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Despite the ongoing hype surrounding 3G, mobile gaming has yet to make the most of its massive potential market. Sarah Treanor discusses how such promise will be fulfilled by gaming companies in the future

The launch of the first 3G network in 2003 was heralded as the beginning of a new era for mobile in the UK. Extensive ad campaigns showing how we would soon be making the most of our mobile seemed to offer a brave new world of connectivity.

Such at least was the hope. But if the reality in terms of 3G take-up has been far from astounding, there is evidence of interest on the part of mobile users to utilise their devices for interactive gaming. Of huge significance is the potential scale of the mobile gambling market. The very latest technology may still be an expensive option for most, with latest estimates suggesting there are only around 10 million 3G users worldwide. But products such as mobile lotteries, for instance, do not even require 3G handsets. They are simple to run, and they are increasingly popular worldwide.

With clear evidence of mainstream demand for products and services such as mobile banking, wireless internet on mobiles, and picture and video messaging, it is a fair assumption that take-up of mobile gaming may not be far behind.

Nader Rahimizad, president of mobile games provider PlayWizard, says: “As with any new technology, once the early adopters are saturated and time passes by, the normal consumer starts to nibble.”

Untapped potential

Where the technology uptake is high enough, there is ample evidence that the interest in mobile gaming is on the rise. Yet, with complex and demandingly fast-paced mobile developments, and limited cross-over from the online space, it means that at present the market is largely untapped.

As Simon Swanson, UK country manager for Wild Jack Mobile Casino (WJMC), says: “The potential is huge, but so are the challenges.” A report from UK-based consultancy Juniper Research states that use of mobile handsets for TV, interactive downloads and gambling is on course to increase rapidly in the next five years.

Research director Bruce Gibson and report author Aditya Kadul say that consumers are now familiar with a multi-purpose handset. Gibson argues this in itself suits the impulsive gambler. “The mobile channel takes gambling to the mass market. The mobile phone is a wonderful device for doing things on impulse, and for all but the regular gambler, betting is an impulse activity.”

He continues: “Current trends suggest that gamers gamble more frequently on the mobile than other channels, but with lower stakes.”

Women on top

This trend for small stakes may account for the fact that women are forecast to play an increasingly important role for mobile operators. As research firm Telephia reported in June this year, 65% of mobile games revenue is gained from female users. This report also cites the casual  appeal of mobile games for women, and explains that for puzzles and skill games, which account for 34% of the total revenue, women formed 72% of the customer base. But despite positive indicators, a consensual opinion from developers and operators is that mobile needs both a high level of commitment and investment.

Customer crossover from online cannot be relied upon to provide a pre-existing playerbase. Rahimizad explains: “Originally, the casino operators thought they could just put out a few games on their portals and all the consumers would flock over to mobile gambling, but they were proven otherwise.”

He continues: “We have argued that the normal casino customer is not a mobile customer since they are not early adopters. Our bet was the real novice or the really early adopters would be the initial audience. We saw this back in 2000 when we developed the Push2Bet proactive mobile betting system for Victor Chandler and William Hill.”

Matti Zinder, chief executive of Spin3, agrees that online and mobile customers are distinct. He says: “There is not much crossover between egaming customers and those who play on the mobile casino.”

Equally, the games themselves cannot automatically be transplanted, as Swanson from WJMC says: “Our markets are certainly distinct at this stage. Some people have tried to transport their operation onto mobile platforms; it is not the best way to do things,” he says. “This is not something you set up on a whim.”

Obstacle course

Zinder adds that not only does the mobile games operator have to recruit new customers, but the pace of development poses a continual challenge: “It is difficult to compete in this market, you have to have a willingness to stay abreast. This market is very unforgiving. The barriers to entry are quite significant.”

Aside from the challenges of player recruitment, technology remains an obstacle. Unlike the relative uniformity offered for online developers, where Microsoft and Apple Mac systems are dominant across the globe, mobile game development is hampered by the volume and variety of handsets.

“If you are not at the cutting edge, the technology will leave you behind,” says Zinder. “There are issues with handsets. Manufacturers are bringing out new handsets practically every week and they all run on different systems. For each game you have to remake it for more than a 100 handsets. It¹s not like an online game. Every time, you have to rework it so it fits the handsets. We need to create 900 versions for each game. It does cost quite a bit.”

Location, location, location

There also appears to be a consensus that the global market needs specific country-focus. Zinder says: “The Asian market presents a particular issue. In Japan, some technology is specifically not available anywhere else. The manuals and everything else are only in Japanese, it¹s not available in the West, so we have invested in that as

well.”

Juniper’s Gibson agrees: “Mobile gambling success is very much dictated by local regulation.” The US ­ legislative issues aside ­ lags behind Europe and Asia in terms of telecoms technology, making it an unattractive area for investment according to Zinder.

He says: “The US has a number of issues, for a start their technology is between six and eight months behind Europe. The best return is not from the US.” Although there are barriers to success, those within the space remain

optimistic of progress.

Focused campaigns for individual markets, and bespoke regional product offerings provide solutions to problems of uptake according to both researchers and the companies themselves. Gibson says: “Currently the UK is one of the most attractive markets due to the recent overhaul of gaming legislation.”

Zinder is positive that looking further afield is equally beneficial: “South America is interesting, we have just concluded a deal with Mobistar to provide services for 11 different South American countries with a local partner.”

Rahimizad argues that regional trend spotting is key for success. He says: “Hong Kong has the highest uptake worldwide for play for points.” Says Juniper’s Kadul: “Japan has been very receptive in terms of 3G penetration so far.” Zinder agrees: “In China and East Asia there is a huge cultural tendency to gamble. There is massive potential there.”

Indeed, where there is a generally high uptake of technology in general, there is a proportional likelihood of successful mobile launches. Japan’s reputation as technology-friendly and receptive to gambling means mobile products are being pitched to a responsive audience.

Interactive connections

A similar logic is used by Dale Tempest, PR director at Skybet. Following a recent deal between BSkyB and mobile operators for the provision of mobile sports content to subscribers from the UK Premiership, he argues that where uptake of interactive television is high, mobile use will follow.

He says: “We have 70% of the interactive market, and we understand that our customers are very technologically sophisticated. Interactive television customers are the kind of people who will take well to mobile betting. Anything Sky does with mobile content, we will be there.”

The betting exchange is, according to Betfair, another transferable concept. Betfair spokesperson Oliver Bowen argues that mobile betting is the future for the sector. “Successful exchange betting is about getting the right price at the right time, and mobile allows customers to adjust their Betfair positions on the move.” In 2000, the World Health Organisation predicted there would be 1.5 billion mobiles worldwide in five years. For established online operators this represents a market opportunity which is too good to miss.

Swanson from WJMC argues that the outlook is positive: “My perspective on the market is that it is still in its infancy.” Zinder agrees: “Generally speaking, online is so established now as an industry it is getting close to mainstream. I can see the same indicators happening with the mobile space. We are getting a huge deployment for our products.”

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Finally,there are a range of deposit methods including Neteller, Credit Cards & wire, so there is a payment method for everyone!

The recent decision by Neteller to cease facilitating transactions with online gambling sites for its US customers has become the largest effect to date of the UIGEA bill signed into law on October 13th , 2006.  Until last week, Neteller was the most universal method for funding online poker and gambling accounts, accepted by virtually every reputable site and accessible to almost any players at those sites throughout the world (with notable exception of Marylanders in the US).  Neteller’s rapid decision, on the heels of arrests in the US of two founders of the company, was followed in quick succession by the loss of other smaller players in the US including Central Coin and InstaDebit, as well as Click2Pay which is no longer accepting US customers (though existing ones can still use the service).  Additionally, many sites no longer offer direct debit/credit of US bank accounts, further reducing the convenient options for managing an online bankroll.

What does this mean for all the players who have money online in various poker sites, sports books, and with payment processors like Neteller?  For starters, it’s probably not a time to panic, sites like Neteller and Poker Stars are quite reputable, and segregate customer deposits from operating revenues, so as difficult as it may be to access funds at these sites in the short run, it’s perfectly reasonable to expect to be able to get the money in the long run, either through slower methods like paper checks, or through other payment processors that are, or may become, available.  Neteller is also encouraging members with a need to more quickly access their online balances to withdraw through their Neteller ATM card, though there are some fees and limitations involved, as noted here .  That said, now would certainly be a good time to make a prudent assessment of your bankroll and your needs to have ready availability of some or all of it while deciding how best to manage your money online.  In my opinion, the best way for a US based poker player to proceed would probably be to get a working bankroll into the sites which seem the most failsafe, in the event that deposit methods are further curtailed.  This should allow US players to continue to play at the sites like Poker Stars, Full-Tilt Poker, Absolute Poker and others which seem to be in no hurry to prohibit US players from playing, even if methods of depositing money into these sites becomes more difficult in the future.  Each player will, of course, have to determine how much risk is acceptable, especially when dealing with the larger sums that a regular online pro will need to maintain in order to minimize normal bankroll risk.

So, what are the options for funding accounts online now?  For an up-to-date list of the most popular options and the sites which accept them, you can check out this link for an online spreadsheet which we will keep updating as things progress.  The most widely accepted ewallet at this point would appear to be ePassporte which is the method of funding currently recommended by Poker Stars, and which is also available at Ultimate Bet, Absolute, and Full Tilt.  By comparison to Neteller it has the disadvantage of some significant fees and slower transfer of cash from a bank account to an ePassporte account, but it does have the advantage of offering a virtual Visa card for online shopping directly from your balance as well as a physical Visa card option (for an additional fee) which allows you to spend from your online balance anywhere Visa is accepted.   Also, once funded, transferring funds to and from poker sites online is fee free (with the exception of $5 annual account fee for the the ePassporte account itself), which does mean that for those players who don’t need to constantly move money online from regular accounts the fees will probably be a relatively minor nuisance.  A complete listing of ePassporte’s fees can be found here. 

For as long as ePassporte or an equivalent option remains available (new ones such as ATMonline, NUcharge and  eWalletXpress have already popped up), cashing out is also probably best handled via an eWallet, but for those sites where ePassporte isn’t available, or in the event of further restrictions, there are some other alternatives.  For example, it is possible to fund most sites via Western Union transfers, and in many cases to cash out via this method as well.  Unfortunately, this requires person-to-person transfers via Western Union which can be a bit unsettling given the potential amounts involved and the fees can be significant as well.  For now, Bodog is picking up the fees for one cashout per week, as noted here, and other sites may institute similar setups if other methods of funding become more difficult.  Similarly, most sites will fund an account via a mailed cashier’s check or money order and will cash out via a paper check.  These methods are likely to remain available for the foreseeable future, as they aren’t covered by the UIGEA, but they are obviously not as transparent as online transactions, and do potentially involve the risk/hassle of payments lost in the mail.  We will continue to monitor the options available and update here and on the ITH forums with any new information.

Finally, it is worth noting that the online gambling customers in the US are a large portion of the market for these sites, and despite the dearth of options currently available to US players to fund these accounts it is reasonable to expect that the sites that continue to do business in the US will provide alternatives.  Likewise, as with any new business, it is essential that those customers do appropriate due diligence and be wary of potential scams and fly-by-night operations.  Neteller’s withdrawal from the US certainly makes this landscape more uncertain, but with the resources available here and elsewhere we hope to be able to provide you with enough good information to make intelligent decisions about how to continue with your online poker hobby/profession.

 

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Click2Pay is the newest online payment solution for US-based players. It is similar to Neteller. It provides a safe and secure method to transfer cash online, same-day payments, and virtually instant cash transfers. After opening your free Click2Pay account, you can use it to make immediate deposits at Online Casino and many other online businesses.

TO:
007

FROM:
MIt seems that Le Chiffre - aka “The Number” - is alive and well, despite intelligence reports to the contrary. We know that he provides a global money-laundering service to terrorists - offering them cash anywhere, at any time, to fund their operations. We now believe that he has been using his clients’ money and these terrorist contacts to manipulate the stock market. Thanks to your efforts, he lost a great deal on his last transaction. He has set up a high stakes poker game at the Casino Royale in Montenegro in an attempt to make up his losses. We’re sending you to disrupt his plans. This is not a game, 007. We want you to stop him from winning but we need him alive. He can offer valuable information that we can use to penetrate and shut down terrorist activities worldwide. The Treasury has agreed to stake you in the game and are sending one of their foreign liaison officers, Vesper Lynd, to accompany you. It will be her decision to release additional funds, if necessary. She will contact you on your way to Montenegro. Once you arrive, you will rendezvous with our local contact, Renee Mathis. We have been informed of another player who recently joined the game at the last minute, Felix Leiter. His story seems in order but it would be wise to remain alert. I will need your full report on the Solange affair before you depart. Please submit this to me before 0900 tomorrow. Good luck, M   

CASINO ROYALE is based on Ian Fleming’s novel of the same name. Published in 1953, it was the first book in his ‘James Bond’ series. EON Productions’ CASINO ROYALE produced by Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli will mark the introduction of Daniel Craig (Munich/Layer Cake) as legendary secret agent, 007. Martin Campbell (GoldenEye/The Legend Of Zorro) is directing this film, the 21st in the 44 year franchise.STORY OUTLINECASINO ROYALE introduces JAMES BOND before he holds his license to kill. But Bond is no less dangerous, and with two professional assassinations in quick succession, he is elevated to “00″ status.Bond’s first 007 mission takes him to Madagascar, where he is to spy on a terrorist, MOLLAKA (Sebastien Foucan). Not everything goes to plan and Bond decides to investigate, independently of MI6, in order to track down the rest of the terrorist cell. Following a lead to the Bahamas, he encounters DIMITRIOS (Simon Abkarian) and his girlfriend, SOLANGE (Caterina Murino). He learns that Dimitrios is involved with LE CHIFFRE (Mads Mikkelsen), banker to the world’s terrorist organizations.Secret Service intelligence reveals that Le Chiffre is planning to raise money in a high-stakes poker game in Montenegro at Le Casino Royale. MI6 assigns 007 to play against him, knowing that if Le Chiffre loses, it will destroy his organization.’M’ (Judi Dench) places Bond under the watchful eye of the beguiling VESPER LYND (Eva Green). At first skeptical of what value Vesper can provide, Bond’s interest in her deepens as they brave danger together and even torture at the hands of Le Chiffre.In Montenegro, Bond allies himself with MATHIS (Giancarlo Giannini), MI6’s local field agent, and FELIX LEITER (Jeffrey Wright), who is representing the interests of the CIA. The marathon game proceeds with dirty tricks and violence, raising the stakes beyond blood money and reaching a terrifying climax. 

CASINO ROYALE is based on Ian Fleming’s novel of the same name. Published in 1953, it was the first book in his ‘James Bond’ series. EON Productions’ CASINO ROYALE produced by Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli will mark the introduction of Daniel Craig (Munich/Layer Cake) as legendary secret agent, 007. Martin Campbell (GoldenEye/The Legend Of Zorro) is directing this film, the 21st in the 44 year franchise.STORY OUTLINECASINO ROYALE introduces JAMES BOND before he holds his license to kill. But Bond is no less dangerous, and with two professional assassinations in quick succession, he is elevated to “00″ status.Bond’s first 007 mission takes him to Madagascar, where he is to spy on a terrorist, MOLLAKA (Sebastien Foucan). Not everything goes to plan and Bond decides to investigate, independently of MI6, in order to track down the rest of the terrorist cell. Following a lead to the Bahamas, he encounters DIMITRIOS (Simon Abkarian) and his girlfriend, SOLANGE (Caterina Murino). He learns that Dimitrios is involved with LE CHIFFRE (Mads Mikkelsen), banker to the world’s terrorist organizations.Secret Service intelligence reveals that Le Chiffre is planning to raise money in a high-stakes poker game in Montenegro at Le Casino Royale. MI6 assigns 007 to play against him, knowing that if Le Chiffre loses, it will destroy his organization.’M’ (Judi Dench) places Bond under the watchful eye of the beguiling VESPER LYND (Eva Green). At first skeptical of what value Vesper can provide, Bond’s interest in her deepens as they brave danger together and even torture at the hands of Le Chiffre.In Montenegro, Bond allies himself with MATHIS (Giancarlo Giannini), MI6’s local field agent, and FELIX LEITER (Jeffrey Wright), who is representing the interests of the CIA. The marathon game proceeds with dirty tricks and violence, raising the stakes beyond blood money and reaching a terrifying climax. 

Seven times did Roger Moore wrap himself in the mantle of James Bond … do I have to look up the titles? Hell, no, not a wretched Bondgeek such as I — I could do it blindfolded: Live and Let Die, The Man With The Golden Gun, The Spy Who Loved Me, Moonraker, For Your Eyes Only, Octopussy, and, the absolute all-time nadir of the series, A View to A Kill. Let’s see, 1973-85, a 12-year-long fashion violation, a veritable limbo game in which the image of Our Hero was pitched lower, ever lower. And finally Bond literally turns up in clown makeup in Octopussy.

One dozen years of vacant bimbos, horrendous puns, and obsolete gadgets … remember the pretitle sequence of Live and Let Die? Behold, o mortals! The futuristic wonder of … the digital watch! Oh, how the God of Bond Movies tested our faith during those years. Sometimes, it’s hard to remember how good Bond films can be when they’re at their best, following a Moore marathon (or, if you will, a Mooreathon). All those twtichings of what Anthony Lane described as “Roger Moore’s stunt-eyebrows … ” Now that these terrible films have been dredged up for DVD, they’re worsened by commentary tracks by public-school accented second unit directors, reminiscing about “Dear Wodger’s” sense of humor, like the time he hid Bernard Lee’s Metamucil, or something …

But today, let us praise seven moments during Moore’s tenure. It wasn’t all bad, was it?

Hey, did you know Casino Royale was coming out this Friday? After a four-year wait, we now have a new Bond in Daniel Craig, as well as a new direction for the entire franchise. Early reviews indicate the film is wicked cool, and I for one am very excited about it. Martin Campbell returns to the directing chair, having last helmed 1995’s Goldeneye. He becomes the first director since John Glen (who directed a whopping five Bond films) to direct more than one 007 flick. (The other three dudes to do that were Guy Hamilton, Lewis Gilbert and Terence Young.) Royale’s Bond girls (Eva Green and Caterina Murino) look perfect — a combination of sexy, exotic and dangerous — which is something the last few Bond films have lacked. Am I leaving anything out? Oh yeah, the bad guy. Does it get any better than Mads Mikkelsen?

For your viewing pleasure, Cinematical has already kicked off its Seven Days of 007 feature. For the next seven days, we’ll be taking a closer look at James Bond, his girls, his enemies and the twenty films that we have either grown to love or loved to hate. Where will Casino Royale fit in? In just a couple of days, we’ll have our answer. However, before we begin gushing over the legendary character, I’d like to know which Bond films failed to entertain. Which ones did you absolutely hate? For me, it’s a toss up between A View to a Kill and The World is Not Enough. The latter I dislike for obvious reasons — c’mon, you can’t do any better than Denise Richards? The girl was a complete moron — but besides that — who’s bright idea was it to have Michael Apted direct this flick? Sure, the guy is great at what he does, but boy did he fail here. As far as A View to a Kill is concerned, aside from a groovy song by Duran Duran, was I the only one who was completely freaked out by Grace Jones. Ugh, just thinking about her in this film gives me the bad kind of goose bumps. And while Christopher Walken should have been an awesome bad guy, in my opinion, his talent was completely wasted.

So, I ask you: Which films showed James Bond at his worst?

If you haven’t seen any or all of the previous 20 Bond films, then you can catch yourself up by watching the trailers for all of the movies. Extremely enterprising YouTube user famouswillie (and other folks with an extraordinary amount of free time on their hands) have made us very happy Cinemites by doing the tedious uploading work for us.

After the jump check out the trailer for every Bond film up through Casino Royale, and some bonus video treats at the very bottom of the list.

These trailers also serve as a sort of visual history of film. It’s especially eye-opening to contrast the Dr. No trailer with the one for Casino Royale. We certainly have come a long way, Mr. Bond.

So I went and saw Clerks 2 on Friday and I have to say it was fucking hilarious. I haven’t laughed that hard in I don’t remember how long. I was laughing so hard that I was almost sick…

As you might be aware I love comedies that you can take apart bits and pieces and make little inside jokes with your friends. This movie had quite a few of them…Allowing me to run down some of my key take-a-ways:

1. Anne Frank…She’s deaf, dumb, and blind right? NO! That’s Helen Keller! So anytime someone acts deaf, dumb, or blind, ask them if they’re acting like Anne Frank. It’ll throw them for a loop…

2. Porch Monkey! Now it may be known as a racist term, but white people are taking it back! Let it be free for all to use…at least we’re not trying to liberate the word nigger…!

3. I have a feeling that Donkey Shows are going to increase in popularity in the near future…Don’t know what a Donkey show is?!? Let’s just say that it’s a display of Inter-Species Erotica…nuf said!

4. It’s O.K. to perform Ass-to-Mouth (A.T.M.) sex in the heat of a passionate moment…

5. In the eye of God, Transformers are an acceptable cartoon for Christians to watch. Machines are designed to turn into other machines, therefore it doesn’t go against God’s Creation.

6. Overall this movie kinda struck home in the sense that life is not meant to be what everyday America says it should be. You should find happiness in what you have and worry about what you don’t have. Don’t think that your life is incomplete because you aren’t the CEO of a major corporation. Just because you may be nearing 30 and you have no possessions to show for it, doesn’t mean your life was a total waste.

Throughout the years, the world has had every opportunity to get to know Cee-lo and Jazze Pha for their musical talents. Cee-lo first debuted into the music world as one fourth of the rap collective, Goodie Mob. Since their start, he has released numerous albums with the group, and has also maintained a successful solo career. He’s also done a host of tracks as a member of ATL’s Dungeon Family, alongside other members, including Outkast.

Meanwhile, Jazze Pha has become well known on the production side of things, producing hits for a host of A-List rappers, including Trick Daddy and Youngbloodz. Most recently, he’s become even more well known for his label, Sho’Nuff Records, which is currently the home new Crunk~n~B princess Ciara. Now, after working together on numerous occasions throughout their careers, Jazze and Cee-lo have decided to come together as one, and the outcome is their group debut, appropriately titled “Happy Hour”.

Now that the album is complete and the first single is killing the charts, they’ve embarked on a tour to promote their soon-to-be-released gem! We had a moment to catch up with Jazze and Cee-lo during one of their brief breaks, and they had a lot to say about their contributions to the game, and this album! Peep our exclusive!

Part 1 - Jazze Pha

What’s going on?

Hey James, what’s happenin’ man?

Nothing much man! As always, many thanks go out to you brothers for taking time to talk today…

Oh, for sure!

Now I know off the bat that you and Cee-lo have been good friends for quite some time, but how did you two arrive at the notion of joining forces to form the ultimate group?

Well you know, Cee-lo and I have done collaborations together, and we’ve known each other for a while. It all began with Trick Daddy’s record, “In Da Wind”.

Man, it’s funny that I still play that song to this day. It was so hot that I went out and bought the single…

Oh yeah? Then, we did some work together on his last album, “Cee-lo Green Is The Soul Machine”.

Right, that was just out last year…

Then we did “All I Know”, a collaboration with Field Mob for their record. From there, he was going to do collaboration on my solo album, but we realized that we were working so well together that we should just come together as a unit and do a full album.

You have so many people out there, who have been succesful as solo artists, and then they try to link with another artist as a group and it doesn’t work. What made you know that this would work with you and Cee-lo?

I sing, rap, and produce, and the same thing for Cee-lo. So to me, that’s like super powers.

So the both of you are producing tracks on the album?

Oh yea, we’re both putting in production work.

The first single has a big party vibe to it. What’s to be expected for the remainder of the album?

Oh yeah, the album definitely has a party element to it. We’re having a damned good time with this album, and you’re able to dance to the music. When you see us perform, it’s going to exemplify everything. When the ladies see us, they’ll want to go out and have some drinks with us. Just like the song says, “Let’s Go Have Some Drinks”. Once you get the whole visual, it all comes together.

I think the biggest bonus is that the two of you actually have a natural chemistry together, and you actually work together in the studio, as opposed to sending tracks back and forth to each other. Not only that, but the video is hot, and you guys are really out promoting it.

Oh man, I appreciate that. You know, we’re both solo, and he’s [Cee-lo] a big fan of the Bar-Kays, and just funk period. You know, my dad was one of the Bar-Kays. I grew up around all of that…

Oh wow man. I did not know that at all.

Yea, my dad is James Alexander, lead singer of the Bar-Kays.
Yeah man!

So now I see where you get your style from!

Yea man! You hear a lot of real music in my production. That’s what I’m about, is real music. I like to create a new vibe and change things.

Did you guys collaborate with other artists/producers for this album?

Oh yea, most definitely! Production-wise, we worked with a guy named Jasper Cameron. He worked on “Na Na Na” with me for Nelly’s album. We did something with Mannie Fresh. He did a track. Of course, Cee-lo did a few tracks, and then we have Ciara, Nate Dogg, and Aaron Hall singing.

How are you finding the time to do an album and whatnot, while running a label [Sho’Nuff Recordings] at the same time?

Well man, you know, it’s like I can walk and chew gum at the same time (laughing). You know, I can do two things at the same time.

That was the first thing I asked, too, man, when I first heard that you two were dropping the album. I’m like, how is this cat going to do all of this, and run the label?t

Man, it definitely isn’t easy though. We have partners and everything that can keep the label moving when I’m gone. Plus, I got things locked up with the beats. I’m still making music as we roll. We just got out on the road. We’re about to get a studio bus.

How much further will you guys take this union? Will you do multiple albums as a duo?

Well you know, this being a career, we’re going to do this until we can’t do it anymore. Just until we feel like we’ve got to do something else.

Well, I think the two of you are creating a good brand with this union. I believe that a lot of people, especially the “grown and sexy” crowd, will really stick to this, because it’s not just the typical “blahzay blah” that you hear on the regular from a lot of artists.

Yeah man, I truly hope so. I appreciate you saying that, too. You know, it’s just about us creating some real, quality music and having some style. You can buy clothes and all kinds of material, but you cannot buy style. Cee-lo, that boy has style, and so do I, and when you put that together, you get so much. This is an album that the ladies can get into! This is an album that the players can get into! It’s going to be one of the best word of mouth pieces in a long time.

Now you said you two have been on the road, is there an elaborate tour going on right now?

Right now, we’re doing the promo stops, meet and greets, hug and shake hands, kiss a few babies, signing autographs, and letting the people know we are out here, and we’re getting’ down!

Now the album will be dropping when?

The album is going to be out, we’re thinking, around Valentine’s Day.

Well I personally can’t wait for it to hit stores man. I’m kind of disappointed that it’s not for another three months.

Well you know, we want to build that awareness. And you know, that’s just a tentative date. If we can get that action that we really need ahead of time, then we’ll push it up.

Now you’re dropping more singles before the album drops, right?

Oh yea, definitely. We’re thinking about a few different tracks, but you know, that’s something that could change overnight.

Are there any final comments, or anything you really wanted to get out there?

Oh yeah man, Sho’Nuff Records is coming at ya! I’ve got so many surprises man. I’ve got a couple of things coming. People know that I’m out here and that I’ve got the label running! Just be ready!

Well I think it’s definite your time man! I keep so many cd´s, and I was going through some and found some Youngbloods music from back in the late nineties that you had worked on. It’s crazy how long you’ve been grinding, and things are just now beginning to bubble, but I really think it’s your time now. Your work with Ciara really put you out there to where you needed to be, and it made people recognize the pure talent that you have with production and so forth.

Part 2 - Cee-lo

What’s going on man?

What’s happening with it?

Man, I’ve definitely got to thank you as well for taking time out to talk. I know you guys have been out on tour now!

Oh, it’s all cool!

Kind of touching on you guys hooking up again, what made you want to join forces with Jazze Pha for a full-length album?

Man, I just felt like it was time for us to get together and make this offering and contribution. We need to shine as a beacon and show our capabilities. That’s my take on it. Getting people accustomed to the schemes of urban music. This is going to push our music and culture forward.

Is this something you would want to continue down the line if the album reaches its potential? We all know that you have your own solo career going as well, and you’ve done well with it.

I’m just going to be busy. This is casual, and effortless. We’re having a lot of fun doing this, and it doesn’t seem like work. Music is in our thinking, style and vibe. It’s really not a thing for me to get with Jazze Pha on a daily basis. Plus, the boy is a legend, so it’s not a thing for me to reach out to him, and he’ll probably have something going on at the time anyway. I’m having fun.

He was telling me about the title. Can you shed some more light on why it’s called “Happy Hour”?

Well of course, it’s basically our party, and we can ball if we want to. You know, we’re having fun, and bringing the ladies joy. It’s a complete concept.

What do you want folks to gather from this album?

Once they hear it, they will definitely see and hear us in a whole new light. It’s shocking and satisfying all at the same time. If anything, I encourage people to know my range.

I know you also have done some work with Big Boi and Purple Ribbon, but what else is happening?

At this point in my career, I have established many affiliations. Of course, I’ve finished this project with Jazze, and I also have another solo album completed which will drop later next year. So I have both of those and an album with Danger Mouse.

Oh man, now that should be off the chain!

That’s definitely going to be off the hook! Be on the lookout for that. We’re also working on the preliminary for a new Goodie Mob album!

Oh man, now you know people have been waiting for that for a long time! I talked to Khujo right after Hurricane Katrina, and he spoke on it. He was equally excited man, so I know that’s going to roll off nicely!

Yeah, so I’ve been working hard. I’ve got a lot of hats man, but I’m wearing them well!

Now, are there any final thoughts on your behalf?

Oh, just much love to everybody and all the fans of the music. There’s plenty more where that came from!

Should you choose lead crystal for wine, or make it glass stemware? Generally speaking, lead crystal is for formal use or the big occasion, while glass is for more casual use. Nevertheless, many feel that a good wine is occasion enough for lead crystal stemware. Why a stem? To avoid unnecessary warming of the wine and fingerprints on the bowl. And a connoisseur will want a clear wine glass to appreciate the colour of their wine…

You will find that 24% lead crystal enhances the whole wine drinking experience - the lead oxide literally adds sparkle to glass by delivering intricate hand cut patterns and a variety of finishes, dull or polished, and is reassuringly weighty too. But don’t underestimate glass. Royal Doulton glass stemware is stylish, well made, and robust for casual and formal use, and may even be combined with crystal as a raw material for the best of both worlds.

As for the correct choice of glasses, here are some suggestions from Royal Doulton:

Goblet
Strictly speaking, this is the way to serve up a mature red wine, using the sheer width of the rim and capacity of the glass, to appreciate the depth of the bouquet and the taste. But the size and scope gives you plenty of choice of white as well as red wines.

Table Wine
A versatile piece of stemware that can be used for both red and white wine. The small size wine glass is typically used for white wine; nevertheless, feel free to use it for rosé as well.

Fluted Champagne Glass
Yes, the fluted champagne glass is there for the definitive celebratory drink, but it’s also excellent for the full range of sparkling wine, since the small rim is designed to preserve as much of the bubbles in your bubbly as possible.

Highball
Purpose-designed for a long drink, this barware is also ideal for wine spritzers.

Tumbler/Rummer
It’s made for short drinks, most typically stronger types such as spirits, but it’s also useful for serving up wine spritzers.

Champagne/Cocktail Saucer
Why not try your champagne or cocktail in classic Hollywood style?

Martini Glass
A vermouth is a wine, of course, and do feel free to use a martini glass as a champagne saucer, as the occasion requires, or a variety of cocktails.

Wine Decanter/Carafe
With its traditional rounded bottom, the wine decanter is ideal for serving up wine that genuinely needs decanting, such as an old red wine that has sediment. The vessel must be clear to give the right impression of colour. What’s more, a decanter is good etiquette for the right occasion.

Jug
Whether it’s indoors or al fresco, the jug is there for mixing and serving up drinks such as Bucks Fizz (champagne with fresh orange juice).

Care of Glasses

While most are now dishwasher safe, it’s best to retain the purity and clarity of crystal and glass - especially their textures and patterns - by hand washing in hot water with detergent. Always store upright.

With a box of six Royal Doulton Dorchester flutes you have the makings of the perfect drink, the classic soiree, the memorable meal - because here’s a traditional crystal shape with a deep, impressive hand cut pattern, almost fleur de lys in its design motif, that makes this fine 24% lead crystal some of the very finest on offer

Martin Scorsese sets a meaty stew of talent before us in this masterpiece of a cop-drama. It’s rooted in the Massachusetts Police Academy, and for new recruits Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon) their time on the force will mean more than merely policing the state: Colin is a mole for a malevolent Irish mobster named Costello; Billy is a reformed ne’er-do-well charged with the task of infiltrating Costello’s gang. Both have weathered difficult childhoods; both fall in love with a psychiatrist named Madolyn (Vera Farmiga). And so their stories plait together.

At the heart of this tale sits the subject of trust; a want of it and a lack of it, for both rookies live in a world so mangled by corruption neither police nor government can be trusted. Damon and DiCaprio are exceptional, their baby-faced appeal
Elsewhere, has there ever been such a magnificent portrayal of pure, in-the-bone-marrow badness as Jack Nicholson in the role of Frank Costello? Expect his seaside slaying of a woman, with its accompanying observation “She fell funny”, to have entered the general consciousness by this time next Wednesday. There are star turns too from Mark Wahlberg, Alec Baldwin and Martin Sheen as cops, and from Ray Winstone as Costello’s enforcer. The violence is not relentless - though its bristling threat seems somehow louder set against one of those wonderful Scorsese soundtracks: The Beach Boys, Patsy Cline, Van Morrison. This is, in short, another Scorsese classic. However much you might enjoy other films this year they are unlikely to match the clout of The Departed. For God’s sake, give this man an Oscar. 

   
Even if she had never heard of the novel by her former assistant, Anna Wintour would have known that the odds were against a flattering portrayal of a fashion-magazine editor in The Devil Wears Prada. While the empress of Vogue remains cool and collected after seeing Meryl Streep (right) portray her as a boss-lady with liquid nitrogen in her veins, the blood of other women may boil on hearing Streep’s character confess to the standard film punishment for successful females - a wretched love life.

Movies have always shown women magazine editors as inhabiting the narrow spectrum between daffy and dykey. Kay Thompson, super-chic but sexless in Funny Face (1957) was practically certifiable, caroling, “Red is dead, blue is through, green’s obscene, and brown’s taboo! And there is not the slightest excuse for plum or puce! Or chartreuse!”
 
Telling the world what to wear was such a strain on Ginger Rogers, the eponymous, pinstripe-clad Lady in the Dark (1944), that she had to see a psychoanalyst and learn that she was thwarting her natural urge to be dominated. Bette Davis, in June Bride (1948), drops her hysteria when she learns doglike submissiveness to Robert Montgomery. 13 Going on 30 (2004) showed that grown-up Jennifer Garner was not just more feminine but more human when she acted like a silly, naive little girl.

Devil, however, stands apart from this tradition of ridicule - while the other films were written by men, it is based on a book by a woman. Progress, right?

The cinema used to be the best place in town to sit back, relax, stuff your face with saturated fats and laugh until a tiny bit of wee came out. That was back when films were films: they were always about a fish-out-of-water cop wisecracking his way to a bust, a gun-toting archaeologist who killed Nazis or a teenager who could travel through time in a magic sports car.

These days, every second film on the listings page is somehow based on fact and designed to provoke debate. In the last few weeks I’ve endured Munich, Good Night and Good Luck and a new one about lunatic kids in west London called Kidulthood. That’s 90 minutes apiece on international terrorism, the role of the media in modern democracy and moral decay in the inner cities.

These are all fascinating and complex issues. Still, I wish they wouldn’t bother us with them in movies.

All these films do is create crash-course “experts” who walk out of the theatre armed with hastily acquired opinions on the subject they’ve just seen tackled. Opinions that they proceed to bellow at anyone who will listen for the next fortnight in a vain bid to appear genuinely clever (as opposed to drunk, which they invariably are).

I’m boycotting cinemas until Hollywood goes back to its roots and allows stupid people to stay stupid. And the rest of us clever ones to do our learning out of books and use the movies as a place to switch off. Hopefully, while watching a werewolf play basketball or a team of misfits fight ghosts

Lets talk about the Canon digital SLR camera. The SLR (Single Lens Reflex) digital camera from Canon is more than a tool for taking picture, it is a system of instruments designed to take the perfect photo - in any light. Canon Cameras are sensitive and will require some care and maintenance, but the long life you will generate from you Canon digital camera based on your care is well worth the effort. Consult your local Canon dealer or authorized shop that specializes in Canon camera repair for exact tips or tricks in extending the life of your Canon camera and Canon lenses.

Welcome to the world of professional photo taking. With a Canon camera by your side you are risking nothing but the thrill of taking the perfect shot. You already have the time on your hands, now mount a Canon digital SLR camera and seal the deal with taking these moments and share them with the world.

One of the chief selling points of the Nikon D70 is the classy and stylish Nikon CoolPix 700 body digital cameras should all possess. Easy to grip and to hold, stemming from the Nikon CoolPix 700 power grip and Nikon CoolPix 700 camera ergonomic design. Read further in our Nikon CoolPix 700 review and discover the other high points of the Nikon CoolPix 700 digital camera.

As with any new product it is important to know what side-bar products or items are available to support your device. Nikon CoolPix 700 Accessories are available from most distribution locations and work hand in hand with a routine maintenance plan to extend the life of your Nikon CoolPix 700 camera. Your Nikon CoolPix 700 manual will state the recommended procedures or service plans you should follow for the Nikon CoolPix 700 digital SLR camera.

The best way to find out which digital camera is right for you, is to see them side by side in a comparison format. Handle the cameras and test their quality. Use the digital camera, understand or familiarize yourself with how to hold and operate the device. A good digital camera will be form fitting to your hand, ergonomic and intrinsic in design. Figuring out how to snap pictures should not take a degree in rocket science. Digital Camera prices fluctuate as each new model hits the shelves. Understanding your needs in a camera vs. your wants or what you have heard is cool, is very important. Fulfill your needs first - and the camera you select ultimately will provide you with good performance for the life of the product.

If you ram your car into someone else’s you have to collect his or her info etc. to say that fate directed my wheel to that car would be just downright stupid. You hit them because you weren’t paying attention. If other people’s lives dictated yours there would be no justice system. You would appear before the court and the judge would just say ‘well I guess it isn’t your fault… you were looking at an interesting book. You can go. Shit happens.’ but alas it is not the case. On to emotions and suppressing them. For the longest time I thought that emotions should be used as much as possible. That if you suppress them you would become unhealthy.

Nice posts about recent gambling law.

One of the online casino business’s newest payment systems is to be launched shortly by Sunshine Slots Casino at its online casino spot. Enthusiasts of the online casinos will soon be able to use Echeck to make deposits at their preferred online casino spot, adding to the ease and convenience they could imagine from Sunshine Slots Casino. Echeck works in a similar way that pre-paid mobile phone cards do.

Online casino payers purchase tickets through several leading merchants and top up their vouchers to use online. Sunshine Slots Casino means to introduce Echeck as a payment alternative at both its online casino and sportsbook venues. Among the advantages online casino enthusiasts could look forward to to harvest as a result of the decision is the ability to make deposits in sterling and euros.

A spokesperson for the online casino firm has stated that applying Echeck will aid to ease concerns over security. Online casino enthusiasts will also is able to avoid fees that some financial institutions have started to charge for depositing cash at gaming sites. According to investigate conducted by Echeck and Sunshine Slots Casino, almost 30% of European customers have expressed worry about the use of credit cards online.

1. The Covenant (2006/I) $8.85M $8.85M
2. Hollywoodland (2006) $5.93M $5.93M
3. Invincible (2006) $5.63M $45.5M
4. Tom yum goong (2005) $5.03M $5.03M
5. Crank (2006) $4.9M $20M
6. The Illusionist (2006) $4.51M $18M
7. Little Miss Sunshine (2006) $4.27M $41.5M
8. The Wicker Man (2006) $4.06M $17.4M
9. Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006) $3.01M $142M
10. Barnyard (2006) $2.72M $67M

Release Date: November 17, 2006
Director: Martin Campbell
Producer: Barbara Broccoli, Michael G. Wilson
Screenwriter: Paul Haggis, Neal Purvis, Robert Wade
Studio: Columbia Pictures
Starring: Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Eva Green, Mads Mikkelsen, Jeffrey Wright, Giancarlo Giannini, Caterina Murino, Simon Abkarian, Tobias Menzies, Ivana Milicevic, Clemens Schik, Ludger Pistor, Claudio Santamaria
Genre: Action, Adventure, Thriller
MPAA Rating: TBA

 

Here is another small little update for all of you Casino Royale fans. After posting the latest poster for Casino Royale a couple days back we have received a shitstorm of new stills for the film from our readers; thanks by the way. Most just looked like screenshots, but here are a few sent over that not only look good, but feature Bond, aka Daniel Craig, doing his thing.

The film seemed to have potential, two great stars, Diane Lane and John Cusack, a contemporary topic full of comic and heartfelt pitfalls, internet dating, and of course man’s best friend. However a horrid script full of nothing but clichés, insipid lifeless dialog, tepid chemistry between the actors who seem to be sleep walking just to get through the dismal production yielded a film so awful both my girlfriend and I wondered why we didn’t have the common sense to turn it off. Perhaps the fact that every 20 minutes or so there would be a mildly charming moment seduced us into believing the film might deliver which sadly it never did.