29 May 2007

'Are we there yet?'

portable DVD playerIf you plan to do any travel this summer, it's time to upgrade or buy a new portable DVD player. They're great for keeping the kids occupied, especially if there's a chance you'll get caught in traffic, simply can't hear "are we there yet?" again or plan to fly JetBlue. A number of airlines, including Southwest and Alaska, have removed the adapters on their arm rests, making a fully-charged battery necessary for most flights. To find more batteries for your current DVD player, or if yours didn't come with a car charger, find them on eBay.

To find the best portable player for you, check out CNet's reviews, and to feed the machine with some new DVDs, check out the top sellers on eBay Pop in the Movers & Shakers section, under CDs & DVDs.

World Series of Video Games Ready to Rumble

World Series of Video Gaming 2007 logoJune is a popular month for wrapping up sports championships as both the NBA and NHL crown their season's best. But don't overlook the World Series of Video Gaming starting June 21 in Louisville. With the release of new gaming systems, such as Xbox 360 (2005), and PS3 and Wii (both last year), these "athletes" are game for anything and are taking their "sport" to new heights (despite being just 3 1/2 off the ground and mostly stationary).

Think it's child's play? Think again. Last year's WSVG had 20
Gamer plays at World Series of Video Gaming hours of TV coverage on MTV, CBS, College Sports TV and Gameplay HD, dished out $1 million in purse money and prizes, and attracted 100,000 spectators and participants, about the same amount that fill a sold-out Rose Bowl.

So game on and good luck!

Fantastic Four Rides Again!

Spider-Man creator Stan LeeSpider-man creator Stan Lee (left), who first began his webbed creation in 1962, would have probably never anticipated it would turn into the multi-million dollar franchise. What many don't know is that Lee also created another popular comic creation at a time when he was at odds with his publisher on how to portray comic book characters.

Lee, who apparently was about to call it quits over this difference of style, put
Fantastic Four together one final book that played up the personalities of his characters, contradicting the simpler, two-syllable prose preferred by his publisher. As it turned out, the book was a smash and spawned not only a wildly popular series, but also another multi-million dollar franchise known as the Fantastic Four.

On June 15, the second movie in the franchise -- Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer -- screens nationwide. Like the original in 2005, the second installment stars Jessica Alba, Ioan Gruffudd, Michael Chiklis and Chris Evans.

14 May 2007

You Spin Me Right Round, Baby!

Hammacher Schlemmer's LP-to-MP3 converter turntableIf those old vinyl records gathering dust in the attic or garage are the cause of marital friction during moves, garage sales or spring cleaning, consider Hammacher Schlemmer your marriage counselor.

The company has created the first-of-its-kind LP-to-MP3
Microsoft Zune MP3 Player converter, giving anyone the ability to turn those old albums into clear, hiss and pop-free digital music files for use on your iPod, Zune (pictured) or other MP3 player of choice.

While it doesn't appear they've made it to eBay (yet), these transforming wonders are available on the Hammacher Schlemmer web site for $170. All you need is a USB connection to your computer and the software comes with the turntable. Nice work, Hammacher!


Gentlemen, Start your Sanders!

Skill saw: built for speed in SeattleIf this Spring's Indy 500 and Triple Crown aren't exciting enough for you, head to Seattle on June 23rd for the third annual Tool Race & Derby.

On this day, craftsmen of all persuasions put their circular saws,
drills, sanders, leaf blowers to the test in a competition that turns run-of-the-mill, everyday power tools into pimped out, suped up racing machines that would make Richard Petty proud and Bob Villa gitty. The one-on-one races are timed on a 50-foot, 12-inch plywood track.

May the best (tool)man win!

Lucky Number 7

Tony Parker, Eva Longoria to wed 7/7/07 in FranceIt looks like it's a ball-and-chain summer for Tony Parker of the San Antonio Spurs.

On the ball front, his team continues its
recent perennial playoff success, which could take the Spurs well into May and potentially into the NBA Finals, ending mid-June. On the chain front, Parker weds Desperate Housewife Eva Longoria at a French castle on July 7.

Significance of the date?
7/7/07.

The Association of Wedding Professionals International (yes, there is such a group)
expects a 20 percent increase in knot-tying on that day as superstitious couples who missed last year's 6/6/06 take another shot at it -- presumably with the same partner.

Also on July 7, a panel of experts will unveil a New SevenStatue of Liberty - New Wonder of the World Wonders of the World, bringing to 10 the total number of Wonders lists. Apparently, the Statue of Liberty is the only U.S. wonder from the list of, um, 77.

Lady Liberty is already part of
"The Forgotten Wonders." So, does this mean she's
part of two lists, has she been promoted, or did the experts simply remember? Anyway, check your local listings for a World Wonder near you.


04 May 2007

Sports Shorts

Tale of the Tape
Looking at this weekend's
WBC super welterweight title fight between Oscar de la Hoya and Floyd Mayweather, Jr. through an eBay lens, de la Hoya should score a resounding victory. De la Hoya is crushing Mayweather in eBay sales, 800 to 100 in related items sold over the past month. Items related to de la Hoya jumped significantly each week in April, including an 87 percent jump in the middle of the month and 22 percent this past week.

Warriors are Golden
As the Golden State Warriors were improbably dispatching the Dallas Mavericks, on eBay the sale of related Warriors items, including memorabilia, tickets, pennants, skyrocketed 81 percent this week over last. A total of nearly 870 have sold, up from about 480.



Milwaukee's Finest

Another surprise winner is the Milwaukee Brewers who have the best record in baseball (18-9) and just swept the defending World Series champion St. Louis
Cardinals. While Brew Crew-related items have jumped 25 percent week over week, fans are probably waiting to see what transpires as the young season wears enters the summer -- the Brewers haven't been in first place this late in the season since late August 1983, according to Elias Sports Bureau. At that time in Milwaukee, if you recall, a nation was embracing the Ballad of Joannie and Chachi as Happy Days was entering its 11th and final season.

Still Their Guitars Gently Weep

There's been recent talk about how baby boomers, who grew up on Elvis, the Beatles, Eric Clapton and Jimmy Hendrix, are fueling the jump in guitar prices, especially vintage pieces. One of the country's leading guitar experts, George Gruhn, told the Seattle Times: "The guitar is the ultimate piece of art. You can look at it. You can play it. And if it's a good one, you can feel it come alive."

The two most popular electric guitars on eBay are the Fender Stratocaster and the Gibson Les Paul. Each week, between 800-900 Stratocasters are sold at about $150 each. Naturally, with an average price of $700 for the Gibson, few sell per week -- about 200.

If you don't play guitar but want to live out their rock 'n roll fantasy, there's always Guitar Hero II for Sony Playstation 2, which follows its popular predecessor, Guitar Hero. GH II features 55 songs that cross all the rock genres, and one or two players can play via a joy stick or gamepad.

For those about to rock, we salute you.