All posts from Crave: The gadget blog

(Credit:
Panasonic)

All week long we've been talking about the popularity of 3D technology, both in the home and in the theater, and we've finally decided to invite someone on the show to answer our questions on the future of home theater. David Katzmaier, senior editor of TVs and home theater for CNET, joins us on today's episode of The 404 podcast to fill us in on the latest developments in the world of 3D TVs and what we can expect to see down the line.

3D TVs were easily the biggest trend at this year's Consumer Electronics Show, but they've only recently started becoming available to consumers. Panasonic announced its first 3D TV bundle at Best Buy earlier this week, but before you run out and drop $2,900, make sure you know exactly what you're getting into. For example, David talks to us about the extra hardware you'll need to purchase along with your 3D TV. Aside from the obvious 3D-compatible television set, you'll also need a 3D Blu-ray player (unless you have a Sony PS3, which will get a 3D firmware upgrade in June 2010), and a couple sets of 3D glasses, since some companies like Sony won't include them with the TVs.

David also points out that although the concept of 3D TVs are definitely exciting, it'll be awhile before enough 3D video games and 3D DVDs come out to justify the high price of the hardware. In the meantime, it's worth the experience to head out to a theater and view a 3D movie, especially with so many titles coming out this year. Avatar and Alice in Wonderland in 3D are still in theaters, and with Titanic and In The Beginning (adaptation of the Genesis story) coming down the pipe, there are plenty of opportunities to familiarize yourself with 3D before writing it off or becoming a fanboy.

We tried to answer as many of your 3D TV questions as possible, but don't stress if we didn't get to yours- there's a good chance that CNET's comprehensive 3D TV FAQ and 3D TV resource guide have your answers. We'll also have David on the show again soon as more 3D TV news unfolds. Have a great weekend everyone!

EPISODE 536
Listen now:

Download today's podcast

Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video

Video coming soon, check back later today!

... Originally posted at The 404 Podcast

(Credit:
Jim Sleeth)

Hey 404 listeners, we're having some trouble with the iTunes feed, so we're hoping that this new blog will address the issue. Thanks for your patience!

Your friends, The 404

EPISODE 535
Listen now:

Download today's podcast

Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video

Check back soon for video, sorry for the delay!

... Originally posted at The 404 Podcast

(Credit:

Derrick Chen/The 404)

The original rundown for today's episode of The 404 Podcast started with a bunch of stories about tech-related violence, but we decided to scrap all that for a more positive show. And we're also putting Wilson on a temporary story time-out for the next few days so this doesn't happen again.

Jeff is particularly excited about this first story because it involves two of his close loves: video games and Playboy bunnies. This fall, Take Two Interactive is partnering with Playboy on Mafia II, a mature video game that lets you play as a gangster in the 1940s and 50s, replete with vintage Playboy magazines and of course, the centerfolds. Before you start writing your local government reps, keep in mind that the images are tastefully integrated into the game's nostalgia, which also includes vintage cars and firearms to invoke the 1940s zeitgeist. Additionally, the scenes in question are fairly tame compared to another Take Two game series, "Grand Theft Auto." Remember the Hot Coffee mod in GTA: San Andreas?

The 404 prides itself on keeping up to date on pop culture trends, but the newest fad amongst teenage girls is churning our stomachs. Across the country, the newest thing is to get intoxicated by an alternative form of ingestion. We'll spare you the details in this blog, because my physical demonstration in the video makes it so much easier to digest. This is why we're absolutely terrified of having kids.

Now that spring has finally decided to visit New York, it's time for backyard BBQs, rooftop parties, and bikes rides! New York certainly isn't the easiest city to navigate on a bicycle, but Google Maps is now offering a cycling navigation feature to guide you along your way. The directions routes you through to your destination by cross-referencing the least busiest streets with the ones that have clearly defined bike lanes, getting you there faster and most importantly, in one piece. Once you get to your destination, however, be sure to do everything you can to minimize the chance of theft.

In perhaps its first practical application, local NY bike messenger Austin Horse successfully recovered his stolen bike using Twitter. After someone snatched his bike, Horse immediately notified his followers to keep a lookout (not too difficult a task- the frame is bright orange) and posted the same to a local message board. In less than 24 hours, someone recovered his vehicle in the Lower East Side and its back with its rightful owner--great news!

Keep sending us voice-mails to 1-866-404-CNET because you know we love to hear how you're doing, and don't forget to send in your 404 sticker pictures to the404(at)cnet[dot]com- high quality shots have a good chance of making it to a blog post, like the one you see up there from our buddy Derrick Chen. Natali Del Conte on the show tomorrow, so be sure to catch us live at 11 a.m. EST/8 a.m. PST on CNET TV.

EPISODE 534
Listen now:

Download today's podcast

Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video

Video coming soon, check back later today!

... Originally posted at The 404 Podcast

Someone get a 404 sticker up there.
(Credit:
J. Jacir)

Fair warning: reading the title of today's show should be an easy goal to achieve, but this morning's 404 podcast preshow had us all so shaken up that we skipped the entire intro altogether. Three grown men squealing about creepy crawlers is a pathetic sight to see, but luckily Mark Licea hops into the studio and gently ushers us back into adulthood. And while we're on the subject of adults, don't fast forward through our story about a surprisingly coherent drunk e-mail we received from Molly Wood last night. Got a funny drunk text story? Leave us a voicemail at 1-866-404-CNET and tell us about it!

One week ago, Sarah Killen's life painted a picture of the typical Twitter user: a couple of mundane posts a day about morning coffee, Oscar commentary, and her love for peanut butter and gummy dinosaurs. All that changed last Friday when she became the first person to get "followed" by former Tonight Show host Conan O'Brien. Conan has more than a half million followers but never followed anyone back; so how did the Lovely Button catch his eye? And how many gummy dinosaurs do we have to eat before we get some love?

(Credit:

CC Curiouslee/Flickr)

We've all eaten our fair share of trashy food, but swallowing a whole USB key might be a little challenging. Florin Necula got into some trouble with the Secret Service, who suspected him of using card readers to steal money from ATM machines. When confronted about the crimes, Florin had no choice but to consume his Kingston USB flash drive that contained incriminating evidence against him. Even more miraculous is that the feds were able to extract the key from his body, intact and still readable! We have our suggestions for what he should have done with the stick, but maybe we'll save that for Thursday.

Plenty of owl-related voice mails as well as a quick discussion on the future of 3D in the home on today's episode of CNET's The 404 Podcast. Thanks for listening!

EPISODE 533
Listen now:

Download today's podcast

Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video

Video coming soon, check back later today!

... Originally posted at The 404 Podcast

Classification: UNCLASSIFIED (Thanks David!)
(Credit:
David Kleparek/The 404)

Today's episode of The 404 Podcast deals with a lot of movies, which makes sense after last night's utterly forgettable Oscar Awards, or so Wilson claims, because he forgot to watch. The awards committee certainly isn't lacking a sense of irony after selecting Sandra Bullock for the Best Female Performance in The Blind Side. The actress also won the Razzie for Worst Female Actor in All About Steve. Audience members were also surprised to see Avatar lose the Best Picture Award to The Hurt Locker, despite the questionable activity of one of its producers prior to the event. It's also interesting to note how the same movies in the Best Picture category ranked on BitTorrent, with District 9 earning the most at over 12 million downloads since its DVD-quality release last September.

Tim Burton's adaption of Alice in Wonderland came out last weekend, and Jeff went to check it out with his fiancee, who festively dressed up as Alice for the showing. Don't get your hopes up though, Jeff sadly left his White Rabbit costume at the dry cleaners. I won't spoil Jeff's personal review of the movie, but let's just say that 91 other movie-goers agree with him on RottenTomatoes.

(Credit:

CinemaBlend)

No matter what you think of AIW, we can all agree that Zach Snyder's new movie Legend of the Guardians will win next year's Oscar for Best Comedy. Based on the novel Guardians of Gha-Hoole, the teaser implies that the movie is about talking owls...fighting in the sky...wearing Elven face masks. Check out these screenshots and join us as we purchase advanced screening tickets live on the show.

All these stories plus some a near-expired batch of Calls From the Public and a news piece about your Grandmother DJing Parisian nightclubs, all on today's episode of The 404!

EPISODE 532
Listen now:

Download today's podcast

Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video

loadUniversalPlayer({playerType: 'ces2010-small',lumiereQueryType: 'id',lumiereQueryValue: '50084607',useCurrentPageUrl: true,relatedVideo: false,preRollAd: true,hideLeftTab:true,wrapperFloat:'none'});

... Originally posted at The 404 Podcast

(Credit:
CNET/The 404)

Today's show title is a little deceptive, and we should be clear that Alison Rosen's mother does not make an appearance on this episode, but Alison's all we need anyway because she's the future of television! We're excited to have her back after a long hiatus, and she updates us on everything going on in her life, including ALISON ROSEN IS YOUR NEW BEST FRIEND, a new weekly interactive show on Ustream that features guests like Michael Showalter and Andrew W.K., in addition to an upcoming segment where Alison will explore the world of online dating. Be sure to add her on Twitter to stay updated.

(Credit:

Alison Rosen)

We're also super excited to show you guys a clip of Natali Del Conte on last night's episode of "The Daily Show"! In a segment called "Tech-Talch," Jon reports on Chatroulette, aka our new favorite Web site, and shows a clip of Natali shielding her eyes as she gives a demo and inevitably stumbles upon a a dude having too much fun. Alison has the common sense to stay off the Web site, even for professional research, so we try to offer her some suggestions on how to make ChatRoulette more fun if you're a girl.

What would you do for five bucks? Twitter posts on a new site called Fiverr attempt to answer that question, and a lot of people are offering compelling services for five bones. If you can scrounge together some cash, you can turn into a dead jedi, get your fortune read, and even get a private wake-up call! Ooooh, invasive!

Many thanks to Alison for joining us this morning; we always have a lot of fun with her, and you should too! Head over to AlisonRosen.com, read her blog, write her a poem, download her iPhone app, and look for her again soon on The 404!

EPISODE 531
Listen now:

Download today's podcast

Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video

Video coming soon, check back later today!

... Originally posted at The 404 Podcast

Why yes, I do have 35 cents! Just not for you...
(Credit:
Eric Franklin/CNET)

Ladies and gentlemen, you are about to once again experience The Experience. That's right, Dong has officially changed his name to The Experience. I think he's lobbying for a spot on the next ... Originally posted at Inside CNET Labs Podcast

Aunt Jill Schlesinger joins the show today to talk about the value of bagels. That's right Wilson for the last two days has started the show by munching down on his new brunch fave: a onion bagel with lox and vegetable cream cheese. She makes her recommendations for the best bagels in town, so take a listen and you might be surprised to find out that she's in love with a bagel made by a Vietnamese guy. In the mean while, she tells Justin that given his meager investments of $0.16 in his IRA that he should just file the 1040EZ.

This $5.95 bagel might be the best investment you've ever made.
(Credit:
CBS/Wilson G. Tang)

When we finally get into some questions, Jill spreads her financial love. First up was a question about whether one should pay down their student loan debt or shove it under their pillows. Aunt Jill says the equation is simple. First, have about six to twelve months of living expenses saved up. Second, pay down your debt if the interest rate is higher on the debt than your savings, which more than likely is the case now.

(Credit:
Tk Kodzo)

Next, we had a question about whether to throw your money into a 401k account. One listener doesn't trust the market, but given his age, Jill says that he should man up and put his money into the market. He's got 40 years of work left and during that time the market is going to go up. There will be some downs she says, but more ups than downs. Jeff thinks at the rate Social Security is going though that he might have another 70 years left of working.

We got lots, lots more questions answered on this surprisingly educational episode of The 404. Just to keep it in the tech world, we asked Jill if there were any technology-related investments that we should make. Jill points out that this is the ultimate "put all your eggs in one basket" for people who work in tech! Spread the risk! Wilson thinks that he should take all his money out of APPL right now.

Per usual, we love having Jill on the show, and if you have any more questions for her, be sure to add her on the Twitter at @jillonmoney. In the meanwhile, add The 404 at @the404, or the rest of the guys at @rhapsodyartist, @jeffbakalar and @malusbrutus. Plus, you can check out her daily ramblings at CBS MoneyWatch. Call in and leave your Jill love at 1-866-404-CNET (2638). Tomorrow, we have the lovely Alison Rosen on the show to talk all manners inappropriate.

EPISODE 530
Listen now:

Download today's podcast

Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video

Video coming soon, check back later today!

... Originally posted at The 404 Podcast

(Credit:

Samuel Kiel/The 404)

It's been far too long between visits, but CNET reporter Caroline McCarthy is back in New York and joins our sewing circle today on The 404 Podcast. Lately it's been difficult to track down our favorite jet setter, so Caroline's Dopplr feed comes in handy for locating her on a globe. We start things off with a chat with Caroline about her recent travels and why "Up in the Air" brought tears to her eyes. CMC tells us about her two favorite airlines to travel and the luxurious amenities offered to those special travelers that can somehow find a way to sneak into the Executive Lounge. We had no idea that airports have showers, and we're starting to scheme on how we can match her frequent flier miles...

This is Caroline McCarthy on a better show than ours.

On the topic of movies, movie-goers might be thrilled or crushed to hear that a Zoolander sequel is in the works. Ben Stiller and writer Justin Theroux are both back for the next movie, but my fellow hosts are disappointed to learn that Jonah Hill is close to getting signed to play the villain. More disappointing news: Owen Wilson has yet to confirm his reprisal of Hansel, w ho might or might not be so hot right now. However, the entire conversation gets derailed when Caroline drops a bomb on the studio and makes a polarizing comparison to the original Zoolander that has Jeff reaching for the mute button.

Caroline also tells us about the wacky citizens of Topeka, Kansas unofficially changing its name to "Google" in a sell-out move to be the first city to test Google's fiber-optic technology. As pathetic as it sounds, I guess anything is better than ToPikachu. Also, just a side note: you need to click this to witness Caroline's master MS Paint skills. Who needs Photoshop?

The big story in the tech and entertainment world today is The Daily Show and Colbert Report getting yanked from Hulu after the two couldn't reach an agreement over extended rights from Comedy Central and its parent company, Viacom Inc. Fans of the shows can still watch full episodes on comedycentral.com, but Wilson and Caroline have their own predictions for their final destinations.

EPISODE 529
Listen now:

Download today's podcast

Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video

Video coming soon, check back later today!

... Originally posted at The 404 Podcast

Thanks to Shaun and his twin daughters Chloe & Kira for today's 404 featured sticker pic!
(Credit:
Shaun Davis/The 404)

Ten years after Y2K, the folks over at Sony still can't seem to remember to set their clocks right. The major firmware bug that shut down (almost) everyone's Playstation 3s over the weekend turned out to a glitch in the "clock functionality incorporated in the system," according to Patrick Seybold, Sony's senior director of corporate communications and social media. Despite the company's claims that the glitch has been fixed, we're still harboring some serious doubts that Sony did anything to fix it and probably just waited until March 1st in hopes that the bug would fix itself, which thankfully- it did. So go ahead and stop caressing your consoles and return the drums of apple sauce you bought to survive the Armageddon, and...turns out the Mayan calendar ended two years earlier, and much less severely than predicted.

It's okay Wilson...you can stay.

In less serious news, a new iPhone app called TigerText will hopefully help you succeed where Tiger failed. The application acts as a third party call center for your text messages and erases your texts after a given period of time that you specify. Your options for lifespan go from thirty days all the down to just one minute, depending on the NSFW-ness of your texts. Both parties must pay for the service ($2.49 per month), and the app is only available for the iPhone for now (Blackberry and Android support coming soon), but that's a small price to pay for the freedom to send those "Hey...you awake?" texts at 3AM on a Saturday night.

Finally, we're happy to report that despite accusations of child labor abuse, Wilson G. Tang is still happily riding the Apple train, except that this time we're actually right there with him. Apple recently released a report that exposed three facilities in China that employed underage workers to build its products. Apple subsequently terminated all of its contracts with that factory, but certain outlets continues to blow the story out of proportion, when in fact Apple independently investigated a situation that they had no legal responsibility to address, which deserves commendation in our book. You win this round, Tang...

All this plus a face-melting psychoanalysis Calls From the Public segment you won't want to miss on today's episode of CNET's The 404 Podcast!

EPISODE 528
Listen now:

Download today's podcast

Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video

Video coming soon, check back later today!

... Originally posted at The 404 Podcast

(Credit:
Case Lumbra/The 404)

We have no idea what today's show title means, so we're happy to welcome Audiophiliac Steve Guttenberg back on the show to spell it out for us. He's also here to officially kick off "The Audiophillie Music Awards for Excellence in Recorded Sound" contest! Read Steve's blog on the contest here. Keep in mind that this is not "American Idol," so entries won't be judged by musical talent, but on the quality of the recording itself. This is your chance to prove your recording skills and promote your favorite unsigned band, so submit your entry on a CD and you'll be entered to win a pair of Monster Turbine Cooper or Monster Turbine Gold in-ear headphones!

Click here for official rules and entry form (must complete and send along with CD). The contest ends on April 17, so good luck everyone!

(Credit:
Michael Ngai/The 404)

The phrase "private Web browsing" has always been a bit of an oxymoron, but a new site called HaveYourFriendsBeenThere threatens to broadcast your NSFW surfing to your closest friends and family. We're not exactly sure how it works, but the site works like this: you create a customized list of "naughty" Web sites, HYFBT generates a link that you can send to friends, and you wait for the results to come in, essentially catching your friends in the act. Think before you click on random URLs and don't forget to clear your history, people!

We've got plenty more to talk about in today's rundown, including a wrap-up of last night's spectacular hockey game, an update on the massive PSN meltdown and a segment we like to call, "What the hell did Justin do in his sleep last night?"

Finally, our hearts go out to the victims of the Chilean earthquake, and we urge all our listeners to join us in donating money to help. It's super easy; just text "Chile" to 25383 for Habitat for Humanity, 20222 for World Vision, 85944 for the International Medical Corp, or 52000 for the Salvation Army, and your $10 donation will automatically get added to your monthly phone bill.

EPISODE 527
Listen now:

Download today's podcast

Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video

Video coming soon, check back later today!

... Originally posted at The 404 Podcast

Little does Dong know, I already have a beta key! Just kidding...or am I? :)
(Credit:
Blizzard)

In this economy, states (and by extension, cities) will do whatever it takes to make money. Especially deficit-prone California, whose financial woes trickle down to San Francisco. This week, Dong discusses his own ... Originally posted at Inside CNET Labs Podcast