A brief look at new and noteworthy experiences among DVDs, video games, gadgets and the Web.
DVD
Now, here's a true epic At nearly 21 hours, the 1978 TV event "Centennial" is more the equivalent of a season-length series than a miniseries, its usual label. And DVD fans can't wait to wade through it all again, judging from preorders of today's six-disc set (Universal, $60), which has been among Amazon's top TV sellers for weeks. James Michener's bestselling novel is translated into a stunning all-star production -- told in 12 movie-length installments -- about a fictitious Old West town's transformation from its sleepy settlement days to 20th-century turmoil. In the sole extra, an 18-minute retrospective, the stars, Robert Conrad and Barbara Carrera, relive the making of the remarkable TV epic.
Today's other top DVDs: "The Band's Visit," "Dark City: Director's Cut," "Doomsday," "Freakazoid" (Season 1), "Robin Hood" (Season 2), "Shine a Light," "Stargate: Continuum," "Tiny Toon Adventures" (Vol. 1), "Tyrone Power Matinee Idol Collection."
WEB
What's in a name? The new website Name Trends (www.nametrends.net) is getting some buzz as a useful tool for expectant parents and genealogists, or anyone who just wants to have some fun. Using dry statistics from the Social Security Administration, the site displays easy-to-read charts showing the popularity of first names historically (since the 1880s) and by state on a U.S. map (top 200 annually since 1960). Randy, for example, was hugely popular in the 1960s but waned over the decades and has fallen off the map. On the other hand, Annabelle, which was considered old-fashioned when we named our daughter that 16 years ago and hadn't made a ripple since the 1920s, is now sporadically trendy, including being among Minnesota's top 100 girl names in 2006.
RANDY A. SALAS
SATISFY YOUR INNER GEEK
Get daily technology news and musings from Randy Salas at startribune.com/technobabble.
