bans
Games
If You Buy A Used Xbox 360 That’s Been Banned, You’re Screwed
7:50AM Matt Buchanan | Major Nelson, updating us on a periodic Xbox Live purge — banhammering cheaters, pirates and other folks of ill-repute, though not 12-year-olds — reminds us of Microsoft’s official policy that if you buy a used Xbox 360 that’s been banned, you’re screwed. More »
Music
Gyms Don’t Like iPod Nano’s Video Recording Inside Locker Rooms
3:40AM Jason Chen | Gyms already forbid people from use camera-equipped gadgets, like smartphones and Flip digital cameras inside locker rooms, since nobody wants their hairy junk posted onto the internet. But now you can add iPod Nanos to the list of no-no items. More »
Press
Schwarzenegger Terminates Texting While Driving in California
12:20AM Sean Fallon | California is joining seven other states and Washington DC by imposing a full-on ban of text messaging while driving. The bill signed by the Governator himself imposes a $US20 fine for the first offence and $US50 for repeat offenders starting next year. Kind of a slap on the wrist if you ask me—but that is more than 43 other states in this country are doing. [LA Times via CrunchGear] More »
Press
Congress Takes First Steps in Banning In-Flight Calling Permanently
2:30AM Jason Chen | Like a gaggle of schoolgirls, Congress traded stories about how they too were annoyed by people using their phones before and after takeoff on flights. Well, I never! One House member relayed the story of how his delicate sensibilities were stomped all over by some woman who talked about her sex life on the phone, shortly to be one-upped by another congressman saying that his wife overheard someone receiving a “Dear John” call before takeoff. Good sir! After the jab-fest portion of this sleepover was concluded, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved, via voice vote, a bill that would make the current FCC ban on in-flight calling permanent. And then one of their dads took them out for ice cream. Best night ever. [Yahoo] More »
Games
Nintendo’s Wii Classic Controller and GameCube GamePad Getting a Temporary Ban on Sales
3:00AM Jason Chen | As a result of Nintendo’s loss in court to a Texas-based company called Anascape, the judge ruled that all sales of the Wii Classic Controller and the GameCube controller need to be temporarily halted until funds can be placed into an escrow account. What’s the impact on you, Joe or Dan Consumer? Starting today, July 23, all sales of those controllers AND GameCube systems will be placed on hold, meaning that you should really try and find a place to buy these accessories now if you need them soon. On the bright side, Nintendo’s Nunchuck controller isn’t affected by this ruling about analogue sticks, so you’re safe if you just want to play Wii games. [1up via Kotaku] More »
Phones
Student Catches Principal Fighting With Student on Mobile Phone Camera, School Responds By Banning Mobiles
7:32AM Jason Chen | Way to go, Caddo School Board. You’ve won yourself the Gizmodo luddite of the week award. See, when a student films the principal of your Huntington High School fighting another student, the correct response isn’t to ban cellphones, it’s to make sure principals don’t fight with students. It was only after the student showed the clip to local media that you actually did something about the situation, putting the principal on paid administrative leave. As a side note, we would also have accepted “resigning and putting people not completely retarded onto the school board” as a correct response. [Shreveport Times via Techdirt - Image courtesy Chicspeare] More »
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