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Videos: 2008 Presidential Debates
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Domestic Policy, Elections, Foreign Relations, Taxes, Videos,
Thanks to the wonders of the Internets, even those who weren’t able to catch the debates when they aired live (as well as those who don’t own TiVos) can still catch up on what exactly was said, without having to listen to the opinions of pundits and those in the media who may try to spin things.
We’ve got both of the dates that have happened thus far here for you. Above, the Vice Presidential debate between Joe Biden and Sarah Palin, originally from October 2. After the break we’ve got the first Presidential debate between Barack Obama and John McCain. That one took place on September 26 from the University of Mississippi in Oxford.
Click to continue reading Videos: 2008 Presidential Debates
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iTunes 8.01 released, addresses App Store updates, HD TV downloads, Genius
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Music, Software,
We thought we were the only ones with issues with some of these smaller iTunes 8 issues, but obviously enough people were complaining that Apple has pushed out a new version, iTunes 8.0.1, to address these things. We are happy that Genius is getting fixed, along with App Store update checking. Here’s the full list:
- Seamlessly plays the current song when creating a new Genius playlist.
- Improves syncing spoken menus to iPod nano.
- Addresses an issue of deleting HD TV episodes when downloading.
- Improves checking for updates from the App Store
- Improves accessibility with VoiceOver.
- Addresses problems syncing Genius results to iPod.
Let us know how it goes for you.
Read More 
| iTunes
Video: Diddy is scared of Sarah Palin
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Elections, Humor, Videos,
In the latest edition of his Diddy Vlog (this would apparently be #24, if we want to be exact), hip hop mogul Diddy seems to have resorted to lunacy in his attempts to get his fans to get out there to register and vote this November. As you’ll see in the video, Diddy is scared. The culprit? Sarah Palin. Hey, I’m as scared of her as the next guy, but at the very least, I can articulate why I’m scared. It would have been nice if Diddy would have went that extra mile to actually put a message out there.
In the video, he does show that clip of Sarah Palin talking with Katie Couric about which magazines and newspapers she reads to keep up with everything going on - you know, the one where Sarah couldn’t name one single source? But still, that isn’t enough. At least at the end he throws out the call to action. Get out there and vote, peeps.
Netflix Watch Instantly steaming coming to Macs by end of year
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Home Entertainment, Movies, PC / Laptop,
One of the main reasons we switch from Blockbuster Online to Netflix here at our home is the Netflix Watch Instantly functionality that is set to come to the Xbox 360 with the New Xbox Experience Fall dashboard update. However, if you don’t have a 360, or you just want more variety in your Watch Instantly lifestyle, you’ll be pleased to know that the functionality is finally gonna hit OS X by the end of this year, after being available only on Windows for almost two years. By our estimation, that means sometime in the next three months, and that excites us. Apparently, the holdup was based the fact that the DRM used on Windows boxes wasn’t compatible with OS X, and since Apple doesn’t license out their FairPlay DRM to third-parties, Netflix had to roll their own. From Netflix:
And, for all of you Mac users (of which I am one) we’ve been busy working getting a solution that will allow you to watch instantly on your Mac. So hang in there - we’ll have something for you by the end of the year.
Good news all around.
Read More | Netflix Blog
Nintendo DSi announced, larger screens, dual cameras, DSi Shop store
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Corporate News, Downloadable Content, Nintendo, Nintendo DS, Portable/Mobile,
Last week we talked about rumors of a new Nintendo DS, and this morning, those rumors proved to be true. Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata announced the Nintendo DSi at the company’s Fall presentation over in Japan, calling it a “third platform” for the company (where have we heard that before?). It looks fairly similar the the current DS Lite that we all know and love, but there are a few changes that make this one a worthy upgrade. First, it’s about 12% thinner, as it has given up its GBA slot. The screens are a bit larger, each being 3.25-inches in size. One of the bigger changes, though, is that the DSi features two cameras. You have one 3 megapixel camera on the outside of the unit, as well a front-facing camera on the inside so that you can take images of yourself.
The Nintendo DSi also has an SD card slot along with internal storage. You can save your photos right to the card, then put that card in your Wii to pull it up in the Photo Channel. Nintendo is even launching the DSi Shop, an online destination for purchasing DSi software, similar to the Wii Shop. You use Nintendo Points, and content will be priced at 200, 500, or 800 points. 1000 points will be included with the purchase of the DSi. The unit will come in either white or black for the time being, and goes on sale in Japan on November 1 at ¥18,900 ($178).
Nintendo DSi product page
Bleeding Edge TV 292: Wii Sports Resort preview
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: High Score, Short Bytes, Accessories, Features, Home Entertainment, Podcasts, Video Games, Videocasts, Videos,
Wii Sports is one of the most popular and accessible console pack-in games of all time, so it’s only natural that Nintendo would want to follow up with a paid offering. That’s where Wii Sports Resort comes in. The sequel to Wii Sports will be the first game to be compatible with the Wii MotionPlus add-on, which feature 1:1 mapping of your Wiimote. The game will come bundled with the MotionPlus device and an extended Wii Remote Jacket, both of which will also be sold separately. Games announced to be included (so far) are: Frisbee (Disc Dog), Jet Skiing, and Kendo, with more to come. Wii Sports Resort will launch in Spring 2009.
iPhone 2.2 beta seeded to developers
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Handhelds, Software,
Right on the heels of the iPhone 2.1 release that seems to cure just about all our iPhone-related woes (although, honestly, some are still there,) Apple has just released iPhone 2.2 into beta, and seeded it to their iPhone devs. Officially, we are talking about iPhone OS 2.2 beta 1, and as such, we have no timetable or anything as to when this will actually hit the masses. But still, it’s nice to know that it’s coming, right? What would you like to see addressed in iPhone 2.2?
A look at Google Mobile on T-Mobile G1
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Smartphones, Design, Google, Handhelds, Videos,
If you are curious about how Google services will work on the Android platform, Eric from Google is here to give us a look. Google products like search, maps, YouTube, Gmail, contacts, calendar, and Google Talk are all included in the Android operating system used by the T-Mobile G1. Basically, you sign in to your Google account once, and all your information syncs to the web. Any changes made on the web sync back to your phone. It’s like a free version of MobileMe - yeah, I said it. Check out the video above for a walkthrough of Google features on the G1.
The App Store is a gamble for developers
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Editorial, Features, Handhelds, Software,
Earlier today, I received word that a second iPhone App had been denied access into the App Store, with Apple citing that the application duplicates existing functionality already found in the Apple ecosystem. This is beginning to become a problem, and if you aren’t seeing why, allow me to explain why this is so alarming to me. In case you hadn’t heard, a couple of weeks ago, an app called Podcaster was rejected by Apple for similar reason. The line of thinking there was that Podcaster, an app that would allow you to subscribe to and download podcasts while on the go, duplicated functionality already found in iTunes.
Now, if you’ve never used an iPhone, allow me to point out the absurdity. There is nothing on the iPhone or iPod touch that allows you to subscribe to, or even download, a podcast to your device. Sure, you can open the file in Safari, but that is not what we are talking about. That’s right, even if you enter the iTunes app, you will find right away that podcasts just aren’t there. So we have to then assume that Apple was referring to the iTunes desktop software when they said that Podcaster duplicated functionality. Really? Is that a major issue that a company decided to fix a gaping hole on the iPhone, even if that hole doesn’t exist on the desktop? Why, then, are there so many calculators in the App Store? After all, not only do we have a calculator as part of OS X, but there is a calculator that ships installed by default on the iPhone as well. It seems we have a double-standard here.
Click to continue reading The App Store is a gamble for developers
Bleeding Edge TV 291: Animal Crossing: City Folk preview
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: High Score, Short Bytes, Accessories, Features, Home Entertainment, Podcasts, Video Games, Videocasts, Videos,
Animal Crossing is on of the main Nintendo franchises that many a gamer has been waiting to see hit Wii since the console launched. We were able to catch up with Janet Braulio of Nintendo to get a look at some of the gameplay features, WiiSpeak integration, as well as what we can expect with the game drops this November. This is definitely one we are looking forward to getting our hands on.
Asfar as what sets this apart from other Animal Crossing experences you may have had in the past, Katsuya Eguchi, leader of Animal Crossing’s production development, stated, “someone could send a letter from their cellphone or from an email address on a PC to the Wii, and then the player living in the town in Animal Crossing could receive that letter.” In another interview with IGN, Katsuya Eguchi also discussed how his team continues exploring potential ways to take advantage of the WiiConnect24 feature such as allowing friends to visit other towns or leave messages while the machine is in standby mode.
You can pick up Animal Crossing: City Folk in the US on November 16.
