inventory
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Palm Pre stock levels for launch day at Best Buy leaked?
We don't want to incite panic in big box parking lots from coast to coast or anything (or do we?), but from the looks of things, Best Buy's Pre stock for launch day is meager at best -- and distribution is a little weird. A poster over on everythingpre's forums threw up a bunch of alleged inventory screen shots, suggesting that Florida and Texas stores are particularly well-off -- many stores are expected to get 18, 20 or more -- while Illinois stores appear to be getting hosed (a trip to the Hancock location downtown, for example, will result in success for just two people). The way we see it, this could be fake -- but it might just have to do with how close each store is to Best Buy's distro centers or a balancing act with proximity to Sprint locations in the area. Worst case scenario, we figure, you can just riot.Update: A tipster tells us these "On Order" numbers are actually the number of Pres each store's manager has requested, which doesn't necessarily correlate to the number they'll actually receive. Of course, that still doesn't explain why downtown Chicago's Best Buy would request just two -- there have to be some other constraints involved that we're not privy to -- but it's an interesting tidbit nonetheless.
Palm's $70 Touchstone dock, other Pre accessories appear in Best Buy system
Looks familiar eh? If you're a fan of leaks and pre-release innuendo then you're already acquainted with Best Buy's internal inventory system. According to igmac, forum jockey and self-proclaimed Best Buy employee over at SprintUser, the first Palm Pre accessories have just been entered into the system. The list includes 5 cases (3 acrylic, 1 leather, 1 labeled "Palm Pre case") and the Touchstone charging kit which lists for a whopping $69.99 -- the same price already rumored. Really Palm, $70? We've been inductive charging our SoniCare toothbrush for years already -- the tech just isn't that amazing anymore, magnet or not. You'll note that the "in stock date" is listed as May 10th so with any luck we'll soon be hearing from Mr. BlurryCam with some shots from the warehouse. [Via PreThinking]
Dealing with bank inventory management
April's dealing with a problem that I've dealt with many times before: bank management. The other day I posted some tips on inventory management, but bank management is a knot that even I can't quite figure out how to untangle. On the one hand, bank space is supposed to be your refuge -- you can only pick things up out in the field as long as you have an empty inventory space for it. But on the other hand, especially on your main, you pick up a lot of things that seem important at the time -- tier gear, your first trinket, that piece you farmed for months until it finally dropped, that Blizzard Bear that you know is account bound, but you just can't bear to give it up. Stuff piles up after a while, and eventually you're carrying stuff around in your backpack that should really be sitting in your bank... and would be if you had room to keep it in there.The only real tip I have is that you have to be ruthless -- you'll probably never use those trinkets again, that Tier 0 armor won't ever really be needed anymore, and you might as well eat those Delicious Chocolate Cakes that you made for a rainy day. You might as well use those cooking and profession mats you've got sitting around now, because if they aren't worth anything at the moment, they probably won't be worth any more in the future. And yes, I know you've only got so much Noggenfogger left, but you might as well go ahead and drink it on the next fun guild run. It sounds harsh, but in a game that's really about collecting, we all tend to have a packrat side.And if worst comes to worst, just create yet another bank alt, charter yet another bank guild, and start filling those bags up also. With all of the junk we've got coming through, they'll probably be full to the brim in no time.
Handset makers ponder larger-than-usual price cuts to counter bulging inventories
Samsung already declared that the handset market simply isn't what it used to be, and now it seems like a bunch of its rivals are begrudgingly nodding their heads in agreement. According to a new report from Reuters, Nokia and some of its main competitors have begun to "slash prices as demand falls and retailers cut inventories after lackluster holiday sales." Not surprisingly, demand for new handsets was down in the critical last quarter of 2008, and the falling demand at a time when retailers are looking to scale back on inventory holdings has left many with few options. eQ Bank analyst Jari Honko noted that there are just "two ways to cut inventories -- writedowns or dump them on the market," and it seems that most of the cuts thus far have occurred on the mid- to high-end handsets in Europe. Not to be disrespecting any bottom lines, but can we North Americans get a little of that discount love over our way?[Image courtesy of Guyana Providence Stadium]
Samsung scales back flat-screen output by 5% to fight bulging inventories
Ah, how quickly things can change in this volatile, volatile world. At the tail-end of June, Samsung seemed pretty adamant that it would be keeping its flat-panel production lines humming along as usual. Enter a tiny factor called the worldwide credit crisis, and that plan begins to look terrible. In an effort to "cope with excess inventory amid lackluster demand from global markets," Sammy has decided to lower its panel output by about 5% (which it has been doing since August, actually), though it is keeping a close eye on demand in case it needs to ramp back up in short order. Whatever happens, we're just hoping for lower prices for consumers come Black Friday (and beyond).
New Mac placeholders appear in Future Shop stock system
If there's one thing we've learned over years (aside from the fact that Segway users will always be looked at strangely), it's that Best Buy's inventory systems are famous for turning us on to forthcoming wares. Just this year, strange part numbers in its stock system have correctly predicted the arrival of new MacBook Pros, the Nikon D90 and an unlocked US 3G Touch Diamond. Now, we're feasting our eyes upon the latest snippet from Future Shop's (Best Buy's Canadian sibling) inventory system, which shows a half dozen new Mac placeholders for French and English language machines. Unfortunately, "Apple Mac" is about as vague as it gets, but we wouldn't be shocked one iota to see new MBPs surface in the near future. C'mon stock system -- don't let us down.
Replaceable backpacks might be in store
There are two things that every WoW character has: a hearthstone, and a backpack. Well, some bank alts might have destroyed their hearthstone, actually, but absolutely everybody has that 16-slot backpack occupying their first bag slot. 16 slots made some sense back when that was also the biggest size bag that wasn't crazy expensive, back in classic WoW (Traveler's Backpack/Mooncloth Bg). But now that 16-slot bags are dirt-cheap, 18-slotters are reasonable, and 20- and even 22-slotters are obtainable, and especially moving forward into Wrath with the basic tailored bag being 20 slots, the backpack's 16 is starting to look a bit puny by comparison. This leads one to ask: when are we going to be able to upgrade the darned thing? I'd love to be able to grab a few extra slots by trading it in for an 18- or 20-slot bag. And it really doesn't make sense for our backpack to be the smallest holding container on our body. I mean, I like that everybody starts out with a free decent-sized bag, but it really should just act like any other bag slot after that. Someone asked the same question in the WoW forums recently, and Zarhym responded in a non-committal fashion, saying they were thinking about it but didn't have anything to report just yet. Personally, I don't see the downside of transforming the backpack slot into a regular bag slot, but there may be something going on behind the scenes that I'm not aware of. It is also worth noting that we will be freeing up a few bag slots already in Wrath with our non-combat pets, mounts, and tokens leaving the inventory, not to mention bigger bags being available. Still, it seems like one can never get enough space.
Addon Spotlight: Mr. Plow
Welcome, my friends, to this week's late Addon Spotlight, where we'll be looking at a little tool to help manage your inventory. First of all, I would highly recommend reading through Matthew Porter's Big bag blowout series over at The Creamy GUI Center, it's not only a fantastic look at many inventory options, but builds a solid foundation for your inventory addon needs. Given all that good information, I thought I'd pipe in with a look at Mr. Plow, an inventory stacker I use in conjunction with Bagnon.I never could get used to inventory addons that auto-sorted my bags into categories; I just wanted something to consolidate all of my bags into one window. That said, I am also somewhat obsessive about an orderly inventory, and had no problem taking time to organize my inventory so that items I got from grinding or quests were found at the top of the window, where I could easily sell and use them at my discretion. Then came along Mr. Plow, the handy bag stacker that will organize and compress your bags for that neat and orderly look that former Army sergeants require of their inventory.
Token system discovered
They're getting serious about easing inventory headaches in Wrath of the Lich King. Recently we heard all about the new storage system for mounts and vanity pets (you'll learn them as spells; they will not occupy space in your bags). Shortly thereafter it was hinted that tokens (such as Badges of Justice and Battleground marks) would face a similar treatment. An enterprising and clever beta participant by the name of Xabora has discovered what form this treatment will take, by typing /tokens and hitting return. This is reminiscent of the way Achievements were first discovered to be in WoW, which was by someone in the alpha typing /achievements. Yay slash commands! Anyway, it looks like the new system will track all your tokens, as well as your honor points and arena points, with categories for each phase of the game (Classic, BC, Wrath), PvP, Holidays, Raid, Miscellaneous, and Unused. I'm not entirely sure why there's a category for "unused" tokens, or why Raid is separate from Classic/BC/Wrath – are they planning on putting tier tokens into this system? Will raids in Wrath award different tokens than heroics? No telling just yet, I guess. But it's nice to know that even more bag spaces will be freed, and we won't have any more issues from having left our tokens in the bank.
AT&T, O2 post updates on iPhone 3G stock situation, promise they don't have a secret cache
Conspiracy theories tend to run rampant when a phone (or any object of desire, for that matter) that's produced in absolutely enormous quantities dries up in retail locations. Are they really sold out? Is the retailer trying to work prospective buyers into a frenzied lather? Is the CEO sleeping on a bed fashioned of gilded iPhone 3Gs? The answer to that last question is very likely "yes" either way, but for their part, AT&T and O2 have both come out to promise customers that they're putting handsets out in retail just as quickly as they possibly can, with AT&T additionally noting that it's shipping out direct fulfillment orders on a "first-come, first-serve basis" with lead times currently running around two weeks -- in other words, "ship us some more frickin' phones, Apple." Seriously though, how's Apple going to come even close to keeping up with the next round of national launches when they're so woefully behind on the existing ones? And more importantly, if these execs would just sleep on queen-sized iPhone beds instead of king-sized ones, just imagine how many more happy customers we'd have out there?Read - O2Read - AT&T
The Creamy GUI Center: Big bag blowout Part II
Each week Matthew Porter contributes The Creamy GUI Center, a column aimed at helping you enhance your WoW experience by offering an in depth guide to addons, macros and other tools we use to play WoW, along with commentary on issues that affect how we all play. Welcome readers to this week's The Creamy GUI Center. It looks like I stumbled upon an addon topic that, judging from your comments, a lot of people view as a cornerstone of their UI and addon experience. This week, thanks to reader feedback, I'm going to extend our look at inventory addons to three parts instead of two so that we can take a look at a couple of fan favorite bag addons that I missed. I did indeed hear your cries of wanting more in the comments, so let's get down to it with a look at ArkInventory and TBag.
HDTV manufacturers lowering prices to cope with bulging inventories
We've yet to be able to confirm any of this in our local stores, but HD Guru has it that major television manufacturers are lowering their retail prices in order to deal with swelling inventories. Despite upticks in demand from the upcoming Olympics, the overall economy here in America has apparently taken a toll on HDTV sales. Samsung, Sharp, Mitsubishi and Panasonic have reportedly notified their dealers of the drops, with some sets plummeting as much as $400. Of course, in-store (read: street) pricing will vary (sometime significantly) from the figures posted in the read link, but regardless, you ought to save a few bucks from just weeks ago. Oh, and if you're not desperate for a new flat-panel right this moment, let us remind you that Black Friday 2008 is barely two months away.[Via The Boy Genius Report, image courtesy of StarTribune]]
Improving your inventory management in Dungeons and Dragons Online
Have you ever wanted to make more money? Sure, we all have. But the folks at Turbine actually want to help you out. The official Dungeons and Dragons Online site has an ongoing series of articles exploring the best ways to make a quick buck in Xen'drick. You're saying to yourself now: it's easy to make a coin or two. Just go out and bash a kobold to death. Too true, and lucrative, but what about after the bashing? Your pockets will be full and you'll be left scratching your head. The first article is all about inventory management, and tips for using collection bags to their full effect.The second piece in the series is all about vendors, brokers and tavern keepers. All about where to sell your stuff once you have it organized, this piece also outlines the outlines you'll see on items. Every item has a relative rarity, which you can see based on what kind of frame is on the item's description. Especially important is the distinction between brokers and regular vendors - brokers are much better bets for rare or magical items. Don't sell your good old +1 to just any guy in a shop. Make sure to check back with the site, as future articles will cover other money-related elements like the auction house.
The Creamy GUI Center: Big bag blowout
Each week Matthew Porter contributes The Creamy GUI Center, a column aimed at helping you enhance your WoW experience by offering an in depth guide to addons, macros and other tools we use to play WoW, along with commentary on issues that affect how we all play. Welcome folks to this week's The Creamy GUI Center. This week I tackle one of the great suggestions left by you the reader in the comment's section. We're gunna examine bag replacements and inventory managers in a special two part series. This week we'll see how to organize your inventory with bag replacement addons. And in the following week we'll look at which addons help you change gear around for different situations. But let's not put the cart ahead of the horse, first we have to organize all that equipment, so let's get to it!
Trading mount trinkets for mount enchants
As Eliah reported in the undocumented changes post yesterday, MMO Champ has done a little searching through the PTR files, and come up with some interesting changes to mount speed items. According to the code found yesterday, Blizzard was trying to change items like Carrot on a Stick and the Riding Crop to mount enchants (like the Shoulder or Head enchants available from many places for rep) so that they simply enchanted a mount with a faster speed rather than taking up a trinket slot. Sounds like a great way to cut down on trinket space, right?Not so fast -- (ha! get it? "fast"?) as Dariusmdev points out, this would actually mean that you'd have to buy even more Riding Crops, probably even throwing up the price on the servers. Because instead of getting one mount trinket and using it for all your mounts, you'd have to get one enchant per mount that you have. Good news for Leatherworkers if the change goes through, not so good for people who like to use a lot of mounts.Which may be why Blizzard may have decided against the change at all -- according to Eliah, this change isn't actually implemented on the PTRs yet. So mount enchants are only in the code for now, and not actually available in the game. But it does show that the folks at Blizzard are actively trying to come with ways to help us handle trinket management, and that's definitely appreciated.
New Wakfu screenshots display more UI palettes
We're looking forward to Wakfu, the new 'tactical' MMORPG from Ankama, the makers of Dofus. Exactly how Wakfu will differ from Dofus in gameplay isn't entirely clear just yet, but visually, it's got a gorgeous look, much higher-res than its predecessor. Video of gameplay shows small but noticeable improvements, like grasses swaying in the wind, and water levels advancing and receding.The latest batch of screenshots on gamershell.com show more user interface elements, including the customary inventory screen, armor and weapons window (with player character included, something new), and others. If you can read (and understand) French, maybe you can puzzle out what's going on in the others. Still no release date for the beta, so let these beautiful shots appease your hunger for now.
Shocker: HD DVD players vanishing from stock, sun to rise in the AM
Brace yourself: you may find your mind unbelievably blown when hearing that inventory levels of HD DVD players seem to be sharply decreasing. According to new reports, the amount of e-tailers stocking HD DVD players has plummeted dramatically over the past month, and it could be fairly difficult to actually procure a new unit in about four to eight weeks. Granted, we wouldn't put an awful lot of faith in the latter estimate, but honestly, if you're out looking for a sealed HD DVD deck for any reason other than bolstering your collection of deceased gadgetry, we'd surmise that you've got other issues to tackle.[Thanks, PeterK]
Hybrid Theory: Dear engineers, please build me a walking bank
Welcome to another installment of Hybrid Theory, wherein columnist Alex Ziebart assures the world that he does not, in fact, hate Retribution Protection Paladins. In fact, he raids with a Retribution Protection Paladin. Really. He does. Pinky swear. Nearly every hybrid has felt the sorrows of lacking itemization at one time or another. Every hybrid has seen its ups and its down, has watched class balance fall into and out of order, and embraced their spec through the good and the bad. Throughout all of this, though, there has always been one ever-present issue. Completely unchanging. Viability and acceptance? Oh, no no no.Bag space. The Blue Crew of Blizzard has made it very clear over the last few years that limited bag space is fully intended. It's viewed as an important aspect of game play. A mini-game, if you will. I must say, being forced into choosing whether you want to keep an item you enjoy or vendor it in favor of that new piece of resist gear that is mandatory for your raid's upcoming boss fight is the worst game ever. Sometimes little vanity items mean quite a bit, like your first epic. A lot of them are just plain neat, like the furbolg outfit maker.
Addon Spotlight: Bagnon
Many of you may be familiar with EngBags and Tbag, two addons that sort and organize your bag space for you. These are great little programs that can keep your inventory squeaky clean, but what about something for those of us who just want one bag frame without sorting and with little configuration out of the box? Fear not, my friends, Bagnon is here to solve your dilemma. It has been mentioned by WoW Insider before, and many believed it had fallen through the cracks into obscurity. Given your newfound hope for something simple yet elegant, I'll move right into its features and options.
Rumor: New MacBook Pro shows up in Apple, Best Buy inventory system
AppleInsider is reporting that they have confirmed the Apple part numbers that were supposedly "leaked" out of Best Buy are in fact the real deal, and could be new MacBook Pros; other rumor sites are chiming in as well. This comes after some of Apple's retail chain partners have received part numbers and prices that match Apple's usual style; as of late, these numbers have been added to Apple's own inventory management system. One of the inventory systems reports stock on hand by Friday, February 29; our most recent information points us to an availability date of March 2 or earlier for these new machines.The numbers in question are: MB402LL/A ($1999.00) MB403LL/A ($2499.00) MB404LL/A ($2799.00) AppleInsider is also speculating that the new MacBook Pros may include the new Intel Penryn processor that clocks at 2.1Ghz for the base model and goes up to 2.6Ghz for the higher-end models. Along with the new processor, they are also speculating that the MacBook Pro might receive the MacBook Air's multi-touch trackpad goodness. If these rumors are true, then why is Apple going up on the price of their Pro notebooks? For the base model, that's a $200 price increase. Whoops, looked at the wrong laptop pricing. These prices, as our loyal commenters have noted, are exactly in line with the existing MacBook Pros. Whew.[via AppleInsider]Thanks Mr. XUpdate: Engadget just posted what appears to be a printout of the Best Buy database showing the Apple part numbers.
