Monthly archive for April 2008
New Mesh Raises Questions For Developers
Posted Thursday 24th April 2008 by Swapna
Web developers are questioning the latest move and commitment of openness in Microsoft’s Live Mesh service that is created to bridge the offline and online world. This new service was introduced at Web 2.0, which is going to ease user’s device and applications to create a smooth framework. Microsoft has claimed that this will be launched for use on Windows, Mac and mobile phones, and will be using open standards.
Wii Fit as the protector of gaming rights
Posted Thursday 24th April 2008 by Tom P
Nintendo’s latest offering is hailed to be a revolution in the gaming industry, well at least by its creators. There is little doubt that the idea of a game that actively works towards making the gamer healthier is novel, but a debate has been sparked in gaming circles over whether Wii Fit even classifies as a game.
Those on the negative side claim Wii Fit is more of a simulation than a game in the proper sense. Utilising a balance board that can work out your body mass index and measures your movements to ensure you are working out properly it is a clever interactive device. But is this device really a game controller, or simply a glorified sit up mat? Doubtlessly we will have to wait for future releases to really answer this question.
Ecocho and the wider issue of manipulating eco guilt
Posted Wednesday 23rd April 2008 by Tom P
While we all have a semblance of eco-awareness, how far does this awareness go to changing our activities from day to day? One search engine based in Australia obviously thought that people’s eco-guilt would lead them to using their ‘green’ search engine. Unfortunately, this new site has been kicked out of Google for using the search engine giant’s technology and advertising system.
This eco-friendly search engine named Ecocho.com.au was launched just one week ago. Its specialist slant was that for every thousand searches, two trees would be planted. Seemingly however the site acted purely as a gateway for searchers to use Yahoo or Google as Ecocho used their results and advertising layout.
Sony’s PlayTV now available for pre-order
Posted Tuesday 22nd April 2008 by Tom P
It seems as if finally the much heralded PS3 system will become the all encompassing entertainment platform it set out to become. The release of the PlayTV gadget has been eagerly awaited by owners of the system as it will turn this gaming centre into a digital television recorder. News is slowly filtering through of a release date for this impressive gadget; while there has been no official word from Sony, makers of the PS3, Amazon have stated that it will be released at the end of July.
Technology For The Aged
Posted Tuesday 22nd April 2008 by Catherine
For those of us young enough to understand emails, iPods and webcams, there is no need to fear our old age. Tales of leaving our own hard-earned home behind and submitting ourselves to the often understaffed care homes will be a thing of the past with what visionaries hope will become the norm – the virtual granny flat.
Using high tech devices such as video conferencing for keeping in touch with friends and family to micro chips that detect wandering or falling elderly and infirm, these are the things that scientists hope will keep us in our own homes for longer.
Mobile Viruses on the Increase
Posted Monday 21st April 2008 by Tom P
While computer users have been acutely aware of the threats of viruses for some time, a relatively new phenomenon is the encroachment by technological criminals into the mobile phone sphere. The crux is that viruses and trojans have moved from purely being a nuisance to becoming a profitable enterprise for their developers. Whilst in computers this took around fifteen years; developers are experiencing greater levels of success with mobile networks and handsets.
Restructuring essential as AMD post another loss
Posted Friday 18th April 2008 by Tom P
The computer chip manufacturer Advanced Micro Devices or AMD has released yet another grim report on its takings this quarter. This now make sit six reports in a row that AMD has clearly been losing its market share to rivals Intel, despite better sales than this time a year ago. The twenty two percent increase in sales on this time last year however was not even enough to break even as the chip company had to divulge information it had lost £180 million in the last three months.
Gaming Sales Buck The Credit Crunch
Posted Friday 18th April 2008 by Catherine
Is the credit crunch all hype by the press? In another show of defiance that we are not all about to sink into financial ruin, it has been reported that sales video games and software in the US rose by 57% or the last year.
Games, consoles and accessories set the consumer back $1.7 billion during March alone says research firm, NPD. The Nintendo Wii went to 720,000 people and 262,000 bought Microsoft’s Xbox 360 console. Sony sold a mere 257,000 units, which is not to be sniffed at considering we are meant to be on the brink of a recession.
Bestselling Game Ever; EA’s The Sims
Posted Thursday 17th April 2008 by Tom P
When most people think of computer games, connotations of shooting bad guys, driving and high velocity or simply running through platform levels come to mind. Surprisingly however, the best selling computer game contains none of these elements and instead allows the gamer to control the lives of ordinary people. While this seemingly boring premise would not be popular, it is the case that over 100 million copies of Electronic Arts blockbuster ‘The Sims’ have sold in the meagre eight years that the franchise has been on shop shelves.
iPhone Discount Confirmed
Posted Wednesday 16th April 2008 by Tom P
The popularity of the iPhone seemed assured but seemingly the phone’s high price is still preventing some from owning this high tech piece of kit. O2 have announced today that it will be dropping the price of the 8GB iPhone by £100 to a more respectable retail price of £169. The deal is not infinite however, by the 1st of June this year the price will return to its previous astronomical figure.
This move from O2 could be seen as a response to the German iPhone supplier T-Mobile, dropping their prices for the 8GB model. Unfortunately however there seems to be no let up in the high pricing of the 16GB model that will still cost over £350.
