support
Latest
Take-Two chair talks Wii and DS focus
When Take-Two chairman Strauss Zelnick isn't having secret meetings with Jack Thompson, he's actually trying to turn the embattled company around. Although Zelnick's predecessor, Paul Eibler, pledged support for the Wii last year, Zelnick is really driving the point home. During their Q2 earnings call, which has been fully transcribed, Zelnick says, "To be perfectly frank, I don't think it takes a rocket scientist to realize what's going on with Wii and DS. I will tell you that very quickly we turned to both 2K and to Rockstar and said guys, we need a DS strategy and a Wii strategy and we are working on it. As we get into the next quarter and into budget season for 2008, everybody in this company is completely focused on it."Zelnick says that development cycles are long and sports games aren't good to develop "for a specific platform," but that they are looking to put more on the Wii and DS. Given the phrasing of the statement, it sounds like Zelnick is talking about games specifically designed for the Wii, which would be nice considering that Manhunt 2 may work out really well, or feel really flat, because it was designed for multiple platforms. Designing a game for numerous platforms may be good for profits, but if Manhunt was only designed for the Wii, it might have ended up a totally different game because of the focus on motion control.[Via GoNintendo]
Apple releases Pro Application Support 4.0
Apple has released a Pro Application Support 4.0 update that "improves general user interface reliability for Apple's professional applications." Basically, if you use any of the Final Cut Suite apps, Aperture, Final Cut Express HD or Logic products, you'll probably see this in Software Update. Strangely, as with previous Pro Application Support updates, there isn't a whole lot of extra information as to what this update fixes, or what bugs and quirks it squashes; it's just 6 MB of UI update goodness, I guess.[via MacDailyNews]
Apple updates Mac OS X Keyboard Shortcuts doc
Keyboard shortcuts are one of the finer pleasures of computing, especially on a Mac. While we've been blogging all manner of these shortcuts, especially some of the gems in Mac OS X, there is always the One True Keyboard Shortcut Document to Rule Them All; the one maintained by Apple themselves. The doc came across my RSS feeds which means that it has recently been updated, though I admittedly couldn't tell you exactly what is new. When it comes to a list of shortcuts like this, I think I exhibit the Homer Simpson syndrome, where I always learn something new that inevitably knocks out one of the older shortcuts. Take Option-Command-Right Arrow when in the Finder's List View, for example - I have no idea if that's new (though I highly doubt it; List View has been around for ages), but it expands both a folder and all of its subfolders. Option-Command-Drag (again, probably not new, but new to me) to create a file alias in a new location will also prove darn handy, as my home network is finally demanding more and more use of aliases across my machines and hard drives.No matter how you work, taking a glance at this recently updated doc just might help you get things done a little better.
Apple redesigns Support site
digg_url = 'http://digg.com/apple/Apple_redesigns_Support_site'; It's been over a year since we've seen a redesign of Apple's support site, so the company must have felt it was about time to redecorate. TUAW reader Cameron Drysdale noticed that the site has received a major redesign, bringing it a bit more in line stylistically with the new layout at the Downloads page we mentioned. I don't have any screenshots of the now old 'n busted support site, but it feels like this layout is a bit wider and and easier to navigate. On the left is a main navigation area that acts as a springboard to getting support for a few choice Apple products, with a drop down menu containing an alphabetical list of all the other products, right down to Apple Studio Displays and iWeb. This should help customers get to where they're going a lot faster than the previous design. Also more prominent in the bottom section of the site is a box for entering any Apple product's serial number to gain instant information about the support coverage it might have, as well as links to sections like AppleCare, Repair and Replacement parts and Exchange and Extension programs which all feature links to recent events, such as the MacBook/Pro battery update we just mentioned and the iMac G5 Power Supply exchange program.All in all it's a nice redesign, with a few tasteful gradients to score some points with recent trends and a much improved, more navigable layout. Anyone know who handles Apple's site design?
PackRat 1.1 adds AppleScript and Automator support
Someone must have answered Rod Schmidt's call for AppleScripters, as he has just released PackRat 1.1, a major update to his offline Backpack syncing app that brings double-whammy support for both AppleScript and Automator. You can now get almost all your Backpack data via script, which means power users can do all sorts of extra-cool nerdy things now. A 'Synchronize with Backpack' Automator action is also included, offering easy access for the rest of us to set up auto-downloads in the morning or before we leave for a trip (hint: run the action as an app attached to an iCal event).Check out Rod's announcement post for more details and to download a copy of the new PackRat version. As usual, PackRat will function as a non-expiring demo that allows working with 4 pages, while a license costs $24.95.
Xbox 360: now with H.264, MPEG-4, PlaysForSure
Color us tickled, but we totally missed some of the finest points of all in Microsoft's Xbox 360 spring Dashboard update: they're totally tricking out the video (finally!). No longer will we be confined to our very least favorite video codec, WMV -- the new update will enable Windows Media Connect or Media Center streaming MPEG-4 up to 8Mbps, H.264 up to 15Mbps, and PlaysForSure WMV videos (and, as we understand it, PlaysForSure audio as well). Wow, finally we can actually use the 360 to play video that wasn't recorded off our Media Center or converted by our Zune software (cough, hack). See, was that so hard, Microsoft? Now just hold on to your asses until the week of May 7th, Xbox fans, that's all you've gotta do.
Should politics look more like games?
You can almost hear the stereotypical, out-of-touch old-timer in your head: "What's the matter with kids today? They'll spend hours playing that darned Grand Theft Auto, but they won't take any time to take part in the political process." Well, maybe the problem isn't with the kids, but with the political process itself.That's the argument presented in a recent Slate review of Stephen Duncombe's Dream: Re-imagining Progressive Politics in the Age of Fantasy. While open-ended games like GTA offer near-unlimited room to explore and learn, today's campaigns only seem interested in on dehumanizing efficiency and a lock-step, with-us-or-against-us style of support. The reviewer suggests we do away with political volunteers that are "relegated to the role of sign-toting spectator" and start promoting Duncombe's idea of "dreams the public can mold and shape themselves ... dreams that one knows are dreams but which still have power to attract and inspire."The review is short on specifics on how to do this, but we can think of a few ways to make political support more like a game. How about unlockable bonus candidates if you get enough people together for a rally? Or a create-a-candidate mode where your favorite politician goes through plastic surgery based on a straw poll of appealing features? The possibilities are endless.
Microsoft 'enhances' Xbox 360 support
Next Generation tells us about Microsoft's new-and-improved Xbox 360 warranty support, including faster service and something the company calls "cost-free shipping." (As opposed to fat-free, perhaps?)Microsoft is also offering to replace any first-party 360 game discs that are damaged -- even if it's your fault. The catch? You gotta send in your broken disc ... along with a cool $20. So why does Microsoft label this a "limited time offer?" You'd think they'd be psyched to reap another $20 for the same software you already spent $60 on and weren't allowed to back up. (Thanks so much, DMCA!)
Will iTunes truly support interoperability?
Earlier this week, Apple and EMI broke some serious ground in the digital music industry by announcing DRM-free music across the entirety of EMI's catalog, beginning with the iTunes Store. In the conference call, Steve Jobs cited interoperability as a key reason for the move; songs downloaded from the iTunes Store can only be played on iTunes, the iPod and other Apple products, and the record labels EMI decided to do something about this handicap. Everyone, from consumers to the EU, have been asking for the abolishment of DRM, and reactions to Steve Jobs' Thoughts on Music essay (which more or less agreed with us) ran the gamut, from Cory Doctorow's shoot-from-the-hip-and-not-from-the-head call-out to general intrigue and interest in what could actually happen to an industry when one of its front-runners calls for change. Regardless of what was said, EMI has taken the first step into a world of selling legitimate digital music sans-DRM through the iTunes Store. The big question, however, is how truly interoperable iTunes will allow these new downloads will be.iTunes Store songs are in the AAC file format, not MP3. While this arguably standard/non-standard file type is considered by some to be proprietary to Apple and/or the iTunes Store, this is entirely not the case. Plenty of other software and DAPs (Digital Audio Players) support the AAC format, even including, as John Gruber points out, Microsoft's own iPod competitor, the Zune. If these non-Apple products don't support AAC, they easily could with a software plugin or firmware upgrade.More important, however, is the fact that the iTunes Store is still the world's most popular legitimate digital download store, and that popularity could skyrocket even farther once they unleash these much, much higher quality downloads (higher than any digital store I know of) in a legitimate, affordable and DRM-free download. The newfound interoperability that Apple is boasting for its present and soon-to-be customers could meet a roadblock, however, if the company doesn't build compatibility for non-iPod devices into the iTunes software itself. While customers can buy DRM-free AAC files through the iTS, iTunes is still the gateway for easily moving those files from one's computer to a DAP, and the claims of interoperability and unparalleled experience could crumble quickly as consumers plug in their Creative Zens, Microsoft Zunes and [insert non-iPod here], only to find out that iTunes scoffs at their non-Apple-branded device.Will Apple support other DAPs in iTunes? Could we see a 'sync with TiVo' option in the preferences of a forthcoming iTunes 7.5? Time will only tell, but Apple and EMI just opened the doors on the issues of DRM and interoperability - we'll just have to see whether consumers who own something other than an iPod are actually invited to the party.
Is it cheaper to fake a battery repair than to buy new?
Notebook batteries aren't cheap these days, and our own Conrad Quilty-Harper from across the pond (of both TUAW and Engadget fame) blogged a little experiment to give his MacBook some new mobile legs. With a total of 11 parts replaced in six months (which is far more than required to put a machine to sleep for good), he decided it was time Apple threw him a bone and called support for a battery replacement. The Apple rep told him that if he didn't return his old 'n busted battery upon receiving the shiny new one, they would charge him £71 (~$138 USD). Fair enough, but a trip to the UK Apple Store online revealed that new batteries off the shelf cost £99 (~$192) - and that's quite a difference in price no matter where you hang your hat.Now we aren't sure if the math works the same way in other countries or even the US, and we don't exactly condone calling Apple for no good reason to score or even swap out for a new battery, especially since Apple could very well charge you anyway for making a bogus call and sending them a perfectly functioning battery (i.e. - pull this stunt at your own risk). This might be useful, however, if you're truly experiencing power issues whilst untethered and saving every penny on a replacement counts.
Beat the Genius Bar lines: Quick Drop your Mac
No, we aren't recommending that you pull a drive-by drop-off at your nearest Apple Store, but The Consumerist has a nice tip for beating those Genius Bar blues. Apparently, an anonymous and "disgruntled" Apple Store support employee sent them a tip on how to get the Geniuses behind the bar to whip out a 'Quick Drop' form, which allows you to simply fill out some paperwork and leave your Mac with the store. This allows you to work around all that pesky time waiting in line and getting diagnosed. So if you're in a hurry, head over to The Consumerist and read the full letter to get the run-down on how to save what little time you have.[Update: It's sounding like this tip might be bogus. We're receiving comments from those who claim to work at an Apple Store (we obviously can't verify) that the Quick Drop form doesn't exist, and the only way to receive any kind of express service at an Apple Store is to purchase a ProCare membership.]
Ring of Death: An Xbox 360 story -- Part 1
A tragedy befell a colleague yesterday. For the second time during his tenure of owning an Xbox 360, he experienced the red Ring of Death. This isn't some new system he picked up at the store inexplicably dying on him, this was a system he received directly from Microsoft after his original console kicked the bucket a month after launch.Now, this blogger has his own personal problems with the Xbox 360's loading tray. The Microsoft Xbox 360 defense force said I must have messed with my loading tray to make it not work properly, because obviously when you own a $400 piece of equipment you try to break it and experience all the joy of warranty red tape. Well, as much as this blogger might try to keep his system out of harm's way, it in no way compares to my colleague -- he is über-tech-master-extreme. With a projection HDTV in his incredible loft, everything is neat and proper in a perfect place. Unless he has some form of technological Munchausen by Proxy Syndrome, he certainly didn't mess with his system.So, last night he called up India (what, you didn't know Xbox support is in India?), and now he waits to receive the box from support which should arrive in 4 to 5 days, to send his Xbox 360, once again, to Texas for repair. We'll be tracking the progress of his system. Last time it took a few weeks to get the console back, let's see how long it takes this time. It'd be more comforting to know these tales of Xbox 360 malfunctions were the stuff of message boards and YouTube videos, instead of people with one or two degrees of separation from each other having problems.
Microsoft extends support for Windows XP Home / MCE
If you thought Microsoft was just going to bail out on all the Windows XP Home and Media Center Edition users now that copies of Vista are flying off online shelves worldwide, here comes that assurance you've been yearning for. Although most of the folks in Redmond seem to be preoccupied with ironing out the forecasted Fiji service pack, the firm has announced that as of today, it will be extending the support phase for Windows XP Home / MCE users to match that already given to XP Professional owners. With the addition of the "Extended Support," the aid life cycle for the two operating systems will include "a total of five years of mainstream support (until April 2009), as well as five years of extended support." Of course, we highly doubt you're seriously planning on using an old-news OS for another couple years, but hey, Gates' crew is there if you need 'em.
Wii Warm Up: Old-school flavor
As much as we want to believe that the Wiimote is the end-all-be-all for video games, we have to concede that there are several genres in which a traditional controller is a more appropriate choice. Nintendo has already noted that Super Smash Bros. Brawl will use a standard controller, but ... which is it? Though Gamecube controller support has yet to be officially confirmed, we have to assume a player may choose between the GC standard and their own classic controller, offered for twenty dollars.What's the problem? Well, the classic controller sucks. If you want four-player Smash (and my God you do), you'll need to spend an additional eighty dollars on peripherals that you might never use again. Furthermore, as it plugs into the expansion port, you have to deal with the awkward Wiimote just sitting in your lap. On the flip side, how many retailers have been carrying copious quantities of Wavebirds? They're still out there, of course, but Nintendo may have to conduct a Wavebird relaunch campaign for those of us who don't already have the gear. What are you hoping for, and how do you think Nintendo can pull it off?
Apple TV and iPhone forums open at Apple Discussions
Did your brand new iTV just go on the iFritz? Or possibly your iPhone took a cue from Mr. Jobs and prank called Japa- Wait, they aren't out yet?Well, maybe these two shiny new pre-release Apple Discussion forums, one for the Apple TV and another for the iPhone, will still come in handy for chatting about everything you need before you lay down your credit card(s). Topics are already flying in these forums, such as whether the iPhone's EDGE data speed is really all that bad, how much the data plan will cost in the first place and how to get your DVD movies into iTunes for transmission to the Apple TV. With all this chatter going on already, you should be well-prepared once these products actually land.
Patch 2.0.5 Issues
Apparently patch 2.0.5 came out overnight last night or early this morning. A lot of users are getting an "Unable to validate game version" error (pictured above) along with a myriad of other connection problems. The official forums are also down, or so slow as to be effectively down. I'm going to guess that perhaps your game version is fine and this will sort itself out in the next few hours as the patch gets distributed. Thanks to everyone for submitting this as a topic suggestion, there's too many of you to credit directly.UPDATE 10:54 from the in-game Breaking News:"The 2.0.5 client-side patch has caused issues with our authentication system. These issues can cause players to be suddenly disconnected from the game, as well as prevent them from logging in to the game. We are working to resolve this issue as soon as possible and will provide you with updates as soon as they are available."UPDATE 11:30 The realms are accessible, or at least mine is. The forums are also back online and usable.
Reverting your iPod back to 1.2 from 1.2.1
An ongoing discussion over at the Apple.com support forums led me to this tip from Macintouch about reverting your iPod back to firmware version 1.2. Many of the posters there have reported complaints about firmware 1.2.1 causing lockups. Paul Constantine writes that smart playlists have been killing his iPod, so he figured out how to downgrade. The secret lies in making sure only the 1.2 files are in your ~/Library/iTunes/iPod Software Updates/ folder and disconnecting from the Internet so you cannot download newer versions. You'll find the complete how-to here.
Which publisher is the PSP's biggest supporter? [Update 1]
The other day I got to thinking about how many antelope it would take to kill a professional wrestler. After I was done thinking about that, I wondered which publisher is the biggest supporter of the PSP. Then I remembered that I have no life and also blog on a PSP site, so I decided to get an answer to that question. Before I started looking into it, I assumed Capcom would be in first or second place for supporters just judging my library and what I typically see in stores.Surprisingly, they weren't even the third biggest supporter with only ten games on the system. My next hunch was that either EA or Ubisoft (being the giant companies they are) must have the most games on the PSP. They do have a lot of games out, but at eleven games each, they can't take the crown of biggest supporter. Activision did beat out many contenders with their number of games totaling fourteen, but they also were not the winner. So who is the PSP's biggest supporter? While this may or may not be surprising, it's Sony themselves. SCEA has at least twenty-six games on their own platform and easily bested all comers with their release library. While a first-party publisher winning may be obvious, to many PSP fans (including myself), I often think Sony isn't doing enough to support their portable. While that may or may not be true, they still have by far the most games out on the platform. Let's just hope that Sony as well as other publishers continue to be kind to our beloved portable in this new year. [Via Gamespot][Update 1: Fixed font error.]
AMD Live! to support HD DVD / Blu-ray in Q3 2007
The cat and mouse game being played by Intel's Viiv and AMD Live! isn't exactly enthralling, especially when you consider a vast majority of the HTPCs out there get along perfectly fine without either label slapped on them. Nevertheless, AMD is hoping to garner a bit more attention by announcing that its media-centric platform will be gettin' friendly with HD DVD and Blu-ray late next year. In a (likely futile) attempt to grab a "bigger share of the multimedia market," AMD Live! will be supporting the two major high definition movie formats as of "Q3 2007," and sources with PC vendors reportedly stated that it could prove to be a boost for the blue-laser market. So while a select few wait around to see what the fuss will be about this time next year, we'll probably be content with all the options already surrounding us.
Blizzard -- Holiday support hours
Tseric announced today the Blizzard support hours for the upcoming holiday long weekend. For those of you who can't access the official forums, the post is re-printed below and continues after the break. What have your experiences been like with Blizzard's support team, both in-game and through their email and support forums? I've personally only used their Mac support forums, where the team has been incredibly responsive to the userbase. Let us know how Blizzard's been treating you, and if you think their support hours will have any affect on your gaming experience.From the forums:The Warcraft Series (including World of Warcraft) Battle.net Open Technical Support Forum Live Technical Support will be available for a half-day this coming Friday, December 22th from 9:00AM-3:30PM Pacific Standard Time (PST) and will be closed on Monday, December 25th due to the national holiday. Please note that while the Technical Support department will be unavailable, our GM Department will be available at all hours throughout the holiday season.
