Daily Archives: January 24, 2012
Launch Pad: The hibernation period
Judging by the video game release calendar, the industry has been asleep for the past several weeks. There hasn’t been a single notable new title worth mentioning since Star Wars: The Old Republic.
The good news is that the first signs of activity in 2012 are around the corner. The bad news: You’ll have to wait until next week.
In the meantime, when it comes to new video game releases, we’re still in hibernation. Let’s dig in:
Video games launching Jan. 24
The Sims 3: Master Suite Stuff
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Platform(s): PC
Details: The expansion to EA’s popular simulation title adds a touch of class. Players can put canopied beds and spa-quality bathroom furnishings in their virtual homes, as well as “new intimate wear,” according to the official website.
Digital downloads
Demo: UFC Undisputed 3
Publisher: THQ
Platform(s): PS3, Xbox 360
Release Date: Jan. 24
Details: Mixed
Article source: http://rssfeeds.usatoday.com/~r/usatoday-TechTopStories/~3/FnZfSfWQvm8/1
First impressions: ‘Hitman: Absolution’
When most video game players think of the Hitman franchise, they picture a silent assassin choking an enemy with a power cord, or sniping from a shadowy space, or covertly taking them out with a bong (no, really).
So it’s interesting to watch lead character Agent 47 pop into a room, with no interest in staying hidden, grab an ax and start whacking away at foes.
But don’t think the franchise has completely embraced the open approach to “conflict resolution” in Hitman: Absolution, developed by studio IO Interactive. Players who enjoy stealthier tactics will find this game still seems to deliver.
During a recent, hands-off demo hosted by publisher Square Enix, I watched as Agent 47 infiltrated an orphanage disguised as a priest to rescue a young girl, who happens to be a key target for your employer, among others. It starts with the
Article source: http://rssfeeds.usatoday.com/~r/usatoday-TechTopStories/~3/bYJ1vzNRR3w/1
Northern Lights dance over northern England
NASA, via AP This colorized image, taken Monday from the Solar Dynamics Observatory, shows a flare shooting out of the top of the sun.
Article source: http://rssfeeds.usatoday.com/~r/usatoday-TechTopStories/~3/utJfHEFpxIQ/1
RIM’s new CEO cites consumer market, operational discipline
In naming a new CEO insistent on discipline, BlackBerry maker Research In Motion (RIM) is hitting a reset button on the company, which has missed new product deadlines and sales targets even as its smartphone competitors lured away customers with more user-friendly devices.
Thorsten Heins, the former chief operating officer of the Canadian company, wants to aim more products squarely at the casual consumer and improve RIM’s marketing.
Heins, recruited four years ago when RIM and its BlackBerry were booming, takes the helm as the company struggles with declining sales and the fast-changing mobile landscape that’s placing more emphasis on third-party content. He replaces co-CEOs Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie, who stepped down Sunday.
RIM will not undergo a “drastic change,” says Heins, a German national who spent much of his career at Siemens. But he says the company needs discipline
Article source: http://rssfeeds.usatoday.com/~r/usatoday-TechTopStories/~3/GXMuwCOnOHU/1
Some file-sharing sites drop the sharing
FileSonic, FileServe and Uploaded.to have abruptly cut off the sharing of movies, games and other software just days after the Justice Department closed down Megaupload, the largest such site.
“It looks like the chilling effect has already started,” says Dennis Fisher, editor in chief of security blog Threatpost. “Maybe one of the reasons the U.S. government is going after companies alleged to be hosting infringing content is to serve as a deterrent for others engaging in similar activity.”
FBI and Department of Justice officials do not discuss ongoing investigations.
File-sharing services, also referred to as cyberlockers, enable users to easily upload, store and share large files on a server in
Article source: http://rssfeeds.usatoday.com/~r/usatoday-TechTopStories/~3/rnB5LJCMYdw/1
