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[Updated] Blizzcon tickets now on sale, maybe
We've been keeping a watchful eye on the Blizzcon site this morning, as we knew that tickets for the event were set to go on sale today. Even with the hefty $100 pricetag, these golden tickets of Blizzard fun are expected to sell out extremely quickly. However, if you're in the market for a Blizzcon ticket, we have some mixed news for you. While it does appear that the tickets are showing up on the Blizzcon site, and they are allowing you to add up to 5 per cart -- we've not heard of a single purchase that has gone through as yet. It would appear that while Blizzard has done a great job of balancing the load on many of the World of Warcraft servers, the Blizzard store is not handling the zerg rush of thousands of Blizzard fans hitting it all at once very well. So if you're hoping to land Blizzcon tickets, we suggest you grab a drink and settle in for some quality time with the fail murloc and your F5 key. We'll be right there with you.[Update 11:13 AM EST] - Aredek on the WoW forums says that their Webfolk are looking into the problems with ordering. In the meantime, we've learned that the fail murloc enjoys mrglrgrrrlgl, long walks by the mggrgrlllrgrm, and enjoys playing gllllrmgrl when not hanging out in our web browsers.[Update 6:03 PM EST] - While registration was open briefly this afternoon, most people have been unable to purchase tickets due to the heavy traffic on the Blizzcon site. Server fall down go boom. As of now, the site appears to be back in a maintenance phase. From what we have heard, the tickets are not sold out currently.[Update 7:40 PM EST] The Blizzcon site is back online, however with it returns Failoc, the dreaded murloc of fail. Of course, that's when we're not seeing errors due to the server being overloaded.[Update 12:10 AM EST] Finally managed to get an order through and confirmed. Looks like some of the WoW Insider crew have also been able to get tickets, but others are still getting Failoc'd. Good luck, everyone![Update 12:45 AM EST] According to Eyonix on the Blizzard forums, they are pulling down ticket ordering for the night:We are continuing our work on bringing the website back up, however, we have decided that we do not want to make everyone wait until the early hours of the morning, hoping at a chance to purchase tickets. Thus, we will not bring up the website until after the beginning of business day tomorrow, Tuesday, August 12. We want to assure everyone that a great majority of tickets are still available for purchase. If you've been waiting up to purchase a ticket, looks like it's time to head for bedfordshire and try again in the morning.
Apple wants to improve online shopping
Here's an interesting idea -- MacNN is reporting that Apple is working on new ways to improve online shopping. Apparently the biggest music seller in the US thinks that online shopping can feel "sterile and isolating." Hmm.To counteract the isolation, Apple is reportly considering showing customers where other shoppers are in the virtual stores, and maybe even letting customers interact while shopping, via chat or other interfaces. This system would also allow for storewide announcements of special events or sales going down.It's quite a concept -- online store as virtual space -- but the fact for me as a consumer is that I shop online mostly to avoid exactly those things (chatting with less knowledgeable customers and annoying store loudspeaker systems). Even if this idea makes it through the gauntlet and we see this type of thing in Apple's online shopping environments, I doubt the old methods of clicking and browsing by yourself are going away anytime soon.[via MacRumors]
Dell confusingly "committed" to AMD
In a memo sent out today by Dell, the company has reassured us that even though AMD is disappearing rapidly from its online store, the company remains "committed" to AMD, and is just "in the process of redistributing its product mix" -- whatever that means. But despite those euphemisms, consumers can only buy most Dell AMD systems through a retail store or over the phone. Dell pointed out that it has kept its Energy Star 4.0 Inspiron 531 consumer desktop available online, but most other AMD machines are now just for business customers or those strange creatures that use "phones" and "buildings" to buy things. Read - Reg Hardware Read - The Wall Street Journal
Dell selling unlocked high-end Nokia phones online
In a welcome, yet odd, development, Dell has started selling several high-end Nokia phones in an unlocked state via its online store. So far searches reveal that Dell is selling the Nokia N80, E61i, and E61 for around $400, and the N95 for $732. Those prices don't sound too great when compared to in-contract prices, but compared to similar unlocked offerings from high street stores they're pretty damn competitive. Besides, it doesn't look as if Dell is partnering with any mobile operators, and is instead highlighting the unlocked prices. Unlocked cellphone price war, anyone? If Dell's in the game, then you can bet that others will join.
SGD '07: PSP online store planned for Fall 2007
The Sony Gamers Day event certainly offered a lot of PSP news, and the long since rumor of an online store was finally brought back into the fold. SCEA president Jack Tretton briefly mentioned the possibility of an online store for the PSP, followed by a quick comment that it should have premiered awhile ago. No other details except he hoped "to have it out there by the fall." We know Sony has the upcoming Station Launcher for movie downloads so it was only a matter of time before their libraries opened up wider to incorporate games as well. No official word on if Station Launcher will also offer games, or if the games division will have a new service altogether. Lets just hope the powers that be are heeding Jack's word and diligently working on making this a reality sooner rather than later. We want not just PS1 reiterations, but PS2 classics as well, so get cracking![Via digg]
US Online Apple Store is down
As of 8:00 AM ET, the online Apple Store (US) is down. The usual sticky note graphic and "...we'll be back within the hour" text have replaced the index page. We'll keep you posted.Thanks to everyone who sent this in.
