Screen Grabs: the Daily Show's Jon Stewart grabs a Centro for some speech critique

Our latest micro-series, Screen Grabs chronicles the uses (and occasional misuses) of real-world gadgets in today's movies and TV. Send in your sightings (with a screen grab!) to screengrabs at engadget dt com.

We're not sure how this came to be, but when Jon Stewart needs to make a real / fake call to Democratic governor Mark Warner to let him know how bad his speech at the DNC "suuuuuuucked," he reaches for a Centro. Check the read link to watch the full episode, and if you don't enjoy comedy, you can just skip to about 3:29 in to see Palm's cheapo smartphone get some face-time.

[PH0ENIX @ Aug 30th 2008 6:34AM]

This is news?

Reminds me of that idea in "Knocked Up", except instead of nudity, you guys are tracking cell phone appearances in media. Somehow it doesn't exactly translate.

[Tim @ Aug 30th 2008 8:04AM]

I think you mean Mr. Skin . . . credit where credits due, haha

[I LOVE THE CAPS LOCK KEY @ Aug 31st 2008 12:03AM]

Some Engadget Editors look for any opportunity to spread their liberal trash politics, this isn't the first time and probably wont be the last.

[ether3a1 @ Aug 30th 2008 6:54AM]

I noticed this the other day... really wondered why Jon Stewart was using a Centro.

[Watts @ Sep 2nd 2008 4:42PM]

Maybe he doesn't like 8 hour backups?

[Snoopy @ Aug 30th 2008 6:56AM]

Correction, I think you guys mean "we can skip if we don't enjoy HIS comedy." Because I do enjoy comedy. I just think HE sucks. Conan's funny.

[Abuzar Baloach @ Aug 30th 2008 7:17AM]

I think YOU Suuuuuckkk.

[Tim @ Aug 30th 2008 8:03AM]

Well, Jon Stewart made Conan O'brien, so I guess you should at least respect the guy

[Ryanbott @ Aug 30th 2008 10:40AM]

I agree. Jon Stewart is annoying.

[UnixSystemsEngineer @ Aug 30th 2008 12:50PM]

Conan's gonna tank on Late Show.

[drumdbeat @ Aug 30th 2008 1:19PM]

Meh, I'm here for the gadgets.

[steven @ Aug 30th 2008 6:45PM]

Conan isn't funny. Jay Leno is though.

[El Taco @ Aug 31st 2008 10:46AM]

I dont really care for John Stewart or Conan O'Brien. Colbert is by far the best.

[DiRT @ Aug 30th 2008 8:48AM]

I really do prefer Colbert, who doesn't have a political agenda to ram rod into our faces.

[Karl @ Aug 30th 2008 2:26PM]

Really?

If you think Colbert doesn't have a political agenda, you're probably one of the idiots he's mocking....

[Will @ Aug 30th 2008 11:52AM]

lol, you can't be serious with that comment. Colbert is a caricature of republicans.

[UnixSystemsEngineer @ Aug 30th 2008 12:57PM]

Colbert has as strong a political agenda as Stewart. The difference is, Stewart sometimes takes painfully tortured and flat-out-incorrect cheap shots at conservatives that occasionally lower it to political hackery. One that springs to mind immediately was the crack about McCain claiming that he's sending envoys to Georgia. It was plain from the clip he showed that McCain merely said a few of his peers were headed to Georgia, and then Stewart takes off and immediately mocks him for claiming that he's sending an envoy, and saying he has no such authority and blah blah. It's not a great example, but he goes way out of his way to sometimes mock something that wasn't said.

Don't get me wrong, I love both shows and watch them regularly, but it really lowers the comedy when he does stuff like that.

[BigD145 @ Aug 30th 2008 2:12PM]

I guess DiRT has never actually watched Colbert's show.

[Colonel Kernel @ Aug 31st 2008 2:43AM]

I noticed the Centro, too. I see Treos all over TV. I wouldn't be surprised to find out that Palm made some deals, like Apple obviously did, to have the Treo/Centro as the featured smartphone.

[TareX @ Aug 30th 2008 9:23AM]

Centro? No thanks.

[Baz @ Aug 30th 2008 9:40AM]

Define 'cheapo smartphone' for me -

While the Centro may still be running at $99 (with contract) in the States, Rogers in Canada wants $349, less a $50 mail-in rebate - eventually, $299 (with contract). Fairly outrageous for an awkwardly-sized device relying on a design 5 years old and running a 12 year old OS - and that still doesn't have wi-fi.

As for Stewart's 'comedy'.....

[Dana @ Aug 30th 2008 11:17AM]

It's unreal. I can sit and watch this guy show after show and never crack a smile. Stewart, on the other hand, thinks he's funny, so at least one of us enjoys it.

[stebu @ Aug 30th 2008 5:28PM]

I always found John Stewart to be extremely entertaining; somebody needs to stand up to the Fox Network. I was thrilled to see that his show is screened in the UK, albeit a day later.
I read that a large portion of today's youth in America actually get their news from The Daily Show rather than network news. Gotta love that!

[petrov @ Aug 30th 2008 5:52PM]

do you really think that teens and young adults will sit through the news hour, or the nightly news, or dateline, or any of the unbiased news sources? seriously people, theres a reason that the young voters love obama and its because crazy people like jon stewart tell them to. if anyone here laughs at that joke, "you suuuuuuck", please go back to 2nd grade and bring him with you because his so-called witty sense of humor is destroying what used to be a funny show. jon stewart ruined the daily show when he made it entirely focused on politics and his uncontrollable smirking and laughing. oh and don't get me started on how he did at the oscars. what a mess that was

[Najakwa @ Aug 30th 2008 6:46PM]

@petrov

I'm going to write you a prescription for a sense of humor, you check that in whenever you like. My guess is that you love Dane Cook but hate John Stewart's political position. That's cool, I respect that. But I am sure if you asked John Stewart about his style of humor, he definitely wouldn't tell you that its witty. His analysis of the media and politics was a breath of fresh air when he started at the Daily Show. Big media and politics think too highly of themselves and its nice to see someone take them down a notch.

Secondly to everyone else saying that Colbert is awesome and Stewart sucks, news flash: Stewart is the Executive Producer of Colbert.

[kittenman @ Aug 30th 2008 11:19AM]

"if you dont enjoy comedy"? who doesn't? yea everybody loves Jon Stewart.

[d @ Aug 30th 2008 4:50PM]

LOL

[Shiprock @ Aug 30th 2008 11:28PM]

Wow! Engadget, why do you hate on the Centro so much? I actually really like it.

[Bradley @ Aug 31st 2008 4:42PM]

I've always liked the look of Palm phones, but never cared for the OS.

Also, I noticed it looks like John Stewart's fan club president came through and low ranked every comment it didn't approve of.

[Charlie @ Sep 1st 2008 8:55AM]

The comment about young people getting their news from TDS is true. Back in 2004 my then 20 year old sister said she voted for Kerry. She had never EVER had an even remote interest in politics before. I asked her why for Kerry and she said "because everybody else was" at her college (Ohio University). I couldn't believe it. The young people in college think they are getting "actual" news from Jon Stewart. Stewart has been asked about this and says the kids deserve more credit, but I don't think they do. And we all know much in love with the Dems Stewart and 99% of the rest of the media are.

[Charlie @ Sep 1st 2008 8:58AM]

The comment about young people getting their news from TDS is true. Back in 2004 my then 20 year old sister said she voted for Kerry. She had never EVER had an even remote interest in politics before. I asked her why for Kerry and she said "because everybody else was" at her college (Ohio University). I couldn't believe it. The young people in college think they are getting "actual" news from Jon Stewart. Stewart has been asked about this and says the kids deserve more credit, but I don't think they do. And we all know much in love with the Dems Stewart and 99% of the rest of the media are.