6/29/2006
YouTube Teams Up with NBC
NBC is teaming up with viral video Web site YouTube to promote its fall season. Under the agreement, announced Tuesday, YouTube will create a dedicated NBC channel on its Web site. In exchange, NBC will hype YouTube through on-air promos.
The deal is noteworthy, considering NBC's legal turmoils with YouTube. A popular Saturday Night Live skit called "Lazy Sunday" was uploaded to YouTube in December 2005 without NBC's consent. The video -- which poked fun at Disney's The Chronicles of Narnia movie -- made YouTube an instant Internet sensation.Lazy Sunday was viewed more than five million times on YouTube before NBC Universal forced the site to remove it, along with several other copyrighted NBC video clips in February 2006. NBC later placed the skit on its SNL web page as well as in the iTunes Store. Coincidently, YouTube.com won't be able to post the Lazy Sunday video as part of the new deal, NBC spokesman Joe Libonati said Tuesday.
So what kind of content will this new NBC YouTube channel feature? NBC doesn't plan to distribute full-length TV shows through YouTube. Instead, the network said, it will distribute promotional clips from programs such as SNL, The Office and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on the Web site. NBC already sells full-length episodes of Law & Order, The Office and other primetime series through the iTunes Store.
NBC is counting on YouTube to help lure viewers back to TV and boost their ratings. They are currently in 4th place behind Fox, ABC and CBS.
read more | digg story | methodshop
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6/28/2006
Harman Kardon AVR 635 Receiver
The Harmon Kardon AVR 635 delivers cutting-edge performance at a greatly reduced price. With a list price of $1,299 it's now available on Amazon for around $800.Versatility at its best! The AVR 645 not only switches two HDMI 1.1 sources, it is able to decode Dolby Digital, DTS and PCM audio streams from the HDMI inputs. Add USB audio, iPod connectivity and XM-Ready capability to our EzSet/EQ system and high-current amplifier, and the AVR 645 performs with ease.
Equally impressive on the video side is format conversion so that all analog video inputs may be viewed via component outputs, and A/V Sync Delay, which reconnects the timing of sound and images. There is no better combination of sound and image anywhere.
Audioholics: "Harman Kardon has delivered in a big way with a small price tag. Someone who is familiar with higher end specs and performance will not be let down by it's features; but more importantly, the person looking for a great centerpiece for his first home theater has found a powerful, un-intimidating, user friendly and killer sounding receiver that can get him started and allow him to grow in the future."
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MacBook Pro Disco Keyboard
Our friends at techeblog found an interesting way to take control of your keyboard. Someone named Alan used an iTunes visualizer plug-in to make his MacBook's backlit keyboard flicker to the music."Using an iTunes visualizer plug-in... I dimmed the backlight on the screen for better visibility of the keyboard, but the plug-in can also flash the screen backlight with the music."Here's a video demonstration on YouTube.
Sound like fun? Do you want your MacBook's keyboard to flicker like the dance floor in Staying Alive?
- Download the plug-in called iSpazz.
- Uncompress the zip file and copy it to your Home directory's iTunes Plug-ins folder (Library > iTunes > iTunes Plug-ins)
- Open iTunes
- Press the "i" key to toggle the flicker on and off
youtube | digg story | methodshop
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6/26/2006
Sunday Driver Lowrider Documentary
Rockstar, the company famous for the "Grand Theft Auto" series, are flexing their creative muscles beyond just video games. With the help of documentary filmmaker, Carol Strong, Rockstar released a DVD documentary called Sunday Driver about the lowriding subculture of Compton, CA.Lowriders have been a prominent part of several of their Grand Theft Auto releases and this lowrider documentary is a natural evolution of their brand and a treat for their existing gaming audience.
read full review | digg story | methodshop
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Samsung's New Blu-Ray DVD Player
Get ready to start upgrading your DVD collection. The next generation of DVD players featuring Blu-Ray are hitting the market. One model in particular that's getting a lot of attention is the Samsung BD-1000. According to Samsung, "Today's high-definition televisions (HDTV) are capable of displaying a far greater amount of movie realism than a DVD can deliver. That's why Blu-ray DiscTM technology was developed."Obviously Samsung thinks pretty highly of their own product, but what are other people saying about the BD-1000?
Audioholics: "Samsung's unique technology - one pickup with two lenses - allows it to also play standard DVDs and CDs in addition to Blu-ray discs while allowing for more cost-effective production."
Gizmodo: "Samsung has produced a very interesting product. The BD-P1000 is a large, healthy device with a 20 second BRD load-time and a crisp, clean picture. On a full 1080p set, the picture is as crisp as fresh-baked pizza and the audio is surround-sound-alicious."
Once you get a new Blu-Ray DVD player, the next step is to invest in some Blu-Ray DVDs. Here's a short list of some the first Blu-Ray DVDs to be released:
This Samsung Blu-Ray DVD player is available on Amazon.
read more | digg story | treblemaker
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6/24/2006
Bill Gates To Retire
I guess his 50 billion dollar stockpile is sufficient enough to get him through his golden years. Last week, Bill Gates announced that he would be retiring from Microsoft in July of 2008.In a letter to his employes, Gates had this to say:
"For these last 31 years, I've had the best job in the world. I've worked with some of the brightest and most passionate people in the world. Together, we've built a great company whose products have empowered people around the world."
Gates, who co-founded Microsoft, was the quintessential high school nerd who got bone-jarring “noogies” every day at lunch by bullies. Now, he will be retiring as the richist man in the world... sans noogies.
What does Gates have to look forward to in retirement? Here's a few ideas:
- invest in an updated more trendy wardrobe (we hope)
- do some gardening at his 67,000 square foot home
- get lasik treatment and lose the glasses
- start a yacht war with Oracle founder Larry Ellison (Ellison currently has the longest yacht in the world at over one and a half football fields)
The only question left is what should Microsoft employees get his for a retirement gift? Kareem Abdul Jabbar got rocking chairs as a farewell send-off from the NBA. What would you get Bill Gates, the man who has everything?
Dave Gleason; PimpWiz.com
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6/22/2006
Steve Jobs Dress-up
Steve Jobs only wears black mock turtlenecks and jeans. That's it. He doesn't want to think about what he has to wear so he wears the same thing everyday. It may be easy for him, but what about the rest of us? What if we want to see our favorite CEO think different when it comes to his wardrobe once in awhile?Check out this neat Flash game from geekculture.com called Steve Jobs Dress-up.
Steve Jobs may not be able to handle a wardrobe change, but that can't stop the rest of us from trying.
flickr | digg story | methodshop
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6/21/2006
Bono in Africa
Bono is world-famous for being the frontman of U2. But the rock star is also a tireless campaigner for the poor, especially in Africa where many developing countries battle with disease and poverty everyday.On his latest trip to Africa, Bono brought Brian Williams from NBC along for the ride. NBC's cameras were rolling during the trip and they've put together a FREE video scrapbook that includes extended and previously unreleased interviews conducted by Brian with Bono during their tour of Africa.
It's a free download in the iTunes Store. If you are concerned about what's going on in Africa or like U2, you might as well check it out.
iTunes Link: Bono in Africa
digg story | methodshop
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6/20/2006
Apple to sell Movies in iTunes
According to an article in Daily Variety, Apple is currently in talks with several Hollywood studios about adding movies to the iTunes Store. However, the talks have stalled. Apparently, the final detail they can't resolve is the price point. Apple CEO, Steve Jobs, wants a flat price of $9.99 per movie. The flat rate model has made Apple's music store a simple and pleasant experience for users. However, studio executives rather see a range of prices from $2, for discount titles, to $20 or more for new releases.When could we see movies offered in the iTunes Store? Daily Variety cites several "unnamed sources" who predict that Apple might begin offering movie downloads by the end of 2006. Who knows, maybe by Christmas morning you could legally download a new release and play it for the family on your Video iPod.
iPod Video + iTunes Movie Store + TV + iPod Video dock = Blockbuster bankruptcy
How's my math?
read more | digg story | methodshop
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6/19/2006
Kentucky Fried iPod Shuffle
Is your iPod broken? Think you can fix it yourself? This story we found on ipastudio.com might change your mind.Someone named Chris T tried to open his broken iPod Shuffle. He's just a project manger with no real engineering experience, but he wanted to give it a try. He grabbed a metal knife and started to pry open the iPod. Apparently he hit a small capacitor or the battery with his knife because "the iPod basically exploded in his face and caught fire." Moments later the room was full of black smoke, sparks and girlish screams. The end result was something that can only be described as a Kentucky Fried Shuffle.
Francis, a friend of Chris T who blogged about this story, feels there are 2 morals or lessons to be learned from this experience:
- Apple made the iPod Shuffle in a way for it not to be opened... there is a reason for this!
- Project Managers should never think of themselves as "Hardware Engineers"
digg story | methodshop
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Wicked Laser Review
I was pretty skeptical when I first received my Extreme Nexus 95 mW Wicked Laser pointer. There's no question that 95 mW is pretty powerful... especially when compared to a standard 5 mW consumer laser pointer. But what makes a Wicked Laser "wicked"?For starters, these lasers are no joke. They are strong. Very strong. The Extreme Nexus has a 38 mile visibility range. What happens when you bring that power into your average everyday life? If you tried to use to use a Wicked Laser at your next conference room presentation, it would be total overkill. The entire projection screen would glow so bright from the laser that you wouldn't be able to see anything. Not to mention that this laser is powerful enough to light matches, burn plastic and pop balloons.
What else makes these Chinese military grade lasers so special? Let's find out....
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6/15/2006
Nacho Libre Podcasts
Nacho Libre comes out in theaters this weekend, but if you can't wait until then to get your Jack Black fix, then maybe you should check out the Nacho Libre Podcasts. These Podcast "confessionals" take audiences behind the scenes with exclusive stories about what it was like to make the upcoming comedy film.Nacho Libre opens in theaters nationwide (USA) on Friday, June 16. You can access the Podcasts via iTunes here.
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6/14/2006
LoJack for your Laptop
Did your brand new MacBook get stolen already? Hopefully you had Undercover installed.Undercover is an application that aids in the recovery of a stolen Macintosh. It works by transmitting the internet location (internal and external IP addresses and the router address) of the stolen Mac and by sending screenshots as well as images from any connected cameras. At one point these screenshots will sooner or later reveal the thief's identity (e.g. when chatting, reading and writing emails). Combine that with images from any connected cameras and you have a very powerful recovery tool.
As you can imagine, Undercover can be especially useful for owners Apple MacBooks with built-in iSight cameras.But once you know the location of your stolen laptop, then what? Go knock on the thief's front door and get your ass kicked? No way. Orbicule, the makers of Undercover, then works with local police and law enforcement to help recover the stolen Mac. And if things go wrong, Undercover switches to plan B and simulates a hardware failure, forcing the thief (or someone who bought the stolen Mac on eBay) to return it to an authorized reseller. To alert the reseller, Undercover will start displaying full-screen messages and it will shout that the Mac has been stolen.
Owning Undercover is like having both a private detective and a LoJack for your laptop. Not a bad idea considering that 600,000 laptops were stolen in the USA during 2004 and only 3% were recovered. If only they made Undercover for iPods...
Undercover is only $30 and comes with a money-back guarantee. For more information check out: http://orbicule.com/undercover/
read more | digg story | methodshop.com
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6/13/2006
Ethernet Connector Cufflinks
Want to make a big impression at DefCon or your next computer conference?The guys at geektechnique.org have a nice little tutorial on how to "hack" together a pair of cufflinks out of Ethernet connectors and bits of wire.
Here's the link to the Crimp-your-own Cufflinks tutorial if you want to follow suit. It's a pretty entertaining read even if you don't actually need a pair of Ethernet cufflinks.
Have they started a trend? Could Ethernet Connector Cufflinks be most-geek-style clothing accessory ever? Try them out at your next computer convention. Maybe you might get lucky. How can you go wrong with a little convention booty?
Is it nerdy? Yes. Is it geek chic at its finest? Absolutely.
Let the crimping begin!
read more | digg story | methodshop.com
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6/12/2006
Cell Phone Jammers
We've all wanted to strangle them before. There's nothing worse than some jerk blabbing away on their phone while you're trying to enjoy a movie, meal at a restaurant, or a nice quiet nap on the bus/train ride to work.You can try to send the offending mobile blabbermouth a few evil looks or the old "courtesy cough" but those passive aggressive gestures rarely work.
If you really want to silence a dopey chatter box, then you'll need to acquire a cell phone jammer.
Continue Reading >>
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6/08/2006
OS X Installer Music
Have you ever reinstalled your Macintosh operating system just to hear the music? Hopefully not, but if you've ever found yourself grooving to the soundtrack while installing OS X and wanted to know what you were listening to... then you are in luck.Someone posted an iMix in the iTunes Music Store called Mac OS X Installer Music. It contains all the songs Apple has used since Cheetah.
You can use this link to open the iMix in iTunes or just sample individual songs from the list below.
- Mac OS X 10.0 "Cheetah" - Sofa Rockers Remix by Sofa Rockers
- Mac OS X 10.1 "Puma" - Sofa Rockers Remix by Sofa Rockers
- Mac OS X 10.2"Jaguar" - Sofa Rockers Remix by Sofa Rockers
- Mac OS X 10.3 "Panther" - Eple by Roykosopp
- Mac OS X 10.4 "Tiger" - Bytecry by Weevil
Labels: itunes
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6/06/2006
U2 iPod Gets Reincarnated
Does this black and red iPod look familiar? It should. It's the second coming of the U2 iPod.The original iPod U2 Special Edition was announced on October 24, 2004 and was the first black iPod Apple ever produced. Apple discontinued it about a year later on October 12, 2005 and rabid U2 fans have been without a Rattle & Hum to satisfy their portable music needs ever since.
Operating under some Mysterious Ways, on 06.06.06, (the day of the devil???) Apple announced a reincarnation of iPod U2 Special Edition. The encore version is actually $20 cheaper than the original but has a bigger hard drive, color screen and is video ready.
Like the original U2 iPod, the new version comes with the autographs of each band member engraved on the back (black metal this time, not aluminum) and a coupon for U2 content from the iTunes Store. The exclusive content offering includes 30-minutes of music videos and band interviews.
Let's compare the original iPod U2 Special Edition with the new reincarnated version.
Price
- original: $349
- encore: $329
Color of metal backing
- original
- encore: black
iTunes Music Store Coupon
- original: $50 off the price of a digital U2 box set called The Complete U2
- encore: free 30-minutes of music videos and band interviews
Here are some technical details for the new iPod U2 Special Edition:
- Holds up to 7,500 songs and album art
- Holds up to 25,000 photos
- Holds up to 75 hours of video
- Accessory-compatible Dock connector
- 2.5-inch (diagonal) color LCD with LED backlight
- Comes with earbud headphones and USB cable
- Autographs of all U2 members on the back
- Bright 2.5-inch display with LED backlight
- Up to 14 hours of battery life; up to 3 hours of slideshows with music; up to 2 hours of video playback
- Works with Mac OS X or Windows 2000/XP
- More info...
If you are a U2 fan who still hasn't found what you are looking for in a mp3 player, perhaps you should consider getting this newest member in the iPod family. The iPod U2 Special Edition is available from Amazon.com.
methodshop.com
BeSocial:digg story | methodshop
Labels: ipod
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6/05/2006
Solio Solar iPod Charger
Need to take your iPod places without a power source? Maybe you need a Solio iPod Charger. This fan-blade solar charger allows your iPod to soak up sun rays when placed in direct sunlight (either outside or affixed to a window).The Solio also has a high capacity internal battery that stores energy and then releases it when the unit is plugged into your iPod. A fully charged Solio delivers enough energy to extend iPod playtimes by up to 9 hours. And it doesn't take hours of charge time just to get enough juice to play one song. An hour in the sun can give your iPod up to a few hours of play time.
You can even plug the Solio into a regular wall socket to charge its battery for instant power anywhere. Not a bad idea since the Solio can store energy for more than a year.The Solio may be perfect on your next camping trip, but you may want to avoid pulling it while walking down Madison Avenue... unless you want people to mistake you for Ugly George.
The Solio is available from Amazon.com.
[Via NTRONICS]
read more | digg story | methodshop
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6/02/2006
AHP712i Noise-Canceling Headphones
Tired of being stuck next to a crying baby every time you fly? You can't exactly make the baby disappear, but you can at least silence them. PC Mag's audio expert, Mike Kobrin, found a great pair of Altec Lansing headphones that could save you hours of screaming airline baby misery. He rated the AHP712i headphones 4 stars out of 5."If you travel a lot on noisy planes and trains, the new Altec Lansing AHP712i noise-canceling headphones should be on your short list of must-have items. They're large, but comfortable for extended periods because they cover your entire ears rather than pinning them against your head. The AHP712i provide very good noise cancellation with only a tiny bit of background hiss, and the sound quality is certainly musical, if not audiophile-accurate."
Now if only the AHP712i had a dirty diaper smell canceling feature too.
The AHP712i is available from Amazon.com.
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6/01/2006
Giant iPod Seen From Space
Ready for a little fun? Open this link to Google Maps and zoom in all the way. Some keen eyed Google Earth users have found what looks like a giant iPod somewhere in Australia.At first, many people assumed it was a clever iPod ad deliberately constructed by Apple. However, according to Really Rocket Science, the satellite image for that location on was taken on January 1, 1999. And as any true nerd knows, that's a couple years before the first iPod was even announced (October 23, 2001).
Although this satellite image predates the iPod, it's Nefertiti owner is much much older. You can see her wearing a pair of earbuds in the image below.
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YouTube
prevents viewers from downloading files off their site. But there
are ways around this. Here's a step-by-step tutorial on how to
rip video files off YouTube.com and convert them for your Video
iPod.
Bugs tend to freak us out. Mosquitoes, spiders, wasps, centipedes... you name it. If it crawls, bites or buzzes anywhere near our faces, then we squirm, swat and run. But what's worse than a little bug crawling on or biting you? How about a really, really big one? Here are some of the biggest bugs on Earth. Enjoy!. 
Want
to upgrade the RAM in your
Mac Mini? You can definitely save a few bucks by buying a stripped
down Mac Mini and upgrading the RAM yourself. But before you
can install that extra RAM, you'll need to take a walk down to
your local hardware store and grab a couple putty knives.
Need
something to watch on your iPod or iPhone? Here's a tutorial that
explains how to use a program called Handbrake to rip DVD's
into iPod compatible MPEG-4 video files.
