walmart

The 404 335: Where we get a wet rub from the Food Dude

It's been almost a year since our favorite chef, the Food Dude Kevin Roberts, has graced The 404. Kevin has once again brought us the magic that is Frank's Red Hot and shows us the tech behind perfectly saucing a batch of chicken wings.

We chat with Kevin about some tips on eating well during these tough times and how shockingly easy it is to save money at the grocery store. Kevin also dishes out some of the dirt on his new sponsors and how his own show is in the works.

The second half of the show we dedicate to some questionable applications on the App Store. Trent Reznor is calling Apple the new Wal-Mart because of its questionable censorship practices regarding a Nine Inch Nails application. Next, we laugh at the idea of Sarah Palin on Twitter and Justin explains how your high school yearbook photo tells a lot more than just what was in style at the time.

We're still accepting Star Trek Photoshop submissions for a chance to see the film a day earlier with us in NYC! We've had a lot of great ones so far, so check out the competition below and be sure to send all of your creations to the404 [at] cnet [dot] com. As always, leave us a voicemail, 866-404-CNET.

EPISODE 335 Download today's podcast | Subscribe in iTunes | Subscribe in RSS… Read more

The 404 332: Where we're trapped in a glass case of emotion

After yesterday's downer show, we're back and cheerier than ever. Even Jeff is in good spirits after the New Jersey Devils got stomped all over their home ice. We discover today that Wal-Mart really does rock, and not in a good way.

The lesson of today's show is DO NOT BUY ELECTRONICS FROM WAL-MART, unless you're a rock collector, in which case you'll be thrilled, because apparently the company is literally selling Nintendo DS boxes filled with sediment.

We need to get THE BONCH, aka Bonnie Cha back on our show to talk about the Palm Pre. Actually, Palm is offering preproduction review units to Average Joes (and Josephines) in hopes of receiving "true life" feedback on the smartphone. Wilson seems to think that most consumers will frown on the smaller screen size, but we all have high hopes for the brand since this is definitely a last ditch effort in the smartphone market.

In exciting movie news, Jeff is superstoked to hear about a "Drop Dead Fred" remake starring Russel Brand, that quirky English dude that played the hippy beauhunk in "Forgetting Sarah Marshall." His brand of piratey humor should do well as a young girl's imaginary friend, right? Oh! We also reveal another popular movie sequel in the works, but you'll have to listen to the show to get the full scoop.

Finally, we touch on the bloated cost of higher education and how NYU students are getting questionable phone calls about their financial aid. Apparently NYU financial advisers are individually calling students receiving significant amounts of financial aid and questioning their decisions to accept the money and attend the university. If I were still in school and someone called me about this, I'd probably just tell them to put the check in the mail and stop telling me what to do all the time.

Today's CFTP is rather heartfelt. Thanks to everyone who called in, and we'd like to personally welcome James Christopher Maximus to the world! You were born today, dude! Hopefully you're reading this in the year 2021, when you're old enough to fully grasp our jokes. We love your dad for breeding future listeners of The 404!

Per usual, don't forget to check out our live VIDEOcast (man it feels good to write that) every morning at 11 a.m. ET. We have a ton of fun in the preshow and you get the inside scoop on how we prepare for the show. And please please please call and leave us a voicemail at 1-866-404-CNET (2638)!

EPISODE 332 Download today's podcast | Subscribe in iTunes | Subscribe in RSS… Read more

In-store pickup needs to work every time. It doesn't

I like the idea of in-store pickup that Best Buy and other retailers offer. When you're in a hurry to get a product that's available at a retail location near you, you can go online, buy the product just as you normally would, if it was getting shipped to you, but opt instead to pick it up at your local retail outlet.

You don't typically save money over retail, but you do ideally get the product in your hands right away. You don't have to deal with looking for it at the store or standing in the register lines, since you've paid online already. Plus, you guarantee that when you get to the store, the item will be there for you, not sold out. In theory, at least.

In practice, it's a disaster. I've used in-store pickup at Best Buy more than once, and it hasn't worked. The first time, the site said my item (a camera) was available for in-store pickup, so I paid online, selected the in-store pickup option, and ran down to the store a couple hours later.

I went to the pick-up counter, explained why I was there, and waited a good 10 minutes before the representative came back and told me that the store had no record of me purchasing that product with in-store pickup.

A few weeks later, I purchased a product online for in-store pickup, and when I got to the store, it had a record of my purchase but couldn't find the item. One last time (in the name of research), I did everything the way it should be done through the site, only to find that it was sold out when I got to the store.

Explaining my issue and the fact that the Best Buy Web site told me the device was in-stock and that I had already bought it, I was told to come back in "a couple of days," and they should have one for me.

I'm not alone.… Read more

Report: Netflix, Wal-Mart sued for allegedly colluding

Netflix, the Web's No. 1 video rental service, and Wal-Mart are being accused in a class-action lawsuit of unfairly setting prices for their rental services.

According to the Web site of Video Business, the suit was filed earlier this week in U.S. District Court, Western District of Arkansas. The lead plaintiff, Marci Badgerow, alleges that Wal-Mart agreed in 2005 to exit the online rental business in exchange for Netflix's termination of DVD sales, according to Video Business.

The plaintiffs argue that the agreement promotes unfair trade and is illegal. They assert that the pact harmed customers because … Read more

Brief encounter with the Wal-Mart iPhone display

Owing to, as Tom Lehrer would say, nepotism and intrigue, I found myself in the small town of Brenham, Texas, this Sunday on the very day that Apple's iPhone was to go on sale at the Wal-Mart megachain (an outfit that I, as a native New Yorker, have had very little experience with).

Popping in to check out the action and snag some photos, I found a single iPhone display--it would be generous to call it a kiosk--with an activated iPhone and a handful of brochures. The price tags on display gave both the new customer/upgrade price, as well as the full retail price. A small paper sign taped to the wall announced that iPhone sales would commence at 9 a.m., and that customers should line up for access to limited stock.

I asked a sales clerk about first-day sales, and she said as far as she knew they hadn't sold a single unit so far, "but maybe if they had started selling it before Christmas..." There was, however, a steady stream of gawkers checking out the display unit in the 10 or so minutes I spent in the electronics department.

Herewith some photos of the in-store Wal-Mart display:… Read more

Why Wal-Mart is key to iPhone domination

As the world's largest retailer (and company), Wal-Mart commands a significant amount of respect. In fact, I think the company is the most important retailer to any company in any industry, let alone Apple and the tech industry.

But Friday's announcement that the iPhone will be coming to Wal-Mart store shelves on Sunday has changed the face of the cell phone industry. In effect, it means that Apple, one of the most important hardware companies in the space, will see its popular mobile phone be made available to millions of more customers. It also means that Research In Motion and every other company in the market that's trying desperately to compete with Apple simply won't be able to do it.

That the iPhone's availability at Wal-Mart will lead to Apple's domination in the mobile phone market probably sounds a bit radical, doesn't it? I can understand that. But when you consider Wal-Mart's size and importance, along with its decision to ignore devices from every Apple competitor, I think it's abundantly clear that the opportunities for success for RIM, Google, and the rest are severely diminished.… Read more

Wal-Mart to start selling iPhone Sunday

This post was updated at 9:41 a.m. PST with more details from Wal-Mart.

Wal-Mart on Friday confirmed that it will be selling Apple's iPhone 3G, beginning Sunday at about 2,500 stores. The price, with a new two-year service agreement with AT&T (or qualified upgrade), is $197 for the black 8GB model and $297 for the black or white 16GB version.

"We are delighted to bring customers this ground-breaking mobile technology," Gary Severson, Wal-Mart senior vice president of entertainment, said in a statement. "Our electronics associates have been preparing for many weeks … Read more

iPhone Sold Through Wal-Mart This Month?

After rumors surfaced last week regarding a $99 iPhone sold through retail giant Wal-Mart, Bloomberg has apparently partially confirmed the speculation, reporting that "two store representatives saying the world's largest retailer will carry two models of the Web-surfing handset this month."

The store will reportedly start selling iPhones on December 15th, just in time for the holidays. No mention of a $99 model was made, with store representatives allegedly confirming only 8GB and 16GB models and the standard $199 and $299 prices, respectively.

Feedback? info@iphoneatlas.com.

Buzz Out Loud 867: Of peanut butter and shotguns

It is a tale told down throughout the ages. Google's Internet access is a large jar of peanut butter, and As Natali reminds us, you don't kill bugs with a shotgun. Even if it is fun. If you take nothing else away from this show, at least remember that. Listen now: Download today's podcast Episode 867

UK ISPs switch on mass Wikipedia censorship http://community.zdnet.co.uk/blog/0,1000000567,10009938o-2000331777b,00.htm http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10116543-93.html http://www.boingboing.net/2008/12/07/how-the-great-firewa.html

Technology start-ups to be given £1B fund … Read more

CNET News Daily Podcast: Behind DHS' failing grade on cybersecurity

A nonpartisan report on cybersecurity recommends that President-elect Barack Obama create an office in the White House focused on cyberspace which would be headed by an assistant to the president. But the report offers a worried look at the current state of the nation's cyberdefenses, describing the challenge as one of the most urgent national security problems facing the new administration. We check in with CNET News' Stephanie Condon to find out more.