7 Friday Links

1 - Un-watermarking ITunes Plus - I don't think this is necessary, but for those of you who are paranoid....
2 - Lifehacker Top 10 Network Utilites - some of my favorite Network Utilities here
3 - Get Your DRM-Free Music From Warner While You Can - It won't last for long
4 - Who Knew That Fishermen Don't Know old Undersea Copper Cables from Important Undersea Fiber Optic Cables? funny story, but not...
5 - Inside the YouTube of Games - Kongregate is working to be the YouTube of games. I wrote about it in an earlier blog post here
6 - HTPC Media Center for $60 - Using Media Portal and an underpowered PC for watching divx/mp3's
7 - Updates on S1Digital CableCARD Enabled PC's - From Chris Lanier's Blog

Have a great weekend!
Don't forget you can find a Wii this weekend at CircuitCity and you can get DivxPro for free today.

Free Harry Potter Movie Ticket with Wii Game Purchase

EBGames is offering a "free movie ticket offer good towards any admission, up to $8.50, to Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix™. Offer expires on 08/13/07 and cannot be combined with any other offer, gift card, rebate or other discount coupons. Valid only at participating theatres in the United States. Limit one offer per person."

Per digg

Divx Pro Licensed Software Free Today Only

You can get a licensed copy of the DivX Pro software absolutely FREE through June 8th! Windows & Mac Versions Available... DivX is an encoding standard that is used for a few movie files. DivX allows for compressing almost 1.5 times more than the conventional formats like .avi etc. Direct Download is here: http://www.divx.com/dff/

For you snapstream users, this will upgrade your divx version on your webadmin.

You Can Find a Wii Console IN STOCK This Weekend

I've been searching far and wide for a Wii Console and have unearthed several useful ways to find the difficult-to-locate Nintendo Wii Game Machine. I found mine today and you can too. Sunday, June 10th Circuit City will have in stock at least ten Wii game systems in each of their stores.

I actually found my Wii Game Machine using the "back door" for Gamestop. Here's how it works:

HOW TO FIND A WII IN STOCK IN YOUR AREA

Back to that backdoor site for finding a Wii console at Gamestop.  I'm guessing most of you are finding Wii Consoles easier now, but if not here's how I found mine:

1. Enter the following hyperlink into your web browser - LINK

2. You should see a page like this one (screen-shot of my area)

You can see that even today, there are none in stock at Gamestops near me.  (it often does say more on the way so don't get too excited about that)

3. Now in your browser link, change the zip=64158 to your local zip code and hit ENTER

4. It should bring up a list of all the stores in your area ranked by closest to that zip code.  The second column will show if that store has any units in stock.

5. If you really want one and it shows a unit in stock.  Call the store - don't wait as they sell fast.  If they say there is one in stock head over there now - as I said the sell fast so go get one if you want one.

For other ways to find a Wii Console online and at brick-and-mortar stores, check out this post:

 

 

RELATED STORIES:

Review of the wireless sensor bar

Get a Free Cushion Remote Jacket for Your Wii Remote

Wii Hacked: Play DVD's with a Wii Console

Convert Classic Nintendo Controllers to work with Wii

 

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Play Wii Games with Up to FIFTEEN players/remotes?

Have you used the Wii Game Console to entertain at parties? The Wii is a great machine for having friends over because of the way the games play. Currently up to four people can play one game with four Wii remotes. The Game Influence Weblog is reporting that Fifteen Wii remotes could work with one Wii. I'm not sure if this is for real since there aren't any Wii games that handle more than four people, but I salivate at the possibilities of larger groups playing Wii games. Imagine a sports game where fifteen people are involved in the game at one time. It sounds fun, but dangerous at the same time. Even with one person bowling at a time, people have injured themselves or others playing Wii bowling and tennis.

Fifteen Wii Remotes Article on Game Influence Weblog

Other Articles on the Wii:

How to Find a Wii Game Machine

Other Wii Articles

How to Find Legal, Full Episode, TV Shows Online

How do you find the TV shows that are online? TV Networks are making shows available online more andmore now, but you have to look all over the web to find them. I'm talking about the shows that are listed legally of course and not those you find on torrent sites around the internet. I've found some sites that compile comprehensive listings of full TV episodes and also review other ways of finding those shows you are looking for.

Trivial TV is a great site where you can find a very comprehensive list of TV shows online with the links to the online TV show videos. It is made up of shows hosted on Apple's Itunes, Amazon Unbox, Netflix Watch Now, Google Video and the various Network sites. This site also has a "reverse lookup" where you can choose a date and find out what aired on network tv that day. Another nice thing trivialtv does is they list new episodes added online each week. This alone makes the site a must-see.

To lookup TV shows online by name, go to Trivial TV's Episode Finder. Here you will find all online tv shows sorted alphabetically by name. For each episode, it lists a link to where that full episode can be found. When there is a full episode online, this site lists each place the shows can be found including free and fee-based video sites. This is seriously the most comprehensive listing of tv shows with links I've ever seen. Very useful. Another site that has some online tv listings is alluc.org. This one is user-maintained and not as comprehensive, but it has a good database of online tv shows.

If you just want to go directly to the TV Networks online video sites, below is a listing of the various TV Network sites where you can find many full TV show episodes online as well.

Main Networks:

ABC Network - One of the better TV Network Streaming Sites. Includes Grey's Anatomy, Desparate Housewives, Lost, Daybreak and more.

NBC Network - Includes 30 Rock, Heroes (entire first season), Friday Night Lights etc

CBS Network - How I Met YOur Mother, Jericho, NCIS, Survivor, Shark and more

CWTV - Everybody Hates Chris, The Game etc

Other TV Networks:

AOL Television - Includes Classics like Gilligan's Island, Growing Pains, Eight is Enough, Babylon 5, Ben Stiller Show

ABC Family - Includes Kyle XY, Falcon Beach and others

Cartoon Network

Disney - Hannah Montana, That's So Raven etc.

ESPN

Fox On Demand - 24, Drive, Bones, Standoff and Vanish (only available in certain areas)

Nickelodeon - SpongeBob etc

PBS Frontline

Pay-Per Download Online Sites:

These sites are obviously, the big three for paid downloads of shows and in some cases, music.

Netflix Watch Now

Amazon Unbox

Apple Itunes

Lastly, you can search for internet tv shows by name at findinternettv.com - powered by treveo. This is a little more difficult to navigate, but it might be useful if you are looking for an episode or clip by name. This site also has a Streaming Internet TV Stations Guide where you can see what streaming TV stations have online at the time. My last resouce for finding entire episodes online is Peekvid. Peekvid has a directory of entire episodes available online via Youtube and other sites.

Of all the places listed, my favorite interface is Netflix's Watch-Now (Click Here for a review of Netflix Watch Now). The quality is good, and I've experienced no breakup in the picture or delays due to buffering like I do with some of the other sites. The problem with Netflix's Watch-Now is it's not free and its selection is very weak.

Well, that should be enough to keep you busy. Remember, online TV shows is only one of the ways to get those old episodes. Don't forget my other suggestions for Catching up on TV shows during the summer.

If I've missed any sites or ways you use to find online TV shows, let me know.

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Catching Up On TV Shows During the Summer

It's summertime. Usually a very slow time for television, but I use summer as a time to catch up on shows I never saw or series I just missed. I do this four different ways.

1. Recorded on my PVR - I use Beyond TV to record shows and many times entire series that look promising. Unless I'm really intrigued by a show like I was for Heroes, I usually record new series with my PVR and don't watch until I've heard good reviews. On many new series, I don't even start watching until I know they've picked up the next season. I do this because I don't want to get stuck watching a series like "Kidnapped" just to see the network exec's cancel the show right in the middle of the story.

2. Rent DVD's - I'll use netflix or redbox to catch up on entire series. I watched the entire season one of 24 right before season two started and have been hooked ever since. Another show I watched this way was Alias. Davis Freeberg blogged about watching 24 in 24 hours last month.

3. Watch TV Shows Online - I'm actually trying this method over the summer. I watched the first two episodes of "the Tudors" on Netflix Watch-Now and it was a pleasant experience. The trouble with watching TV shows online is finding full, legal episodes. There are several sources of online tv shows - I posted How to find legal, full episodes of TV shows online in a recent weblog post.

4. Watch the few good summer shows - The 4400 and Psych are two decent shows that we watch during the Summer months.

How to Find a Wii Game Machine

NOTE: Check out the Gamestop Back-door link (at the bottom of this post) - this is how I found my Wii console finally.


I've finally decided to buy a Wii machine after playing several games with it. It just appeals to people of all ages and is a good game to add to a game room where we'll be hosting family and friends. Now that I've decided that, I am realizing how scarce these things really are. I can't for the life of me believe how difficult it is to find one over five months after Christmas 2006!

So the search for the elusive Wii begins. I've searched the stores in the KC metro area far and wide to no avail so I'm going to try to use technology to find one online.

1. I found a site called wiidget.com that tracks the Wii machine availablity online. Currently, there are no consoles online, but there are some Wii bundles if you are willing to pay for a bundle with the machine, several controlers and two extra games. I'm not, so I'll be watching this site for the next one selling for $250....

2. To track Wii's in stock on the web or using your mobile phone sms, go to Wiidget.com Mobile Tracker

And if you hear of one for sell - let me know. Wii want one BAD! Okay, I know that was bad but I couldn't resist.

Some other resources to find Wii Consoles:
3. Wiidget.com - For finding Wii's online
4. iTrackr - This seems to be a good way to find a Wii in a brick & mortar store
5. Wiiseeker - Good for finding an Wii auction in your region. Sometimes inaccurate

UPDATE:
6. I found my Wii Console by using the gamestop "back-door" method. Here's how it works:

HOW TO FIND A WII IN STOCK IN YOUR AREA

Back to that backdoor site for finding a Wii console at Gamestop.  I'm guessing most of you are finding Wii Consoles easier now, but if not here's how I found mine:

1. Enter the following hyperlink into your web browser - LINK

2. You should see a page like this one (screen-shot of my area)

You can see that even today, there are none in stock at Gamestops near me.  (it often does say more on the way so don't get too excited about that)

3. Now in your browser link, change the zip=64158 to your local zip code and hit ENTER

4. It should bring up a list of all the stores in your area ranked by closest to that zip code.  The second column will show if that store has any units in stock.

5. If you really want one and it shows a unit in stock.  Call the store - don't wait as they sell fast.  If they say there is one in stock head over there now - as I said the sell fast so go get one if you want one.

There you have it.  A call for some help from my readers on recommended Wii Games and a tip from me on how to find a Wii Console.  Happy Gaming and Have a Great Weekend!

RELATED STORIES:

Review of the wireless sensor bar

Get a Free Cushion Remote Jacket for Your Wii Remote

Wii Hacked: Play DVD's with a Wii Console

Convert Classic Nintendo Controllers to work with Wii

 

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7 Stories I'm Reading

1 - Get Your Custom "easy button" - Order a easy-button type of device customized with your own logo (but you have to order at least 50.
2 - Export Video from your set-top box to your Mac
3 - Myth TV vs MCE
4 - Monitor your Netflix Gift Subscriptions - The Netflix Fan weblog has a great how-to for those of you who give netflix gift subscriptions (thanks to http://www.hackingnetflix.com/ for the tip)
5 - Microsoft Gets Sued over DVR Patent Holders
6 - YouTube will pay for local TV Programming
7- Apple IPTV?

Rent Movies from a Vending Machine - a Review of Redbox

Do you want to rent a new release dvd movie for a dollar? Want a free DVD rental? This review will tell you how and in the process review a new DVD rental concept you may not heard of.



You likely rented movies from the traditional outlets like Blockbuster or Movie Gallery as well as online using Netflix.com and Blockbuster.com. Now, for a dollar you can pick up a movie at a vending machine - much like a soda pop machine. A company called Redbox is taking the DVD rental concept to the next level and now renting movies for $1 each from vending machines. Redbox has recently been expanding in my town (Kansas City) so I decided to review the service.


What is Redbox? Redbox is a company focused on DVD Rental kiosks. Redbox began about four years ago as a vending machine company that sold sandwiches, milk, eggs and other items such as DVDs. That experiment didn't go so well, but the DVD kiosks were fairly popular. Since that time, Redbox has been taking the DVD rental concept and expanding rapidly within many cities in the U.S. Redbox is owned by McDonald's Corp. and Coinstar so you're likely to see a redbox kiosk in a McDonald's or grocery store near you.

How It Works:
The kiosk's touchscreen interface has three main categories to select from:
1. Rent - for renting "on-the-spot." Here you can scan through the movies available at this kiosk much like you would with a music jukebox.
2. Online Rental Pickup - if you reserved your movie at the redbox.com online site and
3. Return a DVD - You select this when you are returning a DVD of course.



To rent a movie from redbox you simply swipe your credit card, select the movie you want to rent from those available, it tells you the movie you selected and the cost ($1 per movie plus sales tax - per night) and it dispenses your movie in a plastic redbox case. Your receipt is e-mailed to you if you have an online sign-on or if you input your e-mail address while renting.

To return a movie, you take your movie to any redbox kiosk (it doesn't have to be the same one you rented from) and select "return a DVD" from the touchscreen. It doesn't get any easier than that.



Another way rent a movie is to go to the redbox.com online website, login and select your movie and pickup location from the website. Then go to the kiosk location you selected and pick up the "reserved" movie using the same credit card you used on the online website. The only advantage I see to ordering online is that you reserve your movie and avoid having it out-of-stock when you go to the rental kiosk.

Over the past several years, I've used Netflix.com and Blockbuster.com to keep up on the latest movies. While I own a great deal of movies, I use rentals to watch most new releases and others that I might not want to own, but would watch once. There are times - believe it or not, that I just don't need as many movies as I have access to at Netflix. Some months, there are just a couple of new releases I'm interested in, so Redbox might just be a good alternative for those times that would save me money over netflix.

What I liked about Redbox:

• It's affordable - for $1 per movie including new releases, the price is very attractive compared to Blockbuster or the other movie rental shops.
• It's easy - anyone with a credit card can do this. You don't have to have an internet connection or movie rental membership card to rent a movie
• Return anywhere - You can return your movie at any redbox kiosk. Unlike a in-store rental like blockbuster, you can return your movie anywhere there is a redbox kiosk.
• No hassle - you don't have to deal with the blockbuster salesclerks (sometimes helpful and sometimes annoying).
• Instant gratification - it's way faster than online renting and also faster than in-store renting since you don't have to search for the movie, wait in line, check out etc. Compared to online rentals, there is no "long wait" or "very long wait". Your movie rentals will never be slowed down or "throttled" as they can be with Netflix for instance.

Disadvantages of Redbox and other kiosk DVD Rentals:

• Much smaller selection - The kiosks typically carry around 80 - 100 different titles. Usually heavier on the newer releases. In-store has an advantage here and online (netflix and blockbuster.com) has a major advantage here if you are looking for an older or less popular title.
• Not as hassle-free as online rentals - You still have to drive (or walk) somewhere to rent and return your movie. While a little more convenient than in-store, the online rentals are more convenient in the sense that you just have to walk to your mailbox to get and return your movie.
• What if something goes wrong? If the vending machine is out of order or you are having trouble, there isn't anyone on location to help you. You can however call their customer service line at 1.866.REDBOX3 for assistance.

Free Movie Rental
If you want to try it out and get a free movie rental, you can go to redbox.com and sign up for their newsletter. When you do this, they'll e-mail you a promo code for a free movie rental. I tried this out also and you just select "promo code" from the touchscreen and select your movie. To sign up go to http://www.redbox.com/Help/Signup.aspx

I don't see redbox replacing netflix.com any time soon, but I do think it will continue to expand to neighborhood around the country and thrive. There's even a website dedicated to discussions about Redbox called "Inside Redbox". To see if you have a redbox kiosk near you, go to redbox.com.

For a video of how renting with redbox works you'll have to deal with Rachel Ray, but if you're willing and able, click on the video below:

RedBox Walkthrough



Other Movie Rental Posts:
Beat Netflix Throttle - get the movies you want on Netflix
Netflix Watch-Now Mini-Review
The Entire "the Office" TV show Second Season available on Netflix Watch-Now

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