This Week In Links

Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant have stated that the hit BBC/HBO comedy Extras will not return for a third season (or series, as they’re called in the UK). This is not much of a surprise to fans of Gervais previous work, the original BBC version of The Office, which itself only had two seasons that wrapped up the loose ends with a special. The same is said to happen to Extras. [TV Squad]

Heroes creator Tim Kring revealed some details about the season finale, and a few tidbits of what to come in Season 2. Death is inevitable for some of the main cast, but as Kring pointed out: “… the one caveat is, on a show like Heroes, you may not always [stay] dead” [Sci Fi Wire]

Jet Li is in talks to star in the next sequel in the Mummy franchise, boringly titled The Mummy 3 for the moment. The sequel will revolve around the grown-up son of the two main characters, shown as a little boy in the last film. [Hollywood Reporter]

Windows Tech Guru Paul Thurrott has some screenshots of his experience with the brand new AppleTV unit. The system is an all-in-one media center that allows video, music, and server features. [Paul Thurrott's Internet Nexus]

The reincarnated BBC Series Doctor Who was recently given the go-ahead for a fourth season, featuring David Tennent as the good Doctor and a whole new companion played by Freema Agyeman. [Sci Fi Wire]

Microsoft strikes back at Sony at the European launch of the Playstation 3. Here’s my favorite of the shenanigans: A price comparison of XBOX360 vs PS3 in beer cost. To the left, XBOX360 and several cases of beer. To the right, a PS3 and one beer. [Joystiq]

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Posted by Haggis on March 23rd, 2007 @ 1:25 pm.

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60 Days of Vista

I’ve written in the past about Windows Vista, back when it was still in beta or even the release candidates. Around late November I found a link on Slashdot or Neowin for a Microsoft promotion called “Power Together” that offered training videos on some of the features for the new operating system, as well as the new Microsoft Office 2007.

After watching three videos in their entirety (and believe me, they were BORING), you get a free copy of either Vista Business or Office 2007 Pro, of if you watched six, you get both.

I finished the videos and sometime around late January I received both copies of my free software, valued over $600 or so. Just to show my appreciation for Microsoft’s good will, I even did the “anytime upgrade” to Vista Ultimate so I could use the Media Center functions that are only available on Home Premium and Ultimate versions.

Now after almost two months of using Windows Vista, I have finally reached a final verdict about the shiny new operating system: It blows.

What, really? Not expecting that answer from me, since I’ve been a virtual fanboy for the new version since they announced it a few years ago? I’m as surprised as you are, and let me break down the top five reasons why I am disowning myself from the heap of overcoded junk:

More after the jump…

Link: 60 Days of Vista

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Posted by Haggis on March 21st, 2007 @ 9:04 am.

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I Love Weblogs Inc

Okay, maybe this is just blatant kiss-assery, but I do love all the blogs under the Weblogs, Inc name (owned by AOL). What am I specifically referring to? Well let me list out a few of my favorites:

TV Squad (www.tvsquad.com) - I only discovered this site about four months ago, but it’s already my #1 site I check every day. The daily reviews and previews of my favorite (and unfavorite) shows are top notch, and they’re now even doing exclusive interviews. I actually applied to be a writer to the site a few months ago, but I think I need a little more experience reviewing shows before they’d seriously consider me.

Cinematical (www.cinematical.com) - The sister site to TV Squad, covering all things movies. It’s #2 on my RSS feed lists.

Engadget (www.engadget.com) - I’ve actually been reading this site since 2005, and always enjoyed it. It’s a tech and gadget blog, with a heavy handed snarkyness applied to the reviews that are always good for a chuckle. If anything else, they offer some of the most honest reviews of some of the crap electronic companies push on us.

Joystiq (www.joystiq.com) - “Joystick + IQ”, created by Engadget creator Peter Rojas, this covers all things video games. Much like Engadget, the sarcastic and tongue-in-cheek reviews are always good for a laugh.

Brian Alvey Weblog (www.brianalvey.com) - This one is pure kiss-assery.. Brian founded, or help found, several of the sites under Weblogs, Inc. He’s currently looking for bloggers to help start up a brand new Comics weblog, and I’ve just applied. Hopefully my review of Marvel’s Civil War I did a few months back will help me get the job.

Visit some of these great sites, and wish me luck on the Comic blog application!

Link: I Love Weblogs Inc

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Posted by Haggis on March 15th, 2007 @ 9:50 am.

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New X-Ray Device Can See Your Bits

I can’t believe I haven’t seen more people having a fit about this, but according to the Associated Press, travelers are about to be exposed.

A new x-ray technology, known as ‘Z Backscatter’, now in use at Phoenix’s Sky Harbor International Airport has the capability to, shall we say, see the more intimate bits of a traveler’s personal luggage. The device, which can see through a subjects’ clothing and detect metallic and non-metallic objects, is on loan for a TSA-ordered 90 day trial period from manufacturer American Science and Engineering, Inc.

A perusal of AS&E’s website reveals that the ‘Z Backscatter’ technology works by “detecting and highlighting “low Z” materials (items that contain low atomic number elements such as carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen).” Explosives, weapons, even organic objects can be detected with the new system, called ‘SmartCheck’. The device requires two technicians to run, one to assist the passenger during the screening process and another to monitor the images, which can be neither stored or transmitted.

Yeah, right. That’s what camera phones are for. I can see the first lawsuit now…

Source: Associated Press

Link: New X-Ray Device Can See Your Bits

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Posted by Smokin on March 5th, 2007 @ 10:41 am.

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What the Fark is an RSS Feed?

RSS Feeds. I’m sure you’ve seen it written everywhere, but what does it mean?

As articles are published on web sites, they are archived under their own URL, or website address. Behind the scenes, the website is also making a minimal version of the articles that do not contain all the style and design that the main site has.

These minimal versions are called RSS feeds, or Real Simple Syndication. If you are using Firefox or IE, you may have already noticed that your browser can read these “feeds” from websites supporting RSS. In Firefox, you’ll notice an orange box with three wavy lines in the right of your web address bar. In Internet Explorer 7, it will light up the same orange icon on the toolbar.

The point of subscribing to websites is to allow you a quick and easy way to read new updates on your favorite sites without having to navigate to each one. Think it like almost a custom Newspaper just for you, with only the stories and topics that interest you all on one page.

More after the jump…

Link: What the Fark is an RSS Feed?

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Posted by Haggis on February 22nd, 2007 @ 10:40 am.

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Twitter-Fied

I signed up for the Twitter service today after reading about it on TV Squad. My Name Is Earl writer Mike Pennie is buddies with the site’s creators, so for tonights episode of Earl they are incorporating the site into the show via “behind the scenes” info sent to the Twitter profile. (Only the West coast feed, for some dumbass reason.)

The service is basically used for adding instant updates to “what you are doing”, allowing you to send the status via the web site itself, via cell phone text message, or even through several Instant Messaging clients. I’m currently using the built-in googleTalk IM that loads with gMail to send updates.

Much like other social networking sites, you can add friends and “follow” their activities throughout the day through mini-updates.

Click here to visit my Twitter profile, or click here to signup for one of your very own and add me as a friend!

Link: Twitter-Fied

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Posted by Haggis on February 8th, 2007 @ 1:27 pm.

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Site Updates

If you’re reading this article, that means I have successfully updated WordPress to v2.1. Wordpress is a Content Management System that is free and available to anyone that wishes to host their own website and needs software that makes pages dynamic and easy to create.

I’ve been using WordPress for almost two years now, since Moveable Type decided to start charging for its software. Once I discovered how versatile WP was letting you customize the layouts and the wealth of plugins available (especially the introduction of WordPress Widgets) I have never looked back. In fact I’ve recommended the software to anyone even curious about blogging.

The new v2.1 of the WordPress software includes numerous under-the-hood tweaks that should result in faster page generation, a newer version of the Spam-Trapping tool Akismet (which as of this date has blocked 9,500 Spam Comments since it was released with v2.0 last year), an auto-save feature for unpublished drafts (HELL yeah) and a few Administrator Dashboard graphical tweaks.

And now back to our regularly scheduled nonsense.

Link: Site Updates

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Posted by Haggis on January 29th, 2007 @ 4:44 pm.

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