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The 404 352: Where it's just another Friday meltdown

After yesterday's much-lauded episode with Jill Schlesinger, Jeff, Justin, and Wilson are back to classic 404 goodness today. We're glad that for once in the world we can offer some helpful financial advice. And yes, we're still offering 404k options, so please send your checks to the show.

On today's show, we've got a First Look at the new Hulu Desktop app. It kind of destroys Joost and Boxee's previous efforts. For those of you who don't know, it's an actual application like Front Row or Windows Media Center that plugs into Hulu content and can be controlled with a remote. Pretty cool.

Also, we're pretty excited about Sonic the Hedgehog coming to the iPhone and iPod Touch platforms. Jeff and Justin don't like that the game will be controlled via tilt, but Wilson thinks that--considering you spend most of the game just hitting forward and jump--it's not really that big of a deal.

Finally, we spend the second half of the show picking up the pieces after Justin offends millions and millions of Dave Matthews Band fans, who call in to unleash their hatred. Hopefully, Justin learns never to mess with DMB fans again. They are rabid. After that, we spend the rest of the show going over the hundreds of 404 logo submissions. They are fantastic! Please continue to send them in. We're extending the contest until the beginning of next week. Have a great weekend everyone!

EPISODE 352 Download today's podcast Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

Sonic the Hedgehog spins on to iPhone

Get ready to buy Sonic the Hedgehog for the umpteenth time--the original Sega classic is now available on your iPhone, and for the measly price of $5.99.

The complete first adventure of Hirokazu Yasuhara's blue-haired speedfreak plays surprisingly well on the iPhone and iPod Touch. You only ever needed left, right, and jump controls, so that's all you're getting on the iPhone. And they come in the form of virtual onscreen buttons.

"O rly?" you snark, "onscreen buttons? Don't they, y'know, suck?" Well yeah, kind of. They lack any tactile … Read more

ViewSonic getting into 3G smartphone game

Dell aside, seems like computer peripherals maker ViewSonic also wants in on the 3G smartphone industry. If we sound a little cautious here, that's because the market the California-based outfit is diving into is dominated by Apple, HTC, LG, Nokia, and Research In Motion.

The company plans to introduce its smartphone first in China, followed by Europe and the U.S., and ViewSonic claims the phones will be a "natural extension" of its 3- to 300-inch product lineup, from handhelds to LCD TVs and projectors. We welcome competition since that would theoretically drive innovation, but we are … Read more

ViewSonic unleashes VG series monitor

The last two ViewSonic LCD monitors I reviewed, the VLED221wm and FuHzion VX2265wm, didn't exactly set my world afire when it came to features.

Both monitors were virtually devoid of ergonomic options and while the FuHzion VX2265wm does include compatibility with the Nvidia GeForce 3D Vision Kit, it strangely does not include an On Screen Display, which practically all monitors do.

I hope ViewSonic's new VG series will tell a different tale. On Tuesday the company announced the VG2427, the first in its new VG series and judging from the press release's features list, we're at … Read more

A second (more complete) look at the Nvidia 3D Vision Kit

Last month, I did a first take on the Nvidia GeForce 3D Vision Kit. At the time, I'd only very briefly tested it and not at all thoroughly. Since then, thanks to help from Nvidia (new glasses, video card, and monitors) I've been able to move past the bugs mentioned in the first take.

This time, I did it big with an NVidia GeForce 280GTX, baby! Playing around with this card made me weep, as it's only $330, vs. the $600 ATI card I bought three years ago that's starting to disappoint me.

With the new … Read more

Samsung's 120Hz LCD monitor performance tested, revealed

120Hz LCD gaming is now officially here! What? Oh, I'm late to the party? We've been able to do this for years now? Oh. OK. Let me rephrase that then. 120Hz gaming on a 22-inch LCD computer monitor is officially here! Does that satisfy your anal retentiveness? Well, it better.

Last month I reviewed the ViewSonic VX2265wm. The first 120Hz LCD computer monitor CNET's reviewed. I gave it points for its compatibility with the Nvidia GeForce 3D Vision Kit, but its lack of features and overall average performance didn't win my recommendation.

This week, I have … Read more

ViewSonic goes LED

Hey, I'm waiting. Are you there? By "you" I'm referring to the LED-based computer monitor revolution. I've yet to actually see you in the flesh and I'm starting to have my doubts as to whether you actually exist.

OK, so monitor vendors have been purporting the advantages of LED-based computer monitors for the last couple of years at least. So far, I've reviewed three. The first was the Lenovo ThinkVision L2440x. I was disappointed that aside from slightly better color, it was an exact replica of the CCFL (Cold Cathode Florescent Tube)-based … Read more

The 404 288: Where Natali opens it all up to us

A new kind of Natali Del Conte joins The 404. She references "Octopussy" and makes us play Marry/Boff/Kill. We can already tell that HR is going to be on us any second. She brings some big news to the show by announcing CBS will be streaming live online via Ustream.tv "The Early Show" on Saturday morning. It's their first attempt at an interactive, live show. We anticipate a rowdy chat room with Natali on.

On today's show, we chat about the worst kind of fanboys--forgetting the fact that almost all of … Read more