Chief Oddball – Page 17 – Oddball Update

Life Turns Its Tables

April 15, 2010April 15, 2010 Chief Oddball 3 Comments

It’s kind of mystifying how life can stand you on your ear in a split second, isn’t it? Last month I got a call from my boss asking if I would be willing to take an “all expenses paid” trip to Orlando to help him shop for a new house.

Chief Oddball to Experiment with Other Airlines

April 6, 2010October 7, 2011 Chief Oddball 2 Comments

As I went out for my after-lunch walk to the post office, the ABC Radio News update at the top of the hour informed me that Spirit Airlines, usually my airline of choice, was going to start charging a fee for carry-on bags.

Facebook Frak-Up

March 27, 2010September 21, 2011 Chief Oddball 5 Comments

At times I have felt like the last person on Earth who does not have a Facebook account. Not long ago I learned that both of my parents have their own Facebook profiles, and my wife recently signed up for one at the request of a friend.

Pictorial: The Xbox 360 Hard Drive Transfer Kit

March 24, 2010September 29, 2011 Chief Oddball

Since there seems to be a dearth of conclusive information (and a lot of repetitive questions) about the Xbox 360 Hard Drive Transfer Kit, I thought I’d document the process of using mine in case anybody is wondering how the thing works.

If You’re Gonna Buy an Xbox, Buy an Xbox

March 22, 2010September 21, 2011 Chief Oddball

So after my 2006-era Xbox 360 suffered terminal RRoD on Friday night — you may have read about it — I decided to pool together my remaining Gamestop store credit and some cash from a recent side job in order to replace it.

Three Rings to Screw Them All: Another Xbox Dies

March 20, 2010October 7, 2011 Chief Oddball

Crap. My 360 died. Part Deux. A long time ago in a not-so faraway land, my launch day Xbox 360 console bit the dust, killed by GPU failure. Tonight, the refurbished console that Microsoft sent me as a warranty replacement for that original unit also bit the dust, also killed by GPU failure.

TiVo’s Big Announcement Is…WebTV?

March 4, 2010March 4, 2010 Chief Oddball

Last month, TiVo teased us with an upcoming announcement, saying that their inventing the DVR was just the opening act, or some such puffery. This week they finally revealed the meat and potatoes: it’s the all-new TiVo Premiere, otherwise known to us old hats as the Series4.

Star Trek Online: Latest Screenshots

February 28, 2010September 29, 2011 Chief Oddball 2 Comments

I last posted about the massively multiplayer PC game Star Trek Online during the open beta phase. The game hit retail release in early February, and now that it’s been several weeks since then, what’s the current state of the game?

Review: Star Trek: The Original Series (Blu-Ray)

February 27, 2010October 7, 2011 Chief Oddball

For my birthday this year, my friends Pooch and Reaper gifted me with the Season 1 and 3 boxed sets of Star Trek: The Original Series on Blu-ray disc. Since this series (hereinafter referred to as TOS) was perhaps my first television love, and sparked an obsessive fanaticism which hasn’t waned for a minute since, I thought it appropriate to post my impressions of these all-new, high-definition episodes.

Quick, Act Like We Give a Crap

February 24, 2010February 24, 2010 Chief Oddball

Today the president of Toyota Motor Company, Mr. Akio Toyoda, appeared before a U.S. congressional committee to answer questions about the ongoing recall and safety/PR crisis that his company is currently suffering. My wife watched the proceedings on live TV, and as she put it, the result could only be described as “a serious culture crash.”

Author: Chief Oddball