Purloined Copy – One way or another an early copy of X-Men Origins was illegally uploaded to the web. While the copy circulated the Internet and is undoubtedly being saved/shown in various corners of the globe. Many black hatters asked people not to view the yet-to-be completed film and see it as it was intended…at the theater. We'll wait. Source – 20th Century Fox

Hugh Jackman, producer and star of X-Men, said he was "disappointed" when an early version of his movie was prematurely set free on the Internet. Wolverine on the other hand was p***ed! Oh yeah…so was News Corp's Rupert Murdock. The incident helped Hollywood strengthen their case that piracy is robbing them of revenues and hurting everyone…including consumers. Read more

If you hadn't heard of hulu.com before, odds are you've heard of it now thanks to the rather hysterical 2009 Super Bowl commercial staring Alec Baldwin. It's a good thing too, because Hulu is playing, and will continue to play, a huge role in the future of television.

Hulu is simple, convenient, and completely functional for anyone with an internet connection. For those unfamiliar with the specifics of Hulu here is a quick overview:

• Hulu.com is a legal video streaming site.
• It provides both a selection of TV and Movies, and all are free.
• Television episodes (for the most part) are posted the day after they air, most of the movies however are older.
• Their quality is superior to YouTube and the site is completely legal.

This works in part because of Hulu's unique advertising deal. Both television episodes and movies play with a few interruptions (or commercial breaks). This advertising is still superior to your basic cable commercial break because only one commercial plays each break (averaging 30 seconds). Hulu even offers special options on occasion, if you watch a longer commercial or movie trailer before your desired program you can then watch the rest of your show commercial free. Even with commercials the time difference is a cut above live showings. Read more

Online money management is like a turbo charge for your checkbook, giving you up-to-the minute insight into your financial life. Whether finding ways to save a few bucks, socking away cash for retirement or sticking to a budget, services such as Mint, Wesabe and Quicken Online, are changing the way people manage money.

Banks have also moved money management online and remain the only way to actually transfer money among your financial accounts. Together these web, mobile and text-based money tools help you move beyond the checkbook register and into the realm of true financial freedom.

Mint
Mint is one of several new companies offering incredible tools to manage your money online -- for free. With a brief (under five minute) set up, Mint can access your various financial accounts including banks, credit cards, and investment accounts to give you an accurate picture of your financial worth. Read more

The Internet is the world's shopping mall, but be aware: Virtual pickpockets lurk everywhere. Of course, you can find legitimate online vendors who offer quality merchandise, generous return policies, "in-store security" and ample privacy. You just need to know where to shop, what to look for and how to get in and out with a good deal and your dignity intact. Here are some suggestions to get you started.

Shop stores you know

Start by shopping in stores you know. J.C. Penney or Wal-Mart, for example, have online stores you can trust (www.jcpenney.com, www.walmart.com) with the same make, model and quality of products you’ll find in their brick-and-mortar stores. Make sure any such sites are, in fact, the genuine Internet counterparts to those stores. To do that, go to http://hoovers.com/free, which lists companies and provides quick information about them. Use the search engine at the top and click "Search Now" to find J.C. Penney, for example. Click on "J.C. Penney Company, Inc." in the search results. At the top of the next page, the website address is listed. Read more