Andy Taylor reviews the WD TV Live Hub Media Center
Andy Taylor has posted a review of the Western Digital TV Live hub Media Center at TechtalkRadio in the Hardware section of the Site. Not only has he written a review focusing on the digital content sharing, he has also looked at the features that are included with the Storage and Media device that enable Music or Digital Movies downloaded and watched directly on the Television.
The HDMI capable device can allow for 1080p viewing of true HD video on those screen capable of viewing 1080p content. This is a great solution according to Andy for those that are using HD Video Camera yet lack the ability to burn the image to blu-ray. The content can be shared across the network or synched to the 1TB of storage with a removable flash or external drive.
The slim device is a nice fit for the entertainment center and Andy noted that the unit is wall mountable for those looking for more custom configurations in saving space. Not only can you read the review at the site but you can also listen to an interview that Andy Taylor did with Matt Bennion from Western Digital. Andy also shot a video for the Site which is also posted here. Feel free to share the link with your friends, especially if they are looking to add digital storage and easy playback on the Home Entertainment System.
For more Information or to read the Review – take a look at http://www.techtalkradio.com/hardware/wdtv.html
Greetings Programs. Let the Gladiator Games Begin!
On October 28, 2010 Disney Parks Blog hosted a free Meet-Up for the new experience called ElecTRONica. This exclusive event was invite only, but if you follow the blog or @Disneyland on twitter, you will get updates like this one on occasion. All you needed to do was send them an email with your first and last name and a certain subject in the space and you and a guest of your choice were “In like Flynn.”
So, I used my ipod touch to send a quick email with my name and a friend of mine did the same so we could take our significant others. When it came time to find out who was chosen, she got in and I did not. NOT FAIR! So like a good friend, I convinced her to take me and leave her husband at home. She did! (Actually her husband didn’t really want to go.)
The party was limited to 1500 attendees and a guest of their choice who each received a commemorative Flynn’s Arcade token and exclusive park entry from 4:00pm until 11:00pm. Attendees were also granted special access to the creators of TRON: Legacy by lining up early. The first 200 people were able to meet them and obtain autographs.
One of the highlights was the Power Surge Show where we saw a team of dancers perform in their 80’s style jean jackets and denim pants tucked into their slouch socks. We also learned the End of Line Dance to Daft Punk’s “One More Time.” When the time was right, there was a huge clock which counted down to the presentation of ElecTRONica.
“10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1!” the crowd roared.
“Let the Gladiator Games Begin!” he announced.
Dj spinning Daft Punk At End Of Line Club
Upon entering the spectacle in a mass of 2998 other participants, we were greeted by huge video screens and large beams and structures flashing grid like patterns and playing small clips of the movie.
When we reached the end of the street, we were faced with a huge Recognizer that identified me this time as “This program has no disk.” “Great!” I thought, “My identity disk water pack has been erased.”
We then headed into the area of the dance party. There was a he DJ spinning many of Daft Punk’s hits and other remixes as programs were dancing the night away. Many of them were imbibing in their favorite glowing beverages and meeting new friends.
Directly behind the dance floor was a special showing of the Laser man where he seemed to bend light with his hands and body at times. It was quite popular as well.
In the far corner was the gem of the night. Flynn’s Arcade. Well, a remake of the original, complete with 80’s music, token machines that spit out special coins to play the arcade games, and neon lights all around us. We found the GALAGA machine and I called “We got next (game)” as my friend Amy slammed her token on the machine while the other player was playing their last round. HA! “It was a trip and was like the world didn’t exist for a brief moment in time,” she claimed.
To the right of the Arcade experience they had a special room dedicated to movie paraphernalia and posters filled with some of the concept art before the film was made. We spent a few moments browsing some helmets, posters, and a full body gladiator suit from the film which appeared to have a very life-like manikin inside. The best of all though, was a white cloak worn by “Flynn,” Bridges himself in the film. It had never previously been seen in public until now.
As we left the arcade as we had drained our pockets of tokens, there was a Tweet Up announced from Mouse Planet, a third party blog and forum that many of us frequent to attend scavenger hunts and the like at Disney parks. We hung out for a few moments and then spotted Heather, the writer and main blogger of the Disney Parks Blog. We went over to meet her and she was kind enough to offer us an exclusive Blog Pin for our lanyards. It was very awesome!
We then went back to chatting about new TRON merchandise that I had spoken to a CM (Cast Member) about earlier when I purchased my official TRON: Legacy T-Shirt. He said they had the merchandise in stock but were not allowed to release it until November. (BOO!) Adrienne, the “big cheese” of Mouse Planet said she had seen some hats that said “ElecTRONica” on them and was thinking they should sell them at the park. (They currently only sell TRON embroidered hats.)
The Cloak worn in the film by Bridges
As we were chatting about it, I spotted a CM wearing one and beckoned him to come over and let us inspect his hat and Jacket which had an embroidered Identity Disk on the back. “When and where can we buy these?” I asked. He said he wasn’t sure but asked “Which one of you wants to be in some games?” Amy, my friend, pushed me into him practically and said,” She’ll do it.” “Great!” I thought to myself. So I waited with anticipation with the other 7 “Gladiators” to play the new Wii Game TRON: Legacy for a chance to win prizes.
As the time grew closer, I was starting to get shaky. Thank goodness they let us practice once before we had to play in the tournament. Oh, but get this, Amy, my friend was asked to play too. He called “Gladiators to your podiums!” and we ran with smiling faces. I was up against a college age guy… piece of cake! I took him in round one. “SWEET!” Amy won her heat as well. The announcer asked, “How are you doing? I said, “Great! I am sooo getting my TRON on!” My competitor said, “In like Flynn!”
Heat two began and the guy I was against kept my light cycle to the wall. I crashed 3 times and was out. Well, it was amazing while it lasted!
The last stop was the TRON: Legacy Sneak Peak 20 minute clip from the film. It was almost in 4D because it was held in the Muppet’s 3D theater with special effects all around us! It was a blast!
Overall the experience was quite a spectacle and I would highly recommend checking it out. The portal is open from 8:00pm until park closing Friday, Saturday, and Sunday Nights at Disney’s California Adventure theme park. Check out my videos of the experience here : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEGpBqdn9nM
Unlike many of my Disneyland Blogs, this is NOT one of them . BUT, read on and find out what I have been pondering….
So, I was searching the Internet reading Disney Blogs, Disneyland Twitter, looking for TRON exclusive updates and playing with my boyfriend’s new Daft Punk inspired Android App when I came across something interesting. A website proclaiming it can track and monitor your child’s internet use including screen caps of their web pages, content filters, keystroke loggers records of IM conversations and even live viewing of their current business on the Internet. This website sounds pretty user friendly and parent kind. So I begin to think to myself, ” Self,” I ask ” What would keep a spouse from using the software for purposes of catching a cheater in the relationship?” And this is when I visited the website.
I’d like to start by adding a disclaimer: I have not experienced this web program which proclaims the services to be top notch and have viewed only the content on the website for the product.
Upon clicking the link to the site, I noticed that it proposes many uses other than the advertised version I previously explained. In fact, it seems more like a “spying” software program which is being marketed to government agencies to record and log information from workers, at Schools to record information about teachers and student’s use of the Internet, and low and behold ” Catch a Cheating Spouse” software. Now, I am sure all of these uses are part of the same program, but how funny was it that I thought of this after looking into the program that was being marketed to parents to spy on their kids? HA!
So, the reason I chose to write this blog was simple. I , like many in my close inner circle of Geeks and Freaks, have a moral dilemma on my hands. IF I had children, which “technically” I do not, and IF they were using the Internet would I choose to monitor them digitally without their knowledge using this program? Likewise, IF you thought you had a cheating significant other, would you do the same? I don’t think I would. So I leave you with this to ponder and respond as you have free will. Maybe someone is watching you? Makes you wonder doesn’t it?
IF you want to check out the site or test the software out for yourself the Program is called Web Watcher and it’s located at
I really love my job. Actually..it’s not really a job, it is more of a passion for me. The ability to tie in my professional radio career to all this technology is rewarding. In my professional career I have talked with the likes of Ozzy Osborne, James Stewart, Mickey Rooney and even Jerry Mathers..yes, the Beav. Today I spoke with not only somebody that works in entertainment but also I respect for her passion for technology and the spirit to take a series to the web and see it through. I am talking about Actress, Producer and Writer Felicia Day who has taken her concept TV series “The Guild” and turned it into a successful web series.
The story of “The Guild” is simple yet includes all the ingredients for the shows I enjoy, Great characters, dialog and production value. As Felicia told me, they still shoot the episodes in her house and everybody has a good time doing them. While I really enjoyed the Bollywood Dance Video that can be seen at the Official Site http://www.watchtheguild.com .
The Season Finale for Season 4 features an appearance from Big Bang Theory’s Simon Helberg. The finale not only features some great visual effects but some very funny character development. In a scene that had me laughing, the character of Zaboo played by Actor Sandeep Parikh and his traditional Indian Mom played by Actress Viji Nathan are playing the MMORPG game. Zaboo’s Mom is partaking in a mock wedding with the character of Vork played by Actor Jeff Lewis. At One point, she asked her son in her accent which immediately had me thinking of my Mom of Indian decent delivering the line “Zaboo…how do I hug you in this game..”
Our real reason though for talking with Felicia Day was to highlight her upcoming film on the SyFy Network Red: Werewolf hunter. The Original Movie tells the fictional story of Virginia “Red” Sullivan, a descendant of Little Red Riding hood, who brings her fiance home to meet her family, and that is where he not only discovers they hunt werewolves but also falls prey to the bite of the Wolf. The family, predicting the outcome of the werewolf bite demands he be destroyed and Red fights to keep him alive. The Movie is a change from the roles that Felicia has played in the past however it is in a Genre she is familiar with. As she told me during the interview she’s dealt with Vampires in Buffy the Vampire Slayer “I have killed Zombies in Doll House and it would make sense to go after Werewolves.” The movie will premiere on SyFy October 30th at 9pm.
Listen in to our Interview with Felicia Day and find out what costume she wore for last years Halloween, her thoughts on this years BlizzCon, Comic-Con and what she has planned for 2011. http://www.techtalkradio.com/celebrities/feliciaday.html
I am hoping we see more of The Guild, be sure to take a look at the series yourself. You can check out episodes of the Guild at http://www.watchtheguild.com and follow Felicia Day’s Blog http://feliciaday.com/blog and find out about her work on Fallout 3 New Vegas and other projects she’s involved with. Her Twitter is http://www.twitter.com/feliciaday
Andy Taylor has posted an interview at TechtalkRadio with Actor Rizwan Manji on his role in the NBC Television Series “Outsourced” The Television series based around the 2006 Movie “Outsourced” is the story of Todd, a Manager Trainee who is told if he wants to keep his job, he must Move to India and run the Call Center for the Company he works for. Todd, played by Actor Ben Rappaport, inherits a varied group of individuals to train to take calls from the United States for orders for a Novelty Company.
Rizwan Manji plays Todds Nemisis Rajiiv who one day hopes to have Todd’s job so that he can move out of his parents place and afford a place of his own. Similar to a “Frank Burns” type character, Rajiiv has something about him that is laughable yet loveable. Andy Taylor of TechtalkRadio talked with him about working on the show and how the show itself and others that are seen on Network Television may be signaling a change for East Indian actors.
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