Computer Talk Radio on KSGF
Archive for June, 2010
The Devuvuzelator
Jun 26th
It was bound to happen sooner or later. If you’re one of the many, many people contributing to making the World Cup one of the most Internet-draining events yet to occur, then you’re probably deaf. No, really. I speak, of course, to the ever-present vuvuzela horn–that clarion call of annoyance that’s the subject of countless Internet memes and angry messages between soccer fans worldwide.
Obviously, a freeware solution is in order. And while you might not have expected it to come from a company like Stardock, creators of the popular Impulse download service, Fences, WindowsBlinds, and other such useful system apps, the company has nevertheless dug deep to develop a solution for your auditory woes.
Another Craigslist Warning
Jun 26th
New York City cops says bad guys are inquiring about cars for sale on the site, taking them for test drives—and never returning. No details on how many cars have disappeared this way, but the NYPD issued a warning memo across the five boroughs obtained by the Wall Street Journal.
The memo also warns of a new tool called the jiggler, a thin piece of metal that gets inserted into the ignition. The $25 piece of equipment works best in older ignitions, and popular targets include Honda’s Accord and Civic, the Ford Econoline, and the Dodge Caravan.
70% of Blizzards Profits are Non-Console-Based
Jun 26th
There’s more from Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick in a semi-recent interview on WSJ.com (you can view the full article through Google Search) answering questions about the state of the game business. An interesting tidbit is where he explains their business has fewer fluctuations than in the past because of how much of their profits come from “non-console-based video games.” Word is: “Today, probably 70% of our operating profit comes from non-console-based video games. So, while you might see a month-to-month change or volatility against expectations, that doesn’t really get us too concerned.” Gamasutra contacted Activision to clarify whether this 70% figure includes things like console DLC, and were told it does not, so that seems to represent PC and iPhone game sales, and more significantly, World of Warcraft subscriptions. Thanks joao via Computer and Video Games.
iPhone 4 Antenna Issues
Jun 26th
Apple’s iPhone 4 signal problems have been the source of a barrage of complaints by customers complaining of a faulty antenna and now Steve Jobs has broken the silence. In an e-mail Jobs downplayed users’ reception gripes as a “non-issue.” Meanwhile, others within Apple are advising iPhone 4 users to avoid gripping the device from the lower left corner. As the first batch of iPhone 4 smartphones reached the market on Thursday, several users reported that they are having poor reception issues with their new device when holding the phone by its metal sides in two opposite places. The metal bands surrounding the sides of the iPhone 4 also acts as antennas for the device, and the signal drop problem seems to appear when a user touches both of the black lines on the phone’s metal sides towards the bottom, according to corroborated users reports. “Gripping any phone will result in some attenuation of its antenna performance, with certain places being worse than others depending on the placement of the antennas. This is a fact of life for every wireless phone,” reads an official Apple statement on Thursday.
My PC Talk 06/26/2010: iPhone 4 Release
Jun 26th
Topics:
- iPhone 4.
- Windows 7 Sales.
- Blizzard Makes 70% Of Its Profits From WOW!
- XBOX Live Family Pack.
- Amazon, Netflix and USPS.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 43:31 — 19.9MB)
