Product Reviews

Fable III Inspired by PS3 Exclusives Heavy Rain and Uncharted

2010-10-07T07:00:00.001-07:00

Fable III Inspired by PS3 Exclusives Heavy Rain and Uncharted

The Fable III developers at Lionhead sure played a lot of PS3 exclusives despite being owned by Microsoft.

Josh Atkins, senior design director at Lionhead Studios, said that the games that most influenced the design of Fable III were Naughty Dog's Uncharted 2and Heavy Rain by Quantic Dream. Which makes sense, those were both very groundbreaking games that will influence the medium for years to come, but the interesting part is that they were both exclusive to Microsoft's chief competitor, the Sony PlayStation 3. In case you didn't make the connection, Lionhead Studios is completely owned by Microsoft and Fable III will be released exclusively on the Xbox 360 and Windows platforms. Of course, Atkins also said he was influenced by the addictiveness of Peggle so it is clear that the design influences for Fable III are definitely eclectic. Fable III is due out October 26.

"We were all very involved with and all played Heavy Rain," Atkins said. "We all have a lot of respect for David Cage and the guys at Quantic Dream. It's a very unique experience and a very compelling story - and there's a lot of deep gameplay there. The weaving of decision and story in Heavy Rain is another one. You saw the beginnings of that with Fahrenheit, and they've taken it much further."

Does that mean that we'll see extended quicktime events in Fable III? Atkins dismisses that concern immediately. "I think you'll see ... there's influence [from Heavy Rain] without question in how our interaction systems work and in how all [the player's] decisions work. There was many things we liked about that game, but one of the key things that they did was that the decisions you made rooted into the game world. Your eyes are always fixated on the game world - you're not looking down at the interface."

As for Uncharted, Atkins was impressed with its cinematic storytelling. "Another one we talk a lot about is Uncharted 2. That blend of cinema and great gameplay was something we were certainly very influenced by," Atkins said. "With Uncharted, it really comes down to the blend of gameplay, cinema and acting - particularly the superb voice acting in that game."

The addictiveness of PopCap's Peggle is a major influence in all game design. "I know it sounds funny, but it's our job to look at the simple addiction of a game like that," he said. "It's a game we spend a lot of time playing ourselves."

I'm glad that Atkins is platform agnostic and recognizes good game design no matter what console it is played on.

Source: CVG

Fable 3 Inspired by Heavy Rain and Uncharted

2010-10-07T06:58:00.000-07:00

The constant arguments over which console is better out of the Xbox 360 and PS3 will never go away, as well as who has the better exclusives. However, did you know that there are certain games from one console that has shaped a game for another?

The game in question is Fable 3, it seems that there were two PlayStation 3 exclusives that helped influence the design director. Those games were Heavy Rain and Uncharted 2, which were revealed in a recent interview with CVG.

In the interview the guys behind Fable 3 said that during gameplay you will see a certain amount of influence from both the above mentioned games, but is this really a bad thing?

It does not matter what you do there are always influences; these include movies, commercials, songs, as well as other video games. However, we just hope that only the good things have been taken from both games and included in Fable 3.

Chevy Volt Charging Station Cheaper Than Nissan Leaf’s

2010-10-07T06:55:00.000-07:00

Chevrolet has announced the price of a charging station for the Chevy Volt, and the initial price of $490 sounds good at first, take the $1,475 installation fee into consideration and the bill is much more. However, it has been noted that although this adds up to just under $2000, it is still slightly cheaper than the home charging station for the Nissan Leaf.

Chevrolet’s Voltec charging station is just one of a number of models due for release once the Volt goes on sale. The standard household 120V charging unit will take 10 hours to charge the Volt, whereas the Voltec 240V solution does it in four hours.

We understand that $1,475 is a lot of money for a company to charge to install something, but when it comes to electricity – safety is the number one priority.

Are you happy to pay that kind of money, or would you much rather stick with the cheaper but slower standard version? For more details visit Green Autoblog.

FarmVille Haunted House Coming to Facebook – Details

2010-10-07T06:51:00.000-07:00

Farmville has recently revealed that they will be launching a new game pretty soon, this will be called FarmVille Haunted House, and is obviously on its way as Halloween is just a few weeks away.

FarmVille’s developers are currently working on the Facebook game, some Facebook users had access to the game last night, however it was then deactivated so that some bugs could be patched.

From what we can see FarmVille Haunted House will launch later today (if all goes to plan), full details are scarce, however we can confirm that the haunted house has three different levels/stages.

The house takes up a footprint of 3.5 x 2, for a Level 1 (Eerie) haunted house you need 8 bricks, nails and boards. Level 2 (Frightening) requires 10 bricks, nails and boards and Level 3 (Spine-Chilling) requires 12 bricks nails and boards. Once you have a haunted house you can begin collecting candy.

Verizon iPhone 4 Imminent: How true is it this time?

2010-10-07T06:49:00.000-07:00

Geo436 Reviews: The rumors of the Verizon iPhone 4 never seem to go away, only today Alan Ng read something from WSJconfirming once again that Big Red will have a CDMA version in early 2011. This is not an isolated rumor; we just wonder how true this one is?

Jamie Pert noted some implications for the Android platform if the Verizon iPhone 4 was imminent? Although Google is having huge success with its mobile OS, with news that 8 million Big Red users switching to the iPhone and 23 percent AT&T users moving over to the rival carrier, things could certainly go south quick for Android.

Having said that, with Android getting new handsets all the time, it would not take long to start increasing users again. So lets not get way ahead of ourselves here.

Apple or Verizon has yet to make an official announcement, yes we get news updates from WSJ saying that the Verizon iPhone is coming and we hear that production is about to start; but lets face it, until I see Steve Jobs standing on stage delivering a keynote about the release then I will not believe it.

Remember the Hiptop: A Sidekick retrospective

2010-07-13T19:41:00.000-07:00

On July 1, T-Mobile announced that it has ceased the sales of the two most recent Sidekick models, the Sidekick LX and the Sidekick 2008. More importantly, it appears that Danger, now owned by Microsoft, will no longer be making any more Sidekick handsets. There have been some rumors that T-Mobile might continue the Sidekick franchise with Android-based models, but the ones with the proprietary Danger OS is effectively dead.

This is a bittersweet end for me, as the Sidekick was my first-ever real smartphone. I owned both the Sidekick II and the Sidekick 3, also known as the Hiptop by Danger. Even though it was so bulky that I had to carry it in my bag, I fell in love with the kick flip swivel and its impressive QWERTY keyboard. To this day, I think the Sidekick keyboard is one of the best physical phone keyboards I've ever tried.

It was the first phone I used that gave me constant unabated access to e-mail and instant messages. The Web browser allowed me to quickly search for information while I was out and about. I was also enamored by its app store, even though we didn't call it that back then. I remember I downloaded a few games and even an SSH app so I could access my UNIX shell account at the time. You didn't know the Sidekick was so geeky, did you?

To add to that, the Sidekick was also the first-ever smartphone to incorporate cloud services. Indeed, all your contacts and applications were synced to T-Mobile's servers, so that if your handset was ever wiped clean, you could restore it just by entering in your log-in information. Of course, the system was imperfect, as was exemplified by the massive server outage last year, as well as the various successful attempts to hack account information (remember the Paris Hilton debacle?), but it was a big selling point at the time.

Even as I moved on to the BlackBerry and eventually to the iPhone, it was interesting to see the Sidekick evolve into its varied incarnations. Eventually, it became clear that the brand was struggling, especially after the Microsoft acquisition of Danger. Still, that didn't diminish the fond memories of the Sidekicks I've owned. I even have my old Sidekick 3 lying around, just as a memento. Is it odd to have emotions about old hardware? If so, just call me a weirdo, I won't mind.

The signal on the streets NYC

2010-07-13T19:38:00.000-07:00

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2010-07-13T19:01:00.000-07:00

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2010-07-13T19:00:00.000-07:00

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2010-07-13T18:57:00.000-07:00

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2010-07-13T18:54:00.000-07:00

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2010-07-13T18:01:00.000-07:00

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2010-07-13T18:00:00.001-07:00

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2010-07-13T18:00:00.000-07:00

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$2/1 Purina Puppy or Dog Chow

2010-07-13T17:04:00.000-07:00

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Hong Kong - ways to beat the smoking ban..

2010-07-13T16:34:00.001-07:00

July 13, 2010 - Since the government imposed a complete ban on smoking in bars and nightclubs effective July 1, 2009, some bar owners have complained they've lost up to 20 percent of their trade. But not everyone is hurting - not the ones who simply moved upstairs and out of sight.

Like the trail of smoke rising from the burning fag, smokers have headed upward as well - high into the fastness of the upper storeys of Hong Kong high-rises.
"People moved to high-rise bars; who knows what goes on there?" said Grant Baird, group operations manager for the Epicurean Group. Part of his job is to help oversee more than two dozen establishments in Hong Kong Island and Kowloon.

The ban proved a boon for upstairs watering holes. Not only did the owners avoid the premium rents, which hit a 20-year high for ground floor establishments, the high-rise aeries took many customers away from the street level joints.

Upstairs bars seemed to be effectively above the law, according to El Grande Holdings marketing director Rhys Adams, who helps oversee more than a dozen local establishments. "I've been in plenty of upstairs bars in Causeway Bay and I've heard plenty of stories that smoking is widely prevalent in bars on second floor of buildings. The ban is completely unenforced and the government is only looking at ground bars," he said.

Although the ban has tied the hands of ground floor operators, Baird said there have been some benefits. "The environment is better in our bars. My staff is healthier and there's a noticeable drop in staff sick leave," he said. But savings on repair costs and staff productivity hasn't offset drops of 10 to 15 percent in business to their roadside operations such as their bars along Lan Kwai Fong, he said.

The smoking ban has been a boon for upstairs operators with balconies or patios. It is not illegal to smoke outdoors, i.e., patios, so long as it is not enclosed on three sides, according to the law.

The only way to level the playing field between ground floor establishments without patios and upstairs outlets in terms of enforcement was to recruit more inspectors because the government did not have enough people enforcing the ban, he said.

"If the government wants to start enforcing the law equitably, it needs to follow up on complaints and start going in and checking these places randomly," he said.

Though roughly 3,330 officers of the Housing, Food and Environmental Health and Leisure and Cultural Services departments were authorized in September 2009 to issue HK$1,500 (192.942 USD) fixed penalty tickets, the three departments have only issued 83 tickets during the first half of the year, with the Leisure and Cultural Services Department having only two prosecutions despite a force of 2,200 officers.

There are only 99 dedicated Tobacco Control Office inspectors, responsible for enforcing the ban at the city's thousands of bars, restaurants, saunas and Mahjong parlors. The Tobacco Control Office has received 6,900 complaints and has carried out 10,200 inspections this year. By the end of May, only 83 fix-penalty tickets had been issued to smokers in bars, and none to those in saunas or nightclubs.

A spokesman for the department said it did not conduct random checks, but would "conduct blitz operations in response to complaints about smoking violations." It takes minutes to light, smoke and extinguish a cigarette, so chances are the culprits are long gone before the law arrives.

"Given the wide scope of the no smoking areas, immediate response to a smoking complaint by inspection is not practicable. Upon receipt of a complaint, the Tobacco Control Office will arrange a surprise inspection to the venue concerned. On average, investigations of complaints are completed within days," a Department of Health spokesman said.

As the smoking ban penalizes smokers and not venue operators, the latter are divided in their attitude towards the practice.

"It is the smoker's fault and as an operator you're under some difficult pressure trying to get people to not smoke. It puts operators in a difficult position because customers say they'll just move on to another establishment where sympathetic owners turn a blind eye," said Adams.

A manager of a Knutsford Terrace operation said he had little choice but to consent to smoking on his premises. "If I don't let them smoke, they'll just go somewhere else and in the end, I'm not liable. It's not a very tough decision," he said.

But some businesses are discovering enforcing the ban and losing die-hard smokers isn't the end of the world. The Sahara Mezz Bar, once known for its shishas (Hookah (Shisha or Sheesha, Narghile, water pipe)) is now more popular than ever for its Moroccan fare. "You lose some, you win some. We still have shishas up front on the porch, but we've got more dining and business meeting clients. They're sta ying and paying more for dinner and that has pushed up profits. The place smells nicer and its attracting a better crowd too," manager Dody Wakim said.

Despite complaints, the government's campaign against tobacco products, which has included 300 percent taxes and a cap on duty free purchases, has started paying off. The city's smoking rate dropped from 23 percent in 1982 to 12 percent in 2008, one of the lowest in the world.

Reference: HongKong Focus Smoke rising a year after ban by Timothy Chui (HK Edition), China Daily, 7/10/2010.

Hong Kong related news briefs:
Hong Kong - smokers defy smoking ban, no penalty for owners of venues..
;
China - can they learn tobacco control from Hong Kong??;
Hong Kong - 50% increase in tax on tobacco products approved..;
Hong Kong - cigarettes too cheap, tax only 61 and 66 percent of retail price..;
Hong Kong study - further proof, women have a harder time quitting cigarettes..;
Hong Kong - as of November 1st no tobacco advertising at newsstands - now display boxes..;
Member states of WHO's Western Pacific region agree to new tobacco control action plan..;
Hong Kong - Is the fixed-penalty fine for smoking offenses effective?;
Hong Kong - more unions are starting to enforce extended smoking ban..
Hong Kong - unions refuse to hand out penalty tickets for smoking..
Hong Kong - tobacco smokers may be prone to developing life-threatening complications from swine flu..;
Hong Kong - total smoking ban in full force no exceptions..
Hong Kong - total smoking ban in effect - Wednesday, July 1, 2009..;
Hong Kong - smoking statistics..;
Hong Kong - movie poster woman smoking - NOT ALLOWED..;
Hong Kong - bar owners an employees march to protest smoking ban starting July 1, 2009..;
Hong Kong - attempt to delay July 1, 2009 smoking ban fails..;
Hong Kong - cigarette smuggling soars after tax increase..;
Hong Kong - Tax on cigarettes pushed up by 50 percent..;
Honk Kong - smoking increase raise tobacco duties??;
Hong Kong - temporary smoking ban exemption ends July 1, 2009..;
Hong Kong - after smoking ban cigarette consumption up 14 percent..;
Hong Kong - public smoking ban - smoking rooms??;
Shanghai Tobacco's Golden Deer Cigarettes - Hong Kong..;
More on Philip Morris International of the Future...

Hong Kong - ways to beat the smoking ban..

2010-07-13T16:34:00.000-07:00

Sports Authority Coupons

2010-07-13T15:51:00.000-07:00

$15 Sports Authority Coupon ( New! Aug-14 )Printable coupon for a $15 discount on purchases of $75 or more at your local Sports Authority store. Read fine print for more information.The coupon for Sports Authority above should be valid, its straight from their retail store ...Go here for Sports Authority Locations...$25 Printable Sports Authority CouponAt Sports Authority receive a $25 discount

I came, I saw, I...conquered? (Oh, and I'm famous*)

2010-07-13T15:04:00.000-07:00

Long-time Dwellers might recall that a few years ago, a couple of friends of mine (commenters Nic Cage and Buffett35, actually) and I drove out to California to test/audition for the old (and short-lived) VH1 game show The World Series of Pop Culture. (Read more about our wacky exploits here.)

Well, another opportunity presented itself, so I dove right in.

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? is on the road again, holding auditions for any and all interested parties. They scheduled three stops for July, and more are expected in the fall sometime.

The first stop was yesterday in Las Vegas. Being just a hop, skip and a jump away from Phoenix, and with them not only testing for the regular show but for NETFLIX MOVIE WEEK, I had to go, and go I did, for a wham-bam 24-hour trip that included my getting up (unnecessarily) at 4:00am, waiting in lines for hours, and generally seeing loads of colorful people.

The bad news is that I somehow (!) did not pass the regular test; however, I did pass the Movie Week test (you damn right) and had the chance to interview with one of their producers. Sadly, the interview was over in about the time it takes to take a piss, but I still have a shot at being placed in the pool (of contestants, not urine). I'll receive a Yay or Nay postcard in the mail within 2-3 weeks. Wish me luck...(again).

By the way, if you're in Cleveland or Seattle, they'll be in those cities later this week (Cle. tomorrow). Go here for the full details.

* As mentioned in the title, I'm famous. Yes, I received another 1.2 seconds of fame as a part of this ordeal. The local ABC affiliate was on hand (KTNV) to document the proceedings for a piece, and - yes - I managed to get on screen for a split-second or two. Seeeeeeee?

(Click to enlarge. Yeah, it's grainy - trust me, that's me.)

If you'd like to watch the entire segment, go here (it's less than two minutes).

Best Buy Coupons

2010-07-13T14:30:00.000-07:00

$20 Best Buy Coupon - PS3 Xbox Game ( July-17 )Print coupon for a $20 discount on select games. See coupon for more details. - PS3: God of War III (9201106)- Lost Planet 2 (9649234)- Xbox 360: Lost Planet 2 (9649243)$10 Best Buy Coupon - Select Games ( July-17 )- PC: Alpha Protocol (9504459)PS3: Alpha Protocol (9504422)- ModNation Racers (9807458)- The Beatles: Rock Band (9315207)- PSP: Metal

Molson Coors (UK) recalls a limited number of home draught beer units due to possible rupture of beer bottle after activation of the CO2 cartridge

2010-07-13T14:27:00.000-07:00

The UK FSA has issued a food alert to confirm that Molson Coors (UK) has recalled a limited number of home draught beer units due to possible rupture of beer bottle after activation of the CO2 cartridge. Follow the link for full details.

Florida Company Recalls Sliced Apples

2010-07-13T14:25:00.000-07:00

The US FDA has issued a press release to confirm that Marjon Specialty Foods, Inc., Plant City, FL has voluntarily recalled 119 cases of sliced apples as a result of a positive test result for Listeria monocytogenes that came from the company's routine sampling program. Follow the link to find out more.

UNDECLARED EGG IN YIANGELLO BRAND COOKIES & CREAM CHEESECAKES

2010-07-13T14:22:00.000-07:00

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Dawn Food Products Montreal Ltd. are warning people with allergies to egg proteins not to consume two Yiangello brand Cookies & Cream Cheesecakes. The affected products contain egg which is not declared on the label. Follow the link to find out more.

Kids Rule Summer Movie Tomorrow and Thursday

2010-07-13T12:59:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow's Kids Rule Summer Movie is Diary of a Wimpy Kid. You can see it for just $2.75 plus get a complimentary popcorn. The show starts at 10 am both Wednesday and Thursday at the following locations...

The Lincoln Grand in Lincoln
Southpointe Cinema in Lincoln
Village Pointe Cinema in Omaha
20 Grand in Omaha
Twin Creek Cinema in Bellevue

Omaha peeps also have a few other movie choices tomorrow too...

Monsters vs Aliens at Westroads - 10 am - cost FREE
Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs Great Escapes Movie (72nd & Sorenson) - 9:30 am - cost FREE

Purex Coupons?

2010-07-13T12:07:00.000-07:00

When I type in on google a request for a Purex coupon, I am directed every wkere but no Purex coupons. A lot of the sites have a black hair smiling female in a green striped blouse, but no purex coupons, or other coupon that I am requesting. Any help or directions will be greatly appreciated. Joan C