Krista Ranillo Uses Facebook to Discuss Manny Pacquiao Affair

Krista Ranillo

After defeating Miguel Cotto on Saturday, boxing great Manny Pacquiao returned to the Philippines with news of his affair with actress/model Krista Ranillo making almost a big a splash as his historic victory. Pacquiao is huge in the Philippines — I’m talkin’ Elvis huge — so an affair is a tremendous deal. What’s interesting is how social networking has played a part in the whole thing. Showbiz Gossips has reported that Ranillo broke her silence through Facebook:

In last night’s report in 24 Oras, GMA-7 reporter Nelson Canlas was able to talk to Krista Ranillo through Facebook chat. The actress is still in the US with her family and is set to go back to the country by the weekend. Krista revealed that she is aware of the negative issues about her rumored relationship with Manny Pacquiao.

Twitter is getting in on the action too. CNet Asia’s Joey Alarilla wrote about Twitter users sending messages with the hashtag “#teamjinkee”, in support of Manny’s wife, Jinkee Pacquiao. It’s just crazy how social networking services have changed the way we consume information, including 411 on adultery by superstar athletes…or would this be Adultery 2.0?

And yes, even though I’m genuinely interested in this story as a Filipino-American and a social networking junkie, I used the whole thing as an excuse to post a picture of a hot girl on my site. Hit the break for another picture of this sexy home wrecker.

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Coffee Talk #29: How Many Gaming Consoles Have Died on You?

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, the continuation of Showtime’s “Super Six” super-middleweight tournament, bisexual elf assassins, or the rise of Kofi Kingston, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

On Tuesday, I wrote about a recent CNet UK poll that showed some nasty numbers on the Xbox 360’s failure rate. I found your comments on the article interesting. My experience with console failures is limited to my Xbox 360 Elite. Every other console I’ve had has worked fine until it was retired for a next-gen system. Sure, I’ve had to blow on my fair share of cartridges (did that really do anything?), but I haven’t had a gaming system die on me until my Elite.

[poll id=”10″]

Magneto Was RightI was surprise by how many of you had multiple console failures. Nightshade386’s comment was particularly alarming — dude had seven consoles die on him! Either he’s one of the unluckiest gamers in America or he’s really Magneto. While my experience of one dead console might be unusual, his situation is on the other end of the spectrum…or so I think.

Today I’d like to know how many consoles have died on you. Leave the number in today’s poll and elaborate in the comments section. I’m curious to learn which systems failed you. While today’s consoles are more advanced than ever, they also seem to be far more fragile. Maybe it’s because the parts they’re using are so complex and delicate. Or maybe they don’t make ’em like they used to. Either way, I can’t wait to see your comments today!

Google’s Own Android Phone Might Be VoIP Only

Google Android

Google is rumored to be making its own Android phone with some pretty beefy specs…but it might not be a phone in the traditional sense. TechCrunch’s sources have told it that the phone will be data only and use VoIP for calling. The site’s Michael Arrington said:

The Google Phone may be a data only, VoIP driven device. And Google may be lining up at least AT&T to provide those data services for the Google Phone, says one person we spoke with today.

Users could still make calls just like a normal phone, of course. The calls would just be over the data service instead. In fact, this is the exact vision Google proposed back in 2007 when they were bidding on the FCC auctions for the 700MHz spectrum.

Presumably, the phone will use Google Voice to handle calls, but the service would have to change to work with a data-only phone. Right now, Google Voice still calls a local number for the “last mile” connection before handing off to VoIP.

While I’m still interested in this handset, being data only limits its appeal. Consumers with poor 3G coverage will likely have problems using Google’s Android phone to make calls. Mobile VoIP over 2G can be pretty poor. Arrington’s source is from AT&T, which has pretty shoddy 3G coverage. Would a data-only phone be feasible for that network? Will the phone have different radios to support other carriers? I’m curious to see how this rumored product pans out.

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Nintendo DSi XL is Big and Ugly

DSi XL in Japan

Anoop Gantayat from Andriasang snapped some photos of Nintendo’s upcoming DSi XL (DSi LL in Japan). He was not impressed with the system’s looks and size. While he admitted that playing games on it could be an entirely different experience, he stated:

DSi LL is a massive system. It reminds me of a really old portable. Unfortunately, Tsutaya didn’t have old DS phat systems in its display case so I couldn’t compare it with that monstrosity of hardware design.

The system also isn’t particularly attractive, especially compared to the slick DSi. The glossy cover unit and matte base unit don’t mix well. It almost looks like the system has a protector shell around its cover.

This is kind of a bummer. Anoop has been in this game for a long time, so I respect his opinion. From its PR photos and specs, I was looking forward to the DSi XL and happy with my decision to skip on the DSi. After seeing some real-world photos and hearing comments about it, my excitement has been downgraded to interest.

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Sony Updates PSP and PS3 Firmware — Prepare For Comics!!!

Sony has updated the firmware for its PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable products. First up is firmware version 3.10 for PS3. The big deal here is Facebook integration, which I know most of you don’t care about, so I won’t talk about it further. Besides, PSP firmware 6.20 is much more interesting. In addition to adding some new photo and video functionality, it also adds a digital comic book reader!

The PSP is about to get invaded by the heroes and villains from the Marvel Universe. Set to launch in December, some of Marvel’s best stories will be brought to a life on the PSP with a little motion and a lot of voice. From The Astonishing X-Men to Civil War, there are all sorts of great books that will be available for download.

Marvel Civil War

I’m psyched and nervous for these digital comics. On one hand, it’s a new way to experience some great stories. On the other hand, I know it will totally weird me out when characters sound way different from how they do in my head.

What’s your take on digital comics for PSP? Are you anxious to turn your PSP into a cosmic cube? Or will you not have your precious handheld gaming system dirtied up by Skrulls?

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Nintendo to Go on a Holiday Shopping Mall Tour

Tiffany

Taking a page from Tiffany’s book, Nintendo is set to embark on a nationwide tour of shopping malls across America. Its Nintendo Holiday Mall Experience hopes to entice shoppers with the latest DS and Wii goods from November 23 to December 20. The official press release stated:

The Nintendo Holiday Mall Experience will touch down in 35 shopping malls from coast to coast, offering free hands-on demos of some of Nintendo’s hottest games. Whether they’re seeking gifts for friends and family members or simply taking a break from the season’s hustle and bustle, attendees can enjoy an interactive glimpse into the rich variety of entertainment offered by Nintendo.

Yeah…because Nintendo needs help selling more hardware. Ha! I’m going to try to check out the one in Culver City, but if the tour is hitting a mall near you, I’d love to see your pictures. You can see the entire list of malls and cities below the fold.

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Nokia N900 Available Now!

Nokia has announced that the Nokia N900 is available through its flagship stores and will soon be available through retailers. It’s an important product for Nokia and the Maemo operating system. While Nokia is still the global leader in mobile phones, its Symbian S60 OS seems primitive compared to Apple’s iPhone OS, Google’s Android, and Palm’s WebOS. The company has been losing market share in the high-end smartphone market for years. Rumors indicate that Nokia will drop Symbian S60 for Maemo in all its high-end phones by 2012.

The N900 is an exciting product, but it’s definitely for tech enthusiasts and not for mainstream users. Maemo is extremely powerful and versatile, but it’s not (yet) as smooth as competing operating systems. I’m awfully tempted to pick this phone up. The web browsing experience, through the N900’s Mozilla browser, is purported to be the best one out there. The keyboard and screen are supposed to be excellent. Nokia has always had some of the best camera phones out there. There’s a lot I’m loving about this power-user phone.

Nokia N900

The N900 costs $649 through Nokia, but Amazon currently has it for $559. Here are the bullet points from the Amazon listing:

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Final Fantasy XIII Prologue Getting the Novelization Treatment

FFXIII Zero PromiseFinal Fantasy XIII fever is set to run wild on Japan next month( Hulk Hogan says things run wild “on” and not “in”). Along with the game, its special edition soundtrack, and limited edition Suntory beverage, FFXIII will have a book based on its prologue. Andriasang has reported:

Final Fantasy XIII Episode Zero Promise serves as a prologue to the events of the main FFXIII game. For the past month, Square Enix has been gradually releasing chapters from the novel at the FFXIII official site. The official site is currently up to the fourth chapter of the third volume. Just three more chapters remain.

The print version of the book is hardcover and sells for ¥1,470 at Amazon. Pre-orders are now being accepted at the retailer.

I’m often jealous of all the excellent goodies available to Japanese gamers. This is another instance of my jealousy.

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Spike TV 2009 Video Game Awards Nominees Revealed!

Spike TV VGA

Spike TV has revealed the nominees for its 2009 Video Game Awards (VGAs). The list is pretty solid, but there are some notable omissions. MLB 09: The Show and Dragon Age: Origins got the shaft. I don’t see how you can leave Final Fantasy XIII off of the “most anticipated” games list.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on the list! Are there any games that you think were overlooked by Spike TV? Anything overrated? What do you think of the VGAs having 25 categories? Too much?

And the nominees are…

Game of the Year
Assassin’s Creed 2
Batman: Arkham Asylum
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Left 4 Dead 2
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Studio of the Year
Infinity Ward
Naughty Dog
Rocksteady Studios
Valve

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