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The requisite announcement mashup
With every Apple event, we need someone to go in and edit together all of the reality distortion field generators, and this time, it's Neil Curtis, who has cut together most of the "amazing," "great," and "beautiful" adjectives from last week's keynote. Unfortunately, we don't have empirical data (anyone want to actually count up all of them?), but it sure seems to me like "great" and "gorgeous" had a big increase this time around, and "incredible" and "terrific" didn't show up quite so much as previous events. Also: no boom? Did we not get a single "boom" at all? It was a little more serene demonstration than usual, with Steve lounging on a chair to show off how comfy it is to browse the 'net on the iPad, but the A4 processor didn't inspire a single "boom"? That's disappointing. [via FSJ]
Engadget's recession antidote: win a Zivio Boom Wireless Headset!
This whole global economic crisis, and its resulting massive loss of jobs got us thinking. We here at Engadget didn't want to stand helplessly by, announcing every new round of misery without giving anything back -- so we decided to take the opportunity to spread a little positivity. We'll be handing out a new gadget every day (except for weekends) to lucky readers until we run out of stuff or companies stop sending things. Today we've got a Zivio Boom Bluetooth headset on offer. Read the rules below (no skimming -- we're omniscient and can tell when you've skimmed) and get commenting! Huge thanks to Joby for providing the gear!The rules: Leave a comment below. Any comment will do, but if you want to share your proposal for "fixing" the world economy, that'd be sweet too. You may only enter this specific giveaway once. If you enter this giveaway more than once you'll be automatically disqualified, etc. (Yes, we have robots that thoroughly check to ensure fairness.) If you enter more than once, only activate one comment. This is pretty self explanatory. Just be careful and you'll be fine. Contest is open to anyone in the 50 States, 18 or older! Sorry, we don't make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so be mad at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad. Winner will be chosen randomly. The winner will receive one (1) Zivio Boom Bluetooth headset. If you are chosen, you will be notified by email. Winners must respond within three days of the end of the contest. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen. Entries can be submitted until Tuesday, May, 5th, at 11:59PM ET. Good luck! Full rules can be found here.
Training Dummies in capital cities
If you've been exploring your capital city, you may have noticed something new. Grandmaster's Training Dummies now hang out in the cities, casually waiting for enterprising player characters to come and beat them. (I don't judge their lifestyles, I'm just reporting the facts.) If you're looking at the picture on the right, you're correct in your keen observation -- the clever training dummies even carry the flag of your opposing faction.The dummies are level 80, obviously in preparation for Wrath's release on November 13th. We were fortunate enough to get them in the content patch, but it does lead to a few questions. What are these masochistic constructions for? What is their purpose? Do they give you anything?Dr. Boom in Netherstorm was a staple of Hunters', Warlocks' and Mages' theorycrafting. The analysts of the communities would park themselves on a crate, and fire away at the goblin. Using AddOns likes Recount, or combat log parsers like WWS, they'd leverage the information to draw conclusions about which damage rotations and talents yielded the best results.Target Dummies fulfill the same role, but are a little more universally accessible. (Melee had problems with Dr. Boom, since they could find themselves getting blown up by adds.) They also have benefit of not being out in the field. While safe and protected in your capital city, you can fire away until you feel confident in the data you're seeing.There's a caveat to the dummies, however. Some spells (like Siphon Life) don't seem to give accurate results. Also, since the dummies aren't the specific bosses you'll be fighting, you're not going to get the exact same numbers as you would against the real thing. They're intended, after all, characters to practice on, not simulate the actual fights. Edit: As some commenters have pointed out, there are level 70 and 60 dummies to be had also, in the same general area as the level 80 versions.
Squeezebox Boom review
Remember Kerbango? In the early months of the decade, 3Com's foray (via acquisition) into the then-nonexistent world of tabletop internet radios crashed and burned before it was ever even launched, a classic example of an arguably visionary product launching well, well ahead of its time. Over seven years have passed since the Kerbango Radio's untimely death, but for whatever reason, the concept really hasn't re-emerged on a grand scale. On the surface, it seems like a no-brainer: everyone has an alarm clock, many have bedside or kitchen radios, WiFi has since emerged as a ubiquitous cloud of high-speed data, and more people are listening to streamed audio than ever before -- yet the market for these devices is still treated like a niche. What gives?%Gallery-32346%
Zivio Boom given the once-over on Engadget
We're always game for a fresh, curious new Bluetooth headset design, but does Zivio's Boom go just a little too far with its wacky telescoping mic, magnetic ear clip, and high-end sticker price? Only one way to find out -- and that's by clicking on over to our quick look on Engadget!
Zivio Boom hands (and ears) on
At first glance, the Zivio Boom seems like a novel approach to the Bluetooth headset problem, but as we experienced, it's actually a little less pleasure and a touch more pain. The design and packaging of the product are highly stylized and sufficiently handsome to be sure, but once you get down to the meat, this peripheral leaves quite a bit to be desired. In our tests, not only was the sound quality of the earpiece far below the standards you'd expect from a product in this price range ($129.95), but the general design of the Boom is lacking in many regards. Firstly, the ear-clip is held onto the device by a magnet -- and not a very powerful one at that -- which renders the component largely useless. The headset does an okay job of staying on with the varying size bud attachments, but it still felt a bit heavy without hanging it off of something. All of that might be surmountable were it not for the abysmal sound quality we experienced. The thin, telescoping microphone seemed like it would do a better job at picking up audio than a standard Bluetooth headset, but it didn't hold up next to Jawbone's offerings, and the fragility of the metal makes it seem like we're only a day or two away from cashing in the warranty. The reception quality wasn't any better -- we literally had to ask a friend of ours if they were speaking through a towel. Both on the receiving and transmitting ends, we found the Boom to be a disappointment. There's no question that this is a good looking device -- just not one that we can really recommend.%Gallery-32042%
Logitech Squeezebox Boom hits the stage
It's been a month since we first caught a glimpse of the sharp-looking Logitech Squeezebox Boom, but the wireless network speakers are official today, coming in at a list price of $299. Yeah, it's basically a standard-issue Squeezebox with a built-in amp and speakers, but that's a pretty solid idea, especially since we're guessing the 24-bit Burr Brown D/A converter and bi-amped 3-inch woofers and 3/4-inch tweeters will offer up some decent sound. Everything else is regular Squeezebox kit -- 802.11g WiFi, SqueezeNetwork, optical and S/PDIF out, VFD display, 10/100Base-T Ethernet -- so if you're looking to expand your system, this is probably a pretty solid way of getting it done. Expect to see this one on shelves next month. One more pic after the break.
15 Minutes of Fame: Retiring player goes out with a BOOM
15 Minutes of Fame is our look at World of Warcraft players of all shapes and sizes – from the renowned to the relatively anonymous, the remarkable to the player next door. Tip us off to players you'd like to hear more about./Gamequit threads from players who are leaving the game "for good" have become a fixture of MMO communities. Very few players stop playing without a peep. Those from smaller, tight-knit guilds say their goodbyes on their own guild forums and guildchat. Other players post more dramatic farewell threads on server and community forums (not all of which meet a warm, nostalgic reception). And some players go out with a BOOM!The latter's the case for Boom of US Argent Dawn-H. After a long and illustrious career as a raider, roleplayer and eventually an Arena multi-boxer, real life got the better of Boom's play time. But the Argent Dawn fixture was determined to go out with the same generous spirit and panache that he had devoted to his years in the game. Boom styled a roleplaying event leading to his own execution in Stormwind, a mass event that awarded 5,000 gold to the player who landed the killing blow.This week's 15 Minutes of Fame is the poignant tale of the lifespan of a WoW character and the friends who made WoW more than a simple video game pastime for the player behind the keyboard. Read on for the story of Boom.
$345 million invested in virtual worlds so far this year
"There's gold in them thar online worlds!" That, at least, is the diagnosis of the guys over at TechCrunch Virtual Worlds Management (they're actually the ones who did the research for second quarter) -- they tallied up all the money given to virtual world developers this year, and ended up at a whopping $345 million. That is a lot of investment dollars sunk into worlds that don't exist -- about the gross domestic product of Western Africa's Guinea-Bissau. Which, come to think of it, doesn't sound quite as impressive as we'd hoped, but still, venture capitalists clearly think this online thing might have staying power.Turbine was one of the big winners so far this year -- their $40 million investment will give the Lord of the Rings Online and Dungeons and Dragons Online developer lots of leeway in their "business strategy shift." But 9You, as previously reported on this very site, was the biggest cash-in so far this year -- $100 million was passed out to them to work on its product called GTown.Of course, investment only means so much, and there are only so many hours in the day people can spent in virtual environments. Some of this money is being thrown away. But we're only halfway through 2008, and deals are being brokered left and right -- it's a virtual world boom!
Gnomes or Dwarves: Which would be better to attach to a bottle rocket?
I don't know if it's just the kid in me that likes to blow things up, but I always find myself aiming to make a few explosions happen around this time of year. As I've grown older and understood more about physics, chemistry, etc., I've come to make the explosions even larger. For instance, putting a bunch of fireworks in a barrel, lightening them all on fire at the same time, and then funneling the explosion towards the ground usually has a humorous result. Humorous might be a few missing fingers, but they can be reattached. And really, who needs their middle finger for anything good? This year I'm going to try to attach things to bottle rockets, perhaps 10 to 20 all tied together in a bundle. My goal is to see how high I can make things go up in the air. It's going to be a grand ol' time. And after all, what better way to celebrate the birth of America than to blow your own little part of it up? All this talk about blowing things up has got me thinking though, which race would fit better on a rocket, and which would fly farther? Gnomes or Dwarves? Let's look at the strengths and weaknesses of both. %Poll-16438%
Grab your 2008 Keynote Bingo cards!
With just over a week to go until the Steve Jobs January Riot Macworld Keynote and mockups of desired Apple products flying at us, Ars Technica's John Siracusa has posted his definitive Macworld Keynote Bingo card. Complete with that immortal Jobs-ian catch-phrase "Boom" and "a few squares for the phone weenies," it's everything you need for the keynote guessing-game.Be sure to check out the rules and regulations to see what will tick off each square -- we'd hate for any keynote attendees to jump up and shout "Bingo!" only to find that their line isn't really valid. That would be embarrassing, wouldn't it?
Goodness, gracious, great balls of (PowerBook) fire!
If it bleeds, it leads. If it goes boom, there's room. Fire inspires and there's no shame in flame. What's the opposite of flamebait? It's when your PowerBook really does catch fire and nearly kills you--and you write a love letter like Jimm Lasser did. After his PowerBook burst into flames, he didn't lash out at Apple. He grew to love them even more. He writes, "a Mac almost killed me, and I came out of the whole experience feeling more strongly about Apple as a company." TUAW rejoices that Lasser survived and has been able to move on from the whole experience, but reiterates that this kind of bonding, consumer-trust-enhancing experience is not typical. Via Real Fake Steve
DS Daily: Chick Chick Boom
This week's major non-console Nintendo news was the release of Chick Chick Boom, a Flash game sponsored by Nintendo. Many of you have no doubt taken the opportunity to try out the game, which has players drawing shapes to summon weapons and defenses, in order to destroy the opposing team of spherical chicks and earn some Nintendo wallpaper. If you haven't, go check it out now. We'll wait.Welcome back. Now for the question. You might be wondering "what would a DS site possibly ask about a Nintendo game that involves drawing?" Well, actually, we hope you aren't wondering that, because it's plainly obvious: what's your favorite Rush song would you like to see this come to the DS? The drawing-based gameplay is a natural for the touchscreen (more than it is for this laptop's touchpad, at least), but is the core game worth your time, attention, and money?
BBR Logo & Price announced
The lads over at Bizarre Creation showed off their logo for the upcoming Xbox Live Arcade title, Boom Boom Rocket. They also told us that EA announced the pricing for the game, which is 800 MS Points. They go on to confirm that there are 10 songs, 3 difficulties, 4 game modes and multiplayer. They say that they're happy with the price point, given all that we're getting for the price. What do you think? Should we be paying the same as we did for Geometry Wars, or is there enough added to this experience to warrant double that price?
Macintosh G3 vs. a 45-foot cliff
Have you ever gotten to the point where you just wanted to take your out-of-date Macintosh and toss it over a cliff? Bill Detwiler over at TechRepublic decided to just that. In a series of pictures that he calls "G3 versus the cliff", Detweiler reveals how the G3 stood up to a 45-foot fall. Unfortunately, the G3 didn't sustain nearly as much damage as one might have hoped. A 45-foot cliff isn't in the same league as, say, a steam roller or a blender.[Via Digg.]
The Keynote boom count
We all know that Steve has a few words that are bound to crop up in his Keynotes, and other presentations. Automatic, great, and revolutionary are likely contenders but his favorite word seems to be 'boom' as evidenced by this video.Some enterprising Mac users set up Boomcounter.org to track the Jobsian exclamation. The tally for this year's Macworld keynote was 15 (to put that in context for WWDC it was 9, and Macworld 2006 clocked in at 17).Boom away, Steve, boom away.[via Micro Persuasion]
Macferno: Cable Modem explodes destroying PowerBook
On November 16, an OnDeckTech 24x7 help desk technician received a call from a distraught PowerBook owner whose laptop had just been destroyed, trying to see if she could recover any of her data. Her 80GB 15-inch PowerBook, her two Maxtor external 300GB drives and her 160GB LaCie Porche drive had all been affected by the explosion of her new cable modem. The details described by the technician, who posted both pictures and a detailed account of the explosion, reminds us that proximity--or a lack thereof--can be an important component in safeguarding your backup drives. The data, fortunately, survived. Thanks Andrew
And Boom
I'm not sure which is more classic: Steve's "scrolls like butter" comment, which I think he used in reference to iPhoto '06's transparent pop-up for month and year when scrolling through albums, or this YouTube compilation of his tendency to use a particular adjective onomatopoeia at the climax of a demo gone well (as opposed to poorly). Enjoy. [via Daring Fireball]
Get your drool on with some Bomberman screens
Set to release this November thanks to Atlus, Bomberman Land Touch contains three modes of gameplay and will support Nintendo's Wi-Fi Connection service. The three modes of gameplay, which are Story, Attraction, and Battle, hope to keep gamers-on-the-go busy for quite some time. No doubt the Wi-Fi gameplay will offer plenty, in that regard. These 20 screenshots are the first from the English localization of the game.
