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PC Magazine Stops the Presses - Online Only
I grew up reading PC Magazine and I looked forward each couple weeks to picking up my copy of PC Magazine at the local grocery store. But today, Ziff Davis has announced that the legendary PC Magazine print publication is shutting down its print publication and focusing exclusively on online content. This is truly a sad day… 
Hold on while I grab some tissues…
PC Magazine started the whole in-depth comparative reviews of PCs and Microsoft software. They expanded later to including gadgets, MP3 players, mobile phones, GPS, and other technology. PC Magazine offered insightful tech tips and great columnists like John C. Dvorak. Back in the 80s and 90s the print publication was 400-500 pages, making for hours of tech- reading pleasure. Today, it’s down to 150 pages and soon to be 0 (January 2009).
Well, I guess it’s “greener” that way. But I for one will miss my print copy of PC Magazine.
Tags: John C. Dvorak, PC Magazine
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Anybody Like the New Xbox Live?
The new Xbox Live look is supposed to kick off today so be sure to take a peek.
The gaming platform now includes customizable avatars, an iPod-like display and easier viewing of Netflix downloads.
It’s got to be an improvement over what was there before … or at least we hope so!
Let’s hear the feedback!
Louder!
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Xbox 360 as Internet-to-TV Portal
Hoping to provide viewers with an easy way to move Internet-based video onto TV screens, GridNetworks has announced a new service that would do just that by routing the content through an Xbox 360 gaming console.
The service is designed to work with any device that uses Universal Plug and Play protocols and, in the future, GridNetworks wants to be able to use Sony’s PlayStation 3 as the conduit as well.
More at Multichannel News.
Tags: gridnetworks, internet-based video, PlayStation 3, Sony, Universal Plug and Play, xbox 360
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Image Sync’ing All Your Gadgets?
Researchers recently completed work on a networking solution that will synchronize the myriad personal electronic devices (aka gadgets) people will use in the not-so-distant future.
The group, called MAGNET Beyond, was composed of researchers from 35 companies who developed an architecture to harmonize devices such as laptops, telephones, MP3 players, games and a variety of sensors.
And why is this networking project called MAGNET Beyond?
No it’s not a take-off on Bed, Bath and Beyond, but the name is an acronym for “My personal adaptive Global NET and beyond.”
Yikes!
How many researchers does it take to come up with a good acronym?
Definitely not this group! Better luck with the technology.
More at ZDnet.
Tags: bed bath and beyond, magnet beyond, zdnet
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Xbox Live Getting a Makeover
Get ready for a new look for Xbox Live this week when Microsoft debuts a completely new look for its gaming platform.
The date: November 19.
The new look will include customizable avatars, an iPod-like display and easier viewing of Netflix downloads.
According to Microsoft, the upgrades are meant to turn a somewhat static user interface into “a social media entertainment hub.”
So tune in later this week and let’s hear how you like it (or how you don’t).
Get more at USA Today.
Tags: avatars, ipod, microsoft, netflix, xbox live
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Life Got You Down? Buy a Video Game Console
Despite a worsening economy, all three current-generation video game consoles had better U.S. sales in October than they did a year ago, according to the latest figures from The NPD Group.
And both Microsoft’s Xbox 360 and Nintendo’s Wii sold more units in October, a four-week reporting period, than in September, a five-week period. Wowwee!
Also the worst of the economic bad news had yet to hit in September.
Sony, however, saw month-over-month PlayStation 3 sales decline, while sales of its previous generation (and less expensive) PlayStation 2 remained strong. Also, the PS3 saw the strongest year-over-year sales increase in October.
Nintendo was again the market leader, even though Microsoft cut prices on its Xbox 360 line in September, making its low-end model the least-expensive console on the market.
More at The Seattle Times.
(Can you blame them for that seemingly pro-MS plug …)
Tags: microsoft, nintendo, npd group, playstation 2, playstation 3, sony, video game console, wii, xbox 360
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Wii Remote Goes Big
Tired of just moving the Wii control around when what you really need is something that really replicates the shooter or gaming action you need?
Well, the Rumble Blaster magically transforms your entire Wii controller into a gun system - and adds realistic rumble action to boot!
It’s compatible with most Wii shooting games, such as Ghost Squad and Target.
Availability: In stores this month.
Tags: dreamgear, ghost squad, nintendo, rumble blaster, target, wii
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Roku Streaming HD from Roku — Before Year End
Roku representatives have responded to rumors on its online forum board regarding when it will launch streaming HD services and announced, earlier than they’d like, that it will team up with Netflix to bring HD content to its subscribers.
Compared to the recently announced Xbox and Netflix tie-up that will also see streaming HD content to the Xbox, Roku will use different Advanced Profile encoding to deliver the HD content at significantly lower bit-rates.
In related news, CNet reports that Netflix has decided to stop selling used DVDs to its customer base, instead deciding to focus its attention on its rental by mail and Watch Instantly services.
“As you know, our core business is delivering great movie rentals to you on DVD by mail and instantly to the computer and TV, so we’ve decided it makes sense for us to focus exclusively on that,” the company stated in a Netflix blog post.
More on the streaming from Electronista (and thanks for the photo).
Tags: CNet, netflix, roku, streaming HD, xbox
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Fab Four Heading to Rock Band; Can iTunes Be Far Behind?
In an auspicious time for the music business, we may have the first big hint that the Beatles may finally be on the way to Apple’s iTunes.
That’s a big leap of faith but hear me out: The Beatles’ label Apple Corps will join MTV to unveil plans to bring the Beatles’ catalog to the wildly popular Rock Band video game. These two groups have been trying to hammer out details for months, and it appears they’ve finally come together (yes, pun intended.)
The reason this is so much bigger than merely MTV scoring the world’s most valuable music catalogue is that it signals a monumental shift by Apple Corps to begin to embrace digital distribution. And that could mean a new opening for more discussions with Apple and its iTunes music service — where the Beatles are still so conspicuously absent.
(And its is the world’s most popular music store.)
Maybe AC/DC and Aersomith taught them something???
More at CNBC.com.
Tags: ac/dc, aerosmith, apple, apple corps, beatles, itunes, mtv, rock band
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Nintendo Gets New DSi Ready
Nintendo is reportedly likely to launch a new model of its top-selling handheld player, the DS, in overseas markets by next summer.
Nintendo will start selling the DSi, which can take pictures, play music and is slimmer than the current model, in Japan tomorrow for 18,900 yen ($192) in a move to revive slowing domestic sales ahead of the critical holiday season.
Nintendo previously said it planned an overseas DSi launch in 2009.
DS sales in the April-September fiscal first half grew 3% from a year earlier to 13.73 million units worldwide, beating Sony’s PlayStation Portable by a 2-to-1 margin.
The DS and Wii console, which has outstripped both Sony’s PlayStation 3 and Microsoft’s Xbox 360 in global sales, have been Nintendo’s twin growth engines in recent years.
Nintendo said it has shipped 200,000 units of the DSi for sales this weekend and plans to ship an additional 100,000 units starting November 4.
Get more at Reuters.
Tags: ds, dsi, microsoft, nintendo, playstation, sony, xbox 360
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MatchMaster: Beckham’s Electronic Soccer Game
Well, you may never bend it like David Beckham, but his little MatchMaster electronic soccer game let’s you practice, train and eat properly to get you well on your virtual way.
Sort of like an updated and totally sports-obsessed Tamagotchi, it’s an interactive handheld game (even down to very small hands) that let’s you live the life of a soccer star — and no, it’s not all glamour and glory!
MatchMaster will test your ability to develop your gadget’s expertise by managing its daily schedule. Each player can test their gadget’s ability by playing matches against other MatchMasters.
Each MatchMaster will have its own life table. Each life table has six
lifelines and will need to be developed and maintained on a daily basis.
If you look after your lifelines correctly, the MatchMaster will develop into a stronger gadget.
Tags: david beckham, handheld games, matchmaster, tamagotchi
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Sears Wants Your Old Gadgets
Sears is offering VenJuvo’s Trade4Credit program to Sears.com shoppers that will allow you to earn Sears store credit in exchange for trading in pre-owned gadgets that have been determined to still hold value.
The program, which offers free recycling and shipping, will accept a variety of gadgets, including iPhones, digital cameras and camcorders, MP3 players, GPS systems and gaming systems.
To use the service, simply have to log onto www.sears.trade4credit.com, select your gadget and then enter the specifics about it so the system can calculate an estimated trade-in value. Once the value is established, the user can print out the prepaid mailing label and send the device to VenJuvo.
After the device is received, VenJuvo will validate the value and within three days you will be able to collect a Sears gift card for that value.
A quick look at the site tells me the product categories are narrow and the prices low. Now, wouldn’t eBay be a better choice in some cases?
More at TWICE.
Tags: ebay, recycling, sears, trade4credit, twice, venjuvo
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Best Buy Blows Guitar Hero WT Launch
Too bad, but Best Buy really blew it with the launch of Guitar Hero World Tour.
We were very excited to be notified that we could pre-order the little ditty a few weeks ago, but were not happy that we were not given the option to pick it up in the store.
Instead, we shelled out some more money so they could send it to us directly. And not a bad idea to save a trip to the store with the price of gas …
Anyway, was in the neighborhood of Best Buy yesterday so decided to pick up The Shining DVD — one of my all time best movies — and still scary after all these years.
So what do I see when I’m checking out? Boxes and boxes of Guitar Hero World Tour. Not happy that I’ve preordered this when I could have just walked in and bought it, I got really unhappy when the Best Buy email arrived today to say that shipping of my preordered one would be delayed one to two weeks, but I could call about store pickup instead. 
So I called? And guess what, it’s sold out in all of my local stores — what a surprise! And of course there is nothing they can do about it.
Talk about stupid!
So now I’m waiting longer and I’ve gone from a happy customer to an unhappy customer to a fumin’ mad customer …
(Thanks to Gamingmmo.com for the image.)
Tags: best buy, gamingmmo, guitar hero world tour, the shining
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Is Halo the New RuneScape?
It wasn’t all that long ago that the gaming world was crazy, crazy, crazy about RuneScape, with thousands of players simultaneously online and with all kinds of personal things that needed attention.
When I last looked, 146,523 players were online playing RuneScape — that’s the size of a large city in most states!
Doesn’t sound much different than what’s happening with Halo, don’t you think?
Online game playing, virtual teams shooting up virtual worlds and all kinds of personal things that need attention — now Halo is what I’m talking about.
How many out there have moved from Run