Sortprice.com Takes Online Shopping to New York City Streets

Sortprice.com Takes Online Shopping to New York City Streets

Leading online compare prices portal adds to ongoing community work to promote safe shopping online and rolls out handy tool around New York City for holidays

New York, New York, – Sortprice.com, a leading price comparison search engine, builds on its year-round efforts to promote safe shopping practices by today launching a street campaign across New York City in time for the last push of holiday shopping. Sortprice Goodwill Ambassadors are set to hand out the “Holiday Shopping List and Online Safety Tips” cards December 19, 2007, through Sunday, December 23, 2007, at locations around the city.

“The campaign is in response to the escalating need to raise consciousness among shoppers of identity theft and fraud, said Doron Simovitch, CEO and co-founder of Sorprice.com. “The 5” x 7” safety reminder card also doubles as a handy tool to help consumers draw up their shopping list, with checkboxes as shopping missions are completed.”

Sortprice recognizes the value of continuously educating consumers on the importance of being vigilant and cautious when sharing any critical information online or offline.

“While the Internet has leveled the playing field for all sizes of business to attract customers, it also opened a wider door for identity theft,” Simovitch added. “As an e-commerce provider, we at Sortprice believe that it is incumbent upon us to help keep online buyers safe and proactively advocate smart and cautious shopping.”

Sortprice ambassadors can be found at locations within the city, including Wall Street, SOHO, Greenwich Village, West Village, Herald Square, and Times Square.

Microsoft and the xbox 360 fiasco

The xbox 360 was to be Microsoft's crowning moment for the next generation video game console. Nintendo and Sony were both ahead of the original xbox in sales and popularity. The original xbox was Microsoft's first entry into the video game arena which was dominated by Nintendo in the early days and then by Sony and the playstation line. The xbox required a lot of money to be properly promoted and it is often said that xbox loses money on every console sold. Their aim is to recuperate through accessories and games.

The next generation of xbox is the xbox 360. it claims to have a better processor, better features, better graphics and overall a better gaming experience than the competition. Public opinion is still divided, and cannot be used to help your buying decision. There are loyal sony fans and they remain loyal no matter what Microsoft releases.

The release for the xbox 360 was perfect, as the competition was retooling for their 3rd generation releases; the Nintendo Wii, and the Sony PlayStation 3. Microsoft was all alone, and was able to release the xbox 360 just before the Christmas shopping season.

There was incredible demand and very short supply. The perfect way to manufacture a shopping frenzy. Retailers were open late, and the lineups were massive. Eventually, about 6 months later - everyone was able to get an xbox 360.

There remains one huge problem - product quality. Microsoft pressured their suppliers and cotntracted manufacturer to product millions of units to meet demand. Not all xbox 360's are created equal and soon critical manufacturing flaws emerged.

The xbox 360 is notorious for what is called the "red rings", "3 rings of death", or the "3 red ring" problem. Essentially, the motherboard overheats from normal usage, and the graphics processor experiences intermittent contact with the circuit board. The constant heating and cooling reduces the solder integrity.

The end result is a xbox 360 that boots up, momentarily, then flashes the 3 red rings. A very expensive paperweight.

The solution is to contact microsoft for warranty service, however initially the xbox 360 had a 90 day warranty. Most of these problems occur after a 90 day period.

The public persisted and proved to microsoft that the warranty was inferior to the competition, so Microsoft announced a full one year warranty, and made it retroactive. Very nice, and a responsible thing to do.

Still, it was not enough. many xbox 360 owners had already felt that they had no recourse to warranty support from microsoft, so they took it upon themselves to fix the problem with alternative solutions. This meant that you had to open your xbox 360 and perform a series of steps and modifications.

The minute you open the xbox 360 chassis, you have voided your warranty. THEN the news of the extended warranty is announced, leaving millions of xbox 360 owners with an opened unit, with no warranty.


Videos from youtube showing inexpensive fixes have surfaced everywhere. Some fixes include purposely overheating the xbox360 by wrapping it in a towel and letting it run. The intention being to re-melt any questionable solder connections.

Some youtube videos have the owners literally hitting their unit to shift or jar a loose component back into making a good solder and motherboard connection.

Finally, the x-clamp product is released. The flaw itself with the xbox360 overheating is the heatsink mounting to the motherboard. The metal clamps used to pull the heatsink against the graphics processor does not provide proper pressure on the heatsink to properly cool the processor. With the replacement of the factory clamps, the problem can be rectified.

The process is explained in a number of ebooks and websites.

The solution is fairly simple, however in the long run, completely unfair to those that are no longer entitled to a warranty repair (yours truly included)


For the sake of shameless promotion, I have included a link to one of the repair guides.

Safe Shopping Tips for the holiday season

Sortprice Makes Safe Shopping the Season's Rule

Leading shopping search engine Sortprice.com for price comparison
offers guidance to buyers this holiday season

NEW YORK, N.Y. December 5, 2007 - Sortprice.com, the leading free-to-use shopping search engine that looks across thousands of online retailers to compare prices, today launched a safety tips and a smart shopping e-checklist for the holiday season. Following these essential tips will help keep even the most savvy shopper safe in the online shopping mall.

The retail presence continues to grow online, and it's indisputably one of the busiest buying times of the year. However, as more businesses add online purchasing options, physical safety concerns for credit and personal information become even bigger virtual ones that are no less important.

"We're starting to see a near complete saturation of consumer confidence for online purchasing of almost every type of product," said Asaf Klibansky, CTO and co-founder of Sortprice.com. "With this shift, however, fraud and identity theft unfortunately follow. We want to help accentuate the positives of Internet shopping, which can include better deals, lack of crowds and product availability, while helping guide consumers around the pitfalls. Sometimes it's more than just simple common sense."

With many great deals offered over the holidays, it's particularly important that consumers keep the following shopping tips in mind when searching for that great bargain:

1. Be wary of emails, including those that appear to be from seemingly reputable merchants.
2. Do not provide any personal or account information to an unknown and unverified entity.
3. Shop only at certifiable secured sites, looking for trust marks, seals and certifications, such as the Sortprice Certified Merchant verification.

4. Carefully review terms and conditions, including return policies, delivery guarantees and potentially hidden costs, such as shipping.
5. Be vigilant about passwords, no matter the site, using a combination of letters and numbers, upper and lowercase, as well as uncommon words.

More hints and information can be found at http://www.sortprice.com/sortprice_holiday_season_safety_tips_full.html. In addition to shopper safety tips, the Sortprice 2007 Holiday Gift Guide is also available to help navigate the online shopping mall this season.


About Sortprice
Sortprice.com is a free-to-use shopping search engine that scours thousands of online retailers, across many different product categories, to help shoppers compare prices and help retailers reach more customers. With 175,000 visitors per day, more than 5 million each month and a 29% return traffic rate, Sortprice is fast becoming the leading online shopping search destination. For more information, please visit www.sortprice.com.

THQ's Adrenaline Rush - games for Men!

Just in time for the holiday’s, leading video game publisher THQ, is set to release several action packed titles catered towards men that will surely satisfy the heroic itch inside all of us.

Men of all ages play video games and THQ is allowing them to fulfill all their wildest fantasies this holiday season. Imagine driving 120 mph…on two tires or wielding a sword throughout villages or jumping off the top of a steel cage.

This is all a reality now thanks to the latest technological breakthroughs from THQ. Stuntman Ignition allows players to experience the dangerous life of a true Hollywood stuntman. From jumping cliffs to navigating through explosions, this game has it all. Based on the original comic book series, Conan allows the user to experience barbaric strength coupled with an arsenal of weapons designed to inflict destruction on everything you touch. How would you stand going toe to toe with John Cena? Now you can find out with the most realistic, hands-on WWE game to date with the release of Smackdown vs. Raw 2008. These are just some of the pulse pounding action THQ is unleashing for the holiday season.

This exciting new line-up of games from THQ offers multiple ways to satisfy the male appetite for action games this holiday season. Video games are always vastly popular and any of these THQ titles would surely be a perfect fit for dad this year.

More information on THQ’s adrenaline filled lineup follows:

THQ’s Adrenaline Rush

Stuntman Ignition – Plunge into the adrenaline-fueled role of a Hollywood stunt driver and feel the rush of pulling off the most breathtaking, death-defying stunts ever filmed while executing a series of dangerous, high-speed vehicle stunts through intense, precision driving. Available on Xbox 360, PS3, PS2, Wireless systems.

Conan – An action adventure game featuring a story of epic brutality, sheer evil and visceral combat. Follow the journey of Conan the Cimmerian as he fights a vicious battle against a variety of enemies and an elusive power that threatens to consume the world. Available on PS3 and Xbos 360 systems.

WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2008 – Back and better than ever, “Smackdown vs. Raw” features eight Superstar Fighting Styles which provide unique strategies with exclusive moves, abilities, attributes and more, allowing players to take the fight into their own hands and feel the power of the Superstars. Available on PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, PSP, DS and Wireless systems.

Juiced 2: Hot Import Nights – Evolves the current street racing scene, letting players experience the culture of the real-life HIN tour – the nation’s largest lifestyle custom car show – in an intense racing experience. Game features track and drift racing at real world locations around the globe, next-gen AI, unparalleled vehicle customization and groundbreaking new features such as Driver DNA and a full online career mode. Available on Xbox 360, PS3, PS2, PSP and DS systems.

Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts – The most exciting RTS game ever is back with two new armies – command the dogged British 2^nd Army in the struggle for Caen, or take charge of the German Panzer Elite as they fight to repel Operation Market Garden. Available on PC system.

THQ's Wii Releases for all ages!

Last year, the Nintendo Wii changed the world of gaming! The interactive, movement based controller which can detect motion and rotation in three dimensions, has revolutionized how games are played. This holiday season, leading video game publisher, THQ, will help meet the insatiable demand for Wii gaming with an array of new titles for gamers of all ages.

THQ’s Wii lineup will get gamers off the couch and in motion as they square off against a WWE Superstar, follow their favorite movie and TV characters, and much much more. With the Wii likely being on the top of millions of wish lists, these THQ titles would surely be a perfect fit for XXX (Pub name) gift guide this year.

THQ’s Wii Movement

WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2008 – Back and better than ever, “Smackdown vs. Raw” features eight Superstar Fighting Styles which provide unique strategies with exclusive moves, abilities, attributes and more, allowing players to take the fight into their own hands and feel the power of the Superstars.

Avatar: The Burning Earth – Based on the 2^nd season of the hit Nickelodeon television series, this game continues the story of Aang who must overcome his adventurous ways to defend the Earth Kingdon against the evil Fire Nation and restore balance in his war-torn world.

Ratatouille – Developed from the new Disney/Pixar film premiering this summer, players can relive the most thrilling moments of the film as they battle the sewers and streets of Paris to help Remy the rat accomplish his dream of becoming a chef.

Bratz the Movie – Based on the upcoming doll line and episodes from every girl’s favorite TV show, the video game allows players to experience the glitz and glamour of becoming real movie stars as they rock out in explosive music shows, strut the fashion runway and publish a hot new magazine.

Cars: Mater-National – Players can continue to experience the world of the electrifying Disney/Pixar film Cars as they race in the new Mater-National competition complete with updated tracks, mini-games and an all new Monster Truck mode.

Spongebob’s Atlantis Squarepants – The latest game based on the Nickelodeon sensation Spongebob Squarepants, this game takes Spongebob, Patrick and the rest of their Bikini Bottom pals on an adventure in the legendary city of Atlantis to fulfill Spongebob’s dream of finding the “World’s Oldest Bubble.”

THQ Video Game Releases for the 2007 Holiday Season

This holiday season parents can finally feel good about giving the gift on every kid’s wish list: video games. Leading video game publisher, THQ, is releasing nine new games for children that will take the stress out of video game buying for parents.

Far from the traditional violence often associated with holiday games, these selections are all E titles (rated E for everyone). They combine the adventure and visual stimulation of all THQ properties, with a creative and critical thinking twist.

The engaging lineup allow children to navigate the world with their favorite heroes, relive thrilling moments from their favorite movies and use their imagination to create their own heroes, scenarios and atmosphere. Kids this year will take to the streets of Paris with Disney/Pixar’s newest smash hit character Ratatouille. They will continue to defend Earth Kingdom with Nickelodeon television sensation Avatar and they will learn to problem solve and think creatively by creating their own video game heroes with THQ’s groundbreaking Drawn to Life.

This exciting new line-up of games from THQ offers parents numerous ways to satisfy their children’s many appetites for the latest and greatest video games this holiday season. Any of these THQ titles would surely be a perfect fit for XXX (Pub name) gift guide this year.

Some of the titles include:

Drawn to Life – The newest THQ original game is the first action-adventure that allows players to draw their own hero. Players customize the Drawn to Life world by creating weapons, tools, animals, plants and almost anything in the game! Players problem solve and create their own environment using the robust drawing tool. Available on DS system.

Avatar - The Burning Earth – Based on the 2^nd season of the hit Nickelodeon television series, this game continues the story of Aang who must overcome his adventurous ways to defend the Earth Kingdon against the evil Fire Nation and restore balance in his war-torn world. Available on 360, Wii, PS2, DS, GBA and PC systems.

Ratatouille – Developed from the new Disney/Pixar film premiering this summer, players can relive the most thrilling moments of the film as they battle the sewers and streets of Paris to help Remy the rat accomplish his dream of becoming a chef. Available on PS3, 360, Wii, PS2, GC, PSP, DS, GBA, PC/Mac and Wireless systems.

Bratz the Movie – Based on the upcoming doll line and episodes from every girl’s favorite TV show, the video game allows players to experience the glitz and glamour of becoming real movie stars as they rock out in explosive music shows, strut the fashion runway and publish a hot new magazine. Available on Wii, PS2 and GBA systems.

Cars: Mater-National – Players can continue to experience the world of the electrifying Disney/Pixar film Cars as they race in the new Mater-National competition complete with updated tracks, mini-games and an all new Monster Truck mode. Available on 360, Wii, PS3, DS and GBA systems.

Spongebob’s Atlantis Squarepants – The latest game based on the Nickelodeon sensation Spongebob Squarepants, this game takes Spongebob, Patrick and the rest of their Bikini Bottom pals on an adventure in the legendary city of Atlantis to fulfill Spongebob’s dream of finding the “World’s Oldest Bubble.” Available on Wii, PS2, DS, GBA and Wireless systems.

El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera – Based on Nickelodeon’s brand new flash comedy series, players will follow Manny and his alter-ego, El Tigre, as they are torn to choose between good and evil. Player decide whether to be good or evil which each action taken in the game resulting in an alternate ending. Available on DS system.

Drake & Josh: Talent Showdown – Featuring all of the humor from the hit Nickelodeon series, players will strum strings on the touch-screen with the stylus, in order to help put Drake on the fast lane to stardom. They will perform dazzling magic tricks to show off Josh’s magic skill and ultimately help Drake and Josh try-out for the new season of “Teen American Talent.” Available on DS system.

Zoey 101: Field Trip Fiasco – Using team work and utilizing each character from the Nickelodeon TV show’s strengths, players help Zoey and her friends get rescued when they get separated from the tour guide on a field trip to Red Stone Gulch Canyons. Available on DS system.

First Interctive DVD game - Harry Potter: Hogwarts Challenge

WARNER HOME VIDEO TO RELEASE ITS FIRST EVER INTERACTIVE DVD GAME, HARRY POTTER: HOGWARTS CHALLENGE
ON DECEMBER 11, 2007

Experience the Magic and Adventure of the world of Harry Potter With WHV’s All New Exclusive Interactive DVD Game

BURBANK, CA (October 10, 2007) – With the overwhelming popularity of the Harry Potter franchise, Warner Home Video (WHV) will step out of the realm of conventional DVDs with a new foray that will allow fans to experience the magic and adventure of the world of Harry Potter like never before. With the release of the Harry Potter Interactive DVD game, fans can experience in a whole new way the challenges that Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry has to offer. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Challenge is designed for the whole family’s enjoyment, as up to four people can play -- each at their own chosen skill level.

The first of its kind from WHV, the Harry Potter Interactive DVD Game brings the excitement of Harry Potter into your living room, as you begin your first year at Hogwarts. Get Sorted or choose your favorite house before attending class, participate in extracurricular activities and face exciting Year End Challenges during your first three years at the school. Be sure to keep track of house points, for the one with the most at the end of the third year will compete in a deathly wizard duel and receive tickets to the coveted Quidditch World Cup! Use your DVD player and remote to navigate the moving staircases at Hogwarts, avoid the Whomping Willow, catch the Golden Snitch or escape from the Forbidden Forest! No game boards, dice or pieces are necessary. Based primarily on the first three Happy Potter films, with additional scenes from the fourth and fifth films, the Harry Potter Interactive DVD Game is the perfect blend of action and adventure for Harry Potter enthusiasts!

“It is a privilege for WHV to be able to develop this revolutionary interactive DVD game that showcases one of the most successful franchises spanning the globe,” said Amit Desai, WHV Vice President, Kids and Sports Marketing. “Our goal with our interactive DVD titles is to bring more family-friendly characters to life in a hands-on interactive way that is fun for all.”

The much anticipated Harry Potter: Hogwarts Challenge hits stores on December 11, 2007 and will be available for $24.98 SRP.

Harry Potter Interactive DVD Game Details

• Attending Class

o Players can practice proper wand movement, and participate in activities based on Transfiguration, Divination and Potions classes through curriculum specific to their year. They will also be challenged with avoiding the Whomping Willow’s deadly branches and navigating through the moving staircases of Hogwarts. All activities consist of action-oriented and activity-based play.

• Extracurricular Activities

o Extracurricular activities are only available at certain times in the game – after the player has completed at least two classes within a particular year.

o These activities consist of Owl Post, whereby the player must follow a messenger owl through Hogwarts, dodging various obstacles along the way; and Quidditch Tryouts where the player must maneuver through and around various obstacles such as goal hoops and spectator stands – all the while dodging Bludgers and searching for the Golden Snitch.

• Year End Challenges

o The player competes in a Year End Challenge at the end of each year that mirrors a pivotal event at the end of each of films one, two and three. A bulk of points is awarded for successfully completing the Year End Challenge to pass the given year, and it will usually be the deciding factor in which house wins the year’s House Cup.

• Chance Clips

o Throughout the game, the player may encounter “Chance Clips.” These are random video and audio clips from the Harry Potter films. Depending upon which clip is seen or heard, the player or his/her opponent(s) will lose or gain points.

• Bonus Activity (Wizard Duel)

o When the player has completed all three years at Hogwarts, won at least one House Cup, and scored the most points over all three years, he or she can take part in a wizard duel and receive tickets to the Quidditch World Cup.

About Warner Home Video

With operations in 90 international territories Warner Home Video, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, commands the largest distribution infrastructure in the global video marketplace. Warner Home Video's film library is the largest of any studio, offering top quality new and vintage titles from the repertoires of Warner Bros. Pictures, Turner Entertainment, Castle Rock Entertainment, HBO Home Video and New Line Home Entertainment.

For more information on these and other titles distributed by Warner Home Video, visit www.whvdirect.com.

Microsoft softens on anti-piracy measure

Microsoft softens on anti-piracy measure

JESSICA MINTZ
Associated Press

December 4, 2007 at 8:00 AM EST

SEATTLE — Microsoft Corp. is pulling back from a system that disables programs on users' computers if it suspects the software is pirated, opting instead for a gentler approach based on nagging alerts.
Microsoft said late Monday it will roll out the new version of Windows Genuine Advantage with the first “service pack” for Windows Vista, due in the first quarter of 2008.
When computer users activate a copy of Windows Vista or try to download certain software from Microsoft's Web site, the Windows Genuine Advantage system scans their PCs for signs of pirated software. Today, if the tool finds an unauthorized copy of Vista, the glassy Vista user experience disappears and other features are suspended.
In the new version, PC users found to have a pirated copy of Vista will continue to be able to use their computers, but with unmistakable signs their operating system is a fake. The desktop wallpaper will turn black, and a white notice will appear alerting users to the problem. Each time they log in, they will be prompted to buy legitimate software, and every hour, a reminder bubble will appear on the screen.
Users with a high tolerance for irritation can put off switching to genuine software indefinitely, but those who relent and buy a real copy of Windows can do so at reduced prices — $119 for Windows Vista Home Premium, half the regular retail price.
“We want to make sure unwitting victims get a great treatment,” said Mike Sievert, a corporate vice president in Microsoft's Windows marketing group.
Windows Genuine Advantage collects several pieces of information about a PC during the check, including the serial number on the hard drive and its IP address, but Sievert says none of that can be used to identify individual PC users.
In August, the Windows Genuine Advantage team at Microsoft accidentally updated its servers with computer code that wasn't quite ready for prime time. As a result, Microsoft said “fewer than 12,000” people who tried to validate software over a two-day period couldn't.
Some found legitimate copies of Windows hobbled after the tool labelled them pirated, and an outcry spread across Web forums and technology news sites.
Sievert said the glitch in August was unrelated to the change in how the Windows Genuine Advantage tool will work.
“Microsoft realizes it has to take a different approach with their customers,” said Chris Swenson, a software industry analyst for market researcher NPD Group. “If you shut down someone's computer, you're going to anger customers.”
Microsoft also said Monday the package of Vista updates will fix two holes in the operating system that have allowed pirates to create counterfeit copies — one that mimics the activation of software by computer makers before a PC is sold, and one that extends a grace period given to people who install new software, before they must activate it.
Sievert said Microsoft plans to offer an update for Windows Genuine Advantage that will run the piracy check regularly without the computer user initiating the process.