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Show and Tell: Epic
We're taking a little break from our regular format this week in order to do something very simple: make you jealous as hell. Reader John has some good stuff -- hardware, gear, extras -- but not so much that it's really notable. We do like the plush Kirby, though. No, what brings us here today, agape and agog, is his collection of DS games, which stood at 209 titles when he sent in these pictures, with more on the way.So today, John, we salute you, O Buyer of Games. And, uh, got anything we could borrow?%Gallery-33864% Show and Tell is all about fan stuff, so long as it's Nintendo-related. We love to see your collections, your crafts, your frosted creations, your t-shirts and swag of all sorts.Just snap a few pictures, tell us what's up, and send it all to showmeit [at] dsfanboy [dot] com. We'll take care of the rest. Not a handy type, but found something neat? Send us a link instead.
How to move your iTunes library (more safely than I did)
I should say, even before I start this post, that I've moved my iTunes library from one installation of iTunes to another, and what I did was just copy everything in the /Music/iTunes folder from one Mac to the other. But that's the transfer equivalent of parallel parking a semi and stopping when it "feels right" -- it worked for me, but I wouldn't recommend it for anyone else. I also have almost no iTunes purchased music in my library, and that's likely not the case for anyone else.Fortunately, for people who don't enjoy playing Russian Roulette with their iTunes library transfers (and don't want to buy the software for it), here's a quick and easy guide to how to transfer everything over properly, and make sure that all the little hooks and crannies line up correctly in the new installation -- specifically, iTunes keeps an XML file that tracks where everything is, and you've got to change paths (using a quick find and replace) on all the tracks in your library. iTunes will then use that XML file to backup its own records, and then you're hunky dory.What I can't find, according to this guide, is what damage I may have caused to my system by just hauling everything in and starting up iTunes -- I checked the Location key on both my new Mac and the old one, and the Locations are completely different, without me ever changing them. Either way, even though I throw around my libraries with abandon (look Ma, no backup!), you'd probably much rather be safe than sorry.Thanks, Robert!
Ohio library now loaning video games
Eager bookworms visiting the Washington-Centerville Public Library in Centerville, Ohio, will face exposure to the new-fangled "video game" entertainment medium, as the library will now be loaning PS2, PS3, Wii and Xbox 360 games. According to the Dayton Daily News, the library will carry two categories of games: Titles aimed at families, and ones aimed at players aged 10 and up (sans adult-only games). Each game will be available for one-week loan with the option of one renewal.You can check for yourself which games are available in the library's online catalog, though the Dayton Daily News has gone and confirmed the presence of Guitar Hero, Kung-Fu Panda, Madden NFL 08 and, err, Iron Man. That one's probably meant to frighten the kids into reading books again.[Via Shacknews]
Take back your iWeb galleries in Firefox 3
Just as Firefox users were upgrading to version 3 last week, many people started to miss their iWeb-created galleries as they just disappeared. Well, one iWeb user has been doing extra work to fix Apple's? (erm... Mozilla's?) problem. Joshua Ochs has posted an in-depth article on his site describing exactly what is going on -- he also provides a fix in the form of a script to patch iWeb. Joshua says that the problem is neither with Apple nor Mozilla, but with a JavaScript library called "Prototype" which is used by iWeb. Right now there are two ways to fix the problem (neither of which are supported by Apple): you can use the information on Apple's Discussion Board, or you can download Joshua's script -- both seem to work and are free.[via ArsTechnica]
Delicious Library 2.0 is now shipping
The beta period is over and Delicious Library 2.0 is officially ready to go (we took an early look at version 2 back in March). If you're unfamiliar, Delicious Library is the beautiful personal media database (that's the fancy way of saying "it keeps track of your stuff") that's as fun as it is useful. Use your Mac's iSight camera to scan the UPC on a book, DVD, software, games, etc. and watch it appear on your "shelf." From there, you can track who you've loaned it to, publish your library to the web and a whole lot more.Version 2.0 includes more than 100 changes, including One-click web publishing Speedier graphics iTunes integration Three-click selling There's plenty more, of course, and you can read the rest here. Delicious Library 2.0 requires Mac OS 10.5 and a single license will cost you $40US.Thanks to everyone who sent this in!
DS Daily: The strongest genre
The DS boasts a pretty respectable library by now, with many genres represented by some very excellent titles. But what does the DS do best? Some find the touchscreen strategy most addictive, while others spend their time hunting down new adventure games. Of course, there's always the very excellent rhythm game contingent, as well, and some will certainly argue that those games make best use of the touchscreen. But what genre has been your favorite on the DS?
Comcast HD VOD library expands with gangster-themed titles
Another month, another handful of HD VOD updates from Comcast. This go 'round, the carrier's looking to help you vent your tax day frustrations by offering up a suite of anti-establishment, gangster-themed flicks in brilliant high-definition. Most notably, American Gangster and The Godfather trilogy will be available to subscribers in HD, and just in case the aforementioned titles are a bit too dark for your tastes, you can also tune into MTV's Real World: Season 20 premier a week prior to it airing on MTV. Sure, we would've preferred a price cut for the month to help cope, but we 'spose this will have to do.[Image courtesy of Universal / Entertainment Wallpaper]
DS Daily: Viva variety
Tell us about your games library -- well, the DS portion.Is it full of variety? Do you own a whole different assortment of games? (Perhaps some rhythm ones, some sports titles, a few RPGs, etc?) Or, can the games you own be lumped into one or two general categories?Extra credit will be given to anyone who sends us their answer in graph and spreadsheet form. (Note: Not really! In fact, don't do that.)
Xbox 360 to have over 1,000 titles by Summer 2008, says MS rep
If there's one thing we appreciate about a home console, it's prolificacy -- and for quite some time now, the PS2 has claimed top honors in that respect. Sony's last-gen system currently holds the console record for having the most games (with more than 1600 titles), which we never expected to be toppled in this day and age, where console generations seem to pass more and more like smoke through a keyhole as technology continues to advance.However, according to Chris Lewis, the Xbox Vice Prez for Microsoft Interactive Entertainment Europe, the 360 might yet pass the PS2 in its lifetime, as the system, he claims, will play host to over 1,000 games by this summer. While this news may come as a boon to MSoft fanboys, keep in mind that this doesn't mean there will be 1,000 good games for the system -- lest we forget, for every Bioshock that makes its way to store shelves, there will be an unavoidable handful of Bomberman: Act Zeroes.
Library lets patrons play DDR to avoid late fees
We've heard plenty of stories of libraries lending out video games, or using them to attract patrons, but this Nashua Telegraph story about expunging late fees with a quick play of Dance Dance Revolution is unique in our experience.According to the story, the library's annual "Patron Appreciation Day" let attendees avoid their overdue fines by donating non-perishables to a local soup kitchen or playing a quick game of DDR. The exact pay-for-play system wasn't discussed in detail, but 16-year-old Arienne Stearns apparently needed a "C" grade on her dance to erase $14 of fines from her record.Not that you had to have overdue books to play -- apparently, many girls "took second turns competing against the librarian, just for fun." This is a good deal, because from what we've heard, you haven't really experienced DDR until you've played it against a librarian ...
Wii party at ... the library?
We can only guess that gaming at the ALA's Annual Conference took off (and how!), since now a library in Florida is turning to the Wii in order to lure in new readers. The library in Cape Coral managed to get their collective mitts on a few consoles and will be using them for (undoubtedly loud) weekend events designed to get people playing, talking ... and reading while they await their turn at the onscreen action.We can't help but wonder how this one will actually work. Details on the original article were slim (one might even say nonexistent), and Wii gaming can get pretty rowdy, even at organized events. Toss in people of all ages who want to get their hands on a Wii, and it could be a recipe for destruction -- not exactly conducive to a quiet reading environment. But hey, maybe we're just cynical and it will work like a dream. [Via QJ]
Librarians who play World of Warcraft
Apparently the great WoW Ladies LJ community is full of librarians (who knew?), and they've pointed to this interesting article about a panel that includes a short presentation about World of Warcraft, and how libraries can benefit from providing resources about the game. Their numbers are a little off, in terms of players and how much they pay per month, but their reasoning is right on-- there are lots of reading resources online about the game (*ahem*, that's us!), and sites like WoWWiki and even GameFAQs (fine, laugh if you want) can be perfect for getting people who don't usually do much writing to try putting their thoughts into words on a page.I'm usually iffy on using games for education, because usually the people trying to do it don't have the first clue about what games really are. But something like this-- asking a beginning writer to use their game knowledge to make a guide or analyze gameplay-- seems much more well-founded and beneficial. And if all these librarians are part of the nine million people who play WoW, then this definitely seems like a great idea-- use common ground to help teach reading and learning skills.Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean WoW Insider should be bookmarked on every library computer (although, now that it's been mentioned...). But it's cool to see librarians using their knowledge of Azeroth to help teach real-world skills.
Libraries aren't ready to invest into Blu-ray or HD DVD
Psst. Wanna know a secret? The majority of public libraries have a vast DVD collection - new and classic; major studio releases and indie films. Seriously, they have 'em and just like the books, they're free. However, don't expect to find Blu-ray or HD DVD titles just yet, not in
