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Marvin Malton 160 Cushion Watch Hands-On

Posted: 19 Oct 2010 05:03 AM PDT

Taken in a dark room under less than ideal circumstances, these are images of the Marvin Malton 160 Cushion collection watches. At least one of them (the black dialed chronograph automatic) should be out now. Some of these other watches will come later, and a few might not come out at all. One that I was told isn't necessarily destined for production (soon or anytime) is the white dialed chronograph automatic that has a Daytona-esque dial to it. This is for me my favorite model of them all.


Videos: Cybernetic Human Robot HRP-4C Dancing

Posted: 19 Oct 2010 12:20 AM PDT


We know her as a pretty creepy cyber-model, a bridezilla, and a singer. And now cybernetic human robot HRP-4C, brain child of Japan's National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), has learned how to dance, too.

The humanoid was often criticized for just being able to move her upper body, but now it’s clear that AIST has improved HRP-4C dramatically in recent months. She actually does a pretty good job on stage, singing and dancing quite realistically at the same time.

For her performance at the Digital Content Expo 2010 (see the videos below), AIST has taken over the voice of Kaori Mochida, a famous Japanese pop star, which was altered by using VocalListener, the institute’s self-developed synthesizer software.

Here are the videos:

Daily Crunch: Pleo’s Back Edition

Posted: 19 Oct 2010 12:00 AM PDT

In Honor Of The Nintendo’s 25th Anniversary: A Few Of Our Favorite NES Games

Posted: 18 Oct 2010 07:04 PM PDT

It’s hard to believe that it’s been 25 years since the original Nintendo Entertainment System came out. Perhaps the object of more nostalgia than anything else from that period, the NES helped define a generation and primed us for a life in which gaming was more than a way to pass an idle half hour. In honor of the classic console’s 25th birthday, we’re briefly recalling our favorite NES games and associated memories. Feel free to add your own.

Bionic Commando

Devin: This game really had it all, and I still play through it maybe once a year. The open-world design, unique controls, constant upgrading of your guy, and the totally awesome music easily place it among my favorite games. The remake was actually quite good as well, though it’s not complete without the hilarious translation errors and the classic animation (which Nintendo must have missed) of Hitler’s head exploding horrifically.

Karnov

John: As a young Polish boy, I was never really proud of my Slavic heritage. Sure we had pierogi and submarines with screen doors, but we never had a hero I could look up to. Then along came Karnov. Karnov, the “eastern Russian/Siberian” circus freak who breathes fire and is really muscly, can jump around and kill genies and stuff. I think the real value in this game to me came specifically from the adherence to Slavic myth (kind of) and had less to do with the gameplay, which was abysmal. Although this game was roundly panned, I still remember getting it at a weird computer store somewhere near my grandma’s house in Wheeling and bringing it home to play for a few hours straight. I liked Karnov because of how it made me feel back then, not because it’s the greatest game ever.

Fester’s Quest

Greg: Why? Because it was the first game that ever invoked a rage quit out of me.

The best part: the game’s developers totally knew how frustrating it was. Seriously, look at the slogan on the game’s ad: “Get the title that might just drive you crazy!”. You see that kid’s smile? That’s the look of a kid who has just snapped. 3 seconds later, that kid punched Lurch in his big stupid TV face.

Duck Hunt

Kyle: When I think NES, I think of cartridge blowing. I was only three when my brothers let me play Duck Hunt. I was so excited to shoot the gun. From what I can remember, I was quite the ace shooter. Before long, I was sneaking into their room trying to get the damn thing working. But, I was missing something, and after careful watching, I watched my brother blow into the cartridge. It was like magic, I blew into every game to be sure for the next 10 years.

Super Mario Bros. 3

Simon: Yes, I know this is a predictable entry, but this game changed my life. I remember getting it for my 7th birthday (along with Duck Tales), and I lost my shit. The graphics were awesome, the music unforgettable, the gameplay addictive (and long), and was a massive improvement on the confusing Super Mario Bros 2 (which wasn’t really Super Mario, anyway).
I remember (back in the days before save games) having to leave my console turned on for days as I made my way through every level. I also remember a major tanty when I turned on the TV one day, ready to attack World 8, only to find the screen garbled due to an overheated console. Heart. Broken.
A few years ago, I found my NES console deep in a cupboard at my Mum’s house, complete with teeth marks in the side of the controllers, as my brother would bite the controller out of frustration when he lost. I don’t know if he still has a rage bite habit on his Xbox 360.

We could probably go on for hours this way, but it’s really satisfying enough to just sit back and remember a bit. Of course, you can always fire up the old emulator and relive these great games. I wrote a little guide for that a while back. Yeah, sure, it was in 2008, but do you really think NES emulators have changed that much since then?

Happy birthday, NES. Here’s to another 25 (of me playing Mega Man II).

Apple Mocks Smaller Tablets, Dashes Hopes For iPad Nano

Posted: 18 Oct 2010 04:31 PM PDT


Well, that’s that. I kind of had my hopes up for an iPad “suite” including a smaller and larger device, but no less a personage than Steve Jobs himself has dismissed any idea of there being a smaller iPad than the one currently on the market. Or rather, he suggested that they’ll work fine if they come with sandpaper to file your fingers down to the size needed to make a 7″ tablet usable. Tell us how you really feel, Steve.

Yes, he had less than kind words for the likes of Samsung’s Galaxy Tab, which he derided as “tweeners,” criticism echoing my own from before the iPad’s debut. Their limited app selection also came under fire, and the conclusion was that these tablets will be “DOA.” I couldn’t agree more, though considering the many valid criticisms of the iPad, I would phrase it perhaps as Churchill might have: “The iPad is the worst tablet available, except for all other on the market.”

I mean honestly, the iPad’s competition is a rabble, beneath notice, a mishmash of compromise devices running an OS not intended for large or even medium-sized screens. You know this is true, even of the top-tier ones like the Galaxy Tab. That said, the next few months will bring Android 3.0, webOS, Windows 7 tablets, and more, which will provide actual competition for Apple. The coalescing of Android under 2.2 and 3.0 will be a solidifying for for everyone’s favorite fragmented OS.

Jobs stressed the idea that “integrated will trump fragmented every time,” and it’s true that Apple has done quite a good job of keeping iOS and OS X versions tightly grouped, though the resolution thing is starting to look like trouble. That was actually one of the theoretical benefits of transitioning the iPad platform to a 16:9 aspect ratio — but apparently the trade-offs in usability were too great for Apple to sign off on it. I have my suspicions about what’s in the cards for this come OS X 10.7, but all that can wait until Wednesday.

So does this mean that for Apple displays, 3.5 inches is a hard ceiling, and 10.1 inches a hard floor? I’d say yes, if only because Jobs would look like a chump if they did anything else, as they’ve made such a big deal about how these are the two Goldilocks zones for mobile and tablet forms. Personally, I think they’re pretty good sizes, so apart from new OSes, improvements to weight, durability, and other portability metrics will be the principal improvements to the tablet platform for now.

With all that being said, this week’s OS X event may enlighten us a bit more as to Apple’s roadmap for iOS devices. We’ll be covering that live, of course, so tune in Wednesday morning and find out as we do.

Review: 2011 Hyundai Equus Ultimate

Posted: 18 Oct 2010 02:19 PM PDT

This last week we spent time enjoying the ultimate in Korean luxury that is the Hyundai Equus. We weren't too impressed with early photos but upon first sight, in person, those impressions were immediately discharged. The Equus looks boss, like Kkangpae boss, with a stance on the road so sexy that watchers-on know someone important is in the back.

This is the first attempt from a Korean automaker to bring a car to the US of such class. Much like when Toyota brought Lexus to the states in 1989, and yes, there is an almost taboo stigma still with Asian luxury. This last week we put that all to rest.

Luxury at its Seoul

Remember when a Mercedes drove like a Mercedes? When the ride was as smooth and balanced as a Schwaben Bräu. Well, that's how the Equus is. No, it's not a sports-luxury-sedan, it's just a full-size luxury saloon with purpose. Yes, there is a sport mode and it does work, but that's not the point. This car is made for those who won't care about a name to be considered stately. Instead, they would rather enjoy all the comforts that Mercedes and Lexus offer and having $20k extra left in the pocket.

We took the Equus to Flint, Michigan to see what retired General Motors workers would think of a new Korean on the block. Because the Equus doesn't say Hyundai anywhere on it, except for the rear deck, we found it right to not mention what it was if they couldn't tell.

Meet Arnold, a retired skilled trades worker of 30 years that spent most of his time building American trucks for Americans—the kind of guy who's bumper sticker reads "Out of a job yet? Keep buying foreign." We made the call and he agreed to be chauffeured to the golf course where he and his other GM buddies meet every week for their 9 o'clock tee time.

With a fancy suit and all I drove to Arnold's home to pick him up. When he came out he had a puzzled look on his face, "You said this wasn't on the market yet, I've seen these all over." With a push of a few buttons, I lower the Equus and open the truck, throw in his clubs and present him with the VIP seat. Fully reclined, massage and heated seat active we make our way to the golf course.

Arnold is taken back on earlier statements that he's seen the Equus before, right about when he says, "I've never seen anything like this before." I spoke the destination to the car and GPS guided us, again, something he thought was very useful. Arnold really enjoyed the Fight Club DVD that was playing while saying, "A guy could get used to this." Then I told him to grab a water from the cool box—Arnold was speechless.

Upon arrival one of his buddies grabbed a glimpse of the Hyundai badge and in disbelief that it was a Hyundai, yelled, "That's a Hyundai." At that point Arnold had enough of the Hyundai, saying that it was nice but he would never buy one. I thanked him for his time.

Variety is the rice of life

While many of the options in the Ultimate Equus can seem superfluous, it was in use during every trip involving more than one person. All that passengers wanted to do was sit in the back and take advantage of the entertainment—but I think that they see what it feels like being a celebrity. Though, I did indulge them a few times with drive-bys that had other people pointing and wondering.

Driving the Equus is easier than riding a bike. Set the adaptive cruise control, enable the Lane Departure Warning System and the Equus pretty much drives itself. One late night I was driving slightly tired, when I veered off the lane the LDWS chimed and pulled my seatbelt refocusing my attention to the road—so it does work, whether or not you like nanny systems.

I have to say that the torque from the 4.6-liter V8 could be a bit greater, which it will when Hyundai brings the Tau 5.0-liter to the US. Gas mileage wasn't bad at 17 combined mpg, but the range was horrible with only 260 miles per tank. The steering has a very smooth windup that requires only a pinky to turn, but that translated to a rubber-band-like feedback on cloverleaf's. So no the steering is not of German standards and the on-center feel can be slightly numb, but take a corner at a decent speed with sport mode on and the Equus will take it, and there wont' be much, if any, gasps for relief from the 19-inch tires. The brakes are solid, with pedal feel that leaves you feeling confident and in control.

Electrogasm

As we talked about earlier in the week, the Hyundai Equus is loaded with techno-gadgetry. It surely would make the cast as a Bond car in Die Another Day, where the Korean would have easily fit in. But, it's not about just having everything and the kitchen sink that makes a car luxury. The tech must be tied together with such symphonic precision as to not upset the very peacefulness that the car is purchased for.

To calm those who are normally uncomfortable parking large beasts in cities, the Equus offers two cameras—one in front and one in rear—to help you save face during parallel park jobs. The cameras came in handy so well, in fact, that when backing in I got so close to another car that the man started to scream STOP! I let him know I had a camera and that it was okay. But not only are there cameras to help move aft, the screen will also display trajectory lines that match the steering direction—very handy indeed. And if that weren't enough, there are still rear and forward parking sensors that speak tones.

The infotainment in the front is what you'd expect from a luxury sedan, but what you wouldn't expect is for it to work so nicely. Clearly, the system's software and hardware are well-matched since the lag on menu selections is very low. It remains very functional with a multitude of settings while still being easy enough to never require an owner's manual—infact, since we were the second to get the Equus the iPad wasn't in it yet and there wasn't an owner's manual.

I did have my other iDevice and that worked seamless with the system. I wish there was Bluetooth audio in the car, but the Bluetooth phone setup worked great. There are mics in both the front and back, since the VIP will be doing all the talking. The VIP has most all control of infotainment in the back, minus GPS, and is done so fully overwriting control from the front. Not something you’ll like if you have kids in the back and they like to be annoying.

Conclusion says..

At no point during our time with the Equus did it feel unnecessary nor too big. Rather every angle of judgment has the Equus in a respectable position against its rivals. And, while it is a new car to the states it has been in production in South Korean since 1999 and in the current generation since 2009.

If people like Arnold can get over the simple fact that the Equus is from South Korea, Hyundai could have another winner on its hands. We predict customers looking for a super buttery ride and quiet and commodious interior will buy the Equus. Those who measure their worthiness from the names they can drop will likely not buy the Hyundai Equus. Price is estimated at 50-60,000 in USD.

Bigfoot Giving Away A Couple Of Their Killer 2100 Gamer NICs

Posted: 18 Oct 2010 02:00 PM PDT


I may have really laid into Bigfoot’s (in my opinion still ridiculous) claims for its Killer 2100 performance network cards, but I’ll be the first to admit that whatever the benefits, they’re probably among the best cards you can get. I’m not sure I could justify spending the cash they’re asking, but that’s not really a problem when they’re giving them away.

No, they aren’t giving up as a result of my internet tongue-lashing. They just want you to fill out a survey about where you are, what kind of games you play, that sort of thing. Shouldn’t take more than a couple minutes, and it could save you some money and get you a really nice network card, so why not?

Apple Q4: $20B Revenue, $4B Profits, 3.89M Macs, 14.1M iPhones, 4.19M iPads — All New Records

Posted: 18 Oct 2010 01:47 PM PDT

You don't need to look any further than Apple's stock price over the past several months to know that they're on a roll. A year ago, the stock price was at about $190 a share. Today, it closed at $317.93 a share — an all-time high. In fact, they've hit several all-time highs this month alone. Their market cap is quickly approach $300 billion. And today should only help that. The company has just announced their Q4 earnings and once again — boom. Just as with last quarter, Apple easily beat the earnings estimates. The company posted $20.34 billion in revenue and $4.31 billion in profit — both new records for Apple. The key product numbers: 3.89 million Macs during the quarter, 14.1 million iPhones, 9.05 million iPods, and 4.19 million iPads. Aside from iPods, each of those is a new record for the company.


11.6″ MacBook Air Rumors Intensify Following Leaked Pic

Posted: 18 Oct 2010 01:00 PM PDT


When we heard that the MacBook Air was in short supply, our thoughts immediately went to rumors of an 11.6″ version we heard some months back. New information seemed promising — and then over the weekend, leaked pics surfaced that seemed to show Air hardware similar in size to the existing model. Hopes! Dashed!

But even newer information suggests that yes, in fact, the original rumors were true. Or maybe that there’s one that’s even smaller. Or are they all true?

Apple speculation is a dangerous and uncertain science, like demolishing a building. I personally think that both a 13″ and 11″ MacBook Air would be pushing it. They want distinct capabilities and branding at every size, and I think the Air is destined to give up the larger form factor to the MacBook.

MacRumors’ analysis, using the size of the USB port as a ruler, actually puts it at 10.1″. But the picture was just a prototype! Man, I don’t know. Too many ins and outs in this one; I’ll just wait until tomorrow. Nothing wrong with that.

New Balance Minimus Shoes Get Some New Glamor Shots

Posted: 18 Oct 2010 12:51 PM PDT

Semi-nude runners (like me) have been excited about the New Balance Minimus for a while now. These are supposed to be as barefoot as the VFFs but with a little more protection. They’re obviously not five-fingered but they’re “closer to barefoot” and look quite light and comfortable.

We covered these things a few months ago and they should be arriving in stores this spring, which is a while to wait, obviously.

Bonus – BirthdayShoes pointed us to a video of a dirty hippy (really ultramarathoner Anton Krupicka) wearing the shoes. Video after the jump.

Celebrate The NES’s 25th Birthday With These 8 Classic Commercials

Posted: 18 Oct 2010 12:45 PM PDT


Happy Birthday, NES. 25 years old, eh? Wow. A lot’s changed in over your lifetime. You, along with a bit of help from Mario, Link, Kid Icarus, brought gaming to living rooms worldwide. Many of us grew up with you as our babysitter. I can recall countless sleepless nights trying to make my way up the tower in Kung Fu and later through the war-torn jungle in Guerrilla Wars. What memories. Anyway, after the jump is a collection of the various TV commercials and a clip from the movie that defined the era, which clearly demonstrates your pure awesomeness. We love you, NES. Happy birthday.

Microsoft Readies $500 Million Kinect Advertising Blitz

Posted: 18 Oct 2010 12:30 PM PDT


If there’s one thing I learned from my Kinect experience at E3, it’s that Microsoft is willing to spend obscene amounts of money to promote this thing. Even if it’s on a three-hour boondoggle more to do with a satyric bacchanal than a motion control system for an aging console. And that was just the beginning.

Five hundred million dollars is the apparent budget for the tidal wave of sponsorships and ads you’ll be seeing over the next few months, according to the New York Post. That’s equal to the budget for launching the original Xbox (more in today’s dollars), which if you’ll recall was a sum necessitated by the fact that Microsoft had no presence in the console field at all.

The ads will come in many varieties and target non-traditional demographics for games — families and non-gamers, primarily. After all, if you play games much at all, you’re likely up to date on the Kinect and mostly decided about whether you’re going to buy in. But a family of four going to Burger King may not be so well-informed, though by the time they leave with their Kinect-themed Whopper and Pepsi, they’ll know a little more.

Microsoft is also working with Steven Spielberg, which I don’t find heartening. That’s like hiring the Terminator to kill a moth. I don’t know that Spielberg’s talents really even extend to the commercial realm, and anyway how does Microsoft plan on leveraging his extremely marketable name? Just kidding! He was just involved with the original unveiling. Not doing any commercials.

The $500m expended will be equal to about 3 million Kinects bought raw, or around a million new console bundles (4GB or 250GB). That sounds like a lot, but the 360 is actually leading console sales right now, and a big push around the holidays for a family-themed attachment could actually bring in the kind of numbers that would justify a half a billion dollars in ads.

That said, we still haven’t seen the ads. If they’re anything like the oblique Seinfeld ads, the toothless I’m A PC ads, or the baffling Kinect event, they would have been better off further subsidizing the expensive hardware.

[via 1up]

Here’s How To Watch Hulu On Google TV

Posted: 18 Oct 2010 12:10 PM PDT


Hulu and Google TV aren’t supposed to get along. You’re not supposed to be able to access the site via the included web browser. But you can. You can watch Hulu on a Google TV unit if you really want to. All it takes is about five seconds of your time — hacking and modding not required.

We have no way of verifying if this actually works as our Google TV units are still in the mail, but according to GadgetWhore.org, all you need to do is change a value in the Google TV backend.

  • Menu
  • More
  • Settings
  • Advanced
  • Mode
  • Select Generic

Once changed, Hulu.com and all its lovely videos are unblocked, resulting in Internet video nirvana. Of course this workaround might not be around for long. So let’s keep this quiet, m’kay? I won’t tell anyone if you don’t.

[Thanks for the tip, Nate!]

Study: Teens, Parents Feel Safe Sharing Info Online. Other Study: Teens, Parents Don’t Feel Safe Sharing Info Online

Posted: 18 Oct 2010 11:30 AM PDT

Another day, another Facebook privacy scandal. At this point accusing Facebook of violating its users’ privacy is like accusing the sun of being hot, or of accusing Leo Messi of being good. Why bother? But a study put together by TRUSTe, the "leading Internet privacy services provider," says that teenagers today, generally speaking, know what they’re doing when it comes to protecting themselves while online. The study’s name is "The Kids Are Alright (PDF)," which totally reminded me of that Offspring song, "The Kids Aren’t Alright." Wh-oa~!

The study’s big headline is that 80 percent of parents and 78 percent of teens "feel in control of their personal information on social networking sites." Eighty-four percent of parents "are confident their teen is responsible with personal information on a social networking site."

So the study, conducted by Lightspeed Research back in June, speaks to confidence, but not necessarily fact.

It’s like, how many parents today think their children are capable of doing anything wrong? "My Little Tommy and Susan are perfect little angels who would never do anything wrong."

Meanwhile, they’re trolling /b/ with utter nonsense and teasing other kids at school for not having the latest iPhone.

But I digress.

Larry Magid, something of an Internet maverick, rightly points out that the results of this study are directly in opposition to what Zogby said a few days ago. That was, that parents believe share too much information online and that they have no idea how to protect themselves online.

Having spoken to a few security folks in recent months, I’m far more likely to believe the Zogby poll results. The number of people who will click the flashing monkey because they think they’ve won a prize of some sort would make you shake your head. The idea that your average person puts any thought whatsoever into protecting his or her privacy online, well, I find that laughable.

Altaz Internet Clock: Fun For All (Well, Really One)

Posted: 18 Oct 2010 10:42 AM PDT


If you’re the kind of guy who can’t afford a Chumby, Altaz has a deal for you. This $99 device “doubles as a photo frame” and is a clock radio with some basic picture frame functionality built-in along with 802.11g for the weather feed. Obviously you can’t make your own apps for it, but whatevs, right?

ALTAZ Kicks Off D&H Distributing Partnership with Launch of Internet Clock Radio

San Jose, Calif. – October 14, 2010, Silicon Valley consumer electronics manufacturer ALTAZ has launched its ALTAZ Internet Clock Radio, which doubles as a Digital Photo Frame. With its 3.5-inch display face, consumers can easily awaken to their favorite photos, the day’s weather forecast, music, video and all the Internet has to offer.

The ALTAZ Internet Clock Radio/Digital Photo Frame combo is the latest addition to the expanding ALTAZ product line, which includes the recently released ALTAZ Hybrid DVD Player.

“The ALTAZ Internet Clock Radio is a sleek, functional addition to any night stand,” said James Lin, President of Altaz, Inc. “Unlike most alarm clocks with limited old-school functionality, the ALTAZ Internet Clock Radio provides endless entertainment while serving as a source of information that users will find both enjoyable and useful.”

Via the ease of a touch screen and Wi-Fi connectivity, the ALTAZ Internet Clock Radio/Digital Photo Frame offers consumers Internet radio, photo slideshows, news and weather reports, video, and various popular Internet applications.

The ALTAZ Internet Clock Radio/Digital Photo Frame is now available on Amazon.com and the ALTAZ online store at www.AltazUSA.com

ALTAZ has also announced its strategic partnership with leading North American consumer electronics distributor D&H Distributing, which will expand online and brick and mortar presence of all ALTAZ products in the near future. “We are proud to have entered into this synergistic relationship with D&H.,” said Lin, ” ALTAZ is honored to have our company and products be recognized by such a consumer electronics industry leader.”

“We’re happy to introduce ALTAZ’s line to our dealers, including the new Internet Clock Radio/Digital Photo Frame, which presents an interesting mix of formats for consumers to enjoy,” said Rob Eby, vice president of purchasing at D&H Distributing. “The buying public is on the look-out for more inventive ways to share and play their digital media, so offerings like ALTAZ’s always provide an advantage for our customers.”

Continued Lin, “The D&H partnership will complement ALTAZ’s efforts to reach appropriate consumer segments as ALTAZ continues to utilize innovative technologies to create solutions that consumers want…stylish, functional, high quality, easy-to-use products.”

About ALTAZ, Inc.

With headquarters in San Jose, Calif., the heart of Silicon Valley, ALTAZ, Inc. designs and manufactures consumer electronics and technology products that are innovative, functional yet stylish and intuitive in design, as well as easy to use and enjoy. The mission of ALTAZ is to exceed the expectations of customers by offering products of exceptional quality for tremendous value. With more than a decade of experience in consumer electronics product development, the respected ALTAZ senior management team is well-versed in consumer research, product design and development, sales, and marketing. ALTAZ executives have a successful track record of introducing a wide array of consumer electronics products ranging from the latest LCD and plasma TVs and radio alarm clocks to cutting-edge videophones and digital photo frames. For more information, please visit www.AltazUSA.com

About D&H Distributing
As the nation’s leading technology distributor, D&H provides a wealth of resources to empower the dealer, installer, and reseller channels, while delivering a broad selection of categories, products and applications. D&H’s offerings span the sectors of consumer electronics, home entertainment, home networking and automation, small office/home office, video surveillance, digital imaging, videogaming, and beyond. D&H’s multi-market expertise, account-dedicated sales teams, sterling service and flexible financing options are unrivaled in the industry. With an impressive 93-year history serving as a trusted advisor to the supply channel, D&H has been able to consistently reinvent itself based upon changing market conditions. The company prides itself on creating business partnerships with an astute focus on ease-of-doing-business, relationships, value, performance and service. The company ships out of five separate locations in North America, including its US headquarters in Harrisburg, Penn., and its Canadian headquarters in Mississauga, Ontario. Additional US warehouses are located in Atlanta, Ga.; Chicago, Ill; and Fresno, Calif. For more information, please visit www.dandh.com.

via Engadget


Nook Gets Faster Page Turning, Sync Across Devices With 1.5 Firmware Update Next Month

Posted: 18 Oct 2010 10:30 AM PDT

Good news for Nook owners. Barnes & Noble plans to release a hefty firmware update in November, version 1.5 (version 1.4 is there right now), that will, and I quote, "enhance the overall reading experience and performance" of the device(s). The biggest enhancement appears to be an increase in page turn speed. So if you’ve ever thought to yourself, "You know, these pages turn fast, but what if they turned even faster?" then you’re in luck.

There’s a few other changes, including password protection—don’t want anyone knowing you’re reading City Under The Sand, do you?—, better search, and page syncing across your various Nook devices and applications. So, if you’re reading Whatever at home on your Nook, but then read a few pages on your phone while at lunch, when you come home it’ll be all synced up.

Hypermac Will Stop Selling Its Charging Cables

Posted: 18 Oct 2010 10:17 AM PDT

Remember when Apple filed suit against Hypermac for infringing on their MagSafe and iPod chargin cables? For those who don't know, Hypermac's battery solutions provide extra battery life for Apple products by connecting a big battery, via a MagSafe, to the Macbook and Macbook Pro or to an i-Device via the dock connector.

Well now, you have until November 2 to grab one before they're gone for good. Of course, Apple would have patents on the MagSafe—it's really awesome and no one else has it. However, in reality this is bad for customers who need the extra juice.

Full Release

Dear Valued Customers,

As part of our ongoing comprehensive licensing negotiations with Apple regarding a wide array of technologies and issues, we have decided to cease the sale of the MacBook charging cables and car charger on November 2, 2010.

While we will continue to sell the same batteries together with the rest of our product line after November 2nd, they will not be able to charge MacBooks without the cables.

If you wish to get the world’s ONLY external battery and car charger solution that works with ALL MacBook, MacBook Air and MacBook Pro (supports dual voltage) as well as the iPad, iPhone 3/3GS/4, iPod and all other USB devices, NOW is the time.

On November 2, 2010 00:00 U.S. Pacific Time, they will gone for good.

As we have very limited stocks, do order early to avoid disappointment. We will continue to sell until November 2nd and while stocks last.

We wish thank the many customers who have already gotten the HyperMac External MacBook Battery and those of you that gave us wonderful reviews.

Steam *Steams Ahead* With 200 Percent Sales Growth In Past Year

Posted: 18 Oct 2010 10:00 AM PDT

Lest any of you doubt the raw power of Steam, the latest numbers should, um, erase that doubt. Yes, that’ll do. Valve says that Steam has seen 178 percent new account growth in the past year and more than 200 percent growth in sales. There’s now more than 30 million Steam accounts out there, and I just used mine to pre-order Fallout: New Vegas.

There’s more than 1,200 games available on Steam, and let’s not forget that some of these games, including Left 4 Dead 2, are now playable on your Mac.

In other words, many, many people are buying their PC games on Steam these days. But you already knew that.

The growth of Steam (and others like it, such as Direct 2 Drive) is one reason why, whenever I read NPD numbers, which doesn’t take into account download services, I’m like, "Great, you can tell me that a ton of people bought Madden at Wal-Mart last month, but can you tell me how many people bought Civilization V via Steam last month? Oh, you can’t? Hmm."

Clearly this digital distribution thing has caught on with a certain segment of the population.

Video: Latest Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood Trailer Proves Someone At Ubisoft Loves Electronic Music

Posted: 18 Oct 2010 09:32 AM PDT

Man, someone at Ubisoft must be a huge fan of electronic music. Embedded here is the the latest Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood trailer, and if you said to yourself, "Hey, isn’t that that Röyksopp song?" then you win a prize! Well, not really, but you have the same musical tastes as I do, which is prize enough.

You’ll recall that the big Assassin’s Creed II commercial was set to Justice’s "Genesis," off their 2007 album Cross.

And now we have Röyksopp’s "Röyksopp Forever," off last year’s album Junior.

Not that I know much about this Brotherhood game, mind you. It looks to be a sequel to the second game, but the PC version isn’t due for release till next year so I haven’t paid much attention to it. However, I do look forward to having to go back in time to ask Saint Peter for permission to play the game.


Blizzard Sues StarCraft II Hack Creators; World Of WarCraft: Cataclysm Cinematic Debuts

Posted: 18 Oct 2010 08:30 AM PDT

We knew that Blizzard wasn’t too keen on the various StarCraft II hacks and cheats that are out there, but I, for one, did not expect courtroom drama. But here we are! Yup, word on the street is that Blizzard is suing the developers of at least three StarCraft II hacks for—wait for it—"destroying" the game. Goodness gracious~!

GameSpot has the scoop, but Rock, Paper, Shotgun has chosen to focus on one particular aspect of these legal shenanigans. That is, Blizzard’s claim that copying portions of the StarCraft II code into memory (your RAM) is a violation of the game’s end-user license agreement and terms of use.

Says Blizzard:

When users of the Hacks download, install, and use the Hacks, they copy StarCraft II copyrighted content into their computer's RAM in excess of the scope of their limited license, as set forth in the EULA and ToU, and create derivative works of StarCraft II

"In excess of the scope of their limited license," you say? Look, I’m not one to cheat while playing games online (permaban, I say), but that particular phrase sounds like it came straight out of a William Gibson novel.

The suit guess on:

The harm to Blizzard from Defendants’ conduct is immediate, massive and irreparable. By distributing the Hacks to the public, Defendants cause serious harm to the value of StarCraft II. Among other things, Defendants irreparably harm the ability of Blizzard’s legitimate customers (i.e. those who purchase and use unmodified games) to enjoy and participate in the competitive online experience. That, in turn, causes users to grow dissatisfied with the game, lose interest in the game, and communicate that dissatisfaction, thereby resulting in lost sales of the game or ‘add-on’ packs and expansions thereto.

It’s hard to disagree with most of that. If you’re in an online game against a cheater, what are the odds that you’ll ever play again? Or what are the odds that you’ll post a nasty message on a forum somewhere, or that you’ll tell your friends, "StarCraft II stinks, there’s too many cheaters"?

There’s a lesson to be learned: don’t cheat while playing games online.

In other Blizzard news, here’s World of Warcraft: Cataclysm‘s opening cinematic:

Thoughts? A longtime player of the game, who shall remain nameless, told me that Deathwing’s voice actor is suffering from "Dark Knight syndrome." You know, putting on a voice to sound throaty and gruff.

DX11 support is much appreciated, however (now that I know to disable CrossFire in order to get it to work properly!).
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