Category Archives: News

Glee’s panel at Comic Con will not include Shue, Finn, Rachel & Quinn

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With Comic Con just around the corner, Gleeks (or ultimate fans of the show Glee) are getting hyped for the Glee panel.  Typically Comic Con TV show panels include the show’s biggest stars.  For example, at last year’s Glee panel Matthew Morrison, Cory Monteith, Lea Michele, and Dianna Agron took the stage to interact with fans.  This year, however, none of those actors will be present.  Why?  Well it’s because FOX wants to give the rest of the cast time to shine in the spotlight amongst the show’s most rabid fans.  Twentieth Century Fox Television rep: “Last year, we brought down Lea Michele, Cory Monteith, Matthew Morrison, and Dianna Agron.  Because we have such a large cast and we can’t bring everyone every year, this year we decided to bring down some of the cast who didn’t get to go last summer.  So this year, Chris Colfer [Curt], Amber Riley [Mercedes], Jenna Ushkowitz [Tina], Kevin McHale [Artie], Mark Salling [Puck], Heather Morris [Brittany], and Naya Rivera [Santana] will get to experience the convention, as well as co-creators Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk.”  And Jane Lynch (Sue Sylvester) is a no show (again) due to a scheduling conflict.  Bummer.  But it’ll be a blast to see Heather Morris live in person–she’s got great delivery (who could forget the “Dolphins are just gay sharks” line?).  With the promise of never-before-seen clips, I’m sure this year’s Glee panel will be just as memorable as the last.

[Via EW-AusielloFiles]

Microsoft Kin is no more, T-Mobile Sidekick discontinued

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Remember Microsoft Kin, the little (smart)dumbphone that could?  Well Microsoft has decided to scrap it and focus entirely on Windows Phone 7.  Here’s the official statement:

“We have made the decision to focus exclusively on Windows Phone 7 and we will not ship KIN in Europe this fall as planned.  Additionally, we are integrating our KIN team with the Windows Phone 7 team, incorporating valuable ideas and technologies from KIN into future Windows Phone releases.  We will continue to work with Verizon in the U.S. to sell current KIN phones.”

The major reason why Kin is being shut down is sales, or lack thereof.  Though Microsoft never mentioned how many handsets were sold, they neither confirmed nor denied a rumor that a mere 500 Kin devices have sold thus far.  Shortly after slashing the prices of Kin One and Kin Two to $29.99 and $49.99, respectively, Microsoft abruptly made the decision to cancel what was forever rumored as “Project Pink” for good.

Besides terrible sales figures, Engadget has a scoop that pretty much says Kin was doomed from the start.  Internal bickering between two Microsoft employees who had differernt visions for the company’s place in the mobile space ultimately sparked the eventual fall of Kin.  Here’s the short of it: In 2008 Microsoft bought Danger, the company behind the original Sidekick phone.  In collaberation with Danger folk, Microsoft created what was then known as Project Pink.  It was headed by now ex-Microsoft employee J Allard.  Allard envisioned the Kin line of devices and services separate from Windows Mobile, but Windows Mobile head Andy Lees had different plans.  Lees found Kin a distraction from what he believed was more important (the formation of Windows Phone 7), managed to take away Kin from Allard, and that’s when the phone was released into the wild.  It was put out on the market under a Microsoft mobile head who was not one-hundred percent invested in the product.  Hence, it was doomed from the start.

In the end, Microsoft (and Verizon) really didn’t do a great job at pricing and marketing the phone properly.  Kin was aimed at what Microsoft called “generation upload” (aka tweens and teens) who are constantly texting and social networking on Facebook.  The two devices were originally priced at $99 & $49 each, with monthly data plans costing $29.99/month (and that’s on top of a talk plan).  These devices were way out of the price range for the phone’s target demographic.  That’s no way to price a feature phone.  And don’t get me started with that terrible fake hipster marketing campaign!  Anyway, now that Kin is dead I hope that the custom software and services it introduced find their way into Windows Phone 7, as Microsoft promises.  The Kin Loop and Kin Spot made for an interesting take on managing social networks, but it’s the Kin Studio that held the most promise.  The ability to archive all of your phone’s content to the cloud and access it on any PC in a browser is a genius idea, one that I hope gets utilized with WP7 devices. Continue reading Microsoft Kin is no more, T-Mobile Sidekick discontinued →

Hulu Plus brings TV & movie content to Apple devices, Xbox 360, PS3, TVs & Blu-ray players

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The rumor mill just couldn’t handle it anymore so Hulu decided to make things official: Hulu is expanding its video streaming services to an electronic device near you.  The new subscription-based service does not replace Hulu.com, mind you; it gives TV addicts the option to pay $10/month to access full libraries of TV shows on their computers and many other devices.  So you know how many of your favorite TV shows you watch on Hulu.com are limited to streaming only five episodes at a time?  Hulu Plus subscribers will gain access to every episode of every season “for almost all of the current broadcast shows” Hulu offers.  In addition to having access to modern hit shows like House and Modern Family, Hulu Plus subscribers will be able to watch  “back seasons or full runs” of some classic TV shows.  These include The X-Files, Arrested Development, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Hulu calls it “a treasure chest in the cloud for TV lovers.”  I concur.  And here’s the kicker: all native HD content will stream in 720p high definition.

If you’re a Hulu Price subscriber you can take all your Hulu content into your living room and on the go.  I’ll list out the devices.  Samsung Internet-connected and Samsung App-enabled TVs & Blu-ray players (available today); Sony & VIZIO Internet-connected TVs & Blu-ray players (support coming Fall 2010); Microsoft Xbox 360 (coming early 2011); Sony PlayStation 3 (coming soon).  Got an Apple device?  There’s a Hulu Plus app available in the App Store; it runs on iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPod touch 3G (all running iOS4), and iPad.  And it will stream content over 3G and WiFi.  Score!  You can download the app today for free and watch some free content to test it out for yourself.  It’s pretty incredible, the ability to watch all your favorite (network) TV shows in HD away from the computer.  Sure you have to cough up $10 a month but if you’re a TV junkie like me, a price like that might just have you consider cutting the cable cord and opting for Hulu all the way.  Unless, of course, True Blood and Mad Men mean too much to you.  Decisions, decisions..

Currently Hulu is handing out invitations for Hulu Plus.  If you want to be considered for the first wave of subscribers, click here.  Hulu says, “We’ll be sending out as many invitations as we can each week, and as soon as we’re ready, we’ll remove the need for an invitation and start bringing in new subscribers without delay.”  Look after the break for an informative video about Hulu Plus.

[Via HuluBlog] Continue reading Hulu Plus brings TV & movie content to Apple devices, Xbox 360, PS3, TVs & Blu-ray players →

PlayStation Plus gets detailed, available today with PS3 firmware update 3.40

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PlayStation Plus, Sony’s online premium offering for the PlayStation 3, was announced at the Sony press conference a couple weeks ago.  Since then more details have spilled concerning what exactly it offers for paying subscribers.  First, it’s important to remember that PlayStation Plus does not replace PS3’s current offering of free online gameplay and PlayStation Network usage.  PS Plus is an additional, optional service that provides subscribers with discounts on games purchased in the PS Store, early access to betas, exclusive offers on select demos and early purchases, free monthly episodes of Qore, and automatic downloads.  Let’s dive a bit deeper.

Subscribers have access to free monthly PSN games, minis, and PS One Classics from the PSN Store.  You keep these games for as long as you’re a subscriber; if you decide to opt out of the service, the free games disappear from your library.  Exclusive themes, avatars, and premium game elements/add-ons are also available to purchase; these are yours to keep “forever.”  Exclusive PS Store discounts are also offered, ranging from from 20% to 50% off (that’s on top of the any current discounts currently available to non-members).  Again, these are yours to keep “forever.”  Early access to beta trials and game demos pop up as well.  Members can download a full game trial for an alloted amount of time (typically one hour) to decide if they want to purchase the game.  Unlike a standard game demo, full game trials do not restrict you to certain levels/game modes.  You get the full game.  And get this–if you decide to purchase the game after testing it out, all awarded trophies and saved data carry over from the trial.  Lastly there’s automatic downloads.  Subscribers can set their PS3 to wake up from standby at a determined time to automatically download PS3 firmware updates, game patches, and “select demos and videos.”  PlayStation Plus is available to sign up for today over PSN.  A one year subscription goes for $49.99 (this comes bundled with three free months at the end) and a three-month packaged is priced at $17.99.

PlayStation Plus came to the PS3 as part of firmware update version 3.40.  Here’s what the update brings: Photo Gallery enhancements (allows you to upload, browse and comment on photos on Facebook and Picasa Web Album & share your photos between your PSN friends and print photos from Photo Gallery); Video Editor and Uploader (new XMB function enables you to edit, save and upload video files stored on the PS3 system to sites such as Facebook or YouTube); Five Star Rating Support (you can rate PS Store content on a five-star scale); and additional power save options.  There’s also been a few upgrades to PSN-Facebook integration.  A new PSN Facebook application allows you to display your PlayStation Network profile on Facebook, send friend requests, and view your PSN friends’ online status.  Check out a few snapshots of the new features in the gallery below.

[Via PlayStationBlog, here & here]

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Xbox LIVE Gold Family Pack is four Gold memberships for the price of two

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In November, Microsoft will offer a new Xbox LIVE Gold Family Pack.  It’ll be priced at $99 and offer up to four individual Xbox LIVE Gold memberships.  That’s four memberships for the price of two!  What a steal!  In addition, the Xbox dashboard will feature a new menu called Family Center; it’s being described as “a single, easy to use, destination for Family Settings and account management, accessible on the Xbox dashboard and on Xbox.com.”  In addition to the primary account member having the ability to purchase and dispense Microsoft Points to other Xbox LIVE Gold Family Pack members, the new subscription pack brings “activity monitoring reports” to encourage balanced gaming habits, simplified billing, and “exclusive family content and discounts.”  Read all about it in the official PR that’s waiting right after the break.

[Via Engadget] Continue reading Xbox LIVE Gold Family Pack is four Gold memberships for the price of two →

Droid X by Motorola hits Verizon Wireless July 15 for $200

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Droid X by Motorola joins siblings Droid by Motorola, Droid Eris by HTC, and Droid Incredible by HTC on Verizon Wireless later this summer.  Check out these spectacular specs: 4.3-inch 854 x 480 display,  1GHz TI OMAP3630 processor, 8 megapixel camera with dual LED flash and 720p video recording, and 8GB of onboard storage, expandable up to 32GB (it comes with a 16GB SD card).  All of that’s packed inside a sleek, black 9.9mm thin device.  It will come preinstalled with Android 2.1 and a brand new UI skin overlay (it has not been confimed if this is MotoBlur).  Android 2.2 and Flash 10.1 support is expected to make their long-awaited debuts on Droid X via an OTA update “in the latter half of the summer.”  And there’s more.  Droid X will act as mobile hotspot, supporting up to 5 other devices over WiFi.  It also features DNLA and HDMI connectivity “to download, stream and share personal HD content.”  A preinstalled Blockbuster On Demand app will allow users to rent and watch movies right on the device.  Last, let’s talk pricing and availability.  Droid X becomes available to the masses July 15 for $199.99 (that’s with a new two-year contract with VZW and after a $100 mail-in rebate).  If you opt for the 3G Mobile Hotspot service be prepared to cough up an additional $20/month.  VZW is pulling an Apple with this one: All VZW customers whose contracts end by December 31, 2010 will get their early termination fee waived if they want to upgrade to the X (or any other smartphone for that matter).  Be sure to look after the break for the full PR and the awesome Droid X commercial that has been making waves on the boob tube.

[Via Engadget]

Continue reading Droid X by Motorola hits Verizon Wireless July 15 for $200 →

iAds now living on all iOS4 devices

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Right on cue, Apple CEO Steve Jobs flipped the switch to enable iAds to pop up on all iOS4 devices.  What are iAds, you ask?  They are a new kind of ad tailor-made for mobile devices.  Apple invites advertisers to fill them with “interaction and emotion” so as to entice users to dive into them.  iAds act more like apps than ads in that they don’t take you out of your present experience (in Safari or an app) and you always have the option to exit the ad by tapping a tiny “x” that is required to sit in the corner.  Jump here to learn more about iAds.  Anyway, iAds are live today and you can take a sneak peek into how one looks in the video above.  It’s an ad for the Nissan Leaf, and it features an impressive commercial that’ll make any technology enthusiast squeal in pleasure.

[Via Engadget]

iPhone 4: 600,000 preorders, 1.7 million sold, reception & screen issues addressed

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iPhone 4 launch day has come and gone so let’s discuss how it all went down.  At WWDC ’10Apple CEO Steve Jobs called iPhone 4 “the biggest leap since the original iPhone”, piquing the interest of his most devout followers, so much so that they lined up in droves to preorder and purchase the latest gadget to come out of Cupertino.  On June 15, Apple, AT&T, and other authorized Apple retailers begain taking preorders for iPhone 4.  On that single day, iPhone 4 preorders maxed out at 600,000.  According to AT&T, that’s ten times as many orders as it took for last year’s iPhone 3GS.  Due to this insanely high number of preorders, Apple and AT&T were forced to halt all preorders until the phone hit store shelves one week and two days later.  And that brings us to launch day.  On June 24 iPhone 4 launched nationwide and in the UK, France, Germany and Japan to an excitable population ready to get their hands on the shiny, sleek new handset.  At Apple Retail Stores those who preordered waited in line to nab their guaranteed iPhone while overnight campers tried their luck at receiving the leftovers.  The latest tallies reveal that Apple sold 1.7 million iPhone 4s through June 26 (that’s just three days on the market!).  In an official PR, Jobs stated, “This is the most successful product launch in Apple’s history.  Even so, we apologize to those customers who were turned away because we did not have enough supply.”  According to the Apple Online Store, more iPhone 4 units will ship in about three weeks.  Soon enough, Apple Stores will be chock full of new iPhones for everyone who missed out on the initial launch supply.

What began as a cheery launch quickly turned into a melancholy situation when iPhone 4 users started to cry foul about reception and screen issues.  Let’s start with the latter issue that has seemed to disapate as of late.  A number of iPhone 4 users are discovering slight yellow spots at the bottom right-hand corner of their retina displays.  An AppleInsider forum poster has come up with the best explanation for this:

Apple is using a bonding agent called Organofunctional Silane Z-6011 to bond the layers of glass. Apparently, Apple (or more likely Foxconn) is shipping these products so quickly that the evaporation process is not complete. However, after one or two days of use, especially with the screen on, will complete the evaporation process and the yellow “blotches” will disappear. How do I know? I was involved in pitching Z-6011 to Apple.

Since the time this explanation was outed (just a couple hours after the launch on the 24th) the desperate cry for help has waned.  It appears that those affected with the yellow spots will notice them disappear after a day or two of use.

The same cannot go for the next (and more dire) iPhone 4 problem: the tale of reception woes.  iPhone 4 users first noticed this problem when they gripped the phone in a certain way (in a very common way, mind you).  On the affected devices, if you hold the phone in any way that covers the lower left-hand side where the black strip is located (pictured above) you will notice your signal drop almost immediately from five to zero bars.  Preposterous!, you’re thinking.  But it’s true, so let’s dive into this a bit more.  At WWDC ’10, Jobs announced that the new iPhone packs a new antenna system that actually wraps around the outside phone so as to provide better signal strength.  The metallic band that wraps around the phone contains one piece for Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and GPS and the other for UMTS & GSM.  When you cover the bottom left-hand side of the phone where the GSM band wraps the phone all signal is lost.  What’s rather ironic is that what Jobs called “brilliant engineering” has turned into an engineering EPIC FAIL in the minds of many iPhone 4 users. Continue reading iPhone 4: 600,000 preorders, 1.7 million sold, reception & screen issues addressed →

Mac mini refreshed with aluminum unibody design

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On June 15 Apple gave the aging Mac mini a much needed refresh, both in appearence and internals.  The new Mac mini comes packaged in an aluminum unibody enclosure and now fits in much better with its iMac and MacBook Pro cousins.  It’s very compact sizing in at 7.7 inches square and 1.4 inches thin.  It delivers twice the graphics performance than its predecessor with an NVIDIA GeForce 320M chip.  The base model come standard with a 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 320GB hard drive, and 2GB of RAM for $699.  This model can be customized with a 2.66GHz processor, up to 8GB of RAM, and a 500GB hard drive.  Additionally you can opt for the Mac mini with Snow Leopard Server which does away with the SuperDrive but comes standard with the faster processor, 4GB of RAM, and a 7200RPM HDD for $999.  And check this: the new models include HDMI and SD card slots!  It also features an integrated power supply meaning there’s no need for an external power brick.  Other ports include power, Ethernet, FireWire 800, Mini DisplayPort, 4 USB 2.0 ports, and headphone and audio line in jacks.  802.11n WiFi and Bluetooth 2.1 get nods as well.  The new Mac minis are available today.  Full PR after the break.

[Via Apple]

Continue reading Mac mini refreshed with aluminum unibody design →

Starbucks now offering free WiFi to all its customers

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As of July 1, all company-operated Starbucks coffee shops in the U.S. and Canada now offer free in-house WiFi to their customers.  Here’s what’s changed: “Most recently, the free Wi-Fi benefit was limited to two hours a day and only available to members of the My Starbucks Rewards program. The new, unlimited Wi-Fi offering features a one-click entry point, so a username or password will not be required.”  To access the Internet at your local Starbucks, whip out your laptop, tablet, or mobile phone, search for nearby WiFi hotspots, accept the Starbucks terms and conditions and click connect.  It’s as simple as that.  Now where’s my orange mocha frappachino??

[Via Engadget]

YouTube introduces Video Editor, skippable ads coming soon

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On June 16 YouTube introduced an online video editor that allows YouTube members to complete simple edits on their uploaded videos.  The YouTube Video Editor allows you to “combine multiple videos you’ve uploaded to create a new longer video, trim the beginning and/or ending of your videos, add soundtracks from our AudioSwap library of tens of thousands of songs, and create new videos without worrying about file formats and publish them to YouTube with one click — no upload necessary.”  Google says the new editor is “ideal for merging single, short clips into a longer video” and “for trimming a long video down to the moments you really care about.”  Currently the video editor can be accessed at YouTube’s TestTube page; since it’s a new product, YouTube is asking its users to give it a try and provide appropriate feedback.  So give it a shot!  If you fall in the category of people who love to shoot and upload videos to YouTube but cannot afford/find the proper editing software, the free and easy to use YouTube Video Editor just might make all your dreams and wishes come true.

Here’s more YouTube news for you to chew on (and get rather excited about).  According to a Wall Street Journal report, Google senior product manager Baljeet Singh says that Google is readying a new YouTube feature dubbed “skippable” ads.  In the future, YouTube video windows will include a new button that when clicked will stop those annoying ads from running before videos.  Apparently Google has been “playing around with it for the last three quarters and seeing really great results.”  Singh believes that the notion of skippable ads will force advertisers to create more compelling advertisements so customers won’t want to skip them so often.  Adverisers will not be charged for skipped ads.  In addition, YouTube viewers will ability to choose from a series of ads to watch before particularly longer videos (you might have experienced this using Hulu).  Listen here, Google: If you give us the ability to skip ads, WE ARE ALWAYS GOING TO SKIP THE ADS.

[Via YouTubeBlog; GoogleSystem; WSJ]

Project Natal is ‘Kinect’, 5 casual games leak too (Update: Xbox 360 Slim TBA?)

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With only a few hours left until Microsoft’s press conference at E3, USA Today managed to get a hold of (and leak) the final name for Project Natal.  It’s called (drum roll please…) Kinect.  Microsoft’s Major Nelson confirms it via Twitter.  A number of casual games have been outed, too.  Kinectimals lets you play with over 20 different virtual animals; Joyride lets you race with your avatars, controller-free of course; Kinect Sports features boxing, bowling, beach volleyball, track and field, soccer and table tennis; Kinect Adventures is a river rafting game with various obstacle courses to flail your arms and legs through; and MTV Games will make Dance Central.  Disney and LucasArts are planned to unveil games featuring characters from their arsenal.  In addition, the LA Times outed four games this morning (including Richochet, River Rush, Obstacle Course, and Living Statue) and spilled that “about a dozen more” Kinect-supported games will be unveiled by other developers during E3.  It look like release date and pricing details will have to wait until tomorrow’s press conference.

Update: What appears to be a legit Italian Microsoft ad is boasting a new slimmer Xbox 360 console.  It was originally spotted at Console-Tribe.  The thirteen second spot lists features like a 250GB HDD, built-in WiFi (woot!), and compatibility with Kinect.  That last sliver of info makes this ad feel all the more authentic.  How could an imposter know about the Natal-to-Kinect transition when news of it just leaked out from USA Today?  Interesting, I know.  Well good news is that we won’t have to wait too long to see if this manifests itself into something tangible.  Look after the break for the commercial.

Update #2: Official press shots of Kinect are out!  So sleek and black and shiny.  Go ahead, take a closer look in the gallery below.

[Via Joystiq, here, here, here & here; LA Times] Continue reading Project Natal is ‘Kinect’, 5 casual games leak too (Update: Xbox 360 Slim TBA?) →