Posts Tagged ‘ April Fools

April Fools Aftermath 02 April 2008 at 2:00 am by Jason 98 views

Well, I hope everyone enjoyed April Fool’s Day as much as I did. For those who were fooled by anything posted, know this…

Every post I made on April 1st was fake, and will be tagged “April Fools” this morning to halt further confusion. Everything was an April Fools joke of some sort. There is, sadly, no Zelda movie, nor Google on Mars. There was no Election Deathmatch, Caffeinated Cereal, nor was Wii Sports being released for anything other than the Wii. Also, every link in my “Daily del.icio.us Bookmarks” for yesterday led to a fake article of some sort. Sorry!!

The biggest news, I should say, is the trick I made… there is no Windows Code-Name Livephase. Sorry. I wish it existed as much as you, but it was all Photoshop and nothing more. Here’s a big logo, for those who liked it:

Livephase = Fake!

Here’s a close-up of the e-mail (no need to worry about NDA, it’s a fake, too):

Livephase = Fake!

Here’s to another sucessful April 1st… did I fool anyone out there? ;)



+ The Legend of Zelda Movie Trailer!!! By Jason 01 April 2008 at 1:54 pm 771 views 2 Comments

I was going to wait till tomorrow to post this, but it’s too cool to pass up:

The Legend of Zelda: The Movie @ IGN

Some info:

Few videogame properties hold the cache of The Legend of Zelda. As a film project, it’s on the scale of Lord of the Rings. But no one has tackled a live-action adaptation of the storied franchise… until today. Production Company Rainfall Films has asked IGN to premiere the very first footage from their live-action Zelda film — a very literal adaptation of the magical epic — and, of course, we said, “Yes!”

Much like the indie gem Cloverfield, this project has been shrouded in secrecy and details kept close to the vest. What we do know is that the film is being written and directed by newcomer Sam Balcomb. Going the route of Star Wars: Episode IV, this production decided to cast all unknowns in the iconic roles. Link is played by JR Killigrew, Camille C. Brown portrays a very Elven Princess Zelda, and Gregory Lee Kenyon stars as Ganondorf. You may, however, recognize Camden Toy (see TV’s Buffy and Angel) in the supporting role as Sahasrahla.

Zelda Trailer

You don’t know how long I’ve waited for this day. The movie will be released next April, so be prepared for the midnight showing and costumes!

EDIT (April 2nd) - Gotcha!  April Fools!!



+ Windows Code-Name Livephase?! By Jason 01 April 2008 at 12:37 pm 529 views 1 Comment

I’m not one to usually brag about what betas I’ve gotten invited to (okay, maybe I brag a little), but today I opened my Inbox and was faced with this:

Windows Livephase?

Here’s the text (edited out anything that would get me in trouble):

CONFIDENTIAL – PLEASE DO NOT FORWARD THIS EMAIL OR DISCLOSE ANY INFORMATION INCLUDED

Dear Microsoft Beta Tester,

The Windows Product Team recommended you as an ideal candidate for an exciting new Beta program, based on your participation as a Windows Code-Name “Longhorn” Beta tester. We value the feedback you have provided us in the past as trusted partners, and thank you for helping us make Microsoft Windows better for you and other customers. Now, you have the opportunity to continue to provide important feedback about the next generation of Microsoft products!

We are pleased to offer you an early preview of Windows Code-Name “Livephase,” by extending this invitation to join the Livephase beta program. Your participation is completely voluntary. Livephase Beta Program participants will preview software for the next generation of Windows as well as Internet Explorer 8 for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008. If you choose to participate you will have the opportunity to provide Microsoft with feedback as we continue work on these exciting new releases.

What is Windows Code-Name “Livephase”?

The next version of Windows, Code-Name “Livephase,” promises to be the most secure and intuitive Windows release to date. It delivers on the promise of allowing people to use their computers more effectively and confidently to achieve their goals and pursue their passions. It offers new tools to help protect the integrity of your system and your information, easier ways to find, visualize and organize your information, and provides better integration across applications, devices and systems. Most of all Windows Code-Name “Livephase” will focus on mobility and the common issues that arise when accessing multiple computers.

Livephase will provide advancements in the following key areas:

· A strong focus on the fundamentals of the operating system, including advancements in performance, mobility, and ease of use.
· Major improvements to help PC users to work smarter and provide exciting new experiences for mobile users.
· The next-generation developer platform to make it easier for developers to create breakthrough applications.

What you can expect if you choose to participate:

You will be notified by email when the software becomes available to test. The beta software will be available via download. If you elect to receive mailed releases, only major milestone releases (Beta 1, Beta 2, etc) will be sent to you. Participants can expect access to Windows, the Windows Driver Kit the Platform Software Development Kit as well as Internet Explorer 8 for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008. We may make other software available as well, and it’s important to note that some of the above software may not be available immediately after the program gets underway.

We are offering you this exclusive, early sneak preview of “Livephase” as part of an elite group of trusted Beta testers, because we believe that you will provide us valuable feedback, and will also respect the confidentiality of “Livephase” by not disclosing any details about this product.

If you would like to participate, please go to this URL to apply: http://connect.microsoft.com/InvitationUse.aspx?ProgramID=XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX. (If this link does not work for you, copy the full link and paste it into the Web browser address bar.) You will need to register on Microsoft Connect if you have not already done so, and we will ask you to agree to a Non Disclosure Agreement before we share more details about “Livephase.”

After you complete the Non Disclosure Agreement, we will contact you with more details about “Livephase” and the Beta. Please note that the Beta is open only to those who receive this official invitation from us – please do not forward or share this invitation with anyone else.

If you choose to participate, we ask that you install the software once it is received. At a minimum we ask that you provide us feedback about your experience by reporting bugs that you encounter. We have other activities planned such as private discussion groups, online chats and chances for you to help the Windows development team test some of the new Livephase features. More details on these will follow if you choose to join the beta.

Thank-you for your participation, and we look forward to hearing from you!

Sincerely,
The Windows Product Team

You’ve received this email because you participated in the Windows Code-Name Longhorn beta program. If you would like to be removed from the “Livephase” beta please send an email to XXXXXXXXXX@microsoft.com with the words Opt-Out in the Subject line. We value your privacy. Please read the Privacy Statement for complete information.

Do you think this could be the codename of the Windows 7 Beta?! I mean, it talks about “mobility” and we know that Bill Gates is interested in that! It also made mention to my work as a Longhorn Beta Tester! This is so exciting!! I filled out the NDA and the only thing I get is a “Thank You” page saying that more information will be coming shortly and a picture of the logo:

Livephase Logo?

It’s pretty much the same as the Vista logo, but exciting nevertheless!! I wonder how many other people got this invite! Awesome awesome news!! :)

EDIT (April 2nd) - Gotcha!  April Fools!!



+ Daily del.icio.us Bookmarks for 04/01/08 By Jason 01 April 2008 at 9:18 am 239 views 1 Comment

These are my daily “Good to Know” links for 04/01/08 … please enjoy:

Exclusive: Hands-on video with the 3G iPhone | CNET

n easily the largest scoop CNET.co.uk has ever had, two days ago our mobile phone editor Andrew Lim was invited to Taiwan, along with a select group of other journalists from around the world, for a sneak preview of the 3G iPhone.

Helvetica Serif | The Serif

FontFont have announced that they are to release Helvetica Serif, following the discovery of drawing of that typeface by Max Miedinger. The sketches which were discovered by Miedinger?s granddaughter have been redrawn to create the digital version shown

CIA demands UK halts interrogation tactics | The Register

A human rights lawsuit filed on behalf of prominent US government agencies - including the Central Intelligence Agency and the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base - has been filed in a European Court. The lawsuit, which plaintiffs also sent to Foreign Minister Davi

Gmail Custom Time | Gmail

Just click “Set custom time” from the Compose view. Any email you send to the past appears in the proper chronological order in your recipient’s inbox. You can opt for it to show up read or unread by selecting the appropriate option.

RAPIL - a slap in the face for hackers and virus writers | Sophos

An exciting day in SophosLabs. After long and arduous efforts, we announce our new beta technology offering to defeat the hackers, which we are currently referring to as RAPIL (Recognition and Analysis of Potentially Intruding Lifeforms).

Come back for more links tomorrow!!

EDIT (April 2nd) - Gotcha!  April Fools!!



+ Project Virgle By Jason 01 April 2008 at 6:49 am 171 views No Comments

Google has unveiled a project they have been rumored to be working on for the past few years… Project Virgle. As a science geek, you can see why this excites me!!

For thousands of years the human race has spread out across the Earth, scaling mountains and plying the oceans, planting crops and building highways, raising skyscrapers and atmospheric CO2 levels, and observing, with tremendous and unflagging enthusiasm, the Biblical injunction to be fruitful and multiply across our world’s every last nook, cranny and subdivision.

Earth has issues, and it’s time humanity got started on a Plan B. So, starting in 2014, Virgin founder Richard Branson and Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin will be leading hundreds of users on one of the grandest adventures in human history: Project Virgle, the first permanent human colony on Mars.

Project Virgle

Click here to find out more about this ground breaking project!! Project Virgle @ Google

EDIT (April 2nd) - Gotcha!  April Fools!!