I got a call from GameStop noting that LittleBigPlanet would be available for pick-up today (Oct 25th), so we picked up our pre-ordered copy this afternoon. We only played it for a little while this evening since the online services are not available yet. Hopefully the servers will be available soon. Nonetheless, the game is fantastic. Our kids get a kick out of it, and we can't help but chuckle at the antics of the characters and the silly commentary. So far, this has my vote for Game of the Year.

And to all those who keep peeling off your Kratos code - scratch, don't peel!

If you have not had a chance to get in on the LittleBigPlanet beta for the PS3, you are definitely missing out. This game is loads of fun for all ages. I look forward to the full release.

-LBP blog -LBP info

BTW, I have two extra beta codes if anyone is looking for one. First two to post a comment below will get one. (please note that these codes are for individuals with US PSN accounts)

//EDIT: Congrats NS and rodband. Hope to see you in LBP. Good luck to everyone else finding a code.

With all of the social sites, blog sites, RSS feeds, and image repositories at our disposal, Sweetcron has finally given *bloggers a way to compile all of those warehouses in one place - your own site. I decided to give Sweetcron a shot. And with its simple, yet powerful, codebase, I swapped from WordPress to Sweetcron immediately.

Of course, Sweetcron is still in its infancy, so I had to write some custom code to get everything imported. I didn't just want to leave my WordPress instance on my server. I wanted to completely get rid of it. So I figured I would share the code I used to import my WordPress posts into Sweetcron... Enjoy!

So here goes - and I know it's not the most beautiful code snippet in the world, but it worked for me. Feel free to post modified code in the comments.

Get the code here (rename to import.php).

I just wrapped up about a month's worth of effort tagging and uploading my photo library to SmugMug. I used Adobe Photoshop Lightroom and Windows Live Photo Gallery to tag and sort my photos. Then I used the Lightroom Export Plugin for SmugMug to upload about 6,000 of the photos to my SmugMug account.

Tagging the photos was pure torture. And many of my photos had missing timestamps for the date taken, so sorting was a joy. But I finally wrapped it all up. And now I have a process for future photos.

If you are going to pitch your wonderful, new, free music download software to the media claiming to have all the major record labels on board, you should be sure you really do have them on board. Qtrax forgot to get its deals in writing. I'll save the download until they get their act together.

I don't know about you, but I'd get lost in a maze of windows if I used the Firefox Add-on, Split Browser.

Are you in the bubble?

Get your Firefox via floppy if needed.

Update: Well, I took the MacBook back to the Tyson's Apple store, and after a short chat with "Tim," I was on my way back home with a replacement. Just got back, set it up, and it's "good to go." No dead pixels to be seen - yet! And no blemishes. I'm pleased! Thanks, "Tim!"

Yesterday was Black Friday, and I decided to take Apple up on their BF discount. Since I'd rather deal with a retail store than wait for my product to get shipped, my wife and I packed up our youngest and headed 2 hours to the Tyson's Apple store.

Of course, I did my research online, noting that the online store would provide me a Federal Employee discount and the holiday discount. Figuring this would be the case in the B&M retail store, I chatted with one of the Apple reps. He said I could get either discount, but they could not be stacked. I asked a few more of the reps, and they provided the same answer. Why would the online store allow the stacked discounts, but not this store. Ugh!

Oh well. I was so set on getting the laptop and getting it now, I agreed to accept only one discount and picked up a black MacBook (I know the white is cheaper, but I like the look of the black and was willing to pay the premium).

Finally, it's mine! I get home, plug it in and let it charge a bit. Then I crank it up. I fill in all the config info and up comes the pretty Leopard screen. Keep in mind, this is my first Mac. I gaze in wonder. And then horror. I have a dead pixel right in the center of the screen. Oh wait, I have another near the bottom. More Ugh!

Now what to do!? I decided to sleep on it. I did some research this morning, and it appears this is a common trend. Unfortunately, there is no clear guidance on what to do. I called the Apple retail store I purchased from, and they said there should be no problem exchanging it since it is within the 14 day return period. I just have to take it to the Genius Bar for them to check out.

This requires another 2 hour trip, so it will probably have to wait a day or two, but things are not working out as I had hoped.

Update: I spoke with an executive at Ooma and was finally offered the swap for free. The swap took place a few days later, and everything is hooked up and functioning. Now if only the sound quality would improve.

Just a rant...

I became an Ooma White Rabbit back in August/September. Since then, they have released their product to the public and provide landline and non-landline services. All of which cost the same to the customer.

I decided to do away with my landline, and would like to swap my Ooma service from the landline-based service to the non-landline-based.

After chatting with a few of the reps via online chat, it appears Ooma wants to charge White Rabbits (and only White Rabbits) a $149 fee to make the swap. I guess they forgot to mention this during the sign up process. Seems kind of shady to only charge such a fee to the White Rabbits. Sure would have been nice to know they were going to try to sneak a penny or two out of the Beta testers.

Now I'm stuck with a couple very pretty white boxes (Hub and Scout) that will be useless.

If you're like me, you have a few opitical mice laying around. Used, battered, and collecting dust. Now you can put them to use. Check out this trick to convert an optical mouse to a scanner.

**linkage

This keyboard is only a concept. But Dayam! I'll take two.
**linkage

Need to send a file that's too big for email?

Linkage

GUnit DS

Linkage

Let Google tell you the weather. enter "weather city, state". W00t!

Linkage

Netscape Beta.

Linkage

Metallica site hacked.

Linkage

Yahoo turns 10, so take a look at their site from 1995.

Linkage

Google does movies now.

Linkage

Turn your laptop into a security system.

Linkage