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The Perfect Ten: Movies for the MMO fan
You love movies? Sure, who doesn't? I certainly do; I've been reviewing them with friends since 1997. I'm always fascinated by how many out-of-the-way gems there are that go overlooked by the mainstream audience, and I love how films tie into our daily experiences in unexpected ways. MMOs haven't quite gotten popular enough to spawn their own sub-genre of films, apart from the odd fan project or the long-rumored World of Warcraft flick. That doesn't mean that we're lacking good movie role models for our hobby, however. I think that there are plenty of films that are perfectly suited for the MMO fan, even if they've never been thought of as such. So here are 10 films that speak to us as gamers. To make things interesting, I excluded any movie that shares the same IP as an MMO. Read this list and let me know what you would pick!
Dell SX2210T vs. HP L2105tm: optical multitouch head-to-head review
Dell and HP, HP and Dell. The United States' two biggest computer hardware manufacturers, and two of the world's top three, have tended to match each other step for step, so it's no surprise that Dell's recently released SX2210T was quickly followed by a Compaq L2105tm from its closest rival. Measuring 21.5 inches each, with 1920 x 1080 resolution, 1,000:1 contrast ratio, and optical multitouch technology under their chunky bezels, these two models represent the biggest mainstream push for touchscreen computing yet. Functionally identical to standard monitors, they offer the added benefit of letting you input your heart's urges and desires using swipes, gestures and flicks, and we've plucked one of each panel to see how this all plays out for ourselves. Join us after the break, won't you?
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DISH Network looking to offer movie downloads via IPTV?
With all the zany competition going on in the television world, it's not too surprising to see DISH Network hopping on the (quickly growing) movie download bandwagon. Apparently, the satellite provider is readying an IPTV service to offer "SD and HD quality movies, music, adult programs, entertainment news, and other services such as CinemaNow." While some of the content would presumably be free, other things like download-to-keep films would demand a one-time charge, and while the on-demand offerings could be accessed whenever you desire, "certain programs such as international channels and music services will be streamed in real time." Of course, the eventual success (or failure) of the program will likely depend on how zany (or reasonable) the pricing structure ends up being, and if all goes as planned, the service will reportedly go live on February 15th, 2007.[Via PVRWire]
Sundance Film Festival: coming soon to your cellphone
While it's no surprise that video on cellphone screens is quickly becoming the next hurrah, it's saying something when ole Robert Redford himself dedicates a new branch of the Sundance Film Festival specifically to the mobile audience. Teaming up with the GSM Association, Sundance Institute is creating the Sundance Film Festival: Global Short Film Project in order to showcase the popularity and credibility in delivering media to those wee screens. Organizers have commissioned "six independent filmmakers to create five short films, crafted exclusively for mobile distribution," and all will make their debut at the world's largest annual mobile event -- the 3GSM World Congress -- in Barcelona next year. Dubbed as "the fourth screen," there's certainly a lot of coin to be made by opening up a new medium to deliver content, but there's always TinyTube (or Orb) to keep your multimedia-playing mobile happy until Hollywood takes it over.[Via Mobile Gadget News]
Blockbuster's Total Access plan allows in-store returns of mailed movies
Although Netflix certainly set the precedent with its online movie rental biz, has vowed to support HD DVD and Blu-ray formats, and seems to have an on-again / off-again relationship with downloadable rentals, Blockbuster is busting out a feature that Netflix isn't likely to soon match. Under the newly-unveiled "Total Access" plan, customers will not only be able to return all movies received in the mail to a brick-and-mortar location, but they'll receive "a free in-store movie rental" for their cooperation. The company is hoping to break the 2 million member mark by year's end, and also reported that customers who opt to return their flicks in-store should receive their next movie mailing about "a day faster than if they had returned it through the mail." While we're not sure if every single in-store return will yield yet another free rental (or if it's another "one per month" deal), we're not going to grumble over anything gratis.
Firefox commercial pokes fun at the competition
A viral Firefox commercial poking fun at its browser competition features the anthropomorphized icons of Internet Explorer, Netscape and Apple's own Safari acting, well - somewhat silly. No matter which browser you're a fan of, it's a pretty funny spot and one of the better offerings I've seen from the Firefox Flicks campaign.[via Netscape]
