The BBC posted that social media was being flooded by customers who pre-ordered GTA V and got their game early. If you don’t already know, Grand Theft Auto V is a new open world, action-adventure game which is going on sale officially on September 17th. The BBC also added that Rockstar North, the developers of the game, have started an investigation in to the embargo breach.

Rockstar said in a statement to GamesIndustry that they are currently investigating “how and why” the early sales occurred in the first place.

Initially Rockstar Games and Amazon both did not comment when they received a request from CBS News for any word on the occurrence.

There’s a huge amount of hype surrounding the Grand Theft Auto V Release. It’s the fifth new game in the series. The game boasts a massive interactive and open world which is packed to the brim with the classic GTA features such as criminals, cars and a relentless but hilarious disregard of the law. Whilst you can play about with this old school, sinister game play you can also go golfing and even scuba diving.

Grand Theft Auto 4, the game before this release sold over 25 million copies. According to Take-Two, the game’s distributor, the entire franchise has sold a huge 114 million copies since its initial release.

The original GTA was release for the Sony PlayStation and PC back in 1997. Little did the games’ developers know, the game would evolve in to what is now not only one of the most controversial games of all time, but one of the most iconic and exciting games. GTA V will release on PS3 and Xbox 360 only, and it has an M rating from ESRB.

Google owns an excellent platform for the portable devices named as Android. The Android platform is so popular among the public that almost all leading mobile manufacturers including Sony and Samsung have started building devices around the platform. The main reason behind the popularity of the android platform is the broad availability of applications that make the user’s life much easier to live.

However, the mapping services are something that the users of any portable devices are not completely satisfied with. Whether we talk about the Android users using Google Maps, Windows users using Bing Maps, or iOS users using the Apple Maps, all are continuously commenting to make an update. Thus, all of them especially the Apple, blackberry and the Google were trying to make a deal with the Waze in order to satisfy their users. And at last Google managed to crack the deal by paying a good amount to Waze.

Till now, the Google Android devices majorly relied upon the Google Maps for navigation. But after this acquisition, the mapping services for the Android devices will far better than the competitors like Apple’s iOS, Windows phone OS, and Blackberry OS.

Waze is popular in Israel for providing the mapping solutions for portable devices like cell-phones and tablets. Waze is in the mapping business since the year 2008 and is delivering the excellent services regarding navigation purposes to more than 40 million satisfied users.

The contract between the Google and Waze seems as a path-breaking deal for the devices running on Google Android platform as they will now able to provide exceptional mapping solutions to their users, and Android will now be a leap ahead from their competitors.

By Joe Bodolai

Bacon, eggs, vag*na. Oh sure, there’s more…

Things I Think Will Happen Next Year

• Sales of Mayan Calendars up  for 2012, drop for 2013.
• Martial Law in the USA, first probably in Louisiana
• Depression greater than that of the 30’S
• More wars for Israel, our rulers. Probably Syria soon.
• War with Iran (!) for Israel may trigger WW3 conflict with Russia
• World Supply of Band Names will run out
• Americans will go along with this, but resisters will be FEMA camped.
• America the one I loved, the one my dad fought for on Omaha Beach on D-DAY, the man who helped take out the machine guns on the cliff, won’t be alive to see young men wearing uniforms and BE the enemy he fought.
• Fascism will be America. It already is. Simple definition: When government rules over corporations, that’s socialism. When corporations use government that, my friends, is fascism.
• Foreign troops may likely be used in popular insurrections.
• Snooki will have another “book”.

Stuff I Would Like to Have Seen In My Life

• Truth about 9-11. THREE buildings went down that day. Building 7 wasn’t even hit.
• Indians winning a World Series (OK, not so bad since my Jays won two in a row!)
• Browns winning a Super Bowl
• Truth about the JFK murder
• Young people mobilizing for change instead of watching E!
• USA not being Israel’s puppet bully.
• An American awards show being half as good as mine. Or, basically, getting a chance here. I can run a show. I can create a show.
• All those new girls I like naked liking me as much as I liked them
• Living in Paris or New York again

Things I Regret

• My inability to conquer my alcoholism
• The things I did because of it
• Leaving Canada
• Moving to Los Angeles
• Not fighting harder or making a better deal to stay with The Comedy Network I helped create
• Not being able to live up to the helping hand so many wonderful people offered me
• The hurt I caused in my family, friends, and maybe even strangers.
• That I am no longer able to withstand any more of life’s pain
• Most of all, the pain I have caused and am now causing my sons and the love of my life, my ex-wife Bianca, my love and connection with her is infinite
• The fact I will never get to repay the love and generosity you all deserve
•  Lisa.

Things I am Proud Of.

Or Just My Life When I was Really Alive, or just a point form autobiography

(In chronological order, not in order of priority. You decide that.)

• My two sons, who have grown into graceful, intelligent, strong, handsome, creative and loving young men.
• My twenty some years with the greatest love of my life, Bianca. I caused her pain, exasperation, but we also shared love, joy, and an indescribable special unique language of the heart that only we spoke. The greatest gift anyone could ever have. I love her in the words that really trivialize the words “I love you.” She defined that emotion for me and made my life worth living. If there is a loving god, she was my blessing.
• Never being unfaithful to any woman I was with. Although close. Very close. You know who you are ladies. Except you alluring strangers. Sorry. Phew.
• Helping my mom to read and write English after my dad died when I was ten
• Asking my priest “Can God Make Something Heavier Than He Can Lift?”  Please read this: http://wp.me/pKBYM-dP
• 1600 on my SATs and got into a good college, Allegheny in Meadville, PA a 90 minute drive. (Also got accepted to Yale, Amherst, and Johns Hopkins but couldn’t afford the travel or probably the parking fees.)
• Resisting the Vietnam War with daily activism, action, writing, demonstrating, traveling to Washington, tear gas, etc.
• Campaigning for Robert Kennedy, then feeling the shock of his murder]
• Leaving America and going to Paris after that
• All the 24/7 sex I had on the trip by ten days at sea (292 girls on board, three guys, seriously. Girlfriends all over France for the next year. Learned French.)
• Becoming involved with Parisian students in 1968 in a wider cultural movement, learning how to silkscreen posters. Getting hit by a flic’s rubber coated  lead baton

• 
  When I was Young. When I had Hope

• Deciding to return to university, going to Cambridge, talking my way in to King’s College (had the transcripts, the grades, and crushed the interview.)
• Being in the wings at Footlights and getting one line in a sketch. Python legacy. Had no idea how huge they were a year later. John effin’ Cleese!
• The idyllic but ivory tower wonder seeming evil after watching the Chicago 1968 Convention and deciding to leave for the real world and back to the fight. No more punting on the Cam to Grantchester and reading Rupert Brooke as I floated back.
• Transferring to the University of Manchester, home of the RSSF (Revolutionary Socialists Students Federation), a working class city with a “redbrick” instead of the prestige of Cambridge and a huge activist student base.
• My Art History Tutor, Alastair Smith, becoming Curator at the National Gallery in London and taking classes with him in our tutorial group (just four of us) by train every Monday to London to walk through the gallery with him. Seeing original Piero della Francesca’s fingerprints on the canvas. Wow.
• Returning to the US and becoming a very prominent small town anti-war activist. Then leaving for Canada as a draft resister, not “dodger”. (Dick Cheney and George Bush are dodgers. I resisted. I was wanted by the FBI.).
• Becoming one of the first video artists in the world, as SONY gave me and a few other artists the world’s first portable video camera and recorders. (Heavy backpacks, reel to reel, cameras bigger than today’s catered lunches.)
• Showing my work (comedy videos) at the AGO, New York, Museé d’art Contemporain in Paris, etc.
• Ted Kennedy intervening in my case to drop charges due to illegal activities by the FBI and CIA against me. (Long story. Very interesting and relevant today.)
• Helping bring Major League Baseball to Toronto by helping start the Toronto Blue Jays as first Publicity Information Director. Fifth person hired. Set Major League record for most attendance by first year expansion team despite 107 losses. Huge fun.
• Moving to New York to work for Warner Bros. in development. Reading a script and at 11:00 at night calling my head of production to send it over in a cab saying “Read this! It’s so greenlight if this goes it is to win Best Picture and if not it’s the best screenplay I’ve read since I’ve been here. Read it tonight Diane.” It was Kramer vs. Kramer. We lost it to Paramount. I was right though. (There is likely more informed info on this story but this was just my experience with it.)
• Being told by Jean Doumanian that I wasn’t “funny enough to write for SNL but you’re spoken of highly. Can you type?” Notes on a script shown to me by another writer: “make it funnier.” (This is background for the famous article in The New Yorker.
• Writing for SNL after Lorne sacked her. (Huge long story here. I discuss this on a podcast and more. Please listen:
• SNL. Wow, what fun. Wish I had been more ready for it as I was very alternative. So I was assigned to work with Andy Warhol on his few videos for the show.  I could write a lot about this. The glorious Rosie Shuster is more than I can describe. The lightning of her mind, the warm comfort of her enormous heart was a gift from a god that only exists when I think of people like her and my friends like you.
•  Becoming a very very minor “co-owner” of the Utica Blue Sox in the New York-Penn League with an unaffiliated independent team and winning the championship in like 1983. Spent the summer in low level minor league ball. Amazing fun. Real owners were Van Schley, Bill Murray, John Alexander and the bogus Roger Kahn. Long story here about this guy. Missed the whole story, wrote a book. Total fiction. What a loss. Reality was so much more.
• Coming back to Canada and working with the wonderful John Brunton, whose friendship and talent I have missed for so many years. Great hilarious speech at my wedding.
• Creating “It’s Only Rock ‘n Roll!” and winning a Gemini and launching Mike Myers as Wayne and pretty much opening the door for his amazing talent.
• Lorne asking me to produce Kids in the Hall. Long story here. He didn’t tell me that HBO was going to cancel the show after the first season. I kept it alive. Honest to god. The cast and crew had no idea what I did and I didn’t either. It would not have gone to season two had I not become the me I loved. Thinking on my feet in the breakfast meeting in the HBO boardroom with Bridget Potter. The Kids have no idea. Ask John Blanchard, who was there but probably will not get what I did. I saved his job too. I f**kin’ kicked ass.
• Writing the first draft of Wayne’s World with Mike Myers. I kinda knew our draft was really a second movie, not an expository first reveal, but my heart wanted him to find his voice. He sure did. (The second movie? Nothing to do with me. Wow, did it suck.)
• My Gemini Awards. I was a writer on the first, and then produced the four highest rated shows in the history of the show. I made them comedy shows. I made news anchors do sketches. I produced the best awards shows in Canada and can kick the shit out of the worse shit they do here.
• Comics! 115 episodes, eight seasons. Designed to unleash Canadian comedy on TV.  After I took the job, offered by Sandra Faire, I was asked “how are you going to find 13 comics to do a whole series?”
• I changed the concept Sandra presented me. Instead of a documentary/reality model I said “no, don’t take cameras into clubs. Let me stage performances on a set so it looks like people would pay $50 to be there and use the b-roll budget for whatever they want to express.” It worked. When we finally got into prime time, we were over a million an episode. That’s huge.
• CBC wanted to cancel the show, which originally was buried at 11:00 and no promo. Sandra called me to give me the news. I said, “no f**king way. This is the future of Canadian comedy development.” I went into George Anthony’s office, Sandra on the couch behind me not saying a word, and I demanded that they recognize that for the little money the show cost the benefits are your entire comedy development/talent budget on a shoestring.
• I was on fire.
• I won.
• Now I had a greater mission. I wanted a channel. I felt the huge failure of comedy, such as sitcoms, on Canadian television, could only be successful if showrunners were comedy writers, not Telefilm form fillers. This is one of the proudest accomplishments I have seen come true. Mark Farrell, Brent Butt, so many more of you….
• I remember believing in Mark and teaching him silly things like “pencil not pen. Change pages? Turn the upper right corner…” Knew he was the guy.
• Ivan Fecan asked me to help him go for the CRTC bid for a comedy channel. I was fired up like you can’t believe. Made a horrible handshake deal with a guy I worked with on radio in the 70’s.
• We won. I kicked ass at the CRTC. Video here. We showed this to the CRTC. Game was over.
• https://www.youtube.com/qualityshows#p/search/0/fAnBauKcA2c
• Then surreality happened. My handshake disappeared. I got offered a deal my lawyer described as “they want you to walk away. This is an insult.” I objected. The next day they hired Ed Robinson.  I like Ed, but…
• So I was f**ked. All those years, all that good faith, and now nothing? I had offers in LA, but didn’t want to do that. I love Canada. I love Canadian comedy, the POV, the sweet pomegranate seal meat mixture of it, the lack of mean with the Robin Hood arrows, and now I created the opportunity I dreamed about… gone?

• By the way, most comics thought of me as a “CBC executive” rather than as a colleague fighting for us in the room. It’s okay. I did all right. I may not do standup or like one of you, but my mission was a lot bigger than jokes then. I hope I served you well.
• I moved to LA as it seemed I was totally f**ked by Canadian television. So…. did some great work as a “show doctor” on helping people with their pilots and sales tapes with a great company called LaunchPad. I got to work with Ryan Seacrest and Ray Romano and others. I kept an NBC strip daytime reality series on the air by just basically taking over and taking their material and re-visioning it.
• Then the two guys who owned the company split up, before Christmas. As the guy who left was on my side of the equation (creative not promos) I ended up losing at least a year of work. I can’t cut promos. I’m just not a fit for that. I loved working with writers on their shows.
• Meeting and working with the amazing gift from the comedy god that is Sarah Hyland, the funniest woman on earth. Going to her home in Louisville for Christmas and taping (yeah, remember tape?) and shooting with her and her wonderful real life character Gail, her mum. Please watch my wonderful truly improvised videos with her at http://youtube.com/qualityshows
• The gorgeosity that is Cherie. No words here. She did save my life for real in a psychic connection we have that would just make you think we are crazier than we are. We were a very odd duo. Wow though, so different me and this girly girl is one of the most beautiful women on earth. Love Unlikely actually.
• 
• So look at Canadian television comedy today. Showrunners are becoming more and more comedy writers or performers. You need to keep the fight against formfillers as “producers.” Canadian TV? It’s still f**ked up with no promos, no other industry support that can compete with the money assault of US media. Only faith in the quality and morality of it has a chance. Every Canadian comedy show is probably doomed by money. Hence, I created Comics! as a throw the dice and see who will step up. I think I am so proud of helping liberate comedy talent. Russell, you hearing me?
• Look at the list of people whose first break on TV and faith in their creative genius I believed in. Wow. I am so proud. Mark Farrell was the first Comics! we taped. I gave first TV appearances to Russell Peters on three different shows (!)as well. Ron James was there but now he has a show. Anna Gustafson sent me a tape from Lund, B.C. and now she is living her life. Bonnie McFarlane. Her podcast is so amazing you must get on this. It’s called “Bonnie and Vos” or something. I’d probably not want to be married to him either but she’s from Cold Lake, Alberta so funny obnoxious controlling Jews are probably what is down in her pants. Get on this podcast people!
• (I remember Bonnie’s Comics! episode where she wanted to do a new set and couldn’t remember it. So nervous. I said. “It’s just tape. Keep it in your pocket. If you take it out, we can edit it out. The audience will love you more knowing that you work, you write, just let them know this.” She forgot her set. We used it in her episode. One of the great cool unusual moments in a comedy performance ever. “Okay people, I forgot my set.” Pulls the paper from her tight back pocket jeans and the audience is like me. In love. Applause break. Especially since her comedy then was so dangerously dark at surprising moments mixed with observational okaycharmingness and then an anexoria joke.  And she had the t-shirt, jeans, no boobage enhancement.  At least I got them to brush her gorgeous hair.
• Cold Lake. Bonnie, you should tell Rich that’s the name of your pussy on your amazingly great podcast.
• I’m proud of my life. Not how I lived it. How some of the things I did maybe are more okay than the things people who don’t have my life did awful things.
• I feel so proud of you all. I am so proud of having worked to do some of the following things:
• Raised money and worked for Mercy Corps, IRC, OxFam, NRDC. We need to do more.  Please people, look them up. Help.
• Bristol Bay is a chemical Chernobyl we cannot let happen.  Please go to NRDC for info.
• “IF YOU DON’T LIKE GAY MARRIAGE, TELL STRAIGHT COUPLES TO STOP HAVING GAY BABIES!”
• Helped HRC with the huge campaign to win marriage equality in New York. That went viral but not mine. Just know it helped me work on some GOP support that helped. Wow, what a Friday night that was. June 24.
• So many long-suffering people. I watched a video of a mother carrying her dead infant searching for water. Somalia. MercyCorps field worker showed me. Somalia.

• SOMALIA AND DOWNTOWN LA
• THAT WAS A TIME OUT FOR TEARS. I heard the girl’s voice on the video. She was carrying her dead child. Carrying her dead baby. God, if you exist, you are f**king evil so you treat your people on earth like this?
• Tell me the difference between god and the devil.
• I don’t believe in a “loving God.” I perhaps believe in one sick superf**k evil.
• I don’t know what more visions of hell I can see, but my life seems to be providing them.
• The shelter I am volunteering in may be my new home. I call it “Shawshank Summer Camp.” 65 men on cots in one big space where sleep is victimhood.
• … and a Happy New Year.

I don’t need replies or comments or anything. I need to feel the good that I did and whatever good I have ever done for you is enough for me. May you all have the happy lives you deserve. Thank you all for being in my life.

Love,

Joe

That means Starz content will be removed from Netflix’s streaming service starting in March. Starz’ library includes movies from Walt Disney Co.’s assorted studios and, Sony Corp.

Both sides apparently disagree over the value of the content from Starz and how they should stream it to subscribers.

Netflix had been expected to work out a new contract with Starz, although at a much higher price than the estimated $30 million a year that it had been paying under the current agreement. Netflix CEO Reed Hastings acknowledged earlier this year that the company might have to pay as much as $250 million a year to retain the Starz rights when the current contract expires in February.

What makes matters worse for Netflix users?

Netflix made the decision to split DVD and streaming services before dropping Starz.

Netflix members found themselves faced with a tricky dilemma: to stream or not to stream? The video-streaming and DVD-by-mail company announced Tuesday that it’ll be splitting its streaming and DVD services into two separate plans. One plan, an unlimited streaming-only option, will cost $7.99 per month. The other plan, an unlimited DVD-only option, will also cost $7.99 (for one DVD out at a time). Members can enroll in both services for a combined rate of $15.98 per month.

Netflix Users Searching for Streaming Alternatives

This now leaves many Netflix users angry since they now have a tough decision ahead of them.  It’s tough for customers to process the new problems of increasing prices, split mail and streaming services, and the dropout of Starz lineup.  Stay tuned for our next article on Alternatives to Netflix Streaming Services!

Well here we are nearly one and half years later and even though the competitive landscape has filled up with other tablet devices, nothing still comes close to the overbearing grip that Apple has on the market with the iPad.

To date, Apple has a dominant 94.5% stronghold on the tablet market.  The next closest is the HP TouchPad with 10.4%, then follows the Samsung Tab 10.1 (8.3%) and the Motorola Xoom (8.5%).

Here’s a chart showing the scale of marketshare that the iPad commands versus all other tablets:

Walmart is launching video streaming service Vudu on the iPad today which will bring 20,000 instant movies and TV shows available for downloading and viewing.  What’s unique about Vudu launching on the iPad however is that it’s not launching as an app.  Instead, Vudu is launching as a mobile website that is compatible on the iPad, and thousands of other mobile devices.

I’ve written before how I believe the day is soon approaching when we will no longer be restricted with apps.  Instead, developers will build mobile versions of their sites and applications that can be accessed on literally every web enabled mobile device throughout the world.

According to Edward Litchy, general manager of Vudu, “It’s not an app… It’s an all-browser experience.  But you access it in a similar way.”

You simple point your mobile browser to Vudu.com and rent or buy your videos.  Once purchased, the videos can viewed online or through more than 300 devices including Internet-capable HDTVs, Blu-ray Disc players and the Sony’s Plastation 3, according to Walmart.

With Apple charging 30% for content purchased through apps, companies like Walmart, Amazon, and others are finding ways to build applications to where they don’t have to share such a large percentage of revenue – Vudu.com is a great example.

Another great example of a mobile site that is not restricted to an app for particular, but rather can be accessed on thousands mobile devices, is the daily deal search engine ListYourDeals.com.

The developers of ListYourDeals decided to also avoid the constraints of having to build an app for each device and then share revenue with Apple.  Again, this is trend I believe we are going to be seeing more of in the future.

Apple has approached owners of Hulu with a potential bid to purchase the streaming video service.

Owners of Hulu include big brand names such as Walt Disney, News Corp., and Comcast Corporation.

Apple would be looking to Hulu to bolster the iTunes store video service offering.

iTunes already has started offering on demand video rentals that allow you to rent a movie, even an HD movie, and then you have 30 days to watch the movie.  You can watch the movie as many times as you’d like within a 24 hour period.

Hulu is a private company with no public stock.

Information about Hulu from Google Finance:

Though it may sound like it, you really don’t need to wear a grass skirt to watch online video from this company. Hulu operates a website that features video from more than 225 content providers. Offerings include TV shows from ABC, FOX, and NBC, as well as from subsidiary cable channels such as Bravo and Syfy, and films from studios including Sony and MGM. Content is streamed on demand, free of charge the day after its broadcast debut. The company also offers premium subscription service Hulu Plus. The firm was launched in 2008 as a joint venture between NBCUniversal (NBCU, the parent of NBC) and News Corp. (the parent of FOX); in 2009 Disney (the parent of ABC) became a shareholder and content partner.

George Hotz (aka Geohot), the infamous hacker that was at the forefront of the first jailbreak of the iPhone, and who also published the Sony Playstation’s root keys which landed him in a serious lawsuit, has been hired at Facebook.

Facebook is the perfect place for hackers to work because of Facebook’s traditional hackathons – of which I’m sure Hotz does quite well against other Facebook hackers.

The hiring of hacker George Hotz shows that tech giants like Facebook can find great talent other than the ivory towers of places like Stanford and MIT.

via PCWorld

Sony is starting to up the ante in the portable gaming market by announcing PlayStation Suite,  a platform that brings PlayStation games to non-PSP devices.

The PlayStation Suite has the ability to “port” games to any device that runs an open-source operating system – i.e. Android OS.

This means that people with an Android smartphone or Android tablet will be able, in the near future, import PlayStation games directly to their device.

The first game to get this experience will beh Syphon Filter.

And Sony plans on building an entire fleet of Suite-compatible games.

via Electronista

Sony’s PlayStation Phone has been on everyone’s mind since the beginning of November when images were leaked on the device. Since then, only rumors and speculation have surrounded the PlayStation Phone.

That is, up until now.

Two new videos have been leaked that show the Sony PlayStation phone in action.

One of the main confirmations in the first video is that the Sony PlayStation Phone runs the Android 2.3 “Gingerbread” OS.

Here’s two leaked videos on the Sony PlayStation Phone:

Here are specs that will make up the rumored Playstation Phone:

• Android 3.0 (aka Gingerbread)
• custom Sony marketplace for games
• 1GHz Qualcomm MSM8655
• 512MB of RAM
• 1GB of ROM
• 3.7 to 4.1 inches touch-screen
• support for microSD cards
• 2011 release (possibly end of 2010)

Here are some photos of the rumored Sony Playstation Phone:

via Mashable

Engadget received a document showing that Best Buy started receiving the Google TV by Sony on October 13th, and that the Google TV will be available in Best Buy today, October 17th. Originally, the Google TV wasn’t suppose to be released until October 24th. What exactly hits the shelves at Best Buy today is uncertain in terms of a full shipment. Also uncertain is whether all of the Best Buy stores will have the Google TV on display today. Sounds like you can maybe get a glimpse at a Google TV today by heading to your local Best Buy. Sounds like a good way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

via Engadget

The long awaited and highly discussed Google TV is finally coming to the market place. Tomorrow, Sony will be having a live event where the Google TV will be introduced and available for purchase. The Sony Google TV is powered by Google’s Android OS, and costs between $599 for the 24 inch Sony Internet TV NSX-24GT1 and up to $1399 for the 46 inch Sony Internet TV NSX-46GT1. Google will be blazing the way for a new revolution in integrating the Internet with the TV.

via Phandroid

Toshiba is on the verge of releasing a 3D TV that DOES NOT require viewers to wear those big, annoying 3D glasses. Samsung, Panasonic, Sony and Toshiba all have TV’s on the market that are 3D compatible, but they all require 3D glasses. The new Toshiba’s will be the first natural 3D TV of it’s kind. The new TV’s will go on sale in Japan in December, come in 20-inch and 12-inch models, and carry a price tag of ¥240,000 and ¥120,000, or $2,880 and $1,440, respectively.

via NYTimes

Check out the video of Sonya Thomas devouring 181 chicken wings below and setting a new world record in total pounds of chicken wings eaten in 12 minutes.

Sonya Thomas is the new national chicken wing eating champion. Yesterday (Sunday) Thomas decided to show up strong at the ninth annual National Buffalo Wing Festival in none other than Buffalo, New York. Thomas mowed down 181 spicy fried chicken wings in a matter of 12 minutes and earned herself the new national chicken wing eating title. The 181 chicken wings equated to 4.86 pounds of chicken. Sonya Thomas is not your A-typical chicken wing champion either – she is 43 years old, stands 5 feet tall and weighs only 105 pounds.

Sony Vaio Recall – Voluntary Recall of 233,000 Sony Vaio Laptops

(From TPI.com) – Soni Vaio recall! Sony has issued a voluntary recall of 233,000 Sony Vaio laptops. According to the information available online, the company received 30 complaints from customers who were experiencing overheating problems.

None of the complaints involved injuries, however the high temperatures caused deformation in some of the plastic parts such as keyboards and cases.  This led to the conclusion that this was a burn hazard for customers.

The affected laptops in the Sony Vaio recall are models from series VPCF11 and VPCCW”.  These computers were sold at many stores and websites both online and offline, including Amazon, Best Buy, Sony Style stores, and Costco among others.

If you have a model included in the Sony Vaio recall, head to http://esupport.sony.com/US/f1cw2update for instructions and more information.

(From

Playstation Plus Update – New Twisted Metal Game for Playstation Plus

The highly anticipated Playstation Plus has arrived allowing PS3 users to subscribe to the premium Sony service. Along with the Playstation Plus announcement comes the new game for Playstation Plus called Twisted Metal. From the MTV Multiplayer Blog, “David Jaffe can be a tease from time to time on his blog, but when hinted about a new Twisted Metal game many months ago, he wasn’t just blowing smoke. A real-life truck full of psychotic clown accompanied him during a presentation today that featured an official unveiling of “Twisted Metal” for the PlayStation 3. “Hey everybody, I’m David Jaffe and this is Scott Campbell and we’re the co-founders of Eat Sleep Play, and we’re really excited to show you guys the next edition of the Twisted Metal franchise,” Jaffe announced on stage during Sony’s big E3 event today. “Now Twisted Metal is the longest running series in PlayStation history.” The game will arrive in 2011, and Jaffe came prepared with an extended multiplayer demo to show off. =”Today, we’re excited to announce that the Twisted Metal legacy will continue, coming exclusively to PlayStation 3, 2011,” he revealed. “Our new game, ‘Twisted Metal,’ is being created by the same team members who gave birth to the dark humor and fast-action gameplay of the classic Twisted Metal series.”

Sony has announced an entirely new online experience for Sony Playstation users with their Playstion Plus subscription service. Playstation Plus is an add on subscription service to the existing Playstation Network, which has been free for quite some time. Playstation Plus is designed to be a premium service offered by Sony, and will allow PS3 owners early access to certain game demos, discounts, digital content, automatic updates, and other perks like the PlayStation lifestyle series Qore, according to CNET.  PlayStation Plus will cost $50 a year, or $18 per 3 month subscriptions. All of the content from Playstation Plus will be available and fully accessible so long as the users subscription is active. Finally, Playstation Plus’ release date is set for late June and you’ll get a free three-month trial of the Playstation Plus subscription service. According to Engadget, Sony is also indicating that Plus subscribers will be able to send voice messages to other gamers to invite them to play, even if they’ve made the foolish decision to not subscribe to Plus. So what do you think about Playstation Plus? Will be taking advantage of the free 3 month subscription trial toward the end of this month?

Nintendo may have seen its first slide in net profits in over half a dozen years recently, but that’s not to say all is depressed in the Mushroom Kingdom.

To the contrary, in fact. The outfit’s CEO has the troops fired up and aimed squarely at Apple, and its little-handheld-that-could has just surpassed its earlier-handheld-that-could to become the best selling portable gaming machine in history.

While belting out numbers during the latest quarterly earnings report, Nintendo confessed that the DS family (DS, DS Lite, DSi and XL) had sold around 129 million units, and at last check, the Game Boy crew had peaked at around 118 million. We’re hearing that Sony’s world-beating PlayStation 2 still leads the way when looking at all gaming devices at 140 million, but with that 3DS hitting in the near future, we might just see a new all-around champion crowned in the numbers game.

Source: Engadget.com

It was reported at the beginning of March that Google is teaming up with Intel and Sony to deliver a Google TV that will be powered by Android, according to The New York Times.

I wrote on April 5th about a company named Lava that is already set to sell Android powered TV’s.

“Google and Intel have teamed with Sony to develop a platform called Google TV to bring the Web into the living room through a new generation of televisions and set-top boxes. (…) The partners envision technology that will make it as easy for TV users to navigate Web applications, like the Twitter social network and the Picasa photo site, as it is to change the channel. Google intends to open the Google TV platform, which is based on its Android operating system for cellphones, to software developers in the hopes of spurring the same creativity that the consumers have seen in phone apps.”

Exactly when we’ll see Google TV’s being purchased on a large scale is anyone’s guess, but one thing is for sure, Google’s Android OS is highly flexible to dominate not only mobile phones, but also now TV’s.

An Android powered TV will allow you to quickly access the web right from your living room.

And since Android allows open source web application development, we can only imagine the type of applications that will be available – most for free more than likely – that Google TV owners will be able to download and install, again right from their living room.

What do you think?

So what do you think about a Google TV powered by Android?

Would you buy an Android powered TV so you can have web access right from your living room?

(Academy of Country Music Awards)

So it’s about 10 minutes after 8 and the coverage of the ACM Awards 2010 in Las Vegas started about 10 minutes ago.

Are you wanting to watch the ACM Awards 2010 online? Then you’ve come to the right place.

Watch the ACM Awards in Las Vegas live online right here.

Live streaming on the web of the ACM Awards in Las Vegas 2010 below:

When the Academy of Country Music Awards nominations came out in early March, most of the attention went to Entertainer of the Year, Album of the Year and the other “big show” awards that will be handed out live on CBS at 7 p.m. today. Artists like Brad Paisley, Taylor Swift and the Zac Brown Band might be household names, but one nominee hits close to home for Southeast Missourians.

What time will the ACM start? The 45th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards, ACM, will start its broadcast at 8 pm, on CBS tonight, Sunday. Watch out for the winners to be postted later.

2010 ACM Awards Nominations Full List.

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR

• Kenny Chesney
• Toby Keith
• Brad Paisley
• George Strait
• Taylor Swift
• Carrie Underwood
• Keith Urban
• Zac Brown Band

TOP MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

• Kenny Chesney
• Brad Paisley
• Darius Rucker
• George Strait
• Keith Urban

TOP FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

• Miranda Lambert
• Reba McEntire
• Taylor Swift
• Carrie Underwood
• Lee Ann Womack

TOP VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR

• Lady Antebellum
• Little Big Town
• Randy Rogers Band
• Rascal Flatts
• Zac Brown Band

TOP VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR

• Brooks & Dunn
• Joey + Rory
• Montgomery Gentry
• Steel Magnolia
• Sugarland

TOP NEW SOLO VOCALIST OF THE YEAR *

• Luke Bryan
• Jamey Johnson
• Chris Young

TOP NEW VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR *

• Bomshel
• Joey + Rory
• Steel Magnolia

TOP NEW VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR *

• Eli Young Band
• Gloriana
• The Lost Trailers

ALBUM OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company(s)]

• American Saturday Night – Brad Paisley (Arista Nashville) Produced by: Chris DuBois, Frank Rogers
• Lady Antebellum – Lady Antebellum (Capitol Records Nashville) Produced by: Victoria Shaw, Paul Worley
• Play On – Carrie Underwood (19/Arista Nashville) Produced by: Mark Bright “Quitter” Produced by Max Martin & Shellback for Maratone Productions and Mark Bright
• Revolution – Miranda Lambert (Columbia Nashville) Produced by: Frank Liddell, Mike Wrucke
• The Foundation – Zac Brown Band (Southern Ground / Bigger Picture / Atlantic) Produced by: Keith Stegall, Zac Brown

SINGLE RECORD OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company(s)]

• Need You Now – Lady Antebellum (Capitol Records Nashville) Produced by: Lady Antebellum, Paul Worley
• People Are Crazy – Billy Currington (Mercury) Produced by: Carson Chamberlain, Billy Currington
• Red Light – David Nail (MCA Nashville) Produced by: Frank Liddell, Mike Wrucke
• Toes – Zac Brown Band (Southern Ground / Bigger Picture / Atlantic) Produced by: Keith Stegall, Zac Brown
• White Liar – Miranda Lambert (Columbia Nashville) Produced by: Frank Liddell, Mike Wrucke

SONG OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Composer(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]

• Cowboy Casanova – Carrie Underwood Composers: Mike Elizondo, Brett James, Carrie Underwood Publishers: Brett James Cornelius Music (ASCAP), Carrie Okie Music (BMI), Rincon Ave Music (ASCAP), Stage Three Songs (ASCAP)

• Need You Now – Lady Antebellum Composers: Dave Haywood, Josh Kear, Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott Publishers: EMI Foray Music (BMI), Darth Buddha (ASCAP), DwhaywoodMusic (BMI), Hillary Dawn Publishing (SESAC), Radiobullets Publishing (BMI), Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI), Year Of The Dog Music (ASCAP)

• People Are Crazy – Billy Currington Composers: Bobby Braddock, Troy Jones Publishers: Crozier Music Enterprises LLC (BMI), Mighty Nice Music (BMI), Sony/ATV Tree Publishing (BMI), Tiltawhirl Music (BMI)

• White Liar – Miranda Lambert Composers: Natalie Hemby, Miranda Lambert Publishers: Pink Dog Publishing (BMI), Sony/ATV Tree Publishing (BMI), Tiltawhirl Music (BMI)

• You Belong With Me – Taylor Swift Composers: Liz Rose, Taylor Swift Publishers: Sony/ATV Tree Publishing (BMI), Taylor Swift Music (BMI)

VIDEO OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)] (Off Camera Award)

• Boots On – Randy Houser Producer: Eric Welch Director: Eric Welch (Drake footage: Vickie Vaughn)

• Need You Now – Lady Antebellum Producer: Clarke Gallican Director: David McClister

• Welcome To The Future – Brad Paisley Producers: Mark Kalbfeld, Jim Shea, Peter Tilden Director: Jim Shea

• White Liar – Miranda Lambert Producer: Tameron Hedge Director: Chris Hicky

• You Belong With Me – Taylor Swift Producer: Randy Brewer Director: Roman White

VOCAL EVENT OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company] (Off Camera
Award)

• Hillbilly Bone – Blake Shelton featuring Trace Adkins (Reprise Records / Warner MusicNashville) Producer: Scott Hendricks
• Honky Tonk Stomp – Brooks & Dunn featuring Billy Gibbons (Arista Nashville) Producer: Ronnie Dunn, Terry McBride
• I Told You So – Carrie Underwood featuring Randy Travis (19/Arista Nashville) Producer: Mark Bright
• I’m Alive – Kenny Chesney with Dave Matthews (Blue Chair/BNA) Produced by: Buddy Cannon, Kenny Chesney
• Seeing Stars – Jack Ingram featuring Patty Griffin (Big Machine Records) Produced by: Jack Ingram, Jeremy Stover

(chart from Business Insider chart of the day)

During its iPhone OS 4 presentation Scott Forstall, SVP iPhone software, flashed the slide above.

He said, “If you look at dedicated gaming devices like the Sony PSP and the Nintendo DS, we just blow them out of the water.”

One look at the graph above makes you realize the dominance the iPhone has over all other hand-held gaming platforms.

The iPhone is truly on it’s way to becoming the dominant mobile gaming device in the entire industry, and the iPhone is a phone – not a hand held gaming device (so to speak…).

I know first hand with have 2 kids who have a Nintendo DSi, and I own an iPhone 3GS.

My kids prefer downloading and playing games on my iPhone over their Nintendo DSi’s.

I noticed this about a year or so ago, and the chart above really solidifies my suspicion.

The iPhone is beating PSP at it’s own game (no pun intended)!

Although the iPhone is technically a phone, how in the world is it able to compete in the handheld gaming market space?  Let me rephrase that – the iPhone is not just competing in the hand-held gaming space, it’s actually outperforming the PSP.

According to an NPD data analysis, the iPhone is now responsible for 19% of all revenue generated by handheld games (as of 2009), compared to the PSP’s 11%. Obviously, the DS still reigns supreme with 70%.

The report also claims that Apple had a mere 1% stake in overall game industry revenue during 2008, and that it grew to 5% in 2009.

In my opinion, Sony cannot expect to sell games for $20 plus dollars and compete with the iPhone that is selling games for only $.99, and in a lot of cases, 100% free.

And even though the DS has a 70% market share, I think they will start losing ground to the iPhone as well.  As a first hand experience, I see kids preferring to play games on the iPhone instead of their DS and DSi.

Call it what you will, but there is no question that the iPhone is becoming a major player in the hand-held gaming market!

Ironic isn’t it?

God of War 3 Walkthrough

God of War 3 is an action-adventure videogame for PlayStation 3, developed by Sony Santa Monica, published by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was released today, March 16, 2010 in North America and will be released soon after in other territories.

Here’s the God of War 3 Walkthrough demo video in HD:

Sony PlayStation Move

Sony has perhaps stooped to a new low with the Wii remote rip-off they are calling Sony PlayStation Move. At their GDC conference yesterday, Sony unveiled their new Move remote and immediately the web lit up with criticism over how they are only copying Wii’s remote.

This is being promoted as a move by Sony to steal away the gamers, and thus the market share, that the Wii currently dominates.  It’s yet to be seen how the marketplace will respond, but if Twitter and the blogosphere is any indication (and I think it is…) Sony has definitely not impressed anyone with the Sony PlayStation Move!

Sony PlayStation Move announcement videos:

Apple iPad Ebook Reader

I have been a fan of audiobooks for many years. I much prefer to listen to an audiobook when I am on an airplane than read one. When I read for pleasure I read a paperback book. I have noticed over the last year and a half a trend of seeing people use ebook readers like Amazon’s Kindle and Sony’s Reader. What I cannot figure out is why people are using an ebook reader that has no backlight.

I have played with several versions of ebook readers and have not seen one that is backlit. That means to me that if I am on an airplane I need to turn on the light. If I am reading in bed, I need to turn on a light.

In comes the iPad. Apple’s new tablet computer that has a free ebook reader app. The cool part about the iPad is it is LED backlit. The screen has a much higher resolution than today’s ebook readers. The iPad’s screen is touch sensitive just like the iPhone and turning pages is done by touching anywhere on the left or right page.

If I can make a prediction, Amazon’s Kindle and Sony’s Reader are a thing of the past as soon as the iPad ebook app is launched. The technology behind the Apple app is far superior to the ebook readers I have encountered and yes, the iPad just happens to function as a computer too, so now you don’t have to carry another device when you travel.

It is like the iPhone for me; I no longer have to carry an iPod and a phone. Apple’s ebook reading iPad in my opinion will dominate the ebook market, which is great for publishers, but not so good for other equipment manufacturers.

Apple will do to ebooks the same as they did with music. If you don’t own stock in Apple, you better soon because their track record for finding avenues to dominate industries seems endless.

Article Written By,

Robert Thompson
President, Avant-Garde Education
www.hhtrain.com

“his just in: The Title Update that addresses the#MW2 javelin exploit will go live early Friday morning (PT.)”

From Examiner.com:  “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is incoming to fix not only the Javelin glitch but the care package glitch and geography exploits as well.

The update (1.06) is currently going through certification with Microsoft and presumably Sony as well so that it can be released without causing any more problems.  A patch was released today (1.05) but it solely deals with matchmaking.”

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Modern Warfare 2

“Smashing the previous opening-month sales record of 3.3 million units (held since 2007 by Bungie’s Halo 3), Modern Warfare 2 sold some 4.2 million copies on the Xbox 360 and a further 1.87 million copies on the PlayStation 2, according to NPD’s numbers.

“Call of Duty – Modern Warfare 2 has achieved the top spot for first-month sales of any game at the title level,” confirmed NPD analyst Anita Fraser regarding the shooter’s astounding traction. (Source: TheTechHerald)

Here’s the Twitter Update From Robert Bowling:

What’s the 100 Million Club?

It’s no secret that Michael Jackson’s Thriller video (watch video below), is one of the world’s most popular videos. And according to a new report out today, it may be on it’s way to the #1 spot of the most watched video of all time!

From Visiblemeasures.com, here’s where Michael Jackson’s Thriller video is performing:

“Thriller’s recent performance has bumped both the original Twilight film and Susan Boyle back a spot. The celebrated music video has grown over 80 million views since our July update, enough to hop 5 spots and slip passed Twilight by just one million views.”

The 100 Million Club (as of August 25, 2009)

Click on the thumbnails to watch the clips.

Rank	Title	Type	Label/Studio	True Reach	Months Available	Watch
1	Soulja Boy: Crank Dat	Music Video	Universal	487,000,000	24
2	Beyonce: Single Ladies	Music Video	Sony Music Entertainment / Columbia	314,000,000	10
3	Michael Jackson: Thriller	Music Video	Epic Records	299,000,000	29
4	Twilight	Movie Campaign	Summit	298,000,000	17
5	Susan Boyle: Britain’s Got Talent	TV	Freemantle / iTV	286,000,000	4
6	Mariah Carey: Touch My Body	Music Video	Universal	277,000,000	17
7	Jeff Dunham: Achmed the Dead Terrorist	User Generated	–	263,000,000	22
8	Timbaland: Apologize (feat. One Republic)	Music Video	Mosley Music Group / Blackground / Interscope	236,000,000	52
9	Hannah Montana	Movie Campaign	Disney	228,000,000	6
10	Avril Lavigne: Girlfriend	Music Video	RCA	228,000,000	29
11	Leona Lewis: Bleeding Love	Music Video	Syco / SonyBMG	227,000,000	22
12	Twilight Saga: New Moon	Movie Campaign	Summit	220,000,000	2
13	Chris Brown: With You	Music Video	Zoomba / Jive Records	206,000,000	20
14	Numa Numa	User Generated	–	196,000,000	19
15	Alicia Keys: No One	Music Video	J Records	188,000,000	22
16	The Dark Knight	Movie Campaign	Warner Brothers	185,000,000	24
17	Miley Cirus: 7 Things	Music Video	Hollywood Records	181,000,000	13
18	Charlie Bit My Finger Again!	User Generated	–	177,000,000	25
19	Evolution Of Dance	User Generated	–	174,000,000	40
20	Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince	Movie Campaign	Warner Bros.	172,000,000	12
21	Beyonce: If I Were A Boy	Music Video	Sony Music Entertainment / Columbia	171,000,000	10
22	Lady Gaga: Just Dance	Music Video	Universal	170,000,000	15
23	Michael Jackson: Beat It	Music Video	Epic Records	159,000,000	26
24	Canon Rock	User Generated	–	155,000,000	44
25	Rick Astley: Rick Roll’d	User Generated	–	150,000,000	27
26	Rihanna: Please Don’t Stop The Music	Music Video	Universal	149,000,000	24
27	Dramatic Gopher	User Generated	–	146,000,000	26
28	Chris Crocker: Leave Britney Alone	User Generated	–	122,000,000	23
29	Britney Spears: Womanizer	Music Video	Sony BMG	118,000,000	11
30	Paul Potts: Britain’s Got Talent	TV	Freemantle / iTV	116,000,000	23
31	Miss Teen South Carolina 2007	User Generated	–	107,000,000	32
32	Lezberado: Revenge Fantasies	User Generated	–	103,000,000	26
33	Peanut Butter Jelly Time	User Generated	–	103,000,000	56
34	Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen	Movie Campaign	Paramount	102,000,000	8
35	Tay Zonday: Chocolate Rain	User Generated	–	100,000,000	31

Source: Visible Measures