Tech Kritik

Rhythm Thief and the art of appropriation

Balend Naoom — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:07:15 +0000

With the recent talk of game cloning, it’s easy to forget that taking an idea from another game and running with it can be not only inoffensive, but beneficial.

When done the wrong way, cloning lets one company divert revenue and attention away from the original, nearly identical source. But when done well — when it’s “inspiration” and not outright copying — everyone’s happy. People who liked the original game get to play something that takes what worked about that game, and builds on it in interesting ways. The developer of the new game gets a proven framework upon which to apply its own ideas, and a built-in fanbase to sell to. And the originator gains the prestige of having its game become a genre-defining work.

That’s the case with Sega’s Rhythm Thief: The Emperor’s Treasure for 3DS. Sega’s musical adventure wears its influences on its sleeve, and is better for it.

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Rhythm Thief and the art of appropriation originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC Ville shows off Sense 4.0 in its second appearance on camera

Balend Naoom — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:42:10 +0000

Last Monday, the HTC Ville was shown off running Android 4.0 and Sense 4.0 in a leaked video. Four new images recently published by ePrice reveal the handset’s thin design and give a slightly clearer look at HTC’s new Sense 4.0 UI, which features a revamped clock and icon dock. As BGR exclusively reported in November, the Ville is expected to debut at Mobile World Congress later this month and sport a case that is less than 8 millimeters thick. The smartphone will feature a 4.3-inch qHD Super AMOLED display and will be powered by a 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor. Other expected specs include a 1,650 mAh battery, Beats audio and an 8-megapixel rear camera with 1080p HD video capture support. Additional
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Nokia posts white Lumia 900 image to Facebook

Balend Naoom — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:37:59 +0000

The Verge – Microsoft Posts

Rocksmith update adds user interface and lag tweaks

Balend Naoom — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:07:16 +0000

Have you felt like your Rocksmith-ing hasn’t been as full of rock as it could be? Been having problems trying to navigate all those menus? The latest update aims to address your concerns and more.

Perhaps the biggest feature being introduced is Lag Correction, an option that allows users to tweak sound and the speed at which notes are displayed on the screen. Another fix eliminates errant scores achieved in Guitarcade through exploiting the pause button — pulling an ill-intended Peter Moore, if you will. The precision tuner is also now more accessible and available prior to any song or event outside of multiplayer.

Hit the break for the full list of changes.

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Rocksmith update adds user interface and lag tweaks originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC promises change after admitting its bulky LTE phones have been weak so far

Balend Naoom — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:42:11 +0000

HTC on Monday reported that the company’s fourth quarter earnings missed analysts’ estimates. While speaking on the vendor’s earnings call, HTC’s chief financial officer said that the manufacturer ”dropped the ball” with its 2011 devices, SlashGear reports. Winston Yung admitted that the company’s LTE handsets were too thick, offered insufficient battery life and that there was plenty of work to be done to improve both “design and components.” Products launched in the fourth quarter “are not selling as we expected,” Yung said. New phones are on the way, however, and HTC’s next-generation smartphones are expected to be revealed later this month. BGR exclusively reported this past November that HTC will unveil the Ville at Mobile World Congress along side the company’s quad-core flagship HTC
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Child-friendly Internet Explorer 9 released by CEOP and Microsoft

Balend Naoom — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:37:47 +0000

The Verge – Microsoft Posts

Twisted Metal hits Europe on March 7

Balend Naoom — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:07:15 +0000

After the European launch of Twisted Metal was stalled last week, a new date has been announced by creator David Jaffe. The European release has been pushed back to March 7, according to Jaffe’s Twitter account, thanks to localization issues and cuts that had to be made in cutscenes.

Last week, Jaffe assured players that Twisted Metal‘s story — surely its most integral component — would remain intact despite the alterations.

Twisted Metal hits Europe on March 7 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 06 Feb 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ITC attorney backs Barnes & Noble in Microsoft patent case

Balend Naoom — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:42:31 +0000

Barnes & Noble on Monday received some potentially good news following the rejection of its antitrust suit against Microsoft earlier this month. Microsoft is looking to halt the import of the bookseller’s Nook slates, claiming the devices infringe three Microsoft patents. Barnes & Noble argued that the patents in question are invalid because they do not cover new inventions, and the company has a new ally. Jeff Hsu, a staff attorney at the U.S. International Trade Commission, told Bloomberg he recommended that ITC Judge Theodore Essex rule that there is no violation by Barnes & Noble. Microsoft said the recommendation was made before evidence was presented, and it believes Hsu’s opinion may change once the trial gets underway. Bloomberg notes, however,
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Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning review: A tempting fate

Balend Naoom — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:07:36 +0000

Confession time: I have not finished Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning. Over the last several days, I’ve poured over thirty hours into the enormous world. After twenty or so, I resolved to avoid secondary tasks and focus on primary quests, hoping to finish the campaign before composing this review. And then, after reaching a milestone in the story, it occurred to me: I don’t want to do that.

Please understand, I have no desire to ruin this review for our readers. It’s just that I don’t want to ruin the game for me. To plow through Reckoning with no regard for the enormous array of tasks and quests, to ignore its hidden secrets, is a disservice to its lovingly crafted world.

Gallery: Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning – 12/9/11

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Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning review: A tempting fate originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 07 Feb 2012 03:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rogers announces two new LTE devices with 4G speeds up to 40Mbps

Balend Naoom — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 07:42:39 +0000

Rogers on Monday announced two new LTE devices that will offer even faster speeds than earlier 4G modems on its network. The company will soon launch the Sierra Wireless AirCard 330U LTE Rocket stick as well as the Sierra Wireless AirCard 763S LTE Rocket mobile hotspot. Both devices utilize the 2600MHz spectrum and will offer LTE download speeds of up to 40 Mbps, compared to the 12-25Mbps offered by Rogers’s earlier devices. ”We are thrilled to offer Canada’s fastest LTE devices on Canada’s fastest and largest LTE network,” said Rogers Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer John Boynton. “We were the first to launch an LTE network in Canada and we have invested in the network technology that enables us to
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