Nicholas likes video games, soccer, UFC, and astronomy–particularly the study of asteroids. He went to NYU.
The second most senior Democrat in the U.S. Senate, Dick Durbin, will propose a new scheme that would force online retailers like Amazon and iTunes to collect local taxes for each and every transaction. He’s expected to make the proposal the day after Tax Day, and it’s expected to be controversial within two seconds of having been announced. → Read More
The second most senior Democrat in the U.S. Senate, Dick Durbin, will propose a new scheme that would force online retailers like Amazon and iTunes to collect local taxes for each and every transaction. He’s expected to make the proposal the day after Tax Day, and it’s expected to be controversial within two seconds of having been announced.
You already know the story. Durbin, from Illinois, complained in February that out-of-state businesses (again, like Amazon and iTunes) were essentially freeloading off the taxes that local brick-and-mortar stores pay. Why should Amazon be able to sell you a Blu-ray disc without having to collect tax, but if you were to buy that same disc from the local Walmart? Exactly. → Read More
“But you said you’ve read the terms and conditions… even God has not read the terms and conditions.” → Read More
DARPA has put out a request for full-disk encryption for iOS and Android-based devices. The deal is that the Defense Advances Research Projects Agency wants to have greater choice when it comes to smartphone selection, having used the BlackBerry for years without complaint. That’s because it was only the BlackBerry that met the agency’s encryption requirements. → Read More
Wiki’d We just had a pretty fascinating discussion in the official CrunchGear chartroom about how you’d respond to complete, humanity-threatening disaster. How would you prepare yourself? Stock up on gasoline, food, and medicine? What happens when that runs out? A gun might come in handy for a number of different reason, but what happens when you run out of bullets—do you know how to make bullets? Do you have the knowledge to bore into the earth, extract ore, melt it down, then shape it all into working bullets? Well done of you do, but odds are the average person has no idea how to do that. → Read More
Sony and GeoHot have officially settled their differences. A notice on the PlayStation Blog notes that Sony Computer Entertainment America and George Hotz have reached a settlement in the case. No monetary terms were mentioned. → Read More
Early sales estimates of the Nintendo 3DS continue to trickle in. Depending on which analyst you want to believe, Nintendo sold anywhere from 500,000 to 750,000 units during the five days in March it was available here in North America. The only problem with these numbers is that Nintendo can now expect consumers to confused as to what system they should get, the 3DS or plain ol’ DS. Decisions, decisions. → Read More
A new study says that smartphone users are overpaying for their service by several hundred dollars each and every year. The study, put together by Billmonitor, notes that people are overspending primarily because they’re on contracts that wildly overshoot their needs. People have a habit of signing up for contracts with far more voice minutes than they use, and it’s primarily for this reason that smartphone users are paying much more than they need to. In other words, double-check your statement to make sure you’re on the right contract. → Read More
Minecraft will leave beta on November 11 of this year. That is to say it will be released on 11/11/11. Look at all those ones. → Read More
Crytek has now confirmed that there will, indeed, be a DX11 patch for Crysis 2. This is the real deal, and not some Twitter rumor nonsense. → Read More
Oh, here comes controversy. The FCC has preliminarily approved the use of mobile phone signal boosters, but let’s say it’s only put one foot in the water. A 55-page notice of proposed rulemaking [PDF] has been put online that details what the FCC has in mind. The idea is to give consumers a limited ability to boost their mobile signal in times of need. Wireless providers, like AT&T, are none too pleased. → Read More
What are the three guarantees in life? Death, taxes, and people saying that “death and taxes” are the only two guarantees in life. It’s fun. But this Amazon situation? Who knows. The company has been fighting off having to collect and pay local taxes across the U.S. for years now, with Connecticut becoming the latest state to push it for the collection of local taxes. One Connecticut lawmaker said that the state had to make “a stand” against Amazon and its no-paying taxes ways. → Read More
The Nintendo 3DS isn’t selling quite as quickly as Nintendo may have wanted. Media Create, which is sorta like a Japanese NPD, says that Nintendo has sold 836,000 units since its release in late February. The New Normal would have liked to see at least 1 million units sold, particularly since Nintendo shipped 1.5 million units out of worldwide total of 4 million to Japan. What gives? → Read More
Are the kids alright? Probably not, if you follow this study from the University of Maryland that says students today all but admit to being addicted to the Internet and media consumption. One student in the study likened prolonged separation from the Internet drug addiction, saying she was “itching like a crackhead” after not using the Internet for a bit. Not healthy, no. → Read More
We’re just a few weeks away from the release of LA Noire on May 17, and today Rockstar has released the game’s third trailer. → Read More
The Department of Homeland Security plans to use Twitter and Facebook to warn citizens about threats with its new National Terrorism Advisory System. The new program will in part replace the old color-coded system, put in place following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, that’s being phased out. Please RT, etc. → Read More
Research In Motion—RIM to you and me—was forced to delay the release of its PlayBook tablet because Apple pretty much exhausted the supply of touchscreen displays. The tablet has been delayed for about a year now, so a few extra days probably won’t make too big a difference. And, of course, no tablet other than the iPad matters, so it’s all a bit moot. → Read More
You knew something like this was coming as soon as Microsoft announced the Kinect way back when. It’s UFC Personal Trainer, and it’s exactly as you’d expect: flail about in front of your TV while an on-screen avatar carries out the moves. THQ says the National Academy of Sports Medicine helped design the game, and pro fighter gave their input as well. Hearings before the California State Athletic Commission are not expected to be included. → Read More
The Department of Homeland Security plans to use Twitter and Facebook to warn citizens about threats with its new National Terrorism Advisory System. The new program will in part replace the old color-coded system, put in place following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, that’s being phased out. Please RT, etc.
The new system, which the AP says is expected to launch on April 27, will post warnings to the social networks “when appropriate.” In truth it’s probably not too far removed from the emergency broadcast system warnings and tests that go out over TV and radio. Might as well tap into Twitter an Facebook if people are on them all day long, right? → Read More
Presumably not too many of you are sitting here watching Fernando Torres do his best impression of a footballer, but I’ll leave that alone until tomorrow. In the meantime, and having nothing at all to do with Chelsea Football Club, the Champions League, or Mr. Torres, there’s word of a big Mortal Kombat tournament that will take place at Bally’s in Las Vegas on May 15 and May 16. There’s $21,000 in prizes at stake, so pay attention if you still know how to pull off Sub Zero’s fatalities without checking GameFaqs. → Read More
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