However I fully expect to hear from every fan of the video game characters that didn't make the list. Because let's face it, there are more than five good video game characters. So let your thoughts be known, but try to be gentle.
And among your comments, be sure to answer the lame prize question.
The answer to last week's lame prize question was: RIM BlackBerry Bold
Everybody's all smitten with smartphones, but what if you don't want to be interrupted with a call while you're listening to your music? What if you don't want to risk your precious and expensive smartphone at the gym? What if you want to carry every song you own in one player? If this describes you, take a look at our top 5 best MP3 players. They play some video, but mostly they play music. Sweet, sweet music.
And of course as always after you watch the show, come back here and leave an answer to the lame prize question in the comments and you could win!
Microsoft launched its new Windows Mobile 6.5 operating system this week at the CTIA Wireless conference (see all stories) in San Diego. The OS includes a refreshed Internet Explorer Mobile, the new My Phone media sync and share service, and a brand new app store called, unceremoniously, Windows Marketplace for Mobile.
Microsoft may be the last major smartphone platform to get its application storefront, but to its credit, the app store is full-fledged, not in beta like Palm's App Catalog on Pre. Unlike Blackberry App World's use of PayPal at launch, there's a flexible payment system; you're not tied down to a single financial channel. And while the Marketplace may not be the sexiest design around, all the elements are here. All it lacks now is critical mass.
In this First Look video, we walk you through the app store, from search filters to a limited return policy that's still fairly lenient compared to other mobile app stores. Check it out.
Rafe Needleman and Brian Cooley (a.k.a. the Cat Master) discuss the best hardware and software for monitoring your home when you're not there. Plus, your questions answered!
Listen now: Download today's podcastSubscribe now: iTunes (audio) | iTunes (video) | RSS (audio) | RSS (video)
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You'll have to watch the video to see just what happened. But if you're here for the giveaway, know that you're going to get a Watto cup-topper. Not a lava lamp. Sorry.
Yes, I am going for click bait with that title. And here's what "Sugarlumps" is all about (warning: some explicit language, but it's Flight of the Conchords, not hard-core rap). See it in HD on CNET TV proper.
The Apple TV is an excellent little device, if you limit yourself to the Apple universe of music, video, and podcasts. Who wants to be limited? Watch our video on how to add DivX, AVI, and more to your Apple TV. Then return here for the written steps.
XBMC is free and open-source software for Windows, Linux, and OS X that many consider the best media-center software out there. It grew out of the mod chips used on the original Xbox. Because it can run on OS X, that means it'll run on the Apple TV, which runs OS X.
Boxee, is a service based on XBMC that is currently in private alpha. You can get some free invites at www.boxee.tv/cnet. You'll have to download and set that service up separately.
Let's get started. Make sure you have your Apple TV turned off. Then make sure you have a USB stick with at least 1GB of space.
- Download the ATVUSB-Creator from Google Code.
- Insert a "bootable" USB drive into your Mac. Most USB drives are bootable. Watch out for drives that have the U3 software pre-installed on them; they're the ones that give the most trouble.
- Run the ATVUSB-Creator.
- Select "ATV patchstick."
- Make sure the XBMC and Boxee plug-ins are selected.
- Make sure your USB drive is selected.
- And press "Create Using."
- Again, make sure you Apple TV is off...remove the USB drive and plug it into your Apple TV.
- Power on your Apple TV, and the patchstick will run the ATV bootloader.
- After the bootloader finishes, remove it and restart your Apple TV. It now has options for Boxee/XBMC on the main menu.
- Click on Boxee, then select Update Boot Launcher--this helps prevent problems with the remote.
- Then select XMC/Boxee, then Update, and then Boxee. This will download Boxee from the Net.
- Once it's done installing, restart your Apple TV. Then do the same for XBMC. You'll probably want to explore the FAQs at XBMC and the blog at Boxee to make the most of your new capabilities.
This week's Top 5 counts down the top tech ads. As promised at the end of the segment, here are the links to YouTube videos of all the tech ads mentioned one through 10. Watch the Top 5 to see what order they're in and get clips of all of them at once.
Sometimes you don't find out about a good TV show until partway through its run, or maybe you don't get a certain channel, or even worse, for whatever reason, your DVR fails to record your favorite show. Thanks to the Internet, there are many ways to catch up, and maybe even ditch cable. Watch our Insider Secret video to see some of our favorite ways to get TV shows online, and then come back here for the links.
There are still many popular shows that don't put their content online. At least not legally. And this ain't about piracy, so put The Pirate Bay down for a moment. Still, a large number of shows are available legally online. Here are some of my favorite resources to find them.
Step one, go to the network's Web site. More and more channels put full episodes on their site. Look in the video tabs and find a link, usually called "full episodes." That may be the best way right there. All the networks stream their shows with commercial interruptions.
Another resource is a video aggregator site like Hulu.com. Hulu was launched as a cooperative venture of TV networks to provide easy access to movies and TV shows. Although anything you find there is likely to also be at the networks Web site, it's convenient if you want to watch shows from multiple networks at one site. The shows here also have commercials, and for some unfathomable reason they don't keep all the back episodes around. It's also U.S. only.
One of my favorite portals to check for TV shows is AOL video. Yep good old AOL. They have partnerships with several video suppliers, like Hulu for instance. You can find a wealth of back episodes from major shows there.
Another good portal is Fancast. The service is operated by Comcast and is meant to tell you all the places you can watch any show. When you search for a show, they give you any streaming versions they have access to, plus a schedule of airings on TV and any DVD versions available.
If you're a Netflix subscriber, another place to find old TV show episodes is through the Netflix streaming service. Your account allows you to stream many TV shows that are out on DVD. You'll have to have Internet Explorer or a dedicated device like the Roku Netflix box to use the service.
Another good free streaming provider is Joost. You can download the application from Joost.com, though they soon plan to make it a plug-in that works in your Web browser. It gives you free access to clips and full shows from several different channels.
When you have to break down and pay
If the show you want isn't streaming anywhere, you may have to buy the show. The bad news is that costs money. The good news is you don't have to watch commercials.
Apple's iTunes lets you download many TV shows for $1.99 an episode or a whole season sometimes at a slight discount. The shows will play on your computer or on Apple mobile devices like the iPhone or on Apple's Apple TV. They won't play on non-Apple mobile devices though.
Amazon's Video on Demand lets you buy shows, too. Once you buy a show, you can stream them in your Web browser on Mac or Windows any time you want. You can also download your shows to a Windows machine and move them to several portable devices. You can also have the shows sent to your TiVo, which is pretty cool.
And there's also BitTorrent. Yeah I know, we said no piracy. But BitTorrent.com, the official makers of BitTorrent, provides TV shows through their Torrent Entertainment network that are completely legal.
You also can get TV shows from your game console. The Xbox 360 sells TV shows in its Marketplace, some in high-definition. And Sony is touting Movies and TV shows at the push of a button for the PS3 and PSP.
That covers the major options out there, but there are still others. To sum up, you have approximately three options when attempting to catch up on a TV show.
- Stream for free, but watch commercials.
- Download for pay but have no commercials.
- Or break the law and pirate it and risk going to court.
What's up this week on Crossfade TV? Find out what Mike, Anngie, and Kurt have to say about soul-funk group Orgone (a "no-brainer," says Mike, for fans of Sharon Jones and Amy Winehouse), Oxford dance-pop group Foals, and the dark, moody new Gutter Twins project, featuring former grunge gods Greg Dulli (of Afghan Whigs) and Mark Lanegan (of Screaming Trees).
Crossfade TV is a joint production of CNET TV and Download Music. Tune in each week for the lowdown on our favorite new bands.
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