Sunday, June 26, 2011

Infamous PlayStation 3/iPhone Hacker, GeoHot, Absorbed by Facebook


GeoHot
George Hotz, better known as "GeoHot", has made a name for himself over the years beginning with his impressive unlocking of the iPhone to allow for jailbreaking. This led to the public having the ability to use the once exclusive AT&T device with other carriers. After years of hacking and modifying the iPhone, GeoHot moved onto the console that everyone had believed to be unhackable, until GeoHot put his brains behind it. Near the end of 2009, GeoHot publicly announced that he would transfer his efforts from hacking the iPhone to Sony's PlayStation 3 console. Within a short five weeks, GeoHot gained access to the PS3's system memory providing him with read and write access. Read more for more details on GeoHot's joyride with the PS3 and where he is taking his talents to after years of driving companies nuts!
On January 26, 2010, GeoHot brought his project to the public with the ability to install custom firmware on PS3's original firmware at the time, 3.15. This was executed using the platform's "OtherOS" function which was later removed from all PS3 units on March 28, 2010 via a firmware update issued by Sony. GeoHot continued to examine the PS3 platform and eventually jailbreaked the PS3 allowing for homebrew applications to run without the need for a jailbreaking USB Dongle. Sony then filed a restraining order against George Francis Hotz and took the infamous hacker to court. They developed an agreement in which GeoHot would never hack any Sony product ever again.
All of this leads to GeoHot's next move and this time it does not involved pissing a corporation off. Earlier today, George Hotz announced on his official Facebook page that he is now a software engineer for the top social network in existence, Facebook. While no concrete information has been made public as to what GeoHot is working on for Facebook, rumors are flying that he is heavily involved in the development of the iPad's Facebook app. It will be very interesting to see what GeoHot has to offer Facebook and we will see if the hacking career GeoHot made ever so popular has come to an end. I am still clueless as to why Apple nor Sony made an attempt to acquire their worst enemy. If you can't beat em', recruit em!
What do you guys think? Do you feel Sony and/or Apple made a mistake by not recruiting GeoHot, or do you feel Facebook is where the infamous hacker who made a name for himself will fit in best?



Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Editorial: 3DS vs. PS Vita - Will History Repeat Itself?

Sony might actually have the upper hand in the battle for your pocket gaming.



All eyes seem to be on Nintendo these days – and after an E3 press conference that baffled as much as it impressed, it's easy to understand why. It seems, in fact, like Nintendo is playing out its cards in much the same way it did back in 2005. Rather than focusing on Wii U, however, the more interesting topic right now is that of the upcoming 3DS versus PS Vita battle. On first glance, it could appear to be DS-versus-PSP all over again, but we're here to tell you that's a long way from being the case.

Sony has, traditionally, gone for that 'aspirational' gaming dollar; courting gamers with hardware that has been tremendously powerful—with a price that packs about as much wallop. While the PS3 and PSP are both successful, long-time market warhorses, they still took a beating from Nintendo's Wii and DS systems.

The key differences? While Sony was imbuing its products with glitzy 'status symbol' elements, making them luxury items, Nintendo focused on new gaming experiences and undercut them at the registers with an everyman price-tag. Nintendo, incidentally, cleaned up.
I just really wanted an excuse to dig this out.

It would seem the tables have turned, however, and Sony is betting the bank on selling PlayStation Vita (or PS Vita, as it's now known) - its PSP successor - near cost. That's a dangerous – and cheeky – move. It's a Sony move; the kind of play that a company makes when it knows the market is ready for an upset and its brand is ready for the same. 

Unlike Nintendo, which has stated in the past that it will never again create hardware and sell it at a loss, Sony is aiming to sell so many units that it more than absorbs that cost – and makes a killing in the process too. 

Sony and Nintendo are now in the same price bracket for handheld hardware, and the capabilities tend to favour Sony. Vita's just a powerful system. It doesn't have the 3D flashiness of the 3DS – and nobody can discount the continued appeal of Nintendo's core franchises. However, for the first time in a long while, Sony is actually leading the charge with hardware that gives developers more tools to play with. 

Sony didn't just squeeze through the crack - it blew the door off its hinges.

Nintendo has, traditionally, been a hardware disruptor. The approach with the DS (as with Wii and Wii U) has been to provide gamers with a new input experience – and developers with the tools to craft forward-thinking games and apps that differentiate its products from the competition. 3DS does not go far beyond the boundaries established by the DS – and in fact, it could be argued that the 3D display actually makes the unit less holistic in design than its predecessor: the 3D display, after all, makes it harder to smoothly implement touch and motion controls – and it gobbles up battery life. Regardless, in taking a smaller step forward, Nintendo left the door open to Sony. 

Sony didn't just squeeze through the crack – it blew the door off its hinges. 

Sony has, in effect, trumped the DS' touch capabilities, matched the 3DS' augmented reality functionality, introduced a world of possibility for interoperability between PS3 and Vita, andsurpassed its communication potential with 3G network compatibility (in the premium model). This is a device that truly offers flexibility to developers and gamers. 3DS' StreetPass and SpotPass are great features, but limited in range. (And, incidentally, Vita has 'Near', which operates on a similar premise.) Without a Wi-Fi network, the 3DS' online infrastructure is significantly hampered. Without processing power in line with PS Vita, developers are once again tasked with creating software that cannot be ported easily and must be developed from scratch. 

Sony has given developers more to play with, basically—and written off handheld 3D effects in the same stroke. That's bold and competitively wise. 

These are moves that hold the potential to turn the tables on the DS brand in a big way. 

Of course, many of you are probably thinking 'well gee, Patch—but the PSP was far more powerful than the DS was—and it still got pummelled for a long time.' True, but the PSP was a traditional console experience in your pocket, whereas the DS was disruptive and new. This battle is fundamentally different. Vita is the more disruptive, interesting device. Plus, as mentioned above, the price was a huge factor. The market dictates value; that's a major thing to remember. 

In this visual metaphor, Sony is a police officer. The PS Vita is a battering ram. Nintendo is peering through the window.

With PS Vita coming in at a similar price to 3DS regionally, Sony is aggressively targeting the comparison shopper. And if you stick these two systems side-by-side, spec sheet and all, it's clear which device is going to look superior on paper. 

Then there's the lingering question of games. The 3DS' on-shelf range has barely grown since release. Good thing Nintendo kick-started its Virtual Console service on the platform before things got really dire. Still, there was a decided lack of fresh 3DS content on display at Nintendo's press event –and while sequels to major franchises are probably still easy bank, the calendar year ahead is painfully quiet. 

Sony, meanwhile, again underlined its aggressive strategy, showing off Uncharted: The Golden Abyss to appease the hardcore market and a number of terrific, sophisticated games from its stable of franchises – available at or near launch. The message was clear: we have the hardware and the games – not just the promise of content to come. 

It's not all doom and gloom for Nintendo, of course. Brand loyalty goes a long way. 3DS is family-friendly, appealing and approachable. It has a mass-market design to it that the whole DS range has maintained. Arguably, PS Vita looks more mature – but that brings with it certain barriers and factors of intimidation and complexity. 

Nintendo is a thought leader in family entertainment. Sony leads in the luxury market. If Sony can crack through that shell with PS Vita's price tag, power and raw potential – and developers continue to support it too, Nintendo may have a serious – even critical – fight on its hands.


Post by Patrick Kolan
IGN AU

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Why You Lose Motivation and Interest When You Know the Outcome


There's something about live events that motivate us more than stale, old ones, and it's tied to the effects of suspense. Even if you don't know how something is going to turn out in the end, when you know the answer is easily obtainable you're going to be less-motivated to find it the hard way. This can cause problems.
Writer Chuck Klosterman noticed this when wondering why he was much less interested in watching a sports game he recorded on his DVR once the game had already ended:
It doesn't matter how much I sequester myself or how thrilling the event is - if I know the game has finished, it's difficult to sustain authentic interest in what I've recorded. I inevitably fast-forward to the last two or three minutes (even when I have no vested interest in the outcome). Since I'm watching the game purely for entertainment, it shouldn't be any different from the real thing. It should, in fact, be better, just as it's more enjoyable to watch self-recorded episodes of Frontline or Storage Wars or any other traditional show that lives inside my DVR. In theory, I should be able to enjoy every single game I want to see, on my own schedule - all I need to do is avoid the Internet for a few hours and not glance at the ESPN ticker on public TV screens. But it never works: I get home, I start watching the recent past, and I find myself rushing toward the present.
This phenomenon is applicable to more than just sports. For example, you'll find writers who hate outlining because it ruins the organic discovery of the writing process. Mundane jobs become boring because they're always the same. That's just another way of saying there's no suspense, and the outcome is always known. When you don't know what's going to happen, things are a lot more exciting and you're more motivated to find out.
Practically speaking, if you're bored with your work you should try to find ways to make it more capricious. Embrace change. Massive change is scary, but if it happens slowly over time it can create just the right amount of suspense to keep your interest—unlike the sports games on your DVR.

Rumor: Next Xbox to Debut at E3 2012?



This report originates from CryTek who has stated that specifics to Microsoft's next generation console is still being worked on, but the console will likely be revealed around E3 2012. Apparently, CryTek is also rumored to be using DirectX 11 technology for the next generation games.

"CryTek believes that Microsoft will announce and launch its new machine ahead of rival Sony, though the developer is also investing resources into next-generation PlayStation development," a source from CryTek stated.

Apparently, this CryTek developer believes that Microsoft will announce the new Xbox within the next 12 months. Microsoft is reportedly trying to unveil this new console before Sony unveils their new console. Ironically, the Nintendo Wii U will be released around the same time.

Microsoft's Xbox 360 has been the number one console for a little while now. In a recent report by NPD Group, approximately 270,000 Xbox 360 consoles were sold during the month of May of this year. The Xbox 360 is also the most sold console for the last 11 months.

IRON MAN From China(FOAM MAN?:)[Video]




Wang Kang, a run-of-the-mill office dude working in Shanghai, had a dream: He wanted to go to work dressed as Iron Man. So one day, he woke up and started working on his costume, and 3 months later, he had a perfectly awesome-looking, 50-kilogram suit made from high density foam and wires, ready to terrorize his work colleagues. Check him out below as he walks through his office, ready to blast anyone away at the first offense.
 
 
Here's another great project Completed by a friend
His name is Wang Kang and he hails from Shanghai, China.

You can see more work in progress pictures of the suit and his other projects at his website. go to

http://www.wangxiaokang.cn

Project is Complete and it's amazing!

Great Work Mr. Kang.


Thursday, June 9, 2011

Classic games reappeared by open resourced

Classic games reappeared by open-source

Classic games are always unforgettable, the game companies of the times probably would not be exist, however, some lucky games can be reappeared in the open-source way.
The clones of some classic open-source games are listed below:

List of complete clones

Some of these games aren't reimplementations but evolution of original ones, which were eventually open sourced.
GemRB - active development (repository).
OpenC1 - moderately active development (repository).
FreeCol - active development (repository).
Commander Genius - active development (repository).
OpenRA - active development (repository).
D2X - active development (repository).
Doomsday - active development (repository).
Chocolate Doom - active development (repository).
ZDoom - active development (repository).
PrBoom+ - active development (repository).
Odamex - active development (repository).
EDuke32 - active development (repository).
OpenDUNE - active development (repository).
Reminiscence - moderately active development.
FreeSpace Source Code Project - active development (repository).
fheroes2 - active development (repository).
VCMI - active development, time-based releases (repository).
OpenLiero - development halted (repository).
OpenLieroX - active development (repository).
ioquake3 - active development (repository).
OpenArena - sporadical development (repository).
Secret Maryo Chronicles - active development (repository).
OpenMOO2 - moderately active development (repository).
The Ur-Quan Masters - active development (repository).
Ultimate Stunts - moderately active development (repository).
FreeSynd - active development (repository).
CorsixTH - active development, time-based releases (repository).
Spring - active development (repository).
OpenTTD - active development (repository).
OpenTyrian - moderately active development (repository).
xu4 - active development (repository).
Nuvie - active development (repository).
Exult - moderately active development (repository).
Pentagram - sporadical development (repository).
Privateer - Gemini Gold - moderately active development (repository).
OpenXcom - active development (repository).
UFO: The Two Sides - active development. Unfortunately, it's not open source but freeware.
Inspired by original game series
BZFlag - active development (repository).
FreeCiv - active development (repository).
Freeciv.net - active development, online browser game (repository).
OpenDungeons - moderately active development (repository).
FreeOrion - moderately active development (repository).
Widelands - active development (repository).
Simutrans - active development (repository).
Hedgewars - active development (repository).
WarMUX - active development (repository).
UFO: Alien Invasion - active development (repository).


original link:http://osgameclones.com/