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October 1st, 2009, 13:43 Posted By: wraggster
We've heard vague allusions to Chrome OS hitting devices in the near future, but with Google's official stance that it won't be ready until sometime late next year, well, we were a little skeptical. Now we're hearing reports that Chinese netbook manufacturers are doing everything they can to get little Chrome lappies out onto the Asian markets by sometime next month, and we're still skeptical -- but intrigued. These devices from a company called Lemote run a MIPS-based CPU called the Loongson, which currently powers a custom flavor of Linux named, get this, Loonux. That OS has been receiving criticism for things other than its title, so it's not surprising that the company is interested in trying something new, apparently even if that new thing is still half-baked and rather doughy in the middle. That these devices currently sell for under $200 is even more intriguing, but even if they do indeed get a bit of shine next month don't expect to find one locally -- at least not for that price.
http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/01/c...as-next-month/
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October 5th, 2009, 21:44 Posted By: Shrygue
via Computer and Video Games
As if there couldn't be any more Call of Duty-related revelations today, Modern Warfare 2 has seen a slight delay on PC.
That's according to a report by Electronic Theatre, which claims that the PC version of the game will now arrive a fortnight later than its console cousins on November 24.
File this under rumour for now. We've contacted Activision UK for comment.
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October 6th, 2009, 15:45 Posted By: wraggster
Newly released:
features
Combines traditional 2D platformer gameplay with stunning full 3D graphics
Control all three heroes taking advantage of their individual strengths, weapons, and skills
Travel across a brand new fantasy world in this immersive platformer
Avoid deadly traps while using each character’s special abilities to navigate challenging puzzles that all have multiple solutions
Search for powerful items and weapons that will make your heroes stronger
Increase your characters skills and attributes as you gain experience
description
In a kingdom facing chaos and forbidden magic, three heroes are bound (whether they like it or not) by a powerful artifact called "the Trine". Only this unlikely trio can put an end to the reign of the dark sorcerer that rules the kingdom. Pontius the Brave, Amadeus the Magnificent and Zoya the Silent will have come to together and use their different skills in order to face danger and restore peace.
http://www.play-asia.com/SOap-23-83-...j-70-3icc.html
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October 6th, 2009, 15:55 Posted By: wraggster
Newly released:
features
Suitable for DJ Max and many other PC Music Games
Handmade artwork, Slim design & Arcade game feeling
Tripple Mapper Technology supported
Micro Switch Buttons
Foot Pedal
Compatible with Windows 95/98/ME/NT/2000/Vista
description
DJ Max has captured the hearts of many though its stylish graphics and hip songs and gamers who have never had a chance of playing it in the arcades regret not having had this exciting and fun experience.
Realizing how popular their franchise is, the developers decided to grant the gamers' wishes by transforming their home into the arcade with this easy to install controller.
Push your keyboard aside and plug this chic, glossy box into your computer then launch your game. With black and white keys, the controller imitates the synthesizer and DJ turntable. Let your sense of rhythm overwhelm you in this game.
Small and easily storable, this is a companion piece to all music game fans who wants to have a fuller immersion into the popular, colorful franchise.
http://www.play-asia.com/SOap-23-83-...j-70-3kaw.html
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October 8th, 2009, 22:03 Posted By: Shrygue
via Joystiq
EA has announced a selection of downloadable content for Dragon Age: Origins, which will conveniently be available right at launch. However, unlike most launch DLC, which elicits complaints of ripping off customers by holding back content that clearly could have been on the disc, most of this DLC is intended only to rip off people who buy used copies of the game.
The "Stone Prisoner" DLC, which includes a new Golem character, has been previously announced as free to new buyers and $15 to those who don't have the code in the box, or buy it past the April 30 cutoff date. The "Blood Dragon Armor," which offers a new suit of, well, armor, will also be included. No price is given for a non-bundled download of this armor. The "Warden's Keep" download offers an entirely new "dungeon-exploring adventure" with exclusive items and even new player abilities. This will be $7 to download, or free to people who buy the "Digital Deluxe Edition" of the game.
The fact that no reference is made to the packaged collector's edition, and the fact that it seems to have disappeared from both GameStop and Amazon make us question its status. We're checking with EA about that -- and thinking of something else to put on the wall where we had planned to hang that cloth map.
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October 9th, 2009, 04:52 Posted By: wraggster
There's no question that Windows 7 promises plenty of improvements over Vista, with one of the biggest being faster boot times. While that's certainly been the experience for some, Iolo Technologies (a maker of PC tune-up software) found some significantly different results in their long term tests, which they say show that Windows 7 isn't faster than Vista at all in real world use. Specifically, they found that while Windows 7 actually got to the desktop fairly quickly, it took a full minute and 34 seconds to actually become usable, compared to a minute and 6 seconds with Vista. They also unsurprisingly found that things got worse over time, with a three-month old Windows 7 install adding a full minute to the boot time, although in that case it did actually fare somewhat better than Vista. Of course, we are talking about complete reboots here, and it's a different story when Windows 7 is simply coming in and out of sleep mode. Details on the tests are otherwise a bit light, but Iolo is promising to release its complete findings next week.
http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/08/s...er-than-vista/
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October 9th, 2009, 16:18 Posted By: wraggster
Newly released from Superufo.com
This Logitech WingMan Precision Gamepad can help you reach the top! Designed with your comfort in mind, this controller feels and looks great. You don't have to be a tech wiz to set it up either! Simply connect it to your system via an available USB port. What's great is that it's both PC and Mac compatible! Equipped with digital controls, turbo mode support, and newly designed triggers and directional pad this gamepad will satisfy gaming experts and novices alike. The directional pad can move in eight (8) different directions and the six (6) other buttons (including the two fast-action triggers) are all programmable. It's perfect for everything from sports to action games!
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October 9th, 2009, 21:41 Posted By: Shrygue
via Eurogamer
It took two-and-a-half weeks for the first Western players of NCsoft's new MMO Aion to reach the level cap of 50 - and the race was a tie.
Almisaela and Drno, a Chanter and a Ranger, both playing on the Elysian side of the European Votan server, reached level 50 "within moments of each other" on Wednesday according to the AionSource forums (via Massively). It took the pair, members of the For The Harmony legion, 17 days since early access began on 20th September.
Apparently they made the attempt as a team, and probably chose their classes to suit - one poster in the thread notes that the top four teams in the race to 50 on the game's Korean release were all Ranger and Chanter duos.
One acquaintance who'd played with the pair most of the way said: "They played about 18 to 20 hours a day and grinded most of the time. There was no account-sharing or something like that. Just an enormous willpower."
That's a lot of key-presses. Aion's is clearly one of the longer levelling curves in modern MMOs. Congratulations to both of them. Now take a break.
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October 13th, 2009, 04:09 Posted By: wraggster
After breaking our hearts by showing us the Road Rash remake which never will be, the gaming industry's Encyclopedia Brown, supererogatory, dug up another pair of intriguing titles which sadly never saw the light of day. The personal blog of game designer Ward Moore mentions two Sim games which were ultimately canceled in order to focus on the blockbuster The Sims franchise: SimCastle, a game based on the SimTown engine set in medieval times, and SimMars, which ... simulated life on Mars, we guess?
Moore's blog included a look at the called-off Martian endeavor, seen above. The blog of illustrator Corey Keller includes a few conceptual designs from SimCastle, one of which can be seen after the jump. SimAnt, which perplexingly somehow got made while these two promising titles didn't, can be seen here. Life can be awfully unfair at times.
http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/12/si...r-of-the-sims/
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October 14th, 2009, 15:43 Posted By: wraggster
Three-quarters of youths say they cannot live without the web
Around 45 per cent of young people have said they are at their happiest when they’re online, a new study has found.
Three-quarters of youths, meanwhile, say they cannot live without the internet, while a third use online sites as a primary source for information “as there is no need to speak to a real person about my problemsâ€.
The Institute for Advanced Studies at Lancaster University used survey material from 994 young people aged 16 to 24 to gather its findings.
The report puts the spotlight on the how the digital age has impacted on the evolving social and work habits of young people.
“This research illustrates the vital role the internet plays in the lives of young people,†said Tanya Byron, government advisor on children and technology.
“The ease of access to opinion, support and advice is of course appealing to a generation who have grown up with immediacy, but it's essential the adults and organisations that provide support to this age group recognise this, and offer services that are easily accessible through the internet."
http://www.pcr-online.biz/news/32529...st-when-online
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October 14th, 2009, 15:51 Posted By: wraggster
If you, like us, are tired of the so-called browser wars trying to woo us with barely identifiable, context-dependent speed differences, this might be of interest. Firefox is about to get a whole lot more sentient on us -- at least those of us with accelerometers in our hardware -- courtesy of a new device API that is capable of maintaining a webpage's vertical orientation relative to the ground, no matter what sort of salto mortale the underlying machine (Mac or otherwise) might be doing. Think of it as the cherry atop your Windows 7 multitouch tablet cake. Originally intended for mobile platforms only, this software will make its way into version 3.6 of the full-fledged browser -- and you can find an early demo of what it can do just past the break.
http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/14/f...nternet-seasi/
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October 15th, 2009, 19:04 Posted By: wraggster
Company CEO confident that consumers will always want a higher spec
The billionaire founder and CEO of Dell has publicly questioned the long-term appeal of netbooks.
Attendees at a recent Churchill Club heard Michael Dell criticise the low-end features and performance of most netbooks.
“With the netbook, if you take a user who is used to a 14-inch or 15-inch notebook and give them a 10-inch netbook, a few hours later they want their big screen back,†he said.
Dell’s own range of netbooks are said to be performing healthily across the market, with the firm’s Latitude 2100s selling particularly well to school pupils.
http://www.pcr-online.biz/news/32537...book-advantage
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October 15th, 2009, 19:10 Posted By: wraggster
In a recent talk at the Churchill Club, Michael Dell addressed several topics, including the fact that Windows 7 is poised to take advantage of the upgrade cycle. Dell has always been a strong MS OEM ally and it is now hoping to cash in again from the impending upgrades. From the post, 'Dell made plain several times that he sees the installed base of technology as very old, and sees a coming “refresh cycle,†for which he has high hopes. "The latest generation of chips from Intel is strong, particularly Nehalem," he said, adding, "and Windows 7 is on its way." (The operating system arrives Oct. 22nd, although Microsoft's large-volume licensees are already getting it.) He pointed out that many business are running Windows XP, which is eight years old. "I've been using Windows 7 for a long time now," he said, "and if you get the latest processor technology and Office 2010 with it, you will love your PC again. It's a dramatic improvement"
http://tech.slashdot.org/story/09/10...e-You-Love-PCs
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October 16th, 2009, 21:57 Posted By: wraggster
Not content with letting a good numeric opportunity pass it by, Microsoft Netherlands has announced that it'll be handing out up to 777 copies of Windows 7 to residents of the small town of Zevenhuizen, the name of which translates to "seven houses." The installation requirements are a bit peculiar, however, as Microsoft won't actually give you a disc, instead opting to either make you ship it to them or actually bring a technician to your house to do the dirty work. The offer isn't valid to Windows employees, those younger than 18 years, or people who use Macs or Linux machines as their primary computer -- however they prove that. Zevenhuizen residents who read Engadget (hallo!) can point their browsers to the read link for all the relevant details -- signups end tomorrow, and installations will occur from October 17th through October 23rd.
http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/16/7...nds-says-micr/
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October 17th, 2009, 18:35 Posted By: wraggster
News via http://www.aep-emu.de/PNphpBB2-file-...c-t-13660.html
A new version of OpenTTD has been released. Quote: "OpenTTD is a clone of the Microprose game "Transport Tycoon Deluxe", a popular game originally written by Chris Sawyer. It attempts to mimic the original game as closely as possible while extending it with new features. OpenTTD is licensed under the GNU General Public License version 2.0. For more information, see the file ´COPYING´ included with every release and source download of the game."
Quote:
0.7.3 (2009-10-01)
* Fix: [NewGRF] Crash when trying to build an industry that has no industry layout defined FS#3233 (r17638, r17633)
[edit] 0.7.3-RC2 (2009-09-24)
* Update: Documentation about bug reporting and known bugs (r17554)
* Fix: When a command did not fail in test run and failed in execution run, error message was not set. Affects only few commands (r17607)
* Fix: [NewGRF] Crash when defining the same tile in a tile layout twice FS#3218 (r17605)
* Fix: Vehicle image was not always updated when needed (r17594)
* Fix: [NoAI] Could not query the size of small airports when they could not be build anymore FS#3212 (r17591)
* Fix: Erroneous message about changing the difficulty level FS#3220 (r17588)
* Fix: Assertion triggered when the second vehicle in a 101+ (or 11+ if mammoth trains is disabled) vehicle free wagon chain is an engine and the first vehicle is moved to another chain FS#3208 (r17576)
* Fix: [NewGRF] Memory leak when viewing the NewGRF settings of a server (r17563)
* Fix: [NewGRF] The NewGRF settings of (remote) network games did not get properly updated when the NewGRFs were rescanned causing reading of freed data FS#2972 (r17562)
* Fix: [NewGRF] Close the "Add NewGRF" window when you close the "NewGRF Settings" window. The add window has a pointer to the settings which means that not deleting it would cause dereferencing an already freed pointer FS#3206 (r17559)
* Fix: Vehicles waiting for their time table did not load anymore after their initial load was completed FS#3201 (r17551)
* Fix: Aircraft were given an unfair advantage in station rating calculations (r17550)
* Fix: [NewGRF] Sign extending of profit calculation did not work (r17546)
* Fix: [NoAI] AIs had "infinite" time when running code from the global scope FS#3202 (r17545)
* Fix: [NoAI] Crash when doing commands in the "global" scope FS#3202 (r17544)
http://www.openttd.org/
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October 19th, 2009, 16:46 Posted By: wraggster
The PC version of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 will not feature dedicated servers, according to statements made by developer Infinity Ward.
Instead the game will use a new proprietary matchmaking service called IWNet - a decision that has already caused outrage amongst fans. The announcement was made by Infinity Ward's Robert Bowling on the BASH podcast, as reported by GI.biz sister site Eurogamer.net.
"We've been building up this system on the backend called IWNet to allow matchmaking for our PC users as well, just like you have on the console that's built in on Xbox Live and PSN, but PC never had it, so we're building in our own, you know, matchmaking so you can get in there and play with players your same rank," said Bowling.
"You're completely reliant on IWNet, and there's no dedicated server or server list, so you rely on IWNet for your matchmaking on your games, but then you also have the private match, much like the other platforms, where you can go in and customise and, you know, turn off air support, turn off this, turn off that, customise the game rules all via private match, and invite people to the server that way," he added.
Even on the podcast the reaction to the news was negative, with Bowling remaining non-committal about support for custom content and fan-made modifications - while vaguely hinting at plans for patches to add additional features.
Although recent sales have been heavily skewed towards the Xbox 360 and PS3, the Call of Duty franchise began as a PC exclusive and still has a significant fanbase on the platform. Inevitably a petition with almost 50,000 signatures has already been established, to try and reverse the decision on dedicated servers.
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...dern-warfare-2
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October 19th, 2009, 16:57 Posted By: wraggster
40 million internet users have been scammed in the last twelve months
Symantec has stated that around 43 million people have been duped by ‘scareware’ phishing scams over the course of the last year.
According to the BBC, the security company has identified 250 variants of the scam, thought to generate over £750,000 per annum for criminals according to data gathered between July 2008 and June 2009.
‘Scareware’ is what Symantec is now calling the process of using a false security alert to trick the user in to submitting their credit card details to ‘upgrade’ their firewall or antivirus software for a fee of up to £60.
Symantec spokeman Con Mallon told the Beeb that some scareware was capable of taking the scam even further.
“They could hold your computer to ransom where they will stop your computer working or lock up some of your personal information, your photographs or some of your Word documents,†he stated.
"They will extort money from you at that point. They will ask you to pay some additional money and they will then release your machine back to you."
http://www.pcr-online.biz/news/32548...ricks-millions
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October 19th, 2009, 19:42 Posted By: wraggster
In 2006, then Microsoft Vice President Peter Moore apologized for what he called a dereliction of duty to the company's number one gaming platform: The PC.
Now more than three years after promising, and some say failing, to deliver a PC gaming renaissance with the Vista operating system, Microsoft is set to roll out Windows 7.
But this time there are no apologies or promises. PC gaming, it seems, has taken a back seat.
When Windows 7 goes on sale on Oct. 22, PC gamers will have little reason to run out to buy it, says Matthew Murray, managing editor of ExtremeTech.
"I don't think there's a lot about (Windows 7) that's going to make it that much more compelling to gamers than Vista," Murray said. "It's a bit better using memory, and it's a bit faster in certain areas, but the performance overall isn't really that much different. If you have Vista and you're happy with it, you can probably keep it, at least for now."
To be fair, much of that promised renaissance in 2006 was tied to the Games for Windows initiative, which launched alongside the Windows Vista operating system.
While the two hit at the same time, they're not directly connected.
The biggest idea behind Games for Windows was to make it easier to play games on your PC. This was done by creating a set of criteria that computer games needed to meet to have the Games For Windows label on their box.
Those criteria included compatibility, easy installation and including parental controls. There were also a number of neat ideas tested out, but never fully realized. Most computer games require an installation before playing, but the Tray and Play option was meant to allow gamers to pop a game in their computer and start playing almost immediately, similar to what most console gamers experience now. Unfortunately, only one game, Halo 2 for the PC, currently uses this system.
The most noticeable way in which Vista and Games for Windows crossed over was the operating system's Game Advisor and Games Explorer.
The Game Advisor ranks a person's computer and available games making it easier to tell if a title would play on a PC.
The Games Explorer was meant to collect all the games installed on a computer and display them in one folder. It's here that Window 7 does bring a modicum of improvement for gamers.
One of the biggest issues with Games Explorer was that it often didn't detect games that were purchases through online retailers and providers like Steam.
While Windows 7 still doesn't seem to include Steam in the Game Explorer, it now has the ability to if the company wants to support the service. If a game provider does choose to be listed in the Game Explorer, computer owners will be able to view news from the service and information about the service's games, all inside the window.
Another update to Games Explorer allows you to be notified when a game you own has an update or patch and then install the update from the explorer without having to launch the game.
Finally, Games Explorer will track statistics for the games you play, showing you how many times you've played, how long and your win and loss ratio.
Currently only the included games seem to support this function, but I'm sure more will include it after the operating system officially launches.
Murray says the only improvement he can find in Windows 7 for gamers is in the Games Explorer, but even he doesn't find it that useful.
"Being able to check for updates for all your games in one interface is a nice feature, but since it doesn't install the updates automatically (the way Windows Update itself does), I don't know how useful that's going to be to a lot of people," he said. "And I've never gotten that into using the Games Explorer anyway—I tend to just add icons to the new taskbar, as with everything else. Aside from that, there aren't a ton of game-friendly changes I've come across."
The problem I have with Windows 7, though, isn't its failure to vastly improve the gaming experience, it's Microsoft's failure to take advantage of the attention brought by the launch of a new operating system to once more thrust PC gaming into the spotlight.
The biggest promise the Games for Windows initiative made when it initially was unveiled was that it would be backed by a huge marketing campaign, one similar to the push Microsoft gave the Xbox 360 when it hit.
But that was never fully realized and PC gaming was left to suffer as a second favorite system next to the Xbox 360 and Microsoft's continued marketing blitz for its gaming console.
In the vacuum left by Microsoft game developers, chip manufacturers and PC builders have come together to try and reinvigorate PC gaming though the PC Gaming Alliance. But even this effort seems oddly absent during Window's big week?
If Microsoft want its PC gaming platform to thrive they will need to do more than offer lip service in the future. But with the lasting success of the gaming console and PC gamers' ability to seemingly put up with anything, why should they?
http://kotaku.com/5384543/windows-7-...ened-to-gaming
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October 19th, 2009, 20:05 Posted By: wraggster
Newly released today:
features
Vast game world with a variety of stunning, living terrain: beaches, swamps, rocky mountains, active volcanoes, earthquakes, and more
Powerful combat system with quick learning curve. Gain combos and weapons proficiency as you progress. Unique enemies compel deployment of various combat strategies for ultimate success
Graphics engine designed for immediacy and total immersion. Refresh in the light morning breeze or bristle at the scorched earth with visual and aural technology that intensify the user experience
A one-of-a-kind reputation system creates hyper-realistic social interaction and tracks standing with both groups and individuals. Integral to success, player will embark on prestige-building quests, engage in secret diplomacy, and factions play against each other
Unique mix of intuitive controls and sophisticated story and gameplay elements make Risen attractive to both new and veteran players alike
description
Shipwrecked and ready for adventure! Come face-to-face with untold mysteries on a dangerous, forbidden island: ancient temples suddenly bursting forth from the earth, monstrous creatures roaming long lost ruins, active volcanoes, treasures from a distant past, and a ruthless inquisitor who rules inside the city walls with an iron fist. Unlock the terrifying secrets of Risen and never be the same again. This latest open-world RPG by Piranha Bytes delivers a thrilling edge-ofyour- seat storyline wrapped in a fully immersive sensory experience. You will enter the Risen world uniquely through mood, emotion, and cultural exploration, in addition to hallmark RPG interactions such as dialogue and combat. A vast reputation system sets a new standard in the genre, lending unparalleled sophistication and subtlety to the gameplay.
http://www.play-asia.com/SOap-23-83-...j-70-3ds4.html
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October 20th, 2009, 15:45 Posted By: wraggster
UK customers have been reporting that they received their copies of Windows 7 in the mail today. Currently the British postal service is threatening industrial action over pay, and planned walkouts may result in Windows 7 not being delivered on its release date. It is understood that Microsoft has agreed to let some retailers send out copies early to avoid disappointment, and to make the UK the first country in the world to have Windows 7 in customers' hands.
http://tech.slashdot.org/story/09/10...ed-Early-In-UK
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October 20th, 2009, 23:25 Posted By: wraggster
We're going on three days now since the event that some computer gaming enthusiasts are referring to as "Black Saturday," in which it was revealed that the PC version of Modern Warfare 2 wouldn't allow online multiplayer on dedicated servers. These same enthusiasts penned an online petition that has since garnered over 100,000 signatures -- but unfortunately for this rapidly expanding group, comments recently made by Infinity Ward's Jason West and Vince Zampella in a Game Informer interview make it sound like the developer's position won't be reversing any time soon.
"We're just prioritizing the player experience above the modders and the tuners," West explained. The duo had received countless complaints from PC Modern Warfare players who were unable to find a match online that wasn't riddled with cheaters, "insular" clans and enormous skill disparities -- problems they hope IWNet will eliminate. When asked why both matchmaking and dedicated servers couldn't both exist, West explained that this practice would "bifurcate the community."
The implementation of IWNet will likely make the game more accessible to casual PC gamers -- however, we worry that Infinity Ward might be ignoring the timeless adage of "make new friends, keep the old, one is silver and the other gold." What do you think, dear readers? Is this a smart move or a brilliant mistake on Infinity Ward's part?
http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/20/in...d-server-peti/
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October 20th, 2009, 23:48 Posted By: wraggster
Newly released today:
features
Experience incredible layers of gameplay depth with excitement of first-person action and vehicular combat
Features life-like character animations, impressive real-time physics, and customizable vehicles
Players can freely join or leave the game at anytime
Game creates thousands of unique, randomly generated missions, weapons and situations
Allows multiple players to share same game experience simultaneously online
description
A sci-fi / action RPG from acclaimed developer Gearbox, Borderlands combines the best in first-person action with player customization and vehicular combat for incredible layers of gameplay depth.
http://www.play-asia.com/SOap-23-83-...j-70-3enj.html
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October 21st, 2009, 16:27 Posted By: wraggster
NCsoft's new flagship MMO Aion has entered the US PC chart at number one for the month of September, with its Collector's Edition SKU taking fifth place, according to the latest data from NPD.
The game, which received a good reception from critics, knocked EA's The Sims 3 off the top of the list into second, ahead of fellow debutant and MMO, Champions Online which was third.
World of Warcraft unsurprisingly took four entries in the top 20 list - the original game at number ten, the Battle Chest collection at eight, with the Wrath of the Lich King and Burning Crusade expansions at four and 15 respectively.
Other notable placements included Spore at nine and Batman: Arkham Asylum as a new entry at 16.
In total Blizzard Entertainment accounted for five entries on the list, followed by Electronic Arts with four.
The full top ten is as follows:
1. Aion (NCsoft)
2. The Sims 3 (Electronic Arts)
3. Champions Online (Atari)
4. World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King (Blizzard)
5. Aion Collector's Edition (NCsoft)
6. Mumbo Jumbo Assortment (Mumbo Jumbo)
7. The Sims 2: Double Deluxe (Electronic Arts)
8. World of Warcraft: Battle Chest (Blizzard)
9. Reel Deal Slots: Treasures of the Far East (Phantom EFX)
10. World of Warcraft (Blizzard)
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...-for-september
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October 21st, 2009, 16:28 Posted By: wraggster
Developer Infinity Ward has been attempting to calm fan anger over the announcement that the PC version of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 will not feature dedicated servers, although so far to little effect - with the online petition against the decision currently at over 110,000 signatures.
The lack of dedicated servers is due to a new propriety matchmaking service called IWNet, which was announced by Infinity Ward's Robert Bowling in a podcast over the weekend. The response was immediately negative, leading to Bowling posting a new more detailed overview of IWNet on his blog.
Bowling insisted that Modern Warfare 2 is "the biggest investment Infinity Ward has ever made into the PC version of our games. It’s also the most feature-rich PC version we’ve ever made." Although the franchise began as a PC exclusive, in recent years the focus has moved more onto the home console versions of the games.
"IWNet takes the benefits of dedicated servers and allows them to be utilised and accessed by every player, out of the box, while removing the barrier to entry for players unaware of how to maintain a server on their own," says Bowling.
In describing IWNet's other features Bowling insists that it will still offer many of the benefits of being able to choose games from a specific list of servers, while making the process more accessible for new users.
Fans though have suggested that the new service is merely an attempt to gain greater control over the use of fan modifications and to facilitate the use and sale of downloadable content.
The response has been so negative that even PC Gamer editor Tim Edwards has weighed in against Infinity Ward's decision, claiming that peer-to-peer networks such as IWNet are less reliable, inherently biased towards the hosting player, less customisable and less effective at creating and policing a community.
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...-2-pc-backlash
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October 21st, 2009, 18:44 Posted By: wraggster
Bit-tech is running a feature examining the progress PC games have made over the past couple decades. The article highlights aspects of modern games we often take for granted or nitpick, and compares them to earlier games in which such features were implemented poorly or not at all. Quoting:
"Doom's legacy is still being felt today in fact and it's a fair bet that you can take any shooter off a shelf, from America’s Army to Zeno Clash, examine it, and list a dozen things that those games owe to Doom. Things like the wobble of the guns and the on-screen feedback that tells you which direction you are being shot from — these were things that id Software invented. On the other hand, from a story perspective, Doom was absolutely rubbish. You start in a room, no idea what’s going on and you are surrounded by demons. You have to read the manual and supporting media to get a grip on it all — something modern games would get heavily slated for doing. Yet the idea that plot was optional caught on and the same flaw was replicated in other games of the era, such as Quake and (to a lesser extent) Duke Nukem 3D. There were years and years where the lessons of early story-driven games were forgotten and all anyone really cared about was having as many sprites or polygons as possible."
http://games.slashdot.org/story/09/1...aming-Has-Come
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October 21st, 2009, 18:47 Posted By: wraggster
InfoWorld's Andrew Binstock tests whether Windows 7's threading advances fulfill the promise of improved performance and energy reduction. He runs Windows XP Professional, Vista Ultimate, and Windows 7 Ultimate against Viewperf and Cinebench benchmarks using a Dell Precision T3500 workstation, the price-performance winner of an earlier roundup of Nehalem-based workstations. 'What might be surprising is that Windows 7's multithreading changes did not deliver more of a performance punch,' Binstock writes of the benchmarks, adding that the principal changes to Windows 7 multithreading consist of increased processor affinity, 'a wholly new mechanism that gets rid of the global locking concept and pushes the management of lock access down to the locked resources,' permitting Windows 7 to scale up to 256 processors without performance penalty, but delivering little performance gains for systems with only a few processors. 'Windows 7 performs several tricks to keep threads running on the same execution pipelines so that the underlying Nehalem processor can turn off transistors on lesser-used or inactive pipelines,' Binstock writes. 'The primary benefit of this feature is reduced energy consumption,' with Windows 7 requiring 17 percent less power to run than Windows XP or Vista.
http://tech.slashdot.org/story/09/10...ow-Much-Faster
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October 22nd, 2009, 16:50 Posted By: wraggster
Sid Meier has announced that a new version of strategy classic Civilization will be released on Facebook, to be known as Civilization Network.
In a post on fansite Civilization Fanatics Network, original series creator and Firaxis Games co-founder Sid Meier announced the game for the face time and indicated that he would soon be soliciting for beta testers.
"Ever since we finished Civilization Revolution last year, I've been looking at ways of expanding the Civ gameplay experience to include solo, competitive and cooperative play to take advantage of the uniqueness of social networks," said Meier.
The new title will be available on Facebook at an unspecified point next year, will feature a fully persistent environment and will require no fee to pay.
"You can coordinate your strategy to win great battles, share your technology to jump ahead of your rivals, lobby your family and friends to form your own government and win vital elections, manage and grow your cities to maximize production and happiness, spy on your enemies, and work with your friends to create the great Wonders of the World," said Meier.
Although many publishers and developers have expressed interest in Facebook as a games platform, with EA thought to have paid USD 250 million for developer Playfish, established franchises such as Civilization are still relatively rare on the social network site.
Further details of Civilization Network are expected to be made available at the official fan page at www.facebook.com/civnetwork.
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...es-to-facebook
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October 22nd, 2009, 16:51 Posted By: wraggster
Microsoft’s newest OS rolls out across the globe
Microsoft’s successor to the Vista operating system has launched at retail across the globe.
Windows 7 has of course been available to business users for some months, while certain schools have had access to them.
But Microsoft aimed to trumpet the consumer launch of Windows, with a showy series simultaneous launch events.
And it was Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer who delivered a bullish speech at the Windows 7 launch party in New York.
"With Windows 7, there's never been a better time to be a PC," he said. "Together with our partners, we're introducing more choice, flexibility, and value in the market than ever before."
At the launch event in Tokyo, Windows division president Steven Sinofsky declared that “a project with the global customer reach of Windows can only be done as a teamâ€, referring to the user feedback Microsoft says it has answered in building a successor to the widely-disliked Vista OS.
"We are grateful for the valuable contributions from customers, partners,†added Sinofsky, “and developers around the world that helped make Windows 7 such a collaborative project."
Meanwhile down under, Microsoft Australia MD Tracey Fellows kicked off the nation’s own Windows 7 launch said that key to Windows 7’s strength was its simplicity.
http://www.pcr-online.biz/news/32562...-for-Windows-7
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October 22nd, 2009, 16:52 Posted By: wraggster
BSkyB’s online TV streaming service integrated in Microsoft’s new OS
Microsoft has won a major deal with broadcaster BSkyB that will allow UK Windows 7 owners to access Sky TV.
The Sky Player will be integrated into the Windows 7’s new Media Center, and will feature as many as 24 TV channels from the satellite broadcaster, as well as access a selection of on-demand programmes.
The service is only free to existing Sky customers who subscribe to Sky’s Multiroom package, or who are using the firm’s Unlimited broadband service. Those who qualify will get unlimited access to the channels and on-demand programmes.
However, new users can start using Sky on their Windows 7 PC by paying monthly subscription charges. Much like the Sky TV service, these packages begin low – at around £15 per month – though climb to £50 per month for full access.
The deal is part of Sky’s accelerated push into other home devices. Sky Player will be available on Xbox 360 before the end of October.
http://www.pcr-online.biz/news/32567...sts-Sky-Player
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October 22nd, 2009, 16:55 Posted By: wraggster
Xboxes, Zune HDs, Laptops, desktops and operating systems all under the same roof
Microsoft has opened its very first dedicated retail store in Arizona; the first in what is expected to be a string of retail outlets focused specifically on Microsoft products.
The next Microsoft Store to open its doors will be based in California, and will have a grand opening on October 29, a single week after the Arizona store first lifted its shutters.
As expected, a full range of Microsoft goods will be available in the stores, from the new Windows 7 OS to Laptops, desktops, Zune HDs and Xbox 360s.
“Our customers have told us they want choice, better value and great service when shopping for technology, and that is what we will deliver through our Microsoft stores,†said David Porter, corporate vice president of Microsoft Retail.
“We want to showcase what’s possible with the full Microsoft brand.â€
http://www.pcr-online.biz/news/32568...icrosoft-store
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October 22nd, 2009, 16:56 Posted By: wraggster
Microsoft’s Bing-powered tweet-search out months ahead of Google’s alternative
Microsoft’s new search engine Bing now allows users to search through the enormous catalogue of recent micro-comments published across Twitter.
Google has announced that it will implement such a feature of its own within the next few months.
Both Bing and Google’s Twitter search will spider through the raft of tweets made by Twitter users, presenting the searcher with both text and relevant links.
However, the service will only scan through Tweets made within the last seven days.
It is currently unclear whether Google’s own service will index Tweets across a larger window of time, though any advantage over Bing is of course company preference.
Both Bing and Google are locked in a battle for the biggest share of search engine web traffic.
However Bing has recently lost momentum, according to Experian data, and has seen traffic fall 5 per cent month on month, with its total market share trimmed down to 16.38 per cent. Google’s stands at 71.08 per cent, ahead on previous months.
The jury is out on what impact of Bing’s momentarily exclusive Twitter search will have on its traffic share.
http://www.pcr-online.biz/news/32569...Twitter-search
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October 22nd, 2009, 21:51 Posted By: wraggster
Ruh roh. A senior tech manager at a "top tier PC maker" has come out with some entirely unofficial and equally ominous thoughts on what he (or she) sees as the tough road to proliferation for SuperSpeed USB. Pointing out that the new interconnect "won't get real traction until it gets integrated in the chip sets," the source opines that Intel won't be offering motherboard integration before 2011 -- an assertion Intel has declined to comment on. AMD and NVIDIA have been vocal critics of what they see as purposeful delays by the Pentium maker, and if this latest scuttlebutt is accurate, their wild finger-pointing will have been at least somewhat vindicated. Although Intel did release the 3.0 controller spec eventually, this wouldn't be the first (or probably last) time when it has been seen to drag its feet where doing so is in its interest (eh hem, Light Peak). For our money, plenty of people who've been waiting for the new standard to show up in machines before pulling the trigger on an upgrade will be disappointed by such news, especially as 3.0 devices are just beginning to ship.
http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/22/u...ipset-support/
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October 22nd, 2009, 21:58 Posted By: wraggster
When you're not busy signing internet petitions about Modern Warfare 2, you're likely fretting over your system's innards and whether or not they have the ability to run Infinity Ward's upcoming shooter. Does it have enough gigglebits? Are the processing cores processy enough? When was the last time you fed the CPU's brain squirrel? It's okay -- we're doing the same thing! Thankfully, GameStop has stepped in to reveal the back of the game's packaging, along with the minimum system requirements for the game:
OS: Windows Vista/XP
Processor: AMD 64 3200+ or Intel Pentium 4 3.0Ghz or better
Memory: 16 GB free hard drive space / 512 MB RAM (XP) / 1 GB RAM (Vista)
Video Card: Shader 3.0 or better 256 MB nVidia Geforce 6600GT / ATI Radeon 1600XT or better
We've contacted Activision for the recommended specs and to confirm that these are indeed the finalized requirements for the game. In the meantime, you can head past the break for the full image (it's a "phenomenon"!).
http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/22/ga...-warfare-2-pc/
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October 23rd, 2009, 21:15 Posted By: wraggster
New series of ads accuse Microsoft of ‘broken promises’
Apple has released the latest instalments to its Mac vs PC advertising campaign, this time targeting those consumers who might be considering an upgrade to Windows 7.
One of the ads, which can be seen below, is entitled ‘Broken Promises’ and implies that each successive release of Windows has been an attempt to rectify problems with the previous version.
In a slightly shrewder move, another ad targets consumers who are thinking of upgrading to Windows 7.
Unlike users of Windows 7 Professional, home users do not have access to XP mode, which allows XP compatible files and software to be run through Windows 7. The ad states that, if they’re going to have to manually backup all their data and transfer it, XP users might as well buy a Mac.
http://www.pcr-online.biz/news/32577...acks-Windows-7
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October 23rd, 2009, 21:17 Posted By: wraggster
Computerworld is reporting Canonical has made available the Release Candidate of its latest Linux-based operating system, Ubuntu 9.10, on the same day Microsoft launched the long-awaited Windows 7. 'The upcoming Canonical release, which is code-named Karmic Koala, is the latest version of the popular flavor of the Linux OS. The development release on Thursday pushed the OS one step closer to final release, which is due on Oct. 29, according to the company's release schedule Web page. An image of the OS is available for download on Ubuntu's Web site. Test versions of Karmic Koala RC available for download include the server, desktop and netbook versions
http://linux.slashdot.org/story/09/1...With-Windows-7
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October 23rd, 2009, 21:19 Posted By: wraggster
The Windows 7 launch seems to have gone off mostly roses and sunbeams, but we're hearing today that quite a few people have had issues installing the downloadable $29 student upgrade edition on 32-bit Vista -- apparently the file doesn't unpack to an ISO, but instead to an executable and two bundles that don't function properly, and eventually the process errors out with a 64-bit app trying to launch on 32-bit systems. It's possible to create an ISO using some hackery, but the install process seems to be 50/50 after that -- we've heard of both success and further crashes. For it's part, Microsoft says it's looking into things, so hopefully a newly repackaged download will be forthcoming -- every party has its ups and downs, right?
http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/23/w...king-for-many/
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October 23rd, 2009, 21:29 Posted By: Shrygue
Computer and Video Games have received details of the minimum requirements for the PC version of Modern Warfare 2, info is shown below:
- OS: Microsoft Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7 - Windows 95/98/ME/2000 are unsupported
- Processor: Intel Pentium 4 3.2 GHz or AMD Athlon 64 3200+ processor or better supported
- Memory: 1 GB RAM
- Graphics: ATI Radeon 1600XT or better or 256 MB NVIDIA GeForce 6600GT or better
- DirectX: Microsoft DirectX(R) 9.0c
- Hard Drive: 12GB of free hard drive space
- Sound: 100% DirectX 9.0c compatible sound card
- Internet: Broadband connection required for Multiplayer Connectivity. Internet Connection required for activation
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October 25th, 2009, 08:53 Posted By: wraggster
ARM launched its new Cortex-A5 processor (codenamed Sparrow) this week, and while it's not targeted at the top end of the mobile market, it is a significant launch nonetheless. The Cortex-A5, which will likely battle future iterations of Intel's Atom for market share, is an important step forward for ARM for several reasons. First, it's significantly more efficient to build than the company's older ARM1176JZ(F)-S, while simultaneously outperforming the ARM926EJ-S. The Cortex-A5, however, is more than just a faster ARM processor. Architecturally, it's identical to the more advanced Cortex-A9, and it supports the same features as that part as well. This flexibility is designed to give product developers and manufacturers access to a fully backwards-compatible processor with better thermal and performance characteristics than the previous generation
http://it.slashdot.org/story/09/10/2...o-Take-On-Atom
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October 26th, 2009, 16:24 Posted By: wraggster
Activision has announced that the PC version of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 will ship with Valve's Steamworks technology.
Steamworks will provide auto-updating, anti-cheat technology, Achievements and the recently introduced Steam Cloud.
"Steamworks will make it possible for us to have a closer connection to our fans, and enable us to support our community much more than ever before," offered Infinity Ward's Rob Bowling
"Steam is the hands down leader in offering a community focused experience on PC and the inclusion of Steamworks has allowed us to deliver the most feature-rich PC version to ever come from Infinity Ward, which at the end of the day will mean the most to our fans."
The PC version of Modern Warfare has been heavily criticised by the PC gaming community, with a petition of over 158,000 opposed to propriety matchmaking service IWNet instead of dedicated servers
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...dern-warfare-2
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October 26th, 2009, 16:30 Posted By: wraggster
Yahoo has announced that its Geocities service, which provided a platform for many of the earliest websites, will no longer be accessible.
According to the BBC, Geocities was acquired by Yahoo in 1999 for £2.17 billion and at its peak had millions of registered users. It originally allowed users to host their web pages in themed ‘cities’, for example ‘Wall Street’ hosted finance websites, while ‘SIliconValley’ hosted technology sites.
However, after the acquisition the themed nature of the site was abandoned and a number of premium fee-based services introduced.
The closure of the site was announced after Yahoo initiated a policy of shutting down its less profitable services.
http://www.pcr-online.biz/news/32581...s-goes-offline
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October 27th, 2009, 16:32 Posted By: wraggster
Asustek has unveiled its first supercomputer, the desktop computer-sized ESC 1000, which uses Nvidia graphics processors to attain speeds up to 1.1 teraflops. Asus's ESC 1000 comes with a 3.33GHz Intel LGA1366 Xeon W3580 microprocessor designed for servers, along with 960 graphics processing cores from Nvidia inside three Tesla c1060 Computing Processors and one Quadro FX5800
http://hardware.slashdot.org/story/0...-Supercomputer
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October 27th, 2009, 16:36 Posted By: wraggster
Barence writes to tell us that Canonical plans on limiting the number of "free Ubuntu CDs" that people can mooch from the company. The growing popularity of Ubuntu has seen a dramatic increase in the number of CDs being shipped via the free "ShipIt" scheme. The only people able to take advantage of this program now will be the usual community teams, contributors, and first-time Ubuntu users.
"'While these CDs are often referred to as 'free CDs,' they are of course not free of cost to Canonical. We want to continue this programme, but Ubuntu’s growth means that some changes are necessary. Therefore we are adjusting how we handle CD requests to try to find the right balance between availability of CDs and the continued viability of the ShipIt program,' [Canonical's chief operating officer Jane Silber] adds. Extra CD copies of Ubuntu will still be available for purchase through the Canonical store, although they need to be bought in bulk. Five copies of the open-source operating system will cost £5 exc VAT and shipping."
http://linux.slashdot.org/story/09/1...D-Free-for-all
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October 28th, 2009, 20:53 Posted By: wraggster
Can it be? Has the same company that dashed dreams by axing its USB 3.0-laden P6X58 motherboard back in July really just revived our hope in humanity? Out of nowhere, ASUS has just unveiled the first range of motherboards to support USB 3.0 and the newest SATA specifications, the latter of which brings along 6Gbps data throughput. The one-two punch belongs to the Xtreme Design P7P55D-E series of mainboards, which support the latest Core i5 and Core i7 processors. Sadly, just two USB 3.0 ports are onboard, while a total of ten dedicated USB 2.0 sockets are scattered about. Feel free to pore over the detailed specs in the release past the break, and get ready to find the P7P55D-E Premium mobo ($299) and U3S6 expansion card ($29) at retailers next month.
http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/28/a...-6gbps-mother/
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October 28th, 2009, 21:01 Posted By: wraggster
Digital download sales data is to be included with retail sales in the official UK PC sales chart from the start of next year, Chart-Track director Dorian Bloch has confirmed.
Speaking at Tuesday's London Games Conference, Bloch said that from the start of 2010, publishers and digital distributors ready to contribute will be able to submit sales data to the chart company.
His announcement followed a persuasive presentation in which Bloch pointed out that digital sales now make up a significant proportion of PC sales. "The PC market isn't dying, it's moved on," he said.
The director confirmed that many of the big publishers, including Ubisoft, Blizzard, EA, Atari, Sega and Capcom are all on board to submit data to the chart.
Bloch pointed out that sales of this year's Ashes Cricket 2009 were apparently abysmal on PC when compared to the PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii versions of the game.
"Would Codemasters make a game if they were only selling those game units? Of course not," he said. With digital sales taken into account, "the PC market will stop contracting and start to grow again," he predicted.
While sales figures will be collected from individuals publishers selling their games from their own sites, as well as from digital retailers such as Steam and Direct2Drive, individual developer data couldn't be collected at the present, he said. "To go direct to every developer or publisher and get their individual data would be one hell of an issue."
And for the time being, console download sales will also remain unaccounted for. "It's a closed market," he said, adding that he has asked all three console platform holders for their data and all have said not right now.
Bloch admitted a "whole new set of rules" will have to come into play for the chart to work. He confirmed too that any PC product at any price will count towards the chart, meaning that theoretically a one pence game could top it.
The new chart will be able to accurately reflect sales in the PC market though, he said. As well as allow individual companies to "shout their success".
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...launch-in-2010
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October 29th, 2009, 16:32 Posted By: wraggster
The latest version of Ubuntu 9.10 (Karmic Koala) has been released. Offering numerous enhancements for both desktop and server environments, this release includes notable features like Ubuntu Enterprise Cloud images, the Ubuntu One "personal cloud", and Linux kernel version 2.6.31. Please be sure to use a release mirror close to your geographic location to help reduce the stress on Ubuntu's primary servers; using BitTorrent for downloads can help alleviate the load even more. If your organization has adequate network and server resources, please consider hosting a mirror as well
http://linux.slashdot.org/story/09/1...ially-Released
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October 29th, 2009, 21:24 Posted By: wraggster
ften forgotten, but the independent open source spirit lives strong in the once Mozilla project — now SeaMonkey. Version 2.0 is finally out and rivals Firefox with similar features but integrated email with a small footprint."
The Register has a short piece on the 2.0 release, which mentions that SeaMonkey is now based on Firefox 3.5.4. Stephen Shankland lists some of the features in a handy bullet-point style, too. I'm using the new release right now; it's crashed once — but only once — in several hours of use.
http://tech.slashdot.org/story/09/10...s-SeaMonkey-20
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October 30th, 2009, 16:21 Posted By: wraggster
Unfinished feature discovered on new operating system
An unimplemented feature has been found on Windows 7 that allows a laptop or other WiFi enabled device to be turned in to a hotspot for other users by allowing them to share their connection.
According to Computer World, Nomadio, a US firm that specialises in military network consulting and development, discovered the feature.
“A year ago, Microsoft talked a lot about this as a big feature in Windows 7," said Nomadio’s CEO Alex Gizis. "But driver support didn't get finished. The low-level code is in there, but the driver-level stuff isn't. And there's no app or setting in Windows to turn it on.â€
Nomadio has gone on to develop a free application called Connectify that turns the dormant code in to an active feature. The beta version of the software can be found at Nomadio’s web portal.
http://www.pcr-online.biz/news/32635...-WiFi-hotspots
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October 30th, 2009, 18:42 Posted By: wraggster
HotHardware has posted a sneak peek at a new motherboard Asus has coming down the pipe with USB 3.0 and SATA 6G support. The Asus P7P55D-E Premium has a PLX PCI Express Gen 2 switch implementation that connects to NEC USB 3.0 and Marvell SATA 6G controller chips. With a USB 3.0 enabled external hard drive connected to a USB 2.0 port and then to the board's USB 3.0 port, there were some rather impressive gains to observe. When connected to a USB 3.0 port, the external hard drive was about 5 — 6x faster versus connecting over USB 2.0, with total throughput in excess of 130MB/sec. On the other hand, benchmarks with Seagate's new Barracuda XT SATA 6G drive show little performance difference but a burst rate that is off the charts. According to ATTO, there are slight overall performance benefits to be had connecting the drive to the SATA 6G controller, but the deltas were quite small; somewhere in the neighborhood of 5MB/s or so
http://it.slashdot.org/story/09/10/3...TA-6GB-Not-Yet
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October 31st, 2009, 21:14 Posted By: wraggster
Users should wait for Microsoft to work out the bugs in Windows 7 before jumping on the new OS, computer support company Rescuecom said on Friday. 'From the calls we're getting, as well as our own experience in the past with all Microsoft's operating systems, we're recommending that people stick with their time-tested OS and wait for the dust to settle,' said Josh Kaplan, president of Rescuecom. Citing a litany of reasons, ranging from the risk of losing data during an upgrade to tough economic times, Kaplan urged Windows users to put off upgrading to Windows 7 or buying a new PC with the operating system pre-installed. 'There are some compelling reasons for both businesses and home users to move to Windows 7,' Kaplan said, 'so we're saying "just wait for a bit."' Upgrading an existing machine — whether it's running the eight-year-old Windows XP or the much newer Vista — is particularly risky, he added, especially if users haven't taken time to make a full backup before they migrate their machines. Some users have found that out first hand. Among the top subjects on Microsoft's support forum is one that has put some PCs into an endless reboot loop when their owners tried to upgrade from Vista to Windows 7. Microsoft has not yet come up with a solution that works for all the users who have reported the problem, sparking frustration
http://tech.slashdot.org/story/09/10...rm-Warns-Users
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