Reuters reports that Take-Two Interactive Software Inc., the publisher of the controversial "Grand Theft Auto 4", has sued the Chicago Transit Authority in Manhattan federal court for violating its free speech and contractual rights, saying it pulled its posters within days of the ads first appearing on April 22.
Take Two accused the Chicago Transit Authority and its sales agent, Titan Outdoor LLC, of violating a $300,000 ad campaign agreement that included running "Grand Theft Auto 4" poster ads on the sides of buses and transit display spaces throughout the Chicago transit system scheduled for six weeks between April and June.
The suit seeks an order for the transit authority to run the ads as well as monetary damages of at least $300,000.
"Although we prefer to resolve these issues amicably," a Take-Two spokesperson said in a statement, "the CTA has refused to discuss with us its outrageous decision to pull advertising for the critically acclaimed game Grand Theft Auto IV while running ads for other forms of popular entertainment with similar content, including mature-themed TV shows and R-rated movies."
A CTA representative said at the time that the decision to pull the campaign was made not because of complaints over the GTA IV ads, but due to complaints over a series of ads that Take-Two ran in 2004 for Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. However Reuters reports that the suit said ads were removed following a report by a Fox News affiliate that questioned why the ad was allowed to run after a wave of violent crimes in Chicago,.
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
Consumer Reports Says Apple Tops In Tech Support
According to recent findings by Consumer Reports Apple's technical support is much more likely to solve users' problems than rival computer makers' help desks.In Consumer Reports’ annual reliability survey for the June 2008 issue 80 percent of the users that contacted Apple’s technical support reported that they had their computer problem solved. The industry average last year was 60 percent.
The survey, which polled subscribers on their experiences with technical support from September 2006 to January 2008, represented more than 10,000 desktop and laptop machines.
Apple led its rivals in both the laptop and desktop categories with reader scores of 83 and 81 percent. For laptop support, Lenovo finished second with a score of 66, followed by Dell (60), Toshiba (55), and Gateway (54); Sony (51) and HP (48) finished sixth and seventh, respectively. Lenovo finished second with a score of 66, followed by Dell (60), Toshiba (55), and Gateway (54); Sony (51) and HP (48) finished sixth and seventh, respectively.
For more on the survey check out these two great articles:
Dell Gives Inspiron Notebooks 45-nanometer Penryn CPUs
Dell will soon be fitting several of its Inspiron notebooks with Intel's new 45-nanometer Penryn processors.
Dell spokeswoman Anne Camden said that consumers will be able to order Penryn-based Inspiron 1420, 1525 and 1720 systems in the next few weeks. She also noted that Dell will be adding Penryn to its XPS M1330 and plans to offer Penryn processors to more XPS laptop models this spring.
"People want it because it's Intel's newest processor technology," Camden said. "The 45-nanometer technology delivers better performance, and it also brings in better battery performance."
[Source: Computerworld]
Dell spokeswoman Anne Camden said that consumers will be able to order Penryn-based Inspiron 1420, 1525 and 1720 systems in the next few weeks. She also noted that Dell will be adding Penryn to its XPS M1330 and plans to offer Penryn processors to more XPS laptop models this spring.
"People want it because it's Intel's newest processor technology," Camden said. "The 45-nanometer technology delivers better performance, and it also brings in better battery performance."
[Source: Computerworld]
Monday, May 05, 2008
Yahoo Stock Prices Drop After Buyout Talks End
Yahoo Inc.'s stock took a beating Monday after Microsoft Corp. withdrew its $47.5 billion takeover bid, but the punishment wasn't as severe as many analysts anticipated because investors suspect the rivals eventually will renew their mating dance.
Although Microsoft has publicly indicated it will focus on measures besides buying Yahoo in its effort to make its Internet division profitable, several analysts predicted the software maker will revive its offer in the summer or fall if Yahoo can't snap out of a two-year funk that exposed it to an unwanted takeover in the first place.
"Should the frustration of (Yahoo) shareholders come to a boil, we believe (Microsoft) could re-enter the picture, essentially playing the role of the white knight," analyst David Hilal of Friedman, Billings, Ramsey & Co. wrote in a Monday research note.
With similar opinions reverberating through the stock market, Yahoo shares shed $4.30, or 15 percent, to close Monday at $24.37. That wiped out nearly half the gain they made after Microsoft made its bid Jan. 31. The drop left the Sunnyvale-based company's market value about $12.5 billion below Microsoft's last offer.
Yahoo's stock price was $19.18 before Microsoft made its offer.
[Source:The Associated Press]
Although Microsoft has publicly indicated it will focus on measures besides buying Yahoo in its effort to make its Internet division profitable, several analysts predicted the software maker will revive its offer in the summer or fall if Yahoo can't snap out of a two-year funk that exposed it to an unwanted takeover in the first place.
"Should the frustration of (Yahoo) shareholders come to a boil, we believe (Microsoft) could re-enter the picture, essentially playing the role of the white knight," analyst David Hilal of Friedman, Billings, Ramsey & Co. wrote in a Monday research note.
With similar opinions reverberating through the stock market, Yahoo shares shed $4.30, or 15 percent, to close Monday at $24.37. That wiped out nearly half the gain they made after Microsoft made its bid Jan. 31. The drop left the Sunnyvale-based company's market value about $12.5 billion below Microsoft's last offer.
Yahoo's stock price was $19.18 before Microsoft made its offer.
[Source:The Associated Press]
E3 May Be In Trouble As Major Publishers Drop Out
E3 Media and Business Summit (formerly known as Electronic Entertainment Expo) has fallen on hard times recently with many major game developers and publishers dropping out of attendance. The annual trade show for the computer and video games industry presented by the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) has seen attendance drop from approximately 60,000 to a mere 5,000.
Gamespot reported last week that Activision (and by proxy Vivendi) said it would not be attending this year's media event, and in fact would not be renewing its membership with the trade body at all.
Other companies have also announced that they will not be attending E3. These include online games maker NCSoft, Foundation 9 and Her Interactive. Initial reports stated that ID Software would skip the show, but the company has since confirmed their attendance.
Gamespot reported last week that Activision (and by proxy Vivendi) said it would not be attending this year's media event, and in fact would not be renewing its membership with the trade body at all.
Other companies have also announced that they will not be attending E3. These include online games maker NCSoft, Foundation 9 and Her Interactive. Initial reports stated that ID Software would skip the show, but the company has since confirmed their attendance.
Friday, May 02, 2008
5/2/08 This Weeks Top Stories
GTA IV Launched
GTA game smashes UK sales records - BBC.co.uk
Critically acclaimed video game Grand Theft Auto (GTA) IV is on course to beat the record for highest first week sales of any video game in the UK.
The title sold a record 609,000 copies on its first day of release, generating an estimated £24.4m ($48.5m).
The previous record holder was GTA: San Andreas, which sold 501,000 copies in 24 hours in October 2004.
Grand Theft Auto IV at Top of All Time High-Rating List - PC World
It doesn't matter whether you play it on the PlayStation 3 or the Xbox 360--Grand Theft Auto IV is scoring next-to-perfect review scores from dozens of media outlets.
The video games media gushed all over Rockstar's latest installment in the Grand Theft Auto series in the lead up to today's launch, with both the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 version securing near-perfect review scores from more than 20 different outlets (and counting).
MADD Outraged By GTAIV's Drunk Driving - Wired.com
MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) has petitioned the ESRB to reclassify Grand Theft Auto IV as an 'Adults Only' title in reaction to the game's inclusion of players driving while intoxicated.
Forums aflame over GTAIV freezing - GameSpot
PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 players alike reporting crash problems with Rockstar Games' latest; Sony reports an "extremely low volume" of complaints, promises it is working on a solution.
Take-Two suggests PS3 GTAIV fix - GameSpot
Publisher's tech support department unveils an elaborate 12-step program to address frequent freezing by deleting saves, disabling online and rumble support; 360 remedy still MIA.
Windows XP SP3 delayed Vista SP1 recalled
Windows XP SP3 still officially AWOL, but can be found on BitTorrent, Microsoft servers - ComputerWorld
On Tuesday, in a low-key announcement on a support newsgroup, Microsoft said it would delay the release of XP SP3 because of data corruption issues between the updated operating system and its retail point-of-sale software. The week before, when it had touted the service pack's completion -- in its nomenclature, SP3 had reached the "release to manufacturing," or RTM stage -- Microsoft had said it would offer the update via Windows Update on April 29
iTunes to Offer Movie
iTunes to Offer Movie Downloads Same Day as DVD Release Date - PC World
Blockbuster beware: iTunes Store gets same-day DVD releases - Arstechnica
In January, Apple flipped the switch on movie rentals for the iTunes Store to much fanfare. A lot of customers don't want to own movies, digital downloads are just plain convenient, and the move seemed to finally crack the major studio nut and catch their attention. Since the announcement, the iTunes Store has been slowly but steadily marching towards a respectable selection of films from all the major studios, as well as independents. Despite this new beat in Apple's step, a number of quirks in the iTunes Store's movie offering have annoyed customers. First and foremost was the release delay: films had a 30-day lead time on DVD before arriving in the iTunes Store, and the majority of new releases were only available for rent, not to purchase. Both of these problems have now been fixed
GTA game smashes UK sales records - BBC.co.uk
Critically acclaimed video game Grand Theft Auto (GTA) IV is on course to beat the record for highest first week sales of any video game in the UK.
The title sold a record 609,000 copies on its first day of release, generating an estimated £24.4m ($48.5m).
The previous record holder was GTA: San Andreas, which sold 501,000 copies in 24 hours in October 2004.
Grand Theft Auto IV at Top of All Time High-Rating List - PC World
It doesn't matter whether you play it on the PlayStation 3 or the Xbox 360--Grand Theft Auto IV is scoring next-to-perfect review scores from dozens of media outlets.
The video games media gushed all over Rockstar's latest installment in the Grand Theft Auto series in the lead up to today's launch, with both the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 version securing near-perfect review scores from more than 20 different outlets (and counting).
MADD Outraged By GTAIV's Drunk Driving - Wired.com
MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) has petitioned the ESRB to reclassify Grand Theft Auto IV as an 'Adults Only' title in reaction to the game's inclusion of players driving while intoxicated.
Forums aflame over GTAIV freezing - GameSpot
PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 players alike reporting crash problems with Rockstar Games' latest; Sony reports an "extremely low volume" of complaints, promises it is working on a solution.
Take-Two suggests PS3 GTAIV fix - GameSpot
Publisher's tech support department unveils an elaborate 12-step program to address frequent freezing by deleting saves, disabling online and rumble support; 360 remedy still MIA.
Windows XP SP3 delayed Vista SP1 recalled
Windows XP SP3 still officially AWOL, but can be found on BitTorrent, Microsoft servers - ComputerWorld
On Tuesday, in a low-key announcement on a support newsgroup, Microsoft said it would delay the release of XP SP3 because of data corruption issues between the updated operating system and its retail point-of-sale software. The week before, when it had touted the service pack's completion -- in its nomenclature, SP3 had reached the "release to manufacturing," or RTM stage -- Microsoft had said it would offer the update via Windows Update on April 29
iTunes to Offer Movie
iTunes to Offer Movie Downloads Same Day as DVD Release Date - PC World
Apple announced it will now allow impatient movie buffs a chance to download new Hollywood releases the same day the movies becomes available on DVD. That cuts sometimes weeks of waiting for a movie title to be release first as DVDs and then eventually as a download at services such as iTunes and CinemaNow.
Apple has locked up deals with 20th Century Fox, Walt Disney, Lionsgate, Image Entertainment and First Look Studios to make iTunes DVD purchases available on the same day as the DVD release.
Blockbuster beware: iTunes Store gets same-day DVD releases - Arstechnica
In January, Apple flipped the switch on movie rentals for the iTunes Store to much fanfare. A lot of customers don't want to own movies, digital downloads are just plain convenient, and the move seemed to finally crack the major studio nut and catch their attention. Since the announcement, the iTunes Store has been slowly but steadily marching towards a respectable selection of films from all the major studios, as well as independents. Despite this new beat in Apple's step, a number of quirks in the iTunes Store's movie offering have annoyed customers. First and foremost was the release delay: films had a 30-day lead time on DVD before arriving in the iTunes Store, and the majority of new releases were only available for rent, not to purchase. Both of these problems have now been fixed
A Good Wine For The Linux Lovers
Last night I was searching for a decent bottle of wine to try out while watching Lost. I was at Winco so my choices where fairly limited, however I spotted a bottle that looked fairly interesting.
The bottle was a Little Penguin 2006 Merlot from South Eastern Australia. I had never heard of it, however being a linux fan the little penguin caught my attention. I'd have to say I was apprehensive about trying a wine simply because the label struck my eye. Trust me that usually makes for a big mistake. I can't tell you how many times I've made that one, but needless to say I've learned that lesson.
Well I figure what the heck, after all my choices where fairly limited at this point and if nothing else the bottle would make for good conversation with my linux loving friends.
I was pleasantly surprised, it ended up being a fairly decent wine. When I say fairly decent I mean for a sub $10 bottle of wine it was fairly good, I'd actually drink it again. I'm not a wine connoisseur by any stretch of the imagination so I'd take my opinion lightly, just try it out yourself you might even be as surprised as I was.
If you want to check them out they've got a great website TheLittlePenguin.com
The bottle was a Little Penguin 2006 Merlot from South Eastern Australia. I had never heard of it, however being a linux fan the little penguin caught my attention. I'd have to say I was apprehensive about trying a wine simply because the label struck my eye. Trust me that usually makes for a big mistake. I can't tell you how many times I've made that one, but needless to say I've learned that lesson.
Well I figure what the heck, after all my choices where fairly limited at this point and if nothing else the bottle would make for good conversation with my linux loving friends.
I was pleasantly surprised, it ended up being a fairly decent wine. When I say fairly decent I mean for a sub $10 bottle of wine it was fairly good, I'd actually drink it again. I'm not a wine connoisseur by any stretch of the imagination so I'd take my opinion lightly, just try it out yourself you might even be as surprised as I was.
If you want to check them out they've got a great website TheLittlePenguin.com
Thursday, May 01, 2008
AT&T Gives iPhone Users Free Wi-Fi
AT&T is reportedly offering free wireless access to iPhone owners at several thousands of its public hot spots, including those recently acquired at Starbucks.
Initially reported on MacRumors.com several Apple iPhone users responded with their experiences at Starbucks. According to the reports, iPhone owners are presented with a specially formatted page when they launch the Safari browser. The form asks them to enter their iPhone phone number. Once the number is verified, users can browse using the hot spot rather than the much slower EDGE-based data network that AT&T also operates.
Computerworld confirmed the free iPhone Wi-Fi at a Starbucks location in Eugene, Ore., this morning.
Details about the wireless access are sketchy as so far AT&T has refused to comment. It is unknown, for example, if Wi-Fi access is unlimited, or available at all the 71,000-some hot spots run by AT&T, which include those at bookseller Barnes & Noble and throughout the McDonald's fast food chain.
MADD Becomes Mothers Against 'Grand Theft Auto IV'
The Associated Press: MADD attacks 'Grand Theft Auto IV'
Mothers Against Drunk Driving wants a stricter rating on "Grand Theft Auto IV."
The organization is calling on the Entertainment Software Ratings Board, the independent organization that assigns video-game ratings, to reclassify "GTA IV" as an Adults Only game. The action-driving game, which includes the ability to drive while intoxicated, is currently rated Mature.
"Drunk driving is not a game, and it is not a joke," MADD said in a statement released Tuesday. "Drunk driving is a choice, a violent crime and it is also 100 percent preventable."
MADD is also calling on publisher Take-Two Interactive and developer Rockstar Games to consider stopping distribution of the game — which analysts expect to sell 9 million copies and make over $400 million at launch — "out of respect for the millions of victims/survivors of drunk driving."
In the critically acclaimed open-world game, players have the choice of patronizing a bar and then attempting to drive drunk. While virtually under the influence, the screen becomes blurred and the controls are more difficult to use. Players also have the option of hailing a taxi or walking. The intoxication effects wear off after a few minutes in the game.
"We have a great deal of respect for MADD's mission, but we believe the mature audience for 'Grand Theft Auto IV' is more than sophisticated enough to understand the game's content," Rockstar Games said in a statement to The Associated Press on Wednesday. "For the same reason that you can't judge an entire film or television program by a single scene, you can't judge 'Grand Theft Auto IV' by a small aspect of the game."
"GTA IV" follows the criminal exploits of protagonist Niko Bellic, an imigrant-turned-gangster who travels from Eastern Europe to Liberty City, the game's fictional locale based on New York City. As Bellic, players can hijack cars, earn cash for criminal activities, shoot innocent bystanders and visit strip clubs.
MADD declined to comment further about their statement.
Mothers Against Drunk Driving wants a stricter rating on "Grand Theft Auto IV."
The organization is calling on the Entertainment Software Ratings Board, the independent organization that assigns video-game ratings, to reclassify "GTA IV" as an Adults Only game. The action-driving game, which includes the ability to drive while intoxicated, is currently rated Mature.
"Drunk driving is not a game, and it is not a joke," MADD said in a statement released Tuesday. "Drunk driving is a choice, a violent crime and it is also 100 percent preventable."
MADD is also calling on publisher Take-Two Interactive and developer Rockstar Games to consider stopping distribution of the game — which analysts expect to sell 9 million copies and make over $400 million at launch — "out of respect for the millions of victims/survivors of drunk driving."
In the critically acclaimed open-world game, players have the choice of patronizing a bar and then attempting to drive drunk. While virtually under the influence, the screen becomes blurred and the controls are more difficult to use. Players also have the option of hailing a taxi or walking. The intoxication effects wear off after a few minutes in the game.
"We have a great deal of respect for MADD's mission, but we believe the mature audience for 'Grand Theft Auto IV' is more than sophisticated enough to understand the game's content," Rockstar Games said in a statement to The Associated Press on Wednesday. "For the same reason that you can't judge an entire film or television program by a single scene, you can't judge 'Grand Theft Auto IV' by a small aspect of the game."
"GTA IV" follows the criminal exploits of protagonist Niko Bellic, an imigrant-turned-gangster who travels from Eastern Europe to Liberty City, the game's fictional locale based on New York City. As Bellic, players can hijack cars, earn cash for criminal activities, shoot innocent bystanders and visit strip clubs.
MADD declined to comment further about their statement.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
YouTube Hosts Playboy's 55th Anniversary Casting Call
Playboy is asking women interested in being the 55th Anniversary Playmate to submit video auditions through their Playboy Casting Channel on YouTube.
The Rules:
Models selected will receive round trip air fare to Hollywood were they will visit the Playboy mansion and participate in a private photo shoot for consideration as the 55th anniversary playmate.
For more info visit Playboy.com/pm55 or the Playboy Casting Channel
.
The Rules:
- All applicants must of course be 18 years of age or older
- Since YouTube doesn't allow nudity obviously no nude videos will be allowed — but two-piece swimsuits are encouraged, after all you need to show off the assets!
- Videos must be 2mins or less!
- You must give your first name and age at the start of the video
- Casting is open to US residents only
Models selected will receive round trip air fare to Hollywood were they will visit the Playboy mansion and participate in a private photo shoot for consideration as the 55th anniversary playmate.
For more info visit Playboy.com/pm55 or the Playboy Casting Channel
Closing The Book On Mahalo
Many of you might know of the on going struggles I've faced in trying to collect money that Mahalo owed me from my work with the company last Oct/Nov. These struggles eventually led to me having to file a small claims suite and take them to court. On April 7th we did just that.
On April 9th the judge decided that I had not provided enough evidence to prove my case, in effect deciding Mahalo did not have to pay me for more than two thirds of the work done during that time period. I guess we can chalk it up to my ignorance of the legal system, and just plain old stupidity on my behalf in thinking that when you work for a company and they use your work (an continue to do so) that you should be paid in full.
The judge did not bother to elaborate on what part of the issue wasn't proven, just that I did not "prove by a preponderance of the evidence" that they withheld earnings.
I guess I get to mark this down as a $2500+ learning experience.
On April 9th the judge decided that I had not provided enough evidence to prove my case, in effect deciding Mahalo did not have to pay me for more than two thirds of the work done during that time period. I guess we can chalk it up to my ignorance of the legal system, and just plain old stupidity on my behalf in thinking that when you work for a company and they use your work (an continue to do so) that you should be paid in full.
The judge did not bother to elaborate on what part of the issue wasn't proven, just that I did not "prove by a preponderance of the evidence" that they withheld earnings.
I guess I get to mark this down as a $2500+ learning experience.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
$199 Apple iPhone, Fact Or Fiction?
There have been many rumors floating around the rumor mill following the Fortune.com blog post "AT&T to cut the price of Apple’s new iPhone", but is there any truth behind them?
Several well known sites like Dailytech, TG Daily and MacWorld have jumped on the story and ran with it. However in my opinion a few things just didn't add up.
Fortune reports that AT&T is preparing to offer a $200 subsidy for customers who sign two-year contracts when buying the next-generation iPhone. It writes that since the new, presumably faster models will start at the same $399 base price as the current iPhones, that will drop the effective price to $199.
But wait a minute, what about people who buy in Apple stores? Its hard to imagine that Apple would want to sell iPhones for even a dime more in its stores than in another store. And we all know how Apple keeps exceedingly tight controls over its pricing. So Fortune is leading us to believe that AT&T is going to be undercutting Apple, a move I personally don't see happening.
This is an opinion shared by at least two other people. Saul Hansell over at the NY Times wrote today "The $199 iPhone? Something’s Missing from the Picture", and PC World's Editor in Chief Harry McCracken posted "The $199 iPhone: Cool! Possibly Imaginary!". Both share the same questions in regards to the Fortune blog post.
Rumors about the second generation 3G iPhone aren't new. Engadget recently reported that the new phone will have full GPS capabilities, a headphone jack that is no longer recessed, chrome volume buttons, and a shiny black rear housing all in a footprint slightly thicker than the existing iPhone.
The source of the Fortune blog posts is cited as confirming a few of these details. Stating the new iPhone will be 2.5 mm thinner than the 11.7 mm original and will also have a GPS chip for navigation and other location-based services.
As we all should know by now when it comes to Steve Jobs and the Apple crew rumors are just rumors and can be taken lightly until they actually make a release. So until the time comes that I show up at an AT&T store and see a $199 second gen iPhone I won't be getting my hopes up.
Several well known sites like Dailytech, TG Daily and MacWorld have jumped on the story and ran with it. However in my opinion a few things just didn't add up.
Fortune reports that AT&T is preparing to offer a $200 subsidy for customers who sign two-year contracts when buying the next-generation iPhone. It writes that since the new, presumably faster models will start at the same $399 base price as the current iPhones, that will drop the effective price to $199.
But wait a minute, what about people who buy in Apple stores? Its hard to imagine that Apple would want to sell iPhones for even a dime more in its stores than in another store. And we all know how Apple keeps exceedingly tight controls over its pricing. So Fortune is leading us to believe that AT&T is going to be undercutting Apple, a move I personally don't see happening.
This is an opinion shared by at least two other people. Saul Hansell over at the NY Times wrote today "The $199 iPhone? Something’s Missing from the Picture", and PC World's Editor in Chief Harry McCracken posted "The $199 iPhone: Cool! Possibly Imaginary!". Both share the same questions in regards to the Fortune blog post.
Rumors about the second generation 3G iPhone aren't new. Engadget recently reported that the new phone will have full GPS capabilities, a headphone jack that is no longer recessed, chrome volume buttons, and a shiny black rear housing all in a footprint slightly thicker than the existing iPhone.
The source of the Fortune blog posts is cited as confirming a few of these details. Stating the new iPhone will be 2.5 mm thinner than the 11.7 mm original and will also have a GPS chip for navigation and other location-based services.
As we all should know by now when it comes to Steve Jobs and the Apple crew rumors are just rumors and can be taken lightly until they actually make a release. So until the time comes that I show up at an AT&T store and see a $199 second gen iPhone I won't be getting my hopes up.
Wigix An Ebay Killer?
Wigix, the "Want it, got it Xchange" launches in public beta today with the intent to standardize online marketplace listings, and consequently make it easier for consumers to find the products they desire.
Wigix is not a new auction company, its modeled after a stock style price-matching system. Buyers and sellers list their desired prices for a particular item, and the system will notify people when they have matching orders there is no bidding involved.
Buying and Selling
The new SKU based selling system is setup with an auto-listing feature. The feature is similar to that found on eBay when selling books, movies or music. Sellers will no longer need to go through the task of describing items and posting pictures. Instead, they find the item in Wigix’s database, select it, and choose a price.
Similarly buyers need only find the item they’re looking for through a single search. Once they’re on the page for that item, they can see the last prices it sold at, how many buyers and sellers there are, descriptions, reviews and more. If they want to buy it, they put in a bid for a buy price; when a seller list and item thats meets the price, the transaction will be made.
Fees
The fee structure changes dramatically over eBay's system. Wigix charges no listing fee, and any transaction less than $25 is free. Wigix always charges the buyer $1.50, but the seller pays a variable amount: $1.50 for a sale between $25 and $100; $1.50 plus 2 percent of the amount above $100 for a sale between $100 and $1,000; and $21 plus 1 percent of the amount above $1,000 for a sale of more than $1,000.
For example, if somebody buys a digital camera for $200, Wigix charges the buyer $1.50 and the seller $3.50--$1.50 plus 2 percent of $100.
Make Money Without Selling
Wigix is also offering members several way to make money without selling items.
Category experts get paid 1% of the category's revenue (advertising and transaction fees) for checking listing and approving items.
Homesteading or category creation, allows user to add and expand the Wigix catalog of items. If you find something new that is not in the database you will earn 5% of that item's revenue (ad revenue and transaction fees)!
Golden Items, in an attempt at driving traffic to more areas of the site Wigix has secretly marked hundreds of items with a golden SKU. When you see the gold bar, click on it and your Wigix account will be credited $1!
Referrals, what site would be complete without a referral service? Wigix will give you up to 4% of any revenue (advertising and transaction fees) made by your referral's homestead items as well as a share from second and third tier referrals.
My thoughts
While looking over the site researching the post I saw it as an interesting idea. I did see a few areas I don't care for. For starters as a bargain hunter I'm not big on the "want it now" buying style. That cuts down the chance at getting any great deals. Which for me is one of the biggest draws to an auction site.
I also have a few concerns about listing items. I like to see pictures of actual items, not just a stock photo. The same goes for listings, I want an accurate description of the item I might be buying, not the generic one provided. You'll be forced to ask sellers to provide details and pictures, which would otherwise be provided in an eBay type environment.
But I'm willing to give it a chance. I'll try it out over the next week or two and see how I like it and post a review of my findings then.
For more on Wigix check out these great articles:
Monday, April 28, 2008
Which BlackBerry is Best for You?
Laptop Magazine explores the BlackBerry Pearl, BlackBerry Curve and BlackBerry 8800 Series in order to help you pick the best BlackBerry for you.
The challenge any smartphone buyer faces is picking the right phone for your needs. That’s where this guide comes in. They break down the three different series and show in detail the features found on most of the popular models in each series.
The BlackBerry Pearl for example has comparisons of three models, the 8110, 8120 and 8130. While most of the differences are carrier specific knowing what those differences are might help you to decide which carrier to choose as well as which model to choose from a carrier that provides more than one option.
Read more at Laptop mag.com
The challenge any smartphone buyer faces is picking the right phone for your needs. That’s where this guide comes in. They break down the three different series and show in detail the features found on most of the popular models in each series.
The BlackBerry Pearl for example has comparisons of three models, the 8110, 8120 and 8130. While most of the differences are carrier specific knowing what those differences are might help you to decide which carrier to choose as well as which model to choose from a carrier that provides more than one option.
Read more at Laptop mag.com
2009 Corvette ZR1 Hits 638 Horsepower, 200+MPH
Popular Mechanics reports the new ZR1 will feature GM’s hardest pumping engine ever. With the sky rocketing cost of fuel will the car be a boom or bust?
"The Corvette ZR1 is shaping up to become the beastliest of just about any supercar. Chevrolet just announced that the ZR1's supercharged 6.2-liter V8 would deliver a whopping 638 hp and 604 lb.-ft. of torque. That's 18 more ponies than the original estimate back at the Detroit auto show in January (click here for video, here for more pix and here for history).
And that makes this Vette's LS9 the most powerful automotive production engine General Motors has ever produced. It's also six more horses than Lamborghini's top dog, the LP 640—now that's really impressive. Chevy says the horsepower and torque were necessary to help the ZR1 achieve a top speed of more than 200 mph. The supercharged 376 cid V8 is routed to a six-speed manual with race-hardened gears and a dual-disc clutch technology, for better clamping power and lower inertia. And all that power is delivered to strengthened rear axle components. Could GM be anticipating smoky burnouts? Natch.
GM says the ZR1 will be the most fuel-efficient 600-hp car in the industry at 26 mpg on the highway—not exactly a shocker, given how thrifty the 505-hp Z06 rides.
We can't wait to get behind the wheel of that ZR1. But when we do, fuel economy probably won't be the first thing on our mind. —Ben Stewart"
For more on the 2009 ZR1 checkout PM's Video at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show as well as MotorTrends 2009 ZR1 First look
GeForce 9600 GSO 384MB Officially Released
Nvidia releases another mid range card that is slated to site somewhere on the shelf next to the 8800gt/gts and the 9600gt, where we aren't sure yet but one thing is certain Nvidia is flooding the market with cards lately!Specs wise the 9600 GSO is a curious card. It packs 96 stream processors compared to the 9600 GT's 64, which should imply it will be a better performer, but in every other way the GSO is decidedly crippled. Stock clock speeds sit at 550MHz, 1,375MHz and 1.6GHz for the core, shaders and memory respectively - all slower than the GT.
The 9600GT offered 512MB of RAM on a 256-bit memory interface, but the GSO only uses a 192-bit interface with 384MB of RAM. On paper, those specs mean the GSO may even be able to keep up with the 9600 GT in some scenarios - especially the board partner pre-overclocked versions - as long as anti-aliasing isn't used, wherein the memory limitations will show up.
Importantly and rather oddly, the first 9600 GSOs showing up with UK retailers are being priced at about £80 ($160). This compares very well with both the 512MB version of the 3650, that it should be faster than, and 9600 GT. However if these prices are correct under current Newegg pricing the GSO would be more expensive than the GT.
So we'll have to wait and see where it lands on the performance charts, and we'll have to wait on actual pricing figures. Keep your eyes peeled for reviews which should be out in a day or two.
Link: GeForce 9600 GSO product page.
Security Vendors Bash Defcon's "Race to Zero" Contest
There will be a new contest at the Defcon hacker conference this August called "Race to Zero," the contest will invite Defcon hackers to find new ways of beating antivirus software.
The announcement of the contest has security vendors in an uproar. "It will do more harm than good," said Paul Ferguson, a researcher at antivirus vendor TrendMicro. "Responsible disclosure is one thing, but now actually encouraging people to do this as a contest is a little over the top."
According to what I read on the Race to Zero site security and antivirus vendors are taking this way to seriously. After all contestants are going to be given a sample set of viruses and malcode that is already know, they then have to modify and upload through the contest portal. We are talking about a contest that is seeking to create new viruses or malicious code.
"We are not creating new viruses and modified samples will not be released into the wild, contrary to the belief of some media organizations. Above all we want the contestants to have fun!"
The contest is not organized by Defcon, but is one of the unofficial events that the show's organizers have encouraged attendees to arrange. It is unclear of what the contest winners will receive however according to organizers awards will be given for "Most elegant obfuscation," "Dirtiest hack of an obfuscation," "Comedy value" and "Most deserving of beer."
The announcement of the contest has security vendors in an uproar. "It will do more harm than good," said Paul Ferguson, a researcher at antivirus vendor TrendMicro. "Responsible disclosure is one thing, but now actually encouraging people to do this as a contest is a little over the top."
According to what I read on the Race to Zero site security and antivirus vendors are taking this way to seriously. After all contestants are going to be given a sample set of viruses and malcode that is already know, they then have to modify and upload through the contest portal. We are talking about a contest that is seeking to create new viruses or malicious code.
"We are not creating new viruses and modified samples will not be released into the wild, contrary to the belief of some media organizations. Above all we want the contestants to have fun!"
The contest is not organized by Defcon, but is one of the unofficial events that the show's organizers have encouraged attendees to arrange. It is unclear of what the contest winners will receive however according to organizers awards will be given for "Most elegant obfuscation," "Dirtiest hack of an obfuscation," "Comedy value" and "Most deserving of beer."
Friday, April 25, 2008
Fellow Beer Drinkers Take Note
Finally, a Website for Something That Matters: Finding a Good Beer, well that is if you are from New York City.
Here's one for your Friday afternoon daydreams: BeerMenus is great new little website that tracks bars' beer selection so you can search for a particular bar and find out what's available.
I love the idea of this site, I think I need to contact Will and Eric over there at BeerMenus and talk expansion!
Here's one for your Friday afternoon daydreams: BeerMenus is great new little website that tracks bars' beer selection so you can search for a particular bar and find out what's available.
Even better is the reverse. Just type in your favorite beer and BeerMenus will tell you where you can find it on tap (or in a bottle if that’s your thing). Think of it as MenuPages for beer.
The site uses a nice Google Map to show all the locations where your favorite beer can be found and even let’s you know how much it will set you back (a handy self-reminder of why I don’t live in NYC — beer is really expensive).
The big catch is that right now BeerMenus is only available for some 170 bars in Manhattan, which doesn’t help the majority of us, but it’s a start.
Curiously, while you can submit bars and their beer menus, the form only accepts submissions for Manhattan locations. A comment from one of the developers on the site’s blog suggests that additional burroughs like Brooklyn and Queens are coming soon, but no word on when the site will support non-NYC locations.
In the mean time I’m suddenly thirsty; fortunately I keep my own favorite beer in the fridge.
[viaCNet]
Originally posted by Scott Gilbertson at Wired.com
I love the idea of this site, I think I need to contact Will and Eric over there at BeerMenus and talk expansion!
GameStop to Host Nationwide Grand Theft Auto IV Launch Events
GameStop Corp. announced today that it will host events on Monday, April 28, 2008, at over 3,500 of its U.S. GameStop stores for the launch of Grand Theft Auto IV by Rockstar Games. These events celebrate one of the most highly anticipated games of 2008 and will include trivia contests, Grand Theft Auto character look-a-like contests and giveaways leading up to the 12:01 a.m. Tuesday release.
Most participating GameStop locations will begin their events after 9:00 p.m. local time; however, customers are encouraged to contact their local store to confirm the exact time of the event.
To participate, visit a GameStop store for details. To find a local store, log on to GameStop.com, and search using the 'Store Locator.'
Online Pre-Sale Orders
Most participating GameStop locations will begin their events after 9:00 p.m. local time; however, customers are encouraged to contact their local store to confirm the exact time of the event.
To participate, visit a GameStop store for details. To find a local store, log on to GameStop.com, and search using the 'Store Locator.'
Online Pre-Sale Orders
- Buy.com
Grand Theft Auto IV Xbox 360 $59.99 free shipping
Grand Theft Auto IV PS3 $59.99 free shipping
Grand Theft Auto IV: Xbox 360 Special Edition $89.99 free shipping
Grand Theft Auto IV: PS3 Special Edition $89.99 free shipping
Thursday, April 24, 2008
ATI Radeon 4800 Series Specs Leaked
Thanks to TG Daily we get a sneak peek at the soon to be released ATI HD 4800 series of graphics cards.
All Radeon 4800 graphics will use the 55nm TSMC produced RV770 GPU, that include over 800 million transistors, 480 stream processors or shader units (96+384), 32 texture units, 16 ROPs, a 256-bit memory controller (512-bit for the Radeon 4870 X2) and native GDDR3/4/5 support as reported before. At first, AMD’s graphics division will launch three new cards - Radeon HD 4850, 4870 and 4870 X2:
- ATI Radeon HD 4850 - 650MHz/850MHz/1140MHz core/shader/memory clock speeds, 20.8 GTexel/s (32 TMU x 0.65 GHz) fill-rate, available in 256MB/512MB of GDDR3 memory or 512MB of GDDR5 memory clocked at 1.73GHz
- ATI Radeon HD 4870 - 850MHz/1050MHz/1940MHz core/shader/memory clock speeds, 27.2 GTexel/s (32 TMU x 0.85 GHz) fill-rate, available in 1GB GDDR5 version only
- ATI Radeon HD 4870 X2 - unknown core/shader clock speeds, available with 2048MB of GDDR5 memory clocked at 1730MHz
We can't wait to see these things in action so look for reviews and benchmarks to be posted soon!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)