If you haven’t listened to Spoon already, I exhort you to do so immediately. They are quite possibly my favorite indie band of the decade, and their appeal spans generations (read: is accessible to all), I promise.
Having said that, here are my top 10 favorite tracks from the Austin-based band, independent of albums: (more…)
In light of recent news that Warner Bros picked Blu-ray over HD-DVD, there’s talk that the HD format war is essentially over, as nearly 75 percent of all studios pick Blu. Paramount and Universal, the last of the big five movie studios, are rumored to be following suit in an effort to avoid consumer confusion at retail.
Even though I own a Blu-ray player, I’m kind of rooting for a stale mate so we can bypass optical media altogether and go straight to downloads. I don’t even buy Blu-ray movies (only renting them) because I’m unconvinced that’s how HD should be consumed. Sure, the picture is gorgeous, though to a lesser extent than the transition from VHS to DVD. So I ask…
… like this one.
I’m going to let the AP sum up the news cause I’m lazy today:
“Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. will offer next-generation DVDs in the HD DVD format and drop support for Blu-ray, further complicating the race between the competing technologies… With Paramount dropping Blu-ray support, Time Warner Inc.’s Warner Bros. remains the only major studio releasing movies in both formats.”
Can someone say stalemate? Oh, and my PS3 just lost some value (it doubles as a Blu-ray player).
Here’s a protip for those transitioning into the high-definition world; never buy HDMI cables at retail stores. The cheapest you’ll find one is $50-60 for a four foot cord whereas an online store will get you a 6′ cord for as little as $10 (svideo.com and Buy.com for example). Buy.com has a three for $17 deal right now.
And don’t be fooled with the quality argument on this one. Assuming the cord has standard durability (i.e. a plastic casing), you’ll see zero difference in picture quality as it’s all ones and zeros. Monster Cables worked in the analog world. They have little place in the digital one.
Smooth Harold is a collection of thoughts by Blake Snow -- a video game critic and recovering web consultant living in beautiful Orem, Utah. The site covers a variety of topics including culture, entertainment, business, technology, journalism, sports, parenthood, and politics — kind of like a blogging General Store. Blake is married to a loving wife named Lindsey and is the father of two girls, Sadie and Madison. He can be reached by email.
A list of the top 10 articles on Smooth Harold (coming when I feel like updating the site).
How may I help you? No really, is there something specific I can assist you in? Ask me anything self-employed related, video game related, web related, or family/life related, and I'll gratuitously answer you directly (usually same day) or put you in contact with someone who can. The Smooth Harold Helpdesk is at your service via email.
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Copyright © 2005-2008 Blake Snow. Some rights reserved. Site description:
Smooth Harold is a collection of thoughts by Blake Snow -- a video game critic and recovering web consultant living in beautiful Orem, Utah. The site covers a variety of topics including culture, entertainment, business, technology, journalism, sports, parenthood, and politics -- kind of like a blogging General Store. Blake is married to a loving wife named Lindsey and is the father of two girls, Sadie and Madison.
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