My 5 Minute Break

New iPod Nano Rocks, iTouch is now on Steroids!

2009-09-10T08:14:00.005-05:00

The Apple Event concluded yesterday with new iPods across the line. The biggest changes happened to the new 5th Generation iPod Nanoadding a camera, microphone, FM radio, and Nike+. The new 3rd Generation iPod Touch might not have had as many additions, but let's review it and the other new releases for what they are adding to Apple's line up of music (and now game) players.

Let's begin with the biggest update to iPods, the 5th Generation Nano:

5th Generation iPod Nano - New Features:

- FM Radio (Finally!!! And it has Live Pause)
- Video Camera (640x480 smooth recording with multiple filters)
- New 2.2 inch diagonal screen
- Microphone and Speaker
- Nike+ integrated
- Voice Memos
- Voice Over (The device will speak the name of the file to you)
- Polished Anodized Aluminum casing

3rd Generation iPod Touch - New Features:

- Lower Price (Now starting at $199 for 8GB)
- 50% Faster Processor on 32GB and 64GB models ($299 and $399)
- New Processer Runs Open GL 2.0

iPod Classic - Update:

- 160GB for $249 is now the only model still in production

iPod Shuffle - New Features:

- Larger capacity, now 2GB and 4GB models
- Voice Over
- 3rd Party Headphone support
- Polished Stainless Steel Design and Colors

Overall, The iPod Nano wins the event for best new iPod. The only downside it has is that the camera does not do stills! Only video! I don't know if in the long run this will be a disadvantage or no big deal but at face value it begs the question, "why bother to not allow that feature?"

The iPod Touch on the other hand has no new camera on it as was rumored. It was confusing during the event as they showed a game that allowed you to add your photo to the posters in it. That made lots of people think that a camera was imminent during the event. But it still seems that the iTouch is going to remain 2 steps behind the iPhone (in phone feature and camera). The new processor is a nice boost for those who use the iTouch as they're main game handheld.

The iPod Classic is now solely for those who carry TONS of music along with them. I have a feeling it might not be around 1 year from now at all, as every iPod is shifting over to Solid State Memory and iPhone OS.

The new iPod Shuffle has expanded the number of headphones available to it. Other companies can now release headphones that work with the shuffle. Voiceover will be a nice feature for those who want to change a song just by saying so. And larger capacity will make it less hassle to have all the songs they desire without a trip to iTunes.

No Apple Tablet during this event, but hey, there is always the next event (October?).

The Best iPhone Apps Recently Released

2009-08-31T12:15:00.004-05:00

Over the past month or two I have added quite a few great new apps to my iPhone. They have ranged from games to entertainment to online ordering apps. Here is a review of some of the most noteworthy ones.

Lets start the review off with the Discovery Channel app:

1. Discovery Channel -

An excellent app for Discovery Channel lovers, like me. Stream video extras from your favorite TV shows, keep up on news, and read TV show bios and information, all from your iPhone. Videos stream on 3G too, so you can browse Mythbusters on the subway to work everyday, hehe.

2. Oregon Trail (Free Version) -

Redesigned from the original, this free app will have you coughing up $5 within a week of downloading it for the full version. Tons of new mini games, graphics that are very well done on the iPhone, and the feel of the original we played oh so many years ago. Excellent game!

3. Chipotle Online Ordering -

There is a Chipotle 4 blocks from my apartment and now I can have my burrito waiting for me when I walk in the door. By far the best online ordering app yet created. Hopefully a template for future apps (hopefully by Dominos and Grubhub) ==> Honorable mention to the Pizza Hut app -- iHut <==

4. Offender Locater Free -

Informative and slightly hilarious. View the closest 10 sex offenders to your location, complete with charge and picture. Count the number of pedo-smiles you see.

5. Call of Duty : World At War Companion -

An excellent stat tracker that links to your online Call of Duty stats account. I don't have the game yet but it is very convenient to look up your achievements right from my iPhone. I play Warhawk on PS3 and if they made an app for myhawk.org I would use it all the time!

I will make another update later on more apps that are very useful. There is a possibility a flood of new apps could appear after the Apple iPod event September 9th.

Why It's A Great Time To Buy A PS3

2009-08-27T13:29:00.009-05:00

Now that the PS3 slim is about to be released there is no better time to buy! Sony has made the PS3 comparable in price to the Xbox 360 and excelling in features and content!

A comparison of the PS3 slim to the Xbox 360 shows how good it is to get a PS3 now that they are priced the exact same:

The Wi-Fi is built in to the machine (as opposed to a $99 attachment)
Bluetooth capability to wirelessly attach controllers, headsets, and devices to the PS3 for use, streaming, etc. (Since the PS3 remote is bluetooth, you dont need line of sight to use it)
Tons more amazing exclusive games now in the library (Metal Gear Solid 4, Ratchet and Clank, Heavenly Sword, Killzone 2, Uncharted 1 and 2, MAG, Final Fantasy XIV, Folklore, Infamous, Warhawk, Little Big Planet, Mod Nation Racers, Motorstorm 1 and 2, Resistance 1 and 2)
It's A Blu-Ray Player! And it's the best DVD upscaler on the market!!!
The PS3 slim now has lower power consumption which is great for your power bill
Free Online Play
Photo Gallery Software Included for Photographers who store their photos on the PS3
Playstation Home is constantly expanding
You can swap out the Hard Drive for much larger ones easily (I have a 500GB hard drive in mine right now)
A system that still has no power brick, which runs cooler, and runs quieter than Xbox
Incredibly low failure rate on units

I can add that if you also go for the older generations of PS3's you get the awesome backwards compatibility but I personally only like that so I can play Final Fantasy XII, Shadow of the Colossus, and God of War 2 again.

I don't deny the Xbox 360 has some great features like the Superb Online Play, online games like 1 vs. 100, games like Halo 3, Gears, and Fable, and Project Natal coming out.

To be honest, I am going to buy an Xbox 360 soon. Natal pushed me over the edge. But I have had my 1st Gen PS3 since release and I have never had any complaints. My first gen did have that rare freezing issue with GTA4 when it came out but Sony replaced my PS3 (while it was OUT OF WARRANTY) completely free and gave me the exact same model too (60GB 1st gen).

Overall, if you have been on the fence about the PS3, get over it now because it is time to finally buy!

PS3 Slim Coming Soon?!

2009-08-04T11:40:00.008-05:00

More and more evidence is pointing to the imminent release of the PS3 slim, a Playstation 3 that is smaller, lighter, and very cool looking. When will it be unveiled. The recent events that have come to light suggest sooner than first thought.

In the past weeks we have seen a few hints showing up online:

1. Amazon Germany posted a PS3 "Konsole Slim"
Engadget

2. The 80GB PS3 has been discontinued in Japan
Kotaku

3. The component cost for a PS3 is down 70 percent from when they began, making construction cost roughly $240 (instead of $800)
Gizmodo

4. The approaching August 18th Sony Pre-Press Conference
Engadget

5. Orders on PS3 components up significantly recently (enough to construct 1 million PS3's in 3 months)
Digitimes

6. Spy Shots appearing online here and there
Gizmodo

I sure hope it comes out soon! I would get one but it would mean I'd lose my hardware emulation of PS2 games that my old 60GB release PS3 has.

Gizmodo

iPhone 3G with OS 3.0 ... 3 weeks in

2009-07-08T09:25:00.009-05:00

I have been using OS 3.0 on my iPhone 3G for a little over 3 weeks now and I have seen both the minor issues and the vast improvements that have come from this update. For all of you who couldn't upgrade to the iPhone 3GS right away (like me), I wanted to let you know why we're not missing that much at all!

The improvements to the iPhone OS has at times felt like a phone upgrade in itself. I really enjoy the new features that have been added such as:

1. Landscape Texting/E-mail : I think only my fiance enjoyed texting with the normal keypad on the iPhone. For those of us with normal sized hands though, this feature has increased my texting speed notably. The best thing about it is the decrease in errors I used to make spelling.
2. Cut/Copy/Paste : Oh the ease of this feature. I can copy any phrase on the iPhone and transfer it into a text or e-mail, cutting down lots of wasted time paraphrasing. I can also copy an old text that I forgot to send to a particular person and not spend time retyping the whole message. And whenever a friend e-mails me a web link, I can copy/paste it right into the safari browser!
3. Shake to Shuffle : Yeah, this feature is good if you like to carry your phone while you listen to your music; not so good if your phone is in your pocket while walking. But its nice to easily switch songs without constantly clicking the microphone on the ear buds. At least I don't look like I have a perpetual itch on my neck anymore.
4. Shake to Undo : Now when you throw a tantrum for messing up, the iPhone registers your flailing arms as a sign that a mistake was made and attempts to calm you down by fixing your mistake for you... aww, how thoughtful, iPhone!
5. Searchlight Screen : Not having to flip through 10 pages of apps to find the newest one I downloaded is a nice feature. And being able to search contacts, notes, songs, and everything else as well is very handy.
6. Improved Stocks App : I can watch my investments plummet in extreme detail, sweet!
7. Voice Memos : Perfect for personal notes when writing them down is too tiresome. You can e-mail your voice memos as well !!!
8. Push Notification : A great enhancement as soon as the other apps add its functionality

Like I said, these are updates available to everyone. iPhone 3G users may miss out on a few odds and ends that the iPhone 3GS has :

1. Compass : Camping in the 21st century
2. Voice Commands : Want to play P. Diddy... nah, I will call your daddy instead
3. Upgraded hardware : twice the RAM and a faster processor is a nice addition, but there has yet to be a 3GS exclusive game yet...
4. 3G band upgrade : 2x speed 3G (7.2 Mbps)... only available in select cities so far
5. Upgraded Camera : Best update feature I've seen, video is good and camera's focus feature is nice

But for you iPhone users out there, don't fret at what your missing out on. Most of the extras listed above really are marginal. So much of what the iPhone 3G has compares with the new phone. Be proud of your iPhone 3G! We aren't left in the dust right now.

Gizmodo gives a good review of the iPhone 3GS and how it compares to the 3G HERE.

Personally, I am holding out for next year... come on iPhone 4G!!!!

iMafia: New York now on the iPhone

2009-04-08T11:34:00.005-05:00

For those of you iMafia enthusiasts there is a new game set up, iMafia: New York. This is a fresh version of the game that allows us all to make new characters and start at the same level. There are no level 50's with $1,000,000,000,000 in this game, it's all new.

Same game, fresh start!

iMafia iPhone Game: More Tips and Tricks

2009-04-07T15:23:00.006-05:00

I keep playing iMafia and it becomes clear that there is a lot of option in this cash, guns, chaos game. And with the recent removal of the "Reset" ability, I thought it a good idea to write some about some more tips when it comes to iMafia.

Refer to my old page for tips and tricks for levels 1-10: ==> CLICK HERE <==

Now, here are some more helpful tips for iMafia:

1. Invest in Property whenever possible (in stacks of 10), NO BANKS - at least until you are unable to buy anymore property. Property generates revenue that will always add to your total, even when you're not playing. Remember to buy in stacks of 10 so you dont lose any cash when you may sell it.

2. Invest in Property before you start increasing your mafia size too much - You have a choice, buy a mafia member for $1,000,000 or buy 10 vacant lot for $50,000 and 10 gas stations for $850,000. The revenue will be $20,000 an hour by getting the property, allowing you to pull in an extra $480,000 per day.

3. Patience may suck, but the Revenue is worth it - It may suck to wait another day to get the Mafia member, but in the long run you are rolling in the cash.

4. Investing in energy does way more than investing in stamina and health - By the time you can do the "smuggling by sea" quest, you can only fight and take $100,000 max from an opponent. But for every 20 energy you can get $450,000 - $800,000.

5. Buy the Body vests and Kevlar for each of your members - The enemy can't see your body armor when they inspect you, but that doesn't always stop them from attacking just by seeing that you have 1 of each type of weapon. the defense of those combined vests helps out a lot in protecting your cash.

6. Hold onto the vehicles you collect starting with the 3 Mercedes quest - It shows (or can even bluff) the firepower you have when an enemy inspects you. they cant tell how many you have, just that you have it.

7. The Strip Mall gives the best return on investment of all properties - Putting $10,000,000 into 10 strip malls is the wisest move you can make while trying to increase your cash. For what you invest you get $250,000 an hour, that's $6,000,000 back into your pocket per day!!! You will pay off what you invested in no time.

8. Collect the 2 free playmesh points by downloading the Race Wars - It may not seem like much, but that will help you in the very early levels when you do have to fight other players to raise cash. A full health regeneration at the right time is invaluable.

9. ONLY INVEST YOUR LVL POINTS INTO ENERGY - This is a repeat from the previous article, but it remains the same. The cash you get for later level quests will be way more than what you can get fighting.

10. Take a break from playing every once in awhile - This may sound dumb but on the gaming side of it, if you are invested in a lot of property, you'll be surprised coming back, like from the weekend, and finding a load of extra cash to play with upon your return.

Well, that's all I have for now. If anyone else has comments, hints, strategies, leave a comment and I'll add them to the list. Thanks

Blackberry App World to Open April 1st?!

2009-03-26T15:49:00.004-05:00

Is this a big April Fool's Joke or could the long awaited app store for the Blackberry, App World, finally get released April 1st? If so, Blackberry owners will finally get their hands on tons of free and paid apps just like the iPhone's App Store.

The source is Business Week and as Gizmodo writes:

"BusinessWeek says that RIM chief Mike Lazaridis will launch BlackBerry's long-awaited App Store competitor from CTIA on April 1. Paid apps will start at $2.99, but freebies will exist."

Good news for Blackberry Owners, hope its not just a joke, the wait has been long enough. [BusinessWeek via Gizmodo]

iPhone Role Playing Games, 20 Free Ones

2009-03-26T15:38:00.004-05:00

Mashable is a great resource that lists fun, useful apps in the iPhone app store. This current list contains 20 Free Role Playing Games (RPG's) to keep your boredom level to a minimum.

The list is linked ==>HERE<==

The list contains my favorite iPhone RPG, iMafia, as well as others: Agency Wars Lite, Assassin, CrappyRPG Lite, Dice Bag, 1112 Episode 01 Lite, FreePhatLewt, LootWars, WarLords, Rogue, iMobsters Free, and more!!!

I recently tried out Parallel Kingdom and that app is actually very cool. It overlays the google maps with locations to visit to fight monsters and collect loot. Not bad if you have some spare time to walk around the city (granted you live there).[Mashable]

Skype App for iPhone?! Sweet!!!

2009-03-26T14:43:00.006-05:00

Rumors are flying around of a Skype app for the iPhone as early as next week. I'm excited, and it would be sweet if it had push notification as well!

While this could be an early April Fool's joke, Gizmodo says the source is reliable, and that's good enough for me. Come on Push Notification... PLEASE!!! [Gizmodo]

World's Biggest Model Train Set Still Growing Bigger

2009-03-25T08:44:00.009-05:00

6 miles of track, over 700 trains, and realistic models of people from police to prostitutes. This is the world's largest model train set built by 2 German brothers... And it is still growing!!!

The Brothers plan to add another 7 miles of model train track. This will make the whole set cover 1800 square meters of space. The £8 million project is really stunning with all that it includes. It has 4,000 moving cars, 160,000 models of people, classic landmarks and sights from around the world (like Mt. Rushmore), and there is even a full concert in Switzerland with a large crowd.

Just think about it, a set like that must have a control room the size of the Death Star... [Dailymail] -- [More Photos from Telegraph.co.uk]

North Korea Has the World's Tallest Hotel (and it's Unfinished)

2009-03-23T11:31:00.006-05:00

Over 1,000 feet tall with SEVEN rotating restaurants at the top, The Ryugyong Hotel is the largest Hotel in the world... Or it would be if North Korea ever finished building it...

Begun in 1987 the Hotel was meant to be one of the countries main landmarks. The North Korean government stopped building the prominent hotel in 1992 when the Soviet Union cut off the funding to create what is now the (literally) biggest embarassment in N. Korean history. The tower is unfinished and uninhabited, and there are many efforts by the N. Korean government to deny its existence; they even photoshop it out of pictures!

An Egyptian telecom company is apparently funding the completion of the outside of the hotel so at a glance, it looks complete. The real purpose is to use the structure as a cellular tower for the 3G network they are setting up for the country (and by country, I mean for Kim Jong Il).

It's a shame the building wasn't created somewhere where it would be appreciated. Pyramid shape, extreme height, 7 rotating restaurants on top... Las Vegas would love it!!!! [UnfinishedBuildings.org]

Mint: Best Budgeting iPhone App Ever

2009-03-20T09:37:00.006-05:00

The Mint iPhone App for the iPhone is one of the best apps you can currently download for free. It is totally secure and does all your financial budgeting for you, it even tracks your 401K and other retirement plans!

The website, www.mint.com , allows you to link your online banking securely to Mint and the site does the rest. It will track your inflow and outflow whilst catergorizing all of it. With the categorized expenditures Mint will then use pie charts so you can visualize your expenses. You can see what fraction of your spending is larger than others and so forth.

Your investment accounts (retirement, 401K) can also be tracked and will be compared against current stock market trends.

To add to all the site does for you, Mint suggests better credit cards, checking and savings accounts than the ones you currently have to maximize your savings. For some people, this can save them an extra $2,500 or more a year!!!

The app for the iPhone works well too. It doesn't have the pie charts to visualize your spendings but you can track purchases and see what your budget is. I highly recommend taking a look at it even if you dont have an iPhone/iPod Touch. [Mint]

iMafia iPhone Game: Tips and Tricks Up To Level 10

2009-03-19T16:21:00.005-05:00

I've been playing iMafia on my iPhone now for weeks and there is still not enough info online about how to maximize money and streamline those early levels. I'm gonna share a few that I have seen that work pretty well.

OK, firstly, I have restarted iMafia over a dozen times to see how to maximize the beginning levels. Here are some things I've seen that could help you out:

1. To maximize energy regen, be a Workaholic - they get 1 energy every 4 minutes instead of every 5 minutes... basically they get 15 energy per hour instead of only 12.

2. Buy a Shotgun first and do the 7 energy missions - this mission gets you leveled quickly and allows you to collect some early cash

3. Buy a 2nd Mafia Member only before you buy property - you need 2 members to buy 10 pieces of land at once.

4. Buy 10 pieces of the same property at once - If you buy 1 outer city lot, you pay $5000 and can only get $2500 back. If you buy 10 you get them for $5000 a piece ($50000 total) and that jacks up the price of the next buy to $10000... Now you can sell the 10 outer city lots back later for $50000, so you dont lose a penny.

5. When you reach level 5, start the VW Bug quest as soon as possible - To do this, have all these done on your checklist: have a 2nd mafia member, have bought 10 outer city lots at once, have the cash to buy the VW Bug.

6. Skip the BMW quest and save up for the 3 Mercedes and 5 mafia members - You basically lose $90,000 getting a car and 3 weapons that you are just going to sell later, if anything, use that money to invest in more real estate (10 at a time)

7. In these early levels, NEVER Bank your money - It is very rare to be attacked below level 10

8. When looking for someone to fight, look for property holders and older accounts - They get a steady stream of income, and if they are older accounts, they are just money pits because they haven't been using the cash they're accumulating.

9. ONLY INVEST YOUR LVL POINTS INTO ENERGY - The faster your energy pool goes up, the less you need to check the game, the more missions you can do, and the more money you can pull in.

10. NEVER put out a bounty for someone - It's way pointless

11. NEVER pay for healing at the hospital - It's a huge money drain

That should get you through the early levels. As the game progresses you need to change up your strategy a bit. And I will comment on that another time. If anyone else has comments, hints, strategies, leave a comment and I'll add them to the list. Thanks

Underwater Volcano Erupts in the South Pacific

2009-03-19T09:30:00.005-05:00

These are photos from the underwater volcano that erupted near the island of Tonga in the South Pacific. The photos are simply awesome to see. More photos in article:

The island will be ok since trade winds move the debris away. Tonga is 6 miles west of the eruption and the capital felt the earthquakes that were set off right before the eruption could be seen above water. On the downside, some beaches on nearby Fiji islands are likely to get clogged with the debris. Still, amazing sight! [Dailymail]

Bat soars into space at 17,500mph on the Shuttle

2009-03-19T09:22:00.004-05:00

Brian the Bat hitched a ride on the space shuttle Discovery during a launch sunday. He didn't let go as the shuttle reached speeds of 17,500mph flying into space.

He most likely vaporized on the shuttles way up to orbit, But what a way to go. The shuttle was carrying astronauts to the ISS (International Space Station) to finish installing solar panels that will power the experiments conducted there. [Dailymail]

First Ever Black Disney Princess Has A White Prince

2009-03-17T13:21:00.004-05:00

Disney's new animated movie, "The Princess and the Frog" will feature the first black Disney princess, Princess Tiana. But there has been some outrage about the fact that her prince, Prince Naveen, in the film is White!

Some internet comments seen include:

'I think its sad that he is white because its saying that black love isn't good enough and that black men could never be princes.'

'Disney had the perfect chance to make its first black prince, but instead it decided to go the controversial route.'

'I am very disappointed and I wished Disney would of made the prince black -and the ironic thing is the prince in the movie is white but the evil voodoo villain is voiced by a black actor and is black.'

Should the outrage stop there while the villain is a voodoo priest? Anyway, I still know loyal Disney fans will love this movie, and Mama Odie (the good voodoo priestess). [Dailymail]

iPhone 3.0: Peer to Peer, Push Notification, Meebo, The Sims 3

2009-03-17T12:33:00.006-05:00

The ability to connect between iPhones for apps and games through wifi... Push Notification updates... Just a few new things with iPhone 3.0 OS...

Apple has worked a lot on iPhone OS 3.0 , the Liveblog on Gizmodo is still going, check it out!!! So far in the blog:

Push Notification
Enhanced SDK
Meebo app
The Sims 3 app
Peer-to-Peer connectivity of iPhones (for games and more)
Turn by Turn maps (just not with iPhone maps)

Check it out [Gizmodo]

£56 Nikon Camera + Weather Balloon = Amazing Earth Images

2009-03-17T09:36:00.008-05:00

Wanna take some pictures of earth from 20 miles high? All you need is a weather balloon and a cheap Nikon Digital Camera. The result, Satellite worthy images, for a fraction of the cost.

These four Spanish students showed the world that you dont need expensive equipment to get a nice shot of the atmosphere.[Dailymail]

1,000 Year Old Giant Fishtrap Spotted on Google Earth

2009-03-16T09:39:00.005-05:00

An ancient fishtrap was found on the west coast near Cardigan, West Wales. This trap was around before the Battle of Hastings in 1066, when William the Conqueror claimed the English Crown.

Dailymail writes:

"The 260-metre long contraption built out of huge rocks on the riverbed would have provided them with a feast of both salmon and sea trout.

The fish swam into the trap - but become trapped by the outgoing tide before being fished out by nets used by the ancient Britons."

All you need is a potato snare and you have a proper British meal.[Dailymail]

Is Netflix Throttling Bandwidth on Watch Instantly Video Streaming?

2009-03-16T08:00:00.007-05:00

I love Netflix streaming video. I use Playon Media Server on my PS3 to stream endless movies and TV shows. Now it looks like Netflix is throttling bandwidth?! Why God, Why?!

From Slashdot:

"Regardless, nobody likes arbitrary bandwidth caps, and that's what Riyad Kalla at The "Break it Down" Blog claims to have spotted, finding that Watch streams on his Xbox take multiple minutes to buffer, but that those on his PC (using the same connection) can take hours -- if they work at all. Doing a little snooping he found he was being capped to about 50kbps per download thread on his PC, but if he spawned ten such threads he was able to get over 700kbps."

One theory is that it is actually peoples' ISP's that are throttling their bandwidth, and I for one hope that to be true. Netflix would be stupid to think that 50kbps would be enough bandwidth to stream HD video. While Xbox360 users have no problem, I fear for streaming on my PS3, as it must go through my PC first. If this turns out to be true I guess I'll just have to stick to streaming Hulu. [Slashdot via Engadget]

iPhone 3.0: Cut/Paste, Rumors from Kevin Rose

2009-03-16T07:36:00.008-05:00

Kevin Rose of Digg apparently talked at a live Diggnation show in Austin and rumored about the new features of iPhone 3.0 ... like Cut/Paste!!!

The unconfirmed rumors, according to gizmodo include:

- Cut and paste in 3.0
- Users magnify or double tap a word to bring up cut and paste
- Pinch "boundaries" to select word(s); Rose called them "copy boundaries"
- Then you get option to cut, paste or copy

These features would make the iPhone on par with the Palm Pre which is scheduled for release on the Sprint network later this year. All we need now is for iPhones to become our TV's and our wallets and we'll be up to speed with Japan. I could enjoy a good omni-device.[Gizmodo]

Can you Beat Rihanna? IQ Fail

2009-03-13T13:58:00.010-05:00

LOL, Unfortunate
Courtesy of [YTMND.com]

Flybar Pogo Stick Lets You Jump Cars, Pads Sold Separately

2009-03-13T10:42:00.007-05:00

The Flybar is a heavy duty pogo stick that can get some serious air. Able to launch you over 7 feet off the ground, a whole new realm of pogo injuries are here!

The Flybar uses strong elastic bands, known as rubber thrusters to propel the user to heights of 7' feet 6" inches off the ground. Jumping a car is no problem granted you can land it on the other side. Wile E. Coyote is crying with happiness over this new toy.[Dailymail]

9 = Awesome New Movie From Tim Burton

2009-03-13T09:39:00.010-05:00

A friend sent me the link to the trailer for 9. All I can say is WHOA!

A post-apocalyptic film with tons of action packed CGI? A bunch of handmade heroes that look like they are from Sackboy's (Little Big Planet) worst nightmare? Tim Burton Directing? Sounds like a great combination for a very entertaining film. View the trailer HERE - for HD click HERE - for iPod/iPhone click HERE - Can't wait for this film! [Apple]

Joaquin Watch (3/12/09)

2009-03-12T10:52:00.006-05:00

It has to be just the insanity of it all that keeps us entertained by this man. Joaquin Phoenix had a lot going for him in acting before he decided to become a grungy, hippie rapper. Last night he got into a scuffle at a nightclub in Miami.

I really cant help but read any Joaquin news. He's like that train wreck or car crash that is so gruesome you cant get yourself to look away. Anyway, after keeping the crowd waiting for 4 hours, he raps unintelligibly before jumping off stage to have a confrontation with a heckler. If I were to heckle that mass of hair and sweat, I would want to be prepared with a bottle of shampoo or, more preferably, some Nair. [Dailymail]

$1,000,000 in return for a lost Xbox? No Way

2009-03-12T10:14:00.009-05:00

No Xbox is worth $1,000,000... But try telling that to Jesse Maiman. He is currently suing US Airways for damages after the loss of his beloved console.

As news.cincinnati.com quotes:

The suit seeks to have the airline pay him $1,700 for the loss of the gaming system and for "non-economic distress" of at least $25,000, but "in the maximum amount allowable by law or, in the alternative, in the sum of $1,000,000."

Tough Economic times call for drastic measures I guess. Maybe next time I lose signal on my iPhone I should sue AT&T for $1,000 in "non economic distress" [cincinnati news via PTG]

iTunes DJ in iTunes 8.1 Update, Great Feature!

2009-03-12T09:23:00.006-05:00

iTunes has updated to 8.1 and a new feature in it is the iTunes DJ, where you can use the remote app in your iPhone/iPod touch to vote on what song iTunes will play next. Sweet, DJ requests!

Macworld reports:

"With iTunes DJ, iPhone users that have Apple’s Remote application installed can request songs to be played. Users can also vote to control when songs are played. The DJ feature even has its own preferences, so you can send a welcome message to users and control whether voting is turned on or off. You can also require users to type in a password to access iTunes DJ’s features."

At the very least you can make your house party a bit more interactive, and you and your friends can pick songs on the fly. [Macworld]

Oregon Trail on App Store

2009-03-12T08:57:00.004-05:00

Yeah, my favorite classic game is out now for my iPhone, and at $6 you get enhanced graphics, new mini-games, and just as much Cholera and Dysentery as the original.
Gizmodo has a lot of great screenshots of the game. Apparently there is also a coin collecting game on the river?! Well, at least when your oxen die as you ford the river you will have had a bit of fun beforehand. [Apple via Gizmodo]

Cricket unveils World's Largest Cell Phone in Chicago

2009-03-11T14:07:00.009-05:00

So, A new wireless company called Cricket Communications is debuting in Chicago this week, showcasing the World's Biggest Cell Phone! And they're letting you make free calls and texts from the phone!

Cricket offers unlimited calling on all of their plans at affordable costs. $40 a month for unlimited talk, txt, and pix is great!

The World's Largest cellphone (created by Samsung) is on Michigan Avenue in Pioneer Plaza in Chicago this week. You talk through a microphone to the person you called and can either blast their voice on speaker phone or put on a set of headphones for your call. So head down and dial a friend for a free 2 minute call.

Remember Tom Hanks on the floor piano in the movie Big? Dial with style, and your feet, when you call!

First Post

2009-03-11T09:32:00.013-05:00

OK, first post on this site, better make it a good one. I think I'll start off with one of my favorite photos ever, hehe:

So this blog is going to do be about things that always make me laugh: hilarious online photos, ytmnd.com links, youtube videos, and freakin' awesome gadgets and tech. Everything the basic person of today needs to get through the monotonous workday.

I myself am a chemical engineer who works in a desk job by day. The stuff I will begin to post here keeps me going through my day. I have my responsibilities and work to do, but being a new hire Chem E. it's very easy to find yourself with a little free time. I thank my saviour sites in these matters. Gizmodo.com, Cracked.com, Digg.com, and of course (for the best mindless gossip around) Dailymail.co.uk !

Anyway, I hope to post some great stuff for anyone who visits man blog. And here you go, one more for the road (and a reminder for anyone who would want to stop my 5 minute break):