Netflix to begin offering streaming-only plans
On Wednesday, Netflix announced it will be launching a brand new, stand-alone streaming service. The company will offer customers a fixed monthly fee for accessing the company's DVD categories via web-based streaming only (content/view/41342/98/). There are no specific details as to when the new service will launch or how much it will cost, though many predict it wil be in the third quarter.
NPR's New Blog Is 'A Matter Of Fact'

We want to let you know about a new NPR blog. "As A Matter of Fact" is by and for the audio-loving, fact-finding, truth-seeking, news-addicted librarians of the world. Of course, you don't need to be a librarian to read it.

CBS launches iPhone television application
TV.com has been released by CBS Mobile, the new free mobile application will allow iPhone and iPod touch users to view full episodes of select CBS television shows and other programs via a Wi-Fi or 3G mobile network.

'Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception'
The PSP now has a no nonsense arcade-style flight sim available. This is the first time the series is mobile.
Malibu To Outlaw Skateboarding Daredevilry

Skateboarders who race down the steep, curvy canyon roads north of Los Angeles will soon find the sport illegal, as the city of Malibu plans to outlaw the activity. Dangerous road conditions and high speeds provide an adrenaline rush for the boarders and a potential lawsuit-in-waiting for the city.

Playstation Portable hits 50 million units
Sony said that it has sold 50 million units of its Playstation Portable(PSP) gaming console, which is about half the number of Nintendo DShandhelds sold to date.

In Mobile, Ala., Moon Pies Add To Mardi Gras Flavor

New Orleans' Mardi Gras is the best known of the celebrations in America that signal the start of Lent, but it is certainly not the only one. In Mobile, Ala., they throw beads into the audience, but also flying moon pies. Mobile resident Wayne Dean talks Mardi Gras.

Barbie Turns 50; Help Her Show Her Age

Next weekend, we're throwing a birthday party of sorts for everyone's favorite impossibly slender doll, Barbie. She'll be 50-years-old, but she sure doesn't look it. Upload your photos of Barbie and join the celebration.

Secrets Of A Scrabble Champ

Laurie Cohen may have put herself in the record books this week — by winning a Scrabble game. Cohen won the game at a Scrabble tournament in Phoenix with 725 points. One word gave her 230 points — and made her a champion.

UPDATED: Apple rejects South Park app for iPhone over "offensive" content
Boing Boing reports that the developers behind a new South Park iPhone application submitted it for approval four months ago. And now the developers have received a note from Apple which confirms the application has been rejected, citing "potentially offensive" content. And the irony is, Apple's iTunes Store carries seasons 11 and 12 of the TV show South Park: Uncensored, though admittedly with a TV-MA warning. Apple's message is this: Watching potentially offensive content is okay. Playing with it in...

At least 400 TV stations have gone digital
This morning at midnight, over 400 broadcasters nationwide have reportedly made the decision to permanently shut down their analog signals and began broadcasting in digital only.
Hit Doll's Creator Inspired By Friend's Madoff Loss

A surprise hit at this year's Toy Fair in New York was the Smash-Me Bernie doll. It is a resin doll that looks disgraced investor Bernard Madoff wearing a devil costume. Graeme Warring, president of ModelWorks who created the doll, talks about where the idea came from.

Saitek Unveils New Products

Saitek Unveils New Products
Introducing the new line of Saitek peripheral devices launching in the coming months. They including a keyboard, flight-sim equipment and audio devices.
U.S. to get Nintendo DSi on April 5
Nintendo today said that it will bring its updated handheld gaming system DSi to the United States on April 5 (see our previous coverage (content/view/39573/98/)). The third generation of the DS will be available in blue and black and will sell for $170 -- a $40 premium over the current DS Lite model. The extra money will get gamers a larger screens (3.25" instead of 3") a slimmer form factor (18.9 mm, compared to the 21.9 mm of the DS...

DivX announces Mobile Theater Certification Program for HQ video

DivX announces Mobile Theater Certification Program for HQ video
Today at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain, and in a parallel event in San Diego, CA, DivX announced a new Mobile Theater Certification Program for their video codec to enable "A home theater-like experience at standard definition resolutions on a variety of mobile devices."
Answers To Presidential Quiz

Michele Norris talks to Rick Beyer, author of The Greatest Presidential Stories Never Told: 100 Tales from History to Astonish, Bewilder and Stupefy, answer the trivia questions and tell little-known stories about some American presidents.

All Mixed Up

Every answer is the name of an animal you might see in the zoo. Name the animals from their anagrams. For example, given "oil" plus "N," the answer would be "lion."

Looking At The Lincoln Penny

The U.S. Mint is changing the design of the penny for the first time in 50 years. As it turns out, the penny's been at the cutting edge of coin design since Lincoln first appeared on it a hundred years ago.

Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard

Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard
Take the world of Reboot, take all the characters, concepts, game mechanics, etc. from relics of video game history, add a touch of witty one-liners, sarcasm great gameplay and you have a recipe for Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard.
Midway games files for bankruptcy protection
The creator of such popular games as Space Invaders, Pac-Man, Spy Hunter, Tron, NBA Jam and the infamous Mortal Kombat, as well as over one hundred additional titles, has filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after the late 2008 sale of Sumner Redstone's controlling interest.

Sega closing locations, canceling games, laying off employees
Yesterday, Sega's Japanese main branch said that the company will be closing 110 arcades, canceling some games currently in development and potentially lay off 18 percent of its staff. The game publisher said these cost cutting attempts are due to expected record losses of 25 billion yen ($238 million) during their fiscal year, which ends on March 31.

Microsoft offers limited free Xbox Live access

Microsoft offers limited free Xbox Live access
With the release of Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned, individuals may find some extra incentive to buy. Today, Microsoft made the announcement that in an effort to aid the sale of the first two 360-exclusive expansions, it would allow individuals six days of free online mode place to game purchasers at no extra charge. Usually playing Xbox Live online is limited only to individuals who subscribe to the "Gold" package, which is $49.99 each year. "Silver" subscribers...
Solve That Puzzle

We present another in our occasional series: Shortlists. They're little radio word puzzles. See if you can figure out what connects all the items in the list.

YouTube spoof encourages online e-filing for Marylander taxes
Real Tax Payers of GeniusAn official Maryland Comptroller video appeared on YouTube late last week. It's being picked up by countless websites today and shows the sufferings of not filing online in a ?? humorous way?

UK politicians want games to spread climate change message
Lord Puttnam, British politico wants individuals to be aware of global warming, its effects, dangers and how people can combat it, and he wants the video game industry to take part in the education of the masses.

New Transformers video games coming for several platforms
It seems that with every major action franchise movie of late a new video game must accompany the latest sequel. Such is the case with the upcoming Activision title Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.

Guitar Hero world record set by 14yr old, Danny Johnson
Danny Johnson, a 14-year-old boy from Grapevine Texas set a world record on Wednesday in Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, a game growing in popularity all over the globe.

Rockstar prepares open-world Western gaming title
Rockstar Games is getting set to bring to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 video game platforms a new open-world style Western game. The follow-on to Red Dead Revolver, the new game will be called Red Dead Redemption and will be available in the Fall. EXTRA: SLIDESHOW

Zune-MEAN's business: Cinemash gives digital cinema a new twist
Microsoft today announced it has partnered with the bi-monthly MEAN Magazine to produce an innovative concept which will exclusively be available to Zune subscribers, and then later for MSN and Xbox LIVE. Called Cinemash, the effort will take classic scenes from popular movies and allow actors to re-enact them - often in comedic fashion, and potentially with alternate actors in the roles.

Amazon enters downloadable PC game industry
 Online retailer Amazon.com has stepped into another online shopping segment - video game downloads. With the unveiling of its new downloadable PC game store today, more than 600 titles are immediately available.

YouTube's AdBlitz channel wants you to vote
 YouTube has created a post-SuperBowl AdBlitz 2009 channel wherein they're asking for users to vote on their favorite SuperBowl TV commercial. With all commercials shown, users can vote on their favorites - or just watch the commercials for entertainment.

The Super Bowl Of Word Games

Every answer is a familiar two-word phrase in which one word starts with S-T, as in Steelers, and the other starts with C-A, as in Cardinals. The words can be in either order. For example, given "people who work for a political candidate," the answer would be "campaign staff."

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