Channel 0204 Computer Games

Thai bourse promotes investment at Money Expo Pattaya

2010-02-07T05:07:00.000-08:00

The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) continues its mission to promote knowledge about personal finance planning and investment alternatives, under the theme “Increasing value to your saving, increasing your investment money,” in SET in the City Zone at Money Expo Pattaya. The event will be held for investors in Chonburi and nearby provinces for the first time this year, at Royal Cliff Beach Resort, during February 5-7.

“This year, SET plans to hold activities throughout the year to promote knowledge and understanding about saving and investment, supporting investors nationwide to manage their finances through different financial products. Our activities will facilitate investors’ easy access to information. The first event will be in Chonburi, followed by Bangkok in May, Nakhon Ratchasima in October, and Chiang Mai in November. Moreover, SET plans to consistently hold seminars and training courses on its new products,” said SET President Patareeya Benjapolchai.

“Holding activities for investors is one strategy to increase SET liquidity in 2010, as it will help investors and others understand about SET financial products, including the new ones to be launched this year. These products increase investment opportunity and can be used as risk management tools for investors,” added Ms. Patareeya.

Chonburi is the center of industrial and agricultural production in the East. With its strong potential for saving and investment of the people in this area, eleven securities firms with a total of 18 branches service the largest area in the East. SET, therefore, will hold SET in the City Zone at Money Expo Pattaya as the first event this year, under the theme “Increasing value to your saving, increasing your investment money,” noted SET Group Head, Product Development Kesara Manchusree.

“Today, people are looking for investment alternatives that give more return than bank deposit. This event will focus on providing investment knowledge to the public to diversify their savings to different financial products, including equities, derivatives, gold futures and mutual funds, particularly derivatives which currently is receiving great attention from investors, as derivatives accounts reached 29,546 in total (as of end-2009), an increase of 89% over 2008,” said Ms. Kesara.

At this event, leading securities and asset management companies will provide investment consulting, account opening services for all products and seminars by executives from securities companies and leading analysts everyday at 13.00-15.00 hrs. In addition, contestants can apply for the online competition SET-TFEX Click2WIN 2010.

Moreover, participants will have a chance to receive numerous souvenirs. SET in the City Zone at Money Expo Pattaya will be held at Peach Convention Hall, Royal Cliff Beach Resort, Pattaya, Chonburi during February 5-7. For more information, please contact S-E-T Call Center at 0 2229 2222 or visit www.set.or.th

Players at Full Tilt Poker Raise Over US$580K in Support of Haiti Relief Efforts

2010-01-30T00:52:00.000-08:00

More Than 22,700 Players Donate to Full Tilt Poker's 'Aid for Haiti' Campaign

Players at Full Tilt Poker helped raise more than US$500K, in support of relief efforts for Haiti, through the 'Aid for Haiti' campaign. More than 22,700 Full Tilt Poker players made donations in the aftermath of the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that occurred on Tuesday, January 12th.

All funds raised were donated to the Red Cross
(http://american.redcross.org) , Doctors Without Borders
(https://donate.doctorswithoutborders.org) and UNICEF
(https://secure.unicefusa.org/site/Donation2?df_id=6680&6680.donation=form1).

Each player who registered for an 'Aid for Haiti' tournament donated their tournament entry fee to the cause. Additionally, players contributed through 'no play' tournaments, which allowed them to donate without playing, and by donating directly to the Full Tilt Poker 'Aid for Haiti' account.

Players donated more than US$290,000 in the space of seven days. To further aid relief efforts, Full Tilt Poker has pledged to match all funds raised, bringing the current total to over US$580,000.

Players can continue to support this worthy cause by transferring any amount of money, starting at US$5, to the 'Aid for Haiti' account. For information on how to transfer funds, and more details on the 'Aid for Haiti' campaign, please see http://www.fulltiltpoker.com/aid-for-haiti.
About Full Tilt Poker

Full Tilt Poker(TM) is the host of a worldwide virtual poker cardroom service. It is not in the business of betting or wagering and does not participate in the games as a player. It merely provides a service to those who wish to test their skills against others for fun, prizes or money. It is duly regulated and licensed by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission and in the United Kingdom by the Alderney Gambling Control Commission. With innovative graphics, superior customer service and a safe, secure interface, the software is geared to enhance and personalize the online poker experience. Although virtual poker is legal where the games are hosted and played, it may not be legal where individual players are located. Players at all skill levels may download the software at www.fulltiltpoker.com but it is their responsibility to determine if participating in the games is permitted under the laws of the jurisdiction where they are located.

Full Tilt Poker Introduces New Form of Poker

2010-01-24T05:32:00.001-08:00

Full Tilt Poker - the world's leading online poker site - is set to revolutionize the online poker industry with the arrival of a ground-breaking new poker format: Rush Poker.

Rush Poker is the ultimate high-speed poker experience, designed to minimize wait time between hands and keep players in the action at all times.

In a Rush Poker game, players are dealt up to four times more hands per hour than in standard ring-game play.

"Rush Poker is the greatest innovation in online poker since poker started on the Internet," said 2000 World Series of Poker Main Event Champion and Team Full Tilt member Chris Ferguson. "Rush Poker is an amazingly fast-paced game. You always have a decision to make; you're never waiting for other players to finish the hand."

Unlike standard ring games, where players join one table and face the same opponents every hand, Rush Poker games have a large player pool spread across multiple tables. When a player folds their hand, they'll immediately be moved to another table with different opponents for the next hand, even if the current hand is still in progress.

In order to speed up the game even more, Rush Poker games feature a Quick Fold button at the table which allows players to fold their hand before it's their turn to act.

Rush Poker is available exclusively at Full Tilt Poker. For more information on this amazing new poker format, including how to find and play a Rush Poker game, visit http://www.fulltiltpoker.com/rush-poker.
*Patent Pending
About Full Tilt Poker

Full Tilt Poker(TM) is the host of a worldwide virtual poker cardroom service. It is not in the business of betting or wagering and does not participate in the games as a player. It merely provides a service to those

who wish to test their skills against others for fun, prizes or money. It is duly regulated and licensed by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission and in the United Kingdom by the Alderney Gambling Control Commission. With innovative graphics, superior customer service and a safe, secure interface, the software is geared to enhance and personalize the online poker experience. Although virtual poker is legal where the games are hosted and played, it may not be legal where individual players are located. Players at all skill levels may download the software at www.fulltiltpoker.com but it is their responsibility to determine if participating in the games is permitted under the laws of the jurisdiction where they are located.

Microsoft Unites Software and Cloud Services to Power New TV Experiences

2010-01-24T02:49:00.000-08:00

Version 2.0 of award-winning Mediaroom TV platform enables subscription TV providers to deliver more entertainment content to more types of screens, using a single cloud-based infrastructure.

Today at the 2010 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Microsoft Corp. is announcing Microsoft Mediaroom 2.0, the next version of the world's most deployed Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) platform.

Mediaroom 2.0 will enable television service operators to provide their TV services to more subscribers than ever before, delivering more content to more screens than the previous version of Mediaroom - both inside and outside the home.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100106/SF33691)
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000822/MSFTLOGO)

Mediaroom 2.0 is scheduled to be available for operators to start testing beginning next month. Mediaroom 2.0 can be deployed by operators as their entertainment cloud powering the delivery of a complete television service, including cloud digital video recording (DVR), on-demand features, interactive applications, and access to both operator-hosted content and externally hosted content such as Internet TV. The operators' service can be enjoyed by their subscribers on multiple screens including the TV (with

Mediaroom set-top box), Windows Media Center, Web browsers (for Windows-based PCs and Macs), Xbox 360 and compatible smartphones.

Also new with Mediaroom 2.0, service providers will now be able to offer their existing on-demand TV service to their entire broadband customer base using their existing set-top box inventory, thereby expanding their service footprint beyond the reach of their IPTV network. The same on-demand service can also be enjoyed on Windows 7-based PCs using Windows Media Center,* as well as on Xbox 360. Service providers also can offer subscribers access to their on-demand programming remotely using a range of Web browsers running on Windows-based PCs and Macs and, in the near future, on compatible smartphones.

Mediaroom 2.0 also adds support for Microsoft Silverlight and Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) Smooth Streaming for the access and delivery of on-demand content. This enables viewers to enjoy an exceptionally high-quality playback experience, because IIS Smooth Streaming adapts the video stream to the user's network connection to enable optimum video quality. In addition, support for Microsoft PlayReady preserves the service providers' ability to secure their content libraries and monetize consumer experiences.

"Our strategy with Mediaroom is to combine the power of client software and cloud-based services to greatly enhance the way consumers experience digital entertainment. We want to make it easier for consumers to find and discover great content, to watch, listen and engage in new ways, and to do so

anywhere and on any screen," said Enrique Rodriguez, corporate vice president for the TV, Video and Music Business at Microsoft. "Mediaroom 2.0 is a key milestone in our strategy, providing the software platform to power operators' service clouds to reach more screens, and more people, with more content than ever before."
More Screens

Watching TV on a PC is a growing trend. For some, it is a second or third screen in the home or is used for watching TV when on the go. For others, the PC may be their only screen for TV. Mediaroom 2.0's new support for Windows Media Center in Windows 7 means operators can now deliver their premium TV services, including live high-definition (HD) TV, DVR and on-demand programming, to virtually any Windows 7-based PC with no additional hardware tuner required. In addition, DVR and on-demand content can be enjoyed on Xbox

360, a broad range of Web browsers for Windows-based PCs and Macs, and, in the near future, playback on compatible smartphones while on the go.

All of this gives consumers more freedom in where and how they access their TV service, with the benefits of a familiar experience across multiple screens. For example, they could start watching a show on one screen and finish watching it on another. They also could build a video queue on their smartphone and watch it later on their TV or PC. While traveling, they could watch recorded TV on their smartphone and later watch an on-demand feature film in HD on their laptop, accessing the same storefront they enjoy at home.
More Networks

To date, Mediaroom deployments have been delivered over a fixed-line managed Quality of Service (QoS) IP network. By integrating IIS Smooth Streaming technology into Mediaroom 2.0, Microsoft enables operators to offer a premium, HD-quality video-on-demand service, with minimal buffering and fast startup times, even over IP-based networks of varying bandwidths.

This significantly expands the service reach for operators and enables them to serve customers on fixed-line as well as wireless and, in the future, mobile broadband networks. For operators wishing to deliver only on-demand TV-video services to customers via the Internet, Mediaroom 2.0 includes a set-top box client that supports this functionality and is designed for self-installation by the subscriber. This client is upgradable to full Mediaroom functionality without the need for hardware changes.

For consumers, this advancement means that more people in more places will be able to experience the benefits of cutting-edge Mediaroom-powered TV services than has been possible before. It also means that whatever the speed of their network, they will enjoy an optimal viewing experience thanks to
built-in support for IIS Smooth Streaming.
More Content

Consumers are demanding access to ever-larger libraries of content, and IPTV operators are looking to meet this demand and further differentiate their services by augmenting their existing content lineup with TV and video from the Web. With Mediaroom 2.0, operators can now easily bring together live and on-demand TV with externally hosted content from Internet TV partners and other Internet-based content sources, all in one place with a consistent, easy-to-use interface. New support for playback of content protected using PlayReady, Microsoft's advanced content access and protection technology, further expands the base of potential content for operator TV services. In addition, operators can further distinguish their services with

applications that provide rich interactivity and seamless blending of Web and TV content using the Mediaroom application development platform, Mediaroom Presentation Framework.

Once a Mediaroom 2.0-powered service is deployed, subscribers will be able to enjoy the content they want to watch in one place on their TV or PC - no more having to visit a multitude of sites to find what they are looking for or connect a PC to the TV. Instead, they will be able to easily find and watch TV shows on demand across different networks using one easy-to-use guide, or simply search through the programming available to find the shows they'd like to watch, all in a consistent playback experience.
More Revenue

According to analyst firm Screen Digest the top five Mediaroom customers generate on-demand average revenues per user (ARPUs) that are on average three times that of the incumbent pay TV operator in their market. Mediaroom 2.0 includes a compelling new on-demand storefront that further enhances the monetization potential for Mediaroom service operators. The new on-demand storefront is designed to help drive subscriber usage and satisfaction by providing a richly visual browsing, discovery and playback experience, and offering easy access to other elements of the operator's service directly from the storefront.
Mediaroom 1 Mediaroom 2.0
Screens -- TV via set-top box -- TV via set-top box and Xbox 360 and Xbox 360
--Windows 7-based PC via Windows Media Center
-- Internet browser on Windows-based PCs and Macs
-- Compatible smartphones
Networks -- Managed QoS IP network -- Managed QoS IP network
--Unmanaged broadband IP network (Internet)

Content -- Operator-ingested -- Ability for operators content only to ingest TV content and
link to Internet content (TV and other audio-video content)
About Microsoft Mediaroom

The award-winning Microsoft Mediaroom Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) and multimedia software platform is the most widely deployed IPTV platform in the world. Mediaroom is driving the future of television by enabling broadband service providers to deliver new connected TV and entertainment experiences to consumers worldwide. It provides new ways for consumers to experience TV as part of their connected, digital lifestyle, while also creating new business opportunities for broadband service providers, hardware

manufacturers, content creators, advertisers and application developers. Over 20 of the world's leading service providers across four continents have selected the Mediaroom platform to drive their digital TV services. More

information on Mediaroom and the opportunity to deliver the best in TV plus all your media in one place is available at http://www.microsoft.com/mediaroom .
About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.
* All versions of Windows 7 except Windows 7 Starter.
SOURCE: Microsoft Corp.

NOTE TO EDITORS: If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft Web page at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass on Microsoft's corporate information pages. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may since have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft's Rapid Response Team or other

AMD Brings Next-Generation HD Gaming and Multimedia Features to the Mainstream

2010-01-17T03:11:00.000-08:00

– ATI Radeon HD 5670 is the first graphics card with support for Microsoft DirectX 11 and ATI Eyefinity multi-display technology for under $1001 –

AMD introduced the ATI Radeon HD 5670 graphics card, the latest addition to the award-winning line-up of the world’s first and only graphics products to fully support Microsoft DirectX® 11 gaming and computing, as well as new innovations such as ATI Eyefinity technology. Priced at less than USD $1001 the ATI Radeon™ HD 5670 graphics card enables a superior HD gaming experience in the latest DirectX® 11 titles, employs ATI Stream technology to boost performance in video playback and productivity applications,2 and helps enable the full Microsoft Windows® 7 experience.

Big performance, small price: The ATI Radeon™ HD 5670 graphics card delivers up to 620 GigaFLOPS of compute power and GDDR5 memory, delivering unprecedented gaming performance for under USD $100 in the latest DirectX® 11 titles such as Codemaster’s Colin McRae™: DiRT® 2™, EA Phenomic’s BattleForge™, GSC Game World’s S.T.A.L.K.E.R: Call of Pripyat™ and Battlefield: Bad Company™ 2 as well as DirectX® 9, DirectX® 10, DirectX® 10.1 and OpenGL titles. In some of today’s most popular games, the ATI Radeon™ HD 5670 graphics processor showed a more than 20 percent performance improvement over the closest competing product in its class.3

Panoramic computing hits the mainstream: The latest in ATI Eyefinity technology enables up to three displays to be used with a single ATI Radeon™ HD 5670 graphics card4, delivering the most immersive gaming experience with a graphics card for under $100.

Accelerate with ATI Stream technology: ATI Stream technology speeds up video transcoding and improves video playback performance with applications such as Adobe Flash, and helps to deliver video enhancements that produce better visual quality with sharper, more vibrant images.2

“AMD recently celebrated the shipment of its two millionth DirectX 11 graphics chip. AMD has already enabled DirectX® 11 support for the majority of the PC market and today’s introduction of the ATI Radeon™ HD 5670 graphics card is yet another clear indication of AMD’s commitment to address the strong market demand for DirectX 11-capable graphics cards,” said Matt Skynner, vice president and general manager, AMD Graphics Group. “Combined with the successful launches of the ATI Radeon™ HD 5970, ATI Radeon™ HD 5800 series and ATI Radeon™ HD 5700 series, AMD has defined the DirectX 11 gaming experience like no other, bringing graphics innovations like ATI Eyefinity technology and ATI Stream technology to millions of consumers worldwide.”

“DICE prides itself on delivering the best possible experience to gamers, and ATI Radeon™ graphics cards help us to do that with Battlefield: Bad Company™ 2 through the use of DirectX® 11 and our Frostbite engine,” said Johan Andersson. “The fact that AMD has now shipped two million DirectX® 11 graphics processors demonstrates how excited gamers are by the awesome performance and feature set of the latest ATI Radeon™ products.”
Supporting Resources
Pictures: See photos of the ATI Radeon™ HD 5670 graphics card, on Flickr
Product page: ATI Radeon™ graphics product information

Product page: Discover a new realm of panoramic computing with ATI Eyefinity technology

Video: It’s so easy to upgrade your PC’s graphics, even a monkey can do it· Video: See the performance difference DirectX® 11 makes in EA Phenomic’s BattleForge™, on YouTube
Video: Game developers share their thoughts on DirectX® 11, on YouTube
Learn more about DirectX® 11: See the difference it can make, on AMD GAME!
Twitter: Follow AMD graphics news on Twitter at @ATIGraphics
Facebook: Become a fan of AMD technology on Facebook
About AMD

Advanced Micro Devices (NYSE: AMD) is an innovative technology company dedicated to collaborating with customers and technology partners to ignite the next generation of computing and graphics solutions at work, home and play. For more information, visit http://www.amd.com.

AMD, the AMD Arrow logo, ATI, the ATI logo, Radeon, and combinations thereof, are trademarks of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. Other names are for informational purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective owners.
1. SEP of ATI Radeon™ HD 5670 512 MB is USD $95.

2. ATI Stream technology works with applications that have been specifically encoded to take advantage of its features and functionality.

3. In games including FEAR (4xAA, 8xAF), Unreal Tournament 2 (4xAA, 8xAF), Prey (4xAA, 8xAF), Riddick - AoDA [4xAA 8xAF], Chronicles of Riddick AoDA (no settings; 4xAA, 8xAF; 8xAA, 16xAF), ET: Quake Wars [4xAA 8xAF], World in Conflict (no settings; 4xAA, 8xAF; 8xAA, 16xAF), Devil May Cry 4 (no settings; 4xAA, 8xAF; 8xAA, 16xAF) and Battleforge(no settings; 4xAA, 8xAF; 8xAA, 16xAF), the ATI Radeon HD 5670 graphics card delivers game performance that is at least 20% faster than the competition. Based on internal testing, using AMD Phenom X3 8650 processor (B3 2.3 GHz), Gigabyte MA790GP/ASUS M3N-HT DLX motherboard, 2GB DDR2-800 (timings 5-5-5-12), Windows 7 RTM x64, ATI Radeon HD 5670 graphics, 1GB GDDR5 775e/1000m, 8.69 ATI driver or Nvidia GT 240 512 MB GDDR5 550e/1340sc/850m, 195.55 Beta driver. All benchmark data based on 1680x1050 resolution.

4. To enable more than two displays you require one or more panels with a DisplayPort connector or an active DisplayPort adapter. The number of attachable monitors will vary based on model and operating system.

Full Tilt Poker's FTOPS XIV Starts Today

2009-11-20T22:53:00.000-08:00

- Full Tilt Online Poker Series (FTOPS) Offers More Than $16 Million in Guaranteed Prize Money Over 25 Pro-Hosted Events

FTOPS XIV, the fourteenth running of the Full Tilt Online Poker Series,begins today, Wednesday November 4th. Featuring 25 pro-hosted events, FTOPS XIV offers more than $16 million in total guaranteed prize money. There are six events that will guarantee at least $1 million in prize money:

- Event #1, a $200 + $16 buy-in No-Limit Hold 'em tournament with $1 million guaranteed, starting at 21:00 ET on Wednesday, November 4th

- Event #10, a $300 + $22 buy-in No-Limit Hold 'em tournament with $1.5 million guaranteed, starting at 18:00 ET on Sunday, November 8th

- Event #12, a $1,000 + $60 No-Limit Hold 'em 6-max tournament with $1.5 million guaranteed, starting at 21:00 ET on Monday, November 9th

- Event #17, a $300 + $22 buy-in No-Limit Hold 'em 6-max Rebuy tournament with $1 million guaranteed, starting at 21:00 ET on Wednesday, November 11th

- Event #22, the $2,500 Two-Day Event, a No-Limit Hold 'em tournament with a $2 million guarantee, with antes from the start, beginning at 14:00 ET on Saturday, November 14th

- The FTOPS Main Event, a massive No-Limit Hold 'em tournament with $2.5 million guaranteed, starting at 18:00 ET on Sunday, November 15th View the full schedule at

http://www.fulltiltpoker.com/promotions/full-tilt-online-poker-series/schedule.php .

(Due to the length of this URL, it may be necessary to copy and paste this hyperlink into your Internet browser's URL address field. Remove the space if one exists.)

Two new events have been added to FTOPS XIV. Event #2 is a 7-Game tournament at 14:00 ET on November 5th, designed to test all-around poker skills. Event #18 is a cashout tournament at 14:00 ET on November 12th, giving players the option to cash out their chips while the tournament is still running. Each event offers a guaranteed prize pool of at least $150K.

Buy-in to either tournament directly for $200 + $16 or satellite into any FTOPS event for as little as $0.50 or 50 Full Tilt Points.

FTOPS XIV precedes MiniFTOPS, which will feature the same 25 FTOPS XIV events at only 1/10th of the buy-in. More than $3 million in guaranteed prize money will be won when MiniFTOPS runs between December 9th - December 20th.
See the full MiniFTOPS schedule at
http://www.fulltiltpoker.com/mini-full-tilt-online-poker-series/schedule .

To learn more about FTOPS XIV, go to http://www.fulltiltpoker.com/full-tilt-online-poker-series-gateway .
About Full Tilt Poker

Full Tilt Poker(TM) is the host of a worldwide virtual poker cardroom service. It is not in the business of betting or wagering and does not participate in the games as a player. It merely provides a service to those

who wish to test their skills against others for fun, prizes or money. It is duly regulated and licensed by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission and in the United Kingdom by the Alderney Gambling Control Commission. With innovative graphics, superior customer service and a safe, secure interface, the software is geared to enhance and personalize the online poker experience.

Although virtual poker is legal where the games are hosted and played, it may not be legal where individual players are located. Players at all skill levels may download the software at www.fulltiltpoker.com but it is their responsibility to determine if participating in the games is permitted under the laws of the jurisdiction where they are located.

EA hooks Playfish, cuts jobs

2009-11-12T23:56:00.000-08:00

       Electronic Arts plans to cut its workforce by 17% as it tries to align its business with a transforming video game industry.
       The company announced the lay-offs of 1,500 people just hours after it said it would pay at least $275 million to buy Playfish Inc, a maker of social online games popular on Facebook, MySpace and the iPhone. The lay-offs are expected to save about $100 million a year.
       "We are focusing on what works and what matters," chief financial officer Eric Brown said in an interview.
       Digital content makes up about 12%of EA's revenue. But it's growing, while industry sales from packaged video games are on the decline.
       The cuts are in addition to the 1,100 jobs the company already slashed this year as part of a restructuring plan to shift focus to hit games.
       On Monday, EA posted a net loss of $391 million, or $1.21 a share, in the fiscal second quarter, wider than the loss of $310 million, or 97 cents per share, a year earlier.
       The company behind games such as "Madden NFL 10" and "The Beatles:Rock Band" reported net sales of $788 million in the July-September period,down 12% from the same time a year earlier.
       These results only paint a partial picture of how EA performed during the quarter. When counting deferred revenue from packaged games with online components and games that are completely digital, EA reported adjusted earnings of $19 million, or 6 cents per share. That is up from an adjusted loss of $20 million a year earlier, and it compares with average analyst estimates of 7 cents per share.
       With the acquisition of the two-yearold start-up, Playfish, EA is diving further into the lucrative world of social online games, which tens of millions of people play on Facebook, MySpace, the iPhone and other platforms.
       Broadpoint Amtech analyst Ben Schachter said games on social networks "are a dynamic space, and the deal suggests EA sees a big potential for this market."

New PS3 streaming service

2009-11-08T05:51:00.000-08:00

       Sony and Netflix announced last week that PlayStation 3 owners will soon be able to use the console to stream movies and TV shows to their television sets or computers.
       Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. and the movie rental company said the new service would launch next month and would be provided at no additional cost to Netflix members in the United States.
       Netflix and Microsoft reached a similar deal more than a year ago involving the US software giant's Xbox 360 videogame consoles.
       Netflix, which lets members download films over the Internet or mails DVDs to their homes, has more than 11 million US subscribers.
       Sony has sold 9 million PS3 game consoles in the US and the PS3 last month captured the top spot in game console sales for the first time, according to industry tracker NPD.
       "The PlayStation 3 system has always been about more than just gaming,"Sony Computer Entertainment America president Jack Tretton said.
       "It will soon be the only platform in the industry to offer consumers such a variety of convenient options for enjoying movies and TV shows," he added in a statement.
       Netflix co-founder and chief executive Reed Hastings said the Sony agreement was in line with the company's strategy of making the movie rental service available on more devices.

Makers target smartphones

2009-10-20T22:17:00.001-07:00

       Tetsuya Ide doesn't own an iPhone,but the teenage computer boffin is betting that Apple's hit gadget is the key to having a new generation of video game players in the palm of his hand.
       He's not the only one. Video game console titans Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft are facing growing competition from the increasing popularity of games played on mobile telephones or Internetenabled gizmos.
       "A game's creativity used to depend on the hardware," said Ide, a 19-yearold computer programming student who is developing an iPhone game as part of his studies.
       "A successful game now is one that's simple and reaches a wide network of people," he told AFP at last weekend's Tokyo Game Show.
       Major industry players have also begun to recognise the potential of smartphones as a springboard to reach casual gamers,due to the runaway popularity of the iPhone and iPod Touch, both of which debuted two years ago.
       "Cellphones are a very promising platform," said Kazumi Kitaue, chief executive of Konami Digital Entertainment,publisher of video games including the Metal Gear and Silent Hill series.
       "The appeal is that everyone owns one. A family with three children may have one PlayStation 3, but three cellphones with which they can download and play games," he said.
       Making games for mobile phones also enables developers to reduce costs in the face of the worst global economic downturn in decades.
       "They won't have to spend a great deal of money and effort developing new software," said Hirokazu Hamamura, president of Enterbrain Inc., a video game magazine publisher.
       "They'll be able to capture a client base through the iTunes store," he added,referring to Apple's portal for downloading music and games.
       With their high-resolution images,role-playing games for the PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 consoles often demand budgets comparable to those of Hollywood blockbusters, amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars.
       In contrast, a cellphone game can cost just a few thousand dollars to develop.
       Media Magic, a company that develops games for Japanese cellphones, is among those firms that seek a bright future for games for the iPhone.
       "We saw the iPhone as a threat in the beginning. But since the same device is used all over the world there is greater opportunity for a bigger market," said Mitsuru Oshibo, a content developer with the firm.

Video games to be classified

2009-10-15T00:25:00.000-07:00

       The Culture Ministry plans to send draft legislation on video game ratings to the cabinet for approval before adding it to the 2008 Film and Video Act.
       Minister Teera Slukpetch yesterday said the draft had been modified by the Council of State to divide games into seven categories based on users' age groups.
       "The new draft is aimed at controlling improper and violent video games from being distributed in the country and,importantly, to limit players' ages," Mr Teera said.
       Film and Video Classification Office director Pradit Prosil said distribution of game content that damaged the country's image and reputation or opposed good moral conduct was banned.

10 games you can count on

2009-09-25T06:40:00.000-07:00

       A slew of top-notch titles are slated for release this season, writes Seth Schiesel in New York
       There is no way to sugarcoat it: the 2009 holiday season appears to have the weakest lineup of bigbudget titles in the last several years.
       But that is not necessarily a bad thing.In recent years many game publishers have been far too enamoured of the idea that a big game can succeed only if released after Labor Day. The problem has been that so many major games were being released within weeks of one another that excellent games sometimes went unnoticed.
       Now publishers are wising up, realising that a top game can generate wordof-mouth buzz and sustainable sales over many months, if not years. That makes the holiday season a bit less important, which is why publishers have been content to let a raft of major titles originally slated for late 2009 slip into 2010. And besides, it is going to be difficult for any game this holiday season to compete in popularity with the commercial monster known as The Beatles:Rock Band .(By the way, the scheduled lineup for next year, beginning in January, is stellar, and 2010 may well go down as the best year ever in gaming.)
       That said, dozens of top-notch games are scheduled for release this fall, with titles aimed at children, adults and players of all skill levels. They range from casual diversions to ultraimmersion virtual realities that can easily occupy hundreds or thousands of hours.
       Here, then, in alphabetical order, are 10 games to watch for this fall.
       Aion
       World of Warcraft has been dominant in online role-playing for so many years (coming up on five) that it may be difficult to imagine that another game could steal a significant number of Warcraft players. Certainly the contenders have come and, mostly, gone.Aion has the best chance yet; its fantasy environments look far better than Warcraft 's, and the gameplay is solid.
       Released September 22 by NCsoft for Microsoft Windows.
       Assassin's Creed II
       The first Assassin's Creed set the player as a killer in the Middle East during the Crusades. The sequel is set in Renaissance Italy. Entire cities, including Venice and Florence, will be at players' disposal to explore and exploit as they wish,hiding and sneaking before striking from the shadows.
       To be released Nov.17 by Ubisoft for PS3, Windows and 360.
       Borderlands
       It can be hard to trust a game that goes through a major redesign midway through its development, as Borderlands did. But I'm a sucker for any postapocalyptic combat simulation that gives me millions of possible gun configurations to play with. To be released Oct.20 by 2K Games for Sony's PlayStation 3, Windows and Microsoft's Xbox 360.
       Brutal Legend
       The Beatles are nice, but sometimes you want to rock out to something a bit harder.Brutal Legend is the story of a heavy-metal roadie (voiced by Jack Black) who winds up in a hair-band fantasy land. Unlike Rock Band or Guitar Hero , this is not actually a music game but an action-adventure romp with a hard-rock theme (including more than 100 heavy-metal songs in the soundtrack).
       To be released Oct.13 by Electronic Arts for PS3 and 360.
       Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
       Without question the most anticipated title of the fall for core gamers,Modern Warfare 2 is expected to succeed its predecessor as the most sophisticated and intense yet accessible digital rendition of today's battlefields. Of course it's still a game, but Modern Warfare 2 ,set largely in Central Asia, is meant to get players as close to the action as possible without actually strapping on a flak jacket.
       To be released Nov.10 by Activision for PS3, Windows and 360.
       Dead Space: Extraction
       This prequel to last year's gory, bileinducing survival-horror hit Dead Space is coming only to Nintendo's usually family-oriented Wii console. That is a bold, impressive choice for Electronic Arts, the game's publisher; the Wii needs more games for adults, and Extraction is quite welcome in that vein, so to speak.
       To be released Sept.29.
       DJ Hero
       With all the attention being paid to The Beatles: Rock Band ,DJ Hero is set to hit store shelves under the radar. It won't stay there for long. There are millions of music fans out there who happen to prefer hip-hop and dance music to classic guitar rock. Activision has brought in big-time talent like Eminem, Jay-Z and DJ AM, who died last month, to consult on the game,which features a mock turntable controller.
       To be released Oct.27 for PlayStation 2, PS3, Wii and 360.
       Dragon Age: Origins
       There aren't a lot of old-school singleplayer fantasy role-playing games around anymore. Anyone who hankers for the days of Ultima Bard's Tale Might & Magic and Baldur's Gate will almost certainly have to play Dragon Age , which is being developed by the role-playing royalty at BioWare .Get ready to hack, slash and start throwing magical fireballs around.
       To be released by Electronic Arts on Nov.3 for Windows and 360 and later that month for PS3.
       New Super Mario Bros. WII
       Few games require less introduction than Super Mario Bros . This version,however, will be the first to allow multiple players at the same time. That alone should make the game worth buying.After all, how could you own a Wii and ignore Mario ?To be released sometime between October and year's end by Nintendo for the Wii.
       Professor Layton and The Diabolical Box
       Perhaps the most cerebral game on this list, the new Professor Layton is the sequel to one of last year's sleeper hits,Professor Layton and the Curious Village .At their core the games are simply a collection of dozens of brainteasers,riddles and puzzles. But their charm stems from their woodblock-style art direction and quirky storytelling.
       Released last month for the Nintendo DS hand-held console.

Magnificent seven

2009-09-20T20:42:00.000-07:00

       In the most important, most revered event since the invention of the brontosaurus trap,Microsoft shipped the most incredibly fabulous operating system ever made; the release of Windows 7 also spurred a new generation of personal computers of all sizes at prices well below last month's offers.The top reason Windows 7 does not suck: There is no registered website called Windows7Sucks.com
       Kindle e-book reader maker Amazon.com and new Nook e-book reader vendor Barnes and Noble got it on; B&N got great reviews for the "Kindle killer"Nook, with dual screens and touch controls so you can "turn" pages, plays MP3s and allows many non-B&N book formats, although not the Kindle one;Amazon then killed the US version of its Kindle in favour of the international one, reduced its price to $260(8,700 baht), same as the Nook; it's not yet clear what you can get in Thailand with a Nook, but you sure can't (yet) get much, relatively speaking, with a Kindle;but here's the biggest difference so far,which Amazon.com has ignored: the Nook lets you lend e-books to any other Nook owner, just as if they were paper books; the borrowed books expire on the borrower's Nook in two weeks.
       Phone maker Nokia of Finland announced it is suing iPhone maker Apple of America for being a copycat; lawyers said they figure Nokia can get at least one, probably two per cent (retail) for every iPhone sold by Steve "President for Life" Jobs and crew via the lawsuit,which sure beats working for it -$6 (200 baht) to $12(400 baht) on 30 million phones sold so far, works out to $400 million or 25 percent of the whole Apple empire profits during the last quarter;there were 10 patent thefts, the Finnish executives said, on everything from moving data to security and encryption.
       Nokia of Finland announced that it is one month behind on shipping its new flagship N900 phone, the first to run on Linux software; delay of the $750(25,000 baht) phone had absolutely no part in making Nokia so short that it had to sue Apple, slap yourself for such a thought.
       Tim Berners-Lee, who created the World Wide Web, said he had one regret:the double slash that follows the "http:"in standard web addresses; he estimated that 14.2 gazillion users have wasted 48.72 bazillion hours typing those two keystrokes, and he's sorry; of course there's no reason to ever type that, since your browser does it for you when you type "www.bangkokpost.com" but Tim needs to admit he made one error in his lifetime.
       The International Telecommunication Union of the United Nations, which doesn't sell any phones or services, announced that there should be a mobile phone charger that will work with any phone; now who would ever have thought of that, without a UN body to wind up a major study on the subject?;the GSM Association estimates that 51,000 tonnes of chargers are made each year in order to keep companies able to have their own unique ones.
       The Well, Doh Award of the Week was presented at arm's length to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development; the group's deputy secretary-general Petko Draganov said that developing countries will miss some of the stuff available on the Internet if they don't install more broadband infrastructure; a report that used your tax baht to compile said that quite a few people use mobile phones but companies are more likely to invest in countries with excellent broadband connections; no one ever had thought of this before, right?
       Sun Microsystems , as a result of the Oracle takeover, said it will allow 3,000 current workers never to bother coming to work again; Sun referred to the losses as "jobs," not people; now the fourth largest server maker in the world, Sun said it lost $2.2 billion in its last fiscal year; European regulators are holding up approval of the Oracle purchase in the hope of getting some money in exchange for not involving Oracle in court cases.
       The multi-gazillionaire and very annoying investor Carl Icahn resigned from the board at Yahoo ; he spun it as a vote of confidence, saying current directors are taking the formerly threatened company seriously; Yahoo reported increased profits but smaller revenues in the third quarter.
       The US House of Representatives voted to censure Vietnam for jailing bloggers; the non-binding resolution sponsored by southern California congresswoman Loretta Sanchez said the Internet is "a crucial tool for the citizens of Vietnam to be able to exercise their freedom of expression and association;"Hanoi has recently jailed at least nine activists for up to six years apiece for holding pro-democracy banners. Iran jailed blogger Hossein "Hoder" Derakshan for 10 months - in solitary confinement.

"Gone in 60 seconds" takes on a whole new meaning

2009-09-16T22:08:00.000-07:00

       Ihave been using Excel and Access 2007 recently and there are some good points and bad points about these products, especially for those who want to delve a bit deeper into things.
       The first thing I discovered that really annoyed me was that you can't use any of the usual SQL comments in Access SQL queries, as the Jet Database Engine doesn't support this. Some other SQL that would work just fine under, say,SQLServer also does not run. No prizes for guessing that is a deliberate ploy to get people to upgrade to SQLServer from Access.
       That being said, I really like the power of Microsoft Queries and how you can turn these into reports within Excel. You will have to learn a bit about conditional formatting and =IF() statements, but with a bit of work you can turn your data in Access into a fairly decent report under Excel.
       Pivot Tables are really powerful in Excel 2007 and a lot easier to use. Moving both Microsoft Queries and Pivot Tables between Excel 2003 and Excel 2007 can be a bit of a pain as well. Also do not point to an empty Access table with a Microsoft Query or you may have to reboot to get out of it. You would think that they would have considered that as a possibility, but not so.
       I am still frustrated by the rearrangement of where things are under the new Ribbon implementation but that is a matter of practice. Sometimes things are not in the places you would expect to find them.
       Industry news
       If you think that your wireless network is safe, think again. Some networking nerds say they can break the Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) encryption within 60 seconds. So "gone in 60 seconds" can take on a whole new meaning here. How they do it is a little technical but the old record was somewhere between 10-15 minutes.Shortening the time is a great boost to hackers but not so good for users.
       The good news is that the technique will not work for WPA 2, the AES-based successor to WPA. The bad news is that this system is not yet widely available.
       With more good news comes the announcement that someone has released the source code for a Windows Trojan that can record Skype calls as MP3 files. Not so good for your VoIP privacy. The individual concerned said that it was released so that malware protection could be created as quickly as possible.
       There are the usual conspiracy theories that a government or two wanted this capability to be able to eavesdrop on Skype calls. Germany has been quite vocal on the issue and law enforcement agencies in Europe and the US have also been looking for this capability. As with any malware, you have to be infected first. If you take the regular precautions,you will not be subject to such an attack.
       So I was scanning though Engadget looking at all the new toys and I saw that Sony is brining out a motion-based controller. The unit is being compared to Microsoft's Natal project.
       I admit to being impressed with the Sony demo. It uses a camera, called an "eye", to track the unit in the hand. The motion tracking is also one-to-one so that as the controller is moved it tracks on the screen with whatever is being represented, be it a racket, a weapon or just about anything you can think of.
       Compared to the Microsoft demo, I don't see them being competitive. Of course this is just an extension of the already popular Nintendo technology and I suspect that they will have something similar out, perhaps before Sony delivers their product. Microsoft's product will be for the more casual user.
       It can't help Microsoft that their Xbox has been rated as the least reliable console, with a nearly 24 percent failure rate after two years compared to 10 percent for Sony's PS3 and under 3 percent for Nintendo. You can find the full report here www.squaretrade.com.
       Researchers at Sentrigo have discovered a security vulnerability in SQL Server 2000,2005 and 2008.As an Administrator you can change passwords but not see them. The hole allows Administrators to see the passwords and possibly use them without the user being aware, like they would be if the password was changed. Microsoft says administrators have lots of control anyway so this is not an issue they are going to address. This gives me the usual warm, fuzzy feeling of security.
       On the subject of security a survey by PC tools has found that women are better than men at using passwords, in the UK at least. I guess it has something to do with creativity,attention to detail and being better at wanting to hide things. It reported however that men are better at knowing what the risks are when using the Internet and applications such as Facebook.
       Toshiba claims that it is winning in the 2.5" hard drive area with a 640GB drive but Seagate had already released one before them without the fanfare.Like all things in the computer market this will not stand for very long as Western Digital and Toshiba have already announced 1TB drives. Let's see who wins this one, and for how short a time they will wear the crown.
       In Apple news you can now edit Microsoft Office 2007 documents with your iPhone. The first question that comes to mind when you have no keyboard is why? Quickoffice was rolled out with support for .docx and .xlsx files,which is somewhat brave since the Word legal challenge has not been resolved as yet.
       This means that iPhone users can now edit the latest file formats for Office 2008 for the Mac and Office 2007. The Office Open XML files, a Microsoft standard that was rushed through the approval process, are supported to write
       along with read for .PDF and PowerPoint files. It costs $14.99(510 baht) and at the time of writing this was the best-selling app in the business - but you can't use it for business - section of the Apple iStore.
       In Linux news, administrators at the Apache Software Foundation faced a recent hacker attack that briefly closed down their site a week and a bit back,
       It had something to do with Secure Shell keys facilitating the attack. None of the coderepositories were touched.The issue has been addressed by generating 4096 bit keys, which at this point in the security evolution are not crackable without a very powerful set of computers working for a very, very long time. They also implemented some other changes.
       What makes this attack so interesting is that the foundation made public the whole process from front to back and also pointed out how quickly they not only recovered from the attack but immediately implemented changes to stop any further attempts.They also were very candid about their mistakes in the matter something other large organisations could learn from.Apple will never discuss security breaches with the public no matter how obvious they may have been and Microsoft will often take quite a while to address an issue.

Buzz grows ahead of Apple media event

2009-09-15T19:09:00.000-07:00

       Will it be upgraded iPods? The Beatles finally coming to iTunes? A tablet computer? An appearance by Steve Jobs?
       Apple is holding an event for the media today and rumours and speculation about its plans have reached their usual fever pitch.
       The California-based company invited journalists to the event - to be held at 10.00 am Pacific time at a downtown San Francisco theatre - but with its usual air of mystery did not reveal what it would be about.
       The invitation featured a picture of a woman in silhouette dancing with an iPod in her hand and a single line from a Rolling Stones song:"It's only rock and roll, but we like it."
       The company co-founded by Jobs and Steve Wozniak more than 30 years ago is traditionally secretive about its projects,revealing them only at launch and guarding zealously against leaks.
       Despite the Rolling Stones reference in the invitation, the buzz on Silicon Valley technology blogs and fan sites has been that Apple may finally announce the availability of the Beatles on iTunes,its online music store.
       A digitally remastered catalogue of the music of the "Fab Four" is scheduled for release the same day, as is the video game "The Beatles: Rock Band," which is expected to be a smash hit worldwide.
       Backing up the Beatles connection is the scheduling of the Apple event for September 9,2009 or 09/09/09.
       "Number nine, number nine, number nine," as fans of George Harrison, John Lennon, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr know, is the phrase chanted repeatedly on the White Album.
       "Getting the Beatles in iTunes is some-thing that's been expected for some time," said technology analyst Rob Enderle of Silicon Valley's Enderle Group."This may be when they finally do it."
       Enderle said he did not think it likely Apple would use the event to unveil a long-rumoured touch-screen tablet-sized computer that can surf the Internet and also serve as an electronic book reader like Amazon's Kindle.
       "There's been a lot of expectation that they may launch the iPad but I just don't think Steve's had enough time since his return to look at it," he said.
       Apple chief executive Jobs returned to work in June from a nearly six-month medical leave of absence during which he received a liver transplant.
       Enderle said upgraded iPods might be on display at the event.
       "We may see enhancements to the iPod line to get people putting them back on their Christmas list again," he said.
       "The iPod touch might get a camera,which would a natural for that device."
       As for an appearance by the 54-yearold Jobs, who hasn't been seen in public since October of last year, Enderle said "I would be very surprised if they didn't have him there in some shape or form,maybe video conference him in.
       "If it were me that's the way I'd do it," he said.
       Apple may shy away from putting Jobs physically on stage "because he looks so incredibly emaciated", Enderle said.
       "That would put the focus on how bad he looks and not on the products."
       In the absence of Jobs, Apple vice president of marketing Phil Schiller has presided over the rollout of new products,taking the stage at a Macworld conference in San Francisco in January and unveiling the iPhone 3GS in June.

Beatles fans line up for CDs, video game

2009-09-11T18:02:00.000-07:00

       Fans of the Beatles queued yesterday to buy the band's collected works on a new set of discs and get their hands on an animated video game featuring some of the Fab Four's greatest hits .
       The Beatles collection, launched worldwide on 09/09/09, is expected to dominate the charts in markets like the United States and Britain, bringing a windfall to the group's label EMI Music and the Beatles' own Apple Corps Ltd.
       While the re-mastered catalogue, its first overhaul since 1987, is seen appealing mainly to Beatles' fans who would appreciate subtle variations and improvements that technology has brought, most excitement surrounded MTV's video game,"The Beatles: Rock Band".
       "I'm buying the game, I'm not really a big Beatles fan, I prefer much stronger music like Metallica, I just want to try the game and see how it is going to work," said Stefan Krupicki, 32, who queued for an hour at the launch at the HMV store in central London.
       Developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by Viacom Inc's MTV Games and distributed by Electronic Arts Inc, the game could sell two million units in the first month alone, according to analysts' estimates.
       ware had allowed his team to improve the quality and sound of the Beatles'catalogue, including through removing bad edits, electrical clicks and sibilance.
       The game offers 45 songs from the band's catalogue, each member is animated in detail and real crowd noise from Beatles' performances is used.
       With video game sales falling sharply in the United States, the makers of The Beatles: Rock Band are aiming to appeal to older consumers who have not yet experimented with the format but may be attracted by their love of the music.
       However, Jeff Howells, a 36-year-old civil servant, said he was at the launch to get the discs.
       "I'm not interested in the game, quite a few people are not I suspect. I think most people will be interested in the music. The game is just a nice little fad,I don't think it will last."

$100 Xbox price cut

2009-09-08T22:30:00.000-07:00

       Microsoft Corp is slashing the price of its high-end Xbox 360 model by $100(3,400 baht) in the United States and 50 euros (2,440 baht) in Europe, upping the stakes in the game console fight this Christmas.
       Microsoft will drop the price of the Xbox 360 Elite to $299.99(10,200 baht),it said recently, just days after Sony cut the rival PlayStation 3 to $299.
       The price on the entry-level Xbox Arcade model will stay at $199.99(6,820 baht), and Microsoft will phase out its mid-range Pro console, leaving it with two models. The Pro will sell for $249.99 (8,500 baht) until supplies run out. The global price cut is effective Friday.
       The Xbox is the No.2 console in the United States, behind Nintendo's Wii,which sells for $249. But Xbox sales have showed strength this year, up 17 percent - the only console to enjoy growth.
       Chris Lewis, head of Xbox Europe,said the cut would help Microsoft match or beat its 2008 performance, when it increased unit sales of Xboxes by more than 80 percent in Europe.
       "We expect them to be at least as good if not better," he said."I do believe there will be a higher level of economic confidence than was the case last year."
       Microsoft spokesman David Dennis said the price cut has been in the works for some time, and was not a response to Sony's move last week.
       Rather, he said, the company hoped the price reduction would attract new buyers and simplify its product mix.
       "It makes the decision for consumers a lot easier. They're either price conscious and they gravitate to the Arcade, or want the full Xbox experience."

SONY'S NEW ERA OF 3-D ENTERTAINMENT EXPERIENCE

2009-09-06T05:49:00.000-07:00

       Sony set the stage for a new battle this wek with the unveiling of a 3-D-television, hoping to get a technology currently confined to a few cinermas into living rooms next year.
       The Bravia LCD TV, presented at the IFA consumer electionics fair, will not only enable people to watch programmes in three dimensions, it will be the "centrepiece of Sony's 3-D entertainment experience", Sony promises.
       Users will also be able to plug in their PlayStation games consoles, allowing them to play games in 3-D, as well as Blue-Ray disc players and computers, the Japanese firm says.
       To back up what it hopes whtat will soon become a major cash cow, Sony also makes the equipement needed to make movies and television programmes to play on the TV, which can also be used for regular, two-dimensional viewing.
       "It is the perfect moment for an announcement like this, even if its plans are ambitious," said RalfTanger, an expert on 3-D technology at the Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz research institute.
       3-D movies have been around for several decades, with the Lamiere broters' "L'arrivee dud train" filmed back in 1903, according to sensio, one of the many firms looking to get a piece of the future 3-D pie.
       In 1946, the Soviet Union made "Robinzon Cruzo", the world's first talkie in colour and
3-D, and in the 1950s there were more than 60 others ncluding Alfred Hitchcock's "Dial M for Murder" before studios put 3-D on the back burner.
       In the 1970s and early 1980s studios tried with offerings like "Jaws 3D" and "Friday the 13th, Part3," with cinemas issuing cardboard glasses, but it was not until the 1986 invention of the IMAX format that 3-D came into its own. The Cannes film festival kicked off this year with a gala opening ceremony that saw goofy spectacles foisted on tuxedo-clad celebrities for Disney-Pixar's 3-D cartoon comedy "UP".
       This year sees the eagerly awaited release in December of "Avatar" by James Cameron, the director of "Titanic". German director Wim Wenders is working on a film about choreographer Pina Bausch, who died earlier this year.
       It is in the cinema that 3-D has stayed, but Sony and its rival are hoping that it will soon break out and one day replace 2-D as a new standard.
       "Now the target is the living room," Tanger said.
       This is helped by the fact that some firms are considering launching channels that will show 3-D programmes.
       "At the moment the big handicapis that we are lacking in material," said Joern Ostermann, head of the Laboratory at Leipniz University in the northern German city of Hanover.

Stealing the show

2009-09-03T23:03:00.000-07:00

       Prosecutors in Miami arrested 28-year-old Albert Gonzales and charged him and two unnamed Russians with leading a gang that stole,oh, roughly 130 million credit- and debit-card account details; debit cards,which are roughly ATM cards which can be used like credit cards, take cash directly out of the owner's account;the worst identity theft case in US history came about because firms like 7-Eleven stood around while hackers walked through their alleged "security" to steal the card information; Gonzales, when arrested, was in prison in New Jersey for stealing information on credit cards from other firms that lied to customers that their information was safe.
       Google wants to archive every book in the world and make it available in digital form; a rich, high-flying, hardhitting coalition led by Microsoft, Amazon and Yahoo do not; with amazing chutzpah, the anti-Google crowd called itself the Internet Archive, and claimed that Google could be guilty of "massive copyright infringement" with its initial plans to digitise works in the New York Public Library and the libraries at Stanford and Harvard universities; Google, of course, will show adverts to anyone who wants to read its digitised works, but Amazon and others stand to lose a lot by having them available for free instead of for certain amounts of baht and readable only on devices like the Kindle ebook reader.
       So who is outsourcing in China?;take a step forward,Infosys Technologies of India, the country most people think of when they hear the word "outsourcing"; India's second largest technology firm thinks that if it gives some jobs to its China office, it can start tapping the world's second biggest market, which is kosher; but the irony is that Infosys is the second largest outsourcing company in India.
       The White House s-l-o-w-l-y admitted spamming millions of Americans over President Barack Obama's health insurance reform plan; it even used taxpaper money to hire a company,Govdelivery , to send the partisan, political spam to a still-secret list of people it will eventually have to make public,probably embarrassingly; originally, the White House lied that it did not sent any such email, and then, caught in the act, bragged that it had stopped doing it, blaming strong Obama supporters for signing up friends (and enemies) for the email; the revelation came after the White House opened an illegal "snitch email line" to collect information on opponents to the insurance plan, and then bragged that it had closed it down; thanks to the aptly named Can-Spam Act passed by the US Congress several years ago, the proObama spam was perfectly legal.
       The US justice department said that Oracle can acquire Sun Micrososystems , no (anti-trust) sweat.The big news from Sony Corp ofJapan was little PlayStation 3 Slim, due for release worldwide right now; and Sony is also finally updating the Playstation Network (PSN) to go back on the Internet and serve the teensy PSP Go, also known as a Mini; Sony is hoping that moving down in size will result in moving up in the list, where it trails both Microsoft (XBox) and Nintendo (Wii) for the set-top console market;there will be 15 games available for download immediately - but you are much too foreign for that, only Europeans qualify.
       Post offices in India, Korea, Malaysia and Singapore joined a 21-nation consortium to see if RFID chips can speed up moving stuff, including mail; the five-month experiment, monitored from Japan by the Universal Postal Union, will see volunteers mail 24,000 test letters from 38 countries, each with a 10-baht chip in the envelope; the chips may be utilised to help express mail reach higher and more reliable standards by eliminating the need for tracking by hand.
       American media mogul Rupert Murdoch decided to buy the iLike social music network to hook up with his slowly dying MySpace social network;iLike folks got a lot less than they hoped,just $20 million of Mr Murdoch's money, and it is unclear what Facebook will do about iLike.

Xbox price cut by $100

2009-08-27T21:25:00.000-07:00

       Microsoft Corp is slashing the price of its high-end Xbox 360 model by $100, ratcheting up the stakes in the game console fight this holiday season.
       Microsoft said yesterday it would drop the price of the Xbox 360 Elite to $299.99,just days after Sony cut the rival PlayStation 3 to $299.
       The price on the entry-level Xbox Arcade model will stay at $199.99, and Microsoft will phase out its mid-range Pro console, leaving it with two models.The Pro will sell for $249.99 until supplies run out. The global price cut is effective today.
       The Xbox is the No.2 console in the US, behind Nintendo's Wii, which sells for $249. But Xbox sales have showed strength this year, up 17% in the US, the only console in positive territory.
       Microsoft spokesman David Dennis said the price cut has been in the works for some time, and was not a response to Sony's move, which was announced last week at the Gamescom video game trade show in Cologne, Germany.
       Rather, he said the company hoped the price reduction would attract new buyers and help simplify its product mix for manufacturers and retailers as well as customers.
       "It really makes the decision for consumers a lot easier," Dennis said."They're either price conscious and they gravitate towards the Arcade or they the want the full Xbox 360 experience."
       Game publishers such as Activision Blizzard have been clamouring for console price cuts, which help boost sales of software by increasing the installed based.
       They are now getting their wish, even as the industry remains mired in a months-long slump brought on by a lack of big-name releases and a recession that has pinched consumer spending.

Nintendo updates DSi software

2009-08-26T00:13:00.000-07:00

       Nintendo said recently that it is updating DSi software to allow users to upload pictures from the camera-equipped handheld videogame devices to hot socialnetworking website Facebook.
       The Facebook photo-sharing feature is now usable with a free system update to be available online.
       "Facebook and Nintendo DSi build on the trend of personalisation that is so important to consumers," Nintendo of America executive vice president of sales and marketing Cammie Dunaway said in a statement.
       "We're giving people the tools to express themselves in creative new ways and show off the results to their friends and family on Facebook."
       DSi users will be able to tap an onscreen icon to send photos from DSi camera albums to Facebook profile pages by means of wireless broadband Internet connections, according to Nintendo.
       The Japanese videogame titan has sold more than 1.7 million DSi devices in the United States since the thirdgeneration of the game system was launched here in April, according to figures from industry-tracker NPD Group.
       Nintendo reported last week that sales of its Wii consoles have plunged, triggering a sharp drop in recent-quarter profits after years of spectacular growth.
       The company had been riding high in recent years after trumping rivals Sony and Microsoft in the battle for dominance of the multi-billion dollar home videogame industry with its familyfriendly Wii. series.

BSA to launch online campaign

2009-08-26T00:12:00.002-07:00

       In an attempt to reach the younger generation and IT savvy users, the Business Software Alliance will launch Super Hero online video campaign via YouTube throughout the Asia Pacific region including Thailand next month.
       The video campaign aims to motivate the people to inform the authorities about illegal usage of software, according to Roland Chan, Business Software Alliance (BSA) Senior Director of Marketing, AsiaPacific.
       Meanwhile the BSA will raise awareness through online and offline channels to attract more users calls to the BSA hotline (02-714-1010) for legal action against copyright violators to receive an award of up to 250,000 baht.
       "Clearly, the recession has led some people to call the hotline as a way to make up for lost income and to ease economic pressures and cash rewards for anonymous tips about software piracy are gaining favour among corporate managers and employees," said Chan.
       Each year Thailand has 500-1,000 calls to hotline numbers and this year expects to get more from the new activities. In the first eight months of this year police raided more than 60 companies suspected of netting more than 150 million baht in unlicensed software.
       "Among the hotline tips we receive are those about companies using unlicensed dictionaries without paying fees to the Thai Software Enterprise. Utilities software such as antivirus software is still the most popular for illegal use."
       Moreover, there is a new viable option for copyright holders to sue illegal users though the Thai Central Intellectual Property and International Trade Court to compensate their losses.
       In a recent case, the court awarded the maker of design and engineering software 1.8 million baht in damages.The decision was based on evidence that the defendant infringed the software developer's copyright.
       The court arrived at damages of 1.8 million in consideration of the value of the software, plus interest owed the plain-tiff starting from the date on which the defendant began using the unlicensed software.
       The case began in late 2005 when a police investigation and subsequent police raid at the company's offices discovered unlicensed software being used by employees. Following a conviction in the criminal courts, lawyers for the plaintiff brought a civil case against the defendant, which culminated in victory last month.
       The defendant, a 100 percent Thaiowned company, has registered capital of approximately 150 million baht and annual revenue of approximately 250 million baht.
       Leonard Yeung, Autodesk's Asean Licence Compliance Manager, said that the court's opinion demonstrates once again that there are criminal and civil liabilities to be faced by companies in Thailand that use counterfeit or unlicensed copies of software in their business practices.
       This case represents the second decision in favour of software developers.In January,2009, Autodesk won a milestone case as the first software development company to bring legal action against a company accused of using its software without licensing. In that case,Autodesk was awarded 3.5 million baht by the Thai Central Intellectual Property and International Trade Court.
       Chan continues that it is possible that these two cases will encourage more software developers to take action at a civil level. However, fighting to this has high legal is costly and takes long process,which is why more than 50 percent of cases are settled out of court.
       There are several positive signs to make Thailand piracy rate in 2009 reduce from central government policy and strong police enforcement and compensation to copyright holders.
       A BSA-IDC study revealed that Thailand's PC piracy rate in 2008 was around 76 percent with a value loss of US$609 million, dropping two points from 2007 and 80 percent in 2006. Thailand ranks eight out of 19 Asia Pacific economies.

Teen answers online

2009-08-26T00:12:00.001-07:00

       A web site is now up and running with an ultimate goal of tackling teenagers' problems.
       Developed by Assoc Prof Somthawin Thanasopon, www.woundwhy.com offers online games through which visitors will learn about the dangers of drugs, liquor, sexually transmitted diseases, etc, and also how to avoid them.
       "We use the games to attract teenagers' attention. Learning from the games won't be boring," Somthawin said.
       After playing the games, the visitors will also be asked to fill questionnaires.
       "We will collect the information for researching purposes. The information will also be used to develop the web site's content," she added.
       She said the web site targeted children aged between 12 and 15 years old.
       However, she said the web site would also prove useful to children from different age groups or even parents.
       "Our web site teaches about sex education and adolescent emotion as well," Somthawin added.
       She believed the web site would be able to reach out to a large number of teenagers because Internet was now popular.
       Her web site offers prizes like flash drives, pens and Tshirts for visitors who have played all the games and filled all the questionnaires.
       www.woundwhy.com was launched yesterday.
       Present at the launch event were Basic Education Commission secretary general Khunying Kasama Varawarn, National Research Council secretary general Dr Anond Bunyaratavej and Kasetsart University president Vudtechai Kapilakanchana.
       Kasama hailed the web site as a good medium for youths.

Sony slims PS3 console,trims prices

2009-08-24T07:43:00.001-07:00

       Sony on Tuesday unveiled a long-rumoured slim version of its PlayStation 3 videogame console and cut prices on existing models that have been struggling for momentum in the marketplace.
       A PlayStation 3 console with "an extremely streamlined form factor" and a 120 gigabyte hard drive will be released in September, according to the Japanese electronics giant.
       The consoles will be priced at $299 in the United States,299 in Europe, and 29,980 yen in Japan.
       Sony lopped $100 off the prices of PS3 consoles currently on the market to $299 for models with 80 gigabyte hard drives and $399 for those with 160 gigabyte hard drives.
       "By launching a vast library of exciting and attractive software titles for PS3 this holiday season and offering customers a line-up of hardware models and pricing to match their preference, SCE will build on the momentum and accelerate the expansion of the PS3 platform," Sony said in a release.
       The slim PS3 is about two-thirds the size of existing models but has all the features of previous models, including Blu-ray high-definition disk players, according to Sony.
       Since their launch with much fanfare in 2006, PS3 models have boasted power and rich graphics, but at premium prices when compared to Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's innovative Wii consoles.
       Sony has since found the console wars to be bruising but is banking on its refreshed, lower-priced PS3 line and the release of blockbuster videogame titles to improve its fortunes in the crucial year-end holiday shopping season.
       Sony Corp reported a net loss of 37.1 billion yen ($390 million) for the fiscal first quarter through June, blaming the global economic downturn.
       The maker of Bravia televisions, PlayStation game consoles and Cyber-shot cameras maintained its forecast for its first back-to-back annual losses since it was listed on the stock market in 1958.
       Sony, which announced in March its first annual loss in 14 years, expects to end the current business year 120 billion yen in the red.

Sony slims game console, cuts prices

2009-08-24T07:42:00.001-07:00

       Sony yesterday unveiled a long-rumoured slim version of its PlayStation 3 videogame console and cut prices on existing models that have been struggling for momentum in the marketplace.
       A PlayStation 3 console with "an extremely streamilined form factor" and a 120 gigabyte hard drive will be released next month, according to the Japanese electronics giant.
       The consoles will be price at US$299 (Bt10,200) in the United States 299 Cent (Bt14,400) in Europe, and 29,980 yen(Bt10,850) in Japan.
       Sony lopped $100 off the prices of PS3 consoles currently on the market to $299 for models with 80 gigabyte hard drives and $399 for those with 160 gigabyte hard drives.
       The slim PS3 is about two-thirds the size of existing models but has all the features of previous models, including Blu-ray high-definition disk players, accroding to Sony.
       Since their launch with much fanfare in 2006, PS3 models have boasted power and rich graphics, but at premium prices when compared to Microsoft's Xbox 360 Nintendo's innovative Wii consoles.

Exhibition promises to put fun into science

2009-08-24T07:40:00.000-07:00

       If you think you dislike science, a range of new games and 3D books designed to boost knowledge of and enjoyment of -maths and the sciences may change your mind.
       In the National Science and Technology Fair 2009, held in cooperation with the Ministry of Science and Technology and National Science Museum,which runs until August 23 at Impact Arena Hall 2-8, Muang Thong Thani,booths offering new experiences promise to turn difficult science into "fun knowledge".
       For example, IBM Global has developed PowerUp , a new online 3D game that is both fun and filled with knowledge,according to IBM Thailand, Chief Technologist, Trirat Suwanprateeb.
       The game encourages children to learn about science and engineering principles through interactive tasks.
       Players can solve environmental issues on a virtual planet by generating "clean energy" such as solar energy, wind power and hydropower.
       The game characters can interact with players to give science and engineering information which allows the players to gain knowledge about energy conser-vation and restoring the environment in a virtual world. This game is available to download for free from www.powerup thegame.org
       Meanwhile, TryScience is the world's first global science and technology museum that promises to make science "fun" for students.
       It will be developed in collaboration with more than 500 science institutions and science museums.
       IBM has created a knowledge database at www.tryscience.org, taking the form of a multimedia game that allows students to run science experiments through a computer, and provides experimental instructions in many scientific fields for students and teachers to carry out in the classrooms.
       "Advance technologies help children to access new experiences to explore science," Trirat said.
       "Not every child can afford to visit real science museums around the world but these technologies can make it happen [virtually].
       "In the near future, IBM will hold science camps for normal and disabled students as well as offer training for teachers."
       The Office of Atoms for Peace booth also offers various animation stories that will teach students in an enjoyable manner about what is nuclear technology,atom theory and other difficult and hardto-imagine subjects.
       New 3D textbook
       The Technology Management Centre under National Science and Technology Development Agency, or NSTADA, will demonstrate the new technology of interactive books, which can help students to learn biology and chemistry more easily - and more enjoyably.
       Larngear Technology, a software developer, turns ordinary textbooks into 3D books.
       The system works by using a webcam to send pictures, while the software will process the object and show it 3D on the surface of the book page.
       Every time the webcam moves, the object will move follow.
       This gives the impression of the object appearing for real in front of the users.
       The exhibition also has a 4D simulator displaying natural resources to try to teach visitors how to save the world from the effects of global warming.
       The fair also has separate zones for robot and automatic technology.
       There will be a parade of robotics including the impressive Scorpion and Spider robots, which recreate the animals from the movie Transformers 2 .It is hoped touching and examining the robots may inspire children to become the scientists of the future.

US market goes into freefall

2009-08-24T07:39:00.000-07:00

       Hurt by the recession and few game launches that have been hits,US retail sales of video games dropped sharply in July, showing an even bigger decline than many analysts had expected.
       Market researcher NPD Group said on Thursday that sales of game hardware,software and accessories plunged 29%from the same period last year, to $848.8 million.
       July marked the fifth straight month to show a sales decline this year. On top of that, the drop was steeper than what analysts were looking for. Janco Partners analyst Mike Hickey, for example, had expected a 15% decline.
       Year-to-date sales were down 14% at the end of July, totaling $8.16 billion.
       "While year-to-date results are weak,there are some big titles set to be released over the next several months, including 'Madden' this month, which should help spur sales," said NPD analyst Anita Frazier in a statement.
       Squeezed by the recession, customers are being more selective about what video games they buy, and many are waiting for blockbuster game launches coming later in the year.
       They are also hoping for console price cuts.
       Sales of portable gaming systems and consoles tumbled 37%, to $280.9 million.The handheld Nintendo DS was by far the month's best-selling system, with 538,900 units sold. It was followed by the Wii with 252,500 units and Microsoft Corp's Xbox 360 with 202,900 units. Sony Corp's PlayStation 3 sold just 121,800 units.
       "We need hardware to turn around or the industry is going to be in trouble,"said Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter.
       He added that the industry would most definitely turn around, in September, because of huge game launches planned for that month."But the trough on the decline is worse than I thought."
       Last year's spring and summer saw the launch of blockbuster games like 'Wii Fit' and 'Grand Theft Auto IV.' In comparison the first half of 2009 has been unusually slow when it comes to top-flight game launches. Combined with the recession, the retail games industry is not doing too well.
       But Frazier said the worst comparisons "should be behind us, and looking beyond August we have 'The Beatles: Rock Band,''Halo 3: ODST,' and of course,'Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2' to look forward to."
       July's software sales fell 26% to $437 million.
       The No.1 game was Nintendo's 'Wii Sports Resort,' followed in No.2 and No.3 by Electronic Arts Inc's 'NCAA Football 10' for the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3, respectively.

Marriage of convenience

2009-08-24T07:38:00.000-07:00

       The longest running soap opera in technology ended like all the others - with a marriage, a happy man and woman, a bright future and the bodies from the past buried and forgotten.
       Manly Microsoft's soft-spoken CEO Steve Ballmer got the dowry after winning the heart of Yahoo CEO Carol Bartz, said dowry consisting of the Yahoo search engine and the right to brag about the new Microhoo or Yabing or whatever he will call the children, formerly known as Yahoo Jr and Bing; Ms Bartz claimed she was thrilled to lose a lot of weight and get Yahoo back to the past and its roots as an Internet portal, the culmination of the plot that began with the ouster of Yahoo founder Jerry Yang. In return, Yahoo gets 88 percent of the search revenue for five years, while Mr Ballmer gets to take on Google head-to-head in the Internet's hugely profitable search-and-snoop business of following consumers around; as the new battle starts, Google has about 60 per cent of all search traffic, while Yahoo and Microsoft between them have about 30 per cent.
       The Black Hat security conference in Las Vegas appeared to show that the only people who gamble are those like you and us, because the hackers will have their way with us; a presentation showed how crackers can make a phony website look legitimate, and how others have fully cracked and activated the Ultimate edition of Windows 7, weeks before its release.
       At the beginning of July, chief TechCrunch honcho in charge, Michael Arrington, unleashed post after post about the morality of publishing stolen internal documents; at the end of July, after a Singapore company building the latest TechCrunch "CrunchPad" gave a newspaper interview, chief TechCrunch grouch Michael Arrington in charge of bad moods and profanity unleashed tweets and posts about "unauthorised press BS"; he was last seen biting hard cheese and trying to peel tough bananas.
       CEO Michael O'Leary of European budget airline Ryanair whipped out his fountain pen, inkwell and cardboard megaphone to win the coveted Iron Luggable Trophy for Quote of the Week; asked why his airline only accepts complaints by letter or fax, Mr O'Leary complained (without either): "People will say, 'As the founding fathers wrote down in the American Constitution, we have the inalienable right to bear arms and send in our complaints by email.' No, you bloody don't! So go away."
       Earlier this year, the US state of Hawaii passed an Internet tax bill, and Amazon. com opted out of all advertising relationships with Hawaii; in July, Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle vetoed the tax bill, and Amazon resumed business in the Aloha State.
       Scientists at the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute took 18 months to discover that texting ... oh look, there's a squirrel. US scientists discovered that texting while driving was the greatest and most dangerous distraction for truckers, with a collision rate of 23 times greater than non-texters; in other words, if you're driving right now, you are safer just reading this article than you would be trying to send a comment on it; US scientists really have a great job, eh?
       Steve "President For Life" Jobs and his Apple Inc minions refused to allow an iPhone app capable of displaying girls in skimpy bathing suits, but endorsed one that helps people find US marijuana salesmen.
       Sun Danyong of China committed suicide after he lost a prototype of the Apple iPhone; police were asked to investigate Sun's death after reports that a "security official" of the Chinese firm Foxconn roughed up Sun; Foxconn is the actual maker of the iPhone, and apparently feared the Wrath of Jobs over the lost prototype of next year's iPhone 4, leading to Sun's decision to take his life.
       eBay announced it will hive off its old acquisition Skype to make a new company which might, at last, make some sort of money. The founders of Skype, who sold out to eBay a couple of years ago, announced they may sue the auction site for using some of their licensed technology in Skype; now there's a case that should bring a few new Mercedes Benzes for the lawyers involved.
       Sony and Nintendo reported that in a recession, people do not buy game consoles; sales slumped, with Wii sales in the second quarter off by 50 per cent compared with 2008.
       No 3 US yuppiephone firm Sprint Nextel bought Virgin Mobile USA for $483 million, based on the stock price at the time of the sale; Sprint will assume roughly $200 million in debt of Virgin, but most importantly will launch the company firmly into the prepaid ("1-2-Call") sector, still a sleeping giant in the US mobile business.
       Did you notice the big drop in spam and malware on the Internet in the past few months? Neither did the folks at McAfee's alleged security firm, which said that spam levels in the second quarter leapt to an all-time high, 80 per cent above the first three months of the year; the US still produces about 25 per cent of world spam, but is losing ground to Brazil, India and (figure this one) Turkey; according to the rough McAfee research, spam now accounts for 92 per cent of all email.

Dangerous games

2009-08-24T07:37:00.000-07:00

       The public showed what a down-market daily newspaper called "a distaste for games" to say the least; according to the Abac Poll of Assumption University, 86 per cent of Thais want the government to continue and better enforce the ban on under-18s playing games in cyber cafes for more than three hours a day; the reason, said those polled - all adults - is that if children play games for more than three hours they get hopelessly addicted. Just look at the all the adults who played hopscotch and jump-rope when they were kids and can't get those monkeys off their backs; 97 per cent of the adults believed that; they also were not asked about children with parents well-off enough to have a computer at home.
       North Korea’s news agency has joined Twitter, allowing people worldwide to get in on the latest news from the DPRK Weather Bureau, and the meddling of Hillary Clinton in Southeast Asia, not to mention the daily activities of the Dear Leader. Or is it a hoax?
       Two weeks after the army announced that terrorists in the South are switching from mobile phones to other types of remote controls (model airplanes, for example) to set off their bombs, that the military is to purchase new, updated and quite a bit more expensive equipment to jam mobile phones; this time, the jammers come from Japan at a cost of (cough) 1.5 million baht (cough) apiece; you should be ashamed for what you're thinking right now, the leaders of the armed forces have absolutely no motive but pure national security and the idea of a kickback on such equipment is hateful thought.
       No 3 hard-drive maker Hitachi Global Store Technologies of the US and Thailand announced it will hire another 1,000 workers quickly, and bring its Thai work force above 10,000 - even higher than last year; the firm is fighting Seagate and Western Digital by producing drives in its factory at Prachin Buri; "The global HDD industry has really recovered," said HGST deputy managing director for Thailand Nakorn Tangsujaritpun.
       No 2 hard-drive maker Western Digital of the US and Thailand announced it will hire 5,000 Thai workers as orders pick up for data-storage products; Sampan Silapanad, president for vice at the Thai firm, said most of the new or re-hired staff will work at the Bang Pa-in plant in Ayutthaya, which had already gone on overtime shifts to meet the rising demand. It now seems only a matter of time before No 1 Seagate will also be rehiring their laid-off staff.
       Srithai Superware, which makes those stools for squatting and many market-restaurant chairs for sitting, announced that the outlook is bright for recovery of its hard-plastics products in the near future, because it has "received new orders from the Sony Group to produce CD, VCD and DVD holders for Michael Jackson albums."
       Cloistered NGOs and "activists" gathered for an air-conditioned and well-fed meeting in Chiang Rai to complain about those horrid Internet providers and mobile phone firms abusing consumers so badly; the Southeast Asian gathering brought up the right problems - lousy Internet services at unfriendly prices, yuppiephone spam and the like; then they spoiled it by whining that Big Business was probably giving them inoperable brain tumours from the telephones, and even worse that only Southeast Asians get horrible service and price ripoffs, not like consumers in the industrialised countries; meanwhile New York Times technology writer David Pogue tried to start a mass write-in campaign to mobile phone companies to stop using up 15 seconds of air time ($620 million/21 billion baht a year, he figured) telling subscribers how to speak after they hear the tone; the difference? The whingeing Bangkok meeting demanded that the government protect them, because consumers are dumb, powerless victims.
       The Metropolitan Electricity Authority estimated that the recession will convince folks in and near Bangkok to cut back on electricity use by at least 4 per cent this year, compared to an average rise of more than 5 per cent in recent, better years; MEA governor Pornthape Thunyapongchai said that in fact, power use was down around 10 per cent in the first six months of the year, but then "improved" - the opposite of what climate change advocates might say.
       Your CAT Telecom, for the second century in a row, announced it will spend mere billions of baht to build an optical fibre network for nationwide Internet traffic; in the 1900s, CAT built the fibre-optic network along the railways and then into your homes, remember that? No? Well, this time, director Thaneerat Siripachana said, CAT will invest six billion baht in what he called "the last mile project," a three-year programme that will give Cattelecom a great revenue source, but more importantly will allow everyone to have much better Internet service.

Digital camp for antsy athletes

2009-08-24T07:35:00.000-07:00

       With all due respect to Pong Pac-Man Tetris Super Mario
       Bros and World of Warcraft ,there may not be a more important title in the young history of video games than Wii Sports .It is almost impossible to overstate the vital role that Nintendo's Wii console has played in rescuing video games from the cultural sidelines. Just when the other big console makers, Microsoft and Sony, redoubled their focus on core young male gamers, Nintendo came along with the Wii three years ago and reclaimed video games as accessible entertainment for everyone. All around the world, tens of millions of people who would never pick up an Xbox or PlayStation controller have had a good time with the Wii.(Nintendo has sold more than 50 million Wiis since the system's debut.)
       In the West, every Wii comes with Wii Sports, the cartoonlike collection of baseball, boxing, bowling, golf and tennis that has brilliantly occupied rainy weekends, family holidays and random weeknights at home too numerous to count.
       But after three years it's time for more than the same five sports. It's time to whack your boyfriend over the head with a virtual sword (wielded in your living room in the form of the Wii's motion-sensitive controller). It's time for Frisbee, archery, wakeboarding and table tennis. It's time for Wii Sports Resort , the new game and accessory from Nintendo, to be released in North America on Sunday.
       Wii Sports Resort is basically a musthave for any Wii owner. Not only are most of the package's dozen games fun,but Wii Sports Resort comes with Wii MotionPlus, a new add-on for the system's wireless controller.
       The MotionPlus is a small white cube,about an inch long on each side, that attaches easily to the Wii controller's base. The Wii controller has always been admirably responsive to the user swinging and moving it, but the MotionPlus uses some fancy technology to make it even more accurate. In particular, the MotionPlus accessory makes the controller more sensitive to being twisted along its axis, which corresponds to turning one's wrists over in a golf swing or angling a Frisbee to curve left or right.
       MotionPlus works so well that it appears poised to become a de facto requirement for Wii owners. Other games that support MotionPlus include the excellent new Tiger Woods golf game from Electronic Arts and tennis games from EA and Sega. In the fall, big thirdparty games for the Wii including Ubisoft's Red Steel 2 are also set to support MotionPlus.
       Of course, nothing comes free.Wii Sports Resort with one MotionPlus included will carry a price tag of about $50(1,700 baht), and each additional MotionPlus (for your friends and family)will cost around $20(680 baht).
       But for the hours of hilarity and competition the package will provide, it seems worth it. Like the original Wii Sports ,Wii Sports Resort 's beauty is its breadth. With 12 activities, there should be something for everyone. Over the last few weeks I've spent anywhere from 45 minutes to many hours on each of the minigames, with friends and alone,and here are a few impressions of each.
       Swordplay
       Basic in its complexity but visceral in its appeal, at least as much so as punching your best friend in the face in the original Wii Sports boxing. Can definitely be an upper-body workout.
       Wakeboarding
       You hold the controller horizontally like a tether and steer left and right,flipping off the boat's wake to do tricks and score points. I found it diverting,but it could not hold my attention for hours.
       Frisbee
       Almost entirely intuitive and natural.You either play fetch with a digital dog or, far better, Frisbee golf on the same courses you can also attempt in "real"golf. With some practice you can put some nice curves on each throw.
       Archery
       A real gem. One of the only video games I have ever played that is about deep concentration and focus rather than the more frenetic sort of eye-hand coordination. Archery truly capitalises on the sensitivity and potential of the MotionPlus.
       The first time a buddy makes a loud noise as you release your arrow, you will not find it funny. Of course, your buddy will.
       Basketball
       The one Wii Sports Resort activity that didn't work for me. Either Nintendo messed up the programming or I'm just horrible.
       Table Tennis
       Along with golf and archery, one of my favourites. It's fast, and MotionPlus makes it phenomenally accurate and powerful.
       Golf
       A genuine step up from the golf in the original Wii Sports . Obviously not as detailed as the Tiger Woods game,but if you can't control your wrists you will not hit straight, as it should be.
       Bowling
       A remake of perhaps the most popular game in Wii Sports . The new Resort bowling is certainly more accurate than its predecessor. And who can resist 100-pin bowling (maximum possible score 3,000)?
       Power Cruising
       A bit too similar to wakeboarding,just without the tricks. Good for 20 minutes, little more, unless you're just looking for shoulder exercise.
       Cycling
       Ingeniously designed, blending rhythm and precision with some deceptively deep strategy in terms of deciding how to manage your energy over a racecourse. When do you exert yourself for a boost of speed, and when do you conserve your breath?
       Air Sports
       Think how you hold a paper airplane.That's how you control your plane here.The dogfighting wasn't fabulous, but I have to admit I spent more than an hour just flying around Wii Sports Resort's digital island.
       In all, Wii Sports Resort is destined to keep far too many people indoors over the rest of this summer. I can't say I'll blame them.

China bans gangster games

2009-08-24T07:33:00.000-07:00

       China has banned websites featuring or publicising online games which glamorise mafia gangs, saying violators will be "severely punished",state media reported recently.
       The Culture Ministry said such games "advocate obscenity, gambling, or violence," and "undermine morality and Chinese traditional culture", the official Xinhua news agency said.
       "These games encourage people to deceive, loot and kill, and glorify gangsters' lives," the report said, citing a ministry circular.
       "It has a bad influence on youngsters.""The ministry ordered its law enforcement bodies to harshly punish those sites that continue to run such games,"it added, without elaborating.
       In the early years of Communist rule,the government almost totally extinguished mafia-like gangs, but they have made a comeback in recent decades as China relaxed its social and economic controls.
       Despite their involvement in unsavoury activities, movies and television series made in Taiwan and Hong Kong about gangs are very popular in China.
       The online game industry in China is expected to grow by between 30 percent and 50 percent this year, with a sales revenue of 24 billion yuan (119 billion baht) to 27 billion yuan (134 billion baht),according to officials.
       China has about 200 million online game players, and more than 300 million Internet users, the largest number in the world.
       The government has closed hundreds of websites in an ongoing crackdown on pornography and "vulgar content"that in some cases has netted dissident sites.
       The campaign is part of a broader tightening of the media ahead of October's 60th anniversary of the founding of Communist China.

GAMING SHOP ON LOCKDOWN

2009-08-24T07:30:00.000-07:00

       By this month, it is likely that the Thai society will have a new law that curbs the servicing hours of online gaming shops for users of different age groups. This measure reflects yet another attempt by the government to solve the gaming addiction. 'Muse' asked you what your thoughts were on this time restriction regulation. Do you think the law can be effectively enforced? And will this really help to reduce the rising number of children addicted to games, and why? If not, then how do you suggest we solve the problem?Muse's PICK
       This is not the first time the government has tried to impose a law on the opening hours and age restrictions for online gaming shops. And I'm certain this is not the last. However, I hardly see the difference between the previous regulation to the new one. In my opinion, there is an overabundance of law but never enough management and implementation. There should be a system in which all online gaming shops must be registered in order to control the volume of shops, their hours of operation and hygiene, etc.
       "Still, I doubt whether this law will achieve its goal to cure online game addiction. We may see less children in these shops, but I'm afraid there will be underground online gaming shops immediately popping up, which will be extremely hard to manage.
       "My idea is the community should play a local policing role by forming community teams to inspect these shops and set up networks that will allow residents to file complaints. For curing the gaming addiction, you need more museums, libraries, parks and areas for playing sports, and a budget to hire staff to turn these places into something more fun to visit."
       BOONTHIP JAREECHAIYOTHIN,
       Corporate employee
       Ultimately, this (the government's decision to impose age-restriction for online gaming shops) tells businesses who they can or cannot do business with and at what hours. I do not think that the solution lies within discriminating against certain businesses. Otherwise, let's close restaurants after a certain hour because eating late leads to obesity. While we are at it, we need to restrict driving hours because carbon monoxide is bad for the environment.
       "The solution lies in enacting a curfew for children. Additionally, parents should take more responsibility in raising their own children and monitoring where they are at. Crime and mischief will be reduced, the gaming problem is resolved, and children will grow to be a more responsible and productive generation of people."
       NIMNUAL YAOSUNGNOEN,
       Nanny
       I welcome the new law. What's needed is more surveillance to control the opening hours of the gaming businesses as it seems to me anyone can open one if they have a vacant space and enough money to rent or buy several computers. In reality, there are many underground online gaming shops, which no one really knows what improper activities are being conducted.
       "But you need more than just law to address the online game addiction problem. The government needs to impose higher taxes or financial measures to make the price of time spent playing at an online gaming shop is more expensive than what children can afford, which will also cut down the amount of time at such shops."
       PORNTHIP BANCHERDPAIBOON,
       Businesswoman
       The curbing of the online game service hours to be initiated by the government is better than none at all. Although, it's like putting up a fence when the cows have already gone astray.
       "Restricting the time can place a limit on how long the children can spend at an internet shop each visit. Due to the ubiquitous shops in town, those who are indeed addicted to online games could hop from one shop to another.
       "Though the law can be enforced, which is one way of reducing the number of children becoming an addict of online gaming, it might not be so effective for the reason mentioned above.
       "A warm, loving and understanding parent should help guide their child to do something that is considered more productive and better for his/her health and future."
       LUCY T,
       Retiree
       Next week: With the endorsement from the State Council, it seems the Government Lottery Office is up for the online lottery scheme that would allow lottery players to buy tickets from vending machines. With surveys to examine the public's opinion on the project being conducted, 'Muse' asks you what you think of the project? Do you think the online lottery will win public approval and why? Will the online lottery help solve the problem of ticket overpricing and illegal underground betting and why? Send your
       answer along with name and profession to muse@bangkokpost.co.th by August 12. A little prize awaits the person who gives us our favourite answer.
       Relate Search: different age groups, Internet cafe