Games

The Godfather II Updated Hands-On

2009-01-22T08:00:00.000-08:00

The Godfather II is a tale of two games, a blend of sandbox action and strategic resource management. The low-level mobster in you will want to parade around 1950s-era depictions of New York, Miami, and Havana causing as much wanton destruction as you possibly can, but you'll need to get in touch with your inner Mafia boss if you want to successfully progress through the story. Taking over and managing various rackets and crime rings is key, but so is keeping an eye on your own family and those of other organizations. We've had only a taste of what sort of strategic depth The Godfather II might offer in previous looks at the game, but we've recently been spending some time with a nearly complete version of this EA Redwood Shores-developed game to see how far we could dive into the Don lifestyle.

For a bit of background on the story told in The Godfather II, you'll want to have a look at the hands-on impressions that we posted yesterday based on a UK press event. It'll give you a good idea of what happens at the beginning of the game, including the myriad names and faces that are introduced during the course of the game's first act, set during the eve of the Cuban Revolution. Suffice it to say, things go sour and you quickly return to New York, where you're thrust into the position of building your own wing of the Corleone organized-crime family. The first item on the agenda is recruiting an associate, the bottom level on your family tree.

WOW: Wrath of Lich King Review

2009-01-06T03:00:00.000-08:00

Four years and well beyond 10 million subscriptions after the release of World of Warcraft, Blizzard's phenomenally successful massively multiplayer online role-playing game is barely recognizable as the same game that sold almost a quarter of a million copies in its first 24 hours. The game has been in a near-constant state of evolution since 2004, and up until last month, the steady flow of new features and improvements had all been patched in for free, with only one exception: the Burning Crusade expansion pack that's required to play Wrath of the Lich King. The recently released second expansion pack doesn't boast as many back-of-the-box bullet points as its predecessor, and it doesn't offer anything for new players, but if you're still playing WOW or you're looking for an excuse to get back into it, this thrilling new adventure is not to be missed.

All of the new content in Wrath of the Lich King comes with a character-level requirement. You can't play the new death knight hero class until one of your existing characters reaches level 55, and you can't attempt any quests in the new Northrend continent until you're at level 68. The most significant exception to this rule would have been the new inscription-crafting profession, but that ended up being patched in shortly before the expansion's release alongside new talents for every character class in the game, an Xbox Live-style achievements system, barbershops, an extremely useful in-game calendar, and numerous user-interface improvements. There's new content for low-level players, but you don't need the expansion pack to get it.

Facebook ban of breast-feeding photos sparks protests

2009-01-05T03:35:00.000-08:00

Are photographs of a mother breast-feeding her child indecent? The social networking site Facebook has sparked a massive online debate — and protests — after removing photos that expose too much of a mother’s breast.

Facebook spokesman Barry Schnitt said the website takes no action over most breast-feeding photos because they follow the site’s terms of use but others are removed to ensure the site remains safe and secure for all users, including children.

“Photos containing a fully exposed breast (as defined by showing the nipple or areola) do violate those terms (on obscene, pornographic or sexually explicit material) and may be removed,” he said in a statement.

“The photos we act upon are almost exclusively brought to our attention by other users who complain.”

But Facebook’s decision to ban some breast-feeding photos has angered some users, including U.S. mother Kelli Roman whose photograph of her feeding her daughter was removed by Facebook.

Refer: blogoverdose.com

Porsche Carrera 911 2009

2008-12-22T07:20:00.000-08:00

The 2009 Porsche Carrera 911 S Cabriolet boasts a PDK transmission, which has the "ability to snap off shifts 60 percent faster than the Tiptronic and faster, in fact, than any human using a manual transmission, and those who relish pure performance will love this." Video after the break.
With $22,175 in options, this 2009 Porsche 911 Carrera S Cabriolet proves that Porsche makes much of its revenue from customers who like to check boxes on the order form. Including destination, this car rang up a price tag of $119,925.

Refer: techeblog

Full Chronicles Of Riddick Sequel In The Works

2008-12-19T03:00:00.000-08:00

in Diesel's Tigon Studios has revealed that while Assault on Dark Athena is a nice little episodic update to The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay, a true sequel is being planned. Speaking to Eurogamer TV at the Atari Live event last week, Tigon head of production Ian Stevens called Dark Athena an episodic expansion, indicating that they've got a sequel to the original in mind should gamers react positively to the updated release.

Refer: kotaku

Homeade Asteroids Watch is Playable, Features Tilt Sensor

2008-12-18T03:00:00.000-08:00

Building upon the success of the Pong watch, this Asteroids version features an "inbuilt tilt sensor so the wearer can control the action by simply tilting their wrist." Video after the break.

Microsoft Internet Explorer users told to switch browsers over flaw

2008-12-17T03:27:00.000-08:00

Users of Microsoft's Internet Explorer have been warned of a flaw that could let hackers gain access to their computers and steal personal data, and told them to swap to a rival browser.
The flaw was spotted last week when hackers started attacking users of IE 7. The flaw, however, has also been found in earlier versions of Microsoft's browser, IE 5 and IE 6.
Because IE is used by seven out of every ten computers in the world, the flaw is potentially very serious. So far, however, it only seems to have been used to steal computer game code from rival gamers.
Microsoft is trying to put together a patch, but in the meantime computer users have been advised to update their security settings or switch to unaffected browsers such as Firefox or Opera.
The latter scored highest in a recent set of tests of how browsers deal with password security, by security consultants Chapin Information Services. Firefox came second with IE mid-table. Google's new browser, Chrome, and Safari 3.2 for Windows tied in last place.
The flaw in IE allows criminals to gain control of computers that have visited a website infected with malicious code designed to exploit it. While restricting web surfing to trusted sites should reduce the risk of infection, the malicious code can be injected into any website. Users do not have to click or download anything to become infected, merely visiting an infected website is sufficient.
Antivirus software specialists Trend Micro believe as many as 10,000 sites have been hacked to exploit the flaw. Sites that have been compromised so far, however, are mostly Chinese and the attackers seem intent on stealing people's computer game passwords in order to sell them on the black market rather than looking for personal details such as bank accounts.
It is known as a "zero-day" attack because it exploits a security vulnerability on the same day that the vulnerability became generally known. Usually there is a "window of vulnerability" between when the flaw is discovered and when the vendor issues a patch. The hope is that the vendor issues the patch before writers of so-called "malware" can exploit the flaw. If the malware writers have the flaw first, then the vendor has "zero days" to create a patch.
"Microsoft is continuing its investigation of public reports of attacks against a new vulnerability in IE," the company said in a security alert updated yesterday. "We are actively investigating the vulnerability that these attacks attempt to exploit. We will continue to monitor the threat environment and update this advisory if this situation changes."
"On completion of this investigation, Microsoft will take the appropriate action to protect our customers, which may include providing a solution through a service pack, our monthly security update release process, or an out-of-cycle security update, depending on customer needs."
refer: guardian.co.uk

Sony Releases New God of War III Trailer

2008-12-16T03:00:00.000-08:00

Set for release next year on the PlayStation 3, God of War III continues where Sony's previous installment left off, with plenty of new enemies and refreshed graphics to top things off. Video after the break.

Leaked 2009 BMW Z4

2008-12-15T03:05:00.000-08:00

Upgrades to the 2009 BMW Z4 include: a retractable hardtop and an exterior that "seems to pick up cues from the GINA Light Visionary concept in the front on a body which has gone from flame surfaced to flame broiled.

Home Open Beta (Finally) Arrives On December 11th

2008-12-12T07:13:00.000-08:00

The perennially forthcoming PlayStation Home is finally entering open beta tomorrow, allowing those of us who weren't invited to the closed beta to figure out what all of the avatar-centric fuss is about.
It's an ambitious idea -- a sort of console-based Second Life, where players can create avatars that can walk around and do stuff, unlike those on Nintendo and Xbox 360.
While access to Home will be free of charge, prepare to swept up in a sea of advertising and microtransactions. Players will get their own apartment, and activities will include fraternizing with strangers in themed locales, playing social games, buying your digital self designer clothing, or picking out fancy furniture you couldn't hope to afford in meatspace.
Home will also be a place to gorge on all sorts of media, with content providers like Hexus TV, Eurogamer, and Paramount providing exclusive programming to watch, with trailers and merchandise from the upcoming film The Watchmen kicking everything off.
But it's still all about the games, right? A Far Cry 2 space will be one of the first available, where you can chat with other players about all things Far Cry. Uncharted, Warhawk, and Motorstorm spaces are set to follow shortly, and Sony is reportedly working with the likes of EA, Ubisoft, Sega and others to create even more environments for us to frolic in.
As for the new question on everyone's mind: will it all be worth the wait?
Image courtesy Sony.
blog.wired.com

OLPC XO Laptop

2008-12-11T07:08:00.001-08:00

OLPC now famously stands for One Laptop Per Child. And while anyone can purchase the device, rest assured the emphasis is firmly on child. The iconic green-and-white machine is unlike any computer you've ever used, and it represents a first - if rocky - step toward a new vision for youth and technology.

For adults, however, the experience is something different. Everything about the OLPC XO is designed with students in mind: The keyboard, wrapped in a rubberized membrane, is built for tiny, food-encrusted fingers. Touch typing? Don't even dream of it. And once you open the device you'll immediately find yourself faced with over a dozen unfamiliar buttons which you'll largely have to figure out through trial and error. The heavily-modded Fedora Linux core offers an entirely new way of doing things, deep-sixing any notions you might have about desktops, icons, and even file management. Again, kids in a classroom setting will probably grok this quickly, but grown-ups will wrestle with OLPC's software as much as they do its hardware.

Kogan launches Agora, the first Aussie Google Android mobile phone

2008-12-10T03:00:00.000-08:00

A SMALL electronics company has beaten the big mobile manufacturers to launch the first Google Android phone in Australia — but it won't ship until 2009.
Kogan Technologies, run by 25-year-old Melbourne entrepreneur Ruslan Kogan, today unveiled the Agora touchscreen handset – the second of its kind in the world.
The phone uses Google's Android mobile phone operating system, a software platform that defines how the user interacts with the handset.
The first phone to use Android, the T-Mobile G1, was launched in the US in September with the search company's co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin.
Google hopes to establish Android as the standard operating system for mobile phones and to improve the quality of web-browsing for handset users.
Last month, Kogan Technologies beat major mobile manufacturers by announcing its Android handset would be available for $199 outright by December 15th.
Now Kogan has begun selling the Agora online – but it is more expensive than expected at $299 and won't ship until next year.
The Agora is a 3G mobile with a touchscreen, QWERTY keyboard, and microSD card slot. A "Pro" model with Wi-Fi, a 2 megapixel camera and GPS costs an extra $100.
"The Kogan team have been working very hard to bring out the exciting new phones powered by Google's Android operating system at the right mix of price and specifications," Kogan said.
"We’ve been listening to customers through our blog, and crammed in all the features we possibly could."
Kogan had earlier asked customers to suggest a name for the new mobile, but "Agora" wasn't among the responses.
Google is developing Android as an open source project, meaning anyone can alter the software to suit their needs or to make it compatible with different carriers.
The company is also hoping to bring its expertise in web search technology to mobile users, in anticipation of more people surfing the web on their phones.
However Google will face stiff competition from established players in the market such as Nokia, Microsoft, Apple and Research In Motion, makers of the BlackBerry.

New Batman: Arkham Asylum trailer is deceptively good

2008-12-09T03:00:00.000-08:00

Being able to tell if a game is going to be good or not from an exquisitely edited trailer is a tough skill to hone, like picking out the faint hints of chestnut in a fine wine. That said, we like to think we're fairly good at it, and this new trailer for Batman: Arkham Asylum actually has us a little concerned about the game.

There's no one single thing we can point to; heck, we might just be sad this isn't The Dark Knight. It's possible we're completely wrong, in fact, we hope we are. But, all things considered, it's tough to blame us for being cautious.

Help us out guys. Let us know what you think, so we can rip off your opinions and sound really smart the next time we post about it.

www.joystiq.com

Foldable GrassHopper Bike Generates Electricity

2008-12-08T03:00:00.000-08:00

Not your average bike, the GrassHopper is designed "to satisfy those who like to bicycle in normal everyday life but live in places/cities where the configuration of the terrain is too severe (cough: hills)
Fuente: techeblog.com

Feature: Amazing Robot Skillfully Assembles Camera in Minutes

2008-12-05T03:07:00.000-08:00

In addition to being able to cook, Motoman can also assemble a camera in minutes, as you'll see after the break. Unfortunately, no release date has yet been set.
Equipped with two industrial-grade robotic arms (15 points of articulation in each), Motoman stands 4.5-feet tall and understands voice commands. Allowing it took cook, assemble a camera, or complete just about any task you can think of that involves two arms.
techeblog.

Valve Unveils Half-Life, Counter-Strike Sales Figures

2008-12-04T03:50:00.000-08:00

Valve, creator of such popular titles as Portal, Half-Life and the recent Left 4 Dead, recently granted Game Developer magazine a list of lifetime sales data for their most popular titles.

The list, reprinted by Gamasutra, demonstrates succinctly just how successful Valve has been over the years. The original Half-Life alone has moved nearly 10 million copies -- and that's only including retail sales.

Valve remains tight-lipped on exactly how many copies their digital distribution platform, dubbed Steam, has sold over the last few years of its existence.

Though the Gamasutra piece examines the numbers and offers commentary on their significance, Shacknews was kind enough to boil the figures down to a simple bullet list. You can find the details below.
blog.wired.com

Nikon GP-1 Dongle for Geotagging

2008-12-03T08:44:00.000-08:00

Nikon presents the GP-1 dongle, a device for geotagging images, for its DLSR cameras. The Nikon GP-1 add geotag to the images for recording latitude, longitude, altitude and time information. Users attach the GP-1 to camera using the hotshoe. It take up to 45 seconds or 5 seconds for GP-1 to acquire satellite signal, on cold start and hot start, respectively.

Nikon GP-1 dongle is compatible with D200, D300, D700, D90, D3 and D3X.

MEDION GoPal P5235, P5435 and X5535 GPS Navigators

2008-12-02T08:00:00.000-08:00

Median announced three new personal navigation devices (PNDs),including GoPal P5235, P5435 and X5535. All the three navigators utilize AuthenTec’s small form factor AES1510 fingerprint sensor for user identification. They all get a 5-inch touchscreen display, live traffic info and speech recognition.

MEDION’s GoPal P5235 comes with FM transmitter while the GoPal P5435 has Bluetooth for handsfree calling. The GoPal X5535 is top-of-the-line model offering built-in gyrometer technology to compensate for temporary GPS signal loss.

Washington Redskins Cheerleaders - 08

2008-12-01T09:45:00.000-08:00

USB Monster Hub

2008-11-28T03:00:00.000-08:00

If you want to keep some annoying kid away from your computer, you could always try and build a DIY USB monster hub, like the creator of the USB hub in the picture. This “monster” is basically a USB hub with some tape and cloth jumbled with some (rather cool looking) red LED lights as eyes. If you’re into monsters, you're welcome to try building one of your own.

Gran Turismo: PSP In The Works

2008-11-27T17:50:00.000-08:00

Four years have passed since whispers of Gran Turismo: PSP were bandied about, and there is still not such game in sight to date. In an interview with IGN, Kazunori Yamauchi, Polyphony Digital CEO, tells otherwise as he insisted that GT: PSP is in the pipeline. Perhaps this could mean a title for the next generation PSP? After all, Gran Turismo titles have long been associated with flagship titles on different PlayStation consoles in the past, so to do so for the PSP so late into its life cycle doesn't seem to make much sense. Ah well, weirder things have happened in the past, but it would be interesting to see whether Sony will roll out a next-gen PSP soon.

Wall-E Learning Laptop

2008-11-25T11:59:00.000-08:00

The laptop has five modes--letters, words, math, logic, and games--and each mode has three activities. The different modes teach language and cognitive development skills, basic math skills, and independent play.
The keyboard has a flip-down QWERTY keyboard, which in itself can be useful in helping kids become familiar with keyboards. You can use the arrow buttons on the keyboard to move through selections, or you can use the moving arm controllers to scroll through options. The screen is a basic LCD screen, and isn't anything special, but the images are pretty clear.
And, just like in the movie, Wall-E's right eye opens and closes. His eye blinks each time you answer a right question. The toy is made for kids ages four and up, but I could see kids a few years older than that getting bored quickly with the limited activities.
The biggest issue I have with the toy is that there's no headphone jack. I know a lot of toys don't have it, but if I were a parent and had to listen to various toy noise every day, I might get a little sick of it. Thankfully, there is a volume control that lets you choose between three options (none of which are "mute").
The Wall-E Learning Laptop is pretty simple, but can act as a very important educational tool in your child's early learning.

HTC Touch Cloned With HB 778

2008-11-24T05:06:00.000-08:00

Guess the HB 778 is yet another cloning effort from China, land of melamine-tainted milk and biscuits. Resembling a HTC Touch Diamond or Touch Pro, the HB 778 aims to fool the less informed with its close resemblance to HTC's celebrated smartphones. Features of the HB 778 include :-

2.8" touchscreen display
Dual slider design
QWERTY keyboard
TV functionality
Integrated FM radio
Haptic feedback
1 megapixel camera
Bluetooth connectivity
Dual SIM slot
microSD memory card slot

A one megapixel camera? That's totally lame, dude. You can be sure you get what you pay for, since the HB 778 retails for just $151 - a far cry from HTC's souped up handsets.

Tectoy Zeebo Gaming Console

2008-11-22T22:30:00.000-08:00

While this generation's game consoles in the living room are able to connect to the Internet via Wi-Fi or an Ethernet connection, Tectoy's Zeebo takes a different route by relying on 3G instead. This is weird, since 3G networks aren't exactly widespread and they are also infamous for the lack of coverage. Still, the Zeebo will be released in Brazil later next July before making its way to other markets in the following months. Being connected to a 3G network, you will be able to pay and download games as well as content from the said network, helping (in theory, at least) cut down on piracy while lowering costs for consumers (no manuals to print, no shipping costs, etc). The Zeebo is meant to compete in emerging gaming markets and not mature ones that are saturated with the Wii, Xbox 360 and Playstation 3. Hopefully the games will be engaging enough to warrant a purchase. Word has it that the Zeebo will cost $258 in Brazil when released.

chainless bicycles

2008-11-22T06:54:00.000-08:00

Pedalers of the world, unite! You have nothing to lose but your chains
If you've ever been riding down the street and had your pants cuff ripped asunder, there may be a revolution at hand.
Trek Bicycle is part of a movement to bury the finger-pinching, pants-munching, rust-prone sprocket and chain, and usher in an era of belt-driven bikes that might have the inventors of the self-propelled transportation Schwinning in their graves.
Wisconsin-based Trek is introducing two models this holiday season that are chainless, instead using technology most often found in things like motorcycles and snowmobiles. While some smaller custom bike makers have used them before, Trek is the first to use the technology for mass-produced bicycles.
The largest U.S. domestic bike manufacturer is hoping to capitalize on a new group of urban pedal-pushers who are trading their cars for a more low-tech way to get around because of gas prices as well as health and environmental concerns.
The U.S. bicycle industry was a $5.4 billion industry in 2007, including the retail value of bicycles, related parts, and accessories through all channels of distribution, according to research funded by the National Sporting Goods Association. More than 43 million Americans age 7 and older were estimated to have ridden a bike six times or more in 2005, the industry group said.
"People are really finding bicycles to be a very simple solution to some very complex problems that they face every day," said Eric Bjorling, Trek's lifestyle brand manager. "Anything we can do in our design to really help them and help them live that lifestyle is probably better for both the consumers and us."
Bjorling said the new belts are a low-maintenance solution to a chain, which has roughly 3,000 parts including all the links and connectors.
side from the whisper-quiet ride, the lighter and longer-lasting carbon-fiber composite belts won't rust, can't be cut, won't stretch or slip and won't leave grease marks around your ankles. A guard over the belt-drive and the construction of the system makes getting your pants stuck an unlikely scenario, Bjorling said.
One version of the chainless bike, called the District ($930), is a single-speed, complete with a silver body, orange accents and brown leather seat and handles. The other, called the Soho ($990), is an eight-speed bike that uses an internal hub to adjust the speed rather than gears.
Bicycles have come a long way from the "boneshakers back in the 19th century," said Orin Starn, a professor at Duke University who teaches a course on the anthropology of sports. Some companies have used direct drive or drive shaft bikes that provide some of the same benefits as Trek's chainless bikes, but those models have yet to replace the age-old chain.
"Certainly for the last 40 or 50 years we have this iconic image of the traditional bicycle that includes the chain," Starn said. "We've seen this evolution in different styles and stuff, but the chain has been a cultural constant."
Bjorling admits chain-driven bikes are still efficient, but said an urban rider won't have to worry about greasing or cleaning the chain. The belt can be cleaned with a normal cleaning agent and rag, and the bike sprocket is designed to push through any snow, dirt or grime. And one belt will typically last three years -- the life span of three chains.
How riders will take to the new bikes remains to be seen, since they are not out for sale yet. The District model will go on sale in December, followed the next month by the Soho. There may be those in the biking community that may take issue with swapping bike chains with newer technology.
"Bike purists are going to take a look at it and say 'oh, you know it's another option to a chain,"' Bjorling said. "Are we going to see a ton of people switching from a chain to a belt drive? I think in some urban environments yes, but it's definitely not the coffin that's gonna bury the chain."
Over the years there have been many changes in the bike industry, specifically materials that have made products lighter and stronger, said David Oakley, a manager at Agee's Bicycles, which has been in business in Richmond since 1910.
While some may question the chainless bikes, Oakley pointed to the initial skepticism, and eventual success, of mountain bikes.
"We all know that putting gears on a beach cruiser to be able to ride back up the hill turned out to be a pretty good thing," Oakley joked of the bike industry's most popular segment.
Oakley said there's a general excitement behind the new technology, but cautioned that the notion may not ring everyone's bell.
"From a maintenance standpoint, it's huge," he said. "If this really, completely takes off, the lubricant industry is probably not going to be excited."
edition.cnn.com

Tags chainless+bicycles Games Technology

Bikini Contest

2008-11-11T20:45:00.000-08:00

Tags Bikini+Contest girl cars games

Full-length MGM films on YouTube

2008-11-10T21:15:00.000-08:00

Google, which bought YouTube two years ago for $1.65bn, has been searching for ways to make money out of the site without driving away its huge fan base.

The site has been facing competition from other video-sharing services such as Hulu, which offers programming from NBC Universal and News Corp's Fox as well as MGM.

Cast of Star Trek
Star Trek was first broadcast in 1966

Under an agreement YouTube has already signed with CBS, users can download classic TV shows such as Star Trek, MacGyver, and Beverly Hills 90210.

It has other arrangements in place with companies like the BBC, Sony, Lionsgate and Oprah.

YouTube said that striking a deal with MGM made sense given their commitment to deliver premium content online.

"YouTube is committed to helping our community of fans discover new content and reconnect with their all time favourite TV shows and movies," said Jordan Hoffner, director of content partnerships for the company.

"By partnering with MGM, YouTube is strengthening its position as an entertainment destination where Hollywood studios can reach a global audience."

'Growing forum'

The YouTube Impact channel will feature clips from MGM classics such as Rocky, Ronin, Legally Blonde, and The Magnificent Seven.

The films on show include Lone Wolfe McQuade and Bulletproof Monk, as well as those starring the actor Chuck Norris.
Daniel Craig
The Bond movies represent a major franchise for MGM

"It's safe to say you won't see those blockbuster theatricals shortly after their release or after their TV window," admitted Mr Packer.

Neither will users see any of the James Bond films playing on YouTube.

"They do very nicely on their own under existing licences and we are very protective of that content," Mr Packer said, adding: "There are plenty of other films we would like to expose."

He told the BBC that he did not expect to be the only studio to make these kinds of deals.

Mr Packer also said there were plans to launch another five to 10 channels.

One would be aimed at female viewers.

"We are in the process of figuring out a female-skewed brand," explained Mr Packer.

"We could put up a number of say romantic clips from shows like Moonstruck and put up a number of key feature films and create a female targeted site that would get a much higher advertising rate."

MGM said it hoped new channels would be launched within the next 18 months.
news.bbc.co.uk

Tags Full-length You+Tube games Technology

Microsoft refreshes Windows Live Hotmail

2008-11-03T08:55:00.000-08:00

Microsoft is adding improvements to Windows Live Hotmail that should, among other things, make it easer for users to access their contacts.
A new feature called Contact Picker is designed to make it easier for users to look up contacts when writing an email. And, similar to Google’s Gmail, Hotmail now uses predictive text when a user starts typing in an email address.

“No big changes – more like a repainted room than a remodelled house,” said the Hotmail update notice. “We’ve just made a few improvements to Hotmail based on feedback from customers like you.”

Microsoft said the update will also provide users with 70 per cent faster access to email.

New display settings will give users a reading pane to preview messages on the right side of their inbox or at the bottom, similar to the pane in IBM’s Lotus Notes and Microsoft’s Outlook.

A choice of design themes also lets users dress up Hotmail in different colours and patterns.

According to Microsoft, more updates will follow in the coming months, including more storage space and the ability to send instant messages from the Hotmail inbox.
vnunet

Tags ibm hotmail+live computer games girl

Halo 2

2008-10-07T08:00:00.000-07:00

Carry them one of the games mas played

The girls is beautiful of the world

2008-10-06T11:55:00.000-07:00

Hear Carry them to the 10 girls is beautiful of the planet

processors and boards of the most sought after market

2008-10-05T08:00:00.001-07:00

10 best processors in the market:

1.AMD 4x4
2.Intel Core 2 Duo
3. AMD Turion 64 X2
4.Intel Core Solo
5.AMD Athlon 64 X2
6.Intel Pentium D
7.AMD Sempron
8.Intel Xeon (EMT64)
9.AMD Opteron
10.Intel Dual-Core Itanium 2

the new generation of cars

2008-10-04T08:00:00.000-07:00

good friends to dislike the car here I bring dream cars

Armored core 4

2008-10-03T08:00:00.000-07:00

I bring this good here that this game revolutionizing the market

Sarah Porchetta Playboy

2008-10-02T08:00:00.000-07:00

Macbook

2008-10-01T22:40:00.000-07:00

A mere 1.08 inches thin and weighing only 5.0 pounds, MacBook cuts a slim profile on any desk (or in any backpack or briefcase). And since MacBook is sure to become your constant companion, a durable polycarbonate shell keeps it ready for the rough and tumble of everyday life.

Looking good.

Whether you’re working on your next Keynote presentation or watching a movie before you catch a flight, every document, video, and photo on your MacBook will look sharp on the glossy 13.3-inch widescreen display. With pixel-perfect 1280-by-800 resolution, it’s great for viewing and working with media.

Key figure.

MacBook features a unique keyboard design that sits flush against the bed for a lower profile. That means you experience a firm, responsive touch when typing. Now that ought to make your fingers happy.

The Ford Model T turns 100

2008-09-29T23:35:00.001-07:00

munny speakers

2008-09-27T08:23:00.000-07:00

Give your speakers some extra personality by making them out of a vinyl doll. Kid Robot makes the easily hackable Munny doll and I've been meaning to cut one up. The combined need for some new speakers created a happy union of doll and speaker.

Now, I'm not the first person to think of this. I've seen at least three different versions of a Munny with a speaker in its head. Still, the only one I've seen in person was just one doll for mono sound and the driver was pretty worthless. I wanted mine to sound at least decent and I'd say I surpassed that.

Top 20 New Cars for 2008

2008-09-26T21:14:00.000-07:00

Playboy Sara Jean

2008-09-24T08:00:00.000-07:00

Best cell phones

2008-09-23T21:32:00.000-07:00

Nokia N95

Samsung P520

Nokia 7900 prism crystal

Nokia 8800 arte

Motorola RAZR2 V8

LG KU970 shine

shoes

2008-09-23T08:01:00.000-07:00

Car Audio 2007

2008-09-22T20:01:00.000-07:00

Model of the day

2008-09-14T20:38:00.000-07:00

Video

2008-09-13T10:05:00.000-07:00

video

2008-09-09T15:13:00.000-07:00

Model of the day

2008-09-07T20:04:00.001-07:00

Bikini Contest

2008-09-07T19:59:00.000-07:00

Super cars

2008-09-04T19:25:00.000-07:00

Miss Hawaiian Tropic Contest Final-Bikini

2008-09-03T14:13:00.000-07:00

Miss Hawaian Tropic 2008

2008-08-26T19:45:00.000-07:00

Hawaian Tropic

2008-08-26T19:42:00.000-07:00

Model of the day

2008-08-18T13:42:00.000-07:00

Fallout 3 E3

2008-08-17T17:34:00.000-07:00

Model of the day

2008-08-09T10:55:00.000-07:00

Pes 2008 Tevez Play Station 3

2008-08-09T10:54:00.000-07:00

Streets of Rage Remake Full

2008-08-05T13:47:00.000-07:00

biohazard4 restricted

2008-08-05T13:46:00.001-07:00

Especial Jendelyn Nuñez

2008-08-03T21:54:00.001-07:00

super Motorcycles

2008-08-03T21:47:00.000-07:00

Halo 3 Legendary Map

2008-07-31T21:05:00.000-07:00

Model of the day

2008-07-31T20:53:00.001-07:00

Project Gotham Racing 4

2008-07-26T15:35:00.000-07:00

3 New Kingdom Hearts

2008-07-26T15:33:00.001-07:00

New Marvel Fighting Game

2008-07-22T21:05:00.001-07:00

Video

2008-07-22T21:03:00.000-07:00

Model of the day

2008-07-16T22:39:00.001-07:00

Age of conan - topless HD

2008-07-16T22:36:00.000-07:00

Model of the day

2008-07-09T20:54:00.001-07:00

WWE: Smackdown Vs. Raw 2008 Game Play Video

2008-07-09T20:50:00.001-07:00

Model of the day

2008-07-04T22:39:00.001-07:00

Deadliest Catch Alaskan Storm

2008-07-04T22:34:00.000-07:00

Ice chunks form on all sides of your ship, commanding all the attention of your crew for the task at hand. The quota has to be filled, but your boat also needs to stay afloat, so your crew is safe from your wrath - for now. After the ice has been cleared from the boat, you and your crew get to the real task at hand: fishing for crabs. Don’t get too excited, but don’t get too cynical either.

It’s hard to sell a game about crab-fishing to groups of gamers that are used to action-packed games like Halo 3 and Metal Gear Solid 4. At first glance it seems akin to offering vegetables to a child. Why would a testosterone-fueled 18-34 male want a game about fishing? Short answer is that Mr. 18-34 probably doesn’t. But a deeper look into the game reveals surprising depth for gamers out there that want to step back from action and have a more chilled experience.

Video Pampita

2008-07-02T22:23:00.001-07:00

Model of the day

2008-07-01T21:19:00.001-07:00

Aliens Versus Predator 2 - Survival of the Fittest 2

2008-07-01T21:16:00.000-07:00

Super Cars

2008-06-30T20:40:00.000-07:00

Kung Fu Panda

2008-06-30T20:37:00.000-07:00

The story of Kung Fu Panda centers around Po, a rolly-polly bear whose twin loves in life are martial arts and making his already rotund belly slightly more so. One afternoon, Po sneaks into a tournament to watch the Furious Five, the greatest warriors in all the land do battle to determine who will be named the mythical Dragon Warrior. After causing a bit of a commotion, Po himself is named the Dragon Warrior, much to the chagrin of the Five, and the confusion of everyone in attendance. Po then sets forth to prove himself to the doubters and also take on the fierce Tai Lung, who has escaped from prison and is returning to claim the mantle for himself.

Model of the day

2008-06-29T20:20:00.000-07:00

Viking: Battle for asgard

2008-06-29T20:18:00.000-07:00

For the past 7 years, at least in my opinion, SEGA has been in a massive slump. Since their last ill-fated console attempt fell apart prematurely, with the Dreamcast, they moved onto third-party game development, and the quality of their titles has taken an unfortunate plunge into the basement of mediocrity, or worse. Although they haven’t released many titles of note, in recent years, that hasn’t stopped them from trying. SEGA’s latest attempt, a brutal hack’n’slash action-er, takes place in the mythological world of Norse gods and goddesses, with Viking: Battle for Asgard. Does Viking escape from that aforementioned basement, or does it dwell in the cellar with many of the others? Let’s find out, shall we.

The game’s protagonist comes in the form of the young Viking warrior, Skarin (pronounced Scarr-Inn.) Somehow, he has an inexplicable connection with the gods, and has been called upon by the Goddess Freya to help take down her rival, the Queen of the Underworld, Hel. Beyond that, the narrative only exists to drive the game forward, from island to island, and battle to battle. Viking’s lackluster, anemic story is merely a set-piece. Even the developers put little stock in the game’s tale, as they adorn every cut-scene with a very noticeable on-screen icon, prompting you to skip it by pressing the A button.

Model of the day

2008-06-28T14:47:00.000-07:00

GTA IV

2008-06-28T14:37:00.000-07:00

We’ll start off with one of the game’s strongest points, the storyline, which thanks to great voice acting, compelling characters, and better cut scenes is easily the best that the franchise has offered thus far. The game begins with the main character, Niko Bellic, arriving by boat at the docks of Liberty City from an unspecified Eastern European country. Niko is a man with dark past but bright aspirations for a life in the United States, and has been persistently regaled by his cousin Roman of the infinite riches that can be achieved in Liberty City.

Model of the day

2008-06-27T20:43:00.000-07:00

Secret Agent Clank

2008-06-27T20:32:00.000-07:00

The spy story has been and is one of the most popular genres for longer than most of us are able to remember. It has been been in the subject of suspense in films like Three Days of The Condor and The Man Who Knew Too Much, of deep introspection in films like The Manchurian Candidate, of intense action such in the James Bond films, and also the target of limitless parodies such as the Austin Powers films or the recently cinematic adventures of Maxwell Smart now showing on movie screens all across the country. Hollywood isn’t the only one who has a handle on the full martini shaker that is the spy genre, however, as there have been many videos games that take players into the dark and shadowy word of espionage that has now become occupied with such figures as Solid Snake from Metal Gear Solid, Gabariel Logan from the Syphon Filter series, and mostly recently Jason Bourne of The Bourne Ultimatum. This week, however, a diminutive tuxedoed hero joins the ranks of the legendary covert operatives in High Impact Games’ Special Agent Clank for the PSP.

Model of the day

2008-06-26T22:13:00.001-07:00

of Hot Shots Golf: Out of Bounds

2008-06-26T22:06:00.000-07:00

Hot Shots Golf has a long history of super deformed characters playing what amounts to be the most interesting and entertaining rounds of golf ever. As the first iteration of the series on the PS3, Out of Bounds graphics have improved dramatically from the past titles. It is too bad, though, that the same level of advancement hasn’t occurred with any of the play mechanics or pacing of the game.

When the first Hot Shots Golf was released for the PS1, the choice to use stylized characters was pushed by the graphical limitations of the system at the time. This choice managed to distinguish the game from others at the time, but now, with vastly updated graphics, it adds an unneeded, palpable level of creepiness to every game. Each character looks like a classical “cute” anime action figure. This does add a sense of presence to the Hot Shots world, but it also gives off the distinct feeling that the characters may just come out of my PS3 at night and feast on my sleeping body.

Model of the day

2008-06-25T20:47:00.001-07:00

emilia Attias

Insecticide

2008-06-25T20:44:00.000-07:00

Insecticide starts off by dunking players into a noir city with ample crime to be fought and able yet begrudging cops to provide a jaded backdrop. What the game lacks in any aspect, though, is motivation. From the first moment the player takes control of the game any form of forward momentum seems to disappear from the environment, leaving only the vague question of "why?" emanating. This is broken up by randomly witty spots of dialog, but never enough to really warrant the drive to the next spot of enjoyment.

The problem seems to stem from the fact that Insecticide tries to do too many things at once. One minute the player is thrown into a below average third person adventure game built out of overused set designs, the next they are trying to solve crimes in a point and click adventure where only the most bizarre solutions seem to be even remotely plausible. In either case the sequence lasts just long enough to be utterly annoying and disappointing.

Model of the day

2008-06-24T12:58:00.001-07:00

Aces of the Galaxy

2008-06-24T12:51:00.000-07:00

Aces of the Galaxy is the brand new game to hit the ever-popular Xbox Live Arcade. Published by Sierra Online, the group behind Assault Heroes 1 and 2, and developed by Artech Studios, who also crafted Boogie Bunnies. Aces of the Galaxy promised next-gen, off-the-rails action through old school gameplay, but in beautiful HD. It definitely delivered on the visuals side of things, not so much on the gameplay.

There is nothing complicated about the setup of Aces of the Galaxy, you select your space ship and then seconds later you’re in the game. The game itself is considerably more complex though. Enemies come at you from all directions, ranging from the standard little space ships that come in twos and sometimes threes, to the big sometimes invisible spaceships that, if on target, can deal out a massive amount of damage onto your puny little hull.

Yach

2008-06-23T20:48:00.001-07:00

Model of the day

2008-06-23T20:43:00.001-07:00

Sins of a Solar Empire: Vasari Invasion

2008-06-23T20:34:00.000-07:00

Model of the day

2008-06-21T09:51:00.001-07:00

Ana Beatriz

The Spiderwick Chronicles Game

2008-06-21T09:44:00.000-07:00

There is not too much to say about character control really, I found the camera to be annoying and difficult to control. Constantly having to adjust the view really interrupts the whole experience. The other thing I really did not like was that I could not pick anything up in the first level unless I was supposed to at that time - for that specific quest part I was on at that given moment. Oh, no that would make too much sense, and totally give me an unfair advantage in the game. Not to mention it would pretty much allow me to skip all that backtracking, which by the way, almost seems to be featured gameplay element. There is nothing more frustrating than seeing this ingredient you know you will need, you can examine it, you can read in about it in your little book that it is needed for a recipe, yet you cannot pick it up until the exact moment that you need it for the linear play.

Alessandra Ambrosio

2008-06-21T09:41:00.000-07:00

Model of the day

2008-06-20T21:32:00.000-07:00

Giselle Buchen

Metal Gear Solid 4

2008-06-20T21:28:00.000-07:00

Bullets whiz over your prone body as you sneak through the forest. Mortar fire can be heard in the distance, screeching above. The mortar strikes the ground with force, kicking up dust, dirt and debris, eliciting a wince. You keep going - after all, you’ve got a job to do.

You continue your long, slow crawl through the muck. From the east comes a squadron of militia fighters who do not notice you hiding in some high grass. They push forward while you follow close behind, careful to not arouse suspicion. Soon enough, the rebels begin to engage private military corporation (PMC) troops that are entrenched in their base. Amidst the chaos, you start to circle around the battlefield, but soon find that your initial pathway is cut off by a machine gun that will surely tear you to shreds if you continue on. Pulling back, you quickly check your map for another way to evade these two factions. Confirming that a hill to the west will do the trick, you slither to your destination, successfully evading all combat.

Model of the day

2008-06-19T15:03:00.000-07:00

Jennifer Walcott

Super Smash Bros. Brawl

2008-06-19T14:48:00.000-07:00

Brawl is a difficult game to review because it exists in two different worlds. To the hardcore Nintendo fan, it is the epitome of all that is right with gaming. By bringing out all your favorite characters of the past 20+ years coming together to duke it out in a variety of creative and nostalgic levels, Nintendo has given its fans everything they could ever want and more. To the casual gamer, however, Smash is little more than a frantic fighter, with a bunch of random characters thrown together in cartoonish landscapes. These gamers can never understand why a little pink ball of fluff seems to be more powerful than a full-size gorilla, and they have no idea why the idea of Mario, Link, Pickachu, and Samus all facing off is such a tantalizing experience. At the end of the day, Nintendo has decided to pull out all the stops to make a game diehard fans are sure to love, and they manage to succeed in nearly every respect.

Super Cars

2008-06-18T21:43:00.001-07:00

Model of the day

2008-06-18T21:35:00.000-07:00