| RealPlayer v11: Mac beta, new iPod support
RealNetworks today announced the consumer availability of its new RealPlayer v11 for Windows after a five-month public beta period and announced a beta of its Mac version; in addition, the company said the newest version finally bring support for transferring downloaded video content to Apple's iPod nano, iPod classic and iPod video. iPod owners who previously only had access to video content available through Apple's iTunes now have access to non-DRM protected videos from thousands of sites on the Web after upgrading to the paid version of its product. The new Mac beta allows the downloading of non-DRM protected Web videos from thousands of sites for playback online or offline and is available for Mac OS X 10.4 "Tiger" and Mac OS X 10.5 "Leopard," offering support for both Firefox for the Mac and Safari.
Video Games | Players tuning in to sound of music
Video games have long allowed players to toss last-second touchdown passes, leap tall buildings in a single bound or fend off bloodthirsty aliens in a desperate bid to save humanity. None of which has ever interested Lindsay Shuba. "I usually associate video games with Dungeons & Dragons or people who get dressed up and go to Star Wars conventions," joked the Columbus resident, 24. "But I think Guitar Hero II is really cool." So cool, in fact, that she plays the popular game -- using a plastic guitar-shaped controller -- on her boyfriend's PlayStation 2. Her introduction came when her sister's boyfriend took the game to a holiday gathering. "Everyone was playing it," she said. "Even my mom was rocking out." Such mass appeal has not only made the Guitar Hero series a crossover hit -- previous titles have sold almost 6 million copies in the United States -- but also prompted an upswing in the once-niche genre of musical games.
A Green Christmas: Deloitte Survey Says Southern California Shoppers Will Purchase More Eco-Friendly Products This ...
The environment is increasingly on consumers' radar screens, according to the 22nd Annual Holiday Survey of retail spending and trends, commissioned by Deloitte. In Southern California, the survey reports that more than one in five consumers (21 percent) will purchase more "eco-friendly" products this holiday season than in the past, and a similar number (20 percent) will shop at more "green" retailers. .
The best Christmas present ever --- Children of seemingly simpler times found joy in simple gifts
MASON CITY --- Imagine a sparkling Christmas tree flanked by dozens of beautifully wrapped packages.These days, children are more likely to find an electronic gizmo like an iPod or a Nintendo Wii under the tree instead of the simpler presents that awaited their baby boomer parents or grandparents on Christmas morning.Was your special gift a Colorforms set, Baby First Step, Pebbles Flintstone doll, Erector Set or maybe a Mr. Machine?Boomer Terry Harrison’s favorite childhood Christmas present was a teddy bear.Harrison, 57, was barely 2 months old when he was given the bear by his grandparents in 1950.His father was in Korea and Harrison, his mother and older sister lived next door to his Grandpa and Margaret (his mother’s stepmother)."Margaret ordered the bear and when it arrived, she left it on a kitchen table.
Get smart: A guide to spiffy phones
Apple Inc.'s iPhone has shaken up the "smart phone" business and set other manufacturers scrambling to add features and make it easier to get e-mail, surf the Web and enjoy music and movies on a cell phone.Prices also have come down to the point where some of these feature-packed models cost little more than "dumb" phones. Sizes have come down too - gone are the days when carrying a smart phone was a workout.Remember, though, that you need a data plan to get the most out of a smart phone, which usually adds about $20 to the monthly cost. (Prices below are with two-year carrier contracts unless noted.)The top contenders of this holiday season (and a few to avoid):Apple iPhone (AT&T)This is the star of the field, despite a number of shortcomings. Remarkably, Apple's very first phone succeeds at combining a phone with an iPod and a great Web browser.
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