Russian Inventor Patents Invisibility Cloak
January 30th, 2006
Archive
Archive for January, 2006
Blizzard of GLBT gaming policy questions
January 30th, 2006
Xbox 360
January 30th, 2006
I thought I would have to wait until March for the Xbox 360 but one magically appeared while NeTTwerk and I were at Electronics Boutique on Saturday. I couldn’t say no. I bought the premium package (complete with wireless controller, hard drive, high definition cables, etc.) and went back afterwards and bought an additional controller, wireless adaptor, Project Gotham, Need for Speed: Most Wanted, and most importantly, Amped 3.
The breathtaking graphics and what can only be described as “intense” sound will captivate you, in particular if you have a high definition TV with Dolby Digital Surround Sound (and a subwoofer that will shake the sofa). 
You easily see the difference between the 360 and the original Xbox. Actually you will probably notice the difference as soon as you take it out of the box because of the mammoth power supply that is in the box. It weighs a ton.
The wireless controllers are “intelligent” in the sense that they tell you which port you are plugged into (by lighting up one of four sections) and automatically shut themselves off when you power off the 360. It also works perfectly with my Harmony remote.
With the plethora of releases in March you should totally consider getting one if you are into console gaming (or even if you aren’t). You should also get an lcd or plasma TV while you’re at it.
LiveSTRONG Laptop
January 25th, 2006
I bought an HP Special Edition “LiveSTRONG” L2105CA. It is the only cancer fighting notebook on the planet, with $50.00 of each purchase being donated to the Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF).
Specifications:
- AMD Turion 64 ML-32 Processor And 1.8GHz Processor Speed
- 14.0″ WXGA high definition bright view widescreen display with 1280 x 768 Resolution.
- 1024MB DDR RAM memory for multitasking power, expandable up to 2GB.
- DVD±R/RW and CD-RW Combo Drive with double layer support.
- Weighs only 2.44 kg and measures just 3.28 cm thin for easy portability.
- Yellow LIVESTRONG Bracelet(s)
- Yellow Stereo Ear Bud Headphones
- Interfaces: 3 x USB 2.0; 1 x Headphone-Out; 1 x Microphone-In; 1 x VGA (15-Pin); 1 x TV-Out (S-Video); 1 x RJ-11 (Modem); 1 x RJ -45 (LAN); 1 x Expansion Port 2, 1 x IEEE1394 Firewire (4-Pin).
I will hopefully get the chance to benchmark it tomorrow, but with the visually pleasing design, a plethora of interfaces, and the great cause, I couldn’t imagine a better choice.
If I keep going at this rate, I will become the poster boy for Best Buy.
E3 Bans Scantily Clad ‘Booth Babes’
January 24th, 2006
MSNBC appears to be the first to report that the E3 Expo is banning the appearance of “live models, conduct that is sexually explicit and/or sexually provocative, including but not limited to nudity, partial nudity and bathing suit bottoms, are prohibited on the show floor, all common areas, and at any access points to the show.” Considering the continued decline in retail sales you would think that they would be doing everything to ensure the popularity of such event. I suppose with the political uproar caused by the “hot coffee” incident the organizers of E3 are concerned about the “image” of the gaming industry, but I’ve been to E3 and the main attraction (probably more so than the games themselves) is the presence of these individuals and celebrities wearing provocative costumes in hope of attracting some of the 1,000’s of geeks wandering the show floor. The photo galleries for 2006 are going to look more like LinuxWorld or Comdex. Zzz…
Harper Wins
January 24th, 2006
Stephen Harper and the Conservative Party of Canada won a minority last night, ending 12 years of Liberal government. “Tonight, although Canadians have voted for change, they have not given any one party in the House of Commons a majority. They have asked us to cooperate, to work together and get on with tackling the real concerns of ordinary working people and their families…” said Harper in his victory speech. As Harper becomes the 22nd Prime Minister of Canada, former PM Paul Martin chose to step down as leader of the Liberal Party.
This is the first election where I voted (in Canada or the U.S.) which even came as a surprise to me considering my historical lack of interest in Canadian politics (I blame Texas). I think Stephen Carter, the Alberta spokesman for the Conservative Party put it best, “I think Canadians want to trust us. They’ve given us the keys to the car…and they want to see how we drive it.” It will be interesting to see how Stephen Harper, who has been compared to U.S. President George Bush, will handle the pressure from the “right wing” elements of the Conservative Party who are expecting him to reopen the debate on same sex marriage and abortion. There is also the issue of U.S./Canada relations, in particular Canada’s involvement in the U.S. missle defense program. I imagine I am not the only one who realizes that one mistep from the Conversative party will result in a return to “business as usual” in Canada, under a Liberal government.
The world reacts…