rip-offs
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Enso's zenPad is vaporware, get refunds while they last (update)
Did you order a Enso zenPad? If so, you'll be happy to hear that the company has decided on a concrete release date; its website is now ticking down the days, hours, minutes and seconds until May 8th, when Enso claims they'll finally ship the rebranded Smit MID. Problem is, if you ordered your zenPad on March 22nd -- the day we wrote about it -- you will have waited 47 days by the time the device ships, exactly two days too many to get a PayPal refund. But more importantly, manufacturer Smit has now disavowed any knowledge of a deal, and Enso itself has admitted that the zenPad as such does not currently exist. We've done quite a bit of digging and even spoke with an Enso founder to get the whole story. Enough promises have now been broken and lies told that if we were you, we'd request refunds ASAP, but if you still want to hang on for a chance at a $155 Android tablet, you can hear the whole tale right after the break. Update: We just spoke to Enso CEO Alberto Armandi, who says that the company has now secured the necessary funding to make good on orders, and promises that he will ship us a zenPad for review within two weeks. We'll revisit this story then. Meanwhile, read how we got to this juncture after the break.
I know selling leveling guides isn't new, but who in their right mind would BUY one?
So, I'm sitting here today, looking for news to steal, I mean report on. When I see a blog post about an Alliance powerleveling guide. It's an innocuous one-sentence post that says, " I found a World of Warcraft Leveling guide that includes everything you need to power level any Alliance character." Following the link brought me to a site that claims: "World of WarCraft leveling is both an art and a science. It is an art because getting to the next level requires much creativity." To help you unleash your chained-up creativity there's a link to a leveling guide. My first reaction to that line was side-splitting laughter. Leveling in WoW requires creativity like playing Whack A Mole requires a Masters in Fine Arts. Now, I love me some leveling guides. I inevitably hit those weird spots where a zone is too low-leveled and the one next to it is too high-leveled. Having a site that listed zones appropriate to my level range was a boon leveling up. There's one, small difference between the links in this paragraph and the one above it: mine are free. His is not.I've got two, hopefully easy questions: what sort of a snake oil salesman sells these guides, and who in their right mind would buy something that a quick Google on "world of warcraft leveling guide" should provide for free? What do you think? Is there any way in Azeroth you'd ever buy these things? And if so, I've got a lovely bridge for sale over the Hudson River for sale.
Found Footage: A Chinese iPhone rip-off
Oh those endearing Chinese manufacturers - what would the electronics industry be without at least a few crappy knockoff products to keep original manufacturers on their toes? (Answer: companies like Apple could probably lay off a few lawyer infantries, but that's a whole 'nother conversation.) Engadget has caught footage of the 'tPhone', which sounds and looks like some sort of Windows Mobile (strangely, it uses a desktop Windows startup sound) device with heavily modified and/or skinned software. Does this look appealing? Remember: you don't have to be afraid to say 'no.'Of course, Engadget touts the advantages of this device, namely a removable battery and microSD card slot. That said, eagle-eyed TUAW readers have also pointed out that the recently updated iPhone gallery reveals what could possibly be some sort of slot at the top of the iPhone, as exhibited in the gallery's first picture. Add that to all the interesting new iPhone tidbits we're digging up, and it looks like we might still be in for more discoveries (and possibly even official Apple announcements) before the iPhone actually lands next week.
Searching for an XBLA Brain Age rip-off
Rip-offs of the Nintendo DS hit Brain Age are starting to show up for the PC, which leads to the question, where's our rip-off for Xbox Live Arcade? It doesn't have to be as blatantly purloined as the shameless example pictured at right -- an homage, extrapolation, etc will do just fine. Besides, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery and XBLA could use a killer app for senior citizens.
Lumines Live pricing change planned?
The guys at Xboxic obtained this promising message from Xbox Customer Support:Thanks for contacting XBOX Customer Support, Luminous Live is known to have some issues regarding unsatisfactory in it's download. Please wait until Monday to see wether we have any updates regarding this issue. Do not download or purchase anything else that has to be dealt with Luminous Live. Until then, feel free to contact us via telephone for any updates of this issue and what we can offer you. For any questions regarding this issue, please contact Xbox customer support on http://www.xbox.com/support/contact/ Thanks for time and support, XBOX customer service team. This communique raises a series of intriguing questions?: 1. Will Microsoft lower, or otherwise alter, the much-hated pricing structure for Luminous, or rather Lumines Live? The unusual step of instructing consumers not to buy an XBLA game indicates that they will.2. If so, will MS reimburse the unlucky saps who alread shelled out for the "complete" game in its current usurious form?3. Is grammatical English just too much to ask of a certain percentage of the Xbox Customer Service Team?
