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CNET's 404 Podcast sets phasers to fun at 'Star Trek' premiere

The 404 Podcast crew scored tickets for an advanced screening of JJ Abrams' new "Star Trek" movie! We had a lot of fun interviewing all the hard-core "Star Trek" fans, and even battled a few overzealous Enterprise crew members.

Will we successfully stump the Trekkies with our in-depth knowledge of Borg cube transwarp conduit projections, or will they overpower us with a temporal chroniton field? Watch the video below to find out!

Don't forget to check out our live videocast every morning at 11 a.m. ET or head over to CNETTV.com to watch … Read more

10 hilarious 'Star Trek' spoofs

"Star Trek" is coming (back) to theaters, and millions of fans are getting ready to check it out. It's serious business. Before you see the new film, watch these 10 videos that spoof the famed franchise.

Ben Stiller gets in on the action What's better than watching "Star Trek" get spoofed? Watching Ben Stiller spoof "Star Trek"! In this clip, he's Captain Kirk. And he's on a mission.

Can I get a... Something is on the minds of Captain Kirk, Spock, and the rest. They're worried. They're pensive. No, they're just hungry.

Grandpa Simpson loves old-school "Star Trek" "The Simpsons" is one of the most cherished cartoon comedies in history. And its portrayal of "Star Trek XII" is hilarious. You'll find all your favorites--Kirk, Spock, and Sulu--but they'll be just a little older than you remember them. And Grandpa Simpson loves it.

… Read more

The 404 338: Where we boldly go to see 'Star Trek'

The 404 crew goes to see the new "Star Trek" film by director J.J. Abrams. It's a reboot of the venerable Star Trek television series that most geeks grew up watching. Our good buddy and Photoshop contest winner Jacky W. Chen came with us, along with Edouard, our new bouncer.

We try to keep the show spoiler-free today, but in case you didn't know from the movie poster, Tyler Perry is in the movie. Overall, we think it's a great, fun film, but there are some deep plot holes you could fly the Enterprise through. Check out our video wrap-up from the opening here in New York on CNET TV.

On today's show, we find out the origins of the name Twitter. Apparently, its etymology is whale-based. The Natural History Museum Whale also follows us today. In more crazy news from the Web, "DJ Hero" comes out soon to ensure that the next generation of children will not know how to play a single real musical instrument.

In more video game news, Super Robot Taisen OG Saga: Endless Frontier is rated T for teen, but on the box, it contains "alcohol references, fantasy violence, mild language, partial nudity, and suggestive themes." We wonder what you have to do to get a M-rating now. Finally, if you're still living your mother's basement and playing World of Warcraft, we've got a gadget for you that will ensure that you will never get a girlfriend. It is a hut that will let players isolate themselves from the outside world, feed them, and possibly even wipe their butts. We're not sure if the last one is really a feature, but it's definitely in the same vein.

Keep calling into the show at 1-866-404-CNET (2638). We love your voice mails. Next week, we've got Molly Wood joining us on the show along with the equally lovely @LizMoney from the Gadget411 and Anna David!

Episode 338 Download today's podcast |  Subscribe in iTunes audio Subscribe in RSS Audio |   Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

Living the Star Trek life

I saw the new Star Trek movie in its limited release on May 7, and enjoyed it a lot (although I did think giving the Enterprise the new hull number NCC-90210 was a bit much).

Anyway, the movie includes scenes set in Iowa, which got me thinking about what life is like for the average person in the Federation of Planets. I think it probably isn't very different from life here on our Earth.

For example, we don't have warp drives, transporters, food replicators, or phasers, but I don't think these are part of the daily life … Read more

Buzz Out Loud 969: Poetry and warp drives

It's a-hole Thursday on Buzz Out Loud today, as we regale you, the listening audience, with tales of cyber douche baggery on Wikipedia, Facebook, and computer fair failures. Also, warp drives (space rant!), the death of Duke Nukem, and Meatspace.

Listen now: Download today's podcast EPISODE 969

It’s 5/7/09. Why do numbers people like stuff like that so much? http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/05/06/national/a195730D93.DTL&tsp=1

WiGig Alliance formed: Seeks to codify an in-room wireless spec that can handle HD video and everything … Read more

Intel ads spotlight 'rock star' engineers

Intel's "rock star" ads will try to show that Intel is more than just microprocessors--a theme of its broader ad campaign to launch on Monday.

One of the first Internet-based ads focuses on Ajay Bhatt, an Intel Fellow who was one of the principal engineers behind the development of USB, a crucial Intel technology used in virtually all PCs today. (Intel engineers in the ads are personified by hired actors. "Several of the engineers we're personifying confided that acting isn't within their comfort zone," said Sandra Lopez, Intel's global consumer marketing manager … Read more

Hailing frequencies open: VoIP Star Trek communicator engages nerd cred

Command your own fleet of nerds with this replica of the original Star Trek communicator, and guess what? It also happens to double as a VOIP phone, meaning you can use it to actually talk to another human being using Skype, AOL Instant Messenger, iChat, etc...

Bad news, though: unfortunately, the device does not have built-in Wi-Fi, so you must use USB for connectivity...worst. communicator. ever. Good news, though! Whoever designed this replica had the foresight (and the fear of vengeful Trekkies everywhere) to include buttons that play sound effects from the original series and a real mesh flip … Read more

The 404 336: Where sometimes it's good to be alone

Wilson's out slaving for CNETTV at the Amazon Kindle DX unveiling, leaving Jeff and I to man the show sans laughter...we'll let you judge the outcome. Today we veryveryvery briefly touch on the biggie Kindle, and also discuss the dangers of gaming to the death, Apple's new iPhone replacement policy, Oprah's free chicken giveaway, and more!

We'd first like to thank Randall Bennett, former host of The 404, for having us on his new show Tech VI--check us out!

One story from today comes from our brothers in the East, and by "… Read more

The 404 334: Where may the 4th be with you

Today we celebrate annual Star Wars Day...well, Wilson and I do. Jeff unloads his typical dump truck of hate on our beloved trilogy and a bunch of other stories, including Google Goats, YouTube birthing, Wiki games, and the new Wolverine movie proving errbody wrong!

To commemorate Star Wars Day, I'd like to introduce you to Sabersegging, thanks to the folks at Vice Magazine for the story. Sorry about messing up the name in our description, I think Cybersegging is something else entirely. Anyway, check out that video and contact your local Jedi Training Center for more details!

Next, we play some inside baseball with Google and reveal their newest HR pursuits: Google Goats. The software giants just hired a bunch of goats to hang out on the lawns at their Mountain View offices and eat/fertilize the grass. PETA, of course, wonders if the goats will receive a proper pension plan and health insurance options, but we have some better ideas...

Lots of pregnancy stories recently! First we talk about a miraculous birth with the help of YouTube. This story is nutso--a couple decided to have a baby in their home, but when the midwife failed to show up, the husband was forced to consult YouTube for basic birthing instructions and found this video that shows you how to deliver a baby in a vehicle. DISCLAIMER: Not for the faint of heart/stomach, even with the bizarre doll they use to roleplay. We also get another super awesome voice mail about another guy that used The 404 to get him through the stress of childbirth. We think that the mother had a little more, but we're happy to be here to welcome the young one on the air! Thanks a million for the amazing voice mail, we love hearing stuff like this.

Finally, all you Trekkies will be happy about our latest Photoshop contest to win a ticket to see the new Star Trek flick with us this Thursday, May 7th @ 7PM. We have two tickets available, so go here, and use one of those pictures to Photoshop us as your favorite Star Trek character! E-mail your submission to the404{at}cnet.com and we'll choose two of our favorites.

Episode 334 Download today's podcast |  Subscribe in iTunes |  Subscribe in RSS… Read more