Australian Man Auctions Everything

It's common to seek a fresh start after going through a divorce or other life changing event, but to offer " A Life 4 Sale" on EBay? That's a first on us! Starting June 22, newly divorced Ian Usher plans to auction off everything he owns, from his house and contents, to even his friends and his job. After all is said and done, Ian said he'll hop on a train with only his wallet and passport, and we assume (hope) the clothes on his back. Still, we can't help but think the auction would get a lot more attention if he were still married...

BFG Trade Up Program

In the world of NVIDIA videocards, three companies - BFG, XFX, and EVGA - offer lifetime warranties. And up until now, only EVGA had a plan for customers to cope with buyer's remorse as faster videocards trickle into the marketplace. Similar to EVGA's 90-day Step-Up program, BFG's new Trade Up program gives owners 100 calendar days from the original date of purchase to upgrade to a higher model BFG videocard, provided the card was launched after February 21, 2008 and registered within 30 days. For more info, give the FAQ and Terms and Conditions glance.

Android vs iPhone: FIGHT!

If Google's intimidated by the success of the iPhone, they're not letting on. Rich Miner, Google's group manager for mobile platforms, had his game face on when he recently predicted that Android-based devices will outsell Apple's trendy gadget, saying of the iPhone "there's a single manufacturer, it's targeted at a particular demographic, and it falls far short of the 1 billion mobile phones sold every year worldwide." Oh schnapps!

Minnesota Court Lifts Ban on Violent Games

Thanks to a three-judge panel of the 8th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, Minnesota kids under the age of 17 can continue to play videogames rated "M" (Mature) and "AO" (Adult Only) with their parents' permission. Prior to the injunction, the two-year old law would have hit underage children with a $25 fine for renting or buying games intended for adults, but the federal appeals court judges wrote that the state lacked sufficient proof that violent games cause psychological harm.

Massachusetts Compares Videogame Violence to Porn

While Minnesota's ban on "M" and "AO" rated videogames flopped in Federal court, the Massachusetts legislature is gearing up to discuss a new bill that would restrict minors from buying violent videogames in similar fashion to how minors are prohibited from buying porn. House Bill 1423 would target games "harmful to minors if it is obscene or, if taken as a whole, it[...]depicts violence in a manner patently offensive to prevailing standards in the adult community." Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino admits the bill shares similarities with one that was shot down in Louisiana, but says "the difference is that these people intend to win the court fight, unlike the knuckleheads in Louisiana." More here.

Site Status Tool

At some point in your surfing career, you've undoubtedly asked a colleague, 'Is Newegg loading for you or is the site down?' But what if no one's around to help determine whether or not the problem lies on your end? That's where DownForEveryoneOrJustMe.com comes in handy. Type the problematic URL into the box and you'll immediately know if the site's down for everyone, or just you. Nifty!