Where to buy the Wii Remote and Nunchuk

It seems that the Wii Remote (WiiMote) and Nunchuk are actually harder to find than the Nintendo Wii console these days. If you were lucky enough to buy a Wii, then you are probably stuck with just one Wii Remote and Nunchuk,

Good news for everyone. Instead of looking at your local Gamestop every other day, just head over to the Nintendo Store and buy them online. Even though the Nintendo store may have a message saying they are back-ordered, Nintendo seem to be shipping both the Wii Remote and the Nunchuk out on a regular basis. It took about 4-5 days to get a Wii Remote directly from the Nintendo Store, and a Nunchuk is now on it’s way with hardly any delay. Regular ground shipping will only cost you a few extra bucks, and you can always opt to ship 2-day or overnight.

Here are the direct product links.

Buy the Wii Remote
Buy the Nunchuk

Good luck!

Netflix VS Blockbuster

Netflix

Even before I read “Why I Am Breaking Up With Netflix” by Michael Arrington of TechCrunch, I was already seriously considering dumping Netflix. I have been a Netflix customer since their early beginning and I have always loved the service. That being said however, I do agree with most of what Michael says in his article.

For instance, when I return more than 4 or 5 movies in a month, I start seeing delays in shipments for my next in queue movie selections. Suddenly Netflix will receive movies I sent back to them a day or so later than usual. If they do receive my movies on time, it will take an extra day or so to send my next movie out. What bothers me even more than that, is the delays in getting the newly released movies which are on top of my queue. All of the new releases in my queue either read “Short wait” or “Long wait.”

From my understanding, they set newer customers to a higher priority for new releases so that they always get them first. Customers who are loyal get sent to the back-burner. While I do understand that getting new business is key to success, I do feel like it’s unfair to the customers who have helped Netflix get where they are today.

All that being said, I have never had a customer support problem with Netflix. Even though a few movies over the years have been lost in the mail, once I report them missing on their site my next movie automatically gets shipped out with no questions asked.

Blockbuster

I had never tried Blockbuster’s service which competes with Netflix, but I recently felt more and more inclined to try it. Blockbuster now allows customers to return movies which they received in the mail, at their local store. When you return a movie, you get to rent another one for free from the store, and Blockbuster will also send you the next movie in your queue as well. Recently they have started allowing video game rentals too, so you can pickup a game in-store instead of a movie - which is just another plus for being a Blockbuster customer.

However, Blockbuster has three big disadvantages as or right now. 1: What Blockbuster doesn’t have yet is the community support that Netflix has. Tools like Netflix Freak for OS X make life easier, and there are a lot more apps around for both Windows and Mac. 2: Netflix still has a much much deeper selection of movies than Blockbuster has ever had. 3: Netflix seems to be quicker to bring in next gen DVD movies(HD-DVD/Blu-Ray), and has a larger selection. Also, Netflix will automatically switch the movies in your queue to your preffered next-gen DVD format automatically.

Knowing all this I signed up for their 2 week free trial and decided to give them a chance. How are their distribution centers? As quick as netflix? How about new release delays? Coming up: My thoughts on Blockbuster’s service compared to Netflix.

American Psycho (Sarah Goldberg American Idol audition)

This video of this American Idol reject(Sarah Goldberg) is funny and scary.. and funny, and scary.. Could you image her being your girlfriend or wife? She should probably be put on some watch-list or investigated immediately if not sooner.

Anyway, enjoy and watch all the way through:

Breakout Live Video

You just have to love Japanese TV. Remember the school video game Breakout? Well, here is Breakout Live, as in someone performing the live-action version of the video game Breakout (video):

Click TV In Japan for more crazy and cool videos from Japanese TV.

Microsoft: 2 new ways to get into the Halo 3 multiplayer beta

Microsoft has just announced 2 additional ways to make yourself eligible for the upcoming Halo 3 multiplayer beta.

#1 - Play a lot of Halo 2. Play at least 3 hours of Halo 2 multiplayer between Feb. 1, 2007, at 12:01 a.m. EST and Feb. 3, 2007, at 11:59 p.m. EST. You also need to be among the first 13,333 to register at http://www.halo3.com.

#2 - Purchase “Crackdown” when it hits store shelves. Once the Halo 3 multiplayer beta is available, you just need to use your “Crackdown” disc as a key to be able to download Halo 3 and join in the beta.

Official Press Release:

Jan. 3, 2007

Microsoft Announces Two Additional Paths of Entry to “Halo 3” Multiplayer Beta

Gamers are invited to join the fight when the beta goes live this spring with Xbox Live and “Crackdown” providing the final two paths.

Microsoft Game Studios and Bungie Studios are ringing in the year with a proverbial bang, as they announced today two new ways for gamers to receive an invitation to participate in the “Halo® 3” multiplayer beta program coming this spring through Xbox Live® Marketplace.

Specifically, gamers will be able to receive an invitation by doing one of the following:

· Qualifying over Xbox Live and then being one of the first 13,333 “Halo 2” gamers to register for the “Rule of Three” program at http://www.halo3.com in early February

· Purchasing the upcoming game “Crackdown™,” which hits store shelves in the U.S. on Feb. 20

The “Halo 3” multiplayer beta, which is a pre-release version of the multiplayer experience of “Halo 3,” is scheduled for availability in spring 2007 exclusively on Xbox 360™. The beta also represents an opportunity for gamers to participate in the testing and refinement of the multiplayer gameplay of “Halo 3,” the most anticipated game of 2007. Through the resulting feedback, Bungie Studios will be able to further hone the end result of “Halo 3.”

Beginning Thursday, Feb. 1, 2007, at 12:01 a.m. EST, all gamers need to do is participate in at least three hours of “Halo 2” multiplayer sessions, via Xbox Live, before Feb. 3, 2007, at 11:59 p.m. EST and then be among the first 13,333 to register at http://www.halo3.com. The “Rule of Three” program is currently planned for gamers in the 50 United States (includes District of Columbia) age 17 years and older who have access to an Xbox 360 Pro console or an Xbox 360 Core console with hard drive, a valid Xbox Live Gold subscription and the “Halo 2” game. Gamers around the world are encouraged to visit http://www.halo3.com in the coming weeks for more information on the “Rule of Three” program in their region.

As well, when “Crackdown” hits store shelves, gamers eager to take home a copy of the highly anticipated exclusive action title for Xbox 360 will find marked boxes of “Crackdown” that include an invite to participate in the coveted “Halo 3” multiplayer beta program when it becomes available. When the “Halo 3” multiplayer beta surfaces in spring 2007, owners of “Crackdown” with access to an Xbox 360 Pro console or an Xbox 360 Core console with hard drive and a valid Xbox Live Gold subscription simply need to load their copy of “Crackdown” into Xbox 360 and use the disc as a key to download the beta from Xbox Live Marketplace and join the battle in “Halo 3” multiplayer. “Crackdown” will be available in the U.S. on Feb. 20, Asian territories on Feb. 22 and European markets on Feb. 23.

In December, Microsoft Game Studios and Bungie Studios completed the first of three ways for North American gamers to participate in the “Halo 3” multiplayer beta, by registering at http://www.halo3.com. Gamers who were selected from this initial opportunity will be contacted in January.

From Realtime Worlds, “Crackdown” pushes the action-driving hybrid genre into the next generation with a rich and immersive 3-D playground. Gamers level up their Agent’s strength, agility, firearms, explosives and driving skills while scaling the fully vertical world of “Crackdown.” This M-rated game incorporates revolutionary co-op gameplay throughout the entire free-form campaign. Creating a volatile cocktail of judicial oppression, players will clean up the streets of a truly interactive world when “Crackdown” hits store shelves at an estimated retail price of $59.99.