, next door to the beautified North/Clybourn Red Line subway station. more ›

We've been taking the CTA a lot lately thanks to all these crazy storms and we have to admit we're a little jealous of the fun that commuters in Germany and Sweden get to have. Volkswagen installed a slide and a giant piano on the stairs at a couple of stations - catch the videos below. The CTA Tattler suggests that Apple sponsor a slide on the North/Clybourn stairs during their sponsored remodel of the station which is scheduled to be completed at the end of the year. Sign us up! more ›

Maybe we shouldn't have been so shocked to see folks lining up outside the Michigan Ave. Apple Store for the first crack at the iPad. In a new survey by Experian Simmons [h/t our pals at Gapers Block], the greater Chicago area ranked in the top 10 Apple markets in the country, coming in sixth. According to their survey, 2,146,136 of the area's 7,308,586 adults (or 29.4 percent) use an Apple product, such as an iPhone or iPod. This kind of news is probably music to Apple's ears as they erect that brand new store in Lincoln Park and angle for that CTA Northy/Clybourn station domination. more ›

Today we report the latest news in the health benefits of the unpretentious apple. A recently published study shows the soluble fiber in apples (called pectin) may do wonders for the health of our digestive tract. We already know fiber ensures normal digestive processes (have you read the highly-informative What’s Your Poo Telling You by Dr. Stool?), but what about all those critters that live in our colon? more ›

And so it begins. Apple, the supermegaultra computer/tech company, is looking into a deal with the CTA that could bring the cash-strapped transit agency some much needed money while opening up an advertising smorgasbord. The Sun-Times reports that the CTA has confirmed they're in talks with Apple for something that would amount to "station domination." Essentially, Apple would pay for refurbishments to a train station in exchange for "first dibs" on any and all advertising that would go up at the station. Not surprisingly, the station being discussed is North/Clybourn on the Red Line; construction is already underway on a new Apple store nearby. (Apple decided on that location for its new store after its much-publicized split with the Block 37 project.) One thing the deal, which could give the CTA up to $4 million in funding for the refurbishments, will not do is hand over station naming rights. more ›

A month after speculation over an Apple store at Block 37 was the center of a lawsuit filed by another Block 37 tenant, Apple itself announced the location for its newest Chicago store: North & Clybourn. The new store will go up on the site of an old gas station where North, Clybourn, and Halsted all intersect. According to Crain's: more ›

Things keep getting worse and worse for the Block 37 project. After money issues and the first tenant pulling out, now more retailers are trying to get out of their contracts. The first blow was an announcement from Apple that they would not be bringing a retail store to Block 37 as had been originally planned. While this was surely a disappointment for the powers that be behind Block 37, it's another store's subsequent pulling out that's causing even more headaches. Now Canada-based Lululemon Athletica Inc., sellers of Yoga wear, are suing to get out of their contract to open a store in Block 37 because they claim they signed the contract with the understanding they'd be next door to an Apple store. Further, Lululemon is claiming that the Block 37 project's developer, Chicago-based Joseph Freed & Associates LLC, committed fraud by telling them that Apple had signed a lease even though that never happened. more ›

Does anyone have an iPhone that is working? more ›

Yeah, we can't download the 2.0 firmware either. Neither can folks actually buying the iPhone today, and the long lines at Apple stores across the nation are testament to the fact that this time Apple screwed up. But some folks are taking advantage of the situation ... Chicago's own Rhymefest is handing out copies of his new mixtape to fellow queuers outside the Apple Store in L.A.! more ›

(Ed. Note: This week for "One Great Sandwich" we're going to try something different. In the spirit of the Tribune's "fish taco" offensive from last fall, Ms. Stolpman made a sandwich in the hopes that any sandwich makers, restaurants, coffee shops, etc. look at it and place it on their menus as an offering to customers. We now continue with our regularly scheduled post.) more ›

Sneakerfiles reports that the Levi's 501 premium selvedge denim have an elephant print lining the inside and the signature Air Jordan symbol is embroidered on one of the pockets along with six gold rings that symbolize each of the championship rings MJ won during his BBall years. The jeans, sneakers and shirt come in a red collector box decorated with graphics from each brand. more ›

"Internet," you say, "cure my case of the grumpies." more ›

Steve Jobs unveiled the Macbook Air today, and it's reaaaaaally skinny--less than an inch thick--and pretty. Quick, somebody spot us $1,800 and we'll take it for a testblog. [Apple] more ›

Thousands of migratory birds died in the last few months due to Type E Botulism poisoning from Lake Michigan. Scientists don't know exactly how the birds are contracting botulism, but our theory that they ate tainted canned goods—that's the most common way to human adults contract botulinum poisoning--isn't an option, apparently. The current theory blames invasive populations of zebra mussels and round gobies. more ›

Nerdy white guys still dominate sketch comedy and SketchFest. Debate all you want whether women’s under-representation comes from a lack of funny or surplus of sensibility, we were relieved Saturday to see groups looking more like, and inspired by, real life. more ›

Will I Ever See My Laptop Again? more ›

All the American Gladiators used take steroids, do drugs and make out with each other. Oh, Nitro, how could you? The revamped American Gladiators airs another new episode tonight, but we're going to be too busy playing the old-school Nintendo version to watch. God, we still can't beat The Wall. more ›

Prepare yourselves for the first big indie nerdgasm of '08, coming up Tuesday: Michel Gondry (that's one) will be at the Apple Store (that's two) discussing his upcoming film (three), about video-store clerks (four) played by Jack Black and Mos Def (five), who accidentally erase but then remake the videos they rent out (aaaand new pants). more ›