Technology Gadgets Food Toys Fun and Games

Link: http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/location_sharing_is_coming_to_facebook_-_how_will_users_react.php?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+readwriteweb+%28ReadWriteWeb%29

Sometime soon you (if you want) will be able to let Facbook plot your every move using your GPS enabled smartphone. Personally I don't think this is a good idea for so many reasons. I mean besides the obvious - (being robbed while your out of the house), there's plenty of other times when you don't want eveyone to know exactly where you are.

Still, you know a bunch of people will turn it on not even thinking of the consequences, then call in sick to work and get fired cus their boss finds out they are at the beach all day.

Sigh.

This Saturday if you are in a DST zone set your clocks ahead 1 hour before you go to bed Sat night.

Also, remember to change your smoke detector batteries.

Link: http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118015967.html?categoryid=1236&cs=1

This has just gone too far - I mean, I like the series... and yes no one but us old timers remembers it. But why murder another memory. Let it rest.

Doop! little buddy!

Link: http://spectrum.ieee.org/riskfactor/green-tech/advanced-cars/1-million-prize-for-anyone-to-prove-cause-of-toyotas-runaway-cars-?

Got some spare time and a Toyota hanging around? Edmunds.com is offering 1 million if you can figure out and reproduce the issue ( which by the way is still being reported by people who have had the fix )

Link: http://www.businessinsider.com/viacom-gutting-hulu-by-yanking-daily-show-and-colbert-report-2010-3?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+typepad%2Falleyinsider%2Fsilicon_alley_insider+%28Silicon+Alley+Insider%29

Viacom just pulled the Daily show and Colberts show. (The Daily show was the third most popular show on Hulu)

This hurts everyone - I like Hulu's player and site way better, it dilutes both audiences... But what worries me is if more shows get pulled, people will have less and less reasons to go to Hulu.

Well, I'll cross my fingers that everything works out.

Link: http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10462801-1.html

Why would this be a big deal to you? Well, it probably wont unless you plan on buying a LED backlit TV. If you do have those kind of plans, maybe you want to move them up a couple months.

Link: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/USPS-to-propose-5day-mail-cnnm-4552368.html?x=0

It's very likely... I don't know if this will affect me at all, but it seems wrong somehow.

Link: http://blogs.zdnet.com/mobile-gadgeteer/?p=2572

Apparently your phones calendar and mail aren't going funky... It's actually Google's Push implementation. Right not they're caching requests so that explains the delay. I've no word on a fix yet, just a heads up that it ain't just you.

Link: http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-10459637-17.html

Posting a $435 Million dollar loss - their stock price is now 30 cents. People with late charges will have a reprieve soon I think.

Back in September, the company announced that it would be closing up to 960 underperforming stores to increase its earnings by $50 million to $60 million. Blockbuster closed 374 U.S. stores last year and plans to accelerate its plans to shutter an additional 545 retail locations this year.

Link: http://www.boingboing.net/2010/02/24/rip-hummer.html

What ever will the jerky people with big egos drive now?

Having failed to sell the Hummer brand off to a Chinese car manufacturer, GM is shutting it down. This car was like the high-fructose corn syrup of automobiles, something that concentrated everything bad about motoring until it underwent a phase-change and somehow became an object of desire.

Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1289401/

With the cast you'd expect.....

Link: http://scifiwire.com/2010/02/the-newest-scream-queen-o.php

Details are a bit sparse - but here's the synopsis...

After nearly a decade-long absence from features, Carpenter is finally back behind the lens: The horror icon recently wrapped The Ward, currently slated for release this September, which follows an institutionalized young woman (Amber Heard) who is being haunted by a ghost.

I could use a good horror film, hope this works out.

Link: http://hellforge.gameriot.com/blogs/Hellforge/Civilization-V-Announced-in-Development-at-Firaxis-Games

Firaxis is working on Civilization 5 ... Free up your social calendars.

Sid Meier's Civilization(R) V, the newest entry from the genre-defining strategy-based franchise, is currently in development at Firaxis Games for PC. Civilization V reinvigorates the classic turn-based strategy genre with an astonishing new engine built from the ground-up for this flagship edition of the Civilization franchise. Players are introduced to an entirely new combat system, deeper diplomatic interactions and a cavalcade of expanded features that deliver a fully immersive experience providing hours of entertainment as players build and defend their empire on their quest to become the greatest ruler the world has ever known.

I'm stocking up on canned goods and diapers already.

Link: http://www.websiteoutlook.com/www.geeg.info

The new design or just the higher user count? I dunno but we went up in plain old value - granted it's still not enough to retire on - so keep spreading the word eh?

geeg.info Estimated Worth $3226.6 USD
Title GeeG - Technology Gadgets Food Toys Fun Games
Description Technology, Fun, Gadgets, Games, Bacon, Beer, Toys and Important News. Have fun while staying informed. Geeks Rule.
Daily Pageview 895
Daily Ads Revenue $4.42

Link: http://socialmedia.globalthoughtz.com/index.php/facebook-chat-moves-to-desktop/

As if we didn't have enough distractions already - you now do not need to be logged into Facebook to annoy other Facebook users.

You may now integrate the Facebook chat in any of your favorite instant chat messenger you use and stay connected with your friends even off the Facebook page. All this has been made possible by the implementation of the Jabber XMPP protocol, an open messaging protocol that is supported by most instant messaging softwares, including iChat, Pidgin, Adium, Miranda and Google Talk as well.

Link: http://mashable.com/2010/02/08/netflix-1080p/

I can see where shooting a high def pic through the pipes might be really tough right now. Sound though should be attainable. For those of you with a surround sound card on your rig. Well, it's something.

Netflix contacted CNET and retracted its statement regarding plans for 1080p streaming, saying it has no plans for 1080p this year. However, the company stood its ground on the 5.1 surround sound plans, so you can still keep your ears open for that upgrade.

Link: http://www.wcbs880.com/pages/6286330.php?

Ok this makes perfect sense - open it for dipping (fries) or open the top for squeezing - (burgers)

I'll miss the old packets tho - when I was a kid we would fold 'em in half - put 'em under our sneakers and step down hard when a person with white shoes walked by.

BLAT! - instant funny.

p.s. don't do this if you can't keep a straight face

Link: http://www.betanews.com/article/Comcast-to-rebrand-cable-Internet-services-as-Xfinity/1265250092?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+bn+%28Betanews+Full+Content+Feed+-+BN%29

Yup, apparently being help captive to a single company you can't change anyway isn't enough - now they want to change their name to not only keep you captive in the monopoly but make you bend a knee to the new tech name.

Beginning February 12, Comcast will begin rebranding its cable, Internet, and digital voice services in 11 markets under the Xfinity name, which it first debuted in December when the company began the process of acquiring NBC Universal.

At the time, Comcast CEO Brian Roberts told investors, "We basically are creating two Comcasts."

Oh super - as if one wasn't enough - why stop there? make 4 so we can bitch about all of em.

Any new features? no. Any lower prices? no. Any gains for the consumer? no. It's like renaming taxes to "experia"

any way ... you'll all notice this on the next bill.... that is all.

Link: http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2010/01/mark-mothersbaugh-talks-new-devo-album.html

I'm happily looking forward to this one,

Devo is currently finishing its first album of new music since 1990’s Smooth Noodle Maps. “It’s got quite a bit of form, and unless we were to all of a sudden have an about-face, we’ve got it pretty much 90 percent or more nailed down,” Mothersbaugh tells Paste. “We kind of did some bold things with this record. You talk about what’s changed in Devo over the last 30 years—I think something that’s changed is a somewhat more sophisticated approach to music and different tools that allow us to voice ourselves in ways that we didn’t do back in the day.”

Oh please don't be using Autotune - that's my only request.

Link: http://www.heatvisionblog.com/2010/01/harry-potter-hallows-3d-clash-of-the-titans-3d.html

It's about freakin time! - finally Harry Potter goes Imax 3d for the entire film and not like the last one - just one scene.

Studio executives on lots around town have been scrutinizing film slates for opportunities to expand forays into 3D releasing. Warners has been testing footage from its upcoming "Clash of the Titans" -- converted into 3D by an outside vendor -- and the tests have gone so well that execs have decided to release not only "Titans" but also the two-part "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" in 3D.

Warners refused to confirm the decisions Tuesday, but an announcement on "Titans" -- a co-production with Legendary Pictures -- is expected by week's end. Official word on the "Potter" pics also is awaited.

And Clash of the Titans ? Holy crap - I'm in 3D heaven.

Link: http://www.geeksaresexy.net/2010/01/20/the-greatest-adventure-some-considerations-in-casting-bilbo-baggins/

Right , the prequel - to perhaps the greatest geek movie of all time has not YET cast Bilbo - but they are reportedly within a month.

Some other great news...

we’ll see Ian McKellan as Gandalf and Hugo Weaving as Elrond again

Damn tootin, it's gonna happen!

Link: http://www.ghacks.net/2010/01/13/gmail-defaults-to-https-gmail/

I bet this had something to do with the whole China Hack - It's really no big deal to most users (other than making your email more secure if you're on an open hotspot).

You can still turn it off from Gmail Settings.

oh, and it's just recently come out that our least favorite browser (IE) was the install vector that let the whole thing happen in the first place.

If that's not an inspiration to get Firefox or Chrome - I don't know what is.

Link: http://ve3d.ign.com/articles/news/52399/Netflix-Streaming-Coming-Soon-To-Nintendos-Wii

Same way as the PS3 - you'll pop in a Netflix boot disc and wham - all the watch it now is there on your TV. How will this compare to the ROKU box? I dunno, depends if the ROKU gets stuff the plain vanilla watch it now audience does not...

Link: http://mashable.com/2010/01/06/28-days-later-say-goodbye-to-the-netflix-new-release-rental/

There's been an awful lot about this in the news lately. Apparently WB is trying to create a stranglehold on new content and Netflix is using that to leverage getting more content from them on "watch it now".

Personally I don't mind this at all. If I need to see something bad enough I'll go to the theater. No biggie to wait a month on others.

Plus I'd prefer more stuff to be instantly watchable.

Still, there's plenty of folks up in arms about this. Note - Redbox is not following suit and will have WB movies right away.

Link: http://www.billboard.com/news/jimi-hendrix-explores-new-valleys-1004057960.story

I wrote about this earlier last year and it looks like it's coming true. Get ready for a whole new Hendrix experience!

An album of previously unreleased Jimi Hendrix studio recordings is set for release in March, kicking off a brand new exploration of the legendary guitar virtuoso's life and works in the lead-up to the 40th anniversary of his death in 1970. "Valleys of Neptune," a 12-song collection that includes the final studio sessions of the original Jimi Hendrix Experience lineup and Hendrix's first recordings with bassist Billy Cox, is set for release on Mar. 9 on Sony's Legacy Recordings. The album marks the launch of the 2010 Jimi Hendrix Catalog Project, a partnership between the label and Experience Hendrix LLC, the company charged with overseeing the guitarist's music and image.

Link: http://www.bravenewgamer.com/2010/01/the-voice-of-duke-nukem-facetiously-confirms-duke-nukem-forever/

To save you the trip I'll sum up.....

in a recent panel discussion at MAGfest. A fan asked Jon St. John, the voice of Duke Nukem, about the status of the mythical game. "I'm not allowed to speak on that subject, sir," St. John explained. "He's asking about Duke Nukem Forever, let me go ahead and tell you right now that I’m not allowed to talk about Dukem Nukem Forever. The crowd of course groaned in disappointment to the statement, to which St. John facetiously responded, "No, no, don’t be disappointed. Read between the lines. Why am I not allowed to talk about it?"

Link: http://www.betanews.com/article/ATT-The-end-of-the-wireline-telephone-is-in-sight/1262297110

AT&T wants out of the landline business, and they've asked the FCC for approval.

...the company called upon the Commission to begin consideration of a formal deadline for the transition of all wireline customers to a wireless system comprising broadband and IP-based connectivity -- refraining from referring to 3G or 4G services in a cellular context. AT&T's reasoning: Carriers can no longer afford to maintain the old network while simultaneously building out the new one.

Link: http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/61747

Apparently all is not dead on the duke front - and one part I believe as they are not working any of the new titles in house.

"The next few years should see a strong resurgence in Duke," Miller states in the first printed issue of Gamesauce. "There are numerous other Duke games in various stages of development, several due out this year. We are definitely looking to bring Duke into casual gaming spaces, plus there are other major Duke games in production."

"Almost all of these [projects] are unannounced," he added.

What about DNF? Yep, apparently is still in development.

Link: http://www.facebook.com/privacy/explanation.php

The other part of the privacy updates has come down as predicted. You can now assign who "sees" each and every post... meaning if your kid wants only their school buddies to see something and parents be excluded.... no problem.

I'm still waiting for the control that lets me shut off all the stupid Farmville updates etc - such as "I found a cow".

That usually leads to an ignore all for me.

Link: http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/12/pbs-newshour-comes-to-youtube.html

After nearly 35 years on air, PBS NewsHour recently re-launched its broadcast program and website in an effort to provide viewers with NewsHour content wherever, whenever and however they want to access it. As part of this transformation, the nightly news program is starting a major new initiative with YouTube.

So now you can catch it from just about anywhere, that is if you watch the news hour. I think you'll see a lot of PBS and other network shows going this way.

Link: http://www.blackmesasource.com/news.html

I don't know how many of you remember this one, but it won't be out in '09... soon though - sooner than Duke Nukem

Black Mesa (formerly Black Mesa: Source) is a Half-Life 2 total conversion remaking VALVe Software's award-winning PC game, Half-Life. Utilizing the Source engine, Black Mesa will reintroduce the player as Doctor Gordon Freeman, along with the original cast of memorable characters and environments seen in Half-Life. Black Mesa was built and founded on the basis that Half-Life: Source was inadequate as the Source engine port of Half-Life, regardless of the intentions of VALVe Software. As such, Black Mesa was founded to fully reconstruct the Half-Life universe utilizing Source to its fullest potential in terms of art detail, level sizes and code features. This total conversion will not require Half-Life: Source to play - only a copy of any Source Engine game installed on Steam.

Link: http://www.firstshowing.net/2009/12/05/peter-jackson-confirms-the-hobbit-will-still-be-out-in-2011/

Good news here from the Peter Jackson front, it turns out the rumored delay from last week is not true and the film will be released on schedule - W00T~!

"Nothing has changed as far as I am concerned. Somebody wrote something on the internet and a lot of nonsense happened. You don't want to believe everything you read on the internet. We were due to deliver the scripts and be shooting sometime around April and now I think I said in an interview we were shooting in June. And somehow people are now saying the film is delayed. As far as I am aware, they are not delayed at all. I am not even sure when we are going to start shooting… we are delivering the scripts just after Christmas. They'll be finished and we'll be shooting as soon as we possibly can. But you need a certain amount of time to finish the pre-production."

Link: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2356492,00.asp

Which isn't such a sad thing - I've never had occasion to use Gears and I dunno, I really never saw the benefits.

Apparently the Goog is investing in HTML 5 and that makes Gears obsolete.

Link: http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/film/3115781/Yogi-Bear-movie-begins-filming-in-NZ

I almost can't believe it... but then again nothing completely surprises me when it comes to Hollywood churning out an endless line of remakes.

A film adaptation of classic TV cartoon Yogi Bear, featuring singer Justin Timberlake and Ghostbusters star Dan Aykroyd, has begun filming in New Zealand.

The film was a CGI/live action hybrid being shot in 3D, with Aykroyd and Timberlake as the voices of Yogi and Booboo, 3News reported.

Somehow I doubt even Aykroyd can make this one work....

Link: http://www.cinemablend.com/new/The-Hobbit-Filming-Delayed-Until-Next-Summer-15896.html

Arrrrrghhhh! I dunno exactly why - script issues they say .... oh well, I guess 3-4 months delay is better than not making it at all.