thanksgiving
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CBS TV channels are back on Dish
Following an intentional three-day blackout, CBS channels are available once again for Dish customers, as the two companies have reached an agreement in a financial dispute. CBS and Dish have been feuding for months: CBS wanted Dish to pay higher fees to retransmit its content, and the carrier refused, arguing CBS was attempting to "tax" its customers amid declining viewership. On November 21st, CBS pulled 28 of its channels from 18 major markets serviced by Dish. Today, those channels are being restored and the companies have signed a multi-year carriage agreement, the terms of which have not been disclosed.
Mobile shopping reaches an all-time high on Black Friday
Did you get some of your holiday gift shopping done on your phone, instead of your PC? You're far from alone. Adobe has determined that mobile shopping (both phone and tablet) was responsible for $1.2 billion in US online sales on Black Friday -- the first time it has ever crossed the $1 billion mark, in fact. It's still in the minority, representing 36 percent of the total $3.34 billion, but that's still a huge 33 percent spike over the shopping frenzy from last year.
ICYMI: The internet-connected chessboard of your dreams
try{document.getElementById("aol-cms-player-1").style.display="none";}catch(e){}Today on In Case You Missed It: A Kickstarter campaign for a chessboard that uses a robotic arm underneath to magically move magnetic game pieces has surpassed its funding goal -- and let's be real, that's probably mostly Harry Potter fans. Meanwhile, an Autodesk robotic arm is 3D printing with a stainless steel welder and some great software, that video is here. If you need some Thanksgiving motivation, the dog chopping veggies video is here and the drone is here. As always, please share any interesting tech or science videos you find by using the #ICYMI hashtag on Twitter for @mskerryd.
Watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 360-degree video
Let's be honest: no matter how much you like watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, it loses a lot of its thunder if you aren't in New York City to witness it first-hand. However, you might get a better feel for it with the 2016 event. Macy's, NBCUniversal and our corporate overlords at Verizon are planning to livestream the parade in 360 degrees as soon as it kicks off on November 24th at 9AM Eastern. If you have a browser or device that can handle 360-degree YouTube video, you too can watch the floats and marching bands almost as if you were streetside. There will be numerous 360-degree cameras placed at "strategic points" on the route to add a dash of variety. No, this won't help you skip the less-than-enthralling segments, but those so-so moments will at least will be more immersive than ever before.
Google Maps will help you avoid Black Friday hordes
For over a year now, Google Maps and Search have been telling people when stores, bars and restaurants are likely to be busy. Now, it's going one step further. From today, searching for a business via Google will not only show you when it's typically crowded, but also an estimation of how busy it is right now. So if you see that a particular store is very full you can plan to head somewhere else. It's hoped that the feature will help users avoid the worst of the crowds over Thanksgiving long weekend, and beyond. There are a couple of other additions rolling out today. Place listings in Search and Maps will now tell you how long the typical stay is at a location, so if you people usually spend two hours at a restaurant, you can plan the rest of your day accordingly. Finally, Maps will now list more complex opening hours. "You'll know what time to pop by the pharmacy at your local drugstore or supermarket, when food delivery begins at a nearby restaurant and what the service hours are at the auto dealership," said Google.
The AfterMath: A week of excesses
Too much food? Too many bargains? With a handful of antacids nearby, we hope you've enjoyed this Thanksgiving week. Following in tradition of all that indulgence, we're all about size and excess here at TAM. Nuclear-powered data centers, puffy nuggets of gold, huge numbers of user names hacked... and a suggestion for next year's Thanksgiving dessert. We'd suggest you start making room now.
The best Thanksgiving kitchen tools and tableware
This post was done in partnership with The Sweethome, a buyer's guide to the best things for your home. Read the full article here.Preparing a Thanksgiving feast can be a pretty hectic experience, but the right kitchen gear can make it a breeze. Instead of fretting over dinner, wouldn't you rather spend time with family and friends? At The Sweethome, we spend dozens of hours on each of our reviews to find the best gear for all parts of your life. Here are eight of our favorite kitchen-oriented recommendations to help you host like a pro and make the most of Thanksgiving.This guide may have been updated by The Sweethome. To see the current recommendation, please go here.
The Think Tank: Giving thanks for MMOs
Indulge us a little today, won't you? In our Think Tank today, we the Massively writers gather 'round the virtual feasting table on our virtual golden yacht to express thanks for those MMO-related things we're grateful for. Won't you share yours down in the comments also? We can get back to arguing over raidmills and gankboxes tomorrow -- I promise.
The Daily Grind: Are you gaming on Thanksgiving?
It's Thanksgiving in the States, which means that no one's manning the Massively yacht! Ahhhhh! Just kidding. It mostly means that I'm eating too much stuffing and mashed potatoes and hopefully gorging myself on some uninterrupted MMO time after dinner. What about you, Massively readers? If you're celebrating today, will the festivities include any game time? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
CBS to broadcast your social media posts alongside Macy's parade
CBS' coverage of Macy's parade last year featured viewers' Instagram photos shown on screen -- this year, it's expanding audience's participation even more. The network will use the same service it used in 2013 called Vidpresso, but instead of showing just Instagram pics, it'll also air tweets and Facebook status updates. Anchors or the people behind the camera merely have to choose the posts they want to broadcast, and they'll show up instantly as tickers or graphics, without the need for further editing. Vidpresso, which was founded by former Engadget editor Randall Bennett, provides broadcasters an affordable way to get viewers involved in discussions on air. It needs only some pieces of hardware (a Blackmagic Ultrastudio 4K and a scan converter, among a handful of others) and a subscription to the service. The system needs to know that you want your posts shown on TV, though. So, you'll have to take a break from prepping that turkey, make those profiles public and tag every post you don't mind showing the whole country with #tdaycbs.
Defiance gets new Aftermath content, Thanksgiving event
Defiance has received a free update called Aftermath that builds "off of the climactic season two TV finale," according to a Trion press release. There's new content that will "carry players across various locales from Silicon Valley to Paradise as the world teeters on the verge of all-out war between the Earth Republic and Votanis Collective," and it includes new events, contracts, pursuits, and enemies. Don't forget about the Thanksgiving-themed New Frontier Harvest, which runs from November 26th through December 10th. As well, don't forget about the Aftermath trailer that's waiting for you behind the break. [Source: Trion press release]
Bake your turkey to the tune of Spotify's Thanksgiving playlists
Most people in the US are getting ready to celebrate Thanksgiving next Thursday, November 27th. Typically, this holiday is mostly about eating a ton of food, watching American football, spending quality time with the family and, most importantly, being thankful for all the good things that happened during the year. But music is very valuable too. As such, Spotify has launched its "Time for Turkey" playlist creator, hoping to help during the cooking process and make the time go by slightly faster.
Verizon brings free movies and apps this Thanksgiving, even if you're not a customer
What do you call the day before Thanksgiving? It's usually just Wednesday, but Verizon wants November 26th this year to be known as a pseudo-holiday called "Connection Day." Yup, it is gimmicky, but at least we're getting free stuff out of it -- and who doesn't like free stuff, are we right? On November 26th, you can go to the official Connection Day page using a mobile device and grab a freebie, regardless of your carrier. These include free apps from Amazon, Audible downloads, access to movies and TV shows through Verizon FiOS Preview app, Conde Nast magazines, a Pandora trial period, airport and in-flight WiFi access, as well as an iTunes special offer (we've posted the detailed list after the break).
Cute new Pikachu, Skylanders balloons in Thanksgiving Parade
Happy November! It's the month of family, too much food and the 88th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, this year featuring a new Pikachu balloon and a big balloon of Eruptor from the Skylanders series. The new Pikachu wears a festive scarf and he's carrying a snowman version of himself in his little paws. Yes, it is too adorable. Eruptor is the lava man from Skylanders, and in the Thanksgiving Day Parade promo image, he looks happy to be flying high. The Pillsbury Doughboy, Thomas the Tank Engine and Paddington Bear are on board for the parade as well. To our knowledge, of the floats we've mentioned here, only the Doughboy hasn't starred in his own game. Seems like the perfect fit for anything with a touch screen. The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is on Thursday, November 27 from 9AM to noon in New York City. For those outside of the city, catch it live on NBC. [Image: Macy's]
US app usage spikes on Thanksgiving to the tune of more than 1.2 billion app starts
If you live in the US and own an iPhone or iPad, there's a really good chance you booted up an app or two on Thanksgiving weekend this year. In fact, there's a better chance you used an app this year on Thanksgiving than any year prior, with more than 1.2 billion app start-ups initiated according to new data from Flurry Analytics. For comparison, Thanksgiving weekend last year didn't even break 800 million app starts. So why the spike? Well, Flurry's data shows that Thanksgiving is a huge time for smartphone usage, which can be attributed to travel, cooking, football and a host of other common Thanksgiving traditions. This year, however, both media apps (music, video and camera apps) and games were used more than the previous two years, while travel apps were used less than in 2011 or 2012, possibly due to an untimely winter storm. What did you use your smartphone for while relaxing with some turkey and stuffing this year?
The Mog Log: Thankful for Final Fantasy XIV
A year ago, Final Fantasy XIV had just ended and I was embarking on my long road of speculation about what the relaunch would look like. Today, I am... well, I'm a little bored because I've got to wait until the 17th to get any new content in the game. I could really use a break from chain-running Wanderer's Palace. But beyond those details, I'm pretty darn happy to be playing the game that I've got in front of me. And you know what? It's the time to be thankful if you live in the United States. So while I'm writing this before the annual turkey-induced coma that is Thanksgiving, I'm going to talk about what I'm thankful for in Final Fantasy XIV. For all the quibbles that I do have with the game, the relaunch has wildly exceeded my expectations, and I think it's only fair to give the game some respect.
Apple gives Europeans Black Friday discounts, US settles for gift cards
If you've been mulling the latest Apple gizmo but wince at the prices, today could be the day to act. That's because Cupertino's offering UK discounts of up to £81 on the latest and greatest iMac or MacBook models and £31 off of the iPad Air. Other iPad models are discounted too, and you can score a deal on the iPod Touch or accessories like the Parrot AR drone. As for the US and Canada, gift cards are being handed out in lieu of cash off, including $75 offerings on the iPad Air, $150 for iMacs and MacBooks and $50 for an iPod Touch. As for the rest of the EU, other countries like France and Germany are seeing similar cash discounts to their UK counterparts on the same products. Not everything is on sale, though. For instance, the iPad Mini with Retina display is still full price. Still, if your iProduct trigger finger's been feeling itchy lately, hit the source.
Perfect Ten: What I'm thankful for in MMOs
It is good to give thanks. It is good to be grateful. I love having a holiday this time of year to encourage me to do what I should be doing all of the time, which is to recognize the blessings that I have and the sacrifices that others have made on my behalf. Even when it comes to games, there's so much to be thankful for. So if you'll excuse a list full of sentiment and seriousness, today I'd like to give a shout-out to 10 things that I'm thankful for in the realm of MMOs. Check them out and then perhaps add your own thanks in the comments section!
Infinity Blade III gets new themed Turkey Helms in honor of Thanksgiving
In honor of Thanksgiving Chair Entertainment is having a little fun by providing free Turkey Helms for both the main characters in Infinity Blade III. The helms can be worn by both Siris and Isa and allows players to boost those character's XP and skill points while the helms are worn. The turkey helm for Isa is a turkey head with a bow, while the turkey helm for Siris includes a tophat and a monocle. Both turkey helms will be available for free for one week only. After this week the helms will become unavailable. From the Infinity Blade website: Infinity Blade III has gone to the birds. At least for the week of Thanksgiving. Available for a very limited time, IB3 players can score the Turkey Helm for both Isa and Siris. The helms not only look ridiculous, but offer users the chance to earn more experience and skill points to further improve their heroes. Don't wait another second because once the Turkey Helm is gone, it won't be back for another year. Infinity Blade III is $6.99 in the App Store.
The Guild Counsel: Revisiting the Guild Turkey
A couple of years ago, we looked at a few ways that guild members can turn a guild into a nightmare, creating all sorts of drama and becoming the official guild turkey. Being in a guild can be a challenging experience as it is because you have dozens if not hundreds of people under the same roof, with many different objectives and ways of seeing things. But there are some members who amp up the drama and excel at creating tension. Everyone has a bad day here and there, but some players have more than their fair share. Let's look at a few guild turkeys for guild leaders to be careful of inviting in this week's Guild Counsel.
