Sony Conducting "Hancock" Experiment

Now how cool is this!!!

If you own a Sony Bravia set with a Web connection and you want to check out the new Will Smith movie 'Hancock', Sony is hookin you up. From G4TV:

"In an industry first, Sony Pictures’ new flick Hancock, out this Wednesday and starring the Fresh Prince himself, will be available over the Internet to be directly fed to viewers’ television sets after its theater run...IF they own a Sony Bravia TV that is.

BEFORE it hits DVD!

And if this plan turns out to be a successful one, many other Hollywood films will use a similar media path, insiders say.

Howard Stringer, the chief executive of Sony, mentioned the "Hancock experiment "as he discussed the company’s growth strategy for a roomful of analysts in Tokyo last week. He says movies streamed over the Internet directly to televisions, bypassing the longtime purveyors of content to the living room, cable and satellite companies, is the future. And Sony is all about the future, baby!

“The Internet is not only a great place to reach Web sites, but it’s also a great way to deliver conventional content,” says Sony Corporation of America executive vice president and chief financial officer Robert S. Wiesenthal. “And at the end of the day, it’s about getting entertainment back into the living room.”

“Ultimately, when all these devices are connected, you’ll be able to quite easily manage how you watch movies,” Stringer added. “This is us saying we want to be ahead of the curve rather than behind the curve.”

Now how kick ass is that?

Got me seriously considering getting a Sony Bravia.

[NYTimes.com via G4TV]

Xbox 360 "Ultimate" Coming Out?

The word on the digital street is that Microsoft is planing to build an "Ultimate" Xbox 360. So what would that entail? Check the bullet points:

• 1080p HDMI output
• built in Wi-Fi
• hi-def audio ouput
• cooler hardware
• extremely quiet fan
• built in HD-DVD drive.
• 320GB hard disk
  

The info comes from U.K.'s Stuff magazine website and they're not very clear about where they got this information. This might be just a wish list for the CES that is next week. But if it is true, this would put the Xbox 360 in the Multi-media power house bracket along with the PS3.

Being an early adopter of the Xbox 360 (last March) I'm starting to get pissed that all these cool new features are coming out, and I haven't even owned this thing for a year!!!
You need to do something for your early adopters there Microsoft, ala Apple.
[G4TV]

PC World Magazine: Vista Is 2007 #1 Disappointment

I know that Microsoft was hoping that Vista would be number 1, just not on this list. PC World Magazine just named Vista the most tech disappointment of 2007, which I'm sure is going to piss off a lot of fanboys out there. PC World didn't all out slam Vista, on the contrary, they listed several good things about it. But almost a decade in the making, and this is all that we get?

I kinda see their point.

But don't feel to good about yourselves Apple heads!!!

Leopard was listed at number 8, with a bag of bugs like wireless connection issues, administrative logins that disappeared, data vanishing on its own, and Apple's own "Blue screen of death" as the capper. I'm not quite sure why the iphone made the number 5 list, but I'll let you read that one on your own.

Let the flame war begin.

[G4TV]

Dell XPS Full Of WoW

I know that there are quite a few World of Warcraft fans that come visit this blog from time to time. But what I want to know is if you would pay $4500 or more for one of these Special Addition Dell XPS M1730 with WoW graphics? You can get your own WoW laptop in either Horde or Alliance packs that come with original artwork on the desktop, screen savers, and the case itself. Check the bullet points:

• DX10 SLI graphics
• World's first & only notebook available w/ an Ageia mobile PhysX processor
• Over-clockable Extreme Edition Core 2 Duo processors
• Dual RAID 0 7200 RPM HDDs - or 64GB Solid State Drive options
• 7ms display response time
• Full-size illuminated keyboard w/ separate numeric keypad
• 16-color user-customizable lighting areas including the backlit touchpad
• Wireless connectivity w/ built-in Mobile Broadband, Wireless-N, Bluetooth and Dell's Wi-Fi catcher
• Blu-ray optional
• Built-in camera & digital array microphones
• Built-in Logitech GamePanel above keyboard (first in the industry on a notebook)

Now this comes with a ton of WoW extras that we couldn't list all here, so hit the jump for that stuff. But looking at these specs, this looks more like a system built more for Crysis than for WoW. Considering that you could almost run WoW on a Commodore 64. The laptop drops on December 11th.

[G4TV]

Rumor: HD DVD Built Into The Xbox 360?

Well it looks like the Xbox 360 could be getting the make over that might change the console wars. According to Smarthouse, rumor has it the Toshiba is working on a 360 that has a built in HD DVD player and is expected to be released in 2008 or at the 2009 CES show in Las Vegas. Check the quote by a senior Toshiba executive:

"An Xbox with a built in HD DVD drive is critical. They and we are working on it. It also has to be more than a gaming machine. Microsoft recognise this. A version of the device may also be sold under the Toshiba brand name". Smarthouse also says "The device is being developed in response to the PS3 driving sales of games software and Blu-ray content in several countries."

Something tells me that I'm going to want to trade in my current 360 very soon.

Toshiba Working With Microsoft On New Entertainment Xbox [Smarthouse via G4TV]

Nokia To Apple: Stick'em Up!!!

I guess there's no shame in Nokia's game!

This is the new Nokia iphone, and that's not a joke. Nokie is introducing a new phone that is eerily similar to Apple's new device. Check out the quote from Anssi Vanjoki, Nokia's Executive VP & General Manager of Multimedia, "If there is something good in the world then we copy with pride."

Wow, that's pretty ballsy to say.

Well the proof is in the pudding, take a look, because you won't believe it!!! [G4TV]

Paramount & DreamWorks Go HD-DVD

Paramount and DreamWorks are giving HD-DVD a much needed shot in the arm, by throwing their weight behind the new format. It will be an exclusive agreement, which will mean that their films will only be available on HD-DVD and not Blu-Ray.

This is huge for HD-DVD because the rest of the world seems to be shifting to Blu-Ray as the HD format of choice. This will begin with Blades of Glory on August 28th, but also will continue with Transformers and Shrek The Third all being HD-DVD exclusives.

I guess the HD format war isn't quite over yet.

G4TV

Germans Break The Speed Of Light?

Can this really be possible?

Dr Gunter Nimtz and Dr Alfons Stahlhofen, of the University of Koblenz in Germany, claim that they have broken the speed of light. They say that they've conducted an experiment where "microwave photons - energetic packets of light - travelled "instantaneously" between a pair of prisms that had been moved up to 3ft apart."

Einstein's theory of relativity states that it would take an infinite amount of energy to move an object to an 186,000 miles per second.

"For instance, an astronaut moving faster than it would theoretically arrive at a destination before leaving."

Read the article after the jump.

'We have broken speed of light' [Telegraph via G4TV]

Star Trek Coming Too HD-DVD

CBS announced at todays Comic-Con that the Original series of 'Star Trek' will be coming to HD-DVD. The new Star Trek - The Final Frontier as it will be called, will have a ton of extras for the Trekie fan. No release date as of yet, but eye-wittinesses say that the footage is absolutely clean, clear and beautiful.

• Updated Visual and Audio Effects
• Remastered in HD from the original negative
• Interactive Feature: Explore the exterior of the Enterprise in your own shuttle craft , going up close and personal with every inch of the famous ship.
• "Starfleet Access": Interactive pop-up icons throughout each episode offering behind-the-scenes information, trivia and lore; icon topics include: Science, Lifeforms, Technology, Ships and General Trivia
• 8mm behind-the-scenes home movies shot by "extra extraordinaire," Billy Blackburn, with his nostalgic, amusing and poignant look back on the filming of the series.
• Side-by-side comparisons between the original and the updated sequences.
• A look into the recording studio remastering the theme and episode soundtrack
• Documentaries on the remastering process

That's enough to make you want to put on a red jumpsuit and go on a mission with your friends.
Hit the jump to see more. [IGN via G4TV]

TVersity Streams To iphone

If you've never heard of TVersity, it's a media-streaming solution for Xbox 360, PSP, PS3 which converts videos in the right format on the fly. This allows the user to keep the video on there PC and view them on any video unit.

Now the iphone will have TVersity, which is a big deal considering that the iphone is blocked from viewing live streaming video, so the feed needs to be converted in order to be viewed.

Hit the jump to see how it works. [G4TV]

Tip Time: How To Get A Better Xbox Live Connection

If you were like me, and had a problem connecting your Xbox 360 to 'Xbox Live' via a router, this might help you out.

Try configuring your router to forward the correct ports.

"Not configuring your NAT to be "open" can lead to lag, hosting problems, failed connections, and getting disconnected from games."

I wish the guys at G4TV had given me this information when I was setting up my system. Damn them! Damn THEM!

Hit the jump to get the most out of your Xbox Live connection. [G4TV]
Configuring your xBox 360 for Open NAT/Better Connections

Sprint: We Can't Afford You

Being a former Sprint customer (4 years ago) I have an idea on how bad there service can be. I was so frustrated that I left the company for AT&T, which has there own set of issues but at lease I don't hate them. That's why this story strikes me so funny.

Sprint is dumping their high-maintenance customers, callers who call support so much, they presumably cost Sprint more money than they get in subscription fees. Subscribers will not have to pay the early cancellation fee and at the end of the month, their balances will be set to $0. The best part is the 'Dear John' type of letter that was sent to the ex-subscribers.

"While we have worked to resolve your issues and questions to the best of our ability, the number of inquiries you have made to us during this time has led us to determine that we are unable to meet your current wireless needs."

It's not you, it's us! That's just great!!!
For the first quarter of 2007 Sprint lost 220,000 customers for them being them, and now they're pushing customers out the door?

You know you're having a bad year when your wireless company dumps you.
Hit the jump for the entire article. [CNet news via G4TV]

Apple Stealing Art?

The world is in love with Apple right now. With the iphone having such a great debut and everyone has an ipod (or should, right?).

But everything might not be right in Cupertino!!!

Rumors are suggesting that Apple might be ripping off artists. Say it ain't so!

From G4TV.com:
Artist Louis Psihoyos filed suit against Apple for supposedly ripping off his wall of digital photos.

Christian Marclay was in talks with Apple to license his short film, but they (supposedly) just shot their own version of it and used that.

Compare Lugz Shoes' Fall 2002 commercial, and Apple's 2006 Eminem / iTunes ad. Apple pulled the ad after a cease-and-desist order was sent.

Another Apple ad looks like a shot-for-shot remake of The Postal Service's music video.

This might get interesting.
Read more after the jump. [Engadget]

HDMI on Non-Elite Xbox 360's: Cool

If you just picked up an Xbox 360 Elite, please put down any sharp object and sit down.

The company called XMC who is known for replacement console cases and cables, is claiming that they can take your old Xbox 360 core and premium and make them HDMI ready. They plan on releasing a cable that will convert it to HDMI and allow 1080p content.

That's right!!! You heard it!!!

So that extra $180 bucks you dumped on the Elite, it looks like it might be only for the color change. But hey, everything looks good in black.

Read the article after the jump. [GameInvasion.Comcast.net via G4TV]

iPhone Dock Revealed. Bask in its Glory!

Hey! I almost went 10 posts without another iPhone story, but here it is. Behold the iPhone dock!

While the picture reveals no ports or plugs, it's safe to assume that the back of the dock will have at least a USB port or A/C hook-up unless the dock powers itself on the cries of starving children from underdeveloped countries. I wouldn't be surprised if that was the case.

Rumors are also flying that the dock will also charge the Apple Bluetooth headset that recently got the go ahead from the FCC.

Check out more pics after the jump. [iLounge]