Oh boy, my favorite photo site, Flickr was just bought by Yahoo. From what I understand Flickr will be improved and not become Yahoo photos. They also want to preserve the “Flickrness” of the site. I hope they’re successful in doing this. I’m happy that Flickr will get better but concerned that a cool site will become mundane.
Now Playing: T-Bone - Redeemed Hoodlum
From The Wall Street Journal: The PlayStation Goes Portable
“Our verdict: The PSP is an impressive hand-held game player with great graphics, good game controls and strong multiplayer capabilities. But its added multimedia capabilities, while potentially strong, are hobbled by design and cost issues, at least at launch. The PSP isn't likely to replace the iPod or the portable DVD player anytime soon.”
I suspected as much. It would be just like Sony to release functionally that would blow the doors off the competition and implements it a half-baked fashion. How many more people would buy the PSP if it could replace their iPod? Or how many parents would gladly pony-up for a PSP if Sony released software that copied a SpongeBob DVD onto the PSP? I know that’s a stretch but can you imagine? Instead we have the option to buy UMD movies. Great. I can now buy Star Wars in another format. No thank you. Sony, I will never, ever, ever, ever buy a UMD movie. Did I mention ever? Via Joystiq.
Now Playing: Out Of The Grey - Steady Me
I just found an instant messenger for my Windows SmartPhone called IM+. IM+ supports AOL, Yahoo, ICQ, and MSN. I must say that having all of my IM contacts on my phone is quite handy. Now if I can only get used to typing on a twelve key keypad.
Now Playing: Starflyer 59 - When You Feel the Mess [Live]
One issue that I’ve always had with Windows XP Pro is that you can’t configure multiple root websites. So I decided to take a peek on the web for solutions. The first solution that I found was an ISAPI filter called multisite. It’s a nice solution that redirects a domain to the proper webroot. This wouldn’t work for me since I needed two websites at the root.
The second solution that I found used the IIS admin scripts to copy a website to a new one creating two roots.
I found a workaround at http://www.bobshowto.com/iis_servers.htm that allowed me to copy the existing site to a new one... essentially, by doing the following commands at the DOS command prompt:
· > cd \inetpub\AdminScripts
· > cscript adsutil.vbs COPY W3SVC/1 W3SVC/2
This creates a second website with the same settings.
There are two immediately noticable caveats, however...
1. Only one website can be started at any given time, regardless if you have changed the port on which the site resides.
2. None of the sites can be deleted.
The second caveat isn’t correct. A website can be deleted with the following command:
· > C:\Inetpub\AdminScripts\adsutil.vbs delete W3SVC/2
Now when I need to start a website all I do is stop one and start the one I want. Not optimal but very useable.
Now Playing: Starflyer 59 - Help Me When You're Gone [Live]
The 3.0 version of DotNetNuke portal software has been released. I’ve already downloaded and installed the bits and it is impressive.
DotNetNuke 3.0 includes a significant number of breakthrough enhancements which improve its versatility, power, and accessibility. These include a more intuitive user interface, support for “drag-and-drop” content management, improved URL structuring for search engine indexing, and enhanced provisioning support for scriptable configuration. In addition, the application underwent an extensive code access security review so that it is capable of running in a Medium Trust hosting environment.
Also available for download are official blog, forum and gallery modules. I’m thinking about migrating the Call FM site to use it. That would be so cool.
While browsing through SmartPhone.net I encountered this little gem: Doom is now available for your Windows SmartPhone and it’s free. The name of the port is CellDoom and I’m very impressed. It’s a little tricky to install so here’s some help.
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Unzip the file you just downloaded.
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Connect your SmartPhone to your PC.
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Run the Installer.exe application.
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Unzip the file you just downloaded.
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Run the Deice.exe program.
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Follow the instructions and Doom will be installed onto your PC.
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Find the Doom1.wad file from the Doom instillation directory.
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Copy the Doom1.wad file to your SmartPhone \Storage directory by using the ActiveSync Explorer
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Turn the phone off and then turn it on.
I’m also going to include the CellDoom 1.6 ReadMe:
Cell Doom 1.6 ReadMe
Cell Doom is based on the GNU GPL source release for Doom, as such it is free and distributed with full source code. The game file, aka the WAD file is not free, but if you are one of the few people who did not buy Doom I or Doom II, you can download the shareware version and use the WAD file included with that. So, to install it on your Smartphone, you will need one of the Doom WAD files. CellDoom will work with most released WAD files such as Doom I, Doom II, Ultimate Doom, TNT Doom. The shareware version of Doom can be found at: http://download.com.com/3000-7563-855496.html (you will need to install it and copy the doom1.wad file from c:\dooms). Once you have acquired a WAD file, follow these installation steps:
1. Connect your phone to your PC
2. Run the Installer.exe application
3. Use ActiveSync's Explore feature to copy the WAD file anywhere in one of the following directories on your phone: \IPSM, \Storage or \Storage Card (if you have a storage card installed)
4. Turn the phone off and back on.
Features:
- New in 1.6: Added automap
- New in 1.6: Added gamma setting
- Support for all released WAD files
- New in 1.5: Screen orientation can be changed for better view
- New in 1.5: WAD file browser which allows custom levels
You can now start playing Doom on your Smartphone! Here are the keys:
- Left Menu - Strafe left or zoom out in map mode
- Right Menu - Strafe right or zoom in in map mode
- Cursor Keys - Movement (run mode is always turned on)
- OK - Shoot
- Home - Strafe
- Back - Show the game menu
- 1..7 - Weapon selection
- 9 - Toggle God mode
- * - Shoot
- 0 - Use (open doors, turn switches)
- SEND - Rotate screen. This will also change the cursor keys for better control.
- END - Change gamma setting
- # - Display automap
Wad file browser:
If you have more than one wad file on your phone, when you launch Cell Doom, you will be prompted to select which wad file(s) you want to load. Use OK to select wad files. If you have custom wad files you can select them also. Custom wad files require a main wad file. Cell Doom supports multiple custom wad files, but only one main wad file at a time.
To remove CellDoom from your phone, follow these instructions:
Smartphone 2002 users:
1. Connect your phone to your PC
2. Click on 'Explore' in Active Sync
3. Go to the IPSM\Program Files directory and delete the file CellDoom.exe
4. Go to the IPSM\Windows\Start Menu directory and delete the file CellDoom.lnk
Smartphone 2003 users:
1. Connect your phone to your PC
2. Click on 'Explore' in Active Sync
3. Go to the Storage\Program Files directory and delete the file CellDoom.exe
4. Go to the Storage\Windows\Start Menu directory and delete the file CellDoom.lnk
Troubleshooting
Q. The CellDoom.exe application doesn't start on your phone with a message such as "CellDoom.exe does not have a security certificate"
A. The reason is that your phone's security settings are set so that it will not allow unsigned applications to run. The best way to find out how to change this is to contact your provider. If you happen to have an Orange series Smartphone, you can go to http://developer.orangews.com/orgspv/comdefq.aspx and change this setting yourself.
Q. CellDoom.exe complains about not finding the wad file.
A. Make sure that you have the wad file in one of the following directories on your phone: \IPSM, \IPSM\Program Files, \Storage, \Storage\Program Files or \Storage Card.
Comments or suggestions? E-mail [Email Address Removed].
Enjoy!
Happy Fragging!
In a recent post Joystiq posted the comments of Kamalot who makes some good observations on the PSP’s battery life. I will be making up my mind on March 24 when I pickup the system and promptly board a plane for Cubs spring training in Mesa, AZ.
The PSP’s battery is a topic of huge debate. Depending on use, a single charge can last anywhere between 6 hours all the way down to 1.5, depending on which features the handheld utilizes. Why is this?
I seriously ask, should you as a consumer and gamer, have to juggle volume and brightness to eke out a bit more play time? Should game developers be asked to manage the battery consumption or should that be an issue for the developer of the system? Basically, shouldn’t the system, when used at maximum capacity, have a reasonable battery life?
If Sony hadn’t tried to force an optical drive in the PSP, there would be much more room in the system for a larger capacity battery. Load times would be nonexistent. The system would be less fragile and prone to breaking due to mechanical failure. The system wouldn’t have the shuriken UMD ‘feature’. Overall, it would be a much better system. Sony’s reliance on the optical disc has resulted in a worse product than could have otherwise been built.
Why? Why did Sony insist on putting an optical drive in the PSP when it had to compromise on so many other issues? Simple, Sony wants to sell you movies and music on the UMD. They want you to buy a UMD movie for $20. That UMD movie has 1/3 the resolution of a similar priced DVD. That UMD movie can’t be played back on a TV. That UMD movie does not have additional DVD features, menus, subtitles or other cool things you may find on a DVD. Sony makes nearly 100% profit on movies and music.
Sony sacrificed the PSP in order to make money off of movies.
Now, before you start calling names, I’m not laying hate on the PSP. Nice screen. Sleek, shiny case. Good graphics. Nice.
I look at the decisions made by Sony and I see decisions that are absolute trash for gamers but great for lining Sony’s pockets with money. I feel frustrated knowing the PSP could have been so much more if they would simply step up to the plate and decide to knock a home run out of the park instead of walking to first base on the back of movies and music. The missed potential for a system with an 8 hour battery, fully loaded with wi-fi on, makes me weep.
4 hours isn’t enough. 2 hours is a downright embarrassment. As gamers, we should demand more.
Okay, I’ve got my asbestos suit on. Flame away.
Now Playing: David Crowder Band - Revolutionary Love
Sony’s new handheld device, the PSP, will be arriving on shelves in three weeks. But you better be prepared to wait in long lines at retailers that aren’t taking preorders like Worst Buy. EB and GameStop have stopped taking preorders on the hot new device. This essentially means that if you aren’t on the list you’re out of luck. So to get your juices flowing here is a video review of the PSP. It’s going to rock!