A New Twist on the Dark Ages
January 12, 2009
Social games have taken a new leap in terms of playability and fun. No longer are we restricted to board games where the whole family gathers around, we can now take our desire for fun online where we can interact with others around the world. Facebook games have taken off and a new game, Dark Ages, really brings the old and the new together by delivering a dynamic game that is leaps and bounds better than traditional point and click games.
As a fan of the popular strategy game Dungeons and Dragons, Dark Ages gave me a sense of accomplishment and joy just as Dungeons and Dragons did. You start out by creating a Medieval character that travels across the land fighting and killing various creatures and monsters in order to gain experience. As you kill monsters you can loot their bodies for gold and equipment and advance your character. As I started out I thought the game would not be in depth enough to hold my interest but boy, I was wrong. After leveling up on my own I was able to take full advantage of the social networking aspect of Facebook games and join other groups of warriors just like myself in order to form guilds and take on harder bosses and monsters. Who knew playing with people I don’t even know could be so much fun?
Because the game is still in development, there are many things still to be added but if the game is great now, I can’t imagine what it holds in store for the future.
AT&T launching automobile satellite Television service this Spring
January 11, 2009
Mobile Television hasn’t even taken off in the cellphone market, but it’s already looking to take another sector by storm. AT&T has announced here at CES that its CruiseCast in-car satellite TV service will be launching this Spring, and we’re told to expect 22 channels initially and 20 sat radio stations to boot. Not surprisingly, the system will set you back somethin’ fierce: it’ll cost $1,299 for the kit and $28 per month for the service. From the begin, the channel lineup will include Disney Channel, Discovery Kids, Animal Planet, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network Mobile, USA, MSNBC, CNN Mobile Live and CNBC (among others), and you’ll be required to install a three pound 11.3- x 10.3- x 4.3-inch antenna on the roof of your automobile. Oh, and if you’re looking for a little test drive before you purchase in, Avis and Budget are expected to make it available in some locales for $9 a day or $63 per week.
[Via Personal computer World]
Free Cable TV: Keeping a Busy Man Updated
January 11, 2009
Internet has become a necessity to everyone especially those who live in the metropolitan areas. On the other hand, people do not have time to watch television because they do not have enough time.
If you are such person, trying Free Satellite TV can help you watch television in your computer. This service is available at yourfreetelevision.com. With the software they provide, you can watch many television channel programs from any part of the globe.
In addition, the service is also suitable in rural areas that are difficult to reach by television cable. Such a good idea, isn’t it? Then, apply for their Free Cable Television services and be able to get the 50% discount on the software.
‘Poladroid’ Adds Vintage Polaroid Look to Your Photos
January 2, 2009
Shake it like a… well, you know. Since switching to digital, we’ve often missed the look and feel of prints from our old Polaroid cameras. Sure, you can boot up Photoshop and employ a set of filters and level adjustments to achieve the Polaroid look with the washed out colors and white borders, or you can check out the new Poladroid software.
Once you open the app, drag your pics onto the Polaroid camera icon, and you’ll hear that familiar Polaroid click sound. A mini print will pop up on your screen that will lack a recognizable image, just like the real thing. Over time, the picture bleeds into the frame — it takes about a minute or two to see a fully developed image (an x appears on the bottom of the image once it’s ready). Double click on the prints at any time to save the Poladroidized images to your desktop.
It’s a great concept, but the execution still needs some work. The software is slow (yes, the original Polaroid took time to develop, which is part of the charm, but the software seemed to cause our computer to hang several times), and the novelty of the interface wears off after the first few picture developments. Looking to apply the effect to a lot of your pics It’s going to take a while.
We threw a couple of pics we’d sitting around onto the app, and added the results below — check out flickr to see more results from around the Web. For now, the software is Mac only, but a Windows app is apparently in development. Still, despite the sluggish feel, the pics often turn out sufficiently vintage, and the app is definitely worth the free download. [From: TUAW]
CVSCD-8500 3-Inch Touchscreen Phone
January 2, 2009
An interesting phone called the CVSCD-8500 is available on ChinaVasion (no, it’s not a typo). The phone features a 3-inch LCD touchscreen, dual SIM slots, Bluetooth, DVB-TV, digital camera which supports an optical zoom lens. The phone also comes bundled with a 512MB memory card, extra battery and earphones.
Shoppers Think Larger is Better, Even When it Isn’t
January 2, 2009
We’ve already talked about megapixels and how more massive is most certainly not better; higher quality (e.g. better lenses, bigger sensors) cameras with lower megapixel counts can take better shots than newer ones with higher ratings. But a lot of folks out there don’t seem to have received the message, as a new study has found that shoppers will like that which has the higher number, even when there’s no difference otherwise.
The Journal of Consumer Research has published a study in which a number of tests were performed, including one in which people were shown two duplicates of one picture, slightly modified to look different in terms of sharpness and color. With no additional information, only 25-percent of people liked the sharper picture. But when they were told the sharper one was taken by a camera with a higher megapixel count, 75-percent then chose the sharper image, which was otherwise identical to the other one.
So, this holiday season, don’t be so easily fooled. Shop around and read reviews to get the products that are ideal, and not just those that have the highest statistics on the box! [From: ars technica]
Joyswag regift giveaway: Halo Interactive Strategy Board Game
January 2, 2009
Just like you, we get all sorts of gifts around the holidays here at Joystiq HQ. Probably unlike you, we don’t keep any of them (even the good ones!). With that in mind, we’ve got five days of regift giveaways planned, where you get some free stuff (and we get some of our HQ real estate back).
This day, we’re offering up this copy of the Halo Interactive Strategy Board Game. Get this, it’s a board game, based on a video game, with DVD video functionality. What will they think of next
Here’s how you win:
- Leave a comment with your favorite Halo-inspired pick-up line (sample: “If we stick together long enough I’ll explode.”)
- You must be 18 years or older and a resident of the US or Canada (excluding Quebec)
- Limit 1 entry per person
- This entry period ends at 8:30 pm ET on Thursday, January 1st. We’ll randomly select 1 winner at that time to receive the Halo Interactive Strategy Board Game ($50). Please check your e-mail!
- For a list of complete rules, click here
Ninja Blade demo to land on Japanese XBLM soon
January 2, 2009
A picture is worth a thousand words but a demo could mean the difference in millions. From Software’s upcoming ninja-blade-ing (not a real word) game, creatively named Ninja Blade, will see early life on the Japanese Xbox Live Marketplace in the form of a playable demo. Japanese gamers, and possibly others who have access to the Japanese Marketplace, will be treated to the demo on December 29.
[via Kotaku]
Ninja Blade demo on the internet, plays nice with all systems
January 1, 2009
Remember a few days ago when we said the Ninja Blade demo would make its way to the Japanese Marketplace We’re not saying we’re magic or anything but as Picard would say, “Make it so.” According to Major Nelson the Japan-only demo is now available on the JXBLM. For those keen on checking out the ninja-action, comments on Major’s post claim the demo is both region-free and includes English text.
Earlier in the month Japan was rewarded with an exclusive Resident Evil 5 demo that was originally region-free. Soon after realizing non-Japanese gamers had been downloading and playing the demo, new downloads of the demo outside of Japan were blocked and the on the internet co-op was disabled. So, let’s keep news about Ninja Blade on the DL okay That means don’t tell anyone you’re downloading it and please do not post this information on the web. Oh, wait. Crap.
New Ford Cars Will Come With Self-Parking Technology
January 1, 2009
Today, a spokesman for Ford Motor Company announced that the auto manufacturer has developed a self-parking technology that will be available on Ford automobiles beginning with 2010 models, the AP reports.
The 2010 Lincoln MKS and the new Lincoln MKT will be the first models to offer the option of the technology, which — at the mash of a button — guides the vehicle into parallel parking spots. Using ultrasonic sensors, an automatic steering function, and visual and aural hazard indications, the equipped automobiles will only require a driver’s application of the gas and brake pedals for a parking job well done.
According to Mark Fields, Ford’s president in the Americas, the technology should be featured in almost 90-percent of Ford’s cars by the year 2012.
While we’re always fascinated by robo automobiles, we can’t help but wonder: would anybody really rather have Ford spending money on a self-parking vehicle rather than a more fuel-efficient one After all, if our oil runs out, or just gets to expensive, we won’t have anything to park. [From: AP]
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