Nokia shutters Vancouver-based N-Gage Design Studio

href="http://www.develop-online.net/news/32364/Nokias-closes-Canadian-studio">
src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTR8tPO18G3fqVuPOFW628HoqV_rldKpJBI9sROlVKR7EQmthIZoRLLvmHSmvKZD1fo83PHX-Lbk8NG3ZDMmkw3OuHJsW9j6TjAvWCH9FQcFKCAOxjjLsCU49eH_mLAiw0_QSnS-P605H5/" />It's
probably a bit premature to sound the death knell for Nokia's
current generation of the N-Gage
platform, but it certainly doesn't bode well that they've wound
down operations at the Vancouver, British Columbia-based studio
responsible for many games stretching back to N-Gage's origins. At
this point, it could simply mean that Nokia no longer wishes to be
tied up in the hard-knock world of game development, admitting that
other operations like EA are probably better off fighting that
fight -- but ultimately, with the Ovi Store
calling into question N-Gage's very reason for being, this could be
the beginning of yet another fundamental shift in Espoo's gaming
strategy. Time will tell, but in the meantime, there are 100 Nokia
staffers up in Canada whose reassignments to other posts remain to
be settled.





[Via: Engadgetmobile ]

iPhone 3GS PlayStation, Game Boy Advance emulators demoed on video

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src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5y53sgxTdy2dXM3lCUGIpKu4L-BHBbDFV1f8phUTutwDtHLmVivaBFUlX_kbc034JVWv_cOk7n_l8cv1OgrM8C7U1jCpWinaOeOUOplIgyFlhr9gc0tvwt2vP_n0Ufpw0IYpd8r3uOvlR/" />




A final iPhone
3GS jailbreak hasn't been released yet, but that isn't stopping
enterprising hackers from trying to get at all that
extra horsepower, and some of the first notable hacks we've
seen are these updated PlayStation 1 and Game Boy Advance emulator
ports, which run way faster than the versions for the original and
3G. The
revved up hardware in Apple's latest is apparently capable of
running either of these at 150 - 225fps with zero frameskipping,
which is pretty impressive. Of course, we'll be way more impressed
when the Dev Team releases a 3GS jailbreak and we can hit these up
ourselves, but in the meantime there are plenty of videos to with
which to while away the time at the read links.



Read - Emulator
videos

href="http://www.zodttd.com/blog/2009/06/24/preview-psx4iphone-on-your-3gs-now/">
Read - ZoTTD blog post with more info

[Via: Engadgetmobile ]

Totally rad, red Xbox 360 spied in Toys R Us fine print

Is this for reals? If so... yay! If the above screenshot of a Toys R Us terminal is to be believed, there might be a new, red Xbox 360 Elite on its way to a shelf near you. Details beyond the SKU are pretty scant, but the price is the same as the current Xbox 360 Elite model -- $399. We know a certain, fashion-conscious avatar who is going to be really excited if this is true.


[Via: Joystiq ]

DS Lite solar panel mod lets you leave the PSU at home

If you've got some 60 x 60 solar panels, a few diodes, some scotch tape, and a little time on your hands, you may never need to plug in your DS ever again. According to "dark sponge," a poster over at Instructables, you can convert the Lite into a solar-powered wonder that will obviate the need for your standard PSU, and make your green leaning friends, er... green with envy. The mod involves slapping panels on both the bottom and top of the device which -- when wired in parallel -- get 6 volts of power at 80 mA, which is apparently perfect for a trickle charge. The only downside is you'll have to leave the device face down for a bit, and it's advised to keep it out of the sun all day. Still, it's an excellent mod that doesn't seem too difficult to execute, and ends up saving hassle and energy... and who can knock that?


[Via: SlashGear ]

Kitty needs to eat, dodge human feet in Time4Cat - Time Waster

The goal in Time4Cat is to guide your kitty around the crosswalk and snack on falling food while avoiding pedestrians.
Just like in real life, it's all good fun until someone steps on the cat.
Nice green ladies move comparatively slowly, while purple men rush past with little regard for your feline. Trickier still, the speed of their gait is directly related to how fast you're moving. Zip around the crosswalk, and a blur of hurried pedestrian traffic ensues. Move more slowly, and everyone else does, too. Stop, and they stop.
You'll need to do the occasional zigzag to get someone to walk away from that slice of pizza they're standing on.
Cat isn't totally defenseless. Every now and then you'll see a glowing white orb appear. Grab them, as they give you the power to throw a telekinetic sphere around yourself that repels nearby people.


[Via: Download Squad ]

Sony switch to Intel's Larrabee chip

Here's the silicon scuttlebutt of the weekend, if not the week: Sony will use Intel's Larrabee graphics chip in its upcoming PlayStation 4. (Let's not forget the other tantalizing piece of speculation this week: the Nvidia-powered Microsoft smartphone rumor, which Microsoft apparently put to rest.) We know for a fact that Jeffery Katzenberg at DreamWorks likes Larrabee--a lot. That apparently was one of the reasons DreamWorks dropped Advanced Micro Devices. So, chalk that up as one major design win for Intel's somewhat-murky next-generation graphics chip due late this year or 2010. Now Sony? A report this week in the U.K.-based technology Web site The Inquirer claims Sony favors Larrabee over Nvidia for its PlayStation 4. (The other major piece of silicon used in the current PlayStation is a Cell processor developed jointly by IBM, Sony, and Toshiba.) For the record, an Intel spokesperson said the company "cannot comment on rumor or speculation." Sony in Europe reportedly didn't mince words, however, comparing the report to some of the twentieth century's great fiction. Though another reported comment from Sony is more insipid and PR-like. The U.K. report claims Intel paid to play. The report also hinges on the premise that Sony doesn't like Nvidia anymore. (And claims there are others that feel the same way about Nvidia.) Even if there is some special hatred there (as the reporter claims), that's not news. And applies to just about any acrimony-ridden hardware relationship in Silicon Valley. (Just peruse some of the tender exchanges between Intel and Microsoft in court records over the years.) Anti-Nvidia bias (which is palpable in the report) aside, if there is a broader truth to this, that is, that game box makers are considering Larrabee, the chip would become a serious contender and take its place with GPUs from Nvidia and AMD's ATI graphics unit. But we won't know this for a while since no one (that I know of) has actually put Larrabee through the paces (though DreamWorks has hinted at this). And the PlayStation 4 isn't due, reportedly, until 2012.

[Via: cnet.com ]

Sony switch to Intel's Larrabee chip

Here's the silicon scuttlebutt of the weekend, if not the week: Sony will use Intel's Larrabee graphics chip in its upcoming PlayStation 4. (Let's not forget the other tantalizing piece of speculation this week: the Nvidia-powered Microsoft smartphone rumor, which Microsoft apparently put to rest.) We know for a fact that Jeffery Katzenberg at DreamWorks likes Larrabee--a lot. That apparently was one of the reasons DreamWorks dropped Advanced Micro Devices. So, chalk that up as one major design win for Intel's somewhat-murky next-generation graphics chip due late this year or 2010. Now Sony? A report this week in the U.K.-based technology Web site The Inquirer claims Sony favors Larrabee over Nvidia for its PlayStation 4. (The other major piece of silicon used in the current PlayStation is a Cell processor developed jointly by IBM, Sony, and Toshiba.) For the record, an Intel spokesperson said the company "cannot comment on rumor or speculation." Sony in Europe reportedly didn't mince words, however, comparing the report to some of the twentieth century's great fiction. Though another reported comment from Sony is more insipid and PR-like. The U.K. report claims Intel paid to play. The report also hinges on the premise that Sony doesn't like Nvidia anymore. (And claims there are others that feel the same way about Nvidia.) Even if there is some special hatred there (as the reporter claims), that's not news. And applies to just about any acrimony-ridden hardware relationship in Silicon Valley. (Just peruse some of the tender exchanges between Intel and Microsoft in court records over the years.) Anti-Nvidia bias (which is palpable in the report) aside, if there is a broader truth to this, that is, that game box makers are considering Larrabee, the chip would become a serious contender and take its place with GPUs from Nvidia and AMD's ATI graphics unit. But we won't know this for a while since no one (that I know of) has actually put Larrabee through the paces (though DreamWorks has hinted at this). And the PlayStation 4 isn't due, reportedly, until 2012.

[Via: cnet.com ]

Sony switch to Intel's Larrabee chip

Here's the silicon scuttlebutt of the weekend, if not the week: Sony will use Intel's Larrabee graphics chip in its upcoming PlayStation 4. (Let's not forget the other tantalizing piece of speculation this week: the Nvidia-powered Microsoft smartphone rumor, which Microsoft apparently put to rest.) We know for a fact that Jeffery Katzenberg at DreamWorks likes Larrabee--a lot. That apparently was one of the reasons DreamWorks dropped Advanced Micro Devices. So, chalk that up as one major design win for Intel's somewhat-murky next-generation graphics chip due late this year or 2010. Now Sony? A report this week in the U.K.-based technology Web site The Inquirer claims Sony favors Larrabee over Nvidia for its PlayStation 4. (The other major piece of silicon used in the current PlayStation is a Cell processor developed jointly by IBM, Sony, and Toshiba.) For the record, an Intel spokesperson said the company "cannot comment on rumor or speculation." Sony in Europe reportedly didn't mince words, however, comparing the report to some of the twentieth century's great fiction. Though another reported comment from Sony is more insipid and PR-like. The U.K. report claims Intel paid to play. The report also hinges on the premise that Sony doesn't like Nvidia anymore. (And claims there are others that feel the same way about Nvidia.) Even if there is some special hatred there (as the reporter claims), that's not news. And applies to just about any acrimony-ridden hardware relationship in Silicon Valley. (Just peruse some of the tender exchanges between Intel and Microsoft in court records over the years.) Anti-Nvidia bias (which is palpable in the report) aside, if there is a broader truth to this, that is, that game box makers are considering Larrabee, the chip would become a serious contender and take its place with GPUs from Nvidia and AMD's ATI graphics unit. But we won't know this for a while since no one (that I know of) has actually put Larrabee through the paces (though DreamWorks has hinted at this). And the PlayStation 4 isn't due, reportedly, until 2012.

[Via: cnet.com ]

Kohjinsha livens up netbook game with shockingly green Gachapin edition

Generally speaking, Kohjinsha is better known for its dabbling in the UMPC / convertible tablet arenas than netbooks, but there's nothing like a retina-searing lime green shell to bring attention to your latest. Reportedly, the outfit has teamed up with famed toy maker Bandai in order to create a Gachapin and Mukku netbook aimed at kids with no sense of style and a simple desire to smile at all times during the day. As for specs, everything's pretty much par for the course, with a 1.6GHz Atom N270 CPU, 160GB HDD, 8.9-inch display (1,024 x 600 resolution), WiFi, a 3-in-1 card reader, a 1.3 megapixel webcam and 1GB of RAM. We must say, the inclusion of a 1Seg digital TV tuner is a nice touch, and one we're sure your TV-loving youngsters will greatly appreciate. The bad news is that this rig is selling for a whopping ?79,800 ($866), so you can be certain those fuzzy cartoon characters are getting some serious royalties.


[Via: PortableMonkey ]

Gridplane releases hazy NXE mockup that never was

Design / animation studio Gridplane's recently unloaded photos of a mockup it contributed to the Microsoft Xbox team in charge of revamping the Xbox user interface, which eventually became the New Xbox Experience, AKA NXE. There are a few things here we like -- the design has a clean, other-worldly feel to it that's semi-appealing. However, we're not so into the milky haze that could have separated us from our beloved, fashionable avatar. Check out a few more shots of the proposed design after the break.


[Via: Joystiq ]

The New Xbox Experience That Almost Was [Nxe]

Design studio Gridplane was hired by Microsoft to come up with a new user interface for the Xbox 360 (what eventually became dubbed The New Xbox Experience). Here is their work. Many screens look like little more than an enlarged, green-filtered version of the original 360 dashboard, but the company developed an "immersive 3D environment" (probably seen in that first shot) to navigate much of the system. My favorite screen is actually the simplest—where all of your games span your television. Screw the folks with tiny displays who'd have to squint. I have a big TV.


[Via: Gizmodo, The Gadget Blog ]

Don't snag your ball on the spikes in Scriball - Time Waster

As with a lot of good Time Wasters, the concept behind Scriball isn't rocket surgery (to quote Don Cherry). Your goal is the green circle, and your mission is to guide the yellow ball onto it.
Things are complicated ever-so-slightly by your means of locomotion. You've got two ways to make the ball move: click to jump or draw a line by dragging your mouse.
See how long the line is in the screenshot? That's about all you get to work with. Imagine guiding the yellow ball by dragging around an overcooked spaghetti noodle two inches long, and you have the general idea. Getting the hang of Scriball's physics can be a wee bit frustrating, but it doesn't spoil the fun.
I'm sure you can guess from looking, but here's a quick PSA: just like in real life, keep your ball away from the spiky things. They'll make your ball explode.

[Via: Download Squad ]

2eleven introduces souped-up foosball table

It's not quite as elaborate as some foosball tables we've seen, but this new rig from 2eleven will no doubt attract its fair share of attention nonetheless and, unlike some of those other units, it's actually pre-built. While there doesn't seem to be a complete breakdown of all its intricacies, the table does come equipped with some LED score displays, a pair of LCD displays apparently intended to display advertisements, an automatic ball lift mechanism and, yes, cup holders. Of course, those accommodations for ads would seem to suggest that this one isn't exactly intended for home use, but we're guessing at least a few folks out there will find a way around that.

[Via: Be Sportier ]

Sony ushers in change, hope with upcoming PS3 2.60 firmware update

Sony just dropped some details on its upcoming 2.60 firmware update for the PS3. The big thrust of the update is a new Photo Gallery app, which can sort by various EXIF data, but also the actual content of the image itself, including colors used, number of people in the photo, how old they are, and facial expressions they used when you pulled out your powdered-blue Kodak to take a few historical snapshots. Naturally you can build slideshows with music and the like. Sony's also adding with this update guest access to the PlayStation Store and DivX 3.11 support. If that's not enough magic to get you riled up, Sony's also pushing out a PSP update, firmware 5.03 that addresses "security vulnerabilities" (we wonder what that could be?) and some stability issues. There's a video walkthrough of the PS3 update after the break.



[Via: Engadget ]

Wii Fit and Arduino bring wooden Labyrinth game to robotic life

Ah, yes. Nothing like some robotics to shake all that pesky quaintness out of a well-loved, time-tested game. In this case, some folks from the Cowtown Computer Congress a couple of servos and the ever so useful Arduino to connect a wooden Labyrinth game to a Wii Fit, which appears to up the difficulty of the game while still requiring as little exertion as possible. At just $60 total (not including the Wii Fit), the project is also relatively inexpensive, and it seems that it's a fairly simple process to swap out the Wii Fit for the controller of your choice. Head on past the break for a video of the setup in action, and hit up the link below for the necessary details.

[Via: Engadget ]

ezGear's You Rock Guitar packs multi-touch and ultimate babe magnet

If ezGear's last guitar wasn't quite complex enough for you, check out it's latest product -- the You Rock Guitar. Compatible with both Guitar Hero 2 and Rock Band: World Tour for Wii, and your PC or Mac, the You Rock has a full multi-touch fretboard which simulates a "real" guitar with six strings instead of five buttons. You can hook this bad boy up with a standard .25-inch connection, or plug in your iPod or MP3 player through the mini-stereo jack to rock out to your own private collection of Metallica. The folks over at ezGear promise a SDK for even further expandability by Spring, and expect the $150 device to be available in either Q2 or Q3.
[Via: Engadget ]

XIM 2 Xbox 360 mod ready for pre-order, you aren't ready to pony up

Eager to use your mouse / keyboard combo on your Xbox 360? Eager enough to drop $179.95 for the privilege? If so, then you should probably know that XIM's ready and willing to oblige. The XIM 2 module, which is supposedly plug 'n play in nature, is at long last available for ordering, though it's not quite ready for shipment. Seriously though, for this price you may be better off investing in a few controller mastering lessons and using the remainder on Bawls and Cheetos.
[Via: Engadget ]

SKIGYM simulator lets you break a hip from the comfort of your living room

The Wii Balance Board may be all well and good if you want to play things safe, but those looking to up the danger level a tad will no doubt want to give this new SKIGYM simulator some serious consideration, with it promising to improve your skiing ability and give you a workout in the process. Apparently, you can either hook the fully-motorized device up to your PC and play the included Alpine Ski Racing game, or simply use it on its own as a piece of exercise equipment -- we're guessing it's also only a matter of time before someone uses it to control a robot. Not surprisingly, this piece of living room clutter will also put quite a dent in the old bank account, with it running
[Via: Random Good Stuff ]