John Hood http://virb.com/johnhood Generation Star Wars: A blog about Star Wars, Mac evangelism and consumer culture!]]> Virb 2.0 (@johnhood) en Twittering about the #INQ1 http://virb.com/johnhood/posts/text/1081322 For almost a week I've been testing the INQ1 from 3 mobile, and posting my initial impressions on Twitter!

Here's a compendium of those tweets to date:

"Setting up Skype on the #inq1 is a breeze! Skype Me: jrhood

Setting up Facebook, Windows Live and last.fm on the #inq1!

It's a novelty using a seriously social 3G phone compared to my LG Chocolate! Will I be able to give it back? #inq1

Receiving Facebook notifications directly on the #inq1 isn't unique! And I still prefer Facebook Mobile on the iPhone/iPod touch!

The #inq1 switcher and carousel is simplicity itself! Even if it lacks the GUI chutzpah of Mac OS X or Sony's XMB!

For security, there should be a full reset option on the #inq1! I can't find it! Help!

OK! Found 'Master Reset' under menu! LOL #inq1

'Master Reset' on the #inq1 doesn't clear social network login details! FAIL

The #inq1 doesn't support Twitter out of the box! However, Twitter4Skype provides a workaround until a dedicated application is released!"

Follow me on Twitter to get the latest news, tips and exclusive announcements.

]]> Tue, 10 Feb 2009 16:44:43 -0800 http://virb.com/johnhood/posts/text/1081322 Red Carpet with Davros and Supreme Dalek [Flickr] http://virb.com/johnhood/posts/text/1077287 John Hood posted a photo:

Red Carpet with Davros and Supreme Dalek

]]> Sun, 08 Feb 2009 17:15:52 -0800 http://virb.com/johnhood/posts/text/1077287 Exeter or Innsbruck? [Flickr] http://virb.com/johnhood/posts/text/1075573 John Hood posted a photo:

Exeter or Innsbruck?

This is the view of Exeter, as seen from my bedroom window, following the recent snowstorms!

]]> Sat, 07 Feb 2009 09:48:10 -0800 http://virb.com/johnhood/posts/text/1075573 INQ1 isn't just for Facebook! http://virb.com/johnhood/posts/text/1074164 For Facebook Fiends

3mobilebuzz approached me to trial their brand new INQ1 mobile phone. Dubbed, somewhat disingenuously, the 'Facebook phone' by the media, I grabbed the chance to see what all the fuss was about.

Facebook integration aside, I'm particularly drawn to its Skype functionality and can't wait to test this feature over the next month. If you're interested in helping me out, please add me to Skype: jrhood. Thank you.

The INQ1 arrived yesterday and I'll be writing a full review soon. I hope it plays nice with Twitter or else!

]]> Fri, 06 Feb 2009 17:05:22 -0800 http://virb.com/johnhood/posts/text/1074164 For Facebook Fiends [Flickr] http://virb.com/johnhood/posts/text/1073085 John Hood posted a photo:

For Facebook Fiends

The irreverent type face is memorable. Even if the 'Q' looks like Apple's Spotlight/QuickTime logo!

]]> Fri, 06 Feb 2009 02:26:40 -0800 http://virb.com/johnhood/posts/text/1073085 Boxing Clever [Flickr] http://virb.com/johnhood/posts/text/1073084 John Hood posted a photo:

Boxing Clever

3's art department skew Apple's penchant for minimalism.

Yuko Shimizu's illustration is certainly striking. But, I'm left wondering whether or not Mirror's Edge pop panache would've been better?

]]> Fri, 06 Feb 2009 02:26:39 -0800 http://virb.com/johnhood/posts/text/1073084 INQ1 isn't just for Facebook! http://virb.com/johnhood/posts/text/1073083 For Facebook Fiends

3mobilebuzz approached me to trial their brand new INQ1 mobile phone. Dubbed, somewhat disingenuously, the 'Facebook phone' by the media, I grabbed the chance to see what all the fuss was about.

Facebook integration aside, I'm particularly drawn to its Skype functionality and can't wait to test this feature over the next month. If you're interested in helping me out, please add me to Skype: jrhood. Thank you.

The INQ1 arrived yesterday and I'll be writing a full review soon. I hope it plays nice with Twitter or else!

]]> Fri, 06 Feb 2009 02:26:39 -0800 http://virb.com/johnhood/posts/text/1073083 The Snowman Cometh! [Flickr] http://virb.com/johnhood/posts/text/1066674 John Hood posted a photo:

The Snowman Cometh!

For a while it looked as though Exeter would miss the snowstorms across the UK!

]]> Mon, 02 Feb 2009 17:19:39 -0800 http://virb.com/johnhood/posts/text/1066674 Snow Patrol [Flickr] http://virb.com/johnhood/posts/text/1066673 John Hood posted a photo:

Snow Patrol

The view from my home studio in Exeter!

]]> Mon, 02 Feb 2009 17:19:38 -0800 http://virb.com/johnhood/posts/text/1066673 Floral tribute to my Grandfather [Flickr] http://virb.com/johnhood/posts/text/1065602 John Hood posted a photo:

Floral tribute to my Grandfather

My cousins and I commissioned a bicycle floral tribute in loving memory of our Grandfather who on Thursday 8th January 2009 passed away, following a short illness, aged 89 at the Colchester General Hospital.

Along with gardening, and maintaining his allotment. My Grandfather was synonymous with riding his bike in and around Stanway, Colchester, Essex. He taught me to ride a bike - poignant in view of Steven Spielberg's E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial. Therefore I hope that this tribute is most befitting!

Incidentally, the almost moon-like Apple logo was added as an homage to my Grandfather's fascination with computers - he was a collector!

]]> Mon, 02 Feb 2009 02:20:58 -0800 http://virb.com/johnhood/posts/text/1065602 Powerslide in Provence [Flickr] http://virb.com/johnhood/posts/text/1065601 John Hood posted a photo:

Powerslide in Provence

This track was designed by my cousin's boyfriend. His award-winning design ethos has been fully transposed into the realm of Scalextric slot car racing!

]]> Mon, 02 Feb 2009 02:20:58 -0800 http://virb.com/johnhood/posts/text/1065601 Floral tributes at Colchester Crematorium [Flickr] http://virb.com/johnhood/posts/text/1065600 John Hood posted a photo:

Floral tributes at Colchester Crematorium

My family was overwhelmed by the floral tributes sent in memory of my Grandfather! This is a selection of the touching tributes presented to us at Colchester Crematorium.

]]> Mon, 02 Feb 2009 02:20:57 -0800 http://virb.com/johnhood/posts/text/1065600 Floral tribute to my Grandfather http://virb.com/johnhood/posts/text/1065599 Floral tribute to my Grandfather

My cousins and I commissioned a bicycle floral tribute in loving memory of our Grandfather who on Thursday 8th January 2009 passed away, following a short illness, aged 89 at the Colchester General Hospital.

Along with gardening, and maintaining his allotment. My Grandfather was synonymous with riding his bike in and around Stanway, Colchester, Essex. He taught me to ride a bike - poignant in view of Steven Spielberg's E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial. Therefore I hope that this tribute is most befitting!

Incidentally, the almost moon-like Apple logo was added as an homage to my Grandfather's fascination with computers - he was a collector!

]]> Mon, 02 Feb 2009 02:20:56 -0800 http://virb.com/johnhood/posts/text/1065599 One Tree Hill [Flickr] http://virb.com/johnhood/posts/text/1057833 John Hood posted a photo:

One Tree Hill

I just love the skyline!

]]> Wed, 28 Jan 2009 15:19:57 -0800 http://virb.com/johnhood/posts/text/1057833 Do you own an amazing object with a great story to tell? http://virb.com/johnhood/posts/text/1043095 This morning I received the following from DK Books, who have kindly sponsored several competitions on this blog, and wanted to share.

"I just wanted to get in touch to let you know about an exciting competition that we hope may be of interest to you or your colleagues, friends or family.

We at DK are currently creating a groundbreaking book, our most exciting and innovative book project to date, which will consist of 1,000 pages of never-before-seen objects to make the reader marvel at the variety and richness of life.

Whether it's the thing itself, such as the first football, or what the item represents, such as Monet's paint palette, everything featured in the book will be there to astound, impress and tell a fascinating story. It is the biggest book the company has ever made and we want you to be a part of it.

We are running a competition where we are inviting people outside of DK to tell us about an extraordinary, or ordinary, object they own that has an amazing story surrounding it. The object might be something that currently lives in a garage, loft or attic, but tells an incredible story. The most unique and inspirational objects will be shortlisted and then an ultimate winner will feature in the book when it is published.

For all the information about the competition just visit www.AllThisBook.com, and all entries need to be submitted by Wednesday 28th January and if you have any questions at all then please don't hesitate to get in touch."

About DK books
Since 1974, Dorling Kindersley has published an extensive range of internationally acclaimed titles in 51 languages for adults and children. As the UK's market leader in illustrated non-fiction, we pride ourselves on creating books that combine comprehensive information and superb design.

Over the years, as the world's leading family illustrated publisher, we have inspired and informed readers who find DK books to be educational, distinctive and of consistently high quality. We value this reputation and will continue to create reference titles that are, without question, exceptional.

]]> Tue, 20 Jan 2009 14:18:39 -0800 http://virb.com/johnhood/posts/text/1043095 Scoop: Star Wars Holiday Special http://virb.com/johnhood/posts/text/1041450 Canson sent over the following press release, which I'm sure Star Wars fans will want to read!

Monday, November 17th will be the 30th Anniversary of the infamous Star Wars Holiday Special. To commemorate this auspicious day, RiffTrax will be featuring their Riff of the Holiday Special, along with their other Star Wars work.

RiffTrax is the internet continuation of the cult-hit TV show Mystery Science Theater 3000. At the end of the show's television run, star Mike Nelson and his comedic cohorts (Satellite of Love partners Tom Servo and Crow T. Robot) reunited to 'riff' (comedic commentary made during a film) the latest and greatest Hollywood blockbusters and duds, including most of the Star Wars lexicon (Episodes I-II-III). This is accomplished through the release of MP3 tracks (the RiffTrax) that synchronize with the playback of a given film to reproduce the MST3K experience. We've also developed a free software player that makes synchronization effortless. True to MST3K form, these riffs add endless hilarity and value to even the worst of films. Put another way, we're so bad it's good.

The Holiday Special can be currently found here, with a preview clip available on YouTube.

If you're interested in our other Star Wars stuff, see below:

Episode I
http://www.rifftrax.com/rifftrax/star-wars-episode-i-phantom-menace

Episode II
http://www.rifftrax.com/rifftrax/star-wars-episode-ii-attack-clones

Episode III
http://www.rifftrax.com/rifftrax/star-wars-episode-iii-revenge-sith

Don't let people forget about Life Day, celebrate with us!

]]> Mon, 19 Jan 2009 19:02:11 -0800 http://virb.com/johnhood/posts/text/1041450 Gadget Review: GO!VIEW on PSP http://virb.com/johnhood/posts/text/1041449 A few months ago I was asked to trial GO!VIEW on PSP! A joint venture between Sony Computer Entertainment Europe and BSkyB. Giving PSP owners the opportunity to access TV Shows, Movies and Sports on-demand and on the move.

From top entertainment shows including Heroes, Desperate Housewives and The Mighty Boosh, through to sporting highlights such as Barclays Premier League football from Sky Sports, and a wide selection of top movies, there's content to suit every PSP owner's tastes. With a full range of programming that is frequently updated, GO!VIEW provides a constant source of entertainment for PSP owners to use wherever they want, whenever they want.

Pros
*High quality video codec and small file size
*Available directly from the PSP's Cross Media Bar (XMB)
*Recession-proof rental and subscription tariffs

Cons
*Not platform agnostic - should support Mac OS X and Windows
*Multiple pop-up windows during file transfer
*Library settings do not stick
*No download indicator after a programme has been selected - I accidentally downloaded the same content 3 times
*File transfer is clunky and counterintuitive
*Using the PC for file transfer is cumbersome! I'd rather the service be available via wireless connection - PSN for example
*The GO!VIEW application does not boast the intuitiveness of XMB, which goes against my expectations as a consumer of Sony products

If GO!VIEW quickly addresses the negatives (no longer behaving like a half-baked product), and the PSP undergoes a refresh to include a touch screen, the iPhone and iPod touch would be battling a genuine contender for the crown of portable King! Incidentally, the PSP's recent press and television advertising campaign confusingly implied a touch screen - the whole world in your pocket, yes, only if you buy an iPhone or iPod touch!

Whereas GO!VIEW failed to convey the 'wow' factor, Remote Play stole the show for me! Remote Play allows the PSP to directly access many features on a PlayStation 3 console from a remote location using the PS3's WLAN capabilities, a home network, or the Internet. I was able to watch PlayTV anywhere! Streaming 4Music into my studio enlivened the working day!

Going forward, I'd like to see GO!VIEW integrated into a future firmware update/download from PSN on the PS3! PSP + PS3 is an excellent combo and may inspire me to buy another PSP in the future.

As it stands, the PSP continues to flounder even with the delayed arrival of GO!VIEW... Is that Nintendo's DSi that I spy on the horizon?

]]> Mon, 19 Jan 2009 19:02:10 -0800 http://virb.com/johnhood/posts/text/1041449 Give GO!VIEW a go! http://virb.com/johnhood/posts/text/1040291
PSP(TM) owners to beat boredom this winter with a free trial of the fully launched GO!VIEW service

From today, GO!VIEW (www.goview.tv), the portable Video-On-Demand Service for the PlayStation]]> Mon, 19 Jan 2009 03:43:15 -0800 http://virb.com/johnhood/posts/text/1040291 PlayStation Home Open http://virb.com/johnhood/posts/text/1040290 Highly Anticipated Service Open For All PLAYSTATION 3 Users

Tokyo, Foster City, London, December 10, 2008 - Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCE) today announced that its highly anticipated PlayStation]]> Mon, 19 Jan 2009 03:43:14 -0800 http://virb.com/johnhood/posts/text/1040290 FIFA Interactive World Cup 2009 final to be held in Barcelona http://virb.com/johnhood/posts/text/1040289 Record numbers already signed up for FIFA Interactive World Cup 2009.

Barcelona confirmed as venue for 2009 competition grand final in May.

Zurich, Switzerland, 13th January 2009: FIFA, the world's governing body of football, Electronic Arts Inc (NASDAQ: ERTS) and Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) today announced that Alfonso Ramos, the FIFA Interactive World Cup 2008 Champion, has received his official winner's trophy at the FIFA World Player Gala in Zurich. Ramos was joined by some of the world's greatest footballers, including Cristiano Ronaldo and Fernando Torres at the star-studded event which also saw XXX crowned the 2008 FIFA World Player of the Year.

The FIFA Interactive World Cup (FIWC) 2009 has received a record number of entrants with around 320,000 competitors already signed up to compete in this year's competition. The FIWC has become one of the largest and fastest growing sports gaming competitions in the world with players from around the globe battling it out on EA SPORTS(TM) FIFA 09 for PLAYSTATION]]> Mon, 19 Jan 2009 03:43:14 -0800 http://virb.com/johnhood/posts/text/1040289