The Good NET Guide

Posts Tagged ‘party’

So, this Move .

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The Playstation Move: Everything old is new again, if you ask Sony

We told you about Sony’s new concept cameras that were announced during PMA , and now that things have calmed down a bit, we’re starting to see some details. Specifically, what’s going on with the menu system, and what exactly is going to make these cameras so interesting.

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Sony shows off the Alpha concept camera menus and screenshots

Acoustica’s Mixcraft 5.0 is a multi-track recording studio that allows you to record audio, use pre-defined loops, create videos, and more. They like to call it a kind of “Garage Band for Windows”, and it certainly does let you do a lot. Anyone familiar with multi-track editing won’t be intimidated by this, but even if you’re new to the party, you should find the learning curve to be reasonable.

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Review: Acoustica Mixcraft 5

The TiVo Premiere will be here real soon so it isn’t much of a surprise to see a Series 3 on Woot . You might want to consider it, too.

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That TiVo Series 3 on Woot isn’t a bad deal

When it was announced that retailer Walmart would buy streaming movie startup Vudu a couple days ago, a number of sites wondered what it would mean for Vudu’s adult content. Here’s what it means: bye bye.

An email is currently being sent out by Vudu letting its After Dark (the adult portion of its service run with adult publication AVN) partners that the section will be discontinued in the “coming days.” Find the full email at the bottom of this post.

Vudu has the distinction of being the only major streaming service with an adult section which includes hundreds of titles (including many in HD) from the leading porn studios. This section also allowed for “discreet billing” so movie titles wouldn’t appear on statements. Walmart, on the other hand, couldn’t be any more the opposite with regard to its adult content policy. As in, there is none allowed in its stores. Famously, in some cases it will also only agree to carry edited versions of explicit music albums.

This move comes at a time when Apple is also removing what it considers to be explicit material from the App Store (though none of it was technically porn). Though there are now hints it may launch a new explicit area of the store at a later time.

Below, find the email going out to Vudu partners. As you can see, it’s asking partners to voluntary terminate the agreement amicably, even though the existing terms aren’t up yet. We’ve reached out to Vudu and Walmart about the shutdown, but they have yet to get back to us. We’ll update when they do.

Dear VUDU After Dark Partner,

As you may have recently heard, VUDU was acquired by Wal-Mart. In conjunction with this acquisition we will be discontinuing the “After Dark” adult service over the coming days. Upon completion of the shutdown process, we will settle all accounts with you and ensure that you are paid the full amount you are owed under our existing agreement.

Attached to this agreement, please find a voluntary termination notice to our existing distribution agreement. As there has been no breach of contract by either party, there are no grounds to terminate the agreement under its existing terms. However, given the discontinuation of After Dark, we believe it makes sense for both sides to voluntary terminate the agreement. The alternative is to allow the agreement to expire under the existing terms, but we believe this is cleaner for all parties.

We ask that you complete, sign and return this termination notice at your earliest convenience. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Update: A Walmart spokesperson further confirms the news:

“I can confirm that we no longer offer that content and that customers who previously purchased movies with adult content will receive a full refund.”

According to the FCC, about 93 million Americans don’t use fast, broadband Internet, citing cost and complexity as a factor in their refusal to enter the 20th century.

The study, below, found that 80 million adults and 13 million children either still use dial-up or don’t use the Internet at all at home, suggesting that either the survey methodology might be flawed or we’re in serious trouble.

Investment giant Fidelity is getting into the mobile game with a new iPhone app. Fidelity’s free app allows you to monitor your portfolio, trades, research investments, and follow daily market news on the go.

With the app, you can track your portfolio and monitor positions, balances, and intraday valuations of accounts. The app also lets you trade stocks, mutual funds, ETFs and options from within the app and lets you check the status of your orders.

In terms of data intelligence, Fidelity’s app provides you with charts that will compare the value of your stocks. And the app streams financial news from various business news sources including MarketWatch, and Reuters. Users can also get real-time quotes and maintain a watch list for particular stocks. Morningstar has an iPhone apps that lets you track investments and Mint’s iPhone app also allows you to monitor your personal finance.

Earlier this week we told you guys that Windows Mobile 6.5 was going to stick around after Windows Phone 7 hits the masses. It would even take on a new name — Windows Phone Classic.

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Microsoft to WinMo 6.5 devices: You want WinPho 7? You can’t handle WinPho 7!

Christian media company Salem Communications this morning confirmed reports that it had acquired Hot Air, the conservative blog started by author and journalist Michelle Malkin, for an undisclosed sum.

The news comes after Mediaite yesterday reported the acquisition as a done deal, although neither party confirmed the agreement until earlier this morning.

Hot Air was started by Malkin on April 24, 2006 as a “conservative Internet broadcast network” and is currently managed by editors Ed Morrissey and (someone who goes by the pseudonym) AllahPundit on a day-to-day basis. The Hot Air blog will join Townhall.com as part of Salem’s Internet division, Salem Web Network (SWN).

Combined, the two conservative websites will reach 3 million unique readers, Salem claims, although the media company didn’t specify whether those are monthly uniques.

Press release:

Salem Communications Acquires HotAir.com

Blog Site Joins With Townhall to Create Largest Conservative News and Commentary Voice on the Web

WASHINGTON, DC–(Marketwire – February 18, 2010) – Salem Communications (NASDAQ: SALM), a leading U.S. radio broadcaster, Internet content provider and magazine publisher targeting audiences interested in faith, family and conservative values, announced today at the Conservative Political Action Conference that it has acquired HotAir.com — the popular right-of-center blog showcasing the news, analysis and commentary of Ed Morrissey and AllahPundit — from Michelle Malkin.

HotAir.com — combined with Townhall.com — creates the largest conservative commentary, analysis, and news network on the Web with more than 3 million unique readers.

Best-selling author, blogger, and syndicated columnist Michelle Malkin, who started HotAir.com in 2006, said of the acquisition, “HotAir has experienced phenomenal growth — beyond our wildest expectations. With its established radio platform and fast-growing Internet brands, Salem is perfectly positioned to take HotAir to the next level as a conservative multimedia powerhouse.”

Jonathan Garthwaite, VP & General Manager of Townhall/HotAir, commenting on the acquisition said, “I have always respected Michelle Malkin and the insights and opinions presented by HotAir. I look forward to working with Ed Morrissey and AllahPundit during a critical period in determining our country’s future. The combination of the #1 conservative opinion and news site and the #1 conservative news and commentary blog creates a real force for conservative values in 2010 and beyond,” he added.

Townhall/HotAir is a part of Salem Communications’ Internet division, Salem Web Network (SWN). Tom Perrault, Senior Vice President of SWN, said, “The addition of HotAir doubles the size of Salem’s expanding footprint in online conservative commentary. It’s a perfect fit for us, since we can leverage talk radio, print and other online assets to aggressively grow the site, while offering political organizations and advertisers an even more effective way to reach and engage the conservative audience.”

“The acquisition by Salem Communications is an exciting step for HotAir. I am looking forward to working with my good friends at Salem with their large radio network and websites,” said HotAir blogger Ed Morrissey. “I have worked for a very good friend and mentor for the last two years, Michelle Malkin. Congratulations to Michelle for her vision and hard work in turning HotAir into one of the most frequented political websites,” Morrissey added.

“It’s an honor to work with a company as respected as Salem and an amazing opportunity to expand HotAir’s reach ahead of the midterm elections,” said AllahPundit, who blogs under a pseudonym. “Eternal thanks to Michelle Malkin, for having taken a chance on me when no one else would. I can never repay her for her kindness.”

In the US we have a somewhat myopic view of cell phones. We have iPhones and Blackberrys and now Androids and Nexuses for smartphones, and a whole bunch of feature phones from manufacturers like LG and Motorola and Samsung. Notably absent from most wireless stores in the U.S.

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Et tu, Nokia?