The 404 (MP3)

The 404 Podcast 491: Where we're all cast in new roles for 2010

the404@cnet.com (CNET.com) — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 10:49:00 PST

We're back! Jeff and Wilson are joined in the studio today with "Kenri," and Justin chimes in from San Francisco via phone. It's back to our usual shenanigans again, and we recount our holiday break. Plus, we have an apology to make to James Cameron.

(Credit: CNET)

Jeff tells us about his near-death experience on the ski slopes. Listen to how a patch of ice almost did away with our favorite CNET emcee. Wilson recounts his Christmas vacation to visit his dear ole Ma. Finally, Justin tells us about how he's currently sunbathing in California, while we all freeze to death here in NYC.

With the exception of "Kenri," we all caught James Cameron's "Avatar," and boy was it mind-blowing! The film is just incredible to watch, and we're pleasantly surprised to see it bring in more than $1 billion at the box office worldwide. Wilson is not sure though that the movie is any good in 2D. The clips and trailers still look silly, so we're still recommending people catch it in IMAX 3D or Real3D. (Editors' note: please catch "Up in the Air." Two words: Vera Farmiga.)

Tomorrow is the first day of CNET's annual International CES coverage. There won't be a show tomorrow because we'll be en route to Las Vegas. We'll be hosting a live show Wednesday at 5 p.m., Thursday at 4 p.m., and Friday at 4 p.m. PST. We have some surprises up our sleeves, but honestly, we're just trying not to kill ourselves while partying it up in Vegas. If you're there, come by the CNET booth in the North Hall at the Convention Center.

EPISODE 491
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The 404 Yuletide Mini-sode: Where we recap the movies of 2009

the404@cnet.com (CNET.com) — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 08:00:00 PST

(Credit: Flickr/emdot)

Welcome back to another Yuletide Mini-sode of CNET's The 404 Podcast. We'll be keeping you company all season with fresh episodes, year-end wrap-ups, CES 2010 previews, and much more!

We're all a little torn up about the top 50 highest grossing movies of 2009. Films like Watchmen, Bruno, and Star Trek blew us away and easily lived up to the hype; it's too bad that flops like Hotel For Dogs and Paranormal Activity had to ruin it for the rest!

In typical 404 fashion, we run down the list and pick out the movies that we love, and of course the movies that we love to hate.

Enjoy, and have a fun (and safe!) New Year!

Yuletide Mini-sode - Top Movies of 2009
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The 404 Yuletide Mini-sode: Where The 404 is the Fifth Element

the404@cnet.com (CNET.com) — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 08:00:00 PST

(Credit: Flickr/K嘛)

Welcome back to another Yuletide Mini-sode of CNET's The 404 Podcast. We'll be keeping you company all season with fresh episodes, year-end wrap-ups, CES 2010 previews, and much more!

Today's special holiday edition of The 404 is dedicated to The Fifth Element, easily one of our favorite movies of all time. From the epic vision of the distant future to the colorful characters and of course the operatic techno scene, this movie retains its entertainment value after almost 13 years.

To celebrate, we run off a list of our favorite scenes and quotes from the movie, then play a quick game of trivia. For example, did you know that Ruby Rhod wasn't supposed to be the original name for Chris Tucker's character? It was actually Loc Rhod! The original name appears in the script and the movie novelization.

Lots more to talk about, so check out the show and keep it hot hot HOT!

Yuletide Mini-sode - The Fifth Element
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The 404 Yuletide Mini-sode: Where we have fond memories of 2009

the404@cnet.com (CNET.com) — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 08:00:00 PST

Happy Holidays from your dudes at The 404!

(Credit: Nicholas)

Welcome back to another Yuletide Mini-sode of CNET's The 404 Podcast. We'll be keeping you company all season with fresh episodes, year-end wrap-ups, CES 2010 previews, and much more!

It's hard to believe that 2009 has already come and gone, but with the holidays over and 2010 around the corner, we've decided to record a special wrap-up episode to finish off the year. Lots of big changes that happened in the past twelve months, but the most momentous for the show has to be the introduction of the Tricaster and the subsequent evolution into a full-fledged video show. Of course, we have to thank Jason Howell, the man behind all the CNET Podcasts who helped us set up and troubleshoot our new equipment.

2009 also saw our first ever corporate sponsorship by way of Beck's Beer and the Beck's Beer Semi-Weekly Audio Draft in Conjunction with Beck's Beer and Last.FM, a subsidiary of CBS Interactive, or BBSWADCBBLFSCI for short. As a result of this segment, new music became an asset to the show, and we were very excited to welcome musician Andrew WK, Family of the Year, Jonathan Coulton and The Paper Raincoat into our studio for an interview and even a few in-studio performances!

R2D2 hangs a 404 ornament - Thanks Jim!

(Credit: Props Guy Jim/The404)

Another huge change we remember in 2009 was the contest submissions for our logo competition! We asked for your best ideas and you guys answered in DROVES! We had so many (hundreds!) of the most creative and inspired logos that the decision became much harder than we predicted. We finally voted on Blake Stevenson's bubbly design, and you can now see the finished product plastered all over our studio and merchandise. Thanks again Blake!

Before we welcome the new year, The 404 would like to extend a personal thank you to everyone involved with The 404. We consider ourselves incredibly lucky to say what's on our mind every morning, and we certainly wouldn't be able to do it without you, the listeners. The three of us listen and read each and every tweet, Facebook comment, e-mail, and voice-mail, and although we might not respond right away, we definitely appreciate every kind (and constructive) message. We also want to give a big thanks to every single person in the daily chat room, Jason Howell, Bonnie Cha, Cheryl Holloway, Mark Licea, Natali Del Conte, Richard Peterson, and everyone else that helps us navigate through the rigors of a daily talkshow.

It's going to be very difficult to top 2009 in the new year, but we're already off to a productive start with our debut at CES 2010. We're broadcasting LIVE everyday from January 5-9 on the CNET stage, so come say hi if you're heading to the show! In addition to merchandise (we promise!) and a very exciting new CNET podcast, we also have plenty of exciting guests lined up including artists, musicians, authors, celebrities, and sports starts, but you'll have to keep listening and downloading the daily show to find out more.

Have a fun and safe New Years everyone, see you in 2010!

Yuletide Mini-sode - Remembering 2009
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The 404 Yuletide Mini-sode: Where hackers of the world unite

the404@cnet.com (CNET.com) — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 08:00:00 PST

HACK THE PLANET

(Credit: Flickr: Lavandalo)

While you're enjoying the holiday break, check out this very special prerecorded Yuletide episode dedicated to the most inaccurate cyberpunk movie ever to tumble out of Hollywood. Of course, we're talking about "Hackers," the cult classic film that first phreaked its way into our hearts way back in 1995.

Oh my.

Directed by Iain Softley and starring Jonny Lee Miller, Jesse Bradford, Matthew Lillard, and Fisher Stevens, "Hackers" tells the story of Dade Murphy, aka "Crash Override," a curious kid obsessed with breaking into virtual environments with his laptop computer. After suffering a brutal punishment banning him from using a computer until his 18th birthday, Crash is forced to dust off the keyboard when his new friends discover a "truly heinous" plot to capsize a large ocean tanker.

There's a lot to be said about this movie, but the mass appeal of it is the fantasy world that the hackers call their playground. And however ridiculously inaccurate, it gave kids a visual representation of the mythical cybernetic universe. Oh, and also Angelina Jolie.

There's tons of "Hackers" trivia, bloopers, quotes, and favorite scenes in this episode, so go rent the movie and download the show!

Yuletide Mini-sode - Hackers
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The 404 Podcast 490: Where we finish things on a good note

the404@cnet.com (CNET.com) — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 14:13:00 PST

It's the last live episode of The 404...of 2009. Russ Frushtick, chief gamer at MTV Networks, joins the show today along with Mark Licea of The Green Show to discuss the tumultuous, but exciting year in videogames. Finally, we get to the winners of our "Hangover" contest.

(Credit: Russ Frushtick)

Because of the Great Recession, many games this year have been pushed back to the next year, and we've seen developers folding left and right. Jeff counts down his list of the most anticipated games of 2010--many of which were suppose to be released this year. Some of the games include Dark Void and Bayonetta. We think the main character of Bayonetta looks a lot like Sarah Palin.

Russ tries to teach Snooki of "Jersey Shore" how to play Buck Hunter.

(Credit: Russ Frushtick)

Some of Jeff's favorite games this year were Ghostbusters and, of course, Modern Warfare 2, which Russ actually says didn't make his top 5. Most of that he says has to do with the so-so single player mode and the glitches and cheats in the multiplayer mode of the game. Jeff and Wilson think that Ghostbusters was pretty entertaining, but they both agree that the gameplay itself was a little unappealing after 6 or 7 hours.

Finally, we had a contest to give away copies of "The Hangover" in Blu-ray and DVD. Most of our hangover stories were definitely NSFW, but a couple of them reminded us of our own horrible hangover stories from college and our adolescent days. On that note, please take care of yourself during the holidays. We will see you on the other side of New Year's. In the mean time, send us an e-mail at the404 [at] cnet [dot] com or leave a voice mail at 1-866-404-CNET (2638). There's no guarantee we will get to it during our break, but we will appreciate it. Be safe and have a blast!

EPISODE 490
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The 404 Podcast 489: Where our drones got hacked

the404@cnet.com (CNET.com) — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 12:43:00 PST

(Credit: zerozeros.com)

Things are certainly winding down here at the CNET New York offices as The 404 finishes up its last two live episodes for the year. In the studio with us today is Natali Del Conte along with her CBS producer Will--so it sounds like the show is about to get some Early Show love on Friday morning!

Today's show starts off on an unsettling note as we talk about word of U.S. drones being hacked in the skies of Iraq. Apparently, all that was needed was a cheap $26 program that allowed insurgents access to our unmanned aircrafts--how comforting!

Bonehead military security issues aside, it's about time the FCC addresses the all-too-common issue of blaring TV commercials. How many times have you blown an eardrum after an ad comes on that's 35 times louder than the program you were watching?

In our unintentional effort to destroy the green movement, we uncover the ridiculous side effect some new LED traffic lights are having involving their inability to melt snow. It's actually causing accidents, so maybe good-old-fashioned energy-sucking, heat-producing traffic lights were the way to go.

There's more 404 fun in today's show: Y2K memories, "Iron Man 2" talk, and the year's best YouTube videos!

EPISODE 489

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The 404 Podcast 488: Where we now offer free Wi-Fi--with the purchase of a Happy Meal

the404@cnet.com (CNET.com) — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 10:25:00 PST

This may be the last week of live 404 episodes for 2009, and it's also been the most hectic. With Wilson missing his second day in a row and Caroline McCarthy being bedridden by a holiday cold, Mark Licea and Bonnie Cha help me hold down the fort.

I'm leechin' it.

(Credit: McDonald's)

Today's show is all about giving, and McDonald's is jumping on board with the announcement that they'll be offering free Wi-Fi starting in 2010. Not sure the first thing we'd want to touch after scarfing down a bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit is a laptop keyboard, but hey, free is free.

Speaking of giving, The Hangover giveaway is still going on! Send us your best (but most likely worst) hangover stories to the404 [at] cnet [dot] com before Friday for your chance to win!

Sick of AT&T service? Tired of seeing Luke Wilson in those misleading coverage ads? You might want to join up with Chokehold, a grassroots movement to overload the AT&T network this Friday. We're not condoning this type of behavior, but Luke really is annoying in those commercials.

All this plus more stories and a great calls from the public segment!

EPISODE 488

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The 404 Podcast 487: Where even we can win a Golden Globe this year

the404@cnet.com (CNET.com) — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 10:25:00 PST

(Credit: WB)

While today's Golden Globe announcements were a bit underwhelming, we were thrilled to see "The Hangover" get a nomination in the Best Picture: Comedy or Musical category. To coincide with the film's release on Blu-ray and DVD today we're giving away copies of the movie! Just send us an e-mail at the404 [at] cnet [dot] com telling us your best (or worst) hangover story. Everyone's got at least one, so send us yours for a chance to win!

In Justin and Wilson's absence, Natali Del Conte and Mark "MTI" Licea rush to fill their spots and discuss all the day's news. Should your company be able to check text messages you send out on work cell phones? Actually, don't answer that question--we debate the pros and cons and decide.

Most guys can't remember what shirt they wore yesterday, but apparently most women can recall the first pair of shoes they ever bought--more so than the first boy they ever kissed! What is it about the female obsession with shoes? We ask Natali to clear the air--because, well, she's the only woman who'll talk to us.

All this plus the location of 22 million missing e-mails from the Bush Administration on today's episode!

EPISODE 487

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The 404 Podcast 486: Where Bonnie is not Nicole

the404@cnet.com (CNET.com) — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 11:04:00 PST

Bonnie Cha, senior editor for cell phones, joins the show today to fill in for Justin Yu. It's one of the few days Wilson and Jeff aren't worried about losing their jobs for something they shouldn't have said. And no, she is NOT Nicole Lee. What better day to have Ms. Cha on the show than following the weekend that the actual Google phone leaks!

Google Nexus One

(Credit: Cory O'Brien)

The Google phone has been rumored for the last three or four years, and since the release of Google's Android operating system, the hoopla has died down considerably for an actual Google-branded phone. In typical Google fare, the company has decided on screwing its partners like Verizon and Motorola over by releasing an unsubsidized GSM phone called the Nexus One. No word yet on how much the unit will cost, but we do know that HTC designed the device. And that Google employees got the units over the weekend. Word on the street is that the device runs Android OS 2.1.

The mobile space is where all the spice is these days, and today is no different. News comes out that the venerable institution that is Playboy is jumping into the iPhone app fray with its own app. Because of Steve Jobs' no-porn rule, however, the app won't come with any outright nude pics. It will come with some scantily clad ladies and their interests. Per usual, it's all about the articles, not the pics.

(Credit: Playboy)

In videogaming news, the Pentagon is buying up 2,200 PlayStation 3s. No, they aren't using it to train soldiers with "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2", while it may be a lot of fun. The military wants to use the gaming consoles to run simulations because the $299 machines can calculate 150 GFLOPS. At The 404, we really have no idea what that means, but it sounds impressive.

Finally, Green Day comes to Rock Band. The Beatles have come already, and while we're generally excited to have one of the best modern bands, we're not really excited to have every dude singing "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)" at every single graduation party. This could be a very, very bad thing.

EPISODE 486
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The 404 (MP3)

The 404 Podcast 491: Where we're all cast in new roles for 2010

EPISODE 491

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The 404 Yuletide Mini-sode: Where we recap the movies of 2009

Yuletide Mini-sode - Top Movies of 2009

The 404 Yuletide Mini-sode: Where The 404 is the Fifth Element

Yuletide Mini-sode - The Fifth Element

The 404 Yuletide Mini-sode: Where we have fond memories of 2009

Yuletide Mini-sode - Remembering 2009

The 404 Yuletide Mini-sode: Where hackers of the world unite

Yuletide Mini-sode - Hackers

The 404 Podcast 490: Where we finish things on a good note

EPISODE 490

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The 404 Podcast 489: Where our drones got hacked

EPISODE 489

The 404 Podcast 488: Where we now offer free Wi-Fi--with the purchase of a Happy Meal

EPISODE 488

The 404 Podcast 487: Where even we can win a Golden Globe this year

EPISODE 487

The 404 Podcast 486: Where Bonnie is not Nicole

EPISODE 486