Sega Unveils the Blue Orb Texter. Text Messaging in your Games.

Sega has recently started pre-orders for the Blue Orb Texter. This device enables you to type words on the screen using just the gamepad itself. The Blue Orb texter replaces the on screen keyboard seen in some online games for consoles. With a few clicks and directional button presses you’ll be able to form sentences. Well as much as it sounds cool on paper, the actual video on how to use it is very cryptic. It seems to be some sort of a T9 input method for words but the question is, how exactly do you create a word? Do you press left for L? How do you write the other letters? How does this thing work?!?!  There isn’t a 1-9 dialpad on Playstation or Xbox 360 controllers that would make sense of all this, but Sega believes this Blue Orb Texter is the future of all communications through a controller. I’m sure there is going to be a steep learning curve with this thing. If your game enough to buy it, the price is $34.95 for the Playstation Version and $39.95 for the Xbox 360 version. Inside the box you’ll recieve a goody bag with stickers and other fun assortments you may never use but will instead sell them on eBay.

Template.HTML Copyright and Confidentiality Notice Fix for Aim 6

New Workaround Found

Updated: August 20, 2008

You can try the suggestion provided by Botched.

File Name:    template.html

*************************************************************

 C O P Y R I G H T  A N D  C O N F I D E N T I A L I T Y  N O T I C E 

***********************************************************
Copyright (c) 2007 AOL LLC.  All rights reserved. This software contains valuable confidential and proprietary
information of AOL LLC. and is subject to applicable* licensing agreements. Unauthorized reproduction, transmission
or distribution of this file and its contents is a violation of applicable laws.

A O L  C O N F I D E N T I A L

***********************************************************

Workaround Suggested By Botched

Please follow the steps in order as they appear below:

• 1) Manually Locate the folder:

C:\Program Files\AIM6\services\imApp\ver6_#_#_#\content\im

Note that ver6_#_#_# represents your version number of AIM. It will change each time you upgrade AIM. Simply copying and pasting this path into Windows Explorer will not work.

You must manually go to this folder starting with “My Computer” for Windows XP or “Computer” for Windows Vista. Click on your C:\ Drive  and follow the path as it is shown in step one. You need to end up at a folder called “im” to find the file. Otherwise you can optionally search for the file named “template.html” by clicking Search in Windows Explorer (not Internet Explorer).

• 2) Right Click Template.html (icon should be a page with an e)
• 3) Click Properties
• 3) Click Change
• 4) Select Notepad
• 5) Click OK Twice

Workaround #2 by Spork

• 1) Start Internet Explorer
• if it’s IE7, hit the ALT key
• 2) Click on Tools
• 3) Click on Internet Options
• 4) Click on the Advanced Tab
• 5) Click on the Reset button

If you’re running an older version then IE7, maybe click on Restore Defaults button.

Aim 6.9 Skin BumpXGreen

Introduction

Bumpxgreen is a black and green Aim 6 skin.
It is a part of the bumpxseries pack which includes four skin colors:

• Bumpxred
• Bumpxblue
• Bumpxgreen
• Bumpxpink

Each skin is included in the pack, you do not need to download them separately.

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Aim 6.2 Beta Released, Buddy Comments are Back! Plus AOL Revitalizes Mac?

Aim 6.2 Launched in Beta Testing today. Aim 6.2 is currently going to fill in the missing features many have requested over and over in the message boards. Buddy Notes or Buddy Comments from Aim 5.9 is back. It allows you to write a personal comments about anyone in particular.

Hovering over a screen name will now show your buddy note in the Buddy Quickview. A new theme that was previously hidden called Black Chrome is now selectable in the color picker. Aim 6.2 will now have full installation in one file. It will no longer need to connect to the internet to install itself. The notifications window is now much smaller. Its about twice the height of the Windows Taskbar. Also you can now access the Settings area offline.

Features currently planned in Aim 6.2 Beta Series

–Proxy Support

–Skin Support

–SMS text Messaging

The shunning of Macs are over! AOL will be releasing new products for the MAC. Check out a New AIM for Mac here.

What public figure’s retirement did german bishop karl lehmann dare to suggest in 2000?

what public figure’s retirement did german bishop karl lehmann dare to suggest in 2000?

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Google Hot Trends! Weird Results?!

Google Hot Trends has made its debut onto the internets. Specifically this service like many others out there is to show what most people have been searching throughout the day. Is it just me or is there some kind of hidden quiz show buried under all the results.

Lets Play the Google Hot Trends Quiz Show!

Question 1: What part of the graduate’s costume gave the Cordon Bleu Cooking School its name.

Answer: It was named after the "Blue Ribbon" that hung from the Cross of the Holy Spirit! Graduates would wear a blue ribbon signifying their completion of the school.  

Question 2: What Sports League was Born in 1949 when the BAA absorbed the remains of the NBL?
Answer: Its the NBA!

Question 3: Who won the Bachelor?
Answer: The answer may surprise you. Tessa won!!

Question 4: What did the body of water Balboa named El Mar de Sur or “the south sea ” come to be called?
Answer: Its the Pacific Ocean!!

Question 5: How does a kangaroo keep cool?
Answer: Thats an excellent question! A double blind scientific study supports that relicore provides less body fat for kangaroos. Kangaroos have recently spoken up about their greivances about heat exhaustion. They will inform the public through a PSA which shows kangaroos jump roping while shouting, "O-N-E-L-E-S-S! I want to be One Less One Less!"

Question 6: What public figure’s retirement did german bishop karl lehmann dare to suggest in 2000?
Answer: Pope John Paul II

Aside from those, some of the other wierd search terms are strange. Apparently there’s a demand  for (21) rosiglitazone, a diabetes drug that won’t cure (31) paula abdul broken nose. (54) How to stop an exploding man? Well you’ll have to watch (10) heroes season 2. Apparently there are too many (52) shrunken heads from all that (24) helmet boxing you find at (36) adam4adam.com . <- Ooh Double entendre 

Parental Controls for Aim

Recently there’s been a flurry of questions regarding parental controls for Aim. So lets go through some different ways you can actually block or limit access to Aim. I’m sure your kids will hate you.

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AIM Weeworld Problems and Issues

Not many issues arise with Weeworld Icons but they still persist. Support for this product is scarce and often times hard to find. So here’s a little breakdown on how to fix some of the problems you might have.

You are not Eligible to Create a Weeworld Account

If you receive the message that you are unable to make an account or that you are not eligible to create a Weeworld Account, it means that you are under the age of 13. Once you are 13 years old this message will no longer appear.

How to create an Aim WeeWorld Icon
–Navigate to the Website Aim.Weeworld.com
–Follow the Steps, when your done push Finish.
–After you choose your background you MUST push APPLY
–You will be redirected and it will be applied as your icon.

Lets briefly explain the problems that users have with Aim Weeworld. First and foremost you must install Adobe Flash in order for it to work. You can download Adobe Flash and click Get Adobe Flash Player. If you tell your browser to block flash scripts it will not load. Also, Aim Weeworld uses Javascript, so you must also be able to run Javascript to let things work correctly.

Keep this in mind, Aim Weeworld Updates around a major holiday or month. This is when the majority of issues arise as your icon gets reset to something else. For instance, my icon gets reset to a man holding a baseball. You can still fix your icon several ways.

Changing Icon back to WeeWorld Icon.
–Simply navigate to Aim.Weeworld.com
–Go Through Each Step and reselect the same features.
–Click Finish and Click APPLY.

Now if this worked correctly your icon should change back to your Weemee, but some of you will see your icon show up blank or with a red X. Resetting the icon is the only option.

Resetting your Weeworld Icon
–In Aim 6 series, click Edit > Expressions
–Under your Buddy Icon Click Reset
–Under your Buddy Wallpaper Click Reset
–Save
–Navigate to Aim Weeworld again
–Go through the steps again re-applying
–Click Finish and click APPLY

This should reset your icon to a weeworld icon. Unfortunately there are more issues.

Can’t See Weemee Icon
Install Adobe Flash at Adobe.com. Install Viewpoint Media Player at Viewpoint.com and Restart AIM.

Aim 5.9, Trillian, Adium, Aim Express, and Aim for Mac will not see interactive weemee icons.

New Colors are Bad!
Another scenario for your weeworld icon is when a new color gets added to the pallete. This doesn’t seem to affect skin color, but it does affect clothing colors and hats. Now some of you will just see a new color on your weeworld, while others will get their icon reset again. Here we’ll have to go through each and every step that applies to colors, and select the original color you had for that particular clothing. After your done click Finish and Apply! If it doesn’t work you’ll have to start from scratch and click “The Basics 1-4″, and redo everything again in addition to resetting your Icon.

Weemee shows Green Eyes bug! [NEW!]
If your weemee shows Green eyes instead of the color you chose, you may have to start over on creating it again at the first step. If the problem still persists contact Weeworld Headquarters about this bug, and ask them to fix it.

Yahoo Web Messenger vs Aim Express

Yahoo Web Messenger unveiled itself to the public recently as an alternative to those who would rather not download their clunky yahoo messenger program. Unlike Aim Express, Yahoo Web Messenger loads within the browser window, and its features are all done in flash. Lets take a look between Yahoo Web Messenger and Aim Express.

Logging On.

With Yahoo’s Web Messenger, you first login through a popup window. After validation the site will load through the main browser window automatically. As for Aim Express, you login through the main window but then things start to get screwy. One thing is where it redirects you to a page stating your popup blocker is blocking the window from popping up. Sometimes that message stays on even if you allowed the two domains to popup. Once you get passed this area, Aim opens up in a window on the side.

Sending Messages

Since Yahoo has everything done in flash. All messages are sent within the window and show up in a frame to the right of the buddy list. You can resize the width of the frame near the top of the window. AIM however has to open a popup window, after this takes a while to load you can send a message. For some reason the sent messages are delayed. You can click on the send button and it can take a few second for it to actually be sent. Sometimes this causes a bug where you send the same message numerous times.

Recieving Messages

Yahoo places all messages within its window. All messages are tabbed by the user. You can switch names quickly on the fly and can read history about your previous conversation. Aim Express on the other hand creates a new window for anyone who IMs you. This new window takes up focus, it gets very annoying typing in one window when a message pops up and you begin typing in that window.

Quirks

Yahoo Messenger only has quirks with the avatars. These avatars do not load up on the first use. After 2 uses, my avatar finally showed up, as for my friend’s I had to log off and back on to see it. They do show up in the History section but I’m not sure why they aren’t as dynamic as Aim is. In Aim Express, the smiley faces work on the first IM sent, after that they malfunction and don’t show up at all.

Conclusions

Yahoo seemed to have taken the safe route of Meebo.com and placed all of its messages inside one window. Surely this window may not give you that much attention but its better than having pop ups. These pop ups just float over the screen in the middle of your work. Not only are they annoying, but each and everyone takes a while to load. Woe to you if you get Mass IMs from different people. It may be time for AOL to switch Aim Express to flash, there is just way too much problems with Aim Express that hasn’t been fixed. I feel in this case its OK to copy Yahoo’s design this time. Yahoo may not have all the extra features Aim Express has but hey atleast it works properly.