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Virgin America lights up entire fleet with in-flight WiFi
Hold up AirTran -- not so fast with those wild claims of in-flight WiFi superiority. If you'll recall, the aforesaid airline proclaimed that it would soon be the first to have its entire fleet doused with Gogo, but it looks like Virgin America has swept in to claim that title. We should point out just how unfair the challenge is, though: VA has 28 planes as of today, whereas AirTran has 136. At any rate, we're still thrilled to see airlines duking it out in order to get more WiFi to more fliers, and we fully anticipate that every new aircraft added to Virgin America's fleet will be lit from day one. Now, if only they'd allow Skype functionality for more than just an Oprah demonstration, we'd really be playing with fire.[Via Gadling]
Oprah calls Kindle "her new favorite thing," gives everyone $50 off
Been waiting patiently for the next-generation Kindle(s) to hit the market? Growing increasingly frustrated with the wait? Thanks to the Amazon e-reader becoming Oprah Winfrey's "new favorite, favorite thing in the world (can't you see the jubilation on her face?)," you might just have to finally pull the trigger on the existing iteration. As a special offer for Oprah Show viewers (and by extension, everyone who reads this post), Amazon.com is now offering $50 off of the Kindle's $359 price tag by simply entering the code OPRAHWINFREY at checkout and envisioning Tom Cruise leaping on your computer desk. Better act fast, though -- the offer's only good through November 1st, and yes, that Tom Cruise bit is required.[Thanks, Chad]
Dr. Phil confronts WoW players
Yes, Oprah's psychologist (actually, I heard just the other day on Wait Wait that Dr. Phil was originally hired as a jury consultant on Oprah's beef slander case) has turned his mustachioed and Texas-accented attention to MMO gamers, and it's the usual rundown: someone's been playing the game way too much, and it's time for Dr. Phil to draw out the stereotype to anyone who finds a little fun in the online world of Azeroth.To be fair, I haven't seen the show itself, so maybe Phil does admit that millions of people around the world play these games in their free time, and that the vast majority of them have paying jobs, lead healthy lives and have happy relationships. But he doesn't feature any of those on his website -- instead, he's got the story of lives ruined over and over again because folks without self control took their game too far. And all the usual TV culprits are there -- flash cuts of chaotic keyboard and controller pressing, blurred video, and pictures of pasty gamers playing late into the night while the rest of their lives go ignored. Worried that you might be addicted? Dr. Phil's also got a "gaming behavior audit" that will let you know, in just ten questions, whether you're an addict or not. Here's a helpful question: do you feel you play online games to deal with anxiety or depression in your life? If so, you may have anxiety or depression in your life! Thanks, Dr. Phil!In all seriousness, sure, it's possible to play these games too much, and if you're playing the game even after you've lost a job or sacrificed a relationship, it's time to get help (or even better, just unplug the computer). But it would be nice to see a healthy gamer on these shows once in a while -- there's definitely plenty of them around, too.[via BlizzPlanet]
Oprah & Ellen & Dr. Phil & Entertainment Tonight & The Insider enter HD tomorrow
We know, you're all politics, sports, tech and other "serious" subjects when it comes to your HDTV programming schedule, it's just you have this...friend who watches daytime syndicated programming. Tell your "friend" that talk show hosts Ellen, Oprah (only a year after initially rumored) and Dr. Phil will all make the jump to glorious high definition. Later in the day, Entertainment Tonight and The Insider make the jump to 720p/1080i (depending on your local station and if they're ready to handle syndicated HD at all), complete with newly built sets and likely a few extra layers of makeup. Anything else your "friend" is still waiting to see get a resolution bump? Check after the break for a video tour of ET's new HDTV-ready digs.Read - Dr. PhilRead - Entertainment Tonight & The Insider
Oprah knows where the fun is at
Seriously, she does! Caught by TMZ at a Hawaiian Wal-Mart, the super-celeb was seen doing a little shopping. What did she pick up? The Wii, of course. It's the only way to guarantee a good time. At least, we think so.Hey, Oprah! If you're looking for some games to go with that new Wii, we suggest you check this out.
Shigeru Miyamoto back for round two -- nominated for 2008 Time 100
We imagine that Shigeru Miyamoto, creator of some of the most recognizable intellectual properties on the planet, doesn't like coming in second place -- let alone ninety-second place. Unfortunately for the banjo-plucking game designer, that was the case in last year's Time 100 list, when Shiggy, sandwiched between the world's fifth richest man and the author of "The Secret", nearly didn't make the cut. Though his pride was surely bruised, Miyamoto wasn't discouraged by the low ranking -- he merely stepped up his game, providing oversight for some of last year's best-selling Wii titles. Perhaps that's why he's been nominated for the 2008 Time 100 list, where dedicated Nintendo fanboys have pushed the eccentric designer to number 27 -- somewhere between Michael Cera and Oprah. Your votes can help propel the father of modern video gaming to the top of the list, a position currently held by a certain precipitationally-named Korean pop star. Unless, of course, you're anti-Shiggy -- but who could you say "no" to that adorable face?
Oprah Winfrey gets her own channel, will simulcast in HD
If you thought Oprah Winfrey was big time currently, get a load of this. Starting sometime in 2009, the talk show superstar will launch her own network, which will unsurprisingly be dubbed The Oprah Winfrey Network. Apparently, Discovery will be handing over its Discovery Health channel "to be rebranded as OWN" and simulcast in high-definition, and seeing that the joint venture will be evenly split between Discovery and Harpo, no cash will be involved. Wondering what kind of content to expect? Look for programming aimed at inspiring, entertaining and empowering viewers -- whatever that means.[Via USAToday]
Bono and Oprah confirm iPod nano RED in Chicago
Welp, looks like those iPod nano Reds have been confirmed -- Bono and Oprah (Bonoprah?) congregated to the North Michigan Ave. Chi-town Apple Store to catch this amazing photo op. Hocking AIDS curing portable audio players never looked so fun.Oh yeah, caption contest! Naw, you can't win anything, but it's not like we can't have a little fun at their expense.Ryan - "Ms. Winfrey, Mr., um Bono, may I interest you in some iSplitters?"Pete - "I wish we could afford a second iPod!"Paul - "Yeah, I'm starting to have second thoughts about Vertigo as well."Cyrus - Oprah: "Do we really have to listen to all of 'Under a Blood Red Sky' right now?"Evan - "Sorry, Oprah; even as a book-on-tape, The Uncommon Wisdom of Oprah Winfrey still isn't very compelling"[Via MacRumors]
Oprah going HD in 2007?
Is Oprah going HD next year? We hope so for the sake of total HD domination but the source of this info is a bit sketchy. There is a good amount info from this thread (and website) but, still, we just don't know. There is something about information coming from a random forum without a source that makes this information, er, shady. According to the post however, Oprah is going 16:9 SD in January '07 and full HD the following September. Now that The View is high-def and it looks like Oprah is going sometime within the next year, women are now a prime target for HDTVs. [Thanks, Andy]
