Roku HD

One of the best deals in HD has to be the marriage of Netflix and Roku. For just $8.99 a month, Netflix will allow you to watch as many streaming movies as you can handle. No download limitations, and no late fees. Combine this with the idiot proof Roku HD box, and you have an instant HD theater capable of streaming thousands of movies instantly.

Video quality is about on par with VHS for the normal movies. HD streaming fairs much better with less artifacts and a sharper image. HD streaming is presented at 1280 x 720. Not quite up to Blu-ray specs, but definitely watchable. Considering that it loads in seconds, and that you don't have to drive down to the local corner video store, it is a little slice of digital heaven. I would give the HD video about a 7 out of 10, which is pretty good.

So simple even your parents could use it. Well, maybe not yours.

Pros: Simple design.

Cons: Not all movies available in HD.

List Price: $99.00

Click here to buy from Pixelphile's Amazon Stop & Shop.

Mac Classic iPad Stand

Don't have the coin to buy the sexy Joule iPad Stand? But you do have an old Mac Classic laying around collecting dust. How about you make it into a sweet retro hybrid? That's what a guy did in Japan. A big thumbs up for an original idea that keeps the old macs fresh in our memories.

Check out the video here.

Now where did I put my Dremel?

Joule iPad Stand

For the person who has everything, and by that I mean an iPad, comes the Joule iPad Stand. CNC machined from a piece of solid aluminum, this piece of modern art is available in three different finishes.

I'll buy you one of these, if you buy me an iPad.

Pros: Beautiful design.

Cons: About 1/4 the price of an iPad.

List Price: $129.00

Ninja Search

How many times have you heard somebody say "Google it"? Probably way too many times to count. This phrase has really become part of the American lexicon. But you aren't just like everybody else, that's why you use Ninja the deadly accurate all black version of Google, much like Blackle.

So next time you need to tell somebody to do a search, just tell them to "Ninja it".

P.S. Even though it might look cool, it doesn't generate as many accurate results as the standard Google. I guess that's the price of being a Ninja.

iPhone 4 vs HTC Evo - NSFW!

Funny video made by a former Best Buy employee. Former because he was fired shortly after making this video.

Not cool Best Buy.

iPhone 4 Short Film

Well it didn't take long for this to happen. Somebody has already shot and edited a short little movie on the new iPhone 4. "Apple of My Eye" directed by USC film student Michael Koerbel might be the first short film shot with the newest version of the iPhone. Obviously Michael has access to some nice equipment, and more importantly, knows how to use it.

The iPhone does an amazing job, considering that it is a fixed lens phone after all. It does seem to have some difficulty in maintaining the highlights and often resorts to just blowing them out. But then again, other "real" video cameras often do the same thing. All in all, a very impressive debut of a short film shot and edited entirely on a cell phone.

Los Angeles residents might recognize the location as Allied Model Trains in Culver City.

iPhone 4 vs Evo 4G

June is the month for awesome new smart-phones. The question is whether to go with the new iPhone 4 from Apple, or the new Evo 4G from Sprint.

Here are the specs for each phone.

iPhone 4
3.5" Touch-screen LCD IPS display, 960 x 640 resolution
5 Megapixel rear camera, VGA front facing camera
720p HD video recording
A4 Processor
Battery life: 7 hours of 3G talk time
3G and 802.11n Wi-Fi networking
Cellular Signals: Quadband GSM, pentaband HSPA
Bluetooth, GPS, Digital compass, MicroSIM
Proximity sensor, Light sensor, Accelerometer, Gyroscope
Up to 32GB of storage

Evo 4G
4.3" Touch-screen TFT LCD display, 800 x 480 resolution
8 Megapixel rear camera, 1.3 Megapixel front facing camera
720p HD video recording
1GHz Snapdragon processor
Battery life: 6 hours talk time
4G, WiMAX, and 802.11b/g Wi-Fi networking
Cellular Signals: CDMA, EV-DO Rev. A, WiMAX
Bluetooth, GPS, Micro SD support, Digital Compass
HDMI output
Proximity sensor, Accelerometer
8 GB included (up to 32 GB via Micro SD)
Built-in Sprint Overdrive Mobile Hotspot

I think it is really going to come down to which phone company you want to be tied down to for the next two years. I personally hate AT&T, so it will be a no brainer for me to go with Sprint and the Evo.

Hopefully, someday we will be able to choose the phone we want, rather than the phone carrier we don't.

Best Drummer In The World!!!

Okay, I lied, he's not the best drummer in the world. But he might be the most entertaining. Check him out as he takes a rather lame band into a completely different orbit. This guy cracks me up.

The drummer's name is Steve Moore, and maybe he can get a gig on a late night talk show as the band leader. Much more entertaining that frikin' Max Weinberg.

Aslan - King of My Living Room

I was messing around with a vintage Nikon SB-26 Speedlight that I bought about a year ago on eBay. I got it after falling in love with the tips and techniques of David Hobby and his blog, strobist. I thought it would be fun to shoot a couple of pix of my dog Aslan. With my good friend Marty acting as a light stand, we were able to capture a rather candid moment of Aslan in the living room.

I have had Aslan for almost a year, after my girlfriend, Laurie, wanted me to foster him. The plan was that he would eventually be put up for adoption. Well needless to say, that never happened. He was a shelter dog on the verge of being put down, but instead he ended up with me.

Please check out you local shelter for other great dogs like Aslan. You might just save a life.

For more information, check out the Shelter Animal Advocacy Fund Los Angeles.

CHEAP TRICK - "Surrender"

Here's a little video of CHEAP TRICK performing "Surrender" at the Long Beach Grad Prix on 04-17-2010. Sorry about the douchebag in front of me who kept throwing up retarded hand signs. I have no idea what he was trying to convey.

CHEAP TRICK continues to rock after all these years. "Surrender" is one of their best songs with the coolest lyrics.

"Surrender"

Mother told me, yes, she told me I'd meet girls like you
She also told me, "Stay away, you'll never know what you'll catch"
Just the other day I heard a soldier falling off some Indonesian junk that's going round

Mommy's alright, Daddy's alright, they just seem a little weird
Surrender, surrender, but don't give yourself away

Father says, "Your mother's right, she's really up on things"
"Before we married, Mommy served in the WACS in the Philippines"
Now, I had heard the WACS recruited old maids for the war
But mommy isn't one of those, I've known her all these years

Mommy's alright, Daddy's alright, they just seem a little weird
Surrender, surrender, but don't give yourself away

Whatever happened to all this season's losers of the year?
Ev'ry time I got to thinking, where'd they disappear?
When I woke up, Mom and Dad are rolling on the couch
Rolling numbers, rock and rolling, got my Kiss records out

Mommy's alright, Daddy's alright, they just seem a little weird
Surrender, surrender, but don't give yourself away

To quote Mike Damone:

“Can you honestly tell me you forgot? Forgot the magnetism of Robin Zander, or the charisma of Rick Nielsen? Well what about the tunes? I want you to want me! The dream police! dadadadadadada! Your mama’s all right! Your daddy’s all right! They just seem a little bit wieeeerd!”

I couldn't have said it better myself.

Star Wars Rockband Poster

Check out this amazing poster by Australian artist Hugh Fleming. Originally commissioned in 1999 to accompany a story in Star Wars Insider, the official fan club magazine in the United States, about rock bands and music influenced by the original trilogy.

If you look closely you will see a cameo of the bearded artist as one of the fans in the crowd.

Click on the image above and download a high rez version for yourself.

Darth Vader kicks Gene Simmons ass!!!