We are LIVE on Ustream.  This week we talk Spotify, finally in the US, Batman vs. Cptn. Kirk in the ultimate cage match, and YES, it is officially confirmed, the Gods want more cowbell.

Intro Natali
Intro Ben

Items of Interest

Just cuz it’s still making me giggle –

• Finally a Good Use For 3D Printers (btm)
• Millenium Falcon Bass Guitar (udg)
• INSANELY AWESOME FInal Fantasy Stop Motion (udg)

• Kid Finds a Piece of History and Gets to View History Up Close (btm)
  • After a 2006 Hurricane struck the North Carolina coast a Durham teen, Kevin Schanze found a piece of metal on the beach from the first stage of Apollo 16.
  • NASA confirmed it was authentic
  • The sheet of metal made a 30 year journey from the Florida coast to an inlet of the Outer Banks and floated into the Pamlico Sound.
  • NASA showed there gratitude by inviting him to see final Shuttle launch last week.
  • He was taken on an all-access tour of the Kennedy Space Center including the top of the Atlantis launch pad and the Atlantis cockpit.

• Turn your IPad into a Trek Pad… (SM)

Gold Sponsors:

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• Today in Geek History and Today in Movie History are for you
• Both have been out on the Android Marketplace for awhile now
• After a long vetting period, Today in Movie History is now available on iTunes!!!
• Go check out both apps, TIGH  and TIMH, now available on both Android and iPhone
• Now As Seen on Wired.com!!

Natali’s Etsy!!!

• Need your noms????
• @UberDorkGirlie’s etsy is the way to go
• Whether it’s Woookie Cookies, Happy Pandas, or Unicorn Treats, every sweet tooth needs to try them out
• Need a present and don’t want to bake? then Natali’s Etsy store is the way to go

Deals of the Week / New Release

• Mtv Geek’s Guide to Manga on the Cheap (udg)
  • Even full price, most people consider manga a pretty good bang for your buck. But, it can be a really pricey habit- especially if you start a long-running series like One Piece.  But, thanks to the folks over at MTV Geeks,  here are their suggestions for 6 ways to get your manga fix for half price or less…
    • Your local library. Yup! Try the YA section as that’s where it’s usually shelved. Popular ones are usually checked out so don’t limit yourself just to your local branch. Most libraries have a swap system of some sort.  If you are looking for a specific volume, try plugging it into WorldCat, which is a mega-library catalog that will locate the copy closest to you.
    • Online swap clubs:  The most popular one seems to be Paperback Swap. It’s pretty easy to use: You upload a list of books you are willing to part with (it’s all done by ISBN so the information goes in automatically) and send out the books to people who request them. That means you pay the postage (usually less than $2.50 for a single volume), but in return, you get a credit to request a book from someone else. Paperback Swap is a general-book site, but you can set your defaults so the newest manga and graphic novel offerings are always displayed on the home page. The selection leans toward older series, but a number of book reviewers use the site, so newer volumes pop up as well, and you can ask to be notified if a particular book becomes available.
    • Freecycle: I belong to my local freecycle and never cease to be amazed by the range of items offered and found through here! Visit their site, find your local group then post a message saying you’re looking for manga and you may connect with someone who is cleaning out their collection.
    • Used book sales: It’s rummage sale time people! Get on out there. Also keep an eye out for libraries cleaning house.
    • Online shopping: Amazon and Barnes & Noble also offer used manga at astonishingly low prices, but watch out for shipping costs. You can find a lot priced at one cent on Amazon, but keep in mind that shipping is $3.99, so you’re actually paying four bucks out of pocket. Given that you can ship a volume of manga for less than $2.50 via media mail, Paperback Swap is a better deal. Ebay is a good bet if you’re looking for multiple volumes of a series, as shipping a number of items isn’t much more expensive than shipping one (and many sellers just charge the mailing cost, not an inflated shipping cost).
    • Digital: Digital manga can be a good way to go if you have a device to read it on, and if you watch out for special promotions. If you have an iPad, iPod Touch, or iPhone, check out the Viz app, which offers single volumes for $4.99, and stay tuned to the manga blogs, because they have a lot of sales.

• So there you go, six different ways to get your manga fix without resorting to piracy or robbing a bank. And don’t forget that most of these channels are good ways to pass on the volumes you are done with as well—recoup a bit of the cost by selling them online, trade up via Paperback Swap, or just get a bit of good karma by donating them to your local library.

• Google Releases own eBook Reader (SM)
  • Iriver – Fully integrated with the google book store
  • eInk display by LG that XGA resolution
  • Faster page turns due to beefier processor
  • full querty keyboard
  • Built in Wi-Fi, 6 weeks battery life
  • chromed buttons on the bottom for nav
  • $139.99 (Target and Target.com)
  • Too little to late?

• Capcom Lists Res Evil 15th Anniversary Collection (udg)
  • Capcom has listed for preorder on its Japanese e-shop a Resident Evil 15th Anniversary box, including the first four games in the survival horror franchise plus Code: Veronica, soundtrack CDs, and extra trinkets.
  • The full listing is as follows:

• Resident Evil Directors Cut
• Resident Evil 2
• Resident Evil 3 Last Escape
• Resident Evil Revival Selection [contains Resident Evil 4 and Code: Veronica]
• Resident Evil Code: Veronica soundtrack
• Resident Evil 4 soundtrack
• A number of Pins & Stickers
  • The first three games are the original PlayStation versions, which run on the old hardware, but the image above shows that the discs’ appearances have been redesigned for the bundle. The early games appear to have received some updated packaging as well.
  • Revival Selection for the PS3 contains HD versions of Code: Veronica and RE4, but it’s up to the player to complete the series collection with their own copy of Resident Evil 5. Thankfully Capcom has left a spacer in the box for you to do this.
  • The package will go on sale exclusively on Capcom’s e-Capcom online store (Japanese link) on September 8th for a price of 7,800 yen ($96 at current exchange rates, but the exchange rate is extraordinarily high lately).
  • There’s no word yet on an American release, but since there’s an equivalent online store for the US market (the Capcom Store) known for selling cool and rare stuff, it’s very possible that this one will cross the pond.

• Video New Releases (SM)
  • Rango – a lizard in the Wild West (first full animated film from ILM)
  • Robot Chicken – Star Wars III
  • Battle Beyond the Stars – If you crave total cheese, cell matted laser bolts, epicly cleavaged ships, and blatant rip-offs of Star Wars and Seven Samurai, this is the show for you
  • Damnation Alley – Get your Post Apocalyptic fix here…  w/ Burt Reynolds

Entertainment Geekly (new feature)

• Do Gods Love Cowbell?? (udg)
  • Gods Behaving Badly is a Fables/Fruits Basket sort of story with just a dash of American Gods‘ theme of washed up deities: The ancient Greek gods are alive and managing in a New York city brownstone, much to the surprise of their neighbors.
  • But then the actual casting is the aweseome!
  • The gods are: Aphrodite — Sharon Stone, Apollo — Oliver Platt, Artemis — Edie Falco, Demeter — Phylicia Rashad, Dionysus — Nelsan Ellis, Eros — Gideon Glick, Hades — John Turturro, Hermes — Henry Zebrowski, Persephone — Rosie Perez and Zeus — Christopher Walken.
  • Christopher Walken as the patriarch of an incestuous, petty brood played by some of the best character actors in the business? That’s worth paying attention to. And who knows- maybe there’ll be some cowbell.

• Boba Fett Movie? Possible? (btm)
  • In a recent interview ‘Captain America’ Director, Joe Johnston was asked if his former boss and mentor, George Lucas, had already seen the movie.
  • His surprising response was:
    • “You know if he wants to see it, I would show it to him. I’m trying to get George to make a feature based on Boba Fett.”
  • Says he would like to direct the Boba Fett movie and thinks it would be a lot of fun
  • Began his career as a storyboard artist for George Lucas and created designs for some of fandom’s favorite characters and vehicles including, Yoda, the Ewoks, The Millennium Falcon, the X-Wing and Y-Wing fighters, Imperial Snow Walkers, Imperial Star Destroyers and of course, Boba Fett.
  • One wonders if Lucas ever decided to hand over the reigns of the franchise to someone else why wouldn’t it be to one of the original trilogies original creators?

• Space Invaders Coming to a Theater Near You? (udg)
  • Space Invaders, the classic ’80s videogame, may be coming to a theater near you.
  • Producers Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Gigi Pritzker have optioned the rights to develop the project, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The two are looking for a writer.
  • For the uninitiated, Space Invaders was introduced in 1978 and became a pop culture phenomenon during the next decade when it was made available for the Atari 2600. The title is the top arcade game of all time, according to the Guinness World Records.
  • Given that brand equity and the track record for other films based on ’80s properties, like Transformers, the idea of a Space Invaders movie has been around for a while. Last March, the L.A. Times reported that Warner Bros. was negotiating with Space Invaders owner Taito about a movie.
  • Additionally, di Bonaventura has brought toy properties to the big screen. He is one of the producers of the Transformers films as well as G.I. Joe: The Rise of the Cobra.
  • Meanwhile, a slew of movies based on videogames are in various stages of production. That list includes an Asteroids movie, a Missile Command flick and one based on Angry Birds. In the case of Space Invaders, though, the cult TV show Futurama seems to have beaten di Bonaventura and Pritzker to the punch with an episode based on the game.

• Wanna Be In The Dark Knight Rises? (udg)
  • The movie is looking for fans to fill a stadium in the Pittsburgh area on Saturday, August 6,” which would seem to indicate Heinz Field as the location.
  • The stadium scene calls for energetic football fans to cheer the Gotham Rogues in a game against the Rapid City Monuments. There will be door prizes, gift cards and autographed items. Go to beinamovie.com for full details.

• Speaking of the Dark Knight, WB has released a teaser trailer (btm)
  • Premiered with the Harry Potter movie
  • Now on Facebook page.
  • Mostly clips from the previous two movies but there’s some added footage from the new movie showing Batman preparing to do battle with Bane.

• Batman: Year One Coming to Video (btm)
  • Based on one of my all time favorite comic story arcs written by Frank Miller and illustrated by David Mazzucchelli in 1987
  • Clips indicate they’ve stayed very true to the original source material
  • Story recounts the beginning of Bruce Wayne’s career as Batman and James Gordons’s in the Gotham Police Department.

Geek Speak

• Twitter Turns 5 (SM)
  • Happy B-day, you text streaming social service
  • How has this little service affected the world
  • Iran Voting Conflict, Japan earthquake, major sporting events, etc.
  • Lets talk about our experiences
  • Outline some of the challenges for this free social cloud

Tech, Gaming, and Geek News

• Spotify in the U.S. (SM)
  • music streaming service that has free and premium subscriptions
  • VERY popular over in the UK and Europe
  • Just barely opened for business in the US
  • How is it different than Internet Radio? You can actually stream selected tracks
  • Most devices supported with players
  • Premium services start around $4.99
  • Is it worth it?? .mp3 (you own) vs. Streaming (you get to listen but don’t own)

• Secret Service onto the Apple Store Spy Cam Artist (btm)
  • 25 year old Brooklyn artist Kyle McDonald installed software on computers in a NYC Apple Store
  • Software would take pictures every minute and capture the faces of Apple Store shoppers as they stared at the monitors of MacBooks.
  • Software would then send the images back to the artist where he was working on using them as part of a project.
  • Woke up to four Secret Service agents who took his two computers, his iPod and two flash drives.
  • Not sure what or if he will be charged with.

• Dear Anon- Pick a Direction and Stick With It. (udg)
  • Hacker group Anonymous has been booted off of Google+. However, the hacker collective is responding by creating its own social network called AnonPlus that won’t put up with “being shut down, censored or oppressed.” Google apparently kicked “Your Anon News” off of the social network because it apparently violated Google’s Community Standards. Google also pulled their Gmail account.
  • So, if  you can’t join em, beat em. As of right now, the only thing you’ll find at AnonPlus.com is a splash page, and there’s not a whole lot of information there. You can’t register, or even click any links for that matter. The only clickable link on the page is to the dev forum at the bottom of the page. The site is in “Revision: 0.5 Alpha” at the moment.
  • AnonPlus’s message on the front page says the site is to be a “new social network where there is no fear…of censorship…of blackout…nor of holding back.” The site is for everyone, and not just for members of Anonymous. Anonymous says the site will go up soon, but it can’t happen overnight.
  • The hacktivist group said in a post on a subsidiary site that activists being banned from sites like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube is the result of “walk(ing) to a different beat of the drum.” The hacker group said on AnonPlus that “the sheep era is over. The interwebz are no longer your prison.”
  • Anonymous isn’t the only one who was kicked off of Google+. William Shatner was also banned after Google believed his profiled to be a fake. Perhaps Shatner will join AnonPlus?
  • Then you’ve got the was supposedly disbanned now back part of Anon Lulzsec out hacking The Sun and redirecting it to a fake Murdock death story.
  • Last week Anon took credit for leaking 90,000 U.S. military email addresses stolen from servers owned by Booz Allen Hamilton. (Which honestly made me PISSED)
  • They need to stop chuggin the dew and snorting the pixie stix and pick a direction. I suggest one that continues to follow the Hacker’s Manifesto. Keep straying from that and you’re going to end up being made an example of.

• Your Next Job May Depend on Your Facebook History (btm)
  • It’s often said what you post online can never truly be deleted.
  • Several new companies are apparently trying to help that be true
  • Recently the FTC gave the company Social Intelligence the go ahead to run background checks on your Internet and Social Media history.
  • While the company doesn’t store 7 years of your history, it looks at 7 years of your online life and makes this available for potential employers
  • Looks for aggressive or violent tendencies or illegal activity, discriminatory activity, and sexually explicit activity.
  • While it redacts any identifiable images of the subject and ignores benign tomfoolery it’s still kinda creepy considering how much information many of us put online and forget about.

• Google’s + Button Already More Widespread Than Twitter’s (udg)

• • They’ve only been out for around a month and Google’s +1 buttons are more common on major web sites than the tweet button.
  • BrightEdge, an enterprise SEO platform provider, analyzed the 10,000 largest sites on the web and found a 33% surge in placement for Google’s +1 button during the past few weeks. The company found that +1 buttons are now on 4.4% of those sites, up from 3.6% in June. Meanwhile, Twitter’s plug-ins are displayed on 3.4% of the sites.
  • Both Google and Twitter trail far behind Facebook though, whose  “Like” button, is on about 20% of the sites’ front pages.
  • Plus runs out of disk space (SM)
    • Their notification system went on the fritz and was spamming ppl
    • Ran out of disk space for 80 mins
  • Already the Contact Export Wars Begin (SM)
    • Facebook has already swung the ban hammer on a company
    • They were exporting first and last names from FB and matching them to contacts on your local machine and on linkedin
    • You then had a free-and-clear contact list
    • Wasn’t much different than you going “Account->Account Settings->Download Your Information” to get a friends.html

• Amazon to rent textbooks (SM)
  • 30 day rentals with 1 day extensions
  • Ability to store annotations in the amazon cloud past rental period
  • Not all roses though
  • Cognitive process “where the information is” broken
  • Some of the illustrations are illegible (who looks at those anyways)
  • No chump change by selling books mommy and daddy paid for
  • John Wiley & Sons, Elsevier, Taylor & Francis and Oxford University Press.
    • Half Price Books is now selling Textbooks (actual paper ones) online now too.

• Netflix Raising Prices by 60% (btm)
  • Starting September 1st Netflix will no longer offer a $9.99 package of DVD-by-mail and unlimited streaming
  • 23 million subscribers will now pay $15.98/month or $7.99 for just one of the two
  • Netflix feels their streaming content is now robust enough that many people don’t want both options.
  • “Given the long life we thing DVDs by mail will have, treating DVDs as a $2.00 add-on to our unlimited streaming plan neither makes great financial sense nor satisfies people who just want DVDs,” said Netflix in its press release.

• Facebook Introduces Vending Machines for Computer Accessories(udg)
  • How many times have you been there? At work, some part of your computer goes kaput? Maybe the mouse is fried, power cable goes bad, you name it. Well, getting a replacement is usually a pain in the tush. I’ve had to write a request, submit to department head who then submitted to IT who then checked stock, and then.. you get the point.
  • Well it seems FB had cut out all the middle people and I can’t honestly think of any easier way than what they’ve done-  After some initial tests with a swipe card system and a cabinet, the social network went ahead and had some custom vending machines made. Each contain all the common accessories that regularly need replacing.
  • All a FB employee has to do to get a replacement is swipe their ID card and ket in the accessory they need. The employee gets quick access to the accessory and can continue working. Facebook gets a record of which employee took what device, and alerts can be put in place when a machine needs restocking. There’s also going to be the option to pull up a summary of employees and the number of accessories they get through in any given time period.
  • According to Tim Campos, CIO at Facebook, the vending machines have cut the cost of replacing such devices by 25%. There’s also going to be another cost saving in both time and money gained from each Facebook employee not having to wait for a replacement device.

• Google+ App finally released for iOS (btm)
  • While the Android app has been available from day one the iOS app took a little longer to get through the Apple approval system.
  • The much anticipated iOS app was released today providing many mobile features to iPhone users.
  • Several iOS users were a little upset that it doesn’t support iPad or iPod Touch devices.

• Family Time Now With Zombies (udg)
  • In The Walking Dead Board game, only the strong survive. The weak turn into walkers, and then turn against their former friends! Fight your way through zombie-infested Atlanta with your fellow survivors. Grab some weapons to clear a path. Visit destinations like the department store, old folk’s home, and the CDC. Find the tools you’ll need to live another day. Take on the role of Rick, Andrea, or one of the other hapless survivors and scrounge for sweet weapons like a Shotgun or Crossbow. Keep your eyes open for new allies, but watch your back! When supplies start running low, it’s every man for himself. If you can make it back to camp with enough gear to defend yourself and those you still care for, you win!
  • Should you fall to the hungry horde of walkers, the game doesn’t end. When a player dies and becomes a walker, they leave the world of the living behind and seek out the remaining survivors. Spring surprise attacks on the living, cause the walkers to frenzy, or contaminate the survivor’s supplies. Put the bite on your former friends and they’ll join you in your pursuit of the living.
  • The fate of the human race is in your hands, either as a survivor or a walker. Join us this September 2011 with Cryptozoic Entertainment’s The Walking Dead Board Game.

Intarweb Goldmine

• No Equal Rights for Monkeys (udg)
  • It was a wedding that thousands waited eagerly for since the engagement was announced. Invitations were sent, the details were meticulously labored over, and finally, to the almost-hysteric joy of the crowds, the big day arrived.
  • In the small village of Talwas, Rajasthan, Raju, a well-known cigarette smoking monkey, and his bride Chinki were married.
  • Raju had become a local celebrity after Ramesh Saini, a rickshaw driver, adopted him three years ago when he found the monkey unconscious.
  • He’s been a surrogate son to the childless Ramesh ever since.
  • “I want to enjoy the feelings of a son’s marriage through Raju’s wedding.” Ramesh told the publication. “We will welcome the bride in our house … after the wedding with all rituals.” Raju’s bethrothed Chinki lived with a priest in a nearby village.
  • More than 2,000 guests were expected to attend the pre-wedding feast and to watch Raju ride atop a horse in a procession, Stuff reported. The wedding was planned in accordance with traditional Hindi customs, including sacred fires and fragrant incense.
  • Monkeys are revered by many Hindus, because the deity Hanuman appeared in primate form.
  • But the carefully made preparations were thrown into havoc by government officials who cracked down on the animal nuptials, because monkeys are technically government property. So marrying a monkey, even to another monkey, is illegal
  • Two hundred guards from the forest department flooded Talwas on the wedding day after warning that all guests would be arrested. Hundreds of attendees showed up despite the threats, but Raju, Chinki and their owners had fled.
  • In a final twist, the owners announced that the monkeys married in a secret ceremony deep in the woods. Forest rangers captured the newlyweds, but Ramesh told Stuff that he is confident they will return.
  • “I know my son Raju, with his wife Chinki, will come back home,” Ramesh said. “I will have a big reception for them.”

• JellyFish shut down Nuclear reactor (SM)
  • Japanese reactor has to shut down.. for earthquake? for natural disaster? nope, for JELLY FISH
  • Thats right, the lil buggers swarmed around the coolant intake, gumming it up and forcing them to shut down a thermonuclear device
  • Who says Mother Nature 2 – humans 0
  • There is an upside to this… Free sushi for the whole country for at least 2 months, well nuked
  • This actually happens a lot, A couple other plants have shut down because of this same phenomena

• Who says Chihuahua can’t be guard dogs? (udg)
  • Don’t mess with the little guy with the big bark at the Ace Smoke Shop in Altadena, Calif.
  • The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s office released some amazing surveillance video on Monday, showing what happened when armed robbers stormed into the shop on July 7.
  • They left with some money, but less than “they could’ve gotten,”as the Los Angeles Times reports, because of the owner’s Chihuahua. His “ferocious barking” and lunges at the bad guy’s legs look to have convinced the robbers to clear out quickly. No one was hurt.
  • According to LA Weekly’s The Informer blog, the real tough guy in this tale is named Paco and he weighs about 15 pounds.
  • The robbers are still at large.

• Jet Pack Fail (SM)
  • Fox 5 thought it would be awesome if they had a guy fly via jetpack on the start of their show..
  • So the show starts and the guy jumps to fly… and falls flat in the water
  • What do the anchors do??? roll on the floor in disbelief
  • Guy recovers and flies out of the water

• I don’t know what’s better, this story or the guy’s name (udg)
  • It’s tough finding even an odd job these days.
  • That’s why Utah-area resident Mork Encino, who swears this is his real name, created the oddest job for himself.
  • Encino, 28, on his website, advertises he’ll be human prey for marksmen with $10,000 to spare. It’ll cost you an extra $2k to hunt him in the nude.
  • He says he’s “generally unskilled” and hasn’t had a job in years. In the past, he’s worked in construction, landscaping and cleaned out storage sheds.
  • His greatest skill may be self-promotion: He’s appeared on radio programs and been written up by quite a few websites.
  • Since hunting people is highly illegal, valid hunting offers have been few and far between.
  • “I’ve had a variety of offers, none of which I’ve been comfortable accepting. As I’ve said, this is not my dream job. There’s obviously no longterm in it. This is just something I’ve resorted to in order to make others aware of my situation. It’s a job application, man. And a damn good one if I may say so,” Encino said via email.

• Tune In and Tune Out, i-Dosing with your iPod (btm)
  • Get your bonfires ready America!
  • Kids are downloading MP3s and getting high!
  • According to an Oklahoma news channel reporting on a new trend called i-dosing
  • Kids are putting on their headphones and listening to music which consists of a droning noise and promises to get you high.
  • Local schools have already sent home letters to parents warning of the new threat.
  • Sites are selling guides to how to properly get high on the MP3s
  • How will society react to this new menace?
  • Will politicians be asked if they’ve ever i-Dosed?
  • “I i-dosed, but I had it on mute”?

• Captain Kirk gets booted off Google+ (btm)
  • Joining in the Google+ craze, actor William Shatner accepted an invitation and joined
  • Shortly after making his first post Google took down his account for “violating standards”
  • He had only made one post saying “Hello”
  • This could be related to Google+ trying to prevent fake accounts and pseudonym use.
  • Posted on his twitter account, “ “My Google+ account was flagged for violating standards. Saying hello to everyone apparently is against the rules maybe I should say goodbye?”
  • Shatner was returned to Google+ Monday with the following post, ““I am back plusers! I still do not know what happened but I will refrain from saying hello again for a while just in case. My best, Bill.”
  • Currently there seems to be no verification system for Google+ accounts, unlike Twitter with their check mark and “verified” accounts.
  • Google reps could not be contacted for comment.

Extra Links

• Best Google+ Tips & Tricks (udg)
• Google Declares Nuclear war on Malware
• QR Tattoo spawns animation (SM)

How To Reach Us on the IntarWebs

• On Twitter: Steven is @DarthMolen, Ben is @realityamuck , Natali is @UberDorkGirlie
• email us: darthmolen@thepowergeeks.com, uberdorkgirlie@thepowergeeks.com (yay!) and tovias@racomics.com
• And Become a Fan

Items of Interest

Gold Sponsors:

UberDorkCafe

• Will be THE place for Geeks to hang out
• What is UberDorkCafe? It is the brain child and DREAM of Natali, aka @UberDorkGirlie from twitter, and it blends art + science = geek
• Place to hang, eat, have awesome kid parties (if thats your thing), or to get your gaming on
• Etsy Store – a piece of UDC before there is even a physical cafe
• THE AUCTIONS ARE HERE!!
• Calendar News!!!! http://rockthelanstore.com/

• Today in Geek History
  • JebsApps (owned by our own Jeremy Puent) released their latest app, Today in Geek History
  • Gives you factoids based upon date, spanning all sorts of geekiness
  • For example, did you know on 12/15/1970  In a boon to canned meats everywhere, Monty Python airs the ‘Spam’ sketch on BBC One.
  • This app is available for Android in a Lite version for free or a paid version, all on the Marketplace
  • Check out the lite version, but the paid version for .99
  • Or check out their new app Movie History

• Child’s Play made over 2 million this year

Deals of the Week / New Release

Geek Speak

• CES Talk!!!!
  • Vizio jumps into the cell phone / Tablet Business
    • Also adds Google TV and Blu-Ray players to lineup
    • Onlive added to Vizio TV’s, Blu-Ray Players, Mobile devices
  • LG Unveils Smart TV and App Store
    • Gets in the Boxee, Google TV, Apple TV wheelhouse
    • Little smarter in providing an app store from the get-go
    • Why not get more from your TV without having a peripheral?
    • Accesses shared media too? sign me up
  • Tablets, Tablets, Tablets
    • Sharp, Panasonic (glorified remotes?), Vizio, all in the mix for tablets from TV makers
    • Honeycomb (adroid 3.0) (video demo)
      • List of compatible tablets forthcoming
      • Asus EEE MeMo,
    • Toshiba Tablet – (SM) mmmm, I think I want this over an IPad
    • Windows Devices:
      • Lenovo Slate ( Win 7 little thicker than 2 gen IPhone and 10” screen, comes with a digital pen and specialized UI to make the thing tablet friendly)
  • Ford Sync now Standard on Mustang
    • Allows you to control apps on your phone device (iphone, android, etc) by voice commands
    • Another app allows you to send directions from your phone to the car nav as well as realtime traffic reports (Sync Destinations)
  • NVIDIA (gpu’s) and ARM now coming to a PC…
    • ARM owns the mobile market, Intel owns PC market
    • Now the GPU maker is joining AMD in the PC market
    • Microsoft will support ARM in next version of OS
      • Targetting the smaller “System on a Chip” that most tablets, phones, and high end peripherals run
      • see the writing on the wall Ballmer?
  • Sandy Bridge from Intel
    • Means Bigger, Faster, Better Performant – CPU + GPU
    • Here’s what they don’t tell you: There’s DRM built down all the way ot the CPU Level
    • Hollywood is promising straight streaming to sandy chips because of the lockdown
  • Free eBooks from your library

• Weird CES Products:
  • IProp: Flexible IPad stand

Tech,Gaming, and Geek News

• Electronic Tattoo Display Runs on Blood (udg)

• • Jim Mielke’s wireless blood-fueled display is a true merging of technology and body art. At the recent Greener Gadgets Design Competition, the engineer demonstrated a subcutaneously implanted touch-screen that operates as a cell phone display, with the potential for 3G video calls that are visible just underneath the skin.
  • The basis of the 2×4-inch “Digital Tattoo Interface” is a Bluetooth device made of thin, flexible silicon and silicone. It´s inserted through a small incision as a tightly rolled tube, and then it unfurls beneath the skin to align between skin and muscle. Through the same incision, two small tubes on the device are attached to an artery and a vein to allow the blood to flow to a coin-sized blood fuel cell that converts glucose and oxygen to electricity. After blood flows in from the artery to the fuel cell, it flows out again through the vein.
  • On both the top and bottom surfaces of the display is a matching matrix of field-producing pixels. The top surface also enables touch-screen control through the skin. Instead of ink, the display uses tiny microscopic spheres, somewhat similar to tattoo ink. A field-sensitive material in the spheres changes their color from clear to black, aligned with the matrix fields.
  • The tattoo display communicates wirelessly to other Bluetooth devices – both in the outside world and within the same body. Although the device is always on (as long as your blood´s flowing), the display can be turned off and on by pushing a small dot on the skin. When the phone rings, for example, an individual turns the display on, and “the tattoo comes to life as a digital video of the caller,” Mielke explains. When the call ends, the tattoo disappears.
  • Could such an invasive device have harmful biological effects? Actually, the device could offer health benefits. That´s because it also continually monitors for many blood disorders, alerting the person of a health problem.
  • The tattoo display is still just a concept, with no word on plans for commercialization.

• Phone Chargers to be standardized in 2011 (SM)
  • Do you have a drawerful of phone chargers? How many sockets do you use in your house to keep your babies up?
  • It’s horrible, ppl have been screaming for years for some sort of standard
  • Most of the major phone hardware makers have finally standardized (14 of em)
  • This process was started way back in 2009, finally the spec is going to manufacturing
  • Based on the micro-USB connector, a lot are already using it
  • One notable??? IPhone doesn’t, but even Apple has signed on.
  • Downside? Probably won’t see it on an apple phone until sometime next year
  • Most other manufacturers will implement sooner

• Iomega Unveils the SuperHero- iPhone Charging & Back Up in One (udg)
  • The average user doesn’t keep a regular schedule of backing up their computers, so how about their smartphones? With as much as we now do and rely on our phones for, regular back ups save you a world of hurt should something happen to it.
  • Well Iomega has decided to make life easier for iPhone users as it announces it’s new product- the SuperHero. And it appears rightfully named. It’s a back up and charger in one. Kind of surprisingly simple- we run through our batteries constantly and need to charge, why not back up at the same time?
  • The SuperHero takes the form of a compact docking station your iPhone sits in to charge. Included in the package is a 4GB SD card that can be used to store your contacts and images from the phone’s internal storage. The SD card can be replaced with a larger card for additional storage if required.
  • Management of backups is handled through a free-to-download app called the SuperHero iPhone app. The app launches automatically when your iPhone is placed in the dock. The user is then given the option to perform a backup. If a backup already exists then only an incremental backup will be performed.
  • And I have to say the proposed $69.99 price tag seems well worth it!

• Bethesda “Demakes” Fallout 3 in Japanese (SM)
  • This is a growing trend, take a modern game and push it back to 8 bit
  • Portal Flash version, Left 4 8 Bit, FFVII in SUBOR Famicom, etc etc
  • Usually these are fan creations, a way to glorify old memories, 8 bit is easy on the graphics budget
  • Most follow a sort of Dragon quest-style graphics and gameplay
  • Now Bethesda made an official Fallout 3 demake and is using it to market the game to the Japanese (fallout: las vegas site)
  • Supposedly to teach them about “open-world sandboxes” (JRPG’s – not so open)

• Finally- a Viral Video Does Good! (udg)
  • Geekosystem renewed my faith in YouTube, viral videos and the general public this morning.  Yesterday they featured a video recently posted by the Columbus Dispatch. It was an interview with Ted Williams, a homeless man with a remarkable voice for radio.
  • After demonstrating his talent, Williams provides some back story:
    • “When I was 14 I kind of listened to one of our area radio announcers, and I went as a field trip to go meet the guy, and he looked nothing like what he sounded like. So I asked him about that, and he said to me, “listen, radio is defined — theater of mind.” And so when he said “theater of mind,” I just said, well, hey. I can’t be an actor, I can’t be an on-air personality, but the voice just became something of a development over the years and I went to school for it. And then alcohol and drugs and a few other things became a part of my life. I’ve got two years clean, and I’m trying hard to get it back. And hopefully somebody from one of these television  or radio stations will say, ‘hey, I need a voice-over,’ or ‘ I need something.”
  • After watching the video, I wanted to give him a job! Okay and a huggle. This morning, they made me want to huggle even more people. In an email update, Geekosystem announced that during a radio interview on local station WNCI today, Williams revealed that the Cleveland Cavaliers had offered him a full-time announcing job and a house.
  • In less than 24 hours a talented man trying to turn his life around is being given the chance to let that talent shine and that new life begin. Long live the intarwebs.

• PS3 Cracked Permanently
  • Famed hacker George “GeoHot” Hotz is claiming he cracked the PS3
  • This is the guy who helped crack the IPhone
  • His claim is this, he found the root key, which is used to verify whether a piece of software should be running on the system
  • Everything that runs first has to go through a verification process using this piece of data
  • So with this piece of data, now public, you can conceivably run anything on the system, cracked or otherwise
  • Here’s the crazy part: they would have to change the hardware out for them to fix this problem…
  • Already there are various teams out there working to bring that little treasure in an easy-to-use user-friendly format

• Happy 70th Birthday Miyazaki! (udg)
  • Today is the 70th birthday of renowned Japanese animator, Hayao Miyazaki, known to some as “Japan’s Walt Disney,” known to all as the creator of some of the most successful animated features in recent memory. His 2001 release, Spirited Away, was the first Japanese movie to win an American Academy Award and was produced after a short retirement following his previous effort, Princess Mononoke in 1997. In other words, we probably haven’t heard the last of him.
  • Miyazaki has been a major figure in manga and anime since he was in his twenties. Unsatisfied with his training and work as an economist, he gave it up to work in an animation studio and never turned back. After producing his first two films, he co-founded Studio Ghibli, reviving the animation industry in Japan before expanding his audience to America with Princess Mononoke.
  • One of the most unique and inspiring things about Miyazaki’s process is the way he constructs his stories. Namely, he doesn’t. Production of his animated films begins before his storyboards are complete. In a 2001 interview, he says:
  • I don’t have the story finished and ready when we start work on a film. I usually don’t have the time. So the story develops when I start drawing storyboards. The production starts very soon thereafter, while the storyboards are still developing. We never know where the story will go but we just keeping working on the film as it develops. It’s a dangerous way to make an animation film and I would like it to be different, but unfortunately, that’s the way I work and everyone else is kind of forced to subject themselves to it.
  • In 2005, when he was named among Time Magazine’s Most Influential People, Stan Lee wrote that “[i]n the field of theatrical animation, where talent abounds and everyone has his or her own style, the art and creativity of Hayao Miyazaki are unrivaled.”
  • Having been a fan of all things Japanse for decades now (I haz an old), Miyazakisan has helped to shape me in many ways. In high school, we would watch “My Neighbor Totoro” in class (non dubbed!) because it was at a level language-wise we could understand. In fact, if given a choice, I would go to a Miyazaki World over Disney World in a heartbeat.
  • You may rent many of his works through Netflix, including watching Ponyo through streaming. Some of the other titles I suggest:
    • Spirited Away
    • My Neighbor Totoro
    • Princess Mononoke
    • Howl’s Moving Castle
    • And another of the monkey’s favorites: KiKi’s Delivery Service
  • ???????? (tanjoubi omedetou) Miyazakisan!  I can’t wait to see what more of a legacy you continue to leave in the many upcoming years I hope that you have.

• Stan Lee to get Hollywood Star (Finally) (SM)
  • The maker of superhero’s such as Spiderman, Hulk, X-Men, FF4, Iron Man, etc
  • Finally will get his name and Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
  • Jokes: “had to wait 50 yrs after the walk and 70 yrs after his career started to get his just dues”
  • Hollywood is making bank right now on superheroes… bout time they gave him his just desserts
  • They learn what we already knew, Superheroes always made good drama

• For Traditional Mac Developers, Armageddon Begins Tomorrow (udg)
  • The Mac software market is about as old-school as you get. Developers have been creating, shipping, and selling products through traditional channels and at traditional price points for decades. Prices back then weren’t much different than we see today.
  • Or, more precisely, we’ve seen until today (and then it all changes).
  • Mac software has historically been priced on a parity with other desktop software. That means small products are about $20. Utilities run in the $50-60 range. Games in the $50 range. Productivity packages and creative tools in the hundreds, and specialty software — well, the sky’s the limit.
  • Tomorrow, the sky will fall. Tomorrow, the iOS developers move in and the traditional Mac developers better stick their heads between their legs and kiss those price points goodbye.
  • iOS developers are not like Mac developers.
  • Sure, the development environment is largely the same, but the difference iis their business model.  iOS developers are The Flood. (Yup, that’s a Halo reference) They will annihilate everything in their path, and what’s in their path, starting tomorrow, are all the developers who’ve made a living off Mac software since the 1980s.
  • Tomorrow, the Mac App Store opens and sadly, traditional Mac developers are in for a world of hurt. Tomorrow, their price points are going to plummet and fast
  • Here’s an example from a well-written blog by iOS developer Markus Nigrin. Markus asked four of his iOS developer buddies what they were going to sell their products for on the Mac App store and how those prices would differ from those on the iPhone and iPad.
  • The news for the traditional developers is not good:

• Chopper 2 — iOS price: $4.99. Mac price: $4.99.
• Air Hockey — iOS price: $0.99. Mac price: $0.99.
• ReMovem — iOS price: $2.99. Mac price: $2.99.
• Compression — iOS price: $2.99. Mac price: $3.99.

These are all games and one did have a price difference between iOS and Mac, but it was a buck.

• • Compare that with Mac games listed on Amazon today. $38.99 … $19.99 … $27.54 … $29.35 … $54.99 … $24.38. These are traditional Mac and PC prices.
  • As of tomorrow, games priced at $20-60 will be competing against games priced at 99 cents to $4.99. The most expensive iOS games are around ten bucks. In effect, game pricing will drop by 90-95% — on average —overnight.
  • What do you think that’ll do to all the other Mac software? Sure, Photoshop might still be expensive. But how many under-$5 photo editing programs are their for the iPad? Answer: too many to count.
  • Expect to see Mac software prices dropping by 90-95% within a month. Traditional developers will fight to hold onto their price points, but they’ll be overrun by The Flood. They may hold their price points, but they’ll be mired in so much noise from the iOS horde that their products will begin to lose traction.
  • This time next year, the Mac market will look entirely different.
  • Apple wins. Many of their very loyal developers will lose.
  • Here’s the big question: how will this price-point change impact the PC market? Will PC software prices plummet to match? With $1 software, the Mac’s total cost of ownership will undoubtedly drop, compared to PC systems. So what will that do to Apple’s market share for the Mac vs. the PC?

• Kinect may cause scratched Discs (SM)
  • There have been reports all across the Internet that the Kinect is causing tons of scratched discs
  • The 360 uses a pretty cheap disc drive, any jiggling and it will scratch your disc
  • So what do you get when you cross that flaw with a peripheral that makes you jump around animatedly, you get jiggling xboxes of course, which cause ta-da scratches
  • (SM) I actually have a friend who had this problem on the first day they bought the new Kinect, Kid was being animated with the Kinect, and knocked over the system, and they had to take it in to extract the disc, but even then it was scratched.

• Verizon iPhone 4 Leak? (udg)
  • A video was recently posted to YouTube from a firm called GlobalPartsDirect. In it they show what appears to a new iPhone 4 design–what could be the Verizon (CDMA) iPhone 4 or possibly, as they call it, the iPhone 5.
  • Of course none of this is even remotely confirmed (or confirmable) but they have a 5-minute video up with what is either a leaked handset or a convincing fake, complete with the metal frame and interior components. They take the supposed iPhone apart and compare it to a legitimate iPhone 4 noting internal changes as well changes to the antenna. You can see below that a gap in the antenna looks to have been moved–from the highly problematic spot on the lower left hand corner to above the mute switch.
  • Strangely the new device has a micro-SIM slot, just like the iPhone 4, which means it’s either a global CDMA device or it’s not for Verizon at all. The new design also has 4 antenna breaks, as opposed to 3 in the iPhone 4.
  • Rather than getting further into the analysis let’s keep in mind that as convincing as this might be we’ve all seen too many fakes to take this without a grain of salt. The timing is perfect–right when the CES news is heating up and everyone is talking about Android phones–which could be evidence for or against it, but let’s not get too excited just yet.

• Complainer Sued by Apple Service Company (SM)
  • Guy takes his computer in for repairs through an affiliated repair show (systemgraph)
  • His iMac came out worse than when he came in. (moisture inside the LCD, etc)
  • When pointed out, they offered to re-fix but by this time the guy said no
  • Asked for them to replace computer, Systemgraph declined
  • While in legal process, he posted his story on forum
  • Now Systemgraph is suing him for damages at 200,00 euro ($267)

Intarweb Goldmine

• For Arkansas Blackbirds, The New Year Never Came (udg)
  • This scares the bejeebers outta me!!
  • Times Square had the ball drop, and Brasstown, N.C., had its descending possum. But no place had a New Year’s Eve as unusual, or freakishly disturbing, as Beebe, Ark.
  • Around 11 that night, thousands of red-winged blackbirds began falling out of the sky over this small city about 35 miles northeast of Little Rock. They landed on roofs, roads, front lawns and backyards, turning the ground nearly black and terrifying anyone who happened to be outside.
  • “One of them almost hit my best friend in the head,” said Christy Stephens, who was standing outside among the smoking crowd at a party. “We went inside after that.”
  • The cause is still being determined, but preliminary lab results from the Arkansas Livestock and Poultry Commission revealed “acute physical trauma” in samples of the dead birds. There were no indications of disease, though tests were still being done for the presence of toxic chemicals.
  • At most recent count, up to 5,000 birds fell on the city. Sixty five samples were sent to labs, one of which is at the Livestock and Poultry Commission and the other in Madison, Wis.
  • “It just looked as if it had rained birds,” said Tracy Lightfoot, a member of the City Council, declining to speculate on the reason. “There’s lots of theories running around. I have no idea. I just don’t have a clue.”.
  • Meanwhile roughly 500 dead birds were found on Monday outside New Roads, La. Those birds were much more varied, with starlings and grackle in addition to blackbirds, and a few samples picked up by James LaCour, a wildlife veterinarian with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, did not show any signs of trauma, he said.

• Woman Stabs Boyfriend Over FaceBook Page
  • Well, we know that FB ruins relationships (according to a minister of ill repute)
  • Well, now there is empirical proof.
  • Couple fights over a post on BF’s facebook
  • BF hides profile from live-in GF
  • 21 yr old GF then shanks the dude for such a mis-deed
  • Guy checks into a hospital with a lacerated bicep…
  • Moral of story? Stop dating and living with crazy GF’s
• Man blames Ozzy Osbourne for Traffic Arrest (udg)
  • An Ohio drunken-driving suspect is blaming his arrest on Ozzy Osbourne. William Liston was arrested Christmas Eve in suburban Cleveland. WJW-TV says he told police officers, “Ozzy Osbourne and his music made me do it.”
  • Osbourne’s hits as lead singer of heavy metal band Black Sabbath and as a solo artist include “Paranoid” and “Road to Nowhere.”
  • Liston is awaiting arraignment. He’s to appear in court Tuesday on a charge of operating a vehicle while impaired.
• Santa Clause Cleared, The Bartender Did It
  • Bartender in RI claimed a man robbed him in full Santa garb
  • Calls 911 to report the robbery…
  • Lady later cops to lying, Santa is cleared of all charges
  • We all know that Santa only steals kisses and cookies!
• Frogger Gone Wrong (udg)
  • You all remember Frogger- right? I LOVED that game, but I was bright enough to know it was JUST A GAME. While it was created in a time before we needed to put the “don’t try this at home dumbass” warnings on it, it would seem it needs one now.
  • A man has been hospitalized after police in South Carolina say he was hit by an SUV while playing a real-life version of the video game “Frogger.”
  • Authorities said the 23-year-old man was taken to a hospital in Anderson after he was struck at around 9 p.m. Monday.
• Don’t Mess With The Cows In Florida
  • Them thar varmints are MEAN
  • Well, apparently this farmer was repairing a fence when the cow went off on him and started to maul (wonder if he had mad cow disease?)
  • Anyways, wife came out, Cow already shot w/ .22, saw the cow still alive and attacking
  • Went and got truck and started ram it.
  • Still didn’t kill it, Got pistol again and shot it again, still didn’t kill it
  • Finally cow got bored and wandered off, still alive
  • Farmers, it’s whats for dinner
• Tip to Robbers: Don’t Accept Victim’s FB Request (udg)
  • A robber walked out of a Taunton car wash and gas station with a flat-screen TV under his shirt. The robber thought he got away, but the manager of the car wash tracked him down.
  • The manager of Prestige Car Wash and Gas Station, Nicole Telles, showed 7NEWS the men’s restroom where the crime went down, where the 27-inch flat-screen used to hang. But police say a 20-year-old ripped it right from the mount and took off.
  • Telles said he hid the TV under his sweatshirt.
  • “I felt like, if we had all the information … the process would be a lot quicker,” said Telles.
  • Telles said she didn’t catch the culprit when the crime happened, but she figured she could do some detective work of her own and try to figure out who the suspect was.
  • Surveillance video showed the suspect using a credit card to pay for gas, and he had been at the counter as well. So Telles looked up the transaction and got his name. She then started digging into Facebook.
  • “I went on Facebook, searched the name — the first and last name — and he was like the third one up top. He looked like the guy, and I was like, ‘All right. Let me request him’” as a “friend,” said Telles. “He accepted me, so I went through all his pictures, made sure it was him.”
  • She says her boss even sent him a message telling him to bring back the TV and they wouldn’t call police.
  • “He ended up deleting me, so then we thought to ourselves that the kid doesn’t want to give it up,” said Telles.
  • They went to police with all of their evidence and the suspect was then arrested.

• He May Not Walk Softly, But He Certainly Carries A Big Stick
  • Guy decides to rob a convenience store..
  • Does he bring a gun? a knife? a taser? He brings a 10 foot long stick
  • WTH was the guy smoking?
  • Eventually the robber was successful but seriously???

Extra Links

• Voyager 1 reaches edge of solar system
• Skype to offer mainstream mobile video chat
• 750 Million Photos uploaded to FB over New Years

Contact Info

• On Twitter: Steven is @DarthMolen, Jeremy is @jpuent, Natali is @UberDorkGirlie
• email us: darthmolen@thepowergeeks.com and jpuent@thepowergeeks.com and uberdorkgirlie@thepowergeeks.com (yay!)
• And Become a Fan

Sponsors

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  • I’m almost giggly with anticipation!!
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  • Send darthmolen@gmail.com an email saying you want this ring. If there’s enough interest, we are going to make this available to the public

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• Can I say any more superlatives? You will love her products.
• (We Do! They’re Geekalicious! but don’t eat them… they are SOAP!)

We are LIVE on Ustream .  Tonight,  we talk about our annual Black Friday special!! We’ll be revealing lots of deals as well as some tools to allow you to get your groove going online of offline, that and a smattering of tech news

Intro Natali
Jeremy has stomach flu and is not with us

Items of Interest

• Have fun and shirt, send hug (udg)
  • I’m all about hugs, so this shirt kinda rocked my socks off.
  • The shirt is embedded with sensors that feel the strength of the touch, the skin warmth and the heartbeat rate of the sender and actuators that recreate the sensation of touch, warmth and emotion of the hug to the shirt of the distant loved one.
  • All you need is: a Hug Shirt™ (Bluetooth with sensors and actuators), a Bluetooth java enabled mobile phone with the HugMe™ java software running (it understands what the sensors are communicating), and on the other side another phone and another shirt. If you do not have a Hug Shirt™ but know that your friend has one you can still send them a hug creating it with the HugMe™ software and it will be delivered to your friend’s Hug Shirt™!
  • Only problem? I can’t seem to find where to actually BUY one!

• For all you “everything is better with bacon peeps (udg)
  • The folks at Jones Soda are bringing you the epic gift for the bacon lover in your life- including their one time only Jones Bacon Soda. They also teamed up with the creative group at Bacon Salt, for this holiday treat you don’t want to miss.
  • Each case includes:

• 2 Bottles of Jones Bacon Soda
• 1 Tube of Bacon Lip Balm
• 1 Package of Bacon Popcorn
• 1 Package of Bacon Gravy Mix

• • All this bacony joy will only set ya back $9.95

Gold Sponsors:

UberDorkCafe

• Will be THE place for Geeks to hang out
• What is UberDorkCafe? It is the brain child and DREAM of Natali, aka @UberDorkGirlie from twitter, and it blends art + science = geek
• Place to hang, eat, have awesome kid parties (if thats your thing), or to get your gaming on
• Woookie Coookies – a piece of UDC before there is even a physical cafe
• first Piece revealed and accompanying t-shirt @hefnatron
• THE AUCTIONS ARE HERE!!
• Black Friday Launch of Gift Baskets!

• Today in Geek History
  • JebsApps (owned by our own Jeremy Puent) released their latest app, Today in Geek History
  • Gives you factoids based upon date, spanning all sorts of geekiness
  • For example, did you know on 11/17/1937 Peter Cook, who played The Impressive Clergyman in The Princess Bride and Nigel in SuperGirl, was born in England
  • This app is available for Android in a Lite version for free or a paid version, all on the Marketplace
  • Check out the lite version, but the paid version for .99
  • Also, Golden Pic and Golden Pic Lite for Android devices
    • Golden Pic has some huge updates released this past Sunday Bookmarking locations, mapping to those locations (driving or walking)
    • The Lite version gained the ability to change location via two methods as well.
    • Plus we put it on sale again for the holidays!!! only $1.79 USD through new Years! Get it now!

• Childs Play 2010 now open

Deals of the Week / New Releases

• New DVD Releases
  • The Expendables on DVD (JP)
    • Also on Apple ITunes
  • Super Duper Avatar Blu-Ray
  • The Last Airbender
  • Original Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

• Indie Pack on Steam for 4.99 (you save $44)
  • 3 of the 5 are mac enabled

Geek Speak

TPG Black Friday Guide

• Threadless T’s Black Hole Friday- $10 T’s!

• Amazon “Black Friday” Deals
  • Time Sensitive deals, check them each day
  • Amazon Kindle 2 $89 (udg)
  • I want it noted that I predicted a major ereader to drop to $100 or lower for the holidays!
• FatWallet.com
  • Use this to plan your Black Friday spree
  • Tons of filters to allow you to pinpoint deals from all over
• blackfriday.info
  • Another tool that posts breaking ads
  • Both online and offline
• Ipad / IPhone deals
  • List of games for the Iphone from name brand developers
• Best Buy Black Friday
  • $180 Wii bundle – Wii Sports, Wii Sports Resort, Wii mote plus, Nunchuck
  • $300 PS3 160 GB – Bundled w/ LittleBigPlanet, ModNation, and Cars BR
  • $200 XB360 4GB – Lego: Star Wars Complete, Batman and Indiana Jones: The original series
  • Red and Green DSI for $150 – Mario Party DS
• Sears Black Friday
  • $130 PS 3000 w/ LittleBigPlanet and Karate Kid UMD (new one)
  • 4GB Xbox 360 for $200 w/ Halo: Reach
• Engadget Black Friday
  • Crucial refurbished SSD’s $1 a gigabyte
  • Borders is offering plenty of e-reader discounts as well
• Black Friday Spreadsheet for the Truly Insane

• Practice Safe Browsing for Cyber Monday

Tech,Gaming, and Geek News

• I Want To Be Her When I Grow Up (udg)

• • A few years ago, French photographer Sacha Goldberger found his 91-year-old Hungarian grandmother Frederika feeling lonely and depressed. To cheer her up, he suggested that they shoot a series of outrageous photographs in unusual costumes, poses, and locations. Grandma reluctantly agreed, but once they got rolling, she couldn’t stop smiling. The costume she wears- that of a superhero.
  • Frederika was born in Budapest 20 years before World War II. During the war, at the peril of her own life, she courageously saved the lives of ten people. When asked how, Goldberger told us “she hid the Jewish people she knew, moving them around to different places every day.” As a survivor of Nazism and Communism, she then immigrated away from Hungary to France, forced by the Communist regime to leave her homeland illegally or face death.
  • Aside from great strength, Frederika has an incredible sense of humor, one that defies time and misfortune. She is funny and cynical, always mocking the people that she loves.  Now, after the set, Goldberger shares that his grandmother has never shown even a hint of depression. Perhaps it’s because her story serves some sort of purpose
  • I want to be just like Super Mamika when I grow up.

• Streaming only plan comes to Netflix
  • Everything on their plan has gone to unlimited streaming
  • $7.99 streaming only
  • $9.99 for 1 DVD and steep $14.99 for 2 DVD’s
  • Most online source consider Netflix the golden child, they know how to work with the major studios

• FCC to make a leap into the texting generation for 911 (udg)
  • The FCC has decided to bring the life-saving emergency service 911 into the 21st century and is looking at letting citizens report crimes through text messages and even stream video from their mobile phones to emergency centers. This would allow people to report crimes without being overheard, which could be useful in situations ranging from kidnapping to seeing someone being robbed on the street.
  • Established as a national standard in 1968, 911 handles more than 230 million calls a year — 70 percent of which now come from mobile phones.
  • The last real overhaul of 911 by the FCC came in 2001, when mobile carriers were required to allow 911 to identify the location of callers either through GPS or cell-tower data.
  • The FCC stated in a press release “The technological limitations of 9-1-1 can have tragic, real-world consequences,” the release said. “During the 2007 Virginia Tech campus shooting, students and witnesses desperately tried to send texts to 9-1-1 that local dispatchers never received. If these messages had gone through, first responders may have arrived on the scene faster with firsthand intelligence about the life-threatening situation that was unfolding.”
  • It is yet unclear where the money is going to come from or whether or not it will be a federal requirement or left up to the states/cities to handle. What is clear though, is this is a much needed upgrade to a now antiquated system.

• Witch hunt continues against Google TV
  • The programming that you can see from Google TV is getting less,not more
  • Viacom (included Comedy Central, MTV, and Nickelodeon) is blocking all their web content from being seen on the new set-top box
  • Viacom is joining Hulu along with all the other major networks in the ban
  • Message to consumers? Pay up or no TV on your TV

• Well, according to your FB status, your premium needs to be raised (udg)
  • Insurers have long used blood and urine tests to assess people’s health—a costly process. Their solution? Tap into the data-gathering companies have such extensive files on most U.S. consumers—online shopping details, catalog purchases, magazine subscriptions, leisure activities and information from social-networking sites.
  • In one of the biggest tests, the U.S. arm of British insurer Aviva PLC looked at 60,000 recent insurance applicants. It found that a new, “predictive modeling” system, based partly on consumer-marketing data, was “persuasive” in its ability to mimic traditional techniques.
  • A key part of the Aviva test, run by Deloitte Consulting LLP, was estimating a person’s risk for illnesses such as high blood pressure and depression. Deloitte’s models assume that many diseases relate to lifestyle factors such as exercise habits and fast-food diets. According to Deloitte, the cost goes from $125 for the traditional medical tests down to $5 for this new method.
  • What kind of information are the data-gathering companies hunting down and providing? Everything from online and offline purchases to hunting permits, boating registrations, property sales and oh when you click the “like” button on FB, yup that gets used too.
  • Thankfully the government sees this as being a bit suspect as I do. The information sold by marketing-database firms is lightly regulated. But using it in the life-insurance application process would “raise questions” about whether the data would be subject to the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act, says Rebecca Kuehn of the Federal Trade Commission’s division of privacy and identity protection. The law’s provisions kick in when “adverse action” is taken against a person, such as a decision to deny insurance or increase rates. The law requires that people be notified of any adverse action and be allowed to dispute the accuracy or completeness of data, according to the FTC.
  • Most of the major data gathering agencies out there seem to not be jumping on board with this, which is somewhat surprising. Money is usually money, but there are some that stand firm on their data only being used for marketing purposes.
  • At this point it is a fledgling venture that would tread into a bit of a legally murky area, but if there is a way to use your FB data and save money, I forsee this being something we will have to worry about in the future. Now if you excuse me, I’m going to go unlike “runs with scissors”

• Dancing with the Stars Hacked for Palin
  • It’s not real hacking
  • the “Tea Party” is putting up instructionals on how to game the voting system
  • Here’s how it works:
  • They don’t validate the emails that get registered.
  • User can create infinite amounts of emails to vote infinite amount of times
  • The organizers are levying normal ppl through social media to spend time doing the process manually
  • Some are considering this “political activism”, I just consider it silly

• Microsoft “Yeah, well we meant to do that!” (udg)
  • When the Kinect first debuted, a bounty was put on its head, offered to the first person who successfully released open-source drivers for Microsoft’s new gesture-control accessory for the Xbox 360.
  • Well, in a recent radio interview, Microsoft engineers have now claimed they left the USB connection on the Kinnect open by design.
  • “What has happened is someone wrote an open-source driver for PCs that essentially opens the USB connection, which we didn’t protect by design, and reads the inputs from the sensor,” Alex Kipman, director of incubation at Microsoft, said on NPR. “The sensor, again, as I talked earlier, has eyes and ears and that’s a whole bunch of, you know, noise that someone needs to take and turn into signal.”
  • The host then asked Kipman if the USB connection was open by design. Kipman explicitly said that yes, it was.
  • So, Microsoft went from threats of going after Hackers to the fullest extent of the law to realizing that it doesn’t matter if someone hooks Kinect up to an Xbox or a computer- they’re still selling it and making money. Not to mention all the free marketing they’re getting off the people advertising their hacks.

• IOS 4.2
  • AirPlay – Capability to stream media from your IOS devices to your Apple TV (or airplay receivers)
  • Photos (swipe on device, change on tv), videos (although once you start streaming videos it turns into a gian remote control), music
  • Find My Iphone (also works for Ipad and ITouch) – Puts an icon up on a map and flashes an image or sound (previously was only available via $99 MobileMe)
  • Air Print – print over the air from your IPad (I personally think that’s AWESOME-udg)

• Whedonless Buffy?!?? (udg)
  • Last year, rumors began surfacing that Warner Bros. was planning on rebooting Buffy the Vampire Slayer with a new movie without the participation of the character’s creator Joss Whedon.
  • We, of course, all thought it sounded waaaay too universally stupid to be true. We thought wrong.
  • I could list off all the reasons this is a one of the worst ideas EVER, but there are many blog posts out there that cover that and odds are if you’re listening to this, you’ve made your own list. What I will share instead are Mr. Whedon’s words regarding this:
    • This is a sad, sad reflection on our times, when people must feed off the carcasses of beloved stories from their youths-just because they can’t think of an original idea of their own, like I did with my Avengers idea that I made up myself.
    • Obviously I have strong, mixed emotions about something like this. My first reaction upon hearing who was writing it was, “Whit Stillman AND Wes Anderson? This is gonna be the most sardonically adorable movie EVER.” Apparently I was misinformed. Then I thought, “I’ll make a mint! This is worth more than all my Toy Story residuals combined!” Apparently I am seldom informed of anything. And possibly a little slow. But seriously, are vampires even popular any more?
    • I always hoped that Buffy would live on even after my death. But, you know, AFTER. I don’t love the idea of my creation in other hands, but I’m also well aware that many more hands than mine went into making that show what it was. And there is no legal grounds for doing anything other than sighing audibly. I can’t wish people who are passionate about my little myth ill. I can, however, take this time to announce that I’m making a Batman movie. Because there’s a franchise that truly needs updating. So look for The Dark Knight Rises Way Earlier Than That Other One And Also More Cheaply And In Toronto, rebooting into a theater near you.

Intarweb Goldmine

• Would be Robber Chased off by cussing
  • 41 yr old driver was approached at a stoplight
  • Assailant flashed a gun and demanded money
  • What did he do? Did he comply? NOOO, he cussed him out and told him to fire his weapon anyways.
  • Guy was so frightened he fled on foot and the robbery was averted
  • DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME #kplzthx
  • (SM) Natali probably woulda gotten out and junk punched him after the cuss out

• Full body scanner safe unders for the shy traveller (udg)
  • It’s a special kind of underwear – with a strategically placed fig leaf design – and a Colorado man says it’ll get you through the airport screeners with your dignity intact.
  • Jeff Buske says his invention uses a powdered metal that protects people’s privacy when undergoing medical or security screenings. Buske of Las Vegas, Nev.-Rocky Flats Gear says the underwear’s inserts are thin and conform to the body’s contours, making it difficult to hide anything beneath them. The mix of tungsten and other metals do not set off metal detectors.
  • The men’s design has the fig leaf, while the one for women comes in the shape of clasped hands. It’s unclear whether it would lead to an automatic, more intrusive pat down by federal Transportation Security Administration officials.

• Lady trapped in bathroom 3 weeks, survives
  • 69 yr old Grandmother goes into the bathroom, and the door  lock breaks
  • She bangs and bangs but it isn’t until ppl notice her mail has not been picked up for 3 wks that they break in and find her there
  • What was really messed up? Her neighbors claim “You could hear banging sounds, like a hammer, even at night”
  • Check where its coming from maybe???
  • Lady subsisted by drinking tap water only…

Extra Links

• Microsoft ups it’s investment in Novell, Company no longer Independent
• Ultimate Black Friday Cheat Sheet (udg)

Next Week

• XBox 360  is 5 yrs old : is it a success??

Contact Info

• On Twitter: Steven is @DarthMolen, Jeremy is @jpuent, Natali is @UberDorkGirlie
• email us: darthmolen@thepowergeeks.com and jpuent@thepowergeeks.com and uberdorkgirlie@thepowergeeks.com (yay!)
• And Become a Fan

Sponsors

Shiny Lines

• What: Shiny Geek Jewelry, clothing and other bits & bytes, made by Geeks for Geeks.
• Why: Geeks, Nerds & Gamers alike deserve to shine at their very best, on and offline.
• Who: @aDigitalAngel & fellow nerds at ShinyLines.com

Luxury Lane Soaps

http://luxurylanesoap.com, @KyleeLane, GORGEOUS, IMAGINATIVE, HANDCRAFTED, GEEKY Soap

• Can I say any more superlatives? You will love her products.
• (We Do! They’re Geekalicious! but don’t eat them… they are SOAP!)

We are LIVE on Ustream . Tonight, PSP rumors, Caprica getting cancelled????, horrible costumes, and yet more Chinese paranoia and this time they’re playing with Nukes! and much much more.

Items of Interest

• Best Geeky Costumes (udg)

• And some worst (udg)

• Jinkies!! I can please to haz my own Batmobile?!?!? (udg)

• • FiberglassFreaks creates officially licensed 1966 Batmobile replicas and they are FREAKIN HAWT! I think every kid that has seen the original episodes at one point thought “When I grow up I’m so gonna drive one of those!” Now, for a mere $150,000 you can.

• Speaking of famous geek cars (if you want to segue to it from Batmobile? btm)
  • James Bond’s 1964 Aston Martin DB5 from “Goldfinger” & “Thunderball”
  • Auctioned in London for 2.9 Million Pounds ($4.9 Million USD)
  • Many of the secret weapon gimmicks work
    • revolving number plates
    • twin machine guns (non-firing)
    • bullet-proof shield, etc.

Gold Sponsors:

UberDorkCafe

• Will be THE place for Geeks to hang out
• What is UberDorkCafe? It is the brain child and DREAM of Natali, aka @UberDorkGirlie from twitter, and it blends art + science = geek
• Place to hang, eat, have awesome kid parties (if thats your thing), or to get your gaming on
• Woookie Coookies – a piece of UDC before there is even a physical cafe
• first Piece revealed and accompanying t-shirt @hefnatron
• Ellen campaign!!
• NEW TOP-SECRET: There will be baskets of UDC goodies for X-mas
  • UberDorkCafe is planning to put together some special goodies in basket form for people that both want to support the cause AND give an awesome present to their loved one for christmas.
  • I heard something about wookie cookies among other super secret things

• Today in Geek History
  • JebApps (owned by our own Jeremy Puent) released their latest app, Today in Geek History
  • Gives you factoids based upon date, spanning all sorts of geekiness
  • For example, did you know on October 6th, 1967 – The Star Trek episode ‘Mirror, Mirror’ airs, introducing the Mirror Universe and the evil goatee.
  • This app is available for Android in a Lite version for free or a paid version, all on the Marketplace
  • Check out the lite version, but the paid version for .99
  • Also, Golden Pic and Golden Pic Lite for Android devices

Deals of the Week / New Releases

• Geek Chic Daily is at it again- this time for us gamers! (udg)

• • Hurry! Ends tomorrow night!
• PSP GO Price Reduced
• WALKING DEAD STARTS!!!! (udg)
  • Be sure to check out the videos of Walking Dead events around the world.
  • http://www.bleedingcool.com/2010/10/26/zombies-take-manhattan/
  • http://www.bleedingcool.com/2010/10/26/the-walking-dead-all-over-the-world/
  • http://www.bleedingcool.com/2010/10/26/more-walking-dead-all-over-the-world/

• Fable 3 Released, Ginormous review
  • Apparently a little more funneled than the first
  • If you liked Albion in the first 2, you’ll love it in the third
  • Gun/melee/magic 1 button presses
• Force Unleashed 2 Released on Steam
  • and the rest of the world…
  • Continue as Starkiller, throw stormtroopers around,have great fun
• FINALLY- ebooks at a price I can hang with… FREE (udg)

• • Wowio is an eBook publisher after my own heart. The one catch with the free? You have to put up with ads. I can completely handle that! I do it with the mags I read all the time.

Geek Speak

• TV Wars: Internet Style
  • Remember when the networks blocked Boxee from pulling Hulu?
  • They’re doing it again, this time with Google TV
  • You can’t watch shows from abc.com, hulu, or any of the other network sites
  • So, you can watch all that content from you computer, just not the set top boxes
  • What are our current viewing habits?
  • Will we eventually end up paying for TV on the Internet?
  • How will streaming outside the normal channels effect regular TV streams?

• Natali’s quick Public Service announcement… Next week is voting time. Get your ass to the polls. I don’t care who you vote for, but the right is there… exercise it! If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem and if you don’t vote, you have no right to bitch about the state of anything.  That is all.

• Breaking news SyFy cancels Caprica. (btm)
  • Prequel to hugely popular BSG was slow to build audience
  • Caprica sequel/BSG prequel “BSG: Blood & Chrome” focusing on “Ensign” Adama still a go
  • (Continues tradition of canceling shows that I watch.)

Tech,Gaming, and Geek News

• Firesheep: a brilliant lesson or phenomenally stupid? (udg)

• • A simple-to-use Firefox plugin presented this week has hit the security world with the realization that squabbles about Facebook’s changing privacy settings and various privacy breaches simply miss the point.
  • “When it comes to user privacy, SSL is the elephant in the room,” said Eric Butler, the developer of the extension in question, dubbed Firesheep.
  • By installing and running it, anyone can “sniff out” the unencrypted HTTP sessions currently allowing users on that network segment to access social networks, online services and other website requiring a login, and simply hijack them and impersonate the user.
  • Was this impossible to do before? Nope, but it did require skills and knowledge the average web surfer wouldn’t have had.
  • “Websites have a responsibility to protect the people who depend on their services. They’ve been ignoring this responsibility for too long, and it’s time for everyone to demand a more secure web. My hope is that Firesheep will help the users win,” says Butler.
  • Whether he will succeed in pointing out the need of full end-to-end encryption and spur websites into action, it remains to be seen. Among the websites whose cookies Firesheep can identify are Facebook, Flickr, Amazon.com, bit.ly, Google, Twitter, Yahoo, WordPress, and many others.
  • So, will this be another Twitter incident where a person tries to tell a major site something, the site ignores it, the person politely points it out but nasty people actually exploit it??? What will it take for these sites to take notice and make changes?
  • Steps to protect yourself
    • Use a browser with extensions: EFF, HTTPS Everywhere, Secure Sites, or Force TLS
    • These work by forcing you to use the HTTPS version of that site
    • Obvious problem? If a site doesn’t have SSL enabled, this won’t protect you, also not all browsers have extensions
    • Don’t use open networks (you never know who is watching)
    • If you’re really adventurous, use a tunneling protocol such as SSH. You can check out the instructions for Meerkat here
    • Use a VPN, such as Witopia

• Macs can’t get viruses, right? (might go with Filesheep story? btm)
  • Latest malware trojan targeting Macintosh uses Java to attack Mac OS X via Java (trojan.osx.boonana.a)
  • Growing trend of malware affecting Mac OS X
  • Users on social sites like Facebook click on link “Is this your video”
  • Runs Java applet that bypasses password verification and downloads files
  • Launches automatically on startup and communicates with its control servers
  • Uses your computer to spread itself as spam
  • Also affects Windows machines
  • MacSecure reports they have a fix, but the best protection is to not click shady links.

• IPod 9th B-Day, Sony Cassette Dinosaur Dies (SM)
  • IPod first unveiled Oct. 23, 2001
  • Mac-only, Firewire 400, 5 GB of space, $399, only 1000 songs in itunes
  • At the same, Sony killing Walkman cassette in Japan
  • Guess the release year of the Iconic Walkman?
  • Yes, still available in US for your 80’s costuming pleasure

• The PlayStation Phone Rumor is Legit (udg)

• • The rumor that surfaced back in August is getting ready to hit the market soon. It is likely boasting Android 3.0 (aka Gingerbread), along with a custom Sony Marketplace which will allow you to purchase and download games designed for the new platform.
  • It’s also sporting a 1GHz Qualcomm MSM8655 (a chip similar to the one found in the G2, but 200MHz faster), 512MB of RAM, 1GB of ROM, and the screen is in the range of 3.7 to 4.1 inches. The handset has a long touchpad in the center which is apparently multitouch, and it bears those familiar PlayStation shoulder buttons. For Sony buffs, you’ll be interested to know that there’s no Memory Stick slot here, but there is support for microSD cards.
  • The device could still be headed for a 2010 release- maybe in time for the holidays?  But 2011 is looking much more realistic.
  • (SM) Sony has been going this way since the released the discless PSP and there have been rumors since that release of a phone in the works
  • Also, don’t forget the PSP2 rumor

• No Apples pass these Gates (btm) (or “How do you like these Apples?”)
  • New York Times Q&A with Melinda Gates reveals no Apples in her house.
  • If you don’t subscribe to New Times online, read it here also.
  • Says she won’t allow her kids to have iPods
  • “You may have a Zune” (I’m guessing a brown one)

• Barnes & Nobles Announces a Color Nook (SM)
  • Based on Android and a 7” LCD color screen (not color e-ink or mirasol tech)
  • Meaning = brighter but less reading time (only 8 hrs continuous reading time)
  • 8 GB of memory w/ SD slot available, Almost a full pound, Wi-Fi (no 3g), $249
  • EPub, PDF, Word, Excel, and Powerpoint can all be read on this device
  • No android marketplace though
  • Being branded as a reader tablet

• Natali’s Weekly Paranoia Report (udg)
  • An engineering failure at F.E. Warren Air Force Base (the base that is a main locus of the United States’ strategic nuclear forces) in Wyoming that took 50 nuclear intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), one-ninth of the U.S. missile stockpile, temporarily offline on Saturday.
  • According to the peeps briefed on the situation,a squadron of ICBMs suddenly dropped down into what’s known as “LF Down” status, meaning that the missileers in their bunkers could no longer communicate with the missiles themselves. LF Down status also means that various security protocols built into the missile delivery system, like intrusion alarms and warhead separation alarms, were offline.
  • “We’ve never had something as big as this happen,” a military officer who was briefed on the incident said. Occasionally, one or two might blink out, the officer said, and several warheads  are routinely out of service for maintenance. At an extreme, “[w]e can deal with maybe 5, 6, or 7 at a time, but we’ve never lost complete command and control and functionality of 50 ICBMs.”
  • The cause of the failure remains unknown, although it is suspected to be a breach of underground cables deep beneath the base, according to a senior military official.
  • It is next to impossible for these systems to be hacked, so the military does not believe the incident was caused by malicious actors. A half dozen individual silos were affected by Saturday’s failure.
  • An administration official said that “to make too much out of this would be to sensationalize it. It’s not that big of a deal. Everything worked as planned.”  (Yup, that’s what they ALWAYS say!!)
  • National Journal’s Megan Scully contacted a spokesperson for Sen. Jon Kyl, a top GOP critic of START, who said that “We don’t know what happened and why.”  The spokesperson refused to comment on “media reports.” Okay, I just wanted to say Scully

• Are six movies in a trilogy too many? How about nine? (btm) (see also: io9 report, primary link being hammered with traffic, (SM) but they are essentially quoting iesb, hmmmmm. We could intro this as a possible rumor and then talk about if we really want. Also, this is kind of suspect because they are still talking as if the live action is going to be filmed and Lucas has already put the nix on that production citing soaring production costs and wanting to wait until the tech is cheaper)
  • iesb.net is reporting based on reliable sources that after the 3D re-releases of the Star Wars saga Lucas is planning to release 3 new movies
  • story to be set long after the existing movies
  • will not involve Skywalker family
  • start date would be after the 2015-2016 completion of the 3D re-releases

• Man Prosecuted for jailbreaking XBox (SM)
  • It’s legal to jailbreak your IPhone, but not your gaming console?
  • Matthew Crippen is facing 3 yrs jail sentence for running a xbox mod company
  • His company was selling mods for $60 – $80
  • Got caught performing surgery on 2 undercover agents machines
  • Charged under the anti-circumvention provisions of DMCA
  • Andrew Huang, author of “Hacking the Xbox: An Intro to Reverse Engineering”, wants to testify showing how easy it is to mod (if its easy, anti-circumvent doesn’t apply)
  • He’ll probably be blocked because his demo is a bit superfluous.

• Akira Toriyama is back!! (udg)

• • Shueisha Publishing Company of Tokyo has convinced legendary manga creator Akira Toriyama to come back and restart the Dragon Ball comics franchise.
  • Since 1995, the creator has only returned to the well for comics once, for a one-off crossover with One Piece. His other works have been shorter, more personal pieces, though he has continues to oversee new animations, and his studio are working on a Dragon Ball Online MMORG for release soon.
  • Most speculate that it’s because of the game that Toriyama has been persuaded to return – to promote it. Whatever the reason, I look forward to seeing his return.

• Hobbit Who? (btm)
  • Sylvester McCoy to portray Radagast the Brown in upcoming Hobbit movie
  • made announcement to fans at Armageddon Expo in Auckland, NZ
  • no contract signed yet
  • rumors of David Tennant not verifiable, listed only as a “potential”
  • Cast List Here

• Adobe releases HTML 5 Video Player (SM)
  • In response to Apple blocking their flash player, Adobe now has a player that will run HTML 5 for systems that can support it and switch to flash when they can’t
  • Cross-browser, Cross-platform so works on IPhones, IPads, and other devices.
  • Other similar non first-party plugins available (brightcove and Vimeo) but first party trumps all
  • Built into the Dreamweaver Creative 5 suite
  • Not a user? u can use Adobe’s free Widget Browser app (air app)
  • This after Apple announces to officially ditch Flash pre-install on all Macs

• HP Releases Slate 500 A Year Late (SM)
  • It’s essentially a PC in a tablet form factor
  • Intel Atom (1.8ghz), 2GB RAM, 64GB Flash Drive, 1024 x 600 screen, SD Card slot, Integrate Wi-Fi, 2 cameras, and a measly 5 hrs runtime
  • Targeted for businesses, not the “user friendly” version touted a year ago
  • No easy video conf, e-reading, or anything, just straight Win 7 w/ touch support
  • (SM) Wonders how this will do better than a standard netbook

• Hide your kids, Hide your wife (btm) (I’ll intro this as a PSA and then let you take it Ben)
  • BeenVerified.com has released a new mobile app for iPhone and Android users that helps locate registered sex offenders in your area (just in time for Halloween).
  • uses the sex offender registry with geolocation and “augmented reality“
  • partnered with the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RANN) and Antoine Dodson (of the “Bed Intruder” video and song from YouTube) to promote awareness.
  • app is $1.99
  • run and tell that

Intarweb Goldmine

• Hey sexy, wanna peep my navel fluff collection? *blech* (udg)

• • An Australian man has made a habit of collecting his navel lint, earning him a place in the Guinness Book of World Records.
  • The Australian librarian started “harvesting” his fluff in 1984, at a youth hostel in Brisbane. After 26 years, the complete collection now weighs 22.1 grams, or .77 ounces.
  • “I became curious about how much navel fluff one person could generate (enough to stuff a cushion, maybe?), and the only way to find for sure was to collect it and see,” he wrote on his blog feargod.net.
  • Each day, the 45-year-old plucks the lint from his navel before he gets into the shower, and stores it in a clay pot. At the end of the year, he adds the harvest to his main collection, which is housed by color in glass jars and then labeled by date.
  • Barker sold three of his jars to a museum for an undisclosed sum and is a quarter of the way to filling a fourth, Britain’s Daily Mail newspaper reported. Despite his place in the record books, Barker plans to continue collecting his navel lint, and hopes to fill another five jars.
  • According to his site “I don’t just collect lint – there are also pages featuring my collections of Beard Clippings, Bogus Names, and Bakery Bags, amongst other things.”

• When hiccups turn deadly? (SM)
  • Girl has continuous hiccups in 2007 … up to 50 a minute
  • Shows up on NBC, Goes to doctors, Finally gets cured
  • FF to 2010 and this girl then lures a guy off a social site and then 2 accomplices rob and kill the guy
  • Mother’s quote? “Honestly, the best way I can describe it, is that they call it a case of the hiccups, but I call it the curse of the hiccups,” she told the newspaper. “It felt like a nightmare.”

• You’re supposed to spring your best friend from jail- right?

Extra Links

• Costume FAIL!

• IPhone passes RIM in market share
  • RIM = 16.1% , Apple = 18.3%
  • Just passed Q3 2010
  • Nokia still has a commanding lead at 34.4% (large presence in asia and europe)
  • Why is this important? news raised stock to $421 a share
  • Predictions? Iphone will continue to rise Win7Mo won’t go anywhere w/out strong app store, RIM will continue to fail and if IPhone ever goes enterprise, GG

Contact Info

• On Twitter: Steven is @DarthMolen, Ben is @RealityAmuck, Natali is @UberDorkGirlie
• email us: darthmolen@thepowergeeks.com and jpuent@thepowergeeks.com and uberdorkgirlie@thepowergeeks.com (yay!)
• And Become a Fan
• http://racomics.com

Sponsors

Shiny Lines

• What: Shiny Geek Jewelry, clothing and other bits & bytes, made by Geeks for Geeks.
• Why: Geeks, Nerds & Gamers alike deserve to shine at their very best, on and offline.
• Who: @aDigitalAngel & fellow nerds at ShinyLines.com

Luxury Lane Soaps

http://luxurylanesoap.com, @KyleeLane, GORGEOUS, IMAGINATIVE, HANDCRAFTED, GEEKY Soap

• Can I say any more superlatives? You will love her products.
• (We Do! They’re Geekalicious! but don’t eat them… they are SOAP!)

We are LIVE on Ustream!!! This week we talk Internet TV, Chinese Space Program, microsoft fails, geek movies, and even a serious topic for once!

Items of Interest

• JEREMY IS BACK! (do we need more?? ) (udg)
• Glassless 3D TV’s (12”,20”,52”) (toshiba, etc)
• The one convention that I’m sorry I missed (SM)
• Warehouse 13 Farnsworth replica blueprints!!!! (JP)
  • Very cool, detailed blueprints for the Farnsworth communication device for only $9.95

Gold Sponsors:

UberDorkCafe

• Will be THE place for Geeks to hang out
• What is UberDorkCafe? It is the brain child and DREAM of Natali, aka @UberDorkGirlie from twitter, and it blends art + science = geek
• Place to hang, eat, have awesome kid parties (if thats your thing), or to get your gaming on
• Woookie Coookies – a piece of UDC before there is even a physical cafe
• first Piece revealed and accompanying t-shirt @hefnatron
• Ellen campaign!!

• Today in Geek History
  • JebApps (owned by our own Jeremy Puent) released their latest app, Today in Geek History
  • Gives you factoids based upon date, spanning all sorts of geekiness
  • For example, did you know on October 6th, 1967 – The Star Trek episode ‘Mirror, Mirror’ airs, introducing the Mirror Universe and the evil goatee.
  • This app is available for Android in a Lite version for free or a paid version, all on the Marketplace
  • Check out the lite version, but the paid version for .99
  • Also, Golden Pic and Golden Pic Lite for Android devices

Deals of the Week / New Releases

• L4D2 “The Sacrifice”
  • Oct. 5, Free for PC, 500 pts for X360
  • 2 new campaigns, “Mercy” from L4D1 + new one
  • Both playable w/ original survivors (SM) Just played, it was blast
  • *jumps up and down* it’s available for MAC too!! Squeee! (udg)
  • The Full games are on sale for $10+ on Steam for limited time
• Remote Linux Desktop for Your iPad! (udg)

• • iLIVE launched this past week for a slightly steep price of $14.99. But, from everything I read, you get some pretty big bang for that 15 bucks.
  • For starters you can connect to remote Unix or Linux servers and control a remote desktop or individual X application from your iPad. You can also connect to an existing LIVE session you initiated from a Windows, Macintosh or Linux workstation using other StarNet LIVE client solutions.

• Highlights:
  • Speed — Fastest remote Linux/Unix desktop program available
  • Persistency — Switch back-and-forth to other apps without losing data
  • Sharing – You can share your Linux desktop with other iPad, Windows, Macintosh and Linux desktop users.
  • Security – All traffic to remote server is SSH-tunneled
  • Switching – Seamlessly switch your remote desktop between iPads, Windows, Linux and Macintosh PCs

• • FREE LINUX DESKTOP

• • iLIVEx customers qualify for a free iLIVEx desktop account on StarNet’s iLIVEx Linux server. On your Linux desktop you can:
  • Run the Open Office Suite, including word processing, spreadsheet, presentations, drawing and more.
  • Run FireFox to surf the Internet.
  • You can run multiple applications on one Linux desktop or run one application on each of Linux’s 4 virtual desktops virtual desktops.

• Skype for Android
  • After fits and starts, Skype is now available on Android
  • skype.com/m
  • The catch? You’ll need 2.1 or later.

• Star Wars Uncut
  • Star Wars cut in to 15 second clips and then crowd sourced

• DVD / Blu-Ray Releases
  • BEATY AND THE BEAST!!!! (Blu-ray) (huge disney nerd)
  • Last of the Mohicans
  • Karate Kid remake (lots say its good, don’t mess with 80’s cheese)
  • Grindhouse! (Blu-Ray) (buyer beware, very bloody, over the top) Planet Terror and Death Proof all squenched together, theatrical release
  • The Maltese Falcon (Blu-Ray)
  • Mad Max (before road warrior) Blu-Ray

Geek Speak

• • TV Devices Market Heating up!

• Google TV
  • Based on Android, optimized for larger screen, intel atom chip
  • Patent for $2 commercial skip fee, questionnaire to skip, or 10 mins commercials
  • Logitech set-top box (revue)
  • Plans to search both internet and traditional channels
  • Custom content from: Turner Broadcasting, HBO, NBC Universal, and the NBA-
  • Won’t sell ads for the first year, but this is how Google makes its money
  • Promising more data mining for advertisers.
  • Did you know, only 25,000 homes own a nielson box? yet these homes set the ad money for the year just by sampling 3 months of usage
  • Other downfall? Probably pricy
• Apple TV (99)
• Boxee (199)
• Roku (99)

(Netflix, Hulu, bittorrent, amazon, apple, etc)
Are we really ready for streaming TV content????

When is a Joke Too Much?

• Penny Arcade released a strip about “dickwolves” commiting rape
  • Pretty tastless but when called on it by people who have actually been targets of this absolutely, HORRIFIC experience that literally scars people for life
  • A reader pointed this out to them, in their own words:
  • A survivor of sexual violence who experiences a trigger is experiencing the same thing as a soldier who experiences a trigger, potentially even including flashbacks. Like many soldiers who return from war, many survivors of sexual violence are left with post-traumatic stress disorder.…I will never understand why anyone wants to be the total jerk who evokes someone’s memories of being assaulted by blindsiding hir with a rape joke (or image, or metaphor, or whatever), in the guise of “humor.” No “joke” is worth triggering someone. Not if you understand what triggering someone really means.
  • Their callow retort? They’re making a DickWolf shirt about the whole thing
  • When is a Joke too much? (discuss)
  • www.rainn.org  Rape Abuse & Incest National Network 1-800-656-HOPE

Tech,Gaming, and Geek News

• China Plans for Lunar landing 2017 (SM)
  • I’m a bit bitter, US has given up on going to the moon
  • China on the other hand, launched its 2nd unmanned moon mission
  • The probe will take 5 days to reach the moon
  • Testing technology for an unmanned flight in 2012
  • If all goes well, Chinese plan to be on the moon in 2017

• Quality Family Time! Brooklyn father and son launch their own spacecraft (udg)

• • They may not be rocket scientists, but Luke Geissbühler and his 7-year-old son, Max sent a “homemade spacecraft” into the stratosphere nearly 19 miles (around 100,000 feet) above the Earth’s surface to be exact – and they have the awesome video to prove it.
  • After eight months of research and flight tests, they launched the craft  made up of a a 19-inch helium-filled weather balloon attached to a Styrofoam capsule that housed an HD video camera and an iPhone. It was rigged with a parachute to the capsule to aid in its return to Earth, and the iPhone broadcast its GPS coordinates so they could track it down. The GoPro Hero camera recorded 100 minutes of the flight before its batteries conked out two minutes before landing in a tree 30 miles north of the launch.
  • Go to the link and check out the video, it’s pretty amazing.

• Twitter founder stepping down as CEO (JP)
  • Evan Williams has been CEO since 2008
  • Stepping down to focus more on making twitter “profitable”
  • “Growing big is not success in itself” and “Success to us means meeting our potential as a profitable company that can retain its culture and user focus while having a positive impact on the world.”
  • one experts take “This is about turning Twitter from a communications platform into an advertising platform and a real money-making business.”
  • Rumored “Promoted Accounts” now a reality
    • How this is funny to me when people get mad about it…
  • Discuss! What can twitter do to make money without pissing us off?

• Adobe Air coming to Android (SM)
  • Everybody acknowledges that IPhone has better App Store
  • It’s a pain to develop for that platform
  • Android is making it even easier to write for their OS by allowing this app
  • 1 tool that allows you to port an application from Android, Windows, Linux, Mac, etc (maybe iOS in the future)

• Holy Fail Microsoft. (udg)

• • So, in yet another attempt to copy Apple, Microsoft has their own stores.
  • They look like Apple Stores. Their Geniuses are called Gurus. And they clap when people buy a PC.
  • Part of Microsoft’s store offering is Microsoft Signature which is Microsoft’s own version of Windows 7 installed on any machine bought there.
  • So what’s the advantage of buying a Signature PC? According to Ken Fowles, Microsoft’s “Signature Samurai” it means a cleaner machine with around 15 less tasks running on initial boot, faster boot and shutdown times, and basically less crap to deal with.
  • So why is it Microsoft can offer a faster, cleaner version of Windows 7 than other vendors? It’s all due to a lack of other software from 3rd-party vendors being preinstalled on machines. Something commonly referred to as “crapware”. It consists of all those trial applications nobody wants that vendors install to make some extra cash on the sale of every PC. Microsoft Signature PCs have none of that so by default will run faster and with fewer tasks active.
  • But in an attempt to push Signature beyond new PC sales Microsoft is also offering it as a solution to crapware removal. Rather than spend the time uninstalling all that software you don’t want, just haul your new Windows 7 machine down to a Microsoft Store, buy a second full-price retail copy of Windows 7, and the techs there will happily do a clean install for you. Return home $170+ lighter and enjoy. Spank you very much Microsoft.
  • PCWorld did a list of 10 ways Microsoft stores will DIFFER from Apple’s
  • 1) Instead of Apple’s sheer walls of glass, Microsoft’s stores will have brushed steel walls dotted with holes — reminiscent of Windows security.
  • 2) The store will have six different entrances: Starter, Basic, Premium, Professional, Enterprise, and Ultimate. While all six doors will lead into the same store, the Ultimate door requires a fee of $100 for no apparent reason.
  • 3) Instead of a “Genius Bar” (as Apple provides) Microsoft will offer an Excuse Bar. It will be staffed by Microsofties trained in the art of evading questions, directing you to complicated and obscure fixes, and explaining it’s a problem with the hardware — not a software bug.
  • 4) The Windows Genuine Advantage team will run storefront security, assuming everybody is a thief until they can prove otherwise.
  • 5) Store hours are undetermined. At any given time the store mysteriously shuts down instantaneously for no apparent reason. (No word yet on what happens to customers inside).
  • 6) Stores will be named Microsoft Live Retail Store with PC Services for Digital Lifestyle Enthusiasts.
  • 7) Fashioned after Microsoft’s User Account Control (UAC) in Vista, sales personnel will ask you whether you’re positive you want to purchase something at least twice.
  • Xbox 360 section of the store will be organized in a ring — which will inexplicably go red occasionally.
  • 9) DreamWorks will design a scary in-store theme park ride called “blue screen of death.”
  • 10) Store emergency exits will be unlocked at all times so people can get in anytime they want even if the front doors are locked.

• Verizon to issue refunds to 15 million customers (JP)
  • Verizon announced Sunday they will be issuing $90 million in refunds to 15 million cell phone customers who were erroneously charged for data sessions or Internet use.
  • They will do this via $2-$6 credit on either the Oct or Nov bills for existing customers in that group. For those that are no longer customers, a refund check will be mailed.
  • So what happened? The charges affected customers who did not have data usage plans, but were billed because of exchanges initiated by software built into their phones. In the past three years, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission received complaints from Verizon Wireless customers who said they were charged for data usage or Web access, the New York Times reported Sunday.

• Robotic Heart Transplant for Boy (SM)
  • Boy suffering from Duchene muscular dystrophy, a rapidly degenerating muscle disorder, making him ineligible for a heart transplant
  • Fitted with a fully “robotic” heart in his left ventricle
  • Powered by battery pack at waist and connected at left ear
  • Said to give him another 25 years life, had only days to live

• Zach Snyder Confirmed to Direct Superman (udg)

• • The speculation is over Zack Snyder of Watchmen & 300 fame has been officially confirmed as the director of the upcoming Superman reboot. I don’t think this comes as terribly shocking news to anyone. Oh wait, considering back in 2008 he was quoted as saying “They asked me to direct a Superman movie, and I said no. He’s a tricky one nowadays, isn’t he? He’s the king daddy of all comic-book heroes, but I’m just not sure how you sell that kind of earnestness to a sophisticated audience anymore” there may be some out there confuzzled.
  • Either way the film will move forward with a script from David Goyer and Jonathan Nolan. Christopher Nolan will “godfather” the production, aiming for a late 2012 release.
  • A little more dish has been revealed this weeks since the Snyder announcement. Some of the dirt- General Zod will be the film’s main villain and that it is unlikely that Brandon Routh will return for the role.
  • Many speculate the reason why Snyder was chosen to direct the film is because Warner Bros. doesn’t like Goyer’s script, calling it “rushed” and “still a bit of a mess.” The studio believes that Snyder can take on the project and not need months to figure it all out. The reason for the pressure comes from the fact that a new Superman movie needs to be in production by 2011 or they can be subject to legal action from the heirs of the hero’s creators.
  • What is the messy rushed plot? Sources state the film will see “Clark Kent [as] a journalist traveling the world trying to decide if he should, in fact, even become Superman.”
  • This leaves me with two questions 1) can that storyline provide more action than the less than awesome Superman Returns and 2) The word “become” suggests that the film may take place before Superman puts on the tights for the first time, which means that we might need to brace ourselves for an origin story.
  • Given the timeline they are up against, I expect some rapid firing casting being announced and a WHOLE LOT of praying going on by all those involved in this project. Afterall, do you really wanna be known for half assing Superman?

• Apple loses $625 Million patent suit (SM)
  • Texas jury ruled that Apple broke a document patent on the Iphone, Ipod Touch, and Mac OS
  • Mirror Worlds Company awarded damages for the 2008 infringement
  • The app at the center of controversy? CoverFlow
  • $208.5 Million for each infringement
  • Apple appealing and issuing a stay all at once??? (doesn’t have to pay and wants more time)

Intarweb Goldmine

• Segway company owner dies in Segway accident (SM)
  • Owner just barely bought the company a year ago from original, Dean Kamen
  • died after driving his ruggedized Segway off a cliff and into a river
  • Had just donated a 1000 Segways to disabled vets
  • Really sad because the guy was a humanitarian, 13 million pounds in donations plus his latest donation to the US Army’s Walter Reed Medical Center
  • Study just released showing injuries on the rise from riding segways
  • (SM) Yeah, because ppl are inherently stupid, you’re riding something standing up and going pretty fast

• That takes some nuts. (udg)

• • A district judge from Intercourse, Pa., was given a summary charge of disorderly conduct for handing out acorns stuffed with condoms to women.
  • The judge, Isaac H. Stoltzfus, 58, handed out the nuts to unsuspecting women and claimed that he was simply trying to pull a prank and has no sexual intentions behind his actions.
  • The women were not impressed with his nuts.

• Lawnmower sets new world record speed (JP)

• • Never thought of a lawnmower as badass before? You will now.
    • If Tim the Toolman were not fictional… he’d be… This guy!
  • Bobby Cleveland, a man who apparently does not know the meaning of a regular speed lawn mower, recently broke the World Record again for the fastest riding lawn mower in existence. On the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, Cleveland recently recorded a blazing speed of 96.529 mph, which smashed a British driver’s previous record 87.833 mph for the World’s Fastest Lawnmower.

• Dead Bodies on Google Maps Street View (SM)
  • After expanding into South America, there have been dead bodies showing up
  • 2 in Brazil were shown, one with police around, one without
  • All images complained about were taken off the service
  • “no different to what anyone might expect to see for themselves around the country. Sometimes that means our cars inadvertently capture odd or inappropriate moments as they drive past,”
    • I am hereby officially created a new game/sport. (JP)

• Piñata Optional At This Party (udg)

• • Police in Ohio walked into a hail of broken beer bottles and flying fists when called to respond to a blood-soaked brawl involving 75 people at a 3-year-old’s birthday party.
  • More than 20 officers from seven police departments were called to the scene at 1 a.m. at a Fraternal Order of Eagles Hall in Elmwood Place, Ohio, early last Tuesday and had to wait before entering the social hall as a melee of flying bottles and chairs erupted inside.
  • Wait. WHAT THE TRUCK? 1am on a TUESDAY?? For a THREE YEAR OLD!?!?
  • Weapon of choice for all involved? Broken beer bottle. 15 of the 150 maroons present were treated for injuries and released.  What started it? Age old story- the 3 year old’s dad had an altercation with her mom’s new boyfriend.
  • Saddest part- Only one arrest- the bday girl’s dad.

Extra Links

• Star Wars Finger Food

Contact Info

• On Twitter: Steven is @DarthMolen and I am @JPuent Natali is @UberDorkGirlie
• email us: darthmolen@thepowergeeks.com and jpuent@thepowergeeks.com and uberdorkgirlie@thepowergeeks.com (yay!)
• And Become a Fan
• Follow our guest host Kristin on the web geekgirlsnetwork.com and on twitter @geekgirls (yes yes, im in the plural)

We are LIVE on Ustream!!! This week we talk IPhone Funerals, Betty White getting her own comic, Call of Duty news, and Microsoft grows some balls… Jeremy can’t be here tonight but our thoughts are with him…

Items of Interest

• ESB Lego Chess
• Pubic Hare

Gold Sponsors:

UberDorkCafe

• Will be THE place for Geeks to hang out
• What is UberDorkCafe? It is the brain child and DREAM of Natali, aka @UberDorkGirlie from twitter, and it blends art + science = geek
• Place to hang, eat, have awesome kid parties (if thats your thing), or to get your gaming on
• Woookie Coookies – a piece of UDC before there is even a physical cafe
• UberDorkCafe – Auction Sept. 11th – DC,Tampa Bay,Online
• first Piece revealed and accompanying t-shirt @hefnatron
• Ellen campaign – fill out the form!!
• Gnork Pride for Ellen Explanation

NYCC (iKdr)

• During the convention, we will all be busy waiting in lines, getting autographs, attending panels, waiting for bathrooms, and squeeeing over all that is awesome that time to meet those you have been friends with online and across the globe often takes a serious back seat. This Tweet-Up will be the perfect opportunity to hang out with friends you have made online and hopefully make some new friends.
• WHEN: Friday, October 8th @ 8:30 pm
• WHERE: Stitch Bar & Lounge 247 West 37th Street
• EPIC MUSIC: Kirby Krackle
• There is more to come so RSVP to the FB Events Page!
• GGN is looking for event sponsors. For more information on sponsoring this epic event, please email info@geekgirlsnetwork.com.

• Golden Pic and Golden Pic Lite for Android devices

• • Both are available in the Android Market for Android devices running 1.5 or later
  • Lite is a free version (ad supported) with slightly limited functionality
  • Full version is only $1.99 USD
  • Go Buy it! or try it, then buy it!

Deals of the Week / New Releases

• LOTR Online now “Free to Play”
  • Following DDO, LOTR Online is now free to play
  • Players can now DL the client from the website and get started zero cost
  • quest packs, etc, can be paid for and still premium memberships available
  • If you have the urge to play a hobbit, now is the time
  • Won Pax best of Show

• New Kick Ass DVD’s
  • LOTR: Trilogy, (Timecop,Bloodsport), The Black Cauldron, The Return of the Living Dead, Invasion of the Body Snatcher, Pirates of Penzance, Prince of Persia, Starcrash

• Limited time only Deal (iKDR)
  • Don’t piss me off, and I won’t punch you in the face ?

• Dream in Plastic Sales (iKDR)
  • super awesome store owned by equally awesome ladies
  • this week on sale: robot puzzle coasters, robot/bunny charm bracelet * garden gnomes candle set
• Hello, My Name Is….. Yup I Wanna Win These Swords! (udg)
  • Geek Chic Daily along with Factory Entertainment are giving away AWESOME replicas of the Dread Pirate Roberts’ and Inigo Montoya’s swords.
  • Don’t know who they are? Don’t enter!!! If ya do and know how kick ass it would be to win this $600 bundle of sweetness, follow the link in the shownotes to enter.

Geek Speak

• Intervention Con Report! (udg)

• Can games make you smarter?

• • Gamers make decisions faster, FACT
  • One study says that action games improve probabilistic inference markedly
  • probabilistic inference: ability to make informed decisions with missing or limited data
  • Lots of scientific mumbo-jumbo but here’s the skinny:
    • When you play action or FPS style games, you are presented with a lot of information VERY VERY quickly and forced to make decisions before you have all the facts, or your dead.
    • This trains the 2 parts of your brain that harvests and then processes that data so that it passes stuff to each other faster
  • What do you guys think? Can VG’s make you smarter and how?
  • (SM)I’ve seen cognitive and problem solving skills go up in my own son by using Legos, why not games?

Tech,Gaming, and Geek News

• Microsoft holds IPhone Funeral? (SM)
  • To announce Win Phone 7 RTM, M$ holds an IPhone Funeral
  • They paraded down the street with pall bearers and a giant machette of an IPhone
  • Probably should have held a funeral for Win Mobile 6.5
  • Best part? the Win team staged “Thriller” in the street

• PopCap and NCSoft Team Up for Korean Gaming Network (udg)

• • Seems PopCap isn’t happy just making casual online games that people seem to really love, they want their own social gaming network and are teaming up with the folks at NCSoft to make that happen in Korean. Yup, Korea where they LOVE their games.
  • The new venture will be called PopCap World and is being created at PopCap’s new Shanghai game studio. NCSoft will run the operation which will launch with 13 games including Bejewelled, Plants vs. Zombies, and Zuma. Korean gamers will also be getting their very own new multiplayer game called Super Zuma.
  • All the games on PopCap World will be free to play, but revenue will be generated from premium elements yet to be detailed. The site will obviously be Korean-language and should go live before the end of 2010.

• Yup, Betty White is cool enough for her own comic (iKDR)
  • Bluewater has announced that Betty will be spotlighted in a November comic for its “Female Force” line.
  • Bluewater honcho Darren G. Davis says”
    • So not only telling her biography, we really focus on what she has done with animal rights. She is a legend in the television world and now is taking the industry by storm.”
  • BWP is an independent production studio of comic books and graphic novels. Based in Vancouver, Washington –  publish biographical comics, adaptations from films and original titles with self-created characters in 10th Muse and The Legend of Isis.

• Cross a Tank and a skateboard… (SM)
  • 2 teen canadian engineers, Ben Gulak and Jason Morrow
  • previous creation, electric unicycle
  • Created a tank that you ride like a skateboard
  • Dual Track, control yoke, enough torque to tow an SUV, 40 degree inclines
  • Plans to market it to military-type personnel
  • The videos are IMPRESSIVE!

• Google’s Bounty Pays Off- 10 Bugs in New Chrome Release Fixed (udg)

• • It seems Google’s bug bounty program is paying some nice dividends, for both sides. Less than two weeks after releasing version 6.0 of its Chrome browser, Google has pushed out another Chrome release, which includes fixes for 10 security bugs, seven of which are rated either critical or high.
  • Google Chrome 6.0.472.59 comes out just 12 days after the last Chrome release, which fixed 14 security bugs. As part of its bug bounty program, Google paid out $4,000 in rewards to researchers who disclosed security flaws in the browser. Most of the security flaws fixed in the new release are in the Windows version of Chrome, but the most serious bug is only in Chrome for Mac.

• Star Wars just got a little cuddlier (iKDR)
  • In case you missed the squees yesterday on Twitter, Build-A-Bear has released a line of Star Wars costumes for your squishy friends:
    • Darth Vadar, Jedi, Clone Trooper
  • And to continue the nerdiness, there’s also a Batman costume

• COD: Black Ops will have dedicated servers (SM)
  • The biggest complaint about MW2 (besides the balance) was lack of dedicated servers
  • Treyarch plans to make up for that with the new release
  • Whats so great about Servers? Better stability. You aren’t so dependent on the client link to the pseudo-server
  • Only drawback, If you want a private server, you have to go through an exclusive vendor (gameservers.com)

• I told you Zynga was evil. (udg)

• • SF Weekly broke the news with the story aptly titled “FarmVillians”
  • In just 3  years, Zynga has gone from a “scrappy start up” to ruling FB & yup they are even on MySpace.
  • The company’s true earnings are unknown to outsiders. In May, social media analyst Lou Kerner estimated their total price tag at $4 BILLION
  • How have they accomplished that in such a short time?
  • One former senior employee sat and talked w/ SF weekly on the formula for success. (He wished to remain anonymous hmmm… zynga mafia for reals?)
  • He went in doe-eyed and eager to be a part of something and instead learned early on in a board meeting that it wasn’t all that it appeared.
  • The lesson was taught directly by Zynga CEO Mark Pincus. What was it? “”I don’t fucking want innovation,” the ex-employee recalls Pincus saying. “You’re not smarter than your competitor. Just copy what they do and do it until you get their numbers.”
  • Turns out interviews conducted by SF Weekly with several former Zynga workers indicate that the practice of stealing other companies’ game ideas — and then using Zynga’s market clout to crowd out the games’ originators — was business as usual.
  • Former employees describe a corporate ethos based in a predatory attitude toward rival companies and gamers. Unlike innovative and socially useful business enterprises such asTwitter or Google, Zynga sought to cash in quickly by repackaging, and then furiously peddling, the ideas of others.
  • The article goes on to layout the staggering blatant ethical mockery that is Zynga in fairly great detail and includes details on how Zynga gets people sucked into the “compulsion loop” then throws in the deviant ploy of online virtual extras for all of their games that come with huge price tags. Items you need to “win” or get ahead in the games they copy and spew out.
  • You all have heard my soapbox on their evils…. here’s a quote from our anonymous friend “Zynga’s motto is ‘Do Evil,’” he says. “I would venture to say it is one of the most evil places I’ve run into, from a culture perspective and in its business approach. I’ve tried my best to make sure that friends don’t let friends work at Zynga.”

• Robot skin knows the difference between a junk-punk and a kiss (iKDR)
  • Artificial electronic skins that can detect the gentlest of touches have been developed by two independent US research groups.
  • Skins could eventually be used in prosthetics, or in touch-sensitive robotic devices.
  • Both systems detect pressure changes of less than a kilopascal, the same as everyday pressures felt by our fingers when typing or picking up a pen.
  • However, fully working artificial skins will need to do more than detect pressure and bend. “The ultimate prosthetic skin should behave like our own skin,” says Stephanie Lacour, a materials scientist from the University of Cambridge, UK. That would mean the skin being able to detect sideways shear forces — such as those produced by scratching a twig down your leg — as well as pressure. “This is one of the most difficult things to implement,” she says.

• Microsoft Issues Free Licenses to Russian Non Profits (SM)
  • Russian politicos have been using copyright laws to shut down opposition voices
  • Racket: Org voices dissent, Russian cops raid org and confiscate computers, cops then use private copyright lawyers to keep everything in limbo
  • allegations are that raids or only happening when there is dissent
  • Microsoft has given a blanket free license to Non profit orgs in Russia to avoid this type of strong arming in “their” name
  • The unique thing, its retroactive and always present if you meet certain requirements

Intarweb Goldmine

• Worst Airline Seat EVAR (SM)
  • Looks like a saddle.
  • You’re half standing and the seat in front of you looks like its 3 inches away
  • Looks very similar to a roller coaster chair but with less room
  • What next? Cattle prods and rails with a bus bar to hold onto during turbulence?
  • (The uppity lady next to me on the flight back from DC Monday that dropped her salad all over my lap and screamed at the flight attendant for not having a fork for her would have gotten jacked if those were the seats we had- udg)

• Pregnant Nun Ad Found Offensive (udg)

• • An advert for Antonio Frederici brand ice cream showing a heavily-pregnant nun has been banned for “making a mockery” of Roman Catholic beliefs.
  • The ad showed the prego nun in a church with a tub of ice cream and a spoon with the text “immaculately conceived” and “ice cream is our religion.”

• Man Blows himself up…trying to kill a spider (iKDR)
  • listen, i hate the little creepers too, like alot, but come on!!\

• Zombie course in College (SM)
  • its a 3rd year english course
  • Students will watch 16 classic zombie films, read zombie comics, and generally dissect the context of zombiedom in general
  • An alternative to final research paper, write your own zombie script or draw storyboards for the ideal zombie flick!
  • Official course objective: “Get you ready for the zombie apocalypse
  • Not for the faint hearted, there will be blood and guts
  • Did you know I’m already a professor at Zombie University ? (iKDR)

Extra Links

• $35 Tablet?

• Awesome Super Hero Tattoos

• Boxxee vs. Apple TV

• Safeguard your digital Photos
• 44 Free retro fonts
• Pictures for Sad Children

Contact Info

• On Twitter: Steven is @DarthMolen and I am @JPuent Natali is @UberDorkGirlie
• email us: darthmolen@thepowergeeks.com and jpuent@thepowergeeks.com and uberdorkgirlie@thepowergeeks.com (yay!)
• And Become a Fan

Sponsors

Prof. Mordarm’s “The Wandering Geek Con Journal”

• Kickstarter Project by Lorenzo R.(aka @Prof_Mordarm), create a useful medium to inform people of Geeky Cons across the U.S., both big and small.
• Series of physical journals that will be written in and by the geeks, the panelists, the cosplayers, the vendors, & the fans. Everyone & anyone at a Con can write in this journal Allowing good, bad, and geeky experiences to liv on
• When enough content is gathered, these experiences will be published into easy to read (online, PDF, & hardcopy) editions each year. It will be the Geek’s version of the Farmer’s Almanac, but for Geeky Cons!
• To help get your own TWGCJ and/or support or if you have questions, check out the Kickstarter @ http://kck.st/cNUADw & also follow the project creator on Twitter for updates.

http://luxurylanesoap.com, @KyleeLane, GORGEOUS, IMAGINATIVE, HANDCRAFTED, GEEKY Soap

• Can I say any more superlatives? You will love her products.
• (We Do! They’re Geekalicious! but don’t eat them… they are SOAP!)

We are LIVE on Ustream!!! This week we talk InterventionCon, Apple Media Press Conference, Commodore 64 rising from the ashes and MUCH MORE!!!

Items of Interest

• Jack from Mass Effect 2 CosPlay !!!! (JP)
  • Super impressive costume! Must see!

• Historic Nasa Pictures come to Flickr “Commons” (SM)
  • Nasa posts free pictures on Flickr Commons of some of the most historic moments in its history
  • a GREAT trip down memory lane for any space nuts out there
  • Goddard, JFK, Von Braun, LBJ, John Glenn, Lots of rockets and xp planes
    • (JP – What an awesome collection of pics… Geeks and space geeks alike should dig this!)

Gold Sponsors:

UberDorkCafe

• Will be THE place for Geeks to hang out
• What is UberDorkCafe? It is the brain child and DREAM of Natali, aka @UberDorkGirlie from twitter, and it blends art + science = geek
• Place to hang, eat, have awesome kid parties (if thats your thing), or to get your gaming on
• Woookie Coookies – a piece of UDC before there is even a physical cafe
• UberDorkCafe – Auction Sept. 11th – DC,Tampa Bay,Online
• first Piece revealed and accompanying t-shirt @hefnatron
• Ellen campaign???

• Golden Pic and Golden Pic Lite for Android devices

• • Both are available in the Android Market for Android devices running 1.5 or later
  • Lite is a free version (ad supported) with slightly limited functionality
  • Full version is only $1.99 USD  (On Sale till Midnight Monday Central for only $0.99 for Labor Day Sale!)
  • Go Buy it! or try it, then buy it!

Deals of the Week / New Releases

• Dragon Age: Origin Awakenings XPack now on Mac (JP)
  • Did you know one of the best RPG’s out there was on Mac? DAO = the win
  • Awakenings now available on their store, its the xpack that has been out for awhile now
  • (Research a bit about the story)

• Thriller- The Entire Series on DVD (UDG)

• • Originally aired 1960-62, hosted by Boris Karloff
  • Guests included Shatner, Richard Chamberlain and other soon to be stars
  • Many of the program’s writers, including such icons of the genre as Robert Bloch (“Psycho”) and Richard Matheson (“I Am Legend”)

• Pinball FX2 comes to XBLA (SM)
  • Pinball? In this day and age? Original Pinball FX was one of the most bought and downloaded games on XBLA
  • FX2 is a “platform” meaning, you get the engine for free, you can import all your original FX boards and then the new boards come as content that u can purchase
  • New Achievements for old tables, Multiplayer support over XBLA, Leaderboards
  • (sm) Pinball tip of the week – Every Chuckie’s i’ve been to has 1 pinball machine for 1 token plays, boot the kids off it and camp the sucker

• Mirror’s Edge, Puzzle Agent coming to IPhone (SM)
  • Already on the IPad, now moving to IPhone
  • $4.99 for the Parkour style Adventure game

Geek Speak

• InterventionCon

• Apple Event (JP)

  • New AppleTV delivers on $99 price point, streaming

  • a smaller form-factor that clocks in at 1/4th the size of its first-generation sibling.
  • power supply is built into the Apple TV along with HDMI (at 720p cap) and Ethernet connections, and onboard 802.11n WiFi support. It also includes an Apple remote.
  • The Catch for $99 bucks? All Rental model… no purchases.
  • Netflix and YouTube streaming is available, along with photo streaming from Flickr and MobileMe.
  • new AppleTV will also be able to stream content from an iPad using the just-announced AirPlay in iOS 4.2 that’s slated to come out in November.
• iTunes 10 (available for download starting today)
  • New logo, few interface tweaks
  • Most of the new release’s focus is on Ping, a social network for music. “It’s like Facebook and Twitter meets iTunes,” Jobs said

• • iOS 4.1 announced, available next week

• High Dynamic Range photos: The phone will take three photos in rapid succession — one at what the phone thinks is the normal image, one underexposed and the third overexposed. The image is then combined to create the high dynamic image. Mel Martin demonstrated the power of this type of program in July.
• Bug fixes including those relating to the proximity sensor, Bluetooth and the iPhone 3G.
• High-definition video upload over Wi-Fi.
• TV show rentals and purchase
• Game Center debut

New iPod Nano
It’s hip to be square. the newly introduced iPod nano finally dispenses with the wheel because now the control surface is the iPod touch. The new model is so small that like the newly announced iPod shuffle, it has a clip that allows it to be worn and has a 24-hour battery life.

What isn’t there: the video camera that was included in the last release of the nano a year ago.

Other features include:

• VoiceOver
• FM radio
• Nike+ and pedometer

It comes in six colors, two more than the shuffle. It will cost $149 for 8GB and $179 for 16GB.
New Shuffle
The new iPod shuffle is smaller than the 2nd generation device and brings back buttons!
The new shuffle has a click wheel
It will hold 15 hours of music, is available in 4 colors and sells for US$49.
4th Gen iPod Touch
FaceTime. It isn’t just for iPhone any more.
Apple has just introduced a new generation of iPod touch with an new chip (the same A4 that powers the iPad and the iPhone 4), a better display (the iPhone 4′s double-resolution Retina display), and a built-in, front-facing camera that introduces FaceTime video conferencing capabilities.
a hefty refresh for an already great device,
lots of new features that really expand the way you can use the device.
newest iPod touch units bring nearly all of the iPhone magic to a Wi-Fi only platform.

Preorders start today, and they’ll be shipping within a week
Prices start at $229 for the 8GB version.

Tech,Gaming, and Geek News

• Intel a Busy bee (SM)
  • First, the purchase of Mcafee for $7.68 billion
  • Now, Infineon’s wireless unit for $1+ billion
  • Who is Infineon? make certain Iphone / IPad parts
  • Even intel sees writing on wall and is scrambling to be relevant

• HP writes a painful $55 Million check. (udg)

• • Have agreed to pay the US govt $55 million to settle charges that it paid kickbacks to tech partners for recommending their products to federal agencies
  • This final agreement, announced Mon, by the Dept of Justice follows a tentative settlement earlier in the month where HP agreed “in principal” to resolve the case.
  • “Contractors must deal fairly with the government when doing business with federal agencies,” Tony West, assistant attorney general for the civil division of the Department of Justice, said in the statement. “As this case demonstrates, we will take action against those who seek to taint the government procurement process with illegal kickbacks.”
  • The case stretches back to 2004 when two whistleblowers–Norman Rille, then a senior manager with Accenture, and Neal Roberts, a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers–filed a civil complaint alleging that HP had doled out kickbacks. The suit, which also included Sun Microsystems and Accenture, was launched under provisions of the False Claims Act (PDF) in which private citizens can file actions regarding fraud on behalf of the U.S. and share in any money recovered.
  • In 2007, the DOJ joined the investigation and charged that the defendants used affiliate relationships “to enrich themselves through a kickback scheme.”
  • The settlement also resolves charges that a 2002 contract between HP and the GSA was falsely priced because HP failed to provide complete information during negotiations with the government.
  • HP’s response to the whole thing? “HP denies engaging in any illegal conduct in connection with these matters. We believe it is in the best interest of our stakeholders to resolve the matter and move beyond this issue.”

• Commodore 64 Rises from the Ashes (JP)
  • Commodore USA announced right to make branded computers 6 mos ago
  • Then promptly went back under that radar as a deal couldn’t be hammered out
  • Now popped back up with full blown computer hidden in a authentic commodore 64 shell, right down to the huge keys!
  • PC64, 4GB DDR3, SATA 1TB HDD, HDMI, Blu-Ray or DVD
  • Want more modern? Go w/ the Phoenix or Amigo
  • All OS’es (including Amiga emulation)
    • (JP – I want one!!!)

We are LIVE on Ustream!!! Tonight we talk with Sillof.com about his custom figures, amy geek Star Wars Celebration V, 7 ways the zombie apocalypse won’t happen, Star Wars on Blu-Ray, Radios in Cell phones (are you kidding me)

• Possible hacked iPhone saga- weird call+5 images on camera roll+ 1.6gb data uploaded to her phone + Apple “not so” genius +AT&T (need I say more) = still no clue. I’m telling ya- CHINESE!

Gold Sponsors:

UberDorkCafe

• Will be THE place for Geeks to hang out
• What is UberDorkCafe? It is the brain child and DREAM of Natali, aka @UberDorkGirlie from twitter, and it blends art + science = geek
• Place to hang, eat, have awesome kid parties (if thats your thing), or to get your gaming on
• Woookie Coookies – a piece of UDC before there is even a physical cafe
• UberDorkCafe – Auction Sept. 11th

• Golden Pic and Golden Pic Lite for Android devices

• • Both are available in the Android Market for Android devices running 1.5 or later
  • Lite is a free version (ad supported) with slightly limited functionality
  • Full version is only $1.99 USD
  • Go Buy it! or try it, then buy it!

Deals of the Week / New Releases

• Toshiba releases Dual Screen Tablet / Laptop
  • Released in Japan first, now available here in the U.S. as of Monday as pre-order, Aug. 29 in some stores
  • Based on Windows 7, Clamshell device, 1.8 lbs, 7 inch
  • Bottom window is a touch screen keyboard and a monitor when needed
  • Bit pricey, $1099
    • (JP) One very cool feature (reading like an actual book) and one very disturbing song in the video ad at the link
      • Lyrics “You need me, you want me, come touch me, come hold me” Is this a porno ad?

• First Lara Croft & The Guardian of Light DLC Free for 30 Days Upon Launch on Xbox 360
  • Square Enix brings good news to those looking forward to Lara Croft’s first downloadable adventure.-the first content pack will be offered for free on the Xbox 360 for the first 30 days after launch, once it is released.
  • The Xbox 360 timed-exclusive is set to launch today as the final title in the 2010 Summer of Arcade promotion on Xbox Live.
  • (JP) WTF May go on tiny soapbox for a minute here. five DLC already when game dropping tomorrow??? Ripoff? Why not included in game… this isn’t like a map pack add on)

• Apple Releases Snow Leopard Graphics Update 1.0
  • Solves specific issues regarding frame rates in Portal and Team Fortress 2 on certain Macs, as well as issues that could cause StarCraft II or Aperture 3 to quit unexpectedly or become unresponsive.
  • Also corrects image corruption issue when connecting/disconnecting external displays
  • The update is 69.2MB and is available via Software Update for Macs running Mac OS X 10.6.4.

• DEXTER SEASON 4!! (udg)
  • Ok, I NEVER watch TV, but I’ve seen every episode of Dexter. It freakin’ rawks and season 4 is no excepction.
  • You will never look at John Lithgow the same way again.
  • Get it now while it’s a steal.
  • Trailer for Season 5 premiered at SDCC but I can’t link it cuz MAJOR SPOILER.
  • You’ve got til Sept 26 to cram it in before Season 5 premiers  (JP – Can’t wait!! Love DEXTER too!!!)

Geek Speak

• Sillof.com Guest Appearance
  • Jamie aka Sillof

• SWCV Rundown – (hopefully amy_geek – dm sent)
  • Top 5
    • Break out cosplay best and worst

• Trinkets and stuffs

• Knock off Merchandise, Social Media and Starwars – Panels,

Tech,Gaming, and Geek News

• Star Wars on Blu-Ray (SM)
  • Announced at SWCV when Jon Stewart asked the question
  • Deleted scenes, all 6 films, extended features
  • Only the “Special Edition”, original not included (HAN SHOT FIRST)
  • 2011 (WAAAAAA!)

• PS Plus Games go bye bye after subscription ends (JP)
  • Prchased a 3-month subscription to PlayStation Plus and wondering what will happen to the free games you’ve downloaded once your subscription runs out?
  • those “free” titles will cease to be accessible once the subscription expires.
  • Wanna play them again? Ante up for another subscription or purchase the game in the store.
  • Strangely, PSone games still work once the Plus subscription ends even though the games are clearly marked as “Expired.” Guessing this is a glitch so expect a mandatory firmware update.

• Xbox Live Titles For Windows Phone 7 Finally Revealed (udg)
  • Have finally announced a full list of launch titles for WP7 handsets, including Castlevania, Halo: Waypoint, Star Wars, Crackdown, and Guitar Hero, alongside a handful of newer properties like the ultra-cute ilomilo, produced in-house by Microsoft Game Studios.
  • In total, there will be over 60 game titles, with new offerings appearing every week in the Xbox Live Marketplace, just like its big brother console version
  • Microsoft has also shown off the full feature set of Xbox Live integration in Windows Phone 7, and users of the service should be pleased to discover that there’s not much missing from the version they know and love.
  • Will allow for full avatar integration (we’re talking fully rendered, interactive avatars) along with customization (clothes, accessories, and more). Messaging, friend lists / status, achievements, and leaderboards (with friend comparisons) are all here as well, making for a pretty complete mobile Xbox Live experience.
  • And also just like the console, every game will have a try-before-you buy demo to check out before spending your hard-earned cash.
  • You can visit the link in the show notes for a full review of the features that Engadget was able to preview. While many of the features were still very much in development, the review crew had great things to say about it and site a promising future for Xbox fans.
  • 

• Radio,RIAA Ask Congress for Radios in Cell Phones (SM)
  • There’s no money in radio anymore, user base dwindling
  • Most advert goes to either TV or online
  • Radio currently is only paying a portion of the licensing, online pays the full amt
  • Music industry is looking to make another 100 million from radio
  • Music business hurting, so squeeze radio, radio hurting, so make mobile device manufacturers build radio receivers in each device they make?
  • Have these ppl ever heard of I <3 radio??? Also, WTF with FM? Its power and bandwidth hungry
  • (JP) I love me my XM Sirius Radio. I only listen to Audible or XM in my car anymore

• MagicTalk = Free local phone calls to and from Computer? (JP)
  • Most services charge a fee to register a phone number and make calls to or from it on your computer (see skype and vonage)
  • Simple reason? It costs them money to register that phone # and act as a real telephone company
  • the Makers of Magic Jack want to change that by giving you a number for free tied to their software
  • How do they make money? They charge the phone companies when you receive a call and they charge for international calls
  • VOIP is one of the reasons the broadband providers want to regulate their bandwidth
  • JP – friend runs asterisk at home, and has a script that uses Google talk to make all outbound, his number from a similar service is free for incoming calls, but charges for outgoing calls. so this way, every call is an incoming call.

• The Zombie Cookies Plot Thickens (udg)
  • If you’ve been listening to our shows over the last few weeks, I mentioned an issue of some big names using technology that brings cookies (not noms, the ones on your computer) back to life and some people being not so happy about that. The plot has thickened.
  • Disney’s internet subsidiary and several of its partners are now being sued.
  • The attorneys representing people who browsed websites that employed the technology claim it was used to track them in ways that violate the sites’ privacy policies.
  • It appears as though the trackings, (including many minors) weren’t exactly random. The habits of one individual who browsed articles on depression, were uniquely tracked across a network of partners, according to the complaint.
  • The suit was filed in US District Court in Los Angeles against Walt Disney Internet Group, Clearspring Technologies, Warner Bros. Records, and several other companies that shared the cookies.
  • Seems they have an “information-sharing agreement” they failed to tell their users about.
  • The suit (which is seeking class-action status) was filed in US District Court in Los Angeles against Walt Disney Internet Group, Clearspring Technologies, Warner Bros. Records, and several other companies that shared the cookies
  • The suit alleges the companies violated a raft of laws, including the federal Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, the California Computer Crime Law, the California Invasion of Privacy Act and trespass and personal property statutes.
  • You may read a full copy of the complaint here
  • Flash cookies can store up to 100kb of data, which is roughly 25 times that of reg cookies.
  • To Adobe’s defense, company officials have stated in comments (PDF) submitted to the FTC that their policy “condemns the practice of using Local Storage to back up browser cookies for the purpose of restoring them later without user knowledge and express consent.”
  • (SM) for the record, Silverlight also has a local storage option… its a common and necessary technology from a developers standpoint
  • (JP- so do most of the aps on your smartphone .. .see Stevens previous note must for devs.)

• Blizzard Wins $88 Million Lawsuit Against Private Server (SM)
  • Lady ran a private server that people could connect to
  • Sold items online via paypal
  • IT WAS A MULTI-MILLION dollar business (3 million in profits)
  • This wasn’t a small operation, 32,000 players in one day
  • 427,393 strong in the community (x$200 for each circumvention)
  • She didn’t even show up in court to refute the claims
    • (JP – was she on a beach on her own private island sipping Mai Tais?)

• One Step Closer to Robots Taking Over (udg)
  • Researchers in the U.K. are working on a robot that will develop emotions as it interacts w peoples
  • Scientists at the University of Hertfordshire announced this week that they have finalized a prototype of a robot capable of learning how to express emotions
  • It is designed to form attachments, interact with people and show emotions through bodily expressions.
  • So far it’s mastered happiness, sadness, fear, excitement and pride.
  • The robots are designed to learn how to respond to humans by feeding off of facial expressions and other social cues
  • Modeling emotions and learning on children and chimpanzees (ut oh!)
  • Increase in speculation that robot companions will hit the market soon
  • Companions and caregivers= ok future. Spouses, not so much.
  • David Levy, British Artificial Intelligence Researcher predicts people will be marrying robots by 2050?!?
  • Dating and mating one is already almost possible thanks to TrueCompanion.com (you do need to bee 18+ to view their site)
  • I took one for the team and Roxxxy is only $1,495 right now- $5,000 off her base price.
  • Rocky, the male version is not yet available. Oh. Darn.
  • Ok, the FAQ even creeped me out.
  • But not as much as the video did. JINKIES!!!

• 5,000,000 Legitimate domains infected by Malware (SM)
  • Network solutions hosts a widget that serves up malware after you install it on your hosted site (Small Business Success Index)
  • One catch, this widget is installed by default on all the parked domains for Network Solutions…
  • Google it and thats like 500,000 parked domains serving up malware
  • Yahoo says 5,000,000…
  • Scary part? only 50% of the virus scanners can detect the malware…
  • You would think a HUGE company like Network Solutions would be more diligent on one of their base pages.
  • Read our link for full details on what the malware does and how prolific the problem is
    • (JP – Laundry list of things this touches is frightening!!!)

Intarweb Goldmine

• Melting IPod halts rush hour train
  • Smell of smoke made them stop the train for 8 minutes to find the source
  • Apparently an IPod exploded in someone’s hand
  • Not the first time, lawsuit in progress by mother of 15 year old claiming one had blown up in her sons pants.
  • 60 instances of overheating w/ 4 injuries recorded in the US alone
  • (SM) Is that an Ipod in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?

• Boardng for the Lord
  • A Hungarian Roman Catholic priest has become a YouTube hit with his method of spreading the word on wheels.
  • The Reverend Zoltan Lendvai, 45 believes skateboarding can open the way to God for young people.
  • The video of him in action, Funny Priest Skateboarding, has so far attracted close to 170,000 hits and now also has a music version.
  • He learned his skills at the age of 14 at school but it was only later, when he served as a priest  and ihad 3 boyrs btwn the ages of 16 & 18 who’d never gone to chuch but started coming regularly after he showed him a few tricks, that he realized the impact his skill could have on youngsters.
  • His first board bore the papal coat of arms and he has since given away at least six to his young parishioners
  • Video here
  • (JP – This may be proof of a miracle… no cars wreck in the background of the video… I must admit if I was driving down the road and saw a priest on a board I would probably crash my dang car! also… rather hilarious that the song they edit to this video has cursing galore!!)

• Sumo Suit Athletics World Championships Went Down This Past Weekend
  • Began in 2008 and founded on the profound basis of “it just seemed a fun idea when suggested in the pub one day “
  • The premise is simple: you don a sumo suit and compete in a variety of events over an afternoon.
  • Medals are awarded for each individual event and also for the overall ‘athlete’ of the day.
  • Video here
  • Only one question… WHY?

• Robot That Sells Ice Cream, Reason #4,393 I Love The Japanese (udg)
  • Robots + Ice cream (“???????”) = EPIC WIN
  • Yasukawa-kun is currently working a Tokyo Summerland.
  • While the video is awesome, going to see Yasukawa-kun in action live is yet another reason a trip to Japan is #1 on my Bucket List.
  • For the record, I will try to translate the song for you all, but it’s hilarious!
  • And hells yeah I’m following him on Twitter.
  • Another clip of “Robo Cream”
  • Unfortunately I won’t be seeing Yasukawa-kun as Tokyo Summerland (a water park) lists the following warning on its site “Management strictly prohibits the entry of persons affiliated with crime syndicates and persons with tattoos (including non-permanent body stickers and body paint) into Tokyo Summerland. “
  • I have a permanent ban as well… (JP) I have been accused of being Yakuza on multiple occasions due to my ink.

Extra Links

• 8 and 16 bit demakes
• Top 10 SWCV Moments
• Healthy Bento Boxes
• Stewart grills Lucas (Polish 501st FTW, Lucas: It helps to be nuts)

Contact Info

• On Twitter: Steven is @DarthMolen and I am @JPuent Natali is @UberDorkGirlie
• email us: darthmolen@thepowergeeks.com and jpuent@thepowergeeks.com and uberdorkgirlie@thepowergeeks.com (yay!)
• And Become a Fan

Sponsors

FanboyScouts.com

• Ever wanted to award your loved one for the Kessel Run?
• Ever braved a Danger Room and wanted to show your friends proudly?
• Now you can with merit badges from fanboyscouts.com! 11 collectible badges
• Get ‘em while they are hot, and limited

Prof. Mordarm’s “The Wandering Geek Con Journal”

• Kickstarter Project by Lorenzo R.(aka @Prof_Mordarm), create a useful medium to inform people of Geeky Cons across the U.S., both big and small.
• Series of physical journals that will be written in and by the geeks, the panelists, the cosplayers, the vendors, & the fans. Everyone & anyone at a Con can write in this journal Allowing good, bad, and geeky experiences to liv on
• When enough content is gathered, these experiences will be published into easy to read (online, PDF, & hardcopy) editions each year. It will be the Geek’s version of the Farmer’s Almanac, but for Geeky Cons!
• To help get your own TWGCJ and/or support or if you have questions, check out the Kickstarter @ http://kck.st/cNUADw & also follow the project creator on Twitter for updates.

http://luxurylanesoap.com, @KyleeLane, GORGEOUS, IMAGINATIVE, HANDCRAFTED, GEEKY Soap

• Can I say any more superlatives? You will love her products.
• (We Do! They’re Geekalicious! but don’t eat them… they are SOAP!)

To intro the screwees, we have our wonderful co-host @UberDorkGirlie, Natali

and  her partner in crime, our long lost @GeekGirl Kristin Rielly

Unfortunately our ever lovely Jeremy Puent is away on personal bidness, we wish him well, so we have a guest co-host this week, Justin Hurst, owner of Rockthelan.com and co-host of his own podcast “The missing Ink” – Natali: He decided to slum with us this week
<<Justin doesn’t talk til here>>

Gold Sponsors:

UberDorkCafe

• Will be THE place for Geeks to hang out
• What is UberDorkCafe? It is the brain child and DREAM of Natali, aka @UberDorkGirlie from twitter, and it blends art + science = geek
• Place to hang, eat, have awesome kid parties (if thats your thing), or to get your gaming on
• Kickstarter site for UberDorkCafe, these places just don’t build themselves

Deals of the Week / New Releases

New Geeky DVD / Blu-Ray Releases (2nd week of June)

• FLASH GORDON – Blu-Ray!!!! (if you don’t know this -50 DKP 4 u) All hail Brian Blessed, Timothy Dalton and Max Von Sydow!!!
• Darkman – Blu-Ray!!! (1990 production, mad scientist, off the hinges)
• The Book of Eli – Blu-Ray (Haven’t seen yet but heard good things)
• MacGyver (TV Movies) – DVD – ‘Nuff said, GET NOW!
• “The Blind Menace” – DVD – Shintaro Katsu before Zatoichi (mmm, 1950’s b&w samurai)

Geek Speak

• SDCC Comicon Panel – @geekgirls coming on show! (iKDR)
• GeekGirls Tweetup! (iKDR)

• Blizzard backs off Real ID Mandate for Forums
  • @CustomPCMax happy (although maybe not unbanned)
  • Forums will no longer use mandatory Real ID
  • Lets talk a little bit more about ID’s
  • (UDG) on an ironic note, 961 people that filed a complaint against Blizzard for this with the ESRB had their email addresses exposed by ESRB
  • (SM) It’s not surprising really, gamers are all about form and habits. Games don’t revolution, evolve. Forums – “rules” – Anonimity.

• Most awesomest.improv.EVAR! (Star Wars Subway)

Tech,Gaming, and Geek News

• Judge Rules File Sharing Award Unconstitutional (UDG)
  • Joel Tanenbaum was found guily of file sharing by Jury
  • RIAA was awarded $675,000 in damages
  • The judge reduced the amount 90% to 67,500
  • Declared unconstitutional “that the damages are excessive in proportion to the crime”
  • Heartening to know that Due Process protects both corporations and private individuals alike

• RIAA Pays 13 million to recover $400,000 (SM)
  • So 2008 was a bad year for the RIAA, spent a but load of money and only got back little
  • 2007 was even worse: 21 million and $515,000 recovered
  • 2006: $19,000,000 for only $455,000
  • Overall: $64,000,000 for only $1,361,000

• Lawsuit against Apple,AT&T 2 yr vs. 5 yr. contracts (JH)
  • Already know about the other I4 antenna lawsuit
  • this one concerns the single provider status of the IPhone
  • Suing: You sign a 2 year contract w/ them to get your device
  • After contract over, Where can you go? Still only AT&T. implicit contract

• Consumer Reports Cannot Recommend IPhone 4G (SM – just put this in)
  • Not alone in these thoughts, Others rate high but don’t give recommendations
  • Antenna recall could cost up to $1.5 billion
  • (UDG) Apple just announced a press conference for Fri Re
  • Simple answer: Give a free rubber bumper, TCO $1 to company
  • Bring up all the “interesting” stuff Apple has done lately
  • Jobs Health non-disclosure, Attacks on Adobe Flash, Lost Prototypes, app dev restrict

• Google creates WYSIWYG Android App Creator (UDG)
  • Wow, its a drag-and-drop way to create apps
  • Could spur a lot of creativity without knowing code
  • I’m guessing 90-10 rule though, with more volume
  • Still in invite-beta (SM)pretty-plz-get-me-in

• Edward Norton (old hulk) will not appear in Avengers (JH)
  • Edward has been flapping in the wind for awhile now (since 2008)
  • There were some creative differences even in the filming of “Incredible Hulk”
  • Marvel Studio Prez Kevin Feige delivers the slap down – “We have made the decision to not bring Ed Norton back to portray the title role of Bruce Banner in the Avengers,” wrote Feige. “Our decision is definitely not one based on monetary factors, but instead rooted in the need for an actor who embodies the creativity and collaborative spirit of our other talented cast members. The Avengers demands players who thrive working as part of an ensemble, as evidenced by Robert, Chris H, Chris E, Sam, Scarlett, and all of our talented casts. We are looking to announce a name actor who fulfills these requirements, and is passionate about the iconic role in the coming weeks.”
  • the rumors on the Internet are that Ed is a bit of a prima donna and in an ensemble movie cast is that good?
  • Cast: (SM – I’ll take over for cast)
    • Joss Whedon (is your master) Director
    • Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man
    • Chris Evans as Captain America
    • Chris Hemsworth as Thor (Thor, the movie in 3D)
    • Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury

• 4k Video comes to YouTube (4096p) (SM)
  • Meant for a 25ft screen. Imax is actually 2 projectors at 2K each
  • Projectors for that size are the size of small refrigerators
  • Video Editor also new
    • Browser based editor that allows you to splice multiple videos together
    • Limited functionality but better than nuthin! (trims but doesn’t cut)
  • Lean-back service
    • Their new “suggestion” Service
    • Takes your subscriptions, your friends likes, your shares, plays them in full screen back to back.
    • In Beta, Deployment been pushed back
  • $5 million in grants to v-loggers
    • Have to be invited to apply
    • Will be for independent v-loggers who generate good content to help them make better content

• Google + Zynga = Cash Cow & Not just in Farmville (UDG)
  • I totally called this last week
  • The $100-200M investment was made by Google itself, not Google Ventures (according to slashdot)
  • Trouble for Paypal? Zynga is Paypal’s biggest client. Replace w/ Google Checkout ?
  • The data alone Google could obtain from Zynga may be worth the investment alone
  • Why not an outright purchase? Testing the waters? Scared of regulatory concerns?
  • “Google is supposed to know everything about us and its lack of social data is a key hole in its world domination strategy”
  • Zynga’s latest game launch “Frontierville” sucked in 5.2M daily active users in just 2 weeks.
  • New Orleans on $30 a day (my experiment with Vampire Wars)

Intarweb Goldmine

• Zombies Crash Car, Apocalypse imminent (UDG)
  • Portland, Oregon on Friday night near downtown- I-84
  • Car full of Zombies swerving in traffic eastbound 9:30
  • Rolled.
  • On way to party. Some escaped on foot?
  • (SM) How do they escape? They’re ZOMBIES! (I guess if they are runners)

• Drunk Tourist Rides crocodile, Bad Things Happen

• USB Wedding Ring = +200 Geek Points

Extra Links

• Geek Girls Tweetup at SDCC
• Unmanned Golf Cart Ready for Military
• 15 Domain Names for Batman
• Best.Comic.Crossover.EVAR
• Pink Unicorn Vader
• The Expendables: Call To Arms

Contact Info

• On Twitter: Steven is @DarthMolen and I am @JPuent Natali is @UberDorkGirlie
• email us: darthmolen@thepowergeeks.com and jpuent@thepowergeeks.com and uberdorkgirlie@thepowergeeks.com (yay!)
• And Become a Fan

What’s new for Geek Girls Network? um…San Diego Comic-Con!!

• “Geeks Girls Exist” Panel on Thursday:
  • 5:30-6:30 Geek Girls Exist – Really? Kristin Rielly (Geek Girls Network – @geekgirls) leads a discussion about growing up geek, turning passions into careers, and who shot first. Representing the many awesome aspects of the geek culture, panelists Morgan Romine (The Frag Dolls), Bonnie Burton (The Star Wars Craft Book), Marian Call (Singer-Songwriter), Sarah Kuhn (One Con Glory), Jill Pantozzi  (Has Boobs Reads Comics), Veronica Belmont (Qore), and Kiala Kazebee (GeekWeek) will school you on what it means to be a real geeky girl and even make you LOL IRL. Room 8
• Geek Tweet-Up on Friday:
  • Join the biggest Geek Tweet-Up event of all time on Friday, July 23rd from 8pm-11pm at Jolt ‘N Joes (Gaslamp location) in San Diego.
  • Hosted by @geekgirls, @thenerdybird, and @geekgirldiva, this Tweet-Up is sure to be even bigger and better than NYC!

Sponsors

Wow4Cure.com

• Plans to play non-stop to level 40 and raise $10,000 for cancer
• Scheduled to take place Aug. 6th and they will continue playing if the donations keep coming
• Check out their website, we’ll talk more about them in the weeks to come

http://luxurylanesoap.com, @KyleeLane, GORGEOUS, IMAGINATIVE, HANDCRAFTED, GEEKY Soap

• Can I say any more superlatives? You will love her products.
• (We Do! They’re Geekalicious! but don’t eat them… they are SOAP!)

Hey guy I just wanted to tell you a little story. I work night shift and work every other WED 7pm to 7am. I wanted to point out my dedication to this show and how much I enjoy it. One night It was -18 degrees out side with the wind chill, and my work does not offer WiFi. So I wanted to hear the show, so bad I went outside to search for a open WiFi connection from my Ipod touch.  In the freezing cold, I found one about a block  from my work and stole internet to get TPG podcast via Itunes. Thanks to you Steven, Jeremy and Kristin with your busy lives, still having time for us the listeners.

P.s I continue to Steal internet at work to download this awesome show. Keep up the great work.

Deals of the Week / New Releases

• Freeware Game: Desktop Dungeon
  • Free game, looks very 8 bit, just added a new dungeon and you can import from the old version
• TA coming to Impulse
  • this was the game that made me give up Starcraft
  • You’re a commander and you can either build or fight
  • One of my seminal games
• FREE Kindle for iPhone app from Amazon (iKDR)
  • If you have a kindle or not you can purchase and read books here along with free ebooks that are available
  • it will also sync with your kindle for your position in the book (from what I have been told)

• ThinkGeek resurrects the T-Shirt Grab Bag (iKDR)
  • When you order a grab bag shirt, you’ll get a single, genuine ThinkGeek-made shirt that, for one reason or another, we didn’t sell in the normal course of events.
  • While Supplies Last!
  • Can specify size

• New Releases: (JP)
  • The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day (just in time for St.Patty’s Day) (got mine last night… I seemed to be one of many tattooed Irish guys in line at Best buy…hmmm)
  • Up in the Air
  • Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
  • Also Quick Mention MW2 DLC coming (new maps) March 30th!!  (PS3 and PC later no date yet for them)
    • Named the Stimulus Package
• New Comics:
  • Amazing Spider-Man #624 (Pasqual Ferry ‘You’re Fired’ Variant Cover)
  • Marvel’s Girl Comics #1

Geek Speak

• I definitely get my news ‘online’ almost never reading the newspaper (by the time it’s printed and delivered it’s old news)
• I have a few sites I visit daily. a couple different RSS readers I use
• ( although I have yet to find a perfect aggregator so I could just go to one place…)
• iKDR – internet for last year or so, paper is boring, internet news is fast, easy, and customizable, i can tell it what kinds of news i am interested in
• I thought of one thing I would miss though… when I was kid I put Silly Putty on the comics (we called them the funnies back then)
• can’t do that with digital news and comics…

Toys that look like real weapons and the consequences….

in the story above… this week a 3 yr old mistook a real handgun left laying on a table for Wii remote, dying after accidentally shooting herself.
The news is full of stories like this… cops shooting kids in alleys because they saw a handgun that didn’t have the orange tip… etc..
I believe toys need to look like toys.. bright crazy colors… not that close to real weapons.
I in no way blame the video games, or the toys… I think in the story above the parents should be put in jail for leaving a gun lying on a table. loaded. in front of children.
that being said… Look at the similarity in the toy and the real weapon:

WTF!!! SRSLY WTF!!!

Tech,Gaming, and Geek News

• “No” to Iphone tethering for IPad (SM)
  • Sux for ppl who already own an Iphone, already pay a hefty fee to AT&T, and now will need to pay a second if they want 3g on their IPad
  • They should just allow it to bluetooth tether to the iPhone… send docs, etc.. (JP)
  • just one more reason the iPad is the suck – iKDR

• Teabagging confirmed for Halo Reach (JP)
  • in one of the funniest stories I’ve read in a while… here’s a bug report from a QA tester for Halo:Reach
    • Here’s the exchange:

      Title: Teabagging / humiliation moves impossible
      Type: Bug
      Opened: 3/4/2010 8:53:13 AM
      
      “The respawn camera flies back to the spawn location immediately after dying, so your opponents can’t teabag / shoot / melee your body and have a possibility of you seeing it.”
      
      Shishka’s Note:
      
      There’s a bug in the Alpha regarding how brief the “death cam” focuses on the player’s body that is being resolved for Beta/Delta. As with previous Halos, players should have a couple seconds to look around and locate where they were shot from. The fringe benefit of this is that the enemy that killed you (or the nearest passerby) can ravish your helpless corpse as you bear witness from beyond the veil

• Japanese Ringtone Promises to Clear Your Sinuses (iKDR)
  • Japan Ringing Tone Laboratory has created the “Hana Sukkiri Melody” ringtone, which claims to be able to clear out your sinuses whenever anybody calls you
  • “the ringtone will make a nose has resonant frequency with pollens adherent inside your nasal cavity, so eventually pollens fall down”
  • woot – good-bye kleenex
  • JRTL future ringtones include “sleep-promoting ringtone,” “ringtone makes your date,” “crow scarer ringtone,” “ringtone makes your skin beautiful,”
  • how about a ringtone thats makes ATM machines spew money at me as i walk by, or heres-a-new-job ringtone, or shut-up-that-screaming-baby ringtone…. or the “brown note” ringtone!

• HP Offering Tablet WITH Flash Support (SM)
  • Got a great flame-mail this week from John stating that I was “Flash-Hater”
  • Windows 7 / all the bells and whistles
  • Some experts on the Internet are predicting 500 Tablet clones to compete with the IPad (Dell Mini 5)
  • and I (JP) still say Flash is a dying app sorry bro just reading the writing on the wall

• Mac Gaming News (JP)
  • (quick hit) BFBC2 Coming to Mac Steam…
  • L4D1 and 2 to Feature cross-platform play between Macs and PC’s
  • Full Source Engine Support across both Platforms

• Court Upholds Ban Against DVD Backup Software (SM)
  • (SM: Watch out, this is my pet peeve) and how! (JP)
    
  • RealMedia created this very hamstrung software to allow 1 backup of your dvd
  • You can back up your computer, which has all sorts of proprietary stuff, but you can’t back up a purchased DVD, THAT would be illegal
    • iKDR – but when you back up your computers, you’re not making a secondary “copy” of the OS or software, etc. only user created info. so, in this senario, its not the same thing
  • Anyways, RealMedia was pushing the Fair Use angle, Courts and the movie industry slapped the DMCA down hard
  • So now ya gotta pay $20 for that Disney DVD if your kids scratch the heck out of it, like that ever really happens…
  • iKDR – i back up all my used, super scratched CDs into MP3 and download into iTunes or mix CDs…
  • also, many DVDs now come with one free digital download (which should be another argument for the fair use case of dvd copying-JP)

• Cisco Says New Router to “Forever Change the Internet” (JP)

  • 322 Terrabytes per second

    Cisco today announced a new version of its key routing system – has a dozen times the traffic capacity of competitors and three times as much as the company’s previous version.

  • CRS-3 Carrier Routing System is aimed at the huge growth in video on the Internet

  • It enables the entire printed collection of the Library of Congress to be downloaded in just over one second; every man, woman and child in China to make a video call, simultaneously; and every motion picture ever created to be streamed in less than four minutes.

  • When will consumers be able to take advantage of this new high speed internet?

    • Note: This is for Carriers (backbone of Internet) not end users… you can’t buy one of these for your house, they require special clearance to purchase (and they start at 90 Grand – for just the chasis) JP

• Courts Fines Lifelock $12 million for Running a Con (SM)
  • Todd Davis, famous for painting his SS on a truck, and trumpeting it to the world. – $10 to protect your identity – $1 million guarantee
  • Guess what? claims were bogus and has been prosecuted for operating a scam and con operation.
  • Failed to secure sensitive information, was only placing fraud alerts on their cc with three different credit check companies
  • Did not stop ppl from opening up acct’s or loans with their info
  • Kicker: Todd Davis was the victim of identity theft in 2007, where a guy spited him, took that ss off TV and went and got a $500 loan (Hilarious – I had not heard that before… Laughed out loud… I always thought that was a bold challenge)

• Chopra’s graphic novel adaptation goes “BEYOND” (iKDR)
  • Author/lecturer/physician Deepak Chopra is known as an expert on the spiritual, but now he has ventured into the supernatural for a graphic-novel project that’s also being turned into a movie.
  • “BEYOND is a story about reality being multidimensional and how we can take journeys to realms we never dreamed of by separating the veils that partition our minds.”
  • so i guess anyone can make a graphic novel now, huh?
  • i swear i wrote a movie script like this one time

• (JP & KDR) Review Layers for iPhone
  • JP – has a lot of promise and abilities… I have not gotten to dive into it as deeply as I want… bit of a learning curve, and I have fat fingers (which doesn’t help)
  • But I am having fun with it.
  • Like the layers tool in photoshop this allows you to create images of art, or edit photos in layers… adding or subtracting elements
  • drawing on them with your fingers, importing images, or taking them with the camera… lots of fun to be had. ($4.99 in iTunes) little steep IMHO I would think 2.99 or 1.99 a more fair price… but I may change that tune after spending some more time with it
    • KDR – this is really neat and super fun mobile photoshop-esque app
    • features:
      • 320×480 or 512×512 canvas
      • 1 finger to draw, use 2 fingers to pan around (this was very clumsy tho)
      • can choose brush style, weight and opacity
      • can select color from palet or eye dropper tool
      • eraser and blur
      • can add, subtract, duplicate and merge layers
      • layers can be drawings or photos from library
      • undo/redo
    • havent tried to import any pictures from iphone yet
    • and i do not have fat fingers, but was having a hard time with lines and erasing certain sections from a library photo

• FBI impersonator picked on Police Chief’s House (iKDR)
• Hustler Magazine requesting crime scene photos of dead college student – State denies request (JP)
  • Good for the State of Georgia… and shame on Hustler ( words you never thought you would hear from me, right?)

• • Their mission is simple: To aggravate and humiliate scammers worldwide
  • they find internet scammers – and force them to make ridiculous commercials, promising  money or technology equipment, and then mail them garbage and make them pay for the shipping & tax upon recpt.
  • this video shows a Nigerian man making a “commercial” for AnusLaptop.com
    • “Your Anus will be free and clear of viruses.” “Your Anus will perform like an Anus should.”
  • Then ScamBaiters mailed him a tree stump as payment
theScamBaiter.com (iKDR – Thanks Pops!)

• The New Tron Trailer
• How To: Run Windows in OS X, the Right Way
• Top 10 Geekiest Decorations for Your Home or Office
• 10 Popular Firefox Add-ons for Web Developers

Contact Info