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Xfire has chats up from BlizzCon
Yes, even though we've been extremely busy here at BlizzCon, the guys from Xfire (who stopped by our party on Thursday, as did a few folks from Upper Deck and Blizzard), haven't been slacking off, either. They've posted quite a few live chats over the weekend, and here's a roundup for you to browse through. Their biggest event was probably a chat with Jeff "Tigole" Kaplan-- I actually was standing right next to him when they did this one. If you're an Engineer, check it out for sure-- he says they'll be able to craft flying machines! They also chatted it up with a few high profile players: The1Crow and Beraa from MYM (and here's part 2), The Hukhukhukhukhuks from Team EG (parts 1 and 2), and even Jonas from Nihilum. And we have no idea why they wanted to do this, but before the Con, they even sat down to chat with us-- here's part 1, part 2, and the Lightning Round! (guess which is my favorite part) Amanda, Elizabeth and I all made predictions about what would happen, and we got a lot of stuff right (and, ok, some stuff wrong). Plus, Xfire has lots more from the floor, including pictures, updates, stories, news, and tons of other stuff. Thanks to them for all their help this weekend, and go check out their coverage!
BlizzCon: Welcome to Anaheim
Looks like the gray weather followed me all the way here from Chicago, doesn't it? But no worries-- even as I post this, the sun is breaking through the clouds and haze here in Anaheim, CA, home (in the next few days) of the second BlizzCon.I still haven't quite gotten my bearings-- I'm pretty sure the convention center is north of here, and this picture from my hotel room looks east, so you can't see it there. But later today I'll head over there and see what there is to see, and of course tomorrow all the festivities start with something pretty boring: the picking up of the convention badges, and end with something pretty amazing: our first official WoW Insider meetup.Stay tuned to WoW Insider-- we are here, live in Anaheim, ready to bring you every single second of this show.
Xfire and WoW Insider, live from the BlizzCon floor
Our BlizzCon coverage continues all this week-- we're sending our staff out to Anaheim (I'll be out there on Tuesday laying all the groundwork), culminating in the second BlizzCon event on Friday and Saturday. So whether you're going or not, stay tuned to WoW Insider all week for breaking news, liveblogging events, and pictures, video, and tons of coverage from Blizzard's big get-together.And don't forget that all of our coverage is being co-presented with Xfire. In addition to their BlizzCon info page, they've also set up a special "blizzcon2007" account, and both Xfire and WoW Insider staff members will be blogging there during the event. Also, if you have an Xfire account, be sure to add "blizzcon2007" to your Friends-- that way, you'll be able to get invites to Xfire chats later this week coming directly from the BlizzCon exhibit hall. And if you don't have an Xfire account, then get one for free!So this is it. It's time to hear about Zul'Aman and the next expansion. It's time to see Starcraft II playable and in action. And maybe it's time to hear about that third game Blizzard is working on? At BlizzCon, you never know. Stay tuned to both WoW Insider and Xfire to find out.
Insure your iPhone, because AT&T won't
Since I've owned a variety of regular mobile phones and smartphones over the last couple of years, I wasn't surprised to see fine print during the iPhone activation process which warns users that AT&T won't offer their insurance policy on Apple's darling new gadget. I've been on nearly every major mobile phone network in the US - Cingular, T-Mobile (and VoiceStream), Verizon and Sprint - and not one of them covered smartphones with their policies. In fact, if you were upgrading an existing AT&T account and swapping out your old phone that had an AT&T insurance policy on it, you too were warned that the policy would be automatically removed from your account. Gee, you'd think these companies don't trust us with small, easy-to-drop expensive electronics. Who knew?To help remedy this lack of a contingency plan for the iPhone, I decided to call a few insurance companies in the Colorado area to see if they could cover it. What many people might not know is that these companies typically cover electronics like mobile phones and even notebook computers, often at prices far cheaper than extended warranty plans from manufacturers and retail stores. While I'm not entirely familiar with how fast actin' or comprehensive this kind of coverage is from every provider, I do know that mine - State Farm - will cover both hardware failure and accidental damage (though accidental damage will cause my premiums to increase, while an incident like theft will not).Back to getting coverage for your shiny new phone, however, the summarized rundown I got from calling three of the big general insurance providers (Allstate, Geico and State Farm) is that attaching a clause to a renter or homeowner insurance policy specifically for covering an iPhone would add only $5-20/year to a policy. Keep in mind these were estimates based on a $600 iPhone, and it appears that you can't simply ask these guys to insure a phone; you need to have some kind of a primary policy with them first, then attach this specific clause. Surprisingly, every representative I spoke with knew exactly what an iPhone was, and a couple of them asked me whether I was happy with mine.As far as coverage through companies like specialized electronics or computer insurance providers is concerned, I had a much harder time finding anything substantial. Most of the companies I spoke with didn't have policies in place, and only Safeware confirmed that they were "seriously considering" introducing iPhone coverage. They do, however, cover other smartphones, and a quote for a BlackBerry Curve (a $400 smartphone) was $65 for a year, covering accidental damage, loss and theft. A downside, however, is that repairs for damage have a turnaround time of 7-10 days, with no loaner options available. If being without a phone is a primary concern, the loner option included in AppleCare for iPhone might be a good 'plan b' to consider in combination with one of these insurance policies.Ultimately it's a good thing to at least have insurance options in addition to AppleCare, since Apple doesn't cover any sort of accidental damage. Since insuring an iPhone through one of the larger companies seems to be so cheap, it's basically a no-brainer to pick up at least some kind of a policy. If y'all have other ideas or options for insuring your shiny new iPhone, please enlighten the rest of the class with a comment.
Netgear, Ubiquisys develop femtocell residential gateway
It wouldn't be too surprising to see a networking firm and a developer of intelligent 3G femtocell access points work in harmony to crank out a dazzling all-in-one contraption, and it looks like Netgear and Ubiquisys have done just that. Aiming to simultaneously enable mobile operators to provide enhanced cellular coverage in the home and allow consumers to access and control a range of home networking services via standard 3G handsets, the two have joined forces to stuff Ubiquisys' ZoneGate into future Netgear WAPs. The currently unnamed solution will reportedly pack an integrated DSL modem, WiFi, VoIP, and 3G femtocell technology into a single box, and while it's not scheduled to go commercial until early next year at best, operator testing should go live by Q4 of 2007.
Comcast, Big Ten duke it out over licensing fees
For the estimated 5.7-million Comcast subscribers residing in the Big Ten footprint, seeing your favorite games this coming Fall could end up costing you a bit more than expected. Apparently, the Big Ten conference and Comcast have yet to reach an agreement on carrying the Big Ten Network, as Comcast reportedly wants $1.10 per subscriber in order to host the content on a dedicated sports tier. The conference, however, suggests that watchful consumers shouldn't be forced to pay "undue costs" in order to watch local teams, and even points out that the Mountain West Sports Network is carried on Comcast's basic cable lineup in the Salt Lake City region. Of course, we all know there's more money to be made in the juggernaut that is the Big Ten, but if an agreement isn't reached by August 1st, the Big Ten Network "could go on the offensive and encourage millions of Big Ten alumni to switch to DirecTV."
Samsung Ubicell base station to extend in-home CDMA coverage
Intel's not the only chap on the block loosing long range connectivity options on the world at CTIA, as Samsung is apparently aiming for the consumer market with its forthcoming Ubicell base station. While details are scarce at the moment, we do know that this "micromini BTS" will provide CDMA 1x services in the home by "enlarging the coverage area to shadow areas by connecting with DSL / cable modems." Essentially, this unit will help folks who live on the fringe of service areas to ditch their landline and finally enjoy the full benefits of their cellphone service. And while we're not entirely inclined to believe it, Samsung also states that its new creation will actually provide voice quality that's superior to VoIP. Nevertheless, we're still not sure when the Ubicell is expected to land, but those yearning to cut the cord on their landline can start sharpening the scissors.[Via BoyGeniusReport]
Who won't be getting the iPhone?
To find out that the Apple iPhone (heard of it?) would roll out locked to Cingular on a multi-year exclusivity agreement was difficult enough for some folks to swallow. Imagine, then, the pain and suffering that'll be experienced by those in areas that Cingular has forsaken. Case in point: the Burlington Free Press has noted that Cingular offers not a sliver of coverage in the quaint state of Vermont, leaving well over half a million good citizens (Ben and Jerry included, we reckon) without their fix. While our initial instinct might be to buy the phone elsewhere and just roam 'til the cows come home (literally -- this is Vermont, after all), Cingular policy states that a customer's address must lie in a directly covered area -- and even for the few that manage to skate by that one, the carrier's known for canceling accounts that roam excessively. Of course, Cingular points out that eager buyers are more than welcome to buy it contract-free without activating an account, but there's not a lot of fun in that; meanwhile, Apple's staying mum on the subject, perhaps for fear of further agitating hundreds of thousands of irate Vermonters. And the problem is by no means limited to Vermont: residents of large parts of Maine, Virginia, West Virginia, New Mexico, the Dakotas, Arizona, Montana, Utah, Nevada, Idaho, and Colorado (among other states) might find that Apple has passed them over come June, unless Cingular goes into turbo mode lighting up new service areas. Anyone out there willing to move for a cellphone?[Thanks, Craig]
NYC taxis to map out dead zones in mobile networks
We've already seen an influx of hybrid vehicles take their places in the mammoth fleet of New York City taxis, and now that the Taxi 2.0 will reportedly sport GPS tracking an built-in televisions, what else is really left to implement? Stockholm-based Ericsson has apparently seized the opportunity in using the random, perpetual motion of NYC's yellow mainstays to better itself (read: make some coin), and has recently received permission from the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission to install small devices "about the size of a computer modem" into cabs in order to "feed information about signal strength and clarity to engineers." The research, which has already been completed in other areas of the world, is being conducted in the Big Apple on behalf of a yet-to-be-named carrier, and it purportedly hopes to more accurately map out dead zones in mobile phone networks. Currently, "at least one fleet" has signed up to participate, and others could join in considering the royalties that will be paid out for tagging along on those zany routes through the city. Of course, this whole system should be relatively invisible to cab riders, but a continual voice recording of furious (and disconnected) passengers could probably work equally well in pinpointing those dead spots.[Via Textually]
NYC taxis to map out dead zones in mobile network
We've already seen an influx of hybrid vehicles take their places in the mammoth fleet of New York City taxis, and now that the Taxi 2.0 will reportedly sport GPS tracking an built-in televisions, what else is really left to implement? Stockholm-based Ericsson has apparently seized the opportunity in using the random, perpetual motion of NYC's yellow mainstays to better itself (read: make some coin), and has recently received permission from the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission to install small devices "about the size of a computer modem" into cabs in order to "feed information about signal strength and clarity to engineers." The research, which has already been completed in other areas of the world, is being conducted in the Big Apple on behalf of a yet-to-be-named carrier, and it purportedly hopes to more accurately map out dead zones in mobile phone networks. Currently, "at least one fleet" has signed up to participate, and others could join in considering the royalties that will be paid out for tagging along on those zany routes through the city. Of course, this whole system should be relatively invisible to cab riders, but a continual voice recording of furious (and disconnected) passengers could probably work equally well in pinpointing those dead spots.[Via Textually]
Study: Wii winning the online buzz battle
Ah, buzz, that unquantifiable aura of cool that can make or break a product launch. Wait, did I just say unquantifiable? I'm sorry, it's apparently highly quantifiable, as proven by a New Media Strategies report that finds online opinions of the Wii to be much more favorable than those of the PS3.According to a MediaLife interview with New Media Strategies VP Sam Huxley, the Arlington, Va., market research firm "monitored 10,000 online conversations," and found a surprisingly hostile reaction to Sony's well-hyped system. Conversations about the PS3 broke 27 percent positive and 38 percent negative, according to the report, while Wii conversations were scored 49 percent positive and only 18 percent negative (the remaining conversations were rated "neutral").Huxley cites availability and pricing issues as being responsible for most of the negative reaction to the PS3, and says the system was also hurt by not launching with any familiar franchises. In contrast, Huxley said the Wii received a lot of positive buzz for its new control method and Zelda, though some faulted the system for being hard to get used to. Despite the all the PS3 negativity, though, "the volume of discussion on PS3 is about double of that of Wii," Huxley said.The study's methodology is not discussed in the interview, and there is likely some subjectivity in the evaluation of the online conversations. It should also be noted that internet chatter is not necessarily indicative of opinions for the public at large. Still, it seems that all-important buzz balance might be tilting in Nintendo's favor at this early phase in the console wars.Previously: USA Today on favorable Wii buzz, early holiday winners
More Times Square silliness
As sort-of promised, we've got some more coverage for you. After meeting up with various head honchos of the geeky online blog community (Christopher Grant, Andrew Yoon, Raw Meat Cowboy from GoNintendo, Chris from Advanced Media Network, I'm talking to you), the "festivities" started. They opened with a rather lackluster performed by someone named "DJ Ravidrums", who was essentially a drummer playing along to some prerecorded music. Bah. But then ... wait! It's friggin' Reggie!This man should have received a deafening applause. Eardrum-destroying. And truth be told, it wasn't bad. But Nintendo made the mistake of setting up the stage on a side-street, in which there was no way anyone standing in line could watch. As such, the viewers of the event were curious bystanders and members of the media, such as myself. Can you imagine this sad scene?"Hey, guys, it's great to be here. You can fill in the blanks, right? My name is Reggie, and I'm about ...!"Only around nine or so people shouted the obvious answer, including myself. How horrible.Still, the speech he gave was decent, and the rest of the stage performance consisted of some TRL/Miss USA woman and more of that weird drumming guy. Exit, stage left.Where to now, we asked ourselves? Well, let's check out the Wii display upstairs and then HOLY CRAP it's Reggie again! Yes, the Regginator was giving yet another interview for a major station (don't ask, we don't know), and right afterward, a few well-informed fans ran up to him to get their DS Lites signed. He was busy, he was in a rush, but Nintendo Wii Fanboy was able to edge in one question! And here it is."Reggie. Honestly, and PR spin aside, do you truly believe that the Wii is going to take first place in sales in the next generation against the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360?"A slight pause. He turns to stare me down."Absolutely. There's no doubt in my mind. We're offering what gamers want, and they're going to love it."Hear that? It's the sound of oh snap.And by the way, that man's handshake is a vice of absolute death.
Media coverage of the Wii looking good
We've seen nothing but positive coverage of the Wii from media, and for good reason. As evidenced above, a local NBC news affiliate had a short feature on the console, showing gamers enjoying the Wii Sports' Tennis title. Another video report on the Wii may be found here courtesy of Reuters. While a bit longer than the local news feature, the Reuters video intersperses sections of the video that was presented at E3 2005.[Thanks Nushio!]
Engadget Chinese does Computex
You didn't really think that just because the Computex trade show is going on halfway around the world, we wouldn't send a crack team of reporters to cover the event, did you? While our US staff neglected to renew their passports in time for their flights, the folks over at Engadget Chinese (traditional or simplified, your choice) were just a hop, skip, and jump away from Taipei, Taiwan, so they've graciously stepped up to the plate and provided the coverage necessary to make us feel that we're right in the thick of it. They've already posted a number of booth tours of your favorite companies, like Intel (who've apparently rented out an absolutely mind-boggling swath of hall), Sandisk, Toshiba, and, um, A Data, with the latter company's tour proving that our Asian colleagues have the same unhealthy obsession with cartoon-inspired gadgets as we do. Don't worry, we'll keep you apprised of the highlights from this year's show, but for the full in-your-face Computex experience, chinese.engadget.com is the place to be.Read - IntelRead - SandiskRead - ToshibaRead - A Data
Engadget & Joystiq's live coverage of Nintendo's Wii E3 event
12:15 am - We're all seated and situated. The theater is huge with three mezzanines and 3,400 seat capacity.12:17 am - We're sitting in the Kodak theater waiting for the press corps, VIPs, and assorted industry folk to file in, ever so slowly. Pictochat sessions are starting to fill up as people take their seats and whip out their portables. The announcer just told us to turn off all wireless and bluetooth devices before the presentation begins -- could that be so that our bluetooth doesn't interfere with the Wii's wireless capabilities? Sounds like a hint to us.
