Police Quest creator to start up a Kickstarter project

Anthony Garreffa | Gaming | Feb 3, 2013 1:33 AM CST

I'm sure there are some of you out there, like me, who remember the class adventure series from Sierra, Police Quest. Well, the creator of Police Quest, Jim Walls, was interviewed by Chris Pope, the Executive Producer of Guys from Andromedia LLC where he had something interesting to announce.

Walls announced that he is to soon join some of his ex-Sierra buddies, where they'll begin a new Kickstarter project where they hope to raise enough funds to start a new Police Quest-like game. We won't see a proper Police Quest game as Activision own the rights to it, but something like Police Quest would still be great.

Walls is asking for help, and would like people who are interested in helping to contact him through his website, but still has full intentions of starting a new Kickstarter-funded project sometime this year.

Continue reading: Police Quest creator to start up a Kickstarter project (full post)

4K UHD over HDMI is now possible thanks to VESA updating DisplayPort Dual-Mode

Anthony Garreffa | Displays & Projectors | Feb 1, 2013 6:29 PM CST

VESA have officially updated their DisplayPort Dual-Mode 1.1 standard which paves the way for better performance, higher resolutions and increased interoperability when using HDMI and DVI ports through a cable or an adapter.

When using Dual-Mode, DisplayPort will be capable of outputting an additional HDMI/DVI-compatible signal alongside its expected DisplayPort link. What this will allow is connectivity for HDMI and DVI-capable devices without the need for cables or converters featuring active electronics. Current DisplayPort Dual-Mode converters/adapters are limited by an output maximum of 1080p @ 60Hz with 24-bit color.

This update to DisplayPort Dual-Mode would allow HDMI 1.4 to be quite versatile, handling deep-color, 3D 1080p @ 60Hz and 4K UHD (2160p) @ 30Hz, all through a single cable. These improvements are thanks to a near doubling in the Transitional-Minimized Differential Signal (TMDS) rate, which has been ramped up from 165MHz to 300MHz.

Continue reading: 4K UHD over HDMI is now possible thanks to VESA updating DisplayPort Dual-Mode (full post)

Live video streaming website Stickam shuts down over night

Charles Gantt | Internet & Websites | Feb 1, 2013 12:39 PM CST

Stickam, the live video streaming website that gained notoriety in the alternative teen culture took itself offline last night in what appears to be a permanent decision. This shocked many of its users who had no idea the service was closing.

Its service let users "stick" a live video stream on their website, or blog and could also be accessed from Stickam's website. It grew in popularity with the scene, emo and alternative youth demographics, but it also attracted more adult content related "performers" which Stickam quickly banned in an effort to keep things family friendly.

Stickam launched in 2005 and it quickly grew to 10 million registered users with about 6 million monthly unique visitors. With other services like YouTube, Google+ Hangouts and Ustream, gaining in popularity, the service just could not keep up.

Continue reading: Live video streaming website Stickam shuts down over night (full post)

RumorTT: Google Glass to come with bone-conduction speakers

With Google saying that their "Explorer Edition" of their augmented reality headset would arrive early in 2013, it looks like they're finally here as they're sliding through the FCC.

Now that they're hitting the FCC, we can see some specs - 2.4GHz 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, and the latest Bluetooth 4.0 Low Energy technology. The charging method appears to be a USB charger, but another listing tells a story of a "barrel" connector.

Something else that has been spotted is that Glass looks to feature a "vibrating element" that would provide the wearer audio "via contact with the user's head". We don't know exactly what this is, but it does sound like bone conduction technology, which would suit Glass quite well.

Continue reading: RumorTT: Google Glass to come with bone-conduction speakers (full post)

Nokia receives $1.35 billion grant, will use the funds to develop the "strongest material ever tested"

Anthony Garreffa | Science, Space, & Robotics | Feb 1, 2013 3:36 AM CST

Finnish smartphone maker Nokia have received a tidy $1.35 billion grant which will see them attempt to develop the strongest material ever constructed - how incredibly exciting! Currently, graphene is a class 2D structure measuring just a single atom thick.

This is an incredible feat, and it is currently the strongest material ever produced. Graphene is 300 times tougher than steel and is also one of the lightest conductors available. Nokia is leading the pack of the Graphene Flagship Consortium, which includes 73 other companies and academic institutions from a number of mediums.

Nokia's grant will see them research and develop graphene for practical applications, where the European Union for the Future and Emerging Technologies (FET) the ones behind the $1.35 billion grant. Research Leader at Nokia Research Center, Jani Kivioja, says:

Continue reading: Nokia receives $1.35 billion grant, will use the funds to develop the "strongest material ever tested" (full post)

European Space Agency is looking into 3D-printed moon bases

Anthony Garreffa | Science, Space, & Robotics | Feb 1, 2013 2:37 AM CST

We've previous reported about entire 3D-printed buildings, but now we're looking at taking one small step for man, one giant leap for 3D printing with the idea of 3D-printed moon bases. Yes, that's not an error - 3D-printed moon bases.

The European Space Agency and partners from London-based architecture firm Foster + Partners are currently scribbling down some ideas on how they would get 3D-printed moon bases onto the surface of our moon. Lunar dust creates a difficult a problem in terms of building materials, which has forced those involved to think outside of the box, big time.

Simulated moon dust has been combined with magnesium oxide and a "binding salt", which helps to mixture stick together, with the entire process capable of working within the vacuum of space thanks to a new approach to extruding liquids on the moon. The first concept designs from Foster + Partners used a large weight-bearing dome with a "cellular structured wall" in order to keep the people who would be inside of these structures safe from ambient radiation and micrometeroid strikes.

Continue reading: European Space Agency is looking into 3D-printed moon bases (full post)

ZOTAC unveils new GeForce GTX 660 Thunderbolt GPUs, have nothing to do with Thunderbolt technology

Anthony Garreffa | Video Cards & GPUs | Jan 31, 2013 10:35 PM CST

ZOTAC have just launched a new GPU, named the GeForce GTX 660 Thunderbolt Edition. With 'Thunderbolt' in the name, most people would expect that ZOTAC have baked in some Thunderbolt interface support, but nope - it has nothing to do with the high-speed connectivity called Thunderbolt.

The new ZOTAC GeForce GTX 660 Thunderbolt Edition, does however, arrive with a high-grade non-reference design PCB, and a very cool new cooling solution. The cooling solution sports a massive aluminum heatsink with heat-transfer helps by three copper heat pipes. This gives us a hybrid-type device, somewhere between heatsinks and fin-stacks. The pictures below show off how a hybrid heatsink is better than fin-stacks.

ZOTAC calls the cooler features "EClean", which is a mechanism that allows owners of the GPU to easily detach the cooler shroud on which the fans are mounted by simply pressing a retention notch, and sliding out the shroud that's suspended on rails on the main heatsink. All of this provides the ability to clean the heatsink, very, very nice.

Continue reading: ZOTAC unveils new GeForce GTX 660 Thunderbolt GPUs, have nothing to do with Thunderbolt technology (full post)

Microsoft 'unlocking' Netflix app for this weekend only, will allow non-Gold users to use Netflix

Trace Hagan | Gaming | Jan 31, 2013 6:01 PM CST

Microsoft is doing a rare deed by unlocking Xbox's Netflix app for all members of Xbox Live. Normally to use the Netflix app, you'd have to be an Xbox Live Gold member. However, Netflix is debuting their new original series House of Cards and they obviously want all the eyes on it they possibly can, so it appears Microsoft worked with them to allow anyone to use the Netflix app for this weekend only.

All the episodes of season one will be uploaded at the same time, so you should have just enough time this weekend to watch them all. Thankfully, you can do so on your Xbox, even if you aren't a Live Gold member. I've never understood why you should have to pay Microsoft to use the Netflix app, and apparently neither do commentors on the blog post:

Continue reading: Microsoft 'unlocking' Netflix app for this weekend only, will allow non-Gold users to use Netflix (full post)

Nintendo 3DS and 3DS XL to see a few big releases in the coming months

Anthony Garreffa | Gaming | Jan 31, 2013 5:14 PM CST

Nintendo may have released their next-gen Wii U console, but that doesn't mean we won't be seeing some quality releases on their portable gaming systems in the Nintendo 3DS and 3DS XL. Coming later this month is Scribblenauts Unlimited, which should please puzzle fans and if you're after a new fishing game - Super Black Bass will... wet your appetite. If that wasn't enough, Viking Invasion 2 will also be released.

February will also see the releases of Crash City Mayhem, Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor Unlocked (wow, that's a mouthful). In March, we're also treated to multiple releases from Majesco Entertainment with paranormal investigation title The Hidden, undead fun will be had in Pet Zombies, Face Racers will give you some fast and frenetic racing and if you want some outer space weirdness, Nano Assault might tickle your fancy.

Of course, that's not all, but unfortunately no steak knives are involved, but what is involved is two more games for those of you who liked Professor Layton's last adventure. If so, you might enjoy Mystery Murders: Jack the Ripper and Midnight Mysteries: The Devil of Mississippi. Filling out March will see the release of Luigi's Mansion 2 as well as a return of one of the bigger, but much older Nintendo franchises - Castlevania: Lords of Shadow- Mirror of Fate.

Continue reading: Nintendo 3DS and 3DS XL to see a few big releases in the coming months (full post)

Apple discontinuing Mac Pro sales in Europe after March 1 due to regulatory standards

Trace Hagan | Business, Financial & Legal | Jan 31, 2013 3:02 PM CST

The Mac Pro will no longer be sold in Europe after March 1. The issue apparently stems from new regulatory standards that Apple's Mac Pro fails to meet. It's not clear which standard isn't met by the machine, but Apple apparently doesn't want to update it to meet the standards.

Resellers will be able to continue selling the Mac Pro beyond March 1, though stock will not be replenished. Final orders for Mac Pro units must be placed with Apple before February 18 so that they can be delivered before March 1. The following letter was sent to retailers:

Continue reading: Apple discontinuing Mac Pro sales in Europe after March 1 due to regulatory standards (full post)

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