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Nintendo's new approach

The Nintendo Wii surprised a lot of people, generating loads of buzz from its strange name, unique controller, and low price point. An admittedly underpowered machine, Nintendo has taken a very risky path, ignoring gamers' cries for cranked specs and flashy graphics. Will this risky strategy pay off, and will the Wii succeed?

Every generation of consoles has given gamers a vast improvement in graphical power, justifying a new investment in hardware and games. The jump in graphics from the NES to the Super Nintendo to the Nintendo 64 was drastic, making the older systems obsolete immediately. However, systems have reached a point where the graphics can't look much better on a standard-definition TV. That's the reason for the jump to high-definition for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, which gives HDTV owners a lot more to play with, but for a huge jump in price. The fully-loaded PS3 will run gamers a gasp-inducing $600 ($500 for a lesser version), a price that cost Sony a boatload of gamer goodwill when announced. After all, the PS2 cost $300 when it was first released � people aren't used to spending that much on a game console. The Wii, on the other hand, is not HD-capable and barely upgraded the graphics from the GameCube, the previous console to come from Nintendo. Instead, the revolutionary changes come in the form of the Wii's controller, which looks more like a remote control than a video game controller and is motion-sensing. The cost, while not yet announced, is expected to be either $200 or $250, less than half that of the PS3.

Will casual gamers balk at lesser graphics, instead choosing to continue the pattern of upgrading the consoles purely for graphical enhancements? I don't think so. If a hardcore gamer really wants the hottest graphics and latest technology, they have a choice. They could invest $2,000 in a new HDTV, $600 in a PS3, and another $300 in a few games, or they could buy a high-end gaming PC for the same price. A gaming PC has the benefit of being upgradeable and never becoming obsolete, unlike the PS3, which will only become more outdated every day it sits hooked up to that flat-panel TV. While high-end gaming PCs have always been a niche market for gamers with a lot of cash to throw around, the Xbox 360 and PS3 demand a similar investment of money in order to get their full potential. They've thrown themselves into a much higher-end market, pitting themselves against products they just can't compete with. It's entirely possible that the relative success of the Xbox 360 so far (it was released last November) can be attributed to hardcore gamers who buy every console regardless of the price. Once they have all picked theirs up, the market for high-end consoles may shrink much faster than Microsoft and Sony expect.

Combine these things with the unique, you-just-gotta-try-it controller and the new Virtual Console, which will allow people to play older games from the NES, SNES, N64, Sega Genesis, and TurboGraphix 16, and you've got a console people will be dying to get their hands on. Nintendo read the market, saw how the big guys were shunning a huge number of people, and created a product designed to give them everything they wanted and more. Mix that with a product unveiling by Sony so badly blundered Nintendo couldn't have written it better themselves and you have a recipe for underdog success. Mark my words: the Wii's gonna win.

Most people think that the Nintendo Wii, while much less powerful will do much better than the Gamecube did on the market. Lots of people doubted the controller at first, but now it has surprised many, me included. Looking for a launch in October or November the Nintendo Wii is bound to be successful.

Microsoft Shoots for Dominance in the Advertising Platform

06/01/06 - Within the next couple of months you could expect to get a text message, letter, or e-mail from the Microsoft corporation advertising it's products, updates, ect. Recently Microsoft purchased a large corporatiion called Massive Inc., based in New York City, that is a key provider in platforms that delivers advertising in video games. This new Advertising front will enable Microsoft to add a logo somewhere during gameplay. Although this may seem annoying this has been done many times and do not usually standout. With Massive under Microsoft's control The Wall Street Journal reports that microsofts purchase of Third Screen Media, of Boston, is imminent. Third screen Media is a standout in the cell phone advertising field and also runs TSM|Network which is the worlds largest single-source mobile ad network. Third Screen Media also runs MADX which is the only web-based mobile ad management and delivery platform for publishers, carriers, and several agencies.

Microsoft's huge approach to the Advertising field is due to what Matt Rosoff ,an analyst with Directions on Microsoft in Kirkland, Wash, said. "Microsoft as a company is focused on advertising right now as an important new source of revenue so this acquisition fits in with the broader company strategy,". With the control of both corporations we could see in the future that advertising may become a large sourse of revenue for the corporation which would lead to cheaper PC's and better technology.

Get free stuff... no, really.

I shot the floating duck. I beat up George Bush several times over. I even successfully identified the legs of Angelina Jolie (granted, the other two pictures were of black women). I did all of this because these ads promised me free items like Apple iPods, Xbox 360s, and even laptop computers. Needless to say, I didn�t receive any of it.

Then one day, I stumbled upon FreeiPodGuide.com. As the site�s tagline states, �getting your free iPod has never been so easy.� I registered for the site, but needless to say I was still skeptical. I decided to first check out the �Reasons This Isn�t a Scam� portion. Everything there seemed to be in order, but I still wasn�t convinced. I did some more clicking, and found the meat of the site... the �Pictures and Video Proof.� After watching the various news clips that identified certain �freebie� sites as legitimate, I checked out the FiPG gallery forums. I was sold. There were literally hundreds of pictures of smiling members standing with their iPods, flat-screen computer monitors, and even televisions. Only hip-hop artist Ciara could aptly describe my thoughts: I wanted those goodies.

My first attempt was for a free iPod from a company called Transcendent Innovations. I had seen a message in the �Trading Post� part of the forums, stating �$25 PayPal for a Referral at FlashiPods4Free.com� I sent the author a PM, and minutes later the trade had begun. I � having the lower �TR� number (your successful trade record) � went first. I clicked the link he gave me, and signed up for the FlashiPods site. I completed an offer for a dating service site called �True.com.� It was a free seven-day trial. After filling out my personal information � 5�11�, brown haired, stunningly attractive atheist seeking a heavy-set Jewish woman � and entering my credit card number (eek!) I was all done. After a couple hours, the site gave me credit for completing the offer and I was �green.� The person whose link I had clicked paid me about ten minutes after that.

Twenty-five dollars richer, I then posted my own article in the forums. �Need FlashiPod referrals, can do all other sites.� Offers were thrown at me like I was the fat kid in gym dodgeball. After completing 4 more trades, I was the proud owner of two different types of diet pills, $5 in free stamps, and a personalized report explaining my 142 IQ (boo-yah).

I was also, however, the owner of a brand new white, 2GB iPod Nano. I had gotten my four referrals, submitted for approval, been approved, ordered the Nano, and received it all within two weeks. And what did it cost me? About fifteen dollars. Actually, if you take into account the twenty-five I initially made, I came out ahead ten dollars. Infinitely pleased with FiPG and the customer service of Transcendent Innovations, I am now working on an Xbox 360 (in the mail) and a flat-screen monitor (still getting referrals).

So now that I�ve shared my story, let me share some hints with you.

1. If you are unsure about giving your credit card information, go to your local mall and buy a prepaid Simon�s card. These cards act just like a regular Visa card.
2. Make sure each of your referrals is unique, valid, and legitimate. This means a different e-mail, computer (IP address), and credit card.
3. Just in case: don�t visit your freebie site from any computer other than the one you signed up on.
4. If you have any questions at all, post them in the forums at www.FreeiPodGuide.com, e-mail me at plusnightlife@hotmail.com, or AIM me at �sullyman101.�

Thanks for reading! I�m out like Elton John...

Blingo.com Had Two More Frenzies Last Week

Blingo is a Google-powered search engine with a twist. Each search on Blingo is also a chance to win a prize. To date Blingo.com has given out more than 17,500 prizes. The most popular prizes include iPods, movie tickets and Visa gift cards.

Last week Blingo hosted two more 'frenzies' or short periods of time where they give out extremely large numbers of prizes in a short period of time. In the two frenzies the two time periods combined to give out almost 200 gifts within 48 hours. Blingo also has a referral system for friends. Friends need only to register for free with a previous user's referral link and start searching. If the user that signed up under the friend wins, the friend wins the same prize also. The Blingo website also gives users a great chance at doing their normal searches without wasting any time. It is a very pleasant surprise to win a freebie when you're 'supposed to be working'. Blingo is an excellent freebie site with minimal work involved. You're going to search anyways, you might as well make it a Blingo search.

Sign up now!
http://www.blingo.com/friends?ref=8WKUJucS4TEQf%2F6tLNDaJLhmjac

Space: Next Tour 12:00

Not sure where to go on that next vacation? How about space? Space tourism, which has recently been seen only in Russia, may be heading towards a new audience. Space Adventures is teaming up with Prodea, an investment firm founded by the Ansari family. With the aid of The Federal Space Agency of the Russian Federation they plan to construct a fleet of sub-orbital, reusable spacecraft for tourism.

"Our goal in supporting the X Prize was to launch a new space industry through the introduction of commercial suborbital spaceflights. We partnered with Space Adventures because they have proved that there is a market for space tourism by having been the first company to fly a private citizen to space, and remain today the only company to have actually taken tourists to space," she said. The X Prize, a contest of sorts created by the Ansari family, awarded the Space Ship One Team $10,000,000 for their successful creation of a private spacecraft.

Prototype designs for a suborbital space transportation system have already been put together by Myasishchev Design Bureau, according to Space Adventures. The craft, nicknamed Explorer, will have a five person capacity. While providing a safe flight, the craft is also designed to optimize the experience of space travel and tourism.

PayPal founder Elon Musk, meanwhile, has started his own space tourism company SpaceX. Working as a private company, SpaceX is focusing its efforts on launch rockets for satellite deployment.

While all of these companies look to expand space to the private sector the constant governmental battle is an uphill fight. With pressure from NASA and opposition all around, space tourism may be farther away then it looks.

Can Video Games Be Good for You?

Society deems video games a waste of time and a cause of laziness, violence, and obesity, but this might change. Now, research is being done supporting what countless gamers tell themselves: �There�s nothing wrong with me playing video games.� These games may, in fact, be beneficial. Many news stories have been aired about video games and children: tales of kids being led to violence by the notorious Grand Theft Auto, the astounding increase in American obesity, and the pandemic of laziness among today�s youth. Some experts, however, suggest that video games have multiple positive effects on children, helping to improve reactions as well as decision-making and problem-solving skills. Yes, they can make a person smarter, especially at a young age when the mind is still developing. Of course, every kid needs to spend time outdoors and with their friends, but maybe playing video games isn�t as bad as we all thought.

Source: http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/news/050603f.asp

Your iPod may get you sent to jail...

Back 2001 and 2002, in the southeast corner of London, a gang of thieves defrauded dealers of Jaguars, Mercedes, and BMWs by hijacking someone else's identity and using that information to make loan-free car purchases. In the end, it was the presence of several high-end cars parked in a relatively poor neighborhood that led authorities to raid one of the addresses there. The incriminating evidence they found at the scene? An iPod crammed with stolen identities and contact information of criminal associates.

iPod gets bigger, more ubiquitous
==========================

The Apple iPod is a great music player and a passable video device, but at its core, it's a multiplatform (Mac, Windows, and, yes, even Linux OS) flash or hard drive with the capacity of up to 60GB that you can slip into your shirt pocket. I have a 40GB hard drive on a notebook at my desk, and I'm nowhere near filling that. In other words, with an iPod, I can take the maxed-out contents of my notebook, plus an additional 20GB of data anywhere I go.

Which gets us back to the above-mentioned crime: iPods have not only grown in capacity but in functionality as well; they include rudimentary contact management features, plus the ability to store data files of any kind. For example, members of the London gang were able to use their iPods to download and save copies of other people's bank statements, credit statements, and driver's licenses, as well as coordinate appointments at dealerships, and do so in plain sight of everyone. But before you think Apple has created the perfect socially acceptable, high-data volume criminal accessory, think again.

The iPod, soon to be seen on CSI?
==========================

Turns out Apple did some clever things within the iPod that should indirectly help criminal investigators and discourage would-be criminals. I found this PDF-formated forensic document examining the iPod's file structure. (The document predates the iPod Shuffle and the iPod Nano, both of which use flash memory instead of a hard drive, and the following discussion refers only to the hard drive versions, not the flash-based models.) The authors, Christopher Marisco and Marcus K. Rogers, from Purdue University, point out that unlike PDAs, which have to remain charged or lose their data, iPods can remain in storage for a long time; that's good if a trial takes several years to commence, because the data will last. But more importantly, the authors found that deleted data on the iPod tends to last a long time, as well.

On a typical Windows drive, deleted files aren't really deleted, they are taken out of the master boot record, but the files themselves remain on the hard drive. The deleted files aren't accessible by users, but the space used can be and often is overwritten by new files. This can cause uneven wear on the drives. iPods are similar, in that deleted files aren't strictly erased, just marked as such. But Apple made it so that the tiny iPods write to the drive until the disk's real estate is used before rewriting space that holds files that are marked as deleted. For a criminal investigator, that's a boon: old data is less likely to be overwritten. If you did commit a crime, just deleting the evidence isn't going to help.

Better yet, iPods also remember where data came from. Say you used a computer at work to copy a large, top-secret program to your iPod to take home. Coding within the file would tell investigators not only what machine (MAC address) but also what operating system (though file format also tells them that) and username was used. So if incriminating evidence is found on your iPod, they can connect it to a crime scene.

I suspect the authors (or others) will attempt a similar paper on the flash-based iPod Shuffle and iPod Nano as iPods continue to surface as part of criminal investigations.

"Doesn't apply to me"
==========================

But you and me, we're law-abiding, right? So let's say you just want to discard your old iPod. At present, I'm not aware of any iPod erasing or shredding programs, but it would be a good idea to delete everything you can before letting it go. The above-mentioned ability to read deleted files is limited to special software packages, such as Guidance Software EnCase, so it's unlikely that the average person would be able to recover your deleted personal files with off-the-shelf technology. To be safe, though, I recommend drilling several holes through the "dead" iPod to make sure the drive tells no tales.

What if you lose your iPod? Then you're out of luck. Someone could learn that you have Achy, Breaky Heart on your playlist, embarrassing, yes, but someone could also access personal data--or corporate data--which could be more than embarrassing. Here the recommendation is caution: Be careful what information you put on removable media such as an iPod. Remember that deleting data doesn't necessarily completely remove that data.

Google Video adds download option

Recently Google Video added a download option to all of their videos. Not only can you just download them regularly, but now google has added the option of downloading them in PSP video formats and iPod Video formats for easy and simple transfer to you portable media devices. Just search for the videos you want click download and select the format you want! Non copy-protected videos are free but for some money you can download TV shows and programs. A great addition to google video!

source: http://googleblog.blogspot.com/

Are iPods are making us deaf?

"Clean your..." "Due for tomorrow..." "Look both ways before you..." For us older people, old enough to remember before the iPod, ignoring parents, school, and life took actual mental skills. There was a certain amount of actual effort involved to truly ignore and suppress. Fortunately for the "I want it now" generation, drowning out such things has become as simple as cranking the iPod to levels that pain the deaf to hear.

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Source : http://www.techtree.com/techtree/jsp/article.jsp?article_id=69832&cat_id=615

For the "hip and happening" set - it might be "cool" to listen to music on an iPod or MP3 player, with ear buds plugged directly into the ears But Dean Garstecki, a Northwestern University audiologist, warns that these ear buds might increase the risk of hearing loss.

Garstecki says that ear buds associated with modern devices the likes of iPods, MP3 players, etc, boost sound signals by as much as 6 to 9 decibels, and are likely to result in loss of hearing.

According to Garstecki, an increasing number of young people are now experiencing the kind of hearing loss found in aging adults, which can be traced back to their music habits.

Students are found to listen to music at nearly 110 to 120 decibels, capable of causing hearing loss after just about an hour of listening; with ear buds placed directly in the ears, adding to the damage caused.

As solution to the problem, Garstecki recommends use of muff-type ear phones associated with older devices, as against the ear buds preferred by music fans today. He also suggests lowering of volume levels while listening to music. Another option is to use noise-cancelling headphones, which eliminate background noise unlike ear buds.

But Garstecki says that these headphones by virtue of their higher cost and larger size, may not go down very well with fashion-conscious youngsters.

The Wonderful World of Do it Yourself Free Sites

The Wonderful World of �Do it Yourself� Free Sites

It seems like only yesterday I was still trying to figure if FreePSPs.com was really legitimate�. FreePSPs.com is a site from a company called Freepay (formely known as Gratis) that gives out expensive, high demand items in exchange for doing one of their sponsors offers and referring others to do the same. The problem with this is that often when you tell a friend that some website will give you a $250 gift just for getting a few people to sign up for a $10 trial of blockbuster, they instantly think you are delusional. I can�t tell you how many times I�ve been told by a friend or coworker, �It's just a scam so they can steal your credit card number. Just save up and buy a PSP if you want it so much.� Getting on FreeiPodGuide and trading referrals with other members on the forum was the only way I was able to get the referrals I needed to get my PSP.

If your luck with getting friends and family to sign up under you as referrals has been as lousy as mine, I have good news: there are companies willing to give you free stuff without referring a single person! These companies generally require that you complete a variety of sponsored offers yourself, rather referring a bunch of people. The top three companies are eMarketResearchGroup, MetaReward, and YFDirect. Many people from multiple online forums have reported getting their free items from these companies and have confirmed their legitimacy. In fact, MetaReward is owned by one of the biggest credit agencies, Experian. Here's another little known fact: both YFDirect and MetaReward are also affiliate networks, which provide offers to sites such as FreePSPs.com and FusionCash.net.

There are a few things you should be aware of before you start a �do it yourself� site. They generally take longer to send gifts than most referral-based sites and all three of the companies will send lots of spam to the email account with which you sign up. I recommend you exercise patience and open a new Yahoo! or GMail email account to use for each site.

If you are a newcomer to the do it yourself scene, I suggest you start with a site from eMarketResearchGroup - IncentiveRewardCenter.com and GetSpecialGifts.com, for example.

eMarketResearchGroup credits offers and sends out gifts at a much faster rate than MetaReward or YFDirect. Like everything in life, there is a tradeoff: YFDirect is the slowest company in crediting offers and shipping gifts, but they give out the highest valued gifts for the fewest amount of offers. For example: 6 offers at IncentiveRewardCenter will get you an Apple iBook (valued at approximately $1000) in under a month; 9 offers on a MetaReward site will get you a $2000 Plasma TV in about 2 months, and 6 offers on a YFDirect site will get you a gift valued at $2500
in about 4 months. You have to decide which is more important to you: quick gratification or a more expensive gift. Again, I recommend newcomers do an eMarketReserachGroup site so they can get their gift quickly. Nothing beats rubbing it in the faces of your doubting friends.

I will show you how to complete a do it yourself site using an eMarketResearchGroup site that offers a $75 Gift Card (http://www.getspecialgifts.com/rd_p?p=1951&c=em_giftcard75_1&a=17416&z=1) as an example.

First, enter your email address, name and home address. Remember to use your newly created throwaway account! Next up is a fairly long survey - just answer the questions. Eventually you will get to a page that lists a number of offers. In this case, you only need to do one offer since you're going for a relatively small prize: only $75. Choose an offer that interests you and sign up! This can be as easy as filling out a form or ordering a free trial.

Once your offer is complete, go to http://GetSpecialGifts.com and check your status. If you've been credited for the offer (which usually happens between 1-72 hours after you complete it) you will see a link to a gift voucher. Print out the voucher and mail it to the address the voucher specifies. In about 3 weeks, you will receive a $75 gift card.

Not all do it yourself sites are this fast, and most require more than one offer but doing this site now will give you confidence in the future when you go for a 42" Plasma TV from a YFDirect company.

The 2006 Consumer Electronics Show

The 2006 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is just around the corner. January 5-8 in Los Vegas will be one of the largest electronics conventions of the year. Some of the large companies planning to make huge announcements at the show include Sony, Microsoft, Verizon, Dell, and Intel.
One major topic concerning the show is the release date and expected retail cost of the long awaited Playstation 3. Consumers and show goers alike are expecting Sony to reveal most of the details concerning the up and coming video game system.
We can all expect to hear word on the HD-DVD and BluRay debate, as well. Computer companies will all be taking sides whether for one or both of the media types.
We can expect a lot of huge announcements and breakthroughs from the 2006 CES. For those who can make it, you�ll be seeing some big names in the industry show off their latest developments. For those of us who won�t be in the general vicinity, keep watch of your favorite electronics websites for updates on some of the breakthroughs of the event.
As for those waiting for the release date of the PS3, it should only be a couple days away!

Apple Adds New Shows to iTunes Store

The iTunes Music Store now features select NBC Universal, SciFi Channel, USA Network, Disney and ABC television shows, ready to download. For $1.99, you can own the latest episode just one day after it airs. You can sync shows to the new iPod and watch them on the go. Just try that with your big-screen TV!

Some shows available for download are �The Office,� �Law and Order,� �The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,� �Monk� and �Alfred Hitchcock Presents.� Apple is still working with FOX and CBS to get some of their shows in the store.

Will the pyramid ever fall?

In reality, referral based freebie sites are a pyramid scheme and no pyramid can stay standing forever...

The advertisers don't pay enough to send everyone a gift. If everyone finished a freesite, the owner would be out quite a nice little chunk of cash. Someday this may be the case even for the huge companies. The question now becomes: how long do they have left?

Freepay seems to be making quite a nice chunk of cash, as Inc's 500 fastest growing companies list would report, but what would happen if they ran out of "maybe I'll just try this" users? Would they dig into the stash of the yesteryear to pay out those who earned their iPods, or turn tail and run? I don't see any reason not to, as they have no legal obligation to ship the prizes and it's no big shock to see a free site go under. I guess now the only question is time�

Call me crazy, but I'd venture a guess that there isn't much life left in even the giants.

iPod Video Transfer

As you all may know the recent ipod has the ability to play videos. If you are like me you probably have a highly built up stash of DVDs that you would like to be able to view on your iPod. Due to the video formats which your iPod plays, you cannot simply put a DVD in your computer drive and transfer the video into iTunes. To watch DVDs on your iPod you must first rip them onto your computer and then convert them to the iPod format.

There are many programs that convert videos but most are highly confusing or really slow. I have found the answer which will allow you to convert DVDs quickly and efficiently. Follow the guide located here: http://www.videora.com/en-us/Converter/guides.html

On my computer (AMD Athlon 64 Processor 3500+ 2.19 GHz with 1 gig of ram) the DVD ripping took about 25 minutes for the 3 hour long movie TROY. Once ripped the actual conversion took about 1 hour 15 minutes. The end product in MPEG-4 file format was about 800MB. I then added the movie file to iTunes and verified it worked on my ipod. Once you've verified that the converted product works you can delete the ~4GB unconverted video. This method may be a little time consuming but it is the best way to get DVDs onto your iPod.

Freepay unveils new site for Sony's PS3

Freepay (formerly Gratis) has just released a new site for Sony's new PlayStation 3 next-generation console.

The PlayStation 3 will feature the much-vaunted Cell processor, which will run at 3.2GHz, giving the whole system 2 teraflops of overall performance. It will sport 256MB XDR main RAM at 3.2GHz, and it will have 256MB of GDDR VRAM at 700MHz.

Freepay also launched sites giving away $300 giftcards and top-of-the-line laptops. Hop on!

As always, your electronics are FREE thanks to Freepay. Click a link to the left to get started!