Goodbyes are never easy, but it ain't so bad when you're leaving for a three-week holiday vacation to Huntington Beach, Calif. On today's episode of CNET's The 404 Podcast, the dudes celebrate Justin's last show in 2009. To everyone's disappointment, he'll back back in January 2010 for one episode, and then the dudes are off to CES for four shows from the CNET stage!

(Credit: Flickr/Justin_Levy)

It's hard to believe that 2009 is almost coming to a close, but it's been a fantastic year of growth for the show. We're very excited to see what 2010 has in store for us, but this year won't be over until we get through the dreaded holiday shopping season. With Hanukkah starting tonight and Christmas just around the corner, there's not a lot of time left for us to head to the store or order gifts online. Then again, there's always the wonderful gift of debt relief!

We also can't officially wave goodbye to 2009 until we finally see "Avatar." In an unexpected twist, apparently someone at the movie studio leaked the film to a few critics who had surprisingly positive reviews!

Kirk Honeycutt of The Hollywood Reporter assures us that "every bit of technology in Avatar serves the greater purpose of a deeply felt love story," which should come as a relief the film's detractors. Wilson also brings up a good point about Cameron's depiction of independent women that reinstates our confidence as well. Plan on watching the movie during the holidays? Let us know what you think!

There's still a full spread of 404 episodes next week featuring special guests Russ Frushtick, Bonnie Cha, Natali Del Conte, and more, but I want to wish everyone an amazing holiday and a super green New Year, see you in Vegas!

J. Sperling Reich from Showbiz Sandbox joins us to explain why the TV and movies online are restricted the way they are.

Listen now: Download today's podcast

Lee Perry Sleeveface!

(Credit: Sleeveface.com)

CNET Audiophiliac Steve Guttenberg joins The 404 Podcast for a special Friday episode all about the art of music appreciation. We love having Steve on the show because he actually comes prepared with topics of discussion, and today he launches right into a thoughtful point about how music has become background filler for the digital generation.

It might be because MP3s and digital audio watered down the listening experience compared with putting a needle on a record, but we suspect the current generation is so used to hearing overproduced music with pounding bass and autotuned vocals that they wouldn't recognize musical talent if it were performed live in front of them. Kids these days, I swear.

After we're done complaining about people younger than us, we address the ongoing prevalence of digital abuse. Cyberbullying took an ugly turn earlier this year when 13-year-old Megan Meier took her own life over a fake MySpace profile. Tragedy struck again in the form of another 13-year-old, Hope Witsell, who committed suicide after finding herself the subject of constant taunting and abuse over a nude picture message that made its way around her school. As a tech podcast, we also examine the role that text messages and cell phones play in the hands of young people and how parents can protect their kids from digital abuse.

It's not all sad news on today's show, though. We can always depend on Steve to bring the most random and hilarious anecdotes, and be sure to listen to his uplifting message at the end of the show to start your weekend off right. See you back here on Monday!

It's National Toilet Day today, and Justin isn't here to celebrate. Fortunately, we more than make it up with dozens upon dozens of fecal jokes. Mark Licea of The Green Show joins the show today to talk tech and...lingerie?

(Credit: CBS Interactive/Wilson G. Tang)

Admittedly, we here at The 404 celebrate National Toilet Day at least three times a day, but we're glad to see that people across the planet are starting to recognize the importance of the porcelain throne. It may sound a bit unusual for us to be so beholden to the toilet, but most New Yorkers can sympathize. After all, most of us here have to deal with a mixed bag of ethnic food and $20 dollar fees to use a public restroom.

In nonpoop news, we talk about a Warner Bros. program to let DVD owners upgrade their discs to Blu-ray versions. The program is called DVD2Blu. This only applies to Warner Bros. films, and viewers must pay a fee of $8 to $10 per disc. We think this is a great idea. Wilson is especially keen on not having to pay $30 for each disc in his "Lord of the Rings" and "Star Wars" collections.

Also, Jeff has a follow up to our video game censorship series. He interviewed Major Nelson of Microsoft to talk about racism, misogyny, and homophobia in online gaming. Check it out. A keen chat room listener though points out the irony of talking about derogatory words when players are shooting people in the head.

If you're worried about your cheating wife or girlfriend, a Brazilian line of lingerie from LindeLucy that comes with a built-in GPS tracking device. Now, the device is not exactly subtle, but for the paranoid ones out there, this might be the trick to keep your lady in line--or get her mad at you, again. Trust, after all, is the bond that holds all relationships together.

Finally, we get to some voice mails and viewer feedback about cool moms that play video games before their children do and an early review of "2012." Wilson is disappointed with the fact that the film won't be available in IMAX. He just wants to watch the world burn. Meanwhile, the rest of the crew remember the movie magic of the first "Jurassic Park" movie. The t. rex at the end: Priceless.

Send in your feedback and callbacks to the404 [at] cnet [dot] com. Or call us! We are after all an audio podcast too! The number is 1-866-404-CNET (2638). Thanks again!

Arguably the most anticipated game of the year, Modern Warfare 2 finally lands today. Following a week of content controversy and broken street dates, Modern Warfare 2 promises to elevate the action and intensity beyond even the classic original game.

Among a sea of November releases, Modern Warfare 2 manages to stay afloat with its thrilling storyline and addictive online multiplayer. Here's what we think:

Jeff:
First-person-shooter games are one of the most common genres in the industry, so with a seemingly infinite amount of competition how does the Modern Warfare franchise continue to dominate? It's able to do so by providing a highly engaging and streamlined online multiplayer experience.

The XP (experience points), perks, challenges and killstreak bonus elements that made Call of Duty 4 so memorable are back and more rewarding than ever. In fact, there is so much going on screen at once, you're sure to unlock multiple rewards each round you play at least for the first few hours or so. The smooth 60 frames per second gameplay returns, and believe it or not, we think it feels even faster than before.

Like its predecessor, Modern Warfare 2 showcases a highly in-depth and customizable online offering. Players can choose from dozens of online modes, each with their own set of rules. New to MW2 are hundreds of custom titles, emblems, and the ability to assign and unlock killstreak perks. You still have the ability to construct a custom class and choose which standard perks you'd like to take advantage of.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2--photos

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There's a reason you always see coin-op racing games lined up two, four, or even eight in a row: It's a lot more fun to race against live humans than AI opponents.

Unfortunately, only a handful of otherwise excellent iPhone racing games offer multiplayer modes. And most of those limit you to local competition via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi--only a couple offer online multiplayer.

I'm happy to report that Asphalt 5--sequel to the mega-popular Asphalt 4: Elite Racing--has joined the ranks of online-multiplayer racing games.

It's a good thing, too, because the Asphalt series suffers from a problem I have with many racing games: once you fall behind the AI drivers, it's nearly impossible to catch up.

But human opponents are just as error-prone as you are, so the competition feels fair and, most importantly, real.

After signing up for a free Gameloft account (which you can do in-game), I hopped into an online race and was quickly matched up with five other drivers. One dropped out mid-race (jerk), but the game didn't skip a beat.

And it was a blast. Asphalt 5 really is arcade racing at its finest, with jaw-dropping graphics, 30-plus glamorous real-world cars to drive, a dozen globe-spanning tracks, and eight different game modes.

Basically, if you liked Asphalt 4, you'll love Asphalt 5. And if you find that most racing games get old in a hurry, I think you'll agree that Internet multiplayer adds significantly more replay value.

While we're on the subject, check out these five awesome online-multiplayer games for the iPhone.

If you think Robocalypse is fun solo, try playing it online against live humans.

Solitaire is fine once in a while, but usually it's more fun to play games with other people.

Same goes for iPhone games: There's only so much mano-a-Bejeweled a person can take. Fortunately, there are some terrific apps that let you compete in real-time against other real, live humans.

And not just humans in your immediate, Bluetooth/Wi-Fi-enabled area, either: I'm talking about games that support online competition.

These five titles let you kick the butts of players across the globe:

• Galcon An insanely addictive space-based action game, Galcon plays like Risk at warp speed. Conquer other planets while protecting your own. Multiplayer options include not only one-on-one, but also two-on-two and one-on-two. Not sold? Try the free lite version. It doesn't offer multiplayer, but I guarantee it'll get you hooked.
• Mancala: FS5 Faster-moving than chess but no less fun, Mancala is one of my all-time favorite two-player games. This version makes it a snap to find and join an online game. The only downside: jerks who abandon the game when they start losing. (Don't be that guy!) Mancala: FS5 costs $1.99, but even the ad-supported freebie version supports multiplayer.
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Sure, you can probably score a better price buying audio gear online, and it's certainly easier, but is it a smart way to go? I don't think so.

First, buying hi-fi without listening to it is a bad idea. Smart buyers compare one product to another, it's simply the best way to learn what your choices are. Granted, it's not the same as hearing speakers in your own room, but at least you're hearing them in comparison to each other under the same conditions.

An Innovative Audio listening room in New York City.

(Credit: Steve Guttenberg)

Online reviews, including the ones I write for CNET and print magazines offer my opinions about sound. But reviews by me or anyone else can't predict about how, say a speaker, works with a receiver that's similar to yours. I have no idea about your specific needs, your room size, acoustics, taste in music, etc.

Use my reviews as a starting point and then try and listen for yourself.

User reviews? Hey, I make my living writing audio reviews and my opinions are drawn from my experiences with literally thousands of audio products. I can point you in the right direction, but at the end of the day, its your ears and your money. Buy what you like; just make sure you've heard it.

A good salesperson can offer sound advice based on your specific needs. That's a huge advantage online sales outlets can't duplicate. Yes, finding the right store or salesperson can take time, but that's true for doctors, lawyers, plumbers, and contractors, but once you've found a good one, their advice and council can be a huge asset. If you're spending $500 or more for speakers or a receiver try to make the effort to hear the thing. A successful salesperson has lots of happy customers, there's no other way to be successful. I sold audio for 16 years, I know from where I speak.