Devour: Most Viewed For Men

http://devour.com/

If you enjoy youtube, you probably browse for videos using the most viewed function.  Like most people, you think “hey! if everyone else enjoys it, I prolly will too!” Awesome! you click most viewed, click this week and await your hilarious videos.

But oh no!

Annoying orange? Bieber??  oh god is that another dumb shaytard video????? (sorry shaytards, give it up)

You should give that up… Go to http://www.devour.com  They sift through all the biebs/zefron videos to find you the good stuff.

But when I say good stuff, I dont mean girls in sports bras working out, I mean dudes in wheelchairs doing backflips.

Enjoy!

Is this a joke BlackBerry?

First of all I have never owned a blackberry, and after this I never plan on owning one. I came accross this little gem today BlackBerry Torch promo video, and was really excited to see the the Torch and the the BlackBerry 6 OS. As I watched the promo the only thing I could think of was, “is this an iPhone commercial spoof?” Seriously are these the new features? The only thing the iPhone doesn’t have is BBM. This is so sad so see a company like BlackBerry turning out such boring and behind the times products. Dear BlackBerry, good luck with your 6th and last major OS. RIP BlackBerry.

Update: I watched it again and this acting is awful.

Appreciate the Small Stuff

Check out this dog. He made my morning.

As I sat lamenting about traffic, construction, bitter coffee (that I made, FAIL) this dog was loving life. This impromptu image reminded me that I was commuting in a very advanced piece of machinery. A machine that enabled me to travel at a high rate of speed while listening to my ‘best of the 80’s’ playlist. (never gonna give you up). I was also able to belt out other Astley tunes in a comfortable 72 degrees because oh yeah, this thing was also air conditioned.

Sometimes I forget about how amazing the gadgets and devices I use really are. This dog served as an unintended reminder. To remind me that we really live in a bad ass time. Its good to be a human or dog in this information age. (screw cats)

So stick your head out that window buddy, at least you can appreciate the rush of wind on your furry face. That fat woman next to you can keep honking. I’m gonna Sing ‘you got me’ from The Crash Kings, a track that I just purchased and downloaded… On my phone. #spoiled

Your old dog is about to do all sorts of new tricks (updated)

Traditionally, current generation video game consoles would be reaching the end of their product life cycles. The big 3 (Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo) should have revealed their next generation consoles at E3 a few weeks ago. But a funny thing happened, they didn’t. The software industry has become so skilled at developing games for these consoles that the big 3 see their consoles existing for another five years. This might be due to the skills of developers, or it might be because Sony and Microsoft just started recording profits from their consoles. Either way, the next few years are going to be pretty amazing for systems that are currently 4 or 5 years old. And I’m not just talking about Xbox Kinect or Playstation Move.

The best example would be Halo: Reach. Coming in September to the Xbox 360, a console that is five years old. This game is shaping up to be the most visually stunning shooter ever made. Reach is shipping with the largest multiplayer map ever made. In my opinion it’s also the most beautiful map ever made. The map is called Forge, and it’s actually five multiplayer maps pieced next to each other to create this multiplayer behemoth. Bungie, the developers of Reach, literally invented new ways for games to load, distance calculations, and physics variants to achieve their vision for Forge.

Typically in games when objects get far away they are just made blurry or are rendered with large pixels that ruin the distance illusion. Grand Theft Auto 4 is notorious for this. When cars get far away they just turn into lights and any people or objects just disappear. Developers are forced to do this because current gaming console hardware just doesn’t support the rendering power needed to display detailed objects at a distance. Bungie solved this problem with their new load-on-demand program known as “Impostering.” Impostering allows detailed objects to be viewed at great distances by keeping those objects stored on the hard drive instead of on the DVD. This means the RAM can access those objects much more quickly, avoid loading times, and have many objects on the screen at once. There’s also some slick coding involved that is way over my head. But don’t just take my word for it. Here’s a look at the world of Forge:

For a more humorous look at Forge, check out this Red Vs. Blue video:

Bye-bye BluRay

When I got a Playstation 3 last January, one of the features I was most excited about was the BluRay functionality that came along with it. I went out and bought a bunch of movies, watched them in their full HD glory, and all was good. In the past few months, however, I’ve started to question whether I should keep investing money in this technology — still new and not likely going anywhere anytime soon — or hold onto my money until something better comes along. As a lot of you know, I’m not really a movie buff — I don’t particularly “love” a ton of movies. But the ones that I do love, I love a lot. Movies like The Matrix, the original Batman (sorry, Kowal), The Shining, etc. — classics that just never get old to me. Yesterday, I considered going on a BluRay binge so that I had some of these classic movies in their top-of-the-line, HD versions. Then I got to thinking: it’s kind of a waste of money at this point. How many DVD’s have I bought that I now (probably illegitimately) deem unusable because there’s a better quality version out on the market? A lot — I’ve spent hundreds, if not thousands of dollars. Why would I make the same mistake with BluRays? Sure, BluRay is the best format we’ve got right now, but didn’t we have the same opinion of DVD and VHS when they debuted on the market?

My criticisms aren’t of the BluRay format specifically — they’re of the physical (non-digital) format as a whole. It’s clear to me that things are moving the way of the digital format, and for good reason: no physical discs to lose (read: destroy), quicker access to your movie library (no disc-switching — browse and watch instantly), and less clutter in the living room to boot. But the problem is that no company has figured out a quick and easy solution for distributing and facilitating playback of HD video files in the living room (although Apple has made a few attempts, which I’ll get into in a bit). This explains why most of the people buying this living room-streaming technology are technosexuals — not our parents and bosses and self-professed tech-hater friends who seem to be able to operate an iPhone or iPad just fine. As we saw with the iPad, all it takes is a great idea coupled with great design and execution for a product previously thought of as having a non-existent or niche market to hit the big time. Here are 3 things I think will help the digital movie download movement break into the mainstream:

1. Better encoding

Although Apple’s H.264 codec is considered top of the line, they’re still going to need to do a little better. HD movie files are still too big; the average HD movie download still takes over an hour on high-speed broadband, and this will continue until a new codec is developed or America beefs up its broadband infrastructure, which isn’t looking so promising at the moment. Luckily, Apple is rumored to be working on a new codec, so this one may not be too far off from reality.

2. Faster, cheaper hardware

Apple has been known to refer to its Apple TV set-top box as a “hobby” rather than a primary focus of its business, and the amount of attention that they give this device (or lackthereof) confirms this mentality. As an Apple TV owner, I can say that the product leaves much to be desired. The OS feels bloated and clunky, the hardware seems outdated (720p maximum output, anyone?), and the overall experience is frustrating — especially for an Apple product. With the Apple TV begging for a hardware refresh and Google jumping into the living room market with Google TV, something tells me the competition in this space is going to heat up pretty quickly in the next year or so. And with competition comes price cuts. In my opinion, $229 is still a little pricey for technology that the average consumer either doesn’t see the need for or doesn’t understand. After newer, faster pieces of hardware with cheaper price points hit the market in the next year or so, this will be a much more viable market that’s worthy of the attention of all the big players in the entertainment technology game.

3. Guaranteed, free updates

Lastly, and I think most importantly, what the digital movie market needs is support from the movie studios for guaranteed, free updates when HD encoding standards inevitably change for the better. When I look back at the few movies and music videos I’ve purchased on iTunes over the past few years, most of them are of grainy quality and encoded in 480i resolution — not much reinforcement to keep downloading content on iTunes. Now imagine being able to upgrade your beloved copy of Austin Powers in Goldmember (OK, maybe we don’t love the same movies…) every time a new, better HD video standard hit the market. I’m picturing a “free update available” message popping up in iTunes for purchased movies that have been re-encoded in the new resolution, similar to how iPhone apps are updated when App Store developers release new versions of their apps. Unfortunately, the solution that I’ve deemed most important is also probably the farthest from reality. I think it’s safe to assume that a decent source of revenue for the movie studios comes from people re-buying their favorite movies every time a new format debuts. Would they really embrace this technology if it was made available to them? My gut tells me no, but I could be wrong.

So, who wins this battle? Will physical formats prevail over digital formats? Only time will tell, but if the music industry is any indicator, I’d say we’re in store for some big changes.

3D video games!!!

I downloaded the Motor Storm 2 demo today because I said, “TODAY WILL BE THE DAY I PLAY A 3D VIDEO GAME!” I was excited, but I made sure to follow Sony’s advice and planned for safety.

Here we go… OK its starting up… What the!?

We’re sorry, but your TV does not support 3D playback.

I’m sorry but I just got duped into buying a high-def super-screen TV. You’re not getting me to shell out money for a 3D-ready TV.

I guess I’ll go back to playing video games like the kids did in 2009. 2D just isn’t the same… right, Peyton Manning and Justin Timberlake?

White iPhone delayed until late 2010

Today I awake like any other day, first checking twitter, then reading my texts… First text “White iPhone delayed till late 2010.” A big part of me just died. I know it’s only a color, it’s just a phone, definitely not the end of the world. If I would haven known this a month ago I would have just pre-ordered a black iPhone 4 and waited in line like every other asshole on June 24th. I wouldn’t even be that angry but I’ve waited one day shy of a month to get my phone, and now if I order one today I have to wait another three weeks. I immediately called Apple’s support number, where I was left with “you can order it now, but we can’t ship it right away.” I then proceeded to call Apple two more times, but got the same response. So, what is a man to do? Well, I emailed Steve Jobs. I wonder how this will turn out. My guess: I’ll be waiting by the front door for three weeks for Mr. FedEx to drop off my disgusting black iPhone. FML.

My letter to Steve Jobs:

Dear Mr. Jobs,

I can not even express my excitement for the iPhone 4. I anxiously awaited your keynote on the release, I waited up all night to pre-order my phone… And that is where my excitement ends. I have been waiting to hold my very own iPhone 4 for almost a month.

Today I found out that the white iPhone 4 has been postponed for the third time to later this year. I understand that you are having manufacturing difficulties, leaving me to abandon ship of my beloved white iPhone.

This is where my anger, sadness, and desperation set in. So I go to the online Apple store to order a black iPhone and now I have to wait three additional weeks!

I’ve already called the Apple support number three times today, and nobody could push my order to the front of the line, leaving me to contact you. It is only fair that the people who planned on receiving their white iPhones get pushed to the front of the line if they choose to get a black iPhone.

I only ask that I can get a black iPhone by the end of the month since I was told I would I would be getting a white phone by the end of July. I’ll settle for black but I shouldn’t have to settle for waiting three additional weeks.

Thank you,

Brent Unkrich

Behold a pale horse…

and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. Revelation 6:8. I have always found this passage from the bible to be particularly eerie. I have always wondered what the pale horse represented, now I know: The white iPhone 4. Delayed again until “later this year.” There’s been a recurring joke between my friends about what team you’re on, #TeamBlack or #TeamWhite. Except #TeamWhite probably wont be established until the holiday season. If there’s one thing I’ve learned from Apple, unless there’s a specific date announced for a product launch, said product will be delayed. Significantly. Remember the original launch date for the push server? It was announced to launch in “September 2008.” Actual launch: June 2009. So my advice to you if you want a white iPhone 4: if you’re rocking a 3GS just hold out for it, if you’re rocking a 3G just cave and get the black, it’s worth it. However if your precious white iPhone 4 doesn’t hit the shelves by 2011 I’d just hold out for the iPhone 5, or 4S, whichever comes first.

Ignorance is bliss

Especially when it comes to at&t service on the iPhone, the less I know about how bad it is the better. I didn’t really care how many bars I had, just if it worked or didn’t. Now thanks to Apple’s 4.0.1 update, I now know exactly how many less bars I have in more places. I still drop calls sitting in my apartment. I still don’t have service at my desk at work. But now instead of pissing on my leg and calling it rain, Apple and at&t just call it piss and walk away. It’s rather upsetting when I walk around in downtown Chicago with 2 bars. I do miss the days when I at least thought I had 5 bars before I dropped a call.

Top five opportunities for Apple

By Matthew Kowal
It’s no secret that I am one of Apple’s harshest critics, especially if you follow me on Twitter (@KowalRoyale). That’s why as a show of open-mindedness and optimism, I offer these five areas of improvement for Apple that would really drive sales.

5. Mac + Blu-Ray. It makes perfect financial sense why Apple hasn’t included Blu-Ray technology into any of their devices; they don’t make any money off of Blu-Ray sales. In fact, it costs them more because of the license fees to Sony. The other little gem is that Apple doesn’t want you to buy Blu-Rays, they want you to buy HD movies from their iTunes store, something they do make money off of. Unfortunately if your TV is large enough (generally 42” and above) you will notice a difference between iTunes HD and Blu-Ray. Currently Blu-Ray offers the best picture output for your TV. Apple could match Blu-Ray specs, but would you really download a full Blu-Ray movie from iTunes? It would be ready to watch sometime next week only after it downloads completely, unlike current iTunes movies which you can watch after 20% download. And if your internet provider is capping your total monthly downloads, you will hit that ceiling pretty quickly. Blu-Ray burners also offer a great way to store massive amounts of data (like pictures or your produced iMovies) without investing in yet another external hard drive. An AppleTV or Mac Mini packing a Blu-Ray would really drive sales among both hardcore users and average users who are easily seduced by the “Blu-Ray” brand.

4. Apple Cinema Display – Apple’s displays are probably the best consumer displays on the market. Only if you’re a professional photo or video editor would they not meet your needs. But they do charge professional prices for their consumer displays, something that is clearly due to Apple’s history of having a near 50% profit margin on all products. The current 24” cinema display costs 900 by itself. A 24-inch iMac costs 1200. Do the math. There is no 27-inch display yet, but with the 27-inch iMac having been available for a year there’s no reason to think it isn’t coming soon. That said, my 24-inch gateway display with the exact same specs (plus HDMI in, component in, and a larger USB hub) cost me just under 200. I would gladly pay 400 or even 500 for the Apple display, but not 900. I can run 4 Gateway displays and still pay less than I would for the Apple 24-inch display. So if Apple is willing to lower their profit margin a bit, I guarantee they will see a dramatic increase in display sales.

On a side note, Apple hasn’t upgraded the 30-inch cinema display since 2006. LED’s become harder to manage the larger the display gets, so I understand why Apple hasn’t released an LED backlit version yet. However the current one costs almost as much as my Mac Pro. Very pricey for a 4 year old monitor with substandard refresh rates.

3. iPad Pro – Obviously the iPad has done very well, so it’s tough to criticize the device. But I will anyways. With the release of iPhone 4, Apple made their first tablet device completely obsolete in my eyes. The iPhone 4’s retina display makes it hard to look at the iPad’s screen without noticing the pixels…..they’re everywhere!!! Yes, that’s my reaction when I use an iPad. But I digress, the root of the problem is the lack of additional utility the iPad provides consumers. Enter, iPad Pro. It can run iOS4 just like a normal iPad, but it also runs full OS X. Call it a Macbook Air sans keyboard if you want. Think about running iChat, Flash (yes iPad users, I know you miss it), Hulu (for free), and have the ability to stream from other iTunes libraries on your Wi-Fi network. It would be one powerful device. From many hacks that I have seen, the A4 chip can do so much more than iOS4 allows it. If you haven’t I suggest you take a quick trip down Google road to see all that the iPad can do when you remove Apple’s restraints. Then you too will demand the iPad Pro.

2. The Real Boot Camp – This one is for you gamers. As you know, Mac gaming is getting more and more respect all the time. But it still stinks like a rotting corpse. If you’re into serious PC (Keyboard + Mouse) gaming than Windows is the way to go. I knew this when I bought my Mac Pro. I figured whenever I get the urge to shoot em up I’ll just use boot camp to boot into Windows and use my superior Mac Pro hardware to frag enemies all day. WRONG. Apple’s boot camp isn’t truly turning your Mac into a PC and running Windows, it actually is more like a virtual machine than one would think. When you create a Windows partition on a HDD with boot camp you are indeed installing Windows, but that’s it. Boot camp doesn’t install a separate BIOS for Windows and you can’t use the OSX BIOS. The work around is for boot camp to create a virtual BIOS for Windows. This works fine for Windows tasks except gaming. The problem occurs because the virtual BIOS is limited in GPU access and RAM. My Mac Pro has 8 gigs of RAM, but boot camp only gives Windows access to two of them. Essentially neutering my rig. Most heavy users typically have duel boot Windows and Linux running. I’m just asking Apple to do the same. End the era of virtual BIOS and let Windows thrive on the Mac Pro.

1. An actual Apple TV – I’ve always wondered this since Apple came out with “Apple TV.” Why doesn’t Apple make an actual TV, and have the product “Apple TV” built into it? It would work just like any Samsung or LG TV, except it’s built the unibody Apple way and can access iTunes. It seems so simple to me. Or they could license the Apple TV hardware to a TV producer like Samsung so the Apple TV technology can be built in. I feel like the sexiest TV in the world could be an Apple LED LCD tv. Dare I say Retina Display TV? In dreams my friends, in dreams.

So what say you? Any other opportunities for Apple?

Note: If you talk about the iPhone/iPad as a gaming device I will unleash the banhammer on you.