This blog may start to look a little different in coming months.

I'm participating in an experiment, launched by Jay Rosen at New York University Journalism School, to see how social networking tools and other new technologies can be incorporated into beat reporting.

A primary goal is to explore ways to use these new tools to discuss stories and trends with sources and readers. We'll be using the blog as a platform for the experiment.

Jay announced the participants today, and I'll be providing more details here as we firm up the plans.

In the meantime, I'd love to hear from anyone who has suggestions or would like to participate in the experiment.

To celebrate its fifth anniversary, Xbox Live is giving its 8 million members a free arcade game from 12:01 a.m. Thursday (Nov. 15) to 11:59 p.m. Friday.

I didn't realize there was such a holiday, but Seattle-based LizardTech let me know because it was showing kids at Brighton School how far map creation has come since the Revolutionary War.

A new USB gadget from ATI will give Macs the ability to record high-def video broadcasts, closing a gap with Windows Media Center.

ATI announced today that a Mac version of its TV Wonder 650 USB tuner will go on sale later this month for around $149. In addition to tuning over-the-air and analog broadcasts, it includes an electronic programming guide and software to watch, pause and record high-definition video.

Macs already use ATI graphics cards. Apple ought to give people the option of ordering one of its computers with an internal TV tuner, especially since iTunes is losing its grip on TV show sales, but until then the $149 dongle sounds like a nice option.

The announcement, from ATI parent AMD, also mentioned that its video cards are giving the 20-inch and 24-inch iMacs HDMI output, which would make it easier to tie them in to a newer home entertainment network. HDMI ports aren't yet listed on the iMacs' tech specs though, and I haven't heard back yet from the spokesman I asked for clarification.

No wonder networks are going online with video services like Hulu: Within three years 16 million U.S. homes will be using their broadand service more than they now use their TVs, according to a new In-Stat survey.

It found 30 percent would drop pay-TV services and get TV content online, and 42 percent felt they aren't getting enough international news and information from their current TV services.

"As more high-quality content becomes available online, savvy consumers are considering ways to reduce their monthly bills by getting everything from the Internet,'' analyst Gerry Kaufhold said in a news release.