Buzz Out Loud 1424: BOL.xxx (podcast)
-Harris â€"â€" Hi Buzz Crew, I just listened to Episode 1422, and I would argue that Dance Dance Revolution should be even higher on the scale of being considered “â€actual exercise.â€" Granted, many people play it casually, but you can get some serious exercise with that game when you start playing it on its hardest difficulty settings.I got really into the game in college, and without “â€going on a dietâ€" of any sort, just from heavily playing DDR, I lost about 40 lbs. in five months! For the curious, this was playing 30 minutes at a time, 3 times/day (total 90min/day), 3 days/week.Having tried the whole “â€working out at a gymâ€" thing a few years later, I can say from personal experience that DDR is much more effective for weight loss than gym workouts (also considerably cheaper, and more fun). Love the show, Mike â€"â€" COMPUTER LOVE Dear Computer Love, My girlfriend of 10 months and I recently ended our relationship, on relatively good terms. It’s been about a week now and neither of us have changed our Facebook relationship status back to single. I was trying to be polite and take the “â€ladies firstâ€" approach, but I am starting to think that waiting for her to go first is a bad idea. What’s the appropriate amount of time after a breakup where changing your relationship status back to single won’t be considered a slap in the face? In order to avoid the aftermath of posts from friends and family, would it be best to make my relationship status private before changing it, or would immediately deleting it from my wall do the trick? Thanks, Josh in Saint Louis â€"â€" My wife has another man flirting with her on Facebook and she won't stop communicating with him.We've been married for 6 years (together for 9) and have a beautiful 3 year old son together.She's gone mad being a stay-at-home mom and started up facebook to interact with adults.No harm there, but some kid who was in love with her during High School was lying in wait.He friended her the first day she used it.She hasn't seen the guy in 12 years and he never asked her out in HS.Now this punk who's divorced and who's wife had an affair on him, BTW who's jobless...can't stop flirting.Thankfully they are 3 states away...but that's just 1 plane ride. I'm a hardworking man, a provider…knocking out the mortgage, food, bills, everything.I come home and she tells me this guy crossed the line saying he can't be 'just friends'.She told him to stop and he said he would (yeah right). She told me if I trusted her, I would let her take care of this.I told her I wanted to have a quick word with him, she said that would push her farther away.I took it at face value.Now this guy is home all day making funny videos, crazy comments, and generating discussion.On the wall there are several interactions per day.I told her I'm not comfortable with this, the reply everyone deserves a second chance & I'm pushing her away.I need to recapture our spark but it's hard to bring out the best in us when I feel such a burden over her not ending contact w/this guy.Seeking answers.â€"â€" Well thank you BOL. There is this girl I have know for a number of years. Always figured she did not fancy me but I like her a lot. Anyway was quite happy just being friend. Then you lot start mixing up funny tech news with love advice and whenever you talked about love my mind wandered to this girl. We chat often online and meet up occasionally in real life too, not that often though as we are both busy people. So I start paying more attention to what she writes, probably looking too hard for hidden meanings. I decide to send her a valentines card from ‘a secret admirer’. Then after a few weeks and some ambiguous comments I decide to tell her. Her reply is sorry I don’t feel the same way. So later I ask her if she had any idea I fancied her or sent her the card and she replied no. Now falling in love with the wrong person is something I seem to do well, done it many times in the past. I know how it ends. You tell them, they say no but let’s remain friends, everytime they see you it reminds them you love them and they don’t love you. Things get awkward and you talk less until you stop taking altogether. So thanks to BOL I’m heart broken and probably lost a good friend. Maybe I shouldn’t have listened to the ‘just ask her’ advice. And this, Molly, is just one of the reasons why the modern man finds it hard to ask a girl out… From as you can imagine, would rather not say. Anonymous â€"â€" http://bol.cnet.com, 800-616-2638 (CNET), buzz@cnet.com Follow us on Twitter: @mollywood @brian_tong @beng3 JOIN US AT SXSW! cnet.eventbrite.com
Promo code users kept from rating, reviewing apps
Promo code users kept from rating, reviewing apps
A new Apple policy change aims to keep users who have not purchased an application from rating or reviewing it on the App Store. Now when users who have installed an app from a promo code try to review it, they'll get a pop-up message that says "you must own this item to write a customer review," as if they had never downloaded it.An official response from iTunes support, received by a forum-goer over at iOS games site TouchArcade, notes the change, saying that the company now requires ratings and reviews of applications to be done by paid users, keeping those who may have installed the application from a developer's promo code from contributing to its aggregate rating or written review log.Apple offers iOS developers a limited number of these promo codes as a means to provide free versions of paid applications to users. Users enter these codes into the redeem section of the App Store, just like they would a song code in iTunes, and the application begins downloading. Apple allows developers to request and dole out 50 copies of the application per update, giving those who update frequently a chance at expanding how many codes can be had. Along with this method, Apple also offers a way for developers to configure up to 100 iOS devices to run that specific build of an application by building copies that match up with each user's device UDID (unique identifier). The two downsides to this method are that the provisioning profile that accompanies these builds can expire, and the application is not eligible for updates. Nonetheless, this method continues to be used by developers to provide testers, press, and other parties with early copies of applications that can be installed and run outside of the App Store. Apple has recently made more aggressive moves in policing similar behaviors in the App Store, cracking down on companies and applications that incentivize installations to help boost popularity, as well as adjusting the top apps algorithm to re-weight certain categories over others. This move is very likely to combat operations that had users leaving high ratings and positive feedback on games and applications in exchange for free copies. High marks in both categories are two factors that can get potential buyers interested in investing in an application, netting the developer cash and even a higher spot on Apple's charts. Apple's last major app reviews change was back in late 2008, with the company mandating that users be purchasers or downloaders to rate and review an application. That was to keep the deluge of reviews by people who never even downloaded the applications from making an impact on those who had. Following that, Apple removed reviews from users who never downloaded or purchased the applications, and made it so that reviews were tied to a specific version number of the application to make sure raters weren't harping on issues that had long since been fixed.Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the changes. CNET independently confirmed through a number of applications acquired through promo codes that the change is in effect on both the iPhone and iPad.
A new Apple policy change aims to keep users who have not purchased an application from rating or reviewing it on the App Store. Now when users who have installed an app from a promo code try to review it, they'll get a pop-up message that says "you must own this item to write a customer review," as if they had never downloaded it.An official response from iTunes support, received by a forum-goer over at iOS games site TouchArcade, notes the change, saying that the company now requires ratings and reviews of applications to be done by paid users, keeping those who may have installed the application from a developer's promo code from contributing to its aggregate rating or written review log.Apple offers iOS developers a limited number of these promo codes as a means to provide free versions of paid applications to users. Users enter these codes into the redeem section of the App Store, just like they would a song code in iTunes, and the application begins downloading. Apple allows developers to request and dole out 50 copies of the application per update, giving those who update frequently a chance at expanding how many codes can be had. Along with this method, Apple also offers a way for developers to configure up to 100 iOS devices to run that specific build of an application by building copies that match up with each user's device UDID (unique identifier). The two downsides to this method are that the provisioning profile that accompanies these builds can expire, and the application is not eligible for updates. Nonetheless, this method continues to be used by developers to provide testers, press, and other parties with early copies of applications that can be installed and run outside of the App Store. Apple has recently made more aggressive moves in policing similar behaviors in the App Store, cracking down on companies and applications that incentivize installations to help boost popularity, as well as adjusting the top apps algorithm to re-weight certain categories over others. This move is very likely to combat operations that had users leaving high ratings and positive feedback on games and applications in exchange for free copies. High marks in both categories are two factors that can get potential buyers interested in investing in an application, netting the developer cash and even a higher spot on Apple's charts. Apple's last major app reviews change was back in late 2008, with the company mandating that users be purchasers or downloaders to rate and review an application. That was to keep the deluge of reviews by people who never even downloaded the applications from making an impact on those who had. Following that, Apple removed reviews from users who never downloaded or purchased the applications, and made it so that reviews were tied to a specific version number of the application to make sure raters weren't harping on issues that had long since been fixed.Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the changes. CNET independently confirmed through a number of applications acquired through promo codes that the change is in effect on both the iPhone and iPad.
Draw your own video game with Pixel Press Floors
Draw your own video game with Pixel Press Floors
What if you could just doodle a game map, complete with hazards and enemies, and bring it to life? That's what was proposed by last year's Kickstarter campaign for an app for iOS and Android called Pixel Press. This idea was explored on a basic level by Sketch Nation Studio, which allowed you to create your own artwork and modify presets for a few basic games â€" but Pixel Press is much more ambitious. The system â€" which generated US$108,950 of its US$100,000 goal â€" has you draw your game on special sheets of grid paper, allowing for a much more customisable and sophisticated game.The newly launched, free for a limited time iPad app (more devices are on the way) is called Pixel Press Floors, and it allows you to create a specific type of game: the side-scrolling platformer. The special symbols you draw on the grid paper (printable files provided for free, although you can also order pre-printed sheets) let you place terrain, ladders, monkey bars, moving platforms, portals and power-ups; and hazards such as falling blocks, exploding blocks, pits, fireballs and spikes. For in-app purchases, you can add support for enemies and more power-ups.You then scan your sheet and the app converts the symbols to elements, allowing you to dress it up in themes. At this point in time, the app has two themes, but more, Pixel Press says, are on the way.For those who can't use the grid for whatever reason â€" the app on the iPad 2, for example, doesn't support scanning â€" Pixel Press Floors also has a "Draw in app" feature that allows you to create levels from within the app.The games you make won't, of course, be winning any awards, but if you spent your idle time as a kid doodling the video-game level of your dreams, this is your chance to make it a reality â€" and for kids, seeing something they've drawn come to life would be pretty amazing. You can also play games other creators have made, and see how many others play your own.It all seems really cool â€" but there's a lot more to come. On its website, Pixel Press notes that it also has two other apps in development â€" Pixel Press Quest, slated for late this year or early next year, that will allow you to create adventure games; and Pixel Press Tracks, for sometime next year, which will allow you to create racing games.You can pick up Pixel Press Floors for free for iPad from the iTunes app store. Stay tuned for iPhone, iPod Touch and Android.
What if you could just doodle a game map, complete with hazards and enemies, and bring it to life? That's what was proposed by last year's Kickstarter campaign for an app for iOS and Android called Pixel Press. This idea was explored on a basic level by Sketch Nation Studio, which allowed you to create your own artwork and modify presets for a few basic games â€" but Pixel Press is much more ambitious. The system â€" which generated US$108,950 of its US$100,000 goal â€" has you draw your game on special sheets of grid paper, allowing for a much more customisable and sophisticated game.The newly launched, free for a limited time iPad app (more devices are on the way) is called Pixel Press Floors, and it allows you to create a specific type of game: the side-scrolling platformer. The special symbols you draw on the grid paper (printable files provided for free, although you can also order pre-printed sheets) let you place terrain, ladders, monkey bars, moving platforms, portals and power-ups; and hazards such as falling blocks, exploding blocks, pits, fireballs and spikes. For in-app purchases, you can add support for enemies and more power-ups.You then scan your sheet and the app converts the symbols to elements, allowing you to dress it up in themes. At this point in time, the app has two themes, but more, Pixel Press says, are on the way.For those who can't use the grid for whatever reason â€" the app on the iPad 2, for example, doesn't support scanning â€" Pixel Press Floors also has a "Draw in app" feature that allows you to create levels from within the app.The games you make won't, of course, be winning any awards, but if you spent your idle time as a kid doodling the video-game level of your dreams, this is your chance to make it a reality â€" and for kids, seeing something they've drawn come to life would be pretty amazing. You can also play games other creators have made, and see how many others play your own.It all seems really cool â€" but there's a lot more to come. On its website, Pixel Press notes that it also has two other apps in development â€" Pixel Press Quest, slated for late this year or early next year, that will allow you to create adventure games; and Pixel Press Tracks, for sometime next year, which will allow you to create racing games.You can pick up Pixel Press Floors for free for iPad from the iTunes app store. Stay tuned for iPhone, iPod Touch and Android.
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