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Try out the Blood Of Gladiators TCG loot on the PTR
A little under a week ago we posted the details of the new TCG exclusive loot items, and more recently we've shown off some video. If you haven't heard about it yet, you can actually do yourself one better if you have access to the PTR: You can head down to Booty Bay and test out these items for free!If you've never traded in a TCG code before, to do it you need to go down to the docks of Booty Bay and look for Landro Longshot. He's flanked by guards, so you can't really miss him. Ask him what he has to offer, select the Blood Of Gladiators set, and put in the following codes for the item you want: For the Sandbox Tiger, input the code 1111. For the Epic Purple Shirt, input the code 2222. For the Foam Sword Rack, input the code 3333. Easy, isn't it? As of this posting the PTR is down for maintenance, so you'll need to wait until later today to try these out. Worth the wait, though? Certainly.
Video: Microsoft's next-gen SYNC finds cheap gas then blows our doors off
Microsoft's and Ford's next generation SYNC has official taken us from our origin at Smittenville to the rural outpost of Gobsmacked. The new SYNC adds 911 Assist, SIRIUS Travel Link navigation, and DVD playback on a large 8- or 6.5-inch touchscreen display depending upon the guzzler you choose. The full $1,995 navigation option (or $395 for just the voice-controlled SYNC) is available exclusively on Ford's 2009 Escape, Escape hybrid, Flex, Lincoln MKS and F150 before rolling out to the rest of Ford's fleet. A new 10GB hard drive "Jukebox" has also been added which allows you to insert a CD, lookup the Gracenote CDDB info (including cover art) from the pre-installed database, and then rip the audio back to the disk if you choose. Rounding out the features are Sirius Radio (of course); aux-in and USB-in device (yes, iPods) support; voice commands; streaming audio and SMS text to voice read-out from Bluetooth enabled-phones; and several real-time, Sirius Travel Link services such as traffic data, weather detail, sports info, movies listings, and even gas prices at nearby pumps. Timely. Video walkthrough after the break.[Via Autospies]
Ford Flex fridge + Ohio = license to DUI
The biggest problem with the mid-Western drive-thru isn't the fact that you can readily purchase alcohol from the dank comforts of your old hoopdie, it's the dilemma presented in keeping that beer-flavored soda chilled for duration. Enter the $760 fridge on Ford's new Flex guzzler. The add-on drops up to seven, 12-oz cans of room-temp suds down to 41-degrees F in 2.5 hours. It'll also keep things a frosty 23-degrees in freezer mode. Add anti-drunk-proofing option and watch the car implode.[Buddy's Beer Barn photo courtesy of mpaulda]
Mobile controller concept fits like a ... sleeve?
Tired of tapping at tiny, ergonomically suspect buttons to play your favorite mobile phone games? How about putting on a sleeve and flexing your muscles instead?Last September, mobile developer Arto Holopainen posted about a proof-of-conept case study for using two sets of EKG sensors to control a Snake game via muscle flexing. Now, Holopainen has expanded the concept with a wearable sleeve that translates flexes into standard mobile phone commands.Holopainen sees the device being used for muscle rehabilitation or as an aid to disabled phone users, but we can't stop picturing a subway car full of hapless passengers flailing about to control their games of Bejeweled. Better yet, maybe someone will adapt the device for a line of specially-designed bodybuilding games. Who has the rights to the Lou Ferrigno license?[Update: Fixed typo in Holopainen's name. Thanks Hakobus.][Via QuicklyBored]
Want to see your local team's tourney game in HD? Not this week
Despite many commenters complaining about extended SD-only periods of NCAA Tournament action, we've gotten a lot of HD action on our CBS feed. As it turns out, the home team (University of Michigan) being NIT-bound might have guaranteed us more HDTV action than say, North Carolina residents. A CBS spokeswoman explained to The Mercury News that a lack of capacity causes the network to ensure the local market gets its preferred game, by only sending an SD feed. Otherwise, you'll get a "flex" feed, that switches to the best action, and in high definition. Next week, once some teams have been eliminated, there will be enough capacity to get every game, to every market in HD. CBS says it's "likely" their capabilities will change for next year, but if they don't, HDTV owners might be rooting against their alma mater next winter.
Flex Builder 2.0.1 brings full Mac support
Adobe is just piling on the Mac love, aren't they? First they bring back Mac support for Premiere (though Intel only) and now they announce the Flex Builder 2.0.1 brings with it full Mac support (that's both PPC and Intel Macs, bub). Not too shabby.Flex Builder is Adobe's IDE, which is built on Eclipse, that allows you to create Flex applications (basically Flash applications that are written using a variant of XML rather than using Flash and ActionScript, though you can use ActionScript in Flex as well). Flex Builder 2.0.1 is available now, and it costs $749.
