Archive for July 22nd, 2010

Physical and digital distribution sales for games nearly equal, GameStop CEO thinks people like boxes

Posted by Ry on Jul 22 2010 | Technology

There are two ways to look at physical media. Some see it as needless clutter; useless relics taking up shelf space and collecting the airborne remnants of your dearly departed skin cells. Others, however, see rows and rows of boxes and books with a sense of pride -- proof that they have incredibly good taste when it comes to spending free time. According to the NPD, those two parties are rapidly becoming equal when it comes to gaming, with 21.3 million "full-game" PC titles downloaded (legally) in 2009 and 23.5 million boxed copies sold. That's awfully close, and ignores all the PSN and XBLA titles that are currently making our console hard drives cry for mercy. Should brick and mortar software stores be nervous? Not according to GameStop CEO J. Paul Raines, whose franchises are decidedly ceramic and paste-based: "The world won't be all digital tomorrow... In this business, users still want physical content." And he's right, you know. We'd say it'll be more like 18 - 24 months.

Physical and digital distribution sales for games nearly equal, GameStop CEO thinks people like boxes originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Jul 2010 00:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Solar Powered Curtains Smartly Control Shade [Concept]

Posted by Ry on Jul 22 2010 | Technology

The Compliant Shading Enclosure concept automatically regulates the amount of shade, shadow and light that comes into a window. How? There's a curtain (the green thing) in between the glass panes that's programmed to open or close depending on the temperature More »


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New Xbox 360 250GB Limited Edition Halo: Reach bundle revealed

Posted by Ry on Jul 22 2010 | Technology

The Halo series is no stranger to special edition Xbox 360 hardware, so it should come as no surprise that the latest entry, Halo: Reach, is also privy to such treatment. What makes it special, however, is that it's the first special edition based on the new model -- 250GB HDD, built-in 802.11n WiFi, a silver (presumably matte, based on the picture) finish, and custom, Halo-inspired sounds. The $399 price tag also nets you two special edition wireless controllers and, naturally, a copy of the game itself. Look for this September 14th, and really, if you're not into glossy black (and we feel ya, brother), this might be in your best interest to pick up.

Gallery: New Xbox 360 250GB Limited Edition Halo:Reach bundle revealed

New Xbox 360 250GB Limited Edition Halo: Reach bundle revealed originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Jul 2010 23:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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How Big Is the Biggest Yacht In the World? [Infographic]

Posted by Ry on Jul 22 2010 | Technology

You remember the Eclipse, the 560-foot long yacht by Russian gazillionaire Roman Abramovich. It is the largest private yacht in the world. But maybe that claim is hard to visualize... until you see it compared to a 747. More »


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Tiny Surveillance Aircraft Can Charge Itself By Landing On Power Lines [Surveillance]

Posted by Ry on Jul 22 2010 | Technology

The engineers at MIT have come up with a way for tiny surveillance aircraft to never have to return to base. By enabling them to latch on to power lines, they can charge themselves up whenever they want. More »


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Ask Engadget: best desktop replacement laptop?

Posted by Ry on Jul 22 2010 | Technology

We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget question is coming to us from Cameron, who'd rather buy the most powerful laptop the world has to offer than subject himself to a "desktop PC." If you're looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com.
"I'm looking for a desktop replacement laptop. It needs to have at least a Core i3 processor, 3GB of memory and a 320GB hard drive. Of course, more is always better, but I'm not looking to spend a fortune. Recommendations?"
We're going to suggest looking Clevo's way if you'd rather not pay the Alienware label premium, but we've got a feeling some folks in comments may know a few more underground avenues for securing a well-built beast-of-a-laptop. Help a brother out, won't you?

Ask Engadget: best desktop replacement laptop? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Jul 2010 22:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Some German Tech Companies Know Their Target Market Too Well [Ads]

Posted by Ry on Jul 22 2010 | Technology

This ad—from VPN/WAN access router company Viprinet—says: "Redundancy Creates Security". I don't know about you, but I would get a kernel panic in a situation like this. [Viprinet] More »


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You Can Only Read Wylie Agency Ebooks on the Kindle and Kindle Apps Until 2012 [Ebooks]

Posted by Ry on Jul 22 2010 | Technology

Amazon and the Kindle ebook store will have exclusive rights to publish works by authors such as Salman Rushdie, Oliver Sacks, and Philip Roth, among others. The 2 year agreement looks like the start of an inescapable trend: a divided ebook marketplace, where if you want access to every author in digital form, you'll need multiple ebook readers, or more practically, one whose platform lets you access all the ebook apps. [IB Times via Electronista via CrunchGear] More »


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Microsoft Uses Forensic Tech To Catch Software Counterfeiters [Counterfeiting]

Posted by Ry on Jul 22 2010 | Technology

Microsoft takes fighting software counterfeiting so seriously that it's looking at crime-scene forensic technology for inspiration. Apparently the software maker is using custom microscopes to match counterfeit discs to their creators—just like bullets to guns: More »


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It’s official: Joss Whedon is directing the Avengers movie! [Breaking]

Posted by Ry on Jul 22 2010 | Technology

At the Visionaries panel at Comic Con Joss Whedon announced that he is officially directing The Avengers, "Because Marvel can't afford the press release." More »


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