Category: Television
FinallyFast.com is finally fined for its fraudulent computer “fix-it” software practices
In January of 2009, I wrote an article detailing everything I hate about the then-frequently aired commercials for FinallyFast.com. In the article, I explained five reasons why the commercial made me want to throw my TV out a window every time it came on. I also initially stated that the software likely did absolutely nothing useful for any of the unlucky suckers who bought into it.
Shortly thereafter, I received a letter from an attorney representing FinallyFast.com asking me to remove their commercial, screenshots, and all “defamatory, false, and misleading” comments I had made. I obliged, ONLY because I had never actually used their software and couldn’t say with a 100% certainty that it did not work. Now I can.
Ascentive, the company behind FinallyFast.com, has now been penalized $78,000 and is being forced to issue thousands of $17.90 refunds to customers who purchased their misleading software and ultimately didn’t use it.
The software downloads for free, scans a user’s computer, identifies “problems” with it, and then presents users with options to “fix” it at an additional cost. But those costs were apparently automatically charged whether the user wanted them or not.
To make the situation worse, Assistant Attorney General Jake Bernstein says the FinallyFast.com software finds problems regardless of whether there are any. Even new computers or ones with freshly reformatted hard drives would be identified as having hundreds, if not thousands, of “errors.” In addition, until March 2009, the software was bundled with adware and regularly popped-up warning messages declaring how many “errors” it found.
In the meantime, customers were automatically charged for subscribing to Ascentive’s practically fictitious “cleaning” service and had to jump through hoops to figure out how to cancel.
So it seems I was right about Ascentive and its FinallyFast.com site and software all along, despite what their attorneys wanted me to believe. I won’t bother re-editing my original article, as it’s simply not worth including their obnoxious commercial here. (Plus, I don’t think it’s airing on TV anymore – thankfully.)
I’d like to think this is a lesson learned for anyone who even remotely considers buying computer “fix-it” software off of a late-night TV commercial, but it’s most likely the case that anyone who gets suckered in to buying such software will never read this article or even hear about the ruling against FinallyFast.com.
TweetA holiday divided: Pomplamoose does Hyundai Christmas commercials and the Internet erupts in flames
Christmas time has come and gone for 2010 and I’m sure plenty of us spent the majority of our vacation plopped on a couch watching television and generally spacing out. I sure did.
Well, amidst the reruns and obligatory Christmas specials (Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown!) some new entertainment emerged in the form of Hyundai car commercials featuring catchy renditions of classic Christmas songs. And if you watched more than 10 minutes of TV this holiday season, you likely saw at least one of these ads, as Hyundai seemed to be airing them during almost every commercial break on every station.
In case somehow you didn’t see them, here they are:
Up on a Housetop:
TweetMeet Big Bird and the gang at Busch Gardens Tampa’s new Sesame Street Safari of Fun
Sesame Street fans will want to head to Busch Gardens Tampa Bay this coming weekend as the all-new, Sesame Street-themed “Safari of Fun” opens on March 27.
This kids’ play land features Elmo, Big Bird, Cookie Monster, Burt, Ernie, and other Sesame Street characters, available for meet-and-greets and photo ops. Also in the new area are kid-size rides, water fun, shows and other adventures.
Highlights include “Air Grover,” which looks to be a fun-filled a kid’s coaster. “Oscar’s Swamp Stomp” and “Bert & Ernie’s Watering Hole” are sure to cool you off in the upcoming hot months.
“Lights, Camera, Imagination!” is Busch Gardens’ new 4-D film, located in their Timbuktu area. The movie features Elmo, Cookie Monster, Big Bird and other Sesame Street characters trying to save the Sesame Street Film Festival.
“Only at Busch Gardens can you meet versions of the Sesame Street characters in unique African-inspired costumes and have experiences with them you can’t find anywhere else,” says Jim Dean, Busch Gardens’ executive vice president and general manager. “With this new addition to our park, Busch Gardens really does have something for everyone. We expect to see many more families come to enjoy all that our park has to offer.”
Families can also share breakfast or lunch with Elmo and friends on select days at an outdoor dining facility in Sesame Street Safari of Fun.
Find out more about the “Sesame Street Safari of Fun” at SesameStreetSafariOfFun.com.
TweetVideo: Sherman Brothers receive Disneyland Main Street window with an entertaining tribute ceremony
When Disney says they like to honor those who have helped make their movies, television shows, and theme parks so successful, they’re not kidding.
On March 11, 2010, the songwriting Sherman Brothers were honored at Disneyland by receiving their own window on Main Street USA -- a tribute bestowed upon only the most worthy contributors to Disney history.
As part of the roughly 45-minute ceremony, the Sherman Brothers were praised by, amongst others, Disneyland Resort President George Kalogridis and former Imagineer and Walt Disney’s speech writer Marty Sklar. But the best entertainment came in the form of two actors who emerged as the lead characters (mother and father) from Disney’s Carousel of Progress attraction. They hilariously performed a fantastic medley of some of the Sherman Brothers’ biggest hits from Disney’s theme parks and beyond.
Finally, after unveiling the new window, Richard Sherman spoke and performed “Feed the Birds,” a song from “Mary Poppins” and Walt Disney’s favorite. It was a touching moment that no one in attendance will soon forget.
Here is a look at the window ceremony in a few more videos:
First, a slightly-edited-for-time video of the majority of the ceremony, including Marty Sklar’s full speech, the window unveiling, and Richard Sherman’s speech and performance:
Or if you only want to watch Richard Sherman sing “Feed the Birds,” here’s a clip of that performance:
And finally, a short interview with Richard Sherman asking how two brothers can work so well together for so long:
Finally, don’t miss our gallery of photos from the Sherman Brothers window ceremony.
Big thanks to Jeremiah and Josh Daws for covering this special event for Inside the Magic.
TweetConan O’Brien launches nationwide stage show tour
Only a few weeks after leaving “The Tonight Show” (after the majorly unfunny Jay Leno to usurped his spot), comedian Conan O’Brien has launched a nationwide tour across the United States that’s being billed as “a night of music, comedy, hugging, and the occasional awkward silence.”
O’Brien is calling the tour “The Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on Television Tour,” referencing his much-publicized non-competition agreement that he has with NBC-Universal as part of his departure from the network.
Many believe Coco, as fans have been calling him, will return to the airwaves when his noncompete expires, but until then 32 cities across the country will be treated to his antics on stage.
Tour dates begin in Eugene, OR on April 12 and conclude in Atlanta, GA on June 14.
Tickets, and a tour poster (seen here) based off of artwork from a fan who rallied behind O’Brien during the recent late night war, can be found at the new web site: TeamCoco.com.
I hope they add a Florida date or two to the tail end of the tour as I’d love to see this act in person.
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