The iPod is nearing the end of the road. Apple news blog TUAW broke the story. They claim a reliable source told them the company will kill the iPod Classic and iPod Shuffle later this year. For anyone who follows Apple, this should be no surprise. The Classic was last updated way back in 2009. Once the flagship product, it's become the black sheep of the iPod lineup. Apple is looking to replace older, non-touch models with it's iPhone derivatives. Despite a higher storage capacity, the Classic is no longer cost competitive against smartphones. At $279, it seems expensive and archaic compared to the virtual Swiss Army Knife that is the iPhone.

For those who really love music, the death of the iPod marks the end of an era.

The 6th generation iPod Classic may be the last. It hasn't been updated since 2009.

The original iPod first launched in 2001. While it wasn't the first MP3 player, it marked a major paradigm shift for the music market. Apple considered contemporary players to be too big, too clunky to use, or too small to be useful. The company wanted something that could fit 1,000 songs comfortably in your pocket, complete with Apple's trademark user friendliness.

The original iPod was smaller, lighter, and could store an incredible amount of music for the time. The innovative scroll wheel made navigating your music collection a breeze. The first iPod had a 5gb hard drive, which could store roughly 1,000 MP3s. Its rechargeable battery lasted about 10 hours, which was on par with its AA contemporaries.

The iPod and iTunes changed the way we consume music

While Napster had already kicked off the digital music revolution, the iPod supercharged the trend. When the iTunes store launched two years later, putting the CD on death row. Apple quickly rose to become the largest music retailer on the planet. While other companies tried their hands at MP3 players, iPod is still synonymous with the devices.

Smartphones killed the iPod, but it's contribution to music history was legendary.

Update: I'll be restoring a 5th generation iPod Classic. Stay tuned for that tear down.

For today's computers, thin is in. Desktops are dead, laptops are writing their last will and testament. It's all about tablets. The smaller the better. Some folks even think the 10'' iPad is too large. You'd almost think that nobody dreams big anymore. Then you lay your eyes on Martin Drashkov's monstrosity, the MegaPad. The world's first 23'' Android tablet.


 

"The Android MegaPad is then the next logical step - a modern touch-based computing device with with a screen size that will enable a whole different set of experiences. Unlike tablets, devices like this will make simultaneous use by two users a practicality and will let users more fully immerse themselves in apps and games. In the demo video below, you can see two apps that, while written for phones and tablets, nevertheless demonstrate the usefulness of such a device."

Calling it a tablet is a bit deceiving though. The device is not yet portable. Mr. Drashkov claims he built the device for $600, using off-the-shelf parts. That's as much as the "puny" 32gb iPad.

The MegaPad runs a modified version of Android Gingerbread, which was used due to its adaptability. A video shows it running Google Earth and Fruit Ninja quite well. Martin is a fellow member of the Anandtech Forums, so I'm trying to pry some specs out of him. In the mean time, please bathe in the awesomeness that is the MegaPad.


UPDATE: Martin says he used a Pandaboard for this build. The company bills it as a low cost development platform for mobile software. The processor is a 1ghz Texas Intruments OMAP4430 running at 1ghz. It's based on the ARM Cortex A9, similar to the CPU used in the iPad 2. Graphics are fuelled by a PowerVR SGX540, also similar to the iPad 2's. It also features 1gb of DDR2 RAM, 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and can handle encoding and decoding of 1080p video.

There's no word on which screen he used, though I'm guessing it's an Acer T231H, as it's the only full HD touch screen monitor Acer currently sells. 

Image copyright Marvel Productions/20th Century FOX

Sony's changed the PSN terms of service to include a "don't sue us" clause. Basically, by agreeing, you're now forced into binding arbitration should you have a dispute with any Sony entity.

According to the new user agreement for the Playstation Network...

"Other than those matters listed in the Exclusions from Arbitration clause (small claims), you and the Sony Entity that you have a Dispute with agree to seek resolution of the Dispute only through arbitration of that Dispute in accordance with the terms of this Section 15, and not litigate any Dispute in court. Arbitration means that the Dispute will be resolved by a neutral arbitrator instead of in a court by a judge or jury."

Of course you can opt out, by doing things the good old 1950s way.

"RIGHT TO OPT OUT OF BINDING ARBITRATION AND CLASS ACTION WAIVER WITHIN 30 DAYS. IF YOU DO NOT WISH TO BE BOUND BY THE BINDING ARBITRATION AND CLASS ACTION WAIVER IN THIS SECTION 15, YOU MUST NOTIFY SNEI IN WRITING WITHIN 30 DAYS OF THE DATE THAT YOU ACCEPT THIS AGREEMENT. YOUR WRITTEN NOTIFICATION MUST BE MAILED TO 6080 CENTER DRIVE, 10TH FLOOR, LOS ANGELES, CA 90045, ATTN: LEGAL DEPARTMENT/ARBITRATION AND MUST INCLUDE: (1) YOUR NAME, (2) YOUR ADDRESS, (3) YOUR PSN ACCOUNT NUMBER, IF YOU HAVE ONE, AND (4) A CLEAR STATEMENT THAT YOU DO NOT WISH TO RESOLVE DISPUTES WITH ANY SONY ENTITY THROUGH ARBITRATION."

In order to keep using PSN, Sony is making you agree to these new terms. It's pretty sneaky for them to bury this at the bottom of the terms of service. That whole security breach really stirred up a legal hornet's nest, so looks like they're trying to cover their asses. Naturally, this is the likely result of the class action that emerged after all those credit card numbers were stolen.

This is a good example of the problem with EULAs. Long winded, convoluted contracts that people are expected to "sign" without really understanding what anything in them means. Mind you, this won't effect most people using the service. It just seems a tad unethical to sneak things through like that without first consulting consumers. As if Sony needed a legal advantage if they screw up. What with their legions high priced lawyers crawling out of every crack.


Phoenix Wright copyright Capcom

Things haven't been so super for Mario lately. Peach left him for Luigi, they repossessed his kart, and he's forced to eat beefaroni because real spaghetti is too expensive. Guess he should have sold his Nintendo stock before the 3DS launched.

Nintendo conquered the video game market through innovation. They introduced us to motion and touch screen gaming, then 3D. Now it seems the juggernaut has finally run out of gas. Revenue forecasts have plummeted 80 percent. The company's stock value has dropped 50 percent since last February.

The Nintendo 3DS is being blamed for the company's poor showing. The portable had a stellar launch back in February. Since then, sales have been lacklustre. There's nothing wrong with the 3DS itself. We don't have another Virtual Boy on our hands here. It's a solid piece of hardware that works as advertised, and does a fantastic job at it. However, panicky pundits, such as IGN, are already declaring it a maybe, sort of, failure. That's not the case. The gaming market has changed a lot since the DS launched, yet Nintendo is still using the same approach they've used in the past.

The three things holding the 3DS back are price, lack of software, and increased competition from smartphones.

The 3DS is the most expensive successor to the original Gameboy. With inflation factored in, only the Virtual Boy would cost more today. Prices for Nintendo hardware have been creeping up over the years. Studies into manufacturing costs show the company making fat margins on every console sold. It is estimated the 3DS costs about $100 to build. Even assuming marketing and R&D costs the same, $50 per unit is still a tidy profit.

Nintendo has long refused to sell their products at a loss. So does competitor Apple. Logically, that makes sense. However, that sort of thinking changed with the 2008 recession. People don't have as much disposable income as they did during the DS and Wii's heyday. Nintendo products are marketed at a younger crowd. Parents will think twice at dropping that much cash on a "toy".

Competing products, such as smartphones, are being seen as more economical than standalone systems. Apple sells their iPod Touch in the same price bracket as the 3DS. Not only is it a virtual Swiss Army Knife of media consumption, software is a fraction of the price. Most games are under ten dollars. Compare that to 3DS titles, which sell similar products for, on average, two to four times more. That's the advantage of digital distribution. There's less cost overhead, which opens the market wide open. Why spend upwards of $400 buying little Johnny multiple devices when one will satisfy him for half that?


Gamers scream that iPhone games aren't comparable. They aren't as in depth, or lack the experience of traditional controls. They're partly right, but it's a moot argument. Most of today's most popular games aren't deep, story driven experiences. Angry Birds, Call of Duty and the like offer simplified gaming in bit sized chunks. Enough to satisfy the short attention spans of today's young gamer. iOS actually does have these in depth games, such as Final Fantasy and Zenonia. It can also surf the web, download your tunes, let you shop for a new outfit, and pay your taxes.

Somewhat ironically, the same argument can be made about the 3DS. Games like Steel Diver and Pilot Wings aren't what you'd call deep. They offer the same experience as many $1.99 apps, yet cost significantly more. The system lacks the strong, original titles that Nintendo is known for. What we get is the same glut of shovelware that's infiltrated the Wii. Very simplistic games sold for high prices compared to competitors. The 3DS has few in depth titles coming down the pipeline, and that's it's problem. In trying to adopt a smartphone, app-style, shovelware based business plan, Nintendo is alienating their core fan base.

This doesn't mean the 3DS is a lost cause. The DS went through similar growing pains way back in 2004. The hardware is fantastic. Nintendo just needs to get software production kicked into high gear. No console can be successful if it doesn't have the games to back it up. It doesn't matter how spectacular the technology is. Nintendo will bounce back, as they always have. They just need to learn how to market themselves and their games better in today's app-based world.

Title image copyright Device Magazine
Images copyright Elder-Geek, Funny-Potato

Geeks too enjoy a good beer, and some are beer geeks. Lake of Bays brewing company prides itself as a beer for the latter. For those who need to get in touch with their inner craft brew fanboy. Their newest offering is Rousse Red Ale. We've already tried the king of nerdy beers, and it was awful. Let's see if the roi of geeky bière can do any better.

Lake of Bays is a new brewery that opened earlier this year. The company's employees refer to themselves as "beer geeks", connoisseurs of fine brews. They're based in Baysville, Ontario on, as the name suggests, the Lake of Bays. Unlike Rolling Rock, they're totally independent.

Their beer is brewed in smaller batches. While only sporting a small operation, Lake of Bays is widely available across Ontario though the LCBO chain. They currently sell three types: a pale ale, mocha porter, and rousse red ale. The latter is what we're reviewing today.

According to their website, Rousse is a traditional Quebecois red ale. It has a heavy pour to it, and dumps into the glass without much head. It already wins out over Rolling Rock, which looks more like yellow club soda. The beer has a clear malty smell with a dark red colour. It has the shade and consistency of a good root beer. Let's give it a taste.

It's thick, and very flavourful. This is what beer should be like. The toasted malt flavour is very evident. There's nothing watery about this one at all. I can taste a bit of hops bitterness, but it's not overpowering. It has a very slight coffee notes to it to. The flavours are well balanced, making it satisfying to savour slowly.


I prefer dark, malty beers to largers in general. This is definitely a good one. Plenty of flavour with a delightful heaviness, but it's not bitter nor does it leave an aftertaste. It's a good drinking beer, not a beer to get drunk by. You could imagine enjoying this after a day of skiing at Mount Tremblant, or historic pub crawling in Quebec City. It's definitely worth trying during your stay in Ontario.

Title image copyright Beer & Nosh

"He'd rather eat, the rotten asshole, of a roadkill skunk and down it with beer." If you're a gamer, chances are you've seen James Rolfe's Angry Video Game Nerd web series. His character is known for a foul mouth, love of bad games, and affinity for Rolling Rock. The beer is popular in Pennsylvania and Rolfe's native New Jersey. The LCBO here in Ontario just started carrying it. I couldn't resist giving the king of nerdy beers a try.

Rolling Rock is a pale larger originally from western Pennsylvania, now based in St. Louis. It's brewed by the Latrobe Brewing Company, as it has since 1939. InBev, a global beer conglomerate behind many famous brands including Budweiser & Alexander Keiths, currently owns them. It is a staple of the AVGN series, and has been since the 2004 pilots. Rolfe's Nerd is seen drinking it to dull the pain of playing bad Nintendo games.

I'm writing this as I try the beer. Rolling Rock has a very light yellow colour and pours with a thick, foamy head. It's very reminiscent of "cheap" beers like Molson Canadian or Budweiser. It has a light grainy, but non-alcoholic smell. So I take my first sip.

Yep, this is classic American beer. It's fizzier than most beers I've had. The level of carbonation is close to soda. I guess you'd say it has a light, clean taste. There's no appreciable amount of hops in it. That's fine by me, as I don't like bitter beers. However, there's nothing else in the way of flavour. It has a faint grainy taste, but no malt. Heavily watered down is a more appropriate way to describe it. It's like drinking club soda with a slice of white bread. This is a bad beer.



I don't like InBev's brands. A lot of their products are a lesser quality, and weaker, than others I've had. Even Keith's allegedly doesn't qualify as an IPA anymore, it being weaker than in the past. This one is exceptionally poor though. James Rolfe has the right idea. Rolling Rock is only good for dulling the pain. It will get you drunk, and that's it. For those that appreciate good beer, look elsewhere. This is a stereotypical American pisswasser. Despite what the label says, premium this ain't.

Enjoy this review? I might be reviewing some more craft beers to game by in the future. Stay tuned.

Title image copyright Cinemassacre Productions

Nintendo is slashing the price of the 3DS. Lacklustre sales have prompted them to reduce it to $169.99, a savings of $80.

The company had high hopes for the system but it's fallen far short of what they expected. Despite a stellar launch, sales of the 3D capable device have stalled.

The price cut, the largest one time cut in Nintendo's history, is intended to boost falling hardware sales. Profit forecasts have been cut by 82%, from 110 billion Yen to just 20 billion. As if going from bad to worse, competitor Sony's nearly seven year old PSP continues to outsell the 3DS. The PSP moved nearly 1.8 million units during the first quarter of this year. The 3DS only managed to sell 700,000.

Nintendo is hoping this major cut will attract more consumers to the system. At $250, it is the most expensive successor the the Gameboy by a wide margin. The iPod Touch and PSVita sell at the same price point and offer more features. Nintendo says the price cut will be effective August 12th, 2011. Current owners will be eligible for 20 free downloadable games.

Source: Joystiq

Dyson is the Apple of the home appliance world. Their products are innovative, yet they're often accused of charging too much. The company is more known for their wacky line of vacuum cleaners. However, they've recently branched off into electric fans. Their Air Multiplier sure is fancy looking. Best Buy had some on display for the summer so I'd though I'd play with it a bit.

The Air Multiplier claims its bladeless, but it actually not. There's a small impeller fan in the base. It pushes air up through an airfoil ring. Dyson claims this design multiplies airflow by sucking more air through the ring. It's a synergy machine. You supposedly get more out of it than the work it puts in.

It does work as advertised. You don't get the buffeting you get from a bladed fan. Just smooth air. It provides the same level breeze as a conventional desk fan on low settings. It puts out quite a bit on higher settings, on par with your typical 10'' box fan. Even the smaller units are suitable for large rooms. Whether it actually multiplies the air flow is a moot point, since it's hard to test that.

The Air Multiplier is a fan that works well as a fan. There's not much more to say. If the Air Multiplier was $100, I could recommend it. It's attractive and modern looking. It's just not worth the ridiculous asking price. I've seen it go for $380 in some stores. You might as well buy an air conditioner at that point.

Score: 7 out of 10

What works:
-It's a fan, and it works well as a fan
-Looks attractive
-Lack of external blades makes it safe around children and pets
-Relatively quiet

What doesn't work:
-Jaw dropping price, you're far better off buying an AC unit at this point
-Not much better than cheaper conventional fans

Sonic is back. Today of course is Sonic's 20th birthday. The hedgehog hasn't been doing so well in recent years. After a lot of lacklustre games, Sonic Generations is Sega's makeup present to fans. Sega has managed to achieve what they never could, a game that actually plays like the original.

You get blown way back to the past in the demo. Sega has included the first act of the game; a reimagined Green Hill Zone as "Classic Sonic."

You'll notice some major changes from Sonic 4. The jumping mechanics and speedy rolls are back in their full glory. No more lead lined physics thanks to the new Havok engine.

Generations is a little faster paced than Sonic 1 but the basic gameplay remains the same. The emphasis is more on platforming than raw speed this time around. That's how a Sonic game should be. Run a bit, platform a lot, jump on robots, repeat.

The graphics look absolutely spectacular. Though not a big leap from Sonic 4, things are more squared off this time around. Overall, it just looks better than past games. They've finally got the 2.5D visuals to perfection. One minor issue is frame rate and resolution. You can tell Sega has capped it to 30 frames per second. Sonic can actually outrun the frame rate at times in speedier areas. This causes bad motion blur at times. It's also locked to 720p. There's really no reason why they can't bump it up to 60fps at 1080p. Maybe they will when game gets released in November.

Overall, I'm very impressed with the demo. My only issue was how short it is. I would have liked to see at least one "New Sonic" level included. At least it's good to see that Sonic is finally back in true form. This will be a day one buy for any Sonic fan.

Hurry up and get the demo off XBLA and PSN. It's time limited and will only be playable for the next 20 days.

Score: 8.5 out of 10

What works
-Classic Sonic returns in true form
-Good platforming over raw speed finally makes a return
-Physics greatly improved from Sonic 4
-Spectacular visuals nail the 2.5D gameplay perfectly

What doesn't work
-Frame rate capped too low for this type of game
-Resolution could be 1080p
-Short demo, want to see New Sonic too.

If you're wondering why there have been so few updates lately, I've been on vacation. I've also started working on some other, unrelated projects. I've also been swamped at work. Us blog writers have day jobs too you know, because lord knows this pays nothing. MMNTech has been on hiatus in the mean time. I'm trying to put some stuff on E3 together. Check out @mmntech on Twitter for updates!




Image courtesy of BevWire