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Category: GEEK

Games / GEEK

Atari: celebrating 40 years on the dots

Source: Engadget

Atari celebrating 40 years on the dots

Forty years. That’s a long time in the tech industry and Atari knows it. Today it celebrates four decades in the game, and quite the tale it is. Highs, lows and everything in between, Atari has been there. As one of the most influential brands both in gaming and technology, it only seems right to take a look over the company’s history and chart some of the more significant twists in its less than straightforward journey. After the break we speak to the man that started it all and the one currently at the helm, as well as some of the many people whose lives were irreversibly changed by its influence. Happy birthday to you, Atari!

(more…)

GEEK

Vintage Apple Computer!

Saw this on Engadget and thought it was cool.

Here’s an update for all the collectors of vintage Apple Computer-wares out there. If you’ll recall, it was a few weeks back when Sotheby’s announced it would auction off an Apple 1 motherboard, cassette interface and its BASIC programming manual, originally set to fetch upwards of $180,000. Just this week, the hand-built piece of computing history from 1979 was sold to one lucky phone bidder for an even more massive $374,500. As Apple Insider notes, the computer is one of six that’s accounted for out of 50 that are likely still out there — ensuring these will only remain for folks with deep pockets indeed. Past that, a hand-written note from Steve Jobs during his time at Atari was also on the auction block, garnering $27,500 even though it was only estimated to sell for less than half that price. Knowing the cost of collecting a premiere piece (arguably) from the fruits of Woz and Jobs, it certainly makes that new MacBook Pro with Retina display seem like a grand bargain in comparison. Details at the links below.

sourceSotheby’s (1), (2)

Mobile

The new HTC EVO LTE is right around the corner and the reviews are mixed! Sure the specs on the phone are amazing but it seems that there are antenna challenges that just about kill any positive comments about the new phone. As an owner of an HTC EVO 4G (the original) I can tell you that I have never really been able to take advantage of its WIMAX 4G service. I went with Sprint because of the plan they offered… at the time it worked great for my needs. I do not believe that my needs have changed yet I feel like the service I am getting has, or more to the point my coverage has gotten worse.

When I first heard about the new EVO I actually got excited but as the reviews begin to circulate I think it’s time to explore my options. Do I get a different phone that will play nice on the 3G only or do I look at moving my service to someone like AT&T?

Games / GEEK

Got my PS VITA!

Geek-Weely original

I was going to write about the un-boxing of my PS Vita on the 22nd but then I realized that the topic is already overdone. Sure we could review the system specs or the game play but again that’s something everyone is already talking about. So I figured that I would get a few days behind me and share my initial thoughts.
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Expectations:

  1. The screen! What can I say… this is absolutely amazing and probably one of the clearest I have ever seen. The touch screen is extremely fluid with what little content there was to scroll through. This area defiantly exceeded my expectations.
  2. PSP backwards compatibility. Although there are some titles that are being offered on the PlayStation Store I was a little disappointed to find that the copy of Little Big Planet that I got free as part of their network / security challenges last year was not offered as one of the titles I could re-download. Does Sony just want me to buy the new Vita version of the game?
  3. Streaming movies from my home Media Server. Guess what! Not supported. Not that this was an expectation but just as I use the PS3 and the Kids use their XBOX to watch movies I was really hoping that this same feature would be available on the PS Vita.

Design:

  1. The overall design of the PS VITA is truly almost perfect. Sure it’s a fingerprint magnet but so are all other touch screen devices. What I might have done differently is to not go glossy on the back. Similar to the touch-pad on a laptop I think a matte finish could have been done here.
  2. Game cartridge slot. My fingernails are short and opening this cover to put in a game cartridge in a little too much of a struggle.
  3. Memory! Again Sony forces us to use their proprietary memory. This is something that I do not agree with but what are we going to do about it?

Wish list:

  1. Application development is something I would like to see on the Vita. Not the crap you get on Android or iTunes but obviously game or tech related apps. Even an e-mail client to connect to my Gmail. After all the average gamer is communicating via e-mail or getting updates that way.
  2. Alternate instant messaging apps would also help to feed the social aspect of the device.
  3. Improved web browsing. Although the browser is an improvement over the PS3’s it seems to have to re-draw the page after each flick of the finger. This definitely needs some polishing.
  4. Angry Birds! It’s a no brainier… add a few of the top iOS and Android games to the Vita and you will be well on your way to making this system a true gaming platform.

It’s really too soon to see what’s going to happen with this unit but it is SONY and I would like to think they will make this work. Over all I think that this is a great system with so much potential. I for one am very excited to see where this goes.

GEEK

Time Warner Cable’s TWC TV launches for PC, brings live TV streaming to the desktop

Source: Engadget

After expanding its live TV streaming from iPads to iPhones, Time Warner Cable is going in the other direction and offering the service on PCs. The PC version of TWC TV launched today in beta — still no word on streaming to Android devices or HDTVs yet — but the Silverlightplayer will work on Windows and OS X, in Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari or Chrome. According to the official blog it has more than just streaming, with remote control over compatible set-top boxes and DVR scheduling also included. Of course, the same restrictions still apply here as they have on tablets and phones, with playback only while connected to your home network. If you’re a Time Warner customer, hit the link below to sign in and try it out, or hit the blog for more details on what works where.

sourceTW Cable Untangled, TWC TV (beta)

Games / GEEK

Top Selling Games for Week Ending 1-21-12

USA Weekly Chart

Week Ending 21st Jan 2012

Pos Game Week Weekly Total
1
Just Dance 3 (Wii)
Ubisoft, Misc
16 61,942 3,444,031
2
  Kinect Adventures! (X360)
Microsoft, Misc
64 60,946 9,583,234
3
  Zumba Fitness (Wii)
Majesco, Sports
62 48,747 2,071,438
4
  Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (X360)
Activision, Shooter
11 48,504 7,383,713
5
  Mario Kart 7 (3DS)
Nintendo, Racing
7 40,473 1,626,368
6
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (X360)
Bethesda Softworks, Role-Playing
11 36,604 2,699,422
7
Super Mario 3D Land (3DS)
Nintendo, Platform
10 33,385 2,420,142
8
NBA 2K12 (X360)
Take-Two Interactive, Sports
16 33,371 1,177,687
9
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (PS3)
Activision, Shooter
11 28,703 4,258,018
10
UFC Personal Trainer: The Ultimate Fitness System (X360)
THQ, Sports
30 26,029 236,196

GEEK

Star Trek Home!

Interior designer Tony Alleyne spent over $150,000 converting his house into the USS Enterprise from Star Trek. It took him over 6 years of tedious construction to convert every wall, floor and appliance to the 24th century spaceship.