Check It. Byliner.

I read a really great piece this weekend in the L.A. Times, about the future of journalism. It seems, in fact, that it may be able to find new life in this digital age.

It will be greatly helped by the efforts of ambitious and passionate ventures such as Byliner. The digital-only publisher is devoted to bringing long-form pieces of journalism into the new age by enlisting well-respected writers and creating inventive, interactive packages to complement stories. Byliner's newest offering, for example, is a piece by William T. Vollmann on the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan. The piece is all the great writing one would expect from Vollmann, without any page or word limits, and with intense attention to aesthetic appeal.

It's exactly the sort of product that shows how great journalism can still be, and can be for the future. Check it out, it's sure to be an inspiring way to start your week.

William T. Vollmann's "Into the Forbidden Zone" is available on the Kindle and the iPad for $2.99.

-- Chau Tu

Check It. DODOcase.

Having ordered an iPad 2 online just a few weeks ago, I'm about to make my first foray into the tablet world. And that also meant getting just the right case.

I'll be carrying around my iPad quite a bit, but will be using it mostly for recreational purposes -- watching films and browsing the internet and such. So I didn't want something that was too clunky, while also making sure it would stay protected. I was originally enticed by Apple's own smart cover, but I knew I wanted something a bit more unique.

So after doing some research, I'm going with the DODOcase. Designed to look similar to the classic Moleskine, with its leather bound case and banded clasp, I figure this cover is the perfect aesthetic compromise for the booklover in me. Plus, it's got a great bamboo tray and they're all handmade locally in San Francisco. And even with all that, the price is still at the same rate as most other iPad covers, at $59.95. Getting tech-saavy and looking good while at it -- I'm moving up in this world!

-- Chau Tu

Photo credit: DODOcase

Check It. Girl Scout Cookie app.

There's an app for almost everything. Directions, banking, translations, currency conversion. Nearly every news organization has created an app, and now Girl Scout cookies are joining the ranks of apped items.

From the Kellogg Company, you can now located a Girl Scout cookie location wherever you are. Just enter city, state, or ZIP. I can see this being quite a handy app, because when you want a Girl Scout cookie, nothing else will do.

-- Lauren Williams