Workaround
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SoonR Talk workaround enables VoIP on your iPhone
For those only interested in fielding VoIP calls on an iPhone, we're pretty sure Cisco could hook you up, but if you've been wondering how to utilize Skype on your Apple iPhone, this here workaround spills the beans. Admittedly, this method is far from seamless, but by installing the famed SoonR Talk application on your home PC and logging into the AJAX-enabled SoonR website on your handset, a new way of calling instantly emerges. As with other handsets that support AJAX interfaces, you can reportedly view and call Skype buddies through your iPhone, but you should be aware that SkypeOut credits will be used due to the PSTN leg needed to dial your mobile. Inelegant as it may be, VoIP has now invaded the (non-Cisco) iPhone.
No UBRS key for you!
Call me crazy, but I am still collecting Azeroth keys and attunements. It's this thing I have with needing to complete things. I realize fully that I will hardly ever go to UBRS now that I am 70 (it's a Murphy's Law thing), but should any of the lower members of the guild need entrance for attunements or gear of their own (my guild is full of collectors just like me), then I will be able to help them out. I have two out of the three gems needed, and have in my spare time been running the instance with our guild leader trying for the third. So imagine my irritation when I read today on QJ.net that the quest line is bugged, severely. Vaelen, the schmoe who gives you the quest in the first place, is now in the habit of deleting the quest and your quest items when you talk to him. Now, this isn't right by any stretch of the imagination. Vrakhris mentioned in the forum post that Blizz knows about the problem, and are working on fixing it in an upcoming patch. Meanwhile, there's a workaround to tide us over.
Towel wrap curing Xbox 360 red ring of doom? Nah, not really.
Red ring of doom? Wrap that sucker in towel (actually, don't). Several Xbox 360 owners have reported that the simple practice of wrapping their broken consoles (displaying the 'red ring of doom,' a.k.a. 'red ring of death') in cotton towels, and then running the systems for 10 minutes, restored the units to working order (at least for a few hours). The consoles would work again, if and when the "trick" was repeated.What sounds like urban myth, might actually be steeped in truth. Wrapping a 360 in a towel may mimic the affects of the heat gun fix. That is, apparently the red ring of doom is frequently an indication of a faulty ball grid array (BGA), used to solder the GPU chip. The towel wrap holds in the console's excess heat, likely melting the BGA and re-establishing a temporary connection between the GPU and circuit board. Of course, the heat will also damage numerous plastic parts within the console. Not recommended.[Via Engadget]
DirecTV now friendly with Viiv boxes, other PCs to come?
After DirecTV's long-awaited HR20 HD DVR finally got its rightful announcements and actually hit users' hands, it wasn't too long before folks were plugging and praying in hopes of getting their new toy to play nice with that HTPC beside it. While we knew the two firms had gone hand-in-hand awhile back, we finally got the thumbs-up that a new, Viiv-alicious DirecTV Plus HD DVR would be unveiled soon to interact out-of-the-box with Viiv-enabled systems, but more importantly, that a software update was coming to the plain ole HR20s to accomplish the same thing. The time has come, and users are reporting over at DBSTalk that the "0x108 software" has opened up the Ethernet port for use, and allows browsing / connections via a Viiv-certified machine, but definitely made things difficult for those not exactly keen on shelling out for a few new components. Nevertheless, there's already been somewhat of a workaround worked out, which allows PCs with just Windows MCE installed to "see" the HR20, but not "serve up files in a way that HR20 can work with," which we're all but certain will change as the wheels spin in owners' heads. Reportedly, DirecTV is establishing a dedicated website to getting folks up and running with the new connectivity options, and be sure to keep an eye on the linked thread for any "future developments" regarding non-Viiv-savvy PCs.[Via PVRWire]
Xbox 360's HD DVD drive already functioning on PCs
In you haven't had enough Xbox 360 (let alone Wii and PlayStation 3) news lately, we've got one more tidbit for you. While we knew the device would sport USB connectivity, the recently released (and unboxed) HD DVD add-on drive has reportedly already been hacked to function on plain ole PCs, no Xbox 360 necessary. Utilizing Toshiba drivers, users have apparently been able to not only view the file contents of their HD DVD flicks directly within a Windows XP environment, but have been able to play back the film on PCs well-spec'd enough to handle the load. By enabling the computer to read the UDF (Universal Disc File system) v2.5 -- which is currently used by Toshiba's first generation HD DVD drives -- you can avoid throwing down the coin required for an Xbox 360 if you so choose. But as these roundabouts always go, we wouldn't count on things working out so smoothly for too much longer, especially with HDCP always lurking and waiting to pounce.
