Academy Award Nominations

Here is the list of the 78th annual Academy Award nominations announced Tuesday in Beverly Hills, Calif., by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences:

1. Best Picture: "Brokeback Mountain," "Capote," "Crash," "Good Night, and Good Luck," "Munich." My Pick: Brokeback Mountain

2. Best Actor: Philip Seymour Hoffman, "Capote"; target=0Terrence Howard, "Hustle & Flow"; Heath Ledger, "Brokeback Mountain"; Joaquin Phoenix, "Walk the Line"; David Strathairn, "Good Night, and Good Luck." My Pick: Joaquin Phoenix

3. Best Actress: Judi Dench, "Mrs. Henderson Presents"; Felicity Huffman, "Transamerica"; Keira Knightley, "Pride & Prejudice"; Charlize Theron, "North Country"; Reese Witherspoon, "Walk the Line." My Pick: Reese Witherspoon

4. Best Supporting Actor: George Clooney, "Syriana"; Matt Dillon, "Crash"; Paul Giamatti, "Cinderella Man"; Jake Gyllenhaal, "Brokeback Mountain"; William Hurt, "A History of Violence." My Pick: Jake Gyllenhaal

5. Best Supporting Actress: Amy Adams, "Junebug"; Catherine Keener, "Capote"; Frances McDormand, "North Country"; Rachel Weisz, "The Constant Gardener"; Michelle Williams, "Brokeback Mountain." My Pick: Michelle Williams

6. Director: Ang Lee, "Brokeback Mountain"; Bennett Miller, "Capote"; Paul Haggis, "Crash"; George Clooney, "Good Night, and Good Luck"; Steven Spielberg, "Munich." My Pick: Ang Lee

7. Foreign Film: "Don't Tell," Italy; "Joyeux Noel," France; "Paradise Now," Palestine; "Sophie Scholl - The Final Days," Germany; "Tsotsi," South Africa.

8. Adapted Screenplay: Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana , "Brokeback Mountain"; Dan Futterman, "Capote"; Jeffrey Caine, "The Constant Gardener"; Josh Olson, "A History of Violence"; Tony Kushner and Eric Roth, "Munich." My Pick: Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana

9. Original Screenplay: Paul Haggis and Bobby Moresco, "Crash"; George Clooney and Grant Heslov, "Good Night, and Good Luck"; Woody Allen, "Match Point"; Noah Baumbach, "The Squid and the Whale"; Stephen Gaghan, "Syriana." My Pick: Paul Haggis and Bobby Moresco

10. Animated Feature Film: "Howl's Moving Castle"; "Tim Burton's Corpse Bride"; "Wallace & Gromit in the Curse of the Were-Rabbit." My Pick: Tim Burton's Corpse Bride

11. Art Direction: "Good Night, and Good Luck," "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," "King Kong," "Memoirs of a Geisha," "Pride & Prejudice." My Pick: Memoirs of a Geisha

12. Cinematography: "Batman Begins," "Brokeback Mountain," "Good Night, and Good Luck," "Memoirs of a Geisha," "The New World." My Pick: The New World

13. Sound Mixing: "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe," "King Kong," "Memoirs of a Geisha," "Walk the Line," "War of the Worlds." My Pick: King Kong

14. Sound Editing: "King Kong," "Memoirs of a Geisha," "War of the Worlds." My Pick: King Kong

15. Original Score: "Brokeback Mountain," Gustavo Santaolalla; "The Constant Gardener," Alberto Iglesias; "Memoirs of a Geisha," John Williams; "Munich," John Williams; "Pride & Prejudice," Dario Marianelli. My Pick: Memoirs of a Geisha

16. Original Song: "In the Deep" from "Crash," Kathleen "Bird" York and Michael Becker; "It's Hard out Here for a Pimp" from "Hustle & Flow," Jordan Houston, Cedric Coleman and Paul Beauregard; "Travelin' Thru" from "Transamerica," Dolly Parton. My Pick: "In the Deep"

17. Costume: "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," "Memoirs of a Geisha," "Mrs. Henderson Presents," "Pride & Prejudice," "Walk the Line." My Pick: Memoirs of a Geisha

18. Documentary Feature: "Darwin's Nightmare," "Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room," "March of the Penguins," "Murderball," "Street Fight." My Pick: March of the Penguins

19. Documentary (short subject): "The Life of Kevin Carter: Casualty of the Bang Bang Club," "God Sleeps in Rwanda," "The Mushroom Club," "A Note of Triumph: The Golden Age of Norman Corwin."

20. Film Editing: "Cinderella Man," "The Constant Gardener," "Crash," "Munich," "Walk the Line." My Pick: Cinderella Man

21. Makeup: "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe," "Cinderella Man," "Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith." My Pick: Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith

22. Animated Short Film: "Badgered," "The Moon and the Son: An Imagined Conversation," "The Mysterious Geographic Explorations of Jasper Morello," "9," "One Man Band."

23. Live Action Short Film: "Ausreisser (The Runaway)," "Cashback," "The Last Farm," "Our Time Is Up," "Six Shooter."

24. Visual Effects: "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe," "King Kong," "War of the Worlds." My Pick: King Kong

Ithaca Student Wins Festival For Film Shot With Cell Phone

An Ithaca college junior who filmed a 30-second movie using a cell phone camera has won first place at the first annual CellFlix Festival. Mike Potter, a triple major from Bloomfield, CO was one of 178 entrants in the festival.

Potter won $5,000 for his film, titled "Cheat," a comedy involving an endearing interaction between his grandparents. "When I heard that I had won the competition, I was really excited," says Potter. "I put a lot of thought and hard work into my piece, so it was great to have that recognized. I thought the diversity and the quality of the entries made the festival a real success. It certainly made winning that much more of an honor. The best part for me was telling my grandparents."

Potter says the idea for the film came from sitting at dinner with his grandparents. "I saw something in their interactions, how much fun they have together, that was so powerful that I knew it would jump out in something as quick as a 30-second piece, even if it was made on a cell phone. Actually, especially if it was made on a cell phone. My hope was that if I had fun with it, other people would, and that if my grandparents could make me laugh, they could make other people laugh."

The winning film "Cheat" can be viewed here.

Additionally, the other films in the running can be viewed here.

theWEBiSODE.com launches a podcast

theWEBiSODE.com has launched its podcast. It can be heard right here.

FINAL FANTASY XI: Treasures of Aht Urhgan and Xbox 360 Version Launch Announced

Square Enix Inc. announced the release of the third expansion pack for Final Fantasy XI. Additionally, Final Fantasy XI will be released on the very same day for the Xbox 360.

Beginning April 18 in North America, and April 20 elsewhere, gamers can pick up the new expansion pack as well as the Xbox 360 version of the game.

The previous two expansion packs, Chains of Promathia and Rise of the Zilart, will not be required to use the third expansion for previous Final Fantasy XI players. However, the Xbox 360 version will include the original Final Fantasy XI, the two previous expansion packs and the new Treasures of Aht Urhgan expansion pack for a retail price of $49.99. The Treasures of Aht Urhgan expansion pack for the Playstation 2 and the Windows operation system will carry a retail price of $29.99.

Final Fantasy XI functions in an online playing environment and currently has more than 500,000 subscribers.

No Plans For Valentine's Day Yet? How About White Castle?

Why anybody would think that taking their special one to White Castle for their Valentine's Day dinner is beyond me, but the famous squared hamburger server is taking reservations for just that. Between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. on February 14, White Castle will have a special event in all of their restaurants.

There was no mention of price, but the reservations will include a candelight dinner, flower adorned tables, along with other decorations, and a special menu with items that will be served from table side service.

"We hear many stories from married cravers for whom White Castle is a special part of their lives together, be it because they met at a White Castle or because when they were young it was a fun place to go that they could afford and it has remained so for them. With this history of 'royal' love affairs, a special Valentine's Day dinner at White Castle is a natural fit," said Kim Bartley, Vice President of Marketing and Site Development. "For some of our regions we have been offering this special evening for sixteen years and are excited to now make it available to customers across all of our regions. It's an event our customers and team members really enjoy and have fun with."

Reservations can still be made by calling one of the following local offices in your area.

Chicago (708) 458-4450, Cincinnati (513) 559-0575, Columbus (614) 294-3753, Detroit (248) 477-1450, Indianapolis (317) 269-4590, Louisville (502) 361-2317, Minneapolis/St. Paul (651) 646-1811, Nashville (615) 834-5798, New Jersey (732) 381-4343, New York (718) 899-8404, Northeast Ohio (216) 741-9780, St. Louis (314) 535-7430.

I don't know about you, but I think if I told my girlfriend that our Valentine's Day dinner reservations were made at White Castle, it would most likely end up being our last dinner together before she changes her number and e-mail address and never speaks to me again.

Silent Hill Movie Poster Finalists Announced

I remember playing Silent Hill for the Playstation and boy...was that a scary game. Now that Sony's Tri Star Pictures is producing a movie based on the Konami video game series, I am hoping it is as fun to watch as it was to play.

The movie is set to be released on April 21, 2006. While the movie itself won't be as interactive as the game was, the selection of movie posters will be an interactive experience. As of now, you can navigate over to WelcomeToSilentHill.com and vote on five different posters to be used to advertise the film. The winner will be revealed on February 22.

Here are the five posters in the running:



The film's premise will have an original story line and will be about a mother's search for a cure for her only child. She ignores advice that her daughter should be institutionalized and heads for an abandoned town. Her daughter goes missing and as she searches for her in the strange town of Silent Hill, she begins to realize there is much more going on there than a girl gone missing.

Poll: More People Would Rather Be Vampires Than Werewolves

Would you rather be afraid of silver bullets being shot through your heart or afraid of dangling garlic neckwear? If you are like most people, the dangling garlic would be your choice.

A recent poll at UGO.com revealed that a majority of people would rather be vampires than werewolves. Sixty percent of Americans polled said they would rather suck fresh blood from the neck of a helpless victim rather than morph into a hairy beast of the night as the full moon rises.

Is this news at all important? No. Is it relevant in any way? Yes, if you are considering that Underworld Evolution has just hit theatres.

And while we are at it, which would you rather be?

Try Getting A Stain Inside This Car

The Chrysler Group is introducing a new technology that repels stains and odors in three of their vehicles this year. The 2007 Chrysler Aspen, Jeep Wrangler and Dodge Caliber will be among the first vehicles that will feature YES Essentials(R), an advanced seating upholstery that repels and releases stains from things even as tough as soda, coffee and lipstick.

The other good news is, is that it doesn't even matter how long the stain has been there. And if this silver-based, anti-microbial upholstery's ability to repel stains and odors aren't enough, it also inhibits the growth of mold and mildew, plus reduces static electricity generated when entering or exiting a vehicle.

Wow! I say it's about time. Now who's stopping you and a bunch of buddies from going out, getting drunk and puking in the car.

What Will Life on Earth Be Like in 2050?

WASHINGTON, Jan. 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The number of extreme events, such as hurricanes and famine, affecting at least one million people will increase over the next 45 years if a certain scenario of world development plays out. Demand for water will increase enormously -- between 30% and 85% -- especially in Africa and Asia, by the year 2050. But human health may improve as public health measures advance vaccine development and lessen the impact of epidemic diseases such as HIV/AIDS.

These are just a few of the many findings of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) published in a four-volume set by Island Press and released Thursday. The MA is the product of a four-year global research initiative, commissioned by the United Nations, in which 1,300 scientists from 95 nations explore the complex interactions between human well-being and the environment.

"The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment tells us that there is an inextricable link between the health of humans and the health of the planet. We can no longer ignore the enormous economic and social benefits, such as climate regulation and water purification, provided by nature's fragile ecosystems," said Timothy E. Wirth, President of the United Nations Foundation. "The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment is an extensively researched, scientifically grounded roadmap for why and how we should slow or reverse today's ecosystem degradation and chart a path toward sustainable human development."

The MA looks ahead 50 years from the year 2000 to paint four alternate pictures, or scenarios, of life on earth. Current estimates of three billion more people and a quadrupling of the world economy by 2050 show that our consumption of biological and physical resources will skyrocket putting much more pressure on ecosystems. But the scenarios demonstrate that the condition of ecosystems in the future could be significantly worse or better than in the present -- depending on policy choices. For example, wise use of environmental technology, investing in education and health, and reducing poverty can reduce pressure on ecosystems.

"Despite what looks like steady global decline, this is a story of hope. The MA gives us a powerful way to explore the possible impacts of broad policy directions for life on Earth and tells us that changes in policy can make a difference," said Dr. Stephen Carpenter, Professor of Limnology at the University of Wisconsin and one of the chief authors of the MA.

"Many of the policies identified by the MA as positive for both the environment and mankind are used somewhere today. So if we have the political will, we have the ability to implement them on a global scale," added Carpenter.

The four scenarios are descriptions of plausible futures -- based on changes in such factors as economic and population growth, climate change, and trade -- told from the point of view of someone looking back from 2050 at what has happened in the world since 2000.

If certain assumptions play out by 2050, according to the MA, water will be more plentiful in nearly all regions because of climate change, but pressure on ecosystems to provide water to meet growing demand increases. Food security is likely to remain out of reach for many people, despite increasing food supply, but child malnutrition, while not eradicated, will likely drop over the coming decades. By the end of the century, climate change may be the predominant driver of biodiversity loss and changes in ecosystem services globally.

"Ecosystem services have dramatically improved human well-being over the past centuries. People are better nourished and live longer and healthier lives than ever before, incomes have risen, and political institutions are more open," stated Dr. Walter Reid, Director of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment and Professor with the Institute for the Environment at Stanford University. "But these gains have been achieved at a growing cost. It's now time for us to measure the economic value of these services so we can make better decisions about our future."

"Payments for ecosystem services can be an effective way to protect services that people rely on such as clean water, while also protecting the environment," said Dr. Prabhu Pingali of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

The MA represents the first time scientists have looked at how the health of the environment contributes to human well-being and how policy decisions we make today shape the world of tomorrow.

Source: Island Press

CONTACT: Carrie Collins, +1-301-664-9000, ext 18,
carriehcollins@aol.com, or Laura Dely, +1-301-664-9000, ext 10,
Ldely@yahoo.com, both of Ann Brown Communications for Island Press

PBS Plans MediaShift, Will Launch Blog

The increasing use of new media will be documented and discussed in a new blog on PBS's Web site. MediaShift will launch on January 18 and will highlight topics such as blogs, podcasts and other forms of online news and information.

MediaShift will be hosted by industry expert Mark Glaser, who has contributed stories to such places as the Los Angeles Times, CNET, The New York Times and Entertainment Weekly.

"I'm thrilled to be working with pbs.org, one of the most trusted names in media, to cover the topical subject of how technology and the Net are transforming the media," said Glaser. "After writing about blogs and new media as an observer for so many years, I'm finally walking my talk by writing a blog, and actually practicing what I've preached for so long. I'm looking forward to writing about new forms of journalism and media while also submerging myself in this world even more -- and letting my audience participate in new ways."

The new blog will feature four main areas, according to a recent PBS press release. These areas are:

• Blog
  

• In-depth blog posts will include rotating features, such as: Q&A's with industry leaders, commentaries and substantive reporting on recent developments.
  

  "The blog will be a lively read, entertaining and enthusiastic about new developments in the media landscape -- with a healthy dose of skepticism reserved for overly hyped initiatives with little substance," said Glaser.
• Your Take
• Each week, a different contention or question will be posed to MediaShift's readers, who will be invited to add their views or share relevant information. One example might be: "Do you trust Google News to be fair and accurate?" The question would also be posed to people with a vested interest in and/or particular knowledge of the subject, including people at news outlets, analysts and executives, and news consumers.
• Top 5 Chart
• This chart will list top companies, people and ideas that are gaining momentum or buzz in the new media world, including new initiatives or breakthrough services.
• MediaShift Reading List
• A running list of the best media-related books, blogs, sites and research reports, updated regularly.

The blog will most likely target the average user while still offering enough content to keep the tech savvy person interested.

PBS is a private, not-for-profit media company that offers a range of documentaries, dramas and kid oriented programs for television and the internet.

Dungeons & Dragons Online Database Now Live

The highly anticipated (among D&D geeks) Dungeons & Dragons Online game has launched its database, according to an announcement Thursday by The OGaming Network. The database is a primary tool for the soon to be released game as it is the main source for Dungeons & Dragons Online fans to gain a better playing experience.

Additionally, this database holds the information for skills, spells, maps, monsters and instructions for quests.

"With Dungeons & Dragons Online garnering increasing attention from gamers every day, OGaming is the first to offer this exciting tool to DDO fans," said Jean-Marc Broyer, general manager of The OGaming Network. "Players can not only conduct free database searches anytime they need the latest DDO game details, but they can also join a powerful 24/7 online community and submit their screenshots, quest updates and personal comments."

I suppose if you were really into D&D as a kid and teenager, then the idea of being able to immerse yourself into the D&D world online should be pretty cool. I have a feeling I won't be taking part, but then again...you never know.

Gametap Signs New Publishers

Gametap, the broadband video game subscription services, has expanded its vault of games by signing three new publishers. Gametap announced on Tuesday that they agreed to licensing deals with SNK PLAYMORE USA, Interplay Entertainment Corporation and Riverdeep Inc.

This will allow them to add such classics to their service such as Ikari Warriors, the Clayfighter series, Earthworm Jim, Ninja Commando, Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego and Oregon Trail.

The Gametap service costs users $14.95 a month, and currently provides unlimited use of over 300 Arcade, PC and home console video games.

Earthworm Jim was a fun game back in the Genesis and Super Nintendo days and who can pass up playing Oregon Trail again? And does the addition of SNK mean the possibility of NEO GEO games? I sure hope so.

Sony's Celebrity Pimp-My-PC

Ever wanted your laptop to be designed by the likes of Jessica Alba, Elijah Wood, Mark Ruffalo, Wilmer Valderrama and Nicole Richie? No? Well, if you did, now you can thanks to Sony taking bids on celebrity pimped out Vaio FJ series notebooks on eBay.

Proceeds generated from this auction will benefit America's Second Harvest -- The Nation's Food Bank Network, a national charity that distributes food and grocery products to more than 50,000 charitable agencies in every county.

Those of you who live in the following areas could have checked out one of these celebrity laptops up close and personal...sorry Jessica Alba wasn't there to drool over, only her designed laptop was (pictured above).

11/15-11/25: Los Angeles (Beverly Center)
11/28-12/09: Houston (The Galleria)
12/12-12/24: New York City (Sony Plaza)
11/26-01/09: Las Vegas (The Forum Shops at Ceasars)

Web site Attempts to Piggyback on Success of MillionDollarHomepage.com

After the unexpected success of a British college student and his MillionDollarHomepage.com, which sells pixels to advertisers for $1.00 each, many imitators, including (shamelessly) theWebisode.com, came out of the woodwork. Now, some realtor in Seattle thinks he can piggyback his way to a billion dollars by offering larger ads for $100 each.

BillionDollarWebsite.info was launched in November and is selling an infinite amount of ads for $100 a piece. The ads will remain on the site for 10 years, which equals to $10 a year.

Bill Johnson, the founder of BillionDollarWebsite.info, boasts on his blog that the site has reached 1,075 hits as of December 3. Which, quite frankly, isn't much at all, especially when it comes to where you want to spend your advertising dollars.

With these types of sites popping up, we must start wondering if it's a genius attempt at driving traffic to your Web site, or a complete waste of advertising dollars. Either way, some people seem to be making a shitload of money off of it.

Mobile Phone Call using iPod/MP3 Headphones

SAN FRANCISCO, MacWorld, Jan. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Tekkeon today at MacWorld unveils myTalker, the first Bluetooth gateway that lets users use their own music headphones to make and receive mobile phone calls while listening to an iPod or MP3 player.

myTalker connects between an iPod or MP3 player and the music headphones, and pairs with any Bluetooth mobile phone, just like a Bluetooth headset. Calls are heard directly through the music headphones and the user speaks through a microphone built into myTalker, which clips to a shirt or collar.

Buttons on myTalker enable users to increase, decrease, or mute the call volume, or use advanced calling features like last number redial, voice dialing, conference, and call waiting. Headset status and low-battery notification are provided through visual and audible indicators.
"myTalker provides a seamless path to simplify the convergence of two key mobile products," says Jerry Yang, president of Tekkeon. "With myTalker, digital music lovers get the convenience of a Bluetooth headset, without giving up their own music headphones."
A rechargeable lithium polymer battery built into myTalker provides up to five hours of talk time and 120 hours of standby time. myTalker can be charged via a USB port or USB power adapter using the included USB charging cable.

myTalker weighs just 1.2 oz (33g), and is small in size (1.1"w x 1.9" l x 0.5" d). myTalker is compatible with all iPods and any MP3 player equipped with a standard audio jack, and pairs with any Bluetooth v1.1 or v1.2 mobile phone. This new device supports both headset and handsfree profile of Bluetooth v1.2 with a range of up to 30 feet (10 meters).

The MSRP for myTalker (ET7000) is $74.95, which includes a one-year limited warranty. The package includes myTalker, a USB charging cable, and a user guide. myTalker will be available in February 2006 at Tekkeon retailers and from the Tekkeon store at http://www.tekkeon.com/index.php.

Features:

• One-touch access to standard and advanced calling features (which
  require support by connected mobile phone):
• Call answer/end
• Call reject
• Call hold
• Call waiting answer
• Conference
• Last number redial
• Transfer call to/from myTalker
• Voice dialing support
• Easy access to volume control and microphone mute function
• Visual and audible indicators for headset and battery status
• USB cable for charging directly from computer, or using USB power
  adapter

For Bluetooth fans this seems like something they would love. Afterall, with any piece of electronics that comes out, Bluetoothers beg for Bluetooth functionality. I just don't see anyone rushing out to get a Bluetooth enabled phone just to utilize this.

Exit CES 2006, Enter Macworld 2006

The curtain has fallen on the 2006 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. We all got a glimpse at how intense, and ridiculous, the looming format war between the HD-DVD camp and the Blu-ray camp will be for the next generation home video market. Like politics in America, technological gadgets seem to be going in two different directions. On one side, things are getting much larger like the Samsung 82-inch LCD HDTV. On the other side, things are shrinking, like we saw with the LG FM30 portable video player, with it's 1.77" OLED screen.

However, as much as we enjoyed hearing and seeing all of these great little gadgets that will run up our credit card debt and make us go broke again this year, Apple still has a show all to themselves with this year's Macworld. In usual Apple/Steve Jobs fashion, the new products and services being announced are held in secrecy until their unveiling at the show.

Buzzing around in the minds of Apple fanatics and Apple haters alike are questions of what will be revealed this week. While not much is planned for Monday's opening day, the biggest news should be revealed tomorrow during Steve Jobs' keynote presentation.

Analysts and fanboys all across the globe are speculating the Apple announcements will include updates to iTunes, including new show offerings not only from the current network selection of NBC, ABC and the Sci-Fi Channel, but maybe even from CBS and FOX. Other rumblings in the news and blog world talk about Apple's next generation notebooks with their inclusion of an Intel chipset rather than the typical Apple one. A move that some Apple fans do not approve of.

Once things are announced, you can count on theWEBiSODE to comment on them.

Blu-ray Release List (Updated 01/09/05)

UPDATED MAY 23

Sony
6/6 -

• Underworld: Evolution

6/20 -

• 50 First Dates
• The Fifth Element
• Hitch
• House of Flying Daggers
• A Knight's Tale
• The Last Waltz
• Resident Evil: Apocalypse
• xXx

6/27 -

• Kung Fu Hustle
• Legends of the Fall
• Robocop
• Species
• Stealth
• SWAT
• The Terminator
• Ultraviolet

7/11 -

• Basic Instinct 2: Risk Addiction

Sometime in 2006 -

• Bram Stoker's Dracula
• Desperado
• For a Few Dollars More
• The Guns of Navarone
• Sense and Sensibility
• Black Hawk Down
• The Bridge on the River Kwai
• Stargate Atlantis
• Into the Blue

Buena Vista Home Entertainment
Summer of 2006 -

• Kill Bill: Vol. 1
• Hero
• Dark Water
• Ladder 49
• The Brothers Grimm
• The Great Raid
• Armageddon
• Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
• Walt Disney Pictures' Dinosaur
• Everest
• Chicken Little

Warner
Sometime in 2006 -

• Batman Begins
• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
• Constantine
• The Dukes of Hazzard
• The Last Samurai
• Lethal Weapon
• The Matrix
• Million Dollar Baby
• Oceans 12
• Swordfish
• Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
• Training Day
• Troy
• Twister
• Unforgiven

Lions Gate
6/27 -

• Crash
• Lord of War
• The Punisher
• Saw
• T2:Judgement Day

Spring 2006 -

• Devil's Rejects
• Reservoir Dogs
• Total Recall
• Dune
• Rambo: First Blood
• See No Evil

Paramount
Spring 2006

• Aeon Flux
• Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow
• Four Brothers
• The Italian Job
• The Manchurian Candidate
• We Were Soldiers
• Sahara

FOX
Spring 2006

• Alien I-IV
• Die Hard Trilogy
• I, Robot
• There's Something About Mary
• Moulin Rouge
• Sound of Music
• The Simpsons
• Family Guy
• 24
• The X-Files
• M*A*S*H
• X-Men
• X-Men 2
• League of Extraordinary Gentlemen

See the HD-DVD Release List

(All titles and release dates are subject to change, please check back often for the most current release schedule.)

Sirius Radio Hops Into Bed With Playboy

Sirius Radio, on Thursday, announced plans to launch a new around the clock Playboy Radio Channel early this year. The channel will include new exclusive live content, including a morning radio show featuring the founder of Playboy Hugh Heffner.

Although, XM Radio offered a Playboy Radio channel on their satellite network last year, the Sirius version will be a totally new channel. Also, unlike XM's Playboy Channel, Sirius Radio will not require an extra subscription fee like the $1.99 monthly fee XM charged users to access the channel.

With the first broadcast from Howard Stern coming up, this new Playboy Channel and the existing Maxim Radio Channel on the Sirius Radio network, Sirius is clearly wanting to be the king of smut radio. In the end this may turn off more people from Sirius than it is turning people on to it.

However, if there continues to be two satellite radio services functioning, then they both must differentiate themselves from one another. From Sirius' recent acquisitions and on-air offerings, they seem to not be having any trouble separating themselves from their rival XM.

iLoad your iPod with ease

Have an iPod or are you thinking about getting one but don't have a PC or MAC? Wingspan is introducing two devices that will ease the loading of music and videos to your iPod by skipping the need for a PC. The iLoad will allow you to transfer your CDs straight to your iPod.

While the iLoad will only do transfers from CD's, the iLoad-V connects to your cable or satellite box to transfer video to your iPod video capable player. As of publication of this story, there was no mention of if the iLoad-V will behave like a DVR allowing one to schedule recordings.

Both devices should be available in March, according to the iLoad Web site. The iLoad will be $249.99 and the iLoad-V will be $149.99. The shiny white design matches the iPod design well, unless you have a black iPod. Sounds like a great device, but I have a few issues with it. Why didn't they combine both devices into one, that would seem to make more sense? Also, there is a fee of $9.99 every time a user wants to update the music database when new albums are released which is done via a CD rather than a straight-to-device download.

A visit to the iLoad Web site will show you not only what the iLoad looks like, but that there are several skins available to personalize it. These skins are $29.95 for a pack of 10 blank skins. There will be pre-designs available for print, but to get even more personal I am sure you can design your own instead.