Geekly Update July 13

The AskBobRankin Geekly Update

• Sony is taking steps to make Blu-ray more popular. A new BD-Live feature, MovieIQ, allows you to check out cast, filmographies, director and other details. Your player must have a broadband connection and Profile 1.3. Titles such as "Angels Demons", "Easy Rider", and "Sex, Lies and Videotape" will be among the first support the feature. To keep that excitement going, the company will be releasing a new Vaio NW series notebook this month with Blu-ray drive for $879.00 which features a 15.4" screen, a quick-start button for getting on line and an HDMI port.
• Apple has decided to repair all three models of iPhone broken screens as well as those with dust particles under them at their retail stores. There is no cost if your phone is still under warranty but there will be a $199.00 charge for those not covered. Allowing the service in the store should make for happier customers since they will not have to do without their beloved phones for long.
• A clever fellow named George Hotz has come up with Purplera1n, a tool to jailbreak and unlock the iPhone 3GS. If you would like to download it, you will need Windows, the latest iTunes and your 3GS with 3.0 firmware. The tool is still in beta so make sure you have backup before attempting a download. If I was George, I be watching for guys with sunglasses in dark sedans...
• Best Buy has decided to go slightly greener by offering electric bikes, scooters and Segways in 19 selected stores in California, Washington and Oregon. If you live in the area, this summer you can test drive and/or purchase the Brammo Enertia that can hit 50 mph for up to 45 miles before needing a recharge.
• If that’s beyond your budget, how about a netbook for $.99? Sprint has teamed with the BestBuy to offer the Compaq Mini 110c-1040DX Netbook at the mini-price at all of its stores with a two-year contract and their $60.00 monthly fee. They also plan to sell it for Verizon and AT&T for $199.99 with a 2 year commitment.
• Amazon has dropped the price of its Kindle 2 to $299. Perhaps there is a lull in sales or they just wanted to be more competitive with the ipod Touch, which also sells for $299. The Kindle 2 eBook reader can hold up to 1,500 titles. Their new DX model, with a larger screen aimed at college students, can handle up to 3,500 books, and still remains at the $489.00 price.
• Sony has finally come up with its own netbook, the Vaio W. Available in pink, white or brown, the mini-PC is only 1.3" thick, weighs 2.6 lbs. and is packed with an Intel Atom N280 CPU, 1GB of RAM, Windows XP and a 160GB hard drive. It also is WiFi and Bluetooth compatible and both a memory stick and SD stick slot. Always a bit pricier, expect to pay about $500.00. Pre-order now for a July delivery.
• A cyber attack against US and South Korean websites that began Tuesday continues to spread. In Korea, security firm AhnLab, the Woori and Hana banks and Industrial Bank of Korea caused problems as well as the NIS National Security Center. In the US, the Treasury Department and Federal Trade Commission Web sites were included and shut down as a result of the attack. While there is no evidence, a govt. official in South Korea believes it may have come from the north and that the computers attacked were to be zombies. It just goes to show that even the big guys can get hit.
• Want justice from damaged personal property from the airlines but can’t get it? You might try what Dave Carroll did after baggage handlers from United Airlines apparently broke his $3,500 Taylor acoustic guitar. When no one from the company seemed to respond to his complaints, he had it repaired and made a humorous video with his band Sons of Maxwell entitled United Breaks Guitars . Posted on YouTube, it became a viral hit that finally got the attention of the airline’s spokesperson Robin Urbanskie who commented, “This has struck a chord with us, and we’ve contacted him directly to make it right." How's that for a conciliatory note? Seems like United is better attuned to the needs of their customers now.

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