holidays
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Nintendo's advent calendar: Snowdriftland
Nintendo has a nice gaming advent calendar online called "Mission in Snowdriftland." Each little window opens a minigame into a snowbound Mario-esque world, and you guide a snowman around collecting snowflakes. It's simple and fun, and the music ain't half bad either. Sure, there are ads pimping Nintendo games in the bottom right hand window, but it's a small price to pay for a sweet little gaming diversion in your web browser.[Thanks, Paul]
Xmas decorations said to degrade wireless signals: baby Jesus hates WiFi
Far from being the harmless displays of holiday cheer and good will towards men that their manufacturers would like us to believe, Christmas decorations are now being accused of hitting us where it hurts the most: our WiFi connections. According to a study done in a simulated office environment by Sunnyvale-based wireless network assurance firm AirMagnet Inc., all of those shiny ornaments, blinking lights, and inflatable monstrosities that people like to keep out for the entire Halloween through Easter time frame can actually decrease WiFi signal strength by up to 25% and increase signal deterioration over distances by one-third. It should be noted, however, that many other common objects can also interfere with wireless signals, so this study seems to be more about PR and less about a grand atheist conspiracy to cripple internet connectivity for the pious. It should also be noted that AirMagnet makes its money from selling products and services that analyze and troubleshoot your WLAN, which -- surprise, surprise -- are exactly what you'd need to combat this curse of the holiday decorations. Still, even if this study is completely self-serving, we're not taking any chances: from now on, the only holiday-related swag to grace the Engadget mansion will be a ratty, unadorned tree and a small menorah made out of marshmallows and peanut butter. [Via textually]
Download Squad running '12 days of holiday downloads'
On Friday our friends at sister blog Download Squad began a new series titled 12 Days of holiday downloads, rounding up holiday and Christmas-themed downloads for both Mac OS X and Windows. Day 2 was posted today, and so far it looks like a neat series for those of you who like to get their Mac (and Windows PC) into the holiday spirit. Day 1 covered Snö, an app we've mentioned before, can create a snowfall on your desktop (though, as of this writing, Snö's site seems to be unavailable). Day 2 for Mac (today) covers X-MasTree, which we posted about a few days ago.Frivolous, cycle-wasting apps? Sure. Fun, holiday spirit nonetheless? You bet. Stay tuned to Download Squad for the rest of their 12 Days of holday downloads series for more ways to get your Mac in the holiday spirit.
NYC Virgin Megastore dominated by 360
360 Fanboy reader, Nick, sent us some pictures he took of the New York City Virgin Megastore's revamped videogame section (and a few shots of the HD DVD drive at Circuit City). Looking at the pictures, it seems like the 360 practically is the videogame section. Our tipster points out that there are six(!) demo kiosks and that the 360 has most of the prime shelf space -- note the 360 themed pillars in the above image. We'd like to see some shots of the competition for comparison, but either way, this is a mighty impressive showing for Microsoft's white box. To be fair, this doesn't mean that Virgin prefers the 360. More likely, the company knows that 360s will actually be in stock this holiday and hopes to sell as many as possible. It's a subject that's been beaten to death, but the sell out nature of the PS3 and Wii means that plenty of 360 purchases will be made by desperate gift givers.Has anyone else been to this store? Send us some pictures of the Sony and Nintendo sections, and we'll post 'em.[Thanks, Nick]
Breakfast Topic: The season of giving
I was in the process of doing a little Christmas shopping this weekend, and as I hurried home to catch an Onyxia attempt, the thought occurred to me: am I going to get my favorite guildies anything?I only play with a few real life friends-- most of the people I know well in my guild I've only known online through Warcraft. But we've had a lot of fun, and I've gotten to know some of them pretty well. Considering Blizzard has included giftwrap in the game, it's no stretch that I might want to grab them something during the holiday season as a gesture of goodwill.The only question, then, is what? RazorbladeKiss asks the same question over on Livejournal, and people suggest quite a few good things, from Snowshoe Rabbits to other faction specific cosmetic items. Almost anyone would love a good potion, or a few farmed mats you know they've been waiting for. But some things that would be really cool to give, like mounts or crafted items, are soulbound, or so common that every 60 has them. So are you getting your guildies anything in-game for the holidays? And if so, what?
Send some holiday cheer to Microsoft
Pinksage and the gang over at Gamertag Radio are sending a special Christmas card to Microsoft this year, thanking them for the wonders of the Xbox 360. They need a little help though, and are asking for signatures to add to the card. If you'd like to send some holiday greetings* to Microsoft, head over to this thread on the GTR forums, add your name and a message, and they'll stick it on the card. Personally, we'd like to thank MS for Xbox Live Arcade, Gears of War, and Xbox Live, which gives us a community unlike any other console. What's your favorite thing about the 360?*No scrooges, please.
Panasonic opens up Plasma Concierge service to the public for the holiday blitz
If your tiresome Black Friday campout left you incensed at that fellow ahead who snagged the very last HDTV that you had been eying, take heart. Panasonic feels your pain, and is opening up its exclusive help lines to help you deal with the hassles of searching for the perfect plasma. The company's Plasma Concierge service -- which opened earlier this year -- is stocking up on customer service representatives to field any questions you may have, regardless of whether or not you own a single Panasonic product. The program is open to the public through December 31st of this year to craft "customized flat screen profiles," determine which set would be better suited for your room, and even tips on mounting and wiring. So if you're befuddled over where to get some reliable, free information (aside from the site you're currently ogling) on which plasma to pick up this holiday season, give Panasonic a ring, but be sure to dodge those sure-to-come sales pitches while you're at it.
iPod 101 support docs
Apple just went nuts releasing a slew of iPod 101 support documents, most likely just in time for all the iPod-toting user who are about to unwillingly embark on a new side career this holiday season: supporting their family members and friends who just got their own little white (or black, or pink...) music player. Instead of forcing you to trudge through Apple's Support docs, using their less-than-stellar search, I thought I'd link everything I found for your bookmarking pleasure. Don't forget the last doc about backing up one's library, as well as the backup overview our own Scott McNulty wrote about this rocking new feature when iTunes 7 launched: iPod 101: Beef Up My Battery iPod 101: View Videos iPod 101: Set Up a Slideshow iPod 101: Eyeball my Artwork iPod 101: Put Pictures on my iPod iPod 101: Give the Gift iPod 101: Browse and Buy Videos iPod 101: Tour the Store iPod 101: Set Up an iTunes Store Account iPod 101: Lay of the Land iPod 101: What's On the Menu? iPod 101: Installing and Updating Software iPod 101: Which Files Work With iPod and iTunes and of course, the ever-pertinent: iPod 101: Backing Up Your Library
wiDock - wireless iPod dock from Silex announced
Rumors of a wireless, syncing iPod have existed almost as long as the iPod itself, but next week Silex Technology is poised to introduce the next best thing: the wiDock. This wireless iPod dock will fulfill the much-requested feature of wirelessly syncing media with a Mac or Windows PC, all while remaining connected with audio and video output to your entertainment center and charging the iPod's battery for the ultimate in do-it-all connectivity. The wiDock uses 802.11b/g to work its wireless magic, and to top things off, it plays well with the Apple Remote.We don't have a word on price yet, but the wiDock should be arriving in retail stores soon in time for the holidays.
Hallow's End quest guide
Can't figure out where to start enjoying the Hallow's End festival? Well, the Mortal Ken guild website has a great guide explaining all of the rewards and the quests you can find in Azeroth throughout this holiday season.[Thanks, Dave!]
Hallow's End is coming!
It's that time of year again... the Hallow's End celebration in Azeroth officially begins on October 18th (though we may see signs of it after maintenance ends today). Expect to see cities throughout Azeroth decked out in the finest pumpkin decor and be prepared for trick-or-treating (or just plain tricking, if you'd prefer). The festivities will last until November, however, so you've plenty of time to join in on the fun!
New 360 bundle w/ PGR3, points & Live?
Rumors of new, value-added 360 bundles continue to swirl in lieu of an actual price drop. This supposed $399 package doesn't have any fancy HDMI ports or internal HD-DVD drives, but it does have about $85 worth of throw-ins, including PGR3, 1250 MS Points and 3 months of XBL Gold. Is this the recipe for attracting holiday hold-outs?[Thanks Alex]
New Patch Brings Midsummer Fire Event
Well, it's about time for another holiday...and no, that Children's Week crap didn't cut it. As reported on XGPGaming, starting tomorrow, June 21st, the festival of Midsummer Fire will kick off in Azeroth, with dancing, quests, and a huge fireworks display to close it all off. The report states: * Bonfires have been lit across Azeroth in festival camps to rekindle the spirits of its celebrants and ward off ancient evils. These sacred flames are guarded by flamekeepers and it's rumoured that the myriad powers of the flames includes both cleansing and blessing. * Dancing around ribbon poles is a popular activity amongst friends and fellow celebrants in the many festival camps. Although traditionally a focus for the joyous celebrations, all participants will without doubt appreciate the resulting resistance to heat! * Fire Festival quest givers can be found in the capital cities. As the celebration of the flame is spread throughout the land of Azeroth there will be many new perilous journeys to embark on with exciting seasonal rewards to match those heroic enough. There is no announcement of the event on the official Blizzard page as of yet, and the patch notes don't make mention of it, either, but it sounds legit to me, so I guess we'll see if it appears tomorrow. If so, remember you heard it here first....or, second, rather.
Happy Easter from HD Beat
The four of us here are HD Beat hope all of you enjoy your Easter. Even if you don't celebrate the religious part of the holiday, it is nice to spend sometime with family and friends. Or with your new HD DVD player thanks to Toshiba. We sure hope that a certain little bunny brings us one - plus, some tasty jelly beans. Got to love jelly beans.
Holidays in Azeroth - Love 'em or Hate 'em?
Have you noticed the way holidays in Azeroth seem to strangely coincide with holidays in the real world? Noblegarden shows up on Easter, Hallow's End on Halloween, the Feast of Winter Veil on Christmas, and the Lunar Festival on the Chinese New Year. Sure, CM Caydiem would always come up with fascinating reasons why each of these holidays fit properly in to Azeroth's lore, but doesn't it break down the immersiveness of an alternate reality when you see someone who looks suspiciously like Santa Claus sitting in the middle of Ironforge? I enjoy the change of pace provided by Azeroth's holidays as much as anyone else, but I do wonder whether Azeroth has any of its own holidays. So what's your take on Azeroth's holiday schedule - love it or hate it?
iPod Garage releases Holiday Nanobook
The iPod Garage has produced a free, downloadable eBook that quite thoroughly covers what you're going to want to know about the iPod nano. The Holiday Nanobook features articles, commentary and reviews of third party accessories, plus the winners of their photo contest. If you're giving an iPod nano this year, why not print this out and wrap them up together (It's 159 pages, so use the printer at work)?The Holiday Nanobook is free and available here.
