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The whole World of Warcraft in 41 minutes
It's no secret that I like the lore of World of Warcraft, so it should be no surprise that I decided that you needed to see this video. Nobble's done lore videos before, but this is quite frankly his masterpiece - a fairly concise (for what it is covering) run-through of all of the background of World of Warcraft and the Warcraft franchise as a whole. It's definitely worth your time. Soak in it, my friends, the gloriously messy, chaotic, crazy lore of World of Warcraft.
Switched On: Birth of a platform
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology. Regardless of what one may think about the potential for smartwatches, one of the most exciting things about a new device category is that there is so much experimentation with form factors and capabilities. We've already seen products with different display technologies (Memory LCD, LCD and OLED) and varying screen sizes. Some have various combinations of microphones, speakers, cameras, touchscreens, WiFi or cellular radios. Their prices have ranged from less than $100 to $400 and beyond and their battery life has varied from a day to a year. And then, of course, there are many of the factors that differentiate traditional watches -- size, design and materials.
So, what'd you get?
Yeah, it's pretty unfortunate that you've got to work tomorrow (well, unless you're down with Boxing Day), but let's take it one 24-hour window at a time, shall we? It's not as if you've had any shortage of gizmos to choose from this year, and while you aren't likely to get a Transformer Prime, there's plenty of other stocking stuffers to look forward to. Speaking of which, what'd you find under your tree this morning? A Kindle Fire? That new laptop you've been longing for? A few new cables to do... cable-y things with? Let us know in comments below, and be sure to press play on your way there. Hopefully that's not your kid. When you're done, check out what people got jazzed about in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010.
Apple to require in-app subscriptions for periodicals by March 31st, fine print still a bit fuzzy
We knew The Daily was to be just the first drop what's destined to be a flood of titles with in-app purchases for the iTunes store, but we weren't quite sure how hard Apple would be twisting the faucet -- until now, that is. According to The Wall Street Journal, Cupertino will reject any newspaper or magazine app that doesn't take subscription payments through the iTunes store. It doesn't have to be solely Apple's store -- developers can still sell through websites in addition to the mandated in-app option. (If you recall, this is the same issue that Sony Reader for iOS just faced.) There are a few big questions lingering out there: will the 70 / 30 revenue sharing apply? Does the "rejection" apply to apps already in the store like Amazon's Kindle? You bet your (virtual) bottom dollar we'll be finding out soon enough.
So, opening a sentence with 'so' started with programmers and engineers
So, here's a great piece by Anand Giridharadas in the New York Times on using "so" to start sentences -- a practice that apparently started with engineers and programmers in Silicon Valley in the 90s, and something Microsoft employees also claim started with them. Obviously we use it a ton at Engadget -- at this point we're all riffing on each other, but I know I picked it up from San Francisco-based Ryan Block when I first started. Interesting to see how small parts of tech culture like this are influenced by so many variables -- Giridharadas says "so" makes it easier for people of different backgrounds and languages to communicate, because it's a catch-all transition that almost always works, implying a understanding of what's come before. I rather like that.
A look at crafting updates in EQII's Game Update 52
It's not just new dungeons and adventuring quests that will be hitting EverQuest II in the next big patch, Game Update 52; there'll be plenty for those with a crafting bent as well. Niami Denmother of EQ2 Traders Corner had an early look at some of what will be available and has shared her impressions with the community. We already found out that the player-written books in GU52 will come from crafters, and Niami's preview includes screenshots of a variety of different bindings that can be made (by Sages level 50+, by the way).There will also be some revamping of crafted hex dolls and ranged items, and the new stats should please most. Existing hex-dolls will be upgraded to the new stats upon logging in after GU52's release, but the ranged items will not, just in case some people like the stat distribution of their current gear. The last thing we get to see in Niami's sneak peek is a screenshot of some player-crafted furniture. SOE was quick to mention that this is not all the new furniture that GU52 holds, but the preview should be enough to get people to dust off their crafting equipment ahead of time. Make sure to check out the screenshots of the other goodies that will be available.
Classic stadiums added (for a price) to MLB 2K7
If you're looking for a good way to connect with your grandpa (and you're tired of him reading you the good parts from The Princess Bride) you may want to consider a new, 800-point ($10) pack of six classic stadiums recently released for MLB 2K7. With the "Historic Stadium Bundle" you'll be able to play at Sportsman's Park, Forbes Field, Griffith Stadium, Shibe Park, Polo Grounds and Crosley Field. If your baseball history skills leave something to be desired, you can find some more information on Major Nelson's blog. That way, you won't be completely unable to relate when gramp-gramp starts waxing nostalgic about Polo Grounds' "oddly-shaped outfield fence." If you only have time to learn the ins-and-outs of a couple of stadiums though, you can also purchase them in two-packs for 300 points ($3.75).
Shocker: Americans spend more time with PC than spouse
While one may argue that a computer doesn't talk back, disagree, or rub one the wrong way as we're sure just about everyone's spouse / SO definitely can, you must have somehow avoided the BSOD, kernel error, 404, clicking HDD, invalid drivers, and the host of other "cyber stresses" that can elicit all sorts of rage and frustration. A recent survey conducted by Kelton Research discovered that a majority of Americans (52-percent) said their "most recent experience with a computer problem provoked emotions such as anger, sadness or alienation," yet a whopping 65-percent of these same folks spend more time with their beloved computer than their own spouse. Adding even more fuel to the computer addict fire, 84-percent of responders stated that they were "more dependent on their home computer now than they were just three years ago." Interestingly enough, rather than founding some sort of rehab facility to coax folks away from the keyboard and back into reality, SupportSoft is looking to provide loving, caring advice to help folks suffering from "cyber stress" solve their PC troubles without tearing down the house. Essentially, the service actually encourages folks glued to their computer to stay that way, as the new startup looks to provide answers to the issues that could eventually run even the most loyal computer user back to their oft forgotten spouse, but the company does insinuate that by solving PC quandaries, folks will have more time to spend when the ones they love. Nevertheless, we can't say these figures are entirely shocking, especially when you consider that folks would take an iPod over booze and nearly anything trendy for an SO.[Via TGDaily]
