1. Last time I was at Wal-Mart, I was very impressed with its electronics department. They had a full array of iPod and MP3 accessories, like hip looking ear buds. They also had iPhones, netbooks and all the gaming gear your kids are begging you to get. This was not your mother’s Wal-Mart, for sure.
So it’s not a surprise to read in the Wall St. Journal that Wal-Mart is looking to compete with Best Buy now that Circuit City has bit the dust. However, I’m surprised to hear that they want to compete with Amazon, which has the advantage of free shipping on purchases over $25, the ability to carry a larger variety of products, and no tax on purchases for most people.
2. In my ongoing quest for the perfect netbook, two new Acer Aspire One netbooks have come out, the AO751h and AOD250. Both weigh less than three pounds and are thinner than previous modes. Pricing for the 751h starts at $349.99 and $298 for the D250. (Here are the pre-order prices for the Acer Aspire One AOD250 on Amazon
I was hoping that details on the Costco version of the Acer Aspire One netbook with 3G capacity would be officially released by now, but according to the comments in this Engadget post, the two-year plan costs $60 a month. Dang.
3. Here’s a reason not to finally cave in to the kids and buy Guitar Hero. MTV Networks announced last week that The Beatles have given permission to use their music in MTV’s popular Rock Band video game series. This is the Beatles first digital licensing deal. The makers confirmed that two vintage replica guitars - John Lennon’s Rickenbacker 325 and George Harrison’s Gretsch Duo Jet – will be available for purchase when the game hits stores September 9, 2009. Paul McCartney’s Höfner bass and Ringo Starr’s Ludwig-branded drums will be replicated for the game, too. Then again with all the extra paraphernalia, maybe buying Guitar Hero is cheaper. Sigh.
4. After NY Times writer Maureen Dowd was accused – and apologized for a act of plagiarism, you have to wonder if the eternal gripe by mainstream journalists that bloggers and entities like Google News borrow (steal?) from them is a bunch of malarkey. See The myth of the parasitical bloggers by Glenn Greenwald of Salon.com for his view on who’s doing what to whom.
As Glenn writes,
“If all bloggers did was just replicate what traditional news organizations did and offered nothing original, nobody would read blogs.”
How true.
5. Tired of your little digital camera and wanting a “big girl” SLR? Check out Sony Intros Upgraded Alpha DSLRs for First-Time Shooters by Kevin C. Tofel at the GigaOm Network. I have a Sony Alpha, which I adore but hardly use. Frankly, my Sony Cybershot does a pretty good job and I can stick it in my jacket pocket or purse.
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