Simpsons fans in Los Angeles are meeting up today to kick off the Ultimate Fan Marathon Challenge in an effort to beat the world record for consecutive TV watching currently set at 86 hours, 6 minutes, and 41 seconds. On today's show, we'll discuss the challenge and propose one of our own that may be a little more difficult to achieve.… Read more
If you own a TomTom GPS and you're a "Simpsons" fan, you're in for a treat.
For the past couples years, you had the option of putting the voice of Homer Simpson into your nav system. Now, TomTom has landed two more "Simpsons" cast members: Julie Kavner and Harry Shearer, who lend their considerable vocal talents to Marge Simpson and Mr. Burns, respectively.
Excellent.
These "Voice Skins," which sell for $12.95 apiece, take the place of the stock voices contained in your TomTom. (Actually, you can switch back and forth between … Read more
The sister of Steve Jobs says that growing up as an only child raised by a single mother, she would imagine her father as "an idealistic revolutionary" who resembled actor Omar Sharif.
"For decades, I'd thought that man would be my father," writes Mona Simpson, a noted writer. "When I was 25, I met that man and he was my brother."
In a moving New York Times op-ed piece today, Simpson offers an intimate portrait of the late Apple co-founder, the brother she met in 1985--three decades after their parents put him up … Read more
Don't dump your Apple stock before you listen to today's episode, because Wilson's going to tell us why Apple will survive the resignation of Steve Jobs. Wilson lets go of a couple tears before we lighten up a bit with a slightly less upsetting fact: the Web is older than incoming college freshmen.
You mad yet? What about the fact that most incoming freshmen don't anything about the OJ Simpson trial, or that they'd rather be like LeBron than Mike? Oh, and Ferris Bueller could be their father.
After the break, we'll address your concerns about the podcast feed, tell you why we stopped Tang That Tune, and reiterate an important point to remember: all Asian people are not tech experts!
The 404 Digest for Episode 890 Steve Jobs resigns from Apple (CNET roundup). Aww man, the Web is older than incoming college freshmen. Future PlayStations could read you like a book. All Asian people are not tech experts! Episode 890 Subscribe in iTunes (audio) | Subscribe in iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more"Doughnuts. Is there anything they can't do?" OK, that isn't one of the famous Homer Simpson quotes drivers will now find on the TomTom GPS app for the iPhone. But with Homer as a co-pilot, drivers need to get in the spirit of Homer-isms: "Make a U-turn. Ha ha, you've goofed. D'oh!"
TomTom today announced that the voice of Homer Simpson, (Dan Castellaneta) of the long-running TV series "The Simpsons," can be downloaded for $5.99. The Homer Simpson voice requires version 1.7 of the TomTom App (available for $49.99) installed.
"Homer's skills will help keep drivers and fans entertained in a light-hearted and familiar way. It's exciting to have him onboard!" said Alain Pakiry, senior vice president of marketing at TomTom.
The Homer Simpson voice for the TomTom App is available in the U.S., as well as Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, South Africa, and Sweden. And, of course, Springfield.… Read more
The 404 Digest for Episode 779
We reveal the viral marketing company behind the Times Square video hack. Natali Morris brings an interesting question from the New Yorker about the secret of boyhood friendships. Check out Molly Wood's listing for a white 64GB Apple iPad 2 signed by the SXSW@CNET crew--all proceeds go to the Red Cross for the Japanese tsunami relief efforts! Video Voicemails from Emily in Toronto, Daniel in Colorado, and Rich from Cleveland--thanks, guys! Kodak Deal of the Day: Vizio RazorLED 32-inch 1080p LED LCD HDTV with Wi-Fi with free shipping for $449.99. Episode 779 Subscribe in iTunes (audio) | Subscribe in iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read moreAre viciously negative Yelp reviews putting an unfair stigma on small businesses? Today's two-part episode of The 404 Podcast weighs the effect of crowd-sourced review sites like Yelp and Zagat on independently owned establishments, and asks the question: will future generations understand topical shows like "The Simpsons" and "30 Rock?"
Part one: this insightful article in The Atlantic magazine questions the legitimacy of online reviews and the misplaced responsibility that Yelp bestows on citizen journalists with little or no training in voicing their opinions.
The piece calls out six distinct types of crowd-sourced reviewers who make us all look bad. Our least favorite is the "Hater's Ball," but we prefer to call them trolls--people who make scathing, borderline vindictive criticisms online about the most minor offenses at restaurants that they would never voice in person.
How many negative Yelpers do you think actually call the manager over after a meal to politely voice concerns? Most of the time, Yelpers don't think about how a single bad review can springboard a series of negative press that could potentially shut down an independent business, so make sure your complaints are legit before you post!
Don't forget that there are always real people behind the keyboard...and sometimes they have access to weapons.
Part two: This Salon.com article raises an interesting question about future generations understanding the pop culture references in topical television shows like "The Simpsons" and "Glee."… Read more
Before we get into today's Cyber Monday madness, we're taking a moment to pay tribute to Leslie Nielsen, who passed away yesterday at age 84 from pneumonia complications. His repertoire includes some of our favorites, like the "Naked Gun" series and of course "Airplane"--RIP to one of the most influential comedians of our time.
Today is Cyber Monday, the magical post-Thanksgiving day when online stores slash their virtual prices to give shoppers a hint of what happened in person on Black Friday.
According to Coremetrics, online sales on Black Friday went up 15.9 percent from last year, thanks to social-networking Web sites spreading the instant word on shopping tips and real-time inventory updates. The company also noticed a rise in "surgical shopping," with people focusing on specific products instead of randomly browsing.
Check out CNET's Cyber Monday Gift Guide to stay updated on today's best deals, including $89 Amazon Kindle e-Readers, console and computer games starting at 90 cents, and more.
Wilson also surprises us with a 4Loko that he picked up this morning for breakfast. The FDA actually banned all eight flavors as of this week after several kids died from alcohol poisoning, also called the Four Loko "aftereffects." Think we're kidding? Check out what happens to the dude who goes on a 24-hour Four Loko Diet.
Plenty of voice mails to play today, with special thanks to Blake Stevenson for making us this poster featuring MC TerrorByte and the Yu Tang Clan! Blake became the unofficial 404 artist after winning our 404 logo competition, so be sure to add him on Twitter and fan him up on Facebook!
Episode 717 Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read moreThey say Mark Zuckerberg is a poor public performer. Even actors who play him show him to be somewhat awkward in public situations.
Perhaps, though, like so many who are seen on screen, he just needs the right director and the right script.
Please, then, imagine, that you, too, can do anything in life, as you watch this clip of "The Simpsons," which aired Sunday. For it happens to feature the cartoon version of Mark Zuckerberg, voiced by the real Mark Zuckerberg.
He is not given an easy role. He is at an entrepreneurial expo, where Lisa hopes … Read more
Mark Licea fills in for Jeff, who's on vacation in Montreal reenacting "The Hangover," so get ready for a hate-free show. On today's episode of The 404, we're chatting about the new Netflix app for the Apple iPhone, Sumo wrestlers using iPads, "character amnesia" hitting China, and the first of many expired movie reviews from yours truly in a new segment we're calling Yu Ain't Seen That?! First film to scratch off the bucket list: "Raiders of the Lost Ark."
It's been a long time coming, but you … Read more
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