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Apple reportedly shelves 'walkie talkie' iPhone feature
Apple has put its plans for a 'walkie talkie' iPhone feature on hold, The Information reports. The technology would have allowed people with iPhones (in a certain vicinity) to send messages over long-distance radio waves when cellular networks weren't available. It would have functioned a bit like a walkie talkie for text messages and allowed iPhone users to communicate in remote areas.
Comcast's new customer service fix: use the app to schedule a call
Years of being dinged for ineffective and unresponsive customer service may be catching up to Comcast, which is finally responding with some much-needed tweaks. Charlie Herrin became its SVP of Customer Experience in September, bringing new features to the My Account app (iOS, Android) that track the progress of field technicians and now, arrange customer service call backs. The way it works, customers can initiate troubleshooting within the app, and if that doesn't work or doesn't apply, choose a convenient time for a rep to call them instead of wasting time sitting on hold. There's also an option to tweet for support as well, so whatever way you prefer works. Options like this have existed before, with phone prompts during periods of high call volume, but putting it in the app should make it easier for customers to monitor when their issue will be addressed without having to go through the phone tree in the first place.
Mew-Genics on hold, will return when it's 'more coherent'
Mew-Genics is officially on hold, Team Meat's Tommy Refenes confirmed to Joystiq at PAX Prime in Seattle. The game was first revealed in October 2012, though the Super Meat Boy developer did not fully explain how the genetically-altered cat lady simulator would operate for another four months. The decision to drag the game's esoteric explanation out is one that Refenes seemed to regret, saying the developer "shouldn't have been talking about it as much in the beginning as we did, because the game expanded beyond what it originally was." As a result, the game grew beyond Team Meat's own original vision: "Even some of the posts that we made in the beginning, that stuff doesn't exist in the game anymore," he added. For example, the developer discussed a "trinkets" system in December 2012, which is now gone from Mew-Genics, as it's "expanded into the stores" in the game.
Hey Apple, you're holding it wrong
We're only holding it in the way that you showed us.
BusinessWeek: AAPL 'ripe for the picking'
BusinessWeek's Gene Marcial is gushing -- gushing -- over Apple stock, suggesting they're not only a good buying opportunity for those who already own some shares, but a good entry point for those who have never owned stock in the company. "The case for Apple is simple: Its stock is cheap based mainly on strong earnings and sales growth, and the outlook for further expansion of sales and profits. And the stock's profile based on such benchmarks as its technical chart pattern and price-earnings ratio affirms Apple's attraction," he writes. Marical quotes Standard & Poor's Thomas Smith, Barclays Capital's Ben Reitzes, and Needham's Charles Wolf -- all who have their own reasons to recommend buying the stock. Of 34 analysts who track the stock, 27 recommend buying and five recommend holding. Only two suggest you sell. As of this writing, Apple was up by over $7 per share at 89.75 during a generally positive session this morning. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up above 8,311, an increase of 265 points.
Nintendo stock downgraded on fears of slowing system demand
Despite Gamestop's recent assurances that the Wii will be hard to find for at least six more months, some think that the system's sales figures are about to peak. Exhibit one: KBC Securities Japan, which recently downgraded Nintendo's stock from a "buy" to a "hold" recommendation because of worries that Wii and DS sales will slow after "explosive growth" in the last year.The KBC report, which also includes a 30 percent cut in its 12-month price estimate for Nintendo stock, is also based on worries that the Japanese company will see its revenues continue to suffer as a result of the weakening American dollar. KBC's outlook stands in stark contrast to Nintendo's own bullish profit estimates over the last year of surging sales. Since everyone seems to be making predictions, we're going to go out on a limb and say that Nintendo's stock will plummet when contact with an alien race quickly erases all human want and destroys the international economic system as we know it. Hey, it could happen ...
PSP's Earthworm Jim gets the bird, goes 'on hold'
Earthworm Jim for PSP has been put "on hold" as Atari focuses on other projects. Sister site PSPFanboy reveals that the game they thought was coming along fine with "sharp graphics, and awesome 2D gameplay potential" is no longer in the works, but an Atari spokesperson says it "may be revisited in the future."Optimistically, there's still 60 reasons to own a PSP. Maybe some information will shake out at Min-E3 over why Earthworm Jim got the bird. Atari still has other titles coming out for the PSP, but a lot of their energy (and money) is currently going into upcoming potential hits like the return of Alone in the Dark.
Best Buy holding units for Sunday [update 1]
[Update 1: According to our mother-site Joystiq, Circuit City will also be hoarding Wii supplies for the 21st. Target will also have Wiimotes and nunchuks ... and heck, probably more Wii units as well. Good luck!]According to some highly overpaid analysts, the Wii is still very, very hard to find. See? You could be an analyst, too! Through rain and mud and Mordor, many of our readers have trekked away their nights and days looking for that elusive white box. We would send you ours, but Nintendo has keyed our Wii's to our genetic signatures, and will detonate upon transfer.Still, we feel as though we owe you guys a bit of assistance. And here it is: apparently, a (reputable) tipster has given word that Best Buy is stockpiling units for a January 21st (Sunday) release. Each store should have at least twenty units, and possibly around forty, but Best Buy will be announcing this lovely treasure trove in a weekly store ad quite soon. A word to the wise: the Wii is still hotter than Alpha Centauri, so don't think you won't need to work for it. Wake up early. You won't regret it.
