We are Red and we are Dead. This is really all we’ve been doing all week, rustlin’ horses and hog-tying nuns. Such is life on the Wild West. It’s all we know, partner. But times are a changin’, dontcha know, just like the news. So without further ado:

• We talk about Rockstar Games’ awesome open world wild west adventure Red Dead Redemption quite a bit today. We’re sorry, but it’s just damn fun. And everyone loves a good western.
• Google had their annual I/O conference — you know, that time of year where they announce things that no one will use a few months from now are totally awesome? Oh, and theres Froyo. Delicious, succulent Froyo.
• GoogleTV. This warrants its own bullet point because it’s television, searchable by Google, and will apparently save us from the slums of current IPTV. All hail.
• Conan. I saw Conan. I talk about Conan. Demers and Anand listen to me talk about Conan. Conan.

Listen here, or at the Not So Much News!

Length: 37:11
Close: Apocalypse (Live) — Bear McCreary
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Savour the moment people, for this is our last week pre-iPad. The world will be very different in just a few short days. Water will taste different. Cats will become more friendly. Anand may finally be let past border security with only a light frisking. This is the hope.

But before we face the unstoppable deluge of Apple fanboyism, we’ve got some real news to talk about this week. Special guest and troubadour Brian Liu is on the show, dropping knowledge and giving us all Kindle envy. Topics of note include:

• Nintendo announced their upcoming handheld refresh, the Nintendo 3DS, in a very quiet fashion. I think the news broke in the dead of night. Did they really think we wouldn’t notice?
• Anand and Demers join forces in their hatred of Telus. Can’t say I blame them. I long for the day when we won’t speak ill of a telcom company.
• eReader prices are going down, which means us laggards might actually be able to afford one, finally. Brian, on the other hand…
• The Wall Street Journal thinks we’re going to pay $17.99 per month for a digital subscription — you know, on top of our $29.99 data plans.
• Finally, remember all that Android platform fragmentation we bitched about? That’s a big string of words, so I’ll forgive you if you don’t. Either way, Google says they’ve got a plan to fix it. Demers and about five other users care. (Zing!)

Listen here, or at the Not So Much News!

Length: 31:29
Close: God of War III Overture — Gerard Marino (GOW III OST)
Download: 30.2 MB
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Compadre and amigo-in-training Matt Demers returns for what is becoming a regular gig here at the Not So Horrible podcast. I’m not sure how I feel about that. There’s less toilet paper now, for one.

Otherwise, we hope you like phones, because there’s a lot of that junk going on today. Big ones, small ones, creepy ones and ones that don’t get timely updates, much to Demers’ chagrin. Talking points include:

• Palm’s in trouble. Which is a shame, because they’ve got a damn nice product in WebOS. Nevertheless, the company’s bleeding money, and we’ll tell you why.
• Shots of RIM’s BlackBerry OS 6.0 leak out, or so we’re told. I climb onto my soapbox and tell you why RIM’s heading downhill too.
• Windows Phone 7 Series, people. New details from Microsoft this week, and some interesting app store tidbits.
• Nexus One is finally available to Canadians, and works on all providers, contrary to what Rogers wants you to think.
• And finally, nobody loves Demers, Telus included. Android 2.1 is delayed for the time being, and there’s no ETA on its release. So much for mobile March Madness, eh?

Listen here, or at the Not So Much News!

Length: 34:05
Close: Hyrule Field (Orchestral version) – Koji Kondo (Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess OST)
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We seem to be on a roll here, because it’s episode 33, and we’ve got yet another guest. This time it’s columnist extraordinaire Matt Demers, who has, in fact, graced our fine podcast before on a few select episodes. His self-imposed exile is over now, however, so he joins myself and THE RAM this week for more crazy hi-jinks and shenanigans.

Things are looking pretty light this week, so here goes:

• Ars Technica is pleading you not block their ads. Apparently that – surprise – prevents online sites from earning money! Demers weighs in.
• The Oscars went down last night. We talk a few of our favourite films, and what should/shouldn’t have won – for a little while, at least. We’re still a tech podcast. For the most part.
• Is Google’s Android fragmenting its OS, and as a result, it’s market share? It’s more interesting than it sounds, I swear. At least listen for the shiny, Apple-related mention.
• In what is probably the most pressing question of this episode: how long did Frodo’s journey take in the Lord of the Rings? I wish I could entice you to listen and find out, but we didn’t know either. It’s actually three. Damn.

Listen here, or at the Not So Much News!

Length: 34:23
Close: The New Dork – Entrepreneur State of Mind
Download: 33.0 MB
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I’ve been playing the Heavy Rain demo a lot lately. While I won’t ruin things for Anand’s sake, I will tell you that I’ve started to view real world objects in a new light. Punching my keyboard should magically produce coffee. Waving my mouse above my head like a wildman should, theoretically, allow me to produce swiss cheese from my pockets. The game is making me do strange, ungodly things to my Playstation’s controller, and now that habit is spreading to other devices.

Which is exactly what we’ll be talking about on today’s magical 30th show. It’s taken a lot of elbow grease and unicorn blood to get this far, but by jove, did we ever do it in style. So without further ado…

• Holy crap, did Microsoft ever unveil a winner today with Windows Phone 7 Series. Never mind the clunky name — this is exactly what needed to happen to the aging mobile platform
• X10 also happened, which is basically Microsoft’s Xbox PR bonanza. Goodies include Alan Wake and Fable news
• I play Heavy Rain on the PS3, while Anand laments the still-downloading demo on his own console
• Microsoft apparently decided they weren’t willing to ship the US Army a huge shipment of Xboxes — something about fearful parents having their children playing the same games as trained soldiers. Are you as confused as I am?
• Google Buzz. What the buzz is it, and why should we care?

And that’s that. It’s a pretty Microsoft heavy episode, but that’s just how these things work out sometimes. We haven’t quite sold out…yet.

Length: 36:31
Close: Wolf Suite Pt. 1 – Danny Elfman (Wolfman OST)
Download: 35.1 MB
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