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Cool Find: VLC Media Player for iOS (Updated: Also for Android too!)

VLC IconUpdate: DJ City of TJX points out that VLC is available for Android too! Unfortunately it’s still labeled a “beta” but from what I’ve heard it works quite well. And hey, it too is free!

Greetings. First of all, yes we did go to Anime Expo, and we returned safely, albeit not in perfect health (you guessed it, con crud). That, combined with a metric crapton of work that has suddenly decided to dog pile on me, has prevented me from getting any Anime Expo coverage out. However rest assured that this situation will change soon. We just recorded our Anime Expo wrap-up podcast, which I will be editing this week and hopefully will have out in the feeds by this weekend. I’ve got a few AX-related blog posts in the works, and there’s also pictures and video that I hope to release soon as well. So stay tuned! In the meantime, here’s a Cool Find that I was recently made aware of, and felt I had to share with you.

Several times in the past I’ve written about my quest to watch my downloaded anime on the go (only unlicensed works from fansub groups that follow the fansubber’s code of course). I had eventually settled on the program HD Player which, while far from perfect in the user interface department, did such an amazingly good job at rendering complex subtitles that I was willing to overlook its clunky user interface and occasional crashiness. And, while ostensibly free, the developer was charging a $1.99 fee to unlock some necessary video format decoding capabilities without which the program was basically useless. Well I have found a new solution for iOS users (iPhone, iPod touch and iPad) that is completely free – VLC!

For the probably 2 or 3 people in the world who do not know, VLC is pretty much THE go-to program for watching any form of video on desktop computers. It decodes and plays pretty much all of the video formats, and it can even work around damaged or malformed video files — it’s successfully played video files for me that the standard tools (Windows Media Player, Quicktime, etc.) totally choke up on. On top of all that, VLC is an open-source project, meaning that a large group of software developers around the world are all working on VLC and constantly improving it, so it just keeps getting better and better. Available for Windows, Mac and Linux, it is a definite must-have — and is completely free.

Well, a while back some VLC developers decided to take VLC and create a mobile version of it, and thus the VLC iOS app was born. Unfortunately it was short-lived; one of the VLC developers got all high and mighty, believing that the VLC license was violated by the App Store’s license, got on his high horse, and got Apple to remove VLC from the App Store. But, just like your typical action movie hero, you can’t keep a good guy down, and the Mobile VLC developers went on the warpath, eventually (somehow) re-licensing all of the VLC code into a more App Store-friendly form. And finally we get to see the fruits of their labors: VLC for iOS is BACK, baby!

VLC operates much like any of the other over 9,000 video players. You can load video files into it using iTunes’ file sharing panel, or you can turn your iOS device into a temporary Web server, browse to it from one of the computers on your home network, and upload files to it that way. But VLC adds a few new methods to the mix. With its built-in web browser, you can download video files directly off of a website, or you could link to your Dropbox account and grab any videos stored there.

Once you’ve gotten files into it, VLC displays your list of files in a nice format, including the filename, length of the video, resolution, and a nice graphical preview. Unfortunately there is no support at all for organizing these videos — there’s no folders or playlists, and there isn’t even a search button. So if you have a ton of videos loaded onto your device, you’ll have to scroll through them all to find the one you want to watch. Hopefully the developers will add some sort of file organization mechanism in a future release.

However, once you tap on a video and start playing it, that’s when the magic starts. You can play back the video on your device’s screen; but you can also use AirPlay to playback the video on any AirPlay-compatible device, for example the Apple TV hooked up to my giant living room TV and home theater sound system. This is absolutely fantastic. You can even configure VLC to continue playing a video’s audio track while you’re out of the app, so if you need to switch to Mail to answer a quick email, or to Tweetbot to post a quick tweet, you can still hear what’s going on in your video. Speaking of audio, if your video file has multiple audio tracks, you can easily switch between them using the on-screen controls. (When I rip my own DVDs, I like to create dual-language rips, that way I can choose whether I want dub or sub) And VLC for iOS supports the same variety of file formats as does VLC for desktops. I’ve thrown quite a variety of files at it and it plays them back beautifully.

All of this versatility does require some power, however. VLC needs some processing power to do what it does. I was able to play a 1080p normal H.264 video on my iPhone 5 with perfect quality, as well as a 720p Hi10p video. However my iPad mini could not play a 1080p normal H.264 video; it was pretty stuttery and jerky. Interestingly enough, the iPad mini was “sort of” able to play a 720p Hi10p file, albeit with a fair amount of stuttering. Fortunately the app warns you if it thinks that it won’t be able to play a certain file. However I’ve found that its warning threshold is a bit on the conservative side; some files that it has warned me about play back just fine.

Finally, let’s get to the question that I’m sure everybody has on the tip of their tongue. How does VLC score in the subtitle rendering department? Well I’m happy to report that VLC’s handling of subtitles is as good, if not better, than HD Player’s, which I consider to be the “gold standard.” I’ve thrown a wide variety of fansubs with some very complex subtitles, and it displayed them perfectly.

VLC for iOS definitely deserves a look, and it is now my preferred video player on iOS. If they just fix the file management issue, then it would be perfect. However it’s definitely worth a download, especially considering that it’s absolutely free. Go grab it now on the App Store or on Google Play.

iTunes


Yesss! Anime Expo 2013 schedule is now available in the Guidebook app!

Anime Expo guide screenshotA few days ago, when I wrote about the availability of the Anime Expo schedules, I did my usual moaning and groaning about how Anime Expo should join the 21st century and start making their schedules available on smartphones and tablets, which more and more of us are carrying around these days — and I don’t mean using that crappy web app they had the past few years. I expressed a wish that I’ve expressed countless times before: wouldn’t it be great if Anime Expo made their schedule available through a well-designed, slick, and very functional mobile app — such as Guidebook? (Disclaimer: we are in no way related to the folks who put out Guidebook. We do not benefit in any way, financial or otherwise, by mentioning them. We just really love their app.)

Well boy did that turn out to be a prophetic statement, because that’s exactly what they just did! (Maybe I should try playing the lotto or something…) Simply download the free Guidebook app, available for iOS (iPhone, iPod touch and iPad) and Android, and using the app’s search feature, search for Anime Expo, and download the guide. That’s it. The guide doesn’t need an internet connection to function, which is great, since (A) phone data connections are pricy; (B) hotel/convention center WiFi (when available) is either pricy or horribly slow (or both); and (C) most convention centers, being ginormous structures made of steel and concrete, tend to eat radio signals for breakfast. However, if you do get connectivity, the guide will automatically check whether an update is available (and they often are), and will update itself. Within the guide you can search through the available programming, including live events, panels, main events and video screenings; check out info on the various Guests of Honor; look through the various exhibitors in the dealers’ room; and much more. Once you’ve found an event you’re interested in, you can add it to your own personal schedule or “to do” list, and can even set an alarm to remind you X minutes before the event starts. This is a really slick app, and as mentioned earlier, it is one of our favorites. So go grab it today! (Remember folks, it’s free.)

By the way pre-reg is still open, and unless you like standing in Xbox huge lines for over 9,000 hours, is highly recommended. And if you STILL haven’t made your hotel reservations (you damn slackers!) then you better hurry – vacancies are still available at the Sheraton LA Downtown and Millennium Biltmore, but they won’t be for long!

iTunes


ChibiCast #0027 – Pre-AX13 boo test of doom!

Pre-AX13 boo test of doom!


Can’t make it to Anime Expo this year? Watch it live thanks to SimulTV!

SimulTV LogoCan’t make it to AX this year? That’s too bad. With an impressive guest roster and a huge lineup of panels and other con events, AX 2013 is shaping up to be a pretty happening event.

Well, if you can’t make it, here’s something that may take a little of the sting out of that disappointment. A newcomer to the streaming video scene, and one that I honestly hadn’t heard of before now, SimulTV, will be livestreaming some of the key AX events, including opening and closing ceremonies, fashion shows, some of the industry panels as well as the Cell, Kaya and Moonstream concerts.

They’re also taking the opportunity to announce their new streaming anime-on-demand service, which lets you watch episodes from many popular shows at $0.99-2.99 a pop. You can get a free 14-day trial by signing up for a SimulTV subscription during AX, either online or by scanning the QR code available at the SimulTV screening room, which is room 405.

SimulTV is available on most computers and mobile devices and offers on-demand streaming of a variety of titles, both anime and non-anime. They bring a unique social aspect to the table as well, allowing you to add social features such as voice/video chat, twitter, Facebook, and search, all right within the video playback window.

Check out more info here or at the SimulTV website. You can also sign up there.


Anime Expo 2013 schedules are now live! (Updated)

AX 2013 scheduleUpdated 07/01/13: Guess what, my wishes have come true! The AX schedule is now available in the free Guidebook app!

Updated 06/29/13: New version of the schedule has been released. See the end of this post for a summary of the changes.

Good news if you’re planning on attending this year’s Anime Expo: the program schedule is now up! Go grab it now (in PDF format) and plan away! With a huge guest roster, not to mention the myriad of traditional (and even quite a few not-so-traditional) events that you typically find at anime cons, there’ll be lots to do and see.

And now for my yearly “Why the hell aren’t more cons using smartphone/tablet scheduling apps?!” rant. More and more people have ’em these days, and they make excellent companions while you’re at con. So why aren’t more cons putting out their schedules as smartphone/tablet apps?! Sure, you can load up the PDF schedule in a PDF reader, but that’s clunky compared to an actual schedule app. You can do so much more in an app — searching and marking favorite/want-to-watch events (and setting reminder alarms to automatically notify you X minutes before said events) being the two most important benefits of app-based schedules. In years past AX has put out an iOS schedule app which, while quirky and non-standard, still worked reasonably well. More recently, they’ve gone with a web app (an “app” that runs within your device’s web browser.) Not only does this require a data connection (expensive, and doesn’t work too well (if at all) in most convention centers, aka giant steel and concrete structures that eat radio signals for breakfast), it was also slow, buggy and a pain to work with. Why oh why can’t they go with a well-established scheduling app that well over 9,000 other anime conventions (not to mention a lot of other conventions) have used, such as our favorites, Guidebook? OK, end of rant. (disclaimer: we have no connection with Guidebook, nor do we benefit in any way, financial or otherwise, by mentioning them. We just really love their app.) Guess what, the schedule is now available in the Guidebook app too!

By the way, pre-registration is still open (and is highly recommended; it really helps cut down on linecon) and will run you $70 for a full 4-day adult pass, $60 for a 2-day pass, $40 for a single day pass, and $20 for an expo hall only pass; child (6-12) passes are $25. And if you haven’t made your hotel arrangements yet (shame on you!) as of the time I am writing this, there are still rooms available at the Sheraton LA Downtown and the Millennium Biltmore; better book ’em now (Danno) while they’re still available.

Updated 06/29/13: New version of the schedule has been released. Here is a summary of the changes:

  • Red Carpet Removed (Now Press Only Event)
  • Open Ceremonies Moved to 10:00 AM
  • Wolf Children Changed from Dubbed to Subbed
  • Crunchyroll Presents: Wandering Son 1-3 Added to Day 2 @ 9:15 AM
  • Buso Renkin Removed from Day 2
  • The Everyday Tales of a Cat God 1-3 added to day 2 @ 9:45 AM
  • Crunchyroll Presents: Saint Seiya Omega 1-3 Added to Day 2 @ 9:00 AM
  • Gosick 1 added to Day 2 @ 11:30 PM
  • Dark Horse: Celebrating 25 Years of Manga moved to 10:00 AM
  • Gintama: The Movie removed from Day 3
  • Starchild Special Premiere and Trailers! added to Day 3 @ 10:30 PM
  • NISA Exclusive Anime Movie Premiere! added to Day 3 @ 12:30 AM
  • Nyarko-san 1-2 [S/16+] Added to Day 3 @ 9:00 AM
  • Hellsing Ultimate OAV 1-3 extended to 12:30 PM on Day 3
  • SPJA Charity Auction moved to 12:30 PM on Day 4
  • Crypton Future Media Inc Presents: Hatsune Miku added to Day 4 at 3:30 PM
  • Crunchyroll Presents: Muromi-san 1-2 [S/13+] added to Day 4 @ 9:15 AM
  • Crunchyroll Presents: Arata the Legend 1-2 [S/13+] Added to Day 4 @ 9:00 AM
  • Crunchyroll Presents: Nichijou 1-2 [S/13+] Added to Day 4 @ 9:00 AM
  • GIRLS und PANZER 1-2 [S/14+] Added to Day 4 @ 9:00 AM

Big news for Apple TV owners: You can now haz your Crunchyroll! (Updated)

Crunchyroll tile on the Apple TV home screenUpdated with a note clarifying that the overscan bug I mentioned is not a problem specific to the Crunchyroll app, but affects all content played through the Apple TV

Big news if you own an Apple TV, Apple’s answer to the set-top box: you can now haz your Crunchyroll on it!

Crunchyroll is, in our not-so-humble opinion, the best thing to happen to anime fans since, well, the invention of anime itself. Streaming anime on demand, 24 hours a day/7 days a week, in HD quality (up to 1080p), with full English subtitles. Best of all, members get to watch currently airing series literally hours after they are released in Japan. All of this for a low monthly fee (as low as $5/month), which goes to benefit the anime creators themselves. And now, if you own an Apple TV, you can enjoy your Crunchyroll on the big screen!

You need to be running the latest version of the Apple TV software in order to get the new Crunchyroll app icon. Go to the Settings screen, then tap General, then Update Software. Once the software update is complete, you will see the orange Crunchyroll icon on the main Apple TV screen. You might have to scroll down a little bit to find it. Once you’ve found it, if you want to move it to a more prominent place, press and hold the center button on your Apple Remote until all the icons start wiggling, then use the direction buttons to move it where you want. (Unfortunately you can’t put it in the top-most row of icons, which are reserved for the Apple apps. :P)

Tapping on the Crunchyroll app icon brings you to a screen where you can watch previews from the latest shows, and sign up for an account if you don’t already have one. However we humbly ask that you use our handy-dandy affiliate link to sign up; it costs you nothing extra and gives us a little “somethin’ somethin'” that helps keep the lights on and the bandwidth flowing.

Anyway once you’ve logged in to your account, you are brought to the main screen, where you can view your queue, browse through the various titles available, and perform searches. You can choose to view available titles grouped by various criteria (featured/hot titles, by genre, by season, etc.) or you can drink from the firehose and view a list of everything. When viewing your queue, you can either view it by series, and you can also view a history of what you’ve been watching recently. (Note that I said “viewing;” unfortunately you cannot edit or otherwise manage your queue through the Apple TV app. You’ll have to log in to the CR website on your computer to do that.)

Once you’ve selected a series to watch, tapping into it will show a general synopsis of the series. You can also automatically stream it from the beginning; great for those marathon viewing sessions that people like to do sometimes. Or you can scroll through the episodes, viewing a synopsis and screenshot of each. Once you’ve selected an episode, you get a more detailed synopsis, a listing of related shows (great for finding new content that you might like as well), and a big “play” button.

The app performed quite well; navigating is fast and fluid, and playback is smooth and stutter-free. Quality looks amazing, definitely above DVD quality, and perhaps even on par with Blu-ray; however the quality varies by show — not all shows are available in HD. Unfortunately, unless your TV supports overscan compensation (sometimes called “true pixel mode,” “full pixel mode,” or “1:1 mode”) you may see parts of your screen cut off. This is particularly annoying with subtitles, as depending on which series you are watching, some of the subtitles are placed so low that they fall within the area of the screen that is cut off, meaning that you lose part of the subtitles. Unfortunately there’s no way around that, except to get a new TV. Fortunately only older/cheaper HDTVs suffer from this overscan problem. (Note: This is not a problem specific to the Crunchyroll app. Any content played on an Apple TV, whether it is through the native iTunes app, Crunchyroll, Youtube, etc. is susceptible to this overscan issue.)

It is great to see Crunchyroll joining the list of channels on Apple TV. I had been thinking about getting a home theater PC or a PS3 or something similar so I could watch CR in the living room, but couldn’t really justify the cost since the device would only be used for that. Now that CR is on the Apple TV (which I already have hooked up to my living room TV), that is no longer an issue.

Check out our gallery of screenshots below the cut.


Review: Steins;gate

Steins;gate PosterBesides being a fan of anime, I am a dyed-in-the-wool Trekker. (And yes, I said Trekker, not Trekkie) And out of all the plot lines in all the episodes of all the Trek franchises (yes, I even liked Voyager and Enterprise) my favorite by far are the episodes where our intrepid heroes travel back in time. In fact, the whole idea of time travel (along with the headache-inducing concept of temporal paradoxes, butterfly effects, and so on) has always fascinated me. Wouldn’t it be great to travel back in time to see just how much the history books got right (and wrong)? It would certainly answer a lot of questions and ambiguities. Or, better yet, wouldn’t you like to have the power to right some of history’s most heinous wrongs? Or, never mind history, don’t you wish you could correct some of the mistakes you made in your own life? (Goodness knows, I’ve made more than my fair share, which I wouldn’t mind warning my past self to avoid) Yet, at the same time, you have to wonder: if you were to, say, prevent an accident that killed hundreds, or avert a war that killed millions, would one of those people that you saved from death end up growing up and becoming the next Adolf Hitler? Even if you limited your historical meddling to a small scale, say, warning your past self of a bad decision, is that the right thing to do? As painful and harmful as some of my past decisions were, I can’t help but acknowledge that I learned from those mistakes, and thus they helped to define who I am today. Might meddling in the past actually make things worse in the present?

When I heard that the plot of Steins;gate involved time travel, I naturally took interest and added it to my “must watch” list. Steins;gate is, in fact, based on the second in a series of “science adventure games” published by 5pb. and Nitroplus. Steins;gate is the second game of this series, preceded by Chaos;head and followed by Robotics;notes, both of which were also adapted into anime form. I had in fact watched Chaos;head some time ago, and while I found it to be enjoyable, it didn’t “wow” me. So I didn’t really have very high expectations for Steins;gate, which is why I put off watching it until recently. Well, if I had access to a time machine now, I would go back and tell my past self to drop everything and watch this show RIGHT NOW. Yes, it is that good.

Steins;gate tells the story of Rintaro “Okarin” Okabe (aka Hououin Kyouma), self-proclaimed “mad scientist” and all-around goofball, who, together with several of his friends have formed the “Future Gadget Lab,” ostensibly tasked with inventing strange (and largely unsuccessful) gadgets, but who mostly loaf around in their Akihabara headquarters surfing the Net, attending various otaku events, playing dating-sims and doing various other random things. One day Okabe discovers that he and his gang have unwittingly invented a device that can send text messages back to the past. And that’s when everything starts going pear-shaped, in a BIG way.


Shock! MikuMikuDance seemingly back from the dead; developer releases new update (Update: yet another new release out now!)

MikuMikuDance screenshotUpdate 06/07/13: Yet another release from the developer — actually two of them. Version 7.41 was released, shortly followed by version 7.42, available in both 32- and 64-bit builds. To download it, go to the developer’s website and click where it says “MikuMikuDance (DirectX9 Ver.)” for the 32bit version, or “MikuMikuDance(x64 Ver)” for the 64bit version.

A while ago we wrote about the apparent demise of MikuMikuDance, the free 3D animation software that Vocaloid fans created to allow people to make those really cool animations featuring the various Vocaloids that are popular on the Youtubes (as well as animations using characters from other franchises). At that time the developer had stated that he wasn’t planning on releasing any future versions of MMD. Well, he seems to have reversed that decision, because the developer, Higuchi U, just announced that a new release, version 7.39m, is now available for download.

So far all that is known about this version is that it contains the following enhancements: (the release notes here are almost as terse as Apple’s)

  • Improvements to program speed and response time.
  • Improvements to stability, bug fixes.
  • MMD now remembers your last open and save folder locations.

IMPORTANT NOTE: according to the developer, there are one or more impostor versions of MMD floating around out there that contain viruses and various other malware. He recommends that you download only from his website directly.

At the time we wrote about MMD’s apparent demise, we also wrote about a successor program called MikuMikuMoving, which some would argue as being more powerful, containing more features and with a better user interface. Anyway, the MikuMikuMoving folks have also recently put out a new version, Version 1.2.1.3, which you can download from the MikuMikuMoving website.

Have you created anything cool with either of these tools? Let us know so we can link to it!


Looking for some cheap anime? Try a thrift store! (or flea market/swap meet/garage sale/etc.)

Thrift Store signFirst, apologies for the lack of content recently. Due to a variety of factors (sudden change in co-hosts, unstable work situation, etc.) I haven’t had a chance to produce much new content lately. But that is about to change, as we swing into the summer con season. In fact I have a new video episode currently being edited (should be out soon).

A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away, I started a series of podcasts which I called “Anime on the Cheap.” Well, it was going to be a series of (at least) 2 episodes, but I never got around to finishing it. But I kind of don’t have to now, since thanks to services like iTunes, Amazon Video, Netflix, Crunchyroll, Neon Alley and new kid on the block Daisuki (not to mention all the licensors that have their own streaming sites for their content) it is now easier than ever for a computer- or smartphone/tablet-owning otaku to get his or her fill of anytime, anywhere, all-you-can-eat streaming anime for pennies on the dollar.

Unfortunately, for many folks, online streaming is either infeasible or impractical. Either their computer can’t handle online video playback; or they don’t own one of those newfangled smartphones or tablets; or, as is all too common these days, their Internet connections are throttled and/or impose strict data caps. Until these problems are solved, there will still be a place in the world for physical media (good old DVDs and Blu-rays). But, although prices have come down significantly, physical media releases of anime still cost a significant amount of money when compared to streaming services; plus, with the demise of retail outlets where one used to find anime (Borders, Sam Goody/Suncoast, etc.), it’s getting harder to find locally.

Well there is one place where you can oftentimes still find some decent deals in used anime in physical media form: thrift stores! This also applies to other places where you can get used stuff, such as garage sales, flea markets, swap meets and the like. Even Craigslist, And, if you happen to live in a college town, you’re in luck; college life and financial destitution seem to go hand in hand, and you’ll always find broke students willing to sell their worldly possessions to help pay their bills or buy that next cup ramen. This is something that I honestly never thought about until, a few weekends ago, while out with friends checking out some cool local thrift stores, my eye happened to fall on a stack of anime DVDs.

However, as you’re browsing around, it is useful to keep the following caveats in mind:

  • You probably won’t be seeing the latest and greatest releases here. Most likely you’ll be seeing releases from a few years ago. But don’t let that put you off; there’s some good stuff out there. In fact, you can probably find a lot of stuff that’s either hard to find today, or out of print entirely. And, yes Virginia, there is anime (good anime even) out there other than Naruto, Bleach and DBZ. Be adventurous; try something new every once in awhile. Fortunately you can do so for not a lot of money this way.
  • Be sure and check to make sure that the DVD or videotape set contains every volume in the series. Or, if there are volumes missing, think about whether or not you’d be willing to track down the missing volumes. Also check to make sure the disks aren’t horribly scratched up, the videotape is mangled, etc.
  • You MAY see a few Blu-rays, but odds are that you’ll mostly run into DVDs, VHS tapes, or perhaps even laserdiscs. The good news is that oftentimes you can find the equipment needed to play back these older formats sold there as well.
  • Keep an eye out for other cool stuff too. Used video games and game consoles can often be found at very reasonable prices. There’s also non-anime media aplenty: TV series, movies, music CDs (maybe, just maybe, even Jpop/anime related), etc. And of course there’s also electronics such as computer equipment, software, stereos/speakers, home appliances, etc. And if you’re a cosplayer, or thinking about getting into cosplay, a thrift store is a veritable treasure trove of costume source materials.
  • Be mindful of price. Don’t pay more than what an item’s worth. Good places to check for rough pricing guidelines are eBay, Craigslist, used items on Amazon, etc. Also remember that it never hurts to try and negotiate; especially at swap meets or garage sales, sellers are oftentimes willing to haggle with you and sell at a lower price. But don’t be rude or forceful about it.

So, the next time you’re bored and looking for something to do over the weekend, and want to go in search of your next anime fix, why not consider a thrift store/swap meet crawl? It’s a lot of fun (especially in groups), and hey, you’ll probably find something cool in the process. Good hunting!


We now accept donations using Bitcoin (Updated)

Bitcoin LogoUpdated with a link to another cool video I found explaining the basics of Bitcoin, what it is, how it works, etc.

As I have said countless times before, I put on this dog and pony show as a hobby, due to my love of anime and Japan, not to mention playing with geeky things like audio hardware and server software. It is by no means my primary source of income. Unfortunately, this doesn’t come cheaply — audio hardware, servers, etc. cost a pretty penny — and in this down economy, I could use every little bit of help I can get. That’s why I am extremely grateful for all of the listeners and viewers out there who have taken the opportunity to help me out by buying from one of our affiliate sites, clicking on ad banners and/or donating.

Well, you can now help us out in yet another way, by donating using Bitcoin. Bitcoin is a fascinating new secure, decentralized digital currency technology that promises to revolutionize the way we exchange money and transact business, both online and offline. (Here is a really good video that explains the basics of Bitcoin, what it is and how it works.) Anyone can set up their own Bitcoin wallet and start receiving and sending Bitcoins right away. Or, if you’re feeling particularly ambitious (and you have shiny powerful computer hardware), you can get into the wild world of Bitcoin mining (here’s a cool video explaining the concept) and start generating your own Bitcoins. And, lest you think all this digital currency crap is worthless, well, it isn’t: Bitcoins are actually worth real money and can be freely exchanged with actual currency, and there are an increasing number of businesses that will sell you goods and services for bit coins instead of traditional currency.

Well, Otaku no Podcast is the latest such entity. You can donate using the handy donate button and/or QR code on our Help Us page, in the sidebar of every page on this site, and also at the bottom of this article; or, if the links don’t work for you, our Bitcoin address is 14hYjheG9W7aWip7KwLPcfXxoXdALwDcma. And, once again, thank you for your help and generosity. You rock. Seriously.

Donate using Bitcoin

Bitcoin Address:
14hYjheG9W7aWip7KwLPcfXxoXdALwDcma
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