One of the most powerful value propositions of the Media Center Edition version of XP versus something closed like the TiVo DVR solutions is that it can be extended easily by 3rd party developers.  Is there much practical use in getting your favorite comics in between showings of your favorite reality shows?  Probably not.  But this cool app and other like it prove the value of the platform and show that MCE’s value is greater than the sum of its parts.  If the market doesn’t like what’s provided “out of the box”, there’s nothing to prevent someone from improving it and building a better widget.

http://msmvps.com/chrisl/archive/2005/01/14/32252.aspx  |  Comments

If Garfield was not enough for you how about adding Peanuts, BC, Big Nate, Dilbert, Drabble, Get Fuzzy, Liberty Meadows, Over the Hedge, Pearls before Swine, Penny Arcade, Wizard of Id and Rudy Park!  That's right, just a few days after finishing up Garfield, Danee has started and finished Comics for Media Center.

Comics for Media Center
http://www.mcesoft.nl/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=70&Itemid=143

Neat idea.  Mine is on order…  I’ll post the results for all to see!

http://apple.weblogsinc.com/entry/1234000777027567/

Who amongst us has never said, ‘I sure wish I could turn this ordinary picture of me whaling on my guitar into one of those cool iPod shadow people pcitures’?  I, for one, have never said that but that doesn’t make podapic’s service any less cool.

$3.99 allows you to get the iPod treatment for one photo, and you get to pick which color you would like (they are currently offering green, blue, orange, pink, and purple). If you want one picture in all five colors, or five pictures in one hue each, that will run you $6.99.

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

• You can only pay via Paypal (but Paypal does accept major credit cards)
  
• The pictures you want to submit have to be either a JPG or GIF
• The turn around time is 3 business days

Still not convinced? Check out the PodaPic of the week for a glimpse of what their handiwork looks like.

Gizmodo points to a Mac mini fan site – boy, that didn’t take long now did it?

http://www.gizmodo.com/gadgets/laptops-pcs/apple/byodkmnet-mac-mini-enthusiast-site-029961.php

A new enthusiast site has opened for fans of the new Apple Mac mini: BYODKM.net (Bring Your Own Display, Keyboard, and Mouse). While they don't have a lot of news you haven't seen spread all over the net already, they are launching the site in style by holding a contest to give away a free Mac mini just for signing up as a user on their site. I'm sure they'll turn around and sell your information to a Panamanian pharmaceutical 'virtual retailer' soon after, but free schwag is free schwag.

Welcome Contest [BYODKM]

Update: You could also check out Mac mini Forums. I'm sure they'd appreciate it.
Forum Page [MacMiniForums]